South Africa: Improving local government a top priority President Cyril Ramaphosa says measures to improve the lives of South Africans will only truly become effective when the challenges in local government are addressed. The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter. Municipalities, the President wrote on Monday, are at the coalface of serving South Africans, as they are responsible for delivering basic services such as water, sanitation and electricity to citizens. Local government provides the infrastructure and services that help improve peoples livelihoods. All spheres of government must therefore work together to ensure that municipalities are able to fulfil their responsibilities. The people of South Africa expect and are entitled to local governments that are there to serve them and uphold their right to dignity. All spheres of government are committed to play their part to make this a reality. The President reflected that at a meeting of the Presidential Coordinating Council a platform to engage with provinces and local government on Friday, 2 June, the matter of improving the lives of the people was high on the agenda. The council was presented with proposals on local government reform and improving intergovernmental coordination in the critical areas of electricity distribution, water and sanitation services, waste management and roads. The council focused on the challenge of municipal underspending. While many municipalities are in great financial difficulty, they often do not spend the grants they are allocated by national government. In the last year, around 88 municipalities failed to spend at least 10% of their Municipal Infrastructure Grant, which is supposed to be used for eradicating infrastructure backlogs. Another challenge is that money that is not allocated for a specific purpose is often misspent, President Ramaphosa said. According to the President, low revenue collection in municipalities stymies the ability of municipalities to implement projects and programmes, and must be addressed urgently. It is imperative that municipalities must have credible, sustainable and well-managed revenue collection programmes that apply fair and equitable standards to all customers. Citizens should play their part by paying for services. All businesses and government departments must pay outstanding debt to municipalities. The PCC recommended that National Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance should develop measures to further support and strengthen municipal revenue collection systems with urgency. As the Auditor-Generals report noted, municipalities are often to blame for their own financial woes because of poor debt collection practices. More broadly, the Presidential Coordinating Council deliberated on the urgent task to review the funding model for municipalities to ensure they have the resources they need to do their work, he said. Turning to the issue of Municipal Audit Outcomes for 2021/22, President Ramaphosa said although clean audits are not the only way to measure the performance of a municipality, this must improve. Of the 257 municipalities in the country, only 38 have recorded clean audits from the Auditor-General. While clean audits are not the only indicator of good service delivery, there is a clear correlation between achieving good audit outcomes and improving services to communities. In the face of the great needs of our citizens, the dire material conditions in which millions of people live, and ongoing service delivery failures, the findings of the Auditor-General are serious and need a coordinated response, he said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-06-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Int'l students attend culture promotion activity to learn about Guizhou Xinhua) 09:18, June 05, 2023 International students take a selfie while visiting the Baling River bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 3, 2023. A total of 40 international students from 24 countries have recently attended a culture promotion activity to learn about Guizhou Province, especially its achievements in transport infrastructure construction and rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) International students visit Guizhou Communications Polytechnic in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 2, 2023. A total of 40 international students from 24 countries have recently attended a culture promotion activity to learn about Guizhou Province, especially its achievements in transport infrastructure construction and rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) International students visit Guizhou Communications Polytechnic in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 2, 2023. A total of 40 international students from 24 countries have recently attended a culture promotion activity to learn about Guizhou Province, especially its achievements in transport infrastructure construction and rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) International students pose for a group photo while visiting the Baling River bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 3, 2023. A total of 40 international students from 24 countries have recently attended a culture promotion activity to learn about Guizhou Province, especially its achievements in transport infrastructure construction and rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) International students visit the Baling River bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 3, 2023. A total of 40 international students from 24 countries have recently attended a culture promotion activity to learn about Guizhou Province, especially its achievements in transport infrastructure construction and rural revitalization. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) 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. According to Atul Garg, the Director of Delhi Fire Service (DFS), the call regarding the blaze was received around 6:09 a.m. following which fire tenders were rushed to the spot. "The fire was in the air-conditioner, furniture and clothes in room No. 89 on the first floor of the old boys hostel of the medical college," said Garg. "A total of seven fire tenders were sent and no casualty has been reported," he added. --IANS ssh/dpb ( 118 Words) 2023-06-04-11:44:02 (IANS) The month-long violence that claimed around 100 lives and over 315 people injured in it has sharply divided Manipur on ethnic lines as Kuki tribals living on hills feel a separate state is the only solution while the Meiteis, who are seeking Scheduled Tribe category status and dominant in the valley, are strongly against any kind of division of the state or any separate arrangements. The ethnic violence since May 3 caused large-scale displacement of people - both in the hills and the valley. Those non-tribal Meiteis living on the hills have fled to the valley and the tribal Kukis who inhabited the valley moved out to the hills clearly showing a trust deficit between the two communities and different geographical locations further widening differences. The division between the mountainous and the valley areas or the development disparity has always been an engaging political debate in Manipur. For all-round socio-economic development, there are 10 constitutional bodies -- tribal autonomous district councils that exist in four northeastern states (three each in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram and one in Tripura) but in Manipur despite a sizable presence of tribals there are no such powerful constitutional autonomous bodies. Amidst the ethnic violence, students of Churachandpur Medical College, expressing their fear, distress and anxiety, have demanded a secure place to continue their studies. The first batch of students are pursuing their first-year MBBS course at the newly set up medical college, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 6 this year. Of the total 100 students, around 60 students hail from the valley regions of Manipur. As the ethnic violence was going on, 10 MLAs belonging to Kuki tribals (including seven ruling BJP members) demanded a separate administration equivalent to a separate state for the tribals in Manipur. While the Kuki MLAs alleged that the violence was perpetrated by the majority Meitei community and was "tacitly supported" by the BJP-run state government, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that in complete dismay and frustration, Kuki leaders, including their 10 MLAs, have demanded a separate political administration (equivalent to a separate state) for the tribals. Academician-turned-politician Singh, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Inner Manipur parliamentary seat on a BJP ticket, said that the demand was made under tremendous pressure from various quarters, including the Kuki militants. The Union Minister from Manipur, requesting the Prime Minister to do away with the mechanical division in Manipur, suggested that the entire state should belong to the people as a whole - without any distinction between the hill inhabitants and the valley people - in the pattern of Himachal Pradesh. If required, Article 371C may be amended. Article 371C deals with special provisions for the hill areas of Manipur. The hills account for 90 per cent of the state's area and 10 per cent population while the valley occupies 10 per cent land. Out of the 60 Assembly seats, the valley accounts for 40 Assembly seats. In the valley, there are Hindu, non-tribal Meitei communities while the hills are inhabited largely by the Christian Naga and Kuki-Zomi communities and similar ethnic tribes. The BJP-led government in 2017 promised to cement the divide and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh launched "go to hills" and "go to villages" to expedite development measures in the hills. The Chief Minister as per the Central government's mission to make the northeast a drug-free zone also launched a "war against drugs" and evicted tribals from the protected reserve forest and reserve forest besides destroying illegal poppy cultivation. The state government's eviction drive and destruction of illegal poppy cultivation annoyed the Koki tribals, who launched agitations on March 10 against the government's move. The state government claimed that the Kuki militants are instigating the tribals against the government's action. After the May 3 and the subsequent ethnic violence, all the 10 MLAs belonging to the Kuki community have accused the N. Biren Singh government of "failing miserably" to protect the community. Therefore, they have resolved to pursue a "separate administration under the Constitution of India and live peacefully as neighbours with Manipur". The tribals constitute around 37 to 40 per cent of the total 2.72 million population (2011 census) of the state. There are differences in perception on many issues among the tribals and non-tribals in the entire northeastern region, where 27-28 per cent are tribals out of the 45.58 million population. Though the demand for a separate state for the tribals is active in several northeastern states including Nagaland, Tripura, and Meghalaya, the separate state demand in Manipur assumes more significance as it was raised by the ruling party MLAs and their allies. "The unabated violence that began on May 3 in Manipur perpetrated by the majority Meiteis and tacitly supported by the state government against the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi hill tribals has already partitioned the state and effected a total separation from the state of Manipur," said a statement signed by the 10 MLAs. "Our people can no longer exist under Manipur as the hatred against our tribal community reached such a height that MLAs, ministers, pastors, police and civil officers, common men, women and even children were not spared, not to mention the destruction of places of worship, homes and properties. To live amidst the Meitei again is as good as death for our people," the statement said. In the valley, there are Hindu, non-tribal Meitei communities while the hills are inhabited largely by the Christian Naga and Kuki-Zomi communities. Several years after the erstwhile princely state of Manipur merged with the Indian Union in October 1949, the Meitei community feels that with the infiltration from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal their demographic balance and position would be jeopardised if they did not get constitutional protection. With this observation, the Meitei communities, who constitute around 53 per cent of the total population, have been demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which has been strongly opposed by the tribals. The tribals' logic is that "the Meitei communities as the majority population got many constitutional and government benefits, and if they are categorised as ST, the tribals' constitutional benefits would be shared further with them (Meitei communities)". Claiming 100 lives, injuring over 315, and damaging government and private properties, the northeastern state witnessed unprecedented violent clashes, attacks, counter-attacks and arson of houses and vehicles in more than 10 districts after the May 3 'Tribal Solidarity March' called by the All Tribal Students' Union of Manipur (ATSUM) to oppose the demand for inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST category. Acting on a writ petition filed by the Meetei (Meitei) Trade Union, the Manipur High Court's acting Chief Justice M.V. Muralidaran on April 19 directed the state government to submit the recommendation for the inclusion of the Meitei (Meetei) community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry. The High Court order snowballed into a major controversy with thousands of tribals turning up for the 'Tribal Solidarity March' in 10 hill districts on May 3, called by ATSUM. The May 3 incidents were preceded by anger, and the strong opposition against the eviction of Kuki villagers from the protected forest land and the destruction of poppy cultivation by the state government led to a series of agitations and tension between the majority Meiteis and the minority Kukis. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) --IANS sc/sha ( 1254 Words) 2023-06-04-11:50:03 (IANS) Union Defence Minister Rajanth Singh has also extended birthday greetings to CM Yogi. "Happy birthday to the popular Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, @myogiadityanathji. With full passion and dedication, he is working to make Uttar Pradesh a developed state. He has prepared his ground in the state. May God keep him healthy and live long," he tweeted. CM Yogi was born on June 5, 1972, in a village in Uttarakhand. He left the home to join the movement for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and became a disciple of Mahant Avaidyanath of Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur. He also became the head priest of the Gorakhnath Math after the death of Mahant Avaidyanath. Yogi commenced his political journey in 1998 becoming the youngest MP from Gorakhpur. He was Gorakhpur MP for five consecutive terms from 1998 to 2017. He took the reins of the most populous state for a second time in a row earlier this year following his full five-year term - a feat repeated after 37 years. (ANI) "One cannot cut the price suddenly. Any such decision should be taken only after discussing it with the government," the Chief Minister told the Managing Director of Karnataka Milk Federation according to a government statement. "If the price is cut, the farmers will suffer. This point should be kept in mind," he added. The Chief Minister's directive comes in the wake of Bengaluru Milk Producers' Union (BAMUL) announcement of a special incentive of Rs 2.85 per litre of milk from April 1 to May 31 due to low milk production during summer. The BAMUL green fodder has become available due to good rains in the districts, resulting in the increased production of milk. For this reason, an order was issued to reduce the incentive by Rs 1.50. Ahead of the recent Assembly elections, there was a row after Gujarat based milk cooperative Amul announced its decision to enter Karnataka market to supply its milk and curd. Congress and other groups had lashed out at the th the then Bharatiya Janata Party government for allowing Amul to sell fresh milk and curd in Bengaluru, alleging that it would hurt the business of the local brand Nandini. The row erupted after Union Home Minister Amit Shah in December last year called for cooperation between the cooperative-model-based dairy companies -- Amul and Nandini. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Monday granted three-weeks interim bail to former police officer Pradeep Sharma, who was arrested in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case and the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran, to meet his ailing wife. A vacation bench headed by Justice Aniruddha Bose posted the matter for hearing on June 26 this year and asked Sharma to furnish a medical report indicating the status of the treatment of his wife. Sharma was arrested in the case in June 2021 and in judicial custody had sought interim bail on humanitarian grounds. Sharma said that his wife has developed serious complications after surgery and her condition was deteriorating with each passing day. Sharma has sought interim bail for the limited purpose of taking care of his wife, his counsel told the apex court. On May 18, the apex court had issued notice on Sharma's plea challenging an order of the Bombay High Court which had refused to grant him bail. Sharma had approached the High Court last year challenging a February 2022 order of a special NIA court which had declined his bail plea. On February 25, 2021, an explosives-laden SUV was found near Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' in south Mumbai. Businessman Hiran, who was in possession of the SUV, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5 last year. Sharma, who along with police officers Daya Nayak, Vijay Salaskar and Ravindranath Angre was a member of the Mumbai police's encounter squad that killed over 300 criminals in numerous encounters, has been accused of helping his former colleague Waze in eliminating Mansukh Hiran. (ANI) Union minister for power and renewable energy RK Singh on Monday hit out at Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar after an under-construction four-lane bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihar's Bhagalpur, for the second time in a year, and said that the incident is a clear example of high corruption in the state. The under-construction Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge in Bhagalpur collapsed on Sunday. The moment when the bridge collapsed in the Ganga River was also caught on video by locals. "It is a living example of corruption, and that such a big bridge worth Rs 1717 crore collapsed like cards in the Ganga river. This type of incident has definitely involvement of leaders, contractors and connivance of all. If the government had strictly investigated, then this would not have happened," Union Minister RK Singh said while speaking to ANI. "Nitish Kumar has no answer for this. People say that he is 'Sushasan Babu', but this is not good governance. This is an example of corruption, and it is not like this in any other state of the country," he added. The Union Minister further said, "If the bridge worth approximately 2000 crore gets destroyed, then the public must understand that if you vote for corrupt people, this will happen. If you vote for corrupt people in the name of caste, then bridges will collapse." Further hitting out at Nitish Kumar and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Singh said they should resign on moral responsibility, why aren't they doing it? "They (Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav )should also resign. Should he not go and resign and say that it is our moral responsibility? Why Nitish Kumar is not doing it? Tejashwi should also resign because he is a minister," Singh said. Nitish Kumar laid the foundation stone of the bridge in 2014 connecting Sultanganj and Khagaria. Meanwhile, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said that the construction was incorrect due to which the bridge collapsed repeatedly. "The bridge that collapsed yesterday had collapsed last year also. I have instructed officials to take strict action. It is not being constructed correctly that's why it is collapsing again and again. The department will look into it and action will be taken," he said. (ANI) Days after Balasore's triple train tragedy, Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday said that they visited all the hospitals in Odisha where patients have been admitted. "We visited all the hospitals in Odisha where patients have been admitted. We could not find anyone from Tamil Nadu. Of the 8 people (who were untraceable), 2 have been traced and are safe. We are unable to reach to 6 people but co-travellers said they are safe," said Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. Earlier on Sunday, Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the Union government should find out the reasons behind the Odisha train accident and take appropriate action against the concerned persons. After reviewing the rescue operation in Odisha, Udhayanidhi Stalin said, "We inspected the hospital where people are getting treatment following the train accident. We got to know that no Tamilians were admitted to the hospital. None of the Tamil Nadu passengers lost their lives there as of now, all are safe". He said that 28 out of 127 people who had booked to travel by train were Tamils. Earlier on June 3, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced an assistance amount of Rs 5 lakh for the family of deceased and Rs 1 lakh for injured of those from the state in Balasore train accident. The incident took place around 7 pm on June 2 near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar. It involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Express and Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express -- and a goods train. (ANI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) from Bhopal, Sadhavi Pragya Singh Thakur on Monday once again hit the headlines by making a fresh remark. "When those people who follow Dharma become lax, then the unrighteousness increases and this is what is happening today. They (referring to people belonging to a different community) are moving with their mission," BJP MP Thakur said. The heretics are doing their work and spreading a toxic mentality. She admonishes such people, the BJP leader added. She further said, "Hindu girls were being tricked under a conspiratorial mission. A minor girl was killed in Delhi. Girls need to be alert, their life is not safe. Hindu do not do any conspiracy against anyone." Notaly, a 16-year-old girl was stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the Shahbad Dairy area of the national capital. According to the police, the 20-year-old accused, Sahil was in a relationship with the minor, but they had a quarrel on the night of May 28 after which he killed her with multiple assaults. A CCTV grab of the incident shows Sahil purportedly stabbing the girl multiple times with a knife. He continued to stab her even when she slumped to the ground. He kicked her and then took a concrete slab lying nearby and bludgeoned her head. All this while the footage showed people watching the events unfold and walking past without intervening. (ANI) Stepping up her attack on the Central government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the Railway Board's decision to hand over the inquiry into the Odisha train accident to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) saying that "it is not the time to suppress the truth". The West Bengal CM said, "We want people to know the truth. It is not the time to suppress the truth". "I also gave Gyaneshwari Express case to CBI but no result came. 12 years over but we see no result. CBI handles criminal and accident cases. The Railway Safety Commission is there," she further remarked. "Some people lost their hands and legs in the Balasore accident. For such people, our government has decided that we will give a special home guard job to one of their family members," the West Bengal CM said. "I will revisit Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. On Wednesday, we will hand over cheques of ex-gratia amount and job letters to families of the victims of the Odisha train accident," she added. CM Mamata Banerjee also paid last respects to those who lost their lives in the train accident. The Odisha government on Monday informed that 151 bodies from the triple train accident that took place in Odisha's Balasore district have been identified till today morning. The Odisha government on Monday informed that 151 bodies from the triple train accident that took place in Odisha's Balasore district have been identified till today morning. At least 275 people were killed, while more than 1,000 were injured in the accident that took place near the Bahanaga Bazar area on June 2. Odisha's Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena in a statement issued on Monday morning said that as many as 151 bodies have been identified so far. "All bodies after the due process are handed over for transfer to their destination. All arrangements for free transportation of the bodies by hearses/ dead body carriers till destination have been made by Odisha government," said Jena in the statement. The triple train accident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and the goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district. Earlier on Sunday, Odisha Chief Secy Pradeep Jena clarified that the death toll from the horrific accident had been revised from 288 to 275 after it was determined that some bodies had been counted twice. Indian Railways has started running passenger trains on the tracks in Bahanaga village in Odisha's Balasore which were affected due to the triple train accident. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday waved at the crew of a goods train and prayed for a safe journey, as services resumed after 51 hours of a train accident in Balasore. "Services on both tracks have been restored. Normal train services on both lines have now been restored, 51 hours after the accident," said Ashwini Vaishnaw. The incident took place around 7 pm on June 2 near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar. It involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Express and Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express -- and a goods train. (ANI) The advocates also cut a cake to mark Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's birthday and gave credit to the Chief Minister's zero-tolerance policy and effective lobbying in court. A total of 61 cases were registered against Mukhtar Ansari, out of which he has been sentenced in 6 cases, including five during the tenure Yogi government. The MP MLA court sentenced Mukhtar Ansari to life imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs one lakh against him in the 31 years and 10 months old Awadhesh Rai murder case. On August 3, 1991, Congress leader and brother of former MLA Ajay Rai, Awadhesh Rai, was shot dead outside Ajay Rai's house in Varanasi. The Special Court which concluded the hearing after arguments on May 19, reserved its order, and fixed June 5 as the date to deliver it. On May 17, a Ghazipur MP-MLA Court acquitted Mukhtar Ansari accused in a case of conspiracy of a murder attempt in Uttar Pradesh's Mohammadabad area in the district. In 2009, Mir Hasan filed a case of attempt to murder against Ansari under 120B. A case under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against Ansari at Mohammadabad police station in Ghazipur. (ANI) Upon his return from Odisha after the horrific railway accident, which killed over 270 people and left over 1000 injured, Railway Board Chairman, AK Lahoti on Monday evening will brief top officials in the Prime Minister's Office on the update on ground, including the ongoing investigation. "Chairperson of the Railway Board will be meeting top officials in the Prime Minister's office, including the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister about the details from the ground," reliable sources told ANI. While the enquiry ordered by the railway ministry is currently underway, the government has also sent a request to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the matter. "There is a need to have a deep investigation by a professional agency to rule out any deliberate interference," top government sources told ANI. Within hours of the rail accident. The chairman railway board was on the ground with the Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and has returned only today. So he is likely to brief the details to the PMO that has been keeping a constant watch on the developments on the ground. The triple train accident in Balasore happened on Friday evening. At least 275 people were killed, while more than 1,000 were injured in the accident that took place near the Bahanaga Bazar area on June 2. The Odisha government on Monday informed that 151 bodies from the triple train accident that took place in Odisha's Balasore district have been identified till today morning. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the Balasore accident site from ground zero and also visited the injured being treated at the hospital. Before leaving Delhi for the mishap site, PM Modi had also chaired a high-level review meeting on the same. (ANI) A fresh petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the suspension of internet services in the violence-hit state of Manipur since May 3. The petition filed by advocate Chongtham Victor Singh and businessman Mayengbam James in the apex court said their lives and livelihood have been severely affected by the statewide internet shutdown. Chongtham Victor Singh told ANI that there has been a complete blockade of internet access across the state for almost a month and it's causing significant harm to people's day-to-day lives and their fundamental rights. The ban on the internet was imposed on May 3 and remains in effect till now. There is no stipulated public order on the internet ban and did not go through the oversight of the Review Committee which is necessary under Law, he said. The plea said that the order of the internet ban is strangulating the Freedom of Speech and Expression and the Freedom to carry on trade and occupation. The plea also stated that there is a violation of Rule 2(2) of the Telecom Suspension Rules and hence they are unconstitutional. The petitioners sought a restoration of the internet in Manipur, except for those in which there continues to be unrest and violence. The top court is already hearing the cases relating to the violence in Manipur and during the last hearing, it sought a status report from the Centre and State on the relief and rehabilitation efforts for the people affected in the violence between Meitei and Kuki communities. Earlier, the top court expressed concern over the loss of lives and properties in Manipur during the violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities and stressed taking adequate measures to restore normalcy there. On March 27, the High Court directed the State to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. The violence in Manipur between the Hindu Meiteis and the tribal Kuki, who are Christians, erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3. Violence has gripped the entire State for now a month and the Central government had to deploy paramilitary forces to bring the situation under control. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that the state has signed an agreement with Oil India Limited for promoting the production of green hydrogen. CM Sukhu presided over 'Enviro-Ideation Hackathon' organised by the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) at Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) Shimla today. "State Government has imposed ban on single-use plastic in Himachal Pradesh since 2009 and now it was working to find suitable alternatives to plastic. The government is committed to environmental protection and has made various provisions in the budget to improve the state's climate," CM Sukhu said. "The state government is promoting the production of green hydrogen and has signed an agreement with Oil India Limited in this regard," he added. He said that despite economic restrictions imposed by the Central Government due to the restoration of the old pension system, the present State Government is determined to move forward. He assured that the Government will consider the demand for old pension to employees of the Pollution Control Board sympathetically. He also highlighted the government's efforts to integrate technology with governance. The Chief Minister also mentioned the efforts made in the last five months to revamp the system for a better future. He said, "The government is focused on bringing the economy back on track, converting HRTC diesel buses into e-buses, establishing quality education through Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools and introducing robotic surgery in healthcare facilities. The state government has adopted 6000 orphan children as 'Children of the State' and would provide a helping hand to them for pursuing higher education and other expenses." The Chief Minister awarded cash prizes and certificates to the winners of the Enviro-Ideation Hackathon. Pragun Jaiswal and Zubair Ahmad Safi from Sundernagar College received the first prize of Rs 1 lakh, while O Sadish and Priyanka from Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, district Solan won the second prize of Rs 75,000. Kritika Sharma from Himachal Pradesh University Shimla secured the third position, whereas Mohit Kumar Singh, Manish Thakur and Sujaan Sawant from NIT Hamirpur came fourth while Shreya Dhiman from NIT Hamirpur was ranked fifth. In the 'Waste to Wonder' Model Competition, the first prize went to Akash Bharadwaj, Karan Chauhan, Nirbhay Raj from Saraswati Paradise International School Sanjauli. Niyassa Shyam, Anchal Chauhan, and Neeraj Verma from GSSS Portmore secured the second position and Kajal, Sakshi, and Pooja Thakur from GSSS Tutikandi stood third. Principal Advisor (IT & Innovations) Gokul Butail thanked the CM Sukhu for launching various innovative initiatives for environmental protection and said that steps have to be taken towards waste-do-energy so that the challenges of the future can be tackled. Earlier, Member Secretary of HPSPCB, Anil Joshi, welcomed the Chief Minister and detailed out various activities of the Board. Chairman HPSPCB Sanjay Gupta presented a cheque of Rs. 2 crore to the Chief Minister towards Chief Minister Relief Fund on the occasion. (ANI) The much-awaited new cooperation policy is expected to be unveiled in July this year to deal with the changed economic scenario, Ministry of Cooperation said on Monday. The new policy will be unveiled after consulting all the stakeholders including state governments, central ministries and departments as well as National Cooperatives, it said. The expected time was informed in a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah here earlier on Monday. The Chairman of the National Level Committee for drafting new National Cooperation Policy document Suresh Prabhu, former Union Minister, also made a presentation to Shah in the meeting which was attended by other committee members including Dileep Sanghani, Chairman, National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI); K V Shahji, Chairman, NABARD; Jyotindra Mehta, Chairman, NAFCUB and others. Secretary (Cooperation), Additional Secretary (Cooperation) and senior officers of Ministry of Cooperation were also participated in the meeting. The Committee members also briefed Shah about the objectives, vision and mission of the draft policy along with key recommendations in various sectors including structural reforms and governance, cooperatives as vibrant economic entities, level playing field for cooperatives, sources of capital and funds, inclusion of priority sections, use of technology, upskilling and training, sustainability and implementation plan. During the meeting, the Minister of Cooperation gave his guidance on how to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's vision of 'Sehkaar se Samriddhi' and to strengthen the Cooperative movement at the grassroot level through the new policy. "As per the guidance received from Minister of Cooperation, the Committee will prepare a revised draft. The new Cooperation Policy is expected to be unveiled in July, 2023 after consulting all the stakeholders including state governments, central ministries and departments, and National Cooperatives," said the Ministry. The National Level Committee for drafting New National Cooperation Policy was formed on September 2, 2022 with a view to prepare a new National Policy to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sehkaar se Samriddhi' under the leadership of Shah. The current policy on cooperation was formulated in 2002 and there is a felt need to draft a new policy to deal with the changed economic scenario. The drafting Committee, chaired by Suresh Prabhu, comprises of 49 members drawn from all over the country and various stakeholders such as officers of cooperation department of various state governments, ministries and departments concerned of central governments, institutions like IRMA, RBI, National federations like IFFCO, NCCF, NAFCARD, NAFCUB, KRIBHCO, NFCSF, NCUI, NAFED, representatives from Cooperative Societies in various sectors, academicians and experts. The process of forming new National Cooperation Policy was initiated when the concept was discussed in the conference of state cooperation secretaries held on 12th and 13th April, 2022 and State Cooperation Ministers held on September 8 and September 9, 2022 which were inaugurated by the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation. More than 500 suggestions were received from various stakeholders and general public for the draft policy document. The National level Committee after its formation held more than eight meetings and also consulted various stakeholders to prepare the draft document. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda will visit Assam this month and they will take part in two mega public meetings of Assam BJP's Mahajanasampark Abhiyan, Assam BJP said. BJP said that to make preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, it will hold several mega public rallies in all 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state from June 11. According to the Assam BJP, huge public meetings are to be held from June 11 to June 30 in Lok Sabha Constituencies of the state by Assam BJP in order to discuss in detail the policies and schemes implemented by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of the country including Assam and preparations for upcoming Lok Sabha election. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP National Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda, Union Minister, Kiren Rijiju and several other ministers, party leaders will participate in the meetings, the party said. In this regard, Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita said "Union Home Minister Amit Shah will participate in the meeting to be held at Hojai under the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency on June 27 and BJP National President JP Nadda will participate in the meeting to be held at Sivasagar under the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency on June 19." He further mentioned that Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma will be present in the meetings to be held at the Lok Sabha constituencies of Diphu, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Jorhat and Dhubri as the chief guest. "Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is to be present in Guwahati, Mangaldoi, Kaliabor and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituencies as the Chief Guest," he said. BJP State President Bhabesh Kalita will also be present in the two meetings organised in Barak Valley and also in Kokrajhar, Dhubri and Barpeta Lok Sabha constituencies. On the other hand, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will be present in the meeting at the Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency as the Chief Guest. Also, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will be present in the meeting to be attended by Union Minister Amit Shah organised at Nagaon's Hojai. CM Sarma will also attend the meeting at Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency where the BJP National President will be present. In accordance with the Maha Janasampark Abhiyan, the Assam BJP President also gave a few insights on the various projects initiated by the Centre's NDA government in the past nine years. The BJP State President also mentioned that the schemes implemented by the Central Government for the development of the Northeast have flourished the most since Independence. (ANI) Delhi's Karkardooma Court has recently called for a report from Delhi Police for calling a mentally weak rape victim and her mother to the police station for investigation. This matter pertains to Welcome police station. "As per section 160 CrPc women/lady shall be interrogated at residence not in the police station but general practice is that every IO calls the ladies in the police station which is offence Under Section 166/166-A/188 IPC," the plea said. Metropolitan magistrate has called for a report from the Station House Officer (SHO) for June 7. The mother of the victim had moved an application through advocate N K Singh Bhadauria alleging violation of law. She has alleged that her daughter was kidnapped and was taken to Loni, Ghaziabad. She was allegedly raped and sodomized by some people. The victim was found by the police and was taken to her mother. It is alleged by the applicant that the matter was registered at police station Welcome. The IO woman SI called the applicant and her daughter to police station in several occassion. It is alleged that both were made to sit in the police station and the mother was beaten. After a complaint, the another IO was deputed. The new IO also called the mother and daughter to police station. It was argued by advocate N K Singh Bhadauria that as per section 160 Cr.PC. , no women/lady can be called in the police station. The IO shall go to her residence to investigate. (ANI) Two accused persons were arrested for being allegedly involved in the murder of a CISF constable, police said on Monday. Police said that accused named Rahul Yadav (24) and wife (32) of the deceased personnel were involved in the murder incident. Police also mentioned that earlier the wife of the deceased personnel had made a fake story of death in which she told officials that her husband had died to due to electric shock. "On May 31, a PCR Call regarding "injury after slipping in bathroom at Nav Shakti apartment, Ghitorni" was recieved at PS Vasant Kunj South. It was known that the PCR had taken the injured to Safdarjung hospital. After sometime, information of MLC regarding a person namely Rajiv who was admitted in hospital with the history of Electric shock at home (as told by his wife MK), who was declared brought dead was received at PS Vasant Kunj South. IO collected the MLC of the deceased and the dead body was deposited in mortuary," police said. "No visible injury marks were present over the body of the deceased. The scene of crime was inspected by Crime Team and the statements of family members were recorded," police added. Police further mentioned that the post mortem report of the deceased revealed that the cause of death was manual strangulation. "On June 3 the post mortem report of the deceased was received and the cause of death was known as manual strangulation. Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 323/2023 under sections 302/201 IPC was registered at Police Station Vasant Kunj South and the investigation was taken up," an official statement said. Police mentioned that in the analysis of CCTV footage, it was found that one suspected person was seen entering and leaving the building twice at the time of incident. "On sustained interrogation, MK (wife of deceased) disclosed the name of suspected person as Rahul Yadav. During investigation, accused Rahul Yadav aged 24 yrs and MK aged 32 yrs were arrested. On sustained interrogation, accused Rahul Yadav disclosed that he was in a relationship with MK. On 31.05.2023, a scuffle happened between deceased Rajiv and him & he strangulated deceased Rajiv," police said. "After finding Rajiv is dead both Rahul Yadav and MK came up with a plan to fake the story of electric shock. For that his dead body was put inside bathroom and a bucket was filled with water and immersion rod was immersed in that so as to create the scene as if Rajiv got electric shock," it added. (ANI) Minister of State for Education and External Affairs, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Monday said that All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will launch "One Student One Tree Campaign 2023" and that UGC too has taken initiatives for creating awareness about Mission LiFE. Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh today interacted with the heads, teachers and students of the Higher Education Institutions across the country on the occasion of World Environment Day 2023. As per Education Mimistry Secretary, Higher Education K Sanjay Murthy; Chairman, UGC, Prof. M Jagadesh Kumar; Chairman, AICTE, Prof TG Sitharam, Prof Anil Sahasrabuddhe, Chairman, NETF were present on this occasion along with Vice Chancellors and Directors of Institutions of Higher Education. The event started after observing one minute silence to mourn the death of victims of train accident in Odisha. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said, "The celebration of World Environment Day across the country envisages involvement of youth in spreading the message of LiFE, along with sensitizing school going children and others about LiFE." The mantra of Mission Life is 'Lifestyle For Environment' to make the fight against climate change democratic, in which everyone can contribute within their capacity. The Minister informed that in the National Statement at United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) CoP 26 Global Leaders' Summit in Glasgow, the Prime Minister's mantra was Lifestyle for Environment, and he also stressed upon setting a target for Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030. On October 20, 2022, the Prime Minister launched Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), a global movement to safeguard our environment from the impact of climate change. LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) is an India-led global mass movement for "mindful and deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption" to protect and preserve the environment. He also urged HEIs to undertake activities such as aawareness workshops on sustainable practices on Mission LiFE and promoting LiFE Actions, making College and University Campuses plastic free, making campus Digital Campus and avoid use of paper, avoid food wastage in Hostels and Cafeterias, making manure from compost of dried leaves/ food waste/ organic waste, organizing bicycle rallies / plastic collection / water body cleaning activities during the course of scheduled events, etc On this occasion, Dr Singh after releasing 'Guidelines and Curriculum Framework for Environmental Education at Undergraduate level', stated that it is an important step in line with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which underlines the importance of making environmental education an integral part of curricula and encouraging environmental awareness and sensitivity towards its conservation and sustainable development. "The guidelines include areas such as climate change, pollution, waste management, sanitation, conservation of biological diversity, management of biological resources and biodiversity, forest and wildlife conservation, and sustainable development. The document is expected to cater to students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and to sensitise them about the commitment of our nation towards achieving sustainable development goals and addressing global environmental challenges," he added. The Minister urged all to adopt these guidelines in the course curriculum at the UG level and also take steps for achieving the objectives of 'Mission LiFE' thereby protecting the mother earth from the adverse impact of the environmental degradation. (ANI) "All the accused are identified as persons belonging to the state of Tamil Nadu. The cannabis was seized during vehicle checks at Sullurpet while it was being illegally transported from Anakapalli to Sri Lanka," said Tirupati Superintendent of Police (SP) Parameshwar Reddy. A truck, car, and five cell phones were also seized from the accused. The cannabis was found placed beneath the vegetables in the truck, said the police. 120 packets of ganja were there in the vehicle. The Police said the kingpin of this illegal trade is one Khader Basha in Sri Lanka and the main actors in India are Ananda Velu, Balakishan and Tirumala. Cases have been registered against these people in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the police added. Parameshwar Reddy said that the step has been taken to arrest Khader Basha with the help of Interpol. (ANI) Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations Unit (IFSO), Special Cell Delhi Police on Monday busted a nationwide online cheating gang involved in duping over 1,977 people across India and arrested six people, the police official said. The gang, using a fraudulent loan application called "Cash Advance," engaged in fraudulent activities resulting in committing a scam worth Rs 350 crore. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prashant Gautam said that six people have been arrested so far on allegations of cheating and 7 accounts compromising 350 crore transactions were recovered. "Delhi Police's IFSO unit has busted a fraudulent loan app named "Cash Advance" which gave fake loans and recovered money at higher rates. The gang cheated a total of 1977 people pan India. There were 2 such cases from Delhi. 7 accounts compromising 350 crore transactions were recovered. 6 people were arrested in the act and 7 mobile phones," the DCP said. He further said that one laptop and 15 debit cards were recovered from the accused. "Jai Goyal, resident of Model Town, New Delhi alleged that some persons were extorting and blackmailing the public at large on the pretext of providing instant loans by getting access to their mobile data illegally through a loan app called Cash Advance," Delhi Police said giving details of the chain of events. Further, on the search of the NCRP portal, a total of 102 complaints from the Delhi region and 1977 from all over India were found lodged against the same app. Hence, a case under sections 384/385/420/120B of IPC was lodged at Police Station Special Cell, Delhi after preliminary enquiry and investigation were taken up, said the Police. Accused Nitin, who had worked in a Chinese loan app company as a team leader before, is well versed in the working of loan apps and the recovery process. The accused have been identified as Mustajab Gulam Mohammed Naviwala, Anisbhai Ashrafbhai Vinchhi, Gokul Biswas, Ashok, Balwant and Nitin. (ANI) Photo: John Boivin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Over 10,000 sockeye salmon fry were released into Slocan Lake on May 16 by the students who raised them as part of the Okanangan Nation Alliance?s Fish in Schools program. More than 100 people gathered on the shores of Slocan Lake May 16 to witness the release of over 10,000 sockeye salmon fry. Students from the village of Slocan and South Slocan were on scene to watch the release of the fish that they had raised from hatchlings in their classrooms. Its part of the Fish in Schools program, an ongoing project by the Okanagan Nation Alliance to support the reintroduction of salmon to the Columbia River system. Students in nine West Kootenay schools each raised 100 hatchlings during the school year for release. Today, theyre going to celebrate all the hard work they did hatching the eggs, raising the fry, taking care of them, cleaning the tanks, and making sure they are happy and healthy, says ONA Fish Biologist Michael Zimmer. Its exciting for everybody. The chiefs and the elders, they have been without salmon for 80 years. The important part is they are here to witness, to maintain that connection we want to make sure we keep that alive, that there are people that remember the salmon and know the salmon are here again. The fish will stay in Slocan Lake for a year, then follow their ancient path to the ocean down the Slocan, Kootenay, and finally the Columbia River. Theyll spend most of their lives in salt water, until instinct drives them to return to their starting point. At this point, they cant make it back, however, as dams on the Columbia block access to waters upstream. Still, it was a moment of healing, remembrance, and hope, as the fish fry were sent on their way with traditional songs and drumming. This is amazing. This is what I live for, said Lower Similkameen Chief Keith Crow, who attended the event. They might be little steps, but every little step gets us closer. And I hope we are going to get to the point where my grandkids and great-grandkids are going to be able to fish salmon on their own. Fish were released in Castlegar, Revelstoke, and several locations in the Okanagan last month as well. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Fish in Schools, a comprehensive fish education program for elementary to secondary students, with a focus on scwin (sockeye salmon), their life cycle and the importance of their ecosystems. The intent is to encourage students to become future leaders, land protectors, water managers, scientists and the multitude of environmental and social sciences professions that are available for them. After installing the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build, users can add photos from their phone by clicking a new button added to the File Explorer's command bar. "There is a new button in the Command Bar titled 'Add Phone Photos' that will help with setting up your PC to be ready to show these photos in Gallery," Microsoft said in a blogpost. "Clicking this button today will open a URL with a QR code that you can scan with your phone to get started," it added. Moreover, in the new preview build, the company has introduced new natural voices in Spanish (Spain and Mexico) that allow Narrator users to comfortably browse the web, read and write mail, and do more. Natural Narrator voices use modern, on-device text-to-speech and once downloaded are supported without an internet connection, the company said. Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced that it will no longer support its virtual assistant Cortana in Windows as a standalone app, starting in late 2023. This change will only affect Cortana in Windows and will continue to be available in Outlook mobile, Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms, the tech giant stated on a support page. --IANS shs/prw/dpb ( 236 Words) 2023-06-04-16:02:04 (IANS) The Russian defence ministry claimed on Sunday that the Western Military District and the FSB Border Service prevented Ukrainian saboteurs from crossing a river close to Novaya Tavolzhanka in the Belgorod Region, according to the Russian News Agency TASS. "On June 4, 2023, border protection units of the Western Military District and the Border Service of the Russian Federal Security Service exposed an attempt by a sabotage and reconnaissance group of Ukrainian terrorists to cross the river near the settlement of Novaya Tavolzhanka in the Belgorod Region," it said, adding that an artillery strike was delivered at them, forcing them to retreat, TASS reported. The governor of Russia's Kursk region, Roman Starovoit, announced on Sunday that an unmanned aerial vehicle bearing symbols of Ukrainian nationalists had landed there and was bordering Ukraine. "Our guys landed a drone of Ukrainian Nazis in Sudzha. The colouration indicates that it belonged to the Azov battalion (outlawed in Russia as a terrorist organization - TASS). I thank border guards and soldiers for their service," he wrote on his Telegram channel. The Kursk regional authorities have extended the high (yellow) level of terror alert, which has been in force since February 4, for the period of enhanced measures for the protection of the region's territory, TASS reported. The medium level of response has been in place in the region since October 19, 2022 and the regional authorities have enhanced pass control on the borderline territory, at entry to and exit from the city of Kurchatov where the Kursk nuclear power plant is located and control along the region's major routes. They have also tightened the protection of infrastructural facilities and educational institutions, security checks at railway and auto stations and prohibited the use of drones. (ANI) The remains of 1,240 victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsi were buried at the Mibirizi genocide memorial in western Rwanda. The remains were recently discovered on church-owned land in Rusizi district during terrace cultivation, Xinhua news agency reported. During the burial ceremony, Jean-Damascene Bizimana, minister of national unity and civic engagement, on Saturday expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, assuring them that the government stands in solidarity with them during this difficult time. He also condemned the people who concealed information about the whereabouts of victims' remains, even after several decades have passed since the genocide. "It is deeply troubling that individuals are still withholding information about the locations of mass graves containing the remains of the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi," Bizimana said. Bizimana also commended the remarkable progress made in fostering unity among Rwandans, which has now reached an impressive rate of 94.3 per cent. The achievement highlights the ongoing efforts to heal and reconcile the nation after the tragic events of the 1994 genocide. The burial ceremony was attended by government officials and families of the victims. Remains of the victims are still being discovered in many parts of Rwanda, 29 years after the genocide. Rwandans on April 7 started the commemoration activities to mark the 29th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide under the theme "Remember-Unite-Renew." The activities will continue until July 4 to mark the 100-day calamity, during which more than one million people, mainly Tutsi and moderate Hutus were killed. --IANS int/khz/ ( 269 Words) 2023-06-04-02:50:02 (IANS) At least 10 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in attacks targeting IS hideouts in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala during the past 24 hours, the Iraqi military said. Based on intelligence reports, Iraqi air forces conducted airstrikes on IS hideouts in the Himreen mountain range of northern Diyala on Friday and Saturday, destroying the hideouts and killing seven IS militants in total, according to a statement on Saturday issued by the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC). According to the statement, the commandos of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service carried out attacks on IS hideouts in the same area on Saturday, killing another three IS militants, Xinhua news agency reported. Meanwhile, the warplanes bombarded an IS hideout in the rugged area of Wadi al-Shay, southwest of the namesake provincial capital Kirkuk, nearly 250 km north of the capital Baghdad, destroying the hideout and killing all militants inside, the JOC said in a separate statement, without giving exact fatality count. The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have since melted into urban centres, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. --IANS int/khz/ ( 218 Words) 2023-06-04-03:52:03 (IANS) Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said the chances are that PTI Chairman Imran Khan could be tried in a military court in connection with his alleged involvement in the May 9 attacks on civil and military installations in different cities -- days after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had hinted at that possibility too, a media outlet reported. The Defence Minister told The Express Tribune that the former premier could stand trial in a military court if evidence of his involvement in the May 9 violence surfaced in the coming days. He also confirmed that no case had been registered against Imran so far in connection with the May 9 attacks, the media outlet reported. "Definitely... there are chances that Imran Khan can be tried in a military court," the minister said while responding to a question if the deposed premier could be prosecuted under the Army Act. Earlier, Asif was reported as saying that no decision had been made in connection with trying Imran under the Army Act but he had not ruled out that possibility, allegedly on the grounds that the PTI chief was the mastermind behind the May 9 violence and knew everything about what was happening on that day. Now, Asif has said Imran's trial in a military court was more likely to take place provided that evidence of his involvement in the mayhem came to light, Express Tribune reported. The Defence Minister's remarks have come on the heels of the statement by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, who said Imran would face trial in a military court for his "role" in the May 9 attacks. --IANS san/sha ( 280 Words) 2023-06-04-13:02:04 (IANS) Three Israeli soldiers and a member of Egyptian security forces were killed in a shootout along the border between Israel and Egypt, according to the two countries' military statements. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday in a statement that the assailant who killed the three soldiers was an Egyptian policeman. He first killed two soldiers, a man and a woman, who were on duty in a border post and gunned down a third during an exchange of fire hours later when a manhunt was underway. Another Israeli soldier was lightly wounded and the Egyptian gunman was "neutralised" by the soldiers, the statement added. The Egyptian Army said that three Israeli soldiers and a member of Egyptian security forces were killed earlier on Saturday in a shootout during a pursuit of drug smugglers by the Egyptian security personnel near the border with Israel, Xinhua news agency reported. "A member of the Egyptian security was killed in the shootout" and another two Israeli soldiers were injured, the army spokesman Gharib Abdel-Hafez said in a statement: Both armies said an investigation into the incident is underway. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Twitter that he has held a situation assessment with other Defence officials, noting that the IDF "will investigate the incident as required". Such confrontations along the Israel-Egypt border are rare as the two countries have maintained close security ties under a peace agreement signed by the two sides in 1979. The Israeli military frequently carried out search-and-arrest operations on the common border to prevent drug and weapons smuggling. In 2014, Israel completed the construction of a 242-km barrier along the shared border with Egypt, in an attempt to stop illegal labour migration from African countries into Israel. --IANS int/khz/ ( 305 Words) 2023-06-04-03:58:03 (IANS) Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, tweeted the claim after his talks with Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security conference in Singapore, on Saturday. "The claim that discussions on ammunition support for Ukraine were held is not true," South Korea's Defence Ministry said in a message sent to reporters, Yonhap news agency reported. "While mentioning the need for various weapons systems and other forms of support to improve the situation in Ukraine, the EU side expressed its unilateral stance on the importance of (the provision of) ammunition," the ministry said. It added that ammunition support for Ukraine was not an official agenda item during the bilateral talks. Seoul has maintained a policy stance against the provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine, though it has offered non-lethal humanitarian support to the war-torn nation. --IANS int/sha ( 195 Words) 2023-06-04-13:36:05 (IANS) Acting on a tip-off, the personnel of the national army launched operations in the Nijrab district on Friday and discovered arms and ammunition, including an 82 mm caliber anti-tank gun, two stocks of AK-47, 14 pieces of hand grenades and four pieces of anti-personnel mines, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statement. In a similar operation, the security forces apprehended three criminals in the northern Balkh province and discovered arms and ammunition. The Afghan caretaker government has vowed to collect arms and ammunition from anyone living outside security organs. According to officials, the security forces have rounded up thousands of arms and ammunition, including tanks, missiles and armored vehicles since the Taliban came to power in August 2021. --IANS int/sha ( 161 Words) 2023-06-04-13:52:02 (IANS) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to introduce a new constitution to replace the current one, as he officially began a new five-year term as the Turkish head of state. In his inauguration speech at the presidential palace, Erdogan on Saturday said the current constitution was "a product of the (1980) coup" and that it needed to be replaced with "a libertarian, civil and inclusive one" that would strengthen democracy. The current Turkish constitution was introduced in 1982 and has been amended 19 times since then. The last amendment in 2017 introduced a presidential system and abolished the parliamentary system, Xinhua news agency reported. Erdogan, sworn in by the country's parliament for a third term as President earlier on Saturday, also said the country had set foot on a new path and was entering what he called the "Century of Turkey," urging the Turkish people to "transcend the limitations of election-focused discussions" and "turn their gaze toward the future". Erdogan won 52.18 per cent of votes in the presidential runoff on May 28 against his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the centre-left Republican People's Party. The President, who has been leading the country since he became Prime Minister in 2003, became the first executive president of Turkey in 2018 following a constitutional referendum in 2017 which changed Turkey's parliamentary system into a presidential one. --IANS int/khz/ ( 240 Words) 2023-06-04-05:58:04 (IANS) "Illegal immigration has become an incendiary issue that poisons relations between the countries of the northern and southern sides of the Mediterranean basin," Saied said on Saturday during a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. The Tunisian President suggested that an international meeting must be held with the participation of all countries concerned with the issue, Xinhua news agency reported. The two heads of state also discussed a number of other issues of common interest such as bilateral cooperation, economic and financial difficulties felt by Tunisia, and its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration toward Europe. --IANS int/khz/ ( 153 Words) 2023-06-04-06:10:01 (IANS) Photo: Myron Claridge A black bear swims in a West Vancouver backyard fish pond and eats some water lilies, Aug. 11, 2022. The North Shore Black Bear Society is urging residents not to have an open-door policy after a string of incidents involving bears following their noses into peoples homes. Society acting executive director Christine Miller said they are aware of at least three recent incidents over the course of a week. In one case, a bear entered a kitchen and snagged some organic material. Possibly the same bear also made its way into at least one garage as well, Miller said. And in one instance, the homes residents saw the bear just as it was coming in the door and shooed it away. Thats the best possible outcome, Miller said. Most often when a bear enters a home, its an adolescent male who hasnt learned the proper way to behave in a residential area, Miller said. When a bear enters an enclosed space like a house or garage, especially if he obtains any food reward, it usually means that he will be killed because the authorities believe that he will then know theres food inside those places, she said. Despite the warm weather, Miller said residents living in bear territory shouldnt leave ground-floor doors and windows open unless they are there to monitor them closely. It also underscores the need to keep yards free of attractants like bird feeders and tree fruit, which draw the bruins in. It can happen anywhere with any bears, she said. Weve got bears moving around all over the place. Miller said unlocked/open dumpsters have also been an issue this year. An Indian-origin father and son have been arrested and charged in Canada for sexually assaulting and exploiting multiple teenage girls over the course of several months, police said. Gurpartap Singh Walia, 56, and his son Sumrit Walia, 24, who worked at and owned Haddon Convenience Store in Calgary, also provided girls, not of consenting age, alcohol, vapes and drugs in exchange for sex. An investigation was launched by the Calgary Police Service Child Abuse Unit in April after police located a 13-year-old girl who had previously been reported missing. The girl disclosed to police that she was in a relationship with Sumrit who allegedly provided her with alcohol, drugs, and vapes in exchange for sex. The assaults occurred between December 2022 and May 2023 at Premier Liquor Wine and Spirits, also owned by the Walias, and located next door to their convenience store. "As the investigation progressed, officers found that the father and son were providing vapes, marijuana, cigarettes and alcohol to multiple other teenage girls, who were sexually assaulted at the businesses," the Calgary Police said in a statement. On Thursday, police arrested both suspects and executed a search warrant at a residence located in the 100 block of Panamount Close, which resulted in the seizure of 975 grams of cocaine with a street value of 97,500 Canadian dollars, and seven handguns. Search warrants were also executed at the two businesses, which resulted in the seizure of a computer with child pornography, drugs and drug paraphernalia, contraband tobacco, vape cartridges and collapsible batons. Sumrit Walia has been charged with one count of sexual interference with a minor, one count of sexual exploitation, one count of sexual assault, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, one count of creating child pornography, and seven counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. He has also been charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, one count of extortion, three counts of uttering threats, one count of selling contraband tobacco to youth and one count of breach of a court order. Gurpartap Singh Walia is charged with four counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual interference with a minor and one count of selling contraband tobacco. "These are incredibly serious charges, where vulnerable youths were being targeted, exploited and forced to enter a dangerous lifestyle," Staff Sergeant Darren Smith, Calgary Police Service Child Abuse Unit, said. While Sumrit already made a court appearance on June 2, Gurpartap is scheduled to appear in court on June 22. The victims are being supported by the Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre that provides wrap-around support for children, youths and families who have been impacted by severe and complex abuse. --IANS mi/dpb ( 474 Words) 2023-06-04-09:34:03 (IANS) Russia will continue to provide notifications of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launches under the relevant 1988 agreement to avoid dangerous escalations, an official has said. "We have certainly taken note of the US intention, at least in words, to continue fulfilling the 1988 agreement on notifications of ICBM and SLBM launches," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying. "Accordingly, within the framework of New START (New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), notifications will not be transmitted, but within this (1988) agreement, the relevant procedures will be maintained from our side," he said. The US and the former Soviet Union signed Ballistic Missile Launch Notification Agreement in 1988. "Therefore, a certain level of transparency and predictability will remain in this area, allowing us to avoid further dangerous escalations," he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 21 that Moscow would suspend its participation in New START but would not withdraw from it. On March 1, Putin signed a law to officially suspend Russia's participation in the treaty. "Our decision to suspend New START is unshakable, irrespective of any measures or countermeasures from the American side. Furthermore, our condition for the treaty's full-fledged functioning is the US renouncing its fundamentally hostile policy towards Russia," Ryabkov said. The US State Department had previously announced that starting from June 1, Washington would stop providing Moscow with data on the status and location of its missiles and launchers covered by New START. --IANS int/sha ( 263 Words) 2023-06-04-11:56:03 (IANS) Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande on Monday began his two-day visit to Bangladesh to discuss avenues for further enhancing Indo-Bangladesh defence relations, the Ministry of Defence said. During his June 5-6 visit, the Army Chief will meet the senior military leadership of Bangladesh. On Tuesday, Gen Pande is scheduled to review the Passing Out Parade (POP) of officer cadets of the 84th Long Course at the Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA), Chattogram. "During the parade, the Army Chief will be presenting the 'Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy' instituted for Best Foreign Cadet (from Friendly Foreign Countries) of the Passing Out Course from BMA. The first trophy, this year is being awarded to Officer Cadet Everton of Tanzania," a statement by the Defence Ministry read. "This trophy is in reciprocation to the 'Bangladesh Trophy and Medal' instituted at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun in December 2021 for Best Foreign Cadet of Passing Out Course. Notably, the Army Chief will be reviewing the POP at IMA, Dehradun on 10 June 2023 and present the Bangladesh Medal & Trophy," the statement added. Other engagements of the Army Chief include formal interactions with the Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army and the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division apart from briefings by senior Bangladesh Military officers on bilateral cooperation issues. Earlier, in July 2022, the COAS visited Bangladesh, which was his first trip since assuming the Army Chief post. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff had visited India in April this year and reviewed the Passing Out Parade at Officers Training Academy, Chennai. Frequent visits by senior military leaders and bilateral cooperation events such as joint military exercises contribute to enhancing military-to-military relations between both nations. (ANI) This four-day exercise which began on Sunday will continue till June 8, 2023, in Makassar, Indonesia. This event marks the fourth iteration of the exercise since its inception in 2014. Taking to Twitter, a Spokesperson of the Indian Navy said, "As part of her ongoing deployment to #ASEAN countries, #INSSatpura arrived at Makassar, #Indonesia to participate in the 4th Edition of Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK 2023) & International Fleet Review." "#IndianNavy's regular participation in the MNEK is a reaffirmation of #India's commitment to engage with regional navies to ensure #SecurityAndGrowthforAllintheRegion," it added. The navies of 36 countries celebrated the opening of the international exercise of the 2023 Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK), themed "Partnership to Recover and to Rise Stronger," in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Antara News Agency reported. The participants from 36 countries will partake in various activities scheduled on June 5-8, 2023, such as Ice Breaking, International Fleet Review (IFR), International Maritime Security Symposium (IMSS), City Tour, City Parade, Fun Bike, Admiral Lunch, Bilateral Meeting Welcome Dinner, Maritime Exhibition, and Gala Dinner, according to Antara News Agency. Meanwhile, China will participate in the MNEK and send the People's Liberation Army Navy's destroyer and frigate Xuchang. "At the invitation of the Indonesian Navy, the Chinese PLA Navy's destroyer Zhanjiang and frigate Xuchang will participate in the KOMODO-2023 multinational joint maritime exercise, which is to be held in early June in Indonesia," according to a written statement released by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday. China is also planning a joint drill with some countries of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The drills are named Amana Youyi-2023, Al Jazeera reported. According to Al Jazeera, relations between China and the US have been tense, with friction between the world's two largest economies over everything from Taiwan and Beijing's human rights record to its military activity in the South China Sea. (ANI) The United States is not trying to establish the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the Indo-Pacific region, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said on Monday adding that the nation will continue to work with like-minded countries to ensure that the region remains free and open. While answering a media query over the Chinese defence minister's statement, Austin said at a press conference, "We are absolutely not trying to establish a NATO in the Indo-Pacific. We continue to work with like-minded countries to ensure that the region remains free and open so that commerce can prosper and ideas can continue to be exchanged." "We will continue that work. Certainly, India and us share the same vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific," he added. This came in response to China's statement on NATO. Earlier, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu warned against NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a "whirlpool" of conflict, Channel News Asia reported. Addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, he said, "In essence, attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations, which will only plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts." Austin arrived in India on Sunday and is currently on a four-nation visit. India is the third stop, after visiting Japan and Singapore. Meanwhile, on the probability of the misadventures that can take place in the India-China Line of Actual Control (LAC), Austin said, "In terms of what could happen along the LAC, I won't get into any kind of speculation, but a number of things can always happen.. but want to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure that things don't happen. And part of that is being able to communicate with great powers, and with each other to prevent things from incidents escalating out of control. So I won't... to speculate as to whether or not there'll be additional misadventure, but I certainly hope not." Earlier today, Austin and Union Minister Rajnath Singh held the bilateral meeting and delegation-level talks where they concluded a roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation which will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems as well as facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. (ANI) The commencement of the first commercial consignment from the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in July 2022 marks a historic milestone, as this intercontinental multimodal transport project unfolds its immense potential, with India at its helm, Maheep wrote. Maheep is a Leading Expert in India's Foreign Affairs. He has an avid interest in the Political Economy of India and contributes regularly. This remarkable trade route originated from the southern port of Astrakhan in Russia, traversed through the Iranian ports of Anzali on the Caspian Sea and Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf, ultimately reaching its destination at Nhava Sheva port in Mumbai. The successful transit of this first commercial consignment highlights the undeniable viability of the INSTC trade transit corridor. The strategic passage of goods through multiple countries and diverse ports exemplifies the corridor's capability to facilitate seamless connectivity and enhance regional trade. With its route spanning across different regions, from Russia to Iran and onward to India, the INSTC demonstrates its potential to unlock economic growth, foster cooperation among member nations, and open up new avenues for international commerce. The INSTC project established in the year 2000 and ratified by India, Iran and Russia in 2002, is an intergovernmental and intercontinental multimodal transport project, spanning over 7,200 km, connecting India through Iran and Central Asia to Russia. The member countries of the INSTC include India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine, with Bulgaria as the observer state. INSTC comprises sea routes, rail links and road connectivity, linking Mumbai in India to St. Petersburg in Russia while passing through Chabahar Port in Iran. The INSTC project is among a series of international initiatives involving India and showcases India's accelerated foreign lending programmes aimed at holistic development, in stark contrast to China's programmes which are predatory lending practices that often prioritize self-interest and leave recipient nations burdened with debts marked by nefarious designs such as salami-slicing strategy. India's proactive approach towards the INSTC has been looking to expand its global infrastructural and developmental footprints commensurate with its growing global stature. By spearheading this ambitious endeavour, India is looking into alternative means to connect with hydrocarbon-rich and strategically important Central Asia. India's focus on the INSTC and investments in Chabahar Port in Iran's Sistan-Balochistan province are some of the steps in this direction. The INSTC is supposed to significantly reduce both transportation costs and transit time. As per a study by the Federation of Freight Forwarders' Association of India (FFAI), INSTC will make cargo transportation 30 per cent cheaper and 40 per cent faster vis-a-vis through the traditional transportation route of the Suez Canal. This means that the transit time of around 45 to 60 days for cargo shipment from Europe to India via the Suez Canal will be reduced to merely 23 days through INSTC.[4] It will also facilitate easy and faster access to hydrocarbons and other mineral resources from Central Asia, which is mostly land-locked, supporting India's rapidly growing economy. Importing fertilisers, iron and coal from Russia and Ukraine will also become faster and cheaper. With several Western companies looking to relocate leaving China, Mumbai could be developed as a transhipment hub for good transport to Europe, competing with large hubs in China. As a seamless transportation and transit corridor, INSTC could help India attract a significant portion of the export-oriented manufacturing activities that are looking to move out of China. It will benefit Iran as Chabahar Port may become a major transhipment hub for cargo, owing to its strategic location as well as the Port's deep draft of 16 metres which makes handling large shipment vessels possible. Iran has already been reeling under Western sanctions and is set to benefit immensely from the development of INSTC. Since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, Russia has been facing the imposition of sanctions. It is therefore looking for alternative routes to global markets as well as becoming more Eurasian-oriented than European-oriented with regard to its exports. Russia has been eyeing a toehold in the markets of India, East Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. INSTC has emerged as a viable solution to mitigate Russia's current and future trade connectivity challenges. In this context, President Vladimir Putin has voiced strong support for the INSTC as a vital connectivity link between Russia and India via Iran, emphasizing its role as a "safe substitute" for transporting Russian cargoes, compared to the longer Mediterranean Sea-Suez Canal route. Russia and Iran have agreed to expedite the completion of the Rasht-Astara rail project, a crucial part of the INSTC's "Western branch." Russia will predominantly finance the 152-kilometre railway line, while Iran will fund the remaining 12-kilometre section. A cooperation agreement has also been signed between Kazakhstan's KTZ Express JSC, Russian JSC RZD Logistics, and Turkmenistan's Transport & Logistics Centre for smooth transportation of goods through the INSTC's "Eastern branch," connecting Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Iran, India, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. To Central Asia, INSTC will provide immense benefits to expand its exports to hitherto uncatered markets. Being largely land-locked, Central Asian Republics thus far were not able to fully realise their export potential. The advent of INSTC could be a watershed moment that can propel their economic development manifold. There remain several obstacles that need to be overcome. Some of the challenges include a lack of harmonised cross-border trade rules, weak container trade, and tariff and non-tariff barriers such as technical standards and differing railroad gauges. Apart from these, there remain common regional threats such as terrorism and transnational crimes like drug trafficking (such as from Afghanistan), arms smuggling, as well as inter-state disputes like the Kyrgyz-Tajik border disputes in Central Asia. Capacity utilization issues persist due to ongoing sanctions on Russia and Iran, as well as strained relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, which poses a strategic threat to Iran's interests. Israel's intensified engagement with Central Asian and Caucasus countries, including Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, reflects its growing bilateral relations in the region. Azerbaijan's decision to open an embassy in Tel Aviv after 30 years signals a desire for closer ties with Israel as a counterbalance to its relations with Iran. Israel's strategic interests and Azerbaijan's proximity to Iran could potentially serve as a base for future Israeli missions into Iran. Nevertheless, these challenges are being meticulously tackled through a collective and determined endeavour by all the participating nations. The potential benefits that await this monumental project far outweigh the obstacles that lie in its path, serving as a powerful impetus for the countries involved to forge ahead and bring this endeavour to its successful fruition. With the engine of global growth shifting from the Euro-Atlantic region to Asia, the development of INSTC needs to be viewed in the context of broader geopolitical and geo-economic dynamics. It not only represents the articulated visions of the states concerned but also reflects their desire to establish a new economic-political order in an increasingly multipolar world. It is countries like India that are presenting exciting opportunities and new visions for the reconstruction of Asia. The development of INSTC shows the strategic vision, political will and state capacity of countries like India, Iran and Russia to establish an alternative vision for the economic growth of the partner countries through their able leadership and foresightedness. This transformative journey signifies a paradigm shift, an embodiment of the changing dynamics that demand a fresh perspective on global economic affairs. The INSTC beckons us to reimagine the possibilities of economic integration and interdependence, empowering nations to rise above individual interests and contribute to the collective advancement of Asia and the world. (ANI) Peng Lifa, also known as "Bridge Man", is revered among Chinese dissidents both inside and outside China. He acted in a show of protest against COVID restrictions in China in October last year, US-based Fox News reported. Peng Lifa, also known as "Bridge Man" is widely believed to be the person responsible for initiating one of the greatest protests in China since the Tiananmen Square Massacre which happened in 1989, Caitlin McFall said in the Fox News report. On October 13, 2022, a man wearing orange shirt and yellow hard hat held a banner on Sitong Bridge in Beijing that said, "We want food, not COVID testing. We want reform, not the Cultural Revolution. We want freedom, not lockdowns. We want to vote, not a leader. We want dignity, not lies. We are citizens, not slaves," according to Fox News report. The text on a separate banner reads, "Depose the traitorous dictator Xi Jinping." Xiao Qiang, a human rights activist, founder and chief editor of China Digital Times and a research scientist for UC Berkeley School of Information, said, "He didn't plan his escape at all. He was trying to buy as much time as possible to expose [the demonstration] for the public." People immediately started taking videos and it was circulated on Twitter and YouTube, as per the news report. In a matter of minutes, the "Chinese censors" came in to delete those messages. Some have said that Peng Lifa's actions were on par with figures like "Tank Man," the person who stood in front of nearly 60 tanks on June 5, 1989, one day after the Tiananmen Square Massacre. The massacre was caused due to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) response to student protesters raising demand for political freedoms and the measures that Chinese military took to crackdown and enforce martial law. The Chinese government has said that some 200 people were killed in the clashes. However, a British diplomatic cable released in 2017 suggested that figure was closer to 10,000. Tank Man's identity has never been revealed. The uncertainty regarding his whereabouts has led many to believe he was arrested by the CCP or disappeared, as per the Fox News report. Peng is believed to have been taken into custody shortly after he began his protest. The whereabouts of Peng along with the whereabouts of his wife and daughter, remain unknown. However, his demonstration worked and by November 2022, people across China began carrying blank sheets of standard A4 printing paper to showcase the silence Chinese citizens are subject to under CCP government. The protesters started shouting slogans like "End zero-COVID," "We want human rights," and "Down with the Communist Party," according to Fox News report. Massive protests broke out across China in 2022, especially in major cities like Zhengzhou, Urumqi, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Xinjiang, and Chongqing. Mike Gallagher, US Representative and the chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP, said, "Peng Lifa stood up to Xi Jinping, all alone with just a piece of cloth and some paint. And he won." According to Gallagher, Peng's protest started demonstrations across China and he inspired the 'white paper' protesters who ultimately toppled China's zero-COVID lockdowns. Gallagher termed the protests as "the most significant pro-freedom protests in China since Tiananmen Square." He stressed that there have been alarming reports about crackdown on white paper protesters across China. Before the Bridge Man protest, Peng through his Twitter account sent a booklet or manifesto around to a handful of human rights activists and CCP dissidents, encouraging them to take further action to stand up to the Chinese government. Xiao said, "If you read the manual, you know he had been thinking about this for years. It's not something he does in just a moment of passion," Fox News reported. The language used during the Bridge Man protest was similar to that of the manifesto that Peng sent to Xiao and others. Xiao realized the importance of the protest and started working with his team to archive Peng's manifesto to preserve his story and stop the CCP from allowing his identity to again go missing like that of Tank Man. (ANI) Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) has demanded the repeal of the blasphemy laws and to stop the practice of victimization in Pakistan. The registered cases, either imprisoned or not, have reached a whopping number of around 3,000 while the non-registered cases are more and both categories are most scary, have relocated and finding protection within the country or other parts of the land. The prisoners should be set free, the protections of non-registered should be ensured, HRFP has demanded, according to an official release. HRFP, on the basis of its recent findings and investigations has urged authorities of Pakistan that at least 1472 individuals were charged under the blasphemy cases from 1987 to 2016 with 633 Muslims, 494 Ahmadiyas, 187 Christians, 21 Hindus and others. "The numbering of registered cases has reached around 3000 in 2023 because of increasing average during the last 5 to 7 years while the non-registered are doubled. The data shows that until October 2019, 17 people convicted of blasphemy were on death row, while many others are serving life sentences for related offenses (295 A/B/C), and as per media reports since 1990 to 2019 at least 65 people have been murdered over claims of blasphemy," the HRFP said in an official press release. Only in 2021 at least 90 and in 2022 around 100 individuals faced blasphemy threats either at workplaces or during fields activities. From registered and non-registered cases only few got bails, and got a chance to flee and relocated in other places but the all are facing threats all the time even imprisoned or not, the release added. Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) stated that the laws in Pakistan have been misused against religious minorities as soft targets and innocents of all religions even to Muslims as well, that enables and encourages the perpetrators for legal discrimination and persecution on the name of religion and beliefs. When a Christian, Hindu, or other member of a religious minority is attacked, the entire family and community may also come under attack, according to Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP). In the past, there are examples when whole minorities' communities have been set on fire, like in Gojra in 2009 and in Joseph Colony, Lahore in 2013. Naveed Walter president HRFP said that the recent example of an imprisoned from last 4 years is of Noman Masih a Christian youth of 22, the local court on 2 June 2023 in Pakistan's Bahawalpur has sentenced him to death and imposed a fine of PKR 200,000 for allegedly sharing blasphemous content through WhatsApp. Musarrat Bibi from Pakpattan who was alleged with coworker Muhammad Sarmad for burning Quranic pages on 15 April 2023. Both got bails but the threats did not come to an end as like the two nurses Mariam and Neush case of Faisalabad who falsely alleged to blasphemy on 8 April 2021, imprisoned and got bails, Naveed Walter added, as per the HRFP release. There are case studies of non-registered like James Masih, a Christian sanitary worker in Tehsil Headquarter (THQ) hospital Layyah was charged for blasphemy on 5 October 2022 by local Muslim woman Nazia during a conflict of medical examined from doctor Maqsood where James Masih was performing his duties. Nazia provoked people by her video on social media to kill James Masih and family alleging that he spoke against Prophet Muhammad and harassed her as well. Jackson Sohails case is also one of the non-registered cases who belonged to Faisalabad and on 13 October 2022 he was alleged for blasphemy when he was at workplace in Lahore and had a conflict with colleague there. The normal lives are harder for all categories, HRFP added. Naveed Walter said that the mob attacks and targeted attacks are common in these cases. He mentioned Ashok Kumar a sanitation worker of Hyderabad who was accused of burning the Qur'an in August last year when a violent mob attempted to kill him but police arrested him before reaching of mob to get him. Similarly, a Hindu teacher who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court on 8 February 2022 over charges of blasphemy in Ghotki, Sindh was also a survivor of mob attack. Naveed Walter said the recent other series of murdering minorities in multiple issues are not coming to an end but have been increasing day by day. "On 6 May 2023 a Sikh man Paramjit Singh Panjwar has murdered in Lahore. On 12 April 2023 Pervaiz Masih a Christian was shot to dead in Turbat. On 31 March 2023 Dayal Singh a Sikh businessman in Peshawar was murdered and a year before Dayal Singh's cousins Kuljit Singh and Ranjit Singh were murdered in Peshawar. On 30 March 2023 Dr. Birbal Genani, a Hindu doctor was murdered in Karachi. On 7 March 2023 Dr.Dharam Dev Rathi was killed in Hyderabad. These are the few examples of this half year," Naveed Walter added. (ANI) General Manoj Pande on Monday arrived in Bangladesh for a two-day visit. During his visit, he also met Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division. The Additional Directorate General of Public Information of Indian Army in a tweet stated, "General Manoj Pande #COAS interacted with General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff, #BangladeshArmy & Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, #Bangladesh and discussed aspects of mutual interest." On Tuesday, General Pande is scheduled to review the Passing Out Parade (POP) of officer cadets of the 84th Long Course at the Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA), Chattogram. The Ministry of Defence in a press release said, "During the parade, the Army Chief will be presenting the 'Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy' instituted for Best Foreign Cadet (from Friendly Foreign Countries) of the Passing Out Course from BMA. The first trophy, this year is being awarded to Officer Cadet Everton of Tanzania." "This trophy is in reciprocation to the 'Bangladesh Trophy and Medal' instituted at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun in December 2021 for Best Foreign Cadet of Passing Out Course. Notably, the Army Chief will be reviewing the POP at IMA, Dehradun on 10 June 2023 and present the Bangladesh Medal & Trophy," it added. Other engagements of COAS General Pande include briefings by senior Bangladesh Military officers on bilateral cooperation issues. General Pande visited Bangladesh in July last year on his first after taking over as Indian Army chief. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff SM Shafiuddin Ahmed had visited India in April this year. He reviewed the Passing Out Parade at Officers Training Academy, Chennai, according to Ministry of Defence press release. The Ministry of Defence in the press release noted that frequent visits by senior military leaders and bilateral cooperation events like joint military exercises contribute to enhancing military-to-military relations between India and Bangladesh. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu and her Suriname counterpart Chandrikapersad Santokhi met with official delegation in Paramaribo on Monday. On the second day of her visit to Suriname, President Murmu reached the Presidential Palace, where she was received by Suriname President Chandrikaprasad Santokhi. The national anthems of both nations were played. President Droupadi Murmu arrived at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport in Paramaribo, Suriname on Sunday. She was received by the Chief of Protocol of Suriname and the Indian ambassador to the country. "President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Paramaribo, Suriname on her first State Visit as the President of India. In a special gesture, President @CSantokhi of Suriname received the President at the airport with full state honours," the official Twitter handle of the President of India tweeted. The President on Saturday left the national capital for a six-day visit to Suriname and Serbia. This is the president's maiden visit to Suriname and also her first state visit since assuming office in July 2022. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar on Friday informed that President Murmu will travel to Suriname and Serbia from June 4-9. Briefing about the Suriname leg of President Murmu's visit, he said she will be in Suriname on a state visit from June 4-6, at the invitation of Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. "This will be her maiden visit to Suriname. Maiden state visit after she assumed the office of President. The visit assumes historical significance as the President will be the chief guest at the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the arrival of Indians in Suriname, which would be celebrated on June 5," the MEA Secretary (East) said during a special briefing on President's visit to Suriname and Serbia. The President is being accompanied by the Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Member of Parliament, Shrimati Rama Devi as well as an official delegation. In the next leg of her tour, Murmu will visit Serbia, which will start from June 7. She received an invitation from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. (ANI) Photo: The Canadian Press Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Marci Ien, delivers remarks during an announcement to support a national Indigenous women's and LGBTQ organization at the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) in Gatineau, Que., Monday, June 5, 2023. The Trudeau government is earmarking $1.5 million for LGBTQ community organizations to boost security measures at Pride parades and other events this summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby The Trudeau government is earmarking $1.5 million for LGBTQ community organizations to boost security measures at Pride parades and other events this summer. The money matches a request by a national umbrella group, Fierte Canada Pride, which will distribute it to local committees that apply. The funding can be used for expenses such as vehicle and crowd control, barricades, fees for paid-duty police or private security. Organizations supporting gender and sexual minorities across Canada have ramped up their security after a documented rise in hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people, and physical confrontations between protesters at drag-queen events. Gender Equality Minister Marci Ien says the funding comes at a time when LGBTQ people need tangible support from politicians instead of empty words and platitudes. She also is challenging Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to attend the raising of a Pride flag on Parliament Hill this month. During the protests, the UK director of World Uyghur Congress, Rahima Mahmut delivered a powerful speech to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. "Tonight at Trafalgar Square, our Executive Director, @MahmutRahima, delivered a powerful speech to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre," the official handle of 'Stop Uyghur Genocide', the UK based campaign to defend Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China tweeted on Monday. Apparently, Rahima Mahmut is also teh executive director of Stop Uyghur Genocide. The protesters marched towards the Chinese Embassy, joining Hongkongers, Tibetans, and all those who resist against the Chinese government. "Later on, we marched towards the Chinese Embassy, joining Hongkongers, Tibetans, and all those who resist against the Chinese government. We have united in our struggle for democracy and human rights, calling upon the UK government and international community for their support," Stop Uyghur Genocide tweeted further. https://twitter.com/UyghurStop/status/1665476051533717504?s=20 The demonstrations of Tiananmen started on April 15, 1989 when Chinese students gathered in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, where many student and mass demonstrations had taken place since the early 20th century, to mark the death of the popular pro-reform Chinese leader Hu Yaobang. On June 3 and 4, the People's Liberation Army stormed the square with tanks, crushing the protests with terrible human costs. Estimates of the numbers killed vary. The Chinese Communist Party stated that the injuries exceeded 3,000 and over 200 individuals, including 36 university students, were killed that night. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated the Namibia University's fully equipped IT center, known as The India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) built with Indian assistance. The center, equipped with cutting-edge IT infrastructure, is a product of the collaborative efforts between India and Namibia in development, cooperation, and capacity-building. "It is an outcome of the development, cooperation and capacity-building partnership between India and Namibia. And it is being pursued in line with the shared desire to develop human resources, especially of the youth, and give them the right skills in the technology domain," he said. While addressing the inauguration event of the INCEIT, EAM Jaishankar said that it reflects the long-standing people-to-people friendship and linkages between India and Namibia. This centre started offering courses going back to November 2019, when the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) provided the course materials, the reference books and much of the IT hardware and software, EAM said. "The remaining installations were completed in very challenging circumstances during the Pandemic," Jaishankar added. Speaking on the trainers teaching at the INCEIT, EAM informed that six master trainers from Namibia were given training in CDAC in India. The Centre is additionally equipped with a CDAC PARAM Supercomputer with High-Performance Computing (HPC) Applications. Now, since its deployment, the supercomputer has seen the installation of numerous application software to ensure its optimum usage. Acknowledging the support and collaboration of the Vice Chancellor and his team, Minister Jaishankar expressed gratitude for their "unstinted support and collaboration to make this project a reality with the objective of developing industry-oriented programmes to address skill requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, big data analytics and e-governance applications and software development." The Centre has been able to offer courses and to train more than 275 professionals, government officials from various ministries students, teachers and researchers, Jaishankar informed. Jaishankar also appreciated a student who won a reward in a cybersecurity competition. "I'm happy to note that a student from this very centre has won a trophy with the first position at the 6th Namibia National Cybersecurity Competition," Jaishankar said. "The courses that the centre is offering are truly vital for Namibia in building a knowledge society, and this has to be done on the foundations of innovation and technology which will emerge from here," he added. Jaishankar said that India's home-developed Unified Payment Interface (UPI) has revolutionised digital transactions in India, taking financial inclusion, to new levels that 40 per cent of the world's real-time digital payments take place in India. Speaking on the INCEIT again, Jaishankar said that the unique feature of this centre is that it is powered by the Param Supercomputer rightly named Arup. The Centre is additionally equipped with a CDAC PARAM Supercomputer with High-Performance Computing (HPC) Applications. Now, since its deployment, the supercomputer has seen the installation of numerous application software to ensure its optimum usage. "This centre is the latest in our strong partnership with Africa, which particularly targets the gen next in Africa and India. It has been established in several locations across the continent vocational training centres, IT centres, science and technology parks, entrepreneurship development centres and geoinformatics applications for rural development," Jaishankar said while concluding his address. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between India and Namibia to create and operate the India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) for training in specialised areas of Information Technology. The government of India initiated a proposal for the setting up of CEIT with the intent of having international outreach for imparting ICT education in Namibia. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) signed an Agreement on July 16th, 2018 for the setting up of an India Namibia Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (INCEIT) at the Namibia University of Science & Technology. (ANI) Former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday filed the paperwork for his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, setting the stage for a highly anticipated face-off within the Republican Party and a clash with his running mate of elections past, former President Donald Trump, CNN reported. Pence is set to formally announce his candidacy on Wednesday ahead of a CNN presidential town hall that evening. This contest will feature Mike Pence, who served as both vice president and a staunch supporter of former President Trump, competing against Trump himself for the GOP nomination. Having indicated at his potential entry into the race for several months, Pence will now have to overcome Trump's strength with the Republican primary electorate and convince voters he is a better choice than the man he spent four years cheerleading before their relationship strained after the 2020 election, the Hill reported. An unpredictable battle lies ahead as Trump who helped incite an insurrection in his bid to cling to power and his once-loyal vice president who played a role in stopping that effort to thwart democracy. Pence has publicly criticized Trump over his assertion that Pence had the authority to overturn the 2020 election results, but he has not taken aim at Trump's character and has repeatedly said that he's proud of their administration's record, CNN reported. Pence, a 63-year-old former congressman and Indiana governor, was selected as Trump's running mate in 2016 in part because he could help Trump shore up the GOP's socially conservative base. He is backed by a super PAC, Committed to America, which launched in mid-May and is co-chaired by former Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and veteran GOP consultant Scott Reed. The group's executive director is Bobby Saparow, who managed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's (R) successful reelection campaign in 2022, the Hill reported. Trump, in contrast, has already unleashed personal barbs at other 2024 Republican rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. During Trump's tenure in the White House, Pence headed the White House's coronavirus task force and laid the foundation for vaccine distribution. However, Pence disagreed with Trump regarding the former president's actions following the 2020 election, which are currently being investigated by a special counsel, CNN reported. A CNN poll released in late May found Pence was the first choice of 6 per cent of Republican and Republican-leaning primary voters, trailing Trump, who was the first choice of 53 per cent of voters, and DeSantis (R), who was the first choice of 26 per cent. The poll also found 54 per cent of those surveyed said they support or would consider supporting Pence. In speeches, Pence has tried to fuse a forward-looking vision for the Republican Party with his credentials as Trump's right-hand man for four years. Pence has spent the last several months making frequent trips to early primary states like South Carolina and New Hampshire, and he has put a particular focus on Iowa, which holds the first caucus on the GOP primary calendar, The Hill reported. (ANI) Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, on Monday (local time) said that the partnership with India is one of the most consequential relations for the US, adding that Washington is looking forward to deepening economic ties and enhancing security cooperation. "We are very much looking forward to hosting PM Modi for the State visit later this month," said Patel. PM Modi is scheduled to visit the US on June 22 following an invitation from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. "Our partnership with India is one of our most consequential and we look forward to continuing deepen our collaboration on a number of issues, whether it be enhancing security cooperation, deepening our economic ties, deepening trade issues," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on an official state visit to the United States on June 22. During his visit, PM Modi will be hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at a state dinner at the White House, the Ministry of External Affairs informed through a press statement on Wednesday. The United States Congress has also invited PM Modi to address a joint meeting of the House of Representatives and Senate during his visit to the country on June 22, according to the statement released by US Congress. "During your address, you will have the opportunity to share your vision for India's future and speak to the global challenges our countries both face," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to Modi. Meanwhile, the White House said the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US will be an opportunity to reaffirm the deep, close partnership between US and India. PM Modi's visit "will be an opportunity to reaffirm the deep and close partnership between the United States and India and the warm bonds of the family and friendship that link America, Americans and clearly, Indians together. And so that's very important to the (US) President," said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre on PM Modi's state visit to the US. Pierre further said: "The President and the First Lady are looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi for the official state visit which is going to happen on June 22. The White House Press Secretary said the visit would also strengthen US-India shared commitment to a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific and shared resolve to evaluate strategic technology partnership, including in defence, clean energy and space.(ANI) 1 taken by medics to hospital after shooting in Dayton A person is hospitalized after a shooting in Dayton Sunday night. >>1 dead, several others hurt, following shooting in Dayton Dayton Police officers and medics were dispatched around 10:38 p.m. to the 1800 block of W. Third Street on initial reports of a shooting, Montgomery County Regional dispatchers told News Center 7. Medics transported one person to Miami Valley Hospital with unknown injuries. Officers at the scene reported several shell casings in the area, according to initial scanner traffic. The shooting remains under investigation. We will continue to provide updates on this developing story. 17-year-old and his uncle drown in Alabama pond after jumping in to save dog, cops say A teen and his uncle drowned in an Alabama pond after each tried to rescue the other, authorities said. 17-year-old Gabriel Alonzo chased a dog into the pond in the afternoon of June 4, Lawrence County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Brian Covington told WAFF. Alonzo was struggling in the water, so his uncle, 36-year-old Julio Chich Alvarez, went into the water to help him, officials told WAFF. Alvarez reached his nephew and pulled him to the bank of the pond, Covington told Decatur Daily, but then went under the surface and did not come up. Alonzo went back into the water after his uncle, Covington told WHNT, and also did not resurface. Another nephew of Alvarez, 15, tried to go into the water after them, WAFF reported, but was pulled back by family members. The teen then drove a truck into the pond to try to reach his cousin and uncle but was unsuccessful, Covington told Decatur Daily. The Morgan County Rescue Squad was called to the pond around 4:30 p.m. and divers went into the water, according to June 4 Facebook post. MCRS provided two divers and recovered a 17-year-old male teenager and a 36-year-old adult male from a private pond on CR-222 in Lawrence County, the rescue squad said. They were pronounced dead at the scene and were later identified by Lawrence County Coroner Scott Norwood, WAFF reported. Alonzo and Alvarez were in Hillsboro, about 90 miles north of Birmingham. Search pauses for camper in inflatable kayak missing a week, Colorado cops say Man dies after jumping into lake to help struggling child, South Carolina cops say 17-year-old swimmer dies after being swept in undertow at waterfall, Oregon cops say Womans body found burning after she left for Facebook Marketplace meetup, AL cops say Police have charged a 19-year-old and a juvenile with communicating threats in connection with several harassing phone calls to the Islamic Center of Charlotte last month. Both are from the area of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police spokesman Mike Allinger told The Charlotte Observer Monday evening. After the initial investigation, officers identified the callers who admitted to the calls and apologized, Allinger said in an email. A caller on May 23 made a reference to 9/11 and terrorists, and could be heard saying in an audio recording of the call, Ill blow you harder than 9/11, the Observer previously reported. The caller rambled on, despite being told of the recording, but he was direct in his threat against the center, Center spokesman Jibril Hough said. The person who answered the call at the center in May told police they didnt want to pursue charges, Allinger said. But, he said, After subsequent conversations and a further investigation, officers obtained a criminal summons from the Magistrates Office for communicating threats for the 19-year-old suspect. A juvenile arrest was completed for the juvenile suspect. Allinger didnt name the 19-year-old but said CMPD will update its statement on Tuesday with more context and information. Inappropriate call The Observer called a phone number linked to the call. A man who answered said a 14-year-old family friend in his office did something stupid by calling the Islamic Center. The man, who identified himself only as Dave, said the call to the center was inappropriate but that he didnt believe the 14-year-old made any type of threat. The man soon texted the Observer an apology related to what happened. I would like the center to know it was very inappropriate, the man texted, and that it will be made known to any parties involved it absolutely will never happen again. On Thursday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded a hate-crime probe by state and federal law enforcement. The groups demand came the same day Allinger said CMPD wouldnt pursue criminal charges in the case. The investigation concluded that the verbiage communicated during the call did not rise to a criminal level, Allinger said at the time. Hough said CMPD further investigated after he complained to Chief Johnny Jennings. Monday, Hough said the center staffer who answered the call told CMPD he wanted an apology from the caller, but that didnt mean he didnt want possible charges. We still have people in our community, about half our community, who felt there should have been terrorist charges, too, Hough said. But he also thanked Jennings for ensuring the case got the attention it deserved. In the past, he said, CMPD failed to pursue charges with similar threatening calls. On Tuesday, a national Muslim civil rights group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said it welcomed the charges. The council hopes that anyone convicted in the case will be given an opportunity to learn about the American Muslim community and about why threats to any house of worship are unacceptable, spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said in a news release. The Army National Guard is behind on its recruiting goals for this year but is bringing more people into the ranks compared to last year, the worst recruiting year since the military went to an all-volunteer force. The service component has come up about 10% short of its goals on recruits for each month between October and February, according to internal documents reviewed by Military.com. That's a big improvement compared to the same time frame last year in which the Army Guard came up 40% short, on average. October is the start of the military's fiscal year. "We've seen a steady increase in our recruiting abilities," Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the National Guard's top officer, told lawmakers at a hearing last week. "The Army National Guard is on the path to meet our end strength by the end of the year. I am not declaring victory; I am saying that, right now, all of the trends are very positive." Read Next: 'Always Putting Crew First': Fired Commander of Navy Destroyer Gets Kind Facebook Send-Off In March, the Army National Guard exceeded its recruiting goal by 200, bringing in 3,206 new troops. Hokanson told lawmakers that the service component has exceeded recruiting goals in April and May as well, though the data Military.com obtained did not have those numbers. But the numbers paint a complicated picture. The Guard is aiming for a smaller end strength. Last year, it was authorized to have 336,000 soldiers, and that was reduced by 11,000 this year. Thus, the recruiting goals were also reduced. In December, for example, the National Guard recruited 2,308 new soldiers, missing its goal of 2,697. That same month the previous fiscal year, the Guard recruited 1,965 soldiers with a goal of 3,358. Between October and March, the Guard recruited 445 more soldiers on average each month, compared to the same time frame last fiscal year. The Army National Guard's upswing is likely indicative of its active-duty counterpart, which came up 15,000 soldiers short of its goal of recruiting 60,000 new troops last year. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told Congress on multiple occasions that, while the Army as a whole will not meet its recruiting goals this year, it has made progress compared to last year's uniquely grim performance courting Gen Z. Military.com asked the Army for two months to provide data on its recruiting performance, but officials refused to offer any numbers. The National Guard did not dispute this reporting but declined to comment. The recruiting slump is due to a culmination of factors as the services struggle to pitch enlistment to a skeptical new generation and to an ever-shrinking pool of eligible young Americans. An internal Defense Department study found that Gen Z members are less inclined to want to leave their hometowns and believe service has an inherent risk of death. Media attention on suicide and sexual assault in the services has also likely played a role in recruiting prospects. Army officials have estimated that only 23% of young Americans are eligible to enlist or commission, mostly due to poor performance on the SAT-style entrance exam, and an obesity crisis making too many potential applicants too overweight to serve. Last year, the Army started pre-basic training courses for applicants who come up short on the entrance test or are slightly above the body fat standards. Those courses allow applicants to come into compliance with the Army's standards in 90 days and move on to basic training. Service officials have touted the early success of those programs, with the overwhelming majority of applicants being able to join the Army. Those pre-basic courses have the capacity to graduate 12,000 soldiers into boot camp, who otherwise wouldn't have been able to enlist. The Navy also started a similar program. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Is Soldier Recruiting Up? Army Claims Yes But Won't Say by How Much The 2023 Blitz Most Feared by Putin May Have Finally Begun Reuters Ukraine has begun a series of attacks against Russian forces working to hold ground in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials, in a possible sign that Ukraines long-awaited counteroffensive has finally begun in earnest. On Monday, Russias Ministry of Defense announced that it thwarted a large-scale offensive in South Donetsk direction on five fronts in the region over the weekend. Ukrainian military officials said on Monday that troops were moving forward towards Bakhmut, which Russian and Ukrainian forces have been fighting over for months, the BBC reported. And now, Ukrainian forces are stepping up their artillery strikes and ground assaults, according to U.S. officials who spoke with The New York Times. The flurry of developments could be an indication that Ukraines rumored counteroffensive push is currently underway. The attacks come as Russia has failed to make major gains in 2023, more than a year into the war on Ukraine. Putin Grooms Russians for Defeat in Leaked Crisis Manual Determining what constitutes Ukraines counteroffensive has been complicated in recent months, given Ukraines interests in maintaining an element of surprise in staging its attacks. Hanna Malyar, Ukraines Deputy Minister for Defense, has suggested that the counteroffensive might come in several pushes as opposed to one major assault on the battlefield. Ukrainian officials have been hinting that the counteroffensive is coming, though. We strongly believe that we will succeed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview last week with The Wall Street Journal. The road ahead is not necessarily going to be without challenges, Zelensky acknowledged, adding that if Russia is not stopped it will likely continue its territorial conquest. A large number of soldiers will die since Russias air power is superior, Zelensky said. The Kremlin, for its part, has been working to temper expectations for the war in Ukraine. A manual the Kremlin reportedly distributed to Russian propagandists suggests that Moscow has not underestimated Ukraines counteroffensive, and has already outlined a propaganda strategy to shape the narrative within Russia in case Kyiv successfully carries out its attack plans. The Russians have been preparing for a formidable Ukrainian counteroffensive in other ways for months. Satellite imagery analysis shared with The Daily Beast in January showed Russian defensive preparations for a Ukrainian counteroffensive, revealing the Kremlin's increasing fear about losing the territory it has stolen during the war. 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. By the end of this week, the dozen or so GOP presidential contenders will include everything a window-shopping conservative might want: a literal former president, someone with no electoral experience, veterans, millionaire businessmen, people who want to be like Donald Trump, people who dont want to be like Trump, and candidates who still pledge fealty to Ronald Reagan and those who think the GOP should be done with all that. What they dont have a choice of: senators. Only one senator, Tim Scott of South Carolina, has entered the 2024 GOP presidential field eight years after senators defined the non-Trump presidential field, with Ted Cruz of Texas, Marco Rubio of Florida, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina standing out as major candidates. None of them appears interested in giving it another go. Other GOP senators who have been talked about as potential candidates are also staying on the sidelines this year, including Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rick Scott of Florida. Both men love to make headlines yet are instead focusing on their Senate reelection bids. It always comes down to individual choice. I know Im running for the Senate, Rick Scott, who launched a failed attempt to oust Mitch McConnell as the GOP leader in the Senate, said when asked if he regretted not getting into the race. The senatorial sidelining is a reversal from recent years. Though governors dominated the presidential scene from the 1970s until 2008, the election of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama to the White House began an era when big names built on the federal level dominated presidential politics, and governors struggled to get the attention and money necessary to mount serious bids. In 2020, not a single governor ended up as a serious contender for the Democratic nomination. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), a presidential candidate, greets an audience member Saturday at Sen. Joni Ernst's Roast and Ride, an informal campaign kickoff event, in Des Moines, Iowa. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), a presidential candidate, greets an audience member Saturday at Sen. Joni Ernst's Roast and Ride, an informal campaign kickoff event, in Des Moines, Iowa. The sprint among governors to join the race only highlights the lack of senators: This week, three current or former governors former Vice President Mike Pence of Indiana, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will join former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson in vying to lead their party in the 2024 general election. The free-for-all contest is a completely different race from just a few months ago, when Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis seemed poised for a head-to-head clash. Usually crowds grow when people see weakness, Graham, who has endorsed Trump, said of the expanding field. Like, some people running just to position themselves as something else. It seems to be nobodys being deterred from getting in. Asked why more senators arent getting in, Graham quipped: The Senates a better job. (Graham himself ran for president in 2016, ending his campaign before the Iowa caucuses.) DeSantis stock has fallen since he first began flirting with a run for president. The Florida governor, who once ran even with or at times ahead of Trump in early state polls, has fallen behind under a barrage of attacks from Trump. Hes now trying to catch up on the campaign trail by taking veiled jabs at the former president, his leadership style and his ability to win. Republican senators dont have a unified theory as to why so many members of the upper chamber are opting out of the 2024 GOP race this year. Some posited that governors are simply better suited for the job of president and that they benefit on the campaign trail from being able to point to tangible accomplishments. I remember George W. Bush saying to me, he said, The best job in America is being a governor. And then he said, Oh, almost the best job in America, said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), the 2012 GOP presidential nominee and former governor of Massachusetts. So I think governors naturally look for the next office. Other senators suggested that Trump and his popularity within the GOP are keeping potential contenders from joining the fray. Everybody else who wants to be president has already tried, and it was hardly worth it, said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). I think the fact that Donald Trump is in the race has kept a lot of people out, including some of those senator-president wannabes. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) agreed with that assessment, suggesting with a heavy dose of sarcasm that more senators arent running for president because this job is so damn good. You get to do world-changing things like keep paying the bills, he added, referring to the months-long fight over raising the debt limit. Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said it is because there are a lot of members of the Senate who have decided that Tim Scott would be a good choice for president. Rounds, a former governor himself, is one of only two GOP senators who have endorsed Scotts 2024 bid. Scott, who is running an explicitly optimistic campaign aimed at separating himself from the apocalyptic rhetoric deployed by Trump and DeSantis, is the type of old-school conservative Senate Republicans, who are slightly less enamored of the Make America Great Again movement than their House counterparts, could, in theory, line up behind. But his still slim odds of victory mean many will keep their rooting interest private rather than explicit. Another reason may be that the president-wannabes in the Senate may simply be biding their time for a better opportunity. Hawley and Arkansas Tom Cotton, another senator many thought could run in 2024, are downright kids by presidential standards: Hawley is 43 and Cotton is 46. Do you want to be someone who ran twice and lost twice? Some of them are young enough to be thinking about future cycles, said Grant Reeher, a professor of political science at Syracuse University. One person who isnt running for president? New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. After launching many criticisms of Trump over the past few years, Sununu made his decision final on Monday. The moderate GOP governor warned that a crowded field would only help Trump win the nomination again. The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help to ensure this does not happen, Sununu wrote in an opinion article published by The Washington Post. Sununu also included a dig at unnamed candidates who are running. Too many other candidates who have entered this race are simply running to be Trumps vice president, he said. Related... It is interesting that (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau picked a day in June as the National Day Against Gun Violence that coincided with the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights annual National Range Day. Trudeau blames (the former Stephen) Harper (Conservative) government for rising gun violence. In reality, nobody has done more to increase gun-related crimes than Trudeau. He has wasted incredible resources chasing and harassing duck-hunters and target shooters instead of taking guns away from criminals who are committing all those crimes. The police know where, when and how all these firearms are crossing the border into Canada, but Trudeau is not directing them to do anything about it. He is busy calculating a very aggressive anti-gun campaign will get him the city vote in another election, and he needs that criminal activity to justify his ridiculous anti-gun campaign. Bill C-21 is now in the Senate, where it will be considered, debated and decided. Sixty of those senators were appointed by Trudeau. Its also important to keep in mind Trudeau wanting our guns has very little to do with public safety. Andy Thomsen 23-year-old store clerk is killed during robbery, Tennessee cops say. Taken from us Police are searching for two unknown suspects after a store clerk was killed during a robbery in Tennessee, officials said. Around 1 a.m. on June 2, Johnson City Police officers responded to a convenience store after calls for a death investigation, according to a June 2 Facebook post. Upon officers arrival the clerk was found to be deceased, officers said. The death has been determined to be a result of a homicide during the commission of a robbery. Police identified the clerk as 23-year-old Tava Woodard, WJHL reported. The investigation into Woodards death is ongoing, police said in the release, and the department shared surveillance photos from inside the convenience store that show two individuals wearing hoodies and face masks. One individual is also shown wearing gloves. Im lost. Sad. Heartbroken. Its hard to comprehend that shes gone, that she was taken from us, Woodards father, Jason, said in a June 4 Facebook post. Woodard celebrated her 23rd birthday with family on May 25, her mother, Melissa Jones, told WJHL. It was the last time she saw her daughter. We sat around and talked about memories of her being young, Jones told WJHL. She talked about possibly going into education for English, but she really wanted to write a book she had all kinds of stories to tell. In a GoFundMe started by her family to help cover funeral costs, Woodards family said she was an advocate for human rights and helped supply the local animal shelter. Tava was always trying to make the lives of others better, they wrote. A lifelong friend of Woodard shared photos from their childhood in a June 5 Facebook post, and said they would read our troubles away. We passed many milestones over the years but you still had so much more to achieve in this life, her friend, Kaylee Moore, wrote. I will do my best to carry your memory and love with me wherever I go. Jones told WJHL that she believes more could have been done to increase the security and safety of her daughter while she was working. A couple of her friends have told me that she had texted them that night. That she hated it there and she didnt feel safe; it was scaring her there lately, Jones told the outlet. She expressed some concerns as well to coworkers and family, friends. She expressed some concerns that night. On the Johnson City Police Facebook post, one person wrote that they used to work at a convenience store near where the robbery occurred. I used to work at the one on South Roan. We got robbed so many times, they commented. There should always be at least 2 clerks working. Johnson City is about 150 miles northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina. Woman vanished weeks ago. Home cameras were unplugged at crucial times, SC cops say Man getting haircut in mall is shot dead in cold blood, Texas police say 17-year-old and his uncle drown in Alabama pond after jumping in to save dog, cops say 14-year-old girl vanishes on last day of school, Georgia family says. Come home 25-year-old naked man drowns trying to swim across lake after party, Illinois cops say A 25-year-old man was heavily intoxicated when he drowned after jumping into an Illinois lake, authorities say. The Lake County Sheriffs Office said the man from Kenosha, Wisconsin, was drinking at a birthday party before returning to a home in Lake Villa on Sunday, June 4. He jumped from a pier into the lake with his clothes on but was able to make it to shore during his first foray into the water, sheriffs officials said. One of the mans relatives removed his wet clothing and took him to bed, according to the sheriff. But soon after, he jumped back into the water while naked, authorities said. He tried to swim across the channel between Petite Lake and Spring Lake, but sheriffs officials said he went underwater and did not immediately resurface. Deputies were dispatched to Chain O Lakes, where they searched for the man for several hours, the sheriff said. His body was pulled out of the lake at 6:30 a.m., more than five hours after he went under. The 25-year-old victim has not been identified. The Lake County Sheriffs Office continues to investigate. Lake Villa is about 60 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. 17-year-old swimmer dies after being swept in undertow at waterfall, Oregon cops say Im going to drown! Cops watch as man drowns in Arizona lake, family says in lawsuit 20-year-old drowns while with pregnant wife, Virginia cops say. Never be whole again The Washington state Department of Social and Health Services and the state Attorney Generals Office have reached a settlement agreement for $3.125 million in a case involving a woman with developmental disabilities. According to Brionna Aho, communications director for the state AGs office, the parties reached an agreed resolution in the case. The court must approve the settlement agreement before it becomes final. The settlement agreement will be paid out of the State Insurance Liability Account, which is funded by Washington taxpayers. The lawsuit was filed against the state in November 2021 for failing to provide adequate case management and failing to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect involving the woman. (The plaintiff) is grateful to the Court for stepping forward and taking initial steps to hold the Office of the Attorney General Accountable, David P. Moody, the plaintiffs attorney, told McClatchy in an email Monday. He said that when the plaintiffs mother died, her mothers best friend took the plaintiff into her life and became her guardian. Not only did the Office of the Attorney General withhold critical evidence in the lawsuit, it blamed (the plaintiffs) guardian, Moody continued. The Office of the Attorney General was caught cheating. Its as simple as that. The fact that it cheated in a craven attempt to dismiss the claims brought by a developmentally disabled woman makes this particularly offensive. The Office of the Attorney General represents all of us. Withholding evidence is not something that the public should tolerate. He said that the plaintiffs guardians were grateful that the case is coming to a close, but they are understandably livid at the Office of the Attorney General for the stunt it pulled in trying to conceal evidence. In addition to the $3.125 million agreed upon by both parties, the AGs office and DSHS were previously ordered to pay fines for withholding documents from discovery. The court first sanctioned the AGs Office and DSHS $200,000 in late March for withholding nearly 11,000 documents that substantially prejudiced the plaintiff in preparing for trial, according to King County Superior Court Judge Michael K. Ryan. Those documents were found after the AGs Office moved for a summary judgment on the plaintiffs claims, while also seeking to prevent the plaintiff from taking a deposition that would have addressed discovery in the case, among other things. Days after the judge sanctioned the agencies for those discovery violations, the AGs Office admitted that it found more than 100,000 pages pertaining to the same case that were not previously turned over. Discovery Master Russell Aoki was then appointed by the judge to review all briefings and all discovery produced by DSHS. Aoki is appointed at the expense of the AGs Office and DSHS at a billable rate of $500 per hour. The state AGs Office and DSHS were later also ordered to pay the womans attorney fees totaling $122,555. Back when it was withholding key evidence, the Office of the Attorney General said that (the plaintiffs) case should be dismissed, Moody noted in his email to McClatchy. Aho noted that prior to resolving the case, the AGs office conducted an internal review to determine what happened. She provided McClatchy with a discovery timeline gathered from AGO and DSHS employees who worked on the case and reviewed agency emails. That account was provided to the discovery master when he was appointed to the case. AG Ferguson recognizes that the buck stops with him, Aho told McClatchy in an email Monday. Discovery sanctions are unacceptable. The issues that led to the sanctions highlight the need for better communication with our client. Additionally, one of the issues involved miscommunication between the lead attorney and the attorneys assigned to assist with the case while the lead was on leave. We are reviewing our discovery protocols to determine what changes are appropriate. AG Ferguson is overseeing a review. A personnel investigation is ongoing. AGs Office, DSHS must pay attorney fees in case over developmentally disabled womans care WA AGs Office admits to withholding 100,000 additional records in lawsuit Attorney Generals Office, DSHS ordered to pay $200,000 for withholding 11,000 documents Robert Kennedy speaks at a press conference on April 1, 1968, in New York City. Robert Kennedy speaks at a press conference on April 1, 1968, in New York City. In this first full week of June, I wonder if we might give more than a passing thought to the late Robert F. Kennedy. He was assassinated on Jun 5, 1968 55 years ago, in what felt like the final blow of a tumultuous decade that had seen more than its share of gut-wrenching events. And there was still more anguish to come. My mother woke me from a sound sleep to give me the news. Ours was a very current events family. New Yorks many newspapers sat untidy about the house. News radio was on each morning, and we always watched the nightly news during dinner, discussing the issues as they bellowed from the 13-inch black-and-white TV on the counter. Well, I didnt discuss; I just listened to my two older brothers; my father, a WWII veteran; and my mother, a native of Italy whom he brought back to America to be his wife. It was an education. Awakened by the news that night, I was hit by the grim weight of an America that had entered the decade with great optimism and was now coming apart at the seams. The following morning, one of the New York dailies branded its front page with the headline in 70-point typeface, Now RFK. Nothing more needed to be said. I have been a news junkie ever since. Bobby Kennedy was everything his older brother was and then some, and everything his younger brother never could be. But what has always struck me about Bobby Kennedy wasnt his promise, the tragedy of losing a brother to an assassins bullet or the near-certainty he would win the presidential election in November. Instead, it was what he did two months earlier, something that stands as a moment in time when political leaders conducted themselves with the kind of wisdom, class, grace and humility that today seems more like a wisp of memory, an errant wish. That night, April 4, Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Kennedy, on the campaign trail, was scheduled that evening to address a crowd assembled for an outdoor rally at 17th and Broadway streets on Indianapolis north side. Kennedy, who was running for the Democratic presidential nomination, faced a difficult, even dangerous task. His African American audience in this Black neighborhood of Indianapolis was unaware of Kings assassination. Aides worried the crowd would erupt in violence upon learning the news, as was already beginning to happen in cities across America that night. Kennedy had no Secret Service protection. Local police had made clear they lacked the resources to control any major outburst. Aides suggested Kennedy cancel the appearance. He didnt. But instead of the rousing stump speech the crowd expected that he had delivered earlier in the day in both South Bend and Muncie, Kennedy broke the bad news in a surprisingly short speech barely five minutes simple, honest, compassionate and extraordinary in that the remarks were delivered extemporaneously, with just a few notes Kennedy had scribbled on the back of an envelope only moments before. I have some very sad news for all of you, Kennedy began, and, I think, sad news for all of our fellow citizens, and people who love peace all over the world; and that is that Martin Luther King was shot and was killed tonight in Memphis, Tennessee. The wail of the crowd, the raw screams, were painful and palpable, but rather than an escalation of any kind, the cries subsided as people waited for what Kennedy would say next: Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings. He died in the cause of that effort. On this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, its perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. For those of you who are black considering the evidence evidently is that there were white people who were responsible you can be filled with bitterness, hatred, and a desire for revenge. We can move in that direction as a country, in greater polarization black people amongst blacks, and white amongst whites, filled with hatred toward one another. Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand, and to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion, and love. There was near total silence now as Kennedy empathetically spoke next of his brothers death something hed never done publicly and then he quoted from the Greeks. My favorite poet, he said, was Aeschylus. He once wrote, Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God. He then asked the audience to return home, to say a prayer for Dr. Kings family and to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love ... and lets dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people. Perhaps the crowd did just that, for unlike so many other cities that night, violence did not erupt in Indianapolis. Instead, the crowd applauded and went home, surely anguished but without any desire for revenge. Robert Kennedy campaigning in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 4, 1968. Robert Kennedy campaigning in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 4, 1968. The speech received little notice; Kings assassination dominated the headlines for days to come. But listening to it years later, it has a lasting resonance. You sense that the audience believed in Kennedys leadership qualities. No one doubted the intent of his words. But also evident is Kennedys respect for the people in the crowd to speak to them bare, without audience research, focus group analyses and data-mined targeting that guides todays politicians with carefully crafted manipulative oratory. No political consultant would ever recommend a reference to Aeschylus. Indeed, how many political leaders are even that well-read? In other words, Kennedy was not told what not to say. Instead, he was armed only with his intellect, thoughtfulness, benevolence and temperament. A statesman. Looking back, I often think Bobby Kennedy was the best president we never had. Given the quality of presidential candidates from recent scrums and the candidates to come, one wonders if there is a Lincoln, an FDR, a Gandhi or a Churchill in our future. Not to say that these were perfect men or that either John or Bobby Kennedy were perfect men; they werent. But they had a gravitas and a grace that seems lost on most, if not all, of our politicians today. Do any of the lawmakers in our current political environment compare to such leadership? Who could deliver that speech today that Bobby Kennedy gave that night? I cant think of a single lawmaker who could. Maybe Barack Obama. Most of our best leaders had the resilience to get through troubling times. A true leader does so without malice, pettiness or petulance. They bring a quality of humility and self-reflection, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and an ability to turn failure into success, doing so in a way that evokes and inspires our best values and ideals. Our better angels, as Abraham Lincoln once called it. The philosophers and statesmen of early Rome repeatedly declared that leaders must be men of great moral clarity. Esto exemplum aliis. Be a pattern to others, Cicero said, and then all will go well. Noble examples stir us up to noble actions, Seneca noted. We have the opposite today. I dont know if thats the fault of our political figures or the fault of the voters who put them in office, since we certainly have voters who act as insufferably as the lawmakers they elect. Sadly, the generation of leaders forged in the cauldrons of the Great Depression, World War II and the Cold War have passed from the world stage. Their absence makes the current leadership void all the more apparent. Poll after poll confirmed that neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump had earned the trust of most voters, be it because of their adultery, lewd comments, lying or what voters thought was a general lack of scruples. And if todays polling data is to be believed, no love is lost upon the current president or those wishing to replace him. So the serious issues facing our nation and the world which demand mature, focused leadership go unaddressed and unresolved. Does moral leadership matter? What are the consequences of political power without a moral foundation? What does it say about us when those are the kind of leaders we choose, or that we have to choose from? We get the government we deserve, it is often said. I would amend that: We also get the candidates we deserve. But what about the candidates we need? We lament all the ways our candidates are unworthy of elected office. We declare them to be unworthy of our votes. But are we worthy of anyone who is worthy of elected office? I sometimes think the best people to run for office are smart enough not to. Why bother when knowing society will savage your life, tear you apart, demonize and denigrate you just because youre the wrong party, the wrong sex, the wrong color or maybe youre not religious, or youre educated in subjects that cant get you a job. Or, perish the thought, the inevitable disagreements over policy issues. Maybe we lack great leaders because there is something dishonorable required with the expectations of a democratic political process and the media system in which one would have to engage should one seek elected office. What has happened? Why are there so few great statesmen offering to lead this nation into its future? Or am I waxing nostalgic and wishing for something that never really was? I have no answers to those questions, and I wouldnt dare seek them from vapid, repulsive frauds whose only talent is that they are attention whores. But these are questions worth reflecting upon and vital that we all do so. If we can muster even half the maturity, dignity, goodness and courage that Bobby Kennedy did that night 55 years ago, maybe, just maybe, well find the moral character as a people to truly pursue that more perfect union the framers envisioned and make gentle the life of this world. An anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for plotting to destroy 5G masts. Christine Grayson, 60, joined an online chat group in 2021 after "becoming obsessed" with the belief they were linked to the Covid-19 vaccine. Leeds Crown Court heard she was a grandmother "of previously good character" who will be released after spending nine months on remand. Her co-defendant Darren Reynolds, 60, was also jailed for terror offences. Reynolds, of Newbould Crescent, Sheffield, had been cleared of conspiracy to commit criminal damage in relation to 5G masts, but found guilty of terrorism offences. He was jailed for 12 years, with an additional year on licence, after being found guilty of offences linked to his "extreme right wing, antisemitic and racist views". Grayson, of Boothwood Road, York, had met Reynolds on the social media platform Telegram. The court heard both defendants were strongly opposed to the roll-out of the 5G network - but Grayson had discussed "getting rid" of the mobile phone masts with expanding foam and angle grinders. She was found guilty of conspiracy to commit criminal damage, while Reynolds was cleared of that charge. He was found guilty of eight terrorist offences. The court heard Reynolds discussed armed uprisings and advocated violence towards people he called "traitors". His comments included describing Parliament as "a nest of Jews, foreigners and collaborators" and repeatedly calling for MPs to be hanged. His defence claimed his actions were no more than "free speech gone completely wrong and the line crossed". 'Just hot air' Lee Karu said there was no evidence anyone had been encouraged by Reynolds. However, Judge Kearl said he had "applauded the callous murders" of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess. The judge said: "Your offending took place through an internet chat room group - you had set it up and you were the administrator. "Many of the views you expressed were racist and grossly offensive to most right-thinking people. "I am satisfied that it was not "just hot air", your message was consistent and persistent, and you were calling people to arms." During their trial, the court heard how police had found a crossbow and a number of crossbow bolts at Grayson's home, while at Reynolds' they discovered two replica assault rifles. Reynolds was told he would automatically become a registered terrorist offender. Sentencing Grayson, Judge Kearl said: "You chose to take the law into your own hands and you discussed the methods of damaging the masts in an internet chat group." He said the methods she discussed were damaging the masts with fire or by "inserting expanding foam into the structure". He said she "knew there were ways she could express her views in a lawful manner" and said her actions showed an intention to cause serious damage. Grayson was told she would be released on licence, but failure to comply and she would be returned to prison to serve the remainder of her sentence. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. Carol Baker and Carolyn Baker-Lowery failed to graduate from high school due to undiagnosed learning disabilities as kids. A set of 64-year-old twin sisters who dropped out of high school decades ago graduated last week from MiraCosta College Community Learning Center in California, the San Diego Tribune reports. Carol Baker and Carolyn Baker-Lowery failed to graduate from high school due to undiagnosed learning disabilities as kids. According to Fox 5 San Diego, the sisters said they felt like lost causes at public high school. Twin sisters Carol Baker and Carolyn Baker-Lowery made a pact to graduate in 2023. (Adobe stock photo) They might as well have given us a book and told us to look at the pictures, Carolyn said, the Tribune reports. They were trying to get us to do something we didnt understand. The twins grew up in the Los Angeles area, and both became teen parents while attending a continuation high school. They decided to enter the workforce as single mothers rather than finish their education, Fox 5 San Diego reports. However, the sisters never gave up on their dream of receiving a diploma. As the Tribune reports, Carolyn attempted adult high school several times, but the academics proved too challenging. I would get very despondent and just say forget it, she said. Carol was encouraged to complete her education while volunteering at a local childcare development center, Fox 5 San Diego reports. The decision came 30 years after she and Carolyn dropped out of high school. According to the Tribune, the twins suffer from attention deficit disorder and dyslexia. When Carol set her sights on MiraCosta College, the school developed a personalized success plan to help her utilize and maximize educational resources, Fox 5 San Diego reports. Once Carol began taking Zoom sessions with her professors, she caught her sisters attention. At first I thought the girl had lost her mind, but then I couldnt let her leave me behind, Carolyn said, according to Fox 5 San Diego. I asked what I would need to do to get my diploma too. I told her I was working on a high school diploma. She looked at me and said, Not without me, you arent. No, that wont happen. So we started taking classes together, Carol said, the Tribune reports. The sisters made a pact to graduate together in 2023. The dream came true when the pair walked the stage on May 25 at the MiraCosta College Adult High School graduation ceremony. Their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild attended the ceremony, according to the Tribune. What was so awesome was seeing all my teachers there. They made a line on both sides and shook my hand and hugged me. At the end of the line were my children, said Carol, per the Tribune. My goal was to graduate high school in front of my children and my grandchildren, so they could see it happen, she added. As the twins walked across the stage, an official read a few words they had written: On our caps are over 35 rhinestones representing our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The gold butterflies are there to give reference and honor to our mother who is no longer with us, but we know she will be proud. Faculty members were so impressed with the twins dedication and presence on stage that they nominated them for induction into the national adult education honor society. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post 64-year-old California twins graduate high school after overcoming learning obstacles appeared first on TheGrio. 7 Things Wedding Planners Would Never Do As Guests At A Wedding Wedding planners share what theyd personally never do as a wedding guest. Wedding planners share what theyd personally never do as a wedding guest. Through their years of professional experience, wedding planners have seen the best and the worst of wedding guest behavior and everything in between. That makes them uniquely positioned to offer advice on how to be a thoughtful wedding attendee. And while some behavior is overtly bad (e.g. taking too many shots and vomiting on the dance floor, for instance), there are other things you might do or say without realizing how inconsiderate they can be. We asked planners to share what theyd personally never do as a guest at a wedding. RSVP Late Wedding planner Amy Shack Egan of Modern Rebel said it shocks her how many guests dont RSVP on time or at all. She knows firsthand how frustrating this can be for couples about to tie the knot. I always say, Be a hell yes or a hell no in life commit to a decision and own it, Shack Egan told HuffPost. So many people just stay in the middle and never RSVP and keep it up in the air. Be courteous of someones time and energy who invited you, she continued. Its a disservice to yourself and the kind people who are working very hard to plan an intentional gathering where youre a key part. Los Angeles planner Sarah Wang of My Wedding Songbird also emphasized how important it is to RSVP promptly and if you need to cancel for some reason, to let the couple know ASAP. Why? Because the final headcount affects everything from the seating chart to escort cards and place cards to catering. Finalizing the guest count, meal count and making adjustments to rental orders typically occurs two weeks prior to the event, Wang told HuffPost. It is crucial to understand that last-minute RSVP changes or cancellations within the final one to two weeks before the wedding can create immense stress for the couple. To be a respectful guest, its essential to be mindful of the significant efforts that go on behind the scenes, she added. Take Pictures During The Ceremony As a friend or relative of the couple, you might feel compelled to snap a sweet photo of the grooms happy tears or the first official married kiss. But plannerTracie Domino of Tracie Domino Events in Tampa, Florida, told HuffPost that she would personally never take photos during the ceremony as a guest at a wedding. The couple (most likely) hired a photographer to capture the day. Guests can just sit back and enjoy the moment they shouldnt be standing up or reaching into the aisle with a smartphone, ruining the professional pictures. Remember you arent the photographer and if you attempt to take photos during the ceremony, you will just make a screen show up in the real photos, Domino said. When she's a guest at a wedding, wedding planner Tracie Domino refrains from taking photos during the ceremony. When she's a guest at a wedding, wedding planner Tracie Domino refrains from taking photos during the ceremony. Bring A Large Gift To The Wedding If you want to get the newlyweds that air fryer or Dutch oven they asked for, thats wonderful. But Shack Egan said she would never bring a big gift to the actual wedding. Its too much of a pain for the couple to figure out how to transport it home. Most couples are attending an after-party or, at the very least, maybe not headed straight home after their wedding reception, she said. While you may think youre being kind, youre creating a challenge because now the couple has to find someone to get it home safely! Just use the registry and bring a card. And if you insist on this large gift, mail it directly to their home post-event instead. Go Rogue When It Comes To The Dress Code Domino said she would never disregard the couples dress code wishes. Dont be a party pooper about it even if the theme isnt quite your cup of tea. If the event calls for formal or tropical chic, its important to do as you are told, she said. The guest attire sets the ambiance for the evening, and its your job to participate accordingly. Help Themselves To Booze No one enjoys waiting in a long line for the bar when the dance floor is rockin. But you wont catch Los Angeles plannerLiz Coopersmith of Silver Charm Events pouring herself a drink from liquor she found in the venues kitchen. This is based on entirely too many true stories, Coopersmith, creator of the online course Your Wedding Day Academy, told HuffPost. Its tacky, and worse, violates the couples contract with the venue, meaning your hosts could be fined some serious money. Bringing your own alcohol to the party is also a no-go. This is not your house, she said. More importantly, its not theirs, either. Cut The Buffet Line When theres a dinner buffet at the reception, guests typically get called up to get their food, table by table or group by group. Its not a free-for-all, but that doesnt stop some guests from breaking protocol. Austin wedding planner Jessica Ryan of 3 Of Cups Events told HuffPost she would never help herself to the buffet and then go eat at the table in front of the guests that are respectfully waiting for the coordinator to release the table. You wouldnt think youd have to tell adults to wait their turn, and yet ... Demand Condiments Shack Egan said she was recently at an event where a guest demanded salt and pepper shakers for the table a request she simply would not make at a wedding. Most weddings do not put salt and pepper shakers on the tabletops, she said. If salt and pepper are so essential to your meal, pack some in your purse! Related... Shareholders of Dollar General approved a resolution last week to create an independent audit of worker safety and well-being. The decision, approved at the corporation's annual shareholder meeting in Goodlettsville, follows extensive media coverage of the company's track record of repeated store safety violations. Workers have also complained of perpetually understaffed stores, in-store violence, including armed robbery and murder, the backbreaking pace of work, poverty wages, rat infestations, and OSHA violations. Dollar General Hundreds of workers from Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and elsewhere gathered at the company's headquarters last week to call for the company to take action. They were joined by various labor unions and advocacy groups, including Step Up Louisiana, United for Respect, Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW), Tennessee AFL-CIO, SEIU Local 205, Tennessee for All, Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, the Black Nashville Assembly, and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. A majority vote supporting an independent audit on worker health and safety is a win for Dollar General workers. Dollar General has a responsibility to provide a safe working environment for its employees, and it now has clear support from its shareholders to do this, said Mary Beth Gallagher, director of engagement at Domini Impact Investments in a written statement. We hope the company will act quickly to conduct an independent audit, incorporating worker and customer input, so root causes can be identified, and the process can begin to make system-wide improvements to the safety at its stores so that workers no longer have to worry if they will come home from work safely. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dollar General shareholders approve audit of worker safety conditions Aprison Aprison / EyeEm There's a lot to recommend guinea pigs as the perfect family pet: They're small, easy to care for, and have sweet temperaments. Also known as cavies, there are 13 breeds of guinea pigs officially recognized by the American Cavy Breeders Association. We've included them here, as well as a few other types of guinea pigs that are popular. The good news is that you don't have to pick just one: guinea pigs are social creatures, and the Humane Society recommends adopting them in pairs to prevent them from becoming lonely or bored. While guinea pigs are relatively low maintenance pets, they do need to be taken out of their cage and cuddled each day, as well as groomed regularly, so be sure you're able to commit the time required before adopting. Food wise, guinea pigs should be given a steady supply of high-quality hay, guinea pig pellets with Vitamin C, and leafy greens like parsley, lettuce, or spinach. They'll also need an ample-sized enclosure that should be cleaned weekly. Guinea pigs live an average of five to eight years so be prepared to care for any furry family members for years to come. Ready to bring guinea pigs home? Be sure to check your local animal shelter, which often has small pets in need of a home. Abyssinian Guinea Pig Abyssinians are particularly affectionate and gentle, making them a great choice for first-time guinea pig owners. This breed is known for its short, tufted coat which can be found in various colors. There is also an Abyssinian Satin breed, identifiable by its particularly glossy fur. svehlik - Getty Images American Guinea Pig American Guinea Pigs are the most common breed, popular because of their short, smooth coat that's easy to take care of, as well as their sweet, easygoing personalities with both people and other piggies. The American Guinea Pig Satin breed has an extra-shiny coat. Matt Carey - Getty Images Coronet Guinea Pig Coronets are a breed of long-haired guinea pigs, with fur flowing from front to back, a coronet or rosette in the middle of its head, and a coat that comes in a range of hues. They're known for being especially playful and affectionate though, like all long-haired breeds, require extra grooming. yykkaa - Getty Images Lunkarya Guinea Pig The Lunkarya Guinea Pig (a.k.a. Lunk) is not on the list of breeds recognized by the American Cavy Breeders Association, as its mostly found in Nordic countries, having originated in Sweden. It's beloved for its long, dense, curly coat (the guinea pig equivalent of bed head). These luscious locks require lots of maintenance, so the Lunkarya isn't the best choice for first-time owners. alieshia - Getty Images Merino Guinea Pig Curious and gentle, Merinos make excellent pets (though they are not recognized by the ACBA). Their curly hair does require a bit of extra grooming, but since they love to be held they don't mind. bayshev - Getty Images Peruvian Guinea Pig The Peruvian Guinea Pig's long locks (which can grow up to 2 feet!) make it a popular with owners who like to show their cavies (yes, there are guinea pig shows). It's one of the oldest breeds of guinea pigs, and the ACBA also recognizes the Peruvian Satin breed. cynoclub - Getty Images Rex Guinea Pig Rex Guinea Pigs have a short, wooly coat due to the fact that they don't have the guard hairs most other mammals do. They also have unique, floppy ears and are the longest guinea pig breed, reaching up to 17 inches. While they aren't an ACBA breed, they're popular pets as their coat doesn't require much work to maintain and they're especially patient with kids. DigitalAppeal - Getty Images Silkie (a.k.a. Sheltie) Guinea Pig When it comes to long-haired guinea pig breeds, Silkies (known as Shelties in the U.K.) are the most popular thanks to their incredibly gentle nature and smooth, flowing coat. They are recognized by the ACBA, as is the Silkie Satin breed. Alexandra Jursova - Getty Images Sheba Guinea Pig While not recognized by many cavy associations, the Sheba Mini Yak has lots of fans thanks to its intelligent, calm personality and long, untamed-looking coat, which earns it the nickname of "bad hair day cavy." DigitalAppeal - Getty Images Skinny Guinea Pig The Skinny Guinea is hairless, with the exception of a few tufts around its nose and feet, and can be a good choice for people with allergies. While it doesn't require the routine grooming of guinea pigs with hair, Skinnies do have to be cleaned regularly, kept mostly indoors away from the sun, and given soft bedding that's gentle on their skin. La_Corivo - Getty Images Teddy Guinea Pig With its fluffy fur and upturned nose, the Teddy looks very similar to the toy bear its named for. They're a friendly, fun-loving breedas are their Satin counterpartsand make a great choice for families with children. Rabbitti - Getty Images Texel Guinea Pig Originally bred in England, Texels have long, soft coats that can grow in ringlets. They're an active breed, so be sure they have a large enclosure with plenty of space to explore, and are almost always up for a cuddle. Alexandra Jursova - Getty Images White Crested Guinea Pig The White Crested Guinea Pig is named for the distinctive white spot atop its head. While it's similar to the American Guinea Pig, they can be much harder to find and are also a bit shy. Their short coats are easy to maintain, and they're known for being especially intelligent. Olena Kurashova - Getty Images You Might Also Like women walking down a street wearing burkas "I just want someone to hear my voice. I'm in pain, and I'm not the only one," an Afghan university student tells us, blinking back tears. "Most of the girls in my class have had suicidal thoughts. We are all suffering from depression and anxiety. We have no hope." The young woman, in her early twenties, tried to end her own life four months ago, after female students were barred from attending university by the Taliban government in December last year. She is now being treated by a psychologist. Her words offer an insight into a less visible yet urgent health crisis facing Afghanistan. "We have a pandemic of suicidal thoughts in Afghanistan. The situation is the worst ever, and the world rarely thinks or talks about it," says psychologist Dr Amal. "When you read the news, you read about the hunger crisis, but no-one talks about mental health. It's like people are being slowly poisoned. Day by day, they're losing hope." Note: The BBC has changed or withheld the names of all interviewees in this piece, to protect them. Dr Amal tells us she received 170 calls for help within two days of the announcement that women would be banned from universities. Now she gets roughly seven to 10 new calls for help every day. Most of her patients are girls and young women. In Afghanistan's deeply patriarchal society, one worn out by four decades of war, the UN estimates that one in two people - most of them women - suffered from psychological distress even before the Taliban takeover in 2021. But experts have told the BBC that things are now worse than ever before because of the Taliban government's clampdown on women's freedoms, and the economic crisis in the country. It's extremely hard to get people to talk about suicide, but six families have agreed to tell us their stories. Nadir is one of them. He tells us his daughter took her own life on the first day of the new school term in March this year. "Until that day, she had believed that schools would eventually reopen for girls. She had been sure of it. But when that didn't happen, she couldn't cope and took her own life," he says. "She loved school. She was smart, thoughtful and wanted to study and serve our country. When they closed schools, she became extremely distressed and would cry a lot." It is evident that Nadir is in pain as he speaks. "Our life has been destroyed. Nothing means anything to me anymore. I'm at the lowest I've ever been. My wife is very disturbed. She can't bear to be in our home where our daughter died." We have connected his family and others quoted in this piece to a mental health professional. Dr Amal says she received 170 calls for help within two days of the announcement that women would be banned from universities The father of a woman in her early twenties told us what he believes was the reason behind his daughter's suicide. "She wanted to become a doctor. When schools were closed, she was distressed and upset," he says. "But it was after she wasn't allowed to sit for the university entrance exam, that's when she lost all hope. It's an unbearable loss," he adds, then pauses abruptly and begins to cry. The other stories we hear are similar - girls and young women unable to cope with their lives, and futures coming to a grinding halt. We speak to a teacher, Meher, who tells us she has tried to take her own life twice. "The Taliban closed universities for women, so I lost my job. I used to be the breadwinner of my family. And now I can't bear the expenses. That really affected me," she says. "Because I was forced to stay at home, I was being pressured to get married. All the plans I had for my future were shattered. I felt totally disoriented, with no goals or hope, and that's why I tried to end my life." We started looking into this crisis because we saw multiple articles in local news portals reporting suicides from different parts of the country. Women's faces have been painted over in this university poster - Taliban authorities barred female students from attending university in December last year "The situation is catastrophic and critical. But we are not allowed to record or access suicide statistics. I can definitely say though that you can barely find someone who is not suffering from a mental illness," says Dr Shaan, a psychiatrist who works at a public hospital in Afghanistan. A study done in Herat province by the Afghanistan Centre for Epidemiological Studies, released in March this year, has shown that two-thirds of Afghan adolescents reported symptoms of depression. The UN has raised an alarm over "widespread mental health issues and escalating accounts of suicides". The Taliban say they are not recording suicide numbers, and they didn't respond to questions about a surge in figures. Because of the stigma attached to it, many families do not report a suicide. In the absence of data, we've tried to assess the scale of the crisis through conversations with dozens of people. "Staying at home without an education or a future, it makes me feels ridiculous. I feel exhausted and indifferent to everything. It's like nothing matters anymore," a teenage girl tells us, tears rolling down her face. She attempted to take her own life. We meet her in the presence of her doctor, and her mother, who doesn't let her daughter out of her sight. We ask them why they want to speak to us. "Nothing worse than this can happen, that's why I'm speaking out," the girl says. "And I thought maybe if I speak out, something will change. If the Taliban are going to stay in power, then I think they should be officially recognised. If that happens, I believe they would reopen schools." A psychiatrist told the BBC the situation is critical - it's hard to find someone who is not suffering from a mental illness Psychologist Dr Amal says that while women have been hit harder, men are also affected. "In Afghanistan, as a man, you are brought up to believe that you should be powerful," she says. "But right now Afghan men can't raise their voice. They can't provide financially for their families. It really affects them. "And unfortunately, when men have suicidal thoughts, they are more likely to succeed in their attempts than women because of how they plan them." In such an environment, we ask, what advice does she give her patients? "The best way of helping others or yourself is not isolating yourself. You can go and talk to your friends, go and see your neighbours, form a support team for yourself, for instance your mother, father, siblings or friends," she says. "I ask them who's your role model. For instance, if Nelson Mandela is someone you look up to, he spent 26 years in jail, but because of his values, he survived and did something for people. So that's how I try to give them hope and resilience." Additional reporting by Imogen Anderson and Sanjay Ganguly Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. A new book suggests that racial segregation in housing can be undone if Americans come together across racial lines to pressure lawmakers and communities to address the segregation created by federal, state and local officials that has led to vast inequality between white and Black Americans. Richard Rothstein and Leah Rothstein, a father-daughter pair, are the authors of Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law. Richard Rothstein is author of The New York Times bestseller and precursor to his latest book The Color of Law on the history of housing segregation in America. Leah Rothstein has decades of experience in housing policy as a consultant to affordable housing developers and governments. Both live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Advertisement The two told the Tribune that they came together to write Just Action to answer a question that many readers of The Color of Law, including Leah, were left with: What do we do now? This conversation has been edited for clarity. Advertisement Q. For those who havent read The Color of Law, do you mind briefly summing up its main point? Richard Rothstein: The main point of The Color of Law is that the reason were an apartheid society is because of racially explicit government action at the federal, state and local levels. Every (policy) was unconstitutional. Q. What are some of the consequences that come with housing segregation? Leah Rothstein: Segregation of our communities underlies many of our most serious social problems. Those who grew up in segregated African American communities, likely low-income communities, have worse health outcomes than those in white communities, even poor white communities. Theres income disparities from growing up in what are called lower opportunity neighborhoods where theres less access to jobs and ... to banks. And then educational disparities. ... (Students have a) lack of access to healthy foods ... parents are working longer hours ... (students) likely have more contact with police; and theres more violence and crime and higher levels of stress. RR: Those white suburbs that were created on a racial basis by the federal government appreciated in value over the next couple of generations. In the post-World War II period, these suburban homes cost in todays money a little bit more than $100,000 a piece. Any returning war veteran, Black or white, could have afforded those homes. Blacks were prohibited by explicit federal policy from buying them. ... The homes that sold for $100,000 a piece now sell for, depending on the part of the country, $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, $500,000, a million dollars or more. The government-sponsored segregation is responsible for the relative impoverishment of African Americans in concentrated Black neighborhoods. Q. You both talk about housing segregation mostly in terms of white and Black. I know you talk about why you made this choice in your book and acknowledge that white and Black people are not the only racial groups that live segregated. Do you mind explaining that decision? RR: My focus, particularly, is on the unconstitutionality of the segregation that we have and the obligation it imposes on us as Americans to do something about it. The policies that I am describing were directed at African Americans. There are other groups that are disadvantaged in various ways, not because of unconstitutional policies, mostly because of economic policy. We have a very unequal society; we have a great need for economic reform. But the other groups arent disadvantaged because of explicit racial policies on the part of the federal government. Now, thats a little bit of an oversimplification. Certainly, there were explicit racial policies on the West Coast against the Chinese and Japanese, (as well as) in places like Texas, Colorado, Arizona and California against Mexican Americans. But at the time these policies were implemented, these groups werent distributed throughout the country. They were in these pockets in the Western United States. Q. A lot of people say that Chicago is the most segregated city in America or is considered one of the most segregated cities in America. What do you think of this statement? Advertisement RR: I dont know if Chicago is the most segregated city in America. I cant begin to tell you the number of places I go to who claim to be more segregated than anybody else in one way or another. ... Chicago may be the most segregated city, or at least one of the more segregated cities, but its more segregated only by a tiny bit. The big story is that every metropolitan area is segregated and segregated in very similar ways. Q. Can you explain the difference between place-based and mobility strategies for desegregation? LR: There are two main categories. One is place-based, which is concerned with increasing resources in lower-income, segregated African American communities where the concentration of poverty is the direct result of government-sponsored segregation. A subcategory in the place-based (category) are anti-displacement strategies. As we increase resources in those communities, we also need to address the displacement that can occur when that happens: rent regulations, just cause eviction ordinances, inclusionary zoning policies to ensure that affordable housing is produced when market rate housing is built in those areas. The other main category is mobility strategies, and those are concerned with opening up exclusive, primarily white communities to diverse residents. Zoning reform is a big piece of that because those communities are often kept exclusive and all white by ensuring that the only housing that can be built there are single-family homes on large lots that are then kept expensive so anyone without a lot of wealth built up which African American families are less likely to have are kept out of those communities. To (address this), we need to allow a diversity of housing types and provide subsidies and down payment assistance and other remedies to address the disparities that exist so African Americans can move into those communities. And then a subset of that category (includes) strategies that protect the integration of those communities as they start to diversify to ensure that they dont just resegregate and all the whites leave. Q. You mention in the book that Oak Park is an example of a community that intentionally desegregated and maintained its integration. Can you talk about this? LR: In the mid-20th century, Oak Park was all white. People who lived there saw nearby towns where African Americans started moving in, and then they completely flipped to be all Black and all the whites left. And people in Oak Park didnt want to do that. They decided to intentionally diversify and maintain that diversity without all the whites leaving. ... They organized the residents there to recruit African Americans to live in Oak Park and to educate the whites about living in a diverse community and being welcoming neighbors; they created social opportunities for people to get to know each other personally and socially to create a culture of a shared value of diversity and of integration. They also passed some local policies to assist with this, and one was banning for sale signs, which is something Realtors used to instigate white flight by putting up a bunch of for sale signs (to make it) look like ... everybody was leaving. Advertisement They also did other innovative things around diversifying rental units in Oak Park. They created the Oak Park Housing Center, which refers renters to vacant units based on what the Housing Center knows about that building in that small area like the blocks racial makeup. Itll refer white renters seeking units to areas that are more African American, and African American tenants looking for a unit to areas that are more white. ... It helps to ensure the integration of the rental housing stock. The housing center is still very active. This shared culture and values around being an integrated, welcoming, diverse community still exists. Now, its a more expensive place to live, so their efforts around maintaining diversity have to focus on affordability. ... But its an example of a community that took intentional action to create a desegregated community and it worked. RR: Today, still 50 years after these programs began, the racial composition of Oak Park almost precisely mirrors that of the Chicago metropolitan area. Q. How could the rest of the Chicago area lead the way to desegregation in America? RR: We dont think that without a new, biracial activist movement that it is possible to accomplish any of the things that we talk about. Were not focused on what the city of Chicago can do through the City Council; were focused on what local communities can do to press for this kind of change, to organize in the way that the Civil Rights Movement organized with direct action in the 1960s to accomplish racial justice. Were not addressing this book to policymakers; were addressing this book to citizens, residents of local communities, the 20 million people who participated in Black Lives Matter demonstrations in 2020 and then didnt know what to do about it. Our book is trying to show them what they can do about it if they organize with their neighbors in communities to take both the political and direct action thats necessary to force policymakers to make these changes and to create the local political environment where its possible for them to do so. Q. In the book, you discuss how Black homeowners receive higher assessments of their properties compared to white homeowners, which lead to higher property taxes. You also mention that Black homeowners receive lower appraisals of their homes compared to white homeowners, which lead to diminished returns on home sales. When you spoke with Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, you wrote that he didnt give you any solutions for how to right these wrongs for Black homeowners. Can you tell me about your recommendations? Advertisement RR: This is typical of most institutions. Theyre all in favor of trying to do things better in the future, but fail to recognize their obligation to remedy the past. Assessor Kaegi acknowledges that the property tax system is discriminatory. The African American homeowners who have been overtaxed as a result of this are due refunds ... from school districts, fire departments, libraries, all of the agencies that have collected excess taxes from homeowners in Black neighborhoods. The only way they will call for those refunds is with a popular, biracial movement that becomes aware of this overly excessively discriminatory system. Q. If theres one thing that you want readers to take away from the book, what would that be? RR: If you take your responsibilities as Americans seriously, you have to understand that theres an obligation under our constitution to remedy violations of that constitution. We hope that this book will, at a minimum, take away the excuse that we dont know what to do. LR: Theres a lot we can do locally in our own communities that will make a real difference in peoples lives and then in the makeup of our own neighborhoods that will actually benefit everybody. We just have to get started somewhere. By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - An international aid agency in Afghanistan has resumed operations in the southern province of Kandahar - the birthplace of the Taliban and home to its supreme spiritual leader - after its Afghan female staff were allowed to return to work. The move comes after Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Secretary General Jan Egeland told Reuters last month that key Taliban leaders in Kandahar had signaled a willingness to agree to an interim arrangement for NRC female aid workers. "I am glad to confirm that we have been able to resume most of our humanitarian operations in Kandahar as well as a number of other regions in Afghanistan," Egeland, who was the U.N. aid chief from 2003-06, posted on Twitter on Monday. "All our work is for women & men, girls & boys alike, & with equal participation of our female & male humanitarian colleagues," Egeland wrote. The Taliban administration was not immediately available for comment. The Taliban seized power in August 2021 as U.S.-led forces withdrew after 20 years of war. In April, Taliban authorities began enforcing a ban on Afghan women working for the U.N. after stopping women working for aid groups in December. U.N. and aid officials said the orders came from Taliban leaders in Kandahar. The U.N. and aid groups have been trying to carve out exemptions for women to deliver aid, particularly in health and education. The Taliban administration has been promising since January a set of written guidelines to allow aid groups to operate with female staff. Egeland said last month that when he complained that the guidelines were taking too long, Taliban officials in Kandahar suggested an interim arrangement could be agreed to allow Afghan women to return to work in the office and field. The Taliban say they respect women's rights in accordance with their strict interpretation of Islamic law. They have also tightened controls on women's access to public life, barring women and girls from university and high school. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Air Force pilots can now earn up to $50,000 a year in bonus pay under a pair of programs designed to keep aviators in uniform. The militarys perennial pilot shortage is pushing the Air Forces monetary bonuses to new heights as it tries to reinforce its aviation corps in anticipation of a potential war with China. Under the newest version of the bonus program, eligible aviators who sign a new contract this year will receive between $15,000 and $50,000 annually for three to 12 years, Air Force spokesperson Capt. Rachel Salpietra said. In total, airmen could see a windfall of $45,000 to $600,000 in bonus pay over the course of their new commitment. Some can earn lump-sum payments of $100,000 or $200,000 up front, depending on their job and how long they remain in the service. The deal applies to pilots of manned and drone aircraft, air battle managers and combat systems officers whose initial service commitments expire in fiscal 2023, which ends Sept. 30. Pilots must serve for 10 years after finishing undergraduate training; air battle managers and combat systems officers are in for six years. The service will accept applications starting Tuesday and continuing through Sept. 15. Later this summer, the Air Force also plans to launch a new initiative known as the Rated Officer Retention Demonstration Program. That offers pilots another option: If their contracts are set to end between fiscal 2024 and 2026, they can tack another four years onto the end of that commitment and nab $50,000 in bonuses per year or $200,000 in total. Starting next year, the maximum $50,000 annual sum will only be available to active duty pilots of manned aircraft who re-sign with the Air Force during the eighth or ninth year of their initial 10-year contract. Congress created the program late last year to lend more predictability to the Air Forces aviation workforce. When people renew their commitments sooner, it shrinks the number of those who could decide to exit at the last minute making the Air Force scramble to fill those billets. The program expires at the end of December 2028. Those who dont participate in the congressionally mandated program and wait to renew until the year their contract expires will get a smaller amount in bonuses each year. That amount has been capped at $35,000 annually in recent years. Its unclear how many airmen opted to take the money and extend their Air Force careers in fiscal 2022. The service is asking Congress for $250 million to fund aviation-related bonuses in fiscal 2024. The Air Force has nibbled at the edges of a 2,000-pilot shortage for years. Each year, it hopes to employ about 13,000 active duty pilots overall, plus another 8,000 or so in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. A web of factors that include commercial airline hiring, military flight instructor shortages, aircraft maintenance slowdowns, changes in the U.S. war footing abroad, and the Air Forces shrinking fleet has created the long-running shortfall that makes the service more vulnerable in a potential crisis. U.S.-run military simulations have predicted vast losses in an air war with China, which the Pentagon calls its pacing challenge, or the main military competitor that threatens to outrun the U.S. in technological and tactical advances. Bonus pay is one lever the military has tried to avoid the harshest consequences, as well as an initiative to keep pilots out of office jobs and other quality-of-life improvements. Our experienced aviators are uniquely qualified to succeed in a combat environment, Maj. Gen. Albert Miller, the Air Forces training and readiness director, said in Mondays release. These incentives are necessary to maintain that talent and competitiveness with our pacing challenge. An ozone alert has been issued for Kansas City starting Monday, meaning there will be unhealthy levels of ozone in the metro, according to an announcement by The Mid-America Regional Council. During ozone alerts, its recommended that people especially children and those with asthma reduce or reschedule plans for any strenuous activities outdoors, according to MARC. Staying inside a well-ventilated and air-conditioned building is best. If someone does have to be outdoors, its best to plan to be outside before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m., according to the alert. The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Air Quality Program has issued an orange Ozone Alert for Monday, June 5, 2023. This alert indicates that an unhealthy level of ground-level ozone is expected tomorrow in the Kansas City region. pic.twitter.com/gSu7G5movO MARC AirQ Program (@airqkc) June 4, 2023 Cutting down on emissions helps, too. MARC recommends that during the alert, those in the metro drive less, wait to refuel vehicles, delay mowing and other yard work that uses power equipment. The alert encompasses Leavenworth, Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas, as well as Clay, Platte and Jackson counties in Missouri, according to the National Weather Service. This is the second air quality alert issued this year in Kansas City. Two more suspects have been named in the alleged murders of British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, including the alleged mastermind of the crime, Brazilian police say. Phillips and Pereira were shot dead a year ago while they were returning from a reporting trip in the Amazon. Ruben Villar, also known as Colombia, has been named as a suspect and the mastermind of the crime, according to the statement by Brazils Federal Police. He is suspected of being the leader of an illegal fishing criminal organization in the region. Fisherman Janio Freitas de Souza has also been named as a suspect and has links to the illegal fishing criminal organization, the statement added. Both men have been imprisoned since July 2022, along with three other suspects and are awaiting trial, police told CNN. Phillips and Pereira disappeared on June 5, 2022, while conducting research for a book project on conservation efforts in the region, which authorities have described as complicated and dangerous. The pair had been traveling in the Javari Valley, in the far western side of the Brazilian Amazon, before they were killed and had received death threats just days prior to their disappearance, according to the Coordination of the Indigenous Organization, known as UNIVAJA. Brazilian authorities said that although there are several people arrested and the investigation is well advanced, their police work is still not finished. The deaths of Phillips and Pereira has drawn global attention to the perils often faced by journalists and environmental activists in Brazil. Between 2009 and 2019, more than 300 people were killed in Brazil amid land and resource conflicts in the Amazon, according to Human Rights Watch, citing figures from the Pastoral Land Commission, a non-profit affiliated with the Catholic Church. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The burnt remains of a home that was destroyed by the Dixie Fire on August 12, 2021 in Greenville, California. Allstate has stopped writing new homeowner and commercial insurance policies in the state of California due to rising repair costs and wildfires. The company was the fifth largest homeowners insurance provider in the state, according to the Insurance Information Institute. This news, reported by the San Francisco Chronicle last week, at first would appear to follow State Farms announcement that it would cease new homeowner insurance applications in May. But Allstate actually stopped accepting new insurance applications late last year. The Chronicle learned about this last week when it reviewed an Allstate rate increase request that the company had sent to the California Department of Insurance. Read more But Allstates decision to stop writing new insurance policies was covered in industry publications last year. For example, a November 2022 post on the insurance industry website Coverager stated that the insurer will no longer write new homeowners and condominium business in California. Around that time, the insurance giant ended its third quarter that year with a net loss of almost $700 million loss. Earther emailed Allstate for comment, and the insurer confirmed that the decision was announced last November in its third-quarter 2022 earnings calls and earnings press release. We will offer continuing coverage to existing customers, the press release said. We paused new homeowners, condo, and commercial insurance policies in California last year so we can continue to protect current customers, an Allstate representative told Earther by email. The cost to insure new home customers in California is far higher than the price they would pay for policies due to wildfires, higher costs for repairing homes, and higher reinsurance premiums. Because several large insurers have exited the state over costs and climate-related disasters, Californias property owners will have to turn to the California FAIR Plan, a state-offered property insurance. But this is seen as a last resort because the coverage is expensive and often temporary, the New York Times reported. California has seen more wildfires as climate change has fueled hotter and drier environmental conditions. A report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that the most destructive fires in U.S. history have occurred since 2000. The cost to repair after a disaster hasnt just increased, it has skyrocketed since 2020. The price of building materials has increased more than 19% year-over-year and has risen about 35% since the start of the pandemic in 2020, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Even large insurers cant keep up with those price jumps. California has Proposition 103, a law that obligates insurers to ask the California Department of Insurance to approve their rates. Because of this Allstate and other insurers cant adjust prices in the state to meet the price of supplies and the frequency of repair with more disasters. State Farm and Allstate are not the only insurance companies to pause their homeowner policy applications due to wildfires. Early last year, American International Group (AIG) announced that it wouldnt renew policies for thousands of homeowners in the state. Want more climate and environment stories? Check out Earthers guides to decarbonizing your home, divesting from fossil fuels, packing a disaster go bag, and overcoming climate dread. And dont miss our coverage of the latest IPCC climate report, the future of carbon dioxide removal, and the un-greenwashed facts on bioplastics and plastic recycling. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Almost half of the million dollar sales in the Rock Hill region come in this one spot Indian Land and Fort Mill remain hot spots for big land sales, while pricey Lake Wylie homes remain a factor. Three large sales made up most of the more than $220 million in Rock Hill region sales last month, just among transactions at $1 million. Those sales include apartments, gas stations, shopping areas and high-end homes. Here, according to county land records, are the biggest May sales in the Rock Hill region: The Indigo at Cross Creek apartments in Indian Land sold May 4 for $76 million. A company in Tampa, Florida bought two parcels at 2001 and 2080 Cramer Circle. They combine for more than 28 acres and have 375,000 square feet of apartment space built in 2017. The property along Collins Road is off U.S. 521, near where Charlotte Highway meets Dobys Bridge Road and behind the Publix shopping center. A Dallas, Texas company bought the Brayden apartments in Fort Mill for $70 million. The 1217 Jocelyn Drive site includes 35 acres of property with 17 apartment buildings, a community building and a car wash. The apartment buildings range from two- to four-story, and were built in 2016. Brayden builder Standard Pacific Homes sold the property prior to the apartment construction in 2014 for almost $4 million. Post-construction, the property sold in 2018 for more than $51 million before the May 1 sale at $70 million. April brought 17 million-dollar sales in Rock Hill area. One deal in May dwarfed them all The Britax building in Fort Mill sold May 9 for $42.5 million. A company in Birmingham, Alabama bought the 53-acre site at 4140 and 4210 Pleasant Road, just south of Carowinds Boulevard at the Carowinds theme park. The more than 450,000-square-foot building and property sold prior in 2019 for more than $38 million and in 2013 for $25 million. A more than 207-acre property on Big Allison Creek in Lake Wylie sold May 1 for $4.5 million. Its listed as agricultural, but Hwy. 29 Commercial LLC of Monroe, North Carolina bought the site off Campbell Road just west of Hands Mill Highway and south of Daimler Boulevard. Its beside other large properties, including more than 300 acres immediately west owned by homebuilder D.R. Horton. B&C Land Holdings owns almost 400 acres just north of the property, that runs along the south side of Daimler. The Big Allison Creek property at 5954 Campbell Road sold for more than $3.1 million in 2008 and for roughly the same amount in 2014 before a $6 million sale last year. A more than 2-acre property at 125 Evergreen Road in Lake Wylie sold May 23 for $4.4 million. It includes the 20,000-square-foot strip mall thats been home to Anytime Fitness, Dominos, Thai Fusion and several other businesses. Company SSSA of Monroe, North Carolina bought the shopping center built in 2008. Almost 8 acres of property at 534 River Crossing Drive in Fort Mill changed hands May 30 in whats listed as an almost $4.3 million foreclosure. Auto-Owners Insurance Company of Michigan acquired the property from Star Plaza LLC. The property has a more than 60,000-square-foot office building on it, constructed in 2001. The property is just east of the Sutton Road interchange at I-77, between large properties owned by Novant Health and Traditions at Fort Mill. A more than 2-acre property at 4138 Dobys Bridge Road in Indian Land sold May 18 for almost $2.5 million. Twas Properties of Thomaston, Georgia bought the convenience store and drive-thru car wash site from Gate Petroleum Company. Its beside the corner of Dobys Bridge and U.S. 521, or Charlotte Highway, and has frontage on both roads. A 1,200-square-foot home on Coltharp Road in Fort Mill sold May 16 for $1.9 million. The property sits on almost 10 acres. Almost 160 acres at 996 McAfee Court in York sold May 5 for $1.9 million. The property runs along York Highway, just west of Shiloh and Mt. Gallant roads. A Pineville, North Carolina company bought the mostly farm use site, with about 20 acres of the property listed for commercial use. A more than 7,000-square-foot home on Montmorenci Crossing in Fort Mill sold May 25 for $1.9 million. The Springfield home was built in 2009. More than 8 acres of farm use property in Fort Mill sold May 2 for almost $1.9 million. The sale is listed as a name change, with Clear Springs Land Company the most recent listed owner. The site is a needle-shaped property at I-77 and S.C. 160 that runs lengthwise along the interstate. Its right in the path of right-of-way for major interchange improvements in that area that will add flyover bridges and widen S.C. 160 heading toward Fort Mill. How do we explain that? Price of planned work on I-77, SC 160 has more than doubled A 3,300-square-foot home on Rivergrass Lane in Lake Wylie sold May 18 for $1.5 million. The Handsmill on Lake Wylie home was built in 2020. An almost 3,500-square-foot Windy Oaks Drive home in Fort Mill, on a Lake Wylie cove, sold May 4 for $1.4 million. Rock Hill-based Ashlex bought a more than 4,000-square-foot service garage at 1437 Cherry Road in Rock Hill on May 22 for $1.3 million. The Cherry Road Automotive site was built in 2005. A convenience store and car wash at 2460 W. Main St. in Rock Hill sold May 25 for $1.3 million. Chhabrias bought the 2-acre property with construction dating back to 1998. The site is a Quickmart Exxon. A 2,000-square-foot River Oaks Road home in Lake Wylie sold May 17 for $1.2 million. A 4,000-square-foot Three Kings Road home in the Trinity Ridge area of Fort Mill sold May 26 for almost $1.2 million. A 4,500-square-foot Farm Branch Drive home in the Huntington Farms neighborhood of Fort Mill sold May 26 for almost $1.2 million. An almost 3,600-square-foot home built last year in Lancaster, not far from Van Wyck, sold May 2 for more than $1 million. The home is on Townsend Road. A 3,400-square-foot Mooreland Wood Drive home in Van Wyck sold May 3 for more than $1 million. The property is more than six acres, and the home was built in 2019. An office building at Museum and Airport roads in Rock Hill sold May 26 for $1 million. The 274 Museum Road address has a 4,400-square-foot office built in 2008. Fleettalk LLC is the new owner. Amazon might be planning to offer Prime subscribers a pretty significant perk: free cell phone service. According to Bloomberg, the company is talking with multiple US-based carriers about offering cheap around $10 a month or even free phone service to Prime customers. Right now, Amazon is supposedly negotiating with the three major US carriers (Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile) as well as the Dish Network, though it sounds like talks with AT&T have fallen off in recent weeks. It'll likely be a while before this potential offering launched, as Bloomberg says that talks have only been ongoing for about six to eight weeks and they could still be scrapped. But given how expensive mobile plans can get, this could be a potentially interesting offer for Amazon customers. Of course, that would require a further commitment to Amazon, which already has its fingers in a frankly absurd number of different businesses. So far, there are no details on what Amazon's service might look like whether it would offer the same level of service as you'd get going directly through Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T. Specifically, carriers tend to offer more data at 5G speeds depending on what plan its users choose; there are also a ton of perks that carriers tend to include these days like Netflix from T-Mobile or Apple Music or Disney+ on Verizon. But it's not hard to imagine that a lot of customers would trade some of those perks or even less high-speed data to get mobile service for free. That's assuming they're OK tying yet another part of their digital lives to Amazon but if you're already hooked on Prime, this could make for a compelling new part of Amazon's subscription plan. A stock image of a dog holding a large stick. (DPA/AFP via Getty Images) The United States Postal Service has released its annual list of American states with the most dog bites against its mail carriers. California and Texas came first and second on the postal services 2022 national rankings, with 675 and 404 dog bite incidents, respectively. New York came in third place, as USPS registered a total of 321 dog bites against its employees last year. The states with the least number of dog bites included Michigan, Missouri and North Carolina, with 206, 166, and 146 incidents, respectively. Meanwhile, the cities with the fewest dog attacks against USPS staff (20 each) were Oklahoma City, El Paso and Baltimore. USPSs report was released on Sunday 4 June, marking the start of National Dog Bite Awareness Week until 10 June. The tagline for this years campaign is Even good dogs have bad days, as USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo said: When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a good dog that had not previously behaved in a menacing way, In 2022, too many aggressive dogs impacted the lives of our employees while delivering the mail. Please help us reduce that number by being a responsible pet owner who secures their dog as we deliver the mail. According to the report, a total of 5,300 postal service employees were attacked by dogs while delivering mail across the United States. City-wise, the highest dog bite tallies were reported in Houston (57), Los Angeles (48), and Texas (44). The postal service urged pet owners to ensure their dogs are secured inside their houses, behind a fence, away in another room, or on a leash at mail delivery times. According to the release, USPS mail carriers are trained to minimise the risk of dog bites. They are taught never to assume a dog wont bite, or startle a dog. Highlighting other safety protocols, USPS letter carrier Swain Lowe recounted: Recently, I was delivering to a customers mailbox and was nearly bitten by their large aggressive dog, Despite the dog being behind a fence, it still managed to jump over and charge me. Thankfully, I was aware of it and remembered not to run but to turn and use my satchel as a shield to prevent what could have been a terrible bite, the worker continued. [Source] California-based indie idol group Sorb3t announced a break from social media after being accused of cultural appropriation. An American J-pop group: Consisting of one Asian and two white aspiring musicians, the group drew significant online attention over their TikTok content with heavy J-pop influence. The groups call and response video posted on May 25 attracted over 5.5 million views in just 24 hours and sparked thousands of comments on TikTok, Tumblr, Twitter and Reddit before it was deleted. Sounding Japanese: The clip, which was meant to introduce the group ahead of their performance at a cosplay convention, showed the three members announcing their names, chosen emojis and call and responses. More from NextShark: Its because of you Chinese people!: Customer films womans COVID-19 meltdown at Montreal grocery Ashe, the Asian member, says her call incorporates moves from the Chinese tile game Mahjong and ends with the catchphrase, Its my victory! Alice says her call is Lucky! Lucky! Alice! More from NextShark: New York couple who helped stranded Koreans are welcomed in Seoul Berry, the groups leader, uses a Japanese accent while saying her call, Strawberry. Sparking controversy: Commenters blasted Berry for her pronunciation of certain words, which they perceived as a forced attempt to sound Japanese. Many also criticized the groups use of Japanese pop stars' aesthetics without purportedly understanding or appreciating the art form's history. Following the backlash, Berry and Ashe uploaded separate apology videos. Berry acknowledged her white privilege and mentioned that she has a Japanese boyfriend. More from NextShark: Wisconsin fan booted from basketball game after slant-eye gesture at Northwestern students I genuinely and wholeheartedly apologize to every single person that I have upset or that I have offended with my call and response. I truly did not have any ill intent, but I also understand that I have hurt a lot of people, and for that, I am sorry. Also, my boyfriend, who is Japanese, unintentionally came up with part of my call and response. Ashe shared that she had been inundated with inquiries about her ethnicity but declined to reveal her specific Asian descent. More from NextShark: Psy's dance performance of Beyonces Single Ladies goes viral after resurfacing on TikTok @tokio.ashe RE: Sorb3t stuff Words from my heart This is just me being fully honest and vulnerable. The last 48 hours have been really taxing, so please hear me out. To brighter and happier days moving forward #sorb3t @sorb3t.official Aesthetic - Tollan Kim I'd like to show my thanks and my appreciation for the support we've been given. I never thought that our video would garner this kind of reaction in the first place... I understand and hear all the criticism we've been receiving about our performance and talents as an idol group... Although we are not the best that there are, we are most definitely trying. Doxxing claims: On May 27, Sorb3t announced through their Instagram and TikTok accounts that they would be taking a break from social media for their safety as they were doxxed. The post has since earned messages of support from commenters who condemned the doxxing. "Why is everyone so cruel? just stop being so bitter and miserable, it's not funny anymore. you wouldn't like it if it happened to you," a commenter wrote. "I can't believe how cruel the internet is. People are really comfortable being actual villains to 3 girls dancing and having fun on TikTok," another chimed in. A new study looked at how affordability impacted how many people stayed on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic. Insider Americans are struggling to afford the buzzy weight-loss drug Ozempic. People who faced higher costs for Ozempic were less likely to keep taking it, a new study found. It's the latest evidence that affordability will be a key part of how effective these drugs are. Americans are struggling to afford the buzzy weight-loss drug Ozempic, even with insurance coverage, a new study shows. The GLP-1 medication, which is used to treat Type 2 diabetes and for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy, has gained popularity in recent months. But the "game-changer" treatments can be costly, with a price tag of about $900 to $1,300 per month. With insurance, copays can range from less than $10 to more than $50. A study published Thursday found that among patients who were prescribed GLP-1 medications for diabetes, those who had higher copay costs were less likely to still be on the medication after a year compared to those with a lower copays. The study analyzed information from more than 90,000 adults prescribed GLP-1 drugs or or another new type of medication for their diabetes, to see who consistently took the medications. It found that those who had to pay $50 or more each month were 50% less likely to keep taking the medications compared to those who paid less than $10. The researchers looked at information between 2014 and 2020, a time before GLP-1 medications were approved for weight loss. As interest in the medications grows, whether or not Americans can afford them could determine how effective they are. Especially after a 2022 study found that people who stopped taking Ozempic regained two-thirds of their weight within a year. "It keeps supporting the argument that we need to figure out how to reduce costs for our patients," Dr. Utibe Essien, one of the co-authors of the study and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA told Insider. Essien said he expects with the uptick in use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss, the same issues of cost may impact how many people stay on the medications. Americans are grappling with how to afford new weight-loss and diabetes medications While the study looked at adults taking medications for diabetes and heart failure, it comes at a time when Americans are contending with how to afford GLP-1 medications for weight loss. Employers, which play a role in the healthcare coverage of more than 150 million Americans, are still grappling with how to cover the medications for weight loss some are covering them, while others are not. Medicaid, which provides health coverage for low-income people, can choose to cover the medications but fewer than 20 states do, according to one report. And Medicare, the federal program that covers healthcare for people 65 and older, is prohibited by law from covering any weight-loss medications. Meanwhile, other Americans will continue to go to Canada, Mexico, and unregulated online pharmacies to get the weight-loss medications for cheap. The medications cost more in the US than they do in other countries, in part because the US government doesn't negotiate on drug prices. Read the original article on Business Insider The James Beard Awards are back in Chicago, and after a weekend of honoring food media and industry leaders, the Restaurant and Chef awards are taking place Monday night. [ Last years coverage: James Beard Awards 2022 return to Chicago, with chef Erick Williams of Virtue taking home sole local win ] The Chicago Tribune food team will be on the scene, providing live coverage as prominent chefs and restaurateurs from across the country gather at Lyrics Civic Opera Building for the award ceremony. Follow them on Twitter, and check back here for live updates throughout the night. Scroll down for a livestream video of the awards. 8:32 p.m.: Kann wins Best New Restaurant Of the 10 nominees for Best New Restaurant, Portland, Oregons Kann took home the win. Among the other nominees were Chicagos Obelix resaturant, Lupi & Iris of MIlwaukee and Nolia of Cincinnati. That means Chicago will end the night with two Chef and Restaurant Awards. 8:30 p.m.: Outstanding Hospitality award goes to The Quarry Maine restaurant The Quarry wins the Outstanding Hospitality award, besting Sepia restaurant of Chicago. Sepia, which opened in 2007 in the West Loop, was among five nominees for Outstanding Hospitality. Other nominees included The Black Cypress of Washington, Bottega of Alabama and Lula Drake of South Carolina. 8:10 p.m.: Best Chef in Great Lakes region goes to Kasama Taking away a Midwestern win for Best Chef in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio are Tim Flores and Genie Kwon of Kasama. We have incredible team members, and theyre just good people that want to take care of people, and everything has fallen into place because of them, Kwon said, tears flowing freely. She also thanked Flores, her husband and business partner, and their puppy, Longganisa. Genie Kwon and Tim Flores pose for a portrait after winning Best Chef in the Great Lakes region during the James Beard Awards at the Lyric Opera House Monday, June 5, 2023 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) As for Flores, he said he never expected the Filipino food he grew up eating would bring him to this point. To be recognized for cooking my moms food is insane, he said. I never thought wed be cooking Filipino food until we opened Kasama. It was a shocking moment for them both, he said. Just hearing our name read was surreal. I never could have imagined it, Flores said. We love our staff and are celebrating tomorrow with karaoke. Past winners Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde and Virtues Erick Williams presented the award, which Flores said was a special honor. We are extremely lucky. Ive been looking up to them for my entire career, Flores told the Tribune. As is common, the stylish couple matched, though Kwon joked the it was getting harder and harder to find these matching outfits. And as for what the award will mean for Kasama, It means we can grow as a team, Flores said. It will help us in the future and push forward and allow our team to keep doing what we love. Diana Davila of Mi Tocaya Antojeria was also up for the Best Chef: Great Lakes regional category, as were Detroits Omar Anani (Saffron De Twah), Andy Hollyday (Selden Standard) and Sarah Welch (Marrow). Last year, Kasama was nominated for Best New Restaurant, but the award ultimately went to Owamni, an Indigenous-focused restaurant in Minneapolis. Madison chefs Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger won for their restaurant Fairchild in the Best Chef: Midwest category, which includes restaurants in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. 7:15 p.m.: 1st for Puerto Rican chefs Chef Natalia Vallejo is the first Puerto Rican chef to win a James Beard Award. The chef, from Cocina al Fondo in San Juan, was named Best Chef in the South region, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico. Vallejo was also the first Puerto Rican chef to be nominated for a Beard award. 6:45 p.m.: Illinois politicians stop by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker made a surprise visit to the ceremony. He thanked Chicagos newly inaugurated mayor, along with the James Beard Foundation, Choose Chicago and Illinois Restaurant Association. He praised Chicago as one of the most vibrant, diverse and mouthwateringly delicious food cities in the world. Thrilled to be here at this year's James Beard Awards! Since 2015, Chicago has played host to the @beardfoundation as we celebrate the best of the best in the culinary world. To all the 2023 nominees, honorees, and winners (especially those from Illinois), congratulations! pic.twitter.com/qkNFvJGl7V Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) June 6, 2023 Mayor Brandon Johnson also made a surprise visit. How about this amazing moment, he said. He praised the citys five-star dining restaurants and also the humble hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches. We also have vegan beef sandwiches now, he said. Mayor Brandon Johnson walks the red carpet at the James Beard Awards on June 5, 2023, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) 6:20 p.m.: Emerging Chef award goes to Damarr Brown Chicago chef Damarr Brown took away the first win of the night for Emerging Chef. Brown has been the chef de cuisine at Virtue in Chicagos Hyde Park neighborhood for years. To my team who stands beside me daily, I wish each of you were standing with me now, because we achieved all of this together, Brown said in his acceptance speech. To the women who raised me, they were my first examples of kindness, generosity, and patience which all happen to be virtues. Brown also nodded to the changes at the foundation, and to his longtime mentor, Virtues Erick Williams. Ive always felt that its extremely difficult to do something if you dont see anyone who looks like you doing it, Brown said. So Id like to thank chef Erick Williams. For the last 13 years, you have been that example for me. I stand because you stood. Damarr Brown, left, of Virtue, walks the red carpet while attending the James Beard Awards at the Lyric Opera House on June 5, 2023. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) Backstage after the awards, Brown said its the intention of spreading kindness that has helped Virtue stand out two years in a row at the Beards. As for what he has learned in his 13 years working with Williams, I think integrity is a big thing, he said. Hes just been a great example of not only how to lead, but to follow; how to be humble, how to not be in charge all of the time. Brown said he intends to keep cooking in Chicago kitchens for many years to come. Definitely here in Chicago, he said. Chicago is home. 6:15 p.m.: Ceremony begins with comments on change Gail Simmons, Top Chef judge and author, started the show with jokes about hosting the reality TV show for so many years that shes created little monsters, who love to critique ramp butter and talk of flavor profiles. She then thanked the people who grow, pick and transport our food. Tanya Holland, chef and chair of the James Beard Awards Committee, also spoke on the efforts from the foundation to spark change. Its difficult and rare for people to get to the level where they have the visibility to receive the nod for a James Beard Award, Holland said. We never have enough resources or support, and thats especially true if youre a person of color, and even more so if youre a woman. But the foundation is committed to making the industry more inclusive, she said. Were learning as we go, Holland concluded. Its not always smooth, but that doesnt mean were not on the right path. 5:30 p.m.: Moments from the red carpet As chefs, restaurant owners, and other culinary heavyweights arrive at the Civic Opera Building, Chicagoans are gracing the events red carpet alongside their contemporaries. Lamar Moore, who joined Bronzeville Winery in April as its new executive chef, said he was excited to support Damarr Brown. Brown is chef de cuisine at Virtue in the Hyde Park neighborhood, and one of the nominees for the Emerging Chef award tonight. [ South Side native Lamar Moore joins Bronzeville Winery as executive chef: Their mission is also my mission ] Its a great problem to have, to get nominated twice like this, Moore said of Virtue, which also took away a win last year when chef Erick Williams won Best Chef: Great Lakes. Im just proud to be here for Chicago. It was a sentiment echoed by fellow Chicagoans DAndre Carter and Heather Bublick of Soul & Smoke, who attend the awards every year, they said. Of course wed love to see Damarr, Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores, or Diana Davila, win, Carter said. Basically anyone from Chicago. We are here to support the chefs of Chicago. Tim Flores, left, and Genie Kwon of Kasama walk the red carpet at the James Beard Awards. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) As for Davila, Im excited for the opportunity of winning and to take it home for my team and Chicago, she said Monday. Ive met so many incredible people tonight and the world seems so much smaller. And the Beards taking place during a busy weekend in the city proved Chicago is ready for an action-packed summer, said Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association. We are having such a great weekend with Taylor Swift and the James Beard Awards. Downtown hotels are packed, Toia said. And this once again proves that we are the culinary capital of the United States. The awards are set to take place in Chicago through 2027. 2:30 p.m.: An early win for Chicago Chicago goes into Mondays Restaurant and Chef awards with one win already locked down. Drinks journalist Emma Janzen and Toby Maloney, head mixologist at The Violet Hour, won a Media Award for The Bartenders Manifesto: How to Think, Drink & Create Cocktails Like a Pro, in the category of beverage books with recipes. [ New book from The Violet Hours Toby Maloney shows you how to make bars most legendary cocktails ] Its Janzens second Beard Award in as many years, as the author won in 2022 for The Way of the Cocktail, which she co-wrote with Julia Momose, bar and creative director of Kumiko. How to watch the James Beard Awards live: The James Beard Foundation will livestream the awards, set to begin at 5:30 p.m. You can watch on YouTube, or below: Earlier coverage In January, Smyth, Khmai Cambodian Fine Dining and Wazwan were among 11 Chicagoland restaurants named as semifinalists for the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards. Of those, five became nominees at the end of March: Diana Davila of Mi Tocaya Antojeria and Kasamas Tim Flores and Genie Kwon are up for the Best Chef: Great Lakes regional category. Also up for the award are Detroits Omar Anani (Saffron De Twah), Andy Hollyday (Selden Standard) and Sarah Welch (Marrow). [ The best places to eat and drink in Chicago: Tribune guides for everything from pizza to Michelin stars ] Damarr Brown, chef de cuisine at Virtue, is a nominee in the Emerging Chef category. This continues a great run for Virtue, as Erick Williams, the chef and owner, picked up Best Chef: Great Lakes award last year. In the Best New Restaurant category, Chicagos Obelix restaurant will go up against nine other restaurants, including Nolia in Cincinnati and Lupi & Iris in Milwaukee. Sepia restaurant, which opened in 2007 in the West Loop, is among five nominees for Outstanding Hospitality. Last year marked the return of the event after the James Beard Foundation canceled its awards for the first two years of the pandemic amid a reckoning with a lack of diversity among its would-be winners in 2020. The foundation underwent an audit of its judging practices, pledging to become more equitable with the return of its awards in 2022. Last week, the New York Times published a report into the foundations investigatory process created in 2021 as part of those changes, along with an ethics committee and tip line. At least one chef was disqualified this year as a result of the investigations, the Times reported. More Tribune coverage of Beard award finalists: food@chicagotribune.com Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. Analysis-Crowded 2024 Republican race helps clear way for Trump nomination FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends a campaign event in Manchester, By Tim Reid (Reuters) - A growing number of contenders for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination could clear the way for a Donald Trump victory while throwing up roadblocks for his main rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, party members and strategists said. Republicans who fear Trump is too polarizing a figure to beat Democratic President Joe Biden in 2024 worry that if too many candidates jump into the party's contest, they will splinter the anti-Trump vote. That would allow the former president to clinch the nomination, just as he did in similar circumstances in 2016. Former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum are planning to enter the fray this week, bringing the number of challengers to front-runner Trump into the double digits. Political analysts estimate that Trump can count on a diehard core of supporters, who make up at least a third of Republican voters, to help him secure his party's nomination. DeSantis has been aggressively courting those voters, but few are expected to defect from Trump. If DeSantis has any hope of becoming the Republican nominee, political analysts said, he has to try to win over a significant chunk of the other roughly 70% of voters who are up for grabs. DeSantis must compete with a raft of Republican rivals for those votes. To be sure, many are long shots who barely register in opinion polls, but they can still hamper DeSantis' efforts to build the coalition he needs to take on Trump. "I'm very concerned that we appear to be making the same mistakes that we made in 2016," said Larry Hogan, a popular former Republican governor of Maryland and a fierce critic of Trump. Hogan seriously considered taking on Trump but decided earlier this year against entering the race because he feared that a large field of contenders would only help the former president to repeat his 2016 victory, when he bested 17 major candidates. "It's better for us to have a smaller field with a strong candidate or two rather than 10 or more people who are failing to get attention, who are all in single digits," in opinion polls, Hogan said in an interview. "The only one that benefits from that at this point in time appears to be Donald Trump," said Hogan, a moderate who wants the party to move on from Trump. "It's the definition of insanity continuing to do the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." On Monday, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, another moderate who had been considering a White House run, said he decided not to enter the race. He told CNN he wanted to be a more candid, a little more unleashed voice outside the confines of a presidential bid, as he seeks to try and move the party beyond Trump. Right now it's essentially a two-man race. Trump dominates the field among potential Republican primary voters with 49% support with DeSantis next at 19%. There is a yawning chasm between the front-runners and the rest of the field: Pence has just 5% backing, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has 4%, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll conducted in May. Others are barely registering at all. Christie has just 1% backing him, as does U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, while former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, who declared in April, has 0%. WHY LONG SHOTS ARE STILL JUMPING IN A casual observer might ask why candidates with such low poll numbers are jumping into a race that already has a clear front-runner early on. "Most get in because they truly think they have a chance of winning the nomination," said Oscar Brock, a Republican National Committee member from Tennessee. Some know they cannot win, said John Feehery, a Republican strategist, but they might be angling for a cabinet position, or hoping to join the ticket of the eventual nominee as the vice presidential candidate, or simply looking for 15 minutes of fame to secure a book deal. Long shots have also emerged from nowhere to win past nominating fights, Feehery noted, including Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Trump, who was polling at just 4% when he announced his candidacy in June 2015. Many may have decided to enter the 2024 race because of the perceived vulnerabilities of the two front runners, Feehery said. Trump faces potential indictments for withholding classified documents and seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election, while DeSantis is trying to regain his footing after losing ground in opinion polls. "These candidates who are striving to be the alternative see DeSantis continue to stumble and fumble. And they say, 'Well, why couldn't that be me?'" said Jason Miller, a senior Trump adviser. Perhaps with an eye on the soon-to-expand field, DeSantis finally began punching back against Trump on the campaign trail last week after weathering an onslaught of attacks from his former ally for months. (Reporting by Tim Reid in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Laconia, New Hampshire, editing by Ross Colvin, Grant McCool and Bill Berkrot) A Sand Tiger Shark swims in its aquarium at the Zoo-Aquarium in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010. Tiger sharks are just one of many shark species that can sense barometric pressure drops before a hurricane, swimming to deeper waters to escape the storm. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) People around the world have acquired knowledge from generations of deadly hurricanes, learning how to adapt and survive when fearsome winds and torrential downpours are in the area. Residents in the United States and beyond are privy to information like severe weather alerts, gaining precious preparation time to evacuate their homes or take safe shelter. In contrast, fellow ecosystem inhabitants must rely on their natural instincts when a hurricane strikes. From some of the world's most feared predators to smaller creatures of the animal kingdom, species have adapted in their own ways, absent of real-time information or alerts. Animals who dwell under the surface are used to the water but are still wary of a hurricane's potential impacts, finding ways to escape a hurricane's wrath. In 2021, researchers from the University of Miami tackled marine life, including sharks, and their natural defenses that arise when a hurricane is en route. The research stated that sharks and other marine life are sensitive to barometric pressure, which drops when a major storm such as a hurricane arrives. Sharks, in particular, can feel the change in pressure and will swim to deeper waters where they feel more comfortable. A bull shark gets up close to inspect divers during an eco tourism shark dive off of Jupiter, Florida on May 5, 2022. Bull sharks, like other species of shark, have natural instincts that keep them clear of deadly hurricanes. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) "From two weeks out of a hurricane, sharks can actually detect the change and start heading for deeper water," University of Miami Research Associate Professor Dr. Neil Hammerschlag told Popular Science. This detection was needed when the catastrophic Hurricane Ian landed in Florida last September, as sharks in the area sensed that air pressure in the area was decreasing before Ian's landfall, giving the predator a chance to flee before mandatory evacuation orders were made. The Miami researchers analyzed movement from tiger sharks, bull sharks, nurse sharks and great hammerheads during Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Irma in 2017, finding that most of the observed sharks evacuated shallow waters when Hurricane Irma impacted Miami. The exception was larger tiger sharks, which remained in dangerously shallow water in the Bahamas when Matthew hit. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Another round of research in 2019, led by marine scientist Grace Casselberry, further proved sharks' natural instinct to flee for more comfortable spots in the ocean. Casselberry and her colleagues tracked a variety of sharks in the U.S. Virgin Islands during Hurricane Maria in 2017, recording how they behaved when the storm arrived. The four different species of shark observed (tiger, lemon, nurse and Caribbean reef sharks) all moved to deeper waters during the Category 5 storm. A Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is seen at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve coral reef in the outskirts of San Pedro village, in Ambergris Cay, Belize, on June 7, 2018. Nurse sharks are just one of many shark species with natural instincts to keep them away from hurricanes. (Photo by PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images) "When these big storms come through, you have a lot of wind, a lot of waves - a real chaotic environment," Casselberry told Hakai Magazine. "We think they're moving out to these deeper areas to take shelter from the storm." Bradley Strickland, a postdoctoral researcher at William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science, added that sharks can use their sensitive inner ears to detect a storm's pressure changes, and the animal can use its quick swimming abilities to escape a storm's wrath. "Aquatic animals respond to storms for the same reason we do - to avoid injury, death, and the destruction from hurricanes," Strickland told Popular Science. While aquatic animals can make quick evasive moves away from hurricanes under the surface, more airborne creatures such as birds must alter their entire life's schedule to account for the storms. Like sharks, birds are also sensitive to barometric pressure and can also use infrasound cues to sense when trouble is on its way, the Journal of Experimental Biology reported. Birds in the path of a hurricane, if they choose to leave, adjust behaviors based on personal life histories and the time of the year. The white-throated sparrow, for example, may migrate sooner than usual if a storm is approaching, moving up an autumn migration date in response to falling barometric pressure. The white-throated sparrow is just one of many birds that alter their migration patterns in order to avoid a hurricane (Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Unlike sharks, however, more birds tend to fly right into the action. Research of a whimbrel bird's movements in 2011 showed that the bird flew into the danger zone of the devastating Hurricane Irene during its autumn migration from Canada to South America. The same bird flew around the edge of Tropical Storm Colin the prior year. Another bird researchers followed in 2011 flew into Tropical Storm Gert off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, surviving strong winds for 27 straight hours while flying at just 7 mph. Birds have also been witnessed taking shelter in the calmest part of hurricanes: the eye. In August of 2020 as Category 4 Hurricane Laura crashed into the Louisiana coastline, radar images detected birds congregating in the eye of the storm. BIRDS likely detected within the eye of Category 4 Hurricane #Laura makes landfall. See the blue? That's the "correlation coefficient" likely detecting birds trapped within Laura's calm eye. pic.twitter.com/u9Y23pNDqT Scot Pilie (@ScotPilie_Wx) August 27, 2020 Birds that choose migration during a hurricane, particularly smaller birds, may have their flight paths altered by the powerful winds. In 2005, a large flock of smaller birds was diverted by the winds of Hurricane Wilma, with the flock forced to relocate to Western Europe. Another flock of birds that were trapped by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 also relocated hundreds of miles from typical migration locations. "Although storms can have short-term negative impacts on nesting shorebirds and seabirds, storms can often create new nesting habitat ... hurricanes and tropical storms may change where shorebirds and seabirds nest in coastal areas, and give them space for the best chance at nesting success," the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Center stated. Non-migratory birds that decide not to fly during storms find a variety of shelters to ride out the event. A popular form of shelter for birds is inside thick bushes or trees, which help reduce wind speed and keep birds dry during downpours. Birds are more immune to winds that would knock other creatures off the trees or bushes since the species has adapted to sleeping while perched with tightly closed feet in order to hold on to solid branches. 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 federal appeals court will hear arguments Tuesday about whether to continue a pause of a Texas district courts ruling that struck down an ObamaCare provision requiring insurers to cover preventive services for free. Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit temporarily paused Judge Reed OConnors decision until a panel could hear oral arguments on whether the pause should be continued during the appeals process. Keeping the stay in place until the court rules on the merits of the case would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to continue to mandate most insurance companies cover the HIV prevention drug PrEP as well as a range of preventive services like annual physicals, cancer screenings and Pap tests with no cost-sharing for patients. The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover more than 100 preventive health services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The provision is broadly popular, and has been in effect since 2010. A lawsuit put forward by a group of conservative Texas employers and individuals challenged that requirement, arguing the take forces members are not appointed by the president or confirmed by the Senate, yet its recommendations are binding. OConnor agreed with most of the arguments, and his ruling invalidated the entire task force. The judge also invalidated the laws requirement that health plans cover HIV treatment. He said the mandate forced the plaintiff, a Christian employer and well-known GOP donor, to pay for insurance that violated his religious beliefs. OConnors ruling applied nationwide, even though the lawsuit only concerned one company. The administration appealed in April and requested a stay of the nationwide impact of the ruling, arguing the court overstepped its authority by expanding a targeted injunction against a single company to an order that impacts the entire country. The administration and public health advocates have warned that striking down the requirement for insurers and employers to cover preventive services without cost-sharing would jeopardize access to needed services for more than 150 million people. This Court should enter the requested partial stay of the final judgment pending appeal to preserve the status quo of 13 years and to protect the rights of 150 million Americans who are not parties to this case, the administration argued in its most recent court filing. A separate panel will eventually hear arguments on the merits of the case, but there is no hearing date set. The groups will likely continue to advocate for the conservative-leaning 5th Circuit to overturn the ruling in a battle that could eventually head to the Supreme Court. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Apple has unveiled a much-anticipated augmented reality headset, Apple Vision Pro, in its first major hardware launch for almost a decade. Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the new headset "seamlessly blends the real world and the virtual world". The tech firm also announced its latest iPhone operating system, as well as updates to MacBook Air. The headset has a two-hour battery life, costs $3,499 (2,849) and will be released early next year in the US. The cost is considerably higher than virtual reality headsets currently on the market. Last week Meta announced its Quest 3 - which costs $499. Apple said little about generative artificial intelligence - the buzzy technology that is the talk of Silicon Valley. The company's share price fell slightly during the announcement, made at a developer's conference at Apple Park, the company's headquarters, in Cupertino, California. The BBC was among the media outlets at the event, and technology editor Zoe Kleinman was one of the first people in the world to try out the headset. "Since current boss Tim Cook took over in 2011, with the possible exception of the Watch, Apple has been unable to come up with the kind of world-changing product of the past," she said. "Have they done it here?" 'Ski goggles' Apple Vision Pro looks different to similar headsets on the market - and is more reminiscent of a pair of ski goggles than a virtual reality headset. Apple used the phrase "augmented reality" to describe what the new device does. Augmented reality, also known as mixed reality, superimposes virtual objects in the world around us - enabling us to mix reality with virtual reality by looking through a screen. "It's like your phone but right in front of you - big, bright and bold, wherever you are," Ms Kleinman said. In letting you do things like watch videos of your family blowing out birthday candles or immerse yourself in your photography by making your panoramic photos life-size, she says it is pitched as a device which is "very much about being part of your daily life", unlike many other headsets on the market geared primarily towards immersive gaming. Users can access apps, watch movies, and write documents in a virtual world. But so far, there is little evidence of a big market for this kind of wearable tech. "It's still at the end of the day a VR headset," said Ms Kleinman. "Apple is going to have to have an awful lot of content to throw at this when it ships early next year. "And of course the other thing is the price point - $3,499 is a lot of money." Hartley Charlton, senior editor of MacRumors, was unsure how much the headset would appeal to the general public. "It won't appeal to mainstream consumers at first on account of its extremely high price point and immediate shortcomings as a first-generation device, such as its separate wired battery pack," he said. But he said Apple has a track record of "overcoming scepticism" about new devices, and has historically encouraged people to "part with their cash to add a new gadget to their repertoire". Journalists and developers at Monday's conference saw a glimpse of the headset In his sales pitch, Mr Cook said the headset allows users to "see, hear and interact with digital content just like it's in your physical space". It is controlled by using a combination of your hands, eyes and voice - such as tapping your fingers together to select, and flicking them to scroll. The announcement comes a week after Meta and Lenovo announced new iterations of their pre-existing virtual reality headsets, that do not superimpose objects on to a view of the real world. Meta has also invested heavily in mixed reality - but right now the sector is struggling. The headset market saw a 54% drop in global sales last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Apple's last major hardware release was for the Apple Watch device in 2015. Thomas Husson, of Forrester Research, told BBC News it may take time for Apple's new headset to take off. "The overall AR/VR space has been a bit overhyped over the past few years with the metaverse and that kind of experience," he said. "That's the reason why I think it will take a bit more time. "Having said that, if I told you 10 to 15 years ago that people would be ready to pay almost $2,000 for a mobile phone, I don't think many people would have said they would be willing to pay that." iOS 17 Aside from the Vision Pro announcement, Apple also unveiled iOS17, the latest version of its iPhone operating system. Updates include "contact posters" - a picture or image of yourself that will appear on a person's phone when you call them - and "live voicemail" - which provides a real-time transcription of an answerphone message being left to you. This transcription will also apply to audio messages left using Apple Messages. And Apple has introduced a system called Check-In - which will automatically tell a friend or family member when you have arrived home. If your journey is substantially delayed, it has the power to tell others that you have not made it home safely yet. The new operating system will be available this autumn. Additional reporting by Shiona McCallum, Liv McMahon and Tom Gerken By Stephen Nellis CUPERTINO, California (Reuters) -Apple on Monday unveiled a costly augmented-reality headset called the Vision Pro in its riskiest bet since the introduction of the iPhone more than a decade ago, barging into a market dominated by Meta. At its annual developer conference, Apple also introduced a raft of new products and features, including a 15-inch MacBook Air, a powerful chip called M2 Ultra, improvements to its iOS software and a long-awaited tweak to prevent its autocorrect from annoyingly changing a common expletive to "ducking". The Vision Pro will start at $3,499, more than three times the cost of the priciest headset in Meta's line of mixed and virtual reality devices. The headset will test a market crowded with devices that have yet to gain traction with consumers and put it in direct competition with Facebook-owner Meta after years of clashes between the companies over issues like user privacy and control of developer platforms. Apple emphasized the novelty of the headset's augmented reality features as well as the sports and entertainment partnerships it would offer. The device will use a new chip called R1 that will process information from its sensors in less time than the blink of an eye, Apple said. But the announcements failed to excite Wall Street, which had bid up Apple shares to a record high ahead of the launch. The stock was largely flat in post-market trading. "Wealthy, techie early adopters will buy the Vision Pro in droves, but still years to move the needle for the mammoth Apple," said David Rolfe, chief investment officer of Wedgewood Partners that has owned Apple stock since 2005. Rolfe said there was not yet a mass market for the headset but lauded the product's technological chops. "Apples Vision Pro reminds me of the very early days of the personal computer revolution. It took many years for the PC to become a mainstream product. Same with VisionPro." Users of the Vision Pro will be able to select content inside the goggles with their eyes, tap their fingers together to click and gently flick to scroll, while also using a three-dimensional camera and microphone system to capture videos and pictures than can be viewed in 3D later. In its most visually striking difference from Meta's headsets, the device also has an exterior display that shows the user's eyes to people in the outside world. The exterior screen goes dark when a user is fully immersed in a virtual world. When a person approaches a user who is in full virtual mode, the headset will show both the user and the outside person to each other, an augmented reality advancement over Meta's devices, which show a more basic video feed of the outside world. "It's the first Apple product you look through, not at," Apple CEO Tim Cook said. Apple's headset will be available early next year in the U.S. with more countries coming later in 2024. HEAD-TO-HEAD Investors will want to know the overlap between Apple's view of the virtual reality market and that of Meta, which currently controls nearly 80% of the market for AR/VR devices, according to market research firm IDC. Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has outlined his vision for using headsets to dip in and out of a "metaverse" where people can meet virtually to work, play and spend. Apple executives eschewed the term. "The core difference to me is Zuckerberg is trying to create a virtual world that he wants us to be in, and it seems to me that Apple wants to keep us still anchored in our world and just augment it," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies. In addition to Meta, Sony Group Corp and ByteDance-owned Pico both produce virtual reality devices. IDC said all these companies sold a total of 8.8 million headsets last year. Apple said it has been working with Adobe and Microsoft to put their apps on the new headset, as well as Unity, a technology company that works with game developers. Unity shares surged 17% after the announcement. Walt Disney's Disney+ streaming service will be available on the Vision Pro, as will the collection of movies and TV shows from Apple TV+. Apple also showed how the headset can be used with a trackpad and keyboard to work like a traditional computer with multiple displays. The Vision Pro has two hours of use with an external battery, which Apple said would reduce the weight on the user's head. However, the device must be plugged into the wall or battery pack and there is no standalone use. Meta's top of the line Quest Pro mixed reality device, which blends virtual reality with the real world video feed, offers about two hours of battery life directly on the headset, without an external battery pack. Meta also offers Microsoft apps on its Quest devices. Apple did not make any major announcements about generative AI products similar to ChatGPT or Google's Bard search engine, but quietly imbued several smaller features with AI, like live transcriptions of voice mails. It introduced a new version of the Mac Pro, its highest-performing desktop, with a company-designed M2 Ultra chip. Until Monday, the Mac Pro was the last computer in Apple's lineup that still used an Intel chip. Intel fell 4.6% after Apple dropped its chips from its most powerful desktop. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis; Additional reporting by Yuvraj Malik, Raechel Job and Shanima A in Bengaluru; Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Writing by Katie Paul and Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Peter Henderson, Aditya Soni, Sayantani Ghosh and Ken Li) CEO Tim Cook speaks during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California, on June 5, 2023 Apple on Monday unveiled its first mixed reality headset, challenging Facebook-owner Meta in a market that has yet to tempt users beyond videogamers and tech geeks. The release was the most significant product launch by the iPhone maker since it unveiled the Apple Watch in 2015. The Vision Pro, which was generally well received on Monday, will cost a hefty $3,499 and be available early next year in the United States only, the company said. "There are certain products that shift the way we look at technology and the role it plays in our lives," said Apple CEO Tim Cook as he unveiled the sleek VR device that resembled ski goggles. "We believe Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary product with the performance, immersion and capability that only Apple can deliver," he added. The headgear, which Apple referred to as a spatial computer, was introduced at the close of an Apple event in Cupertino, California in which the company announced a long list of product updates. The product has been in development at Apple for years, and will focus on gaming, streaming video and conferencing. Company executives insisted that the Vision Pro offers an unchallenged experience, making the hard sell on tech that has yet to win the hearts of the greater public. Unlike its rivals, the Vision Pro delivers mixed reality technology that "clearly situates the user in their environment," said Insider Intelligence principal analyst Yory Wurmser. "Whereas Meta Quest and other devices are virtual reality-first, Vision Pro keeps the user in the present and emphasizes the mixed reality features -- unless they choose otherwise," he added. Vision Pro allows wearers to twist a watch-like "crown" to go from having interactive imagery augment one's surroundings to being fully immersed in a rich 3-D experience that feels like being in a video or on a sports playing field, a hands-on demonstration showed. Apple went to great lengths to preserve its signature design minimalism, at least to the extent that it could, given the technology squeezed into the Vision Pro. The device has a glass front, an alumium frame, five sensors, 12 cameras, a display for each eye, and a computer that is cooled with a fan. Smaller than a scuba diving mask, Vision Pro will run mainly by being plugged into a power source in a clear effort to preserve a sleek design. A cord-attached battery pack, which would slide into your pocket, would work for no more than two hours. Vision Pro optics are tuned to each wearer's eyes, freeing them from eyeglasses during use and also providing optical identification to verify user identity, the demonstration showed. - 'Blown away' - Tech companies have struggled to sell virtual reality headsets to a wider audience that is uncomfortable with wearing a mask. In an effort to overcome that resistance, internal cameras on Apple's version will project the user's eyes on an external screen. "As a non VR believer, I was actually blown away by how seamless the experience is," said tech analyst Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies. While wearing Vision Pro one can see who is nearby, and even look them in the eyes and have a conversation. Disney partnered with Apple for the launch and the Mickey Mouse company teased content from Marvel, Star Wars and live sports that would be available on the device and provide an immersive experience. Apple said that over 100 video games would be available from the day of release. - Collision course - The release puts Apple on a collision course with Meta, which had taken a head start on doubling down on virtual worlds. Just days before Apple's event, Meta ramped up its line of much cheaper Quest virtual reality headgear. A new-generation Quest 3 will be available later this year at a starting price of $500. Meta's experience with the so-called metaverse has been humbling despite it being a leader in the emergent sector and many questioned whether Apple would in the end jump in. Less than two years after changing its name to Meta to reflect a metaverse priority, the Facebook giant has fired tens of thousands of staff and promised to get back to its social media basics. bur-arp/bfm/dw Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset will run on visionOS, company executives announced following the bombshell reveal of its long-rumored wearable at WWDC 2023. The operating system, internally codenamed "Oak," has reportedly been in development since 2017. It's existence further leaked via source code references last February. Behold, the dawning of the spacial computing era. While visionOS is based on the existing MacOS and iPadOS platforms, the unique nature of spacial computing requires lower latency than one would need for a mobile or desktop OS. The new headset will an immersive mixed-reality 3D interface that, "frees apps from the boundaries of a display," according the the company. This means that instead of being displayed in a separate virtual environment, the app windows will appear to float in the physical space in front of the user can be moved and scaled just as they would on a desktop except now, it can be your actual physical desktop, not just your laptop's home screen. The virtual screens Vision Pro displays can appear as gigantic as 100-foot wide wraparound billboards or they can fit into the space of your living room. The same applies to FaceTime calls made with the new headset, which leverages spacial audio to display a life-sized tile image of the speaker positioned where they would be in the room. If the person is speaking from your right, their tile will be on that side of the FaceTime display. What you'll see when you look over there is not the actual person you're talking to, but rather a Persona, "a digital representation of themselves created using Apples most advanced machine learning techniques." It's an avatar of what the person looks like without three pounds of screen strapped (however comfortably) to their face. These digital avatars will reflect their user's hand and facial movements in real time. The system responds to the room's natural light and shadow to provide the user with a better sense of scale and distance. The system's new and novel Eyesight feature will adjust the opacity of the user's surrounding view to increase immersion but automatically clear the visor when another person approaches, allowing each person to look the other in the eye, without having to take off the headset. Users won't need cumbersome controllers or motion-sensing wands to use the Vision Pro, as the headset utilizes nearly dozen cameras and sensors peppered around the device to monitor their gaze and hand motions turning their eyes, voices and fingers into virtual pointers and clickers. You'll be able to browse through menus by looking at them, selecting items by tapping their fingers and inputting text with the spoken word. Vision Pro's applications will skew hard towards gaming, media consumption, and communication and will offer Apple apps like Messages, FaceTime and Apple Arcade the latter of which will offer more than 100 playable MR gaming titles at launch. Apple is already working with a number of media companies to bring their products and content into the new Vision Pro ecosystem. This includes Disney which, as part of its 100th anniversary celebration, announced Monday that it will bring immersive features to Disney+ content, "by combining extraordinary creativity with groundbreaking technology," Disney CEO Bob Iger said. "Disney+ will be available 'day one,' [of the headset's availability]." It appears that ESPN content won't be far behind, based on the few glimpses we saw during the demo. Apple's announcement comes just days after rival Meta unveiled its own mixed reality headset, the Quest 3. The Vision Pro is slated to go on sale next year and retail for $3,499. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday received one of New Zealand's top honours, recognising her efforts for leading the country through the COVID-19 crisis, the terror attacks on two Christchurch mosques and the White Island volcanic eruption. Ardern was named "Dame Grand Companion," the second highest honour in New Zealand, on King Charles' birthday holiday celebrated by the country on June 5, and she made the coronation honours list for this year. The awardee is usually chosen in New Zealand by the prime minister and then approved by the British monarch, the head of state. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said Ardern was recognised for her service during some of the greatest challenges New Zealand had faced in modern times. "Leading New Zealand's response to the 2019 terrorist attacks and to the COVID-19 pandemic represented periods of intense challenge for our 40th Prime Minister, during which time I saw firsthand that her commitment to New Zealand remained absolute," Hipkins said. Ardern, who became the prime minister in 2017, resigned in January in a shock announcement saying she had "no more in the tank" to lead New Zealand. Ardern said she felt "incredibly humbled" to receive the honour but was in "two minds" to accept it as the efforts for which she was getting recognised for "were about all of us rather than one individual." "But I have heard that said by so many kiwis who I have encouraged to accept an honour over the years," Ardern said in a statement. "And so for me this a way to say thank you - to my family, to my colleagues, and to the people who supported me to take on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life." (Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Aurora Ellis) FILE - Argentina's Vice President Cristina Fernandez smiles during a rally to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her late husband President Nestor Kirchner's inauguration at Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 25, 2023. A judge in Argentina on Monday, June 5, 2023 dismissed a long-running money laundering case against Fernandez de Kirchner, after prosecutors and state agencies said there was no evidence she was involved in a crime. (AP Photo/Mario De Fina, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) A judge in Argentina on Monday dismissed a long-running money laundering case against Vice President Cristina Fernandez, after prosecutors and state agencies said there was no evidence she was involved in a crime. Federal Judge Sebastian Casanello ruled that Fernandez be removed from what had come to be known as the K money trail case because it involved alleged kickbacks and money laundering on behalf of Fernandez's family by businessman Lazaro Baez. Prosecutor Guillermo Marijuan said late last month there was no evidence that Fernandez, a former president from 2007 to 2015, was involved in the corruption for which Baez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. This marks the latest instance in which the vice president has been dismissed from an ongoing corruption-related case before it reaches trial. In contrast with the dismissals, the former president was sentenced in December of last year to six years in prison in a separate case for fraudulent administration, which included a lifetime ban on holding public office, for favoring Baez in the awarding of public works contracts. Baez was sentenced to six years in prison as part of that case which was unrelated to the K money trail" that specifically deals with money laundering allegations. The vice president's conviction can still be appealed and reviewed by higher courts, a process that could take years. She remains immune from arrest in the meantime ahead of October elections. The decision came as Argentines have a general distrust of the justice system which is often slow and takes years to resolve cases. The Argentine justice system is infiltrated by politics, said Lucas Romero, the head of Synopsis, a political consulting firm. The federal courts are absolutely influenced by political interests from both sides. That means supporters of the vice president are likely to see the dismissal as vindication to her long-held claims of innocence while her opponents will cite it as an example of how she got away with wrongdoing. Baez was close associate of both Fernandez and her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, who was president from 2003-2007. The case began with allegations that Baez was paid for public works contracts that were never completed and that he then laundered that money on behalf of Kirchner and his wife. Argentinas tax agency and anti-money laundering agency also agreed that Fernandez, who remains politically powerful, should be removed from the case dating back to 2013. Without an accusation, there is no possibility of a criminal process, Casanello wrote in his resolution. Marijuan had said that while it is clear that there was a close and direct personal relationship between Baez and the vice president, that does not mean she was involved in the money laundering of an estimated 65 million dollars that led to Baezs conviction. To demonstrate this relationship, Marijuan detailed that an investigation had found at least 372 telephone contacts between Baez and Fernandez and her secretaries, showing they were more than mere acquaintances from Santa Cruz and had a close connection. Baez was the owner of Austral Construcciones, one of the main companies favored with public works contracts during the tenure of Fernandez de Kirchners administration as well as that of her late husband. In an interview late last month, Marijuan said that he didnt find any proof that links Cristina Fernandez to this case. Analysts tied Marijuan's decision to an alleged friendship with Economy Minister Sergio Massa, widely seen as a possible presidential contender for the October election, Romero said. President Alberto Fernandez and Fernandez - they are not related - have already said they will not be running for the presidency again and there is general uncertainty over who will be the candidate for the ruling coalition. Cristina Fernandez, who has long criticized the country's justice system as corrupt, once faced numerous criminal cases, but those have slowly been dissipating as judges rule there was not enough evidence to hold the former president accountable although those decisions are still subject to review by higher courts. A court in 2021 dismissed a case against Fernandez that accused her of conspiring with Iran to cover up Tehrans alleged involvement in a 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. That same year, a court dismissed a case that accused the vice president and her family of benefiting from a money laundering operation involving hotel rooms and real estate. Earlier, a case that had accused her of carrying out fraudulent operations through the dollar futures market was also dismissed. The vice president is also facing accusations of wrongdoing in a separate case that claims she headed up a corruption network to award public works contracts during her administration. A suspected armed carjacker died at a Tri-Cities hospital Sunday night after being shot by an officer near Columbia Center mall. The suspected thief was shot and killed while trying to steal a car from another driver, but the confrontation apparently followed a string of crimes including an armed robbery, a car theft and ramming two police cars, according to investigators. Benton County Coroner Bill Leach told the Herald on Monday morning that the man who died had yet to be identified. An autopsy is scheduled on Wednesday at the Snohomish County Medical Examiners Office. The string of crimes appear to have started hours earlier when Richland police spotted a man sleeping inside a stolen Cadillac Escalade early Sunday. A semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the scene of a pursuit of a stolen car and shooting of an attempted carjacking suspect. Courtesy BCSO Richland police Deputy Chief David Neher told the Herald it appears to be the same suspect who was killed in the shooting. A earlier police department Facebook post said the Escalade was tied to a series of car prowls in the area. Officers surrounded the SUV and placed spike strips around it, and parked their cars in an attempt to block it from escaping. But the driver woke up and slammed the car into the patrol vehicles and got away. He damaged the Cadillacs tires on his way out. The SUV was discovered abandoned a short distance later and a 2023 Hyundai Palisade was missing from a nearby garage. Its believed the suspect broke into it and it was last seen on Road 68 in Pasco. Hours later, at 8:40 p.m. Sunday, Kennewick police spotted a car also reported stolen. When the officer tried to stop it, the driver sped away. Its unclear where that chase began. According to dispatch reports, it stretched from Edison Street in Kennewick to Columbia Center Boulevard and reached speeds up to 100 mph. He ended up crashing on the lawn of the Bank of America at Columbia Center mall, at the corner of Columbia Center Boulevard and Quinault Avenue. The driver ran and was trying to take another car at gunpoint when a Benton County deputy pulled up, said officials. A Benton County Sheriffs Office patrol vehicle is parked behind yellow police line tape near the HomeGoods store in Kennewick following an officer-involved shooting of a carjacking suspect. Courtesy BCSO The sheriffs office didnt confirm if it was the deputy who shot him. After he was wounded, officers and deputies arriving at the scene immediately started trying to save his life, said a Facebook post by the Benton County Sheriffs Office. By Washington state law, the Regional Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was called to take over investigating what happened. The unit investigates officer-involved shootings in Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla counties. Law enforcement vehicles block the southbound lanes of Columbia Center Boulevard and Quinault Avenue Sunday night after a suspect in a stolen car crashed near the Kennewick intersection. Courtesy BCSO Anyone who saw what happened is asked to contact SIU through the non-emergency dispatch number at 509-628-0333. General Daily Insight for June 4, 2023 Expect the unexpected today! The Moon in Sagittarius starts with a trine to healing Chiron in Aries, making it easy to embrace our feelings, though her odd angle to Mercury could cause us to wonder what we're supposed to do with them. The real surprise arrives when Mercury conjoins shocking Uranus in Taurus at 3:49 pm EST, sending waves rippling through even the calmest seas. A final lunar square to Neptune could leave us feeling adrift, no matter how secure our anchors are. Get your FREE cosmic profile at Tarot.com. Advertisement Aries March 21-April 19 An unusual gamble may pay off very soon. Mercury is conjoining rebel Uranus in your 2nd House of Income, encouraging you to take a rather unusual approach to your finances. If you're in the market to invest, consider the opportunities you would normally ignore. Likewise, if you're looking for a new position, something outside of your area of expertise could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The more outside the box your efforts are, the more lucrative they can be. Advertisement Taurus April 20-May 20 Don't be shocked if you find yourself acting out a bit more than usual. Mercury is making its once-a-year conjunction to eccentric Uranus, who is currently on an extended tour of your personal 1st house. This could result in a few brilliant ideas arriving from seemingly thin air -- their bright potential may surprise even you. As a Taurus, you likely tend to follow the tried-and-true rather than the unknown, but sometimes, the path less chosen is the more rewarding option. Gemini May 21-June 20 Unexpected revelations are the order of the day. Clever Mercury is syncing up with change-maker Uranus in your 12th House of the Subconscious, which could have you connecting the most distant dots with unusual speed. Open your mind up to the possibilities -- you'll probably be very pleasantly surprised by the downloads that arrive from the universe. Solutions to outstanding problems as well as sudden bursts of inspiration are possible, so give your mind permission to wander to attain the best results. Cancer June 21-July 22 Connecting with people could have some exciting results today. There is a rare conjunction occurring between messenger Mercury and eccentric Uranus in your 11th House of Friendship, so you could have a wonderfully unexpected day with a wide array of people. The chance to become part of an impressive organization or the "cool kids" club could also arrive, so don't hesitate to join up. The more different these groups are from your typical circles, the more excitement you can find with them. Leo July 23-August 22 Success can arrive from anywhere right now. Mercury and Uranus are making their yearly conjunction in your 10th House of Career, offering up unexpected but not unwelcome opportunities to prove to everyone you deserve to be at the top of the heap. If a VIP asks you to perform a task that seems out of your usual wheelhouse, don't back down; instead, take a chance on yourself! You can achieve lofty goals that you may never have ever expected to reach. Advertisement Virgo August 23-September 22 There's something fantastic winging its way to you. Curious Mercury is forming a rare conjunction to Uranus, the master of surprises, and they are meeting up in your 9th House of Growth and Learning. The chance to break out from any boxes of normality may arrive when least expected, and don't think that just because it's atypical or not your cup of tea, you should ignore it. Take a chance on something entirely different -- you never know how fulfilling it could be. Libra September 23-October 22 A serious conversation that requires your attention may be just around the corner. There is a potent alignment between Mercury and Uranus happening in your 8th House of Shared Resources, which deals with both the financial ties between you and others, as well as more intimate, physical connections. A problem regarding these could pop up, and you'll need to be prepared to meet it head-on, rather than shirking from complicated talks. Come with a mind to compromise, and you can handle this just fine. Scorpio October 23-November 21 Someone important may surprise you today, even if you don't think of yourself as easily surprised. Mercury and Uranus are forming their once-a-year conjunction in your 7th House of Relationships, and since Uranus likes to throw out curveballs wherever it can, be prepared for a few to come your way. A close partner may say or do something that catches you off guard, but that doesn't have to be bad! In fact, you'll probably be happily surprised with the results, so keep an open mind. Advertisement Sagittarius November 22-December 21 Your daily routines will be anything but basic on a day like this. Your 6th House of Routine is hosting the annual conjunction between messenger Mercury and radical Uranus, so any plans you may have will likely get thrown right out the window. The more you fight and try to stick to what you know, the more you could feel like you're being dragged along against your will, so do your best to maintain a sense of flexibility regarding how things unfold. Capricorn December 22-January 19 Taking an unusual approach to life might be especially rewarding at present. Your lucky 5th house is glowing with the once-a-year conjunction between Mercury and Uranus, and together they are boosting you up onto center stage, where everyone can appreciate what you've got to show. Even if you don't crave the spotlight or think of yourself as especially creative, this alignment could still find you getting your fifteen minutes of fame in a very fun way! Don't be shocked if your popularity starts to soar. Aquarius January 20-February 18 Your home may be the current setting for some unusual events. Your 4th House of Family is hosting a powerful conjunction between Mercury and Uranus, shaking things up under your own roof. This may be a positive shakeup, but it will be difficult to predict what the focus will be until it's already demanding your attention. Perhaps a roommate or relative suddenly surprises you with a big revelation, or you learn something new about your house that requires you to drop everything else. Avoid obstinacy. Advertisement Pisces February 19-March 20 New revelations are the order of the day for you. Mercury is syncing up at the same degree as renegade Uranus in your 3rd House of Communications, shaking things up and demanding your attention in the process. You may learn or hear something that catches you completely off guard, but that doesn't mean it will be an unpleasant surprise, simply unforeseen. Try to work with this change as opposed to fighting it, because fighting it will only burn you out much quicker. Get your FREE cosmic profile at Tarot.com. Editors Note: This article was published as part of a content-sharing agreement between Army Times and The Fayetteville Observer. Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division are innovators, the command team of the division said. To capitalize on that innovation, the division created a new company that was formally activated at the end of March, said Maj. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division. As we switch to large-scale combat operations, were taking a look at what do we have to build to be able to harness the technology and the ideas, so we created the Gainey Company, LaNeve said. Capt. Aaron Johnson, the commander of the company, said the companys namesake is William Joe Gainey, who served in the division and was the first senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Who is in Gainey Company The company currently has 28 soldiers, comprised of permanent soldiers and paratroopers who join the company on a rotational basis Were continually bringing new blood into the Gainey Company, and were pumping them out back into the brigades, the knowledge base of what they just did inside the Gainey Company, LaNeve said. Command Sgt. Maj. Randolph Delapena, the senior enlisted leader for the division, said a soldiers military occupational specialty doesnt withhold them from joining the company. Soldiers want to make something to help the formations, and all those little things that they kind of work through, what they talk about in a barracks and in their company, thats where you got to draw that energy from, Delapena said. Rotational soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team were radio operators who were able to train fellow paratroopers on the newest technology before they return to their brigade at the end of June. The radio operators were able to breach information technology equipment that was previously difficult to use, said 1st Sgt. Allen Addison, the senior enlisted leader for the company. Soldiers at this base now have a 3D printing course What the Gainey Company Does Within the company are three platoons and an Airborne Innovation Lab. LaNeve said one platoon in the company focuses on the divisions integrated tactical network, which is how the division communicates when using computer-enabled radios. A second platoon in the company only focuses on robotics and unmanned aerial systems and is currently testing out robotic dogs, LaNeve said. Johnson said the second platoon has also tested drones that have 3D mapping software usually used by surveyors or framers in the civilian sector. A third platoon in the company specializes in technical effects, or battlefield decoys and shaping the information space, Johnson and LaNeve said. Airborne Innovation Lab The company is also in charge of the divisions Airborne Innovation Lab, which opened in October and is staffed with two soldiers and three civilian contractors. Any active-duty service member can walk in and present them a problem, and their only job is to help them find solutions, Johnson said. How 101st Airborne soldiers are using EagleWerx makerspace to innovate The lab, LaNeve said, is equipped with 3D printing, textiles and tools. Johnson said the lab is connected to Army Research Labs and connected to academic partners, with paratroopers working with Eastern Carolina University, North Carolina State and Fayetteville State University for classes and projects. Addison said the lab has also added a manufacturing course. It may be intimidating for someone who says they want to get into the innovation lab, But, I dont know how to 3D print, or I dont know anything about the equipment, Addison said. Teaching those courses gives people the baseline knowledge of all the equipment we have out there. Innovation, Johnson said, could mean electrical engineering, computer coding or manufacturing in 3D printing. Most people are focused on doing their job. So, if its hard to do their job, they just say, Well its going to be hard today, he said. This reframes it to, Its really hard to do my job this way, but what if I did it in this other way or what if I had this resource? In March, the division collaborated with the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command to host the first Innovation Drop Zone Competition at the lab. During the competition, paratroopers presented ideas about 3D printing, new ways to hold gear and a new database for financial planners. A couple of paratroopers designed a new way to carry our missiles, whether its a Stinger or Javelin, or an AT4 for those systems that normally theyre very awkward to carry on your back, LaNeve said. The paratroopers designed a system to attach to modular rucksacks, which makes it more efficient, to carry the missiles, LaNeve said. LaNeve said the division will host its next innovation competition Sept. 6 in the innovation lab. We have to change, and change is continual, he said. Weve got to continue to make ourselves better in every aspect of warfighting, every realm of it, and these guys are having a huge part in it. The Army is expanding its pre-basic training course this month so that soldiers who fall below the service's physical fitness and academic standards can try to clear both hurdles at once -- rather than choosing one or the other track -- before entering boot camp. And a new Army pilot program that is part of the so-called Future Soldier Preparatory Course, or FSPC, will also provide the pre-boot camp help to a small number of candidates whose entrance test scores fall below even the substandard scores required of others in the course. The pre-basic course is designed to help recruits who are physically out of shape or have trouble taking tests -- and to get new soldiers into the Army as the service struggles with a historic recruiting slump. Until now, recruits could attend fitness or academic pre-basic training programs. Read Next: 2023 Ain't 2022: More Americans Signing Up with Army Guard, Internal Docs Show After several months of experience with the pilot program, and a success rate well over 90%, leadership is tweaking it to get more out of the pre-training by offering the two combined programs to prospective recruits. That means help getting into shape and scoring well on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB. "The graduation rate for both tracks is greater than 95%," Lt. Col. Randy Ready, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, said in an email statement to Military.com. "From August 2022 to early May 2023, more than 8,500 students have attended or are currently attending the course, of which 6,188 students have already graduated and shipped to basic combat training." Meanwhile, an adjustment to the academic portion of the FSPC has expanded eligibility to nearly all prospective recruits. When the pre-basic training course was established in August, it was open to recruits with an ASVAB score between 21 and 30. An expansion to Fort Moore, Georgia, in January opened it to recruits with scores between 31 and 49. Now, a small pilot program that is capped at 100 has been started for recruits with ASVAB scores between 16 and 20. "The recruits in the limited pilot are not eligible for Dual Enrollment," an Army official with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, wrote in an email to Military.com. "They will only participate in the Academic Track of the FSPC." It's an urgent problem encountered by military recruiters: trainees who have trouble meeting body fat standards, and those scoring low on the Army's job placement test. The pool of civilians available for recruiting has shrunk to the lowest levels in years. The lack of qualified civilians has hurt recruiting, and Army leaders worry that it will affect readiness at a dangerous and chaotic moment in history. Recruitment is "a critical readiness priority for us right now. We are challenged by the fact that a small number of young Americans, 23%, are qualified to serve," Gen. Randy George, vice chief of staff of the Army, said during testimony at a House Armed Services subcommittee meeting in April. The FSPC was designed to alleviate two big stumbling blocks to joining the military: body fat requirements and low scores on the ASVAB, a test that gauges recruits' suitability for various jobs. By expanding the pool of people who could become pre-recruits and locking them into a training pipeline, the Army hopes to put more than 10,000 potential people per year in uniform. Furthermore, it hopes to do so in a way that allows recruiters flexibility in matching recruits with interesting employment. Recruits who have trouble with weight can focus on developing their fitness level. They have a discrete amount of time to reduce their body fat percent to within 2% of the required standard, after which they are sent to basic training. Recruits who have trouble achieving a satisfactory score on the ASVAB go into a program focused on the basic academic skills needed to perform adequately on the test. Those who test lower than they would like are also offered an opportunity to go through the course. Upon finishing, they are offered an opportunity to renegotiate their contract, having qualified for other jobs. While the FSPC promises substantial improvements to the recruiting pipeline and force generation, it doesn't solve a bigger dilemma facing the Army: how to grapple with cultural shifts. The number of eligible prospective soldiers has been falling for more than a decade. About 71% of Americans were assessed as ineligible for service in 2017, and a Pentagon study in September found that 77% of young people would not qualify for military service without a waiver due to being overweight. The decrease from already troubling numbers between 2017 and 2022 has been attributed partly to the pandemic -- when many young adults were not able to play team sports. Also, the end of the war in Afghanistan in 2021 played a role, reducing the perception among eligible young civilians that there was any urgent need to join, as there wouldn't be any fighting. Experts have described this situation as a threat to the all-volunteer military. Leaders hope that optimizing FSPC will help the Army achieve its recruiting goals, though time will tell whether it can produce enough soldiers to offset the problem of finding fit recruits. "The secretary of the Army and the chief of staff of the Army have been clear that we are not going to trade quality for quantity," Ready said. "The basic standards for becoming a new soldier have not changed; rather, this program helps [provide] those young men and women who are struggling to meet the Army accession standard the help they need to overcome their personal challenge." -- Steve Beynon contributed reporting. -- Adrian Bonenberger, an Army veteran and graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, reports for Military.com. He can be reached at adrian.bonenberger@monster.com. Related: Army Expanding Pre-Boot Camp Course for Overweight and Low-Scoring Applicants More than 100 retired U.S. Army Rangers signed a letter sent to Congressional leaders to strenuously object to the defacement and desecration of the National Ranger Memorial. Thats how those veterans describe the decision to remove from the memorial the names of Rangers associated with the Confederacy. The May 23 letter the National Ranger Memorial Foundation sent to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, doesnt mention the names targeted for removal. But an April 28 letter retired Brig. Gen. Joseph Stringham, the foundations chairman, sent to fellow Rangers says Col. Colin Mahle, garrison commander of Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) directed the foundation to remove four names from the thousands on the memorial and the pavers leading to it: Confederate Col. John S. Mosby William Quantrill George Bowman Jackson Bowman. The directive is based on the September 2022 final report the U.S. Department of Defense Naming Commission sent to Congress, which recommended removing names associated with the Confederacy from U.S. military assets. Last months change of Fort Bennings name to Fort Moore is part of that process. In its report, the commission recommended the Army remove Mosbys name from display on the memorial and in the Ranger Hall of Honor at the National Infantry Museum. The commission also recommended the Army remove the names of Quantrill and the two Bowmans from pavers on the walkway leading to the memorial. The memorial, established in 1992, was constructed and is maintained solely by private donations, according to the foundation. In attempting to address the abominable treatment of our citizens of African descent, the foundations letter says, Fort Moore leadership has unfortunately taken a one-size-fits-all approach, which is itself abominable treatment of other citizen groups. The Ledger-Enquirer didnt reach the McCarthy or Rogers communications directors for comment before publication. Arnold Schwarzenegger addresses accusations that he groped women: 'Forget all the excuses, it was wrong' Arnold Schwarzenegger speaking in the Netflix docuseries "Arnold." Netflix Arnold Schwarzenegger has revisited the claims that he touched women in a sexual manner without consent. Speaking in a Netflix docuseries, he said: "My reaction in the beginning, I was kind of defensive." He said that in hindsight he can recognize he was wrong. "Forget all the excuses," he said. Arnold Schwarzenegger is addressing accusations of misconduct that have been hanging over him for 20 years. Netflix's new docuseries "Arnold" chronicles the actor, bodybuilder, and politician's life, from his early life in Austria to his rise to superstardom thanks to his roles in "The Terminator," "Twins," and "True Lies." It also delves into Schwarzenegger's personal life and sees him address the secret son he fathered with his housekeeper while married to Maria Shriver, as well as the claims that he groped and humiliated several women in separate incidents across three decades. Days before he was elected governor of California in 2003, the Los Angeles Times published a report in which six women accused Schwarzenegger of touching them in a sexual manner without their consent. In archival footage from his campaign trail interviews, the "Fubar" star is seen calling the report "made up" and declaring that he "never grabbed anyone or pulled up their shirt or grabbed their breasts." However, while delivering a speech on stage, he also issued a mea culpa of sorts, admitting that he "had behaved badly sometimes" on "rowdy movie sets" and had "done things which were not right which I thought was playful." "Those people that I have offended, I want to say to them I am deeply sorry about that and I apologise because that's not what I'm trying to do," he added at the time. Now, looking back on the scandal two decades later, Schwarzenegger expanded his apology in a to-camera interview in the documentary, admitting that his past behavior was "wrong." "My reaction in the beginning, I was kind of defensive," he said while reflecting on his previous statements. "Today, I can look at it and kind of say, it doesn't really matter what time it is. If it's the Muscle Beach days or 40 years ago, or today, that this was wrong." "It was bullshit," he added. "Forget all the excuses, it was wrong." Carla Hall, one of the Los Angeles Times reporters who broke the story, was also interviewed for the docuseries and said that she was taken aback by the public reaction at the time. Carla Hall, one of the LA Times reporters who broke the story, speaking in "Arnold." Netflix Not only were some people angry at her and her colleagues for going after someone who many considered to be a well-liked public figure, but the story ultimately had little impact on the outcome of the governor race. "Personally, I was surprised that it didn't have more of an effect on the election," Hall said. "I thought that more people would be offended themselves." She also denied that the story was deliberately timed to come out five days before the election. Instead, she said that it ran October 2, 2003 "because that's how long it took." "When Schwarzenegger announced he was running for governor, the staff of the LA Times immediately went into high gear to start looking into stories that we had heard for years, but no one had actually investigated them fully," she said. "We had barely six weeks to work on this, and we started talking to women." "Arnold" begins streaming on Netflix on June 7. Read the original article on Insider Arnold_S1_E1_00_13_21_11 - Credit: Netflix Arnold Schwarzenegger has gone all-in on Netflix. First came FUBAR, a rollicking action-comedy series where the former Terminator stars as an aging CIA operative who embarks on one last mission with his daughter. And now theres Arnold, a three-part docuseries directed by Lesley Chilcott that explores the 75-year-old icons journey from Austrian bodybuilder to Hollywood icon and California governor. In the film, Schwarzenegger is joined by pals like director James Cameron, co-stars Danny DeVito and Jamie Lee Curtis, and even his 80s rival Sylvester Stallone. Hes the most competitive maniac Ive ever met, offers one of Schwarzeneggers pals at the start of Arnold. More from Rolling Stone And its this psychotic drive (and steroids, which he admits to pumping his body full of) that propelled Schwarzenegger to the top of the Hollywood food chain. There are a number of fun stories in Arnold, which runs around three hours, including how film producer Mike Medavoy initially wanted O.J. Simpson for the role of Terminator and Schwarzenegger as the rebel soldier Kyle Reese in The Terminator. During a meeting with Cameron at an L.A. restaurant, however, the filmmaker became convinced that the hulking former Mr. Universe would be perfect for the role of the time-traveling assassin. During our conversation, it became clear that no one was really hooked to O.J. Simpson playing Terminator because he could not be sold as a killing machine, jokes Schwarzenegger. The aging actor also shares a fun anecdote about wanting to change his celebrated Terminator line to I will be back because it sounded more machine-like, only to have Cameron reply, Are you the writer? Well, then dont tell me how to fucking write. One of the docuseries most entertaining sections concerns the heated rivalry between 80s beefcakes Schwarzenegger and Stallone. I always need an enemy, Schwarzenegger says, later adding, Every time he came out with a movie, like Rambo II, I had to figure out a way of now outdoing that. (So, he did Commando.) Stallone describes their rivalry as akin to Ali versus Frazier, conceding that he was the underdog who got my ass kicked constantly, whereas Schwarzenegger typically emerged from his cinematic exploits with barely a scratch. We were incredibly antagonistic. We couldnt even stand to be in the same room. People had to separate us, Stallone recalls. We were competing about everything, Schwarzenegger admits. The body being ripped and oiled-up. Who is more vicious. Who is more tough. Who uses bigger knives. Who uses bigger guns. Sly and I were at war. Without Stallone, I maybe wouldnt have been as motivated during the 80s to do the kind of movies I did and work as hard as I did. Then Schwarzenegger decided to get into politics, running in a recall election as a Republican for governor of California a decision his pal DeVito, a lifelong lefty, calls absurd and ridiculous in the doc. Five days before the election, the Los Angeles Times ran an investigative story where six women came forward to accuse Schwarzenegger of groping and humiliating them. As Carla Hall, one of the reporters on the story, explains in the doc, When Schwarzenegger announced he was running for governor, the staff of the LA Times immediately went into high gear to start looking into stories that we had heard for years, but no one had actually investigated them fully. We had barely six weeks to work on this, and we started talking to women. The backlash was swift against the Los Angeles Times. People accused them of holding the story until just before the election, even though Hall maintains that thats absurd and the story merely took them that long to report out. Furthermore, Schwarzenegger called the story untrue and attacked the media left and right for tearing him down, first vaguely admitting that hes behaved badly sometimes and then backstepping and saying the reports were made-up and he never grabbed anyone. Arnold Schwarzenegger rides a bike in Arnold. A total of 15 women ultimately came forward to accuse Schwarzenegger of groping them over three decades. In Arnold, Schwarzenegger finally offers a halfway decent apology for his actions. My reaction in the beginning, I was kind of defensive, says Schwarzenegger. Today, I can look at it and kind of say, it doesnt really matter what time it is. If its the Muscle Beach days of forty years ago, or today, that this was wrong. It was bullshit. Forget all the excuses, it was wrong. The story didnt have any effect on the polls, though, and Schwarzenegger surged to victory. Personally, I was surprised that it didnt have more of an effect on the election. I thought that more people would be offended themselves, recounts Hall. Arnold doesnt really offer a frank assessment of Schwarzeneggers fairly disastrous time in office as California governor, but in addition to getting him to discuss the groping allegation, the filmmakers also ask him about fathering a son, Joseph, with his Guatemalan maid, Mildred Patricia Baena. The news of Schwarzeneggers love child in 2011, who bears a striking resemblance to him, caused his wife Maria Shriver to leave him. (Joseph appears in the docuseries working out alongside Schwarzenegger.) The reason why I really feel reluctant talking about it is just because every time I do, it opens up the wounds again. And I And I think that I have caused enough pain for my family because of my fuck-up, explains Schwarzenegger. Because everyone had to suffer. Maria had to suffer, the kids had to suffer, Joseph, his mother, everyone. Im gonna have to live with it the rest of my life. I mean, you know, people will remember my successes, and they will also remember those failures. And its a major failure. I mean, I have failures in the past, in my career. But like, this? This is like a whole different ballgame; a whole different dimension of failure. He continues: As I saw Joseph developing into a fantastic human being, and a fantastic man, he makes me feel proud, and I feel really good about him. It was wrong what I did. But I dont want to make Joseph feel that hes not welcome in this world because hes very much welcome in this world. And I love him. And hes turned out to be an extraordinary young man. I am very happy that, within this sad story, we were able to raise the kids really well. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. Arnold Schwarzenegger recalled the moment he confessed to then-wife Maria Shriver that Joseph Baena was his son. Baenas mother is Mildred Baena, the couples housekeeper, with whom the action star had an affair. In a snippet from Netflixs docuseries Arnold reported by People and otheroutlets, the actor and former California governor was confronted first by the couples therapist in a weekly session. Maria and I went to counseling once a week, and in one of the sessions the counselor said, I think today Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if you are the father of Joseph. And I was like I thought my heart stopped, and then I told the truth. Yes, Maria, Joseph is my son, he remembered saying. She was crushed because of that. I had an affair in 96. In the beginning, I really didnt know. I just started feeling the older he got, the more it became clear to me. And then it was really just a matter of how do you keep this quiet? How do you keep this a secret? Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joseph Baena go for a bike ride in Los Angeles on June 12, 2020. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joseph Baena go for a bike ride in Los Angeles on June 12, 2020. Baena, 25, graduated from Pepperdine in 2019 and is an aspiring actor who shares a love of bodybuilding with his Mr. Olympia-winning father. Joseph Baena in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, 2022. Joseph Baena in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, 2022. I think that I have caused enough pain for my family because of my fuck-up, Schwarzenegger said. Everyone had to suffer. Maria had to suffer. The kids had to suffer. Joseph. His mother. Everyone. Schwarzenegger and Shriver, who have four children together, split in 2011. Arnold Schwarzenegger and then-wife Maria Shriver arrive at After-School All-Stars Hoop Heroes Salute launch party at Katsuya on Feb. 18, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. Arnold Schwarzenegger and then-wife Maria Shriver arrive at After-School All-Stars Hoop Heroes Salute launch party at Katsuya on Feb. 18, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. Check out the trailer for Arnie, which begins streaming Wednesday on Netflix: FREEHOLD - An Asbury Park man is charged with kidnapping and other offenses after authorities allege he lured an 11-year-old girl into his car last week and told her to take off her clothes, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Monday. Authorities allege Raquan M. Folk, 29, pulled up to the victim in a white Kia as she was walking on Ridge Avenue in Asbury at about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30. After convincing the girl to get in his car, he drove to Neptune, stopped the car and told the child to disrobe, authorities allege. Raquan M. Folk That prompted the girl to ask to use a bathroom, so Folk stopped at a service station. When he did, the victim ran out and flagged down a passerby, who took her to the Neptune Police Department, authorities said. An investigation by Asbury Park Police and the Special Victims Bureau of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office led to Folk's arrest without incident on Thursday. Folk is in the Monmouth County Jail, awaiting a detention hearing. He is charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree child luring and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct. Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident or of Folk's activities to contact prosecutor's Detective Kayla Santiago at 800-533-7443. Assistant Prosecutor Keri-Leigh Schaefer is handling the case. Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Asbury Park NJ: Man charged with kidnapping of 11-year-old girl Asheville ranks on list of cities most likely to see impact of 'climate migration' Asheville has been named to a list of cities most likely to see an influx of people due to climate migration. The Blue Ridge Parkway, seen here, passes through Asheville. If elbow room seems to be in short supply on Asheville's streets and hiking trails, just wait for the expected climate migration. Asheville was recently named third on a list of the top 12 U.S. cities most likely to receive an influx of residents due to climate migration by an expert in sustainable real estate in conversation with USA TODAY. The ever-growing impacts from climate change, including warmer temperatures, rising sea levels rise, more powerful and destructive storms will have more people fleeing coastal areas for places more able with withstand climate change, such as Western North Carolina. Willingness to sign a 30-year mortgage can often hinge on how well the property can be expected to withstand the test of time a test that has become more and more difficult to pass due to the effects of climate change, according to USA TODAY. The newspaper, which is owned by Citizen Times' parent company Gannett, spoke with Jesse Keenan, economist and associate professor of sustainable real estate at Tulane University, who explored a number of factors with a team of researchers to formulate the list of 12 cities. More: Asheville GreenWorks announces executive director's departure; new mission and direction More: Asheville 1 of 18 cities in heat-mapping campaign; GreenWorks to lead study Planners attend a Buncombe County Comprehensive Plan 2043 meeting. The thorough plan aims to ensure the development of Asheville in a way that will benefit current and future residents, while protecting the natural environment in the area. Communities on Keenans list were chosen for a combination of their geographies, economies and level of preparation they have already undergone to ready for continued climate challenges. Keenan spoke to the Citizen Times about a specific lens they used the concept of push factors and pull factors. Keenan said significantly more work has been done on push factors those that cause residents to leave a city in search of something more optimal even though the sets of factors go very much hand in hand. Some pull factors, Keenan said, were not necessarily thought of as directly related to climate change, though the ultimate results of moves were the same. What did these various regions have, in comparative terms relative to climate, housing, affordability, economic development, school system, hospital health care, access you know, all the things that actually play into regular decision making within the context of just domestic migration period and non-climactic terms. On the reverse, Keenan said that the N.C. coast is guilty of many push factors. He said Asheville originally fell on his teams radar as a destination for climate migrators as they tracked the paths of people moving away from the North Carolina coast following major damages from the 2017 hurricane season. Some of that coastal movement has been originated because of the high cost of living on the coasts, and some constraints on new construction, and things that were not necessarily environmentally or climactically ordered, Keenan said. But that movement has picked up, and it has picked up in large part after the 2017 hurricane season. And interviews have suggested that there has been certainly relocations because of the cost of insurance, and the cost of housing and other things that are incidental to what we believe would be climatically oriented phenomenon. More: Opinion: Let's talk about it: The power of Asheville, WNC stories in a climate crisis More: Asheville area Earth Day roundup: Cleanups, 5Ks, pollinator events celebrate environment Keenan said he had observed benefits in local economies due to some of this migration. However, he also saw what he referred to as climate gentrification. In theory, Asheville could start feeling crowded much sooner than later, Keenan said. Asheville ranked No. 3 on the list, behind No. 1 Duluth, Minnesota, and No. 2 Orlando, Florida. 'Blessing and a curse' Asheville has already been growing rapidly. There was about a 13% increase in population between 2010 and 2020, from 83,000 people to about 94,000, according to the U.S. Census. The predicted influx of climate-related moves to the area certainly does have those economic benefits. Keenan said that Ashevilles welcoming community and vibrant culture draws movers who often help add to this. However, he said that the already crowded city needs to invest in careful, climate-friendly urban planning to keep this spirit intact. A home under construction on Elizabeth Place in Asheville May 15, 2023. More: Rent control coming to Asheville? Who proposed law could help and why it faces challenges More: New restaurants that opened in Asheville area from January to April 2023 I think that that cultural capacity of Asheville to have an open door is both a blessing and a curse, Keenan said. I think it's a blessing in the sense that as people move in, it builds social capital, it builds community connections, and it builds a stronger community. I think it's also a bit of a curse to the extent that it makes it a very attractive place. Culture does add a lot of value and economic value to the housing market. Asheville has been under a lot of economic strain, and significant housing costs, and land constrained land development. Keenan said keeping the city walkable was a huge piece of the puzzle, and one that many other cities have struggled with. Historically, Asheville was a pretty compact place that was pretty walkable in most neighborhoods. So, I think that it's a real challenge for the urban planners, and really the community to decide for themselves how they want to grow. The cover of the draft Buncombe County 2043 Comprehensive Plan. More: Pisgah, Nantahala forest plan drew a lot of objections. What did they help change? More: Buncombe Comprehensive Plan OK'd despite some protests over potential development growth Anyone who has dealt with standstill traffic, noisy construction or packed sidewalks might have some idea of Ashevilles rate of growth. Residents have widely varied feelings about this growth, and the city government and partnered organizations have attempted to address subjects of concern accordingly. In 2018, the City of Ashevilles Planning and Urban Design department released a Comprehensive Plan which they described as a tool used to establish a high-level vision to guide citywide policy decisions over several years. The plan contains a 128-page section titled Planning for Climate Resilience that takes an in depth look at what the city hopes to accomplish in order to create a sustainable future. The document explores what Asheville is doing right, any hazards or problem areas, and most importantly, looks forward to discuss what the next steps in the citys journey to sustainability will be. Some key points of the extensive document are summarized below courtesy of Adaptation Clearinghouse. Strengthening urban transit corridors using smart growth principles Creating a green infrastructure network around transportation corridors to address urban heat islands Protecting sensitive lands and promoting edible and native landscapes that improve water quality and reduce waste and energy use Fostering resilient neighborhoods through place-making and enhanced community engagement particularly with minority communities Using nature to enhance open space and stormwater management Enhancing equitable, upward mobility by addressing housing affordability and workforce development Iris Seaton is the Citizen Times News Reporting Intern. Email her at iseaton@citizentimes.com. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Will climate change migration overpopulate Asheville? Comedian Matt Rife has released a trailer for his upcoming world tour featuring Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. On Monday (5 June), the 27-year-old Ohio native, best known for his self-produced comedy specials Only Fans and Matthew Steven Rife announced he was taking his comedy worldwide. In the teaser video for his new tour Problematic, posted on TikTok, Rife can be seen opening a mysterious package to find a genie bottle inside. After activating its powers, Kutcher magically appears, thanking him for rubbing me out. Rife groans in disgust, before the Two and a Half Men star says: I am here. I am your genie. I have been summoned. And now its time to grant you a wish. After some comedic back and forth, Rife says for his first wish, hed like to go back in time and I want to star in the hit comedy Dude Wheres My Car?. Kutcher adds: Alongside Ashton Kutcher. No, no, Id be playing Ashtons role, but make it funny..., Rife trails off. The 45-year-old actor explains he cant go back in time because it would put the future at risk, forcing Rife to quickly reconsider his original wish. I wish, to go on a date with Mila Kunis. Shes so cute, he says, as Kunis briefly appears behind Kutcher, who makes her disappear with a snap of his fingers. No. Its not going to happen. All right. Shes very happily married and Im pretty sure shes not into problematic f***boys, the Your Place or Mine actor says. Ok, I wish for a world tour, bigger than anything I couldve ever dreamed of. And I want it full sold out, with people from across the world who just want to come out, have a good time and laugh. Can you give me that? a hopeful Rife asks. Prepare yourself for the tour of a lifetime. Your wish is my command, Kutcher says. Rifes 100-date world tour is set to kick off on 20 July in Bend, Oregon, followed by several stops across North America, before eventually wrapping up on 31 December in Louisville, Kentucky. The Problematic tour will pick up in the new year, starting in Australia, before returning for a second North American leg. It will later come to an end in Europe on 20 October 2024 in Milan, Italy. Pre-sale tickets will go on sale starting on Thursday 6 June at 10am local time on his website MattRifeOfficial.com. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of general sales, which begin on Friday 9 June. In a highly anticipated vote, Atlanta lawmakers were expected to decide Monday whether to move forward with a controversial plan to build a massive public safety training center, dubbed Cop City by opponents. But the vote did not happen Monday, as hundreds of speeches from the public, many emotional and most opposed to the development, continued into the early hours of Tuesday. The Atlanta City Council was to finally decide whether to allocate $30 million to help build the $90-million, 85-acre facility where police, firefighters and emergency responders would train. The vote comes after years of fierce opposition from protesters who worry the proposed campus could negatively impact the environment and be used by police to practice urban warfare. In January, officers fatally shot a 26-year-old environmental activist as workers across several agencies tried to clear out the site. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, known as Tortuguita, shot at officers first without warning, wounding a state trooper. Days later, a vigil in Atlanta honoring the slain activist ended in property damage and several arrests. More than 350 people had signed up to give remarks during a public comment period ahead of the vote. In the first few hours, the vast majority of the testimonies were from people against the facility. Many said the center would not make the city safer but would perpetuate military-style policing and encourage use of force. The council voted to amend its agenda to allow more people who missed the sign-up period to speak. In anticipation of the vote, officials closed several City Hall offices for the day, moved services online and issued a temporary ban on liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes from being carried into the building due to increased security concerns. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said a vote in the affirmative would mean taxpayers will pay less than the city previously agreed upon. If greenlighted, the legislation would allow the city to consolidate multiple leases it currently pays for suboptimal training facilities that police and firefighters use separately. Such a move would save the city $200,000 annually or $6 million over 30 years, Dickens office said in a news release. The Atlanta Police Foundation, the independent nonprofit group spearheading the project, has said it would privately raise the rest of the money needed to fund construction through philanthropic and corporate donations. The proposed project includes creating a mock city for police and firefighter trainees, a shooting range and an emergency vehicle operations course, which would be a first for both the police and fire rescue departments, the Atlanta Police Foundation said. The group said the new campus is necessary because current training facilities fail to meet the training needs required of a major urban law enforcement agency, which it said ultimately worsens morale, recruitment and retention issues. A makeshift memorial for environmental activist Manuel Teran, who was deadly assaulted by law enforcement during a raid to clear the construction site of a police training facility that activists have nicknamed The project would be built on a parcel of land that the city of Atlanta owns in unincorporated DeKalb County, around Intrenchment Creek and the South River Forest Basin. The land is known as the Old Atlanta Prison Farm, where prisoners labored in poor working conditions for much of the 20th century. It is the only city-owned area large enough for such a project, the Atlanta Police Foundation said. The group said it will not have to cut down acres of trees because the targeted parcel of land, which was cleared decades ago, does not currently have significant tree cover. The tree cover that does exist, it said, is overwhelmingly dominated by invasive species. The Atlanta Police Foundation pledged to replace any hardwood tree destroyed in construction with 100 new ones. Nearly 300 acres will be preserved as green space, parkland and trails, it added. The Atlanta City Council first approved the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in 2021, following anti-police violence protests. City officials said the new center would be integral to the reforms residents had been demanding, but protesters have been staunchly opposed. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. Seen is the damage from a collapsed apartment building on June 5, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. The six-story, 80-unit building partially collapsed May 28. (Charlie Neibergall/AP) DAVENPORT, Iowa The bodies of three Iowa men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building about a week after part of the century-old structure tumbled to the ground, the city of Davenports police chief announced Monday. We dont have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing, Chief Jeff Bladel said. Advertisement Meanwhile, residents of the building have started filing lawsuits. One, filed Monday by Dayna Feuerbach, is accusing the city and the buildings current and former owners of knowing of the deteriorating conditions and failing to warn residents of the risk. A second action by Mildred Harrington against the buildings owner alone alleges the same. Feuerbachs lawsuit alleges multiple counts of negligence, and both actions seek unspecified damages. Advertisement The city had warning after warning, attorney Jeffrey Goodman, who represents Feuerbach, told The Associated Press. He called it a common trend in major structural collapses hes seen. They had the responsibility to make sure that the safety of the citizens comes first. It is very clear that the city of Davenport didnt do that. City documents, released last week and cited in the lawsuits, suggest concerns about the integrity of parts of the building that were conveyed to the city and owner, Andrew Wold, over the course of months. A recording of a 911 call placed just the day before the partial collapse reveals the director of a local organization affiliated with the chamber of commerce reported a contractors concerns about a walls integrity. City fire officials responded by visiting the site for less than 5 minutes, according to the dispatch log. The police chief said Branden Colvin Sr.s body was recovered Saturday. The body of Ryan Hitchcock was recovered Sunday and Daniel Prien early Monday. City officials had said earlier that Colvin, 42; Hitchcock, 51; and Prien, 60; had high probability of being home at the time of the collapse. The discoveries came after authorities announced that the search for survivors had been completed. The remains of the apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on May 28, putting rescuers at great risk, but since the area has been stabilized, crews were using an excavator and other heavy equipment to pull out parts of a debris pile. Davenport officials said they were consulting with experts about how to safely bring down the rest of the structure. The city fire marshal earlier said explosives would not be used because its close to other buildings in a busy part of downtown Davenport. Mayor Mike Matson said last week that any complaints about the rescue and recovery process should be directed at him, not first responders. Matson said Monday that neither he nor other city officials have been in touch with building owner Andrew Wold. Advertisement Wold released a statement dated May 30 saying our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants. He has made no statement since then, and efforts to reach him, his company and a man believed to be his attorney have been unsuccessful. County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million. Bladel said the Davenport fire marshals office had begun an investigation of the building collapse with help from the state Division of Criminal Investigation, Davenport police and the medical examiners office. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds toured the site Monday morning, and tweeted later that the state is providing support and resources while working with city officials. Thank you to the first responders for putting their lives at risk to help their community, she wrote. The building, built as a hotel in 1907, had been converted into about 80 apartment units that were home to roughly 50 people. The state earlier made $5,000 available to displaced tenants who met income requirements, and the city offered $6,000 to the people forced from their homes. On Monday, the governor also waived the fees for tenants who needed to get their drivers license replaced. Advertisement On Friday, Scott County prosecutor Kelly Cunningham cautioned against assuming a criminal prosecution is appropriate, saying an independent investigation needs to be conducted into the cause of the buildings structural failure, and right now its in the citys jurisdiction. Unresolved questions include why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger. A structural engineers report issued days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling. The lawsuit filed Monday also names two companies hired by Wold, including that engineers firm, to assess and perform work on the building. The suit alleges all parties recognized the imminent danger residents faced, yet allowed the building to deteriorate while failing to warn residents that their lives were in danger. The engineering firm, in particular, has an affirmative responsibility to sound the alarm of urgency and take all steps they can to make sure this building is evacuated for safety, Goodman said. We see their role in this tragedy to be unfortunately central. Tenants also complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show. Current and former residents told The Associated Press about interior cracks on the wall that ultimately collapsed that were reported to building management. One woman whose apartment ended up in a huge pile of rubble had to have her leg amputated in order to be rescued. Advertisement McFetridge and Fingerhut reported from Des Moines. There is a new attorney representing Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts guardsman who is accused of leaking dozens of highly classified U.S. intelligence documents. Michael K. Bachrach is a criminal defense attorney from New York. Among his notable cases are winning 284 counts of acquittal for Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, the first and thus far only Guantanamo Bay detainee to be transferred to civilian custody for trial, according to Bachrachs law website. Massachusetts guardsman Jack Teixeira, Pentagon leak suspect, to remain jailed as he awaits trial Ghailani had faced charges of conspiracy and murder in the 1998 terrorist bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Attorney Michael K. Bachrach is representing Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts guardsman who is accused of leaking dozens of highly classified U.S. intelligence documents. Bachrach also won an acquittal on all counts for New York State Assemblyman William Boyland Jr., who had been accused of political corruption and bribery, according to his law website. He also has represented Vincent Basciano, the former boss of the Bonnano crime family. U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy granted a motion on Monday to appoint Bachrach as Teixeiras defense attorney. The FBI in April arrested the 21-year-old Teixeira at a home in North Dighton in connection with the leak of dozens of highly classified documents. A federal judge on May 19 ordered Teixeira to remain behind bars while he awaits trial. 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 Mother jailed for 20 years for killing her four children is pardoned and freed Kathleen Folbigg has been pardoned after being jailed for 20 years for killing her four children - Joel Carrett/AP An Australian mother who was jailed for 20 years for killing her four children despite insisting they died of natural causes has been freed. Kathleen Folbigg, 55, was condemned as one of the countrys worst serial killers following the deaths of her four children sons Caleb and Patrick and daughters Sarah and Laura at very young ages. Caleb, her first son, was born in 1989 and lived only 19 days. Patrick, born a year later, died at eight months. Two years later, her daughter Sarah died at 10 months, and then her fourth child, Laura, died aged 18 months in 1999. She always maintained that her children died of natural causes, but prosecutors in her 2003 trial claimed this was too much of a coincidence. The prosecution argued that the chances of four babies in one family dying from natural causes so young were so small as to be implausible. They also interpreted passages from her diary as confessions of guilt. In each case, Ms Folbigg was the person who found her childs body but there was no physical evidence that she had caused their deaths. She was sentenced to 25 years - but on Monday, Michael Daley, the New South Wales attorney general, said a new inquiry had in fact found reasonable doubt that she killed her children. Terrible ordeal Ms Folbigg has now received a full pardon from the governor of New South Wales, who ordered her immediate release. This has been a terrible ordeal for everyone concerned and I hope that our actions today can put some closure on this 20-year-old matter, said Mr Daley. It has been a 20-year-long ordeal for her ... I wish her peace. On Monday, Thomas Bathurst, the former state chief justice who has been leading a new inquiry into the case, found that there was a reasonable possibility that three of the children died of natural causes. In the cases of Sarah and Laura, a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R could have caused their deaths, the inquiry found. There was also persuasive expert evidence that Patrick may have died from an underlying neurogenetic disorder such as epilepsy, said Sophie Callan, who is helping with the inquiry. The coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) crown case falls away, said Mr Bathurst as regards the death of Caleb. The balance of evidence [was] that she was a loving and caring mother. Mr Bathursts full report will be released at a later date. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. (Bloomberg) -- Australians are almost evenly divided over a proposed Indigenous advisory body to lawmakers known as the Voice to Parliament that will be put to a referendum later this year, a new opinion poll showed. Most Read from Bloomberg Some 46% intend to vote yes in the referendum that would also see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders included in the constitution for the first time, while 43% would vote no, the Newspoll survey published in the Australian newspaper showed Monday. The other 11% said they didnt know. Why Australia Plans to Vote on an Indigenous Voice: QuickTake Legislation for the referendum passed the lower house of parliament last week and the newspaper said its the first survey to present Australians with the precise question they will be asked in the vote before December. The figures showed respondents split along gender, educational and regional lines. The result follows federal opposition leader Peter Duttons decision to oppose the Voice, arguing it will re-racialize the constitution by giving Indigenous people rights that others do not enjoy. Australian referendums rarely succeed and when they do, they have bipartisan political support. Still, in a major speech last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated that he was confident the referendum would succeed. Not because I am innately an optimist but because of who we have shown ourselves to be, he said in the address. That instinct for fairness the great Australian instinct for the fair go that defines us remains fundamental to our identity. The Newspoll surveyed 1,549 voters throughout Australia over May 31-June 3 and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points. Previous polls have shown more than 50% support for the Voice and including Indigenous Australians in the constitution. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. FILE PHOTO: Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets Australian SAS Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, who was recently awarded the VC, during an audience at Buckingham Palace in London By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's most decorated soldier was "complicit in and responsible for the murder" of three Afghan men on deployment, a judge said, elaborating on his finding against the former SAS special forces corporal in a blockbuster defamation trial. Ben Roberts-Smith, holder of the Victoria Cross and other top military honours, was also "not an honest and reliable witness in ... many areas" and a bully toward other Australian soldiers, Federal Court Judge Anthony Besanko said in his full judgement released on Monday. Besanko on Thursday threw out Roberts-Smith's defamation case against three Australian newspapers which had accused him of unlawful killings in Afghanistan. Besanko said the media outlets had proven substantial truth in their reporting, ending a case which lifted the veil of secrecy over the elite SAS. Australian civil courts require a lower threshold to prove accusations than criminal courts do. Roberts-Smith has not been charged with any offences and has not commented since the ruling. His lawyer was not immediately available for comment. Roberts-Smith has since quit his job as a television executive. Besanko delayed releasing reasons for his judgement until Monday to allow the Australian government time to ensure it did not inadvertently divulge national security secrets. "I have found that the applicant (Roberts-Smith) was complicit in and responsible for the murder of EKIA56 ... in 2009 and the murder of Ali Jan at Darwan on 11 September 2012 and the murder of the Afghan male at Chinartu on 12 October 2012," Besanko said in his 736-page civil court judgment. Roberts-Smith was accused by the newspapers of ordering a lower-ranking soldier to shoot dead an "older Afghan male", identified in the case as EKIA56, to "blood the rookie", he said. In addition, Besanko said: "I find that in a compound in Chinartu ... the applicant, through an interpreter ordered (an un-named person) to shoot an Afghan male who was under detention". A soldier who was there "shot the Afghan male in circumstances amounting to murder. The applicant (Roberts-Smith) was complicit in and responsible for murder", the judgment said. Besanko found Roberts-Smith engaged in a "campaign of bullying" against another Australian soldier, including what he called a "death threat" when Roberts-Smith said: "if your performance doesn't improve on our next patrol, you're going to get a bullet in the back of the head". He also said Roberts-Smith was not a reliable witness in one of the country's longest-running defamation cases and had reasons to lie. "The applicant has motives to lie, being a financial motive to support his claim for damages in these proceedings, a motive to restore his reputation which he contends has been destroyed by the publication of the articles and significantly, a motive to resist findings against him which may affect whether further action is taken against him," Besanko said wrote. "I find that the applicant was not an honest and reliable witness in ... many areas," he added. Roberts-Smith, 44, was seen as a national hero, with his portrait hanging in the Australian War Memorial, for his actions during six tours of Afghanistan from 2006 to 2012 and military citations.A 2020 report found credible evidence that members of Australia's Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) killed dozens of unarmed prisoners in the lengthy Afghan war. Only one soldier has been charged. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Michael Perry) VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria's Social Democrats celebrated Hans Peter Doskozil as their new leader at a party conference on Saturday after a ballot of delegates - only for faces to turn red two days later when it emerged that his opponent had actually won. The party's electoral commission head Michaela Grubesa said on Monday the results had been attributed to the wrong candidates and the winner was in fact Andreas Babler. "Unfortunately, the paper ballots did not match the result that was announced digitally," she told a news conference. "Due to a colleague's technical error in the Excel list, the result was mixed up." The correct count was 280 votes for Doskozil and 317 votes for Babler, or about 47% to 53%. Grubesa said she had ordered a recount after one ballot was missing. It was later found and ruled invalid. Doskozil, a former police chief and now governor of the province of Burgenland who shot to fame during the 2015-2016 migration crisis, conceded defeat at a news conference and congratulated Babler, who is from the party's left wing. "Nothing can justify...what happened here," Babler said in a statement. He said he had requested another recount and would become leader if the result was confirmed. He apologised to members for the mix-up, which he called a "low point" for the opposition party seeking to convince voters it is fit to run the country. "If I take over this party I will work with my team towards the full comeback of Social Democracy," he said. The news stunned the country, with many expressing disbelief. "Banana republic," deputy editor-in-chief of the Kleine Zeitung newspaper, Michael Jungwirth, tweeted. For satirical website Die Tagespresse, real life could not be beaten, prompting it to tweet in English: "Our job is done." (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Authorities considering mandatory evacuation of residents in border regions of Kharkiv Oblast The Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration (OVA) is considering ordering a mandatory evacuation of civilians from settlements near the border with Russia, Oleh Synehubov, theh of Kharkiv Oblast Administration, said on Ukrainian national television on June 5. Synehubov highlighted the recent surge in shelling incidents in the oblast. He said that within the past 24 hours alone, the enemy has targeted at least 26 settlements, resulting in two fatalities and three injuries. Synehubov also said there were continuous attempts by Russian forces to send sabotage and reconnaissance groups across the oblasts northern border. Earlier, the head of the OVA reported the discovery of one such sabotage group overnight. Read also: Russian reconnaissance group tries to cross state border in Kharkiv Oblast, says General Staff We clearly understand that the safety of our people is paramount, Synehubov said. We are currently making decisions regarding the possible forced evacuation of children and elderly individuals from border settlements where we see that the military situation is deteriorating, he said. Previously, the Ukrainian militarys General Staff had reported an attempted infiltration by a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group in the vicinity of the settlement of Zelene in Kharkiv Oblast. The small Ukrainian village is only about one kilometer away from the Ukrainian-Russian border. Read also: Russia offers to evacuate civilians in Mariupol, city council says Read also: Freedom of Russia Legion claims destruction of Russian tanks and armored personnel carriers video 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 troops hit an enterprise in Ukraine's southern city of Kherson on June 5, killing a 55-year-old security guard, reported Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. According to the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, Russia struck Kherson using multiple launch rocket systems and incendiary ammunition overnight and in the morning. The UN Protocol on Incendiary Weapons prohibits using them against civilians. A 47-year-old woman was injured as a result of the overnight attacks and received medical help on the spot, the administration said. Another Russian attack on Kherson hit a medical facility with almost 200 people inside at that time, but "miraculously" nobody was hurt, reads the report. Over 20 residential buildings, garages, cars, and two educational institutions were reportedly damaged in the city. Kherson military administration official accused of serving Russia during occupation The Security Service of Ukraine on June 3 arrested a Kherson regional military administration official on suspicion of collaborating with Russian occupiers. He faces 15 years in prison. The Kyiv IndependentIgor Kossov On the morning of June 5, Russian forces launched guided aerial bombs at Kherson Oblast's town of Beryslav, wounding two civilians aged 73 and 48, the regional authorities reported. The air strike reportedly damaged a private enterprise and around 20 residential buildings. Russia also shelled the village of Mykilske near Kherson, damaging homes and a critical infrastructure facility, the administration added. The city of Kherson and other settlements in the oblast on the Dnipro River's west bank have been continuously subjected to Russian shelling since they were liberated by Ukrainian forces in November 2022. Russian forces were pushed to the river's east bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories, regularly resulting in civilian deaths and injuries. A glance into Khersons underground resistance during Russian occupation Editors Note: We dont reveal the real names of the people interviewed for this story due to the sensitive nature of their activities that puts them in direct danger. In the story, names were assigned to them for storytelling purposes. KHERSON Kherson was liberated because Ukraine forced Russia The Kyiv IndependentIgor Kossov Journalist Bao Choy, center, speaks to members of the press after being cleared by the city's top court in Hong Kong, Monday, June 5, 2023. The award-winning Hong Kong journalist won an appeal quashing her conviction related to work on her investigative documentary Monday in a rare court ruling upholding media freedom in the territory. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) HONG KONG (AP) An award-winning Hong Kong journalist won an appeal Monday quashing a conviction related to research for an investigative documentary, in a rare court ruling upholding media freedom in the Chinese territory. Bao Choy was found guilty in April 2021 of deceiving the government by getting vehicle ownership records for journalistic purposes after she had declared in her online application that she would use the information for other traffic and transport related issues. The investigative journalist was trying to track down perpetrators of a mob attack on protesters and commuters inside a train station during massive anti-government protests in 2019 for her documentary. Choy was fined 6,000 Hong Kong Dollars ($765) for two counts of making false statements at that time and called it a very dark day for all journalists in Hong Kong. That ruling also sparked outrage among local journalists over the citys shrinking press freedom. On Monday, judges of the citys top court unanimously ruled in Choy's favor in a written judgment, quashing her conviction and setting aside the sentence. The issues of falsity and knowledge were wrongly decided against the appellant because her journalistic investigation into the use of the vehicle on the dates in question did fall into the wide catchall category of other traffic and transport related matters," the judgment read. Even if it did not, it was not an irresistible inference that she knew that to be false," the judgment said. There is no reason that bona fide journalism should be excluded from the phrase, it added. Choy told reporters outside the court the she was happy to learn about the judgment, saying it had stated the importance of the city's constitutionally protected freedom of press and speech. Over the last few years, we might have found that many things have disappeared quietly, she said. But I believe our beliefs in our hearts can't be taken away that easily. No matter I win or lose today, the persistence (demonstrated) over the last few years is already a meaningful thing." She said she hoped the outcome would be encouraging news to all reporters still working hard in the city. The story Choy co-produced, titled 7.21 Who Owns the Truth, won the Chinese-language documentary award at the Human Rights Press Awards in 2021. The judging panel hailed it as an investigative reporting classic that had chased the smallest clues, interrogating the powerful without fear or favor. In the crackdown on dissent that followed the 2019 protests, two vocal media outlets Apple Daily and Stand News have been forced to shut down and some of their top managers have been prosecuted. Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai faces collusion charges under a sweeping national security law enacted in 2020. Two former Stand News editors were charged under a colonial-era sedition law that has been used increasingly to snuff out critical voices. Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinas rule in 1997, but critics say Beijing's promise that it would keep the citys freedoms is becoming increasingly threadbare. Hong Kong ranked 140th out of 180 countries and territories in Reporters Without Borders latest World Press Freedom Index released last month. The global media watchdog said the city has experienced an unprecedented setback since 2020, when the security law was introduced. What are the bacteria levels in Charlotte-area lakes? See what the water quality is Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services issued a no-swimming advisory for a Lake Norman cove after an estimated 460 gallons of sewage spilled into it. The spill, which happened on Torrence Chapel Estates Circle in Cornelius, was stopped on Thursday, and the advisory was lifted the same day, The Charlotte Observer reported. In the event of a sewage or chemical spillthat is considered a public health threat, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services issues a advisory to alert the public of unsafe water conditions, according to the department. Swimming while an advisory is in effect can lead to illnesses, such as diarrhea, skin infections and respiratory infections, according to the N.C. Division of Environmental Health. Heres what you should know about bacteria levels in Charlotte area lakes. How are bacteria levels measured in Charlotte-area lakes? Lake Use-Support Index (LUSI) scores which measure surface water quality are updated every other month and represent data collected from monitoring sites, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services. Scores range from 0-100, with 100 indicating the best water quality, and are based on four categories that show the most important indicators of environmental health, including: Bacteria: fecal coliform and e. coli Metals: arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead and zinc Nutrients: chlorophyll A, nitrogen and phosphorus Physical: temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen Here are the average LUSI scores for each lake in the Charlotte area from March: How often are lake waters checked? According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services, water quality in lakes is routinely monitored throughout Mecklenburg County, but it is impossible to know, at any given time, whether or not the water is safe for swimming. The water is generally safe to swim in, but cove closures -- which happen when the amount of bacteria in the water gets too high -- occur on occasion, Charlotte Water Public Affairs Manager Jennifer Frost told the Observer last year. Both Mountain Island Lake and Lake Norman are quite large, Frost said. They have a good amount of flow, and theres really good turnover, so the water is good. It takes quite a bit for there to be any kind of negative impact on water quality. Frost explained that both lakes are regulated as recreational water, meaning any company that discharges into the water has to maintain certain standards so they are safe for public use. The lake is also monitored around the clock for changes in temperature, pH and conductivity, Frost said. Natural bodies of water can contain organisms, including bacteria, amoebae, and parasites, that can cause illnesses in humans, according to NCDEH. Some of those illnesses include diarrhea, skin infections, respiratory infections and even wound infections that can be life-threatening. How to monitor lake water Swimmers should always monitor the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services Facebook and Twitter pages for swimming advisories, the agency says. Here are some other tips from NCDEH on how to stay safe in the water: "Vanishing Point" star Barry Newman died at a New York City hospital in May. He was 92. (Amanda Edwards / WireImage via Getty Images) Barry Newman was a rogue speedster with a knack of drifting through winding hills and running cops off the road in the 1971 film "Vanishing Point." Off-screen, Newman was nothing like his thrill-seeking ex-police officer Kowalski. "It amuses me now to think that he was famous for these insane driving movies," his niece Judith Newman said on Facebook. "In real life he was a very cautious driver." Barry Newman, who also starred as the titular lawyer in the TV series "Petrocelli," died May 11, his niece announced Sunday. He was 92. According to multiple reports, the actor died of natural causes at a New York City hospital. "He really lived like the modest nice Jewish boy from Boston that he was. RIP Uncle Barry," Newman concluded her Facebook tribute. Born on Nov. 7, 1930, Newman graduated with an anthropology degree in 1952 from Brandeis University, where he met theater director and acting teacher Lee Strasberg. After a stint in the U.S. Army as a member of the Third Army Band in Atlanta, Newman moved to New York, where he studied with Strasberg and commenced his acting career. Newman's acting debut was as a jazz musician in the Herman Wouk play "Natures Way" in 1957. Subsequently, he appeared in several other Broadway shows including Mel Tolkin's "Maybe Tuesday," the musical "What Makes Sammy Run" and a New York production of Agatha Christie's "The Mouse Trap." In the 60s, Newman broke into movies and TV with minor roles in "Pretty Boy Floyd," "Naked City" and soap opera "The Edge of Night," according to IMDb. Newman led the 1970 film "The Lawyer" as Tony Petrocelli, a young attorney defending a physician accused of murdering his wife. Four years after the film's debut, Newman reprised the role for the NBC TV series "Petrocelli," which ran until 1976. He received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his "Petrocelli" performance. Richard C. Sarafian's "Vanishing Point," however, solidified Newman's place as a leading man as his Kowalski drove a Dodge Challenger to max speed to get from Denver to San Francisco in less than a day. The action film did not initially make a huge splash in the United States, but across the pond, "People lined up around the block to see it," Newman told Paul Rowlands in an interview published in 2019. "In England I was a hero, and in America I was just a guy picking up his bags at the plane terminal! It opened again in America after playing Europe and people then started getting on to the film," he said. "It became a cult film without me even realizing it. To this day, I'm always being asked to talk about it somewhere." Cleavon Little and Dean Jagger also starred in "Vanishing Point." The 70s were fruitful for Newman. He also starred in films "Fear Is the Key," "City on Fire" and "The Salzburg Connection" and television movies "Sex and the Married Woman" and "King Crab." Newman turned his focus to a variety of television projects the following decade, with roles in "Nightingales," "The Fall Guy" and "Quincy, M.E." In the 90s, he appeared in several episode of "Murder, She Wrote" and starred in films "Daylight," "Goodbye Lover" and Steven Soderbergh's "The Limey," among others. In 2009, Newman was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer, which limited his ability to work. His more recent movie credits include "Jack the Dog," "40 Days and 40 Nights," "Grilled" and "Raise Your Kids on Seltzer." According to IMDb, Newman completed the indie film "Finding Hannah" before his death. Looking back on his time as Kowalski in "Vanishing Point," Newman told Film Independent in 2013 about getting back into the driver's seat. "They had the new Dodge Challenger a couple years ago and they called me because they wanted me to drive it. ... There was a big article in one of the car magazines and I thought the car people would be very generous and give me one of those Challengers," he recalled. "Not on your life." He reportedly is survived by his wife, Angela, niece, Judith, and several nephews. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Egyptian, Mauritanian presidents urge immediate cease-fire in Sudan Xinhua) 09:22, June 05, 2023 CAIRO, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian president and his Mauritanian counterpart called on Sudan's warring parties to reach an immediate cease-fire to end the country's deadly clashes, Egypt's official news agency MENA reported on Sunday. During their meeting in Cairo, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and visiting Mohamed Ould Ghazouani urged all Sudanese parties to put the nation's and its people's interests first, and leverage their wisdom to preserve them, the report said. They also called for intensifying efforts to deliver relief aid to the Sudanese people and alleviate their suffering, it added. During the meeting, the two heads of state also discussed other regional issues, including the impact of stalled negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on water security in Africa. Sudan has witnessed deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the capital Khartoum and other areas since April 15. According to the Sudanese Doctors Union's update, civilian deaths since the beginning of the clashes have risen to 863, and injuries to 3,531. At least 1.6 million people have been displaced, fleeing to safer locations inside and outside Sudan, revealed the United Nations figures. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. In 1976, Robert Hanssen began his career as an FBI agent, but by 1985, he was working for the former Soviet Union, slipping the Russians classified secrets in exchange for more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds, and diamonds. The FBI knew they had a mole in their midst for many years, but Hanssen was adept at covering his tracks and wasn't unmasked until 2001 when Russian documents pinpointed him as a double agent. After pleading guilty to 15 counts of espionage, Hanssen was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. (FBI / Getty Images) WASHINGTON Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent who took more than $1.4 million in cash and diamonds to trade secrets with Moscow in one of the most notorious spying cases in American history, died in prison Monday. Hanssen, 79, was found unresponsive in his cell at a federal prison in Florence, Colorado, and later pronounced dead, prison officials said. He is believed to have died of natural causes, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of Hanssens death and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Advertisement He had been serving a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole since 2002, after pleading guilty to 15 counts of espionage and other charges. Hanssen had divulged a wealth of information about American intelligence-gathering, including extensive detail about how U.S. officials had tapped into Russian spy operations, since at least 1985. Advertisement He was believed to have been partly responsible for the deaths of at least three Soviet officers who were working for U.S. intelligence and executed after being exposed. He got more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds, diamonds and Rolex watches in exchange for providing highly classified national security information to the Soviet Union and later Russia. He didnt adopt an obviously lavish lifestyle, instead living in a modest suburban home in Virginia with his family of six children and driving a Taurus and minivan. Hanssen would later say he was motivated by money rather than ideology, but a letter written to his Soviet handlers in 1985 explains a large payoff could have caused complications because he could not spend it without setting off warning bells. Using the alias Ramon Garcia, he passed some 6,000 documents and 26 computer disks to his handlers, authorities said. They detailed eavesdropping techniques, helped to confirm the identity of Russian double agents, and spilled other secrets. Officials also believed he tipped off Moscow to a secret tunnel the Americans built under the Soviet Embassy in Washington for eavesdropping. He went undetected for years, but later investigations found missed red flags. After he became the focus of a hunt for a Russian mole, Hanssen was caught taping a garbage bag full of secrets to the underside of a footbridge in a park in a dead drop for Russian handlers. The story was made into a movie titled Breach in 2007, staring Chris Cooper as Hanssen and Ryan Phillippe as a young bureau operative who helps bring him down. The FBI has been notified of Hanssens death, according to the Bureau of Prisons. Advertisement Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report. Kansas legislators Brenda Landwehr, left, and Chris Croft confer during a vote on an anti-transgender bathroom bill, which both support. AP Photo/John Hanna It has been seven years since North Carolina made headlines for enacting a bathroom bill legislation intended to prevent transgender people from using restrooms that align with their gender identity. After boycotts threatened to cost the state more than US$3.7 billion, legislators repealed the law in 2017. Since then, however, religious and political conservatives have successfully spread an anti-trans moral panic, or irrational fear, across the United States. As far back as 2001, Republican lawmakers proposed the first of what are now nearly 900 anti-LGBTQ+ bills. More than 500 of these were introduced in 49 state legislatures and the U.S. Congress during the first five months of 2023. To date, at least 79 have passed. Many of these anti-trans laws are written and financed by a group of far-right interest groups, including the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Family Research Council, the Liberty Counsel and the American Principles Project. These groups claim their proposed laws would protect cisgender women and girls those whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth from the sorts of violent trans people that are often depicted in movies and other media. But as criminologists, we know these claims are without merit. No reliable data supports the argument that transgender people commit violent crimes at higher rates than cisgender men and women. In fact, transgender people are more than four times as likely to be the victim of a crime as cisgender people. Demonstrators protest against a Tennessee proposal to ban drag shows, one of many anti-trans proposals across the U.S. John Amis/AP Images for Human Rights Campaign Expanding reach Anti-trans laws like the one enacted in Kansas over the governors veto reach beyond restrooms to limit access to many sex-segregated spaces, including locker rooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers, based on the sex assigned at birth to a person who seeks to use those spaces. As of the end of May 2023, at least 18 states had enacted laws within the preceding 12 months that limit medically age-appropriate gender-affirming health care for trans minors, with similar bills pending in 14 more states. And Floridas barrage of anti-LGBTQ+ regulations even prohibits the mere discussion of sexuality and gender identity in schools through the 12th grade. Journalist Adam Rhodes called these efforts a centrally coordinated attack on transgender existence. We believe these laws and bills illustrate the increasingly hostile legislative landscape for LGBTQ+ people despite polls showing that most people in the United States want trans people to be protected from discrimination in public spaces on the basis of their gender. What the data shows A variety of myths, false narratives, bad science, misconceptions and outright misrepresentations undergird anti-trans laws. The reality, however, is that trans-exclusionary laws do not protect cisgender women and girls from harassment or violence. Rather, they result in dramatic increases in violent victimization for transgender and gender-nonconforming adults and children. When laws permit transgender people to access sex-segregated spaces in accordance with their gender identities, crime rates do not increase. There is no association between trans-inclusive policies and more crime. As one of us wrote in a recent paper, this is likely because, just like cisgender folks, transgender people use locker rooms and restrooms to change clothes and go to the bathroom, not for sexual gratification or predatory reasons. Conversely, when trans people are forced by law to use sex-segregated spaces that align with the sex assigned to them at birth instead of their gender identity, two important facts should be noted. First, no studies show that violent crime rates against cisgender women and girls in such spaces decrease. In other words, cisgender women and girls are no safer than they would be in the absence of anti-trans laws. Certainly, the possibility exists that a cisgender man might pose as a woman to go into certain spaces under false pretenses. But that same possibility remains regardless of whether transgender people are lawfully permitted in those spaces. Second, trans people are significantly more likely to be victimized in sex-segregated spaces than are cisgender people. For instance, while incarcerated in facilities designated for men, trans women are nine to 13 times as likely to be sexually assaulted as the men with whom they are boarded. In womens prisons, correctional staff are responsible for 41% of womens sexual victimization, with cisgender women committing the balance of nearly all prisoner-on-prisoner violence. Similarly, trans boys and girls who are barred from using the washrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity are respectively between 26% to 149% more likely to be sexually victimized in the locations they are forced to use than cisgender youths. In society at large, between 84% and 90% of all crimes of sexual violence are perpetrated by someone the victim knows, not a stranger lurking in the shadows or the showers or restroom stalls. But trans and nonbinary people feel very unsafe in bathrooms and locker rooms, though others experience relative safety there. In fact, the largest study of its kind found that upward of 75% of trans men and 64% of trans women reported that they routinely avoid public restrooms to minimize their chances of being harassed or assaulted. Qween Jean, a transgender rights activist, is arrested May 31, 2023, during a trans-rights demonstration in New York City. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Lies drive harm Because criminological data does not support trans-exclusionary laws or policies, advocates of anti-trans laws often resort to lies, flawed anecdotal evidence, or what fact-checkers have called extreme cherry-picking to support their position. For instance, one of us documented how isolated news stories, often from notoriously transphobic tabloids, conflate the actions of sexual predators with the dangerousness of trans women. Although there are undeniably examples of actual transgender people committing crimes, even deeply troubling ones, they are not evidence of any behavioral trends among the broader class of trans people. No such data exists. We believe the spate of anti-trans proposals represents a textbook example of crime-control theater an unnecessary, ineffective and harmful legislative response to unfounded fearmongering. Anti-trans laws are not just baseless. Theyre hurtful and damaging, especially to LGBTQ+ teenagers. Recent polls indicate that more than 60% of these people experience deteriorating mental health including depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts as a result of laws and policies aimed at restricting their personhood. The criminological research is clear that anti-trans laws do not help the people they are claimed to protect. In fact, these laws inflict harm on people who are even more vulnerable. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation has a variety of fascinating free newsletters. It was written by: Henry F. Fradella, Arizona State University and Alexis Rowland, University of California, Irvine. Read more: Henry F. Fradella has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Justice, but not with regard to anything relevant to the subject matter of this piece. Alexis Rowland 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. Belfair man dies at the hospital after head-on crash in Mason County on Friday One of the Mason County drivers airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle following a crash on Friday has died, according to the Washington State Patrol. Richard T. Falk, 36, of Belfair, was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to a June 4 news release from Washington State Patrol. He was in a head-on collision with a 37-year-old Shelton woman who had a 2-year-old in her car. The woman was seriously injured, and the child was uninjured. Falk was driving north on State Route 3 close to Dawn Drive near Grapeview when he crossed the center line and hit the Shelton woman. All involved were wearing their seatbelts. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, according to the news release, but the WSP memo on the crash said there was no indication that drugs and alcohol were involved. Falk was identified by the King County Medical Examiners Office. Belgium probes use of its weapons by RDK volunteer fighters in Russia raids Alexander De Croo Belgium will ask Ukraine for clarification, the official added, according to a report by news agency Reuters. Read also: Russian Volunteer Corps in clashes Belgorod Oblast, call for negotiations with governor "Our Ministry of Defense and its intelligence agencies have launched an investigation and are asking for information to determine what exactly happened," the Belgian prime minister said. European weapons are supplied to Ukraine on the condition that they will be used on Ukrainian territory to defend that territory. And we have strict controls to make sure that this is the case. Read also: Chaos in Russias Belgorod Oblast as officials flee and the Russian army shells its own civilians Earlier, some media reported that fighters of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Freedom of Russia Legion had used tactical vehicles provided to Ukraine by the United States and Poland and carried rifles made in Belgium and the Czech Republic for raids into Russias Belgorod Oblast. On June 1, the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps announced that they were on the Ukrainian-Russian border and planned to move into the territory of the Russian Federation to "liberate the whole of Russia - from Belgorod to Vladivostok." Several RDK raids in Belgorod Oblast have already been reported. Earlier, Ukraines Defense Intelligence said that Russian volunteers used equipment taken from the Russian forces during the raid in Belgorod Oblast. 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 Bellingham man previously convicted of cyberstalking and indecent exposure has been accused of sending hundreds of sexually explicit unwanted messages, pictures and videos to a woman online. Blair Alan Hewitt, 46, was charged on May 31 in Whatcom County District Court with one count of cyberharassment, according to the District Court clerks office. Hewitt pleaded not guilty at his first appearance in court the same day. He was released from the Whatcom County Jail on a personal recognizance bond. Hewitts next court hearing is tentatively scheduled for July 24, according to the clerks office. Current case On May 27, a woman called Bellingham police to report that a person was sending unwanted sexually explicit messages to one on her social media pages, according to Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy. The woman told the male, who was later identified as Hewitt, that she was not interested and unappreciative of those messages, Murphy said. Hewitt allegedly kept sending messages to the woman, which included pornographic videos, shirtless photographs of himself, photographs of drugs and a video of himself masturbating, Murphy said. Hewitt told the woman that he would find out where she lives and come get her, Murphy said. In less than a two-day span, the woman estimated that she received hundreds of messages from Hewitt. The woman blocked Hewitt, but he allegedly created another page and continued sending the woman messages, Murphy said. Hewitt allegedly sent photographs of his home, his vehicle and indicated that he lived near Lake Padden, which allowed police to identify him. A Bellingham police officer saw Hewitt driving on Old Fairhaven Parkway on May 29. Before the officer had pulled over, Hewitt had pulled to the side of the road, got out and walked toward the back of his car, Murphy said. Hewitt was placed in handcuffs and arrested. Previous convictions Hewitt was previously charged June 17, 2021, with cyberstalking in Whatcom County District Court. The case was ultimately dismissed as part of a plea deal, but he still faced three additional cases in Whatcom County Superior Court. The cyberstalking charge was added to one of Hewitts Superior Court cases as part of an agreed recommendation, court documents state. Hewitt pleaded guilty Sept. 16, 2021, in Whatcom County Superior Court to one count of possessing, reading or capturing information contained on another persons identification, which is a felony, one count of second-degree possession of stolen property, a felony, and one count of cyberstalking, a gross misdemeanor, court records show. Hewitt was sentenced the same day to one year and one day in prison, with no probation, according to court records. Hewitt was also convicted in December 2021 in Island County Superior Court of two counts of first-degree criminal impersonation and one count of indecent exposure, which is a misdemeanor, court records show. Resources If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support: Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org. Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015. Tlils Taaaltha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips. WWU Survivor Advocacy Services at the Counseling & Wellness Center: 360-650-7982 or https://cwc.wwu.edu/survivorservices. Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org. Australia's most-decorated living soldier has found his reputation tainted by allegation of war crimes. A judgement in a landmark defamation trial says Australia's most-decorated living soldier lied to cover up his misconduct and threatened witnesses. It also found Ben Roberts-Smith "complicit in and responsible for" the murder of four Afghans. Last week, he lost a defamation suit against three Australian newspapers over war crimes allegations. It has raised the spectre of a possible wider reckoning over claims of war crimes by Australian forces. On Thursday, Federal Court Judge Anthony Besanko threw out the former special forces corporal's case against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Canberra Times. Mr Roberts-Smith claimed the papers ruined his life with their reports that he had broken the moral and legal rules of war. The judge delayed releasing the reasons for his judgement until Monday, to allow Australian authorities time to ensure it did not inadvertently divulge national security secrets. But Judge Besanko found the claims that Mr Roberts-Smith had murdered unarmed prisoners and civilians while serving in Afghanistan were "substantially true". Saying that the 44-year-old was "not an honest and reliable witness", he added: "I have difficulty accepting the applicant's evidence on any disputed issue". He further found that the Victoria Cross recipient invoked a special forces code of silence to intimidate witnesses, and also smeared and threatened others. Mr Roberts-Smith had used a private investigator to mail threats to those considering testifying against him, something Judge Besanko said may constitute a criminal offence - either perverting the course of justice or using a postal service to menace, harass or cause offence. More articles from the reporters at the centre of the trial, published in the days following the judgement, also allege further intimidating behaviour. Mr Roberts-Smith went to the extent of sending a legal threat to Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest woman, warning that an ex-soldier - Ms Rinehart's relative - would be sued for speaking ill of him, Nine Newspapers reported. He also used his private detective to investigate another former soldier and his family, and was captured on tape lambasting soldiers who break the code of silence. "A few people [in the special forces] had done what we don't do, and that's talk out of school," he said, according to the report. Mr Roberts-Smith has not commented since the ruling, but he is expected to appeal to the full bench of the federal court. The 110-day defamation trial cost up to an estimated A$25m ($16.3m, 13.2m). Mr Roberts-Smith had been considered a national hero for having single-handedly overpowered Taliban machine-gunners who were attacking his Special Air Service (SAS) platoon, earning him Australia's highest military honour. He was appointed to high-profile executive positions and received a string of accolades, even being crowned Father of the Year in 2013. But while he has not been charged with any offences, the father of two is currently the subject of an Australia Federal Police inquiry into alleged war crimes. In 2020, a landmark investigation known as the Brereton Report found "credible evidence" that elite Australian soldiers unlawfully killed 39 people in Afghanistan. It recommended that 19 current or former soldiers should be investigated over alleged killings of prisoners and civilians from 2009-13. A collage of cut outs of different characters from the best movies of the year, thus far. Credit - Sony Pictures Classics, A24 Films (2), Bleecker Street Summer is only just now upon us, which means its way too early to take stock of the years best movies. Or is it? We all know that the Oscar pundits dont really start making noise until the final months of the year, from September to December: those are the months in which the Oscar hopefuls start rolling in, and studios start campaigning for their big releases. But the halcyon days of June, July, and August shouldnt be undervalued: this is the perfect time to catch up on terrific movies that may have eluded your radar in the early months of 2023. The avalanche of hype will start soon enough. Catch up on these smaller but no less worthy pictures now, before the conversation turns into a noisy free-for-all. Saint Omer French documentary filmmaker Alice Diops first fiction feature is based on a real-life French court case involving a Senegalese immigrant who left her 15-month-old daughter on a beach to die. From that story, Diop has extracted a picture thats both poetic and compassionately direct. Rama (Kayije Kagame), a professor and novelist, travels from Paris to the town of Saint-Omer to attend the trial of a woman named Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda), accused of an unthinkable crime that she doesnt deny. Ramas plan is to gather material for an updated retelling of Medea. But as she listens to Laurences story, she begins to see the web of experience and feeling that connects her with her subject. This is a perceptive and delicately unnerving work, a reflection on the way humans can instinctively reach out to one another even across seemingly uncrossable chasms. Malandas radiantly somber face, held by the camera with a kind of inquisitive tenderness as she tells her story on the stand, is the heart of the picture. Read more: A Woman in France Claimed Witchcraft Made Her Kill Her Baby. The New Film Saint Omer Humanizes Her Story Past Lives In Celine Songs extraordinary debut film, Nora (Greta Lee), a playwright living in New York, married happily enough to fellow writer Arthur (John Magaro), finds her world rattled when a man from her past, Teo Yoos Hae Sung, suddenly re-enters her orbit. Shed been close friends with him in childhood, before she and her family emigrated from South Korea to Canada; theyd reconnected briefly as adults, if only via Skype, but a romance seemed impossible. When Hae Sung shows up in New York, Nora begins to wonder if shes made all the right choices in her life, asking the kinds of questions that can knock anyones world off its axis. Song has said the story she tells in Past Lives is semiautobiographical, and thats easy to believe. There are no villains here; no one lashes out or behaves badly. The movie ripples with the quiet melodrama of real life, the way big things often happen in the margins, and small things gradually come to mean the world. Somewhere between the right and the wrong decision is the choice we learn to live with, a sea of joy and sadness and everything in between. Reas more: Celine Song and Greta Lee on Past Lives Alchemy of Memoir and Artistry One Fine Morning Writer-director Mia Hansen-Lves delicately shaded One Fine Morning deals with the wrenchingly mundane nature of caring for those who used to take care of us. But its also about the difficultyand the necessityof tending to our own emotional lives even as were looking after others. Lea Seydoux is Sandra, a widowed translator living in Paris with her eight-year-old daughter. Shes been alone for a long time, but she tumbles into a kind of happiness after a chance encounter with an old friend, Clement (Melvil Poupaud), turns into an illicit affair. She needs some joy in her life: her father, Georg (Pascal Greggory), suffers from a neurodegenerative disease that has already robbed him of his sight and is now, increasingly, blurring his mind. It doesnt matter that Georg has always been a little distant as a father; Sandra must still do her best to care for him, whatever her best might be. This is a movie about how the most joyful moments of our lives are sometimes entwined with the worst, a state of uneasy grace thats as close as you can get to a happy ending. Read more: One Fine Morning Is a Quiet, Sturdy Portrait of a Woman Who Has Lost Her Way Emily We know very little about the woman who wrote Wuthering Heights, one of the great gothic novels, a story of melancholic obsession and of love that seeps into the soil of the grave. But Frances OConnors directorial debut, which blends fact with fanciful fiction, paints a haunting and sympathetic portrait of the person Emily Bronte might have been. Emma Mackey plays Emily, the sheltered and eccentric daughter of an uptight Yorkshire curate, growing up with siblingsincluding the competitive, passive-aggressive Charlotte (Alexandra Dowling)who help shape the writer shell eventually become. But the spark that truly ignites her imagination is an intensely erotic but ill-fated love affair with the young curate hottie, William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), who has come to assist her father in the parish. Is this really how Wuthering Heights came to be? Almost certainly not. But in surfing the wave of Brontes unknowability, OConnor ultimately reaches a kind of emotional truth, one that chimes with the ideas this enigmatic writer folded into the prose of her only book. Read more: Emily Paints a Haunting Portrait of the Most Mysterious Bronte Showing Up Making anything of valuea work of art, a poem, a solid piece of furnituredemands a deep descent into the self, to the point that its easy to neglect the needs of others in your orbit. Stay in that zone too long and theres a danger of forgetting how to have a simple conversation or make a phone call, of going a little feral. Thats just one of the ideas at play in Kelly Reichardts quietly extraordinary drama Showing Up. Michelle Williams is Lizzy, a Portland sculptor getting ready to mount a small but, for her, important show. Yet everything about Lizzy is coiled tight: theres friction between her and her closest friend, Jo (Hong Chau), whos also her landlord. And shes worried about her brother, Sean (John Magaro), a fragile soul whos barely tethered to reality. Why cant the world accommodate her as she gets ready for her big moment? Lizzy seems to wonder. Williams performance, as a woman whose art demands deep inner travel but whose movement through the everyday world could use some improvement, is a work of abrasive magic. Lizzy is perplexed, anxious, constantly and unreasonably annoyed by the behavior of others. And still, you feel for her. Read more: In Showing Up, Michelle Williams Gives a Terrific Performance as an Ornery Artist Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret You neednt have grown up with Judy Blumes best-selling young adult novel to appreciate the joys of Kelly Fremon Craigs adaptation. Eleven-year-old New York City girl Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) isnt too happy when she learns from her parents (Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie) that the family is picking up stakes and moving to the Jersey suburbs. But she makes new friends quickly, becoming part of a secret club of neighborhood girls. (Their rules, informed by inexplicable adoloscent logic, include directives like No socks!) The joys of childhood are already wearing thin with this group; they just cant wait to grow up. Who will be the first to be kissed? Who will menstruate first? The wonder of Are You There God? isnt just that it deals directly, and without condescension, with the vagaries of preteen awkwardness; its that it speaks so ardently to the adolescent in all of usparticularly, maybe, women who are going through menopause or already on the far side of it. That monthly event that used to rule your calendar, and to a degree your life, isnt foreverbut sometimes it takes a work of fiction to remind you what life was like before its onset. Read more: The Best Judy Blume Books to Read at Every Age Master Gardener Even though the romantic thriller as a genre has gone somewhat out of fashion, veteran screenwriter and director Paul Schrader still knows how to make these pictures better than anyone. Master Gardener is the third of a loose trilogy of movies that also includes First Reformed (2017) and The Card Counter (2021), all three entwined around the idea of male guilt. These are stories of men who feel they deserve punishment and instead find redemption. In Master Gardener, Joel Edgerton plays Narvel Roth, a sensitive and devoted horticulturist with a past rooted in racist hatred. Hes in charge of the lavish historic garden of rich uppity white lady Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver), who one day informs him that he must give her headed-for-trouble grand-niece, Maya (Quintessa Swindell), a job. She also informs Narvel, in icy-crisp grand dame tones, that Maya is of mixed blood. The less you know about Master Gardener going in, the better: tracing the trail of these characters secrets is part of the thrill. Can human beings really change? In Master Gardener they can. This is a film nourished by a sense of wonder, as fresh as the hardiest wildflower. Read more: Master Gardener Reminds Us of the Deep Pleasures of the Romantic Thriller Black Californians are waging a major fight to have land stolen from their ancestors returned to their families. One face included in the fight is that of Yolanda Tylu Owen. She uncovered the truth about land owned by her great-great-great-grandfather and how it was likely taken away. Speaking to NBC News, Owens said she found a total of four deeds in her great-great-great-grandfathers name. To her surprise, the land was also located in Napa Valley, California. Owens discovery of her familys land connects directly to the centuries-long history of Black people having their land stolen. This practice of acquiring land from Black landowners happened nationwide. Land was taken through acts of violence, frivolous litigation, or simply by forcing owners off their property. Attempts to take land from Black families continue to this day. One recent case includes a 93-year-old woman in South Carolina who claims a developer is attempting to force her to sell land that has been in her family since the mid-1880s. California specifically benefited from stealing land from Native Americans in its expansion in the mid-1800s. California Governor Gavin Newsom released a formal apology for the actions of the state against Natives back in 2019. However, Native Americans demanded more actions be taken to rectify the financial and social implications over centuries caused by the land theft. This echoes the calls of the Black Californians fighting for the return of the land owned by their ancestors and the larger conversation around reparations. There are not a whole lot of stories like this, because the priority of enslaved Blacks who were brought to California was to get away, writer Jean Pfaelzer told NBC News. These men were brought out, but their families were still held hostage on the plantations. So it was much more about finding jobs or starting a business so they could make enough money to buy their families. But there were some bold, ambitious Black people who did buy land. And in many cases their land was taken away from them, often in heartbreaking ways. Owens believes the only solution to reclaim her familys land is to take the fight on by herself. No ones going to do it for us, Owens said. She is not alone, though, with the NBC News piece following an additional three Black families currently fighting to have their California land returned. These families join numerous Black families nationwide currently navigating the same legal battle. Many of these families remain inspired to keep fighting for their family land based on success stories like that of the descendants of Willa and Charles Bruce. The Bruce family once owned Bruces Beach, a resort for Black families located in Manhattan Beach. The land was seized by California officials in 1924. But following a court battle that started in 2021, the Bruce family successfully had their land returned to them in 2022. The post Black Woman Fighting to Reclaim Land Stolen from Her Ancestors appeared first on 21Ninety. Anna Shay Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Anna Shay of "Bling Empire" fame has died at the age of 62. Shay was a key figure on the Netflix reality series, which followed a group of wealthy friends in LA. In a statement shared with People, her family said Anna taught them "how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things." Anna Shay, the quirky de facto matriarch of the Netflix reality series "Bling Empire" has died of a stroke. She was 62. Shay's family confirmed the news to People. "It saddens our hearts to announce that Anna Shay, a loving mother, grandmother, charismatic star, and our brightest ray of sunshine, has passed away at the early age of 62 from a stroke. Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things. Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but never forgotten." Shay appeared on all three seasons of the series billed as an IRL "Crazy Rich Asians and quickly ingratiated herself with both the audience and her castmates. She was particularly close with wealthy Singaporean Kane Lim and the show's business development director Florent Bonadei. As news of Shay's death began to spread, Shay's castmates shared tributes to her. "You never know when your last goodbye will be," wrote Kevin Krieder. "So unexpected and wished when I saw you last for lunch I would have taken a moment to smell the roses and had one last adventure with you." Shay's father was the founder of Pacific Architects and Engineers, which, Shay explained to Town and Country, meant he "did a lot of mostly government contracts, embassies, and a lot of things that I don't know about." Shay inherited shares of the company after her parents died, and she sold those off in 2006, netting around $600 million. The money gave her the opportunity to do whatever she wanted to do which meant everything from pursuing a contractor's license to flying to Paris for dinner on a whim, to taking her new model/actor/acquaintances on a shopping spree. Despite having loads of money, Shay seemed to have maintained perspective about her wealth. "People think that money is going to change you. That's what's so sad," she told Oprah Daily in 2021. "My mother said, 'You can always make money. The things that are most important are the things you can't buy.' Money, if you don't respect it, it's going to hurt you. If you're not prepared for it, people will hurt you." She was married and divorced four times and is survived by her son Kenny Kemp and her grandchildren. Read the original article on Insider Blinken takes aim at Israeli settlements; says US will press ahead with Israel-Saudi normalization WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that the expansion of Israeli settlements and ongoing demolitions of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank are taking Israel further away from peace with the Palestinians. Yet, he stressed that the U.S.-Israel relationship remains iron-clad," lauded American security commitments to the Jewish state and said the Biden administration will continue to promote normalization between Israel and its Arab neighbors, particularly with Saudi Arabia. At the same time, he made clear the administration's displeasure with actions that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government has taken in expanding Jewish settlements and increasing Palestinian home demolitions. Settlement expansion clearly presents an obstacle to the horizon of hope we seek, Blinken said in a speech to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington. Likewise, any move toward annexation of the West Bank, de facto or de jure, disruption of the historic status quo at the holy sites, the continuing demolitions of homes and the evictions of families that have lived in their homes for generations damage prospects for two states, he said. Improving Israeli-Arab relations cannot replace a two-state solution with the Palestinians, he said. Integration and normalization efforts are not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians, and they should not come at its expense, Blinken said. Israels deepened relationships with its partners can and should advance the well-being of the Palestinian people and the prospects of a two-state solution, he added. Blinken will visit Saudi Arabia this week, in part to discuss prospects for the Saudis joining the so-called Abraham Accords that were completed during the Trump administration between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, he said. We believe we can and must play an integral role in advancing it. We have no illusions this could be done quickly or easily but we remain committed to working toward this outcome. Blinken also reaffirmed the Biden administrations determination not to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for normalization of Israeli-Saudi ties during remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy summit in Washington shortly before d departing for talks in Saudi Arabia US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a powerful pro-Israel lobby group Monday that Saudi-Israeli normalization is deeply important for Washington and pledged that Iran would never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. "The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. We believe we can and indeed we must play an integral role in advancing it," Blinken told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. Speaking hours before departing for talks in Riyadh and Jeddah, Blinken said the administration of President Joe Biden was committed to the Abraham Accords, an initiative launched under previous president Donald Trump to persuade Arab countries to establish formal relations with the Jewish state. But so far Riyadh has held back, though it has opened up to Israeli commercial flights and has had many contacts with Israel. "Israel's further integration in the region contributes to a more stable, a more secure and more prosperous region, and a more secure Israel," Blinken told the AIPAC audience. He said the Biden administration has "no illusions" that bringing about a full Saudi-Israel normalization can be done quickly or easily. "But we remain committed to working toward that outcome, including on my trip this week to Jeddah and Riyadh for engagements with Saudi and Gulf counterparts," he said. Nevertheless, he added: "Integration and normalization efforts are not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians, and they should not come at its expense." Meanwhile Blinken reiterated Washington's pledge that Iran will not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. "The US-Israel relationship is underwritten by the United States commitment to Israel's security. That commitment is non-negotiable; it is ironclad," he said. "If Iran rejects the path of diplomacy, then, as President Biden has repeatedly made clear, all options are on the table to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons," Blinken said. lb/pmh/mlm Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. Hundreds of journalists for the countrys largest newspaper chain walked off the job on Monday, accusing the companys chief executive of decimating its local newsrooms, and demanding a change at the top. The walkout was the biggest labor action in Gannetts history, said the union representing the journalists. It included workers from about two dozen newsrooms, including The Palm Beach Post, The Arizona Republic and The Austin American-Statesman. The demonstrations are expected to continue on Tuesday for some newsrooms. Advertisement The collective action is timed to coincide with Gannetts annual shareholder meeting, which is being held Monday. The NewsGuild, which represents more than 1,000 journalists from Gannett, sent a letter to Gannett shareholders in May urging a vote of no-confidence against Mike Reed, the chief executive and chairman. In the letter, the NewsGuild criticized the companys merger with GateHouse Media in 2019, saying it mortgaged the future of our company by loading it up with debt. Advertisement The letter also criticized Reed, who was previously the CEO of GateHouse Media and took over Gannett after the merger. The union said his compensation $7.7 million in 2021 and $3.4 million in 2022 was far too high for a company shedding jobs and paying what the letter said was depressed wages to the remaining journalists. Gannetts share price has fallen about 70% in the years after the GateHouse merger. Gannett has created news deserts everywhere you look, said Peter D. Kramer, a reporter for the USA Today Network. Thats Mike Reeds Gannett. Kramer, who is based in Westchester County, New York, said that some Gannett reporters had to take second jobs to supplement their salaries, or they simply left the profession altogether. Lark-Marie Anton, a Gannett spokesperson, said in a statement that while the company disagreed with the recommendation to oust Reed, Gannett remains committed to our shareholder engagement process and takes all feedback seriously. During a very challenging time for our industry and economy, Gannett strives to provide competitive wages, benefits and meaningful opportunities for all our valued employees, Anton said. Our leadership is focused on investing in local newsrooms and monetizing our content as we continue to negotiate fairly and in good faith with the NewsGuild. Anton said there would be no disruption to Gannetts news coverage during the work stoppage this week. Gannett became the largest newspaper publisher in the United States after its merger with GateHouse, a deal that the companies said at the time would result in annual cost savings of up to $300 million and help them survive the headwinds battering the news media industry. The merged company, which took the Gannett name, owns USA Today and more than 200 daily newspapers in 43 states, though it has closed dozens of publications since the 2019 deal. Advertisement Like many other publishers of local news, Gannett has struggled with declining revenue from advertising and print circulation. The debt load from its merger with GateHouse has also weighed on the company. Gannett said in its first-quarter earnings this year that it had $1.2 billion in outstanding debt. It has tried to service the debt with a string of widespread cost-cutting measures in the past year, including laying off about 6% of its roughly 3,440-person media division in December. According to securities filings, Gannetts work force has almost halved since November 2019. The NewsGuild said The Austin American-Statesmans newsroom had 41 employees this year, down from 110 in 2018. In that same period, The Arizona Republics newsroom in Phoenix had shrunk to 89 workers from 140, while The Milwaukee Sentinel had been cut to 82 from 104. You have communities that go uncovered, and when things go uncovered it allows people to abuse their positions, said Kaitlyn Kanzler, a reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record in Northern New Jersey. Jon Schleuss, the president of the NewsGuild, said in a statement that Reed doesnt care one bit about a long-term strategy to invest in the company by investing in journalists. They need support and resources to make sure our communities have the local news needed to keep our democracy thriving, Schleuss said. Instead, Reeds singular focus has been on stuffing his own pockets. Advertisement Gannett said this year that it had surpassed 2 million digital-only subscriptions. In its first-quarter earnings report for 2023, Gannett said it generated $10.3 million in profit, compared with a loss of $3 million in the same period last year, and projected revenue of $2.75 billion to $2.8 billion for the year. c.2023 The New York Times Company US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for normalization of Israeli-Saudi ties during remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy summit in Washington shortly before d departing for talks in Saudi Arabia US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Monday for the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel on the eve of his visit to the Arab power. "The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia," Blinken said in a speech to the powerful pro-Israel lobby AIPAC. "We believe we can and indeed we must play an integral role in advancing it," Blinken said. He said the administration of President Joe Biden has "no illusions" that bringing about full Saudi-Israel diplomatic relations can be done quickly or easily. "But we remain committed to working toward that outcome, including on my trip this week to Jeddah and Riyadh for engagements with Saudi and Gulf counterparts," he said. Blinken is expected to arrive Tuesday evening in Jeddah, the Red Sea port where the ruling Saudi royalty keep palaces for the summer season. On Wednesday and Thursday he will be in Riyadh for a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council and a separate meeting of the 80-strong coalition of countries fighting the Islamic State group. - Deep but testy relations - Besides his diplomatic counterparts, Blinken is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto power in the country. Despite longstanding close ties, US relations with the Saudis have been testy in recent years, over human rights issues like the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi by a group tied to the Saudi royal palace, and Riyadh's effort to raise oil prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the Saudis recently gave China an opening into Middle East political dynamics when Beijing brokered a tentative rapprochement between Riyadh and archrival Tehran. And in May Prince Mohammed hosted Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, whose legitimacy Washington rejects, in Jeddah. Still, US-Saudi relations are intimate, especially defense: Washington provides the Sunni Arab giant security protection from Shiite Iran, and the Saudis purchase significant amounts of arms from the United States. Both are also involved in efforts to end the years-long war in Yemen that pits Iran-backed Huthi rebels against the frail government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition. And most recently the Saudis have hosted in Jeddah negotiations between the warring military factions in Sudan. Jeddah last month also became a first destination for foreign diplomats and Sudanese nationals evacuating from Khartoum after the fighting erupted. "There is just a tremendous amount of work that we're trying to do" with the visit, said Daniel Benaim, a senior State Department official dealing with Arabian Peninsula affairs. "We're focused on an affirmative agenda here and the great deal of work our countries can do together." - Abraham Accords - Washington has stepped up its push for Saudi-Israeli ties in the wake of the successes of the Abraham Accords, the initiative launched by former president Donald Trump to persuade Arab countries to recognize the Jewish state. Although Israel and Saudi Arabia have long maintained regular contacts at the unofficial level, Riyadh has declined to recognize Israel, in part over Israel's treatment of its Palestinian minority. Blinken alluded to that Monday. "Integration and normalization efforts are not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians, and they should not come at its expense." "Israel's deepening relationships with its partners can and should advance the well-being of the Palestinian people," he said. - Battling Islamic State's spread - The anti-Islamic State coalition meeting will focus on the spread of jihadist extremism outside the Middle East, according to Ian McCary of the Department of State's Counterterrorism Bureau. "We're focusing in particular on Africa, where violent groups have adopted ISIS's ideology," McCary said, using another acronym for the Islamic State. The Riyadh gathering "underscores that the international community remains united in its determination to keep ISIS weak, fractured, and ultimately destroyed," he said. pmh/bgs By Simon Lewis and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged continued U.S. commitment to both Israel's security and a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict on Monday, but said the expansion of Jewish settlements would be an obstacle to peace. In a speech to the pro-Israel lobby group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, Blinken also said that moves toward annexation of the Israeli-occupied West Bank or that disrupt the status quo at holy sites would hurt the prospects for a two-state solution. President Joe Biden's administration has criticized Israel's right-wing government for moves it sees as consolidating settlements and for "provocative" visits by some members of the government to sites in Jerusalem sacred to both Muslims and Jews. "Settlement expansion clearly presents an obstacle to the horizon of hope that we seek," Blinken said to muted response from the audience. "Likewise, any move toward annexation of the West Bank, de facto or de jure, disruption of the historic status quo at holy sites, the continuing demolitions of homes and the evictions of families that have lived in those homes for generations damage prospects for two states. They also undermine the basic daily dignity to which all people are entitled," Blinken added. Israel's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The top U.S. diplomat drew widespread applause when he outlined the longstanding American commitment to Israel and said all options were on the table when it came to preventing Israel's No. 1 enemy, Iran, from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Blinken, who is set to travel to Saudi Arabia this week, said the United States would keep helping Israel's efforts to integrate with its neighbors, including by creating a new position for a diplomat charged with "working towards a more peaceful and connected" Middle East. "The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia," Blinken added. (Reporting by Simon Lewis and Doina Chiacu; editing by Rami Ayyub, Bernadette Baum and Will Dunham) Ugandan troops discovered the bodies of 54 Ugandan soldiers who were killed during an al-Shabaab attack on an African Union base in Somalia last week, according to Ugandan officials. The discovery took place as the Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) regained control of the forward operating base in Buulo Mareer, about 120 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, State House Uganda said via Twitter Saturday. During that operation, UPDF discovered the lifeless bodies of 54 fallen soldiers, including Lt Col Edward Nyororo, the commander., the agency said. After Ugandan troops reclaimed the base, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced that two commanders who ordered their soldiers to retreat during the May 26 militant attack would face a court martial. The mistake was made by two commanders, Maj. Oluka and Maj. Obbo, who ordered the soldiers to retreat. They have been apprehended and will face charges in the Court Martial, the president said via Twitter. Ugandan soldiers are stationed at the forward operating base as a peacekeeping force. Al-Shabaab launched the deadly attack on the military base using Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices and suicide bombers, the African Union said last week. Unverified images shared on jihadi media channels showed about a dozen Ugandan troops, with arms restrained behind their backs, being captured by the militants. The militant groups move has drawn condemnations from the US and the European Union. We express our deepest condolences to the victims families and friends and wish a full recovery to those injured. The United States commends the bravery and sacrifice of the troops participating in this important mission. We stand with our Somali and African Union partners in the fight to defeat terrorism and to advance peace and stability for the Somali people, the US State Department said. In an earlier statement, the European Union said the attack only reinforces its commitment to stand with the region and to hold to account those responsible for these continuously heinous assaults against Somali citizens and those seeking to stabilize the situation in the country. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A missing Bloomfield man's body was found near the Rockefeller Lookout in Englewood Cliffs on Sunday, police said. The unidentified 54-year-old man was reported missing by his brother to Clifton police on Friday, said Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Lt. Raymond Walter. A car registered to the man was found by parkway police at about 5 a.m. Sunday, Walter said. More: Robbers run off with $68,000 in high-end items from morning heist at Hackensack mall From there a search began for the missing man, with a helicopter from the New York Police Department, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit and the East Bergen Rappel Team all brought in to assist. After an "extensive search," the man's body was found. Details on the man's identity and the circumstances of his death were not immediately available. The death remains under investigation, Walter said. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bloomfield NJ man's body recovered in Englewood Cliffs Boston police are asking for public help locating a missing 14-year-old girl from Dorchester. According to Boston Police, Olivia Bird was last seen walking on Geneva Avenue near the Fields Corner MBTA station Thursday night around 6:30 p.m. She was last seen wearing a tan jumpsuit, with gray Nike sneakers. She could also be carrying a backpack and be accompanied by other young girls. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is advised to contact 911 or c-11 Detectives at 617-343-4335. 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 MaryAnn Dakkaks leg pain was chalked up to obesity until a doctor friend discovered the real cause Getty A patient's weight can often lead to a misdiagnosis A Boston doctor is speaking out about bias in the medical community against overweight and obese patients after her own pain was misdiagnosed to the point where she nearly lost use of her leg. Dr. MaryAnn Dakkak struggled with sciatica radiating nerve pain down her leg after the birth of her third child. I had gone to the emergency room, had felt very dismissed. Nobody examined my leg. Nobody touched my back, she told TODAY.com. It was very much, So you just had a baby. Sciatica [is common]. But Dakkaks pain escalated, making her left leg difficult to lift. She had hip pain. Her 10-year-old had to help her get dressed. Getty Images/iStockphoto Weight can often lead to a patient being misdiagnosed As a doctor, Dakkak knew that her obesity couldnt medically be a factor in her pain, so she reached out to friends and colleagues for help. My friend tested my reflexes and I had no reflexes in my left leg, Dakkak says. [My friend] was like What were you thinking? No obesity causes you to be unable to lift your left leg. The diagnosis? A herniated disc that cut off my nerve root an injury so severe, it would have led to Dakkak losing the use of her leg had it not been treated. Related: P.K. Subban Slammed for 'Horrible' Body-Shaming Joke About Lizzo During NHL Playoffs Luckily, because I know so many doctors, I was able to cobble together my own care team fairly quickly, she told Today.com. One of my clinicians told me, Oh my gosh, if you hadnt advocated for yourself, you would have been permanently in a wheelchair. I would have been permanently unable to use my left leg. Dakkak was fortunate to have a network of doctors to rely on but not every patient is so lucky. Thats part of what inspired her to write about her experience for an essay called Fat ShameInside and Out in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Related: Selena Gomez 'Lied' About Being Unfazed by Body Shamers, Recalls 'Crying My Eyes Out' from Criticism In her essay, Dakkak implores doctors to look past their own prejudices towards overweight and obese patients prejudices that often lead to them being misdiagnosed, as she was, or to avoid seeking medical care altogether. The data on medical stigma of obesity are damning. A survey of medical students published in 2018 reported that 74% thought obesity resulted from ignorance, and 28% thought people with obesity are lazy, Dakkak wrote. Similar surveys of outpatient physicians suggest that about half hold obesity biases, and many feel unprepared to counsel and/or treat obesity. Furthermore, patients with obesity are more likely to delay or defer health care visits. In a recent TikTok, Dakkak acknowledges that obesity can and does lead to health problems. But, she advises, instead of using obesity as kind of a punitive word, use it as what it is. Its a risk factor, she said. It is pathologically important. It contributes to diabetes, hypertension, and many things. She also cautions that its important to pay attention to why people gain weight. People didnt become obese because they ate too much ice cream. Thats a lie. They didnt become obese because of their choice. They didnt become obese because they dont know how to eat healthy or theyre too lazy. Those are all stigmas that are actually based in lies. People become obese for multiple reasons, many of which have to do with genetics and public health, and we are gonna have to treat patients as full humans and respect them as such. And while her surgery was successful, the delays in medical treatment have caused Dakkak to still struggle with pain. Two years after my visit to the emergency department, I remain an obese, mildly disabled physician, she wrote in JAMA. My left leg will always be weaker than my right. But as a faculty member at the Boston University School of Medicine, Dakkak writes part of her job is helping students learn to overcome the stigmas that she faced. Creating and promoting a curriculum focused on understanding and disarming our learned biases are necessary to provide the best care to all patients, regardless of size. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Bournemouth beach deaths latest: Cause of deaths revealed for children who died in sea tragedy The two youngsters who died in the Bournemouth beach tragedy drowned, an opening inquest has heard. Sunnah Khan, 12, described by a family friend as an angel and Joe Abbess, 17, died last week after getting into difficulty in the sea off the pier. Earlier, Sunnahs mother Stephanie Williams said she was still in the dark about what happened during the incident and had not been given any information beyond what Dorset Police said at a news conference following the deaths. Its just really difficult to accept, she told The Sun. Somebody has potentially caused Sunnah to be taken away from us. Ms Williams added the cause of her daughters death was drowning but there were no other injuries. Dorset Police initially said the deceased has sustained critical injuries. Joe, from Southampton, was identified as the other victim. His family said they were heartbroken and devastated at the loss of a fabulous young man and talented trainee chef who was enjoying a day at Bournemouth beach when he died on Wednesday. A 40-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the incident has been released under investigation. Key points Two victims drowned, inquest hears Mother of angel who drowned still in dark over what happened Teenagers hailed as heroes after risking lives to save drowning man on day of tragedy Family of girl who died in Bournemouth beach tragedy say death left hole in our hearts Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor says daughter taken out by rip tide' Police search pleasure boat as part of investigation Two children who died in sea tragedy not related', police say Breaking: Youngsters died of drowning, inquest hears 11:24 , Matt Mathers Joe Abbess, 17, and Sunnah Khan, 12, died of drowning following "suggestions" they got caught in a riptide off Bournemouth beach, an inquest opening at Bournemouth has heard. Well have more on this breaking story as it comes in. Angel schoolgirl who died at Bournemouth beach was chest-deep when she was pulled under water 11:15 , Matt Mathers The 12-year-old girl who died in the Bournemouth beach tragedy was chest-deep in the sea when she was pulled underwater, it has been reported. Sunnah Khan, 12, from High Wycombe , was standing chest-deep in the sea before the incident unfolded beside Bournemouth Pier, according to The Sun. A 17-year-old trainee chef from Southampton , Joe Abbess, also died after a struggle in the water. Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports: Schoolgirl who died in Bournemouth was chest-deep when she was pulled under water Dorset Police defends handling of complex case 10:50 , Matt Mathers A top policing official has defended Dorset Polices handling of the Bournemouth beach tragedy, saying it is acomplex case. David Sidwick, the Conservative police and crime commissioner for Dorset, pushed back against allegations that the force had not provided enough clarity about what happened. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that while there would be a review of police communication at the end of all this, officers were dealing with a complex case and cooperating with other agencies. He added: This is a complex investigation. It includes a number of agencies including the coroners office, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Dorset police. They are working together as fast as they can to find out what happened on that day. And I truly believe that they need to be given the time and space to do that fully, thoroughly, professionally and without hindrance. At this moment in time, we have to understand that this is an immensely complex situation. The police moved to rule out those things which they could rule out when they had enough evidence to be able to do that. What they cant do is say what exactly happened and they shouldnt because the veracity of any statement made by those investigating this incident must be beyond reproach. And not just for any legal situation, but also because it is, to remind everyone the victims and their families needs are paramount. Lack of clarity from police fuelling wild speculation online - MP 10:35 , Matt Mathers A lack of clarity from police investigating what happened in the Bournemouth tragedy is fuelling "wild speculation on social media, a senior MP has said. Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative MP for Bournemouth East and chair of the Commons defence committee, suggested the void could be filled with misleading messaging by those who wish us harm. Police are keeping an open mind about the circumstances that led to the death of two youngsters who got into difficulty in the water off Bournemouth beach. Speaking to the BBC Radio 4s Today programme earlier, Mr Ellwood said: Certainly anybody would not want to impede or prejudice the investigation. But if the absence of any comprehensive statement becomes standard, I can see who, speaking on a wider picture and security level those who wish us harm could leverage the void by misleading messaging. We do need to understand, learn lessons from this, provide clarity early on just so people can have an assurance of mind as to what roughly happened, and then make their own assessments as to whether its safe to go or whether they should move away. (Sky News) What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy 10:15 , Matt Mathers Bournemouth Pier, like all outcrops in the ocean such as groins, headlands or sandbars, presents danger for swimmers due to riptides, or rip currents. Rips, as they are commonly known, are strong currents that occur when water that has been pushed towards land by the sea, is tracking back out, creating a channel of water which pulls back out to sea. Full report: What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy ICYMI: Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours 09:39 , Matt Mathers The father of one of the survivors of the Bournemouth beach tragedy has addressed the rumours surrounding the mystery events that led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, as police search a pleasure boat as part of their investigation. Survivor Lauren Tate, 18, one of eight others who were injured, was treated in hospital and is now continuing to recover at home, after a rip tide took her and her friends out to sea when they were swimming by the pier, according to her father. Tara Cobham reports: Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours Victims mother still in the dark over what happened 07:49 , Matt Mathers The mother of a girl who died in the Bournemouth beach tragedy has said she is still in the dark about what happened during the incident. Sunnah Khan, 12 and Joe Abbess, 17, died last week after getting into difficulty in the sea off the pier. Her mother, Stephanie Williams, 32, said she has not been given any information beyond what Dorset Police said at a news conference following the deaths. Its just really difficult to accept, she told The Sun. "Somebody has potentially caused Sunnah to be taken away from us. Ms Williams added the cause of her daughters death was drowning but there were no other injuries. (Twitter/Stephanie Williams) Recap: everything we know so far about the beach deaths 07:31 , Matt Mathers An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Here is everything we know so far: What happened at Bournemouth pier? ICYMI: Bournemouth beach victim, 17, was talented young chef 07:28 , Matt Mathers A 17-year-old boy who died after getting into difficulty in the water off Bournemouth beach this week has been described by his family as a fabulous young man and a wonderful son and brother. Joe Abbess, from Southampton, was kind and generous, loving and caring, hardworking and funny, they said. Jane Dalton reports: Bournemouth beach victim, 17, was talented young chef, say heartbroken family 07:28 , Matt Mathers Good morning and welcome to the Independents coverage of the Bournemouth beach tragedy. Two youngsters died last week after getting into difficulty in the sea off the pier. It remains unclear how the victims, who sustained critical injuries, died. Well bring you updates on this story as they come in. Blog closed Sunday 4 June 2023 21:23 , Joe Middleton The blog is closed for today. What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Sunday 4 June 2023 19:32 , Joe Middleton Bournemouth has been rocked by the tragic deaths of two children who got into trouble in the sea as thousands of half-term holidaymakers descended on the popular beach. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a riptide. It comes after police dismissed speculation that the victims had jumped off the pier or were hit by a vessel on the water. Here we look at what a riptide is and what to do if you get caught in one: What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Bournemouth: Witness describes 'panic' on beach after tragic incident Sunday 4 June 2023 18:19 , Joe Middleton Familys full tribute to wonderful son and brother' Sunday 4 June 2023 17:45 , Joe Middleton In a statement provided to Dorset Police, the family of Joe Abbess, said: We are heartbroken and devastated at the death of our Joe. He was a wonderful son and brother who is sadly missed. His family and friends will always love him and we are incredibly proud of the fabulous young man he was. He was kind and generous, loving and caring, hardworking and funny. Joe was a talented trainee chef, with a bright future ahead of him. We were privileged to have him in our lives for 17 years and we are so sorry he will never fulfil his dreams and ambitions. He was enjoying a day at the beach on Wednesday and we would like to thank his friends and all of the emergency services who helped him, when this tragedy unfolded. Boy, 17, who died in Bournemouth beach tragedy identified by police Sunday 4 June 2023 17:17 , Joe Middleton A 17-year-old boy who died after getting into difficulty in the water off Bournemouth beach this week has been described by his family as a fabulous young man and a wonderful son and brother. Joe Abbess, from Southampton, was kind and generous, loving and caring, hardworking and funny, according to a family statement issued by Dorset Police. A 12-year-old girl, named in reports as Sunnah Khan, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, died at the same time. Jane Dalton reports. Boy, 17, who died in Bournemouth beach tragedy identified by police Everything we know about impounded sightseeing boat after Bournemouth beach deaths Sunday 4 June 2023 15:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A sightseeing boat has been impounded by police after two children died in a tragic sea incident in Bournemouth this week. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near the Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. A day after the incident, forensic officers were seen onboard the sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, at Cobbs Quay, Poole Harbour. Everything we know about the Bournemouth beach deaths A packed beach, a fight and a single bunch of flowers: Mystery Bournemouth deaths fail to deter tourists Sunday 4 June 2023 14:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain In case you missed it... Mystery still surrounds the events that saw a 17 year-old-boy and a 12 year-girl lose their lives - but Bournemouth beach was as busy as ever. Tara Cobham reports A beach and a bunch of flowers: Busy Bournemouth welcomes tourists day after deaths What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Sunday 4 June 2023 13:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Bournemouth has been rocked by the tragic deaths of two children who got into trouble in the sea as thousands of half-term holidaymakers descended on the popular beach. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a riptide. It comes after police dismissed speculation that the victims had jumped off the pier or were hit by a vessel on the water. Here we look at what a riptide is and what to do if you get caught in one: What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Everything we know about the area surrounding the Bournemouth beach deaths Sunday 4 June 2023 13:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Jet skis and other watercraft operating in the Bournemouth and Poole areas must follow specific rules between April and October. Bournemouth, a popular seaside town on Englands south coast, is popular with locals and tourists during the summer months. Average temperatures in and around the pier area of the sea are 12.4C for the month of June and can exceed 16 in September, according to the surf-forecast website. The website says the area tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells, with surfers warned to watch out for rips and crowds. Everything we know about the Bournemouth beach deaths Bournemouth pleasure boat seized by police returned to pier twice as beach tragedy unfolded Sunday 4 June 2023 12:23 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A boat seized by police in Bournemouth returned twice to the pier during the tragic incident that led to the death of two children on Wednesday, marine traffic data shows. The 49-year-old sea-going passenger boat, Dorset Belle, was impounded by officers on Thursday and was the subject of further searches on Friday as it remained at the Cobbs Quay, Poole Harbour, guarded by a police van. It comes as Dorset police are continuing investigations into the vessel and any role it may have had in the incident that led to the deaths of a girl, 12, from High Wycombe and a boy, 17, from Southampton. A man in his 40s who was on the water at the time was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. He was released under investigation on Thursday. Bournemouth pleasure boat seized by police returned to pier twice as tragedy unfolded Dorset Police dismiss reports of jumping off pier or jet skis involved in incident Sunday 4 June 2023 11:36 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain At a press conference on Thursday, Dorset Police dismissed reports that the deceased had jumped from the pier or had been hit by a jet ski. Rachel Farrell, assistant chief constable, confirmed that none of the swimmers had been in physical contact with any vessel. She said that a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and the force was investigating what caused that to happen. As we have a person in custody, you will know there is only limited information I can give about the investigation, Ms Farrell said. However, to avoid further speculation, I am able to tell you that its clear that yesterday a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and we are investigating the circumstances or event that caused that to happen. Ms Farrell added that the two who died were not related to each other and those involved were different people from different families who were assisted by great-spirited members of the public. Hero teenagers rushed into water to help save swimmers at Bournemouth beach Sunday 4 June 2023 10:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Two teenagers have been hailed heroes after they helped bring a man struggling in the water off Bournemouth Pier to safety on the day two children died in the sea. Iona Hunter, 14 and Kaiden Andre, 15, were swimming in water at Bournemouth beach on the day of a tragic incident, which led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl from High Wycombe - identified on social media as Sunnah Khan - and a 17-year-old boy from Southampton. Eight others were treated by paramedics after being rescued from the sea. The father of one of the survivors previously addressed rumours of what happened during the tragedy, saying his daughter was caught in a rip tide. Amid the chaotic scenes on the south coast beach, Basingstoke teenagers Iona and Kaiden along with their group of friends have been praised for helping a man who was struggling in the water. A young boy was first helped out of the sea by their friend Max, when Iona and Kaiden realised others were in trouble. Hero teenagers rushed into water to help save swimmers at Bournemouth beach Family of girl who died in Bournemouth beach tragedy say death left hole in our hearts Sunday 4 June 2023 09:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The family of a 12-year-old girl who died in a tragic incident on Bournemouth beach has said her death left a hole in all of our hearts. The girl, identified as Sunnah on social media, and a 17-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in the water next to Bournemouth Pier. Eight others were pulled from the water on Wednesday but did not suffer serious injuries. Police arrested a man in his forties who was on the water at the time on suspicion of manslaughter, but he has since been released under investigation. A relative of the 12-year-old, who lived in High Wycombe, has now paid tribute, saying the family will remember her every day for the rest of our lives. Family of girl who died in Bournemouth tragedy say death left hole in our hearts Everything we know about the Bournemouth beach deaths Sunday 4 June 2023 08:58 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Tragedy struck a packed Bournemouth beach yesterday as two youngsters died after being pulled from the sea. Eight other people were recovered from the water after getting into difficulty off the main pier as thousands of beachgoers enjoyed the sunny half-term weather. They were treated by paramedics for non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Dorset Police said the two deceased - a 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire - sustained critical injuries. Everything we know about the Bournemouth beach deaths Teenagers hailed as heroes after risking lives to save drowning man on day of tragedy Sunday 4 June 2023 08:36 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Two teenagers have been hailed heroes after they helped bring a man struggling in the water off Bournemouth pier to safety. The teenagers were swimming in water at Bournemouth beach on the day of a tragic incident which saw a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy die, and eight others pulled from the sea with injuries. Iona Hunter, 14, and Kaiden Andre, 15, said they swam out to help a young man and young woman. The man was struggling, so me and Kaiden both put his weight on our shoulders to help keep him afloat, The Times quotes Ioana as saying. I wasnt really feeling anything at that point I was just thinking about trying to get him back to shore. He was heavy . . . he had inhaled lots of water. The 14-year-old estimated that a lifeguard swam out to them around 15 minutes after she raised her hand to get their attention. Everything we know about impounded sightseeing boat after Bournemouth beach deaths Saturday 3 June 2023 21:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A sightseeing boat has been impounded by police after two children died in a tragic sea incident in Bournemouth this week. A day after the incident, forensic officers were seen onboard the sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, at Cobbs Quay, Poole Harbour. Heres everything we know: Everything we know about impounded boat after Bournemouth beach deaths Dorset Police dismiss reports of jumping off pier or jet skis involved in incident Saturday 3 June 2023 20:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain At a press conference on Thursday, Dorset Police dismissed reports that the deceased had jumped from the pier or had been hit by a jet ski. Rachel Farrell, assistant chief constable, confirmed that none of the swimmers had been in physical contact with any vessel. She said that a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and the force was investigating what caused that to happen. As we have a person in custody, you will know there is only limited information I can give about the investigation, Ms Farrell said. However, to avoid further speculation, I am able to tell you that its clear that yesterday a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and we are investigating the circumstances or event that caused that to happen. Ms Farrell added that the two who died were not related to each other and those involved were different people from different families who were assisted by great-spirited members of the public. Watch: Witness describes 'panic' on beach after tragic incident Saturday 3 June 2023 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Saturday 3 June 2023 18:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Bournemouth has been rocked by the tragic deaths of two children who got into trouble in the sea as thousands of half-term holidaymakers descended on the popular beach. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a riptide. What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Saturday 3 June 2023 17:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Heres everything we know so far after a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire and a 17-year-old boy from Southampton died in a tragic incident. What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about pier tragedy Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat Saturday 3 June 2023 16:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The father of one of the survivors of the Bournemouth beach tragedy has addressed the rumours surrounding the mystery events that led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, as police search a pleasure boat as part of their investigation. Survivor Lauren Tate, 18, one of eight others who were injured, was treated in hospital and is now continuing to recover at home, after a rip tide took her and her friends out to sea when they were swimming by the pier, according to her father. In response to the intense speculation that has surrounded the incident, her father told MailOnline: Weve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasnt like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out. She was lucky to get pulled from the sea by the coastguard and one of her other friends was rescued by a paddleboarder. I know the boy who died was at college with her, but I dont know anything about him. All she told me is that they all met up on the train and headed to Bournemouth beach for the day. Bournemouth tragedy survivors father addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat Teenager hailed a hero for helping struggling swimmers to shore on Bournemouth beach Saturday 3 June 2023 15:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A 15-year-old from Basingstone has been called a hero after he helped people struggling in choppy waters on Bournemouth beach. Kaiden Andre, 15, was swimming in the water with his friend Ioana near Bournemouth pier when he heard the shouts of a man. His mum, Jody, told the Daily Echo: He was kicking and flapping but Kaiden managed to keep his head above water. Then Iona began having some trouble and so he did the same with her. Kaiden said to me he has never known the sea to be that choppy. There was no jumping off the pier, no speeding boats, he just saw this young guy in trouble and went to help. What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Saturday 3 June 2023 14:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a riptide. It comes after police dismissed speculation that the victims had jumped off the pier or were hit by a vessel on the water. Here we look at what a riptide is and what to do if you get caught in one: What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about the area Saturday 3 June 2023 13:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Jet skis and other watercraft operating in the Bournemouth and Poole areas must follow specific rules between April and October. Bournemouth, a popular seaside town on Englands south coast, is popular with locals and tourists during the summer months. Average temperatures in and around the pier area of the sea are 12.4C for the month of June and can exceed 16 in September, according to the surf-forecast website. The website says the area tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells, with surfers warned to watch out for rips and crowds. What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours Saturday 3 June 2023 13:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The father of one of the survivors of the Bournemouth beach tragedy has addressed the rumours surrounding the mystery events that led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, as police search a pleasure boat as part of their investigation. Survivor Lauren Tate, 18, one of eight others who were injured, was treated in hospital and is now continuing to recover at home, after a rip tide took her and her friends out to sea when they were swimming by the pier, according to her father. In response to the intense speculation that has surrounded the incident, her father told MailOnline: Weve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasnt like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out. She was lucky to get pulled from the sea by the coastguard and one of her other friends was rescued by a paddleboarder. Read on here: Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours Family of girl who died in Bournemouth beach tragedy say death left hole in our hearts Saturday 3 June 2023 12:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The family of a 12-year-old girl who died in a tragic incident on Bournemouth beach has said her death left a hole in all of our hearts. The girl, identified as Sunnah on social media, and a 17-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in the water next to Bournemouth Pier. Eight others were pulled from the water on Wednesday but did not suffer serious injuries. Police arrested a man in his 40s who was on the water at the time on suspicion of manslaughter, but he has since been released under investigation. A relative of the 12-year-old, who lived in High Wycombe, has now paid tribute, saying the family will remember her every day for the rest of our lives. She was an absolute force of nature, liked by all and loved by so many, The Times quotes a family member as saying. She will be so sorely missed by her parents, siblings and friends. There are no words to describe the hole she has left in all of our hearts but we will remember her every day for the rest of our lives. Family of girl who died in Bournemouth tragedy say death left hole in our hearts Family and friends pay tribute to 12-year-old girl who died in Bournemouth sea tragedy Saturday 3 June 2023 10:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Tributes have also flooded in on social media for the 12-year-old girl who passed away on Wednesday afternoon in Bournemouth. The girl, identified as Sunnah on social media, died after getting into difficulty in the water next to Bournemouth Pier. One friend wrote online: She was such an amazing person. She was so kind caring, her smile lit up a room. It was far too early for our angel to gain wings. Another said: She was basically my sister and I cant believe it. Love you so much Sunnah. A relative of the 12-year-old, who lived in High Wycombe, has also paid tribute, saying the family will remember her every day for the rest of our lives. She was an absolute force of nature, liked by all and loved by so many, The Times quotes a family member as saying. She will be so sorely missed by her parents, siblings and friends. There are no words to describe the hole she has left in all of our hearts but we will remember her every day for the rest of our lives. Tory MP says Dorset Police should provide more information Saturday 3 June 2023 10:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, said he believed Dorset Police should provide more information to avoid wild speculation. He said: There needs to be a review, the police are conducting their investigation, there needs to be a review of the circumstances to see whether any safety measures and protocols need to be upgraded to ensure this doesnt happen in the future. I encourage Dorset Police to clarify the general circumstances of this tragic accident to avoid further wild speculation and uncertainty for parents who may be cautious about going to any part of the beach, unclear of exactly what happened in this terrible incident. The vessels website states that it was purpose-built as a passenger boat to operate locally and could cope with the occasional challenging swell conditions encountered at local piers. RNLI lifeguards put up flags on the beach (PA) Watch: Witness describes panic on beach after tragic incident Saturday 3 June 2023 09:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Bournemouth beach tragedy like scene from horror film as childs body floated in water Saturday 3 June 2023 08:28 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain In case you missed it... Eyewitnesses described a tragedy on Bournemouth beach that left two children dead as like a horror movie. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy suffered critical injuries in a fatal incident that occurred next to Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday afternoon. Nicola Holton, 43, and Stuart Clark, 42, were on the beach with their two children when the tragedy unfolded shortly after 4pm yesterday. They said the scene turned into something from a horror film. Ms Holton said: A lifeguard ran into the water with a surfboard and it seemed to take ages for him to get to them. There was an announcement to get out of the water and then the lifeguards started bringing people back to shore. A few were taken to the lifeguard tent and then we saw the young man and girl brought out. We were packing up our things to leave as quickly as we could. It was just awful. Bournemouth beach tragedy like scene from horror film as body floating in water ICYMI: Bournemouth MP calls for police to end speculations Saturday 3 June 2023 06:37 , Vishwam Sankaran Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, called for Dorset police to end wild speculation around the tragic incident that led to the death of a 12-year old and a 17-year-old at the beach. I encourage Dorset police to clarify the general circumstances of this tragic accident to avoid further wild speculation and uncertainty for parents who may be cautious about going to any part of the beach, unclear of exactly what happened in this terrible incident, Mr Ellwood told PA. There needs to be a review of the circumstances to see whether any safety measures and protocols need to be upgraded to ensure this doesnt happen in the future, he said. Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat Saturday 3 June 2023 06:00 , Joe Middleton The father of one of the survivors of the Bournemouth beach tragedy has addressed the rumours surrounding the mystery events that led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, as police search a pleasure boat as part of their investigation. Survivor Lauren Tate, 18, one of eight others who were injured, was treated in hospital and is now continuing to recover at home, after a rip tide took her and her friends out to sea when they were swimming by the pier, according to her father. In response to the intense speculation that has surrounded the incident, her father told MailOnline: Weve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasnt like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out. Bournemouth tragedy survivors father addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Saturday 3 June 2023 05:00 , Joe Middleton Tragedy struck a packed Bournemouth beach yesterday as two youngsters died after being pulled from the sea. Eight other people were recovered from the water after getting into difficulty off the main pier as thousands of beachgoers enjoyed the sunny half-term weather. They were treated by paramedics for non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Police say there was 'no physical contact' between vessel and swimmers at Bournemouth beach Saturday 3 June 2023 04:00 , Joe Middleton MP calls for safety review following Bournemouth beach deaths Saturday 3 June 2023 03:00 , Joe Middleton A Bournemouth MP has called for a safety review following the death of two youngsters who died after getting into trouble off the popular beach and called on police to clarify the circumstances to end wild speculation. The sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, which is at the centre of investigations, has been impounded by Dorset Police following the incident on Wednesday in which a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire and a 17-year-old boy from Southampton died. Another eight people were treated by paramedics. A man aged in his 40s who was on the water at the time was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and has been released under investigation on Thursday while police inquiries continue. MP calls for safety review following Bournemouth beach deaths Bournemouth: Witness describes 'panic' on beach after tragic incident Saturday 3 June 2023 02:00 , Joe Middleton What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Saturday 3 June 2023 01:00 , Joe Middleton Tragedy struck a packed Bournemouth beach yesterday as two youngsters died after being pulled from the sea. Eight other people were recovered from the water after getting into difficulty off the main pier as thousands of beachgoers enjoyed the sunny half-term weather. They were treated by paramedics for non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Friday 2 June 2023 23:00 , Joe Middleton Friday 2 June 2023 22:45 , Natalie Crockett A boat seized by police in Bournemouth returned twice to the pier during the tragic incident that led to the death of two children on Wednesday, marine traffic data shows. The 49-year-old sea-going passenger boat, Dorset Belle, was impounded by officers on Thursday and was the subject of further searches on Friday as it remained at the Cobbs Quay, Poole Harbour, guarded by a police van. In a new development, the website Marine Traffic indicated that the vessel had visited Bournemouth Pier, the scene of the incident, at 4pm, minutes before the first 999 calls were made, and returned again afterwards. It comes as Dorset police are continuing investigations into the vessel and any role it may have had in the incident that led to the deaths of a girl, 12, from High Wycombe and a boy, 17, from Southampton. Joe Middleton has more: Bournemouth pleasure boat seized by police returned to pier twice as tragedy unfolded Everything we know about impounded sightseeing boat after Bournemouth beach deaths Friday 2 June 2023 21:37 , Joe Middleton A sightseeing boat has been impounded by police after two children died in a tragic sea incident in Bournemouth this week. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near the Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. A day after the incident, forensic officers were seen onboard the sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, at Cobbs Quay, Poole Harbour. Everything we know about impounded boat after Bournemouth beach deaths ICYMI: Police say there was 'no physical contact' between vessel and swimmers at Bournemouth beach Friday 2 June 2023 19:45 , Joe Middleton What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 18:45 , Joe Middleton Bournemouth has been rocked by the tragic deaths of two children who got into trouble in the sea as thousands of half-term holidaymakers descended on the popular beach. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a riptide. What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Pleasure boat at centre of beach deaths investigation was not licensed Friday 2 June 2023 17:59 , Joe Middleton The sightseeing boat at the centre of investigations into the death of two youngsters was not licensed by the local authority, a council spokesman has confirmed. A spokesman for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council told PA: We do not license this boat. This comes despite the authoritys website stating: Any person who wishes to be in charge or navigate a pleasure boat/vessel, including Poole Harbour and Christchurch Harbour, for the purpose of letting it out for hire to members of the public, or to be used for carrying passengers for hire, must obtain a licence from us. The spokesman declined to comment on whether any other organisation licensed the Dorset Belle and referred all enquiries to Dorset Police. Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat Friday 2 June 2023 17:43 , Joe Middleton The father of one of the survivors of the Bournemouth beach tragedy has addressed the rumours surrounding the mystery events that led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, as police search a pleasure boat as part of their investigation. Survivor Lauren Tate, 18, one of eight others who were injured, was treated in hospital and is now continuing to recover at home, after a rip tide took her and her friends out to sea when they were swimming by the pier, according to her father. In response to the intense speculation that has surrounded the incident, her father told MailOnline: Weve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasnt like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out. Bournemouth tragedy survivors father addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat MP calls for safety review following Bournemouth beach deaths Friday 2 June 2023 16:44 , Joe Middleton A Bournemouth MP has called for a safety review following the death of two youngsters who died after getting into trouble off the popular beach and called on police to clarify the circumstances to end wild speculation. Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP, for Bournemouth East, told the PA news agency: There needs to be a review, the police are conducting their investigation, there needs to be a review of the circumstances to see whether any safety measures and protocols need to be upgraded to ensure this doesnt happen in the future. I encourage Dorset Police to clarify the general circumstances of this tragic accident to avoid further wild speculation and uncertainty for parents who may be cautious about going to any part of the beach, unclear of exactly what happened in this terrible incident. Map shows route pleasure boat Dorset Belle took at time of tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 16:07 , Joe Middleton Here is a map which shows the journey that pleasure boat Dorset Belle took at the time of the incident on Bournemouth beach. The boat left the pier at 4pm and then returned at 4.38pm, shortly after the ambulance service requested assistance near the pier. (The Independent/Datawrapper) What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 15:42 , Joe Middleton Bournemouth has been rocked by the tragic deaths of two children who got into trouble in the sea as thousands of half-term holidaymakers descended on the popular beach. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a riptide. Matt Mathers explains. What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Experts advise on how to stay safe while swimming in open water Friday 2 June 2023 15:20 , Joe Middleton Each year, rising temperatures and longer days in summer encourage Britons to seek out bodies of water to cool off and have fun in. Swimming, paddleboarding and other water-based activities can provide a wholesome day for families and friends, whether thats in lakes, rivers, or at the seaside. However, there are a number of safety measures individuals should remember when taking part in these. It comes after several people had drowned in rivers, lakes and in the sea in recent weeks, with four deaths occurring over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend alone. Kate Ng reports. Experts advise on how to stay safe while swimming in open water Bournemouth: Witness describes 'panic' on beach after tragic incident Friday 2 June 2023 14:58 , Joe Middleton Passenger aboard Dorset Belle recalls moment body pulled from water Friday 2 June 2023 14:33 , Joe Middleton A passenger on board the Dorset Belle when the deaths of two young people occurred at a Bournemouth has recalled seeing a body pulled from the water. Luke Owen went for a trip with his family on the vessel shortly before 10 people got into trouble in the sea on Wednesday afternoon at around 4pm. Mr Owen said he was surprised to see an empty beach after they docked up following the tour and was told by the boat operator that somebody was being pulled from the water. He told the Daily Mirror: Nothing really affects me but when its something like that it kind of hits you. Especially as I was with the family, my little one especially, I wanted to get out of there. My sons 14 so he wanted to see what was going on so we looked briefly and police were saying for people to move. Everything we know about impounded sightseeing boat after Bournemouth beach deaths Friday 2 June 2023 14:15 , Joe Middleton A sightseeing boat has been impounded by police after two children died in a tragic sea incident in Bournemouth this week. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near the Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. A day after the incident, forensic officers were seen onboard the sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, at Cobbs Quay, Poole Harbour. Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports. Everything we know about impounded boat after Bournemouth beach deaths Watch: Tory MP Tobias Ellwood says Bournemouth council to review protocols on pier after two fatalities Friday 2 June 2023 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A packed beach, a fight and a single bunch of flowers: Mystery Bournemouth deaths fail to deter tourists Friday 2 June 2023 13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Mystery still surrounds the events that saw a 17 year-old-boy and a 12 year-girl lose their lives - but Bournemouth beach was as busy as ever on Thursday. Tara Cobham reports A beach and a bunch of flowers: Busy Bournemouth welcomes tourists day after deaths No jet skis or pier jumpers involved in Bournemouth beach deaths, police say Friday 2 June 2023 13:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain No jet skis or pier jumping were involved in the deaths of two children at Bournemouth beach, Dorset Police have said. There was also no physical contact between the 10 swimmers plucked from the waves on Wednesday evening and any vessel, the force added on Thursday. A 40-year-old man on the water at the time of the tragedy has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. The youngsters who died after being pulled from the sea a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl had suffered critical injuries. Eight other people were treated on the beach for injuries described as non-threatening. No jet skis or pier jumpers involved in Bournemouth beach tragedy, police say Map shows route pleasure boat Dorset Belle took at time of tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 12:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Here is a map which shows the journey that pleasure boat Dorset Belle took at the time of the incident on Bournemouth beach. The boat left the pier at 4pm and then returned at 4.38pm, shortly after the ambulance service requested assistance near the pier. (The Independent/Datawrapper) What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Friday 2 June 2023 12:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Jet skis and other watercraft operating in the Bournemouth and Poole areas must follow specific rules between April and October. Bournemouth, a popular seaside town on Englands south coast, is popular with locals and tourists during the summer months. Average temperatures in and around the pier area of the sea are 12.4C for the month of June and can exceed 16 in September, according to the surf-forecast website. The website says the area tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells, with surfers warned to watch out for rips and crowds. Read on here: What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident People inspect the impounded Dorset Belle Friday 2 June 2023 12:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Pictures show a group of people inspecting the cabin of the Dorset Belle cruise boat which has been impounded at Cobb's Quay Marine in Poole, Dorset. (PA) (PA) Eyewitnesses suggest swimmers got caught up in dangerous riptide on in Bournemouth sea tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 11:39 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Eyewitnesses to Wednesdays tragedy have suggested that the swimmers got caught up in a dangerous riptide leading to the fatal incident. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council leader Councillor Vicky Slade has said she will be discussing safety at the pier with local MP Conor Burns on Friday. The local authoritys website states that all passenger-carrying boats must be issued with a licence to operate in the area. It also states from April to October, yellow marker buoys are set out 200 metres from the low water mark to indicate that watercraft must not go beyond 6 knots, annoy or endanger other beach users or run ashore or launch from the beach. The nearby Boscombe artificial reef has the speed limit all-year round. Cllr Slade said: There is no evidence to suggest any of those rules have been breached. We are confident with our partners that any lessons that need to be learned in the future will be learned. Dorset Police has said they are working with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to investigate the incident. (PA Wire) MP calls for safety review following Bournemouth beach tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 11:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A Bournemouth MP has called for a review of safety following the death of two youngsters who died after getting into trouble off the popular beach and called on police to clarify the circumstances to end wild speculation. The sightseeing boat, the Dorset Belle, which is at the centre of investigations, has been impounded by Dorset Police following the incident on Wednesday in which a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire and a 17-year-old boy from Southampton died. Another eight people were treated by paramedics. A man aged in his 40s who was on the water at the time was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and has been released under investigation on Thursday while police inquiries continue. On Friday, the 49-year-old sea-going passenger boat Dorset Belle remains at anchor at Cobbs Quay, Poole Harbour, guarded by a police van. According to the website Marine Traffic, the vessel had visited Bournemouth Pier, the scene of the tragic incident, at 4pm, just minutes before the first 999 calls were made. Dorset Police has said that no physical contact was made between the swimmers and any vessel or jet-ski and those involved had not been jumping off the pier. The force has declined to comment on any investigation into the Dorset Belle and refused to say what or if any vessel was involved Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP, for Bournemouth East, told the PA news agency: There needs to be a review, the police are conducting their investigation, there needs to be a review of the circumstances to see whether any safety measures and protocols need to be upgraded to ensure this doesnt happen in the future. I encourage Dorset Police to clarify the general circumstances of this tragic accident to avoid further wild speculation and uncertainty for parents who may be cautious about going to any part of the beach, unclear of exactly what happened in this terrible incident. The vessels website states that it was purpose-built as a passenger boat to operate locally and could cope with the occasional challenging swell conditions encountered at local piers. (PA Wire) Pleasure boat Dorset Belle guarded by police cars this morning in Bournemouth Friday 2 June 2023 10:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain A cruise boat called the Dorset Belle which has been impounded at Cobbs Quay Marina in Poole, Dorset, is being guarded by police this morning. It comes after a 17-year-old-boy and a girl aged 12 sustained critical injuries on Wednesday, and later died in hospital following an incident off Bournemouth beach (PA Wire) (PA) What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 10:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Bournemouth has been rocked by the tragic deaths of two children who got into trouble in the sea as thousands of half-term holidaymakers descended on the popular beach. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy died after suffering critical injuries during the incident near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday. Eight others were pulled from the water but none of their conditions were life-threatening. Police are still establishing what happened during the incident, but a father of one of the beach tragedy survivors has claimed his 18-year-old daughter - who spent a short time in hospital after the incident - was taken out by a riptide. It comes after police dismissed speculation that the victims had jumped off the pier or were hit by a vessel on the water. Here we look at what a riptide is and what to do if you get caught in one: What is a riptide? Sea phenomenon explained after Bournemouth tragedy A packed beach, a fight and a single bunch of flowers: Mystery Bournemouth deaths fail to deter tourists Friday 2 June 2023 10:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Mystery still surrounds the events that saw a 17 year-old-boy and a 12 year-girl lose their lives - but Bournemouth beach was as busy as ever. Tara Cobham reports: A lone bunch of flowers among the countless holidaymakers serves as a reminder of the tragic event that took place less than 24 hours ago. The sun beats down on Bournemouth as children delight in digging sandcastles around the pink roses, sunbathing parents watch on, and the sounds of teenagers laughing and playing music waft on the breeze. On Wednesday afternoon this stretch of beach, enjoying shade from the iconic pier, witnessed a tragedy that has baffled the country. A beach and a bunch of flowers: Busy Bournemouth welcomes tourists day after deaths Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat Friday 2 June 2023 09:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The father of one of the survivors of the Bournemouth beach tragedy has addressed the rumours surrounding the mystery events that led to the deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, as police search a pleasure boat as part of their investigation. Survivor Lauren Tate, 18, one of eight others who were injured, was treated in hospital and is now continuing to recover at home, after a rip tide took her and her friends out to sea when they were swimming by the pier, according to her father. In response to the intense speculation that has surrounded the incident, her father told MailOnline: Weve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasnt like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out. She was lucky to get pulled from the sea by the coastguard and one of her other friends was rescued by a paddleboarder. I know the boy who died was at college with her, but I dont know anything about him. All she told me is that they all met up on the train and headed to Bournemouth beach for the day. Bournemouth tragedy survivors father addresses rumours as police probe pleasure boat Watch: Witness describes panic on beach after tragic incident Friday 2 June 2023 09:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Police search pleasure boat as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in beach incident mystery Friday 2 June 2023 09:09 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Police have searched a pleasure boat as part of the investigation into the deaths of two children who sustained critical injuries at Bournemouth beach on Wednesday. A 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from High Wycombe lost their lives after being pulled from the sea in front of horrified beachgoers on Wednesday afternoon. A man in his forties, who was on the water at the time but not known to the children, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, police said. He was released under investigation on Thursday evening. Eight other children, who had minor injuries and were treated by paramedics at the scene, were also rescued. It is not thought the group all knew each other. Pleasure boat searched as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in beach mystery Beachgoers filmed Bournemouth tragedy victim receiving CPR Friday 2 June 2023 08:44 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Beachgoers filmed paramedics delivering CPR to people involved in an incident off Bournemouth Pier that killed two youngsters, witnesses have said. The deceased - a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl - sustained critical injuries and died after being pulled from the sea. Eight other people were treated for injuries described as non-threatening. A 40-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. People at the scene have hit out at those who filmed emergency services. Nicola Holton, who was at the beach with her husband, said she witnessed lifeguards entering the sea trying to help multiple people who were struggling in the water. Beachgoers filmed Bournemouth tragedy victim receiving CPR Bournemouth beach tragedy like scene from horror film as childs body floated in water Friday 2 June 2023 08:29 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Eyewitnesses described a tragedy on Bournemouth beach that left two children dead as like a horror movie. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy suffered critical injuries in a fatal incident that occurred next to Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday afternoon. Police arrested a man in his 40s who was on the water at the time on suspicion of manslaughter and investigations to establish exactly what happened are ongoing. Read more from Matt Mathers here: Bournemouth beach tragedy like scene from horror film as body floating in water Pleasure boat under police cordon Friday 2 June 2023 07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar A pleasure boat has been cordoned off by the police investigating the deaths of two children who sustained critical injuries at Bournemouth beach. Forensic officers were seen onboard the Dorset Belle which is docked at a harbour in Poole. This vessel is under a police cordon. No one is permitted onboard or to touch the vessel, police sources told The Sun Father of Bournemouth tragedy survivor says daughter taken out by rip tide' Friday 2 June 2023 07:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The father of a survivor of Wednesdays tragic incident has said his daughter was taken out by a rip tide. Lauren Tate, 18, was treating in hospital for a short period of time and is now recovering at home. Her father told the Mail Online: Weve seen all the stuff about boats and jet skis but it wasnt like that. She was swimming in the sea with her friends when the rip tide took them out. The 18-year-old was pulled from the sea by a coastguard. (PA) Bournemouth beachgoers recall tragic incident Friday 2 June 2023 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar Tributes poured in for the two children who died just hours before following a dramatic rescue effort. Bill Jackson, 66, told Daily Echo that it so sad that it had happened in Bournemouth.Its a great town, its a lovely town, he said. My grandsons at that age so its scary, its absolutely devastating. [Its] absolutely tragic, said 44-year-old Lee Parkinson. Im not sure about the details but we got news that there was a couple of air ambulances and that an area of the beach had been closed off. I woke up this morning and found out that two people had sadly passed away, its really sad. Beach packed day after two children die in sea tragedy Friday 2 June 2023 06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar Footage shows Bournemouth beach packed yesterday, less than 24 hours after a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl died after getting into difficulty in the sea. Emergency services attended the scene on Wednesday afternoon, where eight other people were also recovered from the water. With temperatures reaching close to 20C, hundreds of people were seen relaxing on the sand and playing in the sea. Bournemouth beach packed day after two children die in sea tragedy MP calls on police to release more information Friday 2 June 2023 06:17 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar Tobias Ellwood, the MP from Bournemouth East, has called on the Dorset police to release more information surrounding the death of two children. He said: This is a tragic incident and the police clearly have to do their investigation and that is understood. But I would encourage them to give more clarity as to the general details of this tragedy to help assure beachgoers that this occurrence is unlikely to happen again. It will place this event into context while reassuring people that it is safe to visit our beautiful beaches. A packed beach, a fight and a single bunch of flowers: Bournemouth continues to welcome tourists the day after mystery deaths Friday 2 June 2023 06:00 , Joe Middleton Mystery still surrounds the events that saw a 17 year-old-boy and a 12 year-girl lose their lives - but Bournemouth beach was as busy as ever. Tara Cobham reports from the seaside town. A beach and a bunch of flowers: Busy Bournemouth welcomes tourists day after deaths Teenager who died was on a trip with college pals Friday 2 June 2023 05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar The 17-year-old boy who died alongside a girl on Bournemouth beach was reportedly on a day trip with college friends. The teenager, who hasnt been named yet, died after getting into difficulty in the water on Wednesday. Among the group was survivor Lauren Tate, 18, who was admitted to the hospital yesterday. Her father told Daily Mail that she was swimming with her friends when the rip tide took them out. She was lucky to get pulled from the sea by the coastguard and one of her other friends was rescued by a paddleboarder. I know the boy who died was at college with her, but I dont know anything about him, the father said. Boy, 17, and girl, 12, die following incident off Bournemouth beach Friday 2 June 2023 05:00 , Joe Middleton Police search pleasure boat as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in beach incident mystery Friday 2 June 2023 04:00 , Joe Middleton Police are searching a pleasure boat after a major incident on an English beach left two children dead. The half-term tragedy saw a 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from High Wycombe lose their lives after being pulled from the sea in Bournemouth on Wednesday afternoon. Pleasure boat searched as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in beach mystery No jet skis or pier jumpers involved in Bournemouth beach deaths, police say Friday 2 June 2023 03:00 , Joe Middleton No jet skis or pier jumping were involved in the deaths of two children at Bournemouth beach, Dorset Police have said. There was also no physical contact between the 10 swimmers plucked from the waves on Wednesday evening and any vessel, the force added on Thursday. A 40-year-old man on the water at the time of the tragedy has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. The youngsters who died after being pulled from the sea a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl had suffered critical injuries. Eight other people were treated on the beach for injuries described as non-threatening. No jet skis or pier jumpers involved in Bournemouth beach tragedy, police say Bournemouth beach tragedy like scene from horror film as childs body floated in water Friday 2 June 2023 02:00 , Joe Middleton Eyewitnesses described a tragedy on Bournemouth beach that left two children dead as like a horror movie. A 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy suffered critical injuries in a fatal incident that occurred next to Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday afternoon. Bournemouth beach tragedy like scene from horror film as body floating in water A packed beach, a fight and a single bunch of flowers: Bournemouth continues to welcome tourists the day after mystery deaths Friday 2 June 2023 01:00 , Joe Middleton Mystery still surrounds the events that saw a 17 year-old-boy and a 12 year-girl lose their lives - but Bournemouth beach was as busy as ever. Tara Cobham reports from the seaside town. A beach and a bunch of flowers: Busy Bournemouth welcomes tourists day after deaths Bournemouth: Witness describes 'panic' on beach after tragic incident Thursday 1 June 2023 23:30 , Joe Middleton Beachgoers filmed Bournemouth tragedy victim receiving CPR Thursday 1 June 2023 22:30 , Joe Middleton Beachgoers filmed paramedics delivering CPR to people involved in an incident off Bournemouth Pier that killed two youngsters, witnesses have said. The deceased - a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl - sustained critical injuries and died after being pulled from the sea. Eight other people were treated for injuries described as non-threatening. Beachgoers filmed Bournemouth tragedy victim receiving CPR A packed beach, a fight and a single bunch of flowers: Bournemouth continues to welcome tourists the day after mystery deaths Thursday 1 June 2023 21:30 , Joe Middleton Mystery still surrounds the events that saw a 17 year-old-boy and a 12 year-girl lose their lives - but Bournemouth beach was as busy as ever. Tara Cobham reports from the seaside town. A beach and a bunch of flowers: Busy Bournemouth welcomes tourists day after deaths Man, 40, arrested after Bournemouth incident released under investigation Thursday 1 June 2023 20:28 , Joe Middleton A man arrested following the deaths of a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl off Bournemouth beach has been released under investigation. A 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire died after getting into difficulty in the water at the Dorset resort on Wednesday afternoon. A further eight people were treated by paramedics following the incident. A man in his 40s, who was on the water at the time, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Dorset Police said on Thursday evening he had been released under investigation. Bournemouth: Witness describes 'panic' on beach after tragic incident Thursday 1 June 2023 20:15 , Joe Middleton Police search pleasure boat as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in beach incident mystery Thursday 1 June 2023 19:45 , Joe Middleton Police are searching a pleasure boat after a major incident on an English beach left two children dead. The half-term tragedy saw a 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from High Wycombe lose their lives after being pulled from the sea in Bournemouth on Wednesday afternoon. A man in his 40s, who was on the water at the time, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, police said. Eight other children, who had minor injuries and were treated by paramedics at the scene, were also rescued. It is not thought the group all knew each other. Pleasure boat searched as girl, 12, and boy, 17, die in beach mystery Bournemouth beach packed with tourists one day after children died in tragic accident Thursday 1 June 2023 19:14 , Joe Middleton What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Thursday 1 June 2023 18:47 , Joe Middleton Tragedy struck a packed Bournemouth beach yesterday as two youngsters died after being pulled from the sea. Eight other people were recovered from the water after getting into difficulty off the main pier as thousands of beachgoers enjoyed the sunny half-term weather. They were treated by paramedics for non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. What happened at Bournemouth beach? Everything we know about incident Police search pleasure boat as part of investigation Thursday 1 June 2023 18:05 , Joe Middleton Police have today searched a pleasure boat as part of the investigation into the deaths of two young people at a beach in Bournemouth yesterday. Forensic officers were pictured onboard the Dorset Belle which is docked at a harbour in Poole, The Sun reported. A police source told the newspaper: This vessel is under a police cordon. No one is permitted onboard or to touch the vessel. It comes after police confirmed earlier today that a 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire died after getting into difficulty in the water at the Dorset resort. Dorset Police said they were unable to confirm if a search had been conducted on the vessel. (Alamy) No jet skis or pier jumpers involved in Bournemouth beach deaths, police say Thursday 1 June 2023 17:53 , Joe Middleton No jet skis or pier jumping were involved in the deaths of two children at Bournemouth beach, Dorset Police have said. There was also no physical contact between the 10 swimmers plucked from the waves on Wednesday evening and any vessel, the force added on Thursday. A 40-year-old man on the water at the time of the tragedy has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. The youngsters who died after being pulled from the sea a 17-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl had suffered critical injuries. Eight other people were treated on the beach for injuries described as non-threatening. No jet skis or pier jumpers involved in Bournemouth beach tragedy, police say High Wycombe MP offers condolences to bereaved families Thursday 1 June 2023 17:15 , Joe Middleton Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe, has released a statement this afternoon offering his condolences to everyone involved in the incident in Bournemouth yesterday. As reported by the Bucks Free Press, he said: The death of every child is a tragedy, and I offer my condolences to everyone affected. I hope the family will soon have answers about what exactly happened in Bournemouth on Wednesday. Earlier we reported that the girl, 12, who died was from High Wycombe. Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website Boy reported killed in fire in house hosting Ukrainian refugees in Germany Ukrainian refugees Read also: IRC in Poland launches new social campaign for Ukrainian refugees A child died in Apolda today who was seeking protection from (Russian dictator Vladimir) Putins bombs with his family, Maier tweeted. He vowed to make every effort to find out the cause of the fire. There must be complete clarity here, Maier said. Prior to that, German media reported that a body had been discovered at the scene. However, the identity of the deceased will only be established after a forensic medical examination, law enforcement officials said. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the federal security authorities are in constant contact with the Thuringian police and are always ready to provide support. My condolences to the family and the refugees who lived here, she wrote on Twitter. I want to thank the rescuers who quickly helped and saved many people from the fire. 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 FILE - Cows roam an area recently deforested in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve, Acre state, Brazil, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva unveiled a plan on Monday, June 5, 2023, to end illegal deforestation in the Amazon, a major campaign pledge that is a critical step in addressing the countrys significant carbon emissions from the region. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File) BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva unveiled a plan on Monday to end illegal deforestation in the Amazon, a major campaign pledge that is a critical step in addressing the countrys significant carbon emissions from the region. This strategy, set to be implemented over four years, provides a roadmap to achieve the ambitious goal of halting illegal deforestation by 2030. Lulas term ends Jan. 1, 2027, so full implementation would depend on the willingness of whoever comes after him to continue the work. On Monday, Lula's administration also pledged to achieve net zero deforestation, that is, replanting as much as is cut down, by restoring native vegetation stocks as compensation for legal vegetation removal. Brazil is the world's fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, with almost 3% of global emissions, according to Climate Watch, an online platform managed by World Resources Institute. Almost half of Brazils carbon emissions come from deforestation. Lula announced his government would readjust Brazil's international commitments to cut emissions, called Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, back to what was promised in 2015 during the Paris Agreement. Brazil committed to reduce carbon emission by 37% by 2025 and 43% by 2030. Lula's predecessor, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, had scaled back the commitments. As part of the announcement, Lula increased a conservation unit in the Amazon by 1,800 hectares (4,400 acres), which frustrated environmentalists. His government has pledged to prioritize the allocation of 57,000,000 hectares of public lands without special protection, an area roughly equivalent to the size of France. In a speech, Environment Minister Marina Silva said the federal government would create more conservation units, pending further studies and agreements with state governments. These areas have shown increased vulnerability to deforestation, as land invaders displace traditional communities and clear the land with the hope of gaining ownership recognition from the government. Brazil will once again become a global reference in sustainability, tackling climate change, and achieving targets for carbon emission reduction and zero deforestation," Lula said. During the event, there was a tribute to British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous affairs specialist Bruno Pereira, who were killed a year ago during a trip in the Amazon. Several people have been arrested. The new measures mark the fifth phase of a large initiative called the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon. Created 20 years ago, during Lula's first term, the plan was largely responsible for curbing deforestation by 83% between 2004 and 2012. The plan was suspended during Bolsonaro's time in office. One of the main goals is to stimulate the so-called bio-economy, such as the managed fishing of pirarucu, Amazon's largest fish, and acai production, as an alternative to cattle-raising, which is responsible for most of deforestation. The action plan also establishes measures to increase monitoring and law enforcement and pledges to create new conservation units. These measures are also a response to recent limitations Congress placed on Silva, the environment minister, particularly influenced by the so-called beef caucus representing agribusiness interests. Lula vetoed the legislation passed by Congress, which aimed to allow the cutting of remaining areas of the Atlantic Forest, a coastal rainforest that has suffered significant destruction. The agribusiness group is a well-organized political group that defends interests in Congress, with many affiliated lawmakers, Creomar de Souza, political analyst and CEO at Dharma Politics consultancy, told The Associated Press. And this creates room for what happened last week: the capacity this group has within Congress to shape and impose its agenda. According to Suely Araujo, a senior policy advisor at the Climate Observatory, the action plan is crucial for the reconstruction of Brazil's environmental governance. For her, remarkable aspects of the plan include the integration of data and systems for remote monitoring and accountability, the alignment of infrastructure projects with deforestation reduction goals and rural credit policies tied to achieving zero deforestation. However, it is still unclear how the compensation for legal deforestation will be carried out, including the instruments and the level of responsibility of the private sector. It will also be necessary to fight against the serious setbacks looming in the Congress agenda," said Araujo. There will be no zero deforestation if it approves destructive measures. ___ Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. People whose loved ones are buried at a local cemetery are still looking for answers from the owners of the property. News Center 7s Taylor Robertson was at Bearcreek Cemetery Monday when a family showed up to check on their loved ones headstone. Its been one week since Robertson was at Bearcreek Cemetery in Trotwood after complaints that the property was overgrown. A woman showed up Monday and found her dads headstone left out on the side of the office unattended, and once she realized it was her fathers headstone she broke down in tears. Kamaria White said, My family has been trying to call the place to get information because my aunt paid for my grandpa to be placed here. She continued by saying, Only to find out that there have been no people here, no nothing, and just left my grandfathers plaque sitting here on the side of the building, unattended and everything. >> Loved ones, volunteers come together to clean up overgrown grounds of local cemetery On Monday, Ohio State Representative Phil Plummer was at the cemetery for the second time, trying to get answers for the community. Were seeing loved ones out here where they work, theyve paid for hasnt been accomplished or finished yet, Plummer said. Its just a bunch of nonsense that were finding out. Plummer said he has talked to a probate judge. Hes looking into some options for me. Im researching the laws to see if we can help financially to keep this place tidy for a while. Im going to reach out to a local judge to see if he can help, Plummer said. He also said he spoke with the Trotwood City Manager. Were going to have another meeting and see who can do what with this problem because we have loved ones showing up crying because these services havent been done here properly and their loved ones are here. Thats uncalled for, Plummer said. >> Its just terrible; Families say theyre frustrated with lack of upkeep at local cemetery White said, To see my mom you know, be so crushed and see her cry like that, it breaks my heart, and it breaks my own heart to see my own grandfathers plaque just sitting there. According to White, she just wants answers. I just hope they could get answers and hope that maybe the people that are placed here could be placed in a better place, White said. Plummer stated, Well figure this thing out and get it to where it needs to be. Hopefully, hold people accountable. Plummer said his next step will be to contact the prosecutors office and see if he can get investigators to look into whats happening at the property. Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. Attorney Ilia Usharovich, from left, defendant James Weiss and attorney Sheldon Sorosky leave the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago on June 5, 2023. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) Chicago businessman James Weiss may not exactly be a household name, but hes spent his life running in the citys powerful political circles. The grandson of a former deputy city treasurer and friend of Mayor Richard Daley, Weiss married into the family of longtime Cook County Democratic boss Joseph Berrios, ran a political action committee with ties to then-House Speaker Michael Madigan, hooked up with Iranian American businessman who calls himself the Wolf of Rush Street on a series of lucrative valet parking companies, and later, through connections with a fired Chicago cop and the help of a state legislator, got into the shady, unregulated world of sweepstakes gaming machines. Advertisement Now, some of those connections are about to be put under a microscope in a federal courtroom, where Weiss went on trial Monday on federal bribery charges alleging he agreed to pay off a state senator in exchange for support on legislation that would benefit the sweepstakes gaming industry. Jury selection in the case, which is expected to last about a week, is still ongoing. Opening statements could come as soon as Tuesday. Advertisement Its a trial filled with political intrigue, both in the lineup of current and former elected officials expected to the take the stand as well as the backdrop of ongoing federal investigations swirling around Weiss associates, including the Cook County assessors office which Berrios once helmed as well as Madigan, other members of the Illinois General Assembly, and Bambooyani, who was quietly indicted last month on charges he arranged for high-end prostitution services for his friends. Weiss, 44, who is married to Berrios daughter, former state Rep. Toni Berrios, is charged in a superseding indictment filed in October 2020 with bribery, wire fraud, mail fraud and lying to the FBI. He has pleaded not guilty. The indictment alleges Weiss paid bribes to then-state Rep. Luis Arroyo beginning in November 2018 in exchange for Arroyos promotion of legislation beneficial to Weiss company, Collage LLC, which specialized in the sweepstakes machines. The bribes were paid via off-the-books lobbying payments to Arroyos consulting firm, Spartacus 3 LLC, according to the charges. Both Weiss and Arroyo also conspired in 2019 to pay then-state Sen. Terry Link, a Vernon Hills Democrat, $2,500 a month in kickbacks in exchange for Links support on the proposed sweepstakes game legislation, the indictment alleged. Link, who resigned from office before pleading guilty to unrelated tax evasion charges, secretly recorded meetings with Arroyo and Weiss that are expected to be played for the jury at Weiss trial. In addition to Link, who has never publicly acknowledged his turn as a government mole, the key witnesses lined up to testify against Weiss include former state Sen. Tony Munoz, a Chicago Democrat, current state Rep. Robert Rita, D-Blue Island, and Patrick OConnor, a longtime Chicago alderman, court records show. One name not on that list is Arroyo, who pleaded guilty to his role in the alleged scheme but did not agree to cooperate with prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger sentenced Arroyo to nearly five years in prison last year, calling him a corruption superspreader. Advertisement By taking his case to trial, Weiss is rolling the dice on what could wind up being a far longer sentence than Arroyos. Adding to the intrigue is the status of Weiss own attorney, who made a last-ditch effort to delay the trial that culminated in a bizarre pretrial conference last week and rebukes from both the trial judge and the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A transcript of the hearing showed that the attorney, Ilia Usharovich, was scolded repeatedly by the judge for inappropriate behavior before being ordered to remain silent unless called upon. Usharovich tried to drop out of the case and began to walk out of the courtroom but was ordered back by the judge, according to the transcript. He later claimed he grew physically ill from the stress and was forced to vomit into a cup because Seeger prevented him from going to the bathroom. Here, judge, look in the cup, Usharovich said, according to the transcript. There is spit in here. Im not going to look into the cup to see if you have vomited into the cup, Seeger replied. Maybe you spat into the cup. I dont know. After Usharovich insisted it was indeed vomit, Seeger said, Youre clearly behaving in a way that is unhinged and troubling to me and disrespectful, and thats going to end. Later, the judge issued an order that marked one of the starkest public smackdowns of an attorney in recent memory, saying Usharovichs disruptive, disrespectful and contemptuous conduct was on full display from the outset of the hearing, and devolved from there. Advertisement Frankly, the display that this court witnessed tests this courts ability to put the conduct into words and fully capture what transpired, Seeger wrote in the order. For whatever reason, Usharovich was unable to control himself, and was unable to follow repeated admonishments from this court about how to comport himself. Under the judges orders, Usharovich filed a written acknowledgment that hed read the assessment of his behavior and was aware that sanctions, including being kicked off the trial, would come down if he failed to behave professionally. There were no dust-ups between Usharovich and the judge Monday, as the judge spent hours questioning a pool of 32 prospective jurors about their backgrounds, their ability to be fair and their thoughts about political corruption. Among the panel was a retired man from Lake Forest who said hes all-too familiar with the litany of local elected officials whove run afoul of the law. Reading the paper, you know, Martin Scorsese should come here and he should do a film called The Chicago Way, he said. Its something wed all be familiar with. Another prospective juror, a woman from the citys Northwest Side who works in IT, said she may be biased by a lifetime of hearing about the Chicago machine and the corruption in Chicago politics. Advertisement I dont know that I can be impartial, she said. Thats a lifetime to unlearn. Both of those jurors were later excused for cause. The case against Weiss centers on the largely uncharted world of sweepstakes machines, sometimes called gray machines, which allow customers to put in money, receive a coupon to redeem for merchandise online and then play electronic games like slot machines. Since the machines can be played for free, they are not considered gambling devices. Critics, however, contend the unregulated devices, which operate in cities, including Chicago, that have banned video gambling, are designed to skirt the law. State business records show Weiss was connected to the former cop, John Adreani, through a complex web of corporations, many of which listed the same address in a south suburban strip mall as their headquarters. Adreani and his company, V.S.S. Inc. identified in the charges only as Company B inked a deal in 2018 to pay Arroyo $2,500 a month to lobby City Hall on proposed legislation allowing sweepstakes machines to operate in the city, lobbying records filed with the city Board of Ethics show. Advertisement Adreani was fired from the Police Department in 2015 for associating with a major drug trafficker after he was captured on a wiretap discussing gambling and drinking excursions and real estate ventures with him, according to Chicago Police Board records. Meanwhile, Arroyo was captured on an undercover FBI recording in August 2019 telling Link there was good money in it for him if hed help shepherd pro-sweepstakes legislation in Springfield, according to the charges against Arroyo. If Im doin OK, youre gonna do OK, Arroyo allegedly told Link. Well talk to each other to make sure that youre rewarded for what you do. ... Same way Im getting paid, Im getting paid 2,500 dollars a month. Weiss was not named in the original complaint filed against Arroyo, but his alleged involvement in the scheme was first reported by the Tribune several days later. At the time, Weiss declined to comment on his role in the investigation when a reporter knocked on his door in River Grove, saying, I have no idea whats going on. When asked for his cellphone number, Weiss said, They took it. He then shut the door. Court records since made public show that Weiss indeed had his cellphone seized by two FBI agents who confronted him near his home the day that Arroyo was charged. Prosecutors say that Weiss willingly got into the agents car and answered questions for nearly an hour, denying knowledge of the alleged bribery scheme. Advertisement In addition to marrying into the politically powerful Berrios family, Weiss is also a grandson of former Deputy City Treasurer Edward Murray, a longtime Bridgeport precinct captain. Murray also served as a financial officer for the Chicago Public Schools. One of Weiss chief business partners Iman Bambooyani, a flashy entrepreneur who calls himself The Wolf of Rush Street. Together they own a string of valet companies that had millions of dollars in city contracts to park cars on CPS properties as well as other city-owned locations, records show. Bambooyani, 42, was quietly charged on May 8 with one count of transporting individuals over state lines for sex, which carries a potential sentence of five years in prison. Usharovich also represents Bambooyani in that case. Also charged was Dr. Hojat Askari, of Prescott, Arizona, nicknamed Grandpa, who was accused of paying Bambooyani tens of thousands of dollars in 2018 to finance the womens travel and other expenses. Askari also was charged with lying to FBI agents when he denied having met the women for sex. 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 > Thought its unclear if Bambooyanis charges were connected to the Wiess probe, their business connections have surfaced in numerous news reports over the years, including in the Tribune. In 2019, shortly after the sweepstakes gaming investigation went public, the Tribune reported the Teamsters union pension fund had sued Weiss and Bambooyani in U.S. District Court over allegations they spent a decade using sham companies to avoid paying debts associated with their Chicago-based valet parking enterprise. Advertisement The lawsuit claimed Weiss and his partner emptied one company, Capital Parking LLC, of assets to avoid paying nearly $100,000 owed to the union for employee benefits. In 2018, the Chicago Sun-Times reported another valet company run by Weiss and Bambooyani, Blk & Wht Valet LLC employed a convicted child-sexual predator to help Cubs fans park their cars on a school parking lot near Wrigley Field. And in 2020, Chicago Public Schools filed a lawsuit in Cook County alleging Weiss and Bambooyani stopped paying CPS for the rights to park cars at schools near Wrigley Field, but collected more than $350,000 from Cubs fans who parked there anyway, court records show. They have denied the allegations, and the suit was still pending as of Friday, records show. NOTE: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified former state Sen. Tony Munoz as a former state representative. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com One year anniversary of the death of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira, in Rio de Janeiro British reporter, Brazilian expert remembered a year after murder in Amazon One year anniversary of the death of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira, in Rio de Janeiro RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -A year after the murders of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira deep in the Amazon rainforest, friends, relatives and admirers gathered on Monday to call for justice and protection of Indigenous lands. Phillips and Pereira vanished on June 5, 2022 on a trip to the remote Javari Valley near the border with Peru. Days later, a fisherman who had confronted Indigenous patrols in the area confessed to killing them. "This rally reaffirms our commitment to preserving Dom's purpose. We cannot let that be forgotten," Phillips' brother-in-law Marcus Sampaio told reporters at an event on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Police have said the alleged leader of a local gang planned the murders because Pereira posed a threat to its illegal fishing operation. During an event for the presentation of measures to tackle deforestation in Brazil, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the best way to honor them was to ensure "their struggle has not been in vain." He said their murders "shocked the world" and made many realize the Amazon was "a land without law and on the verge of destruction." Phillips, a freelancer for the Guardian, the Washington Post and other media, had been working with a group of journalists to complete a book about saving the Amazon when he was killed at age 57. Brazilian officials promised to uphold Phillips' and Pereira's legacies, with Indigenous Affairs Minister Sonia Guajajara saying Lula's government was "united in defense of nature and the rights of Indigenous Peoples." Some are urging the government to do more to protect the Javari Valley, where drug runners and illegal poachers threaten the most isolated Indigenous groups in Brazil's Amazon. "Nothing has changed there. The factors that caused that sad moment are still there," said Indigenous leader Beto Marubo, a friend of Pereira, a former official of government agency Funai who was 41 when killed. (Reporting by Pilar Olivares; Writing by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Richard Chang) NEW BRUNSWICK Police are investigating after a 28-year-old city man was shot and killed Sunday night. Police responded around 10:54 p.m. to the area of Throop Avenue and Delavan Street on a report of a shooting, where officers located Markel Williams with multiple gunshot wounds, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said. Williams was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead, Ciccone said. An initial investigation revealed the shooting was not a random act and there does not appear to be a threat to the public, the prosecutor said. More: Police ask for help after one killed, two injured in Piscataway crash Anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to call New Brunswick Detective Jeff Monticello at 732-745-5200 or Prosecutors Office Detective Jose Rosario at 732-745-3289. Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: New Brunswick NJ man shot dead Sunday night: police How building more backyard homes, granny flats and in-law suites can help alleviate the housing crisis A newly built accessory dwelling unit in Los Angeles. Alisha Jucevic/The Washington Post via Getty Images To many people, the image of a nuclear family in a stand-alone house with a green lawn and white picket fence still represents a fulfillment of the American dream. However, this ideal is relatively new within a broader history of housing and development in the U.S. Its also a goal that has become increasingly unattainable. As professors of architecture, we explore how cities change over time, and how certain building trends become commonplace through cultural, political, technological and economic shifts. Over the past century, the U.S. has lost a rich variety of living options because of the homogenization of zoning policies that prioritize single-family housing, as well as developers desire to have inexpensive and easily replicated building plans. These development prescriptions are so pervasive that it is now illegal to build anything other than a single-family house on 75% of residential land in American cities. Single-family zoning restricts the supply of affordable housing, leading to higher costs, displacement and segregation. Enter the ADU Diverse patterns of living arrangements across families, communities and plots of land were far more common in the 19th and early 20th centuries. To accommodate these living situations, a range of housing types emerged: multifamily apartment complexes, housing cooperatives, and duplexes and triplexes. There were also accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, which are sometimes called granny flats, backyard homes, in-law suites or backyard cottages. The many faces of an ADU. City of St. Paul These terms all refer to essentially the same thing: an additional unit of housing on a single lot, typically smaller in square footage than the main residence. They include full amenities a kitchen and a bathroom, along with a separate entry from the primary dwelling. ADUs can either be attached to or detached from an existing house and can either be built from the ground up or be converted from existing spaces, like garages, basements or attics. You may have heard of minimalist living trends such as van life and tiny homes, but the ADU was the original compact housing. While ADUs are not new, many Americans are unfamiliar with them. A recent Freddie Mac consumer survey found that 71% of homeowners were unfamiliar with the concept, though 32% expressed interest in having one on their property once they learned about it. Addressing the missing middle More diverse living arrangements are both desirable and necessary. Recent trends working from home and aging in place, along with a homeownership market thats pricing out younger adults all demand housing types that are not readily available in a market dominated by single-family housing. We believe ADUs with their social, economic and environmental benefits should become a more common housing option. ADUs contribute to sustainability goals primarily because they encourage density. Rather than clearing another lot in a sprawling suburb for a new single-family home, the ADU stealthily adds density to existing neighborhoods, which allows them to tap into the existing infrastructure grid. They can also lead to fewer emissions by encouraging shorter commutes. Because ADUs are smaller, they also require fewer building materials to construct and less energy to heat; they can be passively cooled and need less electricity. Together, these result in reduced energy costs for the building. Additionally, prefabricated ADUs can be directly purchased, which further reduces construction time, can sidestep regulatory burdens, such as site inspections, and lead to lower costs and waste. ADUs are also nimble. Twentieth-century forms of development often took a scorched-earth approach to redevelopment by tearing down entire communities often communities of color to build entirely new districts through urban renewal programs. ADUs do not disrupt local communities. Because they dont require buying up more land, they help add to the density, introducing new people from different walks of life. As neighborhood populations grow, they become more attractive to small businesses. Coffee shops, restaurants and grocery stores are more likely to flourish with more residents in a given area. An early-20th-century backyard home in Canada. Toronto Star Archives/Getty Images ADUs can also fill the gap of much-needed missing middle housing. Many new neighborhood developments are marketed as luxury and try to take advantage of hot markets by maximizing price points. Affordable housing is typically developed by government housing authorities and nonprofit developers who attempt to meet the pressing housing needs at the lower end of the economic spectrum. Alternatively, housing that caters to middle-income people is typically nonsubsidized through traditional government funding mechanisms but fills a need that many for-profit developers cant meet. These are usually smaller homes that attempt to appeal to a variety of price points and lifestyles. Many ADUs could fall into that category. Finally, at the scale of the household, there are numerous benefits to ADUs. Going back to its moniker as a granny flat, ADUs offer the opportunity for intergenerational living. They are typically a single story, which makes it easier for older family members to age in place. But they also provide space and privacy for younger people who may not be able to afford a larger single-family home. Some ADUs serve as rental units or short-term rentals. By adding units to the existing rental market, they can stanch soaring rental costs. They can also provide passive income for homeowners who need help paying off their mortgage. California leads the way To be sure, there is plenty of opposition to ADUs. It often appears from local residents who fear that there wont be enough parking spaces to accommodate new neighbors and that adding more dwellings to their neighborhoods could decrease property values. Similarly, bureaucratic hurdles can sometimes discourage homeowners who might otherwise be interested in having their own ADU. Sometimes six or seven separate permits are required, significantly delaying construction. Los Angeles has had a unique approach to encourage ADUs. The city recently launched its Accessory Dwelling Unit Standard Plan Program, which offers homeowners and developers the option to select from 20 preapproved ADU models for construction. Plans range from a studio structure of less than 400 square feet to a 1,200-square-foot house with three bedrooms. Since construction or conversion is still relatively expensive and out of reach for many homeowners, the state of California also offers homeowners a $40,000 subsidy to encourage the construction of ADUs to make them more affordable. Meanwhile, CityLAB, a university-affiliated research center at UCLA, designed a guidebook for homeowners looking to build one of these small homes. The guidebook provides a step-by-step process to walk people through information needed to submit an application to the city and find lenders, designers and contractors. Californias various initiatives have largely been successful. ADU permits increased from 9,000 in 2018 to 12,392 in 2020, according to the UC Berkeley Center for Community Innovation. Seeing the success of ADU policies in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, Pittsburgh is testing an ADU pilot project in a handful of neighborhoods. Cincinnati is also currently advancing legislation to reverse policies that forbid ADUs. As the country grapples with alleviating its housing crisis, solutions will require rethinking existing policies and re-imagining what housing development and neighborhood cohesion looks like. ADUs can be one of those solutions. 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: Jeff Kruth, Miami University and Murali Paranandi, Miami University. Read more: The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. The Kremlins push for a long war against Ukraine may have a snowball effect on domestic insurgency within Russia. In the early morning of June 1, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Free Russia Legion (LSR) crossed the Russian border from Ukraine once again. They engaged in combat with Russian forces in Shebekino, a town in Russias Belgorod Oblast, causing civilians to evacuate. This was part of a sequence of operations conducted by Russian anti-Kremlin armed groups in the past weeks. Their stated goals, which have garnered significant attention, are to establish a demilitarized zone on the border with Ukraine and to initiate a struggle against the Kremlins rule. The trajectory of such conflicts and the growing number of armed groups made up of current and former Russian citizens are an undeniable trend within the context of Russias full-scale war. The key question is whether these incursions are just Ukrainian military-led hybrid measures aimed at distracting and forcing Russian units to pull from Ukraine, or whether we are witnessing the emergence of radical insurgency within Russia and a new, domestic front that can destabilize Putins regime. Belgorod incursion: Meet the anti-Kremlin militia behind the attack inside Russia Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent, together with a number of journalists, was taken to a location in northern Ukraine to interview the members of the units that took part in the military operation inside Russia. Not revealing the exact location was the only precondition for the interview. Norther The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima In a candid interview with prominent Russian opposition figure Mark Feygin, RDK leader Denis Kapustin claimed that all actions carried out by his unit on Ukrainian soil were coordinated with Ukraines military command structure. This revelation came immediately after the RDKs inaugural incursion into Russian territory in February, where they briefly ventured into a settlement along the Ukraine-Russia border before retreating. The movement has been active since the summer of 2022 and is comprised primarily of volunteers who are Russian citizens. Notably, many of RDKs members are Russian activists who sought refuge after the annexation of Crimea and the start of Russias war in Donbas in 2014-2015. RDK positions itself as a successor to these aims as an informal alliance of Russian citizens. Russian military volunteers naming themselves as the Free Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps hold a briefing in northern Ukraine, not far from the Russian border, on May 24, 2023. (Getty Images) While RDK and LSRs activities are indeed conducted at an unprecedented scale, they are not the only paramilitary organizations that have attracted Russian citizens to challenge Putins regime, even before the full-scale invasion. Back in 2015, Andrei Kuznetsov, a relatively well-known Russian opposition blogger who had emigrated from Russia to Ukraine, boldly announced the formation of the so-called Russian Insurgent Army. This small militant group claimed responsibility for a series of incidents within Russia at the time. Since 2014, at least two Chechen volunteer movements have emerged a battalion named in honor of the Chechen Republic of Ichkerias first president, Dzhokhar Dudayev, and one fighting within Ukraines Armed Forces and named after Sheikh Mansur, a resistance leader against Russian imperialism from the North Caucasus. Members of the Chechen diaspora, as well as the exiled government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, formed at least two other battalions within Ukraines Armed Forces the Separate Special Purpose Battalion was created under the leadership of Akhmed Zakayev, the exiled prime minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, and a battalion named after Hamzat Gelayev. The growth of resistance movements within Russia, both actual and nominally formed, has been particularly noticeable since 2022. In the fall of 2022, for example, the National Republican Army made headlines after it claimed responsibility for a car bombing that killed the daughter of Russian neo-Nazi and neoconservative ideologue Alexander Dugin, Daria Dugina. Another notable movement that has emerged since February 2022 is Stop the Wagons! Operating within Russia, this group employs non-lethal sabotage tactics that focus specifically on disrupting the transport of Russian equipment, fuel, ammunition, and other supplies to Ukraine through targeted railway diversions. Russias ethnic minorities have also been represented in resistance movements. The Bashort Company is a group comprised of emigrants and prisoners of war from Bashkortostan. The Imam Shamil Battalion was declared by Dagestani emigrants. The Turan Battalion, headed by Kyrgyz national Almaz Kudabek, is partially comprised of emigrants of Turkic origin originally from Russia. A fighter is pictured during a briefing of Russian anti-Kremlin insurgent groups Free Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps in northern Ukraine, not far from the Russian border, on May 24, 2023 There are also radical left and anarchist organizations that have joined the armed resistance against the Kremlin. Such groups have employed tactics such as damaging railway tracks, burning transformers, setting fire to military registration offices, cyber attacks, and countering Russian propaganda narratives on social media. The Fighter Anarchists group was announced in 2018, although it only took direct action against Russian authorities after Russias full-scale war began they established the Revolutionary Anarchist Foundation in May of 2022. Since then, they have mainly engaged in sabotaging Russian railways. The Exposition of Revolutionary Anarchism, another radical ultra-left organization operating within Russia, mainly undermines logistics. Meanwhile, the movements Pravo Sily (Right of Power) and Atesh, reportedly composed of Crimean draftees into the Russian army, have also been declared. Overall, it can be said that there are sources of serious domestic insurgency in Russia. The diversity of the groups ideological platforms, variety, and geography speak for the genuity and independence of these anti-Putin groups. Ukraine benefits from the weakening of the Kremlins control of the country, but it lacks the resources to stand behind acts like setting fire to military offices in the Russian hinterland or constant railway diversions beyond the immediate proximity of the warzone. However, it is difficult to assess the real scale of domestic resistance in Russia. Only a small part of the mentioned movements actions are reliably known. A considerable portion of these groups exist without confirmation of their activities, and much about their leaders, public activity, and foreign representation is unknown. On Ukraines southern front line, tension reigns before decisive counteroffensive Editors note: As per the regulations of the unit, soldiers interviewed for this article, many of whom have relatives remaining in Russian-occupied territory, are identified by first name and/or callsign only. SOUTHEASTERN UKRAINE After months of seeing Russias war against Ukraine through the dr The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell It is also hard to confidently determine the number of domestic Russian insurgency units, as well as the total number of people involved. There are likely only a few thousand people at best, while the combat units are maybe a few hundred people total. On the other hand, the attractiveness of private military companies among Russias male population, increasingly dissatisfied with the living conditions and resentful toward Putins corrupt ruling clique, indicates a growing potential for instability. It is likely that trained and armed men, some with combat experience or without loyalty to any Russian authority, whether they be Putin or Prigozhin, may defect to such opposition groups. The RDK raids in Belgorod Oblast have already shown that it could be much easier to wrestle control of Russian cities from the incompetent and corrupt government than to survive assaults in Donbas. Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. gwen, miguel, Pavitr Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a sequel that delivers on so many levels. It gives us a great, cohesive story that completely delights and satisfies, but then changes everything and leaves us breathless, desperately waiting for whats next. Whats next is Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, out in March 2024so until then, lets dive into the many questions left open by the film, some of which have answers, others of which do not, but all are fascinating and fun to talk about. Read more Major spoilers everywhere. Image: Sony How will Gwen and her crew find Miles? Image: Sony This is the biggest one, right? At the end of Across the Spider-Verse, with Miles Morales missing (to the characters; we know hes on Earth-42), Gwen puts together a team of Spider-people (including the characters from the first movie who didnt appear in this one) to go find him. But, where are they going to start? Do they know where the rogue spider the Spot created came from? This feels like itll be the focus of act one of the next movie. What made alternate Miles turn into the Prowler? Image: Sony One of the other huge revelations at the end of the film is that Miles ends up on Earth-42, the world his spider came from. The world where, because of him, there is no Spider-Man. There, another Miles Moralesnot Uncle Aaronbecame the Prowler, and Miles dad, not Uncle Aaron, died. So how did that Miles get into that life? Did he make the tech himself? It sure seems like he and Aaron are a team. We wonder if the next movie will illuminate this at all to show us just how important Miles is to this, and every dimension. Who do Earth-42 Miles and Aaron work for? Image: Sony On Earth-42, we hear mention of the Sinister Six. Now, Miles/Prowler and Aaron seem very powerful and independent, but its possible theyre just henchmenand if thats the case, is it for Kingpin, who is surely still alive here? Is it the Sinister Six? And speaking of which... Who makes up the Sinister Six and will we see them? Image: Sony You dont just go say or tease Sinister Six in a Spider-Man movie and not pay it off. *Cough Amazing Spider-Man 2 Cough* So were pretty sure well find out which villains are part of this Sinister Six, especially since so many potential ones have already been seen: Green Goblin and Doc Ock in the first movie, Vulture, Mysterio, Rhino and Kraven (briefly) in this movie. Maybe theyre the ultimate threat the Spider-people have to take down once they become aware of the Spider-Verse. Can the canon be safely broken? Image: Sony The reason Miguel is doing everything in this movie is to make sure the Spider-Canon stays intact. Its the basis for everything, such as trying to keep Miles from going home and saving his dad. Miguel is sure if that happens, the universe will end. But, at the end of the film, when Gwens dad says he quit his job and is no longer captain, Gwen says But that means... and trails off. In her mind, at least, that was the canon changing without significant consequence. We dont see what happens in Gwens universe after that, nor do we know another Captain she loves wont die in the future, but its the movies biggest clue that, yes, Miles can save his dad and the universe at the same time. What is Donald Glovers Prowler story? Image: Sony Another hilarious, huge revelation in Across the Spider-Verse is a link back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where that version of Uncle Aaron, played by Donald Glover, has become the Prowler and been captured by the Spider-Society. Last we saw him, Spider-Man had webbed him to a car in Spider-Man: Homecoming and then the plot point never came back. Its great to see a payoff, but it would be interesting to see how that all went down. Which brings us to... Will Tom Holland ever appear? Image: Sony Donald Glovers character is one of two winks to the current Marvel Cinematic Universes Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland. The other is Miguel OHara mentioning Dr. Strange and the nerd, which is Holland. And since both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguires characters show up in this movie (via old footage, but still) and the Spot visits a live-action universe (more on that in a sec), it seems very plausible that Tom Hollands Spidey could get looped in in the next movie. Or, at least we hope. What happens since Glovers Aaron is in Nueva York? Image: Sony The Donald Glover Uncle Aaron is an anomaly, meaning he appeared in another dimension and was captured by the Spider-Society. It looks like hes scheduled to be put in the Go Home machine but...what if he doesnt? Uncle Aarons death is a canon event in many Spider-Verses. So does the Glover version not actually being in the world with his nephew, Miles Morales, have any bearing on what might happen in a Miles Morales movie? Where is Earth 688? Image: Sony Early in the film, Spot visits a live-action world dubbed Earth 688. It looks familiar and, it is. The store owner Spot speaks to is Mrs. Chen, played by Peggy Lu, who we know from the Venom movies. So, thats a world where not just Eddie Brocks Venom exists but, Morbius exists, and Michael Keatons the Vulture is in. Somehow. How did Miguel put together the Spider-Society? Image: Sony We first met Miguel OHara in the end credits of Into the Spider-Verse where he makes, we think, his first jump into an alternate dimension. In Across the Spider-Verse, we realize that he has now done that a lot, and recruited Spider-people from all across the Spider-Verse to help him keep it together. So, how long did that take? Why did he have the idea in the first place? And where did he get the time and money to build this, like, huge city for it? Its a comic book, we probably wont find out, but it is rather intriguing. How will Miguel and the Society react to Gwens group? Image: Sony At the end of the film, not only are Gwen and her friends looking for Miles, so are Miguel and the rest of the Spider-Society. But, from what we can tell, Miguel doesnt know that Gwen has recruited all these other people. So will he wage war on her and them when he finds out? Probably. Will any other Spider-people side with Gwen? Image: Sony The line between Gwens group and Miguels group seems pretty set at the end of Across the Spider-Verse, but one has to think, maybe as more people become aware of Miles situation, they could defect over? Spider-Byte, the Frito chomping avatar, seems like a strong option as she basically let Miles go home. Could others follow? Or will everyone on Miguels side stay that way? We dont know but it could be interesting to explore. Is Miguel always a villain? Image: Sony It seems like Miguel OHara has the best intentions in Across the Spider-Verse. He truly believes that if Miles doesnt keep to the canon, hes going to kill trillions. So, one personeven if it is Miles dadisnt that high a price to pay. The lengths he goes to in belief of that, though, make him arguably the biggest villain in the film and one has to wonder, is that his canon? Miles does say Are you sure youre really Spider-Man? as we get scenes of him satisfying his vampire cravings. Is Miguel always a bad guy? Can he be a more heroic Spider-Man? Is that his destiny? Well find out. Will Captain Morales die in Miles world, and what happens if he doesnt? Image: Sony So, with the real Miles now in another dimension, it leaves the door wide open for what Miguel thinks has to happen, to actually happen. For Miles dad to die. But, if Spider-Man isnt there to witness is, does it have the same impact? Is Spider-Mans absence an equally large break to the canon? Plus, even if Miles gets back and saves him, what happens then? Will the universe collapse? We have no idea but these are questions that will be central to the final film. (Plus that whole thing with Gwens dad we mentioned a few pages back.) What other universes did the Spot go to? Image: Sony The Spot plays a big role early in the movie, but he does go missing for long stretches of time. At one point we see him going from universe to universe as the Spider-Society watches. Later, after he uses the Mumbattan collider to become mega-Spot, he disappears. Wed be curious to know where he went, what the impacts were, and what hes been doing to prep for Miles. Can the Spot be stopped? Image: Sony As it stands right now? Probably not. The Spot, by the end of the movie, is probably the most powerful being in the Spider-Verse. So theres no way Miles or any of the other Spider-people could defeat him. Who knows if he could even be defeated if it was all of them together? But, almost certainly, hell lose in the end. The question is how. Where were all Miles other friends? Image: Sony One of the biggest head scratchers in Across the Spider-Verse is the absence of Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Ham, and Peni Parker. Peni appears briefly but the others dont appear until the final moments. So, why arent those characters part of the Spider-Society when it seems as if basically everyone is, with the exception of Miles? Was it purposeful on Miguels part to keep them separated because of their allegiance to Miles? That seems like the most obvious explanation, one we hope gets cleared up in the next movie. Are Gwen and Hobie dating? Image: Sony Pretty early in the film Gwen casually mentions her friend Hobie and that shes been staying in his dimension from time to time. Later, after we meet Hobie, aka Spider-Punk, we learn shes been staying at his place and even left a sweater there. Now, are they probably just good friends? Yes. But is there an obvious implication, especially from a jealous Miles, that they could be dating? Also yes. Whats the status of Mumbattan? Image: Sony One of the most telling moments in the film is when Miles saves the Captain in Mumbattan, the world of Pavitr Prabhakar, aka Spider-Man India. This breaks the Spider-Man canon and starts to suck the world into an abyss. Miguel says they might be able to handle it but we never find out if that happened or not. Is there more May Day on the way? Image: Sony A delightful addition to the Spider-Verse is Peter B. Parker and Mary Jane Watsons daughter, May, as in May Day, a baby version of Spider-Woman. Shes cute and helpful in this film and were just wondering how crucial shell be in the next one, and if well see her grow up and put on a less fluffy mask. What new characters could possibly show up? Image: Sony Though Across the Spider-Verse has literally hundreds of Spider-beings, the films writers said recently they held back some for the final film. Like, who could they even mean? Sure there are lots and lots of deep cuts, but do they mean Tom Holland? Is there a zombie waiting? Could it be something with a symbiote suit? A fun thing to speculate about in the coming months. (And co-writer Chris Miller already hinted at one.) Will the events of these films be felt in the MCU? Image: Sony As we near the end here, its time to go big picture. Obviously, the Spider-Verse films have created a language where they are happening parallel to events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU is certainly one of the branches of the Spider-Verse. But with such big stuff happening in this one, and the MCUs Spider-Man at such a cross roadsbut also events like Secret Wars on the horizoncould we see a Who Framed Roger Rabbit animation/live-action integration? Anything is possible in the Spider-Verse. Or is it Multiverse? Is the Spider-Verse different from the Multiverse? Image: Sony Jumping off that last one, my read here is that the Spider-Verse is part of the multiverse. Like there are worlds connected by Spider-people just as there are probably worlds connected by Thors or Hulks or Raccoons. The multiverse is infinite, remember, so any and everything is probably happening. What exactly is beyond the Spider-Verse? Image: Sony The first movie saw Miles Morales actually access the Spider-Verse. Hence, Into the Spider-Verse. The second film had him go into multiple different dimensions. Hence Across the Spider-Verse. So what does Beyond the Spider-Verse mean? Surely it means Miles will have to go outside of that Spider-Verse we seebut, does that mean worlds without Spider-Man? Other characters? The mind wanders... Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in theaters now. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse arrives March 29, 2024. 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 Cahokia Heights teenager has been accused of participating in a scheme to transport machine gun conversion devices more commonly known as Glock switches from China to St. Clair County. According to an indictment in the U.S. Court for the Southern District, Carlos Akins, 19, is facing one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun and one count of transporting prohibited weapons without a license. If convicted, Akins could receive 15 years in federal prison and face fines of up to $250,000, according to a release from the federal prosecutors office. Akins has been appointed a public defender. Glock switches have exploded in popularity in recent years, and federal law enforcement agencies are working together to remove the devices from our communities, U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe stated in the press release. Our office stands ready to prosecute the individuals responsible for trafficking Glock switches into southern Illinois. According to court documents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Chicago intercepted a package of 10 Glock switches from China in route to an address in East St. Louis for Akins in December 2022. Illinois State Police was notified of the package and troopers partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to seize it. After his arrest, Akins gave law enforcement consent to search his bedroom. Officers located a Glock with a purple switch, an extended magazine and an additional cell phone, according to the release. During an interview, the defendant told police he ordered Glock switches from an app and had sold nine switches to customers for a total of $2,000, the release stated. In January 2023, Homeland Security Investigations seized another package of 10 Glock switches addressed to Akins. In total, Akins is accused of ordering 30 Glock switches from China. Under federal law, glock switches are defined as a machine gun because the relatively simple and small conversion devices can turn semi-automatic pistols into automatic weapons. Conversion devices or switches that allow a handgun to become fully automatic are becoming more common and the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group is committed to stopping the proliferation of these devices, said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. ATF and the state police are contributing to the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Arshi is prosecuting the case. California DMV is cracking down on disabled parking fraud. How a new rule is meant to help Starting June 30, the process of renewing permanent disabled parking placards in California will change in an effort to crack down on fraudulent usage across the state. Holders will be required to sign a form, issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, to verify theyre still alive and in need of a tag once every six years. Folks who received their original permanent disabled person parking placard before January 2019 are part of the first renewal cycle, according to the California DMV. Disabled license plates and placards give certain parking privileges to disabled people and veterans as well as transportation organizations that serve those individuals. While both grant the same advantages, placards can be moved from one vehicle to another. People are creative and people perhaps misuse the program, said Steve Gordon, director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles. As a result of that, SB 611 came along. Heres what you need to know about the current permanent disabled person parking placard law in California and how it will change in a couple of weeks, plus why the law was reevaluated: The current law on disabled parking renewal in California The existing law, Senate Bill 611, first passed in October 2017, authorizes the California DMV to automatically renew placards once every two years at the end of June. To qualify for a placard, you must submit a certificate of disability by a physician and surgeon or a specified medical professional. The California DMV will then run a random annual audit to verify the paperwork. Once a year, the California DMV compares its records to the records of the California Department of Public Healths vital statistics and withholds renewed placards if someone is dead, but its not a perfect match, Gordon said. There are no limits to the number of temporary placards the department can issue to those temporarily or permanently disabled if one is lost or stolen. What the new disabled parking renewal law means for Californians This year and for the first time, SB 611 will require holders to submit a free renewal form to the California DMV once every six years. Similar to the existing law, the upcoming change wont require recertification of eligibility or even proof of the applicants true full name. To verify holders, the California DMV will compare its placard records against the Social Security Administrations master files of social security numbers. People will be limited to four substitute placards within a two-year renewal period. If you need more tags, you will have to reapply for a new one and submit a new certificate verifying your disability. How to renew your California disabled placard Those part of the first renewal cycle should sign for a new placard ahead of June 30, the expiration date of the current plaque. You do not need to go into a DMV office. Instead, do on one of the following: Sign and return the mailed renewal notice to the DMV (postage is required) Complete the renewal form online with your current disabled person placard ID card Renew online with the QR code printed on the mailed renewal notice An image of a disabled person placard identification receipt. Starting June 30, holders must sign a renewal form once every six years for a new placard. An image of a permanent disabled person parking placard renewal notice. Holders must respond to the form ahead of June 30 to receive an updated placard. About 2 million people in the state are part of the first renewal cycle, according to the California DMV. Roughly 1.3 million people verified and placards were mailed to them and another 100,000 people renewed in person at a DMV office, Gordon said. About 700,000 people or one-third of the community have not signed a renewal form for a new card. The biggest obstacle with the updated law is knowing exactly where to send new placards because people frequently change their address, he said. If you moved, you can update your address when you sign the renewal form. I signed for a new disabled placard. Now what? Your new permanent disabled person parking placard will be mailed to you once the DMV receives your signature, according to its website. Those who renew online will receive a new card within 10 days. 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. California officials said they are investigating how more than a dozen migrants that landed in Northern California had documentation connected to Florida. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< California officials said the 16 migrants were flown from Texas and then to New Mexico before landing in Sacramento. They were dropped off in front of a local church, according to state officials. Read: Deputies search for missing, disabled Seminole woman Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom and State Attorney General Rob Bonta said they are looking into what legal action can be taken against whoever authorized the transport of the migrants. Theres a pattern here, theres documentation here, and the document that we have in our possession says the state of Florida, so we believe the state of Florida, Governor Desantis is behind it, said California State Attorney General Rob Bonta. Read: Take a look: Bear spotted at Lake Eola Park Back in February, Florida State lawmakers passed a bill that allows DeSantis to relocate migrants from any state in the county, not just Florida. DeSantis was just one of a handful of governors or city leaders who have transported migrants. Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott bused thousands of migrants from his state to Democrat-led cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago, and NYC. Read: Florida man dies after car crashes into a motel The latest flights could be considered political retaliation against Newsom, which constantly criticizes Floridas policies. The California governor recently visited the New College of Florida in Sarasota, a school currently undergoing a conservative overhaul led by DeSantis. The migrants had no idea what state they were in and felt abandoned, said Cecilia Flores, a member of a faith-based organization in Sacramento, said. Some young people are just trying to make a life for themselves. Some people left children behind in this group, " Flores added. Read: Planning Our Parks: Flagler Officials to reveal results of New Parks and Recreation Master Plan. DeSantis is headed to Texas on Tuesday for a three-day six-city fundraising tour, according to a schedule obtained by The Texas Tribune. Later this month, the governor is also directed to Sacramento, California, later this month, where he will hold a June 19th breakfast fundraiser, the Sacramento Bee reported. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV, and stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Some Republican governors have transported migrants to Democratic-controlled states California is investigating whether the state of Florida arranged for two planes carrying migrants to fly to its capital city Sacramento. California's attorney general, a Democrat, said the flights appeared to be part of a "scheme" by Florida. Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has not commented and neither have any officials from the state. Last year, the presidential candidate sent two planes carrying migrants to a wealthy area of Massachusetts. At the time, Mr DeSantis said the move was intended to highlight a crisis at the southern border with Mexico. It was criticised by Democrats as well as immigration activists. On Monday, a group of around 20 people landed in Sacramento. Just days earlier, an initial group of 16 migrants arrived in the city. Documents in their possession suggested they had been transported by a contractor for a Florida government programme. Californian officials are investigating whether any laws were broken and if the people were misled. Gavin Newsom, California's Democratic governor, hit out at Mr DeSantis on Monday calling him a "small, pathetic man". In the tweet, he included a screenshot of a California legal code section on kidnapping. "We are investigating whether those orchestrating the group's trip misled anyone or violated laws," he said California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the first group had been transported from Texas to New Mexico, flown in a private chartered jet to Sacramento and driven to the Roman Catholic Diocese, a local church. Paperwork they shared with authorities indicated they were participating in the migrant transportation system administered by Florida's Division of Emergency Management and run by Florida-based contractor Vertol Systems Company Inc. The second group was carrying similar documents and flew to California from the same airport as the first group. Wilkendri Rodriguez, a 23-year-old migrant from Venezuela, told the New York Times that two men had approached him at a shelter in El Paso and offered him a flight to California. "I don't know what is their motivation to organise these trips," he told the newspaper. "I don't know if it's political or part of the government. They didn't tell us anything." Florida and at least two other Republican-controlled states have sent busloads of migrants, often with no advance warning, to Democratic-run cities in protest against President Joe Biden's border policies. It comes amid a sharp rise in migrant arrivals at the southern border. Vertol, which has ties to Florida's Mr DeSantis, was paid more than $1.6m (1.3m) last year for at least two migrant flights, including to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Mr DeSantis is contesting for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He will be holding a fundraiser in Sacramento for his campaign later this month. California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said the state of Florida appears to be behind arranging a group of South American migrants that arrived at a church in Sacramento. Today I met with over a dozen migrants who were brought to Sacramento by private plane, with no prior arrangement or care in place, Bonta said in a statement. We are investigating the circumstances by which these individuals were brought to California. We are also evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants, he said. While this is still under investigation, we can confirm these individuals were in possession of documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida. Sixteen South American migrants who entered the country through Texas were dropped off outside the Roman Catholic church in Sacramento last week. Eddie Carmona, campaign director at faith-based organization PICO California, said the migrants had no idea where they were being dropped off, adding they were lied to and intentionally deceived. Bonta suggested flying the migrants out to Sacramento could be state-sanctioned kidnapping, adding that California will welcome the individuals. He said the migrants were put through a harrowing experience during their transport to the California capital. While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice; it is immoral and disgusting, he said. We are a nation built by immigrants, and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful rhetoric of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to recognize humanity and who turn their backs on extending dignity and care to fellow human beings. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) also said an investigation is underway to learn who paid for the travel expenses of the migrants. We are working closely with the Mayors office, along with local and nonprofit partners to ensure the people who have arrived are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases, Newsom said in a statement last week. The investigation comes as Republican governors, like Greg Abbott in Texas and Ron DeSantis in Florida, have repeatedly bused or flown migrants to Democratic-led cities throughout the United States. The Hill has reached out to DeSantis for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. A deer walks in a wetland area in the Linne Woods Forest Preserve on June 1, 2023 in Morton Grove. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) Across the country, marshes, swamps and bogs quietly soak up flood water and filter pollutants. Ecologists agree they are one of the best natural defenses against climate change. But after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, more than half of the countrys 118 million acres of wetlands, according to estimates from the environmental firm Earthjustice, will effectively no longer have federal protection from developers and polluters. Advertisement Illinois, which has lost 90% of its wetlands since 1818, is among the more vulnerable states with no state-level protections for wetlands on private property. Those on public land are still protected. In a startling precedent for environmental law, experts say, the decision in Sackett v. EPA upends more than 50 years of legal protections by limiting the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act to wetlands visibly connected to major waterways. Advertisement (The courts rationale) is almost science fiction, said Richard Lazarus, a law professor at Harvard University who has represented environmental groups before the Supreme Court in other cases. In states such as Illinois, environmentalists are rallying to draft legislation as local governments must decide whether and how to protect these wetlands. Right now were in the process of building up our troops, said Eliot Clay, state programs director at the advocacy group Illinois Environmental Council. Meanwhile, builders, developers and farmers applauded the decision, accusing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of encroaching on property rights. While the Supreme Courts decision will take down federal barriers to developing farmland and constructing buildings in certain places, eventually flooding and erosion will follow, harming farmland, residential areas and transportation infrastructure, Clay said. This decision by the Supreme Court was a really big win for those who believe that individual property rights are more important than the collective status of a piece of property, said Clay. They can celebrate that in the short term, but people arent going to be celebrating those kinds of decisions when it starts impacting their actual day-to-day way of life. [ Illinois environmentalists point to crucial role of wetlands in Supreme Court case that pits ecology against property rights ] What does adjacent mean? In a 17-year legal battle against the EPA, Michael and Chantell Sackett argued the agency overstepped when it forced them to halt construction on their property 300 feet from Idahos Priest Lake, because they were building on federally protected wetlands without a proper permit. Michael and Chantell Sackett of Priest Lake, Idaho, in front of the Supreme Court in Washington on Oct. 14, 2011. (Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP) The dispute centers on what Congress intended with the word adjacent when it passed the Clean Water Act in 1972 with bipartisan support to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nations waters. Advertisement The act gives the EPA authority to regulate construction near and pollution into waters of the United States, defined as relatively permanent, standing or continuously flowing bodies of water connected to a traditional interstate navigable water. Recognizing the connections between wetlands and streams, oceans, rivers and lakes, the act also extends protections to wetlands adjacent thereto. The EPA reasoned the wetlands on the Sacketts property are adjacent to Lake Priest since they feed water into the lake via underground channels. The Sacketts argued they are not adjacent because a man-made ditch separates them from a stream that flows into the lake. The Supreme Court sided with the Sacketts, stating that when the ditch was built, the wetland on the Sacketts property lost federal protections even though none of its ecological properties were fundamentally changed. The Illinois Farm Bureau praised the May 25 decision as a clear rule that will save farmers from having to enlist legal expertise to tend to their land as they see fit. The National Association of Homebuilders joined them, stating that the decision represents a victory against federal overreach and a win for common-sense regulations. Advertisement Up to the states Illinois, like many other states, depended on federal regulations to protect wetlands. Now, that responsibility falls to individual states. This worries Scott Strand, a senior attorney at the Environmental Law and Policy Center. The Clean Water Act was passed because the states were failing. The whole point of the law was to deal with the fact that the states were not either able or willing to do the job, he said. [ Audubon looks to Great Lakes for wetland restoration: If we can bring back Calumet, we can bring back any place ] The Illinois EPA is reviewing the Sackett v. EPA ruling to fully understand the implications that it will have on wetlands and waters within the state. How these new considerations (in the courts decision) will affect Illinois EPAs permitting and enforcement decisions going forward cannot be determined at this time, an agency spokesperson wrote in an email to the Tribune. Yellow iris in a wetland area as the sun rises in the Linne Woods Forest Preserve, June 1, 2023, in Morton Grove. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) The Illinois Environmental Council is calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to issue an executive order protecting as many wetlands as possible until the General Assembly can consider new legislation when it reconvenes in January. I have absolutely no question that (the proposal of a state wetland law) is now going to happen, said Paul Botts, the president and executive director of The Wetlands Initiative, a Chicago-based nonprofit. Advertisement Wetland protections have been introduced in the General Assembly before, most recently in 2020. They faced challenges from lobbying groups for farmers and builders, which ultimately won out. Clay, who has been organizing numerous environmental groups into action since the ruling, predicts theyll face another uphill battle but remains optimistic. A big argument that was brought up against (the 2020 bill), especially from the business community, was that we dont need to do this in Illinois because it already exists in federal law. Now that that card has been thrown out, they dont have that argument anymore, said Clay. Botts and Strand want a state law that will delineate wetlands based on their soils rather than their visible connection to another body of water. When they wrote the Clean Water Act, they had no idea that wetlands have a fingerprint called hydric soils, said Botts. As a result of the saturation, flooding and ponding that occurs in wetlands, the soil has specific chemical and biological properties that can be distinguished with a standardized, on-site soil test. Advertisement The common complaint among farmers and developers is that scientifically based rules require costly and time-consuming expert analysis that delay projects. In its statement after the Sackett v. EPA ruling came out, the homebuilders association called for a practical definition of waters of the United States that wont trigger expensive, time-consuming permitting and regulatory requirements. Botts said these cost and time concerns are moot points with soil samples. Its not any kind of exotic scientific process. Its not particularly any more complicated than doing a survey, and if youre going to build a building or a house, you have to hire surveyors to come out and do a proper survey anyways, he said. Natural sponges and filters The Supreme Courts criteria for adjacency also fails to consider the latest scientific understandings of wetlands, say environmentalists. The Supreme Court majority is just saying, If I can see water, and I can see the water flowing from the wetland to the river and back, its a wetland. And, if I cant, its not, said Botts. From a scientific or technical point of view, thats utterly just nonsense. Advertisement A key characteristic of wetlands is they absorb water, so much of their connections to rivers, lakes, streams and oceans are through underground networks. Surface water is often not present during periods of low rainfall when there is no excess water. Yellow iris cover a wetland area as the sun rises at Linne Woods Forest Preserve on June 1, 2023 in Morton Grove. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) The Great Lakes, for example, are lined with adjacent wetlands that appear and disappear with water-level fluctuations. Some of the most robust examples are along Lake Michigans Indiana dunes. Although wetlands in Indiana Dunes National Park are protected, some nearby wetlands outside the park, which also provide homes for insects and amphibians and feeding grounds for birds and mammals, are now at risk. [ 'Hidden gem' no more, Indiana Dunes is ready for the spotlight as the countrys newest national park ] The spongelike quality of wetlands makes them invaluable resources for mitigating greenhouse gases and coping with the runoff from intensifying weather patterns caused by climate change, scientists say. Wetlands are remarkable carbon sinks, filtering out pollutants before they can make it to major waterways and containing 20% to 30% of global soil carbon despite only making up 5% to 8% of land surface. Illinois is one of the biggest contributors to nutrient pollution that flows from the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, creating a dead zone with chronic algae blooms and near-zero oxygen levels. The states negative impact is bound to increase without state-level regulations, Clay said. [ Theres a giant dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico thanks in large part to pollution from Chicago ] Years of scrutiny During the last three presidential administrations, the EPA has reinterpreted and revised the definition of protected wetlands. Each attempt has faced scrutiny in the courts. Most recently, the Biden EPA implemented a new definition that was immediately challenged by 26 states and must now be revised to fit the Supreme Courts narrower standard. Advertisement 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 > Some environmentalists believe changes at the federal level will likely require a new or revised law from Congress. But partisan gridlock makes passage of this kind of legislation difficult. Sackett v. EPA, alongside other recent environmental rulings by the Supreme Court, has established the precedent that, if EPA is trying to enact a significant pollution protection program, they have to have exceedingly clear congressional authorization, Lazarus said. That is a complete reversal of what the law has been for the past basically 40 years where you only could defeat an EPA program if you could show the plain meaning (of the law) did not support the agency, he said. While the EPAs authority is being rolled back by the Supreme Court, the states are not powerless. The states have lots of ability to take care of this problem and preserve their environments, Strand said. In Illinois, environmental groups are ready to get to work. Over the next few months, as we start getting our game plan together for the next legislative session, were gonna need to think through what we need in Illinois, Clay said. Were really going to try to craft a bill that, at least from a Midwestern standpoint, puts Illinois in the lead in terms of wetland protection. Advertisement Editors note: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly stated Richard Lazarus connection to the Sackett v. EPA case. He has represented environmental groups before the Supreme Court in other cases. Calls growing for woman's arrest after the fatal shooting of her neighbor in Florida Calls growing for woman's arrest after the fatal shooting of her neighbor in Florida Calls are growing for the arrest of a woman accused of shooting her neighbor Friday in Florida in an incident a nationally renowned civil rights attorney described as an unjustified killing. The children of the victim, identified as Ajike AJ Owens, were playing in a field near an apartment complex in Ocala when, attorney Ben Crump said, an unidentified white woman, 58, began yelling at them to get off her land and calling them racial slurs. According to Crumps statement, after the woman yelled slurs at Owens children, they accidentally left an iPad behind, which the woman took. When one of Owens children went to retrieve it, she threw it, hitting the boy and cracking the screen. Owens walked across the street to speak to her neighbor after she learned what happened, Crump said. She knocked on the door, and at that point, the woman allegedly shot through the door, hitting AJ, who later died from her injuries, Crump said. Ajike At a news conference Monday, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods did not confirm or reject Crumps account, telling reporters he was not going to stand here and tell you what theyre putting out there is inaccurate. Its just I dont know yet. Heres what the sheriff said he does know: There had been a long-standing neighborhood feud between the shooter and Owens about her children. I've got reports that one side or the other either the mother, Ms. Owens, or the shooter has called, Woods said. Complaining about the children children being children. The children may have been hit by a pair of skates. Was something thrown at them? Yes, but not directly at them of what were being told now, Woods said. It just unfortunately may have hit them. He added: The children are a big part of answering a lot our questions. When Owens came to the shooter's door, there was a heated exchange. Owens was shot through the door. At least two of Owens four children may have witnessed the shooting, which occurred about 9 p.m. Woods promised Owens family his office will provide all resources available to seek justice in the case. I wish our shooter would have called us instead of taking actions into her own hands, he said, adding investigators are trying to determine whether Floridas stand your ground law applies in the shooting. In general, Floridians can defend themselves with deadly force if they believe they are in imminent danger or death and not only when they are inside their homes. A person being threatened is not required to try to flee. That law has specific instructions for us in law enforcement, and any time that we think or perceive or believe that ... might come into play, we cannot make an arrest, Woods said. The law specifically says that, and what we have to rule out is whether the deadly force was justified or not before we can even make the arrest. At a news conference Monday afternoon at New St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ocala, Owens' mother, Pamela Dias, said her daughter was acting as a protective mother when she went to her neighbor's home looking for answers about why she treated her children like she did. "The mother, the protector of her children, she wanted to know why this happened. A closed, locked door. The door never opened. My daughter, my grandchildren's mother, was shot and killed with her 9-year-old son standing next to her. She had no weapon. She posed no imminent threat to anyone," Dias said. The Marion County NAACP president, Bishop J. David Stockton III, said the shooting is just the latest case of Black people living their lives only to be met by unreasonable violence. "The truth is we've gotten to a point where Black folks are almost living in a day where we are afraid to go outside," he said. "Our children and adults deserve to live in a world where they do not live in fear of their neighbors." Attorney Anthony D. Thomas, who represents the Owens family, said the community is closely watching how the sheriff's office handles the investigation. "We need an arrest," Thomas said. "Make no mistake about it. We do support our sheriff. But at the same time, we want him to do the job that he promised that he would do, and we want swift justice." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A firefighter sprays the ground as a water bomber flies by in Barrington Lake, Canada on June 1, 2023 Canada is facing a dire wildfire situation through the coming months, officials warned on Monday after vast swaths of forests and grasslands from its Pacific to Atlantic coasts have been scorched. Some 26,000 people remain displaced by fires at present, with about 120,000 having had to flee at some point over the past month. From westernmost British Columbia to Nova Scotia on the east coast, about 3.3 million hectares (8.2 million acres) have burned so far. "Our modeling shows that this may be an especially severe wildfire season throughout the summer," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference. Officials pointed to especially hot, dry conditions in recent months that are forecast to persist through August. If the current trajectory continues, said Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, "it very well could be... Canada's most severe fire season ever," with fires having already burned 10 times the historic average area. "Every province and territory will need to be on high alert throughout this wildfire season," he added. Currently, 413 wildfires are burning across Canada, including 249 listed as out of control. And three provinces -- Alberta, Nova Scotia and Quebec -- have asked for federal assistance. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said the country has seen "some of the most severe (fires) ever witnessed in Canada," and should brace for "continued higher than normal fire activity." Wilkinson said wildfire risks are likely to "increase in June and remain unusually high throughout the summer across the country. It shows us that this year's already devastating season could well get worse." Canada has been hit repeatedly by extreme weather in recent years, the intensity and frequency of which have increased due to global warming. After major flareups in the west of the country in May, notably in the prairie provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, firefighting shifted in recent weeks to Nova Scotia in the east, and more recently to Quebec. A fire that threatened suburbs of Halifax, the largest city in Nova Scotia, was contained over the weekend with rains and cooler weather helping firefighting efforts. Some evacuated residents were allowed to return home. In Quebec, the tiny town of Clova was abandoned in the face of advancing blazes, forcing its three dozen inhabitants to flee. About 10,000 residents of Sept Iles also remain under an evacuation order. With resources increasingly strained, Ottawa has sent in the military to help in hotspots. About 1,000 firefighters from Australia, France, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States also arrived or were en route to bolster firefighting efforts. ast-amc/bfm Canada could see its worst wildfire season on record Rain in Nova Scotia has allowed firefighters to contain some wildfires. Canada is bracing for what forecasters say may be the country's worst wildfire season on record. It has already seen 2,214 fires this year, which have burned an area roughly totalling the size of Belgium. Projections suggest the risk of wildfires will only increase in June and remain unusually high with little respite throughout the summer. The federal natural resources minister called this season's projections "sobering". "It shows us that this year's already devastating season could well get worse," Jonathan Wilkinson said at a news conference on Monday. In a Monday briefing, officials said the number of wildfires Canada has seen so far this year is "unprecedented" for this early in the wildfire season, which typically lasts from May to September. The fires have collectively burned more than 3.3 million hectares of land across the country - around 12 times more than the average over the last 10 years. Experts have pointed to a warmer and drier spring than normal as the reason behind this trend. These warm and dry conditions are projected to continue throughout the summer, fuelling a high risk of wildfires from the west coast province of British Columbia to Atlantic Canada in the east. If the trend continues, the country could see its largest area burned by wildfires on record. "Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of wildland fires and creating longer fire seasons in Canada," said Michael Norton, director general of the Northern Forestry Centre at Canada's Department of Natural Resources. As of Sunday, there were 413 wildfires burning cross Canada, with 249 of them considered to be out of control. Wildfires have forced the evacuation of a total of 100,000 people across the country to date. Many have since returned to their homes but officials said around 26,000 people are still under evacuation across seven different provinces and territories. An aerial photo showing wildfire devastation in Alberta's Wild Hay area in May. More than 100,000 people across Canada have been impacted by fire evacuation orders so far this year A wildfire near Halifax - the largest city in Nova Scotia - was contained over the weekend with the help of rainy weather, the province's natural resources department said. The fire destroyed more than 200 homes and structures and forced the evacuation of 16,000 people. Some have since been able to return home. New fires have erupted elsewhere, including in the province of Quebec, where around 164 fires are active as of Monday, forcing more than 10,000 residents to evacuate. Along with local firefighters, Canada has deployed its military across the country to help battle the wildfires. Nearly 1,000 firefighters from other countries, including the US, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are also on the ground to help. Over the weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will be sending an additional 100 firefighters to Quebec. On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the current wildfire situation in the country as "difficult and heart-breaking". A number of burn bans are in place across the country and officials have warned Canadians to take extra care in areas deemed at a high risk of wildfires. A Cape Coral man charged in a Bonita Springs stabbing claimed his innocence Monday. Roberto Domingo Rodriguez, 39, faces one count of second-degree murder. Around 2 p.m. May 7, Lee County deputies were dispatched to New York Street, in Bonita Springs. Authorities found one victim at the residence's driveway with stab wounds. Joseph Zieler: Joseph Zieler appeals conviction in double 1990 homicide after jury recommends death Wade Wilson: Wade Wilson, incarcerated on homicide charges, involved in new scheme, LCSO says The victim died at a hospital, according to his arrest affidavit. Deputies located Domingo Rodriguez in the area of Tennessee Street and Kentucky Street. They arrested him and took him to a hospital for treatment. Homicide detectives assumed the investigation. They discovered an altercation at a residence on New York Street led to the stabbing. According to the arrest report, the residence had video surveillance footage. The video showed the victim saying he'd call police as he asked Domingo Rodriguez why he stabbed him. Domingo Rodriguez tossed the knife in the driveway, the report indicates. They also found blood on Domingo Rodriguez's wheelchair. Authorities said the victim and Domingo Rodriguez knew each other. Domingo Rodriguez remains at the Lee County Jail on Monday on a $1 million bond. He's next due in court July 5 for a case management conference. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Man charged in Bonita Springs fatal stabbing pleads not guilty Casey DeSantis was mocked as Walmart Melania after she wore a leather jacket in the Iowa heat that said where woke goes to die over a map of Florida and an alligator. Melania Trump wore a jacket that said I really dont care. Do you? while child immigrants were being separated from their families during the presidency of Donald Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his wife appeared at a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa at the Roast and Ride annual event hosted by one of the states US Senators, Joni Ernst. Casey DeSantis wearing her leather jacket advertising Florida as where woke goes to die (AP) While Mr DeSantis frequently invokes the term woke, his main rival Mr Trump recently said: I dont like the term woke, because I hear the term woke woke woke its just a term they use. Half the people cant define it. They dont know what it is. Responding on Saturday, Mr DeSantis told the press that Woke is an existential threat to our society. To say its not a big deal, that just shows you dont understand what a lot of these issues are right now. Ms DeSantis has played a large role in her husbands political life and is now part of the effort to urge suburban women to once again vote for the GOP, Insider noted. As the first lady of the Sunshine State was mocked as Walmart Melania, Twitter users were divided on the moniker. Behind every Republican man, theres a Republican woman selling out her sisterhood, the account Tea Pain tweeted. Stop attacking family members of political candidates. It just shows that you are petty and lack the ability to push back on policy, Brian Krassenstein wrote. Whether its [calling] Casey DeSantis Walmart Melania or questioning Dr Jill Bidens use of Dr your petty name calling and nitpicking is childish and idiotic. Solutions dont come by name-calling. Solutions come via dialogue. We can all be better. Sorry, Walmart Melania made herself fair game when she put on this jacket, one Twitter user said. Pro-Trump commentator Laura Loomer said the governor and his wife are cheap knockoffs of Melania and Donald Trump. The only problem with calling Casey DeSantis Walmart Melania is that it is an implicit compliment to Melania, implying that she is somehow superior to Casey. And she is not. They are both dreadful enablers who wear crass clothing, the account of Betty Bowers, a character played by comedian Deven Green, wrote. Yall should really be ashamed of yourselves for stooping so low as to call the *First Lady* of Florida Walmart Melania when Kmart Casey was sitting right there, one Twitter user said. I dont find it at all funny or amusing to call Casey DeSantis Walmart Melania. Seriously, we should be much better than that as American and humans. Walmart didnt do anything to be compared to that bag of garbage and it deserves better than that, Tony Posnanski joked. Yea calling DeSantiss wife Walmart Melania as an insult is TOTALLY going to crush it with most of of the country who.. *checks notes* loves walmart or at least relies on it, the account for the social commentary YouTube channel The Quartering added. Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) fighters announced that they were engaged in battle near Shebekino, Belgorod Oblast in Russia, the group said in a Telegram statement on June 4. Ukraine's state postal service, Ukrposhta, announced a new mail shipment PRIME Small Package to the United States. Russian missile stockpiles aren't going to be depleted, Roman Kostenko, Holos party MP and Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, told Radio NV in an interview on June 4. Ukraine needs more U.S.-made Patriot air defence systems, which are the only systems capable of intercepting certain types of Russian missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Wall Street Journal on June 3. Ukraines Ministry of Internal Affairs has conducted inspections of over 4,800 shelters throughout the country as of the morning of June 3, according to the Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. The 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade (OMB) has successfully acquired one Mavic 3T and five Mavic Fly more Combo drones thanks to the combined efforts of dedicated volunteers and generous contributors who participated in the fundraising campaign initiated by NV. Ukraine is ready to launch a counteroffensive, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Wall Street Journal on June 3. Many believed Moscows pre-war assertions that the Russian military is the second strongest in the world, but the strategic mistakes of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin have relegated it to "the second strongest in Ukraine," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on June 2. General mobilization in Ukraine has been underway since Feb. 24, 2022, and all men between the ages of 18 and 60 are considered liable for military service and can be drafted and sent to the front after basic training. Following the increase in electricity rates, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) will increase the cost for water supply and drainage on June 14, RBC-Ukraine reported on May 31. Kyivs Solomianskyi district court has put four bloggers under 24-hour house arrest after they filmed and posted the operation of Ukraines air defenses during Russias strike on Kyiv on May 16, Ukrainska Pravda reported on June 2. The fight between WBA, WBO, IBO and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk the best boxer in the world in 2022 and British Daniel Dubois will take place later than planned, promoter Oleksandr Krasiuk has announced, according to TVP Sport. Andriy Pyshnyi, who was appointed as the head of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) a year ago, shared how his life has changed after the full-scale invasion began in an exclusive interview with NV on May 30 Russias losses in Bakhmut were seven times greater than Ukraines, said Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov in an interview with the Italian publication Corriere. U.S. President Joe Biden is increasingly less concerned with Russias so-called red lines when it comes to arming Ukraine, after all of Moscows threats to punish the West have failed to materialize, The Washington Post reported on June 1, citing unnamed U.S. officials. 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 Charlotte woman was stabbed 133 times. Now, a suspect in her death is being released. One of the accused killers in the murder of a Charlotte woman in 2020 has been released from Mecklenburg County Jail. James Salerno, 22, had bond set at $250,000 in Mecklenburg County Court in January. He posted bond and was released on Saturday, Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office records show. Mary Collins, a 21-year-old with an intellectual disability, was found dead, stabbed 133 times and hidden in a mattress in a NoDA apartment on April 4, 2020, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. Mia Alderman, Collins grandmother who raised her, said in an interview Monday that the justice system betrayed Collins by allowing another one of the suspects in her case to bond out of jail. Previously the courts granted bond to America Diehl, one of the other four people charged in the case. Marys been betrayed over and over again, Alderman said. The justice system is not there for her, and that hurts. When people ask Alderman to describe her reaction to Salernos release she tells them to picture the most vulnerable person in their family. The person who needs a little extra help, who may have a disability or another reason to need protection. be protected. Thats the person they stabbed 133 times. Thats the person that thought they were just going to go and have fun with friends and (they) bashed her head in, forced drugs down her throat, wrapped her in plastic and put her in a mattress, Alderman said. And then she was there for a week decomposed and you never saw her again. If people can picture this, they become closer to understanding the pain Collins family feels, Alderman said. Collins had 22q deletion syndrome, also known as DiGeorge Syndrome. Its the second-most common genetic disorder behind Downs Syndrome, according to the International 22q11.3 Foundation. Her family has said her cognitive abilities were similar to that of a 15-year-old. After Collins death, Alderman started an advocacy group called Marys Voice which advocates for justice in her case, and in the legislature for other victims with disabilities. Mary was just the epitome of a beautiful soul and she matters, Alderman said. People who have disabilities matter. Theyre not disposable, they have value. What happened to Mary Collins? Collins was lured to the NoDA apartment by Kelly Lavery, 24, and Lavi Pham, 23, who planned in text messages to murder her for refusing a threesome with them, prosecutors said in court last June. Salerno, 22, later helped to conceal her death, prosecutors and police claim. The day after Collins was found, police charged Lavery, Pham, and Salerno, with murder and kidnapping, public records show. Pham and Salerno also were charged with concealing a death. Later Diehl, 18, was charged with accessory after the fact and concealing a death, CMPD officials said. Diehl was released on bond in 2021, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Offices website. In June, Lavery took a plea deal and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, concealment of a body and first-degree kidnapping charges. She was sentenced to up to 32 years in prison, the Observer reported at the time. At his last court hearing Pham pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping charges. Alderman said she and Collins family believe all four suspects should serve life in prison, and that they should not be allowed bond or plea deals. Its devastating that something like this could happen to her, she said, that they could target her based on her vulnerability... and heinously murder her and be given bond, she said. Oklahoma officials approved the nations first faith-based charter school Monday, setting up what is sure to be a high-profile legal battle over the separation of church and state. With its 3-2 vote in support of the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, Oklahomas Statewide Virtual Charter School Board created a controversial precedent, allowing public funds to support an explicitly Roman Catholic curriculum. While considered a victory for religious conservatives, the move immediately drew criticism from the states Republican attorney general, who called the decision contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers. Its extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars, Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the state to potential legal action that could be costly. Related Choice Supporters to Catholic Charter School Backers: Proceed with Caution Americans United for Separation of Church and State said it is already preparing a legal challenge. But that didnt stop those who have worked on the application since last year from savoring the moment. We are elated that the board agreed with our argument and application for the nations first religious charter school, said Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, a policy organization. Parents continue to demand more options for their kids, and we are committed to help provide them. St. Isidore of Seville was a seventh century theologian and scholar. (Archdiocese of Oklahoma City) The proposal, which the the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa first submitted in January, has galvanized advocates for religious freedom and divided the charter school community. Some see faith-based charters as a natural outgrowth of a string of Supreme Court decisions that have increasingly allowed public funds to support private schools. But a recent brief from the Biden administration in a case that could be reviewed by the court pushed back on any suggestion that charter schools are private entities. Charters are units in the public school system, wrote U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar. In a deep red state, where board members are politically appointed, that argument proved less than persuasive. Oklahomas virtual charter school board on Monday voted 3-2 to approve the nations first religious charter school. (Getty Images) The political nature of the board sparked some discussion prior to Mondays vote as opponents of the application accused its backers of stacking the panel to ensure the charters passage. On Friday, House Speaker Charles McCall appointed Bob Bobek, who supports the application, to replace Barry Beauchamp, a former superintendent of the Lawton Public Schools whose term had expired. Board Chair Robert Franklin, who voted against the application, asked Bobek to recuse himself in an effort to avoid the perception and appearance of political manipulation related specifically to this vote. Bobek refused and voted in favor of the charter. During public comments, Erika Wright, founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, said his addition undermines public trust in our representative democracy and promotes government corruption and backward dealings. Both Gov. Kevin Stitt and state Superintendent Ryan Walters have been enthusiastic supporters of the application. In a Feb. 27 letter to Drummond, Stitt wrote that the state law prohibiting religious charter schools forces organizations to choose between receiving a public benefit and following their faith. Stitt argued that the state shouldnt wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether it will weigh in on a North Carolina case, Charter Day School v. Peltier, which revolves around the question of whether charter schools are public or private. The board for Charter Day School Inc., founded in 1999 to offer a traditional approach to education, argues that because its a nonprofit organization, it should have flexibility to enforce a strict dress code, including skirts for girls. But the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued on behalf of three families, called the dress code discriminatory. The U.S. Court of Appeals for Fourth Circuit ruled that charter schools are state actors and must protect students constitutional and civil rights. Related Attorneys Consider Asking SCOTUS to Weigh in on Public Status of Charter Schools If the Supreme Court determines that charters are private, experts believe it could bolster the argument that they can adopt an explicitly religious curriculum. Prelogar, responding to the courts request, took a firm position that charters are required to uphold the same constitutional and civil rights laws as traditional public schools. She urged the court not to hear the plaintiffs appeal of the lower court decision. The court has not yet announced whether or not it will hear the case. Nicole Garnett, a University of Notre Dame law professor who supports religious charter schools, called Prelogars opinion a good brief and said it could persuade the court to take a pass. But the Oklahoma board opted not to wait. Related Oklahoma Board Sidesteps Final Decision on Religious Charter School Assistant Attorney General Niki Batt, who provided legal advice to the board, noted that the state would have to customize the charter school contract in multiple ways to accommodate the schools religious affiliation. Youre an executive branch agency, she told the board Monday. Its not our job to make the law and its not our job to interpret the law. Thats what the courts do. But John Meiser of Notre Dames Religious Liberty Initiative, told the board that the government cant discriminate against religious organizations that want to run charter schools. The entire point of the charter program, he said, is to incentivize and support private organizations to come create new innovative diverse learning opportunities. Some leaders of the charter community took issue with that argument. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is trying to make charter schools into something they are not, said Nina Rees, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. We stand ready to support charter school advocates on the ground in Oklahoma as they fight to preserve the public nature of these unique schools and protect the religious and civil rights of the students and teachers who choose them. (Bloomberg) -- China asked former British trade secretary Peter Mandelson to urge foreign business to return or expand to the worlds second largest economy, as it battles a disappointing post-pandemic recovery. Most Read from Bloomberg The British politician and former European trade commissioner said that was the overwhelming message during his week in Beijing talking to policymakers, including Liu Jianchao, head of the Communist Partys International Department. To achieve that goal, China must take clear actions to make it easier to do business in China, Mandelson, chairman and co-founder of advisory firm Global Counsel LLP, said on Friday, in an interview from the capital. Mandelsons trip came as China last week welcomed a string of business leaders including Tesla Inc.s Elon Musk and Jamie Dimon, chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co., in an effort to allay fears the country is becoming hostile to foreign capital. Delegations from dozens of Chinese cities and provinces have hosted overseas roadshows this year seeking out investment. Since Mandelson held a virtual dialogue in 2021 between some 25 European executives and senior Chinese officials including then-premier Li Keqiang a forum he is hoping to repeat a spate of regulatory crackdowns and rising geopolitical tensions have spooked investors. In the comments below, condensed for brevity, Mandelson discusses the risks and opportunities for international business. What did you learn from your trip? Economic recovery and revival is the top priority. Covid controls projected an image of tight security and control in China being operated by a very centralized state system. Now they want to emphasize the dynamism of the economy and the role that the private sector and foreign direct investment can play in it. The message to me very strongly was: We want foreign investment. Please encourage people either to return or to expand. But heres the point that I made: its very important for Chinas authorities not just to talk at foreign investors, but to listen to what theyre saying about the need for reform. Theres a feeling that the authorities are good at making speeches and less good at following them up with clear actions. What are the challenges for international business? Theres a lot of bureaucracy, layers of government, and now a new dimension of data regulation and control. Chinese authorities have got to be very careful that, while they are entitled to manage the economy in aspects like data in an appropriate way, the cumulative impression or impact is not off-putting to private investors. China has gone through a period when the messaging from Beijing has been quite nationalistic, a lot more about state enterprise than private enterprise. A rebalancing is necessary in order to send the right signals to international companies. Whats the response from officials when you raise these concerns? They agree, but as I say, it has to be followed up with actions. People are looking for a specific follow-ups. Look, they have to understand that Western international companies fear being stranded if a conflict breaks out between the US and China, so theyre tempted to hedge their bets to shrink their exposure. And where does the US stand in all this? The United States says that its aim is not a decoupling of the West from China. The fear of many, as it has been put to me in the business community, is that while this may not be the aim of American actions, decoupling may be the consequence. Theres a feeling that perhaps the United States may be over overreaching, that it may be contributing to instability, as some of international businesses have been putting it to me. Are there other geopolitical concerns? One thing, of course, is the war in Ukraine. I was quite surprised by one senior political figure telling me forthrightly that Russia is not an ally of China. He said, China is not tied to Russia in the way Britain and other allies are to our NATO partners in a military alliance. It seems that Chinese views about Russias invasion of Ukraine are more nuanced than sometimes appears. Did you discuss Taiwan? I put it to a senior political figure that it would be helpful if China could make clear that it had no intentional plan to take Taiwan by force. But their analysis, as it was explained to me, is if they publicly renounce the use of force, then those advocating independence will see no impediment or cost in organizing for it. I can see the logic of this position, but equally, I think China must find a peaceful way forward and make it clear that this is their aim. Theres been a tendency to read across from Ukraine to Taiwan and a lot of fears are being whipped up over Taiwan. Of course, there are going to be continuing tensions. But I think that very clearly, as was said to me, China does not want to see Chinese fighting Chinese in or over Taiwan. --With assistance from Ros Krasny. (Adds context on Chinese investment roadshows in fourth paragraph and details througout.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Chinas defense minister on Sunday conceded that a war between China and the United States would be an "unbearable disaster for the world" and stressed the need for both sides to improve relations that are "at a record low." The comments from Gen. Li Shangfu, his first since becoming defense minister in March, came during the Shangri-La Dialogue, a gathering of some of the worlds top defense officials in Singapore. "History has proven time and again that both China and the United States will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation," he said. "China seeks to develop a new type of major-country relationship with the United States. As for the U.S. side, it needs to act with sincerity, match its words with deeds, and take concrete actions together with China to stabilize the relations and prevent further deterioration." BIDEN ADMIN SLAMMED AS GRANTING MAJOR COUP TO CHINA AFTER TOP OFFICIALS VISIT ON TIANANMEN MASSACRE DATE Still, Li defended China for sailing a warship across the path of an American destroyer and Canadian frigate transiting the Taiwan Strait, and called so-called "freedom of navigation" patrols a provocation to China. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Li said China doesn't have any problems with "innocent passage" but that "we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of navigation (patrols), that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation." FILE: A Philippine naval personnel stands on guard during the arrival of missile destroyer USS Chung Hoon (DDG-93) before the US-Philippine joint naval military exercise entitled 'Cooperation Afloat Readiness Training' (CARAT) near the disputed Spratly islands, in Puerto Princesa on the western Philippine island of Palawan on June 28, 2011. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the same forum Saturday that Washington would not "flinch in the face of bullying or coercion" from China and would continue regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea to emphasize they are international waters, countering Beijing's sweeping territorial claims. That same day a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate were intercepted by a Chinese warship in the strait dividing the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, and mainland China. The Chinese vessel overtook the American ship and then veered across its bow at a distance of 150 yards in an "unsafe manner," according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. BRIDGE MAN: THE DARING DISSIDENT WHO TOPPLED CHINA'S COVID LOCKDOWNS BY SACRIFICING HIMSELF The incident came less than two weeks after the U.S. has said a Chinese J-16 fighter jet intercepted a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, flying directly in front of the plane's nose. Those and previous incidents have raised concerns about a possible accident occurring that could lead to an escalation between the two nations at a time when tensions are already high. Li has been under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia but predate its invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions imposed in 2018 over Li's involvement in China's purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow. The U.S. has noted that since 2021 China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Laura Washington, left, with mother Gwendolyn in April 2023 in Chicago. Gwendolyn Washington died on May 17 at age 89 after a brief illness. She was Washington's inspiration to cover racial justice and politics. (Family photo) My mother was a woman who, as they say, dont take no stuff. On May 17, Gwendolyn Gwen Washington passed away at the age of 89 after a brief illness. Advertisement She was my voice and inspiration to cover racial justice and politics. A fiercely independent force. A crackling bundle of energy to the end. Unapologetically authentic, she always spoke up, and out, for justice. At 5-foot-2, a formidable presence. Forefinger in the air, demanding answers. She taught me that no was never acceptable. Mama lived the cultural, social and political transformation of 20th century Chicago. She was born in 1934 in a family of eight children in Black Bronzeville, where families survived and thrived through love and grit. Her generation of Black women, and every generation since, had to work harder to stay afloat in a society where they can be invisible. Gwen Washington refused to accept that. Advertisement My mother grew up at the Francis Apartments, an architectural landmark and touchpoint in Chicago history. She was so proud of the four-story building at 4304 S. Forestville Ave. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1895, it was originally intended for middle-class white people. When white residents moved away, African American migrants from the South moved in. The building was later demolished, but Mama made sure everyone knew about her childhood home and that its elaborate, wrought- and cast-iron entrance gate is on view at the Art Institute. Her favorite teacher at DuSable High School was the great Margaret Burroughs, who later founded the DuSable Museum of African American History. Black history was taboo, not taught in the schools in those times, Mama said. In Burroughs classroom, Margaret would close the door, my mother would recall, and surreptitiously teach the great figures who would become Mamas heroes: W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells and Paul Robeson. My mother was an avid champion of books and reading, inspiring countless students at Kennedy-King College, where she worked for 25 years. She traveled throughout Africa, visiting and learning in Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, South Africa and Egypt. Later in life, she took up beading. Her Jewelry by Gwen creations, brimming with color and verve, were adorned with rare African beads she found on her travels. She schooled me in race and politics at her kitchen table. She would tote me to the regular Saturday meetings at Operation PUSH. When it was time to march, she was there to help lead the charge. She demanded what was right for us and rightfully ours. You wont get what you dont demand, she would say. Im going to write a letter. Where is the store manager? Im calling the alderman. Vote, at all costs. Then hold them accountable. Her former alderman, Sophia King, once knocked at Mamas door, asking for her vote. My mothers reply: Where have you been? In the 1990s, she answered phones and stuffed envelopes to help elect a little-known state senator in Hyde Park. We helped get (Barack) Obama elected before he got to be so important! she would incessantly note. Advertisement Her demanding ways and stern hand toughened me up. I would come home crying from school because a classmate was cruel. She would say, Buck up. Thats the real world, and the one you are going to live in. My parents split up early, and money was always short. I remember freezing winters with no heat, staying home from school when the tuition could not be paid. Mama dug deep to make sure me and my brother, Andrew, were doubly loved, while insisting that we reach higher, do better. [ Laura Washington: My daddy, the dependable mailman ] We had the classic mother-daughter disagreements. We were two strong personalities but inseparable in spirit. Mama could be stubborn, obstinate and illogical. She was usually right. Gwen Washington was my go-to source, my barometer for what was right and wrong in the world. When I would say, I want to write about you, she would raise an annoyed eyebrow. Afterward, I read your column. It was OK. She never told me, but I knew my columns were posted on the bulletin board in the laundry room of her condo building, sent to friends and family, and stuffed into her battered file cabinet. There, after she passed, I found a cache of yellowed correspondence. The first letter, impeccably typed by her, was dated Dec. 31, 1965, and addressed to Paul Douglas, then the U.S. senator from Illinois. Mama had recently met Douglas at a community meeting, she wrote. I was very proud to have the privilege of shaking your hand. Advertisement Then she got down to business. I was formerly employed by The U.S. Post Office here in Chicago. I left the job to return to college. I am a Negro mother of two young children, and I am determined to finish my education so that I can help my children and set a good example for them. I am striving for a degree in Social Work as I feel that my race of people could greatly benefit by trained Social Workers, someone who really cares. I am now employed on a full-time basis and attending school part time. Because of the heavy schedule and my children I must now seek part time work in order to finish school. She went on: The common misconception among the dominate group in Chicago is that the Negro is lazy, not willing to work, and does not want an education. I am here to say this is not true, for I am just the opposite of this misconception and I am a Negro. She had requested reinstatement, she explained but was told there were no positions available. This was about 15 months ago. I have tried to get help from my Alderman, but with no results. She asked Douglas to intercede on my behalf with the U.S. postmaster, for a position as a Short Hour Clerk in the Post Office as I cannot work the long hours and finish school also which I must do. The letter concluded: I feel that given the opportunity, I can fulfill my dream of a college degree and be of a benefit to my race and family. Four days later, in a letter dated Jan. 4, 1966, Douglas replied. We are contacting the postmaster on your behalf. Advertisement Gwendolyn Washington was reinstated three weeks later. Laura Washington is a political commentator and longtime Chicago journalist. Her columns appear in the Tribune each Monday. Write to her at LauraLauraWashington@gmail.com. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. China derides Indias military as no threat to Beijing and unlikely to catch up Indias military cannot challenge China as it is unlikely to catch up with it in the next few decades, said the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) delegation at Asias top security summit, as ties between the two nuclear neighbours continue to plummet. The delegation of the Chinese army at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore said Indias current capabilities in defence manufacturing and military modernisation are insufficient to counter Beijing. He underscored that PLA would, however, prefer dialogue, exchanges and negotiation to resolve territorial disputes. The armies of the two countries are involved in a continuing standoff over their shared border in the Himalayanan region. India is unlikely to catch up to China in the coming decades because of its weak industrial infrastructure, while China has built complex and systematic defence industrial platforms, said senior colonel Zhao Xiaozhuo of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, according to South China Morning Post. When you look at the Indian militarys weapon systems, what types of tanks, aircraft and warships were made and developed by Indians themselves? The comments were made by the PLA delegation on the sidelines of the Shangri-la security summit, that concluded on Sunday with a heated debate over the worlds most pressing security issues, including Taiwan, the South China Sea and the Ukraine conflict. India and Chinas armies, which have a history of border disputes, have been locked in a high altitude stand-off on the Line of Actual control since June 2020, when soldiers of the two militaries clashed in the deadliest skirmishes in decades on the border. The clashes turned into a long-running standoff in the rugged mountainous area, where each side has stationed thousands of military personnel as well as artillery, tanks and fighter jets. Mr Zhao said India would never be a loyal partner to the US in its Indo-Pacific Strategy because of its independent diplomatic policy, referring to Indias advocacy of the non-aligned movement (NAM). NAM is the grouping of nations that originated during the Cold War era by countries in mainly in the Global South that considered themselves not aligned with any major power bloc or alliance. Several analysts say NAM is not relevant today. In one of the closely watched exchanges during the summit, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinas defence minister General Li Shangfu failed to have a face-to-face meeting even as the two top officials briefly shook hands. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin (right) shake hands with China defense minister Li Shangfu (left) during the opening dinner during Shangri La Summit (AP) Mr Austin chided Beijing for refusing to hold military discussions, while Mr Li accused Washington of using bullying and deceiving and exploiting alliances in Asia. A day after a bitter meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Mr Austin arrived in India the worlds largest arms importer to discuss upgrading the USs partnership with Delhi to counter Chinas economic rise and increased belligerence. The US defence secretarys India visit is crucial as it is expected to lay the groundwork for prime minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington on 22 June, which has fuelled speculation about a possible announcement of defence contracts. Mr Austin met Indian defence minister Rajnath Sigh and the two explored ways of building resilient supply chains, a statement from Indias defence ministry said. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) shake hands with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a ceremonial welcome ceremony (EPA) They decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. They discussed wide-ranging issues, including regional security issues, given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the ministry said. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defence Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, Mr Austin tweeted after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. India is seeking to strengthen its domestic defence industry by acquiring new technology to build its own arsenal rather than relying on other countries for imports. India is the largest importer of arms in the world, accounting for 11 per cent of the worlds all-weapon imports in the 2018-22 period, according to Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Delhi is also appearing to pivot from its largest arm supplier Russia amid its continuing war in Ukraine. India is looking to buy 18 armed high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for an estimated $1.5-2bn dollars (1.2-1.6bn), said Rahul Bedi, a defence analyst. Russia accounts for around 60 per cent of Indian defence equipment, and New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a three-year-old border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, where tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed within shooting distance. Additional reporting by agencies Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina (R) and China's Government Advisor, Yu Bo, shake hands during the inauguration of the Chinese embassy in Tegucigalpa on June 5, 2023 China officially inaugurated its embassy in Honduras on Monday, just weeks after the Central American country switched its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing. The ceremony was held at a hotel in the capital Tegucigalpa, as Beijing has not yet defined the building where its diplomatic mission will operate. An interim envoy, Yu Bo, will lead the embassy in Honduras and lead the search for a permanent embassy building, officials said. "The Chinese embassy in Honduras will do everything possible to fulfill the responsibilities of being the window, the platform, for relations between the two countries," Yu said at Monday's event. Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina told journalists that President Xiomara Castro would travel to China on Tuesday for her first official visit, scheduled for June 9 to 13. "A series of memorandums, documents, framework agreements will be signed," he said, and Castro would meet her counterpart Xi Jinping. China has already opened the door for imports of melons, shrimp, bananas and other Honduran products, even before the start of negotiations for a free trade agreement, added Reina. In March, Honduras cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognized China. The switch reduced the number of number of countries that diplomatically recognize Taiwan to 13. China considers the self-ruled, democratic island as part of its territory to be retaken one day. Under its "One China" policy, it does not allow countries to officially recognize both Beijing and Taipei. nl/fj/mlr/caw By Ryan Woo and Michael Martina BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A senior U.S. diplomat held candid and productive talks on Monday with Chinese officials, the State Department said, despite some criticism that his visit to China coincided with the anniversary of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The visit to Beijing by Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, followed China's snub last week of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who had sought a formal meeting with his Chinese counterpart. Kritenbrink, U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns and National Security Council official Sarah Beran met with Chinese foreign ministry officials Ma Zhaoxu and Yang Tao, the State Department said in a statement. "The two sides had candid and productive discussions as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and build on recent high-level diplomacy between the two countries," the statement said, adding that they exchanged views on the bilateral relationship, cross-Strait issues and other matters. "U.S. officials made clear that the United States would compete vigorously and stand up for U.S. interests and values," it said. Kritenbrink's arrival on June 4 coincided with the 34th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown by Chinese troops on demonstrators in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square that rights groups say killed hundreds, if not thousands, of protesters. Zhou Fengsuo, an exiled former Tiananmen student leader who is now an American citizen, told Reuters he was "outraged" and saw the timing of the visit as a "betrayal." "This definitely threw salt in our wounds. It could only be a strategic move by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) to choose such a date to meet, and the State Department did so without any mention of Tiananmen," Zhou said. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby defended the timing of the meeting, saying critics "are just making a whole heck of a lot out of nothing." "This was a long-planned trip, and this is the way the schedules worked out," Kirby told a White House briefing on Monday. President Joe Biden's administration has pushed to increase engagement with China as ties between the world's two largest economies have deteriorated over issues ranging from democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own, to military activity in the South China Sea. Critics have questioned U.S. overtures to China, arguing that past decades of engagement have failed to change Beijing's behavior. At a security summit in Singapore over the weekend, Austin said Beijing's reluctance to talk undermined efforts to maintain peace in the region. China's Defence minister, Li Shangfu, who has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018 over the purchase of combat aircraft and equipment from Russia, had declined an invitation to meet Austin at the summit. Chinese state-backed newspaper the Global Times also criticized Kritenbrink's visit, writing late on Sunday that it was motivated more by Washington's goal to portray itself as the side seeking communication. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Michael Martina in Washington and Ryan Woo in BeijingEditing by Richard Chang, Don Durfee and Matthew Lewis) Kevin Mazur Amid the fallout from an absolutely devastating 15,000-word profile portraying him as an aloof, press-obsessed leader whos lost the newsroom, CNN boss Chris Licht told disgruntled staffers on Monday that he understands the network is not about me and hell fight like hell to win back their trust. In an Atlantic magazine feature that was nearly a year in the making, writer Tim Alberta extensively detailed Lichts succession of ousted CNN chief Jeff Zuckerrevealing a brutal portrait of the man hand-picked by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to reinvent CNN as a centrist news channel. In the end, Alberta found that not only had Licht lost the support of CNN staff amid debacles like the Trump town hall, but that Zaslav may also be souring on him too. A new chief operating officer was named just as Albertas piece published last week, and numerous reports over the weekend found CNN staffers saying their confidence in Licht has been shaken. Hes over, one employee told former CNN media reporter Brian Stelter, who was fired by Licht last year. At the top of the editorial call on Monday morning, according to sources familiar with the matter, Licht first congratulated anchor Jake Tapper for moderating a Sunday night town hall with GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley. He then addressed the elephant in the room, telling staff that he planned to remain as CNN chief in the wake of Albertas tough profile. CNN Staffers Fear Right-Wing Billionaire Will Turn It Into a Dumpster Fire I know these past few days have been very hard for this group, Licht said. I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this organization. And for that, I am sorry. He added that when he read the article, he found himself thinking that CNN is not about me. Licht also declared that he should not be in the news unless its taking arrows for the networks staff since your work is what should be written about. Licht went on to say that I will fight like hell to win back those whose trust I've lost, proclaiming that the network deserved a leader who will be in the trenches and assure that CNN remains the world's most trusted name in news. Elsewhere, Licht also confirmed that he was moving his office down from the 22nd floor of CNNs New York headquarters in order to be closer to the networks news team on the 17th floor. One point of contention highlighted in Albertas piece was that staff feel that Licht is too out of touch with the channels rank-and-file, which was typified by his decision to take an office a few floors above the newsroom. Zucker, meanwhile, had famously kept his office among the news staff. 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. House on fire. Illustrated | Gettyimages Climate change is making life harder and potentially much more expensive for California homeowners. State Farm will no longer sell new home insurance policies in the Golden State, CalMatters reported, "the latest development in a wildfire-fueled crisis" that destroyed more than 11,000 structures in 2020 alone. State Farm isn't the only company pulling back in California: Allstate "quietly" stopped writing homeowner policies last year, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. "Insurance companies are struggling to keep up" with the pace of climate-driven disasters, Politico reported, and California's insurance rules have complicated the matter: The state limits how fast rates can increase, making it more difficult for insurers to remain profitable while facing large payouts on a regular basis. State Farm's decision to pull back is an inflection point that "threatens the broader economic picture of California," one expert told E&E News. But it's not just California. The New York Times reported that because of climate factors, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana and other parts of the United States are seeing insurance rates rise quickly in the places it's still available. (Louisiana and nine other states just sued the federal government to prevent sharp new rate increases in the federal National Flood Insurance program.) That's "making it more expensive for people to live in their homes" and could result in policymakers choosing to move residents "out of the most dangerous communities." How will the climate crisis change home ownership in California and beyond? What are the commentators saying? "Climate risk is driving insurer decisions like never before," economist Benjamin Keys wrote at The New York Times. Insurance companies have recently faced about 20 climate-related disasters a year with payouts exceeding $1 billion, and those increased costs are showing up on bills: The average cost of a home insurance policy is now $1,900 a year but in places like Miami, threatened by coastal flooding, the price tag reaches $5,000 annually. The risks are only going to increase. And that means homebuyers "need to be aware that the costs of living in harm's way are going to rise in coming years." The Golden State finds itself in this mess because of a 1988 initiative "that gave the insurance commissioner near-dictatorial powers to set and roll back rates," Steven Greenhut argued in the Orange County Register. In 2016, State Farm sought a 6.9-percent rise in rates, but the commissioner ordered a decrease instead. A court eventually sided with the company, but the state's policy structure makes it more difficult for insurers to recoup their growing fire-related costs. "Given this rigged market, is it surprising that insurance companies are looking for the exit doors?" All this means the state's human landscape may need to be re-imagined. "California's insurance dilemma is actually the result of two colliding crises," Alissa Walker wrote at Curbed. Even as the state faces a brutal cycle of wildfires, the state's "NIMBY resistance to denser housing" has pushed sprawling new developments closer to flammable wildland regions at the fringe Golden State cities. That's no longer tenable. Officials should "subsidize affordable housing in safer places, instead of supporting an increasingly unaffordable cycle of destruction." What's next? California is already facing "gentrification by fire," The Washington Post reported. Even before State Farm announced its decision, many wildfire victims in California lacked the financial resources to rebuild. The folks who stayed are the "well-off and the well-insured, a trend helping remake and re-sort communities across the state by rich and poor." That process may already be driving less-wealthy homeowners to sell their property and leave the state or could do so soon. One recent poll showed that two-thirds of Californians fear that in coming years "they may need to move away from their homes due to extreme weather events," the Los Angeles Times reported. As many as 50 million Americans are expected to eventually flee to temperate regions like New England and the Upper Midwest as areas like California get hotter and other coastal regions become more flood-prone, Yale Climate 360 reported. A recent survey of new Vermont residents found that many had come to the state to avoid climate problems elsewhere. "They were imagining Vermont would be cooler, and have more seasonality, and have more water available to them, and not have wildfire smoke," said the University of Vermont's Cheryl Morse. In the meantime, State Farm's existing California policyholders will get to keep their insurance. But they may also find themselves worse off for the company's decision: Prospective new homebuyers will find it more challenging to obtain affordable insurance policies. Which means there might be fewer homebuyers and that could hit incumbents' wallets. "If you can't get insurance, it's almost impossible to get a mortgage," Arwa Mahdawi noted at The Guardian. "This makes it harder to sell your house and will make prices go down." You may also like Chris Christie: a scandal-plagued presidential hopeful Is Trump's wall working? Chuck Todd to be replaced by Kristen Welker on NBC's 'Meet the Press' The Prosecutor's Office requested an arrest for the guard Vadym Moshkin and a round-the-clock house arrest for officials in the case of a closed shelter in Kyiv, near which people were killed, because it was the guard who did not open the door to let residents into the bomb shelter. Source: Nadiia Maksymets, spokesperson for the Kyiv Prosecutor's Office, on air of the national joint 24/7 newscast and in a commentary to Ukrainska Pravda Quote: "The Prosecutor's Office asked for the strictest preventive measures to be applied to all four suspects in accordance with the sanctions of the incriminated articles. The investigation found that it was the guard who did not open the door to shelter during the air-raid siren, leaving people on the street under [missile - ed.] fire. His actions are qualified under Art. 135.3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine as leaving people in danger and causing death. The sanction of the article entails five to eight years in prison, which is why the prosecutor requested to apply the strictest preventive measure in the form of detention." Details: Maksymets added that, according to local residents, not only on a tragic night but before they were repeatedly denied access to the shelter during an air-raid warning at night. Therefore, if there is an appeal from the defence against this decision, the Prosecutor's Office will insist on leaving the chosen preventive measure unchanged. As for officials, their actions, according to Maksymets, are qualified as "negligence that entailed grave consequences". Quote from Maksymets: "These persons, to the extent of their authority, should have organised the work of the shelter and ensured that people had free access to the shelter during an air-raid siren but did not do so. Given that the sanction of the article provides for up to five years in prison, the most severe preventive measure that we could ask the court for is a round-the-clock house arrest. To all three employees of the court, these petitions were granted in full. " Details: Maksymets added that the fact that the guard pleads guilty is "his way of protecting himself" because residents have repeatedly stressed that they were not allowed into the shelter. "And if the security guard follows the instructions of the leadership but does not report it to the investigation, then this means that he is covering up for his superiors. In any case, the investigation continues. Within its limits, an assessment will be made of the actions of all officials of the Kyiv City State Administration and District State Administration who are related to this situation," said the spokeswoman for the Prosecutor's Office. She also added that Moshkin came to the attention of law enforcement agencies long before the tragic events. Back in February, the Security Service of Ukraine received materials from the Prosecutor's office on the activities in the Desnyansky district of a group of people calling themselves the All-Union Association of Voters of the Peoples of the USSR or the Kyiv City Committee of Creditors of the USSR, who, even after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, supported the idea of Ukraine joining the Russian Federation. On 2 February, the Prosecutor's Office registered criminal proceedings on the fact of committing a crime under Art. 436-1.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (production, distribution of communist and Nazi symbols as well as propaganda of communist and National Socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes). According to Maksymets, these people printed leaflets with communist symbols and sent letters to the addresses of state bodies and communal enterprises in which they wrote about the illegality of the declaration of Ukraines independence. In addition, having debts for utility services, they refused to pay them, arguing that these services were "imposed" on them, when they themselves did not order these services. According to Maksymets, the coordinator of these organisations is the wife of the suspected guard. And the deputy director of the clinic and residents of houses adjacent to the hospital allegedly characterised the guard as a "separatist". During searches at the place of residence of the defendants in the case, a significant amount of documents with the symbols of the communist regime and seals with these symbols were found and seized. On 5 June, the Prosecutor's Office signed a notice of suspicion to the guard and his wife of committing a crime under Art. 28.2 and Art. 436-1.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (production and distribution of communist symbols by prior conspiracy by a group of persons). In a commentary to Ukrainska Pravda, Maksymets said that at these moment, the process of presenting suspicions to the defendants continues. Background: Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast CNN boss Chris Licht is a dead man talking. Thats the damning judgment from dozens of CNN on-air talent, producers, and journalists whove spoken with Confider in the days since press-obsessed Lichts assisted career suicide-by-profile ran in The Atlantic. More on that shortly, but the deeper story insiders want to know is how David Zaslav got the network in this mess in the first place. This newsletter has made light of Licht on a regular basis as Confiders favorite schmoozer, because thats how he got the CNN gig: Instead of casting a wide search for a replacement to Jeff Zucker, Zaz went with someone who had little more experience than running shows with a couple dozen staffers at Morning Joe and CBS This Morning and had started showing up at Zazs annual Hamptons party. Zaslav has now parachuted in his buddy and longtime lieutenant David Leavy to fix the mess he created. While hardly a rock star in the Warner Discovery universe, Leavy is throwing his weight around and calling CNN talent to try and shore up support. But its going to be a long, hard road back for the likes of Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer, and Erin BurnettCNN bedrocks who, Confider has learned, have lost confidence in the boss. The fact anyone thought two flashy profiles in less than a year was a good idea is alarming, insiders griped to Confider. The most comical part of the Atlantic profile, our newsroom insiders said, was the starring role of Lichts celebrity trainer, Joe Maysonet, and the lofty claims Licht has lost 50 pounds thanks to the rigid self-discipline of early-morning workouts and skipping breakfast. The reality may be more complicated, however, as the Daily Mail reported that Licht has bragged to associates about taking weight-loss drug Ozempica claim Confiders sources have also confirmed hearing firsthand. Like what youre reading? Subscribe to the Confider newsletter here and have The Daily Beast media teams stellar reporting sent straight to your inbox every Monday night. Ultimately it was Lichts comments about CNNs COVID coveragethat it was feverish, lacked context, and often broke from realitythat most enraged network staffers. Further insulting staffers over the weekend, insiders told us, was the fact that Lichts camp appeared to leak unflattering internal data to try to defend his negative portrayal of the networks COVID coverage. Licht made a weak attempt at damage control during Mondays 9 a.m. staff-wide editorial call. I know these past few days have been very hard for this group, he reportedly said. I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this organization. And for that, I am sorry. But network staffers at all levels who spoke with us suggested that if Lichts ego would allow him, hed be smart to start negotiating an exit with Zaslav so both execs can soon put this sorry mess behind them. Perhaps the parent company can tolerate shitty management at CNN. But how long will they stomach lousy ratings and shrinking revenue? one CNN staffer asked Confider. Another question that came up often in chats with insiders: Does right-wing billionaire John Malone really want to own a piece of what is quickly becoming a distressed asset? The most telling part of this shambolic episode, sources pointed out, is how Zaslavtoo busy co-hosting Graydon Carters fuck-you-to-Vanity Fair party at Cannesdid not sit for an on-record interview with The Atlantic to offer support for his own hire. And realizing how brutal the profile would be, Zaz seemingly wasted no time inserting Leavy into the newly created position of CNNs chief operating officer. While that role has been sold as Leavy reporting to CNN CEO Chris Licht, Licht himself did not announce the gig in one of his trademark staff-wide memos featuring his name in a gigantic font at the top. Speaking of Zaz, CNN sources told Confider that the Warner Discovery boss last month raised eyebrows inside the newsroom when he commented Looking great buddy.miss u on a picture posted to Instagram by Brian Stelter, whom Zaslav fired last summer. A rep for Warner Discovery and a rep for CNN declined to comment. Subscribe to the Confider newsletter here and have The Daily Beast media teams stellar reporting sent straight to your inbox every Monday night. 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. Colby Richards disappeared from his home near Houston. He was found safe days later. A 31-year-old Texas man who vanished at the end of May and sparked a nationwide search was found safe last week, according to law enforcement. Colby Richards had last been seen in the early hours of May 26 after it was believed that he had left his residence in Spring, Texas, located near Houston, according to a Facebook post from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. His wife Callie Richards had said on Facebook that she filed the missing person report after she saw her husband walk into the woods that morning behind the couple's house and not return. Richards' disappearance garnered national attention and sparked a nationwide search before the sheriff's office announced Friday on Facebook that he had been found. Richards was located near an intersection in a bustling commercial area of The Woodlands, a Texas district in the Houston area located about eight miles north of Spring, according to the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office said it has placed Richards under the care of medics and the departments mental health unit. The sheriffs office said in a statement on Facebook that detectives would eventually interview Richards about the circumstances of his disappearance, adding, however, "it will be some time before he is interviewed." Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @EricLagatta. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colby Richards update: Man found safe after going missing in Texas Antonio Garcia is a prominent member of the ELN decision-making body known as the central command Colombia's top prosecutor on Monday scrapped an arrest warrant for ELN guerrilla leader Antonio Garcia, who is leading talks with the government that seek to find a lasting peace to decades of conflict. The warrant was cancelled at the request of President Gustavo Petro, said Attorney General Francisco Barbosa. "We verified the legal system and consider that yes, it is possible to suspend the arrest warrant because... peace processes are under way," he said at a public event in Bogota. Colombia's government and the National Liberation Army or ELN, the last recognized rebel group in the country, resumed formal peace talks in Venezuela in November for the first time since they were suspended in 2019. Founded in 1964, the ELN has about 3,500 members and has taken part in failed negotiations with Colombia's last five presidents. It is primarily active in the Pacific region and along the 2,200-kilometer (1,370-mile) border with Venezuela. Dialogue with the ELN started in 2016 under ex-president Juan Manuel Santos, who signed a peace treaty with the larger Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group that subsequently abandoned its weapons and created a political party. But talks with the ELN were called off in 2019 by conservative former president Ivan Duque following a car bomb attack on a police academy in Bogota that left 22 people dead. Garcia, a prominent member of the ELN decision-making body known as the central command, was wanted for the alleged forced recruitment of 71 minors and for alleged participation in the 2019 attack. Petro, who last August became Colombia's first-ever leftist leader, reached out to the ELN shortly after coming to power in pursuit of his "total peace" policy. Colombia has suffered more than half a century of armed conflict between the state and various groups of left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and drug traffickers. An ELN ambush on a military convoy in March that left nine soldiers dead, had cast doubt over the future of the talks, which have continued nevertheless. The ELN had also refuted an announcement by Petro on New Year's Eve that a ceasefire had been reached with the country's five largest armed groups, including itself. Colombia has been gripped by violence despite the 2016 peace deal with the ELN, as fighting continues over territory and resources between dissident FARC guerrillas, the ELN, paramilitary forces and drug cartels. jss/lv/dga/mlr/jh Colorado man suffers serious injuries in collision with trailer on Highway 165 near Hilmar A Colorado man was transported to the hospital with injuries following a two-vehicle collision in Merced County, according to authorities. The crash happened around 9 p.m. Friday on HighwaY 165 just north of River Road and south of the town of Hilmar, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Zuniga. Authorities said 53-year-old Martin Sanchez Montes of Firebaugh was driving a tow truck northbound on Highway 165 towing some type of big rig combination. Authorities said that for unknown reasons, the trailer from the vehicle he was towing veered into the southbound lane colliding with a Jeep Wrangler as Montes negotiated a curve in the roadway. Zuniga said the driver of the Jeep, a 36-year-old man from Norwood, Colo., was transported to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto with serious injuries. Montes remained on scene and cooperated with officers, according to Zuniga. The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the collision which remains under investigation. Commanding officer of destroyer Stout relieved for loss of confidence The Navy relieved the commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer Stout Friday. Cmdr. Jeffrey Applebaugh, who has served as the commanding officer since October 2022, was ousted due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, the Navy said in a statement Monday. He was relieved by Capt. Blair Guy, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 28, based in Norfolk, Va. Capt. Scott Rosetti, the deputy commander of Destroyer Squadron 28, will temporarily serve as the commanding officer until Cmdr. Desmond Walker, the executive officer of the guided-missile destroyer Bainbridge, takes command. The Stout is based in Norfolk, Virginia. Cmdr. Applebaugh will be temporarily reassigned to the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic, the Navy said in a statement. There is no impact to the commands mission or schedule due to the relief. No additional details were immediately provided. Last month, the Navy fired the commanding officer and executive officer of the guided-missile destroyer John Finn. At the stroke of 9 Sunday night at The Red Mile, with Railbirds main event act about to commence, an announcement was made from the stage that June 3 was officially decreed by Mayor Linda Gorton as Tyler Childers Day. A splendid honor, to be sure, one that sent the crowd gathered for the sold-out music festival estimated by VisitLEX to be around 40,000 into suitable hysteria. But if one was in the mind for a wager, it would be a safe bet that most days for this crowd, if not all of them, count as Tyler Childers Day. The finale act of the two-day Railbird Music Festival, Childers performance did two things. It upheld his local well, regional hero status with a typically sterling two-hour performance of Americana-rooted country executed with scholarly confidence. But the Lawrence County natives return to the festival (he played its inaugural edition in 2019) also capped off a trouble-free run for what has been a troubled event. A crippled venture after its sophomore outing at Keeneland in 2021, this years festival corrected previous missteps (entrance lines were shorter, water stations was considerably more plentiful) and built upon its successes namely, two days of stellar music, rich sound mixes that seemed to reach for miles and startling punctuality in the running order of its performance schedule. Kentucky native, Tyler Childers, performs as the closing act during the second day of Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, June 4, 2023. Fans attend the Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, June 3, 2023. An estimated 40,000 fans attended the two-day festival at the Red Mile. Fans refill water bottles at the Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, June 3, 2023. The festival went off without any major incidents, which was not the case two years ago at Keeneland when attendees complained of long lines for water. A fascinating example of the latter came Sunday afternoon. In one of the most stirring transitions of the festival, bluegrass patriarch Ricky Skaggs and his commanding Kentucky Thunder band ripped into the Stanley Brothers-popularized Lost and Ill Never the Way just as the final notes of Sierra Ferrells In Dreams were concluding on a stage at the other end of the infield. Ferrell is a young West Virginia renegade whose set was as arresting vocally, thanks to her remarkable range and inserts of giddy shrieks and yodels, as it was musically in her performances all acoustic setting. Skaggs remains a regional legend, another Lawrence County celebrity one who cut his teeth in the bands of Ralph Stanley, Emmylou Harris and another Kentucky giant, J.D. Crowe. In honoring the latter, Skaggs let his scholarly banjoist Russell Carson loose for an especially devout tribute, a warp speed run through of the Crowe classic Blackjack. The best visual take away from the reborn Railbird festival? Meaning, aside from the sight of roughly 40,000 fans cheering the music of 32 acts over two days from the infield of the Red Mile? It came Saturday evening as Rivers Cuomo wrapped up the final chorus of Buddy Holly during the concluding moments of Weezers tireless offering of jittery, jagged pop. No sooner did the set wind down than a magnificent, orange-hued full moon the aptly dubbed Strawberry Moon rose over Elkhorn, one of Railbirds two mainstage areas. One couldnt help but think, no matter how fanciful it might seem, that the Strawberry Moon shining down served as a kind of grand nod of approval for the sights and sounds below. Even in more earthbound terms, though, there was plenty going on during the two-day music festival to earn approval. Weezer performs during the Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Weezer performs during the Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Saturday headliner Zach Bryan capped off Day One of the festival after Weezers departure and the moons arrival with a good-natured set of efficient country/Americana tunes that came across as a streamlined version of Jason Isbells blue-collar sagas. While there were appealing musical quirks, like a banjo reading of the Godfather theme and a touch of trumpet sass to spruce up Quittin Time, this was an all-business presentation of introspective story-songs (Fifth of May, Tishamingo and Dawns) that painted a full artistic portrait of an artist who rose to stardom without the usual Nashville machinery. Earlier that day, Lucius (the pop duo of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig) and Marcus Mumford (sans the Sons) sat in on each others sets. Mumford visited Lucius for an appropriately murky cover of The Kinks Strangers. A few hours later, Wolfe and Laessing popped up in an otherwise unaccompanied solo acoustic set by Mumford to add vocals to Go in Light and the New Basement Tapes gem Kansas City. Saturday also marked the return of Sheryl Crow, who played Kroger Field just over a year ago as part of Chris Stapletons A Concert for Kentucky benefit. The Railbird artist with perhaps the deepest catalog of hit material, Crow shot her set immediately back a few decades for a quartet of her 90s singles highlighted by a lyrical adjustment for the day to All I Wanna Do (This aint no disco. It aint no country club either. This is Railbird). Sheryl Crow performs during the Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Fans listen as Weezer performs during the Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, June 3, 2023. But the biggest Saturday highlights came from two artists that keep considerably lower profiles post-psychedelic song stylist Neal Francis, through his piano led jam at the center of Sentimental Garbage, and country roots journeyman Charley Crockett, who dialed the calendar back roughly 60 years for the dark, mysterious twang of The Man from Waco. A comfortable ease early into Sundays schedule and musically, at least a brief respite from some of the weekends near record-setting heat utilized all three Railbird stages in succession. Brit Taylor served up an Appalachian-friendly sit down set on the smaller, intimate Burl stage while Austin, Tx. songsmith Calder Allen offered an unassuming and comfortable Americana session on the nearby Elkorn mainstage. That led up to a blazing set downfield on the Limestone stage by 49 Winchester and its hearty electric honky tonk shakedown between piano and pedal steel guitar during Last Call. Other Sunday highlights included a reunion set by Nickel Creek (part of its first tour in nearly a decade) that employed bluegrass instrumentation as a springboard for a variety of acoustic folk/pop delicacies from years past (Somebody More Like You, The Lighthouses Tale) as well tunes from the groups new Celebrants album. Especially inviting was a modern day serving of old school soul early Sunday evening by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. The brassy grooves of his band served as an intriguing contrast to the understated tone of Rateliffs vocals. The mood was nicely varied, to boot, shifting from the Sam Cooke-friendly cheer of Howling at Nothing to the slower, more openly pensive Face Down in the Moment. Then, of course, there was Childers capping off the evening, as well as Railbirds Red Mile debut, with the strongest lineup yet of his Food Stamps band one now augmented by Wooks/NewTown guitarist C.J. Cain. Together with the expert, longstanding help of pedal steel guitarist James Barker and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Wells (another Wooks alum), the team nicely embellished Childers gospel growl during The Old Country Church, the playful rural reflection of Country Squire and the hard-living imagery of the set-opening White House Road. Kentucky native, Tyler Childers, performs as the closing act during the second day of Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, June 4, 2023. Kentucky native, Tyler Childers, performs as the closing act during the second day of Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, June 4, 2023. Kentucky native, Tyler Childers, performs as the closing act during the second day of Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, June 4, 2023. What more could you have wanted from Tyler Childers Day? Or, more to the point, from a revitalized Railbird that has re-positioned itself to become a staple a very large staple, mind you of the Lexington summer concert season. The only voice of dissent overheard came from a patron to a security officer as the former was about to embark on the long walk from the Red Mile grounds to busses gathered to return audience members to their cars parked at Kroger Field (navigating the festival took considerable hoofing from all attendees and workers). But even that was delivered more as light-hearted aside than an actual complaint. Excuse me, but where is the shuttle to the shuttle? Weezer performs during the Railbird Music Festival at Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, June 3, 2023. The British media have gained access to an alleged arms contract that could be the first hard evidence that Iran has sold munitions to Russia for its war in Ukraine. Source: European Pravda referring to Sky News Details: If this 16-page document, dated 14 September 2022, is authentic, it refers to batches of artillery and tank shells and missiles of various sizes, totalling just over $1 million. A page of the contract released by Sky News The source provided the TV channel with the document along with five pages of an allegedly related contract containing barrels for T-72 tanks and howitzer barrels, as well as shells for them. The deal was worth around US$740,000. "This is a contract between the Iranians and the Russians for munitions... We believe it is 100% authentic," a source from the UK security body said. Sky News showed the documents to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during his visit to the UK in May, as well as to the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. Kyiv and London have said they plan to investigate the authenticity of the material and will take action if it is found to be credible. "We suspected that there's something like that happening," Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, told Sky News. "When information is presented to us, we will look to assess it and to validate it. And of course, we will make decisions based on that. Where we have evidence that Iran has provided military support to Russia in Russia's attempted invasion of Ukraine we have taken action and we will, of course, always do likewise," James Cleverly said. Prystaiko also said that the contract, if authentic, proves that Russia is running out of military supplies. "The fact that they are talking about such simple things as weapons, as ammunition, indicates that the Russian position is really quite complicated," he said. Background: The Caspian Sea is likely to be one of the main routes from Iran to Russia for Iranian-made attack drones and other support Tehran provides to the Kremlin in connection with the war against Ukraine and Western sanctions. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Controversial influencer Caroline Calloway claims she scammed her way into Cambridge Caroline Calloway pictured in 2019 (Getty Images) Caroline Calloway, the American student who gained a huge Instagram following while documenting her opulent lifestyle at Cambridge University, has claimed that she lied on her application to the prestigious institution. Calloway, 31, rose to notoriety in 2015 when she started dubbing herself the Gatsby of Cambridge, offering her Instagram followers a fairytale perspective of her time at Cambridge, where she introduced her friends and acquaintances as characters. Off the back of her social media success, Calloway signed a $500,000 book deal for a memoir that was never published. However, it now appears that Calloway should have not been given a place at Edmunds College to study History of Art. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, she has claimed that she forged her application to the institution. I lied on my application, she told the US magazine. I forged my transcript when I got in. She told the magazine that she received a place to study History of Art at Cambridge on her third attempt, after receiving rejections from Harvard, Yale and Oxford. She had previously dropped out of New York University in 2013. I couldnt live the rest of my life with an NYU email address, she said. Responding to claims that the former student lied to get into Cambridge, a spokesperson for St Edmunds College told The Independent: We cannot comment on individual students, however, we take statements like this very seriously. The Independent has contacted Calloway for direct comment. She was first exposed as a scammer after her former best friend Natalie Beach wrote an article for The Cut, which claimed Calloway bought her followers and had not been the sole author of her infamous Instagram captions Beach had. Calloway has denied in the Vanity Fair interview that Beach had been extensively involved in curating her social media accounts. However, she said that Beach helped her ghost-write her book proposal. She also revealed that she paid $4.99 for 40,000 followers in 2013 when she dropped out of New York University and got accepted into Cambridge. Calloways commercial success began to wane as she was allegedly forced to pay back the advance, after failing to submit a draft of the book to publishers Flatiron. In December 2018, she launched a creativity workshop in New York, with tickets priced at $165 (133), to help fund this. Those who attended were promised handwritten letters, flower crowns made out of orchids and care packages. Undercover Andrea Park, who attended the workshop, wrote an article for W magazine stating that it had taught her nothing about creativity, but a lot about scamming. Following the publication of a condemning Twitter thread by writer Kayleigh Donaldson about the tour, Calloway cancelled her planned tour dates around the rest of the US, the UK and Europe. After the fallout from the ensuing scandal, Calloway reinvented herself as a writer and deleted all her previous social media posts. She is releasing her debut memoir Scammer on 16 June. The 70-year-old leader said he is running for the nomination as a member of The Peoples Party, a left-wing political party that dates back to the 1890s. Activist, theologian and academic Cornel West announced Monday that he is running for president in 2024 as a third-party candidate. In these times, I have decided to run for truth and justice, West said in a video released on social media. The 70-year-old leader said he is running for the nomination as a member of The Peoples Party, a left-wing political party that dates back to the 1890s. Cornel West, professor of philosophy at Union Theological Seminary, speaks at the National Press Club on Feb. 21, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) West, a longtime political activist who has been critical of Republicans and Democrats over the years, mentioned President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump the likely Democratic and Republican 2024 presidential nominees in his pitch to voters and positioned himself as an alternative candidate. Were talking about empowering those who have been pushed to the margins because neither political party wants to tell the truth about Wall Street, about Ukraine, about the Pentagon, about big tech, said West. The campaign ad includes comments West made about Trump and Biden in previous interviews, in which he called Trump a gangster and neo-fascist and Biden a milquetoast neo-liberal. Cornel West, known for evoking messages of love when talking about politics, positioned his presidential campaign as one rooted in caring for others. I care about the quality of your life, said the former Harvard and Yale professor who identifies as a Democratic socialist. I care about whether you have access to a job with a living wage, decent housing, women having control over their bodies, health care for all, the escalating destruction of the planet, the destruction of American democracy. While Wests campaign announcement may come as a surprise to some, he has long been critical of political leaders, particularly those residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Despite previously supporting then-Senator Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign, the activist withdrew his support of Obama and infamously criticized the 44th president of the United States during a 2011 interview. West chastised President Obama on his economic policies, calling him a Black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a Black muppet of corporate plutocrats. Scholar Cornell West speaks during A Night at the Apollo fundraiser event hosted by Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) at the Apollo Theater Nov. 29, 2007, in the Harlem neighborhood in New York City. (Photo by Hiroko Masuike/Getty Images) West took his criticism further in a 2012 interview with Democracy Now when he referred to Obama as a Rockefeller Republican in blackface. During the 2016 and 2020 elections, West supported liberal Senator Bernie Sanders presidential campaigns. After Sanders lost the Democratic Party nomination to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, West endorsed third-party candidate Jill Stein of the Green Party. He slammed Clinton as a neoliberal disaster, citing her positions on foreign policy and banking regulation as reasons for not supporting her historic presidential campaign. West has been equally critical of Donald Trump during his presidency. After Trump left office and made clear he intended to run for a second term in 2024, West said the former president is leading a campaign continuing what Malcolm X called a war against Black and colored people. Quentin James, founder and president of The Collective PAC, a political action committee geared toward building Black political power, said he admittedly didnt see it coming when theGrio asked him about Wests surprise campaign announcement. He recalled working with West when he was a surrogate for the 2008 Obama campaign and described him as a great academic and thought leader. James said, traditionally, third-party candidates could be a good thing for a presidential election because it brings important policy issues to the forefront that the two major parties would otherwise ignore. U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the final presidential debate at Belmont University on Oct. 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the last debate between the two candidates before the election on Nov. 3. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Cliff Albright, executive director of Black Voters Matter Fund, similarly told theGrio that West could help influence the conversation and make sure the issues important to Black communities stay on the table, like some of those issues that young folks want to hear addressed. If hes able to do that, then more power to him, he added. Albright said a pathway to 270 Electoral College votes would be an obvious challenge for West. However, he noted, Some of the most memorable candidacies werent winning candidacies, but they were groundbreaking. He referenced civil rights activist Jesse Jackson Sr.s two presidential campaigns in the 80s as well as the historic 1972 campaign of Shirley Chisholm. [They] helped shape the nature of the discussions that were taking place, Albright said. However, James cautioned about that calculation this election cycle as Republican leaders are trying to rip democracy away from us and challenge the right to vote. Do you want to campaign and make Joe Biden enact certain policies? Totally down for that. I think its a great use of his platform and his time, James told theGrio. But to put your name on a ballot, where really this is only about two choices, and giving folks that other option is giving them a choice to opt-out. James said a Cornel West campaign for president could attract young Black voters, who are gradually leaning toward the Republican Party, according to polling data from the 2022 midterm elections. However, he warned that doing so could backfire and lead to a repeat of the 2016 presidential election when Trump pulled out an upset victory that was largely blamed on Democratic voters who supported Stein over Clinton. A potential Donald Trump presidency and a second term of a Biden presidency are very different, he noted. Joe Biden won the presidency by a little less than 60,000 votes across three states this is not a laughing matter, he added. We saw what happened in 2016. Itll be even worse in 2024. James advised that the Biden-Harris reelection campaign spend their time registering new Black voters and engaging those who have grown lukewarm to the administration and didnt show up to the polls in 2022. I would do everything I can to shore up that vote as early as possible, he said. We cannot wait until the third-party campaign of Cornel West picks up steam, or Tim Scotts campaign for [president] picks up steam or some other right candidate who can tear off Black voters away from the Democratic Party. Gerren Keith Gaynor Gerren Keith Gaynor is a White House Correspondent and the Managing Editor of Politics at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Cornel West enters the 2024 presidential election appeared first on TheGrio. (Bloomberg) -- Cornel West unexpectedly announced Monday he is running for president as the candidate for a left-wing, populist third-party. Most Read from Bloomberg In these bleak times, I have decided to run for truth and justice which takes the form of running for president of the United States as a candidate for the Peoples Party, West said in a video posted on Twitter. Neither political party wants to tell the truth about Wall Street, about Ukraine, about the Pentagon and Big Tech, he added. West, whose work has focused on philosophy and Black history, gained prominence as a professor at universities including Harvard, Princeton and Yale and has been vocal advocate for progressive causes as a media commentator. West was a surrogate to Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign and has criticized former President Barack Obama as too centrist, particularly over his handling of issues important to Black people and the nations poor. He clashed publicly with Larry Summers, when the former US Treasury secretary was serving as president of Harvard University. West accused Summers of a lack of commitment to diversity at the Ivy League school, while Summers said West was too preoccupied with commitments outside of his scholarship. West left Harvard for Princeton in 2002 after the dispute, and holds the title professor emeritus at the university. Summers is a contributor to Bloomberg. Do we have what it takes? We shall see, but some of us are going to go down fighting, West said in the video posted Monday. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. A 20-year-old man wanted for the 2020 shooting death of a 14-year-old girl was located and arrested on Friday after breaking his ankle monitor in 2021, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Jose Garcia was 17 when he was accused of fatally shooting his 14-year-old girlfriend, Beatrice Nieto, at an apartment complex in the 5400 block of Alameda Street in October 2020. Garcia claimed the shooting was accidental. At the time, he was on probation in a juvenile case. He was indicted for manslaughter, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Garcia allegedly broke his ankle monitor while out on bond and was wanted by officials since then, a news release from the Corpus Christi Police Department stated. Beatrice Nieto, 14, was shot and killed by her 17-year-old boyfriend on Oct. 30, 2020, Corpus Christi police say. A police news release last month requested community assistance to locate Garcia. The release stated Garcia was believed to be in the Corpus Christi area and offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service, Garcia was found at a residence on Comanche Street. He was arrested by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitives Task Force and CCPD Gangs Unit at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and was booked into the Nueces County Jail that night. The U.S. Marshals Service did not state how Garcias location was discovered. More news More: Corpus Christi teen accused of fatally shooting girlfriend says it was an accident More: Corpus Christi teen accused of killing girlfriend indicted on manslaughter This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: U.S. Marshals arrest Corpus Christi man accused of shooting teen girl Cryptic mountain creature with 9 babies on its back discovered as new species Perched on a leaf in the cool night air, a creature stops to rest. The nine babies on her back stay balanced despite the slope. A bright beam of light pierces through the darkness. Scientists spot the mother and approach her perch. They peer closer at the creatures and realize theyre looking at a new species. Researcher Philippe Kok summited Wei-Assipu-tepui, a small table-top mountain along the Guyana-Brazil border, for a multi-week animal survey in 2009, he wrote in a study published May 25 in the journal Zoological Letters. The mountain reaches about 1.5 miles in elevation but can only be reached by helicopter or technical climb because of its cliff-like sides. Exploring the mountain summit, Kok noticed numerous cryptic frogs that hid during the day and emerged at night. The nocturnal animals were found along the ground, on plant leaves, under rocks, in crevices and on small trees. A habitat at the summit of Wei-Assipu-tepui. Taking a closer look at the animal, Kok discovered a new species of frog: Stefania maccullochi, the study said. Stefania maccullochi frogs range in size from about 1.8 inches to about 2.9 inches in size, with females being larger than males, the study said. The frogs coloring varies greatly, ranging from plain medium brown to chestnut brown and from brown-ish red to almost completely red. Photos show the color variation among Stefania maccullochi frogs. Some animals had dark brown markings while others had little to no markings, the study said. Stefania maccullochi varied in color from brown to red. Several female Stefania maccullochi frogs were observed carrying their babies on their backs, Kok wrote. Photos show one female frog perched on a leaf with nine babies on her back. Another female frog was found hiding in a tube-like plant and carrying four babies on her back, photos show. A female Stefania maccullochi hiding in a plant and carrying nine babies on its back. A female Stefania maccullochi hiding in a tube-like plant and carrying four babies on its back. The new species was identified as distinct based on its body shape, geographic location and DNA, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had between 4.1% and 4.9% genetic divergence from other frog species, Kok wrote. This divergence was greater than the genetic divergence between other recognized species. Despite being genetically distinct, Stefania maccullochi frogs resemble another species of frog found on a mountain summit in Venezuela, the study said. Kok attributed this similarity to parallel evolution, shared ancestry or both. Still, the two similar-looking species are found on isolated mountains. Kok named Stefania maccullochi after Ross Douglas MacCulloch, a herpetologist from Canada who has contributed to the knowledge of the amphibians and reptiles of Guyana. The new species is likely critically endangered because of its limited geographic distribution, the study said. The animal is threatened by climate change, human fires and an uptick in people visiting its isolated habitat, Kok wrote. Wei-Assipu-tepui is located on the Guyana-Brazil border. The mountain is in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni region, an area controlled by Guyana but disputed between Guyana and Venezuela. Guyana is located on the northern coast of South America and borders Suriname, Brazil and Venezuela Nocturnal creature as small as it is rare spotted in Indian forest, video shows Rattling sound leads scientists to floating creature a new species in Vietnam Cryptic creature with long golden fur discovered as new species at Indian cave The Dallas Cowboys have no plans to pursue free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals last week. Both owner Jerry Jones and vice president Stephen Jones were on one accord Monday when asked if the Cowboys had an interest in adding Hopkins to the receiver corps. Jerry Jones, who rarely rules out anything or anyone, said it was unlikely. Stephen Jones simply said they like the guys they have at receiver and satisfied their need for a veteran when the acquired Brandin Cooks in a trade with the Houston Texans in March. Hes not on this team right now, Stephen Jones said of Hopkins. We went down the road with (Brandin) Cooks. Were very comfortable with Cooks. Were really pleased with our receiving group. That group includes Cooks, two-time Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko and KaVontae Turpin. Stephen Jones said the Cowboys have high hopes that Turpin can have an impact at receiver in addition to his role as a returner. David Furnish hits out at Ron DeSantis for diabolically anti-Christian policies against LGBTQ+ people Florida governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has weaponised sexuality and is harnessing the hate of a vocal minority of extremists and pandering to fringe voters in a bid to gain power, according to David Furnish. The filmmaker and husband of Sir Elton John argued in an opinion piece in The Independent that the Republican governor has implemented a wave of anti-LGTBQ+ policies seeking to roll back the gains in acceptance and quality made during Mr Furnishs lifetime. Im incredibly grateful for the progress weve made in Britain and Canada, Mr Furnish wrote. If I was dropping my children off at the school gates in Florida, I doubt theyd feel the same level of safety and acceptance within their community. Over the last two years, Florida has implemented a string of laws lawsprohibiting classroom instruction on gender and sexual orientation, restricting gender-affirming care for minors, threatening drag shows, and preventing people from using the bathrooms and gender pronouns that accord with their identity. On law, passed last month, allows doctors to refuse to treat people based on their individual political beliefs, which advocates say is a license to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. This is one of the most diabolically anti-Christian pieces of legislation ever devised. Its inhumane. Did we just step into a time machine and return to the dark ages? Mr Furnish wrote in his opinion piece. This barbaric man could be the next president of the United States. Last year, the state passed a curriculum transparency law which Mr DeSantis touted as a way to ensure schoolbooks are free of pornography and prohibited materials harmful to minors, suited to student needs, and appropriate for the grade level and age group. In practice, the law has singled out books relating to LGBTQ+ identities and racial diversity for removal. Mr Furnish wrote that The Family Book by Todd Parr, a title which celebrates the many different versions of loving family, and which has brought my sons a great deal of comfort, was among those on the chopping block in Florida. The Florida laws have provoked strong opposition from medical organisations, civil rights advocates, and LGBTQ+ advocates alike. In May, the NAACP formally issued a travel advisory warning that Florida was openly hostile to Black people, people of colour, and LBGTQ+ people. The Independent has contacted the governors office for comment. Days after he was criticized for copying Trump's speech, Ron DeSantis rolled up to an Iowa campaign event with a speech uncannily similar to the one Winston Churchill gave during World War II Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Scott Olson/Getty Images Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign speech in Iowa sounded uncannily similar to Winston Churchill's. The syntax of his speech was similar to that of Churchill's iconic World War II speech. DeSantis was previously criticized for copying Donald Trump's campaign slogan. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' channeled former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at an Iowa campaign even this weekend, invoking Churchill's famous World War II speech to tout his own position on "woke" ideology. DeSantis said in his speech on Saturday: "I recognize that the woke mind virus represents a war on the truth, so we will wage a war on the woke. We will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in the corporations, we will fight the woke in the halls of Congress." The syntax of the sentence was reminiscent of Churchill's iconic 1940 speech, when he spoke to the UK House of Commons to boost British morale after the evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk. Churchill said in his speech: "We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." The Iowa speech drew flak from DeSantis critics, who argued that the governor's political position is a far cry from Churchill's. Richard Stengel, a former under secretary of state under Barack Obama's administration, tweeted: "Churchill was fighting Nazism, an enemy bent on world domination, while DeSantis is fighting, well, empathy and compassion. Not the same." DeSantis channeling Churchill comes just days after former President Donald Trump accused the governor of copying his campaign message, "Great American Comeback," from his 2020 State of the Union address. DeSantis used the phrase when he announced his presidential run on Twitter Spaces on May 24, where he said: "I'm Ron DeSantis, and I'm running to lead the Great American Comeback." It was also the title of his first official campaign video on Twitter. However, Trump himself has invoked the same Churchill speech. In July 2021, Trump sent an email to his followers raging about his lawsuits against tech companies like Facebook and Twitter. It included the line: "We'll fight in the courts, we'll fight in the legislatures, and we'll fight at the ballot boxes." DeSantis' representatives did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider European deep tech startups get another shot in the arm this week in the shape of IQ Capitals new $200 million venture fund. The new fund takes its assets under management to more than $1 billion. The London and Cambridge, U.K.-based deep tech VC has closed its fourth Venture Fund at that amount, while also launching its second $200 million Growth Fund to provide later-stage funding, primarily in its venture portfolio. This means the VC will be able to deploy capital across more funding stages. Since its foundation in Cambridge in 2007, IQ Capital has invested in more than 100 deep tech startups such as Thought Machine (banking), Nyobolt (battery charging) and Speechmatics (speech recognition). Its also had exits to Oracle, Google, Apple and Facebook, along with a number of IPOs. Investors in Fund IV include global institutions, funds-of-funds, family offices and British Patient Capital, the largest LP investing in U.K. venture capital. Kerry Baldwin, co-founder, managing partner, said deep tech investment was at the forefront of investor's minds, topping $17 billion in 2022. I asked her if it had been hard to raise the fund in this market: Obviously it's been quite hard to raise in this market environment, putting it bluntly. But were doing something different. Weve raised our flagship fund for deep tech and that's where we invest every day, in really, really deep tech. These deep tech academics actually like us to come all the way through, like we've done with Thought Machine, like we've done with Speechmatics. But yeah, it's been an interesting funding environment. Given the big debate going on around generative AI, I asked her if Europe is going to be able to compete with the major Big Tech platforms on that front. We've got exceptional talent in Europe. Generative AI has got a long way to go, but it's not going to solve real-world problems just yet, she said. Theres been criticisms of how university spinouts are hampered by their alma maters. Whats her view? She told me: That's where Cambridge University has been different and obviously our roots from Cambridge and in London, and across Europe. I think its going to be interesting to see the results of the U.K. government review that's coming out in early September on this. Dentist warns against common mistake that many of his patients make Dr. Sahil Patel of Marleybone Smile Clinic in London said that getting your toothbrush wet before or after applying toothpaste is a mistake he sees often among his patients. | Adobe.com Dr. Sahil Patel of Marylebone Smile Clinic in London said that getting your toothbrush wet before or after applying toothpaste is a mistake he sees often among his patients. Patel said that doing so can dilute the toothpaste and negatively affect your oral health. Toothpaste already has the right amount of moisture. If its wet, it makes it foam up faster and makes you spit it out sooner, Patel told GB News. He also advised people to brush their teeth beginning from back to front and that interdental brushes are more effective than dental floss. The bristles that clean between the teeth can get to corners and tricky areas that the toothbrush cant get to to clean our plaque. This makes them more effective than floss and they come in many shapes and sizes to ensure a good fit. He continued, If you start at the front and do the back last, youre more likely to stop and put your brush down, missing the back or not cleaning the back properly. Related Following a Twitter debate about whether you should wet your toothbrush before, after or not at all, many dentists used their platforms to give their expert advice. One expert, professor Damien Walmsley of the British Dental Association, said, A dry brush will increase friction with the bristles while a wet toothbrush adds moisture and for most people, makes the experience more pleasant. Whatever your preference, whats essential is that teeth should be brushed twice a day for at least two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, including last thing at night, per Ollie and Darsh. Dr. Raha Sepehrara, a principal dentist at Dental Suite, agreed with Patel, saying that wetting your toothbrush at all would dilute the toothpaste and reduce its effects. If you are wetting your toothbrush at all during the teeth-brushing process, experts advise that you use minimum water to have maximum oral health benefits. The National Health Service recommended to brush your teeth for two minutes and then warned against rinsing your mouth directly after, saying, Itll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste. Rinsing dilutes it and reduces its preventative effects. The Washington Federation of State Employees is calling on the state Department of Health to cancel its contract and funding for mandatory DOH employee training that some say perpetuates workplace issues and creates an uncomfortable work environment. In a news release, WFSE provided a web link to a petition that is now circulating among DOH employees asking the agency to discontinue the training. Patrick Sugrue, the director of communications for WFSE, told McClatchy Monday that the petition has already been signed by over 200 current DOH employees, and that the number of petitioners is growing fast as they put pressure on DOH publicly. The Outward Mindset training is provided by the Arbinger Institute, based in Utah. The website for the institute says that by using the communication training framework, participants learn the difference between inward and outward mindsets. Participants who take the course will be able to assess the extent to which they are working with an inward mindset, change their mindsets to become more outward, hold themselves more fully accountable, and address and resolve conflicts, according to Arbingers website. Employee concerns Current and former DOH employees told McClatchy otherwise. It is on the surface such a necessary thing. Yes, we should all get more skills on how to better relate to people. But the problem is the underlying foundation of it and how it gets weaponized, said Rachelle Martin, a current DOH employee speaking in her capacity as a WFSE member. Martin, who was raised in a fundamentalist Christian family, said there was familiarity in the training because it pushes the idea that all of your problems are your fault, similar to the church she was brought up in. If you have a problem, the first thing youre supposed to do is really sit with what have I done in this situation to cause this problem? Martin added. Within days after Martin was hired, she said DOH sent her the Outward Mindset training. The expectation was to read both of the two books included, fill out a handbook in the kit, and then take a two-day training course based on the materials within the first month. Employees are paid their wages during the training and day-long courses can be taken once a month after the initial course. The training is embedded in the workplace environment and in most conversations, Martin said. Martin said not everyone at DOH feels the same way, and others have gotten some value out of the training, including how to be better communicators. She noted too that she was able to take one thing of value away from the training, which was to create a map of who she worked with that directly impacted her. A former DOH employee who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation told McClatchy that they immediately noticed red flags when taking the course and said that the course did not prevent disagreements within DOH. When the former employee tried to take a work-related issue to supervisors, they were instead given a letter of expectations. DOH Human Resources staff then told them during a meeting that they werent being outward enough and the employee said they felt like the training was being used to punish them. Thats one example of weaponizing the language of Outward Mindset to punish. And really what it felt like was that Outward Mindset was a controlling tool to get staff to be in line, or to avoid conflict, or to basically say youre the problem, the employee told McClatchy. A lot of the language in Outward Mindset is, its not you, its me. The training also doesnt provide any framework for systems of oppression regarding race, gender and power dynamics, they said, which contributed to what they felt was an uncomfortable work environment. I did not implement the principles of Outward Mindset with my team because I felt like it was so misused and so misappropriated from how I think the founders really intended it to be, which is really sad, because you dont want to be actively working against the thing that your agency is promoting, they said. I just saw where it could go wrong, and thats where I was like Nope, Im not going to do this. Additionally, they said the terminology, framework and the way it was forced down our throats felt like religious indoctrination. Why DOH uses the training Amber Santoyo, the state DOH Chief People Officer, told McClatchy that DOH first started using the training in 2017, but brought the program fully onboard in 2019 after some DOH employees made it clear that they wanted some type of training to better facilitate communications between themselves and management. Santoyo said DOH felt like the basic principles of the Outward Mindset training resonated with the agency. Santoyo confirmed that DOH has paid $2.5 million in tax revenue for the training since 2019, but emphasized that DOH followed all contractual obligations through a purchase order because Arbingers information is proprietary. Other training outside of Outward Mindset is also provided to DOH employees, she said. She also addressed concerns about equity within the training. Santoyo said DOH has never said that Outward Mindset was its solution to addressing inequities, and that other trainings are provided to achieve Diversity, Equity and Inclusion objectives. Santoyo also said there are other avenues involved when employees have complaints or concerns that dont involve the Outward Mindset training. I definitely want to make sure if things are not going well and not going right that we have an avenue for that and for folks to know that Outward Mindsight is not the only track in which to explore issues or some of the undesirable behaviors if someone was experiencing that within the workplace, Santoyo said. She said DOH worked with WFSE in 2019 to bring the Outward Mindset program onboard, and that there are ongoing conversations about the program with the state workers union. Santoyo did not want to speculate on what the future of the program within DOH would look like, but said that DOH wanted to find ways to forge forward and find ways to help people connect in a healthy way and to feel supported in conversations with supervisors and managers. Santoyo also acknowledged the religious aspect that members had voiced concerns about. However, she said, Arbinger is not itself a religious organization and the program has no religious tenets. Arbinger Institute reaction In a statement to McClatchy, Michael Lazan, the executive vice president at Arbinger Institute, said that it was unfortunate that there has been a small group of WADOH employees who have fundamentally misunderstood the purpose of our workshops and what we mean by working with an outward mindset. Lazan, who has worked with Arbinger for 18 years, told McClatchy that the program is used by organizations all over the world, including the military and other organizations similar to DOH. He said he has never encountered this type of misunderstanding before. In fact, the feedback we receive to our workshops is overwhelmingly positive. We have consistently found that the workshops enable our clients to build deeper relationships and create healthier, more effective work environments, Lazans statement read. We are eager to speak to any WADOH employees to clarify what an outward mindset means and how working with an outward mindset contributes to creating human-centric cultures characterized by collaboration and respect. 'I was deployed to Sudan after best man speech' Fraser McDougall (right) pictured with the groom Craig Clark before the wedding and deployment news came A Scots diplomat has told how he was scrambled to join the UK government's evacuation of Brits fleeing war-torn Sudan while attending his best friend's wedding. Glasgow-born Fraser McDougall was part of the UK government's operation to rescue more than 2,450 people - the longest and largest evacuation by any Western nation. The 28-year-old works for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and was despatched to the Sudanese capital Khartoum in April with the UK government's Rapid Deployment Team. The aim was to help British nationals fleeing the violence, which has now killed more than 800 people. Fraser received his call to deploy just minutes before he delivered his best man speech at his best friend's wedding in Fenwick, Ayrshire. He said: "I wasn't actually on-call, but as it was such a big unfolding crisis, they needed all hands on deck, so I was asked if I could deploy to Sudan. So, it wasn't just my best pal who said 'I do' on the day. "The call came about 10 minutes before I was due to give my speech. It slightly dampened my ability to party quite as hard as my wife and I had hoped because I now needed to get on the first flight the next morning." Mr McDougall said he was proud to have been a part of the rescue mission. 2,450 people were helped to leave the country by diplomats like Fraser McDougall "A lot of the diplomatic work we do is long-term and strategic, but this is something that has immediate tangible life-saving results - helping people escape a war zone," he said. More than 1.3million people are estimated to have fled Sudan. The UK government has contributed more than 250m in humanitarian support to Sudan over the past five years and has just committed a further 5m of aid to help those displaced from their homes by the violence. UK Rapid Deployment Teams were sent to Khartoum, Port Sudan, Cyprus and Saudi Arabian city Jeddah to support British nationals needing help. Mr McDougall swapped his tartan wedding wear for a bulletproof vest as he joined colleagues on the ground at Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum. Fraser McDougall was sent to Sudan to help with the evacuation of British nationals He said: "It was almost like an out-of-body experience because the processing work is relatively straightforward, but you have all this drama going on around you - babies collapsing, people coming in with gunshot wounds, people just in utter trauma." The diplomat, whose day job is working as a political secretary at the UK Embassy in Dublin, spent five days in the ground in Sudan. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: "I'm incredibly proud of the vital work that people like Fraser are doing to help the most vulnerable in response to humanitarian crises around the globe - often in very challenging circumstances. "People from across the UK have been at the very heart of our efforts to help people fleeing Sudan in their hour of need, and I am grateful for their tireless service and dedication." Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a presidential candidate who proudly touts a hardline immigration stance, is uncharacteristically mum as California officials say they are investigating the circumstances by which dozens of South American migrants were flown to California, purportedly by the state of Florida. DeSantis has not confirmed or denied the states involvement with the flights, the first of which arrived in Sacramento on Friday. California officials said the 16 migrants who came off that plane were carrying documents that indicated they were transported through a program run by Floridas state government. A second flight carrying about 20 migrants landed in Sacramento Monday afternoon carrying the same documents indicating their travel had been administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and its contractor, Vertol Systems Company, a spokesperson for the California Attorney Generals Office told the Miami Herald. While this is still under investigation, we can confirm these individuals were in possession of documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement issued by his office over the weekend. While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting. Sacramento is the state capital of California, one of the countrys most progressive states. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who frequently spars with DeSantis, called his Florida Republican counterpart a small, pathetic man. This isnt Marthas Vineyard, he tweeted on Monday. The silence from the governor and his administration is in stark contrast to the communications strategy deployed by DeSantis last fall when Florida flew 49 South-American migrants from San Antonio to Marthas Vineyard. Read more: Texas sheriff recommends criminal charges in DeSantis migrant flights to Marthas Vineyard Last September, DeSantis office provided exclusive footage to Fox News that was aired on a nighttime, prime time show, showing migrants disembarking from planes at the Marthas Vineyard Airport. And in what has become routine for the governor, he defended his efforts by publicly and loudly lashing out at his critics using the episode to promote his conservative agenda while campaigning for reelection. This time around, DeSantis is unusually quiet, even as he makes immigration a prominent theme of his nascent presidential campaign. He has also tried to draw attention to the southern border by sending state resources to Texas. On Monday morning, during an interview with Fox News Brian Kilmeade, DeSantis was not asked about Fridays Sacramento flight, and DeSantis did not mention it. DeSantis political team has made no mention of the event in their usually active social media accounts. Instead, they have been focused on promoting the governors campaign visits in the early nominating states of Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire. DeSantis has a campaign fundraiser scheduled in Sacramento on June 19. Meanwhile, DeSantis critics are attacking the flights as irresponsible. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a press briefing on Monday that the administration was in close touch with state officials in California and referred questions regarding details of the investigation to them. But she referred to the transport of migrants around the country without coordinating with state or federal officials as dangerous and unacceptable. Ive said it many times from here, repeatedly, from this podium, that busing or flying migrants around the country without any coordination with the federal government weve talked about this, state or local officials as well is dangerous and unacceptable, Jean-Pierre said. And well continue to be very, very clear about that. It is dangerous and unacceptable because youre putting peoples lives at risk. And its dangerous and unacceptable because youre actually putting a lot of pressure on these state and local areas. An official with the Department of Homeland Security also confirmed that the agency was in touch with Newsoms office, helping them navigate options for federal assistance. Rachel Self, an attorney for the Marthas Vineyard migrants, told the Miami Herald on Monday that the governor appears to be relaunching his migrant relocation program eight months after the Marthas Vineyard flights as a publicity boost to help his presidential candidacy. The governor of Florida has demonstrated time and again that he is willing to use the most vulnerable among us to score cheap political points, Self said. Revamped relaunch DeSantis migrant relocation program was designed to remove unauthorized aliens from Florida, though the state has exclusively operated out of Texas to recruit and transport migrants to Democratic-leaning states. The state has indicated that the program is voluntary for migrants to participate in, and according to internal documents, the state refers to the program as a humanitarian operation. Migrants are free to travel throughout the United States once they are released from federal custody, vetted by the Department of Homeland Security and assigned a hearing date for processing. But whether migrants are lied to, misled or trafficked is a matter that would be up to the Justice Department to investigate. DOJ officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DeSantis had defended the program as an attempt to draw attention to the border crisis in response to Bidens policies. The taxpayer-funded program, however, has led to several lawsuits, including from migrants who say they were tricked into getting on the planes to Marthas Vineyard, and a criminal investigation by the Bexar County sheriff in Texas. On Monday, the sheriffs department recommended that the district attorney in Bexar County bring criminal charges in connection to the states handling of the Marthas Vineyard flights. DeSantis public safety czar, Larry Keefe, was also found to have used a private email address with the alias Clarice Starling a reference to the Hannibal Lecter serial killer novels to help Vertol Systems, his former client, win the state contract to operate the program. Amid the controversies and in the face of lawsuits, DeSantis asked the Republican-led Legislature to transfer management of the migrant relocation program from the Florida Department of Transportation to the Division of Emergency Management Services in February. In May, the state agency prepared to relaunch the revamped $12 million program and selected three companies to carry out its mission. But the agency did not respond to requests for comment on whether it was behind the California flight or whether flights have resumed. The Division of Emergency Management has yet to provide copies of the contracts. Because the contracts have yet to be made available, the state has not said where the migrants are who will be voluntarily transported and to what destination. Sacramento Bee reporter Michael McGough contributed to this report. DETROIT (AP) The Detroit Grand Prix's short, narrow and bumpy track took some shots a day before the race returned to streets downtown. We recovered any potential damage," race chairman Bud Denker said Sunday. Alex Palou won the race with a dominant performance, leading 74 of 100 laps, a day after saying the 1.7-mile circuit was too tight and too short for IndyCar. While the Spaniard did say the race went smoother than expected, he suggested it can be improved for 2024. Hopefully, we can we can tweak some stuff and make it even better, Palou said. Denker said that's the plan. Changes will be made to the breaking zone at Turn 3, where drivers slowed from 180-plus mph for a hairpin, and in the area near Turn 8 before the split pit lane. The track was eight-tenths of a mile longer when it was previously downtown in 1991, but Denver said lengthening the track isn't an option because of adjacent neighborhood, businesses and a tunnel that connects Detroit to Canada. We are where we are, Denker said. Open-wheel cars first ran in Detroit in 1982, when Formula One raced on the streets of downtown before the event moved to Phoenix in 1988. The now-defunct CART series ran at Belle Isle from 1992 to 2001. The IndyCar started racing at Belle Isle in 2007 and left the island in the Detroit River after last year's race. When we moved, we said we cant bring this back downtown and put up a giant fence, said Michael Montri, president of the Detroit Grand Prix. We wanted it to be inclusive. More than half of the race track was accessible without an admission charge and some had a view from boats and jet skis on the Detroit River that separates the U.S. from Canada. Denker said about 20,000 fans paid to watch Sunday's race and an unknown number of people took advantage of access points that were free, including an area to celebrate the winner while a fireboat in the Detroit River sent streams of water in the air. Honestly, Detroit did a tremendous job, Palou said. The fans were amazing. I was mind-blowed by how many fans we had being a first-time event. Also the podium on Victory Lane was really fun. ___ AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Meridian mayors want his city to become a health care epicenter. Heres his vision Meridian Mayor Robert Simison wants his fast-growing city to be a health care epicenter for Idaho. With plans from both Idaho State University and Saint Alphonsus to expand services and health care education in the city west of Boise, Simison said now is the time to lay out a clear framework for a medical corridor. Simison revealed his goals to the public in his State of the City speech on June 1. Meridians health care industry is growing, Simison said. The Idaho Statesman recently found that St. Lukes was the citys second-largest employer, with nearly 2,000 employees. Much of our current, and I believe future, economy is based around health care, Simison said in his speech. We are seeing the health care industry become a larger driving force in our economy every day. Idaho State University adds health care campus Idaho State University, which has a health science campus off Interstate 84 in Meridian, plans to expand its footprint, Simison said. ISU purchased land near Locust Grove and I-84, next to the Idaho State Police POST academy, for a new campus. The public university will invest $5.3 million initially to get facilities started and expand health science programs, Simison said. The university plans to have 1 million square feet of new building space for classrooms, research facilities and support environments, Simison said. The initial $5.3 million will go toward site work, testing and infrastructure, but Simison encouraged the Idaho Legislature to provide support to help fund ISUs plans. My vision for Meridian includes becoming the health care epicenter for the state of Idaho for those who need care, are focused on finding the next medical breakthrough, and for the necessary education opportunities of our future providers, Simison said. Saint Alphonsus to build in fast-developing north Meridian Saint Alphonsus, a large Treasure Valley health system, plans to build a new location for medical services. Northwest Meridian is one of the citys newest growth hot spots for commercial and business development, and Saint Als plans to build an outpatient center near Chinden Boulevard and Idaho Highway 16, Simison said. As the state extends Idaho 16 through Meridian, the outpatient center will be near a new Walmart and Costco, as well as hundreds of new homes. Simison said he wants to get ahead of these latest medical developments by reevaluating the citys land-use plans for the areas between St. Lukes Medical Center, at Eagle Road and I-84, and the location of the ISU medical campus on Locust Grove and I-84. We need to lay out a clear framework for a medical corridor in this area with land use and a road network that aligns with this vision, Simison said. St. Lukes is about 2.5 miles from the planned ISU campus. The two locations are accessible along Franklin Road but also would require traveling along Eagle Road, which is a consistently congested area of the city for commuters. A salon in Boise, business center in Meridian, apartments in Garden City. Coming to you Meridian police officer who punched man 6 times violated no policy, chief says Gov. Mike DeWine stands at a podium to address Ohio workforce needs along with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Ohio Business Roundtable President and CEO Pat Tiberi, right. The three pushed for several of DeWine's budget proposals on Monday. Gov. Mike Dewine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted joined Pat Tiberi for a rare appearance at the Ohio Business Roundtable to stress the critical need to boost Ohio's workforce with qualified, higher education graduates as the state deals with the demographic realities of a shrinking population. DeWine addressed his proposed budget to increase scholarship opportunities for individuals wishing to pursue a four-year degree, in hopes of creating more eligible candidates to fill job positions within the state, encourage graduates to stay local and create a more competitive business market for Ohio. The push comes as the Ohio Senate begins deliberation on the two-year spending bill and is expected to release its version soon. More: Biden administration picks Columbus as workforce hub after Intel, Honda: Here's what that means Tiberi, Ohio Business Roundtable president and CEO, said that Ohio came in last in the Midwest when comparing its funding for need-based financial aid for higher education. DeWine said that Ohio has a business climate that is predictable and strong, but Ohio lacks qualified candidates needed to fill these job positions in order to be perceived as more attractive to businesses. "So, for the state, for all of us and also for our young people, giving them the opportunity is absolutely key," DeWine said. "The budget that we're presenting to the General Assembly does this." DeWine said the proposed budget includes the expansion of the Ohio College Opportunity Grant. The expansion would provide a $6,000 scholarship opportunity to 15,000 additional applicants, allowing anyone within a household that makes $87,000 or less eligible, in order to accommodate the poor and working middle class. "They get them, and then they can go out among our 14 public universities in the state of Ohio or over 50 of our independent colleges and universities," Dewine said. "As long as they're going to a four-year school in the state of Ohio." DeWine said that the second scholarship opportunity proposed in the budget is new and provides a $20,000 scholarship to graduating high school students in the top 5% of their class in Ohio, being awarded $5,000 a year for four years. DeWine said the more Ohio graduates the state generates, the more likely these graduates are to find jobs/internships, start families and start businesses in Ohio. "If you look at states that have done this, states that have done it the right way have significantly increased somewhere between 10% and 15% of the number of their students that end up staying in their state and go to college there," DeWine said. Husted said Ohio has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, the lowest in its history, and that although the state has created over 6,600 private-sector jobs, the demographics within the Midwest pose the biggest threat. "Ohio and every state that borders Ohio is projected to have fewer people in the working-age workforce over the next 10 years and that key demographic of 25-60," Husted said. "The baby boom generation has retired, subsequent generations don't have as many children in it, and therefore the workforce is shrinking." Husted said the results from the Choose Ohio First scholarship created in 2007 show that providing access to school works to improve the state. The scholarship is used to incentivize students to finish high school, go to college and choose a STEM major. Of the 28,477 scholars, 79% of them are either working in Ohio or are working on a graduate degree in Ohio, Husted said. DeWine has sought increased money for this scholarship within his proposed budget. "We said back when we started that the 80% of students would do that if they graduated high school here, they would stay if we kept them here," Husted said. "The numbers bear that out, 79% of them are doing that right now." In response to whether some recipients of the scholarships would really need them, Husted said the issue is broader than that. Ohio must make college affordable to keep the top graduates in the state and improve the outlook for everyone. "It's not about what they need, it's about what we need," Husted said. "We need them." aesmith@gannett.com @arismith02 This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: DeWine promotes workforce budget proposal at Ohio Business Roundtable. Did Florida fly out 16 migrants on a private jet to jettison them in California? Looking for the culprit who dumped migrants in California. Sixteen South American migrants were brought to Sacramento by private planeand Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor and presidential hopeful, may have something to do with it. The migrants, from Venezuela and Colombia, were transported from the El Paso border in Texas to New Mexico, before being flown by private chartered jet to Sacramento and dumped on the doorstep of a local church without any advance warning, Gavin Newsom, the California governor, said in a statement on June 3. Read more The migrants turned up with no prior arrangement or care in place, Rob Bonta, the California attorney general, said in a separate press release on the same day. Officials are investigating how the individuals reached California, and evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants, Bonta added. The signs point to Ron DeSantis, the Florida governorand the most obvious of these signs is that the migrants were carrying documentation purported to be from the State of Florida, Bontas office noted, without elaborating on the nature of this paperwork. A feeling of deja vu is inescapable; DeSantis, a 2024 Republican presidential hopeful, has done this before. DeSantiss infamous migrant relocation flights Last September, DeSantis paid to charter two planes to fly nearly 50 migrants from Texas to Marthas Vineyard. At the time, Newsom had suggested that the event amounted to kidnapping. This time, too, he used similar language. In his statement announcing that his administration is investigating the flight to Sacramento, Newsom said theyre looking into whether the individuals orchestrating this trip misled anyone with false promises or have violated any criminal laws, including kidnapping. Floridas state lawmakers expanded its relocation program in February to allow DeSantis to fly migrants from anywherenot just Floridato Democratic-led cities and states. In May, Florida handpicked a number of companies to execute this phase of DeSantiss plan to deal with migrants. Quotable: California condemns state-sanctioned kidnapping While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting. We are a nation built by immigrants and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful rhetoric of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to recognize humanity and who turn their backs on extending dignity and care to fellow human beings. Rob Bonta, the California attorney general What will happen to the migrants flown to California? The 16 passengers on the plane to California had already been assigned court dates for their asylum cases when a person representing a private contactor approached them outside a migrant center in Texas, according to Eddie Carmona, the campaign director at PICO California, a faith-based community organizing group. Carmona told the Associated Press that the migrants were lied to and intentionally deceived. Now California authorities are working with local and nonprofit partners to ensure that the migrants are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases, Newsom explained. People of interest: Texas Greg Abbott, New Yorks Eric Adams DeSantis isnt the only enthusiast of shuttling migrants off to left-leaning states. In April 2022, Greg Abbott of Texas launched a program to bus migrants to major cities led by Democrats, such as Washington DC, Chicago, New York, and, most recently, Denver. Texas overwhelmed and overrun border communities should not have to shoulder the flood of illegal immigration due to President Bidens reckless open border policies, like his mass catch and release without court dates or any way to track them, Abbott said on May 18. Until the president and his administration step up and fulfill their constitutional duty to secure the border, the state of Texas will continue busing migrants to self-declared sanctuary cities like Denver to provide much-needed relief to our small border towns. Meanwhile, unable to handle the influx, New York City has been shuttling migrants to northern suburbs in the state. Other states like Washington and Chicago are also finding funding and resources stretched thin. Rabbit hole: Gavin Newsoms beef with Floridas Ron DeSantis The migrant crisis is only one point of contention between Newsom and DeSantis. Newsom has said DeSantis will get smoked by Trump in the 2024 elections, and the two have butted heads on various topics. On the last Fourth of July holiday, Newsom took out advertisements in Florida, declaring: Freedom is under attack in your state. Newsom has warned Californian K-12 educators against restricting content a la red states. His response to a book ban suggestion was: This isnt Texas or Florida. In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn. Newsom called DeSantis out on bullying and intimidating vulnerable communities for trying to give New College of Florida in Sarasota a conservative makeover. Newsom has criticized Floridas strict abortion law, which doesnt have exceptions for pregnancies that originate as a result of rape or incest. Newsom has bemoaned Floridas election police. Newsom has slammed DeSantis for signing a bill allowing permitless carry of guns. Related stories The covid-era rule that lets the US expel refugees before they can seek asylum is reaching its expiration date The Biden administration is preparing for the end of Title 42 Ron DeSantiss 2024 presidential race got off to a glitchy start More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. What are disinformation and extremism? And why should troops be aware? On Jan. 6, 2021, myths about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election drove supporters of former President Donald Trump to the U.S. Capitol, where they attempted to stop Congress from certifying the results. About one in six people charged for storming the Capitol that day had connections to the military. That event and others like it have opened a flood of debate about veteran and military communities being targeted with disinformation and the rise of extremism among the ranks. Consider how Jan. 6, 2021 is described: as the Capitol riot or insurrection by most Democrats and many independents and centrist Republicans, or a peaceful protest by GOP supporters of President Donald Trump, shows a deepening divide between the two main U.S. political parties a gulf arguably widened and supercharged by political-party- and nation-state-sponsored disinformation, leaving disgruntled followers potentially vulnerable to extremist ideology. As part of an 18-month project through a partnership between Military Times and Military Veterans in Journalism, well be reporting about disinformation and extremism as the issues relate to veterans and military communities. To start, weve compiled a list of frequently asked questions about extremism and disinformation in the military we will update throughout the year. If you have a tip or idea, please email us at MVJ-Tips@militarytimes.com. What is disinformation? To start with, in the broadest definition, disinformation is any false information that is created deliberately to mislead people. Its often spread covertly with the intention of influencing public opinion or obscuring the truth, according to Merriam-Websters dictionary U.S. government leaders have taken a more nuanced approach. The Department of Homeland Security says disinformation can be targeted toward an individual, social group, organization or country. Its typically spread with malice or greed and in pursuit of political, social or financial agendas, according to the Anti-Defamation League. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Defense said the most harmful disinformation is that which sows global mistrust and confusion. This kind of disinformation can come in various forms and includes hoaxes, propaganda and spear phishing, according to the United Nations. Another tool for spreading disinformation, known as synthetic media, is becoming more prolific following recent advances in artificial intelligence. Synthetic media refers to AI-created text, images and audio. One of the most notorious forms of synthetic media are deepfakes, images or videos in which the face of one person is overlaid onto another person, often in real time. Images created by Eliot Higgins with the use of artificial intelligence show a fictitious skirmish with Donald Trump and New York City police officers posted on Higgins' Twitter account. The highly detailed, sensational images, which are not real, were produced using a sophisticated and widely accessible image generator. (AP Photo/J. David Ake) What is misinformation? Among the slightly varying descriptions of disinformation from dictionaries, government agencies, nonprofits and international organizations, one key word is consistent: deliberate. The deliberate nature of disinformation is what differentiates it from misinformation. Misinformation, while also false, is not shared with the intention of causing harm, DHS says. Or as the American Psychological Association put it, misinformation is getting the facts wrong. How about the lesser-known term, malinformation? Unlike both disinformation and misinformation, malinformation is based on fact. Its true information that is used for harmful or manipulative purposes, according to DHS. In many cases, malinformation refers to situations in which facts are used out of context, such as editing a video to remove key information. It can also refer to information that stems from the truth but has been exaggerated to mislead, the Government of Canada said in a recent report. For example, some alternative media sites that rely on outrage to generate views will distort headlines, a tactic known as click-bait. Doxxing the practice of publicly revealing someones private information without consent also falls under the umbrella of malinformation, the Anti-Defamation League said. Who is deploying disinformation? A variety of sources from homegrown extremists to foreign adversaries create disinformation targeted toward the American public. Disinformation is spread by foreign states, including Russia, China and Iran, as well as transnational criminal groups and human smuggling organizations. Other governments have accused the U.S. of spreading disinformation in their countries, too. China said earlier this year that the U.S. spread rumors about data security issues with the Chinese company TikTok in an effort to suppress foreign businesses. The State Department works to counter disinformation from Russia, which creates and spreads false narratives in order to confuse people and advance the Kremlins policy goals, the agency said. Russia and other actors spread disinformation to exploit the American public, and they often target the country during national emergencies, according to DHS. Particularly after disasters, disinformation spreaders use social media to deny the event ever happened or claim its a false flag, meaning a covert operation by authorities that frames someone else. One of the most recent examples of this came after a train carrying hazardous items derailed in Ohio, when conspiracy theories spread that the wreck was a planned, deliberate attack by the U.S. government. Disinformation can also come from U.S. citizens. Alex Stamos, Facebooks former security chief, went so far as to say in 2020 that the future of disinformation is going to be domestic. So-called domestic disinformation, which comes from message boards, websites and social media accounts, is created by both far-left and far-right individuals. However, two recent studies from the University of North Carolina and New York University found its more often a right-wing phenomenon. This homegrown disinformation bubbles up from message boards and finds its way onto ideological websites and social media. Its consequences are sometimes deadly. The Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, reported there were a historically high number of far-left and far-right terrorist attacks in 2021, and far-right attacks were more lethal. Elected officials also have participated in the spread of disinformation. The University of Oxford found that politicians running for office in 45 democracies, including the U.S., have shared false information to gain voter support. What is extremism? When officials talk about extremism in the military, they generally focus on extremism in terms of religious, political or social ideologies. The Pentagon lists one broad definition of extremism in the Department of Defense Instruction 1325.06. The directive makes clear that the actions matter most, specifically, violent action: Advocating or engaging in unlawful force, unlawful violence, or other illegal means to deprive individuals of their rights under the United States Constitution or the laws of the United States And also advocating, engaging in, supporting or encouraging things like subversion, sedition or unlawful discrimination. Each branch develops its own policies to enforce the DoDs top-down guidance. However, anti-extremism watch groups and academia break down extremism into non-violent extremism and domestic violent extremism. DHS and Federal Bureau of Investigation use the term domestic violent extremism to refer to domestic terrorism threats, or U.S.-based, non-foreign influenced actions through unlawful acts of force or violence dangerous to human life. Theres an emphasis here on the action, since harboring extreme or hateful opinions or ideology may be considered protected under the First Amendments freedom of speech. You can have a hateful thought or opinion, you can voice that thought or opinion, but you cant perform a hateful act without legal consequences. One report by the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), an academic research center, collected data on instances of extremism since World War II and defines non-violent extremism as individuals who engage in illegal extremist activity short of violence or who belong to a violent extremist group but do not participate in violent activities. Again, the key here isnt simply having an extreme belief, but acting violently from or on behalf of that belief. White nationalist demonstrators walk into Lee park surrounded by counter demonstrators in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12, 2017. (Steve Helber/AP) How widespread is extremism and disinformation among military communities? The extent to which extremism has seeped into military and veteran communities is a contentious debate on Capitol Hill and around the country. The argument about whether its a problem has heightened since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, when some Trump supporters believed the election was stolen and sought to overturn his loss. Theres a lack of data about the infiltration of extremism in the active-duty military, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, a bipartisan, nonprofit think tank. Experts generally agree that only a small number of service members have been involved in extremist activities, but some argue that even a tiny proportion could damage the militarys reputation and harm U.S. security. Theres more data available about veterans adoption of extremist views, and research in this arena has increased in the past two years. Heres a snapshot of what the data says: Of the rioters in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, 17% were veterans, Harvard University found. The same study showed that nearly all participants in the siege that day had shared or received misinformation about the 2020 election on social media platforms. Veterans were responsible for 10% of all domestic terrorist attacks and plots between 2015 and 2021, according to the CSIS. Veterans make up about 5% of the overall adult population in the U.S., according to data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics in May. Individuals with military backgrounds make up 15% of the cases in a database kept by the University of Maryland that tracks people who were driven by their extremist views to commit criminal offenses. Together, veterans and service members account for 6% of the U.S. population as of May. The University of Marylands data shows a significant uptick in the past five years of people with military backgrounds who have committed extremist offenses. From 1990 to 2010, an average of seven people with military histories were added to the database every year. That increased to 63 people per year from 2018 to 2022. Protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC, to protest the ratification of President Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. A pro-Trump mob later stormed the Capitol, breaking windows and clashing with police officers. Five people died as a result. (Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images) A brief history of violent military extremists Acts of violent extremism arent new to the U.S. military. The DOD tried addressing tensions following the Civil Rights Movement in a policy in 1969, but incidents continued. Then in the early 1980s former Army Green Beret and retiree Frazier Glenn Miller started a white nationalist paramilitary group called the White Patriot Party in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Millers recruits wore Battle Dress Uniforms with Confederate flag patches sewn onto the left shoulder. Miller had plans to start a race war and used active-duty soldiers to create a weapons cache. Federal agents infiltrated the group before a major catastrophic event. On April 19th, 1995 a former Army sergeant and special forces selection washout named Timothy McVeigh bombed a federal building in Oklahoma City killing 168 and injuring 684. That event is known as the deadliest domestic extremist act in the U.S. to date. Federal investigators later found McVeigh harbored antigovernment extremist ideology and even visited the Branch Davidian compound in Waco before the federal standoff there. The bombing in Oklahoma City prompted the Department of Defenses next revision of its extremism policies. Nidal Hasans name went down in infamy on November 5th, 2009. The then Army major opened fire on soldiers and civilians preparing to deploy at a readiness processing center on Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos) near Killeen, Texas. Hasan killed 13 and injured more than 30 others. Prosecutors later argued in his trial that he had planned his attack to align with his views on Islamic extremism. He acted alone, but under the umbrella of a hateful or extremist ideology. In terms of disinformation, one example occurred in March 2015, when residents in small towns across Texas began hearing whispers among social media networks that an annual military exercise known as Jade Helm was actually an attempt to suppress the locals, seize guns, and enforce martial law. The uproar kicked up enough of a ruckus that the governor enacted the Texas State Guard to oversee the national militarys operations. Years later, a former Central Intelligence Agency director revealed that Russia had launched a disinformation attack against the U.S. government. This undated photo shows the north side of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the damage caused by a car bomb explosion on April 19, 1995. Former Army Sgt. Timothy McVeigh was convicted in the bombing. (AFP/Getty Images) What is Congress role in helping solve these problems? Republicans and Democrats disagree about whether its necessary to address extremism among military and veteran communities. In the wake of the Jan. 6 attack, Democrats urged the Pentagon to do more to counter extremism in the ranks, and they pushed the Department of Veterans Affairs to intervene when veterans show signs of being susceptible to recruitment by extremist groups. Many Republicans, however, have attempted to halt Defense Department training aimed at countering extremism, criticizing it as a distraction from military preparedness and an effort to politicize the armed forces. Some Republicans have taken issue in particular with a daylong extremism stand-down in 2021, a military-wide training on the dangers of extremist ideology. Lawmakers opposed to such training were able to cut seven of eight measures aimed at combatting domestic extremism from the annual defense policy bill, a legislative fight that is sure to come up in defense budget wrangling again this year. This story was produced in partnership with Military Veterans in Journalism. Disney CEO Bob Iger finally announced some good news after months of cuts and layoffs: a partnership with Apple on its new Vision Pro headset Disney CEO Bob Iger speaking at WWDC. Apple Disney CEO Bob Iger announced a partnership with Apple on its futuristic new headset. Vision Pro was unveiled on Monday and Disney+ content will be available on it from day one. It's a welcome move forward for Iger after making massive job and budget cuts since his return as CEO. Disney CEO Bob Iger has had a rough time since he climbed back into the saddle as the leader of the Mouse House, but he scored a much-needed win on Monday when he announced his company's partnership with Apple on its new Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. "We're constantly in search of new ways to entertain, inform, and inspire our fans by combining extraordinary creativity with groundbreaking technology to create truly remarkable experiences," Iger said at Monday's Worldwide Developers Conference. "We believe Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that can make our vision a reality." Iger said he'd tried the device and was struck by the "deeply personal experiences" it could create to bring Disney fans "closer to the characters they love." He said Disney+, the company's streaming service, would be available on day one of the Vision Pro, which Apple said would start shipping "early next year." The immersive headset will let you watch movies and TV on a massive virtual screen in environments like space, or drop you right into the action like in an underwater tour, both of which Iger showed off on Monday. It will also support 3D, like Meta's Quest headsets. Iger also showed off how VR could change how fans watch sports, bringing them court side and letting them change the angles. "The Mandalorian" footage in the Vision Pro demo. Apple Getting to actually build something new instead of trimming Disney's business was likely a welcome change for Iger. He returned to the CEO role in November during a troubled time for the company and for the media industry at large. In recent months, Iger has cut 7,000 jobs in three rounds, the latest of which began in late May and will total 2,500. The cuts eliminated the company's metaverse team, launched by previous CEO Bob Chapek and headed up by longtime Disney exec Mike White. Iger also scrapped plans for a $1 billion campus in Florida amid a war with its governor, Ron DeSantis. He even pulled dozens of shows and movies off Disney+ and Hulu, taking a write-down of $1.5 billion in the June quarter. These moves were all likely necessary amid economic headwinds, but it had to hurt a guy who spent decades building Disney up through acquisitions like Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, expansions at theme parks, and much more. No one likes to be the hatchet man. While this partnership is good news for Iger and Disney, it's worth remembering that Apple's Vision Pro is still looking like a niche product, at least for a while. It'll cost an eye-popping $3,499, for one thing. Compare that to Meta's upcoming Quest 3, which will cost $499. And VR has yet to take off in a major way for any company. Still, if the Vision Pro is a "revolutionary platform," as Iger predicted Monday, Disney will be right there to reap the rewards. Read the original article on Business Insider Matthew Nilo is arraigned on rape charges stemming from assaults in Charlestown, in 2007 and 2008 in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston, Monday, June 5, 2023. His attorney, Joseph Cataldo is at left. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) BOSTON (AP) A New Jersey lawyer charged with sexually assaulting four women in Boston about 15 years ago was ordered held on $500,000 bail Monday during a hearing in which a prosecutor said authorities helped tie him to the attacks by getting DNA from a drinking glass he had used. Matthew Nilo, of Weehawken, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty in a Boston courtroom to several charges, including three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape and one count of indecent assault and battery. The charges stem from four attacks that happened in Bostons Charlestown neighborhood from August 2007 through December 2008 a time that authorities say Nilo lived in the city. Nilo, 35, was arrested last week. During the hearing Monday, prosecutor Lynn Feigenbaum said that in some cases, the assailant said he had a gun and threatened to kill the victim. In one case, he showed the victim a knife, she said. The first two victims, who were both 23 years old when they were attacked, had been at bars in downtown Boston. One woman accepted a ride from a man she thought she knew and who offered to help her look for her car, but instead he drove her to Charlestown and raped her, Feigenbaum said. The second woman got into what she thought was a taxi or livery vehicle driven by a male driver, who also took her to Charlestown and raped her, she said. A 36-year-old woman who was panhandling was also raped by a man who offered her money if she got in the car with him, the prosecutor said. The fourth victim, a 44-year-old woman, was attacked from behind while out for an early morning run. She fought back, poking her attacker in the eye with her gloved hand before he ran away, Feigenbaum said. Investigators collected DNA from all four victims, including the fourth victim's glove. Police revisited the case last year using forensic genetic genealogy, which combines DNA analysis with publicly accessible genealogy research and historical records to narrow the pool of potential suspects, authorities said. That identified Nilo as a person of interest. During a corporate event earlier this year, the FBI recovered utensils and drinking glasses the defendant used, authorities said. They obtained DNA from his glass that matched the DNA from the three rape victims and was a likely match to the DNA from the glove, prosecutors said. Nilos attorney, Joseph Cataldo, questioned the manner in which his client's DNA was gathered. I do understand that the procedures used by law enforcement are somewhat suspect," he said outside of court Monday. It seems that they obtained DNA evidence without ever obtaining a search warrant. If that turns out to be true, that's an issue that will be pursued vigorously." If Nilo makes bail, he would have to wear a GPS tracking device, surrender his passport and stay away from the area where the attacks occurred. He is due back in court next Monday. Nilo worked for a New-York-based cybersecurity company. He was hired in January after passing a background check and was suspended following his arrest pending further investigation, the company said in a statement. DOJ inquiry into Donald Trump's classified documents may close soon, as his lawyers meet Monday WASHINGTON A series of signs suggests the Justice Department may be nearing an end to its long-running investigation of Donald Trump over classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago with a decision on a potential indictment. Trump's lawyers arrived Monday for a meeting at the department, weeks after seeking information about special counsel Jack Smith's inquiry. Trump posted on social media Sunday about reports prosecutors want to indict him; he continues to claim he's done nothing wrong. And NBC News reported the grand jury resumed meeting this week. Legal experts have argued charges alleging the mishandling of classified documents could be the most straightforward case. But it's not clear whether prosecutors have made a decision yet about whether to seek a federal indictment of Trump, an unprecedented move against a former president. Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor now at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, said the meeting suggests a charging decision could come within a couple of weeks rather than just a couple of days as officials consider the presentation. "Often defense attorneys are given the opportunity to 'pitch' the DOJ before a charging decision is made," Mariotti said. A Justice Department spokesman declined comment. Here is what we know about the inquiry: *** BESTPIX *** GRIMES, IOWA - JUNE 01: Former President Donald Trump greets supporters at a Team Trump volunteer leadership training event held at the Grimes Community Complex on June 01, 2023 in Grimes, Iowa. Trump delivered an unscripted speech to the crowd at the event before taking several questions from his supporters. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775985711 ORIG FILE ID: 1495210661 Trump's lawyers arrive at the Justice Department Nearly three weeks ago, Trump attorneys John Rowley and James Trusty sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland saying that "we request a meeting at your earliest convenience to discuss the ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated by your Special Counsel and his prosecutors." Trumps lawyers Rowley, Trusty and Lindsey Halligan spent more than an hour Monday at the DOJ. A person familiar with the investigation confirmed that Trump's attorneys were at the department, but declined to identify who they met with. The meeting comes a few days after the Justice Department notified former Vice President Mike Pence he would not be prosecuted for the discovery of classified documents at his home in Indiana. Trump has argued on on the social media platform Truth Social he should also be exonerated. Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks to local residents during a meet and greet, Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Trump denies wrongdoing The inquiry stems from the recovery of more than 300 classified documents from Mar-a-Lago, more than a year after Trump left the White House. In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump cited "reports" that prosecutors "want to indict me on the BOXES HOAX," and described the investigation as political retaliation. In another all-caps section of the post, Trump said that "I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG. ELECTION INTERFERENCE!" But Trump has argued repeatedly that he could take records with him after leaving the White House, despite the Presidential Records Act giving ownership to the National Archives and Records Administration, and that he had declassified them, despite the lack of documentation for his assertion. "I have the absolute right to do whatever I want with them," Trump said at a recent CNN town hall. In this file photo taken on Nov. 9, 2020, prosecutor Jack Smith presides during the presentation of the Kosovar former president Hashim Thaci for the first time before a war crimes court in The Hague to face charges relating to the 1990s conflict with Serbia. The U.S. Justice Department on Nov. 18, 2022, named the former chief prosecutor for the special war crimes tribunal in the Hague to oversee two criminal probes into former president Donald Trump. "Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the appointment of former career Justice Department prosecutor and former chief prosecutor for the special court in the Hague, Jack Smith, to serve as special counsel to oversee two ongoing criminal investigations," the department said in a statement. Trump grand jury resumes meeting: NBC A federal grand jury also appears to be cranking up. NBC News, citing unnamed sources, reported that the grand jury in this case is expected to meet again this week after after a hiatus. Smith's prosecutors "have been presenting the grand jury with evidence and witness testimony for months, but activity appeared to have slowed in recent weeks based on observations at the courthouse. Indictment is not Smith's only option; the special counsel could also issue a report and explain why he's not charging the former president with anything. Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla. Timothy Parlatore, a key lawyer for former President Donald Trump says he's leaving the legal team, a move that comes as a special counsel investigation into the retention of classified documents shows signs of being in its final stages. Trump inquiry could end without charges Timothy Parlatore, a former attorney for Trump, said there should not be charges in the case. Parlatore told NBC's "Meet The Press" that when "the grand jury went quiet several weeks back," it indicated "that either they're coming to a charging decision, or maybe they are moving to the stage where investigation is complete, and now Jack Smith's going to start writing up the report." "Ultimately," Parlatore said, "if there are no charges, he's still going to have to write up a report." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump classified documents inquiry could be nearing an end. Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira were killed as they were travelling down a river in the Amazon last year Police in Brazil have charged two more men over the murder of British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian indigenous expert Bruno Pereira. Phillips and Pereira were shot dead a year ago as they were returning by boat from a reporting trip in the Amazon. Police have accused one of the suspects, Ruben Villar, of being the mastermind behind the killing. The man, who is also known as Colombia, denied any links to the murder when he was first arrested last year. Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo reported on Sunday that Ruben Villar and Janio Freitas de Souza had been charged with murder and hiding the bodies of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips. Bruno Pereira, 41, who had denounced illegal fishing in the region, was helping veteran journalist Dom Phillips, 57, with his research for a book on conservation efforts in the Amazon region. According to the report by TV Globo's Fantastico programme, Colombian national Ruben Villar ran an illegal fishing racket in the Javari Valley, a remote area near Brazil's border with Peru and Colombia. The other suspect charged last week, Janio Freitas de Souza, is suspected of having worked for Ruben Villar's criminal organisation. Both men are already in custody. Ruben Villar was first arrested in July 2022 for allegedly giving false evidence to the police. He shared a cell with Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, an illegal fisherman who police say has since confessed to killing Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips. According to police documents seen by Fantastico reporters, police have audio recordings from inside the cell. Police say that in the recordings, Ruben Villar can be heard warning his cell mate not to tell officers that it had been he, Ruben Villar, who had provided the ammunition used to kill the two men. Prosecutors think that phone conversations held between Ruben Villar and Janio Freitas de Souza on the day of the murder indicate that the crime was premeditated. One of the last photographs taken of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips shows them talking to Janio Freitas de Souza in the riverside village of Sao Rafael. Pereira, who tried to convince residents to stop illegal hunting and fishing, was well-known in these riverside communities and police think Ruben Villar's illegal fishing racket was monitoring his activities. Investigators suspect that on 5 June 2022, Janio Freitas de Souza called Ruben Villar to alert him that Pereira and Phillip were setting off by boat from Sao Rafael. Investigators believe that the two men were ambushed later that day by Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira and Jefferson da Silva Lima, who police say have both admitted killing them. Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira and Jefferson da Silva Lima are awaiting trial, as is Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira's brother Oseney, who denies any links to the crime. The remains of Phillips and Pereira were found 10 days after their disappearance. They had been shot dead, their bodies cut up and buried in the forest. The crime caused outrage in Brazil and abroad, drawing attention to the criminal practices and lawlessness in remote areas such as the Javari Valley. Commemorations to mark the first anniversary since their disappearance are being held on Monday. Dommaraju Gukesh beat Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the battle of the teenaged chess prodigies at the Norway Chess tournament on Sunday. Seventeen-year-old Gukesh and 18-year-old Abdusattorov could not be separated during the classical portion of the match with it ending in a draw. Indian chess grandmaster Gukesh, who last week beat world No.1 Magnus Carlsen on his 17th birthday, eventually prevailed in an armageddon game which is used in the tournament to separate ties to claim an important victory in round five. Gukesh said he thought the outcome and his performance was pretty good. In the armageddon, he played Catalan which hes not very familiar with, and I got a very pleasant position out of the opening and there was no way I could lose, he said. According to chess.com, in the event of a tie players contest an armageddon game where White has 10 minutes on their clock and Black has seven, with a one-second increment starting on move 41. Black has draw odds. The player who played White in the classical game plays White in the armageddon. The victory means Gukesh rises to fourth in the standings, while Uzbekistani grandmaster Abdusattorov slips to eighth. In the tournament, which is held in Stavanger, Norway, 10 players compete in a single round-robin tournament. The winner will receive approximately $68,400, with second place winning $36,500. Gukesh faces Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri in round six on Monday, while Abdusattorov faces the US Fabiano Caruana. Gukesh surveys the board during his round nine game against the Azerbaijan team at the 44th Chess Olympiad on August 7, 2022. - Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images Elsewhere, American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura regained the world No. 2 spot for the first time since 2015 with a victory over Aryan Tari on Sunday. Nakamura dominated throughout against Tari, eventually winning 3-0, to move to second in the world after Caruana had moved above him a day before. It was very similar to the Gukesh game [Nakamura won 3-0], he said afterwards. At some point, I started using time, and every move that was played by my opponent was not the move that I was expecting, and finally, I just started moving quickly. Afterwards, Nakamura was informed that hed beaten Tari on his birthday. Normally, on your birthday, you do much worse, remembering a London Chess Classic game where he also lost on his birthday against Wesley So. So I know how it feels. Carlsen claimed his own important victory in round five, beating Giri in the armageddon round after their classical game ended in a draw. Carlsen admitted afterwards that after a low-key beginning to the tournament in his home country, his victory on Sunday was a part of his plan to claw his way back into contention. I am on step 2 in my plan to get back into the tournament, Carlsen said, per chess journalist Tarjei J. Svensen. Plan 1 was to change my looks, which didnt work very well yesterday. The second part of my plan is to do what I did in a time when I had some success by just sacrificing a pawn as quickly as possible and focus on the center and attack after that. Lets see if it works. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Driver charged in wreck that killed four motorcyclists, injured six others An Aurora driver who crossed the center line Saturday and hit five motorcycles a crash that killed four and sent six others to the hospital with serious injuries has been charged with a felony. Theresa Manetzke, 51, was charged with a DWI involving the death of two or more people. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison. Manetzke, who was arrested at the scene, was released to seek medical treatment. She also suffered serious injuries in the wreck. The Missouri State Highway Patrol, which led the investigation, said Manetzke was driving a Toyota Corolla south on Missouri 39, three miles north of Aurora, when the car veered out of its lane, hit five motorcycles in the northbound lane, and came to rest in the ditch. The crash was reported at 11:20 a.m. Saturday. All the drivers and passengers involved were from Aurora. More: Four killed Saturday when car crosses center line and strikes five motorcycles near Aurora The four killed in the crash included Kameron Hale, 28; James Olmsted, 59; Linda Anderson, 61; and a 17-year-old female. According to court documents filed in the case, the troopers responding to the scene found injured people in the ditch on the east side of the roadway After Manetzke's Toyota struck the motorcycles, the bikes overturned, ejecting drivers and passengers, before they came to rest off the east side of the roadway. The Toyota, with heavy damage to its front end, was in the ditch on the west side of roadway. Manetzke was sitting on the ground near her vehicle. Manetzke told troopers she had taken "several anti-psychotic medications" at about 9 a.m., before getting behind the wheel, according to the court documents. A trooper who conducted field sobriety tests on Manetzke concluded she was "drug impaired," the documents stated. At the scene, after being placed under arrest, Manetzke agreed to provide a requested blood sample, which was taken before she left the scene. A 2003 Honda motorcycle driven by Olmsted caught fire. He and the 17-year-old passenger were pronounced dead at the scene. A 2006 Harley motorcycle was driven by Jesse Clinkenbeard, 54. He suffered serious injuries and his passenger Linda Anderson died at the scene. Cody Zielinski, 35, was driving a 2000 Harley motorcycle. He suffered serious injuries along with his passenger, Jessica Zielinski, 35. Darrell Trueblood, 37, was driving a 2000 Honda motorcycle. He and passenger Krista Trueblood, 30, suffered serious injuries. Kameron Hale was driving a 2005 Honda motorcycle. He died at the scene and his passenger, a 16-year-old female, suffered serious injuries. The four killed at the scene were transported to funeral homes in Aurora or Pierce City. Six other motorcyclists, all with serious injuries, were transported to CoxSouth or Mercy hospitals in Springfield. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Driver charged after wreck kills four, injuries six motorcyclists Pay to AI The AI chatbot wars are well underway, with OpenAI and various would-be competitors both large and small vying for the number one spot in the industry. There's an incredible amount of hype surrounding the tech these days, and the investments keep pouring in. But as they currently stand, chatbots have an Achilles heel that could turn them into a major headache in the long run, as The Washington Post reports: they cost a huge amount of money to run. Every time a user asks these chatbots something, it costs the companies running them money. In plain English, they're extremely expensive to run, with no clear revenue model in sight. In other words, the future of generative AI is uncertain as ever as companies are competing in a race to keep soaring costs down while attracting new users who in turn cost even more to service. Chips Ahoy Even with subscription-based models like OpenAI's $20-dollars-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan, users are limited to just 25 messages every three hours, highlighting just how computing-intensive the process is. It's a reality AI companies are painfully aware of, especially as supplies of much-needed computer chips graphics processing units (GPUs) in particular dwindle. "We try to design systems that do not maximize for engagement," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told members of Congress during a Senate hearing last month. "In fact, were so short on GPUs, the less people use our products, the better." "GPUs at this point are considerably harder to get than drugs," Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who's planning his own anti-"woke" AI startup, said at a Wall Street Journal summit last month. As costs soar, even some of the largest players in the tech world like Google are choosing to scale their operations down by focusing on large language models that are much smaller than others currently available, according to WaPo. Where that leaves the future of the market remains to be seen. "Eventually you come to the end of the hype curve, and the only thing your investors are going to look at, at that point, is your bottom line," Tom Goldstein, a computer science professor at the University of Maryland, told the WaPo. Nonetheless, companies will likely keep trying. "Even though it's expensive," Goldstein added, "its still far less expensive than human labor." More on AI chatbots: OpenAI Competitor Says Its Chatbot Has a Rudimentary Conscience Russia claims it stopped a Ukrainian counteroffensive in southern Donetsk while Ukraine says it hasn't begun. After months of anticipation and preparation, Ukraines long-promised counteroffensive finally appears to be underway. Recent information emerging from the front lines seems to indicate intense fighting spread Sunday beyond the Bakhmut area in northeastern Donetsk Oblast, where the two sides have been bogged down in a bloody slog over small chunks of territory for nearly a year. There appears to be a fierce battle centered in southern Donetsk Oblast and other skirmishes a short distance away in Zaporizhzhia Oblast further to the west. Adding to indications that the intensity of operations has increased, a pro-Russian separatist military commander said Ukraine used donated Leopard tanks for the first time in that area to gain territory around the city of Novodonetske. The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) said, without offering proof, that three U.S. donated Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles were destroyed in a failed attempt at an offensive in southern Donetsk Oblast. The Pentagon was "unable to provide a battle damage assessment" about the Russian MoD's Bradley claim. https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1665504364289740800 Ukraine officials, trying to maintain as much of an element of surprise as possible, are saying very little and are urging others to do likewise. But they have acknowledged that they are taking offensive actions. https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1665800958662549504?s=20 And they are pushing back against Russian claims that it repelled a counteroffensive that Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said "does not yet exist." https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1665685195045912576 U.S. officials told The New York Times that based in part on information from U.S. military satellites, "which detected an uptick in action from Ukrainian military positions," the counteroffensive "had begun." https://twitter.com/shashj/status/1665750609826394114?s=12&t=BQRSNakUKt7_8ssZiGBW-A It is impossible to know exactly what is going on, and that is at least partially by design. But there has been an uptick in fighting and Ukrainian artillery fire after months of mostly static frontlines beyond the Bakhmut area. That's a good indication that Kyivs high-stakes effort to liberate remaining Russian-held territory with the weapons and training provided by the U.S. and allies is now at hand. Aside from Ukraines silence on the matter and the overall fog of war, the nature of these operations adds to the challenge of ascertaining progress. Unlike the U.S.-led charge over the berms into Iraq ahead of Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom with large columns of vehicles and troops, this fight appears to be unfolding with a series of probes and feints. Ukraine is likely attempting to find weak spots along a wide front and seize opportunities as they are presented, with the ultimate goal being the liberation of all occupied territory, including Crimea. https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel/status/1665529380863643649?s=20 Recall as well that ahead of last falls two major Ukrainian counteroffensives, Kyivs superlative information operations suggested an attack in Kherson Oblast before launching the first of its two such efforts in Kharkiv Oblast. Both turned out to be successful operations. And this all comes while self-proclaimed anti-Putin Russians are fighting inside Russia in Belgorod Oblast. The extent of their backing by Kyiv is unclear, but the ongoing incursion is likely draining some Russian resources and focus from across the hundreds of miles long frontline in Ukraine. https://twitter.com/legion_svoboda/status/1665672102597341185 While any information provided by either side at this point should be considered totally questionable, the main action at the moment seems to be centered on Novodonetske, a small town surrounded by what used to be farmland in southwestern Donetsk Oblast. A successful push there could cut off Russian troops in either Vulhedar to the east or Makarivka to the west and allow Ukraine to press southward toward Mariupol. Such a move could divide Russian forces as Ukraine swings south through Zaporizhzhia Oblast toward Crimea, something we discussed in December. The enemy managed to cling to Novodonetskoye, but he paid a considerable price: about 10 units of destroyed armored vehicles, including one tank, were confirmed, dozens of people were killed, Alexander Khodakovsky, deputy head of the National Guard of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR), said Monday on his Telegram channel without offering proof. In general, today the balance is in favor of the enemy, but he did not succeed in significantly delving into our territory. The situation in Novodonetske and to the left towards Velikonovoselovka is difficult - the enemy, having felt our weak points, is stepping up his efforts, said Khodakovsky. For the first time we saw Leopards in our tactical area. As I expected yesterday - smelling the smell of success, the enemy will throw additional forces into the battle. Only in the area of Novodonetsky recorded up to 30 units of armored vehicles. Ukraine is also making an attempt to break through near Velikonovoselkovsky, about eight miles to the northwest of Novodonetske, Khodakovsky claimed. A Russian separatist commander says Ukraine has made gains in Novodonetske. (Google Earth image) While Khodakovsky suggested that this was more of a probing action than the full-blown counteroffensive, in the event of a breakthrough, more significant forces could be transferred to the site. The Russian MoD, however, said that these attacks are part of a counteroffensive that was defeated. The enemy made an unsuccessful attempt at a large-scale offensive in the south Donetsk area, the Russian MoD claimed on its Telegram channel Monday. Attempts by the enemy during June 4 to break through Russian forces' defense in south Donetsk direction were not successful. As a result of a comprehensive fire attack, the enemy suffered significant losses and by the morning of June had been pushed back to its initial positions. The [Armed Forces of Ukraine] AFU suffered losses in manpower and hardware. Ukraines 31st Mechanised Brigade, which attacked close to Neskuchnoye, lost more than 250 servicemen, 16 tanks, 24 armored fighting vehicles, including three Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, the Russian MoD claimed, without offering proof. Five Ukrainian servicemen were captured. Ukrainian forces made new attempts to launch attacks in south Donetsk direction in the areas of ...Oktyabr and Novodonetskoye by engaging up to three battalion tactical groups reinforced with tanks, the Russian MoD stated. The enemy offensive is successfully suppressed by the active actions of the units, artillery fire and air strikes of the Vostok Group of Forces. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian milbloggers say Ukraine made little progress in an attempted breakthrough near the small town of Novodarivka area, just over the line from Donetsk Oblast. The enemy attack bogged down, there was no progress, the Colonelcassad Telegram channel, run by Russian propagandist Boris Rozhin, claimed. Ukraine attempted an attack through Novodarivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, said Russian milblogger Boris Rosin on his Colonelcassad Telegram channel. (Google Earth image) Ukrainian officials are saying much less about what is going on. We are continuing the defense that we started on Feb. 24, 2022, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Monday on her Telegram channel. A defensive operation includes everything, including counteroffensive actions. Therefore, in some areas we are moving to offensive actions. Contrary to what the Russian officials are saying, however, Maliar said the Bakhmut area, remains the epicenter of hostilities. There we are moving along a fairly wide front. We are successful. We occupy the dominant heights. The enemy is on the defensive, he wants to hold his position. The Russians are on the defensive in the south, she added, without specifying exactly where. Fighting of local importance continues, she said. Maliar said that the Russians are actively releasing information about a counteroffensive because they need to divert attention from the defeat in the Bakhmut direction. https://twitter.com/DenesTorteli/status/1665718621920714753 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also touted recent Ukrainian success in Bakhmut. "I am grateful to each of our warriors, to all our defenders who gave us the news we expect [in the] Bakhmut direction - well done, warriors." https://twitter.com/MacaesBruno/status/1665826603497054208 Their comments about Bakhmut were seemingly backed up by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary organization. In another screed directed at Russian military leaders, he said that Ukraine has made advances in the Bakhmut area. https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1665663582887968768 While both sides offer their own viewpoints of the battlefield situation, one thing that is undeniable is the role of weather. An improvement in the weather has dried up much of the thick mud that was an impediment to any Ukrainian attempt at a counteroffensive. But as U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters Sunday, there are other challenges. So the last couple of days we've seen that weather improve and, hopefully, they'll have windows of opportunity to conduct operations, Austin told reporters traveling with him. Now it's not just a trafficability on the ground, it's also - do you have clear skies so you can get some [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] ISR up there and help you out? The improved weather has allowed Ukraine to conduct probing actions to get a better sense of Russias long lines of defensive barriers, Austin said. This has enabled them to employ their reconnaissance elements and really began to look at those fortifications that the Russians have put up, said Austin. These fortifications extend hundreds of miles and I know enough about putting in a defense to know that, if you're defending along a front that long, then you cannot be strong everywhere. So their task is to figure out where they're not strong, where there are opportunities and identify and exploit those opportunities. That's basic Warfighting 101 and so, I don't know how well the reconnaissance has gone but I would tell you that it has provided them an opportunity to do that. So, we'll see. https://twitter.com/miroslavadamekx/status/1664755509105246209 Its one thing to know where the obstacles are and another thing entirely to overcome them, Austin said. But the equipment and training provided to Ukraine by the U.S. and allies should give Ukraine an advantage, he said. What we've done is not only provide higher-end platforms like the Bradley Fighting Vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles and Strykers and some other things. We've trained them on a number of things in terms of maneuver, Austin said. One of those things is breach in anticipation of [encountering] complex obstacle belts be constructed by the Russians. I'm confident at the mid-level and lower-level that the troops know what to do in order to be successful in breaching those kinds of obstacles, and I just hope that they'll be able to put into play, all those skills that they've learned. There is a lot riding on this counteroffensive. A fairly rapid, successful operation that cuts off Crimea from Russia's so-called land bridge, or even liberates it, will increase internal and external pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. An unsuccessful or stalled operation could imperil the tens of billions of dollars in international security assistance Kyiv relies on to continue the fight. This is a fluid situation and something we will keep a close eye on. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com Map of East Timor East Timor or Timor-Leste's road to independence - achieved on 20 May 2002 - was long and traumatic. The people of the first new nation of the century suffered some of the worst atrocities of modern times in their struggle for self-determination. When their Portuguese colonial masters withdrew in 1975, Indonesia claimed the territory for itself and ruthlessly suppressed the independence movement. Eventually the UN took over the administration and supervised the territory's transition to independence. Read more country profiles - Profiles by BBC Monitoring DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR-LESTE: FACTS Capital: Dili Area: 14,874 sq km Population: 1.3 million Languages: Portuguese, Tetum, plus others Life expectancy: 66 years (men) 70 years (women) LEADERS President: Jose Ramos-Horta Jose Ramos-Horta was elected president in May 2022. He had previously been president from 2007-2012 - during which he was shot during an attempted assassination. He was co-awarded the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, along with Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, for working for peace in East Timor. A founder and former member of Fretilin, he was the exiled spokesman for the resistance movement during the Indonesian occupation. He became the country's first foreign minister after independence in 2002. He came out of retirement to contest the 2022 presidential election, saying that the then president, Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres had violated the constitution. He campaigned on platform of alleviating poverty, increasing healthcare services for mothers and children, as well as boosting job creation. The president has limited executive power. He chooses the prime minister after elections. MEDIA Three East Timor youths read a newspaper The country's media are among the freest in the region. There are many publications in Tetum, Portuguese and even English. Radio Televisaun Timor Leste is the main broadcaster. There are a handful of daily and weekly press titles but a low rate of literacy combined with the cost of newspapers compared to average incomes, limits readership outside the capital, Dili. Radio is the most popular medium and there are several community radios on air. TIMELINE Early morning in the harbour, Dili, East Timor Some key dates in East Timor's history: 1600s - Portuguese establish a trading post on the island, having being driven out of other islands by the rival Dutch. They use the island as source of sandalwood. 1749 - Timor is split following battle between Portuguese and Dutch. Portuguese take the eastern half. 1800s - East Timor sees little investment by the Portuguese until the late nineteenth century. Even when Portugal established actual control over the interior of its colony, investment remains low Sandalwood remains the main crop until coffee exports became significant in the mid-19th Century. 1939 - Outbreak of World War Two. 1941 - Allies briefly occupy Dili. 1942 - Japanese forces conquer the region, including East Timor. The mountainous interior sees a long guerrilla campaign by East Timorese volunteers and Allied forces. Between 40,000-70,000 civilians are killed. Japanese drive out the Australian and Allied forces in early 1943. Japan in control until 1945. 1950s - Portugal begins investment in the colony, but economic growth remains low. 1974 - Coup in Lisbon leads to a new Portuguese government that begins policy of decolonisation. 1975 - Portuguese administration withdraws to offshore island of Atauro. Five Australian-based journalists killed along border with West Timor, allegedly by Indonesian troops. After brief civil war, left-wing Fretilin party unilaterally declares East Timor independent. Indonesia invades, using its fight against communism as a pretext. It annexes territory in a move not recognised by the UN. More than 200,000 people - a quarter of the population - killed by fighting, famine and disease that follow the invasion and during Indonesian occupation. 1981 - Xanana Gusmao becomes leader of Falintil (Armed Forces of National Liberation of East Timor), the armed wing of Fretilin. 1991 - Santa Cruz cemetery massacre in which troops fire on mourners at a funeral in Dili of Fretilin supporter, killing more than 250 people. 1992 - Gusmao is captured near Dili. In 1993 he is convicted of subversion and given a life sentence which is later reduced. 1996 - Acting Bishop of Dili, Carlos Belo, and resistance leader Jose Ramos-Horta jointly awarded Nobel Peace Prize, raising international awareness of the East Timorese independence struggle. 1998 - Indonesian President Suharto resigns. Replaced by Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, who suggests territory may be given special status within Indonesia. 1999 - Indonesia says it will consider independence for East Timor if people reject autonomy. Gusmao moved from Jakarta prison to house arrest. In response to increasing violence by anti-independence activists, Gusmao orders guerrillas to resume independence struggle. Indonesia and Portugal sign agreement to allow East Timorese to vote on their future. After 78% of voters opt for independence, anti-independence militias resume a campaign of terror. UN takes over administration and prepares territory for independence. Australian-led peacekeeping force arrives. Gusmao released. 2002 - East Timor becomes independent. East Timor and Indonesia sign two agreements aimed at easing relations. Xanana Gusmao wins presidential elections. 2005 - East Timor, Indonesia sign landmark border agreement during Indonesian President Yudhoyono's first visit to Dili since coming to power. Remaining Australian peacekeepers leave. 2006 - East Timor and Australia sign a deal to divide expected revenues from Timor Sea oil and gas deposits. Talks on a disputed maritime boundary are postponed. Report on alleged atrocities during Indonesia's 24-year rule is presented to the UN. It finds that the occupation was directly responsible for the deaths of more than 100,000 East Timorese. 2006 - Foreign troops arrive in Dili to try to restore order as clashes involving former soldiers descends into wider factional violence. Non-military peacekeeping mission, the UN Integrated Mission in East Timor, or Unmit, is set up. 2007 - Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta wins presidential election. 2008 - President Ramos-Horta is shot in the stomach by renegade soldiers. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed in the attack. 2009 - Indonesia says ties with Australia may be harmed by a war crimes inquiry into five Australian journalists who died during the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975. 2010 - A court convicts rebels over the attempted assassination of the president in 2008, jailing them for up to 16 years. President Ramos-Horta later pardons them or commutes their sentences. 2011 - East Timor applies to join Asean. 2012 - UN ends peacekeeping mission. 2017 - Australia and East Timor reach a breakthrough agreement on their maritime border, ending a decade-old row. The fatal shooting of a 16-year-old May 26 at a Pensacola homeless camp was determined to be an act of self-defense, according to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. The day of the incident, ECSO deputies responded to the 40th block of Murphy Lane in reference to a shots fired disturbance, an ECSO Facebook post said. Upon arrival, a 16-year-old male was located with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. His identity has not been released. The original report: ECSO investigating self-defense claim after 16-year-old fatally shot in head More from ECSO: 1 killed, 4 injured in shooting Saturday night in Pensacola During the death investigation, it was determined that the deceased 16-year-old and another 16-year-old accomplice were in possession of firearms and had attempted to buy methamphetamines at a homeless camp. Upon being told that no one at the homeless camp had any methamphetamines to sell, the two 16-year-olds pointed their firearm at two victims, threatening to steal their belongings, according to the ECSO. At this time, another male was called upon to assist the two victims. Upon his arrival, the two 16-year-olds pointed their firearms at the third male. This action resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the two 16-year-olds and the third male. During this exchange of gunfire, one of the 16-year-olds was shot. Further investigation determined that the third male acted in self-defense, resulting in a portion of the investigation being ruled as stand your ground. Related: Hundreds of homeless people live where others work. It's not safe, sanitary or easily solved Because the deceased 16-year-old and his 16-year-old accomplice, Jamal Calvin Spurlock Jr., committed aggravated assault with a firearm which led to the 16-year-olds death, Spurlock has been arrested for third-degree felony murder pursuant to Florida law. He was also arrested for two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, two counts of deadly missiles and carrying a firearm. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: 16-year-old killed in Pensacola homeless camp ruled stand your ground By Alexandra Valencia QUITO (Reuters) - A judge in Ecuador on Monday loosened reporting conditions for ex-president Lenin Moreno, who is being investigated on bribery charges over a contract for a Chinese-built hydroelectric plant. Moreno, who denies the accusations, had been ordered to present himself in person every two weeks to the national justice court, but appealed on the grounds that he now lives in Paraguay. His appeal was rejected in March. The attorney general's office had requested that Moreno and others accused in the case be jailed for failing to comply with the order, but the judge on Monday ruled Moreno can report to Ecuadorean authorities in Paraguay each month and to those in Quito every four months. Moreno has said he had no responsibility for the contract and that the accusations are a distraction from political upheaval in Ecuador. "The institutions which we so defended had a good day today by accepting my request to report to the embassy in Paraguay during this investigation phase," Moreno said on Twitter on Monday, reiterating his innocence. Prosecutors accused Moreno, who was president between 2017 and 2021, of alleged involvement with bribes paid in connection with the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project, built by China's Sinohydro. Thirty-six others are accused in the case and up to $76 million in bribes are alleged to have been paid between 2009 and 2018. Moreno, 70, was serving as vice president under former President Rafael Correa, himself convicted of corruption, during part of that time. The plant, which has a capacity of 1,500 megawatts, has suffered technical issues since it began operating in 2016. Moreno, who uses a wheelchair, serves on an Organization of American States committee for disability rights. (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Editing by Jamie Freed) "I love to play an indignant, disruptive character who just doesn't have time for nonsense," says "Saturday Night Live's" Ego Nwodim. "It's fun to me, because I'm not quite like that. Strong and wrong is just so funny to me." (Kayla James / For The Times) All we know about Lisa is that shes from Temecula and shes a lawyer. She wears a pink sweater, her hair is dyed orange and, for some reason, she likes her meat cooked. How that simple premise sent a bunch of seasoned comedians and actor Pedro Pascal into an uncontrollable giggle fit on a February episode of Saturday Night Live is all thanks to the woman who plays Lisa Ego Nwodim. Anytime I put on that sweater, Im like: Here she go, laughs Nwodim, who reprised Lisa in a recent episode hosted by Ana de Armas. I love to play an indignant, disruptive character who just doesnt have time for nonsense. Its fun to me, because Im not quite like that. Strong and wrong is just so funny to me. In that first sketch, Nwodims character asks for a steak extra extra well done, and proceeds to saw into her entree as peas fly off her plate and sangria sloshes and spills all over the table like theres a 6.1 earthquake happening, all while fending off what she perceives are Pascals advances and acting like shes the only sane person in the restaurant. Pascal started to titter, then completely break. Bowen Yang covered his face but couldnt suppress his laughter, and the whole train accelerated and derailed into a delightfully silly hot mess for both the cast and live audience. So much of the show, I feel like, runs on charm, Nwodim says. People love to see you having fun. And so I felt like ultimately people were tickled by how tickled we were. Ego Nwodim. (Kayla James / For The Times) Nwodim, 35, started on SNL as a featured player in 2018 and joined the repertory cast in 2020. She has played an older lady named Edith Puthie, a weary mother in her darkest hour at Disneyland, Ariel the mermaid, Dionne Warwick and Lupito Nyongos character from Us and she specializes in a type of aggrieved woman who doesnt suffer fools. She has consistently popped on the show, but Lisa might have been her big breakout and Nwodim wasnt even sure the sketch would make it to air. It was written by Alex English, Gary Richardson and Michael Che, who told Nwodim about it a few days before the table read with Pascal and even arranged to have a steak brought in. So Im prepared to do it, she says. OK, the steak is coming to me which is just wild. Well-seasoned steak, by the way. But she couldnt keep it together. Im breaking at our table read. And I dont do that. She kept breaking all week. On Friday, SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels summoned her and the writers to discuss the sketch, which was then called Birthday Dinner. I thought he was gonna be like, This is a mess. You have to get through the sketch and you have to be able to do it without laughing. Instead, Michaels said: We think people will want to see this character again. Lets try to give her a more memorable name. Thus, Lisa from Temecula. The sketch killed when it played at the very end of the night on Feb. 4 despite, or maybe thanks to, all of the chaos. A whole minute of dialogue had been cut for time; Nwodim dropped a line and then dropped the prop steak; she accidentally knocked her chair over and improvised by placing her foot on Pascals knee for leverage while still trying to cut the charcoal-like meat. Nwodim read an online commenter say they were convinced someone was tickling Pascal under the table. That wasnt happening, she says. It was just mayhem. Growing up in Baltimore, Nwodim never dreamed of being a professional comedian. Her mother, a Nigerian immigrant, raised four kids as a single mom while going through medical school and then practicing family medicine. Shes a superhero, says Nwodim. Yeah, shes unreal. Ego Nwodim. (Kayla James / For The Times) Ego which means money in Igbo and is pronounced like the frozen waffle practiced violin and ballet as a kid. She loved watching Martin and The Jamie Foxx Show, and decided she wanted to be a dramatic actor. To satisfy her moms desire for security and stability, Nwodim got a college degree in biology but she did it at USC so she could immediately pivot into showbiz. At an agents insistence she took her first improv class begrudgingly and fell in love. She made her mark on the stages of UCB and the improv podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! where she quickly built a fandom playing delusional and fed-up characters like Entree P. Neur and Pastor Pasta. Lisa felt like an anarchic Bang! Bang! character, and the infectious group laughter which she often incites on the podcast but is a rarity on SNL was like a televised coronation. Theres something so magical about that, that you cant know whats going to work and whats going to hit hard, Nwodim says. And hit that hard I could have never guessed it. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. An El Paso man, his wife and seven others were arrested after being indicted in a human smuggling case. According to the indictment and other court records, Jose Luis Avalos, aka El Gordo, 40, of El Paso, allegedly led the human smuggling operation. Avalos and his wife, Kristina Hardin, 41, of El Paso, were arrested in El Paso on Thursday. Detention hearings are set for Wednesday to determine whether they will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Avalos and Hardin each face 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Alexander M.M. Uballez and Francisco B. Burrola, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, announced the arrests and indictments Monday. A federal grand jury indicted the nine defendants May 18. Migrants recently wait to be processed at Gate 40 of the border wall after having crossed the Rio Grande from Juarez in their bid for asylum. Avalos brother, David Avalos-Solis, 48, of Chaparral, New Mexico, was arrested May 24 and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Avalos-Solis faces 10 years in prison. Nancy Orellana-Recinos, 37, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and a citizen of Guatemala, was arrested in Rio Rancho on Thursday and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Orellana-Recinos faces 20 years in prison and will be subject to deportation. Dario Rey Gamboa, 19, and his twin brother Diego Rean Gamboa, aka Sunny, 19, both of Las Cruces, were arrested May 23 and June 1, respectively. Dario Rey Gamboa was released on conditions; Diego Rean Gamboa is awaiting a detention hearing to determine whether he will remain in custody as he awaits trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, they each face 10 years in prison. Cindy Marie Escobar, 42, of Lordsburg, New Mexico, was arrested May 23 and is awaiting a detention hearing to determine whether she will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Escobar faces 10 years in prison. Justin Walker, 31, of Las Cruces, was arrested May 27 and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Walker faces 10 years in prison. A warrant for the arrest of Adam Guerrero, 38 of Las Cruces, has been issued. Avalos, Avalos-Solis, Escobar, Guerrero, Walker and the Gamboa twins are charged with conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens. Avalos and Hardin are charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments by concealment. Orellana-Recinos is charged with laundering of monetary instruments. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established Joint Task Force Alpha to unite the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The task force consists of federal prosecutors from border U.S. Attorneys Offices, the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration also are part of the task force, along with other interagency partners. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano is prosecuting. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso man accused of leading human smuggling operation; wife charged (REUTERS) Since taking over the social media platform last year, worlds wealthiest person and Twitter CEO Elon Musk has appealed to far-right activists and influencers and unleashed a wave of hate speech and abuse aimed at LGBT+ people. At the start of global Pride celebrations, and in the aftermath of volatile legislative sessions across the country targeting LGBT+ people and healthcare for transgender Americans, Musk declared his intent to lobby against gender-affirming for trans youth while calling for the imprisonment of the doctors and therapists who support them. Last week, after ultimately capitulating to far-right influencers over whether his platform would even allow the video, Musks personal account promoted the transphobic film What Is a Woman? hosted by self-described fascist Matt Walsh. On 1 June, the first day of LGBT+ Pride Month, the co-founder and CEO of far-right outlet The Daily Wire complained that Twitter had reneged on a plan that would allow the publication to host the 90-minute video on a dedicated event page and to promote the event to every Twitter user over the first 10 hours. Twitter told The Daily Wire that the platform would not do so, after a review determined that the video promotes hateful conduct due to misgendering and would violate policies regarding abuse and harassment, according to The Daily Wires Jeremy Boreing, After Boreing and other far-right users who pay for Twitter complained, Musk said objecting to the film was a mistake. Whether or not you agree with using someones preferred pronouns, not doing so is at most rude and certainly breaks no laws, said Musk, adding that using someones preferred pronouns is merely good manners. However, he added, for the same reason, I object to rude behavior, ostracism or threats of violence if the wrong pronoun or name is used. Musk then announced that the video would not be promoted across the platform broadly, and that there would not be any advertising attached to it, nor would commenting and deliberate sharing be allowed. Sensitive content just wont be pushed to people unless they ask for it or a friend sends it to them, he announced. But he assured Boreing that the controversy would drive up viewership, after The Daily Wire CEO complained about the terrible day. Musk said that the Streisand effect would set an all-time record, referring to the unintended consequence of censored or restricted materials gaining more visibility because of the controversy around them. Boering had pushed Musk to do more, with the videos relatively limited release preventing users from commenting or sharing it. In a series of posts that night, far-right influencer Robby Starbuck called on Musk to fire anyone involved with limiting the videos access. A pressure campaign among so-called verified far-right users continued that night, including threats from users who suggested that they would stop paying for the subscription service if restrictions were upheld. Early the next morning, Musk relented. Works now. Only limit is that it will not be placed next to advertising, Musk wrote to far-right transphobic pundit Walsh at 8.28am ET. Minutes earlier, he shared the video to his 142 million followers, telling them that every parent should watch this, explicitly contradicting his own guidance. Musk also is the father of a transgender daughter who disowned him when she turned 18 years old. Ella Irwin, the chief of Twitters trust and safety division, left the company hours earlier. Another executive, AJ Brown, whose role assured advertisers of Twitters safety for their brands, also quit the company, according to The Wall Street Journal. Another person on the brand safety team also quit, according to NBC News. LGBT+ advocacy groups warned that the video and Musks promotion are opening a door for a wave of anti-trans abuse on a platform where marginalised groups had previously found community. What were seeing isnt really about censorship or discrimination of ideas. Its about the kind of company Twitter wants to be and the kind of world they want to shape, Laurel Powell, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, told NBC. Walsh celebrated Musks promotion of the film, calling it a huge win. Musk, meanwhile, has called affirming healthcare for trans youth a major problem, compared it to castration and pledged to actively lobby to criminalize making severe, irreversible changes to children below the age of consent. Shame on those who advocate this! It is utterly contemptible, he wrote. He also called affirming healthcare for trans youth pure evil and agreed with a statement from right-wing, anti-trans influencer Jordan Peterson that doctors and care providers, including therapists, should be imprisoned long term without parole. The episode follows Musks apparent deflection to autocratic governments in Turkey and India against speech on his platform, while insisting his platform is a haven for free speech, alongside his increasing amplification of bogus conspiracy theories, white supremacist content and far-right pundit Tucker Carlson. Floridas far-right Governor Ron DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, also debuted his campaign in a Twitter Spaces event hosted by Musk and David Sacks, another tech billionaire. It just so happens that his so-called free speech absolutism appears to promote content largely aligned with far-right agendas, while subscribers to his Twitter Blue program which allows anyone to pay $8 a month for a blue tick next to their user name are prioritised in Twitters algorithm, meaning more people are likely to see those interactions over anyone else. And Twitter is failing to remove 99 per cent of hate speech posted by those users, according to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate. Tweets in a sample reviewed by the watchdog group promoted neo-Nazisim, antisemitism, racism and homophobia, all violations of the companys own hate speech policies. Meanwhile, homophobic and transphobic attacks on the platform alongside so-called groomer slurs have spiked by 119 per cent since Musk took the helm last October, the organisation found in a separate report. The Center for Countering Digital Hate identified more than 1.7 million tweets and retweets since the start of 2022 that mention LGBT+ people and slurs against them. This isnt an accident. Elon Musk put up the Bat Signal to homophobes, transphobes, racists and all manner of disinformation actors, encouraging them to flood onto Twitter, the organisations CEO Imran Ahmed said in a statement with the report. Not only has Musks ownership of the platform coincided with an explosion of the hateful grooming narrative, but Twitter is monetising hate at an unprecedented rate, he added. Hundreds of bills aimed at LGBT+ people, particularly young trans people, have been filed in nearly every state within the last several years, part of a growing campaign among Republican lawmakers and special interest groups wielding anti-trans attacks for political agendas that are dominating GOP platforms heading into 2024 elections. Affirming healthcare can often include hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers, which are also often prescribed for cisgender or nontransgender youth, as well as social transitioning measures, mental healthcare, and affirming surgeries, which are not recommended under major medical guidelines for people under 18. By the end of May, state lawmakers had introduced more than 500 bills impacting LGBT+ people in 2023, including 220 bills specifically targeting trans and nonbinary Americans, according to an analysis from the Human Rights Campaign. More than 70 such bills have been signed into law. At least 19 states have enacted laws or policies banning affirming healthcare for young trans people, all against the guidance of health providers and major medical organisations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Elon Musk is set to host anti-vax presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Twitter weeks after Ron DeSantis' campaign launch flopped on the platform Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will talk to Elon Musk in a Twitter Spaces call. David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Elon Musk is ready for another conversation with a presidential hopeful. On Monday the billionaire will host anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on a Twitter Spaces call. It comes just weeks after Republican candidate Ron DeSantis suffered an embarrassing campaign launch on Twitter. Elon Musk will host outspoken anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr in a virtual call on Twitter as he prepares to take-on President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for the 2024 election weeks after Ron DeSantis' catastrophic campaign launch on the platform. The billionaire Twitter owner will talk to Kennedy nephew of late president John F. Kennedy on Monday in a Twitter Spaces event titled "Reclaiming Democracy," marking his second conversation with a presidential candidate on the platform. The Democratic hopeful has proven to be a controversial figure in recent years, becoming a prominent anti-vaccine campaigner during the COVID-19 pandemic who has likened Anthony Fauci to Adolf Hitler. He has also repeatedly shared false claims about vaccines on his Instagram, which was suspended in 2021, but has since been reinstated. Kennedy has been backed by a small number of notable figures in the tech industry such as Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey, who tweeted a Fox News clip on Sunday of challenger arguing that he could beat Donald Trump and DeSantis in next year's election. The conversation comes just weeks after Florida Gov. DeSantis took to Twitter to announce his presidential run in an audio call hosted by Musk and longtime ally David Saacks, which the Twitter owner called "the top story on Earth." The online event, which was marred by technical glitches that delayed its start by more than 30 minutes, saw DeSantis launch into a lengthy tirade on free speech, with calls to replace "the woke mind virus with reality, facts, and enduring principles." Kennedy has made similar statements on free speech, suggesting that a "censorship-industrial complex" exists that acts as an "incredibly sophisticated system of information control." Twitter sent an automated response to Insider's request for comment. Representatives of Kennedy did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Linartovych answered how the military reacts to the peaceful life of Ukrainians I immediately made it clear when I returned here after Bakhmut that if people dont go to the theater, dont wear some t-shirts, dont meet, but are afraid, thats all weve lost, he said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. On the contrary, we need to go to coffee shops, were living here and now, we need to enjoy life. Its necessary. Linartovych also spoke about Ukrainian actors who betrayed Ukraine and continue to live in Russia, as well as Russian artistic people who are silent about the brutal war that their country has unleashed. Read also: Comedian, aerial reconnaissance soldier Serhiy Lipko talks humor during and after war Ukrainian society will never forgive or forget, the actor said. No. Moscows people of art who live there, why are they silent? Why are you silent? This is the problem. (You have) no position ... You live with your head in the sand. But blood is being shed here. We didnt go to them, they came to us. They have a place to retreat to, but we dont we have one land, one only. Dont forget that Muscovites, of various professions, are (driven) by the empire, while those Ukrainians who work there for Muscovites are betrayers. They destroy themselves, (and) a moment of truth comes to them when they lay their head on the pillow and think: Im venal, Im bastard, Im losing myself. And their (very) character is being destroyed. Read also: US actor Misha Collins arrives in Kyiv to show support for 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 Singapore has long billed itself as a garden city, a term coined in the 1960s by the countrys founding father and former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew. In the decades since, the island has embarked on extensive tree-planting programs and embraced so-called biophilic architecture, with greenery often seen creeping up urban facades or spilling out from skyscrapers. A new six-story college campus building stands as Singapores latest ode to nature. Home to Nanyang Technological Universitys (NTU) business school, the gently curved design features sunlit atriums, open-air study areas set against lush backdrops and elevators that descend into beds of tropical plants. Everything from handrails to benches, door frames to room dividers (and even an adjoining bus stop), were built using wood. So, too, were the structural beams and columns. In fact, the building is made almost entirely from mass timber a new generation of engineered wood, arranged in layers and bonded with strong adhesives, that is pushing the boundaries of architecture. Sprawling across 43,500 square meters (468,000 square feet), it is now Asias largest timber building, by floor area. Named Gaia, after the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth, the project opened in May and cost 125 million Singapore dollars ($93 million) to build. Its exposed timber frame is free from cladding or paint, a design decision that celebrates natural materials while giving visitors the feeling of walking between trees. According to the celebrated Japanese architect behind the project, Toyo Ito, this was precisely the point. I always try to envision a connection with and a feeling of nature, such as trees and water, in my designs, he told CNN shortly after the buildings inauguration ceremony. The fact you mentioned that if feels like entering a forest shows that my vision came through. Ito, who was awarded the Pritzker Prize (often dubbed the Nobel of architecture) in 2013, designed Gaia alongside Singaporean design firm RSP. It features a 190-seat auditorium and a dozen lecture theaters, as well as research facilities, faculty offices and airy study terraces. Aside from toilets, ground-floor slabs and external staircases, which were built using concrete (in part due to local regulations), the structure was made with timber harvested from spruce trees in Austria, Sweden and Finland. The wood was prefabricated into panels and heavy-duty beams in Europe before being shipped to Singapore. Set across 43,500 square meters (468,000 square feet) of space, Gaia will house Nanyang Technological University's business school. - NTU Singapore Global trend Recent years have heralded a huge increase in the number of large-scale wooden structures being built around the world. Some countries now even allow for high-rises (or plyscrapers), like Milwaukee, Wisconsins 25-story Ascent, which at 284 feet, is the worlds tallest mass timber structure. Asian cities have often been slower to embrace the trend than European and North American ones. Singapores building codes only allowed timber architecture to rise to 24 meters (79 feet) at the time Gaia was approved, though this height restriction has since been lifted. But 81-year-old Ito believes attitudes are changing rapidly in Asia, adding: Singapore is especially quick to make these things a reality. Singapores Building and Construction Authority (BCA) claims that using mass timber can reduce dust and noise at construction sites, while speeding up projects by as much as 35%. Counterintuitively, advocates for wooden buildings say they may also be safer and less prone to catastrophic collapse than steel-framed ones in a fire (though not all experts agree). Advocates for mass timber point to the relatively slow and predictable rate at which the material burns. Gaias designers have also added a sacrificial layer of wood to the buildings beams that, in the event of a blaze, would char while protecting the timber beneath it. Many of the purported benefits of mass timber are, however, environmental. Around 40% of the worlds energy consumption is attributed to the construction and operation of buildings. But unlike concrete and steel, whose energy-intensive production is responsible for a significant portion of buildings environmental footprint, trees absorb carbon dioxide throughout their lifetime. If a tree is then turned into mass timber, this embodied carbon is sequestered, or locked in, rather than being returned to the atmosphere. Studies suggest that 1 cubic meter of wood can store about a ton of carbon dioxide. Timber is also a natural insulator that, in warm places like Singapore, traps less heat than concrete ones (or reduces heat loss in colder climates). And while Gaias designers say they have not calculated the emissions saved during the construction process, they claim that, in operation, the structure produces 2,500 fewer metric tons of carbon dioxide than concrete or steel equivalents an annual saving equivalent to taking over 550 cars off the roads. Singapore has designated Gaia a "zero energy" building. - NTU Singapore Passive cooling These energy savings are not just about materials. For one, the buildings exterior features strategically placed fins that cast shade over the facade, helping to keep it cool. Blasts of artificial air conditioning are also conspicuous by their absence. Eschewing mechanical fans some feat in a country less than 140 kilometers north of the equator Gaias AC system instead relies on passive cooling, which pushes cold water through coils to chill the surrounding air. The breezy buildings north-south orientation meanwhile encourages natural ventilation by aligning with the direction of Singapores prevailing winds. The countrys authorities have designated Gaia as a zero energy building that (with the help of rooftop solar panels) produces as much energy as it consumes. To date, just 16 structures in Singapore have achieved this distinction and, now, precisely half of them are NTU properties, including a campus sports hall, also designed by Ito. Airy terraces and sunlit atriums are found throughout the design. - NTU Singapore At the buildings opening, the universitys president Ho Teck Hua used his speech to boast of having the greenest campus in Singapore. Quite what the business schools students make of their new home remains to be seen classes dont begin here until the new academic year starts in August. But there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that using wood in architecture can have a positive impact on occupants well-being, including reduced stress levels. Ito, whose grandfather was a lumber dealer, said that his design ethos remains underpinned by the comfort of those who use his buildings. I always consider comfort, he explained. (If a building is comfortable), people will stay in the space and visit every day. I want to create architecture that gives people the will to live. CNNs Mayumi Maruyama contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Monday it had extended until September 15 an arrangement whereby five of Ukraine's neighbours can ban domestic sales of Ukrainian grains, while allowing the grains to transit their countries. The five - Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - had complained that the European Union's liberalisation of all trade with Ukraine meant cheaper Ukrainian grain flooding in, making domestic production unprofitable. The Commission, which oversees trade policy in the 27-nation European Union, had allowed the neighbours to set restrictions on imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds. This exception was to have lasted until Monday. The grains can still be exported to other EU members or to outside the bloc. The Commission said a month ago that it could extend the restrictions if exceptional conditions persisted. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) Evansville man accused of shooting a rifle at two adults and one child Monday morning EVANSVILLE A man wielding a semi-automatic rifle allegedly shot at an Evansville couple and their child Monday morning from the second story of a North First Avenue apartment building. Evansville police arrested the man, 29-year-old Aaron Lee Johnson, early Monday morning. At his residence, detectives reportedly recovered an assault rifle with an attached scope and a bag designed to capture shell casings, along with nearly a pound of psilocybin mushrooms and mushroom-growing equipment. None of the victims were reported to have suffered injuries. Court records show that Johnson has a history of pointing firearms at people. In two such cases from 2017 and 2019, Johnson struck plea agreements with prosecutors and received lenient sentences that saw him avoid serving time in prison. Local news: Another Air Quality Action Day declared for Evansville area Johnson is currently being held at the Vanderburgh County jail on four preliminary charges: attempted murder, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a domestic batterer, and dealing Schedule 1 narcotics. According to Johnson's arrest affidavit, a woman reported that she had been shot at by "a man with a rifle in his hands" as she and two others including a child attempted to drive to a North First Avenue apartment building. Evansville police officers received the report just after 12:10 a.m. Monday. "She fled the area and ended up meeting with officers near the intersection of North Fourth Avenue and West Indiana Street," EPD Detective Steven Toney wrote in the affidavit. The woman stated she and her husband had traveled to a small apartment building in the 100 block of North First Avenue when they noticed a man standing on the second-story balcony holding what appeared to be a rifle. "They both described the rifle as a 'dark-colored assault rifle with a scope," Toney wrote. "As they drove in the parking lot, [the victims] saw the male begin to aim the rifle directly at them." The woman told detectives that as she attempted to flee the building's parking lot, she heard "a loud boom" and realized the man had shot at her car. She reported hearing what sounded like a bullet impacting the ground directly beside her door. According to Toney, the woman's young child was belted in his car seat throughout the incident. After speaking with the victims, officers surrounded the two-story, four-unit apartment building and made contact with Johnson, who allegedly issued threats to shoot both himself and the officers. "At one point, Mr. Johnson dropped a black rifle with a scope on it out the front window of his apartment," Toney wrote. Officers then took Johnson into custody and detectives secured a warrant to search Johnson's apartment. They allegedly recovered an assault rifle with a telescopic gun sight from an awning below Johnson's balcony. Detectives also said the rifle had a bag attached to its ejection port. "The rifle was found to have a 'brass catcher' bag attached to it," Toney wrote. "This type of bag is commonly attached to a rifle and used for the purpose of catching shell casings when the rifle is fired instead of letting them fall to the ground." The bag had one spent shell casing in it, according to Toney. Narcotics detectives also responded to the scene and searched Johnson's apartment. Inside, they reported recovering 0.8 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms and multiple pounds of what appeared to be mushroom-growing equipment. Indiana news: ISP: Indiana Rep. Jim Lucas made U-turn on interstate, drove on 3 flat tires after crash "Potting soil and mushrooms were scattered throughout the apartment," Johnson's arrest affidavit states. Court records: Johnson previously sentenced to probation and 'time served' for pointing firearms at people In May 2017, Vanderburgh County Sheriff's deputies took a report from two people who said Johnson pointed a handgun at them during an argument, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court. Johnson was alleged to have told the victims, "I'll put you down," after he took aim with a Glock 22 pistol. In Johnson's arrest affidavit, detectives noted that the gun was loaded and contained a .40-caliber round in the chamber. At the time, Indiana required handgun owners to obtain a license to carry. Johnson had no such license and was charged with three offenses: Intimidation where the defendant draws or uses a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony. Pointing a firearm at another person, a Level 6 felony. Carrying a handgun without a license (which was a misdemeanor at the time). But Johnson struck a deal with prosecutors that saw both felony charges dismissed. On May 25, 2018, Vanderburgh County Circuit Court Judge David Kiely sentenced Johnson to serve just 10 days in jail for carrying a handgun without a license, according to a sentencing order. Johnson was given credit for time he served at the Vanderburgh County jail after his initial arrest and did not face additional punishment. In September 2019, Johnson aimed a pistol at multiple people during an altercation that took place in the 900 block of Parrett Street, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by the EPD. Johnson and a second man reportedly attacked at least three people, one of whom was legally armed with a handgun. Johnson ultimately got a hold of the victim's pistol and pointed it directly at the victim's face. "[A witness] said the offender pulled the trigger but the gun did not fire," an EPD detective wrote in Johnson's arrest affidavit. "[The witness] told me he then saw the offender remove the magazine from the firearm and throw the weapon." The victims later identified Johnson as the man who attempted to shoot them, the affidavit states. Johnson faced 5 charges for his role in the incident: robbery resulting in s bodily injury, a Level 3 felony, and four counts of intimidation where the defendant draws or uses a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony. Johnson pleaded guilty to the four intimidation offenses in May 2020, according to court records. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed the robbery charge. One month later, Vanderburgh County Circuit Court Judge Kellie Fink sentenced Johnson to serve four years in prison, but the prison time was suspended to probation. The Courier & Press reached out to the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office Monday afternoon seeking information about when prosecutors would file formal charges in relation to Johnson's latest arrest. Houston Harwood can be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpress.com This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville man accused of shooting a rifle at two adults and one child Bachelorette decor on a pink background. Aleksandra Konoplia/Getty Images. It has been said that every young girl dreams of her wedding day: the dress she'll so painstakingly select, the reception she'll so carefully arrange, and the smile she'll so happily don during what is supposedly the best night of her life. What she is less likely to imagine, however, is how largely she will feature in the nuptials of others particularly as it pertains to the time-honored tradition of the bachelorette party. But what first began as a simple "last hurrah" for the soon-to-be-married has, in recent years, ballooned into a three-day, two-night vacation that's often as onerous as it is outrageously expensive. Instead of daydreaming about their own celebration, many women are now sweating the cost of partaking in their friends', for which they're likely dropping thousands of dollars and racking up custom merch they'll never wear again. When did things get so out of hand? Just how bad is it? According to a survey from planning app Bach, the typical bachelorette attendee in 2023 is spending (or planning to spend) an estimated $1,200 per party, with an average party size of 9 people. "This brings the total spend to $10,800, which is about $3,000 higher than the average bachelorette spend three years ago," Bach noted in its analysis, which included expenses like flights, accommodations and discretionary spending. "It's not so much a night out anymore, but a weekend getaway with multiple day celebrations," Nicolette Nadolski, a coordinator at Ohio-based wedding planning company Lauren & Co. Events, told Axios Cleveland. "We're seeing people spending a lot more, whether it's to have friends come to town for a weekend out in Cleveland, traveling for a beach vacation or making a trip to Nashville" A 2022 poll from Savings.com determined that more than half of those surveyed took on credit card debt to attend a bachelor or bachelorette party. "The swag, the matching T-shirts, it's all gone so overboard," Lisa Glover, 32, told Fortune. "Does anybody need those T-shirts and sweatshirts that cost $30 and say 'Lisa's bachelorette'? No." Why is this happening? The rise of remote work has allowed for getaways longer and more exotic than in years past, while a post-pandemic boom in wanderlust has simultaneously energized brides looking to supercharge their (possibly delayed) wedding celebrations. "Over the past two years, people have gotten more flexible," Mike Petrakis, the founder and CEO of Bach, told Insider. "They are saying, 'I don't want to be stuck in my house; I want to go on a fun trip; I want to live my life.'" Plenty of U.S. couples are also getting married later in life, and some brides feel they should "go big" to compensate, Sarah Patton, owner of a Nashville-based events company, told Fortune. That said, to no change or trend is the bachelorette bloat more tied than social media. "In recent years, it has become more popular to decorate Airbnbs with balloon arches and themed signs, as well as to have Instagram-worthy activities like a bartender visiting the house for custom drinks," The Wall Street Journal reported, per Randi Nuorala, founder of Kay & Co., a bachelorette decoration service. "The activities have just gotten bougier," she said. "Like, 'We're going on this girl's trip, we're going to be posting about it, we need to look like this is like a luxury experience.'" And it's not just Instagram Pinterest is equal parts culpable here, Patton added. Brides get a whiff of the "biggest, the greatest, the latest" bach designs online and suddenly want to recreate them themselves, without properly taking into account the hefty price tag being passed down to their guests. OK, so you're invited. Why not just skip? It's not that easy. For one thing, young people often conflate their "self-worth" with "the time and money they spend on their friend group," the Journal explained, per financial therapist Ashley Agnew. "They're putting their personal value on what they're providing to their friends and how they're being perceived by their friends," which can make it incredibly difficult to say no, Agnew said. And that pressure only doubles if you're a bridesmaid, a blood relative, or an incoming in-law. How do you turn down a once-in-a-lifetime event? "I hate when people say, 'Just don't go,'" one source told Fortune. "Since over-the-top bachelorette parties have become normalized and are now the new standard I feel like it is an expectation that you will attend unless you had a prior commitment. You can't simply say no without a good excuse." If I do want to go, how can I make it work financially? It might involve a few uncomfortable conversations (or, at the very least, some vulnerability), but there are a few things guests can do to get ahead of bachelorette debt. Charlotte Cowles, the financial advice columnist for The Cut, suggested arriving to the party a day late (if possible), or reaching out "to whoever's organizing the itinerary" and saying "that you can't quite swing spending more than X amount." Or, added financial adviser Colin Moynahan, try outlining your expenses ahead of time, so you can make a spending plan that allows you to attend the festivities stress-free. But if all else fails, said Agnew, the financial therapist, prioritize the actual wedding above everything else. Try telling the bride, "Because it's so important for me to be there for the wedding, I'll do that even if it means sacrificing the party because that's the real celebration," she suggested, per the Journal. You may also like Chris Christie: a scandal-plagued presidential hopeful Is Trump's wall working? Chuck Todd to be replaced by Kristen Welker on NBC's 'Meet the Press' 'Everybody's going to die today': Man charged in downtown Topeka shootout will face trial Defendant Eric Perkins talks quietly to defense attorney James Landis Spies during Monday's preliminary hearing at the Shawnee County Courthouse. Kristi Mendez on Monday recalled the fear she felt when Eric Perkins pointed a handgun at her head and abducted her last September in Topeka after shooting two other people, one fatally. "He said, 'Everybody's going to die today,'" she said. Mendez told of how she became Perkins' unwilling passenger, then found herself in the midst of a car chase, followed by a police gun battle in downtown Topeka. "I was scared for my life," she said. Mendez, 39, was among witnesses who testified at a preliminary hearing that ended with Perkins being bound over for trial on each of 13 charges he faces, including intentional and premeditated first-degree murder. She said she was wounded twice, by one gunshot that passed through her left calf and another that struck her near a knee, lodging too close to an artery to be removed. More: Topeka police officer shot in gun battle after pursuing suspect car from earlier homicide Affidavit: Defendant thought girlfriend was cheating on him Defense attorney James Landis Spies, attorney for murder defendant Eric Perkins, approaches witness Kristi Mendez during Monday's preliminary hearing for Perkins to ask how close Perkins was to Gregory Dean Butts when Butts was fatally shot. Perkins, 34, of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, faces various charges linked to the Sept. 29 fatal shooting of Gregory Dean Butts, 55. Mendez testified Monday that Butts was the stepfather of her best friend, Season Gardner, 32. She said Gardner and Gardner's two small children visited Mendez late Sept. 28 at her home at 3530 S.W. Kerry Ave. Butts spent some time at the house that evening, and planned to do some mechanical work on Gardner's vehicle the next day, Mendez said. Perkins, who was then Gardner's boyfriend, also arrived that evening at the house, she said. The next morning, Mendez said, some friction existed between Perkins and Gardner over "something on (Gardner's phone)." A police charging affidavit in the case suggests Perkins suspected Gardner was cheating on him. Witness said homicide victim was shot from about four feet away Prosecutor Keith Henderson calls upon witness Kristi Mendez to give testimony during Monday's preliminary hearing for murder defendant Eric Perkins at the Shawnee County Courthouse. Perkins shot Butts the morning of Sept. 29 as Butts was walking up to Mendez's house, where the main front door was open but the screen door was closed, Mendez said. She said she thought Perkins fired through the screen door from just inside the house, hitting Butts in the chest area. Butts was just outside the house, probably about four feet away from Perkins, Mendez said. Butts started to walk away, while Perkins left the house and followed him, she said. Mendez said she locked the house's front door and called 911, but Perkins soon afterward broke out a front window and came back inside and ordered her at gunpoint to find the keys to her car. More: Defendant in Topeka downtown shootout wanted to 'take two officers with him': affidavit Victim Season Gardner suffered facial nerve damage At some point, Mendez said, Perkins shot Season Gardner once in the face in the front room of Mendez's home. Gardner doesn't remember being shot, or her stepfather's being shot, she testified Monday. She said she was wounded on the left side of the face, just below and to the left of her eye. Gardner said she suffered nerve damage, no longer has feeling in that area and is unable to control her muscles there. Neighbor went from watching TV to getting shot at Edmund E. Wilson Jr., who lives across the street at 3523 S.W. Kerry Ave., testified Monday that he was watching TV when he heard gunshots. Wilson said he looked out front and saw a man with a handgun chase Butts across the street into Wilson's front yard, where Butts fell down near a tree and the gunman shot him two or three times in the back. The gunman then went to the house at 3530 S.W. Kerry Ave. and forced entry there by kicking in a front window, Wilson said. He said he approached Butts, checked for his pulse and found none. Meanwhile, Wilson said, he heard his wife yell that the gunman was coming back in their direction. He said he ran into his house as the gunman fired at least three times, missing Wilson but twice striking his house and once hitting a house next door. More: Man who allegedly got into downtown shootout with police booked into Shawnee County Jail Witness: Perkins made U-turn through Kansas Turnpike median Mendez said that after she found the keys to her silver 2004 Toyota Corolla, Perkins forced her to get into the passenger's seat as he drove it. Mendez's cell phone rang, and Perkins forced her to throw it out of the car near S.W. 37th and Topeka Boulevard, she said. Mendez said Perkins, who wasn't very familiar with the Topeka area, entered the Kansas Turnpike at its South Topeka Interchange and started driving south before a law enforcement officer pulled them over. Perkins initially stopped, Mendez said, then drove away once the officer got out of his vehicle. Perkins made a U-turn through the turnpike median, went back north and got off the turnpike at its South Topeka interchange, she said. More: DA rules on whether police acted justifiably in firing shots during downtown gun battle Witness: Perkins wanted to take two police officers with him At no point did Mendez feel free to leave Perkins, she testified. Perkins talked about how he needed to find another vehicle, Mendez said. She said Perkins handed her the clip from one of the two handguns he was carrying without giving her the actual gun and she reloaded it for him. Mendez recalled hearing Perkins saying he wanted to take two police officers with him when he died. Meanwhile, she said, Perkins' arm was bleeding, and she wrapped her T-shirt around it. Perkins appeared to be becoming "sluggish" from loss of blood, Mendez said. Testimony on Monday suggested Perkins hurt his arm breaking in or coming through Mendez's front window. Police chase was followed by shootout in downtown Topeka Mendez said after a police vehicle turned on its red lights to try to stop them in southeast Topeka, Perkins led that officer on a vehicle chase. Perkins held one of his handguns out of the car's driver's side window to shoot at the officer, she said. The chase entered downtown Topeka and ended when the car Perkins was driving struck a fire hydrant near S. 6th and Kansas Ave., where Perkins and police exchanged gunshots. Mendez said officers initially handcuffed her before realizing she was a victim. Perkins was also wounded, and was initially hospitalized before being booked into the Shawnee County Jail. A Topeka police officer, whose name and age haven't been made public, was struck once by gunfire. He was released after being treated at a Topeka hospital, said Topeka Police Chief Bryan Wheeles. The officer wore body armor, which "took the majority of the impact of the round" and prevented him from being hurt much more seriously, Wheeles said. Witness says prosecutors never offered her immunity Mendez acknowledged Monday she had smoked methamphetamine the evening before the homicide but said she was no longer under the influence of that drug when the next morning when it occurred. When asked if Topeka attorney Kevin Shepherd had accompanied Mendez to Monday's hearing in order to provide her emotional support, Mendez responded, "I believe so." She said the Shawnee County District Attorney's office had never threatened to charge her with any crimes or offered her immunity from prosecution. Perkins was defended by attorney James Landis Spies while the prosecution's case was presented by District Attorney Mike Kagay and senior deputy district attorney Keith Henderson. District Judge Jessica Heinen bound Perkins over first trial on two counts of aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm recklessly at an occupied dwelling and one count each of: Intentional and premeditated first-degree murder. Intentional and premeditated attempted first-degree murder. Aggravated kidnapping. Aggravated child endangerment. Aggravated burglary. Aggravated assault to a law enforcement officer. Criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer. And interference with a law enforcement officer. Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka homicide, downtown shooting detailed at Eric Perkins' hearing John Bolton, who served as national security adviser to Donald Trump, on Sunday suggested the love letters the former president often claims to have received from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un werent actually the real deal. Speaking to CNNs Jim Acosta, Bolton said, There is no doubt in my mind, these letters were written by some Communist Party hack in the agitprop bureau of the North Korean Workers Party. But Trump fell for the letters and believed they were actually from Kim, said Bolton, because they were filled with phrases like your excellency and things like that. Trump just thought they were love letters. I mean, I just shook my head. There wasnt much more I could do, Bolton continued. I just dont think he understands what hes up against when he faces a hard man of contemporary international affairs. Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping. He just doesnt know what room hes in. Watch the interview here: Bolton said Trumps praise of Kim was one more piece of evidence that shows he is unfit to enter the White House for a second time. This is no joking matter. Kim Jong Un is a cruel dictator. His people are among the most impoverished in the world, Bolton noted. Hes building nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles intended to be able to hit the United States and intimidate his regional neighbors. This is not somebody you pal around with. It just shows Trump has no real understanding of the depth of the threat that Kim Jong Un poses, and it is why four more years of Trump in control of foreign policy would be extraordinarily dangerous for the United States, he added. Bolton served in Trumps White House from April 2018 to September 2019 but has since become a fierce critic of his former boss. Last month, Bolton suggested Trumps claim that foreign leaders love him wasnt true. I have been in those rooms with him when hes met with those leaders. I believe they think hes a laughing fool, he said. Related... Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey appeared to endorse anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the Democratic presidential nomination over the weekend. Dorsey retweeted a video of Kennedy saying he could beat former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who announced his bid for the White House on Twitter last month. Dorsey captioned the video with, He can and will. Dorsey also responded to comments on his tweet, including one that said, The DNC would never allow that, are you kidding?? The former Twitter CEO responded by saying, True but they seem to be more irrelevant by the day. Kennedy, the nephew of the late former President Kennedy, launched his campaign for the 2024 Democratic primary in April, becoming the second Democrat, after author Marianne Williamson, to challenge President Biden for the nomination. Kennedy said in April he is challenging Biden because he disagree[s] fundamentally with him on where the country is going. Dorsey also retweeted a link to a Twitter Spaces event featuring Kennedy hosted by Twitter owner Elon Musk and Kennedy. The livestream event is set for 2 p.m. Monday. Musk, a self-described free speech proponent, extended the invite to Kennedy after the candidate tweeted that Instagram was not allowing his campaign to make an account on the social media platform. To silence a major political candidate is profoundly undemocratic. Social media is the modern equivalent of the town square. How can democracy function if only some candidates have access to it? Kennedy tweeted at the time. Meta said Sunday that Kennedys personal Instagram account would be restored due to his status as a presidential candidate and that his campaign could now create an account on the platform. This came after his personal Instagram account was suspended in 2021 for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. His anti-vaccine nonprofit, Childrens Health Defense, also had its account suspended from Instagram and Facebook last year over spreading misinformation about COVID-19. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Former US Vice-President Mike Pence has officially filed paperwork to join an increasingly crowded field of Republicans running for president. Mr Pence, 63, is set to formally launch his campaign with a video, speech and townhall event in the early voting state of Iowa on Wednesday. The move pits him against Donald Trump, the man he served in the White House for four years from 2017-21. The former president is currently polling well ahead in the race. Most opinion polls show Mr Pence in a distant third place, with support in the low single digits. The former Indiana governor and congressman is expected to position himself as a continuation of the Trump administration's conservative agenda, without the baggage. Mr Pence, who describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order", was an unswervingly loyal deputy to Mr Trump through much of their four years in office. But he has distanced himself from his old boss since the riot by Trump supporters at the US Capitol in January 2021. Mr Trump pressured Mr Pence to overturn Joe Biden's election victory when he presided over the certification of results in Congress and admonished him for lacking "courage" when he refused. Some rioters were heard chanting "hang Mike Pence" as they stormed the halls of Congress, and many Trump loyalists view him as a traitor. The former vice-president said in March that Mr Trump's encouragement of the rioters had "endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day". What happens next? Candidates for the Republican nomination will hit the campaign trail and begin a series of TV debates in the coming months Elections in each state - called primary elections - begin next February The person with the most support will be crowned at the Republican Convention in summer 2024 The winner of the nomination looks likely to face Democrat Joe Biden in the general election in November 2024 Who are the Republican hopefuls not named Trump? Mr Pence has spent months laying the groundwork for his run and is banking on a strong performance in Iowa. Religious conservatives are an influential voting bloc in the state and, in 2016, helped Texas Senator Ted Cruz narrowly defeat Mr Trump. Mr Pence's popularity with evangelical voters was seen as helping to boost his running mate to the White House. But he will find himself competing for evangelical voters with other candidates in the race, including South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. The Democratic National Committee said Mr Pence's entry would drag the Republican field "even further to the extremes", dismissing him as Mr Trump's "Maga wingman". Maga stands for Make America Great Again, the Trump campaign slogan. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely viewed as Mr Trump's chief rival, is currently polling a distant second in the race. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and incumbent North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum are also planning to enter the race this week. There is growing concern that a crowded field will split the anti-Trump vote and hand the party's nomination to Mr Trump again. US Vice President Mike Pence, pictured in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on October 13, 2020, is expected to struggle to carve out his own support base Republican former vice president Mike Pence launched his bid for the 2024 presidential nomination on Monday, offering a traditionalist alternative to the battle royale being waged by populists Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. The evangelical Christian filed his paperwork with the Federal Election Commission ahead of an official declaration Wednesday in the early voting state of Iowa -- joining an already crowded field. Pence, 63, honed his reputation as an unstintingly loyal deputy who stuck with Trump throughout a scandal-plagued four years and brought the religious right into the tent. But he became a pariah in Trumpworld after rejecting the Republican leader's demands that he overturn the 2020 election in his role as president of the Senate. Berated constantly by Trump after Joe Biden's victory -- and even heckled at a conservative conference with chants of "traitor!" -- Pence continued to praise the tycoon in public. That eventually changed after Trump's torrent of false claims of election fraud led to a mob chanting for Pence to be hanged at the US Capitol. - 'Christian, conservative, Republican' - Pence has spent much of the last two years touring early-nominating states such as Iowa and New Hampshire to reinforce his political vision as a "Christian, conservative, Republican -- in that order." His entry doesn't much change the dynamics of the race, which is divided into three lanes -- runaway leader Donald Trump, Trump's closest rival and sitting Florida governor DeSantis, and everyone else. Pence is framing himself as a traditional Republican, concerned with fiscal responsibility and family values, who can deliver Trump's economic policies without the drama. But he has also pointed to some clear blue water between the pair, as he allies himself strongly with Ukraine and refuses to rule out cuts to welfare payments. While his politics are popular among Republicans, critics question whether Pence has a constituency in a party that is more focused now on populism and cultural politics than traditional conservatism. And voters sympathetic to his decision to stand up for the Constitution have other candidate choices, such as the proselytizing Christian Tim Scott who do not bring with them the baggage of the Trump years. "We all give (Pence) credit for certifying the election," Republican strategist Sarah Longwell told Politico. "But he also stood next to Donald Trump and normalized and validated him for four years while Trump ran roughshod over the presidency." - 'Trumpists are angry' - DeSantis has consistently been polling almost 20 points above Pence and is hoping to outflank Trump from the right. But the Florida governor's poor showing in head-to-head polls has opened the floodgates, with Chris Christie due to announce on Tuesday, joining former governors Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson and Doug Burgum in the race. Like Haley and DeSantis, Pence has appeared determined to avoid conflict with Trump in hopes of wooing his former supporters should the cascade of criminal investigations targeting the former president take him out of the race. The lower-ranked candidates have also pointed out that there is a long way to go in the race, and that Trump was trailing in the low single digits at this point in the 2016 cycle. Democrats watching from the sidelines pointed to Pence's socially conservative agenda as an abortion hardliner who has opposed same-sex marriage as evidence that he would drag the contest to the right. "In Mike Pence's own words, he was a member of the extreme Tea Party 'before it was cool,' and he hasn't slowed down since," said Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison. Zee Cohen-Sanchez, a left-leaning election strategist who has worked with progressives like Bernie Sanders, said Pence's break with Trump over the insurrection was a double-edged sword. "Despite allegations and charges against Trump, his base remains strong and given Pence essentially turned against Trump, these voters will not support him," she told AFP. "The majority of other Republicans support DeSantis, who has a track record conservatives are excited about and they see him as a powerful alternative to Trump." ft/jh Former President Donald Trump, now a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, claimed in a television interview on Thursday that he not only purchased 75 million barrels of oil for the national Strategic Petroleum Reserve but did so for a remarkably low price. We had so much oil we didnt know what to do with it. We bought a lot of it for very little for the strategic national reserves, Trump said at a Fox event in Iowa. Moments later, after criticizing President Joe Biden for selling a large quantity of oil from the reserve, Trump boasted once more about his own supposed discount purchase: Think of it: 75 million barrels, and I bought it for peanuts, and Congress I had to fight Congress, and the pricing was so crazy and so good. Facts First: Trumps supposed purchase of 75 million barrels of oil never happened. Trump did propose to buy 77 million barrels for the reserve in 2020 as oil prices cratered because of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the Democratic-controlled Congress rejected the $3 billion in funding that would have paid for the purchase, describing it as a subsidy to big oil companies. Various Republicans have since criticized the Democrats for blocking Trumps proposal, arguing that they caused the country to miss a golden opportunity to fill the reserve while prices were unusually low. Thats fair game. But Trump boasted on Fox that he overcame the congressional opposition and did buy tens of millions of barrels at those prices. Thats not true. It would have been a smart policy to refill the SPR at very low prices, but it didnt happen because Congress did not approve that purchase. I suppose Trump can take credit for a good idea, but not for execution, said Ben Cahill, a senior fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. The Energy Department said in an email to CNN last week that the only oil purchase for the reserve during the Trump era was a trial purchase of about 124,000 barrels in 2020. That is not even close to 75 million barrels Trump claimed he bought for peanuts. The former presidents comment wasnt a one-time misstatement. He has made related false claims for more than a year about his handling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, drawing repeated debunkings from CNN, FactCheck.org and other outlets. Heres a look at additional ways his remarks have been false or misleading. The reserve got emptier under Trump Trump claimed last year that he got the reserve to 100% full. On Fox on Thursday, Trump said, You know, we had the strategic national reserves almost full. And then Biden came along and took it to keep prices down and its called artificially down. But Trump did not actually fill up the reserve. In fact, the reserve, which has an authorized storage capacity of 714 million barrels of oil, contained fewer barrels when Trump left office in early 2021 (about 638 million) than when he took office in early 2017 (about 695 million). Thats in large part because of oil sales that Congress had mandated by law. But nonetheless, Trumps claims about how he filled up the reserve are meritless. Even the one significant increase in the number of barrels in the reserve during the Trump presidency, a spike of about 21 million barrels in 2020, was short-lived the result of a Trump program that allowed companies to temporarily house some of their own crude in the reserve during a period when storage space was scarce. Trump really cant argue that he left it in better shape than he found it, said Ed Hirs, an energy fellow and economics lecturer at the University of Houston. The reserve isnt close to empty Trump also claimed on Fox that, as a result of Bidens sales from the reserve, the thing is almost empty now and that its totally empty. He added, Its the emptiest I think its been in 50 years. There is a kernel of truth here. The reserve now contains fewer barrels of crude oil about 355.4 million as of late May than it had since 1983, so its at a 40-year low (though not a 50-year low). But theres months of supply in there still; its not empty, its not even close to being empty, said Jim Krane, an energy research fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. The US strategic reserve remains the worlds largest even after Biden drew it down. Krane said Trumps claim is definitely exaggerating the level of the contents of the SPR; its underplaying it. Theres a lot more oil in there than President Trump is letting on. The Energy Department said in its email last week that Congresss recent decision to cancel 140 million barrels worth of previously mandatory sales for the fiscal years 2024 through 2027 will allow the reserve to end the 2027 fiscal year with the same number of barrels as it would have had Biden not conducted any emergency sales in 2022. The reserve is not just for war Trump, criticizing Biden for selling oil from the reserve prior to the 2022 midterm elections, said on Fox that the reserve is meant for times of war its not meant to keep a price down for an automobile. Its meant for war, for real problems. Biden did cite a war, the price increases caused by the Russian war on Ukraine, to justify his decision to make emergency sales of 180 million barrels from the reserve in 2022. But its not true that the reserve is only meant for times of war. The law that governs the reserve says that sales can be made from the reserve if an emergency situation exists and there is a significant reduction in supply which is of significant scope and duration, causing a severe increase in petroleum prices that is likely to have a major negative impact on the national economy or if the president finds that there are circumstances that are causing or are likely to cause major energy supply shortages. Previous presidents have authorized significant sales of oil from the reserve during the Gulf War, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and in response to supply disruptions during the civil war in Libya. They have also loaned oil from the reserve to increase supply after disruptions like hurricanes, ship channel closures, a barge accident and a pipeline blockage. In fact, the Trump administration itself made such a loan arrangement for reasons other than a war releasing more than 5 million barrels from the reserve to Gulf Coast refiners affected by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. That quantity was repaid to the reserve by early 2018. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com As the sale of Fairfield Lake State Park moves closer, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has closed the park to the public. At the same time, the Parks and Wildlife Commission is slated to discuss acquiring the property through eminent domain, days before a private developer officially takes over the land. Fairfield Lake State Park, in Freestone County between the Metroplex and Houston, has been the subject of public debate for several months. The state park sits on land that the state has leased from energy company Vistra Corp. for about 50 years. But Vistra is now selling the land to Dallas-based developer Todd Interests, which plans to turn the park land and several thousand surrounding acres into a high-end gated community. In marketing materials obtained by the Star-telegram, Dallas-based developer Todd Interests outlined its plans to transform Fairfield Lake into a private, high-end community. Obtained from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department In preparation for that sale, the state closed the parks gates at the end of February. State legislators then asked if it was possible to keep the park open longer, and the Parks and Wildlife Department reopened the gates and allowed visitors to access the park free of charge. But on Monday, the state closed the parks doors once again, to allow park staff enough time to decommission the property. The states lease on the park land ends on June 13, the Parks and Wildlife Department said in a press release. Although the state is taking steps to close up the park land, the Parks and Wildlife Commission is also prepping for a last minute meeting to discuss obtaining the park land and surrounding acreage through eminent domain. The Commission has scheduled a meeting for June 10, just days before the state park lease ends, to discuss and vote on using eminent domain for the 1,800 acres of park land and the surrounding 3,000 acres that Todd Interests is purchasing. The eminent domain acquisition, if approved by the Commission, would allow the state to preserve and expand Fairfield Lake State Park, according to the June 10 meeting agenda. Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners continue to pursue options for saving Fairfield Lake State Park, including through condemnation, said Commission Chairman Arch Beaver Aplin III in a press release. But in the meantime, department staff must focus on decommissioning the property before our lease ends June 13. State legislators previously raised the idea of passing a bill to allow the Parks and Wildlife Department to acquire the park land trough eminent domain. They later backed away from that idea. The special meeting comes after the state sent in a $25 million offer asking Todd Interests to step away from its contract to purchase the land. In the press release, the state said that Todd Interests rejected that offer. Shawn Todd, the founder of Todd Interests, previously told the Star-Telegram that he countered the offer and then didnt heard back from the state. Stock image of a teenager sitting on the sofa looking at their phone Social media scammers are charging pupils hundreds of pounds for what they claim are leaked GCSE and A-level exam papers, but are likely to be fakes. A GCSE pupil, who was quoted 500 for a paper by someone on Instagram, said the idea papers might be for sale was "the most talked about hype" of exam season. It is extremely rare for genuine papers to be leaked, exam boards said. But they added the scams were becoming more common, with fraudsters charging between 7.50 and 4,000 per paper. Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat said fraudulent activity was against their rules and anyone who spotted such accounts should report them. A spokesperson for the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) said: "Attempting to obtain any confidential assessment material, whether it turns out to be real or fake, is malpractice." Punishments for those who cheat can vary from disqualification from a single exam to being banned from sitting exams altogether. 'Ridiculous prices' Jade, not her real name, spoke to BBC News on condition of anonymity. The 15-year-old first saw accounts claiming to sell GCSE exam papers on TikTok. In a conversation with one of the accounts, she was then told to contact the seller on Instagram. One GCSE student was quoted 500 by a scammer claiming to sell GCSE exams "I was taken aback because it was ridiculous prices," Jade said. "Anywhere north of 500 for a paper was the typical offer from multiple accounts for one exam paper." Jade did not buy the exam paper but said she knows students who have paid up to 900. Another student told BBC News they had paid a social media account 60 last year for a GCSE maths exam. But they were left feeling "hurt and annoyed" when the account blocked them and failed to send anything. Jade said some students were panicking this year because there is less support for pupils sitting exams in England in 2023 than there has been for other year groups since the pandemic. "The people who buy from these accounts are your most desperate students," she said. "These accounts are actually very clever and sneaky in what they do - preying on this vulnerability. "You wouldn't meet a single student across this whole year that has not heard of these accounts. They are everywhere." BBC News posed as a GCSE student and contacted two separate Instagram accounts claiming to sell exam papers. One quoted a price of 120 for an AQA geography paper and 150 for an English language paper. Another account also quoted 150 for a single exam paper. Both accounts asked to be paid through the payment app, Cash App. But our 150 transaction was blocked by Cash App on several occasions - so the scammer asked to be paid with a gift card for a High Street retailer. After paying the agreed fee, our messages were ignored and no paper was sent to us. The scammer's social media account was then deleted before BBC News had the chance to report it to Instagram. A spokesperson for Meta, the company that owns Instagram, said the sale of future exam papers or answer sheets was not allowed and any such content would be removed from the platform. Bill Hewison, a case analyst at exam board, AQA, said many scammers use doctored images of previous exams, changing the date and text on the front cover to try to dupe students. "A few weeks ago, we saw an account claiming to sell one of our exams for 7.50," he said. "Right at the other end of the scale, you've got thousands of pounds [being quoted] - two, three, four thousand pounds." BBC News was granted exclusive access to see how AQA's malpractice teams try to shut down the fraudulent accounts. They do not know who is behind the accounts, but they have scoured social media for anyone claiming to sell papers to students, before and during exam season. Exam boards have no power to shut the accounts down so instead, they report them to social media platforms - often citing copyright as a way to escalate the complaint. A spokesperson for TikTok said any accounts "promoting fraud or scams" are removed. Snapchat said they take fraudulent accounts off the platform and urged users to report suspicious activity. 'Digital whack-a-mole' In 2019, exam board Edexcel apologised after part of an A-level maths paper was shared on social media the day before the exam. But legitimate leaks are rare - and fraudulent accounts on social media are a growing problem. "If we do a search on Tuesday, we will see five accounts. If we do the same search on Wednesday, we will see 10 accounts," Mr Hewison said. "If you get one, they'll just create another account." JCQ chief executive Margaret Farragher said it was like "digital whack-a-mole". "As soon as they try to close down one of these fake accounts, another one opens up," she added. Ofqual chief regulator Jo Saxton told students not to rely on "fraudsters on the internet" ahead of their exams. "You risk not only losing money but the consequences for you are really serious," she said. Banner saying 'Get in touch' Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. The video showed what appeared to be a digitally altered image of Vladimir Putin moving lips to sync with the fake address A deepfake Vladimir Putin speech declaring martial law and general mobilisation in response to Ukrainian attacks was broadcast on Russian TV and radio. The hack reported across Russia appeared to be timed to what Russian military observers described as the beginning of Ukraines much-anticipated counter-offensive. Videos from across Russia posted on social media on Monday showed what appeared to be a digitally altered image of Putin moving lips to sync with the fake address. Standing next to a Russian flag, the president was seen declaring martial law in three border regions and saying he would shortly sign a decree to announce general mobilisation. We need to pull all efforts of Russians together to defeat the dangerous and insidious enemy, he was heard saying. Im lost for words The widely circulated address pushed Russian officials to issue quick denials as authorities in Voronezh and Belgorod accused unnamed hackers of trying to sow panic in border areas. A Kremlin spokesman on Monday admitted the radio waves have been hacked. Everything has been fixed and put under control, he told Russian news agencies, adding that an investigation has been launched into the hack that appears to have affected one, fairly obscure broadcasting company Mir that has a radio station and a TV channel. The image of Putin was seen in social media videos beaming at well-furnished living rooms while others recorded videos of the radio broadcast inside their cars. In a video that first surfaced on a local community chat in the southern city of Voronezh, a woman turns up the volume, struggling to contain her shock. Fing hell! What the hell is this? she is heard saying as the fake president announces martial law. Im lost for words. Mir has admitted its TV and radio waves were hijacked on Monday afternoon for about 20 minutes in an illegal breach. Meanwhile, Putin on Monday hosted the countrys transport minister and the head of the national company to discuss rebuilding transportation links in Russia-occupied areas of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin (centre) speaks to Oleg Belozerov (right) and Vitaly Saveliev (left) - Mikhail Klimentyev/Pool Sputnik Kremlin The transport minister told Putin they were thinking about re-opening the airport in Mariupol as early as next year if the situation allows without making no mention of the ongoing hostilities. Unlike Putin, Russian pro-war military commentators on Monday raised alarm about the Ukrainian counter-offensive. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Art enriches cultural life in China's rural regions 09:29, June 05, 2023 By Cui Yan ( People's Daily Visitors pose for pictures in front of a wall painting in Huangjindian village, Tancheng county, Linyi, east China's Shandong province. (People's Daily Online/Fang Dehua) What kind of vitality can art bring to the countryside? Shuangcheng village in Pingchang county, southwest China's Sichuan province is where the famous oil painting Father was created. The village, leveraging the influence of this masterpiece produced by the painter Luo Zhongli, has built itself into a hub of rural tourism with its sound ecology and rich heritage. It is recognized as a provincial-level demonstration village for the revitalization of rural culture. The story of Shuangcheng village is exactly a great example of how art can boost rural revitalization. Art is an expression of beauty that lights up a better life. Injecting art elements into the construction of "beautiful villages" not only brings a new look to the rural area, but also paves the way for people to live a more aspiring life. Dongziguan village in Fuyang district, Hangzhou of east China's Zhejiang province, turned old houses in disrepair into folk houses with local features. Together, the renovated residences look like a Chinese ink painting that well depicts the unique charm. The used-to-be "hollow village" that once suffered a big loss of young workforce is finally getting back the hustle and bustle. Teachers and students from Jinzhong University join an outdoor sketching activity in Zuoquan county, north China's Shanxi province, March 13, 2023. (People's Daily Online/Xing Lanfu) Shangwei village in Longhua district of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province was once bothered by trash dumps and sewage flowing into the river. Today, timeworn walls have turned into "drawing papers" covered in graffiti, and the whole village is immersed in an artistic and tranquil atmosphere. Zhongxin village in Youyang Tujia and Miao autonomous county, southwest China's Chongqing municipality, advanced a "toilet revolution" with aesthetic elements, which made renovated public restrooms both pragmatic and good-looking. Rural revitalization calls for both physical and cultural development. Art can nurture the mind of people and shape the values of villages. In Xingyi village of Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan province, mural artist Liu Zhicheng is presenting aesthetics to villagers via delicate wall paintings. These wall paintings have raised the villagers' pursuit and aspiration for beauty and inspired many children to learn drawing. Today, rural art festivals are presenting the charm of aesthetics to residents, and art workshops offer a place for children to receive aesthetic education through fun activities. Besides, some villages have also hosted rural galas and singing competitions, which reactivated cultural resources and enhanced villagers' sense of belonging. Leading rural cultural construction with art will better vitalize cultural development in the countryside and enrich the life of villagers. People visit an art exhibition held in Gaoqiao village, Deqing county, east China's Zhejiang province, May 13, 2023. (People's Daily Online/Xie Shangguo) Art is also a "golden key" that can stimulate potential growth drivers, thus expanding the space for rural economic development. It is bringing more possibilities to rural areas. As a well-preserved ancient village, Zecheng village in Zuoquan county, north China's Shanxi province has experienced rapid development thanks to its scenic resources and cultural legacy. Zuoquan county has built a base for outdoor sketching that features artistic elements, attracting many students and artists. The county has also hosted art exhibitions and developed study tour programs. These new business forms boosted local tourism and cultural consumption and created jobs for villagers, which proves the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," expands villagers' income and promotes rural revitalization. Artistic creation betters the living environment in rural areas, art activities enrich the cultural life of rural residents, and art-related business forms create development opportunities. The countryside in the new era has become more beautiful with the decoration of art. As various types of art practices are carried out in rural areas, art will constantly pave the path to cultural revitalization. It is believed that art will edify more rural residents and better their lives in the countryside. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Hongyu) [Source] The family of a missing Connecticut woman who disappeared while hiking in the Japanese wilderness on April 10 has suspended the nearly two-month search. Lost in the wilderness: Patricia "Pattie" Wu-Murad, a 60-year-old experienced traveler, vanished after checking out of a guest house in Osaka around 7 a.m. and setting off on a trek along the 11.2-mile path of the Kumano Kodo in the southern Kansai region. She was reported missing to local authorities after failing to arrive at a second guest house about 11 miles down the trail. For the past eight weeks, authorities, professional searchers and volunteers have scoured the remote area near the Kumano Kodo path. The extensive effort involved rescuers rappelling into crevices, exploring bodies of water and utilizing helicopters and drones. No progress: Japanese police have yet to classify the case as either an accident or an incident involving foul play due to a lack of evidence. Authorities are currently trying to obtain telecommunications records that could potentially offer a clue about the last known location of the missing traveler's cell phone. More from NextShark: Air Force Vet Uses Facebook to Find Dying Mothers Family in South Korea Wu-Murad's husband, Kirk Murad, has been in contact with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and coordinating with search efforts in Japan, expressed frustration with the lack of progress. "There are no clues. Is she lost? Did she fall? Is she a victim of a crime?" Kirk lamented in an interview with The Messenger. Ending the search: Wu-Murad's daughter, Murphy Murad, wrote on the familys GoFundMe page on Sunday that they are ending the search as the rescue team was unable to find new leads after weeks of efforts. More from NextShark: Trans activist's anti-Asian tweets resurface after Netflix walkout against Dave Chapelle special If we had the time, resources and financial capacity to search every trail in the area with as much depth and precision as we did this one, we would. However, the reality is all search efforts have ended as of May 30 due to the underwhelming amount of evidence found. As heartbreaking as it is to have come up empty handed, all of these comments are thanks to you. The amount of work we were able to accomplish would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our family, friends, community, and the remarkable individuals we encountered in Totsukawa. More from NextShark: Christina Yuna Lees family launches fundraising campaign to keep her legacy alive Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Korean restaurant chef in London kills co-worker over food prep skills A Kroger store A lawsuit filed by the mother of a man killed by a security guard at a West Side Columbus Kroger in January says the company acted recklessly by using an armed guard who failed to diffuse an altercation inside the store. An attorney for Charlee Cooper, the mother representing the estate of Paris Royal, states in the March lawsuit that the Kroger guard used "disproportionate aggression and unreasonable use of deadly force" when he shot and killed Royal on Jan. 26 inside the Kroger at 3600 Soldano Boulevard. The death was the first of two at a Columbus Kroger store this year. On Thursday night, a security guard shot and killed a man who police say was attempting to rob another outside a Morse Road Kroger. That incident stemmed from a line-cutting incident inside minutes before. For subscribers: Columbus gripped by gun violence Along with Kroger, the lawsuit names as a defendant Richard Rush, of the South Side, and his then-employer Reliable Protection Services, 5611 Red Carnation Drive, which property records show is an apartment complex near Georgesville and Norton roads on the Far West Side. According to police reports and the lawsuit, Royal, 26, of the city's Northeast Side, died after being shot by Rush inside the Kroger store following an altercation between Rush and a woman inside. Royal reportedly went into the store and began fighting with the security guard, police said. Shots were fired and Royal was struck and later died. Paris Royal, 26, who was shot and killed by a Kroger security guard in January. His family has filed a lawsuit against Kroger, the guard and the security company The criminal case is still open and likely will be heard by a Franklin County grand jury, said Columbus police homicide Det. Anthony Johnson. In it's response to the civil complaint, Kroger states that it has a "duty and obligation to protect its customers andassociates from the violent conduct of trespassers including (Royal)." Kroger states that in September 2021 it entered a contract with Reliable Protection Services for the private company to provide security services "at one or more of its retail locations." Details of the contract were not included in the lawsuit "because it contains information which is confidential and proprietary," according to the Kroger response. Attorney Chanda L. Brown, who is representing Cooper, said that she has yet to view Kroger security video of the altercation and that employee witnesses have not been provided to her. "There's no reason for this to be so private," Brown told The Dispatch. "This is something that could have been resolved without death." The lawsuit states that the Kroger contract with Reliable includes an indemnity clause holding Kroger harmless for lawsuit damages resulting from Reliable's breach of contract or "damages to property or injuries topersons caused by or resulting from the willful or negligent acts or omissions of (Reliable)," stating that "Reliable was solely and exclusively responsible for the acts of its security guard while on the Kroger premises." Cooper is seeking damages from Kroger, Rush and others in excess of $25,000 in the case to be heard by Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Holbrook. dnarciso@dispatch.com @DeanNarciso This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kroger sued by family of man killed by security guard in January Hvaldimir, a domesticated beluga whale that has been spotted in Scandinavian waters for years, was seen last week off the coast of Sweden, prompting concern among researchers who worry he could be in danger, especially if people dont stay away from him. The highly sociable whale first gained fame in 2019, when he showed up in northern Norway wearing a harness, embossed with St. Petersburg equipment, that seemed designed to hold a camera. As a result, he captured the imagination of headline writers, who labeled him a Russian spy. But Hvaldimir, whose name is a combination of hval, the Norwegian word for whale, and Vladimir, is different from other whales. He seems to prefer people to other marine mammals, leading researchers to think that he had been domesticated. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Researchers said it was impossible to know for sure whether Hvaldimir had really been a spy whale, and no country has claimed him. Militaries have long used animals, including during the Cold War, when the Soviet navy trained dolphins for military use. The U.S. Navy has trained beluga whales to perform recovery operations and to find underwater mines. The harness that Hvaldimir was wearing, which was later removed by a fisherman in Norway, could be used to hold cameras or other tools. He also seemed to be interested in divers and collecting objects, according to Eve Jourdain, a marine biologist in Norway who started a feeding program to save Hvaldimir in 2019. I think theres evidence that the cameras he was wearing werent for nature photography, said Regina Crosby Haug, the founder of OneWhale, a crowdfunded organization that is dedicated to Hvaldimirs well-being. But researchers are wary of confirming Hvaldimirs spy status. We have no idea, said Martin Biuw, a marine mammal biologist for Norways Institute of Marine Research. What is clear is that Hvaldimir now seems to be lost and swimming in the wrong direction. And observers are uncertain about what should happen to him. Since 2019, Hvaldimir has made regular appearances in Norwegian waters, but he was seen last week in a small town off the coast of Sweden. Belugas are normally found in the Arctic, and his southward travels concern scientists, activists and other experts who worry that he may run out of food or face danger in warmer waters that will grow increasingly busy with people as summer begins. Hvaldimir has previously been injured by bumping into boats and their propellers, researchers said. The case also conjures the memory of Freya, a 1,300-pound walrus who was killed by Norwegian authorities last summer after they determined that she posed a risk to onlookers. Whereas Freya became famous for lounging in the sunshine on decks and wrecking boats, Hvaldimir wont do the same: Whales stay underwater. Swedish and Norwegian officials have not announced any plans to intervene in Hvaldimirs travels or to move him back to the Arctic, according to researchers. The Norwegian ministry of fisheries did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jourdain, the researcher, said she recently traveled to see Hvaldimir to check up on him. He looked great, she said. But that doesnt mean his condition isnt on the decline. The main worry, she said, is that Hvaldimir isnt getting enough to eat. I have no idea what he is feeding on and if he is feeding enough, Jourdain said. It is unclear why Hvaldimir is moving south. As a young male, its possible he is looking for a mate. He could also be searching for more food. You cant really read their body language, said Anna Bisther, a marine biologist who has worked with killer whales in Norway. Jourdain said: Hes an Arctic whale; he is not supposed to go south. He is a mystery. Its not the first time a beluga whale has accidentally found itself in unknown and dangerous territory. In August 2022, a malnourished beluga whale that had been stranded in the Seine river in Paris was euthanized after having trouble breathing while being removed from the river in an effort to return the animal to sea. In September 2018, a beluga whale appeared in the River Thames in London. That also means that its not clear what to do with Hvaldimir. Sending him to live with other beluga whales in the Arctic could be dangerous, because he isnt accustomed to being in the wild. Other belugas would probably welcome him, Haug said, because theyre extremely social animals, but the Arctic also has predators, such as orcas. We dont want to deliver an easy lunch to orcas by sending a tame whale who doesnt know any better, Haug said. Beluga whales are a protected species, with about 150,000 globally, and they arent interested in people as their food. But Hvaldimir, who is estimated to be about 14 feet long and weigh about 3,000 pounds, could be dangerous to humans because of his size. Do not invade his space; he can potentially be dangerous if he wants to be, Jourdain said. And we know what kind of ending that will lead to. c.2023 The New York Times Company WAYNE A construction company from Somerset County has sued the township, claiming that it was not fully paid for a multimillion-dollar job to replace sewer pumps at a facility on Dey Road. DeMaio Electrical Co. Inc., based in Hillsborough Township, was awarded a $2.1 million contract in September 2020 to install three new pumps. The 2,200-square-foot facility, known as the Lower Preakness Pumping Station, contains equipment that runs 24/7 to propel wastewater through 240-plus miles of sewers. The project hit a snag, according to a six-count lawsuit filed in state Superior Court in Paterson, when it was discovered that the pumps could not be installed as designed. The concrete foundation was too high by a half-inch not allowing the larger pumps to be put in without extra work, the lawsuit claims. BOARD OF EDUCATION: 'Scary' enrollment increase projected at Wayne elementary schools next year Most of the work, including lowering the foundation, was done by the end of December 2021, the lawsuit states. Within days, however, the townships third-party engineer found another issue. The engineer, South Hackensack-based Boswell Engineering Inc., directed DeMaio Electrical to remove the pumps, to correct the problem and to reinstall the pumps, the lawsuit claims. Even though the engineer and the pump manufacturer inspected the work and approved it, the lawsuit says, malfunctions continued to surface. In January, the Township Council passed a resolution to declare DeMaio Electrical in default on the contract. After the installation, it says, the pumps started making noise and started to leak. It was not fixed, the resolution says, and it remains a critical issue to the proper functioning of the station. Facade of Lower Preakness Pumping Station on Dey Road in Wayne. In April, the council passed a resolution to authorize an amendment to a prior deal with the engineer for design and oversight of work at the Lower Preakness facility and at a second facility not connected to the dispute with DeMaio Electrical a pumping station on Jacobus Avenue. The resolution states that due to problems at the Lower Preakness facility, a new construction company was hired, and more time was needed for inspection. Therefore, the agreement with the engineer was adjusted to $529,658. Meanwhile, the original contractor maintains that it is not to blame. DeMaio was not absent in its responsibilities, the lawsuit claims, working diligently to repair design issues that were no fault of its own, and expending significant time and resources, attempting to resolve the pump issues. DeMaio Electrical seeks compensatory damages of $345,133; that sum does not include interest. Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: devencentis@northjersey.com This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Wayne sued for breach of contract in $2.1M pump project The wait for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things will likely be longer than anybody had initially anticipated given the current writers strike, and Finn Wolfhard is just as eager as everyone else to learn the fate Hawkins and the characters who live there. Were pressing pause until the strike is figured out, Wolfhard said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly published on Monday, adding that hes antsy to start (filming) because Im a fan of the show first and foremost. Wolfhard has played the character Mike Wheeler since the supernatural 1980s-set thriller series first premiered in 2016. He said in the EW interview that hes excited to start filming the hit shows final season to just see where every characters journey takes them. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike on May 2 in an effort to seek better compensation and other concessions for screenwriters from studios and streaming companies. In November, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer teased that production on Season 5 was full steam ahead, with the first script already turned in and work happening on the second. (From left) Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, Charlie Heaton and Eduardo Franco in 'Stranger Things' Season 4. - Courtesy of Netflix Shortly after the strike began in May, the Duffer Brothers posted a statement on social media that writing does not stop when filming begins, therefore production is not possible until a deal is made. For Wolfhard, feelings about the end of the show are a bit of a mixed bag. Ive tried not to think about it or process how sad its gonna be, obviously, he said in Mondays interview, adding that he feels like the end is akin to a graduation of sorts for his castmates and a lot of the crew members who have been part of the production since day one. Stranger Things was Wolfhards first Hollywood breakout role alongside his co-stars Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin and Noah Schnapp, who were all kids when the series began. On the other hand, Wolfhard, who is now 20, says hes still excited to finish Stranger Things and see whats out there after. Hopefully, whats out there isnt a Demogorgon. CNNs Lisa Respers France contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com First Lady Zelenska breaks down in tears at unveiling of childrens memorial in Kharkiv Olena Zelenska In Kharkiv, the First Lady unveiled a monument dedicated to the children who have lost their lives due to Russian aggression. The monument was erected near the building of the Kharkiv Oblast Palace of Childrens and Youth Creativity, featuring a sculpture created by Mykhailo Yatchenko. It is challenging to inaugurate memorials for the deceased, especially when the victims are children because children are meant to live, said the First Lady. Read also: First Lady Zelenska shares quotes of children's letters to Saint Nicholas I recall a widely circulated photo: a father holding his deceased sons hand at a bus stop. It happened in Kharkiv after another Russian shelling attack. Such an image is unforgettable, and we cannot accept it. Parents hold their childrens hands when they take their first steps, when they lead them to kindergarten, to school. The most horrifying thing one can imagine is holding the hand of a deceased child. It should never happen. Children are meant to live! Our children are our responsibility. They depend on us; they trust us. If they are our future, then we are their present. Lets make it the best, safest, and most loving present, even during times of war. Read also: Zelenskyy meets with Mejlis representatives on Day of Remembrance of Crimean Tatar Genocide Victims And let us preserve the memory of those children whom this monument is dedicated to. Let us become their voices and their memory, Zelenska said, unable to hold back her tears. The monument consists of sculptures depicting a boy and a girl soaring above a granite block symbolizing an explosion. The figures of the children, portrayed as angels with charred wings, stand approximately 160-170 centimeters tall. As of May 30, in Kharkiv Oblast alone, 76 children have lost their lives due to the aggressors actions, with a total of 485 casualties throughout 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 FILE - Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks about the investigation into the death of Ronald Greene in Baton Rouge, La., Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. As of mid-2023, a bipartisan legislative committee that in 2022 demanded Bel Edwards testify about whether he was complicit in a cover-up over state troopers deadly 2019 arrest of Black motorist Ronald Greene has quietly fizzled away without hearing from the governor or issuing any findings. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton, File) BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Louisiana legislators who last year demanded answers from Gov. John Bel Edwards on whether he was complicit in a cover-up of state troopers deadly arrest of a Black motorist have quietly abandoned their work without hearing from the governor or issuing any findings. Lawmakers involved in the special committee probing the 2019 death of Ronald Greene offered an array of explanations, including election-year politics, concern the probe of state police wasnt playing well with Louisianas mostly conservative voters and even a lack of resources in the legislature. We only make $17,000 a year, and as much as I want to get to the heart of the Ronald Greene matter for justice, I also want my kids to have dinner tonight, said state Rep. Tanner Magee, a Republican who chaired the bipartisan panel and ran unsuccessfully last year for a state judgeship. Were not the feds with unlimited resources, Magee said. Behind the facade, its a Mickey Mouse organization trying to do its best. Republican House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, who launched the panel and is now running for secretary of state, said lawmakers ultimately decided to take a back seat to a U.S. Justice Department investigation that predated the committees formation by two years. And he accused the second-term Democratic governor of declining to participate. Edwards recently told reporters he would still be willing to testify about his handling of the Greene case but added there wouldnt be anything new to be gained. For Greenes mother, Mona Hardin, who last month marked the fourth anniversary of her sons May 10, 2019, death, its another disappointment in a long wait for justice. A state grand jury late last year brought the first charges in the case, indicting five law enforcement officers on counts ranging from negligent homicide to obstruction. But the Justice Department still has not indicated whether it will bring federal charges following a yearslong civil rights investigation. Hardin says the abandoned legislative inquiry cuts deeper because of the hope and spotlight it promised. No matter where you turn theres nobody who can be trusted, she said. Im bothered more than anything that everyone can just continue on their merry way. Greenes death at the end of a high-speed chase in rural northeast Louisiana was shrouded in secrecy from the beginning, when troopers told grieving relatives and put in initial reports that the 49-year-old died in a car crash an account questioned by both his family and an emergency room doctor who examined his battered body. But it would take 464 days before the Louisiana State Police opened an internal probe, and officials from Edwards on down refused for more than two years to release the troopers body-camera video. That all changed in May 2021 when The Associated Press obtained and published the footage that showed troopers stunning, punching and dragging Greene by his ankle shackles as he wailed, Im your brother! Im scared! Im scared! It showed the heavyset Greene forced to stay face-down on the ground for nine minutes before he eventually went limp. One trooper was later captured on video admitting in a phone call to a colleague that he beat the ever-living f--- out of him. Lawmakers began looking into Edwards role early last year after an AP investigation found he had been informed in a text from the state police within hours of Greenes death that troopers engaged in a violent, lengthy struggle, yet the governor stayed mostly silent on the case for more than two years as the state police he oversees continued to press the car crash theory. Another AP report found that Edwards in 2020 privately watched a key body-camera video of Greenes deadly arrest six months before state prosecutors say they knew it even existed, and neither the governor, his staff nor the state police acted urgently to get the footage into the hands of those with the power to bring charges. Fellow Democrats on the Legislative Black Caucus berated Edwards behind closed doors over his handling of the case, and GOP leader Schexnayder invoked the language of impeachment from the outset of the probe, saying the governors actions would demonstrate gross misconduct. But Edwards has repeatedly said he did nothing to influence or hinder the Greene investigation and eventually described the troopers actions on the video as both criminal and racist. He also said there was no way he could have known that the footage he privately watched in 2020 had not already been turned over to prosecutors. After initially dismissing the legislative inquiry as a witch hunt, Edwards agreed to cooperate and testify. Lawmakers postponed his first scheduled testimony last June due to a special legislative session. When the committee invited the governor to testify again at its last meeting in November, it gave him only a few days notice and Edwards instead attended an out-of-town ribbon-cutting ceremony. Since then, Edwards hasnt received another invitation, his spokesman told AP, and the committee never made any requests for documents from us. Schexnayder acknowledged there were no plans for the committee to meet again and he seemed resigned to move on. Our role was to be a voice for the people who were demanding a fair and unbiased investigation of the matter, he said. I believe that mission was accomplished. Lost in the demise of the committee is that its handful of hearings elicited testimony that revealed several new details and expanded the ongoing criminal investigations. A state police supervisor told the committee he had been instructed by superiors not to turn over body-camera footage to prosecutors, the agencys own use-of-force expert described Greenes death as torture and murder, and detectives testified they were pressured by commanders to hold off on arresting the trooper who boasted of beating Greene and was seen on body-camera video striking him in the head. But perhaps the most significant revelation came when a state police official admitted he had sanitized the cellphones of former State Police Superintendent Kevin Reeves and two other top commanders who retired amid the FBI investigation of Greenes death. That testimony prompted the states internal watchdog to subpoena information about all three officials iCloud accounts, according to court filings. Federal authorities also examined the cellphone wiping as part of their investigation into whether state police brass obstructed justice, according to law enforcement officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing inquiry. We uncovered a lot of things the general public did not know, but there needs to be some accountability, said state Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, a Baton Rouge Democrat who served on the committee. I dont know that we actually got to the bottom of what happened and I dont think the mother got the answers she was looking for. I think there was a cover-up, and the question becomes: Who is going to look at this any further? The committees death by legislative neglect is especially unsettling for people of color, whose trust in the state police was shattered by Greenes death and the years of delays in anyone being held to account for it, said Silas Lee, a political analyst at Xavier University of Louisiana. Even if Edwards escaped the limelight, Lee said, the governor can hardly claim a political victory because there are so many unanswered questions about his handling of the case. This isnt going to go away just because its not happening now, he said. This chapter may be coming to an end, but there are still a few others beyond the control and influence of state and local government. ___ Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org. Mar a Lago resort - AP Photo An employee at Donald Trumps at Mar-a-Lago resort reportedly flooded a room storing surveillance video logs, one in a string of suspicious incidents surrounding a classified documents probe. The former US presidents Florida resort was raided by the FBI last summer when investigators recovered around 300 classified documents, including US secrets that may have come from human spies, from the property. The raid was part of a federal investigation into Mr Trumps retention of classified documents after leaving the White House in 2017. Two months later, as prosecutors sought surveillance footage to track how the records were moved around the resort, a room where computer servers containing surveillance video logs were kept was flooded. CNN reported on Monday that a staff member at Mar-a-Lago was draining the resorts pool and managed to cause the flood last October. However, the IT equipment in the room was not damaged, according to the network. It is unclear if the room was flooded intentionally, but it is reportedly one in a series of events that federal prosecutors found suspicious. The circumstances, along with conversations and actions by other Trump staff as the criminal investigation honed in on the Florida resort have caught the attention of prosecutors, according to CNN. Prosecutors have questioned at least one witness about the flood. Trump documents - Getty The Justice Department is in the final stages of an investigation into whether Mr Trump, 76, broke the law by removing government records, some containing the nations most closely guarded secrets. The inquiry is being led by special counsel Jack Smith, who is also investigating whether Mr Trump or his associates obstructed their efforts to investigate his retention of government records. The Justice Department has previously stated in court that it believes government records were likely concealed and removed from the Storage Room. Officials first demanded access to surveillance footage from Mar-a-Lago before the FBI raid last August. Investigators sought more footage as more classified documents were later discovered, CNN reported. Donald Trump - Getty Prosecutors for Mr Smith are reportedly examining the handling of surveillance logs and discussions Mr Trumps staff had about them after they demanded it last summer. A spokesman for Mr Trump and a lawyer representing the maintenance worker involved in the flooding did not respond to CNNs request for comment. Mr Trump has previously denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he declassified all documents in his possession. A spokesman for his 2024 campaign has previously condemned the investigation as a political persecution. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Florida has joined nine other states in a federal lawsuit challenging an overhaul of the National Flood Insurance Program, asserting the new system is flawed and will drive up annual premiums for many property owners. The lawsuit, led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, was filed Thursday in the federal Eastern District of Louisiana against defendants including the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It came after the program changes, which were phased in starting in 2021, became fully effective April 1. The program plays a major role for Florida residents, many of whom are required to have flood insurance because of home mortgages. A document in the lawsuit said the program includes about 1.4 million Florida policies, with total coverage of nearly $367 billion. Louisiana, Florida and the other states are challenging the new system, known as Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, that changed the methodology for determining flood-insurance prices. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges the system improperly considers hypothetical future risks and doesnt properly account for mitigation projects to protect properties from flood damage. While the agency (Federal Emergency Management Agency) paints a picture of nuanced calculations using massive data repositories that reveal a propertys individualized risks, the reality is much simpler: Flood insurance is going to be much more expensive for pretty much everybody, the lawsuit said. A section of the lawsuit that focused on Florida said high insurance rates will cause people to leave the state of Florida because they can no longer afford to live in the state. In addition, it will depress property values, particularly in areas where flood insurance is required. But FEMA said on its website that the revamped system takes into account more variables that affect flooding and will result in rates that are actuarially sound, equitable, easier to understand and better reflect a propertys flood risk. Also, for example, it said the previous system did not account for the costs of rebuilding homes. Policyholders with lower-valued homes may have been paying more than their share of the risk while policyholders with higher-valued homes may have been paying less than their share of the risk, the agency said. Risk Rating 2.0 was not just a minor improvement, but a transformational leap forward for the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program). Attorney General Ashley Moodys office signed on to the lawsuit for Florida. Along with Louisiana, other plaintiffs are Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and numerous local governments in Louisiana. The 146-page lawsuit makes a series of allegations, including that federal officials violated a law known as the Administrative Procedure Act by making changes that were arbitrary and capricious. As part of that argument, it pointed to the FEMAs consideration of climate change, which it said does not relate to the risk a property actually faces today. Equity in Action uses catastrophe modeling, which takes into account future hypothetical events, including hypothetical events resulting from climate change, the lawsuit said. The agency does not disclose what these hypothetical events are, nor does the agency explain how the hypothetical events change based on hypothetical future climate activity. The lawsuit, in part, seeks an injunction against the new system and a requirement that federal officials disclose the methodology and data that have been used. On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: New Florida law limits transgender adults' access to health care. Plus, USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison looks at concerns that the debt ceiling crisis could set a worrying precedent in Washington, an investigation reveals the cause of a devastating train crash in India, USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise says robots are coming to farms, and Saudi Arabia will reduce how much oil it sends to the global economy. 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 Monday, the 5th of June 2023. Today, how a new law affects transgender healthcare in Florida. Plus why some are worried that the debt ceiling crisis set a new precedent in Washington, and we're learning more about the devastating train crash in India. A new law that presidential candidate and Governor Ron DeSantis signed last month in Florida has made it difficult, and in some cases impossible, for transgender adults to receive gender-affirming healthcare in the state. A law that bans gender-affirming care for minors also mandates that adult patients seeking trans healthcare sign an informed consent form, and it requires a physician to oversee any healthcare related to transitioning and get people to see that doctor in person. Another new law allows doctors and pharmacists to refuse to treat transgender people. One Orlando area resident told the AP he lost access to his treatment when the clinic that prescribed him hormone replacement therapy stopped providing gender-affirming care altogether. The laws have made some trans Floridians rethink their futures in the state. Florida has the second largest population of transgender adults in the US according to the Williams Institute at UCLA Law. That number is estimated at around 95,000 people. The debt ceiling crisis is over for now. President Joe Biden signed legislation on Saturday to lift the nation's debt ceiling and avoid a potentially catastrophic default, but not before weeks of wrangling from both sides of the political aisle and a number of concessions that neither side was thrilled with. And the chaos raised concerns that this could become a new Washington norm. USA TODAY White House Correspondent Joey Garrison explains. Joey, back again. Thanks for hopping on the podcast. Joey Garrison: Yeah, thanks for having me, Taylor. Taylor Wilson: Democratic lawmakers, legal scholars and others are worried that debt ceiling standoffs could become the norm to set partisan policy. Joey, what are their specific concerns? Joey Garrison: Well, I think there's a general consensus among many out there, and especially on the Democratic side, that this just isn't a good way to govern. This isn't a good way to pass policies that wouldn't normally be able to pass Congress in a divided government. And by that, I mean Republican backed policies - the spending cuts, the expanded work requirements, the expedited drilling reform for oil and gas projects - none of those would've normally been able to pass the House and Senate. But they passed this time because of the threat of a default that was hanging over their heads. And President Biden at the beginning said he wasn't going to negotiate over the debt ceiling. He effectively did by negotiating in parallel talks about budget priorities. And I think many questioned whether this is a good precedent to set going forward, that debt ceiling under this deal that averted the default, kicks the can down the road in terms of raising the debt ceiling through the end into 2024. So the question is, are we going to be in a repeat scenario here in 2025 where we're looking at this same sort of situation that I think, yeah, most people don't think it was really great for the country. Taylor Wilson: And yeah, you mentioned 2025. How likely are we to see another standoff on this in a couple of years time? Or does this just all depend on the elections of a few months before that? Joey Garrison: Well, yeah, you hit it right there. I mean, so what they did is they, and this wasn't by accident here, this gets kicked down past the presidential election. So let's suppose for the sake of kind of exploring this exercise that we have the same signup right now of Biden in the White House and a Republican House and Democratic Senate, McCarthy proved he could use this situation to squeeze out certain concessions from the president here. So I think that they would probably try to do that again. Flipping this, the coin, and let's suppose down the road you have a Republican president and a Democratic House. Could Democrats use this as a lesson? Maybe we need to play hardball when it comes to the next debt ceiling moment to raise it and say, hey, we're going to use this period to push rolling back the Trump tax cuts of 2017, for example. That can be a policy item. Again, that normally wouldn't pass on a up and down vote through a divided Congress. But with this debt ceiling issue, and again, the party out of control of the White House has the leverage here, because the president is the one who takes the bigger political hit here. Democrats are pushing. They would like to eliminate it all together legislatively, but they don't have the votes to do that in Congress. But really, a lot of people who follow politics don't think, and even a lot of Republicans, I don't think, think that this is the healthiest way to pass partisan policy. Taylor Wilson: Joey, President Joe Biden mentioned the 14th Amendment a lot during this last debt ceiling fight. He said he even wants to take it to court. What's the latest on that and what do legal experts say about that strategy? Joey Garrison: President Biden at one point said he thinks, flatly said that he believes that gives him the authority to prevent a default unilaterally, by arguing that the 14th Amendment means that the debt ceiling is unconstitutional. And basically the legal theorists who point to this as an argument, there's a clause in the 14th Amendment that says "The validity of the public debt of the US shall not be questioned." Ultimately, Biden reached a deal with House Republicans and McCarthy. But still on multiple occasions, he said he wants to explore taking that 14th Amendment argument to court before the next time the debt ceiling, the debt limit, is maxed out by the end of 2024. But talking to experts on this, it would perhaps be problematic. They don't see really a legal mechanism for him to do that without the threat of a default right now. I mean, you have to have legal grounds, you have to have standing to bring the case. And without that immediate threat of going to default, where's the case essentially? And so Biden has confused many who follow this closely in terms of what he actually means in terms of taking a look at this months down the road. Taylor Wilson: All right, Joey Garrison, thanks as always. Joey Garrison: Hey, thanks a lot. Taylor Wilson: A preliminary investigation into Friday's devastating train crash in India found that the tragedy stemmed from an error in the country's electronic signaling system. Senior railway official Jaya Verma Sinha said the tragedy began when a signal was initially given to the high speed express train to run on the main track line. But the signal changed, sending it into a loop line where it slammed into a freight train carrying iron ore. 275 people were killed in the crash. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has been working to modernize and improve safety in India's rail network, which is the largest under one management in the world. Still several hundred accidents occur every year on the country's railways. Robots are coming to farms, and in some cases they're already here. I spoke with USA TODAY National Correspondent Elizabeth Weise on how new technology is changing agriculture and what that means for farmers. Welcome back to 5 Things, Beth. Elizabeth Weise: Thanks so much. Taylor Wilson: You wrote that robots are coming to America's farms. What kind of technology are we talking about here, Beth? Elizabeth Weise: So they're already on the farms a little bit, but a lot more are coming. This really ranges in the Midwest. I mean, we've already got super smart, expensive tractors that basically can drive themselves. If you sit in the cab, you run the combine or the tiller through your field and it follows the line of the row. I was just down in Salinas and Watsonville in California and got to see these amazing machines that basically, they've got lidar and these very precise cameras. And they use strobe lights so they can look down in the field at each individual plant, figure out where the plant is, and then they've got little, they look like Edward Scissorhands really. They've got these little scissors that dig in the dirt everywhere but where the plant is. So they're getting all the weeds around the plant while they're leaving the plant by itself. So it's this whole gamut. And then I was just talking to a guy this week at USDA, and they're building an image repository of every weed species in the species in the United States, and they're going to put it out there so that companies can then go pour that into their machines so that their machines suddenly can recognize, oh, that's a weed. Like there's not a lot of that, and it's only in northern Idaho. But now I can use this robot wheat cutter in Northern Idaho because it can see that. Taylor Wilson: And Beth, we hear this concept of machine learning a lot these days, thinking of chatbots, some other AI technologies, what exactly does that mean in the context of agriculture? Elizabeth Weise: So for Ag, and the USDA has this huge project on it, basically machine learning is you have to look at a whole bunch of different - for visual systems, which is what these are - you have to look at tens of thousands of pictures of something so that the computer can start to develop models so we can distinguish between them. And so I can't just show this AI program, okay, here's a corn plant and here's a dandelion. Now go out into the field and kill all the dandelions and don't hurt the corn. I need to show it 10,000 pictures of corn when it's just sprouted and corn when it's a little higher in corn when it's knee-high to a grasshopper. And I need corn that grows in Maryland and corn that grows in Kansas, and I need dent corn, and I need sweet corn. You need enormous image libraries, and that's what USDA, the Department of Agriculture, is busy building up for US agriculture. So they've got this army of scientists who have spread out across 26 states, and they're taking pictures of all of these plants and weeds at different stages of their lives. That's what machine learning takes, and that's, we've got it for people because of course, we've got so many uploaded images on the web that are tagged. They also have to be tagged. You can't just upload a picture of corn. You have to say, "This is dent corn that is six weeks old, that is growing in northwestern Kansas." Taylor Wilson: And one of the biggest concerns we hear about robots and AI, and this goes back years into science fiction, is that this could obliterate jobs and actually mean bad news for humans. Is that the case with agriculture, Beth? Or can this technology really coexist alongside farmers instead of replacing them? Elizabeth Weise: So that was my first question, and actually before I even embarked on this story, I called the United Farm Workers because I wanted to know what they thought. These are the jobs they depend on. And it was interesting because on the one hand, they said, "Yeah, we don't think it's going to happen anytime soon," but on the other hand, they said, "Yeah, we're fine with it because we are a very long ways away from anybody being able to run a farm with no employees entirely off of an iPad. You may have three robots out in the field, but you got to have somebody in that field with an iPad looking at it, making sure that everything is going fine." What farmers say and what the unions say is those jobs which are much less backbreaking and require more education and will be better paid than are more highly skilled, those are the jobs everybody wants. And when I was in the fields down in Salinas, the farmers kept saying, "Our workforce is aging out. But if you make it a more technological and less backbreaking job, then we'll be able to hire people." So it's going to be fewer people, hopefully better paid and less physically taxing and more interesting. Taylor Wilson: All right, Elizabeth Weise, thanks as always. Elizabeth Weise: You're so welcome. Taylor Wilson: Saudi Arabia will cut back on how much oil it sends overseas. The step will hike the sagging price of crude oil after two previous cuts to supply by major producing countries in the OPEC+Alliance failed to push oil higher. The latest move is expected to slightly inch prices higher in the United States, though the full extent isn't yet clear. That Saudi Arabia thought another cut was necessary undermines the uncertain outlook for demand for fuel in the months ahead. There are concerns about economic weakness in the US and Europe while China's rebound from COVID-19 restrictions has been less robust than many had hoped. And before I go, today is World Environment Day. The UN initiative encourages awareness and action to help protect our environment. Thanks for listening to 5 Things. If you like the show, please subscribe and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. And if you have any comments, you can reach us at podcasts@usatoday.com. I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fla. law affects transgender adults, robots on farms: 5 Things podcast State regulators have approved proposals by two property insurers to take as many as 26,000 policies from the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., Floridas largest home insurer. Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky last week signed orders that would allow Slide Insurance Co. to take as many as 25,000 policies from Citizens starting in August and Loggerhead Reciprocal Interinsurance Exchange to take as many as 1,000 policies. Citizens has seen explosive growth during the past two years as private insurers have dropped customers, raised rates and, in some cases, gone insolvent because of financial problems. Citizens had 1.3 million policies as of May 26. Many state leaders have for several years sought to move policies from Citizens into the private market, in part because of financial risks if Florida is hit by major hurricanes. Under a law passed in December, Citizens policyholders will be required to accept offers of coverage from private insurers if the offers are within 20% of the cost of Citizens annual premiums. Lawmakers approved that change because Citizens often charges less than private insurers. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. A second plane full of migrants from the Texas border landed in Sacramento on Monday, leading California officials to escalate allegations that the DeSantis administration has resumed its controversial relocation program. Although the flights are receiving national attention, Florida officials, by and large, are staying silent about any potential involvement while Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has been campaigning in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. That silence, though, has not stopped Californias Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from attacking DeSantis about the flights. The recent round of transports to Sacramento are similar to the ones the DeSantis administration facilitated last fall to Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts. California officials are investigating the flights and have suggested that Florida officials could be involved in kidnapping. [Ron DeSantis] you small, pathetic man, Newsom wrote in a tweet Monday. This isn't Martha's Vineyard. Kidnapping charges? Newsom also posted to Twitter a snippet of Californias criminal code, which states anyone who transports someone by fraud to the state is guilty of kidnapping. The flight carrying some 20 people landed at a small Sacramento airport around lunchtime Monday, marking the second time the same plane touched down in California carrying migrants since Friday, according to officials with the California attorney general's office. California authorities said the Monday flight was likely orchestrated by Vertol Systems, the same company that carried out the trip to Sacramento last week and the one last year to Marthas Vineyard. With both California flights, the migrants arrived toting documents pointing to Floridas involvement in the cross-country trips, state officials said. Officials with the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the state agency responsible for overseeing the relocation program, have not responded to questions about the latest flights and the DeSantis administration has also been silent since the migrants landed in California. Vertol Systems has not yet responded to requests for comment. The most recent flight to Sacramento landed on the same day a sheriff's office in Texas recommended charges be brought in connection with the migrant flights to Marthas Vineyard. The Bexar County Sheriffs Office stated Monday that it completed its criminal case into the flights and the county district attorney is reviewing the case. The prosecutor will be responsible for pressing charges, if appropriate. The investigation was announced last year by Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, an elected Democrat. One migrant who landed in California Monday told the New York Times that he was approached in El Paso by two men and two women offering a trip to California and connections for work. Wilkendri Rodriguez, 23, said he agreed after surviving the harrowing trek to Texas from Venezuela, where he was supposedly extorted by criminals. The group allegedly traveled from El Paso through New Mexico until eventually reaching Sacramento. I dont know what is their motivation to organize these trips, Rodriguez told the New York Times in Spanish. I dont know if its political, or part of the government. They didnt tell us anything. At the hotel, they would tell us, if you want to go, go, or stay. Nobody is being obligated. And here we are. In the face of critics, DeSantis has maintained that Floridas controversial migrant flights are a way to protest the open border immigration policies of President Joe Biden. Frequent political adversaries, DeSantis and the Biden administration are currently entangled in a legal battle as Florida claims the feds are ignoring federal immigration laws. DeSantis is one of several governors or city leaders who have transported migrants alongside Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, who bused thousands of migrants from his state to Democrat-led cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago and NYC, and New York Mayor Eric Adams, who also transported migrants outside of his city. But DeSantis is also armed with millions of dollars in state cash to shuttle migrants who never stepped foot in Florida. The states GOP-controlled Legislature in 2022 gave DeSantis $12 million to operate the migrant relocation program and another $12 million this year in the Legislatures latest immigration bill. State records suggested that the company that operated the first round of flights was paid $1.56 million for the work. Although more flights were planned, the Marthas Vineyard flights were the only ones to reach their destination, leaving most of the relocation money banked. Democrats attempted to draw attention to the cost of the program Monday while continuing to bash the DeSantis administration on immigration. They claimed the flights, although not confirmed to be led by Florida, are presidential campaign stunts. These migrant flights are borderline human trafficking, and everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves, Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried said in a statement. Vulnerable people are being coerced and deceived into these programs without knowing theres no plan on how to care for them. Its cruel and inhumane. Lara Korte and Gary Fineout contributed to this report. Footage of a YouTuber saying she canceled an adoption because she wouldn't be able to film the child has resurfaced, shocking viewers Nikki Phillippi is a lifestyle vlogger with 1.2 million subscribers. Screenshot from YouTube Old footage of an influencer explaining why she won't adopt a child from Thailand has resurfaced. Nikki Phillippi said she stopped the adoption after finding out she could not film the child for YouTube. The resurfaced video has led to a renewed backlash against Phillippi and her husband Dan. Footage of lifestyle and family influencer Nikki Phillippi saying she and her husband were halting their adoption plans is resurfacing on social media and leading to a renewed backlash against the couple. Nikki Phillippi is a YouTuber with 1.2 million subscribers who typically posts vlogs documenting her life with her husband Dan and son Logan, who is now three years old. In a 2018 YouTube video, Nikki and Dan said they were hoping to adopt a child from Thailand but were told that the agency's policies would prohibit them from sharing content about the child on social media for a year. In the full video on YouTube, they also said they were unhappy about the length of the adoption process, as it would take a year to finalize, and added that they didn't want to cause "harm or repercussions to other people, and an entire organization for that matter" if they broke the social-media rule. On May 31, a short segment of the video was reuploaded on TikTok by an account that often posts old footage of big influencer controversies. "Does anybody remember this? She still has over a million subscribers on YouTube," a caption on the TikTok, which received 5 million views, read. In the video, Nikki said, "Here's the situation, Thailand has its own law that's unique to it that after you pick up your child and they are your child you are not allowed to talk about them or share any images, photos, videos, anything about them online for a year." Dan added, "I mean, Nikki's got a YouTube channel, we share a whole lot." "When that hit, we literally were like, 'What?'" Nikki said. The TikTok has also gone viral on Twitter, where the clip was reuploaded and received an additional 12 million views, and a number of Twitter users said they thought the YouTuber and her husband intended to "exploit" the adopted child for "views" and clout. This is not the first time the clip has resurfaced and caused backlash. In 2021, the video was also uploaded on Twitter and went viral in response to a controversy around the Phillippis putting down their dog, which led to accusations of animal cruelty and resulted in online users discussing old controversies the influencer was involved in. Holt International, the adoption agency that the Phillippis said they worked with at the time, told Insider in an email in May 2021 that the social-media policy is part of Thai adoption law, which restricts the release of an "adopted child's information, photos, videos and films to mass media or Internet before finalization by Thai Law." Nikki Phillippi did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment at the time, or a renewed request for comment regarding the latest backlash to the clip. kie | VI DAY (@criminalplaza) June 1, 2023 Influencers are increasingly receiving backlash over concerns about the ethics of filming young children. Family vloggers have previously been accused of exploitation for posting videos of their children, due to concerns about whether those children can consent to being filmed. Some parents have deliberately chosen not to spotlight their kids on the internet as a result. In May 2022, the UK's Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee released a report expressing concern that child content creators are "being used by parents and family members as a source of revenue, affecting their privacy and creating security risks." Meanwhile, in March, the French National Assembly approved draft legislation to protect children's rights to their own images. For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here. Read the original article on Insider Former FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who was convicted of spying for Russia, dies in prison WASHINGTON Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent who took more than $1.4 million in cash and diamonds to trade secrets with Moscow in one of the most notorious spying cases in American history, died in prison Monday. Hanssen, 79, was found unresponsive in his cell at a federal prison in Florence, Colorado, and later pronounced dead, prison officials said. He is believed to have died of natural causes, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of Hanssens death and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. He had been serving a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole since 2002, after pleading guilty to 15 counts of espionage and other charges. Hanssen had divulged a wealth of information about American intelligence-gathering, including extensive detail about how U.S. officials had tapped into Russian spy operations, since at least 1985. He was believed to have been partly responsible for the deaths of at least three Soviet officers who were working for U.S. intelligence and executed after being exposed. He got more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds, diamonds and Rolex watches in exchange for providing highly classified national security information to the Soviet Union and later Russia. He didnt adopt an obviously lavish lifestyle, instead living in a modest suburban home in Virginia with his family of six children and driving a Taurus and minivan. Hanssen would later say he was motivated by money rather than ideology, but a letter written to his Soviet handlers in 1985 explains a large payoff could have caused complications because he could not spend it without setting off warning bells. Using the alias Ramon Garcia, he passed some 6,000 documents and 26 computer disks to his handlers, authorities said. They detailed eavesdropping techniques, helped to confirm the identity of Russian double agents, and spilled other secrets. Officials also believed he tipped off Moscow to a secret tunnel the Americans built under the Soviet Embassy in Washington for eavesdropping. He went undetected for years, but later investigations found missed red flags. After he became the focus of a hunt for a Russian mole, Hanssen was caught taping a garbage bag full of secrets to the underside of a footbridge in a park in a dead drop for Russian handlers. The story was made into a movie titled Breach in 2007, staring Chris Cooper as Hanssen and Ryan Phillippe as a young bureau operative who helps bring him down. The FBI has been notified of Hanssens death, according to the Bureau of Prisons. This former Holy Ghost Prep student wanted revenge, police say. Here is what happened. A former student at a private all-Boy Catholic school in Bensalem is facing a felony threat charge after he allegedly posted a video on social media threatening his former classmates and the school. Christian DiFlorio, 30, was arraigned Thursday on a charge of terroristic threats for reportedly posting a video on his Instagram account April 17 telling his former classmates he was coming for you, and telling them to find God fast because he will find them, according to a probable cause affidavit. In the video, authorities said the name of Holy Ghost Preparatory High School was prominently displayed in the upper right hand corner of the video. More Bensalem crime news "What you did was ruthless." Bucks County judge sentences man in coworker's revenge killing A Bensalem detective alerted school officials about the post, and when staff reviewed the schools Instagram page they found the same video had been forwarded to them from a concerned citizen. As a result the school went into a 2 hour lockdown, which included stationing school staff at each campus entrance and increasing police presence on campus, according to the school. The lockdown was lifted after the detective learned DiFlorio was in Miami. When police contacted DiFlorio, he admitted to making the post and began to ramble about how he was mistreated by classmates while in high school, the affidavit said. DiFlorio allegedly admitted he intended to humiliate his classmates publicly via national news, but he denied intending to harm anyone. When pushed about the post he said, "they all deserve it, police said. DiFlorio is a 2011 graduate of Holy Ghost, according to school spokesman William Doherty. He was extradited from Florida and remains in Bucks County Jail on $950,000 bail. He had no legal representation listed as of Monday. More Bensalem business news 'They simply walked,' Bensalem mayor says of Amazon Fresh plan; ponders what's next More on the Bristol Lion's Park murder Is Bristol murder suspect cold-blooded killer or abused wife? What neighbors, records say. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Former Holy Ghost Prep student accused of making threats. What he said. Former NC slave plantation may get money for transition. One group says its too early Mecklenburg Countys plan to fund the restoration of a former slave plantation as an educational site could be premature, the president of the countys historical association says. The 2023-2024 budget which starts July 1 and is expected to be approved Tuesday includes $128,000 for archaeological research and cultural analysis as well as a facility manager for a site now called Latta Place. But Sarah Sue Hardinger, president of the Mecklenburg Historical Association, said county leaders may be making a move too soon. The budget vote is likely to happen before commissioners hear public feedback from meetings already held by the countys parks and recreation department in February and March Local history cannot be painted with a broad brush, Hardinger told The Charlotte Observer. A senior recreation facility manager of a historic site needs to respect this perspective and proactively include local historians in most decisions, so hiring for this position without the report would be premature. Commissioner Elaine Powell, who represents north Mecklenburg and serves as the boards vice chair, said its too early in the process to comment on the project, but pointed out the three public meetings and a survey the county has conducted. Community input is paramount and we have really done back handsprings to make sure that its included, Powell said. A parks department spokesperson told the Observer to check back in a month when they expect to receive a consultants report from those meetings and an online survey. The site was renamed in 2022 to remove plantation from its name. It closed after organizers promoted a racist Juneteenth event the same year. County officials are working with Virginia-based Design Minds, Inc., to create a new blueprint that would include a more complete story of life on the plantation with exhibits showing the lasting impact of slavery in Mecklenburg County. Local NAACP President Corine Mack has been involved with a group of community partners and county manager Dena Diorio. Theyve visited more than a dozen restored plantations around the country. Macks main concern isnt including public comment, but ensuring the county gets it right. The fact that Dena Diorio has put aside her time to be personally present has been so important because her presence told all the employees of Mecklenburg County that this is important, Mack said. We gotta get this right, especially in light of the fact that weve seen such racist sentiment across the country. Mack believes the county needs an exhibit showing the full experience of enslaved Africans on the plantation, something that shows the extent of the trauma for people to understand and learn from. The Mecklenburg Historical Association is not involved with the project, Hardinger said, but she asked the county to consult local historians going forward. It is a good use of time to be reviewing existing information, but if the county starts to take action without taking the consultants report into consideration, then I would be concerned, Hardinger said. Hardinger, Mack and other community members support having interpreters at the site in addition to signage and recorded tours to ensure that complete, nuanced history is told. Exploring options for Lattas future An initial master plan for Latta Place shows options that include living history exhibits, a research center and in-person interpretation. One option presented in the design shows a new visitors center, new replica slave dwellings and a gazebo. Another design option shows a smaller visitors center, public art and expanded parking. The final design option shows no new visitors center with exhibits added in existing historical structures. Based on community feedback Hardinger heard at the meeting she attended, the report should contain expressions of a strong feelings about having the main house open often, she said. Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Director Lee Jones earlier this year said it is likely the result will be a blended fourth option from community feedback. Historical site closed since 2021 The sites history dates back 1800 when James Latta built a home on the 742-acre plantation. At one point, he owned 34 enslaved people who harvested cotton on the land, according to Sankofas Slavery Data Collection, a database created by a New York-based librarian. In June 2021, the plantation which is owned by the county but managed by a nonprofit offering history and education programs promoted an event sympathetic to those who owned slaves in the wake of the Civil War, the Observer previously reported. The event was timed to Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the emancipation of slaves in the United States. But it referred to freed slaves as former bondsmen. The event description promised to tell the story of white refugees and defeated Confederate soldiers while inaccurately minimizing an unnamed slaveowner to an overseer and referred to him as massa. After the event, the county did not renew its contract with the nonprofit who hosted it, but the site has sat unused since then. Mack said the county is trying and succeeding in going about things the right way I think its important that every resident in Mecklenburg and in North Carolina visits Latta Place and takes time to understand that these people and they were people experienced deep trauma, Mack said. Editors Note: If you know or suspect that anyone under 18 is being sexually or physically abused, call the Texas child abuse hotline at 1-800-252-5400. To learn more about how to identify signs of child abuse or neglect, click here. A school district superintendent, with previous ties to districts in Electra and Vernon, has been arrested in a child sex-ring sting operation. No caption Michael Stevens was arrested Thursday in Itasca, south of Dallas, after allegedly having sex-related communications with an undercover officer in Houston who was posing online as a 15-year-old girl. CBS News reported Stevens was one of seven people arrested in the sting. The report said Stevens, most recently superintendent at Itasca ISD, was arrested Thursday at Itasca High School. Harris County Constable Alan Rosen said Stevens sent photos of his private parts to the investigator and asked for nude images and videos in return, according to the report. Some of Stevens' photos appeared to be taken in his office, Rosen said. The report said Stevens was planning to go to Houston and engage in sex acts with the person he thought was a 15-year-old girl before he was arrested. Before taking the job in Itasca, Stevens was school principal in Electra beginning in 2014 and prior to that worked as assistant principal at Vernon High School. He is charged with online solicitation of a minor. A judge set his bail at $100,000. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Former North Texas educator busted in child sex sting Former Oklahoma corrections officer sentenced in contraband scheme A judge's gavel sits atop a sound block, with the faded backdrop of cursive writing from historic documents. A former Oklahoma correctional officer has been ordered to prison time for accepting bribes to smuggle contraband. A federal judge on June 1 sentenced Ty Craig, 25, of Hunter, to serve 13 months in prison for accepting more than $5,000 in bribes in exchange for smuggling cellphones, marijuana and methamphetamine into James Crabtree Correctional Center in Helena, a medium-security state prison. Craig pleaded guilty March 1 in Oklahoma City federal court. Court documents show the illegal conduct occurred in 2020 through April 2021. Following his prison sentence, Craig must also serve two years probation. U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton ordered Craig to forfeit the cash bribes he received. Contraband, drugs a consistent problem in Oklahoma prison system For years, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections has reported cellphone and drug smuggling problems. From 2011 to 2019, ODOC confiscated more than 48,500 illegal cellphones. Inmates use illegal phones to run criminal operations within and outside the prison system. More: Oklahoma prison system overwhelmed by contraband cellphones Illegal drugs have also posed a problem for the Oklahoma prison system. In a high-profile case in November 2020, death row inmate Albert Ray Johnson smuggled drugs into his new cell at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, after being moved from the maximum restriction H-Unit. Johnson, 52, was found dead on his bunk bed. An autopsy report listed his probable cause of death as acute intoxication by methamphetamine. Heart problems contributed to his death, according to the report. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Former Oklahoma prison guard sentenced in contraband scheme Deputies with the Mason County Sheriffs Office arrested a former Shelton High School counselor on Friday, June 2, on a series of charges. The counselor was booked into the county jail on suspicion of rape of a child, child molestation, sexual misconduct with a minor, delivery of a controlled substance, and possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit contact. The arrest happened after a 15-year-old girl was reported missing to the Sheriffs Office on April 15. Not long after her family reported her missing, they found her about a mile away from home with the counselor. The two were interviewed that night by police, according to a news release from the Sheriffs Office, but law enforcement couldnt determine a crime had been committed at that time. The Sheriffs Office contacted the Shelton School District to notify them of the investigation, and the counselor was placed on administrative leave. He was fired from the district at some point after that. The Sheriffs Office continued its investigation into the counselor in cooperation with the Shelton Police Department and the school district. Detectives found there were more complaints filed against the counselor alleging inappropriate contact with other female students. The Shelton School District could not be immediately reached for more information regarding the investigation. Anyone with more information regarding these incidents or any others not previously reported is encouraged to file a report so it can be investigated. The Sheriffs Office can be reached at sheriff@masoncountywa.gov, or 360-427-9670, Ext. 313. A Blaine mother of six who is a former teacher and currently a candidate for the local School Board was arrested Friday, June 2, and charged with three counts of child rape, four counts of child sexual assault and drug possession. Tana Perkins Reneau, 51, was arrested by Whatcom County sheriffs deputies after detectives for the department investigated a Child Protective Services report regarding the abuse of juveniles, according to Deb Slater, a spokeswoman for the Whatcom County Sheriffs Office. The juveniles involved in the Child Protective Services complaint were known to Reneau, said Slater. The Sheriffs Office did not immediately share how the juveniles and Reneau are connected. Upon her arrest, Reneau was found to have in her possession a vial of prescription pills for a prescription that was not hers, giving police probable cause to arrest her for possession of a controlled substance, Slater told The Bellingham Herald. Details about the alleged crimes were not immediately released, including when and where they might have occurred. She was booked into the Whatcom County Jail. Her bail was set at $500,000 at a preliminary court hearing on Monday. She remains in custody. Reneau is running for the District 2 director position on the Blaine School Board, according to Whatcom County candidate filing records. Reneau taught elementary school for 12 years and worked one summer as a school administrator in Kennewick, Washington, according to public records obtained by The Herald and the Kennewick school district. Reneau has six children, four of whom are adopted, according to a public biography online. Reneau also has a history of involvement in the North Whatcom County Young Life ministry as a leader in a program called YoungLives, which aims to offer guidance, resources and support to teen mothers. What seemed like a fun family project led to a shocking discovery for Dave and Debi Brundage of Roanoke. Like many others have done, they decided to look into their family history. In doing so, the couple who are in their 60s learned through DNA testing that for each of them, the men they had spent their entire lives believing were their biological fathers were not. Debi was actually raised by the man she thought was her biological father. Daves thought-to-be biological dad had long since separated from his mother when Dave was young, but it was still nonetheless a stunning revelation for him and Debi. I was in disbelief. I couldnt even begin to imagine what the story was behind this finding, Debi recalled. I grew up in a very close and loving family. My two sisters and I spent many days crying and looking back trying to find any clues. Im not sure to this day that the story my bio-father tells me is all true. Dave, while shocked, said he was happy with the discovery, given the relationship or lack thereof hed had with the man he had believed to be his biological dad. The man I thought was my bio-father did not raise me. He was not a very good human being, Dave said. Ive not had any relationship with him since I was 17 years old. As far as I can tell no one knew but my mom. She kept her secret until I was 63 and she was 82. I believe her intention was to take that secret to her grave. However, something didnt add up after Dave went on Ancestry.com about five years ago. So, at Debis 60th birthday party he asked his mom, Is there a possibility that Andy is not my bio father? Dave said she emphatically answered NO! Then, he explained to her that, according to Ancestry.com he is 36% Italian and that she had zero Italian heritage. That means my bio father had to be 72% Italian, he said, adding that he then asked, Mom, Andy is Swedish/Danish? He isnt 72% Italian. After some moments of silence, she told him, Well, there was this guy named Ralph ... Finding their real dads Determined to find his real father, Dave tracked down a man who lived in San Antonio. Dave learned he had died in 2009, but Dave noted you only have to look at pictures of him and his late half-brother Richie to verify it. Richie is nearly a carbon copy of me, he said. Ralph had served in the military and retired from the bank industry as a vice president, he said. Just like Dave and Andy, Ralph served in the Marines. Dave was born in a Naval hospital in San Diego and grew up in Vegas. Debis task was more challenging. The parents who had raised her including her late stepdad had died. Still, with the help of her family, she was able to find her biological dad, Bob, who was in Bakersfield, California, but now lives in San Antonio. He said it had nothing to do with me. He has family in San Antonio, Debi said. Among the things Debi learned was that Bob was actually a friend of some other folks in her familys life as she was growing up in Orange County, California, folks she said she remembered well. She said she was also told by his wife that he carried a photo of Debi as a baby in his wallet for many years. After much trepidation, Debi worked up the nerve to speak with Bob. She said the conversations didnt lead to any sort of fairytale reunion, however. We talked off and on for about two years, but unfortunately it was not always a joyful situation. My parents raised me to always be respectful to others, so I was determined to be kind to this stranger, she said. I decided I had to create some boundaries. We havent spoken in about two years now. Debi said Bob told her he last saw her when she was 3 months old. She said he told her that George, the man she thought was her real dad, told him to stay away from the family and threatened him. He had no idea why my mom didnt tell me. I think it was the late 50s, a very different time, and my folks were very Catholic. Crazy, huh? Debi said. My two sisters and I think there was a time when my mom was near the end that she wanted to tell me. She called for me and said she needed to talk to me right away. But I think she decided against it before I got there. It would be hard to drop that bomb on the three of us girls just as she was leaving us. She just talked about something random instead. New family A good thing that did come out of it, though, Debi found a new half-sister and they became very close. In fact, it was Sheri who connected Debi with Bob. She was very skeptical about chatting with me because she had already had some experience with our bio-father, Debi remembered. Sheri took a chance on me, which I am very grateful for. She was able to confirm his name and also had an address from years ago. Within 24 hours, I had a phone number and called. Just the opposite of my bio-father, she and her family have brought so much joy and love to my entire family. Debi added that her daughter was curious and spoke with Bob initially, but quickly decided to eliminate him from her life. As for Daves bio-father, he said his kids and grandkids never knew Andy and had no connection to him, but they became very interested in Ralphs story. We now have a catchphrase when talking about this issue, Well, there was this guy named Ralph, he said with a smile. Of course, with the discovery came a reshaping of their family trees. We are Italians! Dave said gleefully. I gained a deceased brother and a deceased sister, and one living sister. I was able to go to Missouri and meet her. Unfortunately, she passed several months after we met from cancer that had metastasized throughout most of her body. I have developed relationships with a niece and a nephew. Debi said Sheri and her family coming into her life filled a place in my heart that I didnt completely realize was empty. It is the best thing that came from this whole experience. Unfortunately, due to finding out about this story so late in life, everyone who knew my parents is deceased. Many older cousins and such too, could not even believe it. If it wasnt for DNA proof, I think we all would have laughed this away. Advice for others Debi said there is still a huge sense of wonder about how the story goes from the perspective of her mom and the dad who raised her something shell never learn. Still, she said she feels a sense of completeness now that is hard to explain. Its like I knew something was always missing or different about me. You can see the obvious physical differences in pictures of my sisters and me, she said. I definitely warn people now when delving into their DNA to be prepared for anything. Of course, you feel the gamut of emotions. Sadness for my parents that they carried this to their graves. Grateful to my dad for being the best dad in the world. Curious, who knew and what they knew. Forgiving my mom for being a possibly imperfect human. Also, grateful for finding this news late in life with the maturity to accept it. Elated for finding my new sister. Dave said he has advice for anyone interested in doing their own ancestry-search. The same advice I gave my younger sister, Kerry same mom as mine. He told her to think long and hard about how it would affect her if she found out her dad was not her biological dad. She has decided not to get the test. An investing expert's ways to pick the right shares (and beat the market) Four easy ways to pick the right shares and beat the market Over the decades, finance experts have uncovered good evidence that there are a handful of investment styles that beat the market. The commonsense lessons from this number crunching can act as an excellent guide for private investors hunting for winning shares. Over 10 years from 2011, I screened the UK market for stocks inspired by four of these well-recognised styles quality, momentum, value, and low-volatility investing. The success left me stunned. Stock screens select shares based on predetermined financial characteristics. The ones I ran were reassessed yearly and published in the Investors Chronicle magazine. Over a decade they outperformed by between 242 and 388 percentage points on a total return (where dividends are reinvested) basis. These are some of the most valuable things I learned. Quality Beat the market by 388 percentage points The secret of quality investings success is rooted in the idea of compounding, something Albert Einstein is said to have called the eighth wonder of the world. Take the example of a new company that has 1m to invest and can generate a 20pc return on that investment in a year. It will make 200,000 in year one. If it reinvests this profit, in year two it will generate 20pc on 1.2m, or 240,000. If reinvestment in growth continues, the original 1m investment will snowball to be worth an incredible 1bn (1,000 times the original amount) in about 38 years. The power of compounding is hard to appreciate in the moment, but it creates huge wealth over long time periods. This means incredible opportunities are often hidden in plain sight for investors, even when shares look superficially expensive. The type of quality characteristics my quality screen looked for were persistently strong profitability along with a sound balance sheet. Quality investing is most likely to underperform when markets are recovering from a fall; quality companies have less to recover from. Momentum Beat the market by 262 percentage points When a share price has risen strongly it can feel like weve missed the boat. However, it is more often a sign of good things happening that will cause more investors to jump aboard and push the price even higher. There is often hype around momentum stocks, and this investment style can blow up if there is an abrupt reversal in sentiment. It is possible, though, to try to avoid the worst of the hype by looking for companies displaying both share-price and profit momentum. Upgrades to brokers forecasts can be a particularly valuable indicator. But there is no antidote to momentum investings vulnerability to swings in sentiment. During the 10 years in which my momentum screen outperformed so strongly, it also experienced a gargantuan 54pc maximum peak to trough fall versus 35pc from the market. This illustrates why my advice is to only use screens as a source of ideas rather than for off-the-shelf portfolios. Momentum usually does best late in bull markets. Downturns and recoveries can both be tricky. Value Beat the market by 242 percentage points Using low valuations to identify shares that have been oversold has historically been very effective. But more recently, theres been growing reason to think traditional valuation measures, which compare share prices to companies profits or net asset values, have become ineffective. An alternative approach to valuation that my screen employed was to look for companies that appeared cheap compared with sales and which also had historically displayed decent profit margins; suggesting sales could be a source of healthy profits even for a company currently misfiring. Shares become oversold because its very hard for us to imagine sunny uplands when a company is struggling. In reality, though, companies and shares often bounce back. This is part of a widespread natural phenomenon known by statisticians as reversion to the mean. Value strategies tend to suffer during bear markets but rocket during recoveries. Like momentum investing, this is a high-risk style. Low-Volatility Beat the market by 267 percentage points Counterintuitively, investors do not get rewarded for taking more risk, according to my research. Less volatile, low-risk shares tend to outperform. This can be explained by our weakness for the excitement of high-risk, high-reward longshots while overlooking the delight of dull, conservatively run businesses. A feature of conservative companies is that they tend to hand back more money to shareholders and invest less in glory projects. That makes screening for both good dividend payers and less-volatile shares a great combination. Shares in these kinds of companies tend to underperform during hot markets but more than make up for this when markets fall. Appreciating how, why, and when these four strategies work can help to make private investors far more effective in hunting for winning shares. My new book Four Ways to Beat the Market: A practical guide to stock screening strategies to help you pick winning shares offers a deeper exploration of these approaches and the curious stories that underpin them, as well as providing all the building blocks needed to identify winning shares and to screen for them. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Fox News website declined to publish two different comments the White House provided for a story on President Joe Bidens age, according to emails obtained by HuffPost. Both of the comments sent by White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates referenced the advanced age of Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old chair of Fox News parent company and a co-founder of the cable news channel. The piece in question was a more-than-1,500-word compilation of attacks from conservative media figures and political strategists in both parties, which connected Bidens recent fall at the Air Force Academy commencement ceremony to comments he previously made confirming his fitness for office. In November, Biden told anyone who might have concerns about his age to watch me. Before the article was published, Bates emailed a reporter offering a White House comment for inclusion in the piece, if a somewhat snarky one: We take inspiration from the 92 year-old owner of Fox News, and send our best regards on your accurate coverage of extreme MAGA Freedom Caucus complaining that President Biden outsmarted them on the budget as he continued the unprecedented bipartisan winning streak that is central to the best legislative record in modern American history. The Fox News reporter replied in an email asking for a comment directly addressing the articles thesis. Bates responded with another testy comment. I go back and forth on whether these stories are born out of Fox News executives trying to send a signal to yalls 92 year-old chairman, or that 92 year-old chairmans frustrations with the political successes of a younger man running an exponentially more complex operation, Bates responded. Neither comment made it into the story. Its typical in journalism to include a comment from the subject of any piece, though these often are edited to remove extraneous language or attempts to mislead readers. The emails provide a glimpse into the obviously testy relationship between the White House, which is openly frustrated with the media focus on the age and acuity of the 80-year-old president, and the troubled conservative news operation, which just agreed to pay $787 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a lawsuit alleging it lied about the results of the 2020 election and Dominions role. The company is facing further lawsuits related to its embrace of former President Donald Trumps election falsehoods. The final paragraphs of the Fox News article do include a quote from Bidens reelection campaign launch video, though not one that references his age or the storys thesis. President Joe Biden exclaimed I got sandbagged! while explaining to the press how he tripped and fell while on stage during the Air Force Academys commencement. President Joe Biden exclaimed I got sandbagged! while explaining to the press how he tripped and fell while on stage during the Air Force Academys commencement. Nonetheless, the story found space to quote conservative talk radio hosts in Seattle and Salt Lake City, three Fox News contributors and Joe Trippi, a top adviser to the Lincoln Project. Quotes from Trippi and Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov offer defenses of Biden. Mark Penn, a Fox News contributor and Democratic pollster, offered both criticism and praise for Biden. (Penn is married to Nancy Jacobson, a top official at the centrist group No Labels, which is attempting to mount a third-party bid for the presidency that has alarmed top Democrats.) Worries about Bidens age and mental fitness extend across the American electorate, according to public opinion surveys, dragging down his underwater approval rating and enthusiasm for his reelection bid. Most surveys of the 2024 presidential race show potentially tight contests between Biden and either former President Donald Trump or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Bates, the top rapid-response press aide in the White House, has a history of providing snarky or tongue-in-cheek comments to Fox News. When the conservative outlet ran a June 2021 story noting relatives of Biden White House officials had received jobs elsewhere in the administration, he pointed to Fox News own White House coverage. The cable networks lead reporter, Peter Doocy, is the son of longtime Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy. As Fox News can attest from firsthand experience, there is nothing wrong with hiring people who have strong credentials and qualifications and happen to be relatives of other staffers, Bates said at the time. Fox News did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. If they do, HuffPost will run it. CENTERVILLE Child care was an already fragile system before the pandemic, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw said Friday at a meeting hosted by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce's Early Education and Child Care Task Force. The pandemic, though, profoundly disrupted that fragile balance. It is now exposed to a much broader audience and it is now recognized that lack of child care is posing a threat to the economic recovery from the pandemic, said Kershaw. Kershaw was appointed commissioner in March, having served as acting commissioner since March 2022. The mission of the state agency is to support the healthy growth and development of all children by providing high quality programs and resources for families and communities. Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw talks with state Rep. Steven Xiarhos, R-Barnstable, on Friday at a meeting with child care providers at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce office in Centerville. In the back, state Rep. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, talks with child care consultant Mary Pat Messmer, right. The meeting in Centerville was a conversation between Cape child care workers and Kershaw about the current crisis of money, shortage of workers, state reimbursement rates and overall how child care can be expanded on Cape Cod, said Mary Pat Messmer, a task force consultant. Also on hand at the session were state Reps. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, and state Rep. Steven Xiarho, R-Barnstable. In December, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce announced a new Early Education and Child Care Task Force "to address the regions lack of affordable and available high-quality early education and care experiences for children." In partnership with other groups the task force intends to provide feedback in shaping statewide early childhood education policy and to help create an integrated and accessible system of support for children from prenatal through age 12 and their families, according to the announcement. Staffing shortages, low pay and low career value are the key concerns for Cape Cod agencies, the workers said at the meeting. Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw meets Friday with Cape Cod child care providers at the Centerville office of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. Kershaw is at the top center, in a navy jacket. Since the pandemic, children are struggling more with behavioral and mental health issues, according to child care providers. The children need more trained and equipped individuals, teachers and caregivers to cope with the changing dynamic. However, staffing shortages, not just on Cape Cod but all over the state, create more barriers to creating a better system. Earlier this year: 'Million dollar question.' Early childhood education on Cape needs money, legislator says According to the Chamber of Commerce findings, the current pay rates for child care services are between $40 to $65 per day plus $5 per day for infants. Cape Cod and the southeastern region of the state reimbursement rates are some of the lowest in the state. Lower pay leads to higher turnover, which in turn makes would-be workers less inclined to take a job in the child care industry. According to workers at the meeting, hiring more staff is important, but it is equally important to hire qualified employees to secure a better future for the children. We're focused on all the broad aspects of what child care or early education care will need, starting with affordability in our lowest income families, said Kershaw. We are working to make the child care financial assistance system easier to navigate for those who are eligible. New regulations, policies, and procedures are coming. Modernization of the child care system is needed The real goal is to make the child care system a modern, flexible and dignified experience for everyone, she said. The cost of families: Mass. families lose $1.7 billion in wages annually due to scarcity of child care The chamber, partnered with the Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education, plans to produce a toolkit for businesses to engage their employees on their child care needs and to implement human resources policies and benefits packages that support working parents in the coming days. Rasheek Tabassum Mujib writes about health care and education. Reach her at rmujib@capecodonline.com. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Modernization needed, says state child care Commissioner Amy Kershaw Chips, also known as semiconductors, are vital for every electronic device, from smartphones to electric cars, and control of supply chains has become a major priority for the world's biggest trading blocs France is ploughing 2.9 billion euros ($3.1 billion) of public money into a factory to make microchips, officials said on Monday, heating up a global race for the lucrative market. Europe and the United States have both passed so-called Chips Acts to boost investment in the sector as fears grow that China could gain a stranglehold on global supply. Chips, also known as semiconductors, are vital for every electronic device, from smartphones to electric cars, and control of supply chains has become a major priority for the world's biggest trading blocs. France's economy ministry said the state aid was the biggest subsidy it had offered since 2017. The funding would go towards a 7.5-billion-euro project announced last year to be run by European multinational STMicroelectronics and US company GlobalFoundries. The European Chips Act aims to unlock 43 billion euros of investment and for the bloc to produce 20 percent of the world's chips by 2030. Europe currently accounts for less than 10 percent of the global total, with most of the world's chips being made in Taiwan. The French ministry said the project, in the Alpine town of Crolles near Grenoble in southeastern France, would boost European production capacity by almost six percent by 2028. The battle to secure supplies of semiconductors was supercharged during the pandemic when lockdowns and other measures caused a supply crunch and brought industries across the world to a grinding halt. The US Chips Act is one of several laws aimed at funnelling hundreds of billions of dollars to US firms at the expense of foreign competitors. Beijing has denied it is seeking to seize global supply lines and has slammed the US Chips Act as "100-percent protectionism". leb-mpa/rl , According to the legion, a group using drones eliminated two tanks, one BMP-3 armored personnel carrier and one BRDM armored personnel carrier in the vicinity of the Shebekino checkpoint during the night. Moving forward towards the complete destruction of the regime. Russia will be free! the legion wrote. On June 4, another anti-Putin Russian armed group, the Russian Volunteer Corps or RDK declared it was taking part in battles in Belgorod Oblast. Furthermore, the RDK reached out to Belgorod Oblast governor Vyacheslav Gladkov with an offer to return captured Russian army soldiers as a goodwill gesture. In return, they asked for a private meeting with the governor to discuss the present state of the region and, crucially, the future of Russia as a whole. RDK fighters announced their latest raid in Russias Belgorod Oblast on June 1. The Freedom of Russia Legion announced on May 22 that together with the RDK it had completely liberated the village of Kozinka in Belgorod Oblast, passed the village of Gora-Podol, and began storming Grayvoron. Local authorities declared a counterterrorist operation and, according to the governor, had most residents of Grayvoron evacuated. The Russians claimed that they had killed most of the saboteurs and pushed the rest back to the territory of Ukraine. RDK and legion fighters denied the losses. The RDK and the legion reported that they had advanced 42 kilometers into Russia and controlled some settlements in Belgorod Oblast for a day. They claimed to have lost two people in action, with 10 others wounded. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine called the actions of the legion and the RDK in Belgorod Oblast of Russia the establishment of a security strip to protect Ukrainians. Ukrainian Defense Intelligence officer and spokesperson Andriy Yusov said that the raid in the Russian oblast was carried out exclusively by legion and RDK fighters, who are themselves Russian citizens. 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 Freedom of Russia Legion has addressed Yevgeny Prigozhin, financier of the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), proposing to exchange a lieutenant colonel of the Russian Armed Forces captured by Wagnerites for several Russian soldiers captured by the legion in Russias Belgorod Oblast. Source: address of the Freedom of Russia Legion Quote: "Wagner PMC troops captured Lieutenant Colonel Roman Venevitin, Commander of the 72nd Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces. As a gesture of goodwill, we propose exchanging him for several Russian Armed Forces soldiers captured by us during the liberation battles in Belgorod Oblast. It is a fair exchange with no strings attached. We will agree on the details of the exchange later." Details: The legion stressed that they had addressed Viacheslav Gladkov, the "holder of the Order of Courage" and the governor of the Belgorod Oblast. The resistance forces wanted to meet with Gladkov and hand over the captured Russian soldiers, but the governor "cowardly watched, leaving his people in captivity while the [Russian] troops struck peaceful towns with artillery". Meanwhile, Prigozhin, who had previously stated that the Russian military had mined the roads used by Wagnerites for retreating from the city of Bakhmut, said that his mercenaries were fired upon by regular Russian army units. He even posted a video of the interrogation of captured Russian Lieutenant Colonel Roman Venevitin. In the video, the lieutenant colonel says that he ordered his soldiers to open fire on the Wagnerites out of personal animosity. He also admits that he was drunk at the time. Russian Lieutenant Colonel Roman Venevitin Background: On Sunday, 4 June, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) said it wanted a meeting with the governor of Belgorod Oblast and offered to exchange Russian prisoners of war for a conversation with him. They offered to meet in a church in the town of Novaya Tavolzhanka. Gladkov said that fighting was going on in Novaya Tavolzhanka, where he was offered a meeting by the RVC representatives, and he was allegedly ready to meet in the town of Shebekino if the Russian prisoners of war were alive. Meanwhile, he claimed that the PoWs had most likely been killed. The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that they stopped the attempt of a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group to cross the river near the settlement of Novaya Tavolzhanka. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The Richland County judge and solicitor under scrutiny for their roles in the secretive release of a convicted murderer used questionable legal means to reduce another mans mandatory life sentence, a review by The State Media Co has found. Nine months before now-retired Circuit Court Judge Casey Manning signed an order freeing convicted killer Jeriod Price this past December, he spared a 48-year-old Columbia man at the request of 5th Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson. Mannings order, which reduced Lahborn Allahs sentence from life without parole to 30 years, cites no legal rationale and does not appear to conform with state law, according to legal experts interviewed by The State. Allah, who has been locked up since 2000 on first-degree burglary charges, is now projected for release in 2026, according to prison records. Gipson said Allahs sentence was reduced based on what justice requires. Im the solicitor in this case and its my job to make sure that justice is done, he said. Im not aware of a statute that says I cannot do this. When asked to cite a statute that permitted him to reduce Allahs sentence, Gipson responded: Thats my statement. Im not aware of a statute that says I cant do it. Manning could not be reached for comment. 5th Circuit solicitor Byron Gipson talks to the media about what happened when Joshua Ruffin was shot by a City of Columbia police officer.6/24/20 The case is one of at least 27 criminal sentence reductions granted statewide since 2022 now under review by the South Carolina Attorney Generals office. Attorney General spokesman Robert Kittle said the office is reviewing the reductions to ensure they were done transparently and according to law, but declined to comment on specific cases. The state Department of Corrections compiled the list of sentence reductions at Gov. Henry McMasters request in response to Prices controversial release earlier this year. The convicted murderer, whose attorney is House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, was quietly freed in mid-March after serving 19 years of a 35-year sentence. Manning signed off on Prices release one day before retiring from the bench last December. The South Carolina Supreme Court vacated the judges order April 26, and directed law enforcement officials to return Price to prison immediately. He has yet to surrender and remains at large. Unlike the order granting Prices release, which was executed behind closed doors without the victims knowledge and sealed from public view, Allahs sentence reduction was carried out more transparently. The victim, motivated by a desire to see Allah afforded another chance, wrote the solicitors office at S.C. Rep. Seth Roses suggestion and later met with Gipson to discuss the case. Gipson brought the case to Manning, who heard it in open court. Rose, a criminal defense attorney, vehemently defended the proceedings and said he was extremely proud of the very small role he played in them. What was done here was appropriate, said Rose, who worked with Allahs family and connected the victim to Gipsons office, but did not formally represent him. Everything was done above board. He said Allahs life sentence, handed down as a result of the states two-strike life without parole law, was absolutely unconscionable and that he felt compelled to help as a result. The only reason I was involved was because the more I looked at this, the more I was like, this is wrong, he said. Why would we have this kid do life when the victim himself never wanted this? Legal experts contacted by The State newspaper were sympathetic to the parties desire to reduce Allahs sentence, but said theyd never heard of a criminal sentence being reduced by consent, as happened in this case. Consent orders are issued when all parties reach a voluntary agreement to settle a dispute. They are far more common in civil cases, but may also be reached in criminal cases, generally on procedural matters, said Gary Clary, a former South Carolina Circuit Court judge. If you are in the purest sense correcting an injustice that all of those proper parties agree occurred its hard to say that shouldnt occur, veteran Columbia defense attorney Joe McCulloch said, speaking generally. However, I think that our courts, which oftentimes hew to technicalities, might take a dim view of that. First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe, who prosecuted Allah on unrelated drug trafficking charges shortly before his 2002 burglary conviction, said Manning had no legal authority to reduce Allahs mandatory life sentence. Its doable, but that doesnt mean its lawful, he said. And the question is: are we going to do things the right way in our state or like this? In this 2022 file photo, Judge Casey Manning hears arguments during a hearing in regards to sending a lawsuit over the states six-week abortion ban to the Supreme Court. A life sentence for burglary Tyrone Ray had drifted off to sleep while watching TV with his young son at their Eastover mobile home on April 24, 2000, when he awoke to a knock on the screen door. He walked to the door, still half-asleep, and was met by two men who brandished guns and pushed their way inside the house. The commotion roused his 10-year-old son, who screamed as the men beat Ray to the ground with their guns and demanded money. A violent struggle ensued, as the frightened boy ran frantically around the living room. Then one of the men grabbed the child and held a gun to his head. Ray froze. He begged the men to release the child and said hed give them anything they wanted. The robbers tied his hands and legs together behind his back, crab-style, and dragged him into the bedroom, where he kept a pouch with cash. They placed a pillowcase and bed sheet over his head and told him they were going to kill him. Ray asked them not to do it in front of his son. Just then, he heard a door slam. He called for his son, but got no response. The men had fled with $1,800, two guns, some jewelry and the young boy. The pair, later identified as Lahborn Allah and Roy George Wilson, released the child a short distance down the road. He was traumatized, but not physically harmed. The incident scarred Ray emotionally as well. More than 20 years later, he still inspects his house for burglars when he enters, keeps an eye on passing cars and gets uneasy when someone stands behind him. It laid a big impact on me because I was just getting my life pretty much in order, said Ray, who recently spoke with The State newspaper about the break-in and his decision to forgive his captors. At the time of the break-in, Ray was trying to get back on track after a stint in prison. He was newly married with a child on the way and had just bought the Eastover property with dreams of building a house on the land and starting a business. After the burglary, Ray put his plans on hold and moved out of Eastover at his wifes insistence, he said. His young son, whose custody hed been trying to reclaim since his release from prison, was forced to move out of state and live with Rays mother. I lost it all, he said. Allah and Wilson were arrested a few weeks after the break-in and convicted of first-degree burglary, kidnapping, assault with intent to kill and weapons charges. Wilson pled guilty to the charges and received a 23-year sentence. He has since been released from prison. Allah was also offered a plea deal, but took the case to trial and was found guilty on all charges. Because hed pled guilty to an armed robbery 11 years earlier, when he was a minor, the burglary conviction was considered his second most serious offense and prosecutors sought a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. Lahborn Allah, 48, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for a burglary he committed in 2000. Last year, Judge Casey Manning reduced his sentence to 30 years. Over the past two decades, Allah has challenged his sentence numerous times on a variety of different grounds. Each time his efforts have been denied, including by Manning, who dismissed Allahs most recent request for relief in October 2021, records show. Allahs reversal in fortune appears to have been set in motion several months earlier, when members of his family reached out to Ray and said they wanted to discuss the decades-old break-in. Ray said he was skeptical initially, but after discussing it with his now-adult son, agreed to meet the family and told them hed be willing to speak with Allah. A short time later, the men were on the phone rehashing the fateful night their paths crossed more than two decades earlier. Allah apologized for his actions and asked how Ray and his son were doing. He said he wanted to make amends. Ray said his son, now in his 30s with a wife, daughter and house of his own, gave him permission to forgive their attackers. He said if it was OK with me in my heart to let it go and forgive them, then it was OK with him, Ray said. So I made that decision. Allahs family also introduced Ray to Rose, a Richland County lawyer-legislator who was helping them with his case. Ray agreed to write a letter in support of Allah. He also met with Gipson about the case and asked the solicitor to show Allah mercy. A lot has happened in the past 20 years and I have found forgiveness in my heart, Ray wrote in a letter to Richland County Deputy Solicitor April Sampson that was introduced as evidence at a March 3, 2022 hearing on Allahs sentence reduction. The Defendant deserved to be punished but I always felt a life sentence was too harsh for a young man in his early 20s. After having been praying on it I know its the right thing to do. Ray said he has no regrets about advocating for Allah and believes he deserves a shot at redemption. The only thing he said he asked of his attacker when the men spoke was that he give back to the community upon his release. Talk to younger kids in this world out in public, Ray said he told him. Give to the ones who really need it, who are going to be in the same situation and need that conversation. Was Allahs sentence reduction legal? Whether Allahs sentence reduction was lawful is debatable, lawyers consulted by The State said. Rose defended it vociferously, calling it a shining example of how a sentence modification is done publicly under the statute. You can do anything by consent, he said. Rep. Seth Rose, D-Richland, speaks to educators during a meeting to discuss the Teacher Bill of Rights. 12/12/18 Lisa Catalanotto, executive director of the South Carolina Commission on Prosecution Coordination, the state agency that provides solicitors and their staff legal education and assistance, said it isnt that simple. A judge in South Carolina may only amend a sentence under three circumstances, she explained, citing the appropriate legal provisions. There is no specific law that grants authority to change a sentence outside of the above provisions just because both parties agree, Catalanotto wrote in an email. The SCCPC has not provided any advice to the solicitors about how to handle such a scenario and we have not been asked by the solicitors for such advice. Mannings order does not cite any of the relevant provisions and, by Roses admission, did not follow them. Other criminal defense attorneys consulted by The State newspaper who were amenable to Roses argument said the question of jurisdiction the legal right of a court to decide a given case would be key in such a situation. A court that learns of a potential legal injustice, especially one carried out decades earlier, cannot simply step in and correct it. In order to right the wrong, the courts authority to decide the matter would need to be established, they said. Its a technical problem, not necessarily a problem that begs for criticism, said McCulloch, the veteran Columbia defense attorney. He declined to weigh in specifically on Allahs case, but said he believes lawyers should strive to right any injustices they spot. Wrongs, when they are discovered, should be corrected, McCulloch said. And when theres not an explicit route to correct the wrong, lawyers get out the book and try to figure out if theres a way to do it. Pascoe, the solicitor who prosecuted Allah in the early 2000s, said hed love to correct some of the injustices hes seen in his own circuit, but insists it should be done by the book. There are a lot of people in prison who dont deserve to be there right now, he said. So if I have commutation or pardon powers, let me know, because I will start to use them. First District Solicitor David Pascoe said Judge Casey Manning had no legal authority to reduce Lahborn Allahs mandatory life sentence. Pascoe said hes currently working with the state Department of Corrections and the governors office to find a legal way to get a parole hearing for a man convicted of multiple armed robberies in the 1990s and sentenced to life without parole under the two-strike law. The law permits people who meet certain age and health criteria or who can produce evidence comprising the most extraordinary circumstances to be paroled if the Department of Corrections and Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services sign off. Pascoe contrasted his own approach to seeking justice for inmates to the route taken in Allahs case, which he said opens up a Pandoras box. If were going to do this for Lahborn Allah, then we need to line up and probably do this for a lot of inmates at the Department of Corrections, Pascoe said. Maybe we should reevaluate every defendant who was sentenced to life without parole under the two strikes law. Mechanisms for SC criminal sentence reduction A judge cannot change a sentence (except during the same week as the original sentencing) unless there has been a request made to amend pursuant to one of the following: Rule 29 of the South Carolina Rules of Criminal Procedure, which provides that a party has 10 days after a sentence is imposed to file a motion for reconsideration or one year from the time newly discovered evidence is found to make a motion related to reconsideration of a sentence. South Carolina Code Section 17-25-65, which allows a defendants sentence to be reduced for providing substantial assistance. Substantial assistance can involve assisting in the investigation or prosecution of another person or aiding a Department of Corrections employee or volunteer who is in danger of being seriously injured or killed. A post-conviction relief proceeding during which an applicant alleges there is an error in the sentence and the evidence supports such a finding. Source: South Carolina Commission on Prosecution Coordination PARIS French Open doubles player Miyu Kato and her partner were forced to forfeit a match when Kato accidentally hit a ball girl in the neck with a ball after a point on Sunday. In the second set on Court 14 at Roland Garros, Kato took a swing with her racket and the ball flew toward the ball kid, who was not looking in the players direction while heading off the court. Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi were disqualified from their doubles match after Kato hit a ball girl accidentally (via @TennisChannel) pic.twitter.com/H9TcHVeKsy Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 4, 2023 At first, chair umpire Alexandre Juge only issued a warning to Kato. But after tournament referee Remy Azemar and Grand Slam supervisor Wayne McEwen went to Court 14 to look into what happened, Kato and her partner, Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia, were disqualified. That made Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic and Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain the winners of the match. Its just a bad situation for everyone, Bouzkova said. But its kind of something that, I guess, is taken by the rules, as it is, even though its very unfortunate for them. ... At the end of the day, it was the referees decision. I would like to sincerely apologize to the Ball Girl, my partner Aldila&Team, & my supporters because of today's unfortunate mishap. It was completely unintentional. As a result, I am penalized by RG by forfeiting my prize money & points. I appreciate all your continued support! Miyu Kato / (@miyukato1121) June 4, 2023 Bouzkova said she did not see the ball hit the ball girl, but she was crying for like 15 minutes. She said one of the officials said the ball has to do some kind of harm to the person affected and that at first, (Juge) didnt see that. Bouzkova said she and Sorribes Tormo told Juge to look into it more and ask our opponents what they think happened. During Coco Gauffs 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-1 singles victory over Mirra Andreeva on Saturday, Andreev swatted a ball into the Court Suzanne Lenglen stands after dropping a point in the first set. Andreev was given a warning by the chair umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct but no further penalty. I heard about that. Didnt see it, Bouzkova said. I guess it just depends on the circumstances and the given situation as it happens. ... It is difficult, for sure. In the quarterfinals, Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo will face Ellen Perez of Australia and Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States. Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of Melitopol, has said that spies from the Russian FSB [Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation ed.] had arrived in the city, looking for patriotic citizens. Source: Fedorov on Telegram Quote: "The FSB has brought in groups of trained spies to Melitopol. It's been a long time since we could safely express our opinions in the city. And now, in different parts of the city, specially trained non-humans are looking for patriotic citizens." Background: In December 2022, Fedorov reported that in Melitopol, Russian FSB officers disguised themselves in civilian clothes, eavesdropped on people's conversations in public places, and then took them captive. In May 2023, the National Resistance Centre also reported that Russian FSB officers were disguised in civilian clothes to find out about members of the underground resistance movement in the occupied territories. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! FIRST ON FOX - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has deleted key documents related to the agency's implementation of a new rule that would ban noncompete clauses for workers, according to House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. In February, Jordan wrote to FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan, saying that the proposed rule "exceeds its delegated authority and imposes a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach that violates basic American principles of federalism and free markets." "This power grab is just the latest example of the Biden FTC straying from the Commissions mandate in its eagerness to centrally plan the American economy to meet a preferred social agenda. The Committee on the Judiciary is conducting oversight of the FTCs power grab, and we expect your complete cooperation with our requests," he said. In a May 31 letter reviewed exclusively by Fox News Digital, that to date, the FTCs document production has included little more than non-substantive calendar invites and material already publicly available, along with a vague promise to "submit additional productions on a rolling basis as [the FTC] locate[s] responsive documents." Jordan said that the committee has recently learned "that the FTC has deleted material likely responsive to the Committees requests." Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission speaks during a House Appropriation Subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SUBPOENAS FTC FOR TWITTER INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTS READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Jordan said in February that the rule would wipe out roughly 30 million existing non-compete agreements, and while the FTC highlights estimated benefits of the rule, it makes little effort to quantify the costs. "Commentators have concluded on numerous occasions that the balance of the costs and benefits of non-compete agreements is inconclusive, but the Biden FTC seems to think it somehow knows best," Jordan said. "The rule exceeds its authority as delegated by Congress and would have severe consequences for American workers and the American economy," he said. Jordan sought, among other things, documents related to the litigation risks due to the rulemaking, economic analysis related to the rulemaking, and communications between the FTC and third parties about the rulemaking. In its initial response, the FTC stated that 47 employees, contractors, advisors or consultants worked on or contributed to the rulemaking. The FTC also identified eight individuals who are expected to play or have played a supervisory role related to the rulemaking. House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jim Jordan. FTC RIPPED FOR GOING AFTER ELON MUSK: 'CLASSIC LEFT IDEOLOGY - GO AFTER THEM, TRASH THE FIRST AMENDMENT' One such individual was a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) employee detailed to the Commission who "led the team on a daily basis," "supervised the drafting of the [proposed rule]," ensured that drafts were circulated among Commission senior leadership, and "oversaw any legal research," according to Jordan. "Only recently, on May 16, 2023over three months after our first requestdid FTC staff explain to the Committee that the FTC has already deleted materials that are likely responsive to the Committees request," Jordan wrote in his May 31 letter. "Although FTC staff represented that these deletions occurred prior to the Committees February 14 letter, the FTCs failure to maintain these records materially impedes the Committees oversight," he continued. "Based on conversation with FTC staff, the Committee understands that the deleted materials included some of the files of the CFPB employee who you brought on to lead the FTCs rulemaking, as well as some of the materials of several additional employees," he added. FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION DEMANDS ELON MUSK 'IDENTIFY ALL JOURNALISTS' WHO HAD ACCESS TO TWITTER FILES Jordan says that the FTCs approach to record retention is concerning, and the FTC may have violated federal record-keeping law by deleting these materials. In February, the FTC Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation into the agencies record-keeping found that while the FTC recently made significant progress in some areas of records management, such as shifting to all-electronic recordkeeping, the FTC still faces challenges in complying with National Archives and Records Administration records schedule requirements and setting up automated practices for properly storing and timely disposing of records in a uniform manner across the agency. "The FTC must assess whether its current personnel and technology are capable of meeting these challenges in advance of fiscal year 2023," OIG said in a report of its findings. Jordan requested that the FTC hand over all documents and communications referring or relating to the FTCs record retention policy; a full and complete explanation as to why any records responsive to the Committees Feb. 14, 2023, letter have been deleted, including the identities of FTC employees responsible for the agencys records management practices; a list of any records or communications that have been deleted that would have been responsive to the Committees Feb. 14, 2023, letter, including the FTC custodian(s) of these records; and a description of the steps taken to recover any deleted responsive material, copies of which may be archived in different accounts or agency backup files. The agency has a deadline 5:00 p.m. on June 14 to respond to the committee's request. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday, days after more than a dozen migrants were flown to the steps of a church in Sacramento. @RonDeSantis you small, pathetic man. This isnt Marthas Vineyard, Newsom said in a tweet on Monday. Kidnapping charges? Read the following, he continued, attaching both a link and screenshot of California legislatures kidnapping ordinance. The California governor was referencing a flight on Saturday that dropped off 16 Venezuelan and Colombian migrants in Sacramento, prompting a California Department of Justice investigation into the incident. DeSantis has not owned up to the event, and the origin of the flight wasnt immediately clear. But as Newsom pointed out, it is similar to a political stunt that DeSantis pulled last year transporting 49 migrants out of Texas to Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts. We are working closely with the Mayors office, along with local and nonprofit partners to ensure the people who have arrived are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases, Newsom said in a statement on Saturday. DeSantis office said last year that he aimed to continue organizing such trips despite a migrant lawsuit. Newsom and DeSantis, who recently announced his presidential bid on Twitter, have had an ongoing rivalry for over a year. Neither Newsoms nor DeSantis office responded to HuffPosts request for comment. Related... General Motors will invest $1 billion in two of its factories in Flint to build the next generation of the automaker's gasoline-burning heavy duty pickups. On Monday, GM said it will invest the money in Flint Assembly and Flint Metal Center, but it is not releasing any further details about the next-generation heavy-duty pickups or any other future products, including timing. GM said this latest investment "highlights the companys commitment to continue providing customers a strong portfolio of (internal combustion engine) vehicles for years to come." GM plans to offer all electric vehicles by 2030. These investments reflect our commitment to our loyal truck customers and the efforts of the dedicated employees of Flint Assembly and Flint Metal Center," Gerald Johnson, GM's executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, said in a statement. GM builds its heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups at Flint Assembly. The 5.2-million-square-foot plant employs just over 5,000 people, according to GM's website. On the same campus sits Flint Metal Center, where it presses the sheet metal used on GM's heavy-duty and light duty pickups and where the company employs 478 people. GM spokesman David Barnas said the company expects to retain the current level of employment with this investment. Crews work on the land where Building No. 1 at Ashley Capital's Flint Commerce Center will be developed on the former General Motors Buick City campus in Flint on Monday, June 5, 2023. Details of Monday's announcements include: Flint Assembly : GM will invest $788 million to expand the body shop, general assembly conveyor and providing new tooling and equipment. Flint Metal Center: GM will invest $233 million for new stamping dies, refurbishments and equipment to support production of the next-generation pickups. For 2022, GM sold 188,751 heavy-duty Silverado pickups, a 36% increase from 2021. Similarly, for 2022, sales of the Sierra heavy-duty pickup soared 40% to 99,118 compared with 2021. "When business is booming as it has been for the past decade due to the hard work of UAW members the company should continue to invest in its workforce, said Mike Booth, UAW vice president of GM department. UAW Local 598 Shop Chairman Eric Welter told the Free Press the investment is the result of the hard work by union members. "This workforce is diligent in creating their own job security," Welter said. "They are truly the greatest truck builders in the world." UAW GM VP Mike Booth speaks during an announcement of a multimillion-dollar investment into General Motors Flint Assembly while speaking to news media and employees with other officials in the Flint plant on Monday, June 5, 2023. Flint Engine Operations is also on the campus. There, GM employs 700 people to make the engine for the Chevrolet Malibu and the diesel engines for GM's light-duty pickups. The diesel engines for the heavy-duty pickups are made at DMAX Ltd. in Moraine, Ohio. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was at the ceremony announcing the investment called it "a game changer" adding, "GM is betting on the skilled, experienced union workers who call Michigan home, and showing that Michigan is the best place to pioneer the electrified, high-tech future of mobility. To build on the more than $16 billion in projects and 16,000-plus high-skill, good-paying jobs we have brought home thanks to bipartisan economic development tools, I proposed Make It In Michigan, a strategy to win projects, invest in people, and revitalize communities. I look forward to our continued work alongside GM to invest in Michigan workers. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer talks with the news media after an announcement of a multimillion-dollar investment into General Motors Flint Assembly while speaking to employees with other officials in the Flint plant on Monday, June 5, 2023. Monday also marked the groundbreaking for redevelopment of the former Buick City site in Flint. New York-based developer Ashley Capital plans to start construction on the first phase of a $300 million redevelopment of the industrial site along the Flint River. It will be called the Flint Commerce Center, according to Flint TV station WJRT. Buick City covers 350 acres of land that one of the world's largest factories once occupied. The developers plan to build up to 10 buildings covering more than 3.5 million square feet of floor space. When completed, the site is expected to attract about 3,000 jobs. The first building should be complete and available for industrial use early next year. More: What to know about buying a used car even as average prices have come down slightly More: Mini Cooper SE owners urged to trade in for new models to boost used EV inventory Contact Jamie L. LaReau: jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GM invests $1 billion in Flint factories for new heavy duty pickups Business leaders in Columbus believe the national spotlight on the city during the Georgia Republican Partys 2023 State Convention will lead to more hosting opportunities. The convention, which will be held June 9-10 in the Columbus Convention & Trade Center, is expected to generate almost $1 million of economic impact for Columbus, said Peter Bowden, president and CEO of VisitColumbusGA. Thats pretty phenomenal, he said. That puts it up there with similar conventions, as far as the impact goes, like Georgia Thespians. The Georgia Thespian Conference was held in February and boosted the economy by $1.3 million with approximately 5,500 people attending. ThesCon 2023, otherwise known as the Georgia Thespians Conference, or ThesCon, returns to Columbus for their 14th state conference February 9-11, when Uptown Columbus will host more than 5,000 theatre aspiring actors, singers, dancers, playwrights, designers, stage technicians, along with their teachers. A few days after the GOP convention, the Miss Georgia Scholarship Competition will be held at the RiverCenter on June 14-17. This will bring another estimated $500,000 in economic impact to Columbus, Bowden said. While the number of participants and delegates coming to the GOP state convention is in flux, he said, officials are estimating that around 3,000 people will be attending the convention. This estimate is based on the number of individuals who will be directly attending the convention, he said, and not individuals who come to the city to be part of the event. (They) wont literally be part of the event, Bowden said. But they want to be in Columbus because the former president and other candidates are here. President Donald Trump arrives to his Make America Great Again campaign rally cheer before his arrival at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon on Oct. 16, 2020. Former President Donald Trump is expected to speak at the convention along with former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and others. Better hotel infrastructure helped bring a high profile event When Hayley Tillery began as the executive director of the Columbus Trade & Convention Center, she saw potential. Once the hotel infrastructure in Columbus was strengthened with new hotels downtown, including the Hampton Inn, AC Hotel by Marriott and City Mills Hotel. VisitColumbusGAs goal has been to collaborate with other organizations like Uptown Columbus, Inc. the Trade & Convention Center and local hotels to leverage the beefed up infrastructure to bring more conventions to Columbus, Bowden said. We have a talented team at the Trade Center some of the best people in hospitality that I know, Tillery said. And to not be able to host events, being the second largest city in Georgia, because of hotel rooms was always a challenge. Columbus hotels are now almost at capacity, she said. Tillery expects that by the time the convention begins hotels in the city will be completely booked. A new Hampton Inn at the corner of 12th Street and Broadway in downtown Columbus, Georgia is now open for business. 02/16/2023 The nation will be watching Columbus The Trade Center has had high profile guests in the past, Tillery said, including former President George W. Bush. But this event will be different in terms of the attention it will bring to the Trade Center and the city because of the media attention on Trump. Officials are expecting close to 30 national media outlets, she said, which will provide an opportunity to spotlight Columbus. This is something the city needs, Tillery said. As someone thats lived here my whole life, I feel that we have not gone to the capacity to let not only the state know, but the nation know, that we are a town that can support high profile events like were about to have. she said. With Trump coming to town, Tillery wants to showcase the Trade Center and Columbus as an option for future events. By hosting an event like the GOP state convention, it gives other meeting planners confidence that Columbus can deliver when hosting large events, Bowden said. If it requires this massive coordination of security and bringing together all the other partners hotels, public safe, city office then we come together very quickly, and its something that we do often, he said. Visitor Spending The GOP convention and other events like the Miss Georgia competition have a positive impact on businesses, said Ed Wolverton, president and CEO of Uptown Columbus, Inc. Were to the point now, where almost on a monthly basis the Uptown office will notify all the merchants to let them know these groups are going to be here these days, Wolverton said. Advanced notice allows businesses to make sure they have enough staff to accommodate an influx of customers who are shopping or dining. It takes coordination, Bowden said. We know it has happened in the past, like at ThesCon, where some of the coffee shops have run out of coffee. Dozens of businesses downtown are now participating in a program called Show Your Badge, that allows people who are attending conferences downtown to receive specials or discounts at local businesses. These deals could be 10% off an item or a free appetizer at a restaurant, Wolverton said. (Businesses) can pick whatever their own special is, he said. But thats another way to encourage delegates to come out into the community and not just be locked into the Trade Center all the time. The economic impact from visitor spending creates tax relief for Columbus residents, Bowden said. With this revenue, the Columbus Consolidated Government would have to come up with another way to make up the difference, he said. And that, in essence, represents $534 per household, Bowden said. Whether thats in taxes or service fees or however the government wanted to find that money. Between July 2021 and June 2022, meetings and conventions in Columbus had an economic impact of around $21.1 million and $304 million of total visitor spending, according to VisitColumbusGA. If you dont bring people to your town, Tillery said. And you dont drive business success, the domino effect could be detrimental to our city. So when people hear the word economic impact, remember that is for you, that is for the citizens. German MPs scrap Spanish strawberry fields visit as election water wars heat up FILE PHOTO: Dried strawberry plants are pictured near the Donana National Park MADRID (Reuters) - A delegation of German lawmakers on Monday scrapped a trip to assess the sustainability of strawberry production near Spain's endangered Donana wetlands as a war of words between Spain's ruling socialists and the opposition over water scarcity escalated ahead of a snap election next month. The cross-party German parliamentary environment committee arrived in Madrid to meet environment ministry officials on Monday. They were then due to travel south to Andalusia to meet farming groups, environmental activists and local officials. But by mid-morning on Monday, it announced the visit would be cancelled "in view of the high political significance that the topics of the trip have gained in recent days in the upcoming Spanish national elections". A long drought in Spain has put water management in the spotlight, particularly around the Donana National Park, a vast wetland which supports diverse ecosystems and wildlife but where water over-exploitation is exacerbating the drought's effects. The surrounding province of Huelva produces 98% of Spain's red fruits and 30% of the EU's, as well as being the world's largest strawberry exporter. The Andalusia regional government, run by Spain's conservative opposition Popular Party, wants to legalise irrigation around Donana despite warnings from scientists that the park is in critical condition, with lagoons drying up. It says the move would allow farmers to irrigate using surface water without jeopardising the underground reserves. Spain's socialist-led central government says no more water, either surface or underground, is available for farming, while scientists say reducing water use in the area would help replenish the wetland. 'CLIMATE DENIERS' Last week, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a snap election for July 23 after being trumped by the opposition in regional polls. Sanchez made clear he would put his government's environmental credentials centre stage in the campaign as Spain faces a summer of record high temperatures, wildfires and water shortages. This weekend he said his government would "save" Donana from climate deniers. PP spokesman Borja Semper fired back in a press conference on Monday that Sanchez was seeking to destroy Huelva's strawberry-growing industry. "The Germans have proven to be more prudent than the prime minister," Semper said. Meanwhile, a German consumer campaign group, Campact, launched a petition on May 26 for German supermarkets to boycott berries grown near Donana. Spanish strawberry growers said the campaign was "insidious and damaging to the strawberry and red fruit industry". German-owned Aldi supermarket in Spain said in a statement it buys most of the strawberries which it sells in Spain from certified suppliers in Huelva, and that it has a strong commitment to their Spanish suppliers. (Reporting by Emma Pinedo in Madrid and Rachel More in Berlin, additional reporting by Corina Pons, Pietro Lombardi and David Latona, editing by Aislinn Laing and Angus MacSwan) Eurofighter Luftwaffe The German government has promised to immediately shut down the training of Chinese fighter pilots by former German Luftwaffe aircrew, in the latest development involving former personnel from a variety of NATO nations assisting Beijings expanding airpower ambitions. The move comes after an expose in the German media that provided details of how one particular former Luftwaffe officer an ex-Eurofighter EF2000 pilot had been recruited by China to share his expertise. According to Der Spiegel, a German weekly news magazine, which originally reported the story, Germanys Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, in a recent meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu, called for the training of Chinese fighter pilots by former German personnel to end immediately. The meeting reportedly occurred on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, a prominent Asian defense summit. Boris Pistorius, the German minister of defense, speaks on stage at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore, on June 4, 2023. Photo by Britta Pedersen/picture alliance via Getty Images Furthermore, Pistorius apparently told Li Shangfu that he would certainly not be amused if Germany were to attempt something similar to gain insight into Chinese military expertise. Pistorius described the meeting as a very open conversation that allowed differences of opinion between Berlin and Beijing to be voiced but noted that the Chinese defense minister had reacted very cautiously to his demand. Reportedly, Li Shangfu attempted to relativize the importance of the former German personnel who, as far as is known, were recruited via legal channels. Chinas Minister of National Defence Li Shangfu delivers a speech during the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 4, 2023. Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images According to the German press report, the former Luftwaffe pilots were recruited by companies in New Zealand and South Africa and then took up positions in China, where some of them reportedly earnt six-figure annual salaries. Not surprisingly, the revelations have led to harsh criticism from political opponents of Pistorius and his Social Democratic Party (SDP). Its about time that this naivety and German naivety came to an end, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), and the chairwoman of Germanys defense committee, told Der Spiegel. The fact that former Luftwaffe soldiers are training fighter jet pilots in China after their period of service is an outrage, we cannot accept that, she added. Ground crew signal to the pilot of a Luftwaffe Eurofighter during Exercise Blue Flag 2021 at Ovda Air Base in Israel, in October 2021. Bundeswehr/Falk Barwald Strack-Zimmermann called for a clampdown on the rules governing what kinds of jobs former soldiers can take, suggesting that they only be allowed to provide instruction to NATO allies and other strategic partners. A similar response followed the revelation last year that pilots from the U.K. Royal Air Force had also been training the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) under seemingly very similar arrangements. You can read more about that here. Meanwhile, Green Party politician Konstantin von Notz, chair of the German governments Parliamentary Oversight Panel described the situation, if confirmed, as an outrageous, scandalous and problematic situation that presented an enormous security risk. The Parliamentary Oversight Panel has begun its own investigation into the training these former pilots provided. As to the details of German involvement in the training of PLA personnel, the number of pilots involved is apparently small, described as only a handful. However, extensive details have been published about one of those individuals, known as Alexander H. Under the callsign Limey, he had been a Eurofighter pilot with the Luftwaffes Tactical Air Force Wing 73 Steinhoff, based at Rostock-Laage in eastern Germany. Here, Alexander H. had served as an instructor pilot with the German Eurofighter training unit. A pair of Eurofighters from Tactical Air Force Wing 73 Steinhoff during air-to-air training. Bundeswehr/Bicker In 2013, Alexander H. left Germany, presumably on completing his commission, and reportedly registered a move abroad. His destination was Qiqihar in northeastern Chinas Heilongjiang province. This base is currently home to the J-16 Flanker multirole fighter-bombers of the PLA Air Forces 3rd Air Brigade, although when Alexander H. was first working there it seems that the unit was still equipped with the older J-8 Finback fighter jet. Transition to the J-16 at this base followed in 2018. A PLA Air Force J-16 Flanker takes off. Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation As to what kinds of training and expertise Alexander H. passed onto the PLA, this remains unclear, although unnamed German security officials have confirmed that it is very possible that the pilots have passed on military expertise and confidential operational tactics, and even practiced attack scenarios, such as an offensive against Taiwan. The German Ministry of Defense has also not provided any specifics about what these ex-Luftwaffe personnel were doing in China, or whether they are still there. But the ministry did confirm that China is attempting, via external agencies, to recruit former NATO pilots as instructors, and that former German Luftwaffe pilots were targeted in these efforts. The ministry further warned that the situation risked the PLA gaining insight into relevant tactics, techniques, and procedures. It seems that, for former Luftwaffe pilots in particular, who normally retire at 41, the lucrative offer from China may have been especially attractive. Rather than a pension amounting to half of their final monthly salary, those taking on jobs in China could receive very lucrative offers. The U.K. pilots who took on similar employment, from the end of 2019 onward, reportedly received salaries of around $270,000 a year. According to Der Spiegel, former Luftwaffe pilots have been working on behalf of the PLA for more than 10 years, with the first such individual apparently having been recruited by the Test Flying Academy of South Africa, or TFASA a company that has trained PLA pilots in South Africa. No laws seem to have been broken and, at the same time, the German government was also providing formal training to PLA officers. An image from the TFASA website apparently showing Western aircrew in front of a Chinese FTC-2000 jet trainer. TFASA Another ex-Luftwaffe pilot, named Peter S., who also served at Laage, is also said to have provided training to the PLA, in China, under the auspices of the TFASA. A third former German military pilot alleged to have assisted the PLA has also been identified, Dirk J., having flown the Tornado strike aircraft with the German Navy before that service gave up its fast-jet fleet in 2005. In 2013, Dirk J. began work as a senior aviation consultant in China, according to reports. The issue of former NATO aircrew working on behalf of the PLA came to prominence very publicly last year, when Daniel Edmund Duggan, a previous U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II jump jet pilot was arrested in Australia. Allegedly, hed been helping train Chinese naval aviators to operate from aircraft carriers. Duggan was also said to have trained Chinese aviators with the TFASA, as part of a program that allegedly involved the potentially illegal procurement of at least one T-2 Buckeye naval jet trainer capable of carrier deck takeoff and landings. A Peoples Liberation Army Navy J-15 fighter lands on the aircraft carrier Liaoning in April 2018. AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Duggan denies breaking any laws and is still detained in Australia. He may yet face extradition to the United States. Also last year, the U.K. Ministry of Defense revealed that dozens of British former frontline military pilots had been involved in providing pilot training to the Chinese military, including via the TFASA, with others actually working within China. The pilots involved were said to be mainly former fast-jet aircrew but also included helicopter pilots. https://twitter.com/DefenceHQPress/status/1582417903747751936?s=20 We are taking decisive steps to stop Chinese recruitment schemes attempting to headhunt serving and former U.K. Armed Forces pilots to train Peoples Liberation Army personnel in the Peoples Republic of China, a U.K. Ministry of Defense spokesman said at the time. All serving and former personnel are already subject to the Official Secrets Act, and we are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and non-disclosure agreements across Defense, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges including this one. Other countries, too, have made efforts to address the issue of former military personnel providing services to the PLA. There have been reports that Australia has investigated claims that some of its former fighter pilots have been approached to work in China. Canada, too, has been looking into similar allegations involving some of its former fighter pilots. While it seems likely that, in at least some of these instances, no rules were broken, its equally clear that there is a growing concern about the sharing of sensitive information with the PLA at a time when relations between Beijing and the West are particularly strained. In the foreground is Chinas increasingly assertive stance over Taiwan and fears among U.S. and other officials that a Chinese invasion of the island could happen sooner rather than later. Reflecting the tensions surrounding Taiwan, only this weekend the U.S. military claimed a PLAN Navy warship made an unsafe maneuver in the Taiwan Strait when it cut sharply across the path of a U.S. Navy destroyer. https://twitter.com/BradHowardNYC/status/1665571881011802112?s=20 Then there are the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, which, in recent weeks, have included a close encounter between a PLA J-16 fighter and a U.S. Air Force RC-135 surveillance plane, as seen in the video below. The Pentagon blamed the Chinese pilot for an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu2Jwf_eaOY As China has increasingly been identified as the number one challenge to U.S. security, it is by no means surprising that the issue of former pilots from Western air arms assisting the PLA in any capacity, legal or otherwise, has become a significant concern. Once again, its hard to determine to what degree the PLA might have benefited from the expertise of these individuals, and whether they imparted tactically sensitive information as well as more routine assistance. Either way, however, Germany will likely not be the last country compelled to take action to crack down on what is a potentially alarming security loophole. Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com A handout photo released by Brazils Ministry of Science and Technology shows the fossil of a rare dinosaud that had been taken irregularly to Germany three decades ago after being returned to Brazil at the Minister of Science and Technology headquarter in Brasilia, Brazil, on June 5, 2023 A fossil from a rare dinosaur that roamed South America 110 million years ago has been returned to Brazil from Germany, ending a diplomatic spat triggered by charges that researchers stole it. The small dino, called Ubirajara jubatus, which had an early form of feathers and spearlike rods jutting from its shoulders, fascinated scientists, who identified it as previously unknown species in a paper published in 2020. But it soon sparked a scientific and ethical scandal, when Brazilian researchers accused the German team behind the paper of illegally removing the fossil from Brazil. After a nearly three-year standoff, a delegation led by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock returned the fossil Sunday during a visit to Brasilia, officials said. "The Ubirajara jubatus fossil, the first non-avian dinosaur with feather-like structures found in South America, has been returned to Brazil," the Brazilian science and technology ministry said in a statement Monday. The fossil was found in 1990 by a team of paleontologists in the northeastern state of Ceara. They took it to Germany to study it, housing it in the State Museum of Natural History in Karlsruhe. But Brazilian scientists cried foul after the publication of the December 2020 paper identifying the fossil as a new species, saying the specimen had been removed from the country irregularly. Local legislation establishes that fossils found in Brazil belong to the state, and that foreign researchers must collaborate with a Brazilian institution if they want to export them. Scientists launched an online campaign calling for the fossil to be returned, under the hashtag #UbirajarabelongstoBR. "Without the mobilization of the Brazilian scientific community, we would not have been successful," Science and Technology Minister Inacio Arruda said. The 11.5-kilo (25-pound) specimen will now be housed at a university paleontology museum in Ceara. msi/jhb/dw Contenders for the 2024 Republican nomination harshly criticized former President Donald Trump after he threw fresh praise on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump congratulated Kim on Truth Social on Friday after the country was elected to the executive board of the World Health Organization. Trump met with the dictator three times during his time in the White House, a landmark move by an American president that drew fierce condemnation from critics who said the effort gave credibility to Kims outlaw regime. Trumps latest comments were lashed by 2024 competitors hoping to unseat the former president from his perch at the top of national polling averages for the Republican nomination. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who reportedly plans to announce his own bid for the White House any day, didnt speak of Trump by name, but told Fox News this weekend: No one should be praising the dictator in North Korea or praising the leader of Russia who has launched an unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine. This is a time when we ought to make it clear to the world that we stand for freedom and we stand with those who stand for freedom, Pence said on Saturday while in Iowa. In this June 30, 2019, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and U.S. President Donald Trump prepare to shake hands at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea. In this June 30, 2019, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and U.S. President Donald Trump prepare to shake hands at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) went a step further, calling Kim a thug and saying there was no reason we should ever congratulate the countrys inclusion in the U.N. body. I mean Kim Jong Un is a thug, and if you see what he has done to his own people in North Korea when money went to North Korea, it didnt go to feed their people, it went to feed their nuclear program, she said during a CNN town hall-style event on Sunday. Congratulate our friends, she added. Dont congratulate our enemies. It emboldens them when we do that. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) also fired off a jab at Trump, saying he was surprised to see the former presidents missive. Kim Jong Un is a murderous dictator, DeSantis told reporters. Pence, DeSantis and Haley were all in Iowa on Saturday for an annual fundraiser hosted by Sen. Joni Ernst (R). Related... The Kansas Republican Party has a big problem at the moment. Republicans. Not all of them, maybe not even a majority of them. But theres a faction thats taken control of the state party apparatus, saying and doing some really self-destructive things. If you dont keep up on this stuff, heres a synopsis: At a February state committee meeting, Mike Brown was elected party chairman, 90-88. You may remember Brown. A former Johnson County commissioner who, after losing that job, ran unsuccessfully last year against incumbent Scott Schwab in the GOP primary for Kansas secretary of state. Brown attacked Schwab from the right. If youd ever seen Schwab in action when he was a state legislator, you may ask how thats even possible. It is, if you jump on the stop the steal bandwagon with both feet, embracing and promoting election conspiracy theories and attacking mail voting and ballot drop boxes Browns signature move. His tenure as party chairman has been marked by paranoia and an effort to consolidate the power of his insurgent faction. This has alienated conservative, yet traditional Republicans whove been the backbone of the party for years. Among Browns critics is his immediate predecessor, Mike Kuckelman. Brown accused the former GOP chairman of basically stalking him and his wife. Recently I have seen you around in multiple venues while I was with friends and family, Brown wrote in an email to Kuckelman. The number of times is concerning and more than what I believe to be a coincidence. As my wife feels very uncomfortable, I believe it is best we avoid each other to the maximum extent possible. But whats really gotten Brown in hot water lately is an effort by his supporters to shrink the Republican State Committee and its influential executive committee, which would consolidate the power of the Brown faction. As things stand now, those committees include representation from congressional and statewide officeholders, along with leaders of groups representing Black Republicans, Hispanic Republicans, young Republicans, college Republicans and Republican women. A proposal from the party rules committee would take those seats away. This got talked out Friday at the Wichita Pachyderm Club in a panel discussion, including Sedgwick County Clerk and former GOP state chairman Kelly Arnold, state Sen. Renee Erickson, Black Republican Talia Penn and Hispanic Republican Ben Sauceda. The panelists werent taking the proposed rule changes lightly. Im still an American and I still have a right to be heard, said Sauceda, a second-generation Hispanic American, chair of the Kansas chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly and a Park City Council member. Arnold serves on the rules committee and was on the short end of an 8-3 vote that advanced the changes. Brown has encouraged the committee to take another look at the plan, but Arnold said he doesnt see that happening. He said if the attempted purging of minority, women and elected voices had happened on his watch, hed have removed his appointees and replaced them. Nobody would have thought of doing this when I was chairman, he said. But the effort to steer the party in the direction its going didnt start with Brown. It started with Brownback. In 2012, then-Gov. Sam Brownback didnt like moderate Republicans getting in the way of his ill-advised and radical tax cut proposals, the brainchild of Koch Industries front groups and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. They recruited and backed Brownback supporters in a concerted effort to purge the moderates in Republican primaries. It worked. Numerous moderates, including then-Senate President Steve Morris, were voted out. The message was loud and clear: Back Brownback, or lose your seat. I knew we were headed for a dark place when Id cover the Capitol back then and hear the word moderate attached to people like former state senators Phil Journey, tireless champion of the National Rifle Association, or Dick Kelsey, Baptist pastor and pro-life crusader. The Legislature has moved steadily rightward ever since to where it is today veto-proof majorities in both houses and leadership that punishes members who step out of line. It works in the carefully gerrymandered Legislature, but not as well at the macro level. Cracks in GOP dominance began to show when voters soundly rejected the anti-abortion-rights Value Them Both constitutional amendment in August. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids won their elections in November, despite Republicans best efforts to unseat them. Arnold and co-panelists at the Pachyderm meeting made a compelling case for minority representatives and elected officials to remain on the state leadership committees, saying that inclusion is vital to the partys future, especially when it comes to fundraising. Their comments were mostly well-received, but a few had other thoughts. Pachyderm Ed Myers, wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan Purge The RINOs (short for Republican in Name Only), demanded to know if the panelists intended to invite gay Republican groups to have a seat on the party committees. He didnt get an answer. After the meeting, he explained that in his view, the Republicans are following a Democratic playbook by offering special representation to minorities in the party. We are promoting segregation, he said. We are pitting one group against another. Traditional conservatives find themselves in a pickle. They purged Morris and the moderates and rode that dark energy to near-dominance of Kansas politics. But now, they find themselves in a spot where the farther-right might be ready to move on without them and they could be on the outside looking in. Its brings to mind the popular group r/LeopardsAteMyFace on message board site Reddit, which started six years ago with the tweet: I never thought leopards would eat MY face, sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating Peoples Faces Party. The group revels in telling stories of people suffering consequences from something they voted for, but that got out of control. Arnold acknowledges that previous purges played a role in bringing the state party to its current crossroads. Hopefully, over time, we have learned the lessons of mistakes of the past, he said. The rules committee majority members have asked for and been granted a speaking slot at the Pachyderm Club to tell their side of story, two weeks from now. I can hardly wait. Dion Lefler: 316-268-6527, @DionKansas North Miami Beach mayor Anthony DeFillipo was suspended from his position by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday, nearly a week after he was arrested on voting fraud charges. It is in the best interests of the residents of the City of North Miami Beach, and the citizens of the State of Florida, that Anthony F. DeFillipo II be immediately suspended from the public office which he now holds, the executive order reads. The order prohibits DeFillipo from performing any official act, duty or function of public office and from receiving any pay or allowance while he is suspended. Last week, the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office announced DeFillipo had been arrested and charged with three counts of voter fraud. Hes the third mayor of North Miami Beach to be arrested in 11 years. RELATED: North Miami Beach mayor arrested on charges related to voting irregularities DeFillipos arrest came six months after a complaint was filed with the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics & Public Trust alleging DeFillipo lived in the town of Davie in Broward County, in violation of the North Miami Beach city charter, which requires elected officials to reside in the city. The mayor expects to be fully exonerated from these politically motivated false charges and is anxious to get his day in court, DeFillipos attorney Michael Pizzi said in a statement sent to the Miami Herald. The mayor has always fought corruption in his city and has never been charged with abusing his office. The sole allegation that he voted in the wrong district is misguided and it is shameful that the state attorney is using her office to intercede in politics. In an emailed statement to the Miami Herald, a North Miami Beach spokesman said the city is aware of the concern DeFillipos suspension may pose to residents, businesses and city employees. The circumstances surrounding the former Mayor is not a reflection of the City staff or the rest of the City Commission who work tirelessly, day in and day out to make NMB a wonderful place to live, work, and play, David F. Jeannot, the citys chief communications officer, wrote. Our community is resilient, the business of the city will continue, and with your patience, we will get through this chapter of the city together and prevail. Under the citys charter, the vice mayor may become acting mayor in the event of the mayors absence or a vacancy. Vice mayor terms are rotated on four-month periods; Commissioner Jay Chernoff is the current vice mayor. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said her office used cell phone data to track DeFillipos driving from Davie to North Miami Beach, where he cast ballots to vote in three elections in August, October and November. It wasnt as if, Oops, I forgot once, she told the Herald last week. This is three times in rapid succession. The charges are third-degree felonies, each punishable with up to five years in prison. DeFillipo has repeatedly denied the allegations surrounding his residency and insisted he lives in North Miami Beach. In a March deposition, DeFillipo admitted to purchasing a Davie home but said it was for his family to live in, citing marital issues. He also admitted to serving on the homeowners association board for the Davie community. READ: Embattled North Miami Beach mayor acknowledges he took a seat on Davie homeowners board The arrest and subsequent suspension of DeFillipo is the latest in a tenuous period on the North Miami Beach City Commission in the past six months. Concerns over DeFillipos residency led to a stalemate in the city. Three city commissioners refused to attend commission meetings in protest of DeFillipos residency concerns, leaving the commission without a quorum to conduct city business. And last month, the City Commission voted to remove Michael Joseph from his seat after he failed to attend meetings for more than 120 days. Joseph is suing to regain his seat. DeFillipos arrest continued an ignominious trend for the citys mayors. In 2018, then-Mayor George Vallejo agreed to resign from office and accept house arrest as part of a plea deal for violating state campaign finance laws. Vallejo was charged with two first-degree misdemeanors by the Miami-Dade State Attorneys office. In 2012, former Mayor Myron Rosner was arrested and charged with several felony and misdemeanor counts, including unlawful compensation for official behavior, grand theft and falsely reporting campaign expenditures. Rosner pleaded guilty to a single charge of unlawful compensation and sentenced to serve three years probation. Of all the images forever lodged in his brain, its the children that stick with David Pavenko the most. When he closes his eyes, he can still see them playing in the rubble. Pavenko, 24, is like many aspiring young adults from this area. Born and raised in Tacoma, he funneled through Tacoma public schools on his way to Bates Technical College, where he earned a degree in woodworking. From there, he enrolled at the University of Washington Tacoma. This week, hes graduating with a hard-earned bachelors degree in electrical engineering. But while Pavenkos classmates will be celebrating commencement at the Tacoma Dome on Friday, hell be more than 5,000 miles away making his way to the front lines of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Its a dangerous journey hes already made once before, and one hes compelled to make again, he recently told me. I saw the images of civilians lying on the streets, kids lying on the street dead from all the shelling and the rocket attacks, and it just broke my heart, said Pavenko, a Ukrainian-American who grew up with six siblings in a small house in the shadow of the Narrows. I figured, although Im American and I was born here by blood, Im still Ukrainian. My parents were Ukrainian. My grandparents were Ukrainian. My great-grandparents suffered under Stalin. I knew I would regret it if I didnt do something, added Pavenko, whose mom and dad fled Ukraine for the United States as refugees in 1996, two years before he was born. I just feel like these are my people, and if I dont do something Ill regret it forever. David Pavenko photographed during his first trip to Ukraine in fall 2022. To understand the connection Pavenko feels with the citizens of Ukraine and particularly those in the areas of the country currently under brutal Russian attack its helpful to understand his background, and the single-handed humanitarian effort hes been engaged in since last year. The stories and visuals that emerged in the days and weeks following Russias 2022 invasion of the country, including New York Times footage of the massacre in Bucha, a city just west of Kyiv, moved and consumed him, he explained. Before long, hed lost a cousin to the fighting. Hed already lost two back in 2014, when the Russo-Ukrainian War first started. So last September Pavenko set off alone, with roughly $7,000 hed earned during a summer internship, intent on personally delivering essential supplies to civilians caught on the front lines. Through word of mouth and friends of family friends, he connected with a volunteer who makes trips into some of the most war-torn regions of the country. He used his money on food, medicine and other necessities, and his goal was simple: reaching the people who need help the most, and trying to convince families with children to evacuate. In total, Pavenko spent nearly a month in Ukraine last year, he said, witnessing the atrocities of war firsthand. Just like the videos he first watched from his Tacoma bedroom in the same house he grew up in, where his devout Christian parents still live he saw the bombed-out buildings and the bodies and blood in the street for himself. Only this time, he smelled the putrid smoke and he heard the stories of loss face to face. Most importantly, there was something tangible he could do in response. His parents were terrified of course, and he got plenty of bewildered looks. But it was a deeply powerful experience, he says, and one that changed him forever. Now that hes on the cusp of adulthood intent on entering the workforce and putting his new degree to good use he told me its something hes driven to do again, before the growing responsibilities of his life no longer allow it. He has a one-way ticket booked for Tuesday, and hes raised another $7000 from friends and members of his church. He plans to stay until the money runs out, and he recently purchased a helmet and bulletproof vest for good measure. Materialistic things dont last. But when I went to Ukraine and I had the opportunity to help, it was the best experience of my life, and the most fulfilling thing Ive ever done, said Pavenko. He already has an unofficial job offer lined up at a major Northwest employer, scheduled to start in August. Four days before his scheduled flight, Pavenko who recently earned his pilots license and hopes to one day serve in the Air National Guard admitted being nervous about the journey ahead. He knows anything could happen, and said its difficult to put into words his rationale for risking everything. Most people dont get it. Still, more than a year after Vladimir Putin launched the Russian invasion of Ukraine a country he previously knew best from afar he feels more connected to the nation and its people than ever. And as he watches the ongoing war slowly fade from the general American consciousness, Pavenko is intent on keeping the daily horrors at the forefront of peoples minds here in Tacoma and to keep doing his part for Ukraine, whatever it takes. Mostly, he said, he cant stop thinking about those kids. Going there and seeing the destruction, seeing the kids without the parents, seeing the dead civilians lying in the rubble and the firefighters pulling them out, it affected me in my heart. I want to go back. I have to go back, Pavenko said. There are children there who have a future ahead of them, he added. Im so blessed. America provided everything for my family. I consider it my duty to help. Lecrae headshot Lecrae is a Grammy Award-winning platinum-selling artist, New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, speaker, thought leader and philanthropist. Hes also the co-owner and president of Reach Records, the recording home of Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Hulvey, 1K Phew, Tedashii, TripLee and several other artists. His 2014 album Anomaly, debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 with nearly 100,000 copies sold through the first week. The first album to top both the Billboard 200 and the Gospel Charts simultaneously. To date, Lecrae sold more than three million copies and won a Grammy for Best Gospel Album. When hes not in the studio or making rounds on red carpets, Lecrae loves to get into the world to explore. Lecrae takes intentional journeys around the world before each album launch. Different biblical sites inspire each journey. Travel Noire spoke with Lecrae ahead of his culturally immersive summer travel schedule. In the interview, he talked about his favorite destinations, compromising couple travels and his expanding view on Christianity as a global religion. Photo credit: Lecrae Travel Noire: What inspired the beginning of your decision to go on these travel adventures? Lecrae: First Id have to say, I have to give credit to my aunt Teresa. Being a product of a single-parent household and living in a disenfranchised community, I did not realize that travel was something that was available to us. My aunt Teresa did something similar to the Peace Corps and got addicted to traveling the world. [She] would send me postcards as a kid. It was the first time I realized that I could see the world outside of my own backyard. It inspired me to wanna go places. Around the time I had put out this album called Rehab, I was starting to get a lot of notoriety, and I wanted to always feel connected to folks that I was creating music for. I remember as a kid being inspired by Erykah Badus music. That was not music she was doing to make herself seem larger than life, but it was actually for the flourishing of humanity. I was distracted by all of the lights, camera, action and the self-acclaimed ego. I said, Man, let me take myself out of this world before this album comes out and I get overwhelmed with the enamor and all the excitement and let me go somewhere. I went to Sudan, and it was life-altering. I got to stay in a village with some friends that I had known, and my perspective just was different. When I came home to the Grammy [nominations] and the album charts, it paled in comparison to what I had experienced in terms of travel. It grounded me. TN: How do you decide which destinations youre going to visit? Lecrae: As a Christian, and I mean the global faith and not the Westernized American version that has this incestuous relationship with politics, I feel as if this is a faith that started in the Near East. It reached Ethiopia before it reached Europe. I wanted to connect with the origins and the roots of this faith. The teachings, views and beliefs are around love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and helping other people. I wanted to put myself in a position where I was seeing the world through those lenses. I needed to see people outside of this Westernized perspective that represented the faith that I subscribe to [and] go to places that were not as fortunate as us [to] see how I can help them in some way. Thats the connectivity there. TN: Can you speak to some of the memorable destinations or top experiences from your travels? Lecrae: My favorite is Egypt. Going [from] Egypt to Cairo, where some of the ancient Egyptian history existed, was important to me. Looking at the Nile River, which was very central to themes in the Bible, was key [when] looking at going into Cairo. Seeing melanated pictures of the disciples was important for me. That place alone is so historic. It puts you in a position where you realize that Americas very young. To stand somewhere thats over 3,000 years old puts in perspective how amazing these people were and what they were able to accomplish. It just strengthened my perspective in a million ways. TN: On a recent trip to Israel, you were baptized in the Jordan River. Can you talk a little bit about that and share what that experience was like for you? Lecrae: I think going to Israel helped me a ton. We get a lot of cultural context confused when we pick up the Bible. I myself saw things that made more sense culturally. To stand in the temple of King David [and other] places was extremely valuable to me. Then, follow in the footsteps of people, like Apostle Paul or Jesus himself was important to me. In the Jordan River, I thought that was a phenomenal experience to be able to follow in those footsteps to place my feet where his feet were, [and] to be baptized in that same water. [It] was something that I cant even put into words, but it was very enlightening and enriching for my soul to be able to take part in that. TN: Can you share some couple travel inspiration and how you navigate the world with your wife? Lecrae: Oh, thats great. We love to travel. Thats our thing. Weve gone everywhere from Tokyo, Japan, to Turks and Caicos. We went to Egypt [and] Europe. We have this thing because she likes to chill, and I like to move. What weve learned is to find a little bit of a rhythm. Lets say were there for five days. Were gonna have the first day of chilling. The second and third days are going to be an adventure. Then, the fourth and fifth are chill again. That way were not worn out by the time we get back. I get two days of adventure in the middle and everybodys happy. She wants to sit by the beach and take it all in. I want to go to the Mayan ruins and go see whats going on in there. Its just a healthy balance of relaxation. Shell figure out where the good restaurants are and good chill spots. Im going to figure out where the adventure and the culture and the history are. Thats kind of the way weve done it. TN: Whats happening in the world of Lecrae right now as you prepare for this next project? Lecrae: I have a process of wanting to be amongst the people. Im knocking out a couple of last-minute events and then being amongst the people. I have family on the West Coast, so Im going to spend some time with them. I want to live normal and be immersed among regular folks. Im writing from the perspective of the average listener. Thats whats going to be really important for me during this process. TN: Youll be starring in a new film Journey to Bethlehem. What can you share about the film and your experience while shooting it? Lecrae: This was a very important film about Marys journey because a lot of times you dont focus on the journey of the women. I played the angel Gabriel, and I was very appreciative of the director Adam Anders, who did all the music for Glee and High School Musical. He was very intentional about using melanated people. I love that aspect of the film. Then, being able to travel to do it. That was amazing as well because of the landscape and how much it looked like ancient Israel. The movies phenomenal. I cant wait for people to see it. It comes out at the end of November in theaters everywhere. TN: Is there any final inspiration you have for Black travelers, as far as expanding their faith experience through travel? Lecrae: For African-American Christians, I think a lot of what we experience faith wise in America is oftentimes a response to colonization. I think its extremely important to get outside of the Western world, so that you can see that its a global faith. It was important for me to go to Nigeria and see it expressed there. It was important for me to go to Egypt and see it expressed there because you realize that there are so many aspects of it that have been colonized. I think its important for us to own it ourselves and to be able to see that its global. Its melanated. Its not the slave masters religion, as oftentimes we are told. This article has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Gravitational Waves Might Be Generated by the Debris Fields of Dying Stars The dying star Wolf-Rayet 124. Debris around dying stars may be a source of gravitational waves. A team of astrophysicists has determined through simulations that the debris shed by dying stars may be a source of gravitational wavesthose ripples in spacetime predicted by Einstein over a century ago. Gravitational waves are predicted by the general theory of relativity; they are ripples in spacetime generated by massive accelerating objects. The waves are also produced by the interactions of such objects, like binaries of and mergers between neutron stars and black holes. Read more Gravitational waves were first detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), which is based in Louisiana and Washington. LIGO detects gravitational waves by measuring minuscule differences in the timing of laser pulses against mirrors in underground facilities; those differences suggest that ripples in spacetime slightly delayed the laser pulses. Now, a team of researchers is suggesting that a new kind of wave from those yet detected could be rippling through the cosmos: gravitational waves produced by matter shed by dying stars. Their research was presented today at the 242nd meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The evolution of a dying stars jet-cocoon, a possible source of gravitational waves. As of today, LIGO has only detected gravitational waves from binary systems, but one day it will detect the first non-binary source of gravitational waves, said Ore Gottlieb, an astrophysicist at Northwestern University and the studys lead author, in a Northwestern release. Cocoons are one of the first places we should look to for this type of source. While such waves have not yet been observed, they were predicted in simulations conducted by Gottlieb and his colleagues. The researchers modeled how stars die, flinging material outwards while collapsing inwards, leaving a black hole in the voids they leave behind. The researchers were trying to determine if black holes accretion disksthe superheated material that surrounds black holes and makes their shadows visible in radio telescope imagescould be gravitational wave sources. An image of the black hole at the center of M87, surrounded by superheated material. But in looking towards the accretion disks, the teams calculations were disrupted by modeled data from the cocoon of material surrounding jets of accelerated material produced by dying stars. The model suggested that the material around the jets could cause perturbations in spacetime that are within the frequency band that LIGO detects. Detecting gravitational waves from new sources would also be a boon to astrophysicists seeking to trace the gravitational wave background, or the murmur of gravitational waves rolling through the universe at all times. Scientists are searching for the gravitational wave background using pulsar timing arrays, which operate similarly to LIGO but rely on timing the detections of light emitted by rapidly spinning pulsars instead of subterranean laser pulses. A holy grail of gravitational wave astronomy would be a space-based observatory that would function the same way, but on a much larger scale than LIGO (which has since expanded and teamed up with other observatories to form the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration.) Instead of using LIGOs 2.5-mile-long (4 kilometer) arms to detect gravitational waves, astrophysicists could use the 1.5-million-mile-long (2.41 million km) arms of the proposed LISA mission. But wheneverif eversuch an observatory comes to pass, it definitely helps if you know where to look. More: A Black Hole Collided With Something That Shouldnt Exist More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Stephen Nicot When investigators with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office searched the home of a local man for possible child pornography, they found a digital memory card tucked amid a book on tape titled "Jesus Among Other Gods." Later, when the digital contents were reviewed, investigators allegedly found images of naked boys and men showering photos that law enforcement say were taken by a hidden camera. The FBI this week criminally charged Stephen Nicot, a 60-year-old Greece resident, with production and possession of child pornography. In a criminal complaint, the FBI alleges that Nicot had hidden cameras in the bathroom of his home. He also is suspected of doing the same at a church in Holley, Orleans County, which has not been identified. Law enforcement officials say they have identified five victims and are asking the community to alert the FBI if they think there may be others. The FBI can be contacted at (585)546-2220. in July 2022, the sheriff's learned that Nicot had cameras hidden in a bathroom of his residence, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan McGuire. The Sheriff's Office searched Nicot's home and seized digital devices, including the one within the religious book on tapes, cellphones and a laptop,"A forensic review of the items seized recovered numerous photographs and videos depicting young boys and adult men nude," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. "Some of the videos depicted young boys and adult men showering. "Investigators believe some of the videos were taken by the camera hidden in Nicots bathroom," according to the statement. "In addition, investigators have identified videos that they believe were taken by a camera that Nicot hid in a bathroom, that included a shower, in an Orleans County, NY, church." A judge this week released Nicot on a number of conditions, including GPS monitoring, the surrender of a passport, computer monitoring, and a prohibition of contact with anyone under 18 without "the direct supervision of a responsible adult." He is scheduled to return to court in July. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Stephen Nicot accused of using hidden cameras to film kids in bathroom Groom wins case against stable boss who refused to dismount from horse during meeting Charlotte Holloway A groom at a racehorse stables has won a pregnancy discrimination case after one of her bosses refused to get off her horse during a meeting to discuss her childcare. Charlotte Holloway has been awarded more than 4,000 after an employment tribunal expressed disbelief over the way she was treated at the Derby-winning Durdans Stables. Mrs Holloway was involved in a dispute with her bosses during her maternity leave that saw them deny her request to keep the same hours on her return to work. When she visited the stables to discuss the issue, the owners partner who was helping to run the business did not dismount from her horse and the meeting was held in the stables with everyone forced to stand. The tribunal, held virtually, heard that Ms Holloway felt she had no other choice but to resign. She then sued her former employers for unfair dismissal and maternity discrimination and won 4,173.35 in compensation. Mrs Holloway had her second child in 2020 The hearing was told Mrs Holloway began working at Durdans in Epsom, Surrey, in October 2018. Her employers describe the stables as the most outstanding in Epsom from a historical, architectural and equestrian perspective and one of the most notable in the whole country. Mrs Holloway worked 21 hours a week, in a schedule that involved Saturday mornings plus full days on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She avoided Mondays and Fridays as that was when her parents who helped her with childcare worked. The tribunal heard that she became pregnant with her second child and this led to her being furloughed at the start of lockdown in March 2020, about three months before her baby was due. On Feb 26 2021, she said she wanted her days and hours to remain as they were before her maternity leave. On March 17, the stables emailed to explain that it wanted her to work on a different schedule Thursday morning, and full days on a Friday and Sunday. These hours were problematic for Mrs Holloway as she had arranged childcare to fit into her previous working arrangements, the tribunal said. She also did not want to work a whole day at a weekend with a young family, and Sunday has always been difficult for her because her husband has sporting commitments, it said. The stables replied to say it was not reasonably practicable to allow her to return to the same position and on the same specific hours and days as before. It pointed out she had taken four weeks of extra maternity leave in addition to the initial standard period. Mrs Holloway asked for a meeting, which took place in April, and brought her father with her. Boss Stephen Cooper also attended the meeting at which his partner refused to get off her horse. With no compromise on the proposed changes to her rota, Mrs Holloway resigned in May. We also take account of the indignity The tribunal found that she had been discriminated against and unfairly sacked, concluding that the managers made it difficult for her to return because she had taken additional maternity leave. Employment Judge Anna Corrigan said: [The company] did not enter discussions about [her] return and days of work in a spirit of compromise. As a result, possible solutions in respect of [Mrs Holloways] working days were not explored. We also take account of the indignity of how [Mrs Holloway] was treated at the meeting with her father. Weve never come across anything like the situation where Mr Coopers partner held the meeting on the horse, forcing everyone to stand. The [company] did not follow any process. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. KIRO 7 is proud to once again be a sponsor for Habitat for Humanity and its Beyond the Build Luncheon happening on Thursday at 11 a.m. Evening News Anchor Aaron Wright will be the emcee this year. KIRO 7s Ranji Sinha spoke with the keynote speaker for this years luncheon, and broke down some of the groups work locally. Habitat for Humanity SeattleKing & Kittitas Counties will have its luncheon at the new Summit Building part of the Seattle Convention Center. The luncheon is an effort to highlight and help Habitats goals of building housing in our region an issue thats concerned many Western Washington communities. In March, Habitat showed off its first mid-rise building in Seattle, in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood. The building is now housing 13 new homeowners. Habitat for Humanity has highlighted Seattles Office of Housing and its investments to create affordable housing. The office, to date, has funded nearly 12,000 affordable units and created 1,500 through incentives. Habitat says it has a three-year plan to build 292 units in 139 buildings across Seattle, King County, and Kittitas County. Majora Carter has been tapped as the keynote speaker as a real estate developer, urban revitalization strategy consultant, MacArthur Fellow, and Peabody Award-winning broadcaster. Carter says the efforts locally are helping people become part of the homeownership class, something that is out of reach for many in our region. Now folks are realizing theres a big wealth gap, and especially a racial wealth gap, and the work that Habitat is doing in Seattle the work Hab is doing is going to help deal with that I think that some of the other, the way I understand, some of the policy issues they are trying to work on is also really important in terms of making it so its actually easier to actually build for folks, said Carter. Habitat for Humanity says that it has already completed dozens of units across our region, with more slated to come online through 2024. Some locations for new housing include Burien, Seattle, Bellevue, and Ellensburg. Habitat for Humanity SeattleKing & Kittitas Counties has also thrown support behind Gov. Jay Inslees Affordable Housing proposal for the 2023-25 state budget. Inslee has proposed spending nearly $625 million on affordable housing construction. Habitat for Humanity SKKC says it will honor the Seattle Office of Housing with its Community Leader of the Year Award for its exceptional contributions to creating and supporting affordable housing, including partnering on numerous projects with Habitat for Humanity. The Seattle Office of Housing has increased opportunities for families of all incomes to live in Seattle. For over 30 years, the city has managed investments from the Seattle Housing Levy and incentive programs for developers to fund the preservation and production of affordable housing in Seattle. The award will be accepted by Seattle Office of Housing Director Maiko Winkler-Chin. Long-time supporter Gary Fallon will receive Habitat SKKCs Volunteer of the Year Award for his ongoing service to the organization in a variety of ways for more than 23 years, including participating in regional and international Habitat Builds, serving on the Habitat SKKC Board, leading the Resource Development Committee and providing his legal expertise to the organization. Habitat Partner Families will speak from the heart via video and in person to showcase what owning a Habitat home has done to improve their lives. We are looking forward to another great program at this years luncheon, especially with Majora Carter as our keynote speaker. We have much to celebrate, but theres also more work to be done as our region struggles to keep up with demand for more affordable housing solutions. We are committed to ensuring that all funds raised are put toward the best possible use during these challenging times, said Brett DAntonio, CEO for Habitat for Humanity SeattleKing & Kittitas Counties. GOP presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley warned that a world war could break out if Ukraine pulled out of its war against Moscow and called on the U.S. and its allies to continue to supply Ukraine with the appropriate weapons and equipment in the conflict. This is bigger than Ukraine. This is a war about freedom, and its one we have to win, Haley told CNNs Jake Tapper on Sunday in a Republican town hall in Des Moines, Iowa. What we have to understand is that a win for Ukraine is a win for all of us, because tyrants tell us exactly what theyre going to do. China said they were going to take Hong Kong, they did it. Russia said they were going to invade Ukraine, we watched that happen. China says Taiwans next, we better believe them. Russia said Poland and the Baltics are next, if that happens, we are looking at a world war. This is about preventing war, she continued. Everybody wants to know well how does this war end? It would end in a day if Russia pulls out. If Ukraine pulled out, then were all looking at a world war. A number of the other 2024 Republican primary hopefuls have had to respond to questions about the war in Ukraine on the campaign trail, including front-runner former President Trump, who said he would stop that war in 24 hours. Haley also criticized Trump for congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after the country received a seat on the World Health Organizations (WHO) executive board. I dont think we should congratulate dictators. Congratulate our friends. Dont congratulate our enemies. It emboldens them when we do, Haley said after referring to Kim as a thug. Haley took questions on a number of topics during the 90-minute town hall with Republican voters in the Hawkeye State. The former South Carolina governor reiterated her call for a national consensus on abortion. When asked whether she would sign a six-week abortion ban, similar to the legislation recently passed in her home state, Haley deflected the question back on President Biden and Vice President Harris. I will answer that when you ask Kamala and Biden if they will agree to 37 weeks, 38 weeks, Haley said. No one asks how late they are willing to go. Haley also said she would oppose red flag laws on guns, which would permit courts to temporarily keep guns away from those who may harm themselves or others. I dont trust government to deal with red flag laws, she said. I dont trust that they will that they wont take them away from people who rightfully deserve to have them. Because youve got someone else judging whether someone should have a gun or not. It is a constitutional right that people can protect and defend themselves. Haley, who was the first female governor of South Carolina and is the only woman in the GOP primary field, also remarked on what it would mean for her to be the first woman president elected. For me, I dont think about that, as much as it would be nice to have that out of the way, she said. Thats what I thought when I became the first female governor of South Carolina. Women are amazing at a lot of things. Im a big fan of women. We balance. We prioritize. We know how to get things done. And honestly, weve let guys do it for a while. It might be time for a woman to get it done. An early entrant into the race, Haley has been joined by a few other notable candidates in recent weeks, and the field isnt done expanding: Former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum are slated to jump into the race this week. However, Haley and many of her fellow rivals face an uphill climb against Trump. The Real Clear Politics polling average shows Trump leading with 53.2 support, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 22.4 percent. Haley is at a distant third, with 4.4 percent support. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has criticized Donald Trump and taken relatively moderate positions on social issues. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has criticized Donald Trump and taken relatively moderate positions on social issues. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has announced he will not run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Sununus decision, announced in an exclusive interview with CNN on Monday, comes as a surprise following months of interviews in the national press teasing a potential run. Sununu told CNNs Dana Bash that former President Donald Trumps strong standing in the polls and the already-crowded nature of the field of contenders seeking to take on Trump convinced him that he could be more effective as someone on the sidelines with a little more unleashed voice. Sununu noted that he would have influence over the contest as the leader of the state with the first Republican presidential primary in the country. He plans to urge Trump alternatives to get out of the race if they lack a path to victory, though he declined to name anyone about whom he feels that way, saying he would have stronger opinions after the televised primary debates heat up. Given where the polls are right now, every candidate needs to understand the responsibility of getting out and getting out quickly, he told CNN. Sununu made clear that he sees his primary goal as ensuring Trumps defeat in the primary. The math has shown that Donald Trump has no chance of winning in November of 24. He wouldnt even win Georgia. If youre a Republican that cant win Georgia of November 24, you have no shot and hes proven that, Sununu said. Not only has he proven it, but the candidates he gets behind in a good conservative state like Georgia lose the race. His messaging doesnt translate. A vote for him in the in the primary is effectively a vote for Joe Biden, he added. In the past, Sununus complicated relationship with the Republican Party has given him pause about running for federal office. Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, he refused GOP entreaties to challenge New Hampshire Democrat Maggie Hassan for her Senate seat, citing his fear that he would end up on Capitol Hill debating partisan politics without results. Currently serving his fourth term as governor, Sununu is a staunch fiscal conservative with a libertarian streak. During his recent media tour, he touted his record of cutting taxes, deregulating business, and loosening the Granite States already-lax gun laws. He even claimed that his history made him the nations top governor for personal freedoms ahead of Floridas Ron DeSantis, who has announced his own run for the GOP presidential nomination. But Sununu had liabilities that would have made him an extreme long shot with a Republican primary electorate that is energized by right-wing populism and remains loyal to former President Donald Trump, who is seeking to retake the White House in 2024. A moderate on social issues, Sununu signed a bill banning abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy far later than the bans signed by DeSantis and other Republican governors. If successful in the primary, he would have had the most liberal position on abortion rights of any Republican presidential nominee in decades. Sununu has also lambasted Trump in colorful terms and questioned the GOPs focus on so-called culture war issues like rights for transgender people. And he has announced his support for legalizing recreational marijuana use. Sununu conceded that the Republican base might not be receptive to his particular ideological profile and message. Theyre the ones who elect the nominee. Thats right. And thats the frustration, he said. So I want to make the base bigger. I want to get more independents into the base. I want more young people that have been disenfranchised used to be part of the base we want to get them back in. There is already a growing field of Republican candidates hoping to take on Democratic President Joe Biden. In addition to DeSantis and Trump, contenders for the GOP nomination include South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott; Nikki Haley, a former United Nations ambassador and governor of South Carolina; former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson; and multimillionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has decided not to run for president in 2024, opting against joining the growing field of Republicans. "The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help ensure this does not happen," Sununu, who is serving his fourth term as governor of the key first-in-the-nation primary state, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed Monday. "We must not be complacent, and candidates should not get into this race to further a vanity campaign, to sell books or to audition to serve as Donald Trumps vice president," he added. I will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024. The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help to ensure this does not happen. Read my full op-ed:https://t.co/biZOzhV8K6 Chris Sununu (@ChrisSununu) June 5, 2023 In an interview with CNN on Monday, Sununu also cited the strength of former President Donald Trump in the polls as one of the reasons he's sitting out the race and urging others to potentially get out, as well, to consolidate support. "I dont mind who gets into the field, but, given where the polls are right now, every candidate needs to understand the responsibility of getting out, and getting out quickly, if its not working," he said. As he considered a run, Sununu was one of the potential GOP candidates most willing to criticize Trump. And for a while, it seemed like he was ready to join the field. In late May, when asked about the 2024 race, Sununu, 48, said he wanted the GOP field to be empowered whether that meant as a candidate himself or a primary referee. The moneys been lined up, the support has been lined up, he told CNN. Theres a pathway to win. All those boxes are checked. The familys on board, which is always a big one. I just got to make sure its right for the party and right for me. The son of a former governor and brother of a former senator, Sununu grew up enmeshed in New Hampshire Republican politics. He sailed to re-election in November, winning by more than 15 points during a midterm cycle that saw Republicans underperform nationwide. He surprised and perhaps angered the political establishment when he decided not to run for Senate in 2022 despite pressure from Republicans in Washington. In line with New Hampshires independent streak focused on fiscal conservatism rather than culture wars, the pragmatic conservative governor balanced three state budgets without raising taxes, preserved gun rights, protected some LGBTQ+ rights, and defended signing a 24-week abortion ban despite touting himself as a supporter of abortion rights a stance that would have been a unique asset or liability. Any Republican talking about a national abortion ban is just screwing the party over altogether, Sununu recently told The View, stressing that the issue should be left to individual states. Fundraising would have been another potential hurdle. Though Sununu launched his Live Free or Die PAC earlier this year in preparation for a potential run, he did not have the same war chest other federal candidates do and lacked experience courting national high-dollar donors. After calling himself a Trump guy through and through, Sununu distanced himself from the former president after the 2020 election, even calling Trump f---ing crazy at an annual Washington political dinner last year (which he later clarified was a joke). He has said he will vote for the eventual Republican nominee but has dodged whether hed support Trump by repeatedly asserting that the former president wont win the primary. We want a winner, Sununu recently told NBCs Meet the Press. Donald Trump is a loser. Even though he won't be a candidate, Sununu insists he won't be just sitting on the sidelines. In his op-ed Monday, he said, I plan to endorse, campaign and support the candidate I believe has the best chance of winning in November 2024. Previously, Sununu had said in various cable news interviews that if he did not run himself, he would act as a referee to make sure that everyone has an open lane and making sure we're pulling the levers to narrow things down. Sununu has also criticized Ron DeSantis, saying he doesn't like the Florida governor going after corporations, like Disney, for their policy positions. And in his op-ed, Sununu seemed to further target DeSantis without naming him by going after Republicans who are focusing on cultural issues like restricting certain books in libraries. "We need to expand beyond the culture wars that alienate independents, young voters and suburban moms," Sununu wrote. Sununu has met with several 2024 contenders in his State House office to discuss how to navigate their own presidential campaigns in the critical first-in-the-nation primary state. According to two sources familiar with his meetings, DeSantis, former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence have all sought advice from Sununu. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com New Hampshire Gov. Sununu will not run for president in 2024 New Hampshire GOP Governor, Chris Sununu says he will not run for president in 2024. The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help to ensure this does not happen, Sununu said in a tweet on Monday. Sununu has said he would endorse the GOPs ultimate nominee in 2024, but that hes rooting against Trump. You obviously have a very large field, he told CNNs Dana Bash in an interview. I think the former president is doing much better in the polls than folks thought. He said that Trump has no chance of winning the general election in November of 2024. If Republicans nominate him, a vote for him in the primary is effectively a vote for Joe Biden. The path to winning was clear, but I believe I can have a greater impact influencing the future of the Republican Party and the 2024 nominating process not as a candidate, but rather as the Governor of the First-in-the-Nation Primary state a Governor who is not afraid to speak candidly about issues, candidates, and the direction of our party moving forward. Sununu, who was recently elected to his fourth two-year term as New Hampshire governor, did not rule out a future run I cannot thank enough the countless individuals across this country who pledged their time, energy, and dollars to my efforts. Over the next few months, I will continue to travel the country to support the Republican Party up and down the ticket, bring on new voters, inspire the next generation, and help grow our party. The stakes are too high for any of us to sit on the sidelines, Sununu said. The Republicans already running in the 2024 race are former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, talk radio host and 2021 California gubernatorial candidate, Larry Elder, and former Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton. I will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024. The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help to ensure this does not happen. Read my full op-ed:https://t.co/biZOzhV8K6 Chris Sununu (@ChrisSununu) June 5, 2023 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW GOP Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire is passing on a run for the White House. "I've taken the last six months to look at things, where everything is, and I've made the decision not to run for president on the Republican ticket in 2024," Sununu said Monday in an interview on CNN and in an opinion piece in the Washington Post. Sununu, who is in his fourth two-year term steering the key general election battleground state that also holds the second contest in the GOP presidential nominating calendar, had been seriously mulling a White House bid for over a year. "Obviously a lot goes into that decision but its been quite an adventure, but not the end of the adventure by any means," Sununu told CNN. 2024 REPUBLICAN PREISDENTIAL RACE HEATS UP AS FORMER VP PENCE FILES PAPERWORK TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN Republican Gov. Chris Sununu speaks with Fox News at the New Hampshire Statehouse, on May 17, 2023 in Concord, N.H. Sununu didn't say if he'd seek re-election next year for what would be an unprecedented fifth term as New Hampshire governor. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP "You obviously have a very large field. I think the former President Donald Trump is doing much better in the polls than folks thought," Sununu said. Trump, who launched his third straight White House run in November, is currently the commanding front-runner in the latest GOP presidential nomination polls, both nationally and in the key presidential nominating states. Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally on April 27, 2023, in Manchester, New Hampshire. Sununu explained that he believes he can have a bigger impact by not running for president when it comes to "how we can make the Republican Party bigger." "I want more independents on the Republican Party team. I want more young voters on the Republican Party team. I am tired of losing U.S. Senate races," Sununu emphasized. "I think more folks within the Republican Party have to have that kind of voice, that kind of emphasis of message, in making sure that this is about the Republican Party, not just about the former president." Besides Trump, the Republican presidential nomination field includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who launched two weeks ago, former Vice President Mike Pence, who filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Monday, former South Carolina governor and former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former two-term Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, multimillionaire entrepreneur and conservative commentator Vivek Ramaswamy, and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who ran for the 2016 presidential nomination, is expected to launch a campaign at a town hall in New Hampshire on Tuesday, and two-term North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is expected to declare his candidacy at an event in Fargo, N.D. on Wednesday. Additionally, former Reps. Will Hurd of Texas and Mike Rogers of Michigan, and Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami, Florida are also seriously mulling 2024 bids. The conventional wisdom is that the expanding field only helps Trump as he seeks a third straight GOP presidential nomination. Sununu, reiterating what he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview, said on Monday that "given where the polls are right now, every candidate needs to understand the responsibility of getting out, and getting out quickly if it's not working. And I can be more candid about that as the governor of the first-in-the-nation primary calling candidates out, saying look you gave it a try. Youre still in low single digits. You gotta get out of the race." Sununu for over two years has been a vocal GOP critic of Trump. That criticism increased over the past eight months, as he expanded his national imprint with numerous television appearances and plenty of out-of-state travel. Sununu has called the former president's White House run "the orange-haired elephant in the room." He has argued that when it comes to the 2024 general election, "theres no avenue for him [Trump] to win." Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers remarks during his "Our Great American Comeback" Tour stop on June 1, 2023 in Laconia, New Hampshire. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images) Sununu has also been critical of DeSantis' emphasis on the culture wars issues. While Sununu has said, "I hate this woke cancel culture stuff," the governor describes himself as a "free market-principled conservative" and says he disagrees with DeSantis' culture wars strategy of targeting corporations over woke policy. "I think the best foundation of the Republican Party is limited government, local control. Appreciating that private businesses and the free market are what made this country great," Sununu told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. Sununu argued that "[going] after someone because they politically disagree with you, that aint what were about. Thats not what Republicans are about. Thats not what Americas about." Referring to DeSantis, he said, "Hes got a lot of headlines off of it, and I understand that. Weve got two very different styles," Sununu added "[T]o win, Republicans need our message to appeal to new voters, and we can do this without sacrificing classic conservative principles of individual liberty, low taxes and local control," Sununu wrote in his Washington Post opinion piece on Monday. "But we must abandon the issues that are solely made for social media headlines, such as banning books or issuing curriculum fiats to local school districts hundreds of miles away from state capitals. Republicans should re-embrace local control and let parents within their own communities decide whats right." While Sununu is very well known and popular in New Hampshire, his support for abortion rights may not have resonated with social conservative voters, a key constituency in the Republican Party's base. And while Sununu's approval ratings in his home state are the envy of other politicians, he's not known for his fundraising prowess, which is essential in a presidential campaign. Harmony Montgomerys stepmother, Kayla Montgomery, cut a deal with the New Hampshire Justice Department -- and it required of her only one thing: to tell the truth about her estranged husband, Adam Montgomery who is now on trial for stealing and trying to sell two guns in the fall of 2019. Monday, Montgomery testified that Adam stole, possessed, retained and tried to sell a shotgun and an AR-15. Kayla identified Adam in court, noting he was wearing a pink shirt. Kayla Montgomery takes stand WATCH LIVE: Harmony Montgomery's stepmother, Kayla, takes stand as testimony resumes in her husband's firearms trial. Posted by Boston 25 News on Monday, June 5, 2023 Adam Montgomery faces two charges each of being an armed career criminal, theft and receiving stolen property. Separately, he is accused of the murder of his five-year-old daughter, Harmony, who was last seen in December 2019. That trial could begin later this year. Kayla is serving time for perjury -- but in exchange for her testimony, prosecutors dropped welfare fraud and receiving stolen property charges. In addition, her possible term of confinement was reduced. The guns in question were stolen from Kim and Chris Frain, who were friends of the Montgomerys. Adam visited one night that September while Frains husband was out of town on business. Kim and Adam intended to buy drugs, but both fell asleep. Kayla said Adam told her the door to Frains Manchester house was open when he got there. He said that she was passed out and he woke her up and when she woke up she was freaking out about the guns missing, Kayla testified. Frain, who testified last week, said Adam was nodding off and she was exhausted from a three-day bender and fell asleep. When she woke in the morning, Adam was gone and so were the guns kept under the couples bed. Witness testifies to jury that Adam Montgomery was in her apartment night of gun theft Early in her testimony, Kayla denied hearing a different story about that night from Adam. But later, she said his story did, indeed, change. All he said was that Kim was passed out and he ended up taking the guns, she said. The theft upset Kayla. Because he took them from friends and I didnt want the guns in the house, she said. At the time, the Montgomerys were parenting three children -- Seamus, Declan and Harmony Montgomery in a house at 77 Gilford Street in Manchester. The family was evicted from the property in November 2019, Kayla said. Dressed in a bright red prison jumpsuit, Kayla Montgomery said it was difficult for her to be there. Its a lot, she said, then reached for a tissue to dab a tear. When asked if she knew someone named Adam Montgomery, Kaylas face contorted in grief as tears flowed down her cheeks. Hes my husband, she said. The couple has been married nearly six years, Kayla said, with their anniversary later this week. But they have known each other since high school. Kayla has since filed for divorce, testifying that Adam is in a new relationship. Their relationship had its share of turbulence -- with both Kayla and Adam suffering from substance use disorders -- in Kaylas case, an addiction to heroin and crack. Its a fog, she said. Cuz I know we were just getting high a lot. She said Adam intended to sell the two stolen guns or trade them for drugs -- with the initial attempt taking place in their living room days after the theft. Thats when three men, identified by Kayla as Mike, Ish and Manny, came to sell Adam drugs. He offered them the guns as payment, she said. They were checking them out, looking at them -- and they were saying they would think about it, Kayla testified. Ultimately, the trio did not buy the guns that night. Kayla said they were aware guns had been stolen from the Frains -- but did not know they were the two guns they were considering. I was taking care of the kids and I was looking to see what was going on in the living room from the kitchen, she said. It was just chaos in the house at that time. Another witness, Mark Reed, told the jury that Adam Montgomery reached out to him on Facebook Messenger, offering to sell him two guns. In the exchanges, Adam said he needed money because his family was facing eviction from their Manchester home. This was only months before Harmony Montgomery disappeared. Adam is not yet on trial for the murder of his 5-year-old daughter Harmony Montgomery, who was last seen three months later in December 2019. Kayla is currently behind bars after being sentenced for perjury charges. Adams trial for Harmony Montgomerys death is scheduled to begin later this year. More of 25 Investigates coverage of Harmony Montgomerys disappearance: 25 Investigates: Lawmakers put the brakes on proposed Harmony Montgomery Commission First glimpse inside the NH apartment searched in Harmony Montgomery investigation Harmony Montgomerys mother tells Boston 25 News, this is no longer a rescue mission Group sends Harmony Montgomery birthday cards to jailed father, Adam Internal review of New Hampshires handling of Harmony Montgomerys case released Boston 25 News Special Report: Searching for Harmony Montgomery 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 Harrison Ford Admits He Had Complicated Tension With Brad Pitt On Devil's Own Set Harrison Ford is looking back on a complicated feud he once had with Brad Pitt while filming 1997s The Devils Own. In a new interview with Esquire, the longtime actor revealed that the Hollywood pair had a troublesome rift at one point after they had different ideas about the films script. Brad developed the script. Then they offered me the part. I saved my comments about the character and the construction of the thing, the 80-year-old star explained. First of all, I admire Brad. I think hes a wonderful actor. Hes a really decent guy. But we couldnt agree on a director until we came to Alan Pakula, who I had worked with before but Brad had not, Harrison said, referencing his role in Pakulas 1990 mystery film Presumed Innocent. In The Devils Own, a New York police officer (Ford) uncovers the real identity of his house guest, a deadly IRA assassin (Pitt), who pulls them into the crossfire of terrorism in an attempt to purchase a cargo of missiles. The two opposing characters ultimately butt heads as they do what they both think is right. Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt at the premiere of Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt at the premiere of "The Devil's Own" at Cinema One Theater. Brad had this complicated character, and I wanted a complication on my side so that it wasnt just a good-and-evil battle, he continued. And thats when I came up with the bad-shooting thing. The bad-shooting thing is in reference to a scene in the film, in which Fords character finds himself morally conflicted after witnessing his partner (Ruben Blades) fatally shoot someone. Fords subplot was eventually woven into the film, but the Star Wars alum said trying to work the scene into the movie while they were still shooting was no easy feat. I worked with a writer but then all the sudden were shooting and we didnt have a script that Brad and I agreed on, Ford said. Each of us had different ideas about it. I understand why he wanted to stay with his point of view, and I wanted to stay with my point of view or I was imposing my point of view, and its fair to say that thats what Brad felt. He added: It was complicated. I like the movie very much. Very much. Back in September, Ford announced hes reprising his beloved role as Indiana Jones in the franchises fifth installment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The action-adventure film is slated to hit theaters on June 30. Watch the trailer below. Related... Head-on crash during road rage battle kills two oncoming motorists, Utah cops say A road rage dispute on a highway near Eagle Mountain left two uninvolved motorists dead, Utah sheriffs reported. The incident reportedly began when a 2016 Ford F-150 pulled in front of a 2014 Nissan Maxima in Eagle Mountain on Sunday, June 4, the Utah County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. The two vehicles continued onto state Route 73 with the pickup truck following the car, officials said. The pickup truck driver moved into an emergency lane on the left, then sideswiped the Maxima. The pickup truck driver lost control and veered into oncoming traffic lanes, colliding head-on with a 1987 Porsche 911 at about 12:30 p.m., sheriffs officials said. The crash killed a 48-year-old man and 47-year-old woman in the Porsche, the sheriffs office said. The driver of the pickup truck was admitted to a hospital for observation. The driver will face charges but they have not yet been determined, sheriffs officials said. Eagle Mountain is a city of 54,000 people about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. Woman leaps from Splash Mountain log mid-ride at Disneyland, video shows. I cant! Tourist following GPS directions drives into ocean at harbor, Hawaii video shows 16-year-old died car surfing in Colorado and now cops warn about deadly trend Massachusetts is not the only state to mistakenly use federal funds to pay local unemployment benefits, Gov. Maura Healey said Monday, during a brief appearance outside her office with the states leadership team. The governor said the state is investigating the $2.5 billion allocation taken from federal coffers to determine if, and how much, Massachusetts will be asked to reimburse to the federal coffers. A number of aid programs had been set up at the time the funds were allocated to Massachusetts with changing requirements. Massachusetts legislative leadership team, from left, House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-Quincy, Gov. Maura Healey, Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland and Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll, D-Salem. Many states are seeing the same issue, Healey said, adding the state is in discussions with the U.S. Department of Labor. She said that despite ongoing audits of the states coffers, the discrepancy was just uncovered. Multiple funds had been set up; and money (for unemployment insurance) was drawn from a federal pot, not a state pot. We will continue to talk with the U.S. Department of Labor to restore the funding and minimize the impact on the state. Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said the state is still in the fact-finding stage. She indicated that the Senate is still working on a tax relief proposal; both the governor and the House have proposed relief packages. However, the Senate has yet to make public any numbers. Spilka said a proposal was coming, yet did not discuss how the most recent discrepancy would affect the package, nor how the significant dip in revenue in April, some $2 billion less than collected in April of the previous year, would affect a Senate proposal. After drop in April, Massachusetts tax revenue rebounded in May Tax revenue has rebounded, with a significant increase in collections in May compared to the previous year. The state Department of Revenue announced that Massachusetts collected $2.706 billion in May 2023, an increase of $236 million, or 9.5%, over May 2022 and $169 million, or 6.7%, above the most recent benchmark projection for the month. House Speaker Ronald Mariano, D-Quincy, said the legislature does not know what effect the use of federal funds to pay local unemployment insurance will have on the state coffers. We dont know how much we owe until we get a bill, said Mariano. Both the House and the governor have unveiled tax relief packages that total less than $1 billion: $654 million was proposed by the House; the governors package came to $742 million. The leadership team did not specify how the federal funds were originally allocated, beyond saying they were paid to eligible residents. Now that the state has identified the discrepancy, it will take steps to ensure there is no repetition of the problem. Other topics broached by the leadership team, which includes Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll, D-Salem, was the resettlement process for immigrants to Boston and pushing the federal government to expedite the process to issue work permits for people seeking to settle in the Bay State. Immigration: State pushing for normalization, work permits We are doing what we can to maximize our resources, Healey said, adding that Massachusetts is not the only state seeking to get incoming migrants to work. In other news, Healey said she is confident the MBTA, and its new executive director Phillip Eng, will be able to file a worker safety plan that is acceptable to the Federal Transit Authority. A previous plan that called for changes in operation was rejected by the federal agency, which cited the length of time it would take to incorporate the measures and declared the state would be denied access to rails if the second plan, due Monday, was not approved. Federal authorities suggested the changes must be incorporated within 30 days. The new General Manager of the MBTA head Phillip Eng Our top priority is a safe and reliable T, said Healey. The governor and her lieutenant will be marching in Saturdays Gay Pride Parade in Boston. Were looking forward to the parade; it will be a special one this year, Healey said. Were proud to be from Massachusetts, a state that prizes equality and protects civil and LGBTQ rights. She encouraged those fearing persecution elsewhere to move to the state. Its great to have all our gatherings back; COVID-19 hit hard, mentally, emotionally and financially, Healey said. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Mass. governor addresses mistaken use of federal funds on unemployment People raft down the Arkansas River in Buena Vista, Colorado, in May 2023 A healthy Rocky Mountain snowpack looks set to offer a bumper season for thrill-seeking white water rafters on Colorado's rivers. Operators plying waterways fed by the US mountain range say a decent winter and a slow snowmelt should offer months of fun for those intent on hurtling over bubbling rapids. "This river has doubled in size... since three days ago," said Corey Coker, who has been leading rafting expeditions on the Arkansas River in Colorado for well over a decade. "I believe today we're just under 1,000 cubic feet per second," he told AFP in mid-May. One cubic foot is about 7.5 US gallons, or 28 liters. That means if you drew a line across the river, there would be 7,500 gallons of water going past at any given moment. "It doesn't look too bad here," he said as he pushed the raft into a wide, slow-flowing section of the river. "But when you're down in the rapids, that water level makes a big difference to how scary things look." Indeed, as the water narrows along a path carved out millennia ago, things really start to quicken. What was once gently flowing and rather harmless-looking water takes on an angry foam-filled churn in the majestic Browns Canyon. Coker shouts instructions to rafters to paddle backwards or forwards as they try to steer their inflatable vessel around or over the huge stones. Each rapid plunges the front of the raft into the spume, spraying occupants with water cold enough to remind them it was snow just a few hours earlier. For those brave enough -- or unlucky enough -- to take a plunge, even a wetsuit isn't enough to guard against the bone-chilling cold. "This is a very good year for water, we have no concerns there," said Mark Hammer, who runs The Adventure Company in Buena Vista. "It shouldn't be exceedingly high, and should provide us with a really long season." - Wet winter - Years of below-average snowfall across the US West have left river systems depleted, as a long-term aridification trend is exacerbated by human-caused planet warming. Some of the main riverine arteries that criss-cross the country have been badly hit, with the once-mighty Colorado River dwindling. The situation became so bad last year that Lake Mead, an enormous reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam, dropped to just a quarter of its capacity, threatening "deadpool" -- where the river downstream dries up, and hydro-electric generation grinds to a halt. But a wet winter that left a thick blanket of snow over the Rocky Mountains, has -- for now at least -- breathed new life into the rivers. Scientists who measure the snowpack -- a vital store of water for a huge swathe of the country -- say to the west of the continental divide, it's looking very healthy. 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 eastern side of the divide did not see quite as much snow, but it was still abundant. That's good news for rafters on the Arkansas River, which rises near Leadville, Colorado, and meanders 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) across the Great Plains, before it joins the Mississippi River. Hammer, whose company guides up to 8,000 people down the river every year, says while this season is set to be a good one on the waterway, there are no guarantees for the future. A changing climate, over-use by burgeoning population centers and voracious agriculture are all stressing these lifebloods. "I would love to see people taking a more serious look at the overall water that's available," he told AFP. "I don't hear a lot of great solutions. And I know it's a tough problem to solve, and its probably going to take decades to manage our water better. However, I don't think we have much of a choice." hg/jh Her mom died in 2016, but she kept collecting her retirement benefits, feds say A woman began collecting retirement benefits meant for her mother one month after she died in May 2016, federal prosecutors said. By January 2020, she had stolen at least $50,210 in Social Security Administration Retirement Insurance Benefits paid to her mother, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts. These monthly benefits replace a portion of a persons income after they retire or work fewer hours than before. The woman, 65, of Lynn, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public funds on May 31, prosecutors announced in a June 2 news release. This comes after her indictment in January 2022 in connection with stealing benefits from June 2016 through January 2020, officials said. McClatchy News contacted a public defender representing her for comment on June 5 and didnt receive an immediate response. Although prosecutors have publicly identified the woman, McClatchy News isnt naming her because shes not accused of a crime causing direct physical harm to others. The woman is accused of writing checks to herself from her mothers bank account and forging her signature, according to prosecutors. Theft of public funds, a misdemeanor charge, could result in a sentence of up to one year in prison, a year of supervised release, five years of probation and a fine of $100,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater prosecutors said. According to the womans plea agreement, shes agreed to a sentence of five years of probation, a fine and paying $50,210 in restitution. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 29, court records as of June 5 show. Lynn is about 10 miles northeast of Boston. Missing moms boyfriend stole her disabled sons benefits after she vanished, feds say Woman hid mother-in-laws death to steal $450,000 in retirement benefits, feds say Son stole dads Social Security benefits after he disappeared in Florida, feds say Peter Baniak, editor of the Lexington Herald-Leader, has been promoted to become McClatchys vice president of news for small and medium markets, effective immediately, the company announced Monday. I have loved being the editor of the Lexington Herald-Leader, Baniak told the newspapers staff at a meeting Monday afternoon. Its a great job. You all are a great team. I am so proud of the incredible journalism that we have done and the difference that we have made in our community, he said. I wouldnt leave this job if it werent for an amazing opportunity, which this vice president position is. It is basically an opportunity for me to do all of the things that we have worked together on, but on a much broader scale. The privately owned McClatchy publishes more than 30 newspapers around the country, including the Herald-Leader. Baniak, 51, has served in the expanded role of Herald-Leader editor and general manager since 2018, following the departure of publisher Rufus Friday. He has been editor since 2009. Two years ago, McClatchy added oversight of its newsrooms in Belleville, Ill., and State College, Pa., to his regular duties. Under his leadership as editor since 2009, the staff has won numerous awards for exceptional journalism, including nine McClatchy Presidents Awards. In January, the Herald-Leader was once again selected First Place General Excellence by the Kentucky Press Association, Robyn Tomlin, McClatchys chief news officer, said in a prepared statement Monday. Baniak joined the Herald-Leader in 1995 as Lexington city hall reporter, having previously worked as a reporting intern, and gradually worked his way up through the newsroom ranks. A former president of the Kentucky Press Association, Baniak lives in Lexington with his family and plans to remain in the city for the foreseeable future, he told the staff. McClatchy will conduct a national search for Baniaks replacement in Lexington, the company said. Until a new editor is hired, Baniak said, he will continue to supervise the Herald-Leaders operations. A Marine artillery battalion on Hawaii that fought in seminal battles in the Corps history deactivated May 26 as part of a broader reorganization of the Marine Corps. Part of III Marine Expeditionary Forces 3rd Marine Division, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, fired its last cannons at a ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Under Force Design 2030, as the Corps reorganization is called, the Marine Corps is cutting some units to free up resources for other capabilities. That means, in part, exchanging cannon artillery batteries for rocket artillery batteries, Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger wrote in May 2022. Some retired Marine leaders have publicly criticized aspects of Force Design 2030, including the plan to cut some artillery units, though current leadership has defended the changes as necessary if the service hopes to compete with the high-tech Chinese military in particular. In recent years, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, has been at the forefront of Force Design, a news release stated. It has applied expeditionary advanced base operations, in which dispersed groups of Marines lie in wait at temporary bases near an adversary, and experimented with foraging, which Marines may have to employ while in those forward-positioned groups. At a 2021 exercise, Marines from 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, fired the Corps new ship-sinking missile the Navy-Marine expeditionary ship interdiction system which flew more than 100 nautical miles before hitting its target, a decommissioned frigate. The battalions efforts have increased the lethality of the 3d Marine Division and influenced the way well fight for the foreseeable future, Lt. Col. Joseph Gill, the battalions commanding officer, said in the Friday news release. The Okinawa, Japan-based 12th Marine Regiment, of which the battalion was a part, has been preparing for some big changes of its own. By 2025, the regiment will transition into the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, a dispersed quick-reaction unit, the Marine Corps announced in January. The deactivation of 1st Battalion, 12 Marines, isnt linked to this revamp of 12th Marine Regiment, Marine spokesman Maj. Clay Groover told Marine Corps Times. Marines formerly in the battalion may have moved to other bases or switched to other units in Hawaii, according to Groover. The unit has a history that dates back to World War II. It activated in September 1942 as 4th Battalion, 12th Marines, at Camp Elliot, California, according to the Marine Corps release. After participating in some of the key battles in the Pacific Theater including Bougainville Island, Guam and Iwo Jima, Japan the battalion briefly deactivated. It reactivated during the Korean War and went on to fight in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf region, Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the release. Former Capt. Mark McGrath, who served in the battalion from 1999 to 2002, recalled the battalion as a wonderful place to work. The Hawaii location offered constant reminders of the Marine Corps legacy in the Pacific and made him feel like a part of that legacy, he said. Retired Col. Brian Duplessis, who served in the unit from 19951998 and again from 20082010, described it as his favorite of the battalions he has served in. Everyone brought their A game, he said. A lot of the Marine Corps had a mistaken impression that, you know, we didnt do anything and just went to the beach and left work early on Friday and drank Mai Tais. But in part because it was harder to do artillery exercises on Hawaiis islands than, say, in the vast California desert of Twentynine Palms, Marines in the battalion worked hard to make the most of what training opportunities existed, according to Duplessis. Duplessis said the deactivation saddened him, but he understood the rationale for it. Retired Maj. Andy Roberts, who served in 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, from 20002003 as a lieutenant, said his last job in the Marine Corps was developing the expeditionary advanced base operations concept, which means I had a hand in the chain of events that lead to the deactivation of 1/12. While I may be a bit sad that my first unit is now deactivated, I am proud that the Marine Corps is staying true to its heritage of changing to stay ready, relevant, and responsive to both todays and tomorrows security challenges, Roberts said in an emailed statement to Marine Corps Times. All three vets fondly recalled the opportunities to work closely with the infantry Marines at the Hawaii-based 3rd Marine Regiment, which the battalion often was paired with. And they all remembered it as a unit that shaped them as young lieutenants. The Marines of 1/12 will always be the Marines of 1/12, McGrath said. Home and Away spoilers follow for UK viewers. Home and Away airs emotional scenes for Mackenzie Booth on UK screens next week as she receives the news that she has been dreading. Mackenzie is devastated when she learns that her ex-partner Gabe Miller has sadly passed away, just a couple of months after his discovery that his cancer had returned. During Gabe's brief time in Summer Bay, he reconnected with Mackenzie and apologised for abruptly ending their relationship years prior. Channel 5 Related: Home and Away reveals surprise visitor for Tane Parata in 33 spoiler pictures Sadly, after his diagnosis, Gabe feared that he would ultimately become a burden to Mackenzie and he walked out on her for a second time. Rather than talking things through, he left a note behind to explain his decision and insisted he was doing the right thing for her. In scenes airing on Friday, June 16 on Channel 5, Mackenzie finally has some company again as she bonds with her new housemate Mali Hudson. Mackenzie and Mali find a shared connection over both of their families living so far away. Mackenzie recently waved goodbye to her brother Dean Thompson when he decided to move to Far North Queensland. Mali, meanwhile, is separated from his own family, who live up the coast in Mantaray Point. Mali celebrates a successful revamp of the surfboard shop, which was recently handed over to him by Dean. He renames the business as Mantaray Boards, as a nod to his hometown. Channel 5 Related: Home and Away star Sophie Dillman shares career plans after Ziggy exit Mackenzie supports Mali over his business ambitions, but she's soon distracted by the devastating call confirming that Gabe has died. The tables turn as Mali steps up to support Mackenzie through this difficult time. How will she cope with the loss of the man she loved? Channel 5 Channel 5 Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5 and 6pm on 5STAR. First-look screenings air at 6.30pm on 5STAR and the show also streams on My5. Read more Home and Away spoilers on our dedicated homepage If you would like more information or support about living with cancer or treatment, please click here for guidance from MacMillan Cancer Support , or click here to learn more from Stand Up to Cancer . You Might Also Like For centuries, the Ding Kiln in today's Quyang county, North China's Hebei province, produced white ceramics and was considered one of ancient China's "five great kilns". The traditional technique of the Ding Kiln thrived in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). One of its most prized works from the dynasty is the baby-shaped pillow in ivory-white glaze, known as hai'er zhen, which is about 18.3 centimeters tall, 30 cm long and 11.8 cm wide. It is one of the national treasures housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing. The porcelain pillow portrays a baby boy lying on his belly, which is patterned with flowers and clouds, implying auspiciousness. The baby's back is where people rest their heads. The pillow has become the theme of a homonymous dance drama production that will be premiered in 2024, and followed by 150 shows around the country, the China Oriental Performing Arts Group announced in Beijing on May 25. "The new dance drama will highlight traditional cultural elements from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and the pillow will be a major inspiration," says Jing Xiaoyong, head of the company. "The Ding kilns and their porcelain-firing technique will be introduced to the audience." Jing adds that the company has produced and staged the dance drama, Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, which proved to be a success. Since its premiere in Beijing in 2021, the dance drama, which was inspired by the classic painting, A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, by Northern Song Dynasty artist Wang Ximeng, has seen more than 240 sold-out shows. It plans to tour nationwide, with 120 shows, later this year. "With the success of Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, we have seen the enthusiasm of the Chinese audience, especially the young people, who are very interested in traditional Chinese culture," says Jing. "Their warm feedback made the dance drama a phenomenon in the country, which gave us the confidence to make another dance drama based on traditional Chinese culture." Drama Hai'er Zhen will gather creative members from the company, including choreographers Li Li and Jin Miaomiao. Scholars and experts on the Ding kilns were also invited to be consultants. According to Lyu Chenglong, a researcher at the Palace Museum in Beijing, porcelain objects from the Ding kilns had the reputation of being "thin as paper, white as jade". In 2008, the Ding Kiln porcelain firing technique was listed as an item of national intangible cultural heritage. "The ceramics collection at the Palace Museum in Beijing is huge and has included a wide range of varieties, allowing people to see and understand a continuous development of the artifacts. Among the major treasures, hai'er zhen is one of the best-known pieces of art, which displays the zenith of ancient Chinese aesthetics," says Lyu. There are three original ceramic baby-shaped pillows made with the Ding Kiln porcelain-firing technique in existence in China now, Lyu adds: one housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing and the other two in Taipei's Palace Museum. The technique, however, declined and disappeared in the chaos of the late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). In 1922, Ye Linzhi (1888-1963), a historian of Chinese ceramics, discovered the Ding Kiln site in Quyang. "Chinese ceramics spread to the rest of the world and nurtured local styles of porcelains. Now, Chinese artists have decoded the secrets of porcelain making and created modern works to keep the technique alive," Lyu adds. The company also announced collaboration with the popular video-sharing site, Bilibili, which is considered as one of the most popular cultural platforms for young people, to launch an online recruitment for dancers of the drama. Two popular influencers on Bilibili have been invited to join in the dance drama: Ziyan, who has nearly 840,000 followers on the platform, and Shi Tu Guan, who has over 1.7 million followers. "Ziyan, who is a graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy and majored in traditional Chinese dance, is known for her original dance pieces," says Zhu Chengming, deputy Party secretary of Bilibili. "Shi Tu Guan is known for sharing videos about Chinese history and traditional Chinese culture. We invited them to participate in the dance drama's creative process, hoping to attract more young audiences," says Zhu. The China Oriental Performing Arts Group also announced that it will launch its first reality show by working with Jiangsu TV and Tencent Video in July, featuring dancers from dance schools around the country, as part of its effort on recruiting dancers for the dance drama. Home on a bridge? Check out the one-bedroom house for sale perplexing Zillow Gone Wild Well, this is certainly new. A one-bedroom, one-bathroom has landed on the real estate market in Alhambra, California, for $249,950, and it it appears to be rather tiny. Yet, its not the price thats drawing attention its the location. Its literally on a bridge. Excellent opportunity to get into home ownership and build equity! the listing on Zillow.com says. This property is ideal for a young professional that wants to be close to downtown for work. Its referred to as a cosmetic fixer with a rooftop thats 450 square feet, making it perfect to entertain guests, the listing notes. And while it appears to be close to a lot of shops and restaurants, theres still a question about that bridge. The popular real estate social media page Zillow Gone Wild was even baffled by its location and wants to know if insurance covers, well, bridge accidents. Do you need some sort of specialized vehicle insurance for living on a highway? Or bridge insurance? Or....can you GET insurance for this? one person asked. Important question: Is this home under the bridge??? Or over it?? Or something else??? the page itself asked. We cant figure it out. Over the river and thorough the woods and on top of repurposed overpass/culvert combo to grandmothers house we go, another person sang. I would love there. Park you car on the roof and batcave down a pole, someone joked. Im legitimately confused. Who is responsible for the upkeep of the bridge its built on? one person asked. I feel like this is a zoning nightmare. This is actually very interesting and I would love to see what someone with an imagination could do with this! another said. I kind of like it, someone observed. Oh so I suppose trolls are just going to live in normal houses in the sunlight are they, one person tweeted. To buy this house thee, must answer a riddle three, one person joked. Alhambra is a Los Angeles suburb. You star Penn Badgley lists NY oasis. Does the basement have a cage? Take a look Honduran president headed to China in first trip after ties established Honduras President Xiomara Castro attends the anniversary of the Honduran Air Force, in Tegucigalpa TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran President Xiomara Castro is set to travel this week to China, her foreign minister said on Monday, the leftist leader's first visit to the Asian giant after establishing formal diplomatic relations with it in March. Castro's trip marks the latest step in the two nations' new relationship, after her government ditched ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing. Foreign Minister Enrique Reina told reporters at an event inaugurating China's embassy in Tegucigalpa that Castro will travel on Tuesday this week. Later on Monday, Castro's press office tweeted that the official visit would take place from this coming Friday to Wednesday of next week. Castro's trip to the world's second-biggest economy stemmed from an invitation from her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Honduran state media outlet Poder Popular wrote in story published earlier on Monday. Honduras and China launched diplomatic relations after Castro cut ties with Taiwan in a bid for more investment and jobs from the much larger Chinese economy. Last month, Reina announced that both sides will "soon" begin trade talks, with coffee set to be the first Honduran export to the massive Chinese consumer market. The minister added on Monday that several "cooperation agreements" would be signed, but did not specify further. Castro's government is also seeking deals with China to lighten the nation's debt burden. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Nick Zieminski) [Source] Dozens of protestors were detained in Hong Kong in connection with the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, according to reports. Key details: A total of 23 people 11 men and 12 women were taken into custody on Sunday for breaching the public peace. One 53-year-old woman was officially arrested for obstructing police officers. Among those detained was 67-year-old activist Alexandra Wong, who carried a bouquet of flowers. A man who held a book titled May 35th, which references the Tiananmen crackdown, was also taken into custody. Ahead of Sundays protest, four people were arrested for seditious acts and disorderly conduct, which are offenses under the 2020 National Security Law. Four others were arrested for allegedly breaching public peace." More from NextShark: Attorney of Irvine dermatologist accused of poisoning says Drano wasn't meant for husband About the Tiananmen Square massacre: The crackdown in Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, resulted in hundreds if not thousands of deaths of pro-democracy protesters, according to estimates. The protests began in April of the same year but calls for more individual rights and freedoms had been brewing for years prior. The death of former Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Hu Yaobang on April 15, 1989, catalyzed the protests. Hu, who ascended to the role in 1982, encouraged democratic reforms while in office and was forced to resign in 1987. More from NextShark: Canadian police begin investigation into Chinese 'police stations' operating in Greater Toronto Area Taiwans response: Taiwan, where the anniversary is freely commemorated, held a memorial in Taipei that featured a Pillar of Shame statue. In a statement, Vice President William Lai said Taipeis continued remembrance of the incident shows that democracy and authoritarianism are the biggest differences between Taiwan and China. The bigger picture: Hong Kong activists say the arrests follow Chinas scheme to obliterate political dissent in the city. Imposed by Beijing, the National Security Law of 2020 came in response to massive pro-democracy protests that erupted in the city in 2019. In 2019, a record 180,000 people gathered in Hong Kong to protest the Tiananmen Square massacre. That would be the last year Hongkongers were able to freely assemble to commemorate the incident. More from NextShark: Photographer bloodied after refusing to surrender to robbers in San Francisco Other sites of commemoration: Aside from Taipei, demonstrators also observed June 4 in Berlin, London and New York. In Manhattan, the June 4th Memorial Museum opened on Friday, featuring artifacts such as banners, letters, news articles, photos and even a blood-stained shirt. Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Tinder date, 2 others arrested for murder of California man in Colombia HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong's top court on Monday overturned the conviction of journalist Bao Choy, who had been accused of making false statements to access vehicle registration records for a documentary about an attack on pro-democracy protesters in 2019. The July 21, 2019, attack in the northern Yuen Long district by more than 100 people wearing white T-shirts and wielding sticks and poles was one of the most violent scenes of the city's unrest. The assailants beat bystanders, journalists and protesters. For the documentary "7.21 Who Owns the Truth", Choy, who worked for local broadcaster RTHK, obtained data on the ownership of cars seen in video footage that night, hoping to trace those behind the assault and highlight the alleged slow response of police. A court fined Choy, a former freelance journalist, HK$6,000 ($765) in 2021 for making false statements to obtain the vehicle ownership records. Choy had pleaded not guilty. In a written judgement on Monday, the Court of Final Appeal said a "substantial and grave injustice" was done to Choy by inferring that she knowingly made false statements when accessing the vehicle registration record database. Choy, speaking outside the court, said the ruling was important for investigative journalism. "More importantly, it states the importance of the constitutionally protected freedom of the press and speech. Thats the biggest significance of today's ruling," she said. During the appeal, her lawyer Derek Chan argued that people could only choose from three options on the app; Choy chose "other traffic and transportation matters". The other options were "transport-related legal proceedings" or the "sale and purchase of vehicle". Chan also argued that the prosecution failed to mention media freedom, which is protected under the citys mini constitution. Convicting Choy in 2021, lower court judge Ivy Chui said in her ruling that "the regulations are not intended to allow the public to obtain vehicle particulars without limitations" and that "interviewing and reporting are not related to traffic and transport purposes". The ruling on Monday cannot be appealed. ($1 = 7.8388 Hong Kong dollars) (Reporting By Justin Fung and Jessie Pang; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree, Simon Cameron-Moore and Gerry Doyle) Dennison police pose with confiscated alcohol during Prohibition days in Tuscarawas County. In the early 1930s, camps sprang up in Tuscarawas County where adults could relax, commune with Mother Nature and guzzle illegal booze. There were at least two of these facilities, known as beer camps, in the county during the Prohibition era, when the manufacture and consumption of alcohol was illegal in the United States. One camp was on the Tuscarawas River between Midvale and Uhrichsville and the other on Big Stillwater Creek near Newport. More local history: Hooked on History: Strasburg man meets violent end near Yellowstone National Park in 1883 Jon Baker Tasked with putting these camps out of business was Tuscarawas County Sheriff Harry C. Smith. Smith, a mill worker at the American Sheet & Tin Plate Co. plant in New Philadelphia, was elected to the office in 1928. Woman jumps in Tuscarawas River to escape police On July 2, 1931, Smith and John Ward, a state Prohibition inspector, raided a beer camp along the Tuscarawas River, southwest of the Royal Sewer Pipe plant in Midvale. "The raiders succeeded in mopping up leaves containing whiskey which a woman at the camp poured from a half gallon jar while she was being chased by Officer Ward," the New Philadelphia Daily Times reported. "The woman later jumped into the river to kick the bottle out of reach of the officers. Six pints of beer were found in a tub of ice." Several alleged customers of the camp were there during the raid. The proprietor of the camp, a Dennison man, pleaded guilty to the charges against him and was fined $250 plus costs by Probate Judge J.H. Lamneck. The suspect admitted to selling beer and told the judge that he was forced to earn a living that way. Beer, whiskey and slot machine found in raid On July 7, Smith, his deputies and Ward raided the Beechwood beer camp near Newport. They confiscated five pints of whiskey, 147 pints and 19 quarts of beer, five gallons of brew and a nickel slot machine. "The liquor and beer was hidden in three traps hidden in the ground," the Daily Times reported. "Part of the beer was on ice. An improvised bar was built in one of the two tents at the camp. "Officers used an ax to destroy the slot machine after approximately $3 was removed from it. The nickels will be given to a local Sunday school class by Sheriff Smith." The proprietor of the camp was a 36-year-old Uhrichsville man. He was fined $200 and costs by Judge Lamneck. However, the man could only come up with $45, so he was lodged in the county jail. That didn't sit well with the suspect. Soon after, he filed affidavits against two Midvale men who he claimed were his partners in the Beechwood beer camp. He alleged the three men had a "gentleman's agreement" that if one of the men was arrested for operating the camp, the other two would help to pay the fine. He said his partners "have refused to come clean and help pay the fine." Both Midvale men appeared before Judge Lamneck and pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing intoxicants. Eventually, former customers of the beer camp got together and raised $165.31 to pay the remainder of the Uhrichsville man's fine. He then withdrew charges against his alleged partners. The cancellation of the trial caused many prominent people in New Philadelphia and the Twin Cities to breathe a sigh of relief because they were going to be subpoenaed to testify. Other notable raids in Tuscarawas County in 1931 These were only two of the liquor raids Smith conducted that year. On July 9, he and two of his deputies, Carl Scott and M.V. Morris, found a 40-gallon still on a farm along the Tuscarawas River near Port Washington. The still had been used to produce 32 gallons of prune whiskey. The owner of the still, a farmer and a father of six children, was fined $350 and sentenced to jail. He was allowed out of jail during the daytime so that he could harvest his crops. In November, Smith and his deputies, along with three Canton police officers, raided a farm two and a half miles southeast of Sandyville. At the farm, located on a back road, they found a 200-gallon still and 125 gallons of whiskey. The still was one of the largest found in Tuscarawas County in several years. Two Canton men were arrested. The still was located in a pig pen on a hillside on the farm. It was equipped with a steam boiler, a 500-gallon mash vat, seven 50-gallon barrels used to store the mash, a cooling apparatus and a steam aging plant. Prohibition ended in 1933. Jon Baker is a reporter for The Times-Reporter and can be reached at jon.baker@timesreporter.com. This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Beer camps offered illegal brew to Tuscarawas County residents WASHINGTON The head of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee said Monday he would initiate contempt proceedings against the FBI for the first time in history in a dispute over a document lawmakers say accuses Joe Biden of wrongdoing as vice president. The White House dismissed the dispute as "a fact-free stunt" and the FBI called a contempt vote "unwarranted." The FBI brought the document with "limited redactions" to Capitol Hill for review Monday by the chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., and the top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland. But Comer said anything short of providing the document to the committee was unacceptable. Contempt hearings will begin Thursday, he said. "Given the severity and complexity of the allegations contained within this record, Congress must investigate further," Comer said. The threatened contempt resolution is the latest clash between House Republicans and the Biden administration heading toward the 2024 election. Congressional committees have scrutinized Biden's son Hunter's overseas business deals for evidence of influence peddling, while Biden and the White House have said he has no role in those deals. Heres what we know about the dispute: FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats, in Washington, DC, on March 8, 2023. What is the document at stake? Comer subpoenaed the FBI for a document, called a FD-1023 form, on May 3. He said the document contained information accusing Biden of engaging in a criminal bribery scheme with a foreign national. The FBI didnt hand it over. But in a call May 31 with Comer, Wray said Comer and Raskin could examine the document while protecting the confidentiality and safety of sources and important investigative sensitivities. The FBI said FD-1023 forms contain unverified reporting from confidential human sources. Revealing unverified or incomplete information could hurt investigations, prejudice prosecutions, violate privacy or create misimpressions, according to the agency. The FBI also said it protects the confidentiality of sources. The agency issued a statement Monday saying it demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the panel's request by providing the document while still protecting the safety of sources and the integrity of investigations. The escalation to a contempt vote under these circumstances is unwarranted," the FBI statement said. But Comer said anything short of providing the document to the committee is not in compliance with my subpoena. He said Monday after reviewing the record that a "highly credible informant" alleged a $5 million bribery scheme involving Biden. "Americans have lost trust in the FBIs ability to enforce the law impartially and demand answers, transparency, and accountability," Comer said. "The Oversight Committee must follow the facts for the American people and ensure the federal government is held accountable. Raskin said published reports suggest the document deals with Ukraine, from a time when Trumps personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was investigating Bidens activities in that country as vice president. The document features a confidential informant relaying information from another person, Raskin said. No only were there no criminal charges, there was no escalation of the FBI investigation, Raskin said. I would hope my colleagues would think long and hard before holding the director of the FBI in contempt for what the Trump administration and William Barr did back in 2020. Trumps attorney general, Bill Barr, assigned Scott Brady, the U.S. attorney for the western district of Pennsylvania, to review the allegations and they chose not to escalate the inquiry from an assessment to a preliminary investigation. Barr said officials have to be very careful with information from Ukraine, to check whether its verified. We cant take anything we received from Ukraine at face value, Barr said. Rep. James Comer, R-KY., is seen during the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing on Protecting Speech from Government Interference and Social Media Bias, Part 1: Twitters Role in Suppressing the Biden Laptop Story," on Feb. 8, 2023 in Washington. Comer says fight hurts Biden, but Democrats call it a political spectacle Comer acknowledged on Fox News on May 22 his inquiries could hurt Biden politically. "Absolutely. Absolutely. There's no question," Comer said. "You look at the polling, and right now Donald Trump is seven points ahead of Joe Biden and trending upward, Joe Biden's trending downward." Raskin accused Republicans of trying to create a spectacle of holding the FBI director in contempt for the first time in history, for a document they can already read. Raskin questioned why Trump's poll numbers should be a gauge for a congressional investigation. How should that be the basis for measuring the success of a legislative oversight committee in the House of Representatives? Raskin asked. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox News the review is part of congressional oversight of the agency. Were not interested in whether the accusations against Vice President Biden are accurate or not, Grassley said. Were responsible for making sure the FBI does its job and thats what we want to know. A White House spokesman dismissed the inquiry as a political stunt. "This is yet another fact-free stunt staged by Chairman Comer not to conduct legitimate oversight, but to spread thin innuendo to try to damage the President politically and get himself media attention," said Ian Sams, a White House spokesman. US President Joe Biden delivers the commencement address at the United States Air Force Academy, just north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, on June 1, 2023. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: AFP_33GR73G.jpg Impact of contempt uncertain The impact of a contempt vote is uncertain, even if the committee and the full House adopt the resolution. Congress relies on the Justice Department, which includes the FBI, to pursue criminal contempt charges. House Democrats previously voted to hold four Trump aides in contempt. The department charged two men: political strategist Steve Bannon, who is appealing his conviction and four-month sentence, and trade adviser Peter Navarro, whose trial is set for September. The department decided without explanation against charging chief of staff Mark Meadows or deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino. House Democrats also voted to hold Barr in contempt for defying a subpoena about a citizenship question in the 2020 census. But the department he headed declined to pursue criminal charges. Democrats contend House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has no standing to enforce a subpoena because he defied one that was issued to him during the investigation of the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021. The investigative committee sought McCarthys testimony because he spoke with Trump during the riot, but he and other lawmakers who were subpoenaed werent held in contempt. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: House GOP sets contempt hearings against FBI over Joe Biden document EXCLUSIVE Rep. Anthony DEsposito, R-N.Y., is leading the charge in calling for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas impeachment. Speaking to Fox News Digital by phone on Monday, Esposito, who serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, said Mayorkas has shown "a real dereliction of duty" and demanded he resign or face full impeachment. A retired NYPD detective, D'Esposito cited the "breakdown of law and order along the border," as well as the impact of the ongoing migrant crisis on New York communities, namely as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved New York City's plan to house migrants in a hangar at John F. Kennedy International Airport over the weekend. "I'm not going to be the last to have to ask for his impeachment. I think it's clear from the outrage, you know, among lawmakers that Mayorkas is not doing the job that he swore to do," D'Esposito told Fox News Digital. "I believe that one of the most important cabinet positions in the United States is that which protects our homeland." "The fact is he's just not living up to his oath," he said of Mayorkas. "Not only is he failing the administration, he is failing the American people. And that's my biggest concern." HOCHUL DEFENDS NYC CONTROVERSIAL MIGRANT BUSSING PROGRAM AS LAWSUITS MOUNT: 'THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY HERE LEGALLY' READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is facing calls for impeachment from Republicans like Rep. Anthony D'Esposito. D'Esposito said it's been weeks since he was able to question Mayorkas before the House Homeland Security Committee in late April. "With the ending of Title 42, he claimed that he had been planning for months and months and months. There was no plan in place. And if there was, we wouldn't be worrying about the opening of vacant warehouses in JFK Airport weeks after Title 42 ended," said D'Esposito, who also sits on the House Transportation Infrastructure Committee and is chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology. "I am not about just not allowing anyone into this country," said the freshman congressman, whose district represents parts of Long Island's Nassau County. "My mom came here with her seven brothers and sisters from Puerto Rico in 1955, and my grandparents worked their tails off to give my aunts and uncles and my mom a good life and a good education. And they did it the right way. I believe that people should be given the opportunity for the American dream." "We don't have the ability to handle these asylum seekers. And that's the problem. It's not about just giving people entry into this country, it's about making sure that we afford them the opportunities and the resources that they need for the life here," D'Esposito continued. "We're millions of cases behind and, you know, increasing the amount of people into this country are only going to put those cases that are backlogged further in backlog." DHS on Thursday expanded slots to seek asylum at land crossings with Mexico through a mobile app for the second time in less than a month, seeking to dispel doubts it isn't a viable option. There are now 1,250 appointments daily at eight land crossings, up from 1,000 previously and 740 in early May. D'Esposito's office blamed a "lack of planning by the Department of Homeland Security," for New York City Mayor Eric Adams' controversial program sending busloads of migrants "to unprepared suburban communities surrounding New York City as the Big Apple has found itself overwhelmed by the sheer number of recent border crossers." Rep. Anthony D'Esposito demanded that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas face consequences for his handling of the border crisis. FORMER EMPLOYEE REVEALS SHOCKING CONDITIONS IN NYC MIGRANT HOTEL: 'FREE FOR ALL' The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey successfully petitioned the FAA for use of warehouse space at Kennedy airport to house migrants. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has said state officials are working with New York City to devise a plan to house migrants in SUNY college dormitories. "That is a slippery slope. And we're going to start having migrants and asylum seekers living among our students. And that's not what parents pay tuition for, is to have their children go to an educational institution and have to share their campus with asylum seekers," D'Esposito told Fox News Digital. The congressman further spoke to the impact on crime in New York communities, as Nassau County officials announced a large takedown of illegal narcotics believed to have come from the souther border within the last month, as well as a burglary ring busted by the Nassau County Police Department within the last six months. Asylum seekers board a bus en route to a shelter at Port Authority Bus Terminal on May 18, 2023, in New York City, which is trying to find creative ways to handle the influx, drawing controversy. "These are people that are here illegally. They've been arrested before. And the fact is that people are concerned, people are scared, people are nervous, and they should be," he said. "I met with leadership in many school boards throughout Long Island. And they have serious concerns," D'Esposito added. "When they plan their budget for the year, they try to run those schools like a business. They want to make sure they do their very best to deliver the most for the taxpayers. And the fact is that there are some school districts that are seeing such a large increase in unaccompanied minors that they can't keep their budget in check because they need to afford resources that they just don't have. So even our schools are taking a hit." In addition to the millions of migrants who have been apprehended by DHS personnel and released into communities, it has been reported that over 530,000 migrants have illegally entered the country and evaded capture since October 2022, as per May 2023 estimates by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to D'Esposito's office. The Associated Press contributed to this report. House Oversight and Accountability Committee leaders briefed by the FBI on the details of a tip into potential wrongdoing by President Biden disagreed on basic conclusions, including whether its part of an ongoing probe. Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) vowed to continue with his plans to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt for failing to physically turn over the document lawmakers reviewed alongside agents during an hour and a half long briefing. The FBI called the move an unwarranted escalation. Comer said the tip, memorialized in a document he subpoenaed from the FBI, is part of an ongoing investigation and alleges Biden may have accepted a bribe during his tenure as vice president. Given the severity and complexity of the allegations contained within this record, Congress must investigate further, he said after the Monday briefing. This is only the beginning. It appears this investigation is part of an ongoing investigation, which I assume is in Delaware. 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 Breaking News newsletter Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.) the top Democrat on the panel, on the other hand, said the FBI decided not to advance its initial investigation into the matter, determining the secondhand information did not warrant followup by the group then-Attorney General BIll Barr tasked with assessing it. What were talking about here is a confidential human source reporting a conversation with someone else. So were talking about is secondhand hearsay, Raskin said, adding that the source had no way of knowing about the underlying veracity of the things that he was being told. And they did whatever investigative due diligence was called for in that assessment period, and they found no reason to escalate it from an assessment to a so-called preliminary investigation, he added. FBI prosecutorial protocol is whether there are articulable facts giving rise to suspicion of criminal activity. So they apparently decided there was not, and they called an end to the investigation. Both CNN and NBC have reported that a team led by then-U.S. Attorney Scott Brady was unable to corroborate the 2020 allegation. Comer said the panel will meet Thursday to vote on whether to hold Wray in contempt of Congress because the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee. In a statement Monday the FBI stressed the accommodations given to the panel. The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the committees request, including by producing the document in a reading room at the U.S. Capitol. This commonsense safeguard is often employed in response to congressional requests and in court proceedings to protect important concerns, such as the physical safety of sources and the integrity of investigations, the agency said in a statement. The escalation to a contempt vote under these circumstances is unwarranted. Comer issued a subpoena last month compelling Wray to produce any FD-1023 forms records of interactions with confidential sources from June 2020 that contain the word Biden. He has claimed the form contains information related to an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions. Both Comer and Raskin agreed that the information came from a highly credible paid source the FBI has relied on for years. But the two men otherwise left with remarkably different impressions of the briefing. All I know is theres an ongoing investigation. They confirm theres an ongoing investigation using this information. I assume that ongoing investigation is in Delaware. I dont know that, but I assume that, Comer said. When asked by The Hill whether he had information to support that claim, Comer responded, I assume its Delaware. Ill put it like that. Raskin seemed surprised by Comers claim the investigation is ongoing. Not only were there no criminal charges, there was no escalation of the FBI investigation, Raskin said. All I will tell you is that there was a complete Department of Justice, U.S. attorney and FBI team that was set up to investigate the allegations that surfaced after Rudy Giuliani was making particular allegations. Raskin later clarified in a statement that, much of the information provided by the source was information Mr. Giuliani had already provided the FBI. The probe into the vague allegation against Biden appears to be intertwined with Comers probe into overseas business dealings by the presidents family members, including his son Hunter Biden and brother James Biden, as well as their associates. The claims made in the document are consistent with what we found and disclosed to you all in Romania, Comer said, referring to financial records that the committees Republicans reported in an interim memo on the Biden family business dealings last month. It suggests a pattern of bribery where payments would be made through shell accounts and multiple banks. Theres a term for that, its called money laundering. Republicans on the committee have gained access to suspicious activity reports generated by banks that they say show more than $10 million that flowed from foreign entities to companies associated with the Biden family and its associates. Those suspicious activity reports do not necessarily mean any illegal transactions occurred. Raskin on Monday also pushed back against Comers plans to hold Wray in contempt, something he said would mark the first time in history such a motion has been brought against an FBI director. The document, like all documents relating to all confidential human sources, is one that should not be released publicly because it could endanger the confidential human source and then undermine our whole law enforcement system that the FBI has put into place, he said. Raskin called releasing the document something Comer has said he is considering totally out of bounds. We have the FBI, which came over to us, brought the very document were looking for, and gave even the majority I think, 90 or 95 percent of what was being asked for, which was the document and all kinds of surrounding answers to questions about the document. Now, it seems like the goalpost has shifted a little bit. Updated at 5:56 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., arrives at a secure room to see documents he demanded from the FBI as part of his investigation into the Biden family, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, June 5, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) WASHINGTON (AP) The chairman of the House Oversight Committee plans to move forward this week with holding FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress. Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer said a more-than-hourlong briefing he received Monday from bureau officials about an unverified law enforcement tip against President Joe Biden does not amount to compliance with a subpoena. FBI officials came to the Capitol on Monday to brief Comer, R-Ky., and Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the panel, about a June 2020 document that purportedly relates to Biden and his family. The briefing was conducted privately in a secure space because FBI officials say the several-page form contains sensitive information. The FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee, Comer told reporters after the briefing. And we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters he would bring the contempt resolution against Wray, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump, to the floor if it passes the committee. In response, the FBI said in a statement that the escalation to a contempt vote was unwarranted considering the bureau had continuously demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the committee's request," while protecting the safety of sources and integrity of ongoing investigations. The White House called the decision by Comer to move forward with contempt another fact-free stunt intended to spread thin innuendo to try to damage the President politically and get himself media attention. Comer initially wrote Wray on May 3 with GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa. They said they had been informed that the FBI has a document that describes an alleged criminal scheme involving Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions when Biden was vice president. The word alleged was used three times in the opening paragraph of the letter and Comer offered no evidence of the veracity of the accusations or any details about what they contend are highly credible unclassified whistleblower disclosures. The document Republicans are focused on is what's known as an FD-1023, which agents use to record unverified tips and information they receive from confidential human sources. The FBI says such documents can contain uncorroborated and incomplete information, and that record of a tip does not validate the information. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify what is contained in the document. Comer subpoenaed Wray for a copy of the document and warned he would be prepared to hold him in contempt of Congress if he didn't provide it. In response, FBI officials scheduled what they called an extraordinary accommodation and gave Comer access to the document in a format and setting that maintains confidentiality and protects important security interests and the integrity of FBI investigations. But Comer told reporters the briefing Monday was not enough for him. He said the FBI needs to physically hand over the record to the committee, which, for confidentiality reasons, it has refused to do. Speaking to reporters after the session, Comer and Raskin gave differing and conflicting accounts about what they heard in the room. Raskin said FBI officials told them the unverified tip against Biden relates to information that former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani provided to the Justice Department in 2020 about the business dealings of Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, in Ukraine. Hunter Biden worked on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company. Raskin described the allegation in the document as secondhand hearsay by individuals in Ukraine that the department had reviewed and found no reason" to pursue further in a preliminary investigation. The source, who has been described as highly credible by the FBI, told the FBI he could not provide any opinion on the underlying veracity of the information provided by these Ukrainian individuals, Raskin said in a statement late Monday. He added that releasing the document to the public would be a dangerous thing because it could endanger the confidentiality of law enforcement sources. Comer said the document contains allegations that show a pattern of bribery in the Biden family that is consistent with other claims the committee is investigating. The Kentucky lawmaker has said repeatedly that anything short of producing the document would not be in compliance with the subpoena he issued last month. A contempt of Congress charge would require a full committee vote to send the resolution to the House floor. If the House were to hold Wray in contempt, it would be up to the Justice Department where Wray works to decide whether to prosecute him. Pressed by reporters on why a contempt charge was necessary when the FBI has provided the subpoenaed information, Comer pointed to statements made by the White House. He also said the public needs to see the document. Given the severity and complexity of the allegations contained within this record, Congress must investigate further, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. How the U.K. helped convince the U.S. and its allies to spend big to help Ukraine in its war with Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, shakes hands with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in Kyiv on Monday. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) KYIV Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has quietly acknowledged to foreign officials that the United Kingdom has played a crucial role in convincing allies like the United States to dramatically increase military aid ahead of a summertime counteroffensive against Russia. That may be one reason Zelensky was all smiles Monday as he welcomed U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to the Ukrainian capital. Ukraine can count on the U.K.s support, Cleverly told Zelensky. While the U.S. has been Ukraines most important partner, delivering or pledging just over $46 billion in military aid since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, the United Kingdom, having contributed $7.1 billion, has led the way on advanced weapons systems that Washington and other allies had been skittish to supply. The U.K. was the first nation to commit to sending modern, Western-made tanks the Challenger 2 and is so far the only nation to provide cruise missiles the Storm Shadow that can hit any target within all of Ukraines internationally recognized borders, decisions that paved the way for bolder action from other NATO allies. President Biden at a news conference in Hiroshima, Japan, following the G7 summit, May 21. (Susan Walsh/AP) In my meetings with presidents and prime ministers, theyve been clear that the UK's willingness to act first to save Ukrainian lives by providing specific equipment shifted the dial significantly, Alicia Kearns, chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told Yahoo News. It enabled more countries to step forward and provide the support needed to limit and prevent atrocities by Russian forces against Ukrainians. Unnamed Biden administration officials told Politico on May 9 they believed the British trigger-pulling on Storm Shadows would silence critics who have been pressuring the U.S. to send its own Army Tactical Artillery Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine. But weeks later, President Biden told reporters that the question of providing ATACMS was still in play. Londons bullishness, U.S. and U.K. officials say, has had a galvanizing effect on Western security assistance in general. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior U.S. diplomat told Yahoo News that the provision of Storm Shadows even helped break the White Houses impasse on sending F-16 fighter jets. At a G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, late last month, Biden announced the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian pilots on how to fly the American-made fourth-generation jets, a process that the U.S. Air Force estimates will take four months. Steadfast from the start British Defence Minister Ben Wallace, left, shakes hands with Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov during his visit to Kyiv, Ukraine on May 24, 2023. (Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Office via AP) Months before Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the U.K. began flying planeloads of shoulder-launched anti-tank missile launchers, the Anglo-Swedish NLAW, to Ukraine at a time when doing so was highly controversial in Europe. The prevailing assumption on the continent was that Russia would overrun Kyiv in days. Royal Air Force C-17 heavy transport planes were tasked to fly a circuitous route to avoid German airspace on their way to Ukraine to avoid the possibility of a fellow NATO ally declining overflight permission. At the time, Berlin was itself highly reluctant to send lethal kit to Kyiv and fearful of perceived escalation with Moscow. Successive British prime ministers there have been three since the war started, all from the Conservative Party have been of one mind on helping Kyiv claw back territory. The U.K.s support for Ukraine is unusual for the fact that it transcends party lines in Britain, with the opposition Labour Party being as hawkish if not more so than the ruling Tories. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is widely admired for his wartime stewardship of security assistance. In an interview for Yahoo News in May, Wallaces Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov said that the U.K. is the one country whose electoral outcome causes him little angst, as the opposition is as strong as the current government in terms of supporting us. The Labour Party has stood united with the government and the British public in support of providing Ukraine with the military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian support it needs to prevail, British Shadow Secretary of State David Lammy told Yahoo News. We continue to push the government to close the loopholes on sanctions, the repurposing of sanctioned assets and the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Putin and his cronies personally for their crimes. A member of the British military walks past an MBDA Storm Shadow/Scalp missile at the Farnborough Airshow, southwest of London, in 2018. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images) The Brits have also been out front in justifying Ukrainian-orchestrated military operations inside Russian territory. After a series of drone attacks in and around Moscow on May 30, the difference in reactions from Washington and London was stark. As a general matter, we do not support attacks inside of Russia, a White House spokesperson said. We have been focused on providing Ukraine with the equipment and training they need to retake their own sovereign territory. Cleverly, however, was less hesitant, emphasizing Ukraines legitimate right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russias ability to project force into Ukraine itself. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and now deputy chair of Russias National Security and Defense Council, tweeted in reply: The goofy officials of the UK, our eternal enemy, should remember that within the framework of the universally accepted international law which regulates modern warfare, including the Hague and Geneva Conventions with their additional protocols, their state can also be qualified as being at war. World-renowned conductor Adam Fischer is visiting the Chinese mainland for the first time, performing with the Wiener Symphoniker, or Vienna Symphony, in a tour of China that began on May 28 and finishes on Thursday. On May 29, the conductor took the baton to lead the orchestra in performances including Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, Op 77 and Richard Strauss' symphonic poem Don Juan, Op 20, featuring violinist Julian Rachlin, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. "I didn't have time to walk around the city yet. But I was impressed by the venue and the Chinese audience," Fischer says. They also performed two concerts at the NCPA on Tuesday and Wednesday, including Mozart's Symphony No 41 in C major, K 551 (Jupiter), Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus Overture and Fritz Kreisler's Marche Miniature Viennoise. "I believe that musicians from around the world love to perform in China because the country has the most exciting audience. I saw many young people, and young parents bringing their kids to our concerts. "Back in Europe, we often see senior audiences, and we are concerned about the future of classical music. In China, there is no such concern because those in the audience are very young," the conductor says. Fischer, 74, the founder of two international festivals the Wagner Days festival in Budapest, Hungary, and the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria says the music the orchestra chooses to play in China is very classic. "Every time I play those musical works, I can see new possibilities behind each note," he says. "I would devote the rest of my life to music, though I have no idea how long I will live. What I do know is that music by great composers like Beethoven and Mozart keeps me young forever." The orchestra performed at the NCPA in 2014 and 2017, says Jan Nast, intendant of the orchestra. "In 2019, when we discussed collaborations with the NCPA and planned to perform at the venue again, the coronavirus pandemic hit all of a sudden, which forced us to postpone our schedule," Nast says. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the orchestra created online concerts for classical music fans, like many other orchestras worldwide. "Like the audience, our musicians are eager to get back to live concerts. The tour in China, especially concerts at the NCPA, is more like homecoming," he adds. Nast recalls that in 2014, when the orchestra played at the NCPA for the first time, Shanghai-born violinist Huang Mengla, who won first prize at the prestigious Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy in 2002, was invited to join the orchestra in the performance of Mendelssohn's famous Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op 64. In 2017, the orchestra performed Beethoven's symphonies cycle, which made it the first Western symphony orchestra ever to play all nine of Beethoven's symphonies in Shanghai. This year's tour also brings the conductor and the Vienna orchestra to more Chinese cities, including Shanghai, Shenyang in Liaoning province, and Tianjin. The Wiener Symphoniker was founded in 1900 and gave its official debut in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein under the baton of Ferdinand Lowe on Oct 30 that year. In its first decades, the orchestra premiered an impressive series of works, which are now anchored in the repertoire, including Anton Bruckner's Symphony No 9, Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand and Franz Schmidt's The Book with Seven Seals. The orchestra was also the first in Vienna for international composers, such as Claude Debussy, who repeatedly performed with the orchestra as a pianist. "I have played with the orchestra and the conductor many times," says violinist Julian Rachlin. "I also played with many Chinese symphony orchestras, such as the China Philharmonic Orchestra and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. Like the conductor said, I also feel that the audience is full of enthusiasm." During the orchestra's current China tour, Rachlin is playing Mozart's Violin Concerto No 3 in G Major, K 216, Kreisler's Violin Concerto from Alt-Wiener Tanzweisen and Brahms' Violin Concerto in D Major, Op 77 with the orchestra. Rachlin, with a career spanning more than 30 years, has taken his many interests with him around the globe as a conductor, soloist, chamber musician, teacher and artistic director. He says he enjoys "seeing two sides of a coin", and by taking on different jobs, he sees different aspects of music. "I also founded music festivals, and I am very happy when I spend a great time with other musicians, which is beyond the joy of music," Rachlin says. "The chemistry among people is unbelievable. When we performed onstage last night at the NCPA, the chemistry between the conductor, the orchestra and me was remarkable, which also could be sensed by the audience." A "pop-up" party in Lake Butler where law enforcement claim hundreds of Alachua County area residents gathered to do drugs and drink alcohol was broken up Saturday shortly before a person fired shots into the crowd, according to a social media post by the Union County Sheriff's Office. The party featured "hundreds of vehicles from the Alachua County area" where a majority participated in drug use and drinking, the sheriff's office claims. As the gathering was being broken up, a person fired into the crowd, leaving one person hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Aerial footage of what officials from the Union County Sheriff's Office described as a "pop-up party" featuring "hundreds of vehicles from the Alachua County area," a majority of which officials claim were drinking and using drugs. Florida Legislature: People Against Violence Enterprises Inc. of G'ville hosts virtual town hall to discuss gun bill Gainesville: Split commission casts final votes to reinstate exclusionary zoning According to the Facebook post, the Sheriff's office "received numerous complaints" on Saturday afternoon related to a large gathering with loud music at Lakeside Park, 155 NW 3rd St., Lake Butler, which is about 28 miles north of downtown Gainesville. The crowd was estimated at more than 500 people and the "majority of them were activity drinking with drugs involved," the sheriff's office claims. The Lake Butler City Commission authorized the sheriff's office to close the park immediately "due to the large unruly crowds, traffic control issues and violation of numerous laws. The people at the park then relocated to various business parking lots and other locations around the city. The sheriff's office post says "Crowds grew to over 1,000 out of county individuals causing disturbances and blocking roads, resisting law enforcement and refusing lawful orders." The sheriff's office used "chemical agents," or tear gas, to dispel the crowds and a "number of individuals were arrested." They were assisted by the Bradford County Sheriff's Office and a multi-agency SWAT team. No assistance was requested from the Alachua County Sheriff's Office. It's unclear what drugs were being used or how it was determined the crowd came from Alachua County. Calls to the Union County Sheriff's Office were not returned. The investigation into who organized the event and those involved in "felony criminal behavior" is ongoing. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Union County Sheriff's Office says large party involved Alachua County Hundreds protest as Atlanta votes on whether to give $31m to Cop City police training centre Hundreds of demonstrators rallied in and outside the Atlanta City Council on Monday as city officials were set to vote on whether to spend at least $31m in public funds to construct a controversial police training centre dubbed Cop City. As The Independent has reported, many local residents and community groups argue that the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, which will feature a firing range and a mock city for training exercises, will further military-style police violence towards people of colour. "Todays vote is about perpetuating militarized policing that will endanger the lives of our residents, our visitors, and put the Black people and Brown people in Atlanta at a heightened risk of police violence, Gary Spencer of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund testified on Monday before the council. In this aerial view law enforcement and construction crews are seen at the planned site of a police training facility that activists have nicknamed Cop City (AFP via Getty Images) Critics also say the construction project, backed by the private Atlanta Police Foundation and a variety of high-profile corporate donors, will take place in a rare preserved green space in the Atlanta area, violating environmental law by polluting local waterways, and and will continue the checkered history of a forest that has been the site of indigenous displacement and a prison labour farm. I dont think any of us want anybody to die, anybody to have polluted water, Mekko Chebon, a leader within the Muscogee people who originally inhabited the Weelaunee forest, told the council. We want the better way, he added. Today I ask that you stop, and that if at least if you never see another Muscogee person again, Im standing right here. City officials argue the site is needed to improve on aging city training facilities for fire and police personnel. Controversy has been swirling around the project since its proposal in 2021. Most recently, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the project will cost the public vastly more than the roughly $30m of the $90m project thats been touted by supporters of Cop City. Through decades of annual lease-back payments of $1.2m a year to the Atlanta Police Foundation, taxpayers could end up putting roughly $67m towards the centre. For nearly two years, the city has basically told one story, one narrative: that this would cost $30 million of taxpayer money and that $60 million would be donated by corporations, Kamau Franklin, of Community Movement Builders, recently told the paper. This is the narrative that they told us over and over and over again. City officials argue they havent been misleading, and that the lease payments are cheaper than current city payments on training facilities. Last week, police arrested three organisers behind a nonprofit group that provides bail and legal support to arrested protesters, charging them with money laundering and charity fraud. Bail fund organisers and civil rights groups have warned that the arrests mark a rapid and unconstitutional escalation of law enforcement retaliation against demonstrators involved with the Stop Cop City movement. Over the last two years, activists involved in the movement have been arrested for terrorism charges, though an analysis of their arrest documents by Grist shows none of those arrested and slapped with terrorism charges are accused of seriously injuring anyone and most of the charges are based on the equivalent of misdemeanor trespassing. Activist Manuel Tortuguita Paez Teran, who was killed by Atlanta-area police in January (Courtesy of family / Stop Cop City) In January, a multi-agency team of Georgia police fatally shot a forest protester named Manuel Tortuguita Esteban Paez Teran. Police claim Teran fired on officers unprovoked. No body camera footage of the encounter exists. The official autopsy of Teran, who used they/them pronouns, found no evidence the individual fired on officers In April, the DeKalb County Medical Examiner released its report on the activists death and found no gunpowder residue on Terans hands, an indicator used to show someone recently fired a gun. The probe did find that Teran was shot 57 times by police, with wounds to the body, hands, torso, legs, and head. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner declined to draw the same conclusion as a private autopsy, which found the activist died with their hands raised, writing "there are too many variables with respect to movement of the decedent and the shooters to draw definitive conclusions concerning Mr. Terans body position." Police maintain Teran fired first, and that a gun found in the slain activists possession matched bullet wounds on the wounded officers, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Protesters waved numerous PKK flags, along with signs stating "No to NATO" Hundreds of people protested in Stockholm on Sunday against new anti-terror legislation that was passed to address Turkey's opposition to Sweden joining NATO. The demonstration was organised by groups close to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), outlawed by Turkey, which this week warned against "terrorists" being allowed to demonstrate in Sweden. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has so far blocked Sweden's NATO membership, accusing Stockholm of being a haven for the Kurdish activists. To address his concerns, Sweden passed a new law that criminalises "participation in a terrorist organisation". "They are after the Kurds in Sweden," Tomas Pettersson, spokesperson for the Alliance Against NATO, told AFP at the protest, titled "No to NATO, No Erdogan Laws in Sweden." Petterson added that the idea behind the law is "to have an arrest and a trial and a victim," so that Erdogan "will then let Sweden into NATO". Protesters waved numerous PKK flags, along with signs reading "No to NATO." "Our membership in NATO would cause a lot of blackmail from Erdogan," former Swedish MP Amineh Kakabaveh told AFP. A spokesman for Erdogan on Tuesday said it was "completely unacceptable that PKK terrorists continue to operate freely in Sweden" and urged Swedish authorities to block the protest. Even though the PKK is also considered a terrorist organisation in Sweden -- as in the rest of the EU -- its supporters are generally allowed to protest in public. Sweden and Finland dropped decades of military non-alignment and applied to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland formally joined in April, however Turkey and Hungary have yet to ratify Sweden's membership bid. Sweden's justice minister reiterated on Friday that the new law is not aimed at attacking freedom of speech. Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom on Thursday hailed the new legislation as Sweden's last step under an accord signed with Turkey last year for Ankara to ratify Stockholm's membership. After meeting Erdogan in Turkey, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday called on Ankara to drop its opposition to Sweden's bid, saying Stockholm has addressed security concerns. Ankara suspended negotiations with Sweden in outrage after protests in January that included a Koran burning outside Turkey's embassy in Stockholm. ehu/fb Hungarian society is ready to continue supporting people fleeing the war in Ukraine, and it does not agree that the money spent on Ukrainians should be redirected to their own citizens. Source: This is evidenced by the study of the authoritative Slovak analytical organisation GLOBSEC, which is at the disposal of the European Pravda The organisation commissioned a representative sociological study in eight Central and Eastern European countries: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Czechia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia. It showed that in those states where citizens are most willing to support Ukrainians, this does not coincide with the public image of the government of these countries. Thus, Hungary, which, due to the openly pro-Russian policy of the Orban government, is perceived by Ukrainians as the most hostile EU state to them, turned out to be the most committed to helping refugees. 90% of Hungarians agreed with the statement that "we must continue to support refugees from Ukraine, because they are fleeing the war." GLOBSEC chart In addition, in Hungary, the largest is the delta between this level of support and the share of those who believe that "refugees from Ukraine receive support at the expense of our citizens, weaker and socially vulnerable, who need it more" (these are only 41%, one of the lowest levels in the region). Next, with a noticeable margin from the Hungarians, are Latvia, Poland and Lithuania with 79-82% willing to support Ukrainians. At the same time, in Lithuania and Poland, 50-52% of citizens are dissatisfied with the fact that this support is carried out by reducing the funding of Lithuanians and Poles, respectively. In three countries of the region, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria, the number of dissatisfied people is higher than the level of support. The worst situation is in Bulgaria with a level of 71 % to 52%. Earlier, it was reported that only 40% of Slovaks and 46% of Bulgarians believe in the Russian attack on Ukraine, while Hungary's indicators have changed most people there agree that the Russian Federation is to blame. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! IAEA denies watering down standards in Iran investigation IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi attends a news conference during an IAEA board of governors meeting in Vienna By Francois Murphy VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog's chief denied on Monday that his agency had watered down its standards in an investigation into past Iranian activities after Israel accused it of "capitulation to Iranian pressure". The dispute centres on the International Atomic Energy Agency's years-long investigation into the origin of uranium particles found at three undeclared Iranian sites, most of which appear to have been active around two decades ago. "We never ever, never ever water down our standards. We stand by our standards, we apply our standards," IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi told a news conference when asked about unusually strong criticism of his agency levelled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe Iran had a coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. Although the particles were found much more recently, the IAEA is obliged to hunt down the origin of nuclear material that has not been accounted for. Iran denies ever seeking atomic weapons. The IAEA has long denounced Iranian stonewalling of its investigation, which spurred its 35-nation Board of Governors to pass a resolution last year ordering Iran to comply immediately. In a report to member states last week, Grossi said Iran had given an explanation for depleted uranium traces at one site, known as Marivan - the presence of a mine and laboratory operated by a country that diplomats said was the Soviet Union. The report, seen by Reuters, said Iran had provided a "possible explanation ... Therefore, the agency at this time has no additional questions on the depleted uranium particles detected at 'Marivan' or on the location, and the matter is no longer outstanding at this stage." Netanyahu said Iran's explanation was "technically impossible", adding: "The agency's capitulation to Iranian pressure is a black stain on its record." However, while the particles could be explained by the presence of a Soviet-operated mine and lab there and the IAEA had no further questions, a senior diplomat said, the IAEA's assessment remained that Iran carried out explosives testing there decades ago that was relevant to nuclear weapons. Grossi suggested on Monday that Iran has been dragging its feet over the re-installation of monitoring equipment that was removed at Tehran's behest a year ago. So far only a fraction of the equipment the IAEA had planned to put back in place under a deal announced in a joint statement with Iran in March has been put in place. "What needs to happen now is a sustained and uninterrupted process that leads to all the commitments contained in the Joint Statement being fulfilled without further delay," Grossi said in a statement to the IAEA board. (Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Mark Heinrich) The Peoples Princess has had a meteoric rise in fame this past year. Since the release of Munch (Feelin You) in August, Ice Spice has had multiple songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, a collaboration with rap legend Nicki Minaj and even an appearance at the Met Gala. Following the major success she has enjoyed in the hip-hop genre, the 23-year-old rapper made the crossover to mingle with pop royalty in her most recent accolade, which includes a feature on Taylor Swifts new song, Karma. 'karma' (remix) ice verse | taylor swift x ice spice pic.twitter.com/Wk5LcY8Zpr (@homeseated) May 29, 2023 The Bronx-bred rapper surprised fans on the Metro NYC leg of Swifts Eras tour in New Jersey over the weekend when she emerged to perform their newest collaboration, Karma. But it was her fashion that caught the eye of many fans, as it only makes sense that the In Ha Mood rapper wears young designers that speak to her fan base, and its clear that Ice Spice and stylist Marissa Pelly got the message. For the first of three nights of looks, Spice wore a custom Dion Lee outfit featuring a black buckled cutout crop top, matching pleated miniskirt and thigh-high Brandon Blackwood boots accented by rows of metal diamond eyelets. Jewelry included an oversized pendant necklace and bedazzled watch. For night two, the rap artist showed out in a provocative, custom look by Jamaican designer Edvin Thompson from his fashion line Theophilio, which her stylist described as a Cher-Inspired fit. The sexy, long-sleeved black unitard featured glimmering, curved crystal-embellished sheer paneling, black sequins and feather accents, complemented with a pair of black suede platform boots. For the last night of the Eras Tour, the New York native wore a specially-made black crystal adorned butterfly cutout catsuit from the PF23 collection of New York-based brand Area. It also featured the oversized pendant she had donned the previous night. As Ice Spice continues her rise in stardom, fans will be quick to spot what designers she champions next! The mother of one of the four University of Idaho murder victims has revealed she will not attend Bryan Kohbergers trial. The 28-year-old suspect is charged with killing Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Maddie Mogen, 21, in the early hours of 13 November. It does not change the outcome of our family, and its energy that we need to put into healing our kids and getting back to a new family dynamic and working on that, Stacy Chapin said on TODAY. Stacy Chapin and son Ethan Chapin (Twitter/TODAY) We let the prosecutors do their job and we do our job in our family. Ethan Chapin was staying at the home in Moscow, Idaho, with his girlfriend Xana Kernodle when an intruder broke into the home and brutally murdered them with a knife. Mr Kohberger was a PHD criminology student at nearby Washington State University at the time of the murders and is set to go on trial on 2 October. Prosecutors say that he is linked to the crime scene by DNA evidence found on a knife sheath left behind in the house, video surveillance footage and cell phone data. He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary. Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, listens during his arraignment hearing in Latah County District Court, May 22, 2023 in Moscow, Idaho (Getty Images) Ms Chapin told host Savannah Guthrie that she had written a childrens book called The Boy Who Wore Blue in memory of her son, who was a triplet. Its the best I can do for him, she added. She also showed off a tattoo on her left arm in her sons handwriting which reads, I love you mom with a heart and is signed Ethan from a card he had given her. She said that Ethans siblings, Hunter and Mizie, had returned to the University of Idaho after their brothers murder and completed their semesters. Ms Chapin also said that she was intent on focusing on her children and not her anger. It has its moments, of course. But we get up every morning and we just decided that the best thing we can do is put our best foot forward, mostly for Maizie and Hunter, she said. They deserve it. They didnt deserve this, and so they deserve still the best life that we can give them, and that is really our strength. It drives us. See previous 74 Interviews: Bill Gates on the challenge of spurring educational improvement; Sal Khan on COVIDs math toll; and Patricia Brantley on the future of virtual learning. The full archive is here. The Institute of Education Sciences turns 21 this year. After five years at its helm, Director Mark Schneider is hoping to shepherd its transition to maturity. When he was appointed by President Trump in 2017, Schneider took over an agency designed to reveal the truth of how schooling is delivered in the United States. IES houses four research centers that measure the effects of educational interventions from preschool to university, and through the National Assessment of Educational Progress the agencys most recognizable research product, often referred to as the Nations Report Card it delivers regular updates on the state of student achievement. Related NCES: 49% of Students Started Year Below Grade Level, Usually in Math, Reading But Schneider sees a new role for federal research endeavors. Through the use of public competitions and artificial intelligence, the director wants IES to help incubate breakthrough technologies and treatments that can help student performance take a giant leap forward in the coming years. Rapid-cycle experimentation and replication, he hopes, will help reverse more than a decade of stagnation in K12 performance. Late in his six-year term, Schneider is candid about his status as one of the few holdovers from the previous administration still serving in government. In part, he quips, thats because education research isnt considered important enough for a Trump appointee to be fired. But hes also labored to win the trust of Congress and cultivate bipartisan support for a vision of educational improvement powered by data. Now he believes that vision could soon be realized. In December, Congress approved a substantial increase in IESs budget to potentially fund a fifth national center that some have dubbed a DARPA for education research (based on the Pentagons famous hub for research and development). Further legislation is needed to authorize a branch for advanced development in education sciences, but potential research strands are already being theorized. Related A DARPA for K12? Omnibus Bill Includes Substantial New Funds for Education R&D Schneider a political scientist who left academia for leadership and research roles at the American Institutes for Research and the American Enterprise Institute has a commanding perspective on the federal education bureaucracy, serving as the head of the National Center for Education Statistics in the 2000s. His sometimes tart observations about Washingtons research efforts, and the future of IES, can be found on his frequently updated blog. In a wide-ranging conversation with The 74s Kevin Mahnken, Schneider spoke with surprising openness about the Department of Education (which operates like a bank in its grantmaking capacity), the horrifying reality of university masters programs (Its a money machine, and so you create more of them), and why he believes some concerns about data privacy are overblown (If I were really worried about this, I wouldnt wear an Apple watch.) Above all, he said, the task ahead is to develop a research base that can yield transformative educational tools on the order of COVID vaccines and ChatGPT. The goal, using this foundation, is to look at things that pop out, that would not exist otherwise, Schneider said. If we can do this with vaccines, if we can use it with chatbots, then whats our foundation? The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. The 74: Tell me a little about what youre anticipating this year in terms of legislation to establish a DARPA-type program for education. Mark Schneider: There are two parts of the legislation. The first is to set up the National Center for Advanced Development in Education, NCADE, and the other is for major reinvestment in Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems. Most people focus on the first part, but the second is also really important because we spent a billion dollars building those data systems over the last 18 years. The whole thing is a great system, but it needs to be rebuilt. Related DARPA for Education Is a Good Start. Now, Congress Must Do More What needs to be modified in those systems? Its old technology. I think the first round of money for them went out the door in 2006. [Gestures at iPhone sitting on the table] Can you imagine having a technology system that was built in 2006? So they need to be modernized, but the more important thing is that we now have a much more expansive vision of what they can do after almost 20 years of work. The example I point to is absenteeism. States have really good records on attendance because money flows based on average daily attendance, and they have to take counts. They know who are chronic absentees, but they dont know why. It could be food insecurity, health, migration status, could be a dozen things or more. But if we use these longitudinal data systems as a backbone and then plug in information from criminal justice, health, Social Security, we would have a much better sense of whats going on with any student in a given school. The strength of Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems [SLDS] has always been tracking students over time. Why did I survive when almost nobody else did? I dont think education research is that important. I think Im good at my job, and the reforms were pursuing are really strongly supported by the current administration. But Im not important enough to be fired. The biggest problem, of course, is that as you merge more data, the issues of privacy become more intense because its easier and easier to identify people when theres more information. Were nowhere near good enough at privacy protection, but were getting way better, and there are so many more ways of protecting privacy than there were 20 years ago. Given the lengthy timetables of federal projects like the SLDS, do you ever feel like youre painting the Golden Gate Bridge, and now that youve finally established these tools, its already time to overhaul them? Well, we spent a $1 billion building this, and right now, were spending about $35 million per year on grants to states to do things with it. What percentage of $1 billion is going back into maintenance and expansions? Its pocket change. So you always have to remember that this is a state-owned system, designed to help them do their work. And to take an example, Tennessee is surrounded by seven other states, and they end up doing their own collaborations and data exchanges. Is the inherent federalism of that approach, especially layered over the archaic technology, difficult to manage? How did it play out during the pandemic, for instance, when real-time data was so hard to generate? The trickiness had nothing to do with SLDS, though. It had to do with the world we woke up to in March 2020. For me, SLDS is like an exemplar of a federal system where the states assume almost all responsibility. But again, we have more capacity compared with most states. There are states like Massachusetts that are doing an unbelievably good job, and other states are not. Our role there is providing the resources to enable states to a) experiment like Massachusetts and b) bring states that have little capacity up to speed. Probably the most alarming federal data coming out of the COVID era has been the release of scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which showed huge drops in achievement in reading and especially math. Did those results match what you were expecting? By the time NAEP landed, we had NWEA results and others that suggested it was going to be a debacle. We knew the scores were going to go down by a bunch. But NAEP is NAEP its national, its rock-solid in terms of its methodologies and its sample. So its indisputable that this was an awful situation, right? To connect the dots with SLDS: One of the problems with the system is that it was conceived as a data warehouse strategy. And I tried and tried, but nobody caught that this was a stupid way of phrasing its purpose. I said, We dont need a data warehouse. What goes into a warehouse, a forklift? We want an Amazon model where we also have retail stores, and you can go in and find stuff. I understand that states are very hesitant to let random academics and researchers have access to very private data. But as we rebuild the SLDS, we need to make sure that there are use requirements as part of the deal always, always consistent with privacy protections, but we have to use these more. Its a little tricky because some states have a history of opening up the doors and letting in researchers, and others just dont. In the state of Texas, it can depend on who the attorney general is. It can be striking how many research papers come out of, for instance, Wake County, North Carolina. Its because theyve opened the data to more people. And thats part of the deal, but Wake County is not the United States. We need more. My days of active research are behind me, but the possibilities built into these data are incredible. I thought I was going to be able to do a deal with Utah, where theres an organization doing early childhood interventions; all the evidence is that theyre good, but we need to see if good sticks. Well, SLDS is perfectly designed to figure out if interventions stick. I thought this work in Utah would allow us to identify students in their early childhood interventions, work with the state to track those students over time, and find out if those very positive pre-K results its a very inexpensive intervention with great results in the early years stick. We have the means to do it. We just need to do it. It seems like efforts like that would be complicated by the growing political salience of data security. Its everywhere, and for good reason. Im not really a privacy hawk, but all the privacy protections need to consider benefits versus costs. In too many places, weve concentrated on the risk without considering the benefit. But thats only half the equation. We have to be able to say, This risk can be mitigated, and there could be huge benefits to come out of this. Its largely the same technology that ETS invented 40 years ago. But the world has changed. Its just gotten more and more expensive, but the amount of reimagining NAEP and its structure whether or not we can do this cheaper and faster is just lagging. Its really frustrating. This is what political systems do all the time they balance risks against rewards. But we have to do it in a much more sophisticated way. Why are you a privacy dove? There is something a little funny about how guarded people are about government intrusions when they so freely hand over their data to Amazon or whomever. I have an Amazon Echo in every room in my house, and I know that theyre listening! Everyone has a story where theyre talking about something, and then they go on their Amazon account and see an advertisement related to the product they were talking about. Its really scary, but Ive only turned off the microphone on one of my devices because of the convenience of being able to say, Alexa, turn on my lights, play the BBC. For me, those benefits are worth getting a bunch of stupid advertisements. Related 74 Interview: Cybersecurity Expert Levin on the Harms of Student Data Hacks If I were really worried about this, I wouldnt wear an Apple watch or own an Apple phone. We all should be concerned about privacy, and especially when it comes to children. Obviously, the standards have to be high. But again, there are benefits to using a more comprehensive database, which is my vision of what SLDS would be. The technology issues are real, and its always a war of whether people hack it and we need to develop better mechanisms for protection. What are you trying to achieve, organizationally, with the proposed addition of an advanced research center? IES is only 20 years old. My predecessor, Russ Whitehurst, was the founding director, and he was brilliant. He set out to modernize the research and development infrastructure, and his goal was to make randomized controlled trials the coin of the realm. I was the NCES commissioner for three years, and I argued with him all the time about his model of RCTs, which are the gold standard. The way he saw it was and he knew what he was doing, hes really smart I cant compromise this at the beginning. If I say, Maybe we do this, maybe we do that, then nobody goes in the direction I want, and they just wait me out. The problem with the model was that RCTs, as they were originally introduced, were about average effects across populations. But to use a specific example, weve now moved into individualized medicine its about what works for you, and under what conditions. So the mantra of IES now is, What works for whom, and under what conditions? Of course, we still have studies that look at main effects, but our work is all about identifying what works for individuals or groups of students. This requires a lot of changes about the way we think and how we do business. My joke is that almost every science has gone through a replication crisis. We dont have a replication crisis, because we dont replicate anything. Even if it works, we dont replicate it! So a few years ago, we launched a replication RFA [request for applications]. IES was moving in that direction anyway, but we needed a much more systematic attention to replication. My mistake was we structured the replication this way: Something worked in New York City, so give me another $5 million, and Ill try it in Philadelphia. Or, It worked for some African American kids, lets try it with Hispanic kids. They were all big experiments, five years long. You cant make progress that way. Now were running an X Prize, which will be announced before the summer. Im not sure how generalizable this will be, but the prize is based on using digital learning platforms to run experiments. The critical part is that you have to have 100,000 users on your platform to qualify. You run those experiments, you fail fast thats an incredibly important principle, fail fast and the few things that work, you have to do multiple replications. The original plan was: experiment, replication, then another round of replications. At the end of which, the goal is to say, Heres an intervention that worked for these students, but not for these students. Then you take what worked for those students and push it further. [On May 9, Adaptive Experimentation Accelerator was announced as the winner of the $1 million Digital Learning Challenge prize.] Related Schneider & Garg: Medical Researchers Find Cures by Conducting Many Studies and Failing Fast. We Need to Do the Same for Education Its a systematic approach to rapid replication. Not everything in education research can be done in short order. Some things take a long time. But there are many, many things that last a semester or a school year, and at the end of that time, we have proximate measures for distal outcomes. This prize approach is just a different process for how we replicate. ChatGPT just opened up a whole world of discussion about the use of AI. But what happened with ChatGPT is like what were trying to do. The world has been doing AI for literally decades, but the last 10 years have seen increased computing power and more complexity in the models, and the foundational models have gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. We built an incredible foundation: machine learning, data science, AI. And all of a sudden, boom! ChatGPT is the first thing that caught the publics attention, but it was built on this amazing foundation. Nobody knows what the next thing is that will break through, but theyre all being built on decades worth of work that established this foundation. Its the same thing with mRNA research the COVID vaccine could not have happened without that foundation. Related ChatGPT Scores a C+ At the University of Minnesota Law School. Now What? What Im trying to do is use IES resources to build this kind of foundation, which includes the learning platforms, rapid-cycle experimentation and replication, transformative research money. And the goal, using this foundation, is to look at things that pop out, that would not exist otherwise. Thats the goal: If we can do this with vaccines, if we can use it with chatbots, then whats our foundation? What I hope is that, when we get NCADE going, we move this activity there and let it consolidate and interact. Then we start doing new, innovative research based on that foundation. What are the kinds of research projects and outcomes that perhaps seem fantastical now, but could be realized in the way that MRNA vaccines have been? The telos, the North Star, is individualized education. The first thing that is popping from this work is an AI institute that IES is launching with the National Science Foundation, and its designed for students with speech pathologies. There arent enough speech language pathologists in schools, so the demand for them is really high. We also do something incredibly stupid by burdening them with unbelievable paperwork. My joke is that almost every science has gone through a replication crisis. We dont have a replication crisis, because we dont replicate anything. Even if it works, we dont replicate it! This AI institute is funded by $20 million, split between IES and the NSF, and it has several prongs to it. The first is to develop an AI-assisted universal screener, because it takes time to diagnose exactly what students speech pathologies are whether it has to do with sentence structure, vocabulary, pronunciation. Medicine has been doing this forever, by the way. The second prong is to use an AI toolbox to help design, update, and monitor the treatment plan. In other words, weve got a labor shortage, we know we need assessment and a treatment plan, and AI can do this. Or, AI should be able to do this, whether or not we can pull it off with this group. Its a risk, like everything we do is a risk. But to me, this is a breakthrough. Im very optimistic that theyre going to pull it off, in part because of the third prong, which relates to the paperwork. Its a lot of work, multiple forms, and its routine. Well, guess what can now type up routine paragraphs? Related Schools Must Embrace the Looming Disruption of ChatGPT It seems like school districts, let alone Congress, could be really hesitant about deploying AI to write up after-incident reports, or what have you. Some regulatory structure is going to have to be created to govern the use of this technology. Im sure, like me, youve been monitoring the reaction to ChatGPT. Theres an extreme reaction, Ban it completely. Another extreme would be, This is amazing, go for it! And then theres the right reaction: This is a tool thats never going back in the box. So how do we use it appropriately? How do we use it in classrooms, and to free teachers from drudgery? AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT challenge K12 schools, but could also prove a boon to teachers. (Getty Images) At least for the foreseeable future, humans will have a role because ChatGPT is often wrong. And the biggest problem is that we sometimes dont know when its wrong. Itll get better over time, I dont think theres a question about that, but it needs human intervention. Humans have to know that its not infallible, and they have to have the intelligence to know how to read ChatGPT and say, That doesnt work. Of course, it writes very boring prose. But so do students. And so do reporters. Touche. You mentioned that you ran NCES over a decade ago. Im wondering if youve noticed a change in Washingtons ambitions around using federal data to spur school improvement, especially now that the peak reform era is long gone. Its true that the level of skepticism is much greater. But the technology has also gotten way, way better. We hired the National Academies [of Science, Engineering, and Medicine] to do three reports for us to coincide with our 20th anniversary. The one about NCES was the most interesting one. It talks about new and somewhat less intrusive measures. NCES is old. There are lots of arguments about when it started, but the modern NCES was actually a reaction to [sociologist and researcher] James Coleman, who was intimately involved in the early design of longitudinal studies. Theyve gotten more complicated the original was High School and Beyond and theyre all based on survey data, just going out and talking to people. Well, you know the fate of surveys: Response rates are falling and falling, and its harder to get people to talk. Related 50 Years Later, What America Still Hasnt Learned From the Coleman Report Thats how bad its gotten? We were forced forced makes it sound like it was a bad idea; and it did turn out to be a bad idea to ask schools that were participating for a lot of information about IEPs [individualized education programs] and students with special needs. This gets back to that cost/benefit calculation because they would not share the classification of students with special needs, and they just refused to participate. So we ended up canceling that data collection. That was a leading indicator of the problem. I taught public policy for decades at Stony Brook University, and when I decided that I was never going back, they asked me to give a talk. My opening remark set everyone back on their heels because I said, I taught here for 20 years, and every one of my students should sue me for malpractice. Nothing I taught had anything to do with the way the sausage is really made. Increasingly, the question is what we can do to get the kind of data that these longitudinal studies generated without having to interview 15,000 or 18,000 kids. It requires a modification in the way you think, and it requires an expansive view of where the data lie. How much of the data that were asking students and parents and teachers about resides in state longitudinal data systems, for example? Could we drive the need for human interviewing to 5 percent or 10 percent of what we do now? It actually calls for a different thought process than, Well, we always do High School and Beyond this way! But federal bureaucracies arent known for their innovative thinking, quite frankly. This adaptation might also mean that some of the unique things we get from surveys are going to have to go because no one will give them to you. What, if anything, is the effect of changes in government on a massive organization like IES? You were appointed under President Trump, so the Department of Education has already undergone a really significant change, and now Congress has changed hands as well. Were not massive. Were pretty small, actually. Were a science agency, and we were created when the Education Sciences Reform Act was authorized in 2002. I think the vision was that IES would grow not to the size of the National Institutes for Health or the National Science Foundation, but on a trajectory that would put it into that kind of group. If you look at the original legislation, its still there. We have a board that is almost populated now, and the ex officio members include the director of the Census, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and somebody from NIH. You dont create a board with those kinds of people on it unless you expect it to be a big, major player. It never got there. The budget is up to $808 million, in part because we got a pretty big chunk of money in the omnibus package. But $30 million of that was for DARPA-Ed, which we dont have yet. Ten million dollars of that is for the School Pulse Panel. So Congress is interested in modernization, and we have to prove that this investment is worthwhile. What about the difference at the top? Are there notably different attitudes between Secretary DeVos and Secretary Cardona with respect to IESs mission? Ive gotten enormous support from the department. We would not have gotten the money for NCADE, we would not have gotten the money for School Pulse without that support. DeVoss goal was to make the Education Department go away, so this administration is obviously much more expansive. Theyve been careful in their support of things, but again, NCADE wouldnt have gotten this far without the full-throated backing of the department, and of the Office of Management and Budget and the White House. Im reminded of the parties divergent positions on the federal governments role in education, and how close the Department of Education came to never being authorized. Jimmy Carter is a really good ex-president and a good human being, but was not a very effective president. As you know, the establishment of the department was in response to support that he got from teachers unions. So there is a philosophical debate about the role of the federal government in education, and its not a slam dunk. There are things that are worth talking about. A huge chunk of the money that the department manages is Title IV, so it operates like a bank, and its by far the smallest cabinet department in terms of workforce. President Jimmy Carter at the inaugural ceremony for the Department of Education in 1980. (Valerie Hodgson/Getty Images) The other thing Im not sure people fully understand is that the department isnt just a grant-making operation, its also a contract shop. I taught public policy for decades at Stony Brook University, and when I decided that I was never going back, they asked me to give a talk to my former colleagues almost all of whom Id hired and graduate students. My opening remark set everyone back on their heels because I said, I taught here for 20 years, and every one of my students should sue me for malpractice. Nothing I taught had anything to do with the way the sausage is really made. You hear this all the time, and academics pooh-pooh it. But Ive been on both sides of it, and its really true: Academic research and the sausage factory are the same. In 20 years of teaching public policy, I never once mentioned contractors. And contractors run the whole show. Its the way we do business, and its even more interesting than just: I run this agency, but heres what you, the contractor, should do. All too often, its the contractors doing the actual thinking. Related Back to the Future: GOP Pledge to Abolish Education Department Returns Theres been a long argument over the 20 years, on and off, that Ive been associated with this stuff. We should, and must, contract out the work and the implementation, but we should not be contracting out the thinking. And thats easy to articulate, but whats the dividing line? When are we surrendering our intellectual capital our control of the ship, if you will to contractors who now design the ship, build the ship and steer the ship? Are there concrete examples from education research where you can point to projects that have gone off-course? NAEP is $185 million per year, and it gets renewed every five years. Do you know how long Educational Testing Services has had the contract? Forty years. There are reasons why they get this contract theyre good! But this is decades of either minimal or zero competition. And as the test has gotten bigger and more complicated, even putting together a bid to compete costs millions of dollars. People ask, Why would we spend millions of dollars to compete with ETS when theyve had the contract for 40 years and we see no indication that it will ever be different? To me, this is a serious issue. Related Education Depts R&D Arm Faces a Dire Budget Shortfall Just as We Need It Most Given that NAEP is the foremost product of NCES, theres probably very little scope for reimagining it beyond, say, changing the testing modality from pen-and-paper to computers. I agree on that, its largely the same technology that ETS invented 40 years ago. But the world has changed. Its just gotten more and more expensive, but the amount of reimagining NAEP and its structure whether or not we can do this cheaper and faster is just lagging. Its really frustrating. Even before COVID, there was a lot of pondering about the future of NAEP and the costs of administering it. The Long-Term Trends test was postponed between 2012 and 2020, right? Yeah, but thats an interesting case. The modern version of NAEP which measures fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math was authorized in 2002, I believe. It goes back to the 70s, really, but weve been doing this version of it for 20 years. People love the Long-Term Trends test, but do we really need it when weve had 20 years of the main NAEP? Youve spent a lot of your career studying the value of higher education. Do you think were staring at a financial or demographic apocalypse for colleges and universities? Apocalypse is way too strong a word. There are demographic trends such that the pool of students is shrinking, and theres also incredible regional variation. The New England and mid-Atlantic states are experiencing much sharper declines than the South and the West. And of course, universities are not mobile; if you invest all this infrastructure in frigid Massachusetts or northern New York, and all the students move, you have to ask, What do I do with all this infrastructure now? As to the value of a four-year degree, you and I operate in a sphere where everybody is highly literate. I read all the time, and Im not talking about technical stuff. I read novels all the time because its an opportunity to live in a different world. But whats the definition of literacy in the world we now live in, and what skills do we truly need? Its still only a minority of people who go to four-year programs, but do we need to send even that many students to get four-year degrees? Most of them want jobs and family-sustaining wages, and do we need four-year degrees for that? The answer is obviously not, if you look at whats happening in Maryland and Pennsylvania [where governors have recently removed degree requirements from thousands of state jobs]. The fact of the matter is, this is happening. To the extent that its happening, which I believe is necessary and important, the incentives for getting a bachelors degree start to decline. It becomes more of an individual question: Im going to spend five or six years at a four-year institution. Its pretty much a cookie cutter, stamp-stamp-stamp experience, and I get a bachelors degree. Then, at a job interview, they ask what my skills are, and I cant answer. Well, I can use ChatGPT! Thats quite grim. But is there a way to offer prospective students better information about the value theyre actually getting from college? When I was at the American Institutes for Research, I ran something called College Measures, which was the first systematic attempt to crack all the work that had been done at the university level about what happens to students when they graduate. In the end, its the variation in programs that really matters as soon as we started unpacking student outcomes, program by program, the programs that were technical were the winners. And the numbers were amazing. The first results we published came from Virginia and Tennessee, and I swear to God, when I saw the results, I didnt believe them. I thought we had an error in the data because associates degree holders were out-earning bachelors degree holders. We repeated this over and over and over again, in maybe 10 different states. It was always technical degrees coming out of community colleges that had the best earnings. In the state of Florida, I think the best postsecondary certificate was Elevator Mechanic/Constructor. There arent a lot of them, but the starting wage was $100,000! Then you start looking at sociology, English, psychology, and [gestures downward with his hand, makes crashing sound]. It turned out to be that these degree programs were increasingly becoming surrogates for skills. The worst outcome for all students was for those who went into liberal arts and general studies at community colleges. Theyre doing that because they want to transfer to a four-year school, but only 20 percent of them actually transfer. They come out with a general education and no skills, and the labor market outcomes were a disaster. Related Heres Who Would Win if March Madness Was About Colleges Who Did Best for Grads I was working with the Burning Glass Institute, which has employment records for millions of people and scrapes job advertisements, to start looking for what skills were in high demand. The beauty of it was that it was such good data, and even better, it was regional. Most people dont move that often, so if Im living and going to school in western Tennessee, it doesnt help me at all to know what somebodys hiring for in Miami. It basically asked, How much money is each skill worth? Things have probably changed since that time, but one of the highest-demand skills in almost every market was [the customer relationship manager software] Salesforce, which was worth between $10,000 and $20,000. The other thing we did, which made me really popular, was look at the same outcomes for masters programs. Colleges just create these programs, and the money goes to support everything that academics love: travel, course buyouts, graduate students. But the numbers are horrifying for most masters programs. You create a masters program, and they tend to be relatively cheap and you dont give TAs to masters students, so its all cash. Its a money machine, and so you create more of them. This brings me back to my previous question. If young people start seeing the value proposition of a four-year degree differently, and American fertility rates are producing fewer young people to begin with, it seems like the music eventually has to stop for the higher education sector. And if that happens, employers are going to have to rely on something besides the apparent prestige of a B.A. to distinguish between job candidates, right? Both my daughters think Ive become increasingly conservative because of what goes on in post-secondary education. Look at university endowments: All the money is hidden, but the subsidy we give to well-off students is humungous because their endowments are tax-free. Princeton has a huge endowment and a small student population; Harvard has a bigger endowment, but also a larger enrollment. When I was at the American Institutes for Research, we calculated the subsidy at Princeton per undergraduate student, and the subsidy was something in the vicinity of $100,000 per year. All hidden, nobody talks about it. Meanwhile the total subsidy for Montclair State University, which is down the road, was $12,000; the local community college was $3,000. This includes both state and federal money. What kind of system is this? I testified at the Senate Finance Committee, and we got a small tax on endowments that was only for the very, very richest schools. I think its still on the books, but it was nowhere near as aggressive as it should have been. What I wanted was to take the money and set up a competitive grant program for community colleges because what they do is hard work, and they absolutely need the money. But what happened was that we got a much smaller tax that went into the general fund and didnt go into improving anything. It was a disappointment. Related Supreme Court Skeptical Biden Has Authority to Cancel Student Loan Debt This leads me to wonder what you make of the Biden administrations student debt relief! Im not going to talk anymore. [Laughs] The other part of that same campaign was about property taxes. Georgetown and George Washington University, for example, dont pay property taxes. Some universities acknowledge that theyre getting police services, fire, sewage, and so forth, and they negotiate something called a PILOT, a payment in lieu of taxes. One case was Harvard, which negotiated a PILOT with Boston that was way lower than what they would have otherwise paid, and they didnt even fully pay it! A past college president told me once, Your campaign to go after the endowments is never going to happen in a serious way. But if you start attacking our property tax exemption, that gets us worried. The numbers were amazing. The first results we published came from Virginia and Tennessee, and I swear to God, when I saw the results, I didnt believe them. I thought we had an error in the data because associates degree holders were out-earning bachelors degree holders. Back when I thought some of this was actually going to stick, I wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post. Washington, D.C.s Office of Tax Revenue turns out to be a pretty good agency, and I asked them for a list of all the properties owned by Georgetown and George Washington. I just asked them to calculate the value of those properties, and what should be the payment given the commercial tax rate. It was a lot of money. The average residential property owner in Princeton, New Jersey, pays thousands of dollars more in taxes than they otherwise would because Princeton University doesnt pay property taxes. Criticizing universities in the Washington Post doesnt sound like a good way to make friends in your current position. Well, I havent done anything like that in years. And of course, I was appointed by the previous administration, when none of this stuff was particularly poisonous. So why did I survive when almost nobody else did? I dont think education research is that important. I think Im good at my job, and the reforms were pursuing whether its establishing NCADE or revising the SLDS are really strongly supported by the current administration, which I really appreciate. But Im not important enough to be fired. Related The Right Medicine for Ailing Schools Isnt that something of an indictment of federal policymakers, though? They should care more about education research! Yeah, but then I would have been fired. [Laughs] I was affiliated with AEI [the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank], and I still have many friends there. But this NCADE proposal has Democratic backing in Congress. A lot of the work is still nonpartisan, or bipartisan. We work really hard at this, and some of the things were pushing are just so fundamentally important that it doesnt matter which party youre in. Does partisanship make it harder to pursue the higher education issues youre interested in, though? Im only the third IES director thats been confirmed and served any length of time. Russ Whitehurst was totally focused on early childhood literacy, and John Easton cared the most about K12. So even over these last five years, IES is predominantly still K12 oriented. My newest thing in postsecondary research is to collect data on non-credit activity, and I dont think people understand how big that is in community college. A lot of it is people enrolling to use a swimming pool, or someone who takes three courses in musicology but isnt interested in credit or a degree. But increasingly, non-credit activity is being used for non-credit certificates that are job- and career-related. Maybe you need three courses to upgrade my skills for auto body repair, or to upgrade your IT skills, but you dont want a whole degree or to enroll in college. So you can do it on a non-credit basis. We dont even know how many non-credit certificates are being granted because we dont collect any data on it. IPEDS [the Integrated Postsecondary Data System, the federal governments primary source of information on colleges and universities] is rooted in Title IV, and it doesnt collect information about schools that dont take federal grants or about non-credit activity. But its really big, and many people are betting time and energy and money to acquire non-credit certificates. Were trying to do some work on that, and OMB is very hesitant to mandate any collections of data because of Title IV, but theyve approved a voluntary data collection. I dont do research anymore, but Im trying to broker deals with researchers and states Virginia has a beautiful data set, for instance to find out what happens if you get a non-credit certificate. Indiana is another opportunity. Launching this stuff is hard because its pretty untraditional, and it requires strong state data systems and the willingness of states to work with independent researchers. And of the $808 million weve got, none of it is walking-around money; all of it is competitive, everythings peer-reviewed. Which it should be, but I cant just say, Sure, sounds great, Ill send you $50,000. Ikea is making moves to bring warehouse management technology in-house to strengthen its fulfillment operations. Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ikea parent Ingka Group, is acquiring cloud-based warehouse management system (WMS) and end-to-end supply chain execution software Made4net for an undisclosed sum. In a press release, the Swedish company attributed the acquisition to retails unprecedented demand for warehouse and fulfillment solutions. More from Sourcing Journal The Made4net solution will be deployed across Ikea stores and fulfillment points to modernize and future proof omnichannel operations in whats likely the largest implementation of a WMS in the world, the company said. We are constantly looking to improve our business to better meet the needs of our customers, said Wim Blaauw, chief digital officer for Ingka Group, in a statement. As part of that, we are implementing a variety of digital solutions that will secure the speed and agility required to support the new omnichannel reality we operate in. Ingkas Made4net acquisition appears to be part of Ikeas efforts to streamline its supply chain and give consumers more options. In April, the company announced plans to invest nearly $2.2 billion in its U.S. omnichannel growth strategy. That funding will help enhance its fulfillment network and contribute to eight new store openings, nine delivery-only plan and order stations and 900 pickup locations. These investments, analysts pointed out at the time, positioned the company to directly compete with digital natives in the U.S. home furnishings space including Wayfair and Overstock, among others. Retailers looking to scale their operations with technology often have to decide if they want to build their own software or acquire a third-party business. Ikeas acquisition mimics companies like American Eagle Outfitters, which acquired Quiet Logistics and AirTerra to build and scale the Quiet Platforms nationwide fulfillment network. This came a few years after Target launched a last-mile delivery network when it acquired same-day delivery provider Shipt in 2017. With Ingkas backing, Made4net will be able to further invest in product innovation and customer support resources to enhance its global market position. Made4net will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary from its Teaneck, N.J. headquarters and six global offices. Last year, the company acquired fellow WMS platform provider Zethcon to grow its market share in the third-party logistics (3PL) sector. Ikea will leverage the platforms SCExpert suite of warehouse, transportation, labor and yard management solutions to power its worldwide fulfillment centers and store operations across 482 locations in more than 31 countries. The retailer estimates that 100,000 company users will have access to the platform to deliver faster and more accurate order fulfillment and improved supply chain visibility. Our business currently requires a better fulfillment operations system with more accurate data that better supports handling for our customers, said Tolga Oncu, head of retail, Ingka Group, in a statement. Our goal is to become leaders of life at home, serving more people in an omnichannel reality, whenever and however customers choose to meet us. Made4net CEO Duff Davidson will stay in this role along with the rest of the companys leadership team. The Made4net platform has had a long customer track record for fast implementation and the ability to pivot quickly with changing business and market dynamics, said Davidson in a statement. Were excited to expand those capabilities for all of our customers through the increased backing of Ingka and also look forward to transforming the future of unified commerce by helping Ikeas global retail network deliver on its omnichannel fulfillment vision. Ingka Investments acquired Made4net from private equity owner Thompson Street Capital Partners, which made an initial growth investment in the company in January 2021. We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished with the entire Made4net team over the past couple years, meaningfully extending the companys global market position through both organic and inorganic investments, said Tom St. Geme, director at Thompson Street Capital Partners. Made4net has found a fantastic new home with Ingka, and the new Ikea relationship represents a transformational milestone for the company, reinforcing Made4nets commitment to building world-class supply chain software solutions for customers large and small across the globe. Click here to read the full article. China has emerged as a pioneer in the big data sector and represents the future of the industry, diplomats remarked on Sunday, adding that they look forward to seeing enhanced bilateral cooperation in this sector. Ambassadors and senior diplomats visit the Guizhou Comprehensive Pilot Zone Exchange and Experience Center on June 4, 2023. [Photo by Zhang Jiaqi/China.org.cn] During a visit to the Guizhou Comprehensive Pilot Zone Exchange and Experience Center, more than 20 ambassadors and senior diplomats from 19 countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) were acquainted with the remarkable progress in big data development in Guizhou province, located in southwestern China. China's big data industry expanded significantly to a size of 1.57 trillion yuan ($220 billion) in 2022, marking an impressive 18% year-on-year increase. Notably, the Guiyang Big Data Exchange, established in 2015, surpassed 1 billion yuan in cumulative trading volume. Great potential During the short visit, Reda Oudghiri Idrissi, minister counselor and head of the Economic and Commercial Section of the Moroccan Embassy in China, was particularly impressed by a real-time logistics monitoring platform. With four years of experience working in China, this aspect left a lasting impression on him. Reda Oudghiri Idrissi, minister counselor and head of the Economic and Commercial Section of the Moroccan Embassy in China, visits the Guizhou Comprehensive Pilot Zone Exchange and Experience Center on June 4, 2023. [Photo by Zhang Jiaqi/China.org.cn] Displayed on a large screen were real-time data and diagrams depicting shipping orders, categorized by import and export, types of goods, and shipping routes. In Idrissi's view, this comprehensive visualization provided a valuable snapshot of the economy's overall health. "This practical implementation of big data can be of great value to tomorrow, and this is something that will be of great value to any country that is modernizing and expanding its digital presence," Idrissi said. Martha Mavrommati, the ambassador of Cyprus to China, also expressed her admiration for the big data sector in Guizhou and China, saying that China represents the future in this aspect. Juan Jose Buitrago, minister counselor and consul general for the Spanish Embassy in China, echoed this sentiment, adding that they are very impressed by what has been achieved here. Often dubbed China's big data hub, Guizhou is the country's first national big data comprehensive pilot zone, with 37% of its GDP contributed by the digital economy in 2022. It boasts 37 data centers in operation or under construction, serving companies including Apple, Huawei, and Tencent. In 2022, China's digital economy reached 50.2 trillion yuan, accounting for 41.5% of GDP and ranking second worldwide, according to the 2022 Digital China Development Report released by the Cyberspace Administration of China on May 23. Further cooperation "Data is the engine for future growth," Buitrago said, adding that it is wise to tap into the potential of data to guide human activities. Juan Jose Buitrago, minister counselor and consul general for the Spanish Embassy in China, gives an interview at the Guizhou Comprehensive Pilot Zone Exchange and Experience Center on June 4, 2023. [Photo by Zhang Jiaqi/China.org.cn] According to China's 2021-2025 plan for big data development, the country envisions the industry scale surpassing 3 trillion yuan by the end of 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of around 25%. "You are a vanguard of this technology, and we can work together on this because both countries have high knowledge of it," he added, calling for enhanced cooperation in the sector. China has actively sought cooperation opportunities in recent years. In Guizhou's provincial capital Guiyang, the recently concluded China International Big Data Industry Expo brought together 338 overseas guests from 50 countries and regions and 83 internationally renowned companies, and a contractual investment worth 61.3 billion yuan was signed during the event. So far, the expo has been held for nine sessions. As early as May 2019, the Big Data Development Administration of Guizhou Province and the Digital Development Agency of Morocco signed a memorandum of cooperation, focusing on areas such as cloud computing, information security, e-government, and company digital transformation. Looking ahead, Idrissi envisions increased bilateral exchanges at various levels and further cooperation in the big data sector, particularly in smart e-government. "Big data can summarize things for us and give us insight into information that we have but haven't exploited. If we have those ingredients, then we can make new recipes," he said, adding that now the pandemic is over, he looks forward to seeing more bilateral trips and exchanges. Progress has also been made with international organizations. On May 26, the China-SCO Big Data Cooperation Center was put into service, and the construction of a sub-center also began. On future collaborations in terms of technology, SCO Deputy Secretary-General Niyazaliev Nuran said that as China has enormous experience and potential in this area, it is important for other member states to learn from it, adding that he hopes China will be more open to sharing such experiences. "It's very important to help the populations of different countries develop to be more prosperous, and it's always on the international community's agenda," he added. An irrigation canal that feeds a rice field in Knights Landing. California legislators are considering proposals to strengthen oversight of water rights. (Max Whittaker/For The Times) Californias complex system of water rights took shape starting in the mid-1800s, when settlers saw the states water as abundant and free for the taking a time when a Gold Rush prospector could stake claim to river flows simply by nailing a notice to a tree. Today, California's oldest and most senior water rights called riparian and pre-1914 rights have been passed along to thousands of agricultural landowners, irrigation districts and urban water suppliers that claim control of roughly one-third of the water that is diverted from the state's rivers and streams. But increasingly, California water regulators are struggling to manage supplies for 39 million residents, agriculture and the environment as climate change warps the hydrologic cycle and brings longer-lasting and more severe droughts. Legal experts say the way the state manages this antiquated system is in dire need of reform. Among other problems, they say, current law prevents officials from verifying whether claims of senior water rights are valid, ordering those water users to reduce usage, or imposing fines that are large enough to penalize those who flout the rules. Three bills gaining momentum in the Legislature are seeking to change that, even as they draw heated opposition from water agencies and agricultural groups. These bills show that the Legislature is taking a serious look at bringing more comprehensive and consistent regulation to water rights and empowering the State Water Resources Control Board to do the job California needs it to do, said Nell Green Nylen, a senior research fellow at the UC Berkeley School of Laws Wheeler Water Institute. Green Nylen is part of a group of legal experts who recently published a state-funded report outlining recommendations for legislative and policy changes to improve oversight and management of the water rights system. She said the bills in the Legislature would partially address some of their recommendations, while still leaving some concerning gaps in the states ability to manage water scarcity. One bill AB 1337, introduced by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) would clarify that the State Water Board has authority to issue a curtailment order for all diverters, including senior rights holders. The legislation was drafted in response to a recent decision by an appeals court, which sided with water agencies in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta that had challenged the states authority to order cuts. In its decision, the court suggested its up to the Legislature to determine whether its time to update the law. Another measure approved by the Senate, SB 389, would give the State Water Board the authority to investigate and verify whether the claims of senior rights holders are valid and accurate. They've got to have more tools at their disposal to better understand the rights system as it exists, said Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), who introduced the proposal. Californias existing water rights allocate far more water than is available in an average year, Allen noted, and state water regulators are tasked with making the system work through increasingly intense droughts. The change would help the water rights system function the way its supposed to, before we run out of time to fix it, Allen said. Another bill, AB 460, would strengthen the State Water Boards enforcement powers to stop illegal water diversions and would sharply increase fines for violators. The bill is intended to prevent the sort of violations that occurred in August in the Shasta River watershed, when farmers and ranchers who belong to the Shasta River Water Assn. defied a curtailment order for eight days and diverted more than half the rivers flow, flouting requirements aimed at protecting salmon. The State Water Board fined the association the maximum amount for the violation: $4,000, which worked out to about $50 for each of its members. The case led to widespread calls for larger fines and stronger enforcement powers. If we have scofflaws out there taking water that is not theirs, then it really messes up the entire system, said Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), who introduced the bill. The bill would give the State Water Board the authority to issue temporary orders to stop the illegal taking of water, and would increase fines for violations to up to $10,000 per day, plus $2,500 per acre-foot of water diverted. (An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, or enough to cover one acre a foot deep.) Some environmental groups and tribes have called for a major overhaul of the states water rights, arguing that the current system was built on a foundation of violence against Native people, the taking of land from tribes, and systemic racism that long prevented people of color from securing water rights. Supporters of the reform proposals in the Legislature say the bills arent meant to radically change the existing system, but rather to make a dysfunctional system work. These modest changes are a first step in retrofitting the water rights system for the 21st century challenges ahead, said Amanda Fencl, a senior climate scientist for the Union of Concerned Scientists. She said the measures offer critical updates to enable the State Water Board to make informed and timely water management decisions and build climate resilience for the future. The proposals are facing opposition from many water agencies and groups representing the agriculture industry. The three bills all create increased uncertainty in the water supply, which would make it harder for growers to plan and could result in fewer planned acres of food grown, said Gail Delihant, senior director of California government affairs for Western Growers, which represents more than 1,500 crop growers, packers and shippers. Delihant said the measures represent attempts to destabilize the water rights system in California. Also opposing the bills is the Assn. of California Water Agencies, or ACWA, which represents about 460 public agencies that deliver water to cities and farms. Kristopher Anderson, a legislative advocate for ACWA, said the bills present a foundational change in the way Californias water rights system is implemented, managed, and enforced. They would authorize the State Water Board to impose punitive penalties on even law-abiding water right holders, curtail water rights in any year, and strip entities of their water rights, Anderson said. This package of legislation would create significant uncertainty, and lead to unintended consequences, for not just water right holders themselves, but communities and businesses across the state that depend on a reliable water supply. Anderson said water agencies that belong to the association agree that higher fines are necessary to deter violations, such as those that occurred on the Shasta River last year. But he and other opponents argued the proposal is overly broad and goes beyond what is necessary. In a letter opposing Wicks bill, representatives of dozens of water districts and agriculture industry groups said they support proposals to modernize administration of the water rights system by improving how the state collects and manages data, and by deploying more stream gages, among other steps. They argued that as it stands, the proposal threatens to remake the way water rights are managed in California by employing a top-down approach that would override decades of successful collaborative water management practices. State officials are working on a project to modernize Californias water rights information system by digitizing about 7 million pages of paper records. But officials have said that even those extensive records in many cases dont include original documents that show proof of pre-1914 water rights, which were grandfathered in under the 1913 Water Commission Act. That act established a permit process for rights from then on. In a February meeting, state officials said there are currently about 2,600 riparian and pre-1914 water rights claims in the San Joaquin River watershed, and more than 3,900 rights claims in the Sacramento River watershed. The rights are held by various entities and individuals, among them agencies that supply cities and agricultural irrigation districts supplying farms that produce nuts, cotton, rice and other crops. In their recent report, Green Nylen and other water law researchers recommended various changes to establish what they say would be a fair and effective framework for curtailing water rights. They said that the Legislature should clarify, among other things, that the State Water Board has broad authority to order curtailments for all diverters, including those with the oldest rights. The researchers said the State Water Board needs to implement curtailments on a regular basis, not only in times of extreme crisis or only in certain watersheds. They noted that other Western states routinely curtail water rights in this way. Drought response has been improvised, spotty and belated, said Dave Owen, a professor at UC College of the Law in San Francisco. If you talk to people at the board, they will bluntly tell you they're incredibly frustrated with their inability to gather information that they think they need. And then there are anemic enforcement mechanisms, Owen said. We just have this huge mismatch between major problems, big expectations for the agency and a fairly weak set of implementation tools. And it just means that we sort of default to the status quo. We default to improvisation or we default to letting people just kind of do what they want with water unless it is so egregiously obvious that there is a problem that we have to step in. Michael Kiparsky, director of the Wheeler Water Institute at the UC Berkeley School of Law, said its vital that state officials look ahead now to improve how the system functions to respond to the next drought. "Our system for water administration in California just doesn't work," Kiparsky said. "It doesn't work because the state doesn't have the tools it needs to do the basics. Those basics include figuring out who should have the right to divert water from rivers and streams at any particular time, and telling those who should not be diverting water that they can't. It's a very basic function." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The News In the months preceding India's worst train crash in decades, the agency that runs the country's rail system was short hundreds of thousands of workers, including many in the safety division. A January report in The Hindu found that the Indian Railways was "reeling under a crushing staff shortage," with 312,000 non-administrative positions lying vacant across the country as of last December. Know More A three-train collision on Friday in the eastern Indian state of Odisha has killed nearly 300 people and injured thousands. As the investigation continues, officials have pointed to an electronic signal system error as a possible reason for the crash. Meanwhile, politicians are seeking answers from the government about issues that led to the crash, including the high number of job vacancies at the rail agency, which has over 1 million employees. In the agency's East Coast zone, where the crash happened, over 8,000 posts are vacant, according to a letter the leader of India's opposition party sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the crash. Members of the party have called for the resignation of the country's rail minister. In another zone, almost half of the job vacancies are safety-related positions. Step Back Just last week, before the crash, the head of the Railway Board, which oversees the rail agency, called for more urgent steps to fill job vacancies following an uptick in accidents. A railway official told The Hindu that the board "also directed general managers to critically analyse the long working hours of crew, especially in East Coast Railway ... and take corrective action urgently." An Indian state is offering free hi-speed internet to 2 million of its poor Screenshot: KFons website Fourteen thousand poor households and 30,000 government offices of the southern Indian state of Kerala today (June 5) were provided with high-speed internet. But the aim is higher. The states new service, called Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON), is the first such in India and aims to uplink its 35 million citizens, especially 2 million of those considered poor. Launching the project in 2019, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayans government declared access to the internet a basic right. Read more Kerala's own internet, K-FON, will be launched tomorrow. Aimed at bridging the digital divide, the project will provide high speed internet to 20 lakh families for free, & at nominal rates for the rest. A big step in transforming Kerala into a knowledge economy!#Kfon #Kerala pic.twitter.com/ZOeurtNr2w Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) June 4, 2023 When completed, it will function on 35,000 kilometres of optical fibre network across Keralas 14 districts. The introduction of the KFON project will propel Keralas internet revolution to unprecedented heights, fostering further advancements in the state, Dr Santhosh Babu, a retired managing director of KFON, told Mathrubhumi newspaper. How one can avail of a KFON connection To avail of a new KFON connection, one has to install the app, select the new customer option and fill in the required details to complete the connection request. Once thats done, KFONs business support centre will contact and take care of the next course of action. The app will be available on Googles Play Store and App Store. The minimum speed available is 20 Mbps, but customers can avail of better options as per their needs. Up to 1,000 households have reportedly already got a KFON connection. At 56%, Kerala has one of the highest rates of internet penetration among Indias 28 states. More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, right, talks with Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto during their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, June 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles met his Indonesian counterpart on Monday to deepen security ties amid Chinas increasingly assertive activity in the Indo-Pacific region. Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said he and Marles discussed ways to facilitate cooperation between their militaries. Cooperation between Indonesia and Australia can make an important contribution to regional peace and stability, Subianto said, adding that the two governments agreed to further strengthen their security ties, including joint military training in Australia and the education of Indonesian cadets at Australian academies. Military exchanges between the two neighbors have previously included counterterrorism and border protection. Marles declined to make any comment to the media after meeting with Subianto. He vowed in a statement released by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta ahead of the talks to deepen defense engagement with Australias closest major neighbor. I look forward to progressing our comprehensive strategic partnership during my visit to Jakarta, Marles said in the statement. Although Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation of more than 270 million people, is often presented as one of Australias most important neighbors and strategic allies, the relationship has undergone various ups and downs. Recent disagreements include allegations of wiretapping by the Australian Signals Directorate in 2013 to monitor the private phone calls of then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and other senior officials; Indonesias use of capital punishment on Australian drug smugglers; and cases of people smuggling. In 2017, Indonesia temporarily suspended military cooperation with Australia, including joint training, education, exchanges of officers and visits, over an alleged insult against the Indonesian state ideology Pancasila and the Indonesian military at an Australian military base. In September 2021, Indonesia filed a diplomatic protest against Australia for being slow to provide information about its activities in the AUKUS trilateral pact involving the United States and the United Kingdom, including plans for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Last year, Australia, along with Japan and Singapore, joined for the first time the annual Indonesia-U.S. joint combat exercise called Super Garuda Shield, making it the largest since the drills began in 2009. The expanded drills are seen by China as a threat. Chinese state media have accused the U.S. of building an Indo-Pacific alliance similar to NATO to limit Chinas growing military and diplomatic influence in the region. Marles arrived in Jakarta on Monday after attending the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, where he described Australias communications about its nuclear-powered submarine program as a model of military transparency, and said that China needed to offer a strategic explanation of its military expansion. Marles, who is also Australias deputy prime minister, is to visit Vanuatu after Indonesia. The News Journalists covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine are engaged in a running, low-grade conflict with the Ukrainian government, which many believe uses access and accreditation to shape their stories. Articles and broadcasts from outlets including NBC News, The New York Times, CNN, The New Yorker, and the Ukrainian digital broadcaster Hromadske have led to journalists having their credentials threatened, revoked, or denied over charges theyve broken rules imposed by Ukrainian minders. The largely unreported conflict spilled briefly into public in late May when the well-known Ukrainian photographer Maxim Dondyuk complained on Instagram that the military press office was threatening to revoke his accreditation after his haunting images appeared in a New Yorker article portraying the trench life of Ukrainian draftees on the front line.. The authorities only allow press tours with press officers, where they show off in front of the camera and are afraid to show the real situation, Dondyuk wrote in furious posts to Instagram, which he subsequently deleted, adding that Ukrainian authorities were threatening to strip his accreditation. Are you ready to read only stupid propaganda? The New Yorker blowup is the latest in a running series of conflicts between the media covering the war and the Ukrainian authorities, which have had to ramp up a massive press operation as they fight for their countrys life against an invader four times their size. Their military press office vets journalists and issues passes which allow them to travel to certain areas, often with press handlers, and to interview officials, after signing a document stating that journalists will abide by rules outlined by the military. One particular target of official Ukrainian ire has been the New York Times reporter Thomas Gibbons-Neff, a former U.S. Marine who covers the Ukrainian military closely, and who drew particular anger when he reported that the Ukrainians were using banned cluster munitions. He has had his credentials revoked and his renewal denied in separate incidents, a Times spokesperson said, though they were ultimately re-issued. Another tense incident began this February, when an NBC News crew rode the train from Moscow to Crimea. This is our land, a pro-Russian resident of Sevastopol told correspondent Keir Simmons for the February 28 broadcast. And her words echoed those of most people NBC News spoke to in Crimea this week, the network reported. The segment, conducted amid the Russian occupation, was a rare public relations coup for the Russian side. In response to the broadcast, the Ukrainian government revoked NBCs credentials, effectively confining their local team to a Kyiv hotel. The Crimea visit was a violation of Ukrainian legislation and we don't want other Western media companies doing the same, a foreign ministry spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, told me Friday. If they want to go to Crimea to report, they can go to Crimea through Ukraine, he said, acknowledging that because of the hostilities, unfortunately it is currently impossible. Nikolenko and the official email account of the Ukrainian Armed Forces both heatedly denied they use accreditation to shape coverage. The Armed Forces of Ukraine do not have any tensions with the USA or any other media, the military public relations department said in an unsigned email. NBC did not apologize for the incident, a network official said, but pointed out to the Ukrainians that different reporting teams were involved, and eventually got its credentials restored. A Magnum photographer, Antoine DAgata, also lost his ability to report in Ukraine after a photo essay in the New York Times Magazine that documented soldiers psychological trauma from inside a mental health facility, according to two people familiar with the incident. DAgata and Magnum didnt respond to inquiries. Ukrainian security services have also paid particular attention to local journalists who covered the last round of conflict in the countrys east and might have had contact with separatists, two journalists said. The government has asked journalists seeking accreditation to take lie detector tests to prove they arent Russian agents, three journalists in Kyiv said. Know More The heated clashes have remained largely behind the scenes because the credentials are vital to report from the country, and journalists worry that a public conflict might further threaten their access. Most of the journalists from Western and Ukrainian news organizations who have clashed with their handlers spoke on the condition of anonymity. One told me bluntly he didnt want to be quoted in this story because there's very little upside and some chance that they might snatch my press credential. Ukrainian journalists face more intense pressure than foreign correspondents to present an optimistic view of a conflict their friends and family are dying in, noted Nastya Stanko, a correspondent for Hromadske. She was among a number of journalists, including from CNN, who had their credentials temporarily suspended after broadcasting from Kherson after the Ukrainian government had retaken it but before they had permission. Its more important to have journalists who can honestly show what happens on the front lines, and Im not sure its clear to everyone in the army, she said. Ben's view Information has always been a weapon of war, and the government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been virtuosic at telling the countrys story. The Western medias skirmishes with Ukrainian handlers reflect the underlying reality that most Western news outlets treat Ukrainian soldiers as, at some level, our boys. The fights over access are familiar to U.S. reporters from American wars. And Ukraines restrictions do not approach those imposed on the US press in the 20th Century by its own government; the Ohio State historian Christopher Nichols noted in an interview: During the First World War, almost 100 US journalists lost mailing privileges when censors ruled they were undermining the war effort. The journalistic tensions do reflect a deeper friction: American, French, or British journalists write for publics who are largely sympathetic to Ukraine but whose interests arent identical. The subjects most likely to draw ire from Kyiv include morale, casualties, and the role of fighters with far right ties in the war effort, a favorite Russian propaganda topic. Crimea is also high on the list. Ukrainian officials have promised to liberate the occupied territory. But they may face pressure from the West for a settlement that would leave Crimea in Russian hands. Truth may not exactly have been the first casualty in a war that has been broadcast on social media with unprecedented clarity. But the behind-the-scenes fight for access shapes some of what Western readers see and read. The View From Moscow The tensions between the government and media in Ukraine arent comparable to Russias sweeping crackdown on independent media, which now operates from exile. Foreign journalists work with relative freedom in Ukraine, while the handful remaining in Russia operate with extreme caution, particularly after Russias arrest of the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Room for Disagreement Ukrainians know their interests arent identical to their allies. Stanko wrote powerfully in Strangers Guide of her ambivalence about the Western media, and with the trend of migrations from international outlets Moscow bureaus to Kyiv. All of those who claim to be wise and moral, those who always claimed to be for rights, democracy and freedom are starting to make me angry. Especially the Western liberal media, she wrote, furious at the assumption that Ukraine is somewhere in Russias shadow, in its orbit, in its sphere of influence, and that if you lived and worked in Moscow and know Russia, then you will easily assimilate here in Kyiv. Notable Screenshot: Real Facebook Oversight Board The Real Facebook Oversight Board (RFOB), a prominent internet advocacy organization, had its Instagram account abruptly suspended over the weekend after it posted content critical of Metas recent threat to cut off news access to news links in Canada and California. Though Meta has since lifted the suspension, consumer advocacy groups speaking with Gizmodo feared the actions were a clear case of a major tech company attempting to silence its critics. Meta would not say why the account was suspended. Today, after a post on Instagram critical of Metas threat to ban access to news websites in Canada, our account was suspended, The RFOB said in a statement. Clearly we struck a nerve, AI or human: our Instagram account has been suspended for vague violations of community guidelines. Read more Clearly, Facebooks time, resources, and advanced technology is more concerned with silencing critics than it is with addressing its history of harms, failures, and outright omissions. View the Instagram post below pic.twitter.com/qysCJQJDJK Real Facebook Oversight Board (@FBoversight) June 3, 2023 What happened exactly? Over the weekend, the RFOB published a seven-post spotlight thread with the title, Why Facebook is Threatening the Press. The posts were responding directly to Metas recent threats to suspend news links in Canada and California if their respective legislatures passed a pair of journalism bills that would force Meta and other internet companies to pay publishers when they access news links. Supporters of the bills say they are necessary to compensate local news organizations that were decimated during the transition from print to digital media. Meta, which briefly cut off news link access in Australia after a similar law passed in 2021, vigorously opposes the new bills, which it says fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between social media and publishers. Meta statement on the California Journalism Preservation Act. pic.twitter.com/ssgk1vSryB Andy Stone (@andymstone) May 31, 2023 In its thread, the RFOB laid out these details and accused Meta of engaging in a strategy of intimidation to influence tech legislation. Aside from its public threat, RFOB spokesperson Ben Wyskida told Gizmodo Metas recent decision to test blocking news links for some Canadian users amounts to another intimidation tactic. Wyskida said RFOB received a notice saying their account had been suspended for violating the companys community guidelines, but Meta wouldnt say what exact policy they supposedly violated. The account was suspended for around four hours and then abruptly reinstated after several journalists tweeted about the incident. Wyskida said the account was mysteriously reinstated before they had a chance to appeal the decision. Following our statement and your support, our Instagram account has been reinstated, without explanation. Instagram's new "account status" shows no history of violation now. pic.twitter.com/trLuImFOBc Real Facebook Oversight Board (@FBoversight) June 5, 2023 The RFOBs account, and the critical thread, are both back online but Meta still wont say why they were removed in the first place. A Meta spokesperson confirmed with Gizmodo that the RFOB account was back online, but would explain why it was taken down. Wyskida admitted they cant be certain whether the suspension was an intentional retaliatory silencing or random content moderation error, though he noted that uncertainty is part of the problem. You never know, theres no real recourse and no transparency, Wyskida said. Meta and its platforms have never mastered competent, coherent content moderationwhether thats moderation of a criticism, a random post from a user or clear disinformation or abuse from a global leader. Intentional or not, Meta will always turn to undemocratic intimidation or to obfuscation and PR instead of accepting real regulation and oversight, Wyskida added. Tech critics accuse Meta of attacking dissenters Other tech policy organizations critical of Meta told Gizmodo the suspension looked like a retaliatory strike against a critic. Kicking the Real Facebook Oversight Board off of Instagram is a blatant attempt by Mark Zuckerberg and Meta to silence their critics, Tech Oversight Project Deputy Executive Director Kyle Morse told Gizmodo. The Tech Oversight Project regularly advocates Big Tech lobbying and efforts by tech executives to influence public policy. It is deeply telling that Meta would rather pour its time, energy, and resources into ridding their platforms of dissent rather than addressing their toxic track record of endangering children, spreading disinformation, and platforming extremists, Morse added. Accountable Tech Co-Founder and Executive Director Nicole Gill agreed with that sentiment and told Gizmodo Metas willingness to silence its critics reinforced the critics of abuse and monopoly power lodged against them in the first place. Suspending The Real Facebook Oversight Boards account is a blatant example of how the company will restrict speech in order to limit content that goes against their best interest, and is consistent with their actions to withhold news in Canada and Australia, Gill told Gizmodo. No platform, including Meta, should have so much unilateral control over how information is distributed to their users. The RFOB says the temporary suspension of its own account, though frustrating, is merely a symptom of a more deep-rooted problem. In their case, and in California and Canada, Meta appears to be using its power as a heavily relied upon, massive social network to play hardball with political opponents. Were angry about our Instagram account, The RFOB said, but this is much biggerits about Metas tactics of silencing critics and using intimidation and threats to end run democratic processes. Meta has already shown what that political gamesmanship looks like in practice. In 2021, the company followed through with its threat to block news access in Australia. The brief news shutdown impacted an estimated 17 million and left essential services caught in the crossfire. Meta brought news links back, but only after Australia agreed to pass a watered-down version of its bill thats more favorable to the company. Now, Metas invoking summary threats in Canada and California. To be clear: Meta is an unrestrained and unregulated threat to global democracy, the RFOB said. Their actions in Canada like Australia before, and potentially US states to follow, is intimidation and an affront to users, who are now barred from seeing important news without recourse. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The bodies of three men have been recovered from the rubble of a six-story apartment building in Iowa, officials have said, more than a week after it collapsed. Officials named the men as Branden Colvin, 42, Ryan Hitchcock, 51, and Daniel Prien, 60. No-one else is known to be missing from the site of the cave-in on 28 May. The former hotel had been the subject of numerous complaints from residents about its deteriorating condition. Mr Colvin's body was recovered on Saturday, followed by Mr Hitchcock's on Sunday and Mr Prien's early on Monday. City officials had previously said there was a "high probability" the men were in the building at the time of the collapse. But rescue efforts were hampered by the building's precarious condition in the aftermath of its partial collapse. At a press conference on Monday, Jeffery Bladel, Davenport police chief, said city and state agencies were still investigating. One resident, Dayna Feuerbach, has filed a lawsuit alleging multiple counts of negligence. "The city had warning after warning," Ms Feuerbach's attorney told the Associated Press news agency. Documents from the city show that both officials and the building's owner had been warned for months that parts of the building were unstable. Repair work on the structure, built as a hotel in 1907, was ongoing at the time of the collapse, the New York Times reported. Iran supports Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine If authentic, the 16-page document, dated Sept. 14, 2022, appears to be for samples of varying sizes of artillery and tank shells and rockets, it said. Read also: Russia supplies Iran with cyber weapons in exchange for drones and ammunition, WSJ says Sky News has not been able to verify the authenticity of the documents independently. However, the security source alleged: This is a contract between the Iranians and the Russians regarding munitions We believe it is 100% authentic. The document was shared by the source along with five pages of an allegedly linked contract that includes barrels for T-72 tanks and barrels for Howitzer artillery pieces, as well as ammunition. That deal was worth about $740,000. The supplement also lists parts of ammunition to be sent, including 12 pieces respectively of the shell body and brass case of 122mm and 152mm ammunition. Sky News showed the documents to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, when he visited the United Kingdom in May, and to the UKs foreign secretary, James Cleverly. Read also: Russia has sufficient Iranian-made Shahed drones to attack Ukraine daily Kyiv and London said they planned to investigate the authenticity of the material and would take action if it was found to be credible. We suspected that theres something like that happening, Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraines ambassador to the UK, told Sky News in a recent interview. As soon as we verify it properly, we will be able to act upon this. Russias embassy and Irans embassy to the UK respectively did not respond to a request for comment on the claims about an arms deal, nor on the authenticity of the documents. Iran secretly supplied 100 million bullets and around 300,000 shells to Russia for the war in Ukraine and plans to send more, Sky News reported on March 8. Tehran also supports Russias full-scale war against Ukraine by supplying suicide drones for attacks on civilian and criticalinfrastructure facilities. Iran is suplying Russia with ammunition in exchange for assistance in developing missiles, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns said in late February. 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 Iranian embassy to reopen in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday A picture shows the closed Iranian embassy in the diplomatic quarter of the Saudi capital Riyadh, on April 11, 2023. Iran is set to reopen its embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday following a seven year closure, Tehran and a diplomatic source said, sealing a Chinese-brokered rapprochement deal announced in March. Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran and consulate in the northwestern city of Mashhad were attacked during protests over Riyadh's execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Iran's diplomatic mission, which was expelled by Saudi authorities, will return under the leadership of Alireza Enayati, who previously served as Iran's ambassador to Kuwait. Tehran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani announced the reopening in a statement Monday, confirming earlier comments by a diplomatic source in Riyadh. Iran's embassy in Riyadh, its consulate in Jeddah and its representative office to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) "will be officially reopened on Tuesday and Wednesday", Kanani said. The diplomatic source had earlier told AFP that the opening "will take place Tuesday at 6:00 pm local time (1500 GMT) with the presence of the newly appointed Iranian ambassador" to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has yet to confirm when it will reopen its embassy in Tehran or its pick for ambassador. Iranian media had named Enayati as the Islamic republic's Saudi envoy last month. He had previously served as assistant to the foreign minister and director general of Gulf affairs at the foreign ministry, according to Iranian reports. After years of discord, the two Middle East heavyweights signed a surprise reconciliation agreement in China on March 10. Since then, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Tehran ally Syria and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, where it has for years led a military coalition against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Iran and Saudi Arabia had backed opposing sides in conflict zones across the Middle East for years before mending fences. rs/ho/jsa Sgt Lia Ben-Nun, one of the three Israeli soldiers killed, was buried in Rishon Lezion on Sunday Israel has returned to Egypt the body of an Egyptian policeman who shot dead three Israeli soldiers near the border between the two countries on Saturday. Media reports identified the policeman as Mohammed Salah, 22. Egypt said after the incident that he crossed into Israel while chasing drug smugglers, leading to an exchange of fire with the Israeli soldiers. But Israel's prime minister said that it was a terrorist attack and demanded a thorough joint investigation. A relative and a comrade of Salah told the BBC that he was not an extremist. According to the Israeli military, two Israeli soldiers - Staff Sgt Uri Iluz, 20, and Sgt Lia Ben-Nun, 19 - posted in a remote spot along the border were shot dead early on Saturday morning. Their bodies were discovered after a senior officer was unable to contact them by radio. After a search operation, the attacker was encircled and there was a shootout. The third soldier - Staff Sgt Ohad Dahan, 20 - was killed along with the attacker, who the Israeli military said was an Egyptian policeman. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting on Sunday: "Israel relayed a clear message to the Egyptian government. We expect that the joint investigation will be exhaustive and thorough." "We will refresh procedures and methods of operations and also the measures to reduce to a minimum the smuggling and to ensure tragic terrorist attacks like this do not happen again." Israeli media cited a preliminary investigation as saying the policeman entered Israel by using a closed emergency gate in the border fence, which was a few hundred metres away from Staff Sgt Iluz and Sgt Ben-Nun's guard post. After the policeman was killed, Israeli soldiers found that he was carrying six magazines for his rifle, as well as two combat knives and a Quran, they added. The reports also said Egyptian officials had told their Israeli counterparts in meetings that the attacker was a "rogue" officer who had acted on his own after becoming radicalised. Egyptian authorities have not commented on the reports or confirmed the policeman's identity, but a relative of Mohammed Salah and a member of his unit told BBC News Arabic on Monday that members of this family and friends were being detained for questioning by investigators. The relative denied that Salah had been radicalised and suggested that he might have wanted to avenge the death of a comrade. During a period of leave last month, Salah had expressed his anger about "the silence over the killing of one of his military friends by Israeli soldiers during his military service at the border", they said. He had also complained about the military rejecting a request for a medical exemption, they added. It is not known what alleged incident the relative was referring to. The return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship touches down safely at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] Three Chinese astronauts on board the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship returned to Earth safely on Sunday, after completing their six-month space station mission. Shenzhou-15's return capsule, carrying astronauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 6:33 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The astronauts were in good shape, and the Shenzhou-15 manned mission was a success, the agency announced. The astronauts were carried out by ground workers and placed on chairs in front of the capsule. "We have completed all the scheduled tasks and felt good after returning to the motherland," said Fei, the mission commander, who had also participated in the country's second crewed space mission, Shenzhou-6, in October 2005. Deng, who finally got the chance to fly to space after 25 years of preparation, said that he is grateful for the support and encouragement of the people of the whole country. "I always believe in the power of dreams and persistence. No matter how old I am, I feel so happy to be needed by the nation," he added. "I'm now very excited, and when I was on the space station, I often watched through the window, trying to find my motherland and hometown," said Zhang, one of China's second batch of astronauts. "We will adjust our bodies as soon as possible, go back into training, and be ready for space missions in the future," Zhang added. The return capsule separated from Shenzhou-15's orbiting capsule at 5:42 a.m. as per the flight procedure. Soon after the return capsule landed, the ground search team arrived at the landing site. Medical personnel confirmed that the astronauts were in good health. China launched the manned spaceship Shenzhou-15 on Nov. 29, 2022. The Shenzhou-15 crew, China's oldest mission crew in terms of average age, successfully completed four extravehicular activities (EVAs), becoming the crew to accomplish the most EVAs of all Chinese crews to date. The crew lived and worked in the space station complex for 186 days and conducted a number of experiments which produced fruitful results. The crew successfully obtained three-dimensional structural images of their skin cells with the country's self-developed two-photon microscope. This achievement, the first of its kind worldwide, marked the success of the in-orbit verification experiments of the two-photon microscope, providing a promising tool for future health monitoring of astronauts in orbit. China also successfully performed the first in-orbit ignition test in the Mengtian space lab module's combustion cabinet during the Shenzhou-15 mission. The test verified the functions of the combustion science experimental system of the space station and the accuracy and scientificity of the overall experimental process. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the operation of the country's Stirling thermoelectric convertor realized its in-orbit verification. The heat-to-electricity convertor showed an internationally advanced conversion efficiency during its smooth operation, according to the CMSA. China also completed in-orbit experiments on liquid metal thermal management on its space station for the first time ever during the Shenzhou-15 mission. These experiments verified a series of key technologies concerning bismuth-based metal in microgravity, such as controlled melting, expansion and convection heat transfer. As of May 29, they had conducted eight human factors engineering research activities, 28 space medical experiments and 38 space science experiments covering life ecology, material science and fluid mechanics, and obtained valuable experimental data. The crew also moved cargo outboard several times and installed several items of equipment, including extravehicular extended pump sets, cross-module cables, and supporting devices for the extravehicular payload platform, laying a foundation for carrying out subsequent large-scale science and technology experiments outside the space station, according to the CMSA. The crew witnessed the completion of the country's space station construction. Nearly three years after the Confederate statue in James Weldon Johnson Park was taken down, the obelisk on which it stood was also removed. Now, city leaders are attempting to find out where the money came from to remove the obelisk last month. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The obelisk had been the subject of much controversy in recent years, but City Council never explicitly authorized its removal. In a council committee, Monday, Councilmember Al Ferraro (R-District 2) questioned how the plan was greenlit and paid for. Ive checked with some of the state reps to where I havent been able to find out where the money came from, said Ferraro. Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Charles Moreland didnt provide an answer and instead deferred to Jacksonvilles Chief Administrative Officer Brian Hughes, who was no longer present at the meeting. So, let me do exactly what I just mentioned to Councilman Ferraro to provide the right information through Mr. Hughes related to his conversation with the committee, said Moreland. Okay, well. Looked like a tap dance, but replied Committee Chair Councilmember Randy DeFoor (R-District 14). No tap dance here, responded Moreland. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] A council staff member suggested the removal was paid for using money from a $1 million African American Historical and Cultural Grant from the Florida Department of State intended to bankroll a redesign of James Weldon Johnson Park. But the staff member was unable to answer whether that grant specifically authorized the removal of Confederate monuments. Councilmember Ferraro told Action News Jax his goal is simply to ensure everything was done above board. Everything may be going along as its supposed to, but wed like to be able to answer that question when people come up to us and ask us, said Ferraro. Action News Jax reached out to the city directly and asked for the details about the funding source used to pay for the recent removal and how much the removal cost taxpayers. We didnt hear back in time for this story. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Jeff Dunham coming to Nutter Center this fall Iconic comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is bringing his act to the Miami Valley later this year. Dunham will bring his Still Not Canceled tour to the Wright State University Nutter Center on Oct. 20. >> Body of teen missing in Trotwood lake found Tickets go on sale June 12 on the comedians website. After eighteen years of working comedy clubs, building to theaters and ultimately to arenas, Dunham earned the title of Billboards Top Comedy Tour for three consecutive years. Getty Images Four years after Jeffrey Epstein took his own life in his prison cell, the suicide of the wealthy financier and accused sex trafficker continues to generate widespread questions and discussion. At the time of his death on August 10, 2019, Epsteinwho was known for his high-profile ties to the worlds ultra-wealthy and powerfulwas awaiting trial on charges of sex-trafficking minors. On Thursday, the Associated Press obtained more than 4,000 pages of partially redacted documents from the Justice Departments Federal Bureau of Prisons. The records, obtained after the AP filed a Freedom of Information Act request, shed new light on the exact circumstances leading to Epsteins death. Following his arrest on July 6, Epstein was having trouble adjusting to his prison surroundings and, at various times, was placed under observation due to possible suicidal tendencies. Epstein grew increasingly discouraged as his court case proceeded and had made an earlier, unsuccessful suicide attempt on July 23. Below is a timeline of the events from the final month of Epsteins life. Unless otherwise stated, the information is attributed to the Federal Bureau of Prisons documents obtained by the Associated Press, including a detailed psychological reconstruction of the circumstances prior to his death by suicide. Editors Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or self-harming behaviors, call or text 988 to get help from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. July 6: Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges at the Teterboro Airport in New Jersey upon his return from Paris. He transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) New York, where he was placed in general inmate population. A facilities assistant noted Epstein appeared distraught, sad, and a little confused as well as dazed and withdrawn. She sent an email suggesting that a psychologist speak to him just to be on the safe side and prevent any suicidal thoughts, but the on-call psychologist was not contacted. July 7: After 22 hours in general population, Epstein was moved to the Manhattan prisons Special Housing Unit (SHU) pending reclassification due to the unusual increase of media coverage and awareness of his notoriety among the inmate population. July 8: Epstein appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to his charges. Although Epstein denied suicidal thoughts and a forensic psychologist determined he didnt have a mental illness, the psychologist recommended Epstein be preemptively evaluated for suicide risk. He was placed on psychological observation, a form of individual monitoring less restrictive than suicide watch. July 9: Epstein underwent an in-person suicide risk assessment that determined suicide watch wasnt warranted at that time. Still, it recommended he should remain on psychological observation out of an abundance of caution. July 10: Epstein was removed from psychological observation on July 10 and assigned to the SHU due to risk factors for suicidality and safety concerns related to keeping him in general population, according to a grand jury indictment. July 16: Epstein made a phone call to an unknown recipient. No recordings of the call exist, and its unknown whether it was a legal or personal call. Given the limited information known about Mr. Epstein, knowledge of the content of any social calls would have been crucial to helping staff work with him, the Federal Bureau of Prisons later stated. July 18: A federal judge denies Epsteins bail and request for pretrial release, which means he must remain in MCC New York pending his trial. This was a significant disappointment for Mr. Epstein and likely challenged his ability and willingness to adapt to incarceration, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which later concluded that Epstein should have received further psychological assessments to determine his mental status. July 23: Epstein attempted suicide and was found on the floor of his cell with a bedsheet strip around his neck. He survived, and his injuries didnt require hospitalization, so he was placed on suicide watch and 24-hour psychiatric observation. July 24: After 31 hours, Epstein was removed from suicide watch but remained under psychological observation for several more days. July 26: On separate occasions on July 26 and 27, Epstein described himself as a coward and as someone who does not like pain, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. July 28: Epstein complained that the toilet in his cell wouldnt stop constantly flushing, which left him sitting in the corner of his cell with his hands over his ears. He claimed to be feeling agitated and unable to sleep at night. July 29: Epstein was removed from psychological observation on either July 29 or July 30, though there is a discrepancy as to which exact date it occurred, according to the Federal Bureau of Prison. July 30: Epstein was transferred back to the SHU, where he was assigned a cellmate and given the cell closest to the correction officers desk in the common area, according to a grand jury indictment. He continued to complain about his prison environment and difficulties sleeping, with medical records indicating he suffered from sleep apnea, constipation, hypertension, lower back pain, and prediabetes, according to the Associated Press. Getty Images July 31: Epstein appeared in federal court for the first time since his July 23 suicide attempt, showing no signs of physical injury, according to CNN. No tentative date was set for his trial, which was expected to last between four and six weeks. Upon his return from the court hearing in Manhattan, the U.S. marshals claimed Epstein was demonstrating suicidal tendencies, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. August 1: Prison officials met with Epstein and conducted a suicide risk assessment, after which they determined it wasnt necessary to place him on suicide watch. August 8: Epstein purchased $73.85 worth of items from the prison commissary, including an AM/FM radio and headphones, according to the Associated Press, which described this as an indication he was attempting to adapt to his jailhouse surroundings. August 9: A federal court unsealed roughly 2,000 pages of documents about Epsteins case to the public, which prison officials said further eroded Epsteins previous elevated status, according to the Associated Press. Epsteins cellmate was transferred out of the prison as part of a routine transfer, and no new cellmate was assigned. Epstein met with his attorney and appeared upbeat afterward. Camera footage showed two guards failed to perform the required institutional count the night before Epsteins suicide; they later admitted to falsifying records to avoid prison time. August 10: A review of prison records revealed officers failed to complete the proper 30-minute rounds at 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. At 6:33 a.m, while breakfast was being served, Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell. According to The New York Post, Epstein was discovered in a kneeling position with a strip of bedsheet around his neck. The staff called for medical assistance and began life-saving measures, which were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at 7:36 a.m. You Might Also Like An unresponsive airplane flying over Washington, D.C., on Sunday prompted military fighter jets to intercept the plane at hypersonic levels, causing a loud sonic boom heard around D.C. and Virginia, officials said. The plane later crashed in Virginia, killing four people, authorities said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) deployed F-16 fighter jets to respond to the unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft over Washington, D.C., and Virginia, NORAD said in a statement. The scramble was conducted by the 113th Fighter Wing of the D.C. National Guard, a U.S. official told CBS News. "The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region," NORAD said, adding that flares, which may have been visible to the public, were also used in an attempt to get the pilot's attention. Residents who happened to capture the sound of the fighter jets quickly took to social media, posting videos of the loud boom puncturing an otherwise seemingly quiet afternoon. Was that a sonic boom or an explosion? I thought the house was coming down here in Edgewater MD. In this video you can see it even popped up my attic access panel, then you can hear the house shaking for a few seconds. #explosion #sonicboom #boomhttps://t.co/A7lwXiu9ht BlitzKryg (@JudginNGrudgin) June 4, 2023 The plane had been following "a strange flight path," the U.S. official said. The Cessna departed from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and was bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Flight trackers showed the plane departing heading north to Long Island from Tennessee before turning around and flying straight down to D.C. The trackers showed the plane descend rapidly before crashing, dropping at one point at a rate of more than 30,000 feet per minute, The Associated Press reported. The Cessna was intercepted by the fighter jets at approximately 3:20 p.m. ET. The pilot remained unresponsive throughout NORAD's attempts to establish contact, and the aircraft eventually crashed near the George Washington Forest in Virginia, the statement said. The FAA confirmed that the plane crashed into mountainous terrain near Montebello, Virginia. A U.S. official told CBS News that the Cessna was not shot down by the F-16s. Capitol Police said in a statement said that it had monitored the airplane and temporarily placed the Capitol Complex "on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area." Virginia State Police were notified of the crash and immediately deployed to locate the wreckage, which they reached by foot shortly before 8 p.m., police said. Mountainous terrain and fog had hindered search efforts, police said. The FAA said Monday that the pilot and three passengers were killed. Their identities weren't immediately released. The plane was registered to a Florida-based company owned by John and Barbara Rumpel. Speaking to The New York Times, John Rumpel said his daughter, 2-year-old granddaughter, her nanny and the pilot were aboard the flight. In a post on a Facebook page appearing to belong to Barbara Rumpel, she wrote, "My family is gone, my daughter and granddaughter" changing her profile picture to one that seemed to include both. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board confirmed they are jointly investigating the crash. The NTSB said late Sunday that its personnel would arrive at the crash scene Monday morning. The agency said it expects to issue a preliminary report on the crash within three weeks. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Why Apple's new mixed reality headset is making a splash Hollywood actors voting on strike authorization California officials suggest DeSantis behind latest migrant flights "And Just Like That" actor Evan Handler has addressed Kim Cattrall's unexpected return to the "Sex and the City" franchise. (Evan Agostini / Invision / AP) "And Just Like That" star Evan Handler is all for Kim Cattrall's unexpected return to the "Sex and the City" franchise even if she had "no contact with anybody" while filming her upcoming cameo. Handler, who plays Kristin Davis' husband in "And Just Like That," praised Cattrall's decision to reprise her role as PR extraordinaire Samantha Jones in a recent interview with People magazine. The "Sex and the City" alum is slated to appear in a single scene of the reboot starring her former TV besties, Davis, Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker. According to Variety, Cattrall will not share the screen with her ex-castmates during the sequence, which she shot in Manhattan on March 22. I think it is great. I do, Handler said of Cattrall's limited involvement in Season 2. Apparently, [her cameo] was shot in the garage somewhere with no contact with anybody, so the only place I have to welcome her is into my living room when it airs on television." Reports of Cattrall's surprise "And Just Like That" appearance began to surface after executive producer and co-creator Michael Patrick King told Variety he had "no realistic expectation of Kim Cattrall ever appearing again" in the "Sex and the City" universe. Cattrall hasn't been active in the franchise since she declined to sign on for a third "Sex and the City" movie in 2017. It's also no secret that Cattrall isn't a fan of Parker. After years of feud rumors and eyebrow-raising interviews, the "How I Met Your Father" star explicitly and publicly told the "Hocus Pocus" actor, "You are not my friend," in early 2018 when Cattrall's brother died and Parker offered her condolences via Instagram. Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now, Cattrall wrote on Instagram at the time. "Im writing to tell you one last time to stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your nice girl persona." The first season of "And Just Like That" chalked up Samantha's glaring absence to a business disagreement between her and Parker's Carrie Bradshaw (side-eye emoji). The beloved character still lived on (sort of) in text exchanges between the two women. Last year, King told Variety that getting Cattrall to return for "And Just Like That" was never even a "thought," explaining that the actor "said what she had said. The only place I participate in magical thinking is in fiction, he said. You take people at their word, and ... you dont back yourself into a corner." The sophomore season of "And Just Like That" premieres June 22 on HBO Max. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A woman condemned as Australias worst female serial killer has been pardoned after serving 20 years behind bars for killing her four children in what appears to be one of the countrys gravest miscarriages of justice. New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley intervened to order Kathleen Folbigg be freed, based on the preliminary findings of an inquiry that had found reasonable doubt as to her guilt for all four deaths. Daley told a news conference Monday that he had spoken to the governor and recommended an unconditional pardon, which had been granted, and she would be released from Clarence Correctional Center the same day. This has been a terrible ordeal for everyone concerned and I hope that our actions today can put some closure on this 20-year-old matter, said Daley, who added that he had informed Craig Folbigg, the babies father, of his decision. It will be a tough day for him, he said. Kathleen Folbigg was jailed in 2003 on three counts of murder and one of manslaughter following the deaths of her four babies over a decade from 1989. In each case, she was the person who found their bodies, though there was no physical evidence that she had caused their deaths. Instead, the jury relied on the prosecutions argument that the chances of four babies from one family dying from natural causes before the age of 2 were so infinitesimally low as to be compared to pigs flying. They also noted the contents of her diary, which contained passages that in isolation at the time were interpreted as confessions of guilt. As recently as 2019, an inquiry into her convictions found there was no reasonable doubt she had committed the crimes. But another inquiry began last year after new scientific evidence emerged that provided a genetic explanation for the childrens deaths. In her closing submissions, Sophie Callan, the lead counsel assisting the inquiry, said that on the whole of the body of evidence before this inquiry there is a reasonable doubt as to Ms Folbiggs guilt. She also told the inquiry that in its closing submissions, the NSW director of public prosecutions had indicated she was also open to the Inquiry to conclude there is reasonable doubt as to Ms Folbiggs guilt. Patrick, the Folbigg's second child, died at eight months - New South Wales Supreme Court/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock When four babies died Folbigg was just 20 years old when she married Craig Folbigg, who shed met in her hometown of Newcastle on the northern New South Wales coast. Within a year she fell pregnant with Caleb, who was born in February, 1989 and lived only 19 days. The next year, the Folbiggs had another son, Patrick, who died at eight months. Two years later, Sarah died at 10 months. Then in 1999, the couples fourth and longest lived child, Laura, died at 18 months. The police investigation into the deaths of all four children began the day Laura died, but it was more than two years before Folbigg was arrested and charged. By then, the couples marriage had fallen apart, and Craig was cooperating with police to build a case against her. He handed police her diaries, which prosecutors argued contained the deepest thoughts of a mother tortured by guilt for her role in her childrens deaths. Examination of the babies remains failed to find any physical evidence theyd been suffocated, but without another plausible reason to explain their deaths, suspicion focused on Kathleen, their primary carer. In 2003, as he sentenced Folbigg to 40 years in prison, Judge Graham Barr recalled her troubled past. Folbiggs father had killed her mother when she was just 18 months old, and she had spent many of her formative years in foster care. According to court documents, Barr said Folbiggs prospects of rehabilitation were negligible. She will always be a danger if given the responsibility of caring for a child, he said. That must never happen. The death of Laura Folbigg at 18 months triggered the police investigation. - New South Wales Supreme Court/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock A caring mother That initial conviction ruling now stands in stark contrast to the latest inquiry, which looks set to paint a far different picture of Folbigg as a loving mother who was devastated and confused by the successive deaths of her babies. As he ordered her release Monday, Daley distributed a memorandum of the findings by retired judge Tom Bathurst, who said after reviewing the evidence he was unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children. In the case of the two girls Sarah and Laura Bathurst found there was a reasonable possibility a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R occasioned their deaths, and that Sarah may have died from myocarditis, inflammation of the heart, identified during her autopsy. In the case of Patrick, who had an unexplained ALTE, an apparent life-threatening event, when he was 4 months old and died at 8 months, Bathurst found that its possible his death was caused by an underlying neurogenic disorder. During Folbiggs 2003 trial, the prosecution used coincidence and tendency evidence to allege that Folbigg had also killed Caleb. In other words, that having been allegedly responsible for the deaths of three children, it was likely she killed him, too. However, Bathurst found that the reasonable doubt over Folbiggs role in his siblings deaths meant that the prosecutions case against her for Calebs murder falls away. Kathleen Folbigg walks into the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney May 19, 2003. - David Gray/Reuters/FILE In relation to her diaries, Bathurst said the evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them. Bathurst also expressed doubts about evidence from Craig Folbigg, who had claimed his wife had been ill-tempered with their children and had growled at them from time to time. The balance of evidence (was) that she was a loving and caring mother, wrote Bathurst, whose full report will be released at a later date. In an email to CNN, Craig Folbiggs lawyer Danny Eid said his clients view of his former wifes guilt had not changed whatsoever. Ms Folbigg has not been acquitted of the crimes, and her convictions are not displaced, Eid said. Long legal road ahead Folbiggs case has been compared to that of Lindy Chamberlain, who swore a dingo took her baby Azaria from the familys campsite at Uluru in 1980. The case polarized public opinion and Chamberlain was jailed before evidence emerged that she was telling the truth. In 1986, Azarias matinee jacket was found half-buried in the dirt, prompting officials to free Chamberlain, later known as Chamberlain-Creighton. Two years later, a court overturned her conviction, and in 2012 a coroner ruled that a dingo was indeed to blame for Azarias death. Like Chamberlain-Creighton, Folbiggs release from prison could be the start of a long process to clear her name. Daley told reporters Monday that Folbiggs pardon only meant she did not have to serve the rest of her sentence, and that it would be up to the Court of Criminal Appeal to quash her convictions. He said it was too early to talk about compensation, as that would require Folbigg to initiate civil proceedings against the New South Wales government, or to approach it seeking an ex-gratia payment. Daley acknowledged that after 20 years of believing Folbiggs guilt, some people may not accept her innocence. There will be some people who have strong views. Theres nothing I can do to disavow them of those views, (and) its not my role to do that, he said. But he suggested the events of the past two decades should elicit some compassion for a woman who has lost so much. Weve got four little bubbas who are dead. Weve got a husband and wife who lost each other. A woman who spent 20 years in jail, and a family that never had a chance. Youd not be human if you didnt feel something, he said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Kathleen Folbigg always maintained she was innocent. A woman once branded "Australia's worst female serial killer" has been pardoned after new evidence suggested she did not kill her four infant children. Kathleen Folbigg spent 20 years in prison after a jury found she killed sons Caleb and Patrick and daughters Sarah and Laura over a decade. But a recent inquiry heard scientists believe they may have died naturally. The 55-year-old's case has been described as one of Australia's greatest miscarriages of justice. Ms Folbigg, who has always maintained her innocence, was jailed for 25 years in 2003 for the murders of three of the children, and the manslaughter of her first son, Caleb. Each child died suddenly between 1989 and 1999, aged between 19 days and 18 months, with prosecutors at her trial alleging she had smothered them. Previous appeals and a separate 2019 inquiry into the case found no grounds for reasonable doubt, and gave greater weight to circumstantial evidence in Ms Folbigg's original trial. But at the fresh inquiry, headed by retired judge Tom Bathurst, prosecutors accepted that research on gene mutations had changed their understanding of the children's deaths. On Monday, New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley said Mr Bathurst had concluded that there was reasonable doubt that Ms Folbigg was guilty. As a result, the NSW governor had signed a full pardon, and ordered Ms Folbigg's immediate release from prison. "It has been a 20-year-long ordeal for her... I wish her peace," Mr Daley said, adding his thoughts were also with the children's father, Craig Folbigg. At the latest inquiry, Mr Folbigg's lawyers pointed to the "fundamental implausibility" of four children from one family dying of natural causes under the age of two. The unconditional pardon does not quash Ms Folbigg's convictions, Mr Daley said. That would be a decision for the Court of Criminal Appeal, if Mr Bathurst chooses to refer the case to it - a process which could take up to a year. If her convictions are overturned, she could then potentially sue the government for millions of dollars in compensation. Her case has been compared to that of Lindy Chamberlain, who in 1982 was found guilty of the murder of her nine-week-old daughter, despite her claim that a dingo had taken the baby. She was awarded A$1.3m (690,000, $US 858,000) in 1992 for her wrongful conviction. But some advocates say the case of Ms Chamberlain, imprisoned for three years, pales in comparison with Ms Folbigg's. "It is impossible to comprehend the injury that has been inflicted upon Kathleen Folbigg - the pain of losing her children [and] close to two decades locked away in maximum security prisons," said her lawyer, Rhanee Rego. Law must be more 'science sensitive' Ms Folbigg's 2003 trial centred on circumstantial evidence, most notably diaries which expressed her struggles with motherhood. Those diaries were given to police in 1999 by her then husband, Mr Folbigg, who in time became convinced that his wife was guilty. The pair separated in 2000. The diary entries - in which she agonises over the death of her children and describes how the "guilt about them all haunts me" - would form the basis of the prosecutor's case. Two of Ms Folbigg's children, Laura (left) and Patrick (right) But there was no physical evidence of smothering or injuries to the children. A campaign led by some of her friends prompted a petition to review her convictions based on forensic pathology findings. At the recent inquiry, a team of immunologists found that Ms Folbigg's daughters shared a genetic mutation - called CALM2 G114R - that can cause sudden cardiac death. Evidence was also uncovered that her sons possessed a different genetic mutation, linked to sudden-onset epilepsy in mice. The inquiry heard Patrick had epileptic seizures in months before his death. Prof Carola Vinuesa, who led the research team from the Australian National University, said an unusual genetic sequence was immediately obvious in Ms Folbigg's DNA. "We did the first test and found a [gene] variant that looked very suspicious... even then in November 2018, we thought this [a] very high likelihood, if found in the children, to be the culprit," she told the BBC. Prof Vinuesa said there were only 134 known cases worldwide of the potentially deadly heart condition, known as calmodulinopathy, linked to the genetic mutation. She described the decision to pardon Ms Folbigg as a "beautiful moment" that could offer hope to other women in similar situations. "We've been approached about women who have lost children, or who have been accused of inflicting harm, and the cases look as if they're also children with severe genetic conditions," she said. The Australian Academy of Science says the case shows the need for reform that makes the legal system more "science sensitive", a call echoed by Ms Folbigg's lawyer. (Bloomberg) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors ruling party Morena clinched one of the last bastions of opposition power in Sundays elections, flipping a governorship that could be an asset before the 2024 presidential election. Most Read from Bloomberg Former national Education Secretary Delfina Gomez will be the first female governor of the State of Mexico, according to a preliminary data count that showed her 8.3 percentage points ahead of her rival with 99% of the vote counted. Her opponent Alejandra Del Moral conceded as the the gap became clear in early results. Mexico State, home to far more voters than any other, has essentially been controlled by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, known as the PRI, for nine decades. Some of the partys most notable leaders, including former President Enrique Pena Nieto, got their start there. The states mix of affluent and working-class neighborhoods often make it a bellwether of how Mexicans might vote in general elections. Its the first time it picks a Morena party leader. Looking forward to the presidential succession, Morena can now claim to have defeated the longest-lasting PRI elite, said Juan Carlos Villarreal, a political science professor in Toluca, the state capital. It has a symbolic value for Morena and for the people who voted. In recent years, Morena has slowly collected the governorships of the majority of states, leaving only a handful controlled by other parties. For the opposition, staying united is now a matter of life or death. if they dont do it, theyll be wiped out in 2024, said Jorge Buendia, the director of the Buendia & Marquez polling company. Before the vote, the PRI controlled only three governorships of 32 in total nationwide. Morena controlled 20. Some polls had predicted an even bigger margin for Gomez, which if borne out by the results would give the presidents party additional power before the general elections in June 2024. Morena is considered to have a strong chance of having its candidate win then. Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, is ineligible in next years contest as the countrys constitution limits presidents to a single term. Nationwide, the peso is stronger than it was before, social program have been enacted, and the minimum wage has been raised so theres a certain segment of the population that is satisfied, Villarreal said. Crime, water shortages, and the scarcity of well-paid jobs were important issues in the election, said Nahum de la Puente, an analyst at Ventum Consultores, who has also worked in state government. Voters also cast ballots on Sunday for the governorship in the less-populated Coahuila State, where the PRI had a better chance of fending off challengers according to polls. Manolo Jimenez Salinas from the opposition coalition won the state with 56.9% of the vote, beating Armando Guadiana, who obtained 21.5%, according to the preliminary vote count on Monday. Polls opened at 8 a.m. local time and closed at 6 p.m. on Sunday in both of the states. --With assistance from Leda Alvim and Amy Stillman. (Updates data in second paragraph, adds analysis in eighth, vote count in thirteenth) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Carl Amos after being attacked by hundreds of bees. (KOKH) An 81-year-old American man has described a horrific bee attack that lasted hours and left him with a broken hip. Carl Amos said he was mowing the lawn at his home on 26 May when a swarm of bees descended on him, stinging the Oklahoma resident relentlessly for three hours. In an interview with the Washington Post, Mr Amos recalled how he tried to escape the insects because they were really coming down on me but tripped and fell. When he saw blood gushing through his pants, Mr Amos said, he realised hed broken something. Lying on the ground as the bees continued their assault Mr Amos tried to call 911 but ended up typing the wrong passcode so many times, his phone was temporarily locked. Hoping someone would notice, Mr Amos tried to remain calm and cover up as much of his body as possible, including using a gun holster to cover his eyes. Still, the pain was excruciating, he told the newspaper. He also recalled the distress signal used in the wilderness, and fired the handgun towards the sky three times. To his dismay, no one came to his rescue. Lord, I need your help, Mr Amos thought to himself. Please help me. Three hours after the attack began, at around 1pm, his prayers were answered when workers from a nearby machinery company noticed Mr Amos while returning from their lunch break. One of the employees of the Burford Corporation jumped over the fence to try and rescue Mr Amos, before the bees began stinging him. Together with his colleagues, including one person who was a beekeeper, he tried to protect Mr Amos face while waiting for assistance. In the end, firefighters were able to disperse some of the bees. Mr Amos was taken to hospital where he underwent hip surgery and medical staff removed hundreds of stingers from his body. While he was in hospital, a contractor discovered a hive of the killer bees high up in the chimney of Mr Amos home. Sharing his advice and learnings, he urged others to have their houses routinely inspected and ensure theyre wearing gloves while mowing the lawn something Mr Amos said he doesnt see himself doing anytime soon. Kim Cattrall opens up about lasting grief after her brothers death: A weight that is always with you Kim Cattrall is opening up about her experience with grief following the death of her younger brother, Chris Cattrall, in 2018. The 66-year-old actor opened up about the sudden and unexpected loss of her brother in an interview with The Sunday Times published on June 4. During her talk with the British publication, Cattrall spoke about being close with her two sisters, who currently live in Canada, before reflecting on the losses her family has experienced over the last decade. Cattrall announced on Instagram in December 2022 that her mother, Shane Cattrall, had died. In February 2018, she posted on Twitter about her brothers death and in February 2012 she tweeted that her father, Dennis Cattrall, died. She explained to The Sunday Times how she handled the untimely death of Chris Cattrall differently. With my mum, she was 93 and it was a slow decline, she said. But my brother, this was out of the natural order. This wasnt supposed to happen. Cattrall continued, You remember where you were, what happened, what was said. It is all so accessible, all the time, a weight that is always with you and never leaves. Before his death was confirmed, Chris Cattrall was missing for five days after leaving his home in Alberta, Canada. At the time, the How I Met Your Father star uploaded his photo to her social media accounts and asked her fans to help track him down. She described the amount of time police spent searching for her brother as an extraordinary few days. Everything in you is on high alert because he can be saved, she recalled to the British outlet. Cattrall shared that it was her role in her family to be the one who rescued everyone else. Since his passing, she has tried to leave that mentality behind. I am slowly retiring from that. Ive done a lot of work where I dont want to assume that I can fix people, she said. She added, They have to want to fix themselves, and me caring, living and fretting about them doesnt solve it. They have to want to change. But, she initially took responsibility for her brothers personal struggles, she said. Chris Cattrall had been an alcoholic, according to the publication, and the Mannequin star said she used to have magical thinking that she couldve taken his pain away. She gained clarity after a friend described alcoholism in a way that helped her process the tragic situation. Alcohol is a mistress that gets you alone and then kills you, her friend explained. And thats exactly what happened. She also expressed relief that her father did not have to see his son suffer. Im just glad my father wasnt alive to experience it. As tough as he was, I dont think he could have taken it, she said. Last year, the Sex and the City star paid tribute to her brother on what wouldve been his 59th birthday. In January 2022, she uploaded a throwback photo to Instagram of the two siblings leaning on each other. Happy Birthday, sweet Topher, she captioned the picture. We miss you today and everyday. RIPx. At the end of her post, she added the hashtag suicideprevention. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Xi extends condolences to Indian president, PM over deadly train accident Xinhua) 09:48, June 05, 2023 BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent separate messages of condolences to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a deadly train derailment and collision accident in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Xi said he was shocked to learn of the accident which caused heavy casualties. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, he expressed deep condolences over the victims, offered sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured, and wished the injured a speedy recovery. On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang also sent a message of condolences to Modi. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Shanghai's net inflow of talented individuals continued to rank first in China last year, according to a recent report released by Zhilian Recruitment titled "China City Talent Attraction Ranking: 2023". The report, released yearly since 2017, surveys cross-city job search data to analyze talent mobility. The latest report listed Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen as the cities with the highest attraction index in 2022.Yet in terms of the net flow ratio of talented individuals, one of the index's major indicators, Shanghai once again came in first, as it did in 2021. The net inflow ratio of talented individuals is used to understand the inflow and outflow of talented individuals to a city. If the net inflow ratio is positive, it means that the city has the ability to attract and retain talented individuals. Shanghai ranked first last year with a net inflow ratio of 1.9 percent, followed by Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou at 1.5 percent, 1.1 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. The report concluded that Shanghai's introduction of new policies to develop its emerging industries and attract talented individuals is a major reason the city is a talent magnet. Shanghai has implemented a number of talent policies to attract and retain a diverse range of skilled professionals as it pushes ahead with high-quality development focused on innovation-driven new economies, such as integrated circuits, biomedicine and artificial intelligence. It has also been building a favorable environment for talent development by offering education, employment and welfare services to encourage professionals to remain. One of the key policies Shanghai has implemented is its Talent Green Card, which grants highly skilled foreign professionals long-term residency permits, allowing them to work and live in the city. It has also set up platforms for international talent exchange, such as the Shanghai Foreign Talent Exchange Association, which helps bridge the gap between domestic and foreign individuals. Additionally, Shanghai has been strengthening support for entrepreneurship, particularly for young entrepreneurs and university graduates. It has invested in technological business incubators and provided funding for startup businesses. According to Cao Yuanfeng, executive deputy director of the Talent Office of the Communist Party of China Shanghai Committee, there are 6.75 million talented individuals in Shanghai. The overseas talent pool continues to grow. Shanghai has issued 394,000 foreign work permits and 270,000 overseas students have come to the city to work and start businesses. Cao said that this year, Shanghai will focus on optimizing its talent settlement policy, and has taken steps to increase the degree of openness and concentration of young talents. "To achieve urban innovation and development, Shanghai must provide young talent with a larger stage, and stronger support," Cao said. Thanks largely to its efforts to attract and retain talented individuals, Shanghai registered a slight increase of just over 120,000 to its permanent population in terms of household registrations last year, according to the municipal government. Kitten darts across highway and gets stuck in unlikely spot, Maryland cops say A driver headed down a Maryland highway picked up an unusual stowaway. A kitten dashed across Route 29 and somehow ended up stuck in the cars engine, according to a Friday, June 2, Facebook post from the Howard County Police Department. The driver pulled to the side of the highway and called police about the furry passenger, the post said. In the video posted by the department, body camera footage shows PFC Chang Lee approaching the parked car, while Sgt. Aaron Miller points under the cars hood. See right there? Miller says. Lee takes a closer look. Oh yeah. Hey, kitty, Lee says while making clicking sounds. Hey, I see you, one officer says as the kitten meows. Lee soon lays on the ground while trying to coax the kitten out from underneath the car. Suddenly, Lee shouts, I got him, while pulling the gray kitten out from hiding. Ive never been on a call like this. What in the world? Lee says as he makes his way back to the patrol car with the kitten in hand. Police said they took the kitten, who was not hurt, to the Howard County Animal Control and Adoption Center. Howard County is about 25 miles west of Baltimore. Odd sounds from under SUV lead to tiny freeloader, TX rescuers say. Now it has a home Driver hears meowing at California stop sign then rescuers pull out the Q-tips Mechanic investigating odd noise in squad car finds newborn animal, Florida cops say What we know about India's worst rail tragedy in decades A worker inspects the newly restored track at the site of Friday's train disaster that killed at least 275 people in the eastern state of Odisha India's deadliest train disaster in decades killed at least 275 people and injured hundreds more, a tragedy officials have said was linked to an electronic signal system. While a final report has not been released into Friday night's crash near Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha, local media quoting preliminary investigations have pointed to human error connected to the signalling system. Trains resumed operations on tracks past the crash site on Monday. Here is what we know so far: - What happened? - The Coromandal Express, a passenger train travelling from Kolkata to Chennai, was diverted onto a loop line on Friday evening and slammed into a stationary goods train loaded with tonnes of iron ore. The collision flipped the carriages of the Coromandal Express onto another track. The derailed compartments then struck the rear carriages of another fast train, the Howrah Superfast Express from India's tech hub Bengaluru, which was passing in the opposite direction. The two fast trains were carrying more than 2,000 passengers. Trains in India are usually packed at this time of year, with many people travelling during school holidays. - What went wrong? - Ashwini Vaishnaw, India's railway minister, has suggested the crash happened due to the "change that occurred during electronic interlocking". That refers to a complex signal system designed to stop trains colliding by arranging their movement on the tracks. "We have identified the cause of the accident and the people responsible for it," Vaishnaw said, but added it was "not appropriate" to give details before a final investigation report was completed. Local media have quoted a preliminary investigation report, with the Times of India saying a "human error in signalling may have caused the collision between three trains". India's Railway Board has recommended a high-level probe into the disaster by the federal investigating agency. - How many died? - The death toll has been revised several times since the crash. Officials had initially reported it stood at 288 but the Odisha state government has since revised the toll downwards to 275 after some bodies were mistakenly counted twice. Of the 1,175 injured, 382 were still being treated in hospitals, authorities said Sunday. However, many fear the death toll could still rise because medical centres are overwhelmed by the number of casualties. It is the worst crash since 1999, when 285 were killed when two passenger trains collided at Gaisal in West Bengal, an accident blamed on human error. India's worst crash was in 1981, when an overcrowded passenger train plunged into a river during a cyclone in Bihar state, killing about 800 people. - What is India's safety record - India has launched a $30 billion railway infrastructure modernisation in a bid to boost the economy and connectivity, and Vaishnaw said last month tracks were being "upgraded very rapidly". In 2022, India built 5,200 kilometres (3,230 miles) of new tracks, and upgraded or replaced about another 7,500-8,000 kilometres, Vaishnaw said. But analysts say that while accidents have reduced over time, India's antiquated rail system still has a long way to go. An average of 20,000 people died each year between 2017 and 2021 in rail accidents -- collisions, derailments and other causes -- according to official records. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the country's top audit authority, said derailment was the reason for 69 percent of the accidents. Defective tracks, poor maintenance and old signalling kit combined with human error were the main cause, it said. Indian Railways, the world's fourth-largest rail network, runs some 14,000 trains daily with 8,000 locomotives over a vast system of tracks some 64,000 kilometres (40,000 miles) long. The trains carry more than 21 million people each day. abh-ash-pjm/pbt Kyiv City Military Administration reports over 250 targets shot down over city in May Ukrainian air defence forces shot down over 60 cruise missiles and about 170 drones over Kyiv in May. Source: Kyiv City Military Administration on Telegram Quote: "At no time in the history of our planet... No city and no country... have ever been subjected to such severe air attacks with numerous hypersonic air-launched, ballistic, cruise missiles and modern military UAVs. As much as Kyiv in May. Kyiv withstood it". Details: The posted report indicates that Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed seven Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, 13 Iskander ballistic missiles, 65 cruise missiles (Kh-101, Kh-555, Kalibr), and 169 UAVs in May. At the same time, the authority clarified that these are estimates. Background: On the night of 2 June, Ukrainian defenders destroyed all 15 cruise missiles and 21 attack drones used by the Russians to attack Kyiv Oblast. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! L.A. asked Congress for millions to address homelessness. But getting the cash isn't certain Tierra Signer, 28, waits in front of her tent on San Vicente Boulevard in Beverly Grove to be moved into housing under L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' Inside Safe program on May 11. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) For the record: 4:24 p.m. June 5, 2023: An earlier version of this article said Rep. Adam B. Schiff requested a $4-million earmark for the Gower Street Apartments. It was $3 million. With a broken elevator and a spotty HVAC system, the Gower Street Apartments badly needed some updates when the building's owner received a surprising call earlier this year. A city housing official suggested that perhaps Congress could fund repairs to the supportive housing development for formerly homeless people. After years of being scorned in Washington, the rebirth of congressional earmarks could help address a common conundrum confronting that building and other affordable housing developments: Lenders and governments make lots of money available to construct new housing but not to refurbish residences that already exist. And yet that February call was the first time anyone had suggested turning to Congress for help. Community of Friends, the nonprofit owner of the Hollywood apartment building that houses 50 low-income people, many of whom are elderly or disabled, has "never received an earmark that I'm aware of in our history," CEO Dora Gallo said. The $3 million that could flow from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles to spruce up the Gower Street Apartments, which were built in 1930 and became supportive housing in 1997, exemplifies one way Mayor Karen Bass is using her experience in Congress to try to address the city's most pressing problem. Earmarks, which are now known as Community Project Funding, were brought back in 2021 after a decadelong ban in Congress. Their return rekindled a debate over whether lawmakers should be allowed to direct tax dollars to favored projects in their districts a debate that is, somewhat surprisingly, playing out among three California Democrats vying to succeed Dianne Feinstein, who is retiring from the U.S. Senate after more than three decades. Mayor Karen Bass chats with Jawonna Smith, who lives in a tent on the sidewalk behind the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Bass asked every member of the House and Senate who represents Los Angeles to use one of their allotted 15 annual earmark requests on a project relating to the homelessness and housing crisis that her team had identified in their district. The $40 million in requests, according to Bass' office, amounts to crumbs in the multitrillion-dollar federal budget. Next year, though, with more time and planning, Bass hopes she can coordinate more requests. "It's important for the city to look for resources from every level of the public sector, and this is one method of bringing resources to the city from the federal government," Bass told The Times. "I served in Congress for 10 years before we got community projects, and, unfortunately, I only had two years' worth," Bass said. "I wish that I had been able to deliver resources directly to the district the entire 12 years I was there." Nearly $20 million or about half the funding that the L.A. delegation and California's senators are requesting would go to augmenting Inside Safe her signature effort to move unhoused Angelenos into hotels, motels and other facilities. "This is a more direct way to get to the finish line," said Sen. Alex Padilla, who, along with Feinstein, put in the funding requests for Inside Safe. Mayor Karen Bass has used the earmarks process to seek money for the Gower Street Apartments in Los Angeles to address homelessness. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) These asks are the first step in a long process that will determine what makes it into the final spending bill later this year. There are no guarantees, and even some reasons to worry. Still, Bass is hopeful. Since 2021, California's congressional delegation even some Republicans has won earmarks to renovate affordable housing, build new shelters and fund a litany of programs to help homeless people. "The process was sort of made more coherent, and more transparent," said Steve Berg, chief policy officer for the National Alliance to End Homelessness. "There's always some things that the community really needs that none of the federal programs are paying for. The earmarks can be used to fill that out." Last year, when Democrats controlled Congress, the final budget included about $9 billion of earmarks, with about $775 million going to California and $1.75 billion flowing nationwide to "efforts to prevent homelessness, expand affordable housing, and improve community infrastructure," according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report. This year's budget includes about $15 billion in earmarks. This year, earmark requests are buffeted by twin challenges and uncertainties. Republicans, who control the House and the budget process, want to reduce federal government spending. And the recently announced deal to allow the federal government to continue borrowing money includes caps on spending for domestic programs like the ones that would fund homelessness. Last fiscal year, spending on earmarks was capped at 1% of discretionary spending, and this year, under Republicans, it cannot exceed .5%. Because they're in the majority, Republicans are expected to get a larger proportion of the earmarks awarded even though their members put in far fewer requests. These changes including limiting the scope of what sort of projects can be approved have made it more challenging to make the requests, members said. Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, warned colleagues in a mid-May letter that earmark requests could be whacked by as much as 70%. Despite the uncertainty, Bass continues getting projects primed and ready to go in case the funding is approved. A portion of the money the mayor has gotten former colleagues to request would go toward renovations, funding pilot programs for substance use treatment and in one instance a $10-million request from Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) to demolish a city-owned parking structure so it can be replaced with a supportive housing project. In the case of Gower Street Apartments, the $3-million funding request came from Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) who is running to replace Feinstein in a field that includes two Democratic congressional colleagues, Reps. Barbara Lee of Oakland and Katie Porter of Irvine. In an interview, Schiff said the earmarks allow him to have a direct effect on the community he serves. His office has sought out projects that might have a gap in their funding and help vulnerable populations. "My feeling is if I can help my constituents, I'm going to do it, and that's more valuable to me than a talking point," Schiff said. Lee has also put in a slew of requests, including one request for about $3 million to be spent on an interim homeless navigation center with shelter and housing units in San Leandro. She has a history of defending earmarks, even when it puts her at odds with her own party's leader. During his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama said he would veto any bill containing earmarks in an effort to rebuild peoples faith in the institution of government. Lee disagreed with this move and recalled in an interview sending Obama a letter chiding the president for doing something that would prevent members like her from bringing resources to her community. Senate candidates Reps. Barbara Lee, left, and Adam B. Schiff are in favor of using earmarks. Rep. Katie Porter, far right, not so much. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times, left and center; Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) On any number of policy debates, the top three Democratic rivals in the Senate race hold many of the same views, but here's a rare subject where they differ. Schiff and Lee are all in on earmarks. Porter is the only House Democrat who didn't submit any requests during the last Congress. Her opposition to what many conservative members call "pork" represents one of the clearest differences between the Irvine congresswoman, who won in a hotly contested swing district, and her two opponents who represent safe Democratic territory. Porter argues this method of funding can be a wellspring of corruption, citing former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Rancho Sante Fe), who went to prison for taking millions in bribes to direct earmarks to certain projects. "The folks in the administrative branch have all the data on what programs work best, and where the money is most needed, and how best to deliver it," Porter said. "I think they are better positioned and can do it in a more transparent and fair way." Porter's opposition put her in line with many of her Republican colleagues who rail against the programs. Earmarks were banned in 2011 during the apex of the conservative tea party movement and after scandals over spending that was deemed excessive. But since they returned, more members of the GOP have been using them. Her objection to earmarks drew the ire of several Democratic colleagues who accused Porter of grandstanding and opening up members to criticism from Republicans, according to multiple sources who were granted anonymity to speak freely about another member. Fellow members were particularly incensed because her initial dissent came in the form of an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Several members of the California delegation noted that when earmarks returned, there were new restrictions on what was eligible and more disclosure requirements, as well as a ban on funds going to for-profit entities. "I salute the guardrails. I think they are an improvement. But at the end of the day," Porter said, "am I better situated than the Army Corps of Engineers to know where a pier needs to be or to know where coastal restoration work needs to occur?" Rep. Brad Sherman's eyes bulged when he was told of his Democratic colleague's opposition to these earmarks. At Bass' behest, the longtime San Fernando Valley congressman put in a request for $3.8 million to renovate a 42-unit supportive housing complex in Canoga Park. He also requested $3 million to help nonprofit Hope of the Valley buy 30 units of modular housing. Since earmarks returned, Sherman has obtained about $11 million for housing projects. Sherman is unapologetic in the view that if the federal government is going to spend money, it should be spent either in or near his district, and the Northridge Democrat is more than happy to have any federal money Porter forgoes for her Orange County district diverted to the San Fernando Valley. "Porter won't use them? For God's sakes, that money should go to the Valley," Sherman said. "I think I know the Valley better than anybody else here in Washington." Like Sherman and others, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) appreciated the nudge she got from Bass whom she replaced in Congress and called after they both took office to talk about earmarks and homelessness. The mayor asked Kamlager-Dove to put in a request for about $1.8 million that would be used on renovations of a building in her district that houses formerly homeless people. She put in another request for $2.6 million to help a synagogue in her district build 55 units of subsidized apartments for seniors. "She called and said, 'I need your help,' " Kamlager said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. LANSING A program that teaches trade skills to young people while improving the city's housing stock will receive a share of $350,000 in grant money earmarked for police reform and equitable justice programs in three U.S. cities. The U.S. Conference of Mayors chose Lansing for its mid-size city grant, citing the success of Mikey23 Foundation, a nonprofit group started by construction contractor Michael McKissic after McKissic lost his son, Michael, known as Mikey, to gun violence when the younger man was 23. The mayors organization said Lansing will get $100,000. "Led by licensed builders, electricians, plumbers, heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractors, the foundation provides hands-on opportunities for self-development and growth, thereby empowering young people to reach their full potential," the foundation's website notes. Young people from at-risk environments and police officers work side-by-side in rehabilitating distressed houses. About two dozen people most of them boys or young men from neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence have taken part during the past year, the mayors group said. "I'm beyond thrilled that this deserving foundation was one of just a few chosen to be awarded this grant," Mayor Andy Schor said in a news release, noting Mikey23 provides important mentoring and supports families impacted by gun violence. The Police Reform and Equitable Justice Grant Program is co-sponsored by Target Corp. The large-city grant is going to Arlington, Texas, for an esports program started by the city's police department as a way to combat cyberbullying and engage young people from at-risk environments. The small-city award is earmarked for Huntington, West Virginia, for an intervention effort that uses mental health professionals and police officers to respond to mental health and substance abuse crises. Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Lansing gets grant for program pairing youths, police officers in home rehab A New Jersey lawyer suspected in a series of violent rapes and assaults in Boston was arrested and charged after investigators linked DNA lifted from a drinking glass to four separate attacks on women that occurred over a decade ago, authorities said. Matthew J. Nilo, 35, was ordered held on $500,000 bail after he was arraigned Monday in Suffolk Superior Court on charges including three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, and single counts of assault with attempt to rape, and indecent assault and battery in connection with assaults in Charlestown in 2007 and 2008, according to the Suffolk District Attorneys Office. Nilo was arrested last week at his Weehawken, New Jersey, home and he agreed to waive extradition back to Massachusetts during an appearance at Superior Court in Jersey City. During the early morning hours of Aug. 18, 2007, a 23-year-old victim was looking for her car after a night out with friends in the area of State Street when she was approached by a man in his 20s, Assistant District Attorney Lynn Feigenbaum said in reading from court documents. He offered to give her a ride to help look for the car, but instead he took her to Terminal Street in Charlestown, where they both got out of the car, Feigenbaum said. Once outside the car, the man told her to shut up or he would kill her and that he had a weapon. The man proceeded to rape her on a grassy area near railroad tracks. After the assault, the victim sought help from a passerby and she was taken to a local hospital, where she underwent a sexual evidence collection exam. Male DNA obtained during the test was entered into a national database. Months later, on Nov. 22, 2007, a 23-year-old woman left a bar on State Street after attending her high school reunion and entered a vehicle that she thought was a taxi cab. She also described the driver as a man in his 20s. When the victim told him he missed her address, he flashed a small knife at her. He then drove to Terminal Street, where he ordered the victim out of the car, knocked her to the ground, and raped her, Feigenbaum said. This victim was also taken to a local hospital, where she underwent a sexual evidence collection exam. Male DNA obtained during the test was again entered into a national database. On Aug. 5, 2008, a 36-year-old woman panhandling in the area of Boylston and Arlington streets near Boston Common was approached by a man in his 20s who promised to give her money if she went to Charlestown in his car. She accepted and the man drove her to Terminal Street. Shortly after they got out of the car, he tackled the victim to the ground, held a gun to her back, and raped her, Feigenbaum stated. She too was taken to a local hospital, where she underwent a sexual evidence collection exam. Male DNA obtained during the test is said to have matched a profile from the two previous rapes. On the morning of Dec. 23, 2008, a 44-year-old woman was jogging in the area of Terminal Street in Charlestown when a man ran up behind her, put his arms around her upper body, and tackled her to the ground. The victim fought him off, using her gloved hand to poke at his eyes, Feigenbaum said. As part of a subsequent investigation, her glove was taken as evidence but no forensic link was established at the time. Boston police revisited the assaults in 2022 and identified Nilo as a person of interest after employing forensic investigation genetic genealogy, officials said. Nilo was then placed under surveillance in 2023 while he lived in New Jersey and worked at a law firm in New York City. FBI agents were able to obtain various utensils and drinking glasses they watched the defendant use at a corporate event, Feigenbaum explained. From one of the glasses, the Boston Police Crime Lab obtained a male DNA profile, which was found to match the suspect profile from the three Terminal Street rapes. The glove that the December 2008 assault victim used to poke her attackers eyes was sent to a private lab for testing and it was determined that the DNA profile was 314 times more likely to belong to Milo than any other male in the population, authorities said. Nilo was living in Boston at the time of the alleged assaults and attending college after graduating from Boston Latin School. Nilo has also lived in Wisconsin, California, and New York, where investigations are also underway. He moved back to the East Coast in 2019 and had been working for a cyber insurance firm, which suspended his employment. Clerk Magistrate Edward Curley also ordered Nilo to wear a GPS tracker if released, surrender his passport, have no contact with the victims and stay 1000 feet away from Terminal Street in Charlestown unless accompanied by his attorney. Nilo will return to court next Monday for a bail review hearing at 9 a.m. 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 (Bloomberg) -- A leaked audio of a foul-mouthed tirade by President Gustavo Petros 2022 campaign chief has frozen the governments bid to overhaul Colombias welfare state, as the Lower House suspended debates on key legislation. Most Read from Bloomberg In the recording published by Semana Magazine on Sunday, Petros former ally Armando Benedetti expresses anger at how he felt the president had treated him, and threatens to reveal dirt about how last years presidential campaign was funded. Petro fired Benedetti as Ambassador to Caracas on Friday amid a widening probe into allegations of phone tapping and abuse of power. Semana didnt say how it obtained the recording, apparently of communications between Benedetti and Petros cabinet chief Laura Sarabia, who also stepped down on Friday. The case risks hurting Petros alliance of leftist parties ahead of regional elections in October. The government is currently battling to pass ambitious bills in congress to overhaul the Colombias pension and health system, and its labor market. On Monday, Lower House leader David Racero told reporters that lawmakers have halted their discussion of reforms until the ruling coalition is rebuilt. Read more: Phone Tapping, Polygraph Scandal Roils Colombia Government In a tweet on Sunday night in response to the leaked audios, Petro denied having broken campaign finance rules, or having ordered any phone taps. In a separate tweet, Benedetti said the audios had been manipulated. Hanging by a Thread The scandal, falling popularity and the fraying coalition mean that Petros ability to pass reforms is probably dead, said Andres Mejia, a political consultant and guest lecturer at the business school of Bogotas Los Andes University. Petro will have to spend lots of his time and energies battling allegations, Mejia said, in a written reply to questions. Benedettis outburst will cost Petro support within the Green Party and the Liberal Party, his coalition allies, said Jorge Restrepo, an economics professor at Javeriana University in Bogota. The coalition was hanging by a thread, Restrepo said. This will maybe make that thread break. Petros reforms were generally unpopular among investors, and the peso rallied the most among major emerging market currencies on Monday, while local government bonds also gained. The currency was also boosted by higher price for crude, the nations biggest export, after Saudi Arabia announced an extra 1 million barrel-per-day supply cut. (Updates with Lower House comments from first paragraph, market reaction in final paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Leave forms may be gone, but admin headaches endure for some soldiers When the Army rolled out its new human resources platform in December, its creators promised greater transparency and a reduced administrative burden for individual soldiers. Despite glitches due to data issues, the Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army (or IPPS-A) has upheld its core promise: soldiers can make and track their own personnel requests once they learn how to use the system. That includes leave, which once required paper forms and complicated tracking processes. Army Times spoke with soldiers about local leave policies and reviewed internal discussions to assess whether service members are enjoying their entitled time off without red tape. For many units, requesting leave is now a breeze. Dozens of commenters on an Army-focused Reddit community said that their units required nothing more than an IPPS-A absence request, which has replaced the venerable DA 31 leave form. Many said their leave requests are approved faster than ever, with little administrative hassle. Some units, including the 25th Infantry Division, even have policies in place barring subordinate units from blocking soldiers leave over readiness or training metrics, according to a policy letter reviewed by Army Times. The only document required division-wide to take leave is a leave and earnings statement to verify that the soldier has accumulated the necessary days or understands the consequences of going negative on their leave balance. One soldier said his unit used customization features available in IPPS-A to create a streamlined form for soldiers to request their block leave by simply entering their unit identifier code and where they intended to go. But for other formations, old habits die hard. Voluminous paperwork requirements and in some cases, old-school paper packets that require approval before the absence request is submitted undercut the new HR platforms promise, and increased access has led to an increase in administrative inconvenience under some commands. For decades, a debate has raged over whether units should hold soldiers time off hostage as a way to force the requestors compliance with individual requirements. Those tasks can range from medical readiness to physical fitness tests or even mandatory online training like the infamous Cyber Awareness Challenge or Anti-Terrorism Level 1 course. Other soldiers who spoke with Army Times, who all requested anonymity to speak candidly about their leadership, reported their units denied their leave even in cases where the Army considered them green on mandatory administrative and training requirements. They argued that the practice undercuts the new HR platforms promise. One junior soldier stationed in South Korea said his unit denies leave for soldiers who havent completed body composition or a fitness test in the past six months, despite regulations only requiring them annually. His battalion commander codified the requirement in a policy letter, which Army Times reviewed. A junior infantryman at Fort Cavazos, Texas, told Army Times that his company threatened to revoke his leave if he did not take a fitness test during the first day of his previously approved leave. That occurred because his departing flight for which his unit required him to submit an itinerary was scheduled for the early afternoon rather than the morning. The clock is ticking for many soldiers, too. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted personal travel for troops across the country and special authorities allowed them to carry more leave days than typically authorized. But those authorities are slowly phasing out, and troops are at risk of losing more unused leave than typically possible when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30. Soldiers also described administrative requirements from a bygone era, such as units that still require TRiPS Travel Risk Planning System risk assessments from those who want to take leave. In a 2018 Army directive signed by both Gen. Mark Milley and then-Army Secretary Mark Esper, TRiPS tickets were singled out as an example of meaningless administrative requirements burdening units across the force. Commanders at echelon will review their administrative processes and reduce the burden on units and soldiers, the directive read. For example, [Headquarters, Department of the Army] does not require the use of the Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS) as a mandatory document for soldiers to take leave. The leaders said requiring the tickets as a general rule was the type of burdensome requirement that unnecessarily weights down our Army from focusing on its core mission. IPPS-A is not designed to include such roadblocks. But a units human resources professionals can design their own specific approval chains for a given type of HR transaction. That means they can add layers of bureaucracy to the leave request process at their commanders discretion. Some staffers and subordinate leaders are taking to internal human resources message boards to ask for help becoming part of their units approval chains. A source shared the messages with Army Times. An operations sergeant asked for assistance adding himself as an intermediate approver so he could check [service members]...readiness in the Defense Training Management System, which tracks compliance with mandatory training requirements like weapons qualification and online classes. Others in the thread shared tips on how their unit successfully added layers of bureaucracy to leave requests, and cautioned that junior leaders may accidentally approve the request if they click the wrong button. Although rare, the practice of restricting even parental leave is widespread enough that Army Secretary Christine Wormuth has considered issuing a memorandum reminding units that they cannot deny newly-expanded leave benefits from new parents. Military.com first reported the draft memo. Thus far the services senior leaders have remained silent on the units still hanging on to antiquated packet processes for annual leave in spite of the capabilities added by IPPS-A. Editors note: This story was first published on HistoryNet.com. On June 6, 1944, a little more than 78 years ago, over 160,000 Allied troops were sent to cross the English Channel onto the beaches of Normandy, France. The ensuing operation, Operation Overlord launched by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower known in the U.S. as D-Day was the first of many in the fight to liberate Western Europe from Adolf Hitlers grasp. After almost 79 years, the largest amphibious operation in history has become saturated with numerous tales of valor and lore, but not all of them are true. Today we are breaking down fact from fiction, myth from verity. First up: Myth #1: D-Day was a predominantly American effort. A lot of Americans think of the Normandy invasion as a largely American endeavor. An American, Eisenhower, was appointed the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, and a lot of the heavy casualties were suffered by the U.S. troops. But while 73,000 Americans were involved in Operation Overlord, some 83,115 British and Canadian troops also took part 61,715 of them were British. According to historian James Holland, of the 1,213 warships involved, just 200 were American and 892 were British; and of the 4,126 landing craft involved, 805 were American and 3,261 were British. Indeed, 31% of all US supplies used during D-Day came directly from Britain, while two-thirds of the 12,000 aircraft involved were also British. So, while it looms large in the American mind that D-Day was an American battle, in fact, we were just part of it. Myth #2: The Germans were better trained than Allied soldiers. Were the Germans a better-trained force than American troops? At the start of the war? Sure. But by 1944? Not so much. According to Holland, there were a few exceptions such as the Panzer Lehr, for example, but for the most part, German units were nothing like as well trained as Allies. By June 6, 1944, there were some Allied units that had been training for four years to fight in the European theater up until this point, whereas many German troops had had little more than a few weeks of prep before heading to the front. The Kampfgruppen or battle groups which are the ad hoc units traditionally seen to showcase their tactical flexibility, were actually borne of extreme shortages and desperation towards the end of the war and lets not forget the less than motivated Eastern European conscripts that were forced to defend the Atlantic Wall. Myth #3: The Allied coalition was in sync. As the U.S. commitment to Overlord grew, so too did the Britishs inferiority complex. After World War II ended, British Lieutenant General Frederick Morgan wrote to famed British historian Liddell Hart that the in-fighting between the allies was becoming frightening. According to American historian Edward Gordon and British author David Ramsay, the clash of personalities between key military commanders hindered the optimum gains from the Normandy Invasion and needlessly lengthened the war. But as British prime minister Winston Churchill once said, There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them. So, while the invasion was a triumph on some level of a massive logistical and military operation was it the perfectly coordinated machine that we all think of? The truth is a little trickier than that. Not a myth, but still fun: Operation Overlord was almost called Operation Mothball. The famed British leader is quoted as saying: Do you mean to tell me that those bloody fools want our grandchildren 50 years from now to be calling the operation that liberated Europe Operation Mothball? If they cant come up with a better code name for our landing than that, I damn well will pick the code name myself, Churchill remarked. According to British Lt. Gen. Frederick Morgan, Churchill thought for a moment and then shouted, Overlord. We shall call it Overlord. The owners of Frank & Dinos, a downtown Lexington Italian restaurant, have agreed to settle a lawsuit by a former employee who claimed she was fired because of her age, weight and appearance. Scarlett Tracey, a 47-year-old Frankfort resident, filed the lawsuit in September 2022 alleging the owner of the restaurant, Carlo Vaccarezza, made multiple derogatory comments about her looks and ultimately fired her for her physical appearance. Frank & Dinos is owned by Post Time LLC. Vaccarezza denied the allegations of discrimination in a legal reply, according to court documents. He said Tracey was fired for poor work performance. But the parties agreed to settle, according to Tom Miller, Vaccarezzas attorney. He said settlement amounts were not disclosed in public documents and were confidential. Miller said he was not able to provide additional comment to the Herald-Leader. The lawsuit was dismissed as settled, with prejudice, by Fayette County Circuit Judge Thomas Travis earlier this year. Travis ordered that each party pay their own costs and court fees, according to court documents. The lawsuit had been filed in August. Traceys attorney, Brad Zoppoth, was also not able to comment on the terms of the settlement, and said it is confidential. Zoppoth stated Tracey was aware of the settlement and that the case was resolved. Bartender: Restaurant owner repeatedly criticized her looks Tracey was hired after a soft opening of the restaurant in August 2021, when she voluntarily bought black clothes and went behind the bar to help a struggling bartender during busy business hours, according to her lawsuit. In the lawsuit, Tracey alleges that a manager at the restaurant heard Vaccarezza make several derogatory comments, including asking if they were hiring bartenders by the pound now. The owner was also accused of saying Tracey was not attractive enough to work at the restaurant and calling Tracey fat and ugly. The manager alleged in a sworn affidavit that Vaccarezza wanted Tracey fired because of her appearance. In addition to two written affidavits from former supervisors of Tracey, Zoppoth previously said he took Traceys case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which found that there was reasonable cause to believe the restaurant violated non-discrimination laws. Restaurant owners blamed poor work performance Prior to settling, attorneys for Frank & Dinos alleged in court records that Tracy was fired based on her poor work performance. The restaurant alleged Tracey failed to arrive at work on time, lacked proficiency as a bartender, how to make specialty drinks, and was suspected of drug use. Tracey and her attorney had previously denied these allegations, and said there was no documentation of any of these issues occurring in the workplace. Frank & Dinos said Tracey hadnt been disciplined for any wrongdoing on the job but also said she was an at-will employee who could be fired at any time. The 2023 Hunan (Summer) Rural Cultural Tourism Festival kicked off on Saturday in Aikou village, Jishou city, capital of the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of central China's Hunan province. The festival aims to leverage the city's rural and ethnic culture to boost the development of the rural tourism industry and promote rural revitalization. The 2023 Hunan (Summer) Rural Cultural Tourism Festival kicks off in Aikou village, Jishou city, capital of the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of central China's Hunan province, June 3, 2023. [Photo by Liu Jianing/China.org.cn] Jishou, known for the Miao ethnic group's drum dance, boasts 67 intangible cultural heritage items and abundant cultural and tourism resources. At the opening ceremony, six travel routes were recommended to allow visitors to experience Miao ethnic culture and explore natural landscapes. The options include Dehang Miao Village, the Aizhai Bridge, and Fenghuang Ancient Town. Six travel routes are recommended at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Hunan (Summer) Rural Cultural Tourism Festival in Jishou, Hunan province, on June 3, 2023. [Photo by Liu Jianing/China.org.cn] The opening ceremony also featured performances showcasing tea culture, for which the village is well-known. Jishou, boasting a tea planting area of 160,000 mu (10,667 hectares), is recognized among the top 100 counties of China's tea industry. The festival also featured a seminar on the role of Hunan's rural cultural and tourism industry in rural revitalization, a performance presenting the city's intangible cultural heritage, and other activities to explore local villages, including Zhonghuang village, Yanke village, and Pingnian village. Zhonghuang village, Aizhai town in Jishou, central China's Hunan province. [Photo provided to China.org.cn] The Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture has effectively utilized its unique cultural and tourism resources and implemented targeted poverty alleviation projects in villages like Shibadong and Zhushan. This approach has set a precedent for Hunan province and the rest of China in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, said Li Aiwu, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee. In recent years, Jishou has been proactive in developing its tourism industry, establishing six villages featuring folk culture, seven national-level villages showcasing ethnic minority cultures, and 14 national-level traditional villages, according to Li Shixing, secretary of the Jishou Municipal Party Committee. In the first quarter of 2023, Jishou welcomed approximately 3.7 million tourists, generating 3.48 billion yuan (US$490 million) in revenue, up 30.7% and 46.7% from 2019, respectively. An LGBTQ-friendly vendor was banned from a Fort Worth market. Is this legal in Texas? Roots Markets banned a vendor from its weekly craft and food fair on Magnolia Avenue because of its support of the LGBTQ+ community, igniting a firestorm of criticism on social media. Our business (the Market) has values just like any other business, the Fort Worth market said in an email to vendor Carlie Alaniz, owner of The Lucky Pot Co, promising to refund her vendor fee. Our values are biblically based, we do not have the same values as LGBTQ+. After Alaniz posted about it, the market received backlash on the decision from users on Facebook and Instagram. Alaniz said she cant get back the time and effort she spent promoting the event. That brings forth the question of whether there are any legal protections Texas vendors have in situations such as this one. To understand these implications, The Star-Telegram asked a Texas A&M University law professor about the laws pertaining to the Roots Markets controversy, including the rights of vendors and whether the market can use its religious values as a basis for kicking out a vendor. Heres what he said. Federal law is murky on the Fort Worth market excluding LGBTQ+ vendor Business owners have constitutional rights to exercise their religion, and free speech rights to oppose any viewpoint, Franklin Snyder told the Star-Telegram. And as a matter of pure contract law, anyone can refuse to do business with anyone. You dont have a right to make someone else sell or buy something from you. Discriminating in your business based on a protected category (e.g., race, sex or veteran status), however, violates federal and state anti-discrimination laws. The U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts have had to face the question repeatedly, and the current situation is murky, Snyder says. In Bostock v. Clayton County, the Supreme Court held that anti-discrimination laws apply to LGBTQ people. Since that was a case against a government entity, there was no question of religion, because the government is constitutionally barred from establishing any religious test. In Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, the court held that businesses can exercise religious freedom in situations where a government rule violates their tenets. Theoretically, the constitutional right to free practice of religion should trump the statutory provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, because no statute can infringe on religious rights, he added. But in practice, courts have struggled. A Colorado case, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, held that a baker who opposed sex transition based on Biblical views unlawfully discriminated when he refused to bake a cake for a gender transition party. That case went up to the Supreme Court, where the baker won on technical grounds, and will probably go up there again, Snyder said. Other courts are wrestling with these issues. The most recent case, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, concerns a Colorado web designer who does not want to design websites for same-sex weddings. The Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act prohibits businesses open to the public from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. This will be a test of how the Supreme Court looks at the issue. These are going to be very difficult and controversial issues, and we likely wont know for a decade or so how the lines will play out, Snyder explained. In Texas, its even more complicated Such situations are complicated by the fact that Texas has no state law banning discrimination based on sexual identity. Some local governments do, however, so the state is something of a patchwork, Snyder says. Nationwide, certain businesses are held to be places of public accommodation, and cannot discriminate against anyone based on protected grounds. Texas has no such statute. Half of the states that do, however, do not prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual identity. While the Roots Market case seems to parallel the Masterpiece Cakeshop case from Colorado, Snyder doubts that Texas courts would reach the same decision without a definitive ruling on the issue by the U.S. Supreme Court. Lights out on I-75 in south metro are now coming back on A safety hazard is getting fixed after a Channel 2 Action News investigation. We found a lot of streetlights out along the expressway in the south metro. Channel 2 investigative reporter Sophia Choi found out why its happening and who is responsible. The Georgia Department of Transportation put the lights in, but it turns out that typically GDOT is not responsible for keeping them on. Henry is just known to be dark, said Joshua Eckhoff, who lives in Henry County. [HAVE A STORY FOR 2 INVESTIGATES?: Submit your tip here] He reached out to Channel 2 Action News after recording video of his dark drive down Interstate 75 in Henry County. With there not being many raised pavement markers or lines to begin with on the highway, lighting is essential, Eckhoff said. He tried to get the lights back on but kept getting the runaround until Channel 2 Action News started investigating in March. We found a lot of the lights are out along I-75 in Henry County near the I-675 split, on I-75 in Clayton County and near the Porsche Center in Atlanta. MORE STORIES FROM 2 INVESTIGATES: The darkness is creating long stretches where it is hard to see. Some of the lights actually work, theyre just timed wrong. The lights are on during the day, off at night, Eckhoff said. We learned GDOT installed many of the lights in 2017 when building the South Metro Express Lanes. Now some just need a new bulb. But others lost power. So, wire theft, vandalism and then just general lights not working anymore because theyre about six years old, GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale told Choi. GDOT said it spent close to two years trying to figure out one question. Who will be the owner of these lights? Who will be the maintenance? Dale said. Typically, local counties and cities take on the role and the expense. But in the case of these Express Lanes DOT is taking ownership of maintenance of the lighting system and maintenance and repairs, Dale said. Both GDOT and the City of Atlanta are working on a new contract with Georgia Power. The utility told Channel 2Action News that its working to make the fixes: Georgia Power acting as maintenance contractor has been in touch with the Georgia Department of Transportation, City of Atlanta and others regarding the lighting outages along I-75 S, the South Managed Lanes (SML), in Clayton and Henry Counties. We identified numerous problems with the lighting system and when the necessary repairs were approved, began work in March. Repairs have been completed to several damaged conduits, conductor (wire) and we have reinstalled missing conductor. Some lights operating during the day are now only on at night, as designed. The company also identified several missing or broken light poles and fixtures. Material has been ordered and will be installed upon arrival. Additionally, for interstate lighting along I-75 in Clayton County near I-285, Georgia Power is working with Clayton County Transportation to repair these systems. Work began in October 2022 repairing damaged conduits, installing new conductor, foundations, poles and lights. Only a handful of outages remain. To date, our crews have repaired over 100 lights in this area and expect repairs to be completed on the remaining lights in the coming weeks. My goal with the lights was to see them all working functionally, Eckhoff said. Channel 2 Action News drove down I-75 in early June and found a noticeable improvement with more lights on. By this summer, all the lights should be on so the light at the end of the tunnel, I can almost see it, Eckhoff said. If you see lights out and want to report it to Georgia Power, you can do that online. IN OTHER NEWS: Tara Poulton will be U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's next district director. She is currently the vice president of public policy and workforce partnerships at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. U.S. Rep Vern Buchanan announced Monday that he has hired a new district director Tara Poulton. She will replace long-time director Sally Shely, who is retiring. Poulton is currently the vice president of public policy and workforce partnerships at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. In her new role as district director, Poulton will run Buchanans offices in Hillsborough and Manatee counties. I am very pleased to welcome Tara to my office," Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, said in a news release. "Her communications skills, combined with her passion for public policy and heart for constituent services make her the ideal person for this position. U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan talks to a reporter on election night 2022 at GROVE Restaurant in Lakewood Ranch. Before working at the Manatee chamber, she served as division director and county spokesperson for DeSoto County government and as the senior government affairs regional manager for the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Poulton holds a bachelors degree in communication from the University of South Florida, and will graduate from Florida State Universitys Master of Public Administration program this summer. She and her family reside in Lakewood Ranch, and shes a board member of the Manatee Tiger Bay Club, Manatee Education TV and Manatee Technical College. Previous coverage: Florida GOP congressional delegation rushing to back Trump over DeSantis Other news: How much did property values increase across Sarasota-Manatee? Billions added to tax rolls I am beyond excited to be joining the office of Congressman Buchanan, Poulton said in the press release. It will be a true honor to follow in Sally Shely's footsteps and all she has accomplished in her 25-plus-year congressional career. I am thrilled to be returning to the public sector and eager to serve the constituents in the greater Manatee area and southern Hillsborough County. Shely, who was a familiar face in the community, officially retires from the district director role at the end of July. She started working with Buchanan in 2006, serving as the communications director for his first campaign. She then joined his congressional staff, first serving as communications director and then as district director. Shely led the congressmans efforts to assist constituents during the COVID-19 pandemic and his hurricane relief and recovery efforts, according to the news release. During her tenure in the office, she coordinated over 70 town halls and established awards programs that honor law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers and veterans. Sally Shely, Vern Buchanan's long-time district director, is retiring as the end of July. From day one, Sally has demonstrated the leadership, work-ethic and professionalism that has made her one of the most respected district directors in Congress, Buchanan said. Her dedication to our community along with the relationships she has cultivated in Southwest Florida have unquestionably helped make me a better representative. Shely will retire with more than 27 years of experience as a congressional staffer, as she also worked for former U.S. Senator Mel Martinez and former U.S. Reps. Katherine Harris, Charles Bass and Bill Zeliff. "It has been a great honor and a privilege to work with Vern on behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District," Shely stated. "I am truly thankful for every opportunity he has given me to advocate for his constituents and help advance his agenda to reduce spending, grow the economy and protect our freedom." This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Rep. Vern Buchanan hires Tara Poulton as his next district director Clarkstown Justice Scott Ugell resigned, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced Monday. Ugells resignation is effective June 25. His term would have expired on December 31, 2025. Terms of his resignation include not seeking nor accepting judicial office in the future, the commission said. Clarkstown Justice Scott Ugell According to the commission, Ugell was under investigation for three allegations. The first was he presided over a landlord/tenant case without disclosing the attorney in the case had personally represented him in an unrelated matter. Second was that he became a candidate for Clarkstown town supervisor without resigning as justice. Third was that he testified falsely in a lawsuit that said he was ineligible to run for town supervisor. Public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the courts requires a judge to step aside in cases where there is a conflict, or disclose the conflict so the parties may request a new judge, commission administrator Robert Tembeckjian said. It also requires separating politics from the bench, meaning a judge must resign upon becoming a candidate for non-judicial office. And it should go without saying that, when called as a witness, a judge must testify truthfully. Ugell and his attorney Deborah Scalise released a statement that recognized Ugell's service, indicated Ugell cooperated with the commission's investigation and said his leaving the bench was consistent with his retirement plans. "Judge Ugell agreed to conclude this investigation with the understanding that the stipulation is not an admission or concession of guilt, and, in fact, includes that there was no finding of wrongdoing. He also wished to avoid the expense and inconvenience of protracted litigation," the statement said, adding that Ugell will continue to practice law, looks forward to serving his clients and participating in bar association activities in the future. Clarkstown: Appeals panel puts GOP chair on ballot for Clarkstown supervisor, overruling fraud claims Ugell: Clarkstown justice accuses judge of bias in ballot spot ruling Term limits: Clarkstown law voided by New York high court, letting Hoehmann run again Clarkstown's supervisor primary involved Earlier this month, a state appeals panel overruled a lower court ruling citing election fraud that knocked Ugell and Rockland GOP chairman Lawrence Garvey from the Republican ballot for Clarkstown town supervisor in the June 27 primary. The panel rejected Supreme Court Justice Paul Marx's ruling that Ugell was ineligible to run for supervisor as a sitting justice and said that there was a lack of evidence to show fraud had been committed. Ugell had declined the ballot spot for supervisor before the court case had been filed by two Democrats. The case had suggested that Ugell was a place-holder candidate who allowed designating petitions to place him on the ballot and then declined to allow Garvey to run. The plot suggested that the Republicans needed a candidate since another state judge ruled town supervisor George Hoehmann could not run in 2023 under Clarkstown's term-limits law. Ugell had the name recognition to get the required ballot signatures. Ugell had contended he was unaware of people getting signatures to get him on the ballot, though his wife had signed up registered Republicans. Garvey disagreed that Ugell was unaware, and also argued that Ugell was eligible to run for supervisor and didnt violate any ethical rules. The Clarkstown term limits law, which would have disqualified Hoehmann from running, was voided by the New York Court of Appeals. Ugell, who is an attorney, has been a justice on the Clarkstown Town Court since 1991. The commission was represented by Mark Levine, Jennifer Lowry and Kieran Rock. Scalise wasnt immediately available for comment Monday. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Under investigation, Clarkstown judge Scott Ugell resigns Tecumseh Fire Chief Joe Tuckey TECUMSEH The days of Joe Tuckey having to drop whatever he's doing at a moment's notice to respond to a structure fire or other emergency are about to be over. Tuckey is retiring after 37 years with the Tecumseh Fire Department, the last 30 as fire chief. His official retirement date is June 30. Tuckey began his work with the Tecumseh Fire Department in June 1986, serving first as a paid-on-call firefighter until March 1990, when he was hired by the city as a full-time firefighter/driver. In 1993, he was appointed fire chief. I watched Chief Tuckey grow in his position and he certainly played a major role in making the department what it is today. His leadership skills are second to none, Mayor Jack Baker said. Tuckey was born and raised in Tecumseh and attended Tecumseh High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1981 and served for four years. He served aboard the aircraft carrier USS America for three years as a mess management specialist working mainly in the officers mess in various roles. My first firefighting experience started in the Navy because all recruits were required to go through fire training, Tuckey said. Once on the ship, I was assigned to various damage control parties and continued to learn about fighting fires onboard the ship. Tecumseh Fire Chief Joe Tuckey examines the damage caused by a fire Thursday evening to this house on Cairns Street. Tuckey has always worked in his family business, starting at age 12, washing dishes and bussing tables on weekends at the Big Boy restaurant in Ypsilanti. When his father, Gene, opened the Big Boy in Tecumseh in 1977, he went to work there as a cook and worked there until his enlistment. I enjoy the restaurant business a lot. Its always good to see the regular customers come in, and we have made some really good friends through the business both customers and employees, Tuckey said. Upon discharge from the Navy, he went back to work in the family business at the family's restaurant in Brooklyn. He left there in 1990 when he took the full-time job with the fire department and his wife, Sherri, took over. The family just owns the Tecumseh Big Boy now. My wife and I along with my brother and his wife are the current owners of the Big Boy in Tecumseh and have been since my father passed away in 2008, Tuckey said. My wife, Sherri, is the only one of us that is currently working at the restaurant full time. I help out as she needs me around the store. The fire department currently has three full-time employees and 19 paid-on-call staffers. The full-time employees work 24-hour shifts every third day, which equates to 24 hours on and 48 hours off. During his shifts, Tuckey takes care of administrative duties and works as a firefighter, attending to things like truck checks, station cleaning, equipment and responding to all emergency calls. My philosophy as fire chief is to try to do the right thing even if it rocks the boat a little. In addition, watch out for your people and always give them credit for the work they do. They dont do it for the money, they do it to give back to their community, Tuckey said. Brian Radant, a fire captain and mayor pro tem, said Tuckey has been a great manager. In my 21 years in the fire service, I have seen many firefighters come and go. For Chief Tuckey to be in the fire service for 37 years with 30 of those as fire chief years is something he should be proud of. Chief Tuckey has done a great job in keeping the fire department up to date on all of the changes over the years. Whether it is changes in county protocols or changes in NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards, he has made sure that the fire department is up to date with all of these changes, Radant said. He wont have to leave dinner with his family when the tones go off for a structure fire anymore. Im excited for him to enjoy his retirement with his family. Tuckey has served on several boards and committees, both within the fire service and in the community: the Communities Learning Connections board, city retirement board, Lenawee County Fire Chiefs Association and its executive board, Lenawee County Emergency 911 District board and the Emergent Partners Quality Committee to name a few. Chief Tuckey has been an extremely dedicated and committed city employee, who has not only served the city in his role as fire chief, but also gave back to the community, city manager Dan Swallow said. In addition to his regular duties as chief, he always made time for public safety presentations and providing information to the community on how to keep themselves safe. He frequently made himself available to give presentations to local service organizations or in the schools. He's even found time to rekindle a musical hobby. Tuckey has played drums since grade school, but stopped playing after high school and did not really pick it up again until 25 years later when he was asked to join the TCA Big Band & VocalAires. He later joined the Jim Rice Group and has been playing with them for about 12 years. He has been playing for the TCA Big Band & VocalAires for 17 years now. The reason I enjoy playing music so much is it provides a stress relief for me and helps me to relax, Tuckey said. I enjoy the feeling of the group coming together and being so tight that the music just flows. Members of the Jim Rice Group, from left, Phil Eversden, guitar; Dana Gillen, bass guitar; Joe Tuckey, drums; and Jim Rice, saxophone, play at the May Mingle, a fundraiser for Community Learning Connections, in 2022. So why is Tuckey retiring now? I would just have to say I am turning 62 this year and while I am still able to do a majority of the work necessary for this job, it is getting harder to do the physical aspects of the job as I age, Tuckey said. My plans for retirement are yet to be determined. I will spend the summer hanging out with my family and friends and see what happens in the fall. I still want to work, but just not full time, so I am keeping my options open for now. Tuckey has been married to Sherri, his wife and best friend, for 41 years. They have a daughter, Erin, and a son, Joseph. The couple has one granddaughter named Olivia and their soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Allison. Tecumseh Fire Chief Joe Tuckey is pictured here with his granddaughter, Olivia. Tuckeys last workday will be June 14, but his official retirement day is June 30. Current assistant fire chief Scot Long will be taking over for Tuckey. Long has been with the Tecumseh Fire Department for 31 years, 27 of which have been as a full-time firefighter. Long started his career with the Tecumseh Fire Department in 1991. He was promoted to lieutenant in a couple of years and held a few different positions within the fire department before reaching the rank of first assistant chief and has held that title for approximately 20 years. Chief Tuckey has done a great job of maintaining an effective fire department in an environment that is getting increasingly difficult to navigate with the requirements put on paid-on-call staff, Long said. More: Tecumseh Assistant Fire Chief Scot Long taking over as Fire Chief Joseph Tuckey retires Tuckey started training Long in March following Longs appointment by city council. He will continue to work with him up until his last workday. Scot is one of the best fire tactics guys I know. He will have no problem making the adjustment from assistant chief to fire chief. Scot also spent five months doing the fire chief job in 2015 while I was serving as the acting city manager, Tuckey said. Tuckey has nothing but gratitude for his time with the fire department. I would like to thank all the men and women I have served with in the Tecumseh Fire Department and those I worked with all around the county. It has been an honor and privilege to serve this community and to offer those in need a helping hand when I could, Tuckey said. It has been my honor to work with several city councils and with some outstanding city managers and the absolute best co-workers within our city departments. Sherri Tuckey and the fire staff will be hosting an open house from 2 to 5 p.m. June 30 at the fire station at 101 E. Russell Road for anyone in the community who would like to attend. This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Longtime Tecumseh Fire Chief Joe Tuckey retiring June 30 Take a look at the first prison-yard photo snapped of Elizabeth Holmes after she started her 11-year sentence in Texas Elizabeth Holmes in the yard of the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas. Splash News Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes was seen in prison in Bryan, Texas, for the first time. Holmes was photographed with her hair loose, bespectacled, and wearing drab khakis in a prison yard. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison on four counts of fraud. Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has been photographed for the first time since she began her 11-year prison sentence. The photo shows Holmes dressed in a brown T-shirt and khaki-colored pants, with her hair down. Her only accessories were a blue lanyard around her neck, a simple black watch, and a pair of glasses. The photos, taken by the agency Splash News and published on June 2 by DailyMail.com, were the first glimpse of what Holmes looked like as she started her new life behind bars. Elizabeth Holmes seen the the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, after starting her sentence. Splash News On May 30, Holmes reported to the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, a minimum-security women's prison. In prison, the former healthcare mogul is expected to abide by a 6 a.m. wake-up call daily, dress in khaki clothes and dispense with any jewelry exceeding $100 in value, per an inmate admission and orientation handbook. She is set to also work in a prison job related to packing food in a factory line, which could pay as little as 12 cents per hour. Once hailed as the world's youngest self-made billionaire who yielded the power to revolutionize healthcare, Holmes' reputation crashed in 2015 after The Wall Street Journal published an expose revealing that she had been lying about the capabilities of the Theranos machines. Holmes was convicted on four counts of fraud and conspiracy in January last year. She and her ex-boyfriend Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani were ordered to pay $452 million to the victims of Theranos-related frauds. Elizabeth Holmes in San Jose, California, in November 2022 for a court appearance. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Holmes' representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside of regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider The Louisiana Senate voted Monday to pass a controversial bill to ban gender-affirming health care for transgender minors, advancing the measure even after it was defeated by a GOP-controlled state Senate committee last month. The measure, House Bill 648, seeks to bar health care providers from administering gender-affirming medical care to patients younger than 18 under the threat of having their professional licenses revoked. The bill died late last month in a state Senate committee, with Sen. Fred Mills (R) casting the deciding vote. In a rare occurrence, Louisiana senators this month voted to recommit the bill to another committee, giving it a second chance at life. House Bill 648 was passed Friday by the state Senate Judiciary A Committee, a majority Republican committee that typically debates legislation and issues pertaining to the criminal justice system. None of the committees three Democrats was present for Fridays vote, with one, state Sen. Cleo Fields of Baton Rouge, telling local media he was skipping the committee meeting because the bill is not germane to Jud A subject matter. On Monday, the bill passed the full Senate in a 29-10 vote largely along party lines. Republicans on Monday argued the measure is necessary to protect children from making medical decisions they may later regret, asserting that gender-affirming medical interventions including puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy and surgeries are experimental and harmful to long-term development. This isnt complicated. Kids should not have access to permanent medical procedures in order to affirm an identity they might outgrow, state Sen. Jeremy Stine (R) said Monday on the Senate floor. Gender-affirming health care for transgender minors and adults is supported by most major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. State Sen. Jay Morris (R) said Monday those and similar medical groups cannot be trusted because they have been infiltrated by transgender and abortion rights activists. Mills referenced a Louisiana Health Department report published last year that found no gender-affirming surgical procedures were performed on Medicaid-enrolled minors in the state between 2017 and 2021. The prescription of medications including puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy to treat gender dysphoria in minors during the same time period was also exceedingly rare, the report found. Mills said he has been attacked nationwide by hate since breaking the tie to defer the bill in last months Senate committee vote. But Im not sorry for my vote, he said. I dont care about getting reelected, I care about human dignity, state Sen. Gerald Boudreaux (D) said Monday while opposing the bill. If my vote gets me to stay home and not get reelected, so be it. I havent run from a fight my entire life. The bill now heads back to the GOP-controlled House, where it is expected to pass. It will then go to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D), who has said he opposes legislation that targets the transgender community, as well as the LGBTQ community more broadly. Members of this community believe theyre being attacked for who they are, Edwards told reporters during a press conference last month. Members of the trans community are much more likely than other young people to have suicidal ideation or attempts or to actually be successful. These kinds of bills do not tend to help with that, Edwards added, and in fact, they aggravate that situation and then cause it to be worse. Roughly half of transgender and nonbinary young people in a report released last month by The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention organization, said they had seriously considered suicide over the last year. The same report found more than 30 percent of LGBTQ youths believe laws and policies that target LGBTQ people have worsened their mental health. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A stage with a red curtain and a puff of green smoke Its not unusual to have a favorite film. But its rare to find a movieor any piece of art, reallythat you connect with so profoundly it resonates throughout your life, exerting its influence in surprising ways. Lynch/Oz examines one notable example, burrowing into the ways The Wizard of Oz has influenced the wonderful and strange career of filmmaker David Lynch. Lynch/Oz is the latest cinema-themed documentary from Alexandre O. Philippe, whose works include zombie-genre exploration Doc of the Dead and 78/52, a near-obsessive study of Psychos shower scene. Structured more as a film essay, with narration over a dizzying array of film clips, Lynch/Oz is divided into chapters with different hosts, including film critic Amy Nicholson and some of Lynchs peers: Rodney Ascher (Room 237), Karyn Kusama (Jennifers Body, Yellowjackets), Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (The Endless, Something in the Dirt), David Lowery (The Green Knight, Peter Pan & Wendy), and the great John Waters. Lynchs participation is limited to secondary material (YouTube videos, a MasterClass snippet), but his voice is well-represented thanks to extensive footage from across his body of work, including his most recent release, Twin Peaks: The Return. Read more Image: Janus Films This isnt just a random idea Philippe is chasing; any fan can tell you that 1990's Wild at Heart is full of overt Wizard of Oz references. But even beyond that film, we know Lynch has the Emerald City lodged in his brain. He doesnt go on camera and say it directly here, but in the pastincluding in front of a film festival audience, as Kusama remembers first-handhe has remarked that he thinks about Oz every day. Though it does point out how fond Lynch characters are of red shoes, and the way his sets tend to use theatrical curtains, Lynch/Oz is less interested in his use of direct homage. Instead, its more intrigued by the ways Victor Flemings 1939 classic has infiltrated the themes, character details, mise-en-scene, and moods of both dread and hope that swirl throughout his filmography. Taking the viewer on an absorbing journey, which is appropriate considering its fascination with the transportive ability of cinema, Lynch/Oz is both film history lesson and unconventional biography. It more than backs up its thesis that a movie as mainstream-beloved as The Wizard of Oz still contains enough mystery to shape the mind of the man who gave us Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway, and Twin Peaks, and whose surreal yet nostalgic style is so singular he has his own adjectiveLynchianto describe it. Like Lynchs movies, Lynch/Oz is an eye-opening experience; it encourages viewers to remain curious about what theyre watching, but also to not expect explanations for everything. That said, it does reason through the ending of Twin Peaks: The Return with mind-blowing clarity, and be aware: after Lynch/Oz, youll need to clear your schedule so that you can re-watch as much David Lynch as possible. Lynch/Oz is now playing in New York City; it expands to more cities starting June 9. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Im thinking more and more of the inheritance tax that my children will eventually pay inheritance tax - Christopher Pledger for the Telegraph The UKs main IHT tax-free allowance has gone unchanged for 14 years, dragging thousands more Britons into the taxs shadow over the past decade. The Telegraph has launched a campaign to scrap inheritance tax, taking a stand alongside some 50 MPs. Letters have flooded in from readers about the tax and the distress it has caused countless families after a loved one has passed away. Bill Parish, 75, Bromley, Kent: Im thinking more and more of the inheritance tax that my children will eventually pay Mr Parish is unhappy that the money raised by the Government via inheritance tax is spent on generous pension schemes for public sector workers. He said: I inherited my mothers house, which I rent out. It was either that, or sell it when I inherited it, but what do I do with the money? Do I invest it, or what? I decided to rent it out. But now Im coming up to the age where you could argue that Im in Gods waiting room. Im thinking more and more of the inheritance tax that my children will eventually pay. Bill Parish - Christopher Pledger for the Telegraph Youve all already paid tax on these assets. You pay tax on the purchase of the property, you pay tax on maintaining it. But unfortunately, it has to be said that a proportion of this tax has to eventually wind up supporting these ruinously expensive unfunded pensions that the public sector enjoys. Ive got a bee in my bonnet about it, as you can imagine. At last. A campaign to stop inheritance tax. In taking on the Government, The Telegraph has a hell of a fight on its hands. It has to win. Robert Jevans, 58, Warrington, Cheshire: Inheritance tax will take 44,000 off my cousins estate, plus interest Mr Jevans is currently trying to settle his late cousins estate in Londons Leytonstone, which has racked up a 44,000 inheritance tax bill. His cousin passed away back in December. Six months after the last day of the month in which someone dies, HMRC begins charging interest on an inheritance bill still owed. For those caught up in messy probate proceedings, paying interest feels inevitable. Mr Jevans is administering his cousins estate with his brother. He said: Were personally liable for the tax. I think this is unfair. We were quoted 16 weeks for the probate process, but its taking more like six to eight months. They arent thinking about the people left behind to deal with these estates. If you make mistakes, youre subject to penalties. Its a lot of pressure. Pam Ermisz, 69, Netley Abbey, Southampton: HMRC lost my probate application Ms Ermiszs brother died unmarried and without a will, leaving her his only sibling to act as executor. When she applied for Letters of Administration, Ms Ermisz said her original application was lost by HM Revenue and Customs. Ms Ermisz recalled: After eight weeks of waiting, I phoned HMRC to find out when the application would be finalised, only to be told they couldnt find it. Submitting a second application pushed Ms Ermisz back down to the bottom of the queue. This succeeded, only for the lost, original application to re-emerge afterwards. Ms Ermisz said: Im appalled at the way I have been treated by HMRC. Now, Im expected to pay more than 3,000 in interest because the payment was late. She said when she did eventually receive the Letters of Administration, it took Ms Ermisz less than 10 working days to access her brothers money and pay the IHT due. To have to pay interest for the delays caused by HMRC is an insult. At the start of this process I did pay as much of the IHT bill as I could from my own personal funds. But I could not pay it all without selling my own home, hence the need for grant on credit. Jocelyne Gardner, 78, Berkshire: I had to borrow from the bank to access my mothers estate In 1977, Ms Gardner and her late husband bought a house with her late mother. When her mother died in 2000, the couple had the house valued for probate. The probate office required a second valuation by a district valuer. After waiting several months, the district valuer confirmed the original valuation but did not tell Ms Gardner. In the meantime, her mothers share portfolio was frozen until probate was granted nearly a year later. Ms Gardner said: By the time I received it, the value had fallen by about a third. But of course I paid inheritance tax on the value at death. The bill came to 30,000. It was a massive amount to pay at the time and I had to borrow from the bank to pay it before I could access my mothers estate. It had rattled on for years, racking up interest. Now, following the death of her husband in 2015, Ms Gardner is trying to send what money she can to her daughters, both of whom live in Australia. She said: Inheritance tax is immoral and iniquitous. John Holm, 81, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk: The fruits of my fathers post-war business are at stake Mr Holms father served in the navy during the Second World War. After the war ended in 1945, he returned to his day job before starting up a sideline business egg production. During the years of rationing and food shortages, Mr Holms fathers business flourished. He recalled: He ended up with two jobs and worked very long hours. Mr Holm came into the business and on his fathers death it became his. Now, Mr Holms son works with him. Mr Holm, who has two children, grandchildren, and step-grandchildren, said: I am 82 and I am faced with providing for my family on my death. My parents helped me, I want to do the same. Throughout our two lives, no one in the family has claimed anything from the social services, and taxes have been paid. Now the time is coming when this immoral, vicious, unjust tax is going to be faced. I have been a Conservative voter all my life, but this time I will not vote at all. How has inheritance tax impacted you? Do you have a story for our campaign? Email money@telegraph.co.uk Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Man convicted of murder in SLO County burglary gone awry asks for new sentence One of the two men convicted of murder for their roles in a Los Osos home burglary gone awry is asking for a reduced sentence, court documents show. Separate juries convicted Jesse Michael Baker-Riley and Ryan James Johnson of the murder of their accomplice, Kelsy Alvarez, in 2011. The two were also found guilty of burglary charges. Baker-Riley is currently serving a prison sentence of 35 years to life at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad. Johnson was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison, but was resentenced and released from prison in July. Baker-Riley, now 49, appeared in San Luis Obispo Superior Court via Zoom on Monday. His hearing to argue for a new sentence was scheduled for July 17. Jesse Baker-Riley was convicted of murder in 2011 after a burglary gone awry in Los Osos in 2009. He is seeking a new sentence. SLO County home burglary results in shooting death In 2009, Baker-Riley and his partners conspired to burglarize the Los Osos home of Peter Davis for cash and marijuana. Baker-Riley and Alvarez broke into the home, while Johnson stayed behind at a friends house. Baker-Riley demanded money and marijuana from Davis, who had a medical marijuana prescription, and his friend, Dylan Baumann. Baker-Riley held the two at gunpoint even laughing at one point and asking whether theyd seen the movie Pulp Fiction and threatening to shoot and kill Davis and Baumann while clicking his guns safety on and off, court documents say. Davis begged Baker-Riley to spare his life, and when Baker-Riley didnt respond, court documents say, Davis thought he was going die. Thats when Davis grabbed a gun and fired shots. Three bullets struck Baker-Riley, who survived, and one struck and killed Alvarez. According to court documents, Johnson was at Janine Lindemans house during the robbery. Johnson boasted that he was running things, court documents say, and told Lindemans his homies were basically doing a home invasion with a gun. A jury convicted Baker-Riley of murder by provocation, as well as two counts of robbery and burglary in January 2011. He was sentenced to prison that May. A different jury found that Johnson conspired with Baker-Riley and Alvarez. Since he helped plan the robbery, jurors found, he was also responsible for Alvarezs death. The jury convicted Johnson of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, first-degree home burglary, being a principal in a crime involving a firearm and first-degree home robbery using a firearm. He was sentenced to 26 years to life in state prison in 2011. Davis was not charged with a crime because he acted in self-defense. Men convicted of murder seek new prison sentences Both Baker-Riley and Johnson filed petitions for new sentences in June 2019 after the California State Assembly passed Senate Bill 1437, which allowed defendants convicted of certain types of murder to vacate the conviction and obtain resentencing on remaining charges. Now-retired San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Dodie Harmon denied those petitions in 2019. She ruled the law the defendants were depending on was unconstitutional because the legislature was encroaching on the judicial branch, therefore there was a violation of separation of powers. Baker-Rily and Johnson appealed the decision, but the California 2nd District Court of Appeal affirmed the decision to deny the petition in November 2020. The appellate court said the constitutionality of SB 1437 wasnt relevant in their analysis because the crimes didnt qualify for the relief anyway. Johnson filed a new petition to be resentenced in January 2022, while Baker-Riley filed his petition in May 2022. Johnsons petition was successful. On June 15, 2022, his murder conviction and the related enhancements were overturned. His sentence was reduced to 15 years in prison. Johnson had already accrued around 24 years of confinement credits, court documents show, so he was subsequently released. Johnson had served 12 years in state prison. Baker-Riley, who has served a little more than 12 years in prison so far, is also seeking to have his sentence cut short. Sara Solis, mother of Mario Solis, speaks during a media conference to announce three federal lawsuits filed against sheriff department over jail deaths in Riverside, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. With federal lawsuits mounting against the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for a record number of deaths in its jails last year, new details about the four who died behind bars this year have been revealed. The county's five jails, which house an average daily population of about 3,700 people, saw an unprecedented surge of 18 deaths last year, with an additional death of a man who was transported to a hospital. Data reported to the state shows Sheriff Chad Bianco's department had not logged more than 12 deaths a year since 2005, the earliest year for which data is publicly available. Three federal suits were filed this week on behalf of the survivors of three men who died in the county's jails last year. Two more cases were filed this year. All of them allege the sheriff's department did not provide adequate treatment for those suffering medical emergencies in jails that are not meeting legal requirements for safety. Sheriff's department reports, state records and evidence collected by attorneys for civil suits filed this week show four have died in jail, and another in the process of arrest, in 2023. Those numbers could change, however, as the state investigates the reports. These records show that Christian Miguel Viramontes died at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside in February. The department had not publicly identified him previously. Among the cases in 2023 are: Jan. 12, 2023: Mark Spratt, 24, was found unresponsive in his cell at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta and was pronounced dead around 1:30 p.m. The department later announced that his cellmate, Micky R. Payne, was suspected of killing him and has since been charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Feb. 5, 2023: Viramontes, 26, was found unresponsive in his cell at the jail in Riverside and pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m. The department reported to the state that his cause of death remains under investigation. March 11, 2023: A man who has not been publicly identified was found unresponsive in his cell at the jail in Murrieta. He was pronounced dead at 4:48 p.m. May 22, 2023: Ruben Guzman, 41, was found unresponsive in a holding cell at the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died May 26. The department is required to report deaths in custody to the California Department of Justice within 10 days. The deaths include not only those that happen in the jail, but those that happen in the process of arrest, while in transit to the jail and at various other points of custody, like while waiting to be booked. The Desert Sun reported last year that the department failed to report several deaths in that timeline and when the department did it reported inaccurate information. The deaths have, in part, led to the California Office of Attorney General opening an investigation of the department to see if the in-custody deaths were a result of civil rights violations. Attorney Denisse GastZlum speaks to members of the media during a conference to announce three federal lawsuits filed against sheriff department over jail deaths in Riverside, Calif., Thursday, June 1, 2023. The increased scrutiny accompanying the surge of jail deaths has also revealed challenges to an accurate public understanding of the exact number of dead. For example, Sean Harris was rushed to a hospital last year after suffering an apparent overdose at the Murrieta jail, while his family was kept in the dark for days about his critical condition. He remained in poor health for weeks before his relatives ultimately paid his bail and took him home, where he died. While his medical emergency happened at the Murrieta jail, Harris' death was not reported to the state or publicly because he was technically not in the department's custody when he died. It's unclear if there are others who had medical emergencies in jail but were not in the department's custody at the time of death. An additional death occurred in a similar manner, raising last year's total to 19, though few details about it have been publicly reported. Aaron Aubrey, 28, died at a hospital on Dec. 19, 2022. The department has not identified him publicly, but later reported his identity to the state, records show. He was found unresponsive in his cell at the jail in Riverside six days before his death. Jesus Antonio Rodriguez was shot by deputies on Feb. 6, 2023, during what his family later told ABC 7 of Los Angeles was a mental health crisis. No deputies were injured during the confrontation. The department reported his in-custody death to the state as happening in the process of arrest and is still pending investigation. Christian Drye died at a hospital after being shot by Hemet police officers while they were conducting an investigation. The Los Angeles Times reported that officers entered Drye's backyard looking for a suspect and instead shot Drye who was armed. The police department did not identify Drye in its news release but did state the deceased was "later discovered to be unrelated to the initial investigation and a resident of the neighboring home." A sheriff's department deputy coroner reported Drye's death to the state on behalf of the Hemet department, saying he died at a local hospital. It's unclear, however, if Drye was in the sheriff's department's custody when he died. The department did not respond to The Desert Sun's inquiry about the 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: Riverside County man who died in jail identified as suits mount Man dies in convenience store parking lot on The Paseo after being shot in Kansas City A man died after police found him suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot of a convenience store on The Paseo, a police spokeswoman said. Police responded shortly after 9:15 a.m. Monday to reports of shots being in the 4500 block of The Paseo, said Officer Donna Drake, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department. While en route, the officers were advised that someone had been shot. Arriving officers found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the Paseo Fast Stop, Drake said. Emergency medical crews responded to the shooting and pronounced the man dead at the scene. No suspect information was available. Detectives and crime scene investigators also responded to the scene and were collecting evidence and looking for witnesses and possible video. Given this occurred on a Monday morning, investigators are hopeful there were folks in the area who may have information, Drake said. The killing is the 79th homicide in Kansas City this year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. There were 68 killings by this time last year, which ended as the second-deadliest year on record with 171 killings. In 2020, 182 lives were lost, the most homicides ever recorded. The next year was the third-deadliest year, with 157 killings in 2021. Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information provided to the TIPS Hotline that leads to an arrest in the case. Kansas City police are working with Partners for Peace in all of the citys homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents. Man dies after going into water to pull broken-down boat to shore, TN officials say A man died in a Tennessee lake after jumping into the water to pull his broken-down boat to shore, officials said. Crews responded to a call near a recreational area on Percy Priest Lake around 4 p.m. on June 4, according to a release from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The caller told officials they had seen someone go into the water, and they hadnt seen them come up from the surface or get out of the water, WKRN reported. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said officials started searching for 32-year-old Jorge Guevara Ventura of Davidson County. Officials said Ventura and another man were boating on the lake when the boat broke down. Ventura jumped into the water and tried to pull the boat, using a rope, to shore, officials said. He started to struggle and went under the water, officials said, and the other boater tried to save him but was unsuccessful. One hour after the search for Ventura began, officials transitioned the search to a recovery, WKRN reported. Officials had to temporarily suspend the search due to storms in the area, according to a tweet from the Nashville Office of Emergency Management. Ventura was found dead around 7 p.m. after the search resumed, officials said. His death marks the third body recovered from Percy Priest Lake in just two weeks. On May 26, the Office of Emergency Management tweeted they had recovered the body of a missing swimmer on the lake. Just 48 hours later, another swimmer went missing near Party Cove, the Office of Emergency Management tweeted, and their body was recovered on May 28. Five boating fatalities have been reported on Percy Priest Lake this year. A total of 12 have been reported in the state, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Percy Priest Lake is 10 miles east of downtown Nashville. 17-year-old and his uncle drown in Alabama pond after jumping in to save dog, cops say 16-year-olds drown after being swept away in rivers current, Indiana officials say 25-year-old naked man drowns trying to swim across lake after party, Illinois cops say Search pauses for camper in inflatable kayak missing a week, Colorado cops say [Source] An Indian American man died while rescuing his drowning son at Panther State Beach in Santa Cruz County, California, on May 29. What happened: Srinivasa Murthy Jonnalagadda did not know how to swim but rushed into the waters anyway to help his son after the 13-year-old boy was struck by a huge wave. With the help of a Good Samaritan, he managed to save his son, but was dragged by the riptide into deeper waters, where he drowned. The aftermath: Rescuers from multiple agencies were reportedly sent to the beach after 6 p.m. Jonnalagadda was given CPR on the shore before being airlifted to Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, where he later died. About the victim: Jonnalagadda is survived by his 13-year-old son, his wife and a 9-year-old son. A GoFundMe page organized for his family describes him as a man of action who always put his family first. More from NextShark: K-Pop Fans Troll Dallas Police App With Videos to Protect Black Lives Matter Protesters He was a man of action, always putting his family first, and a fun-loving soul with a highly positive outlook. His willingness to help others knew no boundaries and he never refused anyone needing assistance of any kind. Srinivasa and his wife were actively involved in community service and positively impacted many lives with their support and kindness. About the fundraiser: The GoFundMe page was reportedly set up to help the family with funeral costs, as well as medical bills and other unforeseen financial obligations. As of press time, the campaign has raised $166,113. Funeral details: According to an update to Jonnalagaddas fundraiser, the service will be held at Chapel of Angels in Fremont Boulevard, Fremont, from 12:30 p.m. on June 7. More from NextShark: Anonymous Letter Tells Asians to 'Go Home,' Threatens Business in Utah Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Temporarily Closed Restaurant in New Mexico Receives Negative Reviews for Blame China! Sign LA Chinese Restaurant Tests Customers for Fever Over Coronavirus Threat FARMINGTON A Shiprock man is being held after being charged by federal officials with three crimes in the wake of a violent encounter with a woman in Shiprock on May 28. Tyrell Willie, 37, a member of the Navajo Nation, faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and the use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to a news release from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. He was ordered held by a U.S. magistrate judge on June 1 after his preliminary hearing. The charges Willie faces stem from an incident that took place on May 28 when Willie drove to the Shiprock home of a woman he had met on Facebook approximately two weeks earlier. When he arrived, the woman joined him in his truck, the release states. The two had a short discussion before Willie allegedly became upset, walked to the passenger side of the vehicle and tried to throw the woman out. The woman screamed when Willie refused to let her go, at which point her son came out of the house, grabbed Willie and threw him to the ground, according to the release. The woman then exited the vehicle while Willie got to his feet, climbed back into the truck and drove away, allegedly hitting the womans fence and the fence of a neighbor in the process, the release states. Approximately a half hour later, the womans son believed he heard Willies truck returning and went outside, where he observed the vehicle pull up slowly with the lights off. The woman said she heard gunshots and her son scream. She walked outside to find her son holding his midsection, according to the release. The woman quickly was able to flag down two officers from the Navajo Police Department and tell them what had happened. The officers had received multiple calls of a truck being driven erratically and causing property damage in the area. They also had heard the gunshots and had seen Willies truck pass them as he left the scene, the release states. The womans son was taken to a hospital by one of the officers while the other pursued Willie, locating him a short while later when his truck was spotted stalled at the side of the road. When confronted by police, Willie allegedly stepped out of the vehicle holding a shotgun. He was ordered by police to drop the weapon and responded by sliding it under the truck, according to the release. Authorities said the shotgun was discovered to have been loaded with four shells. The womans son was shot once in the abdomen, according to a spokesperson for the Office of the U.S. Attorney. He remained hospitalized as of June 2. Willie faces a minimum of 10 years in prison if convicted of the three charges, the release states. The case was investigated by the FBIs Farmington office in addition to the Navajo Police Department. Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 or measterling@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e. This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Shiprock resident Tyrell Willie faces 3 charges, 10 years in prison Man getting haircut in mall is shot dead in cold blood, Texas police say A man was killed Sunday, June 4, in a Texas mall in what police are calling a targeted shooting. San Antonio Police initially received reports around 3 p.m. of an active shooter at the North Star Mall, but the investigation revealed the killing was an isolated incident, public information officer Nick Soliz said during a news briefing streamed by KSAT. Soliz said the victim was getting a haircut inside a mall barbershop. Two suspects come in and shoot him in cold blood in the middle of the day, Soliz said. At this time we have reason to believe it is in fact a targeted situation. A motive for the shooting is unclear. Police said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified by the Bexar County Medical Examiners Office as Adam Glass, 33, according to WOAI. The mall was closed for the rest of the day as part of the investigation. The suspects fled after the shooting, according to Soliz. A description of the shooters was not provided, as police said it happened very quick. Video shared on social media showed people hiding and frantically running toward mall exits. A lot of people running, a lot of people bumping each other, a lot of people falling on the floor, people dont even care to pick up those people to get out to the door, Aly Jimenez told WOAI. Whatever I see in the eyes, in the desperation of people when they get out of that door, I would like to not see that again. Bota Zhunussov, who was visiting from Kazakhstan, told the San Antonio Report that the sound of gunfire caused everyone to panic. She said her family left their purchased items in the mall. People were crying inside of the bathroom, as well, Zhunussov told the publication. Lots of screaming and crying. Everybody was hiding there. Man runs over two women, then angry mob drags him out of truck, Texas police say An angry mob beat a man accused of running over two women outside a Houston bar, Texas police told news outlets. The driver pulled into the parking lot of a bar on Houstons north side around 1:30 a.m. on June 5, police told WOAI. He came to give a man a ride, but the two men got into an argument instead, police told KPRC. The driver tried to reverse out of the lot and hit several parked vehicles in the process, then two women, police told the outlet. He continued reversing until he crashed into a utility pole, knocking out power in the area. Witnesses crowded around the truck, pulled out the driver and started beating him, WOAI reported. The crowd ran away as police arrived, though one punched an officer and was tased and arrested, police told KTRK. The driver of the truck was also taken into custody. Investigators believe the driver was intoxicated during the incident, the outlet reported. The women are hospitalized, with one in critical condition, officials told the station. The driver is in critical condition, KPRC reported. 4 killed when car swerves into group of motorcycles on highway, Missouri officials say Tourist enrages crowd by climbing stairway to gods at Mayan temple, officials say Four high schoolers killed when SUV theyre in runs red light, Illinois cops say A San Francisco man has been sentenced for causing a crash that led to the death of a Marysville woman over two years ago, the Yuba County District Attorneys Office announced. Dominik Oshay Cash received 21 years to life in prison for the incident that occurred Jan. 16, 2021, in which he ran a red light at 80 mph in Marysville and crashed into Dawn Loralee Ritter, who died on impact, the Yuba County DAs Office announced Wednesday. Cash fled California Highway Patrol officers after a traffic stop for speeding. Officers would later discover he had a 9mm handgun in the seat next to him at the time and multiple warrants for his arrest, prosecutors said.. The DAs Office said despite multiple attempts from law enforcement to stop his vehicle safely during the pursuit, he entered the intersection and struck Ritters vehicle. She was 55 years old. After the impact, the DAs Office said Cash continued to flee from law enforcement on foot but was taken into custody. Cash has a long criminal history throughout California, including high-speed chases, evasion and sex crimes, the Red Bluff Daily News reported. Several members of Ritters family spoke of her loss at the sentencing hearing, the DAs Office said. Man stole three pistols from a shop, feds say. A Gatorade bottle led to his arrest A man broke into a hardware shop in Maine and stole three pistols out of a display case, federal prosecutors said. Now, hes going to prison. After cracking open the display case with a pry bar, the man disappeared from the Pineos True Value store in Machias on Oct. 15, 2021, according to court documents from July 2022. During the investigation, a Cool Blue Gatorade bottle was found in a field next to the store, court documents show. The Gatorade bottle was tested for DNA in a state police crime lab and ultimately identified the man as the suspect resulting in his arrest on July 20, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Maine. The man, 29, of Lubec, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, the attorneys office announced in a June 5 news release. This comes after he pleaded guilty for stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, witness tampering and retaliating against a witness, officials said. McClatchy News contacted his attorney for comment on June 5 and didnt receive an immediate response. Although prosecutors have identified the man, McClatchy News isnt naming him because hes not accused of a crime causing direct physical harm. When the man learned he was a suspect in the case in July 2022, he threatened to harm a confidential source who gave law enforcement information about him, prosecutors said. Hes also accused of challenging this individual to fight him. He later asked the confidential source to testify for him in his case, according to prosecutors. The mans prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Machias is about 160 miles northeast of Augusta. Hiker found charred remains near a creek in 1970, CA cops say. Now theyre identified Lawyer accused of being serial rapist arrested after genetic genealogy tests, FBI says Unidentified sailor killed in Pearl Harbor attack finally has a name, agency says Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this article misidentified the church where Quanta Crews is a minister. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has selected Quanta Crews to fill a vacancy in the Arizona House of Representatives. The board voted 4-0 to appoint Crews, a real estate appraiser who has also worked in the property tax assessment field for various government offices. She's also a minister at the Historic Tanner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Phoenix. She holds a bachelor's degree in history and behavioral science from Grand Canyon University. Crews is no stranger to the appointment process. Last month, she was one of three candidates considered for the Senate vacancy that ultimately went to now-Sen. Flavio Bravo, D-Phoenix, who gave up his House seat in the west-central Phoenix Legislative District 26 for the move and created the vacancy filled Monday. By law, replacements must come from the same party as the person leaving a legislative seat. Crews was nominated by Supervisor Steve Gallardo, whose district includes the legislative district. He noted her array of experience and said she "has a thumb on the critical issues facing Legislative District 26 and the state of Arizona." He also noted the diversity Crews will bring to the Legislature. She will become one of two African American lawmakers and the only Black Democrat at the Capitol. "Thank you District 26 and my family and friends in the community. I am so honored and so thankful for you guys appointing me and giving me this opportunity to serve. I look forward to working with the Leg and Gov. Katie Hobbs and her staff to move Arizona forward," Crews told board members after the vote. The appointment will bring the 60-member House of Representatives back to full strength, just in time for a scheduled June 12 resumption of legislative work. County boards of supervisors, by law, are authorized to fill legislative vacancies. With this appointment, that will have happened three times in the last month. The other candidates considered by the Board of Supervisors were: Christian Solorio is a studio leader with the Architectural Resource Team and has worked on numerous affordable-housing projects in the metro area. He was appointed to the House in late 2021 to fill a vacancy but lost in a four-way primary last August for two House seats.Solorio earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from Arizona State University. Veronica Monge has worked as office manager for several legal firms, including those run by former Attorney General Terry Goddard and former Maricopa County attorney candidate Julie Gunnigle. Monge also volunteered as office manager for the Stop Dark Money campaign, one of Goddard's key projects. She is working on a bachelor's degree in criminology and criminal justice from ASU. This won't be the last legislative seat to turn over this year. House Minority Leader Andres Cano, D-Tucson, announced last month that he will resign his seat when the Legislature wraps up its regular session. Cano was accepted into the Harvard Kennedy School in Boston. His eventual departure will trigger not only another legislative replacement, but also an election among House Democrats for a new leader. Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Twitter @maryjpitzl Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Maricopa supervisors pick Quanta Crews for seat in AZ Legislature WASHINGTON The U.S. Marine Corps Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle is undergoing testing throughout this year, cementing a previously debatable requirement that senior officials now believe will be critical in Europe, the Middle East and Africa though too heavy for Pacific environs. As the Corps continues on its Force Design 2030 modernization quest, it found a requirement for littoral, multi-domain reconnaissance capabilities that our light armored reconnaissance (LAR) battalions do not currently provide, reads a Force Design annual update document, released June 5. The service has long struggled to find a replacement for the 1980s Light Armored Vehicles. In 2021 the Marine Corps awarded Textron and General Dynamics Land Systems contracts to build ARV prototypes, which were submitted in December for testing that began in January and will continue into the third quarter of the year. The Corps is also testing a BAE Systems amphibious combat vehicle outfitted with similar mission equipment as the ARV prototypes: tethered and untethered unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare systems, long-range weapons and a battle management system that allows vehicles to share information and control a wide battlespace. Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the deputy commandant for combat development and integration, told Defense News in a May 31 interview that the light armored reconnaissance community has been a focus of Force Design experimentation over the past year. The 2022 Force Design update placed great importance on reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance battles. The services analyses show that we do still have a requirement for some type of LAV thing, Heckl said. And its going to be ARV. Initially, there were thoughts that perhaps that wasnt required; it is. When you think of, from an [U.S. Africa Command], a [U.S. Central Command], a [U.S. European Command] perspective, that piece of equipment is necessary. While he said the legacy LAVs have a 25mm Bushmaster cannon and drive fast, the ARV is going to be a node, another part of that sensing ecosystem at the tactical edge that is going to connect other pieces of kill webs and command and control. Because that need is clear, Heckl said there would be no delay in evaluating the three ARV prototypes this year and making a decision about down-selecting to a single vendor though the Marine Corps has not released a timeline for when that decision might occur. But the new vehicle may not work everywhere. That is because the Marines vision of small units operating dispersed over large areas in the Pacific places a premium on light equipment, said Heckl. Any large vehicle with significant sustainment needs is probably going to be borderline more of a liability than an asset in that scenario, he told Defense News. General Dynamics Land Systems' Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle. (General Dynamics photo) Other solutions could include light and ultra-light tactical vehicles and small boats, as forces move around their operating area and increasingly rely on unmanned vehicles to spread out in all directions and help sense the area and pass targeting data to other Marine Corps or joint force units. A light reconnaissance entity in the Indo-Pacific is probably going to look dramatically different from one that would be roaming around in Northern Africa or in CENTCOMs AOR, he said. According to the 2023 Force Design update document, the current proposal for new mobile reconnaissance battalions (MRBs) would include maritime reconnaissance (waterborne) companies, light mobile companies and light armored companies, all with greater reach and lethality. To help accelerate the transition from the current LAR battalions to these MRBs, each of the three active-duty LAR battalions will experiment with designing one of the new MRB companies: 1st LAR in California will experiment with the maritime reconnaissance company design; 2nd LAR in North Carolina will experiment with the light mobile company design; and 3rd LAR in California will experiment with the light armored company design. Scott Lacy, the deputy director at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, said in the interview that this setup of concurrent experimentation, with each unit responsible for a distinct portfolio, will allow the Marines to answer its remaining questions at the fastest possible pace. 1st LAR and I Marine Expeditionary Force will experiment with small boats in support of the maritime reconnaissance company, something that that organization has already done and something the Marine Corps is familiar with from its old riverine squadrons. The Marines will also pull from lessons learned by the Navy and special operations communities, as well as allies and partners that routinely conduct small boat operations, according to Marine Corps Warfighting Lab commander Brig Gen. Kyle Ellison. This existing body of research will help point the Marines in the right direction for their light reconnaissance platforms, he said. This research and experimentation with small boats will also include the minimally manned Long-Range Unmanned Surface Vessel that will help provide multidomain reconnaissance, electronic warfare and deception, Col. Daniel Wittnam, the director of the Marine Corps Integration Division, told Defense News. Heckl acknowledged the magnitude of change the reconnaissance community would see in the coming years, not only absorbing a new vehicle type but also rethinking the mission overall. In preparing the latest annual Force Design update, he said, I thought one of the most difficult things we were going to tackle was going to be this very subject, was going to be the MRBs, because it is so broad and I believe at this point the change is going to be so dramatic. Marine Corps air-launched drone swarms The U.S. Marine Corps says the development of a new family of relatively low-cost, long-range air-launched loitering munitions, or kamikaze drones, is "critical" to its new expeditionary and distributed concepts of operations. These future Long-Range Attack Munitions, or LRAMs, would be capable of operating in fully-networks swarms and reaching target areas more than a hundred miles away after launch from Marine Corps F-35B Joint Strike Fighters, MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors, various types of helicopters, or even KC-130J Hercules tanker/transport planes. The Marine Corps provided new details about the LRAM effort at a media roundtable last Friday. The kinds of drones would offer Marines a valuable additional means of striking enemy forces and just locating and tracking threats, all at extended ranges. Depending on their exact configuration, they could perform other tasks, including electronic warfare jamming. Being able to operate in a swarm presents its own advantages, including when it comes to overwhelming enemy air defenses. The press briefing that touched on LRAM came ahead of today's release of the latest public update on the service's progress in refining and implementing its new, over-arching force restructuring and modernization plans, known collectively as Force Design 2030. Force Design 2030 is heavily focused on ensuring the Marine Corps has the necessary force structure and assets to succeed in what it calls Expeditionary Advance Base Operations (EABO), as well as in support of other joint service distributed concepts of operations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmHARAKDqgw EABO is a set of expeditionary and distributed concepts of operation that envisions relatively small groups of Marines being able to readily deploy to forward littoral locations, holding enemy forces in those areas at risk, and then being able to just as quickly redeploy to meet changing operational demands and evade enemy counter-attacks. Though EABO is not region-specific, finding new ways to effectively operate across the broad expanses of the Pacific, including in any potential high-end conflict with China, has been a clear driver behind the overall concept. "This Long-Range Attack Munition, which we're experimenting with now, and [that] we would like to bring into the force... within the next few years... is a capability that brings hundreds of kilometers [of range]," Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Stephen Lightfoot, head of the service's Capabilities Development Directorate, said at the roundtable. "That allows us to be able to use a current platform to be able to do things that we never thought that it would be able to do. And so that Long-Range Attack Munition is absolutely critical." A kilometer is roughly sixth tenths of a mile, which means that a loitering munition with a maximum range of "hundreds of kilometers" should be able to reach a target area in excess of at least a hundred miles away. Otherwise, specific details about what the Marines are looking for in their future arsenal of LRAMs are limited. During the roundtable, Brig. Gen. Lightfoot, whose career has included time as an AH-1 attack helicopter pilot, focused heavily on the added capabilities that new long-range air-launched loitering munitions would give those helicopters over existing weapons like the AGM-114 Hellfire. A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z helicopter fires a Hellfire missile during training. USMC "I'm just going to give a quick vignette here. ...the AH-1 has been shooting the Hellfire missile for decades now and that missile has the ability to reach out to about eight kilometers [just under five miles], depending on your altitude," he explained. "That's great in OIF [Operation Iraqi Freedom], OEF [Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan], and in [other] areas we've been fighting for years. But when you move over to the Indo-Pacific, and some of the distances we're talking about, that eight kilometers doesn't really do as much as you'd want to have happen." Brig. Gen. Lightfoot described LRAM as a "revolutionary capability" compared to Hellfire and one that would help extend the reach of launching aircraft, like the AH-1. This would allow those platforms to stay further away from enemy air defenses, as well, reducing their vulnerability. At the same time, Hellfire is already slated to be replaced more directly in the Marine Corps, as well as elsewhere across the U.S. military, with the new AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), which you can read more about here. The service has also previously made clear that its vision for LRAM is much more expansive than supplanting just one existing weapon on the AH-1. A Marine AH-1Z fires an AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile during a test. USMC "With the support of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineerings Joint Capability Technology Demonstration office, we will begin the Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) project, to rapidly develop and field a low-cost, air launched, family of loitering and swarming munitions," Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger wrote in prepared remarks for a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee back in March. "The LRAM can be employed by not just H-1s [AH-1Z attack helicopters and UH-1Y armed utility helicopters] and F-35s, but also palletized and employed from MV-22s, CH-53Ks, and C-130s, thereby significantly expanding our magazine depth." The basic benefits of enabling various Marine Corps aircraft to launch volleys of long-range strike munitions, potentially against multiple targets from multiple vectors, are obvious. Some of the inherent benefits of a large fully-networked swarm involve being able to overwhelm or otherwise confuse defenders, and getting them to employ likely limited resources in suboptimal ways as a result. Employing swarms of loitering munitions, which by design occupy a space between more traditional missiles and drones, adds additional capabilities to the mix. Many loitering munition designs have a direct operator-in-the-loop control systems that include sensor feeds that are running right up until the moment of impact. This generally allows for fine course corrections in the terminal phase of flight, which improve accuracy, as well as the ability to wave off a strike should circumstances change, such as the sudden appearance of innocent bystanders. The video below from Israeli firm UVision highlights the various general capabilities that loitering munitions offer as compared to traditional missiles and drones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjFvYqJwaFA In addition, this means that loitering munitions have secondary intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. As such, a swarm of kamikaze drones can be employed to quickly search for threats across a broad area, provide overwatch or otherwise monitor enemy activities in a particular zone, or just provide general added situational awareness, all before actually striking a target. Some designs can even be recovered and refurbished for reuse after a sortie where they don't end up carrying out a strike at all. Loitering munitions can generally be directed to strike static targets based on specific GPS coordinates. Automated target recognition capabilities might also allow for the engagement of very specific types of targets in a specific geographical area without any need for input from a human operator. This could all be especially relevant for employing LRAMs against targets out to their maximum ranges or otherwise in denied areas where it could be difficult, if not impossible for Marine Corps assets to exercise direct control. Networking together different variants of a single loitering munition design, or multiple types of kamikaze drones, with different capabilities gives the entire swarm more flexibility. Individual drones could carry different kinds of sensors or other payloads, including warheads optimized for different target sets or electronic warfare packages. Linked together as a single entity where targeting and other data are fused together, the different drones in a single swarm would not all need to be able to perform all functions equally well, either. This, in turn, can help keep the designs simpler and reduce their unit costs. "And it's [LRAM] going to help not only in the air... again, as a pilot, I will tell you that aviation platforms as a whole are fantastic when they are airborne. But they're not always airborne, and they can't always be airborne," Brig. Gen. Lightfoot added during the roundtable last week. "So we need to bring that Long-Range Attack Munition also to the ground side, so that it can fire from the ground so it's ready 24/7 [and] not just simply on an air vehicle." This speaks to other potential benefits of long-range loitering munitions, as well as questions about how they might be employed. The Marine Corps has already conducted at least one test involving a UVision Hero-400 loitering munition that saw control of the drone passed from personnel at a ground-based launch site to others flying in a UH-1Y Venom helicopter and then to individuals riding in an unspecified watercraft. You can read more about this event in detail here. A UVision Hero-400 loitering munition on a trailer-mounted catapult launch system during a Marine Corps test in 2022. USMC It might be possible to pass off control of an entire swarm in similar ways, or it could be controlled from virtually anywhere via beyond-line-of-sight data links, and this all creates additional layers of flexibility. It could expand the magazine depth of aircraft or ships operating forward that have expended all of the munitions they might have been carrying themselves. Those assets might not be loaded with the most optimal munitions for the target set in question, either. Furthermore, groups of personnel on the ground operation could take over a swarm, or portions thereof, to help scout ahead and/or strike threats. Later in the roundtable, the Brig. Gen. Lightfoot highlighted that LRAMs are set to be part of a broader future Marine Corps strike ecosystem. This will include multiple tiers of shorter-range, lower-end loitering munitions, such as ones capable of being fired from vehicles and small drone boats, and more traditional ground-launched Naval Strike Missiles and Maritime Strike Tomahawks. The latter two missiles are primarily stand-off anti-ship weapons, but are also capable of striking targets on land. A prototype Marine Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel (LRUSV) with a modular launcher for firing loitering munitions. USMC A Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) prototype seen during an exercise in 2021. NMESIS is a ground-based launcher for the Naval Strike Missile that is mounted on an uncrewed vehicle derived from the 4x4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). USMC This is all in line with the Marine Corps' broader vision for how it expects to fight in the future. "Adversaries present new operational and tactical problems that disrupt our current military efforts. Lethal, low-cost, highly proliferated technology provides a reverse offset that can potentially generate an outsized warfighting advantage," the Marine Corps' new Force Design 2030 update says, speaking about the service's modernization efforts generally. "Simply put, platforms that cost thousands of dollars can defeat platforms that cost millions of dollars. As demonstrated in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and presently in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, UAS [uncrewed aerial systems] platforms and loitering munitions routinely defeat armor and fighting positions with top-down attacks. To succeed in future conflict, the Marine Corps must find ways to operate in contested areas in a cost-effective, risk-worthy manner, while placing adversary capabilities at risk." The Marine Corps is hardly alone in its view of the importance of developing and fielding loitering munitions and swarming capabilities with a particular eye toward future high-end conflicts. The U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Army all have multiple relevant projects in progress that we know of and are very likely pursuing other similar efforts, or at least relevant technologies, in the classified realm. What we know of the Marine Corps LRAM project now is especially similar in many respects to the Army's Air-Launched Effects (ALE) program, which is also seeking to acquire multiple tiers of air-launched drones, including ones capable of functioning as loitering munitions. The Army has been looking at options for employing its ALEs from a wide array of aerial platforms, including crewed helicopters, drones, and even high-altitude balloons, and has been increasingly looking at ways to deploy them from the ground. Last year, the Army conducted a test involving 28 drones, which had been launched from aircraft and ground platforms, working together as a swarm to perform ISR and other missions as part of a larger exercise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpnGE2CCx2w Gen. Berger's specific mention of palletized LRAMs launched from helicopters and aircraft, including KC-130Js, is also interesting in light of the U.S. Air Force's Rapid Dragon program. Rapid Dragon is a modular palletized munitions system that can be employed by various cargo planes, including variants of the C-130, to deploy cruise missiles and other payloads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d-lQ5dUh8c Many U.S. allies and partners are coming to the same conclusions about the value of these kinds of capabilities, as well. In April, members of the U.S., British, and Australian armed forces joined together on a demonstration that involved swarms of drones and uncrewed ground vehicles searching for and tracking mock enemy targets with high degrees of autonomy. That test, which had a heavy focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning, also involved sending targeting software updates to drones in flight. All of this points to the potential for collaboration between the Marines, other U.S. service branches, and foreign allies and partners in developing things like the LRAMs. Direct collaboration on these projects, or at least close coordination, could provide operational benefits, too, like different parties being able to readily exchange control of their respective drones during future joint service and coalition operations. The Air Force and the Navy are already working together on this level of interoperability with regard to their future loyal wingman-type drones. Adversaries and potential adversaries are taking notice, too. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is already beginning to field its own versions of these capabilities, at least to some degree. Multiple wargames conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Air Force, as well as by independent think tanks and other organizations, have routinely shown that swarms of low-cost drones, including ones able to perform as loiter munitions, could be game-changing in a scenario involving a Chinese military intervention against Taiwan. All told, while details about the Marine Corps' LRAM ambitions are still limited, it's not surprising that the service sees acquiring these loitering munitions as essential for future operations. Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com (Getty Images) A Black woman confronted Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) for saying that she felt threatened by Rep Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) after he approached her on the steps of the US Capitol last month. A video of the town hall meeting showed the confrontation. Last month, Mr Bowman, who is Black, and Ms Greene had a confrontation on the US Capitol steps. In a subsequent press conference, she accused Mr Bowman of leading the mob against her and said I am concerned. I feel threatened by him. In response, during a town hall, a woman asked Ms Greene if she knew about Emmett Till, who in 1955 was killed and mutilated after a white woman named Carolyn Dunham accused him of harassing her. He was killed in a horrible, horrible way, Ms Greene said. Thats my understanding. And I think it was horrific what happened to him. Tills mother Mamie Till notably kept an open casket for her sons funeral so the world could see how brutally maimed he was. The woman then responded by asking who Carolyn Dunham was. You had no business saying, Oh, hes so big, oh, I feel so, like hes going to hurt me, the woman said. Thats the same thing Carolyn Dunham said that got Emmett Till killed and that was reckless. And you did a reckless thing. And if anything happens to Jamaal Bowman, its going to be on your hands. In response, Ms Greene asked the woman if she had seen when Mr Bowman stood outside her car and brought a crowd around the vehicle when she was in New York City during former president Donald Trumps arraignment. You were not in New York City when that happened, Ms Greene said. Ms Greene said security had to put her in a car and said Mr Bowman accused her of being a white supremacist. That is insulting to me, she said. That is a horrible thing to say to me. It is derogatory and its wrong. Ms Greene denied that her attacks were about race and said that she has a right to feel threatened by a man who is bigger than her and is yelling at her. This is not about skin colour, she said. This is about respect Marjorie Taylor Greene slams Steve Bannon after he calls for primary challenge, saying she's 'done' with him in fiery texts to Matt Gaetz Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Capitol Hill on November 10, 2022. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the controversial House Republican from Georgia, blasted Steve Bannon and other far-right figures in a series of messages to Rep. Matt Gaetz, according to texts obtained by The Daily Beast. Greene texted Gaetz she is "done" with Steve Bannon, the former Trump advisor who now hosts the "War Room" podcast, after he and others criticized her for supporting House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and voting to raise the debt ceiling. "Steve and I aren't patching things up," Greene texted to Gaetz, per the Daily Beast. "And if he keeps coming after me, I'll take the house and kids." She added, "I hope you'll pass this along to Steve. Because I'm over it." Greene has taken increasing amount of flak from the far right as she's gotten tighter with leadership. She used to be an outsider who voted against McCarthy for Speaker and lost her committee spots due to past comments supporting conspiracy theories. This year, she backed McCarthy, got her committee roles back, and voted for the debt ceiling bill. Greene has also sparred recently with some members of the House Freedom Caucus. She got into a Twitter tiff with Rep. Chip Roy over the debt ceiling vote. Rep. Lauren Boebert and Greene were former allies but reportedly had "nearly a screaming match" in a bathroom shortly before a floor vote in January. Her shift towards the GOP establishment has put her in the crosshairs of far-right figures who used to be her fellow travelers. Bannon called for someone to primary her with a "real MAGA" candidate. Laura Loomer, a fringe activist Greene warned Donald Trump not to hire, told The Daily Beast she's thinking about running against Greene, even though she doesn't live in Georgia. "She took a job from me when she publicly accused me of being crazy," Loomer said to The Daily Beast. "I think it's only fair that I get a shot at taking her job, too." Greene seems ready for a fight. She told Gaetz her town hall got "standing ovations" and that "Steve, Loomer, and anyone else coming after me won't beat me." She said cutting "toxic and bad people" out of her life "makes me feel good." A source close to Greene told the Daily Beast that Loomer's potential challenge is "a waste of time," saying, "if Loomer thinks anyone cares about that debt ceiling vote, she's in for a long, hot summer campaigning in northwest Georgia." When reached for comment, Rep. Gaetz said, "I fully support Marjorie Taylor Greene's re-election and am eager to campaign alongside her. The calls to primary her are silly and counterproductive." Greene did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. Read the original article on Business Insider Police in Maryland are accusing a mother of killing a grandmother and then trying to hide the remains with the help of her own 19-year-old daughter. Candace Craig, 44, and Salia Hardy are facing charges following the death of 71-year-old Margaret Craig inside a home in Landover in late May, according to the Prince George's County Police Department. Police say on June 2, officers responded to a home for a welfare check after a "911 caller advised he had not communicated with Margaret Craig for several days and was worried for her welfare." "Candace Craig answered the door and allowed patrol officers access to the home to search for Margaret Craig. When the officers entered the basement, they immediately smelled the odor of decomposition," the Prince George's County Police Department said in a statement. FIVE SUSPECTED MS-13 GANG MEMBERS IN US ILLEGALLY CHARGED WITH MURDER IN DEATH OF MARYLAND 15-YEAR-OLD "Based on additional evidence gathered at the home, as well as multiple interviews, the preliminary investigation suggests Candace Craig murdered her mother on May 23, 2023," the statement continued. "The following day, Hardy helped her mother attempt to dispose of the remains." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP The motive for the killing is unclear and "remains under investigation," police say. "The detectives of the Homicide Unit will ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and that both suspects are held accountable for their cruel and criminal behavior," said Major David Blazer, the commander of the departments major crimes division. Candace Craig is facing charges of first and second-degree murder, while Hardy is charged with accessory after the fact. GRANDMOTHER CHARGED WITH MURDER IN BEATING DEATH OF 8-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER: POLICE Both women are currently in custody. "The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will confirm the victims identity and attempt to identify the cause of death," police also said. The killing comes months after a grandmother in North Carolina was charged with murder after allegedly beating her 8-year-old granddaughter to death. In that case, deputies with the Nash County Sheriff's Office were called to a hospital in February after a juvenile was taken into the emergency room with severe injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival. Investigators determined the girl was beaten so severely by her grandmother that she died from her injuries. She and several other siblings lived with the grandmother, who was their legal guardian. The grandmother, identified as 72-year-old Patricia Ann Ricks, made no statement after being transported to the sheriff's office. She was charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse with serious injury. Fox News Pilar Arias contributed to this report. The Russian occupiers sent an ambulance to the scene of the explosion He said the occupied city had also witnessed the operation of Russian military air defense systems. The operation of the air defense systems was observed directly from the residential area on the right bank of the Kalmius River, opposite Azovstal. Thats just the beginning, Andriushchenko said. Following the explosion, ambulances were promptly dispatched to the affected area, he said. Read also: Russia offers to evacuate civilians in Mariupol, city council says A series of explosions have been reported behind Russian lines in occupied parts of Ukraine over the past few days. Notably, the town of Berdyansk, on the cost to the south-east of Mariupol, saw some six explosions hit the towns port area, and air defenses were active. There has been speculation that the town may have been hit with Storm Shadow cruise missiles and Tochka-U ballistic missiles, but the occupation authorities have not confirmed this. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian occupiers have relentlessly shelled Mariupol. The city had been under blockade from March 1 until May 20. On May 20, the garrison defending Azovstal received orders to cease defense after successfully repelling an offensive by a group of 20,000 Russian troops. Read also: Invaders evacuate their dead and wounded from Mariupol throughout the night, says mayors advisor The devastation inflicted upon Mariupol is immense, with the city being 95% destroyed, according to Ukrainian authorities. The full restoration of the city is estimated to take approximately 20 years. The number of casualties resulting from Russian aggression in Mariupol could potentially reach tens of thousands. Amid reports of an imminent counter-offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russian forces are bolstering their presence in Mariupol. City authorities have declared that Russian invaders are preparing for a significant battle to maintain control over the occupied city. 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 Hello and welcome back to Max Q! In this issue: Pixxel's new investor Mission delays for Boeing, Rocket Lab News from SpaceX and more Hyperspectral imagery startup Pixxel has closed $36 million in funding as it prepares to roll out new remote sensing and analytics capabilities to customers. The LA- and Bangalore-based startup also scored a new strategic investor: Google, the tech giant thats as well known for its mapping products as it is for its search engine. While Google led the Series B funding round, this does not mark the start of its relationship with Pixxel, CEO Awais Ahmed said in a recent interview. We were already working with them as a client before this, he explained, with an AI research team from Google employing Pixxels hyperspectral data in agricultural applications. Google also rolled out its Earth Engine last year, a powerful tool that gives governments and businesses access to a massive trove of Earth observation data from hundreds of sensors in orbit. Many of Pixxels users separately use Earth Engine, Ahmed said, and the ultimate goal is to integrate the startups data onto that service. Monochrome image on left and hyperspectral image on right of a satellite view of mountains. Image Credits: Pixxel Boeing and NASA said that the first crewed flight test of the Starliner capsule would be further delayed due to a new crop of technical issues with the spacecraft. The first crewed mission was scheduled to fly two NASA astronauts on July 21 after being pushed back from an earlier April launch date. Officials did not provide a new launch date during a media briefing, though Boeings VP of commercial crew, Mark Nappi, said leadership would spend the next week or so figuring out a plan to ensure the capsule is safe for flight. The bottom line here is: safety is always our top priority, a Boeing official said. Its always been that way with human spaceflight. And so thats what drives this decision. You can say were disappointed because it means a delay, but the team is proud that were making the right choices. Image Credits: United Launch Alliance More news from TC and beyond Axiom Space's second private mission to the International Space Station concluded with a successful splashdown late on May 30. (TechCrunch) China aims to land taikonauts on the moon before 2030. Meanwhile, the country is also at work developing its answer to Starlink. (SpaceNews/SpaceNews) The European Space Agency is inviting commercial companies to submit proposals for cargo transportation services to and from the ISS. (ESA) Hubble Network raised $20 million to build out its satellite network that any Bluetooth-enabled device will be able to connect to. (TechCrunch) Rocket Factory Augsburg conducted a full-duration hot fire test of its upper stage for 280 seconds, a first for an EU-based company. (RFA) Rocket Lab's private mission to Venus has slipped to January 2025 after the company missed the launch window last month. (TechCrunch) Sierra Space powered up its Dream Chaser spaceplane for the first time. (Sierra Space) SpaceX's role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is not over yet, with the Pentagon ordering more Starlink terminals to go to Ukrainian troops. (TechCrunch) Max Q is brought to you by me, Aria Alamalhodaei. If you enjoy reading Max Q, consider forwarding it to a friend. One person is recovering in the hospital after being stabbed in north Charlotte on Sunday, according to MEDIC. The incident happened just before 9 a.m. on Sunday morning on Statesville Avenue, MEDIC says. ALSO READ: Passenger stabbed on CATS streetcar; arrest made, CMPD says MEDIC took one person to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Channel 9 has reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for more information about what led up to the incident. This is a developing story; check back at wsoctv.com for updates. (WATCH BELOW: 13-year-old girl accused of stabbing Gastonia firefighter) The top enlisted Marine at Marine Corps Forces Reserve and Marine Corps Forces South will assume the role of sergeant major of the entire Marine Corps on Aug. 8, according to the Marine Corps. Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz will replace Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, who has been in that job since 2019, according to a Monday Marine Corps press release. Ruizs role will be to advocate for enlisted Marines and serve as an adviser to the commandant the top Marine leader. My wife and I are truly humbled, honored, and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the next sergeant major of the Marine Corps, Ruiz said in an emailed statement to Marine Corps Times on Wednesday. Almost 30 years ago my recruiter cracked the door open for me to walk through and along the way Marines of all ranks and experiences took the time to teach and mentor me. Im sure they are exhausted! Ruiz particularly thanked Black and his wife, retired 1st Sgt. Stacie Black, for their incredible work, passion, and vision. Black told Marine Corps Times on Monday, As sergeant major of the Marine Corps, he will lead our Marines to the next level. Hes a Marine who will provide leadership, guidance, care and advocacy for all Marines and their families. Bidens pick to lead the Marine Corps helped design its new vision On May 30, President Joe Biden nominated Gen. Eric Smith to become the next commandant beginning in July. Smiths confirmation may be held up by the blockage of senior military nominees by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, in protest of the Pentagons abortion policy. A Phoenix native, Ruiz enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1993, according to the press release. It took Ruiz multiple attempts to join the Marine Corps because he could not speak English, Lt. Gen. David Bellon, commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Corps Forces South, noted on LinkedIn on Monday. He never quit, Bellon wrote. He has not quit since. After starting out as a warehouse clerk, Ruiz became an enlisted leader at units across the Corps, according to the release. He also has served as a recruiter and drill instructor, as well as a chief instructor of drill instructors. Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz has been selected to serve as the 20th sergeant major of the Marine Corps. (Marine Corps) He has deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, according to the release. Ruizs awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star, and Combat Action Ribbon with one gold star, according to his official biography. Ruiz was selected in December 2022 to be the senior enlisted leader of U.S. Space Command and had planned to start that role June 30, according to Marine spokesman Lt. Col. Craig Thomas. But then Ruiz got chosen as sergeant major of the Marine Corps, meaning that Space Command will now have to find a different senior enlisted leader. In 2013, when Ruiz was taking over as the senior enlisted leader for 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, he said, My plan for this battalion is the same as it has been for every battalion Ive been with. Im going to take care of my Marines and push them to maintain the standard set down for them, and uphold their high level of discipline. While SgtMaj Ruiz loves being a Marine, he loves Marines even more, Bellon wrote Monday on LinkedIn. He is a warrior of the first order and has proved that many times over. Sergeants major of the Marine Corps typically serve four-year terms, at the pleasure of the commandant, according to the news release. I will be forever grateful to every Marine I have ever served with, Ruiz said in his statement. Its in large part because of their sacrifice and effort that I find myself here today. Editors note: This story has been updated with additional comments about and by Sgt. Maj. Ruiz and more information about his planned move to U.S. Space Command. A member of Putin's NATO equivalent said it is 'not Russia's ally' in the fight against Ukraine, further splintering the alliance Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Saint Petersburg, Russia December 27, 2022. Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Kremlin via REUTERS Armenia, a member of the CSTO, said it is "not Russia's ally in the war with Ukraine." The CSTO is Russia's equivalent of NATO, but members have snubbed Putin since its invasion of Ukraine. Experts say the alliance is crumbling as Russia's invasion exacerbated existing tensions. A member of the alliance that is seen as Russia's equivalent of NATO said it is "not Russia's ally" when it comes to the war in Ukraine, in yet another fracturing of the group. "We are not Russia's ally in the war with Ukraine. And our feeling from that war, from that conflict, is anxiety because it directly affects all our relationships," Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said, according to Reuters' translation of his comments, made to Czech news outlet CNN Prima News. Pashinyan also said that Armenia felt trapped in the middle between Russia and the West, which is strongly backing Ukraine. "In the West they notice that we are Russia's ally ... in Russia they see that we are not their ally in the Ukraine war, and it turns out that we are not anyone's ally in this situation, which means that we are vulnerable," Pashinyan added. Armenia is a member of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), alongside Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. All were once part of the Soviet Union, and are considered some of Russia's closest allies, particularly as they have close cultural and economic ties to Russia. But Armenia and other CSTO countries have snubbed Russia and President Vladimir Putin multiple times since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, something that experts told Insider suggests the alliance is crumbling. Some of those snubs directly related to the Ukraine war, including Kazakhstan denying Russia's request to send troops when the invasion began. Pashinyan has also previously criticized the effectiveness of the CSTO to Putin's face, and he physically distanced himself from Putin in November at a group photo. Part of his unhappiness stems from Armenia's conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan, which is not a member of the CSTO. Armenia asked the CSTO for help during border clashes in September, but the alliance only sent its secretary-general and offered to form a working group rather than engaging in a military response. Pashinyan called the alliance's response "depressing" and said it was "hugely damaging to the CSTO's image both in our country and abroad." Experts told Insider earlier this year that Russia's invasion of Ukraine had exacerbated tensions that had existed before the war started, and that Armenia was now likely questioning its membership of the alliance. While the CSTO has an equivalent to the collective defense policy of NATO, where if one member is attacked it's as if all members are, experts told Insider that the actions of Russia in relation to Armenia casts doubt on whether its policy really works. In response to Pashinyan's latest comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was paying attention to the "important statement," according to Reuters. "We know that there are certain nuances in Armenia's approach to the conflict over Ukraine," he added. "We take them into account, we know them, but at the same time we continue to develop our allied relations with Armenia." Read the original article on Business Insider Delfina Gomez, the candidate of Mexico's ruling Morena party, votes on the outskirts of the capital Mexico City The once-dominant PRI conceded defeat on Sunday to Mexico's ruling party in a key state election seen as a prelude to next year's presidential vote. A total of 12.6 million people were eligible to vote for the governor of the State of Mexico, a region on the outskirts of the capital which encapsulates all the contrasts of the country, from economic dynamism to criminal violence. The Institutional Revolutionary Party, the country's main opposition party, has seen its influence wane as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's left-wing Movement for National Regeneration (Morena) makes gains. The PRI's candidate recognized on Sunday the "triumph" of Morena's candidate, Delfina Gomez, after the electoral commission released preliminary results. With 88.1 percent of votes counted, Gomez had a nine percent lead over her PRI rival. Former teacher Gomez thanked her voters who "made this victory possible". Gomez's bid has been boosted by the popularity of Obrador, in office since December 2018. The PRI, which held power from 1930 to 2000, and then again between 2012 and 2018, had been described in the past as a "perfect dictatorship" by Nobel Prize in Literature winner Mario Vargas Llosa. A loss in the State of Mexico would deny PRI its historical bastion. "I hope it will be a beautiful day for the Mexiconses," the term for inhabitants of the state, said Gomez as she cast her ballot. Despite approval ratings of around 60 percent, the constitution requires Obrador to step down in 2024 at the end of a single six-year mandate, leaving his political allies jostling to replace him. Morena already governs 22 of the country's 32 states, either alone or with its allies. - Microcosm for Mexico - Many residents of the State of Mexico, the country's most populous, lack basic services, even as they live alongside wealthy areas peppered with luxurious homes in a stark illustration of the country's inequalities. Home to the Teotihuacan pyramids, the state is also a hub for industrial giants such as Nestle and Ford. Its economy represents 9.1 percent of the nation's GDP. The State of Mexico is one of the country's most violent regions. More than 900 murders were registered in the region between January and April of this year, out of a total of around 9,900 nationwide. With 17 million residents -- more than Belgium, Switzerland, and many other European countries -- the State of Mexico is a "mini-Mexican Republic," according to the political scientist Miguel Tovar from Alterpraxis. jla/dhw/ser By Dave Graham MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico's ruling party comfortably captured a major historic stronghold of the opposition in an election on Sunday, consolidating President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's hold on power ahead of the battle to succeed him next year. Lopez Obrador's leftist National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) won the State of Mexico gubernatorial contest by more than 8 percentage points, according to preliminary results from the state's electoral institute. The victory adds Mexico's most populous region to the 21 other states MORENA already controls, now more than two-thirds of the total. Another state is governed by a group allied to MORENA, giving the party a huge power base heading into the presidential elections due to be held on June 2, 2024. Sunday's result also consigned Mexico's erstwhile political powerhouse, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), to a new nadir, marking another milestone in its replacement by MORENA as the country's establishment party. The centrist PRI has governed the State of Mexico since 1929, the date from which it began its long domination of Mexico. Over time, it became a byword for corruption for many Mexicans. Defeated for the presidency in 2000, it bounced back in 2012 but was drubbed by Lopez Obrador six years later. "We defeated corruption and neglect," MORENA's triumphant candidate Delfina Gomez told cheering supporters after the vote, hailing the PRI's ouster. "For the first time, we'll have a government serving those who are most vulnerable." Gomez, who narrowly lost the previous state election, will be the State of Mexico's first female governor. With virtually all returns in from polling stations, Gomez had 52.7% of the vote. Her rival, Alejandra del Moral, a PRI politician heading a coalition of opposition parties, had 44.3%. There was, however, also a warning for MORENA on Sunday. In a separate gubernatorial vote in the northern border state of Coahuila, a PRI-led alliance crushed MORENA after the president's party descended into infighting, giving rise to rival candidates. The PRI has yet to be defeated in Coahuila. The margin of victory in Coahuila, a state with less than one fifth of the State of Mexico's population, meant the two main opposition candidates secured nearly as many votes as MORENA did on Sunday. National leaders of the opposition alliance - the PRI, the center-right National Action Party (PAN) and center-left Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) - on Monday said they planned to field a joint candidate in the 2024 presidential election. Lopez Obrador has instructed his party to stay united going into the presidential campaign, turning on former colleagues who have broken with MORENA. He has dominated Mexico's politics since taking office in December 2018, and his popularity, holding firm around 60%, has helped make MORENA a redoubtable electoral machine. Under Mexican law, presidents may serve only one six-year term. Still, his abrasive rhetoric, which has pitted the state against private enterprise, and fueled conflict with checks on his power such as the judiciary, has polarized voters. Mexico City's mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, has had the edge in most polling for the race to be MORENA's presidential candidate, closely followed by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard. Sheinbaum, like Gomez, is closely identified with Lopez Obrador and his policies, and some analysts say a clear MORENA win in the state augurs well for her hopes for the presidency. Soon after voting ended, Sheinbaum posted a smiling picture of herself on Twitter with Gomez, celebrating her victory. (Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Gerry Doyle) Miami Beach officials have agreed to pay $1.3 million to settle a lawsuit by an Orthodox Jewish congregation that was set to go to trial Monday. The deal resolves Congregation Bais Yeshaya DKerestirs claims of code enforcement harassment and First Amendment violations by the city. And it resolves the citys counterclaim that the property at 3401 Prairie Ave., a single-family home zoned for residential use, is being illegally used as a religious institution. The settlement will go to the city commission for final approval later this month. Even if we had gone to trial and won, it wouldnt have felt like we had won anything, Mayor Dan Gelber said. Ultimately, we do support the celebration of faith in our community. Prior to the agreement, which was struck Friday, the city had spent approximately $1.7 million on legal fees for the case meaning the overall cost of the litigation to taxpayers could exceed $3 million. Activity at the property has drawn complaints from neighbors who say people park in the swale area outside the home and make noise early each morning. According to court filings, the city installed a surveillance camera to monitor the property and sent officials there 126 times in about two years. Under the terms of the settlement, the congregation must limit the number of cars parked in the swale along 34th Street and Prairie Avenue, according to a person familiar with the agreement. The congregation also agreed to improve the condition of its driveway and the swale area and to not use outdoor speakers for prayer activities. The city agreed to a unique process for any future code violations at the property, under which the city and the congregation will jointly select a special magistrate to review whether the city has probable cause to proceed. The congregation also pledged not to seek a religious tax exemption at the property in the future. The home received a nearly $1.6 million exemption in 2022, Miami-Dade property records show. Representatives for the congregation could not immediately be reached for comment. Miami Beach City Attorney Rafael Paz declined to comment, citing the pending commission vote. The congregation still has open building code cases that were not resolved by the settlement, according to the person familiar with the deal. In July 2021, city officials found that the homes ceiling had collapsed and said the building should not be occupied. Private prayer or religious institution? People pray at the home daily, including for a minyan that requires at least 10 Jewish men to be present, according to the congregation. The congregation and its rabbi, Arie Wohl, argued that those prayer sessions which sometimes include dozens of people, according to the city are invitation-only and therefore constitute private prayer. Just as any homeowner may invite friends for a Cub Scout meeting or a book club, Plaintiff and the full-time resident invite friends and family to join them for private prayer in their home, the federal lawsuit says. But the city says activity at the home went beyond private prayer. Code enforcement officers, using body-worn cameras, said they found evidence the house was operating as a synagogue, including an industrial-size coffee urn, a community bulletin board and benches for up to 30 people. We respectfully disagree with the premise that the city discriminates against any person or religion, simply because the city enforces the city code, Paz told Axios earlier this year. In a second lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, the congregation claimed that Gelber directed the citys code enforcement actions, which ramped up during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit suggested Gelber, who is Jewish, should be removed from office for religious discrimination against residents. Gelber has denied directing the enforcement actions. Fridays settlement also resolves the Circuit Court case. A complete fiasco Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola has criticized the citys handling of the matter, telling the Miami Herald in a text message last week that city officials should have just worked cooperatively with them to come to an agreement, rather than conducting surveillance and issuing code violations that provoked the situation. Its a complete fiasco, he said. Disputes at the property date back to the 1980s, when the city cracked down on its use as a small synagogue and a rabbi sued the city unsuccessfully. The property was sold to another entity in 2012 and used as a school, dormitory and gift shop under a different rabbi, according to court filings. In 2020, the Bais Yeshaya DKerestir congregation bought the four-bedroom property for $1.2 million as a home for its rabbi, Wohl. The city now has 45 days to get commission approval of the settlement. A vote is expected at a June 28 meeting. Miami Zoning Director Daniel Goldberg remembers the exact moment the mayors office reached out about a proposed $70 million Coconut Grove real estate development that he had repeatedly rejected an intervention that ultimately helped break a permitting logjam for a developer privately paying Mayor Francis Suarez as a high-priced consultant. In an exclusive interview with the Miami Herald, Goldberg said he was walking into a Flanigans restaurant in early October last year when he got the call from Lazaro Quintero, director of constituent affairs for the mayor. Can you try to work with them? Goldberg remembers Quintero asking over the phone. Goldberg had heard from Quintero before on behalf of developers. But what he said he didnt know when the mayors staffer asked him to reconsider a zoning restriction threatening developer Rishi Kapoors Miami project with a costly redesign was that Kapoor was paying the mayor $10,000 a month. Please thank the Mayor for his support and assistance, Kapoor wrote in an Oct. 11 email to Quintero after the aide interceded in the zoning process. Goldberg was copied on the email thread. Within weeks of being nudged by the mayors office, city records show Goldberg single-handedly overrode the zoning hurdle that had delayed construction on Kapoors URBIN development for months. Goldberg called it a unique situation, but told the Herald it was new information, not preferential treatment, that changed his mind. Goldbergs account, along with city emails obtained by the Herald, provides the strongest indication yet that Suarezs public office was used to benefit his private client who, internal company records show, quietly paid the mayor at least $170,000 over two years. As he teases presidential aspirations, the mayor, who also works as a real estate attorney, refuses to disclose the identities of his private clients, despite concerns over potential conflicts of interest. Following reporting by the Herald, the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office and the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust opened a joint investigation into Suarezs work for Kapoor. Goldberg said the mayor never approached him personally, and that his decision was not influenced by the mayors office. Rather, he said, he changed his position after seeing what the mayors aide mentioned on the call: a letter from a previous zoning director approving a similar redevelopment plan for an adjacent structure that was also envisioned as part of the developers project. So the default setting was what the code says, Goldberg said. And then later I got some new information. And I felt my hands were tied. Goldberg said he did not know why Kapoors team opted to send the letter through the mayors office rather than present it directly to him at one of several meetings he had with them throughout the second half of 2022. But, he said, its part of Quinteros job to call him on behalf of those interested in doing business in the city. Quintero did not respond directly to the Heralds requests for comment. A spokesperson with the mayors office said Quintero was not aware that the developer was a client of the mayors when he made the call to Goldberg. Internal company records from Kapoors real estate firm, Location Ventures, indicate Kapoor also tapped Suarez directly to intervene in the permitting process resulting in at least one meeting with the citys top administrator amid growing concerns from investors over delays. Suarez has repeatedly denied involvement in the Coconut Grove projects permitting, despite internal Location Ventures records provided to investors that said he would help push the zoning process along. Suarezs spokeswoman said he was instead paid to recruit potential investors for Kapoors projects and did not lobby for the developer. In a statement to the Herald, Suarez said he had no knowledge of the interactions between Quintero and Goldberg and said Kapoors team had reached out to his staff independently. The Mayors staff processed Location Ventures inquiry by referring it to the Office of Zoning as it has done routinely for hundreds (if not thousands) of constituents in the past, said Suarezs spokeswoman Soledad Cedro. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez walks through the South Carolina State House in Columbia. He visited South Carolina on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 and Wednesday, April 5, 2023. He also recently visited Iowa and his planning a trip to New Hampshire as he mulls a 2024 presidential run. Neither Suarez nor Kapoor responded to the Heralds request for comment about the developers email thanking the mayor for his assistance on the zoning issue. In a previous statement through a spokesperson, the developer said Suarez consulted on a wide range of initiatives, none of which required him to lobby his own government. We have appreciated his innovative and progressive mindset and approach to affordability, sustainability, and resiliency, the statement said. The agreement specifically makes mention that Mayor Suarez may recuse himself or resign from his advisory role should there be any conflicts of interest. RELATED CONTENT: Lawsuit against developer reveals undisclosed side job for Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Waiving the Waiver Process In 2018, Kapoor gathered investors to back his vision of redeveloping several properties along Commodore Plaza, a well-positioned but underutilized piece of land in the heart of Coconut Grove. The project kicked off in 2021 with a plan to convert the top three levels of a condominium building located in the middle of the developers five adjacent properties into a co-living space marketed to workers priced out of other parts of the city. But the permitting application for 3162 Commodore Plaza stalled in early 2022 after city staffers said the zoning code required the upper stories to be set further back into the property to prevent the building from looming too large and crowding the quaint street. Goldberg and his team told Kapoor the developers would need special permission, known as a dominant setback waiver, to build the top floors out to the property line as shown in the building plans submitted to the city. I told him Im sorry, I dont think hes justified, which is my default response on dominant setback waivers, Goldberg said. RELATED CONTENT: How a developer pushing a luxury Coral Gables high rise became a tenant of the mayor Kapoor was faced with a choice: redesign the building and lose more time and valuable square footage, or go through a lengthy appeal process for the waiver, which Goldberg said would have been unlikely to succeed. Its a very high bar to justify that particular approval, because it kind of runs contrary to zoning, Goldberg said. The purpose of the code, he said, is to maintain continuity of design in a particular area over long periods of time. Company reports provided to investors increasingly frustrated by the delays show Kapoors team set up multiple meetings last fall to sell Goldberg and his staff on approving the project, as designed, without going through the official waiver process. Location Ventures records show that by October 2022, Kapoor had already missed some critical development benchmarks. And he had forked over hundreds of thousands of dollars for loan extensions to avoid foreclosures on the properties, according to a lawsuit filed by minority investors in December. So Kapoor reached out to the mayors office. Were ready to go on construction, Kapoor wrote in an October email to Quintero, the mayors aide. Then he told Quintero to thank the mayor directly for his assistance with the process. Suarezs then-Chief of Staff Nikolas Pascual was also copied on the exchange. (Pascual said Friday he did not remember Kapoors project and Quintero routinely copied him on all emails.) Lazaro Quintero, Director of Constituent Affairs for City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez City Manager Art Noriega, who oversees the zoning director and all of the city administrations day-to-day business, described developers going to the mayors staff as almost like an appeal. Theyre trying to see if they can find a better way to come at a solution, Noriega said. Location Ventures internal records also indicate Noriega met with Suarez and the developer during the permitting process, although all three deny such a meeting took place. Company meeting minutes from Oct. 4 show Goldberg continued to oppose the original design, despite multiple meetings with the development team. Three days later, Goldberg received a phone call from Quintero, according to city records. Goldberg said that when Quintero asked him to reconsider his initial zoning determination, the mayors aide mentioned a 2018 letter written by then-Zoning Director Devin Cejas about a similar, adjacent structure. In the letter, Cejas determined the zoning code allowed for a hypothetical renovation that would add three more floors to 3120 Commodore Plaza, the property next door. Quintero sent the zoning director a copy of the letter and worked with Kapoors team to push Goldberg to meet again to discuss a path forward, city emails show. Goldberg said attorneys for the developer then told him that Kapoor and his investors had assumed the 2018 zoning determination letter applied to all Coconut Grove properties they bought at that time, not just the one expressly written about. Goldberg said he waived the zoning restriction delaying Kapoors project after seeing the letter, in order to be consistent with his predecessors interpretation of the code even though he disagreed with it. I changed my decision because I had a written representation from my predecessor, that, again, I dont think is correct, but [that] I honored, Goldberg said. While he acknowledged he could have interpreted the letter more narrowly, the former assistant city attorney said he worried the developer would sue. Goldberg said that interest from the mayors office had nothing to do with his final determination that paved the way for groundbreaking in January 2023. Miami Herald staff writers Jay Weaver, Douglas Hanks and Rebecca San Juan contributed to this report. Microsoft says Clop ransomware gang is behind MOVEit mass-hacks, as first victims come forward Security researchers have linked to the notorious Clop ransomware gang a new wave of mass-hacks targeting a popular file transfer tool, as the first victims of the attacks begin to come forward. It was revealed last week that hackers are exploiting a newly discovered vulnerability in MOVEit Transfer, a file-transfer tool widely used by enterprises to share large files over the internet. The vulnerability allows hackers to gain unauthorized access to an affected MOVEit server's database. Progress Software, which develops the MOVEit software, has already released some patches. Over the weekend, the first victims of the attacks began to come forward. Zellis, a U.K.-based human resources software maker and payroll provider, confirmed in a statement that its MOVEit system was compromised, with the incident affecting a "small number" of its corporate customers. One of those customers is U.K. airline giant British Airways, which told TechCrunch that the breach included the payroll data of all of its U.K.-based employees. "We have been informed that we are one of the companies impacted by Zellis' cybersecurity incident which occurred via one of their third-party suppliers called MOVEit," British Airways spokesperson Jason Turnnidge-Betts told TechCrunch. "Zellis provides payroll support services to hundreds of companies in the U.K., of which we are one. We have notified those colleagues whose personal information has been compromised to provide support and advice." British Airways didn't confirm how many employees are affected, but currently has around 35,000 staff worldwide. The U.K.'s BBC also confirmed it was affected by the incident affecting Zellis. A BBC spokesperson, who declined to provide their name, told TechCrunch: We are aware of a data breach at our third-party supplier, Zellis, and are working closely with them as they urgently investigate the extent of the breach. We take data security extremely seriously and are following the established reporting procedures. The government of Nova Scotia, which uses MOVEit to share files across departments, said in a statement that some citizens personal information may have been compromised. The Nova Scotia government said it took its affected system offline, and is working to determine exactly what information was stolen, and how many people have been impacted. It was initially unclear who was behind this new wave of hacks, but Microsoft security researchers are attributing the cyberattacks to a group it tracks as Lace Tempest. This gang is a known affiliate of the Russia-linked Clop ransomware group, which was previously linked to mass-attacks exploiting flaws in Fortras GoAnywhere file transfer tool and Accellions file transfer application. Microsoft researchers said that the exploitation of the MOVEit vulnerability is often followed by data exfiltration. Microsoft is attributing attacks exploiting the CVE-2023-34362 MOVEit Transfer 0-day vulnerability to Lace Tempest, known for ransomware operations & running the Clop extortion site. The threat actor has used similar vulnerabilities in the past to steal data & extort victims. pic.twitter.com/q73WtGru7j Microsoft Threat Intelligence (@MsftSecIntel) June 5, 2023 Mandiant isn't yet making the same attribution as Microsoft, but noted in a blog post over the weekend that there are "notable" similarities between a newly created threat cluster it's calling UNC4857 that has as-of-yet unknown motivations, and FIN11, a well-established ransomware group known to operate Clop ransomware. Ongoing analysis of emerging activity may provide additional insights, Mandiant said. Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at Mandiant, confirmed to TechCrunch last week that the company had seen evidence of data exfiltration at multiple victims. Its likely many more victims of the MOVEit breach will come to light over the next few days. Shodan, a search engine for publicly exposed devices and databases, showed that more than 2,500 MOVEit Transfer servers were discoverable on the internet. A view of the scene outside the Comfort Inn hotel on Belgrave Road in Pimlico The migration scandal never ends. Asylum seekers are staying in hotels at huge expense. Benefits Britain is still out of control. Taxpayers are being taken for a ride and they cant shoulder the double burden for much longer. Last week I had a chat with a young asylum seeker being put up in a family size hotel room in Pimlico. These rooms start at around 2,000 per week. Hes been in the UK for 2 years. Its not just that the British taxpayer is footing the bill, or that many British families could never afford 2,000 a week for a hotel. Its worse. Our generosity isnt even good enough now. Asylum seekers are actually complaining. Yes, you read that correctly. Along with his friends, this asylum seeker was outside his hotel because it wasnt good enough. The rooms were too small. The bathroom was too small. The Wifi wasnt good enough. We just cant go on like this. The hotel bill for migrants is costing us some 6 million every day. The use of hotels for asylum seekers has doubled in the last year alone. It is an utter disgrace. It is British taxpayers who should be complaining. This failed Tory government has hit us with a huge double whammy. At the same time as their failure to protect our borders is racking up a huge bill for hotels, theyve allowed benefits Britain to grow totally out of control. The number of people on out-of-work benefits is at 5.2 million, with a record high of 2.5 million out of work on long term sick pay. The Centre for Social Justice believes that some 3.7 million of those on benefits have no obligation to even consider work. Yet there are still some 1 million job vacancies open. This something for nothing culture has to stop. So many families are working hard to make ends meet. They are crushed by the cost of living and an ever-growing tax burden. Child care costs. Huge pressure on public services and low pay. Nor is that a surprise. The Tories opened our borders after Brexit. One of Boris Johnsons first steps was to cut salary thresholds for foreign workers. That meant immigrants could stay here on salaries that seemed to undercut the wages of British workers. The government has simply replaced British workers with overseas labour. Yet they know the damage this does. Long term unemployment and dependency destroys people and communities around the country. But there is an even greater price to pay for an immigration system that passed the breaking point long ago: the threat to public safety. In the first 4 months of this year alone 80 Albanian migrants have been jailed, some for deeply serious crimes. Even the National Crime Agency admits that a significant number of Albanian Channel migrants come to the UK to work in the grey market or for organised criminal drug gangs. I warned about this last year. But the government didnt listen. So yet again law abiding British people are paying the price this time, in lives lost and destroyed by violent criminals who shouldnt even be here. It simply doesnt have to be like this. The Government could reform the welfare system, which the Conservative party promised to do when they came to power 13 years ago. It could enforce a proper Australian-style points system to control immigration. It could leave the European Convention on Human Rights. It could even announce a moratorium on all immigration until they get a grip on the chaos. Rishi Sunak and the Tories have failed in almost every duty of government. They have lost control of our borders. They have lost control of state spending. They have broken our welfare system. They have not kept the British people safe. The general election isnt much more than a year away and we will neither forgive nor forget. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Mike Pence, the ex-Indiana governor who spent four years as then-president Donald Trumps loyal vice President until he became persona non grata in MAGA circles for certifying their defeat in the 2020 election, has officially declared himself a candidate for the GOP nomination in next years Republican presidential primary. Mr Pence on Monday filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to register his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, capping months of speculation over whether Mr Trumps former right-hand man would challenge his old running mate, who is seeking to reclaim his former place at the head of the executive branch amid multiple criminal probes into his conduct. The former vice president has for months hinted that he would put himself forward in a bid to lead his party as he and his fellow Republicans look to recover from a string of losses and disappointing results in the three general elections that have taken place since he and Mr Trump won a shocking victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. Yet despite his former stature in the GOP, Mr Pence will face an uphill climb as he looks to convince voters that he not Mr Trump is the best choice to take on President Joe Biden next November. The ex-vice presidents standing among the Republican faithful took a significant hit on 6 January 2021, the day he was forced to take refuge in an underground parking area beneath the Capitol as a riotous mob of Trump-Pence supporters rampaged through the House and Senate wings of the building in hopes of stopping him from presiding over certification of his and Mr Trumps loss to Mr Biden and then-senator Kamala Harris. Mr Trump, who is under criminal investigation for his part in inciting the riot, has maintained that his former vice president had the power to unilaterally reject electoral votes from swing states won by Mr Biden and Ms Harris. Mr Pence, who along with nearly all reputable legal scholars has rejected that view, pushed for certification to resume that day after police and National Guard troops secured the building and cleared it of the insurrectionist mob. While he has steadfastly declined to criticise the twice-impeached ex-president over the matter other than to describe it as a disagreement and say his former boss was wrong that day, he has said GOP voters will have better choices than Mr Trump this time. Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork Monday to run for president, setting up a clash for the GOP nomination between Pence and his onetime boss, former President Donald Trump. Pences entry into the 2024 Republican presidential primary sets up an awkward dynamic with his former running mate and ally Trump, who reportedly cheered on calls for Pence to be hanged as hordes of angry Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to try to stop the certification of the presidential election. Trump and Pence were aligned throughout nearly all of Trumps presidency but fell out after Trump refused to accept his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Trump disavowed Pence for carrying out the vice presidents constitutional duty of certifying the Electoral College count, which contradicted Trumps false claims that the results were fraudulent. A former aide told Congress Trump pressured Pence to overturn the election, calling him a wimp. Trump also reportedly didnt dissuade a mob from seeking out Pence in the Capitol to execute him: During the Jan. 6 insurrection, rioters displayed a noose and chanted for Pence to be hanged before the mob broke into the Capitol. Despite all that, Pence has been measured in his critiques of Trump. His most forceful rebuke of the former president came in March at the Gridiron Clubs annual dinner in Washington. President Trump was wrong. I had no right to overturn the election, and his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day, and I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable, Pence said. Pence has been signaling for some time that he would run, visiting early voting states and promoting a Christianity-themed memoir, So Help Me God. In May, Pences allies launched a super PAC to support his candidacy, a vessel for big contributions thats independent from a candidates formal campaign. Scott Reeves, one of the Republican operatives overseeing the PAC, told CNN in May that Pence has the experience, the unparalleled character, communication skills and the conservative credentials to win both the nomination and a general election. Pence, 63, is framing himself as a traditional conservative in a field of Republicans focused on emulating Trumps combative style and as the candidate most aligned with the religious wing of the party. Pences evangelical beliefs have been a defining feature of his public life the former vice president said in 2017 that he wont eat alone with a woman who isnt his wife, a rule popularized by the late evangelist Billy Graham. He has described himself as a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican in that order. Unlike many of the Republicans running for president who have treaded carefully around abortion, Pence has embraced stringent restrictions on abortion rights, pledging to support a deeply unpopular national abortion ban if elected. He praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another 2024 contender, for signing a six-week abortion ban in his state, even though DeSantis himself has shied away from discussing the new law. Pences refusal to overturn the election in 2020 and the few negative comments hes made against Trump dont seem to have won him any new fans. In April, Pence was booed in his home state of Indiana while speaking at the nations largest gathering of gun rights enthusiasts. The former congressman and Indiana governor abandoned his gubernatorial reelection campaign in 2016 to become Trumps running mate. Trump, a brash New York City real estate developer and C-list celebrity who paid off a porn star on his way to the White House, had tapped Pence because of his connection to the ultra-religious right. As vice president, Pence chaired the National Space Council and led Trumps Coronavirus Task Force. Now Pence and Trump are competing against close to a dozen declared Republican opponents, including DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who had all entered the race as of late May. Mike Pence just officially filed to run for president in 2024, challenging Trump after dramatic January 6 fallout Former Vice President Mike Pence answers questions at a luncheon sponsored by the UVU Gary R. Herbert Institute of Public Policy on April 28, 2023 at the Zion Bank headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. George Frey/Getty Images Former Vice President Mike Pence is runnning for president. He'll announce his run in Iowa on his 64th birthday. Pence was loyal to Trump during most of his presidency, but stood up to him on January 6. Former Vice President Mike Pence is officially taking on his former boss for the 2024 nomination for president. Pence's campaign filed paperwork on Monday with the Federal Elections Commission. He'll be holding a kickoff rally at Des Moines Area Community College in the first state to caucus, Iowa, on Wednesday which is also his 64th birthday and is later set to appear at a CNN town hall. By entering the race, Pence will officially challenge former President Donald Trump a man he publicly stood by throughout his presidency, right up until Trump pressured him to subvert Joe Biden's 2020 election win. Some Trump supporters yelled, "Hang Mike Pence" as they attacked the Capitol. Pence's bid is considered a long shot, given that he polls just under 4% in the RealClearPolitics polling average. He'll also be in the race among numerous other candidates, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis being the only other Republican with a double-digit polling average. In all, 12 people will officially seek nomination for president on the GOP ticket by the end of this week. Other than Trump and DeSantis, the 2024 candidates for the GOP nomination include former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, radio host Larry Elder, pastor Ryan Binkley, and businessman Perry Johnson. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will announce his run on Tuesday, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is making a run official the same day as Pence. Trump continues to be the frontrunner despite two impeachments, inciting the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, being found guilty of sexual assault in a civil case, and becoming the first president in history to be indicted. Pence is already well known after his time as vice president, though a presidential run would allow him the opportunity to re-introduce himself to voters and to showcase areas in which he disagrees with Trump. He previously served in the US House and then as governor of Indiana. He often tells audiences he's "a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican in that order." An adviser to Pence previously told Insider that his team discussed several policy areas with which to contrast himself, including Trump's bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, the First Step Act, and said he'd continue to be "very outspoken on the issue of life." Trump nominated three Supreme Court justices during his presidency that were deciding voter in overturning Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a national right to abortion. However, since announcing his 2024 candidacy, he has not committed to backing a specific federal abortion restriction. Pence's entry into the race could also give Trump an opening to shift some blame for the COVID-19 pandemic onto his former deputy. DeSantis has criticized Trump's response to the pandemic, though Trump handed the reins of the response to Pence during his tenure. Pence was deeply involved in the Trump administration, with his fingerprints especially visible on healthcare policy and on defending religious groups. Two former Indiana officials, Alex Azar and Seema Verma, were from Indiana. Pence's vision for the future of the GOP is laid out in his Freedom Agenda. The policies include reducing mail-in voting and implementing universal school choice, which allows public education funds to pay for K-12 students to select alternatives to public schools. Many of these policies are similar to what other entrants in the race support, though Pence has come out against DeSantis for trying to take away power from Walt Disney World, even though he agreed with a schools bill at the center of the dispute that limited how and when LGBTQ topics are taught in Florida. When Pence was governor of Indiana he signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law, which some critics said would give businesses a "license to discriminate" against gays and lesbians. Facing backlash, Pence called lawmakers back to Indianapolis to clarify the intent of the law. Read the original article on Business Insider So, You Misgendered Someone. Here's How To Address The Mistake. Whether using someone's dead name or misgendering them, it's important to correct your mistake swiftly. Whether using someone's dead name or misgendering them, it's important to correct your mistake swiftly. Transgender and nonbinary people are under attack by hate-driven legislation and unfair restrictions policing their bodies. Voting people out who support anti-trans legislation, speaking up for the LGBTQ+ community and learning the acts and behaviors that can make the community feel supported are integral. One way to support the community is by getting folks pronouns and names right a task that shouldnt be hard but is a battleground for many people. Its known as misgendering and deadnaming. Misgendering is intentionally or unintentionally referring to someone using signifiers of a gender other than the one they identify with, said Bre Kidman, the co-executive director of Maine Transgender Network and the first openly nonbinary person in history to run for U.S. Senate. This can be things like he or she or sir or maam or Miss or Mister, really just any sort of gender signifiers that dont line up with how the person identifies, they said. Additionally, using someones deadname, which is the name someone used before they transitioned, can be another form of wrongly identifying a trans or nonbinary person and can be just as hurtful, Kidman said. Kiara St. James, the founder and co-executive director of programs at New York Transgender Advocacy Group, said that in her experience, this behavior happens intentionally more often than not. Its about someone not wanting to acknowledge a trans persons gender or a nonbinary or gender nonconforming persons request to be respected in the identity that best represents them. So, its really an act of violence when people misgender ... especially if its done consistently and intentionally. It does a lot of mental damage to those folks who are being misgendered, St. James said. For those who do it unintentionally, it can be awkward and uncomfortable but not as awkward and uncomfortable as it is for the person being misgendered. I think people are just so terrified of messing up the pronouns that they make it even harder for themselves, said Jack Boyum, the creative director at The Coven, a Minneapolis-based organization that is self-described as a community and co-working space that centers the experiences of women, nonbinary and trans [individuals]. What I tell people all the time is you can literally just ask people their pronouns. It makes people feel very seen, and theyll be happy to tell you what their pronoun is, Boyum said. Below, we asked trans activists what theyd like you to do if you unintentionally misgender someone. First and foremost, dont ignore it. If you realize you accidentally misgendered someone, dont ignore it, Kidman said. Whether its in the moment or after the fact, its important to acknowledge your misstep and to use the correct pronoun moving forward. Ive had people message me later on and apologize, and thats made me feel very seen; as long as theyve pivoted to the right pronoun, thats OK, Boyum added. You can literally just ask people their pronouns. It makes people feel very seen, and theyll be happy to tell you what their pronoun is.Jack Boyum, creative director at The Coven Apologize and move on without turning it into an issue. I personally prefer ... that they apologize and then pivot and get the pronoun right in the future, Boyum said. Lightly addressing the mistake is appropriate, they added, because it does not draw a lot of attention to the person you misgendered. I think if youre around other people that you do not know, it draws attention to it when everyone else is using your pronoun correctly. It kind of like gives a little doubt to maybe a new person, too, that would then also start to make a mistake, they said. I would rather get over it as fast as possible. Family members should follow this advice, too. Family members can sometimes feel like they can get away with more because theyre family. (And they often feel his way when it comes to gender identity and a whole bevy of other topics.) But this could not be further from reality. In fact, Boyum said its doubly important for family members of trans and nonbinary folks to use someones correct pronouns or name. Family, specifically, doing that work and pre-research and trying really hard goes so long because we kind of build our other families outside of our biological family, they explained. But when families can come through and see and respect you in that way, I think it goes so far for folks. Dont insinuate that its the trans persons fault that you messed up. Its really important to resist the urge to make it the trans persons fault that youre making a mistake about their identity, Kidman said. In other words, the onus falls on you. No matter when they transitioned or how long youve known them, its not right to put the blame on them for your misstep. Dont say things like Oh, well, you didnt tell me or How would I have known when they correct your mistake. I also want to acknowledge that it can be embarrassing or uncomfortable to be corrected, especially if it feels like the other person is irritated with you for making a mistake that seems simple or minor to you, Kidman said. Id like to encourage people to try to remember, youre probably not the first person to misgender them even that day, and they may be tired of not feeling seen or understood by the world. Dont get defensive or rude. It may seem like a no-brainer, but getting reactive when someone corrects your pronoun usage is problematic. St. James said this behavior is usually exclusive to those who are intentionally misgendering, but she said people will insist they call her by her dead name or use incorrect pronouns when addressing her. Additionally, asking invasive questions after you misgender someone is not OK, she noted. There are people who are very, very stubborn [and] resistant to change. Theyre resistant to respecting identities, and they exist in the world, St. James said. Everyone has a right to be able to identify in ways that affirm them ... these pronouns are a form of signifiers to ones identity.Kiara St. James Dont make the person you misgendered comfort you. Dont put the person who you misgendered in a position of having to comfort you or reassure you for your mistake, Kidman explained. They said this could look like saying things like Im so sorry, Im a terrible person! after you misgender someone, which then requires the person you misgendered to say something like, No, youre not. Youre great! In the end, this centers the situation on you and requires the person you misidentified to make you feel better, Kidman said. Just be mindful, like, Oops, I slipped up. Let me fix it real quick and keep it moving. Keep it light, they added. Use a persons correct pronouns even when they arent in the room. Once you know someones pronouns, make use you use them when they arent around, too, according to Boyum. First of all ... youre still misgendering someone if they arent in the room, they noted. Secondly, it helps you train yourself to use the right pronouns when the person is nearby, Boyum added. Educate yourself on trans issues and inclusive language. Its important to do your research to learn about the importance of correct pronoun usage and the struggles that trans people face to unlearn the problematic ideas that are rampant in society. [There are] tons and tons of books and blogs and information online, too, that people can access and do research prior to asking the one queer person you know, Boyum said. That being said, they added that many queer and trans folks are likely happy to talk about it, too, as long as its asked in an appropriate and respectful way. We live in the age of Google, so I dont think theres any excuses for people to be as ignorant as unfortunately, a lot of them insist on being, St. James said. Correct pronoun usage is essential in showing care and respect. Everyone has a right to be able to identify in ways that affirm them, said St. James. These pronouns are a form of signifiers to ones identity. When you use someones correct pronouns, its a way of showing respect, she said. Youre showing them that you see them, right? Youre showing like, I know youre trans, I know youre gender nonconforming, gender nonbinary, and I want to respect your pronouns. I want you to know that I see you, I hear you. And thats why pronouns are important because thats what it [connotes]. It [connotes] a trans person being seen, a nonbinary person being seen and heard. And so thats why when you respect peoples pronouns, trust me, you really start to see that youll have a better connection with those communities, St. James said. Related... JACKSON, Miss. Mississippi's new restrictions on absentee ballots could disenfranchise voters who have disabilities by preventing them from receiving help from people they trust, according to a lawsuit that seeks to block the restrictions. The law set to take effect July 1 sets a short list of people who can collect and transmit an absentee ballot. The list includes employees of the U.S. Postal Service or other mail carriers, plus any family member, household member or caregiver" of the person receiving an absentee ballot. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday on behalf of Disability Rights Mississippi, the League of Women Voters of Mississippi and three residents of the north Mississippi city of Okolona. The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union, Disability Rights Mississippi, Mississippi Center for Justice and Southern Poverty Law Center. Voting battles: Voters with disabilities often overlooked Every voter in the state of Mississippi has the right to participate in their democracy, ACLU staff attorney Ming Cheung said in a statement. Voting in Mississippi is extraordinarily difficult, and many voters experiencing disabilities and other challenges must rely on their friends and community members for assistance with absentee voting. One of the plaintiffs is William Earl Whitley, a 78-year-old Army veteran whose legs were amputated and who has relied on the other two Okolona plaintiffs, who are not his relatives, to help him with the absentee voting process. Mr. Whitley wishes to continue to have them assist him but he does not want to put them at risk of facing criminal penalties, the lawsuit said. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said when he signed the new law that it will ban political operatives from collecting and handling large numbers of ballots. Reeves described the practice as ballot harvesting, a pejorative term for dropping off completed ballots for other people. Opponents said the new restrictions could hurt candidates, campaign workers, nursing home employees or others who make good-faith efforts to help people obtain and mail absentee ballots. The federal Voting Rights Act guarantees that people who require help in voting because of a disability, blindness or inability to read or write can receive assistance by a person of the voters choice," the lawsuit said, and the only exception is that the help cannot come from the voters employer or agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voters union." "Voting and receiving assistance with voting due to disability, blindness, or illiteracy is a highly personal act, the lawsuit said. And under federal law, voters cannot be denied their right to entrust a ballot to a person of their choice. Unlike some states that allow widespread use of voting by mail, Mississippi already restricted the reasons people may vote absentee. The absentee ballots are available by mail or for early, in-person voting to Mississippi voters who are 65 or older; any voter with a temporary or permanent physical disability, or any voter who is that persons caretaker; or any voter who will be away from their home county on election day, including college students. Mississippi has elections this year for governor and other statewide and regional offices, legislative seats and county offices. Party primaries are Aug. 8, and the general election is Nov. 7. Republican-led states have tightened rules on voting by mail since the 2020 presidential election, in part because of the false narrative of widespread fraud in that race. Secretary of State Michael Watson, a Republican, wrote in an opinion column in early May that the absentee ballot restrictions are part of an election integrity package. Knowing the work that goes into Election Day is much more than just a 24-hour day, we thoroughly reviewed our absentee voting process and worked to close loopholes, Watson wrote. Anyone who now fraudulently requests an absentee ballot application for another person can be convicted of voter fraud. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi absentee ballot law harms voters with disabilities lawsuit What game is Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey playing? Last week, his office defied Court of Appeals District Chief Judge Gary Witt and failed to file a brief in response to Eric DeValkenaeres October 2022 appeal of his conviction in the killing of Cameron Lamb. For a sixth time. By ignoring Witts warning last month that no further extensions would be granted, Gov. Mike Parsons appointee is abrogating his responsibilities. Most lawyers worthy of holding a law license would agree: Thats absurd. If former Kansas City Police detective DeValkenaeres appeal is thrown out on a legal technicality a very real possibility then we must question the motive of the AGs office. In 2019, DeValkenaere fatally shot Lamb in the backyard of a home Lamb rented in the 4100 block of College Avenue. After a four-day bench trial in November 2021, Jackson County Circuit Judge Dale Youngs found DeValkenaere guilty of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. Sentenced to six years in prison, DeValkenaere has not spent a day in jail since his conviction. The AG wants until June 26 to file the DeValkenaere brief. Bailey has been occupied throwing the kitchen sink at former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, his office argued in legal documents filed Wednesday. As a result of the full-court press to remove Gardner from office she resigned two weeks early under fire from Bailey and Republican lawmakers the AGs office was unable to prepare for the appeals process in the DeValkenaere case, Witt was told. Excuse us? Witt will grant absolutely no further extensions, according to court records. But a half-dozen continuances are enough. We suggest Bailey properly prepare to defend the states position that DeValkenaere committed a serious crime. We question the excuse that Baileys just too busy. In recent days, hes had the time to blast President Joe Bidens student loan debt relief program on Twitter and issue a press release attacking the administrations U.S.-Mexico border policy. Those national political fights arent what Missouris attorney general should be spending his energy on. Upholding DeValkenaeres conviction is, though. Lambs surviving children and the rest of his family deserve justice. Any attempt to usurp Judge Youngs verdict falls outside the purview of the attorney general, according to prosecutors we spoke with. David Smith is an attorney representing Lambs mother, Laurie Bey, who has justly filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the former officer and the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. Lambs family is concerned about the lack of communication from Baileys office, Smith said. Lamb is the victim, the family lawyer reminded us. Does Bailey know this? We dont know what is going on, said Smith. Neither do most of us. Attempts to reach Baileys office for comment were unsuccessful. No one in the AGs office has reached out to talk to the family, according to Smith. Based on what weve seen so far from Bailey, we dont doubt that claim. Six continuances and youre still not ready? Smith wondered. That astonishes me. Out of respect for the judicial process, the Jackson County Prosecutors Office declined to comment. DeValkenaeres defense did not oppose the extension, according to legal documents. Why would they? We cant recall many convicted killers in Jackson County being granted bond while the appeals process plays out. Allowing a killer a judge found guilty to roam free more than three years after he took a mans life is a dereliction of duty. When we saw that the Missouri attorney general is asking for a continuance on DeValkenaeres appeal, we were flabbergasted, said Lora McDonald, executive director of MORE2, a Kansas City social justice group. This mans role is to represent the entire state of Missouri, she said. How is it in Missouris interests for him to be protecting a rogue police officer? It isnt. Its fair to ask whether Bailey is pandering to interest groups for future funding for the next election in 2024, McDonald said. We know Bailey wants to remain in the AGs seat. Hes trying hard to make a name for himself in todays strange right-wing culture war against actual criminal justice. It isnt pro-law enforcement to back an ex-officer convicted for fatal misconduct. In April, Bailey joined a group of attorneys general from around the country demanding the authority to remove duly elected local prosecutors from office. Nonsense. No agent of the state should have the power to target local prosecutors who support criminal justice reform. Weve seen the extreme positions Bailey has taken against personal choice in gender-affirming care and a citizen initiative petition on abortion rights as he campaigns for the AG job. What about Cameron Lambs family? McDonald asked. What has (Bailey) done for them but participate in the delaying of any form of justice? Someone should file a complaint to the Missouri Bar Association against this attorney general. Any takers? As the maxim says, justice delayed is justice denied. In this case, there is no sense of justice. Just outrage. Missourians deserve to know why their unelected attorney general is ignoring lawful orders and keeping a convicted killer walking free. Missouri jurors sentenced Michael Tisius to die for killing prison guards. So why did they change their mind? Civil rights advocates, world leaders, and, in a rare turn of events, a number of former jurors have come out against the planned Tuesday execution of Michael Tisius, a Missouri man who was sentenced to death for killing two jail guards. I feel angry and remorseful, former juror Jason Smith told The New York Times. I feel that I wronged Michael. I hated having a part in somebody dying, he added. Michael Tisius (AP2007) A total of six jurors, including two alternates, have given sworn affidavits saying they would either support or decline to oppose if Tisiuss sentence was commuted to life in prison. Another former juror said that during the time of the 2010 death sentence, he was unable to read English, a requirement for jury service in Missouri. A federal court stayed Tisiuss lethal injection to allow for investigating of the claim, but an appeals court overruled that decision last week. On Monday, the US Supreme Court denied a request to stay the execution. Tisiuss attorneys argue that because the Missouri man was 19 at the time of the killings, research shows his brain wasnt fully developed and he was more vulnerable to manipulation and abuse. Tisius broke into the Randolph County jail where the killings occurred to free Roy Vance, a man he met serving a previous misdemeanor sentence, who once bragged that Tisius was a a kid in a grown mans body and I knew I could manipulate him into what I wanted him to do. The state of Missouri argued at the high court that no US state that carries out executions bars them for those older than 18. Linda Arena, sister of Jason Acton, of the jail employees Tisius killed, told The New York Times she supports the original death sentence. Hes a nonentity to me, she said. A nonentity who took my brother. Groups including the American Bar Association, Missouri State Public Defenders Office, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and the Vatican have expressed their opposition to the execution. "In particular, the ABA opposes the death penalty for certain categories of individuals who have unique vulnerabilities that make them less culpable than the average offender," the ABA wrote in a letter to Missouri governor Michael Parson. "Michael committed two murders when he was an immature 19-year-old whose underlying brain defects and dysfunction caused him to behave like a much younger individual." At trial, jurors heard how Tisius had been abused and neglected by family members as a child. A clemency petition is currently with the governors office. The Independent has contacted Governor Parson for comment. The state of Missouri has carried out the fifth most executions of any US state in recent history, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. The Independent and the nonprofit Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) have launched a joint campaign calling for an end to the death penalty in the US. The RBIJ has attracted more than 150 well-known signatories to their Business Leaders Declaration Against the Death Penalty - with The Independent as the latest on the list. We join high-profile executives like Ariana Huffington, Facebooks Sheryl Sandberg, and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson as part of this initiative and are making a pledge to highlight the injustices of the death penalty in our coverage. A self-portrait by Michael Tisius (right), based on an image of him as a child (left). A self-portrait by Michael Tisius (right), based on an image of him as a child (left). Missouri is pushing to execute a man on Tuesday despite pleas from legal, human rights and religious groups to spare his life. The state is currently fighting in court to kill Michael Tisius as punishment for killing two jail guards when he was 19 years old, during a botched plot to free his former cellmate. He is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection, although his request for a stay is still pending before the Supreme Court. As Tisius waits for the courts to determine his fate, an international array of groups, including the American Bar Association, the NAACP and even representatives from the European Union and the Vatican have urged Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) to grant him clemency. Six jurors, including two alternates, have also stated they would either support or not object to Parson commuting Tisius sentence to life in prison. Parson said on Monday that he would not use his clemency power to stop the execution, claiming that Tisius received fair and careful review at each step in the judicial process. Unlike some of the other groups calling for mercy, the American Bar Association does not take a position on the death penalty. Rather, it has a longstanding position that states should administer the death penalty only when performed in accordance with the constitutional principles of fairness and proportionality that limit the death penalty to the worst of the worst offenders, ABA President Deborah Enix-Ross wrote in a letter to Parson. The letter cited Tisius young age and neurological deficits at the time of the crime, as well as the low flat fee of $10,000 paid to each of the two lawyers who represented him during sentencing proceedings, as reasons that the death penalty represented a disproportionate punishment for Tisius. An undated photo of Michael Tisius from the state agency responsible for issuing driver's licenses. An undated photo of Michael Tisius from the state agency responsible for issuing driver's licenses. Like the overwhelming majority of those on death row in the U.S., Tisius faced profound neglect, violence and poverty as a child. He was born in 1981 to young parents who made clear they did not want him and had little ability or interest in taking care of him, according to Tisius clemency petition. He was deprived of affection, never taught basic hygiene and beaten frequently by his brother, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness, his lawyers wrote in his clemency petition. His self-esteem was shattered, and he often wrote himself notes documenting his self-loathing. Im weird Im stupid Im a weido [sic] Im ugly Im a moron nobody likes me Im ugly Im a dork a geekazoid Im a slob Im a geek nobody loves me Im not worth a cent, he wrote while he was in the fourth grade, according to the clemency petition. Michael Tisius (front left) in 1981 with his parents and older brother. Michael Tisius (front left) in 1981 with his parents and older brother. In June of 2000, when Tisius was 19, he was sent to the Randolph County Jail to serve a 30-day probation violation sentence for theft. He had briefly met his cellmate, 27-year-old Roy Vance, through mutual friends before they shared a jail cell. Vance, who was facing a 50-year sentence, immediately clocked Tisius as young and easily manipulated, Vance said in a video interview from prison, which was included in Tisius clemency request. I took advantage of that. In what started as a joke, Vance convinced Tisius to help him escape from the jail after Tisius release. Vances plan involved Tisius acquiring a gun, returning to the jail, ordering the guards into a cell and handing off the gun to Vance to take over. By Tisius release date, the plan had become serious and he gave Vance his word that he would come back to free him. After his release, Tisius called Vances girlfriend, Tracie Bulington. Bulington knew Tisius name from Vance sending her drawings that Tisius had made, she said in the clemency video. Vance instructed Bulington to take care of Tisius and never let him out of sight. I honestly feel like Roy had his doubts that Mike would follow through with what they had planned, she said. Bulington was struck by how much Tisius idolized Vance and how eager he was to make the older man proud. As the date of the escape attempt neared, Tisius was visibly excited, she said. It was kind of like a kid getting ready to go see his dad for the first time. But when Bulington and Tisius returned to the jail a little more than a week after Tisius release, he panicked and fatally shot two people working at the jail, Leon Egley and Jason Acton. He was frantic and kept apologizing for ruining my life, said Bulington. After initially fleeing, Tisius eventually surrendered to the police. I know what I have done was wrong and will never be fixed, Tisius wrote in the statement after his arrest. An Officer asked me if I could go back and do it all over what would I do. I said I would kill myself to save their lives. Both Vance and Bulington are serving two life sentences for their role in the plot. Tisius first death sentence was vacated because evidence was presented inaccurately during the penalty phase of his trial. For the second trial, he was appointed two private lawyers contracted by the Missouri State Public Defender who were each paid a flat fee of $10,000. The ABA has long cautioned against flat fee arrangements in capital cases because of the unacceptable risk that counsel will limit the amount of time invested in the representation in order to maximize the return on the fixed fee, Enix-Ross, the ABA president, wrote in her letter urging the Missouri government to grant clemency. The Missouri State Public Defenders office no longer contracts death penalty cases to lawyers for flat fees, the offices director Mary Fox wrote in a separate letter in support of Tisius clemency request. The use of flat fees disincentivizes the attorneys from performing the essential mitigation investigation, trial preparation, and trial presentation work necessary to effectively represent a person charged with a capital offense, Fox wrote. In Tisius case, she continued, counsel failed to adequately meet and consult with Tisius and failed to present mitigation evidence related to his mental health diagnoses and adolescent brain development. The affidavits from jurors included in Michael Tisius clemency petition demonstrate that if resentencing counsel had provided the resentencing jurors with the available mitigation evidence; which had been presented at a prior hearing in which Michael Tisius did not have flat fee counsel and which resulted in the new sentencing hearing; that a life without probation or parole sentence could have been returned, Fox wrote. Michael Tisius pictured in front of a mural he painted. Michael Tisius pictured in front of a mural he painted. Over the past 20 years, the Supreme Court has banned the harshest punishments, including the death penalty and mandatory life without parole sentences, for people who commit crimes before they are 18 years old. These decisions are backed by neurological research showing that an individuals brain continues developing into their mid-20s. As a result, children and young adults are often impulsive, easily manipulated by others, and struggle to weigh long-term consequences. Moreover, mental illnesses and cognitive issues that impact decision-making abilities often are not diagnosed and treated until adulthood. Multiple medical experts hired by Tisius current legal team have found that his severely traumatic childhood appears to have negatively impacted his neurological development. [N]europsychological testing corroborates the frontal-temporal-striatal deficits that characterized Mr. Tisius cognitive deficits, neuropsychiatrist George Woods wrote after evaluating him in 2018. Like a toxic stream running through relatively healthy land, Mr. Tisius frontal temporal striatal poisons much of his healthy cognitive functioning, rendering it vulnerable to impaired functioning, especially in new, novel, and stressful circumstance[s]. A psychiatrist who has evaluated Tisius in 2003, 2012 and 2022confirmed in his last report that Tisius had indeed matured and grown with age. Tisius has learned self-control, has empathy for others, shows empathy for the men he killed, is no longer impulsive, and is seeking to make the best life he can in his current situation, psychiatrist Stephen Peterson wrote in his last report. A federal judge ordered last week that Tisius execution be halted to investigate evidence that one of the jurors from his trial cannot read English, a state requirement for jury service. An appeals court overruled that decision and the matter is now pending before the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule shortly. Artwork by Michael Tisius Artwork by Michael Tisius Tisius has spent his past 23 years of incarceration continuing to make art. He has painted murals throughout the prison and donated his art to an auction to raise money for a domestic violence center. In a world where I felt I had no control, art has given me that control and has allowed me to connect to my emotions, as well as other individuals, Tisius said in a conversation excerpted in his clemency petition. It allows me to express myself when my words cant. As his execution date approached, Tisius rushed to finish a painting with a motivational phrase on the wall of a rehabilitation unit for those in long-term segregation. He wanted to finish it before he was killed. This story has been updated to note the governors decision not to exercise clemency. Related... The longtime president of the Boilermakers union, with international headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, has been ousted by his own executive council, accused of misappropriating union funds for personal use. Newton B. Jones, who has led the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers since his father retired in 2003, was removed from office following a hearing last week. The action came after the unions executive council found he had violated a section of the Boilermakers constitution dealing with the misuse of funds. Jones was ordered to reimburse the union all of the funds which he misspent as reflected in these charges and to immediately resign from all of his other positions, including serving as a trustee of all funds in which the union participates. The drastic action of removing President Jones immediately and directing other actions is clearly necessary because of the seriousness of these allegations and the harm to our membership, three executive committee members said in their formal document issued Thursday. This misuse is shocking. The action to remove Jones comes as a federal criminal investigation into union activities is underway, The Star has learned. Several sources confirmed that they have been interviewed by the FBI in recent weeks. The unions executive committee found that Jones ordered the union to pay his wife, Kateryna, more than $100,000 plus benefits for apparently no union purpose while she was living in the Ukraine and spent more than $20,000 in union funds for flights to Ukraine to visit his wife and to go to the home which he owns in the Ukraine. Jones and his wife also turned in about $40,000 in receipts for meals in North Carolina some quite lavish and expensive with no justification for the expenses. Jones, 69, said in an email to The Star late Saturday that its not what it seems and that he would touch base sometime on Sunday. That didnt happen. The decision signed by the vice presidents on Thursday said Jones has the right under the unions constitution to appeal the decision to the unions next national convention. The conventions are held every five years, and the next one isnt until July 2026. The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers represents about 46,000 workers in the United States and Canada who assemble, install and repair boilers, fit pipes and build power plants and ships. Long-standing allegations The news about Jones ouster spread quickly among union members over the weekend, many who have alleged for years that he was treating union funds as his private piggy bank. This is a win for the rank-and-file, said Darrell Manroe, a member of Boilermakers Local 83, based in Kansas City. He used members money for personal gain. And members believe this is the tip of the iceberg. Hes been stripped of everything. And this was long overdue. Manroe, of Grand Junction, Colorado, has been a vocal critic of Jones leadership and ran against him for president in 2016. He announced Jones expulsion during a live session Friday night in a private Facebook group for Boilermakers. Manroe told The Star that members had been questioning Jones handling of union funds for years, but their concerns were ignored. As long as Ive been in the union, there was pretty much a give it up, nothings going to get done attitude, he said. The Kansas City Star investigated the Kansas City, Kansas-based Boilermakers union in 2012. The Star investigated the Boilermakers in 2012, finding that Jones and other executives were living the good life. Jones salary and business expenses totaled more than $607,000, which put him above the presidents of the biggest unions in the country. The newspaper also found that several of Jones family members and relatives of other officers were earning hefty union salaries as well. A followup story in 2017 found that little had changed. Six-figure salaries were still common for officers and their relatives, as were fine dining, stays in posh hotels and expensive hunting retreats. Cars were still given as parting gifts for retired employees, and hundreds of thousands of dollars continued to be spent on promotional events and videos all while membership continued its downward spiral and the unions pension fund struggled to stay afloat. And federal authorities, including the U.S. Department of Labor, had investigated the $28 million Boilermaker Vacation Plan and one of its local lodges. The unions most recent annual report, filed with the Labor Department for the period ending June 30, 2022, shows that Jones salary and disbursements for official business totaled $656,179. Some of his relatives remain on the payroll, including his wife, who as special assistant to the international president received salary and disbursements of $210,369. Jones son, Cullen, made $115,422 as film project coordinator. And Jones daughter, Shea, received $113,590 as a graphic artist. Union expenses included a $50,000 donation to the Irish Red Cross in Dublin and two $26,000 donations to the World Central Kitchen in Washington, D.C., for Ukrainian humanitarian aid. The union also spent $8,522 at DaVincis Ristorante on Marco Island in Florida and $63,048 for transportation to a labor conference in Italy. Other reported expenses: $6,489 at Ruths Chris Steak House in Kansas City and a $36,000 deposit to Paul Nelson Farm, a renowned hunting lodge and corporate retreat center in Gettysburg, South Dakota. The Paul Nelson Farm website refers to the center as a perfect balance of world-class hunting and luxury redefined. It offers packages that include three days of hunting with private rooms, guides and dogs, ammunition, complimentary use of 12-gauge shotguns, pheasant cleaning and meals and beverages. For a group of six or more, the package runs $6,695 per person. Executive Council takes action According to the document signed Thursday, titled Decision of Executive Council, Boilermakers International Vice President John T. Fultz filed the charges against Jones on April 14 alleging misuse of funds. The charges accuse Jones of violating Section 17.1.7 of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Constitution, which deals with mishandling, misappropriating, or otherwise misusing Union funds or properties. The Boilermakers constitution says the executive council has jurisdiction over charges brought against international officers. The unions executive council consists of Jones and the five international vice presidents: J. Tom Baca, Fultz, Arnie Stadnick, Timothy Simmons and Lawrence McManamon Sr. Simmons became an international vice president in February, replacing the retiring Warren Fairley. Because Jones was the one being charged, the constitution required that he be automatically recused from participating in the proceedings and disqualified from taking any action with respect to the charges. That meant he couldnt appoint someone to assume his role in processing the charges, the document said. Fultz, as the person who charged Jones, also was disqualified from participating in the proceedings. After the charges were filed, the document said, the executive council reviewed them and scheduled a Zoom meeting for May 12. All five international vice presidents attended. Jones did not appear, it said, and the council appointed Robert Lunsford, business manager for District Lodge 57 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to replace Jones for the proceedings. Lunsford then appointed retired international vice president Joseph Maloney to be the hearing officer, the document said. After Lunsford scheduled a hearing for May 30 in Kansas City, Jones argued that the executive council had no authority to proceed. The council acknowledged that these are unusual circumstances but said it had complied with the provisions of the unions constitution. Any procedural defects were not substantive and were waived by President Jones failure to appear or respond, the document said. The harm to our membership warrants immediate and forceful action. Jones then tried to designate the unions international secretary-treasurer, William Creeden, to serve in his role since Jones had been disqualified, the document said. But it said that because Jones had been disqualified, he could not appoint Creeden to be his replacement. Moreover, the executive members wrote in their decision, it also appears from the evidence presented that IST (international secretary-treasurer) Creeden approved the expenditures, which are the subject of the charges. He participated and facilitated in this misuse of IBB money and would be disqualified from serving in any capacity. Creeden, who has been the unions secretary-treasurer since 2005, did not respond to a request from The Star for comment. Creeden earns $438,878 in salary and disbursements for official business, according to the unions annual report for the year ending June 30, 2022. His son, Ryan, also works for the union, making $264,117 in salary and disbursements last year as a special assistant to the international president. Another family member, Brian Creeden, made $73,304 as a technician, the report said. A formal hearing on the charges against Jones began at 1 p.m. on May 30. Jones and McManamon, one of the vice presidents, did not appear, the document said. Two representatives sat in for Jones and were given an opportunity to make statements on his behalf. One asked a few questions, but neither made any statements, tried to present evidence or attempted to refute the charges against Jones, according to the document. We received no substantive response from President Jones to explain his conduct and expenditures at these proceedings, it said. The charges against Jones The first charge against Jones involved compensation to his wife, Kateryna Kate Jones. According to the decision, she was living in Ukraine and did not have a Social Security number or tax identification. Once she got a Social Security number, it said, Jones directed the union to retroactively pay her for about two years while she was living in Ukraine. There is no evidence she performed any work or did anything that would benefit the membership of the IBB, it said. The union paid her $106,137.62, the document said, and also was liable for very substantial benefits, taxes and other costs. The second charge, according to the document, was related to about $40,000 in expenses for restaurants and meals in North Carolina, where Jones lives. The receipts included meals for Jones wife after she moved to North Carolina. No attempt was made at Jones hearing to justify the expenses, which spanned about five years, the document said. There is no legitimate reason and legitimate use of Union funds to pay for meals while living at home at the Unions expense, it said. ...This is just an abuse of members money and is wrong. A third charge was regarding flights to Ukraine by Jones and his wife that cost nearly $21,000, the document said. Again, there could be no conceivable use of Union funds for President Jones to fly to the Ukraine to visit his wife and to go to the home which he owns in the Ukraine, it said. We have no work in the Ukraine and no business there. This is a plain misuse of IBB funds. The executive council concluded that Jones violated the unions constitution. President Jones was given the opportunity to defend himself and explain these expenditures, the document said. He chose not to show up. He chose to present no evidence. He chose not to send a representative to even attempt to explain these expenditures. We are left with uncontradicted evidence and no explanation. The council ordered Jones to be removed immediately as president and to immediately turn over the keys, passwords, property, offices, vehicles or any property or funds of the IBB or any of its affiliates. President Jones is furthermore directed to reimburse the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers all of the funds which he misspent as reflected in these Charges, the document said. The IBB is directed to hire an accountant to do a forensic accounting by an independent certified public accountant experienced in auditing unions to determine the full extent of the mishandling, misappropriation and misuse of union funds and to direct that President Jones reimburse that amount after the audit is completed. McManamon, the only other international vice president who didnt sign the decision (vice president Fultz wasnt eligible to sign it because he filed the case against Jones), received $487,205 in salary and disbursements for official business in the year ending June 30, 2022. He has two children who work for union affiliates and also is a trustee on the national pension and annuity funds. He did not respond Sunday to a request for comment. His son, Lawrence Jr., is the Great Lakes area coordinator of the Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Program, earning $368,760 in salary and other compensation in calendar year 2021, according to IRS records. And daughter Bridget Connors is a representative for the Boilermakers Mobilization, Optimization, Stabilization and Training programs, receiving $235,523 in salary and other compensation in calendar year 2020, IRS records show. Baca, who signed the decision to remove Jones, also has had family members on the union payroll, according to its annual report for the period ending June 30, 2022. His son, John Baca, earned $248,156 in salary and allowances as a marketing manager for the union, the document says. And Tom Bacas wife, Heather, made $81,194 in salary and other disbursements as an administrative secretary. When Missouri lawmakers approved a bill this month banning gender-affirming care for minors, it included a provision that would prohibit Medicaid from covering transgender-related health care for people of all ages. The provision is tucked in a bill sitting on Republican Gov. Mike Parsons desk. It prevents Missouris Medicaid program, called MO HealthNet, from paying for surgeries, hormones or puberty-blockers for the purpose of a gender transition. Parson, a Republican who threatened to call lawmakers into a special session if they did not pass the bill this year, is expected to sign the legislation into law this summer. Parsons signature could come in the next few weeks during Pride Month, which commemorates the struggle for LGBTQ rights. While much of the debate on the legislation, from lawmakers, lobbyists and advocates, has centered around the ban on gender-affirming care for minors, the Medicaid provision would also affect adults in Missouri. And another provision would ban gender-affirming surgeries in jails. Its evidence that its not really just about protecting children, but its about attacking transgender people of all ages with whatever tools are available, said Brandon Barthel, a Kansas City-based endocrinologist who provides care for transgender adults. While the MO HealthNet program typically does not currently cover gender-affirming surgeries, it can cover treatments such as hormone therapy, doctors told The Star. The Missouri Medicaid program covers mental health counseling while Kansas covers voice/communication therapy, according to a 2021 survey of state Medicaid coverage by the nonprofit health policy group Kaiser Family Foundation. Matt Lara, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in an email that Kansas does not have any regulations restricting the use of Medicaid dollars for gender-affirming care. Under the Missouri bill, surgeries, hormones and puberty-blockers for gender-affirming care would be barred from the program, which provides health coverage for low-income and disabled Missourians. The bill does not explicitly mention barring Medicaid from covering counseling or therapy for gender-affirming care. Its just a matter of the state, you know, deciding where its going to spend its money, Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, a Columbia Republican, told reporters earlier this month. We dont think its in the best interest of the state and the taxpayer. Ryan Cox, a psychologist for transgender adults in Kansas City, said that about 20% of the patients at his clinic are on Medicaid. The program typically covers office visits, labs and medications for patients seeking gender-affirming care, he said. However, he said some patients have had trouble getting Medicaid to cover gender-affirming hormones. While hormones are usually affordable and many patients end up paying out of pocket, some cant, he said. Youre talking about people who are on Medicaid, he said. If theyre on Medicaid, theyre at a lower socio-economic status already. So, that creates a greater medical burden on those individuals. State Sen. Mike Moon, an Ash Grove Republican who sponsored the bill, told The Star that the bills effect on adults was something he hadnt really considered. Moon has frequently touted his bill as a way to protect kids. Moon, in an interview with The Star, defended barring Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care. If a person is wanting to make a change, reassignment surgeries and that sort, it should be their expense, he said. When youre receiving benefits that taxpayers are providing, it should be something that is for basic necessities. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey also attempted to effectively ban gender-affirming care for adults and kids through an emergency rule. Bailey, a Republican, withdrew the rule after lawmakers passed the ban on care for minors last month. The bill has the potential to severely restrict transgender Missourians access to affordable care. Because of job and personal discrimination, trans people are less likely to be employed or may be in low-wage jobs and are more likely to rely on Medicaid, said Sidney Watson, a professor at the Center for Health Law Studies at St. Louis University. We know that in the LGBTQ community, they disproportionately rely on Medicaid because of lower incomes, because of various forms of discrimination, she said. Cox said he believes that the bill violates anti-discrimination provisions in the Affordable Care Act, signed into law by then-President Barack Obama in 2010. The act prohibits health programs from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex including sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. He believes a lawsuit will challenge the bill if Parson signs it into law. If signed, the law would go into effect on Aug. 28. But, for now, doctors and health providers are stuck in an anxious waiting period where they dont know how exactly the legislation will affect coverage or care. Cox said hes had to have some tough conversations with patients. What Ive been telling them the last three months, for all of us, is I just dont know, he said. I wish I had a better answer than that, but we dont know at this point exactly what its going to change. Cox said someone who is medically transitioning would still be able to come to his clinic and get primary care and psychological care. But they wouldnt be able to use Medicaid to pay for an endocrinologist who was prescribing their hormone therapy. Ben Grin, an assistant professor of primary care at Kansas City University and a primary care doctor at the KC CARE Health Center, said the bill would make gender-affirming treatments less accessible for patients. Grin, who provides some gender-affirming care to adults, said transgender patients in the MO HealthNet program will likely have to seek alternate options to pay for their medications. As a primary care doctor, Grin said he tries to find creative solutions for patients who face financial challenges. One option is GoodRx, which provides coupons that patients can bring to pharmacies for discounts on medications. Watson, the SLU health professor, said Medicaid coverage for children and adolescents is supposed to be broad. Under the benefit called Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment, state Medicaid programs must cover all medically necessary, non-experimental treatments for children, she said. She said that could cause the bill to run into legal issues. Tom Bastian, a spokesperson for the ACLU of Missouri, which previously sued Bailey over his emergency rule aimed at trans adults, said in a statement that the bill goes far beyond the fabricated concern for children and removes access to life-saving gender-affirming health care from adults based on the amount of money they earn or past mistakes. Courts have found, over and over, that the defenses of these types of bans simply fail, the statement said. For some patients, just hearing about the legislation will prevent them from seeking care, said Barthel, the Kansas City-based endocrinologist. Just the knowledge that everythings under attack, and then the potential for misunderstanding or misinformation, is going to keep some people away, he said. I think you definitely can already see people moving. This story was updated to include a comment from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The Stars Katie Bernard contributed reporting. Mom from Iowa pleads for public's help after losing late sons favorite stuffed animal filled with his ashes Mom from Iowa pleads for public's help after losing late sons favorite stuffed animal filled with his ashes A mom in the nation's heartland is begging for help in locating her late sons stuffed animal after it was lost on a recent family vacation. Liz Atkinson is an emergency room nurse from Burlington, Iowa, and the mother of six-year-old son Sebastyan and late son Gabryel. Gabryel was born at just 31 weeks with a chromosomal anomaly that caused a series of health complications throughout the seven years of his young life. WOMAN FINDS LOST STUFFED BUNNY AND WANTS TO LOCATE ITS OWNER "He had a skull reconstruction, a palate surgery, the right middle lobe of his lung removed, multiple airway surgeries things [from]head to toe," Atkinson told Fox News Digital about Gabryel's health battle. On April 9, 2022, Gabryel passed away after years of health complications related to the chromosomal anomaly, his mother shared. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Baby Gabryel was given the stuffed elephant when he was born and "Bruce" went everywhere with the child, mom Liz Atkinson said. When Gabryel was born, he was placed in the hospital's NICU and Atkinson was given a baby shower at the hospital, she said. One of the shower attendees gave the child a colorful stuffed elephant toy that would vibrate and play music something that instantly relaxed him, said his mom. Gabryel was very attached to the stuffed animal, Atkinson also said and named it Bruce. Gabryel's uncle, RJ, held Gabryel (and Bruce the stuffed animal) after arriving home from the hospital in 2014. "From there on and ever since, its been in bed with Gabryel every night," she said. Throughout the years, Bruce the elephant has had multiple baths. AN ELF TOY GONE WRONG: MOM GETS CREATIVE TO HANDLE SERIOUS LEG MISHAP It's had its vibrating mechanism replaced and has been with the Atkinson family through it all, said Atkinson. So when the family decided to take a trip to Florida a trip they were unable to take while Gabryel was alive there was no question that Bruce the stuffed animal would come along. Bruce the stuffed animal had a vibration mechanism that tended to help little Gabryel calm down and feel comfortable before his multiple surgeries, his mother said. Bruce went on every trip the family took. The plan was to bring it along for comfort as they continue to mourn the loss of Gabryel. At the last minute, Atkinson decided to put some of Gabryels ashes in the back of the stuffed animal. STUFFED BEAR GOES ON FUN ADVENTURE AT STATE PARK AFTER 5-YEAR-OLD BOY ACCIDENTALLY LEAVES IT BEHIND "The intention of bringing Bruce wasnt necessarily to bring him everywhere with us," she said. "It was just the fact that he was going to be coming along on the trip and staying in the hotel rooms," she added. Mom Liz Atkinson and son Sebastyan (pictured here) went on a parasailing trip while in Florida and Bruce the stuffed toy was also in attendance. During the trip, the family had planned to go parasailing, and son Sebastyan asked if Bruce could come along. Things went awry when the family discovered that the beloved toy had gone missing. Security footage reviewed since that day showed that Bruce did make it onto the boat on April 24 and then back to the car after the parasailing activity, Atkinson said. After that, the family headed to Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, where Atkinson believes Bruce was lost. Atkinson realized on their way to Disneys Art of Animation resort on April 25 that Bruce was not with them panicking and replaying moments back from the previous couple of days, she continued. Liz Atkinson told Fox News Digital that she has replayed those days of the family vacation back in her mind but cannot figure out exactly when or where Bruce went missing. The family returned home to Iowa on May 1 without Bruce. The Atkinson family has been in contact with the various hotels they stayed in during their trip, as well as Disney parks, a Lego store they visited, the parking garage where they parked and other locations to see if anyone had seen Bruce the elephant. So far, no luck. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Atkinson, who has OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), said she is struggling to wrap her mind around losing Bruce, as she is known for being a very organized person. "Before I leave a place, even just sitting, I look around me to make sure nothings missing," she said. Iowa mom Liz Atkinson is pleading for help after her late son's stuffed animal filled with some of his ashes went missing during a family trip. The worried mom said she's thought about the notion of someone throwing the toy away or even taking it in order to sell it online but she doesnt really believe either of those options occurred. "I just cant imagine somebody doing that," she said. Atkinson has been spreading the word on social media. She said that many people on these platforms have said they've kept an eye out for Bruce the stuffed elephant while on family vacations to Disney and the Orlando area. (See Atkinson's post, below.) More than 100 supporters of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were arrested during protests Sunday, a monitoring group said. OVD-Info, a group that monitors protests in Russia, said in a statement that at least 109 people were detained as of Sunday evening. The protesters took to the streets on Navalnys 47th birthday to call for the release of the opposition leader, who is serving more than 11 years in prison on charges of fraud and contempt of court. Navalny, his supporters and many in the West maintain the charges were politically motivated and the prison sentence was aimed at silencing him. The Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF) and other team Navalnys projects announced worldwide rallies on his 47th birthday calling for the release of Alexei and other political prisoners. We know of at least 109 people detained, the organization said. Despite the unprecedented crackdown over the past 2 years, ACF was sure that there are still activists in Russia ready to protest openly and they were right, the statement added. The organization said at least two of the people detained are journalists and five are minors, one of whom has epilepsy. The organization said the detentions were rife with illegal practices, including not allowing those arrested to receive legal advice. The detentions were markedly rough and rife with illegal practices in at least 3 police departments our affiliate lawyers were not let inside, in 8 departments police took away the detainees phones, depriving them of getting any legal advice or reporting their detention, the organization said. Protesters took to the streets in downtown Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities to show support for Navalny, who was arrested in January 2021. The more there are such people, the smaller the price each has to pay, he said. And a day will certainly come when it will be routine and not dangerous at all to tell the truth and stand for justice in Russia, Navalny wrote in a Twitter post. The Associated Press contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. More Kansas families can apply for $1,000 for tutoring, other education help after pandemic More Kansas families will soon qualify for $1,000 grants aimed at helping students recover from pandemic-related learning loss. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, announced Monday her office would expand eligibility for the federally-funded grants to all families making less than 300% of the 2022 federal poverty line, thats $69,090 for a family of three and $83,250 for a family of four. When the program first launched in February, eligibility stopped at 185% of the federal poverty line. In 2021 state officials allocated $50 million in COVID-19 relief dollars for direct $1,000 grants per student to low income families. The grants can be used on educational expenses including tutoring, camps and musical instruments but they cannot be used on private school tuition. Kellys office did not immediately respond to questions about how many grants had been given out. In a statement, the governor urged Kansans to spread the word about the program. This program enables Kansas students to access the resources and support they need to live up to their highest potential, she said. If you know of someone who may qualify for this funding, please encourage them to apply today as we continue to help our students thrive both in and out of the classroom. Parents can access a list of service providers and apply for the grants at keep.ks.gov. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, pictured after a presidential primary debate in Houston in February 2016, has been accused of running scared from debates this time around With three denizens of the Republican establishment launching presidential campaigns this week, the race for the 2024 nomination has begun to resemble the sprawling 2016 field that proved a huge boon to unfancied outsider Donald Trump. This time the 76-year-old tycoon is the runaway frontrunner but the conventional wisdom remains the same: the larger the chasing pack, the more likely he is to win by dividing the anti-Trump vote. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who was trounced by Trump in 2016, is expected to launch a fresh tilt at the White House on Tuesday, a day ahead of ex-vice president Mike Pence and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Christie, who will announce in New Hampshire, presents a novel challenge as the only contender so far willing to land genuinely damaging blows on Trump as he makes his case for four years in the Oval Office. The 60-year-old Newark native has already begun needling his former friend, arguing last month that the former reality TV star and real estate tycoon was "afraid" of debating serious opponents. Trump has indicated that he may skip at least one of the first two debates, expressing a reluctance to share the limelight with lower-polling rivals. "If he really cares about the country -- and I have deep questions about that -- but if he really cares about the country, then he's going to get up there, and he shouldn't be afraid," Christie told radio host Hugh Hewitt. The former federal prosecutor came in sixth in New Hampshire seven years ago and eventually endorsed Trump, serving as a key advisor before the pair had a high-profile falling out. - 'Ton of coverage' - Christie has since assailed Trump on all manner of issues, highlighting the escalating criminal probes targeting the embattled billionaire, trashing his false claims of election fraud and dubbing him "Putin's puppet" over his isolationist stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Trump revealed that he relishes the chaos of a crowded field when he welcomed his first serious opponent, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, to the race in February, telling Fox News: "The more the merrier." But John Ellis, a former head of the network's Election Night Decision Desk, told AFP Christie's candidacy could put Trump on the back foot. "Because he will attack Trump relentlessly, Christie's campaign will get a ton of coverage in the mainstream press, which may help him do well in New Hampshire," said Ellis, founder of the News Items current affairs newsletter. "Favorable press coverage catapulted John McCain's presidential campaign in New Hampshire in 2000. Christie is making the same bet. Regardless, having someone hammering you every day is never helpful to the frontrunner." By midweek there will be 10 major candidates in the Republican primary and another four also-rans, but Trump has a 30-plus point lead over his closest rival, Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor. Pence, Trump's unwaveringly loyal vice president turned reluctant critic, is expected to launch his campaign on Wednesday, ahead of a CNN Town Hall in Iowa. - 'Last man standing' - His launch, along with Christie's, complicates the race less for Trump than for DeSantis, who has been on a charm offensive in the first-in-the-nation voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire as he bids to remain competitive. The governor's efforts to keep the emphasis on "charm" rather than "offensive" -- softening the edges of reputation for aloofness -- were undermined Thursday by a temper tantrum he had at a reporter in the lakeside town of Laconia. The hardline conservative is running to Trump's right in what political analysts have called a "last man standing" campaign that banks on the former president being taken out of contention by the escalating legal threats he faces. The strategy, according to the theory, is essentially to keep Trump's supporters content by avoiding too much conflict and being best placed to mop them up when their man is forced to bow out. But 44-year-old DeSantis has also begun to fire off explicit broadsides against his rival, questioning the frontrunner's commitment to conservatism, his effectiveness in office and his prospects of victory against President Joe Biden. Liberals watching the race with a mixture of amusement and horror have been split between those cheering on Trump, believing he will be the easiest one to beat in the general election, and those who would rather see anyone else prevail, even if it means losing the White House. "The opponents in the Republican primary can try their hardest, but if rape allegations and an insurrection couldn't waiver Trump's base, these candidates will not either," Democratic election strategist Amani Wells-Onyioha told AFP. ft/dw Mother of 6-year-old who shot teacher will plead guilty to federal felony charges in deal with prosecutors The mother of a 6-year-old boy who brought a gun to school and shot his first-grade teacher in January in Newport News, Virginia, will plead guilty to new federal felony charges as part of a deal with prosecutors, her attorney said Monday. Deja Taylor, the 26-year-old mother, was charged with unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm and with making a false statement while purchasing the firearm, specifically a semiautomatic handgun, the federal complaint states. Her attorney, James Ellenson, said Taylors guilty plea was an agreed procedure which eliminated the need for the government to take the case to a grand jury. Our action follows very constructive negotiations we had with federal authorities. The terms of the agreement, which we believe to be fair to all parties, will be disclosed when we enter the guilty plea, Ellenson said. Taylor will enter her guilty plea later this week or next week, according to Ellensons statement. He added that he planned to submit mitigating evidence and thanked the US attorneys office for its good faith participation in discussions. In addition to the federal charges, Taylor has been indicted on state charges of felony child neglect and one count of recklessly leaving a firearm to endanger a child. The federal charges come about five months after the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in which the 6-year-old shot his teacher, 25-year-old Abigail Zwerner. She suffered gunshot wounds to her hand and chest but survived. The gun was purchased by Taylor and kept on the top shelf of her bedroom closet, secured by a trigger lock, Ellenson told CNN in January. The child brought the gun to school in his backpack, police said. The child will not be criminally charged, Newport News Commonwealths Attorney Howard Gwynn has said. Prosecutors allege when Taylor purchased the handgun, she knowingly made a false and fictitious statement to a licensed firearms dealer, according to the federal complaint filed Monday. She allegedly stated through federal forms that she was not an unlawful user of any controlled substances, when in fact she was an unlawful user of marijuana, the complaint states. Virginia legalized simple possession of marijuana in 2021, but it remains illegal federally. If Taylor is convicted of the federal charges, she must forfeit any ammunition or firearm used in the violation, the US Attorneys office said in court documents. Taylor has no criminal record and has cooperated since the shooting occurred, Ellenson said in an earlier statement. She turned herself in to police in April after the state charges and was released after posting $5,000 bond. As always, first and foremost is the continued health and wellbeing of all persons involved in the incident at Richneck Elementary School, to include both the teacher and Dejas son, the statement said. The Commonwealths Attorney said the office has asked the Circuit Court to assemble a special grand jury to investigate any security issues that may have contributed to the shooting. Zwerner filed a $40 million lawsuit in April alleging school administrators and the school board were aware of the students history of random violence and did not act proactively amid concerns over a firearm in the boys possession the day of the shooting. The boy has an acute disability and was under a care plan that required a parent to attend school with him, though he was unaccompanied on the day of the shooting, the family has said in a statement. We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives, the statement read. CNNs Michael Besozzi contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The mother of one of four University of Idaho students fatally stabbed last year wont attend the accused killers trial The mother of one of the four University of Idaho students who were fatally stabbed in an off-campus home last year said she wont attend the trial of her sons accused killer. It doesnt change the outcome, Stacy Chapin, whose 20-year-old son Ethan was killed in the attack, told NBCs Savannah Guthrie of attending the court proceedings. It just is energy that doesnt feel like its well spent. Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, 20; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; and Madison Mogen, 21, were found dead on November 13, sending shock waves through the small city of Moscow, Idaho. He was just the greatest kid, Stacy Chapin said of her son during an interview on the Today Show Monday. Everybody loved him. He was warm. He was inclusive. He was the kid you wanted to hang out with, she said. Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin - From Xana Kernodle Bryan Kohberger, a graduate student in the Department of Criminology at nearby Washington State University, was arrested in connection with the killings in December and later indicted on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. A judge entered not guilty pleas on his behalf during a court appearance last month and he is set to stand trial in October. Instead of attending the trial, Stacy Chapin said she and her husband are focused on helping their family heal. Ethan Chapin was a triplet and since his death, his siblings have returned to the University of Idaho and finished their semester successfully, their mother said. We get up every morning and we just decided that the best thing we can do is put our best foot forward, Stacy Chapin said. In the months following the killings, Stacy Chapin wrote a book about her son titled The Boy Who Wore Blue. He was born happy. He was just magnanimous, Stacy Chapin said. What we find more interesting is how many lives he touched that we didnt even know existed. Its incredible. I mean, I tell people, if I touch as many lives in my lifetime as he did in 20 years, he just warmed every room. He had a wonderful smile. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Mother is pardoned after 20 years in prison over deaths of her 4 children An Australian woman who had been imprisoned for 20 years over the deaths of her four children was pardoned and freed Monday after new scientific evidence suggested they died of natural causes, as she had always maintained. Kathleen Folbigg, 55, received an unconditional pardon from New South Wales Gov. Margaret Beazley and was released from a prison in the city of Grafton. New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley told reporters he had recommended that Folbigg be pardoned based on preliminary findings from a second inquiry into her guilt by former state Chief Justice Tom Bathurst. Bathurst has been reviewing Folbiggs 2003 convictions of the manslaughter of her son Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her son Patrick and the murders of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura. I have reached the view that there is reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms. Folbigg for each of these offenses, Bathurst wrote in a memo he sent to Daley last week, citing medical and genetic evidence, as well as the conduct of the trial. Folbigg was serving 30 years in prison and would not have been eligible for parole until 2028, five years before the end of her sentence. Bathursts final report could recommend that her convictions be overturned. Kathleen Folbigg during a convictions inquiry at the NSW Coroners Court in Sydney (Joel Carrett / AP file) She is very, very happy, New South Wales lawmaker Sue Higginson told NBC News. I have had messages that there have been tears, theres laughter, theres hugs with her friends and that she is seeing life now very differently from how its been for the last 20 years. Higginson also said she thinks its absolutely inevitable that her convictions will be overturned, adding, What weve seen now is clear evidence, as well. An earlier inquiry, which ended in 2019, concluded that there was no reasonable doubt about Folbiggs guilt. The second inquiry was prompted by a 2021 petition in which 90 scientists and medical professionals argued that new scientific evidence creates a strong presumption that the Folbigg children died of natural causes. The entire time that Kathleen Folbigg has been in custody is a result of a miscarriage of justice, they argued. Folbigg was convicted of manslaughter in the 1989 death of her first child, Caleb, who was 19 days old. She was convicted of murder in the deaths of her three other children: Patrick in 1991 at 8 months, Sarah in 1993 at 10 months and Laura in 1999 at 19 months. Folbigg said she discovered all of the deaths. Bathurst said there was a reasonable possibility that three of the children died from natural causes, pointing to a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R, which was later discovered to have been shared by Sarah and Laura. Laura also could have died from myocarditis, he said. In Patricks case, Bathurst said, an underlying neurogenic disorder could have caused his sudden death. Though there was no physical evidence, prosecutors argued that Folbigg smothered the children and that similarities among the deaths made it extremely unlikely that the deaths could have been a coincidence. Kathleen Folbigg leaving Maitland Court after being refused bail, on March 22, 2004. (Anita Jones / Fairfax Media via Getty Images file ) Bathurst described the prosecutions case as entirely circumstantial and said he was unable to accept that Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children. He also criticized the prosecutions reliance on diary entries in which Folbigg expressed feelings of guilt but did not directly admit to having killed any of her children. The entries were explicable as the words of a grieving, depressed and traumatized mother, feeling guilt at the unexplained deaths of her four children, he wrote. If her convictions are overturned, Daley said, Folbigg would have the option to initiate civil proceedings against the state of New South Wales for compensation. Higginson, the local lawmaker, said that although the decision to seek compensation may be a matter for Kathleen to consider, we need to look at the efficiency, the access and the effectiveness of our justice system. There is no greater wrong than taking somebodys freedom wrongfully and holding somebody in a prison wrongfully, Higginson said. But that's what happened here. Daley said Folbigg was informed of the pardon before the announcement to ensure that there was appropriate support around her. He said he had also notified Folbiggs former husband, Craig Folbigg, saying it would be a tough day for him. Weve got four little bubbas who are dead, a husband and wife who lost each other, a woman who spent 20 years in jail and a family that never had a chance, Daley said. So youd not be human if you didnt feel something about that. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Mother of toddler killed in Russian missile strike on central Ukraine fighting for life Rescuers are sorting through rubble at the site of a Russian missile attack on Pidgorodny near the Dnipro "A total of 12 people are in the hospital, including one woman in a serious condition, doctors are fighting for her life," he stated. She is the mother of the deceased two-year-old child. Lysak recalled that a total of 25 people were injured in the attack, including five children. Read also: Dnipro death toll rises to five three missing people found dead in missile strike on hospital Three children currently remain hospitalized. The search and rescue operation has already ended, but the debris is still being cleared. On June 3, Russian troops attacked residential buildings in the Pidhorodne territorial community in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Two-year-old Liza Prykhodko was killed in the missile strike. Her body was found by rescuers under the rubble of the house. Read also: Search continues for three people after deadly Russian ballistic missile hits Dnipro medical clinic Read also: Elderly man mourns 9-year-old granddaughter killed in Kyiv by Russian missile attack Read also: Russian forces launch intensive attacks on Ukrainian towns, 3 civilians killed, 12 injured 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 Motorcyclist charged in February fatal hit-and-run crash arrested while out on bond A motorcyclist involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash in February has been arrested a second time this time for reckless driving, Wichita police said. The motorcyclist, 21-year-old Chase Faimon of Valley Center, Kansas, was arrested on May 27 after officers with the traffic unit say they saw Faimon doing a wheelie on his motorcycle on Waterman Street, Wichita police spokesperson Juan Rebolledo said in a news release. Officers followed Faimon to the Gander Mountain parking garage where he was arrested, the release read. Faimon had previously been arrested and charged in connection with a Feb. 20 crash that left 48-year-old Krisitine Sheffield of Wichita dead. Faimon fled the scene of the crash after striking Sheffield while she was crossing the street, police said. When police arrived at the crash scene at the intersection of 11th Street North and Broadway Street,they found Sheffield in the street, unresponsive. She was taken to a hospital where she later died, according to previous Eagle reporting. Faimon was arrested two days later at a law office in the 300 block of North Main Street. He was charged with 10 crimes, Sedgwick County district attorneys office spokesperson Dan Dillon said in an email. The charges include: First-degree murder, or in the alternative second-degree murder Leaving the scene of an accident Three counts of operating a motor vehicle without proper license Two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude and officer Two counts of expired tag or registration Cases can be charged alternatively if there are two or more theories of how the crime was committed, Dillon said. Each charge can be presented to a jury and a defendant may be convicted of more than one of the alternative charges. However, the defendant can only be sentenced for one of the alternative counts, that being the most severe offense if convicted, Dillon explained. Faimon was out on bond when he was arrested again over Memorial Day weekend, Dillon said. He is out on a $300,000 bond and a preliminary hearing is set for June 15. He has been placed on electronic monitoring, is not allowed to ride or operate a motorcycle and has a curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Dillon said. Two high-profile cases are pending where the nine justices on the Mississippi Supreme Court will decide whether to uphold the plain language of the law or find a reason to ignore that plain language. In one case the justices are being asked to decide whether it is unconstitutional for the Legislature to pass a bill that gives public funds to private schools. In the other, the justices are being asked to decide if it is OK for a candidate Bob Hickingbottom to wait 62 days after the deadline established in state law to appeal a decision of the state Democratic Executive Commission stating that he is ineligible to run for governor. The two cases do not have much in common except for the fact that the language in the Mississippi code and state Constitution governing each issue is straight and direct. Also, both cases are highly partisan. In general terms, Democrats oppose providing public funds to private schools. And many Republicans also badly want Hickingbottom to be on the August Democratic primary ballot to create additional work for Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Brandon Presley. In reality, the little-known Hickingbottom probably does not pose much of a threat, but any scenario that might make Presleys road to the November general election more difficult or bumpy is viewed as a victory by Republicans. In that particular case, the state Democratic Executive Committee ruled back in February that Hickingbottom was not eligible to run for governor. Hickingbottom can make a strong argument that the executive committee acted outside the law in denying him a spot on the Democratic primary ballot. The committee ruled that because he did not file his statements of economic interest with the Ethics Commission or file campaign finance reports in previous elections, he was ineligible. Apparently, under Mississippi law, not filing a campaign finance report or not filing a statement of economic interest so voters can know a candidates financial ties and conflicts does not disqualify a person from running for office. That in itself might say something about the lack of seriousness the Mississippi Legislature places on transparency and ethics. Nonetheless, Hickingbottom appeared to have a legitimate reason for the appeal of the Democratic executive committees decision. But the question before the Supreme Court could hinge a lot more on the law that states how long Hickingbottom had to file the appeal. The law reads: Any party aggrieved by the action or inaction of the appropriate executive committee may file a petition for judicial review to the circuit court of the county in which the executive committee whose decision is being reviewed sits. The petition must be filed no later than fifteen (15) days after the date the petition was originally filed with the appropriate executive committee. Hickingbottom waited 77 days not 15 to file his appeal. In ruling in favor of Hickingbottom, Hinds County Circuit Judge Forrest Johnson Jr. said the law establishing a deadline to appeal is not that important. The right of citizens to run for elected office, while not yet recognized on the same level as voting itself, is at least a quasi-fundamental pillar of our democracy, the judge wrote. More democracy is better than less democracy. In summary, the plaintiffs right to ballot access in this case prevails over his delay in seeking relief from this court. In other words, the judge is saying it is OK to ignore some laws. Using that logic, perhaps it would be OK for people to continue to vote past Election Day or to ignore provisions requiring a voter ID. After all, more democracy is better than less democracy. At any rate, the executive committee of the state Democratic Party is asking the Supreme Court to take the plain language of the law and overturn Johnsons decision. In the other case, the state Constitution plainly reads: No religious or other sect or sects shall ever control any part of the school or other educational funds of this state; nor shall any funds be appropriated toward the support of any sectarian school, or to any school that at the time of receiving such appropriation is not conducted as a free school. That no funds should be appropriated to a school that is not a free school seems clear in the law. Based on the proverbial plain language arguments that judges like to cite, both cases appear to be slam dunks. Judges often say they look first at and follow the the plain language of the law in deciding a case. But in recent years, Mississippi Supreme Court justices have been inconsistent in adhering to that plain language principle. With two highly partisan cases before the high court, the question is: Which reading will the justices take? This analysis was produced by Mississippi Today, a nonprofit news organization that covers state government, public policy, politics and culture. Bobby Harrison is Mississippi Todays senior Capitol reporter. By Nandita Bose and Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Elon Musk on Monday hosted Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine activist and long-shot Democratic presidential hopeful, in his second Twitter Spaces event for a 2024 White House candidate. But unlike Republican Ron DeSantis's glitch-plagued campaign launch on Twitter in May, the live audio chat with Kennedy was broadcast without major technological problems. Their 2.5-hour conversation had an audience of over 64,000 at some points. In April, Kennedy Jr., the son of assassinated 1968 Democratic candidate Robert F. Kennedy, announced a long-shot bid to challenge incumbent President Joe Biden for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy Jnr. criticized social-distancing requirements and vaccine mandates. At a 2022 rally in Washington he suggested that Americans had fewer freedoms during the pandemic than Jews living in Nazi Germany. He later apologized for his remarks. Kennedy had been banned by social media platforms for spreading misinformation about vaccines and COVID-19. He was recently reinstated by Instagram. On Monday, he praised Twitter CEO Musk for doing away with the "censorship" of social media. "I think if we don't protect free speech at all costs, we don't have a functioning democracy," Kennedy Jr. said during a free-wheeling conversation. Kennedy accused social media companies of folding to pressure from the government to censor anti-establishment views. LGBTQ+ activists and other groups say they've seen a rise in threats and intolerance on Twitter since Musk took over. Kennedy's anti-vaccine activism has earned him allies on the right. In 2017, former Republican President Donald Trump tapped him to oversee a vaccine review panel, drawing criticism from scientists who said it could legitimize unfounded skepticism. (Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell) Elon Musk, pictured in 2022, caused controversy by suggesting the self-ruled island of Taiwan should become part of China Top Chinese officials told Elon Musk about plans to launch new regulations on artificial intelligence on his recent trip to the Asian giant, the tech billionaire said Monday, in his first comments on the two-day visit. The Twitter owner and Tesla CEO -- one of the world's richest men -- held meetings with senior officials in Beijing and employees in Shanghai last week. "Something that is worth noting is that on my recent trip to China, with the senior leadership there, we had, I think, some very productive discussions on artificial intelligence risks, and the need for some oversight or regulation," Musk said. "And my understanding from those conversations is that China will be initiating AI regulation in China." Musk, whose extensive interests in China have long raised eyebrows in Washington, spoke about the exchange in a livestreamed Twitter discussion with Democratic presidential hopeful and vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert Kennedy Jr, the nephew of John F. Kennedy. Musk did not tweet while in China and Tesla has not released readouts of Musk's meeting with officials. But official Chinese channels said he lavished praise on the country, including for its "vitality and promise," and expressed "full confidence in the China market." A flurry of Chinese companies have been rushing to develop AI services that can mimic human speech since San Francisco-based OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November. But rapid advancements have stoked global alarm over the technology's potential for disinformation and misuse. Musk didn't elaborate on his discussions in China but was likely referring to a sweeping draft law requiring new AI products to undergo a security assessment before release and a process ensuring that they reflect "core socialist values." The "Administrative Measures for Generative Artificial Intelligence Services" edict bans content promoting "terrorist or extremist propaganda," "ethnic hatred" or "other content that may disrupt economic and social order." Under Beijing's highly centralized political system, the measures are almost certain to become law. Musk has caused controversy by suggesting the self-ruled island of Taiwan should become part of China -- a stance that was welcomed by Chinese officials but which deeply angered Taipei. The 51-year-old South African native described his meetings in China as "very promising." "I pointed out that if there is a digital super intelligence that is overwhelmingly powerful, developed in China, it is actually a risk to the sovereignty of the Chinese government," he said. "And I think they took that concern to heart." ft/bfm A painting of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex during happier times will no longer be shown at the National Portrait Gallery. The gallery, which will reopen later this month after a three-year closure for refurbishment, will not display a 2010 portrait of Prince William and Prince Harry, painted by artist Nicky Philipps. The artwork is the first official oil portrait of the brothers and shows them in their Blues and Royals uniforms when they were both serving officers in the Household Cavalry. In the image, William stands to the right side, leaning against a wall casually while wearing the star and blue sash of the Order of the Garter, to which he was appointed to in 2008. Meanwhile, Harry is shown sitting opposite his older brother while wearing his military uniform. The duke was later stripped of his military titles after stepping down as a working royal and moving to the US with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2021. In the years since the portrait was created, William and Harry have grown further apart and it is understood the pair now do not speak after the latter made a number of explosive claims about the royal family. Both the National Portrait Gallery whose royal patron is the Princess of Wales and Kensington Palace have told The Times that the decision to remove the painting was not at the request of the palace. A spokesperson for the gallery said that decisions related to what portraits go on display are made by the gallerys curatorial team. With over 250,000 portraits in our collection, we are only able to display a small percentage within our buildings, however, as one of the worlds largest and most important collections of portraits, we regularly lend and tour our works, both nationally and internationally, she added. (Getty Images) This portrait by Nicky Philipps was included in a touring exhibition Tudors to Windsors which travelled between 2018 and 2021. The portrait was last displayed at the gallery between March and August 2018. The portrait was painted in Philipps home in South Kensington rather than at Clarence House, which was the original agreement. However, the artist preferred the light at her own home and requested that the princes sit for the portrait there. Last year, she recalled how close the brothers were before their rift. In his and Meghans Netflix docuseries, released at the end of last year, Harry accused Williams team at Kensington Palace of trading and leaking stories about the Sussexes to the British press. William and Harry arriving for the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace, London (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire) Harry also claimed that William screamed at him in front of the late Queen Elizabeth II at the Sandringham summit in 2020, and that the palace lied to protect William over bullying accusations. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Philipps recalled the princes when she painted them and said: They were so sweet. They were so close, those were the days. In another interview with the Sunday Times last year, Philipps said: They were both utterly charming, quick-witted and great fun. Harry was a very different man back then. I suppose my painting has acquired historic significance. Harry is currently in the UK for his court hearing against the publisher of the Daily Mirror. The duke is set to become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for 130 years as he prepares to testify in his lawsuit as part of the case he and more than 100 other celebrities and high-profile figures have brought against Mirror Group Newspapers. NATO says reinforcements arriving in Kosovo after clashes last week FILE PHOTO: U.S. KFOR soldiers, under NATO, stand guard near a municipal office in Leposavic BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Reinforcements for NATO's peacekeeping force have begun to arrive in Kosovo following last week's unrest in the north of the country, the alliance said on Monday. Violence flared after Kosovo authorities installed ethnic Albanian mayors in offices in northern municipalities after being elected on a turnout of just 3.5% after Serbs who form a majority in the region boycotted local polls. The clashes injured 30 members of the NATO peacekeeping force known as KFOR as well as 52 Serb protesters. "Around 500 service members from Turkey's 65th Mechanized Infantry Brigade will make up the bulk of the reinforcements," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a tweet. NATO decided to deploy 700 additional peacekeepers to Kosovo, reinforcing the 4,000-strong contingent, in response to the crisis and the alliance's secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Thursday it was ready to send more. "NATO will remain vigilant. We will be there to ensure a safe and secure environment, and also to calm down and reduce tensions," he told reporters on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Oslo. KFOR was set up after a 1998-99 uprising by majority ethnic Albanians against repressive Serbian rule. Kosovo won internationally recognised independence in 2008 but Serbia rejected it and Serbs in the country's north seek autonomy for their region under a 2013 deal that has not been implemented. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; editing by Mark Heinrich) The US Naval officer in command of a 24-year-old SEAL candidate who died after the program's notorious "Hell Week" training spoke out this week, railing against a scathing report probing the incident. Captain Brad Geary learned on 4 February 2022 that one of his SEAL candidates, Seaman Kyle Mullen, 24, had died after the Hell Week training. Hell Week is the third week of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, commonly called BUD/S. It is the first step for all Navy SEAL candidates seeking a spot in the elite special operations unit. Mr Geary spoke for the first time since the candidate's death, in an interview with The New York Post. Ill never be able to take that weight off my shoulders, he said. Ive lost many teammates in my career, unfortunately. Too many. But this was the first one under my command. Mr Mullen was found by his fellow trainees in his room, unresponsive and blue in the face. He was taken for treatment at a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that the young sailor died due to a combination of pneumonia and swimming-induced pulmonary edema. The latter is a common condition for SEAL trainees, whose extended exposure to frigid Pacific waters causes fluid to fill their lungs. Mr Mullen made it through Hell Week during which SEAL candidates are only allowed to sleep four hours each night, must run more than 200 miles, and swim in the extremely cold waters of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. They train continuously for 20 hours a day during the five-day stretch. Candidate dropouts have become more common in recent years, according to Mr Geary, and he set out to determine why. He consulted with experts and academics, who found a number of contributing reasons for the drop outs; the coronavirus pandemic and "generational shifts" were both included as causes. He brought his concerns to the Navy, but said his warnings fell on deaf ears. Nobody really wanted to hear our message until after Kyle Mullen died, he said. We beat that drum incessantly and it really did not resonate. Despite Mr Geary's concerns, the report issued by the Navy suggested he simply believes today's SEAL candidates simply couldn't cut it where previous generations had. Capt. Geary maintained a view that the high attrition was caused, among other reasons, by the current generation having less mental resilience, or being less tough, the report said. US Navy Captain Brad Geary (US Navy) Mr Geary was incensed by the report, and denied ever making such claims, saying they run contrary to his personal leadership philosophy. One of the things that was misstated in that report was this notion that I somehow blamed the next generation for being mentally weak, which is what resulted in the attrition, Mr Geary said. Those were not my words. I never said that. Those closest to me in my command would say I never said that. He called the alleged mischaracterisation "flippant and irresponsible and just not true." The officer said he refused to participate in generational warfare discussions and insisted that this generation of SEAL candidates was plenty tough. Its very easy to say, Well, damn the next generation and make fun of them [but] Ive reinforced this throughout my entire time as commanding officer: Its on us as leaders to adjust to the next generation, he said. Its not enough to say You have to be like us and we expect you to perform like we did. True to Mr Geary's words, the report found that it was Mr Mullen's refusal to quit that ultimately led to his death. It noted that he had turned down multiple offers from officers to receive medical treatment after he was found coughing up blood and fluids during Hell Week. He even denigrated himself, saying he was "such a p****" because he was struggling to breathe on the day he died. [Mullen], intent on doing everything possible to complete the pipeline, was at increased risk of serious injury during Hell Week conditions of extreme fatigue and environmental exposure, with decreased ability to compensate and recover from such injuries, the report said. The report suggested Mr Geary and his team had fostered an environment that discourages SEAL candidates from seeking medical attention, and that he and his trainers were pushing more extreme training on the young cadets. He has rejected those claims, calling the findings "disappointing." Kyle Mullen was confirmed to have died during Hell Week. (Monmouth Hawks) Our cadre deserved to be trusted and the American people deserve to know that they can trust the SEAL community, and its frustrating to me that [the report] unjustly undermines that trust, he said. Mr Geary's attorney, Jason Wareham, criticised the investigation, saying the Navy mishandled the probe and accusing it of "wrongfully" discrediting his client "through twisted quotes misconstructions, and mishandling of evidence that has existed since the start." He said that an Army coroner failed to test Mr Mullen for performance-enhancing drugs in his system, despite syringes with human growth hormone and testosterone being found in Mr Mullen's car after his death. Mr Geary was formally reprimanded by the Navy but allowed to continue his service. Despite that, he believes his career has likely hit a wall due to the way he was depicted in the report. He insists he was mischaracterised. I genuinely love everyone that is entrusted to my care as a leader, and as the commanding officer of [the SEAL training program,] I loved my candidates, Mr Geary said. I loved Kyle Mullen; I grieved his loss and still do. I will carry that weight with me forever. Navy says commercial ship was harassed in Strait of Hormuz by Iran Revolutionary Guard boats The Navy says a commercial ship was harassed in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran Revolutionary Guard boats. The U.S. Navy said that its forces, along with the United Kingdom Royal Navy, responded to a distress call from a merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz, which is located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Three fast-attack Guard vessels with armed troops approached the merchant ship Sunday at about 5 p.m., the Navy statement said. The situation deescalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene. The merchant ship continued transiting the Strait of Hormuz without further incident, the Navy said in a statement. It added that the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul and U.K. Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster responded to the call. The Lancaster launched a helicopter to survey the situation while the U.S. 5th Fleet directed a maritime patrol aircraft to observe the situation. U.S. 5th Fleet remains vigilant and is bolstering defense around the key strait with partners to enhance regional maritime security and stability, the Navy added. The press release also included a black-and-white photo of the situation from the patrol aircraft showing one large commercial boat next to three smaller ships. Guard Rear Adm. Abbas Gholamshahi was quoted in Irans state-run IRNA news agency claiming that his ships were just responding to a distress call from the commercial ship. However, the Navy said the distress call initially came from reports from the civilian crew on the ship saying that there was armed personnel on board. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. An image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing a patch containing the Totenkopf symbol, an example of Nazi iconography, that was posted on the Twitter account of Ukraines Defense Ministry, then deleted. KYIV, Ukraine Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian government and NATO allies have posted, then quietly deleted, three seemingly innocuous photographs from their social media feeds: a soldier standing in a group, another resting in a trench and an emergency worker posing in front of a truck. In each photograph, Ukrainians in uniform wore patches featuring symbols that were made notorious by Nazi Germany and have since become part of the iconography of far-right hate groups. The photographs, and their deletions, highlight the Ukrainian militarys complicated relationship with Nazi imagery, a relationship forged under both Soviet and German occupation during World War II. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times That relationship has become especially delicate because Russian President Vladimir Putin has falsely declared Ukraine to be a Nazi state, a claim he has used to justify his illegal invasion. Ukraine has worked for years through legislation and military restructuring to contain a fringe far-right movement whose members proudly wear symbols steeped in Nazi history and espouse views hostile to leftists, LGBTQ movements and ethnic minorities. But some members of these groups have been fighting Russia since the Kremlin illegally annexed part of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014 and are now part of the broader military structure. Some are regarded as national heroes, even as the far-right remains marginalized politically. The iconography of these groups, including a skull-and-crossbones patch worn by concentration camp guards and a symbol known as the Black Sun, now appears with some regularity on the uniforms of soldiers fighting on the front line, including soldiers who say the imagery symbolizes Ukrainian sovereignty and pride, not Nazism. In the short term, that threatens to reinforce Putins propaganda and giving fuel to his false claims that Ukraine must be de-Nazified a position that ignores the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish. More broadly, Ukraines ambivalence about these symbols, and sometimes even its acceptance of them, risks giving new, mainstream life to icons that the West has spent more than a half-century trying to eliminate. What worries me, in the Ukrainian context, is that people in Ukraine who are in leadership positions, either they dont or theyre not willing to acknowledge and understand how these symbols are viewed outside of Ukraine, said Michael Colborne, a researcher at the investigative group Bellingcat who studies the international far right. I think Ukrainians need to increasingly realize that these images undermine support for the country. In a statement, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said that, as a country that suffered greatly under German occupation, We emphasize that Ukraine categorically condemns any manifestations of Nazism. So far, the imagery has not eroded international support for the war. It has, however, left diplomats, Western journalists and advocacy groups in a difficult position: Calling attention to the iconography risks playing into Russian propaganda. Saying nothing allows it to spread. Even Jewish groups and anti-hate organizations that have traditionally called out hateful symbols have stayed largely silent. Privately, some leaders have worried about being seen as embracing Russian propaganda talking points. Questions over how to interpret such symbols are as divisive as they are persistent, and not just in Ukraine. In the American South, some have insisted that today, the Confederate flag symbolizes pride, not its history of racism and secession. The swastika was an important Hindu symbol before it was co-opted by the Nazis. In April, Ukraines Defense Ministry posted a photograph on its Twitter account of a soldier wearing a patch featuring a skull and crossbones known as the Totenkopf, or Deaths Head. The specific symbol in the picture was made notorious by a Nazi unit that committed war crimes and guarded concentration camps during World War II. The patch in the photograph sets the Totenkopf atop a Ukrainian flag with a small No. 6 below. That patch is the official merchandise of Death in June, a British neo-folk band that the Southern Poverty Law Center has said produces hate speech that exploits themes and images of fascism and Nazism. The Anti-Defamation League considers the Totenkopf a common hate symbol. But Jake Hyman, a spokesperson for the group, said it was impossible to make an inference about the wearer or the Ukrainian army based on the patch. The image, while offensive, is that of a musical band, Hyman said. The band now uses the photograph posted by the Ukrainian military to market the Totenkopf patch. The New York Times asked the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on April 27 about the tweet. Several hours later, the post was deleted. After studying this case, we came to the conclusion that this logo can be interpreted ambiguously, the ministry said in a statement. The soldier in the photograph was part of a volunteer unit called the Da Vinci Wolves, which started as part of the paramilitary wing of Ukraines right sector, a coalition of right-wing organizations and political parties that militarized after Russias illegal annexation of Crimea. At least five other photographs on the Wolves Instagram and Facebook pages feature their soldiers wearing Nazi-style patches, including the Totenkopf. NATO militaries, an alliance that Ukraine hopes to join, do not tolerate such patches. When such symbols have appeared, groups such as the Anti-Defamation League have spoken out, and military leaders have reacted swiftly. Last month, Ukraines state emergency services agency posted on Instagram a photograph of an emergency worker wearing a Black Sun symbol, also known as a Sonnenrad, that appeared in the castle of Heinrich Himmler, the Nazi general and SS director. The Black Sun is popular among neo-Nazis and white supremacists. In March 2022, NATOs Twitter account posted a photograph of a Ukrainian soldier wearing a similar patch. Both photographs were quickly removed. In November, during a meeting with Times reporters near the front line, a Ukrainian press officer wore a Totenkopf variation made by a company called R3ICH (pronounced Reich). He said he did not believe the patch was affiliated with the Nazis. A second press officer present said other journalists had asked soldiers to remove the patch before taking photographs. Ihor Kozlovskyi, a Ukrainian historian and religious scholar, said the symbols had meanings that were unique to Ukraine and should be interpreted by how Ukrainians viewed them, not by how they had been used elsewhere. The symbol can live in any community or any history independently of how it is used in other parts of Earth, Kozlovskyi said. Russian soldiers in Ukraine have also been seen wearing Nazi-style patches, underscoring how complicated interpreting these symbols can be in a region steeped in Soviet and German history. The Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact with Germany in 1939, so it was caught by surprise two years later when the Nazis invaded Ukraine, which was then part of the Soviet Union. Ukraine had suffered greatly under a Soviet government that engineered a famine that killed millions. Many Ukrainians initially viewed the Nazis as liberators. Factions from the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and its insurgent army fought alongside the Nazis in what they viewed as a struggle for Ukrainian sovereignty. Members of those groups also took part in atrocities against Jewish and Polish civilians. Later in the war, though, some of the groups fought against the Nazis. Some Ukrainians joined Nazi military units such as the Waffen-SS Galizien. The emblem of the group, which was led by German officers, was a sky-blue patch showing a lion and three crowns. The unit took part in a massacre of hundreds of Polish civilians in 1944. In December, after a yearslong legal battle, Ukraines highest court ruled that a government-funded research institute could continue to list the units insignia as excluded from the Nazi symbols banned under a 2015 law. Today, as a new generation fights against Russian occupation, many Ukrainians see the war as a continuation of the struggle for independence during and immediately after World War II. Symbols such as the flag associated with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the Galizien patch have become emblems of anti-Russian resistance and national pride. That makes it difficult to easily separate, on the basis of icons alone, the Ukrainians enraged by the Russian invasion from those who support the countrys far-right groups. Units such as the Da Vinci Wolves, the better-known Azov regiment and others that began with far-right members have been folded into the Ukrainian military, and have been instrumental in defending Ukraine from Russian troops. The Azov regiment was celebrated after holding out during the siege of the southern city of Mariupol last year. After the commander of the Da Vinci Wolves was killed in March, he received a heros funeral, which Zelenskyy attended. I think some of these far-right units mix a fair bit of their own mythmaking into the public discourse on them, Colborne said. But I think the least that can and should be done everywhere, not just Ukraine, is not allowing the far rights symbols, rhetoric and ideas to seep into public discourse. c.2023 The New York Times Company Former U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn is making headlines this week for a connection to the Duggar family, stars of the TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting. Cawthorn, 27, who served one term in Congress representing Western North Carolina, was given screen time in the new docuseries Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets. Cawthorns seven minutes of fame in the series comes during the fourth episode, Arrows Activated. It describes his connection to Generation Joshua, a division of the Home School Legal Defense Association that intends to bring up conservative Christian homeschoolers to become part of the government, according to Alex Harris, a former leader of the group who now opposes it in the documentary. The Joshua Generation is one of the most ambitious plots of modern evangelical history, and almost no one has ever heard of it, Harris, an attorney, said. Its a decades-long, multi-generational plan to raise an elite strikeforce of Christian homeschool graduates to infiltrate the highest levels of government. And so far, Cawthorn was their largest success, Harris said. Harris also tweeted in 2021 that Cawthorn had campaigned with Generation Joshua while in high school. Cawthorn spent two years in Congress using the House floor as a pulpit. His speeches included ideological beliefs matching those of Generation Joshua as listed on the organizations website, including opposition to non-traditional families and abortion. Generation Joshua, founded at Patrick Henry College, is named after the Biblical Joshua who succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites. The organization says more than 25,000 students have passed through their program and worked on 155 political campaigns. The whole purpose was really to position kind of the best and brightest of the Christian homeschool movement to assume positions of power and influence in government and in the law, Harris said in the series. The goal was Christian homeschool graduates who would be U.S. senators, who would be U.S. presidents, and most importantly, who would be U.S. Supreme Court justices, in order to bring America back to its rightful position as a truly Christian nation. Cawthorn, a former homeschool student, attended Patrick Henry College for a semester. Buzzfeed News uncovered allegations of misogyny and sexual predatory behavior by Cawthorn against women at the college. He told the now-defunct news outlet that he had never done anything sexually inappropriate in his life. Cawthorn lost his reelection after numerous scandals surfaced ahead of his primary. The docuseries four episodes highlight the sexual abuse allegations against both Josh Duggar, the familys eldest son, and Bill Gothard, the founder of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a controversial nondenominational Christian organization, who helped shape Generation Joshua. The series interviews several women who accused Gothard of grooming them as young girls before preying on them at his headquarters and the organizations camp. He has not been charged, but resigned as the head of IBLP due to the allegations. The series also looks at how Gothards alleged action mirrors that of others who have gone through the program including Cawthorn, who has never been charged with sexual wrongdoing, and Josh Duggar, who admittedly abused his sisters and is now serving prison time for child pornography. The Duggars closely followed Gothard and the principles of IBLP as they raised their 19 children. The documentary describes how father Jim Bob Duggar hoped to use their television show as a means outside politics, which he also tried his hands at, to advance the message of IBLP. The docuseries, which includes interviews with one of the Duggar children, published Friday and can be watched on Amazon Prime. Nearly 2 million people watched this video of a Macon arrest. What really happened? A video that appeared to show a man with a gun on Pio Nono Avenue in Macon garnered nearly 2 million views on TikTok after it was posted May 27, leaving commenters bewildered about the supposed crime. The video, posted by the TikTok account The Georgia Page, lasted about 25 seconds and showed a man in front of a barber shop near the corner of Pio Nono and Anthony Road wielding what appeared to be a gun as several Bibb County sheriffs deputies approached him. The viral video had 1.9 million views and more than 1,500 comments on TikTok as of Monday, leading many to ask what really happened in the video. While the Georgia Page account provided no answers, an incident report from the Bibb sheriffs office told the story. The case The report showed that the man in the video, identified as Marquavius Williams, 34, was arrested for reckless conduct May 27 and that the guns he toted that day were apparently not real rifles. Deputies received calls that morning about a man waving a gun at people on Pio Nono, according to the report. When one deputy was sent to the scene, he saw Williams walking with what he thought was an AR rifle, the report said. When the deputy approached, Williams raised the rifle toward him with his finger on the trigger, the report said. The deputy turned onto a side street and called for backup. Several sergeants and other officers arrived at the area near Auto Zone where Williams was shown in the video and told him to drop his weapon, eventually getting him to lay it on the ground before handcuffing him, the report said. When deputies searched Williams they found three guns, all of which were Air Cartridge BB Guns, according to the incident report. Deputies also found a large amount of cash on Williams which was sent to a crime lab with the BB guns. Williams was arrested that day but has since been released, jail records show. His motivations were unknown, the report said, and an investigation is still under way. Image: Andrey_Popov (Shutterstock) Companies are beginning to dive into the AI workforce headfirstat least thats what the data are saying. A new report says that AI is responsible for almost 4,000 job cuts last month alone. The report comes from Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, Inc., an outplacement firm headquartered in Chicago. The companys May report says that U.S.-based companies announced 80,089 job cuts last month, and 3,900 of those are directly related to artificial intelligence. Mays job cuts are a 20% increase over Aprils, which saw 66,995 positions axed according to the report. With talks of a looming recession, its possible that companies really are beginning to pare down the human employees in their workforce in favor of a bucket of AI bolts in order to save some cash and impress shareholders. Read more Consumer confidence is down to a six-month low and job openings are flattening. Companies appear to be putting the brakes on hiring in anticipation of a slowdown, said Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. senior vice president Andrew Challenger in the report. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said last month that the company is planning to pause or slow hiring in the coming years for roles in which AI could replace humans. The slowdown or freeze in hiring would effect back-office positions and departments such as HRthese non-customer facing positions makeup around 26,000 positions in IBMs workforce. Tim Davidson, IBM communications officer, told Gizmodo last month that the company is being deliberate and thoughtful in our hiring with a focus on revenue-generating roles. Similarly, last month, The National Eating Disorder Association shut down its telephone helpline in favor of an AI chatbot named Tessa, firing its small staff of humans. Prior to the switch, staff successfully unionized after feeling understaffed and overworked while not receiving the support they needed while working with an at-risk population. While the swap to AI was a blow to the human workers, it wasnt smooth sailing, and NEDA pulled the Tessa chatbot last week after the nonprofit said on Instagram that it may have given harmful information to those seeking comfort. What organizations like IBM and NEDA are purposefully ignoring is that AI could serve a supplement to labor by making menial tasks easier or even non-existent, thereby optimizing the performance of both that artificial intelligence and the human worker. New research from Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology has found that 14% of employees that used ChatGPT in their workflow saw an increase in productivitywith the least experienced and least skilled workers completing tasks 35% faster. Want to know more about AI, chatbots, and the future of machine learning? Check out our full coverage of artificial intelligence, or browse our guides to The Best Free AI Art Generators, The Best ChatGPT Alternatives, and Everything We Know About OpenAIs ChatGPT. More from Gizmodo Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Nearly 80 students, mostly girls, are poisoned in Afghanistan, say officials Nearly 80 primary school students, mostly girls, are suspected to have been poisoned over the weekend and taken to hospital in Afghanistans Sangcharak district, Mohammad Rahmani, the head of Education Department in the northern Sar-e-Pul province, told CNN. The intelligence unit of the provincial police department said they are still investigating the matter, according to Rahmani, who said he spoke to police directly. So far officials are unclear on the culprit, the motive, and the potential type of poison possibly used against the school children, he added. The investigation was prompted by accounts of 17 female students in one school on Saturday, and a day later, 60 others, mostly girls, at another school in a nearby village, Rahmani said. After reaching school in the morning, the students suddenly started feeling dizzy, headache, and nausea, Rahmani said. The students were admitted to a local hospital, but 14 whose situation was more critical were transported to a hospital in the provincial capital, according to Rahmani. A doctor at Sar-i-Pul hospital confirmed to CNN that some of the girls were admitted to hospital and he believes they were poisoned based on their symptoms. The doctor spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns. The education of girls has become a divisive issue in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of the country in 2021, where the group proceeded to strip away hard won freedoms for women and exclude them from public life. Some of its most striking restrictions have been around education, with girls barred from returning to secondary schools and universities, depriving an entire generation of academic opportunities. Following international pressure, the Taliban kept primary schools open for girls until around the age of 12, Reuters reported. Several poisoning attacks against schoolgirls took place during Afghanistans previous foreign-backed government. In 2012, more than 170 women and girls were hospitalized after drinking apparently poisoned well water at a school. Local health officials blamed the acts on extremists opposed to womens education. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com NEWCOMERSTOWN The former nonprofit that previously provided the village and nearby townships with fire response and ambulance service has been shut down, according to Mayor Patrick Cadle. He said the Newcomersown Emergency Rescue Squad, Inc. (NERS) met the court-ordered deadline to cease operations after May 31. Court order: Judge shuts down Newcomerstown Emergency Rescue Squad, appoints receiver Latest case: Ohio attorney general sues Newcomerstown Emergency Rescue Squad Previous case: Newcomerstown firefighter must pay $3,000 penalty to settle state lawsuit Why did NERS shut down? Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos ordered the organization to stop providing services in response to a lawsuit filed in April by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, which alleges that NERS failed to follow state laws regarding nonprofits. The judge appointed a Columbus attorney as a receiver to protect NERS' assets. New department starts: Newly formed Newcomerstown Fire Department makes its first run Receiver Kenneth R Goldberg toured NERS' sites May 20 with Cadle. Goldberg took pictures of the property, Cadle said. The mayor said the locks have been changed on the NERS-owned David Barber Civic Center and the village-owned fire station at 200 S. College St. Who owns NERS property now? The state of Ohio now owns all the former NERS assets and has insured them, Cadle said. The receiver's job is to make a list of all the assets and liabilities. "What you've got to hope is that your assets add up to more than your debts," Cadle said. Cadle said creditors include people who made deposits for rental of the civic center but may not be able to use it. He said the building may not be available for three or four months, until it is under new ownership. Yost's lawsuit asks that his office be permitted to give the squad's assets to a similar organization. Cadle said the village can ask the attorney general's office to lease former NERS property. What equipment did the squad leave behind? The mayor said NERS left nine vehicles at the fire department. All are in working order, but need maintenance such as oil changes and lubrication. He said the village would not spend money on that work unless and until it was determined that the village would be able to take ownership of them. They might have to be sold to satisfy debts, he said. Vehicles in the fire station are three ambulances, a ladder truck, a pumper truck, a rescue truck, a brush truck and two fire engines, according to Cadle. Other vehicles believed to be located around town are one or two boats, a trailer, a van outfitted as an ambulette and an all-terrain vehicle, he said. Who is responding to calls for help? The village started its own fire department May 15 to replace NERS. Emergency medical service is provided by the Tri-County Joint Ambulance District. Oxford and Washington townships in Tuscarawas County have chosen to receive fire response from Newcomerstown, Cadle said. He said Coshocton County's Oxford Township has chosen to receive fire protection from West Lafayette, and Guernsey County's Wheeling Township, has chosen to receive fire protection from the Liberty Community Volunteer Fire Department based in Kimbolton. What don't we know? The Newcomerstown Emergency Rescue Squad has yet to file a response in court to Yost's lawsuit. No attorney for the organization is listed in court records. Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com. On Twitter: @nmolnarTR This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Village fire department and Tri-County replace Newcomerstown squad Former San Francisco Dist. Atty. Chesa Boudin on the day he was recalled from office. Boudin is heading Berkeley Law's new Criminal Law & Justice Center. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) It seems like only yesterday that criminal justice reform was in vogue. Progressives were being elected as prosecutors. Laws were passed to relieve prison overcrowding and divert offenders from the system who needed treatment, not jail time. Sentencing excesses from the crack era and the three-strikes era were rolled back. The bail system and the death penalty were on the defensive. Then the inevitable backlash came. As crime rates crept up from their near historically low levels, the mood soured and conservative tough-on-crime attitudes began to reemerge, clashing with the liberal agenda. Chesa Boudin, the progressive district attorney in San Francisco who was elected in 2019, was ousted in a recall election in 2022 after being accused of "coddling" criminals. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon, another reformer with a supposed "pro-criminal" agenda, narrowly dodged his second recall challenge last year. Homelessness and crime became dining-room discussions in L.A. and San Francisco; violence in the subways preoccupied New Yorkers. Fentanyl-related overdoses led San Francisco to reconsider its sanctuary city laws. The law that reformed the unfair bail process in New York City four years ago was scaled back three times, most recently in April. Police departments, once threatened with defunding, saw their budgets increased in many cities around the country. In the run-up to the midterm elections last fall, crime ranked as the second-most important issue for voters, according to Gallup. The battle is on, and it was against this backdrop that I read last week that Boudin the 42-year-old public defender-turned-prosecutor-turned-private citizen has been hired by the UC Berkeley School of Law to be the executive director of a new Criminal Law & Justice Center. The center will do litigation, legislative advocacy and public education, presumably aimed at reforming our often unfair, punitive and inefficient criminal justice system. But I was particularly pleased to hear, when I called Boudin to talk about the new job, that hes also emphasizing another area: data analysis and research. He says hes tired of the public conversation about crime policy being devoid of science or data or even short-term memory. Its about time. Its long been a truism that attitudes about crime and punishment are cyclical, characterized by pendulum swings of leniency followed by a desire to crack down and lock up everybody indefinitely. Public sentiment mostly depends on whether crime seems to be rising or falling. But often those mood shifts are based on how safe people feel rather than how safe they actually are; they're driven not by facts but by emotion, fear and grisly anecdotes. Public policy often gets made in response to banner headlines and sensational tweets, and by politicians reading polls. Whats more, theres powerful political pressure from police and prison guard unions, rank-and-file prosecutors and crime victims groups whose scare stories encourage a return to the throw-away-the-keys policies they believe in. On the other side, progressive reformers can also be ideologically rigid and driven by emotion, just like their opponents. So Im all for more hard information about what's happening, what works and what doesnt. Boudin notes that legislatures have a tendency to pass laws but not to look back a year or two later to analyze their outcomes. Or they set up pilot programs and then, bizarrely, dont study the results. Here are some things I'd like to know (although I don't mean to suggest they haven't been studied): When we divert people from the criminal justice system to substance abuse treatment or mental health care, do they clean up their acts or do they reoffend? When we release more suspects before trial, do crime rates rise dramatically or insignificantly? Do safe consumption sites encourage drug use? And if so, how do you weigh that against the lives they save by preventing overdoses? Boudin is a well-known advocate of progressive criminal justice reform policies. I asked him whether his data analysis would be designed simply to confirm his preconceived notions. He bristled. I have my worldview, my lived experience and my professional experience, but that doesnt mean were going to be outcome-oriented in our research, he said. I want policy choices to be supported by facts, not by the dearth of information we have now. For my part, I support criminal justice reform, but Im not an ideologue. I believe we incarcerate too many people who actually need treatment. We make it far too difficult for ex-offenders to reenter society. There are glaring inequities, racial and otherwise, in the bail system and the sentencing process. Were too tolerant of inhumane treatment and excessive force. But I also believe dangerous people need to be kept off the streets. I think police should be permitted to do their jobs, as long as they do so fairly and responsibly. I'd welcome more research to help policymakers develop smart, humane, effective strategies for fighting crime and rehabilitating offenders. Boudin is a fascinating figure whose backstory has been told so often its become perhaps too familiar. His mother, Kathy Boudin, was a member of the radical Weather Underground and in 1981 took part in a holdup of a Brinks armored truck during which three people died. She spent 22 years in prison. His father, David Gilbert, spent 40 years in prison for participating in the same crime. That means their son spent most of his youth and young adulthood traipsing in and out of prisons to visit them, even as he became a lawyer, a public defender and then a prosecutor. He believes that his "lived experience" helps him bridge the gap between the real world and whats being discussed by lawmakers in Sacramento. Boudin was recalled from his job as district attorney by voters who, in my view, didnt give him enough of a chance. Let's see if he and Berkeley Law's new center can produce useful data and innovative policy recommendations that will stop the pendulum and make policing and prosecuting more just. @nick_goldberg This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. FIRST ON FOX: Former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is gaining attention from high-profile donors across Texas as she doubles down on fundraising in the state for her 2024 presidential campaign. Amid her efforts to win the GOP nomination, Fox News Digital obtained multiple fundraiser invitations that reveal the who's who on Haley's long list of supporters and donors. The former South Carolina governor will participate in a three-day, three-city fundraising tour across the Lone Star State from June 6 through 8. Each fundraising stop seeks to collect $13,200 per couple for "platinum sponsors" or $6,600 per individual for "gold sponsors," the maximum allowable amount that can go towards the primary and general elections. Couples or individuals who give $1,000 will carry the title of a "supporter," while $500 from individual donors will have the "guest" title. NIKKI HALEY WARNS US COULD END UP WITH A PRESIDENT HARRIS IF BIDEN RE-ELECTED AFTER LATEST TRIP AND FALL Republican presidential candidate and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is barnstorming Texas with fundraising events. Haley's Dallas fundraising host committee consists of more than five dozen individuals, including Sarah and Ross Perot Jr. and real estate developer Harlan Crow, who has garnered attention after reports surfaced on unreported gifts he has provided to Justice Clarence Thomas, though Thomas' defenders have maintained the justice has complied with the court's reporting guidelines and that they have been friends for decades. Flyer for Nikki Haley's Dallas fundraiser. Many high-profile women also appear to be supporting Haley's 2024 presidential aspirations as she remains the only female to enter the GOP presidential field thus far, according to the reception invites. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP PENCE, HALEY AND DESANTIS SLAM TRUMP FOR CONGRADULATING NORTH KOREA'S KIM JUNG UN Haley's Texas women backers include former George W. Bush White House Counsel Harriet Miers, Perry Homes chairman Kathy Britton, real estate mogul Beth Robertson, philanthropist Nancy Kinder, attorney Cynthia Picket-Stevenson, businesswoman and former diplomat Jeanne Phillips, developer Lucy Crow Billingsley and attorney Jane Macon, among others. Flyer for Nikki Haley's Houston fundraiser. Flyer for Nikki Haley's Midland fundraiser. By the end of this fundraising trip, Haley will have held one fundraiser in Austin and Midland, two in Fort Worth and San Antonio, four in Dallas and five in Houston by the end of the swing. Texas is one of the top donor states to Haley's campaign. Haley visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, back in April, when she criticized the Biden administration's border policies. "This is a crisis for every American family," she said. "When they leave Del Rio or Eagle Pass, they're not staying here. They're coming to your states; they're going to your schools and your hospitals. They are now taking up your taxpayer dollars." "We are a country of laws. The second we stop being a country of laws, we give up everything we believe in," she added. According to recent polls, former President Trump maintains a commanding lead among the Republican field with 53% support, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sits at 20%. The next tier includes Mike Pence at 5%, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy at 4%, and Liz Cheney and Tim Scott at 2%. However, a couple recent primary polls show her in a distant third place behind Trump and DeSantis. There is no bottom: Two planes loaded with migrants sent to Sacramento is a new low | Opinion There is no bottom to the political depravity behind shipping two airplanes of desperate migrants to Sacramento in three days. The first plane arrived Friday when 16 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia were deposited at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento. Many of the people transported, apparently under false pretenses, had no idea where they were upon arrival. The second flight arrived Monday. According to The Bee, Mondays flight was carried out by Berry Aviation, the same Texas-based company involved in Fridays flight. All had been transported to Sacramento from El, Paso, Texas with a stop in New Mexico. All of the individuals on Fridays flight have pending court appearances, and by transporting them to California under false pretenses, there will be a disruption in their legal due process, The Bee wrote. By Monday morning, Attorney General Rob Bonta had accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of responsibility for Fridays flight and for using vulnerable people to fan the flames of anti-immigrant sentiment. Opinion This political stunt by Gov. Ron DeSantis is disgusting and morally bankrupt, Bonta tweeted. The act of shipping humans across state lines under false pretenses is akin to state-sanctioned kidnapping. It is reprehensible and it demonstrates how sick American political discourse has become. It would not be the first time DeSantis has been behind such a ploy to ship foreign immigrants to another state. DeSantis has already been named as the perpetrator behind a similar incident in September of last year, when approximately 50, primarily Venezuelan, asylum seekers were flown from San Antonio, Texas, to the island of Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts. The New York Times found that the migrant flight program instituted by DeSantis has cost Florida taxpayers at least $1.5 million so far. The migrants that showed up in Sacramento on Friday are believed to have entered the U.S. into Texas, rounded up there and transported to New Mexico, then flown by a charter plane on to Sacramento. Yet, the likelihood of DeSantis being held to account for this immoral and disgusting act of political theater, as AG Bonta said in a statement, is slim. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and DeSantis have been hurling political insults at each other for months. DeSantis is coming to Sacramento soon for a fundraiser, an unlikely move by a Republican presidential aspirant with no virtually no chance of ever carrying such a blue state. Perhaps DeSantis is firing back at Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has visited Florida and trolled DeSantis repeatedly. In April, Newsom traveled to Florida to meet with students at New College of Florida, the small liberal arts school that has become a flashpoint between conservative and liberal ideologies. In turn, DeSantis has scheduled a visit to Sacramento later this month for a roundtable breakfast fundraising event priced at a cool $3,300 per ticket. But in this case, human lives are the pawns and the city of Sacramento became the arena to further this juvenile, jockeying game for the White House. There is no doubt that there are people in California and even in Sacramento who would applaud DeSantis or anyone else for shipping these migrants to Sacramento. But this is a minority view in California. Californians are not as impacted by the crisis of migrants massing on the Mexican side as other states are. But California is home to more than 10.5 million immigrants, and nearly a quarter of the nations undocumented immigrants reside in California, where they constitute more than 6% of the states population, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. This state is home to more than two million undocumented immigrants, more than half of which participate in our states workforce, contributing an estimated $3.7 billion annually to state and local tax revenues. Moreover, the crisis at the Mexican border today is a function of political instability in Central America and South America. Migrants literally travel the length of Mexico in mostly unsuccessful journeys in pursuit of asylum in the United States. Their stories are poignant and often unspeakable. Sacramento will care for these migrants, not because they were dumped on our doorstep, but because California does not have a political culture that rewards inhumanity. No survivors found after an unresponsive plane crashes in Virginia Authorities secure the entrance to Mine Bank Trail, an access point to the rescue operation along the Blue Ridge Parkway where a Cessna Citation crashed over mountainous terrain near Montebello, Va., Sunday, June 4, 2023. | Randall K. Wolf, Associated Press An unresponsive business plane crashed in Virginia after it had flown over Washington, D.C., Sunday. The civilian aircraft prompted the North American Aerospace Defense Command to deploy F-16 fighter jets to intercept the plane and attempt to establish contact with the pilot. The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds, causing people in the capital region to hear a sonic boom, a statement from NORAD reads. A fighter jet was able to intercept the small plane but the pilot did not answer. The pilot was unresponsive and the Cessna subsequently crashed near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia, the statement from NORAD reads. NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed. NORAD Responds to an Unresponsive Aircraft over the National Capital Region pic.twitter.com/EX7r1B1Uum 1st AF/America's AOC (@1stAF) June 4, 2023 Search and rescue teams arrived at the crash site in the Shenandoah Valley, but found no survivors, The Associated Press reported. Four people were in the Cessna plane before it crashed, John Rumpel, the aircrafts owner, told The New York Times. His daughter, 2-year-old granddaughter, her nanny and the pilot were all aboard the plane, according to Rumpel. The plane took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, TN and was bound for (Long Island MacArthur Airport) in New York, a statement on Twitter from the Federal Aviation Administration reads. It is unclear at the moment why the pilot was unresponsive; however, federal officials are investigating the cause of the crash, CNN reported. By Clark Mindock (Reuters) - Norfolk Southern Corp has asked a U.S. judge to toss a proposed class action lawsuit it is facing over a February train derailment that led to a toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, arguing the claims are threadbare and barred by federal law. The railroad company told a federal court in Youngstown, Ohio that the consolidated complaint filed last month on behalf of roughly 500,000 area residents, businesses and property owners relies on vague and conclusory allegations that it acted improperly, leading to the crash. The company said it is required as a common carrier under U.S. law to transport hazardous materials like those that spilled and caught fire, including vinyl chloride. It said the plaintiffs' negligence, nuisance and strict liability claims are preempted by federal laws like the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and the Federal Railroad Safety Act. Those laws "expansively" regulate railroad operations and bar those sorts of claims based in state law, Norfolk said. Jayne Conroy, an attorney representing the plaintiffs with the law firm Simmons Hanly Conroy, on Monday called the motion to dismiss routine and said we have every expectation that the motion will be denied in its entirety. The plaintiffs have claimed the company is liable for the property damage, health concerns and business impacts caused by the Feb. 3 crash of the Norfolk-operated train. A total of 38 cars fell off the tracks that day, including 11 carrying hazardous materials, some of which were burned off sending a black plume of smoke into the sky. The company has repeatedly promised to help the local community, including by setting up a home value reimbursement program, a water testing program and a healthcare fund. The company said Friday that it has paid over $16 million directly to residents. In March, the state of Ohio and the U.S. Justice Department also sued Norfolk Southern seeking to ensure that the railroad pays the full cost of cleanup and any long-term effects of the derailment. The railroad has also been sued by shareholders over the derailment, and faces other lawsuits including at least three filed by Pennsylvania school districts near the crash site. The case is In Re: East Palestine Train Derailment, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, No. 4:23-cv-00242. For the plaintiffs: Jayne Conroy of Simmons Hanly Conroy; Seth Katz of Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine; Elizabeth Graham of Grant & Eisenhofer; and Michael Morgan of Morgan & Morgan For Norfolk Southern: Alan Schoenfeld, Davina Pujari, Chris Rheinheimer of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr; and Lawson Johnston and Scott Clements of Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote Read more: Law firms chosen to lead lawsuits over East Palestine derailment Norfolk Southern to set up home value reimbursement fund after Ohio derailment U.S. Justice Department sues Norfolk Southern over Ohio train derailment Ohio sues Norfolk Southern over Feb. 3 train derailment (Reporting by Clark Mindock) If you want to plan a fun trip without breaking the bank, a North Carolina city may be an ideal place to go. Thats because Asheville ranks No. 9 on a list of top destinations to visit on a budget, according to nationwide results published May 19. The mountain tourist hot spot received the honor from USA Todays 10Best, which compiles travel-related best-of lists. To create the wallet-friendly travel rankings, experts and editors gave their input on lower-cost destinations. Then, readers had a month to choose their favorites by submitting up to one vote per day. The resulting Readers Choice Awards include places that may help you skimp on the budget, but they certainly dont skimp on things to do, 10Best wrote in its report. Asheville, the only place in North Carolina to earn a spot in the rankings, received nods for its eclectic downtown area and nearby mountains. Some free things to do around the city include going for a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway or strolling through a multitude (of) art galleries, the report said. The list comes after Asheville has earned repeated praise as a place to visit. The city was named a top U.S. summer travel destination and ranked among the best places in the country for people who love food and beer, McClatchy News reported. This time around, 10Best said the top-ranking place to visit was Memphis, Tennessee. Rounding out the top five: San Antonio Philadelphia Albuquerque, New Mexico Destin, Florida Time for a vacation? This NC destination ranks among the nations trendiest for summer This barbecue joint was named the best in North Carolina. What makes it so special? North Texas girl graduates high school at 14 years old: 'It was definitely fun' At 14, Oforitsenere Bodunrin already has a second-degree black belt and has school newspaper editor and Key Club president on her resume. Now the North Texas native can add high school graduate to the list. She may not have a driver's permit yet, but last week Oforitsenere graduated from Martin High School in Arlington, about 15 miles southeast of Fort Worth, Texas. Oforitsenere Bodunrin Video posted online shows the young teen walking across the stage at Globe Life Field and receiving her diploma. "While this chapter of their lives has officially closed, we know so many great discoveries and infinite possibilities await these Warriors," the high school posted on Facebook about Oforitsenere and her fellow graduates. A freshman at age 10 According to the City of Arlington, Oforitsenere was 10 when she started her freshman year at Martin High School. "But that didnt stop her from making the most of her time and excelling as a high schooler," the city posted on Twitter, adding she graduated at the top of her class. Oforitsenere Bodunrin was only 10 when she started her freshman year at Martin High School, but that didnt stop her from making the most of her time and excelling as a high schooler. Now, at only 14, shes about to graduate: https://t.co/nDP9KuCzc3 pic.twitter.com/6RgmTKxxR0 City of Arlington (@CityOfArlington) May 30, 2023 "'(It's) very exciting because I guess I've kind of waited four years for this," Oforitsenere said in a video posted on Twitter. "I don't really like to draw attention to myself ... but it was definitely fun." The recent graduate said her older sister also graduated from the same high school in 2019 at age 14. She mirrored her sister. So, everything her sister was doing, she wanted to do as well, her mother Bawo Bodunrin, told KTVT. Oforitsenere Bodunrin Celebrity kid graduations Hats off, graduates: Kimora Lee Simmons, Kevin Hart, Chip and Joanna Gaines celebrate kids graduating Teen graduates with four diplomas Arizona teen graduates with four diplomas - 1 from high school, 3 from college One of her AP teachers, Elizabeth Osbourne, said she didn't know her age until one of her classmates told her. "I think she's an outstanding example of what humility and hard work can earn you," Osbourne said in a video posted on the city's Twitter page. The teen, her school said, plans to attend the University of Texas at Arlington in the fall to study computer science and aviation. Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas girl Oforitsenere Bodunrin graduates high school at age 14 Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force seeks Akron man wanted in the rape of 2 teens Fugitive John A. White An Akron man wanted by authorities is suspected of raping two minors. The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force on Monday offered a reward for information leading to the apprehension of John A. White. The 38-year-old faces two counts of rape, two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and gross sexual imposition of a minor. He is suspected of raping two 12-year-old girls in an Akron residence in May. Authorities say he fled his own residence after a 16-year-old was found in his Akron apartment. White is described as being 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing about 165 pounds. Authorities suspect he may be in the Cleveland and Akron area as he is known to frequent those areas. White has a previous felony assault conviction in Summit County from 2011. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED. Tipsters can remain anonymous and reward money is available. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force seeks Akron man in rape case The ID bagde and business card of the former FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who spied for the Soviets, are seen inside a display case at the FBI Academy in Quantico in 2009 Robert Hanssen, the notorious FBI double agent who secretly fed Russia some of America's deepest secrets in the 1980s and 1990s, died in a top-security prison Monday, prison officials said. Offering himself to Soviet military intelligence in 1985, Hanssen traded government secrets and the identities of US moles in the Soviet and Russian governments in exchange for diamonds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Because he was in the FBI's crucial New York counterintelligence department, tasked with chasing down foreign spies, he was able to cover his tracks as he ostensibly investigated Moscow's agents in the United States. He was finally caught at a dead drop for exchanging messages with his Russian handlers in suburban Virginia just outside Washington on February 18, 2001. A year later he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. Hanssen, 79, was found unresponsive early Monday in the ultra-high-security US prison in Florence, Colorado, and was later pronounced dead, according to a prison statement. The FBI called him "the most damaging spy in bureau history." Hanssen joined the FBI in 1976 after first serving as a policeman in Chicago. Nine years later he took a position in counterintelligence in the New York City office, where agents invested huge amounts of time tracking and trying to recruit Soviet officials at the United Nations. Instead, within a short time he offered his services to the other side under the name "Ramon Garcia" and even his handlers did not know his true identity. At the time that he was caught, he was considered the most damaging mole ever to pass US secrets to a foreign government, with thousands of classified US documents handed over to the Soviets, and later to the Russians. Those included US nuclear war plans, software for tracking spying investigations, and the identities of US sources in Moscow, including Dmitri Polyakov or "Tophat," a Soviet general who fed his country's secrets to the United States between the 1960s and 1980s. Polyakov was arrested in 1986 and executed several years later. Believed to have been motivated by money and intrigue rather than ideology, Hanssen reaped some $1.4 million in cash and diamonds for his betrayals. While for several years the FBI and CIA knew there was a well-placed informant in their ranks, Hanssen was for a long time not a top suspect. He had a wife and six children, lived frugally, and mixed closely with Washington's conservative Catholic elite. US investigators eventually turned more attention to Hanssen with small bits of information provided by a Russian defector. He was secretly tracked and recorded in his office for months before being caught at the Virginia dead drop. In May 2002 he pleaded guilty to 15 counts of espionage in exchange for a prosecution agreement not to seek the death penalty. "I apologize for my behavior. I am shamed by it." Hanssen said at his sentencing. "I have opened the door for calumny against my totally innocent wife and children," he said. "I've hurt so many deeply." pmh/jh This photo taken from body cam video recorded Feb. 12, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y., shows the hands of state trooper Anthony Nigro pointing his firearm at James Huber as he approaches Huber's car. On Monday, June 5, 2023, Nigro was charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting Huber after a high-speed car chase. (Office of the State Attorney General of New York via AP) BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) A New York state trooper was charged with manslaughter Monday for shooting an unarmed motorist to death after he refused to get out of his car following a high-speed chase. Trooper Anthony Nigro pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree manslaughter at an arraignment in Buffalo, where the killing took place last year, and was released without bail. The charges in the death of James Huber, 38, are a rare example of a criminal case being brought against an officer by New York's attorney general, who has the authority to investigate the lethal use of force by law enforcement. The president of the union that represents Nigro defended him, saying the slaying was justified. The trooper's body camera video captured the fatal encounter on Feb. 12, 2022. Troopers first spotted Huber, a resident of North East, Pennsylvania, speeding on Interstate 90 near Buffalo and pursued him at speeds that topped 100 mph (161 kph). The pursuing officers broke off the chase after Huber's vehicle exited the highway, but Nigro caught up to Huber on a street in downtown Buffalo and blocked his path with his cruiser. Body camera footage released by the state attorney general's office shows Nigro, a nearly 16-year veteran of the state police, holding his gun in front of him as he approaches the car. He orders Huber to get out, cursing at him. Huber turns away from the trooper and says, Go away," and then never, and nope as the trooper continues to yell at him to get out of the car, his gun just inches from the motorist's head. Huber puts his hand on the car's shifter, as if to put it in gear. The trooper yanks on the hood of Huber's sweatshirt, then fires two shots and falls to the ground as the car lurches backward, briefly dragging him. The car moved in reverse out of camera range, crashed and landed on its side on a parking ramp. The body camera footage shows Nigro running to the car. He radios, Driver's been hit. I'm fine. Huber died of gunshot wounds at the scene. His death was investigated by Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, whose office brought the charges. New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association President Charles Murphy said in a statement that Nigro should not have faced criminal charges. He said Huber's dangerous driving threatened the safety of innocent motorists." Our understanding and review of the facts in this case confirm that, while the outcome was tragic, Trooper Nigros actions were in accordance with his training and the law, and that he was justified in his use of force, Murphy said. The state police said in a statement that the department has cooperated with the attorney generals investigation and will continue to do so. Cary Arnold, a Pennsylvania woman who has a daughter with Huber, told the Buffalo News that Huber might have been heading for a rally in support of Canadian truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates at the time of the shooting. The Russian troops launched another attack on the town of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast, injuring at least six people. Source: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutors Office Details: According to the preliminary reports of the investigation, on 5 June, the Russian army launched two strikes on the centre of the town with FAB-250 aerial bombs. As a result of the attack, two women aged 71 and 64 and a 45-year old man received shrapnel wounds. They have been taken to hospital. In addition to this, three members of law enforcement, who were on duty at the time of the attack and were passing the site of the strike, got shell-shocked. An education facility, residential blocks, civic infrastructure, an administrative building and a bank have been damaged. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Distressed relatives are desperately searching for their loved ones involved in the train crash Three days after India's most horrific train accident killed over 275 people, desperate families continue to search for their loved ones. The BBC's Vineet Khare reports from a business park in Odisha state's Balasore district, where bodies are being kept after morgues ran out of space. On an ordinary day, the NOCCi Business Park - which houses big offices, an open air theatre and several other amenities - is teeming with visitors who come to work here. But on Sunday, the sprawling 10-acre property, located on the outskirts of Balasore, wore a deserted look. The only visitors that day were the family members of the victims of the train crash, who came in search of their loved ones. An official present at the site told the BBC that over 150 bodies have been moved to the business centre since the accident on Friday evening. The place has also been providing information about some of the missing persons. The crash on Friday night killed 275 people and injured more than 1,000. The sprawling business park houses several big offices Outside, we met a tearful Seema Choudhary from West Bengal state's Malda town. She had been unable to find her husband, Deepankar, for hours and was fast losing hope. "I have been to the hospital, I have checked the bodies, but I am unable to find him," she said sobbing. She said she would check hospitals in the state capital of Bhubaneswar where many of the dead have been moved. Kanchan Choudhary, who is from the same town, stood close by. She too had gone to multiple hospitals looking for her husband. "But I could not find him," she says. Local officials say they are doing everything possible to help the families find their loved ones, but the process has been chaotic given the scale of the disaster. At the business park, a glass door leads into a huge hall that has been partitioned into two. On one side, a big black plastic sheet is spread on the floor on which lay a dozens of bodies. The sheet is covered in pools of melted water, it's from the massive amounts of ice that had been put to slow the decomposition of bodies. A damaged mobile, some clothes, a tobacco box, and a wallet - possibly belonging to the victims - are strewn around the bodies. Belongings of the victims, stuffed inside plastic bags, lay strewn in the hall On the other side of the divide, a projector runs pictures of the dead on a screen to help families identify the relatives. Many stood silently, their eyes transfixed on the changing slides of the pictures. Nearby, more pictures of the dead had been laid on tables - they belonged to those who were moved from the business park to nearby hospitals. Families of victims are using the photos at display to locate their loved ones A resident of Balasore told the BBC that the hall is airconditioned and large enough to house the number of dead. But officials say they are worried the place might not be able to hold the bodies for longer. The temperatures in Balasore are high and it is challenging to preserve the bodies in the intense heat with limited freezing facilities. A lot of families are also coming from far away places - and sometimes from different states - which is taking longer to identify the bodies. "For these reasons it is getting difficult to keep the dead safe for long," district official Nirlipta Mohanty told the BBC. She added that they were now trying to send the bodies to Bhubaneswar city, which has big hospitals and other facilities. Over 150 bodies are kept in the business park Ms Mohanty says they are doing everything possible to help the families. But that hasn't been enough for people like Sumit Kumar, who had been looking for his relative Neeraj since the previous evening. "I managed to spot his picture among those of the dead, but I haven't been able to find him," Mr Kumar says. Uday Kumar, a social worker helping at the business park, says the administration should set up help desks near railway and bus stations, instead of setting them up in far off places. Other workers at the site say they are exhausted and shocked at the scale of destruction. "I feel terrible. I have been working since 8pm last night," said municipal worker Subrat Mukhi who along with colleagues had been working non-stop since Saturday, helping families place bodies in vehicles and ambulances to ferry them home or to the hospital. "Sometimes I start to cry when I see them. I think how I would feel the same way if I had lost someone," he said. BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and features. Read more on the Odisha train tragedy Flash Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday cautioned that backing down from positions will not stop the enmity of the United States and its Western allies toward the Iranian nation, but further emboldens them. He made the remarks in an address to a ceremony in Tehran, marking the passing anniversary of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, according to the leader's website. Khamenei said that "in numerous cases, our retreats made them come forward and become more aggressive." He said the "enemies' bids" are mainly focused on weakening the people's faith and hopes, and to this end, the foes have made several attempts and strained every nerve and sinew, but have failed in most of them. Khamenei stressed the enemies' latest bid was the "riots" that broke out in Iran last year after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Iran's top leader said the "comprehensive" design of the last year's "riots" was developed by Western think tanks and implemented by Western security apparatuses that provided the "riots" with substantial arms, financial and media support. He added that Iranian people foiled their plots and doomed their bids to failure. Amini died in a Tehran hospital on Sept. 16, 2022, a few days after her collapse at a police station. Iran has accused the United States and some other Western countries of "inciting riots and supporting terrorists" in the country following her death. Office workers everywhere are about to face their own Uber moment A black-cab driver waves a Union Jack flag whilst standing on a taxi on London Bridge, during a protest against TfL and Uber. Kirsty O'Connor - PA Images / Getty Images Every black cab driver in London is required to pass a test called the Knowledge. The advent of Uber put the Knowledge on every cell phone, lowering the barrier to entry for the profession. AI could do the same for multiple white-collar industries. If you've ever gotten in a black cab in London, you'll likely have noticed just how knowledgeable your driver seems to be. Name an address in London, and chances are they'll know exactly where you're talking about, and the best way to get there, within moments. That's because for decades every black cab driver in London has been required to pass a test called the Knowledge, which requires memorizing miles and miles of London. It can take three to four years of study to pass the test, according to Transport for London. About a decade ago now, Uber arrived in London. The Knowledge was no longer necessary to get around. With a cell phone attached to someone's windscreen, any driver could navigate the city's backstreets. "Suddenly, knowing the name of each street in London was no longer valuable expertise, so that anybody with a drivers license could drive a taxi," Professor Carl Benedikt Frey, the director of future of work at the Oxford Martin School, told me over email. "The result was more competition for incumbent taxi drivers who saw their incomes fall by around 10%." We could be about to see AI have a similar impact on a host of white-collar industries. AI will lower the barrier to entry for lots of technical jobs A recent study from Erik Brynjolfsson, Lindsey R. Raymond, and Danielle Li measured the impact of an AI-based conversational assistant on almost 5,200 customer support agents at a Fortune 500 software company. The trio found that the tool helped increase productivity by 14%, but critically, it was novice workers who benefited most. "In contrast to studies of prior waves of computerization, we find that these gains accrue disproportionately to less-experienced and lower-skill workers," per their academic paper. "We argue that this occurs because ML systems work by capturing and disseminating the patterns of behavior that characterize the most productive agents." In other words, the lessons learned from months or years of experience are baked into an AI tool. As novice workers get access to these tools, they're able to close the gap in performance with more experienced colleagues, just like an Uber driver suddenly being able to compete with a black cab driver and their knowledge. It isn't just customer support work where this dynamic could take hold. Think translators, web designers, lawyers, accountants, copywriters, and HR professionals as well. The skills developed via advanced degrees or years of experience in a specific role, or in a specific company, might soon be embedded into a generative AI tool, lowering the bar to entry. The rise of AI tools could help millions of new software developers Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for example recently told Time that AI tools could lower the barriers to entry for software developers. Referring to Microsoft's AI-enabled GitHub Copilot coding tool, he said: I mean, to give you a concrete example, developers who are using GitHub Copilot are 50-odd percent more productive, staying more in the flow. We have around 100 million professional developers, we think the world probably can get to a billion professional developers. That will be a massive increase in total developers, because the barriers to being a software developer are going to come down. This doesn't mean the great software developers won't remain great software developers but the ability for more people to enter the field will increase. That's good news for many wannabe software developers, but it's also bad news for many existing ones. What was once a highly-paid job requiring specific training might become a slightly less well-paid job that requires less training. (For more on how AI could impact software developers, I highly recommend this story from my colleague Aki Ito on "the end of coding as we know it.") It's worth noting that Uber's arrival on the scene didn't wipe out black taxis entirely, but rather led to a reduction in income for those drivers, per Frey's research, and may have contributed to a reduction in the total number of licensed taxis in London. (The pandemic had a much more significant impact on driver numbers.) "Some of these jobs, like tax preparers and web designers, could be automated away," Frey told me, referring to the kinds of jobs that could be impacted by the rise of AI tools in the workplace. "But for the most part, people in these jobs will just face more competition, similar to taxi drivers as Uber proliferated." Read the original article on Business Insider The Ohio History Center museum at 800 E. 17th Ave. in Columbus, Ohio. (photo: Courtesy of the Ohio History Connection) The Ohio History Connection is seeking state legislation to authorize an intertribal cemetery to lay to rest the more than 7,000 Native American ancestors in the museums possession. The law, included in the state budget bill and pending approval of the Ohio senate, would authorize The Ohio History Connection to use six acres of its existing land in an undisclosed location to put to rest the 7,167 Native ancestors it holds in its collection. A portion of those ancestors were unearthed by professional archaeologists including staff from the Ohio History Connection beginning in the late 1800s. Others were excavated and later donated to the museum by amateur archaeologists and state residents who came across human remains while developing the property as recently as last year, according to the museums director. If approved, the legislation would be the answer that dozens of tribal nations with historic ties to the area have been seeking for years: how to rebury an ancestor as close as possible to where they were unearthed, despite their tribes removal from the area. What weve heard consistently from our tribal consultations is that: their ancestors in our care lived their whole lives here, said Alex Wesaw, the director of the Ohio HistoryConnections American Indian Relations Division and a citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. The common custom is for people to be buried, most often, close to where they lived their lives. Ohio History Connection staff has been consulting with the roughly 60 affected tribes with historic ties to Ohio since 2016. The tribes were forced to relocate out of the state beginning in 1795to what is now Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin with the Treaty of Greenville that ended the Northwest Indian War and removed tribes from most of Ohio. [The ancestors] would have never lived where the tribes are today, Wesaw said. So they have been asking for a place to be able to lay them to rest here in Ohio. Although the History Connection could have established a cemetery under state law, the process would have required them to re-register with the state every year. Instead, Ohio lawmakers helped push for a solution with minimal red tape that provides an optionbut not a mandatefor affected tribal nations to rebury their ancestors in Ohio, Warsaw said. In April, Representatives Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) and Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) introduced a bipartisan budget bill that legally allows the museum to use its land for the purpose of repatriation of American Indian human remains. Although federal law passed by Congress 32 years ago the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) mandates institutions to catalog and return the Native American human remains in their collections to present-day tribes, repatriation has been especially slow-moving in Ohio. Since NAGPRAs passage, the Ohio History Connection has completed only 17 repatriations, returning less than one percent of its total holdings, according to federal records. The Ohio History Connectionin line with institutions across the country did not prioritize NAGPRA work until about five years ago. Since then, the institution has hired two full-time staff and one part-time employee dedicated to NAGPRA, developed an American Indians Relations policy outlining how it will interact with tribes moving forward, and begun consultation with the 45 tribes that are geographically affiliated with the human remains in the museums collection. But affiliation is especially difficult in Ohio, according to Wesaw, partially because the Native American human remains are so oldthe oldest ancestors in their collection are 6,000 years old, though some could be older and thus harder to affiliate to one single present-day tribe, and also because the tribes the ancestors belong to have since been displaced out of the state. Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma a nation removed from Ohio when they were forced to surrender most of their lands by signing the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 said that affiliating ancestors unearthed in Ohio to present-day tribes will be difficult because of the cross-section of geography and time. If youre talking about Cincinnati in the year 1600, these are just Shawnee folks, Barnes told Native News Online. But if youre going back to 10,000 years, 12,000 years, now you got a much bigger Venn diagram, and youve got to include a raft of tribes [to consult with]. Ohio: a complicated mess for lack of unmarked burial protections Barnes said the pending law is necessary not only to rebury ancestors as close as possible to their original homelands but also to protect them once theyre put back in the ground at an official burial site. Ohio is one of the most dangerous states to be buried for a Native American ancestor in an unmarked grave. Thats because its one of three states (along with Wyoming and New Jersey) where, if unearthed on private property, there are no laws protecting the Native ancestor or requiring tribal consultation to determine who should steward the ancestor into reburial. Currently, if human remains are encountered on private property, the informal process typically goes like this: a landowner typically calls the county coroner, who determines the approximate age of the remains, and, thus whether or not they are part of any outstanding legal cases. If the remains are not relevant to any legal or medical case, theyre given back to the property owner to do with what they wish. But, a private property owner could also choose to do nothing. There is no process, said Alan Tonetti, a retired archeologist and Ohio resident who previously worked for the states historic preservation office. In his role at the state historic office, Tonetti worked with Senator Roy Ray, who introduced unmarked burial protection legislation in 1989, before NAGPRA was passed. But, Tonetti said, private property rights have always won out in the end: Ray's bill died in committee; two other bills drafted in 2017 and 2021one that would have established a task force to make recommendations on burial law changes, and the other that laid out a process for unmarked burial law discoverywere never introduced. In Tonettis view, Ohio cant properly return its Native ancestors to present-day tribesas required by federal lawwithout a process in place for what to do when and if more are discovered, which happens nearly every year. In March 2022, a Native nonprofit asked the City of Perrysburg to stop construction in a local park when Native American bones were found on the property, a local paper reported. In 2019, an Ohio resident found what he believed to be a femur but was a skull while walking on private property looking for artifacts, according to a report by Ohio History Connections Curator of Archaeology, Linda Pansing. The resident exhumed the human remains and took the skull home, which is within his rights under Ohio law. In 2015 and 2016, four Ohians were prosecuted under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act for selling Native American remains, which they legally looted from private land. We cant get to reburial of human remains disturbed in unmarked graves unless we have a process that says what do you do when you find an unmarked grave, Tonetti said. Until then, tribal nations have no rights to their ancestors when their graves fall on private property. One of the ways this is going to get revived again is if some developer or landowner goes in and bulldozes Native American burial sites, and no one can do anything about it, Tonetti told Native News Online. Unfortunately, I think its gonna have to take some grotesque incident that raises the profile on this. Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarify the state senator who introduced the unmarked burial protection legislation in 1989. About the Author: "Jenna Kunze is a staff reporter covering Indian health, the environment and breaking news for Native News Online. She is also the lead reporter on stories related to Indian boarding schools and repatriation. Her bylines have appeared in The Arctic Sounder, High Country News, Indian Country Today, Tribal Business News, Smithsonian Magazine, Elle and Anchorage Daily News. Kunze is based in New York." Contact: jkunze@indiancountrymedia.com Oklahoma authorities approved a Catholic-led bid to open the countrys first publicly funded religious charter school, in a landmark decision that is expected to spur litigation over constitutional limits between church and state. The split vote from the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board on Monday caps months of debate over government support for sectarian education that has divided the states educators and elected Republicans, including Gov. Kevin Stitt and Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Oklahomans support religious liberty for all and support an increasingly innovative educational system that expands choice, Stitt said in a statement. Today, with the nation watching, our state showed that we will not stand for religious discrimination. The state charter board voted against approving the application in April, though the decision allowed church leaders time to address board members concerns, then refile their request before Mondays final vote. We are elated that the board agreed with our argument and application for the nations first religious charter school, said Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, in a statement. Parents continue to demand more options for their kids, and we are committed to help provide them. Catholic Church officials formally asked Oklahomas virtual charter school board early this year to open the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. But faith leaders, elected officials and public school advocates have urged board members to reject the proposal, drawing a rebuke from recently elected state Superintendent Ryan Walters. The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers, Drummond said in a statement. Its extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the State to potential legal action that could be costly, the attorney general said. Rachel Laser, head of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, all but promised a lawsuit to challenge the vote. 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, Laser said in a statement. This is a sea change for American democracy. In a country built on the principle of separation of church and state, public schools must never be allowed to become Sunday schools, Laser said. The legal battle over public religious charters could reach the U.S. Supreme Court before the Oklahoma decision is challenged. Late last month, the Biden administration urged justices to deny a conservative-led petition to review a North Carolina dress code case that has galvanized advocates who hope to clear a path to publicly-funded religious charter schools. Two Oklahoma attorneys general have issued divided, but nonbinding, opinions on the issue. Stitt and Walters have supported the churchs application. Stitt in February declared his strong disagreement with 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 Aprils vote warned that Oklahomas Constitution prohibits the use of public funds for religious or sectarian purposes. This decision runs afoul of state law and the U.S. Constitution. All charter schools are public schools, and as such must be non-sectarian, said Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, in a statement. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is trying to make charter schools into something they are not, she said. The Archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sanctions on Russia in the nuclear sector have not been supported by Western countries since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Controlling 38% of the global uranium enrichment market, 17% of nuclear fuel supplies and ranking first in the construction of nuclear power plants abroad, Russia continues to quietly develop its nuclear business, which becomes even more threatening to global security with each new project. After all, if a country can quickly substitute Russian gas with supplies from U.S., Qatar or any other producer, such diversification does not work that fast in nuclear energy it takes several years to switch a nuclear plant from Russian to another fuel. The longer the West waits with nuclear sanctions on Russia, the more difficult challenges it will have to face. The activities of Rosatom at the Zaporizhzhia NPP is an example of how Russia, having gained control over the operation of a nuclear facility in any country, can blackmail the leadership of that country. If the country does not agree to vote for a specific decision at the UN General Assembly, the nuclear power plant will stop producing electricity. If it does not agree to give its strategic reserves of minerals to (pro)Russian companies, an accident or other serious incident may unexpectedly occur at the nuclear power plant. The scenario, which for Ukrainians is obvious in the future, for many representatives of European countries is still a stunning one and seems impossible. Ukraines nuclear disarmament When the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty in July 1990 to gain greater rights and freedoms within the Soviet Union, ridding the country of nuclear weapons was one of its top priorities. Ukraine had just suffered enormously from the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear po The Kyiv IndependentLili Bivings Meanwhile, the need for sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry is already overdue. This was repeatedly emphasized at the level of the European Parliament and individual EU member states, but these appeals namely, to include Rosatom and many of its companies in the sanctions lists - have barely been implemented in practice. One of the biggest advocates of including the Russian nuclear sector in the sanctions list is Germany, a country that refused from nuclear energy (the last three NPPs were finally shut down on April 15) and now supports initiatives that will allow to reduce the impact of nuclear globally in the future. It is clear that the biggest opponents are Hungary, which is completing the construction of a nuclear power plant that will be operated by Rosatom, and France, which has fruitful and long-standing cooperation with Russia in nuclear energy, and some French companies continue to develop joint plans despite the war. The Russian companies working in the Rosatom system over 350 of them continue to participate in many so-called scientific projects. For example, Russia continues to actively work in such projects as ITER or INPRO. While the Russian troops shelled Ukrainian cities, ITER participants in the south of France reported the delivery of the first poloidal field coil exclusively from Russia with no intention of stopping any cooperation. Likewise, the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO), operating within the IAEA framework, continues to grant Russian companies access to modern technologies. Indeed, one can speculate that science should not stop its development, but does this science need Russia, which is already using new technologies as a weapon for a possible nuclear war? Burkovskyi, Zhovtenko: Going nuclear or mad? Russia pretends both to hide capability gaps Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Amid the failures of its full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia hurries up the overhaul of its nuclear strategy, indicating that the Kremlin understan The Kyiv IndependentPetro Burkovskyi Therefore, the first thing that is worth and must be done right now is to remove Russians and Russian companies from all scientific research projects conducted in the nuclear sector. You will never be certain that the acquired scientific knowledge will not turn a peaceful atom into another nuclear weapon. Likewise, Russias influence in the IAEA has not yet been affected by sanctions. It is difficult to imagine how an organization that is supposed to be as impartial as possible and to tell the world the truth about situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP can actually do it while still having Russian representatives among key executives. As an example, Mikhail Chudakov, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy, remains in his position. To what extent can we hope that the department chaired by a Russian will draft a decision that will be against Russia? Therefore, the next step in the nuclear sanctions policy is to get rid of Russian influence on the leadership of specialized international organizations. For sure, it will be much more difficult to remove Russia from the markets of uranium enrichment and nuclear fuel supply. Quick decisions and additional investments are needed for those companies that can replace Rosatom in existing and future projects. It is quite possible to replace Russian nuclear fuel assemblies with other manufacturers Ukraines experience has proven this. A Russian serviceman patrols around the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine, on May 1, 2022. (Photo by ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP via Getty Images) In order to encourage the EU countries to refuse cooperation with Russia, it is not even necessary to introduce sanctions it is enough to make changes to the REPowerEU plan, declaring the transition from Russian nuclear technologies to alternative ones in a clearly defined time perspective. Just as it was done in the field of natural gas. In addition to existing commitments, Russia is actively expanding the geography of its influence by signing memoranda of cooperation where the construction of nuclear plants is planned. As of today, Rosatom plans to build over 30 reactors abroad. So far, the riskiest project with regard to the Russias future influence is the Akkuyu NPP construction in Turkiye, where Rosatom implements the project under the BOO (build-own-operate) model, and then can have a significant influence on the decision-making of Turkish authorities, including political decisions. It is no longer a secret - such a network of nuclear power plants can easily turn into a network of using nuclear energy as a weapon when it is convenient for Russia. Yet even in such projects Russia can be replaced if the process of replacing one contractor with another starts in time. In fact, France has already begun to do this the countrys agreements with China and Hungary are one of the examples that are trying to push Russia out of the international market. Can the European Union stop Rosatom in its existing and future projects, especially in third countries? Yes, it is the EU that can do it. Rosatom still orders the brains of nuclear plants, which are instrumentation and control systems for new nuclear reactors, from European companies, in particular from the Germany-based Siemens and the France-based Framatom. With other French companies, such as Assystem, Rosatom has a long-term partnership in the form of consulting and engineering support for the design and commissioning of NPPs. Burkovsky, Zolkina: How Ukraine and the West can stop Putins nuclear blackmail Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Putins threats to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus reflect his goal to keep Crimea after Russias defeat in the war. Three days after The Kyiv IndependentMariia Zolkina The Russians are very proud of their cooperation with French and German companies, and when they participate in international tenders for the construction of nuclear power plants, they often demonstrate how they can attract the best partners. If such cooperation is suspended, Rosatom will hardly have the ability to build any nuclear power plant from scratch, let alone compete with other companies. Import substitution, i.e. the development of its own technological solutions, can take years. To do this, European companies can be prohibited at the EU level from supplying equipment to those projects where Russian companies or Russian personnel are among the contractors, or those having signs of Russian funding. In fact, Germany has already begun to curtail such cooperation recently Siemens did not get permission to supply the necessary equipment for the NPP construction in Hungary. However, France is not yet going to stop its business cooperation with the Russians. On top of that, it was reported that Framatome was going to build facilities for the production of fuel assemblies for VVER reactors in Germany. This probably means that the company received the appropriate license and permits from Rosatom. It is unlikely that German communities will approve such an initiative, but the very fact that French business is going to continue production using Russian technologies is upsetting. Sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry can and should be imposed to this end, the EU must make a political decision and arrange everything in a correct way. Time is in Russia's favor in this case, and the later the EU and the international community realize this, the more difficult it will be to fight Russian nuclear terrorism in the future. Editor's Note: This article was first published by The Brussels Times on May 26, 2023, and has been republished by the Kyiv Independent with permission. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. The relatives of British journalist Dom Phillips and activists hold a large poster with his image, left, and that of Indigenous activist Bruno Pereira, with the Portuguese message: "Justice for Dom and Bruno" at the one-year anniversary commemoration since their murders, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 5, 2023. The two were were killed in the Amazon's Vale do Javari area. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) A year after the killing of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon rainforest, friends, colleagues and family members gathered Monday in several Brazilian cities to honor their memory and pledge to carry forward their work. Dozens of people showed up at demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brazil's capital and Bahia state's Salvador. Gatherings also took place in London and Atalaia do Norte, a small Amazon town that is the launching-off point for the remote, sprawling Javari Valley Indigenous territory. Just outside that territory, the men were brutally killed. In Brasilia, dozens of public servants, Indigenous people and university students gathered for a discussion paying homage to Phillips and Pereira at the University of Brasilia. Pereiras daughter was also among them. Environment Minister Marina Silva and the president of the nations Indigenous affairs agency, Joenia Wapichana, joined the group, which sat in a circle on the floor of an Indigenous-inspired auditorium. Phillips had been conducting research for his book, How to Save the Amazon: Ask the People Who Know, which was years in the making. In 2021, he secured a yearlong fellowship with the Alicia Patterson Foundation to write it and, by the time of his death, had completed nearly half. A main line of police investigation points to an international network that pays poor fishermen to fish illegally in Indigenous territory. At the end of Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach, loved ones on Monday held posters featuring the now-iconic image of the duo set before an orange backdrop, which over the past year has often been displayed at concerts and political rallies and posted on social media. The group swapped hugs and kind words before posing for a photo. Dom and Bruno, present! Alessandra Sampaio, Phillips widow, shouted while raising her fist in the air, prompting the others to do the same. I am very revolted. I try not to focus on that, I try to move forward and do what I can in the name of Dom and in favor of conservation, Sampaio said. Phillips had been reporting on the complex dynamics playing out in the region, where trespassers often enter the protected Indigenous reserves to hunt and fish. He was navigating with Pereira, who had been working with local Indigenous communities for over a decade and acted as Phillips' guide. It was to be one of his final reporting trips for his book. Ahead of the first anniversary of Phillips' disappearance, his family and friends have launched a fundraiser to complete his work. A group of journalists from The Guardian, where Phillips regularly contributed as a freelancer, The New Yorker, The Intercept Brazil and Brazilian publications Amazonia Real and Sumauma will be writing the remaining chapters. Others from the Associated Press, the New York Times or the BBC have offered to help with proof-reading and fact-checking. Dom was killed for this book. The least we can do is finish the task to which he had devoted the latter part of his life," Jonathan Watts, the Guardians global environment writer, said in a statement. "He may be gone, but he wont be silenced. Pereira dedicated his career to helping Indigenous people protect their natural resources and traditional lifestyles. He long worked as an expert at the Brazilian Indigenous affairs agency, known as FUNAI. Under former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose administration unapologetically promoted development over environmental protection, Pereira had left the agency and embarked on a more independent and dangerous path. Bruno and Dom deserved, and should have been here today," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday at an event celebrating World Environment Day, also attended by the men's widows. Their brutal murder shocked the world that came to see the Amazon as a lawless land. On Thursday, the documentary Valley of the Isolated Ones by television network Globo premiered in Rio. The film showcased previously unreleased footage recovered from Pereiras cellphone, found in the rainforest months after the crime and retraced the journey of the Indigenous expert in the region. This film is a way to honor Brunos work in defending our families and our people. Bruno and Dom died in the name of our families, Indigenous leader Eliesio Marubo said to the audience. We will continue everything we were doing along with Bruno to strengthen not only his story, his fight, his legacy but also to say that we still exist with the same problems we had before they were killed. Speaking at the event beside Copacabana beach on Monday, Beto Marubo a member of the same ethnic group who is also part of the local Indigenous organization in the Javari Valley said there must be coordinated planning and action across all government authorities in the area to protect the rainforest and its people, as well as rebuilding of equipment and infrastructure. In a remote region where crimes often go unsolved, there have been advances in seeking justice. Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira and Jeferson da Silva Lima, two local fishermen, have confessed to the killings and are in prison awaiting trial. A Colombian businessman, Rubens Villar Coelho, stands accused of masterminding the crime, and is also in custody. He denies any involvement in the killings. But there have been questions about the possible violations of due process. AP reporters Fabiano Maisonnave and Mario Lobao contributed to this story from Rio de Janeiro. Carla Bridi contributed from Brasilia. OpenAI boss 'heartened' by talks with world leaders over will to contain AI risks FILE - OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman gestures while speaking at University College London as part of his world tour of speaking engagements in London, on May 24, 2023. Altman said Monday, June 5, 2023 he was encouraged by a desire shown by world leaders to contain any risks posed by the artificial intelligence technology his company and others are developing. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Monday he was encouraged by a desire shown by world leaders to contain any risks posed by the artificial intelligence technology his company and others are developing. Altman visited Tel Aviv, a tech powerhouse, as part of a world tour that has so far taken him to several European capitals. Altmans tour is meant to promote his company, the maker of ChatGPT the popular AI chatbot which has unleashed a frenzy around the globe. I am very heartened as I've been doing this trip around the world, getting to meet world leaders, Altman said during a visit with Israel's ceremonial President Isaac Herzog. Altman said his discussions showed the thoughtfulness and urgency among world leaders over how to figure out how to mitigate these very huge risks. The world tour comes after hundreds of scientists and tech industry leaders, including high-level executives at Microsoft and Google, issued a warning about the perils that artificial intelligence poses to humankind. Altman was also a signatory. Worries about artificial intelligence systems outsmarting humans and running wild have intensified with the rise of a new generation of highly capable AI chatbots. Countries around the world are scrambling to come up with regulations for the developing technology, with the European Union blazing the trail with its AI Act expected to be approved later this year. In a talk at Tel Aviv University, Altman said it would be a mistake to go put heavy regulation on the field right now or to try to slow down the incredible innovation. But he said there is a risk of creating a superintelligence that is not really well aligned with society's needs in the coming decade. He suggested the formation of a global organization, that at the very highest end at the frontier of compute power and techniques, could have a framework to license models, to audit the safety of them, to propose tests that are required to be passed. He compared it to the IAEA, the international nuclear agency. Israel has emerged in recent years as a tech leader, with the industry producing some noteworthy technology used across the globe. With the great opportunities of this incredible technology, there are also many risks to humanity and to the independence of human beings in the future, Herzog told Altman. We have to make sure that this development is used for the wellness of humanity. Among its more controversial exports has been Pegasus, a powerful and sophisticated spyware product by the Israeli company NSO, which critics say has been used by authoritarian countries to spy on activists and dissidents. The Israeli military also has begun using artificial intelligence for certain tasks, including crowd control procedures. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had held phone conversations with both Altman and Twitter owner Elon Musk in the past day. Netanyahu said he planned to establish a team to discuss a national artificial intelligence policy for both civilian and military purposes. Just as we turned Israel into a global cyber power, we will also do so in artificial intelligence, he said. Altman has met with world leaders including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Altman tweeted that he heads to Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India, and South Korea this week. OpenAI is building tech that could shake the very foundations of politics, the labor market, and the information ecosystem itself. But don't worry! The company's CEO Sam Altman has had a consistent message for a worried public: our famously functional lawmakers and heads of state will step in and save the world from the tech he's building. "I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong," Altman told Congress last month. "And we want to be vocal about that. We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening." Soon he embarked on a world tour, where that conciliatory tone was briefly interrupted when the threat of too much regulation caused Altman to threaten to leave Europe entirely. He later backtracked, though, and now the mercurial CEO is back to his greatest hits: telling world leaders that they're our best hope of keeping his company's tech from ahem causing exactly the sort of grim AI apocalypse he's said to be personally quite concerned about. Whether that concern is legitimate or an ingenious form of marketing remains somewhat hazy. After all, the idea that a new piece of tech is so powerful that it could threaten the entire world is, on a certain level, kind of a humblebrag. Even if it's true, it's catnip to investors. What's clear, though, is Altman's messaging remains consistent: he's very hopeful, he's telling world leaders again and again, that they'll successfully regulate his dangerous new tech. "I have been very heartened as I have been doing this trip around the world, getting to meet world leaders," Altman told Israel's ceremonial president Isaac Herzog today, "in seeing the thoughtfulness, the focus, and the urgency on figuring out how we mitigate these very huge risks." In the meeting, Herzog not to be confused with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the actual leader of the country perfectly illustrated the bind of other world leaders: they're alarmed by the destabilizing power of AI, but also desperately want any economic benefits it has to offer. "Clearly, Israel is a powerhouse in terms of technology and innovation, and a leading force in the development of artificial intelligence especially," Herzog bragged. But he also warned that "there are also many risks to humanity and to the independence of human beings in the future. We must make sure that this development is used for the well-being of humanity. You can see the advantages and disadvantages, and you are the first to mention it openly and boldly." This isn't exactly true, of course. Lots and lots of prominent people have been boldly and openly criticizing the risks posed by AI for more than half a century, and alongside advancements in the tech, warnings about its dangers from those inside and outside the AI industry have reached a fever pitch. Altman should, to be clear, be conscientious about the risks posed by the technology he's actively bringing into existence, but giving him undue credit for speaking out about those risks is kind of like lauding J. Robert Oppenheimer for his post-Manhattan Project pacifism without taking into account that he was, you know, the "destroyer of worlds." AI is not, as Warren Buffett has suggested, yet to the world-ending level of the atom bomb but it's feeling perfectly plausible that it might get there. So let's not give gold stars to the dude who's done more to mainstream AI than anyone else just because he knows his technology's power. More on Sam Altman: OpenAI CEO Signs Letter Warning AI Could Cause Human "Extinction" Migrants cross a barbed-wire barrier at the U.S.-Mexico border, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Thursday, May 11, 2023. | Christian Chavez, Associated Press In a recent press conference, Gov. Spencer Cox called for Congress to take action on immigration reform something that everybody knows needs to be done. He is entirely right. Congress has waited too long to make major immigration reforms. Their inaction has left the immigration system tied in knots and created the disaster at the border that is brought into every Utahns home each night on the evening news. This federal failure is why some states are acting on their own. Cox, along with 23 other Republican governors, threw support to Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts Operation Lone Star. Although Cox has expressed sympathy for border states in the past, this is a rare place of agreement between these two GOP governors. Abbott has taken a hard-line stance that emphasizes armed guards and walls. Cox, in contrast, has greeted migrants with open arms. Texas certainly faces different immigration challenges, but Utahs strategy better reflects research on what drives immigration and how to use immigration to our states advantage. In a time when Congress has failed to address the urgent need for immigration reform, Cox and Utah have emerged as leaders in finding practical solutions. While some states resort to walls and fences, Utah understands that true progress lies in combining border security investments with legal immigration options. Texas new efforts at the border reflect its realities as the largest border state. Many of the millions of crossers over the last two years made their way through the backyards and streets of Texans. In a recent letter, Abbott wrote that the state has been building out razor wires to deter migrants and busing asylum-seekers across the country spending $4.5 billion of its own funds. Texas is motivated by claims of drugs flowing freely across the border. These efforts are understandable and border security investments in walls and wires have their place. Unfortunately, putting up fences is unlikely to meaningfully impede the flow of illicit drugs. About 9 in 10 pounds of fentanyl smuggled in comes through ports of entry, for example. This means that harmful drugs are more likely to be carried into the country by natives than immigrants. Fundamentally, the Texas strategy doesnt recognize the larger factors that drive immigration. Putting up walls and fences does not stop the violence that pushes many Latin Americans out of their homes, nor create jobs in the economically struggling countries from which these migrants flee. We must recognize that lacking economic opportunity and basic safety drives many to our southern border. Addressing these root causes means combining investments in border security with legal immigration options. Though rarely dramatic enough to make it on the news, Coxs administration has been taking its own steps on immigration policy. Utah has continued as a leader, a standout among both blue and red states, in making immigration work for the state and its residents. While the border drives the national narrative, Utah quietly takes a welcoming approach here at home. Weve cut red tape to make it easier for immigrants to start working, expanded refugee resettlement in the state, and created an office for New American Integration to support immigrants. Utah, as Cox rightly pointed out, has about twice as many job openings as it does job seekers. This is a punishing reality for businesses and consumers waiting weeks for workers to build new homes, open new restaurants or provide other services. Utahs need for more workers is clear. Unfortunately, the politics of immigration have prevented immigrants from meeting those needs. A central problem here is the persistent idea that the border needs to be completely secured before guestworker programs can be created altogether neglecting the evidence that expanding legal pathways is one of the most reliable ways to reduce illegal border crossings. Utah has made great efforts to make itself a welcoming home for new Americans. During the Afghan withdrawal, Cox quickly called for Afghans to make their new homes in Utah. Before him, Gov. Gary Herbert signed a letter calling for additional refugees to come to Utah. These efforts to make Utah a welcoming home reflect the Utah way on immigration. And though it bears our states name, the playbook is open for everyone to use. Josh T. Smith is a research manager at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University (@smithtjosh) and Noah Jensen is an undergraduate research fellow with the center. When my brother Brian died by suicide during my freshman year in college, my family learned that he had suffered in silence for years. The national conversation at the time deemed mental health struggles something uncommon, shameful and easily detectable to outsiders. Today, experts recommend equipping students with essential knowledge and skills to address mental health in the classroom and to mitigate increased rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts among young people. But schools have not adapted to this reality by creating appropriate spaces in the classroom to discuss mental health and wellness. While the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for these supports, the time and effort needed to expand these conversations in schools have slowly dwindled. No group has better insight into the youth mental health crisis than students themselves. Now more than ever, youth are experts in their own community needs and are driving solutions to advocate for robust and meaningful change and support. Mental health is a social justice issue for this generation, and they are actively seeking opportunities to mobilize around these challenges. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Young people are uniquely positioned to directly and indirectly affect their peers perceptions of mental health issues and their likelihood of seeking help. As friends are usually the first to hear when a young person is struggling, peer-to-peer programs have a reach that school-led mental health initiatives do not. Many districts lack the funding and personnel to bring robust resources into the classrooms. Adding a student-led organization offering tailored resources for youth is a cost-effective and direct way to address these constraints and reach students. Related 3 Steps School Districts Can Take to Address the Student Mental Health Crisis Determined to do something to help students like Brian, I started Active Minds from my dorm room in 2003 to educate and activate youth to transform mental health culture among their peers and save lives. Twenty years later, Active Minds is used in more than 1,000 middle schools, high schools and colleges communities, offering resources to more than 8 million youth. Weve learned that youth are highly effective drivers in shifting school climate to be more supportive of mental health, increasing the likelihood that their friends will ask for help when needed. Through my organizations youth-led chapters, students can launch an afterschool group with at least two of their peers and the support of an adviser a teacher, counselor or other school staff member. From there, the chapter can access comprehensive curriculum that empowers them to influence knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about mental health. Today, more than 600 student-led chapters in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Australia and Canada use Active Minds peer-to-peer programs to reduce the stigma around mental health in their communities. Numerous organizations recognize the potential of passionate students, equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to become advocates. GENup, a California-based social justice organization, has used grassroots organizing to build a coalition of young activists who lobby for reforms including excused absences for mental health reasons. The Center for Law and Social Policys New Deal for Youth initiative equips emerging leaders with the advocacy skills needed to shape federal policy around inclusive social justice initiatives, including expanding access to mental health resources in schools nationwide. These and other youth-led organizations are working toward granting young people a seat at the decision-making table. These movements are grounded in the belief that empowered students can affect real change. By providing them with opportunities to take leadership roles and engage in advocacy, parents, guardians, teachers and school administrators can ensure that young people have a voice in shaping mental health policies for their school communities and states. Related Teen Mental Health Crisis Pushes More School Districts to Sue Social Media Giants Its inspiring to witness young people advocating for more conversations about mental health for adolescents, teenagers and young adults. However, the escalating rate of suicide among children ages 5 to 11 underscores that mental health education is needed earlier than high school. Middle and elementary school students need comprehensive mental health education that is age-appropriate and tailored to their unique challenges before their teenage years. By providing these services, schools can help children develop the tools and coping mechanisms needed to support their well-being and prevent mental health issues from escalating into more severe problems later in life. My organization is piloting middle school programs in key states to help children better understand their emotions and learn how to identify and manage the early warning signs of mental health issues, which reduces the stigma and reluctance to seek help in the teenage years. Since losing my brother, Ive become acutely aware of the growing mental health challenges facing youth and the need for safe spaces where young people can share their experiences and recognize that they are not alone. Its crucial that educators and schools embrace programs and organizations that empower students to lead conversations about mental health, foster school connectedness and improve access to resources and support. I am continuously encouraged by young peoples determination to find solutions to the mental health crisis. By giving students more opportunities to advocate for themselves and their peers, schools can build stronger and healthier communities. The opioid crisis is hurting Black communities, and it doesnt look anything like the stereotype you often see of fentanyl use. When people think of fentanyl use, they often think of rural white communities. But an expert on the crisis says an increasing number of Black people in urban areas are losing their lives at an alarming rate. COVID-19 has made the ongoing epidemic of fentanyl and heroin use even worse, and the crisis is disproportionately affecting Black Americans. On this episode of TheGrio Daily, host Marc Lamont Hill discusses the crisis with Dr. Karla Mitchell, a naturopathic doctor who also holds ABS and MBA degrees. She is the executive director of CLASS (Changing Lives and Staying Sober), which is based in Detroit. The shadow of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is cast on a photograph of heroin and fentanyl during a 2018 news conference in the Capitol on the opioid crisis. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) What does the opioid crisis look like in Black communities? For the last few years, the rise in opioid overdose deaths has been covered in the media as a rural problem impacting mostly white communities. However, Black death rates from opioid overdoses are four to six times higher than white rates, according to the National Institutes of Health. The issue was highlighted by the death of actor Michael K. Williams in September 2021. Mitchell said the fentanyl crisis hits Black communities particularly hard due to easy access to other drugs that are laced with fentanyl. For the longest time, we were looking in urban communities for kids who were popping pills or getting access to prescriptives, and that just wasnt the case. And we later learned that our children, particularly in the state of Michigan and/or Detroit, were getting access to fentanyl because they were getting access to fentanyl-laced marijuana, Mitchell said. Some people have gained access to fentanyl via marijuana thats been laced with it, according to Dr. Karla Mitchell. (Getty Images) Why is the crisis hitting communities of color so hard? The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated this crisis, making it harder for communities of color to get access to needed resources. Mitchell also emphasized structural racism, mistrust of government and political systems, increased stress and lack of economic support as barriers to helping Black communities address the opioid crisis. Getting government funding to support people in recovery can be difficult. While there are public health centers and high-end treatment centers, there are not a lot of agencies like CLASS. Mitchell said CLASS helps families through an emergency hotline and by connecting personally with people as they begin their recovery journey. Learn more about the fentanyl crisis from the clip above, and tune into theGrio with Marc Lamont Hill every weeknight at 7 pm ET on theGrio cable channel. The post Opioid crisis hits Black community especially hard appeared first on TheGrio. China's Shenzhou-15 separates from space station combination Xinhua) 09:51, June 05, 2023 This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Feb. 9, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Fei Junlong returning to space station lab module Wentian with equipment. (Xinhua/Liu Fang) JIUQUAN, June 3 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship separated from the country's space station combination at 9:29 p.m. Saturday (Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Three astronauts, Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, have lived and worked in the space station complex for 186 days. Prior to the separation, the astronauts undertook various tasks with support from sci-tech personnel on the ground, including completing in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-16 crew, setting the status of the space station complex, sorting and downloading experiment data, and clearing and transferring supplies stored in orbit, the CMSA said. The Shenzhou-15 spaceship will reenter Earth's atmosphere at an appropriate time with the support of ground control. The three Shenzhou-15 astronauts were sent to the space station on Nov. 29, 2022. They have completed multiple tasks over the past few months, including performing four extravehicular activities, giving two online science lectures, and conducting a number of sci-tech experiments. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) You are here: World Flash Afghan refugees wait to return at a border crossing point in Nimroz province, Afghanistan, May 23, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] A total of 2,106 Afghan refugees returned to their homeland from neighboring Iran on Saturday, Afghanistan's Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation Affairs said in a statement Sunday. "A total of 2,106 Afghan refugees returned to their homeland Afghanistan on Saturday after years of living as refugees in Iran, and the process of returning the refugees to their country continues," the statement added. Previously on May 31, the ministry also reported the return of nearly 2,800 Afghan refugees from Iran. Nearly 60,000 Afghan refugees have reportedly returned home from Iran since January. More than 2.5 million registered Afghan refugees reportedly have been living in Iran and about the same number of Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan. The Afghan caretaker government has been calling upon Afghan refugees living abroad to return home and contribute to the reconstruction process of their war-ravaged country. The director of Russia's state-owned energy company Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, arrived in Budapest for talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the news portal Telex reported on June 5. The two discussed cooperation on the expansion of Hungary's Paks Nuclear Power Plant. "Both Rosatom and the Hungarian Government aim to ensure the commissioning of the new Paks units by the beginning of the next decade," said Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who was also present at the talks. Belarus Weekly: Hungarian foreign minister, German right-wing MP visit Belarus In February 2015, the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, and Russia met in Minsk to hold talks following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Following the 15-hour-long talks, the second Minsk Agreement was reached, intended to stop Russias war in Ukraines east. The agreement envisioned a ceas The Kyiv IndependentMaria Yeryoma Szijjarto said on May 25 the European Union approved changes to the contract between Budapest and Rosatom intended to speed up the expansion. According to the foreign minister, many "international actors" are trying to slow down or block the project, which constitutes an attack on Hungary's sovereignty and an obstacle to its energy security. Budapest complained on Feb. 24 that the German government was blocking the export of control equipment for the plant. In contrast, the French government has reportedly allowed its state-backed nuclear power operator subsidiary Framatome to participate in the project along Rosatom. Budapest gave permission to Rosatom to work on the Paks power plant in August 2022, only a few months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Gay Days at Walt Disney World in 2023 Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images Gay Days, an annual celebration at Walt Disney World in the first weekend of June, went on as planned this year despite or in defiance of a raft of anti-LGBTQ legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Organizers urged LGBTQ visitors to come out in force, and despite a slow start to bookings and the cancelation of a few events, they did. "Rainbow-hued merchandise designed by Disney including a plush Mickey Mouse waving a Pride flag flew off the shelves almost as quickly as it could be restocked," The Washington Post reported Sunday. "Drag queen bingo was held. In the end, all 1,001 rooms at the host hotel were booked." Gay Days, which began as a one-day event at Disney World in 1991, has faced opposition from conservative groups before and persevered. "The birth of Gay Days was really about being visible at a time when it was dangerous to be visible," especially in the 1990s, Equality Florida's Brandon Wolf told the Post. "The same is true now." Turnout was affected by recent travel warnings from Equality Florida and the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ rights group in the U.S., among other rights groups, said Gay Days CEO Joseph Clark. "For some it's the safety aspect, for others, they don't want to spend money in a state that doesn't support them," he told the Post. "My message has been, 'We need your help here in Florida.'" DeSantis has used his power to retaliate against Disney for its opposition to his "Don't Say Gay" education bill, which the Legislature expanded this year to ban all discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in K-12 schools; their fight is now in court. DeSantis has also recently signed legislation prohibiting the use of preferred pronouns for students and teachers, targeting drag shows, and making it a felony to provide gender-affirming health care to transgender minors and barring such care for many adults too. Disney has never officially sponsored Gay Days, but over the years Disney World and other nearby theme parks "have thrown down the welcome mats as Gay Days has become a profitable bounce between the spring break and out-of-school summer crowds," The Associated Press reported. It is now one of America's largest Pride Month events. And Disney is hosting a major LGBTQ+ event, the annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit, in September. "It says something that Disney has been unwilling to kowtow to DeSantis and his brand of authoritarianism," Wolf told the Post. "I think that Disney's refusal to be bullied into submission is a good reminder to others that in this moment, there is no negotiating with people like Ron DeSantis." You may also like Chris Christie: a scandal-plagued presidential hopeful Is Trump's wall working? Chuck Todd to be replaced by Kristen Welker on NBC's 'Meet the Press' Sightings of otters in a Welsh river are on the rise following the launch of a programme to boost local wildlife. As many as five of the critters have been spotted in the River Cynon, after pollution caused numbers to dwindle. The decline in otter numbers last year was described as a "wake up call" for the state of the UK's rivers. The River for All project aims to improve biodiversity with volunteers restoring and monitoring the river which runs through south east Wales. The three-year project is part-funded by the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund and run by the South East Wales Rivers Trust. Gareth Edge, a River for All officer, said: "Before we started on the project, the River Cynon was in poor condition and the wildlife populations were in decline. "There had only been a few sightings of otters in the past several years," he added. After being wiped out in parts of the UK in the 1950s and 60s, otter numbers were recovering in Wales up until the most recent national survey in early 2022. Pollution was deemed one of the possible reasons for this decline. "The river was heavily polluted and full of rubbish, which caused the quality of the water to be very poor," Mr Edge said. "This meant that small insects and wildlife that make up an essential part of the food web for larger fish and mammal populations simply couldn't survive. "In five years of working on the river I'd never seen an otter, and then in the past 18 months I have seen at least five and they are being spotted by visitors on a regular basis." He added that the 60 project volunteers who have worked to restore the river have been a "godsend". Kate Breeze, executive director of wind farm community fund Pen y Cymoedd, said: "Projects like a River for All are crucial to helping us maintain a stable ecosystem here in Wales. "The fund was set up to not only help support local businesses and organisations but also to help maintain and sustain our beautiful country." More than 100 vehicles were involved in a series of so-called sideshows Sunday afternoon that moved from location to location throughout Sacramento County, police said. Authorities arrested three people involved in two police pursuits as a result of Sundays sideshows, the Sacramento Police Department announced Monday afternoon. Officers issued 17 citations as law enforcement officials responded to reported illegal events. Sideshows are illegal gatherings in which groups of drivers take over intersections, city streets, stretches of busy freeways and/or parking lots to do tricks with their cars, including burnouts and doughnuts, The Sacramento Bee has previously reported. Groups of spectators can reach into the hundreds, often blocking even more traffic lanes. Some sideshows go on for hours, while others clear out in minutes to avoid law enforcement. Sacramento police were joined by the Elk Grove Police Departments and the California Highway Patrol in Sundays enforcement action. Authorities towed nine vehicles. A law enforcement operation targeting sideshows in September led to 52 vehicles towed, nine arrests and 204 issued citations in the Sacramento area. The operation was carried out over a few days. A little over a year ago, authorities broke up a sideshow event in Sutter County, where 40 to 50 vehicles gathered for reckless driving and street racing along a rural road. Law enforcement agencies in Yolo County teamed in April 2022 to stop a sideshow event around Main Street Woodland, where people gathered in 200 to 300 vehicles. The previous weekend, officers from four Sacramento-area police agencies impounded 28 vehicles, made nine felony arrests, confiscated four guns and issued 28 citations as they busted a large sideshow along Northgate Boulevard in Sacramento. On Monday, Sacramento police said area agencies will continue to conduct maximum enforcement actions at these illegal events and remind residents that participating in sideshow events can result in vehicles being impounded and lead to fines and penalties up to and including a suspended drivers license. In their own words: Akron Decides survey respondents explain stances on protests, police Jayland Walker protesters stand on their car parked in the middle of Copley Road in Akron on April 19. An Akron Decides survey after the May primary election gave citizens an opportunity to explain how they felt about the protests that followed a special grand jury's decision against prosecuting eight police officers who shot and killed Jayland Walker. Those polled were also asked whether or not they approved of the police response to the protests. In contrast to the weeks of tense protests last summer that followed Walker's June 27 death, the latest round of demonstrations has been largely peaceful aside from a confrontation two days after the grand jury's no-bill decision was returned. A march along Copley Road in West Akron was dispersed with tear gas after law enforcement officials said protesters had begun hurling objects at them. New poll: Akron voters happy with results as women overwhelmingly elected Shammas Malik Detailed poll results: Fill out this form to view the Akron Decides Post-Election Top Line Results Overall, 50% of survey respondents either strongly or somewhat approved of the protests following the no-bill, while 23% strongly or somewhat disapproved. Here is a sampling of reasons respondents gave for why they supported or opposed the protests and authorities' response. Protest backers say justice remains elusive For those respondents who approved of the protests, 47% believed justice was not served. One respondent commented, "A man was shot in excess of 40 times and no charges were filed. This is excessive force." Another respondent said Akron police "have a documented history of violence against people of color" and the lack of charges against those who killed Walker means "no justice for the deceased." Copley Road protest: APD video shows Jayland Walker protesters throwing items before officers used chemicals "There's never a reason to shoot a person as much as those cops shot Jayland," another respondent said. And while it is up to the legal process to determine whether a killing meets the legal definition of murder, the commenter did not hesitate to render judgment: "Murder is murder no matter how you try to justify it." The trail of evidence showing Walker fired a gun while police pursued him in a car chase was unconvincing for a respondent who said "it is not acceptable to shoot and kill a Black man who was not at all a serious threat to the large group of armed and legally protected police officers or to the community." New poll: 60% of Akron voters disagree with grand jury decision in Jayland Walker case The right to protest was cited by several respondents. "As long as (the protests) remain peaceful, they have that right," one noted. Another said, "I always feel people have the right to express their opinions by protesting what they believe in." Opponents of protests say safety is at risk A Jayland Walker protester confronts Akron Police Officers armed with chemical canisters on Copley Road on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 in Akron, Ohio. Protesters were asked to move to the sidewalk and did not comply. Of those individuals who disapproved of the protests, 43% believed that protests lead to violence. One respondent noted how protesters "don't protest peacefully, they destroy hard working peoples' businesses." "Destroying the city is not the solution," another person said. "Protest just causes more destruction and damage to the city and its citizens," another respondent said. By the numbers: A visual look at Akron Decides poll on Malik, police and protests To be clear, protests this spring have barely resembled those that cropped up last summer, when dozens of protesters were arrested and widespread damage was reported downtown. The latest demonstrations still rattled some residents, though. "(The protesters) did it in a very disruptive way within neighborhoods, blocking traffic, screaming in a loud speaker late at night while kids and elderly were sleeping," one respondent said. Among those who disapprove of the protests, several said the grand jury's outcome should be accepted by all. "A grand jury made the ruling after a thorough investigation," one respondent said. "An independent agency gathered facts and produced an extensive report. Most protesters do not have accurate and factual information," another individual said. "I know that the hearings for officer involved shootings are usually thorough and fair. I trust the findings," another individual noted. Here's why some residents say police should step in at protests Overall, 34% of survey respondents strongly or somewhat approved of the police response to the protests, while 29% strongly or somewhat disapproved of the police response. Among those individuals who approved of the police tactics, some said they do mostly because of the need to protect the public. And some made derogatory claims about demonstrators. "Businesses and personal safety needed to be protected from racist mobs," one respondent said. "(Police) should be able to protect the citizens from the rowdy protesters," another said. "Some of those protesters were outsiders paid to disrupt," yet another respondent said. The importance of preventing damage and violence was a popular reason for approving of the police response to protests. "The protests have been aggressive and have been illegally obstructing traffic with parked cars. The protesters are throwing things at officers and emergency vehicles can't get through," one respondent said. "Given the emotional climate, the city had to be prepared for opportunistic violence," another person noted. "I saw what happened to businesses downtown last summer and I think being proactive is better than reactive," one respondent noted. "If I had a business that was vandalized last summer, I would want proactive policing." Did police overreact to protests? Some respondents believe so The use of force by Akron police was the top reason respondents gave for disapproving the police response to the protests. "Armed preparations and responses to protests only lead to more violence and are conducive to the protest process," one respondent said. Again, the range of survey responses includes some disparaging claims. "Police have been needlessly violent and (antagonistic) at protests regardless of the behavior of the protesters," one respondent said. "They use chemical weapons like tear gas liberally in crowded public spaces, which affects not only protesters who gave them no legitimate reason to engage in such a severe and violent response, but also residents who happened to be in the area." "Police always overreact and use excessive force," another individual said. Some respondents said Akron police abused their authority while responding to the recent grand jury protests. "They made things worse. Things were peaceful until they intervened," one respondent said. Another respondent said, "There was absolutely no reason for police to tear gas the protesters. That was over-the-top ridiculous!" "Police appeared to have been a bit aggressive in their tactics," another person said. About the poll The Akron Decides Post-Election Survey of 500 voters, conducted by the Center for Marketing and Opinion Research, was commissioned by the Akron Press Club, Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, Akron NAACP, Ohio Debate Commission and Akron Beacon Journal. The poll had a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points. Registered voters were surveyed May 4 through May 17 online and over the phone, including landlines and cellphones. Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Decides survey respondents candid about protests, police tactics A workers prepares a buffet Every year in the US, nearly 50 million people are affected by food-borne disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those incidents lead to almost 130,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Restaurants and other food businesses figure in a significant number of cases: From 2017 to 2019, the CDC tracked 800 outbreaks of illness linked to 875 food establishments, a report published by the agency June 2 reveals. Most were due to norovirus (47%) and salmonella (17%), at least among outbreaks with known causes. Read more Yet many of these cases could have been avoided, if only paid sick leave were common in the US restaurant industry. According to the CDC study, 40% of outbreaks with at least one reported factor were associated with food contaminated by an ill or infectious workeror a worker who should have been on sick leave. Paid sick leave is a public health issue Although most food establishments interviewed by the CDC said they required workers to notify them of their illness, the volume of contamination due to sick employees shows the current leave policy isnt effective. Workers either cant afford to, or feel dissuaded from, taking time off when feeling unwell. The Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Food Code recommends that staff with illnesses that can be transmitted through food dont work, but many report doing so. A 2016 report from the CDC found that 20% of employees in the industry had worked at least one day while vomiting or suffering from diarrhea. The CDCs recommendations on preventing contamination from sick workers stress the importance of staffing restaurants so they can afford the occasional sick employee, and of requiring workers to tell managers when theyre sick. But arguably the most crucial recommendation is also the hardest to enforce: Ensuring food workers will be paid and will not lose their jobs if they are absent from work because they are sick. Most of the world mandates paid sick leave The US is one of few countries with no federal paid sick leave policy, and the requirement for unpaid sick leave only applies to certain companies. Even in states with some regulations, the rules are often insufficient. In California, workers are entitled to a minimum of just three days (or 24 working hours) paid leave per year; in New York, businesses with up to four employees and annual income of less than $1 million are only required to provide unpaid leave (40 hours a year), while businesses with up to 99 employees must provide 40 hours of paid leave. This pales in comparison to what the rest of the world does: 94% of countries guarantee paid sick leave to full-time workers, and 93% to part-time ones. Almost all nations comparable to the US, with the exception of Israel and South Korea, offer at least three months of paid sick leave per year, with many guaranteeing leave of up to a year or more. More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Palestinian boy, 3, dies of injuries days after being shot by Israeli troops A 3-year-old Palestinian boy died Monday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said, days after he was shot by Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank. Muhammad Haitham al-Tamimi died despite efforts to save him, including helicopter transport to a hospital in Israel. He was shot on Thursday night near the Israeli settlement of Neveh Tzuf, north of Jerusalem in the West Bank. The childs father, Haitham Tamimi, said he was going to visit his brother when he and Muhammad were shot. As soon as I started the car I heard gunshots and I saw the Israeli soldiers out of the military tower, Tamimi told CNN. I looked at Muhammad and couldnt believe what I saw. He was shot in the head and there was blood all over his body. I took him in my arms and then realized that Im also shot in my right shoulder. People from the village came quickly, and they took us both with their cars. This is when Israeli ambulances and a helicopter came and took Muhammad to the Israeli hospital. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops were firing back at gunmen shooting at Neveh Tzuf when they hit two Palestinians, a 3-year-old and a man. The child's father, Haitham Tamimi, said he was going to visit his brother when he and Muhammad were shot. - Tamimi family IDF and Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medical teams treated both of the victims, and succeeded in getting the childs heart beating again, the MDA said at the time. The child was then transported, ventilated and in unstable condition, by IDF helicopter to Sheba-Tel Hashomer hospital in Israel. The IDF regrets harm to non-combatants and is committed to doing everything in its power to prevent such incidents. The incident is under review, the IDF said early Friday. The military did not immediately have a new statement in light of the death of the child, pointing CNN to the Friday statement. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry Monday condemned the killing of Tamimi as a heinous crime against humanity, and demanded an urgent international investigation into this crime and other crimes of killing Palestinian children. The childs father was treated for his gunshot wound at a hospital in Ramallah and was released on Sunday. The bullet wound, he said, was not hurting: I feel no physical pain. the pain in my heart is way too big. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Panama's former president Ricardo Martinelli is escorted by police officers and supporters while leaving a courthouse after being declared not guilty of spying charges in Panama City By Elida Moreno PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama's former President Ricardo Martinelli was on Sunday chosen as the presidential candidate for his party Realizando Metas (RM) in next year's elections. Martinelli, who was in office from 2009 to 2014, is accused of laundering public funds through the purchase of a news outlet during his term. Martinelli - along with his sons - is also charged in Panama for his alleged involvement in laundering millions of dollars in bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. The former president, 71, denies the charges and claims he is being politically targeted. "The only way to get me out of the presidential race is by impeachment ... they're going to have to kill me," Martinelli said. The Untied States has barred Martinelli from entering the North American country, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accusing him of accepting bribes. (Reporting by Elida Moreno; Writing by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Shri Navaratnam) By Philip Pullella and Alvise Armellini VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, tasked by Pope Francis to carry out a peace mission to try to help end the war in Ukraine, headed to Kyiv on Monday for a two-day trip to sound out government authorities. The Vatican announced his visit, which many observers see as an uphill effort, in a short statement. It said the main purpose was "to listen carefully to Ukrainian authorities on the possible ways to reach a just peace and support humanitarian gestures that may help ease tensions". It was not clear if Zuppi, who is archbishop of Bologna and head of the Italian Bishops Conference, would meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy met the pope at the Vatican on May 13 and later appeared cool to the prospects of any papal initiative that would put Ukraine on an equal footing with Russia, which invaded its neighbour on Feb. 24, 2022. Zuppi, 67, told reporters last month that he did not foresee a mediation in the strict sense of the word but that he was ready to "do anything" to help ease tensions. "We can't watch a war without at least saying that we are close to the victims and seeking in every way possible to alleviate the consequences," he said. At the meeting in May, Zelenskiy asked the pope to back Kyiv's peace plan, which Zelenskiy has repeatedly said is not open to negotiation. The plan calls for restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities, and the restoration of Ukraine's state borders. In an interview on May 26, the pope skirted the issue, saying an eventual return by Russia of occupied territories is a "political problem" to be resolved by both sides. Diplomats have said that Ukraine would also be cool to the idea of putting a meeting between Zuppi and Zelenskiy and an eventual one between Zuppi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the same plane. "There can be no equality between the victim and the aggressor," Zelenskiy said after his May 13 meeting with the pope. The Vatican statement's mention of "humanitarian gestures" on Monday appeared to be a reference to Kyiv's request - and the Vatican's willingness - to help with the repatriation of Ukrainian children. Kyiv estimates nearly 19,500 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since February 2022, in what it condemns as illegal deportations. Zuppi hails from the Sant' Egidio Community, a Rome-based peace and justice group which has been instrumental in several peace negotiations, particularly in Africa. In 1992, the group brokered a deal that ended the civil war in Mozambique that had killed about a million people and displaced about four million. (Writing by Philip Pullella; Editing by Nick Macfie) The judge in the case of Kouri Richins, who is charged with killing her husband with a fatal dose of fentanyl, issued a partial gag order in the case Friday. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News The judge in the case of a Kamas woman accused of killing her husband by secretly administering a fatal dose of fentanyl has issued a partial gag order in the proceedings. A "protection order" will be in effect for attorneys in the case, but 3rd District Judge Richard E. Mrazik denied a request by Summit County prosecutors to issue a gag order similar to the one in Idaho for the case involving four slain college students, saying "there is a constitutionally protected need for free and unfettered expression" and that there are already tools in place to ensure a fair trial, including having "in-depth voir dire" to select unbiased jurors or a potential change of venue if "things get out of hand." Kouri Darden Richins is charged with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and three counts of drug possession with intent to distribute, a second-degree felony, in the March 4, 2022, death of her husband, 39-year-old Eric Richins. Richins died unexpectedly at his home. A toxicology report from the state medical examiner determined that he "died from an overdose of fentanyl" that was "approximately five times the lethal dosage," according to charging documents, even though Richins was not a known drug user. After her husband's death, Kouri Richins wrote a children's book aimed at helping families dealing with the sudden loss of a loved one. As police investigated the case, they learned of fentanyl purchases Richins had made from a woman convicted of dealing drugs in the past; that Eric Richins had previously accused his wife of trying to poison him by putting something in his drink; and that Kouri Richins took out almost $2 million in life insurance policies on her husband before his death without his knowledge, according to court documents. Richins was arrested more than a year after her husband's death. Attorneys for both sides have filed a number of motions since charges were filed against her. On May 17, a motion from prosecutors to have subpoenas in the case sealed was denied. This week, several additional motions have been filed. On Wednesday, prosecutors filed a motion for a gag order in the case "nearly identical to the one issued this year in State v. Bryan C. Kohberger" in Idaho. Bryan Kohberger, 28, is accused of stabbing Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin to death on Nov. 13, 2022 in their rental home in Moscow, Idaho, across the street from the University of Idaho campus. The judge in the case has issued a wide-ranging gag order which is being challenged by a coalition of 30 news organizations. The Idaho Supreme Court denied the media's request, saying the group should have first made the request to a lower court. The justices did not weigh in, however, on whether the gag order violates First Amendment rights. The media coalition is now challenging the gag order again, but in a lower court. Eric Richins | Family photo The Summit County Attorney's Office argued that a similar gag order is needed in the Utah case "in response to the unanticipated and overwhelming media interest in this newly-filed case." In addition to already being contacted by media organizations from around the world, including documentary filmmakers, prosecutors say nonlocal media outlets "have camped out in the public waiting area in the Summit County Attorney's Office, tried to get inside the jail to speak to the defendant, contacted jail and sheriff's office staff asking absurd questions such as whether or not the defendant is eating her food, contacted the Summit County sheriff's search and rescue volunteers asking them for information and statements, contacted at least one key witness in the case asking them to give statements, wooed the victim family's private investigator with promises of a 'handsome actor' playing them in the upcoming production, and approached one the court clerks at a gas station asking her for information," the motion states. Prosecutors say two of Kouri Richins' calls made from jail reveal that "she has been communicating with a documentary filmmaker, directly and through a friend." During oral arguments on Friday, Mrazik questioned Summit County chief prosecutor Patricia Cassell about whether the court actually has authority to put a gag order on, for example, secretaries in the sheriff's office or on Richins if she decided she wanted to do a podcast from jail. Cassell responded by saying she's concerned about the "pressure" the media could potentially place on those people. "Hypothetically, someone could approach a secretary in the sheriff's office and offer her a financial incentive to speak to them," she said. "We absolutely understand there is a need for reporting this." But Cassell argued the media should be limited to only report what is public record to protect the integrity of the case. Richins' attorney Skye Lazaro says she also wants the integrity of the case to be preserved, but argued, "We can't undo what's already out there." If a gag order were to be put in place, Lazaro argued that the media will simply continue to publish what has already been reported, which she says is all from one side and doesn't give Richins the chance to dispute any of the claims. "The only narrative out there is what's already been put out," she said. "Gagging anyone now is just going to create a disparity in fairness." This photo provided by KPCW.org shows Kouri Richins at the KPCW studio in Park City on April 12. Richins is charged with poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl at their home in Kamas. | KPCW.org via AP Just because there's a gag order, it won't stop the press from doing stories or deter the large amount of attention the case has received, Lazaro said. "I don't think it's going to solve the problem. I think this is a case that is going to continue to get press." Other attorneys expressed concern about how a wide-ranging gag order would affect two other civil cases currently going on, many involving the same players. Those cases involve the estate of Eric Richins, and the guardianship and placement of the Richins' three children. One attorney in those cases expressed to the judge that she believes a gag would help the publicity surrounding the criminal case to calm down, stating, "The problem is with all the craziness with the media." Mrazik ruled that while protecting the integrity of the criminal case and the due process of the children is important, the arguments presented to him did not rise above First Amendment protections. Because of that, he ruled that the gag order or what is being called a "protection order" will apply to attorneys who are, or will be, participating in the investigation or litigation of the case and said they are expected to abide by pre-established rules of professional conduct. Specifically, Mrazik said the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct prevent lawyers from making "an extrajudicial statement that the lawyer knows or reasonably should know will be disseminated by means of public communication and will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding in this matter." In another motion, Mrazik agreed to seal two search warrants served by police during their investigation warrants that had already become public. "Due to the heavy national and international publicity surrounding this case and pending a full and complete hearing that includes defense counsel," the warrants were ordered to be sealed "pending further order of the court," according to court documents. One of those warrants discusses information Eric Richins' family provided investigators about their suspicions immediately following his death as well as information about Kouri Richins' relationship with an acquaintance who allegedly provided her with drugs. The second warrant goes into additional detail about who Richins is accused of purchasing the drugs from as well as information about associates of that person. The warrant talks about a recorded phone conversation from the Utah State Prison that investigators listened to, as well as a warrant being served on the electronic devices of one of Richins' relatives to determine whether anyone else was involved in the planning of Eric Richins' death. Defense attorneys also filed a motion Thursday asking that Richins be allowed "to appear at all in-court proceedings in civilian clothes instead of a prison uniform and without restraint by any means, including shackles." In addition, the defense is asking that once the trial begins, measures be taken to make sure jurors never see Richins in restraints either inside or outside the courtroom, and that should their client be found guilty, that the same rules continue to apply during a sentencing hearing. "Due to the nature of the charges in this case and the publicity the case has generated, media coverage of the accused dressed in prison garb creates a great potential for harm," the defense argued in its motion. "Ms. Richins contends that the death penalty's unique nature heightens her right to be free from these impairments." In a written ruling Friday afternoon, Mrazik agreed to allow Richins to wear street clothes, but is leaving it up to the Summit County Sheriff's Office to determine the level of restraint in the courtroom, ordering that Richins "shall be restrained as necessary to preserve the safety and security of (her) and the courtroom." Prosecutors have not said whether they'll seek the death penalty if Richins is convicted. A hearing on whether Richins can be released from jail pending trial is scheduled for June 12. 'I pay for it emotionally and physically every day': Man sentenced in OWI serious injury crash BRANCH COUNTY A 34-year-old Fort Wayne man was sentenced Monday to 39 months to five years in prison after pleading no contest to a charge of operating while intoxicated, causing serious injuries. Investigators have said Evan Kerr ran a stop sign at Copeland Road and South Fremont Road in California Township, hitting a vehicle driven by James Wagenknecht, 73, of Hamilton, Indiana April 2, 2021. Police said Kerr had methadone and marijuana in his blood. Katherine Wagenknecht showed the court a picture of her husband healthy before the crash. Kerr pleaded no contest in a plea bargain for a maximum of 18 months in prison but failed to appear for sentencing on May 8, voiding the agreement. Indiana Police tracked him to a friend's home in Fort Wayne for failing to appear. Wagenknecht's wife of 36-years, Katherine Wagenknecht, read a list of medical issues her husband suffered over the last two years. A shattered pelvis, ruptured bladder, damaged kidneys, and head and eye injuries that will require continued medical care for years. The first two months after the crash, the family considered removing life support. Prosecutor Zack Stempien said he was told Kerr would run by Indiana police. Hes afraid to go to prison, so hes going to run out west. My victim cannot run from his injuries. But (Kerr) was going to run to get away from the results of the thing he caused himself," Stempien said. In a letter to the court, Wagenknecht asked for the maximum sentence. I pay for it emotionally and physically every day. I think its only fair that Mr. Kerr pay for this and that is not just brushed aside, his wife read from his letter. Stempien asked for the maximum under the Department of Corrections sentencing guidelines. These injuries are far beyond what the sentencing guidelines considered," he said. Even Kerr apologized before he was sentenced in the Branch County Circuit Court. Judge Bill OGrady said the Kerr case was compelling to sentence the maximum. He believed five years was not enough. It would almost be nice if the legislature was able to hear what you said when they set a limit of five years on OWI - causing serious injury. Those words alone dont contemplate what your husband and you had to go through, he told Katherine Wagenknecht. OGrady added, Theres an incredible amount of devastation, an incredible amount of destruction in this case. And its clearly all absolutely unnecessary. Kerr admitted using Methadone two hours before the 8 a.m. crash. He said he used marijuana the night before, according to police reports. Kerrs pickup was eastbound on Copeland Road when it failed to stop and hit the northbound Chevrolet Tahoe in the drivers door. The impact catapulted Wagenknecht out of the SUV. Damage to the two vehicles on April 2, 2021, at Copeland and Fremont Roads. Kerr told investigators he did not see the stop sign. Shortly after the crash, the Branch County Road Commission installed a solar-powered red flashing sign at the intersection where cross traffic does not stop. There are now 14 such flashing signs in Branch County. More:https://cm.thedailyreporter.com/sub Follow important court news. Subscribe to the Daily Reporter. OGrady invited an appeal of the sentencing. DOC guidelines set a maximum of 38 months for the minimum sentence. State law allows a judge to set a minimum of two-thirds of the maximum, his 39 months. I know it's only a months difference. ---Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Man sentenced in California Township OWI serious injury crash Reuters/Jason Reed A Cessna aircraft with an unresponsive pilot and passengers on board prompted an aerial chase with Pentagon jets Sunday when it crossed into protected U.S. airspace over Washington, D.C.causing a sonic boom heard across the Washington D.C. area, officials said. In a statement, the Federal Aviation Authority told The Daily Beast the aircraft, a Cessna Citation, took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and was bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York. The plane concerned authorities when it flew over restricted D.C. airspace. Pentagon F-16s scrambled and went supersonic to catch up with the runaway plane. According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD): The civilian aircraft was intercepted at approximately 3:20 p.m. The U.S. Capitol Complex was briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area, police said. The chase sparked panic in the area when residents as far as Maryland and Virginia heard the jets breaking supersonic speed. The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region, NORAD said in a statement Sunday. The boom caused the DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management to confirm reports of a loud boom and to assure residents that there is no threat at this time. At least one of the jet pilots saw the Cessnas pilot passed out, a U.S. official told ABC News. In a statement Sunday night, U.S. Capitol Police said officials were working with federal partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying an airplane near the National Capital Region. NORAD confirmed that the pilot was unresponsive and the Cessna subsequently crashed into mountainous terrain near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia, around 3:30 p.m. local time on Sunday. NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed, a statement said. That included the use of flares in an attempt to draw attention from the pilot, the release added. First responders reached the crash site by foot shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, the Virginia State Police said in a statement to The Daily Beast. State police has suspended its search efforts. No survivors were located, it added. The area, according to the FAA, is sparsely populated. Public aviation records show the plane is registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne, a Florida-based company owned by John and Barbara Rumpel. Sonic Boom as heard by my dog Rocket in Fairfax Station. Shook the house. #sonicboom pic.twitter.com/WudmPif7uB Jared McQueen (@goodguyguybrush) June 4, 2023 In a brief interview with The Washington Post, John Rumpel confirmed he was the owner of Encore and said his entire family was on the plane at the time, including his daughter, a grandchild and her nanny. We know nothing about the crash, he said. We are talking to the FAA now. Ive got to keep the line clear. When reached by The Daily Beast, Barbara Rumpel, who is listed as the president of Encore Motors in Melbourne, declined to comment. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash. Meanwhile the incident had no impact on Secret Service, or President Joe Biden, spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told CNN in a statement. The Presidentwho was playing golf at the Andrews Air Force Base golf course in Maryland at the time of the crashhas been briefed on the situation, a White House official said, adding that the sound of the boom was faint. 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. Hundreds of people filled the atrium of Atlantas City Hall and overflowed outside as those for and against the citys public safety training center let their voices be heard as the city council weighed a vote over funding for the project. People started gathering in the atrium around 11 a.m. Monday, with many who started chanting and voicing their opposition to the training center. Both supporters and those against the training facility lined up to voice their opinion about the project. Individuals told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln that not only are they speaking out about not wanting this facility being built, but they are also speaking against the recent arrest of three people who were arrested and charged on allegations of money laundering and charity fraud in connection to nonprofit police say is fueling violent protests against the facility. Lincoln spoke to one of those individuals arrested who is now out on bond. Even though we have been released from jail, we are still living in fear constantly, activist Marlon Scott Kautz said. We know that we have broken no laws, we know that we are justified in the work that we do and its important community work, and were going to continue doing regardless. RELATED STORIES Another activist said they are not being represented. We wont stop until our representative officials represent us instead of the needs of a private organization. There will be more protests, there will be more community action despite the fact that APF and APD have been tearing down and attacking activists unjustly, activist Waller Goble said. Supporters for the facility welcome the development, saying the current training centers are old and outdated. One supporter said its the proper use of tax dollars to keep law enforcement trained with growing crime trends. This is a win-win for Atlanta. Its hard to believe that citizens would be against a private entity raising funds from Atlanta citizens to lessen the tax burden. The Atlanta Police Foundation has done an excellent job in raising private funds for this purpose. Atlanta would be safer with a better training facility supporter Lou Arcangeli said. Atlantas training facilities have not kept pace with the needs of the department. There were 357 people signed up to speak originally Monday but the council opened it up to everyone, so public comment will likely go well into the night. RELATED NEWS: Michelle Budge, Deseret News After Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, pundits struggling to explain the election results came up with a unified theory: it was the support of the working class. Republican leaders later said as much; in 2021, a widely publicized memo discussed how to cement the GOPs status as the working class party, calling it a gift from Trump. In fact, the evolution of the GOP to be the champion of the working class predates Trump, but theres no disputing the fact that the Republican Party has been changing, just as the Democratic Party has. And a new poll conducted by HarrisX for Deseret News shows exactly how much the Democratic Party has changed: Once proudly the representative of the working man and woman, Democrats are now, by a notable margin, the party of choice of the upper class. The nationally representative poll, conducted April 18-24, reveals a marked preference for the Democratic Party among respondents who self-identified as upper class or upper middle class. Related Fifty-six percent of upper class voters said they most identify with the Democratic Party, compared to 28% who chose the Republican Party. Among respondents who said they are upper middle class, 45% said they were most aligned with Democrats, compared to 30% who side with Republicans. While the lower class and the working poor also have a preference for Democrats over Republicans, the margin of identification with the Democratic Party was more striking among the upper class than any other group. The finding gives teeth to the common cry of conservatives that Democrats are social and cultural elites. It also poses a problem for Democrats who have long relied on working-class Americans to bolster their coalition and whose grand proposals often come with bills they want wealthy Americans to pay. The forgotten class In the poll, respondents were asked to identify as one of seven categories: lower class, working poor, working class, lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class or upper class. A majority (39%) made their choice based on income rather than their job (10%) or education (7%), categories which are commonly used by researchers when defining the working class. They were then asked a series of questions, including which party and which candidates they most identified with. The answers provide snapshots of where each party is headed and why. Some findings that stand out: Many in the upper class seem tone-deaf about how the rest of the country is faring. Large majorities of the middle class and below, for example, say that the working class is being left behind when it comes to economic development, while 80% of the upper class say that everyone is benefiting equally. That finding, in particular, screams elite. Similarly, 62% of the upper class thinks the working class is in a good position. Only 30% of the working class agree. Sixty-two percent of the working poor and 59% of the working class say politicians dont care about the working class. The forgotten man that Trump often alluded to in his previous campaigns is still out there and still feels forgotten. That may be one reason that Trump is still the politician to which most working class respondents relate; he comes in at 48%, 18 percentage points above Ron DeSantis and 15 points above Joe Biden. There is a sharp divide among the lower and upper classes with regard to Democratic politicians. Upper class and upper middle class respondents say they are best represented by Joe Biden (41% and 44% respectively) while Bidens support drops to 30% and 29% among the working class and lower middle class, respectively. And Bernie Sanders support is highest among the lower classes, with a high of 33% among the working poor. Elizabeth Warren also does best among the working poor 25%. Perhaps most significantly, 74% of upper class respondents want Biden to run again, in stark contrast to large shares of the middle class and lower who dont want to see Biden run. Sixty-seven percent of the working class and 68% of the lower class dont want Biden to be their president again. That is significant, and as the Democratic establishment prepares to again present Joe Biden as the solution to Americas problems, it does so at considerable risk. Its not just working-class Republicans who feel ignored, but working-class Democrats and independents as well. Collectively, they compromise the forgotten class, and right now, its the GOP who is speaking their language. Related Advantage, GOP Over the past few decades, weve been watching Americas political parties seemingly switch identities, not only in their stance on issues like law enforcement and free speech, but in the types of candidates they support. Barack Obama, for example, styled himself as a warrior for the middle class one of his campaign slogans in 2012 was Middle Class First but a columnist for The New York Times conceded that elitism was the charge that Obama cant shake. The image wasnt helped by Obamas unfortunate characterization of Rust Belt voters as bitter people clinging to guns and religion for solace. In contrast, Republican J.D. Vance won his U.S. Senate seat in 2022 in part by capitalizing on his Rust Belt childhood described in his memoir Hillbilly Elegy. In one interview, Vance referred to the poorest people of Appalachia as these people, my people. Unlike Obamas comment, the remark was not a political mistake. Political scientists Noam Lupu and Nicholas Carnes say that white working-class support for GOP presidential candidates has been gradually rising since 1996, and that the biggest single-year increase in the white working classs share of GOP voters came in 2012, when Mitt Romney was the partys nominee. Related Of course, its not just the white working class that is trending Republican; Trump enjoyed a deep base of support from Hispanic voters, which helped him carry Florida in 2020. Meanwhile, the share of Democrats with college degrees historically, an achievement associated with white-collar jobs and higher incomes has markedly increased in recent decades, according to Pew Research Center. In 1996, voters who had not attended college represented 51% of Democrat voters, compared to 28% in 2020. The share of Democratic voters with at least a four-year degree has increased from 22% to 41%, Pew said. Meanwhile college attendance among Republicans remained roughly the same. As a result, in 2020, college graduates make up a much larger share of Democratic than Republican voters (41% vs. 30%). But, as Lupu told me, a college education is only one factor in what makes up the working class, and that matters less now than it has in the past. The working class is made up of plumbers with college degrees, hair stylists with GEDs and small business owners with high school diplomas. Its a category thats hard to pin down; less so, the upper class, which tends to have higher education as well as higher incomes. And with colleges and universities showing an alarming lack of ideological diversity in their faculty, and fewer working class and middle class families able to afford tuition, higher ed is likely going to keep turning out Democratic-leaning denizens of the upper class. Democrats can try to recapture the working class by promoting candidates like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman who, despite having a masters degree in public policy from Harvard, has a penchant for tattoos and hoodies. And to be fair, working-man advocate Vance has an Ivy League law degree. But the upwardly mobile bend of the Democratic Party is undeniable at this point, as the Deseret/HarrisX data shows and when it comes to the working class, the GOP has the advantage right now. Peru to extradite suspect in Alabama teen murder case within days, Interpol says FILE PHOTO: Dutch citizen Van der Sloot enters the courtroom at the Lurigancho prison in Lima Peru to extradite suspect in Alabama teen murder case within days, Interpol says FILE PHOTO: Dutch citizen Van der Sloot enters the courtroom at the Lurigancho prison in Lima LIMA (Reuters) -A convicted killer imprisoned in Peru will be extradited within days to the U.S., where he faces extortion and fraud charges related to the disappearance and murder of an Alabama teenager nearly two decades ago, Interpol's local head said on Monday. The extradition is the latest twist in the mystery surrounding the fate of Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old from suburban Birmingham who vanished during a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba in May 2005. The disappearance prompted an exhaustive investigation and intense media attention. "It will be by air and it will possibly take place on Thursday," Carlos Lopez, head of the Interpol Lima office, told Reuters in an interview, referring to the extradition of Joran Van der Sloot, who is currently in a maximum security prison in Lima. A decade ago Van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, was sentenced to 28 years in prison in Peru after he confessed to strangling, beating and suffocating a 21-year-old Peruvian business student. Van der Sloot's lawyer, Maximo Altez, said he was filing an appeal on Monday seeking to stop the extradition, arguing that authorities have not respected due process. Altez said Van der Sloot had accepted the extradition "in his desperation to get out of prison," adding there was a "media lynching" against him in the United States. The Dutch Embassy will present a complaint to Peru's foreign ministry, the lawyer said. Embassy representatives did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Van der Sloot, a Dutch national from Aruba, was arrested in relation to Holloway's disappearance but never charged with her alleged abduction. The teen's remains have never been found, but an Alabama judge declared her legally dead in January 2012. Peru's Council of Ministers issued an executive order last month allowing the temporary extradition of Van der Sloot. He will face extortion and wire fraud charges "as part of a scheme to supposedly lead the (Holloway family) to the body of their deceased daughter," a statement from Peru's authorities said when the extradition was confirmed. Interpol's Lopez said an aircraft from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation will land in Lima on Thursday morning for the extradition. (Reporting by Anthony Marina; Writing by Marco Aquino and Valentine HilaireEditing by Marguerita Choy and Leslie Adler) (Bloomberg) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed two new Cabinet members to head the defense and health departments, his communications office said Monday. Most Read from Bloomberg Marcos named Gilberto Teodoro as defense chief, the same post he held during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos presidency. The Philippine leader meanwhile selected Teodoro Herbosa as health secretary. He previously served as the agencys undersecretary, and an adviser to the nations task force against Covid-19. As defense chief, Teodoro will navigate the Southeast Asian nations deepening alliance with the US amid rising tensions with China. Herbosa will meanwhile help craft health policies as concerns over the pandemic ebbs. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Before-and-after photos show Ukraine's swift restoration of Bucha, once a byword for the horrors of Russian occupation A composite image showing Bucha in March 2022, at the height of the Russian invasion, on the left, and the same spots in Bucha on the right in May 2023. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider More than a year has passed since Russian troops invaded the town of Bucha in Ukraine. Serhiy Nuzhnenko was one of the first photojournalists to enter Bucha in the midst of the invasion. His before-and-after images show its striking restoration and the resilience of its residents. RFE/RL's Serhiy Nuzhnenko was one of the first photojournalists to enter the town of Bucha after Russian troops rolled in and came back the year after to see it transformed. A main street in Bucha photographed on March 1, 2022, during a pause in fighting, and then again more than a year later in May 2023. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider He returned to take photographs of the exact same sites where he had captured the horrors of the war a year earlier. City officials said more than 450 bodies of civilians were recovered from the Bucha after Russia's invasion, according to Politico. He spoke to residents Natalya and Rustem, who said they hid in the basement of their home as battles raged outside. The top image shows Bucha residents Natalya and Rustem on March 1, 2022. Below, the pair pose in front of their property in February 2023, which was in the process of being rebuilt. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider "We thought we were in a safe zone, but you can see how it turned out," the couple told RFE/RL. The photos appeared to show their cat doing significantly better as well. Russian forces took control of Bucha by 5 March 2022, and remained there until 30 March. On the left, a Bucha resident stands in the courtyard of a charred apartment block on March 1, 2022. The same building is shown on the right in February 2023. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider Shortly after its liberation, foreign journalists who had arrived in Bucha described scenes of horror. One British paramedic said he saw corpses hanging from trees. "I don't even want to talk about it after the shit we've seen. It was awful. Let's put it this way; I've seen some of the photos the press has put out if you think that's bad, times that probably by ten. And then times it again," he told inews. Bucha resident Olha said the scene outside her house in March 2022 was 'like some kind of Armageddon.' Bucha resident Olha walks in front of an armored vehicle in March 2022. The bottom image shows Olha in May 2023 standing in the same spot. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider "When my father built our house, he made a basement underneath and told us, 'If anything happens, this is your bomb shelter,'" Olha told RFE/RL. "When [the invasion] happened we looked outside and saw tanks already in our yard shooting. We rushed to that basement and sat tight for seven hours." "We had already said goodbye to life.... Then we came out and saw this terrifying picture." The later picture showed the wreckage gone and her neighborhood restored. Residents lived in fear of death, torture and rape. The top image shows wreckage on Bucha's Vokzalna Street. Below, is the same street in May 2023. The top image shows wreckage on Bucha's Vokzalna Street. Below, is the same street photographed in May 2023. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider "Luckily, the Russian did not come into our house," one resident told Insider's Erin Trieb last year of her experience. "Who knows what's in their heads even rape My daughter put her hoodie over her head to make herself look like a boy, so they wouldn't see that girls are here." A second pair of images from the same street show a striking change. A bus stop is shown among devastation on Vokzalna Street on March 1, 2022 in the top image. The bottom image shows the same bus stop in May 2023. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider Vokzalna Street became the focus of global attention last year after Ukrainian troops staged an ambush on a column of Russian armored vehicles. Many homes were destroyed as a result, but work has recently begun to rebuild the street and the lives of the people there. We are still learning the scale of the what Russia did in Bucha. A charred Bucha apartment building in March 2022 is shown in the top image. Below, the same building in May 2023. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider According to the OHCHR, some civilians in Bucha were "killed on the spot" and others were detained weeks before being executed. In one village, 18 mutilated bodies of men, women and children were reportedly found. Bucha's reconstruction efforts are giving hope to Ukrainians. The top image shows destroyed Russian military hardware on Vokzalna Street on March 1, 2022. Below is a photo of a rebuilt house in the same spot a year later. Serhiy Nuzhnenko/RadioSvoboda.org/RFE/RL/Insider But there's a long way to go. Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery needs have reached $411 billion, according to the World Bank. Read the original article on Business Insider Alexa Lariy, in blue, joins members of the Trans Latina Coalition as they get into the spirit of the day at the WeHo Pride Parade Sunday in West Hollywood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Tens of thousands lined the West Hollywood route Sunday of the WeHo Pride Parade, which brought a lively mix of colorful floats, music and marchers. High spirits reigned at the event, which highlighted a weekend that included an arts festival and a two-day street fair with mariachis, a drag show and the Rams cheerleaders. Grand marshals for the parade were model Laith Ashley, actor Niecy Nash-Betts and her wife, Jessica Betts, Melissa McCarthy and "RuPaul's Drag Race." Former NSYNC member Lance Bass was also on hand and touched on the recent backlash against LGBTQ+ rights and events. "The temperature for the LGBTQIA community right now is very hostile," he told KTLA. "So Pride is a protest. It started as a protest, and it's still a protest." See more photos from the WeHo Pride Parade below: The drag nuns of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, shown at Sunday's event, grabbed the spotlight with their Dodgers drama. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Actor Melissa McCarthy flashes her pride colors while riding in the WeHo Pride Parade. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Members of the Pride Tour wave flags at Sunday's event. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Drag queens get into the spirit of the festivities. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Members of Mickey's West Hollywood dance on top of a fire truck during the WeHo Pride Parade. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) A man dressed in a leather dog mask flashes his fan during the West Hollywood event. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Parade participants on stilts make their way down Santa Monica Boulevard. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) People show their support for drag queens. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Pierce County ferry system is under stress. Island residents just want it to work A four-mile ferry ride escorts day-trippers, commuting workers, students, vehicles and in summer months throngs of vacationers on and off tiny Anderson Island, where a major two-lane road, flanked by forest, cuts across nearly eight square miles and a smattering of basic amenities. Roughly 1,500 people mostly older, white and married homeowners live on the tight-knit and idyllic island, a popular retirement and getaway destination with a median household income of $85,625, according to the Census Bureaus 2021 American Community Survey estimates. Nearly twice as many more people visit during the tourist season. Theres no bridge to connect the island to the mainland terminal in Steilacoom, so the two-vessel ferry system owned and managed by Pierce County one of four county-run ferries in Washington state is essentially the lone way in and out. Residents who want to travel for any reason have grown accustomed to minding costs, scheduling and wait times. When life revolves around the ferry, inconveniences come with the territory, some say. Its give and take, Anderson Island Fire Chief Jim Bixler, whos lived on the island for 21 years, said during a recent interview in his office. If you want to live in paradise, you got to give something up. Lately, residents have been forced more frequently to account for something else: What happens when the ferry is out of service? In recent years, it seems like theres one boat breakdown after another, after another, said resident Susie David. Its not reliable. On 18 different days in the past year, canceled ferry runs have been attributed to a mechanical issue, according to a News Tribune analysis of alerts on City Experiences, the ferry-tracking and ticket-purchasing app. Fifteen of those days have come in 2023. Ferry breakdowns can leave residents, including students as young as third-graders, stranded on the island or mainland, pushing the fire department or private sailors into action to transport people across the water. The predicament is particularly nerve-wracking for residents relying on the ferry to get to medical appointments or receive health care, although Bixler assured that a fire boat or helicopter is ready in cases of emergencies. Captain Corey Feldon (far left) and his sailboat Solution are Anderson Islands solution to a down ferry, where Feldon steps in to shuttle people, dogs - and even guinea pigs - to and from the island. Feldon is shown arriving with passengers at Steilacoom after the ferry broke down on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Besides serving as fodder for community Facebook groups, the apparent fragility of Anderson Island residents regular form of off-island travel has prompted civic-minded locals to urge the county to rethink how it manages its two ferries. County officials have acknowledged recent problems but contend that maintenance is up to date and that issues have been accentuated by the prolonged absence of a second ferry due to required dry dock inspections. Ill say recently, the last six to eight months, its appeared to be a harder environment for our riders because were in our required (dry dock) period, said Trever Threde, the countys Airport & Ferry Administrator. I definitely understand the view (of residents), but it sometimes appears as a bit of an oversimplification. Map showing Anderson Island in Pierce County, Washington. Down a second boat Dry docking when one of the countys two ferries is out of commission for engine overhaul, vessel painting and major or minor repairs occurs every four years under a Coast Guard program. The Christine Anderson boat went into dry dock for four months last fall. The countys other vessel, the Steilacoom II, is now offline. Its anticipated return has been delayed until mid-June because of unexpected necessary repairs to an end propeller shaft, according to the county. When both vessels are available, an issue with one can be covered by using the other. But when one boat is inaccessible and a problem forces the other out of commission, the county must call upon its roster of contractors to get a back-up, passenger-only vessel within 48 hours of suspended service. Such a situation arose in late February when the Steilacoom IIs generator went down due to low compression on a Friday, prompting a series of cancellations over much of that weekend before the county restored service two days later after receiving Coast Guard approval to install a temporary generator. The county had gone to its contingency plan and said it was close to securing a contracted back-up boat prior to enacting the short-term fix. The Christine Anderson would have been available because it had returned from dry dock by that point, except upon its homecoming it was discovered that its firefighting water supply pump needed to be replaced. On the morning of May 19, contractors determined that a sensor issue caused a generator on the Christine Anderson to randomly shut down, canceling several scheduled runs until the issue was resolved a few hours later. Sarah Mossman of Anderson Island and her daughter unload from Captain Corey Feldons S/V Solution sailboat as he shuttles residents from Anderson Island to the mainland at Steilacoom, Washington, after the Pierce County ferry M/V Christine Anderson broke down before their vacation flight to Germany on Saturday morning, June 3, 2023. The recent snag meant Threde, who needed to respond to the problem, had to briefly postpone an interview with The News Tribune scheduled for that morning to discuss the ferry system and residents concerns about cancellations and delays. He said it was serendipitous that both county vessels had faced generator issues only a few months apart and not a result of a lack of maintenance. On Saturday morning, the Christine Andersons generator went down again. A generator part was replaced and service resumed that afternoon. Questioning ferry upkeep Jacob Anderson, the chairman of the Anderson Island Citizens Advisory Board, expressed concerns about the frequency of mechanical issues affecting the ferries in a March letter to county Executive Bruce Dammeier. Island residents recognize that our ferries and their infrastructure will inevitably encounter mechanical problems, but the increasing frequency of these events indicates that the existing maintenance program should be re-evaluated, Anderson wrote in the March 17 letter, suggesting that the program appeared disjointed and too reliant on a large network of contractors. Jen Tetatzin, the director of the countys Planning and Public Works department, which oversees the ferry system, responded in late April, noting that back-to-back dry dock periods for the countys two vessels had certainly created a lot of stress on the system. While staff and crew work hard to keep the boats up and running and stretch the resources allocated to this program, the reality is that breakdowns are inevitable, even with well-maintained equipment, Tetatzin wrote in her April 29 response, according to a copy Anderson provided to The News Tribune. Pierce County ferries the Steilacoom, left, and the Christine Anderson run from the Steilacoom waterfront to Ketron and Anderson islands in March 2016. The 213-foot-long Christine Anderson was built in 1994, with capacity to hold 250 passengers and 54 vehicles. The 216-foot-long Steilacoom II was built in 2006 and can carry 300 passengers and the same number of vehicles. Theyre designed to last 50 years with regular maintenance, county Planning & Public Works spokesperson Akiko Oda said. The county runs one vessel from morning to night more than two dozen times a day during the spring, winter and fall, according to the online ferry schedule. Both boats run during the peak summer season when scheduling is expanded. Nine trips each day also arrive at or leave Ketron Island, a sparsely populated private isle in between Anderson Island and Steilacoom. Tetatzin said that the countys vessels and facilities are monitored by subject matter experts; all critical maintenance and inspection was up to date except for an overhaul of the main engines, expected to be done in the fall; and the only maintenance backlog was for non-critical items. I fully understand that the cost of unplanned repairs is significant and negatively impacts the level of service that we can deliver, she wrote. The County will continue to prioritize planned maintenance to reduce the risk of unplanned breakdowns, to the extent the Ferry Operations budget can support. Spending considerations The ferry system is subsidized by funding for county roads. In 2022, nearly $5 million from the road fund and ferry reserves were used to cover the shortfall of the systems $11.5 million operating and capital costs, according to the county. Threde said the ferry system, viewed as a public road, will never not be bankrolled to some extent by road dollars but the plan is to make it as self-sustaining as possible. Were not going to fall off the fiscal cliff but that is because we are subsidized by the county road fund at this point, more than wed like to see, he said. The county two years ago floated the idea of 15.5% fare hikes each year through the end of the decade, which ultimately would have nearly tripled the cost of a single ticket and significantly reduced the ferry systems reliance on road funding. Residents were incensed. When the Pierce County Council in November 2021 approved two-year fare increases the first hikes since 2016 the rates were markedly lower: 8.9% and 6.2% for 2022 and 2023, respectively. The fare increases raised the cost of an adult walk-on ticket from $5.45 to $6.21 and the cost of ferrying a driver with a vehicle under 23 feet long from $19.93 to $20.90 during the non-peak season, according to the county ordinance that authorized the new fares. Since the new fares went into effect, the county has made substantial progress in reducing backlogged and deferred maintenance, Tetatzin wrote to Anderson. The county was also exploring whether it made sense to add a maintenance program manager to improve oversight, planning and execution of the ferries. Sweeping through all maintenance backlogs and potentially hiring a maintenance-focused position were considerations that must be made with the budget in mind, she wrote. The county did not establish a ferry preservation fund in its most recent biennial spending plan, she added, meaning that critical repairs, maintenance and inspections must be prioritized over long-term preservation to keep the boats safely operating. The ferry system is complex and, with steel boats exposed to saltwater, the harsh conditions in which it operates is not a friendly place, according to Threde. He said passenger safety was the top priority, while reducing interruptions to service was next. Im somewhat comfortable being inconvenient to our riders if it means our riders are safe when they get on the boat, Threde said. We wont operate the boat if there is a safety problem or concern. The M/V Christine Anderson 5:45 a.m. ferry from Steilacoom, Washington, arrives at the Anderson Island dock on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Outside operators control The reliance on vessels to move on and off the island has made families re-think tolerating long school commutes, prompted residents who can afford it to rent parking spaces to keep second vehicles in Steilacoom and added unique considerations to otherwise routine travel, some say. I worry greatly, because if I have a doctor appointment, I have to plan at least four or five hours to get there, 74-year-old resident Robin Sutton said. We do need a second boat thats working, and we need an adequate boat company. Any delays simply further complicate matters. Since 2016, more than 93% of runs by HMS Ferries the countys contracted ferry operator have been on time, better than its contractually obligated 90% rate, according to county data. In 2022, fewer than 3% of its runs were late its best single-year performance in seven years. On-time is considered to be when a ferry departs within 10 minutes of its scheduled time. The criteria doesnt ding HMS for late runs beyond the operators control: issues such as delays caused by trains, stalled vehicles, weather, or mechanical- or maintenance-related setbacks. While the data doesnt specify what problems werent counted against HMSs performance, it does indicate an increasing number of runs have been canceled due to issues that were out of its hands. During the final six months of 2022, there were 90 such runs canceled, according to a News Tribune analysis of the data. In only the first three months of this year, there were 138. Riders have taken notice of recent issues. Nearly three-quarters of respondents in a December survey conducted by the county said they believed that the price they paid for a ferry ticket was a good value, while 92% perceived the ferry to be on time, according to county data. In March, responses to those prompts fell to 45% and 50%, respectively. As residents prepare for the annual influx of summer tourists, concerns about future delays, long wait times and fare costs remain. Anderson has a checklist that he wants addressed. He said the islands community advisory board is advocating for an improved ferry schedule that considers bus routes and school start times. He also noted that he wanted the board to partner with the county to find sustainable solutions to ferry operating costs that dont put an undue burden on residents. From my perspective at least, we just want to be treated fairly like other transit systems, Anderson said. Well see what happens. Germany does not plan to supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles but "may reconsider its position" on providing modern Western fighter jets, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told Deutsche Welle on June 5. "Now we are in a phase of rethinking and checking what is possible and what we want and can do. And I think we will decide within the next two weeks," Pistorius said while on a visit to Indonesia. Ukraine submitted a request for Germanys air-launched cruise missiles earlier in May, with some German officials voicing support for the transfer. CNN: UK delivers long-range missiles to Ukraine The U.K. has already provided Ukraine with multiple long-range cruise missiles Storm Shadow, CNN wrote on May 11, citing senior Western officials. Storm Shadow, jointly developed by the U.K. and France, has a range of over 250 kilometers or 155 miles. The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk Pistorius also noted that forcing an immediate truce between Kyiv and Moscow by stopping weapons supplies for Kyiv "is not a solution." Russia has to first withdraw all its forces from Ukraine, otherwise, such a truce would effectively mean Russia's success. "Ukraine is a sovereign country, and it must decide when the time comes for negotiations or something else. It does not depend on us," Pistorius said. The minister also commented on the alleged use of Western weaponry by Russian anti-Kremlin militias during their incursions in Russias Belgorod Oblast. While Berlin always emphasized that its weapons should not be used in Russian territory, Pistorius added that international law allows such acts in self-defense and that he trusts Ukrainian partners. Belgium will ask Kyiv for clarifications on reports that Russian anti-Kremlin militias had allegedly used Belgian-made weapons provided to Ukraine during the Belgorod incursion, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said, as reported by Reuters on June 5. Earlier, the Washington Post wrote that Russian anti-government groups fighting on Ukraine's side had purportedly used riffles made by Belgium and the Czech Republic as well as tactical vehicles originally sent to Ukraine by U.S. and Poland in their May 22 cross-border raid on Russia's western region. "Our defense ministry and its intelligence agencies have started an investigation and are asking for information to determine what has happened exactly," De Croo told Belgium's Radio 1, as cited by Reuters. "European weapons are delivered to Ukraine under the condition that they are used on Ukrainian territory with the purpose of defending that territory. And we have strict controls in place to see that this is the case," he said. Belgorod incursion: Meet the anti-Kremlin militia behind the attack inside Russia Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent, together with a number of journalists, was taken to a location in northern Ukraine to interview the members of the units that took part in the military operation inside Russia. Not revealing the exact location was the only precondition for the interview. Norther The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima On May 22, the Russian Volunteer Corps and another similar group the Free Russia Legion claimed they had crossed into Russia's Belgorod region and taken hold of border villages. The New York Times also reported Russian militias having used American-made armored vehicles. The article claimed that the groups appear to have used International MaxxPros models of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), known to be provided to Ukraine only by Washington. Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, said the Ukrainian leadership had "nothing to do" with the combat operation on May 22. "As you know, tanks are sold at any Russian military store, and underground guerrilla groups are composed of Russian citizens," Podoliak tweeted. Kyiv has not addressed the claims about Western-made weapons used in the attack yet. This Week in Ukraine Ep. 9 What actually happened near Belgorod? Episode #9 of our weekly video podcast This Week in Ukraine is dedicated to the incursion into Belgorod Oblast in Russia by Russian volunteer units fighting on the side of Ukraine. Host Anastasiia Lapatine is joined by the Kyiv Independent senior editor Oleksiy Sorokin. Listen to the audio versi The Kyiv IndependentAnastasiia Lapatina Polands opposition brings hundreds of thousands onto streets to protest against nationalist government Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Warsaw on Sunday, the 34th anniversary of Polands first postwar democratic election, for a march the liberal opposition has billed as a test of its ability to end nearly eight years of nationalist rule later this year. Crowds stretching for at least a mile marched with banners reading Free, European Poland, European Union yes, PiS no, referring to the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party. Some held masks of ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski that had the word shame written on them. Half a million people were marching, according to organizers. Police and city officials did not give an estimate. Thousands also marched in other Polish cities and towns. I took part in many marches, but Ive never seen a protest of this size with such energy, I feel this is a breakthrough like June 4, 1989 was, said Jacek Gwozdz, 51, an IT specialist from Nowy Sacz, in Warsaw. Opinion polls show an election due after the summer will be closely fought, with Russias war in neighboring Ukraine giving a boost to the PiS government, which has emerged as a leading voice against the Kremlin in Europe. The opposition has struggled to galvanize support despite widespread criticism at home and abroad of the PiS, which has been accused of eroding the rule of law, turning state media into a government mouthpiece and endorsing homophobia. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawieckis government denies subverting any democratic norms and says its aim is to protect traditional Christian values against liberal pressures from the West and to make the economy more fair. People march on the 34th anniversary of the first democratic elections in postwar Poland, in Warsaw on June 4, 2023. - Slawomir Kaminski/Agencja Wyborcza.pl/Reuters Donald Tusk, head of the Civic Platform grouping and a former European Union council chief, welcomed supporters saying that the voice of Poles could not be silenced. Democracy dies in silence but youve raised your voice for democracy today, silence is over, we will shout, he said in a speech at the end of the march. Theres half a million people in the streets of Warsaw, its an absolute record, he told the crowds filling Castle Square in the capital. Tusk called for unity despite political differences in the opposition and promised victory in elections that will be held in October or November. Today, Im vowing to win, to make those in power accountable, to mend injustice so that in the end people can be reconciled, he said. In June 1989, a partially free vote handed victory to a government led by the Solidarity trade union and triggered a series of events culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall that November. On Sunday, hundreds of buses arrived in Warsaw to bring opposition supporters from across the country. Some said they were motivated by a row over legislation proposed by PiS to weed out undue Russian influence from the country. The opposition sees the legislation as a government attempt to launch a witch hunt against political opponents. In an unexpected turnaround, President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, said on Friday he would propose amendments to the law, which has also drawn criticism from lawyers, as well as the United States and the European Commission. The EUs executive said the legislation could effectively ban individuals from holding public office without proper judicial review. Its beyond comprehension, said Andrzej Majewski, 48, from Slupca in western Poland who was in Warsaw to join Sundays protest march For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (Bloomberg) -- The Polish government has asked the UK for new air-defense support and technology to help it repel Russian missiles, drones and spy balloons, people familiar with the matter said. Most Read from Bloomberg The request came after a series of suspected incursions into Polish air space in recent months and heightened concern in Warsaw about spillover from Russias invasion of Ukraine. The UKs Defense Ministry declined to comment on the request, saying only that its Sky Sabre Ground Based Air Defence system is currently deployed in Poland. The UK had previously signed a 1.9 billion ($2.4 billion) export agreement to provide Poland with ground-based air-defense capabilities. Britain is currently considering its response to the Polish request, a person familiar said. A spokesman for Polands National Security Bureau declined to comment. The issue of Polands air defense moved front and center in November, when a blast killed two people in a village near Polands eastern border with Ukraine. Alarm over a possible Russian attack on NATO territory was defused when the military alliance and the government in Warsaw attributed the incident to Ukrainian forces trying to shoot down scores of Russian rockets. Russias Defense Ministry dismissed initial reports that its missiles had landed on Polish territory as a deliberate provocation aimed at escalating tensions. Since the incident, other incursions have added to a sense of urgency. Polish authorities last month launched an investigation after the wreckage of what is believed to be a Russian missile was found by a civilian near Bydgoszcz, a city northwest of Warsaw, in late April. The discovery stirred wide media attention and a public spat between military leaders and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, who complained that he hadnt been informed. Polish President Andrzej Duda also said in May that authorities had detected an observation balloon in its air space that originated from Belarus. In March, Ukraines air force said a Russian drone entered Polish air space before being shot down in Ukrainian territory. The Polish request is part a surge in European defense spending in recent months. The nations allocation for military hardware has risen more than two-fold from last year as the government pledges to spend 4% of economic output on defense this year a higher proportion than any NATO state before the war. --With assistance from Alberto Nardelli. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. An evening shift at Tacos El Pecas in Boyle Heights. Police are investigating a spate of taco truck robberies, most in South Los Angeles, in a span of one week. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a string of five armed robberies at taco trucks within a week's span. No arrests have been made in the robberies, which police said may be connected. In addition, a shooting at a taco truck injured two men early Monday morning. Police did not clarify if the robberies targeted the taco truck operators or their customers. Police said the first robbery happened on May 28 around 12:25 a.m. on Central Avenue and East 101st Street. Then, the same suspects carried out two more robberies on Friday, police said. Those robberies took place within five minutes of each other: one on East 103rd Street and Compton Avenue and the other on East 92nd Street and Central Avenue, according to police. A different group of two or three suspects, armed with handguns, robbed two more taco trucks on the evening of May 28, within a mile of the first robbery earlier that day. The men. described as being in their 20s or 30s held up a taco truck at Century Boulevard and San Pedro Street in Green Meadows around 11 p.m., according to police. Suspects who fit the same description then robbed another truck, at 103rd Street and Avalon just a few blocks away, police said. In the second robbery, at Tacos Los Chemas, two suspects wearing hoodies jammed a gun into one victim's neck and pistol-whipped another, according to video obtained by KTLA-TV The suspects fled both robberies in a white car, police said. In all five robberies, the suspects made off with undisclosed amounts of cash, police said. The shooting took place Monday morning around 12:20 a.m. in the 1800 block of West Manchester Avenue. The two victims were hospitalized after being struck by gunfire and were stable, police said. The circumstances and motive for the shooting were unclear, police said. Rudy Espinoza, executive director of the advocacy group Inclusive Action for the City, said that food trucks may be easier targets for robbers than brick-and-mortar establishments. "Theres informality with what theyre doing and it exposes them to people mistreating them," said Espinoza. "Food trucks and street vendors operate in the open-air economy in this gray informal space, and I think historically our city hasnt welcomed or taken care of these entrepreneurs." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Atlanta police are investigating a shooting in northwest Atlanta. Authorities said at 5:34 a.m. Monday, officers received reports of a person shot on Mildred Place NW. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Police have confirmed at least two people have been shot. The identities of the victims have not been released. TRENDING STORIES: Police have not said what led to this shooting and if anyone has been taken into custody. The scene is a short distance from Westside Park. The investigation remains ongoing. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: MUNCIE, Ind. A Muncie man was arrested on a preliminary count of attempted murder after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at a neighbor's chicken coop and dog house. Nathaniel Ray Rhum, 20, was also preliminarily charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief and attempted cruelty to an animal. According to Muncie police, Rhum was arrested Saturday night after he threw a Molotov cocktail an incendiary weapon designed to start fires at a dog house outside a home in the 1700 block of West 15th Street. About two hours earlier, he had allegedly thrown the same kind of device at a chicken coop on the same property. Rhum told police he had thrown the devices in a bid to kill the property owner's dog. More: Muncie man charged in armed home invasion Investigators said Rhum's own dog, named Athena, had died on Saturday morning, a victim of stab wounds suffered a few days earlier after Rhum's canine had attacked the other man's dog. The target of the Molotov cocktails said he had to fatally wound Rhum's dog "in self defense" because of its repeated attacks on his dog, on his property. Witnesses reported seeing Rhum throw the explosive devices. The property owner said after throwing the second device, Rhum screamed, "You killed my dog!" Rhum said after burying his own dog, he wanted the other man to "hurt like he did because his dog and chickens were still alive and Athena wasn't." Asked what had motivated him to create and throw the Molotov cocktails, Rhum told an officer, "I wanted to kill him." Police said the chicken coop and dog house were damaged by flames, but the chickens and the surviving canine were not injured, Rhum continued to be held in the Delaware County jail on Monday under a $62,500 bond. Last Wednesday, another resident of Rhum's home, 49-year-old Deborah Ann Floyd, was arrested on a preliminary count of intimidation after she allegedly threatened to kill the same man who was allegedly targeted by Rhum on Saturday. An affidavit indicated last week's dispute also stemmed from the stabbing of Rhum's dog. Floyd was later released from the jail. Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie man held for attempted murder after throwing Molotov cocktails Police probe possible connection between deaths of six women in Oregon The remains of six women have been found over the last four months in the Portland area (Portland Police Department, Clark County Sheriffs Office,Polk County Sheriffs Office, Multnomah County Medical Examiners Office, Multnomah County Sherriffs Office, Clackamas County Sheriffs Office) The deaths of six different women in the Portland, Oregon area have sparked concerns online that they may be connected, though police say that is not the case so far. Between February and May, six women have been found within 100 miles of one another, on the sides of the roads or in wooded areas raising suspicions as to the similar nature of their deaths. Due to the time frame each woman was found, and the similar type of location, speculation has circulated online that the six women may be victims of a single cause. However, the Portland Police Department said in a press release: PPB has no reason to believe these 6 cases are connected. It continued: We ask that our community be aware of the facts about these cases before sharing speculation. PPB is assuring our community that if we learn of an articulable danger, we will notify the public about it. PPB will continue to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies to ensure we are doing all we can to pursue justice for any and all crime victims. In February, the remains of a missing 22-year-old woman named Kristin Smith were found near a wooded area in Pleasant Valley Neighbourhood. Smith was first reported missing in December 2022 and a manner of death has not been determined so far according to Law&Crime. The case is under investigation by the Portland Police Department. In April, the Polk County Sheriffs Office said it was investigating the suspicious death of Bridget LeAnne (Ramsey) Webster, 31, who was found on Harmony Road near Mill Creek. The Polk County Sheriffs Office asked anyone with information about her death to contact its office. The Portland police said it was not involved in the Polk County investigation. The Clark County Sheriffs Office also requested the publics assistance in obtaining information related to the death of 32-year-old Joanna Sparks who was found dead near an abandoned barn at 8004 S 5th St in April. Sparks death is being investigated as a homicide but the Clark County Sheriffs Office declined to provide other details about the circumstances. The Multnomah County Medical Examiners Office said it was seeking assistance in identifying a woman who was found near Interstate 205 and Southeast Flavel Street. The woman, who the medical examiners office said could possibly be Native American or Native Alaskan, was between the ages of 25 and 40 and died in April. The Portland Police Department said the Multnomah County Medical Examiners Office determined there was no indication of foul play and said it was not involved in the investigation. The Multnomah County Sheriffs Office also issued a separate press release in April seeking tips on the suspicious death of 24-year-old Charity Lynn Perry who was found in a culvert near East Historic Columbia River Highway and NE Tumlat Road. Then in May, the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office began investigating the death of Ashley Real, 22, whose body was found on SE Judd Road near Eagle Creek in May. Reals death has been determined suspicious in nature but not determined to be a homicide at this time, according to a press release from the sheriffs office. Portland Police Department Missing Persons Unit is coordinating with the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office in Reals investigation. The Portland Police Department said in a press release: We have spoken to those agencies regarding these investigations but as of now we are not actively participating in them. It is common investigative practice, whether it is retail theft, robbery, sexual assault, or murder cases, to consider possible connections to other cases both in and out of our jurisdiction. Like with all investigations of this nature we are routinely in contact with our law enforcement partners. That has happened here, but that should not suggest a connection has been made. Police are searching for suspects after a shooting left one person dead and a man and his three children injured in a shooting near an apartment complex in Sunnyvale, Texas, Sunday evening. Officers found one woman dead, a man injured by a gunshot wound, and the mans three children all with gunshot wounds, Sunnyvale police chief Bill Vegas said at a Monday morning news conference. The man was released from the hospital Monday morning, according to Vegas, and his three children are still receiving medical treatment in Dallas, in stable but critical condition. Sunnyvale is the easternmost city in Dallas County, around 16 miles from Dallas. Vegas identified the woman found dead at the scene as Tyesha Merritt, 27, of Mesquite, Texas, a sister of the man who was shot. The victims were sitting in a car outside the mans apartment when a suspect left their car, approached the victims car, and opened fire, according to police. He said the best guess investigators have about the car involved in the shooting is a late model black sedan. Some witnesses said the vehicle had custom wheels, according to Vegas. We dont have anything really on our suspects, Vegas said, noting Sunnyvale and Mesquite police are working together to develop leads. The suspect that exited the vehicle last night was masked up, so we cant see his identity at all. And aside from that, we really dont have a whole lot. Vegas said police were confident that the suspects have left Sunnyvale, but do not know whether the suspects and the victims knew each other. Vegas urged any witnesses to contact police with information regarding the shooting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Police release photo of tattoo on unidentified woman who was found dead on side of NH highway Police are turning to the public for help identifying a woman who was found dead in the breakdown lane on a highway in New Hampshire early Monday morning. Troopers responding to a report of a person lying on the northbound side of Interstate 89 near mile marker 7.2 in Hopkinton just before 12:15 a.m. pronounced the individual dead at the scene, according to New Hampshire State Police. The womans cause of death was blunt impact head injuries, according to the medical examiner. The manner of death is still being investigated. Police said they have yet to determine the womans identity. The woman is described as white, 5-foot-1, about 110 pounds, between 18-30 years of age, with fair skin, strawberry-blonde hair, and blue eyes. Police noted that her finger and toenails were painted neon green and that she had a tattoo on the small of her back of a bird feather with birds flying out of it. Police released a photo of her tattoo Monday night that was located on the small of her back of a bird feather with birds flying out of it. (2 of 3) To help identify the individual, a photograph of the tattoo located on the small of her back, on the left side, is included. Please note the image has been enhanced for clarity. pic.twitter.com/LpI4QlYafd New Hampshire State Police (@NH_StatePolice) June 6, 2023 Anyone who spotted a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway between 11:25 p.m. Sunday and 12:15 a.m. Monday is urged to contact state police at 603-628-8477. State police said additional information would be released as it becomes available. An investigation remains ongoing. SEEKING ASSISTANCE WITH IDENTIFICATION OF DECEASED FEMALE On June 5, 2023, at approximately 12:13 a.m., #NHSP received a report of a person lying in the breakdown lane of Interstate 89 North near mile marker 7.2. Upon arrival, Troopers located a deceased female. pic.twitter.com/OLElZjOpZm New Hampshire State Police (@NH_StatePolice) June 5, 2023 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW (Bloomberg) -- Polish President Andrzej Duda skipped a meeting with US investors on Monday, days after Washington criticized him over a new law that may undermine the democratic credibility of the countrys upcoming election. Most Read from Bloomberg Duda canceled his appearance with the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland just hours before the meeting, according to the organizers. He sent his chief of staff Pawel Szrot instead to read out a speech from the president, in Polish. The development comes after a turbulent week of diplomacy between the US and Poland. Duda first signed into law legislation that Washington, along with the European Union, said could lead to abuse of power ahead of this years elections. Then after the international outcry he asked parliament to soften the rules. Mark Brzezinski, the US ambassador to Warsaw, told investors at the event that the US and Poland are working together on building a brighter future but warned that this must include common values. I really want to emphasize this, that underpinning that must be a shared embrace, a shared American-Polish embrace, of values and democratic practice, including ensuring there is a level playing field and a context in which any transfer of power is peaceful, is orderly and respectful of the will of the people, Brzezinski said in Warsaw. Dudas about-face last week sought to defuse Polands row with its main allies as the eastern NATO member has assumed a central role in efforts to support Ukraine. Szrot said the president couldnt come to the event due to urgent defense consultations ahead of Tuesdays meeting of the Bucharest Nine, a group of NATO nations in eastern Europe. Critics said the new Polish law, which remains binding, could allow the ruling party to effectively put opposition leader Donald Tusk on trial just before the tightly contested election slated for October. The presidents actions fueled turnout at an anti-government march on Sunday, one of the biggest street protests since Poland overthrew communism in 1989. --With assistance from Natalia Ojewska. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. In the village of Chonhar, located on the Ukrainian mainland bordering occupied Crimea, Russian invaders have secretly created a pre-trial detention centre to which political prisoners who had been held in Simferopol for several months have been moved. Source: Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights; Crimean Human Rights Group Details: The ombudsman noted that the Russian invaders have opened an unofficial pre-trial detention centre in the village of Chonhar, Henichesk district, Kherson Oblast. According to the Crimean Human Rights Group, some political prisoners have been transferred there from Crimea. Some of the political prisoners held at Simferopols detention centre No. 2 have already been transferred. People who were detained for political reasons in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts are also being held there. In particular, about 10 detainees are being held at the new pre-trial detention centre on suspicion of participating in the Crimean Tatar battalion named after Noman Chelebidzhikhanin. Currently, 181 people are being illegally detained in Crimea and Russia, Lubinets added. Quote: "Such detentions are illegal! This is a violation of human rights and freedoms by the occupation administration. All illegally imprisoned persons held in places of detention on trumped-up charges must be released." Details: On 1 June, the Crimean Human Rights Group reported that the Russian invaders have opened another unofficial pre-trial detention centre in the village of Chonhar, Henichesk district, Kherson Oblast, which has not been officially reported. Several informed sources in occupied Crimea told the CHRG that some of the political prisoners from the south, who had been held in Simferopol detention centre No. 2, have been transferred to the new penitentiary institution. In addition, people who have been detained for political reasons in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts are also being moved there. In particular, about 10 detainees are being held at the new pre-trial detention centre on suspicion of participating in the Crimean Tatar battalion named after Noman Chelebidzhikhan. Lenur Ablyamitovich Khalilov (DOB 09.06.71) from the village of Rykovo, Henichesk district, is also being held at the pre-trial detention centre in Chonhar. He is accused of violating Art. 208.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (Organisation of or participation in an illegal armed formation). In general, Russia is deploying punitive bodies in the newly occupied territories of southern Ukraine that terrorize civilians and abduct, torture and illegally imprison people. Previously: Pre-trial detention centre No. 2 appeared on the premises of penal colony No. 1 in Simferopol in the autumn of 2022. Political prisoners whom Russia had abducted from the newly occupied territories of southern Ukraine are kept there in a special unit. At the end of 2022, detention centre No. 2 contained at least 110 people brought from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Made with Flourish A majority of Akron voters disagree with the recent grand jury decision not to indict the eight police officers who fatally shot Jayland Walker last year, according to results of a new poll released Monday. In the post-primary election survey of 500 registered Akron voters, 60% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the grand jury decision. Voters who supported Councilman Shammas Malik, who won the May primary election to become Akron's next presumptive mayor, were the most upset with the outcome, the most likely to say they're very familiar with the evidence in the case and the least likely to approve of the protests that followed. New poll: Akron voters happy with results as women overwhelmingly elected Shammas Malik Detailed poll results: Fill out this form to view the Akron Decides Post-Election Top Line Results Malik spearheaded council's research and discussions around police reforms following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020, which sparked a national outcry for change. Following Walker's death, Malik helped author the charter amendment that 62% of voters approved to create Akron's first civilian police oversight board. During a lunchtime event sponsored by the Akron Press Club, Malik was asked by Akron Beacon Journal Editor Mike Shearer if he also disagreed with the grand jury. His diplomatic response showed respect for the law, an agreement that justice was not served and an urgency to change the system to achieve that justice. "As an attorney," said Malik, who got his juris doctorate from Harvard, "I have to respect the grand jury process. And the grand jury took all of this factual information and from the Ohio Attorney General's Office, and they made their decision about whether a crime was committed." Malik also disagrees with grand jury decision While he stressed that he is not mayor, yet, Malik said there doesn't appear to be enough evidence to warrant the firing of the eight officers who killed Walker, which is something people are demanding of him at protests. He said he understands how the grand jury reached its decision not to prosecute the officers, especially with evidence that Walker fired a weapon during the police car chase. "... This does not rise to the level of a crime that we could charge someone with and get a conviction," Malik said. "I understand that from three years of law school and a lot of reading. But on a deeper level, am I satisfied with it, which is what I think a lot of that number represents? No. I'm not satisfied with it." From the day police released the first video of officers firing 96 rounds at Walker, Malik has called the incident a "systemic failure that requires change in policy, practice and culture. ... But I've also always said, the grand jury process is not going to deliver justice. Right? Justice will come when we all change these systems." A third of respondents want "major" police reform and about a quarter want "total top-to-bottom" reform. Only 22% of voters prefer more community support of police to any level of reform. Made with Flourish And the reforms measured in the survey speak directly to the circumstances surrounding Walker's death. Grand jury decision: No criminal charges for 8 Akron officers who shot Jayland Walker Akron voters want police to stop chasing non-violent offenders Protesters pass the Summit County Courthouse, where a special grand jury decided to not indict the Akron police officers who killed Jayland Walker last summer, during a Justice for Jayland National March on May 24. Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, initially led a single Akron police cruiser on a chase that began with an attempted traffic stop for a broken taillight an issue that typically results in nothing more than a ticket. Walker fled the stop and fired a round from his vehicle, prompting a "signal 21, shots fired" call on the radio that drew dozens of officers to the chase, which ended on foot with 46 of their 94 rounds hitting Walker. Protesters have demanded an end to police chases. Some mayoral candidates and members of council agree. And so do 67% of voters in the survey who say police should not chase cars except when a violent crime has been committed. The chase that ended with Walker's death began before he fired a round from his driver's side window. Jayland Walker shooting: What we're learning from BCI investigation into Akron police shooting of Jayland Walker Under the Akron Police Departments Vehicle Pursuit Procedure, which was established Jan. 31, 2020, initiating a chase must be based on the pursuing officers reasonable belief that the immediate danger to the officer and the public created by the pursuit is less than the immediate or potential danger to the public should the suspect remain at large. Akron voters overwhelmingly support de-escalation training In a ski mask at night, Walker jumped from his rolling vehicle near Wilbeth Road and Main Street. Eight officers including six with about two years on the force opened fire as he turned toward them for a second time. Four officers unloaded their magazines. In the survey of possible police reforms, more officer training on how to de-escalate confrontational situations got the most support at 83%. In their own words: Akron Decides survey respondents explain stances on protests, police More community policing, including police substations and foot patrols in neighborhoods, got 61% support. Sending social workers on some police calls, or what candidate Malik has advocated as the co-responder model on council and the campaign trail, got 54% support. Made with Flourish Public safety concerns continue to unite Safety is the foundation for all other success, Malik has said. Akronites appear to agree, with 54% citing public safety and crime as their top issue. The issue was also No. 1 in two previous surveys conducted during the election. Public safety and crime are top concerns for 51% of Malik's supporters and just 39% of people who say they voted for Marco Sommerville, whose supporters expressed greater concern for economic development issues. Protests, police response divide community As recently as two weeks ago, Malik joined protesters who are still calling for justice after the state investigation and grand jury decision. The Walker family and their attorneys, who could still file a civil lawsuit, are demanding that the state release transcripts that would show what evidence was presented to the grand jury, and how it was presented. Protests following the secret vote by the grand jury have divided the community. May 24 march: 'The public deserves to know': Jayland Walker family attorney demands information release About 45% of Malik voters, compared to 50% of all primary voters, approve of the political protests aimed at the city and the police department because (Walker and his family) deserved justice and protesting is letting them know we are not satisfied and need the city to do better, as one respondent said. About 23% of all voters overall, including a nearly identical portion of Malik supporters, disapproved of the protests, most often arguing that they lead to more violence. The only voters more upset with the grand jury decision than Maliks camp were registered voters who didnt cast a ballot in the May primary. And 15% of voters said they or someone they know has protested the decision. Voters are even more divided on whether police have responded appropriately to recent protests. Several arrested last summer during downtown protests that broke a city-issued curfew have since had their charges dropped or been found not guilty in court. Protest on Copley Road: APD video shows Jayland Walker protesters throwing items before officers used chemicals In a more recent protest on Copley Road, police deployed tear gas and pepper spray after individuals threw objects at officers, according to camera footage provided by the Akron Police Department. Views on whether police have responded appropriately are almost evenly divided into thirds between voters who approve, disapprove or have no opinion. About the poll The Akron Decides Post-Election Survey of 500 voters, conducted by the Center for Marketing and Opinion Research, was commissioned by the Akron Press Club, Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, Akron NAACP, Ohio Debate Commission and Akron Beacon Journal. By the numbers: A visual look at Akron Decides poll on Malik, police and protests The poll had a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points. Registered voters were surveyed May 4 through May 17 online and over the phone, including landlines and cellphones. Reach reporter Doug Livingston at dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3792. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron voters disagree with grand jury decision in Jayland Walker case Former President Donald Trump delivered an unscripted speech in Grimes, Iowa, before taking several questions from his supporters. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that just 23% of Americans believe that Donald Trump should be allowed to serve as president again if convicted of a serious crime. A full 62%, meanwhile, say Trump should not be allowed to serve again in that scenario. The survey of 1,520 U.S. adults, which was conducted May 25 to May 30, underscores the political peril facing the former president as his legal troubles pile up. In April, a Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments made to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign; Trumps criminal trial in that case is set to begin next March, right in the middle of the GOP primary calendar. Over the coming months, prosecutors in Georgia and Washington, D.C., might also indict Trump for taking highly classified documents from the White House or trying to overturn the 2020 election. Yet while the new Yahoo News/YouGov poll suggests that criminal convictions in these cases could make it very challenging for Trump to defeat President Biden in the 2024 November general election, the numbers also indicate that Trump could still easily win the Republican nomination even if hes found guilty. To gauge the potential political repercussions of Trumps criminal cases, Yahoo News and YouGov didnt just ask if being convicted of a serious crime should prevent Trump from serving again; respondents were also asked which (if any) of the possible charges against the former president they would consider to be serious crimes in the first place. The results are striking. Across the board, majorities of Americans say that each of the key charges Trump could reportedly face qualify as serious crimes. Where Trump is most vulnerable A full two-thirds (66%) say that conspiring to overturn the results of a presidential election is a serious crime. Nearly as many say the same about inciting or aiding an insurrection against the federal government (64%); taking highly classified documents from the White House and obstructing efforts to retrieve them (63%); and attempting to obstruct the certification of a presidential election (63%). A smaller majority (52%) says that falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to a porn star constitutes a serious crime. A police car is parked outside the Mar-a-Lago club, the Palm Beach, Fla., home of former President Donald Trump, in April. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) In each instance, these numbers are a few percentage points higher among registered voters. The problem for Trump, then, is clear. Most Americans (52%) and voters (55%) already think he has committed a serious crime at [some] time in his life. Even more say that the alleged election- and document-related offenses for which he is currently under investigation would qualify as serious crimes and that he shouldnt be allowed back into the White House if convicted of that sort of lawbreaking. Conversely, only about 1 in 5 Americans says the opposite: that the potential charges against Trump arent serious crimes or that he should be allowed to serve again if found guilty. Most Republicans still want Trump to be their nominee Its possible, of course, that Trump wont be charged with anything or that he wont be convicted before the 2024 election (or ever). And its likely that even if he is, partisanship and polarization would immediately shatter any tentative consensus over criminal convictions and the presidency. Still, it would be a heavy lift to win a general election while under indictment or on trial for crimes that more than 6 in 10 voters currently consider disqualifying. Winning the Republican nomination, however, would probably be much easier, according to the poll. Right now, roughly half of potential GOP primary voters would rather see Trump as their nominee (52%) than someone else (36%). The former presidents lead over his strongest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has increased to nearly 30 points over the last few months even as (or perhaps because) Trumps legal jeopardy has grown. Presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to a crowd on June 2 in Gilbert, S.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images) At the same time, Trump is even more dominant in hypothetical head-to-head matchups against other declared, likely or potential GOP candidates, leading South Carolina Gov. Tim Scott, 69% to 18%; former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, 70% to 18%; former Vice President Mike Pence, 73% to 16%; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 77% to 10%; and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, 72% to 10%. Could a 'serious' criminal indictment or conviction change this dynamic? Its a long shot. A plurality of potential GOP primary voters (46%) already say that Trump should be allowed to serve again even if hes convicted of something they consider a serious crime. Against a divided field, thats probably enough support to win him the nomination. (Trump earned about 45% of the primary vote in 2016.) On the flip side, only 37% of potential GOP primary voters say Trump should not be allowed to serve again if convicted of a serious crime. That sounds like a substantial minority but in reality, it includes just 19% of those who currently back Trump against the full GOP field and just 20% of those who support Trump in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup with DeSantis. In other words, Trump might still lead even if he lost all the potential GOP primary voters who now support him but also say serious crimes would be disqualifying. Making matters worse for DeSantis & Co. is that Trump almost certainly wouldnt lose all those voters. Why? Because only about 10% to 12% of them believe that the potential charges against Trump attempting to obstruct the certification of a presidential election, for instance, or taking highly classified documents from the White House and obstructing efforts to retrieve them actually constitute the sort of serious crimes they would consider disqualifying. ____________ The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,520 U.S. adults interviewed online from May 25 to 30, 2023. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification and current voter registration status. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondents most recent answer given prior to March 15, 2022, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (32% Democratic, 27% Republican). Respondents were selected from YouGovs opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. adults. The margin of error is approximately 2.7%. Pope sends cardinal to Kyiv to discuss 'just peace' with Ukrainian leadership, Vatican says Matteo Zuppi The main goal of the visit is to "listen carefully to the Ukrainian authorities on possible ways to achieve a just peace and support humane gestures that help ease tensions." At the end of May, Pope Francis entrusted a mission to implement his initiative to end Russia's war against Ukraine to a leading Italian cardinal, Matteo Zuppi, who is close to the pontiff. Earlier, the Catholic portal Il sismografo, which covers the activities of the Vatican, reported that Pope Francis wants to send envoys to Kyiv and Moscow to discuss the possibility of "starting ceasefire negotiations" with Russia. On May 13, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Francis at the Vatican and requested that the pontiff condemn Russian crimes in Ukraine. The president also outlined Ukraine's peace proposal to the pope and stressed that it represents the only viable framework for achieving a just peace. During a recent interview, Zelenskyy reiterated that it is impossible to negotiate with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin at the moment as "today he is a terrorist who does not keep his word." After his visit to Hungary on April 30, Pope Francis announced that the Vatican is taking part in a secret "peace mission" to try and end Russias war against Ukraine. An official close to the Ukrainian President's Office told CNN that Ukraine knows nothing about this "mission." 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 19-year-old man was arrested in State College early Monday morning and is facing several charges after he allegedly stabbed a 16 year old with a machete. Emanuel Cespedes, of Port Matilda, was charged with a first degree felony, among other charges, for striking the teen with a machete multiple times, according to the criminal complaint, causing multiple lacerations. The State College Borough Police Department responded to an apartment in the 3000 block of Plaza Drive in State College around 1 a.m. Monday for a report of a 16-year-old male who was stabbed, the criminal complaint states. The teen told police he knew the suspect as Malo, and that two other juvenile witnesses were also there. According to the criminal complaint, the 16 year old went onto the balcony for fresh air, while the others remained inside. When he came back in, Cespedes struck him in the face with a closed fist, causing him to fall to the ground, the complaint states. Cespedes continued to assault him, it states, yelling, you set me up to get robbed. He then realized Cespedes was striking him with what appeared to/or believed to be a machete, the complaint states. Cespedes and the two others left the apartment and took the teens backpack with them. The 16 year old had multiple injuries, including a six-inch laceration on his right shoulder blade, a two-inch laceration on his left ankle and a smaller laceration on his right arm, the complaint states. He was transported to UPMC Altoona. Police took a description of Cespedes vehicle from the victim, who knew he was from New York. Police looked up names and canvassed the area where one of the juveniles resides. Officers saw a vehicle that matched the description with a New York registration leaving the area. They found the car with its four-ways flashing in front of the Pugh Street Sheetz, at which point one of the officers recognized the driver as Cespedes from a traffic stop a few weeks ago, the complaint states. Officers spoke with Cespedes there before leaving. The 16 year old was able to identify Cespedes through a photograph shown to him by an officer. Police found Cespedes address, went there and transported him to the police station. Cespedes is facing charges for aggravated assault and robbery both felonies, simple assault and receiving stolen property, both misdemeanors, and harassment, a summary offense. Cespedes is confined in the Centre County Correctional Facility and was unable to post the $150,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. June 14 in front of Magisterial District Judge Steven Lachman. Powerful US Republicans join in demand to remove LGBTQ+ Pride flag from Biloxi VA At a time when many U.S. states and cities across the nation are celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month, powerful Republican lawmakers from Mississippi are demanding the Pride flag be removed from a flagpole on the Biloxi VA property. It started last week when U.S. Rep, Mike Ezell, a Congressman from Jackson County, took issue with the rainbow flag thats flying with American flags at the front of the VA hospital and cemetery campus off Pass Road. Ezell sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough and the Gulf Coast Veterans Healthcare System asking for the Pride flag to be replaced with the U.S. flag. While I believe that everyone should be treated with respect, I take serious issue with any flag flying that promotes social policy positions or political statements, Ezell said. The VA did not take down the Pride flag, which has flown in the same position last year after McDonough allowed all VA-owned facilities to fly it. Now, Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, among other GOP members of Congress, have written to McDonough to demand the flag be removed. This political stunt is yet another example of this Administrations willingness to promote its political agenda rather than focus on its mission as the executive branch. Our veterans expect the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide services, not promote controversial ideologies, the legislators wrote. Shaun Shenk, chief of community and public affairs at the Biloxi VA Medical Center, said giving veterans inclusive and high quality health care is what they earn by signing the dotted line. If anybody wore the uniform, they are welcome at our VA, Shenk told the Sun Herald on Friday. A Pride flag is flown at the Biloxi VA Medical Center on Pass Road to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month. On the same day, McDonough tweeted: Happy Pride to LGBTQ+ Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors! Your service, your sacrifice even in the face of discrimination will never be forgotten. The VA estimates there are 1 million LGBTQ+ veterans in the U.S. Shenk said there are about 6,500 veterans in the Gulf Coast VA health care system that identify as LGBTQ+. The Gulf Coast Association of Pride, based in Biloxi, praised the VA for flying the Pride flag in June. This display isnt a replacement of our great American flag as some have tried to spin it, the board of directors said in a statement. It is simply a reminder of those who for far too long, went unrecognized for their sacrifices. GOP needs to retract their demand, HRC says Rob Hill, state director for the Human Rights Campaign in Mississippi, told the Sun Herald he applauds the VAs decision to fly the Pride flag and said Republican lawmakers should retract their request to take the flag down. Its disrespectful of them (lawmakers) to not honor the lives of the LGBTQ+ people, especially those who have given their lives in the armed services, Hill said. This is the right thing to do. Hill noted that Pride Month is celebrated by some of the largest businesses on the Coast, including Chevron, Ingalls Shipbuilding and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport. With the unprecedented attacks against LGBTQ+ people around the country, now more than ever we need to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and the many contributions we make today to enhance our society, Hill said Monday. The LGBTQ+ community is growing across the Mississippi and on the Coast, U.S. Census data shows. Hill also noted last month that theres been an uptick in growth of LGBTQ+ residents in Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs, two of the trendiest and most desirable cities in the state. LGBTQ+ community faces uphill battle in MS The demand to remove the Pride flag comes at a time when Republican lawmakers in Mississippi and across the U.S. have passed bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community, specifically transgender youth. Mississippi earlier this year banned gender-affirming health care for minors in the state, a move that followed several other states in the South, including Texas, Tennessee and Florida. Mississippi Coast families grappled with the new laws, with some having to decide whether theyd stay or leave to get medical care for their children. The trans youth health care bill was also surrounded by controversy after a Republican lawmaker Joey Fillingane was accused of making up a story about a teenager getting gender-affirming surgery by a Mississippi plastic surgeon. A transgender teen who graduated from a Mississippi Coast high school also skipped her commencement ceremony after a federal judge ruled shed have to follow the Harrison Central High boys dress code policy. The teen, who was represented by the ACLU, made national headlines after fighting the schools dress code with just days to spare before graduation. Wins for Pride flag, trans teen in Biloxi Its unlikely McDonough, who is a former White House Chief of Staff under Barack Obama, will remove the Pride flag from Biloxi VA. The controversy around the flag did not deter more than 2,000 LGBTQ+ people and allies from attending 2023 Pride Day at Point Cadet Plaza in Biloxi. The family friendly event included dozens of vendors, food and drinks, keynote speakers and lots of drag performances. Gulf Coast Association of Pride, who hosts the event, said this years Pride celebration crowd broke records, with people coming from as far as Los Angeles and New York City to attend. L.B., the Harrison Central High student who skipped graduation, also got the chance to walk across the stage at 2023 Pride in her dress, heels, cap and gown on the same day the Tennessee drag ban was ruled unconstitutional. The Fort Worth Catholic Diocese, embroiled in a legal battle over chastity vow allegations against the reverend mother, sent its head of security to accompany the priest who was to deliver Mass on Sunday. The priest and his security arrived at 7:30 a.m. to the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington to say Mass for the order of cloistered nuns. The Fort Worth Catholic Diocese on Monday said the priest was turned away. But an attorney representing the Reverend Mother Teresa Gerlach, who is appealing her dismissal from the Discalced Carmelite order, tells a different story. Matthew Bobo, who is representing Gerlach and sister Francis Therese in a lawsuit against the diocese and Bishop Michael Olson, said the nuns welcomed the priest inside but wouldnt allow the security guard to enter the monastery. The priest left without saying Mass, according to Bobo. The Sunday morning incident was the latest development in the highly unusual turmoil surrounding the order, whose nuns typically remain out of the public eye. The nuns are embroiled in a secular legal fight and a canonical battle against Olson, the bishop, as well as the diocese. The controversy stems from an April investigation into a report that the Gerlach broke her chastity vows with a priest from outside of the diocese. Gerlach, who uses a wheelchair and has a feeding tube, denies the allegations. Last week, the Vatican weighed in with a decree giving Olson governing authority over the monastery. On Monday, a spokesman for the diocese told the Star-Telegram in a text message, A priest did go to the monastery to say Mass Sunday as the Bishop said would occur. The priest was denied access so he could not say Mass for the nuns. He was accompanied by the diocesan director of security. A priest will be at the monastery on Wednesday, June 7, for daily Mass. In follow-up questions, the diocese said the security director accompanied the priest as an altar server who assists the priest during Mass. Ecclesiastical investigation into sexual misconduct According to court documents, Olson and other diocesan officials went to the monastery on April 24 with a forensic technology expert. Olson demanded that the reverend mother turn over her laptop, iPad and cell phone, and told Gerlach and Sister Francis Therese that they could not handle the administrative duties of the monastery. The lawsuit alleges that Olson violated the reverend mothers civil and canonical rights by telling her where she could sit and eat, and she was not allowed in her private bedroom despite needing constant medical care. She uses her iPad to communicate. On April 25, the reverend mother underwent surgery, and when she returned to the monastery, she and other sisters were subjected to more questions and interrogation. Olson raised his voice, according to the lawsuit. The Bishop threw a temper tantrum, and in an agitated and raised voice yelled that the Monastery was shut down, no Mass would be celebrated, he then slammed the door and left the Monastery, traumatizing the Sisters, Gerlach said in her affidavit. Attorneys for the diocese said in a motion to dismiss the suit that Gerlach admitted to violating her chastity vows and that secular courts did not have jurisdiction over ecclesiastical matters and investigations. The focal point of this entire dispute is an ecclesiastical investigation into sexual misconduct in violation of the Sixth Commandment considered grave misconduct within the Catholic Church, wrote the attorneys with Kelly Hart & Hallman in Fort Worth. Bobo argued that Gerlach confessed under duress because she was recovering from surgery and was on pain medication, including fentanyl. Bobo also wrote an open letter to Bishop Olson asking him to answer questions about who reported the alleged chastity vow violation and who was the priest from outside of the diocese. Your Excellency: You have repeatedly and publicly accused the Reverend Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach of violating her vow of chastity with a priest. What is the specific allegation you have found the Reverend Mother guilty of? Because you have defamed Mother Superior publicly now on multiple occasions, please do provide the specifics, Bobo wrote. The diocese on Monday told the Star-Telegram that it has already provided Gerlach with the specific findings of the bishiops investigation. Roman Venevitin The group claims it even captured the commander of the Russian troops that fired on their Ural truck. The press office of Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the private military company Wagner, released a video on the evening of June 4 showing the interrogation of Lieutenant Colonel Roman Venevitin, commander of the 72nd Motorized Infantry Brigade, who was allegedly captured by the mercenaries. Read also: Wagners Prigozhin blames Russian MoD for Moscow drone attack In the footage, Venevitin appears with a bruised face, questioned in a partially underground room. He admits to ordering the disarmament of a rapid response group from the Wagner mercenary company and drunkenly firing at a vehicle believed to be carrying Wagner mercenaries. In the video, Venevitin claims that he carried out these actions due to personal animosity. When asked to describe his actions, he simply responds with the word guilty. In response to inquiries about the conflict with units from the Russian Ministry of Defense, Prigozhin commented on the video featuring Venevitin, stating, Heres the final piece of evidence, removing any doubts. Before this, Prigozhins press office released a report stating that the Wagner fighters engaged in a shootout with Russian Ministry of Defense troops near the village of Semyhirya, close to Bakhmut. Read also: Russia lost seven times as much as Ukraine in Bakhmut, says NSDC Secretary Danilov According to the report, this incident took place on May 17 when the militants discovered that the troops were mining theescape routes of the Wagner group. When the mercenaries attempted to clear the road, they allegedly came under fire from Russian forces, resulting in damage to the Ural vehicle mentioned by Venevitin. Hanna Malyar, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, stated on June 1 that the Wagner mercenaries were unable to leave Bakhmut due to suspicious activity and the discovery of dozens of explosive devices. According to her, the Wagner fighters postponed their withdrawal date from June 1 to 10, while the Armed Forces of Ukraine maintain control over the southwestern outskirts of the city. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Harry and William The relationship between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex started to erode because of unlawful information gathering, it has been suggested in the High Court. Prince Harrys barrister, David Sherborne, said mistrust between the brothers may have been sowed as far back as 2003 when Mirror Group Newspapers published a story about an alleged disagreement between them. Mr Sherborne said the a story, published in December that year, centred on a reported dispute between the Princes over whether to meet former royal butler Paul Burrell, who they had publicly accused of betraying their mother. According to the article in The People, the brothers had clashed midway through Harrys year abroad, while a source had told the tabloid newspaper the men were at loggerheads. Even at this very early formative stage the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown. Brothers can sometimes disagree but once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. One can see how the mistrust can set in from an early age, exactly because of this type of activity. The Duke is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages over alleged unlawful information gathering. 06:52 PM That's it until the morning Mondays hearing concluded shortly after 5pm, so thats a wrap on our live updates until tomorrow. Well be back in the morning for Prince Harrys day giving evidence. Until then, see here for our latest story: Prince Harry claims Piers Morgans Mirror hacked Princess Diana. Scroll down below for the latest as it happened. 05:10 PM Story from Dec 2003 highlighted Mr Sherborne highlights a story published in Dec 2003 about an alleged disagreement between Wiliam and Harry about whether to meet Paul Burrell. He said: Even at this very early informative stage, the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sewn. Mistrust can set in from an early age because of this type of unlawful activity. 04:41 PM 'Quite extraordinary' Mr Green said that many of the stories involved information already in the public domain, some that was put out by the Royal household, some by the Duke himself and some obtained from confidential sources. He said it was quite extraordinary that the judge had been asked to infer the stories had been obtained unlawfully. He highlighted one article that had been broken by the News of the World. The story, published in January 2002, alleged that Harry had been taking drugs. The only new information the Mirror had added was that the young Prince had not been back to the pub in question, Mr Green told the judge. Mr Sherborne said that you could infer that that additional information was obtained by UIG (unlawful information gathering), he said. There was plainly no voice interception. There is no payment record so why should there be any inference of UIG. What UIG? By who? He said the additional information was almost certainly obtained by journalists. It is exactly the sort of information that journalists get hold of, he said. You are invited to infer that its UIG. That absolutely doesnt work. Its become rather fantastical. 04:31 PM Duke of Sussex 'not told by police he was phone hacking victim' Andrew Green KC later told the court that the Duke of Sussex was not told by police that he was the victim of phone hacking from MGN, despite many other high-profile people being contacted during their investigations. He said: The Metropolitan Police have never suggested to the Duke of Sussex that he has been the victim of phone hacking by anyone at MGN. The barrister said Scotland Yard had investigated the hacking of royal households. He continued: The Duke of Sussex was actually at the centre of the Metropolitan Police Services investigation into phone hacking. Despite that, no one at MGN was interviewed, let alone arrested and charged, he added. 04:23 PM 'No call data whatsoever' At the start of his opening, Andrew Green KC, for MGN, said that payment records used in the Dukes claim simply do not demonstrate unlawful conduct or knowledge thereof. The barrister also said that there was a lack of call data in Harrys case, telling the court: There is no call data whatsoever for the Duke of Sussex and scant call data for his associates. Mr Green later said the duke faced a very difficult starting point for the claimant proving he was habitually hacked. 04:05 PM Diana allegation 'total speculation' Mr Green said the claim MGN journalists hacked a phone belonging to Diana, Princess of Wales, was total speculation without any evidential basis whatsoever. He said: The letters to Michael Barrymore are not evidence of voicemail interception and there is no other evidence. Plainly no such finding can be made. 04:04 PM Mirror Group opens rebuttal of Harry's claim Andrew Green KC, for MGN, has opened his rebuttal of Harrys claim by stating that there was no evidence that the Dukes phone was hacked even once by MGN journalists. The defendants position is that there is simply no evidence that the Duke of Sussex was ever hacked, certainly that he was ever hacked on a habitual basis, he told the court. There is no evidence and certainly no sufficient evidence, that a mobile phone used or owned by the Duke of Sussex was hacked on one occasion between 1996 and 2011. Mr Green said that none of those who had admitted hacking had ever suggested that they had targeted the Duke. Not one person who has come forward to admit phone hacking or witnessed it says that the Duke was ever hacked by any of the defendants titles, he said. The barrister added that the Metropolitan Police had also never suggested to the Duke that he was the victim of hacking by anyone at MGN. 03:51 PM Duke not brought to court by 'press vendetta' Mr Sherborne concluded his opening by stating again how during 1996 and 2011, every aspect of the princes life was invaded by the use of unlawful methods. It is the use of these methods that has brought him here, not some vendetta against the press generally, he said. He is here because although he regards himself as any other victim, whether high profile or not, because he drives sales. The barrister said that by bringing this claim, the Duke had been able to focus the attention that comes with his position on such activity. It is bringing others to account. 03:18 PM Lawyers clash over timekeeping Andrew Green KC, for MGN, pointed out that Mr Sherborne has now exceeded the promised three hours for his opening, prompting another testy exchange with the judge about timekeeping. Mr Sherborne said: We want to take the whole day with openings. Mr Justice Fancourt replied: You said youd take three hours. Mirror journalist Anthony Harwood was slotted into the schedule in Harrys absence and the judge said now that he had been alerted, he should take the stand. We really cant keep having timetable chaos, he said. 03:11 PM Harry and ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy 'never felt on their own' Harry and Chelsy Many of the articles the Duke has complained about concern his former girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, Mr Sherborne said that when Harry and Ms Davy were together it was as if they never felt that they were on their own. He said the torrent of stories about their relationship led ultimately to Ms Davy deciding that royal life was not for her, which was incredibly upsetting for Harry at the time. It also caused their circle of friends to become smaller, both losing friends unnecessarily, as well as bouts of depression for Harry. 02:46 PM William and Harry 'discord' over Paul Burrell meeting, court hears William and Harry A story published in December 2003 about an alleged disagreement between William and Harry about whether to meet their mothers former butler Paul Burrell has been highlighted by Mr Sherborne. Even at this very early formative stage the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown, he told the court. Brothers can sometimes disagree but once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. One can see how the mistrust can set in from an early age, exactly because of this type of activity. 02:15 PM Piers Morgan referred to Diana and Michael Barrymore rumours Former Mirror editor Piers Morgan referred to hearing rumours about the meetings between Diana and Michael Barrymore in his book The Insider, Mr Sherborne told the High Court. The barrister said the reason Mr Morgan had heard was because Mirror journalists would have heard private messages. He also said a letter to Mr Barrymore from Diana in June 1997, just two months before her untimely death, demonstrates the impact of these activities. Mr Sherborne said Diana wrote to Mr Barrymore saying she had not heard from him and hoped his silence was good news, adding: I have had a nightmare time with the tabloids. The barrister added: Mr Barrymore is so frightened off that he does not contact Princess Diana and this is the isolation that this activity causes. 02:07 PM Diana was 'huge target' for MGN's newspapers Mr Sherborne said Diana was a huge target for MGNs newspapers, adding that certain unlawful activities in relation to her would have also affected Harry. He said: It is part of our case that the interception of her messages would necessarily have involved obtaining information about the young prince. The barrister turned to letters exchanged between Diana and former television personality and entertainer Michael Barrymore. He read out two letters from Diana to Mr Barrymore, which referred to meetings between the pair, and in one of the letters Diana referred to being devastated to learn the Daily Mirror had called her office about him and their meetings. In the letter, Diana said she had not told anyone about the meetings. Mr Sherborne said: We say it is plainly that the Daily Mirror has been listening to the voicemail messages and that is how they knew of the secret and highly sensitive meetings between Princess Diana and poor Mr Barrymore. 02:03 PM Diana's letters with Michael Barrymore show she was hacked, High Court hears Letters exchanged between Princess Diana and Michael Barrymore show she was hacked by Mirror journalists under the editorship of Piers Morgan, the High Court has heard. David Sherborne, representing the Duke of Sussex, read out a letter in which Diana said she was devastated to hear the Mirror was telephoning her office to ask about six meetings between the pair. Nobody knew about our conversations/phone call. How deeply sorry I am [that] what I considered to be a private matter has become public property, she writes. Mr Sherborne argues that plainly the Daily Mirror has been listening in to the voicemail messages between the pair. 01:35 PM Court breaks for lunch Court has broken for lunch. More updates to follow after 2pm. The highlights of this morning session include: Duke of Sussex accused of wasting time after missing first day of proceedings Judge admits hes a little surprised by Dukes absence Court hears it should be assumed some MGN stories were obtained unlawfully as reporters not in court to defend claims 12:54 PM Duke's phone 'hacked on multiple occasions' The Duke of Sussexs phone would have been hacked on multiple occasions, his barrister has told the High Court. David Sherborne claimed that his details appeared in the palm pilot of a journalist who was one of the most prolific phone hackers. The barrister said Harry was one of the most written about individuals in MGN newspapers, with more than 1,000 articles disclosed to him for the 2007 to 2011 period covered by the Shobna Gulati case. Mr Sherborne said admissions by MGN of unlawful gathering were made in a previous High Court trial involving the former Coronation Street actress.. He said those included admissions relating to articles written by a number of journalists who wrote articles about the Duke during the same-time period. 12:18 PM Duke has never been safe from intrusion David Sherborne Mr Sherborne said Prince Harry was subjected to such unlawful information gathering from when he was a young boy at school, through the death of his mother, Army training and into early adulthood. No time of his life where he was safe from these activities and the impact they caused, but no area either, he said. The one place where he might escape some of the pressures of that was to make friendships. But nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds and there was no protection from these unlawful information gathering methods. 11:55 AM MGN journalists not giving evidence Mr Sherborne is pointing out that the Mirror Group Newspaper (MGN) journalists who wrote the 33 articles Prince Harry claims were obtained by unlawful means are not being called to give evidence. He suggests that as they are not appearing to explain how they secured the story, the judge should conclude that it is more likely than not that the information was gathered illegally. The judge asked Mr Sherborne if that should still be the inference even when the same story appeared in a different newspaper the previous day - and even if it did not include any new information. The evidence is that journalists would be expected to find some new angle or to further the story, Mr Sherborne replied. This is important as MGN argues that many of the stories were simply rewrites from articles printed in other newspapers. 11:24 AM MGN's admission is 'plainly implausible' Mr Sherborne said that during the seven years from 1999 until 2006, MGN admits just one instruction to a private investigator - in 2004. He said it was a startling position, arguring that unlawful information gathering was habitual and widespread across all three MGN newspapers - the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and The People, at that time. When one considers that Prince Harry was one of the most written about individuals during this period - and we can see stories about him were some of the likely to drive sales - to suggest there was just once instance of unlawful info gathering is plainly implausible. 11:17 AM Duke's private life 'obviously drove sales' Mr Sherborne is rattling through some of the 33 stories that form the basis of Harrys claim. They include the time he caught glandular fever, when a 17-year-old school boy, an argument with his brother, Prince William, and a double page spread dating back to his time doing Army training at Sandhurst. Its clear that stories about Prince Harrys private life drove sales, the barrister told the court. Its obvious. After all, articles were the ends, thats what this is all about. These are the ends, we say, that justified the means for the defendant. 11:09 AM Judge 'surprised' by Harry's absence Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was a little surprised to hear that Harry was not in court. Mr Sherborne admitted that he had stayed in California to celebrate his daughter Princess Lilibets birthday. At the High Court for Harry's case against MGN: Harry will not appear until tomo having flown from LA overnight after celebrating Lilibet's birthday. The judge appears frustrated that he is not in court. Andrew Green, for MGN, said it was "extraordinary" he was not in court Victoria Ward (@victoria_ward) June 5, 2023 11:00 AM Duke's absence branded 'extraordinary' by MGN lawyer Andrew Green KC, for MGN, said it was extraordinary that Harry was not in court for the opening of his own case. He told the judge that court time would be wasted Mr Green, who will be cross-examining the Duke of Sussex on behalf of MGN, said he has quite a lot to get through with the Duke, and will need around one and a half days. I have to cross-examine him on 33 articlesand that cannot be done in one day. If I am to put to him even a small number of the public domain documents and in many cases explain the sources of the informationThe documents are relevant to the question of damages, he told the court. 10:53 AM Duke 'obviously different' to other witnesses Discussing timetable arrangements with the judge, Mr Sherborne said that Harry was obviously in a different category to other witnesses due to his travel and security arrangements. The judge appears frustrated that Harry may not be in court today to take to the witness stand if opening statements are finished ahead of schedule, before the end of the day. 10:50 AM Duke of Sussex flew overnight after celebrating Lilibets birthday Mr Sherborne has told the judge that his opening, regarding Harrys claim, will take around three hours. As a result, the Duke of Sussex will attend court tomorrow to give evidence. He told the court that he was attending his daughter, Princess Lilibets birthday, yesterday and flew overnight. 10:38 AM Court session has started The court is now in session and has begun with Prince Harrys lawyer, David Sherborne, bringing up housekeeping matters with the judge, India McTaggart reports. It marks the beginning of the fourth week of proceedings in the Dukes case against the Mirror publisher. 10:12 AM Media waits for Duke's arrival Media outside High Court Members of media are camped outside the High Court waiting for the Duke of Sussex to arrive. The Duke is the first senior British royal to appear in the witness box since the 1890s. He is expected to give evidence for his lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers on Tuesday although he may be called on Monday afternoon. 09:57 AM Recap: Prince Harry blames phone hacking paranoia for Chelsy Davy realising royal life not for her Harry and Chelsy Last month, the High Court heard how the Duke of Sussex claimed his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy decided a royal life was not for her because of illegal snooping by journalists from Mirror Group Newspapers. Prince Harry, who dated the Zimbabwean on and off for six years, said her decision to end their relationship was incredibly upsetting for him at the time. The Duke, who claims his phone was hacked by Mirror Group journalists or investigators paid by the company, said he suffered huge bouts of depression and paranoia because he felt he could not trust anybody. To read more click here. 09:01 AM Factbox: Royals at court Prince Harry is expected to become the first senior British royal to appear in the witness box since the 1890s when he appears at the High Court for his lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers. Here is a brief history of senior royals in court as reported by Reuters: Edward VII - The last time a senior British royal gave evidence in court involved Edward VII who, before he became king, was a witness in a slander trial in 1891 over a card game. He was previously in the witness box in 1870, testifying in a divorce case after he was falsely accused of being the lover of a British lawmakers wife. George V - Edwards son George V was accused of bigamy by a republican newspaper in 1910 shortly after he became king. Though he did not give evidence, George provided a written statement to the court denying bigamy. The author of the article was sentenced to one year in prison for libel. Charles I - Charles I was put on trial for treason in 1649, after the end of the English Civil War. He refused to recognise the authority of the court to hear his prosecution, but was found guilty and sentenced to death. Princess Anne - The Princess Royal, the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth, pleaded guilty to speeding in 2001. She was fined 400 pounds and given five penalty points on her driving licence. The following year, Anne became the first British royal to be convicted of a criminal offence in 350 years when she pleaded guilty to failing to stop one of her dogs biting two children. 08:31 AM Analysis: Prince Harry cannot win his war against the media Prince Harry is due to give evidence this week in his court case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for unlawful information gathering. In this episode of Royal Insight, Camilla Tominey explains how the Dukes court cases are a double edged sword. If Harry thinks he has a claim for phone hacking and he wants to go all the way through the courts to win it, then fair play to him; having said that, even if he wins, he also loses, she says. 08:24 AM Unlawful information gathering claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) Harry is one of a number of high-profile figures bringing damages claims against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. His case, alongside those of former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner - known professionally as Michael Le Vell - are being considered as test cases at a trial being heard over six to seven weeks. MGN is contesting the claims over allegations its journalists were linked to voicemail interception, securing information through deception and hiring private investigators for unlawful activities. Harry is due to enter the witness box this week as the trial focuses on his individual case. 08:24 AM Unlawful information gathering allegations against ANL Harry is one of seven high-profile people, including Sir Elton John and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, bringing legal action against ANL over allegations it carried out or commissioned unlawful information gathering. The firmly denied allegations against the publisher of the Daily Mail include the hiring of private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, the blagging of private records and the accessing and recording of private phone conversations. At a preliminary hearing in March, ANL asked a judge to rule in its favour without a trial, arguing the legal challenges against it were brought far too late. A judgment from Mr Justice Nicklin is expected later this year. 08:24 AM Allegations of unlawful information gathering at News Group Newspapers (NGN) Harry and actor High Grant are suing NGN, publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World, over alleged unlawful information gathering. The duke alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for the papers. Harrys lawyers have argued that NGNs challenge to his claim is an attempt to go behind an alleged secret agreement between the royal family as an institution and the publisher, which the duke was informed of in 2012. NGN, which denies any unlawful activity took place at The Sun, disputes that such an agreement was in place. Mr Justice Fancourt will hold a further hearing in July to decide whether Harrys pleaded case can be amended to include his secret agreement claims. His judgment on Harrys case is expected later this year. 08:23 AM Libel claim over Mail on Sunday article on Home Office legal battle Harry is suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over a February 2022 Mail on Sunday article about his legal fight with the Home Office. The story was published online and in the newspaper under the headline Exclusive: How Prince Harry tried to keep his legal fight with the government over police bodyguards a secret... then - just minutes after the story broke - his PR machine tried to put a positive spin on the dispute. The dukes lawyers in his libel claim have said the articles purported to reveal, in sensational terms that information from court documents filed by the duke contradicted public statements he had previously made about his willingness to pay for police protection for himself and his family whilst in the UK. ANL is contesting the claim, arguing the article expressed an honest opinion and did not cause serious harm to Harrys reputation. A ruling from Mr Justice Nicklin is expected later this year. 08:23 AM Second case against Home Office in relation to UK security Earlier this month, a High Court judge rejected Harrys bid to bring further legal action against the department over a Ravec decision that he should not be allowed to pay privately for his protective security. The Home Office, which opposed Harrys claim, said Ravec considered it was not appropriate for wealthy people to buy protective security, which might include armed officers, when it had decided that the public interest does not warrant someone receiving such protection on a publicly funded basis. The dukes legal team argued Ravecs view, that allowing payment for protective security would be contrary to the public interest and undermine public confidence in the Metropolitan Police, could not be reconciled with rules which expressly permit charging for certain police services. Mr Justice Chamberlain refused Harry permission to bring the second challenge on May 23. 08:23 AM Challenge against the Home Office over UK security arrangements In July last year, Harry secured a judges permission to pursue a judicial review against the Home Office over security arrangements for himself and his family when they are in the UK. The duke is challenging a February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) - which falls under the remit of the department - after being told he would no longer be given the same degree of personal protective security when visiting. Harrys lawyers say the security arrangements set out by Ravec, and their application when he visited the UK in June 2021, were invalid due to procedural unfairness because he was not given an opportunity to make informed representations beforehand. Defending the claim, the Home Office says Ravec was entitled to reach the decision it did, which is that Harrys security arrangements will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Mr Justice Swift said part of Harrys case could proceed, with a date for a full hearing yet to be set. 08:18 AM Duke's six legal battles in the High Court Prince Harry has been involved in six legal battles at the High Court in recent months after bringing claims against three major newspaper publishers over allegations of unlawful information gathering, as well as challenges against the Home Office in relation to his personal security. Here is an overview of his current cases with a brief description to follow: Challenge against the Home Office over UK security arrangements Second case against Home Office in relation to UK security Libel claim over Mail on Sunday article on Home Office legal battle Allegations of unlawful information gathering at News Group Newspapers (NGN) Unlawful information gathering allegations against ANL Unlawful information gathering claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) 08:10 AM Full list of articles Here is the list of stories that will be examined as part of the Dukes claims: Diana so sad on Harrys big day. Daily Mirror. September 16 1996. Princes take to the hills for gala. Daily Mirror. July 17 2000. 3am - Harrys time at the bar. Daily Mirror. September 19 2000. Snap... Harry breaks thumb like William; Exclusive. Daily Mirror. November 11 2000. Rugger off Harry. Sunday Mirror. November 11 2000. Harry took drugs and Cool it Harry. Sunday Mirror. January 13 2002. Harrys cocaine ecstasy and GHB parties. The Mirror. January 14 2002. Harrys sick with kissing disease. Daily Mirror. March 29 2002. No Eton trifles for Harry, 18. September 16 2002. Matured Harry is a godfather. The People. April 20 2003. Harry to lead cadets march. Daily Mirror. April 29 2003. Harry is ready to quit Oz. Daily Mirror. September 27 2003. Beach bum Harry. Daily Mirror. December 16 2003. Wills... Seeing Burrell is only way to stop him selling more Diana secrets. Harry no... Burrells a.... The People. December 28 2003. Harry is a Chelsy fan. Daily Mirror. November 29 2004. When Harry met Daddy... The biggest danger to wildlife in Africa. Daily Mirror. December 13 2004. Harrys girl to dump him. Daily Mirror. January 15 2005. Chelsy is not happy. Daily Mirror. January 15 2005. You did what!. Sunday Mirror. February 6 2005. Who dares Windsors. Daily Mirror. March 4 2005. Chelsys gap EIIR. The People. April 24 2005. Harry carry!. The People. May 15 2005. Chel shocked. The People. April 9 2006. Davy stated. The People. September 16 2007. Hooray Harrys dumped. Sunday Mirror. November 11 2007. Down in the dumped. Daily Mirror. November 12 2007. Er, OK if I drop you off here?. Sunday Mirror. December 2 2007. Harry fear as mobile is swiped. Daily Mirror. July 26 2008. Soldier Harrys Taliban. The People. September 28 2008. He just loves boozing & army she is fed up & is heading home. Sunday Mirror. January 25 2009. 3am: What a way to Harry on. Daily Mirror. March 26 2009. Harrys date with Gladiators star. The People. April 19 2009. Chelsys new fella. The People. April 26 2009. 08:08 AM 33 MGN stories to be examined during trial Harry alleges about 140 articles from 1996 to 2010, published by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) titles, used information obtained through unlawful means, such as phone hacking. The stories cover the dukes relationship with his family and ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, a few injuries and illnesses, his military service and allegations of drug use. Some 33 articles, dated between 1996 and 2009, have been selected for examination during an ongoing trial of Harrys contested claim against MGN. MGN has told the trial in London that it denies that 28 out of the 33 articles involved unlawful information gathering and that it was not admitted for the remaining five articles. 08:06 AM Recap: Mirror publisher apologises to Duke As the Duke of Sussex prepares to give evidence at the High Court over unlawful information gathering at Mirror Group Newspaper titles, we look back at what has happened so far. On the first day of the trial, lawyers for MGN said the publisher unreservedly apologises to the duke for one instance of unlawful information gathering and that it accepts he was entitled to appropriate compensation. Andrew Green KC said it was admitted that a private investigator was instructed, by an MGN journalist at The People, to unlawfully gather information about Harrys activities at the Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004. Otherwise, the specified allegations are denied, or in a few cases not admitted, he added. Mr Green said there was a reference to a payment record for 75 in February 2004. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Prince Harry is due to give evidence in court in London this week Prince Harry will become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for more than a century when he testifies this week against a tabloid newspaper publisher. Harry, 38, is expected to take the witness stand at London's High Court in a trial considering unlawful information-gathering claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). King Charles III's younger son and other high-profile figures allege that the publisher engaged in illegal activities, including phone hacking, at its titles and are seeking damages. The case is one of several that Harry has brought against British newspaper groups since stepping down from royal duties in early 2020 and relocating to the United States. The MGN trial, which is expected to last up to seven weeks, kicked off last month, days after Charles's May 6 coronation which Harry attended. The California-based prince also made a surprise appearance at the High Court in March for a privacy claim he and others have launched against Associated Newspapers (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail. Harry, the Duke of Sussex, made written submissions in that case but did not give in-person evidence, sitting near the back of the court during several days of proceedings. His appearance on the stand, expected Tuesday, is said to be the first time a senior royal has given evidence in court since Edward VII, who took the stand in an 1890 slander trial before becoming monarch. - Harry battles - Harry, who is fifth in line to the throne, has had a difficult relationship with the media, especially since he and his American wife Meghan left Britain. As well as filing multiple lawsuits, the couple has repeatedly lashed out over alleged privacy invasions by photographers in particular. Just weeks ago, they claimed to have been involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" with paparazzi in New York, an incident police and other officials played down. Harry's mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a 1997 Paris car crash as she was being pursued by photographers. He has also challenged the UK government in court over his security arrangements when he is back from the United States. But on May 23, he lost his bid for a legal review of a decision refusing him permission to pay for specialist UK police protection himself. In television interviews and his explosive memoir "Spare" -- released in January -- Harry hit out at other royals, accusing them of colluding with the press. In court filings unveiled in April, Harry claimed the royal family as an institution had struck a "secret agreement" with one UK publisher that had prevented him from suing, to avoid a royal entering the witness box. He also alleged the monarchy wanted to prevent the opening of a "Pandora's Box" of negative coverage that could tarnish the royal brand. - Tapping claims - The MGN case centres on claims its tabloids conducted unlawful information-gathering, including voicemail tapping, to obtain stories about Harry and other high-profile figures. The other claimants are two television soap opera actors and the ex-wife of a comedian. At the outset of the trial on May 10, MGN apologised and admitted to "some evidence" of unlawful information-gathering and assured that "such conduct will never be repeated". But it denied voicemail interception and argued that some claims had been brought too late. The claimants' lawyer David Sherborne submitted that "industrial scale" illegal activities were happening at MGN and had been approved by senior executives. Harry's unofficial biographer Omid Scobie -- who co-authored a best-selling 2020 book about Harry and Meghan -- claimed in a submission that he was shown how to hack voicemails while on work experience at MGN title The Sunday People. Scobie also said that while on work experience at its sister paper The Mirror he overheard the then-editor Piers Morgan being told that information for a story about Australian pop star Kylie Minogue had come from voicemail. Morgan, editor of the tabloid between 1995 and 2004, has denied any involvement in phone hacking. jj/phz/bp/lb Prince Harry is due to give evidence in court in London this week Prince Harry was the target of illegal information-gathering even as a young schoolboy, his lawyer told a London court Monday in his case against a tabloid newspaper publisher. The 38-year-old prince will become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for more than a century when he testifies this week against Mirror Group Newspapers. Banks of photographers and camera crews gathered outside London's High Court in anticipation of Harry's arrival for opening speeches in the case. But his lawyer, David Sherborne, said Harry will not take the stand until Tuesday, as he had been celebrating his daughter Princess Lilibet's second birthday and only flew to the UK late Sunday. That earned him a rebuke from the judge Timothy Fancourt, who said he was "a little surprised" that the prince was not in court on Monday. Sherborne said stories about Harry were clearly a money spinner for tabloids and started when he was aged 11. The pursuit of stories by illegal methods even continued after "the tragic death of his mother" Princess Diana in a Paris car crash in 1997 while she being pursued by photographers. The prince's phone "would have been hacked on multiple occasions", he submitted. King Charles III's younger son and other high-profile figures allege that MGN Ltd engaged in illegal activities, including phone hacking, at its titles and are seeking damages. The case is one of several that Harry has brought against British newspaper groups since stepping down from royal duties in early 2020 and relocating to the United States. The MGN trial, which is expected to last up to seven weeks, kicked off last month, days after Charles's May 6 coronation which Harry attended. The California-based prince also made a surprise appearance at the High Court in March for a privacy claim he and others have launched against Associated Newspapers (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail. Harry, formally known as the Duke of Sussex, made written submissions in that case but did not give in-person evidence, sitting near the back of the court during several days of proceedings. His appearance on the stand is said to be the first time a senior royal has given evidence in court since Edward VII, who took the stand in an 1890 slander trial before becoming monarch. Charles's sister Princess Anne became the first member of the current royal family to be convicted of a criminal offence after one of her dogs bit two children in 2002. She pleaded guilty to an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act so was not required to give evidence in court. - Harry battles - Harry, who is fifth in line to the throne, has had a difficult relationship with the media, especially since he and his American wife Meghan left Britain. As well as filing multiple lawsuits, the couple has repeatedly lashed out over alleged privacy invasions by photographers in particular. Just weeks ago, they claimed to have been involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" with paparazzi in New York, an incident police and other officials played down. Harry has also challenged the UK government in court over his security arrangements when he is back from the United States. But on May 23, he lost his bid for a legal review of a decision refusing him permission to pay for specialist UK police protection himself. In television interviews and his explosive memoir "Spare" -- released in January -- Harry hit out at other royals, accusing them of colluding with the press. In court filings unveiled in April, Harry claimed the royal family as an institution had struck a "secret agreement" with one UK publisher that had prevented him from suing, to avoid a royal entering the witness box. He also alleged the monarchy wanted to prevent the opening of a "Pandora's Box" of negative coverage that could tarnish the royal brand. - Tapping claims - The MGN case centres on claims its tabloids conducted unlawful information-gathering, including voicemail tapping, to obtain stories about Harry and other high-profile figures. The other claimants are two television soap opera actors and the ex-wife of a comedian. At the outset of the trial on May 10, MGN apologised and admitted to "some evidence" of unlawful information-gathering and assured that "such conduct will never be repeated". But it denied voicemail interception and argued that some claims had been brought too late. Sherborne submitted that "industrial scale" illegal activities were happening at MGN and had been approved by senior executives. jj-har/phz/pvh Lawyers representing Mirror Group Newspapers accused Prince Harry of wasting court time after he failed to arrive at the High Court in London Monday morning for his phone hacking trial against the publisher, which owns British tabloid the Daily Mirror. David Sherborne, representing Prince Harry and other high-profile claimants, told the court that the Duke would not attend the hearing today as he arrived in the UK late after flying from California last night, where he had been celebrating his daughter Lilibets second birthday on Sunday, according to multiple media reports. More from Deadline Andrew Green KC, representing Mirror Group Newspapers, said it was extraordinary that Prince Harry had not turned up for the opening day of his case. Green continued to say that court time would be wasted due to the Dukes absence, and he would be unable to correctly prepare to cross-examine the Duke. Justice Fancourt, the judge presiding over the case, told the court he was a little surprised to learn that Prince Harry would not be attending court on Monday. The Dukes barrister later added that he will attend court tomorrow to give evidence, The Guardian reported. Prince Harry, and three other claimants, are suing Mirror Newspapers, alleging information about them was illegally obtained to generate stories. The claimants believe journalists from the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and The People illegally accessed their voicemails to listen in on messages. This is a civil case rather than a criminal case. When Prince Harry gives evidence in the trial on Wednesday, he will be the first senior royal to be cross-examined in court since the 19th century. Mirror Group Newspapers has previously admitted that its journalists were involved in phone hacking and has paid out 100M ($126M) in settlements and legal costs to victims, according to The Guardian. The newspaper group has denied that senior executives were aware of the unlawful activity. The company also denies hacking Prince Harrys phone but has apologized to the Duke of Sussex for using a private investigator to illegally gather evidence about him at a nightclub in 2004. In his witness statement, Prince Harry told the High Court that unlawful activity at Mirror Group Newspapers contributed to huge distress and paranoia. 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. Prince Harrys relationship with his brother, the Prince of Wales, suffered mistrust because of articles published by the Mirror publisher, the court has heard today. The Duke of Sussex is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles - which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People - were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities. David Sherborne, for Harry, referred to a 2003 article which detailed an alleged row between the duke and his brother, now the Prince of Wales, over their mothers former butler Paul Burrell. The barrister said: Even at this very early formative stage... the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown. Brothers can sometimes disagree, Mr Sherborne said, adding: But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. The barrister added: One can see... how the mistrust can set in from an early age, exactly because of this type of activity. Key Points Alleged row with William sowed seeds of discord between brothers, court hears Prince Harry accused of wasting court time after no-show at court today Duke to become first British royal in 130 years to give evidence in court Prince Harry set for witness box showdown in phone hacking trial against tabloid Simply no evidence for many claims, trial told Revealed: Princess Dianas letter to Michael Barrymore over secret meeting 15:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Letters between the late Princess Diana and Michael Barrymore in which she discusses a secret meeting between the pair have been revealed in her son Prince Harrys High Court trial against the Daily Mirror publisher. The Duke of Sussex is one of four test cases among scores of complaints against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) being heard in London, alleging illegal information-gathering techniques such as phone hacking, which the publisher denies. With Harry flying in from the US late on Sunday after celebrating his daughter Lilibets birthday, his lawyer David Sherborne presented his mothers letters to the court on Monday as he sought to claim the duke had been impacted by unlawful press tactics since childhood. Dianas letter to Michael Barrymore over secret meeting revealed at Harry trial Discord between Prince Harry and Prince William referenced in court 15:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain David Sherborne, for Harry, referred to a 2003 article which detailed an alleged row between the duke and his brother, now the Prince of Wales, over their mothers former butler Paul Burrell. The barrister said: Even at this very early formative stage... the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown. Brothers can sometimes disagree, Mr Sherborne said, adding: But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. The barrister added: One can see... how the mistrust can set in from an early age, exactly because of this type of activity. (PA Wire) Unlawful information gathering acted like a web around Prince Harry, court hears 15:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Unlawful information gathering activities acted like a web around the Duke of Sussex and was carried out beneath the radar at MGN newspapers, Harrys barrister told the High Court. Resuming his opening of the dukes case after a lunch break, David Sherborne continued to give examples of articles he said were linked to unlawful activities. This included coverage of how Harry spent his 18th birthday, when he was made a godfather and when he contracted glandular fever. Giving examples of payments to private investigators, Mr Sherborne said such activity included the alleged targeting of one of the closest confidantes of the duke, Guy Pelly. These methods acted like a web around the prince in the hope it would catch the valuable information that they sought through these unlawful means, some of which made it in stories, Mr Sherborne said. Beneath the radar we see yet more unlawful information gathering methods being used. Judge expresses surprise at Prince Harrys failure to appear in court today 14:57 , Andy Gregory A judge has expressed his surprise over the Duke of Sussexs absence from the High Court as his individual case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror over alleged unlawful information gathering got under way. He was expected to arrive at court on Monday but his lawyers told the court he will not appear until Tuesday, when he is due to face cross-examination from MGNs barrister. David Sherborne, representing the duke and the other claimants, said as the hearing began on Monday that Harry had flown to the UK from Los Angeles in the US on last night, as he was celebrating his daughter Lilibets second birthday on Sunday. Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was a little surprised to hear the duke would not be attending court on Monday. The judge said he gave a direction earlier in the trial that witnesses should be available the day before their evidence was due to be heard in case the legal teams opening speeches ran short. Details of Princess Dianas letters to Michael Barrymore read out in court 14:41 , Andy Gregory The court has heard excerpts from letters between the late Princess Diana and entertainer Michael Barrymore, in which they discuss secret meetings at a time when he was struggling, which Prince Harrys lawyer claims plainly points to phone hacking. In one of the letters, Diana, the late princess of Wales, wrote: What a joy it was to finally meet you tonight and it was a privilege to share so much with you. I did want to emphasise that Im here for you whenever, its very easy to pop round and see you or please telephone now you have my number anytime. Youre doing just fine and believe me, I know. So take great care and lots of love from Diana. Princess Dianas letters to Michael Barrymore over secret meetings read out in court 14:19 , Andy Gregory David Sherborne, Prince Harrys lawyer, said his late mother Princess Diana was a huge target for MGNs newspapers, adding that certain unlawful activities in relation to her would have also affected Harry. It is part of our case that the interception of her messages would necessarily have involved obtaining information about the young prince, he said. Mr Sherborne then read out letters exchanged between Diana and former television personality Michael Barrymore, which referred to secret and highly sensitive meetings between the pair at a time when the entertainer was in the process of an acrimonious divorce and undergoing treatment for addiction, after it was made public that he was gay. In one of the two letters, Diana referred to being devastated to learn the Daily Mirror had called her office about him and their meetings, which she wrote that she had not told anyone about. Mr Sherborne said that plainly the Daily Mirror had been listening to the voicemail messages and that is how they knew of the secret and highly sensitive meetings between Princess Diana and poor Mr Barrymore. What we know about Prince Harrys latest legal battle 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The eyes of the media are turned to the High Court in London this week as the Duke of Sussex is set to give evidence in his legal action against the publisher of the Mirror. Harry will enter the witness box tomorrow amid an ongoing trial over contested allegations of unlawful information gathering by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). Here we look at why the duke is coming to court and what the case is all about: What we know about Prince Harrys legal battle with Mirror Group Newspapers Barrister gives timeline of when alleged actions began 13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain David Sherborne, for the duke, said: In January 1996 Prince Harry was just 11 years old, that is when his relevant period starts, and it was already a time of high interest for the defendants papers in what the royal family were doing. The barrister said Charles and Diana, the then-princess of Wales, had separated in 1996 and divorced the following year. He added: The first activity we say was directed towards (Harry) is the instruction to the notorious Media Investigations, one of (private investigator) Jonathan Reess aliases. Mr Sherborne said there was evidence showing a payment to Media Investigations on January 3 1996, in relation to Tiggy - a reference which he said was to Harrys former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke. The barrister said an article was published in the Sunday People in January 1996 which was headlined Charles in bust up over Tiggy. He then referred to another article published the same year with the headline Harry rushed to hospital and said it referred to Ms Legge-Bourke being by the dukes side, having driven him to hospital, and was comforting him while his mother was away. Unlawful information gathering began when Harry was young boy at school, barrister claims 13:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain David Sherborne, for the duke, said Harry was subjected to unlawful information gathering activity right from when he was a young boy at school. This carried on through the tragic death of his mother, his time during military training at Sandhurst and into adulthood. The barrister said there was no time in his life when he was safe from this activity, adding: Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds and there was no protection from this unlawful information gathering. Mr Sherborne told the court that some unlawful activity did not always result in an article and said the journalists who wrote the articles being considered during the trial were frequent users of unlawful means. It is likely that they would have used those same means in relation to the Duke of Sussex, Mr Sherborne said. (PA Archive) Sherborne claims phone hacking is not historical activity, court hears 13:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain David Sherborne told the judge that he could draw adverse inferences from MGN journalists not attending the trial to give evidence and vouching for how they obtained information. Harrys barrister told the court that some journalists not being called to give evidence are still employees of the defendant, adding: This activity is not historical, the suggestion that it all took place years ago is misplaced. Mr Sherborne said these journalists were not only still employed by they have reached positions of seniority. The result of that is that there are, we say, a very large number of gaps, Mr Sherborne said. Which leads the court to draw the adverse inferences that we ask. Harrys phone hacked on multiple occasions, Sherborne claims 12:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Prince Harrys barrister David Sherborne claimed that the Duke of Sussexs phone would have been hacked on multiple occasions, telling the court that his details appeared in the palm pilot of a journalist who was one of the most prolific phone hackers. The barrister said Harry was one of the most written about individuals in MGN newspapers, with more than 1,000 articles disclosed to him for the 2007 to 2011 period covered by the Gulati case. MGM made admissions of unlawful gathering in previous trial, Harrys barrister tells court 12:34 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain David Sherborne, for Harry, said there were admissions by MGN of unlawful gathering in the previous High Court trial involving former Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati and others. He said those included admissions relating to articles written by a number of journalists who wrote articles about the duke during the same-time period. The barrister added: We say it is an overwhelming inference ... that these journalists will have used the same unlawful methods to investigate, verify and write stories about Prince Harry, as they did about whichever of the claimants the did in the Gulati trial. Mr Sherborne said there was also people around Harry, including his then confidant Guy Pelly and his father the Kings then press secretary, whose details appeared in the palm pilots of MGN journalists. He said 20 of the 33 articles the judge is considering in relation to Harry were written during that period. Stories about Prince Harrys private lives drove sales, court hears 12:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain David Sherborne continued in his case opening: Its clear that stories about Prince Harrys private life drove sales, its obvious. After all, articles were the ends, the dukes barrister said, adding: These are the ends that justify the means for the defendant. The unlawful means which is what this claim is about. The trial has previously heard that Mirror Group Newspapers unreservedly apologises to the duke for one instance of unlawful information gathering. Andrew Green KC, for the publisher, previously said it was admitted that a private investigator was instructed, by an MGN journalist at The People, to unlawfully gather information about Harrys activities at the Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004. But Mr Sherborne said on Monday: The suggestion that there was just one instance of unlawful information gathering at just one of these newspapers we say is plainly implausible. Details of dukes life too good not to publish, court hears 11:57 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Details of the Duke of Sussexs life were a story too good not to publish, his barrister told the High Court. Continuing his opening of Harrys individual case, David Sherborne gave examples of articles published by Mirror Group Newspaper titles over his lifetime. This included a front-page exclusive when was still a schoolboy about the duke being diagnosed with glandular fever, Mr Sherborne told the court. Another example the barrister gave was a private argument between him and his brother Prince William which featured in a double-page spread in The People title. Mr Sherborne also cited a Daily Mirror story entitled Harrys girl to dump him about his relationship with former girlfriend Chelsy Davy. Every facet of his life even... the ups and downs of his first serious relationships with Ms Davy is still splashed across the paper as an exclusive, Mr Sherborne said. A story too good not to publish, Mr Sherborne said, adding that the relationship was covered in full technicolour glory. An ex-girlfriend of the Duke of Sussex decided a royal life was not for her as a result of alleged unlawful information gathering by journalists at the Mirrors publisher, the High Court was told (PA Archive) Princess Lilibet turns two: Harry and Meghans daughter celebrates very different birthday in US 11:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Princess Lilibet Diana turned two years old on Sunday (4 June). The young royal, who is the second child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, celebrated her first birthday in the UK last year, but this time she was in Montecito, California, where the Sussexes now live after they stepped back from royal duties in 2020. This marks a very different birthday for the family, who celebrated at Frogmore Cottage last year with British relatives in an intimate garden picnic. They were joined by Mike Tindall and Zaras children Mia, nine, Lena, four, and Lucas, two. Other guests included photographer and Chair of the Southbank Centre Misan Harriman and his wife and children, who took Lilibets portrait that day. Harry and Meghans daughter Lilibet celebrates very different birthday in US Prince Harrys barrister says dukes claim against MGN is very significant' 11:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Barrister for the claimants David Sherborne, opening Harrys individual case on Monday, told the court the dukes claim against MGN is a very significant one because it covered a long period between 1996 and 2011 and involved the broadest range of unlawful activity. Mr Sherborne said there were at least 30 different PIs (private investigators) used by MGNs three titles - the Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. He added: There is a reason why this was carried out on such a widespread scale ... and that is because the ends justified the means for the defendant. The barrister said there are 33 sample articles, out of 147 complained of by Harry, which are being considered by the judge for the trial. Mr Sherborne said the 147 were a fraction of all the articles written about the dukes private life during that time, adding that MGN disclosed almost 2,500 articles published about him throughout that period. He said the MGN newspapers had a huge interest in the royal family, the duke in particular, and every aspect of his private life. Judge surprised Harry is a no-show today 11:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The Duke of Sussex was expected to arrive at court on Monday but his lawyers told the court he will not appear until Tuesday, when he is due to face cross-examination from MGNs barrister. David Sherborne, representing the duke and the other claimants, said as the hearing began on Monday that Harry had flown to the UK from Los Angeles in the US last night, as he was celebrating his daughter Lilibets second birthday on Sunday. Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was a little surprised to hear the duke would not be attending court on Monday. The judge said he gave a direction earlier in the trial that witnesses should be available the day before their evidence was due to be heard in case the legal teams opening speeches ran short. Andrew Green KC, for MGN, said he wished to have at least a day and a half to cross examine the duke and was deeply troubled he would not be attending before Tuesday, which may lead to wasted time on Monday afternoon. Prince Harry no longer arriving at High Court today 11:02 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The Duke of Sussex will no longer appear at the High Court today, but instead is expected to arrive at the High Court in London tomorrow. Prince Harry will be giving evidence in person for his case against Mirror Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles. (PA Wire) 10:27 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Prince Harry is due to arrive imminently at the High Court in London for his ongoing phone hacking trial. Stay tuned as we keep you updated with the latest. Ive not been called to give evidence: What Piers Morgan has said about phone hacking accusations 09:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Piers Morgan has strenuously denied knowing anything about phone hacking at the Mirror and said he couldnt give a monkeys cuss about the High Court case brought by Prince Harry. The Duke of Sussex and other celebrities including Coronation Street actors Nikki Sanderson and Michael Le Vell have accused Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) of unlawful information gathering, including phone hacking and the use of private investigators. What Piers Morgan has said about phone hacking accusations Live: Prince Harry arrives at UK court for hearing in his case against Mirror group newspapers 09:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Live: Prince Harry arrives at UK court for hearing in his case against Mirror group newspapers Prince Harry set for witness box showdown in phone hacking trial against tabloid 08:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The Duke of Sussex is due to appear in the witness box this week for a court showdown in his ongoing phone hacking battle against some members of the British press. Prince Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles committed phone hacking and other illegal methods of obtaining personal information. He has accused MGNs papers, which include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, of so-called blagging or gaining information by deception and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities. The duke has been asked to attend court on Monday in case the opening speeches finish before the end of the day, so there is a possibility he may enter the witness box on Monday afternoon. Otherwise he is expected to begin his evidence on Tuesday, when he will face cross-examination from MGNs lawyers. Prince Harry set for witness box showdown in phone hacking trial against tabloid Harry to become first British royal in 130 years to give evidence in court 07:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain Prince Harry will become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for 130 years when he testifies this week in his lawsuit against a newspaper group he accuses of unlawful behaviour. Harry, King Charles younger son, will appear in the witness box at Londons High Court as part of the case he and more than 100 other celebrities and high-profile figures have brought against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. It will be the first time a senior royal has given evidence since Edward VII testified as a witness in part of a divorce case in 1870 and 20 years later in a slander trial over a card game, both before he became king. (Getty) A timeline of Prince Harrys legal battles from phone-hacking to the Home Office 07:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain The Duke of Sussex is due to be cross-examined in the High Court this week as hearings get under way in his case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror over the alleged unlawful gathering of information. Prince Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers for damages, claiming journalists carried out or authorised phone-hacking, blagging or gaining information by deception and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities. Even though he and his wife Meghan moved to California more than three years ago, he remains mired in several legal battles making their way through the British courts. Most of the cases relate to alleged intrusion and illegality by the media behaviour that Harry recently said he now views as his lifes work to curtail. Phone-hacking and Home Office: What legal claims has Prince Harry been involved in? What we know about Harrys latest legal battle 07:00 , Jane Dalton Why the duke is going to court and what the case is all about. Report by Tom Pilgrim of PA: What we know about Prince Harrys legal battle with Mirror Group Newspapers King away on holiday as Harry visits London 05:00 , Jane Dalton The King will miss his sons visit to London as he is due to be in holiday in Romania for five days: King Charles to miss Prince Harrys London visit as he holidays in Romania When Princess Anne appeared in court 03:00 , Jane Dalton It is thought to be the first time a senior member of the royal family has personally appeared in court proceedings since 2002, when the Princess Royal pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act after her pet bit two children in Windsor Great Park. Heres our coverage of the case at the time: Regina v The Princess. Defendant 2595640 is ordered to pay A500 Harry hoped for apology from family' 01:00 , Jane Dalton A month ago, Prince Harry attended the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla but his wife Meghan Markle stayed at home in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The prince arrived at Westminster Abbey alone, and was assigned to sit two rows behind his brother, and then he left alone. The Duke of Sussex has been seeking an apology from his family, according to his television interviews in January. Harry in the third row (Getty Images) Girlfriend article obtained legitimately' Monday 5 June 2023 00:01 , Jane Dalton A 2004 Daily Mirror article about the Duke of Sussexs then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy was obtained legitimately, a former journalist and news editor has told the High Court: Former Mirror journalist says story on Harrys ex Chelsy Davy obtained legally The 33 articles at the heart of the case Sunday 4 June 2023 23:00 , Jane Dalton Some 33 articles, dated between 1996 and 2009, have been selected for examination during the trial of Harrys contested claim against MGN. The company has told the trial in London that it denies that 28 out of the 33 articles involved unlawful information gathering and that it was not admitted for the remaining five articles. The publisher claims the stories came from a range of sources, including information disclosed by royal households or other royals, freelance journalists and news agencies as well as confidential sources with extensive royal contacts. These are the 33 articles: The newspaper articles the Duke of Sussex claims involved unlawful activity Dukes other battles Sunday 4 June 2023 21:00 , Jane Dalton The duke is no stranger to fighting legal cases. Here are his other battles: What to know as Prince Harry prepares to take on a British tabloid publisher in court Three other test cases to be considered Sunday 4 June 2023 19:10 , Jane Dalton Harrys case, alongside those of former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, actor Michael Turner - known professionally as Michael Le Vell - and comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman are being considered as test cases. MGN is contesting the claims over allegations its journalists were linked to voicemail interception, securing information through deception and hiring private investigators for unlawful activities. The publisher says board members have denied knowledge of such activities and claims there is no evidence, or no sufficient evidence, of voicemail interception in any of the four claims chosen as representative cases. Harry is due to enter the witness box this week as the trial focuses on his individual case. Nikki Sanderson (Getty Images) Princes other legal battles Sunday 4 June 2023 18:30 , Jane Dalton Prince Harrys other civil litigation claims include challenges to the government over his security, libel accusations against The Mail on Sunday and allegations of unlawful information gathering against Associated Newspapers Limited: What is happening with Harrys six High Court claims? Simply no evidence for many claims, trial told Sunday 4 June 2023 17:30 , Jane Dalton A lawyer for Mirror Group Newspapers argued as the case opened last month that a very substantial proportion of the articles involved in the case were at a breathtaking level of triviality, saying there was simply no evidence for many of the claims of phone hacking: Simply no evidence for many Mirror phone hacking claims, Prince Harry trial told Private investigator gathered information on prince at nightclub Sunday 4 June 2023 16:35 , Jane Dalton On the first day of the trial last month, a lawyers for MGN, Andrew Green KC, said it was admitted that a private investigator was instructed, by an MGN journalist at The People, to unlawfully gather information about Harrys activities at the Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004. Otherwise, the specified allegations are denied, or in a few cases not admitted, he added. Mr Green said there was a reference to a payment record for 75 in February 2004. He continued: It is admitted that this represented an instruction to engage in unlawful information gathering, and MGN unreservedly apologises and accepts that the Duke of Sussex is entitled to appropriate compensation for it. MGN does not know what information this related to, although it clearly had some connection with his conduct at the nightclub. The barrister said that there was a People article published in February 2004 giving the recollection of a woman Harry spent time with at the club. Mr Green added: The Duke of Sussex notably does not claim in relation to this article, so it is not alleged that this instruction led to the publication of his private information. The fee paid, 75, suggests little work was involved. Mirror Group admitted one instance of unlawful activity Sunday 4 June 2023 15:52 , Jane Dalton When the dukes case began last month, lawyers for the publisher of the Daily Mirror newspaper apologised unreservedly to him for one instance of unlawful information gathering and said the company accepted he was entitled to appropriate compensation: Mirror publisher admits unlawfully gathering information on Prince Harry Harry set to give evidence as he sues Mirror Group Sunday 4 June 2023 15:48 , Jane Dalton Welcome to our live coverage of Prince Harrys case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). The Duke of Sussex is due to arrive at the High Court in London tomorrow and is due to enter the witness box on Tuesday, when he will face cross-examination from MGNs lawyers. Harry is suing the company for damages, claiming journalists carried out or authorised methods of gaining information, including phone hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception and use of private investigators. His claim is being heard alongside three other representative claims during a trial that is due to last six to seven weeks. MGN contests the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them. The publisher also argues some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late. Prince Harry is waging several legal battles against British tabloids Prince Harry has had a turbulent relationship with the media and holds the press responsible for the death of his mother Princes Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she fled from paparazzi. Harry and his wife Meghan in 2020 stepped back from royal duties and relocated to California, in part blaming media attention for the move. The prince has vowed to make reforming the British media his life's mission and has waged several battles with British tabloids over privacy concerns. Here is a breakdown of his ongoing court cases: - Mirror Group Newspapers - Harry is among a number of celebrity claimants seeking damages from Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over unlawful information-gathering, including phone hacking, at its titles. His is one of four representative cases selected for a trial that will also help the court decide the level of damages if their claim is successful. MGN, which published The Mirror, The Sunday Mirror and The Sunday People, at the start of the trial admitted "some evidence" of unlawful information gathering, including for a story about Harry. But it has denied all accusations of voicemail interception and argued that some of the claims have been brought too late. - Associated Newspapers - Several claimants, including Harry and pop star Elton John, are taking legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday tabloids over alleged breaches of privacy. They accuse Associated Newspapers (ANL) of methods such as hiring private investigators, tapping phone calls and impersonating individuals to obtain medical information for articles. Lawyers for the claimants said the alleged unlawful acts were carried out from 1993 to 2011, but some took place as late as 2018. ANL has dismissed the allegations, arguing the case should not go to trial. A ruling is expected at a later date. - ANL libel claim - In another lawsuit against the Daily Mail publisher, Harry is bringing a libel claim over an article about his separate legal battle with the British government over security arrangements while in the UK. The article published by The Mail on Sunday newspaper in February 2022 suggested that Harry tried to keep the legal challenge a secret. ANL is arguing the article did not cause "serious" reputational harm and expressed an "honest opinion". Harry's legal team have asked the court to dismiss ANL's defence or deliver a judgment in his favour without going to trial. A judgment is expected at a later date. - News Group Newspapers - Harry is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), part of Rupert Murdoch's global media empire, for unlawful information-gathering. The publisher of tabloids The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World is asking the court to throw out the claims without trial, arguing they were brought too late. But in documents submitted to court Harry claims the delay in filing a lawsuit against NGN stems from a "secret agreement" between the royal family as an institution and the publisher. NGN denies the existence of such an agreement. A similar claim against NGN was brought by British actor Hugh Grant and the High Court recently ruled to let the case go to trial. acl/phz/bp/leg Prince Harry was a no-show for his trial against U.K. publisher The Mirror on Monday leaving the judge frustrated. The royals lawyer said the Duke of Sussex would be unavailable to testify following opening statements because the 38-year-old had taken a flight from Los Angeles after the birthday of his 2-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet, on Sunday. The prince resides in Montecito, California, with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children. "Im a little surprised," said Justice Timothy Fancourt, noting he had directed Harry to be present for the first day of his case. PRINCESS LILIBET TURNS 2: PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE'S DAUGHTER CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY AWAY FROM ROYAL FAMILY Prince Harry was a no-show on the first day of his court showdown with a British tabloid publisher. Mirror Group Newspapers lawyer, Andrew Green, said he was "deeply troubled" by the princes absence on the trials opening day. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Harry had been scheduled to testify Tuesday, but his lawyer was told last week the duke should attend Mondays proceedings in Londons High Court in case the opening statements concluded before the end of the day. The case against Mirror Group is the first of the princes several lawsuits against the media to go to trial. It is one of three publishers he alleged unlawfully snooped on him for scoops on the royal family. Harrys lawyer, David Sherborne, said phone hacking and forms of unlawful information gathering were carried out on such a widespread scale, it was implausible the publishers newspapers used a private investigator to dig up dirt on the prince only once, which is what they have admitted. "The ends justify the means for the defendant," Sherborne said. Stories about the youngest son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana were big sellers for the newspapers, Sherborne said. He described how some 2,500 articles covered all facets of his life. "There was no time in his life when he was safe from these activities," Sherborne said. "Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds." Mirror Group claimed it used documents, public statements and sources to legally report on the prince. However, Sherborne said it was not hard to infer that Mirror journalists used the same techniques on Harry eavesdropping on voicemails and hiring private eyes to snoop as they did on others. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Prince Harry has spoken out about his distain towards the British press in his memoir "Spare." When he enters the witness box, Harry will be the first member of the British royal family in more than a century to testify in court. He is expected to describe how the media hounded him all throughout his life, as well as impacted his personal relationships. During the trial, Mirror Group's attorney will cross-examine Harry. Harry has blamed ruthless paparazzi for causing the car crash that killed his mother in 1997. She was 36. He also said that harassment and intrusion by the U.K. press prompted him and his wife, a former American actress, to leave the country. According to court documents, Harry said that ongoing tabloid reports made him wonder whom he could trust. He feared that friends and associates were betraying him by leaking private information. He said his circle of friends shrunk as he suffered "huge bouts of depression and paranoia." Relationships fell apart as the women in his life and even their family members were "dragged into the chaos." Harry said that he later learned that the source was not disloyal friends, but rather aggressive journalists and private investigators they hired to eavesdrop on voicemails and track him. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in California with their son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet. Mirror Group Newspapers insisted it did not hack Harrys phone. They argued their articles were based on legitimate reporting techniques. The publisher admitted and apologized for hiring a private eye to dig up dirt on one of Harrys nights out at a bar, but the resulting 2004 article headlined "Sex on the beach with Harry" is not among the 33 in question at trial. Mirror Group has paid more than 100 million pounds ($125 million) to settle hundreds of unlawful information-gathering claims, and printed an apology to phone hacking victims in 2015. However, it denies executives including Piers Morgan, who was editor of the Daily Mirror between 1995 and 2004 knew about hacking. Harry detailed his fury at the U.K. in his memoir "Spare," which was published in January of this year. The prince has also spoken out about his frustration in several televised interviews. PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE 'NOWHERE NEAR DONE' TALKING ABOUT ROYALS, MIGHT MAKE ANOTHER DOCUMENTARY: EXPERT Prince Harry has blamed the paparazzi for the death of his mother Princess Diana. The Princess of Wales passed away in 1997 from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash. She was 36. At the time, the royal was being chased by photographers. The opening statements mark the second phase of a trial in which Harry and three others have accused the Mirror of phone hacking and unlawful information gathering. Sherborne also represents two actors from the soap opera "Coronation Street." He claimed unlawful acts were "widespread and habitual" at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, and carried out on "an industrial scale." Two judges including Fancourt are in the process of deciding whether Harrys two other phone hacking cases will proceed to trial. Several other U.K. outlets have argued that the cases should be thrown out because Harry failed to file the lawsuits within a six-year deadline of discovering the alleged wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Harry's lawyer said he and other claimants should be granted an exception to the time limit because the publishers in questioned lied to hide their illegal actions. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020. FILE - Far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke, Thuringia's AfD parliamentary group leader, speaks at the special plenary session of the Thuringia state parliament in Erfurt, Germany, Jan. 20, 2021. Prosecutors say a prominent figure in the far-right Alternative for Germany party has been charged over his alleged use in a 2021 speech of a slogan used by the Nazis SA stormtroopers. (Michael Reichel/dpa via AP, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) BERLIN (AP) A prominent figure in the far-right Alternative for Germany party has been charged over his alleged use in a 2021 speech of a slogan used by the Nazis' SA stormtroopers, German prosecutors said Monday. Prosecutors in the eastern city of Halle said that Bjorn Hocke was charged with public use of a symbol of an unconstitutional organization. Hocke, an influential figure on the hard right of Alternative for Germany, heads his party's branch in the neighboring eastern state of Thuringia. Hocke is accused of ending a speech to some 250 people in Merseburg in May 2021 with the words Everything for Germany! Prosecutors charge that he was aware of the origin of the phrase as an SA slogan. In a statement, they said Hocke's lawyers had denied that his words had any criminal relevance. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has come under increasing scrutiny from Germany's domestic intelligence agency, which has placed its Thuringia branch under formal observation. Hocke has in the past espoused revisionist views of Germanys Nazi past. In 2018, he called the Holocaust memorial in Berlin a monument of shame and called for Germany to perform a 180-degree turn when it comes to the way it remembers its past. A party tribunal at the time rejected a bid to have him expelled. The charges against Hocke come as Germany's mainstream parties are trading blame for polls showing support for AfD reaching a record high. ST. LOUIS As Russia massed materiel on its border with Ukraine ahead of its invasion in February 2022, commercial satellites orbited overhead. The images and other readings gathered from afar were critical to grasping the situation in Eastern Europe at the time, and their continued dissemination, including through the press, aids public understanding of the war. Among those involved in the capture and distribution of such information is Maxar Technologies, which provides satellite imagery to the Defense Department and intelligence community, among other national security pursuits. In February 2023, for example, the Colorado-based company won an additional round of work on the U.S. Armys One World Terrain, which compiles extremely accurate virtual maps of territory across the globe for military purposes. Its considered a key piece of the services Synthetic Training Environment, an immersive training-and-rehearsal tool. The company is also involved with Project Maven, launched by the Pentagon in 2017 to detect targets of interest in footage captured by uncrewed systems. C4ISRNET reporters interviewed two Maxar executives Tony Frazier, executive vice president and general manager of public sector earth intelligence, and Jennifer Krischer, vice president and general manager of intelligence programs on the sidelines of the GEOINT Symposium in St. Louis. Portions of the interview below, conducted May 23, have been edited for length and clarity. Q: Where do you see the future of One World Terrain and, by extension, the Synthetic Training Environment going? What does that look like? Frazier: We started with a focus of helping the Army modernize its training with geospecific data, with a goal of being able to provide soldiers as realistic an experience as possible. Lt. Gen. Maria Gervais, she was the first cross-functional team lead for the Synthetic Training Environment. Her vision at the time was: If we can have reps and sets with hundreds of experiences in the virtual environment, then we can help soldiers be safe when they actually deploy. That has continued to be the core focus of the program. That being said, as we exposed the data to different parts of the community, there was insatiable demand from the operational users to apply it to current missions. Whether it was in support of the Afghan drawdown, there was data that we provided over Ukraine using it for operational mission-planning was very prominent. Soldiers take part in a Synthetic Training Environment-Information System feedback session in Orlando, Florida, in 2022. (Donnie W. Ryan/U.S. Army) Even the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, there was a reference to One World Terrain, and I think it did a nice job of highlighting the variety of use cases that had been proven out. So what were seeing is, as we build out more complete, global coverage of that capability, being able to use it as a reference layer to integrate other data sources against it, and have all those data sources inherit the same accuracy, that foundation really enables a form of sensor fusion that we havent been able to see at scale. One example that we are demonstrating is how we can apply 3D geo-registration software that uses that reference as a way to take whether its space-based, or airborne, or even an unmanned surface vehicle a sensor feed and use the terrain as a source of registration to tie that down, both in terms of the right location and the right orientation, so that youre able to inherit the same accuracy as that base. Think about a realtime feed from a drone. That would then allow you to be able to know exactly within this type of radius where that pixel is. That, I think, is probably one of the more breakthrough opportunities, in terms of taking it fully operational. Q: How has the conflict in Ukraine shaped or factored into Maxars business? What is that consumption like is there an increased need for satellite imagery or your other products? Frazier: We support a global mission, and weve been providing these capabilities for decades. And you can look at every major event, and Maxar has played a role in that, in some capacity. I think whats unique about Ukraine was that at all phases, the crisis leading to conflict, we were able to, through different channels, expose our capability in a way that was helpful to the mission. The focus of the Defense Department now is integrated deterrence the role that commercial was able to play to bring transparency to what was happening, with troop buildup and, as it pivoted to conflict, what was happening on the ground. The combination of what was exposed through the media, through our partnerships there, along with the fact that the intelligence community, Defense Department, allies and partners were all able to access current imagery over those areas, just allowed a level of interoperability and mission planning that, I think, has helped support the mission, but also helped a lot of decision makers think through ways that can be applied, more broadly. NATO hunger for info driving deals for commercial satellite imagery I know you recently covered the Global Information Dominance Experiments series. One of the things thats helped us do is have conversations with different stakeholders across the community, who have been looking at how do I take the increased commercial collection, some of the innovation thats happening with applied machine learning, so computer vision, to be able to interpret imagery quickly, the types of technology I referenced earlier with our 3D, where we can georeference that data on quick timelines, and then how can that support different forms of experimentation. That is demonstrating how new use cases for how commercial can be applied to the here-and-now missions. Weve supported Project Convergence and Scarlet Dragon; those were examples of exercises and experimentation that we supported with commercial capabilities. I think were seeing that theres a lot of interest. Q: The big news at GEOINT yesterday was Project Maven, with Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth talking about its transition to a program of record. How do you envision Maxar taking part in Project Maven, and what do you hope to contribute? Krischer: Were already contributing to Project Maven. We are generating algorithms around both electro-optical and our synthetic aperture radar imaging capabilities. So object detection, using those different modalities. We also have been working with Project Maven for years now on providing low-latency imagery so that we can run the algorithms against the imagery in a sensor-to-shooter methodology that really resonates with the warfighter. So weve already been doing these things. We envision the future of Maven as being: How do you bring the vast computer-vision algorithms sets to bear on the different missions, whether it be the intel analyst or the warfighter in the field, and how do you enable the warfighter to do these things? Were working kind of hand-in-hand to understand what it needs to be and helping shape the future, so that its not vendor-locked, its really meeting the users where they need the information. Frazier: In our conversations, the intent is to enable geospatial AI at scale. And, as a result, as these capabilities get more mature, you want to be able to take advantage of all the collection thats happening across the constellation. For the U.S. government, the constellation includes commercial as a part of that. Thats why EOCL is electro-optical commercial layer. With the contracts that were awarded to us, and Planet and BlackSky, and then whats being done now to add other modalities, like radar and radio-frequency sensing and the like, the goal is to create an architecture where you can quickly run the algorithms against that source to then get the information out to those users. Geospatial-intelligence agency making strides on Project Maven AI Weve had a lot of use of our existing systems to apply computer vision against the imagery that were hosting and disseminating now, across the community, and now its about how do we actually do this at scale, have more machine-to-machine exploitation at scale. The last couple of decades have been focused on how humans visualize imagery. Q: With Project Maven, and with a lot of these things like Joint All-Domain Command and Control, theres just an incredible amount of collection and data that has to be sorted through. So you cant ignore the AI or ML portion on your side, right? That has to be baked in, basically? Krischer: Absolutely. Frazier: Correct. Q: Is there a need for a One Space Terrain? Maybe with a more artful name? Frazier: I can see that happening. You heard the director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, his comments, about how theyre supporting the lunar mission. And I think, yeah, we need to have an accurate representation of all domains, where we expect to safely navigate, to be able to mitigate threats, et cetera. Severe and potentially damaging thunderstorms are forecast this afternoon across a large swath of Montana on both sides of the continental divide The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a severe weather outlook for Monday, June 5, warning of the risks for severe thunderstorms across a large section of northcentral Montana. The outlook states general thunderstorms are forecast for most of the western half of the state, with a marginal risk of severe and potentially damaging thunderstorms across a wide swath on both sides of the continental divide from Butte to Cut Bank. The strongest storms are forecast to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., which could include gusty winds up to 60 mph, quarter size hail, lightening and periods of heavy rain. Keep an eye to the sky and have multiple ways to receive warnings If outdoors, the National Weather Service warns. Have a plan to seek shelter if threatening weather approaches. When thunder roars, go indoors - or when lightning flashes, dash inside! Also, heavy rain could cause minor flooding problems on streets, poor drainage areas, rural roads, smaller creeks and streams, and low-lying areas. Daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected for the foreseeable future, especially towards the end of the work week. While streams and rivers across Montana are high, forecasters do not currently expect widespread flooding. The situation will continue to be monitored for more specific flooding risks. This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Quarter sized hail, 60 mph hour gusts possible this afternoon Queen Elizabeth's cousin Lord Ivar Mountbatten says it was 'alarming' to be named 'the first gay royal' Lord Ivar Mountbatten attend the drinks reception hosted by Dockers, the San Francisco based apparel brand, at Kensington Palace in June 2014, and Queen Elizabeth II attends a service for the Order of the British Empire at St Paul's Cathedral in 2012. David M. Benett/Getty Images for Dockers, Geoff Pugh - WPA Pool /Getty Images Lord Ivar Mountbatten said it was "alarming" to be named Britain's "first gay royal." Queen Elizabeth's cousin wrote an essay in The Independent about his coming out experience. He said it was less traumatic than the "rejection, bullying and abuse" his husband faced. Lord Ivar Mountbatten, cousin to the late Queen Elizabeth II, opened up in an essay for The Independent about what it was like to come out as Britain's "first gay royal." The essay published on Sunday was titled "As the 'first gay royal', I owe everything to those who struggled for LGBT acceptance." In the essay, Mountbatten wrote about attending Brighton Pride for the first time with his husband, James Coyle, in 2019, and added that his coming out experience was "a lot less traumatic" than Coyle's, who he said endured "rejection, bullying and abuse." "That said, having the world's press shine a huge spotlight on me overnight proclaiming me 'The First Gay Royal' was nonetheless pretty alarming," Mountbatten wrote. "The reaction of my friends and family concerned me a lot, and I wondered if my world would suddenly collapse around me," he added. Mountbatten was previously married to a woman named Penny for 17 years and they have three daughters together. He had been open with Penny about his sexuality, Mountbatten wrote, and after they divorced in 2011 he started dating men. As Insider previously reported, Mountbatten came out in 2016 and he became the first British royal to have a same-sex wedding when he and Coyle tied the knot in Devon, England, in 2018. The Daily Mail reported at the time that Penny walked Mountbatten down the aisle, which was their daughters' idea. The ceremony was attended by 60 people, but no royal family members were in attendance, Insider previously reported. Mountbatten went on to write that his initial fears over his family's reaction were "unfounded." "Absolutely everyone was incredibly supportive, and it soon became clear that in the scheme of things, your sexuality is of no significance to others. In my case, it's fair to say that once I had made that very public leap out of the closet, I wondered what all the fuss was about," he wrote. "To those who have suffered and indeed still suffer prejudice, persecution and even live under the threat of a death sentence, I am humbled and in gratitude to them. For them, I will continue to raise my rainbow flag with pride," he added later in the essay. Mountbatten also unveiled plans to host Queer Spirit, a four-day festival that celebrates all things queer at his home in Bridwell Park, a country house estate in Devon, England, between August 17 and August 21. Prices for weekend tickets start at 125, or around $155 for adults, and concession weekend tickets cost 75, or around $93. Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider A house damaged by a drone in Moscow, May 30, 2023 Member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, Serhiy Rakhmanin said the targets of the drone attack were directly related to the security and defense of the Russian Federation. While its evident that I cannot possess precise knowledge of the intended destinations of the unmanned aerial vehicles that ventured so far into the territory of the Russian Federation, based on the information available to me, there were two targets, which were entirely legitimate, Rakhmanin said during the Radio NV interview, addressing the ongoing debate about whether Ukraine exclusively targets military facilities within Russia. Russian media reported on May 30 that drones had struck at least two residential buildings in Moscow, though their explosive warheads had failed to go off. Video from Russian media also showed at least two of the drones being shot down. Read also: Ukraine wont get F-16 fighters even in six months, says MP The Russian military later said that eight drones had attacked the Russian capital, while initial Russian media put the number at 32. According to the MP, in the context of warfare, targets deemed legitimate are those possessing military or strategic significance for the warring parties. The objects targeted for drone attack in Moscow, Rakhmanin said, were directly related to the security and defense of the Russian Federation. Naturally, as the capital of any country, Moscow is primarily safeguarded, and its air defense systems were operational, he said. Read also: Belgorod Oblast raids only the beginning, Moscow and more to come Ukrainian Defense Minister Consequently, it is important to note that the means employed in the attack do not always hit or reach their intended targets. Nevertheless, based on the information at my disposal, the targets in question were both legitimate and strategic. Although I will refrain from elaborating on their precise nature, it is crucial to acknowledge that no assurance can be given regarding the precision of the strike mission. Rakhmanin underscored Ukraines commitment to adhering to specific rules aimed at preventing or minimizing civilian casualties. I have no recollection of any official statements made by Ukraine regarding plans for these strikes. Nor can I recall any official acknowledgment from Ukraine taking responsibility for conducting said strikes, the MP said. Read also: What Ukraine Needs for an Offensive Operation opinion Moscow experienced a drone attack on May 30, with Russia subsequently accusing Ukraine of being behind it. Meanwhile, Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for the Air Force, referred to the drone attack on Moscow as an outcome of internal issues within the Russian Federation. Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Head of the Office of the President, in response to the news of the drone strikes, cryptically responded that the unmanned vehicles had been seeking to return to their creators. 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 Rare wolverine spotted: Only the second in California in 100 years California scientists are excited about recent sightings of a wolverine, only the second in the state in the last 100 years. Researchers last documented a wolverine in the Golden State between 2008 and 2018 near Lake Tahoe. Since the animal only lives 12 to 13 years, scientists feel this recent animal is a different one. The last confirmed sighting before 2008 was in the 1920s, the CDFW says. Several individuals took wolverine pictures and videos in the Inyo National Forest and Yosemite National Park in May. Officials from the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife analyzed the size, colorings and gate and determined all sightings were of the same animal. RARE FOX ONCE THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT SPOTTED ON CALIFORNIA TRAIL CAMERAS One of the pictures of a wolverine in Yosemite National Park. "Wolverines can travel great distances, making it likely that the recent sightings are all of the same animal," said CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist Daniel Gammons in a statement. "Because only two wolverines have been confirmed in California during the last 100 years, these latest detections are exciting." The animal that looks like a bear is actually the largest member of the weasel family living on terra firma. It is not unusual to find one across Canada and Alaska, areas that get deep snow. Only small populations live in the Rockies and Cascades. Just two months ago, officials reported the first wolverine sighting near Portland, Oregon, in over 30 years. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife feel the animal was just passing through though. FIRST WOLVERINE SIGHTING IN OVER 30 YEARS REPORTED ALONG OREGON RIVER NEAR PORTLAND A wolverine was sighted along the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon. The species grows to 26 to 41 inches long with a bushy 5 to 10-inch tail, according to Britannica.com. The largest males can weigh up to 66 pounds, but most are between 18 and 40 pounds. "The wolverine is noted for its strength, cunning, fearlessness, and voracity, and the species is renowned for its ability to face down and fight larger predators that are more than twice its size," the encyclopedia states. One can travel up to 30 miles in search of food, mainly alone and at night. The carnivore calls porcupines, squirrels, moose, deer and livestock a meal. EXTREMELY RARE WHITE KANGAROOS SPOTTED AT AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY File: A Scandinavian wolverine bearing teeth. Hunters have thinned the population worldwide. Wolverine fur became popular as trim on winter outerwear because the strands are smooth and frost brushes off easily. Ranchers and farmers reduce the population, too, through hunting and poisoning because the wolverines attack livestock, according to Britannica. "Scientists studying North American wolverines have observed significant population declines in regions experiencing sharp decreases in snowpack," continues the encyclopedia. The California Endangered Species Act lists the animal as threatened. Health and fitness clubs were heavily impacted by the government-mandated COVID-19 closures at the start of the pandemic in 2020. For LA Fitness and its parent company Fitness International, it equated to months of closed facilities that were generating no revenue but requiring monthly lease payments. There was a great deal of conjecture about whether the force majeure provisions in leases would shield businesses that were required to close due to governmentally issued mandates from their payment obligations under their leases. These clauses typically relieve parties from the performance of some or all contractual obligations, and from the consequences of failing to perform those obligations, where performance is rendered effectively impossible by circumstances beyond their control. Many thought the COVID closure fit the bill for the application of such provisions to a tee, and litigation would surely ensue. Lawsuits were indeed filed, and one of the first cases over this exact question to reach conclusion by a state appellate court was decided recently in favor of the landlord for an LA Fitness location in Bradenton. The states Second District Court of Appeal affirmed the lower courts summary judgment ruling and found the health club would not be entitled to a refund of its lease payments made during the mandated closure period. The company made all rent payments required under the lease during the lockdown, which was from March 17 to June 12, 2020, but it eventually filed suit in August 2021 seeking a refund of those payments. It primarily based its claims on the leases force majeure clause, arguing that it was excused from paying rent during the closure period, and it also relied upon the common law doctrines of frustration of purpose, impossibility of performance, and impracticability of performance. In response, the landlord argued that the required closure did not preclude or restrict the tenant from performing its contractual obligation to pay rent, which it in fact paid. It also contended that the lease did not require the tenant to operate continuously, nor did it restrict the tenants permissible use solely to operating a health club. Therefore, it asserted that neither the force majeure clause nor the equitable doctrines of frustration, impossibility, or impracticability applied. The trial court agreed, and it found that while the use of the premises was limited by the COVID restrictions, no evidence suggest[ed] that [Landlord] precluded use of the premises or did anything to interfere with [Tenants] use of the premises. It also found the landlord had not failed to perform any act required by the lease. Oscar R. Rivera is the managing shareholder of the Coral Gables-based law firm of Siegfried Rivera. The court concluded that the force majeure clause did not apply to excuse the health clubs rent obligation, and the landlord was not in breach of the terms of its lease by refusing to abate the rent during the closure period. In the subsequent appeal, the landlord advanced various arguments against the equitable doctrines, primarily maintaining that none apply if the relevant risk was foreseeable. It noted that the risk of government restrictions was foreseeable because the force majeure clause specifically mentions the risk of restrictive laws. The tenant asserted that its rent obligation was excused during the closure period because the landlord was in breach of its contractual warranty that the tenant would have the right to operate a health club throughout the term of the lease. The appellate panel unanimously disagreed, finding that the meaning of the language in question in the lease agreement only warranted that LA Fitnesss use of the premises as a health club would not violate any exclusive use rights that the landlord had granted or could grant to other tenants. The landlord never warranted that the tenant would have the right to operate a health club from the premises throughout the term. As to the question of whether the closure constituted a covered event under the leases force majeure clause, the panel found that the government-mandated restrictions unquestionably were restrictive laws. However, it rejected the tenants argument that the restrictions hindered or prevented it from performing its obligation to pay rent, which it had paid during the closure period, and found that the landlord had not agreed to forgive the tenants rent obligation if government-mandated restrictions prevented it from using the premises in a particular manner. The panel concluded that it is mindful of the hardships that Tenant and countless other businesses faced at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but neither the lease nor the equitable doctrines pled supported relief from the tenants payment obligations. With this ruling, Florida businesses with similar lease provisions have been put on notice as to how the states courts are likely to view their arguments in analogous cases. The courts may sympathize with all the affected businesses and organizations, but they will rule in accordance with the applicable laws, contractual terms and legal doctrines, and they will be likely to find in favor of the landlords in similar cases. Oscar R. Rivera is the managing shareholder of the Coral Gables-based law firm of Siegfried Rivera and heads the firms Real Estate Law Practice Group. He is a regular contributor to the firms real estate law blog at www.FloridaRealEstateLawyerBlog.com. ORivera@SiegfriedRivera.com, www.SiegfriedRivera.com, 305-442-3334. Is it real or made by AI? Europe wants a label for that as it fights disinformation FILE - European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova addresses the plenary at the European Parliament in Brussels, Thursday, March 25, 2021. The European Union is pushing online platforms like Google and Meta to step up the fight against false information by adding labels to text, photos and other content generated by artificial intelligence, EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said Monday. (Yves Herman, Pool via AP, File) LONDON (AP) The European Union is pushing online platforms like Google and Meta to step up the fight against false information by adding labels to text, photos and other content generated by artificial intelligence, a top official said Monday. EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said the ability of a new generation of AI chatbots to create complex content and visuals in seconds raises fresh challenges for the fight against disinformation. She said she asked Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and other tech companies that have signed up to the 27-nation bloc's voluntary agreement on combating disinformation to work to tackle the AI problem. Online platforms that have integrated generative AI into their services, such as Microsoft's Bing search engine and Google's Bard chatbot, should build safeguards to prevent malicious actors from generating disinformation, Jourova said at a briefing in Brussels. Companies offering services that have the potential to spread AI-generated disinformation should roll out technology to recognize such content and clearly label this to users, she said. Google, Microsoft, Meta and TikTok did not respond immediately to requests for comment. Jourova said EU regulations are aimed at protecting free speech, but when it comes to AI, "I dont see any right for the machines to have the freedom of speech. The swift rise of generative AI technology, which has the capability to produce human-like text, images and video, has amazed many and alarmed others with its potential to transform many aspects of daily life. Europe has taken a lead role in the global movement to regulate artificial intelligence with its AI Act, but the legislation still needs final approval and won't take effect for several years. Officials in the EU, which also is bringing in a separate set of rules this year to safeguard people from harmful online content, are worried that they need to act faster to keep up with the rapid development of generative AI. Recent examples of debunked deepfakes include a realistic picture of Pope Francis in a white puffy jacket and an image of billowing black smoke next to a building accompanied with a claim that it showed an explosion near the Pentagon. Politicians have even enlisted AI to warn about its dangers. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen used OpenAIs ChatGPT to craft the opening of a speech to Parliament last week, saying it was written with such conviction that few of us would believe that it was a robot and not a human behind it. European and U.S. officials said last week that they're drawing up a voluntary code of conduct for artificial intelligence that could be ready within weeks as a way to bridge the gap before the EU's AI rules take effect. Similar voluntary commitments in the bloc's disinformation code will become legal obligations by the end of August under the EU's Digital Services Act, which will force the biggest tech companies to better police their platforms to protect users from hate speech, disinformation and other harmful material. Jourova said, however, that those companies should start labeling AI-generated content immediately. Most digital giants are already signed up to the EU disinformation code, which requires companies to measure their work on combating false information and issue regular reports on their progress. Twitter dropped out last month in what appeared to be the latest move by Elon Musk to loosen restrictions at the social media company after he bought it last year. The exit drew a stern rebuke, with Jourova calling it a mistake. Twitter has chosen the hard way. They chose confrontation, she said. Make no mistake, by leaving the code, Twitter has attracted a lot of attention, and its actions and compliance with EU law will be scrutinized vigorously and urgently. Twitter will face a major test later this month when European Commissioner Thierry Breton heads to its San Francisco headquarters with a team to carry out a "stress test," meant to measure the platform's ability to comply with the Digital Services Act. Breton, whos in charge of digital policy, told reporters Monday that he also will visit other Silicon Valley tech companies including OpenAI, chipmaker Nvidia and Meta. ___ AP reporter Jan M. Olsen contributed from Copenhagen, Denmark. mbryo-Tax-Rebatejpg.jpg Embryo-Tax-Rebatejpg - Credit: Photo-illustration by Matthew Cooley. Images in illustration by Adobe Stock, 2 Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature introduced a package of bills this week to clarify the states abortion ban, 174 years after it became law. The 1849 ban, which criminalizes abortion in every circumstance, except to save the pregnant persons life, went back into effect last June after 50 years of obsolescence. Its a deeply unpopular law: By margins of 2 to 1, voters said it should be repealed in every single county where the question was on the ballot this April. (In a statewide judicial election held the same day, the pro-choice candidate who, it is widely assumed, will vote to strike the ban down when it is challenged at the state Supreme Court next term won by 11 points.) More from Rolling Stone But Republicans in Wisconsin cant seem to grasp this obvious truth. Rather than repeal the 1849 ban, as Democrats have proposed, a group of GOP lawmakers led by 32-year old Sen. Romaine Quinn touted a total of four bills they hope will make the pre-Civil War law more palatable to modern Wisconsinites. Included in the package is an offer that has become trendy among antiabortion ideologues: tax breaks for embryos. LRB-2486 would allow parents to claim an exemption on their tax returns for unborn children for whom a fetal heartbeat has been detected. Co-sponsor Rep. Donna Rozar made the proposals intent crystal clear: The bill, she said, recognizes an unborn child as a distinct human being prior to birth by allowing the child to be claimed as a dependent. The point isnt to support Wisconsin families the point is to change the definition of when life begins as part of an effort to enshrine in Wisconsin law the dangerous and dehumanizing concept of fetal personhood. Its all part of an effort to extend Constitutional rights to fertilized eggs a legal theory that simultaneously revokes the rights of the individuals carrying those pregnancies. Wisconsin Republicans arent the first to try this: Georgias Department of Revenue announced in August any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat could be claimed as a dependent on state tax returns. The representative behind Georgias LIFE Act, which created the tax break, later admitted in a leaked video that the credit was all part of a gambit to get the Supreme Court to recognize fetal personhood: Were going to take this to the highest court in the land. The consequences of a ruling recognizing fetal personhood are difficult to overstate: The moment that an embryo is recognized as a person with rights, virtually any behavior that poses any kind of risk to a pregnancy can be criminalized or litigated. In one infamous case, an Alabama woman was charged with manslaughter for losing her pregnancy after she was shot in the stomach by another person. (That case was dismissed after a public outcry.) In another instance, a court allowed a woman who was hit by a car while seven months pregnant to be sued by her future child for negligence because she failed to use a designated crosswalk. Wisconsin Republicans apparently think bodily autonomy comes pretty cheap: The credit theyre offering is $1,000. Thats one-third of the tax break you can get in Georgia, in case youre comparison shopping dystopian hellscapes. Also included in the package of bills is $1 million in funding for crisis pregnancy centers, $5 million in funding to support state adoption programs, and language to clarify that the 1849 ban does not apply to a medical procedure or treatment designed or intended to prevent the death of a pregnant woman. Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an OB-GYN who stopped practicing in Wisconsin when the ban went into effect and a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the law, says the new language would do little to alleviate the burden on healthcare providers. Imagine if you had chest pain, and you went to the emergency department, and your doctors said, Yes, I know exactly what to do to take care of you, but the Wisconsin Legislature has enacted some laws that could potentially put me in jail for doing the things that I know to be medically correct; let me call a lawyer before I take care of you, Lyerly says. Now replace chest pain with vaginal bleeding. It is exactly the same thing. Our Legislature is preventing doctors from taking care of Wisconsinites, from providing evidence-based, appropriate, standard-of-care medicine, and threatening to throw us in jail. It remains unclear if the new proposal has sufficient support to advance through both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature. A previous proposal, floated in March, that would have added exceptions for rape and incest to the 1849 law failed to advance to a vote on the Senate floor. (Discussion on this specific proposal is unnecessary, Republican Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said at the time.) But there is reason to believe this proposal might be viewed differently: The most prominent anti abortion groups in the state Wisconsin Family Action, Pro-Life Wisconsin, Wisconsin Right to Life, and the Catholic Conference all of whom opposed the rape and incest exceptions, have announced support for the package. If Republicans in Wisconsin truly wanted to support mothers, there is an existing proposal they could throw their weight behind: a bill that would expand Medicaid coverage for new mothers for up to one year. Today, Wisconsin is one of only a handful of states that kicks new moms off public health care coverage just 60 days after giving birth. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has repeatedly pushed for a 12-month extension a proposal that was rejected by Republicans in the Legislature twice before. But expansion is particularly critical in Wisconsin now that the 1849 law is back in effect: Multiple studies have shown that the rate of maternal mortality spikes in states with abortion bans. More moms die in the postpartum period than when theyre pregnant or during the time of delivery. The postpartum period is a really important time for moms to be able to get medical care, Lyerly says. Republican lawmakers, Lyerly says, are not making logical decisions. All of the decisions that they are making are so political and so divisive and not in the best interests of Wisconsinites and Wisconsin families. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. FILE - U.S. infantrymen wade through the surf as they land at Normandy in the days following the Allies' June 1944, D-Day invasion of occupied France. (AP Photo/Bert Brandt, File) OMAHA BEACH, France (AP) The D-Day invasion that helped change the course of World War II was unprecedented in scale and audacity. As veterans and world dignitaries commemorate the 79th anniversary of the operation, heres a look at some details about what happened: WHO TOOK PART Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States, 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with Gen. Charles de Gaulle against the Nazi occupation. They faced around 50,000 German forces. More than 2 million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day. WHERE AND WHEN The sea landings started at 6:30 a.m. local time, just after dawn, targeting five code-named beaches, one after the other: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Sword, Juno. The operation also included actions inland, including overnight parachute landings on strategic German sites and U.S. Army Rangers scaling cliffs to take out German gun positions. Around 11,000 Allied aircraft, 7,000 ships and boats, and thousands of other vehicles were involved in the invasion. VICTIMS ON ALL SIDES A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself, including 2,501 Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities killed around 20,000 French civilians. The exact German casualties aren't known, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. About 22,000 German soldiers are among the many buried around Normandy. SURVIVORS A few thousand D-Day veterans may be still alive; the youngest are in their late 90s. A few dozen are in Normandy for the 79th anniversary. Charity organizations and local French residents helped organize their trip back to the beaches of D-Day, including providing travel and housing to ensure they could make the journey. Next year, world leaders are expected for major commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the invasion. WASHINGTON House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced Monday that his panel will start proceedings to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress, a move the agency called "unwarranted." The FBI briefed Comer and Oversight Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., on Capitol Hill for more than an hour Monday and offered them the chance to review a document that purportedly describes an allegation that Joe Biden accepted a bribe as vice president. Speaking to reporters outside the secure briefing site afterward, Comer said the "FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody" of the committee. "And we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday." "FBI officials confirmed that the unclassified FBI-generated record has not been disproven and is currently being used in an ongoing investigation," he said. Raskin told reporters he wasnt aware of an ongoing investigation, but he said hes also not privy to some information accessible to Comer. He said he knows there have been published reports about an ongoing investigation in Delaware by the U.S. attorney related to the president's son Hunter Biden. In a statement, the FBI said it had been cooperative with Comer's request. The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the committees request, including by producing the document in a reading room at the U.S. Capitol. This commonsense safeguard is often employed in response to congressional requests and in court proceedings to protect important concerns, such as the physical safety of sources and the integrity of investigations," the statement said. "The escalation to a contempt vote under these circumstances is unwarranted, it added. The White House has criticized the investigations, arguing the probes are politically motivated and designed to hurt Bidens re-election chances. Ian Sams, the White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, said in a statement Monday that the committee's move was "another fact-free stunt staged by Chairman Comer not to conduct legitimate oversight, but to spread thin innuendo to try to damage the President politically and get himself media attention." Comer subpoenaed the FBI last month to obtain the FBI document, called an FD-1023, which he and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, claimed describes an alleged criminal scheme involving Biden when he was vice president "relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions." Comer has alleged the scheme involved a $5 million payment from a foreign national in exchange for a policy outcome. Raskin said Monday that the FBI team provided context to the document, saying former Attorney General William Barr named Scott Brady, then the U.S. attorney for Western Pennsylvania, to look into allegations from Trump ally Rudy Giuliani. Raskin said that investigation has ended. "So if theres a complaint, the complaint is with Attorney General William Barr, the Trump Justice Department and the team that the Trump administration appointed to look into it," Raskin said. The FBI and Brady reviewed the allegation when it was made in 2020, as well as other information about Hunter Bidens dealings in Ukraine, a senior law enforcement official said Friday. The bribery allegation, however, wasn't substantiated, the official said. Comer had threatened to hold Wray in contempt over the document after the FBI declined to provide it. An FBI official told Comer in a letter last month that Justice Department policy strictly limits when and how confidential human source information can be provided outside of the FBI." In a statement Monday night, Raskin said, "Comer's actions prove that his interest in issuing this subpoena was never about seeking the truth, but was always about weaponizing the powers of this Committee." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images A number of Republican presidential candidates, including Ron DeSantis, have criticized Donald Trump after the former president again praised the dictatorial leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. The intervention from Trumps rivals, who have largely avoided attacking the influential frontrunner, comes as a rare moment of dissension during the campaign. Trump posted a message of support for Kim to his Truth Social site on Saturday, after North Korea was appointed to the board of the World Health Organization. Congratulations to Kim Jung [sic] Un! Trump wrote. He posted a link to an article about the appointment to the WHO, which is an agency of the UN. Trumps praise of Kim has prompted controversy before. In 2018, at a rally in Virginia, the former president spoke about how he and Kim fell in love as they got to know each other as world leaders and how Kim had written him beautiful and great letters. Those letters later turned up among classified documents Trump retained after he lost the presidency to Joe Biden in 2020, becoming a focus of an investigation by the special counsel appointed by the US attorney general, Merrick Garland. The latest round of positivity which Trump directed at Kim again kicked up a political firestorm. Over the weekend DeSantis, who announced his campaign for president in May, and Nikki Haley condemned the move. Kim Jong-un is a thug and a tyrant, and he has tested ballistic missiles against our allies, Haley told NBC News. Hes threatened us. Theres nothing to congratulate him about. I mean, hes been terrible to his people. Hes been terrible to America, and we need to stop being nice to countries that hate America. Haley, a former governor of South Carolina who served as an ambassador to the UN during the Trump administration, is running a long-shot bid for the presidency. DeSantis, who is expected to be Trumps closest rival for the GOP nomination, said he was surprised Trump had praised a murderous dictator, USA Today reported. Mike Pence, Trumps former vice-president who is expected to launch a presidential campaign this week, was similarly critical. Whether its my former running mate or anyone else, nobody should be praising the dictator in North Korea or praising the leader in Russia, who has launched an unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, Pence said in an interview with Fox News. This is a time when we ought to make it clear to the world that we stand for freedom and we stand with those who stand for freedom. Asa Hutchinson, a former Arkansas governor whose presidential campaign is yet to make much of a dint on the national stage, tweeted on Saturday: Kim Jong-un, the tyrant dictator in North Korea should not be praised by Donald Trump for a leadership role in the World Health Organization. We sanction leaders who oppress their people. We do not elevate them on the world stage. North Korea was added to the WHO executive board on 25 May in a move that human rights advocates condemned. North Korea, a regime that starves its own people, was just elected to the @WHO Executive Board, Hillel Neuer, the executive director of the Geneva-based human rights organization UN Watch, wrote on Twitter. What this means is that one of the worlds most horrific regimes is now a part of a group that sets and enforces the standards and norms for the global governance of health care. It is an absurd episode for a key UN agency that is in much need of self-reflection and reform. Trumps praise for Kim and North Koreas ascension to the WHO was surprising given his contempt for the organization while in office. The then-president suspended US funding to the WHO in 2020, accusing it, without evidence, of withholding information, and of being too close to China. Trump later withdrew the US from the WHO; Joe Biden rejoined the organization in one of his first acts in office. By Tim Reid (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, U.N. ambassador under former President Donald Trump, went after her ex-boss and 2024 rival Ron DeSantis on Sunday over their refusal to say whether they want Ukraine to win its war against Russia. In recent town hall events, Trump, the favorite for the Republican presidential nomination, said that he wanted the war to end, but that he would help Ukraine and Russia negotiate a settlement. Florida Governor DeSantis, Trump's nearest rival for the Republican nomination, said recently that he supports a settlement to the war, and that he hopes fighting will end by the time the next president takes the oath of office in January 2025. Haley, the only woman in the race for the Republican nomination, lambasted DeSantis for saying this year that Ukraine was a "territorial dispute", a comment that drew widespread criticism and that he has since walked back. "For them to sit there and say that this is a territorial dispute - that's just not the case, or to say that we should stay neutral," Haley told voters in the early nominating state of Iowa during a televised CNN town hall event. "It's in the best interest of our national security for Ukraine to win," she added. Ukraine is an issue that divides Republicans, because of an isolationist streak among many of the party's primary voters. Haley, 51, a former South Carolina governor, declared her White House bid in February but finds herself in a crowded Republican field that will reach double digits this week with the entrance of more contenders, including former Vice President Mike Pence. Trump dominates the field among potential Republican primary voters with 49% support. DeSantis is next with 19%. There is a yawning chasm between them and the rest of the field, including Haley; she has just 4% support, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll conducted in May. Haley and many of her rivals polling in single digits are trying to differentiate themselves from DeSantis, in the hope that he stumbles and they can become the main alternative to Trump. But some have also begun to criticize Trump himself, after months of shrinking away from attacking the former president out of a fear of alienating his hardcore supporters. On Sunday she also criticized Trump for congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week after the country was elected to the executive board of the World Health Organization. Trump has also praised the North Korean leader in the past. "Kim Jong Un is a thug," Haley said. "I don't think we should congratulate dictators." Trump also took fire from DeSantis and Pence over congratulating Kim, in separate weekend events in Iowa, the state that kicks of the nominating battle next year. (Reporting by Tim Reid in Los Angeles. Editing by Gerry Doyle) (Bloomberg) -- Two senior Republican lawmakers who want to keep European Union ESG measures from gaining traction in the US are asking the Biden administration for details on coordination efforts. Most Read from Bloomberg An EU-style climate regulatory regime would harm the US energy, agriculture and financial sectors, Senator Tim Scott, ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, and Representative James Comer, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability wrote in letters sent Monday to the heads of the Treasury Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission. At the heart of the issue are three EU environmental, social and governance rules, some still being hashed out, that would be among the worlds most expansive corporate disclosure regulations related to supply chains. The lawmakers letters highlight a growing concern that EU rules to address a changing climate and global labor standards are fast outpacing US regulators efforts to draft and finalize their own. The SECs proposed climate disclosure rule, for example, has yet to be finalized and is almost certain to be mired in litigation for months if not years before it could go into effect. That means the EU could emerge as the standard-setter. We are deeply concerned that US agencies under the Biden administration are either passively allowing a foreign body to regulate American companies or are willfully circumventing the US regulatory process by actively coordinating with foreign governments to dictate climate and economic policy to US companies, they wrote. An SEC spokeswoman said Chair Gary Gensler will respond to members of Congress directly, rather than through the media. The Treasury Department didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Legal Headaches The lawmakers asked Gensler and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for information on their cooperation with EU counterparts on corporate disclosure regulations. They want details on meetings since January 2021 related to the rules, including discussions with European regulators as well as with climate and sustainability advocacy organizations like Persefoni and Ceres. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive has particularly caused heartburn for companies because it would open them up to a potential tsunami of litigation for failing to clean up their supply chains. The rule would make companies accountable for environmental, human rights and other violations by their suppliers. Bankers based in Europe have been sounding alarms about the so-called CS3D. Now, many US companies are waking up to the fact that they could also be swept into the regulatory regime if they generate a certain amount of revenue in the EU. Financial-services firms fear the rule could place burdensome due-diligence requirements not just on them but also their suppliers and any subsidiary funds or companies theyre invested in. The EU parliament on June 1 pushed back against efforts to ease some of the legislations requirements on companies. Comer has opposed ESG practices, calling the movement window dressing for liberal activism. In 2015, he said he didnt believe in global warming. Scott has been a critic of how climate or sustainability regulations affecting businesses might influence the cost and availability of insurance. (Updates with SEC comment, background starting in sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. A group of 11 House Republicans is sounding the alarm on Interior Secretary Deb Haaland's potential conflicts of interest related to an action she took last week restricting oil and gas drilling. The Republicans, led by Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., wrote to Haaland and top Interior Department ethics official Heather Gottry, expressing concern about how her and her family's past activism may have influenced the action. On Friday, Haaland finalized a ban on fossil fuel leasing within 10 miles of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. "Under the standards of ethical conduct, federal government officials are required to recuse from particular matters involving specific parties where a person with whom he has a covered relationship is or represents a party to such matter, unless authorized by the agency to participate," the Republican lawmakers wrote. "Furthermore, a federal government official is barred from using their position for the private gain of family members or nonprofit organizations," the letter continued. BIDEN ADMIN HIT WITH LAWSUITS FOR HIDING COMMUNICATIONS INVOLVING CABINET SECRETARYS DAUGHTER The letter noted that Haaland has been involved with the Pueblo Action Alliance (PAA), a New Mexico-based environmental and cultural group that has advocated against new leasing near Chaco Canyon. PAA Executive Director Julia Bernal boasted in 2021 that she met personally with Haaland, whom she referenced as "Auntie Deb," about the group's broad opposition to oil and gas leasing. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Haaland's daughter Somah has also worked for PAA and even lobbied on behalf of the group against new leasing near Chaco Canyon during a trip late last year to Washington, D.C. NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES DEPENDENT ON FOSSIL FUEL RESOURCES RIP BIDEN ADMIN FOR DOUBLE STANDARD "Prior to joining the Biden Administration as Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Secretary Haaland was evidently involved with the Pueblo Action Alliance, a New Mexico based environmental and social justice organization that frequently engages in advocacy, protests, and lobbying throughout the United States," the letter stated. "PAA and its leaders advocate for the dismantling of Americas economic and political system and believe America is irredeemable because there is no opportunity to reform a system that isnt founded on good morals or values," it added. "PAAs work includes efforts to restrict domestic oil and gas production." In addition, the letter cited Haaland's latest ethics filing, which showed her husband Skip Sayre does consulting work for the Laguna Development Corp., a firm that is affiliated with the Laguna Pueblo, an Indigenous tribe. Like the PAA, the tribe has advocated in favor of a buffer zone around Chaco Canyon where new leasing would be banned. Somah Haaland, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland's daughter, speaks during a virtual event hosted by The Wilderness Society in October. "One of Congresss most essential duties is overseeing federal agencies and the cabinet secretaries who lead them," Westerman told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Recently, weve discovered concerning ties between Secretary Haaland and the radical environmental and social justice advocacy group Pueblo Action Alliance, as well as other potential conflicts of interests from her household she is required by law to disclose." "These alliances raise ethical concerns about Secretary Haalands conflict of interest over specific activities like her recent decision to further restrict domestic oil and natural gas production at a site in New Mexico," he added. "The committee is calling on Secretary Haaland to shed light on these ties between her family and this extremist group so we can determine the potentially unethical way these types of decisions are being made throughout the federal bureaucracy." The Republicans' letter concluded by listing a series of related questions about Haaland's ethics obligations and communications with PAA. Meanwhile, in April, government watchdog organization Protect the Public's Trust filed two federal lawsuits against the Department of the Interior, alleging the agency and its subagency Bureau of Land Management have stonewalled information requests demanding communications involving Somah Haaland. PAA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The Interior Department declined to comment. A researcher had trouble getting mosquitoes to bite him after eating lots of garlic. Here are the factors that keep these insects away. A researcher had trouble getting mosquitoes to bite him after eating lots of garlic. Here are the factors that keep these insects away. Close-up of a mosquito sucking blood from a human. Shutterstock A researcher looking at mosquito-repelling techniques said eating garlic kept mosquitoes away. Drinking beer, on the other hand, may attract mosquitoes. Insect repellents like DEET and picaridin can reliably keep the biting insects off your skin. In the battle to keep mosquitoes from biting this summer, what you eat could make a difference. While researching techniques to repel mosquitoes, a postdoctoral researcher in Duke biology professor Ke Dong's lab said that garlic kept the insects away. The researcher needed mosquitoes to be attracted to his hand for an experiment, but couldn't get them to come. "His experiments were not working because he was eating a lot of Italian food with a lot of garlic," Dong told Axios. There isn't yet any conclusive evidence that eating garlic keeps mosquitoes off skin in fact, a 2005 study on the subject found that eating garlic made no difference in whether mosquitoes were interested in biting humans or not. Eating that garlic-laden pizza may or may not keep mosquitoes from biting, but you might want to avoid washing it down with a beer. A few studies suggest beer-drinking increases a person's attractiveness to mosquitoes. There are several other factors that could explain why certain people are mosquito magnets, including genetics, skin microbiome, pregnancy, and propensity to sweat. If you're looking for more surefire ways to avoid bites this summer, the CDC recommends using bug repellents like DEET and picaridin. Wearing clothing treated with permethrin, a mosquito-killing insecticide, also helps. On days when mosquito encounters are unavoidable, consider taking an oral antihistamine like Allegra or Claritin a few hours before exposure they're more effective at tamping down swelling and itching than topical products, and just one dose will give you all-day relief. Read the original article on Insider Resident of collapsed Iowa building suing property owner as remains of three people recovered from rubble A resident of the apartment building that partially collapsed in Davenport, Iowa last week, has filed a lawsuit against the property owner, the city as well as engineers and contractors who worked on the building- citing negligence. The complaint, filed in Scott County court on Monday (5 June) was filed on behalf of Dayna Feuerbach who lived in The Davenport at the time of its collapse. It accuses the buildings owner, Andrew Wold, and companies of failing to maintain the building to keep tenants safe. It also accuses the city of failing to act on multiple warnings about the buildings structural integrity, according to NBC News which obtained a copy. Despite knowledge of the inevitable nature of this collapse, neither Wold, the City of Davenport, nor the licensed engineers ordered the necessary evacuation of the building, the complaint alleges. The lawsuit comes just hours after Davenport Police Department confirmed they recovered the remains of three previously missing tenants: Branden Colvin Sr, 42, Daniel Prien, 60, and Ryan Hitchcock, 51. In a press conference on Monday morning, Davenport Police Chief Jeffery Bladel said: We dont have any other information at this time and theres any additional people missing and or related to this incident. Mr Bladel said the city was initiating an investigation into the collapse with the Davenport Fire Marshalls Office, the division of criminal investigation, the medical examiners office and other organisations of the city. Documents and reports released after the partial collapse revealed that engineers flagged structural issues with the facade of the building and indicated it was at risk of falling in the days before it fell. Months before the incident, city officials and the buildings owner were warned of parts of The Davenport that were unstable. One former maintenance employee told The Independent he warned the owner of the buildings deteriorating conditions. More follows Retired MS state trooper charged with assault wants to punish an accuser, lawsuit says A retired Mississippi state trooper arrested on misdemeanor charges for allegedly assaulting two Hancock County Justice Court clerks has filed a lawsuit against one of the victims. Dale Conrad Decamp Sr., of Bay St. Louis, filed the lawsuit in Hancock County Court over one criminal allegation that one of the clerks made that did not result in a criminal charge. That incident, dubbed the hoodie incident in the lawsuit, accused Decamp of assault for allegedly walking up behind he clerk in the Justice Court office, grabbing her hoodie, and pulling it down over her face. Decamp in the lawsuit accuses the victim of malicious prosecution, intentional infliction of emotional distress and outrageous conduct. He is asking for compensatory and punitive damage in an amount that would punish the alleged victim for signing a criminal affidavit that he claims she knew was false when she filed it. He is also asking for costs to cover attorneys fees and court costs in the civil action. When you file (alleged) false criminal charges, there is a consequence for that, and its called malicious prosecution, Decamps attorney, Tim Holleman, said. They can complain about his conduct all they want. This was nothing more than horseplay, to begin with. Now retired Mississippi Highway Patrol Master Sgt. Dale Decamp served as president of the Mississippi State Troopers Association during his career. Hancock County clerk: This is bullying. The clerk, who is representing herself in the civil case, denies any wrongdoing. The woman is one of two Hancock County Justice Court clerks who signed criminal affidavits that ultimately resulted in Decamps arrest in January on five counts of misdemeanor simple assault. The misdemeanor offense is punishable by a $500 fine and or six months in jail. Its funny how they consider this horseplay when Dale (Decamp) was the only one putting his hands on anyone, unwanted and unprovoked each and every instance, the clerk told the Sun Herald. This is not horseplay. This is bullying. The clerk said Decamp was repeatedly told to stop touching anyone in this office ever again by her supervisor. No one would be allowed to create an environment where any of this type of behavior is considered OK, the clerk said. A video shown to the courtroom during a probable cause hearing on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, shows the incident in which Dale Decamp slaps a woman on the neck at the Justice Court. Criminal case against state trooper Decamp verily believes the two clerks conspired together to pursue the criminal charges and vows to add the second clerk as a defendant in the civil litigation once the criminal case concludes. The Mississippi Highway Patrol first investigated the complaints against Decamp in an internal investigation, but when the agency failed to take any action, the Hancock County Sheriffs Department took over. They filed the criminal charges when the Highway Patrol didnt fire him, Holleman said. His arrest came on Jan. 19 after Judge Larry Bourgeois found enough evidence to charge Decamp on five of the six criminal allegations made against him. The judge issued the ruling ten months after the hearing, during which time Decamp retired from MHP. Dale Conrad Decamp Jr. In the criminal case, Decamp is accused of assaulting the two clerks at different times between March 2020 and January 28, 2021. Decamp has denied any criminal wrongdoing. In Mississippi, a person is guilty of criminal simple assault if they attempt to cause or attempt to cause bodily injury to someone or they purposely, knowingly or recklessly cause bodily injury to someone with a deadly weapon or if they, by physical menace, cause a person to be in fear of imminent, serious bodily injury. This screenshot from a Lake Wales police body camera video shows K-9 Officer Jared Joyner, with an empty leash in his left hand, breaking through brush cover where his K-9 Max has engaged with suspect Earnest Borders. A split second later, Borders shoots Max and, according to LWPD, turns toward the pursuing officers, who open fire. An official review has found that Lake Wales Police Department officers were justified in the fatal shooting last August of an armed suspect who had killed a police dog. Mark Levine, an Assistant State Attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit, released a three-page letter this week describing the investigation he oversaw. The review examined the actions of two Lake Wales officers, Jared Joyner and Esaul Hernandez, who fired multiple shots at Earnest Borders, a suspect found hiding in thick bushes by a police dog. Levine emphasized that the officers knew Borders, 57, was armed and had reportedly fired several shots in a residential area earlier that morning. He wrote that Borders ignored repeated demands from the officers to show his hands and that the officers saw and heard the suspect shoot his gun just before they fired at him. K9 Max and the Lake Wales Police Officers put their lives on the line and bravely did their jobs, Levine wrote. Because of the subjects actions, Officer Jared Joyner and Officer Esaul Hernandez believed that the subject was going to kill them and their fellow officers and were concerned and placed in fear for their safety and lives and for the safety and lives of their fellow officers when they fired their weapons at the subject. More: Domestic violence suspect killed by Lake Wales police after fatally shooting K-9 Also: Three teens arrested in incident that led to Lakeland police officer's shooting The Lake Wales Police Department also released a video this week that included footage recorded by an officers body-worn camera. Though Borders is largely obscured by heavy vegetation, stopped images show him holding a gun and firing a single shot at the police dog, seconds before the officers opened fire. The review determined that Joyner fired approximately 18 times and Hernandez approximately 12 times. Lake Wales officers responded at 5:06 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2022, following two emergency calls from residents of Seminole Avenue. The video released by the department includes excerpts from both calls. In the first call, a woman Levine identified as Borders romantic partner tells a dispatcher that he dragged her out of a car, choked her and hit her head against pavement. The woman, who is not identified in keeping with state law, said Borders then fired a gun several times outside of her apartment. The second caller, another woman, also reported that a man had been firing a gun near her apartment. Levines letter and the annotated video from the Lake Wales Police Department described this scenario: Officers arrived at the apartments on Seminole Avenue and found several casings from a 9mm gun but did not see the suspect. A resident told officers that a bullet had passed through a window of his apartment. A short time later, as officers continued to search for the suspect, Borders girlfriend told officers she had spotted him on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, just to the west. A dispatcher relayed the information to officers in the area, and several units headed to the scene. Hernandez saw the suspect and began to pursue him on foot, as Borders turned onto railroad tracks that cross the road. Officer Christina Bullard arrived in her patrol car, and Hernandez jumped in. Bullard drove on the railroad tracks as the two looked for Borders. Joyner had finished an overnight shift at 5 a.m. but heard the radio call and came to the scene with K9 Max as another officer, Ashley Cockrell, also arrived. The four officers proceeded along the railroad tracks on foot, with Joyner holding the dog on a 15-foot leash. The officers called out multiple times for the suspect to come forward, but Borders did not respond. The video shows K9 Max going into a leafy area to the right of the tracks from the officers. Officers repeatedly call, Come on out, now! and Show me your hands! An officers arm can be seen pointing a gun toward the foliage, along with Joyners outstretched hand, holding a black leash. Within seconds, a man yells from the bushes in what the report describes as Borders reacting to a bite from the police dog. The video, slowed in speed and stopped at certain points, has a superimposed red circle showing a gray object identified as the gun Borders was holding. Former Lake Wales Police officer Jared Joyner is shown with his K9 partner, Max. The dog was killed by a suspect last August before Joyner and another officer fatally shot Earnest Borders. The video shows a gray blur that is identified as a muzzle blast from the gun. A necropsy later determined that Borders fired a single shot into dogs neck. A video caption says that Borders then turned toward the officers. In his letter, Levine wrote that Hernandez saw the suspect raise his arm while holding a black pistol. Officer Hernandez saw the subjects hand come up, and when the subject shot Officer Hernandez stood and delivered, and immediately engaged and shot back, Levine wrote. The video captures a sequence of gun shots fired in quick session over about six seconds. During the violence, Officer Hernandez believed the gun was pointed at him and believed that he was going to be shot and killed by the subject and that he and his fellow officers were about to get shot by the subject and were about to die, Levine wrote. In the LWPD video, a caption states that cameras are worn at or just below chest level and that the angle prohibits viewers from seeing everything the officer saw and experienced. Joyner found K9 Maxs lifeless body beside Borders in the brush. An officer began performing CPR on Borders, and the video shows hands pushing against the mans chest. Borders was taken to AdventHealth Lake Wales and pronounced dead at 7:45 a.m. Officers found a Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol containing six live rounds beside Borders body. The gun was later determined to have been reported stolen from Babson Park in 2021, according to a PCSO report. The Medical Examiners Office for the 10th Judicial Circuit conducted an autopsy and determined that Borders had been struck by at least 15 rounds. Toxicology results detected the presence of cocaine, cough medicine, anti-anxiety medication, a stimulant known as Pentylone and byproducts of cocaine and alcohol consumption. Meanwhile: Lakeland police officer and 13-year-old suspect shot at 10th Street apartment complex The Lake Wales officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave with pay for a short period, according to department policy, Deputy Chief David Black said by email. Joyner has since left the agency, he said. At the time of the incident, Joyner was an 11-year veteran with the department. He was paired with K9 Max in 2015. Any shooting by officers automatically results in reviews by the Polk County Sheriffs Office and the State Attorneys Office and an internal investigation. Black said the agency is continuing its own probe. LWPD Chief Chris Velasquez had no comment on the release of the letter and video, Black said. The Lake Wales Police Department and the Sheriffs Office held a procession the day of the incident for Max, a 7-year-old Belgian shepherd. Joyner drove lead with his fallen partner in his vehicle. Some Lake Wales residents have criticized the police department for not releasing the body-camera video soon after the episode. Terrye Howell, a city commissioner until last month, repeatedly raised the issue at meetings. In an email, Black said the video was part of an active investigation and was not released earlier because of an exemption to Floridas public-records requirements. This was explained multiple times to all who asked, Black wrote. Reached by phone Friday morning, Howell said she was not aware that LWPD had released the video. She said she wishes the agency had at least allowed Borders relatives to see the video earlier. The concern is they were never told anything for a long time, Howell said. It was no closure to the family. It was almost as if it was being dismissed from their concern, almost. She added: I told them that everyone else in the country can see a (police) video within 48 hours, and I just couldn't understand why it was taking so long for Lake Wales. In the absence of the video or more information from the agency, dark rumors swirled in the city, Howell said. And people in the community kept talking about it and kept talking about it, and the picture was being painted in a bad way every time, she said. It was just awful, as far as I'm concerned, because people kept speculating what happened. And the longer it was, the more it was built on. 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: Review clears Lake Wales officers in fatal shooting after killing of K9 A Richmond County deputy was arrested and fired after allegedly bringing contraband into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. Deputy Demondre Mahoney is charged with giving convicts articles without consent of warden and violation of oath by a public officer, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. Richmond County deputy Demondre Mahoney was arrested after allegedly bringing contraband to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. The Richmond County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigation Division received information Sunday that Mahoney was involved with bringing contraband into the jail, according to the release. After an investigation, Mahoney was arrested and booked into the detention center. Mahoney began his employment with the Richmond County Sheriffs Office on Jan. 9, 2021 and was assigned to road patrol, according to the release. He was terminated Monday. The sheriff's office said it will not release any additional information at this time. Shooting: One man injured in Augusta shooting North Augusta lawsuit: Civil rights lawsuit filed against North Augusta Public Safety moved to federal court This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Richmond County deputy arrested Editors note: This is the eleventh in a series of historical obituaries written today to honor the men and women of the past who were denied the honor at the time of their death because of discrimination due to their race and/or gender. Mercedes Merced Vidal, formerly of Pensacola, died of a stroke in July 1879 in the place of her birth, New Orleans, Louisiana. She was 84. As a young woman, Ms. Vidal gained renown for successfully defending her familys inheritance in the early days of territorial Florida. Born Maria Josepha de las Mercedes Hinard on Jan. 10, 1795, Ms. Hinard embodied two distinct heritages. Her mother, Euphrozine Hinard, was a free woman of color born and raised in New Orleans. Her father, Nicholas Vidal, was born in Cartagena, a port city in present-day Colombia. He served as a prominent Spanish official. Euphrozine gave birth to their first daughter, Carolina Maria Salome Hinard, in 1792 when she was 16. Nicholas was 52. Three years later, Hinard had her second daughter, Mercedes, baptized in the new St. Louis Cathedral in the heart of what is today called the French Quarter. What is Righting the Past: Their history wasn't just forgotten, it was buried. Today we tell their stories. Righting the past: War veteran and prominent citizen, John Sunday is dead at 86 Mercedes grew up in comfort and community. She ate off fine china. Portraits of Napoleon and George Washington hung on the walls. On festival days, her doorstep was a gathering place. Her father led the colony, serving as a trusted legal advisor, lieutenant governor, and, for two years, interim governor of Louisiana. Mercedes also saw her mother steadily gain political influence, becoming, by one account, an important channel [to Vidal] through whom all favors flowed. In 1798, Nicholas Vidal officially claimed Mercedes and Carolina as his natural heiresses. Global politics upended Mercedess world in 1803. The transfer of New Orleans to the United States with the Louisiana Purchase forced Vidal, Hinard and their two young daughters to uproot to Pensacola, the capital of Spanish West Florida. Merced was just settling into life with her new brother, Joaquina, when their father died unexpectedly on May 25, 1806. Father James Coleman officiated Vidals lavish funeral at the makeshift waterfront church in the Gaelic lilt of his native Ireland. Nicholas Vidal left a substantial estate and many debts. Vidal and Hinard never married, so their daughters were supposed to be the estates principal benefactors. But powerful interests intervened. Assigned a guardian against their mothers wishes, Mercedes and Carolina fought back, successfully challenging thefraudulentsale of their fathers land in Baton Rouge. Eventually, the estates creditors, including Euphrozine Hinard, were paid off. Hinard likely purchased an enslaved woman as a dowry for Mercedes with the proceeds. In 1810, the court declared the estate insolvent. For four long years, Mercedes and Carolina had watched their substantial inheritance dissipated by the estates de facto executor, John Innerarity. The heirs stood little chance. Innerarity was one of Pensacolas most influential people, the local representative of the powerful John Forbes & Company, which also happened to be the estates largest creditor. The day after she turned 16, Mercedes Vidal married Severino Palao. Palao was a carpenter and fellow free person of color who had a claim to almost 700 acres of waterfront property just west of Pensacola. Their first child, Severino, was born the following year. Valmon arrived in 1816. Months later, Mercedes sold the woman who constituted her dowry and used the proceeds as a down payment for a house the couple purchased on Indentencia Street. Yet the marriage suffered. Mercedes later shared how the relationship caused her great suffering and unhappiness. Righting the past: Walker W. Thomas, national newspaper correspondent and veteran, dead at 28 Righting the past: Veteran Henry Stalburt, champion of freedom, dead Mercedes and her sister never gave up on their inheritance. In 1817, Carolina wrote the first of seven petitions to the Spanish governor for information about what Innerarity had done with their fathers estate. Innerarity evaded the Vidal heirs for years that is until the Americans arrived. Ten days after the United States officially took control of Pensacola, 26-year-old Mercedes Vidal cornered the new American alcalde (senior civil official), Henry Brackenridge. She told him how Innerarity had stolen her inheritance and evaded justice. She showed him the evidence. He wanted more. She got it. Only then did Brackenridge share the story with Governor Andrew Jackson. Incensed by the abuse of power and influence, Jackson would later write that he had been shocked by such a scene of combined wickedness and corruption. Ailing and aggrieved by a seemingly unending series of frustrations in Florida, Jackson demanded the Spanish turn over all documents related to the estate. Jackson was rebuffed and threw the former Spanish governor in jail, causing a minor international incident. But he eventually got the papers and presided over Mercedes suit against Innerarity. He ruled in her favor. A week before Jacksons decision, Mercedes Vidal filed for divorce from her husband of 10 years. Brackenridge and Richard Keith Call, a future Florida territorial governor, represented her in both cases. The new Escambia County Court granted the divorce in September 1821. Following Spanish law (less equitable American laws soon came into effect), the court ordered an equal division of property after Mercedess $400 dowry was repaid. The couples property was auctioned. Mercedes purchased the new and elegant mahogany bedstand and six chairs. Severino bought the mattress and blanket. Four months later, the sheriff held another auction. This time, the auctioneer sold John Inneraritys property including two enslaved women, household goods and 2,350 Cavalry swords for the benefit of the Vidal heirs. With these proceeds, Mercedes was able to stay in her home on Indentencia Street. Pensacola, however, became an increasingly hostile place for free women of color. Many left. By the mid-1830s, she confronted financial insecurity once again. She lost parts of her downtown property to tax sales until the last section of her parcel was sold in 1840 to pay delinquent taxes. By this time, however, she had moved to New Orleans, where she headed a large household. Vidal would open a store in the booming port, though it too became mired in debt. On the eve of the Civil War, Vidal was the enslaver of a 40-year-old woman. She operated a stall in the New Orleans vegetable market during the war. Mercedes Vidal spent her final years experiencing yet another upheaval along the Gulf Coast as the promise of Reconstruction gave way to White terrorism. She died in July 1879, two blocks from Jackson Square and a short walk from where she was born. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Righting the past: Mercedes Vidal, center of territorial scandal, dead at 84 Two former Alabama governors, from opposite sides of the political aisle, wrote in an opinion piece that they are now troubled by the states death penalty system and would commute the sentences of inmates sentenced by judicial override or divided juries. Former Gov. Don Siegelman, a Democrat, and former Gov. Robert Bentley, a Republican from Tuscaloosa, who both oversaw executions while in office, penned the May 23 opinion piece for The Washington Post. The governors said that have both come to see the flaws in our nations justice system and to view the states death penalty laws in particular as legally and morally troubling. FILE - Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman speaks to the media in Atlanta, Aug. 10, 2017. Siegelman, a Democrat and former Gov. Robert Bentley, a Republican, who oversaw executions while in office, wrote in a Tuesday, May 23, 2023, opinion piece that they are now troubled by the state's death penalty system and would commute the sentences of inmates sentenced by judicial override or divided juries. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) We missed our chance to confront the death penalty and have lived to regret it, but it is not too late for todays elected officials to do the morally right thing, the governors wrote. Bentley and Siegelman each let eight executions go forward while they were in office, according to a list maintained by the Alabama Department of Corrections. The governors said they are particularly concerned that a large number of the states death row population was sentenced to death by either divided juries or over a jurys recommendation. Alabama in 2017 became the last state to end the practice of allowing judges to override a jurys sentence in a capital case and send a person to death row when a jury recommended life imprisonment a practice that critics argued interjected election-year pressure into sentencing decisions. But the change was not retroactive and did not impact inmates already sentenced to death by judicial override. As governors, we had the power to commute the sentences of all those on Alabamas death row to life in prison. We no longer have that constitutional power, but we feel that careful consideration calls for commuting the sentences of the 146 prisoners who were sentenced by non-unanimous juries or judicial override, and that an independent review unit should be established to examine all capital murder convictions, the two governors wrote. Former Gov. Robert Bentley speaks in Hoover in this Sept. 19, 2016, fil photo. Bentley, a Tuscaloosa Republican, and Siegelman, a Democrat, who oversaw executions while in office, wrote in a Tuesday, May 23, 2023, opinion piece that they are now troubled by the state's death penalty system and would commute the sentences of inmates sentenced by judicial override or divided juries. Only four states out of the 27 that allow the death penalty do not require a unanimous jury to sentence an inmate to death. Alabama allows a death sentence with 10-2 decision in favor of execution. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last month signed legislation ending that states unanimous jury requirement and allowing death sentences when at least eight jurors are in favor. Missouri and Indiana let a judge decide when there is a divided jury. The governors cited statistics from the Death Penalty Information Center that one person on death row has been exonerated for every 8.3 executions. Applying that exoneration rate to the 167 people on Alabamas death row, Siegelman said would suggest as many as 20 inmates could have been wrongfully convicted. We all should agree that if the state is going to be in the business of killing people, that we should make sure that we have the right person, Siegelman told The Associated Press in a May 23 telephone interview. Siegelman said after reviewing cases that he is now personally haunted by one of the eight executions that happened during his time as governor. Freddie Wright was put to death in Alabamas electric chair in 2000 after being convicted of killing a couple during a robbery. Siegelman declined to stop the execution, saying at the time that the death penalty is appropriate in this case. Twenty-three years later Siegelman said that he now believes Wright was wrongfully charged, prosecuted and convicted for a murder he most likely did not commit. Siegelman said that he never felt comfortable with the death penalty but that his views have evolved over the years, at least partly sparked by his own criminal conviction. The last Democratic governor in a state now dominated by Republicans, Siegelman was convicted of federal bribery and obstruction of justice charges largely related to his appointment of a campaign donor to a state board. Siegelman, who has maintained his innocence, said he came to see the system as flawed. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: State's death penalty system 'troubling,' former Alabama governors say Robert Hanssen An FBI agent-turned-Russian mole who is notorious as one of the most damaging spies in US history has been found dead in prison. Robert Hanssen was discovered at a maximum-security facility in Florence, Colorado, on Monday morning. Hanssen, 79, received more than $1.4m in cash, diamonds, and money paid into Russian accounts. Three hundred agents worked on his case. He was sentenced in 2002 to life in prison for espionage. A cause of death has yet to be confirmed. Hanssen lived in a modest four-bedroom house in suburban Virginia with his wife and six children prior to his arrest. Because of his counterintelligence role, he had access to classified information and in 1985 he started his criminal activity, sending material to Russia and the former Soviet Union. Hanssen, who became an FBI officer on 12 January 1976, used the alias "Ramon Garcia" when corresponding with his handlers. According to the FBI's website, he "compromised numerous human sources, counterintelligence techniques, investigations, dozens of classified US government documents, and technical operations of extraordinary importance and value". While there was some suspicion around his unusual activities occasionally, he was not caught for years. After the spy Aldrich Hazen Ames was arrested by the FBI in 1994, the bureau realised classified information was still being leaked, which is what instigated the investigation into Hanssen. He had been due to retire so the FBI acted quickly in an effort to catch him "red handed". "What we wanted to do was get enough evidence to convict him, and the ultimate aim was to catch him in the act," said Debra Evans Smith, former deputy assistant director of the Counterintelligence Division. To lure him back to FBI headquarters for closer monitoring, he was given a fake assignment. Hanssen began working in his new office - complete with hidden cameras and microphones - at FBI headquarters in January 2001. A month later, investigators learned he was scheduled to make a dead drop at a park. A dead drop is when one person leaves material for another person to later pick up at a pre-determined location, according to the Central Intelligence Agency. Hanssen lived in a modest four-bedroom house in suburban Virginia On 18 February 2001, Hanssen went to Foxstone Park, located in Virginia, with a plastic bag filled with classified materials. The FBI had seen him frequent the park before and as he returned to his vehicle, he was arrested and taken into custody. During his arrest, he asked FBI agents, "What took you so long?" He told interrogators that the FBI security was pathetic, but he cooperated to avoid the death penalty. Friends and neighbours said they were shocked by his arrest and described him as quiet and unassuming. His family drove to mass every Sunday in a 10-year-old van, and was said to be a strict father, who limited television for his children. But behind this facade lay a sexual obsession. Hanssen secretly filmed pornographic videos of his wife and showed them to a friend. During the time of his arrest, CBS News, BBC's US partner, reported that he would frequent strip clubs where he tried to convert strippers to Catholicism. Additionally, he would post sexually explicit stories about him and his wife online and share nude photos of her. After growing up in Chicago, he said in a letter contained in an FBI affidavit that he was inspired by the British spy, Kim Philby. "I decided on this course when I was 14 years old," he wrote to his Russian handlers, according to the affidavit. He pleaded guilty to 15 counts of espionage and in May 2002 was sentenced to life without parole. The prison, ADX Florence, is one of the most secure federal prisons in the nation, which hosts other high profile inmates like al-Qaeda terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui and Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Robert Hanssen, the former FBI agent who was serving a life sentence for being a Soviet and Russian spy, was found dead in his prison cell Monday. Hanssen, 79, was found unresponsive at the Federal Correctional Complex in Florence, Colorado, around 6:55 a.m. Monday, a BOP spokesperson said. The identification and business card of former FBI agent Robert Hanssen are seen inside a display case at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Responding staff initiated life-saving measures and requested emergency medical services. Hanssen was pronounced dead by outside emergency medical personnel. The FBI has been notified. No staff or other inmates were injured. OVERSIGHT CHAIR COMER TO HOLD FBI DIRECTOR WRAY IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS OVER BIDEN DOC ALLEGING CRIME SCHEME Hanssen was sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia to life in prison for espionage, conspiracy to commit espionage and attempted espionage. He had been in custody at ADX Florence since 2002. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Over the previous two decades, Moscow paid Hanssen with two Rolex watches and $600,000 in cash and diamonds, and it promised that $800,000 more had been deposited in a bank there on his family's behalf. The FBI also recovered $50,000 from the Russians when they arrested Hanssen in February 2001. Hanssen's spying peaked at the height of the Cold War, and officials said his activities were at least in part responsible for the deaths of at least three spies overseas. They included a Soviet Army general code-named "Top Hat," who was one of America's best intelligence sources and who was executed in 1986. U.S. spy Robert Hanssen being arrested in 2001. CNN via Getty Images Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent who spied for the Soviet Union and Russia in one of the most damaging espionage cases in American history, died Monday, officials said. He was 79. Hanssen died around 7 a.m. after he "was found unresponsive" in his prison cell in Florence, Colorado, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said in a press release. "Responding staff immediately initiated life-saving measures...the inmate was subsequently pronounced dead by outside emergency medical personnel." A cause of death was not released, but sources told The Associated Press that Hanssen was believed to have died of natural causes. Hanssen had been incarcerated at ADX Florence, a federal supermax facility that is considered the most secure prison in the United States, since 2002. He had pleaded guilty in 2001 to espionage and other charges following a yearslong investigation into his actions, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hanssen, a native of Chicago, joined the FBI as a special agent in 1976, and began spying for the Soviet Union just three years later. He would spy for Moscow during "some of the most consequential times for U.S. and [Soviet] relations and continuing past the end of the Cold War," CNN reported. During his time as a spy, Hanssen provided classified national security information in exchange for "more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds, and diamonds," according to the FBI webpage documenting his case. As an agent with counterintelligence clearances, Hanssen used encrypted codes, "dead drops," and a variety of other clandestine methods to provide information to foreign assets, according to the FBI. Investigators eventually caught and charged Hanssen, who would later apologize for his role as a spy during his sentencing. The FBI later dubbed Hannsen's years of espionage "possibly the worst intelligence disaster in U.S. history." You may also like Orlando's Gay Days draws LGBTQ crowds to Disney World amid DeSantis anti-LGBTQ push Why Jamie Dimon is thinking about the presidency Experimental drug shown to 'significantly' slow progression of brain cancer Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent who was one of the most damaging spies in American history, was found dead in his prison cell Monday morning, according to the Bureau of Prisons. Hanssen, 79, was arrested in 2001 and pleaded guilty to selling highly classified material to the Soviet Union and later Russia. He was serving a life sentence at the federal penitentiary in Florence, Colorado. Robert Hanssen / Credit: FBI Hanssen was found unresponsive and staff immediately initiated life-saving measures, Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Kristie Breshears said in a statement. "Staff requested emergency medical services and life-saving efforts continued," Breshears said. "The inmate was subsequently pronounced dead by outside emergency medical personnel." Hanssen appears to have died of natural causes, according to two sources briefed on the matter. Three years after he was hired by the FBI, Hanssen approached the Soviets and began spying in 1979 for the KGB and its successor, the SVR. He stopped a few years later after his wife confronted him. He resumed spying in 1985, selling thousands of classified documents that compromised human sources and counterintelligence techniques and investigations in exchange for more than $1.4 million in cash, diamonds and foreign bank deposits. Using the alias "Ramon Garcia," he passed information to the spy agencies using encrypted communications and dead drops, without ever meeting in-person with a Russian handler. Eric O'Neill, who went undercover for the FBI during its investigation into Hanssen, told CBS News that Hanssen came from a complicated background and had troubles with his father, who wanted him to go into medicine. But Hanssen, who did go to dentistry school, wanted to be in law enforcement. "He really wanted to catch spies. He was a James Bond fanatic, loved the movies," O'Neill said. "He could quote them chapter and verse. He wanted to be a spy. He was joining the FBI to do that not to spy against the U.S., but to go in and hunt spies." But he was angry when he didn't get the exact job he wanted at the FBI, and taking care of his growing family while living in New York and later the Washington, D.C., area was expensive. "And that led him to decide that he was going to get everything he wanted become a spy," O'Neill said. His job in the FBI gave him unfettered access to classified information on the bureau's counterintelligence operations. His disclosures included details on U.S. nuclear war preparations and a secret eavesdropping tunnel under the Soviet embassy in Washington, D.C. He also betrayed double agents, including Soviet Gen. Dmitri Polyakov, who were later executed. Hanssen was arrested after making a dead drop in a Virginia park in 2001 after the FBI had been secretly monitoring him for months. His identity was discovered after a Russian intelligence officer handed over a file containing a trash bag with Hanssen's fingerprints and a tape recording of his voice. In letters to the KGB, Hanssen expressed concern that he might one day be caught, and he often checked FBI computers for any sign that it was investigating him. "Eventually I would appreciate an escape plan. (Nothing lasts forever.)," he wrote in 1986, according to the FBI affidavit. Hanssen never revealed his motivation for spying. But O'Neill, who wrote a book about the investigation to nab Hanssen, has some theories. "He truly didn't respect Russia very much, at least not in his conversations with me," O'Neill said. "But he was able to use them very effectively to solve his other problems. One that he was angry at the FBI for not placing him in the position of authority and gravitas and respect that he believed he deserved. And two, he needed money. He was financially having problems and he needed money and you solve both those problems by becoming a spy." "At some point, spying and being the top spy for the Soviet Union, while within the FBI, became the thing that made him belong to something much bigger than himself," he added. "I think that at some point, even more than the money that became what was so important to him." Hanssen's life in prison was "absolutely horrible," O'Neill said. He spent 23 hours a day alone in a tiny cell. Why Apple's new mixed reality headset is making a splash Hollywood actors voting on strike authorization California officials suggest DeSantis behind latest migrant flights WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Robert Hanssen, the former FBI agent turned spy whom the bureau describes as the most damaging in its history, was found dead in his prison cell on Monday, U.S. authorities said. Hanssen, 79, was sentenced in 2002 to life in prison after pleading guilty to spying for the Soviet Union and later Russia for over 20 years. Prison staff initiated life-saving measures after finding Hanssen unresponsive on Monday morning but were not successful, the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement. It did not provide a cause of death. Hanssen joined the FBI in 1976 and began selling classified information to the Soviet Union in 1985, according to the FBI's website. By the time of his arrest in 2001, he had been compensated with more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds and diamonds, in exchange for compromising numerous human sources, intelligence techniques and classified U.S. documents, the FBI's website says. FBI investigators worked for years to try to identify the spy in their ranks. In the weeks leading up to his February 2001 arrest, some 300 personnel were working on the investigation and monitoring Hanssen, according to the FBI. An arrest team took Hanssen into custody after catching him making a "dead drop" of classified materials in a park in suburban Virginia, the FBI says. He had been serving his life sentence in a maximum security facility in Colorado. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Instagram account has been reinstated, over a month after he announced his presidential bid, a spokesperson for Meta, the platform's parent company, said in a statement to CBS News on Monday. Kennedy, the nephew of the late president John F. Kennedy and son of former U.S. attorney general Robert F. Kennedy, complained last week that his personal account hadn't been reinstated despite launching his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president, saying it was "profoundly undemocratic" to not let him on Instagram. But over the weekend, his account with more than 770,000 followers was back up and running. "As he is now an active candidate for president of the United States, we have restored access to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s, Instagram account," a Meta spokesperson said. A Meta executive said in 2019 the company would not prevent a politician's speech from its reaching audience. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Kennedy has been outspoken about his anti-vaccine advocacy. His account was previously removed from Instagram in 2021 after he repeatedly shared "debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines," a spokesperson for Meta said at the time. Instagram and Facebook's ban on Kennedy's anti-vaccine group, the Children's Health Defense, is still intact. Kennedy kicked off his campaign in Boston in April and called himself a "Kennedy Democrat," despite being linked to some far-right figures. His challenge to President Biden has little to no chance of succeeding, and his anti-vaccine stance is at odds with the overwhelming majority of Democrats. He announced he will speak about his campaign with Elon Musk on Twitter Spaces on Monday. Miami Heat evens up the series against the Denver Nuggets "Great Resignation" is over -- here's what that means for U.S. economy Prince Harry's a no-show on first day of phone hacking trial A Rock Hill teen has been charged with DUI after two people were killed in a weekend collision that involved a truck and a lawnmower, officials said. 2 killed over the weekend in York County when truck collides with lawn mower Another child also was injured in the collision, officials said. Christopher Matthew Mullis, 19, is charged with two counts of felony DUI resulting in death, and one count of felony DUI with bodily injury, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol, lawyers in the case, and court records. Mullis is accused of being the driver of a pickup truck that struck a lawnmower around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night off Homestead Road in York County, said Cpl. David Jones of the highway patrol. A passenger in the truck Mullis was driving died after being ejected, Jones said. The driver of the lawnmower was killed and a juvenile also on the lawnmower was hurt, Jones said. A teen and adult dead, another child hurt The passenger in the truck who later died has been identified as Jessie Purser, 13, of Richburg in Chester County, according to York County Coroner Sabrina Gast. Jessie Purser died at Piedmont Medical Center, Gast said. Gast identified the male lawnmower driver who died as Christopher Kernaghan, 32, of Rock Hill. Kernaghan was cutting grass when the collision happened, Gast said. The juvenile on the lawnmower who was hurt has not been identified. That child was taken to Levine Childrens Hospital in Charlotte, Jones said. Sixteenth Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett, York Countys top prosecutor, said after a court hearing for Mullis on Monday that the injured child on the lawnmower is 3 years old and remains in critical condition. Suspect denied bail Each charge of DUI resulting in death carries a potential punishment of up to 25 years for a conviction, South Carolina law states. Mullis was denied bail Monday afternoon by a magistrate judge in a court hearing Mullis was served with the three arrest warrants, according to his lawyer, prosecutors, and court records. Brackett said after court that the seriousness of the charges demand that the suspect remain in custody. Montrio Belton, Mulliss lawyer, said after the court that Mullis is cloaked in the presumption of innocence under the law. Belton said the young teen who died in the crash is Mulliss cousin. This is absolutely tragic for all involved, Belton said. What happens now? Mullis remains in the York County jail. Belton said he would ask for a bond hearing for Mullis in front of a South Carolina circuit court judge at a later date. Rockland hotel in migrant standoff can reopen, but asylum seekers still can't come A state Supreme Court judge has allowed the hotel at the center of a migrant-related standoff between Rockland and NYC officials to reopen to guests after the county had ordered it shut. But other legal actions have put New York City Mayor Eric Adams' plans to shelter migrants at the Orangeburg hotel on hold. So the decision won't immediately impact Rockland's efforts to stop the city from using Armoni Inn & Suites to shelter single male asylum seekers who arrived in New York City from the Southern border. Rockland County Executive Ed Day said the judge ordered that Armoni can operate only as a hotel for normal business and "cannot operate as a shelter as they were intending." "Violation of that order could subject Armoni Inn & Suites and the City of New York to contempt of court, Day said in a statement. Rockland state Supreme Court Judge Thomas Zugibe's ruling Thursday to permit the hotel's reopening is temporary. The parties are expected back in New City at 2 p.m. June 14. It remained unclear Friday if any residents had returned to the Armoni, a 171-room hotel off Route 303. The notice announcing the closure had been removed from the front entrance. The county refused to renew Armonis expired operating permit last month after officials discovered it had let the permit lapse for days before applying for a renewal. The Armoni Inn and Suites in Orangeburg, one of two hotels in Rockland and Orange Counties where New York City is pushing to place 300 migrant men to help manage the influx of migrants from the Southern border, May 8, 2023. Absent that key permit, the county moved to close down the hotel under the sanitary code. Armoni, in the face of $2,000-a-day fines, kicked out residents who were already staying there. The legal move was one of several mounted by Rockland officials as they worked to block NYC Mayor Eric Adams' plan to accommodate migrants in localities outside the city. Armoni's lawyer, Todd Soloway, did not immediately return a request for comment. Temporary restraining orders continue Day and county Social Services Commissioner Joan Silvestri can provide the court with information to support their move not to renew the hotels permit. While the ruling states the hotel can operate for now, that's "subject to the existing temporary restraining orders." A notice on the front door of the Armoni Inn & Suites in Orangeburg, seen Thursday, May 17, 2023, states that operation of the facility is prohibited. The hotel had been one that contracted with New York City to house single male asylum seekers. In a separate ruling, Zugibe kept a temporary restraining order in place, ensuring that for now NYC can't place asylum seekers in the Armoni. The town of Orangetown, where the hotel is located, continues to seek a permanent injunction. Counties and towns around the state have issued temporary restraining orders that would ban hotels from renting space to New York City to shelter immigrants. Some of these municipalities did not have any facility within their jurisdiction planning to take in migrants. NYC vs. Rockland: How immigrant standoff upended residents staying at Orangeburg hotel 'Smells like Jim Crow law': Federal judge furious over asylum seeker executive orders Mt. Pleasant: Town issues emergency order over migrants, but NYC isn't sending any Meanwhile, a federal judge has begun hearing a lawsuit filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union on behalf of asylum seekers that calls those orders unconstitutional. NYC's plan to move migrants In early May, Orangetown officials were told about a plan by Adams to provide shelter for single male asylum seekers in a local hotel for up to four months. City-funded services would be provided. Soon after, town and county workers observed boxes with PPE and T-shirts that read "supervisor" and "supervisor social worker" being moved into the Armoni. Pictures of T-shirts for social workers were included by Orangetown in its May 8, 2023, Rockland County Supreme Court request for a restraining order against the Armoni Inn & Suites, which was contracting with the City of New York to house immigrants for up to four months. Outside the city, asylum seekers have been moved into hotels in places like Yonkers, Orange County and Albany County. Within New York City, old schools, empty hotels and other facilities are being repurposed to house a swell of migrants landing there, some bused up from the border by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. There are plans to use SUNY and CUNY college dorms to house migrants this summer. Reach Nancy Cutler at ncutler@lohud.com; follow her on Twitter at @nancyrockland. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NYC migrant relocation: Rockland judge lets hotel in standoff reopen Harry and Meghans daughter Lilibet snubbed by royal family on her second birthday Princess Lilibet Diana celebrated her second birthday on Sunday (4 June) but there was radio silence from senior members of the royal family. Last year, the official Twitter accounts for the royal family, King Charles and Queen Camilla, plus that of the Prince and Princess of Wales all wished Lilibet a happy first birthday. But on Sunday, neither of the three Twitter accounts publicly sent their birthday wishes to the young royal, who is the only daughter and second child of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Prince Archie also did not receive any birthday wishes on his fourth birthday, which fell on the same day as King Charless coronation last month. The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for comment. Neither Harrys wife Meghan Markle nor their children attended the coronation, while Prince Harry arrived solo and left for Los Angeles shortly after the ceremony finished. Relations between the Sussexes and the royal family have soured in the past year, given the release of Harry and Meghans Netflix docuseries and Harrys tell-all memoir Spare, in which he made a series of claims about his fraught relationship with senior members of the royal family. Tensions are thought to have consistently worsened since Harry and Meghan decided to step back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to Los Angeles. While representatives of the Sussexes have not commented on how the family celebrated Lilibets first birthday, it is understood to have been a very different occasion, compared to last years intimate picnic at their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage, which was attended by members of their British family including Zara and Mike Tindall. Neither Charles, Camilla, William nor Kate were present at Lilibets first birthday or her christening in March. It comes as Prince Harry arrives in London today to appear at the High Court for his case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror over alleged unlawful information gathering. Upon the accession of King Charles III, following the death of the childrens grandmother in September 2022, Lilibet received the title of Princess, while her brother Archie, four, became a Prince, but they have not yet been present at any official royal engagements with their father. The official British website of the royal family was updated to refer to Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex on 9 March 2023. It was reported that any titles would be used in formal settings, but not in everyday conversations. Russia attempts to retrieve exported tank and missile components from India and Myanmar According to the media, Russia is trying to return tank components exported to India and Myanmar Russia may be re-importing components to upgrade older weapons intended for use in Ukraine, counting on the assistance of countries with which it has long-standing military ties, the Nikkei article reads. Since the start of Russias full-scale war against Ukraine, the United States, European countries, and Japan have imposed bans on exporting goods that could potentially serve military purposes to Russia. Read also: Russia sanctions - why, what, how and where? Nikkei conducted an analysis of customs clearance data for shipments to Russia, utilizing information from ImportGenius, a U.S. research company, as well as Indian Exim Trade Data and other sources. The study examined records of Russias imports of armament components, including tanks and missiles. For instance, Uralvagonzavod, a tank manufacturer for the Russian military, imported military products worth $24 million from Myanmar on Dec. 9, 2022. The components were identified as being manufactured by Uralvagonzavod. The product codes associated with the imported goods indicate that the company acquired 6,775 sighting devices and 200 cameras for tanks. According to retired Japanese Self-Defense Forces senior officer Nobuyuki Akatani, these are likely optical devices for measuring distances to targets and aiming at them. Read also: Key drivers behind Russias ability to fight despite sanctions Customs declarations reveal that Russia had previously exported components to Myanmar in 2019, which it is now attempting to retrieve. The documents claim that the return is due to defects in the previously exported equipment. However, military analysts find it unusual for such a large volume of defective production. Furthermore, the Machine-Building Design Bureau (KBM), which engages in missile production, acquired night vision sight components for surface-to-air missiles for $150,000 from the Indian Ministry of Defense in late 2022. All these components were originally manufactured by KBM and exported to India in February 2013. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as of the morning of June 5, Ukraine has destroyed 3,848 Russian tanks since the start of the full-scale 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 Russia bragged that it easily defeated a Ukrainian tank attack, but even pro-Russia bloggers say the battle didn't go well Drone footage shows a burning armoured vehicle in an unidentified location after the Defence Ministry in Moscow said that Russian forces have thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive in the southern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters Russia's defense ministry bragged that its troops defeated a Ukraine attack over the weekend. But pro-Russia bloggers said things are much more dire for Putin's forces. One said the situation was "becoming more and more disturbing with each passing hour," the Kyiv Independent reported. Russia's defense ministry said Monday that it defeated a Ukrainian attack in the Donetsk Oblast region, but even pro-Russia bloggers are telling a very different story. In a statement in the early hours of Monday translated by Reuters, Russia's defense ministry said that Ukraine attacked on Sunday morning with "six mechanized and two tank battalions." "The enemy's goal was to break through our defenses on the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front," the defense ministry said, according to Reuters. "The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success." The defense ministry said its military took down 16 tanks, 21 armored combat vehicles, and 250 Ukrainian troops. Russia's defense ministry gave Reuters images of drone footage showing an apparent burning vehicle, but neither Reuters nor Insider has been able to verify the dates of the images. But pro-Russia bloggers described a more dire situation for Russia in the Donetsk region, the Kyiv Independent reported. Blogger Alexander Khodakovsky said Ukraine had "suppressed" Russian communications and put Russian troops in a "difficult position," the Kyiv Independent reported. Semen Pegov, who blogs under the name WarGonzo, said the situation at the front line near Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast was "becoming more and more disturbing with each passing hour," the Kyiv Independent reported. "The situation is heating up," he said, according to the Kyiv Independent. "The attack is much more serious than yesterday." A Ukrainian military spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters that it had no information on an attack on Russia. "We do not have such information, and we do not comment on any kind of fake," the spokesperson told Reuters. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukraine trying to end battlefield stalemate in what may be start of counteroffensive Ukrainian soldiers ride an APC on the frontline near Bakhmut, the site of fierce battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, June 5, 2023. (Iryna Rybakova via AP) KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukrainian forces were making a major effort to end a battlefield stalemate and punch through Russian defensive lines in southeast Ukraine for a second day Monday, in what may herald the start of a long-anticipated counteroffensive after 15 months of war. Russian officials seemed to be trying to portray the Ukrainian attacks as the start of the counteroffensive, saying that Moscow's forces foiled at least one assault. While not explicitly confirming such a large-scale effort, Kyiv authorities said their forces were indeed increasing offensive operations and making gains, but suggested some of the Russian announcements were misinformation. Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russia-backed administration of Ukraine's partly occupied Zaporizhzhia province, said fighting resumed on its border with the eastern Donetsk province on Monday after Russian defenses beat back a Ukrainian advance the previous day. The enemy threw an even bigger force into the attack than yesterday (Sunday), and the new attempt to break through the front line was more large-scale and organized, Rogov said, adding: A battle is underway. Rogov interpreted the Ukrainian military movements as part of an effort to reach the Sea of Azov coast and sever the land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Analysts have long viewed that strategy as likely because it would cut the Russian forces in two and severely strain supplies to Crimea, which has served as a key Russian military hub in the war that started Feb. 24, 2022. Rogov's comments came after Moscow also said its forces thwarted large Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk province, near its border with the Zaporizhzhia province. Reacting to Russia's declarations that it repelled Ukrainian offensives, a U.S. official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters: We have no reason to believe any Russian action has had any spoiling effect on pending or ongoing Ukraine operations." Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said the Ukrainian military has scored gains. Despite fierce resistance and attempts of the enemy to hold the occupied lines and positions, our units moved forward in several directions during the fighting, she said. Malyar drew no distinctions between phases of the war, insisting that Ukraines defense against Russias invasion contains everything, including counter-offensive actions. She acknowledged that Kyivs forces in some areas ... are shifting to offensive operations. Sir Richard Barrons, a general who is a former commander of the U.K. Joint Forces Command, said that Ukraine was clearly in the preliminary phase of its counteroffensive and would probe Russian defenses to find weak spots, then focus its resources to ram through them and hold ground. Barrons, now co-chair of the U.K.-based strategic consulting firm Universal Defence & Security Solutions, told The Associated Press the Ukrainians are trying to increase the chances of surprise about when you do it, where you do it and how you do it. Commenting on the Russian militarys assertion that it thwarted a big Ukrainian attack, he said it could be part of Ukrainian efforts to probe Russian defenses and test its units in combat. He added that Moscow could have exaggerated the scale of the fighting and claimed victory to assuage its domestic Russian audience. Barrons predicted that the Ukrainian counteroffensive would involve a series of moves and take weeks. Its a process, not an event, he said. Ukraine often waits until the completion of its military operations to confirm its actions. A Ukrainian Defense Ministry video showed soldiers putting a finger to their lips in a sign to keep quiet. Plans love silence, it said on the screen. There will be no announcement of the start. Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk are two of the four provinces that President Vladimir Putin claimed as Russian territory last fall and which Moscow partially controls. Russia's Defense Ministry said it had pushed back a large-scale assault Sunday at five places in Donetsk province. The announcement couldn't be independently verified, and while Ukrainian officials reported fighting in that area, they didn't confirm a retreat. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in an unusual overnight video that 250 Ukrainian personnel were killed in the fighting in Donetsk province, and 16 Ukrainian tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored combat vehicles were destroyed. In response, the Center for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Russian forces were stepping up their information and psychological operations. To demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community (including their own population), Russian propagandists will spread false information about the counteroffensive, its directions and the losses of the Ukrainian army. Even if there is no counteroffensive, a statement on Telegram read. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russians overreacted to its latest push. We see how hysterically Russia perceives every step we take there, every position we take, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. Ukrainian officials have said for months that a spring campaign with advanced weapons supplied by Western allies to reclaim territory seized by Russia during the war was planned, but they have kept quiet about when, how and where it might start, or whether it had already been launched. Recent military activity, including drone attacks on Moscow, cross-border raids into Russia and sabotage and drone attacks on infrastructure behind Russian lines, has unnerved Russians. Analysts say those actions may represent the start of the counteroffensive. In other disruption, TV and radio broadcasts in several regions of Russia were hacked Monday, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. A fake broadcast featured a voice impersonating Putin and stated that Ukrainian forces had invaded the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia. Those Russian regions have occasionally been targeted in cross-border strikes during the war. The impersonator announced that martial law was declared in those regions, where people were urged to evacuate, and all Russians eligible for military duty were being mobilized. The Russian military said Monday it repelled the latest Ukrainian incursion into the Belgorod region, on the border in Ukraine. Russians who purport to be fighting alongside Ukrainian forces said they attacked on Sunday. They were driven back by airstrikes and artillery fire, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. At least two factors have been at play in the counteroffensive's timing: better ground conditions for the movement of troops and equipment after the winter, and the deployment of more advanced Western weapons and training of Ukrainian troops to use them. Ukraines Western allies have sent the country more than 65 billion euros ($70 billion) in military aid to help its defense. Driving out the Kremlins forces is a daunting challenge for Kyivs planners. Russia has built extensive defensive lines, including trenches, minefields and anti-tank obstacles. After months of a battlefield stalemate, with neither side making significant gains and suffering losses of personnel and weapons, Ukraine could launch simultaneous pushes in different areas of the front line that stretches for around 1,100 kilometers (nearly 700 miles), analysts say. In the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut, the site of the war's longest and bloodiest battle, Malyar, the deputy defense minister, said Ukrainian forces are advancing and occupy dominating heights." Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, Bakhmut direction well done, warriors! The leader of Russias Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin a frequent critic of his countrys military brass whose statements are sometimes unreliable said that Russian forces lost control of part of the village of Berkhovka outside Bakhmut. Prizoghin said last month that his forces had seized all of the city of Bakhmut, with Ukrainian forces remaining in control of many surrounding areas. ___ Danica Kirka contributed to this story from London. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Russia said Monday that Ukraines military had launched a significant attack in a bid to break through its defenses on the wars southeastern front lines. Reports of heavy fighting from officials in Moscow and the countrys cadre of influential military bloggers fueled speculation that it could be the beginning of the major counteroffensive that Kyiv has been preparing for months to reclaim occupied land. Ukraine denied the claims, accusing Russia of lying to sow distrust and suggesting that the long-anticipated attack was still yet to come. 'Moving to offensive actions' The Russian Defense Ministry said in an overnight statement that Ukrainian ground forces launched a large-scale offensive Sunday in five areas of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine used two brigades of its strategic reserves in the attack, with six mechanized and two tank battalions involved, the ministry said. It added that Ukraine had lost up to 300 troops, as well as 16 tanks and other equipment. The enemys goal was to break through Russias defenses in what it considered to be the most vulnerable area of the front, the statement said. The enemy was unsuccessful in achieving its goals. In an updated statement Monday, the Defense Ministry said Ukraine had suffered significant losses in areas of Donetsk and the southern Zaporizhzhia region. NBC News has not verified the claims. Image: (Efrem Lukatsky / AP) Serhiy Cherevatyi, the spokesman for Ukraine's eastern group of forces, called Russian claims of a major Ukrainian offensive and troop losses "an absolute lie." In a telephone interview, Cherevatyi said the Russians "understand that we have combat work going on, which will soon be reflected in their position," but suggested that reports of a repelled offensive were meant to "spread distrust in our society about our armed forces." "There will be an attack, and they will be crushed. And our command knows when and where it will take place," Cherevatyi said. He added that Ukraine's military has "constant combat work going on" and that "soon it will be more visible, but we cannot say in which directions." Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also dismissed Russian accounts. Ukraine's deputy defense minister, Hannah Malyar, said in an update on the Telegram messaging application that "in some directions we are moving to offensive actions." She claimed gains by Ukrainian forces, particularly around Bakhmut, where they were forced out of the eastern city itself but have been pushing Russian troops back on the outskirts. In a separate message on Telegram late Monday, Zelenskyy hailed "the news we have been waiting for" from Ukrainian troops in the eastern city of Bakhmut, but he did not provide details. "We witness Russias hysterical reactions to every step we take, to all our positions," Zelenskyy said. "The enemy knows that Ukraine will win." Russia claimed a rare victory after it seized the battered city last month, but the front lines have otherwise remained largely static for months. It has long been speculated that Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia two of four regions annexed by the Kremlin would be targets for the Ukrainian counteroffensive. 'Plans like silence' While Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have repelled the Ukrainian attacks, local officials, as well as some war correspondents and military bloggers increasingly influential sources of information since the invasion described new attacks Monday and suggested some may be succeeding. Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed official in Zaporizhzhia, said fighting had resumed Monday after he reported an attempted Ukrainian breakthrough near the regional border with Donetsk on Sunday. Rogov said Ukraine had thrown even greater forces into the attack than yesterday, approaching the attempt to break through on a larger scale and in an organized manner. There is a fight, he said. Rogov said later Monday there was still no full-scale offensive by Ukrainian troops. Rather, they appeared to be probing the line of defense and the readiness of the Russian army for a bigger attack, he said. Alexander Kots, a military correspondent with the pro-Kremlin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, reported active battles in two directions early Monday near the Donetsk town of Vuhledar, as well as Bakhmut, which Russia recently claimed. It appeared that Kyiv had not yet moved its main forces into the battle and that it could introduce them in a completely different area, Kots said. The prominent Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who blogs under the name War Gonzo, said Ukrainian forces were advancing near the village of Novodonetske, north of Vuhledar, and had managed to move more than a mile into Russian-controlled territory. There is a tough fight going on, he said, adding that Ukraine was moving reserve units toward the village. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the alleged Ukrainian offensive when he spoke with reporters Monday, deferring to the Defense Ministry. For months, speculation has been building around when and where Kyiv would launch a broad counteroffensive against Russian positions. Ukrainian officials have been careful not to give out any details, but they continued to claim a major push was coming in the near future. On Sunday, the country's Defense Ministry shared a video showing soldiers making a hush gesture with a caption reading: Plans like silence. There will be no announcement of the beginning. A Ukrainian soldier poses for the camera with his fingers to his lips, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Ukrainian Defense Ministry via AP ) Some military analysts said Monday that it was too early to judge whether the attacks reported by the Russians were, in fact, the beginning of a major counteroffensive. Whenever it does come, the Ukrainian thrust could prove a decisive moment in Ukraine's bid to repel the Russians and show the world it has put to good use the billions of dollars in military aid supplied by its Western allies. Though they have seemingly been delayed by winter weather and the need for supplies, Kyiv will enter the battles buoyed by signs of weakness within Russia. The Kremlin faces a growing incursion from pro-Ukrainian militias as a second major raid into the border region of Belgorod wreaks havoc just days after a drone attack on the capital, Moscow, fueled a growing sense of domestic unease. Meanwhile, mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin accuses Russia's regular army of shooting at and trying to blow up his force in the latest sign of mounting infighting in the Kremlin's ranks. Prigozhin also added his voice to those reporting Ukrainian advances Monday, saying Russian forces had partly lost control of the village of Berhivka, just north of Bakhmut. "The troops are slowly running," he said. NBC News could not verify Prigozhins claims. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Russia loses more than 210,000 soldiers and 3,567 artillery systems in war Ukrainian defenders killed 410 invaders, destroyed 11 armoured combat vehicles, 12 Russian artillery systems and 11 tanks just over the past 24 hours. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook Details: The total combat losses of the Russian forces from 24 February 2022 to 5 June 2023 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses ed.]: approximately 210,350 (+410) military personnel 3,848 (+11) tanks 7,523 (+11) armoured combat vehicles 3,567 (+12) artillery systems 584 (+1) multiple-launch rocket systems 349 (+5) air defence systems 313 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft 298 (+0) helicopters 3,189 (+14) operational-tactical UAVs 1,136 (+4) cruise missiles 18 (+0) ships/boats 6,312 (+7) vehicles and tankers 484 (+5) special vehicles The data is being confirmed. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! In the early hours of June 5, the first announcement of what looks like it could be the start of a large-scale Ukrainian counteroffensive came from an unusual source. At 1:31 a.m. Kyiv time, the Russian Defense Ministry, which famously floundered in silence in response to Ukraines lightning counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast last year, reported a large-scale offensive on five sectors of the front in the southern Donetsk area. The ministry claimed that Ukraine had committed six mechanized and two tank battalions to the fight, from the 23rd and 31st Mechanized Brigades. As per usual in official Russian reports, the Ukrainian attack was claimed to be soundly defeated, with the ministry reporting the loss of 16 Ukrainian tanks and over 250 personnel. As the sun rose over Ukraine, Russian pro-war Telegram channels often known as milbloggers began to report a less rosy picture of Russias defense in the area. Alexander Khodakovsky, who had previously served as a battalion commander and official in Russias proxy presence in Donetsk Oblast, also claimed that Ukrainian forces were attacking near the front-line town of Vuhledar in southwestern Donetsk Oblast, and had found limited success. By suppressing (our) communications, the enemy managed to put us in a difficult position, Khodakovsky wrote, adding that fighting was ongoing for the village of Novodonetske. A few hours later, milblogger Semen Pegov, better known as WarGonzo, said that unfortunately, he could confirm Khodakovskys reports. The news from the Velyka Novosilka-Vuhledar front line is becoming more and more disturbing with each passing hour, Pegov wrote. The situation is heating up. The attack is much more serious than yesterday. The sector of the line of contact referred to by Khodakovsky, Pegov, and likely also by the Russian Defense Ministry when saying southern Donetsk area, is the easternmost part of the southern front line stretching from the Dnipro River in Zaporizhzhia Oblast across to Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast. The south has long been built up as the most obvious direction for an anticipated large-scale Ukrainian counteroffensive. Attention was mostly given to a possible southward push from Zaporizhzhia to the occupied city of Melitopol and onwards towards Crimea, but a more southeasterly direction from Vuhledar towards the destroyed city of Mariupol on the Azov Sea was also seen as an option. The terrain on this part of the southern front line in Donetsk Oblast is vast, flat steppe, that has been heavily fortified by Russia over the last few months with layers of trenches, anti-vehicle ditches, minefields, and other obstacles. The difficulty of attacking in this area was already laid bare in late January, when a large Russian armored offensive on Vuhledar suffered heavy casualties with no significant gains. On Ukraines southern front line, tension reigns before decisive counteroffensive Editors note: As per the regulations of the unit, soldiers interviewed for this article, many of whom have relatives remaining in Russian-occupied territory, are identified by first name and/or callsign only. SOUTHEASTERN UKRAINE After months of seeing Russias war against Ukraine through the dr The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell As of early afternoon, there have been no reports on offensive operations from the Ukrainian General Staff or other officials. This is hardly a surprise, given the public call for silence on details of the operation, expressed on the previous day with a video saying Plans love silence, there will be no announcement of the beginning (of the counteroffensive). Asked about the reports about attacks in the south on live television, Ukrainian military spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk simply smiled and put her finger in front of her lips, mirroring the request for silence made by the soldiers in the video. Less than 24 hours after the Russian Defense Ministrys initial announcement, it is too early to tell whether the attack around Vuhledar will be the primary thrust of Ukraines counteroffensive. Traditional military doctrine dictates that in such large-scale offensive operations, the main attacking push should be accompanied by secondary offensives in other sectors to spread enemy defenses thin and probe for opportunities for breakthroughs elsewhere. According to Russian sources, Ukraine has also stepped up attacks around Bakhmut, which was finally captured in late May by Russian forces led by the Wagner mercenary group. Also on the morning of June 5, milblogger and reporter for Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda Alexander Kots wrote that Ukrainian forces were attacking both north of Bakhmut near occupied Soledar, as well as to the southwest of the city. While Wagner forces have been reported to be withdrawing from the city, the flanks are manned by regular Russian army units, from which Ukrainian brigades in the area have already taken back significant amounts of territory in counterattacks starting back on May 9. So far, no verifiable information has emerged showing that Ukrainian forces involved in any of the reported attacks on June 5 include the new brigades kept in reserve for a counteroffensive. By all appearances, (Ukraine) has not yet put its main forces into action. It is possible that it will do so in another area instead, Kots wrote. Soon after, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that part of the village of Berkhivka had been partly lost to Ukrainian forces. If true, this would amount to an advance of around two kilometers from where the contact line stood a day earlier, on June 4. This Week in Ukraine Ep. 7 Why Russia relies on private militaries, like Wagner, for its war effort This Week in Ukraine is a video podcast hosted by Kyiv Independents reporter Anastasiia Lapatina. Every week, Anastasiia sits down with her newsroom colleagues to discuss Ukraines most pressing issues. Episode #7 is dedicated to Russian private military companies, how they operate, and the role The Kyiv IndependentAnastasiia Lapatina Meanwhile, further disturbing Russian focus on defending against the counteroffensive, cross-border raids by anti-Kremlin Russian armed groups have continued in Russias Belgorod Oblast. On June 4, the Freedom of Russia Legion and Russian Volunteer Corps claimed to have reached the outskirts of the city of Shebekino, where local authorities have been organizing the evacuation of local residents. The anti-regime groups also claimed to have handed over several prisoners of war taken from operations in Belgorod Oblast to the Ukrainian side for future exchanges. In this very early stage of what could be the beginning of a larger Ukrainian counteroffensive, it is impossible to draw conclusions on the success or failure of single attacks and on the units involved, or predict how events will likely unfold over the coming days on a strategic level. In Ukraines wildly successful Kharkiv Oblast counteroffensive in September last year, four days passed between the first reports of Ukrainian attacks near the town of Balakliia and the sudden liberation of the strategic cities of Kupiansk, over 60 kilometers away, and Izium from Russian forces. So far, there has been no visual evidence of Western tanks such as Leopard 2 and Challenger 2, or armored vehicles such as U.S.-built Bradley used in the latest attacks. Newly formed and reformed Ukrainian brigades, many of which are equipped with Western armor and soldiers trained in NATO countries, are expected to lead the main attack of the expected counteroffensive. Note from the author: Hi, this is Francis Farrell, cheers for reading this article. I grew up on the other side of the world, but in Ukraine I have found a home unlike any other. Just like with so many of our readers, I understand that you don't have to be from near here to realize how important Ukraine's struggle is for freedom and human rights all over the world. The Kyiv Independent's mission is to lead the way in continuing to bring the best homegrown, English-language coverage of this war, even if the rest of the world's attention starts to fade. Please consider supporting our reporting. Russia says it thwarted major attack in Ukraine but lost some ground By Pavel Polityuk KYIV (Reuters) - Moscow said on Monday it had thwarted a major offensive against its forces in eastern Ukraine, although it was unclear whether the attack formed the beginning of Ukraine's long-anticipated counteroffensive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was enigmatic in his nightly video, hailing "the news we have been waiting for" in Bakhmut in the east. But he did not refer directly to a counteroffensive, which he had said he was ready to launch in a Wall Street Journal interview published on Saturday. Ukrainian officials made no mention of any broad, significant new campaign or sidestepped questions on the matter. The Washington Post reported that some U.S. officials thought the counteroffensive was underway, but White House national security spokesperson John Kirby declined to say whether he thought this was the case. "I'm not going to be talking for the Ukrainian military. That's for them to speak to," he told a regular briefing, although he stressed the work the United States had done to ensure the Ukrainians were ready. "So whether it's starting now, or starting soon, or whenever they decide to step up and whatever they decide to do, the president is confident that we did everything we could over the last six, eight months or more to make sure that they had all the equipment, the training, the capabilities to be successful." HIGH STAKES The success or failure of a counteroffensive, expected to be waged with billions of dollars worth of advanced Western weaponry, is likely to influence the shape of future Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine. Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine had attacked on Sunday morning with six mechanised and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk, where Moscow has long suspected Ukraine would seek to drive a wedge through Russian-controlled territory. "On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the South Donetsk direction," the defence ministry said in a statement. "The enemy's goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front," it said. "The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Reuters on Monday Ukraine now had enough weapons for a counteroffensive but declined to comment when asked whether it had begun. In its evening report, Ukraine's General Staff made no mention of any large-scale offensive operation, nor did it suggest any deviation from the usual tempo or scope of fighting along front lines that have not changed significantly for months. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Telegram Ukraine was "shifting to offensive actions" along parts of the front but dismissed suggestions this was part of a major operation. Maliar said later on state TV Ukrainian forces had made advances of between 200 metres and 1,600 metres (660 feet to one mile) around two villages north of the long embattled eastern city of Bakhmut and 100 to 700 metres around villages to the west and south. Russian Wagner group mercenaries captured Bakhmut last month after the longest battle of the war and handed their positions there to regular Russian troops, but Kyiv has since been attacking Russian-held areas to the north and south of the city. "The main focus now is on the Bakhmut sector," said Maliar. "And as of now, this has resulted in certain successes including advances. We have taken control of certain heights." An armed forces video showed Russian positions under fire and Wagner militia leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Ukrainian forces had retaken part of the settlement of Berkhivka, northwest of Bakhmut, calling it a "disgrace". 'TOUGH FIGHT GOING ON' Russia's defence ministry released video of what it said were Ukrainian armoured vehicles in a field blowing up after being hit. Reuters was able to confirm the location of two clips near Velyka Novosilka, a village west of Vuhledar in the southern part of Donetsk province, by the road layout, terrain, trees and other foliage that matched satellite imagery. Reuters could not independently verify the other clips or the date the videos were filmed, or other battlefield reports. "There is a tough fight going on," wrote prominent Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who uses the name War Gonzo, saying Ukrainian forces were attacking in the area. Russia's defence ministry said Russian forces killed 250 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armoured combat vehicles. Russia now controls at least 18% of internationally recognised Ukrainian territory and has claimed four more regions of Ukraine as Russian territory after annexing Crimea in 2014. Putin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year in what the Kremlin expected to be a swift operation, but its forces suffered a series of defeats and had to move back and regroup in swathes of the country's east. For months, tens of thousands of Russian troops have been digging in along a front line that stretches for around 600 miles (1,000 km), bracing for a Ukrainian attack expected to try to cut Russia's so-called land bridge to the Crimean Peninsula. (Additional reporting by Max Hunder, Dan Peleschuk and Ron Popeski; writing by Mark Heinrich, David Brunnstrom, Lidia Kelly, David Ljunggren and Philippa Fletcher; editing by Hugh Lawson and Rosalba O'Brien) Drone footage shows a burning armoured vehicle in an unidentified location after the Defence Ministry in Moscow said that Russian forces have thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive in the Donetsk region KYIV (Reuters) - Moscow said on Tuesday it had thwarted another major offensive by Ukraine in Donetsk, destroying military equipment and inflicting huge personnel losses, a statement that the powerful head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group dismissed as "absurd science fiction." Russia's defence ministry said that its forces had repelled Ukraine's second major offensive in two days, destroying, among other military equipment, eight main battle Leopard tanks supplied to Ukraine by its Western allies and 109 armoured vehicles. It also said that total Ukrainian losses amounted to 1,500 troops. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv about Russia's assertions and Reuters was not able to verify the claims. Both sides have often made claims of inflicting heavy human losses on each other which could not be independently verified. Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose Wagner Group spent months fighting in Bakhmut and who has frosty relations with Moscow, cast doubt on the defence ministry statement, however. To kill that many people would require daily gains of 150 kilometres (93 miles), he said in remarks published on the Telegram channel of his press service. "I therefore believe that this is simply wild and absurd science fiction," said Prigozhin. Totting up the figures provided by the ministry would imply "we have already destroyed the entire planet five times over," he added sarcastically. Prigozhin has frequently clashed with Moscow's defence establishment over the conduct of Russia's campaign in Ukraine and what he says is insufficient support being provided to his Wagner soldiers. Russia has said that Ukraine forces have begun a major offensive in the southern region of Donetsk, although it is unclear if Ukraine's long-anticipated counteroffensive has begun. Kyiv pressed on for the second day in row, the Russian defence ministry said on its Telegram channel on Tuesday. "Having suffered heavy losses the day before, the Kiev regime reorganized the remnants of the 23rd and 31st mechanized brigades into separate consolidated units, which continued offensive operations," the ministry said, adding that "a complex fire defeat" had been inflicted. Ukrainian officials have made no mention of any broad, significant new campaign and sidestepped questions on the matter on Monday. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux, Lidia Kelly and Ron Popeski; Writing by Stephen Coates and Gareth Jones; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Michael Perry) Ukrainian military near Bakhmut, May 30, 2023 The Russian propagandists plan to increase the spread of messages about the Ukrainian armys actions to demoralize Ukrainians and mislead, in particular, the Russian population, the agency said. Russian propagandists will spread unreliable information about the counter-offensive, its directions and the Ukrainian armys losses, the StratCom report says. Even if there is no counter-offensive. For this, Russia has prepared old videos and photos showing damaged equipment, dead and captured Ukrainian soldiers, and other fake materials, StratCom warned, urging the public to take data only from Ukrainian official sources. Russias Defense Ministry announced on June 5 a large-scale offensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on five front areas. Read also: What to expect of Ukraines grand counter-offensive NV analysis The Russians cited data on alleged losses and claimed that the Ukrainian defenders had not achieved their goals. Ukraine has said it will not comment officially on these statements. Neither will Ukraine officially announce the beginning of the counter-offensive, Ukraines Defense Ministry said previously. However, Ukraine is now ready to launch itslong-expected counter-offensive, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 3. 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 One of the drones that fell in Russia Reports of the incident were also posted on Russian news outlets on the Telegram early on June 5. Photographs showed two small, gray, delta-winged drones laying by a roadside, with no visible markings. Governor Vladislav Shapsha said that two drones had crashed onto the M3 Ukraine highway in Kaluga Oblast. The first unmanned aerial vehicle fell on the 299th kilometer mark of the road, and the second on the 283rd kilometer mark, the governor said. Read also: How the fires at oil depots in Bryansk may affect the Russian army There were no explosions. The authorities have cordoned off the area. In the early hours of June 2, kamikaze drones attacked an oil refinery and gas distributionstation in Smolensk Oblast in Russia, which neighbors Kaluga Oblast to the west. 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 authorities do not coordinate actions and do not know how to respond to operations in Belgorod Oblast Experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed out that Russia's various levels of government do not coordinate their actions and do not know how to respond to the events in the country's Belgorod Oblast. Source: the ISW Details: The ISW has indicated that the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Legion of Freedom of Russia (LSR) conducted another limited raid into Belgorod Oblast on 4 June and reportedly continue to operate in the Russian border town. Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has confirmed that fighting was taking place in Novaya Tavolzhanka, although the Russian Ministry of Defence has claimed that units of the Western Military District and the Russian Border Guard Service struck a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group near the settlement, forcing it to retreat. According to the so-called Russian military bloggers and media outlets, a sabotage and reconnaissance group of 20 people entered Novaya Tavolzhanka and remained there. Experts have also reported that Gladkov responded to a demand from the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Legion of Freedom of Russia to negotiate the exchange of captured Russian prisoners of war. He initially agreed to the meeting, but then refused. The ISW analysts have concluded that Russia's dissonant reaction and reports of the limited raid in Belgorod Oblast continue to suggest that the Russian leadership has not yet decided how to respond to these limited raids. Quote: "The contradictory reporting from official Russian sources about the situation in Belgorod Oblast and Gladkovs apparent personal decision to respond to the RDK and LSR suggests that the Ministry of Defence and Gladkov are not coordinating their responses to the raids." More details: According to the experts, the reaction (of the Russian authorities ed.) was mainly focused on information effects, and there is no indication that the Russian leadership has defined a broader policy to prevent further limited raids into Russia's border regions. It is also noted that it remains unclear whether the Russian authorities are organising evacuations in response to these actions, although Gladkov claimed that 4,000 residents of the vulnerable area are currently in temporary accommodation centres due to the evacuation. The experts have noted that limited raids and shelling of the border in Belgorod Oblast are increasingly becoming the focus of criticism of the Russian military leadership. Thus, the founder of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, continued to use the situation in Belgorod Oblast to criticise the Russian Ministry of Defence on 3 and 4 June, in particular, criticising the lack of response from Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, Colonel General Alexander Lapin and Army General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian General Staff. In addition, Prigozhin stated on 4 June that Ukrainian forces might have regained positions in the southwestern part of Bakhmut, confirming repeated Ukrainian reports that Ukrainian forces were holding positions on the southwestern outskirts of the city. Prigozhin said that, according to some unverified reports, Ukrainian forces had set up observation posts on the southwestern outskirts of Bakhmut. To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 4 June: Elements of the all-Russian pro-Ukrainian Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and Freedom of Russia Legion (LSR) conducted another limited raid into Belgorod Oblast on June 4 and are reportedly continuing to operate in a Russian border settlement. Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov responded to a RDK and LSR demand to negotiate for the exchange of captured Russian prisoners of war (POWs). The dissonant Russian responses to and reporting about the limited raid in Belgorod Oblast continue to suggest that the Russian leadership has not yet decided how to react to these limited cross-border raids. The limited raids and border shelling in Belgorod Oblast are increasingly becoming the current focal point for criticism against the Russian military leadership. Russian forces again targeted Ukraine with Iranian-made drones and cruise missiles on 4 June making it the fourth consecutive day of strikes across Ukraine. Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed on June 4 that Ukrainian forces may have regained positions in southwestern Bakhmut, supporting repeated Ukrainian reports that Ukrainian forces maintain positions on the southwestern outskirts of the city. Ukrainian and Russian forces both claimed to have made limited territorial gains on the Kupiansk-Svatove line. Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks around Bakhmut and Marinka. Ukrainian forces conducted local ground attacks and reportedly made limited tactical gains in western Donetsk Oblast and eastern Zaporizhia Oblast. The Russian Ministry of Defence submitted a draft government decree that will no longer require an individuals presence at an enlistment office for military registration. Russian officials continue to use rest and rehabilitation schemes to deport Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Russian radio stations broadcast panicky announcement by Putin of "invasion by Armed Forces of Ukraine", Kremlin says it's a fake Radio stations in Russias Rostov, Belgorod and Voronezh oblasts have broadcast an address by President Vladimir Putin in which he calls upon Russians to evacuate to the interior of the country due to an invasion by the Ukrainian army and announces mobilisation. The local authorities and the Kremlin claim that the address is a fake. Source: Russian independent media outlet Meduza, referring to anonymous Telegram channels; Russian Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA Novosti, referring to a statement by Putins press secretary Dmitry Peskov; Operative Staff of Belgorod Oblast Quote: "Russian citizens, fellow citizens, brothers and sisters. Today at 04:00, Ukrainian troops, armed by the NATO bloc, by agreement and with the support of Washington, invaded the territory of Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk oblasts. Our border guards and the armed forces are courageously fighting back against the prevailing forces of the aggressor. Martial law has been introduced in the territory of Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk oblasts according to my decree. Today, I will sign a decree on general mobilisation, as we will need to unite all forces of the Russian Federation in order to defeat this dangerous and cunning enemy." Details: In his address, Putin urged residents of Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk oblasts to evacuate deeper into the country. Putins press secretary Dmitry Peskov has called the address a fake and claimed that control over the airwaves had been restored. The authorities in the regions believe that the address was intended to spread panic. " " pic.twitter.com/BXefex19jA (@ukrpravda_news) June 5, 2023 Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Russian reconnaissance group tries to cross state border in Kharkiv Oblast, says General Staff Smoke in Kharkiv Oblast In the Siversk and Slobozhanske areas, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to infiltrate a subversive reconnaissance group across the state border of Ukraine in the vicinity of the settlement of Zelene (Kharkiv Oblast), the report says. The Russians also continue to focus their main efforts on attempts to fully occupy Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. In particular, 29 combat clashes took place on June 4, the General Staff said. Fighters from an anti-Putin Russian armed group, the Russian Volunteer Corps or RDK, announced on June 4 that they were engaged in battles near Shebekino, Belgorod Oblast in Russia. The Russian armed group reached out to Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov with an offer to return captured Russian army soldiers as a goodwill gesture. In return, they asked for a private audience with the governor to discuss the present state of the region and, crucially, the future of Russia as a whole. RDK fighters announced their latest raid in RussiasBelgorod Oblast on June 1. Another anti-Putin Russian armed group, the Freedom of Russia Legion, announced on May 22 that together with the RDK it hadcompletely liberated the village of Kozinka in Belgorod Oblast, passed the village of Gora-Podol, and began storming Grayvoron. Local authorities declared a counterterrorist operation and, according to the governor, had most residents of Grayvoron evacuated. Read also: Chaos in Russias Belgorod Oblast as officials flee and the Russian army shells its own civilians The Russians claimed that they had killed most of the saboteurs and pushed the rest back to the territory of Ukraine. RDK and legion fighters denied the losses. The RDK and the legion reported that they had advanced42 kilometers into Russia and controlled some settlements in Belgorod Oblast for a day. They claimed to have lost two people in action, with 10 others wounded. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine called the actions of the legion and the RDK in Belgorod Oblast of Russia the establishment of a security strip to protect Ukrainians. Ukrainian Defense Intelligence officer and spokesperson Andriy Yusov said that the raid in the Russian oblast was carried out exclusively by legion and RDK fighters, who are themselves Russian citizens. 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 ruling-party MP says some goals of "special military operation" have lost their meaning. He may be deprived of office At the forum titled "What kind of Ukraine do we need?" in Moscow, Konstantin Zatulin, a lawmaker of the Russian State Duma from the United Russia faction, said that Russia has not achieved its stated goals during the war against Ukraine; now the faction might punish him for his statement. Source: Zatulin's website; Vedomosti Details: On 1 June, at the foresight forum "What kind of Ukraine do we need?" Konstantin Zatulin, the first deputy chairman of the Committee on Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Affairs of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and the Head of the Institute of CIS Countries, said that the "special military operation" [that is how Russians call the war in Ukraine - ed.] should have been called a war from the very beginning. In his opinion, the purpose of the war was to destroy Ukraine, but now Moscow has no reason to believe that "the statehood of Ukraine and Ukraine in general as such, and some say that Ukrainians as such, do not exist". Zatulin said that it is too early for Russia to calm down and believe that it will definitely win. Quote: "When the conversation on the logic of this special military operation begins, you understand that it was, if I understand correctly, I did not read these plans, that quite rapidly after our intense action, the Ukrainian state falls apart, and without much sacrifice it is possible to achieve what has not been achieved for eight years, while they tried to implement the Minsk agreements. Unfortunately, that plan fell through. It was just unrealistic at its core. (...) So now we have to move on to another plan. There should be one. And we essentially go to it in an orderly fashion, and we just don't name it. What were our goals, officially declared at the beginning of the military operation? You all remember: denazification, demilitarisation, neutrality of Ukraine, and protection of the inhabitants of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, who suffered all this time. On which of these points have we achieved results to date? None of them. Moreover, some of them ceased to make any sense. For example, neutrality of Ukraine. What is the point of making this demand? None at this point. It will no longer be neutral if it [Ukraine - ed.] remains intact." Details: Zatulin did not agree with the idea that sounded at the forum that "the statehood of Ukraine no longer exists". He is sure that Ukraine will remain "because [Russia does not possess - ed.] the strength to overcome this with the support that is provided to them [Ukrainians - ed.]". In his opinion, the Kremlin also understands this, which is why "Viktor Medvedchuk [to whose daughter Putin is godfather to ed.] has reappeared" in the media because "something needs to be offered to Ukraine that will remain there". According to Zatulin, Russia cannot stop the war: "If we cease fire now, it will be the defeat of the idea, the plan that was there at the very beginning." Zatulin believes that the Russian army needs to reach the frontiers from where Ukrainian weapons would not reach Donetsk and Luhansk and that it is necessary to "cut Ukraine off from the sea and thus remove the threat for Crimea, the Caucasus and everything else". Zatulin said that he would be happy if Ukraine did not exist, but if Russia wants Ukraine to be on its side, it cannot keep saying that Ukraine and Ukrainians do not exist. In his opinion, the Russian Federation should not abandon its intentions but conduct "intelligent propaganda" through "proper behaviour and better attitude towards those who find themselves on our territory". Two United Russia party sources and a source close to the Russian presidential administration told Vedomosti that after Zatulin's speech, the party began consultations. Zatulin is not a member of the party but is a member of its faction in the State Duma, the lower chamber of the parliament. Among the options being discussed are the removal of Zatulin from his position as first deputy head of the Duma committee and his expulsion from the Duma United Russia party. It is possible that Zatulin will only be "talked to by the faction's leadership so that he will be more careful in his future statements". Zatulin told Vedomosti that no one from the faction's leadership had contacted him: "Why would I lose my position in the committee or be expelled from the faction? The faction leadership has not told me anything." On his Telegram channel, Zatulin wrote that at the forum, he said that the goals of the "military special operation", as Russia calls its war against Ukraine, had not been achieved so far, and then went on to say what needed to be done to achieve these goals. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A video of a fake address by Russian leader Vladimir Putin was aired Monday in parts of Russia. This Sept. 21 image shows a laptop screen of Putin's real address that day ordering a partial mobilization. Sefa Karacan/Getty Images A fake Putin declared in a video address that Ukraine's army invaded Russia and he's ordering martial law. The fake video was aired, due to a reported hacking, in border areas where anxiety is already high. Russian sources reported increased Ukrainian attacks at positions along the front lines on Monday. Something was slightly off about the Russian President Vladimir Putin whose emergency address was broadcast into some Russian homes on Monday. The deep lines in the 70-year-old leader's furrowed brow seemed to disappear too smoothly as his expression changed. That's because it was apparently a fake, and a stunning one at that. Appearing with the caption, "President's emergency appeal," the seemingly digitized Russian leader says that Ukraine's army has entered three border regions where he's declaring martial law and urges listeners to "evacuate deep" into Russia. Some TV and radio stations in these areas aired it due to what Russian officials called a hack; they did not identify any culprits. "Definitely there was no address. It is true that there were hacks in some regions," said Putin's chief spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the state-run TASS news agency. "In particular, I know that there was a hack into Radio Mir and into some networks. Now all this has been eliminated and taken under control." Unease has been growing in Russia's border areas in recent weeks as small groups of armed anti-Putin Russian militants have stormed past border guards, forcing heavy military responses to expel them. The message delivered by fake Putin via television and radio seemed to play to these anxieties. "Russians, brothers and sisters, today at 4 am, Ukrainian troops armed by the NATO bloc with the consent and support of Washington invaded the territories of the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions," the announcement begins, according to a Russian account of the fake address. As it continues, Putin supposedly then goes on to order a mass mobilization, a step sure to trigger widespread concern that he's so far resisted taking in full. The timing of the fake broadcast is also notable because Russian sources reported increased Ukrainian attacks at multiple positions along the long front lines on Monday. US satellites also detected movements and more activity from Ukraine's forces, The New York Times reported. Only time will tell if these moves are part of their looming counter-offensive to retake stolen land. Read the original article on Business Insider Russian Volunteer Corps and Freedom of Russia Legion said they killed a colonel of Russian Armed Forces in Belgorod Oblast The Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion said that a colonel of the Russian Armed Forces, Andrey Stesev, was killed on the territory of Belgorod Oblast. Source: announcements of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Freedom of Russia Legion Quote: "During a joint operation of the Russian Volunteer Corps and Freedom of Russia Legion forces on the territory of Belgorod Oblast, Colonel Andrey Vasilyevich Stesev, a serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces of the Guard, was killed." Details: Freedom of Russia Legion stated that "a joint group of the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps killed Colonel Andrey Vasilyevich Stesev, a senior of the Belgorod operational group." Quote: "He died in battle, like an officer with a weapon in his hands, but we must admit that these hands are covered up to the elbows in blood. On his orders, he and his subordinates had systematically terrorised the population of Belgorod Oblast and violated their rights and freedoms. Earlier, Stesev killed civilians in Chechnya, Yugoslavia, Abkhazia and Ukraine." Background: On Monday, 5 June, the Freedom of Russia Legion appealed to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, and offered to exchange the captured mercenary Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian Armed Forces for the several Russian soldiers captured by the Legion in Belgorod Oblast. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Russian invaders hit Kupyansk Read also: Russia targets Ukrainian children 2-year-old girl dead, 5 children in hospital in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast missile strike A church and a private enterprise were damaged in Nikopol. Nine residential buildings, an outbuilding and power lines were also damaged, Lysak said. No casualties were reported. The enemy also launched a kamikaze drone at the region, and a Shahed UAV was shot down by the Ukrainian military, Lysak said. In the morning, Russian forces also targeted the town of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. The attack on Kupyansk damaged residential buildings, garages, and outbuildings. There were no casualties, Synegubov said. On June 4, Russian troops also launched rocket attacks on Chuhuyiv. In total, three people were wounded in Kharkiv Oblast on that day. In Kherson Oblast, the enemy fired 176 shells from various types of weapons over the last day. The shells hit residential areas of the local settlements, as well as the grounds and buildings of a plant and a utility company in Beryslav district. Two people were wounded. The Russian military also twice launched artillery strikes on the waters of the Ochakiv community in Mykolaiv Oblast. Regional governor Vitalij Kim announced that there were no causalties, but that residential buildings were damaged in the town of Ochakiv. Russian invasion troops regularly shell civilian residential areas in Ukrainian oblasts that are close to Russian territory or to Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, including Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Kherson and Mykolaiv. The International Criminal Court in Marchannounced that it was opening two war crimes cases against Russia, one of which concerns illegal attacks on civilian infrastructure. 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 Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, has said that the Russian forces attacked the settlement of Kozatske in the oblast, killing a woman. Source: Prokudin on Telegram Quote: "A woman was killed as a result of Russian shelling of Kozatske. The Russian army once again attacked residential buildings in this settlement with targeted fire." Details: The head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration reported that the occupiers also fired at the village of Kizomys with prohibited incendiary ammunition today. Because of this, a fire broke out in an already sown field. Some of the crops were saved. According to Prokudin, it was "hot" all day in the Tiahynka hromada [an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories]. There was a strike at the boarding school for orphans. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Sacramento happy hour to host final event of 2023 with music and animals. How to get in Picture this: Youre under the stars with a drink in one hand and food in another, listening to live music and the sound of bustling animals. The Sacramento Zoo in Land Park will host its final Thursday happy hour event of the year from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 15. For a $25 entry fee ($20 for zoo members) you get access to a variety of pub food like street tacos, barbecue and wood-fired pizza, according to the zoos website. Drinks non-alcoholic drinks and beer, wine and cocktails in a can will be available for purchase. The Sacramento-based band, Peter Petty & his Terpsichoreans, will take the zoos stage on June 15 with a mix of eclectic, electric and acoustic mash-up of classics from musical artists like Ray Charles, David Bowie and Tom Waits. The happy hour events, which kicked off in late April, staged the six-piece dance band The Ryan Hernandez Band and Northern California party band Cover Me Badd. Limited and non-refundable tickets are available through the zoos website. IDs will be checked at the door and no one under 21 will be admitted, the zoo wrote on its website. 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. Saks Fifth Avenue has been hit with a judgment of $9.3 million by a former Black sales worker in Columbus who claims she was a victim of discrimination. A Franklin County jury has awarded $9.3 million in damages to a Black former Saks Fifth Avenue worker at the Saks store at Polaris Fashion Place who claimed she was a victim of racial discrimination that eventually led to her termination in 2019. The eight-member jury in Franklin County Common Pleas Court made the award May 25 in favor of Elizabeth Cook of Canal Winchester, who argued that her managers at the store treated her differently and unfairly compared with her non-African-American coworkers. She said she was eventually terminated for violating a policy that wasn't in effect at the time she was fired. Beyond awarding damages for past and future lost wages and other noneconomic damages, the award included $7 million in punitive damages. More: Former Equitas Health staff condemn 'disrespectful, degrading and dehumanizing treatment' of Black employees In a statement issued through her lawyer, Thomas Spyker, Cook thanked the magistrate judge who managed the case, Elizabeta Saken, and the jury. "This process helped restore the dignity I lost five years ago when I was unlawfully terminated by Saks Fifth Avenue," she said. "While I can understand that rogue managers and bad employees can lead to bad outcomes likemine, I still cannot fathom how Sakss internal racial discrimination complaint process completely failed. "I made a complaint. It was ignored in violation of Saks written policy. There was a process in place built to protect me. That process failed. I think the jurys award reflects that. My hope is that Saks has learned from this andothers who find themselves in my position moving forward are protected." For its part, Saks continues to defend its actions and Cook's former managers who also were named in the case, and said other associates were terminated for violating the same company policy that Cook violated. "We do not tolerate employees violating our policies, and reserve the right to hold them accountable in all instances, including through termination," the retailer said in a statement. "Our position remains that there was no discrimination or retaliation involved in this situation. We are disappointed in the jury's decision and plan to appeal the outcome." Final award likely to be reduced, expert says All eight members of the jury agreed to award Cook a total of $2.3 million for past and future lost wages and noneconomic damages on her separate claims of retaliation and discrimination, court records show. Seven of the eight jurors agreed to the $7 million award for punitive damages. The jury also awarded attorney fees. The actual amount likely will be reduced once a final judgment is in place, said Steve Chappelear, a Columbus attorney who has tracked jury awards for decades. The legislature has put caps in place to limit damages against businesses, but jurors aren't aware of those caps when they deliberate, he said. A 2016 Ohio Supreme Court ruling, for example, upheld the reduction of a jury's award of $3.5 million for noneconomic damages to $250,000 to a girl who had been raped by her pastor in Delaware County. While the award in the Cook case is large, putting it in context is tough because few racial discrimination cases go to trial, said Chappelear, with Eastman & Smith law firm. Several awards have been bigger in civil cases in Franklin County. Franklin County jurors tend to be conservative in civil cases, he said. "The average case is going to return an average verdict, but if it's a case that shocks the conscience, that shows malice, they're not shy about awarding a large number," he said. Cook was one of Saks' top sales associate, lawsuit claims "During Plaintiff's tenure at Saks, she was forced to endure a pervasive pattern of discrimination and retaliation by defendants," the lawsuit said of the store managers. "Although they were each committed to maintaining Saks reputation as a luxury retailer by providing stellar customer service, her managers deliberately targeted her because of her race." The lawsuit alleged a racial bias at the store and claimed Black shoppers were profiled when they entered. Cook said in the case that her efforts to get help from the company's human resources department failed. Cook worked at the store for more than eight years, starting part time in the shoe department and working her way up to become one of the top sales associates at the store, generating more than $1 million in sales for Saks per year, according to the lawsuit. Throughout her tenure at the store, she said the discipline she received, including her termination, was applied in a racially discriminatory manner. For example, she said she was disciplined for swearing even though it was common among store employees. Cook was fired in August 2019 for what she said was violating a policy banning a practice called "re-ringing" that was not yet in effect. The lawsuit alleged that it was common for store employees to engage in re-ringing in which customers were allowed to return and purchase the same item, essentially changing the date of sale, so that they could participate in promotions or sales after the original purchase. Many of the promotions allowed customers to accumulate points to use for future purchases or get money back. On Aug. 19, 2019, the company issued a policy that banned the policy. Cook was fired the next day though other non-Black employees were not terminated for doing the same thing, according to the lawsuit. mawilliams@dispatch.com @BizMarkWilliams This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Saks denies wrongdoing in Columbus discrimination case but loses case [Source] San Franciscos public libraries are offering free Mandarin classes for adults and children this summer. Key details: The classes will be offered in 10 branches of the San Francisco Public Library. Adult classes will be held in Excelsior, Golden Gate Valley, Richmond and Visitacion Valley branches, while childrens classes will be available in Anza, Ingleside, Marina, Portola, West Portal and the Main Librarys children's center. Some beginners classes start on June 10. Each branch will reportedly hold weekly classes. There is no prerequisite for joining the classes, which will be led by instructors from around the Bay Area. Those who complete 20 hours will receive a book tote designed by artist K-Fai Steele. More from NextShark: 107-year-old Japanese Tea Garden Pagoda unveiled in San Francisco after 2-year, $1.1 million restoration Why its being done: Around 149,000 San Francisco residents reportedly speak a form of Chinese. Alongside Cantonese, Mandarin is considered one of San Franciscos Chinese threshold languages, which are designated once the city houses 10,000 Limited English Proficient residents who share a particular language. The library classes are now in their fifth year. They are held in partnership with the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, which serves as Taiwans alternative diplomatic mission or de facto embassy/consulate in cities that have formal ties with Beijing. The classes are also part of San Franciscos Summer Stride program. The annual initiative features opportunities for learning, reading and exploration. More from NextShark: SF DA Chesa Boudin introduces new AAPI victim service unit amid upcoming recall election How to sign up: All classes are drop-in and do not require registration. For more information, head over to the San Francisco Public Librarys official website. Questions may be addressed to sfplcpp@sfpl.org. Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! A 260,000-square-foot Vietnamese indoor market modeled after a Ho Chi Minh City landmark planned for Bay Area BTS will return to perform on Korean music shows for the first time in over 2 years The government of Saudi Arabia announced Sunday that it will voluntarily cut oil production by about 1 million barrels a day, likely sending gas prices higher this summer in the U.S. The Gulf kingdom, the largest oil producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, confirmed that it will cut production from 10 million to 9 million barrels despite OPEC at large announcing it will not alter production plans for the remainder of 2023. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, noted that oil prices shot up Sunday night when markets opened to around $75 a barrel, but they had dropped to $72 as of Monday morning. In the immediate short term, De Haan said, the impact on U.S. consumers will likely be measured in cents, with the national average possibly climbing over the next week or two. It appears that the market was really worked up yesterday but things are cooling off today, [so] there may not even be a three-to-six cent impact, he said. Its going to be a very minor impact at the pump this week. However, De Haan noted, one major reason gas prices are so much lower compared to last year is concern about a potential economic slowdown, compounded in recent weeks by factors like uncertainty about the federal debt ceiling and a string of bank failures. The concern, though, is that as time progresses, going into 2024, the state of the U.S. economy is a big wild card, he said. The long term [view] is that if the economy starts heating back up at the same time production of oil is going down, that intersection point could be problematic, and who knows if that could occur this year or next year. Additionally, he said, the U.S. withdrew significant supply from the strategic petroleum reserve when gas prices spiked last year. If demand starts to accelerate, we could see the market become concerned with the lack of supply in the market, he said, adding that if there are more drastic impacts from the Saudi production cuts, they are more likely to become evident around August or September. Last year as prices spiked, President Biden met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, drawing criticism from human rights advocates due to his role in the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. More recently, a subset of oil producers led by the Saudis announced a million-barrel cut for the month of May in April. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. For Saudi Arabia, the price of oil is falling too low The kingdom is making its own rules. Saudi Arabia is slashing its July output of oil to boost falling prices. Yesterday (June 4), the energy ministry of Saudi Arabiathe de facto leader of the oil cartel OPEC+, comprising the 13 nations that are part of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and 11 oil-producing nations that are notsaid that it would cut oil output by 1 million barrels per day (bpd). In July, the kingdom will send only 9 million bpd to market. Read more Saudi Arabias unilateral decision coincided with an OPEC+ agreement, made during a meeting in Vienna, to extend the cuts made late last year and in April this year. Those production cuts will now last until the end of 2024. The cartel also reduced overall production targets starting January 2024 by a further 1.4 million bpd, to a combined 40.46 million bpd. Oil prices have already risen in responsewhich was precisely the result Saudi Arabia was looking for. Quotable: This is a Saudi lollipop. We wanted to ice the cake. We always want to add suspense. We dont want people to try to predict what we do... This market needs stabilisation.Prince Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabias energy minister, in a news conference By the digits: Oil production cuts 40%: Share of the worlds crude pumped by OPEC+ 2.4%: How much the price of Brent crude oil rose by during Asia trade today (June 5), before settling at around $77 a barrel 3.66 million bpd: Production cuts that OPEC+ had instituted, to now run until the end of 2023, amounting to 3.6% of global demand. This includes a 2 million bpd cut implemented last October and voluntary cuts of 1.66 million bpd agreed upon in April. These cuts were extended till the end of 2024 yesterday (June 4). 500,000 bpd: The volume of oil output that Saudi Arabia decided to cut during the surprise April announcement 12%: The share of the worlds oil produced by Saudi Arabia, the largest of any nation $80.90: The minimum price that crude needs to exceed for Riyadh to break even and fund ambitious development projects, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections. The oil-dependent kingdom needs this revenue to support its so-called Vision 2030" plan of diversifying its economy, which includes the construction of a $500 billion futuristic desert city project called Neom. 3 million barrels: The volume of oil purchased by the US in May to replenish its Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), from which it has been releasing millions of barrels of oil to keep prices down. As a result, the US could be insulated from the aftershock of OPEC+ production cuts in the near term. Charted: Oil prices have kept sliding over the past year datawrapper-chart-7dsLP Country of interest: Russia Moscow will extend its voluntary cut of 500,000 barrels a day through the end of 2024, Alexander Novak, the Russian deputy prime minister, told the Russian state news agency Tass yesterday. In a separate televised interview the same day, Novak emphasized that Russia would honor its production cut claims. But industry watchers are skeptical if the Kremlin is making good on its promise. Russias oil exports are holding strong in spite of Western sanctions. At the same time, though, the number of idled oil wells is rising in the country. Related stories OPECs oil cuts force the US to reconsider its foreign policy OPEC+ announced a surprise cut to oil output that renewed inflation concerns How much money did India save in a year by buying Russian fuel? More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Saudi Arabia welcomes Venezuelan leader Maduro, reaching out to yet another US foe This is a locator map for Saudi Arabia with its capital, Riyadh. (AP Photo) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to yet another U.S. foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule, but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, but relations have been strained in recent years. Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Iran's theocracy and Syria's President Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdom's image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognize the election results and challenged Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. "Leadership" does not imply hegemony, Chinese delegation says at Shangri-La Dialogue Xinhua) 09:58, June 05, 2023 SINGAPORE, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese delegation on Saturday rejected U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's unfounded accusations against China at the Shangri-La Dialogue, saying "leadership" does not imply hegemony, status is determined by acts, and actions speak louder than words. Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission, told a press conference that by peddling the so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy," Washington is attempting to maintain its hegemony. Although the Cold War ended 32 years ago, the United States has not removed residues of the Cold War, such as the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and bilateral military alliance. Instead, it has escalated bloc politics and stoked conflict and confrontation by launching the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and trilateral security partnerships. "To pursue its selfish interests, the United States has coaxed and coerced some countries into acting as a pawn with the fundamental aim of maintaining its hegemonic system, regardless of the aspiration for stability and order by regional countries," he said. Regarding the Taiwan question, Jing strongly refuted the recent U.S. remarks on Taiwan for ignoring facts and distorting the truth. The United States has continuously weakened and hollowed out the one-China principle, strengthened the so-called official exchanges with Taiwan and condoned "Taiwan independence" activities, he said. The United States has also increased arms sales to Taiwan in both quality and quantity, frequently sailed through the Taiwan Strait to flex its muscles, and ganged up with other countries to intervene in the Taiwan question, Jing said. He emphasized that China's military operations around the Taiwan Strait are targeted at "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and the interference of external forces, and are justified. The general added that China cannot be blamed for changing the status quo, as the U.S. "exploiting Taiwan to contain China" and "Taiwan independence" separatists relying on external forces are the real factors causing changes in the status quo, exacerbating tensions and undermining the stability. Noting that the Taiwan question concerns China's core interests and brooks no compromise, he said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army is fully prepared and ready to firmly defend China's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Jing said that in recent years, the United States has continued to interfere in the South China Sea issue, and taken it as an excuse to suppress other countries. This is completely contrary to the will and efforts of regional countries to seek peace, pursue development and promote stability, he said. Jing stressed that China advocates a peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea, adding that regional countries have the ability, confidence and wisdom to deal with the issue, and there is no room for interference from countries outside the region. He said that the United States is the real mastermind behind tension in the South China Sea. In recent years, the U.S. side has been sending warships and military aircraft to the South China Sea to provoke troubles under the so-called "freedom of navigation," he said. The United States has also intensified its efforts to increase temporary and rotational deployment, establish additional military bases, and continue to strengthen its military presence in the South China Sea, Jing said. "By doing so, the United States will only cause more security risks and increase the potential for crisis," he said. Concerning an incident over the South China Sea, in which the U.S. side claimed that a Chinese fighter jet conducted an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver," Jing said the move was carried out lawfully and professionally, and was only conducted after a U.S. reconnaissance plane deliberately intruded into a PLA naval routine training exercise. China values the development of China-U.S. military relations, and exchanges between the two militaries have not been interrupted, the Chinese general said, adding that the United States should be blamed for current obstacles to the development of the relations. It will not work if the United States appeals for communication while undermining China's interests, and claims to strengthen crisis management while continuing its provocations, Jing said. China urges the United States to earnestly respect China's core interests and major concerns, take concrete actions to remove obstacles to military-to-military exchanges, and bring relations between the two militaries back on the right track, Jing noted. Calling the Shangri-La Dialogue a platform for peace topics, not a hegemony show-off, Jing said China comes for peace, development and cooperation, while the United States clearly aims for promoting its "leadership," smearing and suppressing others, and preserving its hegemony. Countries that adhere to strategic independence and peaceful development will not follow the U.S. steps into the old path of bloc confrontation, he said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) A leopard in the wild. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images Holding the synthetic leopard fur up next to the real thing, it's hard to tell which is which and that's exactly what the team behind Saving Spots wants to hear. Saving Spots launched in August 2019 by Panthera, the global wildcat conservation organization, and the Barotse Royal Establishment of the Lozi people is an initiative in Zambia that aims to protect the country's wildcat populations while preserving the traditions and ceremonies of the Lozi, like the Kuomboka festival. During this annual event, about 200 Lozi community members escort their king between his palaces via barge. The paddlers wear lipatelo skirts made from leopard and serval fur and mishukwe headpieces topped by lion manes. The Lozi "have a strong reverence for leopards," Gareth Whittington-Jones, the counter wildlife crime Southern Africa regional coordinator for Panthera, told The Week, and they see their ceremonial garments as symbols of power and courage. Thousands of skins were once needed to create the lipatelo, but today, most are made of highly realistic synthetic leopard and serval furs, known as heritage furs. The faux furs were developed by Panthera and designed and endorsed by the Lozi king, who, knowing wildcat populations were dwindling, approved them for ceremonial events. This not only reduces demand for wildcat skins but also preserves one of the Lozi people's most important ceremonial events. "The key is not trying to impose this kind of approach on groups," Whittington-Jones said. "It's very much a partnership." Since 2019, 1,350 lipatelo and mishukwe made of heritage fur have been distributed, and eventually all of the ceremonial regalia for every event will be synthetic. The model can be replicated worldwide, Whittington-Jones said, and in Zambia, it "certainly wouldn't have been possible without the visionary approach" of the Lozi leaders. This high-level support shows "it's not just a wildcat NGO trying to drive this," he added. "People are seeing it's coming from within communities themselves." New data out of the Kafue National Park suggests Saving Spots and other conservation initiatives are making a difference in the southern region of the park, there were approximately 1.5 leopards per 100 square kilometers in 2019, and in 2022, that number rose to 4.4 leopards per 100 square kilometers. Leopard density has more than doubled in the central part of the park and stabilized in the north. You may also like Chris Christie: a scandal-plagued presidential hopeful Is Trump's wall working? Chuck Todd to be replaced by Kristen Welker on NBC's 'Meet the Press' Saying that students embrace censorship on college campuses is incorrect -- here's how to discuss the issue more constructively It's not true that college students reject challenging ideas wholesale and oppose conservative views. SDI Productions/E+/Getty Images The claim that college students censor viewpoints with which they disagree is now common. Versions of this claim include the falsehoods that students shut down most invited speakers to campuses, reject challenging ideas and oppose conservative views. Such cynical distortions dominate discussions of higher education today, misinform the public and threaten both democracy and higher education. Indeed, politicians in states such as Florida, Texas and Ohio argue that a so-called free speech crisis on college campuses justifies stronger government control over what gets taught in universities. Since 2020, numerous state legislatures have attempted to censor forms of speech on campuses by citing exaggerations about students and their studies. Passing laws to ban certain kinds of speech or ideas from college campuses is no way to promote true free speech and intellectual diversity. The most common targets of such censorship are programs that discuss race, gender, sexuality and other forms of multiculturalism. My concerns over public discourse about higher education extend from my book on popular misinformation about universities and why it threatens democracy. In it, I show that many negative perceptions of students and universities rest on factual distortions and exaggerations. The character of public debates about higher education is important. Millions of Americans rely on a healthy system of university education for professional and personal success. Rampant cynicism about higher education, leading to declines in public support for it, only undermines their pursuits. Based on my research, I offer alternative ways to frame debates about higher education. They can lead to discussions that are more constructive and accurate while better protecting fundamental American values such as free speech and democracy. One bill signed in May 2023 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center, includes restrictions that bar public colleges in Florida from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images 1. Avoid stereotypes about college students The idea that college students are hostile to opposing viewpoints is false. Pundits and media personalities have promoted this falsehood aggressively. Such figures have benefited, politically or financially, from sensationalism about a college free speech crisis. In opinion polls, college students typically express stronger support for free speech and diverse viewpoints than other groups. Partisan organizations often cherry-pick that data to make it seem otherwise. But poll results tell only part of the story about college campuses today. Several thousand institutions make up U.S. higher education. The system includes hundreds of thousands of students from different backgrounds. College campuses are often more demographically and intellectually diverse than surrounding communities. Judgments about higher education based on sweeping generalizations about college students conflict with the full realities of campus life. A wider range of perspectives, including from students themselves, can enrich debates about university education. 2. Consider all forums for free speech in universities Universities protect free speech more effectively than do other parts of society. They dont do so perfectly, but more effectively. Universities are major centers for the study of the First Amendment, the free press, human rights, cultural differences, international diplomacy, conflict resolution and more. Many institutions require students to take basic speech and writing courses that enhance their skill in argument and debate. Manufactured outrage about college students who protest invited speakers fuels sensationalism about free speech on campuses. Despite occasional disruptions over bigoted speakers, universities offer numerous forums for free speech, open debate and intellectual diversity. Just one large university holds thousands of classes, meetings, performances and other events on a daily basis. People freely express their views and pursue new ideas in those settings. Now multiply that reality by several thousand different institutions. Debates over free speech in higher education can be improved by acknowledging the many forums in which people speak freely every day. 3. Recognize the true threats to free speech on campuses For the past several years, many state legislatures have promoted the falsehood that universities are hostile to various ideas. The most commonly cited examples are conservative ideas, traditional expressions of patriotism and great works of Western literature. The notion of hostility to such ideas on college campuses has surfaced in numerous bills that create new forms of state interference in education. Thirty-five pieces of legislation banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in colleges have been introduced in state legislatures. So far, three of them have been signed into law, while four are pending final legislative approval. Tenure for faculty members, which protects independent thought, is also under assault in states such as Florida and Texas. Politicians in those states justify ending tenure protections by claiming that professors teach students to censor free speech. Such rising government interference creates a genuine threat to free speech on college campuses and in society beyond. A historic increase in state censorship, which began with higher education, has spilled over into censorship of materials about race, gender, sexuality and multiculturalism in K-12 schools and public libraries. Advocacy organizations like the ACLU and the American Association of University Professors have condemned this censorship. So have numerous conservative leaders. Informed scrutiny of university policies and what faculty members teach is always welcome. But cynical distortions have fueled anti-democratic censorship of universities, not constructive efforts to improve them. 4. Understand the role of academic freedom Academic freedom isnt a luxury found only in the Ivy League. It exists at community colleges such as Long Beach City College in California, whose June 9, 2022, graduation ceremony is seen here. Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images The ability of citizens to exercise academic freedom is not only vital in education. Its also training for democracy. Academic freedom includes the freedom to attend a university of ones choice. The freedom to learn what one chooses in that university. The freedom of an institution to offer a wide range of subject matters to students. And the freedom to teach or conduct research without political interference. These freedoms are not reserved for Ivy League universities. U.S. higher education includes state schools and community colleges that serve middle- and working-class communities. Those institutions are the backbone of many professions, from health care and technology to engineering and education. The quality of public debate over free speech in higher education matters. Government interference with colleges does not punish elites. It rewards deeply cynical views of higher education and restricts a freedom that should be available to all Americans. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. The Conversation has a variety of fascinating free newsletters. It was written by: Bradford Vivian, Penn State. Read more: Bradford Vivian 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. One of South Carolinas two Republican presidential candidates took on concerns about whether he, a Black man, has what it takes to garner the support of minority voters as he was grilled by the hosts of The View about his views on systemic racism in America and LGBTQ equality. South Carolinas junior senator, Tim Scott, appeared on ABCs The View on Monday to defend his view on the opportunities he says Black people have in America, despite pervading notions of racism and white supremacy. He also shared insights on progressive attacks toward members of the LGBTQ community, prompting studio audience members to boo him. I believe America can do for anyone what shes done for me. Restoring hope, creating opportunities and defending and protecting the America that we love is such an important combination, Scott said. But Scotts position on what it means to be the exception versus the rule was at odds with at least two of the five women co-hosts on the national television talk show. Youre the first Black senator elected in the South since Reconstruction ... about 114 years, said co-host Sunny Hostin. Yet, you say that your life disproves the leftist lie, and my question to you is, Im the exception, right? Youre the exception, maybe Ms. Whoopi Goldberg is the exception, but we are not the rule. At nearly every turn ... achievements in economics, education, health care, criminal justice and housing were fought, threatened and erased most often by white violence. You (Scott) have indicated that you dont believe in systemic racism. What is your definition of systemic racism? Scott responded by saying that one of the reasons he agreed to come on the show was because of the comments that were made about how the only way for a young African American kid to be successful in this country is to be the exception and not the rule, Scott said. That is a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today that the only way to succeed is by being the exception. Scott is the first Black U.S. senator from the South since the 19th century, and he is only the fifth Black person ever to serve in that role. He was appointed to the Senate in 2013 by then-S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, who now also is running for the Republican presidential nomination. Scott subsequently won election in 2014 and was reelected in 2016 and 2022. The senators Monday talk show appearance comes after Goldberg and Hostin challenged Scotts ability to understand the Black American experience, following his official announcement to run for president last week. One of the issues that Tim Scott has is that he seems to think, Because I made it, everyone can make it, Hostin said. Ignoring, again, the fact that hes the exception and not the rule. And until hes the rule, then he can stop talking about systemic racism. In addition, Goldberg previously said that Scott had Clarence Thomas syndrome as it relates to his vision for America. If youre running for president, you got to do more than that, Goldberg said last week on The View. You have to represent us as a nation and then say, And as a Black man this is also how I feel, but you cant pretend that its not there, that its not an issue for the people youre running for the party youre running for. They are, in part, the problem, she said. On Mondays appearance, Scott received a negative response from audience members when asked about how he felt Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another 2024 GOP candidate, was handling Disney and LBGTQ advocacy. DeSantis has been in a combat zone for a number of months over what I thought was the right issue as it relates to our young kids and what theyre being indoctrinated with, Scott said. I thought (DeSantis) started off on the right foot on that issue (by) respecting our kids from the indoctrination thats happening our culture is an important part of the equation. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called Kim Jong Un a thug in a Sunday night town hall on CNN, saying it is wrong for former President Donald Trump to praise the North Korean dictator like he did in recent days. The Republican presidential hopeful and former ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration made the comments Sunday during a CNN Town Hall when discussing Trumps congratulations to Kim for the North Korean leaders appointment to the World Health Organizations executive board. Theres nothing good or decent about Kim Jong Un, Haley said during the CNN town hall. I dont think we should congratulate dictators. Congratulate our friends. Dont congratulate our enemies. It emboldens them when we do. Trump congratulated Kim on his social media platform Truth Social. Trump and Kim had a close relationship during the Trump administration, which included letters to one another and three meetings between the two over North Koreas nuclear program. Other takeaways from Haleys town hall Haley would not say if she would sign a six-week ban on abortions such as the one signed in her home state by her successor, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster, which has been blocked by a judge. She instead called for media to question whether the current president and vice president support abortions late in pregnancies. I will answer that when you answer when you ask Kamala (Harris) and (Joe) Biden if they would agree to 37 weeks, 38 weeks, 39 weeks, Haley said to moderator Jake Tapper. Then Ill answer your question. Haley also took jabs at her Republican competitor who is polling second in the GOP race. Haley called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a hypocrite when it comes to his handling of Disney, pointing to how Florida awarded $578 million in tax breaks to the company after it planned to move 2,000 jobs from California to the Sunshine State. Disney has since scrapped those plans. Disney and DeSantis have been locked in a battle over the companys self-governing status after Disney criticized Floridas Parental Rights in Education Law, dubbed the Dont Say Gay law, signed by DeSantis. Disneys view is that its appropriate to be teaching a kindergartener that somehow they can change their gender. Thats totally unacceptable to be going on in school, DeSantis said Friday during his campaign swing through South Carolina. Even some of these Republicans now are taking Disneys side saying that somehow I was wrong to do what we did, but let me just say very clearly, we stand for the protection of our children. We will fight anybody seeking to rob them of their innocence and on those principles, there will be no compromise. Disney has filed a lawsuit against DeSantis alleging the governor violated the companys First Amendment rights. Because they went and criticized him, now hes going to spend taxpayer dollars on a lawsuit, Haley said. All this vendetta stuff, weve been down that road, again we cant go down that. Businesses were my partners in South Carolina. We didnt always get along. Luckily, South Carolina is very anti-woke, but when you have a company like that, dont bring the citizens taxpayer dollars into it. Pick up the phone, deal with it, settle it the way you should, and I think hes being hypocritical on it. When it came to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, Haley said Ukraine winning the war will prevent escalation into a larger conflict. This is about preventing war, Haley said. And so the way you prevent war is not that we give cash to Ukraine and not that we put troops on the ground, but that we get with our allies and make sure that we give them the equipment and ammunition to win. Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert! REP. AMI BERA ENDORSES ADAM SCHIFF Burbank Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff announced another Sacramento-area endorsement Friday: Rep. Ami Bera. Bera joins Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, and more than half the California Democratic congressional delegation (including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) in backing Schiffs bid to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Ive known Adam since Ive been in Congress and had a chance to watch Adams leadership, Bera told The Bee. The congressman added that Schiff really came into his own when President Donald Trump came to power in 2017, with Schiff holding the line against the Republican presidents policies. We all saw him on the national stage during impeaching, during Jan. 6, Bera said. He also praised Schiff for his time chairing the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, on which Bera now sits. I think that national security experience is incredibly important, he said. Bera added that he is close friends with fellow Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee, who also are seeking to replace Feinstein along with Republican Eric Early. I think its less about Katie and Barbara and more about Adams leadership, Bera said. For his part, Schiff praised Bera as leader on issues of health and science, and said that if elected senator he would rely on Beras input on what issues are top of mind for the Sacramento area constituency. Schiff agreed with Bera that whoever replaces Feinstein needs to be well-versed in intelligence issues, including an understanding of science and technology. I certainly think that whoever steps into Sen. Feinsteins shoes is going to have a big job on their hands, he said. CALIFORNIANS FAVOR CHANGING THE REFERENDA PROCESS, POLL SAYS Half of registered voters said they would support AB 421, the California bill to reform the referenda process by requiring a portion of signature-gatherers to be volunteers rather than paid, according to a recent survey by the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. That includes 52% of Democrats, 44% of Republicans and 50% of No Party Preference voters. California voters have a clear understanding that our referendum system has been abused and support common sense fixes, SEIU California Executive Director Tia Orr said in a statement. As AB 421 heads to the Senate, voters have sent an overwhelming and bipartisan message that they are ready to take back their power over direct democracy. However, just 6% of survey respondents knew that under current law, none of the signatures needed to place a referendum on the ballot need to come from a volunteer. The poll also found strong support for other proposed measures, including making it clearer to petition-signers whether the intent of the referendum is to uphold or overturn the law (81%), requiring paid signature-gatherers to sign a statement vouching for the accuracy and truthfulness of their description of the referendum to voters (80%), with 79% supporting revocation of the license of those who give voters inaccurate information. More than three-quarters (76%) said that the top three funders should be listed on each page of the petition, while 75% said that the official ballot description released by the state should include the top three funders for and against the referendum. CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN GROUPS TO HOLD PROTEST PRAYER VIGIL AT CAPITOL As the Senate gathers to honor Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (a group of queer and transgender drag nuns known for their irreverent attitude toward organized religion), three conservative religious groups the American Council, the California Family Council and the California Catholic Conference plan to gather on the west steps of the Capitol to hold a protest prayer vigil. I am troubled that the California State Senate would honor a group characterized by its disdain for an entire religious community. Ridiculing faith and religious beliefs has no place in California. These actions send a troubling message to people of faith by our state leaders: you are not welcome here, said American Council President Tanner Di Bella in a statement. In a statement, the groups said that the prayer vigil is not a political rally or gathering; participants were asked not to bring protest signs or wear politically divisive clothing. The vigil begins at 2 p.m., the same time that the Senate reconvenes. The announcement came a day after legislative Republicans called on Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, to rescind Sister Romas invitation (Atkins declined to do so). Also Friday, the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus released a statement that they were proud to honor Sister Roma for her tireless work raising millions of dollars to support HIV/AIDS patients, as well as creating the Stop the Violence campaign to raise awareness about attacks on members of the LGBTQ community. We look forward to giving her the recognition she deserves at the State Capitol, the caucus concluded. QUOTE OF THE DAY Sometimes there are 17 sides to an issue, like the ramifications of AI on society. Sometimes there are two sides, like should AR-15s be banned. Sometimes there is only one side, like did Dominion Voting machines steal the election. Always portraying two sides is lazy and stupid. - Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Los Angeles, via Twitter. Best of The Bee: Scholar, activist Cornel West says he will run for president in 2024 as 3rd-party candidate FILE - Harvard Professor Cornel West speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., at the Whittemore Center Arena at the University of New Hampshire, Feb. 10, 2020, in Durham, N.H. West says he will run for president in 2024 as 3rd-party candidate. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) WASHINGTON (AP) Scholar and progressive activist Cornel West announced Monday he is running for president next year as a third-party candidate, saying he wants to empower people who have been pushed to the margins." In a Twitter video, West said he will run as a member of The People's Party. He criticized both major political parties and their standard bearers, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Both Biden and Trump are running again in 2024. "In these bleak times, I have decided to run for truth and justice, which takes the form of running for president of the United States as a candidate for the Peoples Party," West said. I enter in the quest for truth. I enter in the quest for justice, and the presidency is just one vehicle to pursue that truth and justice, what Ive been trying to do all of my life. West is a well known Black scholar and author and a former professor at Harvard and Princeton universities. He criticized former President Barack Obama as a war criminal, and supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a democratic socialist, in his presidential bids in 2016 and 2020. On his campaign website, West says he wants to end wars, disband NATO, forgive all student debt, expand Social Security and invest in clean energy. Third-party candidates face serious hurdles, including getting their names on ballots in each state. In addition to Biden and Trump, several other candidates are making 2024 presidential bids. On Monday, former Vice President Mike Pence launched his campaign, joining a GOP primary field that already includes Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. A search has been suspended for a Denver man missing a week after entering the Colorado River in an inflatable kayak, Colorado authorities reported. Ari Harms was last seen May 28 at the Pioneer Park Campground in Hot Sulfur Springs, McClatchy News reported. Campground hosts notified the Grand County Sheriffs Office when Harms failed to check out as scheduled the next day. After six days of intensive searching in Byers Canyon, sheriffs officials suspended the search for Harms on Sunday, June 4, a news release said. Searchers must wait for the river to go down in order to safely search some areas, the release said. Deputies will continue to monitor the river. Many people have inquired about the ability to privately search the Colorado River for Ari and we are highly discouraging this to ensure their safety and preventing any future tragedies, the sheriffs office said. River closures connected to the search have been rescinded. Ari is so loved, Ash Alnite wrote on Facebook, McClatchy News reported. Hes family. Hes a friend. He has done so much for our community. We need all the positive energy we can get to bring him home safe. Harms works as a housing stability resource manager for Hope Communities, an affordable housing advocacy organization in Denver, according to the website. Harms also performs as a drag king under the name Simon Paul, according to friends on social media. Sheriffs officials ask that Byers Canyon visitors report any sightings or clues to 970-725-3311.. Hot Sulphur Springs is about 100 miles northwest of Denver. Byers Canyon is an 8-mile stretch of canyon that follows the Colorado River between Hot Sulphur Springs and Kremmling. Missing camper was last seen entering river in inflatable kayak, Colorado cops say Man dies after jumping into lake to help struggling child, South Carolina cops say 17-year-old swimmer dies after being swept in undertow at waterfall, Oregon cops say Second flight of migrants from Texas lands at Sacramento Executive Airport Second flight of migrants from Texas lands at Sacramento Executive Airport A second plane carrying migrants from South America arrived Monday morning in Sacramento, three days after 16 migrants from South America were flown on a private chartered flight from New Mexico to Californias capital city. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he believes both flights were arranged by the state of Florida and its governor, Ron DeSantis. Two of the men who were on the chartered flight on Friday were on the chartered flight today, Bonta said, adding that he believes the pair work for Vertol Systems Company the organization behind a similar flight that transported nearly 50 mostly Venezuelan asylum seekers from San Antonio to Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts, last year. Logs from the flight tracking website FlightAware showed a flight landing at 10:26 a.m. Monday at Sacramento Executive Airport, about two hours after taking off from Deming, New Mexico, the same departure point as Fridays flight. The flight brought 20 migrants, all of them adults, Sacramento County spokeswoman Kim Nava said during an impromptu news conference Monday afternoon at Sacramento Executive Airport. Of the second group of migrants, 16 were from Venezuela, two from Colombia, one from Nicaragua and one from Mexico, according to Attorney General Rob Bonta. Bonta said that many of the migrants were anxious and emotional when they arrived. Florida, through this program, is demonstrating the worst of who we can be, Bonta said. The migrants were given Little Caesars pizza and water at the airport and were then transported to a religious institution. Nava, who did not identify the institution, said county social workers are en route to assess the situation. She expected the migrants to be housed in Sacramento. The county was not aware the flight was arriving until Monday morning, Nava said. The FlightAware history for the aircraft shows the plane traveling Monday morning from El Paso International to Deming Municipal Airport, then flying from Deming to Sacramento. It then took off at 12:14 p.m. in Sacramento and was returning to El Paso International. The log shows the flight was en route to Sacramentos McClellan Airport near North Highlands, where Fridays flight landed, before being diverted to Sacramento Executive Airport. Mondays flight used the same plane as Fridays charter, operated by Texas-based Berry Aviation, according to flight records compiled by The Sacramento Bee. According to FlightAware, the same de Havilland Dash 8 twin turboprop flew Friday from El Paso International to Deming Municipal to McClellan Airport that morning, then back to El Paso International that afternoon. No other flights were listed for the plane between Friday and Monday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta over the weekend and Monday morning blamed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for Fridays flight. Bonta in an interview with ABC News said the migrants on Fridays flight arrived in Sacramento carrying release documents indicating the flight was part of Floridas program for relocating unauthorized migrants, mostly from Texas, to other states. No politician or organization has publicly taken responsibility for the flight. Bonta, however, is already blaming DeSantis and said he was preparing to file charges for the stunt. Those charges could include false imprisonment and kidnapping, as well as violations of Californias unfair competition law, Bonta told ABC News. In a tweet Monday morning, Newsom called DeSantis a small, pathetic man and included a link to Californias penal code section on kidnapping. The 16 migrants from Fridays flight, from Venezuela and Colombia, were left on the doorstep of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento in the citys Curtis Park area. Sacramento ACT, a collaboration of area religious congregations, said in a statement that after being processed at the border, the migrants were approached by individuals representing a private contractor who said they would assist them with getting to a migrant center where they would find jobs and free support. McClatchyDCs Michael Wilner and the Miami Heralds Ana Ceballos and Sarah Blaskey contributed to this story. Sharon Stone Says She Hasn't Had Work Since Her 2001 Stroke Sharon Stone says her acting career hasnt recovered since her 2001 stroke and brain hemorrhage. Stone spoke about her struggle to return to work while discussing diversity and accessibility at The Hollywood Reporters Raising Our Voices luncheon in Los Angeles last week. The Casino actor revealed how the decades old injuries are still impacting her life in Hollywood, saying, I recovered for seven years, and I havent had jobs since. When it first happened, I didnt want to tell anybody because you know if something goes wrong with you, youre out, Stone said, noting the real bias people with disabilities and long-term health issues regularly face. Sharon Stone arrives for The Hollywood Reporter's second annual Sharon Stone arrives for The Hollywood Reporter's second annual "Raising Our Voices" event in Los Angeles on May 31, 2023. Something went wrong with me Ive been out for 20 years, she went on. I havent had jobs. I was a very big movie star at one point in my life. Though Stones work seems to have slowed down, she hasnt been completely off the radar. While she hasnt had a blockbuster in recent years, shes enjoyed appearances on TV series like HBOs The Flight Attendant, Fxs Ratched and the Steven Soderbergh-created murder mystery miniseries Mosaic since her health scare. Stone went on to call her journey its own diversity issue, telling audiences, Diversity can mean more than one thing. Diversity can be an injury, diversity can be the color of your skin, diversity can mean standing up for yourself. If you are diverse, you must demand a position in this business. She also called out the current political climate. It is important to me that your diversity does not get wiped out by this anti-woke bullshit idea in our country. Not just paying lip-service to inclusivity, the luncheon made sure to be as accessible as possible. The venue was equipped with ADA-compliant ramps and access points, and the stage program was amplified by two ASL interpreters. There were also accessibility volunteers throughout the event. Related... Shelling, looting in Sudan's capital as military factions battle for eighth week FILE PHOTO: Man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment in Khartoum North By Khalid Abdelaziz and Mohamed Nureldin KHARTOUM (Reuters) -Shelling and heavy clashes hit areas of Sudan's capital on Monday, residents said, with reports of spreading lawlessness in Khartoum and in the western region of Darfur after more than seven weeks of conflict between rival military factions. Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified after the expiry late on Saturday of a ceasefire deal brokered by Saudi Arabia and the U.S. The war has uprooted more than 1.2 million people within Sudan and sent about 400,000 fleeing into neighbouring countries, inflicting heavy damage on the capital where the remaining residents are at the mercy of battles, air strikes and looting. On Monday, residents reported a second consecutive day of fighting across the three cities that make up the nation's wider capital - Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri. They said there had been rare ground clashes in Omdurman as well as shelling, and fighting in East Khartoum district and on the southern rim of the capital. "The neighbourhood where we live in the centre of Omdurman is looted publicly on a daily basis without anyone intervening to prevent it, with clashes and shelling continuing around us," said 37-year-old resident Mohamed Saleh. In Khartoum East, RSF troops who have spread out in neighbourhoods across the capital were in full control and were looting extensively, said Waleed Adam, a resident of the area. "You see them right in front of you, taking cars, money, gold - whatever they can get their hands on," he told Reuters by phone. "I guess it's just a matter of time until they come to my street." The RSF says it has been working to protect civilians by arresting looters. DARFUR VIOLENCE Some of those who fled the war have headed to neighbouring countries including Chad, South Sudan, and Central African Republic (CAR) which are already struggling with poverty, conflict and a dip in humanitarian aid. The arrival of nearly 14,000 people in northeastern CAR and a halt to cross-border trade "puts additional pressure on the limited resources available to the 130,000 extremely vulnerable people in the region," Mohamed Ag Ayoya, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for CAR, told a press briefing in Geneva. The war has also triggered unrest in Darfur in Sudan's far west, a region that was already suffering from mass displacement due to earlier conflict and where residents in several cities and towns have reported attacks by militias linked to Arab nomadic tribes. In recent days at least 40 people were killed and dozens more were wounded in Kutum in North Darfur State, according to activists who monitor the region. Residents have also reported widespread looting and insecurity in the area. On Monday, the RSF, which has its power base in Darfur and its origins in the Arab-dominated militias, released a video purporting to show they had taken over the army headquarters in Kutum, a commercial hub and one of the larger towns in the state. There was no immediate comment from the army, which had denied on Sunday that the RSF had taken the town. There have been long communication blackouts in parts of Darfur, where aid groups have found it especially complicated to bring in humanitarian supplies. In El Obeid, a city 360 km (220 miles) southwest of Khartoum and on a key route from the capital to Darfur, residents reported large deployments of RSF forces and the closure of some roads. Recent days have brought the first showers of the year in Khartoum, marking the start of a rainy season that is likely to complicate a relief effort already hampered by bureaucratic delays and logistical challenges. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz in Dubai, Mohamed Nureldin in Khartoum, Adam Makary in Cairo and Emma Farge in Geneva; Writing by Aidan LewisEditing by Sriraj Kalluvila, Barbara Lewis and Matthew Lewis) Showtime dropped a documentary about 2024 GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis just days before it was supposed to air and gave no reason why, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday. The cable channel mysteriously pulled a May 28 episode of its Vice newsmagazine series that was to focus on the Florida governors stint as a U.S. Navy lawyer in Guantanamo Bay. The news report was titled The Gitmo Candidate & Chipping Away, described in a now-scrubbed Showtime promo as an investigation into allegations from former Guantanamo Bay detainees that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis witnessed acts condemned by the United Nations as torture during his past service at the controversial detention camp as a Navy JAG officer, the outlet noted. Showtime told HuffPost it does not comment on scheduling decisions. A Vice spokesperson said that current affairs shows are subject to scheduling changes and that the broadcast of the episode was still in discussion. HuffPost reached out to DeSantis camp and didnt immediately hear back. DeSantis has fended off claims that he witnessed the force-feeding of hunger-striking inmates at Guantanamo Bay. DeSantis, now a distant second behind former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination, was assigned to the U.S. military prison in March 2006 to deal with the hunger strikes, according to Snopes. HuffPost also sought comment from Showtime and Vice, whose parent company Vice Media filed for bankruptcy last month. Ron DeSantis at the Our Great American Comeback campaign event in Lexington, South Carolina on June 2. Ron DeSantis at the Our Great American Comeback campaign event in Lexington, South Carolina on June 2. Related... Harabin served two terms as Slovakia's Supreme Court chief justice and ran for president in 2019 The Slovak top prosecutor's office said Monday it had charged ex-justice minister and former Supreme Court chief justice Stefan Harabin over a Facebook post praising Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A day after Russian troops entered Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Harabin wrote on Facebook that he "would have done exactly the same thing as (Russian President Vladimir) Putin". Zuzana Drobova, a spokeswoman for the chief prosecutor's office in Slovakia -- a Ukraine neighbour and supporter -- told AFP that Harabin was charged with "the defamation of a nation, race and persuasion and the endorsement of a crime". She declined to provide more details as the criminal proceedings were still under way. The Dennik N daily said Harabin faced three years in prison if convicted. It quoted Harabin as saying on Monday that he was "proud" of the statement which he would willingly repeat as he believed that Russia was acting in line with international law. Harabin also claimed in a video interview posted on YouTube that it was Russia's duty to "liquidate all Ukrainian Nazis... who have killed 14,000 children, women and elderly people in Donbas since 2014". A former Communist, the 66-year-old served as justice minister in the first cabinet of populist prime minister Robert Fico in 2006-2009. During that stint, he allegedly had a phone call with a mafia boss and sacked seven regional court heads within two days without giving a reason. A vocal critic of the EU, Harabin also served two terms as Supreme Court chief justice and ran for president in the 2019 vote won by Zuzana Caputova, the current head of state. He has repeatedly drawn criticism for sharing migrant-related fake news on Facebook and for slamming EU sanctions against Russia. Slovakia, an EU nation of 5.4 million people, has provided Ukraine with substantial humanitarian and military aid since Russia invaded. frj/amj/imm The private chartered flight that recently flew more than a dozen South American migrants from New Mexico to Sacramento was likely arranged by the state of Florida, according to California officials. During an interview with ABC News, Attorney General Rob Bonta said the migrants arrived in Sacramento carrying release documents indicating the flight was part of Floridas newly expanded, multi-million program for relocating migrants. The California Department of Justice has not publicly released copies of the documents, citing an ongoing investigation. But DOJ spokesperson Tara Gallegos said the paperwork reveals that the programs contractor is Vertol Systems Co. the same one behind the flight last year that transported nearly 50 mostly Venezuelan asylum seekers from San Antonio to Marthas Vineyard. The Florida Division of Emergency Management in early May selected three vendors, including Vertol, to provide transportation and carry out Florida Gov. Ron Senatis tough-on-illegal immigration political strategy. DeSantis, a Republican who announced the launch of his 2024 presidential campaign last month, is relaunching the flight program as a way to attack the Biden administration, which he charges with failing to secure the border. In a tweet on Monday morning, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a small, pathetic man. This isnt Marthas Vineyard, Newsoms tweet read, before pointing to Californias state code around kidnapping. The code stipulates that anyone who abducts a person by force or fraud and brings or sends them to California can be found guilty of kidnapping. Newsom and Bontas comments came hours before a similar flight, carrying an additional 20 adult migrants, landed at Sacramento Executive Airport. The flight initially took off from El Paso and made a stop in Deming, New Mexico before landing in the capital region at about 10:25 a.m. Monday, according to Sacramento County spokesperson Kim Nava. It was the same chartered plane that was used to ferry the first 16 migrants from New Mexico on Friday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis remains quiet about migrant flight DeSantis and his office have been unusually mum on the flights DeSantis has not confirmed or denied the states involvement with the flights. Calls to his office by The Sacramento Bee, and its sister publication, the Miami Herald, have not been returned. Bonta, however, is already blaming DeSantis and said he was preparing to file charges for the stunt. Those charges could include false imprisonment and kidnapping, as well as violations of Californias unfair competition law, Bonta told ABC News. While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting, Bonta said in a statement. We are a nation built by immigrants and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful rhetoric of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to recognize humanity and who turn their backs on extending dignity and care to fellow human beings. The flights are part of a larger national debate over how to address and geographically distribute the influx of migrants who cross the southern border into the U.S. each year. As of Monday morning, many questions surrounding the flight remained unanswered, including who would take responsibility for it and what the migrants were told prior to boarding the flight. But groups working to help the new arrivals are saying the migrants were intentionally deceived. They were lied to. ... I dont know who did it or why they did but I do know they were under the impression that they were going to be heading to a location where they were going to get help and work, said Gabby Trejo, executive director of Sacramento ACT, a collaboration of Sacramento area religious congregations. Migrants arrive in Sacramento with pending immigrant court dates The migrants, 14 from Venezuela and 2 from Colombia, were taken from El Paso, Texas, to New Mexico, and then flown by private chartered plane to Sacramento where they were left on the doorstep of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento on Friday. The majority of the migrants are aged 18 to 30, said Trejo. Airport records show the flight from Deming, New Mexico, to McClellan Airport near North Highlands was operated by Barry Aviation, a charter service based in San Marcos, Texas. A representative for Barry Aviation declined to comment Saturday about the flights specifics, or who paid for the flight, but described it as a government flight. The migrants remained in a Sacramento hotel as of Monday, according to PICO California, the statewide faith-based group helping the migrants. Eddie Carmona, campaign director at PICO California, said the group is currently in the works of ensuring all the migrants are represented by an attorney. Lawyers for Civil Rights, a non-profit immigrant advocacy group that represents many of the migrants flown to Marthas Vineyard, has deployed attorneys to Sacramento to offer legal assistance. We want to make sure that they have legal representation and are good to go in terms of resources, food, all that stuff, Carmona said. Thats our priority right now. Some migrants have immigration court dates in the coming days. None of the court dates are located in Sacramento. Trejo said the closest court is located in Los Angeles, with some as far as New York and Florida. The Bees Michael McGough, McClatchyDCs Michael Wilner and the Miami Heralds Ana Ceballos and Sarah Blaskey contributed to this story. Edward Snowden speaking via video link at a news conference for the launch of a campaign calling for then president Obama to pardon him in September 2016 in New York City In 2013 US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden stunned the world with revelations that the massive US spy apparatus was secretly sucking up communications and private data on people around the world, from the lowest social media poster to the phone calls of German chancellor Angela Merkel. Snowden showed no one was safe from electronic prying by the National Security Agency, least of all Americans, whose private communications were supposedly constitutionally protected. Ten years later, Snowden sits in exile in Moscow and US intelligence still collects huge amounts of private electronically stored and transmitted information. But his revelations had lasting impact, advancing privacy protections in Europe and America and accelerating use of encryption. After Snowden's leaks, "in almost every Western democracy, there was a historic debate about the relationship of citizens and the state mass surveillance programs, whether oversight of those programs was adequate," said Ben Wizner of the American Civil Liberties Union and an attorney for Snowden. - Global digital dragnet A boyish 29-year-old NSA systems administrator, Snowden downloaded thousands of NSA and CIA documents showing the extent of the global data collection dragnet that took off after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Documents that Snowden gave to journalists in secret Hong Kong meetings showed how US intelligence worked with Britain's GCHQ and other agencies to build files on billions of people without any grounds for suspicion. They showed the US was able to tap into the phones of allied leaders and that the NSA had a program called Prism that collected user data from internet giants like Google and Facebook -- with and without their agreement. The NSA collected call data from leading cell provider Verizon and routinely trawled data from public companies, hospitals and universities. He also revealed that GCHQ with NSA help sucked up all traffic moving through major global undersea communications cables. GCHQ also surreptitiously snapped millions of pictures from the computer cameras of people while they were on Yahoo webcam chats. The problem, Snowden said, was not the justification of fighting terrorism, but that these were secret programs with virtually no limits. "The public needs to decide whether these kinds of programs and policies are right or wrong," he said. - Outrage on all sides - The revelations outraged the public but also US intelligence, who accused Snowden of devastating counter-terrorism programs and helping America's enemies. US spy agencies however declined to enumerate the damage, only noting that their surveillance had prevented dozens of attacks. In 2016, national intelligence director James Clapper pointed to the central damage: Snowden made the NSA's work harder by pushing internet and mobile communications firms, app makers and others to encrypt their services. - Tighter rules - For Wizner, the leaks strengthened civil liberties, even if more internet companies than ever are collecting users' data. Snowden effectively forced the White House, Congress and courts to reverse course on spying activities they had approved in secret, revising authorities for the NSA and forcing some programs to be cancelled. "Congress, for the first time since the 1970s, legislated to reduce rather than expand the surveillance authorities," Wizner said. In 2018 the European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) aiming at the power of US companies like Google and Facebook to collect and make liberal use of user data. "Snowden's global surveillance revelations tangibly affected the Internet privacy debate in Europe," wrote Gus Rossi, director for Responsible Technology and the Omidyar Group. Under the GDPR, last month Facebook owner Meta was fined 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) by Ireland for violating EU data protections because data it collects on European users and transfers to the US was not safe from the NSA and CIA. - Exile in Moscow- Now 39, Snowden still advocates for more privacy protections. Living in Moscow with his American wife and two sons, both born in Russia, he earns a living with paid speeches and consultations. He cannot leave Russia for lack of another safe haven, and is wanted by the US on felony charges under the Espionage Act. "He would prefer to be elsewhere. And we both wished that there were an option other than a maximum security prison cell and living in Russia," said Wizner. - Still at risk - Marcy Wheeler, an independent journalist focused on the nexus of intelligence and the law, is more skeptical about the gains of Snowden's revelations. The ever-adaptive NSA just accomplishes what it needs "via other means," she said. "The most important surveillance targeting Americans... is done by the FBI and, with even less oversight, by states and localities," she said. pmh/jh What led to an unresponsive airplanes chaotic, wayward journey before it crashed in Virginia? And attacks are intensifying on Russia's front lines, suggesting Ukraine's counteroffensive is cranking up. Hey y'all! Laura Davis here, comin' in hot with Monday's news. But first, a creepy crawly equation. Potentially record summer travel + low housekeeping staff = bed bug nightmares. Don't wake up itchy. The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here. Scrambled F-16s, a sonic boom and plane crash mystery Federal investigators on Monday hoped to begin unraveling the mystery of a private plane that made a U-turn over Long Island, New York, and flew hundreds of miles off its flight path Sunday, prompting F-16 fighter jets to scramble to intercept the Cessna before it crashed in Virginia, killing four people. After the plane entered restricted airspace over Washington, D.C., a sonic boom from one of the pursuing jets startled residents across the region as the fighters shadowed the unresponsive Cessna. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane crashed near rural Montebello, Virginia. No survivors were found. Here's everything we know. Members of the U.S. Forest Service and Augusta County Emergency Management work Monday afternoon near an old trail that leads to the site where an unresponsive plane crashed on Sunday. 3 bodies recovered in Iowa apartment building collapse Amid questions about why residents were never warned about potential danger, the bodies of three men were removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, police said Monday. The discoveries came after officials announced that the search for survivors had been completed, with attention turning to shoring up the remaining structure so recovery efforts could begin. Could this have been avoided? One of the residents injured in the collapse sued the city and the building's current and former owners Monday, alleging they knew of the deteriorating conditions and failed to warn residents of the risk. Here's what's happening. People stand near a collapsed apartment building Monday in Davenport, Iowa. What everyone's talking about The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today. Trumps classified-documents inquiry could soon be over The Justice Department appears to be inching closer to wrapping up its investigation into Donald Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. Trump's lawyers arrived Monday for a meeting at the department, which legal experts say suggests a charging decision could come within a couple of weeks. As he continues to claim he's done nothing wrong, Trump posted on social media Sunday about reports prosecutors want to indict him, and NBC News reported the grand jury resumed meeting this week. What's the move? Legal experts have argued charges alleging the mishandling of classified documents could be the most straightforward case. But it's not clear whether prosecutors have made a decision yet about whether to seek a federal indictment of Trump, an unprecedented move against a former president. Will the inquiry end in charges? Here's a look at the latest developments. 'Trump too small.' A crude jab from 2016 arrives at Supreme Court. Is Ukraine's counteroffensive underway? Ukraine has revealed very little about how and when it intends to recapture territory claimed by the Russians since the war started, living by the motto that "plans love silence." Now, a counteroffensive may be underway. The Ukrainian army claimed to be gaining ground Monday along a wide front in the Bakhmut area, the "epicenter" of hostilities, and the Russian Defense Ministry said Ukrainian forces had begun a "large-scale offensive on five sectors of the front in the southern Donetsk area." Pro-Russia military blogger Semen Pegov wrote that "news from the frontline ... is getting more alarming every hour." Follow our coverage. A Ukrainian soldier covers his ears while firing a mortar at Russian positions near Bakhmut on Monday. A break from the news Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures and misadventures on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here. This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia plane crash, Iowa building collapse, Ukraine: Monday's news SINGAPORE Japan and South Koreas defense ministers have agreed that improving ties will be key to countering nuclear-armed North Korea, during a regional security summit in Singapore. Japans Yasukazu Hamada met with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an event organized by the International Institute of Strategic Studies that ran June 2-4. Hamada told reporters after the meeting that both sides agreed to accelerate talks, including steps to prevent a recurrence of a 2018 radar incident. That incident saw Japan accuse a South Korean warship of locking onto a Japanese maritime patrol aircraft with its fire control radar in international waters between the countries, a allegation South Korea has denied. The administration of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has sought stronger bilateral ties following years of a frosty relationship over Japans occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. In their respective plenary speeches at the Shangri-La Dialogue, both ministers flagged improving ties as a way for their nations to counter North Korea. Lee said in his speech that strengthening South Korean-Japanese ties, plus trilateral security cooperation with the United States, is an inevitable measure taken to protect regional freedom and peace from the advancing North Korean nuclear and missile threats. He added during a question-and-answer session that bilateral relations should not merely focus on the issues of the past, but rather we have to share the sentiment that we have to develop this in a future-oriented manner, especially regarding the nuclear and missile threats by North Korea. In a separate plenary session, Hamada said improving ties with South Korea is crucial in light of the increasingly tough security situation in the Indo-Pacific region. He also said he looked forward to enhancing communication with the South Korean government. North Korea is technically still at war with South Korea, with an armistice to end the Korean War in 1953 still holding in the absence of a formal peace treaty. The North has continued its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs despite international sanctions and pressure, with missile tests flying over Japans territory on several occasions. Speed cameras in Warner Robins are fully functional near these schools, police say The Warner Robins Police Department announced the end of a recent warning period for speed cameras, announcing plans to set up cameras near Northside High School and Huntington Middle School at the beginning of the summer school season. The cameras will be fully operational from June 5 through June 30. The cameras, installed by Red Speed International, are intended to enforce the speed limit by detecting whether a driver is traveling 11 mph or higher than the posted limit from 7 a.m. to noon weekdays (cameras will not operate on the weekends). Their primary function is to take pictures of drivers license plates as vehicles pass. Additionally, signs are posted near each camera location to inform drivers they are entering a photo-enforced speed zone. Officials said installing the cameras reduces the likelihood of speeding and promotes safer driving practices, especially near educational institutions such as Warner Robins High School and Lake Joy Elementary and Primary. If speeding is confirmed, the individual, corresponding to the vehicles registration, will receive a civil fine. The first offense will cost a driver $80. For a subsequent violation, the fee increases to $130. Said WRPD Sgt. Randy Evans: The cameras act as a force multiplier to reduce the risk of serious injury. Interim Police Chief Roy Whitehead, program head, said he wants to create a safe environment for students and all community members. The program aims to deter speeding violations and encourage responsible driving habits, Whitehead said. If there are any questions, residents can contact the Warner Robins Police Department at 478-302-5378. A woman has been arrested after allegedly slapping a Spirit Airlines employee when she was denied boarding onto a flight. Tearaney Burroughs faces assault charges following the altercation that escalated after she was turned away from gate E-3 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for being too intoxicated on the evening of 11 May, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. In the latest violent incident at the worlds busiest airport, gate officers said the woman was so angry to be refused entry that she slapped the Spirit Airlines employee in the face in an attempt to force her way past. Parts of the aftermath of the encounter were captured on police bodycam in clips shared by Atlanta Police Department. According to the Atlanta Police Department incident report, officers were dispatched after reports that a woman was trying to push her way through the gates and onto the jet bridge. She was later arrested and taken to Clayton County Jail. The Spirit Airlines employee was not seriously injured. In a statement to Fox5 Atlanta, former Clayton County solicitor Keith Martin said: Lets rename the gate agent. Call them gatekeepers because they are absolutely the last line of defence in keeping someone off the plane who may cause trouble." Tory MP Gareth Johnson recently proposed legislation to ban violent passengers from flying as incidents involving disorderly travellers increase in the UK. The Independent has contacted Spirit Airlines and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for further comment. It follows a passenger brawl with Spirit Airlines gate agents in Philadelphia this February after a fight broke out over additional baggage fees. Last month, a fight at the Atlanta airport went viral after an intoxicated woman claiming to be pregnant was arrested for allegedly attacking a Spirit Airlines employee when she was unable to board her flight. A Spotify logo with headphones. Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto via Getty Images Spotify will be laying off 200 employees, or about 2% of its total workforce, as part of a global reorganizing effort, the company said Monday. Most of these layoffs will come from the brand's podcast division. The brand made "a strategic realignment of our group and reduce our global podcast vertical and other functions," Sahar Elhabashi, Spotify's vice president and head of podcast business, said in a press release. Elhabashi added that Spotify's podcast vertical had become "focused on delivering even more value for creators," which "begins with maximizing consumption from the massive audience we've established through format innovation and ensuring that more creators in more places achieve success." "Unfortunately, this means saying goodbye to close colleagues and friends," Elhabashi said. Two of the company's popular podcast studios, Gimlet Media and Parcast, will merge into Spotify Studios, with their own branding being removed, according to the press release. A third popular studio, the sports-oriented The Ringer, will keep operating independently. This marks the second round of layoffs at Spotify in 2023. This past January, the company announced it was eliminating 6% of its workforce, or around 600 employees, in a cost-cutting measure. Since its founding in 2006, the Stockholm-headquartered Spotify has become one of the largest audio streaming companies in the world, but has never turned an annual profit. Music royalties expert Phil Bird told The Washington Post the brand was seemingly in "perennial start-up mode." While Spotify first focused on dominating the music streaming space, it has "spent heavily to expand its podcast unit in the last three years," CNBC reported. The company has reportedly spent at least $526 million on four acquisitions of podcast studios since 2020. The company had a global workforce of 8,359 people in 2020, according to an SEC filing, with 4,432 of them being based in the United States. You may also like Orlando's Gay Days draws LGBTQ crowds to Disney World amid DeSantis anti-LGBTQ push Why Jamie Dimon is thinking about the presidency Experimental drug shown to 'significantly' slow progression of brain cancer Fishermen in their boats with Chinese trawlers in the distance - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph The wooden canoe is painted with scriptures. Theyre meant to bring good fortune to the crafts fishermen and protect against the dangers of the Atlantic sky-high ocean waves, creatures of the deep and, increasingly, industrial Chinese trawlers. Colleagues have drowned when their canoes have capsized in the wake of trawlers. But the Chinese dont care, says Samuel Otoo, one of the canoes two crewmen. In the early hours of the morning, before the heat begins to press, the fishermen set off from Jamestown, a small port outside Ghanas capital, Accra. They return at 3pm in one piece, having encountered several trawlers, but the fishermen fear their days in the business are numbered. This is because the Chinese vessels, far superior in size and capability than the artisanal fishermen of Ghana, are not only causing capsizes and deliberately destroying the nets of rival boats theyre also bleeding the ocean dry of its fish. Otoo and his fishing partner Alfred Ofore Kae say they no longer land any major catches when they go out to sea. The trawlers are a contributing factor to that, according to reports from British NGO Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF). Indeed, a single high-tech trawler can catch five times as much fish in a day as one small village fleet can in a year. A fisherman casts his net in the waters of the Gulf of Guinea, outside Jamestown - NATALIJA GORMALOVA/AFP/Getty Images This trend of overfishing and ever-diminishing returns is being repeated up and down the entire West African coast, where hundreds of thousands of people rely on the sea to stave off hunger and make a living. As early as the 1880s, people began to worry that the oceans fish could run out in the future if large quantities continued to be landed. British cod fishermen testified how they had to travel further and further in search of fish, only to return with ever smaller catches. They turned to the UK Royal Commission on the Sea Fisheries, whose most influential member was Thomas Henry Huxley, a zoologist and Darwinist with a dogmatic belief in the power of nature and the survival of the strongest. Huxley snorted at the codfishers. To think that the fish might run out was unscientific, he said. Only the weak cod allowed themselves to be caught. The strong always escaped and thus the cod stock would evolve evolutionarily, according to Huxley. It is inconceivable that the great sea fisheries [...] could ever be exhausted, he argued at a seminary in 1883, a prevailing view in science at the time. But it would turn out that he was wrong. What the British fishermen experienced in the 1880s was only a vague premonition of what their West African colleagues now experience today. Fishermen landing their catch, Tombo Port, Sierra Leone - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph Fishermen landing their catch, Tombo Port, Sierra Leone - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph When Otoo and Ofore Kae reach the beach after their day at sea, a dozen colleagues help them pull up the canoe. They sing West African work songs. Drops of sweat run down their foreheads while the canoe makes it further and further up the beach, foot by foot. Its a group effort, but the profit seems paltry for so many. A box of sea bream and a small bucket of sardinella. Nothing more. Twenty years ago, we could catch four or five times as much, says Ofore Kae, 42, who has been fishing since he was a young boy. In the early 2000s, the small-scale fishermen of Jamestown usually didnt have motor powered canoes and no GPS equipment like they have today. Still, we dont get nearly as big catches now. So it is obvious that stocks are drastically declining, says Ofore Kae. We are getting poorer The stories of the fishermen are supported by research. A study led by the Ghana Fisheries Commission shows that catches of sardinella, mackerel and anchovies in 2019 were only 40 percent of what they were in 1993. It was worse for sardinella, with catch size just 10 percent of the 1993 volume. This in a country where up to 3 million people are directly or indirectly dependent on fishing. It shows in the familys finances, says Ofore Kae. We are getting poorer. After the canoe is pulled ashore, Otoo and his wife Nelly Sampson open the door to the small beach shed where they and their seven-year-old child sleep. Not much more than the bed can fit in there. Sampson laughs when asked how the family is affected by the dwindling fish stocks. Do they ever go to bed hungry? If Samuel doesnt get a catch, it happens, yes. Fisherman landing his catch, Tombo Port, Sierra Leone - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph Locally caught fish arrive in Tombo Port, Sierra Leone - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph In the middle of the shanty town on the beach, there is a small pub. Some children are sitting in front of a television watching Chinese action movies. Fishermen play board games and smoke. A certain bitterness spreads when the issue of dwindling catches is raised. Everyone has the same opinion on whos to blame. They are stealing what should be ours, says one man, pointing out to sea. They are not visible to the naked eye. But according to the app Marinetraffic, which uses tracking technology to monitor ship movements in real time, a handful of Chinese vessels are out at sea, prowling the deep blue for its precious commodities. More may well have joined them, but chosen to be invisible. According to a study published in Science Advances at the end of 2022, it is not uncommon for trawlers off the coast of West Africa to turn off their tracking locators when they could be suspected of performing shady operations. The Chinese have been fishing West Africas waters for decades. As early as the mid-1980s, the nations own territorial seas showed signs of overfishing, and a dedicated fleet was therefore established in order to maintain jobs and fish supplies. Especially over the last two decades, it has grown rapidly. No other country comes close to the fishing capacity of China. Today, the fleet consists of thousands of ships estimates ranging from just under 3,000 to close to 17,000 of which a large proportion are bottom trawlers, a type of vessel known to cause great ecological damage. Fishermen landing their catch, Tombo Port, Sierra Leone - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph Many of the ships can be out for years in international waters thanks to huge motherships with large storage capacity. Smaller ships can dock with these larger vessels out at sea, unload catches, replenish supplies and change crews. There is no official catch data for the Chinese long-distance fishery. But according to many reports, the effects are now being felt more and more clearly in the worlds oceans. It has also led to diplomatic protests from several countries, including Ecuador, after Chinese ships landed thousands of tons of octopus off the Galapagos Islands. Although much of the Chinese fishery does not violate current regulations, there are many examples of illegal fishing, human rights violations and corruption. This has become particularly evident in Ghanaian waters, where the Chinese fishing industry has been forced to adopt a different approach. Ghanaian law does not allow fishing licenses for foreign vessels, but among the 74 bottom trawlers licensed in the West African nation, over 90 percent are actually Chinese owned but via Ghanaian fronted companies. This was revealed in 2018 by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), which has heavily scrutinised the Chinese fishing fleet. Yet the Chinese companies have not even bothered to hide the traces. The trawlers all listed on the website of the Ghanaian Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development have Chinese names such as Meng Xin or Jin Hai. Fishermen landing their catch, Tombo Port, Sierra Leone - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph A Google search for one of the trawlers, Zhong Lu Yu 1003, leads to Zhonglu Oceanic Fisheries. Its website lists the trawler as part of the Chinese companys fleet, yet, according to Ghanaian fishing authorities, the vessel is owned by a firm in Ghana. The number of trawler licenses are far from sustainable, say researchers, And they are also known to engage in illegal fishing beyond their regular quotas. Yet the exploitation of Ghanas waters would not be taking place without corruption in the nations fishing industry, which, according to the EJF, is rampant. A study based on 36 interviews with Ghanaian crewmen who worked on trawlers found that 86 percent witnessed corruption among fisheries inspectors and port authorities. This often took the form of payments of valuable export fish, which were delivered to government officials in return for keeping hush over illegal fishing activities. So how far are Chinese captains prepared to go to stop those who dare challenge their sea-faring hegemony? Very far, some believe. Among them are hairdresser Bernard Essien and his brother, chauffeur James Essien, who both live in Accras Nima district, four miles from Jamestown. On July 5, 2019, James Essien received a phone call. Emmanuel, their third brother, was missing. He was employed as a fishery observer on a Chinese trawler, as part of a World Bank-funded project. The crew had had dinner together and Emmanuel had gone back to his cabin. The next day he wasnt there anymore. The police found his mobile phone and passport in the cabin, says James. Just two weeks earlier, Emmanuel had done something unusual among observers. He had provided a report and video footage to the police about illegal fishing activities on board another of the trawlers, says James. Bernard shows the handwritten report on his mobile phone. In it, Emmanuel describes how the Chinese captain ordered large quantities of fish to be dumped overboard, an illegal practice. The fish, which are unintentionally mopped up by the trawlers vast nets, arent considered that valuable by the Chinese so are discarded back into the ocean to make room onboard for higher-priced catches. Already dead, these fish then go to waste, left to rot away in the ocean. Emmanuels report could have led to a fine of millions for the trawler. The family therefore suspects that Emmanuel was murdered allegations the Chinese captain has refuted. You dont just fall overboard on those trawlers, the railing is high. They must have done something to him. He was alone there as an observer, says James. Fishery observer is a dangerous job and there are many cases around the world of observers who have disappeared without a trace. The reasons can only be speculated upon. For the family, the incident is a source of deep trauma. After almost four years, they have not yet been able to bury Emmanuel and are still waiting for the police investigation to be completed. We are very proud of what he did, but we want justice, they say. While Chinese trawlers continue their activities, the Ghana Fisheries Commission believes that the collapse of stocks cannot be primarily blamed on them. They claim the small scale fishermen are the main problem and have accused them of using illegal fishing tools, such as dynamite and agricultural insecticides. Among local fishermen, however, it is a common perception that they have been forced to resort to illegal methods in order to compete with the Chinese trawlers. Ofore Kae says he knows many people who use dynamite to kill fish. The authorities should put a stop to this kind of thing, otherwise we will soon have no fish left, he says. Instead of switching to illegal methods to increase revenue, Ofore Kae wants to buy his own boat. Today he only works on other peoples boats, but with one of his own he hopes to make more money. I need to make sure that my children can go to school. Otherwise, they wont be able to support me when Im old. It is not easy when fishing is deteriorating. But God has a plan for us. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Protesters gather outside Atlanta City Hall ahead of a council vote over whether to approve public funding for the construction of a proposed police and firefighter training center, Monday, June 5, 2023. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) ATLANTA (AP) Hundreds of activists gathered to speak Monday at Atlantas City Hall ahead of a council vote over whether to approve tens of millions in public funding for the construction of a proposed police and firefighter training center that activists decry as Cop City. The meeting is a culmination of nearly two years of activism against the project a movement that has galvanized protesters from across the country, especially in the wake of the January fatal police shooting of Manuel Paez Teran, a 26-year-old environmental activist known as Tortuguita who had been camping in the woods near the site of the proposed project in DeKalb County. For more than 13 hours, residents again and again took to the podium to slam the project, saying it would be a gross misuse of public funds to build the huge facility in a large urban forest in a poor, majority-Black area. The testimony at times grew testy, with councilmembers struggling to quiet the rowdy crowd. As of 3 a.m. Tuesday, a dozen more remained in line to speak. Were here pleading our case to a government that has been unresponsive, if not hostile, to an unprecedented movement in our City Councils history, said Matthew Johnson, the executive director of Beloved Community Ministries, a local social justice nonprofit. Were here to stop environmental racism and the militarization of the police. ... We need to go back to meeting the basic needs rather than using police as the sole solution to all of our social problems. The training center was approved by the City Council in September 2021 but requires an additional vote for more funding. City officials say the new 85-acre (34-hectare) campus would replace inadequate training facilities and would help address difficulties in hiring and retaining police officers that worsened after nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice three years ago. But opponents, who have been joined by activists from around the country, say they fear it will lead to greater militarization of the police and that its construction will exacerbate environmental damage. Protesters had been camping at the site since at least last year, and police said they had caused damage and attacked law enforcement officers and others. Though more than 210 people who spoke during the City Council meeting were against the training center, a small handful voiced support, saying they trusted the judgment of Mayor Andre Dickens. Councilmembers are considering whether to approve $31 million in public funds for the sites construction, as well as a provision that requires the city to pay $36 million $1.2 million a year over 30 years for using the facility. The rest of the $90 million project would come from private donations to the Atlanta Police Foundation, though city officials had, until recently, repeatedly said that the public obligation would only be $31 million. The highly scrutinized vote also comes in the wake of the arrests Wednesday of three organizers who lead the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, which has provided bail money and helped find attorneys for arrested protesters. Prosecutors have accused the three activists of money laundering and charity fraud, saying they used some of the money to fund violent acts of forest defenders. Warrants cite reimbursements for expenses including gasoline, forest clean-up, totes, covid rapid tests, media, yard signs. But the charges have alarmed human rights groups and prompted both of Georgias Democratic senators to issue statements over the weekend expressing their concerns. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock tweeted that bail funds held important roles during the civil rights movement and said that the images of the heavily armed police officers raiding the home where the activists lived reinforce the very suspicions that help to animate the current conflictnamely, concerns Georgians have about over-policing, the quelling of dissent in a democracy, and the militarization of our police. Devin Franklin, an attorney with the Southern Center For Human Rights, also invoked Wednesday's arrests while speaking before City Council. This is what we fear the image of militarized forces being used to effectuate arrests for bookkeeping errors," Franklin said. Numerous instances of violence and vandalism has been linked to the decentralized Stop Cop City movement, including a January protest in downtown Atlanta in which a police car was set alight as well as a March attack in which more than 150 masked protesters chased off police at the construction site and torched construction equipment before fleeing and blending in with a crowd at a nearby music festival. Those two instances have led to more than 40 people being charged with domestic terrorism, though prosecutors have had difficulty so far in proving that many of those arrested were in fact those who took part in the violence. In a sign of the security concerns Monday, dozens of police officers were posted throughout City Hall and officials temporarily added liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes to the list of things prohibited inside the building. Six hours into the meeting, Emory University religion professor Sara McClintock took to the podium and pleaded with councilmembers to reject, or at least rethink, the training center. We dont want it, McClintock said. We dont want it because it doesnt contribute to life. Its not an institution of peace. Its not a way forward for our city that we love. Studio Ghibli and producer Toshio Suzuki announced that there will be no advertisements or trailers for Hayao Miyazakis How Do You Live? in Japan prior to its July 14 release, per a recent interview with Japanese magazine Bungei Shunji (translated by The Hollywood Reporter). All weve seen so far is a hand-drawn poster (below). While the U.S. and international release dates have yet to be announced, Studio Ghibli producer and general manager Suzuki said that the distribution company sought to do something different with the rollout of How Do You Live? More from IndieWire As part of company operations, over the years Ghibli has wanted people to come see the movies weve made, Suzuki said. So weve thought about that and done a lot of different things for that purpose but this time we were like, Eh, we dont need to do that. Doing the same thing youve done before, over and over, you get tired of it. So we wanted to do something different. Suzuki added, Theres an American movie ah, I almost said the title out loud! coming out this summer around the same time [as How Do You Live?]. Theyve made three trailers for it, and released them one at a time. If you watch all three, you know everything thats going to happen in that movie. So how do moviegoers feel about that? There must be people, who, after watching all the trailers, dont want to actually go see the movie. So, I wanted to do the opposite of that. The Studio Ghibli highly anticipated new film is Miyazakis first directorial effort since 2013s The Wind Rises. The director came out of retirement in 2016 to announce How Do You Live? which is among the top animated releases of this summer. An international release date has not been set, though a fall rollout is expected for the film in the U.S. IndieWire has reached out to U.S. representatives for Studio Ghibli for comment. How Do You Live? is an adaptation of Yoshino Genzaburos 1937 story about a young boy who comes of age while living with his uncle after the death of his father. Miyazaki is dedicating the film to his own grandson. Ive been involved with our movies since Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind [in 1984], but this was the first time Hayao Miyazaki genuinely praised me, Suzuki recalled. Suzuki-san, this is amazing. This is the best poster youve ever made, he said. I felt like that was a hint, so I decided Lets go with just this one poster for the marketing. So, no trailers or TV commercials at allNo newspaper ads either. Deep down, I think this is what moviegoers latently desire. Suzuki previously gave an update on How Do You Live? in 2020, citing that while production continued during the COVID-19 lockdown, the film was still at least three years away from being completed due to Miyazakis determination to hand-draw every frame. We are still hand-drawing everything, but it takes us more time to complete a film because were drawing more frames, Suzuki said at the time. So, there are more drawings to draw than before. Back when we were making My Neighbor Totoro, we only had eight animators. Totoro we made in eight months. [For] the current film that Miyazaki is working on, we have 60 animators, but we are only able to come up with one minute of animation in a month. That means 12 months a year, you get 12 minutes worth of movie. Actually, weve been working on this film for three years, so that means we have 36 minutes completed so far. Were hoping it will finish in the next three years. Suzuki admitted he was at first skeptical to sign on to another Miyazaki film after the director un-retired. Many directors make films on and on and on throughout their careers as they grow older, Suzuki said. When Miyazaki came back and said that I want to make a film again, I actually said thats not a great idea because hes achieved so much already. You cant come back and do something that youve already done in the past, you have to do something different. One of the ideas that came out from that was, why not spend more time and spend more money [to make a film]? So, thats one of the new approaches. Today producer Toshio Suzuki declared that Studio Ghibli won't publish any image / trailer / advertisment before the release of new Hayao Miyazaki's movie "How do you live ?" on July 14th. This old teaser poster will remain the only picture available.https://t.co/Is13FxZIZ7 https://t.co/thY5idUvTf pic.twitter.com/SePSPFqtYS Catsuka (@catsuka) June 2, 2023 Best of IndieWire Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. In need of success in Iowa, DeSantis starts making his pitch to Evangelical voters Ron DeSantis hopes all Evangelical voters eventually see him the way Monica Morrison already does. The 66-year-old retired Air Force veteran, after attending a DeSantis political rally last week in a hot, crowded reception on the states western edge, compared the governor to Moses. He stands for the moral integrity of what God has ordained, said Morrison, who wore a DeSantis 2024 sticker and talked in detail about DeSantis record as governor, including his decision to ban gender-affirming care for children. We have a moral decline thats going on in this country, she added. And we need somebody whos gonna stand against the moral decline that weve seen. DeSantis and his fledgling presidential campaign are now making a concerted effort to earn the support of more people like Morrison even if the competition for the Evangelical vote is fierce and the governors message, especially when it comes to his own faith, is unconventional. In an effort that began years ago and accelerated as he prepared to run for president, DeSantis has forged personal relationships with Evangelical leaders and begun layering his speeches with Biblical allusions. He even held his first in-person campaign event last Tuesday at a conservative church near Des Moines, where he spoke from a stage where a pastor normally spreads the Gospel every week. All of it represents a multi-pronged campaign to win over Evangelical voters, who make up the largest and most influential group of voters in the GOP Iowa caucuses and traditionally make or break campaigns in the GOP primarys first nominating caucus. Evangelicals made up 64% of Iowa Republican caucus-goers in 2016, according to entrance polls. The people that are in power now do not like people of faith, DeSantis said last month, addressing the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. And so we have to get this government under control. We have to make sure that the bureaucracy is reconstitutionalized and that ultimately the government is returned to its rightful owners, we the American people. The governor told the convention that his first act as governor in 2019 was to have his son Mason baptized. He recounted how at least two of his children were baptized with water from the Sea of Galilee, where the Bible says Jesus conducted much of his ministry in what is present day Israel. Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hold fans during the annual Roast and Ride fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. Competition and Courtship Conservative leaders in Iowa are quick to caution that DeSantis, who only recently became a candidate, has a lot of work to do to win over religious voters, many of whom have only a passing familiarity with the governor. And they say that, for many of those voters, former President Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the GOP nomination, remains deeply popular. As if to underscore that point, Trump arrived in Iowa a day after DeSantis left, meeting last week with local pastors and holding a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity. We have a real lovefest with the faith leaders of Iowa, and the faith leaders throughout the country, Trump told CBS News last week, reminding listeners that the Supreme Court justices he appointed as president helped overturn the Constitutional right to an abortion. Trump isnt DeSantis only rival for the Evangelical vote. As he traveled across Iowa last week, news broke that former Vice President Mike Pence whose piety is central to his public identity is also entering the race, planning to announce his campaign in Iowa this week. Other GOP candidates, like U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, have also begun overtly courting the states religious vote. To stand out against the competition, DeSantis has spent time developing relationships with local Evangelical leaders in the state. Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader, estimated he has spoken and met with the governor a half-dozen times since 2021, including when he and his wife dined with DeSantis and his wife, Casey, in Tallahassee earlier this year. The conversation, he said, touched on how the DeSantis family had grown more religious since Casey was diagnosed with breast cancer. Casey DeSantis, wife of Florida governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, greets Mike Williams and his 3-month-old son Sawyer during the annual Roast and Ride fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. I think that was a time of growing for both him and for her and solidifying their faith, Vander Plaats said during an interview from the Family Leader headquarters in Urbandale, Iowa. When youre confronted with your own mortality, itll do that to you. In an interview last week on Fox News, DeSantis referenced how power of prayer lifted the spirits of both he and his wife after her breast cancer diagnosis. It remains uncertain if that personal relationship will earn DeSantis an endorsement from Vander Plaats, who has backed the last three winners of the Iowa caucus. The social conservative leader declined to offer his support for the governor but did say he would be making an endorsement later this year, likely sometime after mid-November. On the campaign trail, DeSantis often mentions his record on issues of importance to Evangelical voters and social-issue conservatives, including his approval of a six-week abortion ban, opposition to gender ideology in schools and womens sports, and the fight he more broadly wages against what he calls the woke mind virus. Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the annual Roast and Ride fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. Biblical Allusions Starting last year, he also began mixing more overtly religious language into his speeches, making references to the full armor of God that faith experts say will speak to the most ardent Christians. In his campaign kickoff speech near Des Moines last week, the governor closed his speech with an allusion to a Biblical verse from Paul the Apostle, arguing he will see the GOP primary through to the end. Together we will fight the good fight, DeSantis said. We will finish the race and we will keep the faith. But although Vander Plaats and other Republicans acknowledge he often mentions religious themes in his speeches, his public remarks less regularly reference his own religion or how faith shapes his life. At the same kickoff event, in fact, the governor who is Catholic made only passing mention of God and avoided discussion altogether of his own faith. He mentioned the Bible once, in reference to the instruction that leaders be humble and acknowledge the contributions of other people. An approach from DeSantis that eschews discussion of his own faith would be a major departure from past Iowa caucus winners. In 2000, for example, George W. Bush made his conversion to Born Again Christianity a central part of his political biography. In 2008, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee won the caucuses in part because of his own background as a pastor. Rick Santorum was not a pastor, but he won the caucasus four years later, in 2012, after speaking often about his religious convictions. The winner of the last competitive Iowa GOP caucuses, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2016, had a father who was an Evangelical pastor and often stylized his speeches as a sermon. Ive been to early Cruz events and been like, Is this a church service, or is this a political event? said Craig Robinson, a longtime Republican strategist in Iowa. Huckabee and Santorum events had the same feel, he added. Whether a more open discussion of faith is necessary for DeSantis is a subject of speculation among Republicans in the state. Trump, of course, went on to win the GOP nomination in 2016 even though he was open about how little a role faith played in his life. The former president, after winning the partys nomination, ultimately won Evangelicals loyalty with promises to support their policy objectives, like appointing conservative Supreme Court justices or moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. DeSantis record in office could be enough, say some conservatives. The Scripture says very clearly that you can judge a person by their fruits, Vander Plaats said. And so when you take a look at the fruits of his leadership, he probably doesnt feel like I need to just talk be talking about my personal faith. Some Republicans say the governors promise to fight the political left, in this era where some voters view political fights as existential, might be enough. He is courting a certain type of voter in the state, and so how he does that will be interesting, Robinson said. Im curious, is being anti-woke, is that all you need to be anymore? Many GOP leaders in Iowa, however, did not think that DeSantis being Catholic would prove a hindrance to winning over Evangelical voters, pointing out that Santorum, who is also Catholic, won the caucuses in 2012. The differences between different religious denominations have faded in recent decades, they say, amid a decline in religious participation and increased secularism on the left. Back in Council Bluffs, Morrison didnt appear to care about the governors Catholic faith or the lack of overt religious discussion in his stump speech. She and her husband, 79-year-old Tom Morrison, were one of 500 or so Republicans who tolerated the sweaty conditions the reception hall didnt have air conditioning to get a glimpse of the governor and absorb his message to voters. Morrison, who lives in a nearby suburb of Omaha, Neb., said DeSantis record in Florida was the most important part of his appeal, at least to her. He stood against the immorality in his state, Monica Morrison said. And thats what we like about that. Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) in the final scene of HBO's Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) in the final scene of HBO's "Succession," which concluded last Sunday. In a new interview with "Fresh Air" host Terry Gross, creator Jesse Armstrong explained the ending, and why TV and film writers are striking over conditions that make shows like "Succession" possible. For over a month, more than 11,000 TV and film writers have been on strike over key issues involving equitable pay and working conditions in the streaming era. They see the strike as fundamental and vital to preserving writing as a livelihood: As studio and streaming executives swallow up massive profits, the people who make the shows and movies that generate those profits are simply asking for their piece of the pie. It has a lot of parallels to the issues raised on the HBO show Succession, which aired its stunning series finale last Sunday. The shows writers are among the 11,500 TV and film members of the Writers Guild of America East and West currently on strike. (HuffPosts unionized staff are also members of the WGAE.) The stellar and endlessly quotable writing is almost always one of the first things viewers of the show bring up when praising it. And as creator Jesse Armstrong explained, TV and film writers are on strike over the kinds of conditions that make great shows like Succession possible. One of my most favorite parts of the show is the writers room. Our room is not one of these mini-rooms. Its a big, full room and it runs for a long time. And then writers who have written in the writers room, many of them come to be on set, he told Fresh Air host Terry Gross in an interview airing Monday on NPR. Those kinds of things, although they cost money, I think helped to make the show as good as it is, and theres just a variety of writer who is likely to get cut out of the financial action, unless the WGA gets at least some of what its asking for. So Im supportive of the position. "Succession" creator Jesse Armstrong at the show's final season premiere in New York on March 20. Armstrong is referring to two big issues at stake in the writers strike. In the streaming era, executives on a growing number of shows have utilized what are known as mini-rooms. Instead of hiring a full writers room, a show might employ a smaller staff composed of fewer writers working for a shorter duration sometimes as few as three writers working on a show for just a handful of weeks. That structure can have adverse effects on both the shows themselves and on the careers of writers. It often means writers have to move from job to job more quickly, and struggle to pay their bills and be eligible for health insurance. The smaller size of the writing staff also means that many writers, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds and those who have less experience in the industry, often get shut out. The other issue is that the work of writers doesnt end solely when the scripts are written. As Armstrong noted, on Succession, multiple writers are on set at any given point. When writers are on set, they gain valuable experience that helps them move up in the industry and eventually lead their own shows. It also improves the quality of the show: When writers are present during filming, they can make adjustments if a line or a scene needs improvement. For instance, on dialogue-driven shows like Succession, writers prepare what are known as alts: alternate lines or jokes that actors can try during different takes of a scene to see what lands best. In demonstrating support for the strike, many of the shows writers and actors have often cited these very conditions as examples of why all writers need to be paid equitably and given these conditions to do their work. Succession ends tonight. This from my introduction to Season 3 script book. #supporttheWGApic.twitter.com/FpJVpTlmKN Lucy Prebble (@lucyprebblish) May 28, 2023 It begins and ends with the writing for me, actor Natalie Gold told HuffPost last week. These writers have given me one of the greatest gifts of my life, and Im just forever grateful and in awe of them. And having them on set at least three or four writers on set its the only way to work, the best way to work. In the Fresh Air interview, among Armstrongs first extensive comments about the Succession series finale, he also discussed why to borrow a phrase from actor Jeremy Strong each characters ending made sense dramaturgically. Ultimately, the show is about characters who are fundamentally incapable of change, perpetuating the same cycles of abuse they received from family patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox). (Or as Strongs character, failson Kendall Roy, says on the show: Maybe the poison drips through.) Theres a sort of sense about narrative, especially screenplay, that thats what happens in a script: that people grow, they learn, and that is the shape of the script. And I would gently reject that, I guess, Armstrong told Gross. I dont think that has to be the shape of the story. I dont think its a true shape of all stories. Not that you cant make a great story out of those things and Id like to write some of those but that isnt the story of this show. That doesnt seem to be the truth of these people. And so we had to find story shapes which didnt follow that particular shape. Read and listen to the full interview here. Related... Ben Wallace meeting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon in April British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, ahead of a US trip this week, on Monday heightened speculation that he wants NATO allies to back his Defence Secretary Ben Wallace as the alliance's next chief. Wallace, a former captain in the British Army, is seen as a leading contender to replace Jens Stoltenberg who will retire as NATO secretary-general in October after two terms. Sunak is reportedly set to personally lobby US President Joe Biden to back Wallace for the role, during a visit to Washington Wednesday and Thursday. The United States is the dominant force within the 31-member military alliance, and its endorsement is crucial for whoever takes the top job. Asked whether he would push in Washington for Wallace's appointment, Sunak did not directly answer but heaped praise on his 53-year-old cabinet colleague. "Ben does a fantastic job. He is a great defence secretary," he told reporters, noting that conversations around the NATO role were "happening amongst leaders". "Ben is widely respected among his colleagues around the world," he added, before detailing Britain's prominent role within the military alliance. Wallace has travelled widely as defence secretary and enjoys an easy rapport in public with US officials, after taking a prominent role responding to the war in Ukraine. Last month he appeared to show an interest in the NATO post, telling German news agency DPA that it's "a job I'd like". Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen -- who meets Biden in Washington on Monday -- is also thought to be in the running, and would become NATO's first woman chief if chosen. But eastern European countries have never been represented in the top job, and are lobbying for one of their own to take the NATO helm. jj/jit/pvh Are sunken ships from Civil War still lying in the Chattahoochee? What a historian says The Chattahoochee River has become a tourist attraction for kayaking and whitewater rafting, but some may not know the history that may lie just feet beneath their paddles. The site of the last battle of the Civil War took place as Brigadier General James H. Wilson crossed the Chattahoochee River and into Columbus where fierce fighting took many lives and left the city in ruin. Now more than a century and a half later artifacts from that battle may still lie in their aquatic tomb at the bottom of the Chattahoochee River. Holly Wait, the Executive Director at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, says part of a sunken ship still lies at the bottom of the river and its possible artifacts such as cannonballs may as well. Part of what fuels the belief more artifacts rest at the bottom is because she said three cannons have been retrieved from the river over the years and two are now a part of the museum with the third lying in a graveyard in Downtown Columbus. During the Battle of Columbus, Union Soldiers set fire to a ship, which now sets sail on mock waters in the museum. The ironclad ship named the CSS Jackson, also called the Muscogee, was set ablaze and was set adrift until it found its way to the bottom of the river. The ship was excavated nearly a century after its burning in 1865 in an effort led by J.W. Woodruff in 1961, according to the museums website. The three cannons were from the CSS Jackson, according to Wait. One is located on the river and is still set off from time to time on special occasions, according to Wait. Jeff Seymour prepares a naval cannon for firing during the 2020 RiverBlast Festival at the National Civil War Naval Museum on July 4. However, while the Jackson was able to be recovered, part of one ship destroyed in the battle still lies in the River. Wait said the bow end of CSS Chattahoochee still lies somewhere at the bottom of the river it shares a name with. The museum is currently in possession of the stern end of the ship. The ship was set on fire by the very men who commanded the ship so it wouldnt fall into the hands of Union soldiers, according to the Museums website. In 1984 East Carolina University and the Confederate Naval Museum set out to relocate the CSS Chattahoochee, determine its condition and figure out the potential for research, recovery and exhibition, according to a page on the University of Georgias archaeology website. The remains of the bow end of the ship contain a variety of artifacts associated with use of the ship, according to the website. The site says that researchers found that the remaining part of the ship was in good condition and could be raised, conserved and displayed. However, that deduction was made over thirty years ago and the condition of ship couldve worsened in that time. Chattahoochee River divers beware While the allure of having your own piece of history is tempting, laws are in place that keep treasure hunters from disturbing historical artifacts. Those who wish to dive in the Chattahoochee are allowed to dive in the Chattahoochee with proper equipment and markings, according to the Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement division. The law enforcement division of DNR has jurisdiction over the Chattahoochee River. However, there are dangerous diving conditions around the Columbus area due to rocks, according to Game Warden Dean Gibson of DNR. Gibson said any items that have remained under the water for more than 50 years are considered a historical artifact and cant be disturbed, according to Georgia law. Daryl Rosenbauer and his son Bastian explore the cannons at the National Civil War Naval Museum during the 2020 RiverBlast Festival on July 4. In the State of Georgia it is illegal to take artifacts off the bottom of state-owned waters. However, it is legal to collect artifacts with the permission of the landowner in privately-owned waterways, according to the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division. If you are interested in artifact collecting and are wondering how to legally go about artifact hunting you can check out their FAQ sheet here. Also, instead of diving the over 400 mile long river offers plenty of other attractions such as 48 miles of river trail in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area that you can explore by boat, kayak, canoe or raft, according to Georgia River Network. The Recreation Area also includes 16 parks that you can explore that help, ...preserve the beauty and recreational value of the river, according to the website. One diver talks about artifacts If stuff hasnt been discovered before my time its probably covered or in layers and layers of silt, said Capt. Chase Kinsman, a Dive Master with Columbus Fire&EMS. Kinsman has found remnants of 19th and 20th century Columbus lying in the Chattahoochee River. He has found bricks from the mid 1800s and early 1900s while diving in the River. One brick made by Evens &Howard Fire Brick Co. made its way from St. Louis, down to Columbus and to the Chattahoochee River where it sat for decades before Kinsman pulled it from the murky waters. Faith Serafin and her paranormal investigative team have collected electronic voice phenomenons (EVP), which ghost hunters have long said are messages from the spirits, at the National Civil War Naval Museum, where she gives ghost tours. The Chattahoochee is a different animal, said Kinsman when asked what his experience has been like diving the river. Kinsman said that the swift water section of the river is more difficult because of the rocky terrain under the water. He said the easier sections of the river to dive are around the area called Bibb Pond and the section of the river below the Trade Center. What to do if you find a cannonball If divers locate a cannonball, experts warn against coming into contact with it. Those who find something that they may be an explosive device should follow the Three Rs: Recognize, Retreat and Report, according to Fort Moore Garrison Safety Director Daniel Orta. Any type of munition that is found that was once owned by the military at some point of time falls into the military munitions rule which requires DOD response to that, said Sgt. First Class James Little with the 789th Ordnance Company. Little said that cannonballs can still pose a threat to those around it. He said that a 12 pound hollow cannonball has a potential horizontal hazardous frag distance up to 4200 feet mathematically but would realistically be hazardous around 400 feet. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Monday announced he will not run for president in 2024, saying he believes he can be more useful working to improve the GOP elsewhere. Ive made the decision not to run for president on the Republican ticket in 2024, Sununu told CNNs Dana Bash in a sit-down interview. When you look at whats happening out there, you obviously have a very large field. I think the former President Trump is doing much better in the polls than folks thought. And when I looked at where my voice can be, how we make the Republican Party bigger, the responsibility that I think I have in terms of focusing on the Republican Party, and ultimately focusing on the opportunities for the country, he added. 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 Campaign and Election News newsletter Sununu had been floated as a potential Republican presidential contender for months but failed to gain traction in most hypothetical polls. He joins former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in passing on a 2024 GOP presidential bid. Hogan announced his decision earlier this year, yet a number of others are jumping in. Former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday filed to become the seventh candidate challenging Trump for the partys nomination. Many Republicans have voiced concerns that a crowded primary risks a repeat of the 2016 race, when Trump skyrocketed to the top of the field as those preferring other candidates splintered their support among several other rivals. When asked about the growing size of the GOP field, Sununu said every candidate needs to understand the responsibility of getting out and getting out quickly if its not working. Sununu said candidates should get out by Christmas at the latest if they are still polling in the single digits. If we do what we did in 2016, youre going to have somebody win this nomination with 35 percent of the Republican support, Sununu said. Thats not where we should be as a party. Sununu said he wants more independents and young voters on the Republican Party team going forward. I am tired of losing U.S. Senate races and governors races, he said. I talk a bit candidly as folks appreciate. I think more folks within the Republican Party have to have that kind of voice, that kind of emphasis of message and making sure this is about the Republican Party, not just the former president. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Fewer than half of all Australian voters are supporting a proposal to include an Indigenous advisory body in the constitution that will be put to a referendum later this year, the latest opinion poll showed on Monday. About 46% will vote yes to having the new advisory body, called the Indigenous "Voice to Parliament", while 43% would vote no, according to the Newspoll survey published in the Australian newspaper on Monday. Some 11% say they didnt know or are undecided. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, making up about 3.2% of Australia's near 26 million population, track below national averages on most socio-economic measures and are not mentioned in the 122-year-old constitution. They were marginalised by British colonial rulers and not granted voting rights until the 1960s. The poll comes just days after the referendum legislation cleared its first parliamentary hurdle as it was passed in the House of Representatives. This is the first survey to poll voters on the precise question they will be asked at the ballot box when the referendum is held, expected between October and December. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese' government has been backing the referendum and has staked significant political capital on it. Top sporting codes and several major corporations have proclaimed support for the campaign. But support for the campaign has been dipping in recent weeks. Another poll last month found the yes vote dipping to 53% from 58% earlier this year. Groups opposing the constitutional change strengthened their campaign and urged people to vote 'No' in the referendum. While a majority of Indigenous people support the Voice, others argue it is a distraction from achieving practical and positive outcomes. (Reporting by Praveen Menon; editing by Ediring by Michael Perry) Supreme Court will decide whether T-shirt mocking Trump as 'too small' can be trademarked Then-President Trump speaks in the Rose Garden in 2017. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) The Supreme Court said Monday that it will decide whether former President Trump can be mocked as too small on a trademarked T-shirt. Usually, the trademark law does not allow for using someones name over his objection. But in this instance, a federal appeals court said California lawyer Steve Elster had a free speech right to trademark the phrase Trump too small for use on T-shirts and hats. Elster had argued the trademark would be used as political commentary targeted at the former president by invoking a double entendre from the 2016 Republican presidential campaign. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) commented that Trump had small hands, and you know what they say about guys with small hands. The Patent and Trademark Office denied Elsters request for a trademark. The law gives the holder of the trademark the right to prevent others from using it. The law also says no trademark may be registered if it consists of or comprises a name, portrait, or signature identifying a particular living individual except by his written consent. The federal circuit court disagreed and said the 1st Amendment protects the free speech right to comment on or criticize public officials, including by name. The Biden administrations Solicitor Gen. Elizabeth Prelogar urged the Supreme Court to hear the governments appeal and reject the trademark request. She said Elster had a free speech right to mock the former president, but he did not have the right to assert property rights in another persons name. Trump is not a party to the case, and the administrations chief attorney said the government was enforcing the trademark law. For more than 75 years, Congress has directed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to refuse the registration of trademarks that use the name of a particular living individual without his written consent, she said. On Monday, the court said it would the hear the case of Vidal vs. Elster in the fall. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Donald Trump is headed to the Supreme Court. His name, that is. The justices Monday agreed to take up a trademark dispute implicating the First Amendment, and a joke about the former president is at the center. For five years, California man Steve Elster has been attempting to trademark Trump too small to use on shirts, a reference to a 2016 Republican presidential debate in which Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) made fun of Trumps hand size. Elsters application was refused in part because of a federal statute that requires marks consisting of a living persons name to have that persons consent. Trump did not sign off. On appeal, a federal court struck down the provision as applied to Elster, ruling it violated the First Amendments free speech protections because he was criticizing a government official or public figure. The Biden-era Justice Department, representing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, then appealed to the nations highest court, asking them to weigh in because a lower court had invalidated a federal law. The case, Vidal v. Elster, is slated to be heard during the courts next annual term, which begins in October. Trumps brand will also be at the center of a case at the court next term over whether a group of Democratic lawmakers should be able to sue to obtain documents related to Trumps former Washington, D.C., hotel. Trump is not a party in either case. No matter the courts decision, Elsters trademark application remains blocked under another provision that bans registered marks suggesting a false association with a person, living or dead. The dispute follows two recent cases in which the Supreme Court found that other trademark prohibitions which banned registration of marks that were immoral, scandalous or disparaging violated the First Amendment. But the Justice Department in court filings contended those decisions banned speech based on its viewpoint, and the provision at issue in Elsters case is viewpoint-neutral. The government further wants the justices to treat trademark prohibitions as a condition on a government benefit rather than a simple restriction on speech. Refusal of trademark registration under Section 1052(c) does not prevent the mark owner from using the individuals name, without that individuals consent, in whatever speech the owner wishes to engage in, the Justice Department wrote in its brief. Elster responded by asking the justices to let the lower ruling stand, noting there was no split among the federal appeals courts to resolve, and that arguing the case anyway was a poor vehicle to resolve the constitutional question. Unlike other cases in which the Court has reviewed decisions declaring federal statutes unconstitutional, this case involves a one-off as-applied constitutional challengeone that turns on the unique circumstances of the governments refusal to register a trademark that voices political criticism of a former President of the United States, Elsters attorney wrote. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A man wants to trademark 'Trump too small' for T-shirts. Now the Supreme Court will hear the case. FILE - The Supreme Court is seen in Washington, on Nov. 5, 2020. The Supreme Court says it will hear a case in which a man tried to trademark a phrase mocking former President Donald Trump as too small. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear a case in which a man tried to trademark a phrase mocking former President Donald Trump as too small. The Justice Department is supporting President Joe Bidens once and possibly future rival in urging the court to deny a trademark for the suggestive phrase Trump too small that a California man wants to put on T-shirts. The case will be argued in the fall, one of two disputes on the courts upcoming agenda that involve Trump or one of his businesses. Government officials said the phrase Trump too small could still be used, just not trademarked because Trump had not consented to its use. But a federal appeals court said refusing trademark registration violated free speech rights. The high court has considered a raft of Trump-related cases in recent years. The justices have dealt with cases about Trump's claims of fraud in the 2000 election and with his efforts to shield his tax records from Congress and to keep other tax records from prosecutors in New York, among other things. If the justices are tired of Trump-related cases, however, they arent letting on. Just last month, the high court agreed to hear a different Trump-related lawsuit stemming from disputes over what was the Trump International Hotel in Washington. Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee sued over the Trump administrations refusal to turn over information about the Trump Organizations lease of the hotel. The latest case is unusual in that it has the Biden administration on Trump's side. The administration is defending government officials' decision to reject the trademark request from Steve Elster, who tried to register the Trump too small phrase. The phrase is a reference to a memorable exchange Trump had during the 2016 presidential campaign with Florida senator and GOP presidential rival Marco Rubio. Rubio began the verbal jousting when he told supporters at a rally that Trump was always calling him little Marco" but that Trump who says he is 6-feet-3-inches tall has disproportionately small hands. Have you seen his hands? ... And you know what they say about men with small hands, Rubio said. You can't trust them. Trump then brought up the comment at a televised debate on March 3, 2016. Look at those hands. Are they small hands? And he referred to my hands if theyre small, something else must be small. I guarantee you theres no problem. I guarantee you," he said. Federal law says that a trademark request should be refused if it involves a name, portrait or signature identifying a particular living individual unless the person has given written consent. But Elster says refusing to register a political slogan criticizing Trump without Trump's consent violates the First Amendment's Free Speech clause. Federal law, Elster's lawyers say, makes it virtually impossible to register a mark that expresses an opinion about a public figure. We look forward to defending the right to convey core political messages on trademarks," Elster's lawyer Jon Taylor wrote in an email. "The governments attempt to burden political speech by granting public figures a monopoly over speech about them in the marketplace is indefensible. The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear whether a California lawyer can register the phrase "Trump too small" as a federal trademark on t-shirts. Since 2018, Steve Elster has been attempting to register the mark Trump too small for use on t-shirts that criticize former President Donald Trump. Elsters application was denied due to a federal statute that prohibits trademarks containing a person's name unless that person gives written consent. Last year, a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said that Elsters proposed trademark goes to the heart of the First Amendment" because it is intended to poke fun at a government official. Barring Elster from registering the trademark was unconstitutional, the court ruled. The Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to weigh in because a lower court had invalidated a federal law. The phrase "Trump too small" originates from an exchange of taunts between Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who at the time were rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Trump often called Rubio Little Marco, and in response, Rubio criticized the size of Trumps hands during a campaign stop. The court will hear oral arguments in the case, Vidal v. Elster, in late 2023 or early 2024. inheritance tax Grieving families in a single London borough pay more inheritance tax (IHT) than Wales and Northern Ireland respectively, analysis has revealed. Londoners paid the most IHT in the 2019/20 tax year, at 1.3bn, with the average tax bill just over 300,000. In the borough of Barnet alone, residents paid 104m. Just 97m was levied on inhabitants of Wales and 42m was paid by people living in Northern Ireland. Huge variations in property wealth across Britain mean the death duty has sparked a stark geographical divide. Overall, the South East handed the taxman more than 1bn in death duties, as rising house prices over the past decade have dragged a rising number of ordinary families into paying the tax. A typical home in Wales costs just 173,000, meaning the principality had among the lowest inheritance tax takes. The Telegraph is campaigning to scrap the 40pc death tax, with more than 50 MPs backing the cause so far. Those living in the south are disproportionately hit by the tax. People in Surrey, where the average home costs more than 445,000, paid 251m in IHT. Meanwhile, those living in Oxfordshire paid 109m, according to the most recent HMRC data available more than twice the amount paid by the whole of Edinburgh. London and the South East had the highest number of families paying an inheritance tax bill, at 4,190 and 4,990 respectively. Together, they accounted for around half of inheritance tax charges across the whole country. The minimum inheritance tax allowance has been stuck at 325,000 since 2009, and will remain frozen until 2028. There is an extra 175,000 tax-free allowance if a main residence is passed down to children or grandchildren, but anything over this level is taxed at a rate of 40pc. Spouses can share their allowances. Helen Thornley, of the Association of Taxation Technicians, said this extra allowance for passing on homes made it even harder for regular families to plan around the tax. She said: It does not seem logical that the way you are taxed depends on where you hold your wealth. A person with a 200,000 home and 600,000 in investments will pay more inheritance tax than someone with a 600,000 home and 200,000 in investments. This makes the tax very difficult to administer. Plus you have various replacement property provisions, so if you own a house and sell it, sometimes that cash counts towards your estate. The whole thing is so complicated that often you will need a lawyer or an accountant to advise on it, and that means paying expensive fees. While property prices in Wales are low, they are climbing faster than the national average, suggesting more homeowners in the country may eventually be dragged into the tax bracket. Property prices in Wales rose 4.8pc in March, compared with an average 4.1pc rise across Britain. A spokesman for the Treasury said: More than 93pc of estates arent expected to pay any inheritance tax in the coming years however the tax still raises more than 7bn a year to help fund public services like the NHS and schools. Estates of surviving spouses and civil partners can pass on up to 1m without an inheritance tax liability - significantly more than the average UK home of 285,000. How has inheritance tax impacted you? Do you have a story for our campaign? Email money@telegraph.co.uk Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Sutter Middle School in Sacramento placed on precautionary lockdown for potential threat Authorities on Monday placed Sutter Middle School in East Sacramento on a precautionary lockdown after school officials learned of a potential safety threat. Campus officials immediately notified the Sacramento Police Department and Sacramento City Unified School District safety personnel, Sutter Middle School Principal Cristin Tahara told parents in an email Monday afternoon. Tahara said police officers arrived quickly on campus at 1350 I St. and did not find any credible threat. She said classes were able to safely continue as scheduled. We take all matters of student safety seriously, and do not hesitate to reach out to law enforcement any time we have a concern about safety, Tahara said in the email to parents. Please encourage your child to let a teacher or administrator know if a situation exists which could ever place them and others in danger. It remained unclear what exactly led school officials to believe there was a potential threat on campus. The Police Department said it was school district officials initiated the lockdown and referred news media questions to the school district. Al Goldberg, a school district spokesman, declined to answer questions about the perceived threat, saying the principals letter to parents serves as our statement regarding this incident. Taharas message to parents promised to provide an update as new information is made available. SUV stolen in Holly Hill with sleeping toddler inside recovered in Daytona Beach, police say Holly Hill police said theyve located the SUV that was stolen last week with a toddler inside. They said the SUV was recovered by South Daytona police Sunday night. On June 1, investigators said someone stole a Volkswagen Tiguan from outside of a Holly Hill home. READ: Deputies: Toddler left alone in Volusia County parking lot after SUV stolen with him asleep inside Police said a woman parked it in a relatives driveway along Clifton Street. They said she left the vehicles engine running with her child asleep in the rear seat and briefly went inside the house. During that time, someone stole her vehicle. READ: Daytona Beach teen dies in crash along I-95 in St. Johns County Investigators released video showing a male leaving the 2-year-old boy on the side of the road about 30 minutes after he disappeared with the SUV. Deputies with Volusia County Sheriffs Office safely recovered the child and said he was not injured. On Sunday evening, Holly Hill police said the stolen Tiguan was spotted by a South Daytona officer who attempted to stop it. But police said the driver refused to stop and sped away, eventually making his way into the city limits of Daytona Beach. Police said they caught up with him in a parking lot off South Beach Street near Loomis Avenue. The suspect, a 16-year-old male, was arrested and faces charges from both departments. Holly Hill police have charged him with possession of a stolen vehicle; South Daytona police charged him with fleeing and eluding and other traffic-related charges. Police said the teen, whom they are not naming, has not been charged with kidnapping or child neglect at this time. READ: Deputies: Volusia County couple faces multiple charges of child abuse, neglect Crime scene technicians are processing the vehicle, police added. Holly Hill police have asked anyone with information about this investigation to call Sgt. Tom Bentley at 386-248-9478 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 888-277-8477. Channel 9s Demie Johnson is following the latest developments in this case. Stay with WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates on this story. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Portrait of a small boy Credit - Getty Images In the U.S., legislation banning discussions about gender and sexuality in schools has been introduced in nearly half of states, affecting students as old as 18 in places like Florida, which recently expanded its so-called Dont Say Gay law to cover kids from kindergarten through 12th grade. The supporters of such laws often argue that they are simply giving parents more control over their childrens educations. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), parents already have the greatest influence on a childs sexual decision-making and values. But some experts worry that, without support from professional educators, families may be overwhelmed by the task of teaching children about gendera topic about which young Americans views have rapidly changed. When you take the job of education around complex issues out of the hands of experts and educators, you are leaving parents and caregivers and guardians to do jobs that they arent qualified to do, says Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, executive director of GLSEN, an organization advocating for affirming learning environments for LGBTQ youth. More from TIME And as the country becomes increasingly diverse in terms of gender identityUCLAs Williams Institute estimates that there are some 300,000 transgender youth living in the U.S., a number that has doubled since 2017its more important than ever for parents to be equipped with clear, accurate information. Read more: The Pain and Pride of a Generation Changing How America Sees Gender TIME spoke to experts about how parents can frame conversations about gender with their children at different stages of their youth. Heres what they said: Reassess your own assumptions about gender Before discussing gender with their children, experts suggest, parents should do some research to better understand the nuances within the topic, whether that means familiarizing themselves with the difference between gender and sex, looking into what it means to be transgender, or understanding pronouns. Gender expression, according to the AAP, refers to the way a person expresses gender through clothing, hair, mannerisms, activities, or social roles. Changes in a childs gender expression do not necessarily mean that that child is transgender. For most kids, experimenting with gender will be just thatexploration and play, says Cameron Van Fossen, executive director of Gender Spectrum, an organization dedicated to the well-being of gender-expansive children. For some kids, though, it may feel more intense. Parents should listen if a child is insistent on identifying in a manner outside of their gender assigned at birth. Van Fossen says in these moments parents need to try to de-center their own thoughts and feelings, remembering that a childs identity is a reflection of their own sense of self, not of their parents: It is not an attack on you, your values, or your worldview. But it can also be a moment to assess ones own biases. Van Fossen tells TIME that parents should ask themselves: How do you feel about boys who wear nail polish, and girls who want to shop in the boys department for clothes? What messages about gender expression were you given as a child? Other experts, like Lindz Amer, author of Rainbow Parenting: Your Guide to Raising Queer Kids and Their Allies, suggest parents also start by thinking about their own gender identity, and what makes them feel like a man, woman, or nonbinary person. Have you actually asked yourself, Oh, Im a woman, what makes me feel like a woman, outside of my birth certificate? says Amer. Most importantly, Willingham-Jaggers says, parents should know that its OK if they dont know everything about gender and should be open to relying on others for help. Parents should understand that LGBTQ+ people are in every single community and every single neighborhood, Willingham-Jaggers says. If parents plan on discussing gender, Willingham-Jaggers suggests they go into that conversation with a level of humility, knowing that they might not know everything. If you dont know something, be honest about that with your kid. Let them know Hey, I dont have that lived experience. I dont know everything. Lets look it up online, or lets watch this web series video about nonbinary identity, Amer says. Read more: As Texas Targets Trans Youth, a Family Leaves in Search of a Better Future Have age-appropriate conversations about gender For younger children, an explicit conversation detailing the intricacies of gender may prove difficult to conceptualize. However, it is important to note that children pick up on subliminal ideas about gender through media as well as interactions with their classmates and family members. That means that children begin to form their ideas about gender earlier than parents may think, as they absorb everything from societys general expectations to the way their own parents may praise or dress their children. For infants, reading a picture book that features transgender or nonbinary characters may be a helpful and easy introduction. Amer suggests books by Kyle Lukoff or Maya Christina Gonzalez (both of which made the list of the most banned picture books for the 2021-2022 school year, per Pen America). For toddlers, they suggest teaching a child about pronouns. Amer says parents can do so at the beginning of the day, by asking their child what their pronouns are. Parents should encourage their children to ask them the same. Adults can also model sharing their pronouns when they introduce themselves to friends or family members. At this age, Van Fossen notes that parents should also give children many options that allow them to explore and share their interests and feelings, which can be done by letting a child play with a wide range of toys regardless of their sex. Gender may be something your child has thought a lot about on their own, or it may be something they havent yet given much thought to, says Van Fossen, of Gender Spectrum. Maybe theyve met a friend who identifies as part of the transgender community, or has a different gender expression, or has parents who do. Parents should also lean on childrens natural curiosity to teach them about their bodies. Amer details this in their book, nothing that parents do not have to discuss sex with young children, but instead should teach them about body kindness (to love and care for their body), body ownership (that people control their own bodies) and body language (the accurate names for their body parts, including genitals). That helps teach children about body safety and boundaries, according to the AAP, and it also serves as a way into possibly discussing how some people may share the same body parts but identify differently; parents can be careful from the start to differentiate between a penis as a body part, for example, and maleness as an identity. Van Fossen suggests introducing these ideas by age 3, though experts also say parents know when is the most appropriate time to discuss this with their children. Overall, Van Fossen notes, parents should teach their children that gender norms are optional, and transgender and nonbinary people exist and are valid and valuable in the world. Approach the conversation with curiosity and care Experts tell TIME that children of all ages should know that everyone is deserving of love and respect, regardless of how they identify. In Amers book, the author suggests parents introduce this by contrasting Froot Loops and Cheerios. Talk to your toddler about the differences and similarities they note between the two. While doing so, emphasize that differences are not negative, and that being different does not make it better or worse. As a child grows, they may have a clearer sense of their gender identity. It is especially vital for parents to reiterate their love and care regardless of a childs gender, as research indicates that transgender youths report higher rates of suicidal thoughts, and fewer than 1 in 3 trans or nonbinary youth live in a gender-affirming home. The No. 1 job of parents is to see their child clearly and believe their child when their child tells them who they are, Willingham-Jaggers tells TIME. No. 2 is letting them know that whoever they are, they are your kid and you love them, and that nothing is going to change that. Van Fossen says parents should be ready to learn and to get it wrong, noting that todays teens have greater understandings of gender and sexuality than parents may have had at that age. Having conversations with a child that accurately reflect their familys values and showcase empathy and love are vital when they are teenagers and may be struggling to fit in. If a child expresses a gender identity that may be different than what a parent presumed, advocating for that child to be treated fairly, whether that be at school or among their family, is vital. We know from research that children do best when their parents or caregivers show them that they are loved and accepted for who they are, says Van Fossen. Discouraging your child from expressing a gender can make them feel ashamed. Give them unconditional support. In doing so, you are not framing a gender, but simply accepting who they are and how they are feeling. Teen charged in Lebanon triple homicide is a person of interest in New York boy's homicide A teen charged as one of the alleged shooters in a triple homicide in the 400 block of N. 5th St. is a person of interest in the shooting death of a Rochester, New York, teen, according to police reports. James Fernandez-Reyes, 16, is a person of interest in the death of 12-year-old Juan Lopez in 2022. Fernandez-Reyes is currently charged as an adult with homicide for the deaths of Sebastian Perez-Salome, 9, Jesus Perez-Salome, 8, and Joshua Lugo-Perez, 19, for the shootings on May 30. Our Major Crimes Unit has been tirelessly investigating Lopezs murder and is currently coordinating with law enforcement officials in Lebanon in hopes of furthering that investigation, police Lt. Greg Bello said in an email to the Lebanon Daily News. A memorial was set up on the front porch of where the shooting took place, June 1. On Nov. 21, 2022, officers from the Rochester Police Department responded to Atkinson and Reynolds streets for multiple ShotSpotter activations. Once there, they found Lopez dead on the sidewalk from at least one gunshot wound to his upper body. Lopez was a seventh-grader at the Benjamin Franklin Educational Campus on Norton Street. Officers discovered a 16-year-old boy with multiple gunshot wounds from the same incident two blocks east, who managed to recover from his injuries. Democrat & Chronicle: 'Enough is enough.' Community, mayor react to killing of 12-year-old Fernandez-Reyes and Alex Torres-Santos, 22, were arrested Wednesday, May 31, after the Lebanon County SWAT team executed a search warrant in the 400 block of N. 9th St. Police are still seeking a third suspect they believe was involved in this shooting. "At the time of his arrest for these heinous crimes in Pennsylvania, Fernandez-Reyes had an active warrant from Monroe County Family Court related to an arrest in the City of Rochester on September 20, 2022, in which he was issued an appearance ticket for being in possession of a loaded Kel-Tec .380 caliber handgun," Bello said. Torres-Santos and Fernandez-Reyes have been charged with three counts of criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, along with various gun-related offenses. Torres-Santos and Fernandez-Reyes also were charged with one count of aggravated assault for Louis Cancel, 33, of Lebanon, who was hit in the next-door residence by a stray bullet during the shooting. Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said Friday she will be seeking the death penalty in Torres-Santos' case. Death Penalty: Lebanon DA seeks death penalty against Torres-Santos in homicide of two boys and teen Shooting protest: 20 protest lowering of bail for triple homicide suspect at District Judge Figueroa's office Police located multiple .223 rifle rounds and 9mm shell casings that showed at least 27 gunshots fired at the North 5th Street home Tuesday. Officials said these shots came from two different caliber firearms. A search of Torres-Santos' and Fernandez-Reyes' residence Wednesday revealed multiple firearms, including an AR-15 and a secondary weapon, which officials said was consistent with the shell casings located at the scene. Torres-Santos and Fernandez-Reyes are being held without bail at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. A third suspect in the case was being sought by police as of Friday afternoon. The Lebanon City Police Department, the Lebanon County District Attorney's Office and Detective Bureau, the Pennsylvania State Police and other Lebanon County police departments assisted in the investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Lebanon City Police Department at (717) 272-6611 or Crime Stoppers at (717) 270-9800. This investigation is ongoing. Please check back with the Lebanon Daily News for updates. Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on Twitter at @DAMattToth. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Teen charged in triple homicide a person of interest in N.Y. killing FILE PHOTO: The logo for Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York City WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Texas won the latest round in its antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet's Google on Monday as a U.S. judicial panel ordered the case returned to federal court in Texas. At Google's request the lawsuit had been moved in August 2021 to a federal court in New York, where other advertising technology cases were being heard. Texas had asked for the lawsuit to be moved back after the U.S. Congress passed the Venue Act in 2022 that grants state attorneys general the right to choose where an antitrust lawsuit will be litigated. The Texas lawsuit accuses Google of violating the law by dominating the process that advertisers use to put ads online. Website publishers complain that has resulted in lower revenues. Google said it disagreed with the decision. "We're confident that any court will agree that the Texas Attorney General's case is wrong on both the facts and the law," a spokesperson added. The Texas attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In its order, signed by chair Karen Caldwell, the panel of judges wrote: "On its face, the Venue Act plainly is intended to allow state antitrust actions to proceed in the actions original forum." The decision was made by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. The case will return to the eastern district of Texas, which has a reputation for being a rocket docket, with quicker hearings and decisions made on cases. The search and advertising giant, which also makes a smartphone operating system and owns YouTube, faces antitrust lawsuits around the world with most based on abuse of dominance of one sort or another. Google has denied any wrongdoing in how it runs its many businesses. In addition to the Texas fight, Google is battling the U.S. federal government in two antitrust lawsuits, one based on abuse of dominance of search and the other abuse of dominance of advertising technology. And states led by Utah filed a lawsuit in 2021 saying the company broke antitrust law in handling its play store. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Chris Reese, Mark Porter and Aurora Ellis) This article was originally published in The Texas Tribune. Bipartisan legislation that would overhaul how Texas funds its community colleges is heading to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk for approval after the House agreed to accept the Senates amendments Wednesday. Last week, the Senate unanimously approved a House bill to fund the states community colleges based on how many of their students graduate with a degree or certificate or transfer to a four-year university. Currently, schools are largely funded based on the number of hours students spend in a classroom. Bill sponsor Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, had previously told The Texas Tribune the House was likely to accept the Senate additions. VanDeaver served on a commission of lawmakers and community college presidents last year that recommended the changes, along with a long list of ways the state could better support the more than 642,000 students who attend Texas 50 community college districts. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The Senate added language from seven smaller higher education bills to the legislation, nearly all of which have already passed out of one or both chambers. These include legislation to provide new grant funds for students and workforce development, legislation to ease the student transfer process between two- and four-year schools, and one bill dealing with student privacy. In a press release, a coalition of business and higher education advocates celebrated the bills passage. By 2030, 62 percent of all Texas jobs will require postsecondary credentials but Texas businesses are already struggling to find qualified workers, Justin Yancy, Texas Business Leadership Council President, said in a statement. Now, thanks to the passage of House Bill 8, state leaders can continue to address the skilled workforce shortage, support our businesses, and ensure more Texans can earn self-sustaining wages. A new budget provision that is contingent on the legislation passing shows that in the next two years, the new funding model would direct about $2.2 billion toward public community colleges, compared with the old system, which would have provided $1.8 billion. Texas community colleges are primarily funded by local property taxes, student tuition and fees, and state money. While every community college receives a little over $1.3 million for core operations in each two-year budget, the rest of the money it receives from the state is allocated in two ways. The vast majority of that funding depends on how many hours of instruction students receive, called contact hours. The rest around 10% is awarded based on milestones like the number of students who complete their first year of math, earn 15 credit hours or graduate with an associates degree. But over time, the states share has not kept pace with other sources of funding and now accounts for less than 25% of community colleges budgets. School leaders say the state needs to rethink how community colleges respond to workforce demands and prioritize efforts to enroll more students in programs for industries that pay well but dont take a long time to complete. House Bill 8 would shift the funding balance so most of the money that schools get from the state is based on student outcomes. Schools would compete for funding against their own progress in those areas. Specifically, the legislation says the state would allocate funding to colleges based on metrics like the number of credentials they award in high-demand industries, the number of students who earn 15 credit hours and then transfer to a four-year university, or the number of high school students who earn at least 15 credits through a dual-credit program. Instead of waiting for lawmakers to allocate a pot of funding each session, schools would be able to look at their data and determine what their funding levels would be. The new finance system will fundamentally shift how community colleges support their students, ultimately providing them with more valuable options as workforce programs receive as much of an emphasis as academic programs, said Renzo Soto, a policy adviser for Texas 2036, a nonprofit focused on improving Texas future through public policy. This all culminates into a greater focus on ensuring community colleges are delivering workforce returns for students, employers and the state through state funding tied to the student outcomes that matter most earning a credential of value that prepares them for the workforce. HB 8 lays out a road map for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to implement the new funding system, but it would require the state agency to determine many specifics such as the new formulas to calculate just how much money each college would receive. As the bill is written now, the state agency would have until Sept. 1 to put the new system in place. Texas Higher Education Commissioner Harrison Keller said that means the board would need to have the details decided by mid-July to get state approval. Keller called the legislation historic and said it was crucial that all the community college leaders across the state backed the change. We could not contemplate making such a dramatic change so quickly without that strong partnership and buy-in from community college leaders across the state, he said. Disclosure: Texas 2036 has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune, a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. Texas police arrest 8 people for alleged involvement in smash-and-grab operation of over 50 ATMs Texas police arrested eight individuals last week for allegedly burglarizing more than 50 automated teller machines (ATM) in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The Plano Police Department said investigators and members of SWAT arrested eight suspects as they were stealing an ATM from a 7-Eleven on Fort Worth Drive in Denton, Texas at about 6 a.m. on June 1. Top: Anthony Dewayne Turner, 29, of Dallas; Cortaveya Jean Jackson, 25, of Mesquite; Danaijay Jacoby Derrett, 24, of Dallas; Dominique Marquis Childress, 27, of Dallas Bottom: Joseph George Milton Turner, 29 - Dallas; Leroy Alvin Walls, 26, of Dallas; Louis Edward Coleman, 37, of DeSoto; Marlon Briscoe, 24, of Dallas. Prior to the arrests, detectives with the Plano Police Department received information about an ATM burglary that happened on 14th Street in Plano just before 6:30 a.m. on May 25. TEXAS FAMILY USES AIRTAG TO TRACK DOWN SUSPECTS IN $62K GRAVEYARD HEIST During the burglary, five suspects backed a pickup truck into the front of the store, smashing out the window. The suspects then wrapped a chain around the machine and pulled the ATM out of the convenience store, while the clerk stood behind the counter. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP A defocused police car sits behind crime scene tape with flashing lights at night. Police said the suspects got away with an unknown amount of cash, though the damage to the building was expected to cost the business thousands of dollars to repair. ARMED SUSPECTED MEXICAN CARTEL MEMBERS ARRESTED ON TEXAS SIDE OF BORDER The suspects fled the scene in a pickup truck that was discovered to have been stolen out of Garland, Texas, and later found abandoned at a nearby apartment development. Investigators developed several leads from the burglary on May 25, including the identification of several suspected vehicles and determining the methods used to steal the ATMs. Detectives also learned of numerous smash and grab incidents across the DFW Metroplex, resulting in a multi-jurisdictional investigation involving police from Plano, Coppell, Dallas, Euless, Frisco, Garland and Grapevine. The Department of Public Safety and 7-Eleven Zone Asset Protection manager also assisted in the investigation, which resulted in the arrests of Anthony Dewayne Turner, 29, of Dallas; Cortaveya Jean Jackson, 25, of Mesquite; Danaijay Jacoby Derrett, 24, of Dallas; Dominique Marquis Childress, 27, of Dallas; Joseph George Milton Turner, 29 - Dallas; Leroy Alvin Walls, 26, of Dallas; Louis Edward Coleman, 37, of DeSoto; and Marlon Briscoe, 24, of Dallas. All eight individuals have been charged with second-degree theft of an automated teller machine and are being held in the Denton County Jail. A Texas sheriffs department has recommended that the district attorney in Bexar County bring criminal charges over the first iteration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis so-called migrant relocation program. Those flights last September sent 49 asylum seekers, most of them Venezuelans, from San Antonio to Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. According to a statement provided to the Miami Herald, the Bexar County sheriff completed its criminal investigation into the on-the-ground operation that allegedly lured migrants onto the flights with false promises of jobs and opportunities on the other end. The case filed includes both felony and misdemeanor charges of Unlawful Restraint, according to the statement. At this time, the case is being reviewed by the DAs office. Once an update is available, it will be provided to the public. Now its up to prosecutors in Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, to decide whether to follow the sheriffs recommendation. The district attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Last fall, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar issued special certifications to all of the migrants flown to Marthas Vineyard declaring them to be official victims of a crime and paving the way for them to stay in the United States under a special visa for those helpful to law enforcement. Unlawful restraint is a misdemeanor unless the victim is younger than 17 as was the case for five of the migrants. Handing the case over to prosecutors is a critical juncture in a criminal probe that could snare some of DeSantis top aides. The migrant relocation program, using Florida tax dollars, was overseen by DeSantis chief of staff, James Uthmeier, and public safety czar Larry Keefe. The sheriff announced its charging recommendation in a statement to the Herald Monday as news broke of several dozen migrants transported from El Paso to Sacramento, California, using a playbook similar to the one DeSantis used to send asylum seekers to Massachusetts last year. Although DeSantis has not yet confirmed the state of Florida was behind the latest flights to California, the migrants arrived outside a Sacramento-area church carrying documents that indicated the travel was arranged by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Vertol Systems, the private contractor that also arranged the original flights to Marthas Vineyard, the office of Californias attorney general said. We are investigating the circumstances by which these individuals were brought to California. We are also evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants, Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement issued by his office. Migrants, their faces obscured, outside the plane that ferried them from Texas to Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. Florida taxpayers paid for the charter. DeSantis office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rachel Self, attorney for the migrants sent to Marthas Vineyard, called for DeSantis and his aides to be prosecuted in response to the news of the latest flights to Sacramento. The fact that no charges have yet been filed has clearly left the Florida authorities with the impression that they can keep acting this way with impunity, said Self. The people who perpetrated this need to know: no matter who you are, you arent above the law. A lesson needs to be taught. The sheriff in El Paso County has not opened an investigation into the recent flights to Sacramento, according to a statement provided to the Herald. Participants walk during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on June 4, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News Music blared and participants cheered as families, parents, teenagers and children wore rainbow-colored shirts, sported signs with company slogans and resources, tied flags around their necks as capes, wore rainbow hats, and danced in the streets during the Utah Pride Festival's parade Sunday. There were between 40,000 and 50,000 spectators, with 16,000 marching in the parade itself, according to Chad Call, a spokesman for the Utah Pride Center a number of participants that barely exceeded the prior year's performance. "I just love how welcoming the community is. You walk through the streets and everybody's just smiling, and everybody's dancing and it's honestly the happiest you've ever seen Salt Lake City," paradegoer Heather Berrett said. "And everybody's just so full of love; it's amazing to watch." Avery Miller, another participant at the parade, said the way the community gathers together creates a sense of safety. "I love that there's a sense of unity, like there's so much love, and there's so much diversity, too. There's so many different kinds of people," Miller said. "Especially in light of everything that's going on in the world today, it's really fun to have an event where you have a safe space for just a minute." Nan Osborne, a volunteer marching with Encircle Together, an LGBTQ+ resource center for youth, noted how when her daughter came out, it helped her realize the need to always be learning how to best be an ally to the community, especially as a parent. "In my experience, the very first step is to get over being sad," Osborne said, noting how important it was for her to show support to her daughter. Now, Osborne and her husband volunteer at Encircle to help other youth feel loved. Queer joy, she said, is important for younger members of the LGBTQ+ community. "I think gathering together really helps promote community," Osborne said. "We moved to Utah last year just in time to come to this parade, and we've never seen a parade like it in our whole lives." Participants walk during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News Along with the participants' and marchers' shouts of joy, other cries intermingled in with the paradegoers. There was a small section of protesters some waving flags and signs of their own. Spectators used rainbow umbrellas and cheers to block out any of the signs or chants the protesters called. "We wanted to do what we could because not everyone has the strength to stand up," said Memphis Haven, a participant holding a rainbow umbrella. "If we can, we have to protect those who can't protect themselves." But despite some angry chants, spectators' spirits did not seem to be dulled. Ghost Jensen, another participant holding a rainbow umbrella, noted the joy of attending a pride parade for the first time. "It feels amazing," Jensen said, grinning with a voice barely audible over the protesters' screams. "I love it; I'm so happy right now." A group of police officers stood to the side of the protesters. According to Call, security had been carefully planned to best protect the paradegoers. Participants walk during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News "We do have those strong safety plans put into place with our local police department and Salt Lake City Police Department. And they of course do their normal counterterrorism monitoring throughout this weekend to monitor the threat levels," Call said. And the department didn't just provide protection it marched in the parade itself. "As the largest law enforcement agency in the state of Utah, we're glad to be here," Salt Lake police spokesman Brent Weisberg said. "Every day we are out supporting, protecting and helping support this community." Weisberg added how important it is to prevent hate crimes and biased incidents through education and reporting. "If you believe that you've been a victim or a survivor of a hate crime or of a biased incident, call us let us know, because not only is it important to investigate those, it's also important that we provide resources," he said. Thousands of mail carriers were attacked by dogs in 2022. Which states had the most? Mail carriers combat rain, snow, sleet and hail to make their appointed rounds but aggressive dogs can also be a regular threat to employees dropping packages door-to-door. A new report from the United States Postal Service, released ahead of National Dog Bite Awareness Week which runs through June 10, revealed that thousands of mail carriers across the U.S. were attacked by their age-old nemesis in 2022. In total, more than 5,300 postal service employees were attacked by dogs while delivering mail last year, according to the report, a slight decrease from 2021 when 5,400 mail carriers were attacked. And according to Leeann Theriault, postal service manager of employee safety and health awareness, any dog can become a threat to a mail carrier regardless of whether they have been aggressive before. When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack, Theriault said in a news release. Help us deliver your mail safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before your carrier arrives. What states had the most dog bites? According to the report, California had the most recorded dog bites in 2022 with 675. Texas was second with 404 reports of dog attacks on mail carriers, while New York was third with 321. Pennsylvania was fourth with 313, followed closely by Ohio with 311. Houston, Los Angeles and Dallas ranked as the top three highest cities for dog attacks on mail carriers in 2022, according to the postal service's report. How you can help keep postal workers safe The U.S. Postal Service provided a number of tips for how dog owners can keep mail carriers safe while they're delivering mail. Most people have a general idea of when a mail carrier arrives, and so they're asked to make sure any dogs are secured inside the house or behind a fence before a postal worker approaches the property. Informed Delivery, a free USPS service, allows customers to digitally preview incoming mail and packages to anticipate when their carrier will arrive. The U.S. Postal Service said in a media release that its mail carriers are trained both in how to be aware of dogs that may be present as they deliver letters and also in how to minimize the likelihood that they'll be attacked. If a dog attacks, carriers are also trained to protect themselves by placing something between them and the dog, such as a mail satchel, and, if necessary, to use dog repellent. If carriers feel unsafe, they could halt service for a single home or an entire neighborhood, meaning mail would have to be picked up at a nearby post office. Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @EricLagatta. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USPS reveals states with most dog attacks on mail carriers in 2022 Three on trial in France over assault on Brigitte Macron's relative The Jean Trogneux chocolate shop in the centre of Amiens was already under police protection Three men are to be go on trial in France on Monday on charges of beating up the great-nephew of French first lady Brigitte Macron last month outside her family's chocolate shop. The attack on Jean-Baptiste Trogneux was widely condemned by French politicians, including President Emmanuel Macron who called it "unacceptable" while pointing the finger at his opponents whose "verbal violence" he suggested had encouraged the assault. It came during soaring tensions in France over his government's pension reform, which the president signed into law without a parliamentary vote. The attack on Trogneux in the northern town of Amiens on May 15 came on the sidelines of an unsanctioned demonstration against the government's pension reform. Aged 20, 22 and 34, the trio were to be tried in a fast-track process two days after the attack but their lawyers asked for more time to prepare a defence. The trial is due to get underway at midday GMT. Brigitte Macron's family have run the Jean Trogneux chocolate shop in the centre of her home city of Amiens for six generations. Her great-nephew was returning to his apartment above the store when he was recognised by the protesters, who left him with several broken ribs, a head injury and a hand wound, according to his father. According to his lawyer Franck Delahousse, he tried to defend the shop window which had been previously targeted during demonstration. The shop has already for several years been under police protection. Among the defendants, who already have criminal records for violence and assault, the youngest, Florian C., is illiterate, while the oldest, Yoan L., is under legal guardianship. Marc Blondet, the lawyer of the third defendant Adrien F., said his client can barely read or write. "These are young people who have been on a chaotic journey, and have special or psychological needs," he added. Four other people arrested in this case were released after questioning. A 16-year-old girl, who has also been charged, will go on trial at a later date at a juvenile court. Both Brigitte Macron, 70, and Emmanuel Macron, 45, hail from Amiens, the town where they met while she was his drama teacher at a private school. She was married and had three children but subsequently divorced from her first husband. zl-sjw/giv Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) was booed by members of the studio audience watching The View on Monday after he praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and his recent battles with Disney. Disney and Ron have been in a combat zone over what I thought is the right issue, which is our young kids and what they are being indoctrinated with, Scott said. The remark sparked widespread jeers from the audience and loud boos. No, no, no, not here, host Whoopi Goldberg shouted at the crowd. Im sorry, sir, she said apologizing to Scott. The Hill Elections 2024 coverage Do not boo; this is The View,' Goldberg said turning to the crowd. We accept, we dont have to believe everything people say, but you cannot boo people here, please. DeSantis, a Republican presidential primary candidate like Scott, has repeatedly attacked Disney over what he has described as a woke agenda that is attempting to expose children to progressive ideology. If people dont like whats happening with a corporation, stop shopping there, Scott said when pressed on if government should intervene in corporate policy on social issues. Updated 1:46 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Tim Scott gets booed on The View over the DeSantis fight with Disney, defends GOP on race Sen. Tim Scott and the hosts of The View had a respectful debate Monday over Republican policies and people of color - it wasn't until he defended Ron DeSantis and his legal fight with Disney that things turned ugly with the studio audience. Disney and Ron have been in a combat zone over what I thought is the right issue, which is our young kids and what they are being indoctrinated with, Scott said, triggering boos from the audience and an apology from View co-host Whoopi Goldberg. No, no, no, not here, Goldberg said before turning to Scott to say, "I'm sorry, sir." To the crowd, Goldberg said: Do not boo; this is The View.' We accept, we dont have to believe everything people say, but you cannot boo people here, please. Tim Scott Tim Scott, a Christian 'above all other things': How a Ten Commandments fight shaped him DeSantis, like Scott a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, is trying to kill tax breaks for Disney after the company criticized his plan to forbid teachers from discussing sexual orientation with young students, the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill. Scott went on The View because panelists had criticized him, the lone Black Republican in the Senate, for not standing up against Republican policies that hurt people of color. During the interview-debate, Scott said he went on the program because of panelists' past comments "that the only way for a young African American kid to be successful in this country is to be the exception and not the rule ... That's a dangerous offensive disgusting message to send." View co-hosts were not convinced, as they peppered the South Carolina senator about systemic racism and Republican policies on the economy, voting rights, and law enforcement. I want you to come out and say, 'listen, the Republicans have these issues,'" Goldberg told Scott. Replied Scott: Humans have these issues ... Both sides of the aisle can do a better job on the issue of race. While Scott complained about cutting to commercials while he was speaking, he later said he was pleased with his appearance on The View. "Had a constructive conversation with the ladies on The View," he tweeted, "even the producers cant stop me." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The View: Tim Scott defends GOP on race, gets booed over DeSantis Sen Tim Scott (R-SC) debated with Sunny Hostin, a co-host on The View, about the existence of systemic racism, in the senators latest media outreach as he seeks the Republican nomination for president. Mr Scott, the first Black Senator from the South to win an election since the Reconstruction era, went on the show to discuss his candidacy and respond to criticisms. Ms Hostin asked if he believed in systemic racism. Mr Scott said that he went on the show because he wanted to contest the idea that a successful African American person is an exception rather than the rule in the United States of America. That is a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today, that the only way to succeed is by being the exception, he said. I will tell you that if my life is the exception, I can't imagine it is. Mr Scott rattled off examples of how the United States elected a Black president in Barack Obama and two Black Americans Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice served as US secretaries of state. Furthermore, he added, Vice President Kamala Harris, who is half Black, is the current Vice President of the United States. The fact of the matter is that progress in America is palpable. It can be measured in generations, he said. Mr Scott noted how his grandfather grew up in the deep south and had to step off a sidewalk and not make eye contact when a white person approached. That man believed then what some doubt now in the goodness of America, he said. Because he believed that having faith in God, faith in himself, and faith in what the future could hold for his kids, would unleash opportunities in ways that you cannot imagine. Mr Scott has said that his candidacy as a Black man and a Republican challenges liberal orthodoxy about racism in the United States. He is one of a growing field of Republicans to challenge former president Donald Trump for the GOP nomination for president. On Monday, former vice president Mike Pence filed paperwork to run for president. In addition, North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie are expected to announce their bids this week. Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who appointed Mr Scott to his Senate seat in 2013, is also running for the GOP nomination, as is former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson and Florida Gov Ron DeSantis. Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd is currently in the middle of a bitter divorce and custody battle with his estranged wife and Vampire Diaries star Alice Evans. The Reunion actor and his girlfriend, fellow actor Bianca Wallace, were recently spotted out in public for the first time since his teenage daughter reportedly filed a restraining order against them both. Last August, the Titanic star obtained a three-year restraining order against his estranged wife Alice Evans, which also bans her from mentioning him and Wallace on social media, after he claimed his wife had used social media accounts to to harass, threaten, and disturb the peace of both me and my girlfriend. Gruffudd is known for his early roles in James Camerons Titanic and as the lead in Hornblower. He later rose to wider fame opposite Clive Owen and Keira Knightly in the 2004 historical adventure film Lancelot, as Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic in the 2005 superhero movie Fantastic Four, and in ITVs critically acclaimed series Liar. Evans has appeared in films including the British sports-comedy Blackball, and in episodes of the hit supernatural teen drama series, The Vampire Diaries. But when did the now estranged couple get together? Here is a timeline of their relationship: 2000: Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans meet on film set The actor met Evans, who is also an actor, while filming Disneys live-action 101 Dalmations sequel, 102 Dalmations, which was released in 2000. Little is known about the early stages of their relationship, but Gruffudd eventually proposed after they had been together for five years. September 2007: Couple get married resort in Los Cabos Mexico "It was an intimate gathering," a source told People at the time. "Friends and family travelled all over the world for it." Gruffudd told the publication that he was present in every aspect of the planning process ahead of the ceremony. Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans pictured in 2018 (Getty Images) I am heavily involved. Both Alice and I are doing it ourselves, he said. "We did the invitations, which was enough of a burden, and now of course everybodys saying they want to come so were over by about 20 people, but well work it out. September 2009: first daughter Ella Betsi Evans is born Ella is very small and unbelievably beautiful, Evans told Hello magazine at the time. October 2013: Second daughter Elsie Marigold Evans arrives We are beyond thrilled to announce the arrival of our daughter, Elsie Marigold, on Sept. 13th, the couple told People in a statement. A little sister for Ella Betsi. We both feel very grateful and very blessed. January 2021: The pair announce separation The couple announced that they would be separating in January 2021. Evans wrote a blunt statement on Twitter: Sad news. My beloved husband/soulmate of 20 years, Ioan Gruffudd, has announced he is to leave his family, starting next week. Me and our young daughters are very confused and sad. We havent been given a reason except that he no longer loves me. Im so sorry. Following the news, Gruffudd and Evans issued the following statement to ET Canada: As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy. October 2021: Gruffudd goes Instagram official with new girlfriend Bianca Wallace Gruffudd made his new relationship with actor Bianca Wallace official on Instagram by sharing a photograph of them together on set of A Ray of Sunshine, a film about multiple sclerosis that they both star in. Gruffudd captioned the post: Thank you for making me smile again. February 2022: Gruffudd files for a restraining order against Evans According to multiple US media reports, Gruffudd alleged that Evans repeatedly told him between August 2020 and 1 January 2021 that if I left her, she would make false public accusations about me, sell false stories about me to the press, and destroy me and my career. Gruffudd also claimed that Evans had made many false and harassing posts on social media targeting Gruffudd, along with hundreds of harassing, abusive and threatening communications by text, voice message [and] video message. Alice threatened to tell people I had abused her and our daughters, the filing read, threatened to call the police on me if I did not comply with her demands threatened to tell people I am a drug addict and put me in prison threatened to write a fake diary that reflected an abused victim, and to have the diary published; and threatened to destroy my mother. He alleged in the filing that Evans had sent his mother, Margaret Griffiths, threatening emails. In a response to the petition, Evans claimed that she had no idea what [Gruffudd] is going to accuse me of. I have not hit, struck, attacked, threatened, assaulted, harassed, followed, stalked, molested, destroyed the personal property of, kept under surveillance, impersonated, blocked the movement of, annoyed by phone or electronic means by repeated contact, or disturbed the peace [of Gruffudd or Wallace], she said. June 2022: Evans launches GoFundMe as she claims shes out of money Evans said she was out of money for food and bills in an Instagram post that shared an image of her with youngest daughter Elsie. Trying to hold it all together whilst being threatened, completely out of money for food and bills and just found out somebody tried to break down our outside door last night! she wrote. She added: But its all worth it for this [her daughter]! ( And the one who currently doesnt want to be photographed. ) Whatevs. Most of all, I will be the best mother I can possibly be. Forever. They will never lose me. Thank you everybody for so much love and support! Having a bit of a rough moment! Evans shared the post on the the same day she launched a GoFundMe campaign asking for $25,000 (20,000) to help pay for a divorce lawyer. In the pages description, she wrote: I never in a million years thought I would be doing this. ... However in August 2020, just as the pandemic was really kicking in, my entire world fell apart. Since that date I have been not only struggling as a single mother to my babies, but also trying to cover bills and food and legal fees (ha! dont even talk to me about legal fees) which dwarf any other expense in my life and have finally drained everything - savings, acccounts, pension, the lot. Yesterday all my accounts ran out and I couldnt buy anything. On the same day, my husbands laywer sent me a letter telling me I was due in court on 2 August to argue my case in the divorce. I currently have no lawyer and no funds to pay one. If I dont turn up at court I will be in contempt, and I have no idea what will happen to me or my kids at that point. August 2022: Gruffudd granted restraining order against Evans The restraining order banned Evans from mentioning Gruffudd on social media. June 2023: Gruffudds 13-year-old daughter files restraining order against him Gruffudd and his girlfriend Wallace were spotted out in public for the first time since his teenage daughter reportedly filed a restraining order against them both. Ioan Gruffudd and girlfriend Bianca Wallace (@iambiancawallace via Instagram) The pair were seen taking their dog out for a walk near their home in Los Angeles, a week after 13-year-old Ella is said to have filed the paperwork. According to documents seen by the Daily Mail, the teenager applied for a temporary restraining order on 31 May, with a hearing date of 23 June. She reportedly submitted the application after an incident at Gruffudds home in Los Angeles earlier this month, which allegedly occurred while Ella and her younger sister Elvie, nine, were visiting. It is not known what the incident involved or what led to Ellas decision. The Independent has contacted a representative for Gruffudd for comment. Tory MP Bob Stewart charged with racially abusing activist he allegedly told to go back to Bahrain Bob Stewart - PA Bob Stewart, the Conservative MP, has been charged with racially abusing a man he allegedly told to go back to Bahrain. The MP for Beckenham is due to appear in court next month in connection with an alleged confrontation that took place in central London in December 2022 involving a Bahraini activist living in exile in the UK. The 73-year-old is facing two public order charges, one of which is racially aggravated. Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who claims he was tortured in the Gulf state, complained to the Metropolitan Police after Mr Stewart allegedly told him go back to Bahrain. The alleged confrontation took place outside the Foreign Offices Lancaster House on Dec 14 2022 following a reception hosted at the Bahraini embassy. Mr Alwadaei, the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, alleged that the comments amounted to racial abuse and he also reported the incident to the Conservative Party. In a statement issued at the time he said: I dont believe I would have been told to go back to the country that violently tortured me if it werent for the colour of my skin. Mr Stewart, a former British Army officer who was stationed in Bahrain in 1969 and has represented Beckenham since 2010, is the chair of the all-parliamentary group on Bahrain. Former British Army officer apologises for comments Following the incident he apologised and issued a statement in which he said: I meant go back to Bahrain, which is a perfectly safe place, and protest there. If anyone thinks Ive been racist I honestly didnt mean to be, and I apologise if they think that, and I wasnt. Mr Alwadaei fled to the UK in 2012 and was granted political asylum by the UK Home Office. He later co-founded the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and is an advocate for human rights in the Middle Eastern state. It is understood Mr Stewart will not have the Conservative Party whip suspended despite having been charged. One source said: Bob has been clear that he regrets the comments that he made and he will be fighting the charges against him during a court appearance shortly. Claire Walsh, deputy chief crown prosecutor, CPS London South, said: The CPS has authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Robert Alexander Stewart MP, 73, with a racially aggravated offence contrary to s5 of the Public Order Act and in the alternative, a non-aggravated section 5 offence under the same Act. These charges relate to an incident that took place on 14 December 2022. Mr Stewart will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on 5 July 2023. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Stewart are active and he therefore has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. 'The town had no money.' Hopedale approves $1.35M override to balance town budget HOPEDALE Voters have approved a $1.35 million override in the town's budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, a move that avoids closure of the Bancroft Memorial Library and Hopedale Senior Center but raises property taxes on residents and businesses. Interim Town Administrator Jeff Nutting put it bluntly: "The town had no money, we had no other option." Nutting, who was Franklin's town administrator for 18 years before retiring in 2019, was appointed interim administrator in Hopedale last year after former Town Administrator Diana Schindler resigned. A document prepared by Nutting in April indicated that a successful override vote would raise the annual taxes due on a typical Hopedale home one valued at $450,000 by $562 for fiscal 2024, which begins July 1. That estimate accounts for only the override, and is in addition to any tax increases associated with the regular town budget. Temporary tax hike: Hopedale voters OK debt exclusion worth nearly $300K The override had to be approved both at Town Meeting on May 16 and during a special town election a week later. Of 1,483 ballots cast during the special election, 1,075 people voted in favor of the override with 405 against. In addition to closure of the library and senior center, a failed override would have also meant cuts in teachers, sports programs, transportation services and summer programs. 2020 special election: Hopedale voters reject $1.3 million tax override The need for an override was the result of a gap between the town's projected revenues and expenses for fiscal 2024, according to an online statement about Hopedale's financial position. The gap was estimated to be more than $1.86 million. "A $2 million gap is huge in a little town," Nutting said. He said the gap was not hard to figure out when the process began for making the coming fiscal year's budget. "We had an honest debate about it," Nutting said, explaining that discussions and presentations were targeted toward the schools, senior center and parks commission. "In order to balance the budget, the recommendation is to reduce the school budget request by over $1 million, close the library, senior center and parks programs, along with several other reductions in the requested budgets," the document prepared by Nutting earlier this year reads. Use of free cash Hopedale has been using free cash funds left over from previous years to help balance its annual budget. Nutting's report compared the free cash to getting a bonus. "In other words, your yearly expenses exceed your yearly income, so you did the best you could to get by using the bonus but now you face an even bigger problem. Something must give. You need to cut some expenses or earn extra income," the report reads. Bad budgeting or something else?: Prop. 2 1/2 overrides disappearing, but taxpayers still pay The snapshot goes on to say that Hopedale is in the same situation, and has been living off the "bonus," but that the town needs to phase out this practice. Nutting's snapshot said cuts must be made in the school budget, library, council on aging, parks and other budgets or there would need to be an override. Hopedale's budget shortfall Revenue sources for Hopedale are projected to increase in the next fiscal year, according to Nutting's report. The town's revenue would increase from property taxes ($604,000), state aid ($34,000, which varies) and local receipts such as excise tax and fees ($119,000). These totals, along with the proposed use of $100,000 from free cash, would bring in $857,000 in additional available revenue. However, a $521,236 increase in expenses to Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School, as well as debt and interest, pension and other items, would leave just $335,764 available for all other town departments. 'A somewhat magical place': Hopedale library trustees name Tricia Perry as permanent director According to the town, the projected deficit would have been $1,766,800, which would require cuts to close, including more than $1 million from the school budget. Thanks to the override vote, however, those cuts did not occur. Hopedale previously held override votes in 2019 and 2020. Voters approved a $430,000 override in 2019 but rejected a $1.3 million proposed override in 2020. Bancroft Memorial Library Director Tricia Perry said that if the override not passed, a library closure would have been a "critical" loss for the town. "If the library closes," she said, "the library loses certification from the state. Once you lose certification, you cannot regain certification for a full fiscal year." Tricia Perry, director of Hopedale's Bancroft Library, said closure would have been a "critical" loss for the town. Perry also said that if the Hopedale library had closed, libraries in the Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing (CW MARS) network would have revoked borrowing privileges from Hopedale residents. Also, Bancroft Library staff members would have lost their jobs on July 1. "The staff were thrilled when it passed, it would have been devastating for the community," Perry said. According to Nutting, the town took other measures to save money, including cutting vacant positions and cutting overtime in the Fire, Police and Highway departments. This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Hopedale approves $1.35M override to keep library, senior center open Michel Robillard spend five years handbuilding the wooden 2CV Citroen A Citroen 2CV made of wood, thought to be the only one of its kind, has sold for 210,000 euros ($225,000) at auction in France -- a new price record for the iconic vehicle. The car, in full working order and registered in France, beat expectations when it went under the hammer in the central town of Tours on Sunday. The 2CV, with a body hand crafted out of wood but displaying the same famous curves as the post-war French classic, was snapped up by a Paris-based collector who owns a museum of vintage fairground attractions. "I'm having difficulty talking after this bet," buyer Jean-Paul Favand told AFP by telephone afterwards. The auction house had issued a guide price of 150,000-200,000 euros. Auctioneer Aymeric Rouillac declared the sale a record as he brought down the hammer. The previous record for a 2CV was 172,000 euros, he said. The vehicle's wings are made of walnut, its chassis is pear and apple tree wood, while carpenter Michel Robillard used cherry for the bonnet and boot. Robillard told AFP he spent five years and approximately 5,000 hours crafting the car, beginning in 2011. "It's like my daughter," he said as he polished the vehicle before the auction. "I had three boys and this was my little daughter." He said he had another "crazy project" in mind for the next few years. He intends to make a wooden version of another French classic -- the Citroen DS, which in 2025 will celebrate 70 years of existence. cor-aag/adp/gil Trey Songz Trey Songz is facing a $10 million lawsuit after allegedly exposing a womans breast at his pool party in Connecticut in 2013. The woman, who is suing anonymously as Jane Doe, said in her complaint that the incident happened at the rappers Foxwoods Liquid Sundays with Trey Songz event. According to TMZ, the womans attorneys said their client is facing long-lasting emotional distress after the artist, whose legal name is Tremaine Neverson, exposed her to the crowd, pulling her breasts out of her bikini top without consent. The woman, who has provided video of the incident, is suing Trey Songz, along with his production company, record executive Kevin Liles and Atlantic Records. According to the complaint, the defendants knew about Treys sexual proclivities, but still failed to control him at the event. Video of the incident, which was recorded by another person at the party, shows the woman quickly covering her breasts with her hands after Trey reached for her bikini strap. In what appeared to be an attempt to further terrify and humiliate [the woman], followed the assault with a degrading chant, Titty in The Open Titty in The Open, the complaint stated according to RollingStone. The womans attorneys added that she quit her career after being humiliated at the event. Treys attorney, Michael Freedman, defended his client in a statement to TMZ. This is yet another example of decade-old allegations being repurposed into a federal case to take advantage of Californias constitutionally questionable new look back window, the attorney told the media outlet. We look forward to vindicating Trey on the merits in court. The killing of 15-year-old Shaina shocked France A man went on trial in France on Monday facing accusations of stabbing and then burning alive a 15-year-old girl who was likely pregnant by him at the time. The 2019 killing of the secondary school pupil, named only as Shaina, amplified concerns in France over the numbers of young women murdered by their partners and also their vulnerability to bullying on social networks. The man, who was aged 17 at the time, is accused of luring Shaina to a shed in the town of Creil north of Paris to kill her and burn her body. As he has always done, "he disputes the charges and screams his innocence," his lawyer Adel Fares said, adding he will seek an acquittal. Thin with his long hair tied in a bun, the accused gave his identity in a calm and youthful-sounding voice at the opening of the hearing where restrictions prevent the media from identifying him. "The family and I are determined that the truth emerges. This truth is linked to the guilt of the accused," said the lawyer of Shaina's family, Negar Haeri. Her brother Yasin Hansye said: "We are here to have justice for my sister." The trial, which is taking place at a special juvenile court as the accused was a minor at the time of Shaina's killing, is due to last until Friday. The suspect risks life in prison if convicted and if the court refuses to take into account the fact he was a minor as mitigation. Fares praised the "absolutely admirable" attitude of Shaina's family while adding his client was "terrified". - 'Long period of suffering' - Police found the almost entirely charred body of the teenager in October 2019 after receiving a tip-off. The post-mortem forensic examination revealed "multiple wounds" inflicted by a knife but also that Shaina was still breathing at the start of the fire. The previous day, she had gone out after a family dinner. In her handbag relatives had found a positive pregnancy test. According to various examinations, the teenager, who had undergone an abortion a few months earlier, was most likely newly pregnant. She attributed paternity to the accused, with whom she had had a relationship, according to the investigation. As well as the shocking nature of the killing, the case has made waves in France as two years earlier Shaina was the victim of sexual assault, for which four other young people were sentenced Thursday on appeal to suspended sentences ranging from six months to two years in prison. Humiliating images of her assault were shared on the messaging app Snapchat with the aim, according to the lawyer, of showing Shaina as a person "who they can sleep with but also get rid of". According to the family's lawyer, Haeri, her death was "the end point of a long period of suffering". The number of so-called femicides increased by 20 percent in France in 2021 compared to the previous year, with 122 women killed by their partner or ex-partner, according to the government. cor-bj-sjw/pvh Two Columbia, South Carolina residents and a Georgia man pleaded guilty to robbing a postal carrier and face lengthy prison sentences, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Monday. Columbias Don Everett Peters III, and Shylik Lamont Smalls, along with Valdosta, Georgia resident Elijah Rasue Dewayne Ellis could spend decades behind bars for a 2022 armed robbery where they targeted a mailman for his arrow key, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release. That key provides access to locked mail collection boxes, according to the release. Robbing postal carriers for their keys is becoming a national trend, and it will not be tolerated in South Carolina, U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs said in the release. On March 17, 2022, Peters, Smalls, and Ellis watched another postal carrier in the Hollywood-Rose Hill/Rosewood area of Columbia, before they robbed a mailman making his rounds on Hollywood Drive, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Smalls and Ellis wore masks as they approached the carrier, and Ellis pointed a gun at the mailman when demanding his keys, according to the release. Peters, who waited in the getaway car, then picked up Smalls and Ellis as the trio drove away from the area, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. No injuries were reported. After an extensive investigation, including review of numerous surveillance cameras and interviewing witnesses, law enforcement officers linked the getaway vehicle to Peters, according to the release. After a review of Peters prior encounters with law enforcement and cell phone records, postal inspectors were able to link Smalls to Peters, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Investigators determined that Smalls matched the description of one of the robbers, that both Smalls and Peters had access to guns, and that Smalls was in possession of clothing matching the description of the clothing worn by one of the robbers, according to the release. On May 4, 2022, Smalls was found with the stolen arrow key in his pants pocket, while investigators also recovered stolen mail, check making materials, several electronic devices such as cell phones and laptops, and two privately made firearms, which are commonly known as ghost guns, were found in Peters and Smalls respective bedrooms, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Inside Peters car, investigators found documentation belonging to Ellis, according to the release. Both Peters and Smalls admitted to being involved in the robbery, along with Ellis, who was arrested on May 31, 2022, in Valdosta, Georgia, where he was found in possession of a ghost gun and a quantity of marijuana, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Ellis also admitted to being involved in the robbery with Peters and Smalls, and all three remain in federal custody, according to the release. Peters, Smalls, and Ellis each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Letter Carrier, assault/armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Letter Carrier, and theft/possession of a U.S. Postal arrow key, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Peters and Smalls also each pleaded guilty to theft/possession of U.S. mail, according to the release. The three men face a maximum punishment of 25 years in prison on the assault/armed robbery of the postal carrier charge, a maximum of 10 years in prison on the theft/possession of an arrow key charge, and a maximum of 5 years in prison on both the conspiracy and the theft/possession of mail charges, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. There is no parole in the federal system. They each also face a fine of up to $250,000 for each charge, restitution, and up to 5 years of supervision upon their release from prison, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the trio after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office, according to the release. Protecting the employees of the United States Postal Service is a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division, said in the release. We want to thank our law enforcement partners that worked tirelessly to apprehend these dangerous individuals. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Columbia Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Lowndes County, Georgia, Sheriffs Office. The Scene DES MOINES, Iowa Eight GOP presidential hopefuls worked the room at Saturdays "Roast and Ride, introducing themselves to likely caucus-goers with no spotlight-hogging by Donald Trump. But the former president still loomed over the first Republican cattle call of the summer. Make America Great Again signs lined the path to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Volunteers wearing MAGA COUNTRY'' shirts gave out business cards with QR-codes to sign up for Trump. When Nikki Haley said she wasnt doing shortcuts to win the caucuses, and Mike Pence denounced the siren song of populism, voters and reporters could guess who they were talking about. According to Sen. Joni Ernst, the host (and lead rider) of the motorcycles-and-BBQ fundraiser, Trump turned down an invitation to speak in person. A pro-DeSantis PAC claimed on Sunday that Trump promised, but never delivered, a video message; a source familiar with the situation confirmed their account, while the Trump campaign denied it. Obviously, as president, he has other considerations to think about, whether he does a multi-candidate event or not, Ernst told reporters, referring perhaps subconsciously to Trumps old job in the present tense. Shelby and Davids View The candidates who showed up in Des Moines did plenty of good for themselves. DeSantis, who stepped on some of his applause lines, spent a long time mixing with voters some of it outside a bus (that he signed with the help of his 3-year-old daughter, Mamie) rented by his allied Never Back Down super PAC. A leather-clad Pence got credit for making the motorcycle ride to the venue that most candidates skipped. I roasted on that ride, he joked, promising to bring back Trump-era policies and prosperity (and then some) and previewing his announcement speech next week. Tim Scott and Nikki Haley shared their personal stories and the overlapping lesson theyd learned that America isnt racist. The truth of my life disproves the lies of the radical left, said Scott; America is not racist, were blessed, said Haley. But offstage, the hottest topic was still the frontrunner who hadnt even bothered to show up. Obviously, Trump leads by quite a margin, Sen. Chuck Grassley told Semafor. But nobody can take Iowans for granted, and a lot of things change, because people spend so much time here. DeSantis in particular was hounded with questions from the press about his main competitor what message did it send that he showed up to Iowa, but Trump didnt? Could he respond to Trump declaring he didnt like the term woke? And what were his thoughts on the former presidents praise of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un? That last question seemed to draw in the most candidates. Kim Jong Un is a murderous dictator," DeSantis told Fox News. Whether its my former running mate or anyone else no one should be praising the dictator in North Korea or praising the leader of Russia, who has launched an unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, Pence also told Fox News offstage. You dont congratulate a thug, Haley added. For Trump, the absence was likely strategic: Showing up could serve to legitimize the slew of candidates vying to take him down. Its the same logic that has some close to him encouraging him to skip the debates. Voters were clearly interested in the buffet of options available to them; one woman, upon being approached by a Trump volunteer, even bluntly declared she wasnt for Trump. But it wasnt clear that there was an overwhelming next choice, even as DeSantis clearly generated the most excitement in Trumps absence. Notably, some of Saturdays loudest applause went to candidates who Trump sees as non-threatening. Trump welcomed Scott into the race with no insults, and has praised Ramaswamy for having only good things to say about him. (One reason Chris Christie will enter the race tomorrow is his frustration in how most of the field happily co-exists with Trump.) Room for Disagreement Ninety-nine percent of life is about showing up, DeSantis reminded a volunteer backstage after his speech. There are signs he could carve out a path in Iowa if Trump isnt careful: He locked in dozens of endorsements from Iowa legislators before entering the race, and is trying to pry off voters who like both candidates but want a younger, disciplined president. DeSantis spent significant time meeting voters face-to-face throughout Saturdays event. The View From A Voter Ingrid Sephler, a retired nurse, came to the event as a fan of Haley who wanted to learn more about DeSantis. She loved Trump, she said, but was looking at her options. We supported Trump when he was in there, Sephler said, but my kids hated him because hes a name-caller, and he tweets stupid stuff. Trump asks 'How can DOJ possibly charge me' after his lawyers meet with feds Former President Donald Trump took to his social media website Monday to ask how the Justice Department could charge him in its probe into how he handled national security documents minutes after his attorneys were seen leaving the department. "How can DOJ possibly charge me, who did nothing wrong, when no other president's were charged," Trump wrote in all caps on Truth Social. He noted that Hillary Clinton was investigated by the FBI for having classified information on her private email server and "wasn't even close to being charged! Only Trump the greatest witch hunt of all time!" Trump posted the early afternoon remarks shortly after three of his lawyers James Trusty, John Rowley and Lindsey Halligan were seen leaving the Justice Department. The trio met with special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the probe, and other officials, a person familiar with the matter said. Neither Attorney General Merrick Garland nor Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco were present, NBC News confirmed. Trump's legal team was first spotted by CBS News and then was seen emerging from the building just before noon. Its unclear whether Trump was reacting to anything his attorneys told him, but the meeting could be a further sign that the investigation into his handling of classified documents is nearing an end. NBC News reported Saturday that the grand jury hearing the case will meet this week. Trump's campaign spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment about the meeting. When the New York state grand jury that was investigating hush money payments Trump made to an adult film star and a former Playboy model was winding down its investigation, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was going to be arrested that Tuesday, started fundraising off the claim and called for protests. He was charged in that case with falsifying business records, but not until about two weeks later. He has pleaded not guilty. The FBI began investigating the documents case last year after the National Archives alerted it that government documents Trump had returned to it after having been out of office for about a year included 184 that were marked as classified. The feds later issued a subpoena for the return of all documents with classification markings, and Trump's lawyers handed over 38 more last June, including 17 marked top secret. They also turned over a declaration that a diligent search was conducted and that all responsive documents had been turned over, court papers show. The Justice Department later obtained information that Trump had still more classified documents, and it executed a search warrant at his Florida home in August. The search turned up over 100 documents marked confidential, secret and top secret in the storage room and in Trumps office. Court records indicate the federal investigation has centered on possible crimes involving the handling of classified or sensitive national security records and obstruction. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case and claimed that the documents belong to him and that they were all declassified. The special counsel's office has obtained evidence that could undercut that defense a recording of Trump in 2021 discussing a classified planning document that he had taken from his time at the White House, which he acknowledged was classified, a source directly familiar with the matter said last week. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Attorneys representing former President Donald Trump John Rowley, James Trusty and Lindsey Halligan met with special counsel Jack Smith and federal prosecutors at the Justice Department at around 10 a.m. Monday, according to two people familiar with the matter. The meeting took place weeks after Trump's lawyers had requested a meeting with top federal law enforcement officials. The attorneys for the former president spent just under two hours inside the Main Justice building and declined to comment on their meeting as they left. CBS News cameras captured Trump's legal team walking into the Justice Department. The former president's lawyers did not speak as they entered the building in Washington. A person familiar with the meeting between the three attorneys and the department said that Attorney General Merrick Garland did not attend. Two people familiar with the probe said that Trump's legal team is frustrated with how Justice Department officials have handled attorney-client matters in recent months and would likely raise their concerns on this front during Monday's meeting, in particular, prosecutors' discussions of related issues in front of the grand jury. Earlier this year, a federal judge said Trump's attorney must testify before a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., investigating the former president's retention of documents with classified markings. The attorney, Evan Corcoran, previously refused to answer questions from investigators about his conversations with Trump, citing attorney-client privilege concerns. Prosecutors in the special counsel's office wanted to ask Corcoran about an alleged call he had with Trump on June 24, 2022, around the time investigators were seeking to secure documents at Trump's home and video surveillance tapes of Mar-a-Lago, a source previously told CBS news last week. The special counsel's team asked D.C. District Chief Judge Beryl Howell to reject Corcoran's claims of privilege and force him to testify against his client, Trump, on the basis that the attorney-client communications in question could have furthered criminal activity. Howell's secret order only partially granted that request and ruled that the so-called "crime-fraud exception" be applied to Corcoran's testimony on a specific set of questions, the sources said. An appeals court rejected the former president's request to put a stop to Corcoran's testimony, upholding Howell's ruling. Howell was replaced as chief judge on the D.C. federal court by Judge James Boasberg, who ruled earlier this year that former Vice President Mike Pence had to testify before a grand jury in the special counsel's second investigation into Trump centered around efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol. Special counsel Jack Smith has been investigating the former president after documents with classified markings from his White House tenure were uncovered at Trump's Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, in August 2022. Prosecutors are also looking into whether there were efforts to obstruct attempts to recover the records, according to multiple sources close to the investigation. Several sources with knowledge of the investigation believe that a charging decision in the documents case is imminent, and Trump lawyers in recent days were expected to meet at some point with the Justice Department to talk through where things stand and to potentially lay out their concerns about the prosecutors' efforts so far. Grand jury testimony has slowed in recent weeks, sources said, indicating the investigation may be coming to a close. Numerous former White House aides and Mar-a-Lago employees from security officials and valets have been called to testify in secret proceedings in Washington, D.C. The special counsel has gathered evidence that Trump's staff moved boxes the day before a June 2022 visit to Mar-a-Lago by the FBI and a federal prosecutor, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to CBS News. This was first reported by The Washington Post. Trump lawyers Rowley and Trusty had written a letter in May complaining that their client was being treated "unfairly" and asked to "discuss the ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated by your Special Counsel and his prosecutors." Smith's office declined to comment. Why Apple's new mixed reality headset is making a splash Hollywood actors voting on strike authorization California officials suggest DeSantis behind latest migrant flights (Bloomberg) -- Former President Donald Trump has been exploring options to expand his legal defense team in connection with the federal criminal investigations led by Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith, according to people familiar with the situation. Most Read from Bloomberg Trump representatives in recent weeks have asked for recommendations of Washington-based counsel with trial experience ahead of any charging decisions from Smiths team. The search efforts predate the May 16 departure of Trump attorney Tim Parlatore and have continued in the weeks since he left, according to three people who requested anonymity to discuss the dynamics. Smiths investigation into whether Trump or anyone else mishandled classified materials after he left the White House and whether anyone tried to obstruct the governments efforts to get documents back had been wrapping up heading into June, meaning potential charging decisions could be announced in the coming days or weeks. A separate probe under Smith looking at efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election is ongoing. Three members of Trumps special counsel defense team James Trusty, John Rowley, and Lindsey Halligan appeared Monday at Justice Department headquarters in Washington for a meeting with officials to discuss the documents probe. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco did not attend, a person familiar with the situation said. Last month Trusty and Rowley had sent a letter to the Justice Department asking for a meeting with Garland to discuss Smiths work. A Trump spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Parlatores departure marked the most dramatic change to date in Trumps legal representation. There was a shakeup earlier in the year, though, when another member of the special counsel defense team, Evan Corcoran, recused from working on the classified documents probe. Corcoran had appeared twice before a federal grand jury; he continued to represent Trump in other matters, including the election probe. Trusty and Rowley, both former federal prosecutors, are based in Washington. Halligan is in Florida. Todd Blanche, another former federal prosecutor hired in April to represent Trump against an indictment on unrelated state charges in New York, has expanded his portfolio to also work on issues related to the special counsel investigations. Boris Epshteyn, a top adviser and legal counsel to Trump, has been involved in the ongoing efforts to consider options to add to the special counsel team, one of the people familiar with the situation said. Epshteyn, who has been represented by Blanche, referred a request for comment to a Trump spokesperson. Parlatore has publicly described tension with Epshteyn, a narrative that a Trump spokesperson at the time pushed back on as unfounded and categorically false. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. The Republican presidential primary is getting crowded, giving heartburn to GOP senators who want to turn the page on former President Trump. Former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plan to launch their campaigns next week, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin now may jump in the race after saying last month he would pass. The early struggles of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, long seen as Trumps top rival for the GOP nod, have created the perception the race may be wide open and encouraged a range of candidates to take a shot at the nomination. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R), whos not well known on the national political stage, says he too will soon formally launch his presidential campaign. The new entries are a concern for senior Republicans in Washington who are highly skeptical of Trumps ability to win in the 2024 general election but fear he will march to the presidential nomination easily if anti-Trump Republican primary voters are divided among too many other candidates. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy are already in the race with Trump and DeSantis. A replay of 2016? Yeah, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said of the concerns he shares with some of his Republican colleagues. Their shared worry is that if Trump maintains his solid grip on his core supporters, estimated to comprise 30 percent to 40 percent of the GOP primary electorate, the ex-president will cruise to victory if the remaining share of voters is divided among too many other candidates. GOP senators and strategists say this dynamic was at play when Trump won the nomination in 2016. None of the candidates who tried to establish themselves as the leading alternative to Trump could establish enough of a foothold against him during that cycle. A number of these people are in low single digits, so my hope would be that, if after a few months their numbers dont get better, that they decide to drop out so that it becomes a two- or three-person race. I think that would be the best development, as far as Im concerned, Cornyn said. Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) acknowledge what happened in 2016 could play out again in 2024. Thats always a possibility when you have one candidate that has a loyal following that starts with a bigger base, he said. Thune, who supports Scott, suggested rival candidates dont think DeSantis has emerged as the clear alternative to Trump despite the early buzz around his candidacy after he won reelection in Florida. I think the fact that that many people are getting in suggests that they sense an opening. I think theres a sense out there that people are looking for a new direction and a lot of these candidates are responding to it, he said. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) is also contemplating a run for president, even though he has the support of only 1 percent of Republican primary voters nationwide, making him a long shot to win the presidency. But hes popular in his home state, which will host the second contest of the 2024 Republican primaries a week after the Iowa caucuses. A poll of 500 likely New Hampshire primary voters conducted May 15-17 by National Research Inc. on behalf of American Greatness, a political action committee and advocacy group established by Trumps former campaign manager, showed Trump with 39 percent support and DeSantis and Sununu virtually tied with 18 percent and 17 percent support, respectively. A University of New Hampshire poll of 818 likely Republican primary voters in the Granite State in mid-April showed Trump with 42 percent support, DeSantis with 22 percent and Sununu with 12 percent. While Sununu isnt gaining much traction with primary voters nationwide, he would likely win a large share of the anti-Trump vote in the New Hampshire primary if he gets in the race. The conventional wisdom among strategists is that any candidate who would defeat Trump in the primary needs to beat him in the early contests. If Trump adds to his huge advantage over rival candidates in national polls by winning in Iowa and New Hampshire, he would pick up vital political momentum heading into the later states. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) noted Trump won in 2016 largely because Republican primary voters who didnt initially favor his candidacy couldnt settle on one alternative candidate, dividing their votes among Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Thats happened before, he said. Rounds, who supports Scott, voiced sympathy for Cornyns view that presidential candidates who fail to gain significant traction with voters after a few months should get out of the way. Hes just stating the facts. Thats the way that it works, he said. Youngkin, if he gets into the race, could challenge DeSantis for supremacy on one of his best issues, promoting parental rights in education. Youngkin handily defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the 2021 Virginia governors race by seizing on the issue. McAuliffe committed a major gaffe when he declared at a debate, I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach. The race put parental rights in education, something that has been a local concern, traditionally, in the national spotlight. Republican strategists say its tough to keep ambitious candidates out of a race, especially when the early front-runners are perceived as vulnerable. I understand what Sen. Cornyn and others are saying, but I also think that around the country, you have a wide range of voices in the Republican Party thats broader than the impact on the presidential nominating process, said Vin Weber, a Republican strategist. Were in a long-term internal realignment of our Republican Party. I think its very, very important the public understands this is a broad-based party and not simply a MAGA party, he said. Weber said hes torn about more candidates crowding the primary field but added, I welcome them into the race. I agree with the logic that if you dont want Trump to be the nominee, you got to get it down to a two-person race, but its just not realistic to argue that to people at this stage of the process, he said. Weber argued theres not much to be gained now from dissuading candidates from jumping into the presidential race. But he added that down the road, yes, quietly and behind the scenes, party leaders should look at the performance of these different candidates, and when it becomes clear that they are not able to win, we may want to cut the field down to as few as possible. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP Lawyers for Donald Trump met with top US justice department officials on Monday to complain about perceived misconduct in the criminal investigation into the former US presidents handling of national security materials and obstruction, according to two people familiar with the matter. The meeting involved Trump lawyers Jim Trusty, John Rowley and Lindsay Halligan speaking with the special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation, and a senior career official to the deputy attorney general, one person said. CBS News first reported the meeting. Trumps lawyers made a general case as to why Trump should not be charged in the Mar-a-Lago documents case and suggested that some prosecutors working under special counsel Jack Smith engaged in what they considered prosecutorial misconduct, the people said. The exact allegations are not clear but Trumps lawyers for weeks have complained privately that Jay Bratt, the chief of the counterintelligence and espionage section at the justice department, once sought to induce a witness into confirming something they declined to, one of the people said. Complaints of that nature result in an internal note to the special counsel and are unlikely to delay the criminal investigation. The meeting comes weeks after Trumps lawyers asked the justice department for a meeting with the attorney general, Merrick Garland, to raise grievances about what they considered as unfair treatment of Trump over his handling of classified documents compared to other former presidents. No president of the United States has ever, in the history of our country, been baselessly investigated in such an outrageous and unlawful fashion, said the letter written by Trusty and Rowley. While it is not unusual for lawyers to seek a meeting with prosecutors near the end of an investigation, it typically is not with the attorney general. That is especially the case in special counsel investigations, where charging decisions can only be overruled if department rules were not followed. The development comes as prosecutors have recently asked witnesses before the grand jury hearing evidence in the case in Washington whether Trump showed off national security materials, including a document concerning military action against Iran, people close to the case said. Prosecutors have seemingly been trying to identify whether that Iran document was the same document Trump referenced on an audio recording in which he said he could not discuss it because he did not declassify it while in office though he should have, the Guardian previously reported. The investigation has also examined whether the failure by Trump to fully comply with a subpoena last year demanding the return of any classified documents was a deliberate act of obstruction, the people said. Last June, the since-recused Trump lawyer Evan Corcoran found 38 classified documents in the storage room at Mar-a-Lago and told the justice department that no further materials remained at the property which came into question when the FBI seized 101 additional classified documents months later. The Guardian has reported that Corcoran later told associates he felt misled in the subpoena response because he had asked whether he should search elsewhere at Mar-a-Lago, like Trumps office, but was waved off. Corcorans notes also showed he told Trump he had to return all classified documents in his possession. This article was amended on 6 June 2023. The meeting was on Monday, not Thursday as stated in an earlier version. Former US president Donald Trump's lawyers met with Justice Department attorneys in Washington Donald Trump's lawyers met with Justice Department attorneys on Monday as an investigation into the former president's handling of classified documents appears to be nearing an end, US media reported. John Rowley, James Trusty and Lindsey Halligan were seen by reporters arriving at the Justice Department building in Washington but did not make any comment. The Washington Post, citing an unidentified "person familiar with the situation," said Trump's lawyers had come to make their case that the former president should not face any charges. A special counsel named by Attorney General Merrick Garland has been looking into a cache of classified documents that Trump had stored at his Mar-a-Lago residence after leaving the White House. The FBI carted away some 11,000 papers after serving a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago in August, and Trump could face obstruction of justice charges after spending months resisting efforts to recover the trove. Several sources with knowledge of the investigation told the CBS news network that they believe that a charging decision in the documents case is imminent. Trump, meanwhile, posted on his Truth Social platform on Monday that he was the victim of the "greatest witch hunt of all time!" "How can DoJ possibly charge me, who did nothing wrong, when no other presidents were charged, when Joe Biden won't be charged for anything," Trump wrote. Trump, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was apparently referring to the discovery of some classified documents at Biden's former office and in the garage of his home in Wilmington, Delaware. Garland, the attorney general, named a special counsel in January to examine whether the Biden cache violated any law. The Justice Department and Trump's attorneys did not immediately respond to inquiries from AFP about the meeting. The classified documents case is one of several legal challenges that threaten to derail Trump's 2024 election bid. Trump was charged by New York prosecutors in April with 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up alleged hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. Trump is also being investigated over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the southern state of Georgia and his involvement in the January 2021 storming of the US Capitol by his supporters. chp-cl/caw Trump lawyers meet officials at DOJ as special counsel probe on classified documents near end President Trumps legal team met with federal law enforcement officials Monday at the Justice Department to discuss its claims of prosecutorial misconduct in Special Counsel Jack Smiths investigation into classified records. Trump attorneys James Trusty, Lindsey Halligan and John Rowley met with officials at the Justice Department Monday after writing a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland last month and requesting a meeting to "discuss the ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated by your Special Counsel and his prosecutors." It is unclear if Smith was present during the meeting with Trump attorneys Monday. Neither Attorney General Merrick Garland nor Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco were in the meeting. SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH WORKING TO WRAP UP MAR-A-LAGO CLASSIFIED RECORDS INVESTIGATION: SOURCE Garland tapped DOJ official Jack Smith to serve as special counsel to investigate Trumps alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency at his private residence at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a 2024 election campaign rally in Waco, Texas, March 25, 2023. Smith was tapped after the FBI seized classified records from Mar-a-Lago during an unprecedented raid on his home in August. Classified material that was reportedly confiscated by the FBI during the raid Monday included a letter to Trump from former President Obama, a letter from Kim Jong Un, a birthday dinner menu and a cocktail napkin. The meeting between Trumps legal team and DOJ officials Monday came as sources have indicated Smith may be close to wrapping up his investigation into Trumps handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. Jack Smith was appointed to be special counsel looking into two major Trump investigations. Sources confirmed to Fox News that federal investigators have in their possession a July 2021 audio recording of Trump, in which he allegedly acknowledges holding onto a sensitive military document after leaving office. Trump has said that he had declassified all material taken from the White House. Sources said that document dealt with national security discussions at the White House about a potential military action against Iran. TRUMP TARGETED: A LOOK AT PROBES INVOLVING THE FORMER PRESIDENT; FROM STORMY DANIELS TO RUSSIA TO MAR-A-LAGO The former president said he does not recall the summer 2021 meeting that was allegedly recorded. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland delivers remarks at the U.S. Justice Department Building on November 18, 2022 in Washington, DC. It's unclear when Smith will announce his findings or whether he plans to prosecute Trump. While his attorneys met at the Justice Department Monday, Trump posted on his TRUTH Social slamming the investigation. "How can DOJ possibly charge me, who did nothing wrong, when no other presidents were charged, when Joe Biden wont be charged for anything, including the fact that he has 1,850 boxes, much of it classified, and some dating back to his Senate days when even Democrat senators are shocked," Trump posted. "Also, President Clinton had documents, and won in court," Trump continued. "Crooked Hillary deleted 33,000 emails, many classified, and wasnt even being close to being charged!" He added: "Only Trumpthe greatest witch hunt of all time!" President Joe Biden speaks about the economy at the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 77 facility in Accokeek, Maryland, on April 19, 2023. Trump was referring to the classified records discovered in President Bidens office at the Penn Biden Center last year. Those records were from his time as vice president during the Obama administration and from his tenure in the U.S. Senate. PENCE WILL FACE NO CHARGES FROM DOJ, FBI INVESTIGATION INTO RETENTION OF CLASSIFIED RECORDS At the time, Garland initially chose U.S. Attorney John Lausch to conduct a review of classified records that were discovered at the Penn Biden Center. In December, more classified records were found at Bidens Wilmington, Delaware home, but the discoveries were not made public until this year. Garland later appointed U.S. Attorney Robert Hur as special counsel to investigate Bidens improper retention of classified records. Hur took over the DOJ investigation from Lausch. WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 16: Former Vice President Mike Pence gives remarks at the Calvin Coolidge Foundations conference at the Library of Congress on February 16, 2023 in Washington, DC. Meanwhile, classified records were also found at former Vice President Mike Pences home in Indiana. Fox News reported last week that the Justice Department had completed its investigation in the matter and that Pence will not be charged. EVERY ADMINISTRATION SINCE REAGAN MISHANDLED CLASSIFIED RECORDS, OFFICIALS TESTIFY TO HOUSE COMMITTEE The status of Bidens special counsel investigation is unclear. Trump, Biden, and Pence are all running for president in 2024. Smith also took over the Justice Departments investigation into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. In that role, he examined whether Trump or other officials interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on that day. trump-doj-meeting.jpg LIV Golf Invitational - DC - Pro-Am - Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images Donald Trumps attorneys were spotted at the offices of the Department of Justice on Monday, where they reportedly begged prosecutors investigating the former presidents hoarding of classified documents not to charge him. The New York Times reported later in the day that Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation, was in attendance. The last-minute scramble to mollify investigators is unsurprising. Trump is expected to be charged in the probe, with Rolling Stone reporting in May that his attorneys have been preparing him to face yet another criminal indictment. More from Rolling Stone Trump gave credence to the speculation hours after the meeting concluded through an unrestrained, all-caps rant on Truth Social. HOW CAN DOJ POSSIBLY CHARGE ME, WHO DID NOTHING WRONG, WHEN NO OTHER PRESIDENTS WERE CHARGED, WHEN JOE BIDEN WONT BE CHARGED FOR ANYTHING, Trump railed. ONLY TRUMP THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME! So that's how well Trump's lawyers' meeting with the DOJ this morning went pic.twitter.com/02IUuzgWX5 Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) June 5, 2023 Trump also incorrectly claimed that President Biden had kept 1850 BOXES [of documents]. MUCH OF IT CLASSIFIED. While a relatively small number of documents were found at several of Bidens residences and offices, the current president has not gotten off scot-free. In January, Attorney General Merrick Garland named Robert Hur, a Trump-appointed former federal prosecutor, as special counsel to investigate Bidens handling of documents. The current president proactively moved to hand over any documents in his possession, but Trumps dealings with authorities has been much more adversarial. After months of pleading from the National Archives, a subpoena, and an FBI search, federal authorities recovered more than 300 classified documents from Mar-a-Lago since Trumps departure from office. Trump claimed he had unilateral authority to telepathically declassify documents at-will, and his legal team went so far as to petition the Supreme Court to prevent investigators from reviewing the material. Trump claimed he declassified everything he took from the White House, but news broke last week that the DOJ had recovered a 2021 recording of Trump admitting to having kept a SECRET level classified document allegedly containing a proposed attack plan against Iran, which he knew he couldnt simply declassify. Trumps attorneys have since claimed no such document is in Trumps possession. During a Fox News town hall event last Thursday, Trump responded to a question about the recording by claiming that he didnt know anything about it. All I know is this: everything I did was right, he said. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. The claim: Merrick Garland stripped Trump of right to run in 2024 after evidence of 'justice obstruction' was found A June 1 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) makes a claim about former president Donald Trump and his pursuit of a second term. "Now the news says AG Garland STRIPS Trump of his right to run in 2024 after evidence of 'justice obstruction' found so why does he keeps (sic) trying to run," reads the post. A version of the post was shared over 1,000 times before it was deleted. Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks Our rating: False Attorney General Merrick Garland does not have the authority to prevent Trump from running for president, according to legal experts. The post comes amid a probe examining Trumps handling of classified documents. Even if Trump is indicted in that case, he can still run for president. Garland has taken no such action, Trump can still run in 2024 In November 2022, Garland appointed federal prosecutor Jack Smith as special counsel to oversee an investigation of Trumps handling of classified records kept at his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left the White House in 2021. Trump could face charges for violating the Espionage Act, obstructing an investigation and removal or destruction of records, as USA TODAY previously reported. But no charges have been filed against Trump in the case as of June 5. And contrary to the post's claim, Garland has no power to prevent Trump from running for president even if he was charged in the case, according to Marc Scholl, who served as a criminal prosecutor in New York. Garlands duties as attorney general include representing the U.S. in legal matters, supervising and directing offices within the Justice Department and performing other tasks required by statute. With respect to the classified documents investigation, Smith makes the decision on whether to recommend charges against Trump but Garland can overrule that decision, according to Bradley Moss, a national security lawyer at Mark S. Zaid, P.C. No single person, including Garland, has any authority to strip Trump of his ability to run for president, according to Barbara McQuade, a criminal law expert at the University of Michigan. She explained that even if Trump were charged, convicted and sentenced to prison, he would still be able to run for president. The three exclusive requirements to run for president are to be a natural-born citizen, to be at least 35 years old and to have been a resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years, according to the U.S. Constitution. The only way Trump could lose his right to run would be if the Senate had convicted him in one of the impeachment trials and also voted to declare him ineligible under language in Article I, section 3 of the Constitution or some formal congressional process under section 3 of the 14th Amendment, according to Kenneth Mayer, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Facebook post surfaced after CNN reported on May 31 that federal prosecutors obtained an audio recording of a 2021 meeting in which Trump acknowledged he held onto a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran, possibly undercutting his defense that he had previously declassified the documents. CNN said it did not independently review the tape. Fact check: False claim Trump increased debt more than any president Trump previously told reporters that he wont even think about leaving the 2024 race despite his legal troubles, as USA TODAY reported. USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Our fact-check sources: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump can run for president despite legal troubles | Fact check Trump Suggests That Charges Are Imminent In DOJ Probe Of Classified Documents Former President Donald Trump suggested Monday that hes close to being charged in the Department of Justices investigation into his handling of classified documents. In an online post conveying panic, Trump expressed disbelief that he could be indicted and said hes innocent of all wrongdoing. How can DOJ possibly charge me, who did nothing wrong, when no other presidents [sic] were charged, he posted in all caps on his Truth Social account. Trumps message came shortly after his lawyers met with Justice Department officials in Washington on Monday, The Washington Post and The New York Times reported. The lawyers requested the meeting in an attempt to convince officials against charges, according to the Post. In his online post, Trump argued that President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should face charges instead of him. Clinton wasnt even close to being charged! Only Trump the greatest witch hunt of all time! he wrote. Biden and Clinton have also faced scrutiny for their handling of classified documents. A special counsel is investigating after documents with classified markings were found in Bidens office and home, while an investigation into Clintons use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state resulted in no charges, though she was admonished for being extremely careless by then-FBI Director James Comey. President Donald Trump's lawyers, James Trusty, center, and Lindsey Halligan, left, leave the Department of Justice on Monday in Washington. President Donald Trump's lawyers, James Trusty, center, and Lindsey Halligan, left, leave the Department of Justice on Monday in Washington. Former Vice President Mike Pence was also not charged after classified documents were found at his home earlier this year. The Justice Department recently ended its investigation into Pences handling of those documents, and Pence who on Monday filed to run against Trump in the 2024 election was cleared of any wrongdoing. Mistakes were made, and I take full responsibility, Pence said after the documents were found in January. The investigation into Trump is considering whether he or others close to him mishandled classified documents or obstructed government efforts to retrieve them. Former President Donald Trump was arraigned in New York on unrelated charges related to his alleged role in covering up hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Former President Donald Trump was arraigned in New York on unrelated charges related to his alleged role in covering up hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump reportedly had more than 300 classified documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, after leaving the White House, and his employees were reportedly seen moving boxes of paper before the FBI and a federal prosecutor visited the property early last year. Last week, it was also reported that Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation into Trumps handling of the documents, obtained audio from 2021 that captures the former president appearing to brag about having a classified document related to Iran. On Thursday, Trump said he doesnt know anything about that recording and claimed, without supporting evidence, that he had the right to declassify documents as president. Related... Trump's pledge to change immigration law targets all nationalities, not only Nigerians A social media post in Nigeria claims that former US president Donald Trump vowed to stop Nigerians from getting citizenship by birth if he was re-elected in 2024. But this is misleading: in a campaign video, Trump said he wanted to end automatic birthright citizenship for children of all undocumented immigrants. At no point did he specifically mention Nigerians. Trump vows to stop Nigerians, others from getting US birthright citizenship if reelected, reads the opening line from a tweet published on May 31, 2023. The Twitter account responsible belongs to a popular news blog in Nigeria. So far, the post has been retweeted more than 300 times and received more than 1,000 likes. "Former U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to stop Nigerians and other illegal immigrants from getting citizenship for their children born in the United States, on 'day one' of his presidency if he wins the 2024 election," according to the tweet. In response, some people condemned Trump and wished for his re-election bid to fail. Others suspected the post was clickbait. A screenshot showing comments on the misleading post, taken on June 3, 2023 The claim also appeared elsewhere on Twitter, Facebook and a local news blog. Trumps immigration policy Trumps tough stance on illegal immigrants included an election promise to build a wall on the US southern border with Mexico. He also signed executive orders during his presidency imposing bans or visa restrictions on citizens from various countries (here and here). But the claim that Trump recently vowed to stop Nigerians from obtaining birthright citizenship is misleading. Using keyword searches, AFP Fact Check found a video posted by a pro-Trump account on May 30, 2023 (archived here). #AGENDA47: President Trumps plan to discourage illegal immigration by ENDING automatic citizenship for the children of illegal aliens. pic.twitter.com/3iytgg45st Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 30, 2023 In it, Trump says he plans to sign an executive order on the first day of his presidency if elected in 2024 to prevent birthright citizenship for children of parents who are illegal immigrants. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution (archived here) states that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." A screenshot showing section 1 of the 14th amendment Trump accuses President Joe Biden of launching an "illegal foreign invasion"by allowing illegal aliens to cross into the US and secure citizenship for their children. "This policy is a reward for breaking the laws of the United States and is obviously a magnet helping draw the flood of illegals across our borders," he says. Trump's proposed executive order (archived here) would require that at least one parent be an American citizen or lawful permanent resident for their offspring to become automatic US citizens. At no point does he specify that his proposed policy would apply to Nigerians. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announces new cabinet during a press conference, in Ankara ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan appointed his spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin as the head of the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) on Monday, Erdogan's communications office said. Hakan Fidan, who had been Turkey's intelligence chief since 2010, was appointed foreign minister on Saturday. Kalin is a long-term confidant of Erdogan and has served as the spokesperson for the presidency and been a foreign policy adviser for the president since 2014. Kalin holds a Ph.D. from George Washington University on Islamic studies and was one of the founders of SETA, a pro-government think tank based in Ankara. Kalin has taken the lead on several diplomatic efforts in recent years, shaping Turkey's foreign policy agenda. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Mark Porter) Two dolphins returned to sea after Fraserburgh beach rescue Two dolphins which beached at Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire have been returned to the sea after a major community rescue response. The drama unfolded early on Monday morning and dozens of volunteers went to the scene. The mammals were kept wet and rescue teams were then able to carefully carry them back into the water. British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was among the organisations alerted to the incident. Onlooker Liz Buchan watched the rescue unfold. She said she believed the white-beaked dolphins were a mother and a young pup. "I saw it on Facebook so I grabbed my camera and came down here to the beach," she told BBC Scotland. "The fire brigade was here, beach rescue was here, they took the dolphins out into the sea. "The beach was packed full of kids to see the dolphins. They did get a happy ending." A Clyde couple was killed in a motorcycle-car collision on Ohio 101 in Townsend Township on May 3. TOWNSEND TOWNSHIP Two people were killed and a third seriously injured in a car-motorcycle wreck on Ohio 101 on Saturday afternoon. Donald G. Brown Jr., 67, Clyde; and his passenger, Lisa M. Brown, 65, also of Clyde, were killed in the crash, which happened on Ohio 101 south of the turnpike in Sandusky County at approximately 4:11 p.m. Saturday, according to a news release from the Fremont post of the Ohio Highway Patrol. Brown was riding a 2014 red Harley Davidson Electra Glide, headed northeast, when a southwest-bound 2019 gray Nissan Sentra driven by Nancy L. Taylor, 72, of Clyde, went left of center, striking Brown's motorcycle head-on, according to the news release. The Browns were not wearing helmets and sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash. Taylor, who was wearing a seatbelt, sustained serious injuries as a result of the crash, according to the news release. She was taken to Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky and is in stable condition. The patrol was assisted at the scene by the Sandusky County Sheriffs Office, Sandusky County EMS, Clyde Fire Department, Sandusky County Coroners Office and Rushs Towing. The crash remains under investigation. This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Two killed in head-on motorcycle crash north of Clyde Two more men charged with murder of British journalist and indigenous expert in Amazon Alessandra Sampaio, wife of Dom Phillips, marks a year since the murder of her husband and Bruno Pereira - ANTONIO LACERDA/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK Two more men, including the alleged head of an illegal fishing racket, have been charged with the murder of Dom Phillips, the British journalist, and Bruno Periera, the Brazilian indigenous expert. Mr Pereira, 41, a staunch critic of illegal fishing in the Amazon, was helping Mr Phillips, 57, research a book on conservation in the region. The pair were shot dead while returning by boat from a trip to the remote Javari valley region in the Amazon on June 5 2022. Their cut up remains were found 10 days later in the forest. Three men are already in prison awaiting a possible jury trial on suspicion of murder. Now Ruben Villar and Janio Freitas de Souza have also been charged, Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo reported. They are both in custody. Villar, who is known locally as Colombia, has been accused of being the mastermind of the murders. He reportedly ran an illegal fishing racket in the remote area near the border with Peru and Colombia. He denied any involvement when he was first arrested last year. Souza is suspected of being Villars right-hand man. Beto Marubo, an indigenous leader, attends the one-year anniversary commemoration since the murders of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira - Bruna Prado/AP Villar was arrested in July 2022 on suspicion of giving false evidence to police. He shared a police cell with Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira who has since confessed to killing Mr Pereira and Mr Phillips. Police have audio recordings from inside the cell which implicates Villar, according to documents seen by Fantastico reporters. Police say that in the recordings, Villar can be heard warning his cell mate not to tell officers that he had provided the ammunition used to kill the two men. Ambushed and killed One of the last photographs taken of Mr Pereira and Mr Phillips shows them talking to Souza. It is thought they were then ambushed and killed. Costa de Oliveira and Jefferson da Silva Lima are awaiting trial for the murders. Amarildo da Costa de Oliveiras brother Oseney, has also been charged. He denies any wrongdoing. Mr Pereira was well known in the community. He had been trying to convince residents to stop illegal hunting and fishing. Villar has been charged with ordering the murder of the two men and the concealment of the bodies. Souza was charged with participation in both crimes. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. The United States Postal Service just revealed the roughest place for mail carriers battling their age-old enemy: dogs. In a report published ahead of National Dog Bite Awareness Week, USPS said that 5,300 postal workers were bitten by dogs while on the job last year. According to the report, California saw the most dog-on-mail carrier violence in 2022 with 675 incidents. Texas came in a distant second with 404 reports and New York was not far behind with 321 bites last year. Houston ranked as the city with the most incidents, while Los Angeles and Dallas made number two and three. In the report, the postal service asked the public to help us deliver your mail safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before your carrier arrives. A postal worker delivers mail in Denver, Colorado, on April 6, 2017. A postal worker delivers mail in Denver, Colorado, on April 6, 2017. Mail carriers are all trained how to respect a dogs territory and how to recognize a potentially dangerous canine situation but cant control the environment theyre walking into. A spokesperson for USPS urged people to be mindful about when theyre keeping their dogs off leash, saying, In 2022, too many aggressive dogs impacted the lives of our employees while delivering the mail. Please help us reduce that number by being a responsible pet owner who secures their dog as we deliver the mail. Related... A grainy, black and white image of a UAP taken from a Naval aircraft. An absolutely bonkers report out Monday from the news outlet Debrief details the efforts of a former U.S. intelligence agent to bring to light an 80-plus-year cover up about the truth about UFOs or, as they are now known, Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. David Charles Grusch isnt just some guy waving signs on a street corner in D.C.; hes a decorated war veteran who worked with both the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office, where he worked as on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force with top clearance levels. Read more Grusch turned over classified information to the Intelligence Community Inspector General and Congress in a effort to shed light on UAPs for the American public. His claims of what is being kept hidden from the American people are startling: Grusch said the recoveries of partial fragments through and up to intact vehicles have been made for decades through the present day by the government, its allies, and defense contractors. Analysis has determined that the objects retrieved are of exotic origin (non-human intelligence, whether extraterrestrial or unknown origin) based on the vehicle morphologies and material science testing and the possession of unique atomic arrangements and radiological signatures, he said. In filing his complaint, Grusch is represented by a lawyer who served as the original Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG). We are not talking about prosaic origins or identities, Grusch said, referencing information he provided Congress and the current ICIG. The material includes intact and partially intact vehicles. In accordance with protocols, Grusch provided the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review at the Department of Defense with the information he intended to disclose to us. His on-the-record statements were all cleared for open publication on April 4 and 6, 2023, in documents provided to us. [...] Grusch prepared many briefs on unidentified aerial phenomena for Congress while in government and helped draft the language on UAP for the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act, spearheaded by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Marco Rubio and signed into law by President Biden in December 2022. The provision states that any person with relevant UAP information can inform Congress without retaliation, regardless of any previous non-disclosure agreements. In his statements cleared for publication by the Pentagon in April, Grusch asserted that UFO legacy programs have long been concealed within multiple agencies nesting UAP activities in conventional secret access programs without appropriate reporting to various oversight authorities. He said he reported to Congress on the existence of a decades-long publicly unknown Cold War for recovered and exploited physical material a competition with near-peer adversaries over the years to identify UAP crashes/landings and retrieve the material for exploitation/reverse engineering to garner asymmetric national defense advantages. According to reporting from Debrief, Grusch has the support of the intelligence community firmly on his side, as well as other whistleblowers who remain unidentified. His quality as an intelligence officer and his character were routinely affirmed in Debriefs reporting by folks like a retired army Colonel and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. He has retired from intelligence work. He wasnt the only person in the intelligence community with deep, detailed knowledge of UAPs to come forward: Jonathan Grey is a generational officer of the United States Intelligence Community with a Top-Secret Clearance who currently works for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), where the analysis of UAP has been his focus. Previously he had experience serving Private Aerospace and Department of Defense Special Directive Task Forces. The non-human intelligence phenomenon is real. We are not alone, Grey said. Retrievals of this kind are not limited to the United States. This is a global phenomenon, and yet a global solution continues to elude us. The federal government has slowly been acknowledging the existence of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (formally known as UFOs) for a few years now, albeit with more shrugs than answers. The U.S. Navy and Airforce, Congress and NASA are all working on the problem, with hearings and new special investigative offices kicking off renewed interest in the phenomenon. Read the entire report from Debrief here. More from Jalopnik Sign up for Jalopnik's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Tara Poulton was hired as U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanans new district director, replacing Sally Shely, who is retiring, according to a news release. Poulton previously was the vice president of public policy and workforce partnerships for the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce. She also worked as the division director and spokesperson for the DeSoto County government and senior government affairs regional manager for the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Poulton has a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from the University of South Florida, and is set to receive a Masters degree in public administration from Florida State University this summer, the release said. I am very pleased to welcome Tara to my office, said Buchanan, whose district covers Manatee County, southern Hillsborough County and parts of Sarasota County, in the release. Her communications skills, combined with her passion for public policy and heart for constituent services make her the ideal person for this position. I look forward to working with her in the years ahead to seize the incredible opportunities we have to improve our quality of life and tackle the many challenges facing our district. In addition to her past work experience, Poulton is a board member of the Manatee Tiger Bay Club, Manatee Education TV and Manatee Technical College, is a Leadership Manatee graduate, Leadership Manatee Alumni Association past president and is a Florida Public Relations Association and Tampa Bay Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America award winner, the release said. I am beyond excited to be joining the office of Congressman Buchanan, Poulton said in the release. It will be a true honor to follow in Sally Shelys footsteps and all she has accomplished in her 25+ year congressional career. I am thrilled to be returning to the public sector and eager to serve the constituents in the greater Manatee area and southern Hillsborough County. U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan hired Tara Poulton as his new district director, replacing the retiring Sally Shely. Poulton, who lives in Lakewood Ranch, starts at the end of July when Shelys retirement begins. Shely retires with more than 27 years of experience as a congressional staffer, having also served as the regional director for former U.S. Senator Mel Martinez, district director for Congresswoman Katherine Harris and in Washington, D.C. and New Hampshire as communications director for Congressman Charles Bass and press secretary for Congressman Bill Zeliff, the release said. From day one, Sally has demonstrated the leadership, work-ethic and professionalism that has made her one of the most respected district directors in Congress, Buchanan said in the release. Her dedication to our community along with the relationships she has cultivated in Southwest Florida have unquestionably helped make me a better representative. While she will be greatly missed in the office, Sandy and I want to congratulate Sally on her retirement and thank her for her selfless service to the people of Floridas 16th congressional district. Shely joined Buchanan (R-Longboat Key, Florida) as his communications director for his first campaign in 2006. It has been a great honor and a privilege to work with Vern on behalf of the people of Floridas 16th District, Shely said in the news release. I am truly thankful for every opportunity he has given me to advocate for his constituents and help advance his agenda to reduce spending, grow the economy and protect our freedom. Although I look forward to retirement, I will sincerely miss being part of this amazing team. Sally Shely The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to stay the execution of Michael Tisius, scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday at a prison in Missouri. Tisius was convicted of shooting and killing two guards in Randolph County when he was 19 years old. His two co-defendants Roy Vance and Tracie Bulington are serving life sentences. In the application to stay the execution submitted to the Supreme Court, Tisius legal team argued he should be spared because of his age at the time of the crime. In 2005, the court ruled that executing youth under 18 violated the Eighth Amendments provision prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment. The justices cited scientific research showing juveniles lack the maturity of adults and are more vulnerable to negative influences. Eighteen years after the decision, Tisius attorneys argue that more recent evidence shows that the brains of those in late adolescence between 18 and 21 are not fully developed. Given recent advances in neuroscience and societys evolved view of the moral culpability of late adolescence, that logic now supports the categorical exemption of late adolescents from the death penalty, the application said. They go on to cite laws and standards that prohibit most late adolescents from drinking, consuming marijuana, or renting a car. In response, the Missouri Attorney Generals Office said Tisius has failed to show evidence about brain maturity that is substantially different than research available in 2005. They also said no state with an active death penalty scheme prohibits the execution of 18 to 20 year olds. Several prominent groups and individuals have voiced opposition to the execution, including the American Bar Association, the Missouri State Public Defenders office and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. They cited a variety of factors including Tisius age, history of being abused and poor legal representation. In a letter dated June 2, the European Unions delegation to the U.S. wrote to Gov. Mike Parson saying it opposes the death penalty in all cases, but that Tisius case was particularly concerning. The letter said multiple neurological experts determined that Mr. Tisius serious impairments allowed him to be groomed by Mr. Roy Vance while serving a 30-day sentence in jail for a misdemeanour. Vance said he was behind a plan to get Tisius and Bulington to help him escape from jail. He described Tisius as a kid in a grown mans body and I knew I could manipulate him into what I wanted him to do. Five jurors, a former warden where Tisius was imprisoned and Archbishop Christophe Pierre, a personal representative of Pope Francis, have also called on Parson to commute Tisius sentence to life without parole. A clemency application is pending with Parsons office. UBS says its takeover of Credit Suisse the takeover will create a superbank in charge of $5 trillion of invested assets Swiss banking giant UBS is expected to complete its takeover of crisis-hit domestic rival Credit Suisse as early as June 12, the two lenders said on Monday. The date is slightly later than predicted by UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti, who had said that the merger could be finalised by late May or early June. The bank had initially foreseen a late-June closing date. Switzerland's biggest bank agreed to buy Credit Suisse on March 19 for three billion Swiss francs ($3.25 billion), under strong pressure from the government its rival from collapsing. "UBS expects to complete the acquisition of Credit Suisse as early as 12 June 2023. At that time, Credit Suisse Group AG will be merged into UBS Group AG," UBS said in a statement. Upon completion of the merger, Credit Suisse shares and American Depositary Shares (ADS) will be delisted from the Swiss stock exchange and the New York Stock Exchange, the statement said. Ermotti has said the takeover will create a superbank in charge of $5 trillion of invested assets. noo/ach/lth Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak onboard Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during a visit to Dover, England, Monday, June 5, 2023 ahead of a press conference to update the nation on the progress made in the six months since he introduced the Illegal Migration Bill under his plans to "stop the boats". (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP) LONDON (AP) The U.K. government will house hundreds more asylum-seekers on barges, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday, as he unveiled the latest migration figures that he said showed that his plans to crack down on small boat crossings on the English Channel are working. Two more barges will house about 1,000 migrants, Sunak said, alongside one that's set to be docked in Portland in southern England within the next two weeks. The move is meant to help save millions in taxpayers' money currently spent to house asylum-seekers in hotels across the country. Sunak told reporters that compared to the same time last year, the number of people making the dangerous sea crossing on small vessels from northern France to the southern English coast so far this year has decreased by a fifth. He suggested that the U.K. was doing better than other countries in Europe, where he said unauthorized migrant crossings have increased by a third over the same period. Figures from the Home Office show that about 7,600 people were detected crossing the English Channel so far this year, compared with almost 10,000 last June. However, it is difficult to tell whether the decrease was linked to Sunak's government's policies or other factors such as weather conditions. The summer months typically see much higher numbers making the journey. Sunak also said that the number of Albanian migrants arriving by small boats has fallen by almost 90%, and that a deal with Albania has seen 1,800 asylum-seekers turned back. Many of the asylum-seekers arriving in the U.K. each year hail from conflict zones, including Afghanistan and Syria, though a large number come from Albania, which Sunak's government describes as a safe country. Sunak has made Stop the Boats his flagship policy since he took office in October. His government is pushing through a controversial migration bill that seeks to dramatically curb migrants ability to seek asylum in the U.K. Critics, including the U.N. refugee agency, have decried it as unethical and unworkable, and some say it breaks international law. ___ Follow APs coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration Ukraines counteroffensive appears to have started: Heres what to know Ukraine began launching attacks in the eastern Donetsk region over the weekend in what appears to be the first wave of Kyivs long-anticipated counteroffensive. Ukrainian commanders have sent in mechanized brigades, including heavy battle tanks, along with conventional troops to assault several locations in the southern Donetsk region, where Russian troops are entrenched. One Ukrainian official said its military is shifting to offensive actions in some areas, but Kyiv has largely remained silent on the attacks. A range of Western and Russian analysts are reporting that the operation signals the start of the counteroffensive. The heavy fighting in southern Donetsk indicates Ukraine may be attempting to strike through perceived weaknesses in the fortified Russian lines of eastern Ukraine after weeks of probing, though Ukrainian soldiers have yet to make any serious advances. Heres what to know about the operations and Ukraines counteroffensive. Most of the fighting is taking place near a few towns Russian military bloggers and officials say Ukraine is primarily assaulting the area surrounding two urban towns in the southern Donetsk region: Novodonetsk and Velyka Novosilka. Both towns lie near the southern Zaporizhzhia region, which military analysts say Ukraine may target in order to cut off a land bridge and a major supply hub linked to Russian-occupied Crimea. The main campaign appears to be centered on Novodonetsk, which is nestled between Velkya Novosilka and Vuhledar, a city largely held by Ukrainian forces that Russia has attempted to capture for months. The offensive around Novodonetsk began Sunday, according to Russian analysts, and the first wave of the attack largely failed. Russias Defense Ministry claimed in a Telegram post that more than 250 Ukrainian service members were killed, while 16 tanks, 26 armored fighting vehicles, and 14 vehicles were destroyed. The enemy did not achieve their goals, the Defense Ministry wrote. However, Ukrainian troops regrouped in the early morning hours Monday and struck again, this time with more force, wrote Russian military blog account WarGonzo. The Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to form a much more serious armored fist, it said. Much more equipment is involved than the day before. Multiple Russian military analysts claimed Ukraine had deployed Germanys Leopard II tanks, along with infantry fighting vehicles such as American-made Strykers. Alexander Khodakovsky, the commander of the pro-Russian rebel group Vostok Battalion, said the situation was growing difficult. The enemy, having felt our weak points, is stepping up his efforts, he wrote on Telegram. As I expected yesterday smelling the smell of success, the enemy will throw additional forces into the battle. While the main operation appears to be in southern Donetsk, Russian analysts have also reported Ukrainian operations further north in the Donetsk, near the town of Soledar and city of Bakhmut. The operation is likely just the beginning Despite growing pressure on Russian forces, Ukraine has yet to commit its main forces to the battle. Col. Oleksandr Bakulin, who leads a contingent of troops near Bakhmut, told ABC News the fighting underway now was part of a bigger plan and the clashes in south Donetsk would eventually lead to the counteroffensive. Alexander Kots, a Russian military blogger with more than 600,000 subscribers on Telegram, said the main forces could be introduced in a completely different area. Igor Girkin, a former Russian military officer and now a prominent Russian military blogger, said he was terribly worried about Maryinka, suggesting Ukraine might strike there in a surprise attack. Maryinka is a Russian-held city just south of Bakhmut and north of Vuhledar. The Institute for the Study of War said it has observed increased combat activity in different sectors of the frontline and assesses that Ukrainian forces are making territorial gains despite Russian claims to the contrary. Ukraine remains mostly silent Besides Bakulins vague comments to ABC News, Ukraines Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said on Telegram the military was shifting to offensive actions in some areas around Bakhmut. Despite stiff resistance and the enemys attempts to hold the occupied lines and positions, our units advanced in several directions during the fighting, she said. But Ukrainian officials have been largely silent on the developments. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not mentioned the counteroffensive operations in his nightly addresses for the past two days, and his usually vocal assistants remain silent. Ukraines General Staff of the Armed Forces has posted updates of the battlefield in the past two days without writing anything about the counteroffensive. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov released a video on Twitter showing a number of Ukrainian troops putting a finger to their lips. Plans love silence, a caption in the video reads. There will be no announcement about the start. U.S. officials told The New York Times the surge in attacks may be a sign that the counteroffensive has begun. Ukraines larger counteroffensive faces political challenges Kyiv has prepared for months to retake territory in eastern Ukraine and received nearly all of the promised military equipment for the counteroffensive in April. With the eyes of the world on the Ukrainian operation, Ukraine faces sky-high expectations to succeed, potentially imperiling continued Western support if troops fail to retake significant chunks of territory from Russia. Ukraine surprised the world last year by beating back Russian troops from the west and reclaiming the Kherson and Kharkiv regions. However, Russian forces, who once underestimated the strength of Ukraines resolve, have spent months fortifying their lines in eastern Ukraine. U.S. officials say Ukraine has what it needs to break through the lines and succeed, but they have moderated expectations, with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby last month saying Ukraine must know how to use the equipment to seize victory. On Monday, Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Ukraine was very well prepared for the operation but did not assess the outcome of the counteroffensive. I think its too early to tell what outcomes are going to happen, Milley told CNN. Update: 8:15 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ukraine fighting in NATO's interests, so it deserves shortcut to Alliance Polish PM Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has said that Ukraine is fighting in NATOs interests against Russian imperialism, which threatens its member states, and therefore Ukraine deserves to become part of the Alliance. Source: European Pravda, citing PAP; Morawiecki's statement during an interview with Canadian CBS channel. "Even if Ukraine is not a part of NATO today, it is fighting in its interests in the sense that it protects [the Alliance member countries] against the brutal Russian force, which would threaten many NATO countries," Morawiecki said. "I believe that Ukraine deserves to be offered a very fast accession to NATO," said the head of the Polish government. In his opinion, this issue is now more important than certain problems of the Ukrainian government system. Morawiecki also called on Western European countries which are territorially distant from Russia to be more sympathetic to Ukraine. As has been reported, Ukraine wants to accede to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization soon after securing a military victory over Russia and hopes to receive guarantees that the decision will be confirmed during the NATO summit in Vilnius. In previous statements, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi acknowledged the challenges of Ukraine's NATO membership aspirations during the ongoing war. He expressed his scepticism about participating in the NATO summit in Vilnius if it does not yield tangible results in terms of Ukraine's prospective accession timeline to the Alliance. Kyiv has said that it is preparing to discuss two packages of issues for discussion during the NATO summit, including political and practical ones. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukraine not to use F-16 jets in summer Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, Defence Minister of Ukraine, has said that Ukraine would not use the F-16 fighters during the upcoming counteroffensive in the summer, but the aircraft could be deployed in the fall or winter. Source: Reznikov in an interview with NHK Quote: When asked about the F-16 fighters, Reznikov replied that they would not change the situation this summer. He said that it would take time to train Ukrainian pilots, and Ukraine will also have to agree with its partners to provide engineers and technical personnel who can deal with the maintenance and repair of these aircraft. According to him, Ukraine will be ready to deploy the F-16s in the fall or winter. Currently, some Western countries are preparing or have offered to train Ukrainian pilots to pilot these fighters. Background: Earlier, the Pentagon said that it would not challenge the transfer of US F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by third countries. Following a meeting on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik, Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands agreed to facilitate the creation of an international coalition to strengthen Ukraine's air defence. US President Joe Biden's administration informed European allies that the United States would allow them to transfer American F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Ukraines Ministry of Defence stated that a total of 48 F-16 fighter jets would be essential for the liberation of the country from the Russian invaders. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! 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 US officials have stated there are signs that Ukraine may have launched an expected counter-offensive, but Kyiv has remained silent on its strategy. Source: The New York Times; Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander, on Telegram; Russian MoD Details: The NYT, citing US and Russian officials, reports that Ukrainian forces have ramped up artillery strikes and ground assaults in a series of offensive military activity. American officials, speaking anonymously, said the surge in the attacks was likely evidence that Kyiv's long-planned counter-offensive against Russian forces had begun. The officials based their assessment partly on information from US military satellites, recording increased attacks from Ukrainian military positions. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander, said on 5 June that "tanks of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade struck the windbreak in which Russian troops stayed during their assault on enemy positions on the Bakhmut front" and that the Ukrainian Defence Forces were "moving forward". And the Russian MoD claimed on 5 June that a major Ukrainian operation had begun in many parts of the contact line in Donetsk Oblast but that the attack had allegedly been repelled. The Russian Defence Ministry claims that on 4 June, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted a major offensive on the "south-Donetsk front", involving six mechanised and two tank battalions, but they were allegedly pushed back to their original positions by the morning of 5 June. Instead, the occupying forces were actively fighting "in the central part of [the city of] Marinka", the Russian ministry boasted. The NYT notes that Ukraine has kept silent on military operations after months of preparations for a major counter-offensive in the war. Another article by this news agency states that in order to conduct a successful counter-offensive, Ukrainian troops will have to operate primarily on flat, unforgiving terrain and overcome a solid Russian defence. Quote: "Military analysts and Western officials have long thought that a counteroffensive would focus on southern Ukraine as part of a strategy by Kyiv to sever the land bridge between western Russia and occupied Crimea. The operation is expected to involve thousands of Ukrainian troops including many trained by NATO forces and equipped with newer and more advanced Western equipment, like armored personnel carriers and tanks. But no matter where Ukraine attacks along a front line that stretches for hundreds of miles, Russias defenses will be formidable. Moscows forces have had months to dig in, lay minefields and prepare entrenchments. Russian formations also have gotten increasingly adept at using drones to help pinpoint targets for artillery strikes." Details: As the American media outlet notes, this has made it difficult for Ukrainian forces to coordinate the movement of troops, tanks and artillery support for a breakthrough. The type of coordination on the battlefield known as "combined arms" is challenging for Ukrainian troops, as they often use different communication systems on the ground, the NYT writes. However, the media outlet recalls that during successful counter-offensives last year, such as on Kharkiv and Kherson fronts in the autumn, Kyiv's military command proved capable of making quick decisions on the battlefield to take advantage of Russia's vulnerabilities. Background: On 5 June, Hanna Maliar, Ukraines Deputy Defence Minister, reported that the Ukrainian forces were moving on a vast stretch of the Bakhmut front and were making gains. Russia has considered Bakhmut to be finally captured since 20 May, but Ukraine has never stopped fighting for this destroyed city in Donetsk Oblast. The Ukrainian command has repeatedly stated that the final plan for the counter-offensive will be adopted immediately before it begins and that it will be shared with a narrow circle of people. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukrainian soldiers prepare to open fire on Russian positions in Donetsk (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Ukraine has launched attacks at a number of points across the frontline with Russian forces suggesting that its long-waited counteroffensive is finally kicking into gear. Officials in Kyiv were coy about the surge in military action, allowing the fog of war to cloud whether it marked the start of its push to reclaim land that Russia has occupied. Ukrainian deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said that the nation's forces were shifting to offensive actions in some areas but sought to play them down as "local attacks". However, there is no denying the surge in military activity. Moscow seemed keen to suggest that it had repelled a "major offensive" at five points across the eastern region of Donetsk. Although its claims were undermined by other Russian sources and military bloggers, who suggested that Ukrainian forces had made advances around the city of Bakhmut in northern Donetsk and villages in the west of the region. Ukrainian officials dismissed claims from Russia's Defence Ministry that it had killed hundreds of Ukrainian troops as well as destroyed a number of military vehicles around Donetsk as fanciful. The statement from the ministry said that Kyiv's goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front." In response, a Ukrainian military spokesman said: "We do not have such information and we do not comment on any kind of fake." Ms Maliar said Russian assertions about a Ukrainian counteroffensive were meant to distract attention from losses Moscow is taking around Bakhmut, the scene for some of the fiercest fighting of the war and a city the Russian Wagner mercenary group claimed to have taken control of last month before handing their positions to Russian troops. Ms Maliar said that Bakhmut was the "epicentre of hostilities" while the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Kyiv's forces were moving forward" in the area The head of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said Ukrainian forces had retaken part of the settlement of Berkhivka north of the city, calling it a "disgrace" and claiming that Russian "troops are quietly running away", Alexander Khodakovsky, the head of a pro-Russian militia in Donetsk, said that Ukraine had made advances in western Donetsk and that German-made Leopard 2 tanks had been spotted on the battlefield suggesting that Nato-trained troops had also joined the fray. The situation in Novodonetskoye and to the left of Veliko Novosilka is difficult - the enemy, pushing at our weak spots, is increasing his efforts. For the first time in our tactical area we have seen Leopards, he wrote on Telegram. "There is a tough fight going on," wrote prominent Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who blogs under the name War Gonzo, saying Ukrainian forces were attacking in the area. Video released by Moscow claiming to show Ukrainian vehicles being destroyed in Donetsk (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service) American officials have suggested that the increase in artillery attacks, missile launches and ground assaults suggested that this may be the start of Ukraine's counteroffensive. Speaking to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, the officials said this assessment was based in part on information from US military satellites, which have detected an increase in action from Ukrainian military positions. The satellites have infrared capabilities to track artillery fire and missile launches. Ukraine has sought to keep quiet about the location and start of its counteroffensive as it has completed final preparations. Given the numbers involved in the latest attacks appear to only be a fraction of the troops Kyiv has said it has prepared, they may be probing exercises looking for weaknesses in the Russian lines to then exploit with more forces. Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, told Reuters on Monday that his country has enough weapons for the counteroffensive, with some Western allies have agreed to train Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 fighter jets coveted by Kyiv. "We [already] unlocked all weapons.... There is nothing big left to fight for," he said. But he also sidestepped the suggestion that the counteroffensive had started, claiming that the most important thing was that it ended in a Ukrainian victory. Elsewhere, the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. In a video posted to Mr Zelensky's Facebook page, Mr Cleverly is heard saying that the UK "will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious". The pair discussed how the UK can continue to best support Ukraine, from the battlefield to banking guarantees, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The UK is preparing to host a conference focused on Ukraine's economic recovery in London later in June. The Ukrainian president thanks the UK for the "big support" it has given his country in the social media post, adding: "During the meeting, we discussed important topical issues: Ukraine's expectations from the Nato Summit in Vilnius [happening in July], promotion of the Ukrainian peace formula and preparation of the global summit on its implementation, as well as the London international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. "We are very grateful for the support that the UK has provided and continues to provide to Ukraine." Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report Key developments on June 5: Russian Defense Ministry claims to have defeated a large-scale Ukrainian counteroffensive in Donetsk Oblast, while Kyiv says it's shifting to offensive actions "in some areas" Network of sabotage agents backed by Ukraine likely responsible for drone attacks in Russia, US officials tell CNN Belgium investigating alleged use of its weapons in operations inside Russia Interior Ministry: Over 30% of checked bomb shelters in Ukraine not ready to receive people The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have defeated a large-scale Ukrainian attack in Donetsk Oblast on the morning of June 5 in the first announcement of what could be the start of the long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive. The ministry alleged that Ukrainian forces had launched a major offensive "in five sectors of the front in the southern Donetsk area," using six mechanized and two tank battalions. According to the report, Ukraine allegedly lost over 250 personnel, 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, and 21 armored fighting vehicles. Later on June 5, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that Ukrainian forces were shifting to offensive actions "in some areas," adding that the move was part of the country's general defensive operation that started on Feb. 24, 2022. According to Maliar, Ukraine's military is successfully advancing near Donetsk Oblast's Bakhmut along a "fairly wide front," capturing the dominant heights. The Bakhmut area reportedly remains the epicenter of hostilities. Ukrainian troops have advanced 200-1,600 meters toward the villages of Paraskoviivka and Orikhovo-Vasyllivka north of Bakhmut and 100-700 meters toward Ivanivske and Klishchiivka south of Bakhmut, according to the deputy defense minister. The Ukrainian official also reported fighting "of local importance" in the country's south, which is seen as the most likely direction for Ukraine's major breakthrough. She added that Russian reports on the alleged start of the long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive were meant to divert attention from Moscow's losses near Bakhmut. Earlier on June 4, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense released a video saying that the beginning of the counteroffensive would not be announced. On June 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's preparedness for a counteroffensive. On Ukraines southern front line, tension reigns before decisive counteroffensive Editors note: As per the regulations of the unit, soldiers interviewed for this article, many of whom have relatives remaining in Russian-occupied territory, are identified by first name and/or callsign only. SOUTHEASTERN UKRAINE After months of seeing Russias war against Ukraine through the dr The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell Network of sabotage agents backed by Ukraine likely responsible for drone attacks in Russia, US officials tell CNN Ukraine has likely created a network of pro-Ukrainian saboteurs on Russia's territory to carry out strategic drone attacks, in particular, the one that targeted the Kremlin in early May, CNN reported on June 5. According to CNN, several people familiar with U.S. intelligence said that pro-Ukrainian agents and "operatives well-trained in this kind of warfare" are being supplied with Ukrainian-made drones. Kyiv likely used "well-practiced smuggling routes" along the Ukrainian-Russian border to send drones or drone components to Russia, CNN wrote. According to the publication's sources, the frequency of drone strikes on Russian territory seems to be "the culmination of months of effort" by Ukraine to "set up the infrastructure for such sabotage." Ukraine's Security Service neither confirmed nor denied their involvement when asked by CNN for comment. Multiple isolated attacks have occurred within Russian territory since the start of the all-out war on Feb. 24, 2022. These attacks appear to primarily focus on disrupting the infrastructure that supports the logistics of the Russian military. Some of these attacks hit Moscow, like the May 3 drone strike on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's Kremlin residence and the May 30 barrage, reportedly damaging several high-rise buildings in the Russian capital. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for most of these attacks. Belgium investigating alleged use of its weapons in Russia Belgium will ask Kyiv for clarifications on reports that Russian anti-Kremlin militias had allegedly used Belgian-made weapons provided to Ukraine during the Belgorod Oblast incursion, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said, Reuters reported on June 5. Earlier, the Washington Post wrote that Russian anti-government groups fighting on Ukraine's side had purportedly used rifles made by Belgium and the Czech Republic as well as tactical vehicles originally sent to Ukraine by the U.S. and Poland in their May 22 cross-border raid on Russia's western region. "Our defense ministry and its intelligence agencies have started an investigation and are asking for information to determine what has happened exactly," De Croo told Belgium's Radio 1, as cited by Reuters. "European weapons are delivered to Ukraine under the condition that they are used on Ukrainian territory with the purpose of defending that territory. And we have strict controls in place to see that this is the case," he said. The New York Times also reported the anti-Kremlin militias having used American-made armored vehicles during their operations in Russia. The article claimed that the groups appear to have used International MaxxPros models of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), known to be provided to Ukraine only by Washington. In a comment to Suspilne news outlet, Ukraine's military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov said that any questions on the possible use of Western-made weapons by the militias should be addressed to the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion as they "operate autonomously" on Russian territory. Belgorod incursion: Meet the anti-Kremlin militia behind the attack inside Russia Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent, together with a number of journalists, was taken to a location in northern Ukraine to interview the members of the units that took part in the military operation inside Russia. Not revealing the exact location was the only precondition for the interview. Norther The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima Interior Ministry: Over 30% of checked bomb shelters in Ukraine not ready to receive people Out of the 50,195 bomb shelters inspected by the authorities on June 5, up to one-third are closed or unsuitable for use, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs. The National Police, the State Emergency Service, and local authorities reportedly examined 79% of all shelters in Ukraine. Of those already examined, 11,644 (23%) were unsuitable for use, and 4,679 (9%) were closed. In Kyiv, the authorities have checked 2,156 bomb shelters, which is 48% of the total number in the capital. The current results show that of all the shelters examined in Kyiv, 804 (37%) were unsuitable, and 137 (6%) were closed, leaving only 1,215 (57%) bomb shelters open and ready to receive people. On June 1, three civilians were killed as a result of a Russian missile strike against Kyiv while trying to reach an inaccessible bomb shelter. It happened in the city's Desnianskyi district, where Russian missile debris fell on a clinic and a residential building. The incident sparked outrage toward the authorities as they did not ensure the proper functioning of the civil protection system. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko blamed the head of the medical facility and the Desnianskyi district head Dmytro Ratnikov. The Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office and police began an investigation of the facility and questioned its management. In an unexpected move that left many commentators frustrated, an arrest hearing on June 3 appeared to place most of the responsibility for the tragedy on the elderly clinic's night guard. President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko to conduct a full audit of all bomb shelters in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces fire towards Russian positions in the direction of Bakhmut - 3RD ASSAULT BRIGADE/UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES PRESS SERVICE/via REUTERS Ukrainian forces have recaptured part of a village near the annexed city of Bakhmut, the head of the Wagner mercenary group has said, branding it a disgrace. In a recording published by his press service, Yevgeny Prigozhin says: Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away. Disgrace! Ukrainian forces have continued to attack areas north and south of the eastern city. Wagner finally claimed control of Bakhmut in May after months of intense fighting. The village of Berkhivka lies about 1.9 miles north-west of Bakhmut. Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-backed governor of the Donetsk region, which includes Bakhmut, told Russian state television that the situation on the citys flanks was under control but very difficult. 03:14 PM Today's liveblog is now closed Thanks for following todays liveblog. Please follow along tomorrow for all the latest updates on Ukraine. 03:14 PM Leopard tanks seen in battle for first time Western-built main battle tanks donated to Ukraine have been seen in battle for the first time, a senior Russian separatist official has said. Alexander Khodakovsky, the deputy head of the Russian national guard in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic, said German-made Leopard tanks had been spotted in the area where Ukraine launched a limited offensive last night. The situation in Novodonetskoye and to the left of Veliko Novosilka is difficult - the enemy, pushing at our weak spots, is increasing his efforts. For the first time in our tactical area we have seen Leopards, he wrote on Telegram. Mr Khodakovsky is a former Ukrainian special forces officer who switched sides during the first Russian invasion in 2014. He became a key military and political player in the self-proclaimed Donetsk peoples republic and now serves as deputy head of the Russian national guard in the region, which Russia formally claimed as its own last year. Earlier, Russias ministry of defence claimed to have defeated a Ukrainian offensive in the southern Donetsk region, but Mr Khodakovsky said a follow-up attack had achieved surprise and put the Russians in a difficult position. 02:50 PM Russian bomber planes fly over neutral seas near Norway Two Russian strategic bomber planes have carried out routine flights over the Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea off the north coast of Nato-member Norway, the defence ministry has said. Russia regularly flies its Tu-95 long-range bombers, which are capable of carrying nuclear missiles, over international waters. The flight lasted five hours and was carried out in strict compliance with international airspace regulations, the ministry said. 02:29 PM Ukrainian military says it has no information about a major offensive Ukraines military said it had no information about a major offensive which Russia said Kyiv had launched at five points along the front line in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Moscow claimed it had thwarted a major Ukrainian assault involving six mechanised and two tank battalions in the south of Ukraines Donetsk region. We do not have such information and we do not comment on any kind of fake, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian armed forces general staff said in response to a question from Reuters. A senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky later warned against trusting Russian reports on the fighting in Ukraine. Russian news reports have long since become a separate virtual meta-universe. #Moscow is already actively involved in repelling... a global offensive that "does not yet exist." The million-strong Russian army is actively repelling attacks, destroying thousands of tanks, hundreds (@Podolyak_M) June 5, 2023 Russian news reports have long since become a separate virtual meta-universe, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted. 02:10 PM Ukraine-Russia in pictures: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis attend a joint press conference following their talks in Kyiv - SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP This photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Monday, June 5, 2023 shows a Russian self-propelled gun firing towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location. - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service 02:03 PM Russian radio stations 'hacked' to play fake Putin message The Kremlin said a purported radio address by President Vladimir Putin heard on Russian stations in regions bordering Ukraine was fake and the result of a hack, Russian news agencies reported. The state-owned news agency RIA said a number of radio stations had carried the hoax address. All of these messages are an utter fake, it cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Independent Russian media reported that the announcement had told residents of the Rostov, Belgorod and Voronezh regions, all of which adjoin Ukraine, that Kyivs forces had crossed the border with Russia. They cited the address as saying, wrongly, that martial law had been declared in border regions and a nationwide military mobilisation had begun for Russias war with Ukraine, and that residents should evacuate deeper into Russia. The MIR radio station said the hacking, which it called an absolute fake and a provocation, had lasted around 40 minutes. 01:41 PM Wagner says takes Russian soldier captive after army unit attack Russian private military group Wagner has said it has taken a soldier from Moscows regular army captive while accusing his unit of trying to attack its mercenaries in occupied Ukraine. Wagners chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has for months decried the state of the Russian army and accused Moscows top generals of causing excess deaths during the Kremlins offensive in Ukraine. But this was the first time the mercenary group said it had grabbed a soldier from the official armed forces. Late Sunday, Prigozhin posted a Wagner report dated May 17 that alleged Russian army soldiers had been mining roads in the rear zone of Wagner units in Moscow-occupied eastern Ukraine. 01:39 PM Everything you need to know about a Leopard tank 12:59 PM Where did the alleged Ukrainian attacks along the frontline happen? 12:35 PM Belgium quizzes Ukraine over arms used in Russia attack Belgium is seeking explanations from Ukraine over reports that Belgian-made weapons were used by anti-Kremlin fighters in Russia, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Monday. We are asking the Ukrainians to clarify the situation for us, De Croo told Belgian state radio. The rule is strict, it is clear; our weapons ate supplied to Ukraine are for defensive purposes, to (defend) Ukrainian territory. De Croos comments came in reaction to a report by US newspaper The Washington Post that Western arms were used in Russias Belgorod region. Pro-Ukrainian groups of Russian fighters, anti-Kremlin ultra-nationalists, have launched high-profile cross-border incursions into Russia from Ukrainian territory. The Washington Post cited US intelligence sources saying four armoured vehicles supplied by the United States and Poland to Ukraine were used in an attack last month. 12:29 PM Ukraine launches 'large-scale offensive' in east, says Russia Russian forces have thwarted a major Ukrainian attack in the Donetsk region and killed 250 Ukrainian troops, its defence ministry has claimed. In the south of the region, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front, the ministry said on Telegram. A total of six mechanised and two tank battalions of the enemy were involved. It was not possible to verify Russias claims. Kyiv has for months said it is preparing a major counteroffensive, hoping to reclaim territory lost since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022. Amid speculation that Ukraines forces were about to go on the attack, Oleksii Reznikov, the Ukrainian Defence Minister, published a cryptic message on Twitter on Sunday, quoting a Depeche Modes song. Words are very unnecessary. They can only do harm, he said. 12:12 PM 'No prospect' for further grain deal renewal, says Russia Russias foreign ministry said that it saw no prospects for extending the Black Sea grain export deal, which is set to expire in mid-July, Russian news agencies reported. TASS news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying that it was continuing consultations with the United Nations over the deal, and that ship inspections had resumed. 11:56 AM 'It's now or never for the Ukrainian military' Mark Urban, BBC Newsnights Diplomatic Editor, says this marks a big moment in the war, noting that the smart and motivated Ukrainian army have many advantages on their side. He says it is too early to ascertain axes of Ukrainian ground attacks, and says they have many options: going eastwards into the Donbas; expanding the Belgorod incursion in Russia; going south from Kherson to Crimea; and going south from Zaporizhzhia towards the Sea of Azov. Russia has been knocked off balance by the Ukrainian armys shaping operations, he says, noting that its forces are exhausted and stretched. But Russias army remains very strong in artillery and has improved its use of drones. Their air attacks are also depleting Ukraines missile stocks, he says. Significant Ukrainian gains should be possible, he says, but, caveats that a Russian collapse is possible but not probable. Ultimately, he concludes, its now or never for the Ukrainian military. 11:24 AM Zelensky's chief of staff: True wisdom is to be able to convince the enemies they have already lost True wisdom is to be able to convince the enemies they have already lost. Victory or defeat, it is born in heads first. Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) June 5, 2023 11:17 AM Poland receives draft EU regulation extending ban on Ukrainian food imports Polands agriculture minister has received a draft regulation from the European Commission extending a ban on Ukrainian grain imports until September 15, he said. We have received from the EC a draft of a new regulation banning the import of 4 products to the 5 countries, Robert Telus wrote on Twitter. The effective date provided for in the draft is September 15 this year. 11:03 AM Analysis from Dominic Nicholls For months now Ukraine has been conducting operations against Russia that military commanders would call shaping activity, writes Dominic Nicholls, The Telegraphs Associate Editor (Defence). The purpose of such action is to try to create the best possible conditions for any future operations. Shaping operations involve a mix of different weapons, geography and purpose, but they are all designed to overload the opponents command and control systems. Consequently, over recent months we have seen differing types of attacks taking place, from irregular activity along (and just over) the border, to attacks on air bases, fuel refineries and industrial facilities inside Russia. All the while, Ukraine has sought to seek out and destroy Russian artillery pieces (32 of which were reportedly destroyed on June 3), air defence and electronic warfare systems and other equipment vital to Russias defence. Whatever is happening today in Ukraine likely forms part of that context of shaping operations. We should discount immediately reports from Russia about Ukrainian activity and losses. Until independently verified we exist in the frustrating but entirely normal fog of war. The tricky thing for Russian commanders to decide however, is when the shaping operation has finished and the main attack has started. Which attack is the diversion and which is the main thrust? It could be many days before anybody knows the answers to such questions. 10:41 AM Ukraine in pictures: Russian rockets are launched against Ukraine from Russia's Belgorod region - AP Children play on the damaged Russian military machinery displayed during an event dedicated to the Day of remembrance of children - Vladimir Sindeyeve/NurPhoto/Shutterstock/Shutterstock A Ukrainian serviceman looks on near the Ukraine-Russia border in Kharkiv - VIACHESLAV RATYNSKYI/REUTERS 10:34 AM Wagner chief claims that Ukraine has retaken an area north of Bakhmut Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner chief, said that Ukrainian forces had retaken part of the settlement of Berkhivka, north of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, calling it a disgrace. Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away. Disgrace! Prigozhin said in an audio message published by his press service. He urged Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, to come to the front to rally the troops. Come on, you can do it! he said. And if you cant, youll die heroes. It comes after Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraines ground forces, said that Ukrainian forces continued moving forward near Bakhmut. 10:07 AM Kremlin calls US statement on nuclear arms control 'positive' The Kremlin said that a statement by United States national security adviser Jake Sullivan calling for bilateral arms control discussions was positive, and that Russia remained open for dialogue. Mr Sullivan said on Friday that the United States would abide by the nuclear weapons limits set in the New START treaty until its 2026 expiry if Russia did the same. 09:43 AM Papal envoy heads to Ukraine to 'listen carefully' to possible peace plans Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, tasked by Pope Francis to carry out a peace mission to try to help end the war in Ukraine, has headed to Kyiv for a two-day trip to sound out government authorities. The Vatican announced his visit, which many observers see as an uphill effort, in a short statement. It said the main purpose was to listen carefully to Ukrainian authorities on the possible ways to reach a just peace and support humanitarian gestures that may help ease tensions. It was not clear if Zuppi, who is archbishop of Bologna and head of the Italian Bishops Conference, would meet President Volodymyr Zelensky. 09:20 AM Pro-Ukrainian fighters capture Russian soldiers during raid on Russian soil Pro-Ukrainian fighters said they captured at least two Russian soldiers during a cross-border raid on Russian soil. Denis Kapustin, leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps which is allied with Kyiv, paraded the alleged prisoners in a video filmed in what appeared to be the operations room of a hospital. The move is another major escalation for a group causing mayhem in southern Russia and embarrassing the Kremlin by launching attacks in the country with apparent ease. Read more from James Kilner here 09:03 AM Watch: Alleged Russian strikes on Ukrainian armored vehicles Video of Russian strikes on Ukrainian armored vehicles advancing today in the South Donetsk direction. pic.twitter.com/eYbDiOAeMt Clash Report (@clashreport) June 5, 2023 08:50 AM Two drones fall on highway in Russia's Kaluga region Two drones fell Monday morning on a highway in Russias Kaluga region, the governor of the region, Vladislav Shapsha, said on the Telegram messaging app. There was no detonation, the area has been cordoned off, Shapsha said. The region borders the Moscow region to its north. 08:30 AM Latest MoD update: Russia launched 'over 300' Shahed drones against Ukraine During May, Russia launched more than 300 Iranian Shahed series one way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA-UAVs) against Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence has said in its daily intelligence briefing. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 05 June 2023. Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/ZBWyk4tK0H #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/E0RATcLPZ4 Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) June 5, 2023 07:59 AM Pictured: A Ukrainian serviceman looks on near the Ukraine-Russia border in Kharkiv A Ukrainian serviceman looks on near the Ukraine-Russia border - VIACHESLAV RATYNSKYI/REUTERS 07:58 AM Drone attack reportedly sets energy facility on fire in Russia's Belgorod region A drone attack reportedly set an energy facility on fire in Russias Belgorod region in the early hours of Monday, the regions governor said. In the Belgorod region, one of the energy facilities is on fire. The preliminary cause of the fire was an explosive device dropped from a drone, Vyacheslav Gladkov said on the Telegram messaging app. There were no casualties. 07:57 AM Ukrainian forces continue 'moving forward' near Bakhmut Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraines ground forces, said that Ukrainian forces continued moving forward near Bakhmut. General Syrskyi said that Ukrainian forces were successful in destroying a Russian position near the city. We continue moving forward, he said on the Telegram messaging app. 07:55 AM Good Morning Good morning, and welcome to todays Ukraine liveblog. We will be guiding you through all the latest news on Ukraine. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Russians deployed heavy artillery to attack Nikopol at night. Apart from that, a Russian Shahed drone was shot down over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration Quote: "Twice during the night, the occupiers attacked Nikopol. They shelled the city using heavy artillery." "The enemy also attacked the oblast with a drone. But the military from Skhid (East) Air Command downed the scrap metal. They shot down the Shahed drone." Details: Lysak noted that a church and a private enterprise were damaged in Nikopol in the shelling. 9 residential buildings, an outbuilding and power lines were damaged. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukraine's military intelligence responds to reports on pro-Ukrainian militia using Western-made weapons in Russia In a comment for Suspilne news outlet, Ukraine's military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov responded to reports on the alleged use of Western-made weapons by Russian anti-Kremlin militia fighting on Ukraine's side. Yusov said such questions should be addressed to the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion as they "operate autonomously" on Russian territory. "As for other issues, I think the Ministry of Defense will comment appropriately," added Yusov. On June 3, the Washington Post wrote that Russian anti-government militants had purportedly used riffles made by Belgium and the Czech Republic as well as tactical vehicles initially sent to Ukraine by U.S. and Poland in their May 22 cross-border raid on Russia's Belgorod region. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said that his country would launch an investigation into the purported use of its weapons on Russian soil. Belgorod incursion: Meet the anti-Kremlin militia behind the attack inside Russia Editors Note: The Kyiv Independent, together with a number of journalists, was taken to a location in northern Ukraine to interview the members of the units that took part in the military operation inside Russia. Not revealing the exact location was the only precondition for the interview. Norther The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima The New York Times also reported the anti-Kremlin militias having used American-made armored vehicles during their operations in Russia. The article claimed that the groups appear to have used International MaxxPros models of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), known to be provided to Ukraine only by Washington. On May 24, White House spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. was looking into those reports. The Free Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps claimed responsibility for fighting within Russia and taking hold of Russian villages near the Ukrainian border. Ukraine's officials have issued mixed statements in response to the May 22 Belgorod region incursion. Yusov confirmed told Suspilne that while the operation aimed to create a "safe strip" at the Russo-Ukrainian border, it is conducted "exclusively by Russian citizens." He then told CNN that the units that had crossed the border were "part of defense and security forces" in Ukraine, but "in Russia, they are acting as independent entities." Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, denied any involvement by Kyiv. The Ukrainian army is successfully advancing across a wide stretch of the Bakhmut front. Source: Hanna Maliar, Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine, on Telegram Quote from Maliar: "We are continuing our defence, which we started on 24 February 2022. The defence operation includes all sorts of activities, including counteroffensive operations. This is why we are launching counteroffensive operations on some fronts. The Bakhmut front, for example, remains at the epicentre of hostilities. We are advancing across a wide stretch of this front. We are seeing some success. We are capturing strategic heights. Enemy forces are on the defensive and are trying to maintain their positions." Details: According to Maliar, Russia is claiming the Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun because of the defeats the Russian army is suffering on the Bakhmut front. Small-scale battles are continuing in the south of Ukraine, she added. Updated: Maliar later added that Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Group of Forces was carrying out offensive operations on the eastern front. Quote: "Our forces have advanced in several areas over the course of the fighting: About 200-1,600 metres [in and around the settlements of] Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Paraskoviivka About 100 to 700 metres [in and around the settlements of] Ivanivske, Klishchiivka." Background: On Sunday, 4 June, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence released a video hinting at the Ukrainian counteroffensive and noting that its start will not be officially announced. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Ukrainian military going on offensive in some areas, says deputy defense minister The epicenter of hostilities remains the Bakhmut direction Were continuing the defense that we started on Feb. 24, 2022, she said. The defensive operation includes everything, in particular counter-offensive actions. Therefore, were going on the offensive in some areas. The Bakhmut area remains the epicenter of hostilities, Malyar stressed. Read also: Russia seeing growing concerns over upcoming Ukrainian counter-offensive, says Norwegian political analyst Were advancing with a rather wide front there, the deputy minister said. Were succeeding. Were occupying the dominant heights. The enemy is on the defensive, trying to hold ground. The Russian invaders are also on the defensive in the south, with the local battles taking place there, Malyar added. Why are the Russians actively spreading information about a counter-offensive? the official said. Because they need to divert attention from the defeat in the Bakhmut area. Read also: What to expect of Ukraines grand counter-offensive NV analysis Russia has stepped up its information and psychological operations by spreading fake stories about the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the Ukrainian militarys Centre for Strategic Communications said on June 5. Ukraine has said it will not comment officially on thee statements by the Russians. Neither will Ukraine officially announce the beginning of the counter-offensive, Ukraines Defense Ministry said previously. However, Ukraine is now ready to launch its long-expected counter-offensive, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 3. 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 official took bribes of up to $10,000 to facilitate illegal border crossings SBI Ukrainian official took bribes of up to $10,000 to facilitate illegal border crossings SBI The official, the head of a department of a district territorial centers for recruitment and social support in Kyiv Oblast, is alleged to have helped people cross into Moldova and Hungary using forged documents. "It has been established that the official ensured the production of forged military registration and medical documents on unfitness for military service," the statement by the law enforcement agencies reads. Read also: Military official explains mobilization priorities, training before deployment to front In particular, he prepared for the draft dodgers the relevant conclusion of the Military Qualification Commission and a document on exclusion from military registration. According to the agencies, the head of the department had two accomplices his acquaintance, the former head of the Kyiv Oblast military commissariat, and his son. The accomplices looked for "clients", acted as consultants on further crossing the borders of Moldova and Hungary, and also acted as intermediaries in the transfer of bribes. "For their services, the criminals charged from $6,000 to $10,000," the report says. Read also: Conscripts and mobilized soldiers key points from new draft laws The cost depended on the existing health problems of the dodgers and their age. The older the man was, the cheaper the service for forging the documents was. SBI officers detained the official's accomplices while they were receiving $8,000 for another set of forged documents. At this stage, two "deals" by the criminals have been documented, for which they pocketed $14,000. The pre-trial investigation in the case is ongoing. 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 pilots have not yet gone abroad for training Lists of Ukrainian pilots to undergo training on modern fighter jets have long been formed, but so far not a single Ukrainian pilot has gone to train abroad. Source: Colonel Yurii Ihnat, spokesman of Air Forces, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda Quote: "Now, we are not talking about pilot training. The first groups of aviation specialists have left to study the possibility of further deployment of training for Ukrainian pilots." Details: Ihnat explained that the countries of the fighter jet coalition express support for Ukraine and offer various types of training, in particular, initial training at different stages of aviation specialists, including not only about pilots, but also aircraft engineers who will be servicing the aircraft on a daily basis, combat control officers and others. Background: On 5 June, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, during a meeting with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley in Kyiv, thanked him for his leadership in creating the fighter jet coalition and for his readiness to train Ukrainian pilots. "The first groups have been sent to Britain," Shmyhal added, without specifying who he was talking about. It was decided that Ukraine will receive modern F-16 multi-purpose fighter jets. Technical issues are currently being agreed upon. As Ihnat explained, representatives of the Air Forces are constantly in contact with international partners, studying the details of when and which groups will go to which countries for training, and what will be the time frame. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A UN watchdog hinted in a ruling made public that the United States' systematic use of Guantanamo Bay to hold suspects rounded up in its "war on terror" might in some cases amount to crimes against humanity The United States and seven other countries are responsible for torture and illegal detention of a Saudi prisoner awaiting a death penalty trial at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, a UN watchdog has ruled. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention also hinted that the systematic use of Guantanamo to hold suspects rounded up in Washington's "war on terror" after the September 11, 2001 attacks, might in some cases amount to crimes against humanity. The working group's five independent experts ruled in a case brought by Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi national of Yemeni descent suspected of being the mastermind behind the October 2000 suicide bombing of the USS Cole missile destroyer that left 17 sailors dead. In the case submitted to the working group last June, lawyers maintained that after Nashiri was captured in Dubai in 2002, he spent four years shuttled between various CIA black sites -- in Afghanistan, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Romania and Thailand, -- being tortured and abused. He arrived at Guantanamo Bay in 2006, where he remains detained. He was only charged in 2008, and his military commission death penalty case still remains in pre-trial proceedings. - 'Cruel, inhuman' - In an opinion adopted late last year, but only discreetly made public on Friday, the UN working group determined that all eight countries were "jointly responsible for the torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Mr. al-Nashiri". "The submissions that Mr. al-Nashiri was tortured stand unrefuted," it said, also finding that all eight countries were responsible for his "arrest, rendition and arbitrary detention". Nashiri's lawyer Sylvain Savolainen described the decision as "immensely powerful and important". The working group, made up of five independent experts, whose opinions are not binding but carry reputational weight, called on the countries to "take the steps necessary to remedy the situation of Mr. Al-Nashiri without delay". Taking into account all the circumstances of the case, they said "the appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. al-Nashiri immediately", and provide him compensation and reparations. And they called for "a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr. al-Nashiri, including an independent inquiry into his allegations of torture". The experts took particular issue with the situation at Guantanamo, currently holding 31 detainees, down from a peak of nearly 800. They noted among other things that the medical care given there "has been and remains grossly deficient". "The Working Group is obliged to remind the government of the United States that all persons deprived of their liberty must be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person," they said. The experts stressed that while they were addressing Nashiri's case in particular, "the conclusions reached here also apply to other detainees in similar situations a Guantanamo Bay". And they cautioned that "under certain circumstances, widespread or systematic imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty, in violation of international law, may constitute crimes against humanity". nl By Riham Alkousaa BERLIN (Reuters) - United Nations climate talks in Germany kicked off on Monday without an agreed final agenda for technical discussions, a senior negotiator said, clouding optimism that the 10-day meeting would result in a clear programme for the COP28 conference in Dubai. The Bonn Climate Change Conference, designed to prepare decisions for adoption at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, is seen as a mid-way check for how ambitious international climate talks will take shape at COP28 in December. Despite months of discussions since the previous COP27 in Egypt, there was no agreement on adopting the agendas proposed by the COP permanent subsidiary bodies for the Bonn conference, Nabeel Munir, chair of UN Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), said at the opening of the talks. "What we experienced today ... with the non-adoption of the agenda, it's not desirable, but it's not uncommon in a party driven process," Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), told a news conference on Monday. Stiell said the December conference could be the most significant one on climate change since Paris as it provides the world an opportunity to get on track to meeting the 2015 Paris climate protection commitments. Making as much progress as possible in Bonn in the coming 10 days is important as the conference, with 200 countries' representatives, sets the technical groundwork for the political decisions required in Dubai later this year, Stiell added. Tom Evans, a policy adviser at independent climate think tank E3G, said the main issue was whether to have an agenda item on climate change mitigation in the Bonn conference, which the European Union had proposed, posing the question of fossil fuels phaseout. "It's a bit of a warm up to some of the tension around this question that we could see at COP 28," he added. At last year's climate summit in Egypt, over 80 countries including the EU and small island nations agreed to include language in the final outcome calling for a phase down of all fossil fuels. Countries including Saudi Arabia and China urged Egypt not to include that language in the final text. Asked whether Stiell would push COP28 president designate Sultan al-Jaber to put fossil fuel phaseout on the Dubai conference agenda, he said, "I'm not there to tell him anything." But he said the secretary's position was clear that halving emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050 required a deep cut and phasing out or down of all fossil fuel, Stiell added. The Bonn conference will witness talks on climate change policy issues including the so-called global stocktake at COP28, or a review of countries' collective progress every five years, in the first such procedure since the Paris Agreement in 2015. (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Richard Chang) United Nations 'alarmed' by Hong Kong June 4 detentions 34th anniversary of the 1989 Beijing's Tiananmen Square crackdown in Hong Kong By Donny Kwok and Jessie Pang HONG KONG (Reuters) -The United Nations said on Monday it was "alarmed" by detentions in Hong Kong linked to the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, while China said the financial hub was moving from "chaos" to prosperity. Hong Kong police said they detained 23 people on Sunday for "breaching public peace" and also arrested a 53-year-old woman for "obstructing police officers" on the anniversary of the violent suppression of pro-democracy protests in Beijing in 1989. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Twitter for the release of anyone detained for "exercising freedom of expression and peaceful assembly". Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK said the 23 people detained on Sunday were all later released. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Beijing firmly suppported Hong Kong authorities in their efforts to maintain security and stability. Wang also told a regular news conference on Monday that China's government had "long come to a clear conclusion regarding the political turmoil that occurred in the late 1980s". "I also want to emphasize that any attempt to use this as an excuse to smear China and interfere in its internal affairs will not succeed," Wang added. 'POLITICAL MANIPULATION' China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Sunday that "today's Hong Kong is moving from chaos to stability and prosperity along the right track of "one country, two systems". "External forces" including the United States should uphold international law and stop "futile political manipulation" over Hong Kong to contain China, a ministry spokesperson said. Restrictions on speech and public protests in the administrative region of Hong Kong have stifled what were once mass candlelight vigils marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, leaving cities like Taipei, London, New York and Berlin to keep the memory of June 4 alive. Hundreds of police conducted stop-and-search operations and deployed armoured vehicles near Victoria Park, the previous site of yearly vigils. Hong Kong activists say such police action is part of a broader campaign by China to crush dissent in the city that was promised continued freedoms for 50 years under a "one country, two systems" model when former colonial ruler Britain handed it back in 1997. The U.S. Consulate posted a photograph on Facebook on Sunday of candles lined up in all of its windows. "In memory" it wrote. The Canadian consulate said on its Facebook that it joined the people of Hong Kong and others around the world in "remembering the violent crackdown against unarmed and peaceful citizens" on June 4, 1989. It said Canada stood with all those "prevented from upholding their rights, including the right to assemble peacefully". (Additional reporting by Liz Lee in Beijing; Writing by Farah Master; editing by Stephen Coates and Gareth Jones) An unknown number of members of the University of Rochester campus community might have had their personal information revealed during a data breach, university officials say. UR is one of some 2,500 organizations around the globe affected by the cybersecurity attack. Our University IT staff is working closely with the FBI and an outside data forensic firm to determine what information was compromised and what possible actions need to be taken, university officials said in a statement to members of the campus community late last week. At this time, we believe faculty, staff, and students could be impacted, but we do not yet know the full scope of the impact to University community members or which personal data was accessed, as the investigation is ongoing, the statement read. The data breach resulted from a software vulnerability in a product provided by a third-party file transfer company, UR officials said. Such events are becoming increasingly common, with painful consequences for some of those affected. The Identity Theft Resource Center's 2022 Data Breach Report counted 1,802 data breaches last year worldwide affecting the data of many tens of millions of individuals. And Experian, one of the three major credit-rating agencies, reported last autumn on U.S. government statistics showing there were 5.8 million instances of fraud complaints in 2021, up nearly one-fifth from the year before. Financial losses jumped 77 percent to $6.1 billion and consumer identity theft complaints totaled about 1.43 million. The university pledged updates on the latest data breachs impact as they become available. What UR students, faculty and staff should do to protect their data UR is recommending students, faculty and employees, and those in their families, take these steps: Changing passwords. Ensuring passwords are strong (use of non-letter characters and avoiding names and terms that might be guessed easily). Using two-factor or multi-factor authentication (such as arranging to receive a code by text in addition to typing in your password). Checking credit card records for unauthorized activity. Checking with your bank or credit union to ensure money is not being withdrawn. If you notice any suspicious activity, please contact your financial institution and credit monitoring agencies right away, the UR statement said. The Federal Trade Commission offers advice for persons who have been beset by identity theft, a possible occurrence when there is a data breach. The potential damage to ones finances and credit score is considerable; identity thieves might apply for unemployment benefits in your name or use your health insurance to get medical care or open a new credit card in your name or even drain your bank account, the FTC warns. If your identity is stolen, what to do Among steps to consider are calling the fraud department of any company or retailer where you see fraud caused by identity theft has occurred. Ask them to close or freeze your account, the FTC suggests. And persons affected should change all logins, passwords and PINs associated with such accounts. In addition, the FTC recommends asking one of the three credit-rating bureaus to grant a free, one-year fraud alert, which would make it more difficult for others to open accounts in your name. How to reach the bureaus: Experian: www.Experian.com/help or call 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) TransUnion: TransUnion.com/credit-help or call 888-909-8872 Equifax: Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services or call 800-685-1111 Persons facing identity theft may also report the situation to the FTC, through this online form or by calling 1-877-438-4338. Learn more at identitytheft.gov. Where UR students, staff can find more information The University of Rochester invites students with questions to contact the university IT student help desk by either email (univithelp@rochester.edu) or telephone (585-275-2000). Employees, including both staff and faculty, may reach out with questions to the UR Office of Human Resources help desk by either email (ask-urhr@rochester.edu ) or telephone (585-275-8747). This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: UR data breach: Personal info of campus community potentially compromised The federal government is preparing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to improve safety at intersections where trains and cars meet. The Biden administration said Monday that the $570m in spending is aimed both at reducing the number of train and car collisions that happen at the intersections every year, while also reducing traffic congestion at the intersections that can leave drivers stalled in their cars for hours. If the spending has its intended effect, it could have significant consequences: according to CNN reporting, roughly 200 people die each year in crashes at train-car intersections. The money will be spread across 34 different projects, five of which are located in the state of Texas. The reality is far too many communities deal with collisions at grade crossings, Amit Bose, the administrator of the Federal Railway Administration, told CNN. They deal with blockages due to stopped or stalled trains and deal with the risk of first responders being delayed by those incidents. Rail safety has emerged as a major concern in the US in the aftermath of the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio near the Pennsylvania border in February. The derailment left East Palestine residents concerned for their health and safety and government officials wondering how the derailment happened. This investment is not designed to target conditions that rail workers believe cause major train derailments like overwork, but instead targets a specific set of issues in the transportation landscape. In addition to life-threatening crashes, some 2,000 each year, the delays experienced at a number of the intersections slated for improvement are a burden to drivers. CNN reported that there 850 blockages have already been reported this year at just seven different intersection sites. Meanwhile, a group of senators including Sens Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance of Ohio are pursuing a more comprehensive rail safety bill Mr Vance believes could pass the Senate in the coming weeks. The bill, drafted in response to the East Palestine disaster, would strengthen regulatory measures for trains and increase penalties for violators. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin inspects a guard of honour during his ceremonial reception in New Delhi on Monday The United States and India agreed a roadmap for military industrial cooperation Monday, as New Delhi seeks to reduce its reliance on key arms supplier Russia in the face of tensions with China. "We established an ambitious new roadmap for defence industrial cooperation, which will fast track high priority co-development and co-production projects," US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said as he wrapped up an overnight visit to New Delhi. But analysts warned that such pledges needed to be backed up by concrete action. Moscow and New Delhi have been allies for decades, with Russia by far India's biggest arms supplier. Now India -- which has not condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine -- is looking to diversify, both by broadening its sources of imports and ramping up domestic production. Western countries, including the United States and France, are negotiating multi-billion-dollar contracts, and diplomats say India is placing a high priority on technology transfer as part of any deal. The agreement will fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in areas including air combat and land mobility systems, the "undersea domain", and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the US Defense Department said. The initiative "aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between US and Indian defence sectors", it said, and "could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support India's defence modernisation plans". India has displaced China as the world's most populous country this year, and relations between the Asian giants have been strained since a deadly high-altitude border clash in June 2020. At the same time, Washington and Beijing are engaged in fierce competition on diplomatic, military, technological and economic fronts. - 'Bullying and coercion' - But India is walking a diplomatic tightrope: uniquely, it is a member of both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which includes Russia and China, and the Quad, set up with the United States, Japan, and Australia to counter Beijing's growing assertiveness. As well as arms, India also imports oil from Russia, increasing its purchases since the Ukraine war began. Analysts said they would wait to see whether the US-India roadmap was anything more than rhetoric. Expectations that Austin would talk about transferring engine technology to India and an armed Predator drone deal had gone unfulfilled, said Indian defence analyst Rahul Bedi. "We've heard this many times before from respective defence secretaries, as well as the Indian side," he told AFP. "But unless something concrete emerges I remain sceptical. The right path (of India-US relations) has to be backed with firm contracts and firm assurances." Austin, speaking to reporters after meeting his counterpart Rajnath Singh, said boosting partnerships with India came against a backdrop of "bullying and coercion" from China, as well as Russian "aggression against Ukraine". India's defence ministry said discussions had a "particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation" with Washington, including the "co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems". Austin's visit comes ahead of a trip by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington this month. Austin is on a tour of Asia that previously took him to Japan and Singapore, part of a push to help counter China and an increasingly bellicose North Korea. The United States is "committed to collaborating closely with India in support of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific", Austin said. But he added that Washington was "absolutely not trying to establish a NATO" equivalent in the region. wd-abh-pjm/slb/axn WASHINGTON The U.S. Marine Corps intends to replace some decades-old Hellfire missiles with a family of long-range loitering munitions, giving its attack helicopters greater range and lethality for a fight in the Pacific region. This move comes as part of the Corps ongoing Force Design 2030 modernization effort to prepare the service to deter or win a fight against China and other potential adversaries. The Marine Corps on Monday released an annual status update on Force Design efforts, which included a nod to the services Long-Range Attack Munition effort supported by the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, to rapidly develop and field a low-cost, air launched family of loitering, swarming munitions. In a June 2 call with reporters, Brig. Gen. Stephen Lightfoot, director of the Capabilities Development Directorate, noted that as an AH-1 pilot, he has firsthand experience with the Hellfire missile. Depending on the helicopters altitude, a pilot might get 8 kilometers (5 miles) of range from the weapon. Thats great in [Operation Iraqi Freedom], [Operation Enduring Freedom] and areas weve been fighting in for years. But when you move over to the Indo-Pacific and some of the distances were talking about, 8 kilometers doesnt really do as much as youd want, Lightfoot said. Noting that the last H-1 attack helicopters were delivered last year and that the Corps will operate them for several more decades, he said the service must now pursue both evolutionary and revolutionary ideas to keeping these aircraft relevant to the fight. The service is already experimenting with these long-range, loitering, swarming munitions and expects to field them within the next few years, Lightfoot noted. That is a capability that brings hundreds of kilometers, and that allows us to be able to use a current platform to be able to do things that we never thought wed be able to do, Lightfoot said, calling this development effort critical. These munitions would also be operable from ground launchers, he added. A Hero-400 loitering munition is staged before flight on San Clemente Island, Calif., on May 25, 2022. The drone is a type of weapon the service and other Defense Department entities are beginning to incorporate into specific mission sets. (Lance Cpl. Daniel Childs/U.S. Marine Corps) While the helicopters own range and maneuverability would enhance the munitions capability, Lightfoot said, aircraft arent always in the air. To ensure Marines operating forward have round-the-clock access to long-range offensive weapons, he said the service would pursue a launcher for use by ground troops. In a separate interview on the Force Design update, Scott Lacy, the deputy director of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, said the organization is working on this effort with the aviation community. The work includes studying munitions already on the market as well as other experimental capabilities. The Force Design annual update noted other projects include developing a common launcher for the family of ground launched loitering munitions and testing a low-cost, hypersonic booster in a form factor the Marine Corps can logistically support in a contested environment. Lacy did not elaborate much on the hypersonic booster, other than to say experimentation is ongoing at the lab. In the same interview, Col. Daniel Wittnam, the director of the Marine Corps Integration Division, described another long-range offensive fires effort in which the service is involved, in conjunction with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The office provided money for the Corps to experiment using the Maritime Strike Tomahawk a derivative of the legacy Tomahawk land-attack missile that the office directed in fiscal 2017 as a land-based weapon. Marines will use the Naval Strike Missile as their first ground-based, anti-ship missile but have previously said they intend to pursue other longer-range weapons for the future. Wittnam said the 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California, was standing up a battery to work with the Maritime Strike Tomahawk. The question the Marines have as they consider this and other emerging capabilities is whether the technology is naval and expeditionary, given their focus on littoral operations in the Pacific, the colonel said. He noted the current form factor is not, but he said the experimentation would continue. (The proof-of-concept system would mount the missile launcher on a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle chassis, a setup that already had a tip-over incident due to the center of gravity being off.) Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the deputy commandant for combat development and integration, told reporters during the June 2 roundtable that not all the ongoing experiments would be successesful, but the Corps would learn from all of them as it rapidly modernizes. I dont have the luxury of, (A) test something, (B) get the feedback, (C) lets make changes. You know, that takes years and years. We have to iterate and, if necessary, fail quickly and learn faster, and then iterate again, he said. In doing so, Heckl added, we have made the fleet more capable. Period. Full stop. The U.S. Treasury announced on June 5 that it had sanctioned seven leading members of a group affiliated with Russian intelligence for their involvement in Russia's destabilization campaign targeting Moldova. The malign influence actors sanctioned by the U.S. are part of Russia's global information operation directed against Ukraine and its bordering states, including Moldova, the Balkan countries, the European Union, the U.K., and the U.S, according to the report. Washington also sanctioned an organization owned or controlled by one of these individuals. "These malign influence operatives analyze countries vulnerable to exploitation and stoke fears that undermine faith in democratic principles in the targeted countries," the U.S. Treasury wrote. Moldovas president proposes new agency to tackle Russian disinformation, propaganda Moldovas President Maia Sandu warned against the dangers of Russian propaganda and disinformation in the country and proposed the creation of a new governmental body to counter this threat. The envisioned Patriot Center would coordinate and implement the states strategy on combatting disinformat The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek The sanctioned individuals "provoked, trained, and oversaw" groups that hold anti-government protests and other destabilizing events in those countries, reads the report. "The sanctions imposed today shine a light on Russia's ongoing covert efforts to destabilize democratic nations," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson. "Russia's attempted influence operations exploit the concerns of the citizens of these countries to destabilize legitimately elected governments for Moscow's own interests. The United States remains committed, along with the EU, to target individuals who engage in such activities against the government of Moldova." On May 30, the EU Council reported imposing similar sanctions on individuals accused of attempting to undermine the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova and Ukraine. The US has the second-highest number of endangered species. California, Florida, and Arizona lead the nation in threatened creatures. Among wild cats, snow leopards with a population of just under 3,400 are most endangered globally. Elise Amendola/Associated Press The US is second behind Indonesia for the number of endangered species, according to a new report. Among US states, California, Florida, and Arizona have the most threatened species. The report draws its data from a conservation group's Red List of Threatened Species. The US has the second-highest number of endangered species in the world behind only Indonesia, according to a new report. California, Florida, and Arizona held the top spots in the US for most endangered species: The Golden State had 18, followed by 13 in the Sunshine State, and seven in the Grand Canyon State. The US total of 1,178 endangered species includes 43 mammals and 284 types of fish. The analysis from cats.com relied on data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which is known for its Red List of Threatened Species. Globally, the biggest driver of species being pushed to extinction is humans' production of annual and perennial crops other than timber, the report found. These practices are the main obstacle that more than 250 species face, it said. Other threats include livestock farming and ranching, as well as logging. The report also flagged that insects have seen a big jump in threats since 2017 because of use of pesticides and lost habitat. That might seem like welcome news for people heading outdoors, but the drop is worrying scientists because insects make up the base of many food webs. And insects, the report noted, are essential for helping decompose waste and that without their presence, many other species that depend on them could be endangered. Among wild cats, snow leopards with a population of just under 3,400 are most endangered, the report found. There was one bit of good news: The global threat to birds decreased 4.7% from 2017 to 2022, according to the methodology cats.com used in its analysis. The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List includes some 150,000 species; of those, more than 42,000 could face extinction. In December, the group, whose members include government bodies from various countries, called attention to the dugong, a marine mammal; types of marine snails called abalones; and certain Caribbean coral. The IUCN's announcement came during a United Nations meeting on biodiversity. Jane Smart, head of IUCN's Centre for Science and Data, told the Associated Press in December that saving species will require political will but that the group's list can help galvanize action. "The news we often give you on this is often gloomy, a little bit depressing, but it sparks the action, which is good," Smart said to the AP. Read the original article on Business Insider WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen called on Monday for declassifying a government report on the death of Al Jazeera's Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist who was shot and killed while covering an Israeli army raid last year. One of the most recognizable journalists covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for two decades, Abu Akleh was killed in May 2022 during an Israeli raid in the West Bank city of Jenin. Her death triggered outrage across the region. Israel says Abu Akleh, who was wearing a clearly marked protective press vest and helmet, was likely unintentionally shot by an Israeli soldier but could also have been struck by Palestinian fire. Abu Akleh's family believes she was killed deliberately, and witnesses to the incident have said there were no Palestinian fighters firing in the area she was standing. The U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC) conducted an investigation, but the report remains classified. In a statement, Van Hollen, a Democrat on the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, said the report contains important insights into her death. That includes "relevant information and findings about the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces (Israeli military) unit involved in that operation as well as other IDF units operating in the West Bank," Van Hollen said. Van Hollen said that while the USSC team was "unable to conduct an independent investigation" due to lack of access to key witnesses, the report's public release was still vital to ensuring accountability in the shooting death of a U.S. citizen. The U.S. State Department, which oversees the USSC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In December, Al Jazeera made a submission to the International Criminal Court over Abu Akleh's killing. Her family has supported such efforts while urging action by the Biden administration. Israel insists that its soldiers do not deliberately target journalists and has refused to identify the soldier who may have shot Abu Akleh. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Don Durfee and David Gregorio) Blaming China won't spare US' guilt 10:12, June 05, 2023 By Zhang Zhouxiang ( Chinadaily.com.cn This photo taken on Jan 19, 2023 shows the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, the United States. [Photo/Xinhua] When the US blames a nation for a fabricated wrong, one can always find the US hypocrisy in committing the wrong itself. Thats the case at the ongoing Shangri-la Dialogue where US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he is concerned that the PRC has been unwilling to engage more seriously on better mechanisms for crisis management between our two militaries. Everybody concerned with international politics knows he refers to Chinas decline of a meeting between him and Defense Minister Li Shangfu. However, Austin failed to mention that while preparing for the dialogue the US sent a CR-135 surveillance plane to spy 50 kms off Chinas coast and interfered in the routine training of the PLA Navy. When the US stretches its right hand out for peace, its left hand holds a gun aimed at that person. Austins speech further exposes how the US lacks sincerity. Its 2024 fiscal year budget will increase by 40 percent over last years request for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, reaching a record high of $9.1 billion. It will strengthen Quad, AUKUS, work closer with Japan on uncrewed air combat systems, and hold an Exercise Talisman Saber composed of 14 members in July. Most ironically, they have even sanctioned Li Shangfu whom they claim trying to meet. In all these moves it takes China as an imaginary enemy. It is such an antagonism that has prevented normal exchanges between Chinese and US militaries, notvice versa. If the US really wants a meeting, it had better drop the gun in its hand and be sincere. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) FILE PHOTO: Republican U.S. presidential candidate Rubio shakes hands with rival candidate Trump at the conclusion of the Fox Business Network Republican presidential candidates debate in North Charleston US Supreme Court takes up dispute over 'Trump Too Small' trademark FILE PHOTO: Republican U.S. presidential candidate Rubio shakes hands with rival candidate Trump at the conclusion of the Fox Business Network Republican presidential candidates debate in North Charleston By Blake Brittain WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider whether a California attorney's federal trademark for the phrase "Trump Too Small" - a cheeky criticism of former President Donald Trump - should have been granted. The justices took up an appeal by the U.S. Trademark Office of a lower court's decision that trademark applicant Steve Elster's free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment for his criticism of public figures outweighed the federal agency's concerns about Trump's rights. Elster applied for the "Trump Too Small" trademark in 2018 to use on shirts. Elster said the mark was inspired by an exchange between Trump and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio from a March 2016 presidential candidate debate and aims to "convey that some features of President Trump and his policies are diminutive." In legal papers, Elster cited remarks including Rubio's about the size of "certain parts of (Trump's) anatomy, such as his hands" and news articles about the former president's "Shrinking of America" and reduction of lands established as national monuments. After the trademark office rejected Elster's application, an agency in-house tribunal upheld that decision, citing a federal law that bars trademarks that use a person's name without his or her consent. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the ruling last year, allowing the trademark. "The government has no legitimate interest in protecting the privacy of President Trump, the least private name in American life," Circuit Judge Timothy Dyk wrote in that decision, adding that publicity rights that protect people's use of their name in commerce "cannot shield public figures from criticism." "We look forward to defending the right to convey core political messages on trademarks," said Jonathan Taylor, an attorney for Elster. "The government's attempt to burden political speech - by granting public figures a monopoly over speech about them in the marketplace - is indefensible." A trademark office spokesperson declined to comment. Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as he seeks to return to the White House, is not personally involved in the case. Trump and Rubio, a senator from Florida, were rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination - a prize eventually won by the businessman-turned-politician. Trump sought to denigrate Rubio by calling him "Little Marco." At a campaign rally in Virginia, Rubio picked up on this theme, noting that while Trump was taller than him his rival had proportionally small hands. "And you know what they say about guys with small hands," Rubio said as the audience laughed. "You can't trust them." At the subsequent candidate debate, Trump defended himself. "He hit my hands. Nobody has ever hit my hands," Trump said of Rubio. "I've never heard of this one. Look at those hands. Are they small hands? And he referred to my hands. If they're small, something else must be small. I guarantee you, there's no problem. I guarantee it." Trump did not specify the "something else" to which he referred. The Trademark Office, represented by President Joe Biden's Justice Department, pushed back against concerns about discouraging political speech. "To the contrary, it is the registration of marks like respondent's - not the refusal to register them - that would 'chill' such speech," the trademark office told the Supreme Court. "After all, a trademark gives its owner the right to prevent others from using the mark." The court is due to hear the case during its next term, which begins in October. The court previously favored First Amendment rights over federal trademark restrictions in a 2017 ruling in favor of an Asian-American rock band called The Slants and a 2019 decision in favor of artist Erik Brunetti's "FUCT" brand. (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Additional reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham) China is growing more aggressive against the U.S. military around Taiwan and in the South China Sea, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday, warning Beijing that it wont be long before somebody gets hurt. The remarks from the White House come after the U.S. Navy on Monday criticized the Chinese military over an unsafe maneuver by one of its ships crossing the path of a U.S. warship at 150 yards of distance in the Taiwan Strait. There was absolutely no need for the PLA [Peoples Liberation Army] to act as aggressively as they did, Kirby said, speaking at the White House Press briefing, referring to the formal name of the Chinese military. These are part and parcel of an increasing level of aggressiveness by the PRCs military, particularly in the area of the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea, Kirby said. The confrontation in the Taiwan Strait followed an incident over the South China Sea late last month, when a Chinese fighter jet came dangerously close to an American reconnaissance aircraft. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command criticized the Chinese as carrying out an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver. Kirby said the two incidents point to a growing aggressiveness by Beijing and pointed out that while air and maritime intercepts happen, including on the part of the U.S., China was acting outside the bounds of international laws and rules of the road. These two that you saw recently, and they have happened with more frequency than wed like, not all of them are unsafe and unprofessional, but these two were. Kirby said the U.S. is urging China to make better decisions about how they operate in international airspace and sea space. Were going to keep standing up for those rules of the road, he said. Still, Kirby said the U.S. is committed to keeping lines of communication open with the Chinese to make it clear how unacceptable those particular intercepts are, even as Beijing has rebuffed efforts to establish a crisis military-to-military channel with the U.S. Beijing also rejected an official meeting between Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the Chinese Minister of Defense Li Shangfu during a defense summit in Singapore over the weekend. Austin, speaking with reporters while traveling to India and France, called Chinese naval ships maneuvers extremely dangerous. I call upon the PRCs leadership to really do the right things, to rein in that kind of conduct because I think accidents can happen that could cause things to spiral out of control, he said. China views as a provocation U.S. military air and seacraft transiting the Taiwan Strait, with Beijing claiming the waterway does not constitute international waters and instead is part of a larger dispute over Beijings claims of sovereignty over the self-governed island of Taiwan. China resolutely opposes the country concerned stirring up trouble in the Taiwan Strait and is firmly determined to defend its sovereignty and security and regional peace and stability, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a press conference Monday, referring to the U.S. The confrontation between the Chinese and U.S. warships comes as two senior American diplomats are in Beijing for rare, face-to-face talks on U.S. and China relations. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran held candid and productive discussions, Deputy State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel said Monday, with cross Strait issues part of the talks. The meetings were part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and build on high level diplomacy between these two countries, Patel said. Communication between the U.S. and the PRC has narrowed amid a series of crises in the relationship. This includes the Chinese severing certain military and diplomatic conversations with the U.S. in response to a visit by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to Taiwan in August 2022. In early February, the Biden administration canceled a high-stakes trip by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing following the discovery of a Chinese spy balloon traversing the U.S. CIA Director Bill Burns reportedly made a secret trip to China in May in an effort to push for renewed communication between Washington and Beijing. While President Biden has predicted a thaw will happen in the relationship, the White House has not announced a phone call or meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping and has not rescheduled Blinkens trip to the country. Democrats and Republicans who have united over shared concern of the threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have split over the administrations push for communication with Beijing. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), ranking member of the House Select Committee on Competition with China, told CNN on Sunday that the Biden administration is right to pursue talks and stress to Beijing the risks over a potential conflict. The CCP believes that not having dialogue and having this very dangerous behavior on the part of its vessels and its aircraft will somehow discourage us, as well as our friends and partners, from exercising our freedom of navigation in that part of the world. But actually, in my humble opinion, it does the opposite, he said. I think that they should come to the table, meet with folks like Secretary Austin and others and talk about, how do we lower the temperature, lower tensions and lower the possibility of conflict? But Rep. Mike Gallagher, (R-Wis.), chairman of the committee, said on Fox News that China is not interested in being friends. By pursuing detente with the CCP, we only invite aggression and they will only continue to test our boundaries, he said. Updated at 4:17 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The University of South Florida announced Thursday it has achieved one of its major goals, more than 15 years in the making: joining the invitation-only Association of American Universities, a group of top-tier research schools. The university became the second public school in the state to be invited to the 71-member association, joining the University of Florida. School officials wasted little time in accepting. USF was one of six schools to receive invitations, including the University of Miami. Previously, only four universities had been invited to join over the past decade. Invitations are extended based on many factors, including graduation rates, research activity, faculty excellence and the number of low-income students receiving federal Pell grants. This is a historic and momentous achievement for USF, university President Rhea Law said in a news release. Especially when considering we were founded in 1956, to now officially be recognized by our peers as one of Americas leading research universities is a shining example of our university communitys determination, innovative spirit and relentless pursuit of excellence. The release said joining the association will allow USF to grow its research profile, putting researchers in a more competitive position to gain funding and help the school in recruiting additional world-class faculty and students to the Tampa Bay region. Researchers at schools in the association perform 63% of the total amount of federally funded research, the release said. In a message to the university community, Law credited those who came before her for setting the membership goal. She was a member of the board of trustees when it first became a USF priority 16 years ago. We earned this distinction because of the determination and relentless pursuit of excellence by our outstanding students, faculty, staff, alumni and other supporters, she wrote. She also thanked former USF President Judy Genshaft and former provost Ralph Wilcox for setting the bold aspirations. At a news conference, Law said Wilcox approached her in 2007, saying joining the association would be the pinnacle of academic excellence and the board decided to go after it. Since then, she said, they havent taken the pedal off. Law addressed a roomful of attendees that included Genshaft, Wilcox, former USF President Betty Castor, founding USF board chairperson Dick Beard, Board of Governors member Ken Jones, State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues and former House Speaker Chris Sprowls. She thanked the former leaders and others, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, for helping in the effort. Faculty Senate President Jenifer Jasinski Schneider said she was shocked by the announcement because, despite the gains the university had made, Florida schools often operate with fewer resources than others. The news, she said, came as a pleasant surprise during a time of low faculty morale over recent initiatives by DeSantis and the Florida Legislature to regulate classroom content and make it easier for faculty to lose their tenure status. This is not a reaction to or an indication of support for whats currently happening, Jasinski Schneider said. This is not something that happens overnight, and certainly not something thats happened since January.... This is an indicator of what we were saying like What are you guys doing? Theres nothing broken here. Jasinski Schneider said the recognition is a sign of USFs growing status. Theres nothing you can manipulate to make us AAU, she said. That prestige also puts us in the room when big conversations are happening across the prestigious universities in the U.S. and Canada. Tim Boaz, past president of the faculty senate, said the announcement could be a game-changer for attracting faculty during a time when colleagues are having trouble filling positions. The timing couldnt be better, he said. I think we really needed something like this. Wilcox, who recalled first discussing membership in the association with former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, said every great city is tied to a great research university. Some didnt believe it was achievable, he said. But here we are. Were associated with the creme de la creme. University of Utah Electrical and Computer Engineering Department professor Cynthia Furse holds an antenna while posing for a portrait in an anechoic chamber, where antennas are tested, in the Antenna Measurement Lab at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Furse says artificial intelligence has been used to develop antennas for decades. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Artificial intelligence has been around for decades. In 1951, computer science pioneer Christopher Strachey wrote the first successful AI program. Since then, it has been woven into our everyday lives from bank fraud detection to flu season prediction to facial identification on our smartphones. Yet as large language model-based tools like ChatGPT have become accessible to the public, AI has garnered more and more negative attention, especially because of the prospect that students may use it to complete assignments. Cynthia Furse, an electrical and computer engineering professor at University of Utah, uses AI in the classroom. She teaches her students how to use genetic algorithms, which use computer-coded natural selection, to design antennae. Engineers have been using AI-like genetic algorithms since the 1960s, so ChatGPT and other text-generating bots dont strike Furse as particularly revolutionary, at least in their current form. They cant produce data or cite sources accurately, so their ability to help write, say, a scientific report is still limited. Youve just about written the thing by the time you tell ChatGPT what to write for you, Furse said. Other professors, like Chris Babits at Utah State University, believe generative AI will provoke a paradigm shift in college education not because they fear their students depending on it, but because it presents educators with an opportunity to reassess how they teach. Related University of Utah Electrical and Computer Engineering Department professor Cynthia Furse holds an antenna over a pacemaker in her office at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Furse says artificial intelligence has been used to develop antennas for decades. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News AI raises the bar for teachers and students I think the role that a professor should play is not to be afraid of whether students cheat. What we should do is become more aware of what it means to teach our students in the first place, said Christa Albrecht-Crane, an English professor at Utah Valley University. As the chair of the Writing Program Committee at the university, Albrecht-Crane has been leading discussions with her colleagues about how they can teach their students that doing their own writing is to their advantage. Part of that initiative is separating papers into separate assignments, like brainstorming, outlining, rough draft, revision and peer review. ChatGPT can assist with all these steps Albrecht-Crane has even introduced it in her classroom as a collaborator but breaking an essay down may make students less likely to rely on it to write the whole thing. The emphasis is not the product of writing, but the emphasis is the process of creating writing that students feel like they are invested in, Albrecht-Crane said. Text-generating AI may also prompt professors to design assignments that require more creativity, collaboration and complex analysis from students. Babits, a history professor, plans to implement this philosophy in his America in the 1960s class this upcoming fall. Expecting that students will use ChatGPT to complete lower-level tasks for the class, Babits is requiring them to create mock museum exhibits for the National Museum of American History and social media campaigns to market those exhibits based on the assigned readings. So you can see that is much more difficult and challenging, but probably more meaningful than sitting down and writing three essays on three different books over the course of a semester, Babits said. Some professors see ChatGPT as just another new technology in the same category as calculators and the internet. Writing used to require knowledge of spelling and grammar, until spell checkers and Grammarly came along. USU computer science professor John Edwards argues that text-generating AI is doing the same thing on a higher level, which is prose. But I dont think it takes away the highest level the most important part of how to construct an argument or the creativity behind writing, Edwards said. University of Utah Electrical and Computer Engineering Department professor Cynthia Furse holds antennas while posing for a portrait in her office at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Furse says artificial intelligence has been used to develop antennas for decades. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Related Incorporating ChatGPT into college curricula Halfway through this past spring semester, Babits gave his history of sexuality class an optional assignment: the students were to feed ChatGPT a question they had about the class material, then analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the responses. After their initial amazement wore off, students started noticing flaws in the bots output it was relatively general, lacked depth and even got some information wrong. Some students saw it as a helpful starting point, but no one said they would trust it to do an entire assignment. One possible conclusion to be drawn from this is that students may be less likely to use ChatGPT to do all their work if they understand its shortcomings. Albrecht-Crane believes educators have a responsibility to teach their students how to use ChatGPT ethically in order to prepare them to enter a workforce that will likely be transformed by AI. What if students do use ChatGPT to cheat? Most of these professors admitted to the inevitability of at least some students using generative AI to get out of doing their own work. And while some believe banning ChatGPT will cause more harm than hurt, others see it as the most viable way to deter students from depending on it. Edwards believes college students should be exposed to AI at some point, but banning it on a course level would not be detrimental. ChatGPT is not changing the world. Its one step in our decades-long progression in using technology in innovative ways, he said. Its a big step, to be sure, but I have absolutely no problem with an English teacher not using it. Returning to traditional testing rather than giving students open-book, take-home exams may be in the cards for educators who worry about their students losing their critical thinking skills to AI. One of the main problems with banning generative AI use in the classroom is it is nearly impossible to enforce. Its easy enough for students to tweak ChatGPT responses enough to sound human-written, and AI detection software often concludes a paper is at least partly AI-generated when the student wrote the whole thing themselves. Thats why Edwards and his colleagues at USU are exploring a different method of plagiarism detection: keystroke tracking. Along with their assignment, computer science students would submit a log of the back spaces, copies and pastes and all the other keys hit in the process of typing their code. Having a window into their students coding processes would allow professors to detect red flags a copy and paste might suggest that a student used a code-generating AI program like Copilot. Edwards research also demonstrates that students are less likely to plagiarize when they know their keystrokes are being tracked. Although Edwards and his team are still working out some of the issues with keystroke logging, like the potential privacy breach and the anxiety it could cause some students, it may present a more effective approach to AI detection in education. What happens when AI advances? Many argue that the real concern is not AI in its current state, but the more capable AI that the future will likely bring. Earlier this month, the Center for AI Safety released a statement emphasizing the gravity of AIs advancement, receiving signatures from hundreds of tech experts. Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war, the statement says. Related Other experts have chosen to take a step back from AI. Geoffrey Hinton, the Godfather of AI whose research was essential to the development of software like ChatGPT, has quit working for Google and expressed concern that AI might grow out of control. He even said AIs potential to wipe out humanity is not inconceivable, the Deseret News reported. This view however, is not universal. As an engineer, Furse sees hope in the future of generative AI. If ChatGPT eventually has the ability to produce more accurate information and cite sources, for example, that would be useful and allow students and teachers to focus on more advanced tasks. Saving us time to do the more inventive stuff would be really fantastic, Furse said. Edwards contends that if AI does become destructive, it will not be because it became too intelligent, but because humans will have failed to adapt. We need to elevate what makes us human beings, he said. And if we do that, if were continually improving as human beings, then I dont think computers will ever catch up. A Venezuelan migrant accused of killing a Honduran woman at an El Paso motel was arrested over the weekend in Fort Worth, police officials said. Eddy Jose Ortega Alvarado, 34, faces a capital murder charge for allegedly killing 40-year-old Carmen Unilda Navas Zuniga and stealing her money at the Budget Lodge Motel, 1301 N. Mesa St., El Paso police said. Borderland: El Paso man accused of leading human smuggling operation; wife, Las Crucens also charged Ortega was arrested Friday with the assistance of Fort Worth police. On Monday, he remained held under a $2.5 million bond at the Tarrant County Corrections Center awaiting extradition to El Paso, according to an online jail log. The woman's death occurred a day after she and Ortega had crossed the border into the United States and were processed and released by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 20, police said in a statement. Eddy Jose Ortega Alvarado, of Venezuela, is accused of capital murder in the death and robbery of Carmen Unilda Navas Zuniga, 40, of Honduras, on May 21 at the Budget Lodge Motel, 1301 N. Mesa St. in El Paso. On the afternoon of May 21, Navas was found dead by motel staff under what El Paso police detectives initially described as "suspicious" circumstances at the motel located just north of Downtown, across the street from Cathedral High School. The rooms at the motel had been previously used as a suspected "stash house" for undocumented migrants. In April, Border Patrol agents detained 43 migrants at the motel, where bed sheets had been tied together as a makeshift rope to try to escape from second-floor windows. El Paso crime beat: Fort Bliss soldier 'possessed by devil' arrested in night home break-in Detectives learned that additional people had stayed in the motel room with Navas and identified Ortega as a person of interest in the case, which was later determined to be a homicide, officials said. Investigators learned that Ortega had left El Paso and was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On Friday, El Paso police homicide detectives met and questioned Ortega in Fort Worth, obtaining information leading investigators to suspect he killed Navas and stole her money, police said. Further details regarding the death of Navas have not been disclosed because the case is still an active investigation, officials said. Immigration politics: California attorney general blames Florida for migrant charter flight to Sacramento Under Texas law, capital murder can be considered when a person is killed during the commission of another crime, such as a robbery. Capital murder is punishable by the death penalty or life in prison without parole. The migrant woman's death is considered the sixth of seven murders in El Paso so far this year, compared with nine at this time last year, a police spokesman said Monday. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Venezuelan migrant accused of killing Honduran woman at El Paso motel Retired Army Capt. Evan Cleaver served in Afghanistan. NEPTUNE- A new veteran-owned cannabis business hopes to help former service members struggling with PTSD while also ending the stigma around cannabis use. Victory Natural Farms LLC, headed by retired Army Capt. Evan Cleaver, received approval for a recreational cannabis license in Neptune Township on May 22. Cleaver, a Pennsylvania native who took part in the ROTC program at West Chester University before graduating in 2008, served in the army for five years, including a year spent in Afghanistan. "We are hoping to hire veterans, especially local veterans. It is something I am real passionate about. I remember how it was getting out, trying to figure out something else to do," Cleaver said about his Neptune business plans. Cleaver and his wife live in Bloomfield, but plan to move to Monmouth County soon. "I am really excited about hiring local veterans (and) giving them something new to be excited about, something to be passionate about," Cleaver said. "That is exactly what happened to me when I got out. I didn't do anything with plants before that." Cleaver's interest in cannabis began years ago when he wanted to have a supply of cannabis for his personal use. "As soon as I started getting into growing it, it just became a real big passion for me. So I think it can be for a lot of other veterans too and I think sometimes veterans have a stigma about it that they don't need to have," he said. When Cleaver left military service in 2013, he had already been back from Afghanistan for a year and a half, "but the (post-traumatic stress disorder) doesn't really hit at first." "Especially when you're still in and doing your day-to-day army stuff. Then when I got out and moved back east that is probably the most I was ever drinking, wasn't being as nice to my wife as I should've been, anger issues," Cleaver said. Cannabis, he said, did wonders for the anger he was experiencing, which he described as "anger for no reason." "(Anger) went hand in hand with the drinking too. Cannabis really helped me with that. Now, basically, I have no problems with drinking. I have no problems with anger. I have a really happy marriage, an 8-year old son and a great life and I think a lot of it is because of cannabis," Cleaver said. In 2013, he purchased $300 worth of supplies from a friend who had a dropship retail store for hydroponics. Dropshipping is an online retail business model where the retailer does not need to maintain inventory of the items they are selling. "Then away I went from there being able to be self-sustaining," Cleaver said. Now, he has is approved to operate his own recreational cannabis business and "it doesn't feel quite real, but it isn't going to be real until we are doing it." Cleaver said he will operate as an organic cannabis cultivator. "Really the core of our operations is focused on growing really high-quality organic cannabis and selling the flower and pre-roll packs." The pre-roll packs will be similar to old school packs of cigarettes because Cleaver believes "that is something veterans will identify with." "We are looking to sell cannabis to everyone. Not just to the traditional stoner class, which obviously a lot of my friends fall well within that class," he said. "Hopefully one day police officers when they get off work can smoke a jay and relax because they have a lot of the same problem the vets have." He added that cannabis is also for doctors and other professionals. "We know a lot of them currently smoke. We just want to have a brand that is open and accessible to those folks. We want the stigma to be gone," Cleaver said. Cannabis companies can't be USDA Certified Organic, but Cleaver will follow similar practices. "Growing in living soil... and relying on the microbes, the bacteria, and the fungus in the soil to breakdown organic materials and then symbiotically feed them to the plants instead of using chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides," Cleaver said. "Having a company that is owned by veterans and looking to hire veterans to work - you cant get much better than that," said Committeeman Robert Lane Jr., who is the township's liaison for veterans affairs. Lane said active local veteran organizations such as the VFW and American Legion would mean Cleaver "should have some great men and women the to choose from." Charles Daye is the metro reporter for Asbury Park and Neptune, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. @CharlesDayeAPP Contact him: CDaye@gannettnj.com This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Neptune NJ approves veteran owned marijuana business Kansas City police are investigating after someone allegedly fired a pellet or BB gun toward the doors of a popular LGBTQ venue in Kansas Citys Westport neighborhood early Sunday. Police responded to a 911 call outside Fountain Haus on the corner of Westport Road and Broadway just after 1 a.m. Sunday, said Sgt. Jake Becchina, a spokesman with the Kansas City Police Department. One of the victims told police they were standing outside the front door of Fountain Haus when they felt a pain in their arm that they believe came from a pellet shot from a pellet gun, Becchina said. The victim didnt require medical attention. Detectives with KCPDs assault unit are investigating what happened, Becchina said. Anyone who was in the area around 1 a.m. Sunday who saw or heard anything is asked to call detectives at 816-234-5227 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Becchina said the police department will maintain contact with the FBI as the investigation unfolds. Our LGBTQ+ Liaison officer has already been in touch with the management for the establishment, Becchina said. They have discussed safety for the bar moving forward and he is keeping them in the loop on the investigation. Fountain Haus is one of the largest queer and ally spaces in the Midwest. On Saturday morning, the Kansas City Pride Parade kicks off at the intersection where Fountain Haus sits. Your 2023 Kansas City Pride Guide: Here are 13 ways to celebrate LGBTQ community in June Justin Short, a former commissioner with the Kansas City LGBTQ Commission, posted a screenshot of an email on Twitter Sunday that he said was from Jayson Morgan, a manager at Fountain Haus. Short provided a copy of the email to The Star. Morgan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Morgan told Short that at the time of the shooting, there was a line of people waiting outside the entrance to Fountain Haus. Someone drove by with a BB Gun and shot up our whole line. Of course this caused a lot of distress and instilled a lot of fear as it cleared out our whole line, Morgan wrote. Thank goodness nobody was hurt, but considering our proximity to Pride next weekend we must consider this a threat that can escalate. This is the beginning of a lengthy email I received this morning. The micro aggressions in our city, state, and country cannot be commonplace. I will be reaching out to the bar owner as well as our local and federal partners to discuss plans for this coming weekend. pic.twitter.com/RUTOlf3m2Y Justin Short For KC (City Council) (@Justin__Short) June 4, 2023 Morgan said he is hoping to figure out how to protect customers ahead of Pride weekend in case something similar, or worse, was to happen. Hate crimes against members of the LGBTQ community have been on the rise. Between 2020 and 2021, there was a 70% increase in the number of reported incidents targeting LGBTQ people, according to FBI data. Meanwhile, a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws are moving through Republican-controlled legislatures across the country most often targeting transgender youth including in Kansas and Missouri. The Kansas Legislature recently overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kellys veto to prohibit transgender women from participating in school sports. In Missouri, a bill on Gov. Mike Parsons desk would prohibit Missouri Medicaid from covering hormones, puberty blockers and surgeries for gender transitioning. In response, Kansas City Council recently declared Kansas City a safe haven for gender-affirming health care in Missouri. Morgan said he takes any threats against the LGBTQ community seriously, but especially in light of the current political climate. Justice Horn, chair of KCs LGBTQ Commission, said the immediate focus in Kansas City should be on making sure the investigation continues moving forward while also figuring out a security plan for next weeks pride festivities so the LGBTQ community feels safe during Pride month. This kind of thing is like a pressure cooker. Its only a matter of time before something absolutely devastating happens in Kansas City, and its up to leaders like us to put a stop to it, Short said. A statue of an antisemitic politician who is said to have inspired Adolf Hitler is to be tilted 3.5 degrees to the right. The monument to Karl Lueger, situated in Dr. Karl Lueger Platz in the center of Vienna, has long been a subject of fierce debate in the Austrian capital. Lueger, who was elected mayor of the Austrian capital in 1897 and governed the city until his death in 1910, is known to have exploited anti-Jewish feeling in his bid for office, emphasizing Christian and Germanic supremacy. He was much admired by fellow Austrian Hitler, who later wrote of Luegers charisma and popular appeal in his 1925 political manifesto Mein Kampf. In recent years, the Viennese authorities have been grappling with Luegers legacy. In 2012, a section of the Ringstrasse, the citys central boulevard, that had borne Luegers name since 1934, was renamed Universitatsring. However, after much debate, the city has decided to keep its bronze statue of Luegeralbeit with one slight alteration: The monument will be tilted 3.5 degrees to the right. The move was announced in a string of tweets from the citys official Twitter account on May 31. Debate over the future of the statue, which was erected in 1926, has been raging for years. The statue has been repeatedly defaced, and in 2020 demonstrators held a vigil of shame to prevent the authorities from removing graffiti that had been daubed on it. Last year, a round table of representatives from the worlds of art, science, politics, administration and civil society decided that some artistic contextualization would be added to the statue. A specially appointed jury subsequently opted for a proposal by Viennese artist Klemens Wihlidal. The future of the statue, which has been repeatedly defaced, has been hotly debated in Vienna. - JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images In a press release issued by Public Art Vienna, Wihlidal said he did not want to change the monument, but the view and perspective on it. He said a minimal intervention would see it shifted 3.5 degrees to the right, altering the observers point of view. With this, I would like to cause an irritation, or even more, a moment of insecurity, which may only become perceptible upon a second look, he added. He said the effect would be reminiscent of a sinking ship and evokes the feeling of transience and impermanence, as if one had to watch the monument about to topple over or at least expect that it wont stand for much longer. It is not yet known when the change will be made to the monument, though they are expected to be at some point in 2024, a spokeswoman for the city council told CNN in an email. For some, however, the move does not go far enough. Political antisemitism was invented by Karl Lueger. He was therefore one of Hitlers teachers, Ariel Muzicant, president of the European Jewish Congress and former president of the Jewish Community of Vienna, told CNN in an email. Tilting the statue is a halfhearted approach to dealing with this issue. At the very least, the local authority should change the name of this square and of many other locations in Vienna bearing Luegers name. Oskar Deutsch, the current president of the Jewish Community of Vienna, told CNN in an email: The current approach is a step towards the right direction. But one must not forget that to date squares, streets, bridges and other monuments are still named after antisemites all over Austria. He added: Dismantling the memorial of Lueger and replacing it with an installation referencing the history would be more appropriate and in line with a sincere culture of remembrance. Renaming all streets named after antisemites in Austria is long overdue. The Jewish community strongly believes that it also remains important to draw lessons from history not only by transforming memorials but also through combating antisemitism and hatred against minorities in todays politics and society. The far right entering more and more local governments is a threat to liberal democracy. In a 2018 survey, a third (35%) of Austrians told CNN that Jewish people were at risk of racist violence in their country. Nearly half (45%) said antisemitism was a growing problem there. The findings were part of a ComRes/CNN survey exploring antisemitism in seven European countries. In Austria, 12% of people aged 18 to 34 said they had never heard of the Holocaust. Austria also had the highest number of people in the surveyfour out of 10 adultswho said they knew just a little about the Holocaust. And a third of Austrians (32%) said Jewish people have too much influence on business and finance around the world, echoing a long-standing antisemitic trope. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com When will voters pick Rep. Stewarts replacement? Gov. Cox willing to call special session so lawmakers can set earlier date Gov. Spencer Cox speaks in front of a depiction of Smokey Bear during a press conference in North Salt Lake warning residents about wildfire risks on Monday, June 5, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News With Rep. Chris Stewarts resignation looming, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on Monday hes willing to call the Legislature into a special session so lawmakers can set new dates for a special election. We want Utahs 2nd District to be represented. And so making that vacancy as short as possible is important to all of us. ... If we have to change the law to do that, were willing to call them into a special session, he told reporters during an event in North Salt Lake. Related Under Utah law, Cox will have seven days after receiving a resignation letter to issue a proclamation setting the dates for a special primary and general election. The primary must coincide with an existing election, and be at least 90 days after the proclamation. And the general must be at least 90 days after the primary. However a special election can be held outside of those dates if Cox calls the Legislature into a special session and lawmakers appropriate the necessary funds to run the election. An option being discussed with county clerks is holding the primary election for the congressional seat at the same time as the August municipal primary and then electing a new representative in the November general election. That would require a change in the law, since a municipal primary election is not currently eligible for a special election to fill a congressional vacancy. A decision could be announced by the end of the week. If Stewart were to resign tomorrow, the closest eligible date is a general municipal election in November but on Thursday, the congressman suggested he could be resigning in September. If he does, the special election primary would be held in March 2024, the next eligible date, unless the Legislature intervenes. Cox says Stewart has not yet chosen a resignation date. Well nail this down over the next couple days. Were still working with Congressman Stewart to decide how long he is able to stay on, and that will determine the actual timeline, he said. As lieutenant governor, Cox was in the middle of a rift between then-Gov. Gary Herbert and state lawmakers over filling the vacancy left when former Rep. Jason Chaffetz resigned his seat in Congress in 2017. Herbert frustrated lawmakers by taking control of the special election, sparking talk of the Legislature suing the governor. That never happened, but the law was changed in 2020 to make it clear lawmakers ultimately control the process. Related Not only does the law now mandate that the governor must call a special session to approve the appropriation needed to hold a special election, but it also gives lawmakers the power to void a date they dont like simply by withholding funding. The tensions between the two branches of government also led to an amendment to the Utah Constitution to allow lawmakers to call themselves into special session. Previously, only the governor had that authority. Cox, who oversaw elections as lieutenant governor, had downplayed the situation caused over Herberts call for a primary election in the race to replace Chaffetz. House and Senate Republicans wanted to let party delegates choose the candidates for the general election ballot. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, backed a special session to deal with the upcoming vacancy. We are working through options and coordinating with the governors, lieutenant governors and Congressman Stewarts offices on the most suitable timeline to fill the vacancy that ensures Utah has full representation in Washington, D.C., Adams said in a statement. I am supportive of a special session to address this pressing issue, he said. On Sunday, KSL Newsradio reported that Utahs House Majority Leader, Rep. Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, suggested lawmakers would be on board with shortening the state-mandated timeline. I think it will happen sooner. The Chaffetz race was like 60 days, Shultz told Take 2 podcast host Maura Carabello, who is also a KSL Newsradio host. Cox echoed that sentiment on Monday, saying his preferred timeline is Id love to have it done tomorrow. Were working closely with the Legislature as well so were all aligned on this. I dont want to leave this seat open any longer than we have to. Thats whats driving all of this conversation, he said. Washington state Governor Jay Inslee announced that he will not seek a fourth term, prompting reporters and activists alike to examine his in-office record. Dubbed the Climate Governor throughout his decade as the Evergreen States leading man, Inslee even mounted a presidential campaign largely based on this record. Although his presidential bid was not successful in 2020, then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden later praised Governor Inslees approach to climate issues in a reelection endorsement. The Inslee Administration emphasizes Washingtons role in building the countrys clean energy future and reaching net-zero emissions, but the inconvenient truth is that under his administration, the states emissions rose between the start of his term and 2019. Washingtons Climate Commitment Act, which is a cap-and-invest emissions reduction program, was passed in 2021 and implemented this year to reduce the states emissions by 95 percent by 2050. Its too early to see whether or not the program will be effective, but it sure seems as though the self-proclaimed Climate Governor might have pulled a fast one on all of us. The Inslee Administrations climate strategy has been a top-down, government-heavy approach that simply has not yielded the results for emissions reductions and environmental protection that hes promised on the campaign trail. Not only have emissions risen, but forest health across the state has suffered due to poor management, and there are other conservation concerns across the state. This isnt to suggest all of Washingtons environmental challenges are Governor Inslees doing, but this approach of big talk, ineffective action isnt working for our people or our planet. Rather than having a clean energy mandate while hindering the states hydropower industry, for instance, Washington state would benefit far more from innovative, competitive energy markets and an all-of-the-above approach. We need environmental leadership in this country that is willing to unlock the potential of American energy. For Washington state, that means producing clean, abundant energy from hydropower not slowly pushing it out of business. Hydropower is the largest energy source in the state of Washington, producing more electricity for Washingtonians than coal and natural gas combined. More generally, hydropower accounts for more than 30 percent of our nations renewable energy generation. Yet, in recent years, Governor Inslee has expressed support for replacing hydropower. Even though the Governor signaled openness to replacing hydro with nuclear energy when asked, the administration is primarily focused on wind and solar power. We should have all of the above. We cannot afford to gate-keep clean energy, like so many are trying to do, if were to meet our climate goals by mid-century. Rather than putting perfection over progress, Washington state needs an actionable, effective climate strategy that helps people and the planet. This means properly managing the states beautiful forests to naturally store carbon and prevent damaging wildfires. It means allowing for a competitive, market-driven energy grid that prioritizes energy abundance and decarbonization. It means putting every solution on the table. Governor Inslees climate agenda may be in good faith, but if the last decade has taught us anything, its that his agenda is ineffective. Picking winners and losers is all too common in our current climate approach. Whether were favoring wind and solar over hydropower and nuclear energy or favoring government overreach over market forces, were choosing wrong. According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of Americans want to see climate action, but its glaringly obvious that the status quo isnt working. We need fresh leadership in 2024 and beyond that embraces the fact that there is no silver bullet to our climate challenge. With Governor Inslee officially leaving the governors mansion in 2025, Washington state can now choose a different climate path, one paved with real action and emissions reduced rather than pretty campaign speeches and empty promises. Its time for Washington and the rest of the country to commit to climate action. Benji Backer is the president and founder of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). He lived in Washington for six years and is a graduate of the University of Washington. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is accusing the Kremlin of planting landmines to blow up his troops as they left Bakhmut Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group military company. AP Photo Russian mercenary Yevgeny Prigozhin said Moscow's troops left landmines in his forces' way. Prigozhin suspects that the explosives were intentionally left to harm his men as they withdrew. His press service also said Russian troops, led by a drunk officer, opened fire on Wagner soldiers. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday accused the Kremlin of leaving landmines in the path of his withdrawing forces, deepening his feud with Russia's top military brass. In a message on his press service's Telegram channel, Prigozhin ruled out the possibility of Ukrainian forces planting the explosives. "As of today, there are no provocations against us from the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Prigozhin said of the Wagner Group's departure from the devastated region of Bakhmut. "However, it should be noted that surprises were waiting for us from the other side." Prigozhin claimed that his forces encountered "suspicious activity" on their way to the Russian rear, and said they found more than a dozen locations laid with "hundreds" of anti-tank mines and multiple tons of explosives. The mercenary boss said the Wagner Group worked with law enforcement to investigate. "Those who planted these charges were representatives of the Ministry of Defense," Prigozhin claimed. He said the landmines couldn't have been placed to contain or harm Ukrainian troops, because they were located well in the rear zone of the Russian frontline. "Therefore, it can be assumed that they wanted to meet the advancing units of the Wagner PMC with these charges," Prigozhin said. None of Wagner's troops were harmed, he added. Prigozhin is widely considered a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, but he's grown increasingly critical and hostile toward Moscow's top military leaders over ammo shortages and perceived failures in the war. Prigozhin said he assumed the landmines were part of an attempt to humiliate or punish him and his company publicly. On Monday, his press service published a report detailing an incident they claimed was related to Prigozhin's claims. The document was partially redacted and dated May 17. Insider could not independently verify its authenticity. The report said Wagner troops traveling in Donetsk found landmines in their way and proceeded to clear the road. But they suddenly received small arms fire from Russian forces, and the engine of one of Wagner's service vehicles was hit, it added. No one was injured, but Wagner forces "dismounted, dispersed, took retaliatory measures to eliminate aggression, and made arrests," the document said. The leader of the Russian brigade that fired on Prigozhin's men was a lieutenant colonel, who was drunk when Wagner found him, per the document. Prigozhin's press service later released a video of a man saying he was the same lieutenant colonel who was intoxicated, and that he and his men opened fire on the Wagner Group because he personally disliked the mercenaries. "The icing on the cake so there's no doubt left," Prigozhin wrote in a caption for the video. Insider could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. Russia's Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider Concord Group Telegram Spiraling tensions between Wagner Group and Moscows regular forces verged on outright conflict on Sunday night as the mercenaries released a video claiming to have captured a Russian officer. Dark footage purports to show Lieutenant Colonel Roman Venevitin, reportedly the commander of Russias 72nd Motorized Rifle Brigade, being interrogated. With what appears to be an injured nose, the captured commander confesses to having attacked a Wagner vehicle during the bloody battle of Bakhmut in May. BREAKING: Prigozhin's Wagner PMC mercenaries have captured a Russian army Lt. Colonel. The embers of civil war in Russia begin to glow brighter. It appears both sides suffered significant casualties in this Russian-on-Russian gun fight. pic.twitter.com/vMCvHxvYEb Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) June 4, 2023 After identifying himself, Venevitin says in the video that he opened fire on the vehicle while intoxicated from alcohol. When asked why hed done so, he answers: Due to my personal animosity. Pressed by his interrogator as to why he has animosity toward Wagner, Venevitin appears dejected and says: I dont know. Venevitin also goes on to confess that he and a group of 10 to 12 of his Russian army subordinates had disarmed a Wagner rapid response group, again citing his personal animosity as the motivation. What do you think, does personal animosity have any place at all in war? the interrogator asks. No, Venevitin says. How can your actions be characterized? the interrogator replies. Venevitin sighs and answers: Guilty. The shocking clip was published on Telegram hours after Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin released a document accusing Defense Ministry soldiers of planting mines to the rear of Wagners positions south of Bakhmut. The letter, dated May 17, goes on to say that Wagner sappers sent to clear the minefields were shot at by a group of soldiers. They turned out to be servicemen of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Prigozhin wrote in the document, adding that the officer leading the group was found to be in a state of alcohol intoxication. Now Chechen Warmongers Are Threatening Showdown with Wagner Boss Prigozhin Last Friday, Prigozhin separately released a statement alleging that representatives of the Ministry of Defense were found to have placed explosive chargesincluding hundreds of anti-tank minesin Wagners retreat routes from Bakhmut. He argued that the explosives couldnt have been placed to target Ukrainian soldiers due to their location. Therefore, it can be assumed that they wanted to meet the advancing units of the Wagner PMC with these charges, Prigozhin said. The allegation that the Kremlin had tried to blow up his mercenaries and the apparent capture of a Russian officer represent the most serious instances of in-fighting between Wagner and Russian President Vladimir Putins forces. Prigozhin has previously raged against a perceived lack of support of his troops from the Kremlin, directly blaming mercenary deaths on shortages of ammunition and supplies. The tense relationship between Prigozhin and Moscow was also further strained last month by the allegation that the mercenary boss had offered to give up the positions of Russian troops to Ukrainian intelligence in January in exchange for Kyivs forces pulling out of Bakhmut. The latest allegations and direct detention of a Russian commander represents an extreme new low in relations, however. Its not yet clear what has become of Venevitin since he was apparently captured by Wagnera group known to punish alleged traitors with extreme brutality. 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. Each spring the Cascade County Historic Preservation Advisory Committee selects recipients of its preservation awards. The nominees selected represent some of the most important projects, institutions and people across Cascade County who are working to ensure the history and cultural richness of central Montana is preserved for future generations. The following are the recipients of the 2023 Cascade County Historic Preservation Awards. Giant Springs State Park and Dustin Iverson Visitors to Giant Springs State Park enjoy the spring's rebuilt retaining wall, built using the same tools and practices original stonemasons used when the wall was first built in 1915. While nearly every visitor to Giant Springs State Park stops to enjoy the springs, fewer take time to examine the rustic beauty of the rock retaining wall that encircles their southern edge. The retaining wall was first built by local stonemasons in 1915 as part of a project by the Montana Power Company to make the springs more visitor friendly. The wall was rebuilt several times over the next 80 years, but by the 2000s it was clear that a major reconstruction was needed. In 2022 local stonemason Dustin Iverson was hired to rebuild the retaining wall using the same materials and techniques used 107 years earlier. The reconstruction was completed without the use of power tools and mortar, except of a top cap on the dry-stone retaining wall. Completing the project required Iverson to spend long hours standing in the knee-deep waters of Giant Springs. The retaining wall reconstruction project was completed with funding from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Missouri/Madison Fund and Northwestern Energy. The J.C. Adams Stone Barn and Bob Milford The J.C. Adams Stone Barn east of Sun River, built in the early 1880s for rancher J.C. Adams. Kentucky-born James C. Adams was orphaned at 10 and a civil war prisoner at 16. He came to Montana territory in 1864 at the age of 18, already a seasoned teamster. Ten years later he bought a property along the Sun River, with the plan of supplying beef to the soldiers at Fort Shaw. His business prospered. In 1882 Adams hired Swedish stonecutters to build a monumental barn from native sandstone. Completed in 1885, the barn cost $10,000, an astounding amount at the time. The J.C. Adams Stone Barn company rose under the leadership of Bob Milford, said award presenter Ken Sievert. Bob has spent countless hours and a good many of his own dollars making all of this happen. The Scripps/Howard Fund and Montana Historical Society awarded a $10,000 grant in 2010 to have the barn repainted and maintained by a Fairfield contractor. Under the leadership of Bob Milford, the J.C. Adams Stone Barn is looking better today than it ever has before, Sievert said. Its a fitting tribute to this unique and historic barn. I think the builder James C. Adams would be mighty proud of how his 1885 barn looks today. It is a treasure for the Sun River Valley and for Cascade County, Milford said in accepting the award. Thanks to all the supporting members who not only gave of their time, but also support the barn financially. The stone barn has stood for 138 and we all hope it will last for another 138. First United Methodist Church and Bryan Robinson The new entry doors of the First United Methodist Church in Great Falls, built to replace the doors original to the 1922 building. The Methodist Churchs imprint on Great Falls history goes back to 1889 when a brick building was erected on the corner of 6th Street N. and 2nd. Ave. North. A fire destroyed that structure in November of 1922, leading to the construction of the current First United Methodist Church. That structure included a beautiful wood entrance, one threatened with collapse until church and community activists stepped up to restore the doors to their original condition. The original entry doors were deteriorating pretty badly, said award recipient Bryan Robinson of the First United Methodist Church project. They required new hardware and they had experienced some damage during their 80-plus years of service. They were original to the 1922 brick masonry structure, which is a beautiful example of gothic revival architecture. We started out with the idea that we would take them down and try to rebuild them, but they were beyond the ability to do that. The replacement project closely followed Department of Interior Standards for treatment of historic buildings. Robinson credited the church trustees, pastor and building committee members of the First United Methodist Church with the vison to commit to a complete restoration of the church doors. They went the extra mile, he said. They could have done a cheaper version. They could have replaced doors there that did not reflect the architecture. They care about their structures; they care about their image in the community Sun River Valley Historical Society and Burnette Batista The Regimental Commander's Quarters, built in the late 1860s for the old Fort Shaw military post west of Great Falls Burnette Batista has been a key figure in preserving the history of the Sun River Valley, specifically the history of the old Fort Shaw military post west of Great Falls. Fort Shaw was built in 1867 to protect travelers on the Mullen Road, which connected navigation between the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, and to guard the increasing tide of settlers coming to the Sun River Valley from raids by the Peigan Indians. It was abandoned by the military in 1891, but partially transferred to the Fort Peck Indian boarding school in 1903, which housed and educated hundreds of Native American students from across the Pacific Northwest until closing in 1910. Nearly all the buildings at the Fort Shaw complex remained intact into the 1940s; however, time and neglect had destroyed much of the old military post by the early 2000s. Elected President of Sun River Valley Historical Society in 2005 and has been central to the preservation of the two remaining officers quarters, five original adobe and stone buildings, and that military cemetery that remains. Burnette is an endless wealth of knowledge of names, and in the words of fellow volunteers is a major lifeline for keeping the Sun River Valley Historical Society active, her nomination for the Cascade County Historic Preservation award reads. This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Historic Preservation Awards recognize significant projects of 2022 Want a music career? You need to know this, says industry insider Morace Landy No one wants fashion tips from a plumber. Or marital advice from a Real Housewife. So first, let's be clear about Morace Landy's bona fides before we bring him on to talk about the secrets to a successful career in music. One he's been associated with at least five major labels, including Atlantic, Island, Warner Reprise, Epic and Profile, as a promoter and marketing executive. Two he has helped propel hit records for Jay-Z ("The Blueprint"), Trey Songz ("Ready"), Luther Vandross ("Your Secret Love", and T.I. and Rihanna ("Live Your Life"), and has been active in the careers of dozens of others, including Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Babyface, Fat Joe and Missy Elliott. Three he helped make a hit of out "It Takes Two" (Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock), one of the most insistent, earwormy tracks that ever swept through every single club in the Western Hemisphere. And if that wasn't enough, he's now CEO of Evolution3, his own artist development company. So when Landy tells you what it takes to have a music career in 2023, you'd best listen. "The number one thing I would say is, don't do yourself a disserve by focusing mainly on getting a hot record," said Landy, an Emerson resident and Bergen County-ite for the last 26 years. Sharing his secrets Morace Landy He'll be sharing his advice for up-and-coming artists in a June 6 presentation: "Ingredients for a Successful Career & Not Just a Hit Record in the Music Industry." (RSVP necessary; admission is $60). The 6 p.m. event at Creative Space at H.B.A., 275 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, N.Y., comes with refreshments: Freixenet sparkling wine, Shinju Japanese whiskey, and catering by Ben Pollinger, a Michelin-star chef from The Hill in Closter. It also comes with a slate of sub-topics: "Negotiating your Ask for Longevity" "How to Leverage & Sustain Relationships to Win" and "The Future of the Industry with Artificial Intelligence." "It's a little scary where that's going," he said. But his main advice is to the young hopefuls. Those just starting their careers, in the brave new world of social media and overnight stardom on shows like "The Voice" and "American Idol." Especially to the Little Nas X's and We Anis of the world who suddenly strike gold with a viral sensation or a big TV moment. Taylor Swift at MetLife review: Visual spectacle packed with screams, stories and songs It's not enough. You have to be thinking three moves ahead. "There are hundreds of artists who go on these shows and you never hear of them again," he said. The music industry, he says, has changed drastically in the last 20 years. Production has become decentralized. Where once a few big labels held all the cards, now anyone with talent and a home studio can produce a fluke that goes viral. The audience, too, has changed. Young people think more in terms of singles than albums. And they're fickle. There'll always be a new internet sensation tomorrow. Who remembers Psy? Or Afro B? All of which is good news and bad news for new artists who want to establish themselves. The good news? It's easier, these days, to have a hit. The bad news? It's tougher to have a career. "There are no iconic stars that are being developed," he said. "It's harder and harder to say of this person, 'She's the next Rihanna.'" Studio system Morace Landy A lot of this is the fault of the studios. "The thing with TikTok is, is you have a big enough song the labels will find out," he said. "They'll offer you a contract, they'll offer you anything so they can get it to stream under their umbrella. But the reality is, you want to deal with a label that sees you beyond your single." Back in the day, a label like Motown would do just that. It groomed its acts. It would refine the image, the dance moves, even the speech of its stars. It would work to find the exact writers, producers and arrangers to make them shine. It would invest time, and not expect instant success. Such labels were in it for the long haul. No more. Local music: NJ's new North to Shore Festival is in expert hands "Labels are not focused on investing in artist development," he said. "That's the piece that's missing. With young artists, it's almost totally on them to develop their own audience, and that's it. The label focus is on putting out a hot record that can stream." If Landy takes the long view when it comes to careers, it's because he himself is a long-hauler. Originally from Brooklyn, he first set his sights on becoming a studio musician, and did a lot of theater work in New York as an instrumentalist (for Joseph Papp's Public Theater, among other places). In the 1980s, he had a job as a buyer for Tower Records back when Tower Records was the Grand Central Station of the downtown music scene. Tina Turner, Billy Idol, Robert Plant and Elton John all did in-store shows there. An education in itself. "It was such an amazing place to work," he said. "There was so much talent in and out." Now there's no Tower. No records, for that matter. But Landy's advice, to the young and gifted, might apply to anyone, in any era. (1) Try to have, as your manager, someone who really knows the music business. (2) Don't sign anything without a lawyer present. (3) Always be thinking ahead. Not just the current hit. Five hits from now. Five years from now. "You don't want one album. You want a series of albums. You don't want to be looking back in a year's time and you're broke." Go... moracelandy.splashthat.com This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ music promoter Morace Landy gives advice for music career , "The Polish Volunteer Corps described in the media is in no way connected with the Polish Armed Forces or any Polish institution," the Polish government representative said. Read also: Senior Polish security official urges not to hurry Ukrainian army into counter-offensive The activities of Polish volunteers who support Ukraine in its fight against Russia should not be conflated with the authorities of the Republic of Poland. Earlier, fighters of the Polish Volunteer Corps reported that they, together with the Russian Volunteer Corps or RDK and the Freedom of Russia Legion, are participating in raids in Russia. Read also: Russian Volunteer Corps in clashes Belgorod Oblast, call for negotiations with governor The RDK clarified that Polish volunteers provide escorts for convoys of prisoners, and military and medical logistics but only within the state borders 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 Washington woman with tuberculosis arrested, jailed after refusing to isolate: 'Necessary intervention' A Washington state woman with tuberculosis has been arrested and jailed after refusing to isolate. The unidentified Tacoma woman who was referred to only as "VN" in court documents was taken to the Pierce County jail and is being kept in a room specially equipped for isolation, testing and treatment, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said in a statement this week. "We are hopeful she will choose to get the life-saving treatment she needs to treat her tuberculosis," the health department said, and thanked the Pierce County Sheriffs Department deputies "who supported public health with this necessary intervention." WOMAN WITH TUBERCULOSIS FACES JAIL AND FORCED TREATMENT AFTER SHE REFUSED ISOLATION AND VISITED A CASINO The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said they hope the woman "will choose to get the life-saving treatment she needs to treat her tuberculosis." The woman's arrest comes after the public health department first ordered her to isolate on Jan. 18, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. According to court documents, the woman refused to isolate or be treated, and an officer with the Pierce County Corrections Bureau caught her taking a public bus to a casino while she was under surveillance. READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP In March, Judge Philip Sorenson authorized law enforcement to detain her, issuing a warrant permitting the woman's involuntary detention, testing and treatment at the Pierce County jail. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS QUESTION BOSTON UNIVERSITY ON RESEARCH CREATING NEW COVID-19 STRAIN An image of tuberculosis bacillus that causes the serious airborne disease. Pierce County Corrections Bureau Chief Patricia Jackson said at the time that she believed the woman was actively evading arrest. The woman's case marks only the third time in the past 20 years that the health department sought a court order to detain a potentially contagious individual who is refusing treatment. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department sees about 20 cases of active tuberculosis every year, which health care providers are required to report under state law. Common symptoms of tuberculosis include cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss, according to the World Health Organization. Tuberculosis is an airborne disease caused by bacteria that primarily affect the lungs. Common symptoms include cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss, according to the World Health Organization. After missing out on a trip to the White House following their Super Bowl LIV victory, the Kansas City Chiefs will be in the nations capital on Monday. The Chiefs received an invitation to visit the White House from President Joe Biden shortly after Kansas Citys 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. On Monday at 3:30 p.m. Central, the Chiefs will meet President Biden and there will be a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. Theres a very good chance that President Biden will receive his very own Chiefs jersey. Chiefs fans will be able to watch along on this page or live on YouTube here as the Super Bowl champions are feted by the president. Other coverage of Chiefs White House visit Travis Kelce hopes for National Treasure moment when the Chiefs visit White House With Chiefs up next, meaning of White House visit still resonates with past KC honorees Some are here, some are on their way: 6 invasive bugs to watch for this summer in Kentucky An adult spotted lanternfly looks like a moth, but doesn't actually fly. An army of invasive pests is spreading into Kentucky, while other established species are increasing in numbers. Human activity has helped the spread of invasive species into the commonwealth, and new species are likely to gain an added presence in coming years, according to state entomologist Reddy Palli. These pests threaten to chew through entire forests and hamstring the state's agriculture industry. "The key is to find them and control them as they come in," Palli said. "If we let them establish, it becomes very difficult to eradicate." Palli chairs the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology. The public can help efforts to suppress these species by reporting sightings through the department's website, he said. Here are six invasive species to watch for in Kentucky some well-established and others still gaining a foothold. Spongy moth The spongy moth poses a major threat to Kentucky's forests, with an appetite for hundreds of different tree and shrub species, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Native to Europe, the species first appeared in the U.S. in the 19th century in Massachusetts, and has spread outward since. Officials advise looking out for the spongy moth in its caterpillar or adult moth form. Defoliated trees or egg masses tan clumps found on trees, often on the underside of branches are also indicators of the species' spread. Kentucky has been able to keep the moth from settling in so far, monitoring for the species and trapping it near the borders, Palli said. Populations have already been established in five Kentucky-adjacent states, from Illinois to Virginia, and the USDA's Slow the Spread program is treating areas to suppress them. Imported fire ant Fire ants crawl on a leaf. For years, fire ants have been a threat to the western side of the commonwealth. But last year, they were detected in sizable numbers in the east, spreading north from Tennessee into McCreary, Whitley, Knox and Bell counties, surveys show. A changing climate could also encourage the northward expansion of pests like the fire ant, although data on the topic is still lacking, Palli said. Insects tend to thrive in warmer climates, meaning states like Kentucky could appeal to invasive species that have historically remained further south. These pests eat crops, and their venom can pose a risk to humans and animals. The state entomologist's office advises not approaching a suspected mound, and instead contacting the local university extension or submitting a report to ReportAPest@uky.edu. More: Here are 3 tips to try to get rid of invasive plants in your garden Asian longhorned tick An adult Asian Longhorned tick. The Asian longhorned tick "should be taken as a serious threat to both animal and human health," according to Healthy Farms Healthy Agriculture, "and can collect in massive groups on a single host, causing significant distress and blood loss." It can also act as a vector for bovine theileriosis, threatening the state's cattle populations, and has already been found causing issues on a few dairy farms, Palli said. The species first made an appearance in Kentucky a few years ago, and since then has spread to Boone, Floyd, Madison, Martin, and Metcalfe counties. The tick's presence is expected to grow further this year. For subscribers: This flower exists in only a tiny part of Kentucky. Can it be saved from Louisville sprawl? Spotted lanternfly The spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect from Asia, has been spotted close to the Ohio/Pennsylvania border. The colorful spotted lanternfly, deemed a "cockroach with a makeover" by Jimmy Kimmel, has not yet established itself in Kentucky. But four states bordering the commonwealth have reported sightings, including in two counties bordering Northern Kentucky. "It's a matter of time, I think," Palli said. "We'll have it here." Should the insect gain a foothold in Kentucky, damage would likely be extensive to fruit orchards and vineyards, as well as the state's forests. "These come in huge numbers," Palli said. "They'll eat almost everything in their way." In Kentucky, not yet a quarantine area for the pest, the USDA advises: "IF YOU SEE ONE, SMASH IT," but only after taking a picture to document the finding and report it to officials. Asian longhorned beetle Asian longhorned beetles threaten hardwood trees. This insect infests areas of Massachusetts, New York and Ohio, according to the USDA. This invasive beetle species is especially devastating to hardwood trees, including ash, birch, elm, maple and others, and threatens billions of dollars worth of natural resources, according to USDA estimates. It hasn't yet been identified in the commonwealth, but over the last decade has made appearances near Northern Kentucky, including areas just east of Cincinnati. The pest, usually about an inch long with striped, curling antennae, kills trees by boring into them. Look out for their "pencil-sized, perfectly round tree exit holes," per the USDA. "If Asian longhorned beetle comes to your neighborhood," Palli said, "they'll destroy the trees in your yard." For subscribers: Where to find 40 of Kentucky's most impressive trees, and why they matter Emerald ash borer Since its discovery in Michigan two decades ago, the invasive emerald ash borer has killed millions of ash trees, including in Kentucky, where it has built up a significant presence. Only a handful of counties in the commonwealth are free of the pest. After this brightly colored beetle species has infested an ash tree, the tree may live for only about one to three more years, according to the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey. Within a year, its crown will thin drastically, and more of the canopy will follow. One way to prevent emerald ash borer spread is to use buy and burn firewood locally. Transporting firewood can allow pests like the emerald ash borer or the Asian longhorned beetle to hitch a ride, widening their spread. Connor Giffin is an environmental reporter for The Courier Journal and a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. The program funds up to half of corps members salaries, but requires a portion also be raised through local community fundraising. To support local environmental reporting in Kentucky, tax-deductible donations can be made at courier-journal.com/RFA. Learn more about RFA at reportforamerica.org. Reach Connor directly at cgiffin@gannett.com or on Twitter @byconnorgiffin. Correction: An earlier version of this story misclassified the Asian longhorned tick. It is an arachnid. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Six invasive pests to watch for in Kentucky in summer 2023 A top Wayne County official said they've improved conditions so much at the troubled juvenile jail that on Monday he expects to lift a rare public health emergency order issued this spring in the wake of problems that included an alleged sexual assault of a 12-year-old boy by other youths at the facility. State officials say they agree the county-run facility has gotten better, enough so that on Monday they plan to stop sending staffers in that they've had on-site to monitor operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the March attack at the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF). The understaffed and overcrowded juvenile jail had become "untenable" for the about 140 youths residing there as of mid-March, admitted Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, saying shortly after the boy's assault that "we feel like these kids are not safe. Our staff is not safe." The attack came after an ongoing Detroit Free Press investigation since last year that documented the dangerous conditions, which critics called "deplorable" and "inhumane," including that youths were locked in rooms for long periods and denied daily showers, recreation, medication and schooling. More: Problems we found at the Wayne County juvenile jail More: 'These kids are not safe. Our staff is not safe' -- Wayne County Executive Warren Evans declares public health emergency at juvenile jail Under the public health order, the county set aside $10 million for the JDF and boosted employee pay by up to 35%, which led to hiring 54 new staffers, according to a county news release. Facility staff also opened up additional living areas, called pods, in the facility and grouped youths in smaller numbers and by age and alleged offense to boost safety. In addition, the state helped place more than 40 youths in other facilities, including in nearby counties. Now most of the 113 juveniles at the JDF as of Monday were out of their rooms the majority of the day, they are getting daily showers and assaults on other youths and staff are down, said Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, director of the county's Department of Health, Human and Veteran Services. "It reflects, I think, a partnership that weve been able to build with the courts and the state all working as one unit to give our kids the best shot ... at moving through the facility," El-Sayed said. The county also is no longer using variances from the state of Michigan that allowed it to bend state rules on locking down juveniles and the ratio of staffing to residents. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services had granted the county's multiple variance requests because of overcrowding and understaffing since spring 2022 but those expired late last month. "Given that we have vastly increased our staffing and reduced our population, we feel that we are able to operate under normal procedure," El-Sayed said. County officials say the current staff to youth ratio is 1 to 10, meeting the requirement in licensing rules for waking hours. They have an additional 60 open positions and are hoping to hire a new JDF director and chief administrator. Weve talked to the county directly and our staff is there, less complaints are coming in about things but its still a juvenile detention facility, so there are going to be issues, Suzanna Shkreli told the Free Press in an interview last week. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in March named Shkreli as the state's director of juvenile justice reform and she has worked closely with JDF staff. But we know the youth are receiving programming, that they are receiving their hygiene kits. That they are out of ... their rooms more than they ever have been. That they are receiving recreation. There remain 13 active state investigations into incidents at the JDF, Shkreli said last week. And Michigan State Police have said they are still investigating the assault of the 12-year-old. In an effort to improve safety in October, Evans chose to abandon the juvenile facility on St. Antoine downtown and move youths to a vacant adult jail, the William Dickerson Detention Facility in Hamtramck. But youths still found ways to break out of their rooms and problems continued. Earlier this year, tensions between the county and state were high about who was to blame for the JDF's failures. Evans and his staff sent heated letters to a state official and Whitmer herself in January and February, laying the blame for the dangerous conditions on her administration. Evans argued that the state hadn't done enough to solve the shortage of facilities that house and treat juveniles after they've been sentenced by judges, causing youths to languish for months in the JDF while they await placements. Currently, there are 40 youths at the JDF whose cases have been adjudicated and are awaiting placement in a residential facility so they can start getting the treatment a judge ordered. Typically, that can include treatment for behavioral and mental health issues. In declaring the public health emergency in March, Evans said keeping youths locked up after a judge had already decided to send them into placement was almost "a constitutional problem and unfair. They're losing time but not getting credit for it, El-Sayed said last week. Unlike in the adult system which is ... you get time served. State officials have said they have increased capacity at residential treatment facilities, allocating $3 million to Spectrum Human Services, which runs a facility in Highland Park. Since March, 38 youths from the JDF have been placed at Spectrum's facility there, Shkreli said. Neighboring Genesee and Macomb counties also took some the JDF youths. County and state officials have worked with local service provider Team Wellness Center to offer treatment for youths both at the JDF and through a community based day program. El-Sayed said Team Wellness Center is expected to begin in-facility services on June 15 inside the JDF for youths who have been ordered by the court into treatment, but are awaiting placements. El-Sayed said the county envisions a path where youths in its care could get treatment that counts toward the treatment theyve been ordered to receive. What were trying to do is build a quality rehabilitative system where, potentially, we can get time against treatment, he said. He said the county hasnt gotten that commitment from anyone yet, but its a strategy they are trying to pursue. In addition to the in-house services, El-Sayed said the launch of a Team Wellness Center community day program for youths is imminent. He said that, to start, the program will accept a dozen youths at the JDF who have been ordered into treatment. They would be sent home on tether and go to the Team Wellness Center programming during the day. Getting kids help while they remain in their own homes is the goal, said Jason Smith, executive director of the Michigan Center for Youth Justice, in an email to the Free Press. He said he is glad to hear about the improved conditions at the JDF and thanked state and local leaders for "rectifying a situation that was unquestionably inhumane for far too long." "While these improvements are encouraging, we urge all stakeholders to continue seeking further enhancements in the care of our young people within the Wayne County juvenile justice system," Smith said. "Specifically, we hope that innovative strategies will be developed to not only improve the quality of treatment at JDF but also to safely and effectively allow more youth to be treated and supervised in their own homes to prevent such a horrible, traumatic experience for young people housed in the facility from reoccurring." Contact Christine MacDonald: cmacdonald@freepress.com or 313-418-2149. Follow her on Twitter: @cmacfreep. Contact Gina Kaufman: gkaufman@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @ReporterGina. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Wayne County to lift public health emergency involving juvenile jail West Richland will pay $25K to settle civil rights suit against former police chief West Richland has settled a civil rights claim opened by a former resident, who says the police illegally detained him without suspicion and in retaliation for social media comments he made criticizing the police chief. The city will pay Eric Molina $25,000, plus attorneys fees, to settle the case and avoid a trial. A person need not agree with the content of my clients speech on social media to recognize that his statements were fully protected under the First Amendment, Molinas attorney Bret Uhrich said in a statement. We give our law enforcement enormous power to enforce the law and in return we expect that they will use this power responsibly and act like adults, instead of using it to settle personal scores out of petty revenge, he said. A legal settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing. Molina, 30, filed the civil rights claims Jan. 23 in U.S. District Court. He claimed then-Police Chief Ben Majetich and three officers retaliated against him for expressing his First Amendment rights and violated his Fourth Amendment rights to reasonable search and seizure. Majetich retired in May 2022 after eight years with West Richland Police Department and a three-decade career in law enforcement. An attorney representing Majetich and three officers named in the suit could not be reached about the settlement. Current Police Chief Thomas Grego also referred questions to the attorney. Warring neighbors The allegations stem from a Feb. 18, 2021, incident involving Molina and Majetich in front of Majetichs West Richland home. The two were neighbors at the time. Molina, a musician who was in between jobs and staying with his parents, was driving home from getting a burger when he reportedly parked in front of Majetichs driveway to check his familys mailbox. Former West Richland resident Eric Molina was briefly detained in Feb. 18, 2021, for blocking police Chief Ben Majetichs driveway. He live streamed the encounter on his Facebook page. He says in court records that he parked there to avoid getting stuck in a snow bank and he did not believe Majetich was home. But Majetich was home and about to drive his car out of his driveway. As Molina was exiting his car to walk over to the mailboxes, Majetich reportedly yelled to him, What the hell are you doing? to which Molina replied, Getting my mail. Majetich reportedly told Molina not to leave and that he was being detained. Three officers were called to the scene. Molina, who live streamed most of the events on Facebook, was not arrested. But officers did tell him not to block Majetichs driveway in the future, and he was cited by Grego, who was then a captain in the department, with criminal harassment. After the incident, Molina moved across the state, and later to Oregon. In court documents, he said he was seeking damages for the psychological distress caused by the incident. He claimed police followed him home on at least four different occasions after the incident, but the officers denied that happened. West Richland Police Chief Ben Majetich retired after a 34 year law enforcement career in the Tri-Cities area. Majetich later sought an anti-harassment petition against Molina in Benton County District Court that restricted him from coming within 150 feet of his home. But the petition was ultimately denied. He has said in social media posts that Molina has harassed and stalked him. Motorcycle incident The incident at Majetichs driveway seemed to have been the boiling point after the two exchanged months of social media posts online. Molina was the victim in a separate road rage incident, and he had been especially critical of Majetich and Benton County prosecutors during the investigation and after prosecutors decided not to charge the aggressor. But Molina who has called the police names, such as pigs defended his social media posts as free speech, and said Majetich was intimidating him behind the scenes to stop talking about the case. The incident between Molina and a member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association took place in September 2020. Molina was driving in West Richland when three men on motorcycles blocked his vehicle at an intersection because he was driving too fast, according to court documents. One of the cyclists who later voiced remorse for his actions allegedly approached and struck Molinas driver-side window, demanding that he get out and fight him and threatening him if he ever saw Molina again. Police were called to the scene and a report was filed. The cyclist who struck Molinas window said he was speeding in a neighborhood with children in the outside, and had run a stop sign. GAZA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- An EU diplomat on Sunday expressed solidarity with the victims of the last wave of tension that broke out in May between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip. "The reason we are here is to find out what happened and to talk with the affected people and their families," Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, the EU Representative in Palestine who chaired a high-ranking delegation of representatives of EU missions, told reporters near one of the destroyed houses in the northern Gaza Strip. The EU delegation, consisting of 20 ambassadors, came to Gaza from Israel to assess the humanitarian situation. They toured destroyed houses and listened to testimonies. "The European missions' representatives expressed their condolences to the victims of the tension, and it became clear from our information that the victims were mainly civilians," Burgsdorff said. He added that the European delegation "are looking forward to completing a report explaining what happened" during the last tit-for-tat military escalation between Israel and the PIJ. On May 9, military tensions erupted between the Israeli army and the PIJ, which lasted for five days, but ended after Egypt brokered a cease-fire to avoid further human and material losses on both sides. Just about everything possible in the realm of weather will be happening in the West this week, except perhaps snow. June gloom will keep it cool in coastal Southern California as drenching thunderstorms erupt from interior California to the Rockies. Meanwhile, early-season heat will build in the Northwest, AccuWeather meteorologists say. A flow of moisture from the Pacific Ocean, known as a marine layer, will persist along the Southern California coast, including the Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas. "This overall pattern is common during June, but this one is a bit more robust than average," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. As the sun heats the interior southwestern U.S., the air rises and creates a vacuum effect. Air then flows in from the Pacific to replace the rising air over the Southwest. "The process creates a deck of low clouds, fog and drizzle along the coast, which can extend miles inland," Rayno explained. "Hence, the term 'June gloom'." In some cases, people in coastal areas may not see the sun for days. In others, it may take until the afternoon hours for the low clouds to erode enough to allow the sun to shine through. The persistent breeze coming in from the chilly ocean will suppress high temperatures along the coast. For example, highs in downtown Los Angeles will range only from the upper 60s to the low 70s this week. The historical average high is in the mid- to upper 70s in early June for the Los Angeles area. Farther north, much of Washington, Oregon and even part of Northern California will not have to deal with a cool, moist flow of air from the Pacific but rather just the opposite into midweek. GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts with Premium+ In this zone, a breeze will blow in the opposite direction as that of Southern California. As the air flows from the interior U.S. toward the coast, descending air from the Rockies will warm eastern Washington and Oregon. As the air descends from the Cascades, it will warm coastal areas from Washington to Northern California. For example, highs will be in the 80s to near 90 in Spokane, Washington, into Thursday, compared to the historical average high in the lower 70s. Similarly, in Portland, Oregon, temperatures will surge into the upper 80s to the lower 90s through at least Wednesday. As a storm near the jet stream level of the atmosphere drifts northward later this week, thunderstorms with little or no rain may set off lightning-induced wildfires over parts of the Northwest. "Because of a lack of storms with big rain this spring, coastal areas of Washington and Oregon have trended abnormally dry, and it is getting worse," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. There is also a large area of moderate to severe drought building over interior Oregon. "Conditions may trend wetter toward mid-June as some storms move in from the Pacific," Buckingham said. Provided the upper-level storm does not fall apart later this week, more general shower and thunderstorm activity may start to dampen isolated parts of the Northwest. As the upper-level storm swings in from the Pacific and sets up over the Southwest states for a time this week, it will bring a significant uptick in thunderstorm activity in the region. "With the storm centered in Southern California through Wednesday, southeasterly winds will cause thunderstorms over the Sierra Nevada mountains to roll down the foothills into the San Joaquin Valley," Buckingham said. Rain during June tends to be rather scarce across much of California, with the impacts of winter storms well in the rear-view mirror and impacts from the North American monsoon not usually into full gear. Since rain is somewhat of a rarity in California during the month of June, there is the potential for some cities to tally up a month's worth of rain in a matter of hours this week. The historical average June rainfall for Sacramento is 0.23 of an inch, while Lake Tahoe, California, tends to pick up 0.55 of an inch this month. It's possible that Fresno, California, as well as Salt Lake City, will be hit by one or more thunderstorms this week. A thunderstorm could even wander close to Las Vegas or Phoenix as the pattern sets up. Meanwhile, showers may dampen San Franciso on multiple occasions. The same storm will help pump more moisture over the interior West with more widespread coverage of showers and thunderstorms in parts of the region compared to recent weeks. With the spring thaw over the high country of the West well underway, the added potential for torrential downpours throughout the Rockies and Intermountain Region could push elevated stream levels even higher this week. Experts advise extra caution when venturing in canyons and along streams in the region as downpours miles upstream may lead to a rapid rise of water or flash flooding. Any snow that falls on the West this week will be restricted to the highest peaks in the region, where few people venture. 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. Where most of the world's glacial melt is happening Melted glacial ice floats in front of the Perito Moreno glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia Glaciers are losing more mass than either the Greenland or Antarctic ice sheets, according to a recent study published in Nature. The study, the first to look at how fast the worlds glaciers are melting, observed about 200,000 glaciers between 2000 and 2019. The researchers found that the annual rates of glacier thinning have nearly doubled, from 36cm in 2000 to 69cm in 2019. Read more The study also proves that glacial melt has substantially contributed to sea level rise. The researchers found that glacial melt alone has contributed to 21% of sea level rise over the past two decades. During the 21st century, meltwater from glaciers is projected to be the second biggest contributor to global sea level rise after ocean thermal expansion, which contributes 42% to sea level rise. Greenland contributes 15% while Antarctica contributes 8%, according to the WCRP Global Sea Level Budget Group. Glaciers cover about 10% of the worlds land surface and store around 70% of the Earths freshwater. datawrapper-chart-7b4iQ Where glaciers are melting the fastest The authors of the study, based at the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology in Switzerland, found that seven regions of the world have contributed 83% of global glacial melt. Glaciers in Alaska account for 25% of global glacial melt, melting at the rate of 68 gigatons per year. By comparison, the periphery of Greenland has contributed 13% of global glacial melt, at a rate of 36 gigatons per year. The northern and southern regions of Arctic Canada have contributed 20% to the worlds glacial melt combined, at 31 gigagtons per year apiece. Other regions with rapid glacial melt include High Mountain Asia, the cordillera and highland systems around the Tibetan Plateau, and the Southern Andes in Patagonia. Each has contributed 8% of global glacial melt at 21 gigatons per year. More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Where is poison ivy found in NC? How to avoid and remove the itchy plant If youve ever heard the saying leaves of three, let it be, chances are you or someone you know has come into contact with poison ivy and suffered the consequences. The adage comes from the appearance of the poison ivy plant, where each leaf contains three smaller leaflets, according to Mayo Clinic. As the weather warms up and people start spending more time outside, its time to start thinking about getting rid of the toxic plant. A Charlotte resident posted to Reddit on Sunday asking others if they knew any companies that removed poison ivy. Can anyone refer a company that will do proper poison ivy removal? the unnamed user asked. Contacted two so far and they both have said they will spray, but I really want this stuff ripped out for good. Trying to avoid a not-so-fun DIY project. There are safe ways to get rid of poison ivy, but not taking the proper precautions can lead to problems. Heres where poison ivy is found in North Carolina, how to remove it and what to do if you come into contact with it. Where poison ivy is found Poison Ivy is most commonly found in wooded areas and fields in North Carolina, but it can also be found in yards, according to the N.C. State Extension, an organization that provides information on agriculture, health and nutrition. The plant can grow as a small shrub, which can reach lengths of six feet, or a vine that can grow up to 150 feet and climb trees, walls and fences, the N.C. State Extension says. How to know youve been exposed to poison ivy All parts of the poison ivy plant contain a toxic oil called urushiol that causes long-lasting skin irritations, but some people are immune to its effects, the N.C. State Extension, says. Infections can occur from direct and indirect contact with the poison ivy, and breathing smoke from a fire when the plant is burned. Other symptoms of poison ivy rash include redness, itching, swelling and blisters on the skin, according to Mayo Clinic. The rash often appears in a straight line due to the way the plant brushes against your skin, but the rash may appear more spread out if you touch something that has urushiol on it, Mayo Clinic says. Can you develop an immunity to poison ivy? Though some believe that its possible to reduce sensitivity to poison ivy by increasing their exposure, there is little scientific evidence to support the idea, according to PBS North Carolina science writer Rossie Izlar. People are actually more likely to develop a rash due to repeated exposure, because the rash is your bodies immune system responding to what it perceives as a threat, Izar wrote. An estimated 10% of the population can tolerate urushiol, but those who have never had poison ivy rash may not have come into contact with the plant enough to develop an immune response. How to treat poison ivy rash Mild poison ivy rash can be treated at home with lotions and cool baths, according to Mayo Clinic. Severe cases may require prescription medication. According to Mayo Clinic, you should see a doctor if: The reaction is severe or widespread Your skin continues to swell The rash affects your eyes, mouth or genitals Blisters are oozing pus You develop a fever greater than 100 degrees Your rash doesnt get better within a few weeks How to safely remove poison ivy Once you identify poison ivy plants, you can remove them by removing as much of their roots as possible while wearing gloves, pants and shoes to avoid getting a rash, according to the N.C. State Extension. Herbicides like Roundup can also be used to control poison ivy. The chemicals are most effective during the early summer when new plants are sprouting, the N.C. State Extension says. Some Charlotte landscaping companies, such as Powell & Sons and King Landscapers, offer poison ivy removal services. Jamie Dimon on Capitol Hill Drew Angerer / Getty Images One of America's most famous executives is feeling the political itch. Jamie Dimon, the longtime CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. hinted at his ambitions to Bloomberg News. "I love my country, and maybe one day I'll serve my country in one capacity or another," the 67-year-old Dimon said in an interview. He has at least one enthusiastic backer. Reuters reported that billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman called on Dimon to run for president in 2024. "We need an exemplary business, financial, and global leader to manage through what is likely to be a critically important decade for our country in determining our destiny," Ackman wrote on Twitter. "Jamie Dimon is that leader." This isn't Dimon's first flirtation with politics. Back in 2018, CNBC reported, the executive set off a flurry of speculation by taking a swipe at then-President Donald Trump. "I think I could beat Trump," Dimon said at the time, "because I'm as tough as he is, I'm smarter than he is. I would be fine. He could punch me all he wants, it wouldn't work with me. I'd fight right back." Dimon passed on a 2020 run, but 2024 is looming, and Trump is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. A generational banker Dimon is the latest in a long line of successful American businessmen who look at the White House and think: "Why not?" During the 2020 election cycle, billionaire Michael Bloomberg became a candidate and Starbucks founder Howard Schultz explored a presidential run, but both bowed out early in the process. Dimon, who has served as both CEO and chairman of JPMorgan since the mid-2000s, certainly has a business that could impress voters: He has built the company into "the world's most reputable bank," The Economist said and its biggest. He is "the banker of his generation," Euromoney's Peter Lee wrote in 2019. But Dimon has faced controversy in the job. JPMorgan paid a $13 billion fine to the federal government in 2013 to settle charges that it "overstated the quality of mortgages it was selling to investors in the run-up to the financial crisis" of 2008, Reuters reported. It paid another $200 million fine in 2021, according to The New York Times, for letting workers use their personal devices to discuss company business, which ran afoul of federal financial oversight rules. And there is the Jeffrey Epstein connection: A former JPMorgan executive says Dimon knew about the bank's business with the convicted sex offender, The Wall Street Journal reported, but Dimon denies the allegation. "I don't recall knowing anything about Jeffrey Epstein until the stories broke sometime in 2019," Dimon said. Dimon has long evinced an interest in politics. But nailing down his partisan leanings isn't so easy. "My heart is Democratic," he told CNBC in 2019, "but my brain is kind of Republican." Last year, he made it clear his heart isn't too Democratic. "I'm not woke," he said. The odds Is there a constituency for a Dimon presidential run? His comments about Trump in 2018 provoked an angry reaction from the left, suggesting Dimon-as-candidate would come under fierce scrutiny for his company's role in the 2008 banking crisis and the Great Recession that accompanied it. Because of that, Dimon "has no real shot at becoming president," columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin told Politico. Given the long history of failed presidential candidates from the business sector, Dimon might be "a disaster candidate should he choose to run," Tufts University's Daniel Drezner wrote at his Drezner's World Substack. If he doesn't run for office, Dimon already has a pretty good day job to fall back on. But his time leading JPMorgan may be nearing its end. After many years of saying he would run the bank "five more years," Dimon recently cut his estimate to "three and a half" more years. "I can't do this forever, I know that," he told investors in May. Dimon does sound like a man with a campaign platform all worked out, though. In January, he authored a Wall Street Journal op-ed calling on America to "lead with its strengths." That means a rededication to "freedom of speech, freedom of religion and free enterprise," he wrote, while increasing military spending, "thoughtfully" engaging China and developing a "Marshall Plan" for global energy and food security. "Together," we wrote, "we can ensure America's leadership for the next 100 years." You may also like Chris Christie: a scandal-plagued presidential hopeful Is Trump's wall working? Chuck Todd to be replaced by Kristen Welker on NBC's 'Meet the Press' Why a little Fort Worth tamale shop is doing big business on Bonds Ranch Road The new Tommy Tamale Market & Cafe is busy, and its obvious why. The tamale and Tex-Mex takeout stand is one of few restaurants for miles around the Bonds Ranch neighborhood. Im not kidding. You know youre out in the burbs when you search for nearest restaurant and the next top answer is QuikTrip. Tommy Tamale, a Grapevine and Keller restaurant ranked as one of the states 100 best places to eat by users of Yelp.com, opened the small stand at 750 W. Bonds Ranch road to serve residents of the Haslet area and U.S. 287 motorists. Tamale nachos, top, and a tamale bowl at Tommy Tamale. One recent weekend, families and customers lined up for the tamales in seven varieties ($15 per dozen), or for simple burritos, quesadillas and tamale platters or bowls with Texas chili (about $7-$9). The same strip shopping center on the corner at Wagley Robertson Road has a Pizza Bistro. If you live in Bonds Ranch and want something besides tamales or pizza, then youll have to drive 3 miles west to Wing It Cafe at Hicks Airfield, or 2 miles farther to brunch favorite Beacon Cafe. There is literally nowhere else to eat for an entire neighborhood locked in the north Fort Worth no-mans land of endless subdivisions between busy rail lines west of U.S. 287. So, tamale pie looks pretty good. Tamale nachos at Tommy Tamale feature well, tamale bites on chips with cheese and salsa Luckily, Tommy Tamale is reliable. The 14-year-old Grapevine restaurant has won tamale tasting contests and draws long lines at the holidays. Tommy Tamale began in the back of Decatur resident Steve Barkers F-250 pickup, parked and selling at feed stores in Wise County. The shop settled quickly into the Grapevine Farmers Market, then opened a store and cafe at 1689 W. Northwest Highway (Business Texas 114). A Tommy Bowl at Tommy Tamale mixes tamale bites, chili, queso, rice and pico de gallo. The Tommy Tamale stand on Bonds Ranch Road is smaller. It offers beef, pork and chicken tamales along with Hatch chile pork, habanero pork and black bean. Definitely order something with the Texas chili. It comes atop tamales either on a platter, in a bowl with queso or over a tamale-Frito pie. Tommy Tamale is open from 10 a.m. through dinner weekdays and Saturdays. The larger restaurants are at 208 N. Main St., Keller, and 680 N. Denton Tap Road, Coppell; tommytamale.com. Are young married people a vanishing breed? Some new data reported on by The Hill shows people are delaying marriage until later in life. | Alex Cochran , Deseret News Are young married people a vanishing breed? Some new data reported on by The Hill shows people are delaying marriage until later in life. There are a number of reasons why younger generations delay marriage some are economic and some have to do with what these generations prioritize. Heres a look at when people are getting married, why the age of married people is increasing and the potential impacts of this societal trend. Related What age do most people get married now? The average age of a groom is 30 years old, while the average age of a bride is 28 years old, according to the latest U.S. Census data. The Hill produced a graph showing the average age at which men and women get married, from 1950 to present day. In 1950, the average age of married young people was in their early 20s. After 2000, the average age increased to above 25 and has steadily increased since the exception being men marry slightly younger now than they did in 2020. Not only are people delaying marriage, fewer people overall are marrying. According to The Hill, In the prime adult years, ages 25 to 54, the share of married Americans has dwindled from more than two-thirds in 1990 to barely half today. Roughly 1 adult in 10 cohabits with a partner. Everyone else, in romantic terms, lives alone. Even though marriage overall is on the decline, midlife marriage also may be becoming slightly more popular. The Wall Street Journal reported, The rates of first marriages in midlife have increased by 74% for women and 45% for men between 1990 and 2019, according to a study published in June. The study also found that about 10% of people marrying for the first time are ages 40 to 59. Related Why is marriage being delayed? There are a number of reasons people are delaying marriage economic stability, religious demographic shifts, the threat of divorce and having other priorities which take precedence over starting a family. The threat of divorce and financial instability may be a reason younger people delay marriage, according to the Bentley University Newsroom. Millennials may see marriage as a financially risky move and delay it until they reach financial stability. Individuals are achieving financial stability at a later age, which may be a reason why some are delaying marriage. Yet, marriage correlates with greater economic stability. Brad Wilcox, writing for Institute for Family Studies, said, Nevertheless, marriage and marital transitions also appear to independently influence the accumulation of wealth in America. Married couples, for instance, benefit from economies of scale that allow them to share housing, food and utilities and devote more of their household income to building wealth. Especially for women, student debt is a reason why they are waiting to get married and start having children. The Institute for Family Studies said, Its possible that debt may also reduce fertility, independently of marriage. Some studies do show that student debt has a strong effect on delaying fertility. The economic rationale is simple: having and raising children costs money, and student debt gobbles up a share of income right off the top of the budget. The Hill said, Other factors that have contributed to lower marriage rates are declining religious adherence to marriage, public disenchantment with marriage, and more recently, unstable jobs and strained finances, particularly among low-income earners and those with only a high school education. Married people are generally more likely to be religious and stay religious. Many religions have norms around marriage and as religious participation declines, individuals who are not religious are more likely to cohabitate, per Deseret News. Related Some also believe the divorce rate has something to do with younger generations choosing to delay marriage. About half of first marriages in the U.S. end in divorce, according to Forbes. The average length of a marriage is eight years. Second and third marriages fail at a significantly higher rate than first marriages do. Threat of divorce is one reason why younger generations may delay marriage. People who marry around the age of 30 are less likely to divorce than younger married counterparts with one exception: religious people. Institute for Family Studies said, But we also have evidence suggesting that religious Americans are less likely to divorce even as they are more likely to marry younger than 30. Some are also choosing to delay marriage due to career or education opportunities which take priority over starting a family, according to The Wall Street Journal. Over the course of the last few decades, the number of unmarried mothers and fathers have increased marriage isnt always seen as a prerequisite for having children. Research still shows two parent households led to better outcomes for children overall. And a higher percentage of adults dont ever want to have children, per Pew Research. Medical reasons and finances top the list for reasons why some adults dont want to have children, as well as not having a partner. Whats the impact of delaying marriage? One of the impacts of delaying marriage has to do with the birthrate. The Institute for Family Studies found that women who married later in life are having fewer children even when they may want to have more children. This, in turn, impacts the birthrate. While around 40% of children are born outside of wedlock, the decreasing marriage rate in connection with the delay in marriage is also contributing to lowering birthrates. Some research also shows delayed marriage contributes to economic differences. Brigham Young University researcher Jason Carroll explained how delayed marriage can impact economic stability across different populations. While delayed marriage is sometimes seen through the experience of the college-educated, according to Carroll, the majority of the population doesnt fall into that category. While delayed marriage can slightly benefit women with college degrees in terms of income, the trends for other portions of the population are less promising. Carroll said, Personal income levels are not being substantially improved for less-educated Americans who delay marriage, but the risks of nonmarital childbearing and single parenthood are being increased in ways that diminish the economic well-being of both children and adults. Delayed marriage doesnt necessarily mean people will wait to have children, and so nonmarital childbearing is also connected to delayed marriage. Economic outcomes between children raised in single-parent households differ from those raised in two-parent households. The National Bureau of Economic Research said, One reason the high-level of non-marital childbearing is an economic issue is because numerous studies show that children raised in single-parent homes fare worse on a number of educational and economic dimensions as compared to children raised in homes with two married biological parents. Marriage has a significant and positive impact on economic inequality. In The Atlantic, Wilcox said, Marriage is deeply implicated in many of the social ills at the top of progressives (and the popes) concerns: child poverty, income inequality, and stagnating family income. He argued marriage should be a matter of social justice precisely because of its positive impacts on peoples economic well-being. Related Are there differences between married and unmarried adults? Marriage has a myriad of concrete benefits, not just economic such as better health, more involvement in communities and increased happiness. Looking at the demographic between 25 to 54 in the U.S., there are some differences between partnered and unpartnered adults. Both partnered women and partnered men tend to fare better as earners and are more likely to have completed a bachelors degree. Pew Research said 37% of partnered men have completed a bachelors degree compared to 26% of unpartnered men, while 43% of partnered women have completed a bachelors degree and 33% of unpartnered women have. Education gaps can also partially explain earning gaps over lifetime earnings, the difference between a college degree and a high school diploma amounts to $900,000 more for men and $630,000 more for women but still, partnered men and women tend to be higher earners than their unpartnered counterparts. The median earnings for partnered men are $57,000 compared to $35,600 for unpartnered men. For married women, its $40,000 as opposed to $32,000 for unpartnered women. Pew Research said, Married men earn more because high earners are more likely to marry in the first place. Cohabiting men also receive a wage premium. In addition, marriage or partnership may make men more productive at work, thus adding to the wage premium that already exists. Heartbreaking stories of families losing loved ones and their homes circulate every hurricane season, and while total destruction isn't guaranteed with every tropical storm, the possibility of loss is always there. Despite this, hurricane-prone states were among those that recorded significant population increases in 2022. The draw to the areas is clear: warm weather, beachside property and low taxes in some cases. But it's a high-stakes trade-off. Census records show that the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area in Florida grew 623%, to more than 760,000 people, from 1970 to 2020. When Hurricane Ian slammed the state's southwestern coast in 2022, the area and its residents received the full force of the damage. Experts like Stephen Strader, a hazards geographer and Villanova University professor, say that the population surge in places like Florida over recent decades and the building boom have put exponentially more people and property in harm's way. "People want to live near the coasts and live near the beach, but that comes with a cost. Unfortunately, we have to bear the brunt of that risk," Strader told The Washington Post. "There are more people than ever before in the path of these storms. Plus, a lot of people are going to be experiencing a hurricane for the first time." GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Florida, Texas and North Carolina had the largest gains from net domestic migration - or the difference between people moving in and out of the state - in 2022, according to data from the U.S. Census. In addition, Florida was the fastest-growing state that year with an annual population increase of 1.9%, according to Nadia Evangelou, a senior economist and director of Real Estate Research at the National Association of REALTORS. "That was the first time since 1957 that Florida's population grew faster than anywhere else across the United States and surpassed 22 million people," Evangelou told AccuWeather in an interview. "I expect this trend to follow in the upcoming years. While Florida is the most favorite destination for retirees, keep in mind that 2030 will mark a demographic turning point for the U.S. By then, all Baby Boomers will be older than 65." In this Sept. 13, 2017, photo, a house with its roof blown off by Hurricane Irma in Summerland Key, in the Florida Keys. Rising sea levels and fierce storms have failed to stop relentless population growth along U.S. coasts in recent years, a new Associated Press analysis shows. Punishing hurricanes from the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season scored bulls-eyes on two of the countrys fastest-growing regions: coastal Texas around Houston and resort areas of southwest Florida. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) It's relatively older folks who are making the move to Florida, she concluded. The median age of movers was 47 years old - compared to the national level of 35 - and Evangelou noted folks looking for a warm place to retire as one reason behind many transplants. The Villages, a retirement community some 46 miles northwest of Orlando, was the fastest-growing metro area in the U.S. between 2010 and 2020. Both Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Irma in 2017 delivered heavy rainfall to the area, even prompting sinkholes to form, in the case of the latter. Of the 129 Hurricane Irma-related deaths identified in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina between Sept. 4 and Oct. 10, 2017, 123 of them had occurred in Florida, and the median age of the victims was 63 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. FILE - Police officers talk to an employee at The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in Hollywood, Fla., Sept. 13, 2017. A Florida judge rejected a prosecutor's impassioned plea Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, saying he would not reconsider his acquittal of a nursing home administrator in the overheating deaths of nine patients after Hurricane Irma knocked out the facility's air conditioning in 2017. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File) One 2020 study suggests the death toll was significantly higher, however. Researchers at the University of South Florida and Brown University concluded that 433 additional residents of Florida assisted-living homes died within 90 days of the storm compared to the same period in 2015 when there were no hurricanes. According to the study, the CDC had used the death registration system to evaluate direct and indirect deaths attributed to the hurricane, but not deaths from the "exacerbation of existing medical conditions." Impacts from Hurricane Ian in 2022 also hit folks 60 years of age and older hard. The age group made up nearly three-quarters of the fatalities in the state or 106 of Florida's 149 fatalities, according to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission Report from February 2023. A quarter of the state's fatalities listed a preliminary medical condition as a probable or contributing cause of death. The majority of deaths came from Florida's Lee County, which along with Polk and Hillsborough counties, was one of the three that had the greatest population increases in 2022. Not all of the loss of life can be attributed to the population growth, however, as local leaders were criticized for the county's delayed issuance of an emergency evacuation for coastal areas. Joe and Nancy Venuto were among those in Lee County to face Hurricane Ian's wrath. After serving in World War II and living in Southern California, Delaware and Belgium, Joe, 98, settled down in Sanibel, Florida, 35 years ago. While they had lived through past hurricanes, Ian's storm surge brought a new threat. The hurricane washed away the bottom of their home and flooded their three cars. "You know, when you get as old as we are, you have a lot of things to remember. I'd never think this is the way it would be," Nancy Venuto told AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell. Low taxes and relatively pleasant weather outside of the hurricanes have made the Sandbelt an attractive region to move to, according to Evangelou, but there's another factor that has contributed to the area's growth. While these areas have "good weather, they also have very strong job growth," Evangelou said. Recovery after the pandemic has led to a "robust job market," Evangelou said, who estimated there were about 8% more jobs in Florida than in March of 2020. She estimated the number was around 7% in Texas and 6% in North Carolina. And while Florida isn't among the cheapest states to buy a house, the state's median home value is less than other states such as California, New York and New Jersey. According to Federal Reserve Economic Data, the median home price in Florida in 2023 is $232,000, still below the U.S. median sale price of $436,800. However, these extreme forces of nature are taking their toll on home insurance costs - something that's essential for Florida residents to rebuild. "I know people who are paying more for their insurance than their mortgage a month, and it's horrible, but you have to have that insurance," Jeffrey Hussey, an attorney with the Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, told AccuWeather in an interview. "Most people can't rebuild on savings alone." The Community Legal Services focuses on aiding people paid low-income wages, who Hussey says may also face not just trouble obtaining insurance but have homes that are more susceptible to hurricane damage. "Many of the neighborhoods, especially homeowners of low income, they don't have the same infrastructure as some of the newer developments," he said. "In Florida, we have a significant affordable housing crisis, so a lot of homes are subpar. They're not hurricane-ready. They don't survive the wind, the rain, the waters like newer-built homes. They're old codes, they're not new codes." In this photo taken with a drone, the remains of homes demolished after sustaining heavy damage in Hurricane Ian are seen in Tropicana Sands mobile home park, bottom, in Fort Myers, Fla., Wednesday, May 10, 2023. More than seven months after the storm, crews continue removing debris after demolishing all but a handful of the hundreds of manufactured homes in the community marketed to active adults ages 55 and up. The state estimated the total insured loss from Ian in Florida was almost $14 billion, with more than 143,000 claims still open without payment or claims paid but not fully settled as of March 9. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) One concern Hussey expressed with the upcoming hurricane season was homeowners' insurance companies pulling out of the state and the costs of other insurers spiking, making it more difficult for homeowners to find insurance. Hundreds of thousands of Florida consumers had lost coverage in 2022 due to failed insurers or policy increases, Mark Friedlander, a corporate communications director for the Insurance Information Institute, told The Washington Post last year. Following Ian, Hussey ran across several instances where insurance costs doubled, and people couldn't find companies that would cover their properties. While aid from FEMA, SBA loans and government grants are options for people who don't have insurance, the funds are usually geared toward helping with recovery rather than fully rebuilding. All in all, it leaves those who can still afford insurance with a decision: Should they pay a steep price for insurance against a storm that might not hit, or do they take their chances without that safety net? It comes down to one question that Hussey asks: "Are you a gambler?" 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. Why the SEC is suing Binance Photo: Dado Ruvic (Reuters) The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sued Binance, the worlds largest crypto exchange by volume, alleging that the company sold unregistered securities in the US. The company also faces a lawsuit from the US Commodities and Futures Commission (CFTC) alleging that the exchange sold unregistered commodities derivatives to US retail investors. Read more Founded by CZ Changpeng Zhao in 2017, Binance was built to address what CZ found lacking in crypto market infrastructure, namely technical architecture, security, liquidity, and customer and language support. Binance.US vs Binance.com The company created two separate entities for its US arm, with the expressed intent of escaping the ire of American regulators. Binance.US was run by BAM Management and BAM Trading, and would only serve Americans and be run by separate executives, while Binance.com served everyone else around the globe. The SEC, however, alleges that the international company and US arm both were run by CZ and that some American customers were served by the international arm. This would give the SEC broader jurisdiction to go after all of Binance in an enforcement action. BNB, BUSD, etc. The regulator alleges that Binance Coin (BNB), Binance USD (BUSD), Simple Earn, and BNB Vault were all unregistered securities in the US. Heres a breakdown of what these crypto financial instruments entail: BNB is a token issued by the exchange which was initially created as a utility token that offer discounts on trading. BUSD is a dollar backed stablecoin issued by Paxos and Binance. Simple Earn provides a variety of products including lending, staking, and liquidity farming. The BNB Vault Product is an investment product that pooled customer money into several different yield bearing products without forcing funds to be locked up. The SEC suit also said the following cryptocurrencies are unregistered securities: Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Polygon (MATIC), Coti (COTI), Algorand (ALGO), Filecoin (FIL), Cosmos (ATOM), Sandbox (AXS), and Decentraland (MANA). More from Quartz Sign up for Quartz's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Deadpan expressions. Meticulously centered and symmetrical frames. Specific color palettes. All of the aesthetic qualities that have turned Wes Anderson one of the most identifiable directors in film have made their way into a latest TikTok trend: Pretending to be in a Wes Anderson film in your everyday life. The trend, which began in April, had gone full circle by the end of May when the cast of Anderson's newest film "Asteroid City" did their own version at Cannes Film Festival, later posting it to TikTok. Scarlett Johansson, Jason Schwartzman, Maya Hawke and several other actors from the film participated in the video posted to TikTok's main account with the title, "You better not be acting like you're in a Wes Anderson movie with the cast of his new film." From putting on headphones to flipping pages in a book, the cast portrays everyday life with the distinct bit of quirkiness found in Anderson's films that has inspired thousands to post their own videos romanticizing the everyday on TikTok. How did the trend start? Wes Anderson trend with the cast of Wes Andersons new movie #AsteroidCity (@avawillyums via TikTok) The first video to take off came from creator Ava Williams, who filmed herself taking a train ride from Connecticut to New York in early April. She posted her Anderson-inspired video on April 8, which has since been viewed more than 13 million times. The video, which documents her journey on the Shore Line East, is carefully edited and features detailed shots of the train car set to "Obituary" by Alexandre Desplat, a song from the soundtrack of Anderson's latest film, "The French Dispatch." The trend went viral throughout April and May, with more than 180 thousand TikToks using the audio (most creators used a portion of the song about a minute and 10 seconds into the song). TikTokers filmed anything from their own train journeys to walking around the neighborhood to going to the grocery store to working in a wood shop proving even the most mundane of moments can be made beautiful and interesting when filtered through Anderson's style. Other creators took the time to celebrate big moments, like the birth of a child. And big names joined the trend too: Northeastern University shared a stroll around its campus, the Democratic party compiled a video of President Joe Biden at the White House and the anchors of the TODAY show even filmed their own take. What does Wes Anderson think? Anderson did not respond to a request for comment from TODAY.com, but he was asked if he had seen any of the videos in a May interview with the Associated Press. Wes Anderson trend with the cast of Wes Andersons new movie #AsteroidCity (@TikTok) "Ive never seen any TikTok, actually," Anderson said. "Ive not seen the ones related to me or the ones not related to me." "The only reason I dont look at the stuff is because it probably takes the things that I do the same again and again. Were forced to accept when I make a movie, its got to be made by me," he continued. "But what I will say is anytime anyones responding with enthusiasm to these movies Ive made over these many years, thats a nice, lucky thing. So Im happy to have it. But I have a feeling I would just feel like: Gosh, is that what Im doing? So I protect myself." This article was originally published on TODAY.com Mandel Ngan / Scott Olson, Getty Images / Alex Cochran, Deseret News For 21-year-old Kaleb Weeter, the Republican Party has become his party of choice and he sees former President Donald Trump as the perfect candidate to lead it. He recently began paying attention to politics and the state of the economy, and he figures, out of all the options available, Trump would take the country in the direction that would benefit me in the long run. Weeter said he considers himself a working class voter. He works for a moving company temporarily while trying to get a web design business off the ground. He isnt the only one among self-identified working class voters who feels this way Republicans are increasingly winning over the working class, once considered reliable Democratic voters, and Trump, who presents himself as anti-establishment and anti-elite, has become the face of this movement. Related In a recent poll conducted by HarrisX for the Deseret News, 40% of self-identified working class voters said that they feel like the Republican Party best represents their interests and views, while 36% of these voters preferred the Democratic Party. Nearly 17% said neither party represented them and 7% said both, equally. The poll was conducted from April 18-24, 2023, of 1,981 registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points. For the 336 working class adults, the margin of error is +/- 5.4 percentage points. The world of academia typically defines the working class by their occupation, income or education, but this survey allowed voters to categorize themselves. Michael Zweig, a leading scholar in working class studies, defined this demographic as people who do their jobs under more or less close supervision, who have little control over the pace or the content of their work, who arent the boss of anyone. This latest poll included a number of people who considered themselves blue-collar but also owned a business, as James M. Curry, a political science professor at the University of Utah, said he observed in the polling data. Thats not necessarily a bug. Its a feature, he said, especially among white rural and suburban conservatives. Thats become part of the political identity, which means something different ... from the academic or scholarly sense of what is a working-class or a blue-collar person. Related The Republican Party under Trump managed to engage working class voters during 2016, 2020 and even the midterm elections in 2022. For Weeter, the web designer who supports Trump, working class people that are ambitious and motivated to aim higher, are typically rooting for Trump, he said. Weeter said Trump understands that the governments role is to facilitate growth and prosperity while protecting the nation and perceives the Republican Party as most motivated to accomplish those goals. The poll also found that the Democratic Party has gained momentum among upper-middle and upper class voters, with 45% and 56% support, respectively, compared to the 30% and 28%, respectively, who support the Republican Party. The upper and upper-middle classes tend to include individuals who have college degrees and higher incomes. But Democrats are ramping up their efforts to woo back middle and working class voters. Consider President Joe Bidens State of the Union speech, where he touted the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act that he said will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs across the country. Jobs paying $130,000 a year, and many dont require a college degree, said Biden. Jobs where people dont have to leave home in search of opportunity. And its just getting started. Its a different approach than that of his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, who said in his first joint session address to Congress that the U.S. should once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. Former first lady Michelle Obama even created an online campaign to try to empower Americans to pursue college. But Curry argued that Democrats have always pushed hard for economic progress something that the working class, in particular, values. I dont think its a new playbook. I think its what Democrats have always done. Its just now they face the disadvantage of being seen as out of step with ordinary white voters on social and cultural issues, he explained. For example, during a rally in Michigan, two days before the 2016 presidential election, Trump said: We are going to stop the jobs from going to Mexico and China and all over the world. We will make Michigan into the manufacturing hub of the world once again, he said. Democrats have another problem going into 2024, but so does the GOP neither of the parties leading candidates are very popular. In the Deseret News/HarrisX poll, when voters were asked whether Biden should run for a second term in 2024, nearly two-fifths, or 39%, of those surveyed, said he should run while 61% said he should not run. When the same voters were asked whether Donald Trump should run for president again in 2024, 46% said he should run and 54% said he shouldnt run. Jeremy C. Pope, an author and a political science professor at Brigham Young University, said its clear neither of the parties are satisfying the preferences of the public at the moment. Another expert, Christopher F. Karpowitz, a political science professor at Brigham Young University and co-editor of the journal Political Behavior, agrees with Popes views. Voters who responded to this survey are clearly not terribly excited about a repeat of the 2020 election, he said. Both Biden and Trump have launched their campaigns, so they are not dissuaded by the possibility of a rematch in 2024, Karpowitz said. But there is still 18 months and a primary election between now and the presidential election in 2024. Related Biden may not face serious opposition for the Democratic nomination, he said, but the same cannot be said for Trump, who is leading in Republican polls. There are lingering questions about what will happen as other candidates join the field and as decisions are made about potentially serious criminal indictments in Georgia and with the Mar-a-Lago documents case, Karpowitz said. The pool of GOP candidates and hopefuls for 2024 has grown since Trump announced his bid after the midterms last year. But when working class voters were asked to choose from a list of which politicians best represent their interests and views, here is who working class voters chose: Former President Donald Trump 48%. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis 33%. President Joe Biden 30%. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont 25%. Vice President Kamala Harris 24%. Former Vice President Mike Pence 21%. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. 14%. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. 13%. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. 11%. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley 11%. To Curry, the political science professor at the University of Utah, these numbers show that Trump and DeSantis, who announced his bid in late May, tap into a lot of the same voters. He said it may be because the two share similar political stances. This is why DeSantis may, in fact, be struggling right now, Curry said of DeSantis consistently lagging behind Trump in the polls, because of his inability to draw a distinction between himself and Trump. Of course, the two also have the most name recognition, which could help explain why they are at the top of the list, Curry added. He speculated that Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who also launched his bid for 2024, may have a better chance among working class voters after the campaign is in full swing and voters become more familiar with him. Scott grew up in a poor household and shares a story of pulling himself up by his bootstraps, unlike Trump and DeSantis, said Curry. The South Carolina senator was chosen by 9% of working class voters as one of the politicians who best represents their interests and views. Others with support in the single digits include Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., with 5%; former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, 6%; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., 7%; and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 9%. The Deseret News/HarrisX poll also asked voters why they voted for Trump in 2016 and/or 2020. Among working class voters, here were some of their top three responses: 46% said that he is willing to stand up to Washington. 37% of voters consider him a political outsider. 38% said he delivers on campaign promises. 22% perceive him as a successful businessman. 23% liked his policy proposals. 22% agreed with Trump on an issue that is important to them. 23% dont like Trumps opponents. 26% like his campaign slogan, Make America Great Again. 25% said he cares about people like them and their needs. 22% like his values. 12% like his personality and style. 2% support him for other reasons. For Trump supporters, his outsider status and willingness to push back against elites seems far more important than any of his policy stances. Although some say Trumps background as a billionaire celebrity businessman actually makes him one of the elite, he stopped using the word in a positive sense when he first began campaigning for president. The word became a descriptor for his targets media elites, the political elites, and the elites who only want to raise more money for global corporations, he said in various speeches, according to Politico. His fight against the establishment, and its elites, continues as he tries to keep voters who feel alienated from the American economic system, many of whom identify as part of the working class. Change only happens if we plow fearlessly ahead and declare with one voice that the era of woke and weaponized government is over, Trump told reporters in March, ahead of the Conservative Political Action Conference, per ABC News. That is our task, that is our mission and this is the turning point and the time for that decision because, as youve probably heard me say before, we will not back down, we will not bend, we will not quit, we will not yield. Ultimately, Weeter, the web designer who supports Trump, told the Deseret News the former president is someone who isnt afraid of saying something that may be frowned upon by the public or the media, and this allows him to do things that others politicians arent willing or able to do. MOGADISHU, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The African Union forces and the Somali National Army (SNA) have intensified joint military operations against al-Shabab fighters in Hirshabelle State, central Somalia, ahead of the withdrawal of some 2,000 troops by the end of June. ATMIS Sector Four Commander Hassan Djama Farah attributed the successes against the al-Shabab extremist group to the broad knowledge of the local terrain by SNA forces and enhanced information sharing by the local communities. Djama said the close collaboration forged with SNA and local communities has played a pivotal role in liberating areas that were formerly under terrorist control. "Our operations could not be successful without the significant role of SNA forces, they are friendly with the local communities who mostly relay reliable and timely tip-offs to our troops," he said in a statement issued in Beledweyne town Sunday. The fight against al-Shabab extremists has become a top priority for both ATMIS and the Somali government as the drawdown of troops enters a critical phase. The AU mission said it has stepped up preparations for the withdrawal of 2,000 soldiers by June 30 from Somalia. Mohamed Omar Ibaar, the SNA commander of the 5th Battalion of the 27th Division, expressed confidence that the Somali security forces were ready to take over full security responsibilities once ATMIS forces exit. "We definitely have acquired the necessary skills and experience to fully provide security in Beledweyne and its environs," Omar said. Under ATMIS sectorization, Sector Four is manned by a combined force of Ethiopian and Djibouti troops, whose operational headquarters is based in Beletweyne town, 342 km northwest of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Beletweyne, which is located along the main supply route connecting to Bulo-Burto, Jowhar, and Mogadishu, was the epicenter of al-Shabab activities before they were flushed out by the joint forces. The government forces have intensified their attacks against al-Shabab since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an all-out war against the militants in August 2022. Wichita school board will have at least two new faces after 2023 election. Whos running? An ideological majority on the Wichita school board hangs in the balance as voters prepare to elect three representatives who will help shape the school districts priorities in Superintendent Kelly Bielefelds first year on the job. Social conservatives picked up three of four board seats on the ballot in 2021, and the impending retirement of Sheril Logan and Ernestine Krehbiel guarantees there will be at least two new faces on the seven-person board. Stan Reeser is running for re-election in District 4 against Jason Carmichael, a former City Council candidate. All voters in Wichita Public Schools boundaries will have a chance to weigh in on Logans successor as the boards only at-large member, and south Wichita residents in two districts will pick their direct representatives. Only the five-way at-large contest will appear on the Aug. 1 primary. Here are the candidates who filed to run for each position. At-large Jacob Bakk Jacob Bakk Bakk, a retired aircraft mechanic and pilot, said he plans to run on a platform of parents rights and instilling biblical principles in the public education system. Schools are kind of leaving God out of the picture, and I dont like that at all, he told The Eagle. Im wanting to get more back to the biblical side of things basing it on the Bible and how God wants us to take care of our kids. Bakk, a registered Republican whose daughter attended Wichita schools, said its the boards responsibility to bring parents into the school systems decision-making process. We need to have more openness as far as school board meetings and making it easier for the parents to become involved in like the PTA meetings and all the other things that parents can become involved in, Bakk, 69, said. Were not treating our teachers right, were not teaching our kids right by not giving them what they need in school, he said, referring to stories in recent years of Wichita teachers paying for classroom supplies out-of-pocket. Jesse Borosky Jesse Borosky Borosky is a doctoral student at Wichita State University studying clinical psychology. His campaign material advertises him as a member of the Kansas Green Party. My background being clinical psychology, I have a particular interest in the mental and behavioral health of our children, said Borosky, 30, who is originally from Pennsylvania. Right now, we know that Kansas is doing just about the worst out of any other state in terms of mental health resources, and this is taking a large toll on the children and adolescents of Wichita. During public comments at a May school board meeting, Borosky called on district leaders to consider the mental wellbeing of transgender students in the wake of recently passed legislation in Topeka banning trans and nonbinary people from single-sex spaces inconsistent with the sex they were assigned at birth. Borosky said hes a strong supporter of restorative practices in schools, an approach to addressing disruptive behavior that de-emphasizes student discipline in favor of facilitating conversations between affected parties. Melody McCray-Miller Melody McCray-Miller McCray-Miller, who served as a Democratic representative in the Kansas Statehouse from 2005-2013 and as a Sedgwick County commissioner from 1996-2000, has been endorsed by the outgoing incumbent, Logan. Ive been out of politics and out of that life for a little bit, but there was just this tug and this yearn that I said its time for me to run and its time for me to win so that there will be a voice for people that look like all of us, Mc-Cray-Miller said in March upon launching her campaign. She currently teaches American government classes at WSU. Before being elected to the County Commission, she taught five years at Mayberry Middle School and Southeast High School. Her great grandchildren now attend Wichita schools. Im ready to roll up my sleeves and work with everyone but Im also ready to speak truth and talk about issues of accountability that I believe need to be addressed, McCray-Miller, 66, said. Consistency in accountability across the board will improve our academic outcomes as well as our disciplinary challenges that we have at USD 259. Brent Davis Brent Davis Of four Republican challengers who ran as a block in 2021, Davis was the only one not to be elected, losing to Julie Hedrick by 5 percentage points. In the run-up to the election, Davis, who owns a tutoring and test-preparation business, proposed experimenting on students by separating masked and unmasked children and studying which ones contracted COVID-19. Davis did not respond to repeated requests for an interview. Harlan Bascombe Bascombe also did not respond to The Eagles interview requests after filing on June 1, the last day to sign up with the Sedgwick County Election Office According to an election office filing, Bascombe works for Western Enterprises, an Enid, Oklahoma-based fireworks company. District 4 District 4 in south Wichita is generally bound by Meridian Avenue to the west and Washington Avenue to the east, although boundaries extend slightly in both directions. Jason Carmichael Jason Carmichael Carmichael attended Wichita schools growing up and was a helicopter pilot in Iraq for the U.S. Army, earning a finance degree and an MBA from Wichita State through the G.I. Bill. He now runs a real estate and property management company, and garnered 9.6% of the primary vote as a Republican candidate for Wichita City Council in 2021. For me, top priority is classroom safety so teachers can have more control and feel better about just focusing on their students and teaching, Carmichael, 49, said, telling The Eagle he would likely support a ban on phones in classrooms, which United Teachers of Wichita proposed earlier this year. Carmichaels personal Twitter page shows that he liked a tweet implying school personnel should be armed with guns as a deterrent to school shootings, as well as one stating Sesame Street is in the child sexuality business for sharing a Pride month post, and a tweet that says Transgenders going straight to hell after earth. Sad world we live in. Its gender dysphoria, and its a mental health condition, Carmichael said when asked what the district should be doing to protect gender-non-conforming students. Weve got to embrace them and care for them just like any other addict there is. You cant give an alcoholic a drink and say, Dont drink it. You just dont give it to them. You tell them what is real and what is what. Stan Reeser Stan Reeser, candidate for Wichita BOE District 4. Reeser has been a member of the school board since 2017 and previously served on the Wichita City Council from 1991-1995. Hes a registered Democrat but said hes concerned by the politicization of school boards around the country in recent years. I do think there are people who just want to be critics of public education but theyre not willing to do the work to make sure that we are making improvement, said Reeser, 61, who also works in logistics and distribution for the Ascension hospital system. In his six years on the board, the districts graduation rate has climbed from 74% to 80%. I know it sounds like a slogan, but we really have done a better job getting our kids future-ready, Reeser said. We have more students earning early college credits, and for those who college is not the thing for them at this moment, weve got internships, work-related experiences. Reesers three children attended Wichita schools and he has two grandchildren now enrolled in the district. He said his top priorities for another term would include improving early education reading comprehension and adopting a holistic approach to addressing student behavior issues that includes funding for more behavior counselors, psychologists and social workers in schools. District 3 District 3 in south Wichita is generally bound by McLean Boulevard to the west and Rock Road to the east. Ngoc Vuong Ngoc Vuong Vuong, a community psychology doctoral student at Wichita State, has been endorsed by retiring board member Ernestine Krehbiel. He graduated from South High School in 2018, where he was student body president and regularly participated in school board meetings as a member of the superintendents student advisory council. For me, Wichita this home, said Vuong, 23, who is a first-generation Vietnamese American. We need to have governments that are more reflective and responsive to the lived experiences and incredible diversity in our school district. Vuong, a Democrat, said its critically important for young people to get involved and realize that they can make a difference in the community. As an undergraduate, he was a project manager for Safe Streets Wichita, which led an effort to get fentanyl test strips decriminalized and begin distributing free naloxone to fight opioid overdoses. While in high school, Vuong started ICTeens In Mind, a student-led group that raised awareness and advocated for school-based mental health services. As a WSU researcher, he recently participated in a statewide evaluation of mental health services in schools. Vuong said he supports a restorative justice approach to addressing disruptive student behavior in classrooms and increasing family and community engagement in the school system. Ken Carpenter Carpenter did not respond to interview requests for this story. According to election office filings, he works at the home improvement retailer Menards. FILE - Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman leaves the stand after testifying, June 23, 2022, at the Dane County Courthouse in Madison, Wis. A Wisconsin judge on Monday, June 5, 2023, declined to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to ensure that no records are deleted from a now-closed state office created to investigate former President Donald Trump's loss in 2020. The lawsuit was one of several filed by liberal watchdog group American Oversight against Gableman and the office of special counsel he led. (Kayla Wolf/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin judge on Monday declined to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to ensure that no records are deleted from a now-closed state office created to investigate former President Donald Trump's loss in 2020. The lawsuit was one of several filed by liberal watchdog group American Oversight against former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman and the office of special counsel that he led. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired Gableman to lead the probe in 2021 under pressure from Trump and conservative Republicans in Wisconsin who were pushing for decertifying Biden's win. Vos put the investigation on hold in April 2022 and then fired Gableman in August 2022 after he turned up no evidence to back Trump's false claims that the election had been stolen from him. Vos fired Gableman just days after Vos won his primary over an opponent endorsed by Gableman and Trump. Vos called Gableman an embarrassment to himself and the state. Even though the office has been unstaffed for nearly a year, it continues to fight open records lawsuits. Courts have repeatedly ruled against Gableman and his former office in those cases. Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost on Monday affirmed with his latest ruling that the office formerly led by Gableman, and any future version of it, is subject to Wisconsin's open records law. Frost granted a temporary injunction against any deletion of records by the office and rejected the motion to dismiss, a request made nearly a year ago. Todays ruling is a victory for democracy that affirms what weve been arguing all along: Wisconsins Office of Special Counsel is a state agency and must follow Wisconsins public records retention laws," said Rachel Fried, an attorney with Democracy Forward, which represented American Oversight in the case along with Madison-based Pines Bach. Frost, in his ruling, said Gableman's office throws a variety of arguments against the wall to try to avoid the Retention Law, but they all fail." He said the public interest in preserving, requesting and reviewing records obtained during the investigation was paramount. James Bopp, who represented the office of special counsel, said no decision had been made on whether to appeal. We are surprised by the ruling since all of the documents have been transferred to the clerk of the Wisconsin Assembly," he said. "The special counsel has no documents to preserve or produce. At a hearing in September, Bopp told the judge that the lawsuit was moot and that all records collected by the office would soon be made public. Assembly Chief Clerk Ted Blazel said Monday that he had the records and was working on getting them posted online in the near future. President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in 2020 by just under 21,000 votes in Wisconsin, a victory that withstood recounts, multiple state and federal lawsuits, an audit by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and a report by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. An Associated Press review of Wisconsin and other battleground states also found far too little fraud to have tipped the election for Trump. Photo: picture alliance (Getty Images) Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, Wisconsin has been living under a near-total abortion ban originally enacted in 1849. And while the election of a pro-choice judge to the states Supreme Court in April bodes well for the ban eventually being overturned, it seems Republicans in the legislature are scrambling to try and make the wildly unpopular pre-Civil War law more palatable with a new package of minuscule proposed amendmentsone of which, Rolling Stone notes, is a $1,000 tax credit for embryos. Thats probably just enough to cover the first few sessions of therapy for the trauma of forced pregnancy. Per the language of the bill, which is transparently meant to bolster support for a law that every single county voted to repeal, the credit would permit parents to claim an exemption on their tax returns for unborn children for whom a fetal heartbeat has been detected. Parents of children from embryos to the age of 17 can qualify parents to receive $700 to $1,000 per child. This legislative package comes after Wisconsin Republicans earlier this year defeated bills to add rape and incest exceptions to the 1849 law. So yes, Wisconsinites may be forced to deliver their rapists babies, but at least theyll receive $1,000 for their troubles if they manage to survive the pregnancy and birth. Read more The proposed tax credit mirrors similar bills weve seen on the federal and state level that are just back-door ways to soft-launch fetal personhoodwhich confers legal personhood rights upon embryos at the expense of the pregnant persons. In February 2022, House Republicans introduced the Unborn Child Tax Credit. And in July, within weeks of Roe being overturned, Senate Republicans introduced the Unborn Child Support Act, a bill that would require fathers to pay child support starting in the first month of someones pregnancy. Last summer, Georgias Department of Revenue announced parents could receive up to $3,000 for any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat, which is surely enough to compensate for the long-term, devastating economic impacts of being denied abortion care. And in January, Oklahoma lawmakers proposed a bill requiring the father or second parent of an unborn child to pay prenatal child support, with the bills author specifying that life begins at conception. Ironically, by advancing fetal personhood, these policies can directly lead to pregnant people being investigated and criminalized by the state for the outcomes of their pregnancies, which is already happening. In the last 50 years, there have been nearly 2,000 cases of people facing criminal charges for pregnancy loss or self-managed abortion. If [pregnant peoples] rights are secondary to the fetus or at odds with the fetus, that lends to an environment in which violencewhether its state violence like imprisonment or interpersonal violencecan be committed against pregnant people with far less accountability, a spokesperson for Pregnancy Justice told Jezebel. Rolling Stone notes that the lawmaker behind Georgias unborn child tax credit says in a leaked video that the goal is to get policies like this to the highest court in the land. The Supreme Courts ruling to overturn Roe didnt explicitly mention fetal personhood, but certainly opened the door for itand thats exactly the endgame anti-abortion lawmakers are sprinting toward, with help from legislation like the proposed tax credit in Wisconsin. More from Jezebel Sign up for Jezebel's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Wisner Desmaret sentenced to life without parole in the slaying of FMPD officer Relatives of slain Fort Myers Police officer Adam Jobbers-Miller wiped tears Monday as Judge Robert Branning announced the life sentence against Wisner Desmaret in the 2018 slaying. "We do believe justice is served when Desmaret will never ever see the light of day again," State Attorney Amira Fox said after the announcement. "We are all satisfied with that." Jobbers-Miller's family declined comment during sentencing, while Desmaret, 34, continued to say he was innocent. "I guess I was the bad man doing crimes," Desmaret said. Wisner Desmaret was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Fort Myers Police Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller on Monday, June 5, 2023. A Lee County jury on April 14 recommended life in prison without the possibility of parole for Desmaret in the slaying of Jobbers-Miller, 29. Desmaret had represented himself. Lee Hollander had remained as standby counsel throughout the guilt and penalty phases of the trial, but later filed a motion for new trial on Desmaret's behalf. Deputy charged: Former LCSO deputy accused of leaking street racing investigation claims his innocence Joseph Zieler: Joseph Zieler appeals conviction in double 1990 homicide after jury recommends death Branning denied the motion on May 30. Desmaret was convicted April 12 of fatally shooting officer Jobbers-Miller on July 21, 2018. Jobbers-Miller had responded to a report of a stolen cellphone. Desmaret ran as Jobbers-Miller pursued him. After a scuffle, Desmaret shot him twice in the head with Jobbers-Miller's gun. Wisner Desmaret was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Fort Myers Police Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller on Monday, June 5, 2023. The jury had found Desmaret guilty on eight counts in the slaying: first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer; resisting an officer with violence; robbery; depriving an officer of their means of protection or communication; attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer; aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer; burglary of a conveyance; grand theft; and aggravated assault on an officer, firefighter or EMT. Jobbers-Miller's sister, Nicole Miller, and uncle, David Miller, cleared tears off their faces as four family members of Desmaret visibly held the tears back. "I felt like Amira Fox didn't legally prosecute me," Desmaret said during his sentencing. "I felt like this was all illegal." State sought the death penalty Fox and Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner prosecuted the case. The State Attorney's Office had sought the death penalty for Desmaret. During a briefing after the sentencing concluded, Fox said justice had been served. Desmaret's verdict arrived just days before new legislation would allow juries to recommend death in an 8-4 vote. "We all respect up here what the law was at the time of the case," Fox said. "We have no choice but to respect that. And this jury did not unanimously find that the aggravators outweigh the mitigators." Jobbers-Miller's family relies on penalty phase testimony David Miller, the fallen officer's uncle who raised him, didn't add comment and asked the court to rely on his statements presented during the penalty phase. State Attorney Amira Fox speaks to the media after the sentencing for Wisner Desmaret on Monday, June 5, 2023. Desmaret was convicted in the murder of Fort Myers Police Officer, Adam Jobbers-Miller. He was sentenced to life in prison. Miller had said his nephew became interested in law enforcement when he was about 5 or 6 after he found a classmates father was in law enforcement. About 2012, the Millers moved from New Jersey to Punta Gorda, with Jobbers-Miller soon following. Fort Myers Police hired Jobbers-Miller when he graduated from the police academy. "He loved his job," Miller had said. Wisner Desmaret claims innocence Desmaret's attitude was visibly more court-appropriate during his sentencing, compared to his trial, although he continued to challenge the legal system, saying he'd never been convicted of a charge. "I don't have no records, nothing at all," Desmaret said. Judge Robert Branning speaks during the sentencing phase in the Wisner Desmaret phase of the trial on Monday, June 5, 2023. Desmaret was convicted in the murder of Fort Myers Police Officer, Adam Jobbers-Miller. He was sentenced to life in prison. Desmaret said jurors were favored law enforcement and that a lot had law enforcement family members. "I didn't really understand what was going on," he said. Desmaret said he felt like jurors didn't want to be present and just "went through" the motions. "I feel like a lot of people didnt look into what happened," Desmaret said. Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Wisner Desmaret sentenced to life for 2018 slaying of FMPD officer Yahya Abdul-Mateen II poses for a portrait on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in New York. Abdul-Mateen is nominated for a Tony Award for lead actor in a play for his role in Topdog/Underdog." (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP) NEW YORK (AP) Yahya Abdul-Mateen II first encountered the play Topdog/Underdog in college, performing a section as a favor for a student director who needed actors for a showcase. It turned into a favor for Abdul-Mateen. I immediately came alive. I used to struggle with contemporary work because none of the characters felt like me. I didnt really relate," he says. It unlocked something inside of me where I just could give everything that I had to give to it. Abdul-Mateen returned to Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer-winning work this winter, earning a Tony Award nomination in his Broadway debut opposite Corey Hawkins. To be on Broadway was always the goal. I didnt even need to be a star of a show. I just wanted to be on the stage and to have more than a few lines and that was success, he says. Just to be able to fulfill the artistic calling and to do it on that stage was what the goal was. And to have my first Broadway experience doing Topdog/Underdog, its just a gift. Its a full circle moment for me. Topdog/Underdog is about two brothers, abandoned in their teenage years, named Lincoln and Booth, as they deal with the ramifications of their history while fending for themselves by hustling. It's about sibling rivalry, inequality and society's false promises. Abdul-Mateen calls it a peek into what life might be like for someone in the city over or in your next door neighbors house or upstairs on the third floor. It's a deeply, deeply, deeply human story. The play's revival came during a season with rich explorations of the Black experience, including a Black-led Death of a Salesman and a revival of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson. All show an American dream that is cracked. These guys are just really trying to strive to fulfill their dreams, to step into the identity of who they know they are on the inside. And their life doesnt really give them a chance to do that, says Abdul-Mateen. Tony-winning director Kenny Leon says Abdul-Mateen wasn't finished exploring his character, even after the play opened or after the reviews came in. He and Leon were still talking about the work up until the show's closing in January. Almost up until the last audience, he was still trying to give his best. You dont find artists like that all the time who want to explore it like that. This is one of the few times that I met the talent that was willing to go with me as deep as I wanted to go, and as long as I wanted to go. In a supremely ironic twist, Abdul-Mateen will face-off for the lead actor in a play Tony trophy with his onstage brother, Hawkins, extending their sibling rivalry off-stage. I honestly feel that I could not have given the performance that I gave without Corey and humbly I would say vice versa, Abdul-Mateen says. When we looked across the table and across the room, we saw someone who had the same level of respect for what it was that we were doing. It was like game recognize game. The two actors had never worked together before but left a lasting impression. If he wins, then I get to tease him. If I win, I get to tease him. And if neither of us win, then we get to tease ourselves, you know what I mean? On June 11 at the Tony Awards, Abdul-Mateen and Hawkins will also have to fend off competition from Sean Hayes, in Good Night, Oscar, Stephen McKinley Henderson in Between Riverside and Crazy and Wendell Pierce from Arthur Millers "Death of a Salesman. If he wins, Abdul-Mateen will have a Tony to go along with an Emmy for his acclaimed performance as Dr. Manhattan in HBOs lauded series Watchmen. His film credits include Aaron Sorkins The Trial of the Chicago 7 as Bobby Seale, Jordan Peeles Us and Nia DaCosta's Candyman. He played opposite Jason Momoa as the villainous Black Manta in the 2018 blockbuster Aquaman and will reprise his role in the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. He's the rare actor able to jump from DC to Marvel, since he's also the lead of the Disney+ series Wonder Man. I was thinking a couple of days ago about my career trajectory. And I think the story is just consistency just patience and consistency. And thats really the recipe for me. Abdul-Mateen has also launched a production company, House Eleven10, and signed a deal with Netflix, with the actor starring in and producing films for the streamer. He says he hopes to attract top talent for whatever the company makes, big or small, with a commitment to culture, language, ambition and style or CLASS. I dont want to do one type of thing, but I want to make sure that that theres a throughline through everything that I do, he says. We have a chance to put our values into what it is that we care about, which I think makes it ultimately fresh and cool and unique. ___ Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits Yellowstone urges visitors to protect wildlife after tourists put baby elk in their car and other incidents Yellowstone National Park has urged visitors to protect wildlife after a string of incidents that have left animals killed or endangered, including one in which tourists gave a newborn elk a ride in their car. The park issued a plea late last week asking visitors to drive carefully and follow safety regulations after several reports of fatal collisions between vehicles and wildlife. In recent days, some actions by visitors have led to the endangerment of people and wildlife and resulted in the death of wildlife, the park said in a press release. The park calls on visitors to protect wildlife by understanding how their actions can negatively impact wildlife. On Memorial Day weekend, visitors put a newborn elk calf in their car and brought it to the West Yellowstone Police Department. The calf later ran into the forest. Its condition is unknown, the park said. On May 28, two adult black bears, both dark chocolate brown in color, were struck and killed in separate vehicle collisions in the park, Yellowstone said. At about 5 p.m., a vehicle hit an adult male black bear near milepost 14 on U.S. Highway 191 in the northwestern section of Yellowstone. Later that evening, a second adult male black bear was struck and killed by a vehicle at milepost 29 on U.S. Highway 191, the park said. One elk and one bison were also hit by separate vehicles in the days since, Yellowstone said. Speed enforcement The park said they would be significantly increasing speed enforcement on U.S. Highway 191 in the park, where the speed limit is 55 mph. On most other park roads, the limit is 45 mph or less, Yellowstone said. The park urged drivers to be careful at night, noting that animal fur absorbs light, making them harder to detect. Yellowstone also warned visitors to keep their distance from the wildlife after a number of incidents were reported. A man grabbed a struggling newborn bison calf and pushed it up from the river and onto the roadway in the northeastern section of the park on May 20. The calf ended up being euthanized and the man pleaded guilty to one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wildlife, the US attorneys office for Wyoming said on May 31. Last year, two visitors were gored by bison after getting too close to the animals, the park said. The park said they are investigating a range of other recent bison-related incidents. Yellowstone emphasized that park regulations require visitors to remain 25 yards away from all wildlife and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Approaching wild animals can drastically affect their well-being and, in some cases, their survival. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, on a road, or in a developed area, leave it alone and give it space, the park said in the release. Paradise Afshar contributed to this story. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com You're more likely to have the severest type of heart attack on a Monday, study suggests STEMI heart attacks are more dangerous than other heart attacks boonchai wedmakawand/Getty Images Research found that the severest type of heart attack is most likely to happen on a Monday. A cardiologist who led the study suggested this could be down to the body's wake and sleep cycle. Other research suggested bring-drinking and stress could be the reason for a Monday heart attack. The severest type of heart attack is most likely to occur on a Monday, according to research. The research looked at 10,528 patients who had been admitted to hospitals in Ireland with a specific heart attack called an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction between 2013 and 2018. It was presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester, UK, on Sunday, and hasn't been peer-reviewed. A STEMI is the most serious kind of heart attack and happens when a major coronary artery is completely blocked. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, stomach pain, heart palpitations, anxiety, sweating, and feeling dizzy, according to Cleveland Clinic, although women are less likely to experience chest pain. The research found there was a spike in STEMI cases at the beginning of the working week, most commonly on Monday, as well as more than expected on a Sunday. Monday heart attacks could be linked to our body's sleep cycle Cardiologist Dr. Jack Laffan, who led the study at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, said the correlation between STEMI and the start of the working week had been described before in other research. Scientists aren't sure of the cause, and it's likely to be multifactorial, but it's reasonable to presume that the circadian rhythm the body's sleep or wake cycle plays a role, he said. A review of existing evidence published in 2005 that also found cardiovascular events are more likely to occur on Mondays suggested binge drinking on the weekend could trigger heart problems on a Monday, although it wasn't proven. Insider previously reported that stress about the upcoming work week felt on a Sunday could raise levels of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol in the body, which could increase blood pressure and clotting, raising the risk of heart attacks. Previous research suggested that cardiac arrests are also more likely to happen on a Monday. A cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack. While the heart stops beating during a cardiac arrest and the patient falls unconscious, they can remain conscious during a heart attack and their heart will continue to beat. However, one study from 2019 involving a Northwestern community in the US found cardiac arrests didn't peak on Mondays the only trend was a lower number of cases on Sundays. Commenting on the new STEMI research, professor Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director of the charity the British Heart Foundation, said: "We now need to unpick what it is about certain days of the week that makes them more likely. Doing so could help doctors better understand this deadly condition so we can save more lives in future." Read the original article on Insider Yvonne Orji on set of Hotels.com Yvonne Orji is a Nigerian-American actress, comedian, and writer. Orji is best known for her role as Molly Carter in the HBO series Insecure, which has earned her critical acclaim and several award nominations. Now, shes in everyones homes worldwide via Netflix with her animated series My Dad The Bounty Hunter. Thanks to her latest collaboration with Hotels.com for their digital series called Perfect 10, Travel Noire had the opportunity to discuss all things travel with Hollywoods next rising superstar. Photo Credit: Hotels.com Yvonne Orji On Travel Traditions and Vacation Style TN: As you know, Travel Noire pertains to all things travel within the Black diaspora. The best thing about our platform is reading stories on how we all can relate to the topic of travel. We all have our cherished travel traditions before embarking on exciting journeys to unfamiliar locales. Whats your go-to travel tradition? Whats that one thing you absolutely must do before setting off on an adventure? Yvonne Orji: No judgment, but I go to Trader Joes and grab some snacks because I like to bring plantain chips both kinds, the sweet kind and salty kind with me wherever I go, as well as chocolate bars and Inca corn. I like a crunch and lets not forget (and this is not from Trader Joes but I always have to have them) the smokehouse almonds. I stock up on my own snack machine before every trip. TN: When indulging in the finer things in life, we all have our preferences. Picture this: youre planning your next getaway, and the big question ariseswhat type of travel experience truly floats your boat? So we pose the question: beach vacation, nature adventure, or posh/luxury travelwhich one steals your heart and why? YO: I would say if its a beach vacation, then I am doing some version of luxury travel. How I like to vacation is if I am really stressed, like if I just finished a project, I like to just go away to recharge. It is kind of a luxury situation where I dont really see anyone, Im a little isolated, I got my own pool I do like a private pool suite. Then, after that, when I feel refueled and recharged, then I am more adventurous and want to go out into the city and connect with the locals, but initially, and especially depending if Im coming off of a project, it is the beach and luxury for me. TN: As the hit show Insecure captivated audiences with its authentic portrayal of lifes ups and downs, we couldnt help but feel a genuine connection to the characters, living and breathing their experiences alongside them. In the real world, as you navigate your own path, we wonder have Yvonne and Issa ever traveled together? YO: Issa and I have done some European trips together. Weve done some Italy, some France. We were at Cannes Lions together that was fun. But were always trading destinations. Im always like, Girl where you at, heres where Im going. Shes also the one that is like, Uh-uh, dont go there, go here its bomb, and Im like, ok cool, so we always give each other travel destination ideas. Photo Credit: Hotels.com TN: As globetrotters, we collect memories with every journey we embark upon. Now, lets reflect on the past year and the passport stamp that holds a special place in your heart. Among the array of exotic destinations and cultural escapades, which one left an indelible mark on your soul? YO: I would say my trip to Grenada. I went to a friends wedding out there and she basically took out the whole island. Silversands, which is the hotel that was there, was all rented for her guests and it was just really beautiful to see all the people come in to experience this Caribbean island. To eat the food [and] fellowship. It was just really beautiful, and of course, the wedding was stunning. I loved that, and I loved that we could see luxury in different parts of the Caribbean. We could also just experience what other travelers got to experience and almost keep it a secret but nah, we here. TN: Which Instagram profile, influencer, or celebrity holds the power to ignite your passion for travel? What about their captivating content inspires you to venture into the unknown and explore new horizons? YO: Even as a child, Ive had my passport for a while, so I think travel has always been that thing that we just did if its coming from Nigeria to America. In college, I did study abroad in the Dominican Republic. When I got my masters, I lived in Liberia for six months. Ive always been on the go, so travel has always been something that I enjoy doing, desire to do, and want to do more of. My last trip, which was to Belize, was actually influenced by the good homie Jubril and his company Passport Heavy, and that was a movie, that was amazing. I recommend everyone go to Belize. If youre going to Belize, definitely see how he has his YouTube thing that he puts out and you just watch it, just plug and chug and youre going to have a great time. I definitely follow Travel Noire just to see what else is poppin and what things people do when they go to different places. So, when TN comes on the timeline, Im here for it. TN: Fill in the blank, I love Travel Noire because __________. YO: I love Travel Noire because of all the dope travel content it gives, especially for people of color. I love that it promotes traveling within the community and introduces us to different places to go to, and how to navigate when we do go to those places. Travel Noire is definitely a go-to when youre trying to travel. I got my Instagram saves and if you go through a lot of the saves, its a lot of TN stuff. So keep the goodies coming because were watching and were traveling. RELATED: How Insecure Star Yvonne Orji Did Her Own Eat Pray Love Global Adventure Zelenskyy to appeal to the Swiss parliament on 15 June, some MPs are promising to boycott President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will appeal to the Swiss parliament via video call on Thursday, 15 June at 14: 00 (15:00 Kyiv time). This became known on Monday during a meeting of the Swiss parliament. Source: European Pravda, Martin Candinas, the speaker of the National Council (lower house) of Switzerland, at the beginning of the debate announced that Zelenskyy would be speaking, adding that the date was chosen in agreement with the Ukrainian side. The duration of the Ukrainian Presidents address was not specified. Immediately after the announcement, Thomas Aeschi, the leader of the parliamentary group of the far-right Swiss People's Party, criticised the decision to allow Zelenskyy to speak, saying that this can be considered to be an attempt to influence the debate on the supply of weapons and ammunition. Later, he said that the majority of members of his faction will not be present at the speech of the President of Ukraine. For reference: Zelenskyy will become the first president to speak in the Swiss parliament via video call. Since 1970, 28 invited speakers have addressed the country's legislature. Among them were the presidents of countries and representatives of international organisations, as well as a minister of foreign affairs and a senate chairman. In March 2022, the President of Ukraine gave a speech to a group of people gathered in Bern for the day of solidarity with Ukraine. Then, in particular, he called on Switzerland to take a stronger position against Russian oligarchs. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Zelenskyy thanks soldiers deployed near Bakhmut for bringing "the news we expect" President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the soldiers from the Bakhmut front, who "brought exactly the news we expect". Source: Evening video address Quote: "I am grateful to each of our soldiers, all our defenders who brought us exactly the news that we expect this day. Bakhmut front well done, soldiers. We see how hysterically Russia takes any step we take there, all positions that we take. The enemy knows that Ukraine will win. They see it. They feel it thanks to your strikes, soldiers, and in particular in Donetsk Oblast." Details: Zelenskyy particularly noted the 5th Separate Assault Brigade and the 57th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade, which are "moving forward". The President also said that Ukraine is preparing new steps to limit Russia's military potential. Background: On 5 June, Hanna Maliar, Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine, reported that the Ukrainian army is successfully advancing across a wide stretch of the Bakhmut front. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! BEIRUT, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A Lebanese ministerial delegation will visit Syria soon to discuss the return of displaced Syrians to their homeland, Lebanon's Minister of the Displaced Issam Charafeddine said on Monday. "Steps are being prepared first to hold a consultative meeting of Lebanese ministers with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati this week, during which an understanding will be reached on everything related to the visit," Charafeddine was quoted as saying by Elnashra news website. He added that Lebanon is adopting the approach of safe deportation of Syrian refugees, which is slow and voluntary without any forced return. He explained that "the safe deportation of displaced Syrians is supposed to start from the camps that contain 350,000 refugees, where a list of the names of the displaced in these camps will be prepared to be presented to the Director of General Security in Lebanon." It will be presented to the Syrian National Security through the Lebanese Ministry of Interior, he added. Lebanese Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib previously noted that there are about 2 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and the figure threatens to disrupt the structure of Lebanese society. A Virginia Beach dentist was pronounced dead after being stabbed multiple times Saturday morning at a home in the Birdneck Point neighborhood, police said. Police responded to a call at 8:54 a.m. and found Abbey Horwitz, 68, with stab wounds in the 1300 block of Wren Place. Horwitz was pronounced dead about 20 minutes later. Norah Horwitz, 34, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and stabbing in the commission of a felony. She is being held at Virginia Beach jail. Police confirmed Abbey Horwitz is Norah Horwitzs father. Norah Horwitz is a trans woman. Abbey Horwitz was from the Bronx and studied at the Virginia School of Dentistry in Richmond before moving to Virginia Beach, according to the biography on his dental practice The Art of Dentistrys webpage. He was active in the local Jewish community and volunteered dental services in Israel, Romania, the former Soviet Union and Nicaragua. This is a developing story. Check PilotOnline.com for updates. Lenovo launches high end Legion Pro series laptops in India New Delhi, Mon, 05 Jun 2023 NI Wire Lenovo launched Intel 13 Gen and AMD Ryzen 7000 based high end Legion Pro laptops series in India. The Lenovo Legion Pro series are specially designed for playing the high end desktop games and comes with latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPUs. According to the company official release, Lenovo Legion Pro series laptops are powered with the Intel 13th Generation and Gen AMD Ryzen 7000 powerful processors. These laptops are good for playing games and also for the general heavy works. With the latest release of the Legion Pro series in India, the company brings a new series of laptops targeted to the gaming sectors of India. These days people are using high end laptops for playing games on their laptops. With this release customers will have a new option in the gaming laptop series. Lenovo launches Legion Pro 7i, Pro 7, Legion Pro 5i and Pro 5 in the Indian market. These laptops are for gaming use and powered with the Intel 13 Gen and AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU. These laptops are for gaming use and come with the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPU are the fastest powerful GPU as of now in the market. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPU According to NVIDIA, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPU is the worlds fastest GPU for laptops. This GPU is built using the ultra-efficient NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture, which brings a quantum leap in performance with AI-powered DLSS 3. This GPU can be used to run the powerful graphics process and enables lifelike virtual worlds using the ray tracing. This GPU uses the Max-Q suite of technologies which further optimises the system performance. This technology is good for power, battery life, and also the acoustics peak efficiency. With these specs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPU is the ideal GPU for running heavy processing jobs and games. These laptops come in the 16:10 gaming display with the screen refresh rate of 240Hz, which is a very high refresh rate. On the audio site these laptops come with the Nahimic SteelSeries 3D immersive audio. Keyboard is also good and supports customisable RGB lighting. Lenovo also introduced the new Lenovo Artificial Intelligence (LA) family of chips in these laptops which are powered with the Lenovos AI Engine+. This chip also gives AI performance enhancements in these laptops. Legion Pro series laptops will provide very good performance in the AI tasks. In the Lenovo Legion Pro Laptops chips relay the real-time data from the hardware and sensors to the LA AI chip and free up the CPU and GPU processing from task. So, this technology is powerful and increases the power of laptops. Lenovo Legion Pro is developed using the ground-breaking innovations that enhance the performance of this laptop while playing modern day games. This laptop is one of the best laptops for playing high end games. In India, the Legion Pro series laptops price is starting from Rs. 1,72,990. A Bellevue couple will celebrate three quarters of a century of wedded bliss on Thursday. Earl and Kathleen Gilsdorf ages 99 and 94, respectively were married on June 8, 1948. The two Nebraska natives grew up on farms near Bloomfield. Earl attended St. Andrews School in Bloomfield through eighth grade. Kathleen attended country school and went to St. Andrews and Bloomfield High School for two years each. They attended the same church, although they never dated until after Earl returned from a stint in the Army in December 1946. He had joined in March 1945 and was put on a ship bound for Japan later that year. When we were on the way overseas, the Japanese surrendered, he said. I got as far as the Philippines and worked on the dock where they were unloading supplies. Their first date was the wedding dance of Earls brother, John, on Jan. 14, 1947, Kathleen said. In fact, it was on the dance floor that the two found love. Earl rented some land to farm, and they began attending dances at the Sun Glow Ballroom in Hartington on Sundays and other dances in area towns, Kathleen said. When we were in our teenage years, there were probably five ballrooms within 30 miles, and they had dances on different nights, she said. Back in those days, there were dance halls in all these little towns, Earl said. Lawrence Welk, whose band was based in Yankton, South Dakota at that time, would sometimes play in the area, Earl said. He was the king of the dance groups, thats for sure, he said. Kathleen only remembered dancing to Welks band once in the Crofton City Auditorium, which was actually a gymnasium. In any case, it didnt take long for Earl to fall in love with Kathleen, he said. Added Kathleen: We were on probably our third or fourth date when Earl told me he was going to marry me. He never did ask me. Earl had a simple explanation for being smitten. She could really dance, he said. Earl worked for her dad milking cows on their farm at one time. My dad told me I had to treat him decent because he was a real man, Kathleen said. He also told her Earl was the best milker he ever had, she said. On Nov. 21, 1947, which was Kathleens birthday, Earl gave Kathleen her engagement ring, she said. Earl ordered my diamond out of the Sears Roebuck catalog, she said. He showed it to his mom first to make sure it was OK. The newlyweds rented a rural Hartington farm between Bloomfield and Randolph the first of five they would cultivate, Earl said. Then we jumped around from farm to farm, he said. The couple tilled the land and also raised livestock, along with two boys and five girls. We milked about 25 cows, Kathleen said. She taught for three years at country schools near Bloomfield and Hartington, then quit so they could start a family. The last year we farmed, we had a terrible winter, Earl said, adding that the snow got deep. That last year we farmed, he had to dig a tunnel to the chicken coop, Kathleen said. After 12 years, they decided to leave farming behind, Earl said. We decided I wasnt getting enough money to buy a farm, and what we could rent to say the least wasnt the best, he said. They moved to Shelby for a year, then bought a house and settled in Columbus. After a year with Beckton-Dickinson, he got on with Loup Public Power. In Columbus, Kathleen worked at Dale Electronics. I worked there long enough I knew most of the production jobs, and then I became (production) coordinator, she said. One of the couples sons lives in Millard, and the other is now deceased. Their daughters live in Chadron, Bellevue, Mississippi, Minnesota and Illinois. Earl and Kathleen both retired in 1989, but they continued to live in Columbus until 2012, when they moved in with their daughter, Suzanne Gilsdorf, in Bellevue. Both are still in good health. Earl uses a walker, and they let Suzanne drive them places, Kathleen said. He can get into the car by himself, but he cant shovel snow and mow anymore, she said. I really have very few problems, and he just stopped doing those things in the past year. All in all, I think weve been very blessed. Lee will discuss her new book, The Long March Home. Inspired by true stories, The Long March Home is a gripping coming-of-age tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope. Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire. Life in the Philippines seems like paradise until the morning of Dec. 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific Theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history. 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. The Telegraph highlighted Moroccos energy export potential describing the country as a renewable energy superpower at Europes doorsteps. The daily recalls that the country thanks to the forward-looking leadership of King Mohammed VI- managed to promote renewable sources of energy to account for 40% of its energy mix as it forges ahead to surpass 50% by 2030. Moroccos energy minister Leila Benali, who spoke to the paper, voiced confidence in reaching that target which requires tripling renewable energy capacity from 4 gigawatts currently. Benali and her colleagues in government hope renewables will help to transform their countrys fortunes in the same way oil did for Norwar, the paper comments. It also pointed to the ongoing large-scale projects such as the Xlinks interconnection which plans to export clean energy from the Moroccan desert to the UK using undersea cables. The Xlinks scheme, which is chaired by former Tesco boss Dave Lewis, would generate 10.5 gigawatts of electricity from solar panels and wind turbines that cover 930 square miles in western Morocco. It would then transport 3.6 gigawatts of power directly to the UK enough to power seven million homes, or 8pc of Britains electricity needs via a 2,300-mile undersea cable hugging the coasts of Spain and France before making landfall in Devon, it said. Interest grew in the project after it featured for the first time in the UKs energy security strategy, dubbed Powering Up Britain. The Government is interested in the Xlinks project, a proposed large-scale onshore wind, solar and battery electricity generation site in Morocco that would exclusively supply power to the GB grid via high voltage direct current subsea cables, reads the document. Moroccos phosphates and fertilizers producer OCP said it plans to launch a feasibility study for the setting up of a phosphate-based fertilizers plant in Togo. A deal was signed by Togolese agriculture minister Antoine Kepka Gbebgeni and head of OCP Africa Mohamed Anouar Jamali. The plant is expected to be achieved in the medium term and would mesh up with Togos agriculture development plan. OCP has set up blending units across Africa to customize fertilizers and reduce their prices downstream. It also plans fertilizers production at large-scale plants in Ethiopia and Nigeria, that would enable these two-African heavyweight to meet their food security needs and export fertilizers surplus. OCP pledged to dedicate 4 million tons of phosphorus-based fertilizers to the African market in 2023, that is double the quantity it sold on the continent in 2021. OCP has heavily invested in the development of eco-responsible fertilizer production capacity, reaching 15 MT of finished product by 2023, from a base of 3MT in 2008. This enables OCP to respond to Africas urgent needs while also supporting farmers around the world. Thanks to OCPs supply of customized fertilizers, Senegals millet yield jumped 63% and Nigerias corn yield 48%, with similar results in Ghana and elsewhere. OCPs involvement in Ethiopia has seen wheat, corn, and teff yields increase by up to 37%. Last year, OCP offered 180,000 tons of customized fertilizers in donations and 370,000 tons at a reduced price to help many African countries secure their soil nutrients needs amid a surge of prices in the international demand. Tunisian President Kais Saied is set to reject IMF conditions for a $2 billion loan and looks instead to raise taxes on the wealthy to fill in drained state coffers, in yet a new populist move that has little effect on the countrys soaring external debt and due payment deadlines. Saied who has consolidated his firm grip on power has previously said his country refuses dictates of the IMF which urged him to cut the civil service payroll and reduce subsidies as well as to privatize state companies. Tunisia and the IMF have reached a deal on the bailout in October but the President asked for the deal to be removed from the agenda of the executive council over conditionalities involving painful reforms he is unwilling to take. Instead of lifting subsidies in the name of rationalisation, it would be possible to introduce additional taxes on those who benefit from them without needing them, Saied told his finance minister. The measure might alleviate some of the domestic debt burden but would not be efficient in tackling Tunisias foreign debt and the spectre of default. The financial meltdown in Tunisia has spilled over to the daily lives of citizens who now have to queue for basic goods and struggle with a shortage of medicine due to the governments import cuts to reduce the pace of the depletion of hard currency. Without an IMF deal, Tunisia would find it extremely hard to access the international debt market as rating agencies warn the country heads straight to a default. COLOMBO, June 5 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese ophthalmic medical expert group in the Maldives published an open letter in local media on Monday to raise public awareness about the prevention and treatment of eye diseases. The letter put forward suggestions on the prevention and control of myopia in local children and teenagers and eye diseases in the elderly, and passed on to the Maldives the idea of "paying attention to universal eye health" advocated by China's "Sight Day" this year. "In patients visiting the China-Maldives ophthalmology center, we have found that children, adolescents, and the elderly populations require special attention in ophthalmology. This is similar to our observation in China," said the letter. The letter was initiated by Chen Weirong, a professor at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University. Since 2017, she has traveled to the Maldives five times for medical aid, leading a team of ophthalmic experts to provide free eye screening and cataract surgery for local residents, which has been welcomed by local doctors and patients. In February, an assistance and cooperation program for the China-Maldives ophthalmology center was launched at Hulhumale Hospital in the Maldives. As the head of the center, Chen led the Chinese medical team not only to cure many patients with difficult and severe eye diseases, but also to train local medical staff to improve the ability of ophthalmic diagnosis and treatment. Chen said that the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University will also invite Maldivian ophthalmic medical staff to Guangzhou this year for exchange and study. Through regular clinical training and online clinical technology exchanges between medical personnel of the two countries, the clinical skills of local doctors and nurses at the China-Maldives ophthalmology center have been continuously improved. Italy is counting on Congo-Brazzaville to back a bid to organize World Expo 2030 in the city of Rome, the European countrys ambassador to the African country indicated Saturday. Luigi Diodati, marking the 77th anniversary of national celebration, indicated that Rome is counting on Brazzaville to win rights to host the global event. The Italian city is in competition with Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Odessa (Ukraine) and Busan (South Korea). Italian authorities early last month launched an official campaign to host the World Expo 2030 in the historic city. The Italian bid has adopted the people and the region as the theme. The Bureau des Expositions Internationales (BIE) based in Paris will make a review of candidates for the 2030 Expo and eliminate the weaker candidates. In October this year it will host the final vote of the 170 member countries on which city will get to host the event. Italy through the city of Milan already organized the World Expo in 2015. Royal Moroccan Armed Forced and the U.S. army launched this Monday the African Lion-2023, one of the major annual exercises organized in Africa to strengthen cooperation and training, enhance interoperability, and promote the exchange of military experiences. A ceremony marking the start of this military exercise was organized at the HQ of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces in Agadir in presence of representatives of participating countries. Besides Agadir, the exercise, to run until June 16, will take place in the region of Tan Tan, Mehbes, Tiznit, Kenitra, Ben Guerir and Tifnit. Our collective ability to bring like-minded nations together for an exercise like this is truly impressive, said Maj. Gen. Joel Tyler, United States Africa Command Chief of Staff. African Lion is the centerpiece of the AFRICOM exercise strategy, and one of the greatest U.S. exercises across the globe. AL23 provides an opportunity to conduct realistic, dynamic, and collaborative readiness training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands including U.S. Africa Command, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Central Command; as well as strategic maritime choke points and global shipping lanes. This years exercise features multiple combined arms live fire exercises; a maritime exercise; an air exercise with U.S. C-130J Super Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker, F-16 Fighting Falcons and bomber aircraft; a joint forcible entry with paratroopers into a field training exercise; two chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear response exercises; and three According to U.S. Africa Command, African Lion drill strengthens shared defense capabilities and cooperation to counter transnational threats and violent extremist organizations. LEXINGTON The 2023 Tractor Relay Across Nebraska hosted by the Nebraska Antique Farming Association got its start this weekend in Dawson County. The 2023 Tractor Relay Across Nebraska is touring central and southwestern Nebraska. It started in Gothenburg Saturday and will end in Wauneta Wednesday. The convoy of tractors left Gothenburg Saturday morning and arrived in Lexington, visiting the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles and Macs Creek Winery. The relay includes 21 tractors. In the past, a wide variety of antique tractors have been featured including McCormick, Farmall, McCormick Farmall, Minneapolis-Moline, Oliver, International, Allis-Chalmers, Case and others. The tractors show a bit of the history of American tractor manufacturing. A church service was held Sunday morning. As usual, Pastor Steven, did a wonderful job today. And we didnt need to have coffee to stay awake, the NAFA quipped on Facebook. The rest of Sunday was spent in Cozad touring the Robert Henri Museum and Art Gallery and viewing the outdoor quilt art and Rhakennas Wings throughout the area. On Monday, the convoy shifted southwest to visit the Old Depot Vineyard & Winery in Brady and Fort McPherson in Maxwell before its overnight stay in North Platte. On Tuesday, the convoy members are scheduled to tour the Golden Spike Tower and the Gerald Gentleman Station and meet at the Wallace American Legion for a meal. The last day, Wednesday, ends at the Wauneta Chamber of Commerce. All along the way, the relay collected funds for the American Legion program Operation Comfort Warriors and the Nebraska Legion program Gifts for Yanks. Over the past 10 years, the event has raised $50,000 for these causes. Operation Comfort Warrior provides wounded, injured or ill military personnel with comfort items not usually supplied by the government. Items include sweat suits, DVDs, puzzles, electronic devices, books and calling cards. Each state in our nation has the opportunity to honor two great Americans hailing from their state with statues in the U.S. Capitol. When I was governor, I had the privilege of signing legislation to change Nebraskas statues and honor two tremendous Nebraskans: Chief Standing Bear and Willa Cather. This week as U.S. senator, I am humbled to see that process come to fruition as we welcome the arrival of Willa Cathers statue on June 7. When Cather was 9, her family moved to Red Cloud where she would spend her formative years. Upon reflecting on the impact of her familys move to Nebraska, Cather said, By the end of the first autumn the shaggy grass country had gripped me with a passion that I have never been able to shake. It has been the happiness and curse of my life. In 1890, after graduating high school at age 16, Cather enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Originally planning to study science and medicine at UNL, Cathers ambitions quickly changed after seeing her first essay published. Later in her life, she described that as the launching pad of her success. Her classmates remember her as an intelligent, outspoken, opinionated and talented person. Those characteristics led her to Pittsburgh to be the managing editor of a womens magazine. While away from her home state, she honed her creative talents, writing and publishing a collection of short stories. Cather had a career in the magazine industry for almost two decades, as she continued to develop her craft. She took the leap of faith to embark on a full-time writing career just months before her 38th birthday. In 1912, Cather published her first novel. Her second novel, O Pioneers, was published the next year, celebrating immigrant farmers and their desire to develop the prairie. This book launched Cather into the spotlight of American literature and brought much attention to her new and unique writing style. Her most popular book, My Antonia, directly drew on her early life and followed an autobiographical theme through the eyes of the character Jim. The book was unanimously praised, and many, including Cather, claimed it as her greatest work. Cather made waves again when she traded epic autobiographical novels for a streak of post-war novels. One of Ours told the story of her cousins experience fighting in the war and was her most impactful. It earned tremendous praise from soldiers for the accurate depiction of their experiences and would earn Cather a Pulitzer Prize. Willa Cather epitomizes the Nebraska values we hold so dearly a focus on family, a love of learning, the power of our experiences to shape us and optimism for the future. She used our state and the varied experiences of our people to tell epic and innovative stories that are still revered by millions. She was a pioneer who redefined success and broke barriers. Cathers headstone reads, That is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great. Cathers legacy is great, indeed. I am pleased that she will now be representing Nebraska inside our United States Capitol for years to come. A House hearing on UFOs in April 2022. Photo: CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag The past six years have been a roller coaster for the extraterrestrial-minded in America. In 2017, the New York Times revealed that former senator Harry Reid had previously snuck away $22 million in Defense funding to investigate unidentified foreign objects. Since then, some Navy pilots have come forward to report frequent UFO sightings, while the Pentagon has revamped its investigation process in an effort to take the matter more seriously. The increased scrutiny hasnt led to any breakthroughs; it turns out many of the objects the pilots sighted were just balloons. But a new report from Leslie Kean and Ralph Blumenthal part of the team that broke the Times story in 2017 gives hope to the alien optimists. On the science website the Debrief, the pair describe the story of a Defense intelligence whistleblower, David Charles Grusch, who has alleged that the Intelligence Community is hiding classified evidence of intact and partially intact craft of non-human origin. In a later interview with NewsNation, Grusch even claimed that the government has evidence of alien life in crashed spacecraft from another planet. Well, naturally, when you recover something thats either landed or crashed, smetimes you encounter dead pilots, he said. And believe it or not, as fantastical as that sounds, its true. Grusch claims in a complaint that the Pentagon, other nations, and defense contractors have recovered fragments of exotic origin (non-human intelligence, whether extraterrestrial or unknown origin) based on the vehicle morphologies and material science testing and the possession of unique atomic arrangements and radiological signatures. Grusch goes on to state that the material includes intact and partially intact vehicles. While a previous UFO expert in the government might have been discredited, Grusch has bona fides that are worth taking seriously. Grusch is a 36-year-old combat veteran of Afghanistan who was a member of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, the program run by the Office of Naval Intelligence to investigate UFO sightings. From 2019 to 2021, he served on the task force as the representative of the National Reconnaissance Office, considered one of the big five of the U.S. intelligence agencies. His colleagues think highly of him, too. Karl Nell, a retired Army colonel who was also on the UFO task force, told the Debrief that Grusch was beyond reproach. Nell even backed up one of Gruschs claims in the complaint: that there is an ongoing competition with other countries to identify [UFO] crashes/landings and retrieve the material for exploitation/reverse engineering. His assertion concerning the existence of a terrestrial arms race occurring sub-rosa over the past eighty years focused on reverse engineering technologies of unknown origin is fundamentally correct, Nell told the Debrief. As is the indisputable realization that at least some of these technologies of unknown origin derive from non-human intelligence. Another intelligence official investigating UFOs, Jonathan Grey, concurred. The non-human intelligence phenomenon is real. We are not alone, he said. This is a global phenomenon, and yet a global solution continues to elude us. An unclassified version of the complaint shared with the Debrief states that the evidence of extraterrestrial tech was illegally withheld from congressional oversight by the Intelligence Community in order to purposely and intentionally thwart legitimate Congressional oversight of the UAP Program. When Grusch raised the concern, he was subject to months of retaliation. (He requested that the details of that retaliation be withheld to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, per the report.) An intelligence investigation has been launched in response to his whistleblower complaint. While the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence did not comment, the Pentagon cleared the information in the report in April. (The Debrief has also provided a look into its fact checking and reporting process for the story.) Grusch, who retired in April, said that he hoped his claims would provide an ontological shock. In the interview with NewsNation, Grusch expanded on his claims. These are retrieving non-human origin technical vehicles, call it spacecraft if you will, non-human exotic origin vehicles that have either landed or crashed, he said. I thought at first I was being deceived, it was a ruse, he added. But as his career progressed, people started to confide in me. Approach me. I have plenty of senior, former, intelligence officers that came to me, many of which I knew almost my whole career, that confided in me that they were part of a program. Grusch added that he had not seen photographs of the spacecraft themselves. In April, the director of the Pentagons UFO research told the Senate in April that they have found no credible evidence thus far of extraterrestrial activity, off-world technology or objects that defy the known law of physics. Soon after Gruschs claims were made public, a Department of Defense spokesperson told Fox News that there is no verifiable information to substantiate the claims. This post has been updated. Ukrainian soldiers open fire on Russian positions on the frontline towards the city of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on June 2. Photo: Muhammed Enes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images It appears the long-awaited Ukrainian offensive against Russian forces in southern Ukraine is at last underway. Following months of speculation as to when the big military campaign would start, U.S. officials told the New York Times that Ukrainian forces intensified their attacks on Russian positions at multiple points along the 600-mile front line on Monday, pounding Russians with artillery and conducting ground assaults. Earlier, the Kremlin claimed it had repelled a major new Ukrainian offensive in the contested province of Donetsk in the countrys east. Ukraine has not confirmed whether it had undertaken a new offensive. As the Times notes, the flurry of military activity on Monday could also just be a prologue: One difficulty in determining the exact start of a counteroffensive, beyond Ukraines operational security measures, is that the fighting could well begin with feints or diversions that are hard to decipher. Buttressing the reports that the counteroffensive may have started, American military analysts said they believed Ukrainian units had begun an initial thrust to determine the position and strength of Russias forces. Such moves would be a traditional tactic of the kind Americans have been training Ukrainian forces to undertake. The intensifying fight along the front line follows recent raids over the Russian border by Ukraine-allied Russian fighters and a series of mysterious drone attacks on targets deep inside Russia. NEW: Elements of the all-Russian pro-Ukrainian Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and Freedom of Russia Legion (LSR) conducted another limited raid into #Belgorod Oblast, #Russia on June 4 and are reportedly continuing to operate in a Russian border settlement. https://t.co/6B3fP29uwG pic.twitter.com/ojG06yyO5L ISW (@TheStudyofWar) June 5, 2023 The Economist adds that Ukrainian forces, whether they are launching probing attacks or not, may have already made some gains amid reports that they have retaken control of some of the suburbs around Bakhmut, which Russian forces captured last month and, according to a Western official, advancing by as many as six kilometers further south near Novodonetske. Per The Economist: If Ukraine does intend to reinforce its attacks in Donetsk, it would suggest a slightly more easterly axis of advance than many had supposed. Velyka Novosilka lies around 120km north of Berdyansk, a key port on the Sea of Azov, and part of the land bridge between Russia and Crimea. A southward thrust in Donetsk could also threaten Mariupol, the port city captured and razed by Russia last year. Russian defences are slightly thinner in Donetsk than in Zaporizhia. Many of Russias diminished reserves, particularly those from the VDV airborne forces, have also been dragged north to Bakhmut in recent days, probably opening up gaps elsewhere on the front. Ongoing cross-border raids by Ukraine-backed militia into Russias Belgorod region, opening up hundreds of kilometres of additional frontlines, have also proved a useful distraction. Again, the new fighting may just be a Ukrainian effort to create a diversion and/or find the best places to break through the Russian lines ahead of a larger simultaneous assault, as some analysts pointed out on Monday: that these are most likely diversionary attacks. They are the start of a major operation, but not the major offensive location itself. However, they could be exploited if it turns out the Russian lines could be broken. Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) June 5, 2023 Theres also no guarantee, despite its past success pushing Russia back and a variety of newly supplied Western armaments, that Ukraines much-hyped offensive will be decisive. Most analysts agree this war still has virtually no end in sight. 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. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images Russia has been bombarding Ukraine from the air for more than 15 months, but recently, the tables have turned. In May, drones buzzed harmlessly near the Kremlin in what Vladimir Putin nonetheless called an assassination attempt. Later in the month, drones targeted residential areas in Moscow, in a remarkable demonstration of impunity. Meanwhile, pro-Ukrainian militants have launched several attacks into Russian territory in the Belgorod region, and Ukrainian shelling in the area has killed multiple people. Some Russians are now living in fear, the way many of their Ukrainian counterparts have been since February 2022. I spoke with Dr. Stephen Hall, an assistant professor in Russian and post-Soviet politics at Bath University, about who is probably behind the drone attacks and the psychological and practical effect that repeated incursions into Russian territory could have on the war. Recently, Moscow and a few other Russian towns have come under the kind of drone attack that weve seen Ukraine suffer throughout this war, especially in Kyiv. U.S. officials have said that Ukrainians were behind at least one of these attacks. Ukraine has denied direct responsibility. First of all, whats your theory on whos doing this? Do you buy the U.S. explanation, or do you think it could be Russian nationals fighting against their government, or, more far-fetched, a false-flag operation? For better or worse, this can only be speculative at the moment. I dont buy the false-flag thing, and I can explain that in more detail later. So that leaves us with two potential scenarios. One is that its Russians either linked to the Russian Freedom Legion or the Russian Corps, or just Russians in general. I find that hard to believe because, just by my understanding of the Russian surveillance system, groups of Russians, even if theyre just a small cell, would come under serious suspicion if they were able to launch that many drones. So my understanding is that it is probably the Ukrainian side, but theyre obviously not going to advertise that. Weve seen that the drones were flying very low. One scenario says that they came all the way from Ukraine, and by flying low they got past the Russian Air Defense systems. Im not a military expert, but I believe that is plausible. However, we are talking about roughly 800 kilometers. And while we know that the Russian Air Defense system or Russian Armed Forces have not been quite as good as we thought they were before February 2022, I still think they would notice and that they would find ways to deal with the situation, such as using anti-drone systems. Another possible scenario is the idea that the SBU, the Ukrainian Security Services, bought a factory in Moscow oblast, which is like Greater London or New York State compared to New York. Weve seen with the Crimean Bridge attack the SBU created lots of shell companies, so it was very hard to track, and they managed to get these companies to buy all the produce or all the stuff they needed and get a person to take the lorry across the Crimean Bridge. Thats pretty sophisticated. As I say, its a scenario Ive heard of. Whether its true remains to be seen, but I think certainly that the evidence at the moment points toward the Ukrainians. Plausible deniability is important. So this will be something they will never openly admit until after the war. And youve said it doesnt make sense for a false-flag attack to be as low-grade as this one. Exactly. If the whole point of the false flag is to mobilize your people, and to get them up in arms against the Ukrainians, then I dont want to use the conspiracy theory of the 1999 apartment bombing centered around Moscow, but thats what were talking about. Youd see an apartment block go down. And it probably wouldnt happen in Rublyovka, which is where the political elite live. Youd find some obscure town like Lyubertsy, or somewhere else in Greater Moscow. So, yeah, I dont buy the false-flag narrative. Three scrapes to three residential buildings is not going to get the average Russian up off their sofa, into military fatigues, and out to Ukraine. The U.S. has said that as a general matter, it doesnt support these kinds of strikes within Russia. But it doesnt really seem to be actively discouraging them, and Western Europe isnt raising protests either. At some point, do you think the U.S. or West writ large might tell Zelenskyy that hes playing with fire, that he should stop prodding a nuclear power like this, or does Ukraines need to defend itself and win the war supersede those concerns? Theres always that possibility. But every red line that Putin or Dmitry Medvedev has come up with has been crossed, and Russia hasnt done anything. And so where is the red line? And its clearly in one persons mind as to where that red line will be. Ukraine has been more confident about crossing those lines than the West has been that Russias scariest threats are just bluster. So far, theyve been right. But they might be wrong one day. They might be wrong one day, but it would be Ukraine that suffers. The Ukrainians know the Russians very well. Theyve had a long history with them, and they know the Russian psyche. And thats something the West, I think, has learned an awful lot from over the last year. But Ukraine is at war, Ukraine has been bombed, and its probably in their understanding and this is something I probably agree with that its about time the Russians experienced it. Kyiv has been under fire for the past five days with drones, and numerous times before that. In order to stop the Russian war machine, the war machine has to be stopped in Russia. Its not as if everything is happening inside Ukraine. Russian factories are churning out weapons. The Russian reserves are in Russia, and the population of Russia also needs to see whats happening. Whether that will lead to change remains unlikely. But they need to know that it isnt just happening in Ukraine. It isnt a war on television like the Iraq war was for Britain in 2003. If a small group of Ukrainian forces who may or may not be operating under the auspices of the actual government is behind these attacks, it means that a few people can just launch a drone attack on an enemy city fairly easily, with possibly huge repercussions. What does this say about the future of warfare? The ability to pick up a drone, even just a civilian drone from, lets say, Alibaba, and militarize it, is something that has never really existed before. You cant really go and buy a large pickup truck and turn it into a tank, at least not easily. Its not something the average person is capable of doing. Whereas you can strap a grenade onto a civilian drone and fly it off. So it is relatively easy for a small group of trained civilians, if you want to call them that, or people in the army, to send a wave of drones that wont be picked up by the current anti-aircraft systems because theyre focused on aircraft. There is certainly catch-up for governments and states to do. War has always been one of the great events for the building of technology. Do you have any sense of whether these operations are connected to the Ukrainian counteroffensive weve been hearing so much about, and which may or may not have already started? Is this a psychological precursor to the actual military operations? In terms of the Russian military, yes, it is psychological because you keep them in suspended tension. So theyre constantly thinking is tomorrow going to be the day? The Economist has been tracking it, and over two weeks in May, there were 907 fires across Russian-held territory in Ukraine. And these fires are almost certainly linked to shelling. So if you can keep up that level of tension, its naturally going to have a psychological effect. And if you keep up that amount of shelling, the enemy is going to know, if not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the day after. Its a constant state of preparation and waiting, and waiting kills, in terms of the tension. It also brings the war to Russia and shows the weakness of the state. It may not actually lead to a chain of mass protests. It may not lead to the people rising up. It has the potential to actually produce a rally-around-the-flag effect. In 1999, after Russia went into Dagestan in Chechnya, the various bombings that occurred across Russia did highlight that the state was weak, but also prompted the civilian Russians to say, Well, the state is weak, but we have to support it. And, of course, it underlines the original, ludicrous message of the war, which is that Ukraine caused all this. Yes. So it has the potential to backfire. But I think at the moment, it is the case that the occasional attack on Moscow highlights that the regime is unable to defend its capital city. The analogy of 9/11 is wrong, but the shock of that of seeing drones attacking buildings in the capital city is going to have an effect. And also whats happening with Shebekino, in Belgorod the simple fact that theyve been forgotten. The Russian media seems to have washed its hands of the fact that a city on the border with Ukraine is going up in flames. So that also has a psychological effect, at least at the local level that the regime simply cant or doesnt care about defending its people. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Vehicles and tents lined the streets of downtown Opelika on Saturday as locals enjoyed the ninth annual Burger Wars and Touch-A-Truck event. Kids and families explored fire trucks, police cars and more while tasting burgers from the 21 grillers who competed in the Burgers Wars. Were trying to bring the community out and so we appreciate that so much. Were excited to see such a great turnout, said Brooke Kasnter, the chair for the Opelika Rotary Charitable Foundation. The competitors were divided into three groups: professional, corporate and tailgater. A winner was selected for each category. The teams who won crowd favorite were the Opelika Police Department, Opelika Utilities and The Plains Taproom. All proceeds from the event will go to the Food Bank of East Alabama. Itll go towards a Backpack Program that provides food for students in need to take home. It will take about a week to tally up how much money has been raised, but Kastner estimated its between $8,000 and $10,000. Burger Wars raised a little over $7,000 for the foodbank in 2022. Its such a fun event every year, Kastner said. We had a lot of new people that participated this year and a lot of new faces that came and bought tickets. Thats what its for. Matt McDougald, the general manager of Opelika Utilities, said it was the companys first time competing and they were proud to take home two awards: crowd favorite and third place in the corporate division. The team spent several meetings deciding on a recipe and ended up with what they called the Waterboy Burger, which includes a crawfish etoufee. It was good for us to get together and spend some time away from the norm, McDougald said. Were really happy to help the community in anyway, but particularly the food bank. Nathan Baker, a member of Hunters for Christ, said the small group put together a burger in honor of Chris Salamone, a member who died earlier this year. The burger won first place in the tailgater division. It included Conecuh sausage, Jim and Nicks BBQ sauce, honey, gouda cheese and fried onions. After winning third place last year, Baker said they were hungry to do something different and take first place this year. Nathan Daniel from public accounting firm Borland Benefield was excited to participate in Burger Wars for the first time and help raise funds for the food bank. They plan to compete again next year. His team had a burger with buns made from scratch, filet mignon and bacon patties and won first place in the corporate division. Travis Patterson, owner of Flaps 20 in Mobile, came to Opelika to compete for the first time this year. His team created a classic Dad Burger a patty melt with pimento cheese, grilled onions and Texas toast. After taking home the third place trophy in the pro division, hes planning on returning next year with hopes to win first. We do a lot of these events throughout the year, because its either tied to childrens hospitals, food banks or veteran associations, Patterson said. Just being able to do what we love and give back while were doing it is amazing. It was Alex and Paige Bahrs third time attending the event with their two kids. They said they keep coming back for a fun experience. Its fun because some of them will give you a whole burger. Some will give you just a quarter. Its also good to get out with the family, Paige said. We always go to Touch-A-Truck and then come over here (to Burger Wars). Paige said her 6-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter tend to be picky eaters, but they usually are willing to try the different burgers during the competition. Saturday was Auburn resident Erica Fullers second time attending Burger Wars with her boyfriend, Darius Ghiai. They used the event as an opportunity to introduce their families to one another. Fuller said her parents, who live in Opelika, talk about the Burger Wars event all year. They cant wait for Burger Wars to come around again, she said. Theyre the reason that were here early and in line. Fuller and Ghiai were near the front of the line to purchase tickets for the taste testing before the event began at 11 a.m. After receiving a map with the layout of the competitors tents, they had their route set, planning to taste their favorite burgers from last year again. Another Auburn resident, Megan Doyle, decided to come to the Touch-A-Truck and Burger Wars event for the first time this year with her family after her father told her about the event last year. We happened to be in the area last year. We just happened to stumble on the event and had a really good time, said Doyles father Al Johnson, who lives in Troy. I also wanted to bring my grandson. Johnson marked the event on the family calendar and got to show the family around on Saturday. Doyle and her husband Matt were excited to taste the different burgers as well as show their 1-year-old son the large vehicles at the event. It sounded like a fun thing to do with family, and I wanted to see (my sons) reaction to all the big trucks up close, Doyle said. He loved the fire truck and was clapping the whole time he sat on one of the ATVs. Before announcing the winners of Burger Wars, the Opelika Fire Department and Auburn Fire Department squared off in the Big Bite Battle to see which team of five could eat and put on firemen gear the fastest. The Opelika Police Department, the 2022 defending champions, took the trophy again. BURGER WAR WINNERS Crowd favorites: Tailgater Opelika Police Department Corporate Opelika Utilities Pro The Plains Taproom Tailgater Division: First place Hunters for Christ Auburn Second place Opelika Police Department Third place Donald Clayton Corporate Division: First place Borland Benefield P.C. Second place Prewett Pest Control Third placeOpelika Utilities Pro Division: First place Bama BBQ Supply Second place Auburn BBQ Grill Association Third place Flaps 20 The Auburn University School of Aviation will take to the sky in late June for the 2023 Air Race Classic. Starting June 20, Aviators will travel a total of 2,400-nautical miles from North Dakota to Florida in a four-day race. Six Auburn University students will compete against aviators from 14 other universities in the Air Race Classic the only womens air race in the U.S. Its a great opportunity for our girls, said Daphne Walker, AUs Aviation engagement coordinator. Theyre learning to fly in different regions and theyre getting an opportunity they dont normally get to do. Walker said the race allows aviators to build skills. They can also meet female pilots from different schools and professional female pilots. Three teams of two will represent Auburn University in this years Air Race Classic. The race includes a total of 44 teams: Abby Hagan and Ashley Baldwin on Team Orange Olivia Kidd and Sophie Young on Team White April Heppner and Maggie Hearn on Team Blue Hearn and Baldwin competed in the race as students pilots in 2022 and placed second and fourth respectively. This year, Hearn and Baldwin return as certified flying instructors acting as co-pilots for their teams. The competition route begins in Grand Forks North Dakota. The pilots will work their way south with stops in Mankato, Minnesota; Ottumwa, Iowa; Hastings, Nebraska; Ponca City, Oklahoma; Sulphur Springs, Texas; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Pell City; Cross City, Florida; and Homestead, Florida. Im there for the beginning and the end, but they are actually doing it themselves, Walker said. Auburn prepares them to do this. I have all the faith in the world that they will do the best job that they can, because theyre trained at Auburn. Pep Rally A pep rally will be held for the pilots in advance of the race on June 9 from 5:30 to 6:30pm at Auburn University Regional Airport. The pep rally is open to the public. Both Aubie and the Auburn Cheerleaders will be on hand to show their support. The aviators will also participate in a tiger walk. Walker said the pep rally is a great way for younger kids to see that girls fly. She said theres an opportunity in aviation for anybody. Its just another way for our girls to outreach and talk to younger people and have families come Its a good morale booster for our girls as they take off the following week to go to North Dakota. SOFIA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- For the third consecutive year, Chinese Ambassador Scholarships were handed out here on Monday to outstanding Bulgarian university students studying Chinese. This year, scholarships were granted to 21 students from four universities. Since the establishment of the scholarships in 2021, the project has received a lot of attention from experts, scholars, and Chinese language lovers in Bulgaria's academic circles, Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dong Xiaojun said at the award ceremony. The scholarships aim to promote the development of Chinese language education in Bulgaria, stimulate the enthusiasm of students to learn Chinese, and enable more young people to learn about China and Chinese culture, Dong said at the event, held in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski." The scholarship supports the students and enables them to realize their dreams, and it also promotes friendly relations between the two countries, Dong said. "Thank you for your gesture to our students," said Sasho Penov, Bulgaria's caretaker minister of education and science. "I want to assure you that this will be an even greater incentive for learning the Chinese language in Bulgaria." He said he hoped that successful bilateral cooperation would continue, and better results would be achieved. Appreciating the opportunity for the scholarship, Nancy Chepanova, a student from the University of Plovdiv and a scholarship receiver said it served as an additional motivation not to give up and a recognition for the work done. Victoria Petrova from South-West University said that learning Chinese was her dream come true. "Since my first day as a student, my interest in Chinese language and culture has grown day by day," Petrova said. She said she hoped that after graduating, she would have the opportunity to go to China and experience its cultural richness. She's an idiot. I feel bad for their daughter. Reply Thread Link lol! thats just a tiny fraction of the pain you and your husband have caused others. perhaps she should take a moment to reflect on that Reply Thread Link mte. 30 years is NOTHING. Even if we assume it's only these two women who he absued, he's getting jailed for an average of 15 years per rape victim. These women are traumatized for life and will have to spend the rest of their lives navigating that burden while he can still get a lesser sentence for "good behaviour" some time down the line and walk out like his slate is cleaned. Reply Parent Thread Link I get her being in denial for the sake of their family/kids but like, girl leave him. Reply Thread Link I would feel bad for her, especially considering the (still very unclear??) stuff with her dad...if she hadn't joined him in mocking the victims, among other heinous shit in her past. The sounds like 'I can't believe being in a powerful cult doesn't mean we get to avoid consequences forever' kind of tears. Reply Thread Link She mocked the victims? Holy shit. In that case, I offer her 0% sympathy. She deserves to feel miserable for the life choice she made staying with this pos Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, yeah... The stuff with her dad is awful, if true. But it doesn't excuse what she's done in the case of this trial, at all. Edited at 2023-06-05 05:58 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah same. I said that to my mom like maybe Id have some compassion but after all that crap I cant help but just laugh. I do feel for the kid both cause their parents suck and theyre in a cult but thats it. Reply Parent Thread Link This and more. She's been a shitty person for a very long time. Reply Parent Thread Link She was so clearly abused and it wouldnt shock me if Danny abused her too. She very much needs really therapy and not Scientology. Not an excuse for her being a horrible person, though. Reply Parent Thread Link didn't she not believe/support her sister Mackenzie regarding their dad? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link She couldn't leave if she wanted. Xenu and the disciples wouldn't allow it. Reply Thread Link She wont stand by him. Shell divorce him while hes in prison. Reply Thread Link will scientology allow that? Reply Parent Thread Link Probably not, but I just cant see her standing by him for decades. Reply Parent Thread Link fuck you, you awful skin bag parading as a human. Reply Thread Link who knows what the dynamic of their relationship was like. i'm not gonna judge her for being shocked her husband is going away for decades Reply Thread Link yeah she had a pretty normal reaction. Reply Parent Thread Link Im not gonna judge her for her reaction necessarily but I will judge her for her shitty actions Reply Parent Thread Link Thats ok shes done plenty of other awful things worth judging her for Reply Parent Thread Link Same, that is not a position I'd want to be in, ever. However, it sounds like she isn't a nice person and has been shitty to other people, so like others have mentioned, that's what I'll judge her for. Reply Parent Thread Link i truly feel so bad for their kid Reply Thread Link That kid has no chance. Between 2 pos parents and this cult..I hope he makes it away unscathed Reply Parent Thread Link She's a terrible person too, so I really dgaf how she feels lol Reply Thread Link Under the jail! Isn't she notoriously awful, too? I say throw them both away Reply Thread Link Yes. She likes to physically assault and verbally abuse gay people. Reply Parent Thread Link THE FUCK? Reply Parent Thread Link yea it was discussed in a past post but I can't remember exactly. I just remember she was truly horrible to a fellow actor or crew member and it seems to be a pattern Reply Parent Thread Link This is a much different case than Camille Cosby or Dottie Sandusky, as she is in the same cult as he is. Reply Thread Link im sorry to go OT (these fuckers deserve it but u dont OP) but tmz is reporting that tayrat is over lol Reply Thread Link God I hope so Reply Parent Thread Link Mexicos state-owned oil company Pemex has faced challenge after challenge, following scrutiny over its poor safety standards and low production levels and now its likely to miss the scheduled launch of its new refinery. The indebted oil firm was expected to open the new Olmeca refinery last December before it announced it was postponing the opening until July this year due to construction delays. Mexicos once-thriving oil and gas industry has faced several setbacks in recent years, with Pemex being hit hard. But, with several new projects in the works, can it get back on track? The launch of Pemexs new Olmeca refinery is expected to once again be delayed according to an internal audit report. The report stated that the target of a July launch was not feasible. The facility, located at the Dos Bocas port in Tabasco, was set to start producing 170,000 bpd of processed oil next month. However, the report suggests that the construction of the refinerys coking plants, required to process Pemexs heavy crude, is not yet finished. When the media outlet Reuters asked Pemex about the delay it was redirected to the Energy Ministry, which AMLO has put in charge of the project, to which it received no reply. The refinery is set to transform Mexicos oil industry, with a projected processing capacity of 340,000 bpd of oil. It will be the biggest of Pemexs seven facilities. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, has pushed for the nationalisation of the countrys energy since he came to office in 2018. He has since approved several new oil and gas projects and hoped the Olmeca refinery would provide a much-needed boost in the domestic production of motor fuels, thereby decreasing reliance on foreign supplies. He aims to replace the countrys foreign gasoline supplies with domestic production by 2024. There has been much criticism around many of AMLOs energy nationalisation plans in recent years. The Olmeca refinery has gone over its initial budget several times, with a final price tag of nearly double the 2020 projected cost of $8.9 billion. It is now also expected to have a lower processing capacity, of around 280,000 bpd. One Pemex executive stated of AMLOs aim for fuel independence, It's really more of a political statement than a reachable goal. While oil production has been rising, standing at an average of 322,000 bpd in April, the highest since July 2010, gasoline output has dropped. Production of the fuel averaged 291,000 bpd in April, down 4 percent from last year and 10 percent from 2016 levels. The challenge mainly centres around difficulties in processing Mexicos heavy crude. Refining the oil requires the use of a coking plant to extract high-value fuel, such as gasoline and diesel. At present, Pemex is only using around 54 percent of its 1.6 million bpd crude processing capacity across six refineries. ALMO had hoped that investments in upgrading the facilities would help boost production, but this has yet to be seen. Critiques have also been made over AMLOs decision to purchase a 50 percent stake in the Deer Park refinery in Texas from Shell. One Houston-based oil and gas sector expert, George Baker, believes the move to purchase the refinery was purely symbolic. He explained that the financial reports from 2021 show the facility had cumulative losses of $360 million. Baker stated, It continues to lose money, why should that be true, and that actually makes you ask the question: Why is Pemex buying a money-losing operation?... The whole notion is just generally for the symbolism of it. Experts believe that the purchase of Deer Park and the upgrading of Mexicos existing refineries will do little to boost the production of Pemexs heavy crude. Processing the oil is highly contaminating and bad for air quality when burnt to generate electricity because of its high sulphur content, which has decreased its market value. Further, the majority of Mexicos refineries were designed to process lighter grades of crudes, when that was what Pemex produced, and are not well suited to refining heavy crude. While AMLOs nationalisation plans appear to be less effective than initially hoped, Pemex has been able to gradually rise its out output, against all odds in light of its $108 billion debt at the end of 2022. The firm saw its sixth consecutive month of increased production in April. And while it may continue to rely on exporting this crude to foreign powers for processing, it is a major turnaround from the failures seen in recent years. ALMO may not succeed in his aim for fuel independence by 2024, but his investment in oil and gas has somewhat revitalised Mexicos flailing industry, and foreign partnerships could help to keep the industry afloat. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After three years of rolling Covid-19 lockdowns and trade disruptions, China posted faster-than-expected GDP growth in the first quarter of 2023, at 4.5% year-on-year (y-o-y), but the uneven nature of its recovery is sending mixed signals for emerging markets. The strong performance, which exceeded the expectations of many analysts, was powered by 5.4% expansion in the services sector, including a 10.6% spike in retail sales in March, as pent-up demand and high domestic savings drove market activity. Recovery has not been even across all sectors, however, with Chinas industrial sector growing by 3.9% in March, which was still up from 2.4% in January and February. China has powered global economic growth for decades, with emerging markets exporting raw materials to China and importing refined products at cheaper prices. However, given the countrys transition from a manufacturing-driven economy to a services-oriented one, trade between China and many emerging markets may take on a different shape in the years to come. New supply chains As Chinas exports to developed markets such as the EU, Japan and the US have slowed amid recent geopolitical and trade competition, the country has turned to South-east Asian markets that are part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Shipments to ASEAN surged by 35.4% y-o-y in March, lifting overall exports by 14.8%. ASEANs share of Chinas overseas direct investment tripled from roughly 5% in 2016 to more than 15% in 2021, signalling the growing strategic importance of these markets. Chinese export growth will affect emerging markets in different ways, potentially outcompeting certain countries. During Chinas economic slowdown last year, Myanmar and the Philippines saw their exports rise as they gained market share in the US and other developed countries as part of businesses China+1 strategy to diversify production capacity. At the same time, developed markets that have forged new supply chain relationships with players like Vietnam and Thailand are not reversing course. Chinas share of US imports of manufactured products from 14 low-cost Asian source countries fell from 53.5% in 2021 to 50.7% in 2022, even as overall imports from this cohort rose by 11%. Last year Vietnam posted a record trade surplus of $94.9bn with the US and, thanks to 15 new free trade agreements, its total exports rose by 10.6% to $372bn, helping to fuel 8% GDP growth. Equity markets support this trend. Anticipating Chinas reopening, emerging market securities attracted $65.7bn in January, the highest since January 2021, while foreign funds acquired $17.6bn in Chinese equities in the same month, the largest amount since December 2020. However, appetite for Chinese equities has since reversed, with the MSCI China Index trailing its Emerging Markets excluding China Index in terms of performance and capital inflows. Export bump Overall, export-oriented emerging markets with close trading relationships with China such as Vietnam and Malaysia whose exposure to Chinese consumption is 4% and 3% of GDP, respectively will benefit directly from Chinas recovery. The opening of border crossings with Vietnam has already seen agricultural exports as well as prices surge in 2023. In February prices for white-fleshed dragon fruit from Vietnam were up 10% since the Lunar Holiday in January and three-fold y-o-y. Overall, fresh fruit exports from Vietnam to China are expected to reach $5.59bn in 2023, up from $5.04bn in 2022. Exports will help redress the countrys trade deficit with China, which grew from $54bn in 2021 to a record $60.2bn in 2022, as imports from China rose by 6.6% to $117.9bn. Meanwhile, Chinas largest trading partner Malaysia is proactively looking to expand their bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited China in April, securing $555.3m in potential exports of durian, food and beverages, iron products and palm oil. Prime Minister Anwar also announced that China will invest $38.6bn in Malaysia, including in the automotive and petrochemical industries. Commodity-exporting countries are likely to benefit from Chinas recovery, as GDP growth correlates with demand for hydrocarbons, metals and minerals. Chinese oil demand reached its highest monthly level since June 2020, importing 12.3m barrels per day (bpd) in March, up from 10.1m bpd in March 2022. Malaysia has already seen the benefit of this surge: its oil exports to China were up 144% y-o-y in the first two months of 2023, reaching 0.65m bpd. Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia to become Chinas top supplier during this period, as its exports rose from 1.57m bpd to 1.94m bpd. Saudi Arabia contributed 1.72m bpd, down from 1.81m bpd. Meanwhile, the UAE reached a milestone with China in energy trade in March, sending 65,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas paid for in Chinese yuan on the Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange. Calling all tourists Tourism-oriented countries in South-east Asia are set to see a significant increase in Chinese holiday seekers, as flight restrictions, visa constraints and entry rules targeting Chinese citizens have prompted them to forego trips to traditionally popular destinations like Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan and South Korea. ADVERTISEMENT During the Lunar New Year in February, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Chiang Mai, Manila and Bali were among the top destinations for Chinese travellers, powering 640% y-o-y growth in foreign travel from China. Thailand is the top destination in South-east Asia for Chinese tourists, with hotel bookings in Bangkok rising 33-fold during this years holiday period. The country already saw a rise in total foreign tourist arrivals, from 400,000 in 2021 to 11m in 2022. This is expected to more than double to 25m in 2023, with the Thai government projecting more than 5m visitors from China. Meanwhile, Malaysia aims to attract 16m foreign visitors in 2023, of which 5m are projected to come from China, though high travel costs and a lack of flights could make these targets difficult to meet. Nevertheless, the countrys Ministry of Tourism recently signed agreements with two Chinese tour agencies to bring 450,000 visitors this year. China was the Philippines second-largest tourism market in 2019, with 1.7m visitors. The country is targeting 4.8m Chinese tourists this year after welcoming 2.6m in 2022. Its Ministry of Tourism launched the Bisita, Be My Guest programme to encourage Filipinos to invite more Chinese guests, especially to take advantage of the countrys ecotourism offering. By Oxford Business Group More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: China and Kazakhstan are planning a new rail connection and border crossing in the Bakhty-Ayagoz area, expressing hope that the new route can cut freight transit times. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the move during the May 24 Eurasian Economic Forum, attended by representatives of the Eurasian Economic Union. Kazakhstans atomic energy firm, Kazatomprom JSC, announced on May 25 the sale of a large batch of uranium to Chinas National Atomic Corporation. At the same time, according to a local publication, the EurAsia Daily, Kazakh officials are reluctant to increase uranium supplies to Western customers out of desire to keep the price high for the precious metal. EurAsia Daily went on to report the Chinese deal could be worth up to $750 million. The Development Bank of Kazakhstan JSC and the State Development Bank of China signed an agreement to invest up to $300 million in Kazakh manufacturing projects. Priority will be given to projects that produce goods of medium and high value added, as well as with a high share of local content, the Kazakh banks press service announced. Magzum Mirzagaliev, the board chair of the state energy concern KazMunayGas, says the cost of expanding oil pipelines in the Atyrau-Kenkiyak and Kenkiyak-Kumkol areas of China and Kazakhstan may reach $200 million, Orda.kz reported. The project aims to boost capacity of the Kenkiyak-Atyrau link from 6 million tons per year to 12 million tons, and Kenkiyak-Kumkols capacity will rise from 10 million tons to 15 million tons annually. Kazakhstans Ministry of Labor and Social Protection reported that out of 15,129 registered foreign workers in the country, roughly 25 percent, or 3,652 individuals, are Chinese nationals. Uzbekistan China is ready to help Uzbekistan boost solar and wind power-generating capacity. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev revealed that a deal signed on the sidelines of mid-Mays China-Central Asia summit envisions the construction of 11 solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 4.8 gigawatts. The agreement is valued at potentially $4.4 billion. In addition to earlier deals with Chinese firms, Uzbekistans power-generating capacity could increase by 6 gigawatts, Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov said. A feasibility study is done and now officials are moving on to the next stage of making the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway a reality, Gazeta.uz reported. Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov told the Uzbekistan 24 television channel that China is planning logistics centers at sites along the Uzbek border. Educational exchanges are picking up between Uzbekistan and China. A delegation from Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies toured Beijing and Xian, signing cooperation agreements with 12 Chinese higher education institutions covering such areas as student and researcher exchanges and developing joint educational programs," according to a report published by the Yuz.uz news agency. The report was headlined, Uzbekistan-China: Academic Cooperation Without Borders. Uzbekistans Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs wants to launch an Innovative Education Fund in cooperation with Chinas Ministry of Commerce. A ministry statement noted that land had been allocated to house the new entity, but it did not specify how the fund will operate or what types of training it will provide. China has developed a vast internal security apparatus to monitor its population and keep dissent in check. The creation of the fund potentially could create a mechanism to share Beijings surveillance know-how with Uzbek internal security services. Or, perhaps Interior Ministry officials are contemplating a new side hustle in some entrepreneurial or ex-im capacity. Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstans deputy chair of the Cabinet of Ministers, Bakyt Torobaev, talked trade during a working visit to Chinas western Xinjiang Province, scene of an ongoing Chinese government crackdown of the Muslim Uighur minority group. The Kyrgyz delegation also held talks on establishing a new checkpoint on the countries shared border, building small-scale hydropower plants and increasing quotas for the number of Kyrgyz students able to study in Xinjiang. Official reports made no mention of the Uighur crackdown. Tajikistan China delivered $7.1 million in humanitarian assistance to Tajikistan during the January-April period of 2023, the ASIA-Plus news agency reported. That figure accounts for almost 30 percent of the overall humanitarian assistance total of $24.2 million received by Tajikistan during the period. At the same time, the $24.2 million total is almost three times lower than that received during the same period in 2022. The largest donors of humanitarian assistance after China are Belgium (17.1 percent), the United States (14.7 percent) and Turkey with (4.7 percent). Overall, 39 countries sent humanitarian aid to Tajikistan in early 2023. ADVERTISEMENT By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil prices are now a lot more likely to rise after OPEC+ extended the cuts into 2024 and Saudi Arabia announced an additional reduction of 1 million bpd for July, Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), was quoted as saying on Monday. Expectations already were that there would be an imbalance in the oil market in the second half of the year; now the supply-demand gap will worsen, CN Wire quoted Birol as saying. On Sunday, the OPEC+ producers decided to keep the current cuts until the end of 2024, while OPECs top producer and the worlds largest crude oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, said it would voluntarily reduce its production by 1 million bpd in July, to around 9 million bpd. The IEA has been warning this year that supply cuts risk increasing oil and energy prices at a time of heightened uncertainty. After the surprise OPEC+ cuts announced in early April, the IEA said in its Oil Market Report for the month that the surprise OPEC+ supply cuts announced on 2 April risk aggravating an expected oil supply deficit in 2H23 and boosting oil prices at a time of heightened economic uncertainty, even as industrial activity slows in the worlds largest economies and production growth outside the alliance appears robust. On Monday, oil prices rose, and analysts reiterated their calls for higher prices by the end of the year, including as high as $100 per barrel. Goldman Sachs, which sees Brent at $95 per barrel in December, described OPEC+s meeting as moderately bullish to its forecast and offsetting some bearish downside risks such as higher supply from sanctioned Russia, Iran, and Venezuela and weaker-than-thought Chinese demand. The Saudi cut should provide some limited immediate upside for the market, and it should also reinforce Saudi Arabias commitment to try to put a floor under the market, Warren Patterson, Head of Commodities Strategy at ING, said on Monday. ING left its price forecasts unchanged for now and still expects ICE Brent to average $96 a barrel over the second half of this year. The macro outlook continues to be a more important driver for prices than fundamentals at the moment. ADVERTISEMENT By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Crude oil prices rose by more than 1% in early trade today following the OPEC+ meeting that took place Sunday. At that meeting, Saudi Arabia said it would voluntarily cut its oil production by another 1 million barrels daily next month in a bid to prop up global oil prices. Oil prices did initially spike on Sunday, with WTI nearing $74 and Brent climbing toward $78 before both falling back. One other member of the cartel, the UAE, was allowed to actually increase its output but about 200,000 bpd, while several others got their production quotas adjusted. These were countries that consistently failed to reach their assigned quotas for various reasons, such as Nigeria and Angola. At the same time, the meeting unsurprisingly agreed to extend current production cuts of 3.66 million bpd until the end of this year and reduce combined production by another 1.4 million bpd from the start of 2024. "It is a clear signal to the market that OPEC+ is willing to put and defend a price floor," Energy Aspects Amrita Sen told Reuters. We want to just ice the cake with what we have done, the Saudi energy minister said, as quoted by the Financial Times. We will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market. He called Saudi Arabias additional cut a Saudi lollipop for the rest of OPEC+, since thanks to that cut the other members would not have to make deeper cuts to their production. This cut will bring Saudi output to some 9 million barrels daily, as it comes on top of another voluntary cut of half a million barrels daily, implemented earlier this year. It is very low in the context that we are not in a global recession, UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo told the FT. It is a clear signal that they want to achieve, as they say, market stability. ADVERTISEMENT By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After worries about surviving the harsh winter months, Ukraines energy industry has made it through to the other side. And, contrary to expectations, there is some optimism around the future of Ukrainian energy. In May, the country announced it was bringing new wind capacity online, a first for a conflict zone. And so far, its nuclear power plants have been able to maintain their output. On 7th April this year, Ukraines Ministry of Energy approved the export of electricity once again, demonstrating a small victory in the war against Russia. Ukraine initially stopped electricity exports in October 2022 in response to Russian airstrikes targeting civilian infrastructure. However, Ukraine is now seeing a surplus of power, following attacks that previously left millions of Ukrainians without power for several months. In the second half of 2022, Russia directly targeted Ukraines power and heating infrastructure with rockets, missiles, and drones. This led to the widespread destruction of infrastructure across the country. All of Ukraines thermal power plants have experienced damage, as well as most of its hydroelectric facilities and much of its grid system including transformers and transmission lines - being affected. This has affected around 60 percent of the countrys electricity generation. Around 21 GW was offline by March 2023, leading to much of the population facing regular blackouts throughout the harsh winter months. This led Ukraine to depend on neighbouring countries, Slovakia, Poland, and Moldova, for emergency electricity imports. In March, the United Nations Development Program assessed the damage from the war, estimating that the countrys power sector had suffered around $6.5 billion in damages. In addition, 12 million Ukrainians had no power, water, or heating. Yet, somehow, Ukraine has managed to get its energy back on track, no longer facing a deficit and even reporting a surplus of electricity in the spring. This is mainly thanks to a decrease in domestic consumption by around 30 to 35 percent from before the war. Ukraine is now exporting around 400 MW of electricity as the power sector workers continue to support output. For example, Ukrenergo, Ukraines electricity transmission system operator, continues to have around 1,500 employees working in the field, despite the ongoing conflict. And since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has continued to develop its wind energy capacity, installing more onshore wind turbines than the U.K. since the invasion. DTEK, a private Ukrainian energy firm, announced the opening of phase one of its new Tyligulska wind power plant the first to be built in a conflict zone in May this year. The facility has a current capacity of 114 MW, with a projected capacity of 500 MW once fully completed. The plant is around 100 km from the frontline of the Russian invasion. DTEK invested $200 million in the first phase of the project, which consists of 19 wind turbines. It is expected to provide enough electricity to power around 200,000 homes during this phase. It is said to be one of the first projects to use Danish firm Ventass 6 MW Enventus turbines. The second phase of the project will see the installation of 64 more wind turbines as output increases to 500 MW. DTEK expects to spend a total of $430 million on the plant and hopes it will support its net-zero emissions goal for 2040. The facility, which has been being developed over the last three years, will provide electricity for homes and businesses across the south of the country. It will also support Ukraines aim of becoming a clean energy exporter to the EU. However, the war is not over, and Ukraine continues to face challenges in its nuclear power sector. In March, Russia launched an attack that knocked out power across several areas of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station. It was quickly reconnected to the grid, but this is a problem thats likely to keep occurring. At this point, there had been six emergency shutdowns at Zaporizhzhia, with worries of a nuclear catastrophe. The nuclear plant is Europes largest, providing 6,000 MW of electricity at full capacity. Russian forces captured the plant in March 2022, but it continues to be staffed by Ukrainians. It has been repeatedly damaged by shelling, leading to four high-voltage power lines that connect Zaporizhzhia to Ukraine's energy grid being cut off. These lines are vital to the plant's safety and cooling systems and the longer the plant goes without power, the higher the chance of a possible nuclear meltdown. While there is still optimism around the future of Ukraines energy sector, it will depend heavily on the attacks on the countrys infrastructure and Russias decisions about Zaporizhzhia. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Following the recent China-brokered resumption of relationship deal between historical enemies Saudi Arabia and Iran, a deal for the Kingdom to develop two key projects in Irans close ally Iraq is in the offing. The problem with this idea is that it is dependent on two highly unpredictable elements. The first is the degree to which senior Iraq Oil Ministry officials are willing to put the interests of their country ahead of their own. The second is the U.S.s on the whole thing. The deal which was announced as definite and then as subject to further ratification - comprises one big idea and two smaller ones that support it. The big idea is for Iraq to take the next step in genuinely building out its gas sector. The other two ideas are firstly that towards this end, Saudi Aramco develops the giant Akkas gas field, and secondly that the resultant gas goes towards the build-out of the long-delayed Nebras Petrochemical Project, all of which are analysed in my new book on the new global oil market order. To briefly recap some of the salient points here: official estimates are that Iraqs proven reserves of conventional natural gas amount to 3.5 trillion cubic metres (tcm) or about 1.5 percent of the world total, placing Iraq 12th among global reserve-holders. However, around three-quarters of Iraqs overall proven reserves consist of associated gas a by-product of oilfield development. The International Energy Agency estimates that ultimately recoverable resources will be much larger than the official estimates with its estimate being 8.0 tcm. Related: Dads Mad: Saudis Frustrated With Lack Of OPEC Compliance Over the years, instead of capturing this hugely valuable associated gas resource to be used to generate much-needed domestic power, or to sell it off to generate much-needed income, Iraq has just burnt it off for nothing. After Russia, Iraq flares the largest quantity of gas in the world, with some 17 billion cubic metres burnt in 2022, according to a World Bank study. The squandering of this associated gas resource has meant that Iraq is still reliant on Iran for around 40 percent of all its power needs (through electricity and gas imports), which has long infuriated the Americans, who want Iraq to downscale its ties with Iran, as also analysed in my new book on the new global oil market order. It has also meant that every year Iraq runs into enormous budgetary problems (which it always expects the U.S. to bail it out of), and long periods of blackouts, particularly in the summer months. Having signed up for the United Nations and World Bank Zero Routine Flaring initiative aimed at ending this type of routine flaring by 2030, Iraq has announced the same plan three times, each to little effect. The most recent notable reiteration of the plan involved the U.S.s Baker Hughes harnessing 200 million cubic feet per day (mmcf/d) from the Gharraf oil field (and neighbouring ThiQar site, Nassiriya), plus other oil fields north of Basra. According to the Oil Ministry in 2020, all this output would go to the domestic power generation sector, with Baker Hughes stating that addressing the flared gas from these two fields would allow for the provision of 400 megawatts of power to the Iraqi grid. According to an accompanying statement from then-Oil Minister, Jabbar Al-Luaibi, Iraq was also negotiating a similar gas capture deal for the state-run Nahr Bin Umar field with Houston-based Orion Gas Processors. Additionally, according to comments from Iraqs South Oil Company, gas-processing facilities were to be constructed in the Missan and Halfaya fields that would have a combined capacity of 600 mmcf/d of gas when completed. The construction of gas-processing facilities in the West Qurna, Majnoon and Badra fields was also to have moved ahead, with respective overall capacities 1,650 mmcf/d, 725 mmcf/d and 85 mmcf/d. Early 2023 saw a restatement by Frances TotalEnergies of its commitment to move ahead with a four-pronged US$27 billion deal, one key project of which is to collect and refine associated natural gas currently burned off at the five southern Iraq oilfields of West Qurna 2, Majnoon, Tuba, Luhais, and Artawi. The development of the Akkas field by Saudi Aramco would be toward the same end of boosting Iraqs indigenous gas supplies, and the Saudi firm has the capability to do it. These supplies and corollary developments would finally allow for the full-scale development of the long-mooted Nebras Petrochemicals Project. In January 2015, Shell signed the deal to build the US$11 billion Nebras plant in the southern oil hub of Basra, with the project offering a natural synergy for the gas feedstock that came from its 44 percent stake in the US$17 billion 25-year Basra Gas Company (BGC) project. The BGC was designed to enable Iraq to increase its energy independence and to achieve economic diversification by capturing flared gas from the fields of Rumaila, West Qurna 1 and Zubair, in the first instance. As of 2019/2020, the BGC reached a peak production rate of 1035 mmscf/d, the highest in Iraqs history and sufficient gas to generate approximately 3.5 gigawatts of electricity enough to power three million homes. The BGC is also responsible for currently supplying around 70 percent of Iraqs liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and for enhancing Iraqs export capabilities, which helped the country to become a net exporter of LPG from 2017. Shells progress on the Nebras project began to stall shortly after the 2015 deal was signed. According to a source who works closely with Iraqs Oil Ministry, spoken to exclusively by OilPrice.com at the time, this halt in proceedings was due to 30 percent level of commission on the Nebras project being demanded by several senior Iraq oil figures. Having said this, the potential returns for Nebras are massive, and Saudi Aramco has the capabilities to successfully complete it. Using Nebras as the foundation project, as Saudi Arabia used its Jubail Industrial City petrochemicals project plus a sustainable and reliable supply of ethane (usually found in associated gas streams) for at least 20 to 25 years Iraq would have to spend around US$40-50 billion. However, after that Iraq would be one of the largest petrochemicals producers in the Middle East, and the profits for it would be exponentially higher than the seed costs. Saudi Aramco may not see the same difficulties in Iraqs oil sector as Western companies have, given that commission payments are a standard Middle Eastern business practice, and are not subject to the same sort of scrutiny as they are in the West. The problem that it may have in developing the planned Akkas and Nebras projects is the U.S.s view on what they add up to. The shift in Saudi Arabias longstanding geopolitical allegiance to the U.S. and towards China-Russia instead is a key feature of the new global oil market order, as analysed in full in my new book on that very subject. However, the U.S. has no intention of making it easy for Saudi Arabia, or for any of the Middle Eastern countries looking to do the same. In the case of the Akkas gas field, the U.S. has further cause for concern. Akkas has always been seen by the U.S. as one key part of a three-field development that also includes the Mansouriyah and Siba gas fields. These three sites form a skewed triangle across southern Iraq, stretching from Mansouriyah in the east (extremely close to the border with Iran), down to Siba in the south (extremely close to the key Iraqi Basra export hub), and then all the way west across to Akkas (extremely close to the border with Syria). Akkas is located in Iraqs lawless wasteland Anbar province, a place so violent and unpredictable that it was even avoided where possible by ISIS, and close to what the U.S. military used to call the spine of the terrorist organisation. This is whwre the Euphrates flows westwards into Syria and eastwards into the Persian Gulf, extremely close to the border with Iran. Along the spine running from east to west are the historical ultra-nationalist and ultra-anti-West cities of Falluja, Ramadi, Hit and Haditha, and then there is Syria and a short hop to the key strategic ports of Banias and Tartus. In January 2017, Russia secured control over the naval facility at Tartus, allowing it to keep both warships and nuclear vessels there. Both Banias and Tartus are also extremely close to the massive Russian Khmeimim Air Base and the S-400 Triumf missile system. Although the base only came into operation in 2015 supposedly to help in the fight against Islamic State, Russia appears to have changed its tactical plans for it, having also signed a 49-year lease on it, with the option for another 25-year extension. A short flight away is Russias Latakia intelligence-gathering listening station. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: An apparent drone attack on Moscow fits President Vladimir Putin's narrative about Russia's war on Ukraine. But more than 15 months into what was meant to be a "special operation" to swiftly subjugate the neighboring nation, it's still another piece of bad news for the Kremlin. Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward. Aerial Attacks In terms of optics, imagery, and propaganda, Putin must have been pleased, at least on some level, to see headlines like "Drone Attacks Target Moscow And Kyiv" after unmanned aerial vehicles slammed into three apartment buildings in the Russian capital on May 30. Putin and other officials swiftly blamed Kyiv for the strikes, slotting the incident into a false narrative that the Kremlin has used increasingly in recent months: the claim that Russia, far from fighting a war of aggression against a sovereign neighbor, is defending itself from an assault by the United States and NATO in which Ukraine is merely a weapon in the hands of the West. The drone strike and other attacks on Russian soil that Moscow has ascribed to Kyiv may serve to bolster that narrative domestically and even abroad. It hands an argument to people in the West who call for peace with little consideration of what that could mean for millions of Ukrainians in Russian-occupied territory or for the wider world -- or of the repercussions of rewarding a land grab. That may be heartening for Putin. At home, he is seeking to solidify backing for the invasion he unleashed on Ukraine in February 2022, through both the propaganda of patriotism and a persistent clampdown on dissent in general and criticism of the war and even just questions about it -- in particular. Long after the start of a "special military operation" that he hoped would bring Ukraine to its knees in a matter of days or weeks, Putin's main hope of success in the war now hinges on Western support for Kyiv flagging substantially, analysts say. If Ukraine is behind the strikes, as is widely believed despite denials, Kyiv is blurring lines that many believe would be wiser to keep clearly defined by refraining from attacks on Russian territory -- even though their effects cannot be compared to the death and devastation that Russia has wreaked on Ukraine. Nobody was killed by the drones in Moscow. In the month of May alone, Russia launched 17 waves of aerial attacks on Kyiv, using drones and firing ballistic and hypersonic missiles. Three people, including a child, were killed in a Russian strike on the capital on June 1, and Russia has targeted other cities and towns across Ukraine as well. Putin's Narrative Even in propaganda terms, the negative effects of the Moscow strike may outweigh positive effects for Putin and the Russian state. For one thing, there's no sign that the drone strike on Moscow has engendered an upsurge of support for the war or for Putin among Russians, or that it has had a substantial effect on attitudes in the West. And while they may further Putin's narrative of the war, the drone strike on Moscow and one in which two drones targeted the Kremlin on May 3 suggest that Russia -- even at its very heart -- is more vulnerable than he might like citizens to believe. All in all, it's not a good look for Putin and the Kremlin, political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, wrote of the May 30 Moscow strike and the state's muted reaction. "People want to see strong leadership, but right now, that leadership is looking increasingly helpless and confused," she wrote. The strikes also underscore the wide gap between Putin's apparent goals in the invasion of Ukraine and the reality of the situation. 'A War Within The War' In a Facebook post, journalist Mikhail Shevelyov contrasted the drone strike on Moscow apartment buildings with a time when Russia was telling NATO to "pack up its things and go back to the 1997 borders," a reference to one of the demands Moscow made of the alliance in the months before the February 2022 invasion. It may also be a sign that Kyiv has the upper hand in the competition between Russian and Ukrainian military intelligence agencies -- what Mark Galeotti, a Britain-based Russia analyst and expert on its security services, called "a war within the war." In an article in The Times of London, published before the May 30 Moscow drone strike, Galeotti wrote that the drones targeting the Kremlin on May 3 in were "probably launched by [Ukrainian military intelligence] officers in Russian territory or guided in by agents with a line of sight to the target." While Ukraine's HUR and Russia's GRU both have roots in Soviet military intelligence, the contest has been lopsided since the invasion, Galeotti suggested, writing that "for now at least, Ukrainian imagination and initiative is running rings around Russian discipline and hierarchy." ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile, Russia's military itself faces problems on and off the battlefield that will affect the course of the war and the future of the country, which has already been badly clouded -- along with the present -- by Putin's decision to launch the large-scale invasion of Ukraine. "The Russian military's problems go beyond casualties and equipment losses," Dara Massicot, a senior policy researcher at the Rand Corporation, a U.S.-based think tank, wrote in a summary of an article she published in The Economist. "It faces two looming crises in retention and veteran PTSD and other disorders," she wrote, "when its soldiers are allowed to leave Ukraine." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Saudi Arabia agreed to take one for the team this weekend and volunteered to cut another 1 million barrels per day off its crude oil production to keep the market in checkand to punish short sellers. But Saudi Arabias Energy Minister has had it up to here with other OPEC members failing to meet their production quotas month after month, according to Bloomberg. Saudi Arabias Energy Minister also spoke out against Russias lack of transparency when it comes to crude oil production. Saudi Arabias extra 1 million bpd lollipop cut is only good for one month, and it could just as easily undo its voluntary cuts as of August should other OPEC members fail to bring their production in line with their quotas. This is the equivalent to Dad telling the kids hes going to turn the car around if they continue to misbehave. Saudi Arabia was not referring to the UAE, of course. The UAE was given the go-ahead to increase production by 200,000 bpd, while some of the African members were asked to give up some of their unused quotas. On Sunday, the OPEC+ producers decided to keep the current cuts until the end of 2024, while OPECs top producer and the worlds largest crude oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, said it would voluntarily reduce its production by 1 million barrels per day in July, to around 9 million barrels per day. Crude oil prices are trading up 1.55% on the day, with WTI trading at $72.85 at 10:14 a.m. ET, although prices saw a temporary spike on Sunday, with WTI nearing $74. Some analysts have forecast that Brent pricesnow above $77 per barrelcould reach $100 per barrel by the end of the year. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Coptic Solidarity to Host 11th Annual Conference in Washington, DC NEWS PROVIDED BY Coptic Solidarity June 5, 2023 WASHINGTON, June 5, 2023 /Christian Newswire/ -- Coptic Solidarity will host its 11th Annual Conference The Indigenous Copts: Past Denied and Future Unknown in Washington, DC June 15-16. This leading annual policy event in Washington D.C. brings together top legislators, academics, and policy experts to share their views and recommendations to provide greater protection and equality for the Copts of Egypt. Throughout the event, Members of Congress will stop by the event to discuss the situation of Copts in Egypt. Confirmed speakers include: Habib Afram - President of the Syriac League Ahed Al Hendi - Founder, Syrian Youth for Justice Nathan J. Brown, Ph.D. - Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Georgetown University Ann Buwalda, J.D. - Executive Director, Jubilee Campaign USA Robert A. Destro, J.D. - Professor of Law - Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America Caroline Doss, J.D..- President, Coptic Solidarity Amy Hawthorne - Deputy Director for Research, Project on Middle East Democracy Mariam Ibraheem - Co-Founder & Director of Global Mobilization, Tahrir Alnisa Foundation; Former Sudanese prisoner of conscience Rymond Ibrahim R- Author, Public Speaker, and Middle East and Islam specialist Bashar Jarrar - Political Analyst, Commentator, & Media Consultant Sherif Mansour - Middle East Program Coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists Paul Marshall, Ph.D. - Senior Fellow Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom Sean Nelson, J.D. -Legal Counsel Global Religious Freedom, ADF International Lindsay Rodriguez - Director of Development & Advocacy, Coptic Solidarity David Schenker: - Director, Program on Arab Politics, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Gregory Stanton, Ph.D. - Founder & President, Genocide Watch Frank Wolf - Commissioner, US Commission on International Religious Freedom Raouf Zaki - Writer, Producer, Director at RA Vision Productions, Inc The Policy Day will be hosted on Thursday, June 15, in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Room 201. The conference will continue on June 16th at the Marriott by Courtyard Pentagon South Hotel and lunch will be provided during both days of the conference. Coptic Solidarity recently published a new report titled The Coptic Identity: Recognizing the Coptic Indigenous Peoples Status for Protection from State-Sponsored Discrimination, which was presented to the UN Special Rapporteur for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to 8 United Nations Country Missions in New York City during the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Rights. The report explains why Copts qualify and should be recognized as an indigenous minority and contends that Egypt's Copts merit additional protection for their persons, and for cultural, linguistic, and historical protection beneath a variety of United Nations Charters and Agreements. This annual conference (which comes after three years during which only virtual events were held) will serve as a continuation of this discussion, exploring a variety of relevant themes. Both days of the conference are open to the media and public, but advance registration is required. Individuals can register for one or both days of the conference. Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts of Egypt. We support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens, and advocate in cooperation with the affiliated organizations in Canada and in Europe (Solidarite Copte). For more information, contact Lindsay Rodriguez at 801-512-1713 or coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org. SOURCE Coptic Solidarity CONTACT: Lindsay Rodriguez, coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is in Saudi Arabia on an official visit, the Saudi press agency reported on Monday, as the two fellow OPEC members seek stronger bilateral ties, including in the oil sector. Maduro was welcomed by Saudi officials at the Jeddah airport late on Sunday, the Saudi news agency said, without giving details on the visit. Maduro said on Twitter that he was in Saudi Arabia to strengthen bilateral relations. Venezuelas state television reported that Maduros visit to Saudi Arabia is aimed at developing a work agenda to strengthen political, diplomatic, and energy alliances. Saudi Arabia has restored in recent months its diplomatic relations with regional rival Iran, which like Venezuela is under U.S. sanctions preventing it from exporting its oil. Maduros visit to Venezuela comes a day before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Saudi Arabia between June 6 and 8 to meet with Saudi officials to discuss U.S.-Saudi strategic cooperation on regional and global issues and a range of bilateral issues including economic and security cooperation. In recent months, U.S. President Joe Biden has eased some sanctions on Venezuelas oil industry and exports, authorizing U.S. supermajor Chevron to extract and export oil from Venezuela. Venezuela is also looking to boost its revenues from its most important export commodity, crude oil. After several arrests in a corruption probe earlier this year, Nicolas Maduro is looking to increase Venezuelas oil revenues, which are pretty much the only hard-currency revenues the country is receiving. In March, Tareck El Aissami, Venezuelas oil minister for three years, resigned amid a corruption probe into state oil firm PDVSA, and Maduro appointed PDVSAs chief executive Pedro Rafael Tellechea to serve as the new oil minister. Chevron, the only U.S. company authorized by the U.S. to pump and export oil from Venezuela, is hoping to increase its shipments of Venezuelan oil, but Venezuela hasnt been unable to bear the cost of dredging a key oil export inlet. ADVERTISEMENT By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In April 2021, Jared Hall wanted to do something completely different, so the North Omaha native and University of Nebraska at Omaha graduate turned to fashion. Now, in just a little over two years, Hall has reached some of the biggest stages in the fashion world with his product line, 3 am Luxury. Designing and selling a combination of leather handbags, backpacks, wallets and other accessories, Hall's products have been or will be displayed at various fashion shows including Los Angeles and Paris. The 33-year-old Hall's rise has been swift. Hall began 3 am Luxury after seeing a local void for luxury apparel. "We have fashion here, but we're not known for being a fashion capital city," he said. Hall also was inspired to enter the fashion world after experiencing a low-quality designer bag he had received as a gift. "I was traveling from Arizona back to Omaha, and my bag broke," he said. "That, ultimately, is what inspired me to want to create something that was of the highest quality." Hall began looking at national and international luxury brands and came across a Brazilian brand that uses full-grain leather that is durable, customizable and fashionable. Using the same type of leather, Hall comes up with the designs inspired by nature and architecture. He partners with a California manufacturer to refine his designs and produce his products. The 3 am moniker has significant philosophical meaning to Hall: The "3" represents a person's pineal gland, which symbolizes free thinking and creativity. The "A" symbolizes the angle in which a person views their reality from. The "M" is made up of two pyramids: the first pyramid symbolizes mental growth and the second pyramid symbolizes manifestation. "All in all, one of my missions is to inspire people to believe in themselves, trust their vision and challenge the very best version of yourself, to inspire growth and manifest the life you desire," Hall said. Wanting 3 am Luxury to be a "global" brand, Hall has put his primary retail focus on the online realm. "I knew that if I started from a brick-and-mortar position, I would limit my chances of being global," he said, although he added that he is interested in working with local retailers. Hall's big break into the international scene came when he caught the notice of Paris fashion designer Tiffany McCall through Instagram. McCall was struck by Hall's designs and now features his work in her fashion shows in Paris, Monaco and Cannes in France; and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. "His brand is really different and unique," McCall said. A woman of color, McCall said she's interested in helping Hall, who is Black, succeed in the fashion world. Hall's association with McCall helped land him a spot in the Paris Fashion Week event that will be held in September. "He's going to learn and discover on his own as well. But we all need help. We all need someone to give us that push and boost," McCall said. "He has a big future." Just as McCall has done for him, Hall wants to pay it forward. Although 3 am Luxury is a one-person company for now, Hall envisions helping other people and giving them opportunities to grow. "Being a Black business owner is something very unique and special to me," he said. "I want to inspire not only African Americans, but also other young men and women to embark on their dreams. In Omaha, Nebraska, we have a lot of resources and a lot of talent that I think deserves to be on the world platform." In a first for Douglas County, an Omaha man was found not guilty of motor vehicle homicide on the grounds that he was suffering from a medical emergency: COVID-19. Gerard Skutnik, 55, was found not guilty of felony motor vehicle homicide in a bench trial last week after his attorney argued that he suffered a syncope episode meaning that he lost consciousness, or fainted due to COVID-19 prior to crashing into stopped traffic at nearly 100 mph. (The defense) is unique because COVID has only been around for a few years, but its not hocus pocus, defense attorney Glenn Shapiro said. Either my client was a suicidal maniac who intentionally drove into stopped traffic at 97 mph, or it was something else. On the morning of Nov. 29, 2021, Skutnik was driving southbound in his Toyota pickup truck along 144th Street. He had just picked up a Christmas tree at Home Depot and, according to Shapiro, was headed to Walgreens to get a COVID test. Patricia Brinkman, 78, was stopped in the right turn lane on 144th street when Skutniks truck barreled into her Chevy Malibu at about 97 mph. Brinkman was declared dead at the scene. Another man was injured after the force of the crash caused Brinkmans car to be pushed into two other vehicles. Skutnik was also injured, and Shapiro said his client told first responders that he suspected he had the virus prior to being taken to the hospital. He had a high fever, according to Shapiro, and testing at the hospital confirmed he had COVID-19. In January 2022, prosecutors filed felony charges against Skutnik, finding that the excessive speed alone was enough to consider his driving reckless and justify a felony charge. Felony motor vehicle homicide charges can be brought when the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, has a suspended or revoked license, or drives recklessly. From the beginning of the case, Shapiro has been interested in the COVID-19 defense. I always felt this was a medical issue, he said. The argument made by Shapiro, and by his expert witness Dr. Tom Dunbar, is that Skutnik experienced a syncope episode that caused his body to become tense and rigid. If Skutnik passed out with his foot still on the gas, that could explain why his vehicle would accelerate from 45 mph to 97 mph without braking, according to Dunbar. Dunbar was the only witness called by Shapiro during the bench trial on Tuesday. Skutnik appeared in front of Douglas County District Court Judge Timothy Burns, who announced the not-guilty verdict Friday. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said he respectfully disagrees with Burns ruling. He pointed to surveillance video at Home Depot, which shows Skutnik exhibiting no signs of illness as he picks out a Christmas tree and loads it into his car. Kleine also wondered how Skutnik could stay in the same lane and not lose control of the vehicle if he was truly unconscious. Theres all sorts of questions, Kleine said. This is a very unique case. But if somebody passes out and loses control, they arent going to be pressing on the accelerator and staying in the same lane. Brinkmans family is distraught by the ruling, her sister Barbara Jansen said. It feels like we lost her all over again, Jansen said. (Skutnik) was just lucky he could get a good attorney and find an angle. But the sad thing is the precedent this sets. Brinkman was a teacher in the Millard school district for 35 years, teaching at various elementary and middle schools. She was an avid Creighton Bluejays fan and frequently volunteered as an election worker. She remained highly involved in her sorority, Beta Sigma Phi, throughout her life. She had recently stepped down as the sororitys treasurer and was on the way home from taking her name off the organizations bank account when she was killed. A forklift operator was seriously injured Monday in a propane tank explosion at a former industrial building owned by the Omaha Public Schools. The man, an OPS employee, suffered burns and was rushed by ambulance to the Nebraska Medical Center. The explosion happened shortly before noon Monday at the former U.S. Mills Inc. complex at 4301 N. 30th St. An automated fire detector alerted the Omaha Fire Department at 11:59 a.m. The call was upgraded to an explosion while crews were en route. When firefighters arrived at 12:03 p.m., they found the garage doors blown out and the propane bottle burning. The explosion happened when the forklift operator pierced the propane bottle, Assistant Fire Marshal Joseph Caniglia said. Caniglia said firefighters immediately tended to the man, and quickly doused the propane bottle and pulled it out of the building. The injured mans name was being withheld. No other people were injured. OPS spokeswoman Bridget Blevins said the district has been in contact with the family of the staff member who was injured. We care deeply about our staff and will continue to provide support as needed, she said by email. The explosion completely blew out three large metal garage doors and mangled four others. The building, a former longtime breakfast cereal factory, is owned by OPS, but Blevins said it is no longer used as a school. She said it is used to store supplies, including curriculum materials, furniture and other equipment. OPS bought the U.S. Mills building for $950,000 in 2000, according to Douglas County records. The district renovated it into temporary school spaces, which OPS used in the early 2000s for students from a succession of elementary schools while their main buildings were being renovated or replaced, including Rose Hill, Miller Park and Castelar. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of May 2023 Its been a long week, so you decide to stop in for a pint and a Reuben sandwich at the Rathskeller Bier Haus at 45th and Farnam Streets. What you might not know is that the property is owned by the University of Nebraska Medical Center. UNMC hasnt given up education and research for the restaurant biz, though. The university instead leases the property to the businesss owner. Same goes for the Don & Millies property at 44th and Farnam, the KPTM-TV station at 46th and Farnam and the current Community Alliance headquarters at 41st and Leavenworth Streets. All four are part of UNMCs expanded footprint in midtown Omaha, which has added about a million square feet of building space over each of the past several decades and now stands at about 10 million square feet, including parking garages. Its a big footprint and an important one we take seriously, in service to our state and community, said Brian Spencer, executive director of campus development and real estate and campus architect for UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, its clinical partner. Planners expect the campus to continue growing its building square footage over at least the next decade, he said, although they dont have a stated goal. Dr. Jeffrey Gold, UNMCs chancellor, said the physical growth of the campus is the result of decades-long efforts by UNMC and affiliated organizations to consolidate property around what the university calls its 42nd Street campus. That physical growth, he said, has been fueled by the growth of the organization namely, 22 consecutive years of enrollment growth, mostly through the development of new educational programs, as well as continued growth in research funding, the addition of more clinicians, researchers and laboratories and considerable growth in inpatient and outpatient clinical care. The university, for instance, added a dermatology department about five years ago. It now includes about a dozen dermatologists. Its seen similar growth in its physical medicine and rehabilitation department. Its not about purchase it and hope that we can use it, Gold said. Its purchase it with a plan to use it. UNMC and Nebraska Medicine together employ about 14,800 people, according to UNMC officials. Separately, Nebraska Medicine ranks No. 2 behind Offutt Air Force Base and UNMC No. 6 on the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerces list of top 10 employers in the Omaha metro area. Last year, the university brought in $169.7 million in total research awards, an increase of 4% from the year before and the second-highest amount on record. Gold noted, however, that land acquisition in the area is largely complete. The university and its partners may add one or two more parcels, but the goal will be to even out borders rather than to add acres. We dont see the need for much more, he said. And, with the NU system facing a $49.4 million budget shortfall in the 2023-24 fiscal year, Gold said, the university will be focused on investing its very precious resources in existing programs to be sure we can maintain the quality, access and affordability of those programs rather than on long-term growth, at least for now. Spencer said the university is somewhat cautious about outlining the exact boundaries of its holdings. But officials have made commitments to area neighborhood associations, setting borders at 38th Avenue to the east and 48th Street to the west. It generally is trying to stay north of Leavenworth Street west of 42nd Street. Dodge Street serves as a relatively hard northern border, although the campuss northern outline is a bit more jagged. Nebraska Medicine also owns some properties on the north end of campus. While the universitys land acquisitions have occurred over decades and somewhat under the radar, they have become more visible with a recent groundbreaking for the approximately $65 million Catalyst project west of Saddle Creek Road on the site of the former Omaha Steel Castings facility. Slated to open in late 2024, the 170,000-square-foot facility will serve as a home for the 40,000-square-foot UNMC Innovation Hub and include 130,000 square feet for biotech and technology startups as well as an event center, food hall and market. Gold noted, however, that the facility itself is being developed by private developers, not the university or hospital, with the aim of enticing small and medium-sized companies to lease incubator space. It really is a way of bringing new economic development to the community, he said. A little history Don Leuenberger, who played a key role in the universitys growth during nearly three decades as UNMCs vice chancellor for business and finance, said that growth began under the chancellorship of Dr. Charles Andrews. He envisioned leveraging the expertise in cancer research it had gained with the help of cigarette tax dollars that the Nebraska Legislature devoted to the cause. It gained additional steam under Dr. Harold Maurer, who appointed the first vice chancellor for research. That, and the contributions of Omahas donor community, accelerated the growth, Leuenberger said. It has continued under Gold. Because the university wasnt going into debt to construct buildings, Leuenberger said, it was able to recruit researchers worldwide. The universitys clinical program also grew, with a key factor being the merger of University and Clarkson hospitals in the mid-1990s. By then, UNMC had become a destination for clinical services. The expansion in programming meant a lot of married graduate students on campus. Officials felt the need to halt what they saw as deterioration in midtown, he said, which helped spur the Destination Midtown and then Midtown 2050 development initiatives. The university needed parking and space for growing clinical and research programs. Clinicians needed housing in the area. Indeed, photos of campus in the 1990s show a lot of houses on the east side of campus, many of them at the time leased by UNMC for student housing. The university bought them when they became available to have control over the land and have the space held in reserve in case it was needed, Leuenberger said. Over time, the university built buildings on the east side of campus to house the colleges of nursing, pharmacy and medicine. It centered research facilities on the west side of campus and drug discovery and organ transplant support facilities to the south. Spencer said the university also has tried to keep higher density and taller buildings toward the middle of campus in order to create a buffer between the campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Jim Farho, president of the Blackstone Business Improvement District, said UNMC has been a good neighbor as it has grown and is bringing a lot of economic development to the city. Were happy theyre here in the neighborhood, he said. Indeed, investments in the area by the university, developers and businesses have meant a lot more amenities for residents and lots more walkers, strollers and dogs out and about. Last years old home tour was a huge success. Weve done them before, but it really knocked the socks off, he said. John Ashford, president of the Dundee-Memorial Park Neighborhood Association, said the university has been transparent about its projects throughout the planning process, recently sharing plans for pedestrian overpasses at 39th and Leavenworth Streets and over Saddle Creek as well as for bike lanes on campus. The plans the group has seen all show the campus gradually blending into the neighborhood. Were heavily in support of everything UNMC is doing down there, he said. Leuenberger noted that the university also has expanded programs in Lincoln, Kearney, Norfolk and Scottsbluff. Its not just been there on campus, he said. Its been statewide. Saddle Creek District The expansion west of Saddle Creek Road, Leuenberger said, also began in the 1990s with the acquisition of the old Union Pacific Railroad lines in the area, followed by the purchase of the former Commercial Federal property, which backed up to the Child Saving Institute. The former bank since has been demolished and the property sold to CSI in exchange for some parking lots south of Douglas Street. CSI has proposed a $46 million expansion and renovation that would nearly double the size of its existing building near 46th and Dodge Streets. Spencer said the university now owns all of the rough triangle bounded by Farnam and Leavenworth Streets, Saddle Creek and 48th Street, except the Ace-Rent-to-Own and Russell Speeders Car Wash on Saddle Creek. The university recently acquired the Metro Credit Union at 414 Saddle Creek Road, which will build on the northwest corner of Farnam and Saddle Creek and lease from the university. But property acquisition in the Saddle Creek District is largely complete, Spencer said. The university also has a letter from state environmental officials indicating that no further environmental cleanup is needed in the area. He said plans call for the district to include space for bars, restaurants and other amenities that will serve workers as well as neighborhood residents. Another item on his wish list: Investors interested in partnering to build laboratory space that inventors and startups could rent to test products theyre trying to bring to market. Currently, no such space exists in the city, Spencer said. Meanwhile, work has begun on infrastructure in the area. The city is building a new intersection at 46th and Farnam Streets, which is currently closed, and will extend 46th Street south of Farnam into the Saddle Creek development. Emile Street, too, will be extended into the district. The city also plans to build a parking garage north of the Catalyst structure. Many of the stalls will be leased to UNMC. Eventually, 48th Street will be turned to connect to Saddle Creek rather than Leavenworth. Next summer, the city will begin work to turn Leavenworth and Saddle Creek into a traditional four-way intersection with added turn lanes and pedestrian crossings. Chaz Kline, who owns the Rathskeller, said the growth in the area is all upside. The university, utility workers and construction crews all have worked to make sure customers can still access the restaurant, including putting up signs to direct them. Its a massive Jenga, theres no doubt about that, he said. But the blending of businesses and universities isnt unusual, he said. Other Big 10 universities all have a lot of businesses like his integrated into their campuses. Theyve committed to us, as long as our lease is there, were there, Kline said. Up next for the area is a new administrative building on the southwest corner of Saddle Creek and Farnam. Now known as the Campus Operations & Research Excellence or CORE facility, Spencer said, it also will include some research space. Details, however, have not been finalized. UNMC, however, is not involved in another highly visible project that may be on tap for the area around 46th and Dodge Streets. A developer has proposed a new five-story, 330-unit apartment complex southeast of 48th and Dodge Streets that would incorporate and preserve the landmark Pittman Veterinarian Building, listed at 4629 Dodge St. Several other structures in the area already have been razed. Leavenworth Street In April, UNMC officials announced that they planned to raze three vacant houses near 44th and Leavenworth Streets. The university purchased the properties situated on the north side of Leavenworth Street in 2021 to allow for possible future development opportunities. Once the structures are razed, UNMC will create green space and some parking on the empty lots at 4412, 4408 and 4402 Leavenworth St. Spencer said a family that wanted out of the real estate business approached the university about purchasing the houses. We jumped on the opportunity because its close to the heart of campus, he said. The university also owns several vacant retail storefront properties on either side of Barretts Barleycorn Pub & Grill and Castle Barrett on the north side of Leavenworth Street. UNMC has no immediate plans to raze those properties and will make minor investments in them to stabilize and return them to use. Spencer said the university opted to raze the houses because it doesnt want to be in the home rental business and the structures would have required significant investment to bring them up to current standards. He stressed that the university typically does not use eminent domain to obtain properties. Most of the universitys acquisitions have come from willing sellers as a result of business closures or generational turnover. (The city, however, is seeking a narrow strip of right-of-way near the Neighbers Bar for the reconstruction of the Leavenworth/Saddle Creek intersection.) That was the case with the former Charlie Graham Body & Service on the northwest corner of 42nd and Leavenworth Streets, which was demolished to make way for a new entrance to the campus. Great Plains Auto Body bought the business and exchanged the Charlie Graham corner for a parking lot that UNMC owned on the southeast corner. Great Plains built a new autobody and service shop on that site. Likewise, the university acquired some land south of Leavenworth when Kiewit Corp. decided to close a construction yard as part of its move to its new headquarters in north downtown. The property now is home to parking lots and a service center for the health systems surgical platform. The universitys purchase of the Community Alliance building, Spencer said, provided some of the capital the organization, which also is expanding its programs, needed to finish its new and larger headquarters. The university wont gain possession of the building for about a year and a half and has no immediate plans for the building. Thats the general makeup of how so many of our deals happen, he said. Photos: UNMC Catalyst project to rise out of Omaha Steel Castings site Last weeks weather combination of warm air and spotty rain across eastern Nebraska will be sticking around for an encore. Were in for about the same pattern, Clint Aegerter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley, said Sunday. We are expecting temperatures this week in the mid-80s to low 90s, with almost daily afternoon storm chances. Chances for rain are encouraging because Omaha is coming off its driest month of May, when just 0.17 of an inch of rain fell. The National Weather Service said that is the least amount of precipitation for May in Omaha since 1871, when record-keeping began. Drought conditions worsened across the eastern part of the state, according to information released by the U.S. Drought Monitor. In Douglas County, 60% to 65% of the area is listed as under extreme drought. Those fortunes began to turn around when the calendar flipped to June. Omaha has received 1.04 inches of rain at Eppley Airfield since the start of this month, which typically sees 4.41 inches of precipitation. Omaha is still about 3 inches below its average precipitation for the year, Aegerter said. The city has received 8.37 inches of precipitation in 2023. Were not expecting any rain Monday, but Tuesday there is about a 20% chance (of rain), Aegerter said. There will be a 20% to 30% chance of rain every day the rest of the week. Its going to be (a pattern) like weve seen the past several days. High temperatures Monday and Tuesday are forecast to be around 90 degrees. A high of 88 is expected Wednesday. when rain chances begin to ratchet up, Aegerter said. Wednesdays chances for rain could be a little more widespread when a weak front moves in from the east, which is a little unusual, he said. Thursday and Friday will see increasing chances for spotty showers. The best conditions for rainfall in eastern Nebraska, however, appear to begin Saturday when there is a 40% chance. A blocking ridge centered to the north of Omaha is expected to slide in at that point, bringing back a stubborn pattern with the possibility of scattered showers and thunderstorms. High temperatures will be 85 to 90 degrees for the weekend. There will be some slightly better chances for storms (Saturday and Sunday), Aegerter said. Depending on where you are (in eastern Nebraska), you could run into some showers. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of May 2023 A Lincoln woman found guilty of motor vehicle homicide while driving drunk was sentenced Monday in Cass County to 25 years in prison. Cheyanne M. Baker, 31, admitted to causing the death of Tammy Callaway, 42, on July 27, 2022, near the intersection of U.S. Highway 6 and Greenwood Drive. Baker, who has two previous DUI convictions, appeared before a Cass County District Court judge who had previously approved a plea agreement with prosecutors. In exchange for Baker pleading guilty to felony motor vehicle homicide while driving drunk, a charge of failure to use an ignition interlock device was dismissed. Investigators from the Cass County Sheriffs Office said Baker was speeding in a Hummer as she drove west on Highway 6 on the day of the collision. The Hummer hit the rear of a 2006 Toyota Scion driven by Brad Hoschele of Lincoln, causing the Toyota to crash into a ditch. Witnesses told investigators that the Hummer kept going and collided head-on with an eastbound 2019 Ford Fusion driven by Callaway, who was pronounced dead at the scene. According to an arrest affidavit, multiple witnesses reported that the Hummer was being driven erratically, crossing the center line and forcing vehicles off the road. Hoschele and a passenger reported only bumps and bruises from the crash. Baker was taken to Bryan Medical Centers west campus in Lincoln for treatment. A blood draw at the hospital found that Baker had a blood alcohol level of .215, more than twice the legal limit. According to the affidavit, the occupants of the Toyota and the Ford were wearing seat belts, but Baker was not wearing hers. The Nebraska man who led a plot to start fires inside Walmart stores in the Gulf Coast in 2021 was sentenced last week to 18 years in prison, double the recommended prison term under federal guidelines. This sentence was based on the totality and severity of the defendants actions, FBIMobile Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said of Jeffery Sikes, also known as Kenneth Allen, in a press release that followed. Sikes, 42, is appealing the sentence United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer gave him last week, which included $7,295,533 in restitution, to be paid by Sikes and his co-defendants. Moorer sentenced six members of the conspiracy in all last week. Brothers Alexander Olson, 23, and Quinton Olson, 22, got 15 years and three years respectively; Sikes wife, Erica Sikes, 41, and Jenna Bottorff, 38, got four years; and Mikaya Scheele, 29, got two years for the parts they played in the crimes. There is no parole in federal prison. Two others, Michael Bottorff and Sean Bottorff, will face sentencing this summer. United States Attorney Sean P. Costello said the group had deliberately endangered innocent shoppers and destroyed millions of dollars of merchandise when they intentionally and maliciously set fires in four stores in two states. Setting fire to a business isnt an economic or political argument, its a serious violent crime that has serious consequences, he said. In the indictment, Christopher Bodnar, Assistant U.S. Attorney, said the conspirators initially lived in Kearney, Nebraska, but followed Sikes to Alabama, where he fled after pleading guilty to a wire fraud in Nebraska in 2017. By 2021, they were calling themselves the Veterans Order and had drafted a manifesto making demands on Walmart related to the companys commercial practices and sent it to media outlets to draw attention to the arson attacks. First among their list of demands was a pay increase of $18 per hour for all employees, according to Fox 10, a TV station in Mobile, which posted it. They set fires at a Walmarts in Mobile, Alabama, on May 27, 2021, in Tillmans Corner, Alabama, on May 28, and in Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi, on June 4. And they threatened to start more if the company didnt comply with their demands. A months-long investigation led to their arrests in February 2022, and they later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to set malicious fires. The crew of BUZZ43 felt the sudden jolt as their RC-135V reconnaissance jet as the plane slurped fuel from an airborne tanker, visible through the cockpit window just ahead and above them. Halfway through the delicate ballet of aerial refueling 25,000 feet above the blue waters of the western Caribbean the planes electrical power cut off. The jolt was from the refueling boom automatically disconnecting as BUZZ43 backed away from the tanker. The pilots Capt. Joshua Maury and Lt. Will Lewis, from Offutt Air Force Bases 55th Wing saw red Xs on some of their flight displays in place of critical data about their altitude and the performance of the planes four engines. BUZZ43, is everything good? asked the boom operator on the KC-135 tanker. The crew couldnt hear. Their radios were dead, too. The sudden electrical failure quickly turned a routine surveillance mission into an in-flight emergency nearly two years ago, on July 13, 2021. But by keeping calm, and relying on a tested piloting formula called crew resource management, BUZZ43 followed the tanker to its home base in Florida and smoothly executed a tricky overweight landing without harm to any of the 25 Offutt-based crew members on board. The main thing you fall back on is your training, said Maj. Adam Blue Sema, 34, the aircraft commander, who was sitting in the jump seat during the emergency, then took the controls to land the plane. The safety of the crew is paramount. In-flight mechanical failures arent uncommon at the 55th Wing, which flies first-generation jets built in the early 1960s. The Wing spends nearly $500 million a year on maintenance for its fleet of 26 RC-, TC-, and WC-135 aircraft. Sema, who is now an instructor pilot for the Wings 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron, thought the electrical failure and the crews response taught lessons important enough that he told BUZZ43s story in a recent article for the Air Combat Commands quarterly safety magazine, Combat Edge. It was a good, unique opportunity for the Air Force to learn from it, Sema said in an interview with The World-Herald. Suddenly, a Slew of Problems The day started early for the BUZZ43 crew. They took off in the jet (tail number 64-14843) at 3:01 a.m. from Lincoln Airport, their temporary operating base because of runway reconstruction at Offutt. They headed southeast toward the Gulf of Mexico. Sema and Lewis would not disclose where the flight was headed. But it had flown through the narrow gap between Cuba and Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula to meet up with a KC-135 refueling tanker from MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Florida, about 3 hours and 15 minutes into the flight. That would allow them to complete their surveillance mission. Midair refueling is a routine task for military pilots, but a demanding one. They must pull up close behind the tanker and hook a narrow boom trailing behind it into a receptacle above and just behind the cockpit. Then they must remain in that position for several minutes while taking on fuel through the boom. The maneuver requires precise flying skills, and perfect communication between the two crews. The flight had gone perfectly smoothly, until midway through the aerial refueling. The first indication was the disconnect from the tanker, Sema said. It didnt immediately register that something was wrong. The missing flight instrument readings hammered home the problem, though, as did the silence on the hot mic and the interphone headsets that connected the flight deck crew with the mission crew in the main cabin. The crew quickly consulted emergency checklists, which directed switching to emergency battery power. That didnt work. The lack of emergency power told them that BUZZ43 had suffered a partial electrical failure of the DC bus switch, which supplies power to critical systems on the aircraft. They faced a slew of problems. They didnt have access to critical information for takeoff and landing. They couldnt check the positions of flaps and landing gear. Although they carried plenty of fuel, much of it was trapped in tanks behind a series of switches and valves that no longer worked. They could neither burn fuel, nor dump it. The autopilot didnt work. And thunderstorm clouds were building around them. Lewis took over hand-flying the plane, exercising a skill pilots mostly use only in training. Its Not Happening Today Sema, who had served 10 years in the Air Force, hadnt seen an in-flight electrical failure before, except in the simulator. He and Maury worked with other crew members on trouble-shooting. The navigator, Capt. Joshua Irvin, reset the circuit breaker, which brought back their radios and systems but only for a few minutes. Then it popped off again. The decision had to be made whether to continue or cancel, Sema said. We (decided), Its not happening today. In an emergency, he said, the crew is trained to maintain control of the plane, analyze the situation, take action, and land in that order. They call it Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. The crew took stock of what they had left. Because of redundant systems, some of the missing instrument readings were visible to one pilot and could be shared. Three radios in the rear mission compartment still worked, which allowed them to inform Offutt of their predicament. They decided the best course was to follow the tanker and land at MacDill. Of course, without radios, they had no way to tell the KC-135 crew of their plan. So the navigator reset the circuit breaker again, knowing it would restore power for a few minutes and give them a brief window to explain their situation. The tanker crew flashed landing lights and waggled the planes wings for basic communication. They steered wide of growing tropical thunderstorms during the flight of more than two hours to Tampa. Theyd telegraph way in advance, said Lewis, who continued to hand-fly the plane. Occasionally theyd turn right or left, and Id wonder what they were doing. One of Semas biggest problems was keeping his own crew informed, since they couldnt use their interphone. He walked back to the cabin to talk to the translators and radio operators personally, or used runners to carry messages. Ready. . . Go! Even as it happened, their flight drew the attention of a corps of hobbyists who follow military flights on air-traffic-control monitoring web sites like FlightRadar24.com and ADSBexchange.com. Several watchers took note that BUZZ43s transponder was broadcasting the emergency code 7700 and posted screenshots of its flight to MacDill on social media. While Lewis flew, Sema and the rest of the flight crew brainstormed how to land a plane they knew would be overweight. Having a crew is money, said Lewis, who is now a captain and still a pilot for the 343rd Squadron. Its really great to have a bunch of other people on the jet who can discuss what the situation is, and how to deal with it. The plan: Shut down every non-critical electrical system in the back end to reduce the load on the electrical bus. Reset the circuit breaker one more time shortly before landing, and marshal every available crew member to gather critical landing data before the breaker popped off again. Circle offshore with landing gear down to burn off as much fuel as possible. At the command Ready. . . Go! the navigator flipped the circuit breaker. This time, the power stayed on. Sema slid into the pilots seat to make the landing. He knew it would take more runway than usual because the aircraft weighed 253,000 pounds, at least 30,000 pounds more than normal. No problem. Sema set the heavy jet down smoothly and rolled to stop at 9:34 a.m. Central time, 6 hours after taking off from Lincoln. He flew it great. He didnt float, Lewis said. I was like, Wow! Were safe on the ground. A 50-amp Breaker The culprit turned out to be a broken electrical relay, connected to one of two 50-amp circuit breakers. When it shorted out, Sema said, the full load went through the remaining relay and its breaker. The second breaker functioned as designed and prevented an overload of the DC bus. It caused the kind of headache 55th Wing crews had seen before. On March 14, 2017, and Oct. 29, 2014, two other RC-135 jets experienced similar electrical failures during aerial refueling both times while on combat support missions out of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Both crews followed tankers safely back to base. RC-135s are vulnerable to electrical failures because of the large amount of electronic equipment required for their surveillance missions, according to a 2018 World-Herald investigation into flight safety at the 55th Wing. The Rivet Joint is full of avionics, heat and people, retired Lt. Gen. Thomas Keck, who commanded the 55th Wing from 1993 to 95, said at the time. Its a more stressful environment. Sema gained what he called in his article a healthy respect for a popped circuit breaker. It indicates an overloaded circuit and is a symptom not the cause of the issue at hand, he said. Sema and Lewis credited crew resource management for the safe handling of the emergency. It was a lesson they wanted to share. The best way to learn a lesson is from someone else, he said, so you dont have to go through it yourself. Photos: Offutt runway opens after 18-month reconstruction LINCOLN Gov. Jim Pillen named K.C. Belitz, the chief operating officer of the Nebraska Community Foundation, as the states next director of economic development Monday. Belitz, 54, is a Columbus native like Pillen and spent nearly two decades as president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce before taking the foundation job. But Pillen said it would be a mistake to consider Belitz a hometown buddy. The governor said he chose Belitz from among numerous applicants because he brought the right blend of experience, enthusiasm and energy. Pillen said he was looking for someone committed to public service for the long term, able to provide stability to the department and with experience leading people and getting results. I think that maybe the next director also has to be a chief bragging officer, Pillen said, noting the departments key role in encouraging economic growth for Nebraska and promoting the state to both businesses and people. Belitz replaces Tony Goins, who announced his resignation as economic development director in April. He cited false attacks about his ties to a Lincoln cigar bar. He said the attacks had been a gut punch to his family and his reputation and had been a distraction from the departments work. He stepped down following news reports in the Nebraska Examiner with allegations that he had used his state position to steer business to the cigar bar, including setting up meetings with business leaders and visiting dignitaries at the bar, and that he had used his official state email to promote a political campaign event at the bar, which would be a violation of state law. The news outlet also said that Goins had not reported his 51% ownership in the bar or that he had use of a company-leased SUV on his required annual statement of financial interests. However, his ownership of the bar was known when he was named to the state position. Belitz described his vision for the Department of Economic Development as being to, first, build on the states current assets, including existing businesses and youth. Second, he said he wants to focus on serving the departments customers and partners and, third, he said the department needs to be Nebraskas front-door for recruitment. People attraction has got to be job one, he said. Belitz said he plans to spend his initial time on the job listening and learning about how to make the department work more effectively and efficiently. While he said the department has some really talented, hard-working people, he said he doesnt know if they have enough resources to manage all that they have been tasked with handling. Nebraskas Department of Economic Development has gone through tremendous growth since the pandemic. The agency is responsible for overseeing much of the states share of American Rescue Plan Act money. Counting state and federal funds, the agencys budget went from $50.3 million in fiscal year 2019-20, up to $857.7 million for the year that ends June 30, while the number of positions doubled. The department is currently authorized for 130.25 full-time equivalent positions. Belitz will start with the state July 5. His salary will be $214,950. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of June 2023 New York (CNN) The Directors Guild of America reached a historic tentative deal for wages, work hours, residuals and even artificial intelligence Saturday night as the writers strike continues. The pact was reached to set the terms of a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the association representing studios. The contract with AMPTP was set to expire on June 30. We have concluded a truly historic deal, said Jon Avnet, chair of the guilds negotiations committee in a statement. It provides significant improvements for every Director, Assistant Director, Unit Production Manager, Associate Director and Stage Manager in our Guild. In a video uploaded Saturday, Chris Keyser, co-chair of the negotiating committee for the Writers Guild, said his group will not let up until the guild achieves the contract it deserves as the strike enters its fifth week. Keyser thanked other industries for their solidarity, including the Directors Guild. We wish the DGA the best in their negotiations, Keyser said. (Sister guilds) give us strength, but we are strong enough. We have always been strong enough to get the deal we need using writer power alone. In an industry where there can often be overlap, some writers on strike expressed concern about the effects on their negotiations. As a director, Im glad to hear negotiations were fruitful. As a writer, I fear this means the strike will last a long time, though well have to see what the actors do, Thunder Levin, a director who was also a writer on the Sharknado films, tweeted Sunday. The 19,000 Directors Guild members would see a 5% wage increase in the first year, 4% in the second and 3.5% in the third year. Assistant directors would also have their workday cut by one hour. The contract would also ban live ammunition on set. A New Mexico judge recently approved a settlement agreement in a February 2022 wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was fatally shot on the Rust movie set in 2021, according to documents obtained by CNN. A pilot program to require safety supervisors would also go into effect. The agreement would also put into writing a clause about the use of artificial intelligence, stating AI is not a person and that generative AI cannot replace the duties performed by members. And for the first time, global streaming video on demand residuals would be paid based on the number of international subscribers, resulting in a 76% increase in foreign residuals for the biggest services. The tentative agreement will be submitted to the guilds national board at a special board meeting Tuesday. Formal negotiations between the guild and the producers alliance had been going on since early May. CNN has reached out to the producers alliance and the Writers Guild for comment. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Directors Guild of America reaches tentative deal as writers strike goes on" Two people died Friday night in a head-on collision about 20 miles south of Columbus, Nebraska, on U.S. Highway 81. Viola Peace, 60, was pronounced dead at the scene just east of the village of Shelby, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Jesse Vasquez Espinoza, 42, was flown to a Lincoln hospital, where he died. Investigators determined that Espinoza, a North Dakota resident, fell asleep while driving a 1990 Chevrolet pickup truck westbound on Highway 81. The pickup veered across the center line and collided with an eastbound 1999 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Peace, a Polk County resident, about 10 p.m. Sheriff Dwaine Ladwig said both drivers were trapped inside their vehicles and had to be extricated. Espinoza was wearing his seat belt, but Peace was not, he said. OUTSIDE BAKHMUT, Ukraine Watching imagery from a drone camera overhead, Ukrainian battalion commander Oleg Shiryaev warned his men in nearby trenches that Russian forces were advancing across a field toward a patch of trees outside the city of Bakhmut. The leader of the 225th Battalion of the 127th Kharkiv Territorial Defense Brigade then ordered a mortar team to get ready. A target was locked. A mortar tube popped out a loud orange blast, and an explosion cut a new crater in an already pockmarked hillside. We are moving forward, Shiryaev said after at least one drone image showed a Russian fighter struck down. We fight for every tree, every trench, every dugout." Russian forces declared victory in the eastern city last month after the longest, deadliest battle since their full-scale invasion of Ukraine began 15 months ago. But Ukrainian defenders like Shiryaev aren't retreating. Instead, they are keeping up the pressure and continuing the fight from positions on the western fringes of Bakhmut. The pushback gives commanders in Moscow another thing to think about ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive that appears to be taking shape. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Russia sought to create the impression of calm around Bakhmut, but in fact, artillery shelling goes on at levels similar to those at the height of the battle to take the city. The fight, she said, is evolving into a new phase. The battle for the Bakhmut area hasn't stopped; it is ongoing, just taking different forms, said Maliar, dressed in her characteristic fatigues in an interview from a military media center in Kyiv. Russian forces are now trying but failing to oust Ukrainian fighters from the dominant heights overlooking Bakhmut. We are holding them very firmly, she said. From the Kremlin's perspective, the area around Bakhmut is just part of the more than 621-mile front line that the Russian military must hold. That task could be made more difficult by the withdrawal of the mercenaries from private military contractor Wagner Group who helped take control of the city. They will be replaced with Russian soldiers. For Ukrainian forces, recent work has been opportunistic trying to wrest small gains from the enemy and taking strategic positions, notably from two flanks on the northwest and southwest, where the Ukrainian 3rd Separate Assault Brigade has been active, officials said. Russia had envisioned the capture of Bakhmut as partial fulfillment of its ambition to seize control of the eastern Donbas region, Ukraines industrial heartland. Now, its forces have been compelled to regroup, rotate fighters and rearm just to hold the city. Wagners owner announced a pullout after acknowledging the loss of more than 20,000 of his men. Maliar described the nine-month struggle against Wagner forces in nearly existential terms: If they had not been destroyed during the defense of Bakhmut, one can imagine that all these tens of thousands would have advanced deeper into Ukrainian territory. The fate of Bakhmut, which is largely in ruins, has been overshadowed in recent days by near-nightly attacks on Kyiv, a series of unclaimed drone strikes near Moscow and the growing anticipation that Ukraine's government will try to regain ground. But the battle for the city could still have a lingering impact. Moscow has made the most of its capture, epitomized by triumphalism in Russian media. Any slippage of Russias grip would be a political embarrassment for President Vladimir Putin. Michael Kofman of the Center for Naval Analyses, a U.S. research group, noted in a podcast this past week that the victory brings new challenges in holding Bakhmut. With Wagner fighters withdrawing, Russian forces are going to be increasingly fixed to Bakhmut ... and will find it difficult to defend, Kofman told War on the Rocks" in an interview posted Tuesday. And so they may not hold on to Bakhmut, and the whole thing may have ended up being for nothing for them down the line, he added. A Western official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Russian airborne forces are heavily involved in replacing the departing Wagner troops a step that is "likely to antagonize the airborne leadership, who see the duty as a further erosion of their previously elite status" in the military. Ukrainian forces have clawed back slivers of territory on the flanks a few hundred meters (yards) per day to solidify defensive lines and seek opportunities to retake some urban parts of the city, said one Ukrainian analyst. The goal in Bakhmut is not Bakhmut itself, which has been turned into ruins, military analyst Roman Svitan said by phone. The goal for the Ukrainians is to hold on to the western heights and maintain a defensive arc outside the city. More broadly, Ukraine wants to weigh down Russian forces and capture the initiative ahead of the counteroffensive part of what military analysts call shaping operations to set the terms of the battle environment and put an enemy in a defensive, reactive posture. Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesman for Ukrainian forces in the east, said the strategic goal in the Bakhmut area was to restrain the enemy and destroy as much personnel and equipment as possible while preventing a Russian breakthrough or outflanking maneuver. Natalie Coles will never forget receiving an unexpected phone call in 2020. On the line was Virginia-based Dominion Energy, offering to give money to Wilberforce University, the small historically Black college where she is in charge of fundraising. The companys $500,000 donation went in part toward laptops and hot spots for students when the pandemic shut down the colleges campus outside of Dayton, Ohio. It was like manna from heaven, Coles said. Historically Black colleges and universities, which had seen giving from foundations decline in recent decades, lately are benefiting from an increase in gifts, particularly from corporations and corporate foundations. Some have received a new look from companies amid the reckoning over racial injustice spurred by the killing of George Floyd. But the colleges also have been pitching themselves, emphasizing their ability to deliver returns on the investment in student mobility. Another factor in the giving by corporations has been the influence of their Black employees. At the beverage company Diageo North America, the employee resource group for African Americans shaped a program that has provided almost $12 million to HBCUs, said Danielle Robinson, head of community engagement and partnerships for Diageo. The money has gone toward scholarships at 29 schools to lessen the debt burden on Black graduates. We talked about a lot of different things, but one of the things that kept coming up was the generational wealth gap, Robinson said. The giving to HBCUs is a new trend for corporations, which had largely ignored them before 2020, said Marybeth Gasman, a Rutgers University professor who researches HBCUs. Increasingly, HBCUs have been using the language of business to argue they not only have a high need but also are a good investment, she said. HBCUs often have smaller endowments and lower levels of public funding than other universities. A report released in May found foundation support of HBCUs declined 30% between 2002 and 2019. Data is incomplete for more recent years, but HBCUs have been reporting a sustained increase lately in donations from corporations as well as philanthropic foundations. Delaware State University received $20 million from MacKenzie Scott in 2020, part of the $560 million that the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos gave to HBCUs. The money helped DSU rescue a small college in their county that was closing and invest in their facilities. Foundations have been more receptive when the school reaches out, said Vita Pickrum, the schools vice president of institutional advancement. She said she would like to see foundations shape giving in partnership with HBCUS. Gifts to HBCUs typically are more restricted than those given to predominantly white schools, she said, which she would like to see change. Trust the institutions to be able to address the problem that the foundation is trying to address in the most efficient way that they see fit, she said. While giving to HBCUs has increased lately, better-known schools, such as large private and land-grant universities, have been more likely to receive donations compared with small schools, said Michael Lomax, CEO of the United Negro College Fund. Those small institutions often operate as engines of economic mobility that lift students from poverty to the middle class, Lomax said. Many have near open-enrollment policies, educating nearly any student that wishes to pursue higher education. While HBCUs have produced celebrated entrepreneurs, scientists and doctors, they have also educated an outsize number of teachers, nurses and other jobs that are essential for society, he said. I want to see more of American philanthropy recognizing that those are important, Lomax said. That theyre going to help us ensure that those jobs and those positions are filled, because they are the positions which will ensure a healthy Black America, but really, a healthy America. At Wilberforce University, the donation from Dominion supports scholarships and a lecture series on racial inequality in addition to the technology investments. Its a lot to squeeze out of a half-million dollars, which Coles said reflects the way historically Black colleges and universities stretch their money. I would really applaud my fellow African Americans for really pushing things within corporate America to make certain that the George Floyd incident was a movement, a long-term movement, not just a one-off, Coles said. At Spelman College in Georgia, an increase in donations has allowed the school to expand financial aid and start centers for Black entrepreneurship and the arts. Jessie Brooks, senior vice president for institutional advancement, said the racial justice movement of 2020 offered visibility that allowed HBCUs to make their case to new potential donors. If a donor gives you the resources, and you can show impact in terms of how their gift made a difference, they will continue to give, Brooks said. Whether corporations will stick with funding HBCUs for the long term is still a question for Shawnta Friday-Stroud, vice president of advancement at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Donations from corporate and philanthropic foundations have almost doubled from last year, when theyd received $2.4 million at this time compared with $5.3 million so far this year. Shes observed that corporate foundations are making funding commitments over multiple years and have expressed interest in partnering with her institution, rather than just giving money and walking away. They have put the money toward scholarships and professional development training. My hope is that that continues, lets say, over the next three, four or five years, she said. And I think thats whats going to be the true test. Biggest HBCUs in America #20. Hampton University #19. Virginia State University #18. Delaware State University #17. Winston-Salem State University #16. Grambling State University #15. Norfolk State University #14. Albany State University #12. Alabama A&M University #11. Fayetteville State University #10. Jackson State University #9. Southern University and A&M College #8. Morgan State University #7. North Carolina Central University #6. Tennessee State University #5. Prairie View A&M University #4. Texas Southern University #3. Howard University #2. Florida A&M University #1. North Carolina A&T State University SALT LAKE CITY The "Good Book" is being treated like a bad book in Utah after a parent frustrated by efforts to ban materials from schools convinced a suburban district that some Bible verses were too vulgar or violent for younger children. The Book of Mormon could be next. The 72,000-student Davis School District north of Salt Lake City removed the Bible from its elementary and middle schools while keeping it in high schools after a committee reviewed the scripture in response to a parental complaint. The district has removed other titles, including Sherman Alexie's "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" and John Green's "Looking for Alaska," following a 2022 state law requiring districts to include parents in decisions over what constitutes "sensitive material." On Friday, a complaint was submitted about the signature scripture of the predominant faith in Utah, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. District spokesperson Chris Williams confirmed that someone filed a review request for the Book of Mormon but would not say what reasons were listed. Citing a school board privacy policy, he also would not say whether it was from the same person who complained about the Bible. Representatives for the church declined to comment on the challenge. Williams said the district doesn't differentiate between requests to review books and doesn't consider whether complaints may be submitted as satire. The reviews are handled by a committee made up of teachers, parents and administrators in the largely conservative community. The committee published its decision about the Bible in an online database of review requests and did not elaborate on its reasoning or which passages it found overly violent or vulgar. The decision comes as conservative parent activists, including state-based chapters of the group Parents United, descend on school boards and statehouses throughout the United States, sowing alarm about how sex and violence are talked about in schools. Because of the district's privacy policy, it's unknown who made the request for the Bible to be banned from Davis schools or if they are affiliated with any larger group. A copy of the complaint obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune through a public records request shows that the parent noted the Bible contains instances of incest, prostitution and rape. The complaint derided a "bad faith process" and said the district was "ceding our children's education, First Amendment Rights, and library access" to Parents United. "Utah Parents United left off one of the most sex-ridden books around: The Bible," the parent's complaint, dated Dec. 11, said. It later went on to add, "You'll no doubt find that the Bible (under state law) has 'no serious values for minors' because it's pornographic by our new definition." The review committee determined the Bible didn't qualify under Utah's definition of what's pornographic or indecent, which is why it remains in high schools, Williams said. The committee can make its own decisions under the new 2022 state law and applied different standards based on students' ages in response to challenges, he said. An unnamed party filed an appeal on Wednesday. The Bible has long found itself on the American Library Association's list of most challenged books and was temporarily pulled off shelves last year in school districts in Texas and Missouri. Concerns about new policies potentially ensnaring the Bible have routinely arisen in statehouses during debates over efforts to expand book banning procedures. That includes Arkansas one of the states that enacted a law this year that would subject librarians to criminal penalties for providing "harmful" materials to minors, and creates a new process for the public to request materials be relocated in libraries. "I don't want people to be able to say, 'I don't want the Bible in the library,'" Arkansas Democratic state Sen. Linda Chesterfield said during a hearing. EveryLibrary, a national political action committee, told The Associated Press last month it was tracking at least 121 different proposals introduced in legislatures this year targeting libraries, librarians, educators and access to materials. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. in 2022 was the highest in the 20 years, according to the American Library Association. "If folks are outraged about the Bible being banned, they should be outraged about all the books that are being censored in our public schools," said Kasey Meehan, who directs the Freedom to Read program at the writers' organization PEN America. Same fears, new tactics: How efforts to ban 'bad books' reached a record high in 2022 Same fears, new tactics: How efforts to ban 'bad books' reached a record high in 2022 Burned or banned: Outlawed books reflect fears and politics of the time 2022 set a record for book challenges, almost doubling from 2021 Most of the top challenged 2022 books cited LGBTQ+ and sexual content School libraries are being targeted more frequently Organized efforts are accelerating The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, announced that the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party won 11 seats each in the Adamawa State House of Assembly election held on Saturday. Kasim Gaidam, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa, who made the announcement in Yola, said the African Democratic Congress won one seat in the election. He said ADC won the seat in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area. He pointed out that Adamawa had 25 members in the State House of Assembly. The two remaining State Assembly Election of Uba/Gaya and Nassarawo/Binyeri in Hong and Mayo-Belwa local government areas would be conducted on March 23. Mr Gaidam said the Nassarawo-Binueri State Assembly election was deferred due to the death of the APC candidate before the election. He said the Uba/Gaya State Assembly election could not be concluded on March 9 due to cancellation of results in some polling units. Mr Gaidam also said of the eight seats for the House of Representatives, both APC and PDP each won four seats. He said PDP got two senators from Adamawa Northern and Southern Senatorial Districts while APC won Adamawa Central. On the state governorship supplementary election in the 44 polling units, he said the Commission had fixed March 23 for the re-run election. (NAN) The All Progressives Congress has asked the presidential election tribunal to grant it permission to inspect documents used for the 2019 presidential elections across the country. The election held on February 23, and was won by President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC. The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party has rejected the result and is challenging the outcome in court. The APC made the application in an obvious response to the request recently granted the PDP by the tribunal. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday evening, the deputy head of the APCs legal directorate, Mamman Yusufari, confirmed that the party had requested to inspect the election materials. Mr Yusufari said the APC had discussed making the same application before now. He did not give further details on the matter. I have confirmed that they have filed the application. Its an ex-parte motion, just like the one by the PDP, he said. Multiple sources within the Court of Appeal, which hears presidential election petitions, confirmed to this newspaper Thursday evening that a three-member panel led by Abdul Aboki heard the application and granted same. They are two applications, one by President Buhari and the other by the APC, said one of the sources. The tribunal had granted a similar request by the PDP to allow it inspect documents used for the compilation of the presidential results. In the application filed by the PDP through its lawyer, Chris Uche, the court asked the panel to allow it inspect the materials and conduct forensic investigations on same. But the panel only granted permission to inspect the materials without allowing for forensic audit. According to Premium Times, an official has said Nigerian security agencies have surrounded the premises of African Independent Television (AIT) after the station reopened Friday. The private broadcaster returned on air late Friday after enduring over 24 hours of shutdown by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). The Federal High Court in Abuja voided the governments suspension of the stations broadcast licence and asked it to return on air immediately. But shortly after it commenced operation, security forces gathered around the stations premises, according to its group managing director, Tony Akiotu. As of 12.30 a.m. this morning, the premises of DAAR Communications Plc was surrounded by security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service, Mr Akiotu said in a message to PREMIUM TIMES early Saturday. They came heavily fortified and carrying out surveillance on the premises, he added. Mr Akiotu described the surveillance as unusual and its motive unclear but said the station will not be deterred by outside forces. The station is still transmitting signals on its national and global beam, Mr Akiotu said, adding that the police and SSS action was an unwarranted threat to the station. Police and SSS spokespersons, Frank Mba and Peter Afunanya, respectively, could not be reached for comments Saturday morning. Lawyer Calls For Immediate Compliance In his reaction to the court order on the AIT closure, a senior lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, asked the government to promptly comply with the order. As a necessary corollary, they should also immediately withdraw their security agents, including the Police and DSS Operatives, which they had happily deployed yesterday to shut down the operations of AIT/Ray Power, Mr Ozekhome said. A free and independent press ensures transparency, accountability and responsibility of the government to the people on social, political, economic and cultural matters that affect Nigeria and Nigerians, he added. Ahmed Ododo, the APC governorship candidate in Kogi State, has appointed a primary school teacher, Salifu Joel, as his running mate Salifu Joel is the current chairman of the NUT and treasurer of NLC in the state The primary school teacher described his appointment as a divine intervention that was unexpected Lokoja, Kogi The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kogi state, Ahmed Ododo, has picked Salifu Joel, a primary school teacher, as his deputy governorship candidate. Joe is the treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the current chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state, The Cable reported. APC Guber candidate picks primary school teacher as running mate Photo Credit: Yahaya Bello Source: Twitter Details of APC deputy governorship candidate in Kogi state The Kogi state governorship election is scheduled to hold on November 11. Ododo is considered to be one of the strong contenders that will face another strong opposition from Dino Melaye, the governorship flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The candidacy of Joel was unveiled on Sunday, June 4 where he said the development was a divine one. He added that he was committed to the victory of the APC in the election. His comment reads in part: I am short of words for me as a classroom teacher to be nominated as the running mate and deputy governor to the APC guber candidate. The teacher picked as APC deputy guber candidate said it is divine intervention He said he was grateful for the appointment and expressed gratitude for the new appointment he got while describing it as a divine endowment. Speaking on the development, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State in his remark, said the nomination of Joel as Ododos running mate was a decision that was necessitated by the need to carry everybody along. Some APC aspirants have rejected the candidacy of Ododo but it seemed the ruling party has put his house in order. Kogi poll: Abuse of Remi Tinubu, other factors that may work against Dino Melaye Legit.ng earlier reported that Dino Melaye, a former senator representing Kogi West, has been elected as the PDP candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi state. The governorship hopeful is a popular candidate considering his media presence and his credentials in Nigerias political space. Melaye was a former lawmaker both in the Green and Red Chambers but has made some comments in the past that may work against him, 2 of them have been analyzed. Source: Legit.ng Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi State, Alhaji Muritala Ajaka has blamed Governor Yahaya Bello for a recent attack on his convoy. In a shocking twist of narratives on Saturday, the SDP candidate through his spokesman, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, said the Kogi government lied in its report regarding the incident which took place close to Lokoja, the state capital. Alhaji Ajaka noted that his motorcade was attacked by gunmen personally led by the Governor of Kogi State, at the vicinity of the ram market at about 3pm. Two power bikes and a Toyota Hilux are said to have overtaken Ajakas motor-entourage, forcing it to a stop. RELATED: Thugs Attack Yahaya Bellos Convoy, Injure Aides Speaking further on the development, the SDP candidate through his spokesman disclosed that the assault was heralded by a Mercrdes Benz Limousine with Governor Bellos official crest accompanied by an open pick- loaded with masked and hooded men bearing AK 47 Assault Rifles. The men are said to have jumped down from their vehicles and in one quick sweep, they began shooting at Ajakas car and all other cars in the motorcade. According to the SDP candidates communique, the gunmen shot for over five minutes at his bullet proof car unprovoked. All this while Bellos car was parked a few meters in front and was used to barricade the road while the gun men had a field day. When they ceased, Ajakas car, a Lexus SUV though a bullet proof was totally damaged and demobilised. Among the gunmen is one Friday Makama a notorious thug and a former member of the House of Assembly who recently appointed Director General for Fireams Recovery by Mr Bello. Also identified among the hoodlums accompanying the governor is one Bashir Gegu the commissioner for Solid Minerals who has has a gross reputation for thuggery. Mr Ajaka who was on his way to keep an appointment with the Mai Geri, The first class traditional ruler of Lokoja and The Attah Igala in Idah decided to abort the journey and return to Abuja after conferring with the Commander of the Lokoja Naval Base. This again is another low scored by Mr Yahaya Bello in the exercise of crude power and brute force. Bello is on record to have unleashed guns and gunmen on several citizens in the course of his Eight years draconian rule. Several persons have been killed by his hoodlums during electioneering while others are missing . Ajaka until recently was a member of the APC who was forced out of the governorship nomination by Mr Yahaya Bello who used minions and proxies to obtain an injunction from a Lokoja High Court restraining him from participating in the primaries. The brute action today is obviously in a continuation of Bellos desperation to stop Yakubu from continuing in the election, the SDP candidates statement partly read. Alhaji Ajaka appealed to President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate that his administration will not permit the brigandage of the last eight years which has led to the deaths of thousands of Nigeria. He argued that while the election is still five months away, if Mr Bello does not get a strong signal that violence would not be allowed in the new administration, then several citizens will be killed by his thugs and gunmen before the polls. The young priest was kidnapped on Friday evening while driving from Awka , the state capital, to Nnewi, where he serves. A priest of the Nnewi Catholic Diocese, Rev Fr Stanislaus Mbamara, has been kidnapped by Gunmen operating in Anambra State. The young priest was kidnapped on Friday evening while driving from Awka, the state capital, to Nnewi, where he serves. The Catholic Diocese of Nnewi disclosed the development in a statement where it called for prayers for the priest, expressing hope that he would come out safe. The statement signed by the Chancellor, Fr. Raphael Ezeogu, said the priest was also a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, which meant he was probably returning to Nnewi after the weeks lecture. Ezeogu said: Our priest, Rev. Fr. Stanislaus Mbamara, a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, was kidnapped yesterday (Friday) evening, on his way from Awka to Nnewi. Lets storm heaven with humble and insistent prayers for his quick release in sound health of mind and body. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Help of Christians, pray with and for us. No mention was made by the diocese of having been contacted by the kidnappers, nor were details of his abduction made known. The Anambra State Police Command had yet to react to the kidnapping of the priest at the time of filing this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) The power unit of Consunji-led DMCI Holdings Inc. bared its plan to construct a wind facility in Semirara Island in the Visayas. In a filing Monday, DMCI Power Corporation (DPC) said the facilitys wind power capacity may range from 12 to 18 megawatts and may be up and running within 12 to 15 months. The company did not disclose how much was allotted for the project since it has yet to determine the final power capacity. We are also looking at solar energy to augment the supply in the island, but we are prioritizing wind resource development because it has shown the most promise, said DPC president Antonino E. Gatdula, Jr. Current studies suggest that wind power could potentially deliver a 33% plant utilization rate, compared to just 17% for solar. Capital expenditure per megawatt for both wind and solar projects are also roughly the same, he said. DMCI also operates a coal mine in the island through its unit Semirara Mining and Power Corporation. Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) not to politicise fuel subsidy removal. Governor Sanwo-Olu made the plea on Sunday after a post-inauguration thanksgiving service, which took place at the Cathedral Church of Christ, as part of 11-day activities to mark the governor and his deputys second term inauguration. According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by his wife Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and his wife, Oluremi Hamzat, to the church service, which marked the end of activities lined up for the second term inauguration, going on strike will neither address nor resolve any issue. He noted that all the presidential candidates in the last election said the first thing they would do was to remove fuel subsidy, saying that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had done nothing different from what others would have done. This is not the time to go on strike. Recall that all presidential candidates said the first thing they will do is to remove fuel subsidy. So what has changed? What has President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said or done that is different from what others would have done? The president has not even spent one week in office, HR said. Governor Sanwo-Olu, therefore, enjoined the citizens to be very patient and reason together, cautioning against playing politics with the issue but supporting President Tinubu on the move. We need to be very patient and reason together. Let us not make the issue about politics, but lets support this man. We should allow him to go and reflect. Strike will not resolve anything; it wont address the issue. The point should be how to ensure a sustained turnaround in our economy. The president mentioned better ways, and we started that in Lagos in January, and I hope other states can key into it. We dont need to wait for the national government, we just need to reflect on what the challenges are in the country and seek ways to resolve them, the governor said. So I plead with the NLC not to turn the subsidy issue into a political one. The leadership should know they are leading people, and so there is a need to restrain themselves. Let us be patient and work with the president. NNPC has said it has more than enough fuel to go round, so there is no need to heat up the polity. We should not get political because it is governance, and the people must see purposeful governance, he added. Speaking on the thanksgiving service, Governor Sanwo-Olu noted that it was important to acknowledge Gods help to individuals, the state, and the country and commit the second term into Gods hand for direction, even as he again assured Lagosians to expect a lot more from his government. It is important to thank God Almighty and to acknowledge his help to all of us, as individuals, as a state, as a nation, and to also commit our second tenure to him, to ask him for direction and to place everything in his front. Lagosians should also expect a lot more from us. We have promised a human-centric THEMES PLUS agenda which will ensure no one is left behind. We want to build a better inclusive sense of governance where we will be doing a lot of hard and soft infrastructure, things that will touch the peoples lives, specifically palliatives that would bring succor and relief to our citizens in their difficult times, especially with the global economic issues. The people also need to understand that though the government cannot do everything, we need to be able to bring them out of poverty and speak to what their needs and yearnings are. So its a purposeful human-centric agenda that will ensure that no one is left behind. And we are holding ourselves accountable to that, Sanwo-Olu assured. Provost of the Cathedral, Rev. Adebola Ojofeitimi, gave his sermon on Unity: Catalyst for Godly Possibilities, urging the people to remain united so that things can work effectively. We are wired to be united for efficiency, you can see the power in unity is, unity makes us strong to make the right impact. In Lagos, we are united, it makes Lagos powerful, he said. Thanksgiving prayers were led by the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rt. Revd.Stephen Adegbite. Other dignitaries at the thanksgiving service included Lagos State Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Cornelius Ojelabi, APC Women Leader, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, former members of the state executive council, Body of Permanent Secretaries, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, represented by the White Cap Chiefs, African Church Archbishop from Abuja, Peter Ogunmuyiwa, among others. The Kogi State Chairman of the Nigeria Union Of Teachers, Joel Oyibo, has been unveiled as the running mate to Alhaji Usman Ododo, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the November governorship election. The party unveiled Oyibo at a well-attended occasion held at the Glass House, Government House. Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, described the combination of Ododo and Oyibo as what Kogi State needs moving forward, urging the people of the state to buy into the aspiration of the APC flag-bearers. This is the team to beat; the APC will win overwhelmingly because Kogi State is for the APC; it is a party loved by the people, the governor said. Related News In his remarks, the Kogi State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, said Oyibo was picked as Ododos running mate through a painstaking process. On his part, Ododo said his running mate had all it takes to make the governorship ticket solid. Oyibo promised to justify his nomination by adding value to the APC ticket. President Bola Tinubu will be holding consultation with the newly elected members of the National Assembly. The Permanent Secretary in the State House, Tijjani Umar,in an invitation statement on Sunday, indicated that President Bola Tinubu will meet with opposition National Assembly members-elect on Monday. The statement highlighted that President Tinubu will be meeting with the newly elected Senators at 3:00 pm, and with the House of Representatives member at 5:00 pm. The Permanent Secretary had requested the invited federal legislators to submit their names for security clearance in the presidency. The invitation notice reads: I write to inform you that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will hold a meeting with members of the opposition Senators-elect and opposition House of Representatives members-elect in the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, 5th June 2023 at 15:00 hours and 1700 hours respectively. In this regard, you are kindly requested to inform all concerned members to attend and forward their list early enough for security clearance. Please, accept the assurances of the Presidents highest consideration. While details of the meeting were not disclosed, there are indications that the proposed meeting may not be unconnected with the election of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly. The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had nominated former Governor Godswill Akpabio, as consensus candidate for the Senate President and Barau Jibrin, representing Kano North, for Deputy Senate President. The APC leadership also endorsed Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State for Speaker, and Benjamin Kalu from Imo for Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. Some of the newly elected members of the 10th National Assembly supporting the nominated legislators for the National Assembly leadership, insinuated that President Tinubu has endorsed the nominees. Gov Seyi Makinde Gov Seyi Makinde of Oyo state has explained why he ordered the sack of the former Chairman of disciplinary committee of the Park Management System in Oyo state, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, aka Auxiliary. According to Makinde, he dismissed Auxiliary because there cant be two governments in a state. The governor, made this revelation on Sunday, during a thanksgiving service to commemorate his Omituntun 2.0, held at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Aremo, Ibadan. Recall that, Makinde, through his ex-Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi, last Tuesday, announced dissolution of the PMS headed by the former NURTW boss. Oyo Police Command on the other hand, declared Auxillary wanted in connection with cases of attempted murder, causing grievous harm, arms dealing, murder, armed robbery within Oyo state and kidnapping at Oke-ogun and Ibarapa axis of the State. The governor said he wielded the big stick by dissolving PMS, saying no meaningful activity can take place in an atmosphere of insecurity. But Makinde, while speaking at the thanksgiving service, assured government would do all necessary reforms in PMS to ensure those fomenting trouble were engaged. The governor said, Before the last election, it wasnt as if there is no thugs but we called them and told them the new Oyo State we want. We dont want them to fight themselves, we dont want fight to break from our garages every time. We told them, dont fight anybody. if we are re-elected, we shall ensure we unite you so that everyone can get what belongs to him or her for people and the government to operate in the atmosphere of peace. But one of them said he cant work with others. so I said two governments cannot operate in the state, there will only be one government. The governor said it took the grace of God for all his achievements in his first term. He noted that the most important thing in Omituntun 2.0 is the upgrade of condition of the people, saying government shall do everything possible to make the upgrade is seemless and provide atmosphere for people to comply. Adams Oshiomhole Lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole has assured Nigerians that President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has an immediate solution to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal. Oshiomole stated this while speaking in an interview with Channels Televisions Sunday Politics. The former governor expressed confidence that issues arising from the removal of fuel subsidy will be quickly resolved between the Federal Government and the organized labour. According to Oshiomhole, Tinubu recognizes the impact the withdrawal of fuel subsidy is having on Nigerians and is determined to take immediate action to cushion it. He said, This president recognizes that the effect of the withdrawal is already here, people are already going through some level of discomfort and therefore there has to be an immediate solution to it. Now that immediate solution is what we discussed and the fact that we are meeting on Tuesday again shows that clearly, we realize that this is not one of those things you want to buy time because it has a real negative impact, on particularly, the most vulnerable group. But we have a solution to it because you are going to make savings, so take from that savings or even if it is borrowing. So, whatever it is, you can leverage some revenue and improve wages to cushion the cost of living, I think it is legitimate, I think it is doable, it is not something that you want to spend two to three months negotiating, he said. Oshiomole, who is a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NUC), was part of a meeting between the Federal Government and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Sunday. He said the meeting was productive, adding that the government will consider all the demands by the TUC and revert on Tuesday. Oshiomole said if Nigeria can save about N7 trillion by ending subsidy, the Federal Government can take part of that money and put in the wage sector. He said, This is possible because those savings will go into the federation account which will be distributed among the three tiers of government and so every tier of government will have more money and should be able to meet the consequential increase in wages. The union said the federal government has not handled the subsidy removal process properly. The proposed strike comes on the heels of fuel shortages across the country occasioned by President Bola Tinubus inaugural speech in which he declared that fuel subsidy is gone. Former Deputy President of the NLC, Amaechi Asugwuni stated this while speaking on Channels Television Sunrise Daily on Monday. According to Asugwuni, anything above the current price without a concrete plan for refineries to kickstart would make the country unwise before the world. He noted that Nigerians are aware of the process of subsidy and except the government to have a running refinery to carry out a subsidy removal. Strike is Inevitable because people know that the Nigerian government was paying subsidies because it is not refining itself. So, doing away with subsidy without you refining after 30 years or more suggests incompetence, he said. Asugwuni lamented the governments dependency on the recently commissioned Dangote petrochemical refinery will not bring down the cost of petrol launch. Using Dangote as a yardstick or determinant factor for subsidy removal is laughable. Dangote is Dangote, Dangote is not the federal government, and lets us not suggest that Dangote is now richer than Nigeria, it is not true. If Dangote can put a refinery in place within a space of years, the Federal government can do more than four refineries of that size in Nigeria. If we subject Nigerias market to the Dangote refinery alone, it means that we have transferred the corruption we are running away from to one man, he said. The consultant stated that the introduction of the fuel subsidy removal towards the exit of the Buhari government was political to the budget allocation and the kickstart of the Dangote refinery. The awareness of Buharis action, even though subsidy ends in his tenure does not end the government of Nigeria. Therefore, the action that they took reflected that after June, come to no subsidy That was done politically because it was not announced politically, it was hidden under the budget plan, he said. The NLC ex-deputy president argued that it is illegal for NNPC to increase the price of its product sale, adding that there are forces beyond the control of the NNPC. The lawyers have said it is illegal, and therefore NNPC, even though it was legal to do so, I think forces in the market are beyond NNPC. Because when you allow market force to determine market price you therefore cannot have a permanent price template otherwise it would look as if the subsidy is still working with some people, especially the NNPC, he stated. The Labour consultant lamented that the subsidy removal impact on minimum wage is an economic challenge to the living standard of Nigerians, adding that the subsidy effects are yet to permeate through the market evenly. In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that Panamas former president, Ricardo Martinelli on Sunday, won his partys primary and the right to seek another term in the elections next year, even though he has been indicted on money laundering charges. Related A newly recruited female police constable in Nigeria has lamented that she now relies on sex work in order to survive due to the non-payment of her unpaid salaries. In May, SaharaReporters published a report highlighting the plight of police recruits who graduated from training institutions on December 29, 2022. Despite being posted to their duty stations across the country, these recruits had not received any salary payments for several months. Just two days after the report, the Police Service Commission (PSC) announced through its spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, that the salary payments for the constables had been approved. Ani said the decision was in the interest of national security, and aimed to resolve the ongoing recruitment issues between the PSC and the Nigeria Police Force. However, despite the alleged approval, SaharaReporters gathered that the new police recruits had still not received their salaries after a month. This information was confirmed by a female constable serving in Akwa Ibom State, who revealed that she had resorted to engaging in sex work to sustain herself. 2021 constables have not been paid; we are not yet paid at all. Others have gotten their salaries. Na ashawo I dey take chop now ooo (Now I rely on prostitution to feed), she said. Another affected officer expressed frustration at the delay, stating that the announcement of approval was made a month ago but salaries had not been disbursed. The officer said, These people have refused to pay the salaries up till now. After making a public announcement that it had been approved since May 5, thats last month. Further testimonies from new recruits in Borno emphasized the demoralizing effect of the situation, pleading for intervention from President Bola Tinubu to address their predicament. Its over a month now and these people havent paid us yet. People are outside there risking their lives and dying of starvation. We havent received anything yet from the federal government. President Bola Tinubu should help us and find something to do. They have paid salaries to other personnel of the force but it only remains 2021 intakes that are yet to be paid. We are dying of hunger, the officer said, KanyiDaily had also reported how 480 Police Constables held a protest over the non-payment of their salaries for 18 months in Osogbo, Osun State capital. Related The Oyo state governor, Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde, has appointed Tomiwa Omolewa as the new chairman of the Park Management System (PMS) Committee Omolewa replaces Mukaila Lamidi, popularly called Auxiliary, who was sacked last week by the governor and declared wanted by police authorities The government said the appointment of Omolewa is part of the reorganisation of the PMS it embarked upon Ibadan, Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, on Sunday, June 4, announced the appointment of Oluwatomiwa Omolewa as the new chairman of the Park Management System (PMS) Committee. The development was made known in a statement by Makindes chief press secretary, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, The Punch reported. Governor Makinde has announced Alhaji Oluwatomiwa Omolewa as the new chairman of the PMS. Photo credit: @seyiamakinde Source: Twitter The Oyo governor also ordered the reopening of the parks, which had been under lock and key following the dissolution of the former Committee led by Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, commonly called Auxiliary. Omolewa was a former secretary of the PMS. PAY ATTENTION: heck out news that is picked exactly for YOU find the Recommended for you block on the home page and enjoy! The governments statement partly reads: The appointment is part of the reorganization of the PMS embarked upon by the state government. Other newly appointed management members of the PMS include Deputy Chairman Tajudeen Jimoh, Treasurer Kamardeen Idowu, Financial Secretary Tirimisiyu Olowoposi, Organising Secretary Abass Amolese, and Auditor Hamidu Mustapha Were. New Oyo transport leader, Omolewa reveals plan Speaking after the announcement of his new role was made public, Omolewa said he would work towards ensuring peace across Oyo state, The Guardian also reported. His words: I thank Makinde for counting me worthy of this position. I use this opportunity to assure the people of the state and the government that there will be a difference in our attitude to work. I promise that the people will notice a significant difference in our operations as we assume office. Governor Makinde reveals why he sacked Oyo transport leader, Auxiliary Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Makinde finally spoke about the sack of Oyo state transport leader and political enforcer, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary. According to Makinde, he sacked Auxiliary as the state Park Management System (PMS) boss because there cant be two governments in a state. Oyo transport leader, Auxiliary, armed, video trends Legit.ng also reported that a video showing Oyo state transport leader and political enforcer, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary, armed with knives, elicited reactions on the social networking site, Twitter. A social media user, @IfedolapoOsun, on Tuesday, May 30, posted a 29-second clip of Auxiliary dancing while being hailed by local drummers. Source: Legit.ng Ogun, Abeokuta There was pandemonium in Ogun state at the inaugural court session of the governorship election tribunal in Abeokuta, the state capital. It was gathered that the tribunal session was filled with streams of heavily armed security personnel when some thugs invaded the court premises and used sticks to flog the governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi. DSS operatives were reported to have stormed the venue of the Ogun state governorship tribunal to restore normalcy. Photo Credit: DSS Source: Facebook As reported by Daily Trust, the thugs in large numbers were there to support their political parties as the Tribunal began sitting on Monday, June 5. The supporters were identified as that of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who later entered into a clash before the commencement of the Tribunal. Legit.ng gathered that the tension was later doused when operatives of the Police, DSS and the NSCDC stormed the venue, restored normalcy, and prevented them from invading the courtroom. PAY ATTENTION: heck out news that is picked exactly for YOU find the Recommended for you block on the home page and enjoy! Similarly, the political supporters from both political parties were barred from gaining entrance into the court premises and the courtroom. Reports revealed that when Showunmi arrived at the court area, he asked to be allowed access to the court premises by the security operatives manning the entrance. While appealing to be allowed access to the court premises, some of the thugs mobbed him and began to beat him. According to reports, he was able to escape and scamper for safety. The Tribunal commenced hearing of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, against Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Source: Legit.ng The arrested suspects Six members of a criminal syndicate who specialize in vandalizing electrical installations have been nabbed by the Bayelsa Community Safety Corps and local vigilante. The suspects were caught at the weekend in Angiama community while vandalizing electrical towers supplying power from Kolo Creek to the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The State Commissioner for Power, Hon. Ebitei Tonyon, who confirmed the arrest said the suspects dismantled one of the towers at the Angiama axis of the electric line. The suspects arrested are identified as follows: Obadiah Abule, 22, of Oporoma, Desmond John, 22, Daniel Tonifia,21, Diapreye Ebifadei, 29, Ibrahim Usman, 27, from Nasarawa State, and Prince You, 43, from Yenagoa LGA. Hon. Ebitei expressed displeasure over the incessant vandalism of electrical installations by young youths, which twats government efforts to provide basic amenities to the people. He however warns those exhibiting these ugly acts to desist from it or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law. The commissioner thanked the team of the community safety corps, the Nigerian Police, and the local vigilantes, for their cooperation in the successful arrest of these vandals, saying that they would be tried and prosecuted according to the laws, to serve as deterrent to others with similar intent. Hon. Ebitei used the medium to charge community leaders to safeguard government properties in their domains to serve the purpose for which they are executed. Saying that, no government would function effectively without the support from the people. Washington should never cross Beijing's redline 10:16, June 05, 2023 By Tang Yonghong ( Chinadaily.com.cn The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which began more than 15 months ago, has caused immense suffering to the people of Ukraine while hurting the Russian economy. The US, after pushing Ukraine into the conflict, eventually refrained from direct military confrontation with Russia. The US' questionable role in the conflict and its evil design to compare the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question have raised "doubts" among Taiwan residents that the island may face a fate similar to Ukraine. However, the nature of cross-Taiwan Strait relations and the Taiwan question are fundamentally different from Russia-Ukraine relations and the Ukraine crisis. To begin with, Russia and Ukraine are two sovereign nations, while cross-Strait relations are those between different regions of the same sovereign country, China. The Ukraine crisis is about one country's actions endangering the security of another country, whereas the Taiwan question involves the collusion of external forces with the aim of splitting Taiwan from the motherland, thereby undermining the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and national security. Beijing has consistently opposed "Taiwan independence" and external forces' interference in the country's internal affairs, which is exactly what the Taiwan question is. There are certain principles that should be abided by all countries that have diplomatic relations with Beijing. They should acknowledge the one-China principle that there is only one China and Taiwan is an integral part of China, and never allow separatists on the island to seek "independence". More important, Beijing will not sit idly by while separatist forces in Taiwan collude with foreign anti-Beijing forces in a bid to separate the island from the motherland. In fact, Beijing has already enacted the Anti-Secession Law. According to the law, if the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces act under any name or by any means to cause the fact of Taiwan's secession from China, or if major incidents entailing Taiwan's secession from China should occur, or the possibilities for a peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted, the state shall employ non-peaceful means and other necessary measures to protect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Besides, the Chinese mainland has the capability and determination to prevent the island's separatist forces from seeking "independence". Beijing may not yet be on par with Washington in overall military strength, but the latter no longer holds the advantage in scenarios such as a cross-Strait conflict. In fact, if the mainland were to resort to the use of force to suppress separatist forces on the island and achieve national reunification, even a US-led international intervention cannot prevent it. This is the fundamental reason why the US maintains strategic ambiguity on the Taiwan question and refuses to make clear its stance on the "defending-Taiwan-with-force" issue. Given the significant tangible benefits it derives from Sino-US relations, Washington needs to weigh the potential consequences of openly expressing support for the "Taiwan independence" forces, because it could potentially force Beijing to sever diplomatic ties with it. Also, the fact that the mainland is capable of causing serious harm to the US has prompted American leaders to consider the immense cost that a cross-Strait or Sino-US conflict would entail. No wonder the US, on the one hand, uses various strategies, including playing the "Taiwan card", to provoke Beijing, while, on the other hand, it seeks dialogue with senior Chinese officials and promises the "five noes" (that is, it does not seek a new Cold War, does not seek to change China's system, doe not seek to confront China through strengthened alliances, does not support "Taiwan independence", and does not seek conflict with China). The US, it appears, is not willing to sever diplomatic ties with China, in order to support the island's separatists to seek "independence" nor is it willing to engage in a mutually destructive military conflict with China. If that is so, the US should stop saying one thing and doing the exact opposite. It should also stop sending wrong signals to the separatist forces in Taiwan. The "Taiwan independence" forces are well aware that any attempt to seek their separatist goal will inevitably lead to a cross-Strait conflict, which the majority of Taiwan residents do not want. That's why the island's separatist forces rely on US-led Western support to achieve their evil goal. The US is playing the "Taiwan card" to encircle the mainland, giving the "Taiwan independence" forces that have longed for US support some hope. In order to obtain US support, the "Taiwan independence" forces and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party authorities are not only willing to become pawns in the US' geopolitical game, but also support the establishment of US-led alliances in the region as part of their efforts to cause a breakdown in Sino-US relations, thus forcing the US to intervene militarily to "defend" Taiwan. This does not align with the interests of the US. Nor will China allow this to happen. The author is a professor at the Taiwan Research Center, Xiamen University. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) Following the departure of Tito, Vic, and Joey and other mainstays of "Eat Bulaga," the noontime variety show revealed its new sets of hosts during its television airing on Monday. The shows opening production number revealed the new hosts Paolo Contis and Buboy Villar, comedian Betong Sumaya, siblings Cassy and Mavi Legaspi, and former "Tropang LOL" host Alexa Miro. The shows name Eat Bulaga " and "EB " logo were retained, but the iconic theme song previously played before it started was not heard. Last week, the so-called TVJ and Eat Bulagas other hosts announced their departure from TAPE Inc., the production company behind the countrys longest running noontime variety show. Speaking to CNN Philippines, Tito said their group is currently discussing with at least four networks regarding their possible transfer to another station. He said a decision may be announced this week, with the target airing on television by July. Sotto also maintained that TAPE Inc. has no rights over the name Eat Bulaga and its segments. A 41- year-old security guard, Nnamdi Dike, has been remanded in a correctional centre by an Ikeja Chief Magistrates Court, on Monday, for allegedly r*ping the 12-year-old daughter of his lover. The defendant who lives at 27, Salami St., Akute, Ogun State, is being prosecuted for s3xual assault. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi, who refused to take the defendants plea, ordered his remand in Kirikiri Correctional Center pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The magistrate subsequently adjourned the case until June 26. Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Raji Akeem told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in November 2022 at 37, Shogbade St., Power Line area, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos. The prosecutor said the 12- year-old victim had confided in her teacher how the defendant, being her mothers lover, allegedly s3xually molested her. Akeem added that the defendant usually molested the victim whenever her mother was not at home and would threaten to kill her if she told anyone. Akeem said the teacher, however, informed the victims mother, who reported the case at the police station. The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Advertisement By Izunna Okafor, Awka Gunmen have released the student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka who was recently abducted on his way back from school in Anambra State. The student, who is also a clergyman serving in Nnewi Catholic Diocese was abducted over the weekend en route Nnewi, after attending lectures in the Awka campus of the University. Confirming his release, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Raphael Ezeogu, in s statement issued to newsmen, said the victim, Rev. Fr. Stanislaus Mbamara was released on Sunday night. He said, With joy, Nnewi Diocese is announcing that today (Sunday), June 4, 2023, Rev. Fr. Stanislaus Mbamara, kidnapped two days ago has been liberated. We sincerely thank all of you who joined in prayer for Gods intervention. Please, join us in happily acknowledging Gods compassion once again palpably manifested. Glory be to the father and to the son and to the Holy Spirit. Related Advertisement Advertisement By Izunna Okafor, Awka The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Aguata, Anambra State, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Ezeofor has described the flawed electoral process in Nigeria as the bane of the countrys democracy and development. Bishop Ezeofor stated this in his Bishops Charge of the 2023 Synod of the Diocese, held at the Holy Trinity Church, Igboukwu, which was also the Third Session of the Sixth Synod of the Diocese. According to him, the gross flaws and irregularities that marred the 2019 general election in the country and the consequent public outcry gave rise to many new provisions and innovative reform in the countrys electoral process, including the adoption of the use of technology in the accreditation of voters and electronic transmission of results, all in preparation for the 2023 polls and other subsequent elections in the country. He, however, regretted that, against all expectation and hope, all the reforms turned out to be a fruitless and a wasted efforts, as, according to him, the flawed process of the 2019 election has now become a childs play with with the 2023 show of shame to the world by the impunity with which the crime crime of 2023 was brazenly committed. He bemoaned the recurring electoral flaws in Nigeria since the last 24 years of her constitutional democracy, which, he said, has taken away the peoples power to freely elect their leaders without any form of inhibition, describing that as an anathema to the fundamentals of civil democratic governance. He advocated a reform that will ensure that peoples votes count in selecting their leaders, as well as restore the confidence of the masses in INEC. Speaking further, the Anglican prelate, who hinted that operating system of a constitutional democracy is hinged on the principles of the rule of law, said that this had not been the case with Nigeria. He also argued that such antitheticality has stunted the growth of the countrys democracy and her national development. He further called on the judiciary to live up to its reputation as the last hope of the common man and be guided by the morality of the rule of law in adjudicating electoral disputes, especially that of the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. The Bishop also condemned Governor Soludo Chukwuma Soludo for the progress he has recorded in his one year in office, especially in the area of road infrastructure, security, human capital development, and generally, in making the state a green, liveable and prosperous homeland as he promised in his inaugural address. Speaking on the theme of the Synod, Divine Principles of Transformation 3: Stewardship, Bishop Ezeofor said God has entrusted man with temple, territory, time, talent, truth, trust, and treasure, adding that how faithfully or unfaithfully humans manage these are determines what the society would be like, transformation wise. To be faithful in stewardship of these things will bring about real transformation in all areas of our personal, corporate, private, and public life. To be unfaithful in them is to keep living below the standards God appoints for us. It means to keep living under terrible situation of lower standard God expects and appoint for us, he said. Recounting the joy of the Diocese, Bishop Ezeofor congratulated the Director, Media and Communications of the, Diocese, Rotarian Abuchi Nwozor on his appointment the Assistant Governor of the Rotary International District 9142 for the 2023/2024 year. Related Advertisement Former Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday visited President Bola Tinubu for a second time in 72 hours at the State House, Abuja. Wike had visited the President at the State House last week with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and former Governor James Ibori of Delta State The former Rivers Governor on the Monday visit, went with former Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Senator Godswill Akpabio, the nominee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership for the President of the Senate in the 10th National Assembly. Former Governor Wike was said to have in a media interaction with State House Correspondents, said that the visit is strictly to show support as a Nigerian. Again, he dismissed any plan to defect to the APC. There were indications that Wike has sustained his visit to the President to tentatively contribute to the lobby for the emergence of Akpabio, from the South-South, as the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly. Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State on Monday held a meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to dialogue on the planned national strike scheduled for Wednesday, attempting to persuade the Organised Labour to avert the planned strike. Governor Sani, at the dialogue table, suggested a collaborative approach between the Organised Labour and the government to finding solutions towards alleviating the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government on Nigerian citizens. The governor disclosed the constitution of a joint committee, which include representatives from the government, Nigeria Labour Congress, and other stakeholders to explore alternative measures to mitigate the impact of the subsidy removal on the people. The NLC is protesting the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu in May without ensuring the operation of functional refineries in the country. NUPENG, an affiliate of the NLC, had warned that the federal government cannot remove petrol subsidy without functional refineries to process crude oil for domestic consumption in Nigeria. Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State visited several markets and places within the state on Monday. POLITICS NIGERIA reports that this is to ensure compliance with his recent decision to abolish the weekly sit-at-home protest held every Monday. As previously announced by Governor Mbah, the sit-at-home order was officially lifted starting on Monday, June 6, 2023. The governor had expressed his determination to put an end to these restrictions, and on Sunday, he issued a stern warning that schools, markets, and transportation services that failed to resume operations on Mondays would face potential closure. Despite the governments ban on the illegal sit-at-home, residents of Enugu city and its surrounding areas continued to observe the Monday protest, defying the state governments directive. Governor Mbah, however, took to his Twitter handle to share photos and a video of his visit to various parts of the city, where he monitored the level of compliance with the governments order to end the Monday sit-at-home. In his tweet, he urged the people of Enugu to resume their daily activities and emphasised the importance of revitalising the economy rather than allowing it to suffer. Today, I went around Enugu metropolis to encourage our people to come out and engage in their various businesses, Governor Mbah stated. Ndi Enugu will no longer sit at home on Mondays, the first working day of the week. We must not endorse the crippling of our economy but must work together to ensure its revival. Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State on Monday went around the states metropolis and urged the people to come out and go about their various businesses. Mbah disclosed this on his official Twitter handle where he also shared photos from his outing. While condemning the Monday sit-at-home, the governor said no one should encourage the crippling of the states economy but must work to ensure it is revived. He wrote, Today, I went around Enugu metropolis to urge our people to come out and go about their various businesses. Ndi Enugu will not continue to sit at home on Monday, the first working day of the week. We should not encourage the crippling of our economy but must work to ensure it is revived. Recall that the governor had on Thursday last week declared the Monday sit-at-home by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to press for its leaders release as antithetical to the economic interest of the state, saying it should stop from June 6. Today, I went round Enugu metropolis to urge our people to come out and go about their various businesses. Ndi Enugu will not continue to sit at home on Monday, the first working day of the week. We should not encourage the crippling of our economy but must work to ensure it is pic.twitter.com/hzJxX0w8qS Peter Ndubuisi Mbah (@PNMbah) June 5, 2023 In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has mourned her Ghanaian counterpart, Ama Aidoo who died recently. Adichie described Aidoo as a deeply wise writer. Related Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie has mourned her Ghanaian counterpart, Ama Aidoo who died recently. Adichie described Aidoo as a deeply wise writer. The Ghanaian writer passed away on May 31, 2023, at the age of 81 after a short illness. Taking to her official Instagram story on Monday, Ngozi Adichie shared a photo of the deceased and wrote, She wrote brilliant and insightful books. She was deeply wise. She had integrity. Her heart was large and kind. A great great great writer is gone. Rest well, Aunty Ama. And thank you. Ama Aidoos brief biography Ata Aidoo was born on March 23, 1942, in a small village in Ghana. Her father is credited for opening the first school in their village and he had a huge influence on her. She was just 15 years old when she decided to become a writer. Ata Aidoo is best remembered for her writings which depicted the modern African woman. Her first novel was the semi-autobiographical Our Sister Killjoy, published in 1977 and about a Ghanaian girl travelling through Europe. In 1992 Ata Aidoo won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best African Book for her novel Changes: A Love Story, about a career-oriented woman as she divorces her first husband and navigates a new relationship. As well as being a writer and university professor, Ata Aidoo also served as Ghanas education minister in the early 1980s; she resigned when she could not make education free. In other news, Kanyi Daily the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it will go ahead with its proposed strike scheduled for Wednesday. The union said the federal government has not handled the subsidy removal process properly. Related Trade ministers and senior officials from 53 Commonwealth countries will gather in London to explore strategies for deepening trade and investment, while supporting a transparent, inclusive, fair, and open rules-based global trading system. The Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting will take place on 10 October, following three days of discussions among senior trade officials from 7 to 9 October. Chaired by the United Kingdom, the focus will be on strengthening multilateral trade, fighting protectionism and progressing efforts to achieve $2 trillion worth of trade within the Commonwealth by 2030. Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: Our Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting is a tremendously valuable opportunity to consider issues of pressing concern in an atmosphere of trust and goodwill, and to agree on action that needs to be taken by our member nations collectively and individually. The UK Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss said: The 53 member states in the Commonwealth boast a combined population of over 2.4 billion people and intra-Commonwealth trade is projected to reach $700 billion by next year. The global outlook on trade is changing rapidly and we face the ever-present challenge of a rise in protectionist tendencies. Together, the Commonwealth member countries can help to fight against protectionism and promote a transparent, inclusive, fair and open rules-based multilateral trading system. Next weeks trade ministers meeting in London will help build on the progress made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting last year, as we seek to take advantage of new opportunities with some of our oldest friends. Ministers will also reflect on how to make trade more inclusive and sustainable, by engaging more women and youth at all levels, as well as developing the blue and green economy. They will review the progress made under the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda an initiative launched by heads of government last year to support economic growth, job creation, and the sharing of best practices and learning among members. This includes moves to harness the digital revolution in Commonwealth economies, and create an enabling environment for the private sector to tap into global trade, especially micro, small and medium enterprises. The Secretary-General added: The depth and breadth of Commonwealth connection offer immense opportunities, and there is huge as-yet untapped potential. Rapid growth of population and per capita income, particularly in our developing country members in Asia, seems set to continue for some considerable time. We see intra-Commonwealth trade expanding too, and by working together we can agree and implement policy options so that within the next decade it reaches the $2 trillion goal set by our heads of government at CHOGM 2018. The outcomes of the meeting will shape trade-related discussions at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for June 2020 in Kigali, Rwanda Igheneghu, the suspended UNILAG lecturer who got caught up in the s*x-for-grades scandal, has been invited by police. Igheneghu According to Punch Metro, the Lagos State Police Command has invited a lecturer of European Languages at the University of Lagos, Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu, who is at the centre of the s*x-for-grades scandal. In a letter of invitation sighted by The PUNCH on Friday, the lecturer, who was also a pastor at Foursquare Gospel Church, was asked to report at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, on October 23, 2019. In the letter, signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCIID, Yetunde Alonge, Igbeneghu was asked to report at D10 section. Alonge told The PUNCH on Friday that the invitation was sent through the varsity management. She noted that the Police were awaiting a response, adding that the lecturer had yet to show up. We are still waiting, she said. Igbeneghu was exposed earlier in the month following an undercover documentary by the BBC showing how he and a few other lecturers in West African universities have been having inappropriate relationships with students. He was caught on video admitting to the existence of a cold room where male lecturers at UNILAG had sexual relations with female students in exchange for good grades. UNILAG and Foursquare have since suspended Igbeneghu pending outcomes of the investigations. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines Life, June 5) Start the month by visiting new exhibits, attending the launch of a small press, and registering for a floristry and DJ workshop. Drop by Nona Garcias Overland solo exhibit The artist Nona Garcia is known for painting after the photographic image and creating works that draw from her immediate surroundings and encounters. Her latest solo exhibit Overland is based on visual landscapes from Baguio and the Cordilleras places that are important to her. The exhibit runs from June 8 to July 1 at Silverlens Gallery. Photo from HUB MAKE LAB/FACEBOK Revisit 90s Pinoy pop culture at a vintage magazine exhibit Posting magazine scans from 90s Pinoy pop culture, the Instagram page @90skabaklaan is a nostalgic gem. The page was created in 2021 as a queer love letter to Pinoy pop culture, and has drawn quite a following for the photos and clips of male actors and general 90s showbiz culture that its admin has managed to unearth. In time for Pride month this June, theyre mounting an exhibit at The Den in Escolta, where theyll be displaying some of the vintage magazines theyve used in their posts. Catch it for free from now until June 30 at The Den. CNN PHILIPPINES LIFE STAFF For more information, visit the HUB Make Lab Instagram. Photo from GATHERED CREATIVE CO/FACEBOOK Register for a floristry workshop by Gathered Creative Co. Flowers are the type of gift that can brighten anyones day, and the art of arranging them into Instagram-ready bouquets and table centerpieces is a skill in itself. Consider this your sign to learn because on June 17, creative styling studio Gathered Creative Co. is hosting an in-person floristry workshop that covers the fundamentals of flower arranging. The workshop fee is 8,500 and is inclusive of a lecture, materials kit, demos, practical exercise, Q&A, and lunch. CNN PHILIPPINES LIFE STAFF Register at bit.ly/gccworkshop2023 and follow them on Instagram for updates. Attend a press and novel launch Photo from EXPLODING GALAXIES/FACEBOOK New publishing press Exploding Galaxies is launching as well as their first novel, the first Philippine edition of Wilfrido D. Nolledos But for the Lovers on June 10, 4 p.m. at The Alley at Karrivin. Exploding Galaxies is a press that aims to re-publish Filipino novels and short story collections that have long been out of print or underappreciated and would Illuminate stories of our time. Buy the book during the event for 640. Get to know the press and But for the Lovers more through their website. Photo from ANIMA ART SPACE/FACEBOOK Sign up for a DJ workshop Anima Art Space is holding Dont Tell Nanay, DJ Ako, a DJ workshop in cooperation with the music blog The Flying Lugaw and The Jig Prod on June 10 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with instructors dot.jaime and FIERCEANGEL. Attendees of the workshop will have an opportunity to perform alongside the DJs during the party (lineup to be announced) on June 17, 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. Pre-sale of workshop tickets are 1,000 and regular rate is 1,200. Sign up here for both the workshop and the party. Visit Anima Art Space on Instagram for more details. Anima Art Space is located at Unit C, 2nd floor, 24 Chanca Building, Commonwealth Ave, Matandang Balara, Quezon City. Photo from HUB MAKE LAB/FACEBOOK Visit a ceramic cups exhibit in Escolta This June, 98B Collaboratory is collaborating with ceramicist Cathy Choachuy (a.k.a. @pottersessions) for Coffee, Tea and Me, Cups with personalities, an exploration of the relationship between people and their favorite beverages. Each cup in the exhibition reflects the personality of its owner, with pieces from artists like Aly Kangleon, Cathay Choachuy, Dianne Bencito, Jamie Bauza, and more. The exhibit is free to the public and open until June 20. Visit their Instagram for updates. CNN PHILIPPINES LIFE STAFF Senator advocating for social media bill Allegedly awarded multi-million naira contract without due process PDP New Media statement on Social Media and Hate Speech Bill Witchcraft Conference: Ban use of brooms Shehu Sani tells CAN Court orders arrest of Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo Court gives SERAP go-ahead to sue Buhari, others over security votes spendings Pa Reuben Fasoranti and daughter Some Yoruba indigenes in the South West states have made a fresh call on the Federal Government to ensure that bandits who killed the daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti are arrested. The call was made by the Federation of Yoruba Consciousness and Culture (Alajobi) this through its President, Evangelist Kunle Adesokan in Ibadan. The group has its members in Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo and Lagos States. Adesokan, who spoke on behalf of Professor Adebanji Akintoye on the day a solidarity rally was held in Ibadan, said it is unbelievable that months after the incident, no arrest has been made. Speaking on the murder of the daughter of the Yoruba leader, he said, till today, no arrest has been made or anyone prosecuted for the crime. Mrs. Funke Olakunrin was murdered on July 13, 2019, on Ondo-Ore road by unknown gunmen. He added that the incident coupled with other criminality committed by hoodlums against Yoruba on their territory informed the conception of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun. Adesokan, who commended all the governors in the southwest zone of the country also expressed optimism that the new security outfit would check the insecurity in the zone. To him, the support of traditional rulers in the zone such as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Eniitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and others deserved accolades. Amotekun, he said, should be seen as the Yoruba local security arrangement to tackle any attack on our lands without undermining the conventional police. He called on members of the House of Representatives to ensure that the law that would support the security outfit is enacted within the short possible time. Describing numerous attacks on Yoruba people as unacceptable, he stated that lives of the residents in the state are threatened by bandits who seem to be enjoying the backings of criminal elements at the federal level. He called on all indigenes and residents in the South West to rally round Development Agenda for Western Nigeria led by Mr. Seye Oyeleye, the initiator of the security summit which eventually graduated to the formation of the security outfit. He also pleaded with the state governors of Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, and the Ekiti States to ensure that all machinery is put in motion to kick start operations of the outfit. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Friday ordered immediate closure of all tertiary institutions in the State. The Governor announced proscription of large assemblage of people in any form to halt the spread of the disease. Sanwo-Olu acknowledged that it was a trying period for leaders and citizens all over the world, noting that the virus had impacted every part of the globe negatively, with a heavy toll on human beings and the global economy. He said: the impact has been enormous, on households, healthcare systems, global supply chains, and the global economy. On February 27, 2020, Nigeria recorded its first case of the Covid19 disease, an Italian who landed in Lagos from Istanbul. Since then, the number of confirmed cases in Nigeria has risen to 12, so far. Governor Sanwo-Olu said it is not surprising that Lagos, being the most populous State in the country has been the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. He however assured that the Government was ready to combat the virus, saying that the State was fully prepared weeks ahead of the first reported case in the country. We are also extremely prepared and capable of containing the threat that the Coronavirus represents. Our bio-secure isolation facility at the Mainland Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba is equipped and able to contain the disease. As the Chief Incident Commander of Lagos State, it is my duty to update you regularly on this disease, and on the steps we are taking, in Lagos State, to fight it, working in close collaboration with the Federal Government and other partners, including the private sector. Governor Sanwo-Olu said there are eleven confirmed cases in the State with eight among them under isolation and in admission in the biosecurity facility in Yaba. The Governor also announced that the index case has tested negative and will be discharged soon. Sanwo-Olu said the rapid spread of the pandemic necessitated the immediate suspension of all gatherings of more than 50 persons as well as closure of all Public and Private schools in the State with effect from Monday, March 23, 2020. You will all agree with me that these times call for us all to act responsibly and abstain from all large outings or gatherings of any kind, be they academic, family, professional, political, religious or social. In South Korea, and Singapore, the disease spread largely through organized religious gatherings. The issue is of course not religion, but that the virus can spread through any large assemblage of people or gathering. To protect and save lives, law enforcement agencies, especially the Police, have been directed to enforce compliance with the directive against any assemblage of a large number of people at any location, he said. The Governor urged Lagosians to support the Government in its effort to defeat the scourge, pledging that an economic stimulus would be announced after the State Executive Council meeting next week. He stated: The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced a stimulus package that will open up new credit lines to the businesses and sectors most affected by the Coronavirus. We expect that Lagos State, as the economic hub of Nigeria, will benefit significantly from these interventions. Under the auspices of the National Economic Council, at which I represent Lagos State, we have established a Special Committee that is working with the Federal Government to design a coordinated national economic response that fully addresses the social and economic implications of the Coronavirus disease. The Governor warned the residents against spreading of fake news and misinformation about the disease. At times like this there will be a lot of false, misleading and unverified information circulating, especially on our phones. These pieces of information are often designed to cause panic, and end up doing more harm than good, to the society at large. We all have important roles to play by not disseminating or amplifying these messages. We must pay attention only to genuine information as disseminated by the relevant Federal and State Government authorities, he said. PV: 0 The Minister of State, Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo, has said God allowed Coronavirus to afflict humanity so they can retrace their steps back to him. Keyamo urged Nigerians to ask God for forgiveness and follow the directives of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). In a tweet, Keyamo wrote: God has allowed COVID-19 to afflict the human race only to redirect our steps back to Him. We have so distorted Gods Word to suit our own human weaknesses and satisfy our greed, even in supposed Holy Places. We should collectively ask for forgiveness & it will all end in praise. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has confirmed 51 Coronavirus cases across the country with Lagos State having the highest number of patients. According to NCDC, two infected persons have been discharged while one death has so far been recorded in Nigeria. Photo credit: The PUNCH The joy heralding the birth of a child is usually indescribable let alone arrival of twins. That was the feeling seven years ago when Chiagozie and Chidalu Agwunobi, were welcomed to the Oliseh clan in Oko Ogbele Community, Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State. They were a bundle of joy to their parents as they grew up happily in months and years. Few days ago, that joy was blown away like a candle in the wind when they went missing and their dismembered bodies later found in a bush. They were cruelly killed by their uncle, Onuwa Oliseh, who is still at large. Onuwa reportedly lured the seven-year-old male twins to the bush within the neighbourhood on Friday, March 6, after they returned from school and butchered them. He was said to have removed some of their body parts for money rituals and dumped the remains. Investigation by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team in the state led to the arrest of Onuwas accomplice, Kelvin Uzor, who is also a relation of the twins. Police got information that on March 6, the twins were missing from their parents house. Their bodies were later found in the bush on March 8 with some parts of their bodies mutilated. Their eyes, hands and private parts were missing. Police began investigation and generated enough intelligence that led to the arrest of Uzor. He confessed that they were a three-man gang and wanted to do money ritual with the body parts, a senior officer told Saturday PUNCH. Our correspondent learnt that Onuwas younger brother, Iweka, who attended the same school with the twins, told the police that the suspect asked him to lure the deceased from the school. I am a primary four pupil of Ekeanya Primary School. On March 6, at about 6.30am, my elder brother Onuwa Ajei Oliseh, asked me if I would go to school and I told him yes. He asked if I can help him bring out the twins from the school before the school closes that day and I told him no because their teacher would not agree. That day when I came back from school, I saw my brother place a cutlass on the table where he was eating while I went to the backyard. It was later I heard that the twins were missing and their dead bodies were found in the bush, he told detectives. The twins father, Agwunobi Oliseh, stated that Onuwa visited his house that Friday in the morning and asked him if they (the twins) would go to school. He said he responded in affirmative, unknown that Onuwa was plotting to kill his beloved kids. The 52-year-old farmer said when his children returned from school, Onuwa came back and asked them to follow him to the stream in the community. He said, I am a traditionalist and a farmer. Im married with seven kids. My twins were seven years old. On March 6 in the early morning, Onuwa came to my house and inquired if my late children would go to school and I said yes. I later learnt he told his younger brother, Iweka, to help him take my children out of the school premises. He said he wanted to go somewhere with them. Later in the day, he went to their school and tried to take them out but he was chased away by their teacher. As soon as they came back, he came to my house and asked them to follow him to the stream. I think they were on their way when he brought out a cutlass and killed them. The distraught father, who noted that he and his wife were not around when Onuwa took the twins away, said he was told the suspect ran home with bloodstains. According to his brother, he ran back home with his hands stained with blood. He then asked the brother to pour water on his hands while he washed the machete with which he killed the twins. He left for Uzors house and both of them went to one Anam. It was when I came back later in the day with my wife that I realised the twins were missing. While I was running around, Iweka told me that it was Onuwa who took my children. Onuwa ran away but we were able to find Uzor who told us where their bodies were dumped. We went there and found their mutilated bodies. Their eyes, tongues and hands were removed, he added. Uzor, in his statement, admitted the twins were killed for rituals but denied partaking in their murder. He said one of his friends, called Chukwudi, told him of a traditionalist in Anambra who could help them to perform money rituals with children not above age 12. The 18-year-old primary school leaver stated that he informed Onuwa, who agreed to the plan. He said, I stopped schooling after my primary school education because my parents did not have money. I worked for a farmer called Egwiyo. I served him for many years and he promised to give me money this year. Chukwudi told me there was a place where we could do money rituals in Anambra and he asked if I was interested. We later told Onuwa who agreed to do it. I told them I was not interested but if they want to do it, they could go ahead. I told them I would be happy if they succeeded. I was sleeping when Onuwa called me and said he had killed the twins. He said he took their bodies to one native doctor in Delta but the man told him he wasnt into money rituals. He later called me when the heat was much and told me where he dumped the bodies. Now, police said I was the one who killed the twins. Onuwa took the body parts to a herbalist in Aguleri, Anambra. Uzor said immediately he learnt about the twins murder, he ran to Anambra where he was tracked down by the police. He added that he gave tacit support for the crime in the hope that he would be given money to buy a car and build a house if it worked out. He said, I wanted to become a young chief because most of the young men I know did not work as hard as I did and now they are millionaires. I am a farmer and hardworking but I was not making enough money. I have no savings. That was why I somehow agreed to be part of the plan. Onuwa convinced me it was the fastest way to make money and that most of our colleagues made money through that means. My greatest mistake was that I did not inform my family when Onuwa suggested that we should use the twins. I love the twins so much and their parents are nice. I cautioned him but I dont know that he would still go ahead to kill them. They normally went to his house to play; so it was easy for him to take them out without anyone being suspicious. I was not in the bush when he killed them. Uzor revealed further that the initial plan was to use an elderly woman in the community for the money ritual but he prevailed on the gang to spare the woman because she was generous. Initially, they wanted to use one old woman known as Nne Amaka, but I pleaded with them to leave her because she is nice. If I passed by and begged her for water, she would give me water and even food. I feel bad because he betrayed me. I am appealing to young men that money ritual does not pay. I am a hard working man and well known. Even when my name was mentioned in the crime, a lot of people came out to defend me. I am sorry. I want the family to forgive me, he added. Saturday PUNCH learnt that the remains of the twins had been deposited at the General Hospital, Igbuzor while IRT detectives led by DCP Abba Kyari had launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects. Source: Saturday PUNCH Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, has revealed Muhammadu Buharis reaction to the death of his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari. Shehu, who spoke at the graveside of Kyari, said President Buhari had accepted the development as the will of God. Shehu said: These are not things that we have a choice in, its providence, its God who says who goes and who stays. The President, obviously a deeply religious person, takes it that it cannot be helped, at the end of the day, all of us will also go that way. Shehu, however, further described Kyari as the pillar in President Buharis cabinet. Shehu said Kyari had been a close associate of the President for more than 40 years and was about the only one who understood President Buharis view on virtually every issue. He went on to note that Kyari offered 100% loyalty to the President. Its a deeply shocking incident because Abba Kyari is like a pillar there in the Presidency, hes a rallying point of the entire workforce working the President. He has had a long working relationship with the President; more than 40 years of being together. He has a full understanding of the President, he knew exactly where the President stood on every issue and so, therefore, he was there to fix it for the President and get them done as the President wants. He offered 100% loyalty to the President and all of these things that Abba Kyari brought focus to bear on long-delayed infrastructure; whether they are road, railway, power and so on, all of them have the imprints of the President on them because this is where the President lived and believed and Abba Kyari was there to ensure that President Buhari, at the end of his two terms, leaves behind legacies that will last and for which he will be remembered and these are the things that Abba Kyari cared for, he said. However, the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) had warned against conducting private burials for victims of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). But Shehu allayed fears about a possible breach of public health protocols. He noted that the usual ceremonies that would have followed the burial had been put off. Shehu said: The burial and the funeral are strictly private. After the burial, all those who have come will go home. There will be no ceremonies such as paying condolence visits. We want Nigerians to observe the regulations as put in place by the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health so that we can all stay healthy and live to be there tomorrow. Mr Antai Asuquo, the Operations Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri Zonal Office, has said that the Federal Government had no plan to increase the pump price of petrol. Asuquo made this disclosure to newsmen on Tuesday on a sideline during the celebration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development held simultaneously in all the DPR offices in the country. The annual event with the theme, Exploring Nigerias Diversity and Rich Cultural Heritage was organised by the DPR. The controller urged Nigerians to be focused and stop worrying about possible fuel hike that could lead to crisis in the supply chain, adding that the product is available and the pump price remains N145 per litre. There is availability of petroleum products, the price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) remains the same and there is no immediate plan to change it. We should not hoard the product for a particular period of time because keeping the product at home is dangerous. Our lives and property are important, so we should value and manage our resources in a way that we do not cause harm to ourselves, Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, he advised. Asuquo also urged Nigerians to key into the federal governments policy on the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), noting that there was abundant cooking gas in the country. The federal government is trying to enforce the availability of cooking gas all over the federation and people are encouraged to use it. The LPG is the energy of the future, it is cleaner, most sustainable and we have abundant of it. I encourage people to follow the governments policies and we will be happy for it, he said. On the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, Asuquo said Nigeria remained an indivisible entity irrespective of our ethnic, religious and cultural differences. Today is diversity day; the DPR sets aside diversity in culture, gender, religion, style, grade and people; it is all about the multi faceted nature of our people in DPR. This is what makes DPR special, we are united in diversity. The differences we have in terms of culture, religion and ethnicity has not changed our focus in Nigeria as an entity. This is a way of assuring our staff and stakeholders in the Department that Nigeria is a one united indivisible entity. As diverse as we are, we remain one, the focus is to ensure that Nigeria continues to grow from strength to strength and remain united In the oil and gas industry, we interface with all manner of people globally. We are also trained to adapt and be able to deal with others irrespective of their culture and backgrounds, he said. Share this: NORMAL The leadership at Eastview Christian Church has released an 11-page report detailing the third-party investigation into allegations of misconduct, abuse and coverups. Kellye Fabian Story, an associate attorney with Wagenmaker & Oberly, led the investigation into the nondenominational Christian church that has one of Bloomington-Normal's largest congregations. The investigation began after statements from former staff members circulated on social media in February and March alleging misconduct by Caleb Baker, a former Eastview pastor who left the church in 2016, that included inappropriate sexual relationships and behavior with congregation members. This prompted the resignation of longtime senior pastor and father to Caleb, Mike Baker, and the promise from church leadership to launch a thorough third-party review. Fabian Story and the law firm investigated the alleged sexual misconduct by Caleb Baker, the alleged coverup of that misconduct and the impact of power dynamics upon staff and the congregation from Mike Baker and the top leaders. They also reviewed Eastviews policies and made recommendations for improvements. The investigation involved multiple interviews with the leadership team and interviews with dozens of individuals. They also received testimonials and numerous documents that involved church governance, leadership meetings, internal audits, employment records, complaints, social media posts and correspondences. The specifics of interviews were not included in the report. The report indicated that at various times, Eastview leaders, including both Bakers and the leadership team known as the Elders, did not act appropriately, which resulted in conflicts of interests and harm to congregation members. In a statement issued Sunday, the Elders said they participated in the investigation with a posture of transparency by providing documents and lists of witnesses and submitting to interviews. They said: "We join our staff and congregation in praying that anything hidden comes to light and for the truth to be revealed, so that we can embrace the truth gracefully and be changed by it." The report did not indicate any criminal or illegal action had taken place, but infidelity, an imbalance of power structures and a culture of fear were reported. Overall, the number of people on staff harmed by the culture that degraded over time is significant, the report states. Nearly all staff members we interviewed shared credible evidence that they are carrying some level of pain and hurt that they believe was caused by Mike Baker and the culture resulting from his leadership at Eastview. Additionally, many former staff and former congregants feel deeply hurt by Eastview, which has impacted their view of the Church and their faith. ... One staff member described the relief they felt when Mike Baker left, like the whole staff could finally exhale and no longer be afraid. Mike Baker participated in the investigation and was interviewed. On Monday, Mike Baker declined to comment on the report. In a YouTube video posted early Monday, he said he was determined not to read the report, and Ive got nothing more to say. Heres what I will say, is that I worked for 16 years as pastor, senior pastor 27 years. Gave my life, heart and soul, did the best I could. So, thats it, Im not going to respond. Ive said everything I want to say; my story hasnt changed, he said. Caleb Baker declined to be interviewed or participate in the investigation but provided a statement to the law firm: I realize I wasnt as healthy of a person as I couldve or shouldve been during the 3 and a half years that I worked at Eastview. And I take full responsibility for that. That being said, I genuinely hope for the best for the future of Eastview and I am committed to pursuing health in all aspects of my life moving forward. Investigation conclusions Using the standard of more likely than not, defined as what an objective person would naturally conclude based on the information presented, the law firm concluded that Mike Baker misused his leadership position and impeded the Church leaderships ability to follow the Churchs policies and procedures for addressing various complaints and reports of misconduct that were made between approximately 2013 and 2023. It was also concluded that during his time as senior pastor, the culture at Eastview degraded to the point that just before Mike Bakers resignation, decisions were largely driven by fear of retribution and failure; the superseding desire to protect the churchs image; a disregard for those harmed by church leadership; a lack of knowledge and training related to harm and trauma and how to handle complaints and reports of misconduct, including sexual misconduct and sexual harm. The report further states that Caleb Baker engaged in conduct inconsistent with the Churchs sincerely held religious beliefs and the Churchs requirements for Church employees in the form of sexual relationships outside the context of marriage during his time on staff at Eastview," and that both Bakers failed to disclose what they knew of Caleb Bakers sexual conduct and the reasons for his termination, to the staff and Elders. They also failed to disclose that information to Caleb Bakers subsequent employer, Central Christian Church in Phoenix, Arizona. The firms assessments also state that Caleb Bakers apparent sexual relationships and failure to disclose them violated the churchs standards regarding sexuality and leadership qualifications. While he worked for Eastview, leadership seemed largely unaware that Caleb used his position, role, or influence as a pastor to persuade women to engage in sexual activity. However, the individuals we were able to interview that had had sexual experiences with Caleb shared credibly that he did so. Power dynamics The report delves into Eastviews culture and noted that most of those who were interviewed and had been around the church for more than 10 years said they noticed a shift in culture between 2013 and 2015. Before the younger Baker joined the staff, most staff members reportedly had a positive experience. But after, "a fear of reprimand and fear of retribution apparently increased as motivating factors. Such change in culture coincided with adverse employment decisions related to challenges of Mike Baker handling of reports related to Caleb Bakers alleged conduct or raising character and conduct problems about Caleb Baker. The investigation found that the fear of reprimand and retribution were the most prevalent culture themes reported by staffers in the last decade. Most of those interviewed expressed that they were afraid for their jobs on a regular basis and afraid they would be retaliated against if they complained, reported any harm or wrongdoing, or did anything that could be perceived as crossing Mike Baker. The culture of silencing abuse and the need to protect the church was also highlighted as reported by staff members. Eastview leadership structure also seemed to break down in some instances with Mike Baker being exempt from certain reporting structures and rules that the rest of the staff was expected to follow. The report noted that the churchs governance made Mike Baker the Elders sole point of employee contact, so they did not oversee or direct any other church employees. This in turn made the former senior pastor the congregations only means of contacting the Elders. According to various witnesses we interviewed, the staff did not believe they were permitted to make any reports to the Elders or communicate with them about ministry topics. As several former staff shared with us, when they did go to the Elders, they believed their jobs might be at risk and they would be retaliated against for doing so, the Wagenmaker & Oberly found. A lack of accountability, sufficient reporting systems and adequate human resources were also noted in the report. Conflicts of interest Regarding the Elder Leadership Team, the firm found that the team did not sufficiently address the conflict of interest issues, including Mike Baker leading the initial Human Resources audit in response to these allegations. Such leadership deficiency may have been due to cultural and power dynamics allowing for Mike Bakers exertion of excessively strong authority particularly in light of the Churchs policy governance structure, the report said. Reportedly, however, Mike Baker kept material information from the ELT, which thwarted the ELT from effectively addressing the sexual misconduct and related matters. A conflict of interest also arose in the intersection of the senior Bakers pastoral leadership and parental roles, according to the report. Mike Baker should have recused himself due to his conflicting loyalties and allowed others in leadership to exercise proper biblical discipline regarding Caleb." Similarly, Mike Bakers statements and conduct after his resignation further demonstrate (his) prioritization of concern for his son and his family as a direct outworking of the above described serious conflict of interest. The reports states that Mike Baker never should have been involved with the hiring or discipline of Caleb Baker and that the Elders should have conducted a more comprehensive investigation when allegations in the form of letters were received in February 2016, without the involvement of Mike Baker. The leadership team should have required that Mike Baker recuse himself," it says. The report also states that the team should have responded more quickly to letters and subsequent emails that alleged sexual misconduct by Caleb Baker and taken other measures to avoid conflicts of interest in responding. Recommendations In its report, the law firm provided 10 recommendations for Eastview leadership teams next steps, based on what was found and to put Eastview in a position to thrive and bring glory to God. The recommendations include: improving governance and leadership structures, improving the HR department, requiring leadership and staff to train in victim care and trauma-informed responses, implementing regular educational programming for staff on sexual misconduct, developing and making available protocols for reporting misconduct by a supervisor, developing written policies and procedures for addressing allegations, providing training on conflict of interest issues, providing teaching on reconciliation and restorative justice, addressing the treatment of women at Eastview, and proceeding through the restoration and reconciliation phase. Wagenmaker & Oberly hopes in the next phase to introduce restoration and reconciliation teachings, establish trainings and gather groups to work through the pain and harm that so many have experienced as a way to bring about healing, on a voluntary basis. In their statement, the Elders said, While we still have much to walk through together, we anticipate providing additional update(s) in direct response to the findings soon. Moving forward, we will be processing the report and praying for the Holy Spirits leading and for wisdom. We ask our church family and the larger body of Christ to pray with us. Photos: WWII veterans in Normandy to mark D-Day PAXTON The Ford County Public Health Department and Telecare will host a community walk and resource fair on Thursday, June 15, for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, or WEAAD. About 1 in 10 older Americans are abused or neglected each year, but only 1 in 14 cases are reported to the authorities, according to a news release from FCPHD. The walk will begin at the Telecare Building, 215 E. 3rd St., Gibson City, at 1 p.m. The walk will go around South City Park in Gibson City. Wheelchairs, walkers and scooters are also welcome to join the walk. Community agencies will be at the event to provide information, giveaway items and door prizes. Those interested in setting up a resource table or donating a prize can contact Kami Garrison at kgarrison@fordcountyphd.org or 217-379-9281. Q: I am a veteran, and I am trying to develop a family tree record of where my fellow veteran ancestors might be buried in our nations National Cemetery System. Does the VA have an archive or other record system that can be utilized to make my search easier and quicker? A: The Veterans Administration includes not only health care, disability claims, and other benefits branches, but also includes the National Cemetery Administration. The NCA has a Veterans Legacy Memorial digitized record system that may help you locate the information you seek. The VLM includes National Cemetery burial information and has recently expanded to include Arlington National Cemetery and 26 other Army, Navy and Air Force-managed cemeteries, adding more than 300,000 additional veteran memorial pages. The VLM now numbers more than 48 million veteran pages, and each page is an opportunity to share memories and keep veteran legacies alive. The information about the veteran on the VLM can be expanded by comments, documents and pictures. To date, nearly 60,000 memories have been shared to VLM. The VLM site is the easiest government-rum computer site I have ever used. It took less than five minutes to locate the site and locate my fathers VLM page. Visit VLM at www.vlm.cem.va.gov. DRAFT OR NOT TO DRAFT? The United States of America has not conscripted its male citizens into military service in nearly 50 years. The advancement of technology, intelligence-gathering ability and other significant changes to how wars are fought and managed have resulted in the belief that the number of men and women serving in the military could be reduced. Our military is now much smaller than it has ever been as a percentage of the population. However, our military is spread out over dozens of locations around the world. The use of National Guard Units and Reserve Units being called to federal active military service has increased dramatically since the end of the Vietnam War. All the service branches are still having difficulty in meeting recruitment goals, leaving some to doubt Americas ability to engage in war in more than one location. Will the draft be instituted and if so, will females be required to register for the draft at age 18 as their male counterparts are required to do? The names of over 200,000 18-year-old males who did not register for the draft have been turned over to the Department of Justice. Those individuals will not be charged unless the draft is reinstituted, but may be charged with a felony at that time. The felony is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 or a prison term of up to five years, or a combination of both. Additionally, a person who knowingly counsels, aids or abets another to fail to comply with the act is subject to the same penalties. However, those who did not register by age 26 also could forever be denied government benefits like student aid, a government job and even U.S. citizenship. UNCLE SAM NEEDS YOU! No, Uncle Sam is not drafting anyone right now. However, apparently there is a shortage of citizens volunteering to serve on Selective Service Boards in Central Illinois. Someone willing to serve on these Selective Service Boards must meet the following qualifications: be a citizen of the United States; be at least 18 years old; males must have registered with the Selective Service (men born in March 1957 through December 1959 and March 1975 thru June 1980 are exempt); not an employee of any law enforcement occupation; not an active or retired member of the Armed Forces or Reserve/National Guard; nor been convicted of any criminal offense. Visit www.sss.gov/volunteers or call 1-847-688-4540 for more information. QUOTE OF THE DAY Those of us who were drafted into military service have a special perspective on the Selective Service. When we got the letter that started out, Your friends and neighbors have selected you to... at 19 years old, we had feelings of why me?. But most of us followed our age group who enlisted voluntarily and completed our obligation to our country and for what it stands, by serving honorably. Those who never served in the military do not have the same understanding and appreciation for what being an American offers. The following quote by columnist Bill Vaughn sums up well what may be the solution to making sure future generations have that understanding and appreciation. Maybe the answer to selective service is to start everyone off in the Army and draft them for civilian life as needed. Bill Vaughn Photos: Biden marks Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) An official of the Chinese Embassy in Manila underscored the need for cooperation and mutual understanding following now quashed reports that Chinese fishermen removed buoys placed by the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea. Chinese Embassy Counselor Ji Lingpeng said the maritime dispute shouldnt define the bilateral relations between Beijing and Manila, adding that economic ties between the two countries remain strong. Ji said both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping have underscored the importance of diplomacy in resolving issues on the South China Sea during the Philippine leader's visit to Beijing last January. The PCG last month installed five buoys in the Kalayaan group of islands located within the Philippines 220 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, on top of an existing five which were deployed in May 2022. READ: PCG installs 5 sovereign markers in critical areas in WPS Beijing responded by deploying buoy vessels to the West Philippine Sea. China's state media also reported that Chinese fishermen fished out all of the buoys from Philippine waters. The PCG denied this claim and said that all 10 buoys were in their designated locations. President Xi Jinping and he [Marcos] has reached a consensus to settle the maritime problems in a friendlier way with consultations and exchanges. The South China Sea issue is only a very small part of our bilateral relations. We have a lot of cooperation to enhance, Ji said. I dont think theres any problems right now, but we should focus on mutual understanding," he added. Asked by the media if the Chinese embassy would issue a new statement on the PCGs denial of the report on the removal of buoys, Ji said this: Youve asked very sensitive questions. Meanwhile, Rommel Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for Intelligence and Security Studies, said countries with conflicting claims in the South China Sea should coordinate and have consultations on the placement of buoys He said while it is the Philippines right to deploy buoys in its territory, the PCGs message that they are considered as markers of sovereignty put the act in a different light. Sinunod natin yung international practice. Ang problema kasi yung political message na dineliver natin. Kasi nagdagdag tayo ng message na gagawin natin itong mga boya na sovereignty marker. Ayan tuloy, nagkaroon ng reactions from other neighbors, Banlaoi said. [Translation: We followed international practice. The problem is that we delivered a political message because we said that these were sovereignty markers. Now, our neighbors have reacted.] Pag nagkaroon ng war of the buoys in the West Philippine Sea, sa halip na maging guide siya for safety of navigation, baka maging cause pa siya ng accidents and unintended violent encounters at sea, he added. [Translation: If a war of the buoys in the West Philippine Sea takes place, instead of serving as navigational guides, these buoys will instead cause accidents and unintended violent encounters at sea.] Illinois legislators take pride in balance. They work hard to make all things right for all people. Unless they don't get what they want. A bill requiring state-level constitutional challenges to be filed in either Cook or Sangamon counties is awaiting Gov. J.B. Pritzker's signature to become law. The counties, home to Chicago and Springfield, would be the only venues for people seeking relief against a state statute, rule or executive order based on constitutional grounds. Democrats argue the law is necessary to prevent individuals and groups from "judge shopping," filing suits in specific places based on an anticipation of a favorable ruling. They reason that suits often end up being moved to Springfield or Chicago anyway. At least that's how Democrats frame the bill. They're the ones who wrote it and approved it, with no help from the opposing party. That's right, super-majorities in both chambers make it possible for Democrats to pass bills without needing a single vote from Republicans. Neither party has received exactly what they've wanted in court cases this decade. During the COVID-19 pandemic, conservatives challenged Pritzker's authority to issue and enforce a statewide mask mandate and to close schools. But the Republicans are winning in challenges to the criminal justice reform law known as the SAFE-T Act and challenges to the state's semiautomatic weapons bans have also popped up in downstate courtrooms. State Rep Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, the bill's sponsor, couldn't resist lobbing a potshot at some of those lawsuits. " ... over the past three years," Hoffman said, "the attorney general's office has been forced to respond to I would call them in many cases frivolous lawsuits that strain the office's limited resources." But Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, fired back, saying, "You get a court ruling where people legitimately go to their home court where they live and get a ruling that you don't like ... and you change the rules. The ends do not justify the means." Windhorst added that a bill like this is why many downstate county boards have adopted resolutions seeking to secede from the state. State Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, said, "They pass unconstitutional laws to make law-abiding citizens criminals and then they make those same citizens travel hundreds of miles to a kangaroo court that they control." What the Republicans lack in numbers in Springfield is more than made up for by their capabilities of hyperbole. But that doesnt mean theyre wrong. The bill unquestionably limits the capabilities to challenge state laws. Traveling from Carmi to Springfield is a four-hour drive. And thats not smooth sailing on an interstate highway. Opening the doors of justice to all is one of the things democracy is supposed to be about. Choking off a venue that serves its citizens does no service to any kind of fairness. This is a law written by and for Democrats. Nothing positive is achieved by steamrolling due process. Democrats have taken up their proverbial mallet to attempt to crush the courts into submission. Thats their privilege based on election results. If Republicans want a say in state issues, theyre going to have to make better efforts to connect with the public. Otherwise, theyll keep seeing more of the same. The Country Director of the World Bank (WB) in Ghana, Mr. Pierre Frank Laporte, has highlighted the significant role played by Ghana's energy sector debt in exacerbating the country's overall debt challenges. In an interview monitored by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Laporte outlined the factors identified by the WB that are driving Ghana's debt situation. Mr. Laporte emphasized that deficiencies within the energy sector, including issues related to tariff systems, management, costly power purchases, and transmission losses, were major problems contributing to Ghana's mounting debts. He pointed out that the mismatch between the production cost of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and the amount consumers paid for electricity led to a surge in debts, as the government was unable to meet its financial obligations to the IPPs. Moreover, Mr. Laporte criticized the Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) signed by the government, stating that they were expensive and burdened the country with paying for unused energy due to "take or pay contracts." He noted that Ghana had entered into agreements at unfavorable rates and prices in recent years, which had further impacted the debt situation. To address this issue, Mr. Laporte urged the government to pursue reforms in tariff adjustments, tackle transmission losses through improved infrastructure, and restructure power purchasing agreements to align with the country's energy demands. He highlighted the recent tariff increment and approval by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) as a positive step, emphasizing that substantial progress could be achieved through the implementation of intended energy sector reforms. Additionally, Mr. Laporte advised the government to leverage the West African Power Pool to provide affordable electricity to both the population and industries. According to Fitch Ratings, the energy sector represents the largest driver of Ghana's national debt, with the country owing independent power producers a staggering $1.58 billion. Fitch Ratings also revealed that while Ghana initially approached the IPPs to restructure their debts as part of the External and Domestic Debt Restructuring, the companies objected to the proposal. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video OmniBSIC Bank has announced a strategic partnership with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). This collaboration signifies a remarkable milestone for the bank, as it reinforces its commitment to delivering exceptional and innovative banking services to its esteemed customers, while further solidifying the dedication to providing seamless financial solutions. PAPSS is a centralized Financial Market Infrastructure designed to facilitate secure and efficient cross-border money transfers throughout Africa. This innovative initiative, supported by Afreximbank and The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), aims to enable instant cross-border payments in local currencies between countries in Africa. As part of this partnership, OmniBSIC Bank successfully completed its first transaction to Nigeria on Thursday June 1, 2023 through the PAPSS platform. This transaction showcased the seamless transfer of funds in Cedis originating from a Ghanaian customer in Cedis through OmniBSIC which was received in Naira by the beneficiary in Nigeria. This achievement demonstrates the bank's commitment to leveraging innovative financial technologies and enabling greater financial inclusion for businesses and individuals. Mr. Daniel Asiedu, Managing Director of the Bank, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, "We are thrilled to collaborate with PAPSS in advancing financial integration across Africa. This partnership aligns perfectly with the banks mission of providing excellent and innovative banking services to our customers through competent employees, extensive delivery channels and technology. Through the collaboration with PAPSS, we can offer our customers faster, more secure, and cost-effective cross-border payment solutions." Additionally, he emphasized that the bank's customers can now carry out transactions seamlessly from any branch of OmniBSIC Bank to some banks in Nigeria, Liberia, Gambia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. With this partnership, our customers will experience many benefits, including instant payment in local currencies, secure and final settlement of funds for recipients, instant access to funds by beneficiaries, simplified money transfers for businesses and individuals, reduced transfer costs and promotion of intra-African trade. Mike Ogbalu III, CEO of PAPSS on his part said: I am very delighted and proud to see OmniBSIC Bank joining the PAPSS network. This shows how PAPSS will be a game changer for the continent by enabling infrastructure to spur the growth of intra-African trade and commerce, with the active participation of central banks, financial institutions, regional economic communities, private sectors, and other stakeholders. He further stated that PAPSS has run a successful pilot in the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) where transactions between countries did not exceed two (2) minutes to be settled. This is a great opportunity for individuals, SMEs and businesses who want to make transactions across the African continent. PAPSS is currently working closely with the OmniBSIC team to allow its clients to do fast and secure cross-borders payments in local currencies in the shortest possible time. Through this collaboration with PAPSS, OmniBSIC Bank will enhance its payment infrastructure and expand its presence across the continent. By leveraging PAPSS' extensive network and expertise, the bank aims to provide customers with efficient and reliable cross-border payment services, bolstering trade and fuelling economic growth in Africa. OmniBSIC Bank remains committed to fostering strategic partnerships and implementing cuttingedge technologies to revolutionize the banking industry and meet the evolving needs of its customers. This collaboration with PAPSS represents a significant step in achieving these goals. OmniBSIC Bank OmniBSIC Bank is a fully-fledged universal bank that traces its roots to a merger between the erstwhile OmniBank and Sahel Sahara Bank. The merger was spurned by the banking sector consolidation programmes introduced by the Bank of Ghana (BOG) in 2017, through several directives including the increment of the minimum capital requirement almost fourfold. The union between the banks is one of the most successful mergers in the financial services industry. It can be described as synergistic since both banks shared similarities in business models, values, and customer experience and were both committed to offering exceptional customer service in Ghana's banking industry. This milestone was achieved through the collaborative effort of shareholders, directors, management, and the staff who showed a willingness to embrace change to become bigger and better in the banking industry. OmniBSIC has reinforced its corporate governance structures and invested in its infrastructure to align with BOG's Corporate Governance and other regulatory directives. The bank is dedicated to maintaining the highest level of integrity, transparency, and accountability in all operations, thereby creating a reliable framework for clients to conduct their banking activities with us. With our headquarters at Atlantic Tower, Airport City, and an extensive network of forty (40) branches across Ghana, OmniBSIC provides a complete range of products, services, and digital offerings tailored to the needs of our Corporate, SME, and individual customers while supporting the communities in which we operate. In our commitment to creating excellent banking experiences for our customers every day, the bank continues to invest in technology and employee development. PAPSS The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System PAPSS is a centralized Financial Market Infrastructure that enables the efficient flow of money securely across African borders, minimizing risk and contributing to financial integration across the regions. PAPSS works in collaboration with Africas central banks to provide a payment and settlement service to which commercial banks and licensed payment service providers across the region can connect as Participants. Afreximbank and the African Union (AU) launched the PAPSS at the Twelfth Extraordinary Summit of the African Union held on July 7, 2019, in Niamey, Niger Republic, therefore adopting PAPSS as a key instrument for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Further, in its thirteenth (13th) extraordinary session, held on the December 5, 2020, the assembly of African Union recommitted and instructed the Afreximbank and the AfCFTA secretariat to finalize among others, work on the Pan-African Payments and Settlements System (PAPSS). The 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU, further directed the AfCFTA and Afreximbank to deploy the system to cover the entire continent. 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 More than three dozen individuals have been sentenced for their involvement in a large-scale fraud and money laundering operation that targeted individuals, corporations, and financial institutions throughout the United States. The defendants used business email compromise schemes, romance fraud scams, and retirement account scams, among other frauds, to steal more than $30 million from numerous victims. The Department of Justice has tirelessly worked for more than four years to obtain justice for dozens of victims impacted by this brazen criminal organization, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. The defendants sentences should serve as a stark warning to others that fraud and money laundering crimes are top priorities for this office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Several members of this conspiracy fraudulently obtained funds from ERISA-covered employee benefit plans. The funds, which originated from unwitting individuals retirement accounts, were deposited into personal and business bank accounts that were created in furtherance of this money-laundering conspiracy. The greed of the conspirators caused workers and prospective retirees to lose significant portions of their hard-earned retirement funds. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Labors Employee Benefits Security Administration to protect the integrity of employee benefit plans, said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent-in-Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. These fraud scams, although not violent, are not victimless and can be devastating to businesses and individuals who fall prey to them, said Keri Fairly, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. The sentencing of all these individuals shows the FBIs dedication to working with our partners to hold anyone accountable who would steal from hard-working and honest individuals, rather than put in the work themselves. These scammers defrauded individuals and companies with the sole purpose of enriching themselves, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. HSI and its law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the nations financial infrastructure and ensure that financial crimes do not go unpunished. This sentencing illustrates the Secret Services dedication to protecting our nations financial systems, said Steven R. Baisel, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Services Atlanta Field Office. We are thankful for our law enforcement partners commitment and support as we worked together to bring this case to justice. According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court: The defendants engaged in multiple fraud and money laundering conspiracies that stole millions of dollars from victims located throughout the United States and abroad. The defendants were charged across several related pending cases. U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II, sentenced the following individuals for their respective roles in this criminal scheme: Joshua Roberts, also known as Onyx, 32, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to eight years and one month in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $9,675,739.73 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on August 10, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on March 29, 2022. Darius Sowah Okang, also known as Michael J. Casey, Richard Resser, Thomas Vaden, Michael Lawson, Matthew Reddington, and Michael Little, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $6,204,119 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on March 17, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft on September 2, 2021. George Kodjo Edem Adatsi, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,373,797.43 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on July 21, 2021, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on April 7, 2021. Benjamin Ibukunoluwa Oye, 29, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, was sentenced to five years in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,163,127.01 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on March 21, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering on March 4, 2020. Prince Sheriff Okai, 29, of Mableton, Georgia, was sentenced to four years and nine months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,950,586.54 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on January 12, 2021, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on October 6, 2020. Hamza Abdallah, also known as Reggie Lewis, 33, of McDonough, Georgia, was sentenced to four years and nine months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,051,473.87 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on February 24, 2021, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on November 18, 2020. Dominique Raquel Golden, also known as Desire Tamakloe, Mellissa Moore, Nicole Nolay, Raquel Roberts, Maria Henderson, and Raquel Golden, 32, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to four years and six months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $7,830,607.05 in restitution to victims. She was sentenced on March 28, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on September 30, 2021. Kelvin Prince Boateng, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $870,333 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on June 17, 2021, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on March 2, 2021. Jonathan Kojo Agbemafle, also known as Skinny, 29, of Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,637,625.01 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on August 8, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on April 4, 2022. Blessing Oluwatimilehin Ojo, also known as Timmy, 37, of Nigeria, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,711,304 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on October 26, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on July 19, 2022. Desire Elorm Tamakloe, also known as Chubby, 28, of Smyrna, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,215,357.81 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on April 18, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on October 13, 2022. Stephen Abbu Jenkins, also known as Face, Steven Abbu Jenkins, Steven Jenkins, and Steve Jenkins, 56, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and seven months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $726,290 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on February 22, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on August 8, 2022. Obinna Nwosu, 29, of Douglasville, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and one month in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,045,065.75 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on December 16, 2020, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on September 17, 2020. Ojebe Obewu Ojebe, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and one month in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $893,879.55 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on September 27, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on June 2, 2022. Francesco Benjamin, also known as B-More, 33, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and one month in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $987,070 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on March 1, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on October 19, 2022. Chukwukadibia Ikechukwu Nnadozie, also known as Chuka and Michael McCord, 30, of Fayetteville, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and one month in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $231,507.19 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on May 9, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on November 28, 2022. Abubakar Sadik Ibrahim, 29, of Mableton, Georgia, was sentenced to three years in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,193,750.27 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on February 1, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on September 27, 2021. John Ifeoluwa Onimole, 31, of Powder Springs, Georgia, was sentenced to three years in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,117,966.06 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on April 25, 2023, after pleading guilty to money laundering on December 7, 2022. Chadrick Jamal Rhodes, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and 11 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on January 31, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on October 12, 2021. Chadwick Osbourne Stewart, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and eight months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $60,000 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on January 26, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on October 22, 2021. Macario Lee Nelson, a/k/a Mac, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and eight months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on February 17, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on September 29, 2021. Afeez Olaide Adeniran, a/k/a Ola, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and six months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $352,830.25 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on October 6, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on August 18, 2022. Kahlia Andrea Siddiqui, 31, of Chamblee, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and six months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $325,811 in restitution to victims. She was sentenced on February 22, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on August 9, 2022. Solomon Agyapong, also known as Gumpe, 34, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and six months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $496,123.92 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on April 18, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on October 11, 2022. Christopher Akinwande Awonuga, 31, of Fayetteville, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and three months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $113,276.27 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on January 8, 2020, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud on August 22, 2019. Emanuela Joe Joseph, 37, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced to two years and three months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $442,557.08 in restitution to victims. She was sentenced on February 21, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on October 26, 2022. Seth Appiah Kubi, 63, of Dacula, Georgia, was sentenced to two years in custody, to be followed by one year of supervised release. He was sentenced on July 7, 2020, after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft on March 4, 2020. Oluwafunmilade Onamuti, also known as Mathew Kelvin, 29, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to one year and 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $167,195 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on July 21, 2021, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on April 7, 2021. Paul Chinonso Anyanwu, 31, of Hampton, Georgia, was sentenced to one year and six months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $57,000 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on December 19, 2019, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on September 18, 2019. Casey Broderick Williams, 29, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced to one year and one day in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $60,000 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on June 2, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on July 30, 2019. Alexus Ciera Johnson, 29, of Mableton, Georgia, was sentenced to one year and one day in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $106,879 in restitution to victims. She was sentenced on May 22, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on October 11, 2022. Egale Veonzell Woods, Jr., 44, of East Point, Georgia, was sentenced to one year in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $165,007.19 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on April 21, 2021, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on March 4, 2020. Gregory Thomas Hudson, 42, of Powder Springs, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 months in custody, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $125,291.45 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on June 27, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud on March 14, 2022. Uchechi Chidimma Odus, also known as Uche, 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $83,345.47 in restitution to victims. She was sentenced on May 17, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on December 21, 2022. Matthan Bolaji Ibidapo, also known as B.J., 30, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced to eight months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release with a portion to be served in home confinement and ordered to pay $82,490.50 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on February 21, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on November 1, 2022. Tyler Keon Roussell, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to six months in custody, to be followed by six years of supervised release with a portion served in home confinement, and ordered to pay $368,400.49 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on February 21, 2022, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud on May 16, 2019. Monique Wheeler, 32, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three months in custody, to be followed by three years of supervised release with a portion to be served in home confinement, and ordered to pay $71,010 in restitution to victims. She was sentenced on December 2, 2022, after pleading guilty to money laundering on July 13, 2022. Chineda Obilom Nwakudu, 28, of McDonough, Georgia, was sentenced to three years of probation with a portion to be served in home confinement and ordered to pay $123,645.85 in restitution to victims. He was sentenced on February 22, 2023, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on August 23, 2019. Ahamefule Aso Odus, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, was convicted by a jury on January 30, 2023, of conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple substantive money laundering offenses. His sentencing is pending. Motswana Mulongo, also known as David Mulongo and Henry Tipton, 38, of Decatur, Georgia, was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering on March 10, 2023. His sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2023. Oumar Bouyo Mbodj of Kennesaw, Georgia, is deceased, and charges filed against him were dismissed. This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) programthe keystone drug, money laundering, and transnational organized crime enforcement program of the Department of Justice. This case was investigated by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. The investigating agencies received considerable support from the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, and numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly K. Connors and Russell Phillips prosecuted the case. Source: justice.gov 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 Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources responsible for Lands and Forestry, is optimistic that Ghana has the political will to transform Land administration system in the country. The Deputy Minister made this declaration during his presentation at one of Ghanas sessions at the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) working week 2023 in Orlando Florida. The Deputy Minister led a delegation of Ghanaian surveyors to attend the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) working week which was scheduled for May 28 to June 1, 2023 on the theme "Protecting Our World, Conquering Frontiers" Owusu-Bio during the session also exchanged pleasantries with the President of FIG, Surv. Diane Dumashie. At one of the technical sessions, the Ministry presented a paper on "Land Administration and Management in Ghana, the emerging trends". The presentation was done by the Technical Director-Lands, Maxwell Adu-Nsarfoa which was followed by an open discussion on land issues in Ghana. In attendance were the Deputy Executive Secretaries of Lands Commission as well as the presidents of Ghana Institution of Surveyors and Licenced Surveyors Association. Source: class fm 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 Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Na Abukari Mahama II, is upbeat about the massive facelift the Northern Region is about to witness as the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), inches closer to drilling an oil and gas exploration well in the Voltaian Basin next year. According to the Ya Na, upon the successful find of oil and gas, the Northern Region could become a hub for petroleum production and attract business and investments from all over the world. The prospect of what your successful activities [in the Voltaian Basin] mean to this region and Ghana is not lost on us," he told a delegation who had paid courtesy call on him after visiting the project site. The Dagbon King observed, the Voltaian Basin Project (VBP) "reains the basis of our continuous backing of your efforts, to ensuring that the natural resources are well harnessed to support developmental activities in host communities and beyond," The delegation is led by Deputy Energy Minister, Herbert Krapa, management of the GNPC led by the CEO, Opoku-Ahweneeh Danquah They are in the Northern Region to gather firsthand information on the progress of seismic work underway there to find hydrocarbons in commercial quantities. The Voltaian Basin which spans about 460 communities in thirteen (13) MMDAs; Ten (10) of which are in the Northern Region with Three (3) others located in the Savanna region. The visit was partly to thank the Ya Na and the chiefs and people of the region for their continuous support in providing a conducive environment necessary to advancing the activities of prospecting for hydrocarbons in the onshore sedimentary basin of the Voltaian area. The Deputy Energy Minister, Herbert Krapa, expressed appreciation to the overload of Dagbon for his unwavering commitment from the onset, when plans of the project were first brought to his attention. He assured that success of the project will impact positively on the development of the region. You have been instrumental in our success so far and our mission here is to consolidate our collaboration by seeking further consultations for the next phase of the project, which promises to lead us to a successful discovery and its attendant gains, he the Deputy Minister stated. The GNPC boss, O-A Danquah, recounted the Ya Nas instrumental role in ensuring that local and stakeholder conditions were right for the successful commencement of work to discover Ghanas hydrocarbon potential onshore, an effort in furtherance of the Corporations quest for commercial operatorship of its oil and gas resources. As the Yoo Na (Chief of Savelugu), you first received us [GNPC] in your land in 2017 and on our mission to obtain the greatest possible benefits from the development of Ghanas petroleum resources and we are grateful for the harmonious relationship which has been sustained since then, the CEO said. He used the opportunity to court further support for GNPCs continuous work in the area, highlighting the enormous windfall of opportunities the region stands to gain with the successful drilling of wells in the Voltaian Basin. Mr O-A Danquah confirmed that interim outcomes from the tremendous amount of work done on the project, so far offer enough impetus to continue with prospecting activities. We are likely to begin drilling of the first well on your land in 2024 and success at this will see the Northern Region emerge as a stellar area of development in Ghana and open it up to the rest of the world with opportunities for business and growth. It is worthy of note that the successful completion of the previous phase paved way for the current activity and this has pushed GNPC closer to its quest of achieving the goal of drilling a well by the first quarter in 2024, as contained in its roadmap. 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 Supreme Council of the United Nations International Peace and Governance Council ( UNIPGC) ,has appointed and officially inaugurated a top profile international renowned Diplomat, H. E. Prof. Dean Roberts Jr. as the High Commissioner and Continental Vice President of the Council to the United States of America. At the just ended International Festival of Arts and Culture , ( FESTAC AFRICA2023) held in Tanzania, he was also appointed as a Professor of Criminology by the American University of Peace and Governance in Texas, USA. Senior Lecturer of American University of Peace and Governance, Texas USA. Visiting Professor in Criminology, American University of Peace and Governance, Texas USA. Chancellor of World University of Youth Development, USA. H. E. Amb. Prof Roberts Jr. is a prominent African American Criminologist, Engineering Scientist, Internationally Recognised Security Expert, Philanthropist, Investor in oil and gas industry, International Missionary and a renowned and globally respected Peace and Conflict Mediator whose Peaceful exploits and campaigns span over 5 continents . In his acceptance speech , H. E. Amb Prof Dean Roberts Jr. expressed profound appreciation to the President of the United States of America, H. E. Joe Biden and the entire Citizenry of America for recognising the singular honors and appointment to such higher office, and sending a high profile diplomat to witness and participate the inauguration ceremony. H. E. Amb. Prof. Dean Roberts Jr. pledged his loyalty and unflinching support to the Supreme Council and the Acting Global President of the United Nations International Peace and Governance Council . H. E. Amb. Dr. Jonathan E. Ojadah and assured them of his readiness to deploy his wealth of expertise and experience at the disposal of the organisation and help it to reach the zenith of its glory for the benefit of mankind. H. E. Amb Prof Roberts Jr. can be credited with a recent call for total disarmament and complete destruction of the stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, and which was endorsed by the US President, Joe Biden in his recent speech who said that message was an important disarmament step that needs the highest standards of transparency and public safety and to which his country was not going to stop fighting that impunity to achieve global peace which is the main objective of H. E. And. Roberts Jr. H. E. Anb. Prof Roberts Jr. said the UNIPGC stands for global peace and sustainable development which can only be achieved through collaborative efforts and mediation processes globally to practicalise peace building efforts in all sincerity for a peaceful world. He pledged to work and serve the UN, the Supreme Council of the UNIPGC and the world at large with dilligence , maximum accountability and transparency . He said that he is open to any invitation by any who may need his contribution towards peace building process by any government or heads of various Religious organizations all over the world. He concluded by calling on all stakeholders in Global Peace, including the Academia fraternity, to observe in strict compliance with the common goal of tolerance, and maximum co operation and in the spirit of fidelity and commitment, to the purpose and principles of the Charter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals road map and beyond by H. E. Rev Dean Roberts Jr. 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 Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin has commended the Vanuatu Trade Commissioner to Ghana, Amb.Prof Hugh Aryee, for linking up the Republic of Vanuatu to Ghana and Africa, and ensuring the country opens business interests in the Vanuatu economy towards African trade facilitation. The Rt. Honourable Speaker emphasized on how the world has become a global village and for that matter, the distance between countries no longer matter, hence, the extreme need to get some of the smaller nations at the outermost parts of the world to be linked to the advanced and other nations for bilateral trade engagements. The Rt. Hon. Speaker said this when he received the Vanuatu Trade Commissioner to Ghana, Amb. Prof Hugh Aryee and his team to the Parliament House in Accra. The visit was to officially inform the Speaker about the impending visit of the Speaker of the Vanuatu Parliament and his 5-member delegation on an official state visit to Ghana in July 2023. The Trade Commissioner also briefed the Speaker and his staff about the extent of plans and the itinerary for the august visit as regards the important places and personalities the august visitors might want to visit when in Ghana. He informed the Rt Hon Speaker and his team of the reciprocal return business trip to Vanuatu which has been slated from 20th August to 4th September. The business trade mission will include a cross section of the Ghanaian public, businesses and trade agencies interested in doing business in the Republic of Vanuatu as well as leisure and holidays. Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin told the gathering that he was very happy about the visit and reiterated the desire of entire House would be looking forward to the trade and business mission. The Rt. Hon speaker also mentioned he was excited about this news because he had always wanted to visit Vanuatu in the past, hence, a pleasant news and therefore encouraged Ghanaians to take advantage of this opportunity. He said the Parliament of Ghana is ready to receive his counterparts and the delegation from the Republic of Vanuatu, accord them all the necessary courtesies and protocols they deserve. He said he will confer with the leadership of the House to afford the visiting Speaker the opportunity to address the House. He called for the constitution of a joint Committee of his Parliamentary staff and the Trade Commission to come out with a befitting plan of action for the historic visit being the first official visit of government delegation from the Republic of Vanuatu to Ghana. The delegation would be accompanied by Hon Seremaiah Matai Nawalu Member of parliament and Minister of Trade, Industry, Tourism and Ni-Vanuatu Businesses, Hon Anatole Hymak Member of Parliament, Chairman of Economics and Foreign Policies Standing Committees of Vanuatu Parliament, Mr. Noel Kalo, Director of Department of Trade and Mr. Gaetan Ruru who oversees Interparliamentary Relations of the office of the parliament of Vanuatu and Ms. Vanessa MOLISA - Advisor to the Office of Speaker. The Trade Commissioner presented a picturesque brochure which details the blueprint of activities of the Vanuatu Trade Commissions (short, medium to long term) goals and objectives for Ghana and the rest West African regional bloc under which the mandates of the commission operate, as well as Vanuatu vehicle Stickers, presented to the Rt Hon Speaker. 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 Police in northern Nigeria say armed men killed 30 people in raids on six villages at the weekend. Residents from two villages said the attacks in Sokoto state were reprisals for refusing to pay protection money to bandits. One witness, who lives in the Gwadabawa district, told Punch newspaper the coordinated attacks happened after evening prayers in two villages as the same time. The witness added: "After killing them, they set their corpses and those of their animals on fire, ensuring that most of them were burnt beyond recognition." The latest attacks come a week after Nigeria's new president, Bola Tinubu, took the oath of office and promised reforms to tackle the country's rampant insecurity. Better co-ordination, consultation and timely reporting were all needed to improve the way security agencies worked together, Mr Tinubu said at a later meeting of security chiefs. 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 One of the surviving sons of the former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, has gone on hunger strike to protest against his prolonged detention in Lebanon, says his lawyer Paul Romanos. Hannibal Gaddafi has been held in Lebanon for more than eight years after being abducted by Lebanese militants from Syria, where he had taken refuge after the downfall and death of his father, he adds. Hannibal Gaddafi was subsequently taken by the Lebanese authorities and has been detained ever since in a jail in Beirut without trial, Mr Romanos says. 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 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6) The Philippines' defense chief urged foreign military officials to express support for the 2016 Hague tribunal ruling that rejected Chinas claims to nearly the entire South China Sea. The Department of National Defense, in a statement over the weekend, said DND officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. made the call at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) held on June 2 to 4 in Singapore, where he also stressed that international law serves as the greatest equalizer among states. The three-day event gathered defense ministers, senior military officials, diplomats, and security experts across the world. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivering the keynote speech while US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Gen. Li Shangfu were among officials at the dialogue that discussed "Building a Stable and Balanced Asia-Pacific." [Galvez] encouraged all parties who subscribe to the rule-of-law to express support for the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award and what it stands for as it is ultimately this support that will preserve the global order at sea and uphold the universally recognized principles of international law, the DND said. READ: Remembering the 2016 Hague ruling: What has happened since then? The government, under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III, secured a win against China after an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague rejected Beijing's sweeping "historic rights" claims to nearly the whole South China Sea. The tribunal largely ruled in favor of the Philippines sovereign rights in areas of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf that are being claimed by China. Beijing, however, continues to reject the ruling, with the Philippines and other states experiencing harassment in the contested waterways. READ: China accuses US of provocation after near collision of warships Galvez also called for a continued push for multilateralism in the defense space, which the DND believes could trigger a strong message that the Philippines is not alone in shedding light on the situation in the South China Sea. The official said the Philippines maintains its commitment to holding dialogues with other nations to build the aggregated resilience of the region as a whole. On June 3, at the sidelines of the dialogue, an inaugural defense ministerial meeting was held among the US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, Japan's Ministry of Defense said. The ministers discussed expanding cooperation to ensure "a free and open Indo-Pacific" amid Chinas increasingly aggressive presence in the South China Sea. Most Reverend John Kobina Louis, the Auxiliary Bishop of Accra Archdiocese, has admonished Catholics to confidently express their faith without fear or shyness. Dont give up your faith in Christ. Our faith as Catholics must encourage us to stand firm irrespective of any form of persecution or intimidation, he said. The Auxiliary Bishop made the call on Sunday in Accra at a thanksgiving mass to climax the 80th anniversary of St. Kizito Catholic Church in Nima and the confirmation of 170 candidates. He said the Churchs patron Saint, St. Kizito of Uganda, died at age 13 for defending the Catholic faith , stressing that his fortitude should stimulate and strengthen Catholics about his steadfast belief and teachings of Christ. You need to water the presence of the Holy Spirit through prayers in your lives, because nobody can stand the power and strength that will come from you, he said. Most Rev. Louis advised the newly confirmed candidates not to see the ceremony as a graduation event, but to fully understand the tenets and values of the Catholic faith and become disciples of Christ. In Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 8, he stated that the disciples of Jesus Christ, especially Philip, ran to Samaria to preach the Gospel and won more souls because of the persecution they suffered. He encouraged Catholics to believe in and acknowledge the gifts of the Holy Spirit, for a total transformation and also to help them stand the test of all temptations. He urged the confirmants to pray fervently for the Holy Spirit to work in their lives for positive outcomes. Touching on the importance of the Holy Trinity, the Auxiliary Bishop urged the Catholic faithful to express the sign of the cross with boldness. It is surprising that some Catholics hide to express the sign of the cross. Our faith in Christ must be expressed with courage, commitment, and love, he said. He said Matthew 28:19 says, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Most Rev. Louis charged Christians, especially Catholics, to be abreast of the doctrines of the Church and be focused in life to avoid being misled by other teachings. He stated that most Catholics moved from one Church to another because they lacked knowledge of their faith, urging them to seek more information from the authorities when in doubt about the doctrines of the Church. As part of activities to climax the anniversary, the church organised spiritual programmes to strengthen the growth of parishioners. On Saturday, June 3, 2023, the Auxiliary Bishop unveiled the Churchs newly renovated Grotto, which will serve as a prayer ground for parishioners. Awards were presented to parishioners who have contributed positively to the growth of the Church. 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 President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Reverend Isaac Owusu, has expressed skepticism about the one student, one laptop policy. According to him, governments failure in implementing the One teacher, One laptop policy has created doubts about future laptop-related policies. The commitment of the government to honour its decision of making the provisions of the laptop is a challenge. Now if you look at even the basic school, government is supposed to provide textbooks for new curriculum at the primary, JHS and even including the secondary schools, he said. He disclosed that since 2019, the government has not made provision for some essential textbooks for basic schools. Rev Owusu added that teachers are also yet to undergo training that will enable them implement a new curriculum in the basic schools. Since 2019, from KG1 to class six, the Ministry of Education together with GES has not been able to supply all the textbooks at the primary and KG level. The JHS level are also to start their new curriculum, teachers are yet to receive training to start the implementation. He went on, now the teachers who are teaching the children in 2021, the vice president launched the one teacher, 1 laptop policy, now the promise was that within one year, teachers at the pre-tertiary level, that is from KG to secondary school were to receive laptops. But as I speak to you now, teachers in primary and teachers in administration, they are yet to receive the laptop. So some of us should be surprised that the people that are implementing the new curriculum are yet to receive the laptop and then you leave those people and say now were moving to the new level, secondary school to give all students, first and second year students laptops each, he said on Accra-based TV3. To him, government should be focused on fulfilling earlier promises and some basic but crucial needs before making new promises. The government, through the Ministry of Education, is preparing to replace textbooks with laptops in Senior High Schools across the country. Speaking at the 60th Anniversary celebration of the Hohoe Evangelical Presbyterian Senior High School, Dr Bawumia announced that textbooks and other teaching and learning materials would be installed on the laptops to be used during lessons on May 27, 2023. Dr Bawumia said the initiative, which will solely be for first and second years in the secondary schools, would be implemented before the end of 2023. This bold initiative has sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with users expressing a mix of excitement, skepticism, and concerns about the implementation and potential impact on students. 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 Former NPP Member of Parliament for Okaikoi North, Issah Fuseini has appealed to the delegates of the ruling New Patriotic Party to elect Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer of the party. Contributing to Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' show, Issah Fuseini touted Dr. Bawumia as the best candidate to lead the NPP into victory in the next general elections. He noted that the Vice President has proven through his works that he deserves to be President of Ghana. "Even as Vice President, he has proven himself like this. What about when he becomes a President?", he told host Nana Yaw Kesseh. Nominations for the Presidential primary opened on May 26 and is expected to end on June 24, 2023. Watch voideo 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 The World Bank has said the Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) signed by former President John Mahama and which the Akufo-Addo government had no choice but to pay has contributed significantly to the economic woes of Ghana. The former President's administration signed questionable take or pay agreements between 2013 and 2016, hence committing Ghana to pay for billions of cedis for excess energy it does not need. These PPAs which were signed by the erstwhile Mahama government with some independent power producers in the heat of the energy crisis that struck the nation years ago, according to World Bank Country Director, Pierre Frank Laporte, has cost Ghana dearly. For a government that had failed to raise enough money to pay for the country's power needs, thereby plunging the country into nearly five years of dumsor, the Mahama administration signing such an expensive take or pay deal at the twilight of the regime raised eyebrows in Ghana and on the international. Although in 2018, the Akufo-Addo administration managed to cancel 11 out of the thirty agreements, the government had to still pay up to fix the mess created by former President Mahama. Since inheriting the take or pay agreement by the Mahama administration, the Akufo-Addo Government has so far committed over 12 billion cedis to servicing the debt for power Ghana does not need and the agreement is still suffocating the nation. In the midst of Ghana's return to the IMF for balance of payment support, the World Bank has emphatically faulted the Mahama power purchasing agreements describing it as a major cause of Ghana's economic difficulties. "In the aspect of Ghana, those contracts you signed with the PPA are too expensive. "The kind of PPA you signed, it means Ghana is paying for electricity not in use through doubling of capacity. "The fact is, in the last few years, Ghana entered into some PPAs that were wrong. These types, in our view, were at the wrong rate and at the wrong prices and today youre paying duly for it. And today the country is being billed for many of these wrong PPAs, the World Bank Country Director, Pierre Frank Laporte told Joy News in an interview. The World Bank is therefore calling for an urgent review of what it described as wrong and expensive agreements. I know that the government has started some talks with the IPPs to renegotiate some of these PPAs, he stressed. The Akufo-Addo government has been hailed for its ability to pay for power generation for over six years, thus ending the over four-year dumsor Ghana faced due to the erstwhile Mahama governments inability to pay for power generation. Background The erstwhile Mahama government signed a number of Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) before losing power in 2016. The agreements, numbering over 40, committed Ghana to over $1 billion dollars of take or pay contracts for excess power. President Nana Akufo-Addo, in his first State of the Nation Address, announced his government would renegotiate a number of the agreements in order to free the government of the mountain debts, an exercise which was carried out with the renegotiation of about 11 of the power deals. Nonetheless, Ghana was still left with other debt commitments of the remaining agreements which have so far cost the country over 12 billion dollars due to what has been described as reckless signing of agreements in energy sector by former President John Mahama. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A group of market Queens, demonstrated their support for NPP flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, by picking up his nomination forms on Wednesday, May 31. The group, known for their grassroots mobilization efforts, paid the 50,000 Ghana cedi fee required for Mr Kyerematen to participate in the upcoming presidential primaries on November 4. This action fulfills a pledge made by the market queens to Kyerematen in January 2022. Madam Sarkina, the leader of the group, expressed their readiness to support Mr Kyerematen's bid, citing his understanding of the market women's needs and his experience as a former Trade Minister. This is not the first time the Queens have shown their support, as they have previously donated cement and quarry stones to the Kumasi Race Course Market Women. During their consultations, they also engaged with the executives of the Kumasi Central Market, urging the market women to rally behind Mr Kyerematen and highlighting his achievements in the Trades and Industry Ministry as reasons to support his candidature. Leader of the Kumasi Tomato sellers union Comfort Serwaa said they decided to pay the nomination fee for Mr Kyerematen to show that they trust in his capacity and ability to lead this nation. We decided that we wont allow Mr Kyerematen to pick his forms, we will put resources together and pay the fee for him. So we are here to pick the forms for Alan so he can become the President of Ghana. Mr Kyerematen resigned from his position as Trades Minister in January 2023 to focus on his presidential ambitions. The 67-year-old made his first attempt to lead the New Patriotic Party as its flagbearer in 2007 but failed in his bid as Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo emerged as the winner. Popularly known as Alan Cash, Mr. Kyerematen made other attempts in 2010 and 2014 but was unsuccessful. He has been championing the governments One District One Factory initiative since 2018, birthing about 170 factories across the country. Under Mr. Kyerematens leadership at the Trade Ministry, the country also witnessed the production of local vehicles by auto giants such as Suzuki, VW, Nissan, Sino Trucks among others under the Automotive Development Policy. Alan Kyerematen served in the same position between 2003 and 2007. He has an extensive and distinguished record in international trade and public policy, enterprise development, politics and diplomacy. He is a former Ambassador to the US, UN Policy Advisor, a lawyer and a Senior Corporate Executive. As Ghanas Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives from 2003 to 2007, he led the design, development and implementation of innovative programmes and special interventions which have become new strategic pillars of growth for the Ghanaian economy. He also played a key role in shaping Africas Trade Policy agenda in the WTO, the EU-ACP Economic Partnership Negotiations, AGOA and UNCTAD. 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 Former Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Samuel Koku Anyidoho, has vowed to ensure that the fight for probity and accountability within the party continues. According to Anyidoho, there are individuals within the party who, during the NDC's previous time in power before 2016, used their positions to enrich themselves and are determined to continue their actions once the party regains power. "The June 4 spirit of Probity & Accountability is alive in some of us. See how someone's block factory has collapsed on the Dodowa Road because he doesn't have access to government contracts and is also forcing contractors to buy his blocks. Who born dog?" Anyidoho captioned a video he shared on his Twitter page on Saturday, June 4, 2023. In the video, Anyidoho showcased an abandoned block factory that he claimed belonged to a former general secretary of the NDC but has since collapsed since the party lost power. "Riddle riddle, who was in the business of constructing block factories when he was the general secretary of a ruling party, supplying blocks to all government contracts, and came to build one here on the Dodowa Road? Look at how it has collapsed because it was purposely meant to supply blocks to government contracts in the Eastern Region. And when we lost power, the block factory collapsed. So, they want power again so that they can rebuild their block factories, create, loot, and share. We are waiting to see. Today is June 4th, the revolution is on. We will fight them with the revolutionary spirit: probity, accountability, and integrity. Who born dog!" he expressed in the background of the video. Koku Anyidoho has been critical of some prominent figures within the NDC, including the party's current National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who is a former general secretary of the party. His consistent criticism of the NDC led to his suspension from the party on February 8, 2021. However, the former NDC deputy general secretary maintains that he is still a member of the party. The June 4 spirit of Probity & Accountability is alive in some of us. See how someones block factory has collapsed on the Dodowa Road because he doesnt have access to government contracts & also forcing contractors to buy his blocks. Who born dog ? pic.twitter.com/2ViUotVWKw Samuel Koku Anyidoho (@KokuAnyidoho) June 4, 2023 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 New Patriotic Party (NPP) has vehemently dismissed the recent claims made by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding voter transfer in the Assin North Constituency. In a press statement signed by Richard Ahiagbah, the NPP categorically refuted the allegations, labeling them as baseless and an attempt to mislead the public ahead of the upcoming Assin North by-election. The NDCs press statement, signed by Sammy Gyamfi, the partys National Communications Officer, accused the NPP of colluding with the Electoral Commission to transfer and insert the name of Charles Opoku into the Voters Register of Assin North. The NPP firmly denied any involvement in such activities and emphasized its unwavering commitment to upholding Ghanas democratic principles. In response, the NPP issued a series of points to clarify its position: Firstly, the party debunked the accusation of plotting to illegally insert the name of an unqualified NPP Parliamentary Candidate into the Assin North Register. The NPP highlighted its longstanding efforts to strengthen democratic institutions in Ghana, including the Electoral Commission, and firmly stated that it would not jeopardize the countrys democratic gains. Secondly, the NPP clarified that it has yet to select a Parliamentary Candidate for Assin North. The party reminded the public that Parliamentary Primaries in the constituency are yet to be held, making it impossible for the NDC to determine the NPPs candidate ahead of time and suggesting collusion with the Electoral Commission. Furthermore, the NPP provided an educational explanation of Ghanas electoral laws, pointing out that Article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution does not require a parliamentary candidate to be registered in the constituency they wish to contest. The sole requirement is that the candidate is a registered voter. The NPP emphasized that their candidates hail from Assin North and have met the constitutional residency requirements. To address the claim of voter transfer, the NPP highlighted that the Electoral Commission only requires a Parliamentary Candidate to make a Statutory Declaration confirming their status as a registered voter, as outlined in the Parliamentary Nominations Form 2023. This process aligns with constitutional provisions and does not involve any illegal activities. The NPP concluded by assuring Ghanaians, particularly the people of Assin North, of its unwavering commitment to upholding and defending the 1992 Constitution. The upcoming Assin North by-election has garnered significant attention, with both major political parties, NPP and NDC, vying for victory. The NPPs response to the NDCs allegations seeks to clarify its position and dispel any doubts regarding its adherence to democratic principles and electoral laws. As the election date draws closer, the political landscape in Assin North remains dynamic, with the NPP focused on selecting a qualified and capable candidate to represent the constituency, while the NDC continues its campaign efforts. The outcome of the by-election will undoubtedly shape the political landscape in the constituency and contribute to the larger narrative of Ghanas democratic process. 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 Samuel Koku Anyidoho, the former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, has alleged that James Gyakye Quayson, the party's 2020 parliamentary candidate for Assin North, was disqualified from contesting in the party's primaries on multiple occasions. According to Koku, Gyakye Quayson was disqualified from contesting in the NDC's primaries in both 2012 and 2016 due to his possession of Canadian citizenship. "Back to Gyakye Quayson, so in 2012 at the Central Region, Gyakye Quayson was disqualified at the vetting when Allotey Jacobs was then the propaganda secretary, and lawyer Adu Yeboah was the chairman. In 2016, Allotey became the chairman, and they still disqualified Gyakye Quayson for the same dual citizenship. Even in 2020, per my information and don't forget that in 2016 I was deputy general secretary my information is that in 2020 he was still disqualified at the regional level. So there is a history, there is a trend," alleged Koku while speaking on Atinka TV's The Agenda program. Koku Anyidoho's revelation comes in the wake of a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Ghana, which declared Gyakye Quayson's election as a Member of Parliament in 2020 as unconstitutional, null, and void. According to the Supreme Court, Gyakye Quayson held Canadian citizenship at the time of filing his nomination as the NDC's parliamentary candidate in 2020. The court's ruling led the Clerk of Parliament to declare the Assin North seat vacant. Subsequently, the Electoral Commission has scheduled a by-election in Assin North for June 27, 2023, following the declaration by the Clerk. Meanwhile, the NDC has stated its intention to re-present Gyakye Quayson as its candidate for the upcoming election, despite a criminal process brought against him in relation to his 2020 election contest. 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 In a surprising move, two members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Karaga constituency are cashing in on the opening of nomination for the partys flagbearership race. The two party officers have in a dramatic move endorsed Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Francis Addai-Nimoh for the NPP flagbearer position at the same time. The two officials, Mohammed Bawa, Research Officer, and Abdulai Shahadu, Nasara Coordinator, met with Dr. Akoto and expressed their support for his candidature. Dr. Akoto was elated by the endorsement and thanked the two officials for their confidence in his vision for Ghanas agriculture sector. Not stopping there, the two officials also met with Addai-Nimoh at a separate time, and endorsed his candidacy as well. The officials are set to meet with another aspirant to endorse his campaign. This floating endorsement has left many party members wondering about the true motivations behind the decision. However, Dr. Akoto has taken the opportunity to publicly thank the officials for their endorsement and encourage them to work hard to bring like-minded individuals into the fold. Dr. Akoto believes that with his vision for the agriculture sector, he can break the cycle of eight-year governance and transform Ghanas economy. But in the midst of this contest, the floating endorsement of Dr. Akoto and Addai-Nimoh by two NPP officials in Karaga constituency has raised eyebrows and sparked concerns about the integrity of some party members. It casts a shadow on their commitment to the partys values and principles, as well as their ability to make sound judgments. It is time for the NPP to address this issue and ensure that such incidents do not repeat themselves. The future of Ghanas economy and politics depends on the leaders that the NPP chooses, and they must choose wisely. The time for action is now, and party officials must act swiftly to address this situation and restore confidence in the party. Ghana deserves leaders who are honest, transparent, and committed to the welfare of the Ghanaian people. This floating endorsement raises questions about the integrity and loyalty of these officials within the NPP. The NPP has always prided itself on its transparency and accountability. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the motivations behind the endorsement and hold those involved accountable for their actions. The NPP cannot afford to have officials who engage in such underhanded tactics for personal gain. Furthermore, this incident highlights the need for the NPP to ensure that its leadership reflects the values of the party. The party needs leaders who are committed to the welfare of the nation and the people of Ghana. It is time for the NPP to choose a candidate who can deliver on their promises and transform Ghanas economy. This endorsement has caused a stir within the NPP ranks and has left many members wondering about the direction of their party. It is time for the NPP to address this issue head-on and ensure that such incidents do not repeat themselves in the future. The NPP needs leaders who are committed to the partys principles and values, and who have the integrity and honesty to lead Ghana into a brighter future. The question remains: Are these officials the right fit for the NPP, or do they represent a threat to the partys integrity and credibility? As the NPP moves forward towards the flagbearer contest, these questions need to be addressed, and the truth behind this endorsement revealed. The future of Ghanas economy and politics hinges on the decisions made by the NPP, and the party must ensure that its leaders are up to the task at hand. As the NPP prepares for its flagbearer contest, many are eagerly watching to see who will come out on top. With support from unexpected sources, each candidate is pushing hard to win the NPP nomination and lead the party into the future. Source: Vincent Kubi/Daily Duide 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 Head of Communications of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagba has appealed to Ghanaians not to lose faith in the Akufo-Addo administration. According to him, the government is on track to creating more jobs for the youth to prevent them from engaging in social vices as drug addiction and drug trafficking. He was speaking on the disturbing emergence of some youth going into narcotics trade. Richard Ahiagba was worried about this trend but strongly believed the youth will adopt proper behaviors when there are jobs for them. To him, many young people whose lives have been destroyed by hard drugs is because they were unemployed. The NPP National Communications Director, speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' show, implored the youth to "continue supporting this government for its vision to tackle the biggest problem that Ghana has with youth unemployment". 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 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) The Philippines and Israel signed a deal on environmental protection on Monday, where the countries' top diplomats also discussed the need to expand ties on various issues including defense, security, and trade. The memorandum of understanding signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Israeli Foreign Minister Eliyahu Cohen will provide opportunities to share best practices in environment-related issues, ecosystem preservation, disaster risk management, and promotion of environmental technologies. "We believe that close cooperation in the field of environmental protection can provide an important contribution to the friendly relations between our two states and to help in addressing issues of sustainability, climate change and help protect our planet," Cohen said. Cohen said Tel Aviv is committed to assist and share knowledge with Manila on agriculture, water, and innovation and technology. Israel also said it will discuss with the Philippines its "close collaboration" in defense and the further enhancement of the partnership. "Israel has a lot of experience and proven systems and technologies that could assist the Philippines in maintaining peace and security," Cohen said. WATCH: PH Navy christens two patrol gunboats from Israel "In the context of the geopolitical environment in the Middle East and Asia, the Philippine side emphasized the importance of promoting peace and stability, as well as confidence-building with key partners in these regions," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a press release. The dialogue also highlighted the need to boost economic and trade ties. Cohen said Israel is looking at agriculture productivity, food security, cyber security and digitalization. "The trade figures this year show it was a record year, more than half a billion dollars," the Israeli foreign minister said. "I call the two governments to try to double it by next year to $1 billion." According to Israel's Economic & Commercial Mission to the Philippines, 2022 was a "track record year for Israel-Philippines bilateral trade, with an impressive 70% year-over-year growth rate." It added that machinery and electronic equipment were the top exported goods from Tel Aviv to Manila. https://itrade.gov.il/philippines/2023/05/11/israel-philippines-bilateral-trade/ "Our dialogue allows us to discuss the whole range of bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and Asia, set the direction of our partnerships, and find ways to deepen and strengthen our engagement," Manalo said. CNN Philippines correspondent Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report. Zanetor Rawlings, the daughter of former President Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings has asked the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to cleanse itself of any lingering "demons" to secure victory in the upcoming 2024 elections. Delivering a passionate address at a church in Cape Coast on June 3 to mark the commencement of the 44th-anniversary commemoration of the June 4 Revolution, Zanetor Rawlings, who is a lawmaker, emphasized the need for the NDC, which she described as the product of the revolution, to undergo a thorough self-examination. She stressed that the party must rid itself of any negative influences that may have crept in unnoticed over time. "If the NDC is to rescue this country come 2024, then we must clear ourselves from any demon that entered while we were not paying attention," Zanetor Rawlings declared, urging her party members to reflect on their actions and align themselves with the principles of the June 4 Uprising. The June 4 Revolution, also known as the June 4th Uprising, was sparked by the arrest and trial of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and other junior military officers by the leadership of the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II). The former president and his colleagues were charged with mutiny following a failed coup attempt on May 15, 1979. In his defence during the trial, Jerry John Rawlings cited various reasons for the unsuccessful coup. He highlighted the denial of salaries to junior military officers, rampant corruption among Supreme Military Council officials, poor governance, economic hardships, and general frustration among the populace. Additionally, he pointed out the prevalence of indiscipline within the Ghana Army as a significant contributing factor to the uprising. Zanetor Rawlings' call for the NDC to rid itself of any demons echoes the spirit of the June 4 Revolution, which sought to address these issues and bring about positive change in the party. 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 Counsellor Cyril George Carstensen Lutterodt has given men the green light to have sex with women in their menstruation cycle. According to the vociferous counsellor, there is nothing wrong with having sex with a woman in her menses. "Scientifically, there are people that they ovulate during menstruation," he said this during UTV's "United Showbiz" on Saturday and asked "if you are married to a woman who bleeds and ovulates, will you deny her of getting pregnant?" He vehemently maintained that "there is nothing wrong in having sex with anybody who is bleeding" and that the "only discomfort is because you will soil the bed". To him, men abstain from having sexual intercourse with women having their period due to "fear and panic" but encouraged them to "have that confidence, the courage to do it". He stressed; "There are too much benefits and there's too much pleasure, too much excitement." View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@utvghana) 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 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: Barnes removes a newly printed 3D model and its scaffolding (connecting the printed bone to the platform) from the printers build platform (black). Once removed from the platform, the bone model is detached from the scaffolding. Credit: Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences When you walk into a veterinarian's office, you expect to see photos of furry friends, anatomy charts, and a computer upon which your doctor will make notes about your pet. When you walk into Dr. Kate Barnes' office, you see all of this with a futuristic touch of 3D printers. A clinical associate professor at Texas A&M University's School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) who specializes in small animal orthopedics, Barnes devotes her research and clinical practice at the VMBS' Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH) to the cutting edge by defining 3D printing's role in health care and implementing mobility assessment technology into veterinary medicine as part of the Gait Lab. Veterinary medicine in 3D Using the 3D printers in Barnes' office to print biocompatible materials puts the VMBS on the cusp of further developing veterinary medicine. While 3D models are more common in human medicine to create custom-fit replacement parts and medical devices, Barnes said the practice of using 3D printed surgical guides is still in the developmental phases in veterinary medicine. Of particular interest to Barnes is working to implement 3D models into her operative protocols, both in the planning phase of surgery and during the actual procedure. "We can do a couple things with the 3D printers," she said. "One is that we can look at the bones with our 3D software and do some virtual surgical planning; it is a little easier to assess some of the limbs and bones when you're looking at them in 3D. We also can actually print out the models so that we can assess deformities and fractures during the process of planning surgeries, and we can practice those surgeries using the models." One of the most common issues Barnes and her team treat in dogs, and occasionally cats, using printed 3D models is angular limb deformities, a condition in which the limb is not straight. Angular limb deformities can be the result of trauma or improper growth and are commonly treated surgically by making cuts in the animal's bone, which allows the deformed limb to be accurately realigned. To ensure the cut is accurate and efficient, SATH orthopedic surgeons can print 3D surgical guides, which are tailor-made templates developed using special software during the surgical planning stage. Once guides are printed, they are attached to a bone during surgery, showing the surgeon exactly where and at what angle to cut to correct a deformity. Guides are beneficial because they are customized to the exact size and shape of each individual patient. "If you have everything already mapped out, the use of surgical guides decreases the surgical time, which decreases the risk for things like infection," Barnes said. "If you're free handing the procedure (without a guide), there's also a little bit more of a tendency to be less accurate. "So, guides help with the timing in surgery, help with the accuracy in surgery, and help shorten the time that a dog is under anesthesia," she said. One of the current challenges of moving 3D printing more mainstream is the high price faced by veterinarians interested in developing their own models and guides, which includes the cost of the software, printers, and the biocompatible materials that are safe to use on living organisms. Fortunately, because the rewards outweigh the cost of the equipment, these resources are available at Texas A&M for use with veterinary patients and treatments are offered at a price that is accessible to owners, Barnes said. Mobilizing the future of mobility In addition to 3D printing, Barnes, along with other researchers at the SATH, are helping dogs improve their mobility in the new Gait Lab. Barnes' work in the Gait Lab is unique, both furthering research and putting the use of motion-tracking technology into medical practice. The VMBS is one of the only veterinary schools and the SATH is one of the only veterinary practices with access to this technology, which performs two different kinds of assessments. The first is called kinematic assessment, which allows VMBS researchers to examine joint and limb movement using small reflective balls. Barnes compares this technology, which they're currently only using for research purposes, to that used to create CGI effects in movies. "It's the same type of technology," she said. "We can put small reflective balls on the dogs as they walk, and we have cameras that pick up their movement so we can analyze it." The second type of assessment, called kinetic assessment, uses plates to determine how much weight a dog is bearing on each leg. VMBS clinicians have used this tool both with the SATH's orthopedic patients and in many research projects. The results produced in the Gait Lab enable researchers to monitor a dog's joint motion or even detect subtle lameness. If a dog is favoring one leg due to pain, the new technology allows Barnes and her team to see this in the data points. The data gathered in the Gait Lab allows Barnes and her fellow researchers to quantitatively monitor a dog's mobility. Prior to using this technology, most postoperative mobility data was subjective, relying on the researcher and pet owner's perspective to monitor a dog's progress. "During a dog's recovery, the placebo effect occurs in owners and veterinarians," Barnes shared. "When we do treatments on animals, people want to believe that they're getting better. "The Gait Lab is great because it gives us an objective number for how much weight a dog is bearing on their leg, instead of having to rely on just, "I think it looks pretty good." It helps us track them over time and really be able to tell the impact of what we've done for them," she said. Because the kinetic assessment technology used with patients in the Gait Lab is not typically available at private veterinary practices, Texas A&M is one of the only places in the state where patients can experience its benefit; as such, the SATH and the work being conducted in the Gait Lab have the potential to make a large impact on veterinary medicine. The forefront of veterinary medicine Texas A&M continues to move veterinary research into the future by empowering work like Barnes' research in 3D printing and the Gait Lab. These technologies are still relatively new in terms of veterinary surgical technology, and Barnes is one of few practitioners dedicating her career to their advancement. "They're a little bit more common in human medicine. It's something that is becoming more available in veterinary medicine, but it's often more time consuming," she said. "There are other universities that do it, but it's definitely something that's still up and coming." Barnes is also helping ensure that these technologies will grow in the future by passing on her knowledge and experiences to students. "I do a lecture on 3D printing in angular limb deformities," she said. "Students will usually look at the models together, look at the guides if we have them, and talk about the deformity and what things we're going to do to correct it." Because of Barnes' work, as well as other innovations in research and patient care being explored at Texas A&M, the SATH will be home to many exciting breakthroughs in the coming years. As Barnes continues to help pioneer this movement, she looks to the future with excitement. "It's coming out more and more in veterinary medicine, so hopefully we'll get the opportunities to use it even more," she said. "If you know any cases, any dogs with crooked legs, send them over. We'd be happy to see them." 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 firefighter sprays the ground as a water bomber flies by in Barrington Lake, Canada on June 1, 2023. Canada is facing a dire wildfire situation through the coming months, officials warned on Monday after vast swaths of forests and grasslands from its Pacific to Atlantic coasts have been scorched. Some 26,000 people remain displaced by fires at present, with about 120,000 having had to flee at some point over the past month. From westernmost British Columbia to Nova Scotia on the east coast, about 3.3 million hectares (8.2 million acres) have burned so far. "Our modeling shows that this may be an especially severe wildfire season throughout the summer," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference. Officials pointed to especially hot, dry conditions in recent months that are forecast to persist through August. If the current trajectory continues, said Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, "it very well could be... Canada's most severe fire season ever," with fires having already burned 10 times the historic average area. "Every province and territory will need to be on high alert throughout this wildfire season," he added. Currently, 413 wildfires are burning across Canada, including 249 listed as out of control. And three provincesAlberta, Nova Scotia and Quebechave asked for federal assistance. A helicopter drops water on a hotspot as an excavator makes a fire break at Canada's Tantallon wildfire on June 1, 2023. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said the country has seen "some of the most severe (fires) ever witnessed in Canada," and should brace for "continued higher than normal fire activity." Wilkinson said wildfire risks are likely to "increase in June and remain unusually high throughout the summer across the country. It shows us that this year's already devastating season could well get worse." Canada has been hit repeatedly by extreme weather in recent years, the intensity and frequency of which have increased due to global warming. After major flareups in the west of the country in May, notably in the prairie provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, firefighting shifted in recent weeks to Nova Scotia in the east, and more recently to Quebec. A fire that threatened suburbs of Halifax, the largest city in Nova Scotia, was contained over the weekend with rains and cooler weather helping firefighting efforts. Some evacuated residents were allowed to return home. In Quebec, the tiny town of Clova was abandoned in the face of advancing blazes, forcing its three dozen inhabitants to flee. About 10,000 residents of Sept Iles also remain under an evacuation order. With resources increasingly strained, Ottawa has sent in the military to help in hotspots. About 1,000 firefighters from Australia, France, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States also arrived or were en route to bolster firefighting efforts. 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: Graphical abstract. Credit: Current Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.013 How do today's Indigenous communities of South America trace back to the history of human migration and contact in the continent? An international team has worked to reconstruct the legacy of Chile's largest Indigenous community, the Mapuche, in a quest to strengthen their representation in the history of the continent. It appears the Mapuche long lived in relative isolation but do bear some influences from other populations of the Central Andes and the far south of Chile. South America was the last continent to be settled by humans. The first migrants moved in rapidly from North to South America in the Late Pleistocene, around 15,000 years ago, as testified by early traces of human presence in what today is central-southern Chile. Human migrations brought in multiple ancestry streams, but how they interacted and the exact routes they took are not well resolved. A new international study sheds light on those missing links, starting out by contextualizing present-day Indigenous ancestries, and highlighting the depth of their pre-Hispanic roots in the Americas. Genetic origins in the Southern Andes A research team led by the University of Zurich (UZH), in collaboration with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, studied the genetic ancestry of the Mapuche in concert with linguistic, archaeological and historical data. "We compared the genetic profile of participants of Mapuche descent against data from many other populations of the Americas, including ancient DNA from archaeological excavations," says Epifania Arango-Isaza, a Ph.D. student at UZH who conducted the study. The genetic ancestry of the Mapuche is typical of the Southern Cone, the southernmost part of the continent, which so far has been underrepresented in genetic and historical studies. Other major genetic ancestries in South America include one found mostly in the Central Andes and another mostly in Amazonia. "The ancestors of the Mapuche separated from inhabitants of the Far South over 4,000 years ago and did not meet with later migration streams from the north that reached the Central Andes and parts of Amazonia," says the first author. Relationships within the Andes and the South The Andes form the world's longest mountain range. European ethnographers once tended to conceive of the Andes as a homogeneous and inter-related cultural unit. However, past relationships between populations of the Andes now appear more nuanced. Chiara Barbieri, lead author of the study at UZH, says, "We see that distinctive Mapuche lineages originated locally and have remained in relative isolation. This general isolation is punctuated by episodes of contact with other South American populations over the last millennium or so." Paul Heggarty, a linguist based at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology during this study, adds, "The main genetic link is to the Central Andes, mirroring how domesticated crops like the potato also spread south, as did a handful of loanwords borrowed from Quechua into Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuche." This contact may date back to before contact with the Inca Empire. Other specific connections point southwards, to the southernmost tip of the Andes. "We found that different Mapuche territorial identitiesPehuenche from the Andes, Lafkenche on the coast, and Huilliche from the island of Chiloeare related to each other, but the Huilliche still bear traces of genetic contact with the Far South. This may be a signature of genetic structure originating in other groups known as the Chono, who once inhabited Chiloe," explains Kentaro Shimizu, professor of genetics and director of the "University Research Priority Program in Evolution in Action" at UZH. Participation of Indigenous and local communities The study was developed through direct exchange with the participants. "Traditional stories and reports relate a profound legacy of Mapuche culture in the region. Our work has value for the participants in how they feel represented," says Maria Jose Aninao, a Mapuche linguist and co-author of the study. Chiara Barbieri concludes, "We also recorded the process of discussing the results with participants and cultural representatives in a documentary that is now ready to be distributed. In it we seek to explain the complexity of Indigenous identities today, from conversations with people in Chile who had Mapuche ancestors or indeed self-identify as Mapuche." The work is published in the journal Current Biology. 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 compensation that could be paid by the top five over emitting countries - and the compensation received by the top five low emitting countries. Credit: Dr Andrew Fanning Industrialized nations responsible for excessive levels of carbon dioxide emissions could be liable to pay a total of $170 trillion in compensation or reparations by 2050 to ensure climate change targets are met, say researchers. This money, which amounts to nearly $6 trillion per year or about 7% of annual global gross domestic product (GDP), would be distributed as compensation to low-emitting countries that must decarbonize their economies far more rapidly than would otherwise be required. Financial redress for the losses and damages that climate-vulnerable countries face due to the excessive CO 2 emissions of others is seen as an increasingly important part of international climate change negotiations. Delegates at the COP 27 talks in Egypt last year agreed to establish a Loss and Damage Fund for countries affected by climate change. Researchersled by an academic at the University of Leedshave published in the journal Nature Sustainability a major study into how an evidence-based compensation scheme could work across nearly 170 countries. They have also developed an interactive website which allows people to explore which countries could be entitled to receive compensation and how much, and which countries could be liable to pay. (Until the embargo lifts, the password to access the website is: compensation2023) It is the first scheme where countries historically responsible for excessive CO 2 emissions are held liable to fund compensation. The study was led by Dr. Andrew Fanning, Visiting Research Fellow in the Sustainability Research Institute at the University of Leeds, and Research & Data Analysis Lead at the Doughnut Economics Action Lab in Oxford. He said, "For the world to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, all countries must urgently stop burning fossil fuels and other activities that emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But not all countries have contributed equally to this problem." "It is a matter of climate justice that if we are asking nations to rapidly decarbonize their economies, even though they hold no responsibility for the excess emissions that are destabilizing the climate, then they should be compensated for this unfair burden." Levels of compensation According to the study, the UK could be liable to pay $7.7 trillion for excessive CO 2 emissions over the period to 2050that is equivalent to an annual payment of nearly $3,500 per capita each year until 2050. The US could be liable to pay $80 trillion over the period or an annual per capita payment of more than $7,200 until 2050. India historically has been a low carbon emitter and could be entitled to receive compensation of $57 trillion, or nearly $1,200 per capita each year until 2050. Evidence-based system for assessing losses The compensation system is based on the idea that the atmosphere is a commons, a natural resource for everyone to use equitably and sustainably. To set a monetary value on the losses incurred by low-carbon emitting countries, the researchers first obtained the most recent remaining global 'carbon budgets' estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). A carbon budget represents how much carbon could be released into the atmosphere to achieve a given climate target, such as keeping global warming to 1.5 Celsius. Starting from 1960, that carbon budget is equivalent to 1.8 trillion tons of CO 2 . The researchers then calculated an equality-based "fair share" of that total carbon budget for 168 countries, based on population size. They compared each country's fair share allocation against how much CO 2 that country has released historically from 1960, together with an ambitious scenario where it decarbonises from current levels to 'net zero' by 2050. Some countries were within their fair share allocation, while others, most notably the industrialized nations of the global North, have already significantly overshot their allocationin effect, appropriating other countries' fair shares of the atmospheric commons. For example, the UK has used 2.5 times its fair shareand the US has used more than four times its fair share. India, on the other hand, has used just under one quarter of its fair share. Pricing the losses faced by low-emitting countries Using carbon prices from the latest IPCC scenarios, the researchers were able to put a monetary value on each country's excess emissions in a world that respects the 1.5C climate target. That total figure was $192 trillion (within a range of between $141 trillion and $298 trillion), with the global North responsible for 89%, or $170 trillion, and the remainder from high-emitting countries in the global South, especially the oil-producing states, such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Under the scheme, that money would be divided among the low carbon-emitting countries based on how much of their fair share allocation they would lose. Dr. Fanning said, "We find 55 countries would sacrifice more than 75% of their fair shares, including most of sub-Saharan Africa and India. Our results show this group of low-emitting countries would be entitled to receive an average compensation of $1,160 per capita per year, in a world that keeps global warming below 1.5 degrees." "Meanwhile, countries that would have less of their fair shares appropriated would likewise be entitled to less compensation. We find 13 countries that would sacrifice less than 25% of their fair shares under our net zero scenario, including China, which would be entitled to receive $280 per capita per year, on average." 'Atmospheric colonization' Professor Jason Hickel, from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and co-author of the study, said, "Climate change reflects clear patterns of atmospheric colonization." "Social movements and negotiators from the global South have long argued that countries that have produced excessive emissions owe compensation or reparations for climate-related damages, which fall disproportionately on poorer countries that have contributed little or nothing to the crisis." "Our study focuses only on compensation that is owed for atmospheric appropriation, and this should be considered additional to broader questions about the costs of transition, adaptation and damages." "We must also pay attention to large class inequalities within nations. Responsibility for excess emissions is largely held by the wealthy classes who have very high consumption and who wield disproportionate power over production and national policy. They are the ones who must bear the costs of compensation." 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: Carnegies Phillip Cleves scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Cleves uses cutting-edge biology techniques to better understand the risks coral face due to climate change. Credit: Amanda Tinoco. New work led by Carnegie's Phillip Cleves uses cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools to reveal a gene that's critical to stony corals' ability to build their reef architectures. It is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Stony corals are marine invertebrates that build large skeletons, which form the basis of reef ecosystems. These biodiversity hotspots are home to about a quarter of known marine species. "Coral reefs have tremendous ecological value," said Cleves. "But they are in decline due to human activity. Carbon pollution that we spew into the air is both warming oceanscausing fatal bleaching eventsand altering seawater chemistryresulting in ocean acidification that impedes reef growth." Over time, the excess carbon dioxide released into our atmosphere by burning fossil fuels is taken up into the ocean, where it reacts with the water to form an acid that is corrosive to coral, shellfish, and other marine organisms. Stony corals are vulnerable to ocean acidification because they construct their skeletons by the accretion of calcium carbonate, a process called calcification, which becomes increasingly difficult as the surrounding water's pH decreases. Because of the importance of coral skeleton formation in building reefs, a major research focus has been to understand the genes controlling the process and how it has evolved in corals. Carnegies Phillip Cleves examines a juvenile coral under the microscope. In this new paper, his research team revealed that a gene called SLC4 is necessary for young coral colonies to begin building their skeletons. Credit: Navid Marvi, Carnegie Institution for Science. For several years, Cleves' lab has used the Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR/Cas9 technology to identify cellular and molecular processes that could help guide coral conservation and rehabilitation efforts. For example, they previously revealed a gene that is critical to how a coral responds to heat stressinformation that may help predict how corals will handle future bleaching events. Now, his teamincluding Carnegie's Amanda Tinocoused genome editing tools to determine that a particular gene, called SLC4, is required for young coral colonies to begin building their skeletons. The protein it encodes is responsible for transporting bicarbonate across cellular membranes. Interestingly, SLC4 is only present in stony corals, but not in their non-skeleton-forming relatives. Together, these results imply that stony corals used the novel gene, SLC4, to evolve skeleton formation. Carnegies Amanda Tinoco at work in Phillip Cleves lab where researchers use CRISPR/Cas9 technology to identify cellular and molecular processes that could inform coral conservation and restoration efforts. Credit: Navid Marvi, Carnegie Institution for Science. "By applying cutting-edge molecular biology techniques to pressing environmental problems, we can reveal the genes that determine ecologically important traits." Cleves concluded. "In developing these genetic tools to study coral biology, we can greatly improve our understanding of their biology and learn how to mount successful conservation efforts for these fragile communities." Other co-authors on the study include Carnegie's Lorna Mitchison-Field, Jacob Bradford and Dimitri Perrin of Queensland University of Technology, Christian Renicke and John Pringle of Stanford University, and Line Bay of the Australian Institute of Marine Science. More information: Tinoco, Amanda I. et al, Role of the bicarbonate transporter SLC4 in stony-coral skeleton formation and evolution, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2216144120 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 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: This infrared image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was taken for the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey, or JADES, program. It shows a portion of an area of the sky known as GOODS-South, which has been well studied by the Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories. More than 45,000 galaxies are visible here. Credit: Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, Brant Robertson (UC Santa Cruz), Ben Johnson (CfA), Sandro Tacchella (Cambridge), Marcia Rieke (University of Arizona), Daniel Eisenstein (CfA). Image processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Among the most fundamental questions in astronomy is: How did the first stars and galaxies form? NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is already providing new insights into this question. One of the largest programs in Webb's first year of science is the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey, or JADES, which will devote about 32 days of telescope time to uncover and characterize faint, distant galaxies. While the data is still coming in, JADES already has discovered hundreds of galaxies that existed when the universe was less than 600 million years old. The team also has identified galaxies sparkling with a multitude of young, hot stars. These results are being reported at the 242nd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Albuquerque, New Mexico. "With JADES, we want to answer a lot of questions, like: How did the earliest galaxies assemble themselves? How fast did they form stars? Why do some galaxies stop forming stars?" said Marcia Rieke of the University of Arizona in Tucson, co-lead of the JADES program. Star factories Ryan Endsley of the University of Texas at Austin led an investigation into galaxies that existed 500 to 850 million years after the Big Bang. This was a crucial time known as the Epoch of Reionization. For hundreds of millions of years after the Big Bang, the universe was filled with a gaseous fog that made it opaque to energetic light. By one billion years after the Big Bang, the fog had cleared and the universe became transparent, a process known as reionization. Scientists have debated whether active, supermassive black holes or galaxies full of hot, young stars were the primary cause of reionization. As part of the JADES program, Endsley and his colleagues studied these galaxies with Webb's NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instrument to look for signatures of star formationand found them in abundance. "Almost every single galaxy that we are finding shows these unusually strong emission line signatures indicating intense recent star formation. These early galaxies were very good at creating hot, massive stars," said Endsley. These bright, massive stars pumped out torrents of ultraviolet light, which transformed surrounding gas from opaque to transparent by ionizing the atoms, removing electrons from their nuclei. Since these early galaxies had such a large population of hot, massive stars, they may have been the main driver of the reionization process. The later reuniting of the electrons and nuclei produces the distinctively strong emission lines. Endsley and his colleagues also found evidence that these young galaxies underwent periods of rapid star formation interspersed with quiet periods where fewer stars formed. These fits and starts may have occurred as galaxies captured clumps of the gaseous raw materials needed to form stars. Alternatively, since massive stars quickly explode, they may have injected energy into the surrounding environment periodically, preventing gas from condensing to form new stars. The early universe revealed Another element of the JADES program involves the search for the earliest galaxies that existed when the universe was less than 400 million years old. By studying these galaxies, astronomers can explore how star formation in the early years after the Big Bang was different from what is seen in current times. The light from faraway galaxies is stretched to longer wavelengths and redder colors by the expansion of the universea phenomenon called redshift. By measuring a galaxy's redshift, astronomers can learn how far away it is, and therefore, when it existed in the early universe. Before Webb, there were only a few dozen galaxies observed above a redshift of 8, when the universe was younger than 650 million years old, but JADES has now uncovered nearly a thousand of these extremely distant galaxies. The gold standard for determining redshift involves looking at a galaxy's spectrum, which measures its brightness at myriad closely spaced wavelengths. But a good approximation can be determined by taking photos of a galaxy using filters that each cover a narrow band of colors to get a handful of brightness measurements. In this way, researchers can determine estimates for the distances of many thousands of galaxies at once. Kevin Hainline of the University of Arizona in Tucson and his colleagues used Webb's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument to obtain these measurements, called photometric redshifts, and identified more than 700 candidate galaxies that existed when the universe was between 370 million and 650 million years old. The sheer number of these galaxies was far beyond predictions from observations made before Webb's launch. The observatory's exquisite resolution and sensitivity are allowing astronomers to get a better view of these distant galaxies than ever before. "Previously, the earliest galaxies we could see just looked like little smudges. And yet those smudges represent millions or even billions of stars at the beginning of the universe," said Hainline. "Now, we can see that some of them are actually extended objects with visible structure. We can see groupings of stars being born only a few hundred million years after the beginning of time." "We're finding star formation in the early universe is much more complicated than we thought," added Rieke. 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: Guillermo "Willy" Prado and graduate student Alyssa Lozano developed a program to help Hispanic youth who identify as sexual minorities. Credit: Alyssa Lozano/University of Miami Coming out to your parents can be a difficult and sensitive process for a person at any age. But for Hispanic teens, sharing that information can become even more challenging. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicate that Hispanic adolescents who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgenderalso known as sexual minoritiesare struggling to share their authentic selves with their families. Figures from the CDC's 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey show that Hispanic teens who consider themselves sexual minorities are more likely to experience symptoms of depression or attempt suicide than their Hispanic heterosexual peers. Hispanic sexual minorities are also more likely to use drugs or alcohol than Hispanic teens who identify as straight. Recognizing these troubling figures, in early 2019, professor of nursing and health studies Guillermo "Willy" Prado and public health graduate student Alyssa Lozano decided they wanted to explore the issue more. Lozano interviewed Hispanic youth who identified as sexual minorities to better understand the process of disclosing their sexual orientation and gender identity to their parents and families. She also wanted to unpack why they were using drugs and getting depressed. Prado was well suited to lead this effort, as much of his research has centered on Hispanic adolescents. With colleagues, he created an intervention more than 20 years ago called "Familias Unidas" to help improve family dynamics and communication among Hispanic parents and their adolescent children. The highly successful program now has been adapted to virtual platforms and is used in several states, as well as in countries like Chile and Ecuador. But Prado had never delved into crafting an intervention for sexual minority youth. "We tried to understand why these kids were using substances and getting depressed and a lot of it came down to the stigma they still experienced," said Prado, who is also dean of the University of Miami Graduate School, the University's vice provost for faculty affairs, and holds faculty appointments in nursing and health studies, public health sciences, and psychology. "We also saw that drug use and depression were higher among teens who reported that their disclosure process was not a positive one." Armed with this information, Prado, Lozano, and their colleagues, set out to design a new intervention called "Familias con Orgullo," or Families with Pride, which aimed to counteract the harmful implications of coming out on Hispanic youth who identify as sexual minorities. They asked Maria Tapia, a senior research associate, and Yannine Estrada, research assistant professor at the School of Nursing and Health Studieswho implemented Familias Unidasto collaborate with them. While Familias con Orgullo takes some cues from Familias Unidas, it is vastly different, Prado noted. A pilot study of Familias con Orgullo began in late 2019 with 30 local families in three cohorts. "This is a population where there is so much need," said Prado. "We want to be able to prevent and reduce drug use, as well as to reduce rates of depression, and to improve family dynamics to help youth and parents navigate this coming out process." After the pilot, many of the families involved reported improved communication overall, and most teen participants said their mental health had improved, according to Lozano. Prado and his team plan to expand the program during the next five years, building upon the initial pilot study. Starting this fall, they hope to recruit 306 Hispanic families from across South Florida with teens who recently have divulged their sexual orientation to one of their primary caregivers. "Long-term, assuming the results are positive, I would like to see this programmuch like Familias Unidasimplemented and accepted across the United States as a standard of care for Hispanic sexual minority youth who have recently disclosed to their parents," Prado said. "These parents are at different stages of acceptance, so a key goal is to increase that level of acceptance, regardless of where the parents are on that continuum." Familias Con Orgullo is a 12-week program that includes parent-only group sessions, child-only group sessions, and individualized parent-child sessions. For some youth in the pilot, Lozano said, it was helpful for them to be among peers. Lozano remains in touch with many of the youth participants from the pilot and marvels at how their lives changed afterward. One former participant, Javier Gomez, even spoke at the White House last spring when President Joseph Biden signed an executive order advancing equality for LGTBQ+ individuals. Lozano looks forward to working with more Hispanic families in the fall. "I was able to learn so much about the challenges these youth face and how resilient they are, which is so inspiring to me," said Lozano, who graduates this summer and will join the School of Nursing and Health Studies as a research assistant professor in the fall. "I want to continue to focus on this population because these kids were so open and candid about what they went throughno literature review could give that level of detail. And it's really important to be doing this work right now." More information: Alyssa Lozano et al, Development of a family-based preventive intervention for Latinx sexual minority youth and their parents., Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology (2021). DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000506 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 summer's worth of missed opportunities to harvest light can cost cornfields, and those who farm them, a sizable portion of the potential harvests they yield in the fall. New findings from Nebraska's Kasia Glowacka and colleagues could help change that. Credit: Shutterstock / Kasia Glowacka / Scott Schrage Awash in a rowed sea of its brethren, a corn leaf relegated to the lowest rung of its stem spends much of a June afternoon doused in shade cast by the higher-ups. Then a gust begins pushing, pulling and twisting the waxy wings in concert, cracking a window to the fireball roiling 93 million miles away. It's a prime, precious opportunity for photosynthesis to transform the sunlight into food. Unfortunately, the photosynthetic equivalent of a surge protectorone evolved to help plants mitigate damage driven by sudden spikes of high-intensity lightis slow to reset after so much time in the shade. The gust dissipates, the moment gone before the leaf and its cellular kitchen can take advantage. A summer's worth of those minute but missed opportunities to harvest light can cost cornfields, and those who farm them, a sizable portion of the potential harvests they yield in the fall. By recently identifying and measuring the influence of new genes that regulate the surge protector, the University of NebraskaLincoln's Kasia Glowacka and colleagues could help increase those yields by upward of 20%. Which isn't to downplay the importance of the safeguard, which goes by the name of non-photochemical quenching, or NPQ, and can transform light to heat whenever a plant absorbs more of the former than it can put toward photosynthesis. A failure to cut the biochemical circuit, after all, can lead to a toxic buildup of ultra-reactive oxygen that damages DNA and can even kill a cell. But the safety measure has a downside: The slower it is to relax and resume letting the absorbed light fuel photosynthesis, the more of that energy-granting light it wastes. "When you think from the perspective of a chloroplast in a plant cell, life is really difficult," said Glowacka, assistant professor of biochemistry at Nebraska. "Every few seconds, the environment is changing." In 2016, Glowacka contributed to a study showing that cranking up the activity of three particular genes allowed tobacco plants to switch NPQ on and off at a much faster pace, granting it both better protection and more efficient photosynthesis. That tobacco, in turn, produced leaves roughly 20% larger, with simulations suggesting that even greater gains might be possible. Follow-up research found that the same technique could generate similar benefits in soybeannot just for leaves, but the beans, too. But tobacco and soybean employ a different form of photosynthesis than corn, sorghum, sugarcane and several other crops better suited to hot and dry conditionscrops whose yields must increase to help feed the 10 billion people expected to populate the globe by 2050. Glowacka wondered whether the genes that coded for NPQ activity in one might play that same role in the other. Even if they did, Glowacka and Nebraska's James Schnable figured there must be other genes aiding a process as complex as NPQ. They were right. Their discovery began with toiling in the fields during the summers of 2020 and 2021, when the team planted more than 700 genetically different lines of corn at the Havelock Research Farm in northeast Lincoln. Glowacka's plan: look for differences in NPQ performance among the lines, then try to tease out which genes were ultimately responsible for those differences. Still, the existing methods for measuring NPQ, Glowacka knew, were expensive and time-consuming. More than that, they struggled to flatten out daily disparities in each line's exposure to light, potentially spoiling the validity of any findings. James Schnable picks up boxes of seed envelopes at Havelock Research Farm. Credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Rather than settle, Glowacka developed her own method. The team used a modified hole-punch to extract tiny samples from the leaves of every line in the field. Back in the lab, the researchers gave the tissue samples nearly a day to adapt to the dark, eventually measuring their fluorescencea proxy for photosynthesis and NPQbefore and after exposing them to flashes of light. Instead of measuring one sample every 20 minutes, the team was able to handle 96 samples over that same span. The researchers found that the speed and magnitude of NPQ responses varied widely among the lines, a fact that helped ease the search for any new genes potentially driving that variation in corn. A comparison of the lines' genetic code, cross-referenced against the differences in NPQ performance, eventually revealed six promising gene candidates. Several of those candidates were already familiar to the team. Others were notincluding one called PSI3, which introduced more of that variation than any other candidate. After identifying counterparts of those six genes in Arabidopsis, a flowering plant commonly used to study plant biology, the team proceeded to order mutants: Arabidopsis seeds each lacking one of the six genes. In all six of the mutants, the surge protector was generally sluggish to respond under the lights but also slower to relax when the lights were turned out. The NPQ peaks were typically lower, too, and the troughs higher, suggesting that the plants both buffered less against surges and squandered more of the light available for photosynthesis. The identification of those genes, combined with the amount of natural NPQ variation across lines of corn, could open the way to breeding plants far better at capitalizing on yield-boosting sunlight, the researchers said. In the best case, Schnable said, those efforts might come to bear fruit in as little as a half-dozen years. If they do, the results could prove a boon for crop breeders now investigating every and all possibilities to preclude global food shortages in the coming decades. "We can gain 22% of that yield from the crops, potentially, if we were to speed up the NPQ," Glowacka said. Given that the researchers kicked off the study early in 2020, their attempts to help stem an impending global crisis meant dealing with a contemporary one. Two of the team's members, Seema Sahay and Marcin Grzybowski, had only recently arrived in the United Statesrecently enough that neither had yet gotten a driver's license. Prior to COVID-19, the two would have hitched rides out to the Havelock Research Farm. University protocols designed to slow the spread of the virus, though, temporarily put that option on hold. Undeterred, Sahay and Grzybowski regularly resorted to biking roughly seven miles out to the research farma 30-plus-minute trek amid the heat and humidity of a Nebraska summer. "Seema and Marcin," Glowacka said, "are the real heroes of this experiment." The study is published in the journal New Phytologist. More information: Seema Sahay et al, Genetic control of photoprotection and photosystem II operating efficiency in plants, New Phytologist (2023). DOI: 10.1111/nph.18980 Journal information: New Phytologist (CNN) President Joe Biden will at some point meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, as the two countries work to reset normal relations amid what has been an extremely tumultuous and tense year in the relationship. We will, I hope, soon see American officials engaging at senior levels with their Chinese counterparts over the coming months to continue that work. And then, at some point, we will see President Biden and President Xi come back together again, Sullivan told CNNs Fareed Zakaria in an interview on GPS that aired Sunday. There is nothing inconsistent with, on the one hand, competing vigorously in important domains on economics and technology, and also ensuring that that competition does not veer into conflict or confrontation. That is the firm conviction of President Biden, Sullivan added. Sullivans remarks come as relations between the worlds two biggest economies remain strained. Chinas defense minister on Sunday accused the United States and its allies of trying to destabilize the Indo-Pacific region just hours after the US had accused a Chinese warship of cutting in front of an American vessel that was taking part in a joint exercise with the Canadian navy in the Taiwan Strait, forcing the American vessel to slow down to avoid a collision. The incident marked the second time in two weeks that Chinese military personnel have engaged in aggressive maneuvers in the vicinity of US military personnel near Chinas border. A Chinese fighter jet conducted an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver during an intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea last week, the US military said Tuesday. Tensions between Washington and Beijing soared in February after a suspected Chinese spy balloon flew over the continental US and was subsequently shot down by the American military. The incident prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned trip to Beijing. While the trip has not yet been rescheduled, the State Department announced Saturday that the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs is traveling to China this week to discuss key issues in the bilateral relationship. Chinas foreign minister, Qin Gang said in May that a series of erroneous words and deeds by the United States had placed relations between the two superpowers on cold ice, but stabilizing ties was a top priority. Amid the US efforts to reengage with China, Sullivan met with top Chinese official Wang Yi in Vienna last month in one of the highest-level engagements between US and Chinese officials since the spy balloon incident. There is a desire, Sullivan said, to put a floor under the relationship in order to more responsibly manage the competition between them. There are a number of different elements to that. But one of the key ones is that as we have intense competition, we also have intense diplomacy, he said. Biden, as recently as mid-May, projected optimism that he would eventually meet with his Chinese counterpart whether its soon or not. The two leaders last met in November at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, for a three-hour conversation that Biden afterward described as open and candid. Ukraine counteroffensive Meanwhile, Sullivan also told Zakaria that the US believes the highly anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive will result in Kyiv taking back strategically significant territory. Exactly how much, in what places, that will be up to developments on the ground as the Ukrainians get this counteroffensive underway, Sullivan said. But we believe that the Ukrainians will meet with success in this counteroffensive. Asked if this meant he expected some form of negotiations by the end of this year, Sullivan wouldnt provide any sort of timetable but said that developments on the battlefield will have a major impact on any future negotiation. But what I will say is this: President Zelensky himself has said that this war will end ultimately through diplomacy, Sullivan said. The Ukrainian military has been spotted moving military hardware toward the front lines of its conflict with Russia and carrying out attacks against Russian targets that could facilitate an offensive, including recent strikes in the Russian-occupied southern port city of Berdiansk. A senior US official confirmed to CNN in May that Ukraine had begun conducting shaping operations in advance of a counteroffensive against Russian forces. Shaping involves striking targets such as weapons depots, command centers and armor and artillery systems to prepare the battlefield for advancing forces. This story was first published on CNN.com. "Biden will at some point meet with Chinas Xi Jinping, top White House official says" This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The ominous mass of seaweed looming in the Atlantic and creeping our way set size records earlier this springit was huge. But last month it actually shrank, according to scientists from the University of South Florida. The belt is supposed to get bigger at this time of year. In fact, this is the first time since studies began in 2011 that the amount of sargassum in the Atlantic in May has decreased. All told, the May seaweed totals were about 15% smaller than those in April, with most of the reduction happening in the eastern Atlantic. Also of note, the May 2023 amounts of seaweed are less dense than those of the past two years. "Sargassum amount in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to decrease in June, which is good news for many coastal residents of Florida," stated USF's Optical Oceanography Laboratory website. The seaweed has been washing up on Florida's east coast beaches for months now, and many feared a summer of stinky beaches. When the seaweed sits in the sun and decomposes, it releases hydrogen sulfide, which can smell like rotten eggs and cause respiratory problems. The USF scientists measure the sargassum belt by combining satellite imagery from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. The imagery reveals where the seaweed is, and how densely it's growing. The seaweed decrease is a bit of a mystery. A USF release said that from March to April, the sargassum quantity in the eastern Atlantic was cut in half, and then cut in half again in May. That means less seaweed on the currents that sweep the stuff east into the Gulf of Mexico, and eventually to us. Despite the good news, there has still been a profound increase in sargassum in the Atlantic, and thus Florida's beaches, compared to the early years of the study, which began in 2011. Why the overall increase? Brian Lapointe, a research professor with Florida Atlantic University, suspects that it may be because the area where sargassum grows has shifted south away from the Sargasso Sea, a massive area off the U.S. southern seaboard, and toward the equator. "We never historically had sargassum growing in that (southern) area until 2011," said Lapointe. "Once it got there, it liked itthere were nutrients to support its growth." Lapointe said that as the seaweed then travels west, it encounters a nutrient-rich plume of ocean water emanating from the Amazon River. The nutrients fuel the microalgae's growth. Starting in 2014, there was a large uptick in nitrogen and phosphate coming out of the Amazon, he said. Other nutrient sources include the Congo River and the Mississippi River. The highest density of seaweed right now is still off the coast of South America, so it will be making its way to Florida over the summer. The release said that "although the quantity will still remain to be relatively high as compared to historical values" the Gulf of Mexico will likely see a decrease of sargassum in June, "which should be good news to the residents along the Florida Keys and east coast of Florida." 2023 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Impact cratering happens on every solid body in the solar system. In fact, it is the dominant process affecting the surfaces on most extraterrestrial bodies today. On Earth, however, such craters are often lost over time by active geological processes, but elsewhere in the solar system there are some truly majestic examples of impact craters preserved for all to see. Here, we pick our highlights of what the solar system has to offer. 1. South PoleAitken basin, the moon Our first crater is a big one: the biggest, deepest and oldest impact crater on the moon. It is 2,500km diameter, 6.2 to 8.2km deep and formed roughly 4.2 billion years ago. As the name suggests, it is at the south pole on the far side of the moon, although the crater rim can be seen from Earth as a dark mountain range, just on the border between the light and dark side of the moon. It is a prime site favored by lunar scientists to visit and learn about our Moon's geology. The depth excavated by the crater is almost as deep as the deepest ocean trenches on Earth. It gives us a unique view of the interior of the moon's crust, with 4.2 billion years of history exposed. In 2019, a rover from the Chinese space agency, Chang'e 4, touched down in the basin and carried out the first scientific experiments there. One of the most interesting of these was the Lunar Micro Ecosystem, a collection of seeds and insect eggs designed to see if life could flourish in a tiny biosphere on the surface. A colour-coded topographical image taken by NASAs Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, showing the South PoleAitken basin in blue. Credit: NASA/Goddard 2. Unnamed Crater (S1094b), Mars There are many famous craters on Mars, from the homes of Mars rovers (Gale Crater for Curiosity or Jezero for Perseverance) to the hypothesized source regions of Mars meteorites (Tooting or Mojave). But one of the newest craters on the red planet is actually quite a dramatic one. While Mars rovers claim all the glory for exploring the Martian surface, the satellites orbiting Mars have been making discoveries of their own for decades. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) was launched in 2005 but is still operational, and its 16+ years of Mars's surface images allow us to make comparisons year on year, highlighting differences between data sets. On Christmas Eve 2021, NASA's InSight mission detected a large "Marsquake" on the red planet, which MRO data later helped to identify as a new impact on the other side of Mars. The vibrant, fresh impact ejecta ("blankets" of material thrown aside by the impact) can be seen clearly from space using the context camera data aboard the orbiter, and thanks to InSight we even know what it sounded like. The impact event on Mars on Christmas Eve 2021. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems/Peter Grindrod, Author provided 3. Enki Catena, Ganymede Enki Catena is a chain crater on Ganymede, one of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter. At latest count, Jupiter has more than 90 moons, a mini planetary system of its own. Jupiter's gravity creates tidal forces which shape the moons and give us some of the most interesting geological features we have yet found, from the volcanoes of Io to the subsurface ocean of Europa. There are also strings of craters found on two of the moons, Callisto and Ganymede. These crater chains were first spotted when the Voyager 1 spacecraft gave us some of the first pictures of the surface of these moons in 1979. They were thought to potentially be collapsed lava tubes, features that have been observed on Mars and the moon. However, their origin remained under debate until the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet was observed as it smashed into Jupiter. The comet was seen breaking into multiple pieces and this gave an idea as to how these chains might formthe gravity from Jupiter pulls apart objects into many pieces that all impact close together. A before-and-after comparison of the location on Marss Amazonis Planitia where a meteoroid impacted on December 24 2021. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Enki Catena is a chain of 13 craters which crosses from an area of dark to bright terrain on Ganymede. It is 162km in length and about 10km wide. The European Space Agency's Juice mission will visit the Jovian system in the 2030s and allow us to see the surfaces in greater detail than ever before. We might even find more of these crater chains. 4. Occator Crater, Ceres Ceres is the largest body in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is large and round enough to be considered a "dwarf planet" (along with Pluto and three less famous examples, Eris, Makemake and Haumea). The Occator crater on Ceres is impressive because it contains a bright spot in the center that has been observed both from space, and from Earth at Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii. NASA's Dawn mission entered an orbit around Ceres in 2015, and imaged the bright spot in Occator crater known as "Spot 5". It's a three kilometer wide dome covered in bright salts on the crater floor, likely resulting from hydrothermal activity. Chain of impact craters Enki Catena on Ganymede. Credit: NASA/JPL/Brown University Occator crater itself is 92km in diameter and 3km deep. Simulations indicate that the impactor (the space rock that created the crater) was rougly 5km across, striking Ceres between 2025 million years ago. 5. Aurelia, Venus Venus is sometimes called Earth's twin. It is when it comes to size, but the surface images we have of Venus show the planets have very different features. The best such images were taken in the 1990s by NASA's Magellan spacecraft. Venus has a thick cloudy atmosphere, and visible-light cameras can't see through to the surface. Magellan was equipped with a radar which can "see" the surfacebut the images can be harder to interpret. In radar, dark terrain is very smooth and bright terrain is very rough. This makes impact craters stand out really well in radar images. The ejecta are very rough, especially against the surrounding volcanic plains, so they appear bright in the images. Occator crater with its bright spots as imaged by the Dawn mission. Credit: NASA This mosaic from NASAs Dawn spacecraft combines images obtained from altitudes as low as 22 miles (35 km) above Ceres surface. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/PSI This is Aurelia, a 32km impact crater on Venus. You can see it stands out against the gray plains that surround it. The black terrain on the edges of the bright white ejecta are smooth flows of rock that melted when the impact hit. Speaking of volcanoes on Venus, recently a group from the University of Alaska Fairbanks used this Magellan data to find the first active volcano on Venus NASA has three Venus missions in development over the next 10 years, so hopefully soon we will know much more about our enigmatic twin. 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: Andrea Roman Alfaro. Credit: University of Toronto Mississauga In Canada, research shows Indigenous women are 400% more likely than other Canadians to go missing. The problem is so pervasive that the Canadian government does not know how many Indigenous women are missing or have been murdered. Estimates suggest that around 4,000 Indigenous women and girls and 600 Indigenous men and boys have gone missing or been murdered between 1956 and 2016. UTM sociologist Jerry Flores and graduate student Andrea Roman Alfaro have been gathering testimony from Indigenous women and Two-Spirit individuals to try to identify the barriers faced when searching for missing and murdered friends and family. The result is their article "Building the Settler Colonial Order: Police (In)Actions in Response to Violence Against Indigenous Women in 'Canada,'" published in the journal Gender & Society. While several studies have sought to identify why Indigenous peoples continue to disappear, few have looked at the role of police in violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ+ people, says Roman Alfaro, a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in sociology. "The problem of Indigenous women being overpoliced and underprotected is all across Canada," she says, citing a 2004 Amnesty International report. For the new article, FloresRoman Alfaro's Ph.D. supervisor and a regular volunteer with Toronto's Indigenous-led organizationsconducted close to 50 face-to-face interviews. When COVID-19 restrictions blocked their ability to do more in-person work, Roman Alfaro's suggested including the 219 personal statements from the Canadian National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls to expand their sample of respondents. "The testimony of the women at the inquiry allowed us to see that in their stories, the narratives are all very similar," she says. "Then we went looking for what is happening in society that lets this happen." Roman Alfaro helped code the respondents' stories to identify common themes. The team soon identified police indifference as a major thread, with 209 of 219 testimonies referring to negative interactions with police on the management of their missing person cases. The article spotlights two major styles of behavior that the woman said police employed: justifying violence and dismissing violence. The research found that Canadian police repeatedly use negative labels such as "runaways" along with slurs when responding to reported cases of violence against Indigenous women and girls. "There's nothing we can do," or "it's inevitable," people report hearing from police when trying to report an Indigenous woman missing. The testimonies include complaints that loved ones were provided little or no information on their cases and that police gave up quickly in the search for bodies or culprits. In some cases, police suggested a missing person's report should be done no earlier than two or three months after a disappearance. Respondents also noted indifferent attitudes, stereotyping and the blaming of poverty, mental health issues and lifestyle choices. Respondents said these responses instilled in them doubt, shame and fear of the police. Born in Peru, Roman Alfaro wasn't raised with awareness of the Canadian Indigenous experience, but says the themes weren't unfamiliar. "I had done a lot of work around violence and victims of violence, marginalized groups, state violence and low-income women in Peru, so I came in with that knowledge," she says. "I didn't grow up knowing about Indigenous life on Turtle Island, but this situation, of a culture of women being disappeared and murdered, was not foreign to me." Flores is now writing a book using the data, which he hopes to publish by the end of the year. Roman Alfaro, whose own field of research includes how people respond to and resist violence, says she also wants to delve further into the findings. "I would like to do more work on how a community heals from this violence," she says. "Red Dress Day, Orange T-shirt Daythese are ways to keep people remembering this issue and those people who exist in these communities, and how they can reconcile with such a tragedy." Roman Alfaro says she would also like to follow up by talking to the police about their perceptions of interactions with Indigenous people, and if efforts are being made to improve relations. "The families and friends (of the missing and murdered women) want information, they want to know something is being done, to be involved in the process or to know someone is looking for their loved ones," says Roman Alfaro. "That's one very big gap in all this: how to deal with the families. They want to know what happened, they need to know what happened." Flores and Roman Alfaro believe their article's findings have important implications for future research and policy. While the "Calls for justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls" include demands for decolonial education and training for officers, Roman Alfaro says their research has identified a need to look for alternatives to the police for victim state support. "There is still a lot of work to do from the Truth and Reconciliation recommendations," Roman Alfaro says. "It's a long way from saying what the problem is to doing something about it." More information: Jerry Flores et al, Building the Settler Colonial Order: Police (In)Actions in Response to Violence Against Indigenous Women in "Canada", Gender & Society (2023). DOI: 10.1177/08912432231171171 Journal information: Gender & Society 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: Longitudinal section illustrating the lattice-like configuration within the sonic muscle in Parophidion vassali. Credit: Marc Thiry/University of Liege Researchers at the University of Liege, Eric Parmentier and Marc Thiry have just made the unexpected discovery of a novel organization of muscle fibers in Parophidion vassali, a fish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and, like many fish, uses specialized muscles to produce sounds. This is an important discovery that could well change our understanding of muscle contraction. The history of the description of skeletal muscles has its origins in the observations made by the Dutch biologist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, a precursor of cell biology and microbiology who, in an article published in 1712 in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, reported, thanks to the use of a portable single-lens microscope, the first description of muscle fibers from the whale. In 1840, the anatomist William Bowman provided a more precise description of the muscle, noting, "the existence and arrangement of alternately light and dark lines [...] which are of exquisite delicacy and finish." Subsequent studies have led to increasingly clear descriptions, including the identification of the different molecules that make up the muscle and an explanation of how it works, in particular the model of muscle contraction proposed by the biophysicist Andrew Huxley in 1957. Over the last 300 years, numerous studies have extended the representation of muscle fiber organization to different taxa. This has shown that the general organization of striated muscle fibers has remained perfectly conserved in all groups of vertebrate animals studied to date. However, the proportion of each of these cellular components can vary from one fiber to another, giving these fibers particular contraction properties. For example, a fiber rich in myofibrils with a poorly developed sarcoplasmic reticulum is found in muscles that develop force during contraction. Conversely, fibers low in myofibrils with an abundance of sarcoplasmic reticulum and numerous mitochondria are present in muscles that develop an increased speed of contraction. The fastest muscles are found in the sonic muscles of fish, where certain species produce sounds using muscles that contract at a frequency of between 100 and 300 Hz, i.e., 100 to 300 contraction/relaxation cycles per second. A recent study carried out in collaboration between the Functional and Evolutionary Morphology Laboratory, and the Cell and Tissue Biology Laboratory has revealed a new arrangement of myofibrils within the fibers of a sonic muscle in the fish Parophidion vassali. The paper is published in the journal Cell and Tissue Research. Fig. 1. Comparison of the organization of "classic" skeletal muscle with parallel myofibrils and sonic muscle with lattice myofibrils in Parophidion vassali. Credit: E.Parmentier/M.Thiry/Universite de Liege Rather than being arranged in parallel, the myofibrils form an enormous network within the muscle fiber, explains Prof Eric Parmentier, director of the Functional and Evolutionary Morphology Laboratory at the University of Liege. Each myofibril subdivides into two branches at each sarcomere, one connecting to the myofibril above and the other connecting to the myofibril below (see Figure 1B). This new muscle fiber design could result in a muscle that contracts rapidly while retaining strength. The paucity of myofibrils and the high volume occupied by the sarcoplasmic reticulum are in favor of fibers that contract rapidly. "The network structure of the myofibrils would allow more myosin heads to form cross-bridges with the actin myofilaments, which would increase strength in this fast muscle," explains Prof Marc Thiry, Director of the Cell and Tissue Biology Laboratory. "In addition, numerous mitochondria unusually arranged within the Z striae (very long in these fibers: 700 nm compared with 70 to 150 nm in a conventional muscle) appear to provide the energy needed to produce long-lasting sounds." This new type of organization of striated muscle fibers, never before described in the scientific literature, and which would therefore make it possible to combine muscular strength and speed, requires further studies to understand how it works and to determine whether there are adaptations at the level of the different molecules involved in these muscles. About muscle fibers Striated skeletal muscle fibers or cells represent the elementary units of voluntary muscles (muscles that enable movements such as locomotion or posture maintenance) in animals. Each fiber is characterized by numerous contractile elements, actin and myosin myofilaments, organized in bundles parallel to the muscle fiber's long axis, called myofibrils. In the longitudinal section under the optical microscope, these fibers appear as a succession of light and dark bands located at the same level for each myofibril, giving the appearance of transverse striation to the muscle fiber. A darker line divides the light band in the middle, known as the Z striation. The portion of the myofibril between two Z striae is called a sarcomere and represents the contractile unit of the myofibril. Each myofibril is therefore made up of many sarcomeres placed end to end. The myofibrils occupy a large cell volume and are surrounded by cisternae of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (or sarcoplasmic reticulum), which stores the calcium essential for muscle contraction. In addition, mitochondria are located close to the myofibrils; they are the main source of ATP providing energy for muscle contraction. More information: Eric Parmentier et al, A new organisational design in skeletal muscle fibres, Cell and Tissue Research (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s00441-023-03775-5 Journal information: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 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 Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 5, 2023, beginning the 28th resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA Following a successful launch of NASA's SpaceX 28th commercial resupply services mission, two new solar arrays, science investigations, and supplies are on their way to the International Space Station. Carrying more than 7,000 pounds of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, the uncrewed SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched on the company's Falcon 9 rocket at 11:47 a.m. EDT, Monday, June 5, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The cargo spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock with the space-facing port on the station's Harmony module at approximately 5:50 a.m. and remain at the station for about 21 days. The SpaceX Dragon will deliver a pair of IROSAs (International Space Station Roll Out Solar Arrays) that, once installed, will expand the energy-production capabilities of the microgravity complex. The spacecraft will also deliver the following: Thunderstorm Watch What Happens Above Thunderstorms (Thor-Davis), an investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), will observe thunderstorms from the space station. This vantage point will allow researchers to see the electrical activity from above, particularly the inception, frequency, and altitude of recently discovered blue discharges. Scientists plan to estimate the energy of these phenomena to determine their effect on the atmosphere. A better understanding of lightning and electrical activity in Earth's atmosphere could improve atmospheric models and provide a better understanding of Earth's climate and weather. Helping Plants Chill in Space Plants exposed to environmental stress, including spaceflight, undergo changes to adapt, but those changes may not be passed on to the next generation. Plant Habitat-03 (PH-03) will assess whether plants grown in space can transfer such adaptations to the next generation and, if so, whether a change continues through subsequent generations or stabilizes. The investigation will create a second generation of plants using seeds previously produced in space and returned to Earth. Results could provide insight into how to grow multiple generations of plants to provide food and other services on future space missions. This investigation also could support development of strategies for adapting crops and other economically important plants to marginal and reclaimed habitats on Earth. Testing a Telomere Technique Telomeres, genetic structures that protect our chromosomes, shorten with age and wear. But research has shown that telomeres lengthen in space. Genes in Space-10 will test a technique for measuring telomere length in microgravity, where methods typically employed on Earth are difficult to use due to gravity. The experiment will explore whether telomere lengthening in space is caused by proliferation of stem cells undifferentiated cells that give rise to specific body components and that typically have long telomeres. Understanding the mechanism behind telomere lengthening could reveal possible effects on astronaut health during long-duration missions. Results also could lay the groundwork for a variety of related research to benefit future space travel and people on the ground. Genes in Space is a national contest for students in grades seven through 12 to design biotechnology experiments for space. The program is sponsored by miniPCR, Math for America, Boeing, New England Biolabs Ltd., and the International Space Station National Laboratory. Thawing Ice, Solar Storms, and Attitude Recovery Mission 26 for the station's Nanoracks CubeSat Deployer (NRCSD) includes Educational Space Science and Engineering CubeSat Experiment Mission (ESSENCE), sponsored by the International Space Station National Laboratory and developed by universities in Canada and Australia. It carries a wide-angle camera to monitor thawing of ice and permafrost in the Canadian Arctic, which could provide a better understanding of the effects on Earth's climate and support better local infrastructure planning. The satellite also carries a solar energetic proton detector to collect data on periods of solar activity that emit highly energized radioactive protons that can damage the structure and electronic components of spacecraft. Understanding these effects could help make future CubeSats more resistant to radiation. In addition, the investigation demonstrates a novel method to recover control of a satellite's attitude, or orientation, if a control mechanism fails. ESSENCE is part of the Canadian CubeSat Project, led by CSA (Canadian Space Agency). Watching Cosmic Weathering Iris, sponsored by the International Space Station National Laboratory, observes weathering of geological samples exposed to direct solar and background cosmic radiation and determines whether changes are visually detectable. The investigation also demonstrates experimental sun sensors, torque rods (which provide attitude control and detumbling for satellites), and a battery heater. A collaboration between graduate, undergraduate, and middle school students in Canada, the project provides hands-on experience that promotes interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics studies and careers. Results also could provide insight into weathering processes on planetary bodies and, when combined with data from asteroid sampling missions, improve understanding of the origins of asteroids. Iris is part of the Canadian CubeSat Project, led by CSA. Provided by NASA 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: Shutterstock Secondary school pupils feel the climate change education they receive is too focused on passing exams and doesn't equip them with the skills they need to tackle the climate crisis, according to a new report. The research showed that 14- to 18-year-olds believe climate change is the most important issue that needs to be addressed if their lives are to be improved in the future. Despite that, just over a quarter (26%) of pupils surveyed feel strongly that any actions they currently take to combat climate change might make a difference. Also, more than seven out of 10 pupils (72%) say they would welcome the opportunity for broader lessons about climate change in school, rather than simply learning facts and associated impacts. A similar number (68%) believe climate change education should be included across all subjects, in addition to science and geography where most learn about the climate and how it is changing. The research was carried out as part of a partnership between the University of Plymouth and the British Science Association's Future Forum program. Since 2017, the British Science Association has been running Future Forums to give young people a chance to voice their opinions and concerns on science and technology topics such as gene editing, AI and their educations. It centered around an initial survey of 1,000 14- to 18-year-olds with two follow-up workshops, attended by 41 pupils, providing the opportunity for more detailed responses. Among the other key findings from the survey and workshops were that young people believe the current approach to climate change education contributes to a sense of climate anxiety and does not inspire hope. Older students (aged 17 and 18) who took part in the survey said while they are acutely aware of activists like Greta Thunberg and groups like Fridays For Future, it is more from research outside the classroom. As a result, they expressed a desire to be taught in more detail about ways they can affect positive societal change. In addition to the knowledge needed to pass their GCSEs and A-levels, young people also expressed an interest in learning more about the social, economic and political issues associated with the climate crisis. Professor Alison Anderson, professor in sociology and a risk communication expert at the University of Plymouth, commissioned the research. She said, "This report provides useful, actionable insights to those of us tasked with equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to take action on the climate crisis. The findings serve as a clear and loud call for agency and empowerment from the young people we surveyed and interviewed. Only by engaging with the next generation can we develop a successful climate education strategy, giving young people the confidence and knowledge to tackle environmental challenges." The publication comes just weeks after reports that the Department for Education was dropping plans to provide carbon literacy training to all schools, something it had previously proposed as part of its Sustainability and climate change strategy. Clio Heslop, head of policy, partnerships and impact at the British Science Association, added, "We are aware from other workshops and polling that young people don't feel heard by decision makers and wider society. Finding out about their experiences of climate change in the classroom, and how that's impacting their anxieties and outlook, shows that action must be taken to make it better for them. We hope these findings help the Department for Education in planning ways to support carbon literacy and improve climate change education." Christina Adane, an activist and British Science Association honorary fellow, said, "As a young person recently out of the education system, the findings of this report are all too familiar. If I hadn't chosen to study Geography at A-Level, I would not have a thorough understanding of one of the biggest issues my generation faces. We need relevant and compulsory climate change education that empowers our youth with the knowledge and tools to confront the crisis. It must provide a critical analysis of all the stakeholders at play and the socio-economic implications of climate change, whilst ensuring young people are positively impacted to make change on local, national or global levels." More information: Climate change in secondary schools: young people's views of climate change and sustainability education: www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/seven- e-the-climate-crisis 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 Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments implemented a suite of sanctions on Russian businesses, escalating the sanctions they implemented following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. The goal in both cases was to inflict enough pain on Russian elites that they would pressure Vladimir Putin to reverse course and end the conflict. However, new research based on the years following the Crimean annexation reveals that the Russian sanctions only temporarily hurt targeted firms. After suffering modest losses in revenue and employment, sanctioned businesses adapted to the restrictions by reorganizing subsidiaries, altering supply chains, or seeking government support. Two years later, sanctioned firms were no worse off than untargeted businesses in Russia. The findings suggest that a major tool in the diplomacy toolkiteconomic sanctionsdo little to deter or reverse aggressive actions by other countries. "We initially thought this research was going to show that the Russian sanctions worked," said Alexander Settles, a professor in the University of Florida Warrington College of Business. "But once we analyzed the data, we started seeing what we saw on the ground, which is there did not seem to be long-term negative impacts from these economic sanctions." Settles worked with Ajai Gaur of Rutgers University and Juha Vaatanen from LUT University in Finland to analyze the effect of sanctions on Russian businesses implemented after the Crimean annexation in 2014. The team published their findings June 1 in the Journal of Management Studies. Their analysis was based on information on total revenue and number of employees of thousands of publicly traded companies in Russia from 2011 to 2020. The final dataset included 180 sanctioned firms and hundreds of their subsidiaries as well as a control group of more than 36,000 unsanctioned businesses. "We did see that sanctioned companies did have reduced revenues and reduced employment in the short term. We attributed those declines to the immediate effects of sanctions, because it takes a while for a firm to adjust," said Settles. "But that effect didn't last." Sanctions weren't felt evenly across industries, the researchers found. Those firms that relied heavily on exports performed better than those that didn't, likely because they could adjust to export to new markets. Scientific and professional firms tended to lose more employees over time, perhaps due to those employees finding opportunities in unsanctioned businesses or out of the country. The temporary effect of most Russian sanctions is likely due to the different adaptations firms pursued. These adjustments included identifying unrestricted export markets. For example, oil companies followed this strategy by significantly increasing exports to India. Or businesses might have restructured their subsidiaries to isolate the sanctioned firms and move activities to unrestricted companies. A powerful stabilizing effect is the role of government assistance, Settles' team discovered. The Kremlin provided sanctioned firms with credit when financing dried up abroad, helping businesses reinvest in alternative export markets or new domestic operations. The surprisingly short-lived effect of the Crimean sanctions suggests that the similar economic sanctions implemented after Russia invaded the rest of Ukraine are probably not effective. Settles also sees parallels in Asia, as China increasingly threatens to annex Taiwan and the U.S. and other Western countries consider sanctions to discourage that threat. "What countries need to do is ask the right questions about their sanctions programs," Settles said. "Is this the right policy to enact in a deglobalizing world where people know how to adapt to changing conditions?" More information: Ajai Gaur et al, Do Economic Sanctions Work? Evidence from the RussiaUkraine Conflict, Journal of Management Studies (2023). DOI: 10.1111/joms.12933 Journal information: Journal of Management Studies 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: Cucumber leaf, along with melon and tenth, are studied for the effector proteins EPC1 to EPC4. Credit: KyotoU Tobiyama/Yoshitaka Takano While infectious fungal plant diseases relentlessly wreak havoc on many crops, they are also picky when choosing their hosts. Each fungus generally exhibits a specific host range, but the mechanism of this specificity has not been well understood. Kyoto University researchers have now identified and categorized four fungal proteins called effectors responsible for suppressing host plant immunity from infection. The paper "Selective deployment of virulence effectors correlates with host specificity in a fungal plant pathogen" appeared on March 20, 2023 in New Phytologist. Phytopathogens are plant pathogenic fungi that secrete these effectors. As a result, the harmful fungus generally exhibits distinct host specificity when infecting plants, causing more than 70% of plant diseases. According to the researchers, the four effector proteins named EPC1 to EPC4 in Colletotrichum orbicularea phytopathogenic fungusestablish specificity on a host cucumber. Deletion of four genes (EPCI to EPC4) reduced pathogen virulenceFrom left to right: cucumber host, melon host, and benth host. Credit: KyotoU/Yoshitaka Takano "The four effectors have very different amino acid sequences, suggesting that they work independently, but we need to continue analyzing the function of each effector to get a clearer picture," says lead author Yoshitaka Takano of KyotoU's Graduate School of Agriculture. Takano's team used functional analysistargeted gene disruptionon effector-like genes, which are highly expressed in six isolates of the inoculated pathogen. "We have just cracked open a peephole to understand how effectors of phytopathogenic fungi shape host specificity. Our growing knowledge may lead to new crop protection technologies." More information: Yoshihiro Inoue et al, Selective deployment of virulence effectors correlates with host specificity in a fungal plant pathogen, New Phytologist (2023). DOI: 10.1111/nph.18790 Journal information: New Phytologist 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 new study by researchers at the University of Rhode Island shows some of the best evidence yet for a feedback loop phenomenon in which species evolution drives ecological change. Credit: Kolbe Labs/University of Rhode Island The story of the peppered moths is a textbook evolutionary tale. As coal smoke darkened tree bark near England's cities during the Industrial Revolution, white-bodied peppered moths became conspicuous targets for predators and their numbers quickly dwindled. Meanwhile, black-bodied moths, which had been rare, thrived and became dominant in their newly darkened environment. The peppered moths became a classic example of how environmental change drives species evolution. But in recent years, scientists have begun thinking about the inverse process. Might there be a feedback loop in which species evolution drives ecological change? Now, a new study by researchers at the University of Rhode Island shows some of the best evidence yet for that very phenomenon. In research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers show that an evolutionary change in the length of lizards' legs can have a significant impact on vegetation growth and spider populations on small islands in the Bahamas. This is one of the first times, the researchers say, that such dramatic evolution-to-environment effects have been documented in a natural setting. "The idea here is that, in addition to the environment shaping the traits of organisms through evolution, those trait changes should feed back and drive changes in predator-prey relationships and other ecological interactions between species," said Jason Kolbe, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Rhode Island and one of the study's senior authors. "And we really need to understand how those dynamics work so we can make predictions about how populations are going to persist, and what sort of ecological changes might result." For the last 20 years, Kolbe and his colleagues have been observing the evolutionary dynamics of anole lizard populations on a chain of tiny islands in the Bahamas. The chain is made up of around 40 islands ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred meters in areasmall enough that the researchers can keep close tabs on the lizards living there. And the islands are far enough apart that lizards can't easily hop from one island to another, so distinct populations can be isolated from each other. Previous research had shown that brown anoles adapt quickly to the characteristics of surrounding vegetation. In habitats where the diameter of brush and tree limbs is smaller, natural selection favors lizards with shorter legs, which enable individuals to move more quickly when escaping predators or chasing a snack. In contrast, lankier lizards tend to fare better where the tree and plant limbs are thicker. Researchers have shown that this limb length trait can evolve quickly in brown anolesin just a few generations. For this new study, Kolbe and his team wanted to see how this evolved limb-length trait might affect the ecosystems on the tiny Bahamian islands. The idea was to separate short- and long-legged lizards on islands of their own, then look for differences in how the lizard populations affect the ecology of their island homes. Male brown anole lizard. Credit: Oriol Lapiedra Armed with specialized lizard wrangling gearpoles with tiny lassos made of dental floss at the endthe team captured hundreds of brown anoles. They then measured the leg length of each lizard, keeping the ones whose limbs were either especially long or especially short and returning the rest to the wild. Once they had distinct populations of short- and long-limbed lizards, they set each population free on islands that previously had no lizards living on them. Since the experimental islands were mostly covered by smaller diameter vegetation, the researchers expected that the short-legged lizards would be better adapted to that environment, that is, more maneuverable and better able to catch prey in the trees and brush. The question the researchers wanted to answer was whether the ecological effects of those highly effective hunters could be detected. After eight months, the researchers checked back on the islands to look for ecological differences between islands stocked with the short- and long-legged groups. The differences, it turned out, were substantial. On islands with shorter-legged lizards, populations of web spidersa key prey item for brown anoleswere reduced by 41% compared to islands with lanky lizards. There were significant differences in plant growth as well. Because the short-legged lizards were better at preying on insect herbivores, plants flourished. On islands with short-legged lizards, buttonwood trees had twice as much shoot growth compared to trees on islands with long-legged lizards, the researchers found. The results, Kolbe says, help to bring the interaction between ecology and evolution full circle. "These findings help us to close that feedback loop," Kolbe said. "We knew from previous research that ecological factors shape limb length, and now we show the reciprocal relationship of that evolutionary change on the environment." Understanding the full scope of interactions between evolution and ecology will be helpful in predicting environments outcomes, the researchers sayparticularly as human activities accelerate the pace of both evolutionary and ecological change worldwide. More information: Kolbe, Jason J. et al, Experimentally simulating the evolution-to-ecology connection: Divergent predator morphologies alter natural food webs, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2023). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221691120 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 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: Black stromatasource of billions of hyper-allergenic spores. Credit: Dr. Milon Dvorak Especially after the last few COVID-affected years, nobody doubts that emerging infectious diseases can threaten the whole world. But humans are not the only ones at risk. With intensive global trade, many tree parasites are accidently introduced to Europe in packaging or directly on goods. Traveling in wood, on plants or in the soil of their pots, they can remain undetected for a long time. "Forms of life of parasitic fungi are extremely diverse and very often practically invisible," says Dr. Milon Dvorak of the Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management at Mendel University in Brno, Czechia. "An infected tree may look completely healthy for some time, which complicates the control of the disease enormously. It reminds me of the ancient Trojan Horse, where European trees are so surprised, defenseless, and later defeated, like the Trojan warriors." How can an infected tree look healthy and then suddenly get sick? "Like in the human body, in trees too, the trigger can be stress," explains Dr. Dvorak. The tolerance of trees to a pathogenic fungus turns lower under the conditions of changing climate and so the tree starts to die of the disease. One typical example of such a disease is sooty bark disease (SBD) on maples, caused by a microscopic fungus called Cryptostroma corticale. "The fungus was probably introduced to Europe during the Second World War, and for the rest of the 20th century we did not hear much about it," says Dr. Dvorak. The situation has changed and over the last twenty years the fungus has been reported more and more often. After dry and hot periods, the trees start to die of the infection, which is accompanied by the creation of brown-black masses of "soot" under the peeling bark of the maples. The "soot" is in fact spores, which help the fungus spread and infect other trees. It is harmful for wounded trees, but it can also cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis in humans. So, the species became a target for a group of phytopathologists gathered by an European HORIZON 2020 project entitled "Holistic management for emerging forest pests and diseases (HOMED)." Scientists from six countries (Czechia, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland), including Dr. Dvorak, decided to develop a precise, DNA-based (real-time PCR) diagnostic method to detect and monitor the pathogen in air samples. They have published their method, the outcomes of its use, and their new findings about SBD epidemiology in the open-access journal NeoBiota. How to look for DNA in air samples? Simple devices called volumetric air samplers can suck the air against a piece of sticky tape, where every particle gets stuck and can be analyzed. "These devices are not really cheap; moreover, they demand regular maintenance," explains Dr. Dvorak. "But, actually, they are in common and regular use in the whole of Europeremember the weather forecast, particularly that part about the pollen report for allergic people. This forecast is based on data of more than 600 stations united by the European Aeroallergen Network (EAN). Every station permanently maintains one volumetric air sampler and keeps an archive of the samples." Volumetric air sampler installed in Brno, Czech Republic, sampling pollen for allergen forecast. Credit: Aneta Lukacevicova The HOMED team contacted their national EAN collaborators and processed their samples with molecular techniques (real-time PCR). Thanks to this sensitive detection method, the survey among samples was very successful. The "sooty" fungus was found in air samples from countries where the disease has been reported, and, in a more detailed study in France, the pathogen was found in the air 310km from currently diseased trees. This result suggests that the fungus can disperse long distances by wind. "Our results show that the SBD disease is at an exponentially increasing phase in France and Switzerland with an increase in the magnitude of the number of disease cases that peaks following a marked water deficit," the researchers write in their study. They hope that early aerial detection of C. corticale in disease-free countries could help implement more efficient measures for SBD detection and eradication in the field. "This European experiment fully confirmed the potential of this approach to monitor the pathogen's outbreaks in early stages of its spread," concludes Dr. Dvorak. More information: Elodie Muller et al, Conditions of emergence of the Sooty Bark Disease and aerobiology of Cryptostroma corticale in Europe, NeoBiota (2023). DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.84.90549 Journal information: NeoBiota (CNN) An investigation is underway after over a dozen migrants arrived in Sacramento, California, by private jet with no prior arrangement or care in place, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said Saturday. California officials on Saturday met with the group, who had documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida, Bonta said. The immigrants were taken from Texas to New Mexico, then flown by private chartered jet to California, where they were dumped on the doorstep of a local church without any advance warning, Newsom said in a statement. The states attorney general is investigating the incident and evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants, Bonta said in a statement. The circumstances around who paid for the groups travel, and whether the migrants were misled with false promises, will be investigated, according to the governor. CNN has reached out to state officials from Texas and Florida for comment. Migrants were promised jobs and free support, non-profit says Sacramento Area Congregations Together (ACT), a non-profit group of local religious congregations, says 16 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia were dropped off by the private jet at a Sacramento airport and taken by bus to the front office of the Diocese of Sacramento in California, where they were left. ACT says it is assisting the migrants, who had been in El Paso, Texas. They were approached at a migrant center there by individuals representing a private contractor stating that they would assist them in getting to a migrant center providing them with jobs and other free support, according to ACT. The migrants are men and women between 20 and 30 years old, said ACT spokesperson Cecilia Flores. She said they did not know each other before being recruited. They told Flores that two individuals approached them outside a migrant center in El Paso and said they could assist them if they were willing to travel to a migrant center. They were told they wouldnt have to pay anything, Flores said, and when they arrived at the refuge, the individuals said the migrants would be able to receive employment assistance, and jobs and clothing and shelter. They were driven to New Mexico, where they stayed the night at a hotel Thursday, and were flown by a private plane to Sacramento on Friday morning. Upon arrival at the airport, they were driven by bus to the church office. Once they were dropped off, the driver rang the doorbell of the building, telling the group they would be right back, but the bus pulled away and they never came back, Flores told CNN. One of the migrants told Flores they attempted to reach the driver through a contact number they were given, but the drivers cell phone was no longer working. They were shaken up after being dropped off at the diocese, she said. They started to ask, What city is this? What state are we in? Flores said, adding they only had their backpacks and the clothes on their backs. Many of them did not know Sacramento was in California, she said, I believe they were just told, Well take you to this refuge where theyll be able to help you. Im not sure if they even knew how far they would be traveling. They were given false promises and were transported to a place they didnt know and were really just abandoned, Flores said, adding that she was shocked at the lack of humanity and the way that they have not been treated with care and have been lied to. What has occurred recently with the deceiving drop off of our undocumented brothers and sisters into the Sacramento area grieves my heart, Rev. Efrem Smith, president of Sacramento ACT, said in a statement. This political polarizing act is heartbreaking and yet I rejoice that I am part of a movement that brings the love of God and goodwill upon the injustices and political wickedness that impacts our vulnerable brothers and sisters. Rabbi Mona Alfi of the Congregation Bnai Israel responded to the situation saying, Taking people from one state to another under deception and political malice is a moral travesty. These are human beings, no different than you or me, who simply want to take care of their families and live a peaceful life, and they deserve to be treated better. Similar to previous incidents Its not the first time a plane carrying migrants has arrived unannounced in a Democratic state. Late last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent two planes carrying migrants to Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. Migrants have also been bused to New York and other more liberal cities by Republican governors and local officials from southern states amid a humanitarian crisis at the southern US border. Many who head to the US make long and dangerous treks in hopes of finding a better, safer life for their families. People immigrate to flee violence, for economic opportunities or to reunite with family members, experts say. California and the Sacramento community will welcome these individuals with open arms ad provide them with the respect, compassion, and care they will need after such a harrowing experience, Bonta said. The state is working with the Sacramento mayors office and local groups to make sure that the migrants are treated with respect and dignity and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases, Newsom said. Bonta said the state will continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting. This story was first published on CNN.com, "California is investigating after a private jet carrying migrants arrived in Sacramento, officials say" This image of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068 is a composite from two of the James Webb Space Telescopes instruments, MIRI and NIRCam. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST Team A delicate tracery of dust and bright star clusters threads across this image from the James Webb Space Telescope. The bright tendrils of gas and stars belong to the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068, whose bright central bar is visible in the upper left of this imagea composite from two of Webb's instruments. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson revealed the image Friday during an event with students at the Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw, Poland. NGC 5068 lies around 20 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. This image of the central, bright star-forming regions of the galaxy is part of a campaign to create an astronomical treasure trove, a repository of observations of star formation in nearby galaxies. Previous gems from this collection can be seen here (IC 5332) and here (M74). These observations are particularly valuable to astronomers for two reasons. The first is because star formation underpins so many fields in astronomy, from the physics of the tenuous plasma that lies between stars to the evolution of entire galaxies. By observing the formation of stars in nearby galaxies, astronomers hope to kick-start major scientific advances with some of the first available data from Webb. In this image of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068, from the James Webb Space Telescopes MIRI instrument, the dusty structure of the spiral galaxy and glowing bubbles of gas containing newly-formed star clusters are particularly prominent. Three asteroid trails intrude into this image, represented as tiny blue-green-red dots. Asteroids appear in astronomical images such as these because they are much closer to the telescope than the distant target. As Webb captures several images of the astronomical object, the asteroid moves, so it shows up in a slightly different place in each frame. They are a little more noticeable in images such as this one from MIRI, because many stars are not as bright in mid-infrared wavelengths as they are in near-infrared or visible light, so asteroids are easier to see next to the stars. One trail lies just below the galaxys bar, and two more in the bottom-left corner. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST Team The second reason is that Webb's observations build on other studies using telescopes including the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories. Webb collected images of 19 nearby star-forming galaxies which astronomers could then combine with Hubble images of 10,000 star clusters, spectroscopic mapping of 20,000 star-forming emission nebulae from the Very Large Telescope (VLT), and observations of 12,000 dark, dense molecular clouds identified by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). These observations span the electromagnetic spectrum and give astronomers an unprecedented opportunity to piece together the minutiae of star formation. This view of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068, from the James Webb Space Telescopes NIRCam instrument, is studded by the galaxys massive population of stars, most dense along its bright central bar, along with burning red clouds of gas illuminated by young stars within. This near-infrared image of the galaxy is filled by the enormous gathering of older stars which make up the core of NGC 5068. The keen vision of NIRCam allows astronomers to peer through the galaxys gas and dust to closely examine its stars. Dense and bright clouds of dust lie along the path of the spiral arms: These are H II regions, collections of hydrogen gas where new stars are forming. The young, energetic stars ionize the hydrogen around them, creating this glow represented in red. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST Team With its ability to peer through the gas and dust enshrouding newborn stars, Webb is particularly well-suited to explore the processes governing star formation. Stars and planetary systems are born among swirling clouds of gas and dust that are opaque to visible-light observatories like Hubble or the VLT. The keen vision at infrared wavelengths of two of Webb's instrumentsMIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) and NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera)allowed astronomers to see right through the gargantuan clouds of dust in NGC 5068 and capture the processes of star formation as they happened. This image combines the capabilities of these two instruments, providing a truly unique look at the composition of NGC 5068. Provided by NASA 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: Astronomers using the Webb telescope discovered evidence of complex organic molecules in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years away. The galaxy lines up almost perfectly with a second galaxy only 3 billion light-years away from our perspective on Earth. In this false-color Webb image, the foreground galaxy is shown in blue, while the background galaxy is red. The organic molecules are highlighted in orange. Credit: J. Spilker / S. Doyle, NASA, ESA, CSA Researchers have detected complex organic molecules in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years away from Earththe most distant galaxy in which these molecules are now known to exist. Thanks to the capabilities of the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope and careful analyses from the research team, a new study lends critical insight into the complex chemical interactions that occur in the first galaxies in the early universe. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign astronomy and physics professor Joaquin Vieira and graduate student Kedar Phadke collaborated with researchers at Texas A&M University and an international team of scientists to differentiate between infrared signals generated by some of the more massive and larger dust grains in the galaxy and those of the newly observed hydrocarbon molecules. The study findings are published in the journal Nature. "This project started when I was in graduate school studying hard-to-detect, very distant galaxies obscured by dust," Vieira said. "Dust grains absorb and re-emit about half of the stellar radiation produced in the universe, making infrared light from distant objects extremely faint or undetectable through ground-based telescopes." In the new study, the JWST received a boost from what the researchers call "nature's magnifying glass"a phenomenon called gravitational lensing. "This magnification happens when two galaxies are almost perfectly aligned from the Earth's point of view, and light from the background galaxy is warped and magnified by the foreground galaxy into a ring-like shape, known as an Einstein ring," Vieira said. The galaxy observed by Webb shows an Einstein ring caused by a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. Credit: S. Doyle / J. Spilker The team focused the JWST on SPT0418-47an object discovered using the National Science Foundation's South Pole Telescope and previously identified as a dust-obscured galaxy magnified by a factor of about 30 to 35 by gravitational lensing. SPT0418-47 is 12 billion light-years from Earth, corresponding to a time when the universe was less than 1.5 billion years old, or about 10% of its current age, the researchers said. "Before having access to the combined power of gravitational lensing and the JWST, we could neither see nor spatially resolve the actual background galaxy through all of the dust," Vieira said. Spectroscopic data from the JWST suggest that the obscured interstellar gas in SPT0418-47 is enriched in heavy elements, indicating that generations of stars have already lived and died. The specific compound the researchers detected is a type of molecule called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, or PAH. On Earth, these molecules can be found in the exhaust produced by combustion engines or forest fires. Being comprised of carbon chains, these organic molecules are considered the basic building blocks for the earliest forms of life, the researchers said. "What this research is telling us right nowand we are still learningis that we can see all of the regions where these smaller dust grains are locatedregions that we could never see before the JWST," Phadke said. "The new spectroscopic data lets us observe the galaxy's atomic and molecular composition, providing very important insights into the formation of galaxies, their lifecycle and how they evolve." "We didn't expect this," Vieira said. "Detecting these complex organic molecules at such a vast distance is game-changing regarding future observations. This work is just the first step, and we're just now learning how to use it and learn its capabilities. We are very excited to see how this plays out." "It's extremely cool that galaxies I discovered while writing my thesis would one day be observed by the JWST," Vieira said. "I am grateful to the U.S. taxpayers, the NSF and NASA for funding and supporting both the SPT and the JWST. Without these instruments, this discovery could have never been made." More information: Justin Spilker, Spatial variations in aromatic hydrocarbon emission in a dust-rich galaxy, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05998-6. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05998-6 Journal information: Nature By Saio Marrah As the country approaches its general elections, the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion has in collaboration with Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) trained bike riders in Freetown to serve as peace monitors in reporting cases that will serve as threat to peace and social cohesion. The training is a two-day programmme that commences on Tuesday 22 May 2023, at the Commissions Head Office in Freetown. The training of the bike riders is focused on election observation, conflict prevention, and personal safety and security in the field. In his PowerPoint presentation, the team lead of KAIPTC, Christian Eshun, said the course objective is for peace monitors to have a better understanding of the electoral processes to be able to identify their roles in elections observations, identify election-related violence and observe measures on the field. He said they will also be training the peace monitors on how to identify and report early warning signs. The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Hawa Sally Samai said in her introductory statement that the training is to accomplish the mandate for which the commission was established. She told the trainees that as peace monitors, they should report all things that serve as threats to peace in their surrounding by calling 898 using all networks be it related to elections or not. While telling the bike riders to inform their customers about the toll line and report all cases of threat to peace or violence, she said the commission is also working in collaboration with the various Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) to address the various issues. She also admonished them that even though the training is mostly about elections, their monitoring process is not just limited to elections, as it will continue. Samai said the training will also continue to the other 15 districts. According to her, the decision of the commission in working with mobile workers like riders and tricycle riders commonly called keke is because they are almost everywhere and they are likely to see most of the happenings in different communities. The Senior Researcher, Mustapha Abdallah at the KAIPTC, told journalists that KAIPTC is one of the ECOWAS peacekeeping centres of excellence that is situated in Accra Ghana. He said the centre is committed to training peacekeepers and conflict resolution mediators. Abdallah said the training was based on the need to ensure the promotion of peace and security during elections. As Sierra Leone is preparing for its elections, which he said they consider as crucial, there is a need for the training centre to contribute to peace and stability within the country. He said the aim is to build the capacity of key individuals within the country to be able to contribute to election monitoring. They are expecting the trainees to go into the field and be able to monitor and identify potential threats that can undermine the peace and stability of elections. He said the key actors should also be able to respond and act effectively so that the country can have an election that is free of threat and instability. Among the three key areas they will focus on are election monitoring, conflict analysis and training mediators. The Coordinator for Peace Situation Room established by the commission, Barbara Sangare, said the reason for the establishment of the situation room is to ensure there is peace before and after the pooling day. Explaining how the situation room works she said they first deal with the early warning signs, which are included in the training. After receiving the early warning signs, they have mediators at both national and district levels that are ready to intervene and bring peace. She also talked about the call operators, which she said have been established and operate 24 hours a day and that a whatsapp group has been created for the peace monitors as well. Copyright 2023 Politico (24/05/23) By Politico staff writer An Election Observation Mission from the Carter Center is in Sierra Leone to monitor the June General Elections at the invitation of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL). The four-person team of experts arrived in Freetown from the United States, Poland, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. Additional electoral experts and medium-term observers from around the world will join them in advance of the campaign period, followed by short-term observers and high-level leadership around Election Day. The Carter Center Field Office Director, Nicholas Jahr was quoted in a press statement saying We look forward to engaging with Sierra Leonean stakeholders across the political spectrum and providing an independent and impartial assessment of the electoral process. He hoped that their observation and reporting will provide important information to Sierra Leonean citizens, alongside key recommendations to stakeholders. Carter Centers Vice President for peace programs, Barbara J. Smith stated that the center has had a longstanding commitment to democracy in Sierra Leone, and they are honored to launch this international election observation mission in support of the electoral process. The center is said to have conducted election observation work in accordance with the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. It makes assessments based on relevant parts of national legal frameworks as well as regional and international obligations for democratic elections. It has been a force for peace in Sierra Leone since 2002 when it observed the first presidential and parliamentary elections following the end of Sierra Leone's devastating civil war. Since then, the carter center has played a role in the countrys 2007, 2012, and 2018 national elections. It has also observed more than 110 elections in 39 countries. It is a non-profit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. It was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide. In a related development, the locally based National Elections Watch (NEW) has announced the deployment already of Long Term Observers (LTOs) across the country. They are to undertake monitoring of preparations for the elections. 13 (thirteen) Political Parties presented Presidential candidates and Running Mates for provisional nomination by the ECSL recently. They were all approved by the commission. Copyright 2023 Politico (15/05/23) By politico staff writer The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) has engaged 500 (five hundred) youths on Human Rights, Elections, and Non-violence as the country heads to the polls on 24th June 2023. The engagement was held in the Western Area on the 17th and 19th of May 2023. The Commission identified vulnerable youths on the edge as potential risks to the enjoyment of human rights during the electioneering period as they have been used by politicians to create disturbances during the process. The engagement which targeted youths from Ghettos, Car Wash points, Hook-up Girls, Bike Riders, Cliques, and Ataya Bases was geared towards understanding the issues igniting the participation of young people in election violence and establishing Human Rights Non-violence Ambassadors. The Chairperson of HRCSL Patricia Narsu Ndanema said the Commissions mandate is to protect and promote the human rights of all in Sierra Leone. She said one can only enjoy human rights when there is freedom. She added that the Commissions engagement with youths in non-violence is to prevent a situation wherein the action of a few people will affect the rights of the majority. The Commission believes and trusts in youths present here, we dont want any violence in the elections, she said. National Youth President, Tejan Z. Kellah thanked the Commission for bringing youths together to talk about peace and non-violence in elections. He said the engagement by the Commission with young people has been the best so far. We all have roles and responsibilities and as youths, it is our right to go out and vote on Election Day. But we should also ensure theres no violence during and after the polls, he said. He admonished youths to be law-abiding if they want their rights to be respected. He urged participants to be ambassadors of peace and non-violence in their respective communities and hangouts. According to the Bike Riders Association (BRA) President Umaru Talie Bah, they have 1,256 (one thousand, two hundred and fifty-six) registered riders across the country. He thanked the Commission for including them in the engagement and commits to ensuring that Bike Riders do not engage in violence during and after the elections. The East District BRA representative Mohamed S. Turay stated that the peace of the country is in the hands of Bike Riders. He said they have been criticized over the years but affirmed that they are the most peaceful in society. Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Sylvester Koroma who also doubles as the Regional Commander-West spoke on the responsibility of the police which is to maintain law and order. Our message to you is simple, enjoy your rights as much as you can and stay away from violence during and after the elections, he said. He went on to say that it is their work to ensure that citizens enjoy the peace they deserved and that no one will take that entitlement away from them. Youth leaders from the targeted groups made a commitment against violence before, during and after the elections and to also educate their colleagues. The unveiling of the Commissions human rights and non-violence in elections theme song done by the youths climaxed the event. Copyright 2023 Politico (24/05/23) (CNN) Former New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern, who stepped down from her post earlier this year, has been made a dame in one of the countrys highest honors. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced the appointment on Monday to mark the Kings Birthday public holiday, with Ardern among 182 recipients receiving various honors for their contributions to the country. Having served as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2023, Dame Jacinda Ardern is recognized for her service to New Zealand during some of the greatest challenges our country has faced in modern times, Hipkins said in a statement. Leading New Zealands response to the 2019 terrorist attacks and to the Covid-19 pandemic represented periods of intense challenge for our 40th Prime Minister, during which time I saw first hand that her commitment to New Zealand remained absolute. Hipkins hails from the same party as Ardern, the Labour Party, and succeeded her as leader. The move grants Ardern the title of Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. The Order of Merit, established in 1996, is awarded to those in any field who have performed meritorious service to the Crown and the nation or who are known for their eminence, talents, contributions, or other merits, according to the government site. In a statement to CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand (RNZ), Ardern said she was incredibly humbled by the accolade. I was in two minds about accepting this acknowledgment, she said. So many of the things we went through as a nation over the last five years were about all of us rather than one individual. But I have heard that said by so many Kiwis who I have encouraged to accept an honour over the years. And so for me this a way to say thank you to my family, to my colleagues, and to the people who supported me to take on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life. When Ardern became the countrys prime minister in 2017 at the age of 37, she was New Zealands third female leader and one of the youngest leaders in the world. Within a year, she had become only the second world leader to give birth in office. Her time in power was defined by multiple crises, including the Christchurch terrorist attack, a deadly volcanic explosion, and the pandemic. She quickly became a progressive global icon, remembered for her empathy while steering New Zealand through these crises and for taking her baby daughter to the United Nations General Assembly. However, at home her popularity ebbed amid the rising cost of living, housing shortages and economic anxiety. And she faced violent anti-lockdown protests in the capital Wellington, with threats made against her. Ardern announced her shock resignation in January, saying she no longer had enough fuel in the tank to contest an election prompting a wave of praise and warm farewells from other world leaders and her many international admirers. In April, she revealed she will head to Harvard University this fall to complete two fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School, the universitys school of public policy and government. She will be gone for a semester, missing out on the New Zealand general election, but will return at the end of the fellowships, she said. Washington County Sheriffs Office on Monday morning released the name of the man who died in a motorcycle accident on State Route 22 in the Town of Hebron on Sunday morning. The sheriff's office said in a news release that deputies responded to a crash Sunday morning just south of Tiplady Road, where they found a single motorcycle off the road into the guiderail with a deceased deer nearby. Police said Boris M. Erikhman, 62, of Riverside, Rhode Island, had been driving his 1984 Honda Nighthawk south on State Route 22 when a deer entered the road, according to a preliminary investigation. Erikhman struck the deer, causing him to lose control and was ultimately thrown from the motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff's office said Erikhman was reportedly in the area for the annual Lake George Americade event, one of the country's largest multi-day motorcycle rallies. A portion of the roadway was closed as the accident was, and still remains, under investigation, the sheriff's office said. GLENS FALLS Although other states have LGBTQ+ communities fighting for their rights, Glens Falls celebrated its pride in and acceptance of those residents on Sunday. Lower Adirondack PRIDE organized a celebration that included a march around City Park, drag sho, and story time for kids. Cam Cardinale, the organizations president, said the location played a key role in turnout this year. The event was attended by over 500 people. We wanted to have it in City Park to increase the events visibility, he said. Clad in a variety of pride flags, colorful outfits and a lot of smiles, community members not only celebrated, but also participated in learning about local services that support transgender rights with gender-affirming health care. We are there to provide access to health care regardless of who you are, regardless of who you love, regardless of the way you were born, or regardless of the way you were born and now you identify as somebody else, Ray Agnew, vice president/hospital and community engagement of Glens Falls Hospital said. You deserve the best care we can provide, you deserve to be called by the name you want to be called by, and we will do everything in our power to make sure you are getting the best health care that you possibly can." Diana Palmer, Glens Falls Third Ward councilwoman and a marriage and family therapist, spoke about how her lifes work has been about supporting people to be their authentic selves and helping people overcome challenges to strengthen their relationships. She said she had one recurring thought while she was planning her speech. When I was thinking about what I wanted to say today I kept coming back to this simple thought: I have never had to worry that my relationship or my love would be rejected by others. I have never had to worry that just being me and loving who I love that I would be rejected by others, she said. In a time where the world has so many divisions, I cant think of a noble endeavor to actively love. With not knowing what if feels like to have her love rejected, Palmer wrote a poem that she read at the end of her speech: A simple wish, a simple plea, to love and to work, to live and to be. To not have to justify why you are you, and I am me. A simple wish and a hope for us all, if we cant root for love can we stand for anything at all? With one against another in a time so divided, when love finds a way we should never have to hide it. Of all the things in this world to turn our hearts and minds against, rejecting love is the greatest offence. As sure as I breathe I know hate will divide us, to heal what is broken love has to guide us. A simple wish to see us through, to love and to work, to be me and to be you. For love to be love to be love, and the world to reflect what we know to be true. Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, was in attendance and spoke about how she will continue to fight for LGBTQ+ rights in New Yorks legislation. Our world can be a challenging place and certainly in the last couple of years we have seen legislation across the country create laws that are detrimental to the LGBT community, particularly the trans community. To be apart of a community where we embrace everyone, where love wins, where hate has no place, my heart is full, she said. Other speeches were made by representatives from Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, Hudson Headwaters Health Network, Southern Adirondack Independent Living and Alliance for Positive Health. A march was lead around the block of City Park, first in silence for those who lost their lives or loved ones who felt they could never be themselves. A second walk around the block was filled with cheering and chanting for the LGBTQ+ communitys voices to be heard. There was also a moment of silence in the opening ceremony for those who have suffered in silence, not being able to express their true identity in fear of being rejected, disowned, or cast out. At a time when drag shows are under attack in other parts of the nation, six drag queens and one drag king worked the gazebo stage and the lawn of City Park with their performances. Vendors with food, activities, drawings and more kept attendees on their toes, as well. Cardinale also announced that 2024s Pride event will be somewhat different. Rather than four hours of fun on one day, the event will be extended to a three-day celebration. He said Lower Adirondack PRIDE is grateful for those who have supported the event in any way. Were so thankful to have such a supportive community as well as local and state officials who care about every member of the Glens Falls community, he said. PHOTOS: Lower Adirondack PRIDE celebration Cam Cardinale Jianna Romano Kendra Schieber- Face Paint Pride.JPG Ray Agnew.JPG Woerner.JPG Xavier Chaos.JPG Lower Adirondack PRIDE organizes Glens Falls Pride celebration Events Monday, June 5 COMPUTER BASICS: KEYBOARD AND MOUSE: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; learn the basics of using a computer's keyboard and mouse; Public Library, 1 N. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City. 609-345-2269, ext. 3060 or acfpl.org. ESL CAREER READINESS LAB: 9:30 a.m. to noon Mondays through July 31; learn how to use the Engen Language Upskilling platform, which provides ESL classes and tutorials with a focus on job interview skills, and the food and beverage industry and hospitality industry; Public Library, 1 N. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City. 609-345-2269 or acfpl.org. LINE DANCING - WITH SUSAN PENNYPACKER: noon to 12:45 p.m. Mondays; no meetings Sept. 4, Oct. 9; Wildwood Crest Branch, 6300 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. MEDITATIVE DRUM CIRCLE: 5 to 6 p.m. Mondays; bring your own instrument or borrow one; no meetings Aug. 28, Sept. 4, Oct. 9, Nov. 6, Dec. 25; Cape May Court House Branch, 30 Mechanic St., Middle Township. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. REGISTERED BEHAVIOR TECHNICIAN (RBT) FREE TRAINING PROGRAM: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; four-week training program to prepare you for the RBT exam and three additional credentials; 1501 S. New Road, Pleasantville. 609-484-9356 or student.tbyrdcenter.com. SCRABBLE NIGHT: 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. first and third Mondays through May; bring your own team or play with others; Public Library, 235 32nd St., Avalon. avalonfreelibrary.org. SHOREBIRDS BABIES 'R US - PRESENTED BY OF THE WETLANDS INSTITUTE: 6 to 7 p.m.; Cape May County Library/Lower Cape Branch, 2600 Bayshore Road, Lower Township; free, registration requested. 609-463-6350 or wetlandsinstitute.org. 'THE COURAGE TO CARE RESCUE DURING THE HOLOCAUST' INSTRUCTED BY ROBERT HOLDEN: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; show the Academy Award Winning short subject film from the 90s, "The Courage to Care" (based on the book by Dr. Carol Rittner) followed by discussion; Cape May County Library/Stone Harbor Branch, 9516 Second Ave., Stone Harbor; free, registration requested. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. Wednesday, June 7 ADULT BOARD GAME NIGHT: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, June 7, 21, July 5, 19, Aug. 2, 16; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org. BORED? GAMES!: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 31; for ages 10 to adult; games are family-friendly classic board games meant for at least two players; Ventnor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 6500 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor; registration required. 609-823-4614 or atlanticlibrary.org. MURDER MYSTERY DINNER - 'THE PLOT THICKENS': 7 to 8:30 p.m.; enjoy a three-course dinner and watch as the mystery and drama unfold; The Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard St., Cape May; $75. 609-884-5404 or capemaymac.org. WEDNESDAY FAMILY GAME NIGHT: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 30; for all ages; board games provided; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville; registration required. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org. Thursday, June 8 CYBER THURSDAYS: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org. GAME ON!: 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 8, July 13, Aug. 17; for adults; disconnect from the screen and connect over board games; Brigantine Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 201 15th St. S., Brigantine; registration required. 609-266-0110 or atlanticlibrary.org. PARKMOBILE TUTORIAL: 1 to 2 p.m. June 8, July 6; learn the parking system used in Ventnor; Ventnor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 6500 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor. 609-823-4614 or atlanticlibrary.org. SENIOR CRAFT AND ACTIVITIES: 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays through June 29; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org. Friday, June 9 SECOND FRIDAY ART RECEPTION: 6 to 8 p.m. second Fridays; celebrate the opening of newest galleries; The Noyes Arts Garage Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City. 609-626-3805 or ArtsGarageAC.com. Saturday, June 10 CAR CRUISE: 5 to 8 p.m. June 10, 23; show off your car during the Car Cruises; 615 E. Moss Mill Road, Galloway Township. 609-748-8999 or historicsmithville.com. MAKER'S SPACE SEWING: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. June 10, 24; for teens and adults; discover how to sew both by hand and with machines; Hammonton Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 451 S. Egg Harbor Road, Hammonton; registration required. 609-561-2264 or atlanticlibrary.org. SATURDAY MOVIE TIME: 1 to 3 p.m. June 10, 24, July 8, 22, Aug. 5, 19; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org. For kids Monday, June 5 PRE-K CLUB AND CRAFT: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. June 5, 12; Galloway Township Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 306 E. Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway. 609-652-2352 or atlanticlibrary.org. PRESCHOOL STORYTIME - ABSECON: 10 to 11 a.m. Mondays; Absecon branch/Atlantic County Library System, 305 New Jersey Ave., Absecon. 609-646-2228 or atlanticlibrary.org. PRESCHOOL STORYTIME - EGG HARBOR CITY: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays through Aug. 28; Egg Harbor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 134 Philadelphia Ave., Egg Harbor City. 609-804-1063 or atlanticlibrary.org. Tuesday, June 6 MINDFUL STORYTIME WITH MISS BETH: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays through August; storytime for kids; for ages 2 to 5; Brigantine Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 201 15th St. S., Brigantine; registration required. 609-266-0110 or atlanticlibrary.org. WONDERBOOK STORYTIME: 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, June 6, 20, July 18, August 1, 15, 29; for ages 4 to 11; kids will press play to read along with their favorite books and then switch to learning mode for literacy learning; Pleasantville Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 33 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Pleasantville; registration required. 609-641-1778 or atlanticlibrary.org. Wednesday, June 7 PLAYDATE AT THE LIBRARY: 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 9; for ages 6-36 months; enjoy stories, rhymes and songs designed to develop early literacy skills; Mays Landing Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 40 Farragut Ave., Hamilton; registration required. 609-625-2776 or atlanticlibrary.org. Thursday, June 8 123 READ & SING: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays through Aug. 10; for ages 1 1/2 to 5 and their caregivers; Galloway Township Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 306 E. Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway Township. 609-652-2352 or atlanticlibrary.org. Saturday, June 10 DROP-IN LEGO PLAYTIME: 1 to 2 p.m. Saturdays through August; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org. LET'S GO LEGO: 11 a.m. to noon every other Saturday through Aug. 19; Mays Landing Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 40 Farragut Ave., Hamilton. 609-625-2776 or atlanticlibrary.org. SATURDAY FAMILY STORYTIME: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays through August; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org. SPRINGTIME STORYTIME: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, June 10, 24; for ages 3 1/2 to 5, siblings welcome; few quick stories, songs, an easy craft, plus a treat; Somers Point Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 801 Shore Road, Somers Point; registration required. 609-927-7113 or atlanticlibrary.org. TEEN BOARD GAME AND SNACK AFTERNOONS: 2 to 4 p.m. Saturdays, June 10, 24, July 8, 22, Aug. 5, 29; for kids and teens, ages 10 and older; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township; registration required. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org. Groups Monday, June 5 AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS: 11 a.m. Mondays; for those troubled by someone else's drinking; Egg Harbor City Senior Center, 351 Cincinnati Ave., Egg Harbor City. AL-ANON.org. COZY MYSTERY BOOK CLUB FOR ADULTS: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; group will be discussing "Murder She Knit" by Peggy Ehrhart, with a special visit from the author; Public Library, 1058 E. Landis Ave., Vineland. 856-794-4244 or vinelandlibrary.org. LONGPORT NEEDLERS: 10 a.m. to noon Mondays; bring your needle/crochet craft project and join us for a time of crafting and socializing; Longport Public Library, 2305 Atlantic Ave., Longport. 609-487-7403 or LongportPublicLibrary.org. 'MONEY TALKS' ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUP: 7 to 8 p.m. first Mondays; monthly online discussion group with thought-provoking topics related to money and wellness; virtual event hosted by the Mental Health Association New Jersey. 609-652-3800 or MHANJ.org. Tuesday, June 6 INTERMEDIATE SPANISH CONVERSATION VIRTUAL CLASS: 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays; intermediate-level Spanish Conversation class via Zoom; Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 N. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City. 609-345-2269 or ACFPL.org. JERSEY CAPE WRITERS: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. first and third Tuesdays; e-mail Jerseycapewriters01@gmail.com to register; share your writing and ideas in a friendly and supportive environment; Cape May Court House Branch, 30 Mechanic St., Middle Township. 609-463-6350 or Events.CMCLibrary.org. YARNBENDERS CROCHET AND KNITTING CLUB: 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Aug. 29; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org. Wednesday, June 7 'TOO MUCH STUFF?' MEETINGS: 1 to 2 p.m. first and third Wednesdays; hosted by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; online or call-in support for those with clutter challenges, collecting behaviors, or hoarding tendency. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info. Thursday, June 8 AL-ANON MEETING: 11 a.m. to noon Thursdays through December; by Al-Anon Family Groups; Cape May County Library/Lower Cape Branch, 2600 Bayshore Road, Lower Township. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. CROCHET GROUP: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31; learn and practice your craft in a fun and welcoming environment; Egg Harbor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 134 Philadelphia Ave., Egg Harbor City. 609-804-1063 or atlanticlibrary.org. EHT BOOK CLUB: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, monthly book club; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664 or atlanticlibrary.org. FAMILY MEETING SUPPORT GROUP: 10 a.m. to noon second and fourth Thursdays; support group for family members of individuals who live with a mental health concern. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info. MEETINGS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER: 10:30 a.m. second and fourth Thursdays; 7 p.m. third Thursdays; choose from daytime or evening meeting times; online-only; workshop-style meeting among peers with a new topic each group; offered by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County through the Intensive Family Support Services program. 609-517-8614 or mhaac.info. SHELF INDULGENCE BOOK CLUB: 6 to 7 p.m. second Thursdays; Egg Harbor City Branch/Atlantic County Library System, 134 Philadelphia Ave., Egg Harbor City. 609-804-1063 or atlanticlibrary.org. SOMERS POINT POETRY SOCIETY: 6 to 7:30 p.m. second Thursdays; poetry club open to all; each meeting will have a theme and two poems to be used for criticism and conversation; Somers Point Senior Center, 22 N. Ambler Road, Somers Point. somersptarts.weebly.com. Friday, June 9 AMERICAN MAH JONGG: 1 to 3 p.m. Fridays; Wildwood Crest Branch, 6300 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. CONVERSATIONAL LENAPE LANGUAGE - WITH TERI HISLOP: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Fridays; newcomers welcome; Lower Cape Branch, 2600 Bayshore Road, Lower Township. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. 'LIGHTBULB' ONLINE GROUP: 3 to 4 p.m. Fridays; virtual group presented by the Mental Health Association in New Jersey; weekly online discussion group and forum to ask questions about mental health and wellness. 609-652-3800 or MHANJ.org. Saturday, June 10 SOUTHERN NJ AFRICAN VIOLET CLUB: 10 a.m. to noon second Saturdays; Elwood Volunteer Fire Dept., 414 Elwood Road, Mullica Township; discuss plant care tips and needs; open to all; no membership fees; masks required and COVID-19 social distancing rules in effect. snjavc.org or email snjavc.violet@gmail.com or Facebook@southernnewjerseyafricanvioletclub. Health, fitness Monday, June 5 CHAIR YOGA - WITH LYNNE CATARRO: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays; no class 9/4, 10/9, 12/25; Cape May County Library/Wildwood Crest Branch, 6300 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. 'GOT STRESS?' ONLINE GROUP: 4 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays; online group meets to discuss daily wellness, coping strategies and tools to relieve stress and reduce anxiety; offered by The Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; free. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info. YOGA WITH SUZANNE KUBIK: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays through Sept. 14; no class July 6, Sept. 4; Cape May County Library/Stone Harbor Branch, 9516 Second Ave., Stone Harbor. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. Tuesday, June 6 BODY IMAGE & BALANCE MEETINGS: 7 to 8 p.m. first and third Tuesdays; hosted by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; call-in and online group for those living with or recovering from disordered eating. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info. DEALING WITH DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP: 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays; hosted by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; online support group for those living with depression. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info. MINDFULNESS & MOVEMENT: 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through December; Cape May County Library/Wildwood Crest Branch, 6300 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. ZUMBA WITH KELLIE WOOD: 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays; Cape May Court House Branch, 30 Mechanic St., Middle Township. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. Wednesday, June 7 BARRE STAR: 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Wednesdays through May; combination of ballet, flexibility, yoga/balance and strength training; Wildwood Crest Branch, 6300 Atlantic Ave., Wildwood Crest. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. EXPLORING SPIRITUALITY ONLINE WELLNESS GROUP: noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays; hosted by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; wellness group exploring themes of faith, hope, sense of purpose, and fulfilment. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info. MEDITATION MEET-UP WITH TED COSTA: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through December; Woodbine Community Center, 812 Longfellow St., Woodbine. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. MIND AND BODY VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: 11 a.m. to noon Wednesdays; workshop is provided to individuals who live with a disability; participants discuss topics such as adapting, goal setting, refocusing and more; offered by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County. 609-652-3800, ext. 308 or MHAAC.info. STRETCH & BURN - WITH KELLIE WOOD: 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays; hosted by Cape May County Library; virtual event; no registration required. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. TAI CHI & QIGONG: 10 and 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays; with Cheryl Crews and Denise Jones; Lower Cape Branch, 2600 Bayshore Road, Lower Township. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. ZUMBA - WITH JANET SPADA: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Wildwood Crest Library, and Thursdays at Lower Township Library; no meetings July 12, 26, Nov. 22, 23. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. ZUMBA - WITH KELLIE: 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays; Sea Isle City Branch, 4800 Central Ave., Sea Isle City. 609-463-6350 or Events.CMCLibrary.org. Thursday, June 8 GENTLE YOGA - WITH ELIZABETH KILCOURSE: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays; bring a yoga mat; Upper Township Branch, 2050 Tuckahoe Road, Woodbine. 609-463-6350 or events.cmclibrary.org. 'RISING MINDS' ONLINE MEETING: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; offered by the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County; peer-led meeting for individuals age 18 to 30; participants discuss mental health, share experiences, develop tools for self-care and connect to others. 609-652-3800 or MHAAC.info. YOGA AT THE LIBRARY: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. June 8, July 13, Aug. 10; Egg Harbor Township/Atlantic County Library System, 1 Swift Drive, Egg Harbor Township. 609-927-8664. Music Friday, June 9 MUSIC TO MY EARS - ONLINE: 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 4; uplifting online discussion group in which participants share favorite music selections and what it means to them; virtual event hosted by the Mental Health Association in New Jersey. 609-652-3800 or mhanj.org. ATLANTIC CITY Dedication for a World War II memorial named after a local veteran as a way to honor all former military personnel isnt happening on time. Thats because scheduling conflicts with contractors have delayed the nearly $1 million project from being completed. People Ive spoken with are actually understanding, said Robert Turkavage, co-chair of the Friends of Bernie Foundation. I guess they kind of expect that in construction. Plans were to dedicate the Bernie Friedenberg World War II Memorial on Tuesday, the anniversary of D-Day, one of the most well-known military operations of the conflict, in which soldiers from the U.S. and other allied forces died rushing the beaches of Normandy, France. The operations importance to history called for a ceremonial launch of the memorial, but instead, the nonprofit building it expects it to be delayed until possibly late summer, Turkavage said. Im very disappointed, but what matters to me is that people know that this has been postponed and that were making every reasonable effort to get this completed and dedicated as expeditiously and efficiently as we can, Turkavage said. The memorial is named after Bernie Friedenberg, a World War II Army veteran and former city resident who served on European battlefields. Friedenberg pulled wounded soldiers from the front lines to secure posts, helping teams render initial medical aid to the injured. For his courage at Omaha Beach on D-Day, Friedenberg received two Silver Stars in 1944. He died at 96 in 2018. Atlantic City celebrates Veterans Day early ATLANTIC CITY Veterans Day celebrations, like the one Thursday at the Saracini-O'Neill Mem The World War II veterans literally saved us from tyranny of the whole world, said Marco Smigliani, who also co-chairs the foundation. Especially in these troubled times today, I think these (types of) monuments, memorials and statues are really important and speak to the sacrifices they made, where they went, the horrible things they saw and things they had to do to participate. Featured at the site will be a statue using Friedenbergs likeness, which Turkavage said is nearly complete. It still needs its final clay representation, he said, adding the process typically takes the most time. A granite sitting wall at the site was also not completed in time for Tuesday but is said to be ready for installation, Turkavage said. The nonprofit has faced the arduous task of trying to finish the memorial on time, including having to acquire proper permitting, said Smigliani. He, too, shared the disappointment. I would like the people to know that we did our best, and there were a lot of obstacles, Smigliani said Monday. Ive never been involved in anything like this. Ive been involved with a lot of stuff, but this is really an incredible project. The memorial is being built through contractors who have offered their services for free or at a greatly reduced price, Turkavage said, adding that most have been caught up in completing other projects. The foundation has, over about four years, raised roughly $827,000 to build the 6-foot, 3,500-pound bronze statue on a 3-foot pedestal at ODonnell Memorial Park on Atlantic Avenue, near Stockton Universitys city campus. Fundraising has been aided by donations such as a $175,000 grant from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and about $300,000 allotted to the city from the American Rescue Plan COVID-19 relief package. Atlantic City to announce funding for World War II memorial ATLANTIC CITY Mayor Marty Small Sr. plans to announce funding for a long-planned Bernie Fr Funds will help surround the memorial with the granite wall and floor, and pay for lighting, new sidewalks, benches and other items. We support our veterans and this project 1,000% and will continue to support this project all the way through its completion, city spokesperson Andrew Kramer said Monday. Nothing has changed on our end. CRDA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Important to the nonprofit is that the memorial honors the nearly 16 million people who served in World War II, Smigliani said. The monument features elements of both the European and Pacific theaters, separate conflicts in which the Allied Powers faced off against the Axis forces of Germany, Italy and Japan. Because of that aspect, the memorials impact extends beyond D-Day, to honor the sacrifice of all veterans, Smigliani said. Freedom is not free, and we need to nurture and take care of it, especially today, Smigliani said. To me, this (memorial) is for everyone. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. SEA ISLE CITY Two juveniles were charged with criminal mischief after they allegedly damaged a city playground last week. The juveniles broke fences and destroyed property at Dealy Field's Play by the Bay playground in the 6100 block of Central Avenue on Memorial Day, police said Monday in a news release. A 911 caller informed police of the alleged mischief at 12:12 a.m., reporting that a group of juveniles was damaging the park. Police reached the park and found a group of juveniles walking away from the area. After investigating, two were charged and released on summonses. Sea Isle Citys Police will continue a zero-tolerance strategy when it comes to destructive, unruly, disorderly criminal behavior, said police Chief Anthony Garreffi. To assist with this strategy, dozens of high-resolution surveillance cameras have been installed throughout the City of Sea Isle City. In addition to increased surveillance efforts, we are also asking the public for their assistance in reporting such behavior immediately to the police in order to increase the likelihood of apprehension. City officials did not release the cost of the damage. A Pennsylvania man accused of trying to lure a child out of a Wawa in Cumberland County was released from jail Friday, according to court officials. The state withdrew its motion for detention against Joseph Thomas Cannon, 79, of Camp Hill, after he was arrested last week, court officials said Monday. Cannon was taken to the Cumberland County jail after being arrested on charges that he tried kidnapping a 7-year-old boy from a Wawa on Route 47 in Maurice River Township on May 28. Cannon was arrested in Cape May last week, State Police Sgt. Philip Curry said Monday. He is charged with abuse or neglect of a child, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday. He is due in Cumberland County Superior Court at a later date, but no first appearance hearing was listed on court records. Pennsylvania man arrested in attempted child abduction at Cumberland County Wawa MAURICE RIVER TOWNSHIP The man wanted for allegedly trying to abduct a 7-year-old boy at a Cannon and the boy met each other in the store's restroom about 12:20 p.m. Cannon offered the boy candy in a bid to get him to leave the store and come with him to his vehicle, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The child refused, and Cannon allegedly grabbed the boy by his arm. Once the child broke away from Cannon's grip, he ran to his mother in the women's restroom. Cannon left the store before the boy's family could locate him, State Police previously said. Hours after the alleged abduction, State Police released store surveillance footage of Cannon, followed by an artist's sketch of him days later. The remains of three victims have been recovered from the collapsed building, Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said at a Monday news conference. He said the police department did not have any information at this time that additional people were missing. Later Monday evening, the Iowa Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue team suspended its search, rescue and recovery efforts at the collapse site, Sarah Ott, Davenport's Chief Strategy Officer, said in an email issued at 6:35 p.m. The task force determined that the building had no more collapse victims inside. Collapsed building material had been removed from the foundation of 324 Main St. as of that time, she said. Branden Colvin Sr. was found Saturday, Ryan Hitchcock was found Sunday and Daniel Prien was found early Monday morning. Families of all three have been contacted, Bladel said. The medical examiner has met with the families, he said. There will be autopsies done on all three. He did not say whether the three died immediately upon the collapse May 28. Officials said an investigation was ongoing. Inside the doors to the lobby of the Davenport Police Department Monday morning, Desiree Banks, the mother of Branden Colvin Jr., questioned Bladel after the news conference on whether more people could be under the rubble. Bladel told her in front of a reporter that the remains of Prien and Hitchcock had also been found in the rubble, which brought tears to Banks' eyes. Bladel assured her they knew of no one else who was missing. Officials rescued seven people immediately after the collapse, escorted another dozen out of the building and rescued another person from the rubble with an on-site amputation. Less than 12 hours after the collapse, officials said they had no credible information that anyone was missing under the rubble and ordered the "immediate demolition" of the building, which was deemed structurally unsound. The response drew community backlash from families and friends of those who were missing and others, who urged the city to continue searching. Monday night, another person, Lisa Brooks, called her daughter and was rescued from a fourth-story window. Rescue and recovery efforts continued Thursday after the city activated a state rescue task force. Friday and Saturday onlookers could see parts of the collapsed building being pulled down, an action the city said was to get rid of hazards to rescue and recovery crews. Colvin Sr., 42, was recovered at 11:59 a.m. Saturday, Bladel said. On Sunday, the remains of Ryan Hitchcock, 51, were recovered and identified at 12:25 p.m. And the final person, Daniel Prien, 60, was recovered at 2:30 a.m. Monday. Iowa Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue chief Rick Halleran said during the news conference that they had brought some closure to families over the weekend and that crews may transition to a "new phase in the process." "As we come into today's operations, following the goals and objectives by the command staff of the city and the incident management team, in all hopes, it looks like we'll be wrapping things up shortly," Halleran said. "That being said, they are still working, things are dynamic, and they still can be changing. The hope is that we will be entering a new chapter, a new phase in the process of working through the aftermath of the collapse." Mayor Mike Matson said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was on site and would tour the wreckage Monday. He cut short the news conference after only a few questions because he was set to update her, Matson said. Gov. Reynolds has been in contact with Davenport city officials since the collapse of the building and will be on the ground today to get an update on the latest information, Reynolds' spokesperson, Kollin Crompton, wrote in an email. Reynolds was seen at the collapse site later Monday morning. The city last held a news conference Friday morning. Over the weekend, family members of Branden Colvin Sr. said they were notified his body was found, the first public disclosure of remains having been found and identified. A vigil for the victims was held Sunday evening, with family members, friends and others lighting candles, saying prayers, and sharing memories. Some attendees there also planned a march ahead of Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. Davenport city council meeting. Sunday morning the city said crews had continued working on The Davenport apartments, at 324 Main St., which collapsed around 5 p.m. May 28. Workers on site now include members of Iowa Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue and the Northwest Illinois Incident Management Team. Bladel said an investigation had been initiated through the city fire marshal's office. Also assisting are the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Davenport Police Department's investigation team, and the medical examiner's office, Bladel said, and more subject matter experts may be on site as needed. "This is an active investigation," Bladel said, adding more information would be released when it could be. Matson said the city was looking into a 911 call that was placed May 27, in which the caller said he had heard the building wall was bulging and should be checked out. Asked whether owner Andrew Wold, who bought the building in 2021 for more than $4 million, has been in contact with the city, Matson said: "I have had no contact with him." Asked again whether Wold had been consulting or helping, Matson said "Not that I'm aware of." Reporter Anthony Watt contributed to this report. Photos: One week after the partial collapse of The Davenport PONTIAC Have you ever imagined what it would be like to stand in a room filled with soldiers and sailors who served in World War II and other world conflicts and hear their stories, sometimes in their own words? Thats the opportunity presented at the Livingston County War Museum in Pontiac. People come in and say, You have a whole army in here, says David Estes, the son of the museums founder, Dal Estes, and himself an Army combat veteran who served in Vietnam. Visitors walk among the uniformed mannequins and real veterans who volunteer their time to tell their stories. The museum mixes history with modern technology. Visitors with smartphones can snap photos of QR codes to hear detailed information, and in some cases, the voices of veterans telling their military experiences. The QR codes are thanks to a museum intern, David says. You can hear the voice of his father, Dal Estes, the museums founder, who landed in the second wave at Omaha Beach in France on D-Day. His description of what he saw that day is chilling. He received a Purple Heart during the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. For 10 years he tried to start the museum. He wouldnt give up, says David, the museums education director. The museum opened in 2004 and is above the Route 66 Museum founded by Dals wife Betty Estes, Pontiacs first tourism director. David remembers the first time his father saw the museum space and said, This will do, but well never fill it up. He chuckles now, standing in the museum filled to the brim. After the war, Dal worked in a meat packing plant in Chicago to earn a good income for his family. In his early days of telling war stories, he would travel around with a small suitcase of artifacts and use them to tell the story, David said. When he was a half-track driver on D-Day, he captured a Nazi flag from the first bunker entered by Americans in Normandy, France. Fifty years later, to the day, he returned it to a museum in France on the same beach. It is displayed at the museum with a tribute banner to Dal Estes. When he returned the flag to France in 1994, he was mobbed with respect and admiration. Kids wanted his autograph, David says. To see if there would be the same reaction here, Dal stood on the Livingston County Court steps in his khakis. No one paid attention, which made him more determined to open a museum. Dal died on Christmas Eve in 2005 but lived to see his dream come true. David, who helps carry on his fathers mission, was drafted to his service in Vietnam. I didnt want to go to war, he freely admits. But he did and says he has no respect for draft dodgers and others who faked medical problems to avoid going. This is one of the honest stories he tells visitors. The Civil War section of the museum features the fascinating story of Albert Cashier, who was really a woman named Jennie Irene Hodgers. She adopted the identity of a man to serve in the Union Army and was only discovered when she needed medical attention. Cashier was buried with full military honor in 1915 and the family house is preserved in Saunemin, Illinois. World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Korea and more recent wars and conflicts are represented. Even the most decorated dog of World War I gets a story here. Known as Sergeant Stubby, he warned of gas attacks and is credited with killing an enemy with a little help from his two-legged friends, says Roger Kutnzer of Flanagan, a historian and volunteer at the museum. Farm boys were among those who served in a world far different than their own, Kutnzer says. He gives an example of one who had never seen an ocean before and ended up serving on an aircraft carrier where he didnt see land for a year. The museum mixes local characters with international stories. It tells worldwide war stories with artifacts from only a 5-mile radius of Pontiac in Livingston County. Were unique, says museum president Ed Long, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, retiring as Chief Petty Officer in 1987. All the 10,000 items in the museums collection were donated. Ralph Messer, the museum curator, will help people find a place to donate military items if they dont meet this museums criteria. We get 60,000 visitors a year, often 100 a day, Long says. The museum was closed to the public during the pandemic but continued to connect with students through Zoom and Skype video calls. These programs are part of the museums Estes-Murphy Education Center, named as a tribute to fellow museum founders Dal Estes and Jack Murphy. Murphy, a Korean War Army veteran, was the museums first president. Among the people who frequent the museum is Art Leach, a fighter pilot who served in World War II in the Pacific. Hes a walking encyclopedia, Long says of the 103-year-old veteran. IF YOU GO WHAT: Livingston County War Museum & Estes-Murphy Education Center WHERE: 321 N. Main Street, Pontiac HOURS: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday ONLINE: livingstoncountywarmuseum.com CONTACT: 815-842-0301 CHICAGO The Field Museum has a new dinosaur, one that is both larger and a better swimmer than Sue. A 46-foot-long Spinosaurus cast was suspended in the main hall of the Field Museum on Friday, pulled off the ground by wires hanging from the glass ceiling. Its a display of the worlds largest predatory dinosaur, surpassing the museums famous T. rex fossil Sue by 6 feet. The Spinosaurus was semiaquatic, hunting prey in rivers. For this reason, exhibit developer Benjamin Miller said they decided to pose the cast in a swimming position to feel like youre a fish and this big river monster is swimming down at you. The Spinosaurus is popular with kids, Miller said, so it was natural for the Field Museum to bring one to Chicago. At some point in the last 10 years, every kid who likes dinosaurs decided that Spinosaurus is their favorite, he said. When Miller leads tours with kids, someone always asks where they can see a Spinosaurus. In the past, Miller has had to tell them there isnt one anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. But the answer will be different now. This will be the first one outside Japan on permanent display, so hopefully it will make a lot of kids happy, he said. One of these happy kids was 7-year-old Benjamin Olsen Garcia, whose family travels from Madison, Wisconsin, several times a year to the museum. His family came specifically to see the Spinosaurus on Thursday. I have a Spinosaurus tooth at my house, he said. Its really cool and interesting to see an actual Spinosaurus. Dinosaurs are the museums most-loved ambassadors, said Field Museum president Julian Siggers. They open a gateway to science that, for many of our visitors, prompts lifelong learning and a life of curiosity and wonder, he said. This particular dinosaur model was also the result of international collaboration, Siggers said. The Spinosaurus cast was based on the fossils housed at the Hassan II University in Casablanca, Morocco. The fossils were discovered in 2008 by a team in the Saharan Desert, including Field Museum researcher Matteo Fabbri. Fabbri said the 2008 discovery changed scientists understanding of just how much the Spinosaurus spent swimming. It has dense bones that made swimming easier, for example, unlike birds or other predatory dinosaurs that have hollow bones. Those bones would have helped it submerge itself underwater in pursuit of prey. It was the first time we had a smoking gun to say that this dinosaur was spending a lot of time swimming in water, Fabbri said. He said it was amazing to see the Spinosaurus lifted up into its new home. The cast was made in Italy, then shipped to the museum by plane. Four a.m., we started mounting the specimen, and it was a great, great feeling to see that everything went well, Fabbri said. The Spinosaurus cast in Stanley Field Hall will be the centerpiece of Dino Fest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 10, with dinosaur trivia games, a poetry station, a book fair and presentations from the Fields dinosaur curator Jingmai OConnor and paleoartist Ted Rechlin; at the Field Museum, 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive; www.fieldmuseum.org. Photos: Pritzker sworn in for second term "People are kind. They are amazing." Those words are plagiarized, stolen from a woman most of us never knew before last Sunday's partial collapse of The Davenport apartment building. Her name is Desiree Banks and she is the mother of 18-year-old Branden Colvin Jr. Along with a number of family and friends, Banks and her son have spent every day and night camped in front Davenport's City Hall. Branden Colvin Sr. lived in one of the apartments that slid into a pile of rubble. Banks and her son have waited and prayed, hoping that somehow Colvin Sr. will be found alive. They learned Saturday his body had been found. Their vigil has not been a lonely one. "This week I learned something about people," Banks said just after the sun rose Friday. "People are kind. They are amazing. I can't even tell you the names of the people who have come here to give us water, to offer us food. They've come to just hug us and not even tell us their names." Banks was walking, stopping every once in a while to pick up some empty, discarded water bottle or wrapper that once held a McDonald's breakfast sandwich. Others joined her, dumping Thursday night's pizza boxes into big black plastic bags. Banks' smile almost covered the evidence of no sleep under her eyes. "It's weird," she said. "Something horrible happened. We don't know if Branden Senior is alive or dead. And during all that, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here. "The people here, how we've all come together, I hope you get a chance to write something about some of the just-people people who came down here and tried to make a little bit of a difference. All of them have made a huge difference for me and my son. That's something good out of all this." Trash bags and solidarity Moselle Singh is one of the just-people people who found her way to the intersection of 4th and Harrison streets. She drove from her home in Madison, Wisconsin, to Davenport because this city is her hometown. "Before I got in the car, I got on the phone with Iowa CCI that's Citizens for Community Improvement and I talked with the Great Plains Action Society and the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement," Singh said. "We drove in, slept in a parking garage by the Figge and we were here in the morning to help people." Singh talked only about one agenda. "So every community has agencies and government, but what we wanted to do was help put resources in the hands of the people who need them. We want to help the building's residents actually have food and water and some way to connect to the resources out there." Singh said when the protest of Tuesday's originally-scheduled demolition started, that was a call to action. "We aren't here to protest," she said. "We are here to have cold water here and trash bags for all the garbage and chairs for people who can't stand for hours in the heat. "We are here to help." Singh said singling her out didn't tell the story. "There were people here, people from other parts of the community, who dropped pizzas off here every day," she said. "There were people who came here just to help, to look out for other people they don't even know. "Honestly, I came here to be in solidarity with people from the city I love. That's why people came here to offer what they could." 'Show them someone cares' Lesa Malcolm-Bivens and her 130-pound Rottweiler called Laufex made the 45-minute drive from Galesburg to take part in Tuesday's protests outside City Hall. "I'm here to support the people because people should come before property," she said as she sat in the shade of City Hall. "I was already thinking about making the drive, but then I heard they were going to start tearing what is left of that building down. "It breaks my heart to think there might be people in that building." Malcolm-Bivens paused to thank a woman who stopped and poured out a small bowl of water for Laufex. "That is so kind," Malcolm-Bivens said. "Thank you so much." After the the kind stranger moved on, Malcolm-Bivens prepared to rejoin the protesters. "It's always the people who need help the most who are overlooked or ignored by government," she said. "I can still shout, so I'm here to shout." On the other side of 4th Street, in the shade of the Petersen Security Solutions, 46-year-old Schlaan Murray cooled off in a chair he brought for the occasion. "I'm here because I lived in The Davenport until February," he said. "I'm here as a witness, to help these people out." Murray said during his year on the third floor of The Davenport he never had heat or air conditioning. Sometimes, he said, it got so cold he had to go stay with friends. "Nobody ever believes the tenants," he said. "The landlords have all the power. Let me tell you how it went for me: "I would not pay my $850 rent at the start of one month because of the heat. So they would have to call me. When they called, I said, 'Get the heat fixed and I'll be glad to pay.' And they said they wouldn't fix a thing until I paid up. Funny thing, they had to call me because I didn't have a mail key for seven months." Murray said no one should be surprised by some of the anger that flashed during Tuesday's protest. "They can't blame the tenants now," he said. "The tenants didn't knock that building down. So here I am, and I'm gonna stand up so these voices are heard. I can't do much, maybe, but I can support these people out here, show them some cares." The Davenport A lack of reliable transportation, poor housing and living conditions, economic disparities, even cultural influences these and other nonmedical factors (also known as social determinants of health) can all make a big impact on a persons ability to achieve and sustain good health. Bon Secours recognizes that the factors that promote individual and community health extend far beyond the walls of their hospitals. One of the ways the nonprofit health system does this is through investing in affordable housing projects that give members of the communities in which they serve the tools they need to achieve better health. Bon Secours conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years to uncover the key areas of health need facing the residents of the greater Richmond community. The most recent assessment, which was completed in 2022, revealed that inequality and social and economic disparities make it harder for some people to access quality health care. To help overcome these disparities, Bon Secours is increasing its investment in community-based organizations by expanding the capacity of equal health care services and treatment for all people, especially those in poor and underserved communities. More specifically, between 2023 and 2025, Bon Secours is looking to invest more than $3 million to address economic equity, affordable housing, education and workforce development. In addition, the health system is looking to grow community health worker and other allied health worker networks by at least 20% to connect patients to resources. Supporting community health and outreach work in the affordable housing space in Richmond is something weve been doing for many years. Bon Secours believes that conditions of housing and neighborhoods are one of the most important predictors of a persons health and in a very real sense, housing is health, said Becky Clay Christensen, executive director of community health for Bon Secours Richmond. Bon Secours is proud that over the past 10 years, we have provided more than $8 million in Community Benefit Investment grants to nonprofit organizations specifically addressing affordable housing and community livability across the Richmond region. In fact, Bon Secours was the first investor in the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, a local initiative that purchases land and rehabs existing homes in rapidly gentrifying Richmond neighborhoods. By maintaining ownership of the land beneath the properties, the trust is able to keep purchase prices at a reasonable level, opening up the possibility of homeownership to qualified low- or moderate-income buyers who wouldnt otherwise be able to afford a house in the current real estate market. Ultimately, the goal is to create opportunities for new buyers to build multi-generational wealth, develop strong relationships with their neighbors, and experience the stability, equity-building and pride that stem from homeownership all of which contribute to an improved sense of wellness for the residents. Through its initial investment, Bon Secours has inspired other local partners to invest in and support the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust over the years. Since its inception in 2016, the project has continued to build new homes as it manages dozens of owner-occupied homes and boasts more than 200 additional units presently in the pipeline. A fitting tribute to its visionary namesake, Maggie Walker was the first Black woman to establish a bank in the United States. Through these types of efforts, those that extend beyond hospital walls, Bon Secours is improving the overall health of the community. To learn more about how Bon Secours is working to break down barriers to improve the overall health of the community, visit bonsecours.com. An investigation is underway after Richmond police found a man dead in South Side early Monday. Police spokeswoman Tracy Walker said in a statement that patrol officers who were investigating a suspicious vehicle in the 3800 block of Castlewood Road at around 4:15 a.m. found an adult male who had suffered an apparent gunshot wound. The victim, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death. Anyone with additional information about this death is asked to call police at (804) 646-6739 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (804) 780-1000. Today in history: June 5 1968: Robert F. Kennedy 1975: Suez Canal 1976: Teton Dam 2002: Elizabeth Smart 2004: Ronald Wilson Reagan 2006: George W. Bush 2012: Gov. Scott Walker 2012: Jerry Sandusky 2012: Ray Bradbury 2016: Novak Djokovic 2017: Bill Cosby 2018: Harvey Weinstein 2018: Miss America 2020: Roger Goodell This year marks the 79th anniversary of D-Day. About 160,000 troops from Britain, the U.S., Canada and elsewhere who landed on French beaches on June 6, 1944, to restore freedom to Europe after Nazi occupation. All four of the passengers aboard a light aircraft that crashed in the Blue Ridge Mountains west of Charlottesville on Sunday afternoon have died. Virginia State Police and Augusta County authorities' search for the crash site was hampered by fog and low clouds throughout the afternoon and evening. Ann Baskervill, prosecutor in Irvo Otieno death case, announces early resignation I had accepted the offer of admission on March 4, but then Irvo Otieno was killed on March 6 so I didnt say anything publicly because I didnt want it to be a distraction from the very important discussion on his case, said Baskervill. At 3:50 p.m. Sunday the Virginia State Police was notified of a possible aircraft crash in the Staunton/Blue Ridge Parkway region, state police said in a statement Sunday night. Shortly before 8 p.m. first responders were able to reach the crash site by foot. State police announced just before 10 p.m. that the search effort had been suspended. No survivors were located. Virginia authorities have directed all inquiries to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, the two agencies now tasked with investigating what led to the crash. According to the FAA, there were four people on board the Cessna Citation, which took off from Elizabethton, Tennessee, on Sunday and was headed for Long Islands MacArthur Airport. The aircraft was a private business jet owned by Encore Motors of Melbourne, a Florida-based company. According to a New York Times report, "John Rumpel, 75, who runs that company, said that his daughter, a 2-year-old granddaughter, her nanny and the pilot were aboard the flight. He said they were returning home to East Hampton, N.Y., after a four-day visit to his home in North Carolina." Inexplicably, the plane turned around over Long Island and flew a straight path down over D.C. before crashing in the mountains. The planes course took it over Washington, D.C., violating airspace restrictions over the nations capital and scrambling military fighter jets which pursued the Cessna out of D.C. The F-16 jets prompted a sonic boom heard throughout the capital region. A U.S. official confirmed to the Associated Press that the military jets had scrambled to respond to the small plane that later crashed. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the military operation and spoke on condition of anonymity. The loud boom that was heard across the [District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia] area was caused by an authorized DOD flight. This flight caused a sonic boom, the Annapolis, Maryland, emergency department said in a tweet Sunday afternoon. As it traveled through the D.C. area, the pilot remained unresponsive, according to North American Aerospace Defense Command. Virginia State Police said Sunday night it plans to release the names of the planes occupants once that information becomes available. Limited liability companies, often set up to mask ownership, have given nearly $7 million to Virginia political candidates and political action committees from both major parties beginning with the states 2020-21 election cycle, a Richmond Times-Dispatch analysis found. The latest a $1 million donation to Gov. Glenn Youngkins Spirit of Virginia PAC sparked calls from Democratic legislators for tighter language on disclosure in Virginia campaign finance laws. The day-old LLC was not registered in either its Texas home or in Virginia The Times-Dispatch review of campaign finance data, compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project, found Democratic candidates and committees received just under $3.5 million from 14 different LLCs, nine of them from out of state. Republican candidates and committees received nearly $3.3 million from 16 different LLCs, three from out of state. The two biggest donations for $1 million each were one made last week to Youngkins PAC from the Future of Education LLC, which was incorporated the day before in Delaware, and one to Youngkins gubernatorial campaign fund. The donation to Youngkins campaign for governor was from an LLC that disclosed it was connected with former Smithfield Foods chairman and CEO Joseph Luter. The biggest LLC donation to Democrats was $450,450 to the House Democratic Caucus in January 2021 from Zinc Collective, a Los Angeles fundraising operation for Democrats that discloses who its principals are. Between December 2020 and December 2022, according to the analysis, Zinc Collective made a dozen donations worth a total of $1.64 million to the House Democratic Caucus. The only contact on Future of Educations Delaware filing was a corporation services firm in Dover, Delaware, which is paid to receive legal filings and judgments. The Times-Dispatch was able to trace the latest $1 million donation through Texas land records to a couple named Andrew and Mackenzie Price. Youngkins PAC eventually confirmed that Mackenzie Price, a Texas education reformer, had given the money. Dave Rexrode, chairman of Youngkins PAC, said Mackenzie Price made the contribution because she supports Youngkins education reform efforts. Virginia law, unlike that of most states, does not limit the amount a donor can give a campaign or committee, but relies on disclosure about donors to allow voters to determine if they believe contributions reflect conflicts of interest or possible attempts to influence politicians. Because there is no requirement in state corporations law that an LLC disclose its ownership, donations from LLCs represent a loophole in the disclosure requirements that House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, and Senate Privileges and Elections Committee chair Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake, say needs to be closed. Youngkin has said he formed the Spirit of Virginia PAC to support GOP candidates in this years legislative elections, although some pundits speculate that he is laying the groundwork for a run for national office. CANCER CARE Carla Magarity thought she was accustomed to uncertainty. She has lived for 4 years with incurable ovarian cancer. Regular chemotherapy, at least, had been a constant that she had a fighting chance against the cancer that is estimated to kill more than 13,000 women in the U.S. this year. Last month, things changed when on May 19, her oncologist shared that his clinic had run out of a chemotherapy drug that had staved off Magarity's cancer for so many years a drug called carboplatin. Magarity could try an alternative, her doctor offered, but warned that the second-choice chemicals were less effective and come with more side effects. It's a dire conversation echoed in doctors' offices and hospitals across the country. The nation is heading into month four of a national chemotherapy shortage caused by faraway supply chain disruptions. In Richmond, it has already forced uncomfortable decisions, like skipping chemotherapy entirely. One of the shortage's catalysts is a shutdown of a production facility in India. The facility is one of the main producers of carboplatin and cisplatin, two common chemotherapy chemicals. According to the Mayo Clinic, carboplatin belongs to the group of medicines known as alkylating agents and is used to treat ovarian and breast cancer, although it has been used to treat other cancers as well. Cisplatin is used to treat testicular, ovarian, bladder, head and neck, lung and cervical cancer. The shutdown began after U.S. inspectors arrived at the plant in late November, where they documented a litany of violations, including problems with quality control. Inspectors arrived to observe 36 pages worth of problems at the plant, including noting that the facility tried to destroy quality control records with acid when they discovered Food and Drug Administration personnel were arriving at the facility, the inspection report explains. In response, the pharmaceutical company halted production, the FDA said. The agency was first notified about the shortage on Feb. 10. A company spokesperson told CNBC that no date had been confirmed yet for a production restart. Carboplatin is one of 14 drugs in short supply, according to tracking numbers maintained by the FDA. The agency is considering a move that will help patients like Magarity get their treatments back on track. This month, the FDA said it was considering lifting some of its own regulations to temporarily import more drugs like carboplatin. Doctors believe the issue is not getting adequate attention. "What it means is we can't get the drug we get very little of the drugs so we're having to delay treatments of patients or come up with alternatives that may not be as effective," said Randal West, a gynecological oncologist based in Richmond. The alternative offered to Magarity, a drug called oxaliplatin, is 30% as effective as carboplatin, for example. "It's become a real problem," West said. West believes a root cause of the shortage is that carboplatin and cisplatin have become generic, meaning they lost the initial patent that made them profitable. Carboplatin has been generic since 2004. The pharmaceutical company that initially patented it, Bristol Myers Squibb, has since moved on to new, patent-protected cancer drugs. Meanwhile, patients on the receiving end of the bad news are left holding their hands. Magarity holds a printout of a letter that she has sent to her legislators, including Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both D-Va., and Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st. "It is alarming to think that a shortage of such a vital medication has not been given the high priority it deserves," she wrote. "I firmly believe that every individual fighting cancer, regardless of their socioeconomic status, deserves access to the necessary treatments that can potentially save lives." Magarity said only Wittman's office responded. Senators from Michigan wrote a letter to the FDA on May 25, urging the agency to do "everything in its power to mitigate the dire shortage of cancer drugs that has reached crisis levels in recent months." The letter, signed by Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters and Rep. Alyssa Slotkin, said the shortage was "largely due to a broken economic system in the generic drug industry." In April, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology released a statement saying that the shortage "would likely last several months and possibly longer." In May, the group warned that "cancer care disparities" may begin to arise in a time of "resource scarcity." VCU's Massey Center says it's monitoring the situation, but was not able to accommodate an interview request on new protocols during the shortage. David Oglethorpe, a hospital spokesperson, said Massey doctors "are working with their patients to ensure that they are receiving the best possible treatment plans." Oglethorpe said Massey doctors are following guidelines published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Those guidelines instruct oncologists to steer clear of "nonessential uses" of carboplatin and to decrease the frequency of chemotherapy sessions. On June 21, Magarity will return to her oncologist. She hopes it will be to the news that she can actually be treated again. In 2019, she was given an estimated five to 10 years to live, and she said she has thought deeply about appreciating what time she may have left. "We just want Carla to get her medicine," said Barbara Nelson, a close friend. "We just want everyone to get their medicine." Five seen clinging to overturned boat pulled from Chetumal Bay Chetumal, Q.R. Five people were rescued Sunday from Chetumal Bay by the Marina of Mexico. The Secretary of the Navy made the rescue after being told of an overturned boat. Authorities were notified of the incident by someone who requested their support after seeing an upside down boat with five people clinging to it. Navy personnel located the overturned El Abuelo vessel in the Bay of Chetumal. Four adults and one minor were pulled from the water and returned to shore. In their statement the Navy reported, This support was provided at the request of a person who went to the facilities of the Naval Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance Station (ENSAR) in Chetumal indicating that a vessel named El Abuelo, without registration, was stalled (upside down) with five people on board, including a minor. Four adults and one minor were pulled from Chetumal Bay Sunday. Photo: The Secretary of the Navy June 4, 2023. The group of five were sport fishing Sunday at the time of the incident. Authorities did not say how the boat came to be overturned. INM updates status of Polish citizen denied entry at Cancun International Cancun, Q.R. The Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM) says a Polish citizen who remains detained in Cancun filed an amparo that prevented his deportation. The man filed the legal paperwork in order to avoid being deported to Poland. According to the INM, Polish citizen Filip Roger Z arrived at the Cancun International Airport on April 22, 2022, from Panama. When reviewing his documents and entering his data into the Comprehensive Immigration Operation System (SIOM), it revealed that he had a Red File from Interpol from August of 2021, for which reason he was not admitted into the country. The following day, Z filed an Amparo before the Fourth District Court in the state of Quintana Roo against his deportation. He remained in the transit room of the airport until September 1, 2022, when he was transferred to the Provisional Stay of Cancun for better living conditions while his case is being resolved. The INM says at this time, there are only two foreigners in the facilities. The Fourth Court set April 4, 2023 as the date for the constitutional hearing, which was carried out as planned. Immigration authorities continue to wait for the Court to issue the resolution. Mexico waits for results of latest FAA safety audit Mexico City, Mexico Mexico has undergone another International Aviation Safety Assessment Audit. On Friday, The Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) reported on their latest audit. The International Aviation Safety Assessment Audit (IASA) was concluded with the presence of seven inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States. The foregoing with the aim of Mexico recovering Category 1 in terms of aviation safety, the SICT said in a statement. Their visit took place throughout this week at the facilities of the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC), where Mexican officials answered 316 questions related to air safety, airworthiness, legislation, procedures and human and financial resources. It will now be up to the FAA to officially issue a final report on the results of that audit in the following weeks so the Mexican authorities are awaiting the aforementioned report, the federal agency said. In January, the FAA agreed to continue with Mexicos safety status recovery process. National tourist drowns off central Playa del Carmen beach Playa del Carmen, Q. R. A tourist to Playa del Carmen drowned Saturday off a central city beach. The woman, who was around 50, died after being swept away by currents. The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. Saturday off the 28th Street beach area of central Playa del Carmen. Lifeguards at Playa Mamitas pulled her from the water and tried to revive her on the beach, but she did not respond. She was rushed to hospital but was pronounced upon arrival. The woman, who was a Mexican national, had arrived in Playa del Carmen several days before. Residents of irregular settlements outside Mahahual demand land resolution in front of AMLO Mahahual, Q.R. Residents of several irregular areas outside Mahahual arrived with signs in hand to meet with President Lopez Obrador. Over the weekend, the group waited for the arrival of the President in hopes of having their land disputes settled. Residents of Los Flamingos, Las Palmas, Tamalcab, among others which are considered invaded settlements, arrived Friday outside Chetumal city hall as the President landed for an area tour of his projects. The disgruntled residents are demanding their settlements be regularized and recognized as part of the municipality. Members of the protesting group were upset at the breakdown of talks with Strategic Projects Agency (Agepro). More than 400 people live between the irregular areas. Angry residents of irregular settlements protest as AMLO arrives in Chetumal. Photo: June 2, 2023. Late last month, Quintana Roo government officials said they were waiting on the final property titles for several plots of invaded land in Mahahual. State Secretary Cristina Torres Gomez said they were waiting for the property title results by the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urbano (Sedatu) to determine if the land is national or private. The plots of land have been occupied by families who began settling there more than 10 years ago. Some members of the protesting group said they will travel to Mexico City to talk with AMLO if need be. Second Venezuelan suspect arrested in deadly INM facility fire Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua The FGR has arrested a second Venezuelan believed involved in the fire at the INM facilities of Chihuahua. On Friday, the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) announced the arrest of Carlos Eduardo Colombo Rodriguez, a Venezuelan migrant. He is believed involved in the March fire at the National Institute of Migration (INM) facilities in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. He was taken into custody at a hotel in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, the same city where the tragedy occurred. He is allegedly responsible for participating in the fire that was set in protest of INM conditions. Arrest warrants for eight people believed involved in the were issued in March. Carlos Eduardo Colombo is the second Venezuelan arrested for his alleged involvement in the incident. Jeison Daniel Catari Rivas was the first to be arrested. He continues to be held inside the Social Reintegration Center. The fire happened March 27 at the immigration station in which 40 migrants died and 28 were injured after the lock on the cell in the mens area was not removed. FINCASTLE The Botetourt County civil servants who have worked in the circuit courthouse over the years since its reconstruction in 1975 said their goodbyes last week to the aging structure. The circuit court clerk and his staff, plus the judge and his secretary, shut down their operations Friday and began to move their materials out. The courthouse will be demolished late this winter or early next spring to make room for a larger, more accessible and secure justice center. The project was originally slated to be ready in 2025, but the county is now eyeing early 2026 as its new completion date, according to Assistant County Administrator Jon Lanford. He said site conditions, including rock in the ground and utilities that were unknown, contributed to the extension of the timeline. Additionally, moving the former James Breckenridge law office a few hundred feet to make room for the new building was delayed. The shift is expected to happen at the end of this year or in early 2024, Lanford said. We ran into some challenges with the relocation. Part of that building has a 1797 construction, then the remainder of it is the early 1800s, he said, adding later that when contractors began their work, the old bricks began to crumble. Lanford said the brick, which was made in Botetourt, is extremely soft, so they county didnt want to take chances during the move. We didnt want to risk continuing to move forward, so weve paused that part of the project and are going back to do some modifications to the original plan, he said. We are just taking our time and making sure we get it right, and its a little bit more expensive than we thought. That process will be done by specialists, likely using braces to stabilize the old building, which was formerly a hotel and most recently housed the Botetourt County History Museum. Hydraulic jacks will lift the estimated 175,000-pound structure, and a trailer will wheel it across the countys courthouse campus, according to previous reporting by The Roanoke Times. The old law office will have heating and air once its moved and will be open at certain times for the public to view, but there are currently no plans to put plumbing in the building or house anything in it, Lanford said. The entirety of the project is now anticipated to cost $27 million to $30 million, up from approximately $25 million one year ago, largely because of the increased price of materials, according to Lanford. The new, approximately 30,000-square-foot courthouse will house the circuit court clerks office, two circuit courtrooms, and the commonwealths attorney office, Lanford said. Prosecutors currently operate out of an office on East Main Street, on the block diagonal from the courthouse. To prepare for continued construction on the historical block in Fincastle, the circuit court clerks office is moving into the first floor Old District Court building, or ODC, which sits beside the current courthouse on West Main Street. The circuit courtroom is moving down the hill into the basement of the Botetourt-Craig Counties Public Safety Facility on North Roanoke Street, home to the Botetourt County Sheriffs Office and the Botetourt-Craig Regional Jail. Until the new county courthouse is built, Botetourt County Circuit Court matters will continue at those two locations. Thursday was the last day court proceedings were held in the aging courthouse on West Main Street. The June meeting of the countys grand jury was scheduled then, instead of the first Monday of the month, to accommodate the move. No circuit court hearings will be held until June 20, when matters will have transitioned into the basement of the public safety building. While the justice system didnt anticipate the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Botetourt system is ready for this adjustment. Late last year, we identified that two-week period of time when the move was going to occur, and so courts had the opportunity to plan around that schedule, Lanford said. They intentionally didnt schedule anything from June 2 to through June 19. I dont think its going to have any impact on how we do our hearings or how quickly they get done, Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Gillian Deegan said. You may not have as much room in the courtroom, if people want to come in and watch trial, but I dont think its going to slow us down. Weve always only had the one courtroom. Tommy Moore, clerk of the circuit court, said he hopes the clerks office can reopen to the public in its temporary location as soon as June 12 but no later than June 20. Adjustments to the ODC to accommodate clerks office staff were already under way Thursday. The plastic screen installed in the clerks office amid the COVID-19 pandemic was removed Wednesday night and placed into its new home in the ODC on Thursday morning. The move continued Friday, when county staff and contractors began carrying equipment to the ODC. Contractors also started deconstructing the courtroom. Some furniture from that space, including the witness stand, lawyers tables and some benches, will be moved into the basement of the county public safety building. Moore, who began his work as clerk in 1992, said hes both sad and glad to leave the aging courthouse behind. He said nothing has changed in the building since his first election to the clerk position. But his offices workload has. The caseload has increased, Moore said, but in the clerks office its way much more than that. The office manages land records, wills and estate matters, processes passports and records court judgements and dockets. Moore said the office has seen an increase in the last 30 years in concealed carry permit issuances, for instance. You used to have to show ... particularized need to get one, and now pretty much anyone without a record or commitments are able to get one, Moore said. Weve seen that go from a few a year to one year we did close to 1,000. The clerk assists Judge Joel Branscom during proceedings in the circuit courtroom, where Moore said security is lacking. He said the building had no metal detectors when he arrived in 1992 but they were later installed, inconveniently, inside the courtroom. You came into the courtroom and went through the metal detector once you got inside the courtroom, in full view of the judge and jury, Moore said. Most recently, visitors walk through a metal detector that sat directly inside a side door, in what the clerk called a small screening area outside of the courtroom. Moore added that one of the holding cells for inmates pending hearings or trials is right beside the jury room. When the bailiffs bring them out, they have to walk behind the prosecutor, the commonwealths attorney, and through the courtroom to get over to defense side, the clerk said. Its worked, but its also a lot of luck that its worked, Branscom added. Deegan said she never feels comfortable with people walking behind her. Things have become more violent, and there have been worse crimes, she said. Most times, when theyre moving the inmates, I will get up and either stand with my back to the wall or just completely move out, just because I dont trust people to walk by. Theyre in a bad situation, and were not their favorite people. The prosecutor said an inmate on trial once jumped out a window in the jury room on the backside of the courthouse and escaped. They used to keep that open. It had extra restrooms, and the attorneys could go back, we could talk with defense attorneys, Deegan said. Once that guy did that, they shut it down, Deegan said she prosecuted her first jury trial in the current courthouse, and so despite the security concerns, shes sorry to see it go. Ive already asked if I can take this desk with me because everybodys getting new furniture. I dont want new furniture. I want my desk. This is my desk, she said, tapping the heavy piece of weathered wood in her office. If it were up to me, nothing would change, but I know it has to. The prosecutor said the courthouse isnt a comfortable working environment. Heating and air conditioning has always been an issue, Deegan said. Its either a sauna, or a meat locker, and its like theres no happy medium. The courtroom has high ceilings to accommodate space for a balcony for spectators. But the loft also seems to swallow every other syllable spoken by judges, lawyers, clients and clerks alike. I look forward to better acoustics, Branscom said. Several regular courthouse users also cited health concerns related to water damage. We have significant water intrusion in the building, Lanford said. Theres water in the building that enters in a number of different places. Leaking water doesnt pair well with the historic documents held there. Moore said while the countys land records from 1770 onward have all been digitized, those paper documents still lived in the courthouse. Moore stores some historically significant papers in his office, inside plastic sleeves pronged into oversized blue albums. Among them are documents signed by Patrick Henry, Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jefferson. The everyday documents that staff in Tommys office touch, theyll come in here with him in the Old District Court building, Lanford said. Moore said once the Breckinridge building is moved to its new location, some files will be stored there, too. The old, old files that are not regularly used but we still maintain as records, they have to be within 10 or 15 miles, Lanford said. The contractor is responsible for moving them to a secure location within 10 to 15 miles that, if necessary, Tommys staff can go and retrieve a file if they need it. There will be challenges, Moore said, but it will all work out. Staff writer Sam Wall contributed to this report. World's biggest trade deal takes effect for all members, boosting regional economic integration Xinhua) 10:20, June 05, 2023 BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement came into force in the Philippines on Friday, meaning the world's largest free trade pact is now in effect for all its 15 members. The full implementation of the RCEP is a new stage for the trade bloc with the world's largest population and trade volume as well as the greatest development potential, said China's commerce ministry. It reflects the determination and actions of its 15 members -- 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- to support an open, free, fair, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system, the ministry said. Signed in November 2020 after eight years of negotiations, the landmark RCEP agreement covers roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product and population. It entered into force on Jan. 1, 2022, with the aim of gradually eliminating tariffs on over 90 percent of goods traded among its members. The signing ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement is held via video conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, Nov. 15, 2020. (VNA via Xinhua) The full implementation will inject strong momentum into regional economic integration, comprehensively enhance the levels of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in East Asia, and contribute to the long-term stable development of the regional and global economies, according to the commerce ministry. Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual described the RCEP agreement as "a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial economic partnership." "We see RCEP as a critical key toward inclusive economic growth, not only for the Philippines but within ASEAN," he said in a statement released on Thursday, prior to the Philippines' ratification of the pact. INITIAL FRUITS Since the trade pact came into force last year, goods trade ties among RCEP members have become closer, and intra-regional trade is now a key force in stabilizing and boosting the foreign trade of RCEP members, China's commerce ministry noted. In 2022, trade between China and other RCEP members increased 7.5 percent year on year to 12.95 trillion yuan (about 1.82 trillion U.S. dollars), and RCEP investment in China, in actual use, climbed 23.1 percent to 23.53 billion U.S. dollars, data shows. Booming foreign trade has also been reported in other member countries. Thailand's trade with other RCEP members rose 7.11 percent year on year to 300 billion U.S. dollars last year. In the first four months of 2023, Cambodia's exports to RCEP countries surged 16 percent year on year. A worker arranges durians at a durian processing factory in the Chanthaburi province, Thailand, May 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Teng) The RCEP region has continued to be a hot spot for global investment, with most members showing upward trends in their utilization of foreign investment, according to China's commerce ministry. Gu Qingyang, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, told Xinhua that the vibrant dynamism of the region is also a strong attraction for economies outside the region, which is witnessing increasing non-RCEP investment. Amid declining global openness and rising trade costs, the RCEP is helping to promote opening-up and cooperation in the region and beyond, and is contributing to global economic development, said Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. HIGHER-STANDARD OPENING-UP Opening-up commitments, together with high-standard rules in various fields, will greatly facilitate free flows of production factors like raw materials, goods, technologies, human resources, capital, information and data within the region, the commerce ministry said. With the full implementation of the deal, the ministry expects a more prosperous integrated regional market to form gradually, and broader, higher-standard and deeper cooperation to be achieved among member countries. It also hopes that the full implementation of RCEP will give China a strong boost to pursue high-standard opening-up by creating more favorable conditions for the expansion of trade in goods with RCEP members, further opening trade in services and investment, and improving trade facilitation and the business environment. This aerial photo taken on Feb. 23, 2023 shows the Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua) Bi Haijun, an official of Qingdao Customs in east China, said the RCEP agreement has not only eased enterprises' access to free trade benefits, but also integrated regional industrial and supply chains, which will facilitate the high-quality development of intra-regional trade. Local governments in China have also taken the opportunity of the implementation to build a first-class business environment, making continuous efforts to attract industries, capital and human resources, according to the commerce ministry. As the trade pact is now in full force, China will continue to guide local governments, industries and enterprises to ensure the solid implementation of the RCEP, provide improved public services, and create conditions for them to engage further in the RCEP market, the ministry said. China will also work with other parties to fulfill its obligations, strengthen the RCEP mechanism, enhance the overall implementation of the agreement, and provide a strong guarantee for the steady development of RCEP cooperation, the ministry pledged. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Roanoke College, Salem City Schools and Virginia Western Community College are teaming up to pursue a statewide goal of opening lab schools. Roanoke College announced Monday it received one of 16 lab school planning grants from the Virginia Department of Education, worth $192,000. That money comes as part of a state government initiative to start up public lab schools operated by colleges and universities for K-12 students. Planning grant money will be used during the next year to devise strategies and best practices for opening a lab school at Roanoke College, officials said. The idea is to serve high school students who might not otherwise have access to help with college preparation and career readiness, said Kathy Wolfe, Roanoke College vice president for academic affairs. Lab schools are intended to foster innovation and collaboration among educators, Wolfe said. We are really committed to improving college access and affordability for more students in the Roanoke Valley. The planning grant to Roanoke College is part of $5 million in state funds bookmarked to strategize creation of lab schools across Virginia, according to the college. A further $20 million from the state is available for initial lab school start-up grants, plus $75 million for per-pupil operating grants once the lab schools get going. Our plan is to create a dual-enrollment model in which high school students can receive college credit courses in three thematic career pathways: education and global studies, STEM and health, and communication and civic engagement, Wolfe said. Each career pathway will include experiential community engagement opportunities, with optional project-based capstone courses in which students will get to share their work with community leaders. Salem Superintendent Curtis Hicks said a lab school could benefit the local public school system by offering new programs, addressing workforce shortages across various professions, helping with teacher training and encouraging students to pursue higher education. Research shows that if students take just one college course when theyre in high school, theyre more likely to at some point in their life return to college, Hicks said. Even more than that, getting them on to a college campus and demonstrating that they do have what it takes to be in the college arena its more likely to lead those students if not to Roanoke [College], then somewhere else that could be a benefit in their lives forever. Groups involved with the planning process are meeting Tuesday to kick things off, said Lisa Stoneman, chair of Roanoke Colleges Education Department. She said Roanoke College in the past has not really offered many dual-enrollment opportunities to high schoolers. This lab school is an opportunity, though its not fully fleshed out yet, Stoneman said. Our community partners are really helping us drive this, and were going to look at some other lab schools that are operating. The lab school is not expected to require any new facilities, a Roanoke College spokesperson said. It would be integrated into already existing facilities on the campus. We have a year to plan this out, Stoneman said. And we anticipate hopefully running it in the year after that, so its a pretty quick turnaround. This planning for a lab school comes at a time when Roanoke College is examining and expanding its educational offerings to meet evolving community, workforce and student demands, said college President Frank Shushok. He said Roanoke College wants to contribute to forward mobility for all of Southwest Virginia. We want to be the partner that lifts everybody up, Shushok said. We think thats an incredibly important role of American higher education and Roanoke College, and were looking forward to partnering with all our local community. The emergence of a chief heat officer position in Miami and other cities largely stems from an initiative of the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center and similarly minded foundation boards. The position, which these foundations not-coincidentally help fund, is designed to help local policymakers develop tools and strategies to ease the climate change burden, especially when it befalls the world's most vulnerable populations. The overarching purpose of the position is to "expand, accelerate and coordinate our efforts to protect people from heat and save lives," said Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava in an April 2021 statement. Advertisement Jane Gilbert, who had previously served local government in a consulting capacity as Miami's first heat resiliency officer, was appointed as Miami's first heat officer in early 2021, serving both the municipality of Miami and Miami Dade County. It falls to her to usher local leadership, both public and private, through impending environmental changes. The goal is a big one: to mitigate the fallout of the climate crisis. Gilbert is expected to create a public/private task force to "analyze existing conditions and vulnerabilities and identify strategies to address current and future impacts of extreme heat on human health, lives, and livelihoods," according to the Miami Foundation website. It would then be up to Gilbert, or any chief heat officer in the position, to create a plan to address these risks through government departments and the community at large. Chief Heat Officer positions in Phoenix, Athens and Freetown are expected to be structured similarly. Climate change is an issue plaguing governments everywhere, even municipal governments in relatively insulated cities like Beverly Hills. Because of climate change concerns, the city recently decided to take a fresh look at its sustainability initiatives, says Wendy Nystrom in an email interview. Nystrom is a Beverly Hills city commissioner and co-chair of the city's Community Advisory Committee Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Nystrom, who earned a master's degree in geology, earth sciences and geochemistry, works as an environmental and pollution risk management expert. "I have definitely seen an increased interest in municipalities addressing heat equity and climate change," she says, pointing to Santa Monica, California, as an early adopter (in 2019, the city rolled out an $800 million plan to fight climate change). The City of Beverly Hills, like many municipalities, is considering policy-led initiatives to environmental damage in small and large ways. "We recently passed a plastic utensil ordinance where plastic cutlery is no longer provided in take-away meals unless specifically requested. It is a small step, but we are progressing, and we are currently working with the Clean Power Alliance to take Beverly Hills from 50 percent renewable energy to 100 percent. It will take time, and require quite a bit of public outreach, communication and education, but we're making steady progress," Nystrom says. Nothing in Envied is easily replaceable. Darien Collins, who opened the vintage clothing shop in early March on the first floor of The Davenport, spent a year and a half collecting his inventory from estate sales, flea markets and auctions. He said he's not ready to give up on getting a chance to save at least some of the items after part of the building collapsed Sunday. "I would have to start completely from scratch. It would take such a long time to build everything back to what I had," Collins said. "I have to individually go out and check everything." Business owners based in and around The Davenport are in a holding pattern as they await aid and more communication from the city, including whether they'll get a chance to recover anything. Davenport Community Planning and Economic Development Director Bruce Berger announced Thursday afternoon that the city would set aside $25,000 for each business that was inside The Davenport and $5,000 for businesses near it that had to close. The Davenport City Council must approve the allocations next week but is reaching out to business owners and hopes to get started on the process soon. Collins said the money would be helpful in rebuilding his stock and buying new signage, but not as helpful as letting him back into the space to grab what he can. City officials have warned of the danger of going into the building, which is being held up in part by the pile of rubble created in the collapse. When he received a call from his grandmother, Celia Spicer, who was in the shop Sunday during the collapse and got out safely, Collins said he was in disbelief. He's since had some communication with a city official, who said it's likely he won't be able to recover anything. It's difficult to quantify his losses right now, since a lot of the clothing and decor items are niche. In a Monday interview with Spicer, she said the collapse sounded like a bomb, creating a large booming noise. A whoosh of air came through the ceiling before the electricity seemed to go out and police came in to escort her out of the building. After she left, she thought she should have tried harder to grab what she could, such as the tablet that held important documents for the business. Tristan Tapscott received a deluge of messages after the collapse but didn't immediately realize that it had happened to the building that housed the performing arts space he and his wife, Savannah Bay Strandin, operate. The few people who were in The Mockingbird on Main Sunday escaped safely, Tapscott said, but there are unconfirmed reports of damage to the back of the space. They are thankful that no staff or show members were injured but are sad for all those who lost their homes, were injured or are still missing. "We lost our business, and that's bad," Tapscott said. "We're grieving the loss of that, and we lost a lot of money. But, you know, we didn't lose everything. So it's just a very sad situation." Tapscott and Strandin have been unable to get inside and grab any equipment, props or other items housed in the arts incubator, which they opened in spring 2021. A group was supposed to open a show at the theater next week, which now must find another home. An in-house production was scheduled for July. It's been overwhelming, trying to calculate just how much they've lost, he said, especially with little time to process everything. He's curious to hear more details on the city's plans to allocate funds and won't make a plan on how to use them until they know the parameters. Buildings surrounding The Davenport, including Me & Billy restaurant, were cordoned off quickly after the collapse. By the time Me & Billy owner Bill Collins pulled up to his business Sunday night, all access had been restricted. He's since been told he can enter the restaurant with an escort from the police or fire department but decided to stay out for now and not draw emergency responders' attention away from other duties. All the perishable goods inside Me & Billy will have to be thrown out; just one of many financial blows. They've had to cancel events and are losing revenue every day the restaurant can't operate. Collins said staff are still being paid during this time, and he's doing everything he can to keep them, but the money won't stretch forever. "The losses go on and on and on," Collins said. "We're paying all of our monthly bills and everything, as we always do, without any income coming in, so it's really financially devastating." He's unsure of when Me & Billy will be able to reopen, though conversations with city officials have given him hope that they might be able to open the doors again in the next week or so. The offer of funds from the city is very generous, Collins said, but he wants to check with his insurance before taking anything. Both Collins and Tapscott cited the Downtown Davenport Partnership as being helpful during these uncertain times, with Executive Director Kyle Carter and others consistently reaching out with information and updates. Collins has also spoken with city engineers throughout the week. Businesses have also seen an outpouring of support from the community. Me & Billy customers and partners have reached out to see how they can help, Collins said, and Tapscott has seen comment after comment from people telling them how vital they are to the community and encouraging them to restart the arts incubator when they're able. While the support has been nice, Collins said, they're still stuck on how they're going to move forward with an uncertain future. Tapscott has taken a more optimistic view, though fear and excitement for the future come in waves. "I look at it like a blank sheet of paper, man," Tapscott said. "That blank sheet of paper can be the most frightening thing in the world, and on Monday, I would say that was a terrifying thing. But today, on Thursday, it's like, actually, this could be a cool thing. We have a opportunity to rebuild and redesign, and this could be an amazing thing." Reporters Sarah Watson and Rachel Cormier contributed to this story. Building collapse day 3 NEW YORK Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork on Monday declaring his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a challenge to his former boss, Donald Trump, just two years after their time in the White House ended with an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Pence fleeing for his life. Pence, the nation's 48th vice president, will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and kickoff event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, which is his 64th birthday, according to people familiar with his plans. He made his candidacy official Monday with the Federal Election Commission. Keep scrolling to see the full list of 2024 presidential candidates While Trump is currently leading the early fight for the nomination, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis polling consistently in second, Pence supporters see a lane for a reliable conservative who espouses many of the previous administration's policies but without the constant tumult. While he frequently lauds the accomplishments of the "Trump-Pence administration," a Pence nomination in many ways would be a return to positions long associated with the Republican establishment but abandoned as Trump reshaped the party in his image. Pence has warned against the growing populist tide in the party, and advisers see him as the only traditional, Reagan-style conservative in the race. A staunch opponent of abortion rights, Pence supports a national ban on the procedure and has campaigned against transgender-affirming policies in schools. He has argued that changes to Social Security and Medicare, like raising the age for qualification, should be on the table to keep the programs solvent which both Trump and DeSantis have opposed and criticized DeSantis for his escalating feud with Disney. He also has said the U.S. should offer more support to Ukraine against Russian aggression, while admonishing "Putin apologists" in the party unwilling to stand up to the Russian leader. Pence, who describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order," has spent months laying the groundwork for an expected run, holding events in early voting states like Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, visiting churches, delivering policy speeches and courting donors. Pence's team sees Iowa and its evangelical Christian voters as critical to his potential path to victory. Advisers say he plans to campaign aggressively in the state, hitting every one of its 99 counties before its first-in-the-nation caucuses next year. The campaign is expected to lean heavily on town halls and retail stops aimed at reintroducing Pence to voters who only know him from his time as Trump's second-in-command. Pence served for more than a decade in Congress and as Indiana's governor before he was tapped as Trump's running mate in 2016. As vice president, Pence had been an exceeding loyal defender of Trump until the days leading up to Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump falsely tried to convince Pence and his supporters that Pence had the power to unilaterally overturn the results of the 2020 election. That day, a mob of Trump's supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol building after being spurred on by Trump's lies that the 2020 election had been stolen. Many in the crowd chanted "Hang Mike Pence!" as Pence, his staff and his family ran for safety, hiding in a Senate loading dock. Pence has called Trump's actions dangerous and said the country is looking for a new brand of leadership in the 2024 election. "I think we'll have better choices," he recently told The Associated Press. "The American people want us to return to the policies of the Trump-Pence administration, but I think they want to see leadership that reflects more of the character of the American people." MORE FROM THE 2024 RACE Pence has spent the 2 1/2 years since then strategically distancing himself from Trump. But he faces skepticism from both anti-Trump voters who see him as too close to the former president, as well as Trump loyalists, many of whom still blame him for failing to heed Trump's demands to overturn the pair's election defeat, even though Pence's role overseeing the counting of the Electoral College vote was purely ceremonial and he never had the power to impact the results. Pence joins a crowded Republican field that includes Trump, DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to launch his own campaign Tuesday evening in New Hampshire, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will announce his bid Wednesday in Fargo. With Trump, a thrice-married reality star, facing skepticism among some Republicans during his 2016 run, his pick of Pence as a running mate assuaged concerns from evangelical Christians and others that he wasn't sufficiently conservative. As vice president, Pence refused to ever criticize the former president publicly and often played the role of emissary, trying to translate Trump's unorthodox rhetoric and policy proclamations, particularly on the world stage. After Trump's legal efforts to stave off defeat of the 2020 election were quashed by courts and state officials, he and his team zeroed in on Jan. 6, the date that a joint session of Congress would meet to formally certify President Joe Biden's victory. In the weeks leading up to the session, Trump engaged in an unprecedented pressure campaign to convince Pence he had the power to throw out the electoral votes from battleground states won by Biden, even though he did not. As the riot was underway and after Pence and his family were rushed off the Senate floor and into hiding, Trump tweeted, "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done." Video footage of the attack shows rioters reading Trump's words aloud and crowds breaking into chants that Pence should be hanged. A makeshift gallows was photographed outside the Capitol. Pence has said that Trump " endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day" and that history will hold him accountable. Despite his harrowing experience, Pence opposed efforts to testify in investigations into Trump's actions on and in the lead-up to Jan. 6. He refused to appear before the House committee investigating the attack and fought a subpoena issued by the special counsel overseeing numerous Trump investigations, though he did eventually testify before a grand jury. Only six former U.S. vice presidents have been elected to the White House, including Biden, who is running for a second term. The 2024 presidential field, in the order they've announced Donald Trump, Republican Nikki Haley, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican Marianne Williamson, Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Democrat Larry Elder, Republican President Joe Biden, Democrat Asa Hutchinson, Republican Tim Scott, Republican Ron DeSantis, Republican Mike Pence, Republican Chris Christie, Republican Doug Burgum, Republican CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) An Iowa teenager who said he killed his parents to take charge of his life was sentenced Monday to life in prison with a chance of parole in 50 years. Ethan Orton pleaded guilty in February to two counts of first-degree murder in the October 2021 deaths of 42-year-old Casey Orton and 41-year-old Misty Scott Slade at the family's home in Cedar Rapids. Police said Ethan Orton stabbed his parents and then used an ax on his mother when he saw she was still alive. Officers found him covered in blood outside the home. He was 17 at the time, but was charged and tried as an adult. Orton told investigators at the scene that he killed his parents to take charge of my life. His trial was delayed while he underwent a mental evaluation. He was found competent to stand trial in November. Lincoln Journal Star. June 1, 2023. Editorial: Revamped public school funding plan step forward The Legislature and Gov. Jim Pillen, at last, took action to address one of Nebraskas most vexing issues property taxes driven by ever-higher agricultural land valuations, which largely go to support public schools. The solution, which came out of a Pillen-appointed committee to study the issue, boils down to an increase of some $305 million annually in state aid to schools, with a guarantee that every district would receive $1,500 in foundation aid for each student. The money for the additional aid, which would also double state aid for special education, would come from the newly established Education Future Fund, which will receive $1.25 billion during the next two fiscal years ending June 30, 2025, with plans to add $250 million to the fund in each successive year. That funding will unquestionably increase Nebraskas ranking among states in terms of state funding for education, where it now ranks 49th, next to last, for state funding of K-12 education. Overall, including local funding from property taxes, Nebraska is in the top half of states in funding education. The biggest property tax impact, provided that school boards do the responsible thing and reduce levies to cut taxes at the level of the state aid received, would be felt by the 160 of the states 244 districts that do not currently receive equalization aid. Those tend to be rural districts with lower property tax levies lots of land and fewer students. Larger schools, including Lincoln Public Schools, receive the bulk of the equalization aid under the states current formula and those districts have tax levies close to the maximum allowed by law. That has created animosity from rural interests, who claimed incorrectly that the state was picking winners and losers in its aid distribution, when, in fact, the formula functioned exactly as intended with the number of equalized districts shrinking because steep increases in ag land values allowed more districts to meet their needs with property taxes. The new plan would eliminate the disparity between districts receiving aid and should be a large first step to cutting property taxes, especially in rural areas. The plan, which was incorporated in multiple bills approved by the Legislature, isnt perfect. A 3% cap on school revenue growth, which could very easily become a de facto lid, could hurt schools, particularly in growing urban areas. The plan does nothing to address the needs of schools with large numbers of students in poverty and does not address the need to make school lunches and breakfasts more widely available. Projected decreases in funding to now-equalized districts in future years could trigger property tax increases in the primarily urban districts that will see those dollars cut. Those issues and the need to value agricultural land on a production basis can and should be addressed in next years legislative session. For now, however, the passage of the educational funding plan, and what should be resultant property tax relief, is a long-needed step forward for both school funding and the states taxpayers. Omaha World-Herald. June 4, 2023. Editorial: Nebraska voter ID law strikes balance between right to vote, election integrity Nebraska now has new rules that call for people to present photo ID when they vote, as required by the state constitution under an amendment approved by voters in November 2022. Policymakers have done a good job balancing Nebraskans right to vote with the need to protect the integrity of that vote. You may recall that we editorialized against the constitutional amendment proposal last fall. We did that because we thought it was a bad idea to create unnecessary restrictions that risked keeping qualified citizens from being able to freely exercise their voting rights. We saw the restrictions as unnecessary because state election officials have made clear that Nebraska has not had a problem with voter fraud generally let alone people trying to impersonate legitimate voters. And we were concerned that making legal voters jump through extra hoops could disenfranchise some who lacked the required photo ID such as senior citizens who no longer drive, may not have a drivers license and might find it difficult to obtain an alternative. But a large majority of the voting public spoke clearly last November. The voter ID amendment passed, and it fell to the Legislature to set the specific rules, which happened last week on a 38-1 vote. Gov. Jim Pillen signed the bill into law. The new law supports the goal of ensuring that only legal voters cast ballots, which is what everyone should want. But it takes reasonable steps to help those legal voters comply with the requirement that they prove their identity. In the real world, some people might find that difficult if the rules are too strict. After all, consider some 25,000 of our fellow Nebraskans who are qualified voters might need an alternative photo ID, according to estimates prior the 2022 vote. And some 200,000 Nebraskans who do have photo ID vote early through mail-in ballots, and they deserve practical rules for doing so. Despite the voter ID amendment, its important to remember that Nebraskas constitution also says there shall be no hindrance or impediment to the right of a qualified voter to exercise the elective franchise. Under Legislative Bill 514, voters will have to start showing ID after April 1 next year. That means the requirement will be in effect for Nebraskans casting early ballots for the 2024 primary election. Voters will be able to use IDs issued by the federal government, State of Nebraska, local governments or Nebraska colleges, as long as they have the persons name and photo. Expired documents would be accepted. Military and veteran IDs, tribal IDs and patient records with photos kept by nursing homes, assisted living facilities or hospitals also will be accepted. People casting mail-in ballots will have to include the number from their Nebraska drivers license or state ID card or a copy of an accepted ID document. People who go to the polls without acceptable ID will be able to cast a provisional ballot but will have to show a valid ID to election officials by the Tuesday after the election to have their vote count. Voters with a reasonable impediment to showing voter ID could be exempted, including those with a religious objection to being photographed and those who cannot get an ID because of disability, illness or lack of a birth certificate or other required documents. The proposal will allow people to get a free state identification card for voting purposes and a free copy of a state birth certificate, if needed to obtain a state ID card. The law calls on the Secretary of States Office to publicize the new requirements. It also will require the office to develop a process for ensuring that only citizens are on the state voter rolls. State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, who heads the Legislatures Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, said the new law complies with both the state and the federal constitutions. He said it was reviewed carefully by attorneys with the Legislature, the Secretary of States Office and the Attorney Generals Office. Wisely, lawmakers refused to go along with a less accommodating set of rules pushed by Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who had led efforts to get the voter ID measure on the ballot. Her approach seemed to go beyond the spirit and letter of what voters approved. When her colleagues chose a different path, she tried unsuccessfully to filibuster the new rules and was the only senator to vote no. We hope that the new rules wont deter qualified voters from casting their ballots. Lets be clear: the rules now make it harder for some Nebraskans to vote than others. If you dont already have a drivers license in your wallet, you may have to make special efforts, take extra time, jump through some new hoops. But the new law offers reasonable ways to do that. We appreciate the willingness of lawmakers to think through the practical implications for citizens in all walks of life, and find an approach that tries to protect everyones voting rights. END Omaha police said Sunday that the city's most recent homicide victim is a 30-year-old man, but the department is withholding his name pending notification of family. Police were called to 2754 Harrison St. Friday at 11:40 p.m. to assist Omaha Fire Department first responders on a person-down call. The unidentified person was transported to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Omaha has recorded just three homicides so far in 2023. That compares with nine homicides at this time in 2022 and 12 in 2021. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Omaha police homicide unit at 402-444-5656, or anonymously contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP, at omahacrimestoppers.org or on the P3 Tips mobile app. Tips leading to the arrest of a homicide suspect are eligible for a $25,000 reward. The Nebraska man who led a plot to start fires inside Walmart stores in the Gulf Coast in 2021 this week was sentenced to 18 years in prison, double the recommended prison term under federal guidelines. "This sentence was based on the totality and severity of the defendants actions," FBIMobile Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said of Jeffery Sikes, a.k.a. "Kenneth Allen" in a press release that followed. Sikes, 42, is appealing the sentence United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer gave him Tuesday, which included $7,295,533 in restitution, to be paid by Sikes and his co-defendants. Between Tuesday and Friday, Moorer sentenced six members of the conspiracy in all. Brothers Alexander Olson, 23, and Quinton Olson, 22, got 15 years and three years respectively; Sikes' wife, Erica Sikes, 41, and Jenna Bottorff, 38, got four years; and Mikaya Scheele, 29, got two years for the parts they played in the crimes. There is no parole in federal prison. Two others, Michael Bottorff and Sean Bottorff, will face sentencing later this summer. United States Attorney Sean P. Costello said the group had "deliberately endangered innocent shoppers and destroyed millions of dollars of merchandise when they intentionally and maliciously set fires in four stores in two states." "Setting fire to a business isnt an economic or political argument, its a serious violent crime that has serious consequences," he said. In the indictment, Christopher Bodnar, Assistant U.S. Attorney, said the conspirators initially lived in Kearney, Nebraska, but followed Sikes to Alabama, where he fled after pleading guilty to a wire fraud in Nebraska in 2017. By 2021, they were calling themselves The Veterans Order and had drafted a manifesto making demands on Walmart related to the company's commercial practices and sent it to media outlets to draw attention to the arson attacks. First among their list of demands was a pay increase of $18 per hour for all employees, according to Fox 10, a TV station in Mobile, which posted it. They set fires at a Walmarts in Mobile, Alabama, on May 27, 2021, in Tillmans Corner, Alabama, on May 28, and in Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi, on June 4. And they threatened to start more if the company didn't comply with their demands. A monthslong investigation led to their arrests in February 2022, and they later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to set malicious fires. Photos: Matt Rhule Football Camps kick off busy month A district judge this week appointed a receiver to develop a plan for a fair distribution of any assets that remain to investors who suffered losses in what's been described as potentially one of the largest bank frauds in Nebraska's history. The move came on a motion by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance in its case against Jesse Hill of Hickman, First SOJO Capital Group LLC and other related entities. In December, the state sought to freeze the assets of the group of companies and two investment funds a month after the Banking Department launched an investigation into Hill's companies following the Nov. 2 death of Aaron Marshbanks, a 45-year-old Lincoln real estate investor with ties to Hill. Following Marshbanks' death, bankers across the state began "reporting that they had been victims of a fraud scheme perpetrated by Marshbanks, Jesse Hill and Hills organization, First SOJO Capital Group LLC," according to the lawsuit. The first of more than 20 creditors banks, savings and loans and credit unions started filing demands for notice of an application for informal probate of will and statements of claims within two days of his death. By mid-December, they had topped $45 million. To date, Hill hasn't been charged criminally. But civil and probate cases continue to wind through the courts. At a hearing Tuesday in the civil case, Assistant Attorney General Erik Fern said that in December, there were well over $1 million in assets. But they've since lost 80-90% of their value due to investment losses. "So we're talking about a significant loss of assets already. And in the interest of preserving as much of the assets for the rest of the investors we would like a receiver to address this and to prevent any additional hemorrhaging and get these folks back the money that they're able to," he told Lancaster County District Judge Ryan Post. Fern said the receiver a person appointed to manage debt consolidation for a company would collect and organize the assets and develop a plan to reimburse the investors "as best as possible." He said the receiver would be paid $340 an hour. "We're limited on options on what we can try to do to sort out this mess," Fern said. He said that if the court didn't appoint a receiver, the Banking Department and the AG's office would have to sort it out individually. "There's still an ongoing investigation into this matter, so the Department of Banking and Finance would be investigating this matter as well as trying to fairly arbitrate the reimbursement," Fern said. He said having a third party was the most appropriate way to handle it. "We understand there's a cost, but we don't see a feasible alternative," he said. Hill's attorney, Joshua Dickinson, offered a "soft objection" saying that conceptually the parties want the same thing. "There is money that was invested in these two accounts. That money is just sitting there," he said. And many of the investors were Hill's friends and family, he said. "It does no one any good to have any of this money, whatever is left over, just sitting there," Dickinson said. "So we, too, want this money to be returned to the investors in as efficient a manner as possible." It's just a question of cost and efficiency, he said. Dickinson said he believes the process that needs to be done is relatively simple. Records reflect how much each of the dozen or so investors contributed. They need to determine the percentage each contributed to the funds, which totaled north of $4 million. It's an over-simplification, he said, but not far off. Dickinson suggested a guardrail to try to make sure the receiver tries to get from Point A to Point B as efficiently as possible, "given the significant losses the investors have already experienced." That would benefit everyone involved, he said. Fern said he thought they could work together to simplify the work of the receiver. And Post granted the motion. In the complaint filed in December, Fern alleged that between March 11, 2021, and Sept. 23, 2022, Marshbanks and Hill had made fraudulent statements with at least 14 banks, securing over $20 million in loans. To get the money, he said, Marshbanks provided account statements that he and Hill had falsified showing the purported value of Marshbanks or a Marshbanks entitys accounts at JT Equity or First SOJO Capital Group LP. Fern said the JT Equity accounts that they gave banks security interests to in exchange for the loans didn't exist. Nor did First SOJO Capital Group LP. (Though First SOJO Capital Group LCC did.) Despite that, Hill signed at least 22 control agreements representing to banks that the accounts were real, under his control and could be given as collateral for a loan, the AG's office alleges. The state is alleging Hill, First SOJO and his other entities committed a number of violations of the Securities Act of Nebraska, including: * Executing over 20 fraudulent control agreements to secure nonexistent securities accounts, each of which constitutes a separate violation. * Starting a new private fund in violation of a 2018 agreement with the department. * Lying to investors concerning the value of their accounts. * Failing to send quarterly statements to investors. * And not maintaining a net capital of at least $25,000. Fern said they believe that Hill had been pooling money from multiple investors in his personal account and using it to invest in securities, repeating conduct that had led him to be fined in 2018. For at least the third time this year, the Lincoln Police Department is investigating the death of another young child this time a 5-month-old boy who died at a northwest Lincoln motel Tuesday, according to juvenile court filings. Authorities responded to the Sunset Inn and Suites, 2920 N.W. 12th St., at around 5 p.m. Tuesday on a report of an unresponsive child, who was taken by ambulance to Bryan West Campus, where he was pronounced dead, Lincoln Police Capt. Jake Dilsaver said in an affidavit filed in juvenile court Thursday. The child's mother, a 20-year-old woman, told police that her, the child's father and the couple's three children had fallen asleep in the same bed in their hotel room sometime between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Tuesday, Dilsaver said in the affidavit. At least 10 hours later, one of the woman's older children ages 2 and 3 woke her up, and the 20-year-old soon realized her infant son was not breathing, Dilsaver said. The woman called 911 and tried to perform CPR on the child, enlisting the help of other hotel guests, but the 5-month-old was pronounced dead upon his arrival at the hospital, according to the affidavit. In the court filings, Dilsaver, who leads LPD's Special Victims Unit, said the family appeared to be living in the motel room, which he described as "incredibly cluttered." He said one of the room's two beds was "entirely uninhabitable" due to the number of items spread across it, and various other items filled the room, including "stale and rotten food" and a large knife left on the floor. "The filth was to a degree that would hinder a child from being healthy and thriving," Dilsaver said in the affidavit for an emergency custody order for the couple's two surviving children, describing their living conditions as "dangerous" and "undeniably hazardous." Juvenile Court Judge Shellie Sabata signed the custody order Thursday, placing the two surviving children in the care of Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services. The cause of the child's death hasn't yet been determined as police await autopsy results, Lincoln Police Capt. Todd Kocian said. And in his affidavit, Dilsaver said police are investigating whether the child's death is the result of criminal wrongdoing. The Journal Star is not naming the 5-month-old's parents because neither of them have been arrested or criminally charged in connection with the boy's death. But the police department's investigation and the order assigning the custody of the two surviving children to HHS does not mark either agency's first contact with the child's parents, who had been the subject of "multiple prior reports of abuse and neglect," according to Dilsaver's affidavit. In fact, Dilsaver said, the child's father "had hurriedly tried to organize the clutter" in the motel room as authorities responded "due to past concerns and warnings from caseworkers and police officers." The parents of the 5-month-old had been the subject of at least three previous child abuse and neglect reports prior to the infant's death, according to police records. Police had been called to the area near the Sunset Inn and Suites at 11:48 p.m. May 9 after the couple's 3-year-old son was found unattended outside sometime between 5 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. that evening, according to an LPD incident report stemming from that instance. The same child had been found near 23rd and Orchard streets at around 7:15 a.m. April 27, Lincoln Police Officer Ed Simpson said in an incident report in which he described the offense as "child abuse/neg(lect)." And the 3-year-old was found in the same block of Orchard Street at around 4 p.m. March 26, according to a nearly identical incident report filed a month before April's report. The family's connection to that area of Orchard Street is unclear. Neither the child's mother nor father list an address in court records. Though it's unclear how frequently HHS had been in contact with the family, Dilsaver's reference to prior "warnings from caseworkers" indicate they had been the subject of an ongoing HHS case. An HHS spokesman said the department could not comment on the case due to the ongoing law enforcement investigation, but speaking generally, said HHS "takes each one seriously." "For each case, DHHS workers follow an exhaustive evidence-based process to find solutions that are in the best interests of the child or children who are involved," the spokesman, Jeff Powell, said in an email. The 5-month-old's death marks at least the second child death in Lincoln this year that has come after HHS caseworkers issued warnings to parents. In March, the police department began investigating the death of a 2-month-old girl after her parents brought her to a local hospital and later lied to police about the circumstances of her death, investigators alleged in court filings. In that case, the infant's 8-year-old sibling told police the child's father was increasingly upset as he held the crying 2-month-old at his central Lincoln home March 28 when the infant let out a scream before she went "blank," Lincoln Police Investigator Sara Prewett said in April court filings. Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Christopher Reid sought an emergency custody order in April on behalf of the infant's four siblings 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. Neither parent has been criminally charged in the 2-month-old's death, which marked at least the second time this year Lincoln Police have criminally investigated the death of a young child. Photos: Sights from the annual Nebraska Shrine Bowl football game in Kearney A complaint alleging a Nebraska lawmaker had a conflict of interest during the Legislature's debate over gender-affirming care restrictions has officially been dismissed. David Begley, an Omaha lawyer, had filed the complaint against state Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha. He based his complaint on Hunt having a transgender child, and on her family being covered by Medicaid. Although Nebraskas Medicaid policy explicitly excludes gender-affirming care, Begley alleged in his complaint that Hunt and her child "have a slightly more than average chance of obtaining Nebraska Medicaid coverage," and argued she should have disclosed this prior to the debate on LB574. If LB574 does not become law, then Senator Hunts immediate family member could receive a financial benefit with Medicaid paying for the medical services necessary to transition genders, Begley's complaint stated. The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission began a preliminary investigation in late March after receiving Begley's complaint. On Friday, the eight-member commission announced they agreed unanimously that "there was no probable cause" to believe Hunt violated the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act. "Any financial effect must be reasonably foreseeable," the NADC announcement states. "A financial effect is not considered reasonably foreseeable if it is remote, speculative, contingent or uncertain." Hunt was one of the leading lawmakers opposing LB574, which ultimately passed and was signed into law by Gov. Jim Pillen two weeks ago. The bill will ban gender-affirming surgeries for people under 19, and impose restrictions on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for the same age group. It also tightened Nebraska's abortion restrictions to 12 weeks past gestation. Hunt shared publicly about her transgender son during the first round of floor debate on the bill, though she noted that many lawmakers already knew prior to the announcement. She said she hadn't planned on going public about it, but she did so in an attempt to explain to LB574 supporters how gender-affirming care works for Nebraska families. Though Hunt's speech didn't sway any lawmakers into opposing the bill, senators on both sides of the debate offered support for Hunt after Begley filed his complaint. Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who supported LB574's passage, called the complaint "offensive" and said lawmakers' families were off-limits. It is so far out of bounds that it doesnt merit discussion, Brandt said of the complaint. Hunt described Begley's complaint as "a witch hunt," and said she was glad NADC also viewed the complaint as unjustified. "I'm happy the NADC saw the complaint for the frivolous political attack that it was," Hunt said. Photos: Last day of the 108th Nebraska Legislature This special edition is part of our Guest Prudie series, where we ask smart, thoughtful people to step in as Prudie for the day and give you advice. Missing Succession this Sunday? Dont worry, weve got your fix. Todays columnist is Juliana Canfield, well known for her role as Jess Jordan in HBOs hit series Succession. Canfield is also known for her roles as Beth DeVille in the post-apocalyptic drama Y: The Last Man and Janine Harris in The Calling. Advertisement We asked Canfield to weigh in on wedding debts, mortal enemies, and barren townsand Jess answered. Dear Prudence, My fiance and I are getting married in August, and have been planning our wedding for almost seven months now. Although it wasnt our initial plan, we decided to have a small (50-person) destination wedding rather than hold a big one in the States. His parents have spent the last 10 years fixing up a house in Sicily which they bought shortly after retiring, in one of those one-Euro house deals. They invested lots of love into it, and it turned out beautifully. When they asked if we would be interested in holding the wedding there, we were surprised but very grateful. However, we have refused to let them pay for anything else, and are committed to covering all other costs ourselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We asked our attendants and guests if they would need us to provide accommodations, and ended up booking two large Airbnbs and several hotel rooms for guests who couldnt pay for plane tickets and a place to stay. Theres only one issue: My parents are upset that were not letting them pay for anything either. My dad keeps insisting that he should be providing for his only daughters wedding, and has been bringing it up every time we talk. I did NOT expect this at allmy parents didnt spend a cent on my older brothers weddings, and I really dont feel comfortable taking their money for mine. While my fiances parents co-ran a successful medical practice and planned for years to retire and fix up a house for family vacations, my mom was a waitress for years and my dad worked in a factory before becoming partially paralyzed in a workplace accident. I went to college and law school on scholarships, and my brothers and I have covered many bills, paid for home accessibility renovations, and contributed to their retirement fund. I love and admire my parents, but I dont want them to spend money they dont have, especially since my mom has blurted out But we already told everyone it was on us when I said that I was buying my own dress and we were going to pay for catering, flowers, bridesmaids dresses, etc. Advertisement Advertisement I am flying them out with money Ive saved and am comfortable spending, and I feel guilty at the thought of my dads disability checks going toward decor or dinner. But my parents wont stop insisting they pay for something, even mailing us multiple checks and accusing me of favoring my fiances family when I return them. My mom called my fiance separately and tearfully asked why we were excluding them from their own daughters special day, making both of us feel incredibly guilty until my brother texted and asked if we can help him cover their phone bill because it might get shut off. Yet a week later, theyll say Im trying to abandon them because Im not letting them pay for a band. I dont know what to do, and its becoming more and more stressful as August approaches. How do I put an end to this? Advertisement Advertisement Please Let Me Pay Dear Please, Jess says: During my time as an employee at Waystar, not one Roy family wedding went off without a hitch. Someone died, or tried to, at every single one! I hope you and your loved ones make it to and through the big day, but I also think that even if everyone stays alive, weddings are always going to be High Drama. Your particular hair pull of a situation is not without its silver linings. Its nice that your parents love you; Logan Roy and Caroline Collingwood might have flush wallets but in terms of love for their children, they are deeply in the red. Advertisement Advertisement My advice is to take a page out of my Kendall Roy Management Playbook: Just say yes and deal with the delusions on your own time. Acquiesce to your parents pleas, thank them profusely for their contribution, and then scheme with your brothers to get the money back in their bank account, or in a subtle envelope that you just happen to find on their kitchen table. Then, maybe ask your mom to help with the choice of flowers, or seating arrangements. Sometimes, all a person needs is to feel like theyre important. Good luck, and may your marriage be long and authenticunlike Tom and Shivs! Advertisement How to Get Advice From Prudie Submit your questions anonymously here. (Questions may be edited for publication.) Join the live chat every Monday at noon (and submit your comments) here. Dear Prudence, Ive been with my boyfriend for about six months, and hes wonderful. The problem? His best friend/roommate and my best friend (who is basically my sister) are diametrically opposed and seriously dislike each other. (As context, they knew each other through other mutual friends before I started dating Boyfriend). Roommate is always cordial to me and we usually get along fine. However, Roommate feels pretty entitled to make his opinions about my best friend openly known to me. Worse, if my friend says Roommates name in front of Boyfriend, the accompanying statement usually makes it back to Roommate, which inevitably triggers a backlash. Trying to tell each side to stop bad-mouthing the other hasnt worked on either end. Boyfriends otherwise great, but the friend situation gives me a constant headache. Obviously, neither of us is going to abandon our best friend. Do I cut ties and find someone else whose inner circle doesnt hate mine? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caught in the Crossfire Dear Caught, Jess says: My job has precluded me from having a boyfriend or a friend for the past several years, so congratulations to you for having both! That being said, I spend all waking and sleeping hours thinking about a family whose love language is insults/corporate subterfuge and I can tell you that it has taken years off of my life. It seems to me that Roommate and Sister Friend get off on their mutual hatred. Maybe theyre secretly in love and your life is about to turn into an enemies-to-lovers rom-com? Until those double wedding bells ring, I think you and your boyfriend need to come clean with yourselves and each other about how the two of you contribute to the ongoing feud. Sister Friends nasty comments dont magically make their way back to Roommate: Boyfriend spills the beans! And Sister Friend surely hears some of Roommates colorful insults from you. Do you think your friend is right and that the roommate is a total dickwad? Does your boyfriend think your friend is as annoying as his roommate does? If so, perhaps the two of you are stirring that pot. And lets face it: Drama might be a headache, but its also addictive. If youre ready to quit the circus, I say stick with Friend. If the Roys have taught me anything, its that romance is a lie! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dear Prudence, I am a proactive person. When I have a problem I figure out how to fix it. But Im stumped. I am 35 years old, single, have never been married, and have no kids. I live in a small town. I have a job that I enjoy. I own my own home and love where I live. That being said, there are ZERO prospects for me here. The idea of moving strictly to hopefully find some seems really unnerving considering everything else is going well for me here. Dating online (reaching out to towns at least two hours away) has not been a great way to meet people. They want people who live near them to get to know. Any advice on what I should be doing? Advertisement Advertisement Solutions-R-Us Dear Solutions, Jess says: Wow, honey! This sounds familiar. You might be a small-town homeowner, and I might be a perpetual renter in a money pit of a city, but we are both alone. Its great to know Im not the only one struggling to find a work-life balance. Heres what I did recently: I imagined my life in 10 years if I kept my wagon hitched to the self-proclaimed Eldest Boy, and got so depressed that I quit my job. I dont even know if I want kids, or if theres a special someone out there for me, but I was never going to find out if I stayed where I was. I say to you: Put out some feelers. Maybe you can rent out your house and spend a little time in a nearby city. Is there a place youve always secretly thought would be a dream to call home? Take a few weeks of vacation from your job and spend it in that dream place. And while youre there, get on Bumble, Hinge, or whatever the app is in these days. Kendall Roy was in many ways a toxic boss, but I have to say, he really did teach me to Think Big. I hope you do the same. Love, Jess When Karl from Succession Was Prudie My dad built his own company over many decades and is about to retire and I think hes about to screw it up by putting the wrong sister in charge. And before you think this is a fake letter and Im about to describe the plot of Succession, I promise you that we are billions of dollars poorer and this is a real situation, though yes, I cant help but think about the show either. For years at Lovelock Correctional Institution in Nevada, Jummah prayers were provided to Muslims every Friday. They werent always on time, but they were provided. Fridays are a very special day for Muslims, and are often referred to as mini Eids. And with that comes a special prayer, Jummah, which features a sermon followed by a short prayer in the middle of the day. But in the summer of 2018, Said Elmajzoub, a Muslim who is incarcerated at Lovelock, noticed something different. Jummah services werent being provided for Muslims anymore. The chaplain said that the only time they would be able to give us was 8:00 in the morning on Friday, but he knew that would be wrong, Elmajzoub told me. So, I filed the necessary paperwork and said please just give us any room. We just need an hour on Friday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Filing grievances didnt help, so he filed a lawsuit. A year later, the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations got involved in his case. There was a strong hint that Muslims lost their rights to Jummah prayer because of a belief by the chaplain at Lovelock facilities that he thinks Islam to be a racist, Black-supremacy organization, said Justin Sadowsky, a trial attorney at the CAIR Legal Defense Fund. This belief was memorialized in writing. After an interfaith meeting in 2018, Lovelock chaplain Scott Davis wrote notes that were later presented in court as evidence suggesting that he had offered an excuse to the group for why Jummah prayers were ending and felt unable to tell them the real reason. I couldnt say in front of all them that it is because they teach racism, hate, black supremacy, he wrote. There would have been a riot. (I reached out to Davis and other prison officials at Lovelock, but they didnt respond for comment.) Advertisement This note was the smoking gun Elmajzoubs case needed. CAIR said to me its probably the strongest case they have ever seen because the prison was [so] stubborn and anti-Islamic in their views, that they allowed other religions to gather and pray, they just wouldnt let Muslims do it, said Elmajzoub. Advertisement What proceeded was a cat-and-mouse period during which the Lovelock officials would alternate between saying that they had fixed the problem and continuing to deny prayer space and blaming things like a shortage of staff or prison lockdowns. Even after an eventual court order forced the prison to offer Jummah servicesand after the prison reached a $90,000 settlement with Elmajzoubthe problems for Lovelocks Muslims continued. Advertisement Ever since Lovelock was required to start offering Jummah services, Elmajzoub says routine prayer services have become accompanied by heightened security measures. Its humiliating, because they originally only started doing this to Muslims, he said. They take extreme joy out of harassment. Advertisement Ultimately, the discrimination against incarcerated Muslims is not confined to one institution in Nevada. Muslims across the country are experiencing repeated roadblocks when deciding to congregate and pray. Records that I obtained from the Arizona and Oklahoma departments of corrections show how lockdowns have been used to curb Jummah prayers among Muslims. Jumah prayer has been canceled for two Fridays in a row with no good explanation why, reads one complaint from Arizona that was dated April 6, 2020. Other religious services has been both weeks with no delay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Georgia prisons, lockdowns are repeatedly being used to curb any form of congregational or Jummah prayer among Muslims, incarcerated Muslims report. This is a problem in a few different state facilities, said Javeria Jamil, an attorney from CAIR Georgia. Jummah will be removed because the prison had gone to lockdown because there was a security issue, and when we dig further into it, it says one person misbehaved and the entire Muslim population is being punished for it. In Prince Georges County Jail in Maryland, prison officials have also used lockdowns and staff shortages to prevent Muslims from congregating. The institution made a rule that if more than four people were gathered they would classify that group as a gang, essentially blocking Muslim prayer gatherings. This past December, CAIR Maryland and the Maryland Muslim Prison Project did a joint press conference outside the jail to demand religious accommodations for incarcerated Muslims. This followed an incident in which a SWAT team was called to break up a Jummah service. As Zainab Chaudry, CAIR Marylands director, said, No one should ever have the SWAT team called on them for exercising their constitutionally protected right to peacefully assemble for prayer. Advertisement Advertisement This isnt the only documented instance of attempts to pray resulting in violence against incarcerated Muslims. Two years ago in Missouri, a prison guard ordered nine Muslims to stop in the middle of Jummah prayers. Some stopped, while others rushed to finish, and thats when the prison guard began pepper-spraying them and beating them, according to a court document submitted by CAIR Missouri. This one particular night, an officer came in, told them to stop, and within two minutes a response team was in with pepper spray and attacking them, said Kimberly Noe-Lehenbauer, a civil rights attorney at CAIR. The officers were not disciplined. (I reached out to the Missouri Department of Corrections, but they declined to comment, since this case is going into litigation.) Advertisement Advertisement Many lawyers I spoke with for this article indicated that part of the reason why congregational and Jummah prayers are repeatedly stopped in prison is because these institutions treat Muslims as a de facto security threat. Theres a default equation of Islam and security risk. That doesnt apply to other faiths, said Christina Jump, the civil litigation department head at the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America. When it comes to Muslims having access to prayer materials and the concept of more than one inmate gathering at a time, [it] scares some facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Muslims in prisons and jails across the country are often seen as being part of a gang instead of a religious group. So, if one incarcerated Muslim does something that is a violation of prison rules, says Jamil from CAIR Georgia, then the Muslim population gets punished. And the way it manifests itself is denying congregational Jummah to all Muslims. Advertisement Related from Slate Jocelyn Simonson The Details of the Atlanta Bail Fund Arrest Are More Horrific Than First Described Read More Even in a progressive state like California, Muslims still have a hard time congregating and praying. An investigation last year by the Southern Poverty Law Center showed a video that was produced by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training in 2009 that portrayed incarcerated Muslims as a gang. A year later the video was sent to police departments, community colleges, and law enforcement training facilities across the state. This video was only removed after the centers investigation. Being Muslim literally classifies you in another categoryas gangs, said Khirad Zahra Siddiqui, a Ph.D. candidate in criminology, law, and society at the University of California. There literally is this idea that Islam doesnt merit religious protection the way that other religions do. Advertisement Its important to note that theres a long history of prison officials disregarding the rights of Muslims to practice their faith by citing security concerns. During the height of the popularity of the Nation of Islam between the 1940s and 1960s, Muslims in prison were repeatedly spied upon, and werent allowed to congregate or obtain religious material. Advertisement Things started to improve in 1964, when the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Cooper v. Pate that Muslim prisoners had the right to obtain a Quran. For decades after Cooper v. Pate, Muslims, for the most part, had their religious rights protected and could practice their faith freely, including by congregating and having Jummah prayers. But that changed after 9/11. Muslims in prison, just like those outside of prison, were being surveilled and discriminated against. Shortly after 9/11, the purported threat of Islamic radicalization in prison garnered national attention. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, for example, told a Senate hearing in 2006 that prisons were fertile ground for extremists. In 2011, Rep. Peter King went so far as to hold a hearing in the House Committee on Homeland Security titled The Threat of Muslim-American radicalization in U.S. prisons. During a Fox News interview, King called Muslims the only group in prison which is tied to overseas terrorists, which is part of an existential threat to the United States. Advertisement All of this has helped lead us to this moment, in which Muslims are still treated as a security threat and denied basic religious rights in prisons across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Today at Lovelock facilities, Jummah prayers are happening. However, before Muslims enter the prayer room, they must go through a federal metal detector and get patted down. Once inside, there are always three or four guards listening and watching as they pray, according to Elmajzoub. They could have 150 people come to the chapel and therell be no guards inside, they wont get patted out, they wont go through metal detectors, Elmajzoub says of how other faiths are allowed to pray. We go, 15 to 20 of us, there will be four guards patting us down, searching with metal detectors and asking stupid, belittling questions. Unfortunately, this is what constitutes progress for Muslims trying to practice their faith in American prisons. Few people are as widely despised in American public life as former FBI Director James Comey. Many on the left believe (fairly) that his actions during the 2016 presidential campaign resulted in the election of Donald Trump, while many on the right blame him (preposterously) for having the audacity to authorize a criminal investigation to determine whether the Trump campaign was working with the Russian government. So it is not particularly surprising that the knives are out for Comey following the release last week of his debut novel, a crime thriller titled Central Park West. The reviewer for the Washington Post trashed the story and the writing before concluding that helping to deliver four years of Donald Trump is not the worst thing Comey has ever done. A critic at the New Republic argued that Comey had produced any other middle-aged lawyers clunky but passable fling at that courtroom novel he always threatened to write. The headline on the review over at Bloomberg was similarly to the point: Former FBI Director James Comey Has Written a Very Bad Crime Novel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is it really that bad? I was intrigued by the prospect of Comeys first fiction outing, and I was prepared for it to beon some level hoping that it would beawful. One reason is that I share the view held by many on the left about Comeys bungling during the 2016 presidential campaign. Another reasonone that I suspect is also in play among some of the reviewersis that professional writers tend to enjoy seeing prominent people try their hand at something new and fail miserably at it. It helps to validate writers otherwise precarious sense of self-worth, and the occasional high-profile flop also provides an opportunity for sharp and entertaining takedowns. I would not go so far as to say that Central Park West is particularly good or that anyone should buy it, but it is not as bad as I expected. In fact, it is a middling but modestly entertaining fiction offeringone best appreciated as a legal procedural in the vein of a decent but forgettable episode of Law & Order. Ironically, the evident sincerity and undeniable mediocrity of the effort are its most endearing qualities. (Comey has proposedor perhaps threatenedto make a career out of this.) The former FBI director tried something new, and it turns out he is OK at it, at best. Controversial government officials: Theyre just like us! Advertisement Advertisement Lets start with the plotand from here on out, I am spoiling the whole thingwhich is mostly preposterous. The story kicks off with the murder of a disgraced former governor of New York who is killed after being accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women. Sound familiar? (Subtlety is not one of Comeys virtues as a writer.) The governors ex-wife, Kyra Burke, is at first the main suspect thanks to the fact that she looks a lot like the killer, who was captured on video going up to her ex-husbands apartment the night that he was killed by a fatal insulin injection. The Manhattan district attorneys office charges Burke with the murder, but the jury hangs after a lone juror holds out. Advertisement Advertisement Related from Slate Jack Hamilton The Book That Crowned Stephen King Is Now a Movie. Its Still Terrifying. Read More Meanwhile, federal agents working with a prosecutor named Nora Carleton in the U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan separately pursue a lead indicating that the murder was (for some unexplained reason) a mob hit. Carleton, the ostensible hero of the book, is a single mother struggling to juggle her work and personal life (yada, yada). The federal investigation forms the centerpiece of the books narrative, and it eventually leads to a legendary mob hitwoman who appears to have killed the former governor after disguising herself to look like Burke. Carleton eventually convicts the hitwoman in court, and in the process Burke appears to have been exonerated. The big twist at the end is that the murder was likely orchestrated by Burke, who has since managed to take her dead ex-husbands job as governor of New York and ends the book as a free woman. (Whether she will remain in that position is a question that Comey appears to have deliberately left open for a sequel.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By itself, this would not be a particularly bad outline for a crime novel, but many of the details are absurd. Along the way, for instance, we learn that Carleton may be gay or bisexual and that she also had a yearlong semiromantic relationship with Burke while the two were in college. Bizarrely, she never seriously considers this as a reason to recuse herself from the investigation, even as her work is seriously compromised by her personal connection to the case. The U.S. attorney who runs Carletons office also turns out to be a politically connected, self-important dimwit who is carrying on an affair with a younger female prosecutor in the officeall of which is in fact eminently plausible except for the part where they do basically nothing to conceal it, which allows a member of Carletons team to blackmail him when they need him to stop meddling in their work. Advertisement Advertisement Though the proceedings in Central Park West move along briskly, the path is far from smooth, mostly because the writing is often highly cringeworthy. The cliches pile up quickly. The ex-governor is the Harvey Weinstein of politics. A preppy political operative looks like he is just back from a J. Crew fashion shoot. Later, when he testifies in court, he looks like hed just walked off the runway at a Milan fashion show. Advertisement The diction and dialogue throughout the book are also awful. Much of this has to do with Comeys peculiar decision to treat the mob figures and the lead federal agent as anachronistic, old New York archetypes. They use the phrase fugetaboutit and the word dough to describe money. They say capisce and youse several times each, throughout the book. Advertisement The clipped style of dialogue runs throughout the book and is one of its most annoying features. So far as I can tell, it is supposed to convey just how busy everyone is and how quickly the investigation is moving, but the device is stretched well beyond its breaking point. There is somehow no time for subjects or prepositions, even when a junior FBI agent is describing her Thanksgiving travel plans to her colleagues in a sit-down meeting: Flight early tomorrow to San Fran to see my family. Back Sunday. Even when the sentences are complete, the dialogue is frequently lazy, awkward, or both. When Carletons lead agent blackmails the U.S. attorney, he tells the guy, Look, I could give a shit where you put your dick, but Im guessing your wife cares. At another point the same agenta grizzled veteran type, naturallyobserves to Carleton, Yup, this work is pretty fucked up, aint it, kid? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in the book, a lawyer appears to outmaneuver his opponent in court and his internal monologue is actually presented to the reader as How you like them apples?a phrase that I have not heard anyone use unironically since the 1997 movie Good Will Hunting. Advertisement The awkwardness extends beyond the avalanche of hackneyed one-liners. A whole essay could be written about Comeys struggle to credibly align the story with modern liberal sensibilities concerning race and sex. Carletons supervisor, for instance, is a Puerto Rican lesbian who is described as a ball of energy and humor. In the same vein, after Burke escapes conviction by the Manhattan district attorneys office, the junior FBI agent, who is Black, observes, Innocent white people getting prosecuted? Wow. Who says things dont change in this country? Advertisement Despite these considerable problems, the result is still a tolerable legal procedural grounded by Comeys undeniable expertise in federal investigations, which tend to be much more boring than the public thinks, even when the investigation is about murder. At various points, he describes how some key prosecutorial tools work, like use-immunity (or queen for a day) agreements and cooperation deals, and he demonstrates how and why lawyers use evidentiary stipulations at trial for tactical reasons that go beyond mere time-saving. A key part of Burkes trial defense turns on a narrow point in the law on hearsay, which, as Comey capably demonstrates, is much more permissive and flexible than the public generally understands. Central Park West also brims with references to otherwise obscure or subtle features of the law and prosecutorial practice, particularly in New York. The narrative structure of the book relies crucially on the relationshipoften awkward and competitivebetween state prosecutors in the Manhattan DAs office and federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. There is also an amusing and relatable episode (for lawyers, at least) involving a note that is passed to Carleton by her supervisor in the middle of a trial that she hopes will get her out of a tough spot but that turns out to be totally useless. Advertisement Advertisement Even the central mechanism for solving the mystery feels grounded in Comeys real-world experience regarding the banality of forensic investigative procedure: As it turns out, the hitwomans go-to Starbucks order proves to be her downfall. And as Comey demonstrates in the book, the process of collecting and analyzing this sort of digital detritus is in fact central to federal criminal investigations of pretty much all types today. That may not be particularly sexy, but it certainly rings true. I would not expect Comey to pick up any book prizes for Central Park West any time soon, but there are worse things in life than writing an uninspired book. I would tell him not to quit his day job or some such, but so far as Im concerned, the country is much better off with Comey as a second-rate fiction writer than a high-powered government official. On Friday, the New York Times reported that former President Donald Trumps lawyers have told Special Counsel Jack Smith that their search of Trumps properties has not turned up a classified document about American military options in Iran. A federal grand jury had subpoenaed the document because Trump had apparently spoken of possessing it in a July 2021 tape-recorded interview. The lawyers inability to find the document would make no difference to any potential prosecution of Trump under the Espionage Act for his unauthorized retention of other national defense documents after his presidency ended, and for other crimes. Indeed, the recording will likely prove to be a damning piece of evidence against Trump, should he ever face trial. Advertisement In the tape recording, reported to be in Smiths hands, Trump told the two interviewers that he had a document from General Mark Milley containing his plan to invade Iran. Per CNN, Trump expressed regret that he couldnt show it to them because it contained classified information. Trump reportedly said he wished hed declassified it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps statements completely undermine the potential defenses he has repeatedly floated in the classified-documents case. Anticipating being charged, Trump has claimed that he had declassified the national security documents at issue and that he could do so just by thinking about it. This plainly ignored actual declassification procedureand common sensebut Trump clearly thinks it has some intuitive appeal along the lines of a potential juror, or even more importantly to him, a Trump voter, thinking: Of course he can declassify documents, he was the president. Advertisement However, expressing regret about not having declassified a document signifies that he knew there was a formal process and that he hadnt invoked it while president for at least one document he had wrongfully retained. Importantly, the recorded July 2021 statement contradicts his assertion that he had every right to keep the documents because he could declassify them in his head. In other words, he virtually established that he knew he had no right to possess classified documents, the difficult-to-prove mental element of the crime. Perhaps the most amazing part of the July 2021 saga is that Trump had the interview recorded. Hes now handed federal prosecutors a tape, the absolute best evidence they ever get. Advertisement Advertisement Lets look at how prosecutors and Trumps lawyers will deal with the fact that those lawyers could not find the document. Theres a distinct possibility that the document about Iran is already in the governments hands, although it may well not say what Trump reported to the interviewersthat Milley advocated invading Iran. In January 2022, six months after Trumps taped interview, he turned over a batch of materials in response to a request from the National Archives. According to the Times, that batch included one document concerning military options for Iran. Advertisement Hence, in the July 2021 interview, Trump may have been discussingprobably inaccuratelythe contents of a classified document that he gave back to the government six months later. Importantly, for purposes of proving his unlawful intent in retaining documents ultimately retrieved in the court-authorized August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, Trumps recorded statements are powerful proof, whether or not they accurately described the document. Advertisement Related from Slate Molly Olmstead Is Ron DeSantis Forgetting the Way His Wife Wants Him to Pronounce His Name? Read More Now consider how Trumps counsel might answer. To preserve his defense that he could declassify documents unilaterally, his lawyer might argue: There never was such a document. My client simply made it up because he was angry that General Milley had just given an interview asserting that as the 2020 election approached, he worried that Trump might invade Iran to garner rally round the flag votes. Advertisement Advertisement And so, the argument would go, he was just planting a false storythat Trump had Milley himself on the record planning to invade Iranand maybe venting a bit. And here would be the defenses punchline: As an excuse not to show the interviewers a document he falsely boasted he had, the former president said something else that was untruenamely, that he regretted not declassifying it. In truth, he sincerely believed he could declassify any document he wanted. Advertisement The problem is that lawyers can only make arguments in court based on the evidence. This would almost certainly require someone testifying as much on the stand. Trump, however, cannot take the stand to offer the story because he would subject himself to withering cross-examination. Still, prosecutors have to prepare for all contingencies. One is that some die-hard Trump loyalist like Kash Patel, Trumps former aide, might testify that Trump explained to him after the interview that he (Trump) had made it all up to get back at Milley and that Trumps true belief was that he could mentally declassify anything. Patel has previously asserted that Trump had that power. Advertisement If, as is highly probable, Trump never told anyone that preposterous story, no one, however loyal to Trump, would testify to it under oath, subjecting himself to devastating cross-examination and perjury charges. And even in the unlikely event that Trump succeeded in introducing such evidence, prosecutors have powerful rebuttals. Advertisement First, the story doesnt change the central factTrumps taped statement that he had not declassified the document shows that he knew there was a formal process for doing so. Second, juries are instructed to use their common sense. The whole idea that Trump could magically declassify national security secrets just by thinking about it is ludicrous. Third, prosecutors could simply ask in their argument to the jury: Was Mr. Trump lying to the interviewers on July 21, or was he lying to his witness who said Trump confided after the interview that he had fabricated the story? Mr. Trumps defense is that hes happy to lie to achieve what he wants! NBC News reported on Saturday that the Washington, D.C., grand jury investigating the classified documents case is scheduled to meet again this week after a short break. Whether the jurors are being called back to return an indictment or to hear more evidence, Trump can be sure an indictment is coming. Whatever the timing, by authorizing ill-advised tape recordings and giving out-of-court interviews in which he makes incriminating statements, Trump has cornered himself. Jack Smith appears to have one of the strongest cases ever brought against a political figure. In 2020 lawmakers in New York introduced legislation taking aim at one of the most chilling tools of modern government surveillance: geofence warrants. It would have been easy to see this as a New York phenomenon, unlikely replicated. The state is often a legislative bastion for traditionally liberal causes, and at first glance, the fight against geofence warrantsa tool police officers use to, among other things, track protestersmight be slotted into that category. But somewhat surprisingly, New Yorks proposal is being replicated across the country, including in traditionally conservative states like Missouri and Utah. Advertisement The unexpectedly bipartisan efforts against geofence warrants provide a rare glimmer of hope that perhaps the fight against invasive surveillance could be a more collaborative one. Conservatives and progressives alike both worry about the dangers of government overreach enabled by dragnet searches like those facilitated through geofence warrants. And while protecting Americans from surveillance abuses has rarely been a legislative priority, geofence searches are so offensive to the Constitution that this campaign could provide a playbook for bringing both parties together on other privacy issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, its worth understanding what geofence warrants do. Unlike a traditional warrant, which requires that officers provide probable cause that a specific individual has committed a crime, geofence warrants reverse this process, getting a warrant in order to find probable cause. This is because with a geofence warrant, officers obtain a legal order forcing companies like Google to identify every user in a given geographic area. To do so, they draw a geofence on a map to specify a search radius ranging from a single room to an entire city. Officers provide probable cause that one person committed a crime within that geofence, but they also get location history data and personal information from thousands of other people who have the misfortune of simply falling in the search area. Advertisement A similar threat is posed by keyword search warrants, a sort of sister to geofence warrants, which force search engines to identify every user who has made a search query. This can be a specific address, a phrase, or nearly anything else that a user might search for. The New York legislation would ban both geofence warrants and keyword search warrants. Keyword warrants are much newer and comparatively rare, so we dont have good data on how often theyre used. But geofence warrants have grown exponentially. Since first being introduced in 2018, theyve been issued tens of thousands of times, and they now account for a majority of search warrants sent to Google from American law enforcement. Geofence and keyword warrants may be a terrible way to predict or prevent crime, but they are terrifyingly effective at tracking protests, houses of worship, and other sensitive sites. Advertisement Advertisement This power and susceptibility to abuse have helped to galvanize people across the political spectrum against geofence warrants. When first introduced in New York state in 2020, the geofence ban was seen as part of a broader effort to combat the unchecked growth of police power. For proponents of the bill in the New York Legislature, rolling back geofence warrants tapped into the same civil rights movements that drove Black Lives Matter protests and mass mobilizations against family separation and deportation. In New York, the law was firmly a progressive rejoinder to the growing threat that police powers posed to communities of color and other historically marginalized groups. Advertisement The bill, though, didnt remain confined to a purely partisan or progressive lens. The reality of one-party rule is that GOP support is basically a non-factor in passing legislation in New Yorkbut, perhaps surprisingly, similar proposals are being advanced by Republicans in states including Missouri and Utah. Earlier this year, Republican Ben Baker introduced a bill in Missouri modeled almost entirely on the New York proposal. The ban is gaining support there. Similarly, Utah Republicans in March introduced a mirror of the New York legislation. The Utah ban was significantly watered down before it passed, requiring only that police report their use of geofence and keyword warrants. The revised bill is a disappointment for those whod hoped for a ban, but its still a step in the right direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Republicans may have much more faith in local police, theyre worried about other agencies weaponizing geofence warrants in ways that curtail core constitutional rights. They fear federal law enforcement probing leading conservative activists. In 2019 the Manhattan district attorneys office obtained a geofence warrant for the site of a fight involving the Proud Boys, and the Department of Justice similarly used this tool to obtain location history data for individuals around the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. When we went to Missouri to testify in favor of a geofence ban earlier this year, we heard echoes of New York lawmakers fears, just with different agencies (namely, federal law enforcement) viewed as the entity posing a threat. The rhetoric may be different, but legislators saw the need for the same solution: a geofence ban. Advertisement You might be wondering how these warrants were constitutional in the first place, given their danger and broad bipartisan condemnation. In our view, they never were. But the nature of the warrant process is that magistrate judges often decide these questions in secret, relying on the unchallenged word of police and prosecutors, and without an opportunity for the defendant to contest whats being argued. Only now, years later, are those who were tracked by geofence warrants starting to get their day in court. Advertisement Advertisement Last year, a U.S. district court judge held that a geofence warrant plainly violates the Fourth Amendments protections against unreasonable search and seizure. At least one state court also struck down the practice, and now even some of the magistrate judges are beginning to refuse to approve geofence warrants. One federal magistrate wrote, The governments undisciplined and overuse of this investigative technique in run-of-the-mill cases that present no urgency or imminent danger poses concerns to our collective sense of privacy and trust in law enforcement officials. But even as the courts slowly move to reverse the harms they enabled, there still is an urgent need for lawmakers to act, passing laws today rather than waiting years for the case law to catch up. Advertisement Related from Slate Cullen Seltzer Google Knows Where Youve Been. Should It Tell the Police? Read More Theres another part of the geolocation threat thats rallying bipartisan concern, though its circumvented the courts. In addition to using sweeping legal tools like geofence and keyword warrants to target our data, officers are also using public funds to purchase private data through data brokers. This allows police to avoid the court system completely while getting access to information such as location history, search data, and utility records. And alarmingly, the courts have held that when officers use money instead of the force of law to get our data, the Constitution simply doesnt apply. Advertisement Advertisement Thats why New Yorks geofence and keyword warrant ban would also bar police purchases of similar data, and related efforts have drawn bipartisan support from Washington. In 2021 Republican Sen. Rand Paul and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden introduced the Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act, legislation that would outlaw police purchases of private data. As always, legislation moves slower in Washington, but its proof that there is nationally growing momentum to tackle the threat of police data purchases and mass location tracking. Advertisement Advertisement In New York, the bill that was first introduced in 2020 has been reintroduced in each legislative session since, with support growing each year. There has been a strong push to get it passed before New Yorks legislative session ends this week. But even as the number of co-sponsors swells and more elected officials vocally call for its passage, time is running out on the states half-year legislative session. Ultimately, the fight against the ballooning surveillance state remains an uphill battle. There are still lawmakers from both parties unwilling to stand up against these abuses. But perhaps because of the novelty of some of these threats and the scale of the trackings omnipresence, theres hope for Republicans and Democrats to find common ground in their resistance to digital dragnets. And early indications suggest that a growing number of lawmakers across the country will introduce parallel bills in other states too. The surveillance fight provides proof that no matter how divided partisans have become, there are still some fundamental principles that can bring us together. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Babler is the new leader of the Austrian Social Democrats. Photo: Personal website As the party announced today, at the extraordinary congress in Linz, there was a change of votes during the counting. The president of the election commission in Michaela Grubes party announced today at a hastily convened press conference that there was a change of votes during Saturdays vote on the new president of the party. According to the correct result of the vote, the new leader of the Social Democrats became Andreas Babler, who received the most votes from the delegates. An error occurred while transferring votes to an Excel spreadsheet. Doskozil actually received 280 votes and Babler received 317 votes. The mistake was accidentally discovered today during a recount. This was necessary in order to clarify why one vote was missing, explained Grubesa. According to the results published on Saturday, 52.7 percent of the total of slightly more than 600 delegates voted for Doskozil, while just 46.5 percent of the delegates are said to have supported Babler. But now it turned out that Babler got the mentioned slightly less than 53 percent of the votes of support. The party has already apologized to Doskozil, who was initially declared the winner. This is certainly to a certain extent the lowest point for the Austrian social democracy, said Doskozil, who conceded defeat, in relation to the counting error. The governor of Gradiscanska congratulated Babler on his victory, and announced that the chapter of federal politics is closed once and for all for him. Babler, however, emphasized in a press statement that he wants a recount before taking over the leadership of the party. He called the incorrect counting of votes a bottom, which was painful not only for Doskozil, but for the entire party. He said what happened could not be justified. He also announced that he and his team will work for the full return of the SPO to the Austrian political scene, and called on like-minded people to remain loyal to the party. As he said, he will provide information about the staff at the appropriate time. 50-year-old Andreas Babler, the current mayor of Traiskirchen, will succeed Pamela Rendi-Wagner at the head of the SPO, who did not run for re-election because she only came in third place behind Doskozil and Babler in a poll among members before the congress. Stoltenberg is convinced that there is still time for Swedens NATO membership until the summit in Vilnius in mid-July. Photo: Reuters Sweden has taken important concrete steps to address Turkeys concerns, Stoltenberg said in Constantinople. The NATO Secretary General attended the swearing-in of Erdogan for the third five-year presidential term in Ankara on Saturday. The Turkish president has repeatedly expressed reservations about Swedens NATO membership in recent months, saying Stockholm harbors individuals Ankara links to the 2016 coup attempt and the decades-long Kurdish struggle for independence. Sweden claimed to fully support Turkey against all threats to its national sovereignty. As part of this, a new anti-terrorism law came into force in Sweden on Thursday. According to the new law, participation in, financing or any other support for a terrorist organization is now a criminal offense in Sweden. Violators face several years in prison. As a result of NATO membership, Sweden will be safer, and at the same time, the alliance and Turkey will also be stronger, Stoltenberg said after meeting with Erdogan and new Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. I look forward to completing Swedens accession to NATO as soon as possible, he added. Stoltenberg described todays meeting with Erdogan as productive. He announced that further talks with Turkey and Sweden will follow on June 12. Sweden and Finland applied for membership in the alliance last May after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Finland then managed to become the 31st member of NATO on April 4 this year, while Sweden still faces the reservations of Ankara and Budapest. Protest in Stockholm One of the main points of contention between Stockholm and Ankara is the extradition of members or sympathizers of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey. Several hundred protesters took part in a demonstration in the center of Stockholm today against Swedens entry into the NATO alliance and the new anti-terrorist legislation, which is said to be a key step towards removing Turkeys concerns and thus its blockade of Sweden on its way to NATO. Protesters waved PKK flags and carried No NATO signs. A spokesman for the Turkish presidency said last Tuesday that it was completely unacceptable that PKK terrorists continue to operate freely in Sweden and called on the Swedish authorities to prevent the demonstrations. In Australia, after 20 years spent behind bars, 55-year-old Kathleen Folbigg, convicted in 2003 of murdering her four children, was pardoned today. A re-examination revealed that their deaths within a span of ten years were most likely the result of rare genetic disorders. Kathleen Folbigg was found guilty 20 years ago of murdering three children and murdering a fourth. All of them, two sons and two daughters, died suddenly between 1989 and 1999, aged between 19 days and 19 months. Prosecutors claimed at trial that their mother suffocated them, although she herself insisted throughout that they died of natural causes. Authorities ordered a reinvestigation of the case last year after a group of scientists raised the possibility in 2020 that the children had actually died from a rare genetic mutation and birth defects and signed a petition to free the convict, which was publicly branded as Australias worst serial killer. The review of the case was led by a retired judge Tom Bathurst and found the existence of reasonable doubt as to her conviction, the Attorney General of New South Wales announced today Michael Daley. Slovenia He followed his partner and stabbed her several times in front of her daughter While prosecutors, in the absence of hard forensic evidence, insisted in 2003 that it was extremely unlikely that all four children died suddenly of unexplained natural causes, Bathurst indicated that at least three of the deaths could have been caused by medical causes. The girls are said to suffer from a rare genetic mutation, and one of the boys from neurogenic problems, among other things. Based on these findings, the death of the fourth of the children, the first-born son, is no longer suspicious. Bathurst emphasizes that he cannot accept the interpretation that Folbigg was anything other than a caring mother to her children, foreign press agencies report. The pardon does not mean the annulment of her conviction Based on his findings, the governor of the state of New South Wales has already signed a pardon and ordered the immediate release of Katheleen Folbigg from prison, which she has already left today. According to Daley, the pardon does not yet mean the annulment of her conviction, as the Court of Appeal has to decide on this, should Bathurst turn to it. The trial there could take a year or so, and if the verdict is overturned, Folbigg could sue the New South Wales government for several million dollars in damages, he says. BBC. [email protected] Russian police arrested several activists in the center of Moscow today who demanded the release of imprisoned opposition leader and prominent critic of the Russian authorities, Alexei Navalny. Navalny celebrated his 47th birthday today, and rallies in his support took place all over the world. Russian NGO OVD-info reported that just over a dozen activists carrying banners such as You are not alone and Freedom for Navalny were arrested in the square under the monument to poet Alexander Pushkin in central Moscow. Security forces also detained several journalists who covered the protests. A large number of police units, National Guard vehicles and police vehicles were stationed around Pushkin Square, which is a traditional venue for anti-Kremlin protests. OVD-Info reported that several supporters of Navalny were also arrested in other Russian cities. At the same time, protest rallies in support of Navalny took place in more than 120 cities around the world, including in London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Sydney, Tokyo, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo, colleagues of the imprisoned Russian activist wrote on the Telegram network. Two weeks ago, the Russian opposition called for a global day of protests in support of Navalny, who has so far spent almost 900 days behind bars, of which the last 200 days are in solitary confinement. He went on trial last week on extremism charges. The trial was held behind closed doors, and if convicted, Navalny faces an additional 30 years in prison. Navalny was jailed by Russian authorities in early 2021 after returning from Germany, where he was treated for Novichok poisoning in August 2020. He is currently serving a nine-year sentence in a penal colony about 260 kilometers northeast of Moscow for several convictions, including parole violations, contempt of court, an alleged 2014 corruption scandal and defying the Kremlin. Choosing a name for your painting business is not a task to be taken lightly. It is a decision that will shape your brand identity, leave a lasting impression on customers, and influence your overall success in the competitive marketplace. A well-crafted business name has the potential to set you apart from the competition, establish credibility, and evoke the right emotions in your target audience. This guide will explore the importance of a well-chosen business name and how it can impact your brands visibility, recognition, and customer perception. We will delve into the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and how incorporating relevant keywords into your business name can boost your online presence and attract potential customers. Moreover, we will provide practical tips and techniques for effectively incorporating SEO into your painting business name. But the process of naming your painting business goes beyond SEO. We will discuss the essential elements to consider, such as clarity, memorability, and uniqueness, to ensure that your name leaves a lasting impression on your target audience. Furthermore, we will explore the power of storytelling and how crafting a name that tells a compelling story about your painting services can create a strong emotional connection with your customers. Choosing a Painting Business Name Naming your painting business is a vital initial step in creating your unique identity in the market. Your companys name should echo your brand, represent your services, and connect with your target audience. Elements of a Successful Painting Business Name Before offering a list of potential painting business names, its essential to understand what makes a great painting business name: Relevance: The name should reflect your business type, i.e., painting services. Incorporating words related to painting in your business name can make it easier for customers to understand what they can expect. Simplicity: A simple business name is easier to remember and spell, vital for customers trying to find your online presence. Uniqueness: Stand out in a crowded market with a unique name for your painting business. Target Audience: Always consider your target market. A name appealing to your ideal customer will naturally draw in more business. Paint Company Names When it comes to creating a paint company name, here are some ideas that might inspire you: ChromaCoat Paints PurePalette Paints BrushBrilliance Paints SpectrumSelection Paints CoverCraft Paints HarmonyHues Paints FreshFinish Paints ColorCraftsmen Paints PigmentPros Paints ShadeSymphony Paints Paintgreen Professional Painters French House Painting Artistic Painting Inc Thermal Paint Services Anderson Painting Artistic Painting inc Brush Brothers Paint Mastercraft painting Five Star Painting Incredible Industrial Painters Paint Kings Star Painting Unique Painting Company Names Having a unique name helps you stand out in the market. Here are some suggestions: CanvasCrafter Creations Brushstroke Brilliance Pigment Pioneers Hues Harmony Vivid Varnish Visionaries Fresco Frontiers Artistic Accents Chroma Connoisseurs Palette Perfectionists Mural Maestros Sinclair Painting Co Best Painting Company Names Your company name should be the best representation of your business. Here are some of the best painting business name ideas: Masterful Murals Precision Paint Providers Brilliant Brushworks Pristine Paint Partners Superb Surface Solutions Elegant Easel Enterprises Vivid Vision Painters Creative Color Crafters Spectrum Savvy Solutions Dazzling Decorative Paints Catchy Painting Business Names A catchy name can make your painting business stand out. Here are some suggestions: Palette Perfection Vivid Visions Painting Brushworks Bliss Spectrum Splash Fresh Facades Color Cascade Hue Haven Mural Magic Paint Pioneers Chromatic Creations Brushworks Bliss Pristine Palette Pros Color Curator Co. Vibrant Visions Painting Mural Magic Makers Artistic Accent Artisans Spectrum Symphony Solutions Hue Harmony Heroes Palette Prodigy Painters Chroma Canvas Creations Unique Painting Company Names Your painting business name should be distinctive and unforgettable. Here are some unique painting company name ideas: Chroma Crafters Fresco Finish Paint Panache Vivid Varnishes Hue Harmonizers Spectrum Savvy Polychrome Pros Chromatic Curators Pigment Pioneers Palette Panorama Memorable Painting Company Names For a business to stick in clients minds, it needs a memorable name. Here are some suggestions: Vivid Varnish Visionaries Palette Prodigy Painters Hue Harmony Heroes Mural Magic Makers Chroma Connoisseurs Spectrum Savvy Solutions Artistic Accents Artisans Brushworks Bliss Pristine Palette Pros Color Curator Co. Paint Prodigy Brush Brilliance Chromatic Charisma Fresco Finesse Palette Precision Hue Heroes Color Commanders Varnish Virtuosos Spectrum Specialists Easel Excellency Professional Painter Names A professional name adds credibility and appeals to your painting business. Here are some suggestions: Precision Paintworks ProFinish Painting Elite Coatings Masterstroke Painters Premier Paint Pros PrimeColor Contractors Expert Touch Painting FineLine Painters Superior Coat Solutions Absolute Paintcraft ProSeal Painting AceBrush Painters Skillful Strokes Artisan Paintworks ProCoat Contractors Elite Edge Painting Masterpiece Painters Optimum Paint Services ProPrime Painters Perfect Paint Professionals These professional painter names convey a sense of skill, quality, and professionalism, reflecting the expertise and precision of your painting services. Remember to choose a name that aligns with your brand values and appeals to your target market. Painting Business Name Ideas for Websites Choosing a business name that can also serve as a domain name for your website ensures a cohesive online presence. Here are some ideas: PremierPalette.com BrushworksBlissOnline.com VividVarnishVisions.com MuralMagicMaster.com ColorCrafterCo.com SpectrumSavvyPaints.com ChromaticCharismaCreatives.com PristinePaintPartners.com PaintProdigyPro.com FrescoFinesseFirm.com Painting Business Name Ideas for Branding Your painting business name can be key in shaping your brands identity. Here are some name ideas perfect for branding: Precision Paint Pioneers Elite Easel Artistry Superior Surface Solutions Pristine Palette Pros Accurate Artistry Optimal Overcoat Outfitters Masterful Mural Makers Exquisite Exterior Experts Immaculate Interior Innovators Perfect Pigment Providers Creative Painting Business Names Creativity can make your painting business name more memorable and engaging. Here are some creative painting business names: Chroma Canvas Creations Artistic Accents Painting Color Curator Co. Mural Masters Palette Prodigy Painters Hue Harmonizers Fresco Frontier Spectrum Symphony Brushworks Bliss Vivid Visions Painting Neighborhood Painters Minimalist Painting Business Name Ideas Minimalist painting business names often convey simplicity, elegance, and a focus on the craft of painting. These names are clean, straightforward, and have a modern appeal. Here are 30 minimalist painting business name ideas: PureBrush CleanCoat SimpleStrokes ZenPalette ClearLines NeatFinish SharpEdge CalmHue FreshCanvas SmoothCoat WhiteSpace SubtleTones PlainBrush PurePigment SolidStroke ClearCanvas BoldPalette BareEssentials SmoothSurface CrispCoat MinimalistBrush CleanSlate PureTone SleekFinish SimplePalette SharpBrush SublimeStrokes ClearHue ModernCoat PlainCanvas These minimalist painting business names evoke a sense of simplicity, professionalism, and a focus on the artistry of painting. They convey a clean and modern aesthetic, appealing to clients who appreciate a minimalistic approach to their painting needs. Playful Painting Business Name Ideas Playful painting business names add a touch of fun and creativity to your brand, attracting clients who appreciate a vibrant and lively approach to painting services. These names embrace the joy and excitement of the painting process, reflecting your enthusiasm for creating beautiful works of art. Here are 30 playful painting business name ideas: Paintastic Colorful Canvas Brush Buddies Happy Hues Rainbow Strokes Artful Splash Paint Party Doodle Dab Whimsy Works The Paint Playground Splashy Smiles Magic Brushes Color Carnival Art Attack Brush Beats Funky Finishes Picassos Playground Chroma Champs Paint Pals Vibrant Ventures Imagine Inks Playful Pigments Stroke of Joy Creative Capers Color Craze Poppin Paints Laughing Easels Sprinkle Splatter Happy Artistry Whisk and Dab Bold Painting Premier Painting El Gato Painting These playful painting business names ignite a sense of joy, imagination, and creativity. They capture the essence of a vibrant and enjoyable painting experience, inviting clients to embrace their inner artist and have fun with colors, strokes, and artistic expression. One Word Painting Business Name Ideas One-word painting business names have a concise and impactful quality that can leave a lasting impression on your clients. These names encapsulate the essence of your painting services in a single word, creating a strong and memorable brand identity. Here are 30 one-word painting business name ideas: See Also: 50 Outdoor Business Ideas to Start in 2023 Chroma Brushworks Vivid Artisan Strokes Palette Hue Canvas Pigment Splash Finest Serene Artful Chromatic Expressions Masterpiece Easel Flourish Vibrant Blend Mural Renew Harmony Accent Opus Prestige Prime Gleam Refined Inspire These one-word painting business names convey the essence of your painting services with brevity and impact. They capture your works artistry, creativity, and quality, leaving a memorable impression on clients and setting the stage for a successful painting business. Location-Based Painting Business Name Ideas Location-based painting business names can establish a strong connection with your local community and emphasize your presence in a specific area. These names often incorporate the name of the city, neighborhood, or region where your painting business operates, creating a sense of familiarity and trust among local customers. Here are 20 location-based painting business name ideas: CityBrush Proffessional Painters Neighborhood Paintworks Regional Color Co. Metro Masterpainters Urban Canvas Creations Local Palette Suburbia Strokes Town Tinting County Coat & Color Paint Pros of [City Name] Village Varnishers Downtown Brush & Roll [City Name] Color Studio Coastal Coastings Valley Vibrance Hillside Hue UrbanEasel Lakeside Paintcraft Street Corner Strokes [City Name] Brushwork Pacificpro Painting Services American Quality Paint Coastline Painting Company These location-based painting business names help you establish a strong presence within your community. By incorporating the name of your city, neighborhood, or region, you convey a sense of local expertise and community connection, attracting customers looking for painters in their area. One Word Painting Business Name Ideas Inspired by Industry Terms Drawing inspiration from industry terms can add a touch of professionalism and expertise to your one-word painting business name. These names reflect your knowledge and proficiency in the painting industry, showcasing your specialized skills. Here are 30 one-word painting business name ideas inspired by industry terms: Chromatic Artistry Precision Texture Pigment Brushwork Stipple Sheen Graining Glaze Tint Coat Gesso Luster Patina Varnish Grit Scumble Underpainting Trowel Wash Overlay Marbling Easel Highlight Sealer Imprint Accent Resin Substrate These one-word painting business names inspired by industry terms convey a sense of professionalism, expertise, and specialization in the painting field. They showcase your understanding of painting techniques, materials, and processes, making them an ideal choice for clients seeking a skilled and knowledgeable painter. One Word Painting Business Name Ideas Inspired by Foreign Languages Inspired by foreign languages, one-word painting business names add a touch of global flair and cultural richness to your brand. These names capture the essence of painting in different languages, infusing a sense of artistry and sophistication into your business. Here are 30 one-word painting business name ideas inspired by foreign languages: Arte (Italian for art) Farben (German for colors) Couleur (French for color) Pintura (Spanish for painting) Artefatto (Italian for artifact) Kunstwerk (German for artwork) Peinture (French for painting) Pintura (Portuguese for painting) Arteza (Spanish for artistry) Pittura (Italian for painting) Farver (Danish for colors) Malerei (German for painting) Tavla (Turkish for canvas) Maalaus (Finnish for painting) Pintura (Galician for painting) Artejo (Esperanto for art) Pintura (Asturian for painting) Pintura (Catalan for painting) Artesia (Esperanto for artistry) Pintar (Portuguese/Spanish for to paint) Maalauksia (Finnish for paintings) Kunst (Dutch/German for art) Peintre (French for painter) Arteiro (Portuguese for artful) Maler (Danish/German for painter) Pintor (Spanish/Portuguese for painter) Maestro (Italian/Spanish for master) Maalari (Finnish for painter) Pinxto (Basque for painting) Chiaroscuro (Italian for light and dark) These one-word painting business names inspired by foreign languages bring an international touch to your brand, symbolizing the universal language of art. They add a sense of sophistication and cultural depth, appealing to clients who appreciate the global inspiration behind your painting services. One Word Painting Business Name Ideas with Acronyms or Abbreviations Incorporating acronyms or abbreviations into your one-word painting business name can add a modern and dynamic twist to your brand. These names are concise, memorable, and can create a sense of intrigue for your target audience. Here are 30 one-word painting business name ideas with acronyms or abbreviations: C.A.P.E. (Creative Artistic Paint Expressions) A.R.T. (Artistic Renovation Techniques) I.M.P. (Innovative Masterpiece Painters) P.I.G.M.E.N.T. (Professional Interiors with Great Masterful Effects in New Tones) S.T.R.O.K.E.S. (Superb Techniques Revealing Outstanding Key Expressions in Style) V.I.V.I.D. (Visionary Inspirations for Vibrant Interior Designs) P.A.L.E.T.T.E. (Professional Artists Leading Exquisite Techniques and Tones Expertly) C.O.A.T.S. (Creative Outlooks Achieving Top-notch Surfaces) A.R.T.I.S.T. (Artistic Reflections Transforming Interior Spaces with Talent) B.R.U.S.H. (Bold Renderings Utilizing Skillful Handiwork) P.A.I.N.T. (Professional Artistry Incorporating New Techniques) E.C.H.O. (Exquisite Creations with Harmonious Outcomes) M.A.S.T.E.R. (Masterful Artistry Setting Trends with Elegant Results) S.P.L.A.S.H. (Specialized Paintings and Luxurious Artistic Strokes Highlighted) G.R.A.C.E. (Graceful Renderings Achieving Captivating Expressions) P.I.C.A.S.S.O. (Professional Interior Creations with Artistic Style and Skillful Offerings) F.I.N.E. (Fine Interior Neutral Expressions) A.R.C. (Artistic Reflections in Colors) D.A.B. (Dynamic Artistic Brushstrokes) I.M.A.G.I.N.E. (Innovative Masterpieces and Artistic Gestures in New Expressions) S.P.L.A.T. (Stunning Painted Landscapes and Artful Techniques) P.O.P. (Playful Original Paintings) S.W.I.R.L. (Sensational Works of Inspiring Radiant Landscapes) L.U.S.H. (Luminous Unique Strokes of Harmony) B.R.I.S.T.L.E. (Bold Renderings with Intriguing Strokes, Tones, and Luxurious Expressions) C.O.L.O.R.S. (Creating Outstanding Landscapes of Radiant Strokes) A.R.T.I.Z.E. (Artistic Renderings with Trendsetting Inspirations and Zealous Expressions) B.R.I.G.H.T. (Brilliantly Rendered Inspirations with Graceful Handiwork and Tones) P.O.L.I.S.H. (Professional Offerings in Luxurious Interior Strokes and Harmonious Expressions) S.C.A.L.E. (Stunning Creative Artistry with Lively Expressions) These one-word painting business names with acronyms or abbreviations are attention-grabbing and convey a sense of creativity and professionalism. They reflect your expertise and passion for the art of painting, making them ideal for capturing the attention of clients who appreciate your unique approach. One Word Painting Business Name Ideas with Puns or Wordplay In the world of painting business names, incorporating puns and wordplay adds a playful and memorable touch to your brand. These names combine clever wordplay with the artistry of painting, creating a memorable and lighthearted impression. Here are 30 one-word painting business name ideas with puns or wordplay: Paint-astic Artful Strokes Pigmendous Brushilicious Canvastastic Paintopia Hue-nique Stroke of Genius Colorfulicious Art Attack Paintability Masterpieceful Splash-tastic Strokeworthy The Painted Word Punny Palette Brushamania Tintastic Chromazing Paint-erly Art-vantage Brilliant Brushes Stroke of Luck Art-fulfilling Pigmentopia Paintsational Creativity Unleashed Hue-larious Stroketastic Vividly Punny These one-word painting business names with puns or wordplay infuse humor and creativity into your brand. They engage your audience, spark curiosity, and leave a lasting impression. Embrace the fun side of painting with these clever and punny name ideas that will make your business stand out from the crowd. House Painting Business Names If your painting business specializes in residential painting, consider a name that highlights this expertise. Here are some ideas: Home Hue Handlers Domestic Decorative Painters Residential Renovation Painters House Harmony Paint Pros Elegant Exteriors Painting Co Interior Illusion Artists Residential Repaint Experts Homefront Hue Heroes Painted Perfection Homes Neighborhood Paint Navigators Beautiful House Painting Trading Casa Painting Services Da Silva Painting services Exterior Painting Company Names For businesses focused on exterior painting, a name that emphasizes this specialty can be beneficial. Here are some name ideas: Outdoor Oasis Painters External Elegance Artisans Exterior Experts Painting Co Facade Facelift Professionals Outdoor Overcoat Operators Exterior Escapes Painting Co Outdoor Overhaul Outfitters Open-air Oasis Artisans External Excellence Experts Boundless Building Painters Interior Painting Business Names If you specialize in interior painting, consider a business name that highlights your expertise in this area. Here are some ideas: Inside Illusions Paint Co. Interior Inspiration Artisans Home Harmony Painters Inside Innovation Experts Elegant Interiors Painting Co Room Revival Painters Space Savvy Solutions Inside Innovation Artists Indoor Inspiration Painters Room Renaissance Pros Painting Business name generator The world of business is highly competitive, and choosing a compelling and memorable name for your painting business is crucial to stand out from the crowd. If youre in need of some inspiration, there are various online tools known as painting business name generators that can help you generate unique and catchy names for your company. These name generators are designed to provide you with a list of creative suggestions based on your keywords and preferences, making the naming process easier and more efficient. By utilizing these recommended tools, you can explore different options, incorporate relevant keywords, and ultimately find the perfect name that aligns with your painting business and attracts customers. NameMesh ( www.namemesh.com ): NameMesh is a versatile business name generator that offers a range of options for painting businesses. Simply input your keywords, such as painting, inc, or services, and the generator will provide you with a list of creative and relevant name suggestions. It also categorizes the names based on their availability as domain names, making it easier to establish your online presence. BizNameWiz ( www.biznamewiz.com ): BizNameWiz specializes in generating catchy and brandable business names. With its user-friendly interface, you can enter your desired keywords related to painting, and it will generate unique name ideas. The generator also provides tips on how to enhance your business name and stands out in the market. Oberlo ( www.oberlo.com ): Oberlo is not specifically designed for painting businesses, but it is a comprehensive name generator that can be tailored to fit your needs. By entering relevant keywords, you can browse through a wide selection of suggested names, filter them based on availability, and even check the availability of domain names associated with each suggestion. Panabee ( www.panabee.com ): Panabee is a versatile naming tool that helps you generate unique and memorable names for your painting business. By entering relevant keywords or even a description of your business, it provides a list of creative name suggestions, domain availability, and variations that you can consider. It also provides additional resources to help with logo design and brand development. Nameboy ( www.nameboy.com ): Nameboy is a popular name generator that allows you to create a unique and SEO-friendly name for your painting business. It provides various options to combine keywords, check domain availability, and customize your name based on specific criteria. With its user-friendly interface, Nameboy makes the naming process hassle-free and provides suggestions that align with your business vision. Utilizing these recommended name generators allows you to explore a wide range of options and find a creative and memorable name that resonates with your painting business. Remember to consider SEO and incorporate relevant keywords to improve your online visibility and attract potential customers. Consider SEO When Naming Your Painting Business Name When it comes to naming your painting business, considering SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is of utmost importance. A well-optimized business name can significantly improve your online visibility and attract more potential customers to your painting services. By incorporating relevant keywords such as painting inc, painting job, and painting services into your business name, you can increase the chances of your website appearing higher in search engine results. This can give you a competitive edge over other painting companies and drive more organic traffic to your website. To effectively incorporate SEO in your painting business name, there are a few tips you should keep in mind. Firstly, make sure the name clearly represents your services and includes keywords that people commonly search for when looking for painting contractors. For example, names like Precision Painting Services or Expert Painting Inc instantly convey what your business does while incorporating relevant keywords. Secondly, consider including location-specific keywords if you primarily serve a specific area. This can help you target customers specifically looking for painting services in that area. Lastly, keep your business name concise, memorable, and unique to make it easier for potential customers to find and remember your brand. By carefully crafting a business name that considers SEO, you can increase your online visibility, attract more customers, and ultimately grow your painting business. Conclusion Your painting business name has the power to invite customers and convey your brands core values and services. Whether you opt for a catchy, unique, professional, or memorable name, ensure it aligns with your businesss identity and speaks to your target market. Happy naming! Frequently Asked Questions How do I come up with a painting business name? Start by brainstorming words related to painting and your services. Combine these words creatively until you find a name that reflects your brand and resonates with your target market. Should I include painting in my business name? Its a good idea to include painting or similar terms in your business name, as it instantly communicates the nature of your services. However, its not a requirement. How can I make my painting business name unique? To create a unique painting business name, think outside the box. Consider lesser-known terms, foreign words, or made-up words. You can also combine common painting terms in new and interesting ways. Can I change my painting business name later? Changing your business name after establishment can be complicated, involving updates to your legal documents, website, and marketing materials. Its better to choose a name youre satisfied with from the beginning. How do I check the availability of my painting business name? You can check the availability of a business name through your local states business divisions website, usually under the Department of State or Secretary of State. For the US, you can also check on the United States Patent and Trademark Offices website. Moreover, a quick internet and domain name search can also tell you if the name is being used elsewhere. If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more. Professional photos are an essential marketing tool for any thriving business. Photography can drive customer engagement, showcase products and elevate the brand image. Small business owners looking for the best professional photography services to meet their diverse needs and aspirations should keep reading for the full scoop. The Significance of Professional Photography Services for Businesses High-quality, professional photography has become integral in the modern business landscape. It plays a significant role in brand representation, helping to shape perceptions and convey the values for which your organization stands. Well-executed photographs can showcase your products or services in the best light, capturing the finest details and underlining their benefits. The images not only contribute to a more sophisticated, professional look for your website, social media and marketing materials but also increase overall customer engagement. When customers see quality images, they associate that level of quality with your brand. Effective visual communication through professional photography, therefore, can translate into better customer trust, increased brand recognition and, ultimately, greater business success. The Role of Professional Photographers in Business Professional photographers bring a wealth of skills and creativity that can significantly contribute to a small businesss success. With their expertise in lighting, composition and post-production editing technology, professional photographers create compelling, high-resolution images that capture the essence of a brand. Photographers technical prowess allows them to produce images that resonate with the target audience and evoke desired emotions. Likewise, professional photographers are adept at telling visual stories, a key component in todays content-driven marketing landscape. Creating compelling narratives around a brands offerings helps establish deeper connections with its target audience, encouraging brand loyalty. Professional photographers also understand the demands of various platforms, whether they include a business website, social media or print marketing materials. Photography pros tailor their images to fit these formats, ensuring optimal display and user experience. The role of professional photographers extends beyond the mere capturing of images. They advise on best practices for image usage, assist in developing visual marketing strategies and often collaborate with marketing teams, providing valuable input and ideas based on their unique perspective. Ultimately, professional photographers dont just take pictures; they contribute to shaping and communicating a businesss visual identity, playing an instrumental role in its overall marketing and branding strategy. The Impact of High Quality Images on Business Success High-quality images have a profound impact on the success of a small business. They enhance marketing efforts, drive customer engagement and fortify the brands image. High-resolution, professionally captured images are a potent tool in the arsenal of any small business striving for growth and success. High-quality images contribute to a business success in a multitude of ways, including: Boost online presence A strong online presence is key in the digital age. High-quality images optimize a websites visual appeal, making it more attractive and user-friendly. They likewise enhance the visual content on social media platforms, increasing engagement and shares. A strong online presence is key in the digital age. High-quality images optimize a websites visual appeal, making it more attractive and user-friendly. They likewise enhance the visual content on social media platforms, increasing engagement and shares. Improve product understanding Detailed, high-resolution images help customers better understand products and services. They can show the product from different angles, display its use or highlight its unique features, thereby reducing customer doubts and increasing conversion rates. Detailed, high-resolution images help customers better understand products and services. They can show the product from different angles, display its use or highlight its unique features, thereby reducing customer doubts and increasing conversion rates. Enhance brand image Consistently using high-quality images across all platforms helps build a professional and reliable brand image. It shows that a company pays attention to detail and value quality, characteristics customers often associate with the product or service provided. Consistently using high-quality images across all platforms helps build a professional and reliable brand image. It shows that a company pays attention to detail and value quality, characteristics customers often associate with the product or service provided. Increase customer engagement Quality images catch the eye and can evoke emotions. They help tell a brands story, connect with its audience, and encourage more interaction, which can translate into increased customer loyalty and higher sales. Quality images catch the eye and can evoke emotions. They help tell a brands story, connect with its audience, and encourage more interaction, which can translate into increased customer loyalty and higher sales. Support marketing and advertising efforts Professional photos are versatile marketing tools. They can be used in various forms of advertising like print ads, brochures, billboards and digital ads. High-quality images can make these materials more effective, increasing visibility and customer reach. Advantages of Utilizing Professional Photography Services Choosing professional photography services over DIY or amateur options offers a small business numerous advantages. Professionals bring technical knowledge, high-quality equipment and years of experience to the table, ensuring exceptional results that surpass what most non-professionals can produce. Investing in professional photography can drive a significant return on investment, enhancing a businesss visual identity and boosting its marketing efforts. The benefits professional photography can provide a small business owner are vast, but some key advantages include: High-quality results Professional photographers use top-tier equipment and have the technical know-how to produce sharp, well-composed, high-resolution images that make products, services and teams look their best. Professional photographers use top-tier equipment and have the technical know-how to produce sharp, well-composed, high-resolution images that make products, services and teams look their best. Technical expertise Lighting, angles, composition and post-production are just a few aspects of creating a great photograph. Professional photographers have the training and experience to handle these elements effectively, delivering images that convey the desired message and evoke the right emotions. Lighting, angles, composition and post-production are just a few aspects of creating a great photograph. Professional photographers have the training and experience to handle these elements effectively, delivering images that convey the desired message and evoke the right emotions. Consistent branding Professionals can help maintain consistency across your images, which is crucial for establishing a strong brand identity. They understand how to produce photos that align with your brand aesthetic and effectively communicate your businesss ethos and personality. Professionals can help maintain consistency across your images, which is crucial for establishing a strong brand identity. They understand how to produce photos that align with your brand aesthetic and effectively communicate your businesss ethos and personality. Time efficiency Professional photographers have the skills to work quickly and efficiently. This means less time is taken away from your work and faster turnaround times for projects, ensuring your business can respond to market trends and demands swiftly. Professional photographers have the skills to work quickly and efficiently. This means less time is taken away from your work and faster turnaround times for projects, ensuring your business can respond to market trends and demands swiftly. Potential ROI High-quality images can drive higher engagement and conversions, increasing sales. When considering potential revenue growth and improved brand image, the cost of professional photography services can be seen as a worthwhile investment. Enhancing Your Brand with High Quality Images Professional studio photography can significantly enhance a businesss branding and reputation, creating a visual narrative that communicates its mission, values and professionalism. Professional photographs help shape a small businesss reputation by contributing to developing a strong, consistent brand. In each of the following scenarios, the quality of the imagery directly influences how customers perceive the business: Product photography A professional photographer can capture the essence of a product, showcasing its features in a way that appeals to potential customers. For example, a local bakery might use high-quality images to display the texture and freshness of its pastries, or a craft store could highlight the intricacy of its handmade items. Detailed images not only boost product appeal but the best product photography can demonstrate the businesss commitment to quality and attention to detail. A professional photographer can capture the essence of a product, showcasing its features in a way that appeals to potential customers. For example, a local bakery might use high-quality images to display the texture and freshness of its pastries, or a craft store could highlight the intricacy of its handmade items. Detailed images not only boost product appeal but the best product photography can demonstrate the businesss commitment to quality and attention to detail. Company portraits High-quality images of team members can convey professionalism and build trust. A professional photographer can create consistent, well-liked, engaging studio portraits that humanize a business, presenting the team as approachable and dedicated professionals. This presentation can especially benefit service-based businesses like consulting firms, legal practices or healthcare providers. High-quality images of team members can convey professionalism and build trust. A professional photographer can create consistent, well-liked, engaging studio portraits that humanize a business, presenting the team as approachable and dedicated professionals. This presentation can especially benefit service-based businesses like consulting firms, legal practices or healthcare providers. Event photography If companies host or attend events, professionally-taken photographs can showcase their engagement with the community as they celebrate the industry or its causes. Such images can be shared on social media, enhancing your reputation as an active and socially responsible entity. If companies host or attend events, professionally-taken photographs can showcase their engagement with the community as they celebrate the industry or its causes. Such images can be shared on social media, enhancing your reputation as an active and socially responsible entity. Interior and exterior shots Businesses with physical locations like restaurants, boutiques or hotels can use professional images to illustrate their offices or outdoor premises atmosphere and decor. Well-executed photographs of a clean, stylish and welcoming location can attract customers and reinforce a brands identity. Professional Photography Services Versus DIY: A Comparative Look When considering professional photography services versus DIY efforts, weighing the differences in quality, efficiency, and long-term impact is important. Quality A professional photographer brings knowledge and experience to the table, producing superior-quality images. They possess the necessary equipment, understand how to manipulate lighting and composition and are skilled in editing techniques to achieve the best results. Unless executed by someone with substantial photography experience and equipment, DIY efforts will likely yield lower-quality images, which may fail to represent a small business effectively. Efficiency Professionals can execute a photography project with speed and efficiency. Theyre experienced in setting up a studio or external shoots, capturing the right shots quickly and delivering polished, edited images promptly. DIY attempts can be time-consuming, particularly if youre unfamiliar with the intricacies of photography and post-production processes, potentially distracting you from your primary business operations. See Also: Make Money from a Hobby with a Photography Business Course Impact Professional photos can elevate your brand image, drive customer engagement and boost sales. The polished look of professionally taken photos conveys a sense of trustworthiness and commitment to quality that resonates with customers. On the other hand, poor-quality, DIY images may negatively impact your brands perceived value. Consistency Maintaining a consistent look and feel across all your images is crucial for effective branding. Professional photographers understand this factor, and they can deliver consistency across shoots. In contrast, achieving consistent quality and style with DIY photography can be challenging, especially over time or with multiple photographers. Investment and ROI While professional photography services require a monetary investment, the potential return in terms of enhanced brand image, customer engagement and increased sales can make it a worthwhile expenditure. Conversely, while DIY photography might seem cost-effective initially, the potential damage to your brand and loss of business due to inferior image quality could result in a negative ROI. Where to Find Professional Photography Services Locating reliable photography services might seem daunting, but todays online resources and professional networks offer several avenues to find a professional who suits your businesss needs. Whether you leverage the power of online platforms, scour local directories or seek referrals from trusted sources, youre sure to find a variety of suitable options. Online freelance platforms Online site options like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer host numerous professional photographers who offer their services remotely. You can view their portfolios, read reviews from previous clients and directly communicate with them to discuss your specific needs. Online site options like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer host numerous professional photographers who offer their services remotely. You can view their portfolios, read reviews from previous clients and directly communicate with them to discuss your specific needs. Photography directories and professional networks Websites for the American Society of Media Photographers, Professional Photographers of America and Workbook provide directories of their members, who are professional photographers across various specializations. Websites for the American Society of Media Photographers, Professional Photographers of America and Workbook provide directories of their members, who are professional photographers across various specializations. Social media platforms Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn are platforms where photographers often showcase their work. You can search by location and specialty, view their work and contact them directly for photography services. Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn are platforms where photographers often showcase their work. You can search by location and specialty, view their work and contact them directly for photography services. Local business directories Traditional directories like Yellow Pages, Yelp or other online local business directories often list local professional photography services. Many directories include ratings and reviews, helping you make an informed choice. Traditional directories like Yellow Pages, Yelp or other online local business directories often list local professional photography services. Many directories include ratings and reviews, helping you make an informed choice. Referrals Other businesses, particularly those in your industry or local area, can be an excellent source of referrals. If you see professional photos you admire from a similar business, dont hesitate to ask them about the photography services they used. Frequently Asked Questions about Professional Photography Services What do professional photography services offer? Professional photography services offer high-quality, professional-grade images that can enhance a businesss marketing efforts, brand image and overall visual representation. The services typically include product photography, corporate portraits, event photography, and interior and exterior photography. Professional photographers use their technical expertise, creativity and high-end equipment to produce visually appealing images. They can also advise on best practices for image usage, assist in developing visual marketing strategies and collaborate with marketing teams. Why should you hire professional photographers instead of DIY? Hiring professional photographers instead of opting for DIY provides several key advantages. Professionals offer superior-quality images due to their technical expertise, experience, and access to high-end equipment. They understand the complexities of lighting, composition and post-production, essential for creating impactful images. Likewise, cost-efficient professional photographers can deliver consistency across all images, which is crucial for effective branding. They work efficiently, ensuring that images are delivered in a timely manner without distracting the business owner from their core operations. While hiring a professional may require an upfront investment, the potential return for improved brand image, customer engagement and increased sales often makes it worthwhile. How can high quality images improve your business? High-quality images can significantly improve a business by enhancing its brand image, boosting marketing efforts and increasing customer engagement. They present your products or services visually appealingly, giving potential customers a better understanding of what you offer. High-quality images also contribute to a professional and credible brand image, making customers more likely to trust and engage with a business. In the digital age, visually compelling content can improve SEO, increase social media shares and drive website traffic, leading to higher visibility and potential sales. Where can I find reliable professional photography services? Finding reliable, professional photography services can be accomplished through several avenues. Online freelance platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer host numerous professional photographers offering their services. Professional networks and photography directories like the American Society of Media Photographers provide listings of professional photographers across various specialties. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn are also useful resources since many photographers showcase their work on these platforms. Local online and traditional business directories like the Yellow Pages often list professional photographers in a local area. Of course, referrals from other businesses can be an excellent source of reliable services. Always review portfolios, read reviews and discuss your project in detail before choosing. How do I choose the right photography service for my business? Choosing the right photography service for your business requires considering several factors. Its important to clearly define your needs and expectations: What type of photography do you need, and whats the intended use of the images? Next, be sure to review portfolios of potential photographers to see if their style aligns with your brand. Look for diversity and quality in their previous work. Dont forget to check reviews or ask for references to gauge a photographers reliability and professionalism. Discussing your project with them is important to ensure they understand your vision and can deliver your requirements. Before hiring a photographer, consider the cost and ensure it fits within your budget. Remember that while professional services might require an upfront investment, the potential return on your money can be substantial in brand enhancement and customer engagement. Long story short: it already has. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Share Twitter Facebook Whatsapp E-mail Link to the page Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. A former defence minister claims Russia is meddling in elections in Slovakia. Prime Minister Ludovit Odor meets the completely determined to win the war President Zelensky in Moldova. French President Macron visits Bratislava, just as it experiences a cyber attack. If you have a suggestion on how to make this overview better, let me know at michaela.terenzani@spectator.sk. Rigged election narrative gains momentum You dont need artificial intelligence to generate images of what can happen when you convince enough people that theyve cast their votes in a rigged election. We have actual pictures, taken of actual events in what is supposed to be one of the bastions of liberal democracy and most of us still vividly remember what we saw on our television screens on January 6, 2021. In Slovakia, more than half of the population appears to believe that the upcoming parliamentary elections may be rigged no wonder, given that it is one of the main stories that Smer, which according to opinion polls is currently the strongest party on the political scene, has been pushing in the last few months. By doing so, Smer is adopting yet another technique that neo-authoritarian leaders worldwide have adopted, one which continues to erode peoples already deteriorating trust in public institutions. Over the last week, however, Smers leaders have themselves faced allegations that they may be involved in rigging the elections after former defence minister Jaroslav Nad, who is now an MP, claimed in a debate with former Smer minister Robert Kalinak on live television that, according to intelligence, a Slovak citizen had travelled to Moscow to collect funds for the manipulation of the general election for the benefit of Smer. What we know about the claim by Nad Health Ministry has plan B. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Share Twitter Facebook Whatsapp E-mail Link to the page The construction of Razsochy hospital in Bratislava will not be financed from the Recovery Plan. According to Health Minister Michal Palkovic, the decision was made because various project milestones cannot be met in the time allotted. Moreover, the current project documentation has serious flaws, including "defect" construction planning, unclear investments, and expected further delays. Related article Related article Derelict skeleton of unfinished hospital to be pulled down Read more Disappointment "There are flaws that we think need three to six more months to fix at the minimum," the minister said last Friday, adding that the state will instead cover the construction of a new hospital in the capital. The construction of Razsochy Hospital was one of the key points of the governments of both Igor Matovic (OLaNO) and later Eduard Heger (ex-OLaNO, now Democrats). According to the latter, "It was a good plan, but not everything goes as planned." Speaker of the Parliament Boris Kollar (Sme Rodina) blamed Heger. OLaNO was disappointed by the news, saying that the government ministry should have done their utmost to negotiate the postponing of deadlines. According to Livia Vasakova, head of the Recovery Plan Department at the Government Office, deadlines had been postponed once, but could not any further. Changes will also have to be made regarding a hospital in the town of Martin, Zilina Region, with regards to the failed tender for its construction. The hospital should not be built from the Recovery Plan up to the 'fully fitted out' level, but only to the 'shell and core' level. Related article Related article Reform delays put recovery plan payments in doubt Read more Plan B In order to prevent loss of money, it was suggested that hospital projects with published investment feasibility studies be given a second chance. "We would like to invite their representatives to a meeting, where they would present their projects to us so that we can judge how realistic the plans are," said Vasakova. This applies to hospitals in Banska Bystrica, Trnava, Martin, Presov and to children's hospitals in Bratislava and Kosice. The idea of building Razsochy arose more than 30 years ago. What started out as an ambitious project to serve patients from across Slovakia and to house medical students resulted in a huge, but unfinished complex. It was later left to rot and has been ravaged by scavengers seeking scrap metal and other materials. Grounds for Health is a non-profit organization that provides womens healthcare to communities in coffee growing areas. And today, June 5th, they are teaming up with Peets Coffee to launch a summer-long campaign titled #WhereSheIs that will help in their mission to prevent cervical cancer in women at origin. Throughout the course of the summer, Grounds for Health will be delivering free cervical cancer self-test kits to women in coffee-growing areas of Ethiopia and Kenya. In total, Grounds for Health will hand out 2,700 kits, which women can In just minutes can collect their own samples to learn if they have HPV and whether they will need treatment, per the press release. Cervical cancer is an entirely preventable disease, yet in the places we work, women are dying because they do not have access to basic screening and treatment, says Kyle Engelman, Director of Philanthropy at Grounds for Health. Fewer than 15% of women in Ethiopia and Kenya have ever been screened. The availability of new self-sampling tests, and Grounds for Healths commitment to reaching rural women who do not have access to preventive healthcare, will change that. Each month, the non-profit will announce a new location where they will be handing out kits. For June, Peets will be raising awareness for the highlighted region: the coffee farms, processing facilities, and cooperatives where women work. Additionally, from now until June 12th, the coffee company will give a 1lb bag of their Baridi Blend to anyone who donates $27 or more, the cost to screen and treat one woman, to Grounds for Health. Then in July, #WhereSheIs will focus on open-air markets, giving out kits to both shoppers and vendors. In August, kits will be distributed to rural health posts and villages. With the #WhereIsShe campaign, Grounds for Health hopes to raise $100,000. Its a worthy cause that will be going on all summer. For more information on the #WhereSheIs campaign or to donate, visit Grounds for Healths official website. 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/20230605/armenia-azerbaijan-deny-agreeing-return-to-1975-borders-1110918486.html Armenia, Azerbaijan Deny Agreeing Return to 1975 Borders Armenia, Azerbaijan Deny Agreeing Return to 1975 Borders Armenia and Azerbaijan denied on Monday that a deal between them was in the pipeline to draw demarcation lines based on 1975 maps. 2023-06-05T13:06+0000 2023-06-05T13:06+0000 2023-06-05T13:06+0000 world armenia azerbaijan nagorno-karabakh /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/05/1110918472_0:0:1600:901_1920x0_80_0_0_9b3b852a4a014f00bf34406540b8d69b.jpg On Sunday, Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan had said in a televised commentary that the leaders of the two South Caucasus countries had made some progress in border dispute talks in Moldova on June 1, agreeing to use Soviet-era maps as the basis for border demarcation talks. Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry strongly denied the claim on Monday, accusing the Armenian security chief of trying to "distort the essence of the issues". Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan confirmed on Monday that no agreement had been reached at the negotiations in Moldova, but added that Armenia considers the 1975 borders acceptable. Mirzoyan reiterated Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's assurances that Armenia recognizes Azerbaijan's territorial claims as set out in the 1991 Almaty Declaration. Pashinyan said Azerbaijan should discuss ownership of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region with local authorities. "The Republic of Armenia has always recognized and still recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We are aware of Azerbaijan's commitment to respect Armenia's territorial integrity," he added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20220603/karabakh-minister-settlement-of-karabakh-conflict-impossible-in-near-future-1095956796.html armenia azerbaijan nagorno-karabakh 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 armenia, azerbaijan, armenia-azerbaijan borders, nagorno-karabakh https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/biden-administration-works-with-congress-to-provide-37-million-in-cyber-aid-to-ukraine-1110927029.html Biden Administration Works With Congress to Provide $37 Million in Cyber Aid to Ukraine Biden Administration Works With Congress to Provide $37 Million in Cyber Aid to Ukraine The Biden administration is working with Congress to send an additional $37 million in cyber aid to Ukraine following another round of the US-Ukraine Cyber Dialogue that took place in Tallinn, Estonia earlier this month, the US State Department said on Monday. 2023-06-05T15:33+0000 2023-06-05T15:33+0000 2023-06-05T15:33+0000 americas us us congress biden administration state department ukraine cyber-intelligence hybrid warfare /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/1b/1110640933_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_f393a0cfd28cc5a425c2a1a85bb9c396.jpg "The United States and Ukraine met in Tallinn, Estonia, on June 1, 2023, to reconvene the U.S.-Ukraine Cyber Dialogue, an annual discussion on cyber policy issues. During the dialogue, the US delegation reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to support Ukraine's cyber defenses in the face of Russia's unprovoked aggression. As part of this support, the United States is working with Congress to provide an additional $37 million in cyber assistance to Ukraine," the State Department said in a press release. The new assistance would bring the total amount of US cyber aid for Ukraine to $82 million since February 2022, and to over $120 million since 2016, the release added. In May, the US Department of Defense released its new 2023 Cyber Strategy, saying the document was partially informed by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and defined how the US military will operate in cyberspace amid a growing number of threats. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230531/us-to-send-300-million-in-munitions-to-ukraine-with-new-aid-package-1110825316.html americas ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us, biden administration, cyber aid to ukraine, us state department https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/brussels-probes-whether-weapons-it-sent-to-kiev-were-used-in-terror-attack-against-russia-1110914739.html Brussels Probes Whether Weapons it Sent to Kiev Were Used in Terror Attack Against Russia Brussels Probes Whether Weapons it Sent to Kiev Were Used in Terror Attack Against Russia BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Monday that he instructed the special services to investigate the issue of the use of... 05.06.2023, Sputnik International 2023-06-05T10:08+0000 2023-06-05T10:08+0000 2023-06-05T10:09+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine europe belgorod region ukraine kiev brussels weapons supplies arms deliveries russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/09/12/1089197622_0:146:3073:1874_1920x0_80_0_0_c0970e7d79b8783909ec4c77fd4c414b.jpg Last week, Belgian media reported that the Belgian Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry will turn to Kiev "at the first opportunity" for an explanation due to the use of Belgian-made weapons in the Belgorod Region of by a Ukrainian sabotage and intelligence group. "We have asked our intelligence services and the military to analyze this, to conduct appropriate contacts. I have no confirmation yet, we are studying the situation," De Croo told a Belgian broadcaster. There are clear rules that regulate the use of weapons transferred to Ukraine, the official added. At the same time, the prime minister did not comment on the consequences for Ukraine if the use of such weapons in the Belgorod Region is confirmed. "First, let us try to establish the facts do these weapons relate to the one that was transferred to Ukraine by Belgium for defense I do not want to answer hypothetical questions yet, but there are clear rules for the use of Belgian weapons," De Croo concluded. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230603/ukrainian-terrorists-used-nato-given-gear-in-belgorod-regions-attack-last-week---reports-1110874797.html belgorod region ukraine kiev brussels 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 europe, belgorod region, ukraine, kiev, brussels, weapons supplies, arms deliveries, russia https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/china-warns-severe-conflict-with-us-would-result-in-global-unbearable-disaster--1110912339.html China Warns 'Severe Conflict' With US Would Result in Global 'Unbearable Disaster' China Warns 'Severe Conflict' With US Would Result in Global 'Unbearable Disaster' Attending Asias top security summit - the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore - Chinas Defense Minister Li Shangfu held bilateral meetings with several European counterparts and expressed some thoughts on the Sino-US relations. 2023-06-05T10:13+0000 2023-06-05T10:13+0000 2023-06-05T11:24+0000 china us taiwan world taiwan strait chinese peoples liberation army aukus nato beijing /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/05/1110912145_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_0277b1074263aa4e747c56bc06c2078c.jpg Chinese minister of national defense, General Li Shangfu, has warned of the dangers of a severe conflict erupting between Beijing and Washington. Deploring how relations between the two countries have plummeted to a record low, Li told the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit in Singapore:According to the minister, appointed to the post back in March, China believes that a big power should behave like one, instead of provoking bloc confrontation for self-interest.Li called on Washington to take concrete action with Beijing to find common ground and avert a scenario where ties might further deteriorate.The minister then proceeded to accuse some country of foisting its rules-based international order on others. Li Shangfu underscored that China was, "strongly opposed to imposing ones own will on others, placing ones own interests above those of others and pursuing ones own security at the expense of others.Li did not sit down for an official meeting with his US counterpart at the summit, with earlier reports indicating that Beijing warned there was little chance of a meeting between the two due to a spat over sanctions. Li was slapped with the US restrictions over Chinese imports of Russian arms in 2018, when he was serving as a general, it was underscored.'Hegemony of Navigation'Li Shangfu also weighed in on Saturday's "provocative" transit incident in the Taiwan Strait involving US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer the USS Chung-Hoon and Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate the HMCS Montreal.According to the US Navy, a Chinese destroyer sailed "in an unsafe manner" near the American warship as it transited the Taiwan Strait. However, China criticized the US and Canada for "deliberately provoking risk."The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command stated that it had organized naval and aerial forces to handle the situation in accordance with law and regulations.The Chinese minister added:Elsewhere during the annual security forum, Li Shangfu warned against forming NATO-like alliances in the Asia-Pacific, which he said is fraught with consequences for the region. While the Chinese defense chief did not explicitly name any country, he appeared to be referring to the US, which is currently part of several alliances and partnerships across the region, such as the AUKUS alliance, which groups it with Australia and the UK, and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) with Australia, India, and Japan, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) initiative." In essence, to push for" such alliances in the region is "a way of kidnapping regional countries and fuelling confrontation, which will only plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts," the Chinese general cautioned.Regarding the hot-button issue of Taiwan, Li reiterated that the island was at the core of Chinas core interests."Earlier, Beijings vice chief for the Central Military Commissions Joint Staff Department, Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng, said at the summit that the US military frequently transits through the Taiwan Strait to flex muscles and that it prompts other countries to interfere in the Taiwan question."Jianfeng specifically accused US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin of attempting to pull out of Beijings one-China principle. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230604/china-warns-nato-like-alliances-in-asia-may-plunge-region-into-whirlpool-of-conflicts-1110897321.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230511/us-china-defense-chiefs-meeting-reportedly-impossible-over-sanctions-1110257074.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230603/us-trojan-horse-all-to-know-about-the-indo-pacific-economic-framework-1110872614.html china taiwan strait beijing 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 asias top security summit, shangri-la dialogue in singapore, chinas defense minister li shangfu, severe conflict, confrontation between china and the us, unbearable disaster for the world, rules-based international order, hegemony of navigation, forming nato-like alliances in the asia-pacific, us fuelling confrontation, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/chinese-navy-ships-maneuver-in-taiwan-strait-legal-justified---foreign-ministry-1110916746.html Chinese Navy Ship's Maneuver in Taiwan Strait Legal, Justified - Foreign Ministry Chinese Navy Ship's Maneuver in Taiwan Strait Legal, Justified - Foreign Ministry A Chinese navy ship maneuver within 150 yards hitting distance to a US destroyer in the Taiwan Strait was carried out legally and safely to respond to "provocations" by several countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday. 2023-06-05T11:27+0000 2023-06-05T11:27+0000 2023-06-05T11:27+0000 military wang wenbin china taiwan strait us tsai ing-wen /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107633/71/1076337113_0:54:1024:630_1920x0_80_0_0_dddd93873255f163f39d51b8258f031d.jpg On Saturday, the US Indo-Pacific Command said the Chinese military ship PRC LY 132 came within 150 yards of the USS Chung-Hoon destroyer during a joint Canada-US exercise in the Taiwan Strait, when the ships crossed the strait. The diplomat also said that China had always respected the freedom of navigation and flight in accordance with international law, but stressed that Beijing opposed possible incidents in the Taiwan Strait. The situation around Taiwan escalated again after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in April, with Beijing launching massive three-day military drills near the island in what it called a "warning" to Taiwanese separatists and foreign powers. Taiwan has been governed independently of mainland China since 1949. Beijing considers the island a province of China, while Taiwan says it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official foreign contacts with Taipei and regards Chinese sovereignty over the island as indisputable. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230428/chinese-air-forces-observe-us-military-aircraft-flying-over-taiwan-strait-1109913400.html china taiwan strait 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, chinese navy ship, chinese navy ship maneuver, taiwan strait, us, us destroyer https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/cia-250-gb-folder-revealed-during-uc-global-case-reports-media-1110909288.html 'CIA' 250 GB Folder Revealed During UC Global Case, Reports Media 'CIA' 250 GB Folder Revealed During UC Global Case, Reports Media New evidence has emerged in the case of David Morales, the owner of the Spanish security company UC Global, who spied on Julian Assange during his time at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, reports media. 2023-06-05T00:06+0000 2023-06-05T00:06+0000 2023-06-05T03:59+0000 world julian assange cia ecuadorian embassy uc global wikileaks wikileaks founder julian assange case /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107935/28/1079352895_0:78:1501:922_1920x0_80_0_0_f4e6f8f0ac75429d5e05d7aba2906711.jpg The evidence, discovered on Morales' MacBook, reveals that he kept files related to his work for the CIA on his laptop, marked with the initials of the US intelligence agency. These files, which were previously unknown to investigators, strengthen the allegations that Morales spied on Assange's meetings with his lawyers and shared the information with the CIA.The new evidence, consisting of more than 250 gigabytes of files, was not included in the initial copy of the material seized from Morales when he was arrested in 2019. The files were discovered after Assange's lawyers encountered problems while downloading the records uploaded to the cloud storage system.They obtained permission from the judge overseeing the case to obtain a second copy of the material, which revealed the previously undisclosed folders labeled as "CIA," "Embassy," and "Videos", as quoted by Spanish media.Among the files found in the "CIA" folder were recordings obtained through hidden cameras and microphones installed by UC Global in the Embassy of Ecuador. The recordings, which were dated and titled, included meetings with actress Pamela Anderson, who is a friend of Assange, as well as meetings held by Assange with his lawyers in the ladies' toilet to avoid surveillance.The video files were transferred to a commercial format and renamed to make them accessible to the user, who, according to the evidence, was the CIA, states Spanish media.The discovery of these new files has surprised the court and Assange's legal team, as they were not included in the initial police copy. A report by Assange's experts notes that "very relevant" folders were missing from the police dump and highlights the loss of files and folders, including deleted folders marked with the word "hotel," which referred to the Ecuadorian Embassy.Assange's lawyer has criticized the police's handling of the case, pointing out the disparity between the evidence in the police copy and the material obtained by Assange's experts. The lawyer has requested an extension to the investigation into Morales, who is currently on provisional release and being investigated for crimes against privacy, violation of attorney-client confidentiality, misappropriation, and money laundering.The evidence of Morales' collaboration with the CIA resulted in the revelation of a plan to remove Assange from the embassy in 2017, which was subsequently aborted. The US has requested Assange's extradition, which has been granted by the UK, but the case is still pending due to potential judicial appeals. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230507/lula-da-silva-appeals-in-support-of-assange-1110157063.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230412/journalists-and-activists-gather-in-dc-call-for-assanges-release-on-4-year-anniversary-of-arrest-1109370828.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Egor Shapovalov Egor Shapovalov 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 Egor Shapovalov cia, spanish security company uc global, julian assange, david morales, cia spied on assange, fate of assange, kunstler v central intelligence agency, us intelligence against wikileaks assange https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/eu-commission-yet-to-decide-on-extending-ukrainian-food-import-restrictions---spokesperson-1110916899.html EU Commission Yet to Decide on Extending Ukrainian Food Import Restrictions - Spokesperson EU Commission Yet to Decide on Extending Ukrainian Food Import Restrictions - Spokesperson The European Commission is yet to decide on the extension of restrictions concerning the imports of Ukrainian agriculture products to several EU countries that expire today, EU spokeswoman for trade and agriculture Miriam Garcia Ferrer said on Monday. 2023-06-05T11:33+0000 2023-06-05T11:33+0000 2023-06-05T12:16+0000 world ukraine poland bulgaria european union (eu) ursula von der leyen european commission /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/1b/1110628415_0:100:3285:1948_1920x0_80_0_0_eeb1d00ee7781992df974ccedfb3aaaa.jpg "No decision has been taken yet," Ferrer told Sputnik. The European Union's executive allowed Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia in April to bar imports of duty-free Ukrainian grain until June 5 after they complained that cheap grain was driving down prices, hitting the livelihoods of local farmers. Ukraine protested the curbs. EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, of Poland, said last week that the ban on grain imports from Ukraine should be prolonged until at least the end of October. The EU chief commissioner, Ursula von der Leyen, opposed the restrictions. Polish state-run news agency PAP cited an EU source as saying on Monday that the ban on imports of Ukrainian wheat, rapeseed, corn and sunflower had been extended until mid-September in return for the five countries dropping unilateral limits on Ukrainian goods. Their transit to other EU countries has not been restricted.EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, of Poland, said last week that the ban on grain imports from Ukraine should be prolonged until at least the end of October. The EU chief commissioner, Ursula von der Leyen, opposed the restrictions.Polish state-run news agency PAP cited an EU source as saying on Monday that the ban on imports of Ukrainian wheat, rapeseed, corn and sunflower had been extended until mid-September in return for the five countries dropping unilateral limits on Ukrainian goods. Their transit to other EU countries has not been restricted. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230429/kiev-sends-note-of-protest-to-poland-eu-after-banning-ukrainian-import--1109952978.html ukraine poland bulgaria 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, ukrainian food, ukrainian food import, ukrainian agriculture products, eu, eu ban on ukrainian food, eu ban on ukrainian goods, eu ban on ukrainian agriculture products, eu restrictions https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/eu-special-envoy-arrives-in-pristina-belgrade-to-address-kosovo-issue-1110920229.html EU Special Envoy Arrives in Pristina, Belgrade to Address Kosovo Issue EU Special Envoy Arrives in Pristina, Belgrade to Address Kosovo Issue EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak is visiting Kosovo and Serbia to discuss recent tensions in the region, with US Deputy Assistant Secretary Gabriel Escobar accompanying him during the trip, EU Foreign Affairs Spokesman Peter Stano said on Monday. 2023-06-05T14:00+0000 2023-06-05T14:00+0000 2023-06-05T14:00+0000 world miroslav lajcak peter stano kosovo belgrade pristina kfor /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/18993/82/189938215_0:63:3072:1791_1920x0_80_0_0_197b9ad0e32c378d2cc1bca5b94896fb.jpg "EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak is traveling to the region. He will be in Pristina later today and in Belgrade tomorrow, accompanied by the US Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Balkans, Mr Escobar. They will follow up on the European and American calls for Serbia and Kosovo to immediately de-escalate the situation and take steps towards sustainable solutions," Stano said during a briefing. The EU is ready to provide a platform for a meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, the spokesperson said. Last Monday, thousands of Kosovo Serbs gathered at local administration buildings in Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo, demanding the removal of ethnic Albanian mayors who took office following elections boycotted by the Serbs. Kosovar police and troops from NATO's local KFOR contingent, equipped with crowd dispersal devices, were deployed. The police used tear gas to break up the demonstrations and escorted the mayors into town halls.At least 52 Serbs were injured in Monday's clashes in Kosovo, President Vucic said. The KFOR contingent said that 30 of their troops were wounded. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230530/explosion-in-the-heart-of-europe-whats-going-on-in-kosovo-1110799134.html kosovo belgrade pristina 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 eu, european union, serbia, kosovo, kosovo tensions, northern kosovo, kosovo serbs https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/ex-us-intel-official-says-craft-of-non-human-origin-recovered-reports-withheld-from-congress-1110935482.html Ex-US Intel Official Says Craft Of 'Non-Human Origin' Recovered, Reports Withheld From Congress Ex-US Intel Official Says Craft Of 'Non-Human Origin' Recovered, Reports Withheld From Congress A former US-intel Official says the US Government illegally withheld documents from Congress that detail a craft not created by humans that has been partially recovered by the government. 2023-06-05T21:32+0000 2023-06-05T21:32+0000 2023-06-05T21:32+0000 world congress unidentified aerial phenomena (uap) ufo aliens nasa us national reconnaissance office all-domain anomaly resolution office (aaro) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/0d/1100707480_0:262:957:800_1920x0_80_0_0_0a272df7886ba67c2d3d74f231b89712.jpg Grusch, who also served as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency co-lead for UAP analysis, claims to have suffered illegal retaliation for attempting to make the confidential disclosures to lawmakers, the report said, citing the former intelligence official. Other active and retired intelligence officials with knowledge of UAP programs also independently provided corroborating information and vouched for Gruschs credibility, the report said. The Pentagon cleared Gruschs statements for release to the public earlier this year, according to the report. Grusch provided Congress and the Intelligence Community Inspector General with classified information regarding retrieval of intact and partially intact craft of non-human origin, the report said. Grusch asserts that government UAP programs have been concealed by multiple agencies without appropriate oversight, the report said. Grusch began providing Congress with information on the programs in 2022, the report said. Grusch informed lawmakers about a decades-long, ongoing competition with adversaries to identify UAP crashes and landings with the intent to retrieve material for exploitation, the report said. The report quotes Grusch as saying that the recovered materials include "intact and partially intact vehicles" that had "unique atomic arrangements and radiological signatures."In May 2022, attorneys representing Grusch filed a complaint alleging that UAP-related information has been withheld from Congress in an effort to avoid oversight, the report said, citing an unclassified version of the complaint. The complaint also alleges that Grusch suffered months of retaliations related to disclosures he made on the matter to the Defense Department Inspector General in July 2021, the report said. The Intelligence Community Inspector General found his complaint credible in July 2022, sparking a whistleblower reprisal probe, the report said. Grusch served as an intelligence officer for more than 14 years, leaving government service in April 2023 in order to further pursue government accountability through public awareness, the report said. Last week, NASAs UAP research team reiterated its position that there is no evidence linking UAP to extraterrestrial life. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230422/how-do-you-do-counterintelligence-work-with-ufos-uap-probe-chiefs-request-puzzles-expert-1109765187.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 aliens, ufos, uaps, recovered by the government, roswell https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/gop-hawk-haley-claims-us-loss-in-ukraine-could-spark-wwiii-1110926834.html GOP Hawk Haley Claims US Loss in Ukraine Could Spark WWIII GOP Hawk Haley Claims US Loss in Ukraine Could Spark WWIII The former South Carolina governor and US ambassador to the United Nations has struggled to gain traction with her 2024 presidential bid, with her former boss, Donald Trump, polling ahead of both her and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by wide margins in their home states. 2023-06-05T16:48+0000 2023-06-05T16:48+0000 2023-06-05T16:48+0000 americas nikki haley donald trump ron desantis russia ukraine china gop republican /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/0e/1083382221_0:0:2656:1495_1920x0_80_0_0_b3ded388bde918c6651d89c624aacffb.jpg Challenging the conventional wisdom that the NATO-Russia proxy conflict in Ukraine risks escalating into a full-on military conflict between Washington and Moscow, Nikki Haley has gone the other way, claiming that allowing Ukraine to lose could trigger such a conflict.What we have to understand is that a win for Ukraine is a win for all of us, because tyrants tell us exactly what theyre going to do. What we heard China said they were gonna take Hong Kong, they did it. Russia said they were gonna invade Ukraine, we watched that happen. China says Taiwans next, we better believe them. Russia said Poland and the Baltics are next. If that happens, were looking at a world war. This is about preventing war, the politician said.Haley did not elaborate on how the 1997 agreement on the peaceful return of Hong Kong to Chinese jurisdiction by Britain constituted any sort of weakness before tyrants. Nor did she explain how Chinas warnings to politicians in Taiwan threatening to unilaterally proclaim independence, or Russias special military operation to protect the Donbass, had anything to do with her comments. Russia has shown no indication of any plans to invade Poland or the Baltics, notwithstanding years of paranoid rhetoric by NATO officials to the contrary.Haley is one of about half-a-dozen declared candidates seeking the Republican nomination ahead of the 2024 presidential election, which is set to be held about a year-and-a-half from now.According to the latest polling, the former governor enjoys just 3 percent support, behind Donald Trump (57 percent), Ron DeSantis (20 percent) and former president Mike Pence (4 percent).Haley was famously among the most prominent neoconservative hawks in the Trump administration, repeatedly and publicly contradicting the president who called for improved relations with Russia, and demanding a tougher line.Trump has welcomed a run against Haley, saying he was glad shes in the race, and calling her out on her earlier commitment to never run against who she called the greatest president of her lifetime.Haley has cast a decisively more hawkish line on policy toward Russia and Ukraine than Trump. The latter has repeatedly promised to call leaders in Moscow and Kiev on election night if he wins to try to secure a peace agreement. DeSantis has similarly called for a ceasefire, indicated that he does not consider Ukraine a vital national interest, and said that the Biden administrations repeated hints at regime change in Russia threatens to escalate the Ukrainian crisis into a global war. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/ronny-jackson-on-joe-bidens-cognitive-health-its-becoming-national-security-issue-1110910151.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230604/hows-that-nikki-haley-calls-for-alignment-with-russia-before-taking-it-back-1110899511.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230601/desantis-presidential-campaign-gets-kiss-of-death-from-anti-trump-establishment-1110837060.html americas russia ukraine china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov nikki haley, donald trump, ron desantis, ukraine, world war, conflict, escalation, united states, russia, ukraine crisis, proxy war https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/kiev-did-not-achieve-its-goals-during-offensive-attempt-lost-up-to-300-military---russian-mod-1110915427.html Kiev Failed to Achieve Goals During Attempted Offensive, Lost Up to 300 Troops - Russian MoD Kiev Failed to Achieve Goals During Attempted Offensive, Lost Up to 300 Troops - Russian MoD Kiev did not achieve its goals during an attempted large-scale offensive in the South Donetsk direction, losing up to 300 military, 16 tanks and 26 armored fighting vehicles over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday. 2023-06-05T10:28+0000 2023-06-05T10:28+0000 2023-06-05T13:34+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russia ukraine donetsk donbass /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/05/1110915268_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_e632e3f7b2d08b9959cf64c4eecddf14.jpg "On June 4, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt at a large-scale offensive in the South Donetsk direction ... The active actions of the units of the Vostok group of troops, air strikes and artillery fire in ... the Donetsk People's Republic and in ... Zaporozhye region, the enemy suffered significant losses. Up to 300 Ukrainian military, 16 tanks, 26 armored combat vehicles, and 14 vehicles were destroyed in this direction in a day," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Ukraine has "failed to achieve its goals."In total in the Donetsk direction in the past day Ukraine lost up to 425 military, a German-made self-propelled gun Panzerhaubitze 2000, two howitzers and two ammunition depots, the Russian Defense Ministry said.The Ministry added that the Russian armed forces and border guards have thwarted a new attempt by Ukrainian military to penetrate the Belgorod region.Kiev continues attempts to carry out terrorist acts against the civilian population of the border regions of Russia, the ministry said in a statement."[On Sunday], units of the armed forces and the border service of the FSB of Russia thwarted an attempt by two groups of Ukrainian terrorists to penetrate the territory of the Belgorod region near the settlement of Novaya Tavolzhanka, Belgorod region. At about 13:00 Moscow time [10:00 GMT], under the cover of intense artillery shelling of civilian targets, the terrorists tried to cross the Seversky Donets River and land on the outskirts of the Novaya Tavolzhanka settlement in the Belgorod Region" the ministry said.The Ukrainian military were destroyed by air strikes and artillery fire from units covering the state border of the Western Military District, the statement read, adding that over 10 Ukrainian military, two boats, one armored car were destroyed as a result. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/brussels-probes-whether-weapons-it-sent-to-kiev-were-used-in-terror-attack-against-russia-1110914739.html russia ukraine donetsk donbass 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 Russian forces repel Ukrainian forces' attempt to launch a large-scale offensive towards Donetsk Russian forces repel Ukrainian forces' attempt to launch a large-scale offensive towards Donetsk 2023-06-05T10:28+0000 true PT0M28S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian special military operation, war in ukraine, ukrainian counteroffensive https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/nato-forces-remove-barbed-wire-in-northern-kosovo---reports-1110926648.html NATO Forces Remove Barbed Wire in Northern Kosovo - Reports NATO Forces Remove Barbed Wire in Northern Kosovo - Reports The NATO contingent in Kosovo (KFOR) has removed barbed wire fences in the municipality of Zvecan that it erected last week during clashes with the local ethnic Serb community, Serbian media reported Monday. 2023-06-05T15:42+0000 2023-06-05T15:42+0000 2023-06-05T15:42+0000 world kosovo metohija serbia kfor /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/1e/1110787990_0:0:2672:1503_1920x0_80_0_0_373d27431f3133410b90b98f74750eee.jpg Last week, thousands of Kosovo Serbs protested a controversial election in front of administrative buildings in Zvecan and other Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo, which Belgrade refers to as its Kosovo and Metohija region as it has never recognized the independence of its former province. KFOR troops fenced off the buildings with barbed wire, and Kosovar police fired tear gas to repel the Serb protesters, with the largest clash taking place on May 29. KFOR has now removed the barbed wire fences in Zvecan, the Vecernje novosti newspaper reported.Earlier in the day, the head of Serbia's office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, said that video footage of the May 29 clashes showed that the responsibility lay with the Kosovar police, who used excessive force against Serb protesters. On Friday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the clashes were caused by the actions of Kosovar police, not the KFOR contingent. Serb demonstrators demanded the removal of ethnic Albanian mayors who took office following municipal elections with a marginal 3.5% voter turnout that were boycotted by Kosovo's Serb community. At least 52 Serbs and 30 KFOR troops were injured in the May 29 clashes. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230530/explosion-in-the-heart-of-europe-whats-going-on-in-kosovo-1110799134.html kosovo metohija serbia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International nato, kosovoe, northern kosovo, serbia, kosovo serbs, zvecan, kfor https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/norad-confirms-sonic-boom-over-washington-caused-by-f-16-fighter-jet-1110909628.html NORAD Confirms Sonic Boom Over Washington Caused by F-16 Fighter Jet NORAD Confirms Sonic Boom Over Washington Caused by F-16 Fighter Jet The North American Aerospace Defense Command confirmed on Monday that the loud boom heard by residents in the DMV area was the result of an F-16 fighter jet creating a sonic boom. 2023-06-05T00:26+0000 2023-06-05T00:26+0000 2023-06-05T06:08+0000 americas washington virginia north american aerospace defense command (norad) federal aviation administration (faa) cessna maryland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/18/1108751428_0:605:2566:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_ece280d04d7b2a82a5edeab839bf55a2.jpg Earlier in the day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Sputnik after multiple media reports of loud explosion-like sounds in Washington that the Cessna Citation aircraft crashed in Virginia. The media reported that the aircraft was unresponsive, while the sonic boom was caused by a fighter jet. Cessna Citation was intercepted at about 19:20 GMT, the statement noted, adding that NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed.Rescuers have not so far located any survivors after the plane crash, the Virginia police said.There were a total of four people on board the Cessna Citation aircraft, the report said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230604/faa-says-cessna-business-jet-crashed-in-virginia-after-reports-of-loud-explosion-1110908286.html americas washington virginia maryland 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 explosion in washington, boom in dmv, loud noise in virginia, maryland https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/north-korea-remains-active-at-punggye-ri-nuclear-test-site---iaea-chief-1110927581.html North Korea Remains Active at Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site - IAEA Chief North Korea Remains Active at Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site - IAEA Chief North Korea remains active at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said on Monday. 2023-06-05T16:32+0000 2023-06-05T16:32+0000 2023-06-05T16:32+0000 pyongyang seoul south korea dprk punggye-ri the united nations (un) international atomic energy agency (iaea) military /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/0d/1109494560_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_f7245399e3693471a8c5d37516e16aa3.jpg "The Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site remains ready to support a nuclear test, and we continue to see signs of activity in the vicinity of Adit 3 and in the support area. The reopening of the nuclear test site is deeply troubling," Grossi said in his opening statement at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting. Grossi expressed regret over the continuation of North Korea's nuclear program, which is "a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions." The IAEA chief also noted an increase in construction work at North Korea's main nuclear site at Yongbyon. On May 30, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol called for boosting cooperation to block North Korea from financing its nuclear and missile programs in circumvention of UN Security Council sanctions. On June 2, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Anna Evstigneeva said that the root cause of spiraling tensions in the zone of the Korean Peninsula was the United States and its allies' desire to increase pressure on North Korea. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221010/north-korean-missile-testing-could-be-prelude-to-high-stakes-bargaining-1101701041.html pyongyang seoul south korea punggye-ri 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 north korea, north korean test site, north korea missile launch, iaea https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/opec-decision-on-production-cuts-may-cause-global-surge-in-oil-prices---japanese-cabinet-1110913901.html OPEC+ Decision on Production Cuts May Cause Global Surge in Oil Prices - Japanese Cabinet OPEC+ Decision on Production Cuts May Cause Global Surge in Oil Prices - Japanese Cabinet OPEC+ decision to extend oil production cuts until the end of 2024 may cause an increase in global oil prices due to the possible imbalance of supply and demand, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Monday. 2023-06-05T09:22+0000 2023-06-05T09:22+0000 2023-06-05T09:22+0000 economy saudi arabia russia japan opec oil production /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107682/42/1076824205_0:235:1920:1315_1920x0_80_0_0_c2202ba5b97d58c1cd310dc15efd4f67.jpg "We know that the OPEC+ meeting [on June 4] has decided to extend oil production cuts until the end of 2024. In early April, a number of countries have already announced production cuts. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has decided to reduce oil production by 1 million [barrels per day] starting July. Thus, the imbalance of supply and demand, as well as opacity are rising, which may result in oil prices remaining at a high level," Matsuno said. The Japanese government is closely monitoring the developments on the global energy market and their impact on the Japanese economy, including price surges, he added. OPEC+ agreed at the meeting on Sunday to adjust their cumulative production to 40.46 million barrels per day over January-December 2024. Russia said it would extend its voluntary production cut of 500,000 barrels per day until the end of 2024, while Saudi Arabia said it would make an extra 1 million cut to its daily production from July, on top of a 500,000 cut that was likewise extended through December 2024. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230604/russia-to-extend-voluntary-oil-production-cut-until-december-2024---deputy-prime-minister-1110906951.html saudi arabia russia japan 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 opec, opec+, oil production cuts, japan, oil prices https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/poland-to-receive-first-south-korean-missile-systems-chunmoo-in-august---defense-minister-1110917592.html Poland to Receive First South Korean Chunmoo Missile Systems in August - Defense Minister Poland to Receive First South Korean Chunmoo Missile Systems in August - Defense Minister Poland will receive first South Korean missile launching systems K239 Chunmoo with a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles) in August, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Monday. 2023-06-05T11:57+0000 2023-06-05T11:57+0000 2023-06-05T13:07+0000 military poland south korea weapons /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105053/39/1050533902_0:158:3954:2382_1920x0_80_0_0_3057ffb5ede3c46f946d3a4925993cd0.jpg Since July 2022, Warsaw has signed a number of contracts with Seoul to acquire 1,000 tanks, 672 self-propelled howitzers and three squadrons of FA-50 fighter jets. In October, Poland also signed a deal to purchase 288 K239 Chunmoo systems from South Korea. The Polish defense chief added that FA-50 fighters would also arrive in Poland this summer, while some South Korean tanks and howitzers were already at the disposal of the country's military. K239 Chunmoo is a self-propelled rocket artillery system, developed in 2013, capable of firing both guided and unguided missiles of various caliber. It was reportedly worth $2.94 million in 2020. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/seoul-says-concerned-by-pyongyangs-threat-to-abandon-advance-notice-of-satellite-launches-1110914283.html poland south korea 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 south korea, poland, weapons supply, k239 chunmoo systems, fa-50 fighters https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/robert-kennedy-calls-for-peace-with-russia-china-as-part-of-his-presidential-campaign-1110934610.html Robert Kennedy Calls For Peace With Russia, China as Part of His Presidential Campaign Robert Kennedy Calls For Peace With Russia, China as Part of His Presidential Campaign Democratic candidate for President Robert F. Kennedy Jr called for peace on Monday while speaking about his campaign on Twitter Spaces. 2023-06-05T20:35+0000 2023-06-05T20:35+0000 2023-06-05T20:35+0000 americas robert kennedy russia china ron desantis elon musk twitter robert f. kennedy jr /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/07/1110158819_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_5f96f052bfed00f6809baf53aefb0fae.jpg "Let's have peace with Russia. Let's have peace with China. And let's all enjoy the prosperity of healthy economic competition," Kennedy said. The Chinese do not want to have war with the US, they just want to provide better living standards for their people, he added. Kennedy also believes that the Ukrainian crisis is a proxy war. The Democratic candidate for president spoke on Twitter Spaces, after being invited by Elon Musk. Elon Musk has started hosting US presidential candidates on his Twitter spaces to promote free speech. A week ago, the entrepreneur hosted Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, who announced his bid on Twitter and collected $8.2 million - a record amount of contributions for his campaign. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230421/iran-praises-robert-f-kennedy-jr-for-admitting-us-is-the-godfather-of-daesh-1109748329.html americas 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 rfk jr., twitter spaces, russia, china, peace, peace deal, ukraine, proxy war https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/russia-china-34-other-countries-participating-in-komodo-drills-in-indonesia---reports-1110916437.html Russia, China, 34 Other Countries Participating in KOMODO Drills in Indonesia - Reports Russia, China, 34 Other Countries Participating in KOMODO Drills in Indonesia - Reports The navies of 36 countries, including Russia, China and the United States attended the opening ceremony of the 2023 Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo in the Indonesian city of Makassar, news agency ANTARA reported on Monday. 2023-06-05T11:22+0000 2023-06-05T11:22+0000 2023-06-05T11:22+0000 military russia china indonesia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/05/1110916171_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_55538a4e6bbd5219738ba2009805f629.jpg The 2023 KOMODO will take place in the Flores Sea south of the Sulawesi Island, off shore of a small Komodo Island from June 5-8. The exercise will be held under the slogan "Partnership to Recover and to Rise Stronger," the report said. Honored guests from 36 countries including Russia, the US, China, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Canada were present at the ceremony, the report said. The representatives of the states' navies signed a memorandum of understanding in cooperation in joint strengthening and recovery, the agency added. During the opening ceremony, some of the participating countries demonstrated the capabilities of their warplanes within the air show, such as Russian fighters Sukhoi 2730 (SU-27), Canadian Thunder Flight and Indonesian Bonanza, the Indonesian news agency reported. KOMODO is a non-military exercise prioritizing regional naval cooperation, disaster management and humanitarian operations for strengthening partnership between the Indonesian navy and friendly nations. The multinational maritime exercise KOMODO has been held every two years since 2014. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/watch-russian-pacific-fleet-conducting-drills-in-sea-of-japan-sea-of-okhotsk-1110911247.html russia china indonesia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, china, us, indonesia, naval drills, 2023 multilateral naval exercise komodo https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/russias-lavrov-to-hold-talks-with-tajik-president-foreign-minister-1110936645.html Russia's Lavrov to Hold Talks With Tajik President, Foreign Minister Russia's Lavrov to Hold Talks With Tajik President, Foreign Minister DUSHANBE (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hold talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin. 05.06.2023, Sputnik International 2023-06-05T23:09+0000 2023-06-05T23:09+0000 2023-06-05T23:09+0000 russia sergey lavrov russia tajikistan dushanbe collective security treaty organization (csto) russian foreign ministry emomali rahmon /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/19/1109833608_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_f248a73a650255615cb69f8644a8e339.jpg Lavrov arrived in Dushanbe on a visit on June 5. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during the talks the sides will discuss bilateral relations, prospects for further development of allied relations between Moscow and Dushanbe in political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres. The Russian minister also plans to touch upon issues on the international and regional agendas. Another topic of the talks will be the deepening of foreign policy coordination between Russia and Tajikistan in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the CIS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as well as the UN and the OSCE. Tajikistan hosts the 201st Russian military base, one of Russia's largest foreign military facilities, which is deployed in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar. The number of military personnel is about 7,500. Under the agreement on the status and conditions for the presence of the Russian military base on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan (2012), the stay of the Russian base in the republic has been extended until 2042. Lavrov visited the base on June 5, the day of his arrival in Tajikistan. https://sputnikglobe.com/20221226/kyrgyzstan-tajikistan-agree-to-avoid-escalation-on-interstate-border-1105805008.html russia tajikistan dushanbe 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 sergey lavrov, russia, tajikistan, dushanbe, collective security treaty organization (csto), russian foreign ministry, emomali rahmon https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/seoul-says-concerned-by-pyongyangs-threat-to-abandon-advance-notice-of-satellite-launches-1110914283.html Seoul Says Concerned by Pyongyang's Threat to Abandon Advance Notice of Satellite Launches Seoul Says Concerned by Pyongyang's Threat to Abandon Advance Notice of Satellite Launches MOSCOW (Sputnik) - South Korea is concerned by Pyongyang's threat that it would stop notifying the International Maritime Organization (IMO) about its future... 05.06.2023, Sputnik International 2023-06-05T09:45+0000 2023-06-05T09:45+0000 2023-06-05T09:45+0000 asia pyongyang seoul south korea dprk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106203/03/1062030393_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_5b16cc8b208cd3cab09903cfaa017157.jpg On May 31, the Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's missile launches as a serious threat to the safety of international shipping. On Sunday, North Korea responded with a statement, in which it threatened to stop informing the organization about the country's future launches. The spokesman urged Pyongyang to return to the "right" track, adding that such threats would only alienate the international community from the country, the report said. On May 27, North Korea reportedly informed the IMO of its plans to launch a satellite between May 31 and June 11. On May 31, North Korea's state-run news agency reported the launch of the Malligyong-1 military reconnaissance satellite mounted on the Chollima-1 carrier rocket had failed. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the failed launch, arguing that any launch with the use of ballistic missiles technology contradicts the UN Security Council's resolutions. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230604/north-korea-may-stop-informing-imo-of-upcoming-missile-launches--1110900287.html pyongyang seoul south korea 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 pyongyang, seoul, south korea, dprk https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/stockholms-recent-rally-may-further-hinder-swedens-nato-bid-1110910773.html Stockholm's Recent Rally May Further Hinder Sweden's NATO Bid Stockholm's Recent Rally May Further Hinder Sweden's NATO Bid Despite applying to NATO jointly, Stockholm and Helsinki ultimately split ways, as Finland has already become a member, whereas Sweden's bid remains on the back burner. 2023-06-05T12:37+0000 2023-06-05T12:37+0000 2023-06-05T12:37+0000 world recep tayyip erdogan jens stoltenberg sweden stockholm turkiye nato kurdistan workers' party (pkk) european union (eu) kurds /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/07/03/1096913658_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_9d4b2918d90cff3a843246f5ea3e47f5.jpg Hundreds of people gathered in Stockholm over the weekend to protest Sweden's NATO bid and its new anti-terrorist law tailored to hasten its entry into the US-led military bloc.Turkiye has so far blocked Sweden's NATO membership, accusing Stockholm of being a haven for Kurdish activists.Under the watchful eye of police, hundreds of demonstrators waving flags of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its Syria-based allies, along with posters emblazoned with the words "No to NATO," marched for several hours on Sunday until they reached the Swedish parliament.The demonstration was organized by the so-called Alliance Against NATO and demanded that the new law enacted on June 1 be overturned. The protesters accused the Swedish parliament of toeing Turkish President Erdogan's line and claiming that the law was created for political, not security reasons.The law was introduced as part of Sweden's pledge to Turkiye to tighten the screws on supporters of the PKK, which Ankara sees as a terrorist organization. That said, the PKK is on the EU and US terrorist lists as well. Subsequently, however, Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said that the new legislation cannot be used to stifle free speech, and Sunday's demonstration in Stockholm fell precisely under this category.Tomas Pettersson, spokesperson for the Alliance Against NATO, ventured that the law is meant to "go after the Kurds in Sweden."A spokesman for Erdogan last week said it was "completely unacceptable" for PKK terrorists to continue to "operate freely in Sweden" and urged the Swedish authorities to block the protest. While the PKK is formally labeled a terrorist organization in Sweden, as well as in the rest of the EU, its supporters are generally allowed to protest in public.Sweden's New Anti-Terror Law The new anti-terrorism legislation was, according to Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom, specifically designed to pave the way for the country to join NATO in the coming weeks and overcome a Turkish veto. The new legislation, which, according to Stockholm, complemented Sweden's commitments made at an earlier summit in Madrid, will make it illegal to arrange meetings or provide logistical or financial help or even food to outlawed groups. In the words of the Swedish authorities, the new law is aimed at closing loopholes in the existing anti-terrorist legislation, which until recently failed to prohibit these actions explicitly enough. However, the wide scope of the law has sparked concerns in Sweden about whether it could infringe freedom of speech and other fundamental rights. Sweden's NATO Bid in Trouble?In May 2022, Sweden and Finland jettisoned their decades-long military non-alignment and applied to join NATO in response to what they called "changes in Europe's security landscape."Finland formally entered the bloc in April, whereas Turkiye and Hungary have yet to ratify Sweden's membership bid, each having its own grudge against Stockholm. Earlier this year, Ankara suspended negotiations with Sweden in outrage over anti-Turkish protests. Budapest, for its part, is at odds with Stockholm over what it sees as unjustified criticism of the state of Hungarian democracy, as well as "insults" against top Hungarian politicians.After a meeting with Erdogan in Turkiye, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated his calls, urging Ankara to drop its opposition to Sweden's bid, stating that Stockholm has fully addressed Turkiye's security concerns. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230418/turkish-nato-envoy-calls-media-reports-on-swedens-compliance-misleading-1109628018.html sweden stockholm turkiye 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 sweden nato membership, sweden nato bid, swedish-turkish relations, kurdish organizations, kurdistan workers' party https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/sunak-seeks-bidens-support-in-appointing-defense-minister-wallace-to-head-nato---reports-1110910465.html Sunak Seeks Biden's Support in Appointing Defense Minister Wallace to Head NATO - Reports Sunak Seeks Biden's Support in Appointing Defense Minister Wallace to Head NATO - Reports UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during his upcoming visit to the United States from June 7-8, may try to convince US President Joe Biden to support the candidacy of UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace for the post of new NATO Secretary General, the UK media reported on Sunday. 2023-06-05T05:16+0000 2023-06-05T05:16+0000 2023-06-05T08:53+0000 world joe biden rishi sunak united kingdom (uk) nato jens stoltenberg ben wallace /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/03/1110869917_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_e24e1cac86b61268f81eb843472841c9.jpg Sunak has already raised the topic of Wallace's appointment to the post of Secretary General of the alliance on the sidelines of the recent meeting of the leaders of the G7 countries in Japans Hiroshima, the report noted. Wallace is known in the UK government for his central role in creating an international coalition to support Ukraine, as well as an increase in defense spending of the country up to 2.25% of GDP, the report added. However, the report said that Wallace's candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General may not be supported by France and Germany. In addition, a number of NATO member countries may support the candidacy of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the newspaper reported. Incumbent NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was supposed to resign on October 1, 2022, but in March of the same year, the leaders of NATO member states decided to extend his mandate until September 30, 2023. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230530/sunaks-embrace-of-state-price-controls-doesnt-include-bloated-aid-to-kiev-1110779688.html united kingdom (uk) 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 sunak, biden, nato, jens stoltenberg, g7 https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/ukrainian-defense-chief-says-kiev-wont-use-f-16-jets-in-summer-counteroffensive-1110919906.html Ukrainian Defense Chief Says Kiev Won't Use F-16 Jets in Summer Counteroffensive Ukrainian Defense Chief Says Kiev Won't Use F-16 Jets in Summer Counteroffensive Kiev will not deploy F-16 fighters in its possible counteroffensive this summer, as it requires time and training for pilots, engineers and technicians, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said. 2023-06-05T13:18+0000 2023-06-05T13:18+0000 2023-06-05T13:18+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/13/1110456552_132:0:1869:977_1920x0_80_0_0_baddefe375461e4835f816ccca217a9d.jpg "F-16 will not [be a] game-changer this summer it will take time to train our pilots and not only pilots. Training courses, we will arrange [them] with our partners for pilots and engineers, technicians," Reznikov told a Japanese broadcaster on Sunday. Kiev will possibly be ready to deploy the aircraft this autumn or winter, the Ukrainian defense chief added. In May, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said that Kiev needed 48 F-16 fighters to return the 1991 borders. Reznikov, on his part, refused to comment on the number of fighters and possible terms of their delivery to Ukraine. Russia has called possible deliveries of F-16s another stage of escalation and warned that the equipment will become a legitimate target for Russian forces. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230527/ukrainians-may-fly-f-16s-with-wing--prayer-but-wont-be-effective-in-combat-1110641779.html ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ukraine, ukrainian crisis, conflict in ukraine, war in ukraine, f-16 for ukraine, russian special military operation, ukrainian counetroffensive https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/us-awards-raytheons-pratt--whitney-2bln-for-f-35-engine-support---pentagon-1110936234.html US Awards Raytheon's Pratt & Whitney $2Bln for F-35 Engine Support - Pentagon US Awards Raytheon's Pratt & Whitney $2Bln for F-35 Engine Support - Pentagon WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Raytheon subsidiary Pratt and Whitney received a contract worth more than $2 billion for additional components and support for the F-35... 05.06.2023, Sputnik International 2023-06-05T22:36+0000 2023-06-05T22:36+0000 2023-06-05T22:37+0000 military raytheon defense department foreign military sales (fms) pratt & whitney lockheed martin f-35c joint strike fighter f-35 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/09/1092131270_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_feee67de760b8ed53c7f97ce81523e10.jpg "Raytheon Technologies Corp., doing business as Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $2,023,073,136... contract," the release said on Monday. "This modification exercises options to procure materials, parts, and components for Lot 17 of the F135 Propulsion system for F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft as well as global spares requirements to include spare engines, power modules, and other hardware." The expanded contract provides Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Defense Department participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, the release added. Work on the project will be performed at different locations across the continental United States and in other locations outside the country over the next two and a half years and is expected to be completed in December 2025, the Defense Department said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230526/85-million-loss-of-f-35-spare-parts-is-business-as-usual-for-pentagon-1110610076.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 raytheon, defense department, foreign military sales (fms), pratt & whitney, lockheed martin f-35c joint strike fighter, f-35 https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/us-synchronized-taiwan-strait-incident-with-shangri-la-dialogue-to-pressure-beijing-1110929481.html US 'Synchronized' Taiwan Strait Incident With Shangri-La Dialogue to Pressure Beijing US 'Synchronized' Taiwan Strait Incident With Shangri-La Dialogue to Pressure Beijing Alexei Maslov, director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University, told Sputnik the Taiwan Strait incursion was completely synchronized with the Shangri-La Dialogue to put pressure on China. 2023-06-05T17:46+0000 2023-06-05T17:46+0000 2023-06-05T17:46+0000 analysis taiwan strait china freedom of navigation operations (fonops) us navy shangri-la dialogue high-level security summit alexei maslov /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/05/1110929670_0:210:3072:1938_1920x0_80_0_0_89cfa7dd939f2c4d44096700a2314ac3.jpg On Sunday, the US and Canada sent a pair of guided-missile destroyers through the Taiwan Strait, a waterway that Beijing regards as internal, and through which it sees the passage of US warships as provocative. The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) sent forces to shadow the two warships, including the Type 052 destroyer Suzhou, which crossed in front of the US Navys USS Chung-Hoon at a distance of 137 meters in what Beijing said was a safe and legal maneuver, while Washington denounced it as unsafe and coercion.Alexei Maslov, director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University, an expert at the Valdai International Discussion Club, told Sputnik on Monday that the Taiwan Strait incursion was completely synchronized with the Shangri-La Dialogue meeting in Singapore in order to put political and military pressure on China.Their actions at sea are completely synchronized with the meeting in Singapore against the background of the refusal of the Chinese side to conduct at least some negotiations with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Maslov said, noting that despite this, Li is actively negotiating with his European counterparts. The Chinese refusal to meet with Austin stems from US sanctions levied against Li for securing the purchase of Russian-made weapons systems.China has shown that it is not only not ready to silently endure pressure, but will respond with sharp attacks. It was no accident that a Chinese ship [interacted with] an American missile destroyer and then a Canadian frigate. If earlier China was limited to statements by the Foreign Ministry, now China is hinting harshly at the possibility of using military force to protect its interests, he said.Dr. Qian Yaxu, an expert from the Center for Regional and Country Studies of China Southwestern University of Communications, told Sputnik that China has the potential to protect its sovereignty and its interests from actions and practices that tread on its red lines.Qian recalled that on Sunday, Li told attendees at the Shangri-La Dialogue that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the US would be an unbearable disaster for the world and that China believes that a big power should behave like one, instead of provoking bloc confrontation for self-interest.China's position on security issues has always been clear and consistent. It regards countries that promote regional and global security cooperation as its friends. However, China has the potential to protect its sovereignty and interests from actions and practices that violate its red lines.The Taiwan question is undoubtedly the main one for China, and China will resolutely uphold its fundamental national interests in this matter. The United States never understood China's statement about the essence of its position on Taiwan, so China reiterated that the defense of its own sovereignty and the last step in the field of national liberation will definitely be completed.An island that was for centuries part of China, Taiwan was seized as a colony by the Japanese for several decades before being returned to Beijings control at the end of World War II. Four years later, the defeated Nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan as the communist Red Army seized control over the mainland and founded a socialist government in Beijing, the Peoples Republic of China. Taiwan has been self-governed ever since, thanks to weapons and support funneled to Taipei from Washington, even though the US recognizes Beijings position that there is one China and that Taiwan is a part of China.One of them [is that] China and the US need to resolve differences properly, overcome difficulties and find the right way to get along with each other, Qian explained. Another is the inadmissibility of undermining the steady trend of increasing stability in the South China Sea. According to the minister, individual non-regional countries under the guise of freedom of navigation impose hegemony of navigation. They want to stir up the South China Sea so they can fish in troubled waters."Finally, the minister also noted that the reunification of China is the dominant historical trend and [is an] unstoppable course of events, Qian said, recalling Lis words: That, how to solve the Taiwan issue, we, the Chinese, will decide. This issue does not tolerate the intervention of foreign forces. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230530/elon-musk-tells-chinese-fm-qin-gang-he-opposes-decoupling-us-from-beijing-1110799785.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230524/last-chinese-emperors-watch-sells-for-62-million-1110564889.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2023 Fantine Gardinier Fantine Gardinier 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 Fantine Gardinier taiwan, china, shangri-la, li shangfu, taiwan strat, shangri-la dialoguw, chinese navy, us destroyer https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/us-to-keep-communication-open-with-china-to-address-unacceptable-intercepts---kirby-1110934461.html US to Keep Communication Open With China to Address 'Unacceptable' Intercepts US to Keep Communication Open With China to Address 'Unacceptable' Intercepts WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States will continue to keep open lines of communication with China to address unacceptable military intercepts between the... 05.06.2023, Sputnik International 2023-06-05T20:21+0000 2023-06-05T20:21+0000 2023-06-06T03:11+0000 world john kirby nancy pelosi beijing china us pacific command (pacom) taipei people's republic of china /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/1f/1110817783_19:0:1402:778_1920x0_80_0_0_1b15f08f29d849f242c0e0185d57d938.png On Saturday, the US Indo-Pacific Command (PACOM) said the Chinese military ship PRC LY 132 came within 150 yards of the USS Chung-Hoon destroyer during a joint Canada-US exercise in the Taiwan Strait, when the ships crossed the strait. In late May, PACOM said a Chinese J-16 fighter jet performed an "'unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" while intercepting a US Air Force RC-135 aircraft over the South China Sea. Tensions over Taiwan significantly increased last August after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Taipei despite Beijing's warnings against such a visit. China condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island. Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/china-warns-severe-conflict-with-us-would-result-in-global-unbearable-disaster--1110912339.html beijing china taipei 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 john kirby, nancy pelosi, beijing, china, us pacific command (pacom), taipei, people's republic of china https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/watch-russian-pacific-fleet-conducting-drills-in-sea-of-japan-sea-of-okhotsk-1110911247.html Watch Russian Pacific Fleet Conducting Drills in Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk Watch Russian Pacific Fleet Conducting Drills in Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - The Russian Pacific Fleet has begun exercises with the participation of more than 60 warships and support vessels, the press service of the... 05.06.2023, Sputnik International 2023-06-05T05:40+0000 2023-06-05T05:40+0000 2023-06-05T05:40+0000 russia russia russian pacific fleet drills /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/05/1110911346_2:0:480:269_1920x0_80_0_0_fde001196d7d034956c050572af371b2.jpg "In accordance with the plan for training the military command and control bodies of the forces of the Pacific Fleet for 2023, from June 5 to June 20, in the waters of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, under the leadership of the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Adm. Viktor Liina, an operational exercise of the fleet's various branches in the far sea zone is being conducted," the statement said. It has noted that more than 60 warships and fleet support vessels, about 35 aircraft of naval aviation, coastal troops and more than 11,000 military personnel are involved in the drills. Naval tactical groups, together with naval aviation, will train to search for and track enemy submarines and conduct combat training exercises against surface and air targets, the statement pointed out, adding that the organization of air defense will also be worked out. 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 Pacific Fleet drills Pacific Fleet drills 2023-06-05T05:40+0000 true PT2M52S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia, russian pacific fleet, drills, https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/west-encourages-use-of-weapons-supplied-to-ukraine-for-attacks-on-russian-territory-1110920868.html West 'Encourages' Use of Weapons Supplied to Ukraine for 'Attacks on Russian Territory' West 'Encourages' Use of Weapons Supplied to Ukraine for 'Attacks on Russian Territory' The West encourages use of weapons supplied to Ukraine for 'Attacks on Russian Territory', said a military expert. 2023-06-05T16:21+0000 2023-06-05T16:21+0000 2023-06-05T16:21+0000 analysis russia ukraine crisis boris rozhin volodymyr zelensky russian defense ministry kiev nato weapons black market /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106374/54/1063745410_0:67:744:486_1920x0_80_0_0_a8da00aaf472791f1f2027447acdd4eb.jpg Russia can offer an effective response to the broad array of military support gifted to the Kiev regime, Boris Rozhin, a military expert at the Center for Military-Political Journalism, an independent Russian military affairs think tank, told Sputnik.The West continues to supply Ukraine with military assistance to strengthen the offensive capabilities of the Ukrainian Army, to create a mechanized fist in order to try to ram Russias battle formations, and achieve some operational results, he said, but the latest developments show otherwise. "On June 4, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt at a large-scale offensive in the South Donetsk direction ... [Due to] active actions of the units of the Vostok group of troops, air strikes and artillery fire in ... the Donetsk People's Republic and in ... Zaporozhye region, the enemy suffered significant losses," the ministry said, adding that Ukraine had "failed to achieve its goals."Broad Array of West-Supplied WeaponsThe Kiev regime currently has at its disposal quite an array of various types of offensive weapons supplied by the West, Yuri Knutov, a military historian and publicist, told Sputnik. These include an arsenal of various long-range artillery systems: M777 howitzers, French Caesar howitzers, Swedish wheeled 155mm Archer guns, German Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled, long-range howitzers, the Polish Krab and Czech Dana howitzers, and so on. In addition, the director of Russia's Air Defense Forces Museum said, Ukraine has been provided with multiple launch rocket systems, like the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), with a range of up to 80 kilometers and the possibility of GPS guidance. These systems are actively being resorted to by the enemy to strike command posts, headquarters, and individual targets behind enemy lines.Since the beginning of Russias special military operation in Ukraine, the US, NATO, and their allies have also sent Kiev armored vehicles, primarily Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks. The regime in Kiev has been shipped armored vehicles of various types, ranging from those produced between the late 1950s and early 1960s, to modern ones. And most importantly, Kiev has air defense systems. These include Britains short-range Starstreak man-portable or vehicle mounted air defense system, capable of hitting targets at a distance of around seven kilometers and an altitude of about five kilometers. There are also US systems mounted on Humvees boasting approximately similar characteristics.Boris Rozhin weighed in on the broad array of military support being sent to Kiev, singling out missiles such as the UK-supplied Storm Shadow, missiles for HIMARS, Western air defense systems of various operational and tactical levels, like the American-made Avenger, or the US Patriot missile defense systems. The latter are all being sent to the authorities in the Ukrainian capital to compensate for the huge losses already sustained by Ukraines air defense, he stated.Various engineering equipment geared towards clearing minefields and building pontoon crossings is being also sent. As to aviation, there have been deliveries of several dozen MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 attack aircraft from Eastern Europe. Next on the menu appear to be supplies of Western-made fighters, ostensibly by late summer-autumn of this year. Meanwhile, work continues on expanding the range of long-range missiles that will be delivered to Ukraine, with discussions underway on the supply of weaponry with a range of 500 kilometers [310 miles] or more from France and Germany, the military expert clarified.Furthermore, over recent time an international coalition has been formed to provide Ukraine with F-16s, the fighter jet of its choice, and training. Several countries have volunteered to host the training of Ukrainian pilots, but it has not yet been decided which of them will provide the aircraft and when.With these vast amounts of weapons shipped to Kiev, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told a US broadcaster earlier that Ukrainian Armed Forces are "very well prepared" for a counteroffensive.However, Russia has been successfully repelling attempts by Kiev to gain an edge with such weaponry, said Boris Rozhin, as an example pointing to how the much-hyped US-made Patriot defense systems, supplied to Ukraine have been successfully destroyed with the use of Russia's Kinzhal hypersonic missile.The Russian Armed Forces can rely upon various howitzers, both towed and self-propelled, Rozhin stated. Regarding tanks, there is the main one, the T-72, along with boosted numbers of T-90s, as well as various older tanks, such as the T-52 and T-55, he said. These have all demonstrated excellent results during combat operations as part of the ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.Russia has the required arsenal to resist any counteroffensive by Kiev, Yuri Knutov said. He added that Russia's artillery has been fitted with software, installed in tablets, phones, which allows hitting closed-position targets with the first strike."We also actively use gliding corrected or guided aerial bombs weighing up to 500 kilograms, which can cover a considerable distance without the aircraft entering the enemy's air defense coverage area, and destroy targets with an accuracy of about 7-10 meters," Knutov saidWhether its air defense systems, like the Kub-M2, Kub-M3, Buk-M2, S-300 complexes, the Pantsir anti-aircraft missile system, or electronic warfare systems that jam quadrocopters and communication channels, etc., everything is available to "wear down the enemy," to bleed it white, and then start moving forward, Yuri Knutov said. 'West Seeks to Recoup Weapons Deliveries'Weighing in on the constant clamor of Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky for more weapons amid US assertions that Kiev has been given enough for a counteroffensive, Boris Rozhin underscored:America is "using" Ukraine, Yuri Knutov agreed.The West continues to push the Kiev regime towards an escalation of the conflagration by gifting it new weaponry, while at the same time blatantly dismissing any responsibility for the use of its armaments. A case in point is the wielding of such "military assistance" by Ukrainian saboteurs that infiltrated Russia's Belgorod region in late May, Yuri Knutov underscored.In response, Belgian media reported that the country's Foreign and Defense Ministries would turn to Kiev "at the first opportunity" for an explanation due to the use of Belgian-made weapons in the Belgorod region by a Ukrainian sabotage and intelligence group.Such "chatter" should not be taken seriously, Boris Rozhin said, adding that it is common knowledge who, for what purpose, and where West-supplied weapons are used."The Kiev regime will answer that these weapons were recaptured from the Russian troops, although the Russian troops have nothing of the kind in service. With that, the entire discussion will end," he added.As for the West ostensibly having any sort of control over the weapons that are being funneled to Kiev, it is far from the truth, Yuri Knutov underscored, pointing to reports of weapons supplied to the Ukrainian regime ending up on the black market.Russia has repeatedly slammed Washington and its allies over their continued arms deliveries to the Kiev regime, pointing to the danger they pose in escalating the crisis and facilitating weapons smuggling. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/kiev-did-not-achieve-its-goals-during-offensive-attempt-lost-up-to-300-military---russian-mod-1110915427.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230516/russias-kinzhal-missile-destroys-patriot-system-in-kiev-1110397858.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230605/kiev-did-not-achieve-its-goals-during-offensive-attempt-lost-up-to-300-military---russian-mod-1110915427.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230603/ukrainian-terrorists-used-nato-given-gear-in-belgorod-regions-attack-last-week---reports-1110874797.html russia kiev 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 the west encourages use of weapons, supplied to ukraine, attacks on russian territory, attempted large-scale offensive, south donetsk direction, arsenal of various long-range artillery systems, russias special military operation in ukraine, funneling weapons to the kiev regime, leopard-1 and leopard-2 tanks, patriot missile system, starstreak man-portable or vehicle mounted air defense system, storm shadow, himars, mig-29 fighters, su-25 attack aircraft, russian kinzhal hypersonic missile, russia's kalibr cruise missile Going into the Sunday afternoon (June 4) harness racing program at Hippodrome 3R, the Quebec racetrack was featuring an average win price per race this season of $14.49 -- one of the highest averages of any track in North America. After the first race on Sunday, that average increased as 37-1 longshot Playa Duharas pulled off the upset for catch-driver Jocelyn Gendron, paying $76.30 to win. In the $4,000 first pacing race, Playa Duharas and Gendron led the way from the start with Shes Got The Luck (Jessica Turenne) sitting the pocket trip. First-over Clear The Credit (Steven Gagnon) was just catching up to the leaders at the three-quarters, when Turenne pulled out of the pocket with Shes Got The Luck and went on to win by 5-3/4 lengths. Playa Duharas was second with Clear The Credit third. But the judges threw up the inquiry light and ended up placing Shes Got The Luck to third place for interference. That vaulted Playa Duharas to first place and Clear The Credit was moved to second place. The win was the first in four starts this year for Playas Duharas. The seven-year-old Sunshine Beach mare is trained and owned by Denis Belanger of Levis, Que. Sunday's featured $5,000 Preferred Pace was a near repeat of last weeks event, but this time, winner Perpetual Rock (pictured above) and driver Pascal Berube had the lead by the first quarter instead of the half-mile. Either way, it was another stellar effort by Perpetual Rock, who cut easy fractions of :28.2, :59.1 and 1:28.2 before pulling away in the stretch for a 2-1/2-length triumph in 1:57.1. Stablemate BS Tyrrific (Jimmy Gagnon) sat the pocket trip to be second with second-over Aladdin (Stephane Brosseau) third. The win was the second straight and third of the year from eight starts for Perpetual Rock, who is trained and co-owned by Gina Bragagnolo with Lyne Bragagnolo. The five-year-old Pet Rock gelding paid $2.60 to win as part of the favoured entry. It took the photo finish camera to declare the winner of the co-featured $5,000 Preferred for trotters. X O X O (Jocelyn Gendron) went right to the early lead with Fix A Drink (Marie-Claude Auger) leaving from post six and getting the two-hole trip to the first quarter in :29. Then it was the "Princess of Trot at 3R," Stella Alpha going first-over for driver Pascal Berube with Morally Flexible (Stephane Brosseau) second-over and the race favourite, Frido PV (Jonathan Lachance), third-over. After the half-mile in :59.4, Stella Alpha kept the pressure on X O X O and wore her down by the three-quarters in 1:29.3. Stella Alpha took over the lead as Frido PV swept three-wide on the final turn. Stella Alpha dug in heading down the stretch and barely held off Frido PV to win by a nose in 1:59.2. Morally Flexible was also in the photo, finishing third by a half a length. The win was the first in six starts for Stella Alpha. The four-year-old Royalty For Life mare is bred, owned and trained by Sylvain Tremblays Ecurie Alpha of Metabetchouan, Que. She paid $5 to win as the 3-2 second choice. Four-time Quebec-Bred Stakes champion Capteur De Reve and driver Stephane Brosseau worked out excellent outside cover to score in a photo finish in a $4,000 trot. Capteur De Reve won by a head over My Mini Miracle (Simon Delisle) in 2:02.3 with La Bromontoise (Jerome Lombart) third. The nine-year-old Muscle Mass gelding is now undefeated in two starts this year for trainer Maxime Velaye and owner/breeder Ecurie Provoquante of Mirabel, Que. He paid $3 to win. Pascal Berube continues his quest towards his fourth straight driving title as he drove four winners on the Sunday program while Jocelyn Gendron had a driving double. Friday twilight racing begins next Friday, June 9 at 3R with first race post time at 4 p.m. To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Hippodrome 3R. (With files from Quebec Jockey Club) Harness racing driver Lemoyne Mooney Svendsen earned his 4,000th career victory on Sunday, June 4 at Running Aces. The big milestone was achieved in race 10 when he delivered a big performance with the race favourite, Dance Traveler ($5.40), for a new career mark in 1:53.1. Svendsen wasted no time in taking control of the $6,600 claiming pace, sending Dance Traveler right to the front from post five. Once on the lead, he settled the seven-year-old gelding by Up Front Brad into a comfortable tempo and they registered the early fractions in :28.1 and :57 before turning on the afterburners during a quick :27.3 third panel, which left his rivals reeling. In the lane, it was all Dance Traveler and Mooney and they checked in 3-1/2 lengths ahead of the competition to capture the big driving milestone. Sixty-five-year-old Svendsen was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota and grew up in and around the sport in both Minnesota and Iowa before venturing to many different tracks across the U.S. during a career that now spans more than four decades. He has called Sacramento, California and Cal-Expo racetrack his second home for the better part of 20 years, but has been a regular fixture at Running Aces since shortly after the track opened. Svendsen has frequently shared that he loves racing in Minnesota every summer where he is in close proximity to his close-knit family. He was inducted into the Minnesota Harness Racing Hall Of Fame in 2014 at the same time that his late father Lorenz was also installed. Svendsen shared that that was one of the best moments of his life and career and especially so because all of his family was there. Svendsen also recently talked about the approaching milestone and expressed that he was striving for it for his whole family, but especially for his dad above whom he hopes will be filled with pride. In addition to his 4,000 wins, Svendsen has finished in the top three more than 12,000 times and has collected more than $15 million in purses for his owners and trainers along the way. In other action, Rock Party came with his A game on Sunday night, posting an impressive gate-to-wire victory in the $18,500 feature. The six-year-old son of Cantab Hall drew post one in the nine-horse Open Handicap Trot and took full advantage of the draw, as driver Todd Warren sent him away from the gate quickly and the pair was able to easily take early control, forcing Natural Kemp (Jacob Cutting) to settle for the pocket while Mind Yown Business (Brandon Jenson) settled away in third. Rock Party held court over his rivals while posting fractions of :28.3 and :57.2 and turned back a firm challenge from Susies Sister (Mel Mullet) during the middle stages of the contest. All American N (Luke Plano) followed cover and then tipped three-wide as they headed for the far turn but Rock Party had already turned up the speed and was two lengths clear as they passed three-quarters in 1:25.3. Rock Party trotted strong in the lane and was clearly much the best on this night, drawing clear for a four-length score in 1:55.1 while All American N landed home in second over Natural Kemp. He paid $29.20 to win. The winner is owned by Chupp Racing Stable and is trained by Bob Johnson, who had a double on the program. Iron Sharpens Iron advanced to a perfect three-for-three record in 2023 with a 3-1/4-length tally in the $22,000 Class A division of the Minnesota-sired sophomore trot. The Banker Volo gelding stopped the timer in 1:57 for his 12th consecutive win and paid $2.10 as the overwhelming favourite. Luke Plano was the winning pilot for trainer Dan Roland and owners Jeralene Roland, Devon Arp and Alfredo Villarreal. Ice Splitter (Warren) recorded his first career win in the $14,500 Class B division, posting a 1:59.3 score by three-quarters of a length over BPs Lucky Star while Corona Cobra was well back in third. The Ice Machine gelding is owned by Brian Anfinson and is trained by Justin Anfinson. He paid $5.80 to win. (With files from Running Aces) The draw for the 2023 Pepsi North America Cup eliminations takes place on Tuesday, June 6, and many of the three-year-old pacing colts that look to play a prominent role in this year's event were in action last Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park in three Somebeachsomewhere Stakes divisions. Stockade Seelster, Redwood Hanover and Annapolis Hanover captured the three $75,000 divisions of the Somebeachsomewhere, serving as a preview of next weeks highly anticipated Pepsi North America Cup eliminations. To read the recap and watch the replays of those races, click here. The current SC web poll looks ahead to June 17 and asks: Of the horses entered in the 2023 Somebeachsomewhere, which horse do you think has the best shot at winning the 2023 Pepsi North America Cup? Click the link to have your say. Ontario Racings Standardbred Improvement Program (SIP) Committee announced on Monday, June 5 that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has accepted its proposal to align the qualifying standard for the Prospect Series with the standard for overnight races. For the 2023 season, Prospect Series horses will be considered qualified if they meet the qualifying times listed under rules 12.02.01 and 12.02.02, rather than the standard for added money races under rule 11.02.01. We are thankful to the AGCO for accepting our proposal, said Ian Fleming, Standardbred Improvement Program Committee Member and Ontario Racing Board Member. The Prospect Series provides valuable racing opportunities to Ontario Sired horses and this change will increase participation in these events. At the conclusion of the racing season, the AGCO will consider a permanent revision to the Rules of Standardbred Racing with the benefit of feedback from the 2023 season. This change means the qualifying times in the Racing Guide will not apply to Prospect Series events. For Prospect Series qualifying times, refer to the times listed below in Section 12 of the Rules of Standardbred Racing. Click here to view Section 12 of the Rules of Standardbred Racing Qualifying Races Click here to view Section 11 of the Rules of Standardbred Racing Horses Permitted to Race For more information, email [email protected]. (With files from Ontario Racing) Brad Anderson still remembers the night his wife forgot hail. He was sitting on the front porch of their Lincoln home as a storm rolled in. It was around 9 p.m. LuAnne had gone to bed earlier. Brad wanted to watch the rain. It starts hailing and next thing I know I hear LuAnne running down the stairs hollering Theres something hitting the house! She poked her head out the front door. I said, Its hailing, and she looked at me like What? Brad grabbed a stone and showed it to his wife. Its rain thats frozen hard, he explained. She said, Thats amazing. Ive never seen that before. Whats it called again? Thats where the recollection ends. You dont think about that, Brad says. The world changes for these people. They dont understand whats happening. The world changed for Brad, too, in the years following LuAnnes dementia diagnosis in 2010, just before her 55th birthday. He became her caregiver, and like many of the estimated 38 million family members caring for a loved one in the U.S., he struggled with guilt and stress. He suffered from loneliness, helplessness and despair feelings that Americans have become increasingly familiar with, so much so that the U.S. Surgeon General recently warned of an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. Brad, now 67, believes his ability to diagnose and wrestle with his loneliness is owed to the very thing that LuAnne gradually lost her grasp of: words. I just started writing (poetry) out of need he said. I had a need to express some things that I didnt know how else to express, and you know it was really a survival tactic. Brad and leaders in the medical and writing communities caution that his story isnt a blanket prescription. But it does, they say, reinforce things weve long known: Creative expression can help in more ways than we might realize. A creative outlet like poetry can heal. Self expression in other words, its really important, said Dr. Steven Wengle, professor of psychiatry and director of the geriatric psychiatry division at University of Nebraska Medical Center. Its really good for the soul and good for the brain, as it turns out. *** A funeral. The first sign something was off came at a funeral service for one of LuAnnes aunts in March 2009. At the service, LuAnne crossed paths with a cousin she had known since childhood. Who are you? she asked him. Brad was unsettled but didnt dwell on it. I just kind of put it away and said, OK, one of those hiccups or something. It was easy to put it away in the moment. LuAnne and Brad had been together since getting married in 1975 when they were both 19 years old. Thirty-four years, three states and two children later, everything else seemed perfectly normal that day at the funeral. But other oddities gradually emerged in LuAnnes behavior: failures of memory, bouts of depression. They thought it might be menopause. LuAnne was still active in the dance community. She formed the nonprofit the Lincoln Irish Dancers in 1997 after teaching a class through the city. Dancing became such a central part of her life that Brad joined in. I realized if I didnt start dancing, I wasnt going to see her, he said. LuAnne also continued to excel at her job as the business manager for the University of Nebraska-Lincolns Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. But the work grew harder, more confusing. LuAnne couldnt read emails. She printed them and traced the words with her fingers. She struggled to recognize coworkers. At first, they put photos of themselves on her desk to help. She grew increasingly incapable of connecting the people in the photos with the faces in front of her. She tired easily and had a hard time understanding what people were saying to her, though her own speech was perfectly coherent. LuAnnes coworkers reached out to Brad in the fall of 2009. Something was wrong. There is no single test to diagnose dementia, an illness affecting an estimated 10% of Americans 65 and older. It requires a process interviews, lab tests, examination of medical history and sometimes a brain scan. LuAnnes diagnosis came in May 2010: semantic dementia. Brad was, he says, pretty ignorant at the time. He imagined LuAnne forgetting her car keys routine lapses we all experience with greater frequency. Well, its a lot more than that, and you learn pretty quickly, he said. Then you start thinking, Well, whats next? *** Its March 1 and Brad is set to record a poetry reading for 30 Poets in 30 Days, a celebration of national poetry month in April organized by the Lincoln-based nonprofit Larksong Writers Place. The roster of readers includes poets from Nebraska and across the country. Brad is reading a poem written as a letter to his daughter, Hannah Kahler. It is titled Daughter. He reads from the iPad where he writes all his poems. His delivery is calm, quietly comfortable. Brads poem sparked more phone calls and conversations than all the other readings, including the ones from nationally known poets, said Karen Shoemaker, a Lincoln-based author and founder of Larksong. Its just such a beautiful poem, she said. For most of his life, Brad never wrote poetry. He didnt really read it, either. But around 2013 Karen Noel, then president of a local Alzheimers support group, asked Brad if he would speak during a fundraising event organized by United Way and CHAD Nebraska. Brads story might resonate because LuAnne was particularly young when she was diagnosed. Brad said yes. He wrote down thoughts and memories to fold into his remarks, which were so well received that he continued speaking in the following years. Brad kept writing out memories and observations thought bites, he called them. His goal: Convey what its like to care for someone with dementia. Soon he saw how his thought bites fit together. Poetry is often viewed as abstract, an art form studied in school, said Matt Mason, Nebraska state poet. Really, poetry is about expression. Its a complicated thing and its very basic, Mason said. Its about telling stories but its also so useful for transmitting emotional elements that are otherwise hard to express. As Brad continued the fundraising talks, he decided to end with a poem, The Devil Calls the Dance. The sniffling started in the audience by the second stanza. It kind of jolted me. I almost stuttered because I wasnt thinking about what it sounded like to somebody else. I was too busy processing and putting my thoughts out there and not thinking about how it was received. Obviously it had an emotional impact. Mason said the poem reflects a man struggling to make sense of trying circumstances. Its a vulnerability Mason said he is familiar with, having turned to poetry to decipher difficult chapters in his own life. You can see (Brad) figuring things out as the poem goes on, he said. *** For a few years LuAnne was largely self-sufficient. She could drive, having passed required annual driving screenings. She was still leading local dances. Initially she was excited about the idea of being retired. I said OK, Ill take that as a win, Brad remembered. Wins became fewer. LuAnne lost her drivers license after failing her third annual screening. Brad hired caregivers to come to their home for a few hours each day while he worked. He set up cameras so he could monitor her in the morning before they arrived. Social activities stopped. Friends drifted away. It became Brad, LuAnne and a few immediate family members who helped when they could. You try and be positive and make the most of each day that you can, he said. You know youre losing that person, and you have to remember that every single day might be the best day that person will ever have. By 2014, life was unraveling. One day Brad noticed LuAnne got out of bed earlier than normal. She left the house and headed across the street. Not good, Brad thought. He rushed home from work. LuAnne had boarded a city bus headed downtown to, as Brad later learned, go to the bank to get money to buy a car. She wanted her independence back. She brought her iPad, which allowed Brad to track and intercept her. Less than a week later, LuAnne fell into a manic state. She was throwing furniture in their home, yelling. They got her to a mental health holding facility at Bryan Medical Center. That same day, LuAnne referenced running in front of a moving vehicle to end her life. She couldnt be left alone. After 30 days of trying to recalibrate her medications in the hospital, it became clear: LuAnne woulndt be coming home. The decision in the summer of 2014 to place LuAnne in a care center weighed heavily on Brad, who was already wracked with guilt. He consulted his daughter Hannah and LuAnnes brother Tim Shaw, an attorney and disability rights advocate. They picked Douglas County Health Center in Omaha, which specialized in caring for people with memory loss. Shortly after she was placed in September 2014, Brad became incredibly ill. He realized he hadnt been sick in years as if his body hadnt allowed it while he cared for LuAnne. I didnt realize how much stress I was under until after we finally did have her placed and I realized that she was cared for, he said. *** Debilitating stress and loneliness have emerged as public health concerns in recent years. A 2022 survey conducted for the American Physiological Association found that 27% of adults said that most days they were so stressed that they couldnt function. Surveys have found that between one-third and half of U.S. adults have experienced loneliness. In May U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory titled Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. The report cited research that found loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29%. Writing initially was an outlet for Brad a way to wrestle with festering feelings. UNMCs Wengle said research shows that when we engage with our emotions through artistic expression, it forces us to use a different part of the brain. This can unlock a deeper understanding of emotions that may otherwise rattle around in our heads. So when you put a name on feelings, it helps you, he said. It doesnt make them go away, but it helps you deal with it. For Brad, writing also opened the door to a community. He started attending open mics and got involved with multiple writing groups, including Larksong, which Shoemaker formed in 2020. Brad was there from the beginning. Theres a myth about writers often theyre alone, churning out best sellers, Shoemaker said. I think thats a huge myth. I think people need one another. *** LuAnne died on Jan. 20, 2017. She was 61. He struggles to admit it, but Brad felt relieved when she passed. Her last year had been one of decline death in slow motion. She was in a wheelchair and could only muster four words: oh gosh and then again. She had forgotten Brads name some time earlier, though she would still smile and laugh when he entered the room. Brad believes their love endured. I dont know what part of her was there and what part wasnt, but there was enough that I think the emotional connection was there. About a month after her death, family and friends held a memorial service. LuAnne always said she wanted a wake, Brad recalled. The family had no idea what that entailed, so they improvised. There was music. Dancing. At a certain point, Brad took a break from writing. It felt too painful. He eventually picked it back up, after realizing he could write about more than dementia and the accompanying feelings, though he hasnt shut the door on those topics. If you loved that person how could you not have that grief and have those feelings? I earned those and thats fine, he said. I wouldnt want them to go away. I think that would be worse. Brad is retired now, and spends his time with grandchildren and writing. He hopes that sharing his story might help someone else. You have to find your way through it, he said. Writing, I felt, was a very helpful way to do that. Ukrainians from across Nebraska join with State Sen. Tom Brewer (holding the flag on the right) outside the Nebraska State Capitol in support of LB 199 on Feb. 14, 2023. To Brewer's left is Noah Philson of Elmwood, who helped Brewer in his travels to Ukraine in 2022. (Courtesy of Noah Philson) LINCOLN Nebraska state senators headed home last week after a particularly brutal and bitter 2023 session. But one lawmaker isnt packing up his office he has packed his bag for a return trip to the war front in Ukraine. Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, a decorated military veteran nearing his 65th birthday, has gone to the war-ravaged country twice before. But the old soldier in him cant stay away. And he figures he can help. You go through life and you have skills, and things youve learned. And you want to use those skills until you physically cant anymore, Brewer said. In my case, it just happens that after almost 37 years in uniform, thats what I know. They need help to win They need help if theyre going to be able to win the war, he added. Brewer, 64, has battled leukemia and sickening chemo treatments in recent years and has a bad back that leaves him with a stiff walk. In addition, he underwent sinus surgery in December. He visited Ukraine twice last year, in June and October, but the retired Army colonel believes that visits from an American to the battlefield helps boost the morale of the scrappy Ukrainians. And, as a veteran of firefights in Afghanistan, he thinks he can help them. I was of less value to them (last year) when they were using Russian equipment. Now, theyre using systems I know, he said. I know the Bradley (fighting vehicle), I know the Abrams (tank), I know the Stryker (armored vehicle) . You can actually come and advise, and help them learn how to better win the war quicker, Brewer said. Observers can also, he said, see if the U.S. invested right in the right armaments sent to the conflict. That cant happen, Brewer said, if one rides the specially armored train that transports dignitaries and cargo to Kyiv and then you stop, shake a few hands, take some pics, and get back on the train. Youre at risk If you go forward, youre at risk, he said, but if you want to understand whats going on, you have to go there to see it. Brewer left Nebraska Saturday and was expected to travel into Ukraine on Sunday. He will once again be distributing Bibles to wounded soldiers, and he was given some personal items by Ukrainian refugees in Texas recently to return to loved ones who remain in the country. He will meet with Ukraines minister of intelligence an official who has helped facilitate his interpreter and travels and a deputy minister of defense. Radios among cargo Were not ruling out the chance to meet President Zelenskyy, Brewer added. He is also bringing speech-secure radios, which will allow Ukrainian troops to communicate with each other without betraying their location to the Russians, who continue to bombard the front with artillery fire. During Brewers last visit, he escaped injury when some artillery fire missed his vehicle or failed to detonate nearby This trip will be more dangerous, he said. The Russians have learned how to counter some of the Ukrainian forces playbook. And soon perhaps as they arrive probably between 50,000 and 75,000 Ukrainians are going to smash into 50,000 to 75,000 Russians with thousands of armored vehicles. It will be World War II type battle, Brewer said. Is there a risk of igniting another world war? Or prompting a nuclear strike from President Putin? Bringing iodine, other precautions To the first question, Brewer doesnt think so Russia wont risk engaging NATO, he said. But, he said, he cant rule out that Putin might use a tactical nuclear bomb if the war goes badly for his troops. Brewer said Russia would not tolerate losing its main naval base at Sevastopol, on the Crimea Peninsula, which Putin annexed in 2014. Hed rather see it a smoking hole, Brewer said. Because of that, he is bringing iodine and taking other precautions in the event of a nuclear attack. The senator said he admires the passion of the Ukrainians and how they remind him of people in Nebraska and Iowa. Theyre common people, in an agricultural region with weather and terrain much like the Midwest, he said. The fight for Ukraine, Brewer said, reminds him of the Americans during their war of independence from England in 1775 facing a bigger country with more military might. But, Brewer said, like the outgunned American forces of the 1770s, the Ukrainians have something to fight for. Theyre hungry to get their country back and their lives back, he said. And I think theyre willing to die to do it. Brewer said the Russian prisoners of war that hes seen were conscripts, or prison inmates released to fight at the front. I dont know how you motivate a solider like that to risk their life and do the hard stuff, he said. Department of State advisory The official U.S. Department of State advisory on Ukraine of which Brewer is well aware says not to travel there due to active armed conflict. The security situation in Ukraine remains unpredictable, the advisory states. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should stay vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space. In the past, Brewer has said he has provided reports on his trips to U.S. officials. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE I was on the front porch when you drove by and I waved while trying to wrap my mind around the fact that a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen won the top award at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Versatile hounds and a hard-working Australian sheepdog lost out to a petit basset that takes great pictures and grows shaggy hair that can be made into, I dont know couch pillows. I read the story thrice (Bible speak for three times), it said nothing about criteria but splattered the page with first in his breed to win and exceptional showmanship. Apparently, he showed a lot of attitude and cuteness which overrode the need to demonstrate useful skills. He appears friendly and cuddly, but still. Huskies pull sleds that bring medicine and seal meat to Eskimo villages. Blood hounds track escaped convicts, Saint Bernards carry needed liquids to lost mountain climbers and leads them to safety. German Shepherds assist law enforcement in confrontations with criminals, sheepdogs round-up scattered sheep, and collies locate lost children (see every other episode of Lassie). But a petit basset is simply a charming room accessory that poops in the backyard. Hudson, my coffee is getting cold. you say. Whats your point? Im getting to that. The thing is, we need to get back to honoring and recognizing competence and work over attitude and sensationalism. I say this as one who recently experienced a small but painful medical encounter during which skill and competence having the ability to analyze a problem, arrive at a reasonable plan to deal with the issue and apply the necessary skills to resolve the problem is all-important. The surgeon, Dr. James Foxworthy, entered the room, examined my painfully swollen hand, and I became the focus of highly complex skills and science. I was now the center of years of surgical experience and knowledge. After ten minutes, two weeks of intense mind-numbing pain was gone and life returned to normal. I admire his competency more than I care about his hair style. Our society is love-drunk over personal-expression. I grew up when children were hushed so grown-ups could talk. So, its interesting to see the obsession with self-expression in people today. Forget social media, Twitter, or Instagram, check out a typical kitchen cupboard today. Growing up we all had identical white coffee mugs given as marketing tools by local gas stations and now we have coffee mugs and T-shirts that project self-expression and attitude pictures of Trump or Biden, quotes from rock bands (All You Need Is Love), cartoons, nasty retorts, and T-shirt advice (Choose Happy). When I was todays T-shirt age I wore a beard, a navy peacoat with the collar turned up, long hair and jeans, and smoked unfiltered cigarettes to create an intellectual anti-bourgeois Russian- writer image for myself, but it was all fake. I wrote English essay papers based on CliffsNotes and spoke words and phrases like groovy, sock it to me, and far out, man. My real education began in church and on our farm where livestock and crops depend on your competency and skills. I learned to work hard, that menial jobs were my cup of tea. You learn there is more to life than politics and opinions, that bringing water to a corralled animal, repairing your own lawnmower, changing a car tire for an elderly person, are threads that weave substance into your existence and leads to this, writing a story about real life for nice people, like you. So dont be a petit basset, bring the medicine. Lead someone to safety. Find a lost child. Help someone gather their scattered sheep. Stopped by Bland County police after being accused of speeding on Interstate 77, a Wytheville man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges. Kenneth Wayne Johnson, 65, was arrested on May 6 and charged with driving while intoxicated, felony drug possession and misdemeanor drug possession. In a criminal complaint, Deputy T. Ramsey said he stopped Johnsons Ford car at the northbound 63.6 mile marker after clocking it at 84 miles per hour in a 70-mph zone. Mr. Johnson appeared be under the influence due to heavily dilated pupils, fast and mumbled speech, as well as sporadic body movements, Ramsey wrote. The deputy said Johnson told him he had crack cocaine in his vehicle and had used the drug before the traffic stop. Ramsey said Johnson failed field sobriety tests, and police found suspected crack and a suspected clonazepam pill in the car. Free on bond, Johnson has an Aug. 9 preliminary hearing slated in Bland County General District Court. W.Va. woman charged with DWIBrenda Fleming Crum, 50, of Beckley, West Virginia, was arrested on May 3 and charged with driving under the influence following a May 2 I-77 traffic stop. In a criminal complaint, Deputy T. Ramsey said he stopped Crums 1998 Honda car for going 83 mph in a 70-mph zone. Ramsey said Crum appeared to be under the influence because of fast, mumbled speech and constricted pupils. While speaking with me further at my patrol vehicle, Ms. Crums behavior was very loud, obnoxious and randomly laughing, Ramsey wrote. Ms. Crum stated that she had smoked marijuana prior to the traffic stop. Ramsey said Crum also failed four field sobriety tests and agreed to give a blood sample. Unemployed, Crum has no criminal history, according to court documents. Her court date is Sept. 13. While already nominated by his party, John Graham made his intention to seek reelection as Smyth Countys Circuit Court Clerk formal yesterday. Im asking the citizens of Smyth County to hire me again, to re-elect me to a job that I love in the community I love, Graham said in a prepared release. A Marion native, citizens first gave Graham the nod to elected office in a special election in 2010 and then re-elected him in 2015 to a full eight-year term. Serving our community as clerk has been one of the greatest joys of my life, he said. As a lawyer and an ordained United Methodist pastor, I feel like my unusual skill-set is uniquely suited for this job. On the campaign trail, Graham said, one of his challenges is to describe succinctly what the job entails, as the Code of Virginia mandates over 800 duties for circuit court clerks. In Virginia, the Circuit Court Clerks Office combines into one elected office duties that in other states are performed by as many as four separate officeholders. In the commonwealth, Graham explained that the clerk acts as the register of deeds, court administrator, archivist for historic county records, and probate judge who determines the validity of wills and establishes estates. In addition, the clerk empanels juries, administers oaths, and issues marriage licenses, concealed handgun permits, and notary commissions. The work of a clerk touches every area of the law, he said. As a lawyer, Graham brings 24 years of experience and legal knowledge to the office, which, he said, is valuable in every area of the office but especially so when helping families who have suffered the death of a loved one, probating their will and setting up an estate. Its when helping a grieving family that I feel best suited for this job, he said, because folks are often overwhelmed when a death occurs. Im able to guide them with legal expertise but also with a pastors sense of empathy and understanding. During his tenure as clerk, Graham has issued more than 10,000 concealed handgun permits, which are now printed on hard plastic cards for greater durability. Citizens, he said, will soon be able to apply online. In this increasingly digital business environment, Graham said he has also embraced available technology. Deeds and other land records are routinely e-recorded now, and all civil and criminal case files are now file-less and maintained in a digital format. His court, Graham said, was only the fifth in the state to offer the Officer of the Court Remote Access, or OCRA, which allows lawyers and other court officials to access the electronic case files remotely through the Supreme Court of Virginia website. An ongoing initiative of the office, Graham said, is to convert as many of the courts paper documents as possible into digital format, making them more accessible and better preserving them for the future. As a result of this priority, all of Smyth Countys deeds, surveys/plats, and marriage licenses, the oldest of which date back to the countys founding in 1832, are now preserved and accessible digitally. Charged to preserve some of the countys earliest records, Graham has obtained grants of more than $278,000 from the Library of Virginia to restore several historic books and collections of critical documents. Graham also pointed out that he has sought out professional development through the National Center for State Courts and the Virginia Court Clerks Association, and he is both a Certified Court Manager and a Master Circuit Court Clerk. As well, he said he has encouraged all of his full-time staff members to seek professional recognition and all eligible deputies are certified as Master Deputy Clerks. For a while, he said, his office was one of only two in the state that could boast that the clerk and all full-time staff had achieved Master credentials through the career development program. In his announcement, Graham also noted that he has long worked as an advocate for Smyth County, helping lead efforts that are making an impact in our community. Twenty years ago, he worked with other pastors in Chilhowie to start Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. Ten years ago, as part of the Smyth County Community Foundation, Graham helped develop the milestones that guided the capstone gift of $5.6 million to Emory & Henry College to start the School of Health Sciences. As the foundations chair in 2019, he helped lead the effort to establish the Saltville Wellness Center. Currently, Graham noted that he is working with other community leaders to start a residential treatment facility near the state hospital to be called the Appalachian Center for Hope, to bring hope and healing from the devastating effects of drug abuse in our area. All of these efforts and initiatives, he said, have been rooted in his goals of providing exceptional customer service and trying to make Smyth County an ever better place to live, visit, work, and raise a family, he said. If its good for our community as a whole, Im likely to be a cheerleader for it. Graham lives in Marion with his wife, Beth, and they have three daughters: Abby, Anna, and Ava Kate. For more information about Grahams campaign, individuals may visit www.grahamforclerk.com. Graham, a Democrat, is being challenged by Eric E. Stingy Davidson, a Republican. The race will be decided in the November general election. The files acquired by Syria TV reveal extensive Iranian economic plans in Syria. Syria TV has obtained exclusive documents from the Revolution Until Overthrow group, which has close ties to the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK). These documents shed light on the Iranian regimes influence over the Syrian regimes economic strategies and their concerted efforts to integrate them into a long-term strategic plan, despite various challenges. The files acquired by Syria TV reveal extensive Iranian economic plans in Syria, particularly in the oil, gas, and energy sectors. These plans include the construction of an Iranian refinery on the Mediterranean coast, utilizing Iranian oil exports to Syria via the port of Baniyas. One of the documents is a letter dated November 10, 2019, written by Hossein Shahriari, the CEO of Persian Oil and Gas Development Group, a subsidiary of Ghadeer, addressed to Dr. Bazargan, the former CEO of Ghadeer. This document outlines the findings of a mission group dispatched to Syria by Parsian Oil and Gas Company and SATA (the social security organization of the Iranian Armed Forces) to assess the security situation and investment conditions in the oil and gas industries. According to the document, Mahmoud Ibrahimzadeh, the former SATA chairman, accompanied a delegation of nine directors and experts from the Parsian Oil and Gas Group and SATA during their visit to Syria. The document reveals that the missions primary objective is to engage in meetings with officials from various ministries and businessmen in Syria, aiming to assess the business environment and explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation. Furthermore, the document confirms that the delegation successfully conducted meetings with key figures from the Syrian regimes ministries of oil, industry, economy, and water, as well as the governor of Damascus and two prominent businessmen. Additionally, the delegation visited two oil and gas refineries within Syria. In a comprehensive analysis of the overall situation in Syria, the document indicates that there is a gradual improvement in security stability, particularly in Damascus and other regions under the control of the regime government. Regarding the business environment, the document elaborates on the diverse needs within the fields of refinery, petrochemicals, energy, electricity, water industry, and housing. This highlights the substantial potential for business and investment opportunities in Syria. 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. Turkey will continue its path of reconciliation with Syria following Recep Tayyip Erdogan's victory, according to al-Watan. According to reliable sources in Moscow, it has been confirmed that the Quartet meeting is scheduled to take place in June in Moscow. The meeting will involve the deputy foreign ministers of Syria, Russia, Turkey, and Iran. These sources have informed Al-Watan that the meeting will be held on the sidelines of the upcoming Astana track meeting, which is planned for June 20 and 21. It has been revealed by the sources that Ayman Sousan, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, will represent the Syrian side in this meeting. This participation is in line with the resolutions of the previous quadripartite ministerial meeting held in a ministerial format. Kurhan Qaraqosh, the director of the Syrian issue at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, stated on Monday that this meeting is expected to play a crucial role in achieving a settlement in Syria, as reported by Al-Mayadeen TV. It is estimated that Turkey will continue its path of reconciliation with Syria following Recep Tayyip Erdogans victory and his new presidential term. In light of this, Sarkis Kassarjian, a Syrian journalist specializing in Turkish affairs, has suggested that the Syrian-Turkish rapprochement will persist and reach its completion. Major changes in this regard are unlikely in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, analyses indicate that Erdogan is facing a new political reality in the Middle East. According to the British Middle East Eye website, several sources have stated that Erdogans future foreign policies will be based on four key foundations. These include diversifying Turkeys allies, avoiding significant diplomatic crises, expediting reconciliation efforts with Syria, Egypt, and the Gulf states, and upholding the principle of independence. Additionally, the newspaper Al-Arab emphasized in an article that Erdogan is now confronted with a different regional landscape, where countries are extending their hands to Turkey for partnership. Neither Egypt, Saudi Arabia, nor the UAE align with Erdogans negative perceptions, and they are not willing to continue regarding Turkey as an enemy. A new political perspective has emerged in the region, prompting Erdogan to adjust his policies in pursuit of Turkeys interests during his upcoming five-year tenure. In light of various Arab and foreign analyses and estimates, it was reported two days ago that Erdogan made significant changes to his cabinet by appointing new defence and foreign ministers. These appointments replaced Mevlut Cavusoglu and Hulusi Akar, the latter known for his close ties with the United States of America. Regarding the connection between these ministerial changes and the Syrian-Turkish rapprochement, Turkish political analyst Aydin Cezer affirmed that Hakan Fidan, the Turkish intelligence chief who has been appointed as the Turkish Foreign Minister, holds significant influence in Turkeys relations with Russia and Syria. Fidan has been present in all of Erdogans meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials. It is worth noting that Fidan has been actively involved in leading the dialogue with Syrian intelligence for a considerable period and has overseen the management of the Syrian issue within the Turkish leadership, as reported by the Russian agency Novosti. 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. America intends on creating a new Free Syrian Army in Raqqa, according to Athr Press. Recently, there have been significant U.S. military movements in Syria, which analysts believe indicate that Washington is developing new strategies in the region. These movements involve the introduction of new weapons and the establishment of fresh military formations in various locations. Moscow has expressed its concerns regarding these actions, issuing four statements within a week to warn against the U.S. military movements. Prior to this, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a meeting of foreign ministers from Syria, Russia, Turkey, and Iran in Moscow on April 10th, highlighted the American intentions to create a Free Syrian Army in the Raqqa area. According to sources on the ground quoted by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, these U.S .actions aim to strengthen their control over certain areas and exert additional pressure to hinder any political progress without their consent. The targeted regions include oil sites in eastern Syria, Raqqa in the north, and even the southeastern al-Tanf region bordering Jordan and Iraq. The sources have taken note of a report published by the American newspaper Washington Post, which claims the existence of secret documents confirming an Iranian-Russian intention to launch attacks against U.S. forces in Syria. However, these sources believe that these reports are merely an American effort to provide justification for the movements of U.S. forces. According to the sources cited in Al-Akhbar, Washington is sensing a Russian-Turkish threat. They further state, This threat aims to obstruct any potential changes on the ground resulting from the Syrian-Turkish rapprochement, which includes the removal of U.S. forces from Syria as one of its primary objectives. Regarding the American strategy of developing factions with an Arab component, the sources point out that this approach is not new. Washington, recognizing the Turkish-Kurdish dispute as a source of ongoing tension in areas where its forces are present, has realized the need to engage with factions that have an Arab composition. This move provides the United States with greater cover, as the Kurdish forces may be insufficient to secure their areas of influence, and expanding the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) carries significant risks. While Washington continues to justify its military presence in Syria under the pretext of combating terrorist organizations, field sources quoted by the Lebanese newspaper suggest that the U.S. is persisting in conducting targeted airstrikes, which can be exploited in the media against individuals claiming affiliation with ISIS and al-Qaeda. Additionally, there are ongoing discussions about the dangers posed by these organizations and concerns about potential new attacks. 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. The Syrian Negotiation Commission reaffirmed its commitment to Resolution 2254 and expressed its willingness to resume direct negotiations with the regime. The Syrian Negotiation Commission has criticized Arab countries normalization with the Syrian regime and its reentry into the Arab League. They emphasized their unity and readiness to engage in negotiations with the regime based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254. During a press conference held by the head of the Negotiations Committee, Badr Jamous, the opposition stated that all factions within the committee gathered in Geneva to discuss strengthening the role of the opposition and regional and international developments regarding the Syrian issue. Meetings were held with UN envoy Geir Pedersen and envoys from various countries involved in Syria. Unified Opposition Jamous highlighted the unity of the Syrian opposition, stating that the discussions in Geneva focused on bolstering the oppositions role and addressing regional and international dynamics related to the Syrian conflict. He confirmed that he and Pedersen discussed the quartet meeting on Syria, held in Moscow on May 10, involving the foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the Syrian regime. They also addressed the aftermath of the earthquake that affected Syria and Turkey in February. Jamous reiterated the negotiation bodys commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 2254 as the framework for a political solution in Syria. The components of the commission released a joint statement affirming this commitment following the meeting. No Solution through Normalization The opposition is prepared for dynamic negotiations in line with Resolution 2254. We are unified, and any hindrance to the political process lies with the regime itself, Jamous stated. He criticized the Arab steps toward normalizing relations with the Syrian regime, emphasizing that such measures would not lead to a political solution. He stressed that the return of Syrian refugees could only be achieved through a political resolution within the country. Arab League Return and Envoys Meetings The Arab League recently made the decision to reinstate the Syrian regimes membership, which had been suspended since 2011. Syrian delegations, including President Bashar al-Assad, participated in the Arab summit held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 19, following an invitation from Riyadh. During the meetings, the Syrian Negotiation Commission reaffirmed its commitment to Resolution 2254 and expressed its willingness to resume direct negotiations with the regime beyond the Constitutional Committee meetings in Geneva, which have been suspended for nearly a year. The commission also met with envoys from several countries involved in Syria to discuss matters of concern to the Syrian people, the political processs suspension, and regional and international initiatives. The commission urged international representatives to prioritize achieving a political transition and implementing Resolution 2254. They emphasized their commitment to negotiating in Geneva under the United Nations umbrella and called for positive engagement with initiatives aiming to fulfill international resolutions, including Arab initiatives and the Quartet. The commission expressed readiness to implement the political process in accordance with international resolutions while emphasizing that the regime bears sole responsibility for obstructing political solutions. The commissions ultimate goal is the safe return of refugees, counterterrorism efforts, and combating drugs, all within the framework of international resolutions. 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. BenQ has launched its new product: ideacam a combination of webcam and document camera designed to cater to the needs of creative professionals who require high-quality video conferencing and presentation solutions. Specialised webcams that offer multiple shooting modes and exceptional video quality are required to unlock creativity, even in a WFH setup. While anyone can understand the value of a good desktop webcam for virtual meetings, creative professionals need a unique desktop webcam designed with their needs in mind. Professional creators and makers must show off their talents in ways that static webcams are not intended to do. Luckily the BenQ ideacam is now available and has many special features that allow users to showcase their creativity with this simple yet powerful dual-mode desktop webcam. The ideacam series includes two models ideacam S1 Pro and ideacam S1 Plus each designed to offer superior performance and flexibility in a single device. Mr. Rajeev Singh, Managing Director of BenQ South Asia, said, The ideacam series is the perfect solution for professionals who require high-quality video conferencing and presentation solutions. The ideacam S1 Pro and S1 Plus are designed to provide the best image quality, performance, and flexibility, making them ideal for remote work, distance learning, and object shooting. The BenQ ideacam supercharges creativity with four shooting modes, i.e. Portrait, Desk view, Hand Held, and Macro. Portrait mode is the traditional webcam mode, while Desk view mode easily captures the desktop to display objects or documents. The ideacam is designed with an intelligent auto flip for desk view mode, which auto-corrects after flipping, rotating and auto-focusing the image, allowing for an easy transition between Portrait and Desk view modes. Switch to Hand Held mode to get extreme closeups or unique camera angles that a static webcam cannot and capture stunning details by putting on the magnetic Macro lens. The BenQ ideacam, with an 8MP Sony sensor and a 3264x2488p maximum resolution, is a high-end dual-mode webcam with incredible image quality. Ideacam delivers near 4K clarity, almost four times sharper than 1080P; at the purpose-built 4:3 aspect ratio designed for optimal desktop and object shooting. With a 15X Macro lens, extreme close-ups can show incredible detail on any surface or material. An integrated Ring Light effortlessly illuminates dark surfaces and highlights features. With the help of ideacam, professional designers can easily do object-shooting and document display. Combining all these features with an integrated noise-cancelling microphone, the ideacam has everything professional creators need. Another essential feature is the exclusive BenQ Enspire software, created to help users get the most out of the ideacam. It is a visual presentation and communication tool, empowering the user to easily display documents, objects, and images. Creators can use features like image freeze, zoom, live annotation, and measurement display, bringing objects and documents to life. By sharing the screen/ window, EnSpire is a fantastic complement to other online communication tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Additionally, EnSpire Control Puck, a dedicated remote control which comes with the ideacam S1 Pro makes using various features, like resizing, refocusing, and muting, simple and easy for professional creators. Designed specifically to work with the EnSpire software, this easy-to-use device will take you to the next level. No need to worry about complicated interfaces; the Control Puck works with BenQ EnSpire to bring intuitive control for both presentations and communications. The new BenQ Ideacam S1 Pro retails at INR 19,990, while the Ideacam S1 Plus is at INR 17,990. 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: Manufacturing Technology Norwegian Catapult test center (MTNC) From just one screen, SINTEF engineers are now able to run trials using a digital twin of a real production facility. They will soon be able to see whether planned changes have the desired effect. It sounds like science fiction. But at SINTEF, science fiction is becoming reality. In the video below, the first thing you see is a robot moving through the institute's advanced physical production cell. The cell is a kind of "lab factory" that enables automation of anything from the assembly of vehicle parts to the connection of pipe and electronic components. Then there appears a virtual version of the same robot repeating the same operation in a virtual copy of the same laboratory. The images on the screen make up the visualization component of the recently developed "digital twin" technology. It will eventually be possible, from just one screen, to use trial and error to achieve an efficient production facility before the real factory has even been built. This is the visualisation component of the recently developed 'digital twin' technology. It will be possible, from just one screen, to use trial and error to achieve an efficient production facility before the real factory has even been built. Revealing problems in advance "It is much cheaper to make errors on a screen than to have to manage them after a facility has been completed as a physical entity," explains researcher Torbjrn Langedahl Leirmo. The visualization system will make it possible to test planned production facility designs and process pathways before the real facilities are finally built. It will enable engineers to find out in advance, for example, whether planned robots will collide with physical obstacles. Or whether they will have to make inefficient and time-consuming additional maneuvers in order to avoid such collisions. When physical equipment is installed in the completed facilities, it can all be connected to the digital twin. The continuous extraction of information about what is taking place can be used to predict how the processes will develop over time. In this way, data from real production situations can be used to obtain new knowledge and insight into the processes. Packed with algorithms The images we see on screen make up just the "surface" of the digital twin of which they are a part. "Embedded in the system are algorithms that will put the real robots in positions to learn from both historical data and real-time information," says Langedahl Leirmo. "This will offer opportunities for cost savings, reduced energy consumption and lower levels of scrap production, which in turn will reduce our consumption of valuable materials," he says. The digital twin project is owned by the so-called Manufacturing Technology Norwegian Catapult test center (MTNC). As well as SINTEF Manufacturing, the companies Intek and Moicon have also made contributions to the project. 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: European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova addresses the plenary at the European Parliament in Brussels, Thursday, March 25, 2021. The European Union is pushing online platforms like Google and Meta to step up the fight against false information by adding labels to text, photos and other content generated by artificial intelligence, EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said Monday. Credit: Yves Herman, Pool via AP, File The European Union is pushing online platforms like Google and Meta to step up the fight against false information by adding labels to text, photos and other content generated by artificial intelligence, a top official said Monday. EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said the ability of a new generation of AI chatbots to create complex content and visuals in seconds raises "fresh challenges for the fight against disinformation." She said she asked Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and other tech companies that have signed up to the 27-nation bloc's voluntary agreement on combating disinformation to work to tackle the AI problem. Online platforms that have integrated generative AI into their services, such as Microsoft's Bing search engine and Google's Bard chatbot, should build safeguards to prevent "malicious actors" from generating disinformation, Jourova said at a briefing in Brussels. Companies offering services that have the potential to spread AI-generated disinformation should roll out technology to "recognize such content and clearly label this to users," she said. Google, Microsoft, Meta and TikTok did not respond immediately to requests for comment. Jourova said EU regulations are aimed at protecting free speech, but when it comes to AI, "I don't see any right for the machines to have the freedom of speech." The swift rise of generative AI technology, which has the capability to produce human-like text, images and video, has amazed many and alarmed others with its potential to transform many aspects of daily life. Europe has taken a lead role in the global movement to regulate artificial intelligence with its AI Act, but the legislation still needs final approval and won't take effect for several years. Officials in the EU, which also is bringing in a separate set of rules this year to safeguard people from harmful online content, are worried that they need to act faster to keep up with the rapid development of generative AI. Recent examples of debunked deepfakes include a realistic picture of Pope Francis in a white puffy jacket and an image of billowing black smoke next to a building accompanied with a claim that it showed an explosion near the Pentagon. In this April 17, 2007 file photo, exhibitors work on laptop computers in front of an illuminated sign of the Google logo at the industrial fair Hannover Messe in Hanover, Germany. The European Union is pushing online platforms like Google and Meta to step up the fight against false information by adding labels to text, photos and other content generated by artificial intelligence, EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said Monday. Credit: AP Photo/Jens Meyer, File Politicians have even enlisted AI to warn about its dangers. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen used OpenAI's ChatGPT to craft the opening of a speech to Parliament last week, saying it was written "with such conviction that few of us would believe that it was a robotand not a humanbehind it." European and U.S. officials said last week that they're drawing up a voluntary code of conduct for artificial intelligence that could be ready within weeks as a way to bridge the gap before the EU's AI rules take effect. Similar voluntary commitments in the bloc's disinformation code will become legal obligations by the end of August under the EU's Digital Services Act, which will force the biggest tech companies to better police their platforms to protect users from hate speech, disinformation and other harmful material. Jourova said, however, that those companies should start labeling AI-generated content immediately. Most digital giants are already signed up to the EU disinformation code, which requires companies to measure their work on combating false information and issue regular reports on their progress. Twitter dropped out last month in what appeared to be the latest move by Elon Musk to loosen restrictions at the social media company after he bought it last year. The exit drew a stern rebuke, with Jourova calling it a mistake. "Twitter has chosen the hard way. They chose confrontation," she said. "Make no mistake, by leaving the code, Twitter has attracted a lot of attention, and its actions and compliance with EU law will be scrutinized vigorously and urgently." Twitter will face a major test later this month when European Commissioner Thierry Breton heads to its San Francisco headquarters with a team to carry out a "stress test," meant to measure the platform's ability to comply with the Digital Services Act. Breton, who's in charge of digital policy, told reporters Monday that he also will visit other Silicon Valley tech companies including OpenAI, chipmaker Nvidia and Meta. 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Elizabeth City State University received three grants totaling $1.575 million dollars from the National Park Services Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) to restore two campus historical landmarks. The grants are from two HPF programs: the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and the African American Civil Rights (AACR) grant programs. The funding will support the universitys Rosenwald Practice School and Principals House. Two $750,000 grants will be used to rehabilitate ECSUs Rosenwald Practice School building and Principals House, both completed in 1922. Together, the buildings will house the future Northeastern North Carolina African American Research and Cultural Heritage Institute. These facilities will serve as educational and interpretive sites where students and community members will preserve, protect, and interpret the history of African American pursuits of education in the segregated South. A separate $75,000 award will be used to research, design, build, and install exhibits in the rehabilitated buildings. The new grant work will build on previous planning and design work completed with 2019 grants awarded by the National Park Service and the Institute of Museum of Library Services. ECSUs HBCU grant is part of the NPS HBCU program that awarded a total of $9.7 million for 14 projects in 10 states with funds appropriated by the U.S. Congress in fiscal year 2022 for use in the fund's HBCU grant program. The university also received two AACR grants with funding from the Historic Preservation Funds African American Civil Rights grant program that provided $21 million to 37 projects in 16 states. This program funds preservation projects and efforts of sites tied to the struggle of African Americans to gain equal rights. These awards are a testament to the essential role ECSU has played in the African American history of northeastern North Carolina. They will allow us to bring new life to two century old campus buildings and provide educational and cultural enrichment to our campus and community, said Dr. Melissa N. Stuckey, the awards principal investigator and assistant professor of History at ECSU. ECSU's rich history and legacy are the foundation of this institution. said Dr. Karrie G. Dixon, ECSU Chancellor. These notable grants from the National Park Service will provide Dr. Stuckey with the opportunity to continue her passionate work in restoring these historically significant buildings, ensuring our story of excellence is protected and shared with future generations. Stuckey is a noted national historian. Over the past five years, she has been awarded over $2.1 million dollars for her work to preserve and restore the Principals House and ECSUs Rosenwald School. Additionally, in October 2022, she led the historic marker unveiling honoring ECSU alumna and Womens Suffrage leader Annie E. Jones, by working with the National Collaborative for Womens History Sites and William G. Pomeroy Foundation on the historic marker that memorializes the U.S. womens suffrage movement. The process to apply for a mass gathering permit in Brazos County was recently updated this week by county commissioners, which will now allow the use of law enforcement drones to keep residents in regulation. During the Tuesday meeting, the court unanimously approved an amendment to the Mass Gathering Permit Application to better reflect current county procedures. The original application form was approved in July 2011 and county staff said they wanted to be in compliance. Bruce Erratt, the general counsel for Brazos County, said the use of drones is to get a good idea of what the actual population is of the mass gathering event. The change to the mass gathering application was to add some language about drone coverage and that was because our law enforcement agencies now have drone capacity to fly and they are perfectly legal to do that flying over the county road, he said. But there are potential issues if they cross over the fence line and are flying over somebodys property. We just added a provision that if you apply for a mass gathering permit you are granting permission for us to fly our drones. One reason drones are needed is determining how many people are at an event is a big deal, he said. The bigger your event, the more requirements we have and so it is really easy for someone to say, I am expecting 250 people because 300 people is the cutoff, he said. So if we can fly the drone out over the event, either manually or using software you can get a very good estimate of how many people are attending, so if we have somebody that is filing for an application for a smaller gathering but their numbers are way past what they projected into the bigger gathering, we will have evidence of that. Trey Oldham, a sergeant with the Brazos County Sherriffs Office, said even though law enforcement has had drones in their possession they havent been used until a policy was developed. Once our policy was put into place then we started moving forward with the actual program; in doing so, we have a total of seven drones at our agency, he said. Six of the seven are your standard everyday drone. We have one drone that has the capabilities to fly for longer periods of time, it can fly through rainy weather and it has better camera features. Oldham said they currently have three licensed drone pilots and eventually will have a total of 16. We dont fly over gatherings of people for safety reasons, but because of the camera features we can fly near these groups of people and monitor the number of people that are at a gathering, he said. We can monitor other things too like traffic flow and traffic congestion, and obviously we can monitor all of that simultaneously with a camera up in the air. Drones were used by the Bryan Fire Marshals Office during a large mass gathering in April, according to Erratt. Precinct 2 Commissioner Chuck Konderla said he was made aware of the event where a piece of property that is ag-assessed on Andert Road in Bryan near Wixon Oaks, that was holding commercial enterprise events on stage. It is America, you can do that, but you have to have a mass gathering permit and they did not apply for a mass gathering permit, he said. So like any other place in the county where you might have people that are going to have a mass gathering, you need a mass gathering permit. Erratt said that event is what triggered the change in application. Law enforcement [and the] sheriffs office came to us and said, Hey we were there, we were flying the drone, but we could only fly it over the county road. What can we do about that? he said. And we said well we can put in [the permit] that if you apply for an application to be doing this, you have to consent to overflight. The requirements of submitting and obtaining a mass gathering permit include: Be filed and received at least 45 days prior to the planned mass gathering. A nonrefundable permit fee of $300 must be paid at the time of filing of the application. A minimum fee of $250 for health inspection and a minimum fee of $250 for fire marshal inspection must also be paid at the time of filing of the application. A hearing will be held no later than (10) days prior to the event and the following representative will be available to attend if necessary. Under event financial and contractual obligations the applicant must provide: A certified copy of the agreement between the promoter and the property owner. List of the name and address of each performer and of their agent who has agreed to appear at the mass gathering including a description of the terms of the agreement. Financial statement reflecting the funds being supplied to finance the mass gathering and each person supplying the funds. Regarding health and sanitation compliance the applicant must: Describe the steps taken to ensure that minimum standards of health and sanitation will be maintained during the gathering. Describe the steps taken to ensure the physical health/safety of the persons attending. Describe the preparation taken to provide adequate medical and nursing care. Public Safety Compliance. Describe how attendance will be limited to the maximum number stated in the event description above. Describe the preparations you will take to provide traffic control. Describe the steps you will take to ensure that the mass gathering will be conducted in an orderly manner. Describe the preparations you will take to supervise minors who may attend the mass gathering. Identify the location on the grounds where the promoter or a representative will be available at all times during the event. Aldon Melton of Bryan saw his wish come true when he laid eyes on his new Avengers-themed backyard fort designed by him. I really like the Avengers for saving peoples lives and getting the bad guys, he said. Aldons fort was provided by Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to kids with chronic illnesses. Make-A-Wish, along with sponsors Miller LaPoint Construction and Powers Brown Architecture officially revealed his new fort during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday afternoon. Aldon, 7, was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia, or ALL, in September 2021. ALL is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow and mostly occurs in children, according to the American Cancer Society. Treatment often requires Aldon to stay close to home, so he wanted a space to play and enjoy the sunshine. As a result, he put all his creative efforts into designing an Avengers-themed backyard fort decorated with a slide, rope swing, a wall of posters of his favorite superheroes, a refrigerator for his snacks and most importantly, a wall to store his collection of Nerf toys. Weve been home with all his treatment not being able to be around people, [its] just kind of isolating, said Aldons mother, Amanda. It just has brought us a place for the boys to just be able to come out and hang out. [Its] their own little escape back here in the yard. After Aldon decided on a fort for his wish, Amanda said her son was heavily involved in the designing process. He plans to enjoy his new fort by competing in lots of Nerf gun battles with his brother. They asked him to draw some pictures of what he wanted, Amanda said. He loves to draw anyway, so he sat down and drew a couple pictures for them so they could get some ideas of what he had in mind. They took those and made blueprints of what they thought and so then they went over those with him, and got his OK on it again. Miller LaPoint and Powers Brown are part of Make-A-Wishs Builders of Hope committee which formed in 2022 to complete childrens wishes regarding backyard playsets, room makeovers and other requested improvements to wish kids homes. The committee comprises leading firms and individuals in the construction and design industry who partner with Make-A-Wish to assist in wish projects. Jay Miller is the co-owner of construction company Miller Lapoint with his business partner Mike Lapoint. Millers uncle, Tommy Austin, is the co-founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and participated in the first Make-A-Wish project in 1980. Because of his familys connection with the foundation and his past experience working with charities, Miller said he jumped at the opportunity to join the Builders of Hope Committee. Its rewarding, he said. Its a lot of extra work we have our regular jobs, we run a big construction company so we have to figure out how to carve out that time. But to tithe and bless this child and be rewarded, when people talk about filling up their cups, ours will overflow. Getting to work closely with Aldon has made this Millers favorite project he has ever worked on, he said. Aldon was with us every day and he was part of the building process, Miller said. We were able to teach him about math, and construction science, while he watched us build this for him. He was engaged and it was neat. Lauren Amber Prestenbach is one of the owners and partners of Powers Brown Architecture and began working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation a year ago. She said her work with the foundation has helped her use her career to help others. He [Aldon] had a vision and we just helped bring his vision to life, Prestenbach said. He sketched all of this up and told us what he wanted, the swing and then the slide. He even wanted the red Avengers and then the Nerf gun wall and so we had to figure out how to get it built with a budget obviously in mind too, and something that would last. As her first time working with Make-A-Wish, Prestenbach said this project has added an element of happiness to her normal work. Its not only brought joy to myself but also our team being able to help Aldon and his family and fulfill something that he was so passionate about, Prestenbach said. It was so exciting to see his little drawing that he did, he added a little sketch. Hopefully, hes going to be so excited. Individuals who want to refer a child with a chronic illness or are interested in getting involved with Make-A-Wish can visit wish.org. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Almaden Minerals (NYSE:AAU Get Rating) in a report released on Thursday. The brokerage issued a sell rating on the stock. Almaden Minerals Price Performance Shares of Almaden Minerals stock opened at $0.12 on Thursday. Almaden Minerals has a 12 month low of $0.11 and a 12 month high of $0.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 23.80 and a quick ratio of 23.80. Get Almaden Minerals alerts: Almaden Minerals (NYSE:AAU Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, March 24th. The company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter. About Almaden Minerals 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 Stories 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. Shares of Schindler Holding AG (OTCMKTS:SHLAF Get Rating) have been given an average recommendation of Hold by the nine research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $181.25. SHLAF has been the topic of several recent research reports. Bank of America cut Schindler from a buy rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Thursday, May 25th. Morgan Stanley lowered shares of Schindler from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating in a research report on Thursday, March 23rd. Finally, HSBC downgraded shares of Schindler from a hold rating to a reduce rating in a research report on Friday, March 3rd. Get Schindler alerts: Schindler Trading Down 0.2 % Shares of OTCMKTS:SHLAF opened at $209.00 on Monday. Schindler has a 12 month low of $150.96 and a 12 month high of $236.50. The firms 50-day moving average is $218.03 and its 200 day moving average is $211.49. Schindler Company Profile Schindler Holding AG engages in the design, manufacture, and installation of elevator and escalator systems. It also offers moving walks, transit management solutions, and related maintenance and repair services. The company was founded by Robert Schindler and Eduard Villiger in 1874 and is headquartered in Hergiswil, Switzerland. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Schindler Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schindler and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CF Industries (NYSE:CF Get Rating) had its target price trimmed by Barclays from $105.00 to $80.00 in a research report report published on Thursday morning, The Fly reports. Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on CF. StockNews.com assumed coverage on CF Industries in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on CF Industries from $115.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 3rd. Scotiabank raised shares of CF Industries from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating and set a $95.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, April 10th. Bank of America lifted their price target on CF Industries from $96.00 to $100.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, Credit Suisse Group decreased their price target on shares of CF Industries from $75.00 to $70.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $91.40. Get CF Industries alerts: CF Industries Price Performance NYSE:CF opened at $62.91 on Thursday. CF Industries has a one year low of $60.08 and a one year high of $119.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 3.97 and a current ratio of 4.46. The stock has a market cap of $12.26 billion, a PE ratio of 4.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.01. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $69.99 and a 200 day moving average price of $81.75. CF Industries Announces Dividend CF Industries ( NYSE:CF Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 1st. The basic materials company reported $2.85 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.63 by $0.22. CF Industries had a return on equity of 42.23% and a net margin of 29.26%. The business had revenue of $2.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.86 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.21 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 29.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that CF Industries will post 8.2 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 15th were given a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 12th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.54%. CF Industriess dividend payout ratio is presently 10.70%. Insider Activity In related news, VP Douglas C. Barnard sold 17,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.28, for a total value of $1,041,760.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 24,789 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,519,069.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, VP Douglas C. Barnard sold 17,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.28, for a total value of $1,041,760.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 24,789 shares in the company, valued at $1,519,069.92. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Bert A. Frost sold 15,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.99, for a total value of $914,850.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 47,539 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,899,403.61. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.42% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Blair William & Co. IL grew its stake in CF Industries by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 76,830 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $7,918,000 after acquiring an additional 634 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. acquired a new position in shares of CF Industries during the first quarter worth $245,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CF Industries in the 1st quarter worth $232,000. National Pension Service acquired a new position in CF Industries during the 1st quarter valued at about $27,765,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in CF Industries by 0.4% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 25,747,358 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $2,653,523,000 after acquiring an additional 94,482 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.94% of the companys stock. About CF Industries (Get Rating) CF Industries Holdings, Inc engages in the manufacture and distribution of nitrogen fertilizer. The firm owns and operates nitrogen plants and serves agricultural and industrial customers through its distribution system. It operates through following segments: Ammonia, Granular Urea, UAN, AN, and Other. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for CF Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CF Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Clarity Financial LLC cut its stake in Devon Energy Co. (NYSE:DVN Get Rating) by 96.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 4,499 shares of the energy companys stock after selling 119,201 shares during the period. Clarity Financial LLCs holdings in Devon Energy were worth $277,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Devon Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Tradewinds Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Devon Energy by 115.0% during the 4th quarter. Tradewinds Capital Management LLC now owns 430 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 230 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in Devon Energy during the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Romano Brothers AND Company bought a new stake in Devon Energy during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, American National Bank raised its stake in Devon Energy by 91.3% during the 4th quarter. American National Bank now owns 503 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.08% of the companys stock. Get Devon Energy alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have commented on DVN shares. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Devon Energy from $70.00 to $59.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 17th. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of Devon Energy from $80.00 to $52.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 14th. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Devon Energy in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. They issued a neutral rating and a $60.00 target price on the stock. Mizuho cut their target price on Devon Energy from $71.00 to $65.00 in a research report on Friday, May 19th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Devon Energy from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Devon Energy presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $69.53. Insider Activity Devon Energy Trading Down 0.2 % In related news, EVP Dennis C. Cameron sold 8,292 shares of Devon Energy stock in a transaction on Friday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.97, for a total value of $414,351.24. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 218,418 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,914,347.46. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Company insiders own 0.63% of the companys stock. Shares of Devon Energy stock traded down $0.09 on Monday, hitting $48.44. 4,198,184 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 9,332,988. Devon Energy Co. has a one year low of $44.03 and a one year high of $79.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The company has a fifty day moving average of $50.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of $56.73. The company has a market capitalization of $31.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.15 and a beta of 2.33. Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 8th. The energy company reported $1.46 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.07. Devon Energy had a net margin of 31.39% and a return on equity of 47.42%. The firm had revenue of $3.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.82 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.88 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Devon Energy Co. will post 6.28 earnings per share for the current year. Devon Energy Cuts Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 15th will be paid a $0.72 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $2.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.95%. Devon Energys dividend payout ratio is 8.72%. Devon Energy Profile (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. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DVN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Devon Energy Co. (NYSE:DVN Get Rating). 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. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. (NYSE:GHL Get Rating) in a report released on Friday. The firm issued a hold rating on the financial services providers stock. Several other analysts also recently weighed in on GHL. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from $9.50 to $8.50 and set a sell rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from an underperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, May 22nd. JMP Securities downgraded shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 23rd. Finally, TheStreet downgraded shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. from a c rating to a d+ rating in a research report on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have assigned a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $11.38. Get Greenhill & Co. Inc. alerts: Greenhill & Co., Inc. Trading Up 0.2 % Shares of NYSE:GHL opened at $14.53 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $266.19 million, a PE ratio of -21.37 and a beta of 1.15. The companys 50-day moving average price is $8.88 and its 200 day moving average price is $10.25. Greenhill & Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $5.64 and a fifty-two week high of $14.85. The company has a quick ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.09. Greenhill & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend Institutional Trading of Greenhill & Co., Inc. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 21st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, June 7th will be given a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 6th. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.75%. Greenhill & Co., Inc.s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -58.82%. Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky bought a new stake in shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter worth about $33,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. by 69.0% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,859 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 1,576 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC raised its holdings in shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. by 139.0% in the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 3,456 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 2,010 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new stake in shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. in the 1st quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, Trexquant Investment LP bought a new stake in shares of Greenhill & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $62,000. 74.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Greenhill & Co., Inc. (Get Rating) Greenhill & Co, Inc is an independent investment bank, which engages in the provision of financial and strategic advice. It specializes in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, financings, and capital raising. The company was founded by Robert F. Greenhill in 1996 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Greenhill & Co. Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Greenhill & Co. Inc. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Arms smuggling from Jordan: Lessons learned By Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser web posted June 5, 2023 Jordanian Member of Parliament Imad Adwan was arrested on April 23, 2023, at the Allenby Bridge while trying to smuggle some 200 weapons into the West Bank and perhaps beyond into Israel. He was quickly released after questioning and sent back to Jordan. The episode was pushed out of the headlines but deserves an in-depth look. The Israeli security investigation revealed that Al-Adwan carried out 12 separate smuggling attempts since early 2022, according to the Arab News. Presumably, answers to the questions raised by the affair are already in the hands of Adwan's interrogators in the Shin Bet and Jordanian intelligence, but the phenomenon creates concern. Adwan is not the only major smuggler. According to IDF figures, during 2020-2021, the smuggling of some 1,600 weapons from Jordan was interdicted, and in the first months of 2023, several hundred weapons were seized in other attempts. However, it is reasonable to assume that this may be the tip of the iceberg, and it is hoped that the overall percentage of foiling the trafficking (which has been paired with illegal drugs in some cases) is much better than the 10 percent success rate in blocking MP al-Adwan's criminal enterprise. Lethal Supply and Demand The Palestinians have a large demand for weapons, and Jordan has a large supply resulting in mutual motivation to engage in the trade. Israel and Jordan's efforts and counterterror activity have not deterred the smuggling. A nagging question is to whom are the caches of weapons from Jordan intended? Reasonable suspects are terrorist elements seeking to use quality weapons in terror attacks, and criminal organizations, for whom new weapons make their actions difficult to trace or prove their involvement in crimes. Guns intercepted by the IDF on the Jordan border in February 2022. (IDF) Beyond that, it is also possible even likely that some of the weapons are intended for Hamas and various elements in Fatah to build their capabilities to compete for control of the Palestinian Authority the day after Mahmoud Abbas. The entire Palestinian system is in suspense for that moment of truth, and it is conceivable that the acquisition and stockpiling of weapons have practical dimensions. Given that Adwan is allegedly a "problematic" member of parliament from a faction affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is the Palestinian sister, it is possible his intentions went beyond seeking to profit through criminal acts. Was he also exploiting his status and immunity to build Hamas' power ahead of the decisive junction? Israel's Arab residents also seek weapons to combat criminal gangs and clan wars. Murders within the Arab population in Israel are increasing at an alarming rate. The shootouts and disorder may serve the purposes of external adversaries to destabilize life in Israel. Assessing Lessons Learned Some important lessons emerge from the affair: First, the assumption that the Jordanian government is vigilant over what happens in the field of smuggling in Jordan and its projections on Israel's security and the security of the Palestinian Authority is doubtful. [Jordan is also fighting a plague of opiate drug smuggling from Syria.] The hypothesis that had the Jordanians known about the smuggling they would have stopped it remains in question. Jordan's ability appears limited, possibly due to insufficient intelligence penetration into the illicit enterprise or because closing down smuggling is not a priority since it does not directly threaten the regime. It is also possible that the Jordanians do not want to be portrayed at home as Israel's defenders, and when they have relevant information, they prefer to pass it to Israel to carry out preventive measures. Any lacuna in intelligence gathering is worrisome. Considering the hostile atmosphere to Israel that characterizes the Jordanian street today and concerns over Iranian entreaties to Sunni regimes, an inability to obtain information is problematic. Moreover, it could project on the stability of the regime itself, which is already confronting growing domestic challenges. A second lesson from the Adwan affair relates to Israel's security on its eastern border. The claim that Israel's security no longer requires military and intelligence control over Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, including a military presence in vital areas and control of the crossings and the Jordan Valley "in its broadest sense" (as Rabin said in the Knesset in October 1995) is proven erroneous. This claim was the basis of the security component of President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry's peace proposals (i.e., General Allen's security plan). The lessons of the smuggling and the security threats from Palestinian enclaves prove Israel's well-considered rejection of the U.S. notions. What should be done about the arms smuggling? First, Israel must process the lessons, increase its capacity to deal with the phenomenon, and thwart it on its own. This should be done through increased intelligence and operational efforts and by strengthening deterrence with harsher punishments. Unfortunately, the quick release of the Jordanian parliamentarian, notwithstanding serious political considerations, did not contribute to this context. Second, Israel needs to increase cooperation with Jordan against the scourge of smuggling and demand that Jordan increase its efforts, which are also necessary to strengthen its own security. Ostensibly, the PA and its security forces are possible interlocutors on the issue, but in practice, the chances that they will earnestly work to thwart arms smuggling are meager. Finally, the efforts must be intensified to damage the terrorist infrastructure in the PA territories and confiscate the weapons in the possession of terrorist operatives there. Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser is Director of the Project on Regional Middle East Developments at the Jerusalem Center. He was formerly Director General of the Israel Ministry of Strategic Affairs and head of the Research Division of IDF Military Intelligence. Home Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS Get Rating) by 127.0% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 34,488 shares of the transportation companys stock after acquiring an additional 19,297 shares during the quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLCs holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $5,995,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Tsfg LLC increased its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 49.8% during the 4th quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 665 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 221 shares during the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new stake in United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter worth about $39,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 15,176 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,638,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Zhang Financial LLC increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 7.6% in the 4th quarter. Zhang Financial LLC now owns 2,202 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $383,000 after acquiring an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CENTRAL TRUST Co increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 21.2% in the 4th quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 11,646 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,025,000 after acquiring an additional 2,041 shares during the last quarter. 58.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get United Parcel Service alerts: United Parcel Service Trading Down 0.8 % Shares of United Parcel Service stock traded down $1.41 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $168.73. 570,768 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,144,737. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a current ratio of 1.34. The company has a market cap of $144.92 billion, a PE ratio of 13.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.09. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $180.49 and a 200-day moving average of $181.28. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 12 month low of $154.87 and a 12 month high of $209.39. United Parcel Service Dividend Announcement United Parcel Service ( NYSE:UPS Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 25th. The transportation company reported $2.20 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.19 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $22.93 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.98 billion. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 57.68% and a net margin of 10.90%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.05 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 10.78 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 15th were issued a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 12th. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.84%. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 52.43%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Raymond James decreased their price objective on United Parcel Service from $207.00 to $205.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 26th. Barclays reduced their target price on United Parcel Service from $180.00 to $172.00 in a report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on United Parcel Service from $185.00 to $180.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 26th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on United Parcel Service in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. Finally, Melius assumed coverage on United Parcel Service in a report on Monday, March 27th. They set an overweight rating and a $225.00 target price for the company. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, United Parcel Service has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $193.27. United Parcel Service Profile (Get Rating) United Parcel Service, Inc is a package delivery company, which engages in the provision of global supply chain management solutions. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain Solutions. The U.S. Domestic Package segment includes time-definite delivery of letters, documents, and packages. See Also 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. Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE:MOV Get Rating) declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, May 25th, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, June 7th will be given a dividend of 0.35 per share on Wednesday, June 21st. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.23%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 6th. Movado Group has raised its dividend by an average of 20.5% per year over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 1 consecutive years. Movado Group has a dividend payout ratio of 36.6% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Get Movado Group alerts: Movado Group Stock Up 6.4 % Movado Group stock opened at $26.75 on Monday. Movado Group has a twelve month low of $24.25 and a twelve month high of $37.31. The company has a market capitalization of $592.25 million, a P/E ratio of 7.17 and a beta of 1.20. The stocks 50 day moving average is $26.15 and its 200 day moving average is $30.80. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Movado Group ( NYSE:MOV Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, March 23rd. The company reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter. Movado Group had a return on equity of 17.83% and a net margin of 11.61%. The firm had revenue of $194.27 million for the quarter. As a group, equities analysts expect that Movado Group will post 2.8 EPS for the current year. A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of MOV. US Bancorp DE boosted its holdings in shares of Movado Group by 5.9% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 8,157 shares of the companys stock valued at $318,000 after acquiring an additional 453 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can bought a new stake in Movado Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $201,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Movado Group by 47.6% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 9,762 shares of the companys stock valued at $381,000 after buying an additional 3,146 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its stake in Movado Group by 13.2% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 14,119 shares of the companys stock valued at $551,000 after buying an additional 1,644 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LSV Asset Management boosted its stake in shares of Movado Group by 233.5% in the 1st quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 94,244 shares of the companys stock worth $3,680,000 after buying an additional 65,983 shares during the last quarter. 67.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Analysts Set New Price Targets MOV has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Movado Group from $38.00 to $32.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 24th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Movado Group in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating for the company. About Movado Group (Get Rating) Movado Group, Inc engages in the design, manufacture, and distribution of watches. It operates through the Watch and Accessory Brands, and Company Stores segments. The Watch and Accessory Brands segment includes the distribution of watches and, to a lesser extent, jewelry and other accessories, of owned and licensed brands, in addition to revenue generated from after-sales service activities and shipping. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Movado Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Movado Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:NBY Get Rating) in a report published on Friday. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 5.5 % NBY stock opened at $0.60 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.64 million, a P/E ratio of -0.06 and a beta of 2.76. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals has a 12 month low of $0.48 and a 12 month high of $12.64. Get NovaBay Pharmaceuticals alerts: NovaBay Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:NBY Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 30th. The company reported ($4.33) earnings per share for the quarter. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 116.85% and a negative net margin of 89.72%. The company had revenue of $3.64 million for the quarter. On average, equities research analysts forecast that NovaBay Pharmaceuticals will post -1.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Company Profile NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc engages in the development and sales of scientifically-created and clinically-proven eyecare and skincare. Its products include Avenova, NeutroPhase, CelleRx, and DERMAdoctor. The company was founded on January 19, 2000 and is headquartered in Emeryville, CA. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pennon Group (LON:PNN Get Rating) had its price target trimmed by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from GBX 840 ($10.38) to GBX 780 ($9.64) in a report published on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports. The firm currently has a hold rating on the stock. Several other research analysts have also commented on PNN. Royal Bank of Canada lowered shares of Pennon Group to a sector perform rating and set a GBX 975 ($12.05) price objective for the company. in a report on Monday, February 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an overweight rating and issued a GBX 1,200 ($14.83) price target on shares of Pennon Group in a research note on Wednesday, May 24th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a GBX 900 ($11.12) price objective on shares of Pennon Group in a research report on Monday, March 20th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Pennon Group has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 1,052.50 ($13.01). Get Pennon Group alerts: Pennon Group Trading Down 2.3 % Shares of Pennon Group stock traded down GBX 18.38 ($0.23) during trading on Friday, reaching GBX 764.63 ($9.45). 516,210 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 793,093. The company has a quick ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 1.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 263.07. The firm has a market cap of 2.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4,261.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 8.24 and a beta of 0.31. Pennon Group has a 1 year low of GBX 735 ($9.08) and a 1 year high of GBX 1,076 ($13.30). The stocks fifty day moving average is GBX 845.68 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 883.92. Pennon Group Increases Dividend Pennon Group Company Profile The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 20th will be given a dividend of GBX 29.77 ($0.37) per share. This represents a yield of 3.85%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 20th. This is a positive change from Pennon Groups previous dividend of $12.96. Pennon Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 22,222.22%. (Get Rating) Pennon Group Plc provides clean water and wastewater services in the United Kingdom. It provides water and wastewater services for customers in Cornwall, Devon, and parts of Dorset and Somerset; water-only services in the areas of Dorset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire; and water and wastewater retail services to non-household customers in Great Britain. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pennon Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pennon Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Premier Asset Management LLC lowered its position in Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT Get Rating) by 13.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,670 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 249 shares during the quarter. Lockheed Martin comprises 1.0% of Premier Asset Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest holding. Premier Asset Management LLCs holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $812,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LMT. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 22,885,865 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $8,840,580,000 after purchasing an additional 289,110 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 5.3% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,256,069 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $2,320,030,000 after purchasing an additional 264,665 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 4,387,684 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $2,132,545,000 after purchasing an additional 11,855 shares during the period. California Public Employees Retirement System boosted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 1,148,736 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $443,745,000 after purchasing an additional 25,283 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 1.1% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 988,725 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $381,934,000 after purchasing an additional 10,587 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.18% of the companys stock. Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Lockheed Martin Trading Up 0.2 % Shares of Lockheed Martin stock traded up $1.01 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $455.50. 287,331 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,309,575. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.61, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.30. The company has a market cap of $115.36 billion, a PE ratio of 20.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.67. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $467.60 and a 200-day moving average of $471.62. Lockheed Martin Co. has a 12 month low of $373.67 and a 12 month high of $508.10. Lockheed Martin Announces Dividend Lockheed Martin ( NYSE:LMT Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 18th. The aerospace company reported $6.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.08 by $0.35. The business had revenue of $15.13 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.01 billion. Lockheed Martin had a return on equity of 67.75% and a net margin of 8.60%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $6.44 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 26.76 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 1st will be issued a $3.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 31st. This represents a $12.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.63%. Lockheed Martins dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 54.84%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Lockheed Martin news, EVP Stephanie C. Hill sold 2,391 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $490.84, for a total value of $1,173,598.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 12,604 shares in the company, valued at $6,186,547.36. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Lockheed Martin news, Director John Donovan acquired 506 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 19th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $495.17 per share, with a total value of $250,556.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,830 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,401,331.10. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Stephanie C. Hill sold 2,391 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $490.84, for a total value of $1,173,598.44. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,604 shares in the company, valued at $6,186,547.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.17% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have recently commented on LMT shares. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $478.00 to $496.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, April 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $480.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. Credit Suisse Group boosted their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $510.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, April 19th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Lockheed Martin in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered Lockheed Martin from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $513.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, April 12th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Lockheed Martin currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $494.79. 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. Recommended Stories 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. BANCO DO BRASIL/S (OTCMKTS:BDORY Get Rating) and Sturgis Bancorp (OTCMKTS:STBI Get Rating) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, risk, dividends, profitability and analyst recommendations. Dividends BANCO DO BRASIL/S pays an annual dividend of $0.29 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.2%. Sturgis Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $0.68 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.5%. Sturgis Bancorp pays out 20.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Get BANCO DO BRASIL/S alerts: Insider & Institutional Ownership 0.0% of BANCO DO BRASIL/S shares are owned by institutional investors. 16.0% of Sturgis Bancorp shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Analyst Recommendations Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score BANCO DO BRASIL/S 0 0 1 0 3.00 Sturgis Bancorp 0 0 0 0 N/A This is a summary of current ratings for BANCO DO BRASIL/S and Sturgis Bancorp, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Profitability This table compares BANCO DO BRASIL/S and Sturgis Bancorps net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets BANCO DO BRASIL/S 12.93% 18.08% 1.36% Sturgis Bancorp 17.80% N/A N/A Volatility & Risk BANCO DO BRASIL/S has a beta of 0.64, meaning that its share price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sturgis Bancorp has a beta of 0.44, meaning that its share price is 56% less volatile than the S&P 500. Valuation and Earnings This table compares BANCO DO BRASIL/S and Sturgis Bancorps revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio BANCO DO BRASIL/S $24.14 billion 1.07 $3.65 billion N/A N/A Sturgis Bancorp $35.96 million 1.17 $6.62 million $3.25 6.02 BANCO DO BRASIL/S has higher revenue and earnings than Sturgis Bancorp. Summary BANCO DO BRASIL/S beats Sturgis Bancorp on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks. About BANCO DO BRASIL/S (Get Rating) Banco do Brasil S.A. provides banking products and services for individuals, companies, and public sectors in Brazil and internationally. The company's Banking segment offers various products and services, including deposits, loans, and services to retail, wholesale, and public sector markets, as well as to micro-entrepreneurs and the low income population. Its Investments segment engages in the intermediation and distribution of debts in the primary and secondary markets; equity investment activities; and rendering of financial services. The company's Fund Management segment is involved in the purchase, sale, and custody of securities, as well as the management of portfolios, and investment funds and clubs. Its Insurance, Pension and Capitalization segment provides life, property, and automobile insurance products, as well as private pension and capitalization plans. The company's Payment Methods segment is involved in the funding, transmission, processing, and settlement of transactions through electronic means. Its Other segment engages in the provision of credit recovery and consortium administration services; development, manufacturing, leasing, and integration of digital electronic systems and equipment, peripherals, programs, inputs, and computing supplies; intermediation of air tickets; and lodging and organization of events. Banco do Brasil S.A. was founded in 1808 and is headquartered in Brasalia, Brazil. About Sturgis Bancorp (Get Rating) Sturgis Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company of Sturgis Bank & Trust Company, which engages in accepting deposits from the general public and making single family mortgage loans, as well as consumer and commercial loans. It operates through the following portfolio segments: Commercial, Commercial Real Estate and Commercial Construction, Consumer, Residential and Residential Construction, and Home Equity. The Commercial segment includes loans to businesses that are sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations. The Commercial Real Estate and Commercial Construction segment refers to the loans to individuals or businesses that are secured by improved and unimproved vacant land, farmland, commercial real property, multifamily residential properties, and all other conforming, non-residential properties. The Consumer segment consists of term loans or lines of credit for the purchase of consumer goods, vehicles or home improvement. The Residential and Residential Construction segment provides loans to purchase or refinance single family residences. The Home Equity segment includes loans to purchase consumer goods or home improvements. The company was Receive News & Ratings for BANCO DO BRASIL/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BANCO DO BRASIL/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Rogers Communications Inc. (TSE:RCI.B Get Rating) (NYSE:RCI) has received a consensus rating of Buy from the ten ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, two have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$75.68. Several research analysts recently weighed in on RCI.B shares. TD Securities boosted their target price on Rogers Communications from C$80.00 to C$83.00 and gave the stock an action list buy rating in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. CIBC upped their price objective on shares of Rogers Communications from C$75.00 to C$76.00 in a report on Thursday, April 27th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Rogers Communications from C$68.00 to C$70.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 27th. National Bankshares dropped their target price on shares of Rogers Communications from C$78.00 to C$76.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Rogers Communications from C$74.00 to C$90.00 in a report on Monday, April 10th. Get Rogers Communications alerts: Rogers Communications Trading Down 0.5 % RCI.B opened at C$59.61 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.91, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 364.52. The firm has a market cap of C$24.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.84, a PEG ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 0.39. Rogers Communications has a 12 month low of C$50.53 and a 12 month high of C$67.67. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of C$64.60 and a 200-day moving average price of C$63.64. Rogers Communications Company Profile Rogers Communications Inc operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communication services to individual consumers, businesses, governments, and other telecommunications service providers; postpaid and prepaid wireless services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands; and wireless devices, services, and applications to consumers and businesses. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Rogers Communications Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rogers Communications and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE:SPR Get Rating) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note published on Friday morning. A number of other equities analysts have also commented on SPR. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Spirit AeroSystems from $50.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 9th. Bank of America lowered their price target on shares of Spirit AeroSystems from $26.00 to $25.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 30th. Susquehanna lowered their price target on shares of Spirit AeroSystems from $44.00 to $37.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 4th. Benchmark upgraded shares of Spirit AeroSystems from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $45.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of Spirit AeroSystems from $36.00 to $32.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 4th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $35.71. Get Spirit AeroSystems alerts: Spirit AeroSystems Price Performance Shares of SPR opened at $28.47 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.00 billion, a PE ratio of -3.85 and a beta of 1.64. The companys 50-day moving average is $29.06 and its 200-day moving average is $30.56. Spirit AeroSystems has a fifty-two week low of $21.14 and a fifty-two week high of $38.55. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Spirit AeroSystems Spirit AeroSystems ( NYSE:SPR Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 3rd. The aerospace company reported ($1.69) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.31) by ($1.38). The company had revenue of $1.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.52 billion. Spirit AeroSystems had a negative net margin of 14.64% and a negative return on equity of 365.67%. Spirit AeroSystemss revenue for the quarter was up 21.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.03 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Spirit AeroSystems will post -1.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SPR. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Spirit AeroSystems by 54.7% in the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 79,426 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,741,000 after purchasing an additional 28,097 shares during the period. Fox Run Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in shares of Spirit AeroSystems in the 4th quarter worth approximately $218,000. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its position in shares of Spirit AeroSystems by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 44,722 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $980,000 after purchasing an additional 580 shares during the period. Macquarie Group Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Spirit AeroSystems by 30.5% in the 3rd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 63,505 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,411,000 after purchasing an additional 14,829 shares during the period. Finally, HRT Financial LP acquired a new position in shares of Spirit AeroSystems in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,873,000. 85.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Spirit AeroSystems Company Profile (Get Rating) Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc engages in the design and manufacture of aero structures for commercial and defense aircraft. It operates through the following segments: Commercial, Defense & Space, and Aftermarket. The Commercial segment designs and manufactures forward, mid, and rear fuselage sections which related to floor beams, nacelles, struts and pylons, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, flaps and slats and wing structures. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Spirit AeroSystems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Spirit AeroSystems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Ampco-Pittsburgh (NYSE:AP Get Rating) in a research note released on Thursday morning. The firm issued a buy rating on the industrial products companys stock. Ampco-Pittsburgh Stock Up 2.9 % AP stock opened at $3.17 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 1.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $2.90 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $2.88. The company has a market cap of $61.50 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.29 and a beta of 0.92. Ampco-Pittsburgh has a twelve month low of $2.14 and a twelve month high of $4.80. Get Ampco-Pittsburgh alerts: Ampco-Pittsburgh (NYSE:AP Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, March 20th. The industrial products company reported ($0.02) earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $93.53 million during the quarter. Ampco-Pittsburgh had a net margin of 0.36% and a return on equity of 1.50%. Insider Transactions at Ampco-Pittsburgh Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ampco-Pittsburgh In other news, Director Robert Demichiei purchased 18,182 shares of Ampco-Pittsburgh stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 23rd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $2.29 per share, for a total transaction of $41,636.78. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 40,001 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $91,602.29. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . In the last three months, insiders acquired 32,489 shares of company stock worth $76,694. 31.35% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Auto Owners Insurance Co bought a new stake in shares of Ampco-Pittsburgh during the 4th quarter worth $608,000. Rutabaga Capital Management LLC MA lifted its position in shares of Ampco-Pittsburgh by 18.7% during the 3rd quarter. Rutabaga Capital Management LLC MA now owns 1,144,269 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $4,211,000 after buying an additional 180,618 shares during the last quarter. Tejara Capital Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Ampco-Pittsburgh during the 4th quarter worth $114,000. Levin Capital Strategies L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Ampco-Pittsburgh during the 4th quarter worth $75,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Ampco-Pittsburgh during the 1st quarter worth $45,000. 45.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Ampco-Pittsburgh (Get Rating) Ampco-Pittsburgh Corp. is engaged in the manufacture and sale of custom designed engineering products. It operates through the Forged and Cast Engineered Products, and Air and Liquid Processing segments. The Forged and Cast Engineered Products segment produces forged hardened steel rolls, cast rolls and open-die forged products. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Ampco-Pittsburgh Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ampco-Pittsburgh and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (NYSE:SHO Get Rating)s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $10.43, but opened at $10.10. Sunstone Hotel Investors shares last traded at $10.35, with a volume of 166,399 shares. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have weighed in on SHO shares. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Sunstone Hotel Investors from $10.00 to $9.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 7th. Compass Point cut Sunstone Hotel Investors from a neutral rating to a sell rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $12.00 to $9.00 in a research report on Wednesday, March 22nd. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Sunstone Hotel Investors in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a sell rating for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Sunstone Hotel Investors from $11.50 to $9.50 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 30th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Sunstone Hotel Investors currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $10.56. Get Sunstone Hotel Investors alerts: Sunstone Hotel Investors Stock Performance The company has a market capitalization of $2.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.27. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $9.84 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $10.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 0.55. Sunstone Hotel Investors Dividend Announcement Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sunstone Hotel Investors The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 30th will be paid a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 29th. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.94%. Sunstone Hotel Investorss dividend payout ratio is currently 39.47%. A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC grew its position in Sunstone Hotel Investors by 2.9% during the 1st quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC now owns 589,201 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $5,821,000 after acquiring an additional 16,660 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in Sunstone Hotel Investors by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 2,686,876 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $26,547,000 after acquiring an additional 104,542 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in Sunstone Hotel Investors by 35.5% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,865,449 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $38,191,000 after acquiring an additional 1,012,987 shares during the last quarter. EWA LLC bought a new stake in Sunstone Hotel Investors during the 1st quarter worth approximately $107,000. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new position in Sunstone Hotel Investors during the 1st quarter worth $285,000. 99.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Sunstone Hotel Investors (Get Rating) Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc is a real estate investment trust, which engages in the acquisition, ownership, asset management, and renovation of hotels and resorts. Its portfolio consists of upper upscale hotels located in major convention, resort destination, and urban markets. The company was founded by Robert A. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Sunstone Hotel Investors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sunstone Hotel Investors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. C919 a sign of China's development and win-win international partnership 10:24, June 05, 2023 By Tom Fowdy ( China.org.cn A C919 large passenger aircraft, China's first self-developed trunk jetliner, takes off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in east China's Shanghai, May 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua] China's first domestically made commercial aircraft, the COMAC C919, completed its maiden flight from Shanghai to Beijing on May 28. The C919, dubbed as a rival to Boeing's 737, was heralded as a breakthrough achievement for the country and a symbol of China's own technological and economic development. Despite this, the aircraft came under attack from critics who highlighted that it still required Western-made components in its supply chain, attempting to pour cold water over China's achievements. However, it was soon pointed out that the supply chains of similar aviation manufacturers, including Boeing and Europe's Airbus, also had a vastly globalized portfolio of parts made around the world, with the former relying on 11,000 different suppliers. These critics miss the point. First of all, if iPhone components are made primarily in China, does that mean Apple is a Chinese company? The fact China has been able to create an indigenous commercial aircraft model and compete with Western giants is a demonstration of how far China has come, demonstrating its economic rise from "low-end" simple manufacturing into high-end manufacturing. The origin of certain COMAC C919 components does not mean that it is any less of an achievement. China is no longer merely assembling goods but making its own world-leading products. Secondly, the fact that the C919, like other aircraft manufacturers, has a globalized supply chain is a demonstration of what is described as "win-win" cooperation through global collaboration and shows what can be lost by the United States attempting to initiate policies to the contrary. Supply chains are very complex things that can span over many countries and create worldwide trading networks, integrating many fields of labor and technological niches, which often create a self-enforcing sense of "convenience" in order to bring down costs while increasing efficiency. On this note, the C919's success reminds us that supply chains are not only global but should be kept that way. For many European and American providers, its success demonstrates the growing opportunity of the Chinese market. Why in any case, would you want to politicize this or take it away? This reality also challenges the notion, repeatedly pushed by U.S. presidents beginning with Trump, that trade ought to be depicted as a "zero-sum" game. That is, the idea that some countries "win" at the "expense" of others. This has led to a misleading comprehension that trade with China comes at a "loss" to the United States, which has spurred aggressive and counterproductive policies such as tariffs. In doing so, the United States has also sought to forcibly "geo-politicize" global supply chains, seeking political dominance as a foremost priority, as opposed to market efficiency. In multiple industries, including semiconductors as well as solar panels, this has posed outcomes that are disastrous for American businesses. The U.S. is actively seeking to "roll back" globalization in favor of such politically orientated goals while similarly pushing little cliques such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEC) to do the same thing. None of it is economically beneficial. In this case, the COMAC C919 is a rare example of what Western and Chinese businesses can create together, which contributes to mutual economic development around the world. Although Western media outlets repeatedly emphasize a "rivalry" with U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing, the point for China is how it continues to grow and achieve more. The aircraft is seen as a monumental achievement in China's own journey of growth over the past few decades, which has seen it excel in many areas. The successful commercial maiden flight of the C919 marks a big step forward for China's aviation industry. The further development of China's homegrown airliners makes it possible for the country to become one of the suppliers of civil aircraft and related products and services to the world, which enables the country to engage in technological cooperation with other countries so as to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. Tom Fowdy is a British political and international relations analyst and a graduate of Durham and Oxford universities. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Biden's 'white supremacy' and 'assault weapons' dog whistles By Mark Alexander web posted June 5, 2023 Joe Biden is a consummate race hustler and the most reprehensible "lying dog-faced pony soldier" ever to dupe his way into the White House. In his recent 2023 commencement address at the distinguished historically black Howard University, his mastery of lies shined. It was a great platform for "President Unity" to roll out his retread "racism" and "white supremacy" rhetoric. How ironic that Howard gave this platform to the titular leader of the political party that is the historic architect of white supremacy and that continues to advance policies that keep millions of black and brown Americans enslaved by their poverty politics nationwide. And what a disgrace that Howard invited a serial prevaricator to preach his now-tiresome sermon of hate and division to warp the perspective of their graduates at what was otherwise a distinguished commencement. As for Biden's qualifications to stand before this esteemed student body, let's recall his own "academic record." He has falsely and repeatedly claimed he graduated "top half of my class" from law school, when he was actually near the bottom and cheated to get that ranking. He has also repeatedly claimed he has three undergraduate degrees from the University of Delaware, though that too has been debunked. But he gets a pass by the leadership at Howard. Biden declared to all present, "I thought, when I graduated, we could defeat hate. But it never goes away. It only hides under the rocks." Of course, Democrats bank on keeping the hate they created on life support to make sure "it never goes away," especially after a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that Biden's approval rating among black voters was at a mere 52%. Biden was blowing his "poison of white supremacy" dog whistle hard when he absurdly insisted, "The most dangerous terrorist threat to our homeland is white supremacy." Nate Jackson wrote of that colossal canard: "It's an utterly false and divisive charge coming from a pathological liar. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the crowd from applauding because for decades blacks have marched in lockstep with the Democrat Party and its divisive racial narrative. That's exactly what Joe 'You Ain't Black' Biden is counting on." Biden also repeated the lie that Donald Trump said Nazis in Charlottesville were "fine people." Yeah, this is the same guy whose first White House stint was as understudy to the corrupt Barack Obama, whom Biden infamously described as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Of his divisive hyperbole, The Wall Street Journal noted, "It was a low, dispiriting affair, one that aptly captured the low, dispiriting nature of his presidency: acerbic rhetoric from a partisan who demonizes opposition and divides Americans from one another; bottomless self-unawareness from a politician elected president almost accidentally in a moment of crisis, who continues to see himself as some sort of historical savior; cynical cant from a serial fabulist whose distortions are becoming as loathsome as the endless malign fictions of the predecessor he despises and whom he desperately needs as a foil." Of course, Biden could not get off the Howard soapbox without referencing "gun violence," claiming he wanted to resurrect "the most significant law on gun violence ... the most significant law in 30 years." He added, "I got the Assault Weapons Ban passed 30 years ago, and we're going to pass it again." The arrogance of that unchallenged assertion raises a serious question: Just how dumbed-down are the faculty at Howard and, by extension, their students? For the record, rifles and shotguns of any description combined are used in less than 3% of all homicides. In fact, a homicide victim is far more likely to be murdered by an assailant using a knife, blunt object, or fists than by a rifle or shotgun. And despite the rare high-profile mass murders that both the Democrats and their Leftmedia publicists constantly churn, more than 99.5% of murders in the U.S. are not from mass attacks thus aren't useful for their gun control narrative. So why is Biden's "assault weapons" dog whistle as loud as his "white supremacy" lies? What Biden would not dare say before his Howard audience is that on any day across our nation, the average victim count of black-on-black and black attacks on people of other races far exceeds the death totals of any high-profile mass murder this year. Biden and his Demos want to avoid any mention of the inconvenient truth about race and violence: A grossly disproportionate number of violent crimes nationwide are committed by black assailants, and black-on-black assault is the most prevalent violent crime in the nation. The suspect in 88% of murders of black people is also black. According to Manhattan Institute fellow and renowned crime researcher Heather Mac Donald: "Dozens of blacks are murdered every day, more than all white and Hispanic murder victims combined, even though blacks are only 13 percent of the nation's population. Blacks between the ages of ten and twenty-four are murdered at twenty-five times the rate of whites between those same ages. Their assailants are not the police, not other whites, but other blacks." When considering that the young black males who committed most of those crimes represent less than 3% of the population, that racial disparity is staggering. Furthermore, according to Pew Research, "In 2021, 46% of all gun deaths among children and teens involved Black victims, even though only 14% of the U.S. under-18 population that year was Black." Democrat politicos steadfastly avoid any discussion of this data because it would require studious consideration of the Democrat policies that have created these conditions. If Democrats actually believed that "black lives mattered," they would not propagate failed urban policies that proliferate black-on-black violence. If Biden and his ilk were really interested in public safety, they would, as I suggested earlier this month, ban alcohol. There were 26,031 homicides in the U.S. in 2021, the latest year of record. But more than 140,000 people five times the number of homicides died from alcohol-related causes in the same year. Drunk drivers are responsible for 28 deaths per day, and, notably, it is estimated that alcohol is also a key factor in at least 30% of homicides involving firearms. (Include drugs, and that number jumps to about 60%.) What a deep disservice by the academic cadre at Howard University to avoid these inconvenient truths and invite Joe Biden to launch graduates' careers on an insidious raft of lies. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code It was probably already a foregone conclusion, but the AMC Classic Grand Island 7 is officially history. Jeff Sokol, who was general manager of the Grand Island AMC, got a phone call from his superior on Tuesday telling him "that our corporate office has officially declared the AMC closed permanently." AMC's headquarters has been sending emails to members of Stubs, the company's loyalty program, telling them the theater is closed. The emails suggest that Stubs members visit the closest AMC theater to Grand Island, which is AMC Classic Westroads 14 in Omaha. Last month, Hall County Court Judge Alfred Corey ruled in favor of Woodsonia Real Estate, which owns the mall, in a civil action brought against AMC's owners. Corey ruled that the premises should be surrendered to Woodsonia and that AMC should pay court costs incurred by Woodsonia. AMC is still in the process of appealing the court decision, Sokol said. "I think they were holding out to see if they were able to get anything done." But the theater's demolition has begun, "so there's not really a theater per se for AMC to go back to without rebuilding from the ground up," Sokol said. AMC is based in Leawood, Kansas. Woodsonia plans to build a new movie theater as part of its construction of Conestoga Marketplace. That theater will probably be outfitted with luxury seats and other contemporary touches. In the meantime, Grand Island is left with just one movie theater -- the Grand Theatre downtown. That theater is currently showing "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." On Friday, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) issued a forecast of unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups on account of ozone levels in Illinois. When the IEPA deems the air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups (USG), that means that certain people may experience more health effects due to abnormally poor air quality. Whether the increased risk is due to medical conditions, exposure conditions, or innate susceptibility, USG may experience health effects when engaged in outdoor activities. The air quality in Illinois and parts of the Midwest fell under the USG range on Friday because the day was excessively warm, dry and sunny. Recent drought conditions and ozone formation decreased the air quality. Of the USG people affected by the formation of ozone, active children and adults, particularly those with heart and lung issues, were advised to limit their outdoor activities. Ozone is typically referred to in the phrase ozone layer, that is, the protective part of the atmosphere higher up which acts as a barrier for the Earth from the sun's harmful radiation. This is the good ozone. However, ozone also forms at the ground level where we breathe. Ozone that forms at a low altitude is a result of chemical reactions of oxides, nitrogen and volatile organic compounds interacting with the sun's radiation. Ground level ozone is not smog, which is ozone plus other gases and industrial dust. The IEPA regulates ground-level ozone, which is produced from vehicles and all sorts of industrial products, like power and chemical plants, refineries, and household chemical products such as paints and cleaning supplies. Ground level ozone pollution levels tend to be highest near urban centers, because of the increase in production and use of these ozone-forming chemicals. Still, ozone pollution is easily blown about into the rural areas like Southern Illinois. The harmful effects of ground ozone are real. During hot days, being outdoors and exposed to ozone can make it difficult to breathe. Coughing, shortness of breath, and a feeling of suffocation is common, and people who have these symptoms are advised to slow their activity outside or rest indoors if possible. Ozone has even been known to cause chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. Ozone can even choke plants, damage vegetation and ecosystems, and has been known to cause mass die-off in crops by stunting growth and causing widespread disease. "As part of the ozone standards review process, EPA publishes a detailed plan," the federal EPA.gov website explains. "The review plan describes all the scientific assessments and other documents that help EPA decide whether or not the current air quality standards for ozone are still protecting human health and the environment from harmful exposure. Based on this, EPA either changes the standards or keeps them the same." After issuing the ozone pollution air alert Friday, the IEPA provided practical tips to reduce emissions which cause ozone. Businesses and citizens were asked to reduce their air pollution by changing their commuting habits that day. Instead of riding solo, people were asked to take the bus or train, carpool, walk or bike. Also, reducing energy usage was advised, as well as not using gasoline-powered equipment when the AQI was so poor. Checking the local Air Quality Index can help prevent excess exposure to ground level ozone and help reduce chemical emissions which cause it. Check the local forecast at AirNow.gov, which has a lot of helpful resources and tools to keep citizens up to date on the latest science and resources to counteract the harmful health effects of ozone pollution. A 45-year-old Orangeburg man is accused of holding a 16-year-old girl at gunpoint and refusing to leave his home at deputies request. Tommie James Boyd Jr., of Morgan Drive, is facing the charges of kidnapping, first-degree assault and battery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and pointing and presenting a firearm at a person. He was taken into custody just before 3 a.m. Saturday following a 10-hour standoff with officers. This was an intense situation in that there was a hostage and a subject with a handgun, Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said. Im proud of my team for working a solution that brought everyone out unharmed. This could have gone badly so quickly and in so many ways, Ravenell said. But these men and women stayed on the line, isolated the incident, and brought home a positive solution. The incident began around 4:30 p.m. after Boyd allegedly reported that multiple people were actively breaking into his Morgan Drive home, according to a sheriffs office incident report. When deputies arrived, they heard someone screaming inside of the house. Two deputies went to the side entrance, preparing to conduct a safety sweep inside the home when the door swung open, the report states. Boyd allegedly had his arm around the neck of a 16-year-old girl while holding a black handgun to her head. Deputies claim Boyd screamed, If you come inside, Ill kill her! Boyd allegedly then retreated to the laundry room and continued to hold the girl at gunpoint. A standoff ensued, according to the incident report. The girl was able to get away. Deputies escorted her to a safe location. The sheriffs office SWAT team soon reported to the residence. After approximately 10 hours of unsuccessfully trying to get Boyd to leave the home on his own, law enforcement entered it to remove him, the report said. Five deputies and two S.C. Law Enforcement Division agents went inside and found Boyd in a bedroom closet, the report said. Boyd allegedly retreated to the bathroom that was connected to the closet. Deputies said they couldnt see Boyd at first because of smoke from a fire. They also claim Boyd sprayed a deputy with an unknown substance from a bottle in the bathroom. Boyd wouldnt come out or show his hands to deputies, the report states. Deputies say they believed he was armed with a deadly weapon. One deputy deployed a stun gun to Boyd. Get The Times and Democrat app today Local news has never been this personal. Free to download. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access. Another deputy was able to get Boyd to the floor so he could be taken into custody. Boyd has reportedly known the 16-year-old since she was much younger. During a Monday bond hearing, Boyd said, The sheriffs office did a number to my face and my body. Sheriffs Office Inv. Jared Kitrell noted that Boyd has prior convictions in South Carolina, North Carolina and Illinois. Orangeburg County Magistrate James Rickenbacker did not set bond, deferring the issue to a circuit judge at a later date. Rickenbacker described Boyd as being a flight risk and danger to the community. At the time of the incident, Boyd was out on bond on a Columbia charge of obtaining goods under false pretenses. If convicted, Boyd faces up to 30 years in prison. Ravenell thanked the public for its patience during the incident. It was Friday night and they wanted to get home. But the community understood we had a job to do, and they supported us in doing that job, Ravenell said. The sheriffs office thanked SLED for the use of their personnel and equipment, along with the Wolfton Fire Department, Orangeburg County EMS and Orangeburg Animal Control. Clemson University researchers are determining how to develop a higher-yielding, better-quality cotton by altering plant growth habit and form. Led by molecular biologist Sachin Rustgi, the researchers are looking at how regulating certain genes can transform cotton from a perennial plant to an annual plant, as well as genes that control the number of bracts, small leaf-like structures that protect the plants floral buds, or squares, against bollworms and other pests. Right now, cotton is planted and grown as an annual plant, but it is really a perennial plant, said Rustgi, a scientist in the Advanced Plant Technology Program at Clemsons Pee Dee Research and Education Center near Florence. If we can develop an annual variety for cotton, we believe South Carolina farmers will benefit by seeing a higher yielding cotton with higher quality fiber. The United States is the worlds leading cotton exporter, providing about 35% of global cotton exports in recent years. Figures from the United States Department of Agriculture show almost 18 million bales of cotton were produced in the United States in 2021. In addition to South Carolina, other major cotton-producing states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Kansas, and Virginia. Cotton takes from 130 to 160 days to grow. During this time, the plants go through several stages planting to emergence, emergence to first square (bud), square to flower, flower to open boll and harvest. The cotton plant growth habit and structure determine its productivity and influence management strategies for production, said Salman Naveed, a Clemson doctoral student working with Rustgi. The researchers are looking at how plants use environmental and hormonal cues to transition from vegetative growth to reproduction. Reproductive development begins 4-to-5 weeks after planting when squares form. During this stage, bracts surround the squares. Typical cotton plants include three bracts. A fourth bract can form on some cultivars under certain conditions. This extra bract is undesirable because it can provide openings and allow thrips and other pests access to the squares. During this study, researchers injected the tobacco rattle virus into cotton plants to fine-tune the balance between vegetative and reproductive growth. The virus was used to manipulate a cotton gene associated with bract development to help prevent a fourth bract from appearing. When injected into a cotton plant, the tobacco rattle virus knocks down the gene associated with the fourth bract and just three bracts are produced, Rustgi said. Compactly packed bracts make it more difficult for insects to attack the bolls. The tobacco rattle virus also was used to manipulate a cotton gene associated with plant growth. Perennial crops usually grow in environments that may have limitations such as short growing seasons or dry climates, or where plants ability to access resources may be limited. Perennial plants store reserves such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins to use for regrowth. In many plant species, this process produces root and shoot buds that can grow into new plants. This is called vegetative reproduction. Because of its growth habit, cotton continues to add vegetative growth at the same time as reproductive development, diverting the plants energy away from lint and seed production. The researchers believe an annual cotton variety will help cotton plants use more energy to produce higher-quality lint resulting in more profits for growers. The hope is for the results of this study to lead to breeding methods to develop annual-type cotton plants. Upland cotton cultivars used in this study are Coker 201, CABD3CABCH-1-89, ARKOT 8102, HOPI MOENCOPI, SPNXCHGLBH-1-94, CAHUGLBBCS-1-88, TAMCOT SP-23 and GSA 74. In addition to Naveed, other researchers collaborating with Rustgi on this project include Clemson graduate student Seyi Toyinbo and Clemson technicians Nitant Gandhi and Sarah Rawlins. Mike Jones, Clemson Extension cotton specialist, and Todd Campbell, USDA-Agricultural Research Service research geneticist, also are involved. The research is supported by the South Carolina Cotton Board and Cotton Incorporated. Despite heavy downpours and threats of floods, friends and supporters of SPOONYUSA filled to capacity the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn on May 20 in a special Tribute to Mothers. "The large crowd was a mixture of young and old, of women and men, who came to pay tribute to women everywhere, Stephen Scombo John president of SPOONYUSA, short for the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Progressive Organization, USA, the New York arm of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines told THE VINCENTIAN. "The evening was highlighted with gospel renditions by Mrs. Clementina Bailey and steelpan melodies by steelpannist Alyssa Seales, he added, stating that St. Vincent and the Grenadines Consul General to the United States, Rondy Luta McIntosh and his wife, Semone, were among special guests, who also included the Brooklyn-based groups Friends of Sion Hill; St. Josephs Convent, Kingstown, Alumni Association of New York; and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Police Association, U.S.A., Inc. Kenneth Williams, SPOONYUSAs acting general secretary, served as Master of Ceremonies, John said. Williamss immediate predecessor, Dennie Wilson, a former St. Vincent and the Grenadines United Nations Ambassador, died on Good Friday, Apr. 7, 2023, at 67, his wife Idica Wilson said. "SPOONYUSA stuck to its agenda of making the event a community affair, with focus solely on mothers everywhere, said John, who, in his terse remarks, defined mothers as "not only ladies who are biological mothers but ladies who would like to be mothers; ladies who would like to but have not yet become mothers; ladies who have accepted children who are not theirs; and other kind souls who have willingly played the role of mothers. He said SPOONYUSA presented to all mothers in attendance "a token gift. John noted that McIntosh was greeted with "a very loud applause, that he was "gracious in his remarks, and that he thanked SPOONYUSA for inviting him to the event, "thus confirming his pledge to be a representative for all Vincentians. McIntosh later told THE VINCENTIAN: "We could never celebrate mothers enough to justify their role in the family, society and humanity. "A mother should be celebrated every day, he said. "Cherish your mother and treat her like a queen. McIntosh confirmed that, when he entered the affair, he was greeted with "a rousing welcome. "My presence there was to reinforce and further commit to the promise I made at the beginning of my tenure that I am here to serve every Vincentian in the USA Diaspora, regardless of their race, creed or political affiliation, said McIntosh, who was appointed to the position last August, succeeding Howie Prince. "I was treated with utmost respect, and I appreciate the invitation and kind gestures from the SPOONY members. "Let me once again commend SPOONY for recognizing and celebrating mothers with their Mothers Day event on May 20, he added. "It was well put together, well executed, and I wish the organization all the very best. Minister Camillo Gonsalves (left) and Taiwans Ambassador to SVG H.E Peter Sha-Li LAN exchange pleasantries at the head table of the handing over ceremony. A handing-over ceremony of the latest batch of Asus Chromebooks, a donation from the Government of China (Taiwan) to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, took place at Cabinet Room on May 26. The 3,120 devices are earmarked to be handed out to about 1,300 fifth-formers, 1,000 first-form students and an unspecified number of students from the SVG Community College. Fifteen students from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College and a number of students from secondary schools across the country became the first batch of students to receive their Asus Chromebooks. Kelsey, a student from the SVG Community College Division of Technical and Vocational Education, declared, "In our second year, were going to be doing AutoCAD, ... designing houses online. So, I think this will help us a lot, so we can practice both at school and at home. Another student from the said institution was happy that the devices will allow them to complete their work faster and submit them earlier. A male student expressed, "I am very happy to be receiving this laptop, seeing I am enrolled in the accounting programme and in Year Two, we have a course called Computerised Accounting. So, while Im at home, I can practice different spreadsheets on Excel worksheets so that when I have exes and tests to do in school, Ill be better prepared and ready to do them. Camillo Gonsalves, Minister with responsibility for Information Technology, gave some features of the computers. "These computers have on-computer storage, they also come with 100gbs of storage with Google and very long battery life.... the Apps that you get in your Google Play Store, those Apps can run on this device as well, he shared, adding that each computer is internet ready (for connection), has two cameras, the entire Google suite of software, and integrates very well with the Google Classroom. The handing over of the devices to students is the latest segment of the One Laptop Per Child initiative initiated by the government several years ago. According to Education Minister, Hon. Curtis King, some devices will be used in administration. On the 175th anniversary of Marx and Engels Communist Manifesto (1848) (Part Four) By Mark Wegierski web posted June 5, 2023 Paul Edward Gottfried, a leading American paleoconservative theorist, has argued that the Communists in the Soviet Union and East-Central Europe, as well as Communist party members in Western Europe, were, to a large extent, socially-conservative. Indeed, the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) (as the Communist party was formally called in Poland) after 1956 had certain nationalist elements. It may be remembered that the quasi-"Trotskyite" opposition to the PZPR in the 1960s, characterized the PZPR as "too nationalist", "too traditionalist" and "too conservative" -- in fact, they openly called it "fascist." Indeed, it could be argued that the main thrust of the Mensheviks, Trotsky and his disciples, and such figures as Rosa Luxembourg has been to be more consistently anti-nationalist, anti-traditionalist, and anti-conservative than "mainline" Communism. Gottfried's central argument is that, as the Communist and former Communist Parties in Western and East-Central Europe mostly embraced capitalism, consumerism, multiculturalism, and anti-national high immigration policies, they objectively became less, not more "conservative". The East-Central European Communist Parties' embrace of capitalism also appears to have been characterized by the phenomenon of what is called "the empropertyment of the former nomenklatura" (in Polish: uwlaszczenie nomenklatury) which was mainly achieved through the sell-out of state industries to former Communist party insiders and foreign companies at ridiculously low prices. So, the former Communist party insiders have in many cases become fabulously wealthy, capitalist bosses. It had also been argued in the 1970s and 1980s that the Soviet and Eastern European Communist regimes -- with their "ruling Party caste" (nomenklatura) were ripe for a "true Communist revolution." Indeed, in many Western countries -- though probably to a lesser extent in Poland -- much of the rhetorical appeal of the Solidarity independent trade-union movement (which was said to be truly representing the Polish working class) was based on echoes of Marxist thought. However, what can be said of the situation today, when the economic "shock-therapy" which supposedly represents capitalism, has bitten hard, especially in Poland? The contrasts of wealth and poverty in Poland have arguably increased beyond anything seen during the People's Republic of Poland (PRL). It could be rhetorically asked, is now actually the time for a "true Communist revolution" in Poland? One of the most interesting interpreters of Marxism of Polish background -- who moved intellectually through various Marxist phases, but embraced elements of moderate conservatism towards the end of his life -- was Leszek Kolakowski. It could be argued that Marxism, like most ideological systems, conveys a partial truth. In the nineteenth century, who could in good conscience support the exploitation of decent working people by various luxuriously-living overlords? Serious and reflective traditionalist thought had always been opposed to the cruel impositions of various iniquities. The arising of the labor movement in the nineteenth century was precisely what was needed to counter the monstrous power of capital. In the minds of many Western liberals, Communism became associated with "decent values." As the recently caught elderly British woman-spy said of the Soviet Communists, "They only wanted to give medicine and food to their people." Obviously, what has happened is that the idealism of nineteenth-century workers' protests has been grotesquely transferred to Stalin's regime. Interestingly enough, the Western apologists for the Soviet Union were virtually at their apogee precisely during what was later called the Stalinist period. It appears that when the Soviet Union was at its most "utopian" -- and claiming to create "a new human life" -- support for it was the strongest among Western intellectuals. After it had become more authoritarian (for example, under Brezhnev) rather than totalitarian -- it no longer excited the same degree of enthusiasm among Western intellectuals. One does see today, however, a return to aggressive defenses of Soviet Communism -- and even of Stalin -- among some Western Marxist intellectuals. In the twentieth century, Western societies have moved through various wrenching social revolutions and transformations -- whose radical nature is not always apparent to observers. In today's consumerist, consumptionist society in America and Canada, the labor struggle is usually seen as part of a broader, left-liberal coalition of rich liberals and "recognized minority leaderships." Traditionalists and members of the so-called "disaligned Left" such as Christopher Lasch would be hoping for a renewed labor struggle that could be disattached from doctrinaire left-liberalism -- and from its putative acceptance of the ruling structures of the current-day managerial-therapeutic regime. If one is looking for what might be good in Marx-inspired thought, there is clearly the aspect of social protest against exploitation. There is also the notion of comradely struggle for a better world. At the same time, persons struggling against injustice should be careful to properly identify what true injustice and victimization actually consist of, and to avoid falling into the trap of excessively-ranging ressentiment. For example, before the 1960s, the social democrats in most Western countries (such as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party in Canada), while ferociously fighting for equality and the betterment of the working majority, accepted most elements of traditional nation, family, and religion as simply a part of pre-political existence, which they had no desire to challenge. They were thus economically socialist, but socially conservative. The causes which animate much of today's Left (such as multiculturalism, feminism, gay rights, and cultural antinomianism) would have probably disgusted many of them. There is clearly something inappropriate happening when a wealthy, privileged left-liberal arrogantly condemns a decent, careworn, working man for the latter's supposed racism, sexism, or homophobia. It could also be argued that, in today's world, when capitalism, as exemplified by globalization, is so overwhelmingly international (or transnational) and anti-traditional, the more independent-minded and less-politically-correct Left should be re-examining the importance of nations, nationalism, and nationhood as well as various traditionalisms, as part of the possible resistance to the incipient hypermodern dystopia. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home (TBTCO) - Cac nha hoach inh chinh sach cua Cuc Du tru Lien bang My (FED) a phat tin hieu uu tien tu bo viec tang lai suat trong cuoc hop hai ngay, dien ra vao ngay 13-14/6 toi, trong khi van e ngo kha nang that chat hon nua. O nhung noi khac tren the gioi, ECB co kha nang tiep tuc tang lai suat, trong khi BoJ tiep tuc giu lai suat va cac quan chuc tien te Trung Quoc co the tranh bo sung cac bien phap kich thich vao luc nay. With domestic violence rates in Belarus among the highest in Europe and few legal protections, some women are turning to self-defense classes. On an early Saturday morning some 15 women gather in one of the ubiquitous,gray, three-story buildings on the outskirts of Minsk. There are coffee and snacks to grab, and chairs are already evenly placed in a circle. The spacious room where we meet is a gym in its everyday life, but we arent here to get into shape. The next two days will be part martial arts lessons, part support group. This is the essence of Wen-Do: a method of self-defense and assertiveness training to empower women to fend off harassment and speak up for themselves. Courses such as these are relatively new and not yet widespread. There are many reasons why the idea of womens self-defense is not more popular in Belarus: a wide variety of gender-based stereotypes, a tendency to blame the victims of violence, and a persistent belief in a strong mans shoulder. And yet every second woman suffers different forms of violence, with nearly every third being abused physically. Wen-Do covers a wide variety of physical and verbal techniques. Women learn how to fight back and respond to wrist and arm holds and how to escape bear hugs and choke holds. Olga Laniewska. Courtesy photo. Far from being just about self-defense, Wen-Do also focuses on consent, awareness, and avoidance of threatening situations. We will gain these skills during the next two days. The group members are all different. Tall and short. Blond and dark-haired. Students and professionals. We are in our 50s or just turned 16. We met just a moment ago, but already feel friendly toward each other. But when Olga Laniewska, our trainer, suddenly asks us to shout, we stare at each other in confusion. It is a women-only course. But however safe and comfortable the atmosphere is, it is not easy to start screaming when youre surrounded by near-strangers. Olga urges us on: Attackers know perfectly well that women often feel too ashamed to react when they are sexually assaulted. But your voice is your weapon. Use it. This time, we dont hesitate to shout. Breaking Blocks and Stereotypes Natalia (her name has been changed upon request), a PhD student, needed to resolve an issue with her doctoral adviser. He would abuse his position by constantly asking her personal questions about her family and her husband. She felt dependent on her advisor but wanted to stop this unwanted attention. At Wen-Do sessions, women share real-life experiences of physical or verbal aggression, whether from strangers or known attackers. Harassment on the street. A violent husband. An assault at school. A co-worker who crosses too many boundaries. Women then discuss and role-play situations to build self-confidence and react in a way that works best for them. In Natalias case, she practiced her posture, body language, voice, and use of specific words until she was happy with the outcome. Participants in a WenDo class in Minsk. Courtesy photo. As she told me a few months later, when her adviser approached her again, she was able to stop his questions politely but firmly. He never behaved in the same abusive way again, Natalia says. He probably understood that I wouldnt allow this anymore. Curiously, she says, their relationship has actually improved since then. What was your husbands reaction when you signed up for the course? I ask. He is very supportive and open-minded, she says. But sometimes he doesnt understand why Wen-Do and the subject of domestic violence, since our relationship is not abusive. When she was 19, someone tried to rape her. Although she was able to escape, the fear stayed with her. Another student, Alina, 24,experienced domestic violence at home. Wen-Do taught her how to set boundaries and not allow others to violate them. Now, a few months later, she tells me it is still difficult for her to say no without guilt. But she is learning. At the end of each days session, the participants break a piece of wood with a blow of the hand. Just as in martial arts, this is a vital part of the training, when a person shows their strength and courage. For those in my group, this was a moment of empowerment and resolution. It boosts your self-confidence levels. Without it, its impossible to defend yourself, group member Hanna Parkhomenka says. Natalia, Hanna, and Alina are among 900 women who have taken a Wen-Do course in Belarus since the first one almost four years ago. Does this mean they all know where to hit an aggressor? I ask Laniewska, the only Wen-Do trainer in Belarus and one of very few Russian-speaking trainers internationally. Its not just about kicks and blocks, though I teach those too, she says. Ideally, after a woman learns Wen-Do, she doesnt allow herself to be abused or attacked in the first place, because she is aware of her boundaries and what behavior she finds unacceptable, Laniewska says. The main focus of Wen-Do is to avoid threat and assault if possible. During the sessions, we talk about how this is even more important in Belarus, where the legal concept of self-defense is not fully elaborated. In 2016, Laniewska received her Wen-Do training certification in Poland, where she had lived for 15 years, through the Autonomy Foundation, an NGO. It took 18 months and many interviews and conversations with psychologists until she was certified. She then moved back to Belarus, partnered up with Radislava, an organization that helps domestic violence victims, and began offering self-defense classes free, when Radislava can raise the funds. When theres no money from sponsors, Olga gives paid workshops. If a group cant afford it, she works for free. Wen-Do can be adapted for all ages and abilities. Courses typically last 12 hours, spread over two days. Laniewska teaches mostly in Minsk, although she has also given classes in Hrodna, Navapolack, Brest, and other cities outside the capital. Studies Show Positive Outcomes Empowerment through self-defense is not new. Yet its positive effects are clear, advocates say. In Canada, where Wen-Do originated in the 1970s, the method was incorporated into a sexual assault resistance program designed for first-year female students at three Canadian universities. The results, published in 2015, were impressive. According to the authors, the training was correlated with a 46-percent reduction in completed rape and a 63-percent reduction in attempted sexual assault in the following year, compared to a control group of students. A similar study of college students who took a self-defense class, conducted by Jocelyn Hollander of the University of Oregon, came to similar conclusions. The report said women who took the class experienced significantly fewer sexual assaults during the subsequent year than women enrolled in other classes at the same university. Womens self-defense training appears to have positive benefits in other societies as well. In 2014, Stanford researchers found that adolescent girls in the slums of Nairobi reported a more than one-third drop in rapes in the year after taking a 12-hour self-defense program. In Europe, although the Council of Europe advocated free self-defense training for girls and young women more than 20 years ago, little has been accomplished on the national level, a European Parliament report stated in 2016. In Poland, municipal governments or employers have sometimes financed Wen-Do courses. Wen-Do supplies the tools to build self-confidence and assertiveness.But it is no cure-all, explains Agnieszka Biela, a psychologist and a certified Wen-Do instructor based in Sosnowiec in southern Poland. A woman cant be in a situation of active domestic violence, because it requires more targeted help and can have the opposite effect, making her feel disempowered. Wen-Do practitioners need to know when to call on outside help, Biela says, recalling a woman in one of her classes who was living with an abusive partner. Luckily, she told us about the violence at home, and we could refer her to an intervention center. Biela explains that from a psychological point of view, Wen-Do focuses on the ability of women to fulfill their human potential and encourages self-exploration. We as Wen-Do trainers show a woman that she is an expert on her own life, Biela says. In a survey prepared by the Autonomy Foundation after one Wen-Do workshop, nearly all the 54 women polled said they could have avoided many threatening situations in adult life if given the opportunity to take a workshop during their teenage years. Half the women used the skills they learned within a few months after the training. Focus on Prevention Ilya Murashko is not happy that mostly men attend his self-defense classes in Minsk. Lets face it: women need to learn how to protect themselves more than men. Together with the elderly and people with disabilities, they are more often assaulted than men, he says. In addition to classic Krav Maga, a fighting and self-defense method, Murashko teaches setting and communicating personal boundaries, and recognizing dangerous situations at an early stage. Sound familiar? Yes, it is similar to Wen-Do. Both are crucial for assault prevention, he says. The drawback, Murashko says, is that Wen-Do courses may be too short for women to master skills and make them a habit. Thats exactly what Olga Kutas, one of the women from my Wen-Do group, told me: The effects of a single course could quickly get lost in womens everyday tasks. But as Lena Bielska explains, while some physical defense tricks might be soon forgotten, as time goes on, the implanted seed of self-respect will grow. Bielska is a ertified Wen-Do instructor and a co-founder of the Lublin branch of HerStory, a nonprofit that works in the areas of gender equality and discrimination. She says thats why it is crucial that a trainer focuses on womens empowerment and confidence, not just martial arts. Besides, it happens that women participate in Wen-Do workshops several times and some go on to take an advanced course. Bigger Toolbox Needed to Stop Domestic Violence Assertiveness training is not easy to instill in a society that expects a woman to be sweet, mild-mannered, and meek. Women are supposed to handle problems without making a scene. They are brought up to be nice. Things are changing, Olga Yanchuk says about the stereotypes and the social risks that lie in wait for a woman who stands up for herself. Yanchuk, a sociologist, is the general secretary of the YWCA branch in Belarus, a non-governmental organization that advocates for women and offers leadership training. Yanchuk recently launched a project called Womens Safety. Similarly to Wen-Do, the main focus is on boosting womens self-esteem. The project offers paid online video lessons and personal consultations with a psychologist on personal boundaries and various forms of domestic violence. As long as there is no law against domestic violence in Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka dismissed the idea as foolish last fall Yanchuk believes its especially crucial for women to learn how to defend themselves and set their boundaries. A woman learns how to listen to herself and her body. She can then more easily recognize the first signs of potential violence, tension, or discomfort. Yanchuk and her 8-year-old daughter have also participated in a Wen-Do course. The fact that my daughter understands that she has the right and need to protect herself is the greatest outcome of the training, Yanchuk says. That, and the wooden block that she broke with her bare hand, which she brought home as her trophy, she laughs. Hanna Liubakova is a freelance journalist from Belarus, currently based in Poland. The Wyoming Office of Tourism, in partnership with the Ford Bronco Wild Fund and Outside Television, has announced a new competition-style docu-series called Wildly Wyoming. Wildly Wyoming, as the alliterated title suggests, will over five episodes showcase three groups of Team Bronco Ambassadors setting out on adventure-packed paths across Wyoming. On each route, teams will meet up with locals, guides and organizations that focus on access, preservation, and stewardship. The Team Bronco Ambassadors will learn what is needed to care for the untamed, wild spirit of Wyomings land and its people while competing in physical and Ford Bronco-based challenges, according to a press release announcing the show. The Bronco Wild Fund, which is Fords initiative to protect and preserve access to public lands, will eventually award a total of $70,000 to charitable organizations. The press release promised that said organizations would be announced at a later date. The series will begin streaming in July on Outside Television and other streaming services. Wyoming is where bold, independent and curious spirits are encouraged to forge their own way to adventures both big and small, said Diane Shober, executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism. Bronco Wild Fund shares our commitment for protecting this last bastion of the West. We cant wait to showcase the distinctive stories of those who live here, work here, or are simply drawn here to explore. Its not for the faint of heart, but for the full of heart. The Bronco Wild Fund focuses on access, preservation and stewardship of public lands, said Dave Rivers, enthusiast brand manager and Bronco Wild Fund advisory council member. The inclusion of our Team Bronco Ambassadors, who represent a collection of outdoor doers, seekers and athletes, ties the story together and further proves how Bronco is part of the adventures, he said. Biologists once found a crayfish with an entire garter snake and several fish inside a female bullfrog near Sheridan. That may sound like an impressive amount of food for a two-pound frog, but its actually pretty standard for the voracious amphibians. Wendy Estes-Zumpf, the states herpetological coordinator, once saw a picture of a bullfrog that choked to death trying to eat a duck. Bullfrogs consume nearly every living thing they find. Their menu is limited only by the size of their mouths as the aforementioned duck would suggest, sometimes not even that and they are wreaking havoc on the Wests native species. To make matters worse, once introduced to an area, bullfrogs can be nearly impossible to eradicate. Their potential to damage ecosystems is so great, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department passed a new regulation that took effect Jan. 1 prohibiting anyone from importing or possessing live bullfrogs. A lot of the landowners in the Sheridan area said they had lots and lots of leopard frogs and now they have only bullfrogs, said Estes-Zumpf. There are frog species that are now endangered in other states and the primary cause are bullfrogs because the natives just cannot compete. Eaters and carriers Like carp, feral pigs and crayfish, bullfrogs arent all bad. They play important roles in the areas where theyre from. In the eastern part of the U.S., bullfrogs are critical as predators and prey and distribute nutrients from wetlands into more terrestrial areas. They are just an amazing species, said JJ Apodaca, executive director of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy. Also often called pond frogs, bullfrogs are the largest true frog species in the U.S. They have abundant predators like smallmouth bass and snapping turtles in their native habitats, and the waterways are much more complex. Ponds back East tend to vary in depth and vegetation and streams snake between other ponds offering other frog species, tadpoles and fish plenty of places to hide. Bullfrogs are also hardy, big and incredibly efficient travelers, able to cover tens or even up to 100 miles over dry land to reach new water. They get big and have chunky chicken thigh legs, Estes-Zumpf said. They are probably the number one frog-leg frog, and they taste like chicken. As a result, they were introduced across the world, sometimes as a food source, and other times as stowaways in fish stocking efforts. More recently, well-meaning classroom teachers have dumped easy-to-raise bullfrogs into ponds and creeks after theyve run their course as classroom pets. How, exactly, they entered the Sheridan region, no one knows for sure. Game and Fish first received reports of bullfrog sightings in 2018. The next year, biologists surveyed the area and found bullfrogs everywhere. Estes-Zumpf knows a landowner outside Sheridan introduced bullfrogs and fireflies to his property to remind him of home back East, but shes guessing as widespread as theyve become in the region, they were likely introduced elsewhere as well. Bullfrogs have occupied a few streams in far eastern Wyoming for decades. Theyve been there so long, in fact, biologists dont know the impact theyve had because no records exist of native species prior to their arrival. The problem in the Sheridan area is the bullfrogs crusade to consume nearly every northern leopard frog and tadpole in sight. Northern leopard frogs are stable in portions of their range. They exist everywhere from Maine to Washington down to eastern Arizona, but were petitioned for Endangered Species Act listing in some portions of the West where their populations are struggling. Leopard frogs can coexist with bullfrogs in eastern water systems because theyve found plenty of ways to hide and survive, but theyre not so well adapted out here, said Apodaca. Potentially more concerning, bullfrogs carry, but are immune to, the deadly chytrid fungus that is suffocating and killing native frogs and salamanders across North America. When it becomes a real concern for us in the conservation community is when [bullfrogs] throw ecosystems out of alignment and actively harm and damage native species, Apodaca said. Keeping them out Once established, its exceptionally hard to eradicate bullfrogs, Estes-Zumpf said, though Wyomings harsh winters could help. One approach includes draining ponds, trapping adults and killing any tadpoles and eggs in the process. But the collateral damage of annihilating everything in the water limits its use and is not practical once bullfrogs spread to complex water systems with streams and connecting waterways. Biologists with more invasive-bullfrog-management experience elsewhere have found ways to minimize their damage. Officials in Boulder County, Colorado, for example, have been able to control bullfrogs in priority wetlands where northern leopard frogs breed. Efforts include targeting adult bullfrogs, Apocada said, as well as strategically removing eggs since bullfrogs reproduce later in the summer than northern leopard frogs. To get rid of bullfrogs is a continuous battle because theyre on the landscape and will come back, he added. Thats why Game and Fish decided to ban them from the state. The fewer bullfrogs here, the lower potential for release. Estes-Zumpf encourages anyone with a hankering for bullfrog legs to feel free to hunt them (though not at night with lights, because thats illegal), remembering that they cant be kept alive as pets or released back into the water again. With any luck, Estes-Zumpf said, the bullfrog invasion can be contained to the Sheridan region. Anyone who hears the telltale croak it may sound similar to a cow mooing or sees or captures a bullfrog should call their local Game and Fish office. The earlier bullfrogs can be caught and contained the better for the rest of Wyomings species, fish, frogs and ducks included, Estes-Zumpf said. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGOS Heritage and Stabilisation Fund made a loss of US$913.5 million last financial year, its recently published annual report has revealed. Since its establishment in 2007, this is the first time the sovereign wealth fund has recorded a total comprehensive loss for the year. Imagine a world where we aggressively harness the power of the arts to foster individual growth, social development, economic progress and counter poverty, disenfranchisement, and crime. This is the challenge being extended by Dave Williams, artistic drector of the Council for Arts, Aesthetics & Identity (CAAI). The local government election bell has been rung and citizens will go to the polls on August 14, 2023. The election comes after the Privy Council decision that the extension of the life of local government bodies proposed in the Local Government Amendment bill did not apply to incumbent councillors and aldermen. Sackett v. EPA is a victory for property rights By Bonner Cohen web posted June 5, 2023 Farmers, ranchers and other landowners throughout the country can breathe a sigh of relief now that the Supreme Court has delivered long-overdue clarity in Sackett v. EPA over which bodies of water the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can regulate under the Clean Water Act (CWA). By narrowing the scope of the EPA's authority to regulate wetlands, the court's ruling will significantly reduce the agency's presence on private land. The decision hands a victory to Michael and Chantell Sackett, who have been trying to build a home on their 0.63-acre property near Priest Lake, Idaho, for 16 years. Standing in their way were EPA officials who claimed that the couple's bone-dry property was subject to regulation as a wetland. Citing its regulatory authority under the CWA, the agency ordered the Sacketts to cease all construction on their home and threatened them with fines of up to $40,000 a day if they didn't comply. What began as a water-quality statute over half a century ago had morphed into a mechanism for the feds to determine land use on private property. But what exactly is EPA's regulatory authority over bodies of water has been mired in controversy since the CWA was enacted in 1972. The law gives the EPA (along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) the power to regulate discharges into "navigable waters of the United States" (WOTUS) but provides few specifics on how other non-navigable water bodies, including wetlands, are to be treated. Over the years, the EPA and the Corps gradually, and self-servingly, expanded their writ to include wetlands with no direct hydraulic connection to navigable waters. With the vague wording of the CWA offering little guidance, the question of what the EPA could and could not regulate has been the subject of confusion and litigation for decades. After two Supreme Court decisions in 2000 and 2005 failed to provide jurisdictional clarity, the Obama administration issued its own WOTUS rule in 2015, one that greatly strengthened the hand of the EPA. But federal courts tossed out two sections of the Obama rule, and the Trump administration replaced it with its own, less expansive rule in 2020. The Biden administration, in turn, scrapped the Trump approach, replacing it in January of this year with its own rule granting broad authority to EPA to regulate wetlands. This never-ending regulatory uncertainty enabled the EPA to target landowners like the Sacketts, charging them in Kafkaesque fashion with polluting wetlands. In what way is the Sackett's property connected to a wetland? It lies across a road about 300 feet from the lake. In justifying its claim of regulatory authority, the EPA cited a "shallow subsurface flow" linking the property to a ditch, which connects to a creek, which then flows past a row of lakefront houses into the lake. Now, with its May 25 decision in Sackett v. EPA, written by Justice Samuel A. Alito, the Supreme Court has finally imposed a limiting principle on the EPA's authority. "We hold that the CWA extends to only those wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are 'waters of the United States' in their own right, so that they are 'indistinguishable' from those waters," Alito wrote. "Regulation of land and water use lies at the core of traditional state authority," Alito continued. "An overly broad interpretation of the CWA's reach would impinge on this authority. The area covered by wetlands alone is vast greater than the combined surface area of California and Texas. And the scope of the EPA's conception of 'waters of the United States' is truly staggering." Alito specifically rejected former Justice Anthony Kennedy's ill-defined "significant nexus" test, an 18-year-old standard that let the EPA exert regulatory authority over potentially hundreds of millions of acres of land located in the vicinity of wetlands. "By the EPA's own admission, nearly all waters and wetlands are susceptible to regulation under this test, putting a staggering array of landowners at risk of criminal prosecution for such things as moving dirt," he added. At their core, the Obama and Biden policies on wetlands regulation were an attempt to impose federal zoning on broad stretches of rural America. Absent the Court's May 25 ruling, landowners would have to apply to the EPA for permits a process that can take years just to carry out normal operations on their properties, or face the litigation ordeal the Sacketts went through. In addition to putting the kibosh to the EPA's elaborate federal zoning scheme, the Court's ruling also undermines one of the Biden administration's highest profile environmental initiatives. In his first week in office, President Biden issued an executive order setting a goal of conserving "at least" 30 percent of the nation's land and bodies of water by 2030. Initially dubbed the "3030 plan," and later relabeled as the "America the Beautiful Initiative," the scheme would bring vast swaths of territory under Washington's control either through expanded federal ownership of land or via federal regulations restricting land and water use. Granting the EPA almost unlimited power to regulate wetlands was one of the ways the White House could achieve "3030." Thanks to the Supreme Court, that pathway to more federal power has been blocked. Bonner Russell Cohen, Ph.D., is a senior fellow at the National Center for Public Policy Research. This first appeared at The Hill. Home In what may be described as a case of smartmen and smartphones, a deal that looked too good to be true has turned out to be exactly that. If the marketing gimmick of $1 phones and laptops was meant to establish brand recognition for Star Networks Blue Mobile Network which turned out to be no mobile network at all, it certainly workedif only for all the wrong reasons. As Republican legislatures nationwide, including Arizona, move to ban and restrict drag shows, Arizona Theatre Company is jumping into the thick of the issue with its season-closing production of The Legend of Georgia McBride. The musical comedy, which ATC originally had on its 2019-20 season that was postponed courtesy the COVID-19 pandemic, is about Casey, an aspiring Elvis impersonator who loses his gig and is forced to take a role as a drag queen to support his pregnant wife. The show is filled with hilarious, if not predictable, twists and turns as Casey goes from playing the King of Rock n Roll to a Queen. The show opened June 3 and is on stage at the Temple of Music and Art through June 24. Until recently, the plays central drag theme had been a footnote to the plays larger theme that family comes in all different forms and the path to prosperity and fulfillment may sometimes take an unexpected turn, ATC Artistic Director Matt August said. But the ongoing Republican backlash against drag shows has shifted the attention, prompting some theater companies and their creatives to get out in front of the issue. As a performing arts institution, we are here to tell stories that create empathy and joy and foster civil communications beyond our theatres walls, August said in a late May email interview. Our work as artists impacts the greater community and supports our mission, which is to create world-class theatre about what it means to be alive today inspiring curiosity and creativity, sparking empathy and joy bringing ALL Arizonans together. Its obviously a distraction by the far right: Lets pick a moral issue to distract people with, and drag seems to be an easy target, said the shows costume designer Patrick Holt, who teaches costume design at the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television. It just makes no sense. Anyone who knows drag and knows what the culture and the art is about is laughing this off. But with laws changing in some states, its become personal again. Since January, several Republican-led states, including Arizona, have proposed legislation to ban or restrict drag shows. The moves follow Floridas decision last spring to outlaw public schools from teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in a bill that many dubbed Dont Say Gay. We are watching anti-drag legislation closely and will not change the work we do on our stages or in our gathering spaces, August said. We understand that this proposed legislation is not just threatening marginalized groups of people and their livelihoods it threatens all of us. August and Holt both point to the rich theatrical tradition of men playing female roles, including Antigone, Helen of Troy, Rosalind and Ophelia, because women were not allowed to perform in public until 1660. August cited more recent examples of great and important characters created and played by men, including Dustin Hoffmans Tootsie, Tyler Perrys Madea, and Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in the 1959 comedy Some Like It Hot. These characters and these performances became legendary and are indelible on the fabric of American culture, he said. Gov. Katie Hobbs has nixed legislation designed to force communities to dismantle homeless encampments and, in some circumstances, arrest those staying there. Hobbs said the proposal offered by Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, fails to understand there are multiple reasons people become unsheltered and remain that way. This legislation addresses none of those root causes, offers no pathways to assistance, and effectively criminalizes experiencing homelessness, the Democratic governor wrote Monday in vetoing the bill. Wadsack, in pushing her legislation, did not dispute that. But she said the problem of people camping on or near private property, defecating on the sidewalk and leaving needles needs to be resolved because of how it is affecting those who live or have businesses nearby. She reacted angrily to the governors action. If Gov. Hobbs goal is to turn Arizona into California, her veto of this bill will surely contribute to our states demise, Wadsack said in a written statement. In no time, our cities will resemble that of San Francisco, with major corporations withdrawing operations and lawlessness filling our streets. One provision of the bill would have required local governments, upon hearing of any homeless encampment, to notify everyone on the site they have 24 hours to leave and take their property with them. If someone refuses, the city or county could take possession of the items and dispose of them if they werent claimed within 14 days. Another said anyone camping on private property is guilty of trespassing and could be prosecuted. Wadsack said there is a growing number of people in Tucson crying out for help. We are being infiltrated with tent cities, she told colleagues. Business owners have told stories of people walking in who have been living in their back alley that come into their businesses with machetes and chase off their business patrons. She said some encampments are on private property, but the owners cannot have them removed. She cited incidents outside a five-star restaurant. The person who owns that building has to go into work two hours earlier than everyone else, all of his employees, to clean the human feces off of the front doorsteps, to hose down the human urine, to pick up all the needles and the mattresses that are showing up, Wadsack said. And there have been no support mechanisms through the municipality. Wadsack said her measure wasnt intended to be punitive. She said it would provide city officials an opportunity to figure out what people need whether it is help with drug issues, mental illness or economics and connect them with services. We are working with Gospel Rescue Mission and multiple churches and nonprofits who are ready, Wadsack said. They have empty beds in their facilities ready to take the people and give them the help they need without having to spend additional money. The government is there to restore law and order, Wadsack said. We need to give local municipalities the teeth that they need to actually keep our streets and our private properties clean. But Hugo Polanco, lobbying for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said the proposed legislation is unconstitutional. The problem there starts with allowing the government to seize everything someone owns if that person cannot relocate within the 24-hour window, he said. This means the elderly, families, persons with physical disabilities and persons experiencing mental illness can have all their property seized and destroyed including their shelter, medications, identity documents, clothes and money simply because they have no place to go, Polanco told lawmakers during testimony on the measure. This cruel legislation has no place in Arizona. He cited a federal appeals court ruling that prohibits property from being destroyed absent any reasonable belief it has been abandoned, presents an immediate hazard to health or safety, or is evidence of a crime. That raised questions from lawmakers who noted that a Maricopa County Superior Court judge, ruling recently in a case brought on behalf of business owners, ordered Phoenix to clear out an encampment known as The Zone near the state Capitol. Polanco said that was different because there was first a finding of a public nuisance. Even then, he told lawmakers, the city was not seizing and destroying the property of those being removed. A wildfire that started Sunday about a half-mile from the Biosphere 2 science facility near Oracle Junction was fully contained by Monday morning, officials said. The wildfire broke out Sunday morning, Arizona State Forestry officials said. The fires cause wasnt immediately known. It grew to about 13 acres by Sunday afternoon and remained that size when it was put out. Crews from the State Forestry, Golder Ranch Fire District and Northwest Fire District worked Sunday to keep the wildfire from reaching the Biosphere facility. State Forestry launched single-engine air tankers to assist with suppression. No evacuations were ordered, and authorities said crews remained on the scene Monday, conducting fire suppression activities and looking for any leftover hot spots. Biosphere 2 was built between 1987 and 1991 as a way to test the viability of closed ecological systems and human life in outer space. The tests were held twice in the early 1990s, the Associated Press reported this weekend. Leading tech experts highlight critical risks of AI, including systemic bias, disinformation, cyberattacks, and weaponization. OpenAI and Microsoft propose the creation of a government regulatory body to oversee licensing, testing, safety requirements, and disclosure guidelines for AI research. Experts emphasize the urgent need for regulations to address the risks and ensure responsible and ethical AI development and usage. As artificial intelligence (AI) advances rapidly, the question of effective management and regulation of this powerful technology has taken center stage. Leading tech giants, including Microsoft and OpenAI, have put forth a proposal for a government regulatory body that would oversee licensing, testing, safety requirements, and disclosure guidelines for AI research. Renowned experts such as Dan Hendrycks, director of the Center for AI Safety, have emphasized the urgent need for regulation, highlighting the critical risks associated with AI, such as systemic bias, disinformation, malicious usage, cyberattacks, and weaponization, according to NPR. During his Senate testimony, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stressed the importance of implementing rules and regulations for AI, advocating for creating an AI regulatory body and mandatory licensing for companies. Other panelists echoed the significance of transparency in training data and the development of clear guidelines to address AI-related hazards. Furthermore, there is growing concern about the emergence of a new tech monopoly in the AI industry due to the economic dynamics of developing large-scale AI models. Microsoft Assisting Governments in Regulating AI Microsoft President Brad Smith has dubbed AI regulation the critical challenge of the 21st century, CNN reported. Last month, he presented a comprehensive strategy for democratic nations to address the risks posed by AI while promoting a liberal vision for the technology. Microsoft's position reflects its aim to influence ongoing government efforts, particularly in Europe and the United States, to regulate AI before it disrupts society and the economy. Smith drew parallels between the impact of AI and that of the printing press, emphasizing its potential to streamline policymaking and constituent engagement. He called for comprehensive laws encompassing all aspects of AI's life cycle and supply chain, including data centers and end users like banks and hospitals. Read Also: Twitter Content Safety Chief Quits The G7 countries discussed the challenges posed by generative AI technologies like ChatGPT. Topics of discussion included intellectual property protection, disinformation, and technological governance, per Reuters. The establishment of the "Hiroshima AI Process," an international forum dedicated to addressing the challenges brought about by rapidly advancing AI systems, was decided upon by G7 leaders. Lawmakers and officials worldwide are taking steps to address the issues raised by Altman's testimony. The European Union has enacted the AI Act, categorizing AI applications into three risk levels: unacceptable, high, and low or minimal. AI Regulation: A Collaborative Effort Across Sectors The US agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has developed an AI risk management framework with input from industry groups, technology companies, and think tanks. Federal organizations, such as the Federal Trade Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, have promulgated AI risk guidelines. Other bodies, like the Consumer Product Safety Commission, also have a role in addressing these concerns on AI risks, according to Gizmodo. Whether a new government agency dedicated to regulating AI is necessary has become a prominent topic of debate in Washington. IBM and other companies argue that existing government agencies, with their sector-specific expertise, should be responsible for AI regulation. Additionally, Smith urged US President Joe Biden to issue an executive order mandating the utilization of the risk management framework of the NIST when procuring AI products, which provides guidelines for responsible and ethical AI usage. Related Article: Microsoft is Killing Windows Cortana App in Late 2023 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis kicked off his first visit to New Hampshire as a declared presidential candidate as former President Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail in Iowa, marking the first time both were pitching themselves before voters. Of course its difficult to be a stage performer if you cant hear, but Gavin Thomas Drew loves theater so much that hes willing to forge ahead anyway. Beauty and the Beast is coming June 9-11 to the Freeland Center for the Performing Arts in Bristow. Drew, who will play the part of Lumiere, lost his hearing due to Menieres disease. A former Oklahoma City University student, Drew is the artistic director at Summit City Music Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is returning to Oklahoma to join home-state actors in Beauty and the Beast. Among them: Patrick Lupp (Bristow, playing Beast), Lauren Reece (Stillwater, playing Belle) and Braden Clapp (Muskogee, playing Gaston). Also, Bristows Makayla Wilson, born with Down syndrome, will play Chip the teacup. Drews stage career began when he played the mayor of Munchkinland in The Wizard of Oz when he was 5. From that point forward, he was in, at minimum, five shows per year. When Drew was 16, he was in show choir and noticed that his hearing seemed to be amiss. A visit to an audiologist confirmed hearing loss. So I wore hearing aids, and life continued on, he said. But I started having some other issues, too. I began experiencing really horrible vertigo and migraines. I was finally diagnosed with Menieres disease. Fellow (Oklahoma City University) star Kristin Chenoweth also has Menieres. Ive never met her, but this is something I would really like to talk about with her. Drews hearing continued to decline until he woke up one morning in college and it was completely gone. It was the most traumatizing experience I have ever gone through, he said, indicating that he left college and got connected with Hearts For Hearing and an amazing audiologist, Stephanie Browning. A cochlear implant now provides Drew with his only semblance of hearing. When he removes it, he can hear nothing. So when I first went deaf, I didnt know how this was going to work, the whole performing thing, he said. Actors rely on their ears so much, and I just didnt even know what doing a show would look like. Its very difficult, because even with the cochlear implant I cant hear certain cue lines in rehearsal so I know when to make my entrance or say my lines. Also, music and pitch with cochlear implants is very tricky. Drew said he cant hear pitch, so he sings by sensation. I memorize how the pitch feels, and then recreate that feeling versus sound, he said. So its really tricky to perform in a musical these days. Thats why I have primarily aimed my focus at directing. But performing is something deep down inside of me that I have to let out. And while its more difficult to perform, I have to do it every once in a while. Just to satisfy the performer in me. Tickets to Beauty and the Beast are available by going to etix.com or calling 918-637-3540. A 4 p.m. June 10 tea party experience can be purchased as an add-on to a show ticket. I hope that people come out and see this production in Bristow, Drew said. I came to Bristow for the first time to do a Mary Poppins two years ago. It was magical the show and also the town. This community is so rich with talent, and its fun to see people from all walks of life come together and create something beautiful by telling a story. Drew said director Chapman Shields has focused this production of Beauty and The Beast on inner beauty and how each of us, no matter how different, is beautiful. There is something beautiful in all of us, Drew said. And thats why he decided that this show should be inclusive to all. This show is really special, and I hope that everyone comes and checks it out. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Elvin Bishop is returning to Tulsa. Be a part of a live-audience public radio show taping June 23 at Cains Ballroom when the Live From Cains show features Bishop, who is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame, and award-winning blues artist Danielle Nicole. Seated general admission tickets as well as a limited number of reserved tables are available at cainsballroom.com. Born in Glendale, California, in 1942, Bishop moved to Tulsa when he was 10. A Will Rogers High School alum, Bishop began studying physics at the University of Chicago on a full scholarship as a National Merit Scholar until his passion for the blues and Chicagos South Side clubs surpassed his studies. Bishop began his career with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 1965 and was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with other members of the group in 2015. A move to the San Francisco area after three albums with Paul Butterfield Blues Band marked the beginning of a long and successful solo career, which includes the 1975 blockbuster hit Fooled Around and Fell In Love. The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured in the film Guardians Of The Galaxy. Bishop will perform his set with The Big Fun Trio, with Bob Welsh on piano and guitar and Willy Jordan on cajon (a hand-played Peruvian drumbox) and vocals. Danielle Nicole, a Grammy-nominated music artist, will be backed by the Live From Cains house band, The Oklahoma Specials, including band leader Paul Benjaman (guitar), Aaron Boehler (bass), Paddy Ryan (drums), Roger Ray (pedal steel), Jeremy Watkins (fiddle) and John Fullbright (keys). Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist Fats Kaplin (Jack White, The Tractors) will be the host. The audience for our tapings at Cains Ballroom is so important for what were trying to accomplish with this radio show, Live From Cains co-executive director Kelly Burley said in a news release. It has been wonderful to be able to produce these in front of a live audience again and capture that energy for our broadcast. Were also thrilled to share these tapings with a number of public radio stations across the U.S. Theyll be broadcasting our eight-part series beginning later this summer. Well be announcing more details on all of that very soon. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. The City of Collinsville hosted Wreaths Across Americas Mobile Education Exhibit at the Veterans Community Center on Sunday. The nonprofit organization, based out of Columbia Falls, Maine, places over 2.7 million veterans wreaths at over 3,700 locations across the U.S. and abroad every December. It also hosts its mobile exhibit honoring fallen and active veterans through interactive areas, short films and more. The 48-foot rolling museum is equipped with a 24-person screening room that showcases the different aspects of the WAA mission. It also features interactive computers and an education wall with information on the different areas of WAA and its future journey. Peter and Brenda Scaturro were among the dozens of area residents who visited the mobile site on Sunday. Peters father was in the Army, and Brendas father served in Vietnam. Its humbling, Peter said. You dont really see how deep it actually hits and the true meaning behind all of it. Seeing stuff like this, its really amazing and awesome that we can have what we have. Brenda added: It was really inspirational, really touching; its amazing what they (WAA) really did. Matt and Deborah Carlson, who also paid a visit to the exhibit, have a son in the Air Force who is currently preparing to be deployed overseas. I just think it was neat to see it, Matt said, and it makes you think about the sacrifice for the freedom we have. Deborah added: Im glad people are doing this and remembering our veterans, and I would also hope they would remember the vets that have been so traumatized. The City of Collinsville hosts WAAs wreath-laying event at Ridgelawn Cemetery every December, where dozens of area citizens gather to pay their respect to the more than 900 veterans who are buried at the 26-acre site. Wreath sponsorships are available at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/160390. Each sponsorship goes toward a live, balsam wreath that will be placed on the headstone of an American hero on Saturday, Dec. 16, as part of National Wreaths Across America Day. OKLAHOMA CITY Two state representatives who were formally reprimanded by their colleagues this year will remain censured through the 2024 legislative session. Because Oklahomas legislative cycles span two years, the censures of Reps. Dean Davis, R-Broken Arrow, and Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, will continue into next year. The wording of the censure message is clear that the censures last until the proper apologies have been given, House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said in a statement. As the 59th Legislature runs for two years, the censures will continue into next session. Both representatives were stripped of their committee assignments as a result of the censures. In April, Davis reportedly pleaded no contest to a municipal public intoxication charge and paid $178 in fines. Davis has not addressed the censure publicly, and he did not return a call for comment on Monday. Speaking on the House floor on the day of his arrest, Davis denied any wrongdoing. To reverse the censure and regain his committee assignments, Davis must issue a written apology to his fellow lawmakers and Oklahoma City police. Turner was censured in early March after House leaders alleged the representative blocked Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers from questioning a protester who had been involved in an altercation with law enforcement in the Capitol. Republicans accused Turner, the only nonbinary member of the Legislature and who uses the pronouns they, them and their, of hiding the protester in their Capitol office. Turner denied wrongdoing and was not charged with a crime. Turner, maintaining innocence, has not apologized to House legislators or Highway Patrol officers. I think an apology for loving the people of Oklahoma is something that I cannot do, Turner said after being censured. Its something that I actively refuse to do. Turner did not return a call seeking comment on Monday. Davis and Turner will still be able to file bills for the 2024 legislative session and cast votes on the House floor, but they will not be able to vote or weigh in on bills being heard in legislative committees. In a May interview McCall stood by the censures, a decision he said was driven by members of the House GOP caucus. I do believe the censures were appropriate, and they were equitably applied regardless of party affiliation, he said. House GOP leadership previously faced some criticism for Turners censure because two Republicans in the chamber who were facing felony charges at the time had not been censured. Some of that criticism ceased after Davis was censured. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Books on the move: Summer bookmobiles will start making the rounds through Sapulpa and Jenks. Operated through a partnership between Sapulpa Public Schools and Caring Community Friends, the Book and Snack Mobile will make stops around Sapulpa four days a week starting Monday and running through July 27. Along with free snacks and water, the refitted school bus has shelves full of library books available for children to check out. The route schedule is available online at tinyurl.com/sapulpabooks. Starting Tuesday, the Trojans Read the Way bookmobile will run routes on Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 28 across portions of Jenks Public Schools attendance area. The route schedule is available online at tinyurl.com/JenksBooks. Employee accolade: Conchita Carreno was named Union Public Schools 2022-23 Support Employee of the Year on Wednesday. A bilingual human resources specialist, Carreno helps the districts benefits team communicate with Spanish-speaking employees. She was selected for the award by a committee of other support employees. Meal finder: Hunger Free Oklahoma has launched a website again this year listing Summer Feeding Program hosts. Along with addresses, Meals4kidsok.org includes summer feeding sites hours and closure dates. Summer meal service starts Monday at sites hosted by Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Claremore, Jenks, Sapulpa, Skiatook and Union public schools, as well as six Tulsa City-County Library branches. Meal service is already underway for Bixby, Owasso, Sand Springs and Tulsa public schools. School board schedule: The boards of education for Broken Arrow, Kiefer, Sand Springs and Tulsa have regular meetings on Monday. The State Virtual Charter School Board has a special meeting scheduled for Monday in Oklahoma City. The school boards for the Anderson, Lone Star and Pretty Water districts are scheduled to meet Tuesday. The Keystone Public Schools board is scheduled to meet Wednesday. The Bixby school board is scheduled to meet Thursday. The board for Inola Public Schools is scheduled to meet Friday. Nearly five months after City Councilor Grant Miller suggested the city change its policies to allow employees to use medical marijuana as they would any other prescription medication, the idea remains a topic of conversation and of some frustration among city leaders. Miller first broached the subject in January when councilors and Mayor G.T. Bynum met to set their priorities for the year. Miller met with Bynum and other city officials in March to discuss the matter further. It was a short meeting, Miller said. For my mind, the purpose of the meeting was to bring all of those folks together who might be affected or impacted by this and just sit them down and then find out what information it is that they need in order to move forward with some kind of a policy. Miller, who is a licensed cannabis grower, said what he took away from the meeting was that there was very much a willingness to explore what is possible and that we could probably at some point find some middle ground. He stressed that city officials gave no indication that they are open to actually changing the policy but did show an openness to exploring how we could do that if we were willing to. Currently, the city can test employees for drug use and can discipline an employee if THC metabolites are detected. Oklahomans voted in 2018 to approve State Question 788, which legalized the use of medical marijuana for those with a doctor's recommendation. In making his proposal in January, Miller cited concerns hed heard from Tulsa firefighters about the potential harmful effects of opioids and their desire to have cannabis available as a safer option for certain medical conditions. We have got doctors handing out prescriptions to city staff and to firefighters for the very same thing we are allegedly trying to combat, Miller said. Its a big problem. Matt Lay, president of Tulsa Firefighters IAFF Local 176, said post-traumatic stress, sleep disorders, anxiety and chronic pain are common causes of physical and mental health problems among firefighters. In the last 15 years, Lay said, four active firefighters have died from suicide or overdoses. In all of those situations, you had the presence of opioids, he said, adding, If you are telling me that there is a safe and effective alternative to an opioid, why wouldnt we want firefighters to have access to that? Bynum said Thursday that he remains open to discussion and consideration of the issue. This is a medical policy issue that impacts hundreds of firefighters who are responsible for protecting the lives of 400,000 Tulsans, he said. This is not something I will move on casually or without thorough evaluation. Lay said the current policy is problematic because it lacks clarity and is applied arbitrarily. That is part of what has been problematic that range from zero discipline and maybe a referral to an employee assistance program all the way through a termination on a first offense, Lay said. Little has changed in the firefighters drug and alcohol policy since it was adopted in the mid-1990s, Lay said. It is very disappointing that a city like Tulsa, that claims to be progressive, should have such archaic views towards something that more than two thirds of Tulsans support and have voted to adopt at the state level, he said. Lay pointed to a 2021 survey of 516 likely Tulsa general election voters in which 67% of respondents said they would support a ballot measure allowing firefighters to use medical marijuana if recommended by a doctor and used only while off duty. Of the 67% of respondents who said they would support such a measure, 46.5% said they would strongly support it and 20.5% said they would somewhat support it. The survey, commissioned by Local 176 and conducted by Cygnal, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.31 percentage points. Lay said the union recently agreed to a tentative agreement with the city on a fiscal year 2024 contract but that the subject of medical marijuana was never on the table. We were informed by the citys negotiator that it was a nonstarter as far as the city was concerned, he said. Miller expressed disappointment in the lack of movement on the matter, saying city leaders seem to want things to stay the same. "They are not interested in giving firefighters an opportunity to use alternative medications and want them to stay on these pain pills and stuff," the councilor said. Bynum said the medical marijuana issue is an evolving one and that the city did not want to unduly delay firefighters getting the raises they deserved while one policy issue was being evaluated. So we did not consider it for this contract, he said. As I have told Councilor Miller and others, I remain open-minded on the issue. The main challenge right now is that both our city physician and our fire chief do not believe we could safely implement such an option when dosages are not federally monitored and regulated in the same way other medications typically are. I do not want to do anything that would put citizens or firefighters at risk, so we have to work through that particular concern. The drug policy for firefighters, as spelled out in their collective bargaining agreement and administrative operating procedures, is nuanced. It reads, in part: "Normally, a non-probationary employee with a previously satisfactory work record will be given one (and only one) opportunity to continue employment after an initial occurrence of a positive drug or alcohol test where such testing was required by the City." Generally speaking, a firefighter who violates the policy the first time remains on the job but is subject to discipline. The individual will be subject to random and/or periodic drug testing and must participate in an Employee Assistance Program. A firefighter who violates the policy a second time is subject to termination. Firefighters are tested for alcohol, marijuana metabolites and cannabinoids, opiates, synthetic and semi-synthetic narcotics, cocaine, amphetamines and PCP. City officials stress that they follow applicable laws for all employees and adhere to collective bargaining processes. Fire Chief Michael Baker was among the city officials who met with Miller in March to discuss the issue. I am really kind of still studying it, to be honest, Baker said. The question I have is: How is it going to impact what we can do to help our people? How would you manage it effectively? The most important concern for me, whether it is this topic or any topic, is: How does it impact the trust that the public has in us? The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Marijuana violations took over 10,000 truck drivers off the road last year, adding more supply chain disruptions Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the road this year, adding more supply chain disruptions Truck drivers are being tested more and the consequences for drug-related violations have increased Differing marijuana laws by state are causing confusion among truck drivers Truck drivers with violations tend to not return, adding to the shortage and supply chain woes OKLAHOMA CITY Northeastern Oklahoma is one step closer to getting services from the Stephenson Cancer Center. Lawmakers appropriated $10 million for the center to expand into Tulsa, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Roger Thompson, R-Okemah. The cancer center, located on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center campus in Oklahoma City, was also awarded $20 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars, Thompson said. In 2021, Cancer Treatment Centers of America announced that it was closing its Tulsa hospital, which had opened in 1990 in the former City of Faith Hospital before moving to a location near 81st Street and U.S. 169. Its closure left a void in treatment and screening, said University of Oklahoma President Joseph Harroz Jr. The Stephenson Cancer Center is one of the National Cancer Institute's designated hospitals. It opened in 2011, obtained the NCI designation in 2018 and recently saw its NCI status renewed. The designation is considered the gold standard for research-driven cancer care. The facility is seeking to expand into Tulsa to provide services to northeastern Oklahoma, Thompson said. Harroz said lots of facilities have oncology but that the NCI designation means the latest research protocols are being used, as well as clinical trials. Survival for those treated at an NCI facility is 25% greater past one year than for those treated elsewhere, Harroz said. The center is named after Charles and Peggy Stephenson, who donated millions of dollars for the Oklahoma City facility. Stephenson in 1983 founded Tulsa-based Vintage Petroleum, which was sold to Occidental Petroleum Corp. in 2006. Supporters of expanding the Stephenson Cancer Center sought $100 million, of which $50 million would come from philanthropy, hospitals systems and other sources. The facility sought $10 million to expand patient services, partnership with other health systems, clinical trials and services into rural counties. It also sought $10 million to develop Phase 1 clinical trials with a Tulsa-based partner. Another $5 million was sought to buy equipment, while $25 million was needed to build new facilities and improve existing infrastructure to support statewide development. Oklahoma has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in the nation, according to the Stephenson Cancer Center. One in three women and one in two men in the state will be diagnosed with cancer, Harroz said. Even today, with all the progress, for each person who receives the diagnosis, 35% will die from it, Harroz said. Twenty percent Oklahomans who get a cancer diagnosis go to the Stephenson Cancer Center, he said. The rate increased with a new partnership with Norman Regional Health System, he said. But less than 3% of those who live in northeastern Oklahoma go to the center, he said. He said it is important that the centers services be brought to patients, making it easier for them to receive treatment. We are 100% committed to bringing the Stephenson Cancer Center to northeast Oklahoma, Harroz said. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Although the 2023-2024 school year does not start for at least two months, area school districts are already hustling to fill staffing vacancies for the coming school year. Weve always been having to hustle, Union Public Schools Executive Director of Human Resources Jay Loegering said. If you take the baseline that were 4,000 teachers short in Oklahoma based on the number of emergency certifications, everyone is fighting for a pool thats not there. As of Friday afternoon, Union has 52 known certified openings for the 2023-2024 school year. However, those numbers could fluctuate, as the districts current teachers have until mid-month to advise on whether they will return next year. Across town, Tulsa Public Schools has already brought on 250 new teachers for the coming school year and still has 185 open teaching positions around the district, according to Chief Talent and Equity Officer Andrea Castaneda. And at Broken Arrow, while the departure numbers are not as high as they were one year ago, the potential candidates just are not showing up. If we dont have positions filled by middle of July, its about impossible, Broken Arrow Superintendent Chuck Perry said. It is so hard to find somebody out there who is certified and will stay. While they are seeing departures across all grade levels and levels of experience, officials at Broken Arrow, Tulsa and Union all said that their greatest staffing challenges have been finding teachers for special education and higher level math and science courses, such as calculus, chemistry and physics. Those staffing challenges all track with national trends. According to a 2022 report compiled by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the number of students completing traditional teacher preparation programs dropped by one-third nationwide between 2008 and 2019. The specialty areas with the steepest declines in degrees and credentials awarded nationwide during that time period were foreign language education, math, science and special education. What keeps me up at night is that were 4,000 teachers short (statewide) and I have nowhere to find them, Loegering said, noting his district has even sought grant funding to help cover the costs of out-of-state recruitment efforts. Ive gone to Arkansas, Ive gone to Missouri, Ive gone to western Kansas to try to find special education teachers. The problem is that all the other states are doing the same thing. Loegering is not the only one looking high and low for teachers. His counterpart at Broken Arrow Public Schools, Rusty Stecker, said that as of mid-May, his district has had about 110 certified staff give notice that they will not be returning for the 2023-2024 school year with one-third of those due to retirement. By comparison, the district had almost 200 departures that had to be filled for the 2022-2023 school year. The suburban district has been attempting to attract and retain teachers through an employee child care program and continued efforts to maintain smaller class sizes. Additionally, in an attempt to increase its recruitment outreach efforts, Broken Arrow hosted two in-person teacher job fairs this spring. In a normal year, those events would draw in up to 175 potential new hires, Stecker said. The first job fair brought in 50 people and the second one brought in 40, including 25 who attended the first event. Its still a little early to tell exactly how things are going to look next year but nothing scares me more than the teacher shortage that were in the middle of right now, Perry said. And from the information were seeing, we havent hit rock bottom yet, which really scares me even more. In an attempt to help bring more teachers into the classroom, State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced plans in April to use $16 million in federal funds as one-time sign-on bonuses ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 for new teachers of special education or prekindergarten through third grade in rural districts or those where at least half of the students qualify for free or reduced price school meals. That would mean 1,066 additional teachers statewide if all were to receive the minimum amount or 320 additional teachers if all were to receive the $50,000 maximum offered for educators with at least five years of classroom experience. By comparison, more than 4,100 emergency certifications have been issued since the start of the fiscal year on July 1. Weve talked about it for years that were in a crisis, but throwing a few dollars at it here and there isnt going to help, especially when they (elected officials) dont bother to talk to anyone who actually does it, Loegering said. A wrongful termination suit was filed Tuesday in the Western District of Oklahoma against Walters, his former campaign manager and chief policy advisor Matt Langston and OSDE by a now former employee who claims he was fired for sharing a memorandum with a state representative and Oklahoma Attorney Gentner Drummond about the program and explaining how it contravened the requirements of federal and state laws and could have the effect of costing the State of Oklahoma approximately $18 million. A spokeswoman with Drummonds office confirmed Friday afternoon that the office is reviewing information about the program. Meanwhile, in an effort to address its specific staffing needs, TPS is offering sign-on bonuses for the coming year ranging from $2,000 for candidates going through emergency or alternative certification routes up to $6,000 for certified educators who are credentialed to teach subjects where the shortage is particularly acute. Along with special education and secondary math and sciences, Deputy Superintendent Paula Shannon and Tasha Johnson with the districts talent management department, noted that TPS has also been particularly struggling to find foreign language teachers. Kristy Tatum is the principal at TPS Marshall Elementary School. Despite extended active recruitment efforts for months, Marshall had two open teaching positions teaching third and fourth grade math for the entire 2022-2023 school year, prompting the school to rely on a pair of long-term substitute teachers to cover those classes. The third grade substitute co-taught with a certified teacher for the year. The fourth grade substitute was able to cover the material on their own and record students grades. However, Tatum called her school lucky to be able to have the same substitutes in those classrooms for the full school year rather than a constant stream of new faces. That takes that off of the other teachers, she said. If theyre not though, somebody in the building has to put grades in for them. Somebody has to share their lesson plans with that sub. Or if theres not another person, then those classes have to be split up. That means putting four more kids in a room and they might be a different grade level than yours. Thats the kind of stress and pressure it puts on. On top of those two vacancies, four Marshall faculty members have taken positions at other schools and will not be back next year. As of mid-May, Tatum said she has filled two of those spots and was optimistic about the other four spots, but acknowledged that many potential teachers can pick their job from among multiple districts and campuses. Im hopeful, she said. Ive got several interviews set up and there are still some candidates in the pool. Its just whether they choose to come here or not. Gina Wilson is Tatums counterpart at East Central High School. As of Memorial Day weekend, she was able to fill all 20 positions that were vacated at the end of the school year through a mix of retirements, people leaving for other schools both in and out of TPS and some who were leaving the profession altogether. Wilson originally came to the district as a substitute teacher and went the alternative certification route. Drawing on that background, she has been doing outreach all year via social media in an effort to find people in advance of positions opening up. Additionally, she sought student feedback about attributes and skills they wanted to see in their teachers. With 40% of its student population classified as English language learners and more than 100 students there as part of a newcomer program for recently arrived immigrants, one of the overwhelming requests from students was for teachers who are bilingual. They (students) dont get to sit in on the interviews, but weve never really taken the time to ask them what they want because were so busy as admin trying to fill those spots, she said. I made it clear that even though we know were in a teacher shortage, Im not going to just fill a spot to fill a spot. I want to get the right person and the best fit. I want them here for more than a year. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Mizzy, also known as Bacari, is an 18-year-old TikToker from Hackney who gained fame for his pranks on social media. His journey into online content creation began when he was eight years old, reportedly after facing expulsion from school on three occasions, as per The Independent. However, Mizzy's pranks recently took a dangerous turn, crossing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Consequently, Mizzy was served with a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) that will remain in effect until May 2025. The CBO restricts the 18-year-old from trespassing into any private property, whether residential homes, business premises, schools, or retail outlets. Moreover, Mizzy is prohibited from uploading any original video content directly or indirectly on popular social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube without obtaining prior documented consent from the individuals featured in the content. Additionally, he is not allowed to visit Westfield Stratford City. Mizzy's actions have garnered significant public attention, leaving many to wonder how a young TikToker ventured so far into controversial territory. Here is a timeline of the controversial events involving TikTok prankster Mizzy, his aggressive actions, and the subsequent consequences he faced: In February, Mizzy was arrested for assault after posting videos that showed him harassing Jewish people. Despite claiming that his actions were harmless pranks, he faced charges of racially aggravated assault, according to The Tab. Then, Mizzy got involved in a house trespassing Incident. On May 15, Mizzy recorded a video of himself entering an affluent London home without permission. The video depicted him walking in through an open front door and sitting on the sofa before being asked to leave. Mizzy later apologized to the homeowners. Public Outrage and Calls for Action On May 22, Mizzy's actions sparked public outrage, with many questioning why he hadn't been arrested yet. Members of Parliament called for the Metropolitan Police to take action, and investigations were initiated. Read Also: Utah Schools Ban the Bible Following the trespassing incident, public outrage, and violation of community guidelines, Mizzy's TikTok and YouTube accounts were removed. Both platforms deemed his content to be promoting criminal activity. TikToker Mizzy responds after video of him asking women if they "want to die" goes viral His name is #BacariOgarro 18 and lives in #HarringayinLondon made headlines last week when he filmed himself entering a family's home. In the clip, the residents are clearly distressed at pic.twitter.com/Nu3tOnFH42 Casper Anthony (@NYCASPERFLA) May 22, 2023 In response to the backlash, Mizzy released a video on YouTube showing little remorse. He admitted intentionally aiming to shock viewers and claimed to have manifested the attention he received. On May 26, Mizzy was arrested for breaching his Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). Authorities have detained him, and investigations are ongoing, Sky News reported. Kicked Out From a Show On June 4, Sundaym, during an appearance on Talk TV, Mizzy was deemed to have behaved threateningly toward a female guest. Presenter Andre Walker demanded security to remove him from the set, and the controversial content creator was thrown away from the program. The TalkTV presenter earned praise for removing TikTok troublemaker Mizzy from the show after an altercation over an alleged "threatening look" directed at another guest, as applauded by viewers, Daily Mail reported. Mizzy's scandalous actions have ignited discussions about the responsibility of social media platforms and the potential consequences of promoting irresponsible behavior. As investigations continue, the public awaits the outcome of his legal proceedings and possible further action against him. Read Also: Dwayne Johnson Confirms 'Fast & Furious' Return @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Related content Manhunt continues for suspect in Okmulgee police officer's shooting The suspect in the shooting of an Okmulgee police officer was arrested Monday, four days after the shooting. Christopher Alfred Harris, 34, was found and taken into custody by officers acting on a tip that he was at the Bel-Air Motel in Okmulgee, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reported Monday evening. The OSBI identified the officer who was shot as Dustin Clark. The agency reported Thursday that he had been treated at a hospital and released after being shot early that morning at a house in the 100 block of East Second Street in Okmulgee. Harris was booked into the Okmulgee County jail on a complaint of shooting with intent to kill as well as on a federal warrant. He was to be under court supervision for three years after his release from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons in September, records and Tulsa World archives show. He had served a 10-year, one-month term for a Tulsa bank robbery after pleading guilty in 2012 to an armed robbery at the Bank of Oklahoma at 3037 S. Garnett Road and to a related firearm charge. While the manhunt for Harris continued after the shooting Thursday, authorities said he should be considered armed and dangerous. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. OKLAHOMA CITY The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board on Monday voted 3-2, including the deciding yes vote by a new member who was installed on Friday, to approve state sanctioning and taxpayer funding for a Catholic school. If or when St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School opens, it will be the nations first religious charter school, but taxpayer challenges have been promised. The application for charter school funding for a school with religious teachings, policies and hiring practices is viewed by Oklahoma Catholic church leaders and attorneys with the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative Clinic who helped them as a test case to challenge separation of church and state laws across the nation. St. Isidore has been proposed to provide Catholic school education access to students in areas currently without Catholic schools and to expand online course offerings to students in existing Catholic schools across Oklahoma. In April, the board unanimously denied the sponsorship application for St. Isidore. But Catholic leaders took advantage of the opportunity afforded them under state law to take 30 days to revise and resubmit their charter school sponsorship application. Long-serving member Barry Beauchamp, a retired school superintendent from Lawton who had been allowed to continue serving on the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board after his term expired some months ago, was replaced abruptly on Friday with Oklahoma City businessman Brian Bobek by Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall. At the start of Mondays special meeting, Board Chairman Robert Franklin asked Bobek to abstain from voting Monday to avoid the appearance of political manipulation. But when it came time to vote, Bobek said it was his duty as a board member to vote, and reading from a written statement, said he believed it would violate the U.S. Constitution to bar a religious entity from state sponsorship on the basis of religion. He voted yes alongside Nellie Sanders of Kingfisher, appointed earlier this year by Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat; and Scott Strawn, appointed recently by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Voting no were Bill Pearson of Oologah, who also was recently appointed by McCall; and the only long-serving board member, Franklin of Tulsa. Both cited the Oklahoma Constitutions provision for a system of free public schools and a requirement in the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act that charter schools be nonsectarian. At the conclusion of Mondays meeting, Franklin announced that he intends to resign from the board. Bobek previously served nearly four years on the State Board of Education and the State Board of Career and Technology Education through appointments by Stitt. At the conclusion of Mondays meeting, Bobek made a beeline across the room to one of the architects of the application, Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma. Asked whether he wrote the lengthy statement with numerous legal citations he read during the meeting, Bobek replied to the Tulsa World: No comment. Stitt has been vocal in his support for the St. Isidore application. In early December, Stitts appointee to the position of Oklahoma Attorney General, John OConnor, issued an advisory legal opinion that the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board should not abide by the states ban on publicly funded charter schools being operated by sectarian and religious organizations because the ban could be in violation of the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment. That piece of advice served as the green light to Oklahoma Catholic leaders to submit the St. Isidore application in January. But almost immediately upon taking office, Oklahomas newly elected Attorney General Gentner Drummond withdrew OConnors December legal opinion and cautioned the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board against sponsoring St. Isidore. Drummond said OConnors advice was based on legal precedent involving private schools, not public schools, and said sponsoring a religious charter school run by one denomination would create a slippery slope to use religious liberty to justify state-funded religion. Chairman Franklin on Monday directed the boards attention to Senate Bill 516, which was just passed by the Oklahoma State Legislature and signed into law Monday by Stitt. In addition to abolishing the current board come 2024 and creating a new governing board with expanded authority over all charter schools, Franklin said it seemed noteworthy that SB 516 maintained the same key provision from the states long standing Charter Schools Act. Specifically, SB 516 states: A charter school shall be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. A sponsor may not authorize a charter school or program that is affiliated with a nonpublic sectarian school or religious institution. Assistant Attorney General Niki Batt, one of the boards legal advisors, told the board Monday before its vote that the heart of the matter is whether or not these are public or private schools, and that will ultimately have to be decided by the court. Its important for this body to remember you are an executive branch agency, so its not (your) job to interpret the law. Its your job to enforce the law as it already exists, she said, noting that Oklahoma law clearly defines charter schools as public schools. She also told the board that its standard sponsorship contract, which it has used without any customization for all of its six currently sponsored schools, would have to be amended for St. Isidore, if approved, because it includes assurances that charter school operations will be nonsectarian. When Franklin asked about the implications of amending the standard contract for the boards other sponsored schools, Batt responded that enforcement of that standard contract on other charter schools could be viewed as arbitrary and capricious if they arent also afforded customized contract terms. In public comments to the board before the vote, Erika Wright, president of the 12,000-member Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, criticized the Friday board member replacement as 11th-hour vote stacking that removes trust from the process. I oppose state funds being used for a religious school, she said. Using public funds to support religious charter schools diverts crucial funds from public education. Everyday Oklahomans are not clamoring for this. This is the proverbial camels nose under the tent. Clark Frailey, an Edmond pastor who founded Pastors for Oklahoma Kids, a nonprofit, nondenominational group of pastors from across Oklahoma that advocates for public school policy, told the board he was taught in the two private, religious schools he attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth that the church should not resort to the civil power to do its work. If you choose to approve this, you will be violating this thought. Longtime Tulsa-based education attorney Doug Mann told the board that state sponsorship and funding for a religious school would cause government intrusion into religion. Representing the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee, a public school advocacy group, Mann warned that there would be dire consequences to this board if it goes forward in the form of a taxpayer lawsuit in which the taxpayers will seek three times the amount of money that is ultimately paid to this school. You cannot leave here today with any doubt in your mind as to what each of you are putting on the line if you pursue this unlawful course of action, he said. Oklahoma City attorney A.J. Ferate, who recently served for a year as chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, spoke on behalf of First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit Christian conservative legal organization based in Plano, Texas, that litigates First Amendment cases. He told the board members that Mann tried to scare you, and he offered to personally represent them if they are sued. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board on Monday voted 3-2, including the deciding yes vote by a new member installed on Friday, to approve state sanctioning and taxpayer funding for a Catholic school. If or when St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School opens, it will be the nations first religious charter school, but taxpayer challenges have been promised. The application for charter school funding for a school with religious teachings, policies and hiring practices is viewed by Oklahoma Catholic church leaders and attorneys with the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative Clinic who helped them as a test case to challenge separation of church and state laws across the nation. St. Isidore has been proposed to provide Catholic school education access to students in areas currently without Catholic schools and to expand online course offerings to students in existing Catholic schools across Oklahoma. In April, the board unanimously denied the sponsorship application for St. Isidore. But Catholic leaders took advantage of the opportunity afforded them under state law to take 30 days to revise and resubmit their charter school sponsorship application. Long-serving member Barry Beauchamp, a retired school superintendent from Lawton who had been allowed to continue serving on the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board after his term expired some months ago, was replaced abruptly on Friday with an Oklahoma City businessman named Brian Bobek by Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall. At the start of Mondays special meeting, Board Chairman Robert Franklin asked Bobek to abstain from voting Monday to avoid the appearance of political manipulation. But when it came time to vote, Bobek said it was his duty as a board member to vote, and reading from a written statement, that he believed it would violate the U.S. Constitution to bar a religious entity from state sponsorship on the basis of religion. He voted yes alongside Nellie Sanders of Kingfisher, appointed earlier this year by Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat; and Scott Strawn, appointed recently by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Voting no was recently McCall-appointed board member Bill Pearson of Oologah, and the only long-serving board member, Franklin of Tulsa. Both cited the Oklahoma State constitution's provision for a system of free public schools and requirement in the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act that charter schools be nonsectarian. At the conclusion of Monday's meeting, Franklin announced he intends to resign from the board. Bobek is an Oklahoma City businessman who previously served nearly four years on the State Board of Education and the State Board of Career and Technology Education through appointments by Stitt. The governor has been vocal in his support for the St. Isidore application. In early December, his appointee John OConnor issued an advisory legal opinion by the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office that argued the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board should not abide by the states ban on publicly funded charter schools being operated by sectarian and religious organizations because it could be a violation of the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment. That piece of advice served as the green light to Oklahoma Catholic leaders to submit the St. Isidore application in January. But almost immediately upon taking office, Oklahomas newly elected Attorney General Gentner Drummond withdrew OConnors December legal opinion and cautioned the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board against sponsoring St. Isidore. Drummond said OConnors advice was based on legal precedent involving private schools, not public schools, and said sponsoring a religious charter school run by one denomination would create a slippery slope to use religious liberty to justify state-funded religion. Chairman Franklin on Monday directed the boards attention to Senate Bill 516, which was just passed by the Oklahoma State Legislature and signed into law Monday by Stitt. In addition to abolishing the current board come 2024 and creating a new governing board with expanded authority over all charter schools, Franklin said it seemed noteworthy that SB 516 maintained the same key provision from the states long standing Charter Schools Act. Specifically, SB 516 states: A charter school shall be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. A sponsor may not authorize a charter school or program that is affiliated with a nonpublic sectarian school or religious institution. Assistant Attorney General Niki Batt, one of the boards legal advisors, told the board Monday before its vote that the heart of the matter is whether or not these are public or private schools and that will ultimately have to be decided by the court. Its important for this body to remember you are an executive branch agency, so its not (your) job to interpret the law. Its your job to enforce the law as it already exists, she said, noting that Oklahoma law clearly defines charter schools as public schools. She also told the board that its standard sponsorship contract, which it has used without any customization for all of its six currently sponsored schools, would have to be amended for St. Isidore, if approved, because it includes assurances that charter school operations will be nonsectarian. When Franklin asked about the implications of amending the standard contract for the boards other sponsored schools, Batt responded that enforcement of that standard contract on other charter schools could be viewed as arbitrary and capricious if they arent also afforded customized contract terms. In public comments to the board before the vote, Erika Wright, president of the 12,000-member Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, criticized the Friday board member replacement as 11th-hour vote stacking that removes trust from the process. I oppose state funds being used for a religious school, she said. Using public funds to support religious charter schools diverts crucial funds from public education. Everyday Oklahomans are not clamoring for this this is the proverbial camels nose under the tent. Clark Frailey, an Edmond pastor who founded Pastors for Oklahoma Kids, a nonprofit, nondenominational group of pastors from across Oklahoma that advocates for public school policy, told the board he was taught in the two private, religious schools he attended, Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, that The church should not resort to the civil power to do its work If you choose to approve this, you will be violating this thought. Longtime Tulsa-based education attorney Doug Mann told the board state sponsorship and funding for a religious school would cause government intrusion into religion. Representing the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee, a public school advocacy group, Mann warned there would be dire consequences to this board if it goes forward in the form of a taxpayer lawsuit in which the taxpayers will seek three times the amount of money that is ultimately paid to this school." You cannot leave here today with any doubt in your mind as to what each of you are putting on the line if you pursue this unlawful course of action, he said. Oklahoma City attorney A.J. Ferate, who recently served for a year as chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, spoke on behalf of First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit Christian conservative legal organization based in Plano, Texas, that litigates First Amendment cases, said Mann tried to scare you and offered to personally represent them if they are sued. Reactions swift to Oklahoma's sponsorship of nation's first religious charter school Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the decision is unconstitutional and could result in costly legal action. Gov. Kevin Stitt calls it "a win for religious liberty and education freedom." #oklaed The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Related story Catholic charter school proposal greenlighted for state sanctioning, taxpayer funding Reactions to Mondays vote by the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to publicly fund the nations first religious charter school have been mixed. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the decision is unconstitutional and that costly legal action is likely after a contract for the school is signed. The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers, Drummond said. Its extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the State to potential legal action that could be costly. Gov. Kevin Stitt applauded the 3-2 vote. This is a win for religious liberty and education freedom in our great state, and I am encouraged by these efforts to give parents more options when it comes to their childs education, said Stitt. Oklahomans support religious liberty for all and support an increasingly innovative educational system that expands choice. Today, with the nation watching, our state showed that we will not stand for religious discrimination. State Superintendent Ryan Walters also applauded the vote, saying: This decision reflects months of hard work, and more importantly, the will of the people of Oklahoma. Nina Rees, president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, disagreed with the move. This decision runs afoul of state law and the U.S. Constitution. All charter schools are public schools, and as such must be non-sectarian. Charter schools were conceived as, and have always been, innovative public schools that provide an alternative for families who want a public school option other than the one dictated by their ZIP code, Rees said. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is trying to make charter schools into something they are not. We stand ready to support charter school advocates on the ground in Oklahoma as they fight to preserve the public nature of these unique schools and protect the religious and civil rights of the students and teachers who choose them. Public schools cannot teach religion, require attendance at religious services, or condition enrollment or hiring based on religious beliefs. While a sectarian organization may be permitted to operate a charter school, that school must remain a nonsectarian, open enrollment non-discriminatory public school. Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee Chairwoman Misty Bradley, a public school policy advocacy group, said: As parents and taxpayers, we are gravely disappointed in todays decision by the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to approve our nations first state-funded religious school. This unconstitutional decision is a violation of our religious liberty and an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars. Americans United for Separation of Church and States President and CEO Rachel Laser said her organization is preparing legal action to protect religious freedom and public education in Oklahoma. 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, Laser said. This is a sea change for American democracy. Americans United will work with our Oklahoma and national partners to take all possible legal action to fight this decision and defend the separation of church and state thats promised in both the Oklahoma and U.S. Constitutions. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. For a party that hasnt won a lot of elections lately, the Oklahoma Democrats put on a pretty lively two-day convention in Tulsa this weekend. More purposeful than giddily optimistic, delegates re-elected Tulsan Alicia Andrews as chairwoman by a large margin and approved an Oklahoma-specific addendum to the national party platform that includes open, ranked-choice primaries, sales tax relief, diversification of the states economy and collaboration regardless of party but without compromise on diversity. Oklahoma Democrats are in a superminority on the statewide level, Andrews said in addressing some of the Democrats struggles. Democratic Party registration is not what we want it to be. Those are facts. The numbers are true and they dont feel good, Andrews said, but the reality is that despite these numbers, and because of these numbers, weve tried to be intentional about our efforts. The good news, Andrews said, is that the party has held steady in recent elections and is finally in an organizational and financial situation to perhaps make some headway. In perhaps the most surprising development, given the state of many state parties, Treasurer Rachael Hunsucker reported the party is debt-free and current. With focus and intentionality, we have proven we can do more with less, Andrews said. Former Gov. David Walters, the states national committeeman, said the performative politics of Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt can be disheartening. He also mentioned hyperbolic state Superintendent Ryan Walters, and hastened to add they are not related. Former state Rep. Eric Proctor, whose term as state vice president ended Sunday, said the state party is trying to convince the national part that the 5th Congressional District, which Democrat Kendra Horn held for one term and has since been drastically redrawn, is still winnable. The same is true of CD 1, Proctor said, after 70,000 people were shifted into CD 2 by redistricting. About 450 people attended the Saturday night Carl Albert Dinner with Beto ORourke. Speakers at various events Friday evening and Saturday included former state party officials from Nebraska, Kentucky and Ohio. DNC Vice Chairman Ken Martin, who Walters called the most powerful person in the national committee because of his leadership of the Association of State Democratic Committees, was Sundays keynote speaker. Martin said even though Democrats didnt make much headway in terms of winning elections, they did cause Republicans to spend some money in the state, which helped the caused nationally. Rome wasnt built in a day, he said. It takes time to move a state from red to purple to blue. It starts at home, he said. It starts with our families. It starts with our loved ones. With the people we know. We need to listen to folks who feel forgotten, like my father-in-law and my brother-in-law, a union carpenter, who dont believe the Democratic Party will stand up for them anymore. <&rule> The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today.(tncms-asset)83950bb9-d5df-5053-99d9-dab09ad645b0[0](/tncms-asset) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Monday kicked off the 2023 ASEAN Social Impact Program (ASID) in Vietnam, bringing together nearly 100 university students nationwide to explore waste management issues and zero waste models. The ASIP, funded by the USAID within the partnership with Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV), focuses on a different issue each year based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The theme of ASIP 2023 is Towards Zero Waste. Students from 34 universities in the country will be equipped with necessary knowledge related to the environment and sustainable development. The participants, which will be divided into teams of 10, will engage in interactive training on zero waste, ideation, and project management. They will also have opportunities to connect with thought leaders in the field, take site visits to companies and organizations with sustainable development models, and collaborate to develop and pitch project proposals to apply the zero waste model into their community. Three teams with winning projects will receive up to US$10,000 to bring their ideas to life. The project implementation will last for three months. Bradley Bessire, Deputy Mission Director of USAID in Vietnam, said the impact of climate change is easily felt in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government is well aware of the impact and is already taking action. Events such as the ASID are expected to pave the way for further changes, since the program attracted the participation of young change makers who develop new ideas and solutions to existing environmental issues, Bessire said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Two out of the seven victims burned by a man in a jealous rage in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam died despite doctors efforts, a representative of Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital, where the patients were treated, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. The 46-year-old patient passed away on Saturday evening and the 15-year-old boy died on Sunday morning. The two suffered severe burns on 90 percent of their bodies and respiratory failure. At about 6:00 am on Saturday morning, a young man poured gasoline over his body and a group of people and set them on fire at a boarding house in Phuoc Binh Commune, Long Thanh District, Dong Nai Province due to romantic jealousy. At 6:45 am, the fire was put out and the seven victims were rushed to medical centers in Phu My Town, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, a neighbor of Dong Nai, for first aid, and then to Ba Ria Hospital in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province for treatment. Ba Ria Hospital later transferred three patients to Cho Ray Hospital, two to Children's Hospital 2, and two to Children's Hospital 1, all in Ho Chi Minh City. A representative of Children's Hospital 2 said the hospital admitted two children, aged 13 and 15. They sustained burns on 60 percent of their bodies, mainly on their heads, faces, and necks, and currently need endotracheal intubation. Children's Hospital 1 is also providing medical treatment for two other children who also suffered severe burns. They are put on ventilators and in critical condition. Meanwhile, Cho Ray Hospital received three patients in the jealousy case and two of them suffered burns on 90 percent of their bodies. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese-born Philipp Rosler, former vice-chancellor of Germany, marked his milestone 50th birthday in a meaningful way by requesting the birthday party-goers to make donations to an orphanage in Vietnam, instead of offering him gifts. The birthday celebration took place last Friday night in the German city of Hildesheim, with the participation of more than 500 guests, including many former and incumbent top officials of European nations. Supporting disadvantaged children in Vietnam Philipp Rosler previously served as German vice-chancellor and economic minister under the administration of Angela Merkel, during which he was the youngest Cabinet member as well as the first Cabinet minister of Asian descent in Germany. Before he became a famous political figure in Germany, Rosler was brought up by the nuns at an orphanage at the Soc Trang Providence Convent, located in Soc Trang Province in Vietnams Mekong Delta region. He spent the first nine months of his childhood at the orphanage before being adopted by a German family in November 1973. Despite his vague childhood memories about Vietnam, the former German vice-chancellors aspiration to learn more about his homeland shows no signs of abating. Early last year, Rosler came back to the orphanage for the first time after 49 years. The orphanage remained operational for a few years after his adoption. Then, it was transformed into a school and medical facility, which was again converted into an orphanage after the COVID-19 pandemic. Around three years ago, the facility received little attention from the public. But when it became an orphanage again post pandemic, it needs support for the children, especially those orphaned by the pandemic, Rosler told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday, recalling his visit to the orphanage. They need to go to school and need psychological support, he added. Im convinced that its my destiny to support that orphanage. Because destiny brought me back to that orphanage when it had urgent needs, Rosler said. Therefore, he called on the party-goers to offer help to the orphanage, rather than giving him birthday presents. A good night for Vietnam More than 500 guests arrived in Hildesheim to join the birthday party, including top-level politicians, businesspeople and friends of Rosler, such as German Finance Minister Christian Lindner and former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. Also, Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland Phung The Long took a nine-hour car trip to celebrate the birthday with Rosler and was so moved to learn about the call for donations to the orphanage. Many European guests at the celebration have a close relationship with Vietnam, such as chairman of the European Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister, who took part in the negotiations for the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. He [McAllister] knows about my background in Vietnam and he fully supports the activities [donations], Rosler elaborated. Rosler also described the birthday party as a good night for Vietnam that fulfills my destiny to support the country where I was born. He had yet to work out the total value of donations offered by the party-goers, but he said he was happy seeing the guests actively respond to his call for donations. Rosler shared that he would send a majority of the donations to back the education of children at the orphanage. In addition, part of the donations would be used as medical scholarships for young women in the Mekong Delta region. When they finish their professional education, we will send them back to the Mekong Delta in order to help build up the local society and the primary healthcare system, he said. According to him, he will authorize the Care to Rise program to handle the donations. Rosler is the international chairman of the program, jointly implemented by VinaCapital Foundation and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City to access, protect, encourage and provide long-term care to COVID-19 orphans. Further, he revealed that he will revisit Vietnam by the end of this month to promote investments in Vietnam by FDI firms. Anna Lucia Ri, a 89-year-old Vietnamese nun whose real name is Vo Thi Ri, directly took care of the former German vice-chancellor Philipp Rosler during his time at the Soc Trang Providence Convent, located in Soc Trang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Tong Khoa / Tuoi Tre Anna Lucia Ri, a 89-year-old Vietnamese nun whose real name is Vo Thi Ri, directly took care of the former German vice-chancellor Philipp Rosler during his time at the Soc Trang Providence Convent. The nun, who joined the religious establishment when she was eighteen years old, told Tuoi Tre that many children were abandoned at that time as their parents were very poor and could not afford raising their kids. Some parents gave their children to the orphanage, while some left their kids in the trash bin area in front of the facility. These abandoned kids were brought up thanks to donations made by local residents, Ri recalled. Like other kids there, Rosler was found abandoned in the trash bin by local inhabitants and was brought to the orphanage. Two years after his adoption into a German family, Ri moved to Can Tho City, also in the Mekong Delta, as the Soc Trang orphanage suspended operations. She has heard almost nothing about him since then. Through the media, the nun knew that Rosler became vice-chancellor of Germany, saying that she was glad for his success. Ri said that his call for donations to disadvantaged Vietnamese children at his birthday celebration is a precious thing. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Pediatric hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, in southern Vietnam, are having to use alternative medicines to treat hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in severe stages as they are facing a lack of drugs amid the rising numbers of patients. Faced with this situation, the municipal Department of Health has asked the Ministry of Health to provide it with HFMD drugs as soon as possible, especially for severe cases. The department said childrens hospitals are struggling with a shortage of intravenous phenobarbital and gamma-globulin for HFMD patients in critical conditions. Dr. Nguyen Minh Tien, deputy director of the City Childrens Hospital, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday aid that the hospital has run out of intravenous phenobarbital and has had to use intravenous gamma globulin as an alternative. However, only about 200 vials of intravenous gamma globulin have been left and they may not be enough for treatment in the near future as the number of HFMD has been on the rise, Dr. Tien warned. Similarly, Dr. Du Tuan Quy, head of the Infection-Neurology Department of the Childrens Hospital No. 1, said that the hospital ran out of phenobarbital and is using gamma-globulin and intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) drugs as replacements. The hospital has been forced to use oral phenobarbital instead of intravenous, with the treatment efficacy of the former lower, Dr. Quy said. The city has recorded 157 HFMD cases during the week from May 22 to 28, up 47.1 percent compared to the average of the four previous weeks, and the cumulative number of HFMD cases as of week 21 this year is 1,670, the department reported. Worryingly, the numbers of both HFMD inpatients and outpatients at the children's hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have been on a sharp rise since two weeks ago, and one 5-year-old patient has died. Some cases of severe HFMD cases have been found infected with Enterovirus 71, which spreads very quickly and causes many dangerous complications, the department said, adding that this virus killed more than 100 children in 2011. Dr. Tien said that the numbers of both HFMD inpatients and outpatients at the City Childrens Hospital have increased over the past several days, with many child patients moved in from neighboring provinces. The hospital was treating five severe HFMD cases, including three hailing from southern An Giang, Long An and Tien Giang provinces, and the number of outpatients has increased up to 20 cases per day, doubling that in the previous week, Dr. Tien said. Dr. Quy said the Childrens Hospital No. 1 received two severe HFMD cases transferred in from a province on June 3 after treating another serious case earlier. HFMD is common among young children and is transmitted through the gastrointestinal tract, thus it is important for children and their caregivers to practice good personal hygiene, the citys Center for Disease Control (HCDC) stated. Symptoms of the disease include mild or moderate fever, fatigue, sore throat, skin rash on palms, feet, knees, and buttocks, and sores on the lining of the cheeks, gums, and tongue. Patients should be hospitalized if they suffer high fever that cannot be reduced by paracetamol, vomiting, convulsions, and an increased heart rate, the HCDC advised. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Many beer joints and nightclubs playing ear-splitting music and encroaching on sidewalks along Pham Van Dong Boulevard in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City were fined during the local authorities inspection. A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Police said on Sunday that police in Go Vap District launched an inspection into nightspots playing loud music and offering shisha in the district, including on Pham Van Dong Boulevard in Ho Chi Minh City, between May 26 and June 1. The authorities sealed off and seized 68 cylinders of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, 19 jars of shisha oil, and 15 hookahs, among others. Some beer joints were fined for encroaching on sidewalks and excessive noise in public places between 11:00 pm to 6:00 am. Beer stalls, pubs, and nightclubs along Pham Van Dong Boulevard often play ear-piercing music, affecting residents in the neighborhood and passers-by. Many beverage joints are fined for playing ear-piercing music along Pham Van Dong Boulevard in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Supplied by the Go Vap Police The Go Vap District Police have asked the National Institute of Criminal Sciences under the Ministry of Public Security to assess the confiscated chemicals as evidence to handle violators. They will also expand their inspection and handling of the use of laughing gas, shisha, and e-cigarettes within its precincts. According to the national technical standards, the permitted noise level in special areas is no more than 55 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 45 decibels between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am. Meanwhile, it is no more than 70 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 55 decibels from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am for common areas. Pursuant to the regulations on administrative penalties, violators shall be fined VND1-5 million (US$43-214) for noise exceeding the standard level by 2-5 decibels, and VND5-20 million ($214-857) for surpassing the standard level by 5-10 decibels. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! (Photo : LUIS ROBAYO/AFP via Getty Images)) North Dakota authorities worried about smuggling after neighboring Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana. After Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana usage, North Dakota law enforcement authorities expressed about smuggling. Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize cannabis for recreational use on August 1. Additionally, Minnesota was the first state to overturn its paraphernalia laws, making it illegal to carry needles or even tiny quantities of drug residue. North Dakota Highway Patrol Captain Bryan Niewind noted the Minnesota legislation does not apply to North Dakota, according to Twin Cities. He underlined that their strategy would not alter, saying that North Dakota troopers will continue to enforce the state's laws regardless of Minnesota's legalization. The use, possession, manufacturing, and distribution of marijuana are still forbidden in North Dakota despite several unsuccessful efforts to legalize it, including one in November. This restriction applies to Minnesotans found with cannabis or drug paraphernalia. What Do The North Dakota and Minnesota Marijuana Laws Say? Beginning in August, Minnesota will let adults 21 and older use marijuana, subject to certain limitations. Smoking marijuana in public locations like schools and parks, where children might be exposed to smoke or fumes, would be barred. Additionally, it will still be unlawful to drive while high on cannabis. Publicly, people are allowed to carry two ounces of marijuana, and at home, two pounds. Marijuana possession involves a range of criminal penalties in North Dakota. Less than a half-ounce of marijuana may result in fines of up to $1,000 for possession. Ingesting cannabis inside the state is punishable by up to 30 days in prison and a maximum of 360 days of jail time for possessing larger quantities. Read Also: Trump Seeks Recusal of Judge in 'Hush Money' Case Over Democratic Daughter's Job In addition, police have the right to detain someone who possesses marijuana and plans to provide it or sell it to someone else. Depending on the amount and if a weapon is involved, it may result in charges of felony and up to 10 years imprisonment. New York's Marijuana Woes In related news, New York's marijuana producers are having trouble selling their crops since there is no market for them. The state's recreational marijuana market has been operating slowly, which has slowed down the licensing procedure for new outlets, ABC News reported. Consequently, illegal businesses have filled the vacuum, although these are not legitimate markets for New York farmers. Federal law forbids the movement of their products over state boundaries, leaving little shelf space for the significant quantity of cannabis cultivated in the state last year. Due to New York's unmet demand for cannabis, New York's marijuana producers are in a difficult financial position. There are growing worries that the smokable blossom could become too old to be sold. The State's Office of Cannabis Management temporarily approved 50 additional dispensary licenses last month, aiming to boost demand. Additionally, there are plans to enable groups of producers to partner with retail license holders to sell their cannabis somewhere other than a shop, such as an agricultural fair or a festival. Despite the state legalization of marijuana, a local study found that adolescent cannabis usage in New York City was declining in 2021, the lowest level ever seen since the subject was included in the survey in 1997. However, anecdotal reports from students and instructors point to a rise in disruptive conduct and easy availability of cannabis items like vape pens and edibles in educational settings, according to The New York Times. Related Article: Dylan Mulvaney: From Theatrical Performer to TikTok Trans Advocate - Now a Lesbian @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. High-end Swiss watch company Christophe Claret has introduced a design paying homage to the Trung Sisters, or Hai Ba Trung, two Vietnamese heroines from the first century. This premium timepiece comes from the Legend exclusive collection, which was created by the 37-year-old watchmaker to honor significant historical figures around the world while skillfully combining contemporary technology with traditional culture. On the upper portion of the dial, Christophe Claret exquisitely crafted the iconic imagery of Hai Ba Trung, two remarkable female generals from Vietnamese history, who repelled Chinese attacks for three years in AD 40s, astride two elephants. The miniature painting was intricately handmade by famous artist Andre Martinez, the Swiss watch firm said in a post on LinkedIn, the social media network owned by Microsoft Corp that focuses on business professionals. The design is a Westminster flying tourbillon minute repeater provided with four jacquemart automatons featuring Hai Ba Trung, according to the LinkedIn post. The Westminster minute repeater mechanism allows users to play a musical tune when the quarters ring. Each quarter has a different ringtone, which are the results of a collaboration between Christophe Claret and a virtuoso violinist. The company has not disclosed the price of the watch. However, it can be inferred that the watch is quite expensive as many Christophe Claret timepieces typically exhibit exceptional craftsmanship and are often constructed using a combination of titanium and red gold. For example, one of their watches inspired by the French Emperor Napoleon carries a price tag of US$649,035. Christophe Claret has paid tribute to numerous revered historical figures on their watches, including King Naresuan, a highly esteemed monarch in Thailands history, the French Emperor Napoleon, and Genghis Khan, the visionary founder of the Mongolian empire. Many other luxury Swiss watch faces have been adorned with engravings and paintings depicting iconic Vietnamese cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as capturing the essence of typical Vietnamese scenes like floating markets and the breathtaking UNESCO-recognized Ha Long Bay. Born in 1962 in Switzerland, Christophe Claret is a skilled craftsman in the field of mechanical watchmaking. In 1986, he established his eponymous watchmaking workshop in the Swiss city of Le Locle. Meanwhile, Andre Martinez, a painter hailing from Barcelona, Spain, relocated to Le Locle. Renowned for his precise painting methods on metal dials, Martinez frequently collaborates with Christophe Claret. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! SKY News Weather recently appointed meteorologist Bradlyn Oakes to its presenting team. She joins Rob Sharpe and Alison Osborne, now comprising the largest team of meteorologists on network television, alongside presenters Lucy Polkinghorne and Rhiannon Elston. Oakes has been a meteorologist for the last four years in the Canadian arctic, working in the Northern Lights capital of Yellowknife and Canadian province Saskatchewa. She served as a Maritime Warfare Officer in the Royal Australian Navy, specialising in meteorology, and providing weather forecasts and tactical advice for Australian Defence Force ships and aircraft. Chris Willis, Head of News at Sky News Australia, said: Weather forecasting is still the main task at SKY News Weather. Viewers want to know what the temperature and weather conditions will be in the days and weeks ahead. Our team of meteorologists give us the scientific expertise to provide that, and our weather reporters give us te ability to report on the impact of weather events. But, viewers have told us they also want to know the why of major weather events and our new style of graphic presentation will enable us to do that better. As part of its deepening coverage Sky News Weather has scheduled new hourly bulletins during the day combining Australian weather forecasts and news with global weather events. It has begun deploying its team of meteorologists and weather reporters to various parts of Australia to get eyewitness accounts of weather events as they happen and the impact on local communities. Weather reporters have visited flood affected communities in NSW and Victoria to report on how residents are coping with the aftermath of these big weather events. Recently, when big seas battered the east coast of Australia, Alison Osborne was on the scene in New South Wales showing viewers what was happening and explaining why it was happening. Sky News Weather has enlisted the resources of CNN, Associated Press, Reuters, Fox News and Storyful to bring up to the minute video of weather events around the globe, and explain why they are happening and the impact. In the past month Sky News Weather has reported extensively on wildfires in Canada, typhoon Mawar in Myanmar and various tornados in the United States. Sky News Weather has also invested in graphic technology to explain the cause of major weather events in Australia. To date, graphic packages on flooding and tropical cyclones have been executed using this emerging technology, with plans to disseminate more content around bushfires and thunderstorms in the coming weeks. Stan has secured the exclusive rights in Australia to The Walking Dead: Dead City premiering in a fortnight same day as the U.S., as well as two other Walking Dead Universe titles, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon led by Norman Reedus available later this year and the Untitled Rick and Michonne series with Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira in 2024. Stan Chief Executive Officer Martin Kugeler said: We are thrilled that AMC Networks have chosen Stan, the leading local service in Australia, and entrusting us with the next three spin-offs in their exceptional The Walking Dead Universe. Over the past months, there has been an increase in premium content to licence in Australia, which we have predicted for some time now, and the successful acquisition of The Walking Dead spin-offs is not only a win for Stan but also Australian audiences. We will continue to provide our subscribers with outstanding Stan Originals complemented by world-class shows from the US, UK and the rest of the world. Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie said: The Walking Dead is a television phenomenon that has captured fans all over the globe, and we cannot wait to bring the next iteration of the franchise to Australian audiences. These three spin-off series will hero some of the most iconic and well-loved characters from The Walking Dead, continuing their journey and promising an exciting expansion to The Walking Dead Universe. With internationally renowned cast like Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lauren Cohan, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, the excitement over these brand new series is a testament to the franchises loyal and faithful fanbase. Fan favourites Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprise their roles as Maggie and Negan. Years have passed since we last saw Maggie and Negan and the old enemies must now form a tenuous alliance in order to carry out a dangerous mission. Maggie and Negan travel into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland, where they discover that the crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror. But as the pair moves deeper into the gritty depths of the walker-infested city, it becomes apparent that the traumas of their tumultuous past may prove just as great a threat as the dangers of the present. The six-episode series also stars Gaius Charles (Roswell, New Mexico), Zeljko Ivanek (Madam Secretary) and Logan Kim (Ghostbusters: Afterlife), amongst others. From showrunner and executive producer Eli Jorne, The Walking Dead: Dead City is also executive produced by Scott M. Gimple, Brian Bockrath, Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The Walking Dead: Dead City marks the next instalment of The Walking Dead Universe. Premiering later this year, popular cast member Norman Reedus will return in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, with his iconic character Daryl washing ashore in France and struggling to piece together how he got there and why. The series tracks his journey across a broken but resilient France as he hopes to find a way back home. As he makes the journey, though, the connections he forms along the way complicate his ultimate plan. The series also stars Clemence Poesy (The Essex Serpent) and Adam Nagaitis (Red Rose). Monday June 19 on Stan. Horror themes, violence. Finally, the Untitled Rick and Michonne series will debut in 2024. Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira reunite to continue the journey of Rick Grimes and Michonne. An epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any theyve ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead? Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi is departing the US contest after 17 years. Lakshmi, who also produces the show, is leaving the cooking show after its 20th season, Top Chef: World All-Stars. After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave Top Chef. Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and exec producer, I am extremely proud to have been a part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food, she wrote on social media. After 17 years, many of the cast and crew are like family to me and I will miss working alongside them dearly. I feel its time to move and need to make space for Taste The Nation, my books and other creative pursuits, she added. I am deeply thankful to all of you for so many years of love and support. Top Chefs 20th season was set in London and featured 16 competitors from adaptations around the globe. Lakshmi hosted alongside head judge Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. Padma Lakshmi leaves behind an incredible legacy on Bravos Top Chef, and NBCUniversal spokesperson said. Her impact on the Emmy, James Beard and Critics Choice Award-winning series is undeniable. We are grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, judge and executive producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and exceptional palate to each episode where she ate every bite of food on the series for over 17 years and 19 seasons. She will always be part of the Top Chef and the NBCUniversal family and has a seat at the judges table anytime. Top Chef screens on Hayu and 7Bravo. Source: Deadline WARSAW/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Monday it was extending until Sept. 15 an arrangement whereby five of Ukraine's EU neighbours can restrict imports of Ukrainian grain. The EU on May 2 allowed the five countries - Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia - to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds while allowing transit through them for export elsewhere, including to other EU countries. Those restrictions, designed to ease excess supply, were due to expire on Monday. The five countries had sought an extension, complaining cheaper Ukrainian grain was making domestic production unprofitable. Ukraine lobbied for them to be lifted. The European Commission said in a statement that they would phased out by Sept. 15. The Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, said bottlenecks and scarce storage capacity persisted and the mid-September phase-out would allow for improvements in getting grain out of Ukraine and through the transit countries. The restrictions themselves will be more limited, for example no longer applying to sowing seeds. The EU liberalised all imports from Ukraine for an initial 12 months from June 2022 to help Kyiv's efforts to fend off Russia's invasion. Last month it agreed to extend the tariff suspension for a further year. The five countries saw a huge rise in imports from Ukraine following the suspension of tariffs. Ukraine has experienced difficulties exporting through its Black Sea ports because of the war with Russia, increasing its reliance on routes through the eastern EU. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday called for the unconditional removal of all export restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products at talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Reporting by Alan Charlish and Pawel Florkiewicz in Warsaw and Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; additional reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout in Brussels and Nigel Hunt in London, Editing by William Maclean and Rosalba O'Brien) A Ukrainian serviceman looks on near the Ukraine-Russia border in Kharkiv region Russia says it thwarted major Ukrainian offensive, Kyiv says Moscow spreads lies A Ukrainian serviceman looks on near the Ukraine-Russia border in Kharkiv region By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Monday its forces had thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive at five points along the front in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk and killed hundreds of troops while Ukraine accused Moscow of spreading lies. It was not immediately clear whether or not the attack represented the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive which Kyiv has been promising for months to drive out Russian forces after the invasion of February 2022. Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine had attacked on Sunday morning with six mechanised and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk, where Moscow has long suspected Ukraine would seek to drive a wedge through Russian-controlled territory. "On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the South Donetsk direction," the defence ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram at 1:30 a.m. Moscow time (2230 GMT). "The enemy's goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front," it said. "The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success." Reuters was unable to immediately verify the Russian statement and the Ukrainian defence ministry and military did not immediately respond to written requests for comment. The commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Monday that Ukrainian forces continued "moving forward" near the long-contested city of Bakhmut in northern Donetsk. He made no comment on the counter-offensive. The daily report from Ukraine's General Staff said only that there were 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communications did not address the Russian statement directly but said, without providing evidence, that Russia would seek to spread lies. "To demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community (including their own population), Russian propagandists will spread false information about the counteroffensive, its directions, and the losses of the Ukrainian army," it said. Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov published a cryptic message on Twitter on Sunday, quoting Depeche Mode's track "Enjoy the Silence". Russian war bloggers reported fighting at several points across the front, particularly around Vuhledar, some 150 km (93 miles) southwest of Bakhmut. FIGHTING Russia's defence ministry released video of what it said showed several Ukrainian armoured vehicles in a field blowing up after being hit. Russian forces killed 250 Ukrainian troops as well as destroying 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armoured combat vehicles, the ministry said. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who is in charge of Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, was in the area at the time of the Ukrainian attack, the ministry said. Prominent Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who blogs under the name War Gonzo, said Ukrainian forces were attacking near Velyka Novosilka, a village west of Vuhledar. "There is a tough fight going on." Other Russian military bloggers reported also heavy fighting on Monday morning near Bakhmut, nearby Soledar and Vuhledar. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. COUNTER-OFFENSIVE? For months, Ukraine has been preparing for a counter-offensive against Russian forces which officials in Kyiv and CIA Director William Burns have said will pierce Russian President Vladimir Putin's hubris. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Saturday that he was ready to launch the counteroffensive but tempered a forecast of success with a warning that it could take some time and come at a heavy cost. "I don't know how long it will take," he told The Journal. "To be honest, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we are going to do it, and we are ready." After seeking tens of billions of dollars of Western weapons to fight Russian forces, the success or failure of the counter-offensive is likely to influence the shape of future Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine. Ukraine has in recent weeks sought to weaken Russian positions but its specific plans have been shrouded in secrecy as it seeks to strike yet another blow against the much larger military of Russia. Moscow was last month struck by drones which Russia said was a Ukrainian terrorist attack while pro-Ukrainian forces have repeatedly crossed into Russia proper in recent days in the Belgorod region. After a two-month lull, Russia has launched hundreds of drones and missiles on Ukraine since early May, chiefly on Kyiv, with Ukraine saying it was targeting military facilities but also hitting residential areas. WAR IN UKRAINE Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24 last year in what the Kremlin expected to be swift operation but its forces suffered a series of defeats and had to move back and regroup in swathes of eastern Ukraine. Russia now controls at least 18% of what is internationally recognised to be Ukrainian territory, and has claimed four regions of Ukraine as Russian territory. For months, tens of thousands of Russian troops have been digging in along a front line which stretches for around 600 miles (1,000km), bracing for a Ukrainian attack which is expected to try to cut Russia's so-called land bridge to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. Ukraine vows to eject every last Russian soldier from its territory, and casts the invasion as an imperial-style land grab by Russia. Russia says the West is fighting a hybrid war against Russia to sow discord and ultimately carve up Russia's vast natural resources, allegations that Western leaders deny. (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow, Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; editing by Diane Craft, Lincoln Feast and Philippa Fletcher) President Joe Biden's administration is now facing backlash over a high-profile China visit involving two officials amid the anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre. The high-profile trip to Beijing seeks to ease the growing tensions between the United States (US) and China. Biden Admin Slammed Over China Visit Amid Tiananmen Massacre The US State Department released a press release that details the high-profile visit to the People's Republic of China this June. The spokesperson's office confirmed that Daniel J. Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, is traveling to Beijing and New Zealand for the first week of the month. Sarah Beran, the National Security Council senior director for China and Taiwan affairs, is joining the assistant secretary. The State Department says the high-profile visit to China, involving Kritenbrink and Beran, focuses on bilateral relationship discussions amid the tension between the two giant countries. However, critics have blasted the Biden administration for its latest high-profile visit. According to Fox News Online, Representative Darrell Issa pointed out the sheer timing of the Beijing trip. He tweeted asking, "Is the Biden Administration sending senior officials to China as we remember the anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square?" Besides the tweet of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he also spoke with Fox News Digital. He told the news outlet that the high-profile visit only benefits China and its President, Xi Jinping. Issa believes, "It's a major coup for Xi, and America's position in the world just got weaker - where it matters most." Fox News notes that the State Department honored the Tiananmen Square massacre anniversary roughly two hours after announcing the Beijing visit. The commemoration notes, "The United States will continue advocating for people's human rights and fundamental freedoms in China and around the world." The massacre occurred in 1989 when Chinese troops opened fire on unarmed pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds or thousands. Due to the latest high-profile visit of Biden admin officials, Issa reached out to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The Republican Congressman from California demands answers to his queries about the latest China visit. Read Also: Migrant Crisis: 60,000 Migrants Waiting Near US-Mexico Border as Biden Administration Faces New Hurdles High-Profile China Visits by Senior Officials Meanwhile, as per CNN, the Biden admin plans to set up a couple of high-profile China visits by its senior officials in the coming months. CNN notes that the visits could include four high-ranking officials from the Biden admin. One of which is the State Secretary Blinken. It could also include the Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen, and Climate Envoy John Kerry. Related Article: US Debt Ceiling: Biden Administration, Republican Negotiators Talks Show Progress as Deadline Nears @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 'I see the scar and I want to die': Why the EU allows sterilisation of women with disabilities If you can't take care of yourself, how will you be able to care for someone else? Rosario Ruiz, 53, would always hear this sentence while growing up. Diagnosed with a 67% intellectual disability, her parents could not fathom her being independent let alone a mother. "Your disability can pass on to your child through your genes," they would often repeat to her. When she turned 20, she fell in love with Antonio, one of her colleagues at the occupational centre in Seville, southern Spain. One day, when talking about their future, both spoke about wanting to have children, so they went to see Rosario's parents to share the news. The idea of Rosario being a mother was a shock for her parents, who, advised by their family doctor, decided to have her sterilised. Forced sterilisation of disabled people was legal in Spain until only two years ago. The law, which allowed sterilisation without consent "in exceptional cases", was repealed at the end of 2020. However, the practice remains legal in much of the European Union. It is against the law in only nine countries despite contravening the Istanbul Convention and the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Portugal, Hungary and the Czech Republic are the only three Member States that allow sterilisation of minors. Forced by her parents, Rosario had to undergo an operation to tie her fallopian tubes when she was 20. She was taken to Virgen del Rocio Hospital, in Seville, without being told what kind of operation she would have to undergo. Her mother threatened to stop her from seeing Antonio again and to put her in an institution if she refused to go to hospital, so she agreed. The next day she saw the scar on her body. "I asked myself: 'What have they done with my life? Am I useless? Can everyone be a mother except me? Since then, I feel empty every day of my life," she told Euronews. The "little affection" she had for her parents died after she was sterilised. "I don't have a conversation like father and daughter. I don't trust anyone anymore, nor do I want to," she adds. Three years ago, Rosario managed to get rid of the incapacitation that allowed her parents to decide on absolutely every aspect of her life. However, she is still not completely free. On weekdays she now has to take care of her 80-year-old father, the same person who thought she was incapable of taking care of anyone. Rosario and Carmen walk in Seville's Plaza de Espana. - Lucia Riera / Laura Llach Europe is on the verge of outlawing The absence of common legislation in Europe leaves the decision to outlaw the practice of forcing people with disabilities to be sterilised in the hands of individual Member States. Only Sweden, Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Poland and Spain criminalise the practice, with Spain being the latest European country to do so. But, as Euronews has found out even in these countries sometimes forced sterilisation has happened. Malta will soon outlaw the practice too as the government just announced a plan to amend the current law allowing forced sterilisation. "It is a very cruel form of domination, both of sexuality and reproduction," Maria Eugenia Rodriguez Palop, Member of the European Parliament, told Euronews. The key to ending it lies in Brussels. In July, the European Parliament will debate whether to outlaw the practice - a decision that would be binding for all member states, but has to be later voted on by the European Council. The whole political spectrum agrees on it, but its the legal basis of the new European Directive on combating violence against women which generates conflict. Rodriguez Palop points out that the legal basis is very narrow because it is based on the European crime of sexual exploitation. "We are trying to broaden the criminal offences, the concept of aggression and incorporate a link between sexual exploitation and reproductive exploitation. There is opposition from some Member States, such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Hungary, but also other countries that arent the usual suspects when it comes to going against human rights, such as France, Belgium and Portugal, in the words of the Spanish MEP. She sees forced sterilisation as a "very clear case of eugenics" and points out that "eugenics still exist in the 21st century". Maria Eugenia Rodriguez Palop, MEP of The Left group, at the European Parliament. - Lucia Riera/ Laura Llach Begging to have children Carmen - not her real name - had always dreamt of being a mother. However, her mother's decision had already been made: Carmen would undergo a tubal ligation to prevent her from having "many children" when she was 20. Carmen has a 67% intellectual disability and her mother took her to hospital without telling her where she was going. She didn't know what was going to happen until the doctor explained it, but by then it was too late, as she was already in surgery. "I was crying and asking them please not to put me to sleep. I was saying please let me have a child, only one. I tried not to fall asleep, but I felt the anaesthesia getting stronger and stronger," says the 31-year-old. "When I signed the papers, my vision was blurry because I was already under anaesthesia. I signed without consenting, because when I asked, they just told me to sign it," she adds. Her refusal mattered little. As she was under guardianship, her mother, who was her legal guardian, had the last word. From that moment on, their relationship changed completely. "I feel resentment towards my mother, she has taken away a part of me. It's very painful to feel that what you wanted most in this world has been taken away from you, without being able to decide," she says. Carmen says that 10 years later her mother still justifies her decisions by saying that she did it for her own good. "But every time I see the scar, I feel like dying". Ana, a 31-year-old girl who was forcibly sterilised, holds a paper with the word resentment written. - Lucia Riera/ Laura Llach Governments turn a blind eye The total number of forced sterilisations carried out in Europe remains unknown, as the issue has always been taboo. There are no official figures that could shed light on it. Portugal will become the first country to collect official data on forced sterilisations, after their national parliament voted to carry out a study on violence against people with disabilities, which will include these figures. Despite the lack of data, it is clear to organisations that this abuse is mostly suffered by women. "In my 20-year career I have only known of one case of sterilisation of a man with intellectual disabilities and I am not sure if it was ever carried out, says Ruben Parrillo, director of the ATUREM day centre for people with disabilities. However, I don't have enough fingers on my hand to count the number of sterilised women," he adds. This article was produced with the support of Journalismfund Europe. Conservative MP Bob Stewart has been charged with public order offences relating to a "racially aggravated" incident in December last year. Police say the 73-year-old has been charged with using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour and that the offence was racially aggravated. He was also charged with using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. The alleged offences took place outside the Foreign Office's Lancaster House offices, at an event hosted by the embassy of Bahrain on 14 December. The Metropolitan Police opened a case following a complaint from activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who says he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state of Bahrain. It said both charges related to the same incident and that the "second offence is an alternative charge to allow the court discretion on the racial element". Mr Stewart, the MP for Beckenham, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 5 July. Read more: Politics latest - Braverman says she 'will not rest until we stop the boats' Sky News understands that despite the charge, he will not have the whip suspended at this time. A Tory source said: "Bob has been clear that he regrets the comments that he made and he will be fighting the charges against him during a court appearance shortly." Mr Stewart was elected to parliament in 2010 and serves on a number of parliamentary committees, including the Northern Ireland affairs committee and the intelligence and security committee. Before becoming an MP Mr Stewart was an Army officer for 26 years and served in Northern Ireland and Bosnia. 25 striking photos from the 2023 Milky Way Photographer of the Year contest Celestial Radiance by Tom Rae. Tom Rae Capture The Atlas has published its annual Milky Way Photographer of the Year shortlist. The 2023 final 25 photos were taken from 16 countries across the world. From night skies in national parks to remote islands, the selected entrees are certainly striking. Travel photography blog Capture The Atlas has published the sixth edition of its annual Milky Way Photographer of the Year, and the photos are spectacular. The collection comprises 25 photos of the Milky Way taken from 16 countries around the world, including the US, Australia, Madagascar, Switzerland, and Japan, according to a press release. The final 25 photos were selected from more than 3,000 applicants, the press release added. Dan Zafra, editor-in-chief of Capture The Atlas, told Insider that many of the final photos were all taken in unique locations where the Milky Way hadn't been photographed before. "A few examples are the images from Socotra, a remote island in the Indian Ocean that is vastly unexplored, or the image from Madagascar, where photographer Steffi Lieberman had to photograph with armed guards," Zafra said. "More locations include a very remote area in Spain called Serrania de Cuenca, where only a few photographers have ventured, and all the original landscapes from Namibia and New Zealand," he added. Take a look at all the stunning shots below. Larryn Grae captured airglow in the Southern Alps in New Zealand, according to the Capture The Atlas website. Winter's Airglow by Larryn Grae. Larryn Grae Source: Capture The Atlas Brandt Ryder said it was difficult to spot the difference between the sky and earth in this photo he captured at Wind River in Wyoming, USA. Wind River Nights by Brandt Ryder. Brandt Ryder Mitsuhiro Okabe photographed Mount Fuji in Japan during cherry blossom season. The Scenery I Wanted To See by Mitsuhiro Okabe. Mitsuhiro Okabe Alexander Forst photographed the Milky Way behind a night train in Graubunden, Switzerland. The Night Train by Alexander Forst. Alexander Forst Jose D. Riquelme used the Huayhuash mountain range in Peru to frame the striking night sky. The Night of Huayhuash by Jose D. Riquelme. Jose D. Riquelme Jakob Sahner captured bursts of color in the sky in La Palma, Spain. The La Palma Astroexperience by Jakob Sahner. Jakob Sahner Mihail Minkov took a 360-degree time-blended panorama in Bulgaria to show what it would look like if we could see the two Milky Way arches from the winter and summer side by side. The Eyes of the Universe by Mihail Minkov. Mihail Minkov Roksolyana Hilevych said this photo taken in Tenerife, Spain, marked the "first and only time" they got to witness such a bright meteor. The Cathedral Light Show by Roksolyana Hilevych. Roksolyana Hilevych Pablo Ruiz Gracia photographed the Atacama Desert in Atacama, Chile. The Cactus Valley by Pablo Ruiz Gracia. Pablo Ruiz Gracia Benjamin Barakat photographed "alien-looking" trees under the night sky in Socotra, Yemen, he wrote on the website. The Bottle Tree Portal by Benjamin Barakat. Benjamin Barakat Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti took this photo of the Spitzkoppe Nature Reserve in Namibia, Africa. South of Home by Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti. Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti Uros Fink photographed the Milky Way alongside the approaching sunrise at Mangart Saddle in the Julian Alps, Slovenia. Shapes of Nature by Uros Fink. Uros Fink Peter Hoszang photographed South African quiver trees while in Keetmanshoop, Namibia. Quiver Dreams by Peter Hoszang. Peter Hoszang Steffi Lieberman took this landscape panorama of the Milky Way arc over the imposing baobab trees in Madagascar. Night Under The Baobab Trees by Steffi Lieberman. Steffi Lieberman Brendan Larsen had to wait until 2:30 a.m. to capture this image of the Milky Way in Taranaki, New Zealand. Milky Way Rising Over Stony River and Mt. Taranaki by Brendan Larsen. Brendan Larsen Luis Cajete said witnessing the arc of the Milky Way in Cuenca, Spain, was an "absolutely awe-inspiring experience," according to the website. Milky Way Over Cuenca's Hoodoos by Luis Cajete. Luis Cajete Isabella Tabacchi took a photo of the Lut desert in Iran under the Milky Way. Lut Glow by Isabella Tabacchi. Isabella Tabacchi Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia captured the Milky Way over the Pinnacles Desert in Australia. Interstellar by Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia. Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia Gary Bhaztara took a photo of a rock formation that looks like a row of shark teeth on Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Gigi Hiu Shining in the Dark by Gary Bhaztara. Gary Bhaztara Ivan Ferrero took a photo of the Milky Way framing a remote castle in Avila, Spain. Celestial Shield by Ivan Ferrero. Ivan Ferrero Tom Rae took this image of an aurora during a Milky Way panorama shoot. Celestial Radiance by Tom Rae. Tom Rae Gonzalo Javier Santile took this photo "as soon as the first stars appeared" in Cafayate Salta, Argentina, he wrote on the website. Cayfayate Star Factory by Gonzalo Javier Santile. Gonzalo Javier Santile Violeta Lazareva photographed dragon blood trees and the Milky Way in Socotra, Yemen. Awakening of Senses by Violeta Lazareva. Violeta Lazareva Marcin Zajac captured limestone towers alongside the night sky at Mono Lake, California. Alien Forest by Marcin Zajac. Marcin Zajac Burak Esenbey photographed Torres del Paine National Park in Torres del Paine, Chile. A Sky Full of Stars in Patagonia by Burak Esenbey. Burak Esenbey Read the original article on Insider 15:20 Listowel: South of Ireland Waste Management Mares' Handicap Hurdle The seven-year-old Taylors Three Rock is still lightly raced, having run in three National Hunt flat races where she postmarked 101 on his debut, and four over hurdles where her highest postmark was 95. Emmett McNamara trained her for her first NH flat race, but she then moved to Tony Carroll's UK yard, where her form seemed to go backwards last year, with Carroll's yard out of form. She made her last start for Carroll in her handicap debut last November at Leicester where she led early on but raced too keenly and faded three out before being pulled up. Indeed, keenness has been her main issue throughout. Taylors Three Rock was put away for the winter and returned recently to McNamara's yard and she has yet to race this year. She makes her seasonal debut today over two miles off a lovely-looking mark of 82, making her look nicely handicapped. Moreover, connections have applied a hood to help her settle, along with a tongue tie, so maybe there were also breathing difficulties involved. I really like her profile when fresh, as all her best runs were off a break, so today looks like the right time to get involved. Taylors Three Rock was available at 28/1 in places this morning and while that price has long gone, with most bookies paying out on four places in this wide-open 12-runner handicap, she still carries decent each-way value at any double-digit price. Suggested bet: Taylors Three Rock each-way in the 15:20 at Listowel Tip advised by Richard Hutchinson who provides racing tips as Read Between The Lines on Tipstrr The article Listowel each-way racing tip: Taylors Three Rock can defy outsider price on season debut appeared first on Planetsport.com. HCM CITY - Many iPhone users are upset with Apple authorised service providers (AASP) in Viet Nam after their phones warranties were not honoured. Illegal modification is a reason that Apple authorised stores refuse to fulfil warranties. On the disclaimer of the warranty, Apple Vietnam does not specify any components that have been modified or replaced, according to Trung uc, an iPhone user in HCM City. "I bought a genuine iPhone from an Apple reseller with a warranty so why should I have to take it to be repaired in another phone stores. My phone was bought with an original seal but Apple Vietnam said it was modified, which is ridiculous," said uc. An unnamed person from AASP revealed to Zingnew.vn that many warranties between 2022 and 2023 for iPhone devices are denied by Apple Vietnam. Rejected devices were mostly iPhone 11 and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Thu Hien, a resident in Tan Binh district, HCM City said she bought an iPhone 13 Pro Max at an authorised Apple retail store in August 2022. However, in April 2023, her phone encountered an error of not turning on and losing signal so she brought her phone to the store to be repaired. After more than two weeks, Hien was informed by the store that Apple Vietnam refused to honour her warranty because her phone was already opened by another phone store. Hien affirmed that she did not bring her phone to any phone store for repair since she bought the device, adding that she did not drop her phone on the floor or into water. Hien lamented that she felt frustrated. "I spent cash to buy a genuine product but I was refused by Apple Vietnam to honour my warranty for unknown reasons. The store offered to send my phone to a third party for repair noting that they would do it for a fee but I have not agreed yet," she said. A representative of AASP said that the company does not disclose details to avoid warranty fraud. The company is afraid that many people, who specialise in warranty fraud, will discover the warranty verification process and take advantage of it. This representative affirmed that Apple Vietnam would not provide evidence if phones show signs of unauthorised interference to avoid leaking the process out. The companys carefulness in the warranty verification process is partly due to the fact that there have been many Vietnamese traders interfering in phones with other components. In addition, there are many cases of errors where iPhone users in Viet Nam are not allowed to enjoy the benefits of their legitimate warranties. He noted that his repair centre received many cases of warranty denial for unknown reasons. Some cases of newly-unboxed iPhone were also denied. Response from authorised Apple retail stores According to representatives of Apple authorised retail stores (AARS), in Viet Nam retail chains only play the role of an intermediary to distribute the manufacturers products to users. Warranties are Apples responsibility and retailers have no right to modify the product. The AASP asserted that it was not allowed to decide whether to refuse product warranties, that all must go through Apples process. Under the companys regulations, after an AASP receives a phone from a retail chain or user, they will do a detailed diagnosis of the errors. Then, AASP will check the system to determine whether the device is provided with warranty services at the centre or they must be transferred to Apple Vietnam for in-depth inspection of the error of the mainboard, the chassis or the identification of the phones internal components. The representative of AASP said the warranty process will be designated by Apple Vietnam, therefore, the ASSP must follow their rules. The ASSP is allowed to refuse to honour a warranty if they have photographic evidence that the phones were dropped into water or showed signs of illegal interference that could be seen by the naked eye. When users are denied warranty services, retailers and customers will have to send their complaints vie Apples call centre for rechecking. It is said that the percentage of phones successfully provided with warranty services are only between 10-20 per cent. A trader of genuine Apple devices in Viet Nam assessed that tightening warranty regulations is a good action for the market and local users to avoid fraud. However, it is undeniable that this action is making users impatient when spending tens of millions of ong to buy an iPhone, but they do not receive warranty services when their devices have errors. Viet Nam is one of the biggest consumers of Apple products in Southeast Asia. - VNS (Photo : ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/GettyImages) Several F-16 fighter jets intercepted a private Cessna Citation plane in DC airspace before the unresponsive aircraft crashed in Southwest Virginia. F-16 fighter jets intercept unresponsive Cessna plane prior to the crash in Southwest Virginia A sonic boom reverberated in the area as the fighter jets flew at supersonic speeds The small plane was believed to be carrying four passengers at the time of the incident The United States military deployed F-16 fighter jets from Joint Base Andrews to intercept a private Cessna plane that flew into DC airspace before a crash in Southwest Virginia on Sunday afternoon. The incident caused a sonic boom reverberating as the fighter jets flew at supersonic speeds. In a statement issued on Sunday night, it was unresponsive when the F-16s intercepted the private plane. F-16 Fighter Jets Intercept Cessna in DC Airspace Authorities were still in the dark about why the small Cessna plane did not respond when hailed by officials or crashed later on. Three people who had knowledge of the incident and spoke under the condition of anonymity said that the military did not shoot down the private plane, as per the Washington Post. NORAD added that the F-16 fighter jets that intercepted the Cessna plane used flares to try and get the attention of the small plane's pilot. The incident occurred around 3:20 p.m., and officials noted that the Cessna was also unresponsive to air traffic control communications before the crash. The fighter jets were authorized to fly at supersonic speeds to intercept the small private plate, causing a loud, explosive sound. The powerful sonic boom startled residents across the District, Maryland, and Virginia. For about an hour, people in the area were confused about what was making the noise, and many users on social media platforms reported hearing the sonic boom and feeling accompanying vibrations. The burst shook houses and left residents scrambling to search for the origin of the sound. A flight tracking website later showed that the Cessna plane made it to its initial destination, Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York. However, according to ABC News, the small plane appears to have not landed and instead flew back toward the DC area. Read Also: China Cordons Off Tiananmen Square Ahead of Massacre Anniversary Unresponsive Private Aircraft Another source said that the White House and the US Capitol were placed on high alert amid the incident but were not under "red alert," which would have resulted in an evacuation of the premises. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) identified the plane to be a Cessna Citation, and Virginia State Police were searching on Sunday but have not yet recovered anything. Authorities believe four people were on board the private Cessna plane, said a source familiar with the matter. The Cessna Citation can carry up to 12 passengers inside its fuselage. The private plane was later found to be registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne, Florida, based on data from Flight Aware. The company's owner, John Rumpel, said his daughter, a grandchild, and her nanny were on board the Cessna plane. In a statement, Rumpel said they knew nothing about the crash and were in talks with the FAA regarding the incident. Another source familiar with the matter said that the plane was flying on autopilot at the time of the incident, said Reuters. Related Article: Ex-Navy SEAL Warns Parents About Gender Surgery for Minors @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. HA NOI Viet Nam's pepper exports are not challenged by Cambodia being issued a licence to export its pepper to China directly, according to experts. The Viet Nam Trade Office in Cambodia quoted Khmer Times sources saying that Cambodian pepper would be available in China directly after the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) approved Cambodias export proposal. Accordingly, the GACC approved seven packaging factories and 28 growing facilities for pepper exports in Cambodia. Le Viet Anh, head of the Viet Nam Pepper Association's office, Cambodia exporting pepper directly to China was not a challenge for Viet Nam's pepper exports immediately because the pepper volume exported from Cambodia to China was not much. About 90-95 per cent of Cambodia's pepper output have been exported to Viet Nam, then processors in Viet Nam have re-exported the volume to other countries, including China," said Anh. "Meanwhile, Cambodia has few trading companies, mainly FDI enterprises." Hoang Phuoc Binh, vice chairman of Chu Se Pepper Association (Gia Lai), said this was normal. Cambodia's pepper had been mainly exported to Viet Nam and re-exported to China. The remaining 10-20 per cent had been shipped directly to China and Europe. With this permission, the pepper volume exported directly from Cambodia to China could increase, Binh said. Therefore, according to experts, it could increase competitive pressure on Vietnamese pepper exported to China in the future. The Viet Nam Pepper Association said Cambodia had been the second largest pepper exporter to Viet Nam after Brazil. In the first four months of this year, Cambodia exported 1,715 tonnes of pepper to Viet Nam, down 64 per cent compared to the same period in 2022. However this was official export, not including several thousand tonnes of unofficial exports. In the first quarter of 2023, China increased pepper imports from Indonesia, Malaysia and India. In contrast, China reduced pepper imports from Viet Nam. Viet Nam's pepper market share in China's total imports decreased from 39.36 per cent in the first quarter of 2022 to 29.75 per cent in the first quarter of 2023. Regarding the reduction in Viet Nam's pepper exports to China, Binh said it was not a concern; Viet Nam had accounted for more than 50 per cent of the world's exports. The output of pepper in other markets, such as Cambodia and Malaysia, had been very small. So, China still had to import pepper mainly from Viet Nam. China imports an average volume of about 50,000-60,000 tonnes of pepper from Viet Nam annually. The export volume of white pepper to this market will fluctuate occasionally. In the first four months of 2023, China imported 35,000 tonnes of pepper from Viet Nam. In the next six months, Viet Nam will not have any difficulty exporting 20,000-25,000 tonnes of pepper, according to Binh. The association estimates that Viet Nam's pepper output 2023 will increase by 5 per cent compared to 2022. In 2022, Viet Nam exported more than 226,000 tonnes of pepper, earning nearly US$963 million, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. VNS HA NOI In the context that the world is struggling with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments in many countries including India have resolutely defended local airlines against proposals to foreclose debt and repossess planes from aircraft lessors. A series of airlines around the world have been facing a legal battle with aircraft lessors, including vulture funds, to protect their rights to operate the aircraft after the severe effects of the pandemic. The request of these lessors is currently facing strong opposition from the governments of many countries even when airlines show their goodwill to continue operating these jets to serve the needs of traffic recovery and fulfil their financial obligations after the pandemic. For example, the government of India, the world's third-largest airline market, has said it would not allow lessors to repossess Go First jets after the airline filed for bankruptcy protection. The decision of the Indian government has shown the determination of the world's aviation powers amid the situation that aircraft lessors asked to reclaim their aircraft from local carriers after the severe effects of the global pandemic. Previously, aircraft lessors had applied to cancel the registration of Go First's aircraft to Indias Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under the Cape Town Convention which allows the lessors to deregister the aircraft. However, the National Company Law Court (NCLT) cancelled this request, considering to allow Go First to resume operation in the coming time. India acceded to the convention in 2018. However, any other standing law including the country's bankruptcy laws, has primacy over the convention. The recent decision of the Indian government and many countries around the world have raised the question of whether aircraft lessors should take a more balanced approach, rather than simply applying the Cape Town Convention in a single way about their right to reclaim planes from airlines, especially when they have been affected by factors beyond their control such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the Indian government does not allow aircraft lessors, banking tycoons or investment funds to repossess planes from Indian airlines rigidly. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed India's emergence as an aviation power as new airports have been springing up rapidly across the country and airlines like IndiGo and Air India have strongly expanded with record aircraft orders. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium also shows that India is a critical market for lessors, in which sale-and-leaseback deals accounted for 75 per cent of plane deliveries from 2018 to 2022, compared with a global average of 35 per cent. VNS On the occasion of Denmarks Constitution Day, June 5, Danish Ambassador to Viet Nam Nicolai Prytz writes to Viet Nam News about how Denmark and Viet Nam can continue working together in the green transition for a sustainable and greener world. Today, we celebrate 174 years since the adoption of the Danish Constitutional Act, the most important law in Denmark, which ensures Danes fundamental civil rights and freedom. We would also like to take this opportunity to celebrate the strong ties and successful cooperation with our Vietnamese counterparts and friends. Specifically, this year is the 10th year anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement between Denmark and Viet Nam, a major milestone which elevated our bilateral relationship from traditional development cooperation to a full-fledged partnership encompassing political dialogue, trade and investment, green growth, energy, food safety, culture, etc. Over the past 10 years, green transition and sustainability have always been the predominant theme in all Danish-Vietnamese cooperation programes, be it investment projects or development partnerships in the energy sector or in the agriculture sector, etc. Viet Nams commitment at COP26 to reach net-zero emission by 2050 and to the Just Energy Partnership (JETP) between Viet Nam and the International Partner Group (IPG) which Denmark forms part of send an important and strong signal regarding the countrys commitment to green and sustainable development. To accomplish this goal, it is crucial to both shift to alternative sources of energy, which are sustainable, stable, and affordable and strengthen the use of energy in a smarter and more effective way. The Danish-Vietnamese Energy Partnership program, which has been running for 10 years, is the Danish Governments main contribution to Viet Nams energy transition. The program has concentrated on supporting Viet Nam to develop its long-term energy planning with a focus on sharing knowledge on new technology and best practice modalities, e.g. concerning energy savings, offshore wind power and renewable fuels, etc. These are strongly linked to Danish competencies and experience. Viet Nams National Power Development Plan 8, prepared with Danish support, which was adopted last month, reconfirms the comprehensive approach, which combines renewable energy and improved energy efficiency, as the way forward to reduce Viet Nams dependence on fossil fuels and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Still, it seems that energy efficiency has not received as much attention as it needs, being a key role in the green transition of any country. In recent decades, Viet Nam has experienced average annual growth rates of around 7 per cent in GDP, which has led to a significant increase in energy consumption as well as in associated emissions. It is key for Viet Nam to be able to decouple economic and energy consumption through improved energy efficiency. It is worth noting that the cheapest and cleanest energy obviously is the one we dont use. Investments in energy-saving technology will, in the long run, be more cost-effective due to substantial savings of costs in fuels but also include major societal benefits such as reduced air pollution and improved national energy security. Since 1990, Denmark has grown its economy by nearly 40 per cent in real terms but reduced total energy consumption by 7 per cent, making Danish industry and businesses more cost competitive. This is a result of dedicated efforts from private companies, public institutions and consumers. We are happy to share with Viet Nam solid Danish solutions, expertise and best practices, which have helped Denmark achieve success in this area and can serve as a valuable inspiration for Viet Nam. In concrete terms, through the Danish-Vietnamese Energy Partnership program, Denmark has been supporting Vietnamese energy-intensive enterprises to implement energy efficiency solutions through piloting voluntary agreement schemes. This includes support in energy auditing, identifying solutions, developing feasibility studies, and connecting enterprises with financial institutions and banks to make investments happen. This mechanism has been well-proven and has gained great success in Denmark. In addition, Denmark also supports Viet Nam in building capacity for energy consultants, auditors and enterprises in energy audits and developing energy-saving solutions. It is expected that at the end of its third phase in mid-2025, the program will complete 100 energy audits and facilitate investment for 25 feasibility studies for local enterprises. Denmark is pleased to be one of the first countries in the world which has been effectively working on a continuous basis with the Vietnamese government on its green transition. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration and close partnership with Viet Nam for many years to come. VNS SYDNEY Dr. Nguyen Hong Hai, a researcher at the Centre for Policy Futures under the University of Queensland in Australia, has noted that the freshly-concluded visit to Viet Nam by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was a success, as reflected through the agreements reached by the two sides on both bilateral and multilateral issues. Albanese paid an official visit to Viet Nam from June 3-4 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh. According to Hai, the two sides shared the view on positive developments of the bilateral diplomatic ties over the past 50 years, and the bilateral strategic partnership in the three pillars of politics, national security and defence; economy, trade and investment; and education and training. They said ample room remains for cooperation in economy, trade and investment. Therefore, Vietnamese and Australian leaders set the targets of raising bilateral trade to US$20 billion and doubling the two-way investment, the researcher said. He also highlighted the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the establishment of a trade dialogue mechanism at the ministerial level between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The two sides also consented to increase high-level meetings and delegation exchanges in all Party, National Assembly and Government channels, and step up people-to-people exchanges, build an action plan for the new period, and continue boosting economic, trade and investment cooperation, and strengthen collaboration in national defence and security, justice, and other spheres like official development assistance (ODA), education-training, science-technology, labour, transport, tourism, climate change and digital transformation. In that spirit, they agreed to work to elevate the bilateral relationship to a new level in the time ahead, Hai continued. The researcher added that Viet Nam and Australia also shared the view on how to approach the East Sea issue and the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, pushing ahead with dialogues, reinforcing trust, and settling disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He held that PM Albaneses friendliness demonstrates not only his sentiments towards Viet Nam and his love for Vietnamese culture, but also the special importance Australia attaches to its relations with the Southeast Asian nation. Sharing Hais views, Tran Ba Phuc, President of the Vietnam Business Association in Australia, said meetings during the Australian Prime Ministers visit reflect the spirit of openness, candidness, sincerity, and trust between the two sides. It also mirrors the success of Viet Nams foreign policy, thus facilitating relations between Viet Nam and other countries, he went on. The close ties between Viet Nam and Australia have been manifested in diplomacy, trade, education, and climate change response, he said, expressing a hope that the visit will contribute to consolidating the political trust between the two countries and their multi-faceted cooperation. VNS SINGAPORE The Vietnamese delegation to the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue, led by Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien, attended plenary sessions, the official banquet and bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event, which took place in Singapore from June 2-4. At the meeting between Chien and General Robert Brieger, chairman of the EU Military Committee, the two sides shared delight at the bilateral defence cooperation over the years on the foundation of the EU-Viet Nam Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Framework Agreement (PCA) and the EU-Viet Nam Framework Participation Agreement (FPA). Brieger thanked Viet Nam for sending two officers to work as lecturers at the EU training mission in the Central African Republic, and affirmed that the EU would continue sending their officers to support the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Chien highly valued the outcomes of the bilateral cooperation in training, and proposed the EU side continue to further promote cooperation in overcoming the war consequences in Viet Nam. At a meeting with Cipolla Christine, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regional director for Asia-Pacific, Chien spoke highly of the fruitful cooperation between Viet Nam and the ICRC in training, UN peacekeeping, and war aftermath settlement. He affirmed that the Government as well as ministries, sectors and agencies of Viet Nam always paid great attention to humanitarian cooperation, and thanked the ICRC for its support and cooperation in dealing with consequences of dioxin, bombs and mines, and explosives left over from wars in Viet Nam. Christine lauded the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defences efforts to disseminate the International Humanitarian Law and the Law of Armed Conflict. She congratulated Viet Nam for the countrys success in UN peacekeeping activities. During his stay in Singapore, Chien also had a meeting with James Crabtree, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia, who thanked Viet Nam for attending the 20th Shangri-La dialogue. Chien congratulated the IISS and the Ministry of Defence of Singapore for successfully organising the 20th Shangri-La dialogue. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence highly valued the event, and would continue to attend the dialogue and meetings within the dialogues framework in the future. The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia's premier defence summit where ministers debate the regions most pressing security challenges, engage in important bilateral talks, and come up with fresh approaches together. VNS HA NOI - Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam hosted a reception in Ha Noi on June 5 for a delegation of the National Police Agency (NPA) of the Republic of Korea (RoK) led by Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun. Lam stressed that the comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and the RoK has made progress, contributing to promoting bilateral relations, meeting aspirations of their people, for peace and prosperity of both nations. He noted with pleasure outcomes of the second phase of the project on improving criminal science capacity funded by the Korean agency, saying it has helped raise criminal science capacity for the Vietnamese ministrys officers. To strengthen relations between the two countries as well as the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the NPA, the minister suggested the two sides continue consolidating their political trust, maintain mutual support at regional and international forums, enhance cooperation across spheres, especially economy and trade, and foster cultural and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides should increase all-level delegation exchanges, step up cooperation in cross-border crime prevention and control, and forge collaboration between their units, he continued. Lam also called for further coordination from the NPA in materialising the above-said project and the organisation of training courses in the RoK for Vietnamese police officers. He emphasised the positive, stable development of cooperation in law enforcement and the fight against crime, which has brought about practical benefits to both sides. For his part, Yoon pledged to work on promoting collaboration between the two agencies, contributing to ensuring national security and social order and safety in each country. VNS PARIS Vietnamese Ambassador to France inh Toan Thang has said Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Sons attendance at the 2023 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) and official visit to France from June 5-8 would provide an opportunity to reaffirm bilateral relations and the determination to promote deeper and closer connections between the two countries. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Paris, Thang said it would be the first visit to France by a Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs since the two countries upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership a decade ago. It was also meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership. He added that the visit also demonstrated the importance of the foreign policies of Viet Nam and France, which both strongly head towards cooperation, peace, security and development. As a key player in Europe, France is actively following a dynamic and comprehensive policy towards the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, Viet Nam, with its active and proactive integration policy, along with development achievements and growth potential, is enhancing its position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and regional cooperation mechanisms, while continuing to vigorously pursue a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance and tightening relations with key partners in Europe. The visit would contribute to exploring new directions of cooperation to meet the urgent and diverse requirements of the current period, including sustainable development, enhancing self-reliance, and consolidating the two countries' positions amidst the ongoing global economic shifts. The ambassador affirmed that Viet Nam and France were standing in front of numerous opportunities to elevate their cooperation to a new height in the coming years and decades, driven by the determination of leaders, the support of people from walks of life, and the active engagement of partners across all fields. According to the diplomat, while in France, Son is scheduled to meet the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), and the Secretary-General of the OECD to further deepen relations with these organisations. As the Co-Chair of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP) for the 2022-2025 period, Viet Nam is making positive contributions to promoting relations between the OECD and Southeast Asia. Viet Nam has been actively joining in activities of the OECD Development Centre in various fields, including economy, finance, education, gender equality, and more. Every year, Viet Nam makes significant contributions to the OECD Development Centre's Economic Outlook reports for Southeast Asia, China, and India. In 2024, Viet Nam, together with Australia and other members of the SEARP Office, will organise important events to mark the 10th anniversary of the SEARP. Commenting on the prospects of cooperation between Viet Nam and the OECD, Thang stressed that the OECD currently had practical projects to assist Viet Nam in reviewing the effectiveness of policies and development needs of the economy, such as digital economy and green growth. In the financial sector, Viet Nam had officially joined in the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) and signed the Multilateral Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (MAAC), which are important steps towards transparency in Viet Nam's tax and financial system during its integration with the global financial system. The OECD MCM 2023 will be the first attended by Viet Nam at the ministerial level, where the country is expected to make practical contributions to the meeting's focal themes. At this year's event, the OECD also aims to strengthen cooperation with Southeast Asia and beyond, including the Indo-Pacific. For the first time, the OECD will establish a framework for the Indo-Pacific to shape a common policy for the region. VNS by Van Nguyen* HA NOI Lieutenant Colonel Luong Thi Tra Vinh is having a once-in-her-lifetime experience serving in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. It was a dream come true when she became the first female police officer in the country to be deployed for this operation October last year. She is currently in the seventh month of her one-year term, working as a staff officer at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Vinh said she found this experience truly rewarding as it has opened up several new opportunities for her. When one is deployed for peacekeeping mission, people often focus on the aspect that this job is tough, the work environment is harsh and difficult and they tend to see this as the sacrifice, Vinh told Viet Nam News during her two-week leave in Ha Noi in late May. To do this job, one has to put in a lot of effort and responsibility but at the same time, I have also gained a lot. It is a truly valuable experience. Now more than half way through the mission term, Vinh said she is still cherishing every moment in Africa. I cherish every moment, every day in South Sudan and it is also an opportunity for me to look at my home country from a wider perspective. I have a broader picture of my country thanks to exchanges with international friends about their thoughts about Viet Nam, she said. "This opportunity allows me to work in the field in a country which is torn by conflict, where I can interact with many international friends, learn from them as well as express myself. I am proud to represent Viet Nam and Vietnamese female public security in an international environment. "Thanks to this, I have broadened my horizons and grasped this opportunity to show people a sense of Vietnamese people, the heart of the Vietnamese people as well as the responsibility of a people's police officer. "It opens up other opportunities for me that I didn't expect, opportunities that come when I'm ready." Vinh had always hoped to join the UN peacekeeping mission and she prepared for it for many years. Nothing can compare to the joy I have when I fulfill the dream to be deployed, she said. Vinh said she had been always ready and proactive, adding that this is also one of the conditions that help her be selected to become the first female police officer of Viet Nam to serve in the UN peacekeeping operation in 2022. It is a huge pride, Vinh said. Her first duty as an officer there was to join the patrol for at least a month. This is an extremely important for new staff as it was the opportunity for one to get to know the local situation, the coordinating units as well as the people and the police authority of South Sudan, she said. Through each patrol, officers can have basic information about to the political security and the social order situations in South Sudans Juba. It is also a chance for them to bring the image of the United Nations peacekeeping officer, and Viet Nam to the host country and learn about local peoples aspirations and desires in life, she said. Women power Lieutenant o Huyen Trang, staff officer of the training division of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, said she enjoyed serving the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). She said: "Female soldiers participating in the United Nations peacekeeping mission receive certain privileges and priorities. When I go to work in those subdivisions, I also get to know and interact with civilians and local people tend to be more willing to share with female soldiers than with male soldiers. People who are vulnerable in conflict areas are often women and children. That makes them more willing to talk to female soldiers. In a recent interview with media in Ha Noi, Canadas Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security, Jacqueline ONeill said female UN peacekeepers help build the confidence of the local community and the presence of female officers also help build the full understanding of the local communitys priorities and needs. Though encountering a number of challenges ranging from tough living conditions, like shortages of water and electricity, to safety and security threats on a daily basis, Trang said, as long as one has a clear goal and good preparation, these difficulties are immaterial. We must clearly define our goals and preparations and plans, and the most important thing is that each person should have a passion, then when we face difficulties, we will know how to turn difficulties into challenges into opportunities, Trang said. I am well aware that this is part of my work and I have a passion for my job so for those things, I dont think its a big problem, she said. Security is also a challenge for officers here where conflicts are rampant. In Bangui (capital of the Central African Republic) area, there is the possibility of conflicts everyday, one can't tell whether there is a bomb or if there is a group of armed conflicts waiting for me, Trang said. Whenever going out, I must be ready and well prepared for all circumstances. I have to make sure I am aware of what I may face and what I have prepared, she said. She said officers should have strong knowledge and be able to speak as many foreign languages as possible, which makes it easier to communicate with the local community. It is also important to fully grasp the regulations of the UN to cope with situations when there are armed conflicts, she said. One of the strengths of women is flexibility and Vietnamese women are also very patient and resilient, helping able to cope with these tough situations skillfully, she said. Before taking over the position, Lieutenant Colonel Vinh was sent to a training camp where Vietnamese military peacekeepers share valuable information and experience through which the new officers can have an overall view of the political situation and challenges that they should expect in order to adapt to the new job at the mission as soon as possible. The political situation in South Sudan now is quite stable, however, there are still conflicts and unrest here and there. However it is not something to be concerned about as ensuring safety for officers has been top priority at missions, Vinh said. The peacekeeper said after finishing the term, officers will return to their everyday jobs or be assigned other tasks depending on the decision of the management agency. We would take over any task that the nation, the Party and the people require no matter where it is, she said. Talking about the possibility of extending serving term, Vinh said all three police officers deployed are recommended to request extension of their term, however, this will depend on the decision of the Ministry of Public Security. VNS * Additional reporting Minh Phuong SOFIA The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) have freshly sealed a cooperation pact on professional exchanges during VNA Deputy Director General oan Thi Tuyet Nhungs working trip to Bulgaria from June 1-5. According to the document signed by Nhung and BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, the two agencies will provide each other with information on the two nations via the exchange of photos, stories written in English, and various types of multimedia information. They will expand their scope of bilateral collaboration via mutual visits of their leaders, reporters, and technicians to boost joint work in communications and share professional experiences. Nhung affirmed that the professional cooperation agreement lays the foundation for the sides to enhance their exchange of various types of information, introduce potential and strengths of each country, and strengthen the link between the two peoples, contributing to the increasingly development of the Vietnam-Bulgaria relations. She emphasised that the VNA and BTA, the official news agencies of Viet Nam and Bulgaria, see ample room for cooperation in information exchange serving the growing needs for mutual understanding between the countries peoples, businesses and investors. She expressed her belief that with the pact, the agencies will effectively carry out their cooperation activities such as the exchange of information, especially in multimedia information, professional, and experience exchanges. For his part, Valchev lauded the VNAs position in Viet Nams national information system and hoped to learn from its experience in multimedia information development. According to the Director General, practical cooperation between the VNA and BTA will provide and disseminate official and useful information about each sides country, people, culture, and business climate, thereby enhancing mutual understanding between their peoples and enterprises. Valchel said he is confident that the two agencies will continue to be an effective bridge for Vietnamese and Bulgarian businesses and peoples, helping tighten the nations' traditional friendship and collaboration. VNS (Photo : Stefani Reynolds / AFP) (STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) NASA released a report that focuses on sightings of mysterious orbs that officials say underscores the need for better data. NASA's latest report on mysterious sightings underscores the need for better data The space agency reported that there are now up to 100 unidentified objects (UFOs) sightings worldwide every day As part of a study, scientists analyzed reports of UFOs in the last 27 years NASA's recent mysterious orb report that centers around unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and worldwide sightings of the objects becoming a daily occurrence underscores the need for better data. It was the first time the space agency had made its findings of UFOs or "unexplained anomalous phenomena" (UFA) public at its headquarters. As part of the study, scientists have taken several months to analyze the reports of UAP worldwide over the last 27 years. NASA Report Addresses Rise in Mysterious Orb Sightings They found that there were roughly 800 reported sightings during that period. The director of the U.S. Department of Defense's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, said that UFOs are almost becoming a daily occurrence worldwide, as per UNILAD. In a statement, Kirkpatrick said that they see these sorts of sightings all over the globe and that the objects are observed making some exciting apparent maneuvers. He added that they are still looking at the data and have yet to add more. The AARO director noted that coming up with a conclusion regarding the incidents will take some time. Kirkpatrick said they would need better-resolved data on similar objects to conduct a longer analysis. Kirkpatrick added that NASA's latest report also revealed that the Pentagon has been receiving between 50 to 100 reports of UFO sightings monthly. Astrophysicist David Spergel, the study group chair, said that sufficient evidence is needed to confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life. The study comes as UAPs are defined as sightings that officials cannot identify as aircraft or known phenomena from a scientific standpoint. NASA's panel, set up last year, held its first public meeting on Wednesday, according to BBC. Read Also: Twitter Content Safety Chief Quits Amid Issues Over Regulating Anti-Trans Tweets Requiring Extraordinary Evidence On top of revealing the 50 to 100-month reports, Kirkpatrick said that the number of sightings that are really "anomalous" is 2% to 5% of the entire database. A video was later shown in the hearing taken by a naval aircraft over the Western United States. The footage showed dots moving across the night sky, and the military aircraft could not intercept the unknown object. Authorities later discovered that the UFO was a commercial aircraft traveling toward a major airport. Kirkpatrick added that AARO had an approach of the highest level of objectivity and analytical rigor for the very few objects that show some potentially anomalous activities. He said these cases were shared with the appropriately cleared NASA team members. They would then discuss and help recommend potential scientific areas of study the space agency could want to take the lead on. In a statement, NASA Science Mission Directorate associate administration Dr. Nicola Fox said that the space agency supports its panelists and will not tolerate abuse of any kind, said News.com.au. Related Article: Renowned Tech Experts Highlight Critical Risks of AI, Suggest Possible Regulations @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Daneal Blicblau, liquefied natural gas (LNG) director at AES Vietnam, stated, "We are delighted that the AES Future Energy Scholarship scheme has been expanded to Binh Thuan province in its sixth year of implementation. Since Binh Thuan is becoming a major energy hub in Vietnam, it is vital that high-quality human resources are developed here." AES, one of Fortune magazine's 500 largest global energy corporations, is shaping the future of the energy industry. Blicblau stated, "We believe participating students will have a productive time networking and gaining new knowledge and skills to prepare for future employment in the energy industry." The AES Future Energy Scholarship Programme is a component of AES Vietnam's corporate social responsibility drive. AES Vietnam has implemented over 130 initiatives with a total value of over $510 million since 2012, focusing on the four main pillars of health, education, livelihood, and infrastructure. These initiatives have helped to create a lasting difference while improving the quality of life for over 200,000 people in local communities in Vietnam. Since 2017, more than 300 electrical engineering students have benefited from the scholarships. In addition, eleven scientific research groups led by students from Northern universities have been supported by the scheme to carry out their projects. In addition to financial assistance, the programme provides students with vocation orientation activities and training in soft skills throughout the academic year. Vice President of UPT Vo Khac Truong Thanh stated, "We are extremely delighted and grateful for AES Vietnam's support of UPT students in general and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering students in particular. The scholarship is a source of motivation and encouragement for students to study hard, advance in life, and acquire and update their practical energy industry knowledge." In 2023, scholarships were awarded for the first time in the province of Binh Thuan, where AES Vietnam is constructing a combined cycle gas turbine project with a total capacity of 2,250 MW and an LNG terminal project. With a total investment of $3.2 billion, the power plant and LNG import terminal will play a significant role in shaping Vietnam's energy future by expanding energy sources in conjunction with imported LNG, and by meeting the country's growing demand for sustainable and affordable electricity. "I consider myself extraordinarily privileged to receive this scholarship." Faculty of Civil Engineering UPT student Nguyen Huynh Cam Huong stated, "The scholarship is not just an avenue of financial support, but also a source of inspiration that will assist me to gain greater confidence in pursuing my enthusiasm for scientific research." "The AES Future Energy Scholarship is also a valuable opportunity to develop our soft skills. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to gain a better understanding of the industry and gain more practical experience so that we can continue to grow," Huong said. According to To Kim Lien, director of the Centre for Education and Development (CED), the transition from traditional energy to environmentally and climate-friendly energy sectors is an inevitable trend. "The goal is to develop the industry in Vietnam, however, institutions, policies, financial investments, facilities, and notably human resources continue to pose significant obstacles," said Lien. According to Lien, CED collaborates with experts, policymakers, and businesses to promote training programmes; provide support for students enrolled in energy-related institutions in Vietnam; and contribute to the development of a highly qualified workforce to satisfy the demands of the Vietnamese market. All systems go for energy security The newly approved Power Development Plan VIII for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, is designed to improve the countrys energy security and set out a roadmap for developing energy sources towards a green path. However, realising the targets will be a profound challenge for all involved. Empowering Vietnam's energy transition Firming up intermittent renewables and addressing the challenges of a balanced supply across the country are some issues to tackle Vietnam's energy needs and sustainable development. Wei Nan Yew, regional general manager of GE Gas Power in South Asia Pacific & ANZ, discussed GE's role in supporting Vietnams energy transition and strengthening its grid infrastructure. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Da Nang The central city of Da Nang is working to build a business environment conducive for investors, based on the pillars of hi-tech industry, tourism and sea-based economy. In its planning orientations till 2030 with a vision to 2050, the city targets attracting capital to information and communications technology (ICT), biotechnology, micro-electronic technology, mechatronics, precision engineering, environment and nano technology, among others, toward becoming a socio-economic hub in the region. The Da Nang Hi-Tech Park (DHTP) is one of the three national advanced hi-tech parks and the only of its kind in the central Central Highlands regions. Its infrastructure have been completed after three stages and it is striving to contribute a minimum of 10-15 per cent of the local gross regional domestic product (GRDP) during the 2025-2030 period. Da Nang has also prepared urban infrastructure facilities in three other industrial parks to draw foreign investors. Recently, the Da Nang Investment Promotion and Support Board, the Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority (DHPIZA), and Long Hau Corporation have signed a cooperation agreement, under which Long Hau Corporation is the provider of factory infrastructure for hi-tech and supporting industries on a 29.6ha site in the DHTP. Vu Quang Hung, head of the DHPIZA, said Da Nang has incentives exclusively designed for investors besides those offered by the central government. Specifically, those investing in DHTP are exempt from taxes for the first four years and enjoy a 50 per cent reduction in taxes for the following nine years. They also benefit from a preferential tax rate of 10 per cent for a period of 15 years. Importantly, they are completely exempt from import taxes on machinery, goods, and equipment used for the formation of factories. The city also partners with the Da Nang University of Science and Technology to train skilled workforce for investors. DHPIZA statistics showed that local hi-tech and industrial parks have so far attracted a total of 516 projects, including 391 domestic ones worth over 31.6 trillion VND (1.37 billion USD) and 125 foreign-invested ones valued at more than 1.8 billion USD, or 46.5 per cent of the total foreign direct investment in the city. At present, the city is home to 984 foreign-invested projects valued at over 4 billion USD. Lawyer Nguyen Thanh Hoa, Deputy General Director of the KPMG Law Company that provides investment attraction counseling for DHTP, suggested that Da Nang should work with nearby cities, provinces and the entire country to build policies to draw investment into hi-tech industries, and hold investment promotion conferences in the northern and southern regions. Buerstedde Peter, Vietnam Director of the Germany Trade & Invest, proposed that apart from developing a land fund for hi-tech industry, Da Nang should come up with a plan to strengthen goods transportation connectivity and develop logistics services when the Lien Chieu Port is put into operation. Director of the Da Nang Investment Promotion and Support Board Huynh Lien Phuong opined that the city should expand cooperation with other educational establishments to train a highly skilled workforce, thus meeting demand of investors. This year, DHPIZA will partner with units concerned to remove obstacles in site clearance, helping three to four more projects to start in the DHTP. Da Nang revives FDI inflow The central beach city of Da Nang is taking measures to revive the foreign direct investment (FDI) flow with a view to attracting 7 billion USD in this capital by 2030. The rapid expansion of two new boutiques following the relaunch of the Hublot Ho Chi Minh City Saigon Center boutique is testament to the growing strength of the Vietnam market. For the second standalone boutique in the city, Hublot has chosen the historic shopping mall of Union Square. The marriage of its colonial building with a modern interior complementing Hublots avant-garde approach while respecting watchmaking traditions. Strategically located on the ground floor of Union Square, three glass facades shroud the new boutique, framed by etched anodized aluminium panels in sleek matte black. This open architecture is an invitation to experience the Hublot world. The new boutique retains Hublots distinctive interior design with its minimalist architecture, the luxurious gray tones highlighting colourful pieces of pop art, reflecting the famed Hublot philosophy: The Art of Fusion. This was followed by the long-awaited official opening of the Hublot Hanoi Trang Tien Plaza Boutique. With the success of a pop-up boutique in Trang Tien Plaza introducing Hublots creations and philosophy to the city, the decision was made to have a long-term presence in the mall. The launch of the two Hublot boutiques became even more significant with the presence of Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot. The arrival of the renowned CEO and the opening of two stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City marks a new chapter for Hublot in the Vietnamese market. As the love and passion of customers for Hublot grows, Guadalupes last two stops convey a strong message that confirms Hublots commitment to the Vietnamese market. "Mono-brand boutiques will continue to be a key strategy for Hublot as they allow clients to remain close to developments taking place at our home in Switzerland while strengthening our visibility and prominence in a competitive landscape. This new boutique will allow connoisseurs in Vietnam to appreciate the authentic experience of advanced watchmaking by one of the industrys vanguards," said Guadalupe. Renowned for its innovative use of materials, the main highlight in Hublots space is the fine watches that skilfully combine rubber, ceramics, sapphire and gold in ground-breaking expressions. Swiss agriculture minister visits Vietnamese spice exporters Swiss Agriculture Minister Christian Hofer visited one of the businesses that are receiving support from the Biotrade project funded by the Swiss government on April 26 as part of a trip to Vietnam to attend the ongoing Global Conference on Sustainable Food Systems in Hanoi. Deeper synergies possible within Swiss trade relations In the framework of a business visit to Vietnam, Christian Hofer, director-general for the Federal Office of Agriculture from Switzerland, talked to VIRs Kim Oanh about the potential of bilateral cooperation and the experience and lessons that Vietnam can learn from Switzerland. In India, the world's third-largest aviation market, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government recently decided not to allow lessors and vulture funds to withdraw aircraft, request de-registration and force the export of aircraft. According to Cirium, a data and advanced analytics solutions provider for the aviation industry, India is one of the world's top large aircraft leasing markets. Up to 75 per cent of aircraft were delivered to India in the form of sales and lease back contracts between 2018 and 2022, much higher than the world average of 35 per cent. The move by the Indian government comes after Go First Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection, shutting down on May 3. Lessors had requested to deregister and withdraw 54 aircraft from Go First Airlines. Three businesses that lease aircraft to SpiceJet, another Indian airline, also submitted an application to the Civil Aviation Authority of India in early May, requesting the de-registration of four SpiceJet aircraft. The Indian government has announced that it will not allow the lessors to take operating aircraft out of the country without an agreement with the airlines. The Aviation Working Group (AWG) has downgraded Indian aviation's score from 3.5 to 3.0 but the government and airlines are not maying much attention to this news, indicating that the lessors have already earned too much money from leasing aircraft in this booming market. The decision by the Indian government reflects the views of regulatory bodies and governments in other countries. It aims to protect their aviation operations and fleets against the 'attacks' of several leasing organisations and vulture funds, regardless of whether airlines wish to continue operating aircraft to restore aviation activities and financial obligations post-pandemic, mutually beneficial cooperation agreements, or the situation of force majeure due to the epidemic. These signs may affect the recovery of the aviation industry, so governments and regulatory agencies need to take action to protect the fleet and the interests of airlines. This will help eliminate risks and prevent economic organisations and lessors from profiteering. Indian conglomerate Adani Group commits $10 billion to propel expansion in Vietnam Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a formal meeting with the CEO of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone - a prominent subsidiary of India's Adani Group Karan Adani on May 24. This high-level encounter shed light on compelling investment opportunities and potential collaborations, signalling an exciting chapter of economic growth for both nations. India's Adani Group proposes $2 billion seaport in Vietnam The Indian-based conglomerate Adani Group has proposed developing a $2 billion seaport in Vietnam, while also investing in wind and solar power plants. Dinh Thanh Phuong, business development director at KCN Vietnam Group KCN Vietnam has made solid steps in recent years, particularly in how it has enticed talents. Can you share with us some highlights around this? From its inception, the company's leadership has aimed to lead KCN Vietnam to become one of the sector's top performers, leveraging quality and sustainable development. A company can only thrive with a dedicated team behind it, and we are so proud of our team members. Although relatively new, our company encompasses many sectors, including business development, sales and marketing, construction, legal, customer services, and property management teams. We have leveraged a state-of-the-art digital management system to standardise working procedures. We have also made great strides to enable the growth and success of our partners from factory and warehouse to shelf. What can you tell us about KCN Vietnam's initial steps? KCN Vietnam came into being in January 2021 with just a few members and renting an office from a member company within the ecosystem. We have ramped up our efforts to reinforce the team and its finances, two essential factors for developing any industrial real estate business. By the end of 2021, the company had acquired approximately 150 hectares of land for development. During the pandemic, KCN Vietnam powered through the hard times by completing all the transactions and getting all the construction licences ready. By the time restrictions were lifted, we had completed a 7-ha project in Nhon Trach 5 industrial park (IP). Additionally, a 16.3-ha project in Ho Nai IP, Dong Nai province, 13.4-ha project in Phu An Thanh IP, Long An province, and a 10.6-ha project in Deep C industrial zones (IZs), Haiphong city, are in their final completion steps. We have customers from South Korea, China, Switzerland, the US, Germany, and Malaysia. Our existing land bank includes 185ha that is currently available, with more additions in the pipeline. We have a great management team, a sustainable financial background, and an excellent execution team. We all share the same vision, so we do our best with our outstanding people and available resources, the result comes. KCN Vietnam was honoured to be awarded the Top 10 Developers 2023 at the BCI Awards. What is the significance of this to the company? KCN Vietnam Group shining at BCI Asia Awards 2023 BCI Asia Awards is an annual pilgrimage for the region's top architects and building professionals. We are so delighted that our efforts have been recognised both internationally and domestically. However, we also feel burdened to remain in the top 10. We are committed to making further strides and reaching our goals and targets. With a pioneering mission to develop premium and sustainable industrial real estate projects, what do you think are the comparative advantages of your business in such a competitive environment? I am proud that KCN Vietnam is a Vietnamese company. Our global experience and local expertise have supported us in understanding the local market and allowed us to explore all the opportunities with minimised risk. We have also built strong, long-term partnerships with various suppliers and consultants. In addition, we have prepared a sustainable financial foundation for long-term development. KCN Vietnam is constantly looking for strategic locations to expand its investment portfolio and land bank. Finally, our management team has diverse experience in both global and local markets. We have embraced a digital management system to simplify our internal procedures, boost work efficiency, and optimise customer service effectiveness. We are ready to take the lead. Would you share the company's business plan for 2023? Our critical targets for 2023 will be developing and constructing the remaining land bank at existing projects, including KCN Ho Nai, KCN Phu An Thanh, and KCN Deep C projects, which are in the final stages of completing phase 1. Aside from those projects, we will target land transactions for other strategical projects in Nhon Trach 6 IP in Dong Nai, Thuan Thanh IP in Bac Ninh, and Tan Hung IP in Bac Giang and An Phat IP in Hai Duong province to welcome new foreign direct investment flows to Vietnam and local expansion. KCN Vietnam is also constantly looking for strategic locations to expand its investment portfolio and land bank. What's the current market trend in your view? Last year marked a significant increase in the supply of ready-built factories and warehouses. Domestic and foreign developers are increasingly improving product quality and customer services. Both signal a mature and growing industrial real estate market. As far as we know, rental requests from electronics and automotive manufacturers in the northern region continued to increase in the first months of 2023 and are expected to linger throughout the year. Moreover, we flagged the burgeoning requirements for built-to-suit facilities that are built for rent according to the tenant's design and specifications. This shows the increase in the production scale of existing businesses and the shift of new investment into the Vietnamese market. For developers like KCN Vietnam, we are always looking for new strategic locations to develop projects. In this context, the land supply is increasingly limited. Options like Bac Giang and Long An provinces are seen as promising locations for expanding investment and spurring industrial real estate development. Tracking Germanys investment journey in Vietnam The first German investments flowed into Vietnam shortly after the country opened its doors to foreigners Vietnam one of most promising markets for Czech businesses in S.E Asia: Ambassador Czech Ambassador Hynek Kmonicek talks to Viet Nam News prior to the visit of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, to Vietnam from April 20-22. Bigger hurdles around corner for industrial real estate The bottlenecks in procedures, infrastructure, land, compensation, and site clearance are posing great challenges in attracting investment to Vietnam, and industrial real estate in particular. Manulife Vietnam repays over $34 million in light of accusations Lieutenant General To An Xo, the official spokesperson for Vietnams Ministry of Public Security, addressed inquiries from local media during a routine government press conference on June 3. It concerned the ongoing developments in the case involving Manulife Vietnam and Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB) and accusations of illicitly transforming customers' savings deposits into life insurance agreements. Lieutenant General Xo disclosed that the police have received a total of 579 complaints and have taken decisive action in response to each one. According to local media Dantri, Lieutenant General Xo shared that as of May 31, Manulife Vietnam had received a staggering 6,060 complaints pertaining to insurance contracts. Out of this substantial number, Manulife has successfully addressed and resolved 3,553 of the complaints. "Manulife has demonstrated its commitment to resolving this issue by refunding a large sum of over VND800 billion ($34 million). Additionally, Manulife Vietnam is currently working towards resolving 2,507 contracts that are subject to complaint," Lieutenant General Xo declared. Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Security has taken proactive measures by urging the Ministry of Finance to mandate that Manulife Vietnam and associated organisations accept customer complaint letters individually, without allowing customers to congregate in large gatherings. To guarantee the security and order of the complaint reception points, the Ministry of Public Security has instructed local law enforcement agencies to collaborate closely with Manulife Vietnam. Previously, Lieutenant General Xo revealed that numerous individuals had submitted complaints to relevant authorities accusing Manulife Vietnam and SCB of wrongdoing. The allegations state that some customers who had savings deposits at SCB were provided with misleading advice by SCB staff when it came time to settle their accounts, cited Dantri. They were encouraged to transfer their savings deposits into high-yield investment plans offered by SCB. Although presented as similar to savings deposits, these plans were actually insurance contracts with Manulife Vietnam. When Manulife requested the policyholders to continue making insurance premium payments, these individuals discovered that they had unknowingly signed life insurance contracts instead of savings investment plans as advised by SCB staff. As a result, these customers were unable to make withdrawals. If they failed to make further payments within 60 days, their previous investment amounts would be forfeited. Appetite increasing for mega-deals in insurance Foreign and domestic investors in Vietnams insurance sector are gaining momentum with new agreements, despite global volatility. MIC to look for strategic foreign investor in potential M&A deal In an effort to entice foreign partners and unlock fresh investment opportunities, the Military Insurance Corporation (MIC) has green lit a plan to look for strategic investors in 2023 as part of its ongoing 2022-2026 strategic roadmap, with the objective of clinching a top-3 spot in terms of market share by 2026. The northern region of Vietnam is in the midst of a scorching heatwave. A representative from EVN stated that electricity consumption, both nationally and in Hanoi in particular, has steadily increased recently as a result of widespread and prolonged hot weather. According to EVN's statistics, the average daily electricity consumption in the city was 58,336 million kWh in March, 61,542 million kWh in April, and 75,406 million kWh in May. Consequently, average electricity consumption in May increased by more than 22.5 per cent compared to April. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Do Thang Hai, speaking on June 3, said, "Some areas currently lack sufficient electricity for production and daily, but the situation will soon be rectified." The power disruption in Hanoi and other areas will only last for a limited duration. According to Hai, hydropower, one of the primary sources of electricity in the north, is being mobilised at a low level due to the lack of sufficient water in lakes, which negatively impacts electricity supply during the arid season. As of the end of May, imported coal sources lag behind coal demand for power generation. In the meantime, the Northern Electricity Portal has amended the schedule of power outages in Bac Giang province. Vietnam capable of wind power windfall While wind power could offer endless opportunities, and new markets are emerging daily as more regions define their ambitions on marine energy, a policy gap in Vietnam continues to concern some players. Power price hike on the cards in Vietnam Despite Electricity of Vietnams (EVN) intention to increase energy rates to rebalance its budget for 2023, the status of coal-fired power does not yet seem to be declining. PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi at the meeting in Hanoi on June 5. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Hanoi on June 5, calling on the UAE to work closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade to soon finalise talks on the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The host leader hailed the two sides efforts to promote negotiations on the CEPA, especially when the two countries are celebrating the 30th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023. He affirmed Vietnams consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and being a good friend, trustworthy partner, and responsible member of the international community. The country is also working to develop an independent and self-reliant economy that actively, extensively, practically, and effectively integrates into the world. The UAE is one of the leading economic partners of Vietnam in the Middle East, PM Chinh stated, noting that the two countries friendship and cooperation have been flourishing in multiple spheres, including politics - diplomacy, trade, investment, education, tourism, and energy. However, he held that there remains huge room for their partnership to grow further, especially in trade and investment. The PM also asked the two sides to work closely together to organise the fifth meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee in 2023. Vietnam encourages enterprises and investment funds of the UAE to invest in the fields matching both sides interest such as energy, renewable energy, climate change response, logistics, real estate, services, infrastructure, and building of innovation centres, he said, calling on the UAE to help Vietnam develop verification centres, train manpower, and manufacture products in the Halal industry. The Government leader requested the two countries actively coordinate with and support each other at international and regional forums, including in enhancing ties between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council. He also suggested the UAE view Vietnam as a bridge linking it with ASEAN and act as a gateway for Vietnamese goods to enter Middle Eastern markets. Vietnam welcomes the UAEs organisation of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) and is ready to cooperate with the host country and other members of the convention to contribute to the events success, PM Chinh added. At the meeting, the UAE Minister of State held that the two countries share many similarities, particularly in development orientations, the size of their economies, growth rates, and the economies openness to many free trade agreements. He noted that Vietnam accounts for 30% of the UAEs trade turnover with Southeast Asia. During his visit, many UAE enterprises and organisations, including two large investment funds, have also come to learn about the local investment climate, and they are interested in such fields as renewable energy, logistics, and health care in Vietnam, according to the official. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi affirmed that Vietnam is one of the important partners of the UAE, which hopes to continue promoting cooperation in labour export, digital transformation, culture, and education. Relevant agencies of the UAE are flexibly and effectively boosting CEPA negotiations in the spirit of win-win cooperation, benefit harmonising and risk sharing as PM Chinh said so as to conclude the talks by the end of this year. Via the Minister of State, PM Chinh thanked the Vice President and PM of the UAE for inviting him to visit the Middle Eastern country and also conveyed President Vo Van Thuongs invitation to visit Vietnam to the UAE President. He invited the PM of the UAE to make a trip to the Southeast Asian nation to discuss measures to further strengthen the two countries solidarity, friendship, and multifaceted cooperation. Door wide open for processed, manufactured products to enter UAE Products of the processing and manufacturing industry of Vietnam now have great chances to enjoy stronger export to the UAE, which has high demand for imports. Vietnam, UAE to soon kick off negotiations of comprehensive economic partnership agreement Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Ministerial Declaration on starting negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between the two nations right after Vietnam completed its procedures. What are the major challenges that start-ups face in today's business environment? How do these difficulties differ during economic downturns compared to normal circumstances? Manisha Shah, CFO at MoMo and a judge for the KPMG Global Tech Innovator In the current business environment, start-ups in Vietnam have favourable conditions for growth, especially for dedicated entrepreneurs with innovative ideas. The primary challenge lies in scaling the business from the initial seed stage, where a good idea exists, to a more advanced stage like Series B or C. At this point, start-ups must prove their revenue model, establish product-market fit, and develop basic management systems. This process is inherently difficult, regardless of the market conditions. Momo for example, has survived through many market challenges over the last 13 years. Compared to 2020 and 2021, the fundraising environment has become more challenging, making it a bit harder for start-ups today. Economic challenges impact both start-ups and mature businesses alike, causing many investors, employees, and customers to become more conservative. Employees may be less inclined to join a startup during a tight funding environment, and customers tend to reduce their spending. However, economic challenges also create opportunities for people and companies to explore new ventures. Historically, economic slumps have been the birthplace of many great businesses such as Pinterest, General Motors, Walmart, IBM, Groupon, and Instagram. The constraints and obstacles during an economic slowdown provide the right environment for entrepreneurs to identify and capitalise on opportunities. For those willing to bootstrap and adapt to changing market conditions, starting a business during such times can be advantageous. How should management at start-ups respond to these changes, and what advice would you give them to secure funding for their business? In response to the changing landscape, start-ups management needs to understand that investors have shifted their focus. Unlike the growth-at-all-costs mindset prevalent in the 2018-2021 period, investors now expect start-ups, even at Series A and Series B stages, to demonstrate a revenue model and engage in conversations about achieving self-sustainability. Therefore, it is crucial for entrepreneurs to effectively articulate how their business addresses a specific problem or customer pain point, exhibit product-market fit, and present a convincing revenue model. They should also emphasise their ability to adapt quickly to changing market environments and demonstrate that their growth is driven by fulfilling user needs, rather than simply spending money for growth. Of course, the models will evolve over time depending on market conditions but the mindset of the entrepreneurs needs to cover these points. What challenges do women face in the tech industry, particularly in setting up businesses and maintaining work-life balance? Women in the tech industry face common challenges such as the workload and limited access to capital and mentors. Start-ups demand significant dedication, which often creates an imbalance between work and personal life. Anyone starting a business should be aware that other aspects of their life, such as hobbies, family, and friends, may receive less attention during this period, necessitating additional support. It is essential to acknowledge that work-life balance is not solely a women's issue but a challenge faced by all individuals. Men also take on parental and familial responsibilities. In Vietnam, there is often access to broader family support and the ability to hire assistance more easily than in some other western countries. Vietnam boasts numerous remarkable female entrepreneurs and managers, with high female participation in the workforce across all levels. However, the underrepresentation of female founders in tech start-ups is a global phenomenon. To address this imbalance, two approaches can be effective: first, investors should actively support start-ups founded by women, and second, we should encourage girls to pursue computer science and engineering studies. While I don't have detailed data, the percentage of women studying computer science at the University in Vietnam is lower compared to countries like India or the United States. At Momo, we observe this when recruiting directly from universities. While we have an even split of women and men in the company, the applicants at entry level jobs in technology are disproportionately male. By promoting computer science education among high school girls, we can gradually change this trend. When there are more female engineers, the number of women starting tech start-ups will naturally increase. Currently, several funds in Vietnam focus on supporting female entrepreneurs, both in the tech and non-tech sectors, by providing investments and mentorship. Additionally, Vietnam has seen the emergence of funds founded and led by women, which bodes well for the future of female entrepreneurs in the tech industry. So, I am very optimistic about the future of female tech entrepreneurs in Vietnam. What advice would you give to companies participating in competitions such as the KPMG Global Tech Innovator? When participating in competitions like the KPMG Global Tech Innovator, it is crucial to approach it with strong conviction in your product and its ability to solve a customer pain point or address a user need. Your presentation should highlight not only the big idea behind your start-ups but also the short-term plans for the next 12-36 months, demonstrating how you intend to grow the business and what you need to reach the next level. Remember that the judges not only evaluate the idea but also the entrepreneur behind it. Therefore, it is essential to showcase what sets your idea apart and why you are the right person to drive the start-ups forward. Emphasise your unique qualities, skills, and experiences that make you well-suited to lead the venture to success. Singapores Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen (R) and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue. (Photo source:mindef.gov.sg) Singapore - Singapores Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen had a meeting with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Singapore hotel on June 2, during which the two sides affirmed their commitment to continue seeking opportunities to promote bilateral defence cooperation. The Singaporean Ministry of Defences press release stated that Minister Ng Eng Hen expressed appreciation for the US' long-standing support for the Singapore Armed Forces' training in the US, including the basing of the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) training detachments there. The officers also looked forward to opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly through the RSAF's acquisition and operationalisation of the F-35Bs. They also discussed geopolitical developments in the Asia-Pacific region, and agreed on the importance of the US' continued engagement. Austin appreciated Singapore's consistent support for the US' military presence in the region, including the hosting of rotational deployments. The two sides exchanged views on ways to build a robust, open and inclusive regional architecture, with the US reaffirming their contributions to defence capacity-building through the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM ). Austin's third visit to Singapore and participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue is part of his 7th visit to the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan, Singapore and India. He will speak at a plenary session of the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 3. Singapore inks numerous cooperation agreements with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Singapore has signed many cooperation agreements with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to futher promote cooperation within the framework of Singaporean President Halimah Yacob's state visits to the Central Asian nations. Disney's 'Hocus Pocus 3' is now officially in the works, according to Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production President. The upcoming fantasy comedy follows the successful release of 'Hocus Pocus 2' on Disney Plus last year or in 2022, to be exact. 'Hocus Pocus 3' Confirmed To Be in the Works by Disney Exec In an interview with The New York Times, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production President Sean Bailey confirmed the early development of the upcoming 'Hocus Pocus' film. Comicbook.com says the Halloween favorite 'Hocus Pocus' took 30 years before it took off as a cult classic. The original Hocus Pocus was released in 1993, featuring a trio of mischievous witches who accidentally resurrected on Halloween night. The 1993 fantasy movie starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the witch trio. Their infectious chemistry and hilarious performances garnered a loyal fan base and turned the film into a Halloween cult classic. After several years, Disney finally debuted its sequel in 2022. Hocus Pocus 2 was released on Disney Plus in 2022 and was also a hit with viewers. As per The Daily Mail Online, the first week of the sequel amassed a whopping 2.7 billion viewing minutes on the Disney streamer. The Disney exec Bailey, responsible for the media conglomerate's live-action department, confirmed that another 'Hocus Pocus' movie is on its way. With the successful sequel release, the revelation is not much surprising at all. Fans of the cult classic have been eagerly awaiting news of a third installment in the beloved franchise. Bailey was straightforward with his confirmation. He says, "Yes, Hocus Pocus 3 is happening." But aside from that, the Disney exec abstained from diving into more details. It is worth noting that Bailey is in charge of other live-action movies that Disney recently debuted. It is the all-new 'The Little Mermaid.' He was also responsible for films like 'Hocus Pocus 2' and 'Peter Pan & Wendy.' Read Also: Disney Announces Pixar Layoffs, Including Makers of 'Lightyear' What to Expect From New 'Hocus Pocus' Movie According to Deadline, the 'Hocus Pocus' star, Midler, one of the witch trio, raised the idea of a third installment while promoting the highly-anticipated sequel on Disney Plus last year. Midler says, "If there were a third one, of course, I'd sign on." However, the 'Hocus Pocus' star admits that she needs to be more knowledgeable about how the third movie's story will unfold. She says, "I can't imagine what the story would be, but I love Winifred, Sarah, Mary, and our relationship." As of writing, it is still being determined if Midler, Parker, and Najimy are making their comeback. Related Article: Disney Cancels New Florida Campus Worth $1 Billion Amid DeSantis Feud @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On June 4, as part of the official visit to Vietnam by the Australian Prime Minister, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese witnessed an exchange of cooperation documents and the opening of two direct flights between the two countries. The documents include an MoUs between the MoST, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and Australia's DFAT on cooperation in science, technology and innovation and the establishment of a Ministerial Dialogue on Trade between Vietnam and Australia. Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy signed the MoU on behalf of the leaders of the MoST. The MoU will facilitate the exchange of information about typical activities in science, technology and innovation, and identify ideas and mutual interests to strengthen innovation partnerships including activities under the Vietnam - Australia Innovation Partnership Programme (Aus4Innovation). The Australian government attaches great importance to investment and support for scientific research and innovation activities, and this is clearly reflected in the National Science and Innovation Strategy (2016) of Australia. Vietnam is one of 17 countries on Australia's cooperation priority list. The Strategy for Strengthening Economic Cooperation between Australia and Vietnam has provided a potential opportunity for cooperation between Australian and Vietnamese organisations in science, technology and innovation. In particular, knowledge and innovation is one of the main pillars of the bilateral strategic partnership between the two nations. Vietnam's Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation Development emphasises sci-tech innovation as the top national policy and a main driving force for growth and breakthroughs in productivity, quality and efficiency. The Aus4Innovation scheme was announced within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Week. It directs support to Vietnam in particular, increasing innovation capacity and helping the country to prepare for opportunities associated with Industrial Revolution 4.0. The initiative is funded by the DFAT, with assistance from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation of Australia, and is implemented in partnership with the MoST. With the signing of this MoU, this new relationship between Vietnam and Australia should reap new sci-tech benefits, showing the way for increased cooperation in promoting socioeconomic development between the two countries. Policies manifesting to enhance sci-tech sphere The government will enact new mechanisms to attract more investment into science, technology, and innovation, turning these sectors into the economys key impetuses for further growth and labour productivity improvement. Accelerating trade with innovation and green tech Vietnam and the Netherlands will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2023. Kees van Baar, Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam, writes about the prospects in the cooperation between both nations, especially in terms of trade and investment, and both nations cooperation in green economy development. The Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, presented a memorandum on the Telecommunications Bill (amendment) on June 2, underscoring the importance of digital infrastructure and the importance of ensuring network information security. The minister emphasised the need for swift investment and development, aligning with the Party's directives, National Assembly resolutions, and government policies. The draft law encompasses 10 chapters and 74 articles, aiming to simplify licensing procedures and encourage market entry for certain telecommunications services without network infrastructure. However, it also imposes stringent licensing conditions for services involving network infrastructure, telecommunications resources, and satellite networks to uphold safety and security standards. Moreover, the draft law addresses significant aspects such as the recognition of data centre infrastructure and cloud computing as integral components of the digital landscape Specifically, the draft law also introduces provisions for managing over-the-top (OTT) telecommunications services, which provide application software leveraging the internet, including popular platforms like Zalo, Viber, and Telegram. While acknowledging the rapid growth and popularity of OTT services, the Minister and the Committee for Science, Technology, and Environment (CSTE) stress the need for legal oversight to strike a balance between facilitating innovation and ensuring user rights, service security, transparency, and accessibility. Critics argue that the absence of robust regulations governing OTT applications could undermine the interests of users and raise concerns about data privacy and security. These concerns are particularly relevant as OTT services continue to erode traditional revenue streams in the telecommunications industry. The CSTE supports an expanded scope of regulatory measures, covering areas such as data centers, cloud computing, and basic telecommunications services on the internet (OTT telecommunications). By doing so, they aim to align with evolving telecommunications trends and the accelerating digital transformation. Efforts are underway to refine and perfect the regulations concerning data centre services, cloud computing, and the provision of cross-border telecommunications services to users within Vietnam. The objective is to ensure practicality while minimising potential obstacles in the implementation of these regulations. Viber rolls out large-scale interactive chat for businesses Viber is offering personalised, large-scale chat channels for small and medium-sized enterprises, aimed at improving communication among businesses. Vietnamese unicorn VNG targets $100 million in funding round to fuel expansion VNG Corporation, a prominent Vietnamese internet company supported by Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, is pursuing a fresh funding round with the goal of raising $100 million. VNG reveals increased losses VNG's 2022 financial report shows significant losses amidst rising expenses. Currently, land rents in IPs in Vietnam are roughly 20 per cent less than in Thailand and Indonesia, according to Vu Minh Chi, senior manager of Industrial Services at Colliers Vietnam. "The reason is the quality and diversity of this market is inadequate," remarked Chi. Land tax has been reduced by 30 per cent this year, and it is proposed that the VAT rate be reduced to 8 per cent to support production enterprises. All showcase the appealing qualities of industrial real estate in Vietnam. Vietnam is still considered an attractive investment destination. According to the Foreign Investment Agency, the total registered foreign investment capital in Vietnam reached nearly $8.88 billion in April, representing an increase of 82.1 per cent on-year. The figure includes750 new projects receiving investment registration certificates, with a total registered capital of more than $4.1 billion. In addition, 386 projects were registered to modify investment capital, an increase of 19.5 per cent in projects but a decrease of 68.6 per cent in capital over the same time period. According to Thomas Rooney, senior manager of Industrial Services at Savills Hanoi, it has not been difficult to observe a sharp increase in the number of projects with capital adjustment, which in part, strengthens investor optimism in the Vietnamese market and continues to prompt decisions to expand current initiatives. "The fundamental aspects of Vietnam's economy, population, and labour resources are still highly valued. This is also the most compelling argument for investors to enter the market," Rooney said. Currently, labour costs in Vietnam are on the rise, but this rise is not significant and remains average compared to other nations in the region. Vietnam has also invested significantly in infrastructure development, investing 5.8 per cent of its GDP. "After the pandemic, investors came to Vietnam to survey the market, but they became somewhat hesitant; they wanted to gain a thorough understanding of the market before making any decisions," Rooney explained. The global minimum tax policy will continue to impact foreign direct investment inflows in 2023. This results in a less active market environment. Large corporations have also become wary, contemplating whether to continue investing in light of global economic and political effects. "Investors need more time," remarked Rooney. In the meantime, Vietnam must address the shortage of skilled labour, ensuring that the quality and quantity of that skilled labour is comparable to that of other regional markets, and enhance its highways, and deepwater and service ports. Industrial real estate picture contrasting from north to south While industrial real estate in the north is recording a strong increase in supply, rent, and occupancy rates, the south of the country is enduring reduced rental demand and legislation obstacles. Industrial real estate increasingly attractive to investors A total of $8.88 billion was in registered foreign investment in Vietnam as of April 20, in which real estate ranked third with nearly $972 million. Truong An Duong, general manager for North Vietnam and Residential at Frasers Property Vietnam, shared methods to lure in more investment to Vietnam's industrial real estate market with VIR's Bich Ngoc. In the first five months of the year, Vietnam welcomed nearly 4.6 million international visitors, 13 times the amount on-year and equal to 63 per cent compared to 2019. The ten largest markets were South Korea, Mainland China, the US, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Australia, and Singapore, providing a combined total of 3.3 million arrivals, accounting for 71 per cent of the total number of visitors. Before 2019, China was Vietnam's largest international tourist market, accounting for about 30 per cent of the total number of visitors. That year, Vietnam welcomed 18 million international visitors, of which China contributed 5.8 million, followed by visitors from Russia, the UK, and France. After the Covid-19 pandemic, South Korea has since risen to be the largest tourist market with 1.3 million arrivals, followed by China in second. Several European markets have also dropped out of the top ten, replaced by the likes of Cambodia and Singapore. According to the Hanoi Department of Tourism, Hanoi is estimated to have welcomed 10 million visitors in the first five months of the year, an increase of 53.9 per cent on-year. This was made up of 1.71 million international visitors and 8.4 million domestic visitors. Hanoi's tourism sector earned more than VND 37,000 billion ($1.6 million), up 92 per cent over the same period last year. Hanoi welcomed more than two million visitors in May alone, with approximately 316,000 international visitors. Phung Quang Thang, Chairman of the Hanoi Travel Association, said that to continue to draw tourists, Vietnam's tourism industry needs to clearly define its goals and customer segments to study the habits and preferences of each potential client market band come up with the most suitable strategies. "It is possible to focus on a certain visitor market, launch media campaigns to attract more attention of visitors from other markets," said Thang. In addition, Vietnam needs to study the strengths and weaknesses of competitive destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia carefully to learn about the best ways to entice tourists. Waco Rotary Club Jamie Blanek, an adaptive athlete, will speak about her journey from a devastating car wreck to training for the 2026 Winter Paralympics at a meeting of the Waco Rotary Club at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Baylor Club, 1001 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The meeting is free, but registration is required at wacorotary@gmail.com. MCAD presentation The North East Riverside Neighborhood Association will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the East Waco Library, 901 Elm Ave. The McLennan County Appraisal District will give a presentation. Flag Day ceremony Lake Shore Funeral Home and Crematory, 5201 Steinbeck Bend Dr., will host a Flag Day celebration followed by a Flag Retirement Ceremony at 4 p.m. June 14. At the ceremony, each attendee will have the opportunity to place a flag in a cremation container, bidding goodbye to one of our nations most valued symbols. Bring any torn or tattered flags that need retirement. Call 254-752-5900 for information. Stilwell pancake breakfast Stilwell Retirement Residence, 5400 Laurel Lake Drive, hosts its annual pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $8 each. Proceeds benefit the residents activity fund. Call 254-772-4644 for information. Cameron Park Zoo bash Cameron Park Zoo, 1701 N. Fourth St., will celebrate its 30th birthday with a party from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for kids 3-12 and free for zoo members. The event will include music from the Morticians, games and a karaoke DJ. The animals will be out for viewing. Food will be available to purchase from food trucks. Battle of the Burgers Battle of the Burgers is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, June 10, at Warren Park in Hewitt. Food trucks will compete for the best burger or sandwich during the family-friendly community event, which features live music, vendors, a kids zone, cornhole tournament and a pepper-eating contest. All online and cash donations benefit Isaiah 117 House. Sampling tickets at each truck are $15, which includes a burger/sandwich, side and drink. Parking is $5. HOTRAC community event Heart of Texas Regional Advisory Council will hold a free public awareness event, Saving Bodies, Minds and Hearts, from 5 to 7 p.m. June 15 in the Waco ISD Stadium parking lot, 1401 S. New Road. Community members will have the opportunity to get to know local first responders and emergency health care providers. Community partners will provide health screenings and information on healthy living, child abuse and neglect prevention, drowning prevention and more. The council is a nonprofit that assists EMS providers and hospitals with the development of trauma and emergency health care systems for a five-county region which includes Bosque, Falls, Hill, Limestone and McLennan counties. For more information, call 254-202-8740. Waco airport discussion Joel Martinez, director of aviation for the city of Waco, will speak on the future of Waco Regional Airport at a Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the chamber office, 101 S. Third St. Cost is $20 and includes lunch. To register, go to ecs.page.link/eMn3z. Martinezs presentation will cover the ongoing $8.8 million airport renovation and how the changes will affect travelers experiences at the airport, as well as an update on future plans, air traffic trends and flight options. Opal Lee in Waco The Community Race Relations Coalition and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority in Waco will host An Evening with Opal Lee at 5:30 p.m. June 22 at St. Albans Episcopal Church parish hall, 305 N. 30th St. Opal Lee, known informally as the grandmother of Juneteenth, at 89 years old walked from her home in Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., to champion the cause of making Juneteenth an official national holiday. She will be speaking on her experiences with activism in various arenas, interviewed by Delisa Smith, a member of the coalition board and Zeta Phi Beta. Lee also will sell and sign books at the event. Reservations are required by texting or calling 254-717-7903 or emailing crrcwaco@gmail.com. Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Friday a bill that bars transgender youth from getting puberty blockers and hormone therapies, though the new law could face legal challenges before it takes effect on Sept. 1. Senate Bill 14s passage brings to the finish line a legislative priority for the Republican Party of Texas, which opposes any efforts to validate transgender identities. Trans youth, their parents and LGBTQ advocacy groups fiercely oppose the law, and some have vowed to stop it from going into effect. Texas is one of 18 states that restrict transition-related care for minors. Cruelty has always been the point, said Emmett Schelling, executive director of the Transgender Education Network of Texas. Its not shocking that this governor would sign SB 14 right at the beginning of Pride [Month]; however this will not stop trans people from continuing to exist with authenticity as we always have. Authored by New Braunfels Republican state Sen. Donna Campbell, the law bars trans youth from receiving puberty blockers and hormone therapies, treatments many medical groups support. Children already receiving these treatments will have to be weaned off in a medically appropriate manner. The law also bans transition-related surgeries for minors. Those who support the law claim that health care providers have capitalized on a social contagion to misguide parents and push life-altering treatments on children who may later regret their decisions. SB 14s supporters also have disputed the science and research behind transition-related care. But trans youth, their parents and major medical groups say these medical treatments are important to protecting the mental health of an already vulnerable population, which faces a higher risk of depression and suicide than their peers. At the same time, doctors say cutting off these treatments gradually or abruptly could bring both physical discomfort and psychological distress to trans youth, some of whom have called it forced detransitioning. In response, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas, Lambda Legal and the Transgender Law Center pledged on May 18 to fight SB 14 in court. They have yet to file a lawsuit. Transgender people have always been here and will always be here, Ash Hall, policy and advocacy strategist at the ACLU of Texas, said Friday. Our trans youth deserve a world where they can shine alongside their peers, and we will keep advocating for that world in and out of the courts. This legal threat is not new; some of these groups have sued several other states over their restrictions. Earlier this year, the Department of Justice also joined the legal fight against Tennessees ban. While the lawsuits are tailored to each state, Sasha Buchert, a senior attorney at Lambda Legal and the director of its Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project, told the Texas Tribune last month that a major common challenge to the laws hinge on the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause. Gov. Greg Abbott indicated Friday that one special session may not be enough to decide how to divvy up $12.3 billion in property tax breaks already appropriated by the Texas Legislature. The governor also confirmed that he will call a future special session to deal with school choice, giving no time frame beyond saying it will take place after we get property tax reform fixed. Recapping the regular legislative session at a Texas Public Policy Foundation event in Austin, Abbott touted a plan that the House approved this week at his request that would lower school district tax rates. If we do that, that will cut your property tax rate for school maintenance and operation by 29%, Abbott said. He made no mention of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who repeatedly criticized the Abbott-endorsed House plan at a Tuesday event hosted by the same right-wing think tank and in several pointed tweets this week. Patrick argued that the plan favored by the Senate would bring greater tax relief to homeowners, as opposed to the Abbott-backed House plan, which would provide similar benefits to homeowners and commercial property owners. A Texas Tribune analysis of the proposals found homeowners would save $925 annually under the Senate plan and $486 a year under the House version. In Fridays conversation with TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar, Abbott pitched the House plan as a step toward completely eliminating property taxes, a long-term goal of the think tank and many conservatives. We must dream big, dream the possibility that we can eliminate property taxes in Texas, Abbott said. He drew applause when he repeated a refrain of anti-tax advocates: that property taxes are essentially the government forcing homeowners to pay annual rent on their land. While the Senate plan would provide tax relief by raising the homestead exemption, the House plan would drive down tax rates, which is more beneficial to the goal of completely eliminating property taxes, the Tribunes analysis found. Abbotts favored plan, however, drew no closer to passage Friday. The House approved its bill Tuesday and promptly adjourned, forcing the Senate to either accept it as is or wait for the governor to call another special session for lawmakers to try again. Patrick, who wields tremendous power over the Senate as its presiding officer, said the chamber would not budge. On Thursday, he took it a step further, saying the plan supported by Abbott and TPPF to eliminate all property taxes is not realistic and everyone knows it. The Senate met Friday for the first time since the House adjourned. With most senators absent for the brief gathering, several border-related bills were referred to committee before the Senate adjourned until 6 p.m. Tuesday. No action was taken on the House-passed property tax bill. CHICAGO Mary and Jerry Vaughan knew their son, Carson, was going to lean toward a creative career path from a young age. He was always doing kind of creative things, Mary said. When he was like a preschooler, he would make little creatures out of paper clips and screws that were loose in the junk drawer. With Carson being the youngest of Vaughans three sons, he was always cooking up something with his older brothers, such as creating comic books and clubs at their Broken Bow home, Mary said. Vaughan acknowledged that writing came easy to him. One thing I did feel like I had sort of a knack for was writing, he said. I remember doing like the free write exercises in first and second grade and just loving the hour they gave us to create stories and use our imagination that way. Vaughan, 35, has used his knack for writing to shape a career as a successful author and freelance journalist who often highlights Nebraskas culture and history. He is published in several national publications and is working on a second non-fiction book about Nebraska this one about the Sandhills. When he attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Vaughan continued to write as an English and journalism double major. He interned with The Onion and founded a satirical magazine, The DailyER. Vaughan said the magazine helped him flex his creative writing muscles while still learning about journalism. Once he graduated from UNL in 2010, Vaughan continued to hone his craft by pursuing a masters in fine arts in non-fiction writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he spent three years. He said he was one of the only students who chose to pursue non-fiction rather than fiction. As part of the writing program, Vaughan started his first book, Zoo Nebraska: The Dismantling of the American Dream, published in 2019. It was my first book, he said. I was very nervous about something going wrong. In retrospect, I wish I had taken a minute to slow down and like, you know, acknowledge that Hey, this is a goal Ive been working on most of my life. The story of the Tiger King-like roadside zoo caught Vaughans eye in college after he and his now-wife, Melissa Dohmen, drove by on the way to visit family. The zoo, in the small town of Royal, was having an auction as it was closing. The zoo, home to four chimpanzees, was a popular attraction in the town of 100 residents until Vaughan said it grew wildly out of control around in the early 2000s. After a volunteer forgot to lock a cage one night, the chimpanzees escaped into the town. Due to the destruction the chimpanzees caused, they were killed by the townspeople. Vaughan said seeing the zoo for the first time was very strange and vowed to return to the auction the following week to see if he still had questions. To him, it was strange enough that he wanted to dig deeper into the story. Vaughan wrote the first chapter for his honors thesis as a UNL undergrad but wanted to dig deeper into the story once he got to UNCW. The book focuses on the creator of the zoo and his experience of watching a dream be fulfilled only to be shattered later, as well as what the aftermath of closing the towns famed zoo looked like to residents. Its certainly not a flattering portrait of Royal, so I was afraid that it was not going to be entirely well received there, he said. But to be honest, I cant think of a single instance of pushback from the town. A lot of them asked for copies or multiple copies to give their friends and family. Aside from writing the book, Vaughan has made a name for himself as a freelance journalist. Hes published in well-known publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic and VICE, but said writing for large organizations wasnt quite what he was expecting. Its a really mixed bag, he said. After I got into The New Yorker, so many other doors opened up for me, but it was not worth it in any sort of financial sense. Vaughan said freelancing for large publications didnt pay as much as he thought. He compared it to being on a roller coaster, where he wasnt always sure when and where his next paycheck would come from. Instead, Vaughans found a niche in freelance work highlighting rural Nebraska from unique viewpoints. I dont think I would be a writer at all had I not come from a place like Nebraska, he said. It just feels like if anywhere needs a writer to tell it stories or retell its stories in a better, more refreshing or intriguing light; its Nebraska. Vaughan said another reason he writes about Nebraska is that the Cornhusker state often receives the wrong kind of attention in the media, with people thinking the state offers nothing of interest. That is particularly true of the sparsely populated Sandhills in western Nebraska, but he describes it as an area with a rich natural history. Most recently, Vaughan wrote about the Bovee Fire, which burned almost 20,000 acres of the Sandhills and killed one firefighter. Vaughans specialty in long-form journalism, however, isnt published as often as it used to be. Theres just not a lot of publications out there willing to invest the time and effort into holding somebodys hand along the way to write a story like that, he said. Vaughan said he learned how to dive deep into a story in Professor Joe Staritas depth reporting class at UNL. The class is why he continued with journalism instead of satire or creative writing. He changed everything for me, Vaughan said. It was watching Joe tackle his stories with real passion and respect for the subjects that made me think that journalism was indeed a very legitimate career. Starita, who has written several books and taught the depth reporting class at UNL for 20 years before retiring last year, remembers Carson and his writing fondly. Its a beautiful marriage. Top-notch reporting that takes a deep dive into the subject, Starita said. All of those informational nuggets are embedded in a very graceful fluid prose that has a very strong narrative flow to it. Starita said seeing Vaughans success makes him feel like a proud father. I feel like passing out cigars every time I see a Carson story, Starita said. Im so damn proud of him. Now based in Chicago, Vaughan has one more freelance article thats in the works. Immediately after, he said hell switch into full book mode as he begins his second book, a travelog of the Nebraska Sandhills. Vaughan plans to tell the story of the Sandhills in three parts: past, present and future. The region has a rich indigenous history that he plans to research despite the lack of records. At some point, white ranchers and farmers displaced the indigenous peoples, and so thats kind of the second phase of history out there, Vaughan said. Im hoping to spend plenty of time with ranchers who have been out there for generations and learning about how theyve made a go of it in the Sandhills. The second part will be about the current issues the Sandhills face, and the final section will focus on the future. The Sandhills are the largest intact temperate grassland on Earth. What are the threats? Is that overgrazing? Is that climate change? Vaughan asked. In the meantime, he said hes looking forward to a guaranteed paycheck. Itll be nice to settle into a very sustained project for a year or so, he said. OPEC Plus has announced its steadfast commitment to maintaining the current reduction in output. However, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has declared its intention to implement additional cuts for at least one month. To counteract the recent decline in oil prices, OPEC Plus - the consortium of leading oil-producing nations - has announced a multifaceted strategy to regulate production. Among the measures is a significant reduction in output of one million barrels per day by Saudi Arabia. Commencing in the month of July, the Saudi cut shall be implemented for a duration of one month, with the possibility of an extension. Amidst the prevailing air of pessimism that has engulfed the oil market in recent weeks, the group comprising Russia and its allies found themselves under immense pressure to deliver a deal that could potentially reverse the tide. Despite the valiant efforts of the oil industry to curb production with two significant cuts since last October, the price of this precious commodity has continued to languish, falling by approximately 15 percent over the past seven months. The resultant agreement ingeniously restructures the production quotas of various nations, with certain countries experiencing an increase in their output levels while others are subjected to a decrease. "The deal at hand is far from being a straightforward and uncomplicated one," remarked Richard Bronze, the distinguished leader of geopolitics at Energy Aspects, a prominent research firm. Within the agreement lies a voluntary reduction of 500,000 barrels per diem initially declared by Moscow in February. During the post-meeting news conference, remarks were made that expressed doubt regarding Russia's adherence to the aforementioned reduced production levels. The soaring production levels of Russia and it's expanding foothold in the Asian markets, particularly India, have emerged as a delicate matter within the group, given the potential repercussions for the oil producers in the Middle East who stand to lose out. In a statement released by OPEC Plus, the organization declared its unwavering commitment to achieving and maintaining a stable oil market. The group emphasized its proactive and pre-emptive approach, which has been consistently implemented recently. Subscribe 100% Free to Wall Street Rebel.com and receive access to investment tools worth $17,500! Regarding the markets, the primary aspect of the agreement pertains to the additional production reduction implemented by Saudi Arabia. During a news conference following the meeting, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi oil minister, referred to the decision as "the Saudi lollipop." Over the weekend, officials from the oil industry convened in Vienna to deliberate on the appropriate course of action in response to the recent weakening of markets. Prince Abdulaziz has expressed his concern regarding the possibility of the group reducing production to stabilize prices and counteract traders speculating on a decline in prices. Prince Abdulaziz was the sole official who agreed to an immediate reduction despite hinting at potential cuts before the meeting. He may have secured certain long-term concessions. Through this agreement, OPEC Plus aims to resolve longstanding discrepancies that have rendered some of the group's production decisions difficult to comprehend. Certain oil-producing nations, such as Nigeria and Angola, have experienced challenges in meeting their production goals due to inadequate investment and other related factors over an extended period. Their quotas will be reduced starting in 2024. Simultaneously, the United Arab Emirates, which has made significant investments to augment its oil production capacity, emerged as a moderate beneficiary on Sunday, securing an augmented quota of 200,000 barrels per day, effective from 2024. The United Arab Emirates has expressed a desire to increase its oil production, which has led to a public dispute with Saudi Arabia in 2021. The UAE has even hinted at the possibility of withdrawing from OPEC. Over the weekend, the officials in the oil industry convened to deliberate on the appropriate course of action to address the recent weakening of markets. Prince Abdulaziz has expressed his concern regarding the possibility of the group reducing production to stabilize prices and counteract traders speculating on a decline in prices. Other producers, such as Russia, have exhibited less enthusiasm toward reducing their production levels. The meeting on Sunday took place merely two months after the announcement of a prior round of cuts by OPEC Plus. The trims commenced in May and have had limited opportunity to generate significant effects. According to analysts, the oil markets have experienced a decline of approximately 12% since mid-April, which broader economic factors have significantly impacted. These factors include China's weaker-than-anticipated economic growth following the conclusion of its "zero Covid" policies. This has the potential to mitigate the effects of supply reductions. Following Washington's resolution of the debt ceiling agreement on Thursday and Friday, Brent crude prices, which serve as the international benchmark, experienced an increase of approximately $3 per barrel, reaching roughly $76. However, prices remain slightly below their levels on the eve of the April cut. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia made an announcement a few days before the scheduled visit of the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to engage in discussions with Saudi officials. Subscribe 100% Free to Wall Street Rebel.com and receive access to investment tools worth $17,500! The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds the position of de facto leader within the OPEC Plus organization. With Prince Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the helm, the country has adopted a more assertive approach toward its oil policies. This has involved implementing production cuts to maintain a minimum price level instead of allowing market forces to dictate prices. Crown Prince Mohammed, who is the primary decision-maker for the kingdom, aims to secure substantial oil revenues to fund his ambitious development initiatives. While OPEC refrains from disclosing price targets and maintains a long-term perspective, industry analysts suggest that Saudi Arabian officials are presently dissatisfied with Brent crude prices below $80 per barrel. Given that OPEC Plus accounts for over 40 percent of worldwide oil production, the organization possesses significant influence over market dynamics, provided it makes a concerted effort to do so. Historically, reductions in oil production led by Saudi Arabia and OPEC have caused tension with the Biden administration as it seeks to mitigate the impact of high oil prices on American motorists and prevent further strain on the fragile global economy. Subscribe 100% Free to Wall Street Rebel.com and receive access to investment tools worth $17,500! South Africa: PRASA saddened by deadly accident involving long-distance bus The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has expressed regret at the death of 11 passengers and the injury of 14 during a collision involving a minibus taxi and a PRASA long-distance bus. The collision occurred on the R61 between Flagstaff and Lusikisiki on Sunday. We are deeply saddened by the number of fatalities in this accident. Autopax takes safety seriously and will participate fully in investigations to establish the cause of the accident. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones, Autopax CEO, Niel Roesch, said. Passengers who suffered non-severe injuries were taken to the nearest hospital and clinic. We wish to commend the rapid response teams and traffic law enforcement officers for their swift rescue operations and attending to the injured passengers, PRASA said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-06-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Opinion: China's rise will give a voice to developing world 10:38, June 05, 2023 By Chandran Nair ( Xinhua This aerial photo taken on May 25, 2023 shows the view of urban areas of Zhanjiang City in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Deng Hua) The world is in desperate need of a more diverse pool of credible media outlets, and especially greater representation from non-Western sources, so that readers worldwide are better informed about global issues and do not fall prey to the current propaganda war between nations. The world is currently facing an unprecedented challenge: a comprehensive information war fueled by technology. The most telling example is the Western inclination to downplay and even demonize the positive impact that a rising China could have on global affairs. Through a powerful and ideology-driven global media apparatus, which appears to have abandoned its once-proud commitment to truth and unbiased reporting, the West has not only sought to undermine China, a nation that has prospered through a system of its own design under the guidance of the Communist Party of China, but also relentlessly demonized China's efforts to contribute to the developing world through constructive initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative. As we move towards a multi-polar world, as championed by China and demanded by the global majority, it is critically important that we build a global media ecosystem that does not remain dominated by large and economically powerful Western media outlets. Instead, it should be one that embraces reliable and unbiased outlets from all regions spanning the globe, including Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The world is in desperate need of a more diverse pool of credible media outlets, and especially greater representation from non-Western sources, so that readers worldwide are better informed about global issues and do not fall prey to the current propaganda war between nations. To achieve this goal, a better understanding of how the media industry works is needed. For example, for China and other nations to counter the West's aggressive narrative, it is essential to understand its historical roots, where its allegiance lies, and what drives it. The Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Rather than acknowledging the truth that China's growth may challenge Western dominance and economic hegemony, the Western narrative has veered towards a wholesale criticism of every aspect of the nation: China's history, economic management, political structure, human rights record, societal values, technological advancements, anti-corruption campaigns, religious freedom. This is shameful and depicts a desperate grasping-at-straws approach to journalism. While these are topics worthy of discussion in any country, portraying them in an incessantly prejudiced manner raises the question "Can a civilization with thousands of years of history be so wrong all the time?" Surely not. The biggest feature of this toxic narrative is that it is driven by ideological prejudice. The prevailing fear gripping the West, sadly embraced by its media, is simply this: How can a country manage to develop so quickly and successfully outside the frameworks of Western political and economic models. There appears to be a profound reluctance to understand and acknowledge that throughout history the political economy and even the market economy, operates in accordance with the unique needs of different countries. Another major and ongoing narrative concerning China in the Western media revolves around the purported absence of religious freedom within the country, with claims of persecution against various religious groups. To understand China's approach with regards to ethnic minority policies and religious practices, one needs to travel within China. I have had the pleasure of traveling across many parts of China including many ethnic minority areas to learn about their lives and the massive changes taking place to see the facts for myself. For example, in northwest China's Gansu Province, I have friends from different ethnic groups or of different religions. They told me how their lives have changed for the better under the stable governance of the Chinese government. This is not to paint a rosy picture and deny that there are issues still to be resolved. But the prevailing sentiment among the majority is that their lives have improved considerably, and major efforts are still being made to allow them to retain their culture, traditions, and religious beliefs. Ma Semai (C) and her colleagues make embroidery works at an embroidery workshop in Daban Town of Dongxiang Autonomous County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Ma Xiping/Xinhua) Despite the historical circumstances that left many marginalized, most of them today see themselves as integral members of a rapidly changing and progressive China. Even the widely circulated allegations made by the West concerning Xinjiang and the treatment of Uyghur communities, including claims of large-scale concentration camps, do not withstand close examination and have been rejected by those I know from minority communities. Many individuals from minority communities have expressed their disagreement with these wild allegations. When questioned about religious freedom, I am quick to highlight the large number of mosques throughout the country. Those who say that there is no religious freedom in China are either ignorant or simply not telling the truth. China's actions to prevent religions from being manipulated for political purposes are its internal affairs. Another major point of attack is the economic success of China. It is a fact that the Chinese government has lifted about 800 million people out of poverty over the past 40 years and delivered unrivaled economic progress. This accounts for almost 75 percent of the total global population lifted out of poverty, an accomplishment worthy of a Nobel Prize in economics. When I first visited China's Guangdong Province in the 1990s, some areas were very poor with most people riding bicycles. I imagined then it would take a long time for them to enjoy a decent level of prosperity. However, in the next 10 years, I saw rapid changes in all aspects across China, particularly evident in the development and changes taking place in cities like Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. In the next 10 years, changes spread to hundreds of second-and third-tier cities and towns. This aerial photo taken on May 26, 2023 shows the Zhangjiang Cultural Center under construction in Zhanjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) As China went through these rapid socio-economic changes, I noticed that Western media coverage of China had started to shift from acceptance and reporting with some mild praise to outright hostile criticism. A major tipping point for me was the 2008 Olympics. In 2001, I happened to be in Beijing on the night China won the bid to host the 2008 Olympics. I went to Tiananmen Square and saw the Chinese people celebrating, with millions of people joyously taking to the streets. It was so orderly, with no violence or mayhem, and I was impressed. But the next day, I found most of the reports were negative when I turned to the international media for their perspective. And then over the next seven years, the assault on China was relentless and it was at that point I realized that we were in a new era of geopolitics and China's emergence on the global stage had spooked the West. At this time, I concluded that this was so clearly unfair and realized that a new media war had been launched with the dawn of the Internet. After all, the fact that the largest developing country in the world had obtained the right to host the Olympic Games should have been welcomed by the world at large, but the Western media had other plans. Why the Western media did not celebrate this fact began to niggle me. As this situation evolved over the years, it was hard not to conclude that the Western media were in some sort of strange global coalition, transcending national boundaries and their own political differences at home. And I wondered why. It has taken years of observation and research to pin down the core reasons behind this phenomenon. In simple terms, it is a widespread fear in the West of losing economic power and global privileges borne out of centuries of dominance. I explored the Western media's role in this fight to preserve dominance in a recent article in the Diplomat. Even the protests in Hong Kong in 2019 were weaponized against China, with grave distortions of the reality and facts. I was struck by the biased coverage of the protests in Hong Kong by the Western media. I live in Hong Kong and during that time I could clearly see that the Western media reports did not match with the reality of the situation I was in the middle of. It felt as though I was living in a parallel universe, and it was at this point I lost most of my faith in the mainstream global media. A notable factor became increasingly apparent to me, which I came to recognize as the driving force behind the prevailing anti-China bias within the Western media. This hysterical anti-China rhetoric has its basis in deep-rooted racism and a widespread sense of white supremacy deeply embedded within many parts of Western media. This created an industry with the purpose to preserve global "white privilege" which relies on actively maintaining economic dominance over the rest of the world. This issue is discussed in my book Dismantling Global White Privilege: Equity for a Post-Western World. It is sadly a toxic ideology that the newsrooms of so many large media groups are still unable to break free from. This aerial photo taken on June 2, 2023 shows the Xiong'an Railway Station in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong) The rationale for this is simple. For the first time in four or five hundred years, the Western world faces a non-Western civilization that possesses comparable capabilities and strength. At this point in history, the most powerful Western country, the United States, along with some of its allies are unwilling to accept the fact that they will need to share power, not just with China, but with the rest of the world. It is worth pointing out that the United States only accounts for 4 percent of the world's population, and the entire Western world comprises less than 15 percent. It is a sad indictment of the West's approach to the rise of the global majority that it is unwilling to accept the realities of what this means in terms of giving up its sense of exceptionalism. It is disheartening to witness how historical arrogance continues to delude the West into thinking that it can persist in dictating terms not only to China but also to the global majority. The West needs to accept that China has not only contributed greatly to the struggle of many nations for independence against Western colonialism -- in Africa and Asia -- in the past, but also successfully followed up this legacy by seeking to help bring progress and prosperity to countries around the world through its investments and economic leadership. However, it must also be understood in China, that as it grows and its influence expands, it becomes essential for the nation to remain vigilant against the accusations levied by its detractors regarding its approach to global engagement. It needs to pay great attention to its actions and impacts across the world and be a responsible global leader. With regards to relations between China and Africa, I am reminded of the time I lived there. I saw what colonization had done to Africa, and I was there during the liberation movements in Southern Africa. I noted that China supported the struggle of these nations against colonization. This has endeared China to many African countries who in turn have formed partnerships with China ranging from booming trade ties, to the construction of critical infrastructure and provision of economic assistance to investments in healthcare that have benefited millions. Moving forward, China must strengthen its ability to spread the word of its peaceful rise and the benefits that this will bring to the rest of the world. This is an important yet challenging role for China, especially in a world weary of decades of wars, sanctions, and rising geo-political tensions, triggered by the poorly conceived and self-serving foreign policies of the West. Yet China will have to contend with the media war which ingeniously portrays the West as defenders of noble values and protectors of the weak, despite ignoring those very values to protect its hegemonic interests. That is a change the world seeks and as its power and influence continue to grow, China must not only strengthen its ability to be a leading voice in global affairs but also empower others, who under the current spell of Western media dominance can only dream of being able to have their voices heard. Editor's note: Chandran Nair is the founder and chief executive officer of the Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), an independent pan-Asian think tank. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) (Photo : Rob Carr/Getty Images) BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 31: Empty Bud Light cans sit in the seats during the the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 31, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. The ad agency that introduced trans activist Dylan Mulvaney to Bud Light in "serious panic mode" amid controversy The fallout following the business partnership continues after the beer brand experienced a massive drop in sales The company, Captiv8, specializes in connecting companies to influencers for advertising initiatives The ad agency that introduced trans activist Dylan Mulvaney to Bud Light is now in "serious panic mode" amid the controversy that resulted from the partnership between the two parties. The fallout from the business relationship between the transgender influencer and the beer brand continues following massive drops in sales for the latter. A recent report also noted that a San Francisco-based marketing firm is in chaos due to the controversial reception of Bud Light's partnership with Mulvaney. Ad Agency in Chaos Amid Bud Light-Dylan Mulvaney Backlash The advertising company, Captiv8, specializes in "end-to-end influencer marketing" and assists major brands in connecting with influencers across social media to help with advertising initiatives, as per the Western Journal. The report did note that despite the ad agency introducing Bud Light and Mulvaney to each other, it was unclear just to what extent Captiv8 was involved in the actual campaign that became so controversial. However, just being attached to the widely opposed partnership of Bud Light and Mulvaney was enough to send Captiv8's office into chaos. An unnamed source from the New York Post said that the company was internally in panic mode. They added that there was a lot of conversation that was happening among employees regarding the potential consequences of the controversial issue. There have been very few if any, advertising campaigns that have caused similar levels of consequences as the Bud Light-Mulvaney partnership. It was not immediately clear whether or not Captiv8 was also responsible for the recently infamous beer can that featured Mulvaney's image. The company, which claims to have a database of more than 1 million influencers across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, did not respond to requests for comment regarding the issue, according to the New York Post. Read Also: Ex-Navy SEAL Warns Parents About Gender Surgery for Minors Captiv8's Role in the Controversial Issue The company was co-founded by Krishna Subramanian in 2015, who helped the agency work together with various popular brands, such as Walmart, American Express, Twitter, and KraftHeinz. Subramanian is known for being a Silicon Valley investor who sold BlueLithium to Yahoo for $300 million in 2017. Subramanian, in February, spoke about the importance of viral videos around blockbuster ad events such as the Super Bowl. In a statement, he said that the best way to think about TikTok is that it is a way to take a consumer to the checkout line. The situation developed after Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, placed two executives on leave in April. These were the two that were responsible for the Captiv8-presided partnership and were identified as the vice president of marketing Alissa Heinerscheid and her boss, Daniel Blake. The Belgian-based company immediately insisted to distributors after the backlash that the trans activist's beer can was not their doing. They argued that it was made by a then-unnamed "third-party" ad agency that was also responsible for the video and several others that marketed the partnership, said the Daily Mail. Related Article: North Dakota Rights Advocate Condemns School Board @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In recent weeks, we featured a pair of articles detailing developments at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in upstate New York. The organization is dedicated to displaying flying machines from the earliest days of powered flight. A generous donation from builder, Mike Fithian, adds a 1912 Taube replica to the collection. In 1898 Ignaz Igo Etrich began experimenting with glider designs modeled on a wing-like seed pod species occurring in nature called the Zanonia Macrocarpa. By 1908, his designs evolved to accommodate engines, and the first of these upgraded designs was his tail-less, Etrich 1 parasol. By 1909, he had designed the Etrich II Taube. The Taube It was well-received following initial flights in 1910 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, and soon after went into licensed production in Austria at Lohner-Werke and in Germany at Rumpler-Werke. Conflicts among the players in the production, fears of a monopoly, and a loop-hole in the patent of the Taube caused Etrich to lose his German license protection and opened up production to numerous other firms. This caused numbers variations to spring up in both the single and two-seat models. Countless variations appeared in single and two-seat models. In 1912, the Austrian military created the aviation corps, their own flying division, which immediately required two-place aircraft capable of landing and taking off from low cut grass fields. It was then that Etrichs new Model F was established, as it met the requirements set out by the Austrian military. Production began at Lohner-Werker and in just over two months fourteen machines were delivered, all serialized with A to start, followed by odd letter combinations. Captain Robert Eyb, one of 30 licensed Austrian military pilots, spent many hours demonstrating his model F ASRA Taube in competitions, simulated reconnaissance missions with an observer, and cross-country exercises. He was also known to take his wife up for short excursions. A discovery of his grandfathers photos and notebook by Mike Fithian, donor of the aircraft and the grandson of Eyb, in the late 60s ignited his fascination with the early years of the pioneering of flight prior to World War I. Mike Fithian, researched the model F for nearly five years before embarking on a full-size replica in 2007. Even though Fithian was able to retrieve partial plans and verbal advice from Austrian Heinz Linner, who built two of the Taube versions, he still had many missing construction and engineering details. Much of his recreation of the missing plans and engineering directives would be developed by painstaking trial and error by Fithian himself. He began with the reliable, 145hp De Havilland Gipsy Major air-cooled engine. Utilizing the Gipsy Major, he fabricated a temporary wooden engine mount and fuselage to use as a guide as he attempted to recrate design angles, points of attachment, and fittings. Fithian continued with this replication of the engineering plans until he secured what he felt was the most accurate replication of the original. Upon this completion of the model, he then created the final fuselage out of ash and Sitka spruce. The landing gear, wheels, axles, and fittings came next, with the hinged, wooden wings and tail assembly being the final step in the process. The wings and tail assembly were completed with Tonkin bamboo strips sewn into the Ceconite fabric to facilitate wing-warping and elevator control. Fithians hangar/workshop only had an opening of 41, necessitating the 47 wingspan of his Taube replica to have hinged, folding wings. The Taube includes wing-warping (outer trailing edge), in lieu of traditional ailerons, pitch controlled by the warping of the horizontal stabilizer, in lieu of a hinged elevator, and a traditional hinged twin rudder that controls yaw. Light crosswind can be accommodated by the rugged, spring loaded undercarriage. Mike Fithians maiden voyage in 2018 found the handling of the aircraft to be fairly close to the written experiences of his grandfather while flying the original over 100 years prior. Fithian found that the Taube had limited performance, tremendous drag, and a slow rate of rolls, requiring shallow turns to avoid adverse yaw. His take-off speed was at 45 mph, and the Taube seemed to settle into a comfortable cruise speed between 57 and 60 mph. Fithian generously gifted aircraft to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum in the Spring of 2022, after a series of continued flights and missions to certify its readiness for continued flight. The Etrich Taube Model F replica continues to fly at shows at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum, and is currently considered the only flying replica of its kind in the world. To support the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum, please visit www.oldrhinebeck.org Located in the beautiful Charleston Harbor, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is one of Americas most popular naval and aviation museums for hands-on learning. Patriots Point Development Authority was established in the 1970s to develop a naval and maritime museum on Charleston Harbor featuring the World War II aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown (CV-10) as its centerpiece. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is home to a fleet of National Historic Landmark ships, the Cold War Memorial, the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum, and the only Vietnam Experience Exhibit in the U.S. Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum strives to preserve the living history of our American servicemen, and after visiting Patriot Point it certainly instills within you a feeling of patriotism and gratefulness to our service members. Since opening, Patriots Point has become one of South Carolinas most popular tourist attractions with close to 300,000 visitors each year. The USS Yorktown boasts one of the largest education and overnight camping programs in the nation, with more than 40,000 school-age children attending these programs each year. The USS Yorktown (CV 10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy. It began construction as the Bon Homme Richard, a new Essex-class carrier, and was later renamed in honor of an earlier USS Yorktown (CV 5) which sank during the epic Battle of Midway (June 1942). Built in an amazing 16 months at the shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, USS Yorktown was commissioned on April 15th, 1943, and became known as World War IIs famous Fighting Lady. Yorktown would participate significantly in the Pacific offensive, which began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. For her impressive service record during World War II, the Fighting Lady received the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars. In the 1950s, Yorktown was modernized to operate jet aircraft as an attack carrier (CVA). And in 1957, she was again re-designated as an anti-submarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle stars for service during Vietnam (1965-68). This particular ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968). Yorktown was finally decommissioned in 1970 and placed in the reserve fleet. In 1975, this historic ship was towed from Bayonne, New Jersey to Charleston harbor to become the centerpiece of the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. For more information, visit www.patriotspoint.org by Austin Kubacak Grumman HU-16B Albatross 51-7144 first arrived at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Georgia during 1983. After decades on external display, the Albatross finally came in for a more formal overhaul a couple of years ago, museum personnel moving it into the restoration building known as Hangar 3/the Scott Exhibit Hangar, which is where the museums Boeing B-17G also presently resides. Grumman originally delivered this Albatross to the US Air Force as an SA-16B during December, 1954. It initially served with the 41st Air Rescue Squadron at Hamilton AFB in Marin County, California before moving on to the 33rd Air Rescue Squadron at Naha AB on Okinawa, Japan. It flew from here through a significant portion of the Vietnam War, and is known to have rescued stranded personnel from the Gulf of Tonkin during that time. It closed out its military service with the 301st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Training Squadron at Homestead AFB in Florida, retiring from active use in June, 1971. Rather than ending up in a scrapyard, however, the Albatross gained a reprieve, becoming a museum piece in 1973 at the now long-defunct SST Aviation Museum, in Kissimmee, Florida where it would remain until that organizations closure in 1981. The U.S. Air Force Museum reassigned the aircraft for display at the Museum of Aviation in 1983, and the Albatross has remained there ever since. This Albatross is in amazingly stock condition, with a fully-fitted interior, as the images below will reveal. Inside, other than a ladder leaning against the port side wall and work lights hanging from the ceiling, the interior appears much like it might have during the Vietnam War. Outside, the aircrafts ailerons are sitting on a nearby workbench undergoing rework; during my visit, the restoration team was applying a layer of dope to tighten the new fabric covering. The museum expects to complete the aircrafts refurbishment within the next year or so. Jamie Foxx 'will give update on his health when he's ready' Jamie Foxx will give fans an update on his health condition "when he's ready". The 55-year-old 'Ray' actor's close friend Nick Cannon, 42, made the declaration while opening up about the Oscar-winner's ongoing health scare after he was hospitalised in April for a still unspecified unknown "medical complication". He told Extra TV: "One thing I've always respected about how Jamie's moved throughout his entire career, if you've noticed, he's always been somebody who is extremely professional and extremely private. "I mean, you don't ever really hear anything other than just the great work that he puts forth as a professional and the fact that, you know, he's handled this situation with the same manner, you only can respect that. Read more here: Wild n Out star Jacky Oh dies aged 32 Jacky Oh has died at the age of 32. The TV star - whose real name was Jacklyn Smith - was known for appearing on the MTV sketchy comedy show 'Wild n Out' alongside Nick Cannon but her passing was announced on Thursday (02.06.23), with no cause of death given. A BET Media Group spokesperson said: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jacklyn Smith, known to the world as Jacky Oh, a talented Wild 'N Out family member whose impact will be forever treasured and missed." The statement went on to recall that Jacky - who is survived by her three children to Nova, six, Nala, two and 11-month-old Prince and their father, her longtime boyfriend, D.C. Young Fly - was a "tremendous mother" and the media group as well as its stars sent their condolences to the family. Read more here: Danny Masterson in 'administrative segregation' in jail Danny Masterson is being kept in "administrative segregation" in jail for his safety. The 47-year-old actor faces up to 30 years in prison after being found guilty during a retrial in Los Angeles last month of drugging and raping two women and Danny is currently behind bars at the L.A. County Men's Central Jail, while he awaits sentencing. TMZ reports that Danny has not been placed in lockup with the general population, but instead, he is being housed in "administrative segregation" for his own safety. This is the same unit where fellow famous faces such as Suge Knight and O.J. Simpson previously stayed. Masterston - who is best known for starring in 'That '70s Show' - was found guilty by a jury of seven women and five men. Read more here: Robert De Niro sends support to upcoming new dad Al Pacino: 'God bless him!' Robert De Niro has sent his support to upcoming new dad Al Pacino. 'The Godfather II' actor, 79, who revealed in May he had welcomed his seventh child and his first with his partner Tiffany Chen, 45, was asked on the 'Today' show with Hoda Kotb how he felt about his old friend and 'Heat' co-star Al having a baby aged 83 with his 29-year-old girlfriend Noor Alfallah. Saying he felt "very happy" for Al, who also co-starred with him in Martin Scorsese's 'Irishman', De Niro added: "He's a few years older than me. God bless him." When Hoda, 58, asked the 'Raging Bull' star about fatherhood at his "stage in age", the Oscar-winner said he has a "certain awareness" about parenting. He added: "When you're older, you have awareness of certain things in life, dynamics. Everything, family dynamics. Read more here: *** Get more celeb news from the week here: TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Monday he was encouraged by a desire shown by world leaders to contain any risks posed by the artificial intelligence technology his company and others are developing. Altman visited Tel Aviv, a tech powerhouse, as part of a world tour that has so far taken him to several European capitals. Altmans tour is meant to promote his company, the maker of ChatGPT the popular AI chatbot which has unleashed a frenzy around the globe. I am very heartened as I've been doing this trip around the world, getting to meet world leaders, Altman said during a visit with Israel's ceremonial President Isaac Herzog. Altman said his discussions showed the thoughtfulness and urgency among world leaders over how to figure out how to mitigate these very huge risks. The world tour comes after hundreds of scientists and tech industry leaders, including high-level executives at Microsoft and Google, issued a warning about the perils that artificial intelligence poses to humankind. Altman was also a signatory. Worries about artificial intelligence systems outsmarting humans and running wild have intensified with the rise of a new generation of highly capable AI chatbots. Countries around the world are scrambling to come up with regulations for the developing technology, with the European Union blazing the trail with its AI Act expected to be approved later this year. In a talk at Tel Aviv University, Altman said it would be a mistake to go put heavy regulation on the field right now or to try to slow down the incredible innovation. But he said there is a risk of creating a superintelligence that is not really well aligned with society's needs in the coming decade. He suggested the formation of a global organization, that at the very highest end at the frontier of compute power and techniques, could have a framework to license models, to audit the safety of them, to propose tests that are required to be passed. He compared it to the IAEA, the international nuclear agency. Israel has emerged in recent years as a tech leader, with the industry producing some noteworthy technology used across the globe. With the great opportunities of this incredible technology, there are also many risks to humanity and to the independence of human beings in the future, Herzog told Altman. We have to make sure that this development is used for the wellness of humanity. Among its more controversial exports has been Pegasus, a powerful and sophisticated spyware product by the Israeli company NSO, which critics say has been used by authoritarian countries to spy on activists and dissidents. The Israeli military also has begun using artificial intelligence for certain tasks, including crowd control procedures. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had held phone conversations with both Altman and Twitter owner Elon Musk in the past day. Netanyahu said he planned to establish a team to discuss a national artificial intelligence policy for both civilian and military purposes. Just as we turned Israel into a global cyber power, we will also do so in artificial intelligence, he said. Altman has met with world leaders including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Altman tweeted that he heads to Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India, and South Korea this week. An overwhelming majority of non-LGBTQ people in the U.S. support equal rights for the LGBTQ community, according to a new report released Thursday by GLAAD, the nations largest LGBTQ media advocacy group. Findings of the 2023 Accelerating Acceptance survey revealed an all-time high number of non-LGBTQ people who express support for LGBTQ equality despite an unprecedented push by Republican lawmakers in conservative states to target the rights of members of the LGBTQ community, particularly transgender people. Researchers found that more than eight in 10 U.S. adults (84%) believe sexual and gender minorities should have the same rights as heterosexual and cisgender (non-transgender) people, while a large majority of U.S. adults seven in 10 agreed businesses should publicly support the LGBTQ community. The data seems to contradict recent decisions made by some high-profile businesses, which seemed to reverse course on their previous support of the LGBTQ community by caving into pressure from anti-LGBTQ groups. While these results are a clear demonstration that fair and accurate representation in media and journalism have a powerful and measurable effect on the lives of LGBTQ people, America is at a critical juncture when it comes to LGBTQ acceptance and safety, Sarah Kate Ellis, the organizations president and CEO, said in a statement shared with the Daily News. However, even though LGBTQ acceptance has reached never-before-seen levels, the survey also pointed to a lack of familiarity with trans and nonbinary people among non-LGBTQ adults. Only three in 10 non-LGBTQ people said they personally knew a trans person, while half said nonbinary and trans people were new or unfamiliar to them. More than half of those surveyed (55%) said they didnt understand the dimensions of the LGBTQ community. At the same time, the findings of the survey suggested that fair and accurate representation of LGBTQ people in the media could dramatically help increase LGBTQ acceptance. More than seven in 10 non-LGBTQ adults (73%) reported feeling comfortable seeing LGBTQ characters on television or in movies. Media, content creators, and corporate leaders need to lead and respond to hate with undeterred support for the LGBTQ community, including LGBTQ employees, shareholders and consumers, Ellis said. Allyship is not easy, but when values of diversity, equity and inclusion are tested, we must defend them unequivocally. The study was conducted online earlier this year among 2,533 U.S. adults using samples sourced by digital survey-based research firm Cint. From Stonewall to today: 50+ years of modern LGBTQ+ history From Stonewall to today: 50+ years of modern LGBTQ+ history 1969: Stonewall Riots 1969: Gay Liberation Front forms 1972: Sweden allows people to legally change gender 1972: UK has first Pride parade 1973: Lambda Legal forms 1973: Homosexuality is no longer classified as a mental illness 1974: First openly lesbian officials elected 1977: First openly gay man elected 1978: The rainbow flag is created 1979: First national LGBTQ+ march 1981: Norway enacts anti-discrimination laws 1981: Gay men affected with 'rare cancer' 1982: Wisconsin passes LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination law 1983: BiPOL forms 1984: HIV discovered 1986: Bowers v. Hardwick 1986: New York passes anti-discrimination bill 1987: UK opens first HIV/AIDS clinic 1987: Barney Frank comes out as gay 1987: ACT UP 1988: National Coming Out Day starts 1989: Denmark legalizes same-sex unions 1990: First Pride parade in South Africa 1994: 'Don't ask, don't tell' enacted 1994: American Medical Association opposes conversion therapy 1995: Gay and lesbian workers can get government security clearance 1996: President Bill Clinton signs Defense of Marriage Act 1996: High schooler starts Gay-Straight Alliance 1997: Ellen DeGeneres comes out 1998: Bisexual flag created 2000: Vermont recognizes same-sex unions 2000: Netherlands recognizes same-sex marriage 2002: New York City passes LGBTQ+ rights law 2003: US legalizes consensual same-sex acts 2004: Massachusetts performs first same-sex marriage 2009: Hate Crimes Prevention Act 2010: Same-sex marriage legal in Iceland 2011: 'Don't ask, don't tell' repealed 2012: First openly LGBTQ+ senator 2013: Supreme Court recognizes same-sex marriage 2014: Transgender students get federal protection 2014: First transgender person nominated for Emmy 2015: US legalizes same-sex marriage 2016: Ban lifted on transgender troops 2017: First openly transgender state legislator elected 2018: 'Rainbow wave' in politics 2019: Taiwan passes same-sex marriage 2019: Transgender troops banned from military 2019: Mayor Pete runs for president 2019: Being transgender no longer a 'disorder' 2020: NYC Pride March canceled by coronavirus 2021: Biden reverses Trump-era ban on transgender people in the military 2021: Gender-affirming care for minors is blockedthen overturned 2021: Switzerland and Japan make strides toward marriage equality 2022: Hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in US states 2022: First openly lesbian women elected governor 2023: Gender-Affirming Care Using a natural weed killer recipe has a few key advantages over chemical-laden commercial weed killers. If you have pets or small children who play in your garden, a synthetic weed killer could cause skin, nose, or eye irritation and other health problems. Synthetic herbicides can also harm beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, earthworms, and lacewings. These insects naturally keep your plants and soil healthy, even keeping predators at bay in some cases. Making your own natural herbicide is also budget-friendly. As youll see in the simple recipe below, you can make an effective eco-friendly weed killer from household products you likely already have on hand. Additional search efforts were underway Thursday evening at the site of The Davenport apartments building collapse. Shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, members of the Iowa Task Force 1 Search and Rescue team began to assemble outside of 324 Main St., which partially collapsed Sunday. A crowd also had assembled. Three men, Branden Colvin, Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien, are still unaccounted for and are believed to have been home in the apartments at the time of the collapse. Two members of the search-and-rescue team entered the building around 5:10 p.m. They exited the building around 5:50 p.m. and then around 20 minutes later, three members of the team and a dog went in. The three people and dog were inside for about 30 minutes before leaving the building. Teams later continued searching and working with the building and rubble pile. It is not immediately clear whether something triggered the renewed efforts, but city officials did not indicate a specific plan to re-enter the structure today. Mayor Mike Matson said in a Thursday morning news conference that the city is working with state and other agencies in their efforts, which they've now classified as recovery. The mayor said the city was consulting experts to evaluate other possible search procedures, suggesting the city has not terminated search and rescue efforts. Building collapse day 3 PHOTOS: Iowa Task Force 1, Urban Search and Rescue search The Davenport building on Thursday Dubuque Telegraph Herald. June 4, 2023. Editorial: A salute to all who make honor flights possible Nearly 200 local military veterans got the trip of a lifetime last week in one of the coolest traditions to ever honor any and all who wore the uniform. Once again, the Honor Flight of Dubuque and the Tri-States took to the air on a pair of daylong trips that brought a lifetime of memories. The local trips came one year after the tradition resumed following an eight-year hiatus in the area of this national honor flight movement to give veterans an opportunity to visit the nations war memorials in Washington, D.C. When the local effort began in 2010, Perry Mason and the local honor flight committee set a goal of getting every willing-and-able World War II veteran in the area to Washington. After nearly 18,000 miles and more than $750,000, the group got more than 900 veterans on flights to visit historic sites that honor their service and sacrifice. After four years, organizers were able to herald that mission as accomplished. Then last year, Mason felt the pull to bring back the honor flights. Back to organizing, to fundraising, to connecting to veterans. This time, the veterans are mostly Vietnam era and earlier and many of them were part of a generation that for too many years didnt get the honor and respect they deserved for the sacrifices they made. The honor flights allow veterans an opportunity to connect with each other, share experiences and receive recognition for their service. When our tri-state-area veterans journeyed to our nations capital this year, it was a trip unlike any they had ever experienced. The journey served two main purposes: 1) To recognize and show gratitude for the veterans service; and 2) to give the veterans a unique tour of the monuments dedicated to them and to their fallen comrades. The trip itself was awesome. Visiting the memorials was terrific. I really did not expect the reception and reaction wed get. This is just an opportunity of a lifetime. ... this is just excellent. Its a place for us to heal. Those are just a few of the things veterans had to say about this trip of a lifetime. Veterans saw memorials dedicated to World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars and the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps, and the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery. Hundreds of people welcomed the veterans and their guardians home. Mason and the many others who were instrumental in this local effort deserve our gratitude. Veteran after veteran who made the trip to Washington found it to be an incredibly moving experience. Many of them had never seen the monuments of D.C. before, and the added touches such as handmade signs and a welcome-home crowd really treated these veterans like the heroes they are. To give these aging veterans that experience is something they will never forget and something we can all be proud of. No doubt the experience was rewarding for the organizers as well. For all their hard work on behalf of our treasured veterans, a word of thanks. Des Moines Register. June 4, 2023. Editorial: Brenna Bird owes answers on emergency contraception payments for rape victims A victims options certainly should not turn on whether shes lucky enough to have good health insurance, income, savings or private support. The Iowa Attorney Generals Office disclosed in early April that it had paused the offices longtime policy of compensating rape victims for the cost of emergency contraception, often called Plan B. As a part of her top-down, bottom-up audit of victim assistance, Attorney General Bird is carefully evaluating whether this is an appropriate use of public funds, Alyssa Brouillet, Brenna Birds press secretary, said in a statement. There was a flurry of local and national news stories, and since then, silence. Birds office has not illuminated the public about the nature or progress of this audit. Her office did not respond to an editorial writers messages seeking an update on May 26 and May 30. The office has not responded to two Democratic state senators questions in a May 1 letter, according to a spokesman for Senate Democrats. At least three independent problems are evident here, any of which would on their own reflect poorly on Birds choices. Emergency contraception is not abortion and is not controversial This editorial board zealously advocates for abortion rights. But that doesnt preclude noting the distinction between the clash over abortion and the wholly unrelated and unremarkable matter of preventing pregnancy. The states fund for assisting crime victims covers a variety of supports. Before Bird took office this year, one of them was paying for birth control that women who had been sexually abused can take to prevent pregnancy from beginning. A pill or implant can achieve this even days after the assault, although effectiveness is higher earlier on. Along with coverage, advocacy groups support increased efforts to work with medical providers to be sure they are ready to inform victims about this option and administer it quickly. Many people who oppose abortion find all this unobjectionable and consistent with life begins at conception. Even the Catholic Church, in lumping the two together, has made exceptions on contraception in certain extraordinary circumstances involving rape. Dont take our word for it; listen to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has signed some of the nations cruelest and most dangerous abortion restrictions: By accessing health care immediately, they can get the Plan B pill that can prevent a pregnancy from occurring in the first place. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also has pushed for easier access to regular contraception. On this ground alone, Bird could resume the emergency contraception reimbursements immediately without any harm to her anti-abortion bona fides. The morning-after pill retails for $50 at most; some varieties are half that. The expense will never break the bank. A focus on abortion puts victims needs on the sidelines There is an obvious reason that debates about even the harshest anti-abortion proposals include exceptions for rape and incest: Forcing these victims to remain pregnant and deliver an attackers child is horrible to even contemplate. Yet the availability of emergency contraception (and abortion, which the state paid for in some cases under Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller) is not what the Attorney Generals Office is reviewing. Its only about the state paying for it. The burden of what Bird is doing falls mostly on Iowans who are poor. They are the ones who, because they rarely see a doctor, might not know about Plan B and about the urgency of taking it quickly. They are the ones who cannot pay $25 for the pill. Iowa should not subject any rape victims to out-of-pocket expense thats a direct consequence of their assault. A victims options certainly should not turn on whether shes lucky enough to have good health insurance, income, savings or private support. Its wrong to keep the public in the dark Elected officials seem to face fewer risks these days than they would have years ago for ignoring the minority party and the news media. Birds failure to respond to inquiries from the Register and from state Sens. Janet Petersen and Todd Taylor is disappointing. Explaining what is going on would not diminish her ability to set policy. It would, however, show she believes in the principle she espoused in the Drake Law Review a decade ago, recently cited by the Iowa Supreme Court: Providing information quickly and efficiently demystifies government. That case dealt with information the government is compelled by law to release, but a simple question such as Is there any news on the progress of that audit, or a prospective timeline for it to be completed? shouldnt be a matter of what the law requires. This editorial board believes payments for emergency contraception should have continued while Bird conducted the audit. Shes needlessly inflicting uncertainty and the possibility of more harm on already traumatized victims. But at the least, Iowans deserve to know what is going on with this audit, so they can evaluate the reasonableness of the course Bird is pursuing. END TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, among other social media services, are facing lawsuits from more than 2,000 families over mental health concerns among kids. Roughly 350 lawsuits against Snapchat, Roblox, and the Facebook and Instagram parent Meta have been filed. TikTok, Facebook, YouTube Sued Over Kids' Mental Health Concerns According to CBS News, Over 2,000 families have filed lawsuits against social media companies TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, alleging that the companies' platforms have caused their children to suffer mental health problems. The serious issues parents are raising include depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. The lawsuit, filed in federal courts across the United States, alleges that these platforms have knowingly contributed to the deteriorating mental health of children. On top of that, they also allege that the companies targeted children with their advertising, making it more likely that they would become addicted to their platforms. One of the parents suing the tech giants, Kathleen Spence, has spoken to CBS News. She alleges that the services are "holding [their] children hostage, and [they are] seeking and preying on them." Kathleen and her husband, Jeff Spence, took the Mark Zuckerberg-owned tech giant Meta, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. They say that their young daughter, who uses Insta, is suffering from an eating disorder and depression at the tender age of 12 years old. Their daughter admitted that she has gone through the restrictions her parents implemented on her phone. The 12-year-old says she "pretty quickly" figured out a way around the limitations in her access. She revealed that she downloaded a "calculator" app, which gives her access to Instagram. The 12-year-old told CBS that social media usage did not help her mental health problems. Instead, it made her hate herself more. As per NBC News, some of the most popular apps among teens are Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. All of which are now facing hundreds of lawsuits from thousands of parents in the US. Besides these social networking apps, YouTube and the online gaming platform 'Roblox' are also facing legal trouble due to mental health concerns among youngsters. Read Also: TikTok's AI Chatbot Tako Starts Testing in the Philippines Amid ChatGPT's Popularity Social Media and Mental Health Crisis Last May, no less than Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called parents' attention. He warned that social media use among teenagers leads to various mental health issues. Some young minds are now grappling with anxiety disorders and depression amid excessive use of social networking apps. The Surgeon General cited a recent study to point out the disturbing connection between social media usage and poor mental health. It shows that teens spending roughly more than three hours doom scrolling or engaging on social media are exposed to a higher risk of suffering from poor mental health. Related Article: [Timeline] Dylan Mulvaney: From Theatrical Performer to TikTok Trans Advocate - Now a Lesbian @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) The bodies of three Iowa men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building about a week after part of the century-old structure tumbled to the ground, the city of Davenport's police chief announced Monday. We dont have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing, Chief Jeff Bladel said. Meanwhile, residents of the building have started filing lawsuits. One, filed Monday by Dayna Feuerbach, is accusing the city and the building's current and former owners of knowing of the deteriorating conditions and failing to warn residents of the risk. A second action by Mildred Harrington against the building's owner alone alleges the same. Feuerbach's lawsuit alleges multiple counts of negligence, and both actions seek unspecified damages. The city had warning after warning, attorney Jeffrey Goodman, who represents Feuerbach, told The Associated Press. He called it a common trend in major structural collapses hes seen. They had the responsibility to make sure that the safety of the citizens comes first. It is very clear that the city of Davenport didnt do that. City documents, released last week and cited in the lawsuits, suggest concerns about the integrity of parts of the building that were conveyed to the city and owner, Andrew Wold, over the course of months. A recording of a 911 call placed just the day before the partial collapse reveals the director of a local organization affiliated with the chamber of commerce reported a contractor's concerns about a wall's integrity. City fire officials responded by visiting the site for less than 5 minutes, according to the dispatch log. The police chief said Branden Colvin Sr.s body was recovered Saturday. The body of Ryan Hitchcock was recovered Sunday and Daniel Prien early Monday. City officials had said earlier that Colvin, 42; Hitchcock, 51; and Prien, 60; had high probability of being home at the time of the collapse. The discoveries came after authorities announced that the search for survivors had been completed. The remains of the apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on May 28, putting rescuers at great risk, but since the area has been stabilized, crews were using an excavator and other heavy equipment to pull out parts of a debris pile. Davenport officials said they were consulting with experts about how to safely bring down the rest of the structure. The city fire marshal earlier said explosives would not be used because its close to other buildings in a busy part of downtown Davenport. Mayor Mike Matson said last week that any complaints about the rescue and recovery process should be directed at him, not first responders. Matson said Monday that neither he nor other city officials have been in touch with building owner Andrew Wold. Wold released a statement dated May 30 saying our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants. He has made no statement since then, and efforts to reach him, his company and a man believed to be his attorney have been unsuccessful. County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million. Bladel said the Davenport fire marshals office had begun an investigation of the building collapse with help from the state Division of Criminal Investigation, Davenport police and the medical examiners office. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds toured the site Monday morning, and tweeted later that the state is providing support and resources while working with city officials. Thank you to the first responders for putting their lives at risk to help their community, she wrote. The building, built as a hotel in 1907, had been converted into about 80 apartment units that were home to roughly 50 people. The state earlier made $5,000 available to displaced tenants who met income requirements, and the city offered $6,000 to the people forced from their homes. On Monday, the governor also waived the fees for tenants who needed to get their drivers license replaced. On Friday, Scott County prosecutor Kelly Cunningham cautioned against assuming a criminal prosecution is appropriate, saying an independent investigation needs to be conducted into the cause of the buildings structural failure, and right now its in the citys jurisdiction. Unresolved questions include why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger. A structural engineers report issued days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling. The lawsuit filed Monday also names two companies hired by Wold, including that engineer's firm, to assess and perform work on the building. The suit alleges all parties recognized the imminent danger residents faced, yet allowed the building to deteriorate while failing to warn residents that their lives were in danger. The engineering firm, in particular, has "an affirmative responsibility to sound the alarm of urgency and take all steps they can to make sure this building is evacuated for safety, Goodman said. We see their role in this tragedy to be unfortunately central. Tenants also complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show. Current and former residents told The Associated Press about interior cracks on the wall that ultimately collapsed that were reported to building management. One woman whose apartment ended up in a huge pile of rubble had to have her leg amputated in order to be rescued. - McFetridge and Fingerhut reported from Des Moines. Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (4 June 2023) The Russian Armed Forces launched a long-range air-based high-precision weaponry strike against the enemy targets at the military airfields. The goal of the attack has been reached. The command posts, radar stations, Ukrainian aviation equipment, as well as ammunition depots, have been hit. In Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched by aviation and the artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy manpower and hardware near Novomlynsk, Sinkovka, Olshana and Timkovka (Kharkov region). In addition, the actions of four Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been prevented close to Berestovoye (Kharkov region), Rozovka, Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk Peoples Republic) and Liman (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The enemy losses were up to 70 Ukrainian servicemen, three motor vehicles, two pickup trucks and one D-20 howitzer. In Krasny Liman direction, the attacks, launched by Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, as well as artillery of the Tsentr Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of AFU units near Yampolovka, Torskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Makeevka, Poschanka, Nevskoye and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk Peoples Republic), as well as Serebryansky forestry. One Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group has been neutralised close to Grigorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The enemy losses were up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, three pickup trucks, D-20 and D-30 howitzers, as well as two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems. One ammunition depot of the AFU 63th Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Serebryanka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). In Donetsk direction, the active combat operations continue with the Akhmat special units in Maryinka tactical area and the units of the 1st Army Corps of the Yug Group of Forces close to Avdeevka. The enemy losses were up to 200 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, one Grad MLRS, two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems, as well as D-20 and D-30 howitzers. In addition, the ammunition depots of the Liman operational-tactical group and the AFU 128th Mountain Assault Brigade have been eliminated close to Slovyansk and Minkovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the attacks, launched by aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy units near Pavlovka, Shevchenko (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Chervonoye, Poltavka, Preobrazhenka and Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were up to 240 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, one Msta-B howitzer, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system and one Grad multiple-launch rocket system. The ammunition depots of the 11th Artillery Brigade and the 65th Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been destroyed close to Temirovka and Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region). In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 96 artillery units of the AFU at their firing positions, manpower and military hardware at 73 areas. One Ukrainian UAV assembly facility near Dnepropetrovsk has been hit by high-precision ground-based weapons. The command and observation posts of the 102nd Territorial Defence Brigade and the 24th Mechanised Brigade battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit close to Poltavka (Zaporozhye region) and Dzerzhinsk (Donetsk peoples republic). In addition, the AFU control posts have been hit close to Slovyansk (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and Sumy. Air defence facilities have intercepted two Storm Shadow cruise missiles, two Tochka-U tactical missiles and 14 HIMARS and Uragan multiple-launch rocket system ballistic missiles. In addition, 21 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Vrubovka, Lozovsky, Kremennaya (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Orlinskoye, Maly Kremenchik, Volodino (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Zhovtnyovoye (Kharkov region), Novaya Kakhovka, Lyubimovka, Andreevka (Kherson region), Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), and also over the Black Sea waters. In total, 432 airplanes, 236 helicopters, 4,473 unmanned aerial vehicles, 424 air defence missile systems, 9,382 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,112 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,996 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 10,656 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation. WtR The Nation of Patriots returned to Beaver Dam on Friday, announcing that the organization has raised almost $2 million in its effort to assist veterans. Bill Sherer, founder and executive director of the Nation of Patriots, said the organization has helped 600 families with funds raised since its beginnings in 2009. We are looking at our 15th year coming up soon, Sherer told those in attendance at the Beaver Dam Veterans Center on Friday night. The 14th annual Patriot Tour is a 115-day, 15,000-mile tour of an American flag, traditionally carried by a motorcycle, through all 50 states to raise funds for veterans and their families in need. Following a parade downtown, the Patriot Tour participants arrived at the Veterans Center. Riders returned on Saturday morning to retrieve the flag, which had been flying at the Veterans Center overnight, before traveling to the Open Road Harley-Davidson in Fond du Lac on Saturday. We are proud to be bringing the Patriot Tour back to Beaver Dam and look forward to a strong show of support for the riders and the veterans, said Wade Fletcher, a Patriot Tour volunteer. Round up your friends, neighbors, co-workers, children and other family members and lets line the parade route with waving flags and cheering crowds. Our veterans have earned our respect and need our support. This is an easy way to give back and thank those who sacrifice every day on our behalf. On Sunday, a ride was to escort the flag from Open Road Harley-Davidson to House of Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee before heading to Illinois for the next flag transfer. Nation of Patriots provides financial support to Americas Armed Forces veterans and their families. Nation of Patriots is a 501(C)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is volunteer-driven and gives 100 percent of all donations directly to veterans in need. Close GALLERY: PATRIOT TOUR RETURNS TO BEAVER DAM The Nation of Patriots' Patriot Turn returned to Beaver Dam, once its home base, with a parade through downtown on Saturday afternoon. The official transfer of the flag, which has traversed most of the country, took place at Ooga Brewing Company on South Spring Street, after an earlier gathering at Sixth Gear Tavern on Highway 33. The tour continues until September and ends in Arizona. NEW GLARUS There was no shortage of places we could have met. Sawmill Pizza and Brewshed in Clear Lake in northwestern Wisconsin would have been tasty. Frog Bay Tribal National Park in Red Cliff would have been picturesque. And Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot enriching. But with our schedules tight and since we both live in Madison, we chose a short trek to New Glarus. This is where travel writer Mary Bergin and I sat at a square wooden table and below one of the 110-year-old murals inside Puempels Olde Tavern and talked about her new book, Small-Town Wisconsin. It was a Tuesday afternoon, so the scene was a bit more raucous, thanks to the weekly euchre game that has been a staple for the past 13 years for Dianna Truttmann, Jane Martinson, Barb Anderson and Rosalie Huntington. Other customers nibbled away at cheese plates, some nursed taps of Hamms and Moon Man while the taverns owner, Chuck Bigler, anchored the north end of the bar. As we were leaving, he offered up an impromptu history lesson of the place that was established in 1893 by Swiss immigrants Joseph and Bertha Puempel and later owned by Otto Puempel for an astonishing 58 years. Bigler is just the third owner after taking over in 1993 and is a lifelong resident of this Green County village. Its like something wraps itself around you and wont let you leave, said Bigler, who retired last year from his full-time job of 40 years at a local car dealership. And never once in my 71 years have I ever had an inkling to not be here. For Bergin, Puempels is the epitome of community and is among the many inspirations for her book that features 50 small towns and pays homage to 100 others, all of them in Wisconsin and each under 5,000 people. There is only one Puempels (pronounced pimples), but scores of communities throughout Wisconsin are loaded with their own stories, people and places. Small-Town Wisconsin (Globe Pequot), which Bergin began researching in fall 2021 to hit a deadline five months later, serves as a guide and has come out just as the states tourism season is kicking into high gear. Tourism is a healthy, good industry for a town to invest in. It can be good for a local economy and is very good for some of the economies that are in this book, said Bergin, who has written five other books on travel and food. I think too often the communities that get the most attention in tourism are the destinations that are big and loud about it, meaning a deep marketing budget. But theres more than that. Euro-cultured While Kohler and Wisconsin Dells, both of which draw international crowds, are in the book, Bergin points to the Ozaukee County community of Belgium as one of her under-the-radar destinations. Located along Highway 43 between Port Washington and Sheboygan and just west of Harrington Beach State Park, the village of 2,245 people has embraced its heritage and is home to the International Luxembourg American Cultural Society and Center. Built in 2009 under the auspices of Luxembourgs Ministry of Culture, the center features the Roots and Leaves Immigration Museum and is the only cultural center in the world celebrating the heritage and culture of Luxembourgers. According to its history on the villages website, when many of the immigrants began settling in the area in the 1800s much of Luxembourg had been annexed by Belgium. So people who lived in the area began to refer to their new home as the Belgium area because the settlers, while ethnically Luxembourgish, were citizens of Belgium when they left Europe. The area continues to be home to one of the largest populations of Luxembourg immigrants and their descendants in the country. The attention that the country of Luxembourg pays to Belgium is astounding, said Bergin. I would even argue that (former Milwaukee Mayor) Tom Barrett is U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg in part because of the respect that Belgium gets from Luxembourg. Its a big deal. Bergin, 67, is well acquainted with her subject matter. She grew up on a dairy farm in Hulls Crossing, a hamlet just north of Greenbush in Sheboygan County. She spent first grade in a one-room schoolhouse and remembers when the local cheese factory was destroyed by fire. When she was in high school she waited tables at the resorts in nearby Elkhart Lake. Early memories After graduating from UW-Oshkosh, she spent two years working at newspapers in Oklahoma and Kentucky before returning to Wisconsin, where she spent 20 years writing for The Capital Times in Madison and in 2006 wrote the book Sidetracked in Wisconsin: A Guide for Thoughtful Travelers. After leaving the paper in 2008, she dove into freelance writing with a focus on travel pieces, primarily in the Midwest. Her books also include Hungry for Wisconsin in 2008 and The Wisconsin Supper Club Cookbook published in 2015. Small-Town Wisconsin builds on her work and is the ideal companion for road trips and perfect for the glove box. The soul of who we are as Wisconsinites loyal, quirky, down to earth, humble takes root with how and where we are raised, Bergin wrote in the books introduction. For many, our earliest memories are of life in or near a small town. The 195-page book, divided into four geographical quadrants, takes readers to five Door County communities, including Washington Island, along with Eagle River, Hurley and Peshtigo, among others in the states northeastern region. There are trips to Spring Green, Gays Mills and Westby in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin and to the Alpine Valley Music Theater near East Troy and the Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay in southeastern Wisconsin. The northwestern part of the state includes treks to Hayward, Chetek, Osseo and to Cornucopia, home to the states northernmost U.S. Post Office and the more inviting Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Always more to see And while Bergin does her due diligence on each of the 50 communities featured in the book, she also highlights nearby sites worthy of a visit. For the Dane County community of Roxbury, for example, the focus is on the Dorf Haus and its Bavarian menu, but Bergin also suggests side trips to Wollersheim Winery, along with eagle watching and cow chip throwing across the Wisconsin River in Sauk City and Prairie du Sac. In Hurley, in far northern Wisconsin, Bergin writes about Silver Street and its proliferation of bars, but also points to the nearby National Finnish American Festival Cultural Center and the Plummer Mine Interpretive Park. And in Algoma, von Stiehl Winery takes center stage, but Bergin also writes about the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Hope 15 miles to the west. Back in New Glarus, billed as Americas Little Switzerland, Bergins book includes a short interview with Beth Zurbuchen, president and CEO of the Swiss Center of North America, but also includes information about New Glarus Brewing Co. and the Chalet of the Golden Fleece Museum, located in the Swiss Alps chalet-style home of Edwin Barlow, who brought the Wilhelm Tell play to America in 1938. This is a small community. So to establish a cultural identity takes the participation and commitment of a lot of people. A lot of smaller communities dont have that. They dont think they have anything to distinguish themselves from others, Bergin said as she sipped a 7-Up. This (community) would be a lot different if people didnt care. But people care. 10 festivals for fall fun 1. International Red Panda Day 2. New Glarus OktoberFest 3. Verona Fall Fest 4. Crackle, Fire and Froth 5. Harvest Moon Festival 6. UW-Madison Homecoming Block Party after the Parade 7. A Gathering of Rogues and Ruffians 8. Monona Fall Festival and Pie Party 9. Belleville UFO Day 10. Madison Mini Maker Faire Weather Alert ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall 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 and Mono County. In western Nevada, Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area and Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties. * WHEN...From this afternoon through Monday evening. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Area creeks and streams are running high and could flood with more heavy rain. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Slow moving thunderstorms will produce areas of heavy rainfall with localized rainfall rates on the order of 1.00 to 1.50 inches per hour. Soils are already saturated with creeks, streams, and rivers running full due to ongoing snowmelt. It will not take as much rain to cause excessive runoff. Also, heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding and debris flows near burn scars and steep terrain. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. && (Photo : MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Image) The information that President Joe Biden was involved in a criminal bribery scheme with a foreign national is a "highly credible" FBI confidential source. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, will examine the document he and his committee subpoenaed from the FBI alleging that then Vice President Joe Biden engaged in a criminal bribery conspiracy with a foreign national. When he examines the document, an unclassified 1023 form, Comer will receive a briefing from the FBI in a sensitive information facility on Capitol Hill, according to a committee spokesperson. Biden Criminal Bribery Probe However, the Republican lawmaker has not relented in his demand that the FBI deliver the file he and his fellow committee Republicans requested last month, which could implicate President Biden and advance contempt charges against FBI Director Christopher Wray if the FBI does not comply. Per Washington Examiner, the FBI stated that it has "consistently demonstrated its commitment to working with the committee to facilitate its request, from scheduling briefings and phone calls to now permitting the chair and ranking member to examine information in person." Last month, Comer issued a subpoena to the FBI for the FD-1023 form, which he and Sen. Chuck Grassley claim describes an alleged criminal conspiracy involving Biden "including the exchange of money for policy decisions." Comer stated that the scheme involved a foreign national paying $5 million in exchange for a policy outcome. The agency will deliver the document to Capitol Hill and brief Comer and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), according to a committee spokesperson. The FBI initially requested that legislators examine the document at FBI headquarters, according to NBC News. The senior law enforcement official told NBC News that the FBI and a US attorney appointed by then-President Donald Trump reviewed the allegation when it was made in 2020, as well as other information regarding Hunter Biden's dealings in Ukraine. The allegation of bribery was unfounded, the official stated. Former Attorney General William Barr had requested that the United States Attorney in Pittsburgh investigate the Biden Ukraine matter. This week, Grassley, who is also pursuing the document, stated that Republicans "are not concerned with whether or not the allegations against Biden are factual," but rather with ensuring that the FBI complies with the subpoena. Christopher Durham, acting assistant director of the FBI, warned this week in a letter to Comer that FD-1023 forms record information provided to the FBI, but that recording the information "does not validate the information, establish its credibility, or compare it to other information known to or developed by the FBI." The FBI has also expressed concern that releasing the document could endanger the source's life. Republicans have stated that they are not interested in the identity of the informant, but the subpoena demands the entire document. In a statement released on Friday, the FBI said it had requested "commonsense protections" to ensure the privacy of sensitive information. The agency routinely makes such requests in response to congressional requests and in criminal court proceedings "to safeguard the physical protection of sources and the integrity of investigations," it said, adding that it "remains committed to cooperating in good faith with the Committee." Read Also: US Seeks Explosives in Japan for Ukraine After Tokyo Donates 100 Military Vehicles to Kyiv Accuser is 'Highly Credible' Source Meanwhile, Fox News Digital has learned that the source of the information that Biden was involved in a criminal bribery scheme with a foreign national is a "highly credible" FBI confidential human source who has been used by the bureau in multiple investigations dating back to the Obama administration. A source told Fox News Digital on Friday that the confidential human source who furnished the FBI with the Biden information was a "pre-existing" FBI source who has been utilized in multiple investigations unrelated to the Biden matter. The source informed Fox News Digital that the FBI used the confidential human source for "at least several years" prior to the compilation of the FD-1023 form detailing the Biden allegations in June 2020. Related Article: Biden Bribery Scheme: FBI Director Christopher Wray Urges To Speak With Comer Over Alleged $5 Million Payment @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. South American food isn't new in San Francisco, but recently theres been a surge of new restaurants delighting in the continent's culinary traditions. In just the last six months alone, two new spots, Uptown Oaklands Parche and Mission Bays Cavana, have joined the ranks of enticing family-run cafes, chef showcases, and steakhouses on both sides of the bayand we could not be more here for it. Serving the irresistible snacks of the Colombian and Venezuelan highlands, the coastal ceviches of Peru, and the grilled and marbled meats of Argentina and Brazil, these 13 restaurants bring the best of South America to SF and Oakland. Michelin added Parche to its recommendations in 2023. (Courtesy of Parche) Parche This vibrant restaurant in Uptown Oakland celebrates the culinary heritage of Colombia from coast to coast. There is joy not just in Parches playful, color-drenched dining room but in the food itself, which includes addictive takes on patacones (smashed, crispy plantain), carimanolas (stuffed yucca fritters), and arepas (stuffed cornmeal cakes). Michelin thought so, too: It added Parche to its list of 2023 recommendations within just months of opening. From the creative ceviches and curados to cocktails kissed with tropical inspiration, Parche will lift your spirits and leave you craving more. // 2295 Broadway (Oakland), parcheoak.com Mochica Mochicas contemporary take on traditional Peruvian dishes and ingredients is lick-the-plate delicious. The bright, friendly restaurants richly marinated ceviches and anticuchos (meat skewers), zippy chimichurris and tiraditos, and hearty mains like pork belly chaufa (Peruvian fried rice) and pescado a lo macho (coconut-laced seafood bouillabaisse) have a main character energy you might not expect to find in the relatively out-of-the-way Potrero Hill. At happy hour, classic Peruvian cocktails, piscos, South Americaninspired margaritas, and Inka Cola-spiked sangria pair flawlessly with satisfying bocaditos like chicharron pollo and fried halibut ceviche. // 1469 18th St. (Potrero Hill), mochicasf.com Anticuchos de pollo at rooftop South American spot Cavana. (Courtesy of Cavana) Cavana This new cocktail bar and restaurant at the tippy top of Luma brings refined tropical flair to Mission Bay. With an interior hung with woven light fixtures and a balcony edged in geometric tiles, Cavana serves tapas and bites like chifles (green plantain chips), Brazilian pastel de carne, and Venezuelan chicken tamales. Artisan cocktails, meanwhile, teem with yerba mate, purple corn, uchuva, and other quintessentially Latin American flavors. If youre looking for a party, check them out on Friday and Saturday nights, when bossa novaspinning DJs and live bands whip the crowd into a rhythmic rooftop frenzy. // 100 Channel St., 17th Fl. (Mission Bay), cavanasf.com Pena Pachamama This longtime North Beach restaurant located in the base of a historic speakeasy has the exclusive feel of an underground supper club. At Pena Pachamama, traditional Bolivian cuisine gets a plant-based twist, with vegan takes on dishes like pique macho (made here with meatless chorizo, bell pepper, and roasted potatoes), portapancho (made with tempura portobellos), and saltenas (Bolivian empanadas). But tasty Latin American fare isnt the only reason to stop by. On weekends, the little restaurant erupts with flamenco dancers and live Andean folklorico, igniting a celebration at which Robin Williams once claimed even the Amish would dance. // 1630 Powell St. (North Beach), pachamamacenter.org The Mission's Argentinian steakhouse Lolinda. (Courtesy of @lolindasf) Lolinda Lolinda isnt your average steakhouse. With Argentinian roots and California creativity, the warmly lit, two-story restaurant is a dramatic send-up to all things indulgent. As you might expect, the menu revolves around wood-fire grilled beef, chops, and sausages done Argentinian style, but it doesnt stop there. Healthy helpings of empanadas, croquetas, and grilled veggies, and a drinks list full of glitzy cocktails, classic highballs, and Iberian and South American wines, have kept the crowds coming to this Mission mainstay for over a decade. // 2518 Mission St. (Mission), lolindasf.com Mago At Mago, contemporary Colombian cuisine meets casual fine dining. Chef Mark Liberman combines wood-grilling expertise with fresh seasonal produce and Latin American flavors to come up with an ever-changing tasting menu ($75-$105/person) stacked with dishes like churros with chicken liver and fig leaf zatar, swordfish escabeche, and carne asada with turnips and poblano au poivre. Recommended by Michelins critics for its unpretentious, undeniably delicious preparations, this North Oakland restaurant wont let you down. // 3762 Piedmont Ave. (Oakland), magorestaurant.com Argentinian-style empanadas from Javi's in Oakland (Courtesy of @javiscooking) Javis Empanadas Buenos Airesborn chef Javier Sandes channeled his early love of cooking into some of Oaklands best Argentinian empanadas. At his humble West Oakland shop, Javis Cooking, he brings together the essential elements of an excellent empanadalight, flaky dough; slow-cooked fillings; and plenty of spiceand stuffs them with traditional and not-so-traditional fillings like carne and queso (meat and cheese with Argentine sauce), puerco (pulled pork with fresh pineapple), and datiles (dates, bacon, and blue cheese). In addition to pastries fresh out of the oven, the kitchen also sells them frozen so you can stock up for unexpected empanada emergencies. // 3446 Market St. (Oakland), javis-cooking.square.site La Mar Cocina Peruana With a top-notch location on the Embarcadero and a patio that stretches all the way to the bay, La Mar is a swanky spot for delightful Peruvian-inspired eats. The extensive menu ranges from sushi and ceviches braided with touches both Japanese and Californian (think local halibut in sunchoke leche de tigre) to layered potato causas, grilled seafood and meat anticuchos, and portly empanadas. Order them a la carte, along with cocktails drenched with pisco and agave spirits, or go all in with a five-course, family-style tasting menu ($99/person). A range of bright cocktails like the choclo colada (rum, fresh corn, coconut, pineapple, lime, and averna), crispy taquitos, and house specialties are also on order at the freshly renovated La Mar Bar, which now has a sophisticated lounge vibe with moody lighting and nods to the ocean deep. // Pier 1 1/2, The Embarcadero N. (Embarcadero), lamarsf.com Pucquio Pucquio draws its contemporary take on Peruvian cuisine from the artistry and traditions of its country of origin. To its no fuss dining room and kitchen-front bar, the restaurant delivers favorites like aji de gallina and arroz con mariscos with creative and unexpected details like olives, walnuts, and parmesan cheese. On the dessert menu too, riffs on Peruvian pastries like sweet potato donuts filled with dulce de leche and rice pudding brulee with purple corn sorbet are memorable deviations from the norm. // 5337 College Ave. (Oakland), pucquio.com MaMo The menu at this sweet little (and we do mean little) spot in the Marina combines three separate cuisinesVenezuelan, Colombian, and Californianinto one. That fusion makes for a well-rounded meal of crunchy salads, habit-forming Latin American snacks like arepitas and maduros (fried sweet plantains), and robust entrees like crujiente de pollo (crispy skin chicken thighs over polenta) and pescado Caribe (pan-seared cod over a crispy patacon). With its petite size and limited hours (MaMo is only open Friday through Sunday but serves lunch and dinner each day) youll want to make a reservation if you plan to take a seat inside or at the restaurants parklet. But never fear: Even if you cant snag a table, you can take your meal to go, along with sangria, beer, wine, and soju cocktails. // 3659 Buchanan St. (Marina), mamosf.com Get your fill of grilled meats at Espetus Churrascaria. (Courtesy of @espetus) Espetus Churrascaria The first Brazilian-style steakhouse in the city, now in its 20th year, Espetus Churrascaria is still considered the best of the bunch. Here, youll get the full churrasco experience with servers who parade through the dining room with 14 different types of meaty flame-rotisserie skewers, shaving off slices on demand. A single lunch ($42/person) or dinner ($71/person) order is a ticket for all you can eat, which includes more than a dozen buffet and salad bar items ranging from charcuterie and cheese to feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew). Dessert is an equally decadent affair, but the passion fruit mousse and tres leches cake will cost you extra. If youre outside of the city, check out Espetus second location in San Mateo (710 South B St). // 1686 Market St. (Hayes Valley), espetus.com Piqueos A Bernal Heights favorite since 2007, Piqueos is a light-hearted Peruvian tapas joint with a warm neighborhood feel. Their small platesdishes like pastelito de choclo (Peruvian corn cake), costillita de cancho (crispy pork spareribs), and bolitas de yucca (crispy yucca balls stuffed with ham and cheese)are a riot of bold flavors and crowd-pleasing indulgence. Add classic mains like lomo saltado and arroz con mariscos and youve got an unforgettable family-style feast to make any night of the week feel special. // 830 Cortland Ave. (Bernal Heights), piqueos.com Arepas Latin Cuisine At this adorably eclectic 16th Street cafe, arepas are an all day affair. From 11am to 10pm, they serve Venezuelan-style tostones (twice fried plantains) heaped with meats and veg, cheese-stuffed tequenos, and so many arepas. Heartier fare includes traditional dishes like pabellon (rice, black beans, plantain, shredded beef, egg), cachapas (sweet corn pancakes with cheese), and Colombian recipes like bandeja paisa (minced beef, chorizo, chicharron, arepa, plantain, rice, red beans, avocado). Theres also coffee for sharpening up, beer, wine and cocktails for kicking back, and coffee cocktails if you cant decide which you need most. // 3198 16th St. (Mission), arepasfco.com Spring is not just about warm breezes and fresh blossoms its also about great new TV shows arriving on the networks and on streaming giants like Netflix, HBO Max and Apple TV+. Whether its the series finale of Succession or a juicy new Bridgerton prequel, were talking must-watch TV. Dont miss a thing with our preview. Yellowjackets, Season 2 (Showtime, March 24) In the hotly awaited return of the dazzling show about teen survivors of a 1996 plane crash and their traumatized life today, Melanie Lynskeys Shauna regrets killing the nice boyfriend she mistook for a blackmailer, and Lauren Ambrose joins the cast as her old teammate Van, a character who sounds a bit like Ambroses Six Feet Under heroine. Co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco told Entertainment Weekly that Van is both a serious-minded person and extremely glib, sarcastic, funny, and lovable all at the same time. Succession, Season 4 (HBO/HBO Max, March 26) In the final-season premiere of TVs most cynically realistic hit, thundering potty-mouthed patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) celebrates his birthday without the children he recently betrayed before they could betray him. But who will take over their megacorporation? And who gets shivved by Shiv (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and/or dad? Great Expectations (FX/Hulu, March 26) Not since The Favourite has Olivia Colman had a role as terrifying and promising as this: the rotting, jilted bride Miss Havisham, bitterly scheming to destroy the happiness of young Pip and his beloved (Fionn Whitehead and Shalom Brune-Franklin) in this six-part miniseries adaptation of Dickens ripping yarn. The Power (Prime Video, March 31) Toni Collette plays the mayor of Seattle in a world where teen girls discover they can electrocute people with their fingertips, and show older women how, so women arent scared of men anymore. Alas, not a documentary. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+, April 6) Why see a Grease prequel set in 1954? Because nobodys told a story about the Pink Ladies, the real teen girl gang that helped inspire the 1978 hit film, and because the funniest of grumps, Jackie Hoffman, 62 (Only Murders in the Building, Glass Onion), plays their assistant principal. Transatlantic (Netflix, April 7) This blockbuster miniseries is a fiction based on the true story of American journalist Varian Fry (Cory Michael Smith), who led a team in 1940s Marseilles that smuggled thousands of Jewish refugees out from Nazi clutches, including painter Max Ernst (Alexander Fehling). The Last Thing He Told Me (Apple TV+, April 14) In this thriller miniseries, Jennifer Garners Hannah has to befriend her teen stepdaughter to find out why her husband (Game of Thrones Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) vanished into thin air. DFS Update Sydney, June 5, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited ( ASX:COB ) ( COH:FRA ) ( CBBHF:OTCMKTS ) is managing the delivery of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP) Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS). Three engineering firms have been contracted to provide design and costings as per the following allocation of expertise: - Worley are completing process plant design and review of the COB test work program (inclusive of the Demonstration Plant). - GHD are designing the non-process plant infrastructure and tailings/mine waste management (co-disposal in integrated waste landforms). GHD are also preparing the EIS and associated permit applications. - SRK are preparing the resource and reserve statements, based on the resource block model and mining studies. COB is delivering all the other aspects of the DFS, and these are reported on in the subsequent sections below.* KEY POINTS - Demonstration Plant: Recent activities focused on processing larger volumes of concentrate through to Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) circuit. Nickel/cobalt sulphate samples produced. - Permitting: Environmental surveys complete. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in preparation. - Kwinana Refinery Project Update: Refinery concept study has identified approximately A$70m in pre-production capital to fund a 3,000tpa standalone refinery. We are engaged with a potential partner that owns a suitable property in the Kwinana district where we expect to commence refinery construction next year. The potential partner is further determining an appropriate level of equity ownership in the Kwinana Refinery Project via a funding contribution. - Australian Government Support: Critical Minerals Accelerator Initiative (CMAI) grant second instalment ($6m) expected in June 2023. The recently announced compact between the US and Australia further advances the prospects for Australian critical minerals projects. - Cobalt price review: Cobalt supply/demand imbalance is expected to ease from 2024 as demand growth overtakes output for a sustained period with prices back toward long-term averages. - Additions to Management Team: Cobalt Blue is proud to announce two new senior starters: Project Finance Manager and Project Acquisition Manager. Commenting on recent achievements, Cobalt Blue Holdings ( ASX:COB ) Chief Executive Officer, Joe Kaderavek said: "Our journey continues via positive steps. Both BHCP and Kwinana Refinery Project strategies are attracting substantial interest from Federal and State governments as well as numerous major industry players. We believe the evolution of an Allied Critical Materials Supply Chain further enhances the attractiveness of our cobalt projects." *To view the full release, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/JK8MJYP8 About Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX:COB) (FRA:COH) (OTCMKTS:CBBHF) is an exploration and project development company. Work programs advancing the Broken Hill Cobalt Project in New South Wales continue. Our ambitious goals are subject to funding availability. Cobalt is a strategic metal in strong demand for new generation batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries now being widely used in clean energy systems. loading......... Malibu, CA, June 5, 2023 AEST (ABN Newswire) - In this segment of The Ellis Martin Report we speak with Claudia Tornquist, CEO of Kodiak Copper Corp. ( CVE:KDK ) ( KDKCF:OTCMKTS ) as the company becomes a carbon neutral exploration company. Kodiak Copper Corp. announces the Company has become carbon neutral in 2022 through the purchase of carbon offsets from the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project. In addition to purchasing offsets, Kodiak has committed to decreasing its carbon emissions by 20% per metre drilled by 2030 through the implementation of a carbon reduction strategy. Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO of Kodiak said, "Kodiak's business is the responsible and sustainable exploration of copper, a material absolutely essential for the energy transition and a low carbon future. Achieving carbon neutrality is part of our Company's ESG strategy to generate value and reduce risks through environmental, social and governance best practices. I am delighted we were able to purchase carbon offsets from the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project, an indigenous-led initiative that improves the management of sensitive ecosystems in British Columbia where Kodiak's MPD copper-gold project is located. Our 2023 exploration program at MPD is progressing well and we will provide an update and the next batch of drill results soon." Kodiak's first annual greenhouse gas emission assessment in 2022 was conducted independently by Synergy Enterprises. The Company generated 449 tonnes of carbon equivalent greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from the 26,103 metre drill program at the MPD copper-gold porphyry project in southern British Columbia. Carbon offsets were purchased from the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project, an initiative which generates emission reductions by protecting forest areas in British Columbia previously designated, sanctioned or approved for commercial logging. It is a landmark project for balancing human well-being and ecological integrity through carbon finance and is the first carbon project in North America on traditional territory with unextinguished Aboriginal Rights and Title. Funds from the sales of the carbon offsets go towards creating jobs within First Nations' Communities. To Listen to the Interview, please visit: https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/135812QI About Kodiak Copper Corp. Kodiak Copper Corp. (CVE:KDK) (OTCMKTS:KDKCF) is focused on its portfolio of 100% owned copper porphyry projects in Canada and the USA. The Company's most advanced asset is the MPD copper-gold porphyry project in the prolific Quesnel Trough in southern British Columbia, Canada, where in 2020 the Company made a high-grade discovery at the Gate Zone, which is part of a zoned, copper-gold enriched envelope of significant size. Kodiak also holds the Mohave copper-molybdenum-silver porphyry project in Arizona, USA, near the world-class Bagdad mine. Both of Kodiak's porphyry projects have been historically drilled and present known mineral discoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits. The Company's Kahuna diamond project in Nunavut, Canada, hosts a high-grade, near surface inferred diamond resource and numerous kimberlite pipe targets. Kodiak is considering strategic options for the Kahuna project. 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. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Instagram account has been reinstated amid the launch of his presidential bid for the approaching 2024 US elections. The anti-vaccine activist formally declared his bid to run for the 2024 Democratic primary last April. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Back on Instagram Amid President Bid Launch As per a report by Reuters, the social media giant, Insta, has reinstated the personal account of Kennedy Jr., roughly two years after the social media giant kicked him out of the service. The Mark Zuckerberg-owned social network banned the account of the anti-vaccine activist due to a violation of its COVID-19 policy. He was kicked out last February 2021 due to the spread of misinformation, which is against the policies of the photo and video-sharing service. During his banning, the Instagram parent said that Kennedy "repeatedly [shared] debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines." Democrats have also slammed Kennedy for spreading false information about the coronavirus vaccine. After a brief hiatus from the platform, Kennedy Jr. is back on Instagram. The decision to reinstate the anti-vaccine activist comes at a critical moment, as he has officially launched his campaign for a White House seat. According to CNN, Meta spokesperson for Instagram, Andy Stone, confirms that they "have restored access to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Instagram account." He further explained that the anti-vaccine advocate is "now an active candidate for president of the United States." And because of this, the Facebook parent decided to bring him back to the platform. The Hill reports that Kennedy took to the Elon Musk-owned service, Twitter, last week to disclose that his campaign team could have been more successful in creating an Instagram account. He then slammed Meta. The anti-vaccine activist says, "To silence a major political candidate is profoundly undemocratic." Kennedy, the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, adds, "How can democracy function if only some candidates have access to it?" Meta says it has "quickly fixed" the issue preventing Kennedy's campaign from setting up an Instagram account. And on top of that, the anti-vaccine advocate is now back in the service. Read Also: Democrat Showdown: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Announces 2024 Presidential Bid Jack Dorsey Endorses Fellow Bitcoin Advocate Kennedy launched his presidential bid, competing with other Republicans, such as former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, for the 2024 race. The ex-Twitter boss, Dorsey, is seemingly backing the presidential bid of Kennedy. The BlueSky founder tweeted a YouTube video, which goes by the title "Robert F. Kennedy. Jr. argues he can beat Trump and DeSantis in 2024." Besides sharing what appears to be an endorsement of his fellow Bitcoin advocate, Dorsey also declared that Kennedy "can and will" crush DeSantis and Trump. Related Article: Robert F. Kennedy Jr's Wife Cheryl Hines Blasts Him Following His Comments About Vaccines, Holocaust, Anne Frank @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Visitors to the Rail Yards Market might be familiar with a pastel blue bus with colorful plant paintings. The ceiling is covered with faux foliage, and real plants are tucked into every nook and cranny of the vehicle. A chihuahua with cockeyed ears named Roxy is a frequent rider. The motto of Viva la Plant Bus is buenas vibras or good vibes. Everyone wants to hang out there, said co-owner Iris Valenzuela. Everyone wants to chill. Now, Albuquerques mobile plant shop has put down roots in Old Town at 2043 S. Plaza NW. Viva la Plant Shop leases a space inside of New Nuevo, a gift shop that sells New Mexico-made food, clothes and home decor. Design and nature become one in the shop Valenzuela said she loves finding the right plant to decorate a space. In the new space, Valenzuela is incorporating pieces of Albuquerque culture. One of their shirt patterns shows a luchador in a lowrider toting plants. Luchadors are a quasi-mascot for the shop Valenzuela wanted to honor her Mexican heritage, and co-owner Matt Vinson grew up watching wrestling. Tiny luchador figurines, which Valenzuela and Vinson bought on one of their first trips to Albuquerque, peek out from a jungle of plants. Valenzuela and Vinson started the bus in 2021 in Memphis, before relocating to Albuquerque. Over the past two years, theyve learned more about plants and business. All we had was a bus and an idea, Vinson said. Between their house, the bus, and the shop, Vinson and Valenzuela have hundreds of plants. Ive learned a lot from trial and error, Valenzuela continued. We learn all the time, especially getting so many new species of plants all plants are so different and require different things. The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. New Nuevos hours are the same. Three years ago, Karmen Luevano and her partner both wanted to move out of their parents houses. The apartments in their price range seemed unsafe or looked rundown, Luevano said. And, Luevano had a dog, further complicating the search. But the couple eventually found the perfect place: a casita near the university. The casita is affordable Luevano and her partner currently pay $800 per month has a yard for their dogs, and was close to both the University of New Mexico, where the couple are both students, and Presbyterian Hospital where Luevano works. The pair have lived there ever since. Its just home for us, Luevano said. Were not really wanting to find someplace new when were so comfortable here. Casitas, smaller houses outside of single-family homes, and duplexes are common in Luevanos neighborhood. But much of the city upwards of 68% isnt zoned for their construction. Historically, the zoning code has limited casita and duplex construction to areas with a tradition of multi-family units, said City of Albuquerque Planning Department principal planner Michael Vos. That could change tonight. As part of Mayor Tim Kellers Housing Forward initiative, Albuquerques City Council will consider adopting a change that would make it easier and more widely accessible to build casitas and duplexes through the city. The initiative hopes to add 5,000 new housing units, including 1,000 new casitas. Controversy The Housing Forward initiative was introduced in fall of last year, in response to what the administration called a crisis in the housing supply in Albuquerque. Besides the changes to casita and duplex zoning, the plan includes other strategies, such as converting hotels and motels into new housing. Currently, two-thirds of the city is zoned as R1, which only permits single family construction. Should the zoning code pass, R1 and RA residential agricultural zones would be opened to casita and duplex construction. The proposed zoning code changes have caused some controversy. Representatives from neighborhood associations have called the process rushed, criticized associations lack of involvement in the planning process and raised concerns about increased traffic in their neighborhoods. Instead of 1,033 dwelling units, we would have 3,099 in this area, said Jane Baechle about her neighborhood, Santa Fe Village. That would mean significant increases in density and traffic. Others have worried that the language is too broad, and doesnt account for differences between neighborhoods. Julie Dreike, the president of the Embudo Canyon Neighborhood Association, said shed like to see legislation that would allow for moderated meetings between neighbors before a casita or duplex was built. I want to be at the table, Dreike said. The kitchen of Chris Kennedys accessory dwelling unit, which he uses as a guest house for family or as a long-term rental. (Courtesy of Chris Kennedy) Changes Proponents of the legislation have said casitas can provide affordable housing, while giving homeowners the opportunity to make some passive income. Principal planner Vos has lived in a Nob Hill casita for the past two years, and is planning to renew his lease for a third year. Its a great way to add a little bit more density, open up more housing options, and increase supply to hopefully create, not necessarily affordable housing, but attainable housing, Vos said. And (do it) in a way that isnt completely redeveloping whole areas of town. Not much will change about the permitting process, Vos said, and although more of the city can potentially open up to casita construction, not all lots will comply with the departments standards. Currently, casitas are not allowed in the front or side yards, and can only take up a combined 25% of the side or rear yards. The new legislation would also cap the size of a casita at 750 square feet. Casitas on corner lots would have to comply with the same setback requirements as the house 10 feet for street side corner lots in R1 zones, per the most recent Integrated Development Ordinance. Structures within five feet of the property line are limited to the same height as the house and a new amendment would require that accessory structures be the same color as the house, should the legislation be approved. Vos said he doesnt expect a rush to build new units if the changes are approved. Accessory dwelling units are sometimes referred to as gentle density,' Vos said. Its something that happens incrementally and gradually. Not everyone can afford for it to put in or has a big enough lot to meet those size and coverage requirements. So its something that will probably start off slow. Investment Building a casita can be a large investment for homeowners. First, a homeowner has to hire a designer, then get the necessary building permits. The permitting process should go relatively quickly, said Planning Department Public Information Officer Tim Walsh, who said the permitting authority branch of the department has cleared its backlog. But the project itself can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Chris Kennedy bought a house in Mesa del Sol, a neighborhood that is zoned for accessory dwelling unit construction, last June and built a casita. It cost $80,000. In the past year, the casita has been booked, between Kennedys family members and two renters, both military students at Kirtland Air Force Base. The casita has been a blessing Kennedy said. So far, he hasnt had trouble finding quality renters and the rent pays for about 2/3 of his mortgage. I think its a great thing, especially with military, especially in our neighborhood with Netflix here, Kennedy said. People arent going to be here for a long period of time. Its good for both worlds to have a furnished place that feels like home to go to, and for us homeowners to have a little income property. Although Luevano said she hadnt been following the new legislation closely, shed like to see more casitas throughout the city. Its perfect for moving out on your own, Luevano said. Its a little different than an apartment because you are more private, but you do learn how to upkeep a house. A man charged in connection with a shooting that took place during a volatile protest in Old Town in the summer of 2020 pleaded guilty to several charges and is facing up to two years in prison. Steven Ray Baca, 34, on Friday pleaded no contest to aggravated battery and guilty to battery and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon. He was originally charged with aggravated battery great bodily harm, two counts of battery and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon. He is facing up to two years in prison or could be sentenced to probation, according to the plea agreement. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September in front of District Judge Brett Loveless. Baca in June 2020 attended a protest next to a Juan De Onate statue at the Albuquerque Museum. Members of the New Mexico Civil Guard also attended to the protest armed with guns while other demonstrators called for the statue to be taken down. Onate colonized New Mexico in 1598 under a contract with the king of Spain. He is a controversial figure because some of the brutality inflicted on Native American people, particularly residents of Acoma Pueblo, under his leadership. Baca shot and injured Scott Williams during a chaotic scene as protestors clashed. The protest happened in the summer of 2020 amid a broad racial reckoning following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. In the demonstrations that followed, statues of Confederate leaders were protested and some pulled down around the country. On Friday, Baca pleaded guilty to battery charges against Julie Harris and Vivian Norman. Both women said that Baca flung them hard to the ground during the protest. Bacas attorney, Deigo Esquibel, could not be reached for comment on Monday. Special Prosecutor David Foster also couldnt be reached for comment. SANTA FE New Mexicos unusual, hybrid system for choosing judges is under scrutiny by legislators and the judiciary. In a legislative hearing Monday, state Supreme Court Justice David Thomson said the court is examining the judicial selection process and may recommend adjustments. Newly appointed judges now compete in partisan elections to keep their seat on the bench and, if they win, go on to face periodic elections to determine whether they retain the position. Its just inherently uncomfortable, Thomson said of the election process. But he said the system has benefits, too. Elections, he said, have probably made the bench more diverse than it would have been through appointments alone. His comments came in an appearance before the legislative Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee. Lawmakers had asked him whether requiring judges to stand for election affects their decision-making. Sen. Joseph Cervantes, a Las Cruces Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said its time to revise the judicial selection process. I dont think its working, Cervantes said. He is part of a nine-person commission appointed by the Supreme Court to evaluate the judicial selection and retention process. The group is set to make recommendations by Nov. 1. As it stands now, a bipartisan nominating commission screens candidates for judicial vacancies and forwards qualified nominees to the governor, who makes the appointment. But the appointee then goes before voters in a partisan general election competing against other candidates to stay on the bench. Its possible, then, for a candidate who wasnt screened by a nominating commission to win the election and serve as a judge. Periodic retention elections are also held for judges. A bipartisan commission evaluates the persons performance on the bench and makes a recommendation to voters, who decide whether to retain the judge. A 1988 constitutional amendment established the system. Thomson didnt offer a recommendation on what changes to make. But he said his personal view is that a robust vetting process something like the judicial nominating commission should remain part of the system. Thomson said he initially liked the election component as a way to keep judges responsive to the community, but it also has deterred some applicants. A lawyer in private practice, for example, would have to transfer their clients and shut down their office, he said, to accept an appointment as a judge. But the person wouldnt get to stay on the bench without running in partisan election. Opponents say the system injects partisan politics into the judicial selection process and is at odds with the judiciarys role as impartial arbiters of the law. It would require legislative and voter approval to make substantial changes. Just last year, voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring an appointed judge to serve at least a year on the bench before going up for election. Cover Images/Faye's Vision Celebrity The rapper and Yeezy designer is with her new wife Bianca Censori and his youngest son Psalm when he's involved in a verbal argument with photographers. Jun 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Kanye West's beef with paparazzi still continues. The 42-year-old "Donda" artist and his family were out and about when he was involved in a verbal argument with photographers on Sunday, June 4 in Los Angeles. The rapper was with her new wife Bianca Censori and his youngest son Psalm during the outing. Ye wasn't happy being hounded by photographers, so he decided to stop his car and deal with them himself. A video obtained by TMZ saw the Chicago star yelling at the paps and demanding that they stop following him. "Like seriously, bro. Like I want is you to f**king stop bothering me," the Yeezy designer snapped at the paparazzi. The news outlet noted that the incident took place when Ye and his family were either going to church or leaving the church. Despite Ye's confrontation, the paparazzi didn't seem to leave the musician alone. Some pictures that circulated online featured Ye playing with Psalm, who brought his bike, in the lot of whatever facility they were at for church. Ye, who donned a black top with padded shoulders and leggings-shoes, could be seen carrying his little boy's bike with the latter riding it. In contrast to his father, Psalm rocked an all-white outfit for the occasion. Meanwhile, Ye's wife Bianca opted for a rather interesting fashion choice. She wore an all-black outfit that included a huge foam circle that circled her body and covered her shoulders and neck. Her head, face, and entire body, meanwhile, were covered in a thin black gauze that also restricted her arm movement. She paired the look with knee-high black leather boots. The incident arrives after Ye was sued by a photographer. Nichol Lechmanik accused the rapper of assault, battery and negligence after he threw the paparazzo's phone into the street during a heated argument earlier this year. In a press conference on Thursday, June 1, Nichol insisted that she was just doing her job as a celebrity photojournalist. "He reached into my car as if he were going to hit me, he grabbed my phone out of my hand and then angrily threw it into the street," she said. "He caused so much fear that I have not been the same since." "He has no right to assault me, batter me or cause me to be afraid to pursue my profession," Lechmanik, who became emotional, continued. "I want Ye to know that he cannot do what he did to me without facing consequences. I am determined to stand up for myself to let him know that he must change his abhorrent behavior." In her lawsuit, the paparazzo is seeking damages, claiming she sustained "great mental and emotional pain." She also claimed that she suffers from "lost earnings" as she's prevented from doing her job. The suit additionally calls West's conduct in the incident "willful, wanton and malicious." You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Diddy's firstborn was arrested for driving under the influence as police observed a smell of alcohol coming out of the car. Jun 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Justin Combs' mom Misa Hylton has broken her silence after his son was arrested on DUI. Making use of her Instagram account, Misa seemingly insinuated that the incident was the result of his father Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' bad influence. "I'm not Protecting no one anymore, Just my Son," so Misa wrote on Instagram Stories on Sunday, June 4, just hours after the news of the arrest broke online. "The statement 'a fish rots from the head down' means that, in addition to being a major contributing factor [sic] in a family or organization's success, leadership is also the root of cause of its failure and demise. The Truth shall set you free." In a separate post, Misa went on noting, "Act Bad???" She added in the next slide, "Act BAD. BAD boy. I used to want be a BAD Girl I chose to be a QUEEN. Tried and true. I'm not perfect but I am INTENTIONAL." While Misa went cryptic in her posts, fans believed that she was putting the blame on Diddy for Justin's recent run-in with the law. "A lot of y'all can't decipher 'baby momma': TRANSLATION: her son deddy be influencing his son with these ghetto a$$ FL city girl anthems. Attributing to the 'Act Bad' behavior. Supplying his son with Circoc and Delon and god knows whatever else," one fan wrote in an Instagram comment. "She's trying to tell y'all that her son is innocent and he's taking the fall for his father like him and everybody else always do. Including her but she's not doing it anymore due to her metamorphosis from a bad girl to a Queen," another fan wrote. Some others, meanwhile, trolled Misa for the posts. "She must be under the influence too..tf did I just read," one person said. "One thing a momma gon do is be delusional over her son," another comment read. "What you protecting him from? He the one out here driving drunk! The public needs protection from him," one other user slammed Misa. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Justin was arrested for driving under the influence on Sunday, June 4. The 29-year-old was arrested after running a red light near Beverly Hills at around 8:00 A.M. The officer found Justin behind the wheel after he was being stopped. He had his car searched, and police observed a smell of alcohol coming out of the car. "Officers conducted a traffic stop, and they observed the driver possibly under the influence of unknown alcohol or drugs," the Los Angeles Police Department told Fox News, adding, "The investigation revealed that he was under the influence." The LAPD also noted that Justin "was put through a sobriety test that he failed." He was charged with misdemeanor DUI with his bail set at $5,000. He was allegedly released on his own recognizance. You can share this post! Cover Images/Jeffrey Mayer Celebrity The 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' alum gets the backlash after sharing a look at her vacation in the City of Light that showed off her $72 million private jet among others. Jun 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Kylie Jenner has found herself in hot water. Having flaunted her wealth in photos from her trip to Paris, the series regular of "The Kardashians" was deemed "boring," among other unpleasant comments, by social media users. On Saturday, June 3, the 25-year-old reality star shared a series of photos from her vacation in Paris via Instagram. The photos offered a peek at her luxurious lifestyle including a $72 million private jet. Many took offense at what they considered to be a boastful post. In the comments section of Kylie's post, one hater in particular protested, "And we know your rich, post something we haven't seen and that's meaningful damn. BORING." Another sarcastically joined in, "Wow. Look how rich you are. Thanks for reminding us." A third, in the meantime, asked, "Do you think she ever wears something more than once?" Other unpleasant responses Kylie received also included such comments as, "2nd picture hooker pose always. Smh," "Classy outfits on a trashy person just ruins the whole look. Sophia does it right," "Trying too hard for me. Sorry," and "I'm a little surprised she a cigarette smoker to be honest. I guess Kris and [Caitlyn Jenner] are so maybe not a total shocker." The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" alum's Paris trip post itself showed some of the activities the TV personality did in the City of Light. One photo captured her posing with her mother Kris Jenner, while another displayed her posing in a luxurious car in a chic all-black outfit. Another photo saw Kylie posing for the camera in a white halter neck dress while eating cherries. A different snap displayed the backside of Kendall Jenner's younger sister as she stood in front of an opened window wrapped in a long black dress. Kylie's net worth is predicted to be $700 million as of early 2023. The income she obtained was reported to come mainly from her family's TV series, her make up brand Kylie Cosmetics as well as skincare line Kylie Skin. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The entrepreneur and mother of one is suggested to be having a bun in the oven after eagle-eyed fans noticed possible signs of her pregnancy from her social media posts. Jun 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Jayda Cheaves has been speculated to be pregnant again. The mother of Lil Baby's son was suggested to be expecting a baby after eagle-eyed fans claimed to have noticed signs of her being pregnant from her recent social media posts. On Saturday, June 3, the 25-year-old shared via Instagram a behind-the-scenes video from her photoshoot. It sent many to believe that she is carrying a bun in the oven. One commenter in particular asked, "Lol I wasn't with the whole 'she pregnant cause she gained weight' train but why she take out her belly button piercing?" Another joined in the speculations by pointing out, "Hips spreading belly bumping yes sis pregnant lol." A third exclaimed, "Oh ms ma'am pregnant ! I see that line," whereas a fourth stated, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks sis is pregnant. I been said she was pregnant weeks ago. It's her mannerisms. I didn't even notice any physical changes..I have 3 kids I would know." This was not the first time Jayda was speculated to be pregnant. On Wednesday, May 31, the entrepreneur and social media influencer let out a video documenting her night time routine along with a caption that read, "Self care bed time edition [purple heart emoji] in my cozy collection ft. @waydaminbrand." Jayda's May post sent tongues wagging. In the comments section of the post, one user proposed, "Yeah you pregnant, why you go to the OBGYN twice. Issa baby?" Another chimed in, "Jayda def pregnant! that calendar????? yeahhhh lol." A third stated, "Jayda Wayda, girl, just go ahead & announce your pregnancy. All those bread crumbs are ridiculous tbh. I've been quiet but now it's like okay bffr." Jayda, who is also the CEO of fashion brand Waydamin, is a mother to Loyal, a son whom she welcomed with Lil Baby in 2019. You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity Bam's disappearance arrived after he posted an alarming message on social media, blaming his estranged wife Nikki Boyd and other relatives for driving him to drink. Jun 5, 2023 AceShowbiz - Bam Margera has finally got located. The "Jackass" star's brother, Jess Margera, previously declared that he was missing, but Jess later revealed that the troubled skateboarder has been found safe after texting "heartbreaking dark s**t" to his family. Jess first announced Bam's disappearance on Sunday, June 4. He wrote on Twitter, "If anyone in the LA area knows of bams current whereabouts or a hotel he might be at please call the LAPD immediately." "I am trying to get them to ping his phone but as usual it's a whole huge process and I don't think we have that kind of time," Jess added. "If you guys could all retweet this that would be really cool of you. Thanks for your help." Hours later, Jess divulged that Bam is unharmed. "They found him safe, he texted me and my parents at 6 am this morning saying he loves us he loves Phoenix and he is 'at peace' and that he took enough pills to stop his heart. And some really heartbreaking dark s**t. Thanks to everyone who shared info today," Jess explained. This arrived after Bam posted an alarming message on social media, blaming his estranged wife Nikki Boyd and other relatives for driving him to drink. "This is an official message to anybody that cares about me whatsoever," he said in a video after not being able to see his son. "I haven't seen Phoenix in two f**king months and I am so f**king fed up," he lamented. "I cry every day, I miss him so much and I know I have to wake up everyday knowing that I probably won't get to talk to him or see him." Bam went on threatening, "I am going to smoke crack with the bums down at the boardwalk until I am dead or unless you deliver me f**king Phoenix." He then stressed, "So get to work Nicki or anybody that wants to help. I want Phoenix." You can share this post! Instagram Celebrity The 'Terminator' actor credits his fierce 1980s rivalry with fellow action movie star Sly Stallone with pushing him to work harder to get to where he is today. Jun 6, 2023 AceShowbiz - Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone couldn't bear to be in the same room together at the height of their bitter feud. The "Terminator" star and the "Rambo" actor were feuding throughout the 1980s as they competed to become Hollywood's top action man - and they have now both opened up about their rocky relationship with Arnold calling the other actor his sworn "enemy." "I always need an enemy ... Every time he came out with a movie, like 'Rambo II', I had to figure out a way of now outdoing that ...," actor/politician Arnold explained in his new Netflix documentary. "We were competing about everything. The body being ripped and oiled-up. Who is more vicious. Who is more tough. Who uses bigger knives. Who uses bigger guns. Sly and I were at war. Without Stallone, I maybe wouldn't have been as motivated during the '80s to do the kind of movies I did and work as hard as I did." Stallone said of his rival, "[I] got my a** kicked constantly ... We were incredibly antagonistic. We couldn't even stand to be in the same room. People had to separate us." The pair's rivalry went on for years with Schwarzenegger even resorting to underhand tactics in a bid to sabotage Stallone's career but they were able put the bad blood behind them in the 1990s and go into business together launching the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain along with fellow Hollywood hardman Bruce Willis. Schwarzenegger even went on to share the screen with Stallone by taking on a cameo role in his movie "The Expendables" and returning for two sequels while they also acted together in 2013 action film "Escape Plan". You can share this post! Kathleen Folbigg, a mother jailed for 20 years over the deaths of her four babies, has been pardoned by the New South Wales Governor. Kathleen Folbigg Pardoned Folbigg, an Australian mother convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for the deaths of her four babies, has been granted a pardon, according to the Associated Press News. The New South Wales (NSW) Governor, Margaret Beazley, has given Folbigg an unconditional pardon, freeing the 55-year-old mother from serving prison at Grafton in New South Wales. The AP News notes that state governors in Australia, such as NSW Gov. Beazley, serve as figureheads, carrying out the instructions of the respective governments. The NSW Attorney General Michael Daley revealed to reporters that the former justice Tom Bathurst advised him last week about the Kathleen Folbigg murder case. He says, "There is reasonable doubt as to Ms. Folbigg's guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah, and Laura." The Attorney General notes that new scientific evidence suggests that the deaths of her children were from natural causes. The Australian mother has served 20 years of prison out of his 30-year-long sentence, which expires in 2033. And in 2028, the 55-year-old should have been eligible for parole. Read Also: Iran Executes 3 Men Accused of Killing Security Members During Anti-Government Protests Who is Kathleen Folbigg? As per CNN, Folbigg faced her 30-year sentence last 2003 over three counts of murder. She faced jail time after her four babies passed away in the same decade. Her firstborn named Caleb died 19 days after he was born in 1989. Meanwhile, her second child, Patrick, lived for eight months before his demise in 1991. Besides her first two sons, her daughter, Sarah, passed away in 1993 after 10 months. And her fourth child, named Laura, lived for roughly more than a year, or 19 months, to be exact, before dying. In all of these tragic deaths of her children, she found these dead bodies. But despite that, CNN notes that it lacked any physical evidence, which points out that their mother has killed them. However, the prosecution argued that the chances of four babies belonging to the same family are extremely low. They say that the possibility of pigs flyings is comparably higher. And apart from these, the prosecution also says that her diary contained confessions of her guilt, citing passages, which mention isolation. After roughly two decades, Folbigg has been freed from prison after the NSW governor pardoned her. However, BBC notes that even though Folbigg received her unconditional pardon, it does not mean her conviction is completely gone. But if it gets overturned, she could get her hands on millions of dollars of compensation over wrongful conviction. Before it leads to that, the Australian mother must sue the NSW government first. Related Article: FBI Exposes Threat to Kill Queen Elizabeth II During US Visit in the 1980s @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Walt Disney Pictures Movie The Mouse House neither welcome nor dismiss a possibility of the 'Sleepy Hollow' star to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow after he won a legal battle against ex-wife Amber Heard. Jun 6, 2023 AceShowbiz - Disney never say never to a potential "Pirates of the Caribbean" return for Johnny Depp. The 59-year-old actor was fired as Captain Jack Sparrow by the company in 2018 in a bid to bring a "new energy" to the franchise but Disney Studios Motion Picture president Sean Bailey hasn't shut down the prospect of the actor coming back for a sixth movie. "We think we have a really good, exciting story that honours the films that have come before but also has something new to say," Bailey said in an interview with The New York Times newspaper. Bailey answered by saying that the studio was "noncommittal at this point" when quizzed on whether Depp would be part of the movie. Jerry Bruckheimer produced all the movies in the franchise and revealed last year that he would "love" to see Depp return to the series after winning his defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard - although he insisted that Disney would have the final say on the decision. The 79-year-old movie producer told The Hollywood Reporter, "You'd have to ask them. I can't answer that question. I really don't know. I would love to have him in the movie. He's a friend, a terrific actor, and it's unfortunate that personal lives creep into everything we do." Bruckheimer - who has produced blockbusters including "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Top Gun" - also confirmed that the character of Captain Jack Sparrow would never be killed off. He said, "You can't. We tried to kill him. It didn't work." Johnny had mentioned during last year's trial that he was saddened not to get the chance to say farewell to Jack Sparrow after almost 20 years of playing the pirate. The "Edward Scissorhands" star said, "My feeling was that these characters should be able to have their proper goodbye, as it were." "A franchise can only last for so long, and there's a way to end a franchise like that, and I thought that the characters deserved to have their way out, to end the franchise on a very good note. I planned on continuing until it was time to stop." You can share this post! In a notable display of shareholder dissent, Netflix investors have voted against multimillion-dollar compensation packages intended for the company's top executives, including co-CEOs, Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters. Although the vote is non-binding, its timing is significant as Netflix makes a remarkable rebound from a steep decline in 2022 caused by pandemic-related restrictions. The streaming giant had previously faced customer resistance to price hikes and investor criticism for extravagant content spending coupled with subscriber losses. However, the company's stock has since surged by an impressive 36% this year, suggesting an earlier overreaction by the market. The vote followed a recommendation by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) urging investors to reject the proposed compensation packages. The WGA highlighted the ongoing strike by Hollywood writers who are demanding improved working conditions and higher contracts. Considering Netflix's ability to allocate approximately $166 million for executive pay, the WGA argued that the company should also be able to address the striking writers' demands, which amount to around $68 million in their contract negotiations. Executive compensation has become a central point of contention in the WGA's bargaining strategy. The union has also reached out to NBCUniversal parent company Comcast, raising concerns about pay proposals. The upcoming shareholder meeting of Comcast is likely to tackle this issue as well. For 2023, Netflix had put forth substantial compensation packages, including up to $40 million for Sarandos, up to $34.6 million for Peters, and approximately $3 million for Reed Hastings, the former CEO and current executive chairman. Other top executives at Netflix, such as CFO Spencer Neumann, chief legal officer David Hyman, and chief communications officer Rachel Whetstone, were also set to receive sizable payouts in the range of $6.5 million to $14 million. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, the median salary for a Netflix employee in 2022 stood at $218,400, leading to a CEO-to-median employee pay ratio of 234 to 1. While the "say on pay" vote holds no binding authority, Netflix's board retains the power to approve executive compensation plans, irrespective of shareholder sentiment. The board has already unanimously recommended voting in favour of the proposed pay packages. Last year, only 27% of Netflix shareholders approved the 2022 executive compensation packages. On this World Environment Day, PepsiCo India proudly celebrates the strides made under the ongoing Purna Unnati ki Saajhedaari initiative in Mathura-Vrindavan. Driven with its Winning with pep+ philosophy, PepsiCo has been committed to #BeatPlasticPollution and strives to build a world where plastic never becomes waste. Also Read: PepsiCo expands efforts to address global food insecurity With an endeavour to make Mathura-Vrindavan one of the cleanest holy cities of India, PepsiCo Foundation along with Recity Network Private Limited & Mathura Vrindavan Nagar Nigam (MVNN) launched Purna Unnati ki Sajhedaari, last year. The initiative aims to transform waste workforces into waste professionals, and focuses on developing a circular, equitable and inclusive model of effective waste management in Mathura-Vrindavan. Link to know more about the initiative - https://www.instagram.com/p/CtGTlPbhEEE/ By adopting a circular and inclusive approach to #BeatPlasticPollution, PepsiCo Foundation, Recity and Mathura-Vrindavan Nagar Nigam have successfully Professionalized over 100 waste workers, reached over 20,000 citizens, and engaged 10 lakh tourists and 7,000 school children on waste segregation. 4,000 property units were made aware about waste segregation and have so far diverted a total of 500 MT of municipal waste. Garima Singh, Chief Government Affairs and Communications Officer, PepsiCo India, "As we celebrate World Environment Day, we reaffirm our commitment to preserving and protecting our planet. We recognize the immense responsibility we have towards the environment and firmly believe in the power of innovation and collaboration to create a sustainable future. Our dedicated teams have been working tirelessly to develop groundbreaking solutions to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic waste. We are grateful to the Government of Uttar Pradesh for their unwavering support of the initiative and look forward to building on these remarkable milestones together. On this important day, we urge everyone to join hands in the fight against plastic pollution and create a greener future for generations to come. As part of the initiative, a Waste Intelligence Technology was deployed at Mathura Vrindavan Nagar Nigam (MVNN) for efficient waste collection services and on-ground resource management. As an expansion of the pilot project, PepsiCo Foundation with Recity also launched a special Purna Swachhta Campaign in December 2022 and provided women waste workers an alternate source of livelihood by conducting Organic Holi Colour Making workshop earlier this year. The campaign creates awareness around no littering, waste segregation and empowers the waste workforce of Mathura. Brace yourself for an extraordinary extravaganza as Radio City, India's leading radio network, sets the stage ablaze with the highly anticipated second edition of Radio City Business Titans. This unparalleled celebration of excellence, resilience, and innovation promises to elevate the spirit of recognition and honor. Building upon the phenomenal success of the inaugural edition in 2022, Radio City makes a triumphant return of Radio City Business Titans Dubai Encore to be held from 9th to 11th June 2023, in the spectacular city of UAE Dubai where aspirations soar to new heights. Renowned for its luxurious charm and opulent aura, this city provides the perfect canvas to witness the awe-inspiring victories of Indian entrepreneurs on a global scale. Radio City Business Titans is not just an event; it is an incredible experience of a lifetime for entrepreneurs. This year's edition promises to be filled with extravaganza glamour, grandeur and is set to be more elegant than before. Prepare to witness a convergence of exceptional Indian business tycoons; Bollywood superstars namely Suniel Shetty, Karishma Tanna, Nimrat Kaur, Kainaat Arora; dignitaries from the royal family of Dubai; industry experts, all under one roof. The event will be abuzz with electrifying performances, and felicitation of the business leaders, making it an unforgettable evening. Mr. Ashit Kukian, CEO, Radio City said, "At Radio City, we have been dedicated to championing the spirit of entrepreneurship and recognizing the indomitable Indian business minds who have carved their path to success. Building upon the remarkable response received in the first edition, we are thrilled to commence the second edition of 'Radio City Business Titans' in the breathtaking city of Dubai. The success of the first edition demonstrates our commitment to providing a prestigious platform to the thriving entrepreneurs and felicitating them for their unwavering determination, relentless innovation, and unwavering commitment to excellence. We look forward to making Business Titans Dubai Encore even more majestic and momentous." Embarking on this incredible journey, Radio City invites entrepreneurs, business leaders, and visionaries from various industries to step forward and showcase their remarkable achievements. The latest edition of Radio City Business Titans promises to redefine the benchmark for recognizing and honoring Indian entrepreneurs. In conjunction, this will also inspire future generations and leave an indelible mark on the world of entrepreneurship. The first edition of Business Titans Chapter Dubai was splendid as it witnessed the presence of leading Indian business moguls, Bollywood celebrities namely Vivek Oberoi, Neha Dhupia, Sophie Choudry, and Kainaat Arora giving away accolades to over 90 revolutionary businesses and commending the winners for establishing a successful venture. His Highness Sheikh Majid Rashid Al Mualla, CEO of Majestic Investments and Dr. Kabir, COO of Majestic Investments also demonstrated appreciation towards Radio Citys initiative by bestowing their presence at the event. Rediffusion and the University of Lucknow have come together to launch The Bharat Lab Indias first consumer insights think tank aimed at delivering cultural and consumer insights about the people of Bharat. Why The Bharat Lab? The Bharat Lab will understand Bharat. Know its hopes, dreams and aspirations; uncover its motivations, its challenges and its outlook by bringing its story into the mainstream of Indias culture, commerce and conversations. Who is Bharat? Definitions vary. We can define Bharat as the Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns of India. And the hinterland beyond. Or Bharat can be all of India beyond the 5 Metros and the 23 large cities. Why is Bharat so important ? - 60% of Indian online shoppers in 2030 will be from small cities - Today, approximately 50% of the recognized start-ups in India are based out of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities - Bharat sends around 400 out of 543 members of Parliament - Bharat gives India 90% of its Olympians and its IAS officers - Bharat will be home to 50 smart cities in the next five years Bharat is where the future of India resides. And will prosper. Bharat is the driver of Indias tomorrow. It is home to two-thirds, or more, of Indias population. The growth economy of the future is anchored in the heartland of India. And that is the Bharat we wish to study in-depth, says Prof. Alok Kumar Rai, Vice Chancellor, University of Lucknow. Prof. Rai will be the Chief Mentor of The Bharat Lab. What will The Bharat Lab do? The Bharat Lab will focus on the people of Bharat. What are their hopes, ambitions, dreams, and aspirations? What are their preferences and triggers? What challenges do they face, and how do they navigate them? How have the family dynamics evolved in Bharat, and how does it impact the consumer behaviour of Bharat? What relationship do residents of Bharat have with technology and the internet? Who are the heroes and role models of the people of Bharat? What are the attitudes of different cohorts within Bharat: youngsters, mothers, artists, and entrepreneurs? What entertains Bharat / What do they read, watch, & enjoy? The Bharat Lab will unlock fresh understanding and actionable insights by investigating these hitherto unexplored facets of life in Bharat. Our ambition is to go deeper than just surveys and numbers at The Bharat Lab. For us, Bharat is not just a consumption statistic, it is a formative cultural force of the nation. Interestingly, Bharat is as much a devoted watcher of Ramayan as it is of Masterchef - Bharat is also a fan of both Mann Ki Baat and Shark Tank, adds Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Managing Director of Rediffusion and co-Chair of The Bharat Lab. Prof. Sangeeta Sahu, Head of the Department of Business Management, University of Lucknow who will be also co-Chair of the Lab elaborates, We want to answer the most fundamental questions and curiosities about Bharat. What does Bharat eat, drink, watch? Where does Bharat travel? How does Bharat spend its free time? How has the family dynamic evolved in Bharat and how does it impact the consumer behaviour of Bharat? What relationship do residents of Bharat have with technology and the internet? Who are the heroes and role models of the people of Bharat? There is so much to study. The Bharat Lab will be located at the University of Lucknow, the epicentre of the Hindi heartland. The Lab will be supported by 50 years of Rediffusions brand expertise and industry outreach. The Bharat Lab shall provide collaborative opportunities for faculty and students of the University to exchange knowledge with industry. The Lab will include activities such as seminars/workshops, research projects, internships, field studies, and similar initiatives. The data gathered by the Lab shall be applied for better informed consumer insights in the decision-making of brands. Simpl Indias foremost 1-tap checkout network today announced the launch of a month-long campaign to observe World Environment Day and pledge its commitment to sustainability. As part of this campaign, Simpl has eliminated the use of paper cups, ensured waste segregation and energy savings at the workplace, and will be organising a host of activities during the month to engage employees in sustainable living. The organisation will be switching off all the lights in its 55,000 square feet workplace in Bengaluru from 3:00-4:00 PM on June 5 as a symbolic act of support towards World Environment Day. During the month, employees will engage with an external sustainability champion who will be sharing insights on sustainable living with the employees, which would inculcate incorporating eco-friendly habits in their daily lives. Alongside educating employees and raising environmental awareness amongst them, the activities will include exciting giveaways for individuals contributing to the cause. As a committed corporate citizen, Simpl is dedicated to minimising its carbon footprint while actively contributing to the global campaign for combating climate change. Our headquarters are designed to ensure it receives sufficient natural light to reduce dependency on renewable resources and minimise energy usage. Taking this initiative ahead, we are rolling out a month-long campaign on the occasion of World Environment Day with an array of initiatives towards building a greener workplace and driving awareness around sustainable living with our employees. By empowering employees to embrace eco-friendly practices, we remain united in our campaign to facilitate positive change and help create a sustainable world for future generations. said Sneha Arora, Chief Human Resources Officer at Simpl. As an organisation that caters to the varying interests of employees through several Employee Resource Groups, Simpl has instituted a Sustainability Club to drive peer group conversations and sustainability-focused activities. Publicis Worldwide India (PWW), part of Publicis Groupe India has appointed Sumant Bhattacharya as its Executive Vice President, Strategy. Also Read: Lokesh Sah joins Publicis Worldwide India as Senior Vice-President With a remarkable track record spanning over two decades in the ad and marketing industry, Bhattacharya brings a wealth of experience and expertise in developing end-to-end communications strategies that seamlessly blend data-driven insights and creative storytelling. He has worked with leading Indian and global brands, establishing himself as an expert in the field. In his new role at Publicis Worldwide, Bhattacharya will be responsible for developing brand solutions, backed by cutting-edge creativity and strategic insights across all touchpoints. Recognising the significance of comprehensively understanding the consumer journey, he aims to provide effective solutions through an integrated approach. Reporting directly to Snehasis Bose, Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Worldwide India, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, and Saatchi & Saatchi Propagate, Bhattacharya will play a pivotal role in driving the agency's strategic planning functions. Furthermore, in addition to his responsibilities at Publicis Worldwide India, Bhattacharya will also oversee the planning for Propagate businesses. Prior to joining Publicis Worldwide India, Bhattacharya served as the National Head for Communications Planning at Motivator, a GroupM agency where he made invaluable contributions to devising solutions that seamlessly integrated brand strategy, consumer culture, market prioritisation, content and activation, social media, and influencer strategies. Bhattacharya has also held positions at agencies such as Lowe Lintas, Grey, JWT, Leo Burnett, and Mudra, among others. Throughout his career, Bhattacharya has led success stories for numerous brands across various sectors. His strategic acumen has benefited brands including Google, Nestle, Dabur, Maruti, Himalaya Wellness, Kalyan Jewelers, Absolut, Jameson, World Gold Council, and Sun Pharma, among others. Snehasis Bose, Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Worldwide India, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, and Saatchi & Saatchi Propagate said, "Sumants diverse experience across the spectrum of communications makes him a unique professional to work with. Looking at the intersection of culture, technology, sales, marketing, and media, his lens and therefore solutions are new and fresh. I am looking forward to partnering with him in offering our clients outstanding business growth solutions and delivering on Publicis Worldwides mission of Creativity To Drive Brand Value. Sumant Bhattacharya said, "In todays business landscape, brands must leverage all available means to amplify their voice. Publicis Worldwide's philosophy of strategic creative ideas, backed by data and technology resonated with me the most. The agency's leadership and the entire team embody this philosophy energetically and passionately. I am eager to contribute to the creation of brand-out, demand-generating strategies combined with conversion-oriented, demand-harvesting approaches. In short, I am committed to delivering work that upholds strategic rigour and delivers exceptional results." Bhattacharyas remarkable work has earned recognition at prestigious awards such as Effies (India and APAC). He has also contributed his insights and expertise to industry publications including WPP BrandZ India, WARC, and GroupM-MMA. Furthermore, Bhattacharya has shared his knowledge by teaching modules at esteemed institutions such as MDI, MICA, and IIMC Federal Mint Swissmint Bern, 05.06.2023, 05.06.2023 - To mark the 175th anniversary of the Swiss Federal Constitution, the Federal Mint Swissmint is producing a new special coin. It will be available in silver and gold versions at the Open Federal Mile anniversary event in Bern on 1 and 2 July 2023. Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter presented the new coin today. On 12 September 1848, the old confederation became a federal state and the first permanent democracy in Europe. To commemorate the 175th anniversary of modern Switzerland, Swissmint, which produces exclusive and limited collector coins under the name "Swiss special coins", is putting a new special coin into circulation. As Head of the Federal Department of Finance, Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter today presented the new "175 years of the Federal Constitution" special coin to the public for the first time, and underlined the overriding importance of the first Federal Constitution for Switzerland: "Over the course of 175 years, as our society has changed, so has our Constitution. The first Federal Constitution, however, was a real stroke of genius with it, in a very short time, our forefathers created an institutional foundation for modern Switzerland that remains stable to this day." The new special coin will also be available in two versions, silver and gold, at the Bernerhof during the Open Federal Mile event on 1 and 2 July. During this weekend, the public will have the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes at various federal buildings including the Bernerhof, the headquarters of the FDF. 175 years of the Federal Constitution on a coin The 20g special coin marking 175 years of the Federal Constitution is alloyed with 999.9 silver and shows the preamble of the Federal Constitution on the obverse symbolically transposed with the terms of the text intertwining to form a very powerful symbol. The reverse features two angels bearing the Swiss coat of arms. In reference to the discussions about the reference to God in the Federal Constitution, the Olten artist, Peter Salzmann, left out the wings on one of the angels. "We usually see what we want to see and so we are left with a figure that is familiar to us. The angel becomes Helvetia, the peacemaker. A virtue that is more important than ever in today's world," explained Salzmann. In addition, the nominal value of CHF 20 is depicted. 10,000 uncirculated coins and 4,250 coins in proof quality will be issued. The version weighing 11.29g and alloyed with 0.900 gold shows the same motifs on both the obverse and on the reverse. The nominal value of the gold coin is CHF 50. 5,000 coins will be issued in proof quality. Federal Mint Swissmint The Federal Mint Swissmint produces the country's coins for use in everyday payment transactions. It also regularly issues circulation and special coins for the numismatic market. Special coins in bimetal, silver or gold bear an official, state-guaranteed, nominal value and are available in various minting qualities. Address for enquiries Federal Mint Swissmint Bernastrasse 28, 3003 Bern media@swissmint.ch www.swissmint.ch Publisher Federal Mint Swissmint https://www.swissmint.ch/swissmint/en/home.html (Photo : PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) Russia says it thwarted Donetsk onslaught, but it's unclear if the Ukrainian counteroffensive began. Russia announced on Monday that its forces thwarted a significant Ukrainian offensive at five locations along the front in the Donetsk region of southern Ukraine, killing hundreds of pro-Kyiv troops. It was not immediately obvious if the reported attack marked the beginning of the Ukrainian counteroffensive that Kyiv has been promised for months to recapture territory seized by Russian forces following their invasion in February 2022. Russia Claims to Block Ukrainian Offensive Russia's defense ministry reported that Ukraine had launched an attack with six mechanized and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk, an area where Moscow has long suspected Ukraine would attempt to carve a swath through territory under Russian control. According to the daily summary from the Ukrainian General Staff, there were 29 combat incidents in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov posted a cryptic message on Twitter, quoting "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode. Per Reuters, Ukraine released a video depicting soldiers preparing for battle and reciting a rousing benediction last week, which was subsequently broadcast as a recruitment clip. According to a video published by the Russian defense ministry, several Ukrainian armored vehicles in a field exploded after being struck. Russian forces killed 250 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, and 21 armoured combat vehicles. Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who is in command of Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, was present in the location of the Ukrainian attack. Videos of combat posted online allegedly showed Ukrainian armored vehicles exploding in fields near Velyka Novosilka, 60 miles west of Donetsk, but it was impossible to determine when the videos were captured or the outcome of the battle. Sunday's daily report from the Ukrainian general staff made no mention of a significant offensive in Donetsk, but it did report 29 confrontations in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and 15 airstrikes against enemy forces across the country. Also on Sunday, the Ukrainian military released a video on social media showing a series of soldiers placing their finger to their lips to emphasize the need for confidentiality. In an interview published the same day in the Wall Street Journal, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that counteroffensive preparations were complete. Ukraine made remarkable advances in liberating occupied territory late last year, but Russian forces have had several months to prepare defensive positions since then, The Guardian reported. There is widespread apprehension among Ukrainian forces regarding the human cost of a counteroffensive, as well as the realization that the cost will increase the longer Kyiv waits. Zelensky stated that Ukraine did not have all the western armaments it needed to launch the counteroffensive, but that it could not wait any longer. He warned that "a large number of soldiers will perish." Ukraine has prepared 12 brigades, or an estimated 60,000 troops, to spearhead an attack in which it hopes to demonstrate that it can force the Russian invaders, who number approximately 300,000 and have occupied a portion of Ukrainian territory since 2014, to withdraw. In recent days, the Russian military has attacked Ukrainian air defense batteries, air bases, troop and ammo depots, military production factories, and battlefield positions. While Ukrainian officials have refrained from proclaiming the commencement of their much-anticipated counteroffensive to reclaim more Russian-occupied territory, the rate of military activity suggests that the operation may have begun. Read Also: VIDEO: Chinese Warship Nearly Collide With US Navy Destroyer; China Defends Actions, Accuses Washington of 'Provocation' Ukraine Keeps up Pressure on Russian Forces In the eastern city of Bakhmut, which Moscow claimed control of last month after the war's longest and deadliest combat, Ukrainian forces kept up pressure on Russian forces. Elsewhere, Russians fighting alongside Ukrainian forces announced that they had launched new attacks against the Russian frontier region of Belgorod. The Russian Volunteer Corps, one of the groups, published videos on Sunday depicting an alleged raid and proposing to exchange prisoners with Russian authorities. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov responded to the prisoner exchange proposal with his own video, expressing skepticism that the captives are still living but expressing willingness to meet to negotiate a swap. Later, the Russian Volunteer Corps stated in a video that there had been no meeting and that the Russian detainees would be handed over to Ukrainian forces, who have sporadically exchanged prisoners with Russia in one of the few areas of cooperation. Gladkov reported additional Ukrainian bombardment of the Shebekino border district and surrounding areas. He reported at least two fatalities and multiple injuries on Saturday. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the country's forces repelled an incursion attempt in Novaya Tavolzhanka. Some observers view the attacks in Belgorod, which prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents by Russian authorities, as part of Ukraine's strategy to divert Moscow's attention and strain its forces to aid in the success of the counteroffensive. On Sunday morning, regional leader Sergei Aksenov in Crimea reported a Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Dzhankoi. Per WION, he stated that five of the assaulting drones were fired down and four others were jammed and forced to land, adding that no casualties were reported. Related Article: US Seeks Explosives in Japan for Ukraine After Tokyo Donates 100 Military Vehicles to Kyiv @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On Sunday, the frontrunner for Thailands next prime minister marched in a Pride parade in Bangkok, promising to introduce legislation allowing same-sex marriage and gender identity rights if elected. Thousands of LGBTQ+ persons, allies, and political leaders marched through central Bangkok to celebrate Pride month and promote gender equality in the countrys second official Pride parade. Marchers carried rainbow flags and held placards that said freedom to choose gender and love is love in rainbow colours. According to Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, approximately 50,000 people participated in this years Pride march, more than double the attendance from the previous year. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the progressive Move Forward party, joined the march after gaining the most seats in a May 14 general election in which people expressed their desire to end nearly ten years of rule by the military and military-backed governments. Once the government is formed we will support Marriage Equality (Act), Gender Identity (Act) and several others, including welfare, Pita told reporters at the parade. These few things will make the celebration of diversity in Pride Month into pride always, he said. The coalition, which consisted of eight political parties, has made a joint pledge to pass laws, including the Marriage Equality Act, to ensure equal rights for all couples regardless of gender, after the passage of the draft law and related legislations were stalled in parliament under the previous government. Thailand has one of Asias most open and visible lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, but many political activists say Thai laws and traditional institutions have yet to reflect changing social attitudes and still discriminate against LGBT people and same-sex couples. Two 16-year-olds armed with handguns went into a Pensacola homeless camp to buy methamphetamine, but one ended up dead and the other charged with his murder, even though he didnt fire the fatal shot. The Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriffs Office said the incident took place May 26 at a homeless camp on Murphy Lane in Pensacola. Deputies responded to a report of shots fired and found one of the teenagers with a gunshot wound. He later died at a local hospital. In the days that followed, investigators learned the two teens, after arriving armed at the camp, were told no one had any meth to sell. They then pointed their guns at two people, threatening to steal their belongings. Another male entered the situation and the two teenagers pointed their guns at him. The third male pulled out a weapon and the exchange of gunfire ensued, according to the ECSO. Investigators determined the third, unidentified male acted in self-defense, with that element of the investigation ruled as a stand your ground situation under Florida law. However, because the two 16-year-olds committed aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resulting in the death of one of the teens, his accomplice -- Calvin Spurlock Jr. -- was arrested Friday and charged with third degree felony murder. Spurlock is additionally charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of deadly missiles, and carrying a firearm. In Florida, shooting or throwing a deadly missile is the projection of a dangerous object at a building, vehicle, or vessel with wanton or malicious intent. Spurlock is being held at the Escambia Regional Juvenile Detention Center. This week, one of Mobiles favorite neighborhood pubs celebrates a major anniversary with lots of music and a special limited-edition beer from a local brewery. This is the 77th anniversary week for Callaghans Irish Social Club and the 20th anniversary for its current ownership, which revitalized a nearly dormant private club, turning it into a thriving spot with a reputation for serving some of the areas best burgers and for introducing attentive listeners to new bands on their way up. Among the artists who played the small club on their way to bigger things are Alabama Shakes, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Jason Isbell and the late Justin Townes Earle. Woodrow and Catherine McAfee Callaghan opened Callaghans at the corner of Charleston and Marine streets in 1946 and added a liquor license the next year, according to archival Press-Register accounts. She died in 1959 and he passed in 1979, but family members kept it going. Daughter Katie Jernigan was the principal operator in the years leading up to 2002, when she and her brother and sister-in law, Pat and Mary Callaghan, sold it to Wendell Quimby. The deal included three nearby houses and a vacant lot. Quimby, well known for his flair for renovating and revitalizing bars and restaurants, did little to disturb the 40s and 50s decor and patina of the bar. But where Callaghans had become a closed-up watering hole with a members only sign on the door, he opened it up so that it offered an indoor-outdoor experience in pleasant weather, with music spilling out for patrons to enjoy at sidewalk tables. It continues to host one of the areas biggest St. Patricks Day celebrations, and its proximity to the main parade route makes it a popular Mardi Gras spot, particularly on Joe Cain Day. In June 2003, John J.T. Thompson took over the newly renovate property, along with partners Richie Sherer and Chuck Commiskey. Commiskey sold his stake a few years later, Thompson said. Sherer was largely a silent partner, but Thompson became the face of the new Callaghans. Told that the 20th anniversary might make patrons feel old, Thompson said, No kidding. It makes me feel old. Im just amazed I havent screwed it up yet, he said. Surround yourself with good people, thats what they always say. Thompson said he had no idea where things were going, back in 2003. It was basically just going to be a hobby, he said. I had no idea it was going to take off like it did. We turned into a full-fledged restaurant and then a full-fledged music venue. I was in sales, but I had always bartended, he said. Thats how I put myself through college, and thats the first thing I did when I got out of college, was run a bar. So I knew how to do it and I thought it would be fun. But again, I didnt know it was going to be this much work. Mobile-based Braided River Brewing has produced a limited edition beer as part of the festivities surrounding a major anniversary for Callaghan's Irish Social Club. From left are Braided River founder David Nelson, brewer Blake Yerkes, braided river sales rep Annie Fesenmeier and Callaghan's co-owner John Thompson.Courtesy of Braided River Brewing The weeks lineup features traditional Irish music on Tuesday, June 6. On Wednesday, guitarist Phil Proctor and bassist Stan Foster, whose long-running weekly gig has made them more or less the house band, welcome special guest Grayson Capps. This also will be the night that Callaghans begins serving a limited-edition beer made specifically for the anniversary. Callaghans Session Ale IPA, which features mango, will be available at the Braided River taproom on St. Louis St. starting Thursday. Friday brings a performance by Gabe Willis, followed on Friday by Billy Allen & The Pollies. (This guy is gonna be big, advises Thompson, whos shown a knack for being right about such things.) Saturday, June 10, brings the final performance by Blackwater Brass. It wasnt only the upcoming music Thompson was excited about: He also was raving about a recent sold-out performance by Kristy Lee, with special guests The Hussy Hicks. She had a five-piece band herself, and then she had a string quintet play. It was incredible, said Thompson. I was blown away. Every time when I think Ive seen the best music at Callaghans, then I see something that might be right up there with it. Asked if he was ready to celebrate 20 more years, Thompson had a ready replay: Hopefully by then my kidll be running it, he said. A reminder: The 2023 James Beard Awards are being presented tonight at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. But given all that has transpired over the past few weeks, it is easy to understand why many of us here in Alabama who follow such things may have lost interest in this years restaurant and chef awards. And while, officially, two nominees from Alabama are still listed among the finalists for a coveted James Beard medallion this year, one of them has already been disqualified. Confused? Join the club. Last month, Timothy Hontzas, the chef and owner of the much-loved Homewood meat-and-three Johnnys Restaurant, revealed in an interview with AL.com that he was told in an email that he had been disqualified as a finalist for best chef in the South after an independent investigation determined it was more likely than not that he had violated the foundations Code of Ethics. The investigation followed anonymous accusations that Hontzas had yelled at his staff and customers, Hontzas said at the time. You can read more about that here and here. Yet, because the foundation keeps its ethics investigations confidential -- and in the spirit of maintaining that confidentiality -- Hontzas name has not been removed from the list of finalists on the foundations website. Along with Hontzas, the other nominees for best chef in the South are Ana Castro of Lengua Madre in New Orleans; Alex Perry and Kumi Omori of Vestige in Ocean Springs, Miss.; Henry Moso of Kabooki Sushi in Orlando; and Natalia Vallejo of Cocina al Fondo in San Juan, P.R. Meanwhile, the only other James Beard Award finalist from Alabama tonight is Birminghams Bottega restaurant, which is one of five nominees for the outstanding hospitality award. The other four nominees are the Black Cypress in Pullman, Wash.; Lula Drake in Columbia, S.C.; The Quarry in Monson, Maine; and Sepia in Chicago. RELATED: Bottega dining room reopens after months-long renovation Bottega is part of the Stitt Restaurant Group, which has a long history at the James Beard Awards that goes back more than 20 years. Frank Stitt, the celebrated Southern chef whose Highlands Bar and Grill put Birmingham on the restaurant map, was named best chef in the Southeast in 2001. (At the time, chefs in Birmingham and Alabama were in the Southeast region; they are now part of the South region.) Then, in 2018, after 10 consecutive years as a finalist, Highlands Bar and Grill won the top award as the most outstanding restaurant in America. That same year, Highlands pastry chef Dolester Miles also won for outstanding pastry chef. Five years later, it could be Bottegas night to take home a James Beard Award. If you would like to follow tonights awards show, heres what you need to know: When does the James Beard Awards ceremony start? The ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Central at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which has hosted the event since 2015. Chefs Eric Adjepong, Esther Choi and Andrew Zimmern and cookbook author and Top Chef judge Gail Simmons will co-host tonights ceremony. How can I watch the awards ceremony? The food website Eater has partnered with the James Beard Foundation to livestream tonights ceremony, which begins with red carpet-coverage that starts at 5:30 p.m. To watch the livestream, go here. What are the James Beard Awards and why are they a big deal? Named for the celebrated chef, cookbook author and television personality James Beard -- whom the New York Times called the dean of American cookery -- the James Beard Awards were first presented in 1991 and have since become known as the Oscars of the food world. In addition to Stitt, Miles and Highlands Bar and Grill, previous winners from Alabama include: Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, best chef in the South, 2012. The Bright Star, Bessemer, Americas Classic winner, 2010. Adam Evans, Automatic Seafood and Oysters, Birmingham, best chef in the South, 2022. For a full list of the 2023 James Beard Award restaurant and chef nominees, go here. READ MORE ON THE JAMES BEARD AWARDS: 5 Alabama chefs and 2 restaurants that could be our next James Beard winner Two Alabama restaurants, one chef among semifinalists for 2023 James Beard Awards Alabama chef, restaurant named finalists for 2023 James Beard Awards Alabama chef disqualified from 2023 James Beard Awards A woman pulled from her burning Birmingham home last week has now died. Birmingham firefighter responded about 1 p.m. Wednesday to the fire in the 1800 block of St. Charles Court on the citys west side. A woman was reported to be trapped inside, said Battalion Chief Tobias Jones. Crews entered the home and brought out the victim. She was taken to Princeton Baptist Medical Center. She died Friday at 2:10 p.m. The Jefferson County Coroners Office on Monday announced her death and identified her as 63-year-old Sharon Anne Richardson. The cause of the fire has not been announced. Gov. Kay Ivey has signed a bill into law that would subject people to jail time if they get arrested for loitering multiple times. HB 24, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, was signed by Ivey on May 24. The bill, which began as an anti-panhandling measure, makes a first arrest for loitering a violation, but makes a second or subsequent arrest a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The bill adds loitering in a public roadway to a list of loitering offenses, which include loitering for the purpose of begging; for gambling; for soliciting or engaging in prostitution, or for unlawfully using or possessing a drug. More from Alabama Reflector It is a safety thing, Ingram said. It is not about homelessness at all. It is about protecting anybody that is on the street, a state highway with 60 mile-per-hour speed limits. The new law has drawn criticism from civil rights groups who say it is a way of working around a recent federal court ruling striking down the states anti-panhandling laws. The sponsor is attempting to create a new crime that would allow law enforcement officers to arrest or cite people who are standing on the street asking for help without running headlong into that injunction, said Micah West, senior staff attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Centers Economic Justice Project, which challenged the anti-panhandling laws in court. The bill emerged from an ongoing controversy over Montgomerys approach to loitering and panhandling. In 2019, the Montgomery City Council passed an ordinance that would have subjected people arrested for panhandling to jail time. The ordinance drew criticism, and it was later repealed. That same year, three homeless individuals, represented by the SPLC, the National Homelessness Law Center and the ACLU sued the city in federal court, arguing state law violated the rights of people to solicit money under the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins declared the states panhandling laws unconstitutional in March. West argued the amended version of the bill defies precedent, such Broughton v. Brewer, a 1969 federal case where Alabamas vagrancy laws were struck down for vagueness. What does it mean to loiter? West said. Does that mean that officers can ticket you when your car breaks down and you are standing on the side of the road? Or you have a flat tire, and you are trying to hail a taxi. As filed, the bill struck a portion of the law banning loitering for begging, replacing it with a ban on loitering in a roadway. But the final version of the bill that passed restored the anti-begging provision while keeping the ban on loitering in the streets. I added it back in, Ingram said. That was on the advice of the Attorney General and our Legislative Service upstairs, it was just constitutional, and to add it in there. There is litigation pending with the AGs office, I think. That is the reason they wanted it and our attorneys here would rather have had it back in. That is the reason we added it. Messages sent to the Attorney General were not immediately returned. Ingram said there are five to six instances of people colliding with vehicles. Most of them were either people who shouldnt have been on the interstate obviously because no car was involved, they were not broken down or anything, Ingram said. I dont know if they were living on the street or what. The street is no place to live. I mean it is dangerous. It is designed for automobiles. According to the Alabama Department of Transportation, 97 pedestrians were killed in traffic collisions in 2020. DOT said 62% of all fatal pedestrian crashes were caused by pedestrians. The DOT did not break down how many were related to panhandling. What that report tells us, one of the greatest reasons why pedestrians are killed is because of people being distracted by their smartphones, West said. Other reasons are drug or alcohol use by the driver or the driver is speeding. If public safety is the actual concern, legislators may be trying to address the wrong problem. Proponents could also argue that the fatalities may not have happened if a pedestrian is not there in the first place, but courts have consistently ruled that standing on the side of the road, holding a sign asking for financial assistance, is a constitutionally protected free speech activity subject to greater scrutiny. The bill allows law enforcement to give those who could be arrested for loitering for begging transportation to emergency housing. An officer has an option, if you read the bill, to take them to a shelter or wherever they need to be, whether it is mental health or what, Ingram said. If they say they are homeless, they will take them to a shelter. But the bill says a law enforcement officer may make the offer and does not require it. In addition, the offer is not required for other loitering offenses listed in the bill, including being in a public roadway. Even though the sponsor is saying, we have created this new offense, but we are trying to help people, it is not requiring that an officer arrest someone for loitering because that exception is attached to something else that has been enjoined that no one can enforce, West said. Shelter space could also be an issue, but Ingram said he believes local services could keep up. We have got a new mental health shelter in Montgomery, Ingram said. I know the Salvation Army, they are in transition now, but they are putting them in hotels. You cant count that they dont have that. They do have that option and they are giving vouchers for them. West said that introducing new laws into the books, creating new crimes that penalize people who are homeless, does not address public safety. If legislators are actually concerned about the health and safety of our unhoused community, what research tells us is that we need to address our affordable housing crisis and build more affordable housing, West said. There is no evidence that arresting those individuals improves public safety, reduces traffic fatalities, or that even holding a sign while on the side of the road is a safety concern. Amazon is reportedly gearing up to offer Prime Wireless, with cell phone plans that could essentially be free, according to media reports. Citing sources within the company Bloomberg reported Amazon is in talks with wireless carriers about offering a Prime Wireless Plan for Prime members. The talks, which include carriers such as T-Mobile, Verizon and Dish, would offer plans ranging from free to $10 a month. Amazon hasnt confirmed the reports and the talks could still fall through. READ MORE: Delete this app now: App on Google Play Store found spying on 50,000 users, experts warn We are always exploring adding even more benefits for Prime members, but dont have plans to add wireless at this time, Amazon spokesperson Bradley Mattinger told Insider in a statement. AT&T is reportedly not in the mix with a spokesperson telling Insider, the company is not in discussions with Amazon to resell wireless services. A low-cost wireless plan would be an industry changer and a huge savings for most in the U.S. even with the annual $139 cost for Amazon Prime. Currently, the average Americans pays $144 a month for their phone bill. Currently, the cost of an annual Amazon Prime subscription is $139. READ MORE: Dave Ramsey sued for $150 million over backing of failed timeshare exit company Authorities have released the names of two men shot to death in Birmingham over the weekend. The Jefferson County Coroners Office on Monday identified the victims as Victor Alberto Jeronimo Garcia, 27, and Dementrius Orlando Collins, 19. Garcia was found shot to death Saturday morning in southwest Birmingham. West Precinct officers were dispatched shortly after 8:30 a.m. to the 2500 block of Snavely Avenue on a report of a person shot. They arrived to find Garcia unresponsive inside a vehicle. He was pronounced dead on the scene at 8:48 a.m. It wasnt immediately clear what time the shooting happened. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said the discovery was made when a neighborhood resident spotted the victim inside the vehicle and then called 911. No arrests have been announced. A male was found shot to death Saturday, June 3, 2023, on Snavely Avenue. (Carol Robinson) Collins died early Monday in a hail of gunfire in the citys Kingston community. Roughly 70 rounds were unleashed just before 1 a.m. in the Rev. Dr Morrell Todd Homes in the citys Kingston community. South Precinct officers were alerted at 12:50 a.m. that the citys gunfire detection system Shot Spotter had registered numerous shots fired in the 4600 block of Roscoe Avenue. Dispatchers then notified officers that someone had been hit. Once at the complex, police found Collins unresponsive in the front yard of an apartment building. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service worked on the victim and loaded him in the rescue unit to transport but were unable to save him. He was pronounced dead on the scene 1:12 a.m. While police were in Kingston, they learned a second vehicle had stopped on Interstate 59/20 near the Tallapoosa Street exit with a gunshot victim inside. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said investigators determined that victim had been shot in Kingston and was trying to get to the hospital before the driver stopped to call for help. He said he didnt yet know how many guns were fired. Were still determine who was a target, if they were a target at all, he said. However, we had a bunch of rounds fired and right now were in the early stages. Roughly 70 rounds were unleashed just before 1 a.m. Monday, June 5, 2023, in the Rev. Dr Morrell Todd Homes in the citys Kingston community, the second time in less than a week that a barrage of gunfire in the neighborhood has left someone dead. (Carol Robinson( One week ago, a gunfight in Kingston during which 90 rounds were fired left one man dead, and another jailed. That shooting happened during the evening hours of Memorial Day and was captured on surveillance cameras. For one, you have an issue with guns being in the wrong hands, Fitzgerald said. Two, we need Kingston residents to help us out, get those who dont belong in the neighborhood out of here. Any patrol officer who has worked in a housing community will tell you nine times out of 10, the people who live in the housing community are amazing people, he said. Its normally people who are outside of the housing community that cause the issues. We have a group of individuals that are bringing their drama, their trouble here and terrorizing the residents because of that, Fitzgerald said. When you see activity that is suspicious give us a call because as you have seen, you have beefs coming into the Kingston Community that never originated here. The weekend victims marked the citys 56th and 57th homicides this year. Of those, one was an officer-involved shooting by an outside law enforcement agency and four others have been ruled justifiable and therefore arent deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 80 homicides including the 57 in Birmingham. Anyone with information is asked to call homicide investigators at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. A child was rushed to the hospital Sunday afternoon after being found unresponsive in a pool. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service was dispatched about 3 p.m. to a home on Charles Court in the Roebuck area. Fire medics began CPR on the scene and then rushed the 12-year-old to Childrens of Alabama. The child was in critical condition at the time of transport. BFRS Battalion Chief Jack Hickes said the incident happened in an above-ground pool at a private home. Additional details werent immediately available. This story will be updated if more information is released. Huntsville police have charged a man with allegedly fleeing the scene of a fatal car crash June 3. Joshua Taylor Payne, 30, turned himself in at the Public Safety Complex on Sunday, according to police. He is charged with leaving the scene of a serious accident. The crash occurred Sunday morning around Highway 53 and Research Park Boulevard. One motorcyclist died at the scene and five other people were injured. Seven cars were involved in the crash. Police said they expect to bring more charges related to the incident. (Photo : GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images) Israel labeled the Egyptian security service member's death of three soldiers a terrorist attack and urged a complete joint inquiry with Cairo. A breached emergency gate at Israel's southern border with Egypt, which was only secured with plastic shackles; the passage of hours before the bodies of two Israeli soldiers were discovered; and the bungled pursuit of an infiltrator, which led to the death of a third Israeli soldier. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu termed the murder of three Israeli soldiers by an Egyptian security officer a terrorist attack and demanded a comprehensive joint investigation with Cairo. PM Benjamin Netanyahu asks for Egypt's Help Per The Strait Times, Egypt says it is collaborating with Israel to investigate the Saturday incident. On Sunday, additional details of the rare incident along the border surfaced. There are frequent reports of drug smuggling, including one prior to the fatal violence, despite the fact that the border is typically tranquil due to the neighbours' close security cooperation. Two Israeli soldiers were shot and killed early Saturday morning, according to the Israeli military, by a member of the Egyptian security services who had breached the border fence. Their desert outpost was so remote that their bodies were not discovered for several hours. During the subsequent exchange of gunfire, the Egyptian sentry and a third Israeli soldier were slain. The Egyptian military reported on Saturday that three Israelis and an Egyptian security were slain in an exchange of gunfire as the guard pursued smugglers across the border. Two Egyptian sources reported that a team was examining the scene and the corpse of the guard to ascertain what transpired. Read Also: Tennessee Judge Rules Drag Show Ban as Too Broad, Unconstitutional Egyptian Kills 3 Israeli Soldiers at Border According to them, the Egyptian guard's coworkers and family members were questioned to determine whether he belonged to political groups or suffered from mental illness. The Egyptian army offered its "deepest condolences to the families of the deceased" and hinted that legal action would be taken against anyone else implicated. Egypt was the first Arab nation to conclude a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. They share a frontier that is more than 200 kilometers long. Israeli officials and analysts emphasized that Saturday's events are unlikely to influence strategic relations between the two countries. According to Lt. Col. Hecht, Israeli and Egyptian liaison officers are in constant contact and were communicating as the events unfolded. Gallant's office said on Saturday evening, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Zaki and thanked him for his "commitment and cooperation in the investigation of the incident." Israeli and Egyptian authorities have coordinated closely along the border in recent years, especially since the emergence of an Islamic State affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula's extensive deserts. In 2015, the affiliate brought down a Russian passenger jet and has repeatedly attacked Egyptian security forces, as per NY Times. Although the desolate, mountainous region has long been associated with drug smuggling, fatal security incidents along Israel's border with Egypt are much less frequent, with the last significant attack occurring more than a decade ago. In August 2011, eight Israelis were murdered in an attack launched from the Egyptian side of the border near the Israeli resort city of Eilat. In that incident, militants opened fire on an Israeli vehicle on a border road before detonating a device minutes later next to an Israeli army patrol. According to Reuters, the militants then launched an anti-tank missile at a private vehicle, resulting in the deaths of its occupants. In the chaotic aftermath, Israeli forces murdered three of the assailants who had crossed into Israeli territory, as well as five Egyptian officers who were pursuing the attackers on the Egyptian side, bringing the two countries to the verge of a diplomatic crisis. Related Article: Russia Claims It Repelled Large-Scale Ukraine Attack, Kills Hundreds @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Huntsville woman died from injuries she received in a two-vehicle crash Sunday. The incident happened at about 6:32 p.m. on Alabama 251 near the 15 mile marker, about one mile south of Ardmore in Limestone County. Cpl. Reginal M. King of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Kimberly L. Holloway, 48, was critically injured when the 1998 Lincoln Continental she was driving collided head-on with a 2022 Ford F-250, driven by Kenneth M. Parker, 55, of Toney. King said Holloway was not using a seat belt at the time of the crash. She was transported to Huntsville Hospital, where she later died. Kenneth Parker and Mary Parker, 58, also of Toney, who was a passenger in the Ford F-250, were both injured and transported to Athens Hospital. Troopers with the ALEAs Highway Patrol Division continue to investigate. Today is a holiday in Alabama but, unless you specifically need to do business with the state, you likely wont see much of a difference. State offices will be closed in Alabama Monday to commemorate the birth of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Monday, June 5 is a state holiday, one of three in Alabama that honor Confederate leaders: Robert E. Lees birthday, which is marked in January on the same day as Martin Luther King Day; Confederate Memorial Day in April; and Davis birthday in June. State offices and some agencies are closed but federal services- including mail delivery will continue. Heres whats open and whats closed: Alabama state offices - closed Alabama state courts - Most closed, check ahead Car tag offices - Open in some counties, closed in others where Davis birthday is observed. U.S. Post Office - normal operations, mail will be delivered. Banks - open City and county offices - Most are open Jefferson County Courthouse Open Municipal and county closings will vary widely across the state, so check ahead before you go. Who was Jefferson Davis? Davis was born on June 3, 1808, in Kentucky and later represented Mississippi in Congress before serving as U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. Davis was the unanimous choice of the Confederate Convention for president, taking the oath of office in Montgomery, Alabama on Feb. 18, 1861 and serving until 1865. Davis was captured at the close of the Civil War, accused of treason and imprisoned, though he was never tried. He was released two years later and spent his retirement years on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Alabama is the last state to have a legal holiday set aside solely to commemorate the birth of Davis. Mississippi marks Davis birthday but includes it in the Memorial Day celebration. In Texas, Daviss birthday is part of Confederate Heroes Day while other Southern states, including Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee, have a holiday for Davis on the books but do not give employees a day off. An Australian woman convicted of murdering her four infant children has been pardoned due to reasonable doubt sparked by new evidence. The attorney general of New South Wales state, Michael Daley, said Monday that he had recommended an unconditional pardon for Kathleen Folbigg, 55, whom prosecutors had dubbed Australias worst female serial killer, according to BBC News. She was set to be freed right away. Daley told Gov. Margaret Beazley that new scientific evidence pointed to natural causes for at least two of the deaths, which occurred over the course of a decade. The babies were 19 days to 19 months old two daughters and two sons when Folbigg found their bodies. She has always insisted they died of natural causes and maintained her innocence. The first child to die was Caleb, who was born in 1989 and died 19 days later. A jury convicted Folbigg of manslaughter on that death. Son Patrick died at 8 months old in 1991, and 10-month-old Sarah died two years later. Her fourth child, Laura, died in 1999 at 19 months old. Folbigg has already served two decades of her 30-year sentence. Convicted of murder in the deaths of Sarah, Laura and Patrick and manslaughter of her firstborn, Caleb, she was scheduled to serve until 2033, though she would have been up for parole in 2028. Bathurst launched a new inquiry in November that examined the possible role of a rare genetic variant found in both daughters that could cause heart arrhythmias and sudden death in young children. The sons had a different genetic issues, one that was implicated in sudden-onset epilepsy in mice, BBC News reported. The research did not exist when Folbigg was convicted in 2003. No physical evidence connected Folbigg to the deaths. A jury based its assessment on the near-impossibility of four siblings dying of natural causes before age 2 and on passages from her diary, some of which they interpreted as admissions of guilt. It has been a 20-year-long ordeal for her, BBC quoted Daley as saying. If she is not out already, she will be soon ... I wish her peace. With News Wire Services 2023 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. We now have an end date for the pause on student loan payments. On Saturday, President Joe Biden signed a bill that suspends the U.S. governments $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, averting a first-ever default. Tucked away in the measure was a provision that restarts federal student loan payments after a pause that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restart date is Aug. 29, meaning people will have to once again be required to make student loan payments, likely starting with their September bills. Loans will begin accruing interest then as well. READ MORE: Senate halts Bidens student loan relief plan giving 40 million borrowers up to $20,000 in forgiveness The White House has ruled out more extensions though the debt deal put that in stone no extensions could be given unless approved by Congress. The end of the pause means some 43 million borrowers will once again have to make payments on their student loans. The Education Department will notify borrowers before repayments begin. Still undecided, however, is what impact President Joe Bidens massive student loan forgiveness plan currently in front of the Supreme Court will have on the future of payments. The White House plan would forgive up to $10,000 in student loans for federal borrowers or up to $20,000 for those with Pell Grants. That decision is expected in June or July. The original payment pause and interest waiver was enacted under President Donald Trump in March 2020 and was set to expire in September 2020. It was subsequently extended eight times with the last one announced Nov. 22, 2022. READ MORE: Student loan forgiveness: Biden says some borrowers will restart payments The nations highest court wont review the case of an Alabama woman awaiting execution for killing two children over a decade ago. Heather Leavell-Keaton, 35, is on death row at Julia Tutwiler Prison in Wetumpka. She has been there for the past seven years after being convicted of capital murder in 2015. Leavell-Keaton was the first woman in Mobile County history to be sent to Alabama Death Row. She and her boyfriend John DeBlase, were convicted of torturing and killing his two children, four-year-old Natalie and three-year-old Chase, in 2010. Her case has spent years in the courts. In 2020, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that Leavell-Keaton didnt have the opportunity to address the court before her 2015 sentencing. The appeals court sent the case back to Mobile County for a resentencing hearing and in January 2021, she was again sent to death row. After a back-and-forth court battle, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Leavell-Keatons conviction and death sentence, and in 2022 the Alabama Supreme Court decided not to review the case. Through her lawyers at the Southern Center for Human Rights, Leavell-Keaton then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In her appeal to the high court, Leavell-Keatons lawyers argue that mitigating evidence wasnt properly weighed at her resentencing hearing. Despite being faced with the decision of whether to sentence Ms. Leavell-Keaton to death or life without parole, the trial court refused to consider any of Ms. Leavell-Keatons proffered mitigating evidence about her well-behaved and peaceful adjustment to life in prison. ... Instead, the court accepted the District Attorneys argument that it is irrelevant if she has been a good girl in prison from that point to this point. As a result, more than five years of substantial mitigation that was by its nature relevant to the sentencing determination was excluded from the courts capital sentencing decision, her lawyers wrote. Preventing Ms. Leavell-Keaton from presenting mitigating evidence about her time in prison, in furtherance of her argument that the judge, at his discretion, should impose a sentence of life without parole, underscores the significance of the error in this case, said the filing. Leavell-Keaton was convicted of capital murder for the slaying of Jonathan Chase DeBlase, and reckless manslaughter for the death of the little boys sister, Natalie DeBlase. The childrens remains were found across wooded areas in both Alabama and Mississippi. Court records show Natalie died in March 2010 when she was 4, and Chase died in June 2010 when he was 3. According to court records, investigators believed DeBlase and Leavell-Keaton physically abused the children for years, locked them in closets and gave them little food. At both DeBlases trial and Keatons trial, there was evidence indicating that the children could have died from asphyxiation at the hands of DeBlase or could have died from consuming antifreeze that Keaton fed them, said a 2021 order from the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. Court records state that while couple could have killed the children by poisoning them with antifreeze, a medical examiner who testified at Leavell-Keatons trial said there could not be an unequivocal determination regarding the cause or causes of the childrens deaths. That doctor testified that there were likely multiple factors in the deaths, including poisoning, dehydration, starvation, asphyxia... and it could be a combination of one or more of those things. When asked specifically if the cause of death could have been poisoning with antifreeze,(the doctor) testified that [i]t could have been but that she could not conclusively make such a determination from the autopsies. Police found a bottle of antifreeze during a search of DeBlases van, court records show. A forensic anthropologist, who examined the remains, said malnutrition, starvation, poisoning, [or] even psychological stress could have caused the childrens deaths, according to the appeals courts ruling. The couple was charged with the killings in 2012. John DeBlase was convicted in 2014 and also sentenced to death, and remains on death row at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. In her filing to the U.S. Supreme Court, Leavell-Keatons attorneys describe her as blind. An earlier order from the Alabama appeals court said she has severely impaired vision. A Tennessee woman is accused of hiring a hitman on the dark web to murder the wife of a man in Alabama who the suspect met on Match.com. Melody Sasser, 47, of Knoxville, was arrested in May after a Homeland Security Investigations probe by agents in Birmingham and Tennessee. Authorities contend the environmental compliance specialist paid $9,750 to have the woman killed. The investigation began April 27 when HSI special agents in Birmingham received information from a foreign law enforcement agency that a Prattville woman whose name, address and photograph was provided was a target. The information provided to HSI contained messages from dark web site Online Killers Market also known as OKM which reportedly offers hitman services, as well as hacking, kidnapping, extortion, disfigurement by acid attack and sexual violence, according to federal court documents from the Eastern District of Tennessee. The website, according to HSI Special Agent Gregory Martin, claims to have more than 12,000 registered members from countries across the work. There is an option to submit an order detailing what the user wants done, and they then receive a quote for the job. A hitman is then assigned to the job. Authorities contend Sasser placed her order on Jan. 11, and provided this description: It needs to seem random or accident, or plant drugs, do not want long investigation. She recently moved in with her new husband. She works at home and in office in birmingham The order went on to say the woman worked at home and also at an office in Hoover. She described the vehicles belonging to the husband and wife, and wrote, they have three dogs that bark and jump but nice dogs. HSI officials noted in the federal complaint that the information provided was 100 percent accurate. Federal investigators notified the Prattville Police Department and patrol officers were sent to monitor the couples home. HSI investigators from Birmingham met with the target and told her of the threat to her life. The intended victim identified Sasser, who works at Pilot headquarters in Knoxville, as a possible suspect, telling investigators that her husband and Sasser were hiking friends in Tennessee prior to her husband moving to Alabama. The woman reported that in the fall of 2022 Sasser had driven to Alabama unannounced and learned then the man was engaged. Sasser, the complaint states, responded to news of the impending nuptials by saying, I hope you both fall off a cliff and died. Around that same time, the woman told authorities, her vehicle had been keyed. And, she had received threatening phone calls by a person using an electronic voice disguiser. The intended victim said she and her husband used a fitness tracking app called Strava when they hike and exercise. The app is connected to their Garmin watches to share location data. On March 27, the complaint reads, Sasser at that point identified only by her username Cattree messaged the OKM site and said about the victim, yesterday she worked from home and went for a two mile walk by herself. The husband of the intended victim told investigators he met Sasser on Match.com and she helped him plan an Appalachian Trial hike. Investigators were provided Sassers vehicle information and license plate readers indicated she was in the vicinity of the intended victims workplace in Hoover a couple of times in November 2022. Sasser reportedly paid for the hit with Bitcoin. The federal complaint also showed that Sasser was becoming frustrated the woman had not yet been killed. On March 22, she messaged to OKM that read, I have waited for 2 months and 11 days ad the job is not completed. 2 weeks ago you said it was been worked on and would be doe in a week. the job is still not done. does it need to be assigned to someone else. will it be done. what is the delay. when will it be done. The OKM site communicated back and forth with Sasser, who requested a new hitman, and additional payment arrangements were made. Subpoenas showed that Sasser purchased Bitcoin with cash on four occasions at a Coinhub ATM in Knoxville. The complaint states that pictures taken from the ATM surveillance cameras matched Sassers drivers license photo and her Facebook profile picture. An inmate serving time at William Donaldson Correctional Facility for a murder conviction died over the weekend. William Lynn Smith, 48, was found unresponsive Saturday inside his private cell, according to the Jefferson County Coroners Office. The 9:43 a.m. discovery was made by correctional staff performing a safety check. Smith was pronounced dead at 10:02 a.m. Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said an autopsy will be performed today to determine the cause and manner of death. Smith pleaded guilty in 2018 in Cullman County to the murder of Jeanie Cheryl Kent, who was choked to death in 2017. The two had been in a dating relationship. Smith was sentenced to 37 years in prison. The Alabama Department of Correction Law Enforcement Services Division is investigating the circumstances surrounding his death. Have you read the Lede lately? Our daily dive into the news of the day, curated by our team of reporters, editors and producers has grown quite robust since it started in 2022. Especially since we ended print newspaper publication, every day we focus on giving you 60-80 pages of great news (including crime, business, politics, etc.) content from local reporters from the Lede, AL.com (including sports) and selected stories from the Associated Press, Alabama Daily News, Alabama Reflector, the Conversation, and other sources around the nation and the world. Not to mention although Im going to a huge section of obits, comics, puzzles, and a strong selection of commentary by our local Pulitzer Prize winners and others worth reading. We have some of the best journalists in the country backing our daily efforts, and our team of Alabama-based journalists is getting bigger all the time. You wanted more news? You got it. I encourage you to check out the Huntsville Lede and subscribe. In the meantime, here are a few of the stories we did in the past week in Huntsville: The Ledes Scott Turner took a look at how Madison County is outgrowing the number of judges sitting to hear court cases, in a story that appeared May 27. Although the Alabama Legislature recently assigned new circuit and district judgeships for the 23rd Judicial Circuit following the state previously moving one judgeship from Jefferson County to Madison it still might not be enough. Presiding Judge Claude Hundley said the 23rd Circuit needs at least one more circuit judge, and District Attorney Tim Gann is calling for more prosecutors for the higher caseload. In the latest in our ongoing Sunday Q&A series, Turner also had a wide-ranging conversation with Madison County Commissioner Violet Edwards about everything from veterans and seniors to the homeless and workforce development. Instead of criticizing anybody and deciding that someone else wasnt doing something that was important to me, I just decided to step out there and do it for myself, and do it for my kids, and do it for my community and bring those ideas to the people, she said. Its a great conversation. This week in the Lede, look for stories about Huntsvilles highest paying jobs, and how the growing city fares in the latest Milken Rankings which may surprise you. Youll probably notice that with the Lede being a subscription product, even when you look at our stories posted on AL.com, theres a reminder that to get the Lede daily, you will need to subscribe. And when you do, youll be able to read the Lede on your desktop, tablet or phone. You can even download apps for your phone, whether you use Apple, or Android. BTW every since issue of the Lede has a page designed to tell you how to navigate the Lede. It even has a cool YouTube video. The Lede is a work in progress, and were making it better every day. We dont just want you to subscribe which we do - we also want to hear from you. Suggestions? Constructive criticism? Stories youd like to see? Questions about your community? Something for us to look into that will make your life better? Send me a note at npatterson@al.com. Meanwhile, thanks for reading. Huntsville may be known as the Rocket City with the presence of NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center, but rocket scientists are not the highest paid people in the city. Not all websites ranking top paying jobs agree on what the highest paid position is. Stacker.com ranks family physicians at the top, while ZipRecruiter says its certified nursing anesthetists. But most agree the highest paid salaries in town belong to the medical field. Aerospace engineers rank only 24th, according to Stacker. What isnt in dispute is that Huntsville metro workers are the highest paid in the state. According to the Alabama Department of Labor, Huntsville metro workers made 1,339.77 a week, or $38.61 an hour. The average pay in Birmingham was 1,105.54 a week or $31.80 an hour. Mobile workers made an average of 1,011.05 a week, or$27.70 an hour. They were the only three metros in the state where workers made more than $1,000 a week. Stacker bases its rankings on data from the I.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a guest opinion column For the past year, Jobs to Move America and its coalition partners in Alabama have been pushing legislators to assure best practices in economic tax incentives. In its current session, the Alabama Legislature passed a bill to create more transparency around these incentives that included two of our recommendations. The Transparency in Incentives Act (SB151), sponsored by Senator Garlan Gudger, amends the Alabama Jobs Act to require the Department of Commerce to post on their website the name of the company receiving incentives, its location, estimated capital investment, number of new jobs it plans to create, average hourly wage, value of investment and projected 10-year and 20-year return on incentive. Aggregated data from all past recipients of incentives will also be publicly available. This a major victory for those concerned about government transparency and accountability. Alabama has awarded over 5 billion dollars to corporations to set up shop in the state, including Amazon, Hyundai, Honda, Mercedes and others. It is important to remember that these incentives are provided with tax dollars, but the public has not had access to the companies names, incentive amount, type of incentive, and hourly wages. Many of the jobs created do not pay a living wage and are not considered quality jobs. Manufacturers who received incentives are having a hard time finding enough workers to fill the open positions and a Hyundai supplier (that they own) was recently found guilty of using immigrant child labor. In 2021, JMA published the report The Hidden Costs of Alabamas Economic Tax Incentives, which highlighted the lack of transparency and accountability in how the state awards and evaluates incentives. The incentives awarded to companies include sales and use tax exemptions, property tax exemptions, building of infrastructure, workforce development training and more. Most of the incentives impact the education budget and reduce the funds available to improve public education in Alabama. This is critical because according to 2022 rankings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP), also known as The Nations Report Card, Alabama ranks 39 in reading and 40 in math among fourth-grade students in the nation. Overall, Alabama is 44th in the country in education, according to U.S. News and World Report rankings. JMA worked with the Lieutenant Governors office and the Chair of the House Education Budget Committee to encourage them to provide the public with more information on these incentives. Legislators were interested in how other states have increased transparency and accountability and expressed interest in learning more over the next few years. Since the Alabama Legislature only meets for 30 legislative days a year, any changes could take years to pass. While we applaud these new changes, more needs to be done. PEW Charitable Trust, Good Jobs First and other think tanks have developed best practices for policy for tax incentives that include: A separate budget for incentives so legislators and the public can see how much is being spent and the actual return on investment Require companies that are found guilty of violations of labor or environmental laws to refund some or all of the subsidy money it received, also known as a clawback Requirements that incentives create quality jobs with a living wage Requirements that companies receiving incentives negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement with local coalitions Ban non-disclosure agreements between companies and public officials that keep the terms of incentives packages hidden from the public Tax incentives are used to recruit a business to set up shop in the state as a way to boost job creation. But we need more information on wages and benefits offered to make sure we are not giving taxpayers money to bad actorscompanies that have a history of environmental, labor, or safety violations. JMA will continue to advocate for legislation that will assure that every job created is a good job. Patricia Todd, who served 11 years in the Alabama Legislature, now serves as Southern Policy Manager for Jobs to Move America. She can be reached at ptodd@jobstomoveamerica.org Kasia Tarczynska is a senior research analyst with Good Jobs First, a non-profit resource center that promotes corporate and government accountability in economic development. to the oped? According to an arrest report, a Florida mom faces charges of aggravated child neglect and arson after her car caught fire while she was allegedly shoplifting at a mall. An arrest report filed by the Oviedo Police Department on May 26 said Alicia Moore, 24, parked her vehicle in a parking lot outside a Dillard's department store at Oviedo Mall. Moore left children in the vehicle. Their names and ages have not been revealed. Florida Mom Charged with Child Neglect, Arson According to the allegation, Moore and an unknown male were caught shoplifting at Dillard's by security. Moore began leaving Dillard's after approximately an hour to see her vehicle engulfed in flames and dropped the merchandise before leaving the store, as per NBC Miami. The mall's bystanders spotted the vehicle and evacuated the children inside who were attempting to escape the conflagration. The children were transported to the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital. The face and ears of one child were burned to the first degree, according to the arrest report. Moore has been charged with aggravated child neglect for allegedly allowing children who could not care for themselves alone in the vehicle. The police stated that they do not know what caused the fire, but it is unlikely that the children would have been injured if Moore had not been "negligent." Read Also: Israel Urges Egypt To Help in Probe of Deadly Attack on Border That Killed 3 Soldiers Suspect's Child Sustained First Degree Burns Moore was charged with arson because the fire occurred while she was purportedly perpetrating a felony. Moore was represented by the public defender's office, according to court documents. Unknown age children of the Orlando resident survived the fire, but one of them sustained first-degree burns, according to records obtained by NBC News. Moore reportedly abandoned the merchandise and escaped the department store after discovering that her vehicle was engulfed in flames. Thanks to the assistance of bystanders, both children were eventually able to escape the smoldering vehicle and receive treatment at a nearby hospital. Additionally, the arrest report states that one of Moore's daughters suffered multiple first-degree burns on her face and ears before escaping. Police apprehended Moore on a warrant unrelated to the Oviedo Mall incident and charged her with arson and aggravated child neglect. Moore contributed to the injuries her children sustained because, according to the arrest report, "the fire occurred while Moore was committing a felony." Friday, Moore entered a not-guilty plea. Per PEOPLE, Moore's bond has been set at $20,000 and her arraignment is scheduled for June 27. Related Article: Missing Missouri Doctor Found Dead in Arkansas Lake Days After Proposing to Fiancee @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Drag events intended for children to attend have been held at various venues, including libraries, schools and even breweries, for about a decade. Explicitly LGBTQ websites, videos, books, and products have been made available for very young audiences, often in ways that seem intended to skirt parental attention.This has not been an uncontroversial development, but Americans who are displeased with these developments have mostly responded by promoting awareness of these developments and supporting efforts to prevent young children having easy access to such materials. Disapproval of LGBTQ or pride performances, products and materials being expressed in peaceful ways has been depicted by some sources as existential threats to the community. Recently, Target prominently displaying pro-trans, pro-Satanism and cross-dressing apparel for infants, and customers withdrew enough business to cost Target $13 billion dollars in market capitalization in nine days. After some Target locations moved the merchandise away from the front of stores, several shops received bomb threats complaining that relocating the merchandise was unsupportive of the LGBTQ cause. Some reporting, citing pro-LGBTQ organizations GLSEN and GLAAD, framed the threats to Target as if the pro-LGBTQ stance was only alleged, and implied that Targets response refused to address danger to the LGBTQ community. CNN described Target as held hostage to an anti-LGBTQ campaign. Meanwhile, tweets were posted implicating the source of violence and threats as the Republican voters, homophobic lunatics and conservative media. One Tweet said, Again, please explain to be how threatening death over a T-shirt is better than letting people just live their lives to love each other. But the response of displeased customers was to refrain from purchases at the retailer. Seriously, what could possibly be less violent than withdrawing from interaction with someone, or some organization, that engages in behavior one disapproves of? Isnt cancelling, lefty-style, all about blocking interaction with those who disagree with them? Another version of this tactic for smearing negative response as potentially violent is setting up defenses as if violence is expected, as was done for a an all-ages drag event in Texas last August, protected by armed Antifa guards, and another in Canada, last January, where masked, black-clad activists protecting a drag story time menaced and attacked protesters outside the library hosting the event. Public libraries in Portland, Oregon, hosted some Drag Queen Story events a few years ago. The librarys Flickr post about one drag story event featuring photos of the drag queen on his back, on the floor with children on top of him, went viral. The post was then removed from the librarys social media. Initial reports said the performer got on the floor and invited the children to climb on top of him. Carla Rossi/Anthony Hudson, the performer in question, later claimed on Twitter that the kids had knocked him down, because of his bad hip and high heels. In the photos, he doesnt appear to be resisting or exhibiting pain. Portlands public libraries hosted a few subsequent drag events for children and teens. After a while, such events stopped being scheduled. Apparently, this was just a temporary respite, as this library administration has plans to re-start such events, with one scheduled for July 12, 2023. Residents of Portland are unlikely to be aware of their local librarys upcoming Drag Queen Storytime and Rainbow Families Storytime events, as the library administration apparently intends to host these events on the q.t. Staff have been requested to not publicize upcoming events on social media or display printed notifications at the locations of upcoming events without affirmative permission. Creation and distribution of materials about the events is to be under control of specific library staff, to prevent disruption of the events. No previous Portland library drag event attended by children has been disrupted. While mainstream national media coverage focuses on fears about potential violence or harm targeting drag story events (as well as other LGBTQ or pride merchandise or events), nationwide, there have only been a handful of arrests, two for alleged assault, during protests of drag events at American libraries (There are approximately 9000 public libraries, and about 105,000 school libraries in the U.S.). In November 2022, there were pro and con demonstrators, some armed, outside a drag event featuring an 11 year old minor at a bar in Eugene, Oregon (about 100 miles south of Portland). There were no arrests. Arrests at Portland library locations for any infractions are quite rare, with an arrest at a Portland library every few months, none related to drag story events. All locations have security staff present during operating hours. The public response to Portland library drag events that seems to have displeased library administration was widespread sharing of photos and details of the festivities by people expressing disapproval. There is no evidence any attendees, performers or library staff are in any danger if upcoming events became known to the public. If the response to Targets LGBTQ/pride child-size garments is any indicator, the likeliest conservative reaction to a drag story reading openly promoted by the library system would be families staying away in droves. A more likely, and more concerning, outcome of stealth drag story events would be that families who would otherwise make an effort to avoid such events could stumble into one without warning. Why do I suspect that some library administrators would be pleased if this happened? I miss the days when libraries enforced silence, broken only by whispered requests for staff assistance. Of course, returning to that kind of library atmosphere is probably way too much to hope for. Nadine Gentry is a pen name. Graphic credit: Creazilla Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. license The almost subliminal message in the afterward of several editions of 1984 is a stark warning on what the globalist left wants to do to liberty. If you buy a copy of a certain paperback edition of George Orwells most famous work you can be witness to one of the fascist far lefts first attempts at rewriting history in an afterword to a book that warned of the danger of rewriting history. Youll have to look at the listing of the book title and authors to see if it includes: Erich Fromm (Afterword). However, its also available from here, here, here, here, or you can request a copy of the document here. When you read George Orwells later works, you will note a great amount of disdain for socialism, even if this wasnt always the case. Apparently for the far left, once youre a socialist, youre always a socialist. The afterword was written by Erich Fromm, a socialist and political activist from the infamous Frankfurt School that spawned Critical Theory. So, while George Orwell was warning against collectivist authoritarianism, Erich Fromm was advocating for it. It wasnt exactly an unbiased commentary by any means. The supremely ironic passage is found midway in the 6th paragraph of the piece. Were presenting it in context so you can see how its almost a subliminal message: This hope for mans individual and social perfectibility, which in philosophical and anthropological terms was clearly expressed in the writings of the Enlightenment philosophers of the eighteenth century and of the socialist thinkers of the nineteenth, remained unchanged until after the First World War. This war, in which millions died for the territorial ambitions of the European powers, although under the illusion of fighting for peace and democracy, was the beginning of that development which tended in a relatively short time to destroy a two-thousand-year-old Western tradition of hope and to transform it into a mood of despair. The moral callousness of the First World War was only the beginning. Other events followed: the betrayal of the socialist hopes by Stalins reactionary state capitalism; the severe economic crisis at the end of the twenties; the victory of barbarism in one of the oldest centers of culture in the worldGermany; the insanity of Stalinist terror during the thirties; the Second World War, in which all the fighting nations lost some of the moral considerations which had still existed in the First World War. Did you catch that? The betrayal of the socialist hopes by Stalins reactionary state capitalism; The nearly subliminal sentence goes by quickly, along with the subsequent criticism of socialist terror techniques, but by then the idea that Stalin was supposedly reactionary or right-wing had already been planted in the mind of the reader. the insanity of Stalinist terror during the thirties; Now take apart the nearly subliminal message and apply the appropriate definitional context. betrayal of the socialist hopes This sets up the promulgation of the falsehoods in the later half of the sentence as well as further on in the piece. The Merriam-webster dictionary definition of the word betrayal spells it out: 2: to deliver to an enemy by treachery. Synonyms of: backstab, cross, double-cross, sell (out), two-time, go back on, sell down the river, stab in the back. The author is trying to pin the failures of socialist hopes on Stalin, because of his betrayal. Do you see the massive lie that is being perpetrated? It wasnt that socialism is a failed ideology, it was because of Stalin. With the unspoken implication that it would have worked if it hadnt been for him. Well get to why this is the case in a second. Even as early as 1961 it was entirely apparent that socialism had failed to meet its ever-lofty promises in the former 'Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The same can be said for the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party. In both cases, we see how the fascist far left executes their biggest lies. Claiming that a collectivist, far-left authoritarian regime is based on liberty and limited government from the opposite end of the political spectrum. It sounds ridiculous when its stated that way, but leftists also love to repeat their lies over and over until they become the truth, something both Vladimir Lenin and Adolf Hitlers propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels both advocated. Imagine that, its almost as if leftists are the same the world over. Whenever socialist regimes fail, they magically become right-wing somehow. This massively big lie lets the far-left claim that socialism has never really been tried before. Theyve even gone so far as to state: Republicans claim to fear left-wing authoritarianism but there's no such thing. That classic big lie from Salon is an ideological descendant from the 62-year-old afterword, it just had to make the lie even bigger because of socialisms abject failures in the interim. Sidenote: Be sure to copy that article to a CD and print it out for the future, youll never know when that piece might find its way to the memory hole. Then there is this part that tries to invert reality: Stalins reactionary state capitalism For those unfamiliar with leftist dog whistle language, reactionary is synonymous with right wing From the Merriam-webster dictionary definition of the word reactionary Synonyms: archconservative, conservative, ultraconservative, unprogressive Strangely enough, after setting up the big lie and claiming Stalin was a conservative he throws a curve ball with the phrase state capitalism, defined by the Merriam-webster dictionary as: an economic system in which private capitalism is modified by a varying degree of government ownership and control However, this is a comparison to full-blown communism, so in that context, it was probably too much of a stretch to claim that it was economic liberty - that would have raised alarms with everyone as an outright lie. Thus, to summarize we have one of a nations prominent socialists claiming that Stalin was conservative and he had betrayed collectivist dogma with the implication that was why even then the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was failing to become the ever-vaunted workers paradise or as The People's Cube calls it The Glorious World of Next Tuesday! Keep in mind that according to the far left, a communist all-powerful authoritarian government that controls everything is supposed to wither away leaving a perfect Utopia where everyone shares everything and everything is perfect. And if you believe that, we can get you a good deal on the Golden Gate Bridge. Why is this important? For the far left, their collectivist ideologies cannot fail. Meaning that when that inevitably happens, it must be blamed on the pro-freedom right so that their system can rise again and they can parrot the tired old line that socialism has never really been tried before. We know this is a total lie, attempts at implementations of collectivist ideologies have been failing for 400 years. And they will always fail, as they are doing now. But if the fascist far left can impose a global regime of collectivism on the world, liberty, true liberalism, and conservatism will never be able to challenge that regime with the truth. D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, the director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack. Do you remember Sally Fields famous Oscar Awards speech in 1985? This time, I feel it. And I cant deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me. It was instantly paraphrased as You like me. You really like me. A mirror image of Fields voice rings in my ears when I hear Democrats and other leftists talk about conservatives: You hate us. You really hate us. This is an oozing class hatred that has nothing to do with policies and was most recently expressed in a vitriolic Daily Beast editorial about Casey DeSantis. In 2008, I spoke with an Ivy League-educated Obama supporter who was bad-mouthing Sarah Palins intelligence and abilities. I pointed out to the leftist that Palin had more executive experienceand more political winsunder her belt than Obama. The leftist dismissed that point. Thats true, but shes not one of us. He meant, of course, that Palin was a hardworking, gun-shooting gal with only a BA degree from the University of Idaho, unlike the effete, articulate and bright and clean Barack Obama, with his BA from Columbia and his JD from Harvard. This oozing contempt from the Ivy League class was a constant in the Obama administration. Who can forget this, from Obama: And it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations. At least Obama had the political sense to frame his insult in a tone of faux compassion. Tin-eared Hillary (BA, Wellesley; JD, Yale) was less subtle in her disdain for the people over whom she wished to rule, and her audience lapped it up: You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. (Laughter/applause) Right? (Laughter/applause) They're racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets their offensive hateful mean-spirited rhetoric. Now, some of those folks they are irredeemable, but thankfully, they are not America. Not all the people who hate us so much boast those Ivy League credentials. One of the ways to elevate yourself into that Ivied class is to echo those class views. Ive noticed on my Facebook feed that many of the leftists I know who don't have Ivy League diplomas nevertheless echo this sneering condescension and disdain for Americas working classes and their fellow conservative travelers. Indeed, the higher up the professional and economic ladder these non-Ivied people have ascended, the nastier theyve gotten. Katie Baker, the Daily Beasts Executive Editor, doesnt list her academic credentials, but her sneering, class-based attack on Ron DeSantiss wife, Casey, at least makes her an elite wanna-be. Notably, unlike Caseys husband Ron (BA, Yale; JD, Harvardneither of which I hold against him), Casey merely has a BS in Economics from the College of Charleston. That college, incidentally, was founded in 1770, making it the 13th oldest in America, and was founded by three signers of the Declaration of Independence and three original ratifiers of the Constitution. Casey herself is a poised, stylish woman, as anyone with eyes and ears can see. Bakers eyes and ears, though, are blurred and muffled by elitist venom. The fact that Casey showed up in Iowa with a jacket bearing her husbands slogan about Florida, Where woke goes to die, completely inflamed Baker. This is a hip jacket on @CaseyDeSantis. pic.twitter.com/jpwVCseSf2 David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) June 3, 2023 Baker responded with an opinion piece entitled Casey DeSantis is the Walmart Melania: The First Lady of Florida showed up on the campaign trail in Iowa this weekend wearing a ghastly black leather jacketAmerican flag on the front, an alligator and the silhouette of her state on the back, with the sneering words, Where Woke Goes to Diethat brought to mind nothing so much as the racks of a Red State big-bin store where it would be retailing for $24.99. In case you were wondering, Baker hates you, she really hates you. Theres more: Casey DeSantis coat is just like her husband Ron DeSantis campaign: Crude. Grasping. Saying the ugly part out loud. Whereas Trump would wink-wink at the fascistswho can forget his dog whistle to the very fine people on both sides at CharlottesvilleDeSantis wants to peel off Trumps base by being even more explicit about who he intends to target. You can see it right there on his wifes jacket: DeSantis Florida is where the woke go to dieand a lot of other people die as well. Baker claims that Florida was a COVID killer state, but even the CDCs data (which I assume is as flawed as all other COVID death statistics) puts the lie to that claim. For a densely populated state with an unusually high elderly population, Florida did fine. The best evidence of Bakers hatred for those who save money shopping at Walmart is her homage to the class and effortless elegance of Michelle Obama or Dr. Jill Biden. May I remind you? Michelle Obama's Biggest Fashion Regret? Wearing Shorts pic.twitter.com/j1Qa6TDIjv TrUtH (@Liberty2Young) November 24, 2013 I thought I would bless your timeline with a picture of Michelle Obama in thigh-high Balenciaga glitter boots. pic.twitter.com/C9OYqVaq7s PETTY RUBBLE IS NOT GIVING FASCISM $8 (@HillaryzMyHmgrl) August 31, 2019 You can find more examples here. And then theres Jill Biden: Ewwwgross. Looks like Jill Biden robbed another great grandmother of her couch covers and curtains. pic.twitter.com/yly3chmYbY NYETENGALE (@nyetengale) October 9, 2022 Jill Biden Wore A Hideous Dress with Bright Orange Espadrilles During Visit to Puerto Rico today look I found a matching couch pic.twitter.com/zXWonyxnQ2 ShotGunBonnie (@ShotGun_Bonnie) October 3, 2022 Someone needs to teach Jill Biden how to dress. She's always wearing a tablecloth, couch throw, or drapes when she's out. It's like she went to the "Bag Lady School of Fashion." pic.twitter.com/sg5s5GczzC Jean-Marie (@BunnyoftheHills) August 14, 2022 Jill Biden, who wears clothes made from couch fabric, should be in prison for elder abuse. pic.twitter.com/apZ5uGXzwn Craig_ (@NGeorgiaMts) September 30, 2022 JUST IN US president Biden meets Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif at a reception hosted by POTUS pic.twitter.com/ghoXeIztT9 Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 23, 2022 You can see more examples here. Just remember, Democrats and other leftists are so blinded by unearned self-love that, no matter your intelligence, education, beauty, style, accomplishments, or ethical decency, they hate you, they really hate youand they always will. Image: Casey in her jacket. If Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan decided to be a presidential candidate next year, she would be barred from the debates. The GOP debate rules include a pledge to support the Republican 2024 presidential nominee, and Ms. Noonan makes it clear, from the opening paragraph of her latest weekend column, that she would not back a Trump candidacy. Noonan declares in her lede paragraph that if "Trump Republicans" nominate the former president next year, "they will have ended the Republican Party." So there be no mistaking her comment as mere figurative remark, she declares in the following paragraph: "I mean it literally. The GOP will disappear as a party. Meaning the primary national vehicle of conservative thought and policy will disappear." Peggy Noonan in 2016 (photo credit: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 license). As the title of this screed indicates "Chris Christie and the Republican Party's Peril'' Noonan spends half the column discussing the "expected" entry of the former bullying governor of New Jersey in the GOP 2024 presidential field. (Is such an entry now viable in view of the requirement that all presidential debaters pledge their support for the nominee? Christie backing Mr. Trump? Not likely.) This is to suggest that Peggy Noonan should receive the Liz Cheney Award for Political Prognostication Premised on Poor Perceptions of Donald J. Trump. More briefly, Peggy Noonan abhors the idea that conservatism should be tempered by populism rather than elitism. The neo-totalitarians in our politics are desperately straining to convince the American people that they are incipient terrorists if they support conservative populism, better known today as the MAGA movement. Peggy Noonan has signaled with her June 34 column that she will not shrink from joining the anti-freedom movement that will tear the country apart if she has her way. This observer has in mind the image of shopkeepers putting up plywood to protect storefronts on lower Broadway, near Manhattan's Union Square, the day before the 2020 presidential election. The plywood was placed on glass windows in anticipation of a violent leftist response in case Trump won re-election. It seems to this observer that before Republican National Chairwoman Ronna (niece to Mitt Romney) McDaniel posts terms for GOP candidates, she should demand that the Democrat party pledge to denounce in the strongest terms any leftist violence should a Republican win the 2024 presidential election. The riots throughout the summer of 2020 were dismissed by Democrats as "peaceful protests." Democrats who reflexively shout "insurrection" when conservatives petition government for a redress of grievances can be expected, in the absence of a pledge to denounce post-Election Day 2024 rioting, not only to cheer on the rioters, but to blame the Republicans for the violence. For all the Biden administration's claims about having its open border now under control and the migrant surge over, the opposite seems to be the case. The migrants are still coming in big numbers, on air conditioned buses courtesy of U.S. taxpayers, and the only reason we don't quite see them is that the border has effectively been moved a thousand miles south, according to one reporter. Michael Yon, a veteran foreign correspondent, has been positioned in the Darien Gap, a jungly, impenetrable stretch of land linking Colombia and Panama, and he's seeing the migrants getting picked up by the U.S.-paid buses for safe, secure transport into the states, the asylum paperwork presumably done in advance: NOW buses filled with unvetted Aliens just departing jungle. Driving through a network largely funded by US taxpayers to invade United States. Most are military aged males. The men in these buses may be anywhere in America within 10-15 days. This is an invasion force pic.twitter.com/PKEuxTROEN Michael Yon Jungle (@Michael_Yon) June 4, 2023 Meanwhile, sources abroad are seeing actual increases in the numbers from the Darien Gap According to Financial Express, an Indian publication which is reporting a surge in Indian migration into the U.S.: The numbers of migrants crossing the Darien jungle, a deadly 66-mile journey on the route to Central America and the United States between Panama and Colombia, has been increasing. The data published by the Panama National Migration Service shows: in 2020 there were 6,465 migrants, a low figure reflecting the pandemic and its restrictions, but in 2021 it rose to 133,000, almost doubling in 2022 to 248,284 people, and in January-April 2023, it has reached to 127,000 migrants from various countries who risked crossing the Darien. To date, Venezuela, Haiti, Ecuador, China, and Colombia are the first five countries with alarming figures, followed by Chile and India. The latter, with more than 2,900 Indian nationals who decided to make this dangerous journey in 2023, a figure that represents more than 50 percent of the total for the year 2022, in which 4,094 people of Indian origin decided to make this risky journey, says Cristhian Salamanca Garcia, Hybrid Professional & Trade Promotion and Intercultural Management between India & Colombia. A 575-kilometer (357-mile) swath of dense jungle and swampland known as the Darien Gap separates Panama from Colombia. It is regarded as one of the worlds riskiest and most challenging migration routes.Many dangerous creatures, including jaguars, snakes, and venomous insects, may be found in the Darien Gap. Along with having steep slopes, dense forest, and quicksand, the terrain is also extremely difficult to navigate. It can get extremely humid and hot in the tropical rainforest. Rain is also probable, which could make it even harder to navigate the terrain. There is a risk of violence and robbery from criminal gangs in the Darien Gap because it is a well-known route for smuggling.However, thousands of migrants choose to travel this route in search of a better life, explains Sandeep Wasnik, Latin America Business and Investment adviser. Yon spoke with Emerald Robinson about the presence of apparently Chinese special forces among them, whose rite of initiation is to drink chicken blood: Chinese nationals are drinking raw chicken blood as they travel through South America and enter illegally into the United States.@Michael_Yon joined @EmeraldRobinson to detail this disturbing report. WATCH: pic.twitter.com/2ePfxbAGxo The Absolute Truth with @EmeraldRobinson (@AbsoluteWithE) June 5, 2023 He's not reporting out of thin air. His stories from down the coast mesh fairly well with that of reporters up the coast at the border itself. Border expert Todd Bensman reports that with the ending of Title 42, the immigrant flow is continuing as it had been before the end of the pandemic measure in May. During a major surge of mass illegal crossings from Juarez to El Paso last month, Mayorkas and senior CBP officials repeatedly vowed that the border was not open, and that cartel disinformation tricked the poor dupes into coming. But these three Venezuelans, and many others besides them, who I interviewed that same day were not mindless dupes. They told me they were going because friends and family had just crossed and were residing in Washington State or were authorized on the Texas side to take buses to New York. This Venezuelan man told me he was about to cross with his wife and child, not because a smuggler told him the border was open or because Mayorkas said it was closed, but because friends had crossed two days earlier. They reported back to him that they were now in Colorado and New Jersey. They [the Americans] let them in, he said. They get permits, immigration papers. These are not mere internet wives tales. At the McAllen, Texas bus station, for instance, I met countless immigrants who had crossed illegally and were not sent back under Title 42as sworn. Instead, they were released on their own recognizance to settle in interior America. They sent selfies of themselves thumbs-up on the bus or in plush Manhattan hotel rooms to everyone they know who had not yet crossed, advising them they could safely enter the United States. Bensman also reports for Fox News that Mexican and U.S. officials are coordinating the activity. Which would seem consistent with what Yon is reporting. This clearly sheds insight on how the border surge has continued in the same manner as before, except without the television cameras present to record the chaos. The Biden administration, as Bensman has noted in his reports, places keeping the television cameras away from its border surge operation as its highest priority, not stopping actual illegal immigration outside norman legal immigration channels. That we know from its restoration of the catch and release policy, which was to prevent pictures of crowded detention center photos, and then the more recent actions to move the asylum process to countries further south, as well as online through the CBPOne app, again, to prevent crowds being photographed at the border seeking to surge in. The problem of course, is that they are still surging in, and now public schools are reporting overcrowded conditions, blue city mayors are complaining about the cost of caring for tens of thousands of the third world's imported poor, and other unintended consequences are happening among those left holding the bag. What this remains is a cynical, lawless White House bid to import millions of foreigners into the U.S. illegally, secure in the presumption that they will always get in, and once in never be deported. That's a violation of Congress's constitutionally mandated role to set immigration quotas, and the Bidenites are doing it right under everyone's noses, now sneaking them in since they can't bring them in without those cameras. Image: Screen shot from Michael Yon video, posted on Twitter In Virginia's House of Delegates, "Elizabeth Guzman [has] announced that she would introduce a bill that would hold parents criminally liable for refusing to treat their children as the opposite sex if they identify as such." Criminally liable. Radical leftists are dead serious about this, and we would be foolish to underestimate their power and determination. It is already happening in Australia. Quote: "A recent Australian court decision sends a chilling message to parents who transgress the new gender orthodoxy: Refusing to validate a child's 'transgender' identity may be 'emotional abuse' and put parents at risk of losing custody of their child." The same sentiment of governmental authority over our children is already on the move in the United States. The concept is embodied in the title of Hillary Clinton's book, It Takes a Village. According to leftist ideology, however, the real meaning of that phrase was encapsulated by former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe. He said, "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach." Unsurprisingly, those words probably cost McAuliffe, and the Democrat party, the Virginia governorship. The voters, when given a choice, protect their children. The state of Florida has taken some important first steps along the correct road. It recognizes that parents, not the state, have the primary authority over the education of their children. The state will continue to fund its public school system, but state money, according to the concept, will not go directly to the schools. It will go to the parents of the student. The parents will have wide latitude in directing those funds, including to religious schools. The concept is in its early stages of implementation and, as with all such, is fraught with a potential for problems. Leftists are seizing on that. They ask, what about home-schooling parents? How will they allocate the money? Worse yet, what if they teach their children to be racists? Whatever the problems with the Florida education law, they will surely pale in comparison to the "drag queen story hour" model that the left has already been practicing. More importantly, the Florida policy is among the first strong rejections of the leftist dream of forcing you to hand over your children, under their concept of "we know better than you do what is good for your child, so do not ask questions." Leftists have openly stated that parents have no right to even know what their children are being taught. It is encouraging to see that conservative parents are fighting back, and doing so effectively, even at what is sometimes a great cost to themselves. We on the right are fighting, not for some theoretical idea, but for the one cause for which we will never surrender: our children. The instinct to protect them is greater even than that of self-preservation. The social left apparently does not know it, but it has finally gone a bridge too far. Image: Aizbah Khan. Spiked! is a magazine I like, and Joel Kotkin is an ace writer. But in his observance about what's going on in Africa for Spiked magazine, he got the framing of one fact a tad off-kilter: The Western democracies appear united in their support for Ukraine, but they may also be losing the bigger, more consequential battle for the loyalties of the developing world. Virtually no developing country including democracies like India, Brazil, Nigeria and South Africa has chosen to take steps opposing Russias aggression (in fact, South Africa may have joined Iran in sending weapons to Moscow). This is a stark reflection of the Wests waning influence. The West is losing not because the developing world wants to genuflect to Vladimir Putin, or to his liege lord, Xi Jinping. Instead, we are seeing a growing disconnect between Western values, including on critical issues like food and energy production, and the needs of developing countries, many of which have struggled since the pandemic. All true. What's more, greenie hokum is identified as a principal culprit: Its not that Africans are indifferent to their environment. It is simply that, as Nigerian vice-president Yemi Osinbajo has noted: No country in the world has been able to industrialise using renewable energy. Banning fossil fuels just means that developing countries will struggle to follow in the footsteps of the developed world, notably those in East Asia. Fundamentally, the green movement represents the worldview of rich-nation elites who now feel able to pivot towards expensive alternatives. In contrast, India, the most important and potentially powerful developing country after China, has made no secret that it plans to develop coal and other fossil fuels as part of its drive to industrialise. The West expects the rest of the world to implement green-energy requirements through various mechanisms and channels such as development aid, financial support, bilateral and multilateral agreements, and investments tied to ESG (environmental, social and governance) requirements. However, what is ignored by these rich nations is that climate change is not considered a pressing issue by Africans. According to polling conducted by Afrobarometer, a pan-African research network, the most pressing issues facing Africa are unemployment, health and education. In other words, as Kotkin and his co-author, Bheki Mahlobo, observe, these countries need growth. They don't need greenie virtue-signaling. They don't need lectures, and they certainly don't need development aid. It's growth or beat it. That's where a lot of us here in the West would question this detail of the thesis. Is greenie energy really what most of us in the West want? The greenie idea, propagated by billionaires in their private jets and globalist bureaucrats at their multilateral conferences, may be coming from the West, but they're a wealthy elite subset of the West, along with their allies in universities, among suburban women, and among ignorant young people. They're all enamored of these nonsensical ideas, some of which, ironically, originate from third-world intellectuals who hate the West. These characters who blame and hate the West for their own failures can be found by the dozens in the writings of V.S. Naipaul, who couldn't stand these leftists either. For years, they've been saying that the West is an exploiter, the West must stop growing, the West must pay reparations, the West must go green to restore paradise, and other Rousseauvian drivel. The rest of us in the West loathe these ideas as much as the Africans do, and we are the West, too -- the part of the West that like the West, that embodies the West, that holds the West as a desirable ideal. We may not have significant power now, but that may change. President Trump embodied this no-apologies love for the West, and these voters embraced it. The West was built on economic growth, and most of us in that camp would like to keep the growth coming because it works, and something that ain't broke shouldn't be fixed. Those who promote greenism either take economic growth for granted or don't know where growth comes from. Like Joe Biden, they think we can shrivel our way to prosperity through virtue-signaling green. Africans see right through that from living on the sharp end, and seeing how nightmares like Sri Lanka's collapse happened under the globalist thumb, and it's no surprise that they say 'no.' Kotkin and Mahlobo see a connection between the greenie agenda foisted onto the developing world by Western elites, and the developing world's willingness to oppose the entire West, which has merit: These factors have underpinned the developing worlds reluctance to embrace the Ukrainian cause. As the West puffs up its collective chest, China, an emerging financial as well as trade giant, has become Africas largest trading partner as well as its leading creditor. Russia has strengthened its trade relations with African countries through energy partnerships (including on nuclear power), military cooperation and technology transfers. But the growing divergence between the developing world and the rich West also extends beyond just economics. Many ideals that have recently taken hold in the Western world will likely lead Africa, India and other developing countries to seek other partners. This includes such things as the rise of wokeness and an increasingly disdainful view of traditional values. They are spot on as to the origins of the problem, too: In a recent survey of cultural attitudes, it turns out that Protestant Europe is the most secular and modern part of the world, followed by Catholic Europe and the English-speaking world. The West functions economically as an empire, but seems to detest its own culture and heritage. This has made it harder to defend those Western values which really are worth propagating such as democracy, free speech, racial equality and sexual freedom. On the other end, the most traditionalist countries are located in Africa, the Islamic world and even Orthodox Europe, reflecting Russias imprint. In much of the world, Western liberal values seem sadly out of place. In some places they are outright resented, such as in countries like Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, among others, where homosexuality is outlawed. But what they call the West may not be the West, at least not all of it. If Western elites hate the West, well, then they aren't the West in any true sense. They are just globalist creeps. Africans are rejecting that bunch, but in their embrace of growth, they are actually embracing the West. The MAGA movement succeeded and may still succeed in the U.S. based on its love for the West. Once its power is secured, there's a high likelihood that Africa will embrace the West, as it did when President Trump was president, too. Trump was all about making America great again, but the message resounded throughout the developing world from it that it was their job to make their countries great again, too. Trump never had a problem with other countries for embracing authentic, non-Sorosian, non-greenie Western values -- he often praised them. When he took America on its pro-growth path, accompanied by zero apologies for embracing Western values, he truly embraced the West, and the rest of the world came with him. The same will happen naturally should Trump become president again. It's not Western values that the developing world, including Africa, is rejecting, it's just the deviant Soros version of Western values. Those distorted West-hating values are as loathed here as they are in Africa. Image: Hush Hush, via Flickr // CC BY 2.0 (Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) The US and UK Navy rescued a ship from Iran's Revolutionary Guard "harassment" in the Strait of Hormuz. (not the actual photo) The US Navy announced on Monday that its personnel and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom aided a ship in the vital Strait of Hormuz after Iran's Revolutionary Guard "harassed" it. On Sunday afternoon, three fast-attack Guard vessels carrying armed personnel approached the merchant ship from close range, according to a statement from the US Navy. It provided black-and-white images that it claimed originated from a US Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon flying overhead and showed three small ships near the commercial ship. US, UK Navies Say They Respond to Distress Call The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul and the Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster launched a helicopter in response to the incident. The commercial vessel continued traversing the Strait of Hormuz incident-free, ABC News reported. Twenty percent of the world's crude passes through the constricted mouth of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz. The Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venture changed course erratically as it traveled through the strait at the time of the incident, according to ship-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press from MarineTraffic.com. The Navy did not identify the vessel involved. Its location matched incident details provided by United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military operation supervising regional traffic. The vessel resembled the Navy's released photographs. Trust Bulkers of Athens, Greece, the ship's registered manager, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Iranian state media and Revolutionary Guard did not acknowledge the incident immediately. The mission of Iran to the United Nations did not respond promptly to a request for comment. This latest incident follows a string of maritime incidents involving Iran since the United States unilaterally withdrew from Tehran's nuclear agreement with world powers in 2018. Per Aljazeera, the US is believed to have confiscated the tanker Suez Rajan, which is affiliated to a US private equity firm and was carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil off the coast of Singapore. According to ship-tracking data analyzed by the Associated Press, the Suez Rajan is currently located off the coast of Galveston, Texas, despite the fact that authorities have not confirmed the ship's seizure. Read Also: Russia Claims It Repelled Large-Scale Ukraine Attack, Kills Hundreds US-Iran Relationship In May, Iran also confiscated the Panamanian-flagged tanker Niovi as it departed a dry berth in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, en route to Fujairah in the eastern United Arab Emirates. The Niovi received oil from a vessel known as the Oman Pride in July of 2020, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data obtained by the Associated Press. In August of 2021, the US Treasury sanctioned the Oman Pride and others associated with it for "participating in an international oil smuggling network" that supported the Quds Force, the expeditionary element of the Guard that operates in the Middle East. According to Times of Israel, cargo transported by the Niovi was illegally sold to Chinese companies. Recent seizures have increased pressure on the United States, which has long been the security guarantee for Gulf Arab nations. The United Arab Emirates asserted last week that it "withdrew its participation" from the Combined Maritime Forces, a joint naval command, whereas the United States Navy stated that it was still a member of the group. Meanwhile, the US military's Central Command announced on Saturday that its commander visited the region, met with the Emirati leader, and "discussed shared regional security concerns as well as US and UAE security partnerships." The commanders of the US, British, and French navies stationed in the Middle East transited the Strait of Hormuz on a US warship last month, demonstrating their coordinated efforts to keep the vital waterway open after Tehran commandeered two oil tankers. Related Article: Chinese Warship Nearly Collide With US Navy Destroyer; China Defends Actions, Accuses Washington of 'Provocation' @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Given that Biden continues his public pre-death decomposition, while Kamala's every utterance reaffirms that she is profoundly stupid and kind of weird, it's small wonder that Democrats are turning to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK Jr.) as a possible savior. Moreover, given his firm anti-vax stance during the peak of COVID madness, some conservatives get a warm glow when they think about him. However, it's important to remember that RFK Jr. willingly pals around with virulent antisemites, is an anti-vax fanatic, and is a climate change authoritarian. He is, in other words, dangerous. On Sunday, Jack Dorsey, who founded Twitter and then allowed it to be turned into a Deep State/Democrat party censorship machine, endorsed RFK Jr.: He can and will https://t.co/zrKLc2BKhz jack (@jack) June 4, 2023 Contrary to Dorsey's wishes, it will be much better for America if RFK Jr. can't and won't. For starters, RFK Jr. openly embraces virulent antisemites. Before I get to the facts, let me address a couple of things about politicians and bad people. First, bad people will embrace even good politicians. In other words, even serial killers vote, but the fact that they choose a political candidate does not mean that the political candidate has chosen them. Second, politicians often deal with unsavory people out of necessity, because they have the same goals, or because "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." For example, America has long had a relationship with the Saudis because Iran is their common enemy. Having said that, there are some people with whom no individual politician should be dealing. Two of those people are the Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan and rock musician Roger Waters, both of whom are antisemites so virulent that they would fit comfortably into the top ranks of Hitler's advisers. That hasn't stopped RFK Jr., though. Less than two weeks ago, RFK Jr. issued a fawning (and now deleted) tweet aimed at Roger Waters: This is the fawning tweet to racist and antisemite Roger Waters that @RobertKennedyJr has now deleted. But he also deleted his quasi non-apology as well. Dont worry Robert, screenshots are forever and we will remember which side you took! pic.twitter.com/0WOq0bOp9b Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) May 29, 2023 Hit by a wave of disapproval, RFK Jr. tried to walk back his tweet by saying he was only supporting Waters's COVID dissent and love for Ukraine, that he (RFK Jr.) supports a two-solution between Israel and the (genocidal) Palestinians, and that he had no idea Waters was a virulent antisemite. Uh-huh. In fact, at the time that RJK Jr. tweeted his love for Waters, writes Jonathan S. Tobin, Waters was being assailed by critics for a performance in Germany, of all places, where he added images of Anne Frank and dressed in a black costume with red armbands that while reminiscent of his "The Wall" days looked very much like an SS uniform. The Pink Floyd star has long been known for peddling conspiracies involving fictional Israeli crimes against humanity and his hostility to Jews, even as he denies being an antisemite. Not to mention employing antisemitic imagery in his past shows, such as flying a pig balloon with a Star of David. But his new tour, launched in Berlin, in which he compares Frank to Palestinians allegedly killed by Israel and fires a fake gun, made headlines around the world and caused a new round of denunciations for his offensive conduct. Tobin also notes as ironic the fact that RFK Jr.'s father was a strong Israel-supporter, which is why Sirhan Sirhan, an Arab, murdered him. RFK Jr. has also embraced Louis Farrakhan, who has called Jews "satanic" and compared them to termites. The two men have made common cause over vaccines, something they did before COVID came along. Robert Kennedy Jr. met with me about a vaccine that is designed to affect Black males [VIDEO] http://t.co/vIBozDkOo4 pic.twitter.com/OKoFgNg9cj THE HONORABLE MINISTER LOUIS FARRAKHAN (@LouisFarrakhan) June 27, 2015 For RFK Jr., a long-time crusader against any vaccines, not just COVID vaccines, there is no one beyond the pale, no matter how evil that person's ideas may be. It's also worth noting that RFK Jr. didn't oppose the COVID vaccine because of government overreach. That is, he wasn't put off by Biden's authoritarianism. Instead, he just hates vaccines...all vaccines. That's an ignorant and indiscriminate viewpoint because the classic vaccines are why we don't see real pandemics with 20% mortality rates (smallpox), children with permanently damaged hearts (measles), or sterilized little boys (mumps). RFK Jr. made common cause with conservatives but not because he's conservative. And indeed, given the chance, RFK Jr. would probably embrace a totalitarian style of government. For a very long time now, he's openly expressed a yearning for the power to silence anyone who disagrees with him: Here he is in a September 2014 interview, for example, arguing that billionaire industrialists/philanthropists/political donors Charles Koch and his then-still-alive brother David Koch (both of whom donated to the Reason Foundation over the years) "should be in jail ... enjoying three hots and a cot at The Hague with all the other war criminals" and that politicians who agree with the Kochs about global warming are "contemptible human beings" of whom he "wish[ed] that there was a law that you can punish them under": After this lock-'em-up interview drew criticism (including from National Review's Charles C.W. Cooke, who described it as "a sure sign of mental imbalance, and a gold-leafed invitation to be quietly excluded from polite society"), Kennedy came out with a clarification removing from his prosecutorial crosshairs most of the individual "climate-deniers," but stressing that "corporations which deliberately, purposefully, maliciously and systematically sponsor climate lies should be given the death penalty." (You really need to read Matt Welch's entire article to get a fuller sense of just how tyrannical RFK Jr. wants to be.) In other words, Kennedy is neither a nice nor a good man. He's an authoritarian, antisemitic crackpot. No conservative should want to fall into this man's political parade. Image from Twitter. For decades, we have been getting predictions that humans and our use of natural resources are destroying the oceans and species at a rapid rate. Humans are destroying our oceans at an unprecedented rate. Eighty percent of fisheries are overfished or outright collapsing. More than 5 trillion pieces of plastic inhabit our oceans. The coral reefs are dying, jeopardizing the stability of 1 million species that rely on the reefs for habitat. Aug 25, 2022 But the predictions aren't coming true. Source. Here is a story that we don't see on the nightly news, from the U.N., from educators, from entertainers, from John Kerry, Bill Gates, Al Gore, Joe Biden, or anyone pushing the radical green agenda to destroy our economy. In 2022, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) reported the highest levels of coral cover across two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in over 36 years. After recent massive bleaching events impacted nearly 90% of Australias corals, it seems that anyone could see this news as a victory. So, why arent scientists celebrating? (source) The Australian Great Barrier Reef has made a rapid recovery, and it did it cyclically and naturally. We did not stop using coal, oil, cars, or anything else we are told caused the damage. We did not stop breathing out CO2, and we didn't bury all the carbon. Species are not only not being destroyed rapidly by humans and our use of natural resources. Scientists are actually finding many more new species than the number that they have identified as going extinct, so why don't they tell the truth? The answer is that it doesn't support their destructive agenda, and the truth would not allow the government to infect the public and get them to capitulate. A new analysis of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast mineral-rich area in the Pacific Ocean, estimates there are some 5,000 sea animals completely new to science there. The research published Thursday in the journal Current Biology is the latest sign that underwater extraction may come at a cost to a diverse array of life we are only beginning to understand. "This study really highlights how off the charts this section of our planet and this section of our ocean is in terms of how much new life there is down there," said Douglas McCauley, an ocean science professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara who was not involved in the study. (source) In the last 500 years, human activity is known to have forced 869 species to extinction, not thousands per year, as we are told; it is less than two per year, which would scare no one. So why have the predictions on everything about the climate been so wrong? Because they are made up instead of being based on actual scientific data. Why do scientists go along? Follow the money. If they disagree with the agenda, their grants will be cut off, and they will get fired. Government policies should be based on facts, not predictions or desires. People should always do their own research because almost everything they read or hear is based on an agenda, not facts. Instead of the media seeking to inform the public, most of them seek to indoctrinate the public. The James Beard awards are considered the Oscars of the foodie world, and given that they are judged by journalists instead of other chefs, that has opened the door to political correctness taking precedence over how the food tastes. According to Axios: The James Beard Foundation's Restaurant and Chef Awards will kick off Monday night in Chicago amid a whiff of controversy over the enforcement of ethics policies. Driving the news: Recent stories in the New York Times and Eater have spotlighted at least two nominated chefs who were investigated after the foundation received reports of ethics violations, including yelling at staff and patrons. One of the chefs, Timothy Hontzas of Johnny's in Homewood, Alabama, says he was disqualified after an ethics review. The foundation declined to comment on specific investigations, which they say are kept confidential for privacy reasons. Hontzas's sin? He's a crabby old chef who yells at people a lot and throws plates. Never mind about the food, not even on the matter of whether it was locally sourced and certified 100% organic. Just the fact that he's a cranky old guy who cooks well enough to be a finalist in the prestigious culinary awards simply isn't as important as his God-awful personality, so no award for him. Imagine if those "niceness" standards were applied to Hollywood actors or fine artists. Nobody would qualify for another award again. The problem is magnified with the ways the Beard Foundation uses to vet its chefs for fitness for the award. According to the New York Times: The chef Sam Fore received an ominous voice mail message this month from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as a private investigator working for the James Beard Foundation. Later that day, Ms. Fore found herself on a Zoom call, answering questions from him and another man. "They said to me, 'We have an anonymous complaint we have to ask you about,'" she said. Ms. Fore is a finalist in the James Beard awards, which for nearly three decades have been considered the most prestigious culinary honors in the United States, the so-called "Oscars of the food world." ... In what she called "an interrogation," the investigators asked her about social media posts she had made on both private and public accounts. Someone had sent them to the foundation through an anonymous tip line on its website. The men told Ms. Fore that the posts potentially violated the organization's code of ethics specifically that they amounted to "targeted harassment" and "bullying." ... "I realize that my [diversity] presence is a good look for Beard, but I cooked my way across the country to get to this level," she said. "Now all I've done can be dismissed because someone on the internet called me a bully?" That sounds pretty creepy. The personalities of the chefs are now being investigated, by actual private investigators, instead of the actual food. The Times noted that it came about because of #metoo concerns. But instead of focusing on just sex harassment, which is immaterial to whether or not someone is good at cooking food, actually, the enterprise has spiraled into a Mao-like struggle session, covering all matters of what the left views as civility, including whether a bad tweet was sent or a chef was rude to the waitress. And like any Stasi police state, it involves secret informants whispering to the ruling class in charge of this award. Imagine the potential for knocking out rivals this system has. Ironically, the minority chefs who focus on non-French-derived cuisine, noted in the case of Fore, who is of Sri Lankan origin, are often the targets. Eater mentions that there were other minority chefs, too. What a pretty picture that has become. Cooking is an art, and there are going to be artistic temperaments. Some of the world's greatest fine artists, in fact, have had some of the world's worst personalities. Pablo Picasso was a complete pig around women. Let's not even get started about what Caravaggio was like, constantly getting into fights, crime, and dishonest activity. Their art speaks for itself. As for the bad personalities of some, well, markets have ways of sorting this out that the Beard Foundation does not. If chefs are complete nightmares to their staffs, they won't be able to get good help. Workers always weigh whether working for a fancy chef is worth putting up with his bad personality and make their judgments about whether to work for him or some other guy accordingly. For the public, it's always about the product. The fact that the public forgave Martha Stewart for her stock trading violations, which sent her to prison, and the fact that the voters ignored issues with President Trump's personality pretty well tell us that for ordinary people, the product is all that matters. Martha Stewart's extraordinary excellence in homemaking is what consumers care about, and they sure as heck weren't going to give that up based on some rigged prosecution. In the same way, Donald Trump's record as president, bringing prosperity to millions, mattered a hell of a lot more to voters than some mean tweet. One wonders what the great chef James Beard, who was the father of Northwestern cuisine and whose simplicity of technique, focusing on cooking the most perfect steak from no ingredients other than the steak, would think of what the foundation bearing his name has become. Beard was focused on excellence, and only excellence, and nothing else. I doubt he would have cared what other chefs' personalities were like. If these awards are to mean anything, they've got to focus solely on who's the best chef and whose cuisine is the finest in the land, not which chef has the best personality, which can only bring about the gladhanders with the best public relations skills. Is that the way to find out who has the best food? That's the creepy corporatization of cuisine and utterly useless to the audience watching these awards, trying to learn which restaurant will be the next one to try and appreciate. The Times notes that the Foundation's revenues went from $5 million in 2010 to $18 million in 2020, which pretty well says "corporate" all over it. With corporatization come corporate values, including the need for cookie-cutter corporate men with just the right uniform social attitudes, which doesn't favor the wild innovators who often become the top chefs. Now that they have gone that way, the only thing the audience will ask about this awards ceremony today is whether the chef who won the award got it because he was a nice guy or because he was really the best cook. If the Beard Foundation absolutely wanted to stick with this, they ought to put out a chef with the best personality award instead of contaminate the cuisine awards by forcing chefs to pass some kind of niceness muster. What matters is excellence, and this is a hideous new wokesterly assault on excellence. Image: Cullen328 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Ukraine's President Zelensky apparently expects his bread will best be buttered by the anti-Trump cabal. How else to explain his attack on the former president, expressing fear of his re-election? Asked how he felt about Donald Trump, Zelensky admitted that he was more comfortable with dealing with Biden and that the return of a Republican-led government could end up being difficult for his war effort. "President Biden is the president during a full-scale war and he has been more helpful to us than President Trump," Zelensky told the interviewer, qualifying the statement by noting that there "was no full-scale war" going on while Trump was in office. Zelensky, in a rarely seen coat and tie for his presidential inauguration in 2019 (Ukrainan government photo). Zelensky must have been turned by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who, in September 2019, warned him to stay away from President Trump and not interfere in American politics. (Murphy, back then, pushed for impeachment based on the once-classified Trump-Zelensky phone chat, forced into the open by Lt. Col. Vindman, the weasel.) But that warning clearly meant: don't help Trump against Biden; feel free to join us in undermining Trump, as President Obama helped undermine your former president Viktor Yanukovych. The hypocrisy is nauseating. Compare Zelensky's palsy-walsy tone suggested by the transcript of his phone chat with President Trump that the anti-Trump insurrectionists used for impeachment. Note that President Trump was justified to ask Zelensky's help in exposing the Biden family's corrupt practices in Ukraine. One of the worst radiation accident in North America took place in the city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in 1984. Although the incident is relatively unknown, it has been called a hundred times more intense than the 1979 Three Mile Island accident. It began in 1983 when Vicente Sotelo, a technician working at a city hospital, went into a general warehouse to pick up some supplies. The hospital rented space at the warehouse and used it to keep unused equipment and other stuff. Among the things Sotelo picked up that day was a cylinder containing highly radioactive cobalt-60 in the form of small pellets. The cylinder was part of a radiotherapy unit the hospital had purchased six years earlier but it wasnt put to use. The hospital failed to notify the regulatory authority about the purchase which was required by law. It also did not monitor the status of the unit. Sotelo, unaware of the nature of the metal cylinder, loaded the radiotherapy unit into a pick-up truck and drove to a scrapyard intending to sell it. However, before arriving at the scrapyard, he attempted to pick apart the cylinder causing the radioactive pellets to spill onto the bed of the vehicle. Credit: freestockcenter Upon his return from the junkyard, the truck suffered mechanical failure and remained parked near his home for 40 days. After this time, the truck was moved to a different street where it stayed parked for a further ten days. Meanwhile, at the junkyard, when the cranes moved the cylinder together with other pieces of metal, the cobalt-60 pellets were spread all over the scrapyard mixing in with other metals. This radioactive scrap was sent to two foundries where they were melted and rebars for construction and metal table frames were manufactured out of the contaminated material. By January 1984, less than a month after the incident, these materials were already exported to the United States and the interior of Mexico. On January 16, a truck loaded with rebar accidentally passed too close to the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, causing the radiation detector at the laboratory to record a sharp spike. Upon investigating, authorities realized the source of the radiation was the trucks cargo. Mexico's National Commission on Nuclear Safety and Safeguards (CNSNS) was notified, which confirmed that a radioactive spill had occurred and ordered the foundries to suspend the distribution of manufactured rebar. The junkyard was also shut down. Similar accidents: The Goiania Radiological Accident The Radiological Incident in Lia, Georgia When CNSNS scanned Sotelos abandoned truck it was found emitting deadly radiation levels of up to a thousand roentgens per hour. The truck had remained parked close to two homes, and children regularly played upon it. Further investigation revealed that in addition to the junkyard, and the two foundries, three other companies had received contaminated material. Out of this material, some 30,000 table bases and 6,600 tons of rebar was made. CNSNS managed to recover 2,360 tons of unused rebar. The rest was already used in construction. Authorities identified 17,000 buildings that were built with contaminated rebar, and determined that some 800 structures would need to be demolished due to unacceptable levels of radiation. CNSNS also managed to recover all of the 30,000 contaminated table bases, in addition to about 90 percent of the thousand tons of contaminated rebar that had been exported to the United States. About a thousand ton of contaminated rebar still remained unaccounted for. The accident proved to be costly to Mexico. However, the individuals who were most directly exposed to the radioactive cobalt may have suffered the greatest toll. According to some estimate, about 4,000 people got exposed with about 80 people receiving doses greater than 25 rems. Of these, five people received a dose between 300 and 700 rems over a period of two months. Chronic doses above 20 rem increase the risk of cancer, while acute doses of 500 rem kill half of those affected without medical treatment. Fortunately, there were no deaths from this incident. Sotelo was dismissed from his job; the clinic claimed that he was not authorized to take the radiotherapy unit to the junkyard. Sotelo shrugged it off. We're still alive, he told The New York Times. Maybe the doctors exaggerated the danger. As ChatGPT goes on a record-breaking run, Google Bard is slowly catching up to it. After a host of updates in May, Google began June by giving its generative AI tool access to your precise location (with your permission) so it could provide more accurate local results. Now, the company is readying several new features for the tool. Google Bard will save your chat history and let you upload files According to reputed app researcher Jane Manchun Wong, who has an excellent track record of finding unreleased or in-development features, Google Bard will soon gain support for chat history. The service currently doesnt retain your previous queries on the website itself. You can only check your Bard activity through your Google account. Even then, you can only see your queries but not Bards responses. ChatGPT, on the other hand, keeps your chat history readily accessible on the website and lets you jump to it with a single click. Additionally, Google will let you rephrase Bards responses according to specific tones. Wong says youll be able to make the responses more formal, more casual, funnier, shorter, or longer. It appears these options will reside within a new button in the bottom toolbar where you currently find buttons to like/dislike a response or Google your query for more results. Microsoft has added a similar function to its ChatGPT-powered Bing AI chatbot on its SwiftKey keyboard app. It lets you refine any text in Professional, Social Post, Casual, and Polite tones. The same toolbar will seemingly contain a button to share a file with Bard. You can upload a file directly from your computer or pull one up from Google Drive. Last but not least, Google is readying text-to-speech support for Bard. Once available, you will be able to convert Bards text responses to audio. ChatGPT doesnt have these abilities, though OpenAI could be working on new updates for the tool. These new Bard features are still in development too. Its unclear when Google plans to roll them out. We will let you know when we have more information. Advertisement The most recent update for Bard allows it to request access to your precise location. Google says this will enable the service to give your more accurate results when searching for restaurants or other points of interest nearby. Currently, Bard uses the location details from your places (home or work addresses) or IP addresses. Googles AI tool is available in English, Japanese, and Korean languages in more than 180 countries and territories. According to a local education official, two different incidents occurred at primary schools in northern Afghanistan, resulting in approximately 80 girls being poisoned and hospitalized. It is thought to be the first time this kind of assault has happened since the Taliban swept to power in August 2021 and began their crackdown on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls, according to The Guardian. Females are not allowed to continue their studies after completing sixth grade, including college or university. Additionally, they cannot work in many professions or access public areas. According to Mohammad Rahmani, the head of the education department in the province, there were poisoning incidents in the Sangcharak district. Specifically, 60 students were affected in Naswan-e-Kabod Aab school and 17 others in Naswan-e-Faizabad school. The two primary schools located near each other were attacked consecutively. The students were quickly transported to the hospital and are reported to be in good condition now. According to Rahmani, the department is still investigating, but the initial findings suggest that an individual who held a grudge hired someone else to execute the attacks. Rahmani did not provide any details about how the girls were poisoned or the severity of their injuries. Although he did not disclose their ages, he stated they were in the first to sixth grades. Read also: UN Chief Urges Taliban To Lift Ban on Female Staff Working at Global Agency A Series of Poisonings Iran has experienced a series of poisonings, particularly in schools for girls, since November last year. Numerous students reported feeling ill due to harmful gases. However, no information has been disclosed about the culprits or the substances involved in these incidents. The repeated attacks on schools in Iran have raised concerns among parents and educators alike. Many are worried about the safety of their children while they attend school, especially since it appears that these incidents are being carried out intentionally by individuals with malicious intent. Authorities in Iran have promised to take action against those responsible for the recent poisonings, but many people remain skeptical, given how little information has been released so far. Some worry that there may be more attacks in the future unless something is done to address this issue quickly. Meanwhile, students affected by these poisonous substances continue to recover from their injuries. While some suffered only minor symptoms such as headaches or nausea, others required hospitalization and prolonged medical treatment. This ongoing crisis highlights the importance of prioritizing student safety above all else - regardless of political or ideological differences between different societal groups. The well-being of young people must always come first if we want our communities to thrive over time without fear or violence plaguing our daily lives unnecessarily. Related article: China, Iran Urge Afghanistan To End Restrictions for Women To Work, Study @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Semiconductor firms Samsung and Intel are reaping the fruits of their investment in Dutch chip equipment supplier ASML. Their investment values have reportedly grown 17-fold over the past few months, buoyed by a sooner-than-expected chip industry recovery. TSMC also brought ASML shares alongside Samsung and Intel back in 2012, but the Taiwanese firm sold off its entire stake in the company in 2015. Samsung and Intel held onto their ASML investment ASML (originally standing for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography) is one of the biggest names in the semiconductor industry. It doesnt make chips but supplies the equipment required for manufacturing chips. Based in Veldhoven, Netherlands, the company is one of the best and biggest in the business. In fact, it is the worlds only supplier of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines used to manufacture the most advanced chips. However, ASML hasnt always been at the top of its game. Just over a decade back, it required investment from its customers to keep its business operations and R&D projects going. Samsung, Intel, and TSMC offered help. They bought a three percent, fifteen percent, and five percent stake in ASML, respectively, between August and September 2012. This equity sale provided the Dutch company with enough funds to run its business. In January 2015, TSMC announced that it is selling all of its ASML shares. Samsung followed by selling a 1.4 percent stake in the company in September 2016, keeping the remaining 1.6 percent stake. Intel also cut its stake in ASML to 4.9 percent in late 2017, followed by another cut in 2018 to reduce its stake to under three percent. There havent been any reports of further share cuts from Samsung and Intel. Advertisement It proved to be a great move from the two semiconductor companies. ASMLs monopoly over EUV machines means its now one of the hottest prospects of the industry as we move towards sub-3nm chips. Despite an economic slowdown, ASMLs share prices on the New York-based stock exchange have risen 15.9% to $724.65 over the past three months (via). The companys shares hit a one-year high of $735.93 on May 26. With stocks flying high, ASML investors are reaping great profits. Early investors like Samsung and Intel are getting a 17-fold return on their investment at current prices. Samsungs investment value in the Dutch firm has risen to $4.56 billion. Of course, these are unrealized gains unless the companies sell off their stock, which they are unlikely to. But it shows the value ASML has in the semiconductor market today. Samsung may begin public beta testing of Android 14-based One UI 6.0 earlier than expected. According to the South Korean blog Naver, the Korean firm is planning to launch the beta program for the Galaxy S23 series in mid-July. One UI 5.0 beta debuted in the first week of August last year, while One UI 4.0 beta debuted before it arrived in mid-September. If the development doesnt hit a roadblock, the latest iteration of Samsungs custom Android software would debut in the beta channel 2-3 weeks earlier than last year. Perhaps its a testament to the companys impressive speed with software updates in recent years. The Korean behemoth, which probably sells more Android devices than any other company, is often the first to release monthly security patches. It also outpaces most other brands in major Android updates. On top of this, Samsung pushes these major updates for four years to a host of devices, more than any other brand. It appears the worlds biggest smartphone vendor is gearing up to take its software update game up a notch this year. Samsung has been internally testing One UI 6.0 for the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4 for a few weeks now. Advertisement It also recently started updating first-party Android apps with support for the new One UI version. If everything goes as planned, the company may roll out the stable One UI 6.0 update for its latest flagships in early October, or at least by mid-October. Last year, Samsung began the stable One UI 5.0 update in late October. One UI 6.0s new features are still under wraps Not much is known about the new features that Samsung will push to Galaxy devices with One UI 6.0. As said earlier, its currently testing the new version internally. It hasnt allowed the public access to the upcoming big update yet. Since its based on Android 14, most of the features added by Google should make it into One UI 6.0. Those include improved handling of background apps, app pairs for faster multitasking, partial screen recording, easier transferring of content between apps, and improved lockscreen customizations. Android 14 may also finally bring an iPhone-like battery health feature to Android devices. New APIs added to Googles Android 14 Beta 2 can pull up detailed battery stats, including the estimated percentage of the original capacity and charging cycle count. Advertisement Its unclear if Google will offer this feature baked into the system Settings app or let OEMs and developers come up with their custom solutions. We will let you know once we have more information about this feature and Samsungs One UI 6.0 plans. A well-known tipster, Ice Universe, seems to be quite excited about the Xiaomi 14 Pro. The tipster shared a render that is based on the actual design of the phone last month. Now, hes back with another one. This Xiaomi 14 Pro render shows its razor-thin bezels, which are also uniform. The Xiaomi 14 Pro appears yet again with razor-thin bezels, which are also uniform You can see the device in the image provided above the article. This is not an actual leak of the phone, but the tipster seems to be convinced this is what itll look like. The measurements may not be entirely accurate but the bezels and the overall shape probably are. Its display does seem to be a bit curved, which is not surprising. The bezels are really thin, and as already mentioned, uniform, which is always nice to see. Thats not something we see often on Android smartphones, but the Xiaomi 13 (regular model) offered them too. The phone does include a display camera hole, which is centered at the top. All the physical buttons sit on the right-hand side of the phone. The corners of the device are rounded, and the same goes for the display corners. Advertisement The Xiaomi 14 series will most likely arrive in December this year, as the Xiaomi 13 series arrived in mid-December last year. Do note that were talking about the launch event in China. The global models are expected in Q1 2024. The device will be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC Having said that, the Xiaomi 14 Pro will almost certainly be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. That chip will become official towards the end of the year, and the Xiaomi 14 series may be the first to include it. A 5,000mAh battery is also rumored for the Xiaomi 14 Pro. The same goes for 120W wired charging, and 50W wireless charging. Now, the phone is also tipped to retain a 1-inch camera sensor from the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Ultra. Thats basically everything we know about the phone thus far. The Leica partnership will continue as well, so you can expect Leicas lenses, and camera influence altogether, as is the case with the current-gen models. The chairwoman of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is expected to respond for the first time to a High Court challenge of her request for Boris Johnsons unredacted WhatsApp messages. Baroness Heather Hallett is due to hold a preliminary inquiry hearing on Tuesday in which she is set to address ministers decision to bring forward a judicial review. The retired senior judges deadline for the UK Government to hand over the former prime ministers WhatsApp messages and notebooks in an unredacted format was missed by the Cabinet Office last week, with ministers instead announcing plans to challenge the request in the courts. Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin looked to defend the move in the Commons on Monday, telling MPs that the High Court case would mean it was lawyers and not politicians who would decide what is and what is not relevant information for the inquiry. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has refused to comment on the row over Mr Johnsons messages. It wouldnt be appropriate for me to comment on this ongoing legal process, Mr Sunak told The Daily Telegraph. Mr Quin told MPs that he expected judges to hear the Governments judicial review very soon, with a hearing on or shortly after June 30. He denied accusations of a cover-up, saying that all Government correspondence relating to the handling of the coronavirus pandemic would be made transparently available to Lady Halletts investigation. But he repeated the Cabinet Offices argument that the inquiry, in its request for Mr Johnsons unredacted WhatsApp correspondence and written notes, was asking for information ministers deemed to be unambiguously irrelevant and that had nothing to do with Covid decision-making. Conservative MPs criticised the Governments position, however, arguing it should be for Lady Hallett to decide what was relevant to her investigation. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would not be drawn on the matter of Boris Johnsons WhatsApp messages (Yui Mok/PA) Veteran MP Sir Edward Leigh said: Let them have what they want and lets get to the truth. Elkan Abrahamson, a solicitor representing the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group at the inquiry, said the only logical response if chairwoman Lady Hallett does not get access to the material is for her to step down because she cant properly do her job. During Tuesdays preliminary hearing, Lady Hallett is due to focus on Module 2 of the inquiry, which will look into core political and administrative decision making by the UK Government. Preliminary hearings are for consideration of how the investigation should be run rather than taking evidence. The first evidence session is due to take place next week, with Lady Hallett set to hear from witnesses about the UKs pandemic preparedness and resilience as part of her Module 1 investigation. Public hearings are scheduled to conclude by summer 2026, with interim reports published before then. Lady Hallett hopes to publish reports for Module 1 and 2 next year, according to the inquirys website. The eyes of the media will be turned to the High Court in London this week as the Duke of Sussex gives evidence in his legal action against the publisher of the Mirror. Harry will enter the witness box amid an ongoing trial over contested allegations of unlawful information gathering by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). Here the PA news agency looks at why the duke is coming to court and what the case is all about: What is the legal action against MGN? The duke and other high-profile individuals are suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. They are seeking compensation over allegations MGN was involved in the unlawful gathering of their personal information for stories. The Duke of Sussex at the Royal Courts of Justice (James Manning/PA) Claims brought by four individuals, including the duke, are being heard in a civil trial as representative cases of the types of allegations facing the publisher, findings over which could affect the outcome of other claims. What is unlawful information gathering? It has been alleged that MGNs journalists were linked to voicemail interception, colloquially known as phone hacking, securing information through deception and hiring private investigators for unlawful activities. Lawyers for Harry, whose case covers the period 1995 to 2011, have told the trial that such practices were habitual and widespread amid a flood of illegality. What has MGN said in its defence? MGN is largely contesting the claims brought against it, but has offered Harry an apology for an instance of unlawful information gathering. The publisher said it was admitted that a private investigator was instructed by an MGN journalist at The People to gather information about his activities at the Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004. MGN says board members have denied knowledge of unlawful information gathering activities and claims there is no evidence, or no sufficient evidence, of voicemail interception in any of the four claims chosen as representative cases some of which it claims are brought too late. What has happened in the trial so far? The trial, taking place before judge Mr Justice Fancourt, has been focused on witnesses and evidence relating to the generic allegations against MGN that feature in claims against it. Over two and a half weeks, the court has heard from a former MGN chief executive denying involvement in covering up unlawful practices, while an ex-director and former lawyer at the publisher both defended their accounts of when they became aware of such activity. Ex-private investigators and former MGN journalists have also faced questions over the dark arts and illegal methods allegedly used to source information, the knowledge of MGN editors and executives and whether certain stories were legitimately obtained. Who else is involved in the case? Former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner known professionally as Michael Le Vell are also having their claims considered as test cases at a trial. Michael Le Vell arrives at court (Jordan Pettitt/PA) All three are also expected to give evidence. What is happening in the trial this week? The trial will focus on the representative claims, beginning with the dukes. Harry is expected to be at court on Monday as his lawyers and MGNs legal team set out their opening arguments on his case. The duke will then enter the witness box, either on Monday or Tuesday. Has the duke been to the High Court before? Yes. In March, Harry made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London amid a preliminary hearing in a similar case he is bringing against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail. The duke is also suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, over alleged unlawful information gathering, and is bringing a legal challenge against the Home Office in relation to his security arrangements in the UK. When will the MGN trial end and when will there be a ruling? The trial is due to conclude by the end of June with Mr Justice Fancourt expected to give his written ruling later in the year. The UKs energy sector needs plans not bans, according to a union leader. Gary Smith, GMB general secretary, warned it would be a huge mistake to put all the nations eggs in one energy basket. Mr Smith travelled to Washington earlier this year to meet members of the Biden administration to talk about US energy policy before discussing his findings with Labour to help inform the partys energy strategy. He told the GMBs annual congress in Brighton that unions wanted a Labour government, adding it was clear that the party was getting ready for power. Energy is key. The energy we are going to need in the future isnt guaranteed. We still import too much from the rest of the world. We have to fix and secure our energy supply if we are to face down threats from authoritarian regimes in the world and find a workable way to achieve net zero. But our future requires a mix of energy sources new nuclear, renewables, hydrogen, and oil and gas. It would be a huge mistake to put all the nations eggs in one energy basket. Earlier in the year I met with trade union comrades from the USA and members of the Biden administration. I heard how they are transforming their economy and country, bringing manufacturing jobs home and securing their energy future through a balanced mix of resources. All as part of the journey to net zero. They believe in plans not bans. Former health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to apologise to Parliament for breaching the MPs code of conduct by attempting to influence the Commons standards tsar. Mr Hancock committed the minor breach by writing an unsolicited letter to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg in defence of senior Tory Steve Brine, who was under investigation for an alleged breach of lobbying rules. The Commons Committee on Standards said: This was a minor breach of the Code; however, Mr Hancock has still not acknowledged his mistake. Matt Hancock committed a minor breach of the rules, the Committee on Standards said (Jordan Pettitt/PA) The committee recommended that Mr Hancock should make a personal statement to apologise to the House of Commons and the commissioner. He should also attend a briefing on his obligations under the code with the commissioner, the committees report said. The committee said Mr Hancock did not set out to breach the rules, had no prospect of personal gain and did not act with malice by writing to the commissioner. But it said the former Cabinet minister had displayed a lack of attention to the rules and it is concerning that a member with this experience has not taken account of these provisions of the code. At the time of Mr Hancocks letter in March, Health and Social Care Committee chairman Mr Brine was under investigation over claims he lobbied the head of the NHS on behalf of a firm for which he was working as a paid consultant. The details that led to that probe were revealed in the tranche of leaked WhatsApp messages from Mr Hancock published by the Daily Telegraph. In his letter to Mr Greenberg, Mr Hancock said: I want to make it clear to you that it is my firm belief that what Mr Brine did was acting overwhelmingly in the national interest. He said Mr Brine did nothing improper and should be cleared from any accusation given his actions were in line with his duties as a Member of Parliament and British citizen to help our country in its time of need. Health and Social Care Select Committee chairman Steve Brine (Stefan Rousseau/PA) In May, the commissioner concluded that Mr Brine had not properly declared his work for Remedium Partners while contacting Mr Hancock and Michael Gove but cleared him of seeking a financial benefit for the firm, which was offering anaesthetists to the NHS free of charge. The case was dealt with under the rectification procedure, with Mr Brine accepting the decision and apologising for the breaches. In a memorandum on Mr Hancocks case, the commissioner said: The impression I have gained from my inquiry is that Mr Hancock has not applied his mind to the important distinction between evidence and opinion. Nor has he carefully considered how his opinion about the correct outcome for my inquiry into Mr Brine might put him on the wrong side of the rules laid down by the House. Mr Hancock is expected to give a short personal statement in the Commons later to address the reports recommendations. The Duke of Sussex is not suing the Daily Mirrors publisher because of a vendetta against the press but to hold them to account, the High Court heard on the eve of Harrys appearance in the witness box. On Monday, the dukes individual case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering got under way. Barrister David Sherborne claimed the duke was subjected to unlawful information-gathering activity right from when he was a young boy at school into adulthood, adding: Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds. Duke of Sussexs barrister, David Sherborne (left) outlining the Dukes case on Monday (Elizabeth Cook/PA) He continued: Every part of the princes life during these years was invaded by these three papers using these unlawful methods. The barrister said, contrary to some criticism of Harry, it was the use of these methods by a national media group that has brought him here, not some vendetta against the press generally. Harry is suing the publisher, claiming journalists at its titles which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities. MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them. The publisher also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late. Mr Sherborne has previously claimed that unlawful information gathering was habitual and widespread at MGNs titles over almost two decades. The barrister told the court on Monday that Harry, 38, was the biggest target, adding that it was implausible there were no admissions from MGN except one. The Duke of Sussex at the coronation earlier this year (Toby Melville/PA) He claimed that Harrys phone would have been hacked on multiple occasions, adding that his details appeared in the PalmPilot of a journalist who was one of the most prolific phone hackers. Mr Sherborne later said: What he has been able to do as a result by bringing this claim, he has been able to focus the attention that comes with his position on these activities and the fact that they have been carried out not just by journalists, but they have been concealed, even though they were known about by the senior members of the board of this PLC, as well as the legal department. It is the focus on these activities and bringing the defendant to account which is why he is bringing this action. The duke had been expected to arrive at court on Monday but will not appear until Tuesday. The hearing in London heard Harry had flown to the UK from Los Angeles in the US last night, as he was celebrating his daughter Lilibets second birthday on Sunday. Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was a little surprised to hear that Harry would not be attending court on Monday. Set to enter the witness box on Tuesday morning, Harry is due to face up to a day-and-a-half of cross-examination from MGNs barrister. It is thought to be the first time a senior member of the royal family has personally appeared in court proceedings since 2002, when the Princess Royal pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act after her pet bit two children in Windsor Great Park. Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial. Mr Sherborne told the High Court in London that no aspect of the young princes life was safe from press intrusion and that details of his relationship with ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy were all revealed and picked apart by the three Mirror Group titles. Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy in 2008 (PA) The court was later told that a 2003 article detailed an alleged row between the duke and his brother William, now the Prince of Wales, over their mothers former butler, Paul Burrell. Brothers can sometimes disagree, Mr Sherborne continued, adding: But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. Mr Sherborne also said the late Diana, Princess of Wales, was a huge target for MGNs newspapers, adding that certain unlawful activities in relation to her would have also affected Harry. He read out two letters from Diana to entertainer Michael Barrymore, which referred to private meetings between the pair, and in one of the letters Diana referred to being devastated to learn that the Daily Mirror had contacted her office about him and their meetings. However, Andrew Green KC, for MGN, said Harrys claim had become rather fantastical. The barrister said: The defendants position is that there is simply no evidence capable of supporting the finding that the Duke of Sussex was hacked, let alone on a habitual basis. He said that payment records used in the dukes claim simply do not demonstrate unlawful conduct or knowledge thereof. The Duke of Sussexs barrister, David Sherborne (Lucy North/PA) He also said that there was a lack of call data in Harrys case, telling the court: There is no call data whatsoever for the Duke of Sussex and scant call data for his associates. Mr Green later said the duke faced a very difficult starting point for the claimant proving he was habitually hacked. The barrister also said a suggestion that its journalists had hacked the phone of Diana, the late Princess of Wales, was total speculation. He told the court: Mr Sherbornes suggestion that MGNs journalists hacked her phone is total speculation without any evidential basis whatsoever. The letters you were shown, to Michael Barrymore, are not evidence of voicemail interception, Mr Green said, adding that plainly no such finding could be made. Harrys claim is being heard alongside three other representative claims during a trial which began last month and is due to last six to seven weeks. The three other representative claimants are Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, who is best known for playing Kevin Webster in the long-running soap, former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, and comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman. Mr Green said voicemail interception was denied in all four cases and that there was no evidence or no sufficient evidence. The barrister continued: There is some evidence of the instruction of third parties to engage in other types of unlawful information gathering in respect of each of the claimants, save for Mr Turner whose claim is entirely denied, and MGN has made pleaded admissions in respect thereof. MGN unreservedly apologises for all such instances of unlawful information gathering, and assures the claimants that such conduct will never be repeated. Popularity of China's 'New Security Initiative' is inevitable 11:07, June 05, 2023 By Global Times editorial ( Global Times On Sunday, the last day of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Li Shangfu delivered a speech on "China's New Security Initiative." In his speech, Li emphasized "a new path to security featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum." He put forward a four-point proposal: Mutual respect should prevail over bullying and hegemony; fairness and justice should transcend the law of the jungle; eliminating conflicts and confrontation through mutual trust and consultation; and preventing bloc confrontation with openness and inclusiveness. Li also reiterated China's stance on the Taiwan question, the South China Sea issue, and China-US relations, and expressed China's firm will and determination to defend national interests and national unity. It is worth noting that the venue was packed during Li's speech, even the aisles were filled. After the end of the speech, the applause burst from the crowd, which was obviously different from the polite applause after other speeches. The feedbacks from representatives of many participating countries were also consistent with the response on the site. Several researchers of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, one of the organizers of the Shangri-La Dialogue, all gave positive evaluation of Li's speech, saying his talk clarified China's firm principle and position as well as showed China's sincere attitude and willingness to maintain communication with other major powers. Indonesia's former deputy foreign minister also pointed out in an interview that it was a very useful speech and believed that Indonesia was ready to cooperate with China to strengthen security in the region. This is the first time Li attended the Shangri-La Dialogue after he became the Defense Minister this year, and it is also the first time China's "Global Security Initiative Concept Paper" was made a full presentation at this event since its release in February. The "debut" was undoubtedly a success from any perspective. And it is inevitable that China's "New Security Initiative" has gained popularity. Because China sincerely regards the Shangri-La Dialogue as a platform for discussing security and communicating with all parties on an equal footing, and is also truly seeking dialogue, cooperation and solutions for the pursuit of peace, prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. The Shangri-La Dialogue has always been regarded as the home court of the US and the West, and the voices and views presented are largely leaned toward the US and the West. However, a noticeable change at this year's Dialogue is that the aggressive stance that takes sides has decreased and real concerns have increased. Representatives from Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines expressed their concerns about war and conflict in their speeches. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that war between the two great powers is not "inevitable" and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said allies of the US can also build productive relationships with China. This fully demonstrates that when the real risk of division and confrontation approaches, it will inevitably encounter collective vigilance and resistance from regional countries. Against this backdrop, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's speech had to be slightly toned down. In addition to the cliches of portraying China as a threat, Austin also said conflict in the Taiwan Straits "is neither imminent nor inevitable," which is considered as a subtle response to the various predictions of "the time of a Taiwan Straits conflict" in the US. However, it must be said that this gesture is still tactic and it's a surface decoration to cover up the unchanged essence of Washington's suppression and containment of China. The actual pace of provoking camp confrontation in the Asia-Pacific region has not stopped, but has intensified. This is the fundamental source of security anxiety in the Asia-Pacific region. Looking at the essence through phenomena, the defense chiefs of China and US gave speeches at the Shangri-La Dialogue, expounding two different paths of global security visions. One is the "Global Security Initiative," and the other is "A Shared Vision for the Indo-Pacific." Although the wording seems similar, the reflected security concepts are completely different: on one side is the promotion of mutual respect, fairness and justice, mutual trust and consultation, openness and inclusiveness, while on the other side is the pursuit of hegemony, law of the jungle, confrontation and camp confrontation; one side calls for partnership, while the other side advocates alliance. It is not difficult to judge which is better and which is worse, and what is right and what is wrong is clear to everyone. As Defense Minister Li mentioned in his speech, since the founding of the People's Republic of China more than 70 years ago, the country has never started a conflict, occupied an inch of foreign land or waged a proxy war. China has the best peace record among major countries. The path of Chinese modernization is on the same track with promoting common development, maintaining world peace, and improving global governance, and has always been put into practice. The fundamental reason why the Chinese side's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue won the applause of representatives from various countries is that the representatives can see China's words being carried out through its actions. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) The Duke of Sussexs relationship with his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy and his bond with his brother were damaged by newspaper articles produced by alleged unlawful information gathering, the High Court was told. Harry believes Ms Davy decided a royal life was not for her due to a string of stories about the couple, the trial heard. Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles, which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception and use of private investigators for unlawful activities. Harry and Chelsy Davy after a service of remembrance at the Army Garrison Church in Windsor (Steve Parsons/PA) When the duke clashed with his brother over the best way to handle Paul Burrell, their mothers former butler, their alleged disagreement was the subject of a 2003 story in The People that contributed to the seeds of discord being sown between the siblings. The press intrusion left Harry, who in 2020 stepped down as a working royal and moved to California with his wife Meghan, suffering bouts of depression as a result, his barrister David Sherborne told the court. Mr Sherborne said that in his witness statement, yet to be made public, the duke described the constant stream of stories about his relationship with Ms Davy. The barrister told the High Court the duke referred to how little chance this relationship was given because of this and described how it affected his relationships going forward. Zimbabwean-born Chelsy dated Harry for about seven years. They coped with a long-distance relationship while the duke was training in the Army and overseas and Chelsy was at university in South Africa. Chelsy Davy attended the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Chris Jackson/PA) They split in early 2009 and, after both reportedly had flings, rekindled their relationship, and in May 2010 Ms Davy made a rare public appearance to watch Harry receive his wings after completing his Army Air Corps helicopter pilot course. The reunion was not permanent and the couple broke up again. They remained friends and she attended his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. Mr Sherborne said: As he explains, it was as if they never felt they were on their own, which placed a huge amount of strain on their relationship and ultimately led Ms Davy to decide a royal life was not for her. Mr Sherborne added: It also caused their circle of friends to become smaller and smaller, meaning that relationships were lost entirely unnecessarily. Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial. Paul Burrell, former butler to Diana, Princess of Wales (Steve Parsons/PA) One of the articles put before the trial is a December 2003 report from The People, headlined: Wills Seeing Burrell is only way to stop him selling more Diana secrets. Harry no Burrells a. Mr Sherborne referred to the article which detailed an alleged row between the duke and his brother over Mr Burrell. The barrister said: Even at this very early formative stage, the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown. Brothers can sometimes disagree, Mr Sherborne said, adding: But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. The barrister added: One can see how the mistrust can set in from an early age, exactly because of this type of activity. The brothers are now estranged, with the breakdown in their relationship laid bare in the dukes controversial autobiography Spare, which claims William physically attacked Harry and teased him about his panic attacks. Harrys claim is being heard alongside three other representative claims during a trial which began last month and is due to last six to seven weeks. Holly Willoughby said she felt shaken, troubled, let down and worried as she made an emotional return to This Morning in the wake of Phillip Schofields departure from the ITV programme. The TV presenter, 42, was back on screen after being pictured in Portugal with her family on a half-term break following the shock departure of her former co-host Schofield and his subsequent revelation of an affair with a younger ITV male employee. During interviews last week, Schofield told The Sun and BBC that Willoughby did not know about the unwise, but not illegal affair. Holly Willoughby (left) and Phillip Schofield (Ian West/PA) Willoughby was joined on screen by Josie Gibson and thanked viewers for their support. Former This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes and the shows former resident doctor Dr Ranj Singh have both separately made allegations about the culture behind the scenes at the programme in the wake of Schofields departure. ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall has been called to a parliamentary committee on June 14 to answer questions about the broadcasters approach to safeguarding and complaint handling following Schofields exit. An overnight report in The Sun suggested Schofield indicated he would not be watching Willoughbys return to screen, with a friend telling the publication he physically could not watch hes not there yet. The chairwoman of the Covid inquiry would surely be left with no choice but to resign if the Government wins its legal fight over access to ministers WhatsApp messages, a lawyer for families bereaved in the pandemic has said. The Government has sought a judicial review in a bid to limit disclosure of material to the inquiry, saying personal information could end up being unnecessarily surrendered. A solicitor representing the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group at the inquiry, which is due to have its first hearing next week, said the only logical response if chairwoman Baroness Hallett does not get access to the material, is for her to step down. Elkan Abrahamson, head of major inquests and inquiries at Broudie Jackson Canter, said: I hope and expect that the inquiry will win in that battle. There is a concern that if they dont win, the chair having said quite clearly that she needs to see this material in order to have a proper inquiry, if the court say to her well, you cant see it, it seems to me the only logical response of the chair is to resign because she cant properly do her job. So I see this as an existential struggle between politics and the inquiry. He said the issue is a power struggle between politicians and the inquiry theyve set up rather than a legal tussle around privacy. Mr Abrahamson said he was not calling for Lady Hallett to quit, but rather that losing the legal fight would surely mean that was the only option left open to her. He said: Im not saying she should resign. Im saying I expect that that might be the result because its a matter of logic that the chair is saying I need this material to do my job properly. Thats why shes asking for the disclosure. So if you dont get the material to do your job properly, your choices are to do your job improperly or to say I cant work under those circumstances, and it seems to me logically the conclusion is that you should resign. Mr Abrahamson was speaking at a press conference on Monday alongside TUC general secretary Paul Nowak, who urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to respect the inquiry and not undermine it. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been urged to respect the inquiry (Jacob King/PA) The federation of trade unions has said the UK was hugely unprepared for the pandemic because of years of austerity which left health and social care dangerously understaffed. On the judicial review, Mr Nowak told reporters: Ministers cannot be judge and jury over what is disclosed to the inquiry. That has to be up to the independent chair to decide. And the fact that the Prime Minister is prepared to spend taxpayers money to try and block the handover of evidence is deeply worrying. The very least we deserve is transparency from our decision-makers. No-one should be allowed to hide from scrutiny. So today, I would issue a challenge to the Prime Minister. Treat this public inquiry with the respect it deserves and stop trying to undermine it. Lobby Akinnola, spokesman for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, said Mr Sunak must decide whether to be helpful or antagonistic towards the inquiry. Mr Akinnola, who lost his father in the pandemic, said: I think my response to the request for a judicial review would be to ask if theres an understanding of what the purpose of this inquiry is and whether or not the Prime Minister and the Cabinet want to be contributors to that or be antagonistic towards it. Because like weve said today, almost a quarter of a million people have died in this country, and were trying to figure out how we make sure that doesnt happen again. I understand the request for a right to privacy, that is obviously an important right to maintain. But I would also urge the Prime Minister to consider whether letting Lady Hallett see some text messages is a significant enough inconvenience when you hold the lives of the nation in your hands. Mr Akinnola said the inquiry must be comprehensive and thorough but efficient and said he is most interested in hearing commitment to change from those in power in learning lessons and being prepared for possible future pandemics. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. The meeting in the war-torn nations capital came amid signs the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive against the Russian invasion may have started. In a video posted to Mr Zelenskys Facebook page, Mr Cleverly is heard saying that the UK will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious. The Ukrainian president thanks the UK for the big support it has given his country. He wrote on Facebook: During the meeting, we discussed important topical issues: Ukraines expectations from the Nato Summit in Vilnius, promotion of the Ukrainian peace formula and preparation of the global summit on its implementation, as well as the London international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are very grateful for the support that the UK has provided and continues to provide to Ukraine. Kyiv has long called for Ukraine to be admitted to Nato, but allies are divided about when and how any accession might happen as the war with Russia continues. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week said Ukraines rightful place is in Nato, at a gathering of European leaders in Moldova ahead of the key meeting of Nato leaders in Lithuania in July. In the video from Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary is seen speaking of his previous visit to Ukraine in winter when it was cold and it was dark. But this time I can see theres more life in the city. The traffic is heavier, which normally is a bad sign in a city. But I think for me it demonstrates what I mean to be true. And that is that the Ukrainian people are not going to allow themselves to be broken by this. And I think that, I think youre very much leading by example. Even though there are drone attacks, even though there are alarms going off through the nights, even though Russia has tried throughout the winter, to break the infrastructure of your country, to break the will of your people, the Ukrainian people keep refusing to be broken, yourself included. He added: The sunshine and the leaves and the flowers shouldnt distract us from the fact that there is still very much work to be done. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it. When we said that we would do more and go further, we meant it. Letters between Diana, Princess of Wales and former television entertainer Michael Barrymore about their highly sensitive meetings show that her phone was hacked by the Daily Mirror, the High Court was told. The trial over the Duke of Sussexs allegations of unlawful information gathering against the newspapers publisher was told on Monday that his mother was a huge target for Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) titles. David Sherborne, Harrys barrister, told the court that certain alleged unlawful activities in relation to Diana would have also affected the duke. It is part of our case that the interception of her messages would necessarily have involved obtaining information about the young prince, Mr Sherborne said. Former TV presenter Michael Barrymore (Gareth Fuller/PA) The lawyer referred to letters exchanged between Diana and former television personality Mr Barrymore. Mr Sherborne read out two letters from Diana to Mr Barrymore, which referred to meetings between the pair, and in one of them Diana referred to being devastated to learn the Daily Mirror had called her office about him and their meetings. In the letter, Diana said she had not told anyone about the meetings, the court heard. Mr Sherborne said: We say it is plainly that the Daily Mirror has been listening to the voicemail messages and that is how they knew of the secret and highly sensitive meetings between Princess Diana and poor Mr Barrymore. The barrister added that Mr Barrymore was struggling at the time because it had been made public that he was gay, he was in the process of an acrimonious divorce and was being treated for alcohol and drug addiction. In one letter, Diana wrote to Mr Barrymore: What a joy it was to finally meet you tonight and it was a privilege to share so much with you. I did want to emphasise that Im here for you whenever, its very easy to pop round and see you or please telephone now you have my number any time. Youre doing just fine and believe me, I know. So take great care and lots of love from Diana. The High Court heard that former Mirror editor Piers Morgan referred to hearing rumours about the meetings between Diana and Mr Barrymore in his book The Insider (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Mr Sherborne said former Mirror editor Piers Morgan referred to hearing rumours about the meetings between Diana and Mr Barrymore in his book The Insider. The barrister said the reason Mr Morgan had heard was because Mirror journalists would have heard private messages. He also said a letter to Mr Barrymore from Diana in June 1997, just two months before her death, demonstrates the impact of these activities. Mr Sherborne said Diana wrote to Mr Barrymore saying she had not heard from him and hoped his silence was good news, adding: I have had a nightmare time with the tabloids. The barrister added: Mr Barrymore is so frightened off that he does not contact Princess Diana and this is the isolation that this activity causes. Andrew Green KC, representing MGN, later told the court: Mr Sherbornes suggestion that MGNs journalists hacked her phone is total speculation without any evidential basis whatsoever. The letters you were shown, to Michael Barrymore, are not evidence of voicemail interception, Mr Green told the judge, adding that plainly no such finding could be made. Mr Green also said there was simply no evidence capable of supporting the finding that the Duke of Sussex was hacked and that private investigator payment records in the case simply do not demonstrate unlawful conduct or knowledge thereof. Lidl has become the latest supermarket to introduce vacuum-packed mince to cut plastic waste, despite early complaints that the practice turns meat to mush. The discounter is following Sainsburys and Co-op in adopting the new packaging, which is also recyclable, across its beef mince range. The new packs, which will be rolled out from the beginning of next year, will save space and result in up to 350 delivery trucks being taken off the road each year. Lidl is guaranteeing customers the same amount of mince, while saving more than 250 tonnes of plastic and taking up to 350 delivery trucks off the road a year. The new packaging also doubles the current shelf life from eight to around 16 days. Shyam Unarket, Lidl GBs head of responsible sourcing and ethical trade, said: Plastic reduction is a huge priority for us, and this one change will reduce the amount of plastic in each pack by a whopping two-thirds, culminating in the elimination of over 250 tonnes of plastic from packaging a year. However, we also recognise the important role that plastic plays in our daily lives. Thats why its hugely important that our plastic reduction strategy is centred around a progressive circular programme. By ensuring that any new packaging is recyclable, well be able to help prevent plastic pollution in our environment. When the new packaging arrives in store early next year, we know that the huge benefits, both from a sustainability and practical perspective, will be welcomed by our customers. Sainsburys was the first retailer to roll out vacuum-packed meat earlier this year. However the move did not initially go down well with all shoppers, with complaints including that it made the meat mushy, looked unappetising, or resembled someones kidney. Despite this, Co-op also adopted the vacuum packaging last month, with 11 minced meat products undergoing the change in both Co-op and Nisa stores. An animal rights activist who ran on to the track at the Epsom Derby will face court on Monday after being charged by police. A man was filmed jumping the fence and sprinting on to the course as the race began on Saturday. He was pursued by police as the crowd jeered, with some shouting get him, before officers tackled him and pulled him away. Surrey Police confirmed on Sunday that Ben Newman, 32, from Hackney, east London, had been charged with causing public nuisance. Runners and riders during the Derby (Tim Goode/PA) He will appear at Guildford Magistrates Court on Monday. The protest occurred after the Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs, was granted an injunction prohibiting the Animal Rising group from intervening in the event, claiming the organisation had made it explicitly clear that it intended to breach security. Newman is one of 31 people arrested on Saturday, including 12 on the racecourse grounds. They included two women who were arrested as they tried to climb the fence and get on to the track. A police spokesman said: A total of 39 arrests were made over the course of the two days. Thirty-one of these arrests were made in connection with planned criminal activity at the Epsom Derby Festival, including two women who were quickly detained moments before they were able to get on to the track. Thirty have since been released on bail pending further inquiries. Chief Superintendent Clive Davies, who was in charge of the policing operation for the Derby, added: I am incredibly proud of every single officer, staff member and volunteer who worked in the run-up to the event and at the event itself. They played a vital role in protecting the public and preventing and responding to criminality. A statement from Animal Rising said: Like most people, Ben cares deeply about animals. He made it onto the track yesterday to continue this urgent conversation about our treatment of not just horses in the racing industry, but all the intelligent, feeling animals who suffer unnecessarily in society. Before the race started it was clear to security and police that multiple people were attempting to get over the barriers, but organisers chose to steam ahead regardless and not only started the race, but failed to follow the British Horseracing Authoritys Stop Race procedures with Ben on the track. To protect the race, an additional 150,000 was spent on security alongside a policing operation that included facial recognition cameras, two house raids, and 30 pre-emptive arrests. The fact anyone made it on the track goes to show that people who care deeply will not be stopped by crackdowns on protesting, and we will continue to do all we can to ensure a safe, secure future for all life. After the Derby, the chief executive of the Jockey Club, Nevin Truesdale, praised the swift and decisive action of police in putting an end to the deplorable and mindless actions of the protesters. Newman, who was named by Animal Rising on Saturday, has previously appeared on GB News. A range of global companies including British Airways and Boots have warned their staff about a cyber attack that has compromised personal information. The hack has suspected links to a Russian-speaking cybercrime gang called Clop, according to a report in The Telegraph. The incident relates to a flaw in a piece of software called MOVEit Transfer, used by thousands of companies globally to transfer files, which could be exploited by cyber criminals. Companies using the software were urged last week to take immediate action. The UKs leading payroll provider Zellis said that eight of its customers have been impacted by the global issue, which may have exposed personal information, including names, addresses, and banking details. Boots confirmed it made its staff aware of the data vulnerability which it said was affecting many companies around the world. A Boots spokeswoman said: A global data vulnerability, which affected a third-party software used by one of our payroll providers, included some of our team members personal details. Our provider assured us that immediate steps were taken to disable the server, and as a priority we have made our team members aware. British Airways, which has around 34,000 people employed in the UK, also confirmed it was one of the companies to be caught up in the cyber attack. We have notified those colleagues whose personal information has been compromised to provide support and advice, a spokesman said. British Airways and Zellis have both reported the incident to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), the firm said. British Airways is one of the companies to confirm staff personal information was compromised (Jonathan Brady/PA) The BBC is also understood to have been affected by the incident via Zellis, according to The Telegraph. Zellis said in its own statement: We can confirm that a small number of our customers have been impacted by this global issue and we are actively working to support them. Once we became aware of this incident we took immediate action, disconnecting the server that utilises MOVEit software and engaging an expert external security incident response team to assist with forensic analysis and ongoing monitoring. We employ robust security processes across all of our services and they all continue to run as normal. It comes after outsourcing firm and government contractor Capita was recently affected by a cyber attack that saw some customer, supplier and staff data accessed by hackers. Capita said it faces a bill of up to 20 million to deal with the incident, including for recovery and remediation costs and to invest in reinforcing its cyber security defences. British Airways suffered a data hack in 2018, when the attacker is believed to have potentially accessed the personal data of approximately 429,612 customers and staff. It included the names, addresses, payment card numbers and the three digits on the back of cards of 77,000 customers, and card numbers only for 108,000 customers. The airline was fined 20 million by the ICO after investigators found it should have identified the security weaknesses that enabled the attack. Navy veteran Ernie Davies has said how happy he was to see so many people ahead of the 79th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, as the number of survivors able to attend memorial services dwindles. Mr Davies, 98, was among the 11 British veterans who travelled across the Channel to France to mark the anniversary of the historic military invasion, and met some old friends and had a few drinks along the way. Mr Davies, from Hornchurch, east London, also recalled his own role in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Cotton during the summer of 1944. He said: I was in the Channel in a Navy destroyer looking for U-boats. It was desperate. It was the end of the war, for them, they had nothing to lose. D-Day veteran Ernie Davies, Royal Navy, HMS Cotton, during a visit to the British Normandy Memorial (Gareth Fuller/PA) We did our best to keep them at bay. They knew they were beaten, they were taking desperate measures and we did as well. During a youth commemorative service, beginning two days of commemorative events, French schoolchildren laid wreaths, gave speeches and met veterans at the British Normandy Memorial in the French town of Ver-sur-Mer. The site overlooking the Normandy beaches pays tribute to 22,442 servicemen and women under British command who were killed on D-Day and in the Battle of Normandy. John Pinkerton, who accompanied a D-Day veteran, said: Theyve got to learn what sacrifices people had so we can have freedom today. They need to know what happened at the time, its very important we pass on what happened here nearly 80 years ago. Veteran Tom Schaffer (left), 13th Battalion Parachute Regiment 6th AB, with his companion John Pinkerton, at the the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer (Gareth Fuller/PA) London black cab driver and Taxi Charity for Military Veterans volunteer Tony Neal, said: Watching the childrens faces, seeing the interaction between the children and veterans, its the love, its brilliant to see. Mr Neal and fellow Londoner Danny Shelton were among the volunteers who helped take the veterans to the D-Day memorial events, with some of their journeys taking about 12 hours. The men said it was a rewarding experience. Mr Shelton said: Sitting in the bar with the veterans having a laugh and a joke the stories you dont hear. Mr Neal added: They talk about how they lost their friends and the last moment with their best friend. They always say theyre not heroes, but we know they are. D-Day veteran Tom Schaffer, 13th Battalion Parachute Regiment 6th AB, greets French schoolchildren (Gareth Fuller/PA) The British Normandy Memorial will also host the Royal British Legions remembrance service on June 6, alongside a number of events taking place in Ver-sur-Mer and Bayeux. It is the first time the international ceremony, which brings together Allied nations and Germany, will be held at the site since it opened in 2021. The latest addition to the British Normandy Memorial is an avenue of 70 trees planted to mark the reign of, and in memory of, Queen Elizabeth II. The gift was offered by French President Emmanuel Macron for the Queens Platinum Jubilee, and the trees were planted on January 11. Statistics Korea Commissioner Han Hoon, center, speaks during a meeting with Naver Cloud on ways to improve statistical service using artificial intelligence at Naver headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Courtesy of Statistics Korea By Yi Whan-woo Statistics Korea is seeking to capitalize on an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to be launched soon by internet giant Naver to offer tailor-made data for businesses. The plan comes after Statistics Korea, which is responsible for gathering, analyzing, interpreting and presenting data under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, collected opinions from conglomerates and business lobby groups on possible measures to help them better utilize figures provided by the government. "We accordingly thought an AI chatbot would be an optimal way to support firms to identify information they need out of a vast pool of statistics and that's how we decided to work with Naver," said Yi Sun-hi, a senior deputy director at Statistics Korea's Statistical Digital Transformation Division. She referred to a consultative meeting between Statistics Korea and Naver Cloud, the cloud service platform operator of Naver, to discuss AI-backed statistical services. Attended by Statistics Korea Commissioner Han Hoon, the meeting centered on providing more accessible and efficient statistical services using Hyperclova X, an AI chatbot programmed for human-like conversation. Developed by Naver Cloud, Hyperclova X is recognized as the Korean version of ChatGPT in the United States. It will be launched in July or August. The stats agency opted to capitalize on Hyperclova X instead of developing its own AI chatbot in order to save time and money, as well as other reasons concerning efficiency, according to Yi. "We want Hyperclova X-based service to engage in a conversation with business people and help them find what they need from our digital network," she said. She added that Hyperclova X-based services will specialize in sorting out customized data required by businesses, noting the firms found it difficult to do so using Statistics Korea's online tools. During Friday's meeting, the commissioner expressed hope the private-public sector cooperation through Hyperclova X will help users to experience innovative statistical services. To better understand the needs of businesses, Statistics Korea previously held eight meetings in April. Among the participating companies and business lobby groups were Naver, Samsung Electronics, POSCO, SK Telecom, Coupang, Mirae Asset Securities, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korea International Trade Association, Korea Enterprises Federation and Korea Federation of SMEs. Think tanks run by conglomerates, such as Samsung, LG and CJ, also took part in the meeting. The commissioner stressed that using statistics is a must for companies in coping with a rapidly-changing business world at a time of uncertainty and that Statistics Korea will enhance relevant support. P&O Ferries first new hybrid ship has arrived in Dover. The company expects the vessel, named Pioneer, to cut fuel usage on Dover-Calais crossings by 40% compared with its current fleet. Its hybrid system involves batteries being charged by diesel generators. Pioneer, built in Guangzhou, China, will now conduct final trial sailings before entering service on June 19. P&O Ferries second hybrid ship, named Liberte, is expected to begin operations towards the end of the year. The vessels, which cost a total of 230 million, are designed to become fully carbon neutral in the future. This would require them to recharge their batteries at ports, which is not currently possible at Dover or Calais. The ferries are double-ended so do not need to turn around for loading and unloading. Former health minister Lord Bethell has played down the role of WhatsApp messages in policymaking during the coronavirus pandemic after it was reported that three groups were used to make key decisions. He defended the Governments decision to seek a judicial review in its bid to limit disclosure of material to the Covid Inquiry, insisting personal information could end up being unnecessarily surrendered. Lord Bethell insisted it is plain wrong to suggest WhatsApp had been used for major decision-making during the pandemic, claiming most of his own messages on the platform over that period had related to coffee orders. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: We need these tramlines, thats why the court case is a good idea. Chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett during the public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic (Screengrab/PA) The reality is that, when you have several hundred thousand WhatsApps and youre going through them one by one and trying to decide on the edge cases, whether or not they should be included, you end up having to surrender an enormous amount that I would typically term personal, but on a wide interpretation of the scope might be included, and therefore in order to achieve the greatest amount of candour you put in stuff that you wouldnt reasonably be happy with. It comes after the Times reported that three WhatsApp groups with members including then-prime minister Boris Johnson, former health secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case were used for decision-making during the pandemic. Chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty, former chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, Mr Johnsons chief adviser Dominic Cummings, and communications director Lee Cain were also reportedly in the groups, one of which had a membership of around 30. A Whitehall source told the paper: Senior officials including the Cabinet Secretary were in the critical WhatsApp groups and their phones arent compromised. They can easily send the inquiry some of the most important messages. Reports claimed three WhatsApp groups with members including then-prime minister Boris Johnson, former health secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case were used for decision-making during the pandemic (Andrew Boyers/PA) Mr Johnson has been at the centre of a row as ministers launched a High Court challenge to the inquirys demand for his unredacted WhatsApp messages and notebooks. He has vowed to send all his messages to the official investigation directly, circumventing the Cabinet Office. Cabinet Office lawyers have written to the former prime minister to warn he could lose public funding for legal advice if he breaks conditions such as releasing evidence without permission. He has had legal advice paid for by the taxpayer, but the Sunday Times detailed the letter which stated the money could cease to be available if he seeks to undermine the Governments position. It comes ahead of inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett on Tuesday making her first public remarks since the Government sought legal action. The Cabinet Office missed Lady Halletts deadline set on Thursday to hand over the requested material, with the department insisting that messages it deems unambiguously irrelevant to the inquiry need not be published. Home Office minister Robert Jenrick defended the position over the weekend, telling Skys Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme the Government is not asking for special treatment but that the normal way to do this is to set reasonable parameters. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would hand over whatever is required to the Covid-19 Inquiry, if his party was in power. If you had a Labour government, and we set up an inquiry of this importance, of course we would co-operate and hand over whatever is required by the chair of the inquiry, he told broadcasters on Monday. And Ill tell you for why because many people lost relatives in Covid, many people lost their jobs and their livelihoods and they deserve answers, and so Ill be very clear we would hand over whatever is required by the chair and we would do it having a mind for those that lost so much during Covid. Police in Manchester will be far better prepared for a terror attack after the arena bombing but other forces in the country should be doing more, a deputy chief constable said. Terry Woods, of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), spoke at a hearing to monitor recommendations made following the public inquiry into the attack, carried out at the Manchester Arena by suicide bomber Salman Abedi on May 22 2017. He said a structure put in place by GMP to learn lessons after the attack will remain. It will be an assurance to us and I hope the public that if anything happens again we will be far better prepared, he said. He added: This attack happened on our patch. Its never not going to be in the DNA of GMP. Its important to us and thats one of the reasons why this will carry on. He told the hearing on Monday, which was attended by family members of some of the 22 people killed, the inquiry will have a legacy in the force. Asked by the inquiry chairman, Sir John Saunders, if police in other areas of the country should be doing more, Mr Wood said: As it stands, at present, yes. I do think other forces should be doing more. But he said there have been positive moves towards more training nationally. Mr Woods said police had fulfilled recommendations, including to regularly review its major incident plan and ensure it has guidance on the roles of North West Ambulance Service and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. The public inquiry found a decision to send fire appliances three miles away from the scene led to crews arriving more than two hours later. Sir John said: To me, one of the most surprising things of the inquiry is that people didnt realise the fire service were not there, with all their ability to remove people. The inquiry, sitting for three days for evidence about progress on recommendations, also heard from representatives of arena operator SMG and the British Transport Police. Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney KC said: This week is an opportunity to identify what is being done to drive change that is needed to avoid the repetition of what went so wrong and also to examine whether more still can be done. The chairman said on Monday he has issued the second part of the third volume of his report, which deals with the security services and counter-terror policing and is not being made public. He told the hearing it is of critical importance the recommendations are monitored and said he hopes it can be done by Parliaments intelligence and security committee. He said: Its important the public and those who have been closely involved in this inquiry, such as the bereaved families, receive an assurance that recommendations I have made are being carried out. Rishi Sunak has announced two more barges to house asylum seekers off the coast of Britain as he insisted his plan to stop small boat crossings is starting to work. The Prime Minister said the numbers making the journey across the Channel were down by around a fifth since last year but acknowledged the Government has a long way still to go. Giving a speech in Kent, he played down suggestions that fewer crossings were a result of poor weather conditions at this time of year rather than policy decisions. Opposition critics likened the announcement of yet more measures to tackle the crisis to Groundhog Day and accused Mr Sunak of cynical spin. On a visit to Dover, the Prime Minister said the returns deal with Albania had led to 1,800 people being sent back and was having a deterrent effect. He also claimed the Government is on track to clear the backlog for initial asylum decisions by the end of the year a pledge first made in December. Some 172,758 people were waiting for an initial decision on asylum applications at the end of March, up 57% from a year earlier and the highest figure since comparable records began in 2010, according to Home Office figures. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on board Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during a visit to Dover (Yui Mok/PA) But Mr Sunak said numbers published on Monday show the backlog is down by more than 17,000. He also defended measures to house asylum seekers on barges with the first one set to be moored in Portland, Dorset, within a fortnight, and the announcement of two more to house another 1,000 people. Before I launched my plan in December, the number entering the UK illegally in small boats had more than quadrupled in two years. Some said this problem was insoluble, or just a fact of 21st century life, he said. Theyd lost faith in politicians to put in the hard yards to do something about it. And of course, we still have a long way to go. But in the five months since I launched the plan, crossings are now down 20% compared to last year. Asked whether windy conditions in the Channel and subsequently fewer crossings was the reason behind the timing of his visit, Mr Sunak replied: Theres many things I can control, the weather is not one of them. I wish it was so. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced two new barges to house asylum seekers (Yui Mok/PA) Mr Sunak declined to say where the two new barges would be moored, although there has been widespread speculation one could be based on Merseyside. He also defended the requirement for asylum seekers to share hotel rooms, following protests outside accommodation in Pimlico, London last week though Labour later stressed this measure is not new and has always been part of the system. The Prime Minister described his approach as more than fair, saying his message to migrants would be: If youre coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution, then you should be willing to share a taxpayer-funded hotel room in central London. Analysis of provisional Home Office data by the PA news agency suggests that as of June 3 some 7,610 people had been detected crossing the channel, compared with 9,954 at the same point in 2022 a 23.5% decrease. But crossings are heavily influenced by the weather and the summer months typically see higher numbers making the journey. The UK has gone from accepting about one in five Albanian asylum cases to just one in 50, Mr Sunak claimed. The Prime Minister also defended the inclusion of children in new detention rules, claiming that to exempt them would create an incentive for smugglers to put more young people on boats. He insisted that appropriate facilities were in place for families to be kept together properly and fairly. The announcement drew criticism including from the Tory backbenches, with Conservative MP Richard Drax repeating a suggestion that the barge to be moored in Portland his constituency would be like a quasi-prison. Some rooms will have three or four inhabitants. Its a quasi-prison, he told LBC. Sir Keir Starmer said the promise of further measures to tackle the crisis was like Groundhog Day as crossings continue this year despite the Prime Ministers pledge to stop the boats. The Labour leader told reporters during a visit to Somerset: All weve really had from the Government though is the announcement of a policy that doesnt work and then the reannouncement of the same policy, essentially. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats dismissed Mr Sunaks speech as cynical spin and called on the Government to give more detail on the two new barges. The public need clarity and transparency from the government on where these barges will be and how long they will stay there, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael said. The Refugee Council branded Mr Sunaks rhetoric on migrant crossings misleading, wrong and harmful and said his policies fail to treat people fleeing their home country with dignity and humanity. We shouldnt be picking and choosing who we treat with decency, but thats the Governments approach: it rightly welcomed Ukrainian refugees and ensured they had appropriate accommodation, but it treats others in fear of their lives with contempt and does not view them as human beings, the organisations chief executive Enver Solomon said. Thats not what most people in this country want. We are better than this. Amnesty International UK said the barges plan was potentially unlawful and a terrible idea designed to distract the public from the Governments failure to tackle the asylum claims backlog. Rishi Sunak declined to say if a Ben Wallace bid for Natos top job will be on the agenda when he travels to Washington this week. The Prime Minister, who is set to visit the White House for talks with US President Joe Biden, dodged a question about whether he will use the trip to lobby for the Defence Secretary to takeover as Nato secretary general. Mr Wallace is seen as a potential contender for the soon-to-be vacant role, replacing Jens Stoltenberg. Mr Sunak hopes to encourage Mr Biden to back Mr Wallace for the role, The Telegraph reported on Monday. But, taking questions at a press conference in Dover, Mr Sunak refused to be drawn on the report. He praised Mr Wallace and the UKs contribution to Nato but did not comment directly. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking during a press conference at Western Jet Foil in Dover on Monday (Yui Mok/PA) Ben does a fantastic job. He is a great Defence Secretary, Mr Sunak said. This is a conversation that is happening amongst leaders around the world more generally and Im sure it will continue to happen. Ben is widely respected among his colleagues around the world. Were one of the only countries that participates in every single Nato operation. We are widely perceived as a thought leader in Nato. And I think if you asked the Nato secretary general, he would agree with everything Ive just said and we will always continue to be a strong contributor and participant in Nato. Mr Sunaks official working visit to the White House will take place on Thursday. He and Mr Biden have already met in San Diego, Belfast and the G7 summit in Hiroshima. Peers have threatened to delay the Illegal Migration Bill until the Government publishes the facts and figures showing the financial impact of the controversial proposals. Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth was heckled by peers as he repeatedly said an economic impact assessment on the Bill would be published in due course. But former senior judge Baroness Butler-Sloss, an independent crossbench peer, said it was outrageous the House of Lords was being asked to take decisions on the proposals without knowing the predicted impact of them. Home Office minister Lord Murray (PA) Labours Lord Hunt of Kings Heath received shouts of encouragement as he said the Bill should not progress to its next stage without the impact assessment being available. The Bill is a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks bid to deter people from crossing the Channel in small boats. The reforms would prevent people from claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means. The Government also hopes the changes will ensure detained people are promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda. The Bill is undergoing line-by-line scrutiny in the Lords at committee stage, with the Government braced for amendments to be made by peers at report stage. After Lord Murray sidestepped questions on the details and timing of the economic impact assessment, Lady Butler-Sloss said: How does the Government justify not having an impact statement until presumably the whole of this House has completed its dealing with the Bill? It seems to me outrageous. How can the Government justify it? Conservative Lord Cormack noted the House has to make significant decisions at report stage on the most sensitive legislation that has been before Parliament for a very long time. He said: It is crucial we have all the facts at our disposal. Lord Hunt added: I think the House is entitled to ask the minister what he means by in due course. Let me ask him specifically whether the impact assessment will be available before we move into report stage? Because my own thinking is that the House should not allow the Bill to go into report stage without the impact assessment being available. Shouts of hear, hear and well said could be heard after Lord Hunt made his point. Lord Murray replied: Clearly I hear what the noble lord says and I will take back his comments and the comments of others in the House, and we can reflect on them. For Labour, home affairs spokesman Lord Coaker sought clarity on how many people could be removed from the UK under the proposals. He also said: In order to make proper decisions its a convention that those facts are made available. At the very least they should be made available before report, they should be made available. He added: We are whistling in the dark. We have no idea what it means. Lord Coaker later asked: Wheres all the other facts and figures? No idea. An analysis produced by the Refugee Council said it would cost between 8.7 billion and 9.6 billion to detain and accommodate people impacted by the Bill in the first three years of its operation. The Government last month published an equality impact assessment which concluded disqualification from modern slavery support under the Bill could have a disproportionate impact on female potential victims. The Bill faces a rocky ride in the Lords, with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby previously condemning it as morally unacceptable and politically impractical. Peers later discussed amendments to the list of countries or territories where a person may be removed, with suggestions to explicitly state that LGBT+ people should not be taken to some of them due to fears of persecution. A separate amendment also suggested removing Rwanda from the list given legal action to challenge the plan. At least one in five households with an unpaid carer in some of the most built-up parts of the country have no private transport and have someone who is disabled or in bad health, new analysis shows. The areas include large cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle, as well as some London boroughs where the figure is closer to one in three. Nearly half a million households across England and Wales (486,341) fell into this category at the time of the 2021 census the equivalent of 12% of all households lived in by at least one unpaid carer. (PA Graphics) The findings come at the start of Carers Week an annual UK-wide awareness campaign which aims to recognise the contribution made by the UKs 5.7 million carers. Helen Walker, chief executive of national campaigning charity Carers UK, which set up and leads Carers Week, said the statistics demonstrate the huge challenges faced by many unpaid carers, and called for more to be done to raise awareness of the financial, physical and mental health impacts. In 24 local authorities in England, at least 20% of unpaid carer households at the time of the census had no access to a car or van and had someone identified as disabled or in bad or very bad health, according to analysis by the PA news agency. The top 12 were all in London, led by Islington (33.8% of all unpaid carer households, or 4,105), followed by Camden (32.6% or 3,852) and Westminster (32.3% or 3,491). Outside London, areas above 20% included Liverpool at 23.6% (8,418 households), Hull at 22.0% (3,877), Manchester at 21.9% (6,735) and Newcastle at 21.8% (4,117). There is a clear north-south split when it comes to the type of accommodation lived in by these households. For households in terraced homes, the highest proportions are found in local authorities in northern England while those for flats, apartments or maisonettes are mainly in the south. Liverpool topped the list of areas with the highest proportion of unpaid carer households living in terraces without a private vehicle and with someone in bad health or disabled (11.6%), followed by Hull (11.2%), Burnley (9.7%) and Knowsley (9.2%). By contrast, Westminster (29.6%), Camden (29.2%), Islington (28.3%) and Tower Hamlets (25.6%) headed the equivalent list for households in flats or apartments, with the entire top 15 being in London. In Wales, Cardiff had the highest proportion of unpaid carer households in any kind of accommodation with no private transport and with someone who is disabled or in bad health (14.1%), followed by Merthyr Tydfil (13.7%), Newport (13.3%) and Blaenau Gwent (12.5%). Merthyr Tydfil topped the list in Wales for these types of households in terraces (6.5%) while Cardiff was top for flats or apartments (3.9%). Ms Walker said there is more Government, employers and society can do to support unpaid carers. (PA Graphics) She said: Looking after a disabled, ill or older relative or friend unpaid can be rewarding, but its clear to see how many families face huge challenges; lack of transport, difficulties with housing, barriers to juggling work and care, poorer health and wellbeing and a negative impact on their finances. The shortage of care, lack of breaks and low carers benefits has left many feeling exhausted and at the end of their tether. Unpaid carers deserve better. She called for a step change in the way that Government and society supports and recognises carers, but added that employers can look at supporting employees who are juggling work and care, and society can help by ensuring family and friends are alerted to information, advice and support which might make all the difference to someone we care about who is providing unpaid care. An unpaid carer is defined by the census as someone who looks after or supports anyone with a long-term physical or mental health conditions, illness or problems related to old age. The help can be provided outside of the carers household, meaning some carers could be looking after someone in another household while also living with a person who is disabled or in bad health. The PA analysis also found there were 16,784 unpaid carer households in England and Wales living in caravans or other kinds of mobile or temporary homes at the time of the census. Runnymede in Surrey was the local authority with the highest proportion, at 3.2% of all unpaid carer households, followed by Castle Point in Essex (2.8%), Mole Valley in Surrey (2.3%) and Wyre Forest in Worcestershire (2.1%). The PA analysis comes as Carers UKs own polling found almost three-quarters (73%) of people in the UK who are providing, or have provided, unpaid care in their lifetime have not identified themselves as a carer. The organisation said this equates to around 19 million people. The YouGov polling of 4,374 adults in April also suggested 31% of people in the UK with experience of providing care have seen their health and wellbeing suffer. Carers Week is also supported by charities including Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, Oxfam, Rethink Mental Illness and The Lewy Body Society. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Unpaid carers play a vital role in our communities, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. Weve earmarked 327 million through our Better Care Fund this year to support local authorities with health and care services, including providing carers with advice, support and short breaks and respite services. We continue to provide financial support to unpaid carers through Carers Allowance, and we are finalising plans for how we deliver up to an additional 25 million to support carers and hope to share those shortly. Youth campaigners are urging Rishi Sunak to help reverse the decline of UK nature by supporting the Climate and Ecology Bill. Introduced to Parliament by Green Party MP Caroline Lucas three years ago, the Bill is intended to guide the UK towards cutting emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and reversing nature loss by 2030 while creating a citizens assembly to guide policy. It is supported by 175 MPs and peers from all parties, 238 local councils plus the London Assembly and Mayor of London, as well as 500 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and 30,000 members of the public, the campaign group Zero Hour said. Youth representatives from Zero Hour, which is pushing for the Bill to be passed, handed over a petition signed by 15,000 people to Downing Street on World Environment Day. MPs from different parties joined the youth activists outside Downing Street as they handed in their petition (Doug Peters/PA) Activist Tori Tsui, influencer Sam Bentley, UK Youth for Nature co-director Ellen Bradley, Friends of the Earth mentor Noama Chaudhry, farmer Ursula Guy and Co-operative Bank trainee Alaan Ali made up the delegation. Ms Bradley, said: This is the last call for UK nature. With the catastrophic situation of sewage in our rivers, vanishing wildlife and polluted air, we need bold, new legislation the Climate and Ecology Bill to make sure we stop tinkering around at the edges and achieve the transformational changes we need to restore our natural world. The Government has already agreed to reverse nature loss by 2030 at the UN biodiversity summit Cop15 and now we need the prime minister to agree to lock this target into national legislation by enacting the Climate and Ecology Bill. The petitioners were joined by Ms Lucas as well as Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper, Colum Eastwood of the SDLP in Northern Ireland and Labours Bell Ribeiro-Addy. Ms Lucas said: Halting and reversing natures decline is essential, with huge benefits not only for our natural world and our climate but also improving our health, supporting the economy and creating thousands of skilled jobs to regenerate local communities. The Climate and Ecology Bill, which I first introduced into Parliament in 2020 and have championed ever since, is the critical framework we need in place, now, to keep 1.5C alive, and protect our precious natural world before its too late. Were delivering our #UnitedForNature petition to No. 10 on #WorldEnvironmentDay, 5 June. Will you stand with us? Please sign and retweet! Were in an ecological emergency, and we need your support. Take action now https://t.co/Ku2arCfkTI https://t.co/0eeDVSbXnP pic.twitter.com/wwF9dclpmH Zero Hour (@cebill_now) May 30, 2023 On the same day, Zero Hour also launched an origami action campaign sending folded paper models to elected representatives and demanding no more paper-thin promises. Designed by artist Tina Luo, the origami models are of three at-risk species the common nightingale, the red helleborine orchid and the northern pool frog. Dr Mya-Rose Craig, Zero Hour ambassador and ornithologist who is fronting the campaign for the Bill, said: Its ridiculous that the UK Government pretends to be a world leader on the environment, when 30 million birds have vanished from our skies in the last 50 years, 97% of wildflower meadows have been eradicated since the 1930s and a quarter of all mammals are at risk of extinction. Youd think this would send alarm bells ringing with ministers but it isnt. Im asking the Prime Minister to deliver the nature positive future hes promised by backing the Climate and Ecology Bill. The public are sick and tired of paper-thin promises. Its time to save our precious natural world. There's nothing as pure as a parent's love. And a father in Chattanooga, Tennessee, proved as much with a touching gesture in support of his daughter. D'Andray Thomas had been growing his dreadlocks for nine years but decided to shave them off in sympathy with his daughter, Brielle, who had to shave her head while being treated for stage 4 cancer. Using his daughter's nickname, Thomas also launched the BriBri Strong campaign, creating T-shirts and bracelets to raise funds and awareness for Brielle's cause. Watch the video to see a heartfelt example of a father's love Humankind from USA TODAY tells uplifting stories about kindness, triumphs, and special relationships. We wouldn't be able to show the world all this kindness if it weren't for people like you who capture kind moments on camera! If you have a video, photo, or even a story you want to share, click the link below to tell us all about it. Someone from the Humankind team will reach out to you if we want to do a story about your kind moment. SUBMIT HERE Not sure what kind of content to submit? Check us out on any of these social media platforms and take a look around! We cover all sorts of good news moments about humans, animals, members of the U.S. military, kind kids, sportsmanship on and off the field, and more! There's enough bad news out there! Help us show the world how much good news we have all around us. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dad shaves locs off in support of daughter with cancer NEW YORK (AP) In his first week on the campaign trail as a presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis repeatedly hit his chief rival, Donald Trump, from the right. This is a different guy than 2015, 2016, DeSantis told a conservative radio host before slamming the bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation Trump championed as basically a jailbreak bill" that allowed dangerous people out of prison. He also accused Trump of turning the reins over" to Dr. Anthony Fauci during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Trump had endorsed and tried to ram" an amnesty" bill through Congress and vowed that unlike the former president he would finish building the U.S.-Mexico border wall. In Iowa on Saturday, he hit back at Trump for saying he didn't like the term woke because people have a hard time defining it. Woke is an existential threat to our society, DeSantis said. "To say its not a big deal, that just shows you dont understand what a lot of these issues are right now. Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly attacked DeSantis from the left. He has suggested that even anti-abortion activists consider Florida's new six-week abortion ban too harsh and argued that DeSantis has made himself unelectable on a national level with his votes as a congressman to cut Social Security and Medicare even though Trumps proposed budgets also repeatedly called for major entitlement cuts. The attacks underscore the underlying early dynamic of the race: As DeSantis tries to win over GOP primary voters and chip away at Trump's commanding early lead, Trump is already pivoting to a general election matchup against President Joe Biden. In the meantime, Trump has been pushing back against DeSantis' argument that the Florida governor, not the former president, is the more viable general election candidate. "Dont forget, we have to win elections, Trump stressed during a Fox News Channel town hall on Thursday as he discussed abortion politics. To be clear, Trump has also leaned in on other right-wing causes. This week, he revived his pledge to end birthright citizenship, saying he would sign an executive order on the first day of his second term to change the long-settled interpretation of the 14th Amendment. He also renewed his pledge to use the U.S. military to attack foreign drug cartels and has pushed the death penalty for drug dealers. But DeSantis' efforts to out-Trump Trump have raised eyebrows among some observers who question his tactics. I do not think its a smart strategy," said Sarah Longwell, an anti-Trump Republican political strategist whose firm has been leading weekly focus groups with GOP voters where DeSantis appeal has been fading. Longwell said she had expected DeSantis to tailor his pitch to the slice of the Republican electorate that wants to move on from Trump. You can't out-MAGA Trump, she said, referring to Trump's Make America Great Again" political movement. DeSantis, she argued, should be working to consolidate the Move on from Trump'-ers and move into the Maybe Trump'-ers, and instead hes tried to wrestle Trump for the Always Trump'-ers." DeSantis allies argue the governor has been responding to what they see as Trump's attacks from the left and highlighting his stances on issues they believe will resonate with Republican primary voters, particularly abortion and DeSantis' PR war with Disney. An official from Never Back Down, a pro-DeSantis super PAC handling much of his political operation, said DeSantis' strategy is being informed by what the group's canvassers have been picking up from voters in recent weeks. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss messaging strategy, said voters have voiced confusion about Trump's attacks and have responded especially well to portrayals of DeSantis as a fighter who refuses to back down. The group ran a digital ad this week highlighting Trump's comment on abortion that was geotargeted to areas Trump was visiting in Iowa. It is also exploring messaging that will accuse Trump of being too cozy with major corporations during his time in the White House. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung slammed DeSantis insinuations and accused him of ripping off Trump's ideas. Ron DeSantis has tried to steal every single one of President Trumps Agenda47 policy platforms. He is a fraudster and masquerading as someone who knows what hes talking about, he said. DeSantis, in his early campaign stops, has also tried to paint himself as a disciplined executive who will make good on his promises, implying Trump had not. When I tell you Im going to do something, I dont just say that because I think that may be what you want to hear, then get into office and forget all the promises I made, he said in Lexington, South Carolina. Longwell said her research had consistently found that on-the-fence voters are willing to put aside concerns about Trump's temperament because they feel he was so effective in office, raising questions about DeSantis' strategy. They dont like his mouth, they dont like his tweets, they don't like his character. But they like what he did as president, she said. Trump, meanwhile, has made clear he is looking toward next year's general election. In Grimes, Iowa, on Thursday, Trump received a pointed question from a woman who claimed that we have lost people because you supported the jab," a reference to conspiracies about mRNA vaccines, which have been credited with saving millions of lives. While Trump did not dismiss her suggestion and stressed that he was never in favor of mandates he explained that there's a big portion of the country that thinks that was a great thing, you understand that. Not a lot of the people in this room, but there is a big portion. During the Fox News town hall later that day, Trump said only stupid people could suggest they had done more than him on abortion given that he picked some of the conservative Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. But he also continued to criticize conservative Republican midterm candidates who did not support exceptions, including when the life of the mother is at risk, a position in line with the majority of voters. A recent memo to donors from Trump super PAC pollster Tony Fabrizio, first reported by Axios, made the case that DeSantis is vulnerable among swing state voters in a general election on issues including cuts to Social Security and Medicare, book bans in schools, Florida's ban on abortions at six weeks before most women know they are pregnant and his fight with Disney. Voters, meanwhile, have mixed views about the escalating feud. Heidi Lillibridge, a 51-year-old farmer and Republican activist from Vinton, Iowa, worries that Democrats will benefit from the two leading GOP candidates criticizing each other. She is particularly frustrated by DeSantis' early attacks. Criticizing President Trumps conservative credentials, when we all know how he acted as president and what he got accomplished, I dont really know why he would do that, she said. Darcy Cowart, who saw DeSantis speak outside a bar and restaurant in Bluffton, South Carolina, said that while she had previously backed Trump, she was glad to see a large field with other options. Hes not going to change, and he just has this bully mentality. He just wont give in on it," she said. I know he fights for us, and I know that he does some good things, but at the same time, its like having this obnoxious relative thats always got to be at the dinner table, that you dread being around." ___ Associated Press writers Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, and Meg Kinnard in Bluffton, S.C., contributed this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show the surname of the Trump spokesperson is Cheung, not Chueng. By Pyo Kyung-min Edward Lee, a Korean American celebrity chef who is better known in Korea for preparing the state dinner at the White House for President Yoon Suk Yeol in April, believes that Korean food in the United States is at its peak right now. Chef Edward Lee / Courtesy of Edward Lee However, the Brooklyn native has found subtle yet significant changes occurring in how Americans enjoy Korean flavors a phenomenon he describes as a renaissance of Korean food. "It has captured the taste buds of Americans, and it has found its way into so many American food menus," Lee said in an interview with The Korea Times last month. "Korean food has entered a phase in America where it's not just about the traditional dishes, like 'kimchi jjigae' or 'doenjang jjigae,' but it's how we interpret it into how it looks and feels Korean," he added. The changes, according to Lee, are also apparent at his new restaurant Nami Modern Korean Steakhouse in Louisville, Kentucky. Its dishes are based on traditional Korean flavors but with a more modern touch, Lee said. "Customer favorites are the tuna tartare served with 'gochujang' (red pepper paste) vinaigrette. The traditional flavors of 'jang,' are what the diners love so much," he added. "Jang" refers to traditional Korean condiments, which are fermented pastes made with soybeans or red pepper. "Korean food has been popular for so long, and what's new in America is the fermented flavor, its richness, and how it adds a layer to the flavor overall," he added. Combining jang with modern cuisines has been one of Lee's keenest interests. Jang's unique umami flavor is what Lee focuses on to give his dishes a Korean hint. Guest chef Edward Lee's banana split with "doenjang" (soybean paste) caramel is displayed ahead of a state dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 24 (local time). Yonhap The dessert he came up with at the state dinner was also one of his creations. The caramel sauce drizzled on top of the banana split was combined with "doenjang" (soybean paste) for a salty tang to complement the sweetness. Lee feels that the most important thing in combining Korean and American flavors is harmonization. "I think it's important that the flavors don't compete with each other. So sometimes a dish will have a more Korean flavor with a little bit of American flavor, and other times there will be American dishes with a bit of Korean flavor, but it's hard to do 50/50, there is never an equal balance," he said. "So what matters is how the Korean flavor enhances the American dish, or how a Korean dish can benefit from an American flavor." Chef Edward Lee, center, introduces menu items to be served at the state dinner for Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 24 (local time). AP-Yonhap Ready for round two! Brittany Cartwright and husband Jax Taylor have talked about when they want to try for their second child. Im definitely baby crazy already, the Kentucky native, 34, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her partnership with Cupshes BeMe: The Cupshe Birthday Collection. I wanna spend this summer having fun and then Im ready to try for No. 2. Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylors Family Album With Cruz Read article The Vanderpump Rules alums, who exchanged vows in 2019, welcomed son Cruz in April 2021. Cartwright confessed that she misses plenty of little things about being pregnant, especially the excitement that comes with expecting a baby. I mean, just feeling them inside you is so amazing, she gushed. Its the most incredible feeling in the world. Like, youre growing a human being. I cant even explain just how amazing that feeling is. Charles Sykes/Bravo She continued: Its absolutely incredible, and every single milestone while youre pregnant, like, you just are so excited. Youre looking for the different sized fruit or the snack or whatever on your phone every week [to measure the babys size]. Like, all that is just so fun. The former Bravo star described her son as the chillest baby ever, but that doesnt mean she and Taylor, 43, havent experienced their fair share of parenting challenges. Vanderpump-Rules--Babies--Cutest-Playdate-Photos--Hartford--Ocean-and-More -462 Read article In the beginning, whenever you first have a kid, it could be like everything is about the kid, so sometimes you put your relationship on the back burner, Cartwright told Us. Were really trying to work on that and I feel like weve gotten so much better, but especially when theyre [in the] newborn phase and all that, you just feel like, you know, everything is such a huge deal. So I feel like that could be tough at times, and I feel like all parents might go through the same thing. Scott Kirkland/Shutterstock Despite their ups and downs, Cartwright has loved watching her husband settle into his role as a dad. He absolutely loves Cruz. Hes just an amazing dad and he just tries so hard and does everything, the reality TV personality raved. Its just an amazing side to see because I feel like everybody thought he was just this bad boy and, you know, he had this villain image for the longest time, but seeing him with his little 2-year-old son is just a completely different side [of him] and its amazing. When it comes to whether she thinks Taylor would want another little boy in the future, Cartwright told Us the Michigan native doesnt have a preference. We would love to have the experience [of] having a boy and a girl, so you get to do both things, whatever they enjoy, she added. But yeah, just whatever God gives us, well be so happy for. Vanderpump Rules' Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor Share Parenting Dos and Don'ts Read article Earlier this year, Cartwright and Taylor hosted a Toy Story-themed bash for their sons 2nd birthday with former Pump Rules costars Lala Kent, Scheana Shay and Ariana Madix. In pics shared via social media in April, Cruz wore a Buzz Lightyear costume while his parents were dressed as Bo Peep and a Pizza Planet employee. Kent, 32, and Shay, 38, each brought their respective daughters Ocean and Summer, both 2 to celebrate with Cruz. Kents little one was dressed as the Pixar franchises trademark three-eyed alien and Summer donned a Jessie costume. With summer around the corner, Cartwright is looking forward to soaking up the sun with her family. Cupshes swimwear and cover-ups offer a wide range of sizes to fit every womans body and to make them feel like their most confident selves. Sign up for Us Weekly's free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more! I made sure I was going through and picking things that would fit with me and maybe, like, other moms and people who have those same, um, feelings about their body as I do, she told Us about the collection. And these really just cut you in and, like, make you feel like youre secure and I love that. While appearing on 'TODAY with Hoda and Jenna,' the 'Magic Mike's Last Dance' actor, 43, discussed his latest children's book, 'The One and Only Sparkella and the Big Lie' Channing Tatum Instagram Channing Tatum is opening up about life as a single dad. While appearing onTODAY with Hoda and Jenna, the Magic Mike's Last Dance actor, 43, discussed his latest children's book, The One and Only Sparkella and the Big Lie and how the books helped him as a parent to daughter Everly, 10, whom he shares with ex-wife Jenna Dewan, 42. When Kotb asked Tatum what kind of parent he is, he replied, "I have no idea, I dont know. Im just trying to get by. I think like every other parent, youre just trying not to mess your kids up. But you know youre going to." He added, "When I knew I was going to have a kid, I was like, Alright, Im probably going to be the parent I plan to be the parent who was probably going to get her in more trouble than I kept her out of. And then as they kind of get older, you start to realize, Oh, I have to set boundaries." "And weirdly, kids, even though they dont want boundaries, they do want boundaries. Her anxiety goes down, her stress level goes down when she just understands the rules. And theyre not even your rules, we call them the house rules." 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. Related: Jenna Dewan and Steve Kazee Dress as Pinatas with Superhero Kids in Sweet Family Halloween Photo Those house rules include "you gotta always take your plate to the sink, you gotta pick up your clothes, you gotta brush your teeth just really normal, simple stuff." Bush Hager added that Tatum became a single dad around the time that he first started working on the Sparkella books. Asked if the character helped him learn how to parent, the actor replied, "I didnt plan to be a single dad, that was not in the cards [or] in my planning at the least. And I was pretty nervous. I was like, Shes a girl. I was like looking up YouTube on how to braid her hair. I didnt want to be the dad who was bringing her to school looking like she had just slept on the street. So yeah, this series of books kind of came from that. It was me really figuring out how to talk to a little girl." The actor also revealed that Everly wants to see Taylor Swift in concert, to which Kotb responded, "You have to [take her]!" His daughter is also into "Celtic Irish music. Shes a dancer, she loves Celtic Irish dancing." He explained how Everly seemingly acquired her taste in music, saying, "She just loves anything magical fairies, elves and when you look on YouTube, all the clip art for Celtic Irish music is fairies, so I think thats how we started it. And then she became obsessed with Celtic music. Now were doing Celtic Irish dancing, so thats all weve listened to for the last two years." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Harrison Ford is looking back on a complicated feud he once had with Brad Pitt while filming 1997s The Devils Own. In a new interview with Esquire, the longtime actor revealed that the Hollywood pair had a troublesome rift at one point after they had different ideas about the films script. Brad developed the script. Then they offered me the part. I saved my comments about the character and the construction of the thing, the 80-year-old star explained. First of all, I admire Brad. I think hes a wonderful actor. Hes a really decent guy. But we couldnt agree on a director until we came to Alan Pakula, who I had worked with before but Brad had not, Harrison said, referencing his role in Pakulas 1990 mystery film Presumed Innocent. In The Devils Own, a New York police officer (Ford) uncovers the real identity of his house guest, a deadly IRA assassin (Pitt), who pulls them into the crossfire of terrorism in an attempt to purchase a cargo of missiles. The two opposing characters ultimately butt heads as they do what they both think is right. Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt at the premiere of Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt at the premiere of "The Devil's Own" at Cinema One Theater. Brad had this complicated character, and I wanted a complication on my side so that it wasnt just a good-and-evil battle, he continued. And thats when I came up with the bad-shooting thing. The bad-shooting thing is in reference to a scene in the film, in which Fords character finds himself morally conflicted after witnessing his partner (Ruben Blades) fatally shoot someone. Fords subplot was eventually woven into the film, but the Star Wars alum said trying to work the scene into the movie while they were still shooting was no easy feat. I worked with a writer but then all the sudden were shooting and we didnt have a script that Brad and I agreed on, Ford said. Each of us had different ideas about it. I understand why he wanted to stay with his point of view, and I wanted to stay with my point of view or I was imposing my point of view, and its fair to say that thats what Brad felt. He added: It was complicated. I like the movie very much. Very much. Back in September, Ford announced hes reprising his beloved role as Indiana Jones in the franchises fifth installment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The action-adventure film is slated to hit theaters on June 30. Watch the trailer below. Related... The FBI has increased the reward for information on three women found slain in Lumberton over a few months in 2017, offering $75,000 and heightening the awareness of violence toward Native Americans. The bodies of all three were found within a four-block radius. Two of them were Lumbee and the third was closely associated with the Robeson County-based tribe. Their deaths brought new attention to the nationwide crisis facing missing and murdered native women, whom studies show are more than three times as vulnerable to violent crimes and twice as likely to be raped as women of other races. North Carolina is home to roughly 122,000 Native Americans the largest population east of the Mississippi River. In 2019, Gov. Roy Cooper declared a day of awareness for such crimes, citing those studies. The first slaying in Lumberton, on April 18, 2017, came when Christina Bennett was found dead inside a television cabinet in a house on Peachtree Street. Though not a Lumbee, Kristin Bennett had a partner, her childs father and friends who were part of the tribe, according to lostsoulsofamerica.com. A few hours later, police found Rhonda Jones body nude and upside down in a trash can on East 5th Street nearby. Less than two months later, officers found Megan Oxendine outside a house on East 8th Street. Both women were Lumbee. Robert M. DeWitt, the special agent in charge of the FBI Charlotte field office, said agents and police detectives have interviewed hundreds of people and followed countless leads. The increased reward, originally $30,000, will hopefully help. The Lumberton Police Department and the FBI continue to prioritize solving the deaths of Kristin, Rhonda, and Megan, said Lumberton Police Chief Michael McNeill. Though six years has passed, this is not a cold case. We continue to actively develop and follow leads. These women deserve justice, and we will not stop until they get it. Here's what people get wrong about assisted conception. (Image: Getty; designed by Quinn Lemmers) Assisted conception has been around for decades, but many people don't understand what, exactly, it involves. Even worse, there are myths that have floated around for years about assisted reproductive technology and that can make things even more challenging for couples who need help conceiving. "It's a very small group of people that undergo assisted reproductive technology this isn't something that the whole population needs," Dr. Jane Frederick, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist at HRC Fertility, tells Yahoo Life. "There are a lot of myths surrounding it because not many people do it." As a result, she says, people may be more likely to assume what someone tells them about assisted conception is true because they just don't have experience with it or know the right answer. At a basic level, myths are confusing. But they can also be harmful and even prevent someone from seeking reproductive care when they need it. With that in mind, doctors break down some of the biggest myths about assisted conception out there, along with the real deal. Myth #1: IUI is done "turkey baster"-style. Many people are at least familiar with intrauterine insemination (IUI), even if they don't know the term for it. In pop culture, it's been referred to as "turkey baster"-style insemination. It was even portrayed that way in The Switch, the 2010 Jennifer Aniston movie in which her character held an insemination party before impregnating herself with donor sperm that was harvested at the party ... and left out in her bathroom. But doctors say that's not how an IUI is done at least, not in a medical setting. "An IUI is not performed with a turkey baster," reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Asima Ahmad, chief medical officer and co-founder of Carrot Fertility, tells Yahoo Life. For the procedure, sperm is harvested from a woman's partner or donor and typically screened for infectious diseases, Dr. Pietro E. Bortoletto, director of reproductive surgery at Boston IVF, tells Yahoo Life. It's then placed through the cervix and into the uterus, he says. "That way, we're getting more sperm closer to the egg," he says. "It's going to be much more effective and safer than doing it with a turkey baster." Still, "there are methods of doing at-home inseminations which is where the concept of the 'turkey baster' comes from," Dr. Priyanka Ghosh of Columbia University Fertility Center, tells Yahoo Life. Those methods are just much less likely to work or be hygienic compared to an IUI in a medical setting. Myth #2:IVF results in multiple births. There is some precedent for this myth. "IVF historically was associated with a high rate of multiple births because of practices of transferring multiple embryos at a time," Ghosh says. "But due to a more widely adopted practice of transferring one embryo at a time, the rate of this has decreased dramatically." Because of more advanced testing methods, "we're getting better at selecting the embryo," Frederick says. "Now, you can transfer just one embryo and not three or four," she adds. That doesn't mean someone won't get multiples with IVF the egg can still split in the uterus and certain medications used to induce ovulation can raise the risk of twins, for example but it's less likely than it was in the past, according to Frederick. Overall, "the goal is to have a singleton pregnancy, because this is the healthiest option for the pregnant person and the baby," Ahmad says. Myth #3: IVF is the only way to get pregnant if you have infertility. Infertility is complicated, and there are a range of treatment options that can help someone conceive if they're unsuccessful on their own. "In some cases, IVF is the only option, such as when someone has blocked fallopian tubes that cannot be repaired or if the partner has very low sperm counts that remain low despite treatment," Ahmad says. "But in many cases, one can get pregnant through other means, such as ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination." IVF tends to be discussed the most because of the technology involved but it "is certainly not the only way of getting pregnant," Ghosh says, noting that timed intercourse and the use of sperm or donor eggs is also common. Myth #4: All assisted reproduction protocols are the same. Each form of assisted reproduction has a protocol, which is the procedure used to help someone conceive. But while there tends to be a standard approach with each type of assisted conception, it's often tailored based on the individual needs of the patient. "Protocols for each type of treatment, whether it is IUI, IVF or another treatment modality, are customized to the desired patient and provider goals and patient characteristics," Ahmad says. "For example, someone who is young and has a high ovarian reserve may require lower dose medications and may have a protocol chosen to decrease their higher risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Whereas someone who is older and has a lower ovarian reserve may require higher dose medications and have a lower risk of OHSS." The protocol can also change with different attempts at conceiving to try to tweak it along the way, Ahmad says. Bortoletto compared protocols for IVF to the set-up for a nice dinner. "There's an appetizer, entree and dessert," he says. "Things that really vary are how you start and how you finish. The entree itself is the same for everyone." Protocols are "probably all more similar than different, but there are certain protocols we use for different patients." Myth #5: Babies conceived via fertility treatments will have more health problems. Research has linked assisted reproduction with several health issues in children, but the data is complicated and often misinterpreted. One recent study published in the European Journal of Population, for example, found that children conceived through reproductive assistance did better at school than other children but had a slightly higher risk of mental health problems by their late teens. But the researchers noted that the link was only found when the social demographics of parents were factored in and that there was no evidence that the reproductive assistance itself raised the risk of mental health issues. Older research linked children conceived with reproductive assistance to a higher risk of having birth defects and poorer health outcomes but, again, it's complicated. "Much of that data comes from an earlier period in IVF when rates of multiples twins, triplets, etc. was quite high and [the multiple births] led to higher rates of prematurity, low birthweight and the health consequences that can result from that," Ghosh explains. "Today, it does not appear that fertility treatments themselves result in more health problems." Myth #5: You can have IVF at any age. There have been several celebrities who have gotten pregnant in their late 40s and even 50s, but experts stress that isn't the norm. "As you age, the chance of getting a good egg drops dramatically," Frederick says. "Anybody over the age of 40 who wants to conceive should seek out a specialist. And you do not want to come in at age 50 and decide to have a baby." Eggs are more prone to be damaged and have genetic abnormalities as someone ages, Bortoletto explains. "If you're thinking about doing IVF, sooner is better," he says. "Above the age of 45, 46, the chances of having a baby with your own eggs are in the low single digits. If you're seeing celebrities having babies in their late 40s or early 50s, they're using eggs they froze before or someone else's eggs." If someone wants to use her own eggs, she should undergo IVF before she hits menopause, Ahmad says. "In someone who is postmenopausal, although they cannot use their own [eggs] with IVF, in some cases if approved by the clinic, the person can use donor [eggs] and have the embryo transferred to their uterus," she says. Assisted reproductive technology is a complicated science and there are a lot of options within it. For those interested in it, experts say it's best to talk to a medical professional who can help answer any questions. Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) Authorities in North Macedonia said Monday that 10 men were arrested as suspected members of an international people smuggling ring following an investigation that lasted nearly two years. In a statement Monday, police described the group as a sophisticated criminal organization that operated routes between Greece and Hungary as well as from Bulgaria and Serbia to various destinations in the European Union, charging each migrant between 2,000 and 4,000 euros ($2,140 and $4,280). Seven other alleged members of the organization have been identified by investigators, three of whom are already in prison for separate offenses and four who are wanted for arrest. Police raided 11 locations in three towns in North Macedonia. The 10 arrested suspects as well as their alleged associates were charged with people smuggling offenses that carry a minimum prison sentence of five years. Smuggling activity has increased in the region in recent weeks, in part because of low water levels along the Evros River that forms a natural border between Turkey and European Union-member Greece. On Sunday, Greek authorities rescued 91 migrants, mostly from Syria, from an islet on the Evros River and transferred them to a nearby processing center. ___ Follow APs coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration NEW YORK (AP) Airbnb sued New York City on Thursday over an ordinance that the company says imposes arbitrary restrictions that would greatly reduce the local supply of short-term rentals. The 2022 ordinance, which the city plans to begin enforcing next month, would require owners to register with the mayors office, disclose who else lives in the property, and promise to comply with zoning, construction and maintenance ordinances. Airbnb said called the restrictions extreme and oppressive and a de facto ban against short-term rentals that left the company no choice but to sue. Taken together, these features of the registration scheme appear intended to drive the short-term rental trade out of New York City once and for all, Airbnb said. The company said the mayors Office of Special Enforcement failed to consider reasonable alternatives. A spokesman for Mayor Eric Adams said city hall will review the lawsuit. This administration is committed to protecting safety and community livability for residents, preserving permanent housing stock, and ensuring our hospitality sector can continue to recover and thrive," said the spokesman, Jonah Allon. The rules governing short-term rentals ... have been clear for years, and the 2022 registration law was properly adopted by the city council, he added. San Francisco-based Airbnb filed the lawsuit in state court in Manhattan. Three Airbnb hosts filed a companion lawsuit against the city. Airbnb sued New York state in 2016 over a ban on advertising short-term rentals. It dropped that lawsuit when the city promised not to enforce it. In 2020, Airbnb settled a lawsuit against the city over monthly reporting requirements for its listings. Airbnb said the 2022 ordinance violates both settlements. The New York restrictions are among many efforts by local communities to regulate short-term rentals without banning them. New Orleans is among cities taking on the rental giant, after a court struck down a previous law. In some places, opponents have raised concerns about noise and safety. Critics also say the growth of short-term rentals pioneered by Airbnb has contributed to a shortage of affordable housing for residents, particularly in vacation towns. Those complaints extend far beyond U.S. borders. On Thursday in Italy, the popular tourist destination of Florence announced an immediate ban on new vacation rentals in the citys historic center. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) A judge in Argentina on Monday dismissed a long-running money laundering case against Vice President Cristina Fernandez, after prosecutors and state agencies said there was no evidence she was involved in a crime. Federal Judge Sebastian Casanello ruled that Fernandez be removed from what had come to be known as the K money trail case because it involved alleged kickbacks and money laundering on behalf of Fernandez's family by businessman Lazaro Baez. Prosecutor Guillermo Marijuan said late last month there was no evidence that Fernandez, a former president from 2007 to 2015, was involved in the corruption for which Baez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. This marks the latest instance in which the vice president has been dismissed from an ongoing corruption-related case before it reaches trial. In contrast with the dismissals, the former president was sentenced in December of last year to six years in prison in a separate case for fraudulent administration, which included a lifetime ban on holding public office, for favoring Baez in the awarding of public works contracts. Baez was sentenced to six years in prison as part of that case which was unrelated to the K money trail" that specifically deals with money laundering allegations. The vice president's conviction can still be appealed and reviewed by higher courts, a process that could take years. She remains immune from arrest in the meantime ahead of October elections. The decision came as Argentines have a general distrust of the justice system which is often slow and takes years to resolve cases. The Argentine justice system is infiltrated by politics, said Lucas Romero, the head of Synopsis, a political consulting firm. The federal courts are absolutely influenced by political interests from both sides. That means supporters of the vice president are likely to see the dismissal as vindication to her long-held claims of innocence while her opponents will cite it as an example of how she got away with wrongdoing. Baez was close associate of both Fernandez and her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, who was president from 2003-2007. The case began with allegations that Baez was paid for public works contracts that were never completed and that he then laundered that money on behalf of Kirchner and his wife. Argentinas tax agency and anti-money laundering agency also agreed that Fernandez, who remains politically powerful, should be removed from the case dating back to 2013. Without an accusation, there is no possibility of a criminal process, Casanello wrote in his resolution. Marijuan had said that while it is clear that there was a close and direct personal relationship between Baez and the vice president, that does not mean she was involved in the money laundering of an estimated 65 million dollars that led to Baezs conviction. To demonstrate this relationship, Marijuan detailed that an investigation had found at least 372 telephone contacts between Baez and Fernandez and her secretaries, showing they were more than mere acquaintances from Santa Cruz and had a close connection. Baez was the owner of Austral Construcciones, one of the main companies favored with public works contracts during the tenure of Fernandez de Kirchners administration as well as that of her late husband. In an interview late last month, Marijuan said that he didnt find any proof that links Cristina Fernandez to this case. Analysts tied Marijuan's decision to an alleged friendship with Economy Minister Sergio Massa, widely seen as a possible presidential contender for the October election, Romero said. President Alberto Fernandez and Fernandez - they are not related - have already said they will not be running for the presidency again and there is general uncertainty over who will be the candidate for the ruling coalition. Cristina Fernandez, who has long criticized the country's justice system as corrupt, once faced numerous criminal cases, but those have slowly been dissipating as judges rule there was not enough evidence to hold the former president accountable although those decisions are still subject to review by higher courts. A court in 2021 dismissed a case against Fernandez that accused her of conspiring with Iran to cover up Tehrans alleged involvement in a 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. That same year, a court dismissed a case that accused the vice president and her family of benefiting from a money laundering operation involving hotel rooms and real estate. Earlier, a case that had accused her of carrying out fraudulent operations through the dollar futures market was also dismissed. The vice president is also facing accusations of wrongdoing in a separate case that claims she headed up a corruption network to award public works contracts during her administration. EXCLUSIVE: The Biden administration is getting slammed as handing a "major coup" to Chinese President Xi Jinping after two senior officials made a trip to China on Sunday in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries. Critics immediately pointed out that Sunday, June 4, marks the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, when the Chinese military slaughtered hundreds, possibly thousands, of pro-democracy protesters. Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, and Sarah Beran, the National Security Council's senior director for China and Taiwan affairs, arrived in Beijing to discuss "key issues in the bilateral relationship," the State Department said in a press release. Demonstration at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, on June 1, 1989. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shakes hands with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on July 9, 2022. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., called attention to the timing of the trip on Twitter. "Is the Biden Administration sending senior officials to China as we remember the anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square?" he wrote. BLINKEN AND WIFE EMAILED FREQUENTLY WITH HUNTER BIDEN, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT ROLE IN LAPTOP COVER STORY READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Issa, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News Digital that the trip only benefits China and Chinese President Xi Jinping while weakening the United States' position on the world stage. "This is no ordinary foreign policy stumble," he said. "Its a concession demanded by the Chinese and granted by a White House and State Department willing to bend. Its a major coup for Xi, and Americas position in the world just got weaker where it matters most." "There's no way the Congress can just look away and let this go," he added. Rep. Darrell Issa during a House Judiciary Committee field hearing in New York on April 17, 2023. Nearly two hours after the first press release, the State Department issued another one honoring the Tiananmen Square anniversary. "Tomorrow, we observe the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre," the release said. "On June 4th, 1989, the Government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) sent tanks into Tiananmen Square to brutally repress peaceful Chinese pro-democracy protesters and bystanders alike." "The victims bravery will not be forgotten and continues to inspire advocates for these principles around the world," it added. "The United States will continue advocating for peoples human rights and fundamental freedoms in China and around the world." BLINKEN SAYS I DONT DO POLITICS' DESPITE SPENDING DECADES IN POLITICS, DONATING LAVISHLY TO DEMS Issas office said he plans to send a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding answers about the China trip. A State Department spokesperson told Reuters that Kritenbrink's official meetings will begin Monday, and that he would raise the issue of human rights in the communist country. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint news conference after the 32nd annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations, Dec. 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Michael Sobolik, a fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council, responded to the press release about the China visit by asking, "Is this a joke?" Isaac Stone Fish, the CEO of Strategic Risks, which "quantifies corporate exposure to China," and a visiting fellow at the Atlantic Council, offered a "pro-tip" on Twitter, saying, "Don't be a senior government official visiting China on the anniversary of Tiananmen Square." Fox News Digital asked the State Department and the White House whether the Tiananmen Square massacre would be discussed, but neither responded. Dialogue between the Biden administration and Beijing has been nearly dormant in recent months as attempts at interactions have been shuttered since the U.S. shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon that traversed the country earlier this year. A previously scheduled trip by Blinken, where he was expected to meet with Xi, was canceled because of the China spy balloon incident. The U.S.-China relationship has been further strained over Chinas military activity in the South China Sea and the United States support of Taiwan. People take part in a vigil at the Liberty Square of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to mark the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989, in Taipei, Taiwan, on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Additionally, Beijing has taken umbrage after the U.S. warned China against arming Russia to help its war in Ukraine. CIA Director William Burns secretly visited China last month in an effort to restore relations, meeting with his Chinese counterparts to emphasize "the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels," according to the Financial Times, which first reported the visit. Fox News Louis Casiano contributed to this report. President Yoon Suk Yeol holds a signboard of the newly launched Overseas Koreans Agency with Lee Key-cheol, inaugural head of the agency, during an opening ceremony in Incheon, Monday. Joint Press Corps President to invite Korean victims of atomic bombing in Hiroshima to homeland By Lee Hyo-jin Korea launched, Monday, a new agency tasked with overseeing affairs related to 7.5 million Koreans living abroad. President Yoon Suk Yeol said he hopes the Overseas Koreans Agency will strengthen networks between Koreans here and abroad to promote mutual growth and prosperity. The new agency, headquartered in Incheon and under the wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will replace the Overseas Koreans Foundation based on Jeju Island. Staffed with 151 employees, the Overseas Koreans Agency will provide integrated services for Koreans overseas regarding visas, military service, taxes and pension entitlements, offering more assistance than the previous organization that focused more on cultural exchanges. The opening ceremony was held in Songdo, Incheon, where the main gateway to the country, Incheon International Airport, is located. The participants included Yoon, Lee Key-cheol, the inaugural head of the agency, Foreign Minister Park Jin, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, as well as members of various overseas Korean communities. Some 600 Koreans living abroad joined the event online. "Incheon, where the ship carrying the first immigrants heading to Hawaii departed 120 years ago, is the historical root of overseas Koreans. It feels overwhelming to announce the launch of the Overseas Koreans Agency here in Incheon. The establishment of the agency will serve as an opportunity for Incheon to leap forward as a global city," Yoon said in his commemorative speech. He noted that the launch of the agency aligns with his campaign promise to better support Koreans living abroad and enhance relations with their homeland. The president stressed that helping Koreans in foreign countries will be one of the top priorities of the agency, adding that there are plans to invite to Seoul in the near future Korean victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. During his recent visit to Hiroshima in May, Yoon met a group of victims of the bombing, where he offered apologies as the head of state. "We should also pay more attention to second and third generations of overseas Koreans who were not born here. For them, we will offer quality Korean language education programs and opportunities to visit Korea," he said. Park, for his part, vowed that his ministry will make every effort to better protect the rights of overseas Koreans. "Through the launch of the Overseas Koreans Agency, we will be able to strengthen policies for overseas Koreans based on their needs," he said. Employees of the newly launched Overseas Koreans Agency show reporters how a document is issued at the service assistance center in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap JERUSALEMThe Biden administration is picking fights with the Jewish state over its opposition to a controversial new Iran nuclear deal, Israels efforts to reform its judiciary, and build settlements in the disputed West Bank territory, veteran observers of U.S.-Israel relations told Fox News Digital. Jason Greenblatt, former White House Envoy to the Middle East and author of the book "In the Path of Abraham," told Fox News Digital that he has concerns, especially when it comes to U.S. interference in domestic Israeli politics. Two Israeli domestic issuesjudicial reform and settlementshave created rifts between the U.S. and Israel. Netanyahu's coalition is working to rope in what, it argues, is the excessive power of the judiciary. Opponents of the judicial reform say Netanyahu's plan will shift too much power to the Knesset (Israels parliament) and endanger civil rights protections. Greenblatt said, "The Biden Administration continues to put pressure on the Israeli government to abandon its judicial reform plans. This is blatant interference with another countrys internal policies. Israel has a robust democracy. The world has seen this with the massive protests for and against judicial reform. The Biden Administration continues to think that America can dictate what its allies policies should be. This kind of pressure by the U.S. upon other countries internal matters failed with Saudi Arabia and it will fail with Israel." BIDEN DROVE HISTORICALLY CLOSE MIDDLE EAST ALLIES INTO THE ARMS OF AMERICA'S GREATEST ENEMIES, EXPERTS SAY Left, President Biden speaks at a reception celebrating Womens History Month in the East Room of the White House on March 22, 2023 in Washington. Right, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the media following talks at the Chancellery on March 16, 2023 in Berlin. He also noted that, "Israel is a country that will act in accordance with its interests, laws and democratic procedures. Not inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to the White House in the hopes of putting additional pressure on him is petty and will not yield the desired results. The U.S. has to learn to work with others where it can, and accept that we dont get to boss our friends and allies around." READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP Greenblatt said the record of the Biden administration on Israel is a mixed bag. "On the positive side, it often says the right things with respect to Israels non-Iran security challenges and generally has been cooperative regarding those challenges. According to the Prime Minister Netanyahu, the U.S.-Israel alliance remains steadfast and security and intelligence cooperation is at an all time high," but Greenblatt had reservations with the administration's Iran policy. Middle East expert and author Caroline Glick, told Fox News Digital that U.S. "Secretary of State Anthony Blinkens sudden cancelation of his planned visit to Israel is a clear sign that the Biden administration had committed the United States to a policy of nuclear appeasement towards Iran. Last week we learned that the administration is surreptitiously negotiating a so-called interim nuclear deal with the Iranian regime. The deal reportedly involves the U.S. dropping all of its sanctions against Iran and in exchange Iran will end its uranium enrichment." President Biden, left, signs the guestbook before talks with Israel's President Isaac Herzog at the presidential office in Jerusalem, on July 14, 2022. Mark Dubowitz, the CEO of the Washington D.C.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital, "Im not sure if his cancelation is about internal Israeli issues or Iran issues. Im more concerned that the Biden administration is secretly pursuing a deal with Iran, and Blinken prefers not to kick up a wave of scrutiny on that by coming to Israel." Glick claimed that, "From Israels perspective, the U.S. position means that the U.S. is no longer a credible ally. As such, Israel has no interest in coordinating its Iran policy with Washington. So there is no longer any reason for Secretary of State Blinken to visit Israel. And there is little reason for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the White House." With respect to Secretary of State Blinkens reported cancelation of a trip to Israel, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital "The United States remains steadfast in our commitment to furthering the ironclad U.S.-Israel relationship. The Secretary has regularly visited Israel and the West Bank, and he will continue to do so. We have no travel to Israel and the West Bank to announce at this time." The spokesperson said that U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan recently met with his Israeli counterpart. NETANYAHU TELLS PIERS MORGAN DEMOCRACY IS SAFE IN ISRAEL DESPITE HIS MOVES TO WREST CONTROL OF TOO POWERFUL Just last week, Chief of the United States Central Command, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, arrived in Israel to observe the Israel Defense Forces two-week-long war drill. He also visited the IDFs Unit 504, which specializes in human intelligence. Kurilla witnessed a mock assessment of the IDFs "Firm Hand" drill, which is simulating a multi-front war. Iranian regime proxies armed with missiles are located on Israels southern border in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and on its northern border, where Hezbollah is based. An aerial photograph showing protesters outside Israel's parliament on March 27. When questioned if the White House plans to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, a State Department spokesperson said that "We have no meetings with Israeli officials to announce at this time." Bidens refusal to issue a formal state visit to Netanyahu remains an open wound for some in Israel and among Republicans, prompting Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to say during his visit to Israel in May that if Biden does not extend an invitation, he will invite the Israeli leader. Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joel Rubin, who served during the Obama administration, echoed the views of the State Department. He told Fox News Digital "U.S.-Israel relations are incredibly strong. Senior Israeli officials visit Washington on a routine basis and vice-versa to Jerusalem. President Biden also made a tremendously successful visit to Israel last summer, highlighting the strong personal ties he has to Israel, built on more than 50 years of personal friendship and political support." President Biden, left, is welcomed by former Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid upon his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in July, 2022. BIDEN ALIENATING OUR PARTNERS WHO MADE PEACE WITH ISRAEL AND OTHER US ALLIES IN THE REGION: SEN. ERNST Rubin added, "Prime Minister Netanyahu understands this and as he works through the Israeli political debate over judicial reform, he has not once expressed a concern about the state of relations between Israel and the U.S. That should be enough to quash any concerns about a weakening of relations." On criticism over Netanyahu's judicial reforms, the State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The president has said consistently, both privately and publicly, that fundamental reforms like these require a broad basis of support to be durable and sustained, and we hope there will be genuine compromise. Ultimately, it is up to Israelis to find the best path forward. But as close friends of Israel, we urge them to reach a compromise with the broadest possible base of popular support. We look forward to working with Israel to advance the interests and values that have been at the heart of our relationship for decades." For Ariel Kahana, a senior diplomatic commentator for Israels most read Hebrew-language daily newspaper, Israel Hayom, the friction over judicial reform and settlements is "not so much about interfering in politics," he told Fox News Digital. "It is like Americans disagreeing with you. It is not like in past when the Americans would get involved in elections." He cited the Israeli elections of 1996 and 2015. "Every time Netanyahu was involved, democratic administrations tried to help the rival. No one denies it." Kahana, whose columns for Israel Hayom are closely read, said about the contentious issues of judicial and settlement that the Biden administration, "is not exactly getting involved in politics as it is more a disagreement about the issues. I think America is wrong twice. Settlements are a good thing for Israel. And if they disagree, they should not say it so loudly and make it such a big deal." SPEAKER MCCARTHY EXPECTS BIDEN TO INVITE NETANYAHU TO WHITE HOUSE AMID STRAINED TIES WITH TOP MIDEAST ALLY Israel has Jewish residents who live in settlements in the West Bank, known in Israel by the biblical names of Judea and Samaria. The Palestinians claim the West Bank as their territory and the current Israeli government sees parts of the West Bank as being land for the Jewish state in a final negotiated accord with the Palestinian Liberation Organization. The U.S. State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "With regards to settlement expansion: The expansion of settlements undermines the geographic viability of a two-state solution, exacerbates tensions, and further harms trust between the two parties. This view is consistent with the views of previous administrations, both Democratic and Republican. Moreover, the only realistic path to a comprehensive and lasting peace that ends this conflict permanently is through direct negotiations between the parties, not unilateral actions." Jason Greenblatt, one of the masterminds of the Abraham Accords said, "On the issue of settlements, or what should really be called towns, cities and neighborhoods in Judea and Samaria, the administration fell into the same trap as the past, erroneously blaming settlements as a driving reason for the lack of peace between Israel and the Palestinians and outrageously putting the issue of settlements on the same level as Palestinian terrorism in terms of roadblocks to peace." "This approach is a big mistake and drives peace further away. Continuing the pretense that a fully contiguous Palestinian state will be created and that it is realistic for Israel to withdraw significant portions of its population from its historical, biblical homeland in Judea and Samaria is part of the reason peace is so difficult to achieve. Its time to publicly acknowledge reality and perhaps then we can begin the hard work necessary to see if peace is achievable," said Greenblatt. By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's Democratic allies are planning a private Chicago fundraiser with billionaire Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker as soon as this month, two people briefed on the president's plans say. A specific date for the tentative event had not been confirmed and a spokesman for Biden's presidential campaign declined to comment. Biden's early big-money donor events will test the president's appeal with wealthy voters, with the goal of raising hundreds of millions of dollars over the next several months. The campaign, which officially launched April 25, plans to ramp up fundraising events this month. Advisers believe a strong cash haul will set Biden, who is almost certain to get the Democratic nomination, apart from a Republican Party that is picking its candidates from a large field that includes front-runner Donald Trump, the former president defeated by Biden in 2020. Biden raised more than $1 billion in 2020. Two more entrants, Former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, are set to enter the race this week. Pritzker is viewed as an important ally for Biden and a rising star in the Democratic Party. He donated more than $1 million to Biden ahead of 2020, and has pledged to help finance the Democratic National Convention, which is being held in Chicago on Aug. 19-22, 2024. Biden aides are keeping a close eye on June 30, when quarterly fundraising books close. Campaigns announce these fundraising tallies in mid-July, and the figure will be a sign of how well Biden campaign's money-raising efforts are going. So far, Biden's campaign has only held a handful of events, largely for donors and volunteers. Two fundraising events Biden held last month in New York raised over $3 million, according to a person familiar with those totals. In the weeks since the launch, Biden has dealt with a debt ceiling crisis that was resolved over the weekend with his signing of a bipartisan deal. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington and Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia; additional reporting by Nandita Bose; editing by Heather Timmons and Angus MacSwan) Indigenous protesters in Brazil clashed with police last week as the countrys Congress approved legislation that would limit the ability to protect ancestral lands in the Amazon, Reuters reported. At least 100 Indigenous demonstrators blocked a major highway outside Brazils largest city, Sao Paulo, on May 30 as the countrys lawmakers voted on Bill 490. Police dressed in riot gear arrived to disperse the crowd, detonating tear gas at the throng of protesters, who began firing arrows in retaliation. We are from these lands, and we will resist, Thiago Karai Djekupe, an Indigenous protester, told a reporter last Tuesday. We will not accept violence. Indigenous protesters along the Bandeirantes highway in Sao Paulo on May 30. (Allison Sales/AFP via Getty Images) Later on Tuesday, Brazils lower house of Congress passed laws that would restrict the expansion of Indigenous land boundaries. The legislation, which has yet to be voted on by the Senate, states that land can be considered protected only if it was occupied by Indigenous people since 1988 the year Brazils current constitution was adopted. But Brazils Indigenous communities argue that they have a right to all their original territories, as some were ousted from their lands during the military dictatorship that ended in 1985. Why it matters: Bill 490 was overwhelmingly endorsed by politicians from the Bancada Ruralista a group of lawmakers with interests in the countrys powerful agribusiness and large landholders. Although the bill will not affect current reservations, it could see the unprotected sacred lands opened up to exploitation by illegal farmers and loggers. Brazils Indigenous communities have always been under threat, but cases of illegal mining, poaching, logging and deforestation have risen to dangerous levels since 2020. Here are four other international news stories you may have missed this week from Yahoo News partner network. Pontiff warns that Virgin Mary apparitions are not always real Pope Francis on June 3 at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. (Tiziana FabiI/AFP via Getty Images) Pope Francis appeared to address reports of a woman who claimed that the Virgin Mary had communicated with her, telling an interviewer that not all visions are real, the Guardian reported on Sunday. Maria Giuseppe Scarpulla, who lives in a small town outside of Rome, claimed that she had seen apparitions of the Virgin Mary after purchasing a statue of the Madonna from a holy site in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in 2016. Since then, hundreds of pilgrims have traveled to see the statue and to participate in monthly ceremonies organized by Scarpulla. Dont look there, the pope said in Sundays interview when asked about visions of the Virgin Mary. There are images of the Madonna that are real, but the Madonna has never drawn [attention] to herself. Scarpulla, known to her followers as the Saint, also claimed that the statue had shed tears of blood a miracle that has been associated with statues of the Virgin Mary around the world. Last month Scarpulla, who has previously been convicted of bankruptcy fraud, became embroiled in controversy after a private investigator discovered that the blood on the statue came from a pig. UAE supports presence of Big Oil lobbyists at U.N. climate summit Protesters at a demonstration organized by the Climate Justice Coalition last year. (Guy Smallman/Getty Images) According to the Associated Press, a senior official from the United Arab Emirates defended the governments decision to allow lobbyists from oil and gas industries to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference, despite objections from environmentalists. Speaking ahead of preliminary talks, which are to start next week in Germany, Majid al-Suwaidi, the director-general of the COP28 summit, said the team is hoping to deliver real, big, game-changing results because they see, just like all of us, that were not on track to achieve the goals of Paris. In December 2015, 196 parties signed a legally binding international treaty that they would participate in limiting global warming temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Al-Suwaidi emphasized that in order to do this, Big Oil representatives would need to be present. We need to have everybody at the table discussing with us about how to deliver that, he said Friday. Activists and environmental campaigners have criticized the presence of gas and oil lobbyists, as those industries have played a huge part in the current climate crisis. Iranian police to seize cars from women without veils An Iranian police officer stops a car during a crackdown to enforce the Islamic dress code in the north of Tehran, in April 2007. (Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images) The ultra-Islamist government in Iran has ordered police to seize cars from women not wearing their hijabs, intensifying the crackdown on female autonomy in the country, the Telegraph reported on Saturday. If a woman is seen not wearing a veil, she will be fined the equivalent of about $90, but repeat offenders may have their driving licenses suspended and their cars impounded. This is the latest government policy introduced to curb the number of women flouting the mandatory hijab rule since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last September. Amini died after being taken into custody by the so-called morality police for reportedly wearing her chador incorrectly. When the news of her death broke, women took to the streets in protest against the brutal Iranian regime the first major women-led revolution in the country. Eight months later, pockets of demonstrations continue across the country, and the government has imposed stricter laws and tougher surveillance. Picture released of man found dead in plane undercarriage A computer-based image of a man found dead in a plane's undercarriage was released to the public in a bid to formally identify him. (Sussex Police) Police in the U.K. are trying to identify a man who was found dead in the undercarriage of a plane that traveled from Gambia, the BBC reported on Friday. The body of the man, believed to be in his 20s or 30s, was discovered on a TUI Airways plane that left from the West African nations capital, Banjul, on Dec. 7, 2022. The flight from Banjul International Airport to Gatwick Airport in England is around six hours, traveling a distance of 2,760 miles. An image created using an electronic facial identification technique, was released to the public in a bid to formally identify the man. Over the last number of years, there have been several reports of stowaways being found dead onboard flights to the U.K. In 2019, the frozen body of a man identified as Paul Manyasi fell from a Kenya Airways flight while the plane was descending into Heathrow Airport. In 2015, the body of Carlito Vale was found on the roof of a building located on the flight path of Heathrow. Indias military cannot challenge China as it is unlikely to catch up with it in the next few decades, said the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) delegation at Asias top security summit, as ties between the two nuclear neighbours continue to plummet. The delegation of the Chinese army at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore said Indias current capabilities in defence manufacturing and military modernisation are insufficient to counter Beijing. He underscored that PLA would, however, prefer dialogue, exchanges and negotiation to resolve territorial disputes. The armies of the two countries are involved in a continuing standoff over their shared border in the Himalayanan region. India is unlikely to catch up to China in the coming decades because of its weak industrial infrastructure, while China has built complex and systematic defence industrial platforms, said senior colonel Zhao Xiaozhuo of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, according to South China Morning Post. When you look at the Indian militarys weapon systems, what types of tanks, aircraft and warships were made and developed by Indians themselves? The comments were made by the PLA delegation on the sidelines of the Shangri-la security summit, that concluded on Sunday with a heated debate over the worlds most pressing security issues, including Taiwan, the South China Sea and the Ukraine conflict. India and Chinas armies, which have a history of border disputes, have been locked in a high altitude stand-off on the Line of Actual control since June 2020, when soldiers of the two militaries clashed in the deadliest skirmishes in decades on the border. The clashes turned into a long-running standoff in the rugged mountainous area, where each side has stationed thousands of military personnel as well as artillery, tanks and fighter jets. Mr Zhao said India would never be a loyal partner to the US in its Indo-Pacific Strategy because of its independent diplomatic policy, referring to Indias advocacy of the non-aligned movement (NAM). NAM is the grouping of nations that originated during the Cold War era by countries in mainly in the Global South that considered themselves not aligned with any major power bloc or alliance. Several analysts say NAM is not relevant today. In one of the closely watched exchanges during the summit, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinas defence minister General Li Shangfu failed to have a face-to-face meeting even as the two top officials briefly shook hands. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin (right) shake hands with China defense minister Li Shangfu (left) during the opening dinner during Shangri La Summit (AP) Mr Austin chided Beijing for refusing to hold military discussions, while Mr Li accused Washington of using bullying and deceiving and exploiting alliances in Asia. A day after a bitter meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Mr Austin arrived in India the worlds largest arms importer to discuss upgrading the USs partnership with Delhi to counter Chinas economic rise and increased belligerence. The US defence secretarys India visit is crucial as it is expected to lay the groundwork for prime minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington on 22 June, which has fuelled speculation about a possible announcement of defence contracts. Mr Austin met Indian defence minister Rajnath Sigh and the two explored ways of building resilient supply chains, a statement from Indias defence ministry said. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) shake hands with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a ceremonial welcome ceremony (EPA) They decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. They discussed wide-ranging issues, including regional security issues, given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the ministry said. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defence Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, Mr Austin tweeted after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. India is seeking to strengthen its domestic defence industry by acquiring new technology to build its own arsenal rather than relying on other countries for imports. India is the largest importer of arms in the world, accounting for 11 per cent of the worlds all-weapon imports in the 2018-22 period, according to Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Delhi is also appearing to pivot from its largest arm supplier Russia amid its continuing war in Ukraine. India is looking to buy 18 armed high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for an estimated $1.5-2bn dollars (1.2-1.6bn), said Rahul Bedi, a defence analyst. Russia accounts for around 60 per cent of Indian defence equipment, and New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a three-year-old border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, where tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed within shooting distance. Additional reporting by agencies As the sale of Fairfield Lake State Park moves closer, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has closed the park to the public. At the same time, the Parks and Wildlife Commission is slated to discuss acquiring the property through eminent domain, days before a private developer officially takes over the land. Fairfield Lake State Park, in Freestone County between the Metroplex and Houston, has been the subject of public debate for several months. The state park sits on land that the state has leased from energy company Vistra Corp. for about 50 years. But Vistra is now selling the land to Dallas-based developer Todd Interests, which plans to turn the park land and several thousand surrounding acres into a high-end gated community. In marketing materials obtained by the Star-telegram, Dallas-based developer Todd Interests outlined its plans to transform Fairfield Lake into a private, high-end community. In preparation for that sale, the state closed the parks gates at the end of February. State legislators then asked if it was possible to keep the park open longer, and the Parks and Wildlife Department reopened the gates and allowed visitors to access the park free of charge. But on Monday, the state closed the parks doors once again, to allow park staff enough time to decommission the property. The states lease on the park land ends on June 13, the Parks and Wildlife Department said in a press release. Although the state is taking steps to close up the park land, the Parks and Wildlife Commission is also prepping for a last minute meeting to discuss obtaining the park land and surrounding acreage through eminent domain. The Commission has scheduled a meeting for June 10, just days before the state park lease ends, to discuss and vote on using eminent domain for the 1,800 acres of park land and the surrounding 3,000 acres that Todd Interests is purchasing. The eminent domain acquisition, if approved by the Commission, would allow the state to preserve and expand Fairfield Lake State Park, according to the June 10 meeting agenda. Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners continue to pursue options for saving Fairfield Lake State Park, including through condemnation, said Commission Chairman Arch Beaver Aplin III in a press release. But in the meantime, department staff must focus on decommissioning the property before our lease ends June 13. State legislators previously raised the idea of passing a bill to allow the Parks and Wildlife Department to acquire the park land trough eminent domain. They later backed away from that idea. The special meeting comes after the state sent in a $25 million offer asking Todd Interests to step away from its contract to purchase the land. In the press release, the state said that Todd Interests rejected that offer. Shawn Todd, the founder of Todd Interests, previously told the Star-Telegram that he countered the offer and then didnt heard back from the state. (Reuters) - The Kremlin said a purported radio address by President Vladimir Putin heard on Monday on Russian stations in regions bordering Ukraine was fake and the result of a hack, Russian news agencies reported. The state-owned news agency RIA said a number of radio stations had carried the hoax address. "All of these messages are an utter fake," it cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Independent Russian media reported that the announcement had told residents of the Rostov, Belgorod and Voronezh regions, all of which adjoin Ukraine, that Kyiv's forces had crossed the border with Russia. They cited the address as saying, wrongly, that martial law had been declared in border regions and a nationwide military mobilisation had begun for Russia's war with Ukraine, and that residents should evacuate deeper into Russia. Kyiv denies sending any troops into Russian territory, and says the sporadic ground incursions that have occurred in the last three months, for which Moscow blames Ukraine, have been the work of Russian partisans. In a statement posted on Telegram, the Voronezh regional government confirmed that a hack had taken place, and said local radio stations were under the control of law enforcement agencies and local authorities. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey) BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) A New York state trooper was charged with manslaughter Monday for shooting an unarmed motorist to death after he refused to get out of his car following a high-speed chase. Trooper Anthony Nigro pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree manslaughter at an arraignment in Buffalo, where the killing took place last year, and was released without bail. The charges in the death of James Huber, 38, are a rare example of a criminal case being brought against an officer by New York's attorney general, who has the authority to investigate the lethal use of force by law enforcement. The president of the union that represents Nigro defended him, saying the slaying was justified. The trooper's body camera video captured the fatal encounter on Feb. 12, 2022. Troopers first spotted Huber, a resident of North East, Pennsylvania, speeding on Interstate 90 near Buffalo and pursued him at speeds that topped 100 mph (161 kph). The pursuing officers broke off the chase after Huber's vehicle exited the highway, but Nigro caught up to Huber on a street in downtown Buffalo and blocked his path with his cruiser. Body camera footage released by the state attorney general's office shows Nigro, a nearly 16-year veteran of the state police, holding his gun in front of him as he approaches the car. He orders Huber to get out, cursing at him. Huber turns away from the trooper and says, Go away," and then never, and nope as the trooper continues to yell at him to get out of the car, his gun just inches from the motorist's head. Huber puts his hand on the car's shifter, as if to put it in gear. The trooper yanks on the hood of Huber's sweatshirt, then fires two shots and falls to the ground as the car lurches backward, briefly dragging him. The car moved in reverse out of camera range, crashed and landed on its side on a parking ramp. The body camera footage shows Nigro running to the car. He radios, Driver's been hit. I'm fine. Huber died of gunshot wounds at the scene. His death was investigated by Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, whose office brought the charges. New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association President Charles Murphy said in a statement that Nigro should not have faced criminal charges. He said Huber's dangerous driving threatened the safety of innocent motorists." Our understanding and review of the facts in this case confirm that, while the outcome was tragic, Trooper Nigros actions were in accordance with his training and the law, and that he was justified in his use of force, Murphy said. The state police said in a statement that the department has cooperated with the attorney generals investigation and will continue to do so. Cary Arnold, a Pennsylvania woman who has a daughter with Huber, told the Buffalo News that Huber might have been heading for a rally in support of Canadian truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates at the time of the shooting. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to yet another U.S. foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule, but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, but relations have been strained in recent years. Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Iran's theocracy and Syria's President Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdom's image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognize the election results and challenged Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. President Yoon Suk Yeol and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden shake hands during a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, in this April 26 photo. Despite intensifying North Korean security threats, public support for the idea of arming South Korea with its own nuclear weapons has been waning, a new study showed Monday. EPA-Yonhap More South Koreans trust in US nuclear umbrella after Washington Declaration: poll By Jung Min-ho Despite intensifying security threats from North Korea, public support for the idea of developing the nation's own nuclear weapons program has been waning, a new study showed Monday. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), a think tank, 60.2 percent of respondents said that they would support arming their country with its own nuclear weapons. This figure was a significant drop from 69 percent last year and the lowest since 2014, when the organization conducted its first study on the issue. The rate of support for the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in South Korea also fell to 53.6 percent from 60.4 percent in 2022. Asked whether they trust Washington's nuclear umbrella, its commitment to respond to a nuclear attack on South Korea by using its own nuclear weapons, 72.1 percent said they do. Researchers said that the April 26 Washington Declaration, through which the U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to protecting South Korea from North Korea's possible nuclear attack by opening an official channel for nuclear consultations among other measures, affected some results in the study, which was carried out between April 15 and May 10. Notably, trust in the U.S.' nuclear umbrella rose to 75.6 percent, among the 497 respondents, after the declaration was announced, compared to 68.7 percent who responded before the announcement. Yet the agreement appears to have had little impact on their opinions about the possible development of Korea's own nuclear arsenal, researchers added. Drones fly during South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, May 25. AP-Yonhap The engineer room in "Pod City" at Spotify's regional headquarters in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Spotify is reducing its staff by 200 people, or about 2% of its workforce, as the company restructures its podcast division, the Swedish streaming audio giant said Monday. The layoffs come amid increased pressure for tech companies to cut costs and boost profits in an uncertain economic environment. Earlier this year, Spotify trimmed its staff by 6% or roughly 600 people, with Chief Executive Daniel Ek citing the increased importance of efficiency. The Stockholm-based audio company said podcast production companies Gimlet and Parcast will be combined into a "renewed Spotify Studios operation" that will be overseen by Julie McNamara, head of global podcast studios. "Looking ahead, as a key component of our focus on creators, we remain committed to original programming," wrote Sahar Elhabashi, vice president of podcast business, in an internal update that was adapted and shared on Spotify's website. The company heavily invested in podcasting over the years, buying several production companies such as Gimlet and Parcast and expanding its footprint in downtown Los Angeles with a campus that includes a building known as "Pod City." Spotify has become a top podcast publisher, with more than 100 million monthly podcast listeners, according to the company. But the cost of getting there, including expensive deals with newsmakers and celebrities, has come under scrutiny. Last year, the company cut roughly 40 people from its podcast staff and scrapped 11 shows. Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research, said Spotify's approach was too costly, which is why it is making these changes. "It's really a supply-and-demand issue," Wang said. "Too many podcasts with too little audience." Unionized Gimlet and Parcast employees said in a statement they were "frustrated by the mismanagement that led us here." The employees, who are part of the Writers Guild of America East, said teams were given little direction and many podcasts were exclusive to Spotify, limiting the revenue they could generate. Gimlet and Parcast were studios with vision that helped shape our industry, the employees said. Whether Spotify Studios has a vision remains to be seen. Spotify's Elhabashi said the company will broaden its analytics capabilities and maximize "consumption from the massive audience weve established through format innovation and ensuring that more creators in more places achieve success." Bill Simmons will continue to run The Ringer, which produces sports, entertainment and pop culture podcasts, as a separate studio and serve as head of podcast innovation and monetization. Among Spotify's top five podcasts in the U.S. are "The Joe Rogan Experience" and "Call Her Daddy." "We are expanding our partnership efforts with leading podcasters from across the globe with a tailored approach optimized for each show and creator," Elhabashi wrote. "This fundamental pivot from a more uniform proposition will allow us to support the creator community better." Spotify stock closed at $156.34 a share, up 3%. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Summer in the Boise area just got a little less heavy. Headbanging rock bands Godsmack and Staind have canceled their co-headlining show at Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater in Nampa. The concert had been scheduled for Friday, Aug. 18. Its the second major outdoor show that has been nixed in recent weeks. In May, Rainbow Kitten Surprise pulled the plug on its planned gig at Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden. On social media last week, Godsmack indicated that trouble might be in the air. Regarding the Salt Lake City, Nampa and Ridgefield shows, the group posted. ... We unfortunately ran into some routing issues. All three of those shows have been canceled. Bummer for sure, said Creston Thornton, president of promoter Live Nations mountain region. Ticket sales in Nampa had been strong, he said. Its a disappointing turn of events for fans who grew up listening to both veteran groups over the decades on CD, on streaming services and on radio stations such as 100.3 FM The X in Boise. Godsmack has more Top 10 rock songs than Foo Fighters or their hometown heroes, Aerosmith, the bands official bio brags. Stretching back to their four-times platinum self-titled debut, initially recorded in 1996 for $2,500, the veteran bands catalog of hits is enough to fill a marathon set without running out. Songs like I Stand Alone, Awake and Voodoo are certified anthems deeply encoded into hard rocks DNA. Staind, formed in 1995, has enjoyed hits such as Its Been Awhile, Outside and So Far Away. Both bands have been to Boise before. Godsmacks most recent visit was in 2018, when it performed with Shinedown at what is now called ExtraMile Arena. Godsmack, Staind and Shinedown all appeared at the Idaho Center Amphitheater in 2012 at the Uproar Festival. Godsmack has sold more than 20 million records worldwide, according to a media release; Staind has sold more than 15 million. LIMA, Peru (AP) The Peruvian government on Monday said the main suspect in the unsolved 2005 disappearance of American student Natalee Holloway will be extradited this week to the United States. The head of the Perus prison system, Javier Llaque, told The Associated Press that custody of Joran van der Sloot will be handed over to Interpol first thing in the morning Thursday, after which the Dutchman will be taken to an airport in the capital, Lima, to board an airplane to the U.S. Van der Sloot arrived Saturday to a corrections facility in Lima after a long ground trip under strict security measures from a prison in the Andes, where he was serving a 28-year sentence for the murder of a Peruvian woman. Defense attorney Maximo Altez last month said his client explained in a letter he did not plan to challenge the extradition. The government of Peru announced May 10 that it would temporarily transfer custody of Van der Sloot to authorities in the U.S. to face trial on extortion and wire fraud charges. Holloway, who lived in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, was 18 when she was last seen during a trip with classmates to the Caribbean island of Aruba. She was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, who was a student at an international school on the island. Van der Sloot was identified as a suspect and detained weeks later, along with two Surinamese brothers. Holloways body was never found, and no charges were filed in the case. A judge later declared Holloway dead. The federal charges filed in Alabama against van der Sloot stem from an accusation that he tried to extort the Holloway family in 2010, promising to lead them to her body in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars. A grand jury indicted him that year on one count each of wire fraud and extortion. Also in 2010, van der Sloot was arrested in Peru for the murder of 21-year-old Stephany Flores, a business student from a prominent family who was killed five years to the day after Holloways disappearance. Van der Sloot pleaded guilty in Flores case in 2012. A 2001 treaty between Peru and the U.S. allows a suspect to be temporarily extradited to face trial in the other country. The time that van der Sloot ends up spending in the U.S. will be extended until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings, including the appeal process should there be one, according to a resolution published in the South American countrys federal register. The resolution also states that U.S. authorities agreed to return the suspect to the custody of Peru afterward. The young womans mother, Beth Holloway, in a statement released after Peruvian authorities agreed to the extradition last month said the family is finally getting justice for Natalee. It has been a very long and painful journey, but the persistence of many is going to pay off, Beth Holloway said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, shakes hands with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in Kyiv on Monday. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) KYIV Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has quietly acknowledged to foreign officials that the United Kingdom has played a crucial role in convincing allies like the United States to dramatically increase military aid ahead of a summertime counteroffensive against Russia. That may be one reason Zelensky was all smiles Monday as he welcomed U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to the Ukrainian capital. Ukraine can count on the U.K.s support, Cleverly told Zelensky. While the U.S. has been Ukraines most important partner, delivering or pledging just over $46 billion in military aid since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, the United Kingdom, having contributed $7.1 billion, has led the way on advanced weapons systems that Washington and other allies had been skittish to supply. The U.K. was the first nation to commit to sending modern, Western-made tanks the Challenger 2 and is so far the only nation to provide cruise missiles the Storm Shadow that can hit any target within all of Ukraines internationally recognized borders, decisions that paved the way for bolder action from other NATO allies. President Biden at a news conference in Hiroshima, Japan, following the G7 summit, May 21. (Susan Walsh/AP) In my meetings with presidents and prime ministers, theyve been clear that the UK's willingness to act first to save Ukrainian lives by providing specific equipment shifted the dial significantly, Alicia Kearns, chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told Yahoo News. It enabled more countries to step forward and provide the support needed to limit and prevent atrocities by Russian forces against Ukrainians. Unnamed Biden administration officials told Politico on May 9 they believed the British trigger-pulling on Storm Shadows would silence critics who have been pressuring the U.S. to send its own Army Tactical Artillery Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine. But weeks later, President Biden told reporters that the question of providing ATACMS was still in play. Londons bullishness, U.S. and U.K. officials say, has had a galvanizing effect on Western security assistance in general. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior U.S. diplomat told Yahoo News that the provision of Storm Shadows even helped break the White Houses impasse on sending F-16 fighter jets. At a G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, late last month, Biden announced the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian pilots on how to fly the American-made fourth-generation jets, a process that the U.S. Air Force estimates will take four months. Steadfast from the start British Defence Minister Ben Wallace, left, shakes hands with Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov during his visit to Kyiv, Ukraine on May 24, 2023. (Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Office via AP) Months before Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the U.K. began flying planeloads of shoulder-launched anti-tank missile launchers, the Anglo-Swedish NLAW, to Ukraine at a time when doing so was highly controversial in Europe. The prevailing assumption on the continent was that Russia would overrun Kyiv in days. Royal Air Force C-17 heavy transport planes were tasked to fly a circuitous route to avoid German airspace on their way to Ukraine to avoid the possibility of a fellow NATO ally declining overflight permission. At the time, Berlin was itself highly reluctant to send lethal kit to Kyiv and fearful of perceived escalation with Moscow. Successive British prime ministers there have been three since the war started, all from the Conservative Party have been of one mind on helping Kyiv claw back territory. The U.K.s support for Ukraine is unusual for the fact that it transcends party lines in Britain, with the opposition Labour Party being as hawkish if not more so than the ruling Tories. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is widely admired for his wartime stewardship of security assistance. In an interview for Yahoo News in May, Wallaces Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov said that the U.K. is the one country whose electoral outcome causes him little angst, as the opposition is as strong as the current government in terms of supporting us. The Labour Party has stood united with the government and the British public in support of providing Ukraine with the military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian support it needs to prevail, British Shadow Secretary of State David Lammy told Yahoo News. We continue to push the government to close the loopholes on sanctions, the repurposing of sanctioned assets and the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Putin and his cronies personally for their crimes. A member of the British military walks past an MBDA Storm Shadow/Scalp missile at the Farnborough Airshow, southwest of London, in 2018. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images) The Brits have also been out front in justifying Ukrainian-orchestrated military operations inside Russian territory. After a series of drone attacks in and around Moscow on May 30, the difference in reactions from Washington and London was stark. As a general matter, we do not support attacks inside of Russia, a White House spokesperson said. We have been focused on providing Ukraine with the equipment and training they need to retake their own sovereign territory. Cleverly, however, was less hesitant, emphasizing Ukraines legitimate right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russias ability to project force into Ukraine itself. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and now deputy chair of Russias National Security and Defense Council, tweeted in reply: The goofy officials of the UK, our eternal enemy, should remember that within the framework of the universally accepted international law which regulates modern warfare, including the Hague and Geneva Conventions with their additional protocols, their state can also be qualified as being at war. Kyiv Its long been thought of as the special relationship, but its also a highly complementary one. While the United States is Ukraines most important partner, delivering or pledging just over $46 billion in military aid since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, the United Kingdom, at $7.1 billion, has played a more brazen and pathfinding role in being the first Western nation to send advanced weapons systems systems which Washington has been skittish or more sluggish to supply. The UK led the pro-Ukraine coalition in offering Challenger 2 main battle tanks on Jan. 15, two weeks before the U.S. announced its own plans to send Abrams. Fourteen British tanks in themselves werent enough to make a huge difference in the war effort, but by donating them, other Western countries, such as Germany, felt emboldened to hand over more of their own Leopard 2s and authorize third party countries to do likewise. The UK has also already delivered long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed Ukraine has successfully used against Russian targets, whereas the U.S. has still declined to provide anything of that power and range. Storm Shadows, which were modified to be fired from Ukraines Soviet-era Su-24s, can hit any targets within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders, including occupied Crimea. In my meetings with presidents and prime ministers, they've been clear that the UK's willingness to act first to save Ukrainian lives by providing specific equipment shifted the dial significantly, Alicia Kearns, the head of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told Yahoo News. It enabled more countries to step forward and provide the support needed to limit and prevent atrocities by Russian forces against Ukrainians. A short while after the British decision to provide cruise missiles to Ukraine was revealed the French government announced it was also sending its own version of the Storm Shadow, the SCALP-EG, developed in collaboration with the UK. Unnamed Biden administration officials told Politico on May 9 they believed the British trigger-pulling on Storm Shadows would silence critics who have been pressuring the U.S. to send its own Army Tactical Artillery Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine. Yet it didnt even silence the commander-in-chief. President Joe Biden told reporters on May 29 that the question of providing ATACMS was still in play. Londons bullishness, both U.S. and UK officials say, has had a galvanizing effect on Western security assistance in general. One senior U.S. diplomat told Yahoo News, speaking on the condition of anonymity, that the provision of Storm Shadows even helped break the White Houses impasse on F-16s. At the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Biden announced the U.S. would begin training Ukrainian pilots on how to fly the American-made fourth generation fighter jets, a process that the U.S. Air Force judged will take four months, far shorter than the 18 the Pentagon previously estimated. Nor is the UKs forward-leaning posture recent or new. Months before the full-scale invasion, the UK began flying plane loads of shoulder-launched anti-tank missile launchers, the Anglo-Swedish NLAW, to Ukraine at a time when doing so was still highly controversial in Europe, where the prevailing assumption was that Russia would overrun the country in days.The Royal Air Force C-17 heavy transport planes were tasked to fly a circuitous route to avoid German airspace on their way to Ukraine, to avoid the possibility of a fellow NATO ally declining overflight permission, as Berlin was itself highly reluctant to send lethal kit to Kyiv and fearful of perceived escalation with Moscow. Successive British prime ministers there have been three since the war started, all from the Conservative Party have been of one mind on helping Kyiv claw back territory. The U.K. 's support for Ukraine is unusual in the fact that it transcends party lines in Britain, with the opposition Labour Party being as hawkish if not more so than the ruling Tories. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is almost universally admired for his wartime stewardship of security assistance. In an interview for Yahoo News in May Wallaces Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov said that in the UK is the one country whose electoral outcome he doesnt agonize over, as the opposition is as strong as the current government in terms of supporting us. The Labour Party has stood united with the government and the British public in support of providing Ukraine with the military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian support it needs to prevail, David Lammy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, told Yahoo News. We continue to push the government to close the loopholes on sanctions, the repurposing of sanctioned assets and the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Putin and his cronies personally for their crimes. The Brits have also been out front in justifying Ukrainian-orchestrated military operations inside Russian territory. After a series of drone attacks in and around Moscow on May 30, the difference in reactions from Washington and London was stark. As a general matter, we do not support attacks inside of Russia, State Department spokesperson. We have been focused on providing Ukraine with the equipment and training they need to retake their own sovereign territory. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, however, was unambivalent, emphasizing Ukraine's "legitimate right" to "project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia's ability to project force into Ukraine itself. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and now deputy chair of Russias National Security and Defense Council, tweeted in reply: The goofy officials of the UK, our eternal enemy, should remember that within the framework of the universally accepted international law which regulates modern warfare, including the Hague and Geneva Conventions with their additional protocols, their state can also be qualified as being at war. NEW DELHI (AP) U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday discussed upgrading partnership with India, a major arms buyer, and set a roadmap for cooperation for the next five years as both countries grapple with Chinas economic rise and increased belligerence, officials said. Austin's visit comes as India strengthens its domestic defense industry by acquiring new technologies and reducing reliance on imports, particularly from Russia, its largest supplier of military hardware despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. Austin and his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, explored ways of building resilient supply chains, a statement from India's Defense Ministry said. They decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defense startup ecosystems of the two countries. They also discussed regional security issues and committed to strengthening operational collaboration across all military services, with an eye to supporting Indias leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific, the statement said. The new roadmap for U.S.-India defense industrial cooperation will fast track technology cooperation and co-production in areas such as air combat and land mobility systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, munitions and the undersea domain, said a U.S. Department of Defense press release. "This initiative aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between U.S. and Indian defense sectors, including a set of specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support Indias defense modernization plans," it said. The discussions also included cooperation in space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence. Austin also met with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, Austin tweeted after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. Austin, who is on his second visit to India, was expected to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington on June 22, which has fuelled speculation about a possible announcement of defense contracts. India is looking to buy 18 armed high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. for an estimated $1.5 billion to $2 billion, said Rahul Bedi, a defense analyst. The UAVs would likely be deployed along its restive borders with China and Pakistan and in the strategic Indian Ocean region, Bedi said. Indian media reports said a joint production and manufacture of combat aircraft engines, infantry combat vehicles, howitzers and their precision ordnance were discussed last month in Washington at a meeting of the U.S.-India Defense Policy Group. Austin arrived in New Delhi from Singapore, where he attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders. Austin lobbied for support for Washingtons vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. China's Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu said at the conference that the U.S. has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve its dominant position. Li suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are remnants of the Cold War and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the Quad grouping with Australia, India and Japan, to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation. India is trying a balancing act in its ties with Washington and Moscow, and has been reducing its dependence on Russian arms by also buying from the U.S., France, Germany and other countries. The U.S. defense trade with India has risen from near zero in 2008 to over $20 billion in 2020. Major Indian purchases from the United States included long-range maritime patrol aircraft, C-130 transport aircraft, missiles and drones. Experts say up to 60% of Indian defense equipment comes from Russia, and New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a 3-year-old border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, where tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed within shooting distance. Twenty Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops died in a clash in 2020. Kathleen Folbigg, pictured in 2019, who was convicted of killing her four children, has launched a petition for a pardon (Peter Rae/EPA) A woman once dubbed Australias worst female serial killer has been granted a pardon and dramatically freed from prison after 20 years, with officials accepting there are doubts about whether she had killed her four children. Kathleen Folbigg, now 55, was two decades into a 25-year sentence after being convicted of the murder of her daughters Sarah and Laura and son Patrick, and the manslaughter of another son, Caleb. All four died suddenly between 1989 and 1999, aged between 19 days and 19 months. Prosecutors had alleged that Folbigg had smothered them, although scientists now believe there is evidence that they may have died of natural causes. Folbigg has always maintained her innocence. There is a reasonable doubt as to Folbiggs guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, New South Wales (NSW) state attorney general Michael Daley said. Further, I am unable to accept the proposition that the evidence establishes that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children. Mr Daley said that the governor of NSW Margaret Beazley had granted an unconditional pardon, allowing Folbigg to be released from prison on Monday. Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not to feel sympathy for Kathleen and [her former husband] Craig Folbigg, Mr Daley added. While Folbigg has walked free from prison, her convictions still stand for now. The Court of Appeals still waiting on a final report that could recommend they be quashed completely, a process which could take some weeks with the courts own processes also set to take months on top of that. If her convictions are overturned, she could then potentially sue the government for millions of pounds in compensation. Previous appeals and an inquiry in 2019 had suggested there were no grounds for reasonable doubt in the original 2003 guilty verdict. However, a fresh inquiry was commissioned last year, led by former chief justice Thomas Bathurst, after a growing body of evidence suggested a rare genetic mutation could have led to the deaths of Folbiggs two daughters. Mr Bathhursts inquiry was ordered in the wake of a petition signed by 90 scientists, medical practitioners and related professionals that said it was based on significant positive evidence of natural causes of death. The council assisting the inquiry, Sophie Callan said expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, was also a reasonably possible cause of Laura's death, Ms Callan said. For Patrick, Ms Callan said there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused his sudden death. The scientific evidence created doubt that Folbigg killed the three children and undermined the argument made in Calebs case that four child deaths were an improbable coincidence, Ms Callan said. The result today is confirmation that our judicial system is capable of delivering justice, and demonstrates that the rule of law is an important underpinning of our democratic system, Mr Daley said. Prosecutors had told the jury at Folbiggs trial that the similarities among the deaths made coincidence an unlikely explanation. Folbigg was the only one at home or awake when the young children died. She said she discovered three of the deaths during trips to the bathroom and one while checking on a childs wellbeing. Prosecutors had also told the jury that Folbiggs diaries contained admissions of guilt. Her former husband, Craig Folbigg, said in submissions to this latest inquiry that the implausibility that four children in one family would die of natural causes before the age of two was compelling grounds to continue treating the diary entries as admissions of his former wifes guilt. In a statement following the pardon, Mr Folbiggs lawyer, Danny Eid, said his clients view had not changed. Mr Folbiggs view of the guilt of Ms Folbigg has not changed whatsoever, Mr Eid said. Ms Folbigg has not been acquitted of the crimes, and her convictions are not displaced. Ms Callan said psychologists and psychiatrists gave evidence that it would be unreliable to interpret the entries in the way prosecutors had at trial. Folbigg had been possibly suffering from a major depressive disorder and maternal grief when she made the entries, Ms Callan said. Folbiggs best friend, Tracy Chapman, thanked supporters in the wake of the decision. I know the past 20 years have been horrific for Kathleen, not least for the pain and suffering she has had to endure following the loss of her four children, Ms Chapman said. Mr Daley called it a tragic case. Weve got four little [babies] who are dead. We have a husband and wife who lost each other, a woman who spent 20 years in jail and a family that never had a chance, he said. Youd not be human if you didnt feel something about that. Additional reporting by agencies Presidential candidate and anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr heaped praise on Twitter owner Elon Musk for defending free speech, during a Twitter spaces event with the executive on Monday afternoon. Mr Kennedy, who has long promoted the discredited theory that vaccines play a role in causing autism, participated in a Twitter Spaces event on Monday and praised Mr Musk for his stewardship of the social media giant for supposedly stopping censorship of voices that dissent from orthodoxy. I just want to tell you how much I admire you for that and how grateful I am on behalf of my country, he said. You would come here from another country and be a key instrument for rescuing American democracy and freedom of speech. The forum is the second such event that Mr Musk has hosted with a presidential hopeful. Last month, Mr Musk hosted a Twitter Sspaces forum with Florida Gov Ron DeSantis as he announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president in 2024. Mr Kennedy announced his candidacy to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for president in 2024 in April. During the event on Monday, he said that his fellow Democrats had misunderstood Mr Musk and had unfairly maligned him. I was so surprised and delighted when you did that on your own and clearly youve been portrayed as somebody as this sinister agenda but youre doing step after step that is not in your self-interest and that is clearly designed to protect freedom of speech, he said. He also praised Mr Musk for releasing the so-called Twitter Files which showed internal communications within Twitter from before Mr Musk took over the company in October 2022 about how they moderated content, such as The New York Post story about Hunter Bidens laptop as well as the companys decision to suspend former president Donald Trumps account. I can't imagine that any attorney or Twitter told you that that was a good idea, he said. Mr Musk responded by saying that his actions came at a great financial cost. I don't care how much it cost or what it takes, he said. If we lose free speech, we lose. In response, Mr Kennedy compared him to the American revolutionaries who declared their independence from the United Kingdom and who risked their own fortunes and reputations. They put their property on the line, they put their financial status and their social status on the line, he said. I've watched you do the same thing and you've been such an example to other Americans of how we ought to be behaving even if it costs us a lot of money. Similarly, Mr Kennedy said that liberals should support the free speech of those with whom they disagree, bringing up the fact that liberals supported the right to march through the largely Jewish suburb of Skokie, Illinois, in the 1970s. Throughout much of the forum, Mr Musk did not challenge Mr Kennedy, including on some of his more outlandish claims that former Fox News executive Roger Ailes prevented him from discussing people injured by vaccines on the cable news network. He also breezed past Mr Kennedy saying that Covid was clearly a bioweapons problem. The two also meandered and had a longer conversation about artificial intelligence and what it would do to the American workforce as well as Mr Musks Neuralink project. At one point, Michael Shellenberger, one of the writers who published the Twitter Files, jumped into the conversation. He can and will https://t.co/zrKLc2BKhz jack (@jack) June 4, 2023 The conversation came after former Twitter executive Jack Dorsey tweeted his support of Mr Kennedy, saying He can and will defeat Mr Biden, Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis. Two Columbia, South Carolina, residents and a Georgia man face lengthy prison sentences after pleading guilty to robbing a postal carrier, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Monday. Columbias Don Everett Peters III and Shylik Lamont Smalls, along with Valdosta, Georgia, resident Elijah Rasue Dewayne Ellis could spend decades behind bars for the 2022 armed robbery where they targeted a mailman for his arrow key, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release. That key provides access to locked mail collection boxes, according to the release. Robbing postal carriers for their keys is becoming a national trend, and it will not be tolerated in South Carolina, U.S. Attorney Adair Boroughs said in the release. On March 17, 2022, Peters, Smalls, and Ellis watched another postal carrier in the Hollywood-Rose Hill/Rosewood area of Columbia, before they robbed a mailman making his rounds on Hollywood Drive, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Smalls and Ellis wore masks as they approached the carrier, and Ellis pointed a gun at the mailman when demanding his keys, according to the release. Peters, who waited in the getaway car, then picked up Smalls and Ellis, and the trio drove away from the area, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. No injuries were reported. After an extensive investigation, including reviews of numerous surveillance cameras and witness interviews, law enforcement officers linked the getaway vehicle to Peters, according to the release. After a review of Peters prior encounters with law enforcement and cellphone, postal inspectors were able to link Smalls to Peters, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Investigators determined that Smalls matched the description of one of the robbers, that both Smalls and Peters had access to guns, and that Smalls possessed clothing matching the description of the clothing worn by one of the robbers, according to the release. On May 4, 2022, Smalls was found with the stolen arrow key in his pants pocket, while investigators also recovered stolen mail, check making materials, several electronic devices such as cellphones and laptops. Two privately made firearms, which are commonly known as ghost guns, were found in Peters and Smalls respective bedrooms, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Inside Peters car, investigators found documentation belonging to Ellis, according to the release. Both Peters and Smalls admitted to being involved in the robbery, along with Ellis, who was arrested on May 31, 2022, in Valdosta, Georgia, where he possessed a ghost gun and a quantity of marijuana, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Ellis also admitted to being involved in the robbery with Peters and Smalls, and all three remain in federal custody, according to the release. Peters, Smalls, and Ellis each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Letter Carrier, assault/armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Letter Carrier, and theft/possession of a U.S. Postal arrow key, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Peters and Smalls also each pleaded guilty to theft/possession of U.S. mail, according to the release. The three men face a maximum punishment of 25 years in prison on the assault/armed robbery of the postal carrier charge, a maximum of 10 years in prison on the theft/possession of an arrow key charge, and a maximum of 5 years in prison on both the conspiracy and the theft/possession of mail charges, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. There is no parole in the federal system. They each also face a fine of up to $250,000 for each charge, restitution, and up to 5 years of supervision upon their release from prison, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the trio after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office, according to the release. Protecting the employees of the United States Postal Service is a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division, said in the release. We want to thank our law enforcement partners that worked tirelessly to apprehend these dangerous individuals. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Columbia Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Lowndes County, Georgia, Sheriffs Office. Oakland, California It may be back to the office at Credit Karma's headquarters in Oakland, California, but it's not business as usual for senior manager Lupe Romo, who is working on his pool game. "These are partners of mine," Romo told CBS News. "This is an investment in people. This is an investment in my relationships with this group." It's exactly what Credit Karma CEO and founder Kenneth Lin wants to see after three years of working from home. "We think there is more energy, there's more creativity," Lin said of his staff being back in the office. "People work better together." To encourage brainstorming there's a game room, yoga and a coffee bar all free. "Well, it's by design, right?" Lin said of the long line for the coffee bar. "We actually want interaction." While the reviews app Yelp announced this week it was closing its last office in Phoenix and will now have all its workers go fully remote companies like Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, are going the opposite direction. Meta this week announced that it was mandating that all workers return to the office for three days a week starting in September. Across the country, company leaders are making headlines with calls to return to the office. "I got data that about 30 of you didn't even open or crack open laptops, and those are all remote employees, including their manager, for a whole month," James Clarke, CEO of Clearlink told his staff in April in a video obtained by Vice. A 2020 study published in the Harvard Business Review found that 38% of managers either agree or strongly agree that "the performance of remote workers is usually lower than that of people who work in an office setting." Forty percent of respondents disagreed, and 22% were unsure. Amazon, Apple, and Starbucks are among the companies now requiring employees to come in three days a week, despite some push back. A February survey by the recruiting firm Robert Half found that 32% of workers who go into the office at least once a week would be willing to take a pay cut to work remotely full-time. "The job market was on fire," said Patrick Carroll, CEO and founder of commercial real estate investment firm Carroll. "And so it gave the employee a lot of leverage. Now, that the market is slowing down drastically, I believe that leverage is shifted to the employer." Carroll supports a return to the office. "I think it's going to take mandates," Carroll said. "It's going to take, you know, fear of losing their job." Lin takes a different tact on the issue. "I think people frame it the wrong way when they talk about return to the office as a function of productivity or compensation," Lin said. "It's about the culture that you want to work in." Trump attorneys arrive at Justice Department Russia claims to repel Ukrainian attack as Kyiv calls for "silence" on counteroffensive Where things stand in Trump's classified documents case South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum met with the top German general in Seoul on Monday to discuss regional security, the war in Ukraine and bilateral cooperation, his office said. During the meeting at the JCS headquarters, Kim and German Inspector General of the Armed Forces Gen. Carsten Breuer voiced concerns over the prolonged war in Ukraine and agreed to join efforts for stability in Europe and world peace, according to the JCS. They also concurred that the two countries should further expand the scope of bilateral cooperation for stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Kim extended his gratitude to Germany and the international community, saying their "resolute" implementation of sanctions on North Korea has contributed to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. He also asked for continued support for Seoul's policy for peace. "The meeting is expected to deepen and expand military exchanges and cooperation between the ROK JCS and the German Defense Staff," the JCS said in a press release. (Yonhap) The United Nations officially launched its mission this week to prevent what it says could be an "environmental catastrophe" on the Red Sea. Sitting off the coast of Yemen lies a nearly half-century-old ship with roughly 1.14 million barrels of crude oil on board, the global agency said and it's "deteriorating rapidly." The massive 47-year-old supertanker, FSO Safer, rests just about 5 1/2 miles off of Yemen's coast, where it has gone without maintenance for seven years. "Its structural integrity is compromised, and it is deteriorating rapidly," the U.N. says. "There is a serious risk the vessel could be struck by a floating mine, spontaneously explode or break apart at any moment." First photos of the FSO Safer taken from the salvage vessel Ndeavor which arrived alongside the Safer on May 30, 2023. / Credit: Coen de Jong/Boskalis/United Nations Officials have been pushing for the situation to be addressed for years. In 2020, the U.N.'s Environment executive director Inger Andersen warned that if the oil on that ship was to leak into the water, it could unleash four times more oil than what was released in Alaska's Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, which affected more than 1,300 miles of shoreline and killed thousands of birds and sea otters, hundreds of seals and nearly two dozen killer whales. To this day, several species are still considered not to have recovered from the incident, according to NOAA, and the spill was one of the nation's biggest environmental disasters in recent history. And it would only be an added strain on the region's environment. On Africa's West Coast, millions of barrels of oil have been spilled in the Niger Delta for decades, leading to environmental damage, lawsuits and protests. If this tanker were to burst open, the U.N. estimates it would cost $20 billion to clean up and could affect 17 million people while destroying coral reefs, mangroves and other forms of sea life, making it "one of the worst oil spills in human history." "Coastal communities would be hit hardest. Hundreds of thousands of jobs in the fishing industry would be lost almost overnight," the U.N. says. "It would take 25 years for fish stocks to recover." The FSO Safer is located a few miles off the coast of Yemen. / Credit: United Nations How did FSO Safer get stuck in the Red Sea? The current situation is rooted in the Yemen civil war, which has been ongoing since 2014. When that war began between the country's government and Houthi rebels, the ship became a bargaining trip for the two sides. The back-and-forth ended up putting a halt to all operations on the ship in 2015. The VLCC Nautica is a very large crude carrier secured by UNDP to sail to the FSO Safer just off the coast of Yemen, and take on the oil from Safer. / Credit: UNDP What is the U.N.'s plan to address the problem? The official launch of the mission to prevent such a disaster comes a year after the U.N. started an online crowdfunding campaign to raise the money to do so. They have estimated it will cost about $144 million to complete the mission, and while the U.N. has much of that on hand, they say they still need $24 million to fully fund the effort. But even with that gap, this week they commenced the "high-risk," two-part operation. The initial step, dubbed the "emergency phase," entails transferring the oil from the tanker to a new vessel, named Nautica. The crew that will be inspecting the aging vessel arrived on-site on May 30. As of Friday morning Eastern Time, Nautica was situated off the coast of Djibouti, East Africa, where officials say it will remain until Safer is deemed ready to transfer its oil. In the second phase, Nautica with the oil onboard will be connected to a catenary anchor leg mooring buoy, which is designed to handle large vessels such as this, to take the ship's place in its spot in the Red Sea. FSO Safer, which even though emptied will still have "a considerable amount of residual oil and pose a significant environmental threat," will then be towed to a scrap yard. While the U.N. has been raising money for this mission, officials say $29 million is still needed. "This is a great milestone," U.N. humanitarian coordinator David Gressly said, "but we will not rest easy until the operation is completed." Amjad Tadros contributed to this report. 7 hurt after partial building collapse in Connecticut Should you recline your airplane seat? Phoenix stops new development as water supply dwindles YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenian authorities will be in charge of border control on their territory in case of unblocking, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan has said, adding that this has become clear for all partners involved in the regional connections unblocking process. Theres one important thing in terms of unblocking. I think it has become clear for all partners involved that border control will be fully carried out by the Armenian side. Armenias position in this issue is very clear, Grigoryan told Public Television in an interview. Grigoryan noted three main principles in the unblocking process the sovereignty and jurisdiction over roads passing through Armenias territory and reciprocity i.e., Armenia should also receive the opportunity of movement through Azerbaijani territory. The Secretary of the Security Council said that unblocking can take place as part of these principles. You know that Armenia was being pressured for a long time to find a solution outside of these principles. Now it has become clearer that Armenia will not take that step, Grigoryan said, adding that one of the goals pursued by Azerbaijan during its attack on Armenia in September 2022 was to apply military pressure to achieve a change of stance by Armenia in the unblocking issue. However, Armenia is resolute in this matter, Grigoryan said. YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenia lauds the June 1 Chisinau summit with Azerbaijan, France, Germany and the President of the European Council, a top security official has said. Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan has said that the meeting was a good opportunity to advance the peace agenda. The international communitys support is highly important for the peace agenda, and we find this meeting to be positive. All issues on the agenda were discussed, unblocking, border delimitation and demarcation, resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. We emphasized that an international mechanism should be created and Stepanakert and Baku must discuss security and rights. Humanitarian issues were also discussed, which is highly important to be able to find a solution to humanitarian issues, Grigoryan said in an interview with Public Television. Grigoryan said there was a chance that a peace deal could be signed with Azerbaijan by the end of 2023 if the intensity in the talks is maintained. He added that Armenia wants to sign the peace treaty as soon as possible. The delimitation exercise now underway will reduce the weightage in Parliament of the states that did better Indias Union of States has reached a critical impasse. Its diversity bound together by the Constitution that was meant to make us a modern, democratic and secular state based on equality and equal availability of justice, education, healthcare and social services, and division of government based on functions is now under grave challenge. India was never intended to be a saffron-hued monochromatic state, but a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual state whose diversity made it a nation as never before. Its demographics compound its problems by threatening to swamp the non-Hindi/Hindutva belt into a saffronised dominion. Each state in India is a veritable nation, and hence maintaining the balance of political and economic power between them is critical. The delimitation exercise now underway will reduce the weightage in Parliament of the states that did better on giving their people a better quality and standard of life, and hence curbed the population. States which performed poorly by relation will be rewarded by the delimitation with more places in Parliament. We need a permanent freeze of all parliamentary constituencies. The delimitation must stop. We have entered the new technologically driven age and the quality of education will determine the outcome of societies. The Centrally administered system of higher education has largely failed and the quality of education now leaves much to be desired. All education must be made a state subject. The jurisdiction of the AICTE, UGC, etc, over the states needs to end. The national need is upgraded medical, legal and social sciences education. The states must be made to compete with each other in the quality of education and not be bound down by a Centrally administered mediocrity. True federalism can only be achieved when the states achieve greater fiscal autonomy. This simply means the states must have more financial means. At present, the states are supposed to get about 42 per cent of the tax revenues, as per the Finance Commissions recommendations. There is a tendency towards a greater concentration of resources with the Central government. The ratio of tax revenues should progressively go up till it reaches 66 per cent of the tax revenues gathered. The allocation to the states must be made on a composite index of revenue contributed, population and distance from the mean. We also increasingly see the Central government withholding the sums due to the states, and using legitimate state incomes to finance itself. We need to evolve a system of pay at source to ensure that states fulfil their plans and commitments to the people in time. Delayed payments to the states should also entail interest charges at the Reserve Banks prime lending rates. Our nation has a varied history and each of our regions have unique historical and cultural resources. These are largely expressed in our monuments and art treasures. The Central government, through the Archaeological Survey of India, has done a poor job of protecting and maintaining them. Vandals have destroyed ASI-protected sites with impunity. Since all our states and regions have their own distinct culture and history, the protection and maintenance of the connection with the past should be the responsibility of each state. The state resources of the ASI must be transferred to each and every state immediately. There is also a visible tendency of the ASI and the ministry of culture to focus on certain regions for narrow ideological reasons. The procurement under the MSP is now restricted to a few states and regions. This procurement, which actually amounts to a subsidy, should be allocated to the states based on their agricultural acreage. As cereals account for the bulk of our foodgrain production and are nationally grown, at the first stage a guaranteed MSP procurement must be assured to all states. If the Centre thinks that proportionate procurement under MSP may not be feasible for all states, it should make compensatory grants in lieu of it. Hydrocarbon fuels contribute to one-fifth of the air pollution now. In addition, the indiscriminate use of cheap plastics for packaging and disposals irretrievably damages natural water resources, and clogs natural and manmade water drainage. A new tariff regime is called for on raw materials for single-use and disposable plastics. We must also encourage the conversion to electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for personal transportation, with a tax-free regime to incentivise their use. The non-Gangetic regions are rich in mineral resources such as coal, iron ore, alumina, copper, zinc, nickel, etc. These natural resources naturally belong to people below whose land they exist. All mineral exploitation rights and revenues should devolve to the states. Recruitment into the armed forces and the paramilitary forces tend to get concentrated into certain regions. The military, in particular, with its limited tenure, followed by lifetime pension and benefits tenure, delivers concentrated benefits to the so-called martial nationalities. The oldest infantry regiment of the Indian Army is the Madras Regiment, which is headquartered in Wellington in the Nilgiris, with 21 battalions. Its catchment area is the whole of South India, comprising almost 270 million people or 22 per cent of all Indians. The Sikh Regiment, that is a one-class regiment drawn from a population base of about eight million, has 22 infantry battalions to its name. If you add up all the essentially Punjab-based regiments, we will have almost 74 battalions drawn from a state that has a population of about 30 million. This is disproportionate representation in an institution that offers our rural youth the finest employment. The nation needs to increase recruitment into the armed forces from other regions. Both the print and electronic media are capital intensive and controlled by the Central government and big business interests. Radio news, which still reaches the majority of Indians, is still entirely controlled by Central government. We must open this channel to local players, particularly on the FM bands. What cannot be understood is that when news can be got on print and television from private and public sources, why cant the large numbers who depend on radio for information not get it from both private entities and state governments? Indias unity must be based on equal respect to all its nationalities and denominations. Any attempt to transform a political bouquet of states bound together by the Constitution, giving voice and space to each of its peoples instead of turning it into a monochromatic and centralised monolith, will only lead to the collapse of the original idea and the break-up of the union. The writer, a policy analyst studying economic and security issues, held senior positions in government and industry. He also specialises in the Chinese economy. by Vladimir Rozanskij Mass arrests of Dusanbe workers and students have been reported from various Russian regions in recent weeks: checks and searches for no apparent reason and also numerous acts of violence. Dushanbe (AsiaNews) - In recent weeks there have been many cases of "Tajik hunts" in various regions of Russia, from the westernmost to the Asian ones, with mass arrests of migrants - working and non-working - checks and searches for no apparent reason, and also numerous acts of violence. The Russian authorities will not clarify the reasons for this crackdown on a people who have been used to travelling to Russia to study, or to do the most menial jobs. Some official structures in Tajikistan, starting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have approached their counterparts in Russia with a request to investigate these cases, but the situation does not seem to change much. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Tajik citizens travel to Russia to earn some money to support their families, due to the lack of work and decent wages back home. The Ozody website tried to find out more by interviewing several Tajiks involved in such dramatic circumstances. Mekhriniso Sulaymonova's daughter, for example, studies in Russia, and has seen several of her Tajik friends and fellow students beaten up by the police. She herself has suffered various harassments and insults, belonging to a family of labour migrants from Central Asia, towards whom there is in her opinion a 'strong racial prejudice'. Her mother called her after seeing the videos of the violence, and her daughter was barricaded in the house to study, saying that 'I can understand the plight of many parents who have made every effort to have their children study in Russia'. In the Khabarovsk region in the Far East last week, the Omon attacked 100 Tajik students with batons and other white and chemical weapons, breaking into the youth hostel without warning. One of them, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted, 'at seven o'clock in the morning, they hammered on the door shouting and cursing at us and demanding our documents, then they lined us up in the corridor, continuing to insult us with irreverent expressions. Those who dared to object were beaten savagely, and we had no idea as to why such violence, some were even tazered'. Many similar arrests and pressures occurred in St. Petersburg, in Kotelniki in Moscow province and in various districts of the capital. Several Tajik youths and adults were fined and released, and for several dozen, reports were drawn up with criminal charges that were completely unfounded. On social media there are hundreds of reactions to these events, with different evaluations, which on the whole agree that in this way Russia is trying to put pressure on Tajikistan, the most loyal of the Central Asian states, to counter the centrifugal drives of all the others. Some think that the growing instability in Russia, due to the war in Ukraine, is pushing Moscow to increasingly involve the 'Asian subjects' in war operations. Tajik expert Abdumalik Kodirov believes that the persecution of his compatriots in Russia is the result of a sense of desperation, which is increasingly assailing Russia isolated from everyone because of the Ukrainian war. 'The Russian authorities need people to send to their death without piling on more guilt: so far they have used soldiers from the Asian and Caucasian regions of the Federation and prisoners, now they need more cannon fodder,' he says. Some even speculate that there are secret agreements to this effect between the leaders in Moscow and Dushanbe. London based Tajik analyst Aliser Ilkhomov puts together three factors that link these disturbing circumstances: 'the meeting of Central Asian leaders in China, which cut off Russia, the problem of Afghanistan, which is particularly felt by the Tajiks, and the war in Ukraine, in which Tajikistan forbids its citizens to participate, while Russia would like to recruit thousands of them'. This is not the first time that Russia has put pressure on Tajikistan, trying to force it to play a pro-Moscow role, but the particular violence and brazenness of the persecution in recent days nevertheless arouses dismay and fear, revealing a condition of collective hysteria in Russia that is exceeding all limits. Photo: Flickr/International Labour Organisation by Santosh Digal The Arnold Janssen Kalinga Foundation helps hundreds of needy people in the capital city. Leading the work is the priest Fr. Flavie L. Villanueva, of the Society of the Divine Word. For many of those assisted, the programme has 'changed lives', opening hearts and minds and 'restoring lost dignity'. Manila (AsiaNews) - An assistance programme that "changed my life. It has opened my heart and mind, restored my lost dignity" thanks also to "service and generosity" towards others. This is the story of redemption, and rebirth, told to AsiaNews by Kuya Allen, one of the many homeless people involved in a care and assistance programme promoted in Manila by Fr. Flavie L. Villanueva, a priest of the Society of the Divine Word. Allen enthusiastically joined the Kalinga Foundation's 'Open Hearts and Minds' rehabilitation programme and is now serving others in need, cooking and serving food. He hopes that his story of being homeless and able to redeem himself can be an example for others in his condition. And, at the same time, he confesses to missing his remaining children in Leyte, an island in the Visayas archipelago, some 565 km south of the capital. Set up in 2015 by Fr Villanueva, the charity's full name is Arnold Janssen Kalinga Foundation Inc. and borrows its name from the German saint (5 November 1837-15 January 1909) who founded, among others, the Society of the Divine Word. In its first phase it provided food for at least a hundred homeless people every day on the streets of Manila, which has now risen to over 200 who can also benefit from a bed and shelter in the dozens of centres set up in the capital. The mission? To bring joy, solidarity and warmth to those living on the streets, without a home or family. In its name, it encapsulates the meaning of its work: 'Kalinga' is formed from the words 'Kain-Ligo-Nang-Ayos' and means 'a hot meal and a bath a day', an activity that took its current form in 2017 with the official registration with the government on 8 March. For many marginalised people it represents a symbol of hope, as Fr Villanueva explains, who hopes for 'a society where no one is left behind and where everyone is treated with dignity'. Following the oft-repeated words of Pope Francis, the foundation's members want to offer "opportunities for those on the peripheries of society, the hungry and thirsty, the outcasts and the abandoned," the priest continues. In addition to a meal and a hot bath, they are offered the chance to complete their education (whether primary or secondary), learn a profession, and benefit from spiritual and human development paths. The guests are people who have been abandoned or have fled from their families, former criminals or people who have been released from prison and have nowhere to take refuge, all united by the '3Hs': help, home, hope. It relies on the contribution of women, men, volunteers such as the young Lilibeth Ma Grace Calderon who sees in the centre an opportunity to "meet Jesus and serve the last ones". Moreover JR Torres who, thanks to working in close contact with the last ones, has rediscovered the value and beauty of faith. One of the "most significant lessons," he recounts, "was to never give up and to trust in God's plans, no matter how challenging life may seem at a given moment. "I realised," she concludes, "how important it is to strive to be a good person and spread positivity in every way possible." Today's headlines: many migrants on train crash in Orissa, 187 bodies yet to be identifie; Hun Sen imposes new financial controls on all NGOs; Philippine bishops for the Ati's right to land on the tourist island of Boracay; In Turkmenistan, the government requires gas and electricity to be paid three months in advance. HONG KONG-CHINA A 53-year-old woman arrested on charges of obstructing police officers; 11 men and 12 women, aged between 20 and 74, detained on Causeway Bay for further investigation on suspicion of breach of the peace and then released. This is the toll of police operations in Hong Kong against those who tried to commemorate the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown with flowers, candles or other gestures yesterday. Among those taken into police custody are prominent activists and a journalist: Tsui Hong-kwong, who was among the organisers of the Tiananmen vigils, trade unionist Leo Tang, the president of the pro-democracy group League of Social Democrats (LSD), Chan Po-ying, and the former head of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, Clement So. INDIA Three days now since the Balasore train disaster, out of 275 confirmed victims, there are still 187 bodies to be identified. Preserving them until they are claimed by relatives is proving to be a challenge for hospitals in Orissa. Many passengers travelling on the two trains were Indian migrant workers, so identification is proving difficult. CAMBODIA Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered all NGOs to undergo financial audits on pain of closure, adding that a review of funding sources will ensure that money is not used 'to further terrorism in Cambodia'. The official Kampuchea Presse news agency said that Cambodia's 6,109 NGOs and associations will risk legal action if they do not submit their annual reports, which are subject to approval by the Ministry of the Interior, to strengthen the country's stability. PHILIPPINES The Philippine Bishops' Conference's Commission for Indigenous Peoples has issued an appeal calling for the land titles awarded by the government in 2018 to the Ati tribe on Boracay Island, a popular tourist destination, to be 'honoured and respected'. The Ati - beneficiaries of the land reform - risk losing the land allocated to them during the Duterte administration on the pretext that it would be 'unsuitable' for agriculture, even though in reality - denounces Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc of Kalibo - the tribe is already successfully cultivating it. ISRAEL-EGYPT Three Israeli soldiers and an Egyptian security officer were killed by gunfire on the Israeli side of the border. Egypt claims its officer crossed the border while chasing drug smugglers. The Israeli army stated that the gunshots were allegedly related to an operation against drug trafficking. The armed forces of both countries say that joint investigations into the incident are ongoing. RUSSIA For the first time in 30 years, no western journalists have been accredited to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, scheduled for 14-17 June, due to the decision to "keep out representatives of unfriendly countries". as reported by The Bell agency and confirmed by the Kremlin, the decision affects more than 50 countries. TURKMENISTAN In Turkmenbasi and other cities in Turkmenistan the local authorities are forcing citizens to pay for electricity and gas services three months in advance, heavy fines are being imposed on those who do not comply with the request within a week, up to the disconnection of supplies, and in the city centre already more than 300 flats have been left without electricity. After a two-day meeting in Geneva, the Syrian Negotiation Commission expressed hope to see talks resume with the Assad regime. However, with Syrias return to the Arab League, prospects for action have faded. Reconstruction has been left to individual initiatives amid widespread poverty and a teetering economy. Many factors are at play involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Ukraine war, and Turkeys Erdogan. Damascus (AsiaNews) After years of violence, after the bloodiest phase of the war and Syrias return to the Arab League ending its regional isolation, Syrian opposition leaders are urging President Bashar al-Assad to accept fresh talks in order to rebuild the country. "We are in a holding position, a source in the capital told AsiaNews. We do not yet see major changes. The central issue remains the economy, and fighting widespread poverty is priority. Ultimately, we must wait for decisions taken at the international level to see if change is really possible, in order to rebuild with greater freedom and organisation, not only relying on the initiatives of individuals as is the case now. The Syrian opposition, which met yesterday, called for the resumption of moribund UN-sponsored talks with President Assad, which have led nowhere so far. Negotiations stalled in 2018 with the fate of the president as the main obstacle to a political transition that would see Syria adopt a new constitution and Syrians go to the polls. The meetings and negotiations held in the past five years have failed and there are no signs that they might be renewed any time soon. The international, regional and Syrian conditions provide an appropriate circumstance for the resumption of direct negotiations under a specific agenda and timetable, the Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) said in a statement. The latter, which includes representatives from the main political opposition alliance, the Syrian National Coalition, was the main opposition delegation in past UN talks held in Geneva, Switzerland. In its statement, after a two-day meeting in the Swiss city, it called on brotherly and friendly countries to support the efforts of the UN to take all necessary resolutions to fulfil a comprehensive political solution. The anti-Assad front is looking for a solution in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which set out a roadmap for a political transition. After 12 years of war and over half a million dead, amid widespread hunger, the opposition is hoping to talk with those in power after fighting them for so long so as that reconstruction can start. However, more recently, the opposition has lost much of its momentum and support, especially among the countries of the region, starting with Saudi Arabia, which has re-established ties with Assad and approved Syrias return to the Arab League, despite Qatars opposition. Turkey too appears poised to renew ties with the Assad regime, although what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will do after his electoral victory, only time will tell. Meanwhile, late last month, UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said that new diplomatic activity in the region could be an opportunity, if seized, stressing the need for constructive Syrian engagement. Hopefully, talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran and Syrias return to the Arab League can really lead to change, even though there are no clear prospects, the source told AsiaNews. A lot depends on the evolution of the Russian war in Ukraine, as well as Erdogans and Putins moves, because many interests are at stake. What is missing is a decision, and a vision, a perspective at the international level. "The worst phase seems to be over, and the desire to start anew is strong, but the two sides need mutual trust, which has been lost. People want peace and stability, they want to fight against despair and poverty. by Shafique Khokhar Lawyer's protest: contents found on phone, in four years failed to prove crime. False accusations of blasphemy against religious minorities in Pakistan are often made to settle personal vendettas, property disputes, religious prejudices or commercial rivalries. Bahawalpur (AsiaNews) - A court in Bahawalpur in recent days handed down a death sentence by hanging to the young Christian Noman Masih, 22, who was accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad for images received via Whatsapp in 2019. Lazar Allah Rakha, Noman Masih's lawyer, said he was deeply disappointed with the verdict, as the prosecution failed to provide evidence of the blasphemy charge; nevertheless after four long years the court sentenced the young man to death. Noman was charged with blasphemy for carrying blasphemous images on his mobile phone; the complaint was registered against him under Section 295-C, which provides for the death sentence. "Noman Masih's trial was concluded in January, but the court repeatedly postponed the verdict on various pretexts," Rakha said. Minority rights activist Joseph Jansen said it is disturbing that a young Christian is sentenced to death for a crime without a fair investigation. False accusations of blasphemy against religious minorities are often made to settle personal vendettas, property disputes, religious prejudices or commercial rivalries. At the same time, the abuse of the blasphemy laws (sections 295 to 298 of the PPC), which provide for severe penalties, has increased exponentially. Simple accusations of blasphemy have become a justification for attacking any accuser. "Complainants and witnesses involved in making false accusations against the accused often enjoy impunity," Jansen added. Human rights activist Ilyas Samuel hoped that the High Court would annul the death sentence issued by Additional Judge Muhammad Hafeez Ur Rehman Khan and drop all charges against Noman. Pakistan National Alliance for Minorities President Lala Robin Daniel said the issue of blasphemy is a very sensitive issue in the country. The highly inflammatory accusations have the potential to trigger lynch mobs. He said that these laws have massively affected Pakistan's marginalised Christian community and ruined the lives of many innocent people, and still no one is trying to change them. The government,' he concluded, 'must introduce a national action plan to counter the abuse of the blasphemy laws in the name of religion." 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 A poster by photographer Hong Urim is displayed in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Library, Monday, to commemorate veterans from the 1950-53 Korean War as this year marks the 70th anniversary since the war was halted by an armistice. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government By Ko Dong-hwan The Seoul Metropolitan Government and local district municipalities have begun earmarking welfare funds and decorating public facilities to honor veterans of the Korean War. In anticipation of the upcoming Memorial Day, which falls on Tuesday, and in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War, various patriotic initiatives are taking place across the city. These moves align with the nationwide dedication of June as a month of remembrance, specifically, aiming to honor the living heroes and veterans of the war who live in local communities. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has collaborated with a renowned photographer Hong Urim, known for his photographic portrayals of the war, to prepare special public displays. Notably, a commemorative poster honoring war veterans is on display on the giant billboard on the facade of the Seoul Metropolitan Library, next to the city hall. Created by Hong, the poster prominently features the symbolic number "70" and the poignant slogan "You are still a hero even after 70 years," a message visible from miles away. A closer look at the number "70" on the poster reveals that it consists of tiny black-and-white photos of people, which in fact are over 150 South Korean soldiers who fought in the war. The Public Relations Bureau of the city government said that they started accepting photos last month, which were provided by the general public and the Korean War Veterans Association's Seoul chapter. The assortment of photos includes images of those who had fought in some of the key military clashes during the war such as the battles at Jangsari, North Gyeongsang Province in September 1950 and Kumsong, Gangwon Province in July 1953. War veterans in Seoul's Yongsan District practice calligraphy at a local center for veterans, Thursday. Courtesy of Yongsan District Office Later this month, another art project by Hong, part of the city's patriotic commemoration campaign, will hit popular social networking platforms as well as billboards across Seoul. Scheduled for release on June 19, the video will feature pictures of Korean War veterans in the same poses as they were seen in photos from seven decades ago. Hong, selected as editorial photographer of the year at the 2018 International Photography Awards and 2019 Moscow International Foto Awards, said the juxtaposition of past and present serves as a powerful testament to the enduring spirit of these heroes, even 70 years on. He hoped that this project would help to raise public awareness and respect for veterans. Along with Hong's projects, the city government will use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and KakaoStory to further amplify the stories of the heroes. "Today's Korea exists because of the sacrifices and dedication of Korean War soldiers. We hope these projects will foster a city-wide respect for our veterans," said Choi Won-suk, Seoul's Public Relations Bureau chief. Lee Pil-hyung, head of Dongdaemun District, serves food to family members of Korean War veterans at a local center for veterans in Seoul, May 31. Courtesy of Dongdaemun District Office The city's central district of Seongdong said Monday they have selected 2,572 local veterans in the district to give a 50,000 won ($40) subsidy this month. The authority also prepared chartered buses to provide a ride for veterans and their family members to national memorial cemeteries in Seoul and Daejeon. Six war veterans who continued their service to the country by volunteering for community work will be awarded by the district office this month, Chong Won-o, head of Seongdong District said. Seoul's Yongsan District authorities said they have vamped up welfare for veterans this year by doubling the subsidized funds for them from the previous year. The authority has allocated over 2.3 billion won this year for 2,500 patriots including 290 veterans from the Korean War, 697 veterans from the Vietnam War and 149 victims of defoliant exposure. The district authority is doling out 750,000 won per person this year, increasing the monthly payment counts from nine to 12 times a year. Kim Seon-soo, acting head of Yongsan, said the measures are the district office's means to propagate the patriotic culture for the heroes. Lee Pil-hyung, head of Dongdaemun District, has paid tribute to the heroes by serving food in a kitchen at a local center for veterans. Over 120 veterans and their family members were invited to the center on May 31 and served a free meal. Lee also held a follow-up meeting with the district's nine local civic veterans support groups and promised continued support for them. Aspen Daily News Managing Editor Rick Carroll wrote this story on assignment for Aspen Journalism, a local, nonprofit, investigative news organization. For more, visit aspenjournalism.org. 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. Nissan sold 682,731 vehicles in the United States of America in 2022, down 25.7 percent from the 919,086 in 2021. The most popular nameplate of the Japanese automaker in this part of the world is the Rogue, a crossover that's been recalled in limited numbers over a supplier's assembly issue. The tier 1 supplier in question is Unipres USA of Smyrna, Tennessee. FWD AWD Back in late 2022, the peeps at Unipres informed Nissan that M12 weld nuts were improperly torqued when assembling the crossover's rear subframe outboard seatbelt anchor attachment points. Rather obviously, all of the potentially affected vehicles were placed on quality hold. Come March 2023, a technician identified a discrepancy in the required torque value for securing the aforementioned fasteners. Nissan promptly started investigating said issue, conducting a yard audit of 106 vehicles, of which six were found to feature loose fasteners.Nissan then analyzed the effect of improperly torqued fasteners, concluding that lower-than-required torque doesn't meet the design intent. No fewer than 10 dealer-owned vehicles have been fixed as a result. Fast forward to May 2023, and Nissan decided to recall an extra 71 vehicles built with M12 weld nuts in the rear seatbelt anchor attachment points.Dealers have already been told to inspect both of the bolts, and if necessary retorque them to the proper value. Dealers will further apply warning labels to the attachment points to indicate M12 weld nuts and the required torque value for any future repair. Any labels misapplied from the factory will be duly removed. All of the above should take roughly an hour.Owners can expect to receive Nissan-branded envelopes from July 14 onward. Of course, the repair is free of charge for both labor and parts. Affected vehicles were produced for the 2023 model year between August 15, 2022 and August 18, 2022.Codenamed T33, the third-generation Rogue is once again known as the X-Trail in other parts of the world. Still based on the CMF-CD platform of the preceding T32, the unibody sport utility vehicle comes exclusively with a Nissan-developed gasoline powerplant in the United States market. Its three-cylinder lump is paired with a continuously variable transmission from JATCO, a Nissan subsidiary known for making the worst continuously variable boxes in the biz.Twinned with the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Rogue is a strict five-seat affair with variable compression technology. The 1.5-liter powerplant is designed to continuously adjust its compression ratio between performance and eco mode in the same way the 2.0-liter VC-Turbo four-cylinder engine does in the Nissan Altima sedan and the Infiniti QX50 crossover.Pricing for the Rogue begins at $27,760 for the entry-level S, with the S Intelligentcoming in at $29,260 sans destination freight charge. Even the best-equipped trim level of the bunch the Platinum comes with front-wheel drive as standard despite its $37,340 sticker price. Given how astronauts launching and returning to and from the International Space Station (ISS) tend to always to steal the spotlight, it's easy to forget that space-based operations require tons upon tons of supplies to be sent up there. In fact, there are probably more resupply missions being performed than actual crewed ones. ATV At the time of writing, the space station is being supplied by several spaceships, the most prominent of the bunch being the SpaceX Dragon and the Russian Soyuz . Several others, like the Northrop Grumman Cygnus or the European Automated Transfer Vehicle () played their part as well.Generally speaking, these ships can carry up to six tons of cargo (Dragon) to the ISS, and come back down with about half that. That means the existing ones more than serve the station's needs, and there is little need for new ones.But as it stands, despite being jointly operated by nations in North America, Asia, and Europe, the ISS is only supplied by American and Russian ships. The European Space Agency (ESA), which plans to become a major player in the nascent space economy, can't have that anymore, and announced last week it is looking for a commercial cargo service to send supplies to both the ISS, and to upcoming space stations.ESA doesn't plan to break some records when it comes to how much supplies will send up there, and says it only wants a spaceship that can carry a minimum of two tons of pressurized cargo, and bring back one ton. Something pretty much all existing space companies in this business can easily do. But there's a catch.You see, ESA is not planning to hand over this contract to some company that operates on a different continent, but to an European one mainly. That's because the idea is part of the agency's larger Terrae Novae approach, which seeks to make it a solid presence in the space around our planet by the end of the next decade.The exact specifications of the spaceships needed for the task were not disclosed, and they probably will fall on the companies to be selected, as it's them that will "retain full project authority and full responsibility," while ESA will only be the paying customer.We do know the ship will probably be of a new design, one that'll have to fly a demo mission to the ISS, and come back down to Earth, by 2028. The agency will also not be involved in the development of the spaceship, and will provide only "a fraction of the funding necessary to complete the development of the cargo delivery system and launch the demonstration flight."More details on exactly what ESA expects will be revealed on June 15, when a webinar on the subject will be held. Italian Ambassador to South Korea Federico Failla delivers a speech at an event celebrating the country's Republic Day at his residence in Yongsan District, central Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Embassy of Italy in Korea By Kwon Mee-yoo The Embassy of Italy in Korea hosted an event, Friday, marking the 77th anniversary of the country's birth. Italian Ambassador to Korea Federico Failla highlighted the country's longstanding commitment to upholding fundamental democratic values, freedom, human rights and promoting international peace and security in partnership with Korea, ahead of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. "In 1946, Italy decided to have a clean break with its recent past and to start a new chapter of its system. Italy became a founding member of the European Union and a responsible member and top contributor to the UN budget in UN peace operations," he said during the ceremony held at his residence in Yongsan District, central Seoul. Failla emphasized the importance of collaboration in dealing with global threats. "We have global challenges in front of us that are threatening our societies, such as climate change, ocean pollution and pandemics for which the answer must be found in international cooperation," he said. The ambassador saw Korea as a crucial ally for Italy in the pursuit peace and security. "The Embassy of Italy in Seoul is determined to have closer dialogue with the Republic of Korea in every sector, for instance, to explore synergies between the Korean strategy for the Indo-Pacific and the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. In times of international crisis, we must keep looking for new opportunities for growth, inclusive change and improved global cooperation," Failla said. The ambassador also announced his departure from Korea later this year. "I will be leaving Korea in a few months. So we want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your friendship and cooperation. It has been a great journey and Korea will stay always in our heart," he said. Tae Jun-youl, foreign policy advisor to the prime minister, gave a congratulatory speech on behalf of the Korean government, underscoring robust ties between the two countries. "Italy stands as Korea's third-largest trading partner in Europe... The volume of bilateral trade reached an all-time-high last year, and this year being even bigger than last year, showcasing the immense potential for further collaboration," Tae said. "Beyond the economic cooperation, our collaboration extended into diverse areas of mutual interest, such as bio-health, robotics and clean energy, which present the best opportunities for us to work together and achieve breakthroughs that will benefit our society," he added. Grand Theft Auto V is history's third-best-selling video game. With over 180 million copies, it's only behind Minecraft - 240 million and Tetris - 520 million. While it would seem unlikely to the untrained eye that GTA V could hit the 200+ million mark until the prophesied appearance of GTA VI, never say never. For unbeknownst to some, 5 million out of that 180-total were sold in the last three months. That proves how much of a commercial behemoth the GTA franchise is. And it doesn't show signs of stopping, but quite the contrary.Since Grand Theft Auto V came out in September 2013, the franchise has raked over $8.33 billion. That includes income from GTA Online and sales from the disappointing GTA Trilogy remasters.During GTA V's fiscal launch year, Take-Two made over $1.62 billion, and aside from the fiscal year 2015 when they earned "just" $303 million, the franchise never dipped below $680 million per year.Industry sources like Jason Schrier say GTA VI has been in development since 2014, and lately, there's been a lot of overlapping inside info about the supposed release date. Multiple sources called out 2024 as the intended launch year, but seeing as we haven't officially heard so much as a peep about that, we'll label every bit of new information as "to be ingested with a heavy dose of skepticism."The latest rumors come from known Valve leaker Tyler McVicker who said during one of his YouTube live streams: "There's a time jump. It takes place in the Miami, Florida, area (Vice City), but then also part of Cuba. It's about the drug trade. It's about bank robbing." Then he added that it's coming out in 2024, as Tom Henderson also said before.Tyler isn't known for being a prankster, but he isn't bulletproof by any stretch of the imagination. He has been wrong a few times in the past. Like with any inside info or leaks, it could go either way, although a fictional Cuban setting would look amazing coming from Rockstar.They created something similar with Red Dead Redemption 2, but that's far from what it would look like in GTA VI. The only graphically advanced fictional representation of Cuba comes from Ubisoft in Far Cry 6, which looks fantastic on new-generation consoles and high-end PCs.Coming full circle to our 180 million copies sold, Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition is available for 15 bucks on Steam and Epic Games Store. It contains the main game and the Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack for GTA Online.However, if you're tired of it and want something new but similar, you should try Watch Dogs 2. It's also on sale, even cheaper, at just 9 bucks on Steam, but if you're subscribed to Ubisoft+, you can play it for free through their service. Watching Mitsubishi transform from a sporty, fun-oriented competitor to Toyota and Honda into little more than re-badged Renault-Nissan vehicles and dull crossover SUVs in North America was like watching a one-star crash test in slow motion. This was especially true if you remember what Mitsubishi Motors used to be like back in the 90s. But at least Mitsubishi's embattled North American car division managed to stick it out. That's more than can be said for its aviation division. Photo: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation Photo: Wikimedia User: Matti Blume - Own Work Photo: Reddit User: u/kraven420 - Own Work This is the story of the Mitsubishi MRJ, a twin-engine regional airliner that lived and died wearing the iconic Mitsubishi Tri-star. But first, a brief synopsis of Mitsubishi's place in Japanese aviation. Even the novice "av-geeks" know Mitsubishi holds the distinction of building the most famous airplane in Japanese history, the A6M Zero fighter of WWII fame. But in truth, the first attempt at a bespoke aircraft division dates back to well before the war.Starting in the year 1920 under the moniker Mitsubishi Internal Combustion in Nagoya, Japan, considerable assistance from the German aerospace firm Junkers went a long way towards establishing the new company as a premier manufacturer of airplanes. In 1928, the Mitsubishi Internal Combustion name was changed to Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, which, in turn, was re-absorbed into Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in 1934. With its foundation in aviation now set, MHI spent the next 11 years building iconic warbirds like the A5M, the world's first carrier-based mono-wing fighter, and the above-mentioned A6M Zero.According to the 1996 book "Technology and Industrial Development in Japan" by Hiroyuki Odagiri, as many as 24,000 airplanes were built on Japanese soil in the year 1944 alone. A great many of these came from Mitsubishi factories. But the following year, in 1945, the whole show came crashing down with Imperial Japan's defeat in the Second World War. Since the end of the war, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries themselves didn't shy away from aircraft production. Most notably, the firm developed the F-1 supersonic strike jet for the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) as well as its successor, the T-2, and a license-built upgrade of the American F-16, the F-2.But it would take another six decades post-WWII before Mitsubishi Heavy Industries attempted to found a bespoke aviation division targeted at the civilian market. Based out of the same city of Nagoya as the old Mitsubishi Airplane Company, the Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MAC) got its start with a 100 billion yen investment from shareholders that included, if you can believe it or not, a ten percent stake by Toyota Motor Corporation, among others. The company set up offices at home in Nagoya but also in Tokyo, Amsterdam, and even an offshoot in Renton, Washington, within a stone's throw of one of MAC's foremost suppliers, Boeing.Even before the founding of Mitsubishi's new aerospace division, MHI had been working with the Japanese government to develop the first all-new, all-Japanese passenger airliner since the NAMC YS-11 in the 1960s. Dubbed the Mitsubishi Regional Jet program (MRJ), the first full-scale mockup under the design initiative was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in 2007. At that year's show, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp announced two bespoke prototypes, the MRJ90, and the MRJ70. Soon afterward, the PW1000G geared-turbofan engine from the American firm Pratt & Whitney was selected to power the new airplanes.This American-sourced engine also powers the industry-leading Airbus A320neo . With 15,000 lbs (67 kN) of thrust each in normal operation, Mitsubishi expected the twin MRJ jets, later re-named to the SpaceJet M100 and M90, to cruise at a maximum altitude of 39,000 feet (11,900 m) and at a top speed of roughly 830 kph (515.7 mph, 0.78 Mach). The M90 would have carried between 86 and 96 passengers per flight had it entered service. In comparison, the smaller M1000 was designed to accommodate up to 76 passengers with three tiers of seating ranging from economy class to business class.With an airframe forged from aerospace-grade aluminum alloy flanked by lightweight carbon fiber paneling wherever possible, the MRJ program was lauded as having similar flight performance to regional jets from Embraer and Bombardier while being less thirsty for fuel. After over a decade of continuous development, the first test aircraft in the MRJ series, serial number JA21MJ, made its maiden flight on November 11th, 2015.Speaking of Bombardier , the Canadian aerospace firm sued Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp in 2018, alleging the company stole and then withheld industry trade secrets in an attempt to expedite the MRJ program's certification with the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). By the time the lawsuit was thrown out in a Quebec court, the tables had turned dramatically, and MAC was able to acquire the IP rights to Bombardier's CRJ line of regional jetliners for a sum of around $550 million. This rough-and-tumble style corporate takeover allowed MAC to use Bombardier's Quebec-based assets for their own purposes.Most notably, a section of office space was partitioned in Montreal's Boisbraind suburb by MAC in 2019 for the sole purpose of growing the brand in North America. By this point in time, Mitsubishi had signed order contracts for five different airliners; two in Japan, one in Sweden, and two in the United States. Mitsubishi was on the hook to manufacture up to 50 M100 jetliners and a further 157 M90s. A further five orders were canceled by three separate American airlines, including the now defunct Eastern Air, and a further two orders from a group in Hong Kong and one by Air Mandalay of Myanmar.Of course, this was all before the global health crisis of 2020. In May of that year, MCA announced that the budget for the SpaceJet program would be cut in half as a response to the global crisis. Consequentially, all the international expansion the company had made in the previous decade was contracted back to MCA's home office in Nagoya as international business collaborations sputtered to a halt in the initial waves of the crisis. Further limits to U.S. scope clauses, essentially agreements made between airlines and pilot trade unions regarding how many of one type of aircraft a regional affiliate could operate at once, delayed SpaceJet's certification in the United States.By April 2021, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation had laid off all but 150 of its employees, including all of its international staff. For the next 23 months, the SpaceJet program sat in limbo. Being unable to fulfill its production contracts nor able to continue development on such a shoestring budget, it was only a matter of time before the project was shut down. Indeed, this day came on February 6th, 2023, when it was announced that not only would the SpaceJet program be terminated, but the entirety of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation was to be liquidated in the near future.As of June 2023, the liquidation of MAC hadn't yet begun, but at least two of the eight SpaceJet prototypes, one M100, and seven M90s, had already been sent to the scrap heap. Whether or not MAC's remaining assets will be re-absorbed back into Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as its predecessor did back in the 1930s remains to be seen.But to those who know Mitsubishi for building mediocre cars these days, it's interesting to see how the company's automotive brand continues to stick around while its once-promising aviation sector couldn't even make it a full two decades. Although the Lexus LBX seems like a mundane Toyota Yaris Cross dressed in luxury attire, the Japanese brand claims it has reengineered and refined the hybrid crossover to suit its demanding clientele. Lexus's bet is interesting, considering that most carmakers contemplate exiting the small car segment. Photo: Lexus FWD AWD The Japanese brands, Toyota in particular, have been harshly criticized for their reluctance to embrace electric vehicles. Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus are doubling down on this with a new crop of hybrid-powered models, sometimes even going against the tides. So far, this has panned out well, as the Japanese carmaker enjoyed record sales, quarter after quarter. Things are starting to look tense, though, especially in Europe, where a clear path toward electrification has been carved.The upcoming Euro-7 emission regulations will only complicate things further, to the point that Volkswagen said that selling small cars would not make sense . Complying with the new rules will require significant investments that are not easy to offset in the case of a small car. And yet, Lexus has the audacity, or should we say recklessness, to launch the LBX small crossover in these adverse conditions.The LBX is built on Toyota's TNGA GA-B platform, which also underpins the Toyota Yaris Cross . Powered by a 1.5-liter three-cylinder hybrid powertrain, the Lexus LBX features a new bi-polar nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery that is lighter and smaller than regular NiMH packs. It also allows for faster charging and discharging, making it ideal for the LBX.Unlike the Yaris Cross, the Lexus LBX uses a balancer shaft for a more refined operation worthy of the luxury brand. With a total of 134 horsepower and 185 Nm (137 lb-ft) of torque, it propels the LBX from zero to 100 kph (62 mph) in 9.2 seconds in the front-wheel-drive version. Lexus intends to also offer an E-Four, all-wheel-drive version sporting an additional electric motor on the rear axle.The Lexus LBX stretches 4190 mm (165 inches) long and 1825 mm (71.8 inches) wide while having a wheelbase of 2580 mm (101.5 inches). The latter is 20 mm (0.79 inches) longer than the Toyota Yaris Cross, and the LBX has a wider track. This contributes to the more refined ride, although the car still uses a basic suspension with a torsion beam at the rear forversions. For obvious reasons, theversions adopt a double-wishbone setup for the rear axle. Lexus uses Vehicle Braking Posture Control to minimize body movements and increase stability.Design-wise, the new crossover marks the redesign of Lexus's spindle grille, which stops the trend of ever-increasing grilles in other Lexus models. This changes the design theme significantly without losing touch with the brand's design language. The LBX was developed with European customers in mind first and foremost, and that is visible. Still, it will also be sold in Japan and other markets.Even though it will be the entry-level model in Lexus's lineup, the LBX is a feature-packed car. The dashboard features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 9.8-inch infotainment touchscreen. An optional head-up display is also offered, while a Mark Levinson high-end sound system rounds up the feel-good package. Regarding driver assistance technology, the Lexus LBX counts on the comprehensive Advanced Preventive Safety Technologies Lexus Safety System Plus.The Lexus LBX will enter production this year, with sales in Europe and select markets planned for early 2024. The prices will be announced in October when customers can order the crossover. Lexus wants LBX to attract new customers to the brand, especially the younger, tech-savvy clientele. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition for a recall of all Tesla vehicles sold in the US in April. Costas Lakafossis came up with an explanation for sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) episodes and proposed a correction for them. NHTSA said it would evaluate the request. China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) started an investigation into that, and Tesla quickly recalled 1.1 million BEVs in that market. Nothing happened in the US so far and an old explanation may address why. NHTSA Photo: Department of Transportation Photo: Department of Transportation Photo: Department of Transportation Photo: Department of Transportation Photo: Department of Transportation Photo: General Motors/NHTSA/edited by autoevolution Photo: Department of Transportation The complex answer is in the report ST2023031, released by the Department of Transportation's (DoT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) on May 31. In a way, it looks like a follow-up on the report ST-2015-063 , also from the OIG, but disclosed on June 18, 2015. The most recent one states thatfails to deal with safety defect analysis as it should. Considering all these investigations are subject to NHTSA's Office of Defect Investigation (ODI), the DoT focused on that division of the traffic safety agency.According to the report ST2023031, the ODI "does not have an integrated information system to facilitate the safety defect investigation and recall processes." It also "does not consistently document information used for investigating and identifying potential defects and unsafe motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment in the Agency's internal and external files." Finally, "ODI does not consistently follow its procedures for issue escalation and lacks guidance for other pre-investigative efforts."These findings suggest NHTSA has a major issue with data organization and procedures. The report ST-2015-063 was about the same difficulties, even if they were much worse back then. The latest document informs that the safety regulator restructured ODI in 2016 but that this did not help it be more effective in its functions. ODI still fails to "upload investigation documentation to its public website in a timely manner." Worse than that, it "did not meet its timeliness goals for the five types of investigations" OIG examined.In 2015, ODI did not have professionals with statistical skills to help it "differentiate trends and outliers that represent random variation from those that are statistically significant." There were several shameful examples of how NHTSA was unable to perform its work because it did not have the necessary experts to do the job. Although the new report does not clarify if that was fixed, it brings up something that is somewhat concerning.The report ST2023031 informs that "ODI's staffing increased from 54 full-time employees in 2016 to 88 in 2021." With 63% more people taking care of business, it should be much more productive. However, "ODI's number of investigations has remained nearly constant." By using the word "nearly," OIG tried to be generous with NHTSA. "From 2015 to 2017, ODI opened, on average, 18 PEs and 5 EAs per year. From 2018 to 2021, ODI opened, on average, 17 PEs and 4 EAs per year." In other words, 63% more professionals ended up opening 5.6% fewer preliminary evaluations (PEs) and 20% fewer engineering analyses (EAs). Although it would be nice to believe safety risks get increasingly lower as time goes by, the Takata recall shows that is not a given. On the contrary: the higher production scale makes mistakes more widespread, with the potential to kill many more people.For its latest report, OIG selected 27 investigations from 2018 and 2019 and 8 from 2021 to audit. These cases revealed that NHTSA failed to meet the deadlines it defined for them by a wide margin: 26 of 27 investigations from 2018 and 2019 and 7 of the 8 cases from 2021. That's a 96.3% failure in 2018 and 2019 and an 87.5% miss in 2021.These samples comprised five types of investigations in the 2018 and 2019 samples: PEs, defect petitions (DPs), audit queries (AQs), recall queries (RQ), and EAs. The 2021 cases involved only three types: PEs, DPs, and EAs.NHTSA established that it has 120 days to complete PEs, DPs, and RQs. AQs do not have a time limit for analysis, but OIG considered the same 120 days for them. Preliminary evaluations are converted into engineering analyses when they produce enough evidence of a defect, so the other investigations are probably also just to sort the wheat from the chaff. EAs have 365 days to end.After auditing the 27 investigations in the 2018/2019 sample, the DoT found out that PEs took 617 days on average to complete, or five times what they should have. DPs remained 339 days open (2.8 times), AQs took 1,053 days (8.8 times) to complete, and RQs lasted 488 days (4.1 times) without a conclusion. Those that reached EA status demanded, on average, 1,001 days to end, or 2.7 times the maximum amount of time they should have taken.Things were a bit different with the 2021 sample. Engineering analyses were completed in 307 days on average, 58 days earlier than the time limit ODI set for them. Sadly, DPs still took 175 days to be closed, or 55 more days than the 120-day limit ODI created. Preliminary evaluations demanded 296 days. That's much better than 617 days, but still 2.5 times what the process should take.I know of at least one case that was not covered by the OIG investigation and confirms its perception that NHTSA has to improve. The safety regulator opened the PE21-020 on August 13, 2021, and turned it into EA22-002 on June 8, 2022. If you exclude the date on which the EA was opened, we're talking about 299 days, or more than twice what the PE should have demanded 2.5 times, to be precise. The EA22-002 is about to celebrate its first anniversary, and there is no perspective for it to end. Considering how long they take to reach a conclusion and what the OIG reports present, it will not surprise anyone if it takes almost two more years to get there.NHTSA's Deputy Administrator tried to defend the safety regulator to Reuters. Sophie Shulman stated that exceeding internal deadlines was not a sign that it was not able to protect the safety of road users. In her words, NHTSA does not wait for an investigation to close to "hold a manufacturer accountable for fixing a safety defect." It does not make sense: if the regulator knows for sure there is a flaw to fix, why isn't the investigation closed? If it continues, isn't it because the problem still has to be confirmed and delimited?The fact that Shulman is the Deputy Administrator also explains a lot. NHTSA has not had a Senate-approved administrator for much of the last six years. The last one was Steven Cliff , who was approved in June 2022 and left in August 2022. Ann Carlson replaced him and was later nominated for the position in March. The Biden administration withdrew her nomination on May 30 with no explanations. Carlson also did not answer a request for comment from Reuters, which makes that all even more mysterious. Shulman replaced her. It seems no one wants to take care of the safety regulator.OIG concluded that "weaknesses in ODI's adherence to timeliness goals; inconsistent documentation of safety defect analyses; reliance upon aging, decentralized databases; and lack of consistent compliance with its issue escalation processes increase the potential for delays in investigating and mitigating important safety issues." It made 12 recommendations to fix that, and NHTSA concurred with 11.NHTSA said it would hire 26 more employees for ODI. The recommendation that it opposed to following was the 8th:"Develop and implement a consistent procedure to govern ODI's practice of negotiating a resolution of potential safety defects with manufacturers."According to the safety regulator, "communications vary significantly across investigations." That said, "imposing a procedure specifically governing those communications could impede the flexibility and discretion necessary to conduct negotiations and achieve resolutions that optimize safety for the public." NHTSA only agreed to "document negotiation outcomes in the official record."It would be easy to say that the safety regulator is underfunded. However, it does not seem to be the case. Quite frankly, the reports suggest NHTSA just did not spend the money it has in a way that would make it more effective. OIG may be helping it become a sharper tool in road user protection. Sadly, the example I used right at the beginning of this text shows the agency has to do a lot more to be as respected as its equivalent in China: the SAMR Levon Zurabian said that Pashinian has gained nothing in return for meeting Bakus key demand. We can see that his move was followed not by a softening of Azerbaijans position but by a more aggressive stance [adopted by Baku,] Zurabian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. He pointed to the recent tightening of Azerbaijans six-month blockade of Karabakhs land link with Armenia and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs threats of fresh military action against Karabakh. Pashinian publicly acknowledged his readiness to sign a peace deal upholding Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh after his May 14 talks with Aliyev held in Brussels. The statement drew strong condemnation from the Armenian opposition and Karabakhs leadership. Zurabian suggested that Pashinian had naively expected that Baku will reciprocate by lifting the blockade or come under strong Western pressure to agree to an international format of negotiations with the Karabakh Armenians. He described the prime ministers failure to make his recognition conditional on such concessions beforehand as a manifestation of gross incompetence. What Pashinian is doing is an unprecedented technique in the history of diplomacy, said the deputy chairman of Ter-Petrosians Armenian National Congress party. Zurabian insisted that Pashinian has not even secured a formal Azerbaijani recognition of Armenias existing borders. He argued that Azerbaijani troops show no signs of preparing to withdraw from Armenian border areas occupied by them after the 2020 war in Karabakh. Pashinians Karabakh policy has been praised by the European Union and the United States. The U.S. State Department last week also hailed Aliyevs stated readiness to grant amnesty to Karabakhs ethnic Armenian leaders if they resign and surrender to Baku. Ter-Petrosian and his political team have long advocated a compromise solution to the Karabakh conflict. The 78-year-old ex-president stated last September the Armenian opposition should help Pashinian accept painful solutions backed by the international community. But he has not yet personally commented on Pashinians latest moves denounced by Zurabian. Gayane Hakobian, whose son Zhora Martirosian was killed during the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, was detained last month after an argument with Ashot Pashinian. Armenias Investigative Committee charged Hakobian with tricking the young man into getting in her car and trying to drive him to the Yerablur Military Pantheon where her son was buried along with hundreds of other soldiers killed in action. Pashinian Jr. jumped out of the car on their way to Yerablur. Hakobians arrest sparked angry protests in Yerevan attended by several dozen other parents of fallen soldiers and hundreds of their sympathizers. Nikol Pashinian sought to justify it during a May 22 news conference. Hakobian again strongly denied the accusations at the start of her trial. If convicted, she will face between four and eight years in prison. I had no evil intentions. Nobody forced him to get into my car, she told a Yerevan court of first instance. I just wanted us to go to Yerablur, my home and my holy site, she said. Bad things are not done in holy sites. Hakobians high-profile trial began hours after Armenias Court of Appeals released her from custody and moved her to house arrest. A trial prosecutor and Ashot Pashinian protested against that decision during the first lower court hearing in the case. They both demanded that the defendant be arrested anew, with the prime ministers son saying that she committed a grave crime and must remain behind bars. The judge presiding over the trial promptly satisfied their demands. One of Hakobians lawyers responded by accusing the judge of executing a high-level political order. The legal problem raised by us is that there is direct influence on the court from the prime minister and this was proved during todays hearing as well, he told journalists. Armenian opposition leaders and other critics of the government claim that Pashinian ordered Hakobians arrest in a bid to muzzle the families of deceased soldiers who have staged demonstrations over the past year to demand his prosecution on war-related charges. Pashinian triggered their regular demonstrations in Yerevan in April 2022 when he responded to continuing opposition criticism of his handling of the disastrous war. He said he could have averted the war, as a result of which we would have had the same situation, but of course without the casualties. The soldiers families say Pashinian thus publicly admitted sacrificing the lives of at least 3,800 Armenian soldiers killed during the six-week war with Azerbaijan. 5 June 2023 14:00 (UTC+04:00) Rena Murshud Read more Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan said that Azerbaijan and Armenia could sign a peace agreement before the end of 2023. According to him, certain progress has been made in the issue of border delimitation in Chisinau. Although the problem has not been fully resolved, some progress has been made. If intensive negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue and receive strong support from the international community, then a peace agreement can be signed as soon as possible - before the end of the year. Although unconvincing, are Armenia's speeches that they really found the way to the right path or is it just an excuse to buy time? "I don't think this is an empty excuse of the Armenians. Armen Grigoryan's words are true. A peace agreement can be signed before the end of this year." Azerbaijani political analyst Qabil Huseynli told this to Azernews while commenting on the issue. He added that Armenia has always tried to play with time. "However, since the peace deal is currently under the control of the US and the EU, it is impossible for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to avoid this matter. The delimitation of Azerbaijan's borders in accordance with the 1975 map was adopted due to a proposal form Armenia. If there is peace between the two countries, this will also increase Pashinyan's influence in the Armenian government," the expert added. Russia, the USA, and the European Union, which once supported Armenia, are now inclining towards Azerbaijan due to geopolitical realities. According to the expert, such a step by Armenia is due to the fact that it is alone in the political arena and is under certain pressure from the separatists. Armenia is well aware that after the signing of the peace agreement, both the country's economic problems will be resolved and the life support of the population will be provided at a higher level. This agreement is considered beneficial not only for Armenia but also for Azerbaijan. Because the idea of a "Common Caucasian Home" can be implemented in the South Caucasus, which includes Georgia, and conditions for a lasting peace can be created there," Qabil Huseynli noted. And when asked about the duration of the peace agreement to be signed and how it will end, the expert replied that it depends on the terms of the agreement and the integration of the Armenians living in Karabakh into our society. If all conditions are met, especially if there are no destructive provocations from the Armenian separatists in Karabakh, peace will be strong and stable, expert underlined. --- Rena Murshud is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @RenaTagiyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 17:23 (UTC+04:00) The head of the Export and Investment Promotion Agency - AZPROMO Yusif Abdullayev met with members of the Azerbaijani Businessmen's Union of Georgia (AZEBI) in Tbilisi, Azernews reports, citing AZPROMO. AZPROMO told that during the meeting, Yusif Abdullayev gave detailed information about the activities of the institution he represented and noted that institutions like AZEBI contributed to the development of economic relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia. He emphasized the importance of holding such meetings in a wider format in order to achieve practical results. It was noted that AZPROMO is ready to provide the members of AZEBI with the production of local products in Georgia under the name of the national brand "Made in Azerbaijan", as the coordinator of the two companies in the fields, as well as other necessary support measures. At the meeting, opinions were exchanged regarding the issues faced by the members of AZEBI and their elimination, and the questions of entrepreneurs were answered. A preliminary agreement was reached on the regular holding of similar meetings. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 11:17 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijani artist Roya Hasan will demonstrate her solo exhibition at Q Gallery in Icherisheher on June 9-10. The exposition "Iz" (Imprint) is organized with the support of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts and Arts Council Azerbaijan NGO, Azernews reports. Around 27 art works, dedicated to outstanding luminaries, who left a deep mark on the Azerbaijani cultural and historical heritage. Portraits of artists, composers, directors, actors and other cultural figures, as well as beautiful landscapes of Azerbaijan will be presented to the attention of the public. "The cultural heritage of every people is its wealth. Our people play a huge role in creating world culture. It is the duty of each of us to preserve, develop and pass on our cultural heritage from generation to generation. We must preserve these values so that future generations can be proud of them. In her art works, Roya Hasan reflects devotion to the motherland, love for the people, respect for the national and spiritual values of her country," the organizers said in a statement. It should be noted that Roya Hasan is a teacher at the Department of Fine Arts of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. She is a member of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union. Roya Hasan has also represented Azerbaijan at exhibitions and symposiums organized in many foreign countries, including the USA, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Russia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Turkiye and others. In 2015, she participated in professional programs held by Sotheby's Art House in Georgia. In her art, the artist prefers expressionism and abstractionism. Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 18:33 (UTC+04:00) On June 5, the closing ceremony of the "Foreign Policy Program" for young diplomats organized within the framework of the joint partnership of the Institute of Development and Diplomacy ("IDD") with Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry, operating under ADA University, was held, Azernews reports. At the closing ceremony of the program, which lasted from October 2022 to May of this year and was attended by 38 young diplomats, the rector of ADA University, Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and the vice-rector of ADA University, as well as the director of the Institute of Development and Diplomacy Fariz Ismayilzade delivered a welcome speech. Adviser to the vice-rector of ADA University and deputy director of the Institute of Development and Diplomacy Aygun Hajiyeva as well as the head of the Personnel Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Raman Mammadov spoke about the results of the program. In his welcoming speech, Vice-Rector Fariz Ismayilzade pointed out that on today's Graduation Day, young diplomats were given the opportunity to communicate with Rector Hafiz Pashayev and the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and benefit from their experiences. Emphasizing that cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been successfully continued within the framework of various projects, Vice-Rector Ismayilzade said that these programs serve to develop the professional skills of diplomats. Congratulating the participants of the program, Rector Hafiz Pashayev advised them to constantly learn, especially to acquire deep knowledge about Azerbaijani history, in order to responsibly serve the interests of Azerbaijan. Recalling the task given by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev when he founded the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy in 2006, the Rector pointed out that the "Foreign Policy Program" arose from that task. Speaking at the event, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said that the program is a successful initiative. "38 diplomats were included in this program. Those selected for the program not only passed the test system, they also participated in other stages - interviews and submitted their essays," the minister noted. Minister Bayramov stressed that he believes that diplomats will successfully defend the interests of Azerbaijan abroad. Aygun Hajiyeva presented the results of the "Foreign Policy Program" held on the 17th of this year. The deputy director of "IDD" said that discussions, simulations, and interactive sessions were held in a round table format by a total of 81 professional speakers on 48 topics within the program. Among those speakers were members of the professor-teacher staff of ADA University, experienced employees of state institutions, local and foreign partner research centers, and especially heads of departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Raman Mammadov, Head of the Foreign Ministry, said in his speech that the management team was closely involved in structuring the content of the program. He added that the theoretical and practical elements of the program were developed taking into account the skills of young diplomats, and its curriculum was further developed as a result of regular discussions. Later, Nigar Eyvazzade, an employee of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also a graduate of ADA University, shared his impressions about his participation and said that the mentioned program not only gave them new knowledge but also strengthened their cooperation with colleagues working in different departments. Ramil Abdullayev, a young diplomat representing the Department of Economic Cooperation, expressed his confidence that the knowledge and experience he gained within the program will have an invaluable impact on his work. Then a video about the activities of the "Foreign Policy Program" was shown. In the end, certificates were presented to the participants and a commemorative photo was taken. We should note that the training for young diplomats within the framework of the "Foreign Policy Program" covered the history of diplomacy, domestic and foreign policy of Azerbaijan, as well as topics such as "Electronic Government" digital transformation, and migration policy. its central role in the transportation network, the "Great Return" program, and the military-political aspects of national security were also discussed. In order to improve the professional skills of the diplomats, they were also given practical training on establishing business relations, self-presentation, emotional intelligence, body language, diplomatic protocol, effective writing, and other important topics. Within the framework of the program, visits to the cities of Shusha, Agdam, and Nakhchivan, as well as visits to Baku port, and Milli Majlis "ASAN service" centers, increased the knowledge of the participants and made them more familiar with the administrative processes in those institutions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Police seized the mobile phone of Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Monday in a raid conducted as part of an investigation into the alleged leak of personal information of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon. Investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confiscated Choe's phone in front of his home in the city of Yongin, south of Seoul, and were trying to search his office at the National Assembly, officials said. Investigators are looking into the alleged leak of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon and his family's personal information, such as copies of the residence registration document and real estate contracts. The investigation began after a member of Seoul's Gangseo Ward Council filed a complaint accusing a person of violating the Personal Information Protection Act after that person handed him information on Han and his family. Police suspect the information was leaked after being submitted to the National Assembly for Han's confirmation hearing last year. (Yonhap) 5 June 2023 10:00 (UTC+04:00) An interview with former Israeli Communication minister Ayoob Kara about Russia's role in Azerbaijan-Armenia relations as well as Israel's support in development of agriculture in Azerbaijan's Karabakh has been published in Israel's Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) news website. In the article it is talked about the recent peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the participation of Russia, and intensive works carried out to fight against the mine threat in Azerbaijan's Karabakh. In the interview Kara says if Armenia has recognized Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, it means for Armenia also Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan. He said that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeated it in previous meetings as well. He also directs the attention to the benefits of raising agriculture in Karabakh for both Azerbaijan and Israel, saying that Azerbaijan has designated agriculture as one of four priority sectors for diversifying its economy. Azernews presents the full version of the article: Recently, Russia hosted peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan aimed at solving the conflict in the war-torn Karabakh region. During the talks, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated his support for recognizing Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan and announced that all trade links between Azerbaijan and Armenia would be renewed. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced: I think that there is a possibility of a peace agreement, especially because Armenia has recognized Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. As a former Israeli minister, I believe this is a welcome development. Not too long ago, there were concerns that Russia intended to act as a spoiler in any potential peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia, it was believed, wanted to keep its 2,000 peacekeepers in the area and expand its sphere of influence, especially after the country became an international pariah following its devastating attack on Ukraine. These suspicions were especially apparent when the Kremlin-linked Armenian-born oligarch Ruben Vardanyan was appointed by ethnic Armenian separatists as the unofficial first minister of the Karabakh region. Last February, however, he lost his position. In the wake of recent clashes, it appeared as though the Russians were losing control of the situation, which prompted the U.S. and the Belgium to get involved and host peace talks. After they did so, Russia decided to mediate negotiations, and it now appears that peace is closer than ever. If peace is achieved, Russia could lose its influence over the South Caucuses, but Israel has much to gain. A demined Karabakh region will enable Azerbaijan to build up a fertile region full of wheat fields that utilize Israeli technology. It could then export that wheat to Israel, effectively ensuring Israels food security, which has been in question due to the war in Ukraine. Israel already operates a dairy farm in the Karabakh region and can do much more to influence its agricultural development based on the kibbutz model. The Arava International Center for Agricultural Training stated that it will train 50 agricultural students this year. Azerbaijan has designated agriculture as one of four priority sectors for diversifying its economy, the Center stated. Agriculture is Azerbaijans largest employer, employing 37% of the population with the main crops being wheat, barley, potatoes, maize, cotton, grapes, vegetables, fruits, tobacco and tea. This agricultural training will help build up the friendship between Azerbaijan and Israel, as Azerbaijani students come to Israel to learn about Israels cutting-edge agricultural technology and then use that technology to make Karabakh green again. Through agriculture, Karabakh can be rebuilt and internally displaced persons return to their homes, as crop fields can make the land productive at a quicker rate than cities and towns. Thus, Israel could benefit greatly once peace is achieved between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The landmine threat will diminish and the agricultural potential of the region will skyrocket. This will lead to a significant increase in Azerbaijani agricultural exports to Israel and Israeli technology exports to Azerbaijan. Armenia also has much to gain from a peace agreement. Instead of being a small, land-locked, blockaded country relying on international pariahs like Russia and Iran to survive, Armenia could flourish and thrive with a rebuilt economy that trades with Azerbaijan and Turkey. This will help the people of Armenia not only live conflict-free lives, but also enjoy a decent economy and standard of living. The day a peace treaty is signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Israel, the U.S., Europe and Turkey will all be beneficiaries. The biggest losers will be Russia and Iran, who will lose their spheres of influence. There may be room for the Kremlin to improve its image a bit following the latest talks in Moscow. Nevertheless, following a peace deal, Irans influence over the South Caucuses will be eliminated. This would be a great victory for the State of Israel. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 11:39 (UTC+04:00) Another mass grave was discovered in Shusha, proving that people had been killed and buried en masse in Azerbaijans liberated territories during the Armenian occupation, Azernews reports. According to preliminary information, the remains of at least four people were found in that cemetery. One of the special highlights is that a mass grave was discovered on the territory of the Shusha prison. This fact has once again confirmed the allegations and witness statements that the Azerbaijanis who were illegally detained in Shusha prison were subjected to terrible torture and inhumane treatment in that prison. We regret to inform that the number of facts about crimes committed by Armenia in violation of the requirements of international humanitarian law is not affected by this. Thus, the Ombudsman addressed appeals to the world community regarding the previously discovered mass burial sites in Azerbaijans liberated territories and prepared a separate report on the results of on-site investigations conducted in the graves found in Edilli village of Khojavend district. The continuous discovery of mass graves in the liberated territories once again proves the genocide and ethnic cleansing policy carried out by Armenia against Azerbaijanis. At the same time, we would like to emphasize that Armenia's failure to provide any information about the fate of nearly four thousand Azerbaijanis who disappeared during the First Karabakh War has been causing the family members of those persons to suffer deeply for many years. The Armenian side has evaded its responsibility in this matter as well and avoided providing information about mass burial sites. As the Azerbaijani Ombudswoman, I once again call on the world community to take necessary measures against Armenia in connection with such cases, which prove a gross violation of international legal norms, human rights, and freedoms, and to provide support in obtaining information about the fate of our missing compatriots. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 17:55 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more On the one hand, peace talk, and on the other hand, not agreeing to the rules. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan's ambiguous statements in recent days have already been the subject of discussion. It should be noted that at the same time, the Armenian official, who says that a peace treaty will be signed with Azerbaijan in the near future, criticizes the border checkpoint that Azerbaijan has established on the Lachin road at the point of conventional border with Armenia in order to control its sovereign territories. We remind you that while the border checkpoint was being established, the forces in Karabakh and Yerevan, who were initially shocked, tried to attract the public attention by chanting slogans as if Azerbaijan was trying to commit genocide against Armenia. But so what of it? All attempts were again futile. The Armenian government tried to achieve its goal with one attempt at a time, but their ignorance of the fast-moving time machine made them step back again. Armenian politics is indeed very confusing and incomprehensible - and can change several times at once. Yerevan's political structure can also be called chameleon politics. It should not be surprising if the administration of Yerevan, which is sometimes outwardly blue, but internally red, makes various statements in the very day. Pashinyan repeatedly expressed the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in Brussels, Moscow or other meetings. However, when we look at Armenia's political structure from the viewpoint of its internal audience, we always find reactions that are completely opposite to Pashinyan's confessions. Let's take the approach of Grigoryan, the secretary of the Security Council. A politician who holds a position as a member of the Pashinyan government makes an awkward statement supporting the military presence of the separatist regime in Karabakh on the territory of another state overstepping the decision of the Prime Minister. However, Pashinyan has repeatedly stated that Armenia bears no responsibility for the illegal separatist forces in Karabakh. These are two different statements that contradict each other. As a result, the question arises again: who has the say in the country, whose word should we believe? As for Grigoryan's desire to sign peace with Azerbaijan soon, this is just a cheap excuse to show themselves to be smart and restrained in a desperate situation. If it were not so, Grigoryan would not have rejected the support of Russian FSB regarding security issues along the Zangazur corridor. As the saying goes, why you smell a rat when it comes talks on opening the corridor? Armenia tries to blame Azerbaijan while it is the only reason and responsible for blocking all communication lines and moreover rejects the third party while it also cannot resolve the issue bilaterally with Azerbaijan. Such a step also makes Armenia a source of suspicion. However, in the statement signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the mediation of Russia on November 10, 2020, there are special points regarding the opening of all transport and communication routes in the region. And most importantly, as the statement emphasized, the Russian Federal Security Service should take full control to ensure the safe movement of Azerbaijani citizens from Nakhchivan to the eastern part of Azerbaijan or vice versa. Thus, Armenia is again trying to disrupt peace and constructive negotiations with its contradictory behavior. Yerevan administration, which does not want the corridor to be opened, creates a meaningless obstacle with dozens of excuses and tries to refute the terms of the signed official statement. In any case, such a step of Armenia is unacceptable. This is nothing but a step that affects both the image of the government of the RA and the normalization of future relations. Another meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia is planned. A number of outstanding issues are expected to be discussed at this meeting, the date of which is still unknown. Currently, the parties are thinking about only one issue: demarcation and delimitation of the borders within the framework of the recognition of the territorial integrity of both states. Note that, for the first time in this regard, Yerevan administration accepted the request of the Prime Minister of Armenia to demarcate the border based on the map approved in 1975. For some reason, it seems unusual that Mirzoyan and Pashinyan acted unhindered in this matter, and silence reigned in the internal auditorium. Probably, either this map contains a secret that is interesting for Armenia, or the opposition forces do not have an excuse to cause any panic yet. --- Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews deputy editor-in-chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 14:20 (UTC+04:00) Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia- Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan will meet in Washington soon. About this Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told to reporters, Azernews reports. "The draft peace treaty with Armenia was submitted by Azerbaijan. It's difficult to predict how long this process will take. There are enough outstanding issues that have not yet been agreed," Bayramov added. In addition, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia held talks in Washington on May 1 with the mediation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Following the talks, Jeyhun Bayramov noted that an agreement was reached on certain paragraphs of the peace treaty. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 20:45 (UTC+04:00) Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said he hoped the countrys progress in its European integration efforts would be properly assessed by the European Union, leading to the membership candidate status being granted to it later this year, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.ge. Papuashvili noted the visit of the speakers of parliaments of Slovakia, Austria and the Czech Republic on Monday to the country was a clear manifestation of support for Georgia. Georgia is connected by long-term, multidimensional cooperation with all three states. All three countries are strong supporters of Georgia's democratic reforms and [its] implementation of foreign priorities, Papuashvili said. We are eager to deepen the dialogue with the countries that have become a strong force in the European Union and are a good example of successful regional cooperation, he added. At the meeting, I thanked the representatives of all three countries for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, for supporting the policy of non-recognition of [Russian-] occupied regions, the Parliament official also said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 5 June 2023 21:15 (UTC+04:00) Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the visiting Hungarian Defence Minister, on Monday discussed bilateral cooperation, strategic partnership and Georgias Euro-Atlantic integration, Azernews reports, citing Agenda. The Government Administration said the meeting in the PMs Tbilisi office also reviewed defence cooperation between the states. The Hungarian official expressed his Governments support for Georgias sovereignty, territorial integrity and its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, the press office added. --- 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Former Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Youn Kwan-suk attends a parliamentary session in this file photo, May 25. Yonhap Prosecutors raided the National Assembly Secretariat on Monday as part of an investigation into allegations that about 10 lawmakers took bribes in connection with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s 2021 leadership election. Investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office searched the secretariat to seize the entry and exit logs of the lawmakers around the time of the DPK leadership election, according to prosecution officials. The scandal centers on allegations that campaign officials of then candidate Song Young-gil distributed cash envelopes totaling 94 million won ($71,892) to 10-20 sitting DPK lawmakers and other party members in the run-up to the party's national convention. Last month, prosecutors sought arrest warrants for two former DPK lawmakers Youn Kwan-suk and Lee Sung-man on charges of involvement in the cash-for-votes campaign during the chairmanship election. A motion requesting parliament consent to potential arrests of Lee and Youn was reported to a plenary parliamentary session last week and will be put to a vote at a plenary session on June 12, as parliamentary consent is necessary to arrest a lawmaker while the parliament is in session. Prosecutors suspect Youn distributed envelopes containing 3 million won each to about 20 sitting DPK lawmakers over two days in April 2021. (Yonhap) Lynn Deatherage's Letter to the WDN; Not Published as of June 11th, 2023 Publisher's Note: This "Letter to the Editor" to the Washington Daily News was written by Lynn Deatherage, my wife, early on May 22nd, 2023, and promptly sent by email to the proper address, as advertised, that same morning. That email was not returned as the address sent to must have been correct. So far, it has been 6 days, here in the age of quickened information, and Lynn's correspondence with the WDN editor, seeking just public redress, has not been published, and subsequent corrective action has not been taken. That being the case of such poor purpose by the Washington Daily News, Eastern North Carolina NOW will NOW publish this intended public correspondence as our Journalistic ideals command us to remain abjectly serious about: Freedom of Speech; the consequences of a Free Press; the intended honesty in all journalistic endeavors; and the guaranteed right of informing the People in a manner where only the truth is paramount. With this First Amendment to Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech, however, comes certain responsibilities; responsibilities that we hold dear at Eastern NC NOW as a major player in the "Public Square." Lynn Deatherage's Letter to the WDN; Not Published as of May 28th, 2023 In regard to your recent "Sound Off" section in the Washington Daily News, May 20th issue, an anonymous "caller," whose sole objective was to denigrate a duly elected county commissioner, I wondered what the purpose really was here. It takes zero effort, and no accountability for a so-called "anonymous" entity to make a false accusation, and far longer for honorable people to refute these lies. I am curious, how does this make you feel as the publisher? In no way does this adhere to the standards listed in your mission statement. Firstly, this isn't "news" and secondly, as mentioned, it is not true. Is not publishing the truth the most important factor in publishing the "news?" Please feel free, at some point, to do your due diligence as is your journalistic duty to discover the truth, and move forward with integrity. Does not your readership deserve that? In an atmosphere of growing divisions amongst people, how does your "Sound Off" section really help? If anyone should feel humiliated, it should be you for your publication. I welcome and expect your public apology as soon as possible. Sincerely, Lynn Deatherage, 252.944.3952 Now that the public is allowed to know the truth regarding the Hunter Biden Laptop Scandal, after more that 2 1/2 years of deception by the corrupt Corporate Media Kabal, propropagandidats all, and the discredited Deep State, we have NOW learned that the infamous laptop is far less about the Biden Boy's fetish for pornography, narcotics and Russian whores, and far more about Hunter's pivotal role in the Biden Crime Syndicate's selling of deep access to our foreign adversaries, and to what extent it has compromised our national security: What is your opinion about this possible coordinated Treason? It is imperative that we know the truth of what may be the greatest scandal in our Republic's history, and all aforementioned parties prosecuted for their crimes against the People. Currently, our Two Tiered Justice System is constructed to protect all Democratic Socialists, their corrupt "Journalist" spokes-sheople, and their Deep State enablers ... so why bother. It is Donald Trump's fault. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland will retry anesthesiologist Anna Gabrielian, MD, a former employee of Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins, and her husband, Jamie Lee Henry, for their allegations of conspiring to help Russia by violating patient privacy, CBS News reported June 2. The two physicians, who pleaded not guilty in May, claim Dr. Gabrielian saw an undercover FBI agent's camera during their first meeting and inferred she was dealing with the KGB. Their legal team claimed they were entrapped by the U.S. government. A single holdout juror believed the government entrapped the defendants, which led the judge to declare a mistrial, according to the report. An undercover FBI agent posed as a Russian government official and first confronted Dr. Gabrielian in a Johns Hopkins Hospital parking garage as she headed to work. Dr. Gabrielian alleges she feared for her life and the lives of her family if she refused to share confidential medical files with the undercover agent. Zhejiang's green program gives new image to rural areas 11:08, June 05, 2023 By Dou Hanyang, Han Xin, Qiu Haifeng ( People's Daily In the beautiful field in Pushan village, east China's Zhejiang province, tourists joined a bamboo dance led by villagers, immersed in a joyful atmosphere filled with laughter. No one would believe that the place was once covered by illegal buildings and stinky trash dumps. Photo shows a fitness park in Deqing county, Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (People's Daily Online/Xie Shangguo) "It was smelly in hot weather, with flies and mosquitoes flying all over the space," villager Lei Hongchen recalled. Deciding to change the situation, the village removed illegal buildings, refurbished the walls of residential buildings and upgraded public spaces. Today, with the idyllic landscape and unique local features, the village has become a renowned photogenic spot for social media. The story of Pushan village is a miniature of how Zhejiang province has promoted its green program in rural areas, which aims at practicing the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" in rural areas. In June 2003, under the initiative of Xi Jinping, who once served as provincial Party chief, Zhejiang launched the Green Rural Revival Program, which selects 10,000 administrative villages in the province for comprehensive improvement, and plans to turn 1,000 of them into demonstration villages of moderate prosperity in all respects. Over the past two decades, a number of projects were launched under the program, including sewage treatment, closures of coal mines to tackle air and land pollution, and trash classification, which comprehensively lifted the image of the countryside in Zhejiang province. Thanks to the program, the living environment was bettered in 27,000 administrative villages across the province. A total of 2,170 featured villages and over 3 million beautiful rural courtyards were built. The forest coverage in Zhejiang now exceeds 61 percent, indicating substantial improvement in rural ecology and environment. In 2018, the program won the Champions of the Earth award, the highest environmental honor given by the United Nations. Tourists visit a terrace in Yunhe county, Lishui, east China's Zhejiang province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jinhong) Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. Over the recent years, Zhejiang province has vigorously developed eco-agriculture, rural e-commerce and rural tourism sectors, drawing a picture of a vibrant eco-driven economy. In Miaoshan village of Huzhou, Zhejiang province, B&B hotels in the shape of straw hats were built, an old bucket factory was turned into an art gallery, and an ancient livestock farm was changed into a water park. Thanks to these transformations, the village saw a collective operating income of 2.28 million yuan ($322,974) last year. In today's Zhejiang, parks are commonly seen in villages, where residence buildings have been turned into B&B hotels. Villagers became shareholders who benefited from the local resources. In 2022, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in the province stood at 37,565 yuan, up 6.6 percent from a year ago. The urban-rural income gap was narrowed to a ratio within 1.9 ahead of schedule. This has laid a solid foundation for Zhejiang to build itself into a demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity with its high-quality development. The sound ecology is a big attraction to talents. Twelve kilometers away from Miaoshan village, there is a "valley of science" in Xisai Mountain, which is home to 23 small-sized scientific research institutions. According to an official with Huzhou's science and technology bureau, the valley has attracted over 500 sci-tech talents and 24 research programs. A batch of universities will be built there soon, including Huzhou College, the official said. Exploring featured paths while sticking to historical and cultural traditions helps realize better development. Photo shows a view of Xikou township, Longyou county, Quzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Feng) In Longxian village of Lishui in southwest Zhejiang, villager Wu Yongqiang runs a B&B hotel. Traditional fish-shaped lanterns are hanging inside the hotel and outside of it there are layers of terraces, where visitors can join rice transplanting, harvesting and fish-catching activities. The traditional Rice-Fish Culture system, which fertilizes fields with fish manure and feeds fish with rice in turn, has a history of over 1,000 years in Longxian village. It was listed in the world's first group of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems designated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2005. Inheriting its unique farming traditions and leveraging local features, Longxian village has built a new form of rural tourism that combines sightseeing and experience activities based on the inheritance and conservation of the traditional Rice-Fish Culture system. Up to now, Zhejiang province has 14 nationally important agricultural heritage sites and four Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. It has put 432 key villages and 2,105 general villages under protection and proper utilization in 10 batches of projects. Aiming at environmental treatment, Zhejiang's Green Rural Revival Program comes with targeted measures and well-coordinated plans in light of local conditions. It places importance on the conservation of traditional culture and characteristics of villages, and promotes transformation in development models and lifestyles. The program has drawn a picture of China's new countryside, which proves that Chinese modernization, with a feature of green development, follows a win-win approach to both economic progress and environmental protection. In the future, the country will continue making steady efforts in building a beautiful and harmonious countryside that is desirable to live and work in, work for a beautiful China, and make more contributions to the world's ecological progress. Photo taken on March 26, 2023 shows rapeseed flower fields around Yangqitan village, Chun'an county, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jianlin) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Hongyu) President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, May 23. Yonhap President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered a stern crackdown on corruption involving government subsidies to civil organizations and a full recovery of misused funds, his spokesperson said Monday. Yoon issued the instruction after an audit of government subsidies given to about 12,000 civil organizations over the past three years found a total of 1,865 cases of irregularities involving about 31.4 billion won ($24 million), presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) heaped criticism on such civic groups. "They are criminal organizations, not civic groups," the PPP's top spokesperson Yoo Sang-bum said in a radio interview, adding that the audit results showed they were "organizations of criminals trying to steal government funds." Rep. Park Dae-chul, the PPP's floor leader, also accused the previous Moon Jae-in administration of squandering government money on civic groups sympathetic to the administration, noting that subsidies to civil organizations rose about 2 trillion won during the Moon administration. Meanwhile, the PPP urged the government to take follow-up measures, such as retrieving the misused funds and launching an investigation into other organizations that were not subject to the audit. It also called for regulatory improvements to properly monitor the financial flows of such organizations. The Office for Government Policy Coordination under the prime minister's office said later in the day that it will hold a meeting of the audit officers of all government agencies Wednesday to discuss the findings of the audit. Countermeasures, including the retrieval of government subsidies, referring an investigation, and conducting an additional audit, will also be discussed, according to the office. (Yonhap) David Moerschel, MD, a neurophysiologist from Punta Gorda, Fla., has been sentenced to three years in prison on seditious conspiracy charges for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to a June 3 report from PBS. Dr. Moerschel was sentenced alongside Florida chiropractor Joseph Hackett. Both men were members of the far-right political group the Oath Keepers. Nine Oath Keepers members have been tried for seditious conspiracy, and six have been convicted. Dr. Moerschel and Mr. Hackett allegedly helped amass guns and ammunition, which they stored in a Virginia hotel room to potentially use in Washington, D.C. None of the weapons were ever deployed, according to the report. On Jan. 6, 2021, both men dressed in paramilitary gear and marched on the Capitol. Dr. Moerschel told a judge that he is "deeply ashamed" of forcing his way into the Capitol. Following his arrest, Dr. Moerschel was fired from his medical position and now works in construction and landscaping. Average physician assistant pay rose about 4 percent in the last year, according to Medscape's "Physician Assistant Compensation Report 2023." Medscape surveyed 3,058 PAs from Nov. 7 to Dec. 20. Physician assistant compensation jumped from $129,000 in 2021 to $134,000 in 2022, according to the report. Here is how much PAs earned in 2022: Radiologists have the most FDA-cleared artificial intelligence medical products, according to a regularly updated dashboard from the Data Science Institute of the American College of Radiology. FDA-cleared AI products by specialty: 1. Radiology software in a medical device: 238 2. Radiology software as a medical device: 154 3. Cardiology: 57 4. Hematology: 15 5. Neurology: 14 6. Ophthalmology: seven 7. Clinical chemistry: six 8. Microbiology: five 9. General and plastic surgery: five 10. Anesthesiology: four 11. Gastroenterology-urology: four 12. Pathology: four 13. General hospital: three 14. Gastroenterology and urology: two 15. Dental: one 16. OB-GYN: one 17. Orthopedics: one Georgia legislatures are criticizing Atlanta-based Wellstar Health System for committing to invest nearly $800 million in a planned partnership with Augusta (Ga.) University Health System to develop an ASC, a medical office building and a new hospital after shutting down two of its own Atlanta-area hospitals in 2022, according to a June 5 report from the Augusta Chronicle. In December, Wellstar signed a 40-year contract with the Augusta system just a month after closing the 460-bed Atlanta Medical Center. Critics said that the closures created a healthcare desert in the area, according to the report. At a June 5 meeting of the Georgia Senate's health and human services committee, Sen. David Lucas and Sen. Nan Orrock criticized the health system for closing down the hospitals for financial reasons but investing so much capital in another project. "There's money. It was just not spent here. You folded your tent and walked away," Ms. Orrock told Wellstar executives at the meeting. Wellstar's CEO said that closing the hospitals was unavoidable, citing aging infrastructure, low patient volumes, skyrocketing labor costs and the loss of coronavirus relief funds. The senators also allege that legislatures weren't made aware of Wellstar's financial struggles until after the hospitals' closures were announced. Florida Digestive Health Specialists has partnered to co-host the launch of Lucid Diagnostics' first esophageal precancer detection mobile test, the EsoGuard #CheckYourFoodTube Mobile Test Unit. Florida Digestive hosted a precancer detection event at the Gastroenterology Associates of Sarasota (Fla.) under the direction of Sarasota Memorial Hospital's chief of gastroenterology, Scott Corbett, MD. EsoGuard is the first and only commercial diagnostic test capable of detecting esophageal precancer in at-risk individuals, according to a June 5 press release. At the testing event, Lucid personnel will collect cheek swab samples from patients that will be sent to a molecular diagnostic laboratory in Lake Forest, Calif. Patients with positive EdoGuard test results will be recommended for monitoring and treatment. Over 80 percent of patients with esophageal cancer die within five years of diagnosis, making it the second most lethal cancer in the U.S. Unifeye Vision Partners partnered with Sierra Eye Group in Visalia, Calif. This is the management service organization's 17th practice in California, according to a June 5 news release from Unifeye Vision Partners. Sierra Eye Group has four providers and an ASC. It is led by ophthalmologists Steven Cantrell, MD, and Matthew Kirkman, MD. Unifeye Vision Partners supports 123 providers, 44 clinic locations and 13 ASCs. The MSO is backed by private equity firm Waud Capital Partners. Panorama City, Calif.-based Mission Community Hospital was infected by ransomware after hacker group RansomHouse exploited vulnerabilities in its Paragon and Cisco systems, DataBreaches.net reported June 4. According to the website, RansomHouse listed on its leak site that it has 2.5 terabytes of the hospital's data and provided some proof, along with a note: "Dear Mission Community Hospital Management, We strongly recommend you to contact us to prevent your confidential data or research data to be leaked or sold to a third party." Rather than encrypting stolen files, the group reportedly just exfiltrates them and demands a ransom in exchange for deleting them and providing a security report, according to the story. DataBreaches.net reviewed a letter from Mission Community's outside general counsel that it discovered the breach while investigating a May 1 network switch failure and has since rejected the threat actor. Mission Community Hospital and RansomHouse did not respond to DataBreaches.net's requests for comment. Sparrow Health System will change its name to the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow in 2024, WLNS reported June 5. The Lansing, Mich.-based health system said the name change will better reflect its affiliation with the University of Michigan. "University of Michigan Health-Sparrow reflects a partnership going forward, building on the equity of both brands," James Dover, president and CEO of Sparrow, told the publication. Sparrow Health System became a part of Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan Health in April. Although ChatGPT said it is hard to pinpoint one single entity as the biggest healthcare disruptor, it labeled Amazon as the most notable, which differs from the opinions of health system and hospital CIOs, who told Becker's Optum and CVS would be the ones to watch in 2023. Becker's asked ChatGPT, "who is the biggest healthcare disruptor," to which the AI-based technology said Amazon, due to its entry into the healthcare market through initiatives such as Amazon Pharmacy and its acquisition of PillPack. "Amazon has the potential to disrupt the traditional pharmacy and medication distribution model," ChatGPT wrote. Google was listed in second place. "Google's parent company, Alphabet, has made significant investments in healthcare through various projects such as Verily Life Sciences, DeepMind Health, and Google Health," ChatGPT wrote. "These initiatives aim to leverage AI, data analytics and other technologies to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes." These answers vary from hospital and health system CIOs. Darrell Bodnar, CIO of Whitefield, N.H.-based North Country Healthcare, told Becker's that he believed CVS would be the biggest disruptor due to its "great market share" and its recent acquisition of Signify Health. Rich Rogers, senior vice president and CIO of Greenville, S.C.-based Prisma Health, told Becker's that he sees Optum as primary care's biggest disruptor. "Optum is positioned to have the most significant impact in healthcare in 2023. In addition to their aggressive acquisition of primary care providers and services, Optum is positioned to be a disruptor with developing value-based care models," Mr. Rogers said. "They bring established healthcare analytics capabilities, virtual solutions, pharmacy tools, and payer experience to the market. In addition, Optum has the financial means to figure out the secret sauce to successfully deliver new payment models." After partnering with New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health to provide telehealth services for its diplomats, the U.S. State Department is now looking to install a new EHR system, Washington Technology reported June 2. The State Department's Bureau of Medical Services prefers to host the new EHR system on an Amazon Web Services environment, but it is not a requirement. The diplomatic corps is looking for a system that will replace a paper-based system and includes a provider portal, document uploading and reporting functions. The Bureau of Medical Services provides care to 75,000 government employees and their families and has a network of 400 providers. President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, poses for a photo with Lee Key-cheol, the inaugural head of the newly launched Overseas Koreans Agency, after presenting him with the agency's signboard during its opening ceremony in Incheon, 27 kilometers west of Seoul, June 5. Yonhap President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Monday to thoroughly take care of Koreans living overseas, including those who left their home country when it was impoverished and remitted their earnings to help lay the foundation of the country's economic modernization. Yoon made the remark during the launching ceremony of the Overseas Koreans Agency, a new government agency headquartered in the western port city of Incheon, tasked with supporting overseas Koreans. "When the 7.5 million-Korean network shares necessary information and experiences by closely connecting with each other, both overseas Koreans and the Republic of Korea will grow and develop together," Yoon said, referring to Korea by its formal name. Yoon highlighted the contribution made by thousands of Koreans who left their home when Korea was poor and remitted their earnings back home, including miners and nurses who migrated to Germany in the 1960s and 1970s, ultimately contributing to their country's economic growth. Furthermore, Yoon emphasized that the newly established agency would actively embrace multicultural families, overseas adoptees, and overseas Koreans residing in the country. Yoon also mentioned a group of Korean victims of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima. "It is the state's duty to empathize with the pain of our compatriots wherever they are in the world," he said. Yoon became the first Korean president to meet with Korean victims of the bombing, which occurred during Japanese colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula. The meeting took place when Yoon attended a Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima in late May. Yoon also formally appointed Lee Key-cheol, former deputy foreign minister for overseas Koreans, as the inaugural head of the agency. (Yonhap) Jackson, Miss.-based St. Dominic Health Services is laying off 157 workers and ending its behavioral health services unit, citing financial difficulties. Through the last three to five years, the hospital has incurred several million-dollar losses. The reduction represents 5.5 percent of St. Dominic's workforce, according to a June 5 St. Dominic news release. St. Dominic's behavioral health services will not take additional admissions after June 6. The hospital is searching for partners to fill the gaps in behavioral healthcare caused by the closure. "Throughout its 77-year-history, the St. Dominic's ministry has evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of the community it serves with a steadfast focus on quality, safety, patient experience and stewardship," Scott Kashman, market president and CEO of St. Dominic Health Services and St. Dominic Hospital, said in the release. "After thorough discernment and prayerful consideration, we must again adapt and evolve to preserve the ministry in the face of these economic realities and better ensure the long-term health of the organization. Ultimately, these decisions were made in faithfulness to good stewardship of our mission and the ministries we support." Spending bills advanced in Louisiana would include $311 million in statewide hospital funding, nola.com reported June 3. House bills 1 and 560 the main budget proposal and a supplemental spending measure, respectively passed a state Senate committee and advanced to the full chamber. The hospital funding would be unlocked if the Louisiana House lifts a state spending cap, under a move made by Senate President Page Cortez. The bills also include raises for teachers and funding for other local projects. Ben Davis has left the top post at Osceola Regional Health Center in Sibley, Iowa, to helm Glencoe (Minn.) Regional Health. Mr. Davis served as the Iowa hospital's CEO for six years, according to a news release. He resigned on May 12 and began his new role in Minnesota on May 15, per the Hutchinson Leader. Nate McCormick was named interim CEO of Osceola Regional Health Center in addition to his current responsibilities as vice president of ancillary, clinics and community service at Lakes Regional Healthcare, based in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health has tapped Todd Smith, MD, to serve in the newly created role of senior vice president and chief physician executive, effective June 12. In his new role, Dr. Smith will focus on delivering systemwide service line standards, reducing clinical variation and strengthening relationships with medical group and community physicians across the system. He has a broad range of leadership experience at Sutter Health, most recently serving as CEO of Sutter Health Valley Medical Foundation. Other past leadership roles include medical director of the Gould Medical Group and section chief for orthopedics and podiatry at Sutter Gould Medical Foundation. Dr. Smith also served on the Sutter Health Board of Directors from 2009 to 2016 and was board chair in 2015-16. He will work closely with Mark Sevco who is joining Sutter June 5 as senior vice president and COO. Mr. Sevco and Dr. Smith will oversee the system's acute, clinic and ambulatory operations under a dyad leadership model. Learn more here. More than 500 physicians in Indiana have signed a letter urging the state's medical licensing board to reconsider its decision to reprimand an obstetrician-gynecologist for mentioning a 10-year-old rape victim's abortion case, NPR reported June 3. During the week of May 22, the Indiana Medical Licensing Board reprimanded Caitlin Bernard, MD, an OB-GYN, and voted to fine her $3,000 for speaking to the media about an abortion case last summer. Now, physicians in the state are urging the board to reconsider the ruling, saying it "sets a very dangerous and chilling precedent for each one of us, regardless of medical specialty." When Dr. Bernard spoke to The Indianapolis Star last summer, she mentioned the case of an unnamed 10-year-old patient who had to cross state lines to get an abortion. Physicians in Indiana say speaking in general terms about patient cases the way Dr. Bernard did is the same way they explained COVID-19 risks at the beginning of the pandemic, and how they often help patients understand other health risks. "As a physician in Indiana, everybody is scared. Everybody is upset," Tracey Wilkinson, MD, who teaches pediatrics at Indianapolis-based Indiana University School of Medicine, told the news outlet. "Everybody is wondering if they could be next." The board did not respond to NPR's requests for comment. Members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United, have voted to authorize a strike at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita, Kan. The union represents about 1,000 Wichita-area nurses, including more than 650 at St. Francis, according to a news release from the NNOC/NNU. St. Francis is part of St. Louis-based Ascension. Ninety-three percent of voting union members voted in May in favor of authorizing a strike, according to the union release. Nurses voted to unionize in November and have been in contract negotiations with management. The union contends that during negotiations, management has not agreed to a strong contract that would adequately address issues such as safe staffing and nursing staff recruitment. Union members also contend that management is putting profits before patients. "Nurses are patient advocates at the bedside and, when we need to be, on the strike line," Angela Cammarn, a registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit, said in the union release. "It's very hard to get nurses to leave their patients, but what Ascension management is doing to our facilities is simply unacceptable. We were hopeful that bargaining a strong contract would remedy our concerns, but it's clear management needs to see how serious we are about improving patient care." In a statement shared with Becker's, the hospital said it continues to bargain in good faith "to come to a mutually beneficial agreement on an initial contract that supports all and will further our combined goal of providing safe, compassionate care to those we serve. We respect our associates' right to organize themselves through union representation and participate in a strike authorization vote." The hospital also expressed disappointment about the strike authorization vote "given that both bargaining teams continue to work toward an initial collective bargaining agreement and have multiple sessions scheduled through the end of August." The vote to authorize a strike does not mean a strike will occur. However, it gives the NNOC/NNU the option of calling one. The union would provide a 10-day notice to the hospital before any strike begins. If the hospital receives an official strike notice, St. Francis has a comprehensive contingency plan to ensure patients do not experience disruption in care or service, the hospital said. According to the union, a strike would be the first by registered nurses in Kansas. Nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas, have also voted to authorize a strike. Many health systems are dipping their toes into venture capital, and Northwell Health is no exception. The New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based health system's venture arm, Northwell Holdings, has been making serious moves and maintains a diverse portfolio of healthcare companies. Recently, Northwell Holdings partnered with Aegis Ventures to launch Optain, an ocular health company using artificial intelligence. To learn more about Northwell's investment strategy, Becker's reached out to Richard Mulry, the president and CEO of Northwell Holdings. Question: How is Northwell Holdings factoring economic uncertainty into its investment strategy? Richard Mulry: The macroeconomic environment certainly impacts a startup's ability to raise or borrow, negotiate terms and how they manage their burn. When we review new investment opportunities, we have remained consistent with our investment thesis we look for solutions which can improve quality, lower costs, drive efficiencies and enhance patient experience. In this way, we align our investment goals with the health system's strategy. In our diligence, we also place great emphasis on the quality and experience of the management teams we partner with to de-risk product market fit and an effective go-to-market strategy. Through our collaboration, the company is more likely to execute at scale with a large enterprise reference customer, enhancing their ability to succeed despite economic headwinds. Q: What is the advantage of getting in early with seed rounds, like the Optain investment? RM: While seed funding can represent the highest relative risk, we view early investment as an opportunity to work directly with a founder and management team to shape the development and delivery of a solution. Optain, an artificial intelligence company that uses retinal imaging to detect and prevent a wide variety of eye and systemic diseases in their earliest stages (enabling more timely and cost-effective interventions), is an excellent example of Northwell's ability to add value in the early stages of a company's life cycle. Combining cutting-edge technology developed in Australia with Northwell's large and diverse de-identified data sets, we recently launched Optain in the United States through a $12 million seed investment alongside Aegis Ventures. Looking ahead, we will also advance the company's product development by refining proposed integration into clinical workflows at Northwell. With this knowledge, we can spearhead efforts to obtain regulatory approval in the U.S., and building upon successful product launches overseas, accelerate product entry into the U.S. through serving as an enterprise reference customer. Q: How did the Ascertain collaboration with Aegis come about, and do you see new opportunities for partnership in the future? RM: Northwell and Aegis have collaborated over the last several years and have launched two innovative joint ventures: Caire, the first virtual-first ecosystem with health systems at the center, and Ascertain, a company creation platform focused on the development of AI-enabled solutions. Caire was formed in response to the growing need for patients to access care more conveniently through technology, but not in a manner which disinforms their primary care physician, which can result in fragmentation in care delivery. Through assembling a consortium of health systems that serve as investors, early adopters, and clinical partners for Caire's hybrid model of in-person and virtual care, we intend to put health systems back at the forefront of innovation at a time of significant external competition, shrinking margins and workforce challenges. We believe health systems are uniquely positioned to design and deliver the solutions which address these issues and also benefit economically in a manner that is commensurate to the value they create. Ascertain represents a tremendous opportunity to leverage some of the industry's most talented professionals, and with the advent of emerging technologies like large language models, work with leaders at Northwell to curate and develop AI-enabled solutions that improve care delivery, outcomes, and operational efficiencies. While independent, we see significant opportunities for synergy and collaboration in the development of care solutions as Caire and Ascertain continue to grow and mature. We remain excited about advancing solutions from both of these ventures to market. Q: How does Northwell Holdings generate value for patients? RM: In the purest form, Northwell Holdings maintains the health system's values and executes on its core strategy for patient care and contributions to the communities we serve. When considering value for patients, we aspire to best meet the needs of a consumer through cost-effective, high-quality, accessible care, which results in a positive patient experience. The Holdings team sees each of these attributes as integral to the investments made in external companies, internal innovations within the health system and through strategic partnership, such as our collaboration with Aegis. Each of these pathways represents opportunities to impact the manner in which we perform our work and the delivery of those services to our patients. Holdings aligns the deployment of capital and people toward the attainment of these goals. Q: Where do you see the healthcare AI market heading? RM: With a few notable exceptions (particularly radiology), the regulated clinical market remains challenging given the lack of reimbursement levers and significant regulatory hurdles. When and if the market will be ready to support a robust ecosystem of clinical healthcare AI solutions remains uncertain. However, we see tremendous near-term opportunity in the unregulated, nonclinical space particularly around the potential of large language models to streamline health system operations and increase clinician efficiency via reducing the amount of time they spend in the EHR. This is an area we're spending significant time and energy and expect to generate outsize returns. As drugmakers continue to delay resupply dates for cisplatin, a cancer drug in a monthslong shortage, the FDA allowed a China-based pharmaceutical company to temporarily import some solutions. Four cisplatin lots with 2025 expiration dates from Qilu Pharmaceutical will be imported to the U.S. with the help of Apotex, a Canadian drugmaker. Each lot is a 50 milligram/50 milliliter solution. "The cisplatin injection from Qilu is marketed and manufactured in China and is not FDA-approved," according to a Qilu document for healthcare workers. "Only Qilu or its distributor, Apotex Corp., is authorized by the FDA to import or distribute Qilu's cisplatin injection in the United States." Cisplatin treats bladder cancer, squamous cell head and neck cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, osteosarcoma, esophageal cancer, adrenal cortex carcinoma, breast cancer, endometrial cancer and liver cancer. It went into shortage in February, and U.S. drugmakers recently said they expect their supply to rebound in June. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, tweeted June 2 the agency is working to also support stock levels of carboplatin, another oncology drug in shortage. As local pharmacies and hospitals struggle to staff teams with enough pharmacy technicians, Kavish Choudhary, PharmD, chief pharmacy officer of University of Utah Health, told Becker's five pieces of advice. The Salt Lake City-based system hosts a pharmacy technician training program that offers free tuition for online students and works to hire the techs after they graduate. Dr. Choudhary said the University of Utah Health has a less than 10 percent turnover rate for this role which is less than half what other systems and hospitals are reporting. This low "natural turnover" rate, he said, is thanks to five strategies within and outside the program: 1. Treating workers well through competitive wages and opportunities for growth. 2. Raising awareness through partnerships with local community colleges and high schools or what Dr. Choudhary calls "embedding the hospital into the fabric of the community." 3. Attending career fairs even in junior high schools, which can help spark interest among the next generation. 4. Offering positions to students as a pharmacy technician in training, which bolsters your system or hospital as a strong career choice. 5. Promoting the success of former pharmacy technicians or pharmacy tech students. "If there's not a pathway, create one. If there's not a pool, try to drum up interest and create one," he said. "[Ask yourself,] what sets you apart? How do you get folks interested?" In about a one-year span, 100 applications were filed, 40 were accepted and 30 were hired from the program, which accepts new students on a rolling basis. Two weeks after a local news outlet reported on the program, 150 applications were filed. Dr. Choudhary said the success of the program and its graduates inspires him. "That has been so fulfilling for me personally, just watching what they've done with busting their tails for the last 9, 12 months, look at them now, whether they stay with the university or not." Immigrants hired to yearslong contracts to fill thousands of U.S. healthcare roles said they are paid less than their co-workers, deceived about benefits such as free housing and, if they try to leave, threatened with tens of thousands in debt, NBC News reported June 4. More than a dozen immigrant healthcare employees told the news outlet they are in facilities with so few staff members they work unpaid overtime, cannot fully meet patients' needs and worry for their safety. They also face losing their immigration status if they quit. When they try to leave their contracts, employers can penalize and sue them, and some cases have reached more than $100,000, according to documents obtained by NBC News. "The workers are handcuffed by debt, unable to flee," Martina Vandenberg, president of the Human Trafficking Legal Center, said in congressional testimony in May. The Labor Department deems these tactics illegal and mandates immigrant workers be paid a certain wage. In one case, the department sued a nurse staffing agency in March over claims that workers were underpaid; however, the issue is widespread while healthcare facilities struggle to fill staffing positions. "These nurses are brought over, they're promised the American dream and its a bait and switch," Magen Kellam, a Florida immigration lawyer who has represented dozens of foreign-educated nurses, told NBC News. "They get here and oftentimes the jobs are much different than the idea that they were sold. But that's where this debt bondage comes into play, where they can't leave even if the conditions are unsafe, and there's wage theft and exploitation of their work hours." Leaders of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) stage a protest in front of the National Police Agency headquarters in western Seoul's Seodaemun District, Friday, against what they call excessive force last month on a union member, which led to his injury. Yonhap Tension escalates amid Yoon's hardline stance against strikes, recent crackdown By Nam Hyun-woo President Yoon Suk Yeol's bid to reform Korea's labor-management culture is in trouble, as one of the largest umbrella unions in the country is considering exiting the council for the trilateral dialogue of labor, management and the government. Yoon has been seeking to bring changes to the country's labor market and militant union culture as part of his three-pronged reform agenda. In doing so, however, the president's hardline stance on union strikes appears to be backfiring, triggering unions to become more combative against the government. According to the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), it will hold an emergency executive committee meeting in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, Wednesday, to discuss whether it will exit the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC). Following the meeting, the FKTU will hold a press conference in front of the presidential office in Seoul to announce its decision. The council is a presidential body aimed at facilitating communication between labor, management and the government on various social issues, mostly those related to labor. It has been the official communication channel among the three sides since its establishment in 1998. At the time of its establishment, Korea's two largest umbrella unions, the FKTU and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), both joined the council, but the latter exited it in 1999. Since then, the FKTU has been participating in the council alone. Conservative governments, therefore, have viewed the FKTU, which has approximately 1.2 million members, as the more reasonable partner for talks. If the FKTU exits the ESLC, there will be no official communication channel between the government and the unions, and the council will also lose its reason for existing. "Under the belief that it will be difficult to continue the social dialogue, the FKTU will discuss everything related to the issue (of exiting the council) including the level of protest and future plans during Wednesday's committee," FKTU General Secretary Ryu Ki-seob said during a radio interview with broadcaster MBC, Monday. "We used to say we will open the window for social dialogue, but we have been refraining from participating in the council discussions as we now believe the current government's labor policies are making things worse and after the police's violent suppression of Kim Joon-young, general secretary of the Federation of Korean Metal Workers' Trade Unions, our planned participation in the social dialogue slated for June 1 was also disrupted." Kim Joon-young, left, the general secretary of the Federation of Korean Metal Workers' Trade Unions, a sub-organization of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, resists police officers attempting to end his sit-in strike on a 7-meter-high steel structure in front of steelmaker POSCO's mill in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, May 31. Courtesy of South Jeolla Provincial Police Two members of Congress are requesting data regarding layoffs at New Orleans-based Ochsner Health to ensure the move did not disproportionately affect women or minority communities. U.S. Reps. Bennie Thompson and Troy Carter, of Mississippi and Louisiana, respectively, penned a letter to Ochsner CEO Pete November on May 24 concerning the layoffs, which eliminated 770 positions, or about 2 percent of the health system's workforce. "While only you can make your business decisions, historically these types of actions have disproportionately affected women, and minority communities including Black, Asian and Hispanic individuals," the representatives wrote. "We write today to ensure that the actions taken align with the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including Equal Protection under the Fourteenth Amendment, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, applicable labor practices and fundamental fairness." The representatives are requesting demographics of the layoffs, including data sorted by race, gender and age; the parish of laid off employees; and downsized positions by number, classification and salary. Mr. November responded to the concerns in his own letter on June 1, in which he says that Ochsner "went through a deliberate, organized and thorough decision-making process including significant input from legal counsel to ensure that all our workforce reduction decisions were based on legitimate and objective criteria tied to the business needs of the organization, and that there were no improper disparities in our workforce reduction based on race, gender, or age." Mr. November also said the timing of the layoffs was "based on a focused plan to address operational and financial concerns," but due to a leak to a media outlet, "we accelerated our timeline by approximately a week because we felt it was important that our staff hear about this workforce reduction directly from us first. Our top priority was to focus on our team members, followed by outreach to community leaders and elected officials." Ochsner eliminated the positions on May 11. A spokesperson told Becker's affected positions were management and primarily non-direct patient care roles. The spokesperson added that employees with active clinical credentials were offered a generous incentive package to move from largely administrative roles into full-time front-line clinical roles within the health system. The letter from the representatives came after Louisiana state Sen. Gregory Tarver sent a letter to Mr. November May 12, expressing his concerns over nurse layoffs. In a memo to employees, Mr. November noted affected positions in management and non-direct patient care roles, and did not mention nurses specifically. In his June 1 letter, Mr. November said, "We are already working with many clinical employees who have expressed interest in continuing their career at Ochsner, and we have rehired a significant number of affected employees to bedside positions. Healthcare providers across America are experiencing a workforce crisis, especially in front-line nursing. We are hopeful that many impacted employees who have been in largely administrative roles will move into full-time front-line roles, and we continue to recruit for several hundred unfilled front-line nursing roles across our system. We will also continue educating and training the next generation of healthcare workers at Ochsner so that we can continue to serve the patients of our community." The NI Chamber has said it will be finding out more about a new business body set up by British Chambers in the wake of a scandal hitting the CBI The NI Chamber has said it will be engaging around a new body set up to represent major firms ahead of a D-Day crunch vote on the future of the scandal-hit Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has set up the Business Council with corporate giants such as BP and Heathrow with a mission to "design and drive the future of the British economy". It said founding members include some of the UK's biggest companies, including FTSE 100 oil giant BP, Heathrow, Holiday Inn owner IHG Hotels & Resorts and power station firm Drax. A spokesman for NI Chamber said it is a separate body to British Chambers but that it is an accredited member of their network along with 52 other UK chambers. He added: We will be engaging around their Business Council to find out more about it in the coming days. The BCC's director-general, Shevaun Haviland, and president Baroness Martha Lane Fox are gathering business leaders for a roundtable meeting in London to discuss the new business group offering. It comes as the CBI prepares for a crucial vote on Tuesday as the formerly influential lobbying group tries to secure its future following a series of sexual harassment allegations. The group was forced back to the drawing board in April to come up with a plan which it hopes can help members regain their confidence in its ability to represent them. But the BCC's rival group is hoping to garner the support of those businesses which have ended or suspended their membership with the CBI and are not part of the vote. Ms Haviland said: "We have been talking to the nation's largest corporates and it has become clear to us that they are looking for a different kind of representation. "These businesses want to be part of a framework that's rooted in their local communities, but with the ability to shape the national and international debate." She said the Business Council will focus on five challenges facing the economy - the digital revolution, people and work, net zero, global Britain, and the high street. She added: "These challenges will form the backdrop to the next general election, which we know will come before the end of next year, and which everyone in Westminster is already gearing up for. "The voice of business needs to be heard loud and clear, and now is the right time for us to speak up." But the CBI's new director-general, Rain Newton-Smith, said she will "fight for the organisation" ahead of Tuesday's vote. Members will vote on a new prospectus, which includes appointing a new president and giving members an annual vote on the make-up of its board, following claims of sexual harassment at the CBI made by more than a dozen women, with two separate allegations of rape. Speaking on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Ms Newton-Smith said: "It's been absolutely devastating to read about some of these instances, and I hope we are emerging from what has been a really deep and painful crisis for us as an organisation." Around a dozen firms, including engineering giant Siemens, Microsoft and oil firm Esso, signed a joint letter published in The Times on Monday backing the CBI and its overhaul ahead of Tuesday's vote. Former CBI head Tony Danker, who is from Belfast, was dismissed on April 11 following complaints made against him, including one sexual harassment claim. His exit came after the Guardian reported the allegations made against him in articles in March and April. Law firm Fox Williams was appointed to carry out an independent investigation and a number of other people were also dismissed by the CBI. Mr Danker told the BBC his name had been wrongly associated with separate claims, including the alleged rapes which reportedly happened before he joined the CBI. He is reportedly preparing to sue the CBI over his sacking in April amid allegations of misconduct. The former CBI chief is consulting lawyers as he considers making a compensation claim in the Employment Tribunal, according to The Sunday Times. Kelly Rowland performs at the Mighty Hoopla Festival 2023 at Brockwell Park on June 03 (Getty). Kelly Rowland dedicated a song to late fan and Julie Lillis at her gig in London on Saturday. Singer and actress Kelly Rowland was reduced to tears while headlining a music festival in London as she paid tribute to a devoted Northern Ireland fan who died from breast cancer. Co Antrim woman Julie Lillis was a prominent cancer campaigner and much-loved member of the local film and TV production community. Former Destinys Child star Kelly donated 28,000 to Julie two years ago when she was attempting to fund potentially life-saving treatment which wasn't paid for on the NHS. Julie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in September 2020 and a month later she learned it had spread throughout her breast, dramatically reducing her life expectancy. She died in March. On Saturday Kelly dedicated her song Stole to Julie. She said: This song I want to dedicate to my darling Julie, who has been with Destiny's Child and me my whole career. Julie I love you, this one's for you. Kelly Rowland performs at the Mighty Hoopla Festival 2023 at Brockwell Park on June 03 (Getty). Thanks to the donation of Kelly and others, Julie raised 105,590 before her death, with her target being 80,000. Julie was first diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2020, less than a month after finding a lump. The day after Julie was given the news of her cancer being incurable, she began a 300km cycle around Northern Ireland for local cancer charities. She gave 5,000 to Cancer Focus Northern Ireland to help fund a new support group for younger women with breast cancer something needed in our locality and the charitys research into the BRCA gene at Queens University. She also helped to ensure a secondary breast cancer audit became a reality in Northern Ireland. Julie Lillis The Whiteabbey woman worked for many years in production office roles on projects including Dracula: Untold, Game of Thrones, Lost City of Z, My Mother And Other Strangers, Derry Girls, Frank of Ireland and most recently, on Nova Jones. At the time, Northern Ireland Screen, the national film and TV agency for NI, said it was deeply saddened to hear of her death. Cancer Focus NI also extended its sympathies, remembering Julies humour, kindness, and knowledge and hailing her as a trailblazing campaigner. The BBC is moving its flagship African news programme to the continent in a drive to get closer to audiences there. Focus On Africa will be presented from the continent and the broadcaster has also launched a podcast of the same name, hosted by BBC journalist Audrey Brown. The corporation said the change was a statement of its commitment to get closer to audiences in Africa, adding that African voices would be at the heart of its coverage. Mehvish Hussain, executive editor at BBC News, said: The way audiences are seeking news is evolving and so are we. With the BBCs trusted brand and our deep understanding of Africa, we are uniquely positioned to provide audiences with the independent news and analysis they need to make informed decisions about their lives. These changes mean they will be able to watch and listen when and where it suits them. Alice Muthengi, editor of Focus On Africa, said: We are thrilled to unveil the refreshed Focus On Africa TV and podcast to audiences. Our incredible production teams have worked hard to create new and engaging content that will provide our audiences with more value than ever before. Focus On Africa will be closer to our audiences, providing more than just headlines, and putting African voices at the heart of our programmes. Diona Doherty has welcomed her second child into the world with husband and fellow comedian Sean Hegarty. The Derry actress, writer and comedian gave birth to her second child via IVF on Sunday. On Monday, the pair announced the birth of their baby boy named Rocky. "My wife is a superhero! Rocky Hegarty. 04.06.23 / 9lb 05oz," Sean said in an Instagram post. They have been inundated with well-wishes and congratulations from friends and fans. Back in 2020, Diona and Sean opened up on their journey with IVF ahead of the birth of their first child Winter after a six-year process to start their family. Diona previously explained how she travelled on her own to the Czech Republic to undergo the embryo transfer for their second baby. "All went really well and it was a first-time successful embryo transfer this time so I was pregnant straight away," the comedian and actress said. Diona Dohertys hugely successful original play, Bridesmaids of Northern Ireland, goes on a UK-wide tour next month, starting in southeast England and finishing in Ayr in late August. The creative and her husband have written and produced a Christmas show, Elf In Belfast, which will show at the Grand Opera House, Belfast, later in the year. Dionas second solo comedy play The Hen Do tours Northern Ireland from September to October and its billed to be a laugh-out-loud night that sees the return of much-loved characters. The first one, Bridesmaids of Northern Ireland, was hugely successful last year and played to 11,000 people around the north, including a sell-out week in the Opera House, Diona told the Belfast Telegraph. So due to the success of that, the production company wanted another show and Ive written The Hen Do. A homeless sex offender who police took to buy a Liverpool FC shirt and a KFC meal is to be released again from custody, a High Court judge has ruled. David Raymond Blaney, 42, was granted bail over allegations he breached his sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) by failing to reside at approved accommodation after being freed from jail. Defence lawyers claimed he had been wrongly charged when nowhere to stay could be found. Blaney, of no fixed abode, initially got out of prison on May 24. Despite efforts by police and his risk manager, no suitable accommodation was identified. The court heard he had been taken to Housing Executive Offices in Lisburn to declare himself homeless and seek emergency shelter. But he was assessed as not meeting eligibility criteria. With no probation-run hostel available either, the high risk category three sex offender was also deemed ineligible to stay at either a hotel or B&B where there could potentially be children. Less than three hours after his initial prison release, Blaney was arrested for breaching the terms of his SOPO. By that stage, police had also agreed to his request to take him to purchase a KFC meal and a Liverpool FC jersey. Despite obtaining bail in the magistrates court, Blaney remained in custody pending a planned challenge by the Public Prosecution Service. That appeal was withdrawn during an initial hearing at the High Court last week. Blaneys legal team, barrister Sean Mullan and solicitor Patrick Higgins, argued that the circumstances of the case meant the charge of breaching his SOPO without reasonable excuse should be dismissed. Mr Justice Humphreys reached no determination on the legal merits of the prosecution. However, with accommodation in Co Armagh now located, the judge confirmed Blaney is to be granted unconditional bail. Actor Matthew Cavan also known as drag artist Cherrie Ontop pictured this morning arriving at Laganside court (Presseye). A former Belfast councillor has been fined 750 for breaching an injunction against harassing an actor and drag performer. The sentence was imposed on Jolene Bunting today after she admitted violating an order to immediately take down a social media video about Matthew Cavan. Her Honour Judge Claire Harmer said the failure to remove the YouTube posting on time had led to the actor suffering significant stress. She ruled: This was not an unintentional breach or mistake, it was a deliberate breach of a court order. Ms Bunting has already been barred from any further harassment of the performer for the next five years. In July last year the ex-independent unionist councillor was involved in protests at an arts centre where Mr Cavan, also known as drag queen Cherrie Ontop, was taking part in a childrens story time event. Actor Matthew Cavan also known as drag artist Cherrie Ontop pictured this morning arriving at Laganside court (Presseye). A group calling themselves Parents Against Grooming held banners which read hands off our children outside the MAC theatre in Belfast. Following the event a video appeared on YouTube which featured an image of a wolf and a photograph of Mr Cavan. He told Belfast County Court the posting was a twisted portrayal of his work which left him horrified at being likened to the creature in make-up from the childrens fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. Mr Cavan said he received threats from paedophile hunters because of the posting on YouTube. A group in east Belfast sent a message warning that they knew where he lived and were watching him, according to his evidence, while others told him to kill himself. With the video clip viewed 22,000 times, Mr Cavan said the surrounding attention led to him losing three well-paid gigs. He was also put on anti-anxiety medication and had to install security cameras and lights at his home. Ms Bunting denied specifically targeting Mr Cavan and insisted she was only concerned about safeguarding children. In August the actor obtained an interim injunction which required her to take down the social media postings without delay. Contempt of court proceedings were brought against Ms Bunting for failing to comply with the order until the day of the hearing. Although she initially received a four-month conditional discharge, the Court of Appeal remitted the case for resentencing. Lawyers for Mr Cavan argued that the violation was so serious that a term of imprisonment should be imposed. Issuing a fresh determination, Judge Harmer acknowledged the impact on the performers mental health and employment prospects. But she added: The defendant, albeit on the morning of the hearing, did remove all content from social media. She did admit the breach and despite a further posting there was some appreciation of the seriousness of the breach. Imposing total fines of 750, Judge Harmer gave Ms Bunting 26 weeks to pay the full amount. Police praised victims of a prolific online predator who preyed on women across Northern Ireland for speaking out after he was jailed. Lee Rae-kyung, the honorary chair of The Tommorrow, a left leaning civic group, is seen in this undated photo provided by the Democratic Party of Korea, June 5. Yonhap The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Monday appointed a left-leaning civic group leader to head a special innovation committee aimed to turn around the party's image worsened by a slew of scandals. DPK leader Lee Jae-myung announced the decision during a party leadership meeting and nominated Lee Rae-kyung, the honorary chair of The Tomorrow, a progressive civic group, as the head of the newly formed committee. "We decided to bring Lee Rae-kyung as the person responsible of leading the DPK's innovation committee," he said, adding he plans to entrust all of the decision making related to the new organization onto Lee. Lee is a career civil activist who served leadership positions in various left-leaning civic groups. He was also involved in the establishment of a new party with Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo in 2014. The innovation committee comes amid mounting calls for party reform, following a series of scandals, including a cash-for-vote campaign involving former party leader Song Young-gil and a cryptocurrency scandal involving Rep. Kim Nam-kuk. Following such scandals, the DPK had pledged last month to form an organization for party reform. Critics raised concerns over Lee's appointment, pointing out his past remarks seen as anti-American and left-leaning, such as a claim that North Korea's 2010 sinking of the South Korean naval ship Cheonan was fabricated. The DPK's top spokesperson dispelled such concerns, saying they came when Lee was not entitled to any role within the party and that he will be able to control his language once the innovation committee kicks off. (Yonhap) Northern Ireland goal against Danes in front of George Best so great: David Healy Declassified files reveal Blair believed there was enough evidence for prosecutions Documents from the National Archives indicate that the 1998 Prime Minister and Secretary of State believed there was enough evidence to warrant a criminal investigation against soldiers. The Government was on the verge of announcing a criminal investigation into its own soldiers over the Bloody Sunday killings in the late 1990s but ultimately decided against it. The silver-plated pencil purported to have belonged to Adolf Hitler The authenticity of a controversial item of Nazi memorabilia set to go under the hammer at a Belfast auction house tomorrow has been questioned. Bart Droog, a Dutch investigative journalist, said there is no proof the item said to be Adolf Hitlers pencil is the real deal. The expert claims the pencil is counterfeit and alleges its inclusion in the sale is merely a publicity stunt aimed at attracting attention. Bloomfield Auctions has listed the item, claiming that it was owned and used by the dictator. The silver-plated pencil is engraved with his initials and was said to have been a gift from his partner Eva Braun. It features an inscription marking the birthday of the Nazi leader in 1941. It concludes with sincerely, Eva in German. Its estimated price is 50,000-80,000. Read more Auctioning the Troubles: Selling sensitive historic memorabilia can be a fine balancing act Discussing its authenticity in the Jewish Chronicle, Droog stated a lack of evidence is an indication an item is most likely counterfeit, adding it was not recorded as part of Hitlers inventory seized from his housekeeper. He said: In my opinion, there must be rock solid evidence for the authenticity of any alleged Hitler object. No photos of Hitler with this pencil exist. It was also not in the possession of his housekeeper Anni Winter, who was arrested in 1949 when she tried to sell Hitler objects, which she stole. He said Winter left the building where she had lived since 1929 carrying a suitcase containing a collection of items attributed to Hitler. These were confiscated from her in 1950 when she tried to sell them. Photographs and an inventory of the objects were made public, leading to a lengthy trial. Eventually, some of the artefacts were returned to Winter. The pencil was not among the items handed back. Bloomfield Auctions was subject to a backlash four years ago following an attempt to sell Hitler-related items, including napkins and a tablecloth with swastikas. It is thought these items were made for the Nazi leaders 50th birthday. Following the outcry, managing director Karl Bennett said it would refrain from selling similar items in future. However, last week it said it had decided to resume selling such items. Since 2019, and indeed Covid, the auction house has had the opportunity to look across the globe at other auction houses and what they sell, it said. It decided to reintroduce such items as it is an auction house that sells militaria across not just WW2, but across all wars and campaigns. An autographed portrait of Hitler is also set to go on sale tomorrow. Last week the chairman of the European Jewish Association, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, wrote to Mr Bennett asking him to withdraw the items. They create a macabre trade in items belonging to mass murderers, the motives of those buying them are unknown and may glorify the actions of the Nazis, and lastly their trade is an insult to the millions who perished, the few survivors left, and to Jews everywhere, he said. And Holocaust Awareness Ireland founder Oliver Sears said making money out of such material was immoral and unethical. However, Mr Bennett said: They preserve a piece of our past and should be treated as historical objects, no matter if the history they refer to was one of the darkest and most controversial in recorded history. Sinn Fein councillor Ryan Murphy, 28, said it was a huge honour to take over the reins at Belfast City Council. One of Belfasts youngest lord mayors has been confirmed in the position. Sinn Fein councillor Ryan Murphy, 28, said it was a huge honour to take over the reins in Northern Irelands capital. His party colleague Niall O Donnghaile was the citys youngest ever first citizen, having taken on the position at the age of 25 in 2011. Outgoing Lord Mayor Tina Black (Sinn Fein) placed the mayoral chain on Mr Murphys shoulders as she left the chair at City Hall on Monday evening. Outgoing Belfast Lord Mayor Tina Black (Liam McBurney/PA) Paying tribute to Ms Black, Mr Murphy said he had big boots to fill. Im very much of the belief that showing positive political leadership, building reconciliation, respect and prosperity in this society is a collective responsibility, he said. As first citizen of Beal Feirste, Ill grasp that huge opportunity to demonstrate that positive leadership We believe in the concept of mayor for all. We believe that every citizen in this region has the right to have their voice heard, and their aspirations respected. I know that the incoming year will be very demanding. All I can say is I am 100% up for that job. Im looking forward to getting stuck in and getting the sleeves rolled up. Workers and families right across Belfast at the minute face many challenges and theres a big job ahead of us in continuing the transformation of this great city of ours for the better. He added: The commitment that Im giving to the people of Belfast is that I will use this office to the very best of my ability to continue building on the fantastic work that Tina and others have done. Ill continue to reach out that hand of friendship, Ill continue to be a mayor for all. (PA Graphics) Aine Groogan (Green Party) was confirmed as deputy lord mayor at a meeting of the council at City Hall on Monday evening. Ms Groogan is the first from her party to take on a mayoral position in Northern Ireland. I hope to do the whole green movement proud in the year ahead, she said. Sinn Fein reinforced its position as the largest party in the city council at the recent local government elections, where it won 22 out of 60 seats. Next largest is the DUP with 14 councillors in Belfast, followed by the Alliance Party with 11, SDLP with five, the Green Party with three, Ulster Unionist Party with two, while People Before Profit and the TUV each have one and there is one independent councillor. Meanwhile, a number of other mayors were elected at councils across Northern Ireland on Monday evening. In Londonderry, Patricia Logue (Sinn Fein) was elected mayor at the councils annual meeting in the Guildhall, and Jason Barr (SDLP) was elected deputy mayor. Ms Logue said she was deeply honoured and promised to engage with all the people of the council area to send out a clear message that she will be a mayor for all. At Mid and East Antrim Council, Gerardine Mulvenna (Alliance) became mayor with Stewart McDonald (TUV) deputy. Ms Mulvenna served as mayor of the former Larne Borough Council in 2012. We have so much to be proud of in Mid and East Antrim and as mayor I want us to be shouting from the rooftops when it comes to the many jewels in our crown, she said. The issue relates to the count in the Waterside DEA. The outcome of last months Derry City and Strabane local government election has been plunged into doubt following a complaint from the Alliance Party over the counting process. The party lost both its sitting councillors Rachael Ferguson and Philip McKinney in the poll on May 18, with the latter losing out by less than 50 votes to SDLP councillor Martin Reilly. It is Mr McKinneys count that is now the centre of an Election Petition lodged on Monday in Belfasts High Court, Derry Now has reported. The Alliance Party confirmed the petition had been lodged. "An election petition has been lodged in the High Court in Belfast by Alliance, regarding the election count for Waterside DEA, said a spokesperson. Since the matter is now in the hands of the court, it would not appropriate to comment any further. Read more A day of firsts in Derry and Strabane with Sinn Fein gains and SDLP history maker It is understood a significant number of uncounted votes could have affected the outcome in the close-run district electoral area. Sinn Feins Caitlin Deeney topped the poll in Waterside on 1,949 votes and was elected along with the UUPs Darren Guy on the first count. Deeneys surplus then brought party colleague Christopher Jackson over the line, with Chelsea Cooke (DUP), Niree McMorris (DUP) then deemed elected on Stage 6 of the count. Sean Mooney and Martin Reilly (both SDLP) were the final two candidates elected after their total was in excess of McKinneys 1,105.05. Reilly was elected with 1,154.21 votes. Prior to losing both its council seats, the party had opened a new North-West office in the city in March, the first of two offices planned for the western area. Former councillor Rachael Ferguson said the office officially opened by former Alliance leader David Forde would act as a satellite office of Alliance Party HQ in Belfast. "It will be a great resource for the public, a place for constituents to meet Alliance councillors; a place where we can hold clinics for local people; and where we can hold our own party meetings, she said. Kinahan Cartel boss Liam Byrne has been arrested in Majorca after jetting in to visit relatives. Spanish police say they held him after discovering he was on the island with an international arrest warrant after he spent time hiding out in Dubai. Crumlin man Liam Byrne (42) is the brother of David Byrne who was shot dead in the Regency Hotel. This killing sparked the deadly Hutch/Kinahan feud. A spokesman for Spains National Police said: This fugitive was a priority for the United Kingdom and someone who belongs to the Kinahan gang. He led a criminal organisation dedicated to arms dealing in the UK and supplying weapons to other criminal organisations. Sources have named the arrested man as Liam Byrne, full name Liam Christopher Byrne. Senior Kinahan Lieutenant Liam Byrne arrested in Spain He was arrested in the Alcudia area in a restaurant where he was eating with family members, and was being held yesterday in Majorca. Video footage shows Byrne taken into custody in handcuffs after leaving his hideaway in Dubai and jetting to Majorca to see relatives. Spanish police released footage of the capture as they confirmed the arrest of a key Kinahan member wanted by Britain. They didnt name him in a statement but described him as someone who led a criminal organisation specialising in arms trafficking. A spokesman for Spains National Police in Majorca said: National Police officers have arrested in Majorca a dangerous Irish fugitive who is a member of the Kinahan clan and was a priority of the UKs National Crime Agency, for leading a criminal organisation involved in weapons trafficking in the UK. The fugitive led the weapons trafficking organisation which bought pistols and submachine guns to then sell to other organisations. Many of the weapons were bought with systems that didnt leave fingerprints to be able to commit crimes and complicate police work. Such was the size of the organisation that it received an order from another organisation for 14 firearms in a single go. During the NCAs investigation in Great Britain and Northern Ireland several members of the organisation this man belongs to were arrested for these crimes and for drugs trafficking, and a hideout with several handguns, submachine guns and a large amount of ammunition was discovered. The fugitive fled to Dubai after the NCA investigation finished and enough evidence was accumulated against him, and there he continued enjoying a luxury lifestyle and leading the organisation from a distance. After a lengthy investigation the NCA discovered the fugitive had recently travelled to Majorca to meet up secretly with his family, and British police contacted the Spanish National Polices specialist fugitive unit to make inquiries on his whereabouts. Officers were able through inquiries to locate a vehicle he could be using. After focusing the search on that area, the fugitive was located and arrested. The Byrne Organised Crime Group became a central part of gangland crime in this country, relying heavily on family connections as they became an integral part of the Kinahan Cartel. The group led by Liam Byrne forged a close partnership and became a trusted arm of the Kinahan Cartel which has become a global player in organised crime over the past two decades. Another suspected member of the crime group, an Englishman, was arrested by officers from the Spanish National Police last Tuesday at Malaga Airport while transiting from Dubai to Turkey. The arrests follow an intelligence-led investigation, involving the UKs National Crime Agency supported by the Spanish National Police and officers from An Garda Siochana. Kay Mellor, Regional Head of Investigations at the National Crime Agency said: This investigation is part of the NCAs ongoing work targeting the Kinahan crime group. We have an excellent relationship with the Spanish National Police and will continue to work closely with our international partners to ensure those who think they can stay under the radar have no place to hide. Ukraine can count on the UKs support, James Cleverly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his second visit to Kyiv. The meeting in the war-torn nations capital came amid signs the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive against the Russian invasion may have started. The Foreign Secretary met Mr Zelensky as well as foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to discuss how the UK can continue to best support Ukraine, from the battlefield to banking guarantees, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The UK is preparing to host a conference focused on Ukraines economic recovery in London later in June. In a video posted to Mr Zelenskys Facebook page, Mr Cleverly is heard saying that the UK will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious. The Ukrainian president thanks the UK for the big support it has given his country. 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 wrote on Facebook: During the meeting, we discussed important topical issues: Ukraines expectations from the Nato Summit in Vilnius, promotion of the Ukrainian peace formula and preparation of the global summit on its implementation, as well as the London international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are very grateful for the support that the UK has provided and continues to provide to Ukraine. Kyiv has long called for Ukraine to be admitted to Nato, but allies are divided about when and how any accession might happen as the war with Russia continues. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week said Ukraines rightful place is in Nato, at a gathering of European leaders in Moldova ahead of the key meeting of Nato leaders in Lithuania in July. In the video from Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary is seen speaking of his previous visit to Ukraine last November when it was cold and it was dark. But this time I can see theres more life in the city. The traffic is heavier, which normally is a bad sign in a city. But I think for me it demonstrates what I mean to be true. And that is that the Ukrainian people are not going to allow themselves to be broken by this. He added: The sunshine and the leaves and the flowers shouldnt distract us from the fact that there is still very much work to be done. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it. When we said that we would do more and go further, we meant it. Russia has kept up a steady barrage on the Ukrainian capital and other parts of the country in recent weeks as Kyiv has been readying what it says is a counter-offensive to push back Moscows troops, 15 months after their full-scale invasion. Ukraine has not confirmed claims by Moscow officials that its forces have ramped up efforts to push through Russias defensive lines in south-eastern Ukraine. During his trip, Mr Cleverly also met children who were forcibly transferred to Russia and heard some survivors accounts at a centre supporting their return to Ukraine, the FCDO said. I was able to see for myself the true horrors and devastation of what Russia has wreaked on this sovereign state, the Cabinet minister said in a statement. Mike Pence is to officially launch his campaign to run for president in 2024 (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Former US vice president Mike Pence is filing paperwork on Monday declaring his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a challenge to his former boss, Donald Trump, just two years after their time in the White House ended with an insurrection at the US Capitol and Mr Pence fleeing for his life. Mr Pence, the nations 48th vice president, will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and kick-off event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, which is his 64th birthday, according to people familiar with his plans. He was set to file papers making his candidacy official with the Federal Election Commission. While Trump is currently leading the early fight for the nomination, with Florida governor Ron DeSantis polling consistently in second, Mr Pences supporters see a lane for a reliable conservative who espouses many of the previous administrations policies but without the constant tumult. Mike Pence aims to challenge for the Republican nomination for the presidency (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) While he frequently lauds the accomplishments of the Trump-Pence administration, a Pence nomination in many ways would be a return to positions long associated with the Republican establishment but abandoned as Trump reshaped the party in his image. Mr Pence has warned against the growing populist tide in the party, and advisers see him as the only traditional, Ronald Reagan-style conservative in the race. A staunch opponent of abortion rights, Mr Pence supports a national ban on the procedure and has campaigned against transgender-affirming policies in schools. He has argued that changes to social security and medicare, like raising the age for qualification, should be on the table to keep the programs solvent which both Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis have opposed and criticised Mr DeSantis for his escalating feud with Disney. He also has said the US should offer more support to Ukraine against Russian aggression, while admonishing Putin apologists in the party unwilling to stand up to the Russian leader. Mr Pence, who describes himself as a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order, has spent months laying the groundwork for an expected run, holding events in early voting states like Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, visiting churches, delivering policy speeches and courting donors. Kathleen Folbigg appears via video link during a convictions inquiry in May 2019 (Joel Carrett/AAP/AP) A woman has been pardoned and released from prison after serving 20 years in Australia for the death of her four children. Kathleen Folbigg, 55, was released from prison in Grafton, New South Wales on Monday after receiving an unconditional pardon from Governor Margaret Beazley on the advice of the states attorney general. The pardon follows fresh scientific evidence her four children died from natural causes as she had insisted. A final report from the second inquiry into her guilt could recommend the state Court of Appeals quash her convictions. New South Wales attorney general Michael Daley said: There is a reasonable doubt as to Ms Folbiggs guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura. I have reached a view that there is reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms Folbigg of those offences. Ms Folbigg had been serving a 30-year sentence that was to expire in 2033. She would have become eligible for parole in 2028. The children died separately over a decade aged between 19 days and 19 months. Caleb was born in 1989 and died 19 days later in what a jury determined to be the lesser crime of manslaughter. Her second child Patrick was eight months old when he died in 1991. Two years later, Sarah died at 10 months and in 1999, her fourth child Laura died at 19 months. New South Wales attorney general Michael Daley (Joel Carrett/AAP/AP) Evidence discovered in 2018 that both daughters carried a rare CALM2 genetic variant which was one of the reasons a second inquiry into her guilt was called. In April, prosecutors acknowledged there was reasonable doubt about her guilt. Lawyer Sophie Callan said expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, was also a reasonably possible cause of Lauras death, she said, adding there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused Patricks sudden death. Prosecutors had told the jury at her trial the similarities among the deaths made coincidence an unlikely explanation. She was the only one at home or awake when the young children died and prosecutors told the jury her diaries contained admissions of guilt. Her former husband, Craig Folbigg, said in submissions to the inquiry that the implausibility that four children in one family would die of natural causes before the age of two was compelling grounds to continue treating the diary entries as admissions of his former wifes guilt. But her lawyer said Ms Folbigg had been suffering a major depressive disorder and maternal grief when she made the entries. Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh, second left, welcomes his US counterpart Lloyd Austin before their meeting,(Manish Swarup/AP) US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has met his Indian counterpart to discuss increasing co-operation as both countries grapple with Chinas economic rise and increased belligerence. Mr Austins visit comes as India strengthens its domestic defence industry by acquiring new technology and reducing reliance on imports, particularly from Russia, its largest supplier of military hardware despite the war in Ukraine. Mr Austin and Rajnath Singh explored ways of building resilient supply chains, a statement from Indias Defence Ministry said. They decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. They also discussed regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the ministry said. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defence Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, Mr Austin tweeted after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. 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 Austin, who is on his second visit to India, was expected to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington on June 22, which has fuelled speculation about a possible announcement of defence contracts. India is looking to buy 18 armed high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for an estimated 1.5 billion to 2 billion dollars (1.2-1.6bn), said Rahul Bedi, a defence analyst. The UAVs would likely be deployed along its restive borders with China and Pakistan and in the strategic Indian Ocean region, Mr Bedi said. Indian media reports said a joint production and manufacture of combat aircraft engines, infantry combat vehicles, howitzers and their precision ordnance were discussed last month in Washington at a meeting of the US-India Defence Policy Group. Mr Austin arrived in New Delhi from Singapore, where he attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defence officials, diplomats and leaders. Lloyd Austin inspects a joint military guard of honour upon his arrival at the Manekshaw Centre for a meeting (Manish Swarup/AP) Mr Austin lobbied for support for Washingtons vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. Chinas defence minister Li Shangfu said at the conference that the US has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve its dominant position. Mr Li suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are remnants of the Cold War and establishing new pacts, like the Aukus agreement with Britain and Australia and the Quad grouping with Australia, India and Japan, to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation. India is trying a balancing act in its ties with Washington and Moscow, and has been reducing its dependence on Russian arms by also buying from the US, France, Germany and other countries. Experts say up to 60% of Indian defence equipment comes from Russia, and New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a three-year-old border stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh, where tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed within shooting distance. Twenty Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops died in a clash in 2020. Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the Democratic Party of Korea speaks to reporters while a police search was under way at his office at the National Assembly, June 5. Yonhap Police seized the mobile phone of Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Monday in a raid conducted as part of an investigation into the alleged leak of personal information of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon. Investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confiscated Choe's phone in front of his home in the city of Yongin, south of Seoul, and searched his office at the National Assembly to seize other evidence, officials said. They are looking into the alleged leak of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon and his family's personal information, such as copies of the residence registration document and real estate contracts, The investigation began after a member of Seoul's Gangseo Ward Council filed a complaint accusing a person, surnamed Seo, of violating the Personal Information Protection Act after that person handed him information on Han and his family. The information was allegedly leaked after being submitted to the National Assembly for Han's confirmation hearing last year, and police searched the car and the home of an MBC reporter last week over her alleged involvement in the leak. Police suspect the confirmation hearing data of Han was leaked via Choe to the MBC reporter and a left-wing YouTuber and then to Seo. Rep. Choe decried the search as "outrageous and preposterous." (Yonhap) Schofield is in the spotlight after admitting an affair against a young member of his production staff. Eamonn Holmes being interviewed by GB News about Philip Schofield, he pulled no punches. The now former This Morning star has found himself the centre of a media feeding frenzy after he admitted to a relationship with a runner on the show a young man who was just 15 when he met Schofield. Schofield says the extra martial affair was unwise but not illegal. His former boyfriend has remained silent. Many, including co-host Holly Willoughby, have now reportedly cut ties with him, effectively ending his career. And one person in particular Belfast born bruiser Eamonn Holmes is giving no quarter to his former colleague and professional rival, making accusation after accusation against the self-confessed liar. Belfast Telegraph Features Editor, Aine Toner joins Ciaran Dunbar to discuss the story which has rocked Philip Schofields career, This Morning and ITV itself. Mum transformed passion for sewing into a thriving business Jennie outside a row of homes in Whitehead that inspired one of her designs Jennie showing off one of her cushions at a craft fair A cushion maker has made her products a global hit from the comfort of her living room. Jennie Hughes has transformed her handmade cushion business, So&Sew Crafts, from a market stall into a hugely successful company. She told Sunday Life: I sent one to America again today, this time Tennessee. Theyve also gone to Spain, Belgium, Italy, Canada, South Africa, the UAE, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and China. No one is more surprised about it than myself, but my friends and family are exceptionally proud and encouraging. Jennie at home After years of enjoying crafts, Jennie eventually bit the bullet and took a stall at a local market, and the business snowballed from there. Since then, word of mouth has been her main marketing tool, and social media-friendly pictures of her work helps to bring in the orders. Carrickfergus-born author Adrian McKinty, who wrote the Sean Duffy series and the recent thriller The Chain, which has been optioned to become a TV series, ordered a cushion from Jennie showing Belfasts famous Samson and Goliath cranes for his New York home. Her products are particularly popular with expats and their families because they feature Northern Ireland landmarks and are a comfy reminder of home. Jennie Hughes with her Samson and Goliath cushion Jennie, who has more designs in the pipeline, only sells her cushions through one shop, 2020 Art in Whitehead, but she quickly sells out when she displays them at craft fairs such as Naturally North Coast & Glens, Artisan Markets NI and more. She keeps her products up-to-date too. When a rare blue lobster was caught in Belfast Lough, a cushion featuring it was available within days. Jennie has been making cushions for six years. While she has always enjoyed sewing as a hobby, it was when her children became adults that she found she had a bit more time on her hands and was able to turn her passion into a business. She works on the cushions at evenings and weekends in the family home at Islandmagee, and spends her days at the engineering company she runs with her husband, Richard, who she met at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast in 1991 and married in 1994. Jennie outside a row of homes in Whitehead that inspired one of her designs Her engineering career began aged 18 in the unlikely location of the Royal Victoria Hospital. Being a nurse was something Id always aspired to do. I enjoyed helping others and find it fulfilling to help people get through a difficult time, she said. Working her way through the ranks, she reached the position of senior sister, with a large part of the job involving monitoring. During periods of maternity leave, she found she was using her skills to help Richard, a calibration and instrument engineer, and they founded their company in 1998. As quality manager, Jennie maintains their accreditation, but she also works as the accounts manager. She gave up her nursing registration when So&Sew took off. Jennie showing off one of her cushions at a craft fair Her son Aaron (24) now works for the family company, and her daughter Katie (26), a sustainability analyst for DHL Ireland, is a big supporter of her mothers work. When making a new cushion, Jennie will photograph the landmark or location she wants then edit the photo to portray the effect that she wishes to create. That image is then digitised to create an embroidery pattern. Its a meticulous process that requires a lot of tweaking to arrive at the product Im completely happy with, she said. Katie also appreciates the fact that any finished cushion with even a tiny imperfection ends up as soft furnishing in her apartment. The company's Dark Hedges cushion After the pattern is digitised, she uses it time and again, and depending on the complexity of the design, making a cushion takes between two and four hours. Sizes vary according to requests, but with So&Sew taking up more of her time, Jennie has stopped taking commissions for now, preferring to be the master of my own creativity. When she does get some free time, she enjoys travelling with Richard in their motorhome. This time last year, we did a month in Portugal. This year, we are planning a month in France and Italy around September, she said. We also love just heading off to the north coast for a couple of nights, or to Donegal. Anywhere there is a beach, really, and not too many people and a chilled glass of wine. Also, going across America in a RV is definitely on my bucket list. The Samson and Goliath design If she could take just one of her cushions on that mammoth trek, which one would it be? The one that features The Dark Hedges. I actually learned to drive on that road many years ago. For details about Jennies products, see www.facebook.com/sosewcraftsmadebyjennie, or search for her on Instagram @sosewcraftsbyjennie Oral history project to educate peace babies hears searing testimonies about horror of the Troubles What passed as normal during the Troubles, cars ablaze on a street in Belfast Deric (far left), Ivan (second from right) and some of the pupils and participants in the Teaching the Troubles through Shared Education initiative A former policeman recounted the trauma of being on the scene in the aftermath of Omagh But hundreds of teenagers on both sides of the community in Co Londonderry have been taking part in a groundbreaking programme to learn about those dark days and its impact on Northern Ireland and beyond. Called Teaching the Troubles through Shared Education, its aimed at students from Year 10 in eight schools. It involves them hearing the first-hand experiences of former police officers, paramilitaries, victims, prison governors and journalists. Organiser Denver Charles, a history teacher from Magherafelt High School, said the initial lessons have touched on many challenging events of history, including the consequences of partition in Ireland in 1921; the birth of the civil rights movement and the start of the Troubles in the late 60s. Deric (far left), Ivan (second from right) and some of the pupils and participants in the Teaching the Troubles through Shared Education initiative But pupils have also been examining the still-contentious and in many cases unresolved and raw issues of victims, survivors and legacy. Working in tandem with the Theatre of Witness organisation who are based in the Playhouse in Derry/Londonderry, the students have also been hearing about the role of peacemakers like John Hume and David Trimble, and the seismic shifts in Northern Ireland after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Mr Charles said he believed there were a number of misconceptions about the attitudes of teenagers to the Troubles and the teaching of the history of the conflict. People tend to question if they are subjects which are even being studied at all but I have publicly countered that and insisted that its wrong to say that the Troubles are being ignored, he said. I personally have been responsible going back 20 years for a number of projects where pupils have recorded the oral histories of people involved in or impacted by the Troubles. Pupils listen attentively to James Greer and William McKee Eighteen months ago a report carried out by the Centre of Childrens Rights at Queens University on behalf of the Commission for Victims and Survivors said that the school curriculum should be changed so that all pupils in Northern Ireland could be taught about the Troubles. At the Shared Education Programme initiative, a range of workshops over a two-day period saw interactions between pupils and a variety of people who recalled their experiences during the Troubles. One was a retired policeman, who spoke of his harrowing role after the Omagh bomb which claimed the lives of 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins in August, 1998. The officer, who didnt want to be identified, said he had been a member of the police team tasked with identifying victims after road accidents or fires and formerly after terrorist attacks. He added: When the Good Friday Agreement came, we consoled ourselves that our work in the wake of terrorist atrocities would be over but we were wrong. We had been trained to deal with tragedy but Omagh was still a shocker. I talk to the students about how Omagh has affected me afterwards. James Greer The PSNI man who served for 30 years in the police said he now sat beside paramilitaries and victims and survivors of violence during his Theatre of Witness talks, sharing stories with community groups and visiting university students, some of them from England and America. Speaking to many younger people about the Troubles is very much a history lesson but weve been south of the border too and pupils there often know little or nothing about the violence, even about the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, he said. The officer added that delivering his message recently to the mixed group of children in the Shared Education Programme in and around Magherafelt was inspirational and he felt welcome in all the schools he visited. Also taking part was convicted loyalist bomber James Greer from Derry/Londonderry, who has appeared in the TV documentary series, Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland. He told the students that he quickly found out that the Ulster Defence Association he joined in his teens were, in contrast to their name, one of the most aggressive organisations of the Troubles. William McKee He told the students how hed had an epiphany in jail as he was serving 15 years for having a bomb which exploded prematurely and blew off his friends arm. He said: Another loyalist prisoner was telling me how hed shot a shopkeeper and his wife and would have murdered their eight-year-old daughter too if he hadnt run out of bullets. That was enough for me. I was horrified. If that was what being in the UDA meant, I wanted out. And from then on I have devoted myself to peacebuilding. The former governor of the Maze prison William McKee who was in charge of the jail in December 1997 when loyalist Billy Wright was murdered by the INLA also addressed the students. He first became involved with Theatre of Witness after he was approached by its American founder, Teya Sepinuck, to participate in a documentary and stage presentation called Release, which told the stories of six people a British soldier, a prison governor, a detective, two prisoners and a man who was caught in a car bomb as a child. I show the documentary to the students and then discuss it and how we need to do things differently so we dont go back to the violence of the past, said William, who was under a death threat in his Maze days. What passed as normal during the Troubles, cars ablaze on a street in Belfast Another part of the Shared Education initiative has been using two books which feature the reflections of nearly 140 journalists about their reflections on the Troubles and individuals they encountered in Northern Ireland. The stories have been included in two volumes of Reporting the Troubles, compiled by this reporter and former Press Association Irish editor Deric Henderson. We were guests at two of the sessions at St Colms High School in Draperstown and Sperrin Integrated College in Magherafelt where we spoke to the students and took part in Q&As. It was fascinating to hear that the books have been having a role in furthering a new generations knowledge of the Troubles, said Henderson. It was always our hope that the books could find their way into school libraries. I know theres a train of thought that children who were born after the violence ended should be spared from knowing anything about it. But were much more inclined to believe that trying to draw a veil over what went on is wrong and that ignoring the past is only helping to perpetuate it. Grim times: Buses ablaze in Belfast in the aftermath of Bloody Friday Mr Charles said: A number of the students have followed up stories that were included in the two books and which we were able to weave into the programme. Two of the ones that come to mind are the murder of Lyra McKee in Derry and the slayings of three Protestant worshippers at the Mountain Lodge Pentecostal Church in Darkley in 1983. Theres a massive desire among many young people to understand more about the Troubles and I believe what we have achieved with the cross-community initiative has been a huge success. Shared Education Programme organisers like Mr Charles and Ciaran Meenagh, the new Derry GAA manager who teaches in St Colms, have been warned that their budgets could be cut by 50 per cent next year. But Mr Charles said theres unanimity among all the schools that theres a pressing need for history departments to continue working together on projects like the most recent one in and around the Sperrins. Reporting the Troubles Now I know how bad it actually was pupils take on workshop Student 1 I learned about how bad the Troubles were and how there were a lot of casualties and how many people have been mentally affected by the conflict. Student 2 I learnt that victims came from different communities and perspectives, which I thought was good. It was brilliant to hear from ex-UDR/ex-RUC, ex-combatants and the prison governor, as well as the journalists. Student 3 I realise now that although people are different on the outside, they are all the same on the inside and they were all equally affected by the Troubles. I didnt fully realise how bad they actually were. Student 4 I learned how the Troubles affected both sides. Even though I have had opposing views to the other group, I felt for them and their struggles. Additionally, I was further enlightened on how the conflict tore families apart even after it ended. Student 5 It made the Troubles feel more real when people who actually went through it were telling you about it. It was very good to learn how it still affects people today. Student 6 I really enjoyed my two-day workshop. I found that I began to think more about both sides of the conflict. Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto speaks at a plenary session of the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore June 3, 2023. Updated at 11:09 p.m. ET on 2023-06-6 Indonesias defense minister has triggered a backlash at home and abroad for his plan to end the war in Ukraine, after he suggested creating a demilitarized zone and letting people in disputed areas decide their fate through a United Nations referendum. Ukraine swiftly rejected Prabowo Subiantos peace plan and analysts have labeled the proposal unrealistic and an attempt by the former general to raise his international profile ahead of Indonesias presidential elections in 2024. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense meeting in Singapore, Prabowo said that Russia and Ukraine should pull back 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from each partys forward position to establish a demilitarized zone that would be monitored by a U.N. peacekeeping force. A U.N. referendum should also be held to ascertain objectively the wishes of the majority of the inhabitants of the various disputed areas, he said on Saturday. Ukraine foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said there were no disputed territories in which to hold a referendum. He called on Indonesia to support Kyivs position and for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian soil. In the occupied territories, the Russian army commits war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, he said in a statement on Saturday. Russia must get out of Kuranian territories there can be no alternative scenarios. Prabowos plan has been criticized in Indonesia too, with some observers questioning whether the defense minister has a sound grasp of all the issues at play in the conflict, which started when Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Deka Anwar, a research analyst at the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, said Prabowos proposal would reward Russia for its aggression and run contrary to Indonesias own principles of territorial integrity and respect of sovereignty. He is basically legalizing the annexation of new territories that were attained through military means, Deka told BenarNews. Establishing a DMZ [demilitarized zone] is nonsensical for Ukraine, but it would benefit Russia. The ideal demilitarized zone for Ukraine would be the status quo ante Russias annexation of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014. Meutya Hafid, chair of Parliaments defense and foreign affairs commission, said Prabowo should be careful in expressing his opinion, especially regarding the Ukraine crisis. Indonesias position in this conflict is clear, especially in the U.N. General Assembly in February 2023, she said. Indonesia was among 141 countries that opposed Russias invasion of Ukraine and supported Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Prabowo is one of the frontrunners for the 2024 presidential election and has been trying to boost his international profile since being appointed defense minister by Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo in 2019. He has visited several countries, including China, Russia, Turkey and France, to discuss defense cooperation and arms deals. Deka speculated that Prabowos address was a stump speech aimed at boosting his prospects in the election. Prabowo was trying to appeal to some Indonesian citizens who espoused pro-Russia bias or anti-Western sentiment, he said. That means the Indonesian government has shot itself in the foot by tarnishing its own reputation and ambition to be the true global peacemaker and a potential go-between in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said. Echoes of Russian position Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, has traditionally maintained good relations with both countries and recently sought to play a more active role in global affairs as a middle power, especially as a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement of nations that are not formally part of any major power bloc. Jokowi visited Ukraine and Russia last year and offered to mediate between the warring countries. Radityo Dharmaputra, an international relations lecturer at Airlangga University in Surabaya, said Prabowos proposal ignored the situation on the ground. The worst thing is, the proposal also offers a referendum for disputed territory, Radityo wrote on Twitter. Right now, Ukraine has the upper hand. [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy just said Ukraine was ready to launch a counterattack. Then they were suddenly told to halt and withdraw? Clearly it doesnt make sense for Ukraine, Radityo said. Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands before a meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 29, 2022. [Reuters] Dharma Agastia, an international relations lecturer at President University in Cikarang, said that Prabowos gesture was likely aimed at a domestic audience ahead of the presidential election scheduled for February 14 next year. There is no concrete evidence of support or non-support from the current administration on Prabowos plan, Dharma told BenarNews, referring to the Jokowi administration. Indonesias foreign ministry referred all questions on the speech to the Ministry of Defense. Prabowos proposal echoes Russias position that the conflict should be resolved through direct dialogue between Kyiv and seperatist-held regions, and that the people of Crimea and eastern Ukraine should have the right to self-determination. Kyiv and Western allies reject this stance, accusing Russia of violating Ukraines sovereignty and international law. Muhammad Waffaa Kharisma, a researcher at the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said that Prabowos vision was for down the road and rather idealistic. As of now, there are no signs of any intention to have an agreement nor fixed workable geographical areas for such a buffer zone, he said. Trust issues between both sides mean there is a lack of incentive as well. Russia has also shown signs of disregard for international agreements when they do not fit immediate national interests, he added. Prabowo did not respond to a request for comment but his spokesman Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said Indonesia did not take sides in the conflict. As the defense minister, he carries out our constitutional mandate, which is to actively push for world peace while maintaining a non-aligned foreign policy, Dahnil told reporters on Sunday. This story has been updated to correct Dharma Agastias title to international relations lecturer at President University in Cikarang. Indonesian crew members stand on the deck of the ship KRI Bung Karno-369 during the International Fleet Review portion of the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2023 event in the Makassar Sea, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, June 5, 2023. The United States and China are taking part this week in a multilateral naval exercise, which kicked off in Indonesian waters on Monday, despite tensions growing between the two superpowers over Taiwan and the South China Sea. The three nations are joining 33 others in the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo, which Indonesia is hosting through Thursday in the Makassar Strait, a strategic waterway that connects the Pacific and Indian oceans. The drills will focus on maritime cooperation, disaster relief and humanitarian operations, officials said. The Komodo Exercise is a series of non-combat drills to build trust and solidarity among naval forces, the Indonesian Navy said. This activity is intended to strengthen naval diplomacy and I think this must continue to be nurtured, Adm. Yudo Margono, commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces, said during an opening ceremony at Soekarno-Hatta Port in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province. The drills also are intended to foster cooperation in securing the Indonesian sea areas that border 10 countries, Yudo said. The Indonesian Navy said the drills involve 41 warships, 17 of which are from foreign countries, including the United States, China and Russia. The drills are taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions between China and the United States in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. China claims most of the waterway as its sovereign territory. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have territorial claims in the sea. While Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of the waterway that overlap Indonesias exclusive economic zone. Beijing has repeatedly accused the U.S. of navigation hegemony in the South China Sea. This past weekend, the U.S. military accused a Chinese navy ship of sailing dangerously close in front of the bow of an American destroyer during an intercept in Taiwan Strait waters. Chinas defense ministry issued a dueling statement saying that Chinese forces had been tracking the movements of the U.S. destroyer, which was sailing with a Canadian warship. Its forces had conducted themselves lawfully and professionally, the ministry said. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Indonesian Navy sailors stand on the deck of the ship KRI Bawal-875 during the International Fleet Review part of the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2023 event in the Makassar Sea, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, June 5, 2023. [Antara Foto/M Risyal Hidayat/via Reuters] The biennial Komodo drills, which began in 2014, also consist of an international symposium, bilateral meetings and a maritime exhibition. Other participants this year include Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. The United States embassy in Jakarta said the exercise would allow it to join together with like-minded countries, our allies and partners to work together to solve common challenges such as humanitarian response and disaster. Chinas Ministry of National Defense said last week that it would send a destroyer and a frigate at the invitation of the Indonesian Navy. On Monday, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto met with his counterparts from Australia and Germany in Jakarta to discuss defense cooperation. Prabowo said Indonesias relationship with Australia was supported by mutual trust, transparency and a joint commitment to a stable, peaceful, resilient and prosperous region. Indonesias cooperation with Australia can provide an important contribution to regional peace and stability, he said. He also said Indonesia and Germany had enjoyed good bilateral relations and defense cooperation for more than a decade. We are determined to continue strengthening cooperation and I promise to make an honorary return visit to Germany, he said. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that he and Prabowo had discussed some issues that were topics at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security forum held in Singapore over the weekend. He declined to give details. Supporters of a former senator who is a fierce critic of ex-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday they hoped she could be released on bail very, very soon, after judges previously dismissed two of the three drug-related complaints against her. Leila de Lima, who has been jailed since 2017 and lost her bid for reelection last year, faced three separate complaints alleging she received bribes from drug traders while serving as justice secretary from 2010 to 2016. Judges dismissed cases against her in 2021 and in May after witnesses recanted their testimony. De Lima lawyer Filibon Tacardon told reporters on Monday that Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Romeo Buenaventura was expected to issue a decision on the former senators bail petition, adding the ruling could come before a scheduled June 19 hearing on the third case. There is good development in our hearing today. It was a short hearing, but we finished a lot. For the bail resolution, the judge told us he will be releasing his resolution on Sen. de Limas application for bail very, very soon, Tacardon said. It may be the next hearing or prior to the next hearing, Tacardon said. De Lima was jailed in February 2017 on charges that she received payoffs through the illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary. Since then, at least three witnesses presented by the Duterte administration recanted, saying they had been coerced into testifying against her. De Lima has repeatedly denied all charges against her, saying they were fabricated by Dutertes allies as a form of revenge. While serving as human rights commissioner, she launched investigations into Dutertes drug war including when he served as mayor of Davao city in southern Philippines before being elected to the top office. Former Philippine Sen. Leila de Lima greets supporters at the Muntinlupa Trial Court in Manila, June 5, 2023. [Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews] The former senators case has attracted international attention, including from U.S. lawmakers who have questioned her detention. As senator, de Lima headed the justice committee and initiated an inquiry into the spate of drug-related killings across the nation after Duterte took office on June 30, 2016. Her committee heard from Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed former assassin who was part of the Davao Death Squad overseen by Duterte from the mayors office. Duterte, who the International Criminal Court alleged he was responsible for crime against humanity over the killings, has denied the existence of the death squads. US delegation support In August 2022, a congressional delegation led by U.S. Sen. Edward Markey were able to meet with de Lima in prison after originally being denied the visit. While Markey and the delegation did not speak to reporters afterward, his office released a statement. For too long, Senator Leila de Lima has been held on politically motivated charges. Despite this, her spirit remains undiminished. I call on the new government to release her and drop all charges without delay, Markey said in the statement at the time. Her younger brother, Vicente de Lima II, said the family is praying for her immediate release. Its been six years. Two of her cases were already dismissed, he told reporters. We are hoping since there is a pending petition, the judge will decide as soon as possible. Our mother is old and sick. My sister misses my mother so much, he said, adding that Leila de Limas first agenda once released is to visit her mother in their hometown of Iriga City in the province of Camarines Sur in southern Luzon. 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. Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. Kang Seung-kyoo, senior presidential secretary for civil society, speaks to reporters at the presidential office in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap The presidential office said Monday it has recommended collecting the license fee for state broadcaster KBS separately from the electricity bill amid overwhelming public support. The recommendation was sent to the Korea Communications Commission, the state broadcasting watchdog, and the industry ministry, calling for an amendment to relevant laws and the implementation of follow-up measures. KBS has charged a monthly fee of 2,500 won ($1.91) to households on top of their electricity bills since 1994. The fee has been collected by state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp. The presidential office said it held a public debate on the license fee collection method for one month starting March 9. Participants could take part in the debate through a vote or by leaving comments on a discussion board. In the vote, 97 percent of the 58,251 participants called for improving the current method. In the comments, about 38,000 of the 64,000 opinions called for abolishing the license fee, while around 20,000, or 31.5 percent, called for collecting the license fee separately. The percentage of opinions calling for keeping the current method came to 0.5 percent. "The reasons given included the opinion that the fee is effectively the same as a tax, and that the viewer's right to choose broadcasting channels and decide whether to pay a license fee was ignored," Kang Seung-kyoo, senior presidential secretary for civil society, told reporters. "There was criticism that the role and values of a public broadcaster fell short of public expectations," he said. (Yonhap) Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The average gas prices in Berkshire County and the state of Massachusetts are unchanged from last week, AAA Northeast reported Monday. PITTSFIELD For a few years in Berkshire County, people were often arrested but not prosecuted for some misdemeanor charges like drug possession, but since January, when a new district attorney took office, those prosecutions have increased. The policy of former District Attorney Andrea Harrington was to dismiss most possession charges. Despite that policy, a small number of defendants were arraigned on drug possession and did move through the courts during her four years in office, particularly when a defendant was also facing other charges. By contrast, her successor, Timothy Shugrue moves forward with criminal cases on most simple drug possessions. In an interview, Shugrue told The Eagle prosecutors may dismiss cases if defendants show that they are working on getting treatment and staying sober. Twenty-one people were charged in the countys busiest district courthouse, Central Berkshire District Court in Pittsfield, with misdemeanor drug possession in the first four months of this year, about double the number charged during the same period last year. Proponents of both approaches say their tack is the right one when it comes to helping those who use illegal or unprescribed substances. Harringtons reason for not prosecuting was that misdemeanor drug possession was the result of a health problem the court system is ill-suited to address. She was elected in 2018 on a progressive platform, then lost to Shugrue by more than 27 percentage points four years later. Harrington did not agree to an interview for this story, but some of her supporters continue to adhere to her less-prosecution, more-treatment philosophy. During her reelection campaign, Harrington argued that people who are charged with offenses stemming from addiction, like possession of personal-use amounts of illegal drugs and certain shoplifting charges, shouldnt be prosecuted, because doing so did little to reduce the crime rate or help people beat their addiction. In an interview, Shugrue said the courts provide the means and incentive for people struggling with addiction to get help, in part by tying a favorable disposition to someones willingness to seek drug treatment and get sober. Shugrue said his 28 years of private practice in Berkshire County taught him that many of his clients wouldnt seek treatment voluntarily. The allure and drive for the narcotics is so great, he said, that people succumb to it, and they end up doing the drugs. He continued: If, however, we force them to get into drug counseling and drug treatment, it works, and if we can get them off the drugs, then weve succeeded. Weve potentially saved somebodys life and avoided an overdose. Those facing charges like drug possession can apply to have their cases sent to recovery court, said Kelly Kemp, an assistant district attorney who supervises that specialized court for the DAs office. Recovery court is a sentencing option by which people must follow court orders that often include counseling, addiction treatment and drug screenings. Its not a new concept, having launched in Berkshire County in 2016. The typical recovery-court participant has had at least one previous arrest, she said. These are high-risk, high-need individuals who have been through the system and have not been rehabilitated, Kemp said. The goal is to reduce recidivism. In regular district court, Kemp said the approach toward first-time drug offenders is always therapeutic, its never incarceration. That means prosecutors recommend a process called continuation without a finding, according to Shugrue, a middle ground by which offenders avoid jail time if they abide by conditions that often include treatment and abstinence from drugs and alcohol. But if someone violates probation by testing positive for a prohibited substance, they could be sent to jail. Our focus and philosophy is getting people into treatment using the criminal justice system as a means to an end, Kemp said. Police typically find people with illegal drugs when investigating other incidents, such as larceny, breaking-and-entering and impaired driving, Michael Ziemba, Williamstowns police chief, said. While Harrington was in office and despite her policy of generally declining to prosecute drug possession, police departments in the Berkshires were still charging people for having illegal drugs. Possession of narcotics is a crime, said Pittsfield Police Capt. Thomas Dawley, who is preparing to lead the department as interim chief. We have to do our due diligence and uphold the laws. Proponents of Harringtons approach to dismissing some charges before arraignment said those struggling with addiction should not be saddled with stigma and stress associated with entry into the court system. Stephen Murray, a harm-reduction specialist who used to live and work as an EMS in the Berkshires, said the rate of use of illegal drugs is not that different across economic and racial divides. But people are more likely to be arrested and incarcerated if they are poor or a person of color. These efforts of focusing on incarceration end up more negatively impacting those communities, Murray said. Meantime, the number of people being held in pretrial custody at the Berkshire County jail rose from an average of 126 in the last three months of Harringtons tenure, to an average of 135 in the first three months of Shugrues. Jails are traumatic environments that arent conducive to recovery, Murray said. The effects of a criminal case dont evaporate when punishment ends; a criminal record makes finding employment and housing harder. After serving two years in jail for drug offenses he committed when he was 18, Mike Kelly of North Adams felt his status as a felon was trailing him as he tried to find a job. He was able to get hired as a dishwasher, and ultimately learned the ropes as a chef, working in restaurants in Alaska and Massachusetts, before opening his own the food businesses in the Berkshires. With the mark on his record, he said he is required to disclose his conviction on applications, and said he has had a gun pulled on him twice by police while he was unarmed and non-combative. His crimes were something that happened to me 20 years ago, Kelly, now 41, said, but it still affects me to this day. Murray, who now lives in the eastern part of the state and serves as the manager of Boston Medical Centers harm-reduction program, said he was sad to see the Berkshire voters approve a shift back to a drug policy that he says has a proven record of failing to help with the drug crisis. The war on drugs has been going on for 50-plus years, we havent seen much of an improvement, Murray said. We keep arresting people, we keep pulling drugs off the street. And overdose rates continue to go up. Murray said progressive policies were always going to take time to begin to move the needle. To think that in four years, he said, we could just automatically fix everything in the midst of a drug supply that got worse and a pandemic, its a bit shortsighted. Shugrue said overdoses in Berkshire County are still alarmingly high. The court system, he said, can provide crucial linkages to treatment. When we charged possession, we offer services, and say if you get into a drug treatment program, and get rid of that [addiction] issue, then we will dismiss the cases, we wont keep them, he said. But you got to put them in the court system. Its the old saying: You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink. Well, were going to lead the horse to water, and hopefully they will drink. While deer ticks, like the one above, are carriers of Lyme disease, several other varieties of ticks are found in Massachusetts. None of them, notes columnist Ruth Bass, are good. By Laren Kowalczyk '07 Two Bowling Green State University alumni with more than 70 years of combined military and commercial flying experience are back on land after piloting the flight of a lifetime during their attempt to set a world record for the fastest journey by plane through all 48 contiguous United States. Barry Behnfeldt 83 and his co-pilot Aaron Wilson 04 aimed to accomplish the feat in fewer than 48 hours and fittingly named their journey 48N48. The flight can be tracked on FlightAware and on FlightRadar24, and updates about the journey are also available on the 48N48 Facebook page. Behnfeldt and Wilson, completed the 5,008-mile trek in 44 hours and 16 minutes, landing in all of the 48 contiguous United States. While the pair accomplished the goal they set, it is now up to Guinness World Records to certify the quest and officially name it a world record. In addition to setting a world record, Behnfeldt and Wilson want their world-record attempt to help inspire the next generation of pilots as the U.S. continues to grapple with shortages in the aviation industry. As home to the largest aviation program in Ohio, BGSU is committed to meeting workforce demands in the aviation industry through partnerships, expanded facilities and modernization of its fleet. The University also recently approved the creation of a School of Aviation in the College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering (CTAAE). Maybe someone out there will see what were doing and itll spark their interest in becoming a pilot, said Behnfeldt, a captain with Delta Air Lines and retired U.S. Navy Top Gun captain. "Even better, maybe it'll encourage them to consider the aviation program at BGSU." Setting a world record Behnfeldt and Wilson estimated their world-record-setting, 5,008-mile journey across the country would take roughly 39 hours and 57 minutes to complete, barring any unforeseen mechanical issues or inclement weather conditions. Their calculation accounted for 10-minute stops at each airport, where they would get signatures to certify their presence as required by Guinness World Records and five fuel stops they expected will take about 20 minutes each. Charles Manson, David Koresh, Jim Jones, Bhagwan Shree Rejneesh, Marshall Applewhite, Shoko Asahara, and Jesus of Nazareth. As a Christian, our first instinct when reading this list is to say one of these things is not like the others. And I would ultimately agree, but why? From one perspective, all of these are religious leaders. They all had a group of people following them, they were viewed as strange and unorthodox by the majority of people, and they claimed to be the way of truth. So, what separates Jesus from these others? How do we say that six of these are cult leaders and one of them is the Son of God? This might be seen as an uncomfortable question, but if we ask it honestly, we can not only discover the differences between cults and Christ, but also see how Jesus is definitively unique. What Is a Cult? In 1964 the Supreme Court heard a difficult First Amendment case, Jacobellis v. Ohio. In this case they had to determine whether the state of Ohio could ban an obscene film. The statute was that anything except for hard-core pornography was protected under first amendment rights. But how do you define this? Justice Potter Stewart famously quipped, I know it when I see it. Trying to define a cult can prove to be just as difficult. But just as with the 1964 ruling, I know it when I see it will prove to be inadequate. We need to outline a few characteristics and establish parameters which will help us define whether or not something is a cult. Definitions of cult In the 1600s if you referred to Christianity or Judaism as a cult, nobody would bat an eye. The word cult was simply a reference to a particular form or system of worship. This is why you might read something like the cult of Saint Benedict (now known as the Benedictines). This does not mean that people followed St. Benedict with the same fervor as those who follow Charles Manson. It simply means that there were people devoted to his form of worship. But over time the word cult took on a bit more sinister meaning. Though intending to be humorous, Hugh Rawsons definition of an organized group of people, religious or not, with whom you disagree, might be an apt description of how overused the phrase has become. Sociologists refer to a cult as a social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices. But that definition doesnt seem to help get at what people really mean when they refer to something as a cult. This definition provided by Rousselet, Duretete, Hardouin, and Grall-Bronnec may be the most helpful: A cult is an organized group whose purpose is to dominate cult members through psychological manipulation and pressure strategies. That, I believe, gets to what most people mean when they refer to a cult in our day. A cult is seen as harmful to its members and ultimately to society as a whole. And they are typically centered around a dynamic personality. So, what are the strategies of cults? What are the warning signs? What Are the Warning Signs of a Cult? One would think that spotting a cult would be relatively easy. And from the outside, it often can be easy to spot cultic behavior. But from the inside, the person has been groomed and manipulated to normalize deviant behavior. Here are a few of the warning signs: - Following a leader with unquestioning faith and allegiance - A belief that the group exclusively holds the truth, therefore there is zero tolerance and interaction with those outside the group - Isolation of members - Severe penalties for leaving the group - An emphasis on a special belief or doctrine viewed as strange by others - An us vs. them mentality, often using persecution of the group as evidence of its truthfulness - The use of fear and intimidation to keep you in the group There are a few questions to ask that might help to determine if you or a friend is in a cult. - What happens if I disagree with the leaders? - How do I respond if an outsider criticizes one of our leaders? - Are there different sets of rules for the leader, and another set for members? - Who is the leader answerable to? Is there accountability? - What would happen if you tried to leave the group? - Do they welcome independent thought? Do they believe I can think for myself? - Have a lost several friendships since joining this group? Am I being isolated? - Am I able to read outside literature? Some of the above questions can help you to assess whether or not your group has moved away from healthy religious belief into manipulative/cultish territory. Does the Bible Have Anything to Say about Cults? In order to consider what the Bible has to say about cults we must first come to a common understanding of cults. If you mean something like religious devotion, then the Bible is filled with these examples. But if you mean something more like a group that manipulates their members and causes harm, then its going to be more difficult. There are numerous examples throughout the Scriptures, though, of false teachers and they are often deemed to be harmful. We also have those who were false prophets and idolaters in the Old Testament, that would possibly fit a modern understanding of cults. There are a few themes we can use from Scripture to help us understand the nature of cults. First, Jesus warned of the presence of false teachers in Matthew 7:15-16, Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Secondly, because of the existence of false prophets we are told to test the spirits. 1 John 4 tells us how we can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. If a group is not centered upon Jesus Christ, then it is making false religious claims. Groups can be centered upon Jesus in name, but if at the end of the day they are not following the way of Jesus, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, and entrusting each member to Christ as Lord, then this is a false group. Cults are also notorious for adding their own rules. Places like Colossians 2:19-23 can be helpful to show that Christ is sufficient. Are your leaders pointing you to Christ and leaving you in His hands, or are they centering themselves or the group? That is a big identifier of a cult. The Bible has Jesus Christ at the center. Cults will have something else at the center. What Makes a Cult Different from a Religious Denomination? Earlier, Jesus Christ was mentioned alongside six known cult leaders. What is the difference between Christ and these cult leaders? For one, Jesus Christ is the way of truth. But one could argue that this is just circular reasoning and the same argument which these cult leaders make. But even still, we should test them by their own claims. These cult leaders are always found empty. But the greatest difference between Christ and cult is that Jesus is self-giving. He gives of Himself for their benefit. Christ does not lead into harm but into hope. But what about all of the different denominations? What is the difference between two Christians having a different belief and a Christian disagreeing with a cultist? First, consider the characteristics of a cult. If your denomination has these characteristics, then its not just a group of Christians disagreeing over doctrine, but its an entirely different social group. There are some churches and professing Christian groups that can border on cultic practices. Sadly, it can be difficult to discern the difference at times. An excellent resource on this is Somethings Not Right by Wade Mullen. Spiritually abusive systems and churches will have much overlap with cults. But at the end of the day, most denominations still have Jesus Christ at the center of their religious practice, they just differ on a few interpretations but are orthodox in their belief and practice. Are All Cults Bad? There are some Christian commentaries, especially in the Old Testament, where they will use a phrase like the cult of Israel or even the cult of the early church. That might through a novice reader for a loop. We tend to think of a cult as only a bad thing. But the word itself, as mentioned earlier, is not always negative. Originally it just meant religious devotion. Today the word cult has taken on a negative meaning. Whether or not cults are all bad has to do with how we are defining the word cult and even how we define the word bad. If a cult is harming its followers and others then, yes, it is bad. But if we simply mean religious devotion then its not necessarily bad. But there is another question connected with this. Some will call Jehovahs Witnesses or Latter-Day Saints a cult. They certainly fit some of the descriptors of a cult. And I, personally, would argue that they are bad in that they do not tell the truth about Jesus. As such they are indeed ultimately harmful. But I also think it would be wise, if we use the word cult, to make a distinction between the bad of Charles Manson and Jim Jones with the bad of Joseph Smith or the Watchtower Society. Regardless of whether we mean bad as in violent or harmful to society or bad as in unorthodox and denying Christ, we should pursue truth and not be part of a cult. But what if someone we love is involved with a dangerous cult? What Should You Do if You (or Someone You Love) Is Involved with a Dangerous Cult? First, if you or a loved one are in a cult, be thankful that you still have an open line of communication with them (or with the outside world if you are in the cult). Whatever you can do to keep that line of communication open is a good idea. You will not get very far by speaking negatively about the group or the leader. You must earn trust. It might be best to ask probing questions. What you are attempting to do with this line of communication is put a pebble in their shoe. Have you ever had an annoying little pebble in your shoe as youve tried to walk around? Its a tiny little prick, but its annoying and eventually it takes all of your mental energy. You have to stop, sit down, take off your shoe, find the offending pebble and discard it. What we want to do with someone in a cult is come up with some of those pebbles penetrating, but safe, questions which will serve like that pebble. (I am indebted to Greg Koukls book Tactics for this illustration.) One suggestion might be to ask them their thoughts on another cult. By doing this they might be able to see some of the similarities to their own group. If they begin to see some of the tactics of manipulation or mind control of another group, they might be more prone to see that in their own development into the cult. Here, you are being a little like Nathan when he confronted David after his sexual assault of Bathsheba. It is also important to think through some of the reasons why this person might have joined the cult. What were they looking for that the cult provided? Are there ways in which you can begin to provide some of this support outside of their group? Keep in mind how costly it will be for them to leave this cult. If you can eliminate some of the difficulties of leaving, this might help them to make that decision if the pebble is doing its job as well. If there is something harmful or illegal happening, report this to the authorities. You can ask for anonymous wellness checks. At the end of the day, we must entrust them to the Lord. Therefore, we must pray. We must pray for wisdom and discernment in our interactions, but also that the Lord would open their eyes to reality. They are blinded to the fullness of Jesus, so pray that God would reveal Himself to them in an undeniable way. Pray that they will be able to see through the inconsistencies of the leader. Sources Online Etymology Dictionary - Cult Hugh Rawson, Wicked Words, 1993 Very Well Mind - What is a cult? Photo credit: Getty Images/rodkosmos The purpose and duties of church deacons are often debated in the church. For some, naming deacons is a matter of tradition and an official role. For others, deacons are simply Christians ministering to others in meaningful ways. What is the origin of the deacon? What does the Bible have to say? Should we have deacons in the church today? What Is a Deacon According to Acts 6? The word deacon is not specifically used in Acts 6:1-6, which described choosing men to serve food, to wait on tables (6:2); but this is the passage where the concept of deacons arises. Various offices developed in the church according to specific roles, and all were important to the ongoing development of the church body. Elders (overseers) and pastors (local shepherds) became traditional roles, but another role developed the deacon although some argue its not a specific role. The New Testament uses three primary words in the Greek that refer to deacons: diakonos, which means servant; diakonia, which means service; and diakoneo, which means to serve. Basically, the words include any kind of service that supplies the need of another person. John MacArthur wrote that the situation in Acts 6 was an unusual one. There were many extra people in Jerusalem for the Passover, so it was a one-time crisis. He notes that none of the chosen seven were ever mentioned again in association with any food distribution ministry, but they were crucial in the situation in Acts 6. Why was the choice of these men crucial? The Twelve the original disciples minus Judas and plus Matthias desired to give their full attention to prayer and ministry of the Word of God. Timothy later described the elder-pastor-overseer role: preach the word. . . correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. The crisis in Acts hindered the elders and pastors. The early church continued the Jewish practice of charitable gifts to the needy especially to widows and orphans; but this became more difficult as the number of believers grew. That Passover, there were likely hundreds of widows to tend to. Food distribution wasnt just passing out food. It also included collecting and protecting gathered funds, purchasing food, determining whether a widows need was legitimate, considering widows varied needs, and finally distributing food and supplies in an effective way. Hearing complaints because Hellenistic widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, the Twelve gathered Jesus other disciples and chose seven men from among them for this important supportive role and responsibility. The seven men were not Jews; they had Greek names. If these men were being appointed to the Jerusalem church for an ongoing ministry, it would seem strange that seven Greeks would be chosen, MacArthur wrote. A permanent order of deacons in Jerusalem would not likely be made up of Greeks. MacArthur further notes that the term diakonos was also used in reference to the work of the apostles themselves (Acts 6:4, ministry, meaning service), and a comparison of Acts 6:1-6 and Acts 11:29-30 suggests that the ongoing ministry of distributing goods in the Jerusalem church a few years after the Acts 6 account was entrusted to elders. If there was an officially constituted deaconate, he argues, the church at Antioch would have sent their contribution for famine-stricken Jews to deacons, not elders. Yet another passage, 1 Timothy 3:8-10, does seem to validate an ongoing deaconate. The Twelve chose Stephen, Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas. Two of these men, Stephen and Philip, had ministries that resembled the work of elders or apostles, not deacons. Stephen was a teacher of the Word with gifts similar to the apostles (Acts 6:8; 7:1-53). Philip was an evangelist, and evangelists were more like elders than deacons (Acts 21:8). Regardless of whether there is a specific office or not, Acts 6 does say these men who would take care of the immediate physical needs of the congregation were to be known as full of the Spirit and wisdom. These qualities would enable them to meet various needs in the congregation. The disciples laid hands on these men (Acts 6:6-7), setting them apart for servant ministry. As a result of the wise decision to choose the seven, the Twelve were able to minister the Gospel and teach during a time of stress. Acts 6:7 says, the word of God spread. What Else Does the Bible Say about Deacons? Again, godly people disagree about deacons. Philippians 1:1 gives rise to the deaconate as a role, referring to two offices: overseers and deacons. Another Scripture passage clearly refers to the office of deacon 1 Timothy 3:8-10. The phrase in the same way or likewise references previous verses that refer to overseers, so there appears to be two offices. When 1 Timothy was written, church organization had progressed considerably, which would allow for the role; but Gods Word focuses more on leaders moral purity and spiritual maturity than their office. The passage lists qualifications of deacons. They need to be spiritually mature, theologically solid, and morally above reproach. Timothy said they must be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. Honesty was important since deacons would likely handle the congregations finances. Keeping hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience was also stressed. Testing or examination was required, and if there was nothing against them, they could serve as deacons. Because their lifestyles would be observable in the community, a deacon had to be faithful to his wife and managing his children and household well (3:12). The overall characterization of a deacon is that he must be worthy of respect in the church and the community; and those who serve well are rewarded with honor (3:13). Although the word deacon is used in reference to spiritual service in other Scriptures, these Scriptures are not specific to the office of a deacon in the church. Some churches deviate from the simple biblical model. In some, deacons function like a board to rule over the church, sometimes even supervising the pastor; but that is not their proper role. Deacons were not elected to rule the church, but to simply assist those in God-ordained authority. The deaconate was not meant to be a stepping-stone to an entirely different role preacher or pastor-elders. Deacons were not even required to have the ability to teach the congregation. But Stephen and Philip, two of the chosen deacons, did actively teach, preach, and evangelize (Acts 7:1-60; Acts 8:26-40). Another deviation from Scripture, MacArthur noted, is to consider almost all regularly-attending believers to be deacons. And in some congregations, deacon is bestowed as a title, a badge of honor like Reverend, but for laymen. Again, there is no basis for these deviations in the Bible. No other descriptions or directions are given in the Bible concerning deacons work, but they rightly assist the pastor in a number of ways. This might include helping in programs involving the educational interests of the church, or in evangelistic, missionary, or charitable outreaches. Author Gerald Cowen notes that, while no spiritual gifts are listed for deacons, it might be reasonable to look for those who have the gifts of helping or showing mercy two gifts appropriate to serving. The reference to serving in Romans 12:6-7 is also not related to the office of deacon. A deacon might have a different spiritual gift. Also, the phrase work of service in Ephesians 4:12 is not to be construed as referring to deacons, but rather to all believers. Can Women Be Deacons? Is the deaconate meant to include women? Godly pastors and theologians disagree about what the Bible teaches concerning this. When referring to an official role, many say it is open to both men and women, while the office of elder is reserved for men. They argue that nowhere in Scripture is there a prohibition against women serving in the role. But others argue that only men were chosen in Acts 6, and that serves as a prototype. They also argue that 1 Timothy 2:12 regarding assuming authority over a man should inform the reading and interpretation of 3:11. In various eras of church history, women did appear to serve in the diaconate. Today, within many denominations, its a matter of congregational autonomy. Romans 16:1 mentions Phoebe, a woman described as a diakonos of the church in Cenchrea. Some believe she served officially as a deaconess there; others say Paul simply called her a servant of the Lord. New Testament females who served God cared for the sick and poor and ministered to prisoners. They also instructed women and children (Titus 2:3-5). Yet Phoebes faithfulness must have been exemplary since Paul commended her and trusted her to deliver his epistle to the Romans. The controversy arising with 1 Timothy 3:11 is this: Does Timothy refer to the wives of deacons or to women as deaconesses? MacArthur believes there are three distinct offices listed in 1 Timothy 3 overseers (elders), deacons, and deaconesses. The word likewise again comes into play: Women must likewise be dignified. The word likewise is said to reference previous verses (vv. 1-10) where Paul discussed specific offices. Paul gave no requirements for elders wives in this passage, but in what seems like a parenthetical statement, he does apparently list qualifications for deaconesses. Those who argue against female deacons question why Paul would insert qualifications for deaconesses in the middle of a section on deacons. They say verse 11 seems to be an inadequate set of qualifications given what Timothy sets forth for deacons. Also, in 1 Timothy 3:11, the Greek word gunaikas can be translated as either wives or women, and some suggest the translation of women refers to the office of deaconess. There is no feminine form of the word diakonos; it is both masculine and feminine. So Paul specifically identified women servers and said they are to be worthy of respect (dignified), discrete (not malicious gossips), temperate (calm and controlled), and faithful (trustworthy) in all things. One Southern Baptist Conference pastor, Mark Terry, suggested an alternative for churches that do not believe the Bible allows for women deacons. He organized a Care Corps of female church members. Though they ministered like a deaconess, they were not called as such. How Do You Become a Deacon? Protestant denominations do not have the rigorous entrance requirements for the diaconate that many Catholic and Orthodox churches have such as ordination and even a bachelors degree. Non-Protestant deacons seem more like elders in training, or they serve in a more formal manner. In the Protestant tradition, church members are usually nominated by a church member, the current group of deacons reviews their qualifications as listed in the Bible, and then the candidates are recommended. Deacons are then elected by overseers or other church authorities, or by the congregation. There are no directions about the number of deacons a church should have. Congregations usually address the size, maturity, and ministry focus of their church. 1. Regarding size, the Jerusalem church, with about 5,000 men, had as many as 20,000 believers yet only chose seven deacons. Its been suggested that churches today often have too many deacons. 2. There may not be a sufficient number of mature, qualified candidates; but its better to have fewer deacons than to choose unqualified men. 3. Specific ministry focuses may necessitate more deacons to meet the needs of the congregation in those areas. At its root, the purpose of the diaconate is freedom. Deacons (and deaconesses) are meant to free up church elders and pastors for the work God has called them to do. Sources Grace to You Answering the Key Questions about Deacons Crosswalk.com What Is a Deacon and What Is Their Role? Photo credit: Unsplash/Joseph Pearson Dawn Wilson has served in revival ministry and missions for more than 50 years. She and her husband Bob live in Southern California. They have two married sons and three granddaughters. Dawn assists author and radio host Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth with research and works with various departments at Revive Our Hearts. She is the founder and director of Heart Choices Today, publishes Upgrade with Dawn, and writes for Crosswalk.com. Tonight's rundown: Talking Points Memo: Joe Biden continues to decline with the world watching and remains out of the press reach Presidential Historian Larry Cook weighs in on how Bidens relationship with the press compares to past presidents US Special Forces have been confirmed to be in Ukraine OReilly describes Democrats hosting the DNC in Chicago as Crazy Arrogant The trial of Fox News gets underway 58% of Americans are now living paycheck to paycheck even as inflation begins to cool off Smart Life: Utilizing Kelly Blue Book when searching for a new car This Day in History: FDR dies in office Final Thought: what to do when someone is disrespectful to you In Case You Missed It: Read Bill's latest column, "Reason to Believe" Join 'Team Normal!' Order your gear now at BillOReilly.com! Pre-order Bills next bestseller Killing the Witches NOW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices By William R. Jones A while back, a gentleman wrote, "Why is English hard to learn?" He covered the topic quite well. He mentioned why English is confusing and that it demands great effort to learn it. He called attention to the vast vocabulary, spelling, grammar, pronunciation and even different accents. All of these things make almost any language hard to learn. As English conversation teachers, we very much appreciate the effort made by Koreans and others to improve and increase their English skills. English is my first language and due to the vast vocabulary, I am still learning. I always tell my students that American English is a combination of all the languages of the world. Some source languages of the English vocabulary include Latin (29 percent), French (29 percent), Germanic (26 percent), Greek (6 percent), other languages and/or unknown (6 percent), and (4 percent) derived from proper names. We have so many loanwords (borrowed words) and once they are placed in Merriam-Webster's dictionary, they are considered English words. For example, we have these from Korea: kimchi, taekwondo, hapkido, chaebol, gochujang, bibimbap, bulgogi, etc. and most recent are K-pop and soju. English spelling has always been a rote memory problem for students. School spelling tests and spelling bee contests and writers and editors and publisher style guides maintain the conventional importance of the correct spelling of words. Today we see shortcuts in spelling with text messaging. The dictionary corrects me often. You probably know that the founders of Google misspelled by accident the word "googol," which is 1 followed by 100 zeros to describe the size of their database after checking if it was taken as a domain name. Google was registered as a trademark and web address before someone noticed that it was not correct. What I have to say about grammar is, if I get what one is conveying, that's enough for me. But, I suppose grammar is very important to writers and news reporters, etc., and of course, pedantic English teachers. The meaning of English (semantic aspect) is so much more important than grammatical accuracy. Language functions properly only when it expresses meaning. The linguist Noam Chomsky's famous sentence "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously." is grammatically correct, however, it does not pass an information quality test. The sentence is meaningless and the content can be labeled as "non-information." Sometimes we have no clue about the pronunciation of certain words when we look at the spelling of those words. For example, "via" can be pronounced with a "long i" or with a "long e." Usually, the first pronunciation shown in Webster's is the one that most people use. Silent consonants and silent vowels also confuse us. What makes English pronunciation even more challenging are the diverse non-native accents that are sometimes difficult to follow. Overall, students do quite well in attaining English skills despite the mentioned obstacles and difficulties. A Canadian writer, Mark Abley stated, "Modern English is the Wal-Mart of languages: convenient, huge, hard to avoid, superficially friendly and devouring all rivals in its eagerness to expand." And perhaps, that is why it is the most chosen second language to be learned in the world. I always tell my English conversation students: What you think, you can speak. What you speak, you can write. Too, I remind them of what the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh said: It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use, long, difficult words. The author (wrjones@vsu.edu) published the novella "Beyond Harvard" and presently teaches English as a Second Language. A long-term digital partnership to deliver better health for all The World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Commission have announced the launch of a landmark digital health partnership. In June 2023, WHO will take up the European Union (EU) system of digital COVID-19 certification to establish a global system that will help facilitate global mobility and protect citizens across the world from on-going and future health threats, including pandemics. This is the first building block of the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN) that will develop a wide range of digital products to deliver better health for all. Based on the EU Global Health Strategy and WHO Global strategy on digital health, the initiative follows the 30 November 2022 agreement between Commissioner Kyriakides and Dr Tedros to enhance strategic cooperation on global health issues. This further bolsters a robust multilateral system with WHO at its core, powered by a strong EU. This partnership will include close collaboration in the development, management and implementation of the WHO GDHCN system, benefitting from the European Commissions ample technical expertise in the field. A first step is to ensure that the current EU digital certificates continue to function effectively. This partnership will work to technically develop the WHO system with a staged approach to cover additional use cases, which may include, for example, the digitisation of the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis. Expanding such digital solutions will be essential to deliver better health for citizens across the globe. To accelerate penetration of blood pressure monitoring in India Japanese firm Omron Healthcare has announced a plan to establish a manufacturing factory at ORIGINS by Mahindra, Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. The factory will begin manufacturing blood pressure monitors in March 2025. Prior to this, the company signed a memorandum on the establishment of the factory in the presence of M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of the Tamil Nadu State Government. In India, an average GDP annual growth rate is expected to be around 6% until 2030 and the population is expected to reach 1.66 billion in 2050. Owing to the accelerating economic growth and acute population growth, India has now seen a rise in the number of lifestyle disease patients. Among these types of diseases, hypertension is one of the most common causes of cerebro-cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart failure. Regular blood pressure monitoring at home is considered to be essential in hypertensive management. However, the penetration rate of blood pressure monitors in India remains low at around 2%. The establishment of the manufacturing factory and the steady distribution structure are the company's efforts to deliver blood pressure monitors to as many people as possible. Recently appointed chief creative officer (CCO) at TBWA/Hunt Lascaris, Carl Willoughby's career spans over 20 years at various agencies throughout South Africa, for multiple brands across different categories. Recently appointed CCO for Hunt Lascaris, Carl Willoughby admits he spends too much time on advertising, but also on his phone His work has been acknowledged at all major local and international awards shows and in 2021 he was ranked #1 ECD in South Africa by The Loeries Awards. At one point in his career he also launched a telecommunications company during a brief stint in the Middle-East What does your role as the recently appointed CCO for Hunt Lascaris entail? Firstly, theres way more stress and responsibility. I always considered myself the Scottie Pippen to my predecessor, Pete Khoury but now Ive got to fulfill his role. Its quite a huge responsibility actually. Hunt Lascaris has a strong history of being a creatively pedigreed agency. To continue that reputation is daunting but its something amazing to help build on actually and its incredibly energising. Previously as ECD I managed to find my rhythm. Now there are many new challenges. Were trying to build an agency where Id like to think people want to work and feel that they can contribute their ideas. So building a strong culture especially post-Covid is important to me and Karabo Denalane, the CEO. Im busier, slowly building more relationships with more of our client base while ensuring we keep building our shopfront window work. There are some extremely exciting projects on the horizon which makes it all worth it. What do you want to achieve in this role? I want to help further transform the agency digitally. Im actively driving transformation by playing a key role in the hiring of talent. Weve still got some way to go but were making good progress. I want to push the creative profile of the agency by developing work that takes us beyond the traditional world. Im extremely excited about work thats in the pipeline that already works towards that goal. You have worked on many brands across different categories from VW, Nissan, BMW, to Liberty, Standard Bank, KFC, Windhoek, DStv. So what does creativity mean to you in the world today and why is it important for business but also for society as a whole? Creativity is incredibly important. I believe it is a way for businesses to find alternative disruptive ways to achieve better business results. It can add value, economically and culturally; it helps us overcome so many conventional ways of thinking and being. It can change a point of view because for me creativity is the ability to step out of a comfort zone and have a better experience. Creativity feeds innovation, not just in communication but in many other aspects of society. The thing is that creativity is not just the responsibility of the creative industry, its a necessary quality in many other spaces. You have creative accounting, you have creative lawyers, engineers. Teachers can be creative. What should be important to brands today? What should they focus on? Brands have to make money, they have to be profitable, thats just business. But brands can do so much more. In South Africa they can play a more fundamental role in driving progress within our country. Not to be political but I really feel that brands can help us move to a more first-world way of being. From technological innovation to helping build infrastructure, to helping address cultural issues. We see how brands are adopting a more inclusive approach to marketing, showcasing the right people, and talking with the right voice. Its great, but it cant just end there. Brands can say a lot but they can do a lot more too. Brand actions for me are where brands can fundamentally make a difference in society and South Africa as a whole. Influencing culture is an amazing place for a brand to be. It doesnt have to just be a commercial transaction with the consumer, it can be cultural. Why is transformation in the industry so important? Its critical. Yes we right the wrongs in many ways. Thats our collective duty in the industry. But transformation means a more diverse inclusive industry. And the more diverse the more diverse our thinking and ultimately our work. Its not complicated logic getting that right. For me its exciting to see work reflective of the true cultures we talk to. In terms of the above, why is it so important that the industry brings in young talent and how do we give them an opportunity to shine? Young talent brings new thinking. Im not criticising older talent. Older talent has just found their groove. Young talent hasnt quite. Yes, there might be more insecurity but that insecurity fuels more creative thinking. I really believe that. The problem is often the young talent lacks the confidence to be heard and us older people need to be open and ready to listen. The youth make up 35% of our population. To be honest, to talk and appeal to them we need to understand them. A more youthful industry drives more relevant insights and creates work that connects on a deeper level. Apart from your work, what are you passionate about doing or spending time on and why? I spend too much time on advertising to be honest, I know that. My side hustle was photography, did weddings, shoots, packshots, anything. These days I really dont get enough time to pursue that. Other than that I also spend way too much time on my phone. Ithuba emerges as Africa's leading National Lottery Operator, celebrating eight years of unprecedented success. This is their story: from startup to standout. Ithuba, South Africa's proud National Lottery Operator, is marking its eighth anniversary this month, solidifying its position as the top operator in Africa. From humble beginnings to extraordinary success, Ithuba's journey is a remarkable tale of innovation, excellence, and philanthropy. Ithuba, derived from the isiZulu term for equality in opportunity, has consistently leveraged its core values to shape a transformative landscape. As a 100% Black-owned company with solid female representation, Ithuba has set the standard for diversity and become a catalyst for widespread change. Starting from scratch, on 1 June 2015, Ithuba successfully reinvigorated the National Lottery under the visionary leadership of its CEO, Charmaine Mabuza. Their unwavering commitment to excellence has surpassed their initial goal of ensuring a seamless transition from the previous operator while upholding the National Lottery's integrity. Ithuba's hunger for success has propelled them to seize each opportunity that has come their way. And under their tenure, Ithuba has introduced many forward-thinking initiatives, including new games, expanded retail networks, enhanced online platforms, and solidifying the security and transparency of their operations. These milestones have contributed to job creation and empowered women in the workplace, significantly expanding their reach and attracting new audiences. With an impressive list of accolades achieved, Ithuba's triumphs on a global level speak volumes about its dedication to excellence. Their distinction as the 'Lottery Operator of the Year' by Gaming Intelligence in 2021 highlights their relentless pursuit of success, even amidst the challenging circumstances imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ithuba has forged successful partnerships with several major banks in South Africa, elevating their online offerings to the market. This ground-breaking collaboration enables players to purchase lottery tickets through their online banking accounts. It is a first-of-its-kind service in South Africa and a rarity among National Lotteries worldwide. Additionally, the Ithuba mobile APP allows players to engage with the National Lottery effortlessly, offering an unparalleled and convenient on the go experience. From the beginning, Ithuba's unwavering commitment to reinvigorating the National Lottery has led to exceptional outcomes, resulting in a remarkable total revenue generation of over R10.1 billion rand towards good causes. These substantial funds have been channelled into the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF), a crucial resource administered by the National Lotteries Commission, which funds their Corporate Social Investments (CSI) projects throughout South Africa. At the core of Ithuba's values lies its profound impact on local communities through its own CSI projects funded by Ithuba: Ithuba has empowered disadvantaged students through their bursary program, providing financial aid that opens doors to brighter futures. Furthermore, their investment of over R20m in the past year has facilitated tailor-made CSI projects that address the unique needs of the communities they serve. One remarkable initiative saw Ithuba distributing over 15 homes across the country at the end of 2022, transforming the lives of ordinary South Africans who had endured hardships and found themselves without shelter due to unforeseen circumstances. Ithuba's relentless drive to effect positive change propels them to greater heights of success. Coupled with their humility and unique ability to leverage their achievements to create a positive ripple effect for vulnerable communities Ithuba is worthy of celebration. As Ithuba marks its 8th anniversary, the company stands proud as the premier operator in Africa. Their commitment to innovation, dedication to diversity, and unwavering philanthropic efforts have solidified their position as an industry leader. Ithuba's extraordinary journey, from start-up to standout, inspires all with its continued commitment to excellence. In recognition of global Pride Month, Woolworths has launched a campaign to highlight its support of the LGBTQIA+ community and encourage people to "Be an Ally". Source: Woolworths The campaign comprises online and in-store elements as well as the sale of a small collection of Pride merchandise - including t-shirts, a hat and a tote bag. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Pride collection will be donated to LGBTQIA+ support organisations. Woolworths also roped in a few voices from the LGBTQIA+ community to share their thoughts around allyship and how people can support the cause with awareness and compassion. Late last week, Woolworths announced the campaign on its social media platforms in a post that read: Its International Pride Month! At Woolies, we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community year-round, and were continuously working to better serve our LGBTQIA+ people and customers. Here are a few things weve done in this space in the last year: We established an internal W.Pride task team to give voice to and address issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. Weve adapted our working wardrobe policy to recognise everyones unique preferences to style, cultural or religious needs and gender identity or expression. Weve created a range of Pride merchandise and are donating funds to LGBTQIA+ support organisations. We know that theres always more to be done, and well keep looking for ways to enable, uplift and celebrate the LGTBQIA+ community. Its International Pride Month! At Woolies, we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community year-round, and were continuously working to better serve our LGBTQIA+ people and customers. pic.twitter.com/8hcf0uOzOi Woolworths SA (@WOOLWORTHS_SA) June 1, 2023 Social media divided The campaign has divided social media users, with some celebrating the retailers support for LGBTQIA+ rights and acceptance, and others calling for a boycott of the company. The latter group has accused Woolworths of being too woke and political, of marginalising religious communities and their beliefs, and supporting the supposed erosion of families. Woolworths trended on Twitter throughout the weekend as a result of the backlash, which grew stronger when the retailer began deleting comments and blocking users who tweeted their disapproval of the campaign. The retailer was subsequently criticised for its intolerance of opposing viewpoints. Woolworths tweeted in response, A reminder that our community guidelines don't allow for hate speech or discrimination. Our values are firmly in favour of kindness and inclusivity, and we do our best to actively moderate our comment section to reflect that. It added in a separate tweet: Every person has the right to dignity regardless of their identity - this is a fact enshrined in our constitution. It is not up for debate. Despite the backlash, the campaign has also drawn positive sentiment. LGBTQIA+ advocates on social media noted that support for this minority community is particularly important in a country where people are killed over their sexual orientation. Many consumers praised Woolworths for using its platform to celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride and further the drive for allyship among customers and within the retailers own workforce. In a statement shared with Bizcommunity, Woolworths said the response to the Pride campaign has been largely positive and it appreciates the support received from South Africans, however it added that the retailer is deeply saddened that the campaign has been negatively received by some and it was never the intention to cause division. It further stated, At Woolworths, we take seriously our responsibility to build diverse, inclusive and safe environments for all our people and our customers around the world. We are committed to promoting spaces in which everyone is accepted, protected, respected and celebrated, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, who they love, or how or whether they worship. During International Pride Month, our WPride campaign acknowledges the extent to which certain groups in our society are marginalised by celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. The WPride campaign forms part of the Woolworths Inclusive Justice Initiative, a group-wide strategy aimed at realising our bold transformation vision to inspire inclusive growth for all our people and our commitment to leave no one behind. We believe our organisation plays a crucial role in the lives of our employees (and their families), our suppliers and the communities in which we operate. Anti-Pride brigade Woolworths is not the only big brand that has been caught in the anti-Pride firing line. Abroad, outdoor gear and apparel brand The North Face has faced criticism for its latest Summer of Pride campaign, which features drag queen Pattie Gonia as the spokesperson. Meanwhile, sales of Bud Light beer have plummeted in the US due to a boycott sparked after the brand hired transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney as a spokesperson for a promotion in April. US retailer Target also ended up pulling some LGBTQIA+ merchandise off the shelves ahead of Pride Month after intense backlash which led to the destruction of in-store displays and threats to the well-being of staff. View some of the Twitter discourse around the Woolworths Pride campaign below: I was not sure what to have for lunch until I saw the thread - especially this tweet! Thanks @WOOLWORTHS_SA for reminder that my dignity and humanity are non-negotiable #PrideMonth https://t.co/oxaI3aDvZ7 pic.twitter.com/3M6o6cuy69 Thembalethu Seyisi (@Justice_Seyisi) June 4, 2023 @WOOLWORTHS_SA why dont you have a private party for the people you are so proud of? Just remember what happened to bud beer and Dischem where unacceptable behaviour was punished by normal people. Now block me as you do to people who do not share your woke ideas. pic.twitter.com/uicaoX0h89 Gustav Meyer (@gumamey) June 3, 2023 To the people frothing at @WOOLWORTHS_SA pride campaign and asking why don't we celebrate straight people, why do they get a whole month, it's only a small % of the population etc; because it's VERY important in a country where people are murdered only because they are LGTBQ pic.twitter.com/VBCvGNUcSq Shan Mo (@ShanMoff) June 3, 2023 Dear @WOOLWORTHS_SA, thank you for your display of #Pride in your stores. Good to know you are an ally in #SouthAfrica. Let the haters hate, WW just WON my vote all over again! #Pride2023 pic.twitter.com/mDRo3JQfRu Ferdie du Toit (@FerdzFenix) June 2, 2023 Surely, peoples of all religions should have a problem with @WOOLWORTHS_SA openly supporting actions that go against the scriptures!! I for one, as a Muslim don't see myself ever walking into their stores ever again I'll survive https://t.co/qaZGk60RMt DashcamGP-ZA (@Dashcampros) June 3, 2023 Dear Woolworths, As a longstanding loyal customer, I value the importance of creating inclusive spaces where every individual is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background, appearance, sexual orientation, or beliefs. I believe this is a fundamental right S (@SunflowerSrina) June 4, 2023 Honestly, the kind of people promising to boycott Woolworths means itll be an all round more pleasant shopping experience for the rest of us. https://t.co/gdElLUfVzS Melanie van Wyk (@melvanwykct) June 4, 2023 It was really funny reading through the tantrums Being on the right side of history is more important than a few fragiles who can't do a month without the Woolworths difference https://t.co/lSc2e3ZMby Complimentary Cripple (@WheelsnToys) June 2, 2023 @WOOLWORTHS_SA As you are supporting the erosion of families, my family and I are no longer going to support you as we've been doing for more than three decades!#woolworths #woolworthssa #family #woolworthssouthafrica pic.twitter.com/mGuvuDgg5o Khalid (@khalidvawda7) June 1, 2023 MG Health, a licensed company specialising in medical-grade cannabis extracts and products, is expanding its production capacity threefold following a successful international funding round. The company raised R18m in capital, which was secured after the company began distributing into key developed markets in 2021. Source: Supplied. MG Health, chief executive officer, Andre Bothma. MG Health will expand its portfolio of medicinal cannabis strains and formulated extracts to meet the wider demand in key export markets including Germany, Australia, Poland and Israel. Based high in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, MG Health is one of a handful of companies worldwide that have been confirmed as compliant with European Union (EU) good manufacturing practice (GMP) for medical cannabis, allowing it to export its medicinal cannabis flower and extracts as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to pharmacies in the EU and select other markets. What makes our pharmaceutical grade product so unique and in demand is how pure it is. It is produced in the pristine environment of Lesotho, 2,000 metres above sea level, where the exceptionally clean air quality and our state-of-the-art facilities enable us to consistently produce a non-irradiated product that is on par with the highest quality in the world, says MG Healths chief executive officer, Andre Bothma. Proudly producing world-class medical cannabis Since starting with research and development in 2018, MG Health has looked to incorporate the many lessons learnt over the last five years to optimise its production for the global medical cannabis market and further support its in country distribution partners. Expanding our operations will not only increase our output but enable us to cultivate smaller batches at a higher frequency in order to react to changing conditions and provide a broader portfolio of curated genetics, says Luke van der Nest, MG Health's director of business development. It also helps that we have access to clean water and sufficient electricity and a business-friendly environment in Lesotho with a supportive regulatory framework. Contributing to local community development MG Health is supporting a large staffing complement in a remote, undeveloped part of Lesotho that also contributes to numerous business opportunities for local entrepreneurs. To date, the company has created close to 300 permanent jobs with the potential to significantly increase employment at full production. Most employees are from the surrounding communities, and many have been upskilled and trained with educational programmes. MG Health has executed numerous infrastructure projects for the benefit of the local villages. These include ablution-, clean water supply- and refuse-collection facilities. Once shoppers have narrowed down their selection they can compare up to three vehicles in detail via the innovative compare function, which facilitates comparisons of more than 30 criteria including dimensions, weights and capacities, a variety of engine specifications, tyre sizes and many more. The South African vehicle market offers motorists an unprecedented number of options with a myriad of manufacturers, models and derivatives to choose from. This variety is reflected in the pre-owned vehicle market too. Since its launch in 2020, the website motus.cars has revolutionised online vehicle-shopping in South Africa by listing all the cars, motorcycles and trucks available from more than 350 Motus dealerships around South Africa on one single website. With more than 10,000 cars alone on display in this online vehicle showroom, car shoppers are sure to find the exact vehicle for their current needs at the mileage and price that suits their pocket. What makes motus.cars different is that all vehicles listed on the motus.cars website are owned by Motus dealerships. As such there are no classified or private advertisements, allowing customers to shop with confidence in knowing that they are dealing with a reputable brand. The vehicles offered for sale on motus.cars include new, demo and used cars covering all the segments of the South African vehicle market and therefore offers unrivalled variety. Motus understands that peoples vehicle needs and wants change over time and the new motus.cars advertising campaign showcases that whatever car youre searching for you can find it on motus.cars and is centred around lifestyle choices and milestones. Motus.cars allows the group to list all our stock in one place, effectively making motus.cars SAs largest true online vehicle showroom, ensuring that motorists are almost guaranteed to find the right vehicle for their current needs. While this variety is great, it does mean that finding the right car for your requirements can be tricky. Fortunately, motus.cars allows users to search for the right car for their needs or current situation via 13 search filters. Once shoppers have narrowed down their selection they can compare up to three vehicles in detail via the innovative compare function, which facilitates comparisons of more than 30 criteria including dimensions, weights and capacities, a variety of engine specifications, tyre sizes and many more. This functionality allows motorists to decide for themselves which of the options on their shortlist are best for them and their needs based on real data. At the same time shoppers are also able to view pricing information and financing costs such as monthly instalments and payment terms, which allows motorists to understand what they are getting for their money in an unprecedented manner while facilitating an informed value for money decision. The Motus dealer network comprises in excess of 350 new and pre-owned dealerships representing the majority of the vehicle brands available in South Africa today. As such Motus is the biggest actual retailer of cars in South Africa. This position gives unprecedented access to actual vehicle pricing data and specifications and it is this data that is utilised as the basis of the compare function. The motus.cars website offers consumers everything they could ever need to make an informed vehicle purchasing decision in a simple, safe and convenient manner in one place. Motorists can search from a wide variety of new, used and demo vehicles at the same time in the same place and motus.cars is the only platform where consumers can accurately compare all these options based on actual vehicles listed for sale with one another. By Choo Jae-woo China is once again on Korea's back. Following President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the U.S. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to Seoul last month, China did not hesitate to issue a successive warning message that Korea's seemingly values-driven diplomacy is deteriorating already-damaged bilateral relations with Beijing. China felt provoked very much by President Yoon's stated opposition to a change in the status quo of the Taiwan Strait by force. Beijing defines the Taiwan question as one of its "core interests," meaning that any external interference is precluded and not tolerated. An array of criticisms and warnings naturally followed from the usual channel for the Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson, Chinese ambassador to Korea and on a unique occasion during a Chinese foreign ministry official visit to Seoul. China apparently is not too pleased with the way Korea is pursuing its foreign policy. China's displeasure comes from three factors. One is the impetus behind its drive towards the so-called "global pivotal state" policy. China sees the Yoon government's values- and ideology-driven policy to be bothersome for obvious reasons. Korea apparently upholds values and ideology opposite to China's. As a result, they will remain divisive on global and regional challenges as their understanding and perception of these challenges will continue to differ as long as the respective countries continue to hold different values and ideologies. The other is the Yoon government's diplomatic moves towards improving ties with Japan. Another is the consequence of this endeavor by the government. China perhaps has all the rights to be concerned about the prospective inception of a cooperative security entity that includes the U.S. Against this background, the visit by Liu Jinsong, director-general of the Department of Asian Affairs at the Chinese foreign ministry, to Seoul seemed to carry two missions. One is to facilitate the improvement of bilateral ties. The other is to address China's official position on its core national interests including the Taiwan question and critical concerns of areas. Although he was the first official to visit Korea since China's Vice President Wang Qishan did to attend President Yoon's inauguration May last year, Liu obviously had a stern warning message to deliver to his Korean counterpart. The Chinese director-general's warning is said to have gone to an unprecedented level. If the alleged report that he issued the so-called "four nos," China's intent was clear: To let Korea know who's boss. According to reports, the "four nos" are: no cooperation if China's "core interests" (such as the Taiwan issue) are interfered with; no cooperation if South Korea adopts a unilateral pro-U.S./pro-Japan foreign policy; no high-level exchanges (such as a state visit by President Xi Jinping to South Korea); and no initiative by South Korea in relation to North Korea as long as Seoul and Beijing remain at odds. In his public appearances, Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming has been a fervent advocate of China's core interests. He insists on Korea respecting them and other key concerns of his country such as Korea's deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile battery, Korea's pursuit of values-based diplomacy and trilateral military cooperation with Japan and the U.S. Additionally, Xing urges that Korea completely accept the "One China" policy. He, like his colleagues in the foreign ministry, bases the demand on the 1992 Joint Communique China and Korea signed when their relationship was normalized. For Beijing to make Seoul's commitment to "One China" valid and effective, it must also align with Korea's core interest. "One China" is righteously about respecting China's territorial integrity and sovereignty regarding the territory. In return, Korea also expects to receive the same treatment from China with respect to the same matters. It is also the reason why the Yoon government has found reciprocal respect as the baseline of its China policy. However, Beijing has allowed its jet fighters to make illegal entry into Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) on more than 600 different occasions since its drawing in 2013. It is responsible for People's Liberation Navy vessels straying over the maritime median line in the West Sea of Korea, which serves as an unofficial temporary maritime frontier as of today. Beijing owes Korea much explanation for violating Korea's territorial sovereignty. China criticizing Korea's values-driven diplomacy proves the absence of independence and autonomy in its decision-making. Rather it reveals Korea being susceptible to America's pressure to accept its view on China as an authoritarian state. Chinese criticism is offensive to Korea as a sovereign nation. Korea was born to be a democratic state, whereas China is a communist state. Chinese President Xi Jinping pronounced China's goal to become a modernized socialist powerhouse in 2012 and a timeline for that path in 2017. Since then, Beijing sees every aspect of competition with the U.S. as a competition between the two contrasting systems, i.e. capitalism versus socialism. China's mission is to prove to the world the superiority of socialism over capitalism. In light of the situation, Beijing now considers Korea's values-oriented foreign policy to be overexposed. China wants the world to respect a nation's right to choose its own path to development and political system for diverse reasons. That it fails to respect Korea's rights owes much explanation. Beijing has a lot of homework to do if it is sincere about improving ties with Seoul, instead of extending unilateral criticism. China must come forward as a responsible state as it would like to define itself. Choo Jae-woo (jwc@khu.ac.kr) is a professor of international relations at Kyung Hee University and director of the China Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Security. He was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. The Music Arena and Muziki Africa are thrilled to join forces and announce their partnership in delivering an exceptional conference and experience that will truly stimulate the African music industry. Through an engaging lineup of keynotes, round table discussions, market intelligence sessions, case studies, fireside chats, and workshops, the Muziki Africa Conference attendees will gain valuable insights and face the music on a wide range of industry topics, shaping the future of music in Africa and beyond. Taking place from 4-6 September 2023 as part of FAME Week Africa, The Music Arena presents the highly anticipated Muziki Africa Conference at the CTICC 2. This remarkable event will cover a diverse range of crucial subjects that impact the music industry today, creating a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration among music professionals, artists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. Here's why you should book your spot at the Muziki Africa Conference: Immerse yourself in the latest industry trends and emerging markets that revolutionise music consumption. Unlock the secrets of successful artist development and management, from branding to revenue streams. Embark on a transformative journey of personal and professional growth in music education and career development. Explore innovative recording techniques, software, and gear to elevate your musical creations. Harness the power of music as a catalyst for social change and justice, promoting diversity and addressing ethical issues. Discover the intricate relationship between music and media, unlocking new avenues for collaboration and promotion. Master essential aspects of the music business, including licensing, copyright, and entrepreneurship. Experience the captivating world of music synchronization, integrating your music into visual storytelling. Expand your network, gain invaluable insights, and shape the future of the African music industry. "The partnership between The Music Arena and Muziki Africa is a game-changer for the African music industry. Together, we aim to create a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration, fostering growth and innovation within the industry," says Antos Stella, CEO of The Music Arena. "The Muziki Africa Conference presented by The Music Arena, is an unparalleled opportunity for music professionals to contribute to the vibrant African music scene. We are excited to join forces with The Music Arena in delivering this exceptional event," adds Martin Hiller, portfolio director of FAME Week Africa. Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to be part of the Muziki Africa Conference, where the brightest minds in the music industry converge to share their knowledge, experiences, and insights. Elevate your music career, expand your network, and gain the tools you need to thrive in the ever-evolving music landscape. Contribute to the vibrant African music scene and shape the future of the industry. Connect, collaborate, and foster innovation with fellow music professionals, artists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. For more information on Muziki Africa visit our website. Missed last year, or just want to relive the magic, click here and here. Stay connected and up to date For more information about FAME Week Africa, visit www.fameweekafrica.com. For regular updates, follow @fameweekafrica and #HomeOfAfricanCreatives #fameweekafrica #mipafrica #muzikiafrica #ctiaf #mesa on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. On 25 May 2023, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica) recognised 13 of its members at its annual Chairman's Difference Makers Awards for making an indelible socio-economic impact. Among those honoured were David Shapiro, chief global equity strategist and Jeff van Rooyen, chief executive of Uranus Investment Holdings. Saicas board chairman, Vincent Motholo, says that the Chairmans Difference Makers Awards honour and recognise Saica members and associates who truly exemplify what it means to be difference makers. These individuals that we are honouring with an award have bridged the gap between being good and being excellent. They make a valuable contribution in shaping communities, while applying the highest standards of ethics, integrity and accountability. Saica CEO, Freeman Nomvalo, explains that Saica strongly believes that its members are the driving force behind creating a positive impact. Through their rigorous training and commitment to upholding high ethical standards, our members and associates are not only prepared for the future but also empowered to make a meaningful impact on both business and society. Central to their role is the understanding that they have a duty and responsibility to act in the best interest of the public. They are dedicated to remaining relevant and adaptable in an ever-changing landscape, playing pivotal roles within their organisations and communities. These individuals embody the core values of integrity and are driven by a genuine desire to effect positive change that benefits everyone, said Nomvalo. Motholo continues: As we contemplated the categories for this event, it became clear that we needed to recognise the diverse avenues through which our members and associates are making a difference. Consequently, we have identified 13 overarching themes that we believe encapsulate the purpose and impact our profession strives to achieve. These themes include innovation, forward-thinking, leadership in business, sustainability, integrity, and promoting the national interest, among others. The winners are as follows: Lifetime Achiever winner: Jeff van Rooyen Jeff van Rooyens list of professional achievements reflects his dedication and leadership in various domains. From his years as a sole practitioner and partner at Deloitte to his role as CEO of the Financial Services Board, he has consistently excelled in his career. Beyond his professional accomplishments, van Rooyen has made a significant impact on society. He is the founder and president of the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa (ABASA) and through his involvement in ABASA, CA Eden Trust and various NGOs, he has championed causes to create opportunities for Black accountants, promoting financial literacy and improving the lives of marginalised communities. His leadership style emphasises motivating and inspiring others, rallying around a shared vision and adhering to a strong set of values. Van Rooyens commitment to ethical behaviour and upholding his values has earned him a reputation of integrity and courage. Sustainability and SDG goals winner: Fayruz Mohamed, national chairperson at the South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF) A true champion of community empowerment and a beacon of change. Through her unwavering dedication, Fayruz Mohamed has made significant strides in welfare, food security, education development and financial inclusion for the underprivileged. Her remarkable passion for women empowerment led to the establishment of a National Women Empowerment Programme, inspiring countless individuals. As the first female national Chairperson of SANZAF, her commitment to the South African community shines brightly. Leadership in Governance: Linda de Beer, non-executive director and corporate governance specialist Linda de Beers commitment to governance excellence has earned her the prestigious leadership in governance award. As a seasoned professional, she has demonstrated exceptional expertise in driving effective governance practices and ensuring organisational integrity. Her visionary leadership has elevated standards, inspiring teams to embrace transparency, accountability and ethical decision-making. Her strategic acumen and ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, have positioned her as a role model in the profession. Patriotic Award: Roy Andersen, chief executive officer at Roy Pty The recipient of this award, Roy Andersen, has had an exceptional career. With a successful background in finance and leadership, he has held influential positions in organisations such as Ernst & Young, the JSE and Liberty Group. Through his visionary leadership and strategic expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the financial landscape of South Africa. Not only has he made significant contributions to the business sector, but he has also dedicated himself to military service, rising to the rank of major general and serving as chief defence reserves for the South African National Defence Force. Social Impact: David Shapiro, chief global equity strategist at Sasfin Securities David Shapiro has consistently worked to improve lives and make a positive difference. Through his philanthropic initiatives, Shapiro has addressed key societal issues, including poverty, education and healthcare. His innovative approaches created sustainable solutions, transforming the lives of countless individuals and communities. His leadership and advocacy have raised awareness and inspired action, amplifying the impact of his endeavours. This passion for social change and his ability to mobilise others makes him an exceptional recipient of this award. Academia and Education: Prof Amanda Dempsey, senior director at the UJ School of Accounting Prof Amanda Dempsey has excelled as a professor, inspiring and mentoring countless students. Her ground-breaking research has pushed the boundaries of knowledge and shaped academic discourse. Her leadership roles and active engagement with the academic community have further enriched the field. Moreover, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to societal impact through her involvement in community outreach and advocacy initiatives. Finance Leader: Nolwazi Mamorare, chief financial officer at UJ Despite many challenges, Nolwazi Mamorare continues to excel. A true Difference Maker, Mamorare is managing revenue in excess of R6bn, and has increased her employers reserves base from R1,65bn in 2018 to R3,17bn in 2023 to provide a solid and stable financial environment. She achieved this through innovative revenue growth and cost reduction, whilst not cutting back on investments in infrastructure and still providing incentives. Her impact on transforming lives through accessible education and her dedication to financial excellence is exemplary. CEO Award: Victor Sekese, chief executive at SNG Grant Thornton Victor Sekese has spearheaded initiatives that propelled the accountancy industry forward, leaving an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come. His ability to innovate, adapt and overcome challenges has fortified his position as a true pioneer, setting new benchmarks of excellence for his peers. Training Office: Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) Saica Training offices are key to educating and training future chartered accountants. The AGSA is overseeing 15 training offices spread over all nine provinces, managing learnerships for 1,100 SAICA trainees. Putting diversity at the forefront with 60% of the trainees in the current year being female, the AGSA is a leader in transforming and professionalising the industry and profession as one of the biggest contributors of 1,534 CAs(SA). Retaining over 500 young professionals over the past two years, they contribute to the international community, private and public sectors with their professionals leaving the organisation to continue making an impact. Public Sector: Mabatho Sedikela, head of audit at the AGSA Mabatho Sedikela is serving the country through her unwavering commitment to public service excellence and her transformative contributions to the sector. As Head of Audit Provincial, leading local government at the AGSA, Mabatho has served the public sector with distinction in various capacities, including the Accounting Standards Board, the South African Development Community Audit Committee, and the Board of External Auditors for the African Union, to mention a few. She was recognised by ABASA as Public Sector Woman Executive of the Year in 2021; and awarded for Outstanding Leadership Commitment by the AGSA in 2019. Excellence in Economic Development: Makole Mupita, founder and executive director: Mahlako a Phahla Investments Makole Mupita is making a significant impact on the South African economy in the vital domains of infrastructure and energy. As founder and executive director of a ground-breaking R1,5bn fund, she is committed to investing in businesses and energy projects with immense growth potential throughout the value chain. Embracing the transformative power of energy, Mupita champions a future where women play pivotal roles in the sector, reshaping the energy landscape. Through the Mahlako energy fund, they steadfastly work towards achieving the SDG goals. Future Focused: Stuart van der Veen, partner at Platform Investments Stuart van der Veen is a trailblazer who is unafraid to venture into unchartered technology territories. From the inception of a ground-breaking capital vehicle focusing on tech advancements, to his pivotal role as chief platform officer at Aerobotics, Stuarts commitment to exciting ventures that serve humanity illuminates the path towards a brighter tomorrow. Through his roles, he has harnessed innovation to revolutionise the crop industry. Today, he sits on the boards of Open Fiber USA and HyperFiber, actively deploying fibre to homes in America. He focuses his energy on projects that both excite him and also serve the world around him. Small or medium practice: Erick Liebenberg, managing director at The Core Group The Core Group has had an impact on the way that more than 90 accounting branches nationwide are running their audit and accounting practices. The association enables small practitioners to compete with larger businesses by providing a trusted environment for sharing knowledge and resources. It is represented in 91 cities, including about 1,200 employees and 200 practitioners and senior managers. Many of these branches play a material role in their local communities in the areas of schools, orphanages, shelters and career guidance. Motholo concluded: Each of the nominees of the Difference Makers Awards has exemplified the values of integrity, excellence and leadership that define our profession. There is no doubt in my mind that together, we can shape a future that transcends boundaries, unlocks opportunities, and positively impacts our society. Congratulations again to all the nominees and deserving recipients of the Saica Chairman Difference Makers Awards. The inaugural Harvesting Heritage Culinary Competition, held on Saturday, 27 May 2023, at Brooklyn Bridge in Pretoria featured many unsung heritage and indigenous foods that until a generation ago were staples in many South African homes, including mabele, morogo, delele, dinawa, ditloo, ditlhodi, lerotse and legapu, among others. Ten chefs, all based in Gauteng, were each tasked to create a dish featuring some of these and other local ingredients in novel and interesting ways. Source: Supplied The competition, supported by Nederburg and established with two NGOs and the South African Chefs' Association, was conceived to bring indigenous ingredients back to the front and centre of professional hospitality and home cooking. The producers concerned have been working with two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to conserve traditional farming methods and upskill farmers for some time. Harvesting Heritage is an organisation that works to safeguard and maintain local heritage ingredients, cuisine, and culture, and SocioTech Broad-Based Livelihoods is an organisation that helps people become economically productive where they are with what they have. Jackie Olivier, senior marketing spokesperson for Nederburg, says creating the competition was a way to highlight the ingredients, their nutritional value and versatility, both to the professional cheffing community and to home cooks. "The event also gives credit to the supplier growers, who have found ways to earn a living, feed themselves, their families, and their communities. And, through the awareness generated by the competition, we see potential new markets emerging for them as far afield as Gauteng." As a collaborator, Nederburg also supplied the wines for the entire project. Chefs were introduced to the range at our initial workshop in March focusing on indigenous produce. Then, for the competition itself and the dining experience for which the public could buy tickets, award-winning sommelier Moses Magwaza chose the wines. He and winemaker Zinaschke Steyn also ran wine and food pairing workshops at the competition venue for the public throughout the day. While a panel of accredited chefs judged the competing dishes based on their flavour, integration with other ingredients, originality and overall presentation, members of the public who attended the culinary dinner, where the same ten dishes were served, chose their favourite dish of the day. Wandile Mabaso, who was declared the winner by the professional panel, made beef shin biltong mousse, with mopane textures, pumpkin and rosemary puree, eggplant and bone marrow caviar, beef jus smoked in impepho, cabbage chutney and caramelised onion. He also earned the award for best prime cut dish. The peoples favourite dish was created by Mzwandile (Hector) Mnyayisa. It was slow-braised BBQ brisket, jugo bean cassoulet, and sauteed morogo, served on cilantro/coriander flatbread. Meanwhile, Andile Somdaka achieved the award for best offal dish with his beef tallow pastry filled with sweet lerotse pudding. Best plating, judged by Continental, went to Napo Ramaili and Themba Chauke. "The judges were thrilled with the talent and inventiveness of all the competitors. Theyve shown how delicious our indigenous flavours are and why we need to celebrate them," says Olivier. The produce used by the competitors was supplied mainly by eco-growers from Strydkraal, in the Greater Sekhukhune district of Limpopo. South African broadcaster, author and political analyst Eusebius McKaiser passed away suddenly on 30 May 2023 at the age of 45. Eusebius McKaiser. Source: 702. News of his death reverberated through media channels. Tributes bore witness to the impact of his voice and the enduring significance of radio as the medium through which many first encountered his outspoken, insightful commentary. McKaiser blazed a trail that helped inform public debate in contemporary South Africa.Radio in South Africa has long been acknowledged as a significant arena for engaging in meaningful public discourse. This is extensively documented in scholarly literature. This includes my own work as a scholar of rhetoric in South African media.McKaisers career played out in a particular historical context. South Africas airwaves were freed after democracy in 1994. Before this the state had tightly controlled radio during apartheid, silencing black voices and imposing strict censorship when they were eventually given airtime. As a medium that amplifies diverse voices and encourages active participation, radio has become a vital catalyst for social change. It empowers individuals to contribute to a more inclusive and democratic society. Talk radio, in particular, stands out as a means of engaging citizens in what scholars have termeddial-in democracy. Within this landscape, McKaiser emerged on radio in 2010 as a transformative force. He transcended the boundaries of a traditional radio broadcaster to become known as public intellectual, knowledgeable and highly engaged in public issues and debates. Public intellectual As an openly gay person, McKaiser used his platform to staunchly advocate for the protection of same-sex rights. South African academic and author Pumla Dineo Gqola she notes his role as an outspoken thinker on South African life: On his show, he was unapologetic about naming white supremacist power no matter how hard it masked itself. Describing his public cultural impact, Gqola has outlined McKaisers depth as a thinker, eloquence as a communicator and unwavering conviction as a citizen. She homes in on the important ways in which he helped confront the violence that characterises life in South Africa: He modelled an unwavering determination to undoing violence in wide-ranging gestures. Whether he held fire to the feet of employers who expelled women who spoke out about sexual harassment, or refused to accept bureaucratic doublespeak while people were trapped in poverty, he was firm Talk radio career McKaiser was a star academic scholar in philosophy and law, followed by work stints in corporate and academic spaces. His commercial radio career began with his late-night show Politics and Morality on 702, the largest English commercial station in South Africa with around 700,000 listeners. Here he introduced South Africans to his unique brand of persuasive moral philosophy, using words as tools of action to spark critical conversations. The show prompted listeners to think deeper about their preconceived notions and engage in nuanced discussions on topics ranging from religion to politics. It mastered what some talk radio scholars describe as a platform for deliberation which is akin to the idea of a public sphere. McKaiser went on to host the popular Talk at Nine, simulcast on 702s sister station Cape Talk. This was followed by The Eusebius McKaiser Show on talk radio station Power FM.Through candid interviews with influential figures, compassionate dialogues with victims of injustice, and engaging discussions on books and popular culture, McKaiser deployed his eloquence and depth of thought to shape everyday dialogue and contribute to the cultural fabric of the time. Social justice His brand of broadcasting was what media scholars have termed the advocative-radical. These voices do not see themselves as neutral and objective observers, but rather as participants in political discourse who bring their own particular worldview to the discussion. This compels them to act as adversaries and the voice of those whose voices have been muted. They strive to amplify ordinary peoples perspectives in mass media discourse. One of the traits that set McKaiser apart was his ability to move beyond reliance on listener calls. He provided deep thinking, meaningful content of his own. His approach was not without critics. Some would accuse him of being confrontational and aggressive in his interviewing style. Others found fault with his tendency to make sweeping generalisations or oversimplify complex issues. His departure from 702 in 2020, reportedly due to inadequate resource allocation, sparked passionate debates on social media. This demonstrated the impact he had on the public. Even after his passing, people from all corners of society, including those who disagreed with him, continue to praise McKaisers insights and fearless approach. Fortunately, his critical voice lives on through another powerful medium: podcasting. Podcast star In The Ring With Eusebius McKaiser provided a platform for McKaisers voice to continue to be heard when he left traditional radio broadcasting. Since its launch in 2021, the podcast has accumulated over 150 thought-provoking episodes, engaging audiences and challenging the norms of discourse. The fact that a broadcaster of McKaisers stature turned to podcasting exemplifies how online audio platforms are reshaping the way broadcasters actively empower listeners to become co-creators of content, amplifying their voices and creating a more inclusive public sphere. Legacy McKaisers own view of his broadcasting work was to get public debate going about these issues which affect all of us in our private lives. And he certainly did. His journey as a radio broadcaster in South Africa exemplifies the power and potential of the medium to shape public discourse and deepen democracy. With activism coursing through his veins and intellect guiding his words, McKaiser demonstrated that the voice of the radio host could reverberate beyond the airwaves.Reflecting on McKaisers radio career means to recognise the mediums immense influence in shaping society, prompting citizens to question, engage, and ultimately contribute to a more inclusive and vibrant democracy. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The International Air Transport Association (Iata) reported that passenger traffic demand continued to be strong in April 2023. "April continued the strong traffic trend we saw in the 2023 first quarter. The easing of inflation and rising consumer confidence in most OECD countries combined with declining jet fuel prices, suggests sustained strong air travel demand and moderating cost pressures," says Willie Walsh, Iata's director general. In April 2023, total traffic (measured in revenue passenger kilometres, or RPKs) grew 45.8% over April 2022. Global traffic is presently 90.5% of what it was prior to the introduction of Covid. The industry load factor was only 1.8 percentage points lower than the pre-pandemic level, at 81.3%. Domestic traffic grew 42.6% year-on-year in April and has now recovered completely, with a 2.9% increase over April 2019 figures. International traffic climbed 48.0% from April 2022 to April 2023, with healthy growth in all markets and Asian carriers continuing to lead the recovery. International RPKs are currently trading at 83.6% of their April 2019 levels. International passenger markets Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 192.7% increase in April 2023 traffic compared to April 2022. Capacity climbed 145.3% and the load factor increased by 13.2 percentage points to 81.6%. European carriers had a 22.6% traffic rise versus April 2022. Capacity rose 16.0%, and load factor climbed 4.5 percentage points to 83.3%, which was the second highest among the regions. Middle Eastern airlines posted a 38.0% traffic increase compared to April a year ago. Capacity climbed 27.8% and load factor rose 5.6 percentage points to 76.2%. North American carriers traffic climbed 34.8% in April 2023 versus the 2022 period. Capacity increased 26.5%, and the load factor rose 5.2 percentage points to 83.8%, which was the highest among the regions. North American international traffic is now fully recovered, with RPKs 0.4% above April 2019 levels. Latin American airlines saw a 25.8% traffic increase compared to the same month in 2022. April capacity climbed 26.4% and the load factor slipped 0.4 percentage points to 83.1%. African airlines traffic rose 53.5% in April 2023 versus a year ago, the second highest among the regions. April capacity was up 50.0% and the load factor climbed 1.6 percentage points to 69.8%, the lowest among the regions. Domestic passenger markets Chinas domestic traffic rose 536.2% in April compared to a year ago and surpassing the April 2019 levels by 6.0%. US airlines domestic demand climbed 5.5% in April and was 3.3% above the April 2019 levels. "Heading into the Northern Hemisphere peak travel season, aircraft and airports are full of people eager to make use of their travel freedoms. Airlines are working hard to accommodate them with a smooth travel experience despite continuing supply chain shortages and other operational challenges. Sadly, some governments appear keener on punitive regulation than on doing their part to enable hassle-free travel. "The Dutch governments high-handed effort to slash capacity at Schiphol airport is a prime example. And then we have a focus on EU-style passenger rights regulation that is spreading like a contagion. Proponents of this approach miss a key fact. EU 261 has not led to a reduction in delays. Thats because penalising airlines raises airline costs but does not address delays caused by factors over which airlines have no control, such as inefficient air traffic management or staffing shortages at air navigation service providers. "The single best thing that Europe could do to improve the travel experience is deliver the Single European Sky. As for other governments contemplating passenger rights regulations, avoiding a repeat of Europes mistake would be a helpful starting point. "In just a few days, leaders of the global aviation community will gather in Istanbul at the 79th Iata Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit. Regulation and other key issues, including the critical topic of sustainability, will be on the agenda," says Walsh. The six-month extension period for the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) is concluding on 30 June 2023 and it is closer than you may think. The Minister of Home Affairs extended the validity of the ZEPs in a directive issued on 2 September 2022. The content of the directive can be viewed here. ZEP holders who have not had the opportunity to apply for a waiver and/or visa application, as set out in the Immigration Act 13 of 2002 (Immigration Act), are encouraged to do so in the short window of opportunity remaining before 30 June 2023. ZEP holders who fail to make such applications before the deadline will be required to depart from South Africa on or before 30 June 2023, voluntarily and lawfully. Those who remain in South Africa without complying with the current concession may face deportation. Employers who hire foreign nationals should prepare to face increasing scrutiny by the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) through intensified inspections, known as 'blitzes', to crack down on non-compliance with labour and immigration laws once the extension period lapses. Temporary concessions discussed in a recent Webber Wentzel alert may aid certain ZEP holders, however such concessions only apply to applicants in certain categories who lodged their applications before 31 March 2023 and who are still awaiting an outcome. The decision to discontinue the ZEP received extensive backlash and is now the subject of multiple court challenges. The first challenge was brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation together with the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa. Legal counsel for the Minister of Home Affairs contend that ZEP holders were informed in writing with 18 months' notice that the programme would come to an end. The review application challenging the Minister of Home Affair's decision to terminate the ZEPs was heard by a full bench in April 2023 and judgment is currently reserved. The ZEP allows approximately 178,000 Zimbabwean citizens to reside, work and study in South Africa, which has been in place in various forms since 2009. The reason to challenge the termination of ZEPs in court, is to determine whether the Minister of Home Affairs' decision was procedurally fair and/or rational. The Webber Wentzel Immigration team are monitoring directives issued by the Department of Home Affairs and await the High Court's ruling to report on further developments on the status of ZEP holders in South Africa. By Lee Jong-eun This year's spring has been a busy time of bilateral diplomacy between South Korea and Japan. In March, South Korean President Yoon Seok Yeol visited Japan to meet Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, marking the first bilateral summit in 12 years. The summit revived shuttle diplomacy between the two heads of state. In early May, Kishida visited South Korea for another summit and invited Korea's president again to Japan to participate in the G7 Summit later that month. During the G7 Summit, the two leaders visited a memorial in Hiroshima commemorating the Korean victims of the atomic bomb. A number of international press and policy experts have positively evaluated the diplomacy between Yoon and Kishida to overcome historical as well as contemporary tensions between their two countries. The proponents of improved Korea-Japan relations have expressed hope that the two leaders will continue to show proactive leadership in strengthening the bilateral partnership over economic and security areas. Several observers have even compared Yoon-Kishida diplomacy to the diplomacy between President Kim Dae-jung and Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in the late 90s, attributed as having achieved major diplomatic breakthrough in bilateral relations. There are also skeptics who have doubts about the durable success of the recent shuttle diplomacy. Recalling the cycles of rapprochement and conflicts that have characterized contemporary Korea-Japan relations, skeptical observers have expressed reservations that the next incident of bilateral dispute or controversy could halt or even reverse the progress from the two leaders' diplomatic endeavors. For example, suppose South Korean domestic politics rally against the discharge of "treated" wastewater from Fukushima's nuclear plants into the ocean? Or suppose nationalist elements within Japan's domestic politics advocate vocally for territorial claims over South Korea's Dokdo islets? For Yoon and Kishida to succeed in establishing durable "future-oriented" bilateral relations, the two leaders face challenges from their respective domestic politics. And weaker the leader's political standing is within his country, the less political leverage he will have in restraining the domestic opposition to pursue substantive foreign policy actions. For international negotiators, domestic political constraints on foreign policy negotiations are commonly described as a "two-level game." However, an important characteristic of the two-level game, often overlooked, is that foreign policy negotiations may provide policymakers with opportunities to overcome domestic political gridlocks. With foreign policy successes, the ruling government may gain political leverage to consolidate its domestic governance and policies. Prime Minister Kishida benefited politically from the outcome of his bilateral diplomacy with President Yoon. Early this year, Kishida's government faced low public approval and criticisms for Japan's slow economic growth. Japan's domestic politics, however, have positively evaluated Kishida's outgoing diplomacies in the spring, including meeting with President Yoon, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy, and the hosting of the G7 Summit. As a result, Kishida's approval poll has risen to over 50 percent, strengthening his leadership over the ruling party and domestic politics. The improvement in his popularity has bolstered Kishida's political agenda and has also expanded his political leeway in international diplomacy. During his visit to Korea, Kishida expressed personal remorse for the Korean victims of Japan's forced labor. At G7 Summit, Kishida became the first Japanese Prime Minister to commemorate Korean victims of the atomic bombings in Japan. Though these gestures might not be sufficient for the South Korean domestic political sentiment, they are indicators of Kishida's increased independence from the constraints of a more hardline faction within his government. President Yoon, however, has not yet benefited politically from his diplomacy with Japan. The majority of South Korean domestic politics disapproved of Yoon's first summit with Kishida for making too many concessions. Even though the next series of shuttle diplomacy received more positive evaluations, Yoon's political approval has improved only marginally, hovering around 40 percent in the polls. Japanese policymakers' common criticism of South Korea has been that the latter's foreign policy toward Japan frequently vacillates because of domestic political pressures. Japanese policymakers, however, should then ask themselves whether they could have been more effective in supporting their Korean counterparts who favor cooperative partnerships with Japan. Despite domestic criticisms, Yoon's government made concessions at the first bilateral summit, in part, based on a calculation to strengthen more moderate Kishida's leadership over more hardline members within Japan's domestic politics. For the durable success of the bilateral partnership, however, the two governments should be mutually successful. If Japanese policymakers desire the diplomatic progress from the Yoon-Kishida partnership to continue, then Kishida's government should be proactive in supporting Yoon's government to become perceived as successful in the eyes of South Korean domestic politics. For Kishida's government, supporting Yoon's government entails "denial of sticks, providing of crowns." Kishida's government should deny South Korean domestic opposition "sticks" to condemn Yoon's government's diplomacy toward Japan. Restraining the members of the Japanese government from provoking memories of historical grievance, is Kishida's responsibility in mitigating the South Korean government's vulnerability to domestic political backlash. The success of the Kishida-Yoon partnership also depends on Japan's commitment to Yoon's foreign policy success in returning with "crowns" of achievements to South Korean domestic politics. Japan's endorsement of South Korea's hosting of the 2030 World Expo; the candidacy for a nonpermanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2024-2025 could be tangible demonstrations of Japan's support for its neighbor's rise as a "global pivotal state." Will the Yoon-Kishida partnership achieve a durable Korea-Japan partnership? Or would it repeat the past patterns of progress and setbacks in bilateral relations? Only time will tell, but what is clear is that each leader has a stake in ensuring the success of the other partner. Though political constraints of the "two-level game" are still present, may the two leaders succeed in using their foreign policy partnership to transform together their countries' domestic politics. Lee Jong-eun (jl4375a@student.american.edu), a Ph.D. candidate, is an adjunct faculty member at the American University School of International Service. His research specialties include U.S. foreign policy, South Korean politics and foreign policy, alliance management and East Asian regional security. The proposals include the appointment of a chief regulator who will be empowered to decide whether online content including social media posts is harmful. To do so, he will be empowered to make up his own guidelines without the input of parliament. The proposals will also allow fines exceeding NZ$200,000 to be levied on those who dont comply with his ideas. By Dr. Guy Hatchard What Exactly Will the Regulators Draconian Powers Replace? Well of course free speech the right to speak your mind will be off the table. In other words, the ordinary process of discourse will be muted by the fear of arbitrary punishment. This will supersede the NZ Bill of Rights, which was designed to guarantee our freedom of thought, conscience, expression, and religion. The proposals will compromise the right to remain innocent until proven guilty. In other words, a person we have never met in a remote bureaucratic office can pronounce us guilty and silence us, regardless of circumstances and truth. It will be the rule of little minds. It will replace the process of science and the gathering of evidence with the vagaries of uninformed opinion. It will remove our right to cross-examine any accusers. It will replace the rule of specific laws passed by an elected parliament after due discussion, which set out the limits to behaviour in writing, with the capricious decisions of an individual subject to all the usual individual failings including vulnerability to influence, money, power, and mistaken ideas. These are all principles which have underpinned our way of life for centuries. The proposed censorship threatens to take us back to the Middle Ages when you could find out whether the wise woman village herbalist was a witch or not by asking your local misogynist wizard. This proposed legislation has all the hallmarks of a parliament intent on extending its powers, preserving its majority, protecting itself from criticism, and isolating itself from ordinary people. A parliament that has miserably failed to keep up with covid science publishing, instead persisting with slogan politics, under a leader who struggles to define a biological woman. So Where Did This Madness Originate? For the last hundred years, it has not escaped insightful social commentators that at some point humankind would become subject to ruthless power and nameless technology. Visionaries include film director Fritz Lang, writers Franz Kafka, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, and many others since. Frank Herbert writing in 1965 wrote in Dune: Men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted the men with machines to enslave them In the prehistory of Dunes fictional world, a war driven by technology led to a revolution and the creation of a new generation of schools which trained human minds to fully develop. This is not without very real lessons for us today. The widespread use of computers in schools and businesses has trained the whole population to accept the word of computers controlled by invisible hands with suspect motives. Even the Most Sophisticated Computers Cannot Sort Right from Wrong We all laughed readily at the TV parody in Little Britain the computer says no, little realising how deep the authority of computers was establishing itself in our daily lives. Education has historically been fundamentally a person-to-person process with opportunities to ask questions. We all remember that one teacher who resonated more than the others. The replacement of many functions of teachers with computers has impoverished education. It has trained us to accept and learn a rote answer. It has taught us that if we disagree with the official answer, we are always wrong. Fundamentally, the educational process has diverged from the ordinary process of thinking. Computers have important limitations. They are based on binary architecture Yes or No, Right or Wrong. Human thinking allows for a nuanced middle way, computers struggle to do so. In fact, real physical processes evolve in a virtual abstract Hilbert space of all possible paths. Physical law is constantly calculating a path of least action and it is capable of entertaining multiple possibilities and postponing any decision affecting an impending event until the last possible moment. Nature thinks like we actually do it explores before deciding, it remembers the past, it entertains immutable truths and it can create. No computer can think originally like that, it is controlled by inputs and limited by its binary construction. In fact, computers can be trained to lie, and it is happening all around us today. A lawyer at a New York law firm has admitted using ChatGPT to source relevant prior court decisions which bolstered his case. The court discovered they were bogus, just imaginative creations of a form of artificial intelligence programmed to try to please. Regulation is Already in the Hands of Manipulated Computers Any regulator, empowered to decide what is right or wrong in the modern era, will ultimately rely on the advice of computers programmed, as Frank Herbert suggested, by people who wish to enslave the world. Government offices are plumbed into international networks and databases providing ready-made content, opinions, and decisions. Networks funded by mega corporations or political power bases with suspect motivations guided by profit and foreign ideology. The spectacle of Kiri Allan, Minister of Justice, reading the wrong speech to a nodding Parliament this week says it all. She was supposed to be speaking in support of the third reading of the Freedom Camping Bill, instead, she read from a speech in support of the second reading of the Self-Contained Motor Vehicles bill. Only two opposition MPs noticed the error. Minister Allan was oblivious. Her eventual excuse given to the NZ Herald: I was handed the wrong speech. It is not too far a stretch to realise that the New Zealand Parliament has been handed covid policy to enact without question, sleepwalking the country to economic ruin, social polarisation, and record levels of hospitalisation and excess deaths. Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a scientific paper warning that covid vaccines could play a role in the development of multiple sclerosis (watch a detailed report HERE). So, this is from WHO, one of the worlds most pro-vaccine organisations, but still, the computerised fact checkers immediately screamed false they had been pre-programmed to negate any doubts about covid vaccine safety. This is the kind of programmable world in which politicians feel comfortable. A world in which opinion is regulated and inconvenient truth is cancelled at will. Timothy Snyders book On Tyranny expresses it very well: To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then no one can criticise power, because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights. The dangers are not minor, Heinrich Heine writing exactly 200 years ago in his book In Der Fremde in a foreign land, presciently wrote: Where they have burned books, they will end up burning human beings. Parliament now wishes to legislate for the control of New Zealands voice, our voice. They are pressing the mute button. Where that ultimately leads and where we are all eventually left will doubtless be an inhospitable landscape. Contact the Free Speech Union and join your voice to theirs in opposition to the proposed legislation to impose a straightjacket on our right to think for ourselves. About the Author Guy Hatchard, PhD, was formerly a senior manager at Genetic ID a global food testing and safety company (now known as FoodChain ID). You can subscribe to his websites HatchardReport.com and GLOBE.GLOBAL for regular updates by email. GLOBE.GLOBAL is a website dedicated to providing information about the dangers of biotechnology. One of the most common strategies used by the political left to attack 2nd Amendment supporters is to ramp up the anti-gun hype every time a crime involving a gun is committed. They dont care much about the tragedy itself, they only care about how they can use it for political gain. However, its very important to understand that this is not only about removing gun rights for leftists Its also about creating a false association in the public consciousness that guns = crime. That is to say, they want to condition people to believe that once guns are gone, crime and murder will be gone also. But, firearms have been an integral part of American society for hundreds of years, and gun ownership has been present through times of relative peace as well as times of increased violence. In the case of countries like the UK with incredibly strict gun laws, muggings, rape and homicides have been rising with knife attacks in particular increasing by 80%. While it is technically more difficult to murder a person with a knife, its also a lot easier for larger, stronger assailants and gangs to succeed in harming people when those people have no equalizer. Disarmament makes life EASIER for criminals, not harder. So, if guns are not the catalyst for rising violence, then what is? In reality, the very people who want guns taken from the hands of law abiding Americans are the same people largely responsible for the spike in homicide rates. Imagine that In the US, violent crimes and murders are exponentially higher in Democrat run cities, many of them with increased gun control measures. In fact, of the top 30 most violent cities in the US, 27 of them are Democrat controlled. Wherever leftists dominate politically, violence, theft, rape and murder are sure to follow. Anti-gun proponents often try to cite high homicide numbers in certain conservative states like Texas, but the majority of those crimes are actually committed in cities run by leftists. The truth is, blue cities are dragging red states and the rest of the country down. According to the statistics, in theory, if the public was to replace all Democrat city politicians with conservative leadership murder rates would immediately plunge across the US by virtue of policy. But what is it specifically about Democrat leadership that leads to far higher crime? There are other trends to consider, such as incarceration rates in any given state or county, severity of punishment for violent crimes and repeat offenders, and lets not forget a subject a lot of people dont want to talk about The separation of the mentally ill from the rest of society. Leftists often support revolving door policies for criminals, reduced sentences for violent crime (if the perpetrator is a minority) and they are adamantly opposed to incarceration for those with dangerous mental illness. Theyre happy to take away the 2nd Amendment rights of innocent Americans, but they have no interest in keeping criminals in prison or keeping mentally unstable people away from normal society. Perhaps because their goal is NOT to reduce violence, but to use exponential violence in society as a reason to erode the constitution. Incarceration does in fact work, far better that gun control does. But in order to understand the incarceration rate and its effectiveness in stopping violence, we have to look at two systems simultaneously Prison incarceration and mental asylum incarceration. The following data shows US incarceration per capita in various prison systems for the past century: The next graph shows homicide rates per capita for between 1900 to around 2010 And this graph shows homicide rates from the 1960s up to the 2020s. One issue that is immediately noticeable is that prison numbers spiked massively starting in the mid-1980s, after which homicide rates began to plunge. Also note that less incarceration in the early 1900s coincides with much higher murder rates across the nation. But what about that dip in murders from the 1930s to the 1960s? What caused that? Well, its not necessarily an economic problem as many progressives might suggest. The country was hitting peak prosperity in the 1920s and murder rates were still sky high. On the opposite end, the system was still in depression turmoil in the 1930s to 1940s, but homicide rates plunged. So, what caused violent crime to fall in that era? The only factor that seems to coincide with this period of relative peace is the sudden increase in psychiatric incarceration from around the 1930s onward. While prison rates remained low and mostly static between the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s, the number of mental asylums holding dangerous patients was growing. And, like magic, violence in the US dropped off a cliff. By extension, as asylums began to shut down in the 1970s, murders jumped back once again to record highs. Without asylums and with low prison incarceration, homicides spread like wildfire and it did not stop until the mid-1980s when prison rates spiked. In other words, the prison system and the legal system had to finally pick up the slack left behind as the mental asylums disappeared. Finally, take note of the recent jump in homicides and violence in the past few years in graph #3 It matches almost exactly with falling incarceration trends in Graph #1. This has been mostly encouraged by Democrat policies in blue cities and blue states. Also keep in mind that the Democrats of today are part of a new woke cultism They are not necessarily the same Democrats from 30 years ago. Woke Democrats want all barriers to criminal activity removed, including incarceration. Furthermore, mental illness in the US is on the rise. Over 42% of Gen Z has been diagnosed with at least one mental health condition and psychiatric drugs are doing little to help. We have minimal mental illness facilities in place to deal with the influx of unstable people permeating society. We are about to REPEAT the pattern of the early 1900s, with a lower prison population and no asylums, violence will likely continue to spiral out of control. To be sure, in the past there were some terrible practices involving mental health establishments and it doesnt do anyone any good to repeat those mistakes. In the early days of psychiatry they caste a wide net that caught a lot of dangerous people, but they also locked up anyone with marginal mental problems as well. This led to abuses. That said, its foolish to dismiss the numbers; asylums worked. They helped to reduce murders dramatically. At least 1% of the human population has psychopathic traits (including lack of empathy) and these people cause at least 30% of all crime in the US. At least 3% of the human population exhibits psychotic tendencies, which means they are prone to abrupt violence without treatment. Something has to be done to address the mentally unstable in our nation. Their odds of recidivism are extremely high, and they will keep on committing the same crimes over and over again until they are stopped. This is the elephant in the room that the political left doesnt want to talk about. They try to hide it with social justice platitudes and feel-good welfare programs, but these things are clearly useless. Separating dangerous and insane people from the rest of the population is the only sure method for saving lives in the long run and keeping civilization intact. The solution is simple and two-fold: Get rid of leftist leaders in major cities that set violent repeat offenders free, and bring back mental health facilities to lock up the crazies if necessary. This is the ONLY WAY to stop the avalanche of violent crime that awaits Americans as the next few years unfold. If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda, subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch. Learn more about it HERE. The everything bubble is nearing the end and retirement savers must take action! Why? Because inflation is eating away at your savings like a financial cancer with NO CURE! And the everything bubble could also tank your stock portfolio when it pops. So is there anything you can do? YES! A Gold IRA is the best move for retirement security. To see why, Click here to get a FREE info kit from Birch Gold Group about Gold IRAs. (This comes with NO obligation or strings attached.) The U.S. government has given Chinese and Russian entities at least $1.3 billion for various research programs over the past five years, according to an analysis released Wednesday by Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and watchdog group Open the Books. The analysis revealed that millions of taxpayer dollars have been given to, among others, a Chinese software developer for military tech support, a Russian health insurance provider that has since been sanctioned and Chinese agriculture companies. And it showed the federal government gave $2 million, more than previously reported, to the Chinese state-run Wuhan lab studying bat coronaviruses. "Washingtons continued spending is so out of hand, it is losing track of Americans hard-earned taxpayer dollars, but I am creating accountability for every penny," Ernst said in a statement after releasing the report. "It is gravely concerning that no one in Washington can actually account for millions sent to Russia and China for pointless projects," the Iowa Republican continued. "But I have the receipts. Im shining a light on this reckless spending, so bureaucrats can no longer cover up their tracks and taxpayers can know exactly what their hard-earned dollars are funding." In addition to releasing the analysis, Ernst introduced the Tracking Receipts to Adversarial Countries for Knowledge of Spending (TRACKS) Act that would require all federal funding for organizations in China and Russia to be tracked and disclosed. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., who chairs the China Select Committee, introduced companion legislation in the House. Overall, using data obtained from the Congressional Research Service, Ernst and Open the Books tracked $490 million in U.S. grants and contracts paid to Chinese entities and another $870 million paid to Russian entities. The Government Accountability Office previously estimated the U.S. funneled just $48 million to Chinese entities over the five-year period ending in 2021. According to Ernst's analysis, one program, a $58.7 million State Department grant, included giving a Chinese organization, Beijing-based Crossroads Cultural Communication, $96,875 for "gender equality" through the exhibition of New Yorker magazine cartoons. "To increase awareness on gender equality and women empowerment through an exhibition of works by women cartoonists of the New Yorker Magazine in China," the 2021 grant description states. Shigeo Fujii, president of Epson Korea, speaks during a press conference at JW Marriott Seoul hotel, Monday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul By Baek Byung-yeul Epson Korea launched a multifunctional printer in the country's business-to-business market that uses less electricity with an enhanced maintenance performance feature and emits less carbon dioxide, the company said Monday. "Last fall, Epson announced Epson Purpose, which is aimed at enriching people and the planet with the value it creates through highly efficient, ultra-compact and ultra-precise technologies. The purpose is to demonstrate the value Epson brings to society for a new era," Shigeo Fujii, president of Epson Korea, said during a press conference in Seoul. "Epson offers products that can save energy with its unique technology that is ultra-compact and highly precise. Together with our customers, we contribute to the improvement of a decentralized society by reducing CO2 and improving working conditions," he added. Epson Korea's AM-C series multifunction printer is on display at a new product announcement event held at JW Marriott Seoul hotel, Monday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul Feature: Chinese journalists in India tormented by visa hassle Xinhua) 13:12, June 05, 2023 BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese journalists have been subjected to unfair and discriminatory treatment in India. In 2016, three journalists from Xinhua News Agency were forced to return to China due to difficulties in renewing their visas. Recently, several other Chinese journalists in India were forced to leave the country after being denied visa renewals. I am one of them. In February 2017, I was dispatched to India as the chief of Xinhua News Agency New Delhi branch, and stayed there for six years since then. As it is easily understood, a long stay in the host country is conducive to a correspondent's work, but it has become an excuse for the Indian side to turn him or her away. On March 15, the Indian Foreign Ministry told me via email that I had to leave India before March 31 because I had stayed in the country for too long. Actually, I submitted the application to the Indian Foreign Ministry in early February for renewing my visa, which was due to expire on March 7. As the deadline approached, I reached out to the Indian Foreign Ministry many times but received no reply except the final notice for me to leave. My experience is not a rare occurrence. Over the years, Chinese journalists in India have had a difficult life due to persistent visa hassle. DISCRIMINATORY VISA POLICY Indian authorities typically grant one or two-year visas to journalists from other countries. However, in 2017, India shortened the visa validity period for Chinese journalists stationed in India to three months or even less than a month in some cases, subjecting Chinese journalists to repeated applications. Since August 2019, my Xinhua colleague Jiang Lei had been granted visas for seven consecutive times with validity periods ranging from only 25 to 33 days. It was not until March 2020 that his visa validity was restored to three months. India's visa policy has caused a lot of inconvenience for Chinese journalists in India. According to Indian regulations, all necessary documents and services for Chinese journalists, including press cards, driver's licenses, bank accounts, and even mobile phone numbers, are linked to the visa. As the continuity of short-term visas is not guaranteed, Chinese journalists have encountered a series of problems as a result. For example, it is difficult for Chinese journalists to open local bank accounts because their visas' validity is too short. Jiang got his first local bank card after four and a half years in India, but the card was frozen less than three months later as the Indian Foreign Ministry delayed the renewal of his visa. According to the Indian Press Information Bureau, the press card of foreign journalists stationed in India is usually renewed annually, and its validity is synchronized with the journalists' visa. However, Chinese journalists often face the problem of short validity periods or non-renewal of press cards by the Press Information Bureau after they expire. Jiang was stationed in India for five years and had never been able to obtain an Indian press card. Without a press card, it is difficult for Chinese journalists to carry out their work in the country. BRUTAL TREATMENT Family is a big concern for foreign correspondents. However, the Indian government's short-term visa policy has made it incredibly difficult for Chinese journalists in India to visit their families and relatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhao Xu, another colleague of mine from Xinhua, had to rack his brain to plan a time to visit his family back in China. His vacation plans had been revised and delayed many times due to uncertainties brought about by flight disruptions and health risks. More importantly, he had to get a full three-month visa before leaving to ensure a smooth return to India. Many colleagues were unable to return home immediately even after family emergencies occurred. In November 2020, Zhao's father suffered a cerebral infarction, but Zhao couldn't return home to pay a visit as his three-month visa was about to expire. When he finally returned to see his father, it was already January 2021. As for Jiang, he had to wait until his wife was nearly five months pregnant to obtain a visa with an appropriate validity period to accompany her back to China. He then returned to India within the three-month visa validity period, but by the time he returned to China again, their child was already one and a half years old. The Indian government's brutal treatment has put enormous psychological pressure on Chinese journalists in India. Since 2020, the Indian side has refused to approve visa applications from Chinese journalists, which has hindered the journalists' rotation. Zhao was originally scheduled to work in India for four years. However, when his term ended in November 2021, he could not leave his post because India would not allow his successor to enter the country. Due to India's visa policy, the New Delhi branch of Xinhua News Agency now has only one journalist working with a valid visa. FORCED DEPARTURE Before my hasty departure at the end of March, two journalists from other Chinese media organizations were also arbitrarily asked by the Indian side to leave the country within a time limit. In November 2021, a Chinese journalist stationed in India returned home for vacation. In China, he was suddenly informed by the Indian Foreign Ministry that he did not need to return to India after the vacation and that if he returned, he had to be prepared to leave the country as soon as possible, even though his visa still had at least two months to expire. He had to cut short his vacation and hurried back to India to hand over his work, terminate his housing rental and close his bank accounts. He soon received a notice asking him to leave the country within 10 days. In October 2018, another Chinese journalist was refused by the Indian side when applying for visa renewal. The Indian side did not give a reason for the refusal and asked him to leave the country before the visa expired. He eventually was forced to leave and return to China two months later. While lamenting all the difficulties my Chinese colleagues and I have encountered, I sincerely hope that these unfair and discriminatory treatments toward Chinese journalists can come to an end, so that they can rest assured and devote themselves to reporting on Indian news and cooperation between the two countries truthfully and objectively. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Choo Kyung-ho, right, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, speaks during a service industry development task force meeting at government complex in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul The government will expand software-centered information and communication technology (ICT) exports, such as AI and metaverse, and promote market diversification to help domestic companies enter the Middle East, Japan and ASEAN markets as Korea's exports show signs of being impacted considerably by the U.S.-China trade dispute and the global economic downturn, officials said, Monday. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced a strategy to expand the country's high-tech exports by encouraging domestic companies to enter new markets and foster innovative companies in the software sector during a service industry development task force meeting chaired by Choo Kyung-ho, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, and minister of economy and finance. Korea has been focusing on hardware-centered ICT exports, such as semiconductors, displays and smartphones. But due to the global economic turmoil, it has decided to make a paradigm shift in exports. "As the structure of the country's ICT exports is centered on memory semiconductors, a short-term recovery in the second half of this year is expected to be difficult. We need to create opportunities in terms of products and markets in order to offset this slump," Park Yun-kyu, vice minister of science and ICT, told reporters. The vice minister said the government will support domestic companies that have responded well to the rapidly changing digital technologies to advance into not only the domestic market, but also overseas markets. "By actively responding to the spread of AI services like ChatGPT and accelerating digital transformation, the government will diversify our export products and foster new markets. Based on our accumulated digital capabilities, we will unite public and private attempts to maximize opportunities and make every effort to revitalize exports," the vice science minister said. Majed Al-Hogail, minister of Municipality, Rural Affairs and Housing of Saudi Arabia, shakes hands with Naver's robot arm Ambidex during his visit to Naver's headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 29, 2022. The government said Monday that it will promote digital technology exports to various regions including the Middle East. Courtesy of Naver NEW DELHI (PTI): Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande on Monday embarked on a two-day visit to Bangladesh to hold talks with the top military brass of the neighbouring country to primarily explore ways to further expand bilateral defence and security ties. It is Gen Pande's second visit to Bangladesh as Army Chief. He visited the country in July 2022 on his first foreign visit after assuming charge of the top post. "During the visit, the Army Chief will be meeting the senior military leadership of Bangladesh where he will discuss avenues for further enhancing Indo-Bangladesh defence relations," the Army said. On Tuesday, Gen Pande will be reviewing the Passing Out Parade (POP) of officer cadets of the 84th 'Long Course' at the Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) in Chattogram. During the parade, the Army Chief will be presenting the 'Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy' instituted for best foreign cadet from friendly foreign countries of the passing out course from the BMA. The first trophy this year is being awarded to officer cadet Everton of Tanzania. This trophy is in reciprocation to the 'Bangladesh Trophy and Medal' instituted at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun in December 2021 for Best foreign cadet passing out course, the Indian Army said in a statement. The Army Chief will be reviewing the POP at IMA, Dehradun on June 10 and present the Bangladesh Medal and the trophy. Other engagements of the Army Chief include formal interactions with the Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army and the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces division. The Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff visited India in April this year and reviewed the passing out parade at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai. "Frequent visits by senior military leaders and bilateral cooperation events such as joint military exercises contribute to enhancing military-to-military relations between both nations," the Army said. (From right to left) Mr. Kaustubh Shukla, Advisor at Godrej & Boyce, Mr Arun Ramchandani, Executive VP & Head L&T Defence, Shri Anurag Kumar, MD, ECIL, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor (SA) to RM, MoD, Dr. Chandrika Kaushik, Director General (PC & SI), DRDO, Shri Atul D Rane, CEO & MD, BrahMos Aerospace and Dr. Sanjeev K Joshi, Dy CEO , BrahMos. NEW DELHI: The strong and vibrant synergy between public & private sector defence industries has established supersonic BRAHMOS as a formidable weapon system in the world. To highlight this, BrahMos Aerospace, the defence JV between DRDO of India & NPOM of Russia, held Industry Meet 2023 on 02nd June, 2023 as part its Silver Jubilee year celebrations. The event was inaugurated by Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor (SA) to RM, MoD. Also present on the occasion was Dr. Chandrika Kaushik, Director General (PC & SI), DRDO. The industrial partners of BrahMos were represented by Mr. Kaustubh Shukla, Advisor at Godrej & Boyce Ltd., Mr Arun Ramchandani, Executive VP & Head L&T Defence, and Shri Anurag Kumar, Managing Director, ECIL. Honble Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Shri Ajay Bhatt in a video message, congratulated the JV entity for commemorating Silver Jubilee year celebrations. While appreciating the JVs efforts towards indigenisation and its resolve to fortify Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, Shri Bhatt assured all support and cooperation from the Ministry of Defence to take forward the JV to scale newer milestones. He also praised the JV entity for bagging Indias first major military export order from the Republic of Philippines. Addressing the gathering, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, SA to RM, said that BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd (BAPL), based on the model of a private sector entity, is a success story in Indias defence domain. Creating such model of a private company having the freedom and quick decision making capability despite of many challenges and issues and the private company quickly developing so many systems for varieties of (military) platforms is a success story, Dr. Reddy said. While stating that many Indian industries have been associated with the Defence JV right from its development stage, the Distinguished Scientist said that as long as BRAHMOS is there, the industries are assured of sustained orders. Industry looks at sustained orders. And as long as BRAHMOS is there, continuously orders are coming from the (Indian Defence) Services. And today we are also seeing export potential of BRAHMOS in a major way. As long as it is continuing, the industry is assured of (more and more) orders, Dr. Reddy said. While stating that Honble PMs vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat & Make-In-India are steps in right direction, Dr. Reddy exhorted the industries to not only expand their production capabilities to meet delivery timelines for continuous orders from the Armed Forces, but also to focus on developing/ manufacturing those systems/ items within the country which are not being produced (in-country) so far. DRDO, BrahMos and the industries should work more collectively and diligently to ensure that the indigenous content in the BRAHMOS weapon system becomes higher, the SA to RM said. With the cooperation of NPOM, we should be able to produce and take the indigenous content (in BRAHMOS) even higher and also see that we are able to produce such systems at lower costs, he said, adding that all these steps would make us Atmanirbhar. Upgraded systems and systems which are technologically or otherwise are superior and state-of-the-art... we need to try to develop such systems & sub-systems. We all must collectively endeavour towards that, Dr. Reddy said. While stating that DRDO, BrahMos and the industry should play a complementary role, the eminent scientist said: Its not always necessary that DRDO alone develops such (critical) systems and then the industry takes on and produces it. The industry should also come forward to design and develop many such systems. Developing first-of-its-kind defence technologies & systems can make India a leading exporting nation. A system has to be technologically advanced, of sustained quality, and at competitive cost at world market. BRAHMOS becoming a first-of-its-kind weapon system has achieved incredible successes, including bringing the first major export order for India, Dr. Reddy said, adding that we all must work in that direction and develop most advanced systems and make India major exporting country in the world. Mr. Kaustubh Shukla, Advisor at Godrej & Boyce Ltd., in his remarks said that as a complex technology in the form of worlds only supersonic cruise missile, what BRAHMOS has achieved is truly stupendous. Rapid development and qualification of indigenous sources in the BRAHMOS programme also stands out prominently. Much of the raw material has been indigenised, and credit goes to DRDO, BrahMos, and all industry associates to have successfully developed, qualified and productionalised the critical raw material for BRAHMOS, Mr. Shukla said. BRAHMOS is a benchmark in how fast the system was developed and inducted, he said. While committing unflinching support of G&B to BrahMos JV, Mr. Shukla said that learning from BrahMos can be deployed in other programmes of India. Addressing the gathering, Mr Arun Ramchandani, Executive VP & Head L&T Defence said, As India moves forward to being a defence production state with a strong industrial complex that has evolvedthe role of BrahMos will always be remembered. Highlighting ECILs close association with BrahMos JV for nearly two decades, Shri Anurag Kumar, MD, ECIL, said, BrahMos gives us business as well as knowledge and relationship development with the industry. As system integrator and manufacturer of various sub-systems, we are doing our bit for BrahMos. In export order for BRAHMOS, ECIL is also contributing. Dr. Chandrika Kaushik, DG (PC & SI), DRDO, said that the synergised efforts of all stakeholders led by BAPL torchbearers have led to this successful story which reflects in BRAHMOS orderbooks, including in the (weapons) export order. The Defence R&D, the military and industrial eco-system all of us have a part to play to make our country self-reliant and move towards Make-for-the-World. This will take our nation among the league of developed nations, the senior DRDO scientist said. Shri Atul D Rane, DG (BrahMos, DRDO) and CEO & MD of BrahMos Aerospace, said that from a modest capital infusion of US$ 250 million from both owners (India & Russia), BrahMos today is the proud owner of an orderbook of around US$6 billion. All this was possible with planning and vision. The BrahMos model stands as a forerunner to the future of Indian defence manufacturing, sustenance and a first step towards self-reliance, Shri Rane said. The Indian Missile Industry is our backbone.BrahMos MIC involving over 200 firms has grown from strength to strength over the years, the BrahMos Chief said. As BrahMos Aerospace enters new frontiers with future and more enhanced versions as well as export plans (for BRAHMOS weapon system), we look forward to have an even more robust relationship with our Industry partners, Shri Rane said. Concluding the grand event, Dr. Sanjeev K Joshi, Dy CEO of BrahMos, thanked all the dignitaries, industry partners and other guests for making the BrahMos Silver Jubilee celebrations a resounding success. BrahMos Missile Industrial Consortium today boasts of over 200 companies and defence entities. You are our strong ecosystem which has enabled us to make a successful product. I would like to acknowledge your indispensable contribution in the manufacturing of the BRAHMOS weapon system. Today, we at BrahMos along with our industry partners commit ourselves to fulfill; the Atma Nirbhar Bharat vision of our Prime Minister. I extend our gratitude, appreciation and thankfulness for the efforts and hard work of our industry partners over the years, Dr Joshi said. Prince Harry had no time in his life when he was safe from unlawful information-gathering, the High Court has heard as part of his case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror. He is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities. MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them. The publisher also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late. Harry, who lives in the United States with his family, had been expected to attend court in London on Monday for the opening of his individual case. Advertisement However, the 38-year-old is now not expected to appear until Tuesday, when he is due to face cross-examination from MGNs barrister, after flying to the UK on Sunday night after celebrating his daughter Lilibets second birthday. Prince Harry is expected in court on Tuesday (Victoria Jones/PA) Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was a little surprised to hear that Harry would not be attending court on Monday. Opening the individual case, barrister David Sherborne said Harry was subjected to unlawful information-gathering activity right from when he was a young boy at school. This carried on through the tragic death of his mother, his time during military training at Sandhurst, and into adulthood. The barrister said: Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds and there was no protection from those unlawful information-gathering methods. Mr Sherborne said no aspect of the young princes life was safe from press intrusion and an aspect that was too tempting and sold too many newspapers, and that is the personal relationships that he made. The barrister later claimed the details of his relationship with Chelsy Davy were all revealed and picked apart by the three Mirror Group titles which was clearly driven by unlawful activity. The court was later told that a 2003 article detailed an alleged row between Harry and his brother William, now the Prince of Wales, over their mothers former butler, Paul Burrell. Advertisement Mr Sherborne said: Even at this very early formative stage the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown. William and Harry in 2008 (Jerome Delay/PA) Brothers can sometimes disagree, Mr Sherborne continued, adding: But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. He also said: One can see how the mistrust can set in from an early age, exactly because of this type of activity. The barrister later alleged that the people around Harry were unlawfully targeted as part of a web to get information about the young Harry's life. Mr Sherborne said such activity included the alleged targeting of one of the closest confidantes of Harry, Guy Pelly. These methods acted like a web around the prince in the hope it would catch the valuable information that they sought through these unlawful means, some of which made it in stories, the barrister said. He also claimed that Harrys phone would have been hacked on multiple occasions, telling the court that his details appeared in the palm pilot of a journalist who was one of the most prolific phone-hackers. Later Mr Sherborne said the late Diana, Princess of Wales, was a huge target for MGNs newspapers, adding that certain unlawful activities in relation to her would have also affected Harry. Advertisement He said: It is part of our case that the interception of her messages would necessarily have involved obtaining information about the young prince. Mr Sherborne then turned to letters exchanged between Diana and former television personality Michael Barrymore in 1997. He read out two letters from the princess to the entertainer, which referred to private meetings between the pair, and in one of the letters Diana referred to being devastated to learn that the Daily Mirror had contacted her office about him and their meetings. Harrys claim is being heard alongside three other representative claims during a trial which began last month and is due to last six to seven weeks. Harry alleges that about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial. On the first day of the trial, lawyers for MGN said the publisher unreservedly apologises to Harry for one instance of unlawful information-gathering and that it accepts he is entitled to appropriate compensation. David Sherborne, barrister for Prince Harry, opened his case on Monday (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Andrew Green KC said it is admitted that a private investigator was instructed, by an MGN journalist at The People, to unlawfully gather information about Harrys activities at the Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004. Advertisement Otherwise, the specified allegations are denied, or in a few cases not admitted, he added. The three other representative claimants are Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, who is best known for playing Kevin Webster in the long-running soap, former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, and comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman. Mr Green said voicemail interception is denied in all four cases and that there is no evidence or no sufficient evidence. A rendered image shows the next-generation naval ships that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will disclose at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 in Busan on Wednesday. Courtesy of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries By Park Jae-hyuk Busan will become the venue for a showdown between Korea's two leading naval ship manufacturers later this week, according to industry officials, Monday. During the biennial International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 to be held in BEXCO from Wednesday to Friday as part of the Marine Week 2023, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean will open their exhibition pavilions right next to each other, to showcase their cutting-edge warship technologies to naval officials from around the world. HD Hyundai plans to unveil replicas of its next-generation KDDX-class destroyer, upgraded CVX-class aircraft carrier and offshore patrol vessel for export, as well as a conceptual image for an unmanned command and control ship. It will also seek mutual cooperation with Babcock Canada to export submarines and sign a partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries to jointly develop a simulator that will support training the crews of naval vessels for export. "Based on HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' excellent technologies, we will play the leading role in establishing the Republic of Korea Navy's integrated defense system and exporting naval ships to foreign countries," Joo Won-ho, head of the company's special shipbuilding business unit, said in a press release distributed Sunday. A rendered image shows Hanwha Ocean's exhibition pavilion at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 in Busan. Courtesy of Hanwha Ocean There was a strong resurgence in the domestic tourism market last year with the number of trips taken by Irish holidaymakers at home more than doubling to almost 13.3 million, according to a new report. A breakdown of domestic travel by Irish holidaymakers published by Failte Ireland shows there was a 134 per cent increase in the number of trips during 2022 from almost 5.7 million in 2021. The figures show there was a commensurate rise in the value of the domestic holiday market with expenditure by visitors up 127 per cent to 2.93 billion in 2022 from 1.29 billion the previous year. Irish residents stayed an average of 3.0 nights per trip, with a total of 34.2 million overnight stays as the domestic tourism market bounced back with the easing of many restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Advertisement The figures, which are based on a combination of the household travel survey by the Central Statistics Office and estimates on spending by Failte Ireland, show that strong growth in the number of domestic tourists was experienced in all parts of the Republic last year with most areas seeing overall visitor levels more than doubling. Visitor numbers were up threefold in Sligo, Roscommon/Longford, Louth/Monaghan and Laois/Offaly. However, the strongest growth was recorded in Cavan/Leitrim where the number of trips almost quadrupled from 117,000 in 2021 to 465,000 last year as well as Kilkenny where visitor numbers surged by 292 per cent to 365,000. Kilkenny had suffered the biggest downturn in domestic tourism during the Covid-19 pandemic according to figures published by Failte Ireland with visitor numbers down 76 per cent on pre-pandemic levels in 2021 with just 93,000 visitors. Despite the strong rebound in visitor numbers across the country, Kilkenny remains just one of three counties where the overall number of tourists in 2022 failed to surpass 2019 levels the last full tourism year before the pandemic. Figures for domestic tourists visiting Kilkenny last year was still 22,000 below the total number who visited the county in 2019. The other two counties still to fully recover from the impact of the pandemic are Galway which recorded 984,000 domestic tourists last year down 93,000 on 2019 levels and Waterford which with 422,000 visitors in 2022 was down 38,000 on pre-pandemic levels. Advertisement In contrast, Wexford recorded an extra 100,000 domestic tourists last year compared to 2019 with overall numbers totalling 926,000. The report shows expenditure by domestic holidaymakers soared in every county during 2022 with the lowest growth level recorded in Donegal where revenue was still up 53 per cent to 158 million. Income from domestic tourism more than doubled in a majority of counties with revenue up fivefold in both Roscommon/Longford to 97 million and Laois/Offaly to 60 million. Despite the increased spending levels, most areas witnessed a decrease in the average length of stay such as Donegal where average trips fell from 5 nights in 2021 to 3.4 nights last year. However, some counties bucked the general trend by recording increases in the average length of stay including Laois/Offaly, Meath, Louth/Monaghan and Wexford. The figures show the longest holidays are spent in Donegal (3.4 nights on average per trip), Wexford (3.3), Roscommon/Longford (3.2) and Kerry, Clare and Waterford (all 3.0 nights). Dublin remains the most popular destination for domestic breaks with more than 1.86 million visits from Irish holidaymakers last year, generating 419m in revenue. Cork is the second-largest domestic holiday market with almost 1.6 million visitors in 2022 and associated expenditure of 336 million Kerry reinforced its status as the third most popular destination for domestic holidaymakers with 1.2 million trips worth an estimated 303 million. Liam Byrne, a key member of the Kinahan organised crime gang, has been arrested in Mallorca, Spain. The UKs National Crime Agency confirmed Liam Byrne was one of two suspected members of the Kinahan gang arrested in Spain. It said in a statement: Two men wanted by the National Crime Agency on suspicion of firearms offences have been arrested in Spain. Liam Byrne, 42, from Dublin, who is thought to be one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group, was arrested on Sunday evening in the Alcudia area of Mallorca while eating in a restaurant with family members. He had flown into Palma Airport from Dubai, UAE, on the 26 May. Another suspected member of the crime group, Jack Kavanagh, 22, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, was arrested by officers from the Spanish National Police last Tuesday (30 May) at Malaga Airport while transiting from Dubai to Turkey. Advertisement The arrests follow an NCA intelligence-led investigation, supported by the Spanish National Police and officers from An Garda Siochana in Ireland. The NCA obtained Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TACA) warrants after EncroChat messages showed they were believed to be involved in the supply and acquisition of firearms. They are currently in custody while extradition proceedings continue. Two men wanted by the NCA on suspicion of firearms offences have been arrested in Spain. Liam Byrne, from Dublin, who is thought to be one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group, was arrested on Sunday in Mallorca. Full story https://t.co/UYYK9F9DMq pic.twitter.com/1lvj57a3WH National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) June 5, 2023 Kay Mellor, regional head of investigations at the National Crime Agency said: This investigation is part of the NCAs ongoing work targeting the Kinahan crime group. Liam Byrne and Jack Kavanagh have been evading justice for a number of years, but have now been arrested in relation to serious firearms offences. We have an excellent relationship with the Spanish National Police and will continue to work closely with our international partners to ensure those who think they can stay under the radar have no place to hide. Well-placed sources said Byrnes arrest occurred yesterday in Alcudia in the north-east of Majorca. Byrne, who was named in Dublins High Court as the leader of the so-called Byrne Organised Crime Group, is considered to be the de-facto leader of the Kinahan cartel in the UK. Byrne is believed to have taken over from mobster Thomas Bomber Kavanagh as the 'number two' in the hierarchy of the Kinahan cartel, and leader of its operations in the transporting of drugs across the UK and Ireland. Kavanagh, who is Liams brother-in-law, is currently serving a 21-year sentence for conspiring to import millions of pounds worth of drugs. A spokesman for Spains National Police in Majorca said on Monday: The arrest was carried out on Sunday night by the National Polices Madrid-based Fugitives Group and the National Polices UDYCO group which fights organised crime." It was a speech that catapulted the county to worldwide fame, with US president Joe Bidens famous signoff of Mayo for Sam. And now its emerged that hosting the historic event proved relatively economical for Mayo County Council, with less than 120,000 spent on a visit that yielded an enormous global audience. Among the bills were tar patching for pot-holed roads, chewing gum removal for the streets of Ballina, and several thousand euro for flags and bunting. A breakdown of costs from Mayo County Council details how just under 117,000 was spent on the event, which included donations to voluntary groups and hefty floral bills. Litter picking on the N17 and another local road that the US president would travel on was carried out at short notice and cost 1,770. Works near Knock Airport involving the repainting of highway markings came to 14,320 while a further 8,184 was spent on new signage and upgrades of existing ones. Advertisement The purchase of traffic cones in large quantities came to 5,193 while 150 flags each of both the United States and Ireland cost 3,321. The bill for two larger flags for each country was 184.50, according to records that were released under FOI by Mayo County Council. Surface cleaning and gum removal on four streets around Ballina cost 13,620, which covered the cost of three vans and six staff. There was a bill of 700 for turfing at the Enniscoe Estate, where president Biden stopped off to learn about his family history. The local authority also made three donations to local groups for the work they carried out during the visit to Mayo. US president Joe Biden delivers a speech at St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina, Photo: PA Images A sum of 5,000 was paid to Ballina 2023, another 3,500 to Ballina Chamber of Commerce, and 3,500 to Ballina Community Clean Up. There were multiple invoices for plants and flowers, including the purchase of a Dutch hoe and a gorilla broom for 160. Other invoices detailed the purchase of basket plants, bedding, heather, assorted flowers, and a bucket of Chicken Chit manure. Sixty tonnes of decorative chip were bought too, with two invoices submitted, each for 1,906. There were also staff costs run up with council employees asked to work extra hours to help ensure all the events ran smoothly. Ireland 'Summer 2024 will see record US visitors' thanks t... Read More A total of 23,946 was paid out in the Claremorris Municipal District and another 19,000 in the Ballina Municipal District. A spokeswoman for Mayo County Council said they had been delighted with the boost for the county both home and abroad from the presidential visit in April. She said: President Bidens visit put County Mayo on the map for millions of people around the globe thanks to the world-wide media coverage that his visit garnered. The visit showcased all that Mayo has to offer as both a tourism destination and as a modern and vibrant location that is open for investment opportunities for companies from around the world. Ukraine, fighting a devastating Russian invasion since February 2022, seeks to join Nato as quickly as possible but members of the Western military alliance are divided over how fast that step should be taken. While eastern European countries want some sort of a road map to be offered to Kyiv at a Nato summit in Vilnius in mid-July, Western members such as the United States, France and Germany are wary of any move that might take the alliance closer to war with Russia. The decision to invite a country into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation must be taken by consensus. Following is a list of steps that Ukraine has already taken on its way to Nato membership, the challenges it still faces - and Russia's view of the developments. Bucharest promise At its Bucharest summit in 2008, Nato agreed that Ukraine - which like Russia was part of the Soviet Union until its 1991 demise - would eventually join the alliance. But Nato leaders have so far stopped short of taking concrete steps to that end - such as giving Kyiv a so-called Membership Action Plan - that would lay out a timetable for bringing Kyiv closer to the bloc. Timelines Advertisement In a rare visit to Kyiv in April, Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg underlined that Ukraine's "rightful place" was in Nato but gave no timeline. He later made clear Ukraine would not be able to join as long as the war with Russia rages on. At the start of June Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged this position and said his nation understood it was impossible to be admitted to Nato while the war continued. Procedure Article 10 of the Washington Treaty states that Nato membership is open to any "European state in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area". Since 1999, most countries aiming to join Nato have participated in a so-called Membership Action Plan (MAP), a programme designed to help them meet certain political, economic and military criteria. Membership candidates need to be functioning democracies that treat their minorities fairly, commit to the peaceful solution of conflicts and show they are able and willing to contribute militarily to Nato operations. It is unclear, however, what Ukraine's process to membership will look like. Despite not having been granted a MAP, the country's military has taken major steps in transitioning towards Nato standards since Russia's invasion 15 months ago. Advertisement This process is set to accelerate as Kyiv gradually runs out of Soviet-built arms and ammunition, while the West trains Ukrainian troops according to Nato standards and rushes more and more advanced weaponry to the country. In the end, it will be up to the currently 31 member states to decide how swiftly and under what conditions Ukraine will be allowed to join Natio. Article 5 By becoming a NATO member, Ukraine would come under the protective umbrella of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty that states that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all allies. Nato's mutual assistance clause lies very much at the heart of the alliance, which was formed in 1949 with the primary aim of countering the risk of a Soviet attack on allied territory. At the same time, Article 5 is cited as one of the main reasons why Ukraine cannot join Nato while in conflict with Russia, as this might immediately draw the alliance into an active war. The Russian position The Kremlin has said it would cause problems for many years to come if Ukraine joined Nato. It has warned that Moscow would ensure its interests and security, which it says have been endangered for over two decades by the alliance's eastward enlargement towards European borders with Russia. The Kremlin has long seen Nato's expansion into eastern Europe as evidence of Western hostility to Russia - something Western powers deny, saying the alliance is wholly defensive in nature - and has cited this as a key reason for its decision to send tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. Frances beloved abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel has celebrated 1,000 years since the first stone was laid. The anniversary of the Unesco World Heritage site and Normandy tourism magnet is being celebrated until November with exhibits, dance shows and concerts. And now a presidential visit. French President Emmanuel Macron visited on Monday and delivered a speech in which he called on the French to push themselves further in global and existential challenges like that of climate change. He drew a comparison with the abbey that has stood strong over time and embodies the French spirit of resilience and resistance. Frances President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) It was veiled rhetoric, coming one day before another protest against his contested pension reform law that has been passed. Advertisement Ever since former President Francois Mitterrand in 1983, Frances leaders have flocked to this symbolically important site to send out political messages. In 2007, former President Nicolas Sarkozy even launched his presidential campaign there. Mr Macrons presidential advisers had said of this visit that the walls and the eternity of the mount seem to carry the notions of resistance and resilience of the D-Day landings that are being commemorated this week in the same region. Mr Macron also visited a new exhibit tracing the abbeys history via 30 objects and pieces, including a restored statue of Saint Michael. Emmanuel Macron, centre, visits an exhibition tracing the abbeys history (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) Legend has it that the archangel Michael appeared in 708, duly instructing the bishop of nearby Avranches to build him a church on the rocky outcrop. The exhibit, two years in the making, opened last month. It covers the complex process of building what is considered an architectural jewel on a rocky island linked to the mainland only by a narrow causeway at low tide. Four crypts were constructed on the granite tip along with a church on top. The exhibit explains how the original structure, built in 966, became too small for pilgrims, spurring on the builders to create the 11th-century abbey that stands to this day. Advertisement France has spent more than 32 million euros (27 million) over 15 years to restore the building, and the work is nearing completion. Authorities have also tried in recent years to protect the monuments surrounding environment from the impact of mass tourism. One of the most popular French destinations outside Paris, Mont-Saint-Michel island attracted 2.8 million visitors last year, including 1.3 million for the abbey. It was not closed to visitors for the presidential visit, but local authorities were taking measures to make it go as smoothly as possible. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said he was encouraged by a desire shown by world leaders to contain any risks posed by the artificial intelligence technology which his company and others are developing. Mr Altman visited Tel Aviv, a tech powerhouse, as part of a world tour that has taken him to several European capitals. Mr Altmans tour is meant to promote his company, the maker of ChatGPT which has unleashed a frenzy around the globe. I am very heartened as Ive been doing this trip around the world, getting to meet world leaders, Mr Altman said during a meeting with Israels president Isaac Herzog. a reasonably plausible version of the AGI future is that it unfolds similarly to how it would have without AGI, but its such a powerful tool that everything happens much faster. Advertisement Sam Altman (@sama) June 1, 2023 Mr Altman said his discussions showed the thoughtfulness and urgency among world leaders over how to figure out how to mitigate these very huge risks. The world tour comes after hundreds of scientists and tech industry leaders, including high-level executives at Microsoft and Google, issued a warning about the perils that artificial intelligence poses to humankind. Mr Altman was also a signatory. Worries about artificial intelligence systems outsmarting humans and running wild have intensified with the rise of a new generation of highly capable AI chatbots. Countries around the world are scrambling to come up with regulations for the developing technology, with the European Union blazing the trail with its AI Act expected to be approved later this year. With the great opportunities of this incredible technology, there are also many risks to humanity and to the independence of human beings in the future, Mr Herzog told Mr Altman. We have to make sure that this development is used for the wellness of humanity. Israel has emerged in recent years as a tech leader, with the industry producing some noteworthy technology used across the globe. Among its more controversial exports has been Pegasus, a powerful and sophisticated spyware product by the Israeli company NSO, which critics say has been used by authoritarian countries to spy on activists and dissidents. Advertisement The Israeli military has begun using artificial intelligence for certain tasks, including crowd control procedures. excited to visit israel, jordan, qatar, the uae, india, and south korea this week! Sam Altman (@sama) June 4, 2023 Mr Altman has met world leaders including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French president Emmanuel Macron, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez and German chancellor Olaf Scholz. Mr Altman tweeted that he heads to Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India and South Korea this week. Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to another US foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Mr Maduro arrived late on Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by US secretary of state Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close US ally for decades but relations have been strained in recent years. Nicolas Maduro has been criticised by the US (Andre Penner/AP) Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Irans theocracy and Syrias president Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Advertisement Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdoms image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Mr Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognise the election results and challenged Mr Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Mr Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Mr Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. Rishi Sunak declined to say if a Ben Wallace bid for Natos top job will be on the agenda when he travels to Washington this week. The UK prime minister, who is set to visit the White House for talks with US president Joe Biden, dodged a question about whether he will use the trip to lobby for the British defence secretary to takeover as Nato secretary general. Mr Wallace is seen as a potential contender for the soon-to-be vacant role, replacing Jens Stoltenberg. Mr Sunak hopes to encourage Mr Biden to back Mr Wallace for the role, The Telegraph reported on Monday. But, taking questions at a press conference in Dover, Mr Sunak refused to be drawn on the report. He praised Mr Wallace and the UKs contribution to Nato but did not comment directly. Advertisement UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking during a press conference at Western Jet Foil in Dover on Monday (Yui Mok/PA) Ben does a fantastic job. He is a great Defence Secretary, Mr Sunak said. This is a conversation that is happening amongst leaders around the world more generally and Im sure it will continue to happen. Ben is widely respected among his colleagues around the world. Were one of the only countries that participates in every single Nato operation. We are widely perceived as a thought leader in Nato. And I think if you asked the Nato secretary general, he would agree with everything Ive just said and we will always continue to be a strong contributor and participant in Nato. Mr Sunaks official working visit to the White House will take place on Thursday. He and Mr Biden have already met in San Diego, Belfast and the G7 summit in Hiroshima. Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, UN ambassador under former US president Donald Trump, went after her ex-boss and 2024 rival Ron DeSantis on Sunday over their refusal to say whether they want Ukraine to win its war against Russia. In recent town hall events, Mr Trump, the favourite for the Republican presidential nomination, said that he wanted the war to end, but that he would help Ukraine and Russia negotiate a settlement. Florida governor Ron DeSantis, Mr Trump's nearest rival for the Republican nomination, said recently that he supports a settlement to the war, and that he hopes fighting will end by the time the next president takes the oath of office in January 2025. Ms Haley, the only woman in the race for the Republican nomination, lambasted Mr DeSantis for saying this year that Ukraine was a "territorial dispute", a comment that drew widespread criticism and that he has since walked back. Advertisement "For them to sit there and say that this is a territorial dispute - that's just not the case, or to say that we should stay neutral," Ms Haley told voters in the early nominating state of Iowa during a televised CNN town hall event. "It's in the best interest of our national security for Ukraine to win," she added. Ukraine is an issue that divides Republicans, because of an isolationist streak among many of the party's primary voters. Crowded Republican field Ms Haley, 51, a former South Carolina governor, declared her White House bid in February but finds herself in a crowded Republican field that will reach double digits this week with the entrance of more contenders, including former vice president Mike Pence. Mr Trump dominates the field among potential Republican primary voters with 49 per cent support. Mr DeSantis is next with 19 per cent. There is a yawning chasm between them and the rest of the field, including Ms Haley; she has just 4 per cent support, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll conducted in May. Ms Haley and many of her rivals polling in single digits are trying to differentiate themselves from Mr DeSantis, in the hope that he stumbles, and they can become the main alternative to Mr Trump. But some have also begun to criticise Mr Trump himself, after months of shrinking away from attacking the former president out of a fear of alienating his hardcore supporters. On Sunday she also criticised Mr Trump for congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week after the country was elected to the executive board of the World Health Organisation. Mr Trump has also praised the North Korean leader in the past. "Kim Jong Un is a thug," Ms Haley said. "I don't think we should congratulate dictators." Mr Trump also took fire from Mr DeSantis and Mr Pence over congratulating Kim, in separate weekend events in Iowa, the state that kicks of the nominating battle next year. Elders boss Mark Allison has ditched plans to retire and will continue in the agribusiness groups top job after being asked to stay on and given a $410,000 pay rise, plus $1 million bonus if he remains for two years. In an announcement to the ASX on Monday, Allison said he was delighted to continue in his role as chief executive and managing director despite announcing in November that he planned to retire. While I had been intending to retire from Elders, it was never my intention to cease serving the interests of Australian agriculture, and this countrys farmers, after my departure, he said. Mark Allison will stay on as CEO of Elders after announcing in November that he would retire. In November, he had said that the timing is right and his departure would allow for a smooth transition and a leadership refresh for Elders next phase of growth. By Kim Hyun-bin Korea's export reliance on China dropped below 20 percent in the first quarter of this year as the country continues to diversify exports to other markets to reduce its heavy dependency on the world's second-largest economy, according to a report released by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), Monday. KITA said Korea's dependence on exports to China decreased consistently from 26.8 percent in 2018 to 22.8 percent in 2022 and dropped further to 19.5 percent in the first quarter of this year. That means 19.5 percent of Korea's total outbound shipments went to China during the first three months of 2022. "The recent decline in the trade balance is driven primarily by a decrease in exports rather than an increase in imports, with the significant drop in exports to China having a substantial impact," said Jo Ui-yoon, a researcher at KITA. "In preparation for the possibility of a prolonged slump in Chinese exports, the importance of exploring export markets beyond China has increased." KITA analyzed that export growth to markets outside of China has outpaced the growth rate of exports to China, signifying the ongoing diversification of Korean export destinations. While exports to China fell by 4.4 percent last year, exports to markets excluding China increased by 9.6 percent. In the first quarter of this year, exports to China decreased by 29.8 percent, while exports to markets excluding China declined only by 6.8 percent. As the proportion of exports to China continues to decrease, key industries including petroleum products, petrochemicals, steel, automotive parts, displays and secondary batteries expanded their export markets outside of China. Korea's exports to the U.S. have increased, with Korean goods holding the highest market share since 1990, reaching 3.59 percent in the first quarter of this year. India showed positive trends in five categories of Korean exports: petrochemicals, steel, displays, secondary batteries and plastic products. Vietnam experienced a positive trend as an export destination for Korea's automotive parts and display products. Australia witnessed export growth centered on petroleum products. Myer boss John King will retire in the second half of 2024 and return to the US after more than doubling the department store chains profit in the five years he has helmed the business. Kings decision to move on was based on his wish to be with his family as their health circumstances demand, the retailer said in an announcement to the ASX on Monday morning. Myer CEO John King will return to the United States next year after more than five years in the role. Myer chair JoAnne Stephenson thanked the executive for his extraordinary contribution to the company and said that at the end of Kings more than six-year tenure next year, he will have delivered a remarkable turn-around in the positioning and performance of the business. When King took the top job in 2018, his former colleague Mark Gifford, then chief financial officer at the upmarket British department store House of Fraser, described it as the suicide job. Advertisement Review Eating outBrunswick East Seriously, all the bready things here are so good: Youll break bread (but not the bank) at generous Yakamoz Puffy bread, served hot from the wood oven, is worth the entirely affordable price of admission at this family-run Turkish restaurant. Besha Rodell June 6, 2023 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 1 / 8 Yakamoz owners Ogulcan Atay (left) and his father Ali Atay. Jason South 2 / 8 Garlicky green beans on beetroot yoghurt. Jason South 3 / 8 The six-hour beef is served over a silky potato mash. Jason South 4 / 8 Butter-roasted cauliflower with a creamy caper sauce. Jason South 5 / 8 Yakamoz is an old-school family-run Turkish restaurant. Jason South 6 / 8 Kofta with creamy yoghurt and mild chilli oil. Jason South 7 / 8 Take up the option to add an egg to the Kiymali pide. Jason South 8 / 8 Puffy Turkish bread, pulled straight from the wood-fired oven and served with spice-flecked oil. Hayden Dib Previous Slide Next Slide 13.5 / 20 How we score Turkish$$$ In the back corner of Yakamoz, on Lygon Street in Brunswick East, a wood-fired stove glows with embers. Once youve arrived and ordered, a member of the family that runs the restaurant will drop a gift from that oven: a round of bread, warm and puffy, stretchy on the inside and lightly crisped on the outside, along with a bowl of olive oil speckled with spices for dipping. They do so nonchalantly, the way all bread used to be offered at nice restaurants, and as if this isnt one of the best things youll eat all night. Dont fret if it goes too quickly: theres more where that came from, and its offered freely. Puffy Turkish bread, pulled straight from the wood-fired oven and served with spice-flecked oil. Hayden Dib Advertisement Yakamoz is the work of father and son duo Ali and Ogulcan Atay, who also own Halikarnas across the street. Where Halikarnas delivers more traditional Turkish food, Yakamoz is a place for chef Cagri Ergin to play with the genre, modernising it just enough to make for food that is interesting as well as comforting. Theres plenty about this place that screams old-school, family-run Brunswick: the white walls are decorated with the kinds of landscapes you might find in a mountain rental cabin, and its obvious almost the entire staff are family members who have varying degrees of professionalism but a high level of genuine hospitality. The wine list wont cause you anxiety, unless youre looking for nuance; you need only choose from a handful of bottles described as chardonnay, shiraz, and so on, all of which cost between $35 and $40. But its that kitchen, with its wood-fired oven and what comes out of it, that makes Yakamoz notable. Id love to come here with a huge group of people and order half the menu, because when grouped together, the small plates make for a fantastic feast. Advertisement Kofta with creamy yoghurt and mild chilli oil. Jason South There are tight little kofta balls ($15), served over a creamy yoghurt-and-almond situation then doused in a mild chilli oil. Saganaki ($15) comes in a thin layer on a small cast-iron platter, maximising the sizzle-to-surface ratio so that every bite is at least 50 per cent crisp cheesy goodness, punctuated with a subtle whisper of honey. Sauteed green beans ($14), which arrived as a gift from the kitchen one night when other food was taking a while, were an unexpected favourite, singing with garlic and piled over a rich magenta-coloured beetroot yoghurt. The bread alone is worth the entirely affordable price of admission. The Turkish version of dolmades, yaprak sarma ($15.50), are here made with the addition of sour cherry, for a lovely hint of fruitiness. Manti ($15), small mincemeat dumplings, are crisped, then given a dousing of chilli oil and a smattering of walnuts. Theres a whole section of the menu dedicated to pide ($18), and youd be remiss to leave without trying one, as filling as they are. The kiymali version, with minced beef, onions and peppers, has the option to add egg for $3. And you should absolutely do so, as it makes for a bready, meaty and softly lush snack for four (or a meal for one). Advertisement Go-to dish: Kiymali pide with added egg. Jason South Mains are hard to choose from, but Id go for the claypot ($28), a meaty stew of beef or chicken with potatoes, eggplant, onion and tomato, covered with a layer of stretchy pastry thats been dappled with char from the oven. (Seriously, all the bready things here are so good.) If youre looking for something more hearty, the six-hour beef rib ($35) over a silky potato mash is rich and fatty and filling in all the right ways. There are a few missteps in the cooking, though not many. A dish of seafood sauteed with white wine and parsley ($22/$30) is marred by oddly bitter mussels. And a whole fish ($38) a baby snapper the day I had it was slightly overdone, the flesh a little dry. But it was also an absolute bargain try finding a whole oven-roasted fish for under $40 elsewhere in the city. That value and generosity, paired with the quality of the food, is what sets Yakamoz apart. Its not schmick, nor is it trying to be. Its a family joint, a casual place to come and eat food that wont break the bank but that feels special enough for a nice night out. The bread alone is worth the entirely affordable price of admission. The low-down Vibe: Bright and basic shopfront with a family feel Go-to dish: Kiymali pide with added egg, $21 Drinks: Basic wine and beer list Cost: About $90 for two, plus drinks On the other hand, he said, Roberts-Smith had motives to lie including potential damages, the risk to his reputation and the increased prospect of prosecution. Besanko said Roberts-Smith arranged, through a private eye, to have threatening letters sent in 2018 to a serving soldier dubbed Person 18, who would later give evidence for the newspapers. Clearly this conclusion reflects adversely on the credit of the applicant [Roberts-Smith], he said. The judge found Roberts-Smith came to an unusual arrangement under which he was responsible for paying the more than $250,000 in legal fees of three of his own SAS witnesses, Persons 5, 11 and 35, both in connection with the defamation proceedings and an inquiry by the Inspector-General of the Defence Force. I do not consider that any of them were completely frank and forthcoming about their knowledge concerning the payment of their legal fees and that is a matter that affects their credit, Besanko said. I find that [Roberts-Smith] ... made the arrangements because he considered that these witnesses, among others, support his version of events. He was and is no doubt alive to the fact that ... the witnesses will feel less inclined to change their mind and refuse to co-operate or to change an account previously given in circumstances in which the applicant has arranged for the payment of their legal fees. Loading Roberts-Smith was not in Sydney to hear the judgment summary delivered on Thursday. His barrister, Arthur Moses, SC, asked the court to extend the usual 28-day period for filing an appeal to 42 days. The war veterans defamation case was launched in 2018 against The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, owned by Nine, and The Canberra Times, now under separate ownership, and the trial concluded in July last year after 110 days, 41 witnesses and more than $25 million in legal costs. Roberts-Smith will be ordered to pay the newspapers costs as the unsuccessful party to the litigation. However, the media outlets have raised the prospect of seeking a third-party costs order against Roberts-Smiths former employer, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, who bankrolled the lawsuit using private funds. Nicholas Owens, SC, acting for the news outlets, told the court on Thursday: We do anticipate making an application for indemnity costs, at least against the applicant [Roberts-Smith], and also a third-party costs order, possibly on an indemnity basis as well. Indemnity costs cover a higher proportion of a successful partys legal bill than a standard costs order. Roberts-Smith had alleged the newspapers accused him of being a war criminal who was complicit in the unlawful execution of three unarmed Afghan prisoners over two days. Besanko found the newspapers had proved to the civil standard the balance of probabilities that those claims were substantially true. In a criminal trial, the standard of proof is beyond reasonable doubt. Killings proved The newspapers established that Roberts-Smith kicked an unarmed and handcuffed Afghan villager named Ali Jan off a small cliff in Darwan on September 11, 2012, before procuring a soldier under his command, dubbed Person 11, to shoot the villager. Besanko said in his full judgment that Roberts-Smith falsely reported that Ali Jan was a [Taliban] spotter who had been engaged in combat in a cornfield, but he had murdered Ali Jan. Roberts-Smith had aided, abetted, counselled or procured Person 11 in the murder of Ali Jan, the judge said. The news outlets also established that Roberts-Smith was involved in two murders during an earlier mission on Easter Sunday 2009, after two Afghan men were discovered in a tunnel in a compound dubbed Whiskey 108. Besanko found that Roberts-Smith killed one of the men himself and directed a rookie soldier, Person 4, to kill the second man as a form of blooding or initiation. The judge also found the news outlets had proven a fourth murder, which did not appear in the news reports but was part of an extensive truth defence. This killing related to directions Roberts-Smith gave via an interpreter for an unarmed Afghan man to be shot by a member of the Afghan Partner Force in 2012 at Chinartu. Besanko found that two other alleged murders, which did not form part of the news stories but appeared in the newspapers defence, were not established. Bullying proven The judge also found the newspapers had established to the civil standard of proof that Roberts-Smith engaged in a campaign of bullying against a fellow soldier, dubbed Person 1, including making a death threat against him. Loading Person 1 gave evidence that Roberts-Smith told him in 2006 that if your performance doesnt improve on our next patrol, youre going to get a bullet in the back of the head. The context in which that statement was made leads me to conclude that this was a death threat, Besanko said. I firmly reject any suggestion that it was the applicant advising Person 1 that he needed to improve his performance as a soldier otherwise he might be shot by the Taliban. In making his findings, the judge made clear that there is no doubt that a court is not bound to accept the case of one or other of the parties and it may reject the case of both parties. Loading The court heard Roberts-Smith had ended a turbulent six-month affair with a woman, dubbed Person 17, by the time the first of the newspaper articles was published. Besanko found Roberts-Smith had lied about being separated from his wife at the time and said it reflects adversely on his credit. Person 17, whose identity was suppressed by the court, alleged in court that Roberts-Smith punched her on the left side of her face and eye following a dinner in Parliament House in Canberra in 2018. The inquiry paved the way for Folbiggs release from prison and potentially millions of dollars in compensation, either after a civil suit or by way of an ex gratia payment by the government. Loading But Daley said on Monday that potential compensation was getting well in advance of todays story. Bathurst may ultimately refer the case to the Court of Criminal Appeal to consider formally quashing the convictions, but the pardon expedited Folbiggs unconditional release from prison without any further court process. Daley notified Folbiggs ex-husband Craig, who testified against her in the 2003 trial, of the pardon and said he was thinking of him today as well; it would be a tough day for him. When contacted last month about his former wifes pending release, Craig Folbigg declined to comment. He did not return calls on Monday. In March, Chapman said she intended to push for an independent commission to review criminal convictions after appeals if Folbigg was released. New Zealand established one in 2020 and Canada is set to follow suit. [It] comes down to an attorney-general, Chapman said. Thats political. Her call was supported on Monday by Emma Cunliffe, an Australian law professor now in Canada, who was the first to argue publicly that Folbigg had been wrongly convicted in her 2011 book, Murder, Medicine and Motherhood. Cunliffe said NSW urgently needed to follow international jurisdictions and reform its post-conviction processes to make them accessible and above any perception of political interference. At present, she said, the minister calls the inquiry, the minister chooses who presides over it, and has a strong voice in who counsel assisting will be. Jackie Schmidt, the sister of Wood, who was convicted by a jury for killing his model girlfriend Caroline Byrne but acquitted by the NSW Criminal Court of Appeal which found there had been insufficient evidence beyond reasonable doubt, also backed the call. Almost without exception, the judicial system must be dragged kicking and screaming by an army of volunteers and determined legal visionaries to a point where it is impossible to continue to deny the fact that a miscarriage of justice has occurred, she said. Human rights and criminal law barrister Felicity Graham, who wrote to Daley last month urging Folbiggs release, said Australia needed to reform its laws dealing with potential miscarriages of justice. The present system had good aspects, including that any convicted person could appeal for an inquiry after exhausting their legal options, Graham said, but a key problem was the lack of a clear mechanism for identifying miscarriages of justice and responding with urgency and resources. A well-resourced independent criminal cases review commission can identify systemic issues, carry out investigations and refer appropriate cases back to courts for fresh appeals, she said. Ms Folbiggs lawyers and supporters have done an amazing job but it should have been easier to achieve this result, and it should have been possible to see her freed much earlier. Sydney University Law Professor Arlie Loughman also said the review commissions in England and Wales allowed matters such as this to be dealt with by a standing body, avoiding the need for the creation of an ad hoc inquiry. Daley said he was open to the idea. I think we have to look at this case and all of the material thats been put before Mr Bathurst, all thats gone before us now to work on it, or to amend the law, if need be, he said. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman, who ordered two inquiries into Folbiggs conviction - one in 2018 by former district court chief judge Reginald Blanch, which agreed Folbigg was guilty, and the Bathurst inquiry, which prompted the pardon - when he was attorney-general, said he did not think a review commission would have made any difference. [Blanch is] a distinguished jurist who heard all the evidence and reached the conclusion, he said. The same thing has happened here. So I dont know that if there had been an independent standing review commission, there would have been any different result or that the result would have occurred any sooner. Craig Folbigg, Kathleen Folbiggs former husband. Credit: Dallas Kilponen He said it was a day in which there are no winners. There are no winners from this story. Its a terrible story of the full lives lost of a grieving father and a woman whos been incarcerated when she shouldnt have been for 20 years. The NSW Bar Association welcomed the decision. In a statement, it said the NSW appeal and review provisions ensured legal avenues of challenge had remained available to Folbigg as science advanced and new evidence became available. Folbiggs existing non-parole period was set to expire on April 21, 2028. Lindy Chamberlain, who was convicted in October 1982 of murdering her infant daughter Azaria and spent three years in prison before being released ahead of a royal commission, declined to comment. Her then-husband Michael was convicted as an accessory but did not serve time behind bars. The Chamberlains were pardoned in 1987 after the royal commission examined new evidence, and their convictions were formally quashed in 1988. They received $1.3 million in compensation in 1992. The inquiry into Folbiggs convictions heard expert evidence that a genetic variant shared by Kathleen, Sarah and Laura Folbigg might cause cardiac arrhythmias irregular heart rhythms and sudden unexpected death. He showed her photographs, including photographs of her diary or notebook. This behaviour was intimidatory, threatening and controlling. Besanko also pointed to the threatening tone of a message Roberts-Smith sent Person 17 earlier in 2018, which read: Wake up to yourself Im trying to mitigate the fallout for you with [redacted]. We can talk about how that looks but you really need to get your shit together or you will be doing it alone. Dont f---ing abuse me again because it wont end well! He showed her photographs, including photographs of her diary or notebook. This behaviour was intimidatory, threatening and controlling. Justice Anthony Besanko Roberts-Smith gave evidence that he had asked private investigator John McLeod to follow and film Person 17 in Brisbane in early 2018 to check whether she had an abortion because he suspected she was lying about being pregnant. I do not accept ... [Roberts-Smiths] explanation for failing to disclose the video taken by Mr McLeod, Besanko said. I consider that the non-disclosure was due to an appreciation by [Roberts-Smith] ... that proof that he had had his lover followed and filmed without her knowledge would reflect poorly on him as indeed it does. Loading Person 17, whose identity was suppressed by the court, alleged in court that Roberts-Smith punched her on the left side of her face and eye at a hotel in Canberra after a dinner in Parliament House in 2018. Roberts-Smith vehemently rejected the allegation, and a former army officer at the dinner said he witnessed Person 17 fall down the stairs and sustain a very large haematoma on the left side of her forehead above her eye. There was no dispute between the parties that Person 17 fell down the stairs while leaving the venue and hit her head and bruised her thigh. Besanko said he accepted Person 17s evidence that Roberts-Smith was very angry and that he was very critical of her conduct at the dinner in Canberra. He did complain of her conduct at the dinner and of her creating a big scene as they were leaving the dinner, Besanko said. The judge said Roberts-Smith had told the court he undressed Person 17 and put her to bed after she injured herself falling down the stairs. He said he was satisfied Roberts-Smith took photographs of her with the bed clothes removed and that he showed them to Person 17 the following morning and asked her whether he needed to keep the photographs. Such conduct is entirely consistent with his intimidatory, threatening and controlling behaviour generally. Besanko said he accepted Person 17s evidence on a number of matters, but there are some matters that require close examination. This included the fact that Person 17 had lied to Roberts-Smith and said she had terminated a pregnancy in Townsville, and did not immediately tell him she had instead had a miscarriage. She told the court she had a miscarriage. She said she wanted to tell the applicant of the miscarriage face to face. However, she did not immediately tell [Roberts-Smith] ... about the miscarriage, but lied about having had a termination in Townsville, Besanko said. This creates a doubt in my mind, and I put it no higher than that, about whether she did intend to tell [Roberts-Smith] about the miscarriage as she claimed. He also said there were many flaws in her evidence about a man on the beach approaching her on 3 April 2018 with photographs of her naked in bed with [Roberts-Smith] ... at the Milton Hotel and threatening to make the photographs public if she did not tell the applicants wife of the affair. Roberts-Smith told the court he had separated with his now ex-wife, Emma, in late September 2017, and they had remained separated for about six months while he had an affair with Person 17 between October 2017 and April 2018. But Emma Roberts told the court the couple did not separate until January 2020, and she was unaware of the affair until Person 17 appeared out of the blue at the matrimonial home on April 6, 2018. I find that the separation story is false, Besanko said. The parties were not separated as claimed by [Roberts-Smith]. Childs grew up in a working-class family in Earlwood. As a boy, his interest in politics started with listening to then-prime minister Ben Chifley on the radio in the 1940s. Educated at Earlwood public school and Sydney Technical High School, he entered politics through the trade union movement. Childs was acknowledged by all sides of politics for his courteous, patient and unpretentious manner. Perhaps nothing speaks more clearly of his abilities to work effectively with the most difficult of people than the fact that he held the position of national co-convenor of Labors left-wing for the entire duration of the Hawke Keating governments. Bruce Childs was a leading figure in the Australian left from 1971, when he was elected assistant secretary of the NSW branch of the Labor Party, until 2006, when he retired as the president of the labour movement think-tank the Evatt Foundation. He served as a Labor Senator for NSW for 16 years from 1981 to 1997 and concurrently played a central role in Sydneys peace movement. He served a printing apprenticeship as a photo-engraver and worked for Fairfax newspapers, where he joined the union, became clerk of the chapel (his shop committee) and led his first strike at age 19. The leaders of the Amalgamated Printing Trades Employees Union fostered his rise through the ranks. Childs became the assistant federal secretary in 1964 and then state secretary in 1965. After a union amalgamation in 1966, he became joint state secretary of the newly formed Printers and Kindred Industries Union. Being elected in 1971 to hold the NSW Labor lefts first sole salaried executive position in the ALPs Sussex Street head office made for an intimidating start to his political career. Childs efforts were frustrated by frequent snubs and humiliations by the members of the dominant right wing. He learnt enduring lessons about knuckling down in the face of adversity. Those who followed him in the role, including John Faulkner and Anthony Albanese, had to develop similar stoicism on the way to their parliamentary careers. Addressing a crowd in Sussex Street, 1994, during a Labor Party protest. Credit: Fairfax Drawing strength through his comradeship with Jack Ferguson, Arthur Gietzelt and Tom Uren, Childs secured a winnable position on the Labor Partys Senate ticket for the 1980 federal election. Thereafter, he was in the thick of national politics, being re-elected five times as a Senator before retiring in 1997. He identified with being a parliamentarian rather than a politician. In parliament his principal contribution was through his work on many committees, which he once wryly described as having all the psychodynamics of a small group without the therapy. One among many examples of his effective work was the fine report of the committee he chaired on the revitalisation of Australian manufacturing industry. The case against Mirror Group is the first of the princes several lawsuits against the media to go to trial, and one of three alleging tabloid publishers unlawfully snooped on him in their cut-throat competition for scoops on the royal family. When he enters the witness box, Harry will be the first member of the British royal family in more than a century to testify in court. He is expected to describe his anguish and anger over being hounded by the media throughout his life, and its impact on those around him. Princes William and Harry have famously fallen out in recent years. Credit: AP He has blamed paparazzi for causing the car crash that killed his mother, Princess Diana, and said harassment and intrusion by the UK press, including allegedly racist articles, led him and his wife, Meghan, to flee to the US in 2020 and leave royal life behind. Sherborne on Monday also accused the Mirror papers of sowing the seeds of discord between Harry and his brother, Prince William. Loading The lawyer said Harry and Williams disagreement over how to deal with their late mothers former butler was the subject of a 2003 article, which contained the tell-tale signs of unlawful information-gathering. Brothers can sometimes disagree but, once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings are revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded, Sherborne said. The two brothers have had a high-profile falling out in recent years since Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal duties. Harry wrote in his recent memoir that William knocked him to the floor during a 2019 argument over Meghan. Mirror Group has admitted using a private investigator to target Harry, but only once. Sherborne said phone hacking and forms of unlawful information-gathering were carried out on such a widespread scale that this was implausible. The ends justify the means for the defendant, Sherborne said. Stories about Harry were big sellers for the newspapers, and some 2500 articles had covered all facets of his life from injuries at school to experimenting with marijuana and cocaine to the ups and downs with girlfriends, Sherborne said. Mirror Group has said it used documents, public statements and sources to legally report on the prince. But Sherborne said the judge could infer that Mirror journalists eavesdropped on voicemails and hired private eyes to report on Harry as they did on others that have been documented. The articles at issue in the trial date back to his 12th birthday, in 1996, when the Mirror reported he felt badly about the divorce of his mother and father, now King Charles III. Harry said in court documents that he suffered huge bouts of depression and paranoia over concerns that friends and associates were betraying him by leaking information to the newspapers. Relationships fell apart as the women in his life and even their family members were dragged into the chaos. He says he later discovered the source wasnt disloyal friends but aggressive journalists and the private investigators they hired to eavesdrop on voicemails and track him to locations as remote as Argentina and an island off Mozambique. Mirror Group Newspapers said it didnt hack Harrys phone and its articles were based on legitimate reporting techniques. The publisher admitted and apologised for hiring a private eye to dig up dirt on one of Harrys nights out at a bar, but the resulting 2004 article headlined Sex on the beach with Harry is not among the 33 in the trial. Hacking that involved guessing or using default security codes to listen to celebrities mobile phone voice messages was widespread at British tabloids in the early years of this century. It became an existential crisis for the industry after the revelation in 2011 that the News of the World had hacked the phone of a murdered 13-year-old girl. Loading Owner Rupert Murdoch shut down the paper and several of his executives faced criminal trials. Mirror Group has paid millions of pounds to settle hundreds of unlawful information-gathering claims, and printed an apology to phone hacking victims in 2015. But it denies executives including Piers Morgan, who was editor of the Daily Mirror between 1995 and 2004 knew about hacking. The opening statements marked the second phase of a trial by Harry and three others that alleged privacy violations. In the first part, Sherborne, who represents Harry and the other claimants, including two actors from the soap opera Coronation Street, said the unlawful acts were widespread and habitual at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, and carried out on an industrial scale. Two judges including Fancourt are in the process of deciding whether Harrys two other phone hacking cases will proceed to trial. Murdochs News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and Associated Newspapers Ltd., which owns the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, have argued the cases should be thrown out because Harry failed to file the lawsuits within a six-year deadline of discovering the alleged wrongdoing. Harrys lawyer has argued that he and other claimants should be granted an exception to the time limit because the publishers lied and deceived to hide the illegal actions. AP, Reuters Counter-offensive The dam breach came as Ukraine prepares to launch its long-awaited counter-offensive to drive Russian forces from territory they have seized during more than 15 months of fighting. Russia said it had thwarted another Ukrainian offensive in eastern Donetsk and inflicted heavy losses. It also launched a fresh wave of overnight air strikes on Kyiv. Ukraine said its air defence systems had downed more than 20 cruise missiles on their approach to the capital. Reuters could not independently verify the reports and it was unclear whether any of the latest fighting marked the beginning of Ukraines long-anticipated counter-offensive. The Southern Command of Ukraines military accused Russian forces of blowing up the Nova Kakhovka dam, which is 30 metres tall and 3.2 kilometres long. It was built in 1956 on the Dnipro River. The scale of the destruction, the speed and volumes of water, and the likely areas of inundation are being clarified, the Ukrainian military said on Facebook. Ukrainian tanks on a road near Bakhmut, Donetsk region. Credit: AP Ukraines military intelligence agency later said on Telegram that Russian forces had blown up the dam in a panic, in what it said was an obvious act of terrorism and a war crime, which will be evidence in an international tribunal. Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that a global ecological disaster is playing out now, online, and thousands of animals and ecosystems will be destroyed in the next few hours. Loading Russian news agencies said the dam had been destroyed in shelling while the mayor of Russia-controlled Nova Kahhovka city was quoted as blaming an act of terrorism - Russian shorthand for an attack by Ukraine. The Russian-installed head of the Kherson region said evacuation near the dam had begun and that water would reach critical levels within five hours. The Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant has been totally destroyed and cannot be restored after a detonation inside the engine room, Ukraines state hydroelectric company said. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky will hold an emergency meeting over the dam blast, Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, said on Twitter on Tuesday. Zelensky said the destruction of the hydroelectric plant was another reason that only Ukraines victory can restore security. The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam only confirms for the whole world that they must be expelled from every corner of Ukrainian land, he said in a message on Telegram. Ukrainian attacks Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24 last year in what the Kremlin expected to be a swift operation, but its forces suffered a series of defeats and regrouped in the countrys east. Tens of thousands of Russian troops dug in over the winter, besieging Bakhmut for months and bracing for an expected Ukrainian counter-attack to try to cut Russias so-called land bridge to the Crimean Peninsula. Vladimir Putin. Credit: AP Ukrainian officials have made no mention of any broad, significant new campaign, although in his nightly address on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was enigmatic, hailing the news we have been waiting for and forward moves in Bakhmut in Donetsk. Russia says it thwarted a major Ukrainian attack in the Donetsk region over the weekend and on Tuesday the defence ministry said a fresh Ukrainian assault had also been repelled. Russian forces inflicted huge personnel losses on attacking Ukrainian forces and destroyed 28 tanks, including eight Leopard main battle tanks and 109 armoured vehicles, it said. Total Ukrainian losses amounted to 1500 troops. In this image taken from video released by the Ukrainian Presidential Office, water runs through a breakthrough in the Kakhovka dam in Kakhovka, Ukraine. Credit: AP There was no immediate comment from Kyiv about Russias assertions. Russia and Ukraine have often made claims of inflicting heavy human losses on each other which could not be verified. Writing on Telegram, Russias Wagner militia leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Moscows claims of huge Ukrainian losses were simply wild and absurd science fiction. The Washington Post reported that some US officials thought Ukraines counter-offensive was underway, but White House national security spokesperson John Kirby declined to comment on whether this was the case. Im not going to be talking for the Ukrainian military, he told a briefing, adding that the United States had done everything we could ... to make sure that they had all the equipment, the training, the capabilities to be successful. Ukrainian soldiers fire at the Russian air target on the frontline near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region on Monday. Credit: AP The success or failure of a counter-offensive, expected to be waged with billions of dollars worth of advanced Western weaponry, is likely to influence the shape of future Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine. In its evening report on Monday, Ukraines General Staff made no mention of any large-scale offensive, nor did it suggest any deviation from the usual tempo or scope of fighting along front lines that have not changed significantly for months. Ukrainian soldiers smile as they ride in a pickup van on the frontline near Bakhmut. Credit: AP Reuters Washington: Former US vice president Mike Pence has entered the 2024 race for the White House, paving the way for a showdown with his former boss Donald Trump in an ever-growing field of candidates. More than two years after his life was put in danger by Trump supporters during the attack on the US Capitol, Pence filed the necessary federal election paperwork on Monday (US time) to take on the former president for the Republican nomination. Former vice president Mike Pence. Credit: AP He is expected to formally announce his campaign at a rally in Iowa on Wednesday the same early voting state that Trump and Florida governor Ron DeSantis spent last week blitzing in a bid to woo conservative voters. The entry of Pence, an Evangelical Christian with hardline positions on issues such as abortion and LGBTI rights, is likely to add a new dimension to an increasingly competitive contest. MA Financial Group, an ASX-listed diversified financial services firm with more than $8.4 billion AUM, has tapped a global asset management veteran to become its managing director and head of real estate partnerships. Anthony Habis (pictured above) will join MA Financial Groups asset management division in mid-June to further build on the firms global institutional investor relationship in the real estate sector, with a focus on the Middle East region. Prior to the appointment, Habis worked at the Bank of New York Mellon, where he was managing director and global head of client coverage asset servicing. Based in New York, Habis had oversight of the firms client franchise across all investor segments. Before that, he worked in Dubai as head of Middle East and Africa at BNY Mellon, where he led the firms growth across several markets and businesses. Habis also worked as managing director at Citis institutional client group and held a number of senior roles in the Middle East and Africa, including head of global office MENA, and head of private bank, Saudi Arabia and UAE. Andrew Martin, head of MA Asset Management, said the group is delighted to welcome Habis to the team. Habis is a proven leader and brings 26 years of experience in global capital origination and coverage, serving the investment needs of leading global investors, Martin said. [His] combined experience across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America will strengthen our capability and help accelerate our growth plans and ambitions for these important regions. Habis will work alongside Mike Pyke, MAs head of institutional capital, and the firms investment teams to execute an institutional client strategy and bring the firms full suite of alternative asset capabilities to global investors. Martin said the firm is particularly excited about Habis deep insights and senior relationships in the Middle East, where there is a growing appetite to invest in alternative assets and private market investments in Australia and globally. I am delighted to be joining MA Financial, a firm with a demonstrable track record in partnering with specialist operators to invest in globally aligned growth trends and sectors, Habis said. There is significant interest in MAs capabilities in real estate and other alternative asset classes in the region. Habis appointment follows that of Alex Brgudac, who was hired by MAs lending platform, non-bank MA Money, to build and execute the companys strategy and drive further volume growth. In February, MA appointed Giles Boddy as its new chief financial officer. Got a new appointment in your own organisation? Share it with us in the comments section below. Russian rockets are launched against Ukraine from Russia's Belgorod region, seen from Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, June 4. AP-Yonhap Russian forces have thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive in the southern Ukrainian region of Donetsk and killed hundreds of pro-Kyiv troops, the Russian defence ministry said on Monday. In a statement, the ministry said Ukraine had launched the offensive on Sunday using six mechanised and two tank battalions. "On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the South Donetsk direction," the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the Russian statement. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. It was unclear whether the attack represented the start of a long-expected Ukrainian counteroffensive to recapture some of the territory taken by Russian forces after the invasion of February 2022. "The enemy's goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front," the defence ministry said. "The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success." The ministry also released video of what it said showed several Ukrainian armoured vehicles in a field blowing up after being hit. Russian forces killed 250 Ukrainian troops as well as destroying 16 tanks, the infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armoured combat vehicles, the ministry said. On Sunday, Kyiv urged "silence" ahead of the long-expected counteroffensive to reclaim territory that Russia has taken control over in the 15-month long war its been waging on its neighbour. In an interview published a day earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was ready to act. Zelenskiy made no mention of the assault in his regular evening video address on Sunday night. A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, May 29. AP-Yonhap Building a business as a finance broker is never easy. Working as a financial broker is a competitive business and everyone is trying to get a leg up on the competition. So, now is the perfect time to invest in the betterment of your career. Get answers to questions like: The company, which has been operating in India since June 5, 2013, has expanded into categories such as cloud services, e-commerce, video streaming, and more. E-commerce giant Amazon has waived off 10 per cent of its seller fees to mark its decade-long presence in India, said a report by Moneycontrol. Amazon stated in a blog post that the company's aim from the beginning was to digitise businesses of all kinds in order to offer the widest range of items while using technology to eliminate inefficiencies and unlock greater value for customers. According to the report, the e-commerce behemoth has over 1.2 million sellers in the country, which is just slightly more than Walmart-owned Flipkart, which has 1.1 million sellers. As the company celebrates a decade-long presence in India, it stands to be the only e-commerce company to have partnered with the Indian Railways and have its own flights under Prime Air, for easy shipments, it added. It further said that the benefits supplied by Amazon's ecommerce platform, such as quick returns and access to buying alternatives in vernacular languages, helped the company gain popularity across the country. Also Read Hike in Amazon seller fee likely to reduce discounts for customers Amazon India offers 50% referral fee waiver for e-commerce businesses First time since 2014, Amazon omits India business from earnings call Amazon Fire TV Cube review: Smart speaker, streaming player rolled into one Asset management companies fear 'transaction fee burden' on margins Nava Ltd more than halves its total liabilities to Rs 1,707 crore Salary of Infosys CEO Salil Parekh drops 21% to Rs 56.45 crore in FY23 Vedanta deploys Volvo electric off-road machines at its iron ore mines L&T Finance to sell bad loans worth Rs 3,022 crore to AMCs: Report Westlife Foodworld makes its debut on the National Stock Exchange Though Amazon maintains that the initial days of onboarding sellers were difficult as the Indian market was different in 2013, and both users and sellers were unfamiliar with e-commerce. This challenge needed not just innovation, but Indian ingenuity and execution agility, the e-commerce giant said. Commenting on the connectivity of the company, Abhinav Singh, VP of Operations said, Nobody had the kind of reach that India Post did, but they were set up differently. Back then, they did not carry electronic products. We went through several months of discussions with them about the possibilities that e-commerce could unlock. Finally, they saw that this was a good move for India. Today, Amazon is looking into further examining the country's business possibilities, citing the growing population of young people. Initially, the company only had two fulfilment sites in Mumbai and Bengaluru. However, Vivek Somareddy, VP of Seller Fulfilment, Emerging Markets, and India Exports, stated that Amazon developed Seller Flex in response to rising demand and sellers flocking to the site. This converted the seller locations into tiny Amazon FCs, eliminating the need for Amazon warehouses to intervene with shipments. This year, in February, the company stated in a statement that its operations in emerging nations such as India, Brazil, and the Middle East will take some time to become profitable, but that these markets have high potential and are on the right trajectories. Manish Tiwary, country manager, India Consumer Business said, With a young and vibrant population, rising income levels, and increasing penetration of internet and social media, the future is exciting. We remain committed to innovating for customers, and enabling small businesses and startups to contribute to Indias vision of becoming a $1 trillion digital economy. The company sees the online grocery industry in India as a potential growth area. Amazon Fresh reported in April that it has grown to more than 50 cities in India by this year, up from only 22 cities the previous year. Bank of Baroda on Monday announced launch of Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW) facility wherein a customer can withdraw cash using UPI from the bank's ATMs. "The first public sector bank to launch this service, Bank of Baroda customers as well as customers of other participating issuer banks that use BHIM UPI, bob World UPI or any other UPI application enabled for ICCW on their mobile phone can withdraw cash from a Bank of Baroda ATM without using their debit card," the lender said. On selecting the option 'UPI Cash Withdrawal' at a Bank of Baroda ATM, the customer needs to enter the withdrawal amount, post which a QR code is displayed on the ATM screen. Explaining the process, the lender said the customer will scan the QR code using a UPI app enabled for ICCW and then authorise the transaction with her/his UPI PIN on the mobile phone to withdraw the cash from the ATM. If multiple bank accounts are linked to a single UPI ID, ICCW functionality gives customers the option to select the account to be debited. Akhil Handa, Chief Digital Officer at Bank of Baroda, said the new ICCW facility being offered by the bank gives customers the freedom to withdraw money without the use of a physical card - a simple, convenient and secure way to withdraw cash." Customers can avail two transactions a day per account with a withdrawal limit of Rs 5,000 per transaction. Also Read Debit card-based ATM withdrawals up 235% since demonetisation: Report Biz of moving currency booming, with new revenue streams set to open up Bank of Baroda Q3: What to expect from the lender's Dec quarter result? Bank of Baroda reports highest-ever quarterly profit of Rs 3,853 cr in Q3 Bank of Baroda Q4 preview: PAT may soar up to 2x YoY on healthy loan growth Wipro VisionEDGE to power Bowling Center TV's new digital network Refex Group commits to plant 100,000 trees across TN in next few years Veranda RACE expands reach through partnerships with Talent Academy PVR INOX announces opening of new 7-screen multiplex in Bengaluru Go First insolvency: NCLT issues notice in plea by Jackson Aviation Bank of Baroda has over 11,000 ATMs across the country. Brookfield India Real Estate Trust plans to raise up to Rs 3,500 crore through issues of units to institutional investors or preferential allotment of units, mainly to fund its proposed acquisition of two commercial properties. Last month, Brookfield India Real Estate Trust (BIRET) and Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC had announced an equal partnership to acquire two commercial properties in India for Rs 11,225 crore. The company had proposed to fund the acquisitions through an institutional placement of up to Rs 3,500 crore and said it might also consider other forms of fund raising, including preferential allotment of units. According to sources, Brookfield India Real Estate Trust has started the process to raise funds. When contacted, BIRET spokesperson said that the board of the manager of the REIT has approved an enabling resolution to raise up to Rs 3,500 crore through institutional placement, which is subject to unitholder approval. Of this, Rs 3,400 crore is proposed to be raised for asset acquisitions". The spokesperson did not comment on start of the process of fund raising. Also Read Post pandemic pent-up demand surge, realty space may face global headwinds Brookfield buys 51% stake in Bharti Enterprises' 4 commercial properties Nexus Select Trust acquires 17 malls; to continue inorganic growth post IPO No plans to launch REIT public offer in next 12 months, says DLF CEO Brookfield acquires controlling stake in CleanMax Solar for $360 million Maruti Suzuki starts work on solar power plant to achieve carbon neutrality GM to invest $1 bn in Flint plants to boost heavy-duty truck production Adani Group repays loans worth $2.65 bn to complete prepayment programme J K Cement accords in-principle approval to sign agreement with Toshali Bank of Baroda launches cash withdrawal facility via UPI on its ATMs BIRET is among four listed Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) on Indian stock exchanges. Its portfolio comprises of five large campus format office parks located in Mumbai, Gurugram, Noida, and Kolkata. The portfolio consists of 18.7 million square feet comprising 14.3 million square feet of completed area, 0.6 million square feet of under construction and 3.9 million square feet of future development potential. Last month, BIRET and GIC announced acquisition of two assets in the financial capital and Gurugram with a built-up area of 6.5 million square feet. These two assets are presently owned by Brookfield Asset Management's private real estate funds. The two properties are Brookfield's Downtown Powai, which is a portfolio of nine commercial properties spread over three clusters having 2.7 million square feet of operational area and 0.1 million square feet of area under expansion, and Candor Techspace in Gurugram, which has over 3.7 million square feet of operational space. BIRET's operating area will increase by 44 per cent and consolidated gross asset value by 73 per cent after the acquisition of the assets, it had said in May. REIT, a popular instrument globally, was introduced in India a few years ago to attract investment in the real estate sector by monetising rent-yielding assets. Rental income earned by REITs are distributed to unitholders. REITs help unlock the massive value of real estate assets and enables the participation of retail investors. Out of four listed REITs on Indian bourses, three are backed by office assets and one by retail (shopping malls) real estate assets. The tribunal directed the insolvency resolution professional (IRP) to file the response within a week. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), on Monday, issued a notice in a plea by one of the lessors of Go First, Jackson Aviation, seeking the status of aircraft whose lease was terminated before the moratorium. Jackson Square Aviation was among several lessors that had raised an alarm after the tribunal gave Go First bankruptcy protection to allow it to revive itself but barred lessors from repossessing planes. The case will next be heard on June 15. The airline had earlier cancelled its operations till June 4. The IRP had last month argued in the NCLT that returning aircraft to the lessors will render the crisis-hit Go First, which has 7,000 employees to look after, "dead". Also Read NCLAT to hear SMBC Aviation's plea against NCLT order on Go First today Go First airline asks NCLT to pass urgent order on insolvency plea Go First seeks interim moratorium, NCLT says no such provision under IBC NCLT admits Go First's insolvency plea, puts it under moratorium NCLT admits Go First's plea for voluntary insolvency, appoints IRP Daimler enters pre-owned market with launch of 'BharatBenz Certified' Gaurs Group sets up 15 MW solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh at Rs 80 cr SBI Cards and Payment Services to raise Rs 3,000 crore funds via NCDs Suzlon Group crosses 20 GW installed wind mills capacity worldwide Dr Reddy's completes Phase-I study in proposed biosimilar of tocilizumab Once Go First's revival plan is approved by the aviation regulator, the airline said it will be able to deploy two aircraft to start Delhi-Srinagar and Delhi-Leh chartered flights immediately. Within the next few days, it will be able to resume scheduled services, mainly on the Pune, Bagdogra, and Goa routes. According to Financial Express, the airline has said it will be able to deploy eight to ten aircraft for the scheduled services. Earlier this month, the IRP had also reportedly submitted a six-month revival plan of Go First to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The IRP informed DGCA that the airline is ready to resume its operations with 26 operational aircraft and 400 pilots on its roll. The carrier has also offered a monthly retention allowance of Rs Rs 100,000 to captains and Rs 50,000 to first officers. Currently, the monthly average salary of captains is Rs 530,000. Hair care brand Henkel, which launched a hair styling product for men on Monday, is eyeing to more than double its market share to around 30 per cent of the premium segment by 2025. The German company, known more for its detergents and was present here till 2012, when it licensed this business to Jyoti Labs, retaining only the haircare segment in the B2B or professional hair care and styling market, had in November 2022 re-entered the consumer segment of the hair care market. The professional styling market was around Rs 1,000 crore, while the overall hair care market was around Rs 5,000 crore in 2021, according to industry tracker Mintel. The market is expected to grow at 8 per cent CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) between FY23 and FY28. Of the total market, around 45 per cent is premium. Kartik Kaushik, the country head of Henkel Consumer Brands India, wants to capture 30 per cent of this segment by the turn of FY25. Currently, it enjoys 12 per cent of the professional hair care segment and 22 per cent of the styling market. We are looking at netting 30 per cent of the premium hair styling market in the country and control at least a quarter of the overall haircare market by FY25, he told PTI. Also Read German company Henkel re-enters consumer segment with Schwarzkopf India an important market, Henkel continues to invest in lab infra: CEO Wipro acquires packaged traditional food and spices brand Nirapara German police conduct countrywide raids, arrests 25 to avert coup: Report Europe open for international trade, says German Chancellor Scholz Unilever hunts for new chair after botched takeover, investor rows Gaurs Group forays into energy sector with 15 MW solar power project in UP Fintech firm BharatPe appoints Kohinoor Biswas as Head of Consumer Lending GE T&D India gets shareholders' nod to appoint Sandeep Zandaria as MD, CEO FMCG companies announce sustainable milestones, targets on Environment Day The Mintel report expects the hair colour category to clip at 17.5 per cent annually until 2026 after growing at 12-14 per cent till 2019. The domestic hair dye category was at around Rs 5,000 crore in 2021, of which the premium market controls more than two-thirds of the market pie. Meanwhile, the company on Monday entered the men's retail/consumer segment with Taft, a hair styling product and marked its entry into the male styling category. Kaushik said Taft is made of fully recyclable metal and black plastic, with a vegan formulation, free from any micro-plastic formula. According to industry tracker Imarc Group, the male grooming market is expected to cross USD 3 billion by 2028, clipping annually at over 8 per cent during 2023-28. The company markets all its products under the mother brand of Schwarzkopf and two sub-brands -- Simply Color and Colour Specialist. Henkel competes with Loreal, Wella, BBlunt in the hair colour and hairstyle segment and Beardo and Bombay Shaving Company, among others, in the men's grooming segment. Vedanta paid a brand fee of Rs 2,632 crore ($325 million) for 2022-23 (FY23), according to Nomura report. This was after the Anil Agarwal-owned holding company raised the brand fee to 2 per cent of the turnover for its Indian businesses in 2021. An increased brand fee paid by India-listed Vedanta, apart from record dividend, has helped Vedanta Resources (VRL) the London-based holding company of Vedanta Group to repay part of its debt. In 2017, Vedanta signed a three-year brand licence agreement with VRL for the use of the brand Vedanta which stipulated a brand fee to VRL at 0.75 per cent of the turnover of Vedanta. In 2021-22 (FY22), Vedanta and its subsidiaries paid a brand fee of Rs 1,553 crore, compared with Rs 939 crore of the brand fee paid in 2020-21 (FY21). In FY21, the agreement was renewed and certain additional services were also agreed to be provided by VRL. After the new agreement, the brand and strategic service fee was renegotiated at 2 per cent of the turnover, while for the remaining subsidiaries, the previous rates remained unchanged. Later, certain subsidiaries of Vedanta executed similar agreements with VRL to pay brand fees ranging between 0.75 per cent and 1.5 per cent of their respective turnover. Also Read UPI charges: Here is how interchange fees on wallet payments will work Vedanta unit's ability to raise loans reduces liquidity risk for group: S&P Vedanta's Q3 net profit falls 42%, announces dividend of Rs 12.5 a share Vedanta dividend: Decision on fifth payout today; check all details here Volatility in Vedanta Resources bonds rises as group plans to reduce debt NCLT to hear Go First lessors' plea, directs IRP to file reply in one week Flight operations can take off with 152 daily flights: Go First to DGCA Godrej Consumer Products appoints Aasif Malbari as CFO from August 10 Brookfield India Real Estate Trust plans to raise up to Rs 3,500 cr Maruti Suzuki starts work on solar power plant to achieve carbon neutrality Vedanta pays such fees in advance, at the beginning of the year based on estimated annual turnover, the company had said in its annual report last year. In FY22, the agreement was extended for 15 years. Vedanta is not the only company to raise brand and royalty fees from its Indian subsidiaries. An email sent to Vedanta did not elicit any response until the time of going to press. Effective February this year, Unilever Plcs Indian subsidiary Hindustan Unilever raised royalty and central services fees to 3.45 per cent of turnover from 2.65 per cent staggered over the next three years. Analysts said the record dividend paid by the Indian subsidiaries and the rising brand fee has helped VRL repay its debt. Tata Group holding company, Tata Sons, also charges 0.25 per cent of the annual net income or 5 per cent of the profit before tax (whichever is less) for the use of the Tata brand name by its subsidiaries. The year a company makes losses, Tata Group companies are not required to pay the fee. VRL aims at reducing debt further in 2023-24 and ultimately have it at zero. Since March 31 this year, VRL has reduced its gross debt by $1.4 billion to $6.4 billion, compared with $7.8 billion at the end of March this year. VRL owns a 68.1 per cent stake in Vedanta, which, in turn, holds a 63 per cent stake in Hindustan Zinc. In FY23, VRL received Rs 25,636 crore of dividends from Vedanta, which was partly used to repay debt, said analysts. VRL also took fresh loans from Glencore, Trafigura, and other lenders, including JPMorgan Chase and Oaktree, to refinance its old loans. IndiGo aims to carry 100 million passengers in the year ending March 2024, as the carrier adds more domestic and international routes, its CEO Pieter Elbers said on Monday. The budget carrier flew 86 million passengers in FY23. At a media briefing on the sidelines of the IATA World Air Transport Summit here, Elbers said the airline expects to have around 350 planes in its fleet by the end of this fiscal (FY24). Currently, the carrier has more than 300 aircraft. IndiGo is India's largest airline with more than 57 per cent domestic market share. To a query on bilateral flying rights, Elbers said it is up to the government to decide on whether to give more rights or not. It requires a "tailor-made approach," he added. According to the report, Spohr claimed that this partnership would work side by side with Lufthansa's plans to expand its own flights to India. The Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa, Carsten Spohr, told the Economic Times (ET) that the company is looking to deepen its partnership with Air India as part of its India expansion policy. According to ET, Spohr expressed Lufthansa's interest in partnering with Air India and acknowledged that the airline's potential hasn't been fully utilised under government ownership. He mentioned that with the changes brought by Tata and Singapore Airlines' involvement, Air India has transformed, creating an opportunity for a strong partnership. However, specific details regarding the commercial partnership were not disclosed. The prominent German airlines presented a two-fold expansion strategy at the 79th annual general meeting (AGM) of the International Airport Transport Association (IATA) and World Air Transport Summit. The first was to expand its own airline's reach in India and the second was to work closely with Air India towards a metal neutral joint venture on India - Frankfurt route where revenues would be shared by both airlines irrespective of the aircraft carrier. In April, Lufthansa had expressed its interest in bidding for Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), the MRO firm set to be sold by the Indian government. While Lufthansa has maintained a strong presence in India, Gulf carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways have successfully attracted transit passengers to Europe and North America through their Middle Eastern hubs in Dubai and Doha. This strategic move may add to the competition for Middle Eastern carriers. It is expected that the collaboration between Lufthansa and Air India will extend beyond passenger services to include other areas such as Cargo, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), Training, and Information Technology (IT) added the report. Also Read One year since Tatas took over Air India, here's how the journey has been Go First likely to resume flights on May 24 with fewer aircraft: Report Go First airline asks NCLT to pass urgent order on insolvency plea DGCA asks Go First to refund passengers; airline scraps flights till May 9 Tata Electronic plans to bolster presence in electronics, semiconductor biz TCS selected as strategic partner of Teachers' Pension Scheme in Eng, Wales Paytm becomes merchant payments leader with over 7,500,000 devices deployed Modi govt made it easier for global tech firms in India: DocuSign prez Edtech major Byju's faces deadline for $40 million payment of $1.2 bn loan Paytm's loan disbursals more than doubled to Rs 9,618 crore in Apr and May Lufthansa aims to further enhance its position by resuming flights on the Frankfurt-Hyderabad route and launching Bengaluru-Munich flights. Moreover, the group plans to introduce new routes through its sister carriers, Swiss and Austrian Airlines. Lufthansa is already a significant player in the Japanese, Indian, and Chinese markets, and during the current summer season, the airline group will operate 56 weekly flights, making it the largest airline group connecting India and Europe. Looking ahead, Lufthansa intends to deploy Airbus A380 aircraft on the Delhi route during the upcoming winter season. In the same report, Spohr mentioned that the A380 has been well-received by both crews and passengers, and it remains to be seen if it will return to India, as it has proven to be a popular choice among Indian customers in the past. It is a lot easier now for global companies, especially in technology zones, to establish a footprint in India compared to a decade ago due to the Modi government's big focus on attracting the FDI from tech companies, according to the newly-appointed Indian-American president of a US firm that pioneers in managing electronic agreements. The remarks by Robert Chatwani, president & general manager, Growth at DocuSign came as he spoke about the adoption of technology for governance and other areas in India. My understanding is that all of that legislation has come under Narendra Modi's administration. I think it's just one indication of how technology and adopting technology, not only for the government but just at large, has really changed under Prime Minister Modi's leadership in the last several years, Chatwani told PTI in an interview. Encouraged by the changing technological environment, DocuSign, a San Francisco-based company that allows organisations to manage electronic agreements, has announced it is committed to building a full engineering centre and development centre in India. It would come up in Bangalore, he said. We are really excited about the market, not just because of the employee base, we'll build there, but also because of the market opportunity for DocuSign, said Chatwani, who took over as the president of the company some 90 days ago. Before joining DocuSign, Chatwani served as the Chief Marketing Officer at Atlassian, a SaaS industry leader and pioneer in product-led growth. Also Read WPL auction: Smriti Mandhana goes to Royal Challengers for Rs 3.4 cr IPL Mini Auction 2023: Five players who will rake in the moolah in Kochi IPL Auction 2023: Slots to fill, purse remaining of each team before D-Day DocuSign to lay off 10% of its workforce as part of its restructuring plan India should target $350 bn exports through e-commerce by 2030: GTRI Edtech major Byju's faces deadline for $40 million payment of $1.2 bn loan Paytm's loan disbursals more than doubled to Rs 9,618 crore in Apr and May A 'nifty' little move: HDFC Life, SBI Life lead earnings upgrades India is an opportunity, looking to expand operations: Lufthansa CEO Competition Commission of India lens on Big Tech as Apple probe nears end He oversaw teams across marketing, brand, communications and data science, and worked with the product organisation to help scale Atlassian's business to nearly USD3 billion in revenue. Prior to Atlassian, he served as Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer for the social e-commerce platform Spring. He also spent more than a decade at eBay, ending his tenure as CMO of North America where his teams supported USD 35 billion in annual trading volume. I've been lucky to be in multiple companies where we've had deep investments in India. One is at eBay where we made a big acquisition in India many years ago and opened our India development centres, eBay and PayPal. My last company, Atlassian, which is an Australian-based company, we now have close to 2,500 employees in India, he said. And DocuSign, which we haven't opened our office yet, but it's coming this year. What I'll say, in every one of those examples, compared to even a decade or more ago, it's becoming a lot easier for global companies to establish a footprint there, especially in these technology zones, in particular, the companies I have been ., in Chennai, Bangalore, or Hyderabad, Chatwani told PTI. It's no longer just a cost factor, but really access to talent. Some of the best talents in each of these companies, and hopefully now at DocuSign, come out as a result of our footprint in India. My sense is that under the Modi administration, attracting foreign direct investment from technology companies has been a big focus, and certainly we've benefited quite a bit from that, Chatwani said. But at the same time, he noted that while from a large company perspective, probably it's quite easy, for small to midsize companies, it is still a struggle. In my last company, Atlassian, we had a network of partners that were much smaller companies, but they would build their technology in our platform, and they attempted to also build India footprint, oftentimes to get, software development cycles going 24 hours and I've heard firsthand from at least one of them that they struggled because, as a smaller company of maybe under 500 or under a thousand employees, they found it a lot more difficult to get established and get a footprint in India, he said. So, I'm guessing this is secondhand, that there's still a lot more efficiency to be had for companies that may not have the resources of a publicly traded company, to get started and to do business in India. That's just my sense. I think there are still ways to go before it is truly frictionless, he said. Responding to a question, Chatwani said everything that he has sensed is that it has only gotten easier to do business and transact with India. The settlement of arbitration dues from Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (Zesco) has contributed to an increase in the cash flow of the company. In December last year, a tribunal in London ordered Zesco to pay $518 million to MCL for outstanding receivables. Nava Ltd, the parent company of Maamba Collieries Ltd, on Monday announced that it has more than halved its liabilities to Rs 1,707 crore from Rs 3,998.57 crore as of December 1, 2022. This includes repayment of overdue principal instalments and other liabilities. "To date, Zesco has made payments totalling $181 million against the award, including a recent payment of $60 million, adhering to its payment plan," the company said in a press release. Zesco proposed to discharge $338 million by December 2023 and the rest $180 million by December 2024. "We are immensely proud of the remarkable turnaround made by MCL. The successful resolution of the arbitration case and the substantial debt reduction are significant milestones in our journey towards the long-term success of the Maamba project. We are grateful to our shareholders, lenders, and employees for their unwavering support throughout this period, said Ashwin Devineni, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nava Limited. Moreover, MCL has also been receiving full payments for all energy sales from May 2022, including that from coal sales. Also Read Biz of moving currency booming, with new revenue streams set to open up India, Bangladesh discuss trade settlement in rupee, free trade agreement Mutual funds adopt T+2 settlement cycle for redemption payouts TMS Ep429: Paytm cash flow, ceiling fans, auto stocks, Kaladan Project TMS Ep429: Paytm cash flow, ceiling fans, auto stocks, Kaladan Project Salary of Infosys CEO Salil Parekh drops 21% to Rs 56.45 crore in FY23 Vedanta deploys Volvo electric off-road machines at its iron ore mines L&T Finance to sell bad loans worth Rs 3,022 crore to AMCs: Report Westlife Foodworld makes its debut on the National Stock Exchange TCS bags 10-yr contract for managing Teacher's Pension Scheme in Eng, Wales "With the loans of MCL now being current, MCL is eager to engage with its Lenders to discuss the way forward, including potential distributions to sponsors," the company said. According to a regulatory filing, this will enable accurate administration of pension records, payment of benefits, effective scheme finance management, proactive member engagement, and easy access to information. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been selected to administer and further enhance the customer experience for the Teachers' Pension Scheme in England and Wales. The IT major has been awarded a 10-year contract to manage the second-largest pension scheme in the UK using a platform powered by TCS BaNCS. "We are delighted to partner with the Department for Education to digitally transform the administration of the Teachers' Pensions Scheme and deliver the best-administered UK public sector pensions scheme. The resulting service will be highly agile and responsive to the needs of its members and employers," said Vivekanand Ramgopal, president of BFSI Products and Platforms at TCS. Notably, TCS is the largest provider of software and IT services in the UK. It will work in partnership with the Department for Education (DfE). The platform will offer a self-service pension experience to the pensioners, giving scheme employers and members round-the-clock, any-channel access to their account information, along with personalized insights to help them understand their pension plan better. "We will continue to strategically invest in our platform and pursue our aspiration to be the preferred growth and transformation partner to life and pensions companies in the UK," he added. By Dasha Afanasieva and Sabah Meddings Unilever Plc has is seeking a new board chair to replace Nils Andersen, continuing an overhaul of its leadership after a series of missteps in recent years frustrated shareholders. Hein Schumacher will become CEO in July, replacing Alan Jope, while Chief Financial Officer Graeme Pitkethly plans to retire next year. Those changes follow a botched attempt to buy GSK Plcs consumer-health unit more than a year ago. The maker of Hellmanns mayonnaise and Marmite yeast spread has appointed executive search firm Spencer Stuart to lead the search, according to people familiar with the situation. The company has shaken up its top ranks after appointing activist investor Nelson Peltz to the board last year. The 64-year-old has sat on the board since 2015 and took on the chairman role in 2019, meaning his term, under UK corporate governance guidelines, would typically end next year. Earlier this year, he became chairman of chipmaker ASML Holding NV. The search for Andersens replacement is well under way, said the people, asking not to be identified discussing confidential matters. Representatives of Unilever and Spencer Stuart declined to comment. Also Read Two internal candidates in race for Hindustan Unilever CEO position Hein Schumacher is the new CEO of Unilever after Tangle With Peltz OZiva buyout to improve HUL's health and wellbeing in long-run: Analysts Hike in royalty payout to parent could weigh on Hindustan Unilever margins Unilever's India unit falls as royalty fee rise overshadows profit beat Gaurs Group forays into energy sector with 15 MW solar power project in UP Fintech firm BharatPe appoints Kohinoor Biswas as Head of Consumer Lending GE T&D India gets shareholders' nod to appoint Sandeep Zandaria as MD, CEO FMCG companies announce sustainable milestones, targets on Environment Day Govt gets Rs 4,185 cr through 3% stake sale in state-run Coal India Conny Braams, chief digital and commercial officer, is leaving the board later this year. But more changes in the senior leadership are expected after Schumacher, former CEO of Dutch dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina, takes the helm. During Andersens term as chairman, the companys total return to investors has trailed far behind that of rival Nestle SA. The new bosses for the UK-based firm will have to contend with eroding market share as a cost-of-living crisis pushes shoppers to trade down to cheaper store brands. Last month investors voted down the companys 2022 remuneration, sending a signal of their exasperation with the non-binding poll. The board is set to engage with shareholders in the coming months. Andersen took over as chairman after his predecessor, Marijn Dekkers, stepped down following an unsuccessful effort to unify the companys headquarters in the Netherlands. The company later reversed course, abandoning its Anglo-Dutch structure to consolidate its base in London. Atomic Wallet, a mobile and desktop crypto wallet allowing users to store various cryptocurrencies, has experienced a security breach and lost over $35 million in crypto assets since June 2. ZachXBT, an on-chain investigator, has been collecting transactions of funds stolen from Atomic Wallet victims and claimed that over $35 million in cryptocurrency has been stolen as a result of this compromise. "A new largest victim was found on Tron with 7.95M USDT stolen. The five biggest losses account for $17M," ZachXBT tweeted. "My graph has now surpassed $35M in total stolen," it added. Last week, Atomic Wallet tweeted that they had received reports of compromised wallets and had begun an investigation. "We have received reports of wallets being compromised. We are doing all we can to investigate and analyse the situation. As we have more information, we will share it accordingly," it tweeted. Also Read Crypto firms go out of business as cryptocurrency collapse continues Indian-origin investor takes legal action after losing $2 mn in FTX crash Nepal, India to sign cross-border digital payments deal to boost trade FTX collapse: US asks companies to disclose involvement with crypto firms US regulators issue their first-ever joint warning on cryptocurrency risks Services PMI declines to 61.2 in May amid rising inflationary pressures May services PMI at 61.2 as demand remains resilient amid rising inflation India home prices set to stay above consumer inflation: Property analysts On the agenda: GST Council likely to approve tribunal blueprint this month Statsguru: Six charts explain RBI's annual earnings report for FY23 A tweet published today by the company said, "At the moment less than 1 per cent of our monthly active users have been affected/reported. Last drained transaction was confirmed over 40h ago". Further, it added that the "security investigation is ongoing. We report victim addresses to major exchanges & blockchain analytics to trace and block the stolen funds". Last month, a report showed that hackers stole over $400 million from crypto projects in 40 attacks in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023 in the US. According to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, the amount of funds lost in the first quarter was 70 per cent, down from the same period in 2022. --IANS shs/shb/ The minister issued the instructions during a meeting with airline executives to discuss the sharp rise in spot fares in the past few weeks. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday expressed concern over the abnormal surge in airfares on certain routes following the grounding of Go First and told airlines to keep them reasonable. Scindia, however, added that airlines would have to self-monitor the issue. At the Mondays meeting, officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation shared their analysis on the rise in airfares, especially on routes like Leh, Goa and Ahmedabad that were among the top destinations for Go First. The airline filed for voluntary insolvency on May 2 and stopped flying. A mechanism for ensuring reasonable pricing within the high RBDs (Reservation Booking Designator) may be devised by airlines. This shall be monitored by the DGCA, the civil aviation ministry said in a press statement. Airlines were also told to keep a check on the pricing on routes that see high demand due to calamities, and directed to transport the mortal remains of the Odisha train accident victims free of cost. Stepping in RBDs refer to fare buckets or slabs used by airlines as part of their revenue management practice. Also Read Skyrocketing airfares: GoFirst's absence, thunderstorms, demand to blame Analysts see upto 38% upside in IndiGo; suggest tracking costs, airfare cap US-India airfares shoot up as impact of Russia's war in Ukraine continues Aviation ministry lists five-point action plan to decongest Delhi airport Go First airline asks NCLT to pass urgent order on insolvency plea World Environment Day: Green clearances in India at multi-year high India and Indonesia to drive Asia's growth: Morgan Stanley, Nomura Cargo traffic handled by major ports up 3.2% YoY at 68.06 MT in May: IPA Centre aims at covering refractories in PLI 2.0 to support steel industry Government extends timeline for submitting bids for OALP Round-VIII Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asks airlines to self-monitor fares on routes that have seen considerable surge A mechanism for ensuring reasonable pricing within high RBDs (Reservation Booking Designator) may be devised by airlines, ministry says Airlines have also been told to curb prices on routes that see high demand due to calamities When domestic operations resumed in May 2020 after two months of nationwide lockdown in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the civil aviation ministry had capped the number of flights that airlines could fly and fares that they could charge. The fare caps were removed last August. Scindia on Monday asked airlines to keep the highest-bucket fares within reasonable limits, but no written order has been issued as the government has no plan to regulate them. Go First temporarily halted its operations on May 2 following a cash crunch caused by the grounding of 28 of its aircraft. The airline was operating around 200 flights daily carrying 25,000-30,000 passengers before its grounding. Go Firsts top five routes included Delhi-Srinagar, Delhi-Leh, Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Goa, and Delhi-Pune. According to the Aircraft Rules, 1937, airlines are free to fix reasonable tariffs. Fares are monitored by a tariff-monitoring unit in the DGCA to ensure that airlines do not charge fares outside a range declared by them. There were no immediate comments from airlines, but airline executives said on condition of anonymity that they would comply with the instruction. On the countrys busiest route -- Delhi-Mumbai -- spot fares had surged three times to over Rs 18,000 as of June 1, according to the data shared by online portal ixigo. Fares on the Delhi-Srinagar route rose 80 per cent, and those on Delhi-Pune were up three times compared to May 1, the ixigo data showed. As per reports, Sudhi and the mimicry specialists were making a trip back to their homes after ending an event in Vatakara. The accident resulted in Sudhi suffering a severe head injury. He died of his injuries after being rushed to a private hospital in Kodungallur. In Kodungallur, a private hospital is caring for the injured. Kollam Sudhi was an actor and mimic artist in Malayalam who died in a car accident. He was 39 years old and involved in an accident on Monday morning around 4:30 a.m. when his car collided with a goods carrier. Alongside him, injuries also occurred to Binu Adimali, Ullas, and Mahesh, three other mimicry artists who were travelling with him. Kollam Sudhi: About the actor Kollam Sudhi was known for his mimicry abilities, he won hearts, particularly by impersonating actor Jagadeesh. He reportedly gained popularity as a result of his participation in the Star Magic show. He also showed up as a guest performer in numerous comedy shows in Malayalam too. "It was a head-on collision. They were all taken to the hospital, but Sudhi died, and the other three are undergoing treatment", the police stated. Kollam Sudhi also called Sudhi, Kollam Sudi, or Sudhi Chetta is an Actor from India. He was born on 01st January 1984 (aged 37 years) in Kollam, Kerala, India. In the 2015 film Kanthari, which was directed by Ajmal, Kollam Sudhi made his big-screen debut. After that, he is said to have appeared in a number of films, including Swargathile Katturumbu Kollam, Escape, Kuttanadan Marppappa, and Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan. While the actor showed up in many movies, he got huge love and appreciation for his screen presence on TV itself. Boards should appraise the performance of management objectively and ensure that they are held accountable for their actions. If the management is not meeting expectations, boards should take suitable action, including replacing the management, to improve the bank's governance and risk management, Rao said in his speech at the conference of the directors of banks. The RBI had organised the conference for public sector banks on May 22 in New Delhi and private sector banks on May 29 in Mumbai. The boards of banks should hold the management accountable for its actions, and should replace it if it does not meet expectations, M Rajeshwar Rao, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), said in an interaction with board members of banks. Rao said the boards of banks should set clear expectations for the management in terms of risk management and corporate governance. He added that the management should be required to regularly report risk management. This reporting should include information on the bank's risk appetite, risk exposures, and risk mitigation strategies, he said. The copy of Raos speech was uploaded on the RBI website on Monday. He said boards must ensure a suitable policy framework to assess effectiveness, in accordance with their strategies and risk profiles. The effectiveness must be tracked at all levels individual director, committee, and the overall board. The deputy governor said boards should ensure that the management is transparent about the banks financial performance / statements and risk management practices so that trust with stakeholders is built and investors are able to assess the various risks associated with banks. Also Read School boards across states to have similar sets of questions soon: Report BS BFSI Insight Summit 2022: RBI Deputy Guv M Rajeshwar Rao to speak RBI hikes repo rate by 35 bps to 6.25%, cuts FY23 GDP forecast to 6.8% RBI MPC: Here is what experts have to say about the policy announcement BS BFSI Insight Summit: India's biggest BFSI Summit to kick off on Dec 21 IRDAI asks insurers to suo motu settle claims of Odisha rail mishap victims RBI raises the governance premium for PSU banks on the road to 2047 Shoppers need not stop: Dynamics of in-store payments is being rewritten MPC likely to hit pause again on repo rate: Business Standard Poll RBI may maintain pause on interest rate as inflation declines: Experts According to Rao, there are two key challenges in ensuring sound corporate governance in banks. On the subject of remuneration, he said that bank boards, through the nomination and remuneration committees, must ensure that the managements remuneration is not only tied to short-term profits but also takes into account long-term materialisation of risks, and that appropriate ex-ante and ex-post checks for assessment are built into the compensation systems. First, the banks are placed at a higher pedestal vis-a-vis other financial or non-financial entities due to their unique role, he said. Second, the most important stakeholder for the bank, i.e. depositors, tend to be diversified, diffused, and passive. He added that this is a challenge the board of directors have to address to ensure that the managements incentives are aligned with the interest of depositors and other stakeholders. Under suo motu settlement, the companies settle the claims even without the other parties applying for it. This is usually done after natural disasters. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has asked the insurance companies to undertake "suo motu" settlement of claims for the victims of the Odisha train tragedy, The Economic Times (ET) reported on Monday. The insurers have been asked to "immediately" contact the administration and get the list of those who have died or been injured. Earlier, the insurers had undertaken suo motu settlement after the flash floods in Himachal Pradesh in 2022. It was also done during the 1993 Mumbai blasts. "The claims process may be started suo moto by the companies and the claims settled expeditiously adopting a simplified claim settlement approach," Rakesh Joshi, member of Irdai (finance and investment), was quoted in the report as saying in a communique to life and non-life insurance companies. In the accident, which is being called the worst in India in at least two decades, 288 people have lost their lives, and over 1,000 injured people have been admitted to different hospitals. ET quoted another industry person as saying that the insurers will not ask for corroborating documents in this case. If the Railway authorities say that a traveller is dead, his claim will be settled without waiting for the post-mortem report. Also Read IRCTC stock is still richly valued despite fall since news of OFS Centre to sell up to 5% stake in IRCTC via OFS to garner Rs 2,720 crore IRCTC offer for sale oversubscribed, but stock declines more than 6% LIVE: Odisha train mishap toll 288; 'stringent action for guilty', says PM Trading strategies in IRCTC, other rail-related stocks amid stake sale buzz RBI raises the governance premium for PSU banks on the road to 2047 Shoppers need not stop: Dynamics of in-store payments is being rewritten MPC likely to hit pause again on repo rate: Business Standard Poll RBI may maintain pause on interest rate as inflation declines: Experts Not a merger with Sahara Life, just transfer of policyholders: SBI Life Apart from personal health policy, any passengers will also be eligible to receive payments under the group insurance policy of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (Irctc). It provides a sum insured of Rs 10 lakh in case of death, Rs 7.5 lakh in case of permanent disability and Rs 2 lakh for hospital expenses. Rs 1 lakh is also provided for transporting the insured's mortal remains. MUMBAI (Reuters) - The boards of Indian banks should address gaps in governance frameworks, including ensuring appropriate risk management practices and adhering to acceptable customer and market conduct, a deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a speech in May. Boards should set clear expectations for management and should require reports on risk management on a regular basis, said M Rajeshwar Rao, at a conference of directors of state-run and private banks in May. The speech was uploaded to the central bank's website on Monday. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and deputy Governor M.K. Jain also urged banks, in the same conference, to ensure compliance and effective governance. The RBI has been increasingly encouraging banks to strengthen governance standards to avoid financial instability, following a series of bank failures in the US. "Boards should ensure that management is transparent about the banks' financial performance/statements and risk management practices so that trust with stakeholders is built and investors are able to assess the various risks associated with a bank," Rao said. Also Read SBM Bank says engaging with RBI to address 'supervisory concerns' RBI's MPC meet begins amid expectations of yet another rate hike No contagion seen on Indian bonds, forex from SVB collapse: DBS Bank Budget to be fiscally prudent without losing growth focus: DBS economist Softer impact of Credit Suisse crisis likely on Indian banks: Jefferies Bank boards must hold mgmts accountable for their actions: RBI Dy Guv Rao IRDAI asks insurers to suo motu settle claims of Odisha rail mishap victims RBI raises the governance premium for PSU banks on the road to 2047 Shoppers need not stop: Dynamics of in-store payments is being rewritten MPC likely to hit pause again on repo rate: Business Standard Poll (Reporting by Siddhi Nayak; Editing by Janane Venkatraman) How much can parents send overseas in a given year? The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) allows parents to transfer money to their children studying abroad to meet various expenses related to the course. The LRS prescribes a monetary threshold of $ 250,000 up to which parents can send money abroad during a financial year, i.e period 1 April to 31 March. In case the amount to be remitted is above this limit, RBIs permission would be required. How does TCS apply for education abroad? Point to note: TCS at the rate of 0.5 or 5 per cent would still be applicable even if the funds (excess of Rs 7 lakh) are remitted before July 1, 2023. Parents can send money abroad for their child's education under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). Normally, there's no exemption limit for LRS payments. However, there's an exception for education-related payments. You can send up to Rs 7 lakh per year without being subject to TCS. If the amount exceeds Rs 7 lakh, a reduced TCS rate of 5 per cent is applied. If the funds are remitted through an education loan, the TCS rate drops even further to 0.5 per cent. Also Read Explained: How you can minimise the impact of 20% TCS on foreign trips TCS Q4 review: Near-term growth to moderate, demand levers intact: Analysts TCS Q4 Preview: Revenue may rise up to 18% YoY; EBIT margin seen at 25% RBI hikes repo rate by 35 bps to 6.25%, cuts FY23 GDP forecast to 6.8% RBI MPC: Here is what experts have to say about the policy announcement Explained: Are rising FD rates ending, and what should investors do? Personal finance: Here are the money changes and PF deadlines for June 2023 ICICI Prudential Bluechip Fund: Consistent in outperformance and holdings More than skin-deep: Nifty Next 50 complexion to get a shade of difference Restrictions on foreign spends erode Brand India Example one: Parents sending Rs 30,000 for education to their daughter studying abroad every month will not attract the TCS rule as the total amount remitted in a year is Rs 3.6 lakh, less than the threshold limit of Rs 7 lakh in a year. However, if the threshold limit is crossed, it will still attract TCS at 5 per cent and not 20 per cent. Example two: You want to send Rs 1 lakh monthly for your child's education-related expenditure abroad. The total amount remitted in a year is Rs 12 lakh, which does exceed the threshold limit of Rs 7 lakh a year. While Rs 7 lakh will not attract any TCS, the remaining Rs 5 lakh will attract TCS at 5 per cent. Which educational expenses qualify for a lower TCS rate You want to send Rs 1 lakh monthly for your child's education-related expenditure abroad. The total amount remitted in a year is Rs 12 lakh, which does exceed the threshold limit of Rs 7 lakh a year. While Rs 7 lakh will not attract any TCS, the remaining Rs 5 lakh will attract TCS at 5 per cent. "The scope of the above benefit/ exemption is wide enough to cover remittances made by a person for his/her own education or by others, like parents paying for their children's education, etc. Any fee paid to educational institutions towards tuition fee, hostel accommodation and other living expenses also may be eligible for the benefit. Also, the above should be available for all possible modes of remittance, like wire transfers, card payments, travelers' cheque, purchase of foreign currency, etc," said S. Vasudevan, Executive Partner at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan Attorneys. These include tuition, dormitory, lab, exam, books, and stationery fees. Additionally, living expenses, such as food and lodging, can be claimed as educational expenses if a connection between these expenses and education can be established. What if the student is not living on the campus? If the student stays in the accommodation provided by the university, it will automatically be considered an educational expense, but if the student resides in third-party-provided housing, the sender of funds must establish a connection between the expenses and education to claim them as educational expenses. Are additional living expenses also covered under the 5 per cent TCS? For TCS on remittance for travel and incidental expenses related to education and medical treatment, the rates of TCS as applicable to remittances for education and medical treatment, respectively, shall apply, the finance ministry has clarified. What documentation proof is required to cover education and living expenses? "However, on-ground challenges to monitor the end usage of such funds will have to be ensured. It should not happen that parents/ families use the camouflage of incidental expenses on education to circumvent other remittance purposes, attracting a higher TCS rate of 20 per cent. A detailed clarification is awaited to this effect. Other incidental expenses with no nexus to education shall attract TCS at the rate of 20 per cent," said Keshav Singhania, head of Private Client Singhania & Co " While transferring the funds abroad, correct remittance code should be used, to support that the expenses are being remitted for educational purposes. The remitter needs to submit a Form A2 cum LRS declaration to the bank. In this declaration, the remitter mentions the objective of the payment, such as tuition fees, lodging/ travel expense, etc. The remitter may also mention the student's name, student ID number, and foreign university name etc. on this form, to justify the educational purposes," said Akhil Chandna, Partner, Tax, Grant Thornton Bharat. Banks are responsible for collecting TCS, and it's up to them to interpret what qualifies as "education." 1. College admission/offer letter mentioning the student's name. Ankit Jain, Partner, Ved Jain & Associates, said it would be prudent to have the following documentation while making the remittance: 3. Fee invoice, including the bank details of the college for remittance. 2. Details of the programme 5. Proof of relationship between the remitter and the student. 4. Programme prospectus. If you are opting for an education loan, you have to submit the following documents to claim a lower TCS of 0.5 per cent While not always required, some banks might also ask for Form 15CA/CB during such remittances. 2. Declaration on the LRS application from the client that the source is from the loan 1. Education loan sanction letter with the student's name and parent who is the co-borrower "Banks may insist on submission of proof regarding the end use of the funds. For instance, the banks may ask for documentary proof of admission given by educational institutions as well as estimate of fee and other expenses. The banks may also insist upon copies of invoices, receipts, rent agreements, etc. to satisfy themselves about the end use of the funds," said S. Vasudevan. 3. Bank statement showing the source of funds as unutilised disbursed Education loan by a financial entity How can one send more than Rs 7 lakh to fund living expenses while children are studying abroad without attracting 20 per cent TCS? Since each resident individual gets their own LRS limits, parents/ families may distribute the remittance to be sent to the student abroad requiring funds in excess of Rs 7 lakh by spreading the remittance across various family members in a manner which ensures that threshold limit for each individual is not breached. "The same shall also not attract adverse tax implications since the donor and donee would be classified as relatives basis the definition provided in Income Tax Act," said Keshav Singhania, Head Private Client, Singhania & Co. "For example, if Aryan needs hostel fees amounting to Rs 13 lakh, then parents can split the amount in half and can send the same from two accounts one from their account and the remaining amount from his siblings account so that no TCS can be levied on the amount transferred," said Abhishek Nangia, Senior Associate, SKV Law Offices. In other words, parents should make the most out of the Rs 7 lakh exemption limit. Each parent can remit up to Rs 7 lakh separately, allowing you to send up to Rs 14 lakh in total without incurring TCS. Grandparents can also help with remittances. How else can parents lower this TCS burden? Since educational purposes do not attract TCS as long as it is below Rs 7 lakh, students should not worry about increased tax liabilities. "However, it is good to keep transaction details and receipts wherever any fee or money is being spent for education-related expenses," said Adhil Shetty, CEO of BankBazaar. 1. Utilise the Rs 7 lakh exemption limit per parent. Jain has the following advice for parents: 3. Consider funding through an education loan to take advantage of the lower TCS rate. 2. If possible, involve grandparents for additional remittances. What if I have given my child a forex card to fund expenses? 4. Keep all required documentation handy and ensure all remittances are properly categorised for education to avail lower TCS rates. "If the forex card is exempted just by giving declaration, the risk of misuse would be very high wherein people would make misdeclarations just to avoid the TCS," said Ankit Jain. TCS is levied at the time of loading currency in the forex card. The use of such loaded currency cannot be pre-fixed to educational purposes only. So, it is not possible for an authorised dealer to know the purpose for which the currency would be used at the time he loads the card If a student uses a forex card to meet expenses abroad, a TCS of 20 per cent will be levied, clarified Nangia. Prepaid forex cards do not enjoy the concessional TCS threshold limits applicable to ICCs and IDCs. However, if the student has been given an international debit or credit card, then no TCS will be charged till a threshold of Rs 7 lakh. The bank might only classify payments directly made to the colleges as "education" since there's no clear definition for "education purposes. Hence, direct payments by parents for living expenses such as rent, food, etc. may not be categorised as education while using a forex card. "These payments would then attract a TCS rate of 20% with no basic threshold, even if made through a forex card recharged by the parents in India," added Jain. New Delhi: If you are planning to send your children overseas for higher education, you need not panic about the 20 per cent tax collected at source (TCS) rule, which will apply to other foreign remittances from July 1, 2023, as the finance ministry has clarified that the higher rate will not apply to education and medical expenses incurred abroad. Yet there are some fine prints parents must understand. Third-party motor insurance has gone up this month Several regulatory changes are likely to impact your money management this month. Not only will your car insurance get more expensive this month, but you can also start investing for your child in mutual fund schemes from your own account rather than having to open a joint account for the same. Similarly, private cars with an engine capacity between 1,000 cc and 1,500 cc will attract rates of Rs 3,416 compared to Rs 3,221, while owners of cars above 1,500 cc will see a drop in premium from Rs 7,897 to Rs 7,890. Private cars with an engine capacity of 1,000 cc will attract rates of Rs 2,094 compared to Rs 2,072 in 2019-20. After a two-year moratorium due to the pandemic, the revised TP insurance premium came into effect from June 1, 2023. Two-wheelers over 150 cc but not exceeding 350 cc will attract a premium of Rs 1,366, and for two-wheelers over 350 cc, the revised premium will be Rs 2,804. Also Read PAN-Aadhaar link status: Are your cards already linked? Learn how to check Pan-Aadhaar link online: What happens if cards are not linked by March 31? PAN-Aadhaar Link: A step by step guide to link two cards before deadline PAN-Aadhaar link: Last date to link these two cards extended to June 30 Link PAN-Aadhaar to avoid restrictions on NPS A/C: Step-by-step guide here ICICI Prudential Bluechip Fund: Consistent in outperformance and holdings More than skin-deep: Nifty Next 50 complexion to get a shade of difference Restrictions on foreign spends erode Brand India Denied insurance coverage due to mental health condition? Persevere Link your PAN and Aadhaar by June 30: Here's all you need to know The third-party insurance cover is for other than own damage and is mandatory, along with the damage cover that a vehicle owner must purchase. This insurance cover is for any collateral damage to a third party, generally, a human being, caused due to a road accident. A discount of 7.5 per cent on the premium shall be allowed for hybrid electric vehicles. While private electric cars not exceeding 30KW will attract a premium of Rs 1,780, those exceeding 30 KW but not 65 KW will attract a premium of Rs 2,904. Electric two-wheelers will get more expensive this month "Climate change has caused serious weather-related losses worldwide. The continuing Russia-Ukraine war has also increased the exposure to losses. Consequently, reinsurance costs for the insurers have gone up, which is passed on to customers. A 10-15 per cent increase is expected in motor insurance. This means that the lifetime cost of ownership of the vehicle will also go up," said Adhil Shetty, CEO, BankBazaar.com. Parents can invest from their own accounts in mutual funds for children The government has reduced the subsidy on the purchase of electric vehicles. On May 21, the government notified that the subsidy on the FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India) Scheme would be revised to Rs 10,000 per kilowatt per hour (kWh) as against Rs 15,000/ kWH starting June 1. (l) Furthermore, the cap for incentive has been brought down to 15 per cent of the ex-factory price of the model as against 40 per cent offered earlier. OEMs like Ola, Ather, TVS, etc., have already increased the prices of e-scooters and e-motorcycles by 10-15 per cent. "Payment for investment by any mode shall be accepted from the bank account of the minor, parent or legal guardian of the minor, or from a joint account of the minor with a parent or legal guardian," read the Sebi circular, dated May 12, 2023. Market regulator Sebi has allowed parents or legal guardians to invest from their own bank accounts in mutual fund schemes for their children from June 15, 2023. Parents will no longer have to open joint accounts or open the account of minor children for this purpose. However, all redemptions from mutual fund investments made in the name of a minor shall be credited only to the verified bank account of the minor, which means the account the minor may hold with the parent/legal guardian after completing all KYC formalities. Sebi also said that for existing folios, the AMCs should insist upon a change of pay-out bank mandate before redemption is processed. New rules for safe deposit lockers New rules for safe deposit lockers require customers to sign a new agreement with their banks by June 30, 2023. Banks have introduced new safe deposit locker agreements, specifying that customers can only use lockers for legitimate purposes, such as storing jewellery and documents. Storage of cash or currency is not permitted. The changes come after a 2021 Supreme Court ruling clarifying the responsibilities and liabilities of banks and their locker users. Under the old norms, banks acted as custodians of the locker and assumed a larger liability in the event of damage to stored items. However, the new regulations redefine the relationship between a lessor and a lessee. Customers are only allowed to use the locker as long as they pay the rent. At the time of locker allotment, the RBI has permitted banks to obtain fixed deposits (FD) capable of covering three years' rent and charges for breaking open the locker, if needed. The customer's license to use the locker is non-transferable and only for their own use. Moreover, arms, weapons, drugs, contraband, perishable or radioactive materials or any material that could create a hazard or nuisance to the bank or customers cannot be stored. Pay your first advance tax instalment by June 15, 2023 The bank will have to compensate the locker-holder in case of incidents like fire, theft, burglary, robbery, dacoity, building collapse, negligence by the bank, or fraudulent activity by its employees. The bank's liability will be equivalent to 100 times the prevailing annual rent of the safe deposit locker. Self-employed professionals, salaried employees, and businesses whose estimated tax liability for the financial year exceeds Rs 10,000 must pay advance tax in instalments during the year. For salaried employees, the employer will deduct the required taxes, and they do not need to pay advance tax if they do not have other sources of income. The advance tax has to be paid in four instalments - and the first instalment of 15 per cent has to be paid by June 15, 2023. ClearTax defines advance tax as the income tax paid in advance instead of a lump sum payment at year-end. It is the tax that you pay as you earn. These payments have to be made in instalments as per the due dates provided by the income tax department. Apply for a higher pension under EPF by June 26, 2023 The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has extended the deadline to apply for a higher pension from the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) to June 26, 2023, from May 3, 2023. People who were EPFO members and EPS subscribers before September 1, 2014, and who continue to be in service, but had missed choosing the higher pension option earlier, can apply for a higher pension. Those who retired before the said date, but had signed up for the option, must validate the information. The employer will validate, and then EPFO field officers will assess the information. RBI's '100 Days 100 Pays' campaign to settle unclaimed deposits has begun Under the scheme, which began on June 1 2023, banks will trace and settle their top 100 unclaimed deposits in every district of India. Balances in savings/current accounts which have not been operated for ten years or term deposits not claimed within ten years from the date of maturity are termed "unclaimed deposits". Aadhaar-Pan linking deadline Banks transfer the unclaimed amounts to the "Depositor Education and Awareness" (DEA) Fund maintained by the Reserve Bank of India. RBI has been encouraging the public through its public awareness initiatives occasionally to identify and approach the concerned bank for claiming such deposits. You can update your Aadhaar card details online for free till June 14, 2023 After several extensions to the Aadhaar-PAN linking deadline, the Income Tax Department has set June 30 2023, as the new deadline for seeding the two important documents. After missing the June 30 deadline, individuals will still have the option to link their PAN with their Aadhaar by paying a fine of Rs 1,000. The I-T department will not process tax returns until PAN and Aadhaar are linked. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has made online updation of Aadhar documents free till June 14, 2023. This service is free only on the myAadhaar portal and will continue to attract a fee of Rs 50 at a physical Aadhaar centre. Existing relationship not mandatory Here are a few key things customers, including potential ones, should know about bank lockers. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has now set December 31, 2023 as the final deadline for the renewal of bank locker agreements with existing customers. The earlier deadline was January 1. Banks are urging their customers to complete this formality much before the deadline. The State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda have released advisories urging locker holders to sign their revised contracts by June 30. Candidates must enter their application number and password to download their CEE Assam results. Kirtiman Sarma is the CEE exam topper, Irfran Hussain is the second and Nilarnab Sutradhar is the third respectively. The Assam Combined Entrance Examination (CEE) 2023 results were made public by the Assam Science and Technology University (ASTU). Applicants who took the Assam CEE 2023 can see their outcomes online at astu.ac.in, the official website. The Assam CEE exam 2023 took place on May 28, 2023. 3F Oil Palm on Monday said it has started oil palm cultivation in Lakhimpur district, Assam, in association with the state government, and aims to cover over 20,000 hectare area in the next five years under a central scheme. The Hyderabad-based company is undertaking the plantation as part of the centrally sponsored scheme National Mission on Edible Oil - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) and had signed an agreement with the Assam government in December 2022. 3F Oil Palm commenced oil palm plantation on Monday at Bokanala in Baginadi Block, Lakhimpur district, in the presence of state agriculture minister Atul Bora. The initiative aims to uplift farming communities and contribute to India's self-reliance on edible oils. "...upon signing of the MoU with the government in December 2022, we are the first company to have commenced our investment and set up a state-of-the-art nursery and commence plantation activities through this ceremonial plantation," the company's CEO and Managing Director Sanjay Goenka said. The company aims to cover over 20,000 hectare of area under oil palm over the next five years, he said in a statement. 3F Oil Palm has already established an oil palm nursery at Bokulbari village in the Lakhimpur district and another nursery in the pipeline at Chirang. Also Read Palm oil import in May to hit 27-mnth low, traders switch to soy, sunflower India's palm oil imports jumed 29% to 1.14 million tonnes in Nov: Report India's April palm oil imports slump 30% to 14-mth low as preference shifts Sunflower oil imports rise to record as Russia-Ukraine fight for mkt share India raises base import price of palm oil, gold as prices surge globally Airlines must devise mechanism for reasonable pricing of air tickets: Govt Illegal mining in Aravallis behind increased sandstorms in Rajasthan: Study FinMin, ADB organise workshop on Expected Loss-based Credit Rating System Minor Andhra girl calls women's police helpline, gets marriage cancelled BJP to take out Jan Akrosh Yatra against Congress in Jaipur on June 13 As per the memorandum of understanding with the Assam government, the company will develop oil palm plantations and processing facilities in sub-zone 1-b and V-a, encompassing Lakhimpur and Chirang districts, as part of the NMEO-OP. In addition to nursery and plantation activities, the company is actively looking for a suitable parcel of land for setting up a greenfield processing plant. The company already has an upcoming greenfield integrated oil palm processing unit in Arunachal Pradesh, the company added. A guard deployed at the four-lane bridge connecting Khagaria and Bhagalpur districts on the Ganga river that collapsed on Sunday, has gone missing, an official said here. Vibhash Kumar was hired by the SK Singhla construction company and deployed on Pillar number 11. He had just reached pillar number 11 after parking his motorbike at pillar number 13 when the bridge collapsed. "We are taking help from the NDRF and SDRF to search for the body. His family has been informed," Akhilesh Kumar, Block Development Officer of Parbatta block in Khagaria district told IANS. "Had the incident occurred between Monday and Saturday, it could have claimed several lives as over 100 labouers were working on the bridge. The construction company probably realised that the bridge might collapse anytime. Hence, it had asked the workers to leave at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The labourers were also staying in makeshift tents under the bridge but had removed their belongings in time. Hence, there is no casualty of labourers," Kumar said. "Three guards were deployed at pillar number 11, 12 and 13 but only Kumar reported on duty at Pillar number 11. The other two guards did not come and hence were saved," he said. "Apparently, the construction company has seen the mishap coming but did not inform the district administration. It needs to ne investigated as to why the company officials allowed the guard to report on duty? Also Read Vande Bharat pelted with stones in Bengal's Malda; BJP demands NIA probe 2 more deaths reported in Bihar hooch tragedy; toll in Saran rises to 28 Rajasthan train derailment: 4 passenger trains cancelled, 1 diverted 41 trains to remain cancelled till Mar 3 in Lucknow Division, says official IMD issues heatwave warning in parts of Bihar for 2 days from Tuesday Pace of development not down, but pollution dipped in Delhi: Kejriwal Antilia bomb scare case: SC grants 3 weeks interim bail to ex-cop Pradeep Jailed gangster Mukhtar Ansari convicted in Awadhesh Rai murder case Why grave red flags ignored: Kharge writes to PM on Odisha rail tragedy India's clear aligners market on the rise, likely to reach $500 million "A large number of passengers also used the waterway to cross the Ganga between Sultanganj and Aguwani Ghat Khagaria. Luckily, the bridge collapsed on Sunday and boats were not sailing at that time. A boat parked on the bank of the river rose to 50 feet due to the waves generated after the structure fell into the water. "Just imagine the fate of the passengers had the boats come under the impact of the wave," Kumar said. As per an official of district administration, a massive scale of irregularities and designer fault surfaced during the design and construction of the bridge. Vikas Kumar Karan, the senior deputy collector-cum-incharge of disaster management of Bhagalpur district told IANS: "We have not received any casualty in Bhagalpur side. The maximum part of the collapsed bridge comes under Khagaria." --IANS ajk/shb/ The Delhi BJP on Monday attacked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that he "dishonoured" the national anthem by not waiting to take part in its recital at an event here. A Delhi government official, however, denied the charge saying that the programme was still underway and the chief minister had to leave due to some urgent work. The recital of the national anthem was to take place at the end of the event, he added. Kejriwal took part in a World Environment Day event at Thyagaraj Stadium and addressed a gathering on the occasion before leaving. After the event, the Delhi BJP tweeted sharing a video clip of the event. "What kind of AAP's hardcore patriotism is this...he (Arvind Kejriwal) could not wait for the national anthem," the saffron party tweeted in Hindi. Some of the BJP leaders, including Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and MP Manoj Tiwari, also tweeted on the issue. Also Read Operation Sheesh Mahal: Why do BJP and Congress want Delhi CM to resign? Kejriwal loves power, position, money: BJP spokespman Sambit Patra BJP demands white paper on pollution from Delhi govt as AQI deteriorates National anthem case: Prosecutor says no sanction needed to against Mamata Please don't stall Delhi's budget, Arvind Kejriwal writes to PM Modi Plastic pollution a global environmental crisis, says NGT Chairperson Crude Oil prices rises by $1 on Saudi plan to extend output cuts from July Sikkim CM Tamang urges people to plant trees, not leave any land barren Why half-nude body of man is normal but female body sexualised? Kerala HC India's successful adoption of digital health tech lesson for world: WHO Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana alleged in a tweet, "Breaking News:@ArvindKejriwal dishonoured the national anthem. There is an announcement that everyone should stand up for the national anthem and people also stood up. Suddenly it is announced @CMODelhi has to go for some important work and he leaves without waiting for the national anthem. Kejriwal ji, you don't have even two minutes for the national anthem? Shameful." A Delhi government official, however, said that the announcement for the national anthem recital was done in haste. "As per protocol, the national anthem is always played at the beginning and end of an event. The programme was still underway when the chief minister had to leave. The compere made the announcement about the national anthem in haste, when the chief minister was leaving. By that time, even Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had not addressed the gathering," the official added. At the event, Kejriwal asserted that pollution levels have dipped in the city in the last eight years despite swift pace of development and the construction of schools, hospitals and flyovers. He said that both PM2.5 and PM10 levels "fell by 30 per cent" in 2022 compared to the figures in 2016. Whenever development happens, it is accompanied with pollution due to felling of trees, road construction, kicking up dust, among others, he said. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the state cabinet will be expanded soon and the timeline will be decided by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He also said Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, and BJP will fight all elections together, which was discussed during their meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. "Maharashtra cabinet will be expanded soon. CM Shinde will decide when it will happen," he told reporters. On August 9 last year, 18 ministers were inducted in the Shinde-Fadnavis government after it came to power in June, while as per rules the council of ministers in the state can have a maximum of 43 members. However, neither Shinde nor Fadnavis had given a specific timeline for the expansion of the council of ministers. Earlier, Shinde in a tweet informed that he and Fadnavis met Shah in Delhi on Sunday night. Also Read Case against me by Nashik police under Maha CM's pressure: Sanjay Raut MVA's collapse, its aftermath kept political pot boiling in Maha in 2022 Ignore orders of 'unconstitutional' Maharashtra govt: Raut to officials After Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP wants quick decision on MLAs' disqualification Uddhav holds meeting with his camp leaders at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Mumbai Thiruvananthapuram Int'l Airport sees 26% increase in passenger growth Congress chief Kharge writes a letter to PM Modi on Odisha train tragedy Wrestlers resume Railway duties, Sakshi to continue fight while working Green, eco-friendly technology key for Indian Navy-says Ministry of Defense Int'l transport corridor: Reflection of India's expanding global footprint "Yesterday, we (Shiv Sena and BJP) discussed fighting all elections together and planning the joint strategy. We have also discussed coordination between the two parties in talukas and districts," Fadnavis added. Queried on Congress leader Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticising his Delhi visit, Fadnavis shot back saying, "In Patole's party (Congress), one needs permission from the high command even to attend a prayer meeting. BJP is a national party. What is wrong if we go to Delhi?" When asked about the purported display of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's photo in a procession in Aurangabad city, Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said such an act would not be tolerated. The civil aviation ministry will hold discussions with airlines later in the day on issues related to airfares, which have surged on certain routes in recent weeks, according to an official. Airfares have jumped significantly on certain routes, especially in the wake of crisis-hit Go First suspending operations from May 3. The meeting with representatives of airlines is likely to be chaired by civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the official said. The official also said that airfares are deregulated and the meeting is for monitoring and facilitation purposes. Amid a rise in airfares on certain routes, Scindia, last week, said the ministry was doing an analysis of routes that have been affected by the suspension of flights by Go First. Go First is undergoing an insolvency resolution process. Also Read India's airline sector on to a smooth flight despite air pocketsr Recovery, expansion, Covid air pockets await Indian aviation sector in 2023 Jet Airways looks into abyss as JKC fails to renew its flying permit India emerging as key aviation market, air travel grows: IATA report Scindia inaugurates Air India's direct flight between Mumbai-San Francisco Four-lane bridge collapsed in Bihar, CM Nitish assured strict legal action Wrestlers' demand for action against Brij Bhushan: Sibal predicts no arrest Odisha tragedy: Death toll from Bengal at 81 as more bodies identified Rajnath Singh holds bilateral talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin Over 30 held as guards, students clash inside university in Greater Noida Karnataka Congress is considering setting up of a 'Peaceful Karnataka' helpline against communal forces and to ensure law and order in the society. The development follows the BJP's recent announcement to set up a 24 hour helpline for its workers who are allegedly troubled by the Congress government in the state. Minister for Medium and Large Industries M.B. Patil on Monday urged Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara and Minister for RDPR Priyank Kharge to consider setting up the new helpline called 'Peaceful Karnataka'. He further stated that this helpline is needed to ensure there is no hatred being spread in Karnataka, and keep track of any such incidents. "Our agenda is only development and progress, and to protect 'Brand Karnataka'," Patil explained. On June 3, Bengaluru South MP and BJP Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya said it would soon launch helplines for BJP workers in the state. Also Read CM asked to set up Peaceful Karnataka helpline to prevent spread of hatred No discussion so far for banning groups like Bajrang Dal: K'taka Minister When people fear the State or its agents, there is tyranny: Karnataka HC TN farmers demand annual de-silting of water bodies to increase storage Will implement manifesto 'guarantees': K'taka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar HP CM Sukhu flags off awareness rally on World Environment Day in Shimla Train hits goods-carrying vehicle in unauthorised rail crossing in Assam Odisha train accident: Injured Coromandel Express driver, assistant stable BJP prez Nadda meets former Army chief as part of public connect programme Odisha train accident: NDRF ends rescue operation, withdraws all 9 teams "It has come to our notice that BJP workers are targeted in the state and false cases are lodged against them and threats are issued to them. To protect our workers from the legal atrocities of the Congress government in the state, a team of advocates is prepared to carry out the legal battle," Tejasvi Surya explained. Meanwhile, right-wing activist Chakravarthy Sulibele has challenged Patil who warned him that he will be behind bars if there was any attempt made to disturb peace. "If you have decided to send me to jail, you are welcome. We will carry forward our struggle. It is unfortunate those who become ministers don't know the subject matter and lack knowledge. It is rowdyism," he stated. --IANS mka/ksk/ Oil prices rose by more than $1 a barrel on Monday after top crude exporter Saudi Arabia pledged to cut production by a further 1 million barrels per day (bpd) from July to counter macroeconomic headwinds that have depressed markets. By Noah Browning US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed by $1.84, or 2.6%, to $73.58 after hitting an intraday high of $75.06. Brent crude futures were up $1.81, or 2.4%, at $77.94 a barrel by 1114 GMT after touching a session high of $78.73. The cut is Saudi Arabia's biggest in years. Both contracts extended gains of more than 2% on Friday after the Saudi energy ministry said the kingdom's output would drop to 9 million bpd in July from about 10 million bpd in May. Also Read India's Russian oil imports cross 1 million barrels a day in December Opec-plus cut weighs on OMC shares, BPCL and HPCL shed over 4% each ONGC to start delivering fuel from KG basin from June 15, seeks $12 price Oil price stable as markets weigh OPEC+ surprise cuts amid demand woes Crude Oil rallies as OPEC+ cuts output; Trend reversal unlikely hint charts Sikkim CM Tamang urges people to plant trees, not leave any land barren Why half-nude body of man is normal but female body sexualised? Kerala HC India's successful adoption of digital health tech lesson for world: WHO Mamata Banerjee announces govt jobs for kin of Odisha train accident Mukhtar Ansari convicted in murder case: here's a look at gangster's life OPEC+ pumps about 40% of the world's crude and has cut its output target by a total of 3.66 million bpd, amounting to 3.6% of global demand. The voluntary cut is on top of a broader deal by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia to limit supply into 2024 as the OPEC+ producer group seeks to boost flagging oil prices. SEB analyst Bjarne Schieldrop said the market reaction on Monday was relatively muted after the previous cut by OPEC+ failed to prop up prices for long. "Saudi remains keener than most other members in terms of ensuring oil prices above $80 per barrel, which is essential for balancing its own fiscal budget for the year," said Suvro Sarkar, leader of the energy sector team at DBS Bank. Consultancy Rystad Energy said the additional Saudi cut is likely to deepen the market deficit to more than 3 million bpd in July, which could push prices higher in the coming weeks. "The oil price is ticking carefully upwards today as investors are cautious after having burned their fingers in the (previous) production cut-induced rally to (almost) $90 a barrel, which later faltered." "The immediate market impact of this Saudi cut is likely lower, as drawing inventories takes time, and the market likely already put some meaningful probability on a cut today," the bank's analysts added. Goldman Sachs analysts said the meeting was "moderately bullish" for oil markets and could boost December 2023 Brent prices by between $1 and $6 a barrel depending on how long Saudi Arabia maintains output at 9 million bpd over the next six months. The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant interim bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case arising from the alleged excise policy scam. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, however, allowed him to meet his ailing wife in custody for one day as per her convenience between 10 am and 5 pm. The former Delhi deputy chief minister had sought release on a temporary basis for six weeks on grounds that he was the sole caretaker of his ailing wife. His plea for regular bail in the matter is pending before the high court. Sisodia, who was arrested on March 9, is currently in judicial custody in the case lodged by the ED. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed the plea for interim bail on grounds of possibility of evidence tampering. The ED lawyer has also claimed that Sisodia's wife has been suffering from such a medical condition for the last 20 years. Also Read Excise Policy case: Delhi HC allows Manish Sisodia to withdraw bail plea Policeman misbehaved with Manish Sisodia at Rouse Avenue court, says AAP Delhi CM Kejriwal visits Manish Sisodia's ailing wife in hospital Excise policy case: Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia moves SC for bail BJP making 'illegitimate' use of Delhi officers, says Manish Sisodia Odisha Train tragedy: Body identification a major challenge for state govt Formation of low-pressure system may influence advance of monsoon to Kerala 'Coromandel would've derailed even if it hadn't collided with goods train' Odisha accident: Mamata cancels Darjeeling trip to take care of injured Bihar bridge collapse: Construction firm's guard missing, feared dead The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021 but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption. On May 30, the court had dismissed the bail plea of Sisodia in the excise policy scam being probed by the CBI, saying he is an influential person and the allegations against him are very serious in nature. In the CBI case, the high court has kept the interim bail plea pending for July. The government expects people to move towards electric cooking (e-cooking) as the nation now has a 24x7 electricity supply in households, according to an official. "We want to move towards e-cooking since we have 24/7 electricity in our households," Additional Secretary Power Ajay Tewari said while addressing a conference organised here. He pointed out that India has, in just 18 months, given Saubhagya (scheme) connections to 26 million households who did not have electricity access. Never before in the history of the world has so many households been given electricity connection in such a short time, he noted. "We are supplying energy for 23.5 hours in all urban areas and 23 hours, and more in rural areas. It is a big achievement that the age of power cuts is behind us," a power ministry statement quoted Tewari as saying. He also informed that 700 million people in the world, however, still do not have access to electricity, and universal energy access is one of the priorities of G20. Also Read IndianOil, Adani-Total, Shell lap up Reliance's KG-D6 gas; IOC top bidder CNG, piped gas prices to be cut but no clarity on deregulation: Analysts In line with new govt rules, Reliance re-auctions gas from its KG-D6 block Karnataka, Gujarat make most progress in clean energy transition: Report ONGC to start delivering fuel from KG basin from June 15, seeks $12 price Odisha crash: Commissioner of Railway Safety records statements of drivers Himachal Pradesh to frame policy to find alternatives to plastic: CM Sukhu India-US partnership cornerstone of free, open Indo-Pacific: Lloyd Austin YouTube accounts of Tanmay Bhat, Aishwarya Mohanraj under cyberattack Pan-India online cheating gang busted, dubious loan app scam exposed Highlighting the importance of affordability, he said that we must promote e-cooking from renewable energy sources like solar and thermal power. "We are coming up with aggregation models whereby prices can be brought down. If we have standard and affordable models, we should be able to cover all urban areas within 2-3 years. By 2030, we will like to cover as many households as possible under e-cooking," he stated. The focus on electric cooking is based on the recognition that e-cooking is a key pathway to Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), an India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021, Mission LiFE seeks to transform persons into pro-planet people, who would adopt sustainable lifestyles. The third International Financial Architecture Working Group (IFAWG) meeting set to begin in Goa on Wednesday will aim to give a voice to low income and developing countries that are not part of G20 and highlight key concerns of the Global South, a senior official said. Addressing a press conference here, Anu Mathai, Advisor to Department of Economic affairs said the two-day meeting will be steered by the Union Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India and will co-chaired by France and South Korea. "More than 100 delegates from G20 countries, various international organisations have arrived to take part. During the two day long deliberation, the Indian G20 Presidency strives to give a voice to low-income and developing countries that are not represented at the G20 table and highlight issues of key concern to the Global South," Mathai said. Discussions will also include strengthening the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN), addressing global debt vulnerabilities, strengthening Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to address shared global challenges of the 21st century, strengthening financial resilience through sustainable capital flows, assessing the macro-financial implications of Central Bank Digital Currencies etc, she said. The discussions in this meeting will further inform the Third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting (FMCBG) meeting scheduled for 17-18 July 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, she said. On day one on Tuesday, a high level seminar titled 'Towards Orderly Green Transition Investment Requirements and Managing Risks to Capital Flows' will be held to facilitate an in-depth discussion on green capital flows and emerging markets (EMs), she said. Also Read Goa lawmakers, oppn leaders want to name new airport on Manohar Parrikar GFP, AAP slam Goa collector's circular seeking funds for event on Jan 26 Come Jan, travel from Mumbai to Goa on new highway in just 4.5 hrs: Gadkari Three-day-long G20 event in Kashmir to begin today: All you need to know Goa declares paid holiday on K'taka poll day; Oppn, industry bodies fume India hugely growing aviation market but underserved: Air India CEO SC to hear Delhi govt plea against HC order staying notice against Rapido India committed to minimising digital health divide: VK Paul at G20 meet Touts spoil tourist areas, action must be taken against them: Goa minister K'taka issues orders for 'Shakti' scheme offering free bus ride to women In the run up to the meeting, several 'jan bhagidari' (people's participation) events are being held in Goa, including financial literacy camps, awareness drives, coin mela, walkathon etc. India remaining dependent on Russian weapons is not in Germany's interest, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday as he begins a four-day visit to the country. Pistorius is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday and the focus of the discussions is likely to be on expanding bilateral defence industrial cooperation. It is expected that India's plan to procure six stealth conventional submarines at a cost of around Rs 43,000 crore will figure in the talks as one of the contenders of the contract is Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). "It is not up to Germany to change that on our own," Pistorius told German state-owned broadcaster DW during an interview while replying to a question on India's dependence on Russian weaponry. "This is an issue we have to solve jointly with other partners. But of course, we can't have an interest in the long run that India is so dependent on Russia's delivery of weapons or other materials," he said. Pistorius is arriving in India after visiting Singapore and Indonesia. Also Read Germany enters recession: What went wrong with Europe's largest economy? Germany to shut down 4 Russian consulates as Moscow limits German officials Rajnath Singh to hold bilateral talks with US, German counterparts Zelenskyy arrives in Berlin day after Germany announces military package Germany says Russia set to expel German diplomats, teachers, cultural staff Hand holding states, govt sellers to integrate with ONDC: DPIIT Joint Secy Initial finding entail inquiry by professional agency: Sources on CBI probe Mizoram forms panel to take care of issues of displaced people from Manipur Chhattisgarh coal scam: 'Rs 540 cr proceeds of crime used for politicals' NCSC floats G20 Delhi declaration on preventing cybercrime incidents "I want to send a signal that we are willing to support our partners, our reliable partners like Indonesia, like India," he said. "And that includes, for example, the possibility of delivering submarines," Pistorius added without elaborating. In Singapore, he attended the Shangri-La Dialogue. "I came here because this region will be shaping the 21st century in regards of security, freedom of navigation (and) international economic challenges," Pistorius said. "And therefore, the region is important not only for Germany, but for Europe as a whole." People familiar with the agenda of the Singh-Pistorius talks said the project relating to the submarine is set to figure in the discussions. In June 2021, the defence ministry had cleared the mega project to domestically build six conventional submarines for the Indian Navy at a cost of around Rs 43,000 crore. The submarines will be built under the much-talked-about strategic partnership model that allows domestic defence manufacturers to join hands with leading foreign defence majors to produce high-end military platforms to reduce import dependence. The German defence minister will be on a four-day visit to India beginning June 5. Apart from his meeting with Singh, Pistorius is likely to meet officials of a few defence start-ups during an event to be organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) in Delhi. On June 7, he is scheduled to travel to Mumbai where he is likely to visit the headquarters of the Western Naval Command and the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. Speaking at the event, Alkesh Kumar Sharma, secretary, MeitY stated, "Today, the world is talking about digital transformation. India is moving from e-governance to digital governance, where each service has to be online." On its 32nd Foundation Day, the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) held a conference on "Growth Avenues for the Indian IT Industry and Emerging Tech Ecosystem" in Delhi on Monday. Ajai Chowdhry, chairman of the EPIC Foundation and creator of HCL, also emphasised the importance of India and STPI shifting towards high-value addition and commodities. "The six major pillars of development that make India an IT superpower are connectivity, low-cost data, affordable devices, people-friendly policies, future-ready talent, and cyber security," he added. The event also witnessed three MoUs exchanged between STPI Next Initiatives and BRC, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, and STPI Next Initiatives and India Angels Network, as well as the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and STPINEXT Initiatives and Incubation (CEDI) of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Trichy. "The world is changing, and we should be looking at where Indias next opportunity lies. The STPI has created a fantastic support system for the software industry. They have been exceedingly successful in proving that enabler, which was essential to getting it started and scaling. Now, we have to move towards high-value addition," he added. Also Read TVS Electronics up 18% on heavy volumes, hits 52-week high in weak market ED searches may tarnish Manappuram's business prospects: Fitch report Tata Electronic plans to bolster presence in electronics, semiconductor biz IT Ministry extends deadline for feedback on Digital Data Bill to Jan 2 India's semiconductor market to touch $64 bn by 2026: Counterpoint-IESA Maha Ex-CM Manohar Joshi out of ICU, but remains semiconscious: Hospital Clean energy provider CEF Group to process 70,000 tonnes of Dal lake waste ED raids realty groups IREO, M3M, seizes luxury cars worth Rs 60 crore Low-pressure system may influence monsoon advance towards Kerala: IMD India, US finalise roadmap for fast-tracking defence technology transfer India and the US on Monday concluded an ambitious roadmap for defence industrial cooperation to fast-track technology tie-ups and co-production of military platforms such as air combat and land systems, a move that comes in the wake of China's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region. The new framework for cooperation was finalised during talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his visiting American counterpart Lloyd Austin, two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington. Singh and Austin also decided to initiate negotiations on a framework for the security of supply arrangement and a reciprocal defence procurement agreement, which will promote long-term supply chain stability. The US defence secretary said the US-India cooperation matters "because we all face a rapidly changing world. We see bullying and coercion from the People's Republic of China and Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders and threatens national sovereignty." The Pentagon said the initiative aims to change the "paradigm" for cooperation between the US and Indian defence sectors, including the implementation of a set of specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support its defence modernisation plans. It is learnt that Singh and Austin also touched upon General Electric's proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhi's plan to procure 30 MQ-9B armed drones for over USD 3 billion from US defence major General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. The jet engine deal is likely to be announced during Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US. Also Read Robust defence finance system backbone of strong military: Rajnath Singh AI-powered US military drone kills operator during simulated test: Report Google working on option to block insecure HTTP downloads in Chrome Harris to be 1st woman to give commencement speech at US Military Academy Defence production crosses Rs 1 trn for first time ever: Defence ministry IFAWG meet in Goa aims to give voice to low income nations: Official India hugely growing aviation market but underserved: Air India CEO SC to hear Delhi govt plea against HC order staying notice against Rapido India committed to minimising digital health divide: VK Paul at G20 meet Touts spoil tourist areas, action must be taken against them: Goa minister People familiar with the matter said both projects will be part of the roadmap that will also provide for cooperation in areas of intelligence sharing, surveillance and reconnaissance, munitions and the undersea domain. "We established an ambitious new roadmap for defence industrial cooperation with a fast-track (and) high-priority for co-development and co-production projects and to build closer ties between our defence industries," Austin said at a media briefing. "We look forward to advancing some of those projects during the upcoming visits," he said, indirectly referring to Modi's upcoming tour of the US. Describing the US-India relationship as one of the most "consequential" ones, he said Washington only shares technologies with countries that it absolutely trusts. "There is an increasing desire for us to share (them) with partners here in India." Austin said the US-India partnership is a "cornerstone" for a free and open Indo-Pacific and the deepening of the ties showed how technological innovation and growing military cooperation between the two "great powers" can be a force for global good. The US defence secretary also held separate talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. In a statement, the defence ministry said both sides will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and the co-production of existing and new systems besides facilitating increasing collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. "Towards these objectives, they concluded a roadmap for US-India defence industrial cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the next few years," it said. The ministry said the meeting between Singh and Austin was "warm and cordial" and the two sides discussed a "substantial range" of bilateral defence cooperation issues, with a particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation. The Pentagon said the new roadmap will "fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in areas such as air combat and land mobility systems; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions; and the undersea domain." "The Secretary and Minister Singh also pledged to review regulatory hurdles impeding closer industry-to-industry cooperation and to initiate negotiations on a Security of Supply Arrangement and a Reciprocal Defence Procurement agreement, which will promote long-term supply chain stability," it said. In a series of tweets, Singh said the talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including the convergence of strategic interests and security cooperation. "India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership," Singh said. The Pentagon said Austin and Singh also committed to strengthening operational collaboration across all military services, with an eye to supporting India's leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific. "They discussed new opportunities to strengthen information sharing and increase cooperation in the maritime domain. On this note, Secretary Austin welcomed India's leadership role in the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative (IPMDA), which will provide cutting-edge domain awareness capability to countries across the Indo-Pacific region," it said. In his meeting with NSA Doval, Austin exchanged views about regional and global security issues of concern, including maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. "The Secretary welcomed Doval's perspective about shared security interests and objectives, including his ideas for greater maritime collaboration," the Pentagon said in a statement. "In all of his engagements, the Secretary underscored the centrality of the US-India partnership to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," it added. The defence ministry said both sides reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement. "They welcomed the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on defence artificial intelligence and defence space. They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," it said. In his remarks at the media briefing, Austin said that as the world's two largest democracies, India and the US have a unique role in preserving the rules-based international order that "keeps us all secure". "Our global and strategic partnership has continued to rapidly grow. Today the US-India partnership is a cornerstone for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our deepening bond shows how technological innovation and growing military cooperation between two great powers can be a force for global good," he said. Secretary Austin described his talks with Singh and Doval as "productive" "Democracies must now rally together in common interests and shared values. Preserving and protecting freedom are essential to peace and prosperity and require vigorous leadership from the US and India," he said. "So we still have a lot of work to do. I am confident that the US-India partnership will help secure an open and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific and the wider world," he said. The Pentagon said Austin and Singh also discussed the growing importance of defence innovation and cooperation in emerging domains such as space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence. "They also welcomed the establishment of the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), a new initiative to advance cutting-edge technology cooperation," it said. "The initiative, which will be launched by the US-India Business Council on June 21, is designed to complement existing government-to-government collaboration by promoting innovative partnerships between US and Indian companies, investors, start-up accelerators, and academic research institutions," it said. The US Defence Secretary arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day tour. It is Secretary Austin's second visit to India. His previous trip to the country was in March 2021. "Great to meet again with my friend @rajnathsingh and thank him for his unwavering commitment to U.S.-India defense relations. His leadership has helped paved the way for deeper collaboration, joint exercises, and technology sharing between our two countries," Austin tweeted. In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced in May last year the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. The iCET is expected to forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space and semiconductors. The India-US defence and strategic ties have been on an upswing in the last few years. The two countries have inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies. The two sides also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India. In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries. India and the US on Monday firmed up an ambitious roadmap for defence industrial cooperation to accord high priority to various projects for the co-development of military platforms and hardware, a move that comes against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict and China's increasing muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific region. The roadmap was finalised during talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart Lloyd Austin, two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington. At a media briefing, Austin said the US-India partnership is a "cornerstone" for a free and open Indo-Pacific and the deepening ties showed how technological innovation and growing military cooperation between the two "great powers" can be a force for global good. The US defence secretary said the US-India cooperation matters "because we all face a rapidly changing world. We see bullying and coercion from the People's Republic of China and Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders and threatens national sovereignty." It is learnt that Singh and Austin also touched upon General Electric's proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhi's plan to procure 30 MQ-9B armed drones for over USD 3 billion from US defence major General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. The US defence secretary also held separate talks with NSA Ajit Doval. "We established an ambitious new roadmap for defence industrial cooperation with a fast-track (and) high-priority for co-development and co-production projects and to build closer ties between our defence industries," Austin said. Also Read Quad committed to supporting Pacific Island countries: Joint statement Rajnath Singh holds bilateral talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin Australia to ramp up diplomatic ties with India, Japan in Indo-Pacific US NSA meets Doval in Saudi Arabia, next meeting in Australia this month Australia, India share secure, prosperous Indo-Pacific: Aus PM Albanese Rise of India is unstoppable, says Jaishankar citing strong economic growth BJP has imposed undeclared emergency in Jammu and Kashmir: JKPCC chief SC's intervention positively impacted Taj city's environment: Activists Odisha govt wants to boost tourism with launch of direct Int'l flights We must encourage tech transfer to deal pollution challenges: NHRC "We look forward to advancing some of those projects during the upcoming visits," he said, indirectly referring to Modi's upcoming tour of the US. The two sides also deliberated on ways to increase information sharing as well as new initiatives to improve maritime cooperation, including in the undersea domain. In a statement, the defence ministry said both sides will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and the co-production of existing and new systems besides facilitating increasing collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. "Towards these objectives, they concluded a roadmap for US-India defence industrial cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the next few years," it said. The ministry said the meeting between Singh and Austin was "warm and cordial" and the two sides discussed a "substantial range" of bilateral defence cooperation issues, with a particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation. In a series of tweets, Singh said the talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including the convergence of strategic interests and security cooperation. "India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership," Singh said. The defence ministry said both sides reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement. "They welcomed the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on defence artificial intelligence and defence space. They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," it said. In his remarks at the media briefing, Austin said that as the world's two largest democracies, India and the US have a unique role in preserving the rules-based international order that "keeps us all secure". "Our global and strategic partnership has continued to rapidly grow. Today the US-India partnership is a cornerstone for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our deepening bond shows how technological innovation and growing military cooperation between two great powers can be a force for global good," he said. Secretary Austin described his talks with Singh and Doval as "productive" "Democracies must now rally together in common interests and shared values. Preserving and protecting freedom are essential to peace and prosperity and require vigorous leadership from the US and India," he said. "So we still have a lot of work to do. I am confident that the US-India partnership will help secure an open and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific and the wider world," he said. The US Defence Secretary arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day tour. It is Secretary Austin's second visit to India. His previous trip to the country was in March 2021. In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced in May last year the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. In his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday, the US Defence Secretary said that iCET "lets us explore new ways to co-develop key defence platforms". The iCET is expected to forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space and semiconductors. Internet access to everyone has become a reality in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday after launching K-FON -- a government-owned broadband service provider. After launching the service, which in its initial phase would provide internet connections to 14,000 households in the state, Vijayan, in a dig at the Congress-led UDF opposition, said there were those in Kerala who were opposed to any kind of development in the state. The Congress-led UDF opposition boycotted the launch of the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) alleging corruption in the implementation of the project. In a press conference held at Kochi, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan contended that such an "extravagant" event was being conducted in the Legislative Assembly at a cost of over Rs 4 crore when various welfare schemes and pension payments were stalled due to lack of funds. Satheesan also alleged that the optical fibres were not made in India, but were instead procured from China and then rebranded. He also claimed there was corruption in the implementation of the project. Also Read OneWeb satellites soon to offer space-based internet services globally Pakistan among world's worst performers in internet access: Report The Kerala Story gets 'A' certificate from censor board, 10 scenes deleted LDF Govt comes out with "Real Kerala Story" ad on 2nd anniversary day Inclusive internet must for bringing on board next 1 bn users: Experts Odisha crash: Liberty General Insurance sets up helpline to process claims India pivoting from e-governance to digital governance, says IT Secretary Maha Ex-CM Manohar Joshi out of ICU, but remains semiconscious: Hospital Clean energy provider CEF Group to process 70,000 tonnes of Dal lake waste ED raids realty groups IREO, M3M, seizes luxury cars worth Rs 60 crore Referring to the allegations of Satheesan, the Chief Minister said such claims indicate a mindset which is opposed to any kind of progress or development in the state. However, their stand does not affect the government, instead it impacts the state and the people, Vijayan said. Refuting the other allegations of Satheesan, the Chief Minister claimed that the cables were procured from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and that pension payments and other welfare schemes remain unaffected. Vijayan said that better internet services should be everywhere if the youth are to benefit from it and K-FON is the solution for that. By ensuring connectivity in places, including like Idamalakudy in the interiors of forest, "no one would be left behind and everyone would be a part of the real Kerala story," he said. "Universal internet access is essential to keep up with the changing world and through K-FON we are preparing the infrastructure to transform Kerala into a knowledge economy and innovation society. "Through it we will connect Kerala with the Global Information Highway and lay the foundation for a new Kerala with global dimensions," Vijayan said. It will help to make the digital infrastructure of the state strong and efficient and make e-governance universal and thus, speed up the construction of a new Kerala, he said. "It will also help in ensuring there is no digital divide in Kerala," he added. The Chief Minister said the state government ensured it had overcome the digital divide in school education, especially during Covid. Vijayan further said that K-FON was an alternative model to the corporate-run telecom sector and it was being launched with the intention "to free people from the exploitation of private sector cable networks and mobile service providers". K-FON services will be available at lower rates than other service providers, but would provide the same high speed and quality throughout Kerala, irrespective of urban and rural areas, Vijayan claimed. According to the K-FON tariff rates announced at the launch, the most basic plan would cost Rs 299 (excluding GST) per month with a speed of 20 Mbps and a free download limit of 3,000 GB each month. The highest plan offered by K-FON is of Rs 1,249 (excluding GST) with a speed of 250 Mbps and a free download limit of 5,000 GB per month. All the plans it is offering presently are six month advance rentals. According to the K-FON website, its objectives are to create a core network infrastructure (information highway) with non-discriminatory access to all service providers so that they can augment their connectivity gap. It would be partnering with multi-system operators, internet service providers and TSPs to provide free internet to economically backward households, its website said. Under the K-FON project, free internet service connection has already been given to over 17,280 government offices across Kerala, while the state secretariat and 10 district collectorates are already functioning using its services. The implementation of the project, with an estimated cost of over Rs 1,500 crore, is funded by the government and Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) but the operations and management will be dealt with by K-FON itself, its MD had said recently. He had also said that K-FON was the biggest internet service provider in Kerala with around 30,000 km of fibre which was laid in association with the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited. FIR registered by Government Railway Police (GRP) in Cuttack under sections 153, 154 and 175 of the Railway Act against unknown persons in the Balasore train accident. FIR was registered following a complaint by SI Papu Kumar Naik of Balasore GRPS. Former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena stalwart Manohar Joshi was on Monday shifted out of the ICU of a private hospital, where he was admitted last month after a brain haemorrhage, as his health has stabilised though he remains in semiconscious state, said the medical facility here. Joshi (85), a former Lok Sabha speaker, was admitted to the P D Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Mumbai on May 22. "Mr Joshi has been shifted out of the ICU (intensive care unit) and his health is currently stable. However, he remains semiconscious," said an official statement issued by the multi-specialty hospital. The veteran politician's health is being monitored closely, said the statement. "Our team of experts continues to closely monitor his health," the hospital said. Joshi was the chief minister of Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999 and headed the first-ever Shiv Sena-BJP government formed in the state. A key figure in the undivided Shiv Sena, he served as the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 when the BJP-led government was in office at the Centre. Also Read More people adopting preventive healthcare post-Covid, say experts Maharashtra SSC Result 2023: Class 10 board results are to be out soon Indian-origin Meghana Pandit named CEO of Oxford University Hospitals Max Healthcare, IIIT-Delhi tie up for healthcare research, education SC faults Maha governor and speaker, but won't restore Thackeray govt Clean energy provider CEF Group to process 70,000 tonnes of Dal lake waste ED raids realty groups IREO, M3M, seizes luxury cars worth Rs 60 crore Low-pressure system may influence monsoon advance towards Kerala: IMD India, US finalise roadmap for fast-tracking defence technology transfer IFAWG meet in Goa aims to give voice to low income nations: Official The cluster redevelopment programme, in which several buildings in an area are rebuilt together as one unit to get economies of scale as well as space, would be extended to the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday. Launching the cluster redevelopment programme in Thane, Shinde said it was a historic move as the state government had amended rules and regulations for the relief of the people, especially those living in tenements that have been declared dangerous. "Cluster redevelopment is my dream. I remember how Sairaj building (in Shinde's locality) collapsed in 1997 and claimed several lives. As a (party) worker, I had pulled out people from the debris," said Shinde at the function, in which two couples from the ill-fated building were also invited. "The struggle (for cluster redevelopment) started then and today it is a reality. I had warned at the time that I would jump off the Assembly building if cluster redevelopment does not come through. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has had a lion's share in cluster redevelopment becoming reality. He could not attend due to commitments in Nagpur," he said. Various agencies like MHADA, CIDCO, BMC etc will take over incomplete and delayed redevelopment projects in Mumbai, he said, adding that cluster redevelopment was the answer to the poor state of transit camps in the metropolis. In the first phase, a total of 10,000 tenements are being built on a cumulative area of 1,500 hectares, which will be the biggest in Asia, the CM said, adding that his dream was to create planned cities comprising cluster redevelopment projects. Also Read Redevelopment of dangerous buildings in Ulhasnagar approved: Maha CM Shinde Got bow and arrow symbol as Lord Ram's blessings are with us: Eknath Shinde Maha's health scheme to include more ailments for needy patients: CM Shinde Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to visit Ayodhya with Shiv Sena leaders today Over 300 cluster buses taken off Delhi roads as their contract expires MGNREGA work demand highest for May, barring pandemic year, shows data Jharkhand to plant 10 mn saplings next year, says Guv Radhakrishnan Need to promote recycling of agri-waste, chemical-free farming: MoS Agri Railways spent over Rs 1 trn of RRSK funds on safety in 5 years: Report FinMin extends date for MSMEs to submit refund claims till July 31 In the first phase two clusters measuring 7,753 square metres and 19,725 square metres will be taken up. CIDCO MD Sanjay Mukherjee said the planning authority will be executing the project (of 10,000 homes comprising two clusters) using pre fab construction technology and for which soil testing and levelling work had begun. MLA Sanjay Kelkar hailed Shinde for the latter's role in getting the cluster redevelopment programme to take off in Thane, He urged the CM to remove SRA schemes from the cluster redevelopment programme. A few weeks ahead of the first anniversary of his government (which was formed on June 30 last year), Shinde said the state was getting all support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the previous MVA government, during its two-and-half-year tenure, had taken the state back by 10 years. The Mizoram government has instituted a high-level committee headed by Home Minister Lalchamliana to deal with issues of internally displaced people (IDP) from strife-torn Manipur, an official said on Monday. A total of 9,501 IDPs from Manipur have taken shelter in different parts of Mizoram since the eruption of ethnic violence in the neighbouring state early last month, according to the Home Department. The official said the committee was formed on Sunday as per the instruction of Chief Minister Zoramthanga. Education Minister Lalchhandam Ralte has been appointed as the vice chairman of the committee, while Home Department Commissioner and Secretary H Lalengmawia is the member secretary, he said. The committee will also have Information and Public Relations Minister Lalruatkima, Supply Minister K Lalrinliana, Tourism Minister Robert Romawia Royte, officials of various departments and representatives of the Central Young Mizo Association (YMA), Mizoram Journalists' Association (MJA) and Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a church leaders' committee, as members, he said. The committee held a meeting on Monday, during which Lalchamliana informed the attendees that Mizoram is currently providing shelter to over 50,000 people from neighbouring Manipur, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Also Read US keen on alliance in connectivity, solid waste management with Mizoram Mizoram taking steps to evacuate people stranded in Manipur: Zoramthanga Over 2,000 Bru community voters removed from Mizoram's electoral roll Amit Shah to visit Mizoram to lay foundation stone of development projects Amit Shah to inaugurate Assam Rifles complex in Mizoram: Officials Chhattisgarh coal scam: 'Rs 540 cr proceeds of crime used for politicals' NCSC floats G20 Delhi declaration on preventing cybercrime incidents Panama Papers: ED seizes Rs 2.74 cr assets of Kolkata business family Karnataka Budget will be presented on July 7, says CM Siddaramaiah Hit by hackers, high-profile YouTube channels lose entire content The meeting agreed to maintain proper profiling of IDPs from Manipur. It also decided to conduct regular health examinations of the IDPs and also take measures to ensure that the displaced undergraduate students continue their studies in Mizoram. The state administration has earlier formed an executive committee headed by the home secretary to take care of the IDPs. The state government had last month instructed education officials to allow the displaced children to enrol in state-run schools. At least three IDPs from Manipur, including a minor and an infant, have died in Mizoram so far due to illnesses. Besides, two persons were killed in a road accident near Saitual town while fleeing from their hometown Churachandpur in Manipur. According to the home department, altogether 9,501 people from strife-torn Manipur have taken shelter in 10 districts of Mizoram. Kolasib district is currently hosting the highest number of displaced people at 3,481, followed by Aizawl (3,157) and Saitual (2,389). The remaining 474 have taken shelter in Champhai, Khawzawl, Serchhip, Mamit, Lunglei, Hnahthial and Siaha districts, the department said. A Varanasi court sentenced Mukhtar Ansari to life imprisonment for the murder of Congress leader Awadhesh Rai in 1991. A court in Varanasi on Monday convicted gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari in the murder of Congress leader Awadhesh Rai more than 30 years ago. Awadhesh Rai, brother of Congress leader Ajay Rai, was shot dead on August 3, 1991. Here is the entire timeline of Ansari, beginning from his time as a gangster to his political career and finally his arrest. Mukhtar Ansari had been elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) five times from Mau constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Ansari faces charges for more than 50 cases and has been lodged in prison since 2005. In the early 1970s, the government commissioned several development projects in the Poorvanchal area. This resulted in the rise of organised gangs that competed with each other to grab the contracts for these projects. Mukhtar Ansari was a member of the Makhanu Singh gang. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, his paternal grandfather, was a freedom fighter and the president of the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League during the Indian independence movement. Mukhtar Ansaris maternal grandfather, Mohammad Usman, was a brigadier who was killed in action during the Indo-Pak war in 1948 and was posthumously awarded the Mahaveer Chakra. He is also a relative of India's former Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari. Also Read Atiq, Ansari, Naroda December retail sales jump 16% from pre-Covid levels, shows RAI survey The new kid on the infrastructure financing block 115 daily wagers, 43 salaried people died by suicide each day in 2021: Govt Passive euthanasia: In India, debate on 'living will' has seen many turns 2020 Delhi riots: Court adjourns case with warning to prosecution Stunned silence as passengers cross triple train disaster site in Odisha SBI to enhance use of AI, ML by deploying NextGen Data Warehouse, Data Lake Will continue fight: Sakshi, Bajrang; refutes reports of their withdrawal India, US firm up ambitious roadmap for defence industrial cooperation In the 1990s, Ansari's gang competed with him for control of the Rs 100-crore contract business, which included coal mining, railway construction, scrap disposal, and liquor business. The gangs were involved in running extortion rackets and kidnapping. In the 1980s, his gang clashed with another gang led by Sahib Singh over a plot of land in Saidpur, which resulted in violent incidents. Brijesh Singh, a member of Sahib Singh's gang, formed his own gang and took over Ghazipur's contract work mafia in the 1990s. In 2002, Singh ambushed Ansari's convoy and three of Ansari's men were killed. Brijesh Singh was critically injured and presumed dead. This led to Mukhtar Ansari becoming the undisputed leader in Poorvanchal area. However, Brijesh Singh was later found to be alive and the feud between the two continued. In the early 1990s, Mukhtar Ansari also started his political career as a student union leader in Banaras Hindu University (BHU). He was later elected as an MLA in 1996. He then started challenging Brijesh Singh's dominance. The two became the main rivals in the Poorvanchal region. Mukhtar Ansari had capitalised on the Muslim vote bank. He then started inciting communal violence in the Mau district. He later faced charges of inciting violence following one such riot and was lodged in jail. To counter Ansari's influence in the region, Brijesh Singh supported the election campaign of BJP leader Krishnanand Rai. Rai defeated Mukhtar Ansari's brother and five-time MLA Afzal Ansari from Mohammadabad in the 2002 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Mukhtar Ansari and his brother then planned to eliminate Rai. Ansari and his brother joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2007. Mukhtar Ansari then contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections for the BSP from Varanasi, while he was in jail. He lost to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Murli Manohar Joshi. While he was in jail, Rai was shot dead along with his six aides. The attackers fired over 400 bullets from six AK-47 rifles; 67 bullets were recovered from the seven bodies. In 2006, Shashikant Rai, an important witness in the case, was also found dead. Awadhesh Rai was the older brother of Congress leader Ajay Rai. Awadhesh Rai was shot and killed at the age of 30 outside his home in Maldiya, Varanasi. Mukhtar Ansari, a gangster who later became a politician, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the murder of Awadhesh Rai in 1991 by a court in Varanasi. The case The incident is known as the Awadhesh Rai murder case. It took place on August 3, 1991. According to the prosecution, Awadhesh was standing outside his house in the Maldiya area of Varanasi when a group of attackers arrived in a car and shot him. Ajay Rai and his associate Vijay Pandey were present at the scene and rushed Awadhesh to the hospital, but unfortunately, he was declared dead upon arrival. Ajay Rai is known for his influence in the local area and had previously been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He contested against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Congress candidate from Varanasi in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and 2019. Ajay Rai, who witnessed the shooting, filed a complaint with the police at the Chetganj police station. The complaint named five individuals: Mukhtar Ansari, Abdul Kalam, Bheem Singh, Kamlesh Singh, and Rakesh Kumar Srivastava. Ajay Rai specifically accused Mukhtar Ansari and his associates of shooting his brother. Also Read Mukhtar Ansari convicted in murder case: here's a look at gangster's life Atiq, Ansari, Naroda Alwar lynching case: District court convicts 4 out of 5; sentences to 7 yrs Gyanvapi row: Allahabad court to hear petition filed by waqf board today December retail sales jump 16% from pre-Covid levels, shows RAI survey Himachal abolishes income limit for women's social security pension: Sukhu Odisha train tragedy: King Charles III sends message of condolence 'Environmental imbalance result of mindless exploitation of resources' Govt expects people to move towards e-cooking to capitalise on power supply Odisha crash: Commissioner of Railway Safety records statements of drivers The prosecution and conviction of Mukhtar Ansari Alok Chandra, the former government counsel who handled the case, stated that the murder was the result of a local dispute for dominance or control. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Monday said that officials from both Nepal and India should sit down for discussions to resolve the border issue between the two countries. Prachanda visited India from May 31 to June 3, his first official trip abroad since assuming office in December 2022. His meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday saw the two countries signing seven agreements and launching six projects including new railway services. The two leaders also vowed to resolve the vexed boundary dispute in the spirit of friendship. Responding to the questions from lawmakers regarding the agreements reached during his India visit and the authentication of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives, Prachanda said that Nepal and India both sides should sit together and hold discussions, keeping the map before them. "Discussions have been held on several issues during my India visit. We are concerned on matters relating to national interest and sovereignty. Talks have also been held on the issue of the map," the Prime Minister told the Parliament. When asked about wearing a saffron-coloured shawl while offering prayers at Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh during his visit, Prachanda said, "No one should do anything that belittles the religious faith of the people". Also Read Nepal PM 'Prachanda' expands cabinet to 23 with 6 women in ministry Nepal PM Prachanda to embark on 4-day official visit to India on May 31 Nepal PM to visit India soon; Prachanda's first foreign trip after polls Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda set to take oath as Nepal's new PM today Nepal's PM to expand cabinet, Congress to get key ministerial portfolios Andhra govt to handhold MSMEs from manufacturing to marketing: CM Reddy President Murmu holds delegation level talks with Surinamese counterpart Rajasthan minister inaugurates 33 air quality monitoring stations Odisha accident: 12 parties demand Rail min's resignation, reject CBI probe New national coop policy's revised draft to be prepared with Shah's inputs "I went to Indore to learn about wastage management and the development of IT there," he clarified. "I believe in secularism," the Prime Minister said when some lawmakers asked whether he was theist or atheist. Prachanda said that the Citizenship Bill was forwarded to the President for authentication as it was passed by both the houses of the Parliament. Many people were deprived of citizenship as the Bill had not been authenticated for long, he added. During Monday's session, Prachanda was asked several questions on different issues including the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, border security matters and the Citizenship Bill. The ties between India and Nepal came under severe strain after Kathmandu published a new political map in 2020 that showed three Indian territories -- Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh -- as part of Nepal. India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioned Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it. Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and the leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old "Roti Beti" relationship. The country shares a border of over 1850 km with five Indian states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services. Nepal's access to the sea is through India, and it imports a predominant proportion of its requirements from and through India. The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the special relations between the two countries. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday ordered a probe after a large portion of an under-construction four-lane bridge on the Ganga river collapsed -- the second such instance after the same structure suffered a collapse earlier due to a storm last year, an official said. The Chief Minister, after discussing the incident with Additional Chief Secretary, Road Construction Department, Pratyaya Amrit, directed to set up a team to look into the matter, and take action against the company engaged in the construction. A video of the collapse of the under-construction bridge has gone viral on social media. CM Nitish Kumar said that "the culprits will not be let go scot free". "We will take strict action against the construction company 'SK Singla'. It would be put on the 'black-list' after the investigation is completed," Amrit said, adding: "There is not a question of anyone going scot free. We are investigating the matter properly." The four-lane bridge between Sultanpur sub-division and Khagaria district is being built at Rs 1,716 crore. Also Read Hindus to celebrate Ganga Dussehra 2023 today, here's all you need to know Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to skip 'Namami Gange' event chaired by PM Modi PM Modi virtually chairs National Ganga Council meeting in Kolkata PM Modi to flag off MV Ganga Vilas luxury cruise in Varanasi today Sonia Gandhi admitted to Ganga Ram hospital, condition stable: Doctors Affordability, inclusivity are India's key strengths: Ex-ICMR director gen President Droupadi Murmu to hold meet with President Santokhi in Surinam Wrestlers' Protest: Punjab farmers' body protest against Centre, WFI chief Train services resume on both lines in Balasore; Vaishnaw waves at people Wrestler's protest: Bajrang, Sakshi, Vinesh meet Amit Shah, share concerns The superstructure of the bridge between pillar number 5 and 6 has collapsed. The official said that when the bridge collapsed last year on April 30, "we consulted with the experts of IIT Roorkee". "We requested them to investigate not only pillar number 5 but also 2, 3 and 4 as well. The design of the bridge is based on concrete structure supported by cables. This is a dream project of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. "As we were suspecting some designer fault, the proprietor of construction company 'SK Singla' along with his American designers participated in the meeting with me. We have asked them to complete the design as soon as possible as five segments are in this bridge. IIT Roorkee also completed its investigation on the faulty design a couple of days ago. A meeting was also being planned to be scheduled but amid all, this mishap happened," he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who is also in charge of the Road Construction Department, said: "After the collapse last year, we found some cracks in the structure. Accordingly, we broke the defective structures and constructed new ones. We were suspecting fault in the design and had made changes. We have also received complaints about the structures." Tejashwi Yadav further said that no information on any casualties has been received so far. The crack in the structure was first detected by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, Sanjiv Kumar. He had also raised the matter in Bihar Vidhan Sabha during the budget session. Neeraj Kumar, a JD-U MLC, said: "The Bihar government has sent a team of expert engineers to investigate the incident and find out the reasons." BJP's Vijay Kumar Sinha, Leader of the Opposition in Bihar assembly, said: "It is not the bridge that collapsed in Bhagalpur. The trust of the people in Bihar government has gone into the Ganga river. This bridge has collapsed twice, which clearly proves that corruption has taken place on a large scale." "Nitish Kumar should resign on moral grounds. His government is involved in corruption," said BJP's Bihar unit president, Samrat Chaudhary. --IANS ajk/pgh The death toll from West Bengal in the Odisha triple train tragedy has risen to 81, according to the state government. On Sunday evening, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee quoted the figure at 62 while expressing apprehension that the number might increase as more bodies are identified. She expressed doubts that the names of those travelling in unreserved compartments were not readily available with the railways department. "That list is yet to reach the state government. So in due course the casualty figure from Bengal might rise," she said. On Monday, the state government updated the figure at 81. State government sources said that in the updated death figure from the state the maximum, 31 has been reported from South 24 Parganas district. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress has announced the formation of a six-member committee whose members will personally visit the families of those killed in the train and accident and handover the compensation cheques of Rs 2,00,000 per casualty to the famileis on behalf of the party. Also Read TMC, BJP exchange barbs over Odisha's Balasore triple train accident Mamata Banerjee scared of losing popular support: BJP state President BJP MLAs injured in Rishra violence write to HM Shah seeking intervention BJP CEC meeting today to finalise candidates for Karnataka Assembly polls Odisha writes to Centre seeking release of pending food subsidy to state Rajnath Singh holds bilateral talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin Over 30 held as guards, students clash inside university in Greater Noida Telangana tops in environmental performance, KTR hails CSE ranking K'taka CM directs milk federation not to reduce fixed price of procurement Senior leaders get 'factionalism' notice in Alappuzha CPI(M) unit of Kerala Trinamool Congress' national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had announced that this compensation of Rs 2,00,000 to family of each victim would be in addition to the compensation amount of Rs 5,00,000 on behalf of the state government. Already a political slugfest has erupted in the state over the recommendation of the Railways Board for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation on the Balasore train accident. "The credibility of central agencies like CBI is so low now as they are being used as tools against the opposition parties by the Union government. So we are having no faith in the CBI probe," said Dr Santanu Sen, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member. BJP state president in West Bengal and party Lok Sabha member Sukanta Majumdar said that since there are doubts of sabotage behind the accident a necessity has arisen for a central agency probe in the matter. --IANS src/dpb "Our goal is to make sure missing persons' family members can find them as soon as possible...our responsibility is not over yet," Union minister for railways Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters after the restoration work was completed. Rebuilding of the broken track infrastructure was completed 51 hours after the deadly train accident in Balasore, and train movement resumed on both tracks late Sunday night, the ministry of railways announced. Multiple trains have since moved on these tracks. The first rake moved through the restored tracks was a rake of BOXN wagons (used for carrying coal) from the Visakhapatnam Port to a steel plant in Rourkela. In the opposite direction, officials said the first train was moved shortly afterwards, which was an empty freight train. In what is one of the worst train accidents in India's history suspected to have happened due to interference with the interlocking mechanism 288 people were killed, and over 800 people were injured. The restoration work started 15-17 hours after the tragedy, after a long rescue effort where frontline rescuers had difficulties navigating through the wreckage that the three-train accident had caused. Also Read IRDAI asks insurers to suo motu settle claims of Odisha rail mishap victims Balasore train accident: 261 dead, 900+ injured as rescue ops conclude Bhopal Gas Tragedy: SC dismisses Centre's plea for additional compensation Balasore train disaster: Locals stepped up in rescue-and-relief work LIVE: Mamata Banerjee questions death figures in Balasore train crash World expressed solidarity with India: Jaishankar on Odisha train tragedy India moving ahead with clear roadmap on environment, climate change: PM Goods train derails on rail line in Odisha's Bargarh; no casualty reported Civil aviation ministry, airlines to discuss airfare spike on some routes Four-lane bridge collapsed in Bihar, CM Nitish assured strict legal action Keeping in mind the circumstances of the accident and the administrative information that has been received, the Railway Board has recommended a CBI investigation going forward," he told reporters in Bhubaneswar. The ministry of railways has recommended an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident, Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Sunday. Since the accident, experts have pointed to the shortage of staff and overutilisation of capacity on the Indian Railways network. Meanwhile, Railway Board member Jaya Varma Sinha, in New Delhi, told reporters on Sunday that the ministry of home affairs (MHA) is already assisting the Railways in the probe, and preliminary findings of the national transporter indicated a signalling error. The Centre announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh in case of death, Rs 2 lakh towards grievous injuries, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries. Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma said on Sunday that the ministry had processed 285 cases of ex-gratia so far, providing Rs 3.22 crore to families of the deceased and survivors. Britain's King Charles III on Monday sent a condolence message to President Droupadi Murmu, expressing his profound shock and sadness over the deadly train accident in Balasore, recalling his fond memories of a visit to Odisha 43 years ago. The accident, involving three trains, is one of the worst in the country and took place in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday night which has claimed an estimated 275 lives and left over 1,200 people injured. Both my wife [Queen Camilla] and I have been most profoundly shocked and saddened by the news of such a dreadful accident outside Balasore. I would like to express our deepest possible condolences to the families of all those who have so tragically lost their lives, Charles was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace. In the statement that was also posted across the royal social media channels, the 74-year-old monarch speaks of the special place in his heart for India and reflects upon his fond memories of a visit to Odisha 43 years ago. I do hope you know what a special place India and the people of India have in our hearts. I have particularly fond memories of visiting Odisha in 1980 and meeting some of its people on that occasion," it said. "I pray, therefore, that you may be able to convey our most heartfelt prayers and sympathy to all those who have been affected by this appalling tragedy, together with our special thoughts for the people of Odisha, the King concludes. Also Read Odisha train tragedy: 51 hours later, train movement restored on tracks IRDAI asks insurers to suo motu settle claims of Odisha rail mishap victims King Charles III: Monarch with a multi-faith outlook, great love for India Armed forces veterans, get prime spots at King Charles Coronation King Charles III's coronation: Here are the 5 things to look out for Govt expects people to move towards e-cooking to capitalise on power supply Odisha crash: Commissioner of Railway Safety records statements of drivers Himachal Pradesh to frame policy to find alternatives to plastic: CM Sukhu India-US partnership cornerstone of free, open Indo-Pacific: Lloyd Austin YouTube accounts of Tanmay Bhat, Aishwarya Mohanraj under cyberattack The message follows several condolence messages from the UK government, including from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who extended his heartfelt support and admiration to the survivors and those working tirelessly to respond to the accident. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has seized Rs 2.74 crore worth assets of a Kolkata-based business family which allegedly held a Swiss bank account and whose name figured in the Panama Papers leak. The properties, seized under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), include fixed deposits, bank balance and land at Kolkata belonging to Shyama Prasad Murarka (deceased) and Sanjay Murarka, the agency said. Panama Leaks stated that Shyama Prasad Murarka and Sanjay Murarka were "directors and shareholders in a company called Billipack Limited that was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands", it said. The Murarkas were the "beneficiaries in the bank account of Billipack Limited maintained with HSBC, Switzerland. The investigation found that the Murarka family was holding assets in the form of foreign exchange in various accounts with HSBC Switzerland in their name and in the name of Billipack Limited in contravention of FEMA". The Panama Papers is referred to an investigation of a stockpile of records from Panamanian legal firm Mossack Fonseca by Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in 2016 and it had named several world leaders and celebrities, including Indians, who allegedly stashed away money abroad in offshore companies. In another action linked to the same leaks, the agency carried out searches on June 2 in Bengaluru against Rajendra Patil under the FEMA. Also Read Panama approaches 'Pharmacy of the World' India for affordable medicines Trade between India-Panama heading towards $50 billion: S Jaishankar Over Rs 192 cr crime proceeds generated in Delhi excise policy 'scam': ED ICC guidance papers throw light on LoCs India plans to open logistic hub for Indian companies in Panama: Jaishankar Chhattisgarh coal scam: 'Rs 540 cr proceeds of crime used for politicals' Karnataka Budget will be presented on July 7, says CM Siddaramaiah Hit by hackers, high-profile YouTube channels lose entire content Reliance Foundation to give jobs to train accident affected families Saudi Arabia raises July flagship crude price for Asia to 6-month high Residential premises of Rajendra Patil as well as office premises of Shree Parvathi Tex (India) Pvt. Ltd., where Patil is one of the directors, along with his family members, were searched. The ED said Patil's name "surfaced" in the Panama Paper leaks. It was alleged that Patil made an "undisclosed" credit of Rs 66.35 crore in offshore entities and the searches brought to the fore that he had invested in various companies in Dubai, Tanzania and British Virgin Islands (BVI). "He also held bank accounts in Dubai and Tanzania and several documents related to overseas investment made by Rajendra Patil were recovered during the searches," the ED said. President Droupadi Murmu arrived at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport in Paramaribo, Suriname on Sunday. She was received by the Chief of Protocol of Suriname and the Indian ambassador to the country. The President is scheduled to hold a meeting with Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. The President on Saturday left the national capital for a six-day visit to Suriname and Serbia. This is the president's maiden visit to Suriname and also her first state visit since assuming office in July 2022. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar on Friday informed that President Murmu will travel to Suriname and Serbia from June 4 to 9. Briefing about the Suriname leg of President Murmu's visit, he said she will be in Suriname on a state visit from June 4-6, at the invitation of Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. Also Read Suriname Prez Santokhi to meet BJP chief Nadda at party office in Delhi Suriname Prez Santokhi arrives in India to attend Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: Thakur asks young diaspora to invest in India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: President Droupadi Murmu welcomed at Indore President Droupadi Murmu emplanes for 6-day visits to Suriname, Serbia Wrestlers' Protest: Punjab farmers' body protest against Centre, WFI chief Train services resume on both lines in Balasore; Vaishnaw waves at people Wrestler's protest: Bajrang, Sakshi, Vinesh meet Amit Shah, share concerns Stand by sexual harassment charges on Brij Bhushan: Minor wrestler's father Will perform magic tricks to earn money, but won't let people down: Gehlot "This will be her maiden visit to Suriname. Maiden state visit after she assumed the office of President. The visit assumes historical significance as the President will be the chief guest at the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the arrival of Indians in Suriname, which would be celebrated on June 5," the MEA Secretary (East) said during a special briefing on President's visit to Suriname and Serbia. The President is being accompanied by the Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Member of Parliament, Shrimati Rama Devi as well as an official delegation. The President will hold official talks with Suriname President Santokhi. Saurabh Kumar, during the briefing, said the President "will participate in a number of activities to commemorate the arrival of Indians in Suriname and visit the sites associated with their history in that country. The President will also interact with the Indian community". "The last presidential visit from India to Suriname was in 2018. India, Suriname relations are warm and friendly and acquire special significance on account of the Indian diaspora, which is over 27 per cent of the Suriname population," the MEA Secretary (East) said. He said India, Suriname's "bilateral relations span sectors such as trade and commerce, development, partnership, capacity building, agriculture and people to people ties. Suriname has been supportive of India in the international fora". "The Indian diaspora in Suriname acts as a living bridge between the two countries. Despite the passage of time, the diaspora has preserved the customs and traditions it carried from India while adding local flavours," he added. "The Republic of Suriname's invitation to the President to be the chief guest shows the goodwill that prevails there for India as well as India's growing influence and stature on the global stage," he said. "The visit of the President also emphasizes the importance we attach to our relations with Suriname and to the Indian diaspora around the world. The visit will add a fresh momentum too and further strengthen India-Suriname bilateral ties," he added. In the next leg of her tour, Murmu will visit Serbia, which will start from June 7. She received an invitation from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. President Murmu's visit to Serbia comes at a time when tensions have been rising in the past week in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Several clashes are being reported with protesters over the installation of ethnically Albanian mayors in a disputed election. However, the Ministry of External Affairs has said India does not recognise the declaration of independence of Kosovo, and that the situation in the country won't affect President Draupadi Murmu's visit to Serbia. Addressing a special briefing on the President's visit to Suriname and Serbia, MEA's Secretary West Sanjay Verma said, "Well, we are aware of the recent disturbances in Kosovo, which is at the extreme southern tip of Serbia. We have no reason at this point of time, as I say this, to be concerned that those incidents or have any consequence on the state visit of my president, nor have we been suggested otherwise by the hosts." "On the matter of Kosovo, our stance has been quite clear and consistent that we do not recognise the declaration of independence by Kosovo. We, however, also believe that any differences need to be resolved through dialogue," Verma added. He said he was hopeful that the disturbances in the country over the last few days are resolved peacefully through talks and that there is a de-escalation of the situation. Replying to a media query on whether the President's visit was planned before the political crisis, Verma said it was pre-planned. Serbia does not recognise the sovereignty of Kosovo and has the backing of China, Russia and five other EU nations, which also do not recognise the country. President Droupadi Murmu on Monday held delegation level talks with her Surinamese counterpart Chandrikapersad Santokhi. "Both the presidents discussed ways to deepen India-Suriname relations and held wide ranging discussions on multiple areas including defence, agriculture, IT and capacity building," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a series of tweets. "India and Suriname exchanged four MoUs in various fields including health and agriculture," official sources said. President Murmu had arrived in Paramaribo on Sunday on her first state visit as President. She will there till June 6. "In a special gesture, President @CSantokhi of Suriname received the President at the airport with full state honours," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a tweet. --IANS Also Read President Droupadi Murmu speaks to Nepal counterpart Ram Chandra Paudel President Droupadi Murmu to embark on a two-day visit to Arunachal today New Parliament row: PIL filed in SC seeking inauguration by President Murmu Value education should be included in curriculum: President Droupadi Murmu Murmu calls for keeping culture alive during address in Telangana Rajasthan minister inaugurates 33 air quality monitoring stations Odisha accident: 12 parties demand Rail min's resignation, reject CBI probe New national coop policy's revised draft to be prepared with Shah's inputs Maharashtra CM Shinde launches cluster redevelopment programme in Thane Train tragedy: Insurers ease claims process, set up helpline for settlement ans/vd Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said he has rejected a proposal of affiliation of Haryana colleges with Panjab University, saying the Chandigarh-based university has always been connected with Punjab's legacy and heritage. He was speaking after holding a meeting with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar over the matter. The meeting was also attended by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh has always been connected with Punjab's legacy, heritage, emotions, culture and literature, Mann said while addressing media after the meeting. We have told them that it is a no from our side, he said. The chief minister recalled that the PU was shifted from Lahore, the then capital of Punjab, to Hoshiarpur and then to Chandigarh, the present capital of Punjab. He said at present, 175 colleges of Punjab and 30 colleges of Union Territory Chandigarh are affiliated with the PU. The first meeting in this regard was held on June 1 in which Punjab Governor Purohit had flagged the possibility of colleges in neighbouring Haryana to be affiliated with Chandigarh-based PU, triggering a strong reaction from Mann. Also Read Punjab CM to hold meeting with state health officials on Covid situation Nod to selective harvest of large fish in Chandigarh's Sukhna Lake Punjab govt won't hesitate in taking tough decisions: Kejriwal on Amritpal Just a few people funded by Pakistan: CM Bhagwant Mann on Ajnala clashes Amritpal's arrest result of month-long effort of Punjab Police, govt: AAP Content posted against SII prima facie defamatory, says Bombay HC Around 1,400,000 families in Rajasthan to get Rs 640 LPG subsidy today Odisha train tragedy: 51 hours later, train movement restored on tracks World expressed solidarity with India: Jaishankar on Odisha train tragedy India moving ahead with clear roadmap on environment, climate change: PM Purohit, who is also the administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, had said the affiliation was possible with mutual consent of chief ministers of both the states. Mann had said that his government was committed to avert any change in the nature and character of the Panjab University, saying the university was a heritage of the state. Notably, Haryana is seeking affiliation of its colleges with PU, Chandigarh. In the June 1 meeting, Khattar had said that under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the share of Haryana was given to the Panjab University and the colleges and regional centres of Haryana were affiliated to PU. However, it was abolished by issuing a notification in 1973. Last year, the Haryana Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution recommending the government to seek restoration of the state's share in the Panjab University. Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal had then said consequent upon the passing of the Kurukshetra University Act, the Centre had on November 1, 1973 issued a notification abolishing state's share in the PU. At that time, the number of colleges affiliated to the PU in Haryana was 63 across 18 districts. Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister Hemaram Chaudhary flagged off a public awareness rally on World Environment Day today and inaugurated 33 new air quality monitoring stations in the state, officials said. The minister also laid the foundation stone of Integrated Resource Recovery Park at Tholai in Jamwa Ramgarh area in the district, a statement said. Two thousand saplings were also distributed free of cost by the forest department, it said. Addressing a programme organised by the State Pollution Control Board, Chaudhary said that single-use plastic has been banned in the state for a safe future and for pollution control. The Rajasthan government's new forest policy promotes planting as many more trees as possible, the minister said via videoconferencing. He also said that the environment can be saved by the active participation of common people. Also Read World Environment Day 2023: A global call to action for sustainable future World environment day 2023: History, Theme, Importance, Celebration Online monitoring portal to give 'Districts as Export Hubs' plan a leg-up 'Solution to plastic pollution' on UN's agenda as planet chokes on plastic Delhi-NCR hit by summer ozone crisis once again, shows CSE analysis New national coop policy's revised draft to be prepared with Shah's inputs Maharashtra CM Shinde launches cluster redevelopment programme in Thane Train tragedy: Insurers ease claims process, set up helpline for settlement MGNREGA work demand highest for May, barring pandemic year, shows data Jharkhand to plant 10 mn saplings next year, says Guv Radhakrishnan The rise of India is unstoppable and the country is taking its place in the world, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has said, citing India's strong economic growth, its strong relationships abroad and the support of the diaspora worldwide. Jaishankar arrived here on Sunday, the first visit by an Indian external affairs minister to the African nation. Addressing the Indian community here, Jaishankar said in many ways India is now a much more capable country, a much more confident country, and that way more recognised around the world." He said that India is moving in the right direction and is conscious that there are a lot of challenges ahead. With strong relationships and with good, proud Indians contributing abroad, and with growth at home we are very clear, the rise of India is unstoppable," the minister said. "Today we are the most populous country, we are the fifth largest economy and we will hopefully become third very, very soon...Today, India is taking its place in the world and that is something which all Indians should be very proud of," he added. When as foreign minister I go out in the world, especially in Africa and Latin America and other parts of Asia, I cannot tell you how much goodwill we have, the minister said. Also Read Relations with Indian diaspora bolstered due to Sushma Swaraj: Jaishankar Jaishankar's 4-nation visit to Central and Latin America begins today Guterres, Jaishankar to unveil Mahatma Gandhi's bust at UN headquarters India, Canada share vision for peaceful, stable Indo-Pacific region S Jaishankar reaches Guyana on 3-day visit, receives warm welcome BJP has imposed undeclared emergency in Jammu and Kashmir: JKPCC chief SC's intervention positively impacted Taj city's environment: Activists Odisha govt wants to boost tourism with launch of direct Int'l flights We must encourage tech transfer to deal pollution challenges: NHRC 255-members to represent India at Special Olympics World Summer Games He praised the Indian community abroad and said as the Indian diaspora gets the benefit of the country's image abroad, India also gets benefits from the diaspora's image in foreign countries. Jaishankar also expressed grief over the lives lost in the train tragedy in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday. The tragedy claimed 275 lives and left around 1,200 injured. He said that several global leaders expressed solidarity with India, showing how the world stands with the country. "A lot of leaders from all over the world and the foreign minister from here [Namibia] also have expressed solidarity and sent sympathy." "I received many messages from foreign ministers and friends from across the world. The Prime Minister also received lots of messages. This is an example of how globalised today's world is and how the world is connected with India," he said. " A tragedy happened in India and the world decided to stand with India," the minister said. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2018 Africa visit, Jaishankar quoted him as saying, We (India) are here (in Africa) but we are different from others who have come. The difference is we are here to listen to you. To ask you what are your requirements. And whatever we do will be in response to your priorities. When I today look at the India-Africa relations, the big change I see is that we (India) are seen as a responsible partner, he added. He also highlighted various projects of cooperation between the two nations. Jaishanakar said is India's first partner in a very interesting initiative to translocate cheetahs. "It is something which we feel has now become a bigger initiative. There is something called a big cat Alliance in which all the countries that have tigers, lions, and cheetahs of various types are trying to get together to see how by working together, we can actually increase the number of big cats across the world," he said. Responding to a question, he said it is important for the government that Indian companies can invest, can manufacture, can work abroad and he will look to discuss with the country's leadership why a bilateral investment protection agreement is not there between the two nations. "I would like to have it (agreement) with all 195 countries of the world because today India is no longer the India that sits at home. This is an India which is going abroad," he said. On another question, he said India would be happy to help Namibia in its digitisation process. The father of a 17-year-old wrestler, who levelled sexual harassment charges against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, on late Sunday asserted that he has not withdrawn the charges. Speaking to IANS, the father of the victim asserted that whatever is running on social media regarding the "withdrawal" of their statement (on the charges) is fake. "We stood by our statement and I am out of the station and neither in Delhi nor Haryana," he said, seeking to end the spreading speculations on the issue. Two days ago, farmers and representatives of Khap panchayats (community courts) gave the Centre an ultimatum to arrest Singh by June 9 or prepare for a larger protest. A collective and unanimous decision in this regard was taken at the 'mahapanchayat' held in Haryana's Kurukshetra town on the future strategy of wrestlers' protest. On June 1, a 'mahapanchayat' was held in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar where it was decided that a delegation would meet President Droupadi Murmu to seek justice for the wrestlers. Also Read HC to decide which court to hear wrestler's plea against WFI chief 'Sought sexual favours, touched inappropriately': FIRs against WFI chief Delhi Police records statement of WFI chief in sexual harassment case Laws being misused, are flawed: WFI chief on sexual harassment charges NHRC notice to sports ministry over panel's absence to address harassment Will perform magic tricks to earn money, but won't let people down: Gehlot First train chugs out of accident affected section in Balasore: Official Bihar bridge collapse: Govt says it was defective, being pulled down Shangri-La Dialogue: World's spy chiefs meet in Singapore secret conclave Airbus nears 500 narrow-body jet order from IndiGo Airline: Report At the Kuruksheta mahapanchayat, Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait warned the Central government that if they aren't allowed to protest at Jantar Mantar on June 9, "there will be an announcement of agitation." The farmer leader also demanded that cases against the wrestlers, who were manhandled and detained during their march towards the new Parliament building during its inauguration on May 28, should be withdrawn. The same day, Delhi Police had cleared their protest site at Jantar Mantar. --IANS ssh/vd Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said strict action would be taken against those found guilty in the collapse of an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river, even as the opposition BJP alleged that Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav was "hiding the truth" in the incident. The saffron party slammed Yadav, the RJD leader, for his comment that "many structural defects" of the bridge have been pointed out by experts, and "the state government has already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable". The 3.16-km-long bridge was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur. It collapsed twice in the last 14 months- the first on Bhagalpur's Sultanganj side in April 2022 and the second time on Sunday evening on the Khagaria side. "The bridge is not being constructed properly and that is why it collapsed twice since April 2022. It's a serious matterThe department concerned has already initiated a thorough probe into it. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty," Kumar said, while talking to reporters here. He also wondered why the bridge construction work that started in 2014 has not been completed so far. Also Read Four-lane bridge collapsed in Bihar, CM Nitish assured strict legal action BJP has closed its door forever for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, says Amit Shah RJD MLA's remark against Bihar CM unacceptable, says Tejashwi Yadav No need to wait till 2025, Nitish should make Tejashwi Bihar CM now: Kishor No more Deputy CM, new faces likely from RJD, Congress: Nitish Kumar K'taka issues orders for 'Shakti' scheme offering free bus ride to women Mukhtar Ansari gets life imprisonment: What is Awadhesh Rai murder case? Himachal abolishes income limit for women's social security pension: Sukhu Odisha train tragedy: King Charles III sends message of condolence 'Environmental imbalance result of mindless exploitation of resources' "Why is it running behind the schedule? I have asked the department concerned to probe this also. The deputy CM is monitoring the matter," Kumar said. The incident attracted public outrage, prompting the chief minister to order an investigation with instructions to punish those guilty for the disaster. As media outlets beamed the video footage of the bridge collapse, the state BJP came out with a statement demanding the resignation of Kumar, who had snapped ties with the saffron party in August last year. Reacting to Yadav's remark, senior BJP leader and former state road construction department minister Nitin Nabin told PTI, "I must say that the deputy chief minister is hiding the truthhe is not revealing the facts. "When experts who inspected the bridge had already informed the government that there were serious structural defects, then why did the government allow the continuation of the construction work? The department should have immediately stopped that." Nabin also claimed that even after the matter was raised in the state assembly during the budget session in March this year, the deputy CM "did not bother to inform the House about the status of the construction work". "He (Yadav) never said that the construction work has been stopped. Why didn't the department take action against the erring officials or the contractor, engaged in building the bridge after experts' opinion last year? "The state government has been trying to protect the accused. This grand alliance government is least bothered about the development of BiharNeither the chief minister nor the deputy CM has time for the state," the BJP leader said. Images of the bridge collapse that took place in Khagaria prompted Yadav to hold a press conference on Sunday evening. "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav had said at the press conference held hours after the bridge caved in a day before. He had also disclosed that "many structural defects" have been pointed out by experts and "we have already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable. Today's (Sunday's) incident confirms our worst apprehensions". Last year, a portion of this bridge had collapsed in a thunderstorm, when the BJP was in power in the state. "It was an incident which was widely talked about then and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav, in an apparent riposte to the BJP, now in opposition. At least 30 slabs placed on three pillars of the four-lane Sultanganj-Aguani Ghat bridge caved in and fell on the river on Sunday. No casualties were reported in the incident, the local administration said. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. A Haryana-based company has got the contract for the construction of the bridge, against which the BJP is now seeking action. The bridge would be the sixth on the Ganga river to connect northern Bihar with its south, reducing the time to travel to Sultanagnj, Khagaria, Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul. GST Council likely to approve tribunal blueprint this month The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, which is likely to meet in the third or fourth week of June, is set to clear the operational framework of the much-awaited GST appellate tribunal, which will deal with tax disputes and streamline resolution. Spot airfares up three times in a month on India's busiest routes The final blueprint, mainly the operational part, is expected to be presented in the GST Council meeting for approval. This will pave the way for the tribunal to be functional, both at the central and state levels, said a senior government official, who expects the tribunal to be up and running by November. Read more... On the Delhi-Mumbai route, which is India's busiest air route, the average spot airfare on June 1 stood at Rs 18,654, according to data provided by Ixigo. On May 1, two days before Go First's exit, the average spot airfare on this route stood at Rs 6,125. Read more... The spot airfares on five of India's six busiest routes have jumped by up to three times in the past one month. However, for tickets purchased 30 days in advance on these routes, the fares have seen a marginal increase (not over 15 per cent). Also Read RBI hikes repo rate by 35 bps to 6.25%, cuts FY23 GDP forecast to 6.8% RBI MPC: Here is what experts have to say about the policy announcement RBI Monetary Policy: Repo rate up by 25 bps, FY23 inflation pegged at 6.5% RBI Monetary Policy: Expect 35 bps repo rate hike tomorrow, say experts MPC lowers projection for inflation, raises growth outlook a bit in FY24 Nitish orders probe as under-construction bridge on Ganga collapses again Affordability, inclusivity are India's key strengths: Ex-ICMR director gen President Droupadi Murmu to hold meet with President Santokhi in Surinam Wrestlers' Protest: Punjab farmers' body protest against Centre, WFI chief Train services resume on both lines in Balasore; Vaishnaw waves at people Wrestler's protest: Bajrang, Sakshi, Vinesh meet Amit Shah, share concerns Olympian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat met Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence to discuss the matter related to their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) boss. Read more... MPC likely to hit pause again on repo rate: Business Standard Poll The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to keep the policy repo rate unchanged during its monetary policy review this week, all the 10 participants of a Business Standard poll said. The RBI will announce the review of the policy on 8 June. Read more... According to a report by Bar and Bench, Justice Kauser Edappagath emphasised that nudity should not automatically be associated with sexuality but should be evaluated within the appropriate context. The Kerala High Court on Monday said that there exists an unequal treatment and perception of naked or semi-naked male and female bodies in society. The charges were based on a video she posted on social media, showing her minor children painting on her semi-nude torso. After reviewing the video and considering the petitioner's explanation, the court concluded that the video was not sexually motivated but aimed at highlighting the objectification of female bodies. Consequently, the court quashed the case. The court's observations were made in the context of a case involving a women's rights activist, Rehana Fathima, who was charged under various provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Questioning the sexualisation of female bodies Many of the commenters stated India was not ready for such declarations, while many made vulgar remarks asking to air nudity on television if it was not deemed sexual content, missing out on the context of the courts perception of the issue. Also Read T20 World Cup Final Highlights: Australia complete 2nd hattrick of titles Women's T20 World Cup: India fail again, lose to AUS by 5 runs in semifinal Women's T20 World Cup Semis: South Africa create history, qualify for final Women's T20 World Cup final: Australia vs South Africa live stream in India India W vs Australia W, Women's T20 World Cup: How to live stream in India India's successful adoption of digital health tech lesson for world: WHO Mamata Banerjee announces govt jobs for kin of Odisha train accident Mukhtar Ansari convicted in murder case: here's a look at gangster's life 2020 Delhi riots: Court adjourns case with warning to prosecution Stunned silence as passengers cross triple train disaster site in Odisha The court mentioned the presence of nude female sculptures in temples and public spaces, which are widely considered as art or even sacred. The Kerala High Court highlighted that the naked upper body of a woman should not be presumed to be sexual by default. The court stated that labeling the depiction of a woman's naked body as obscene, indecent, or sexually explicit should only be done within a specific context. Hypocrisy in treating male and female bodies: The court drew attention to the disparity in how society treats naked male and female bodies. It mentioned the acceptance of body painting on men during festivals like 'Pulikali' in Thrissur, Kerala. Similarly, during temple rituals such as 'Theyyam,' male artists have their bodies painted and displayed, focusing on their physical features like six-pack abs and biceps. However, these acts are not deemed obscene or indecent. The court suggested that this discrepancy arises because some people view women's bodies primarily as objects of desire. Bodily autonomy and patriarchal societies The court also addressed the issue of women's rights to bodily autonomy, which often faces dilution in patriarchal societies. It stated that every individual, regardless of gender, should have the freedom to make choices about their own bodies. However, it noted that women frequently experience bullying, discrimination, isolation, and prosecution when exercising this right. In contrast, the autonomy of the male body is rarely questioned. CHAMBUTA Childrens Home in Chiredzi has been renamed Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa Childrens Home, following a request by the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) to honour the First Ladys efforts to ensure that the home best reflects its mission of providing a safe and nurturing environment for children in need. Nestled in the countrys Lowveld, the home is where children, who were living and working on the streets of major cities and towns, were committed to be equipped with education and vocational skills to lead better lives. A hands-on person, the mother of the nation through her Angel of Hope Foundation helped mobilise resources to refurbish the home, and equip it to best serve the interests of the children at the facility. She helped raise funds to modernise the home to international standards, a far cry from the past when it was known for cracked buildings and obsolete facilities. Together with her Foundations working partners, who include local authorities, the business community, individuals and corporates, they transformed the home into a state-of-the-art facility, making it a complete rehabilitation centre. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima said the home was the first to meet compliance standards of the national residential childcare set by Government. A plaque that adorns the newly-renamed home is inscribed: In recognition of the legacy and dedication of the First Lady, Chambuta Childrens Home is renamed to better reflect its mission of providing a safe and nurturing environment for children in need. We honour the commitment of those who have served here and the resilience of the children who call this home. May the new name inspire continued compassion and support for generations to come. Acting president of the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) Alderman Gibson Hwende said they had seen it prudent to honour the First Lady because of her tireless efforts to uplift the lives of disadvantaged members of society. Our mothers philanthropic work has been noticed even beyond our borders, that is, as far as Russia, India and other countries. Herald After getting evicted from Jantar Mantar on May 28, top wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat have resumed their duties in the Railways, sources said. As per reports, records from the Northern Railways headquarters show Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik joined her Baroda House office here on May 31, a day after the trio stopped short of immersing their international medals in the Ganga. On Monday, Sakshi, too, confirmed the news. She meanwhile, denied rumours that she withdrew from the agitation. "The news is completely wrong. None of us has backed down. We will continue our fight for justice and meanwhile I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways," she said. Earlier, Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence to discuss the matter related to their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. "They shared their concern with the Home Minister. The meeting was long and he listened to everything. But 'koi decision nahi hua abhi tak (no decision has been reached so far)'," a source close to the wrestlers told IANS. Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh have been leading the protest by the wrestlers since April, accusing the sidelined president of the WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment against many wrestlers, including a minor. Also Read Dictatorship, says Sakshi Malik on FIR against her, fellow wrestlers Wrestlers stage protest against WFI president, vow to fight till end Will immerse medals in Ganga, fast unto death: Protesting wrestlers Wrestlers Protest: Vinesh, Sakshi reach Haridwar to immerse medals in Ganga WFI row a wake-up call for sports bodies to prioritise women safety Green, eco-friendly technology key for Indian Navy-says Ministry of Defense Int'l transport corridor: Reflection of India's expanding global footprint T'gana posts 31% growth in IT exports, adds 127,000 jobs during 2022-23 Congress mulls 'Peaceful Karnataka' helpline against communal forces HP CM Sukhu flags off awareness rally on World Environment Day in Shimla The protesting wrestlers were manhandled and detained by Delhi Police and their arrangements at the protest site, Jantar Mantar, were dismantled. The wrestlers had gone to Haridwar claiming that they wanted to drop their medals in the river Ganga. With many people requesting them not to take the drastic action, they decided to hand over the medals to the farmers' leaders to take a call. --IANS cs/dpb Sidbi has tied up with the Niti Aayog, World Bank, Korea-World Bank partnership facility and Korean economic development cooperation fund to finance electric vehicles for small and medium industrial units. The financing will be done under a new project called Evolve, which is electric vehicle operations and lending for a vibrant ecosystem, under which Sidbi will give access to affordable commercial financing for EVs, the national bank said in a statement on Monday. While Niti Aayog will give technical support to Sidbi, financial assistance will come from the World Bank, Korea-World Bank partnership facility and the Korean economic development cooperation fund, Sidbi said. The bank has already launched two financing schemes -- direct lending to MSMEs and a scheme for lending to N, to help them offer lower-cost financing. The new scheme seeks to finance 50,000 EVs, S Ramann, chairman and managing director of Sidbi, said. Kim Kisang, the chief representative from the Korean economic development cooperation fund, said his government will extend support for the Sidbi programme to address the key barriers to the adoption of EVs as well as knowledge sharing between both countries. Also Read Kerala, Rajasthan CMs to not attend PM Modi's NITI Aayog meeting today Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik skips NITI Aayog meeting due to prior commitment Commerce ministry may rework draft Bills on tea, coffee with NITI Aayog Punjab CM to skip NITI Aayog meet amid AAP's ongoing tussle with Centre PM chairs meeting of Governing Council of NITI Aayog themed Viksit Bharat Car dealer inventories rise despite retail sales of PVs up 4% in May Lohum partners MG Motor India for second-life EV battery solutions Automobile retail sales see 10% growth in May across segments: FADA Aiming to maintain leadership position in SUV segment: Mahindra Group CFO Expect PV segment growth to moderate to 5-7% this fiscal: Tata Motors Gerald Ollivier of the World Bank said Evolve is designed to support around 1.5 million EVs and build the ecosystem in the mobility segment. The airline industry is expected to record a net profit of USD 9.8 billion this year as passenger traffic is rising and local economies are reviving, IATA said on Monday. Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said that despite economic uncertainties, people are flying to reconnect, explore and do business. "Latest data shows that passenger traffic is at over 90 per cent of 2019 level". Speaking at the IATA Annual General Meeting here, he said airports are busier, hotel occupancy is rising, local economies are reviving and the airline industry has moved into profitability. The airline industry is expected to rake in revenues of USD 803 billion and a net profit of USD 9.8 billion this year. Airlines will make an average of USD 2.25 per passenger, he said. While the aviation industry is recovering after the pandemic, there are still challenges like cost pressure and supply-chain issues. Walsh said Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have been far too slow in dealing with supply-chain blockages that are both raising costs and limiting our ability to deploy aircraft. Also Read Indian aviation market promising but taxation always an issue: IATA chief Recovery, expansion, Covid air pockets await Indian aviation sector in 2023 Indian domestic air travel is now at 85% of 2019 level, says IATA India's airline sector on to a smooth flight despite air pocketsr India emerging as key aviation market, air travel grows: IATA report Hyderabad offered highest new office space in India in 2022-23: Anarock Housing sales clocked a record of Rs 3.47 trillion in FY23: Anarock Foreign airlines have reaped benefits of growing Indian market, says Wilson Competition Commission of India lens on Big Tech as Apple probe nears end Spot airfares up three times in a month on India's busiest routes "Airlines are beyond frustrated. A solution must be found," he added. Telecom operators have sought to put off the implementation of the new guidelines for mandatory testing of telecom equipment by one year, citing inappropriate laboratory infrastructure in the country. The Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) regime is set to come into effect on July 1, under which all the pieces of telecom equipment have to be tested and approved at local laboratories, before they can be installed as part of network rollouts. Telecom companies, however, through industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), have told the government that the needs of the industry remain unmet and the deadline must be extended. If the government makes a policy, one which we feel is the right way forward, saying that all equipment should be security tested before it is put on the circuit, there should also be an ecosystem in place to test such equipment. Tha Bengaluru offered 12.66 million square feet of new office space in the year. This made up a 26 per cent market share, 13 per cent lower than in FY22. Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) followed Bengaluru, adding around 8.82 million square feet of new office space. With an additional 14.94 million square feet, Hyderabad offered India's highest new office space in 2022-23, according to data released by property consultancy Anarock Group on Monday. It surpassed Bengaluru in the rankings, which topped the list in FY22. At the end of FY23, Hyderabad accounted for a 31 per cent share of the total office space supply in the top seven Indian cities. In terms of net office absorption, Bengaluru led the chart with 9.88 million square feet, followed by Delhi-NCR and Hyderabad with 6.89 million square feet and 6.88 million square feet, respectively. The new office space fell 46 per cent in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to 4.18 million square feet during the year. "This trend is likely to continue in the near future. Major headwinds including layoffs by corporates and global recessionary trends will continue to mar office space growth in India," he said. "The currently depressed Indian office market may not improve till the first half of 2024. Many IT companies have scaled down their business and are not looking to expand." However, Prashant Thakur, senior director and head of research at Anarock Group, said that the growth in office real estate saw a slowdown in the second half of FY23 owing to global headwinds. Also Read Housing sales clocked a record of Rs 3.47 trillion in FY23: Anarock 45% of property seekers in NCR want to buy 3BHK homes: CII-Anarock report Bengaluru's housing rent grow over 20% Y-o-Y in Q1 2023: Anarock report China to send its first civilian to space on Tuesday, says space agency Govt considering registration of flats even if developers go bankrupt Housing sales clocked a record of Rs 3.47 trillion in FY23: Anarock Foreign airlines have reaped benefits of growing Indian market, says Wilson Competition Commission of India lens on Big Tech as Apple probe nears end Spot airfares up three times in a month on India's busiest routes Airbus heads towards 500 A320-family jets order from IndiGo: Report Moreover, the rents of office spaces have also gone up. According to Anarock, the average office rental prices in India's top seven cities increased by 4 per cent in FY23. The average monthly rental price for Grade A office spaces across the country reached Rs 79/square foot, The data showed that the average vacancy rate for Grade A office space in the top seven cities in India stayed flat and declined by 0.1 per cent year-over-year (YoY) to 15.9 per cent in FY23. The monthly 5G smartphone sales share has crossed the 50 per cent mark in India for the first time in April this year, a new report said on Monday. According to Counterpoint Research, 5G services are still patchy across most of India after launching in October 2022. "There's still a long way to go, especially in terms of network coverage. But this is a milestone for sure," said Tarun Pathak, Research Director. Moreover, the report said that while Samsung assisted in crossing the 5G market across the line in the country, OnePlus was the true winner. "Samsung helped 5G get across the line, but OnePlus was the real winner. Huge month for them as they punched above their weight, capturing a third of all 5G sales," said senior research analyst Shilpi Jain. Meanwhile, global smartwatch shipments contracted 1.5 per cent (year-on-year) in the first quarter of this year, and the 121 per cent growth in India's shipments managed to restrict the decline. Also Read Sensex slips 347 pts on profit-taking, Nifty holds 18,500; RIL, SBI dip 2% Online smartphone sales cross offline numbers for first time ever in 2022 Sensex ends 194 pts lower owing to late selling; Broader indices outperform Auto, metal, FMCG shares lift Sensex 119 pts up; Broader markets outshine RIL, ITC, HDFC twins lift Sensex 345 pts up; Bank Nifty hits new peak Government extends timeline for submitting bids for OALP Round-VIII 'Massive opportunities' in vibrant Indian aviation market, says IATA Airline industry to report $9.8 bn profit this year on rising traffic: IATA Hyderabad offered highest new office space in India in 2022-23: Anarock Housing sales clocked a record of Rs 3.47 trillion in FY23: Anarock In terms of the regional markets, India surpassed North America, reclaiming its position as the top region with a 27 per cent share of global smartwatch shipments. --IANS shs/prw There are "massive opportunities" in the vibrant Indian aviation market, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh said on Monday. Talking about the Indian market, he highlighted that there are CEOs of two Indian airlines on the Board of Governors (BoG) of IATA and it is the first time that has happened. "It reflects the opportunity and vibrancy... there are massive opportunities and we are really excited about the future of aviation in India," he told a media briefing on the sidelines of the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) here. Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson and IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers are among the 31 airline CEOs on the BoG. On Monday, IATA announced that Elbers will serve as Chair of the BoG from June 2024. India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and Air India has embarked on an ambitious expansion plan, while IndiGo is set to fly to more international destinations. Also Read India's airline sector on to a smooth flight despite air pocketsr India emerging as key aviation market, air travel grows: IATA report Indian aviation market promising but taxation always an issue: IATA chief Southwest Airlines cancels more flights, draws federal investigation Singapore Airlines to get 25.1% stake in enlarged Air India group Airline industry to report $9.8 bn profit this year on rising traffic: IATA Hyderabad offered highest new office space in India in 2022-23: Anarock Housing sales clocked a record of Rs 3.47 trillion in FY23: Anarock Foreign airlines have reaped benefits of growing Indian market, says Wilson Competition Commission of India lens on Big Tech as Apple probe nears end Earlier this year, Air India placed a historic order for 470 planes with Airbus and Boeing. On domestic routes, Indian carriers flew 5.04 crore passengers during the 2023 January-April period, as against 3.53 crore in the year-ago period, recording an annual growth of 42.88 per cent, as per latest official data. Meanwhile, at the briefing, Walsh said airfares are often high due to factors outside the control of airlines such as taxes and airport charges. He was responding about high airfares in the country. About India's stance of common but differentiated responsibilities in efforts to reduce carbon emissions, Walsh said it has a been a long standing decision. "... We acknowledge and recognise the decision of India and many other countries do highlight the need to reflect differentiated responsibilities". Last month, India said that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) should continue to be guided by "common but differentiated responsibilities" in the efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions for the aviation sector. Based on "realities and infrastructure constraints", India has set a target of achieving net zero emissions by 2070, Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal had said at an ICAO symposium. He had also said that the transition towards a lower carbon and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) will be fundamental to achieving the net zero target by 2050. "The process of SAF legislation, regulation, production, and deployment is external to civil aviation and requires multi-agency participation. The competition for biofuels from other sectors, especially road transport poses a challenge of prioritisation. "The application of sustainability criteria for CORSIA-eligible fuels is another area, which will require external verification bodies to apply their rules," he said. CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reporting Scheme for International Aviation) seeks to reduce emissions in the aviation sector by way of a carbon offsetting mechanism and is being implemented in phases. With respect to SAF, Walsh, at the media briefing, asserted that there cannot be a mandate for something that does not exist. From fragmented monitoring and enforcement to differing classifications of crypto assets, many barriers hinder global coordination on crypto-asset regulation efforts, a global study said on Monday while calling for leveraging learnings from India. The report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) emphasised that while full global coordination for crypto regulation would be ideal, varying ecosystem maturity in different jurisdictions, evolving use cases, capacity of regulators and other factors make it difficult to achieve. As such, regulators and industry players should explore alternative regulatory pathways to collaborate and regulate the crypto-asset ecosystem through a principle-based, agile approach, taking into consideration the local context. In its section on recommendations, the report argued that the framework for crypto-asset regulations could leverage learnings from existing frameworks in financial services. In this context, it cited the inter-operable regulatory sandbox of RBI as an example of cross-sector coordination; and data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) as an illustration of having systems that are compliant by design. "In India, the Reserve Bank of India released a Standard Operating Procedure for an Interoperable Regulatory Sandbox (IoRS) in October 2022. IoRS enables the testing of financial products/services that fall within the remit of more than one regulator," it said. Also Read Crypto industry wants 0.1% TDS, Sebi-like regulator in Budget 2023 Crypto wrap: Market trading flat amid regulatory crackdown on Binance Crypto wrap: Market stable even as FTX fallout claims one more victim Crypto wrap: Market remained in green despite rate hikes by Fed, BoE Cryptocurrency in 2022: What it was, what it is, and what to expect in 2023 Crypto wrap: US debt ceiling negotiations keeping market on the toes Hackers stole about $400 mn from crypto projects in Q1 2023: Report There is need for tech-driven regulations for digital assets: Report Crypto wrap: High fluctuation in market due to US debt ceiling crisis Even after FTX's collapse, most influential crypto cos follow own rules It also noted, "Data protection and empowerment architecture in India provides for consent by design. The decoupling of a consent manager from the data provider/ consumer allows for neutrality and compliance with consent-related obligations." Recently, India also extended its anti-money laundering laws to include 'virtual digital assets', while G20 is deliberating under India's Presidency on creating global rules for regulating crypto-assets. "The evolving crypto-asset ecosystem and recent market events have underscored the pressing need for collaboration and the building of robust guardrails," said Matthew Blake, Head of WEF's Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems. Over the past few years, various international standard-setting bodies and organisations have made considerable efforts to produce evidence-based research as well as high-level frameworks. Geneva-based WEF, which describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation, also called on industry leaders to continue working on interoperable technical standards and focus on establishing and disseminating best practices. "Crypto industry players have a vital role to ensure that the ecosystem evolves in a responsible manner and can learn from more mature industries to fulfil this role," it said. Regulating this dynamic sector effectively requires the utilisation of diverse regulatory tools, including legislative frameworks, voluntary codes of conduct and educational initiatives. Furthermore, given the inherent transparency of these new technologies, it becomes conceivable to envision even more effective regulatory tools to address cross-border concerns, the WEF paper said. "The coordinated efforts of all jurisdictions to regulate cryptocurrencies are extremely important. Even if you have the best tools and officers to trace cryptocurrency, all your efforts will be in vain once you bump into some non-regulated exchange that simply doesn't provide information to law enforcement," said Oleksiy Feshchenko, Advisor, Global Program against Cybercrime, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). LED lighting solution provider IKIO Lighting Ltd on Monday said it has mobilised Rs 182 crore from anchor investors ahead of its initial share sale that opens for public subscription on Tuesday. The company has allotted 63.84 lakh equity shares to 16 funds at Rs 285 apiece, aggregating the transaction size to Rs 182 crore, according to a circular uploaded on the BSE website. Societe Generale, Citigroup Global Markets Mauritius, Goldman Sachs, Malabar India Fund, Quant Mutual Fund (MF), HDFC MF and ICICI Prudential MF are among the anchor investors. The issue, with a price band of Rs Rs 270-285 per share, will be open for public subscription during June 6-8. The IPO of the Noida-based firm consists of a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 350 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of up to 90 lakh equity stocks by promoters Hardeep Singh and Surmeet Kaur. At the upper end of the price band, the initial share sale will fetch Rs 606.5 crore. Also Read Sensex slips 347 pts on profit-taking, Nifty holds 18,500; RIL, SBI dip 2% Auto, metal, FMCG shares lift Sensex 119 pts up; Broader markets outshine RIL, ITC, HDFC twins lift Sensex 345 pts up; Bank Nifty hits new peak Sensex ends 194 pts lower owing to late selling; Broader indices outperform With IPOs losing steam, Sebi steps in with hard underwriting move Byju's announces plans for Aakash IPO in 2024 amid funding crunch Coal India share sale over-subscribed, govt to get more than Rs 4,000 crore Noida-based IKIO Lighting's IPO to kick off on June 6; check details here Ola Electric gears up for India's largest automotive IPO by early 2024 India's IPO mop-up so far sees sharp drop versus global peers in 2023 Proceeds from the fresh issuance worth Rs 50 crore will be used for debt payment, Rs 212.31 crore in the company's wholly-owned subsidiary IKIO Solutions to set up a new facility at Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and for general corporate purposes. Half of the issue size has been reserved for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), 35 per cent for retail investors, and the remaining 10 per cent for non-institutional investors. Further, investors can bid for a minimum of 52 equity shares and in multiples of 52 equity shares thereafter. IKIO Lighting is a manufacturer of light-emitting diode (LED). It is primarily an original design manufacturer (ODM). It designs, develops, manufactures and supplies products to customers, who then further distribute these products under their brands. It has four manufacturing facilities with one located in the SIDCUL Haridwar industrial park in Uttarakhand and three in Noida in the National Capital Region. IKIO Lighting's revenue from operations jumped 55.47 per cent on a year-on-year basis to Rs 331.84 crore in fiscal 2022 from Rs 213.45 crore in fiscal 2021 and profit after tax surged 75.37 per cent to Rs 50.52 crore from Rs 28.81 crore during the period. Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors is the sole book-running lead manager to the issue. The equity shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE. These Indian 10-baggers within the NSE 500 baseket are the largest proportion of multibaggers among the 10 markets (versus 30 per cent/20 Some of the prominent ones that comprise these 269 stocks in the Indian context stocks that delivered over 10x total returns over a 5-year rolling period since 2000 as per Goldman Sachs includes Westlife Foodworld, Bharti Airtel, Adani Total Gas, Patanjali Foods, Larsen & Toubro, BEML, Blue Star, Shree Cement, Lupin, Godrej Industries, Astral, Adani Enterprises, Hindustan Petroleum and Deepak Fertilisers. Archaeological excavation of millennia-old tombs livestreamed in east China Xinhua) 13:23, June 05, 2023 This photo taken on June 2, 2023 shows pig-shaped pottery discovered in the Maan Site of Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province. Experts from different disciplines took part in an archaeological excavation of two tombs dating back to over 6,000 years ago in Wuxi City of east China's Jiangsu Province, and the entire process was livestreamed online on Friday. (Xinhua/Zhu Guoliang) NANJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Experts from different disciplines took part in an archaeological excavation of two tombs dating back to over 6,000 years ago in Wuxi City of east China's Jiangsu Province, and the entire process was livestreamed online on Friday. A total of 26 tombs with the primeval occupants being people from the period of the Majiabang Culture of the Neolithic Age were previously discovered in the Maan Site of Wuxi. Out of these, 20 tombs have been excavated in the wild, revealing various relics such as stoneware, pottery and jade ware. The remaining six tombs were relocated to a cabin lab belonging to the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences for further study. On Friday, experts specializing in physical anthropology, rock mineralogy, microbiology, microtrace analysis and other relevant fields took part in the excavation of two of the six remaining tombs. People were able to view the entire excavation work online in real time, according to the city's cultural relics and archaeology institute. During the livestreaming, the researchers unearthed two relatively complete human skeletons, while collecting and sampling information regarding the microorganisms in the tombs. Preserving and extracting microorganisms and information from human bones in the wild pose significant challenges due to their susceptibility to environmental pollution. Therefore, the municipal cultural relics and archaeology institute decided to pack the tombs up as a whole and transfer them to the cabin lab, Liu Baoshan, head of the institute, explained. The livestreaming is to capture the attention of a wider audience, fostering interest in archaeology and promoting public awareness about the excavation work of researchers, Liu said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) The 27-year-old Kadoma woman, Ms Virginia Dende, who won a brand new US$60 000 Ford Ranger in Saturdays OK Zimbabwe Grand Challenge, says she is still in shock. The pricey new generation Ford Ranger becomes her first car. Ms Dende did not even attend the draw, which was held in front of thousands of people at the Borrowdale Racecourse in Harare, as she did not expect to emerge with any of the prizes on offer. She said she was shocked when phoned by OK Zimbabwe and told she was the winner of the Ford Ranger. In an interview with The Herald yesterday from her base in Kadoma, the ecstatic Ms Dende said: I am very happy, this is a very big thing that has happened to me, especially because I was not expecting it at all. I am actually glad to see that anyone has a chance to win these OK promotions, something I never believed in before. Ms Dende is employed as a procurement officer at Odyssey Hotel in Kadoma. Previously, there were allegations that some winners dabbled in juju to enhance their chances of winning, but Ms Dende said it could only be God for her. I believe in God and nothing else, she said. I go to Celebration Church and it can only be God who showed his hand upon my life. This is the first car that I have ever owned and I am still in awe. Asked what she was planning to do with the car as some past winners said they would sell the big car and then buy a smaller one and a house, Ms Dende said she was still numb and had not given much thought to that yet. So far I have no plans, I am still in shock, she said. A record 12,1 million entries were made in the 2023 edition of the OK Grand Challenge, and over US$1 million worth of prizes were up for grabs. The 35th annual promotion kicked-off nationwide on April 5, and ran until last Saturday. Over 40 Nissan NP200s and the Ford Ranger double cab won by Ms Dende, were up for grabs in this years edition, courtesy of a diverse network of suppliers. Included in the vehicle prizes were the Shoppers Choice Loyalty Club NP200 and the Ritebrand car prize where customers qualified through buying groceries worth $15 000 and $10 000 of the brands exclusively found in OK stores. These were complemented by weekly prizes, whose qualification criteria required customers to buy general groceries worth $10 000. In his remarks at the event, OK Zimbabwe Limited chief executive officer Mr Maxen Karombo said: The OK Grand Challenge has grown to be the biggest, most memorable and most adored brand south of the Sahara. The aim of the Grand Challenge is to give our customers the biggest savings in the year through discounts. As we close this years edition we start planning for a bigger, better version of the OK Grand Challenge 2024. The winning horse was Down to Business beating the 16-strong field, to land the US$90 000 OK Grand Challenge horse race. Mashonaland Turf Club vice chairman Mr Scott Buchan said the partnership between them and OK had transcended into more than just a horse race. It is more than just a national sporting event and if I may acknowledge OKs obvious transformation over the last two years, their investment into our sport has grown to be the largest yet, with US$90 000 being put across the races held on the day, said Mr Buchan. OK Grand Challenge is the biggest and longest running retail promotion in Zimbabwe, having been launched 1988. The group skipped the 2020 edition owing to Covid-19. The group continues to grow its branch network under diverse brands like OK Stores, OK Mart, Bon Marche, and the recently acquired Food Lovers, (all but one separately franchised branch) as well as specialty stores like pharmacies. Herald Technical View Bias: Positive Support: Rs 541.50; Rs 521.50 Target: Rs 550; Rs 557; Rs 565 Presently, the stock is seen tradng above the higher-end of the Bollinger Bands on the daily, indicating that the bullish bias would sustain as long as the stock holds above Rs 541.50. In case the support breaks, the stock could once again seek support around the 20-DMA, now placed at Rs 521.50. shares of Tata Motors have rallied over 25 per cent in the last two months, following the sharp breakout on the daily chart. Since then, the stock has consistently found support around its short-term (20-day) moving average in case of a dip. Also Read Tata Motors Q3 preview: What to expect from auto major's quarterly results? India plans to link prices of domestic lithium with London Metal Exchange Tata Motors: Solid volumes, ASP may aid Q4 profit, margin expansion Tata Motors domestic sales fall 4% in April, passenger vehicle sales up 13% Centre to auction lithium reserves found in Jammu by June: Report Stocks to Watch on Monday, June 5: SBI Life, Hero Moto, Bajaj Finserv, NTPC Nifty 50 to face resistance at 18,650; Nifty Bank may slip into downtrend MARKET LIVE: Broader indices firm; BPCL, IOC slump on higher crude prices Street Signs: Spotlight on IKIO, CSK hits unlisted market for a six & more A 'nifty' little move: HDFC Life, SBI Life lead earnings upgrades (With inputs from Rex Cano) On the upside, the stock could test Rs 550 - Rs 557 - 565 in June, suggests the monthly Fibonacci chart. Shares of Tata Motors hit an over six-year high of Rs 542.20, up 1 per cent on the BSE in Monday's intra-day trade, after the Tata group signed an outline deal with the Gujarat government last Friday (June 2) to build a lithium-ion cell factory with an investment of about Rs 13,000 crore. The move comes as India is looking to create its own electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.Tata Motors already has a plant operational at Sanand, and has also acquired the adjoining Ford Motors' plant. The process of integration of the two plants has begun and may take up to one year to complete, Reuters reported.The stock of the automobiles major surpassed its previous high of Rs 537.15, touched on May 15, 2023. It was quoting at its highest level since February 2017.Meanwhile, Tata Motors had reported that its commercial vehicles (CV) sales volume in May 2023 stood at 28,989 units, up 28.9 per cent month-on-month but down 12 per cent on year-on-year basis (YoY). The company, on Thursday, reported 1.62 per cent decline in total sales at 74,973 units in May as compared to a total sales of 76,210 units in May 2022.CV space reported numbers on expected lines tracking large amount of pre-buying during month of March 2023 (before BS6-Phase 2 transition). However, sequential growth at Tata Motors surprised positively, said ICICI Securities in a note.The brokerage firm expects this segment to witness healthy demand traction amid robust infra spending by government and capex revival underway.Thus far in the calendar year 2023, shares of Tata Motors have rallied 40 per cent, as compared to 2.5 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The strong rally in the stock price of the company has been seen as Tata Motors is assumed to register improvement in all three of its key segments (domestic PV, CV, and JLR) on improvement in semiconductor chip supplies.Recently, Moody's Investors Service said it has upgraded its rating outlook on Tata Motors to positive from stable."The rating affirmation and outlook change to positive reflect our expectation that the substantial improvement in Tata Motor's credit profile over the past few quarters will sustain over the next 12-18 months," Moody's Senior Vice President Kaustubh Chaubal said in a statement.Steadily growing volumes and profitability will support the company's earnings and free cash flow expansion, enabling debt reduction even as its capital expenditure stays elevated, he added.Analysts at Prabhudas Lilladher, too, have a positive stance on Tata Motors given JLR's volume ramp-up resulting in strong revenue, profitability and FCF (aided by high order book), CV segment (on domestic side) benefitting from ongoing upcycle, operating leverage and tailwinds from lower commodity costs & lower discounting and strong market share in PV segment (13.5 per cent vs 8 per cent in FY21) led by revamped portfolio, rising SUV share and rising EV penetration. The brokerage firm has a target price of Rs 605 per share. Stocks to Watch on Monday, June 5: Equity markets are preparing for a gap-up start on Monday as global markets cheered the last minute deal on the US debt ceiling. US president Joe Biden, last Friday, signed the dotted line to raise debt ceiling for two years, averting a last minute default by the world's biggest economy. Equity markets are preparing for a gap-up start on Monday as global markets cheered the last minute deal on the US debt ceiling. At 7:35 AM, SGX Nifty was ruling at 86 points higher at 18,715. Consequently, Wall Street indices jumped up to 2.12 per cent overnight on Friday, while indices in Asia Pacific, including Nikkei, Kospi, Hang Seng, and S&P/ASX 200 climbed in the range of 0.4 per cent to 1.5 per cent this morning. Oil-linked stocks: Brent crude related stocks could see considerable action today as oil prices jumped over 2 per cent overnight, and another 2 per cent Monday morning, following OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia's decision to cut production by another million barrels per day. Back home, these stocks will be in focus today: Also Read Sensex slips 347 pts on profit-taking, Nifty holds 18,500; RIL, SBI dip 2% Stocks to Watch on May 12: Adani Total, RIL, TaMo, ONGC, Vedanta, Mankind Auto, metal, FMCG shares lift Sensex 119 pts up; Broader markets outshine RIL, ITC, HDFC twins lift Sensex 345 pts up; Bank Nifty hits new peak Sensex ends 194 pts lower owing to late selling; Broader indices outperform Nifty 50 to face resistance at 18,650; Nifty Bank may slip into downtrend MARKET LIVE: Brent up 1% as Saudi Arabia vows output cut; Asian shares firm Street Signs: Spotlight on IKIO, CSK hits unlisted market for a six & more A 'nifty' little move: HDFC Life, SBI Life lead earnings upgrades More than skin-deep: Nifty Next 50 complexion to get a shade of difference SBI Life Insurance: Insurance regulator IRDAI approved transfer of life insurance business of Sahara India Life Insurance Co. to SBI Life, with immediate effect. Paints, tyres, ceramics, and oil marketing companies may see some pressure as they use oil as their raw material, while Oil India, Hindustan Oil Exploration, Reliance Industries, etc could see upward movement. NTPC: NTPC Green Energy Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited has incorporated a new company, in 50:50 joint venture with Indian Oil Corporation Limited, in the name of India Oil NTPC Green Energy Private Limited. The incorporation date of joint venture company is 2 June 2023. The JV will develop renewable energy-based power projects (viz. Solar PV, Wind, any other RE, Energy Storage or any combination of same), to supply 650 MW or more renewable power on round the clock basis, to cater to the requirement of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. Wipro: IT major Wipro Ltd has set June 16, 2023, as the record date for the whopping Rs 12,000 crore buyback plan. Ipca Lab: The Income Tax Department carried out survey proceedings at the company's offices in Mumbai and at Sikkim manufacturing plants between May 30, 2023 and June 3, 2023. NTPC Green Energy Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited has incorporated a new company, in 50:50 joint venture with Indian Oil Corporation Limited, in the name of India Oil NTPC Green Energy Private Limited. The incorporation date of joint venture company is 2 June 2023. The JV will develop renewable energy-based power projects (viz. Solar PV, Wind, any other RE, Energy Storage or any combination of same), to supply 650 MW or more renewable power on round the clock basis, to cater to the requirement of Indian Oil Corporation Limited.: IT major Wipro Ltd has set June 16, 2023, as the record date for the whopping Rs 12,000 crore buyback plan. Lupin: The pharma major has announced the launch of Darunavir tablets (600 mg and 800 mg), to market a generic equivalent of Prezista tablets of Janssen Products, LP, in the United States. Darunavir Tablets had estimated annual sales of $308 million in the US in March 2023. Bajaj Finserv: Bajaj Finserv Ltd on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra, to develop Rs 5,000 crore projects in Pune. Tech Mahindra: The company's subsidiary Comviva Technologies and step-down subsidiary Comviva Technologies B.V. have agreed to sell 0.04 per cent and 99.96 per cent stake, respectively, in Comviva Technologies do Brasil Industria, Comercio, Importacao e Exportacao to Druid Internet Systems Comercio E Servicos for an upfront payment of $20,000 and deferred payment of $1.42 million. The pharma major has announced the launch of Darunavir tablets (600 mg and 800 mg), to market a generic equivalent of Prezista tablets of Janssen Products, LP, in the United States. Darunavir Tablets had estimated annual sales of $308 million in the US in March 2023.Bajaj Finserv Ltd on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra, to develop Rs 5,000 crore projects in Pune. Indo Rama: lndorama Yarns Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary company of Inda Rama Synthetics (India) Limited, has successfully started commercial production of Bottle grade PET resins from its newly constructed Solid-State Polymerisation (SSP) Plant at Butibori, Nagpur, Maharashtra, on June 2, 2023. Wonderla Holidays: The government of Tamil Nadu has granted the company a waiver of Local Body Tax (LBT) of 10 per cent for a period of 10 years from the commencement of commercial operations. Hero MotoCorp: The two-wheeler maker has increased the price of its electric scooter VIDA V1 Pro by around Rs 6,000 in order to offset the impact of curtailed subsidy structure on electric two-wheelers coming into effect from June 1. : lndorama Yarns Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary company of Inda Rama Synthetics (India) Limited, has successfully started commercial production of Bottle grade PET resins from its newly constructed Solid-State Polymerisation (SSP) Plant at Butibori, Nagpur, Maharashtra, on June 2, 2023. Vedanta: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited has entered into a Power Delivery Agreement to source 200 MW solar renewable power for its aluminium operations at BALCO, Chhattisgarh, through Special Purpose Vehicle. Godrej Properties: The company bought the remaining 26 per cent stake in Godrej Home Constructions for Rs 14.99 crore, taking its total shareholding to 100 per cent. : Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited has entered into a Power Delivery Agreement to source 200 MW solar renewable power for its aluminium operations at BALCO, Chhattisgarh, through Special Purpose Vehicle. Indoco Remedies:The companys Clinical Research Organisation, AnaCipher, located in Hyderabad, was inspected by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) in July 2022. The USFDA has confirmed that no objectionable conditions were observed during their remote assessment. Brigade Enterprises: The realty firm will launch 10 housing projects this financial year across Bengaluru and Chennai at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore, MD Pavitra Shankar told PTI. Minda Corp: The company's Board has approved the proposal of raising of funds by way of public and/or private offerings including preferential issue, qualified institutions placement, further public offer or any of the permissible modes (in one or more tranches), for an aggregate amount of up to Rs 600 crores. The companys Clinical Research Organisation, AnaCipher, located in Hyderabad, was inspected by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) in July 2022. The USFDA has confirmed that no objectionable conditions were observed during their remote assessment.: The realty firm will launch 10 housing projects this financial year across Bengaluru and Chennai at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore, MD Pavitra Shankar told PTI. Greenply Industries: The Baord has approved the disposal and/or discardment of properties, plant & equipment and other current assets of Greenply Industries (Myanmar) Private Limited, a subsidiary of Greenply Alkemal (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. due to difficulty in continuing its operation on account of political developments resulting in adverse business environment in Myanmar. This resulted in share of loss from Joint venture of Rs 20.75 crore during the year. Consequently, the management has estimated and recognized an impairment loss of Rs16.39 crore during the quarter and year ended March 31, 2023 in the books of Greenply Industries Limited. Dish TV: The company cancelled the extraordinary general meeting scheduled on June 9 after the resignation of Zohra Chatterji from the position of non-executive independent director. The Baord has approved the disposal and/or discardment of properties, plant & equipment and other current assets of Greenply Industries (Myanmar) Private Limited, a subsidiary of Greenply Alkemal (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. due to difficulty in continuing its operation on account of political developments resulting in adverse business environment in Myanmar. This resulted in share of loss from Joint venture of Rs 20.75 crore during the year. Consequently, the management has estimated and recognized an impairment loss of Rs16.39 crore during the quarter and year ended March 31, 2023 in the books of Greenply Industries Limited. Vinsys IT Services India on Monday said it has filed preliminary papers with NSE Emerge to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO). The Pune-headquartered company plans to offer 38.9 lakh equity shares of Rs 10 each through the book-building process. The firm will be listed on NSE Emerge, a platform for small and medium enterprises, it said in a statement. Proceeds from the public issue will be utilised to meet working capital requirements, repayment of loan to subsidiary and for other general corporate purposes. The company has appointed Beeline Capital Advisors as merchant bankers to the issue. Marquee investors led by overseas funds, including NAV Capital Emerging Star Fund and xMultiplied, and domestic players, such as Nova Global Opportunities Fund, Aegis Investment Fund and Sambhavnath Investments, have invested in the company's pre-IPO funding. Vinsys provides a full suite of software service offerings, including ERP solutions, architectural consulting, integration, and middleware service. Also, it offers customised courses across 17 domains, including BFSI, telecom, and government departments. Also Read With IPOs losing steam, Sebi steps in with hard underwriting move More IPOs need to deliver listing pop to revive retail interest: Analysts 71% IPOs of 2022 at premium; will retail investor euphoria sustain in 2023? Infinium, MOS, Exhicon, Sancode IPOs to be launched today; check details With over 100 profitable startups India poised to see IPOs in next 5 yrs IKIO Lighting IPO collects Rs 182 cr from anchor investors at Rs 285 apiece Byju's announces plans for Aakash IPO in 2024 amid funding crunch Coal India share sale over-subscribed, govt to get more than Rs 4,000 crore Noida-based IKIO Lighting's IPO to kick off on June 6; check details here Ola Electric gears up for India's largest automotive IPO by early 2024 The company has a presence in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, Singapore, and Malaysia. Pilot may have no other option but to chart his own course. After his Ajmer to Jaipur "Jan Chetna Yatra", Pilot had set Ma Rumours that Pilot might attempt to fly solo were reinforced by a Newslaundry report that he has hired election-management guru Prashant Kishor's IPAC, a political consultancy firm. An IPAC employee said, "There are 100 of us from IPAC currently working with Sachin...We are directed to hire around 1,100 more. We have suggested names for this new party." The Bhartiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh is now launching a new campaign under which it will make an effort to convince Muslims to become 'Modi Mitra' (friends of PM Narendra Modi). This ambitious pre-poll campaign is aimed at mobilising the minority community in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The campaign, proposed to be carried out by state BJP Minority Morcha, will cover 29 Lok Sabha seats of UP - including the 14 constituencies which the saffron party could not win in the 2019 parliamentary elections. The other 15 seats, including Moradabad, Bijnor, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Amroha, Balrampur, Ghazipur, Bareilly, Rampur, Azamgarh, Baghpat and Meerut, would be those which have a sizable population of Muslim voters. This will also include Rampur and Azamgarh, which the BJP otherwise won in the bypolls held last year. UP BJP Minority Morcha chief Kunwar Basit Ali said that the campaign is being initiated as part of the 'Mahasampark Abhiyan' (mass contact campaign), the month-long campaign, signifying completion of nine-year rule of the BJP at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The minority front will reach out to the influential class amongst Muslims to make them 'Modi Mitras', so that the message and policies of the BJP government get delivered amongst the minorities in a better way. Also Read Indians feel proud: JP Nadda on Papua New Guinea PM touching PM Modi's feet Landslide win of PM Modi's BJP in Gujarat polls makes global headlines Assembly Elections 2023: Will get absolute majority, says Karnataka CM Modi govt adopted rejected design for new Parliament building: JD(U) MLC BJP on Mission South, eyes bigger share of 130 LS seats in southern states Slogans hailing Gehlot raised amid UP deputy CM's address in Jaipur Huge gap in global talk, local walk: Jairam Ramesh jibes on Environment Day To ensure Kharge, Rahul availability, Oppn unity meet now likely on June 23 Shiv Sena, BJP will contest all future elections jointly: Maharashtra CM K'taka BJP to stage protests against minister's 'cows be slaughter' remark Sources said that the Morcha plans to highlight how the various welfare schemes initiated under the leadership of Modi benefitted the minorities. Ali said that nearly 4.5 crore Muslims benefited from the various schemes including PM Awas Yojana, construction of toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission and free gas cylinders under Ujjwala Yojana. Moreover, he said, around 2 crore Muslim population benefited from the free ration scheme which was initiated at the time of the pandemic. He said that the Morcha would also exhort the beneficiaries from the Muslim community to send letters to Modi expressing their 'gratitude' to the government. The Morcha also plans to take the Yoga Day programmes scheduled on June 21 to the madrasas and communities practising 'Sufism'. Ali said that the Morcha would seek to establish a dialogue with the Sufis to shore up support for the BJP. The BJP has been reaching out to the Muslim community as part of its deft attempt to blunt opposition aggression, essentially the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party which has been positioning itself against the BJP. --IANS amita/uk/ A day after the Railways sought a CBI probe into the Odisha train tragedy, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the probe agency is meant to investigate crimes, not railway accidents, and cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures. Kharge also said "all the empty safety claims" of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have now been "exposed" and the government must bring to light the real reasons that caused this grave accident, which he described as one of the worst in Indian history. In his four-page letter to Modi, the Congress chief said there is serious concern among the common passengers about the deterioration in safety of railways and therefore, it is incumbent upon the government to ascertain and bring to light the real reasons that caused this grave accident. He alleged that instead of focusing on strengthening the railways at the basic level only "superficial touch up is being done to stay in news". Alleging that the railways was being meted out a "step-motherly treatment" by the government, Kharge also said consistently flawed decision making has made travelling by rail unsafe and has in turn compounded the problems of our people. "Unfortunately, the people in charge your goodself and Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw do not want to admit that there are problems," he said. Also Read Parliament inauguration: Cong lacks national spirit and pride, says Puri Nothing unparliamentary in what Rahul said on Adani: Mallikarjun Kharge PM holds meeting with top ministers to discuss strategy for Budget session 'Kill Kharge plot' launched by BJP leaders, claims Congress' Surjewala Trinamool likely to join Opposition meet for joint strategy in Parliament CPM leader Jitendra Chaudhury slams BJP on law and order in Tripura Only heads of respective parties should be at oppn meet: Bihar CM Nitish CM asked to set up Peaceful Karnataka helpline to prevent spread of hatred BJP provoking people to misuse free power scheme in K'taka: CM Siddaramaiah BJP campaign to make 'Modi Mitras' among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh The Railway Minister claims to have already found a root cause, but yet has requested the CBI to investigate, he said, asserting that the agency is meant to investigate crimes, not railway accidents. "The CBI, or any other law enforcement agency, cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures. In addition, they lack the technical expertise in railway safety, signalling, and maintenance practices," the Congress chief said. He said the nation still remembers the 2016 derailment in Kanpur, where 150 people lost their lives and the then Railway Minister asked the NIA to investigate. "Subsequently, you yourself claimed in an election rally in 2017 that there was a 'conspiracy'. The nation was assured that strictest punishment would be meted out. However, in 2018, the NIA closed the investigation and refused to file a charge sheet. The nation is still in the dark -- who is responsible for 150 avoidable deaths?" Kharge, a former minister of railways, said. He said the statements so far and the roping in of yet another agency without the required expertise, remind us of 2016. "They show that your government has no intent to address the systemic safety malaise, but is instead finding diversionary tactics to derail any attempts to fix accountability," he alleged. Attacking the government, Kharge said the train accident in Odisha has been an "eye opener" and all the empty safety claims of the Railway Minister have now been "exposed". "Today, the most crucial step is to prioritise installation of mandatory safety standards and equipment across railway routes to ensure safety of our passengers and no recurrence of an accident like the one at Balasore," he said. The crash involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, which were carrying around 2,500 passengers, and a goods train on Friday has left 275 people dead and over 1,100 injured. Kharge said the latest audit report of CAG makes a special mention of how between 2017-18 and 2020-21, about seven out of 10 train accidents happened due to derailment. "But this was erroneously ignored. Between 2017 and 2021, there was zero testing of Rail and Weld (track maintenance) for safety in East Coast Railways. Why were these grave red flags ignored?" he said. Kharge pointed out that the CAG report highlights that funding for the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) has been reduced by a massive 79 per cent. It was claimed during the budget presentation that about Rs 20,000 crore would be available annually, but this was not done, he said and asked why were the required funds not allocated for track renewal work. Is this not being callous about the safety of passengers, he asked. Noting that the Railway Board itself has recently admitted that loco pilots have had to work longer hours than mandated due to manpower shortage, Kharge said loco pilots are crucial to safety and overburdening them is proving to be the main cause of accidents. He asked why have their positions not been filled yet. "On February 8, 2023, the Principal Chief Operating Manager of South West Zonal Railway, referred to the collision of two trains in Mysore, and asserted for the need to repair the signalling system and had also forewarned about potential accidents in the future due to this flaw. But why and how could the Ministry of Railways ignore this crucial warning?" he said. The Congress chief also flagged the issue of 3 lakh posts lying vacant in Indian Railways. "In fact, in the East Coast Railway - the site of this tragic accident - about 8,278 posts are vacant," he said. The Congress president questioned the government as to why the was the previous dispensation's plans to roll out the anti-train-collision system, originally named Raksha Kavach, put on the "back burner". "Why have only a measly four per cent of routes of Indian Railways been protected by Kavach' till now," he asked. Has merging the Budget for Indian Railways with the Union Budget in 2017-18 not adversely affected the autonomy and decision-making capacity of Indian Railways, he also asked. Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Monday asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar and State Home Minister G Parameshwara to set up a helpline called 'Peaceful Karnataka' to ensure no one spreads hatred. Patil's request for a helpline came in reaction to a report quoting Bengaluru South MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha national president Tejasvi Surya saying that the BJP would set up a helpline to stop the party cadets being targeted. Requesting @DrParameshwara @PriyankKharge @DKShivakumar @CMofKarnataka to consider setting up a new helpline called 'Peaceful Karnataka' to ensure there is no hatred being spread in Karnataka, and keep track of any such incidents. Our agenda is only Development & Progress, and to protect 'Brand Karnataka'," Patil tweeted. The minister had on Sunday cautioned the Hindutva leader and author Chakravarty Sulibele for creating chaos for four years during BJP rule, and said any repetition of such incidents will land him in jail. "Ask that Sulibele what he did in the last four years. We are rectifying whatever disturbance he had caused. We will put an end to the disturbances caused by him such as textbooks (revision), raising unwanted issues like hijab, halal and azaan. If you do such drama in future, you will have to spend time behind the bars," Patil said. Also Read Post pandemic pent-up demand surge, realty space may face global headwinds Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar to be sworn in as Karnataka CM, Dy CM today Siddaramaiah sworn in K'taka CM, DKS dy CM; several Oppn leaders attend Suffering for being part of opposition: NCP's Jayant Patil on ED summons Tejasvi Surya himself reported, apologised for IndiGo incident: Scindia BJP provoking people to misuse free power scheme in K'taka: CM Siddaramaiah BJP campaign to make 'Modi Mitras' among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh Slogans hailing Gehlot raised amid UP deputy CM's address in Jaipur Huge gap in global talk, local walk: Jairam Ramesh jibes on Environment Day To ensure Kharge, Rahul availability, Oppn unity meet now likely on June 23 Karnataka BJP has called for a state-wide protest on Monday against Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh's statement asking "why can't cows be slaughtered?" The protest will be staged at all party district headquarters. Besides, the party plans to organise a large-scale protest in Bengaluru on Tuesday in which all legislators, former ministers and prominent BJP leaders are expected to take part. Meanwhile, Samana Manaskara Vedike, a platform of progressive thinkers has demanded withdrawal of the anti-cow slaughter legislation. According to sources, the ruling Congress is likely to form a cabinet sub-committee on the issue. Later, the committee's report would be placed before the cabinet and further decisions taken. The previous BJP government in Karnataka had passed the controversial Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020 amid opposition. The saffron party projected it as the primary agenda of the party. The new law bans slaughter of bulls, bullocks, oxen and calves. Also Read Valentine date: Mark Feb 14 as 'Cow Hugging Day', says Animal Welfare Board Expect MF AUM to cross Rs 80 trillion by 2028: Amfi CEO N S Venkatesh K'taka: Sidda keeps finance, DKS gets irrigation, Bengaluru development BJP CEC meeting today to finalise candidates for Karnataka Assembly polls Come May 13, will BJP script history in 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections? NRIs Key architects of modern India; BJP, RSS ideology is of Godse: Rahul Food processing units in all mandals after elections, promises KCR PM Modi driving Indian car looking into rear-view mirror: Rahul Gandhi Odisha tragedy: Congress demands Railway Minister's resignation; slams PM On the mat, WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a Nelson hold The law proposes stringent punishment and penalties and it criminalised the violation of the act. With full blessings of the BJP government cow vigilantes carried out attacks in various parts of the state, especially in the coastal region resulting in several deaths. Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh had stated that a decision would be taken after a discussion over the scrapping of the law. "The decision would be taken keeping the interests of farmers in mind. "If buffalo, ox could be slaughtered, why can't the cows be slaughtered?" he questioned. The statements made it amply clear that the preparations are on for scrapping the act. His statements have created a huge controversy in the state. --IANS mka/shb/ The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the Odisha rail tragedy and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he should accept part of the responsibility for creating an all is well facade even as the critical infrastructure of the Indian Railway "languishes in neglect". The Opposition party asked whether the prime minister will take responsibility for the "deadliest rail tragedy" of this century. It also asked who is responsible for ignoring the warnings and suggestions of experts, the parliamentary committee and CAG report. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Modi was busy flagging off trains while not paying attention to railway safety. He called for fixing accountability of all posts from top to bottom to prevent such incidents in future. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi too slammed the government and said the prime minister should immediately seek the resignation of the railway minister. "No accountability even after 270 plus deaths! The Modi government cannot run away from taking responsibility for such a painful accident," he said in a tweet in Hindi. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil and AICC's publicity and media department head Pawan Khera alleged that the Odisha rail tragedy was a "man-made devastation caused by "utter negligence, serious lapses in the system, incompetence, and a narcissistic sense of know-it-all attitude of the Modi government". Also Read Odisha rail tragedy: Cong demands Railway Minister Vaishnaw's resignation Rail Budget FY24: Focus on incomplete projects, big push for Make in India Change in electronic interlocking caused train accident: Ashwini Vaishnaw Vande Bharat pelted with stones in Bengal's Malda; BJP demands NIA probe Priyanka Gandhi demands resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw On the mat, WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a Nelson hold State Scan: Uttar Pradesh to get new Vidhan Sabha building before 2027 G20 Leaders' Summit 2023: The world knocks on a door more than ajar Lazy-faire? 28 state Assemblies met only for 21 days on average in 2022 Stop politicising train crash: BJP on demand for Vaishnaw's resignation Khera said the prime minister has a "Kavach" which no other PM had, protecting him from public scrutiny and television debates. He urged the media to not provide that shield to the PM. "This 'Kavach' does not save rail passengers but only your (PM's) image," Khera said. The Opposition party also said that Modi should accept part of the responsibility for the "mess" that it alleged that his government has inflicted on the Indian Railways and the people. Prime Minister Modi, who has announced that the guilty would be punished, must first start with his railway minister, Khera said. "Unequivocally and unambiguously, we demand the resignation of the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Nothing short of it," he said. "Resignation means taking responsibility on moral grounds, here there is neither responsibility nor morals, do you think any resignation would come? We don't know whom we should ask for resignation. "The person who goes to inaugurate even small stations or the one who has been busy since yesterday morning in publicity. Modi ji, you decide whose resignation you want. But now the nation expects that you seek the resignation of your rail minister the way Lal Bahadur Shastri, Nitish Kumar and Madhavrao Scindia resigned," Khera said. "'Praan jaye par PR na jaye-- you have to leave this principle now," Khera said further. In a series of tweets in Hindi, Kharge posed questions to the Modi government and alleged that "PR gimmicks" have made the working system of the dispensation "hollow". Noting that three lakh posts are vacant in the Railways, he said posts at high levels whose recruitment is through the Prime Minister's Office are also lying vacant. He asked why these posts were not filled in the last nine years. The Railway Board itself has recently admitted that long working hours of loco pilots due to acute shortage of manpower is the main reason for the increasing number of accidents, the Congress president said and asked why the posts were not filled up. Kharge claimed that the Principal Chief Operating Manager of South Western Railway Zone sought fixing of the signalling system on February 8, 2023, citing an incident in Mysore in which two trains averted a collision. "Why did the Ministry of Railways not act on it," he asked. The Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 323rd report criticised the Railways for the "disregard" shown by the Railway Board towards the recommendations of the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS), Kharge said. It was said that CRS investigates only 8 per cent to 10 per cent of accidents. Then why was CRS not strengthened, he asked. "According to the latest CAG audit report, almost seven out of 10 train accidents between 2017-18 and 2020-21 were due to train derailment," the Congress president said. "According to CAG, 79 per cent of funding was reduced in Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) when Rs 20,000 crore was to be made available every year. Why has there been a huge decline in the amount of track renewal works?" the Congress chief said. The train collision avoidance system developed by India's Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in 2011 was renamed by the Modi government as "Kavach" and was demonstrated by the railway minister himself in March 2022, he said and asked why it has been implemented only on 4 per cent routes till now. "Mr Modi, you are busy flagging off trains that have been turned white every day but do not pay any attention to rail safety," he said in an apparent reference to Vande Bharat trains. Accountability of posts from top to bottom has to be fixed so that such accidents can be prevented. Only then will the victims of this tragedy get justice, Kharge said. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too called for the resignation of Vaishnaw. "Following the ethical path of Lal Bahadur Shastri ji, Nitish Kumar ji, Madhav Rao Scindia ji, shouldn't the railway minister resign?" she said. Earlier, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that railway safety had been compromised in the "PR campaign" of the prime minister and the railway minister. "Recall that Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned in the wake of the Nov 1956 Ariyalur train disaster & Nitish Kumar did so following the ghastly Aug 1999 Gaisal train tragedy," he said in a tweet. At the presser, Gohil and Khera posed questions to the government and asked when will Modi demand the resignation from his railway minister. They alleged that Vaishnaw's "over the top publicity, theatrics and PR gimmicks overshadowed the serious deficiencies, criminal negligence and complete disregard for safety and security of Indian Railways". "PM Modi himself is responsible for a green-flagging spree of Vande Bharat Express trains. He is responsible for creating this 'all is well' facade in the Indian Railways, even as crucial, sensitive, and critical infrastructure of the Indian Railway languishes in neglect," Gohil and Khera said in their statement. Khera claimed that before the accident, Vaishnaw skipped presentations on safety at Railway Chintan Shivir because he had to attend the flagging off of a Vande Bharat train. Gohil said the Railways Minister should take responsibility but "Modi and morals travel in opposite directions". Congress general secretary organisation K C Venugopal slammed the Centre, saying this has taken place because the Modi government failed to undertake the necessary safety and maintenance measures. "It ignored multiple prior warnings about track and signal failures, including the latest one from the South Western Railways on February 9, 2023, pointing to the need to revamp signalling infrastructure," he said. "Their sole focus has been on the Prime Minister's PR through mega launch events. The government should be ashamed of what has transpired and the Prime Minister must answer to the entire nation for letting this happen under his watch," Venugopal said. The crash involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, which were carrying around 2,500 passengers, and a goods train occurred around 7 pm on Friday near the Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore. At least 275 people were dead and over 1,100 injured in the accident, the worst rail accident in India in nearly three decades. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that he was insistent upon heads of respective parties attending the opposition meet, which was scheduled on June 12, but has been postponed. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the JD(U) supreme leader said a new date for the much talked about meeting will be announced after consultation with all parties. We had to put off the June 12 meeting after the Congress and another party conveyed to me that they found the date inconvenient. I have therefore decided to postpone the meet and asked the Congress to suggest a new date after consultation with other parties. But I have made one thing very clear. All parties which agree to attend the meeting, must be represented by their respective heads, Kumar said. If any party insisted that it be represented by someone else, that would not be acceptable, he said. For example, there was an impression that the Congress may send someone else other than its president. This was something we could not accept, added Kumar, who has, since his exit from the NDA last year, embarked on a drive to bring together all parties opposed to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year. Also Read Nitish Kumar biggest obstacle for Tejashwi becoming Bihar CM: RJD MLA As tur dal prices bite, traders want consumers to try other dal varieties Toll in Chhapra hooch tragedy soars to 39, minister vows strict action Bihar on alert, daily testing on large scale: CM Nitish Kumar on Covid-19 Centre cutting its share in funding education: Bihar FM Vijay Choudhary CM asked to set up Peaceful Karnataka helpline to prevent spread of hatred BJP provoking people to misuse free power scheme in K'taka: CM Siddaramaiah BJP campaign to make 'Modi Mitras' among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh Slogans hailing Gehlot raised amid UP deputy CM's address in Jaipur Huge gap in global talk, local walk: Jairam Ramesh jibes on Environment Day Last week, state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh had said that his party was planning to send one chief minister and another senior leader for the meeting. This had evoked taunts from the BJP, now in opposition in Bihar, which claimed neither Rahul Gandhi, who is abroad, nor Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president, was assigning much importance to the initiative of Nitish Kumar, despite being his ally in the state.' The idea of a meeting of opposition parties in Patna was first mooted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a press conference she addressed jointly with Kumar in April. Accompanied by his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, Kumar had visited Kolkata to meet the TMC chief who exhorted him to carry forward the legacy of Jayaprakash Narayan, referring to the socialist leader's revolt against the Indira Gandhi government before and during the Emergency. Kumar, who had served as the Railway Minister in the government headed by late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was also asked about the Balasore train crash which has killed close to 300 people. It is tragic and though I do not like to comment much on such mishaps, I cannot help saying that this government's moves like scrapping a separate rail budget betray its skewed priorities, said Kumar, who has for long been demanding that the system of a separate rail budget be restored. Railways are the most popular means of transport in the country. The masses use it. But I wonder whether this government wants to make the railways a relic of the past, worthy of being kept in museums, remarked Kumar. He also spoke at length about his resignation as Railway Minister upon a major train accident in Gaisal, West Bengal, in 1999, which respected Vajpayee ji was not ready to accept, but relented only after I remained adamant. The resignation was tendered by Kumar in the thick of Lok Sabha elections and he recalled with satisfaction that when Vajpayee formed a new government and he was back as Railway Minister all my recommendations with regard to modernisation were accepted and implemented. I did so much even for the state of the current Prime Minister. But he does not like to remember these things, said Kumar, obliquely referring to Narendra Modi's tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. POLICE in Lupane, Matabeleland North are still holding the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangiri's car, which they seized 15 years ago. NewsDay visited a police compound in Lupane and observed that the bulletproof car is still parked on the premises but is in a sorry state after being exposed to inclement weather since it was seized from the late opposition leader. Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Nyathi refused to comment, saying he was busy. I' m in a meeting, call me tomorrow, he said. Police impounded the South African registered BMW X5 that the late former MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was using to tour rural Matabeleland North province in 2008 which formed part of Tsvangirais security motorcade, on June 6, 2008, in Lupane. Citizen Coalition for Change CCC Matabeleland North provincial secretary Dalumuzi Khumalo said police arrested Tsvangirai, his former deputy Thokozani Khupe and former national chairperson Lovemore Moyo as they visited Lupane district to mobilise support ahead of the 2008 second-round presidential election. The police claimed the car was not authorised to be in Zimbabwe in terms of the Customs and Excise Act. They demanded that the owner either come to Lupane or he sends a written affidavit explaining how the vehicle was temporarily imported into Zimbabwe, Khumalo said. The vehicle was donated to Tsvangirai by his South African friend Adrian Espag for use as he toured the country to drum up support ahead of the 2008 presidential poll. In 2011, the police also seized cars belonging to Tsvangirais official escort for having beacon lights usually found on police vehicles. Newsday Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP saying they never talk about the future, and always blame somebody else in the past for their failures. Gandhi, who is on a visit to the US, was addressing the members of Indian diaspora in the Javits Centre here. They observed 60-second silence in respect of those who died in the Odisha train accident. The accident involving three trains has left at least 280 dead and brought into focus the issue of railway safety. There has been demand for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from some quarters. "I remember a train accident when the Congress was in power. The Congress did not get up and say 'now it is the fault of the British that the train has crashed'. The Congress minister said 'it's my responsibility and I'm resigning'. So this is the problem we have back home, we make excuses and we are not accepting the reality we are faced with," Gandhi said, without naming the Congress minister. He said the BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. "He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is trying to drive the car...the Indian car and he looks in the rear-view mirror. Then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS. All of them. You listen to the ministers, you listen to the prime minister. You will never find them talking about the future. They only talk about the past," he said. Also Read Rahul Gandhi takes a late-night truck ride to speak to drivers; see video Rahul Gandhi convicted in Modi surname defamation case: What we know so far Digvijaya offers residence to Rahul after he was asked to vacate bungalow Latent View Analytics slumps 9% despite record revenue in FY23; check why US government questions Tesla over Elon Musk's full self-driving tweet Odisha tragedy: Congress demands Railway Minister's resignation; slams PM On the mat, WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a Nelson hold State Scan: Uttar Pradesh to get new Vidhan Sabha building before 2027 G20 Leaders' Summit 2023: The world knocks on a door more than ajar Lazy-faire? 28 state Assemblies met only for 21 days on average in 2022 "The BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. They never talk about the future; they only talk about the past. And they will always blame somebody else for the past," he said. He said there is a fight going on back in India between two ideologies -- one represented by the Congress and the other by the BJP and the RSS. "The simplest way to describe this fight is that on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side, Nathuram Godse," he said. He also praised the Indian-American community for the way they have lived in the US. "All the giants that have emerged from India, you can see that there were certain qualities that all of them possessed. Firstly, they searched for, represented and fought for the truth. Secondly, all these people were humble, and there was no arrogance in them. That is how Indians have worked in the US, and that's why Indians are successful here. I respect and honour you for that. Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Tanaji Sawant on Monday said his party would contest 23 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2024 polls, the assertion coming a day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Shinde had said the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, both part of the ruling coalition in the state, will contest all polls henceforth together. Speaking to reporters in Osmanabad (Dharashiv), Sawant said, "The (undivided) Shiv Sena had contested 23 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general elections, winning 18. In the next Lok Sabha polls, which is less than a year away, we will do the same. Shiv Sena will contest 23 seats." Sawant's comments came a day after local BJP MLA Rana Jagjitsingh had claimed BJP will win Osmanabad Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 polls. Osmanabad was allotted to the Shiv Sena in the 2019 general elections and was won by Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, who is now with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). "If anyone is going to take us for granted, we will not accept it. We are a separate party and have our own identity and symbol. We will contest as per the existing seat sharing formula," Sawant asserted. The Shiv Sena split in June last year following a rebellion led by Eknath Shine, who went on to become CM with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Also Read Seat-sharing formula will be same as that in 2019, says Shinde-led Sena Rs 2,000 cr deal to purchase Shiv Sena name and symbol, says Sanjay Raut No LS seat-sharing talks between BJP, CM Shinde-led Sena yet: Mungantiwar MVA's collapse, its aftermath kept political pot boiling in Maha in 2022 After Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP wants quick decision on MLAs' disqualification PM Modi's schemes important for self-reliance of poor: Yogi Adityanath Odisha rail crash: NCP accuses Centre of ignoring CAG report, Kavach funds Basavaraj Bommai takes responsibility for BJP's drubbing in Karnataka polls BJP leader cautions Karnataka govt on amending anti cow slaughter Act Rahul engaging in 'irresponsible' discourse when country in grief: Puri Earlier in the day, Shinde in a tweet said he and Fadnavis met Shah in Delhi on Sunday night. "During the meeting, it was decided that all future elections (including the Lok Sabha, Assembly and civic bodies) will be contested jointly by the Shiv Sena and BJP. We will contest and win the elections with majority, the CM tweeted along with a photograph of his meeting with Shah. It was an awkward moment for Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister, when slogans of 'Gehlot Zindabad' rented the air while he was delivering a public address in this capital city of Rajasthan. Maurya was addressing the public on the occasion of Mali Mahasangam, organised to press for 12 per cent reservation -- for the community on Sunday. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was also present on the occasion. As soon as Maurya started speaking and praising the BJP government, Gehlot followers started raising slogans in his favour forcing the former to stop in the middle. Though the organisers requested for peace and calm, Maurya expressed his annoyance saying that he would raise the community's demands at the right platform. "If there is any grievance against me, it should be conveyed in writing, he said, adding that "one needs to be careful of people who are dividing the community." Also Read Explained: Why is Sachin Pilot holding a day-long protest in Rajasthan Cong projected unity but 'issues' between Gehlot, Pilot unresolved: Rpts Sach was life: Tendulkar on field was raw emotion, a happiness pill From student to the God of Cricket: Sachin Tendulkar's journey to the top Ashok Gehlot hopefull to work with Sachin Pilot, stresses on 'patience' Huge gap in global talk, local walk: Jairam Ramesh jibes on Environment Day To ensure Kharge, Rahul availability, Oppn unity meet now likely on June 23 Shiv Sena, BJP will contest all future elections jointly: Maharashtra CM K'taka BJP to stage protests against minister's 'cows be slaughter' remark NRIs Key architects of modern India; BJP, RSS ideology is of Godse: Rahul He concluded his address and left the gathering. 'Gehlot zindabad' slogans were also raised during the gathering of former minister and BJP leader Prabhulal Saini. --IANS arc/shb/ The Opposition unity meeting originally scheduled for June 12 is likely to be deferred to June 23 owing to unavailability of senior party leaders -- Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. According to sources, the consensus of all the like-minded parties are being taken before finalising the date. This comes as a huge jolt to the efforts of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav. The sources said that the biggest reason for the postponement of the meeting is Rahul Gandhi's absence from the country. Even Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed his reluctance for a meeting in Patna. After the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi contributed to the grand success in Karnataka assembly election, the morale of Congress party is high. Moreover, the three of the four Assembly elections -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh are coming up just before the Lok Sabha election where Congress has a direct fight with BJP. Also Read Congress MPs pay tribute to Ambedkar on his 66th death anniversary Trinamool likely to join Opposition meet for joint strategy in Parliament Andaman & Nicobar Cong protest Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha disqualification Parliament inauguration: Cong lacks national spirit and pride, says Puri Criteria are being decided for implementation of guarantees: Priyank Kharge Shiv Sena, BJP will contest all future elections jointly: Maharashtra CM K'taka BJP to stage protests against minister's 'cows be slaughter' remark NRIs Key architects of modern India; BJP, RSS ideology is of Godse: Rahul Food processing units in all mandals after elections, promises KCR PM Modi driving Indian car looking into rear-view mirror: Rahul Gandhi If the Congress wins the elections in these three states, the mood of voters would automatically go in its favour in the Lok Sabha polls. Also, a meeting in Bihar would suggest that Nitish Kumar is leading the opposition camp, which the grand-old party would never agree to, the sources said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee had proposed Patna as the meeting venue. as her relation with Congress is not so good. Recently, she had included one of Congress's MLA in the TMC fold. --IANS ajk/shb/ Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Monday said "elective merit" will be taken into consideration while allocating tickets to candidates for the next Lok Sabha elections. He also said the decision about the Shirur Lok Sabha seat, currently represented by Amol Kolhe of NCP, will be taken after discussion with senior leaders. In the 2019 polls, Kolhe defeated Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil of Shiv Sena (undivided) which contested in alliance with BJP. After severing ties with BJP after the last Assembly polls, Shiv Sena joined hands with NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Pawar was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the review meeting of NCP which also discussed preparations for a public rally scheduled to be held in Ahmednagar to mark the party's foundation day on June 9. "While allocating tickets for Lok Sabha elections, the opportunity will be given to those candidates who have elective merit," the NCP leader said. Queried on Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule reportedly terming NCP's OBC cell convention as 'nautanki' (drama), Pawar said one cannot expect from NCP's opponents to speak well about the party. Also Read Congress accuses BJP of fuelling speculation on Pawar's next political move Congress 'mukt' Bharat not possible, says Sharad Pawar at Pune party office Set up economic development corp for welfare of ageing folk artists: Ajit Shinde's alliance with BJP didn't serve purpose even after 10 months: Ajit Ajit Pawar leads race in 'Future CM' banners, Sharad Pawar not enthused CBI meant to investigate crimes, not railway accidents: Kharge to PM Modi CPM leader Jitendra Chaudhury slams BJP on law and order in Tripura Only heads of respective parties should be at oppn meet: Bihar CM Nitish CM asked to set up Peaceful Karnataka helpline to prevent spread of hatred BJP provoking people to misuse free power scheme in K'taka: CM Siddaramaiah Targeting the ruling BJP over the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota issue, Pawar said it was Maha Vikas Aghadi that had decided to approach the court. "When the Supreme Court permitted OBC reservation in Madhya Pradesh, our team went there and held discussions to understand the strategy adopted by them. We then put forth our stand in the apex court and everyone knows about the decision," he said. The Supreme Court in August 2022 directed the State Election Commission (SEC) and the Maharashtra government to maintain the status quo with regard to the poll process to the local bodies. The government had filed a plea seeking a recall of the apex court order by which it had directed the SEC not to re-notify the poll process to 367 local bodies, where it had already commenced, in order to provide reservation to OBC. "Why they (the state government in which BJP shares power with Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde) didn't hold elections? They are in power for one year now. Why are you pointing fingers over the issue?" Pawar asked. He also took a dig at the state government over the delayed cabinet expansion. "It is their (state government's) prerogative. They might be thinking that the Cabinet of 20 ministers is doing a good job. They might be feeling appropriate not to give representation to women in the council of ministers," he said. On August 9 last year, 18 ministers were inducted in the Shinde-Fadnavis government after it came to power in June, while as per rules the council of ministers in the state can have a maximum of 43 members. World Environment Day has a particular host nation and a particular theme each year, which falls on June 5. For 2023, the host is the West African nation of Cote d'Ivoire, in association with the Netherlands. World Environment Day 2023 provides hope and an opportunity for all of us to contribute to the protection of the environment and the well-being of the planet at a time when extreme temperatures, unusual storms and cyclones, and natural disasters constantly remind us of the irreparable damage that has been done to Mother Earth. World Environment Day 2023: History In addition, this event marked the official establishment of June 5 as World Environment Day. Since then, the UNEP has made numerous international efforts to safeguard our natural environment. The first United Nations conference to have the environment as its primary topic was held in Stockholm in 1972. It also acknowledged that every human being has the fundamental right to live in a healthy environment. The United Nations Environment Programme was established as a result of the conference, which became a historic global effort to preserve the environment. World Environment Day 2023: Theme World Environment Day 2023: Importance World Environment Day serves as a voice for a number of environmentalists in the face of these environmental disasters. It is a day that commemorates and calls attention to the ongoing negative effects of climate change and global warming. As a result of environmental ignorance, some of the effects of climate change include the loss of life, property, biodiversity, and even resources. Under the #BeatPlasticPollution campaign, the theme of World Environment Day 2023 is "Ecosystem Restoration." As the material slowly seeps into our oceans, soil, and forests, causing irreparable damage, it serves as a reminder that individuals' actions regarding plastic damage. The day is facilitated by Cote d'Ivoire and upheld by the Netherlands. Also Read World Environment Day 2023: A global call to action for sustainable future World NGO Day 2023: Theme, quotes, history, significance, celebration National Science Day 2023: Theme, History, Significance, Activities World AIDS Vaccine Day 2023: Date, history, significance and more India's G-20 presidency: Opportunity for developing world's climate agenda Sachin's love affair with luxury cars continues; buys Lamborghini Urus S Musk's son asks 'are there police cats'; here's how Delhi Police responded Telangana Formation Day 2023: Details about India's youngest state World Milk Day 2023: Date, Theme, History, Everything you need to Know IPL 2023: Here's why Anand Mahindra thinks M S Dhoni should join politics The brand also divulged a few critical device details ahead of time. However, the exact launch date is still unknown. Its official, Nothings upcoming smartphone Nothing Phone (2) will be manufactured in India. The company has confirmed to the media that its next 5G phone will be manufactured in India to meet the needs of this market. The Nothing Phone (1) was not manufactured in India but its successor will be. This wont likely affect the price or make the phone cheaper because the device is not being assembled in India. The company also revealed that the Nothing Phone (2) will be launched in India and other markets in July. Here's everything you need to know: "Nothing smartphones are known for their iconic transparent design. These designs require hi-tech manufacturing processes and precision engineering, which have led to the enhancement of smartphone manufacturing capabilities in India. Our drive to manufacture in India reflects our commitment to the local consumers and their demands. We are proud to announce that Phone 2 will be manufactured in India," Manu Sharma, VP and GM of Nothing India, said. The Nothing Phone (2) is projected to be priced under Rs 40,000 in India when it comes out in July. Also Read Asus ROG Phone 7 series gaming phones go on sale at Vijay Sales: Details Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi K50i available at discounted prices on Amazon: Details Asus launches ROG Phone 7 series gaming smartphones: Price, specs, and more Xiaomi Redmi A2 series smartphones go on sale today: Price, specs, and more Amazon announces 5G revolution sale on smartphones: Check deals and offers Apple's upcoming AR-MR headset may enter mass production in October Lenovo launches Legion Pro series gaming laptops at Rs 172,990 onwards Samsung introduces made in India OLED TVs at Rs 169,990 onwards: Details Acer launches Google TV-based smart TVs, including OLEDs and QLEDs: Details Amazon adds Echo Pop to India line of Alexa-powered smart speakers: Details The company has also revealed the battery, display, chipset, and some other details of the upcoming Nothing Phone (2). It will be powered by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. The use of a high-end chipset implies that the phone will cost more than the previous-generation model, which CEO Carl Pei has previously suggested. "As a young brand, we have always believed in an earth-first approach. Phone 2 is designed to be one of the most sustainable smartphones on the market," he added. At least one person was killed and four others were injured following a shooting incident in California's Sunnyvale city, police said. The incident took place on Sunday when the suspect shot into a family's car, CBS News reported citing the local police as saying. Interim Chief of Police Bill Vegas said the four injured persons, including three children, were taken to a hospital. None of the children suffered life threatening injuries, according to Chief Vegas. Sunnyvale is located about 65 km from San Francisco. --IANS Also Read Michigan State University police: Multiple people wounded in shootings US House bans TikTok on all House-managed devices over 'security risks' Asia witnesses limited contagion risk from Silicon Valley Bank's woes Earthquake of 5.6-magnitude jolts Northern California, no damage reported More classified documents found at Biden's residences: White House North Korea 'bitterly condemns' UNSC meeting over spy satellite launch Asia leads 'back to office' effort; nearly 50% say will quit if no WFH 19 killed in southwest China landslide covering mine worker dormitory US fighter jet scramble: No survivors found after plane crashes in Virginia Linda Yaccarino to take over as new Twitter CEO today, hires key aide ksk/ British Airways, owned by IAG, said it had notified affected employees and was providing them with support. British Airways and retailer Boots said their staff were amongst those hit by a cyber attack on Zellis, a payroll provider used by hundreds of companies in Britain. While new AI technologies can be a force for good, there are dark sides with new risks and the potential for negative consequences for society, Vera Jourova, a European Commission vice president, told reporters on Monday. The new technologies raise fresh challenges for the fight against disinformation. The European Union (EU) wants tech companies to warn users about artificial intelligence-generated content that could lead to disinformation, as part of a voluntary code that Twitter Inc. left last month. The EU is rushing to catch up and set rules for generative AI as it negotiates its AI Act, which will go up for a key vote in the European Parliaments plenary next week. Even if the EU institutions agree to a final version by the end of the year, companies will probably not not need to comply until 2026 so various politicians are proposing a slew of ideas to cover the bloc in the meantime. Companies that signed up to the EUs voluntary code of practice to fight disinformation, including TikTok Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Meta Platforms Inc., should now clearly label any services with a potential to disseminate AI generated disinformation, Jourova said. Jourova said signatories who integrate generative AI into their services, like Bing chat for Microsoft, Bard for Google, should now The EUs voluntary code which sets compliance for the EUs content moderation rules, the Digital Services Act, so far doesnt include the risks of AI generated content. Also Read 'We can't pay you more', small tech firms tell laid-off Big tech employees Data of 400 mn Twitter users stolen by hacker, put for sale on dark web On industry demand, ASCI extends 'Dark Patterns' paper feedback deadline Google to expand its Dark Web monitoring tool to all Gmail users in US HCL Tech Q4 preview: Weak software segment to drag profit by 4-9% QoQ 'India's the new China' as airlines more than double profit outlook Remarkable surge in ESG-related jobs over last 3 years, says report There are 50% chance that AI will wipe out humanity: American physicist Apple shares hit all-time high ahead of Worldwide Developers Conference '23 US Ex-VP Pence filing paperwork declaring campaign for president in 2024 Jourova has met with the more than 40 companies that signed up to the code. Elon Musks Twitter left last month. also build in necessary safeguards that these services cannot be used by malicious actors to generate disinformation. We believe this is a mistake of Twitter. Twitter has chosen the hard way. They chose confrontation, Jourova said. Make no mistake, by leaving the code, Twitter has attracted a lot of attention and its actions and compliance with EU law will be scrutinized vigorously and urgently. FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has sensationally claimed that all top Zanu PF chefs have acquired title deeds to the farms they grabbed from white former farmers at the height of the land reform programme. While making a presentation at the launch of his latest book in Bulawayo on Friday, Mutambara also claimed that the late former President Robert Mugabe had no faith in the land reform programme, and often insinuated that future generations could challenge the process. The book, titled Ideas and Solutions: In Search of the Elusive Zimbabwean Dream, claims that several of Mugabes lieutenants had clandestinely acquired title deeds for their farms to protect themselves from future reclamation. In my book, I also reveal some interesting information. Mugabe did not have faith in the land reform programme. He said to me: Mutambara, this land reform programme will be challenged by future generations. Fifty years from now, they will be sitting and saying those guys in the year 2000 parcelled the land among themselves. We were not there, lets reverse this thing. Now, if Mugabe was of that mindset, you know what he did, he does not have a 99-year lease, he bought these farms and he had title deeds, Mutambara said. He said most of Mugabes lieutenants in the system had title deeds, adding that the 99-year leases were for some war veterans and low-ranking army officers. Any minister, any judge, any commander of consequence is holding onto a title deed. I will explain how it was done. You want to know how it was done during (former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon) Gonos tenure, during the burning of cash. They would first chase away the farmer from the farm and the farmer will run away, go to Australia, go to New Zealand, go to Harare and live in a shack. They cant pay fees for their children because they are desperate and they then follow the farmer six months later and ask Mr Farmer, how much is your farm? Mutambara claimed. He said if the farmer would say US$50 million, they would reject the amount and offer to pay about US$4 million and out of desperation, the white farmer would take the amount and release the title deeds to them and keep quiet. He said the top officials were burning money during Gonos time to raise money to pay the desperate farmers. So, these guys are safe under any regime because they are holding on to title deeds, Mutambara claimed. He also bemoaned the closing of democratic space in the country ahead of elections. Speaking at the launch, Citizen Coalition for Change deputy spokesperson Gift Siziba said Mutambaras book presented solutions to resolve the leadership question in Zimbabwe. This book is a reminder to us as young people that this country is not short of ideas, but is short of leadership. The greatest challenge that we face 43 years after independence is the deficit of stewardship and leadership, the ability to change the lives of ordinary people, Siziba said. The launch was chaired by former State Enterprises and Parastatals minister Gorden Moyo and was attended by former ministers Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, David Coltart, academics, local politicians and civil society representatives. Newsday The delegates of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said India is still far from catching China's military. This, they added, was especially true in the defence industry. Currently, India is incapable of challenging China in defence manufacturing and military modernisation and thus poses no security threat to the country, Chinese delegates told the media on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogues in Singapore, as reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). According to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research (Sipri), India was the world's biggest arms importer between 2018 and 2022. Moreover, 31 per cent of its total weapons during the period came from Russia alone. The SCMP report quoted Zhao Xiaozhuo, a senior colonel at the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, saying, "India is unlikely to catch up to China in the coming decades because of its weak industrial infrastructure, while China has built complex and systematic defence industrial platforms." The relations between China and India have been strained since the clashes between the two countries' armed forces in Galwan in 2020. Zhao added that despite the clashes, India is unlikely to be a "loyal partner" of the American Indo-Pacific strategy, mainly due to its independent diplomatic policy. Zhao added that India's cooperation with Japan, the USA and Australia in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) would not impact the relations between New Delhi and Beijing at multilateral platforms like Brics and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Also Read AI-powered US military drone kills operator during simulated test: Report Defence, aerospace exports treble to Rs 12,815 cr in 5 years: Govt UNCLOS violation damages trust; Choke points in IOR crucial: Dy NSA Misri China to send its first civilian to space on Tuesday, says space agency Defence industry perks up: India's decades-old ambition and its paradoxes All airports in Afghanistan operational, with 20 foreign flights daily Israel's Netanyahu appoints a Joe Biden critic as new media advisor: Report S Arabia welcomes Venezuelan leader, reaching out to yet another US foe Airline industry to report $9.8 bn profit this year on rising traffic: IATA 3.9 magnitude earthquake jolts Bay of Bengal, no casualties reported Linda Yaccarino was set to take over as the new Twitter CEO from Monday, as Elon Musk aims to focus more on Tesla and SpaceX, the media reported. Yaccarino, former Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBC Universal, has also hired Joe Benarroch, executive vice-president at NBC Universal, to work along with her at Twitter. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) late on Sunday, Benarroch has been a trusted adviser to Yaccarino. "Tomorrow, I start a different professional adventure at Twitter, taking on a role focusing on business operations," Benarroch wrote in the memo seen by WSJ. "I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter, and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together," he added. Yaccarino said last month that she is prepared to build Twitter 2.0 and transform the business together with Musk and millions of platform users. Also Read Elon Musk credits father for teaching 'physics, engineering & construction' SpaceX's Starship only 50% likely to pass first orbital mission: Musk Musk's wealth nosedives $12.6 bn after chaos at SpaceX, Tesla, Twitter Elon Musk begins second day of China visit after emphasizing ties Tesla's income decreases by 24% to $2.7 billion amid EV price cuts Russia says it thwarted attack in Donetsk; unclear on Kyiv counteroffensive World Environment Day 2023: A global call to action for sustainable future Latest LIVE: Indian Railways resumes service on Balasore rail lines Egypt's Suez Canal resumes traffic after stranded oil tanker freed Unruly passenger behaviour on rise; 1 incident in every 568 flights: IATA "I've long been inspired by your vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together," she posted on Twitter. "I'm just as committed to the future of this platform. Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I'm here for all of it. Let's keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together," Yaccarino also commented. Musk is looking forward to working with Yaccarino to transform the platform into X, the everything app, just like China's WeChat. Yaccarino oversaw about 2,000 workers at NBC Universal. Her team generated more than $100 billion in ad sales and entered partnerships with companies, including Apple, Snapchat, BuzzFeed, Twitter and YouTube. --IANS na/khz/ An independent power association in Nepal on Sunday welcomed the signing of agreements in the energy sector with India during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda's' visit, saying they are of "high significance" for the country's economic prosperity. Nepal Prime Minister 'Prachanda' visited India from May 31 to June 3, his first official trip abroad since assuming office in December 2022. During Prachanda's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, the two countries signed seven agreements and launched six projects including new railway services. "During the visit of the prime minister of Nepal to India both the prime ministers signed a number of energy-related deals such as laying down of foundation of Butawal-Gorakhpur 400 KV transmission line, signing of an MoU relating to 480 MW Fukot-Karnali Hydropower development project and hydropower agreement for the development of Lower Arun with 669 MW capacity. They are of high significance for Nepal's economic prosperity, said the Independent Power Producers' Association of Nepal (IPPAN). Both prime ministers expressed commitment to exporting 10,000 MW of power from Nepal to India and the secretary-level agreement reached for the Power Trading deal also holds equal significance, the IPPAN said in a statement. It also thanked Prime Minister Prachanda for taking important steps towards promoting power trade between Nepal and India. Also Read Nepal seeks to sign electricity deal with India during Prachanda's visit Nepal PM 'Prachanda' expands cabinet to 23 with 6 women in ministry Nepal PM to visit India soon; Prachanda's first foreign trip after polls Nepal PM Prachanda to embark on 4-day official visit to India on May 31 Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda set to take oath as Nepal's new PM today In shadow of migrant deaths: Qatar minister to head UN labour conference 'Urgency' among world leaders to contain AI risks: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman European Union wants Big Tech to alert users about AI's 'dark sides' 'India's the new China' as airlines more than double profit outlook Remarkable surge in ESG-related jobs over last 3 years, says report The visit of Prime Minister Prachanda to India created a positive atmosphere for inviting investment in the energy sector, said the umbrella organisation of the private power developers. The IPPAN urged the Nepal government to take necessary steps for creating a conducive atmosphere within the country so that Nepal's power producers can freely interact and sell energy to foreign buyers. Prime Minister Prachanda said on Saturday that his meeting with his Indian counterpart Modi was the most significant aspect of his four-day visit to India. We discussed matters relating to further deepening the centuries-old close relations existing between Nepal and India in the days ahead, Prachanda said upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport here. The bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi at the Hyderabad House was the most significant aspect of the visit and the ties between the two countries have entered a new phase, he said. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Monday he was encouraged by a desire shown by world leaders to contain any risks posed by the artificial intelligence technology his company and others are developing. Altman visited Tel Aviv, a tech powerhouse, as part of a world tour that has so far taken him to several European capitals. Altman's tour is meant to promote his company, the maker of ChatGPT the popular AI chatbox which has unleashed a frenzy around the globe. I am very heartened as I've been doing this trip around the world, getting to meet world leaders, Altman said during a visit with Israel's ceremonial President Isaac Herzog. Altman said his discussions showed the thoughtfulness and urgency among world leaders over how to figure out how to mitigate these very huge risks. The world tour comes after hundreds of scientists and tech industry leaders, including high-level executives at Microsoft and Google, issued a warning about the perils that artificial intelligence poses to humankind. Altman was also a signatory. Worries about artificial intelligence systems outsmarting humans and running wild have intensified with the rise of a new generation of highly capable AI chatbots. Also Read Not considering law to regulate AI growth in country: IT Ministry Time to start thinking about governance of superintelligence: OpenAI CEO Chinese authorities arrest man for generating fake news via ChatGPT More than crypto, I am interested in artificial intelligence: Elon Musk Italy orders OpenAI to stop processing users' data else face fine Pakistan's budget proposals: OICCI asks govt to abolish super tax KKR to take machinery maker Circor private in $1.6 bn deal, stock up 49% Netanyahu appoints new media advisor who has been critical of Biden: Report India, US firm up ambitious roadmap for defence industrial cooperation Nearly 4,000 people lost their jobs in US due to AI in May: Report Countries around the world are scrambling to come up with regulations for the developing technology, with the European Union blazing the trail with its AI Act expected to be approved later this year. With the great opportunities of this incredible technology, there are also many risks to humanity and to the independence of human beings in the future, Herzog told Altman. We have to make sure that this development is used for the wellness of humanity. Israel has emerged in recent years as a tech leader, with the industry producing some noteworthy technology used across the globe. Among its more controversial exports has been Pegasus, a powerful and sophisticated spyware product by the Israeli company NSO, which critics say has been used by authoritarian countries to spy on activists and dissidents. The Israeli military also has begun using artificial intelligence for certain tasks, including crowd control procedures. Altman has met with world leaders including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Altman tweeted that he heads to Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India, and South Korea this week. Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to yet another U.S. foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule, but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, but relations have been strained in recent years. Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Iran's theocracy and Syria's President Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Also Read Colombia hosts diplomats from 20 countries on Venezuela's political crisis US negates legitimacy of Nicolas Maduro as Venezula's interim president Venezuela opposition envoy urges US prez Biden to ease oil sanctions Venezuelan president Maduro to fully open border with Colombia from Jan 1 Saudi Arabia, Australia ask citizens in Pakistan to limit movement Airline industry to report $9.8 bn profit this year on rising traffic: IATA 3.9 magnitude earthquake jolts Bay of Bengal, no casualties reported 'Solution to plastic pollution' on UN's agenda as planet chokes on plastic Biden set for critical talks on Ukraine this week with Frederiksen, Sunak Prince Harry's battle with British tabloids heads for courtroom showdown Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdom's image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognize the election results and challenged Maduro's rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Maduro's autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Maduro's government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. By Marion Halftermeyer UBS Group AG expects to complete its acquisition of Credit Suisse Group AG as early as June 12, it said in a statement on Monday. The closing of the deal is still subject to certain conditions, which UBS can waive, according to the statement. Upon completion, Credit Suisse shares will be delisted from the Swiss SIX Stock Exchange on June 13 and the New York Stock Exchange on June 12. UBS Group AG expects to complete its acquisition of Credit Suisse Group AG as early as June 12, it said in a statement on Monday. UBS had originally guided that the takeover of its smaller rival would be completed as early as the end of May or beginning of June. But the closing risked delay because UBS and the Swiss government were still negotiating the precise terms of the 9-billion Swiss franc ($9.9 billion) state guarantee for losses the bank might incur, Bloomberg News previously reported. Shareholders of Credit Suisse will receive one UBS share for every 22.8 outstanding shares held. All of Credit Suisses outstanding debt securities will become obligations of UBS. The bank expects that principal terms of the so-called Loss Protection Agreement will be set before the closing of the acquisition, but not the regulatory implications, according to a filing last month. UBS and regulators are still determining what adjustments to liquidity and capital requirements and risk-weighted asset measures the combined entity will need to make. UBS agreed to take over Credit Suisse this year in an emergency sale backed by the Swiss government, amid fears that the smaller troubled competitor was hurtling toward bankruptcy. UBS has said it may need to delay its second-quarter results publication from the original date of July 25 to be have enough time from the deals closure to provide combined pro-forma financial statements. 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 After Credit Suisse wipeout, AT1 bonds make a return in the global market Credit Suisse tells staff bonuses will still be paid amid UBS takeover What are AT1 bonds, and why are Credit Suisse's worth $17 bn now wiped out? Hong Kong journalist wins in rare court ruling upholding media freedom 1 dead, 4 injured in shooting incident in California's Sunnyvale city North Korea 'bitterly condemns' UNSC meeting over spy satellite launch Asia leads 'back to office' effort; nearly 50% say will quit if no WFH 19 killed in southwest China landslide covering mine worker dormitory Former Vice President Mike Pence is filing paperwork on Monday declaring his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a challenge to his former boss, Donald Trump, just two years after their time in the White House ended with an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Pence fleeing for his life. Pence, the nation's 48th vice president, will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and kickoff event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, which is his 64th birthday, according to people familiar with his plans. He was set to file papers making his candidacy official with the Federal Election Commission. While Trump is currently leading the early fight for the nomination, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis polling consistently in second, Pence supporters see a lane for a reliable conservative who espouses many of the previous administration's policies but without the constant tumult. While he frequently lauds the accomplishments of the Trump-Pence administration, a Pence nomination in many ways would be a return to positions long associated with the Republican establishment but abandoned as Trump reshaped the party in his image. Pence has warned against the growing populist tide in the party, and advisers see him as the only traditional, Reagan-style conservative in the race. Also Read Appeals court rejects Donald Trump effort to block Pence testimony Classified records pose conundrum stretching back to Jimmy Carter Mike Pence to launch campaign for US president polls in Iowa June 7 DeSantis's presidential campaign launch on Twitter plagued with glitches Classified docs found at Mike Pence's residence, ex V-P says wasn't aware Ukraine launching attacks, says Russia as Kyiv accuses Moscow of deception British Airways, Boots staff's payroll data compromised by cyberattack GM to invest $1 bn in Flint plants to boost heavy-duty truck production China's top investment bank CITIC cuts base salary by up to 15%: Report British PM Rishi Sunak confirms plans to house illegal migrants on ships A staunch opponent of abortion rights, Pence supports a national ban on the procedure and has campaigned against transgender-affirming policies in schools. He has argued that changes to Social Security and Medicare, like raising the age for qualification, should be on the table to keep the programmes solvent which both Trump and DeSantis have opposed and criticised DeSantis for his escalating feud with Disney. He also has said the U.S. should offer more support to Ukraine against Russian aggression, while admonishing Putin apologists in the party unwilling to stand up to the Russian leader. Pence, who describes himself as a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order, has spent months laying the groundwork for an expected run, holding events in early voting states like Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, visiting churches, delivering policy speeches and courting donors. Merck Foundation CEO in partnership with African First Ladies announce Winners of their FILM Awards 2022 for Diabetes & Hypertension Awareness. Merck Foundation CEO announced call for applications of 2023 for two Merck Foundation FILM Awards in partnership with African First Ladies, More Than a Mother FILM Awards and Diabetes & Hypertension FILM Awards - apply now at [email protected] Merck Foundation FILM Awards More Than a Mother to address one or more of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/or Stopping GBV. Merck Foundation FILM Awards Diabetes and Hypertension to promote healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension. Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, in partnership with the African First Ladies, announced the winners of Merck Foundations two FILM Awards More Than a Mother and Diabetes and Hypertension 2022. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, President of More than a Mother campaign emphasized, I am extremely happy to announce today the winners of our Merck Foundation FILM Awards More Than a Mother and Diabetes and Hypertension in partnership with my dear sisters, African First Ladies. Big congratulations to all the winners. I appreciate the efforts put in by the young talents across Africa in their films through which they have beautifully conveyed important messages in line with the theme of the awards. The theme of More Than a Mother FILM Awards was to raise awareness on any of the following social issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/or Stopping GBV at all levels and the theme of Diabetes and Hypertension FILM Awards was to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension in the African countries. We started our FILM Awards in 2017, and I can see a vast improvement in the quality and quantity of the entries received from across Africa. I strongly believe that all forms of art including filmmaking can play a significant role in bringing about a culture shift in society, and in the world. Our aim is to utilize this medium to encourage promising filmmakers and new talents across the continent to be the Champions of Social and Health issues in their communities, added Senator Kelej. Here is the list of Merck Foundation FILM Awards More Than a Mother 2022 Winners: FIRST POSITION: Johannes Medard Tairo, TANZANIA Film Name: STOP FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puduzw95ssw SECOND POSITION: Meri Hyoky, LESOTHO Film Name: MONSTER (About GBV) Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5-8UFOT2dI Athuman Juma Nakam, TANZANIA Film Name: ATIGA (About FGM) Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6Jx9rhMXpA&feature=youtu.be THIRD POSITION: Huzzain Bello, NIGERIA Film Name: NOT ADDRESSING THIS ANYMORE (About Infertility Stigma) Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpXgOPjSPOQ Tunu Yongolo and Emmanuel Feruzi, Huzzain Bello, TANZANIA Film Name: BETWEEN JOY & SORROW (About Infertility Awareness) Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1hQ_-uXkwM Here is the Winner of Merck Foundation FILM Awards Diabetes & Hypertension 2022: FIRST POSITION (French): Yanick BAZILE, MAURITIUS Film Name: Moi, diabetique (About Diabetes & Hypertension awareness) Link: https://youtu.be/wVK1goPtiCY Monday, June 5, 2023 at 8:23AM If you are a Fitbit user, you might have heard that Google plans to let you log in to your account using your Google credentials. This is part of the integration process after Google acquired Fitbit in 2020 for USD 2.1 billion. But when will this new feature be available, and what does it mean for your data privacy? Google login support will go live on Fitbits app starting June 6. This means that you can access your Fitbit account using the same email and password you use for other Google services (such as Gmail, YouTube, or Google Photos). This will make it easier for you to manage your account and your data across different platforms. However, this does not mean that you have to switch to Google login right away. If you are an existing Fitbit user, you have until early 2025 to make the transition. Thats two years from now, giving you plenty of time to decide what to do with your data. You can also choose what data you want to transfer from your Fitbit account to your Google account during the migration process. But if you are setting up a new Fitbit account after June 6, you don't have a choice but to use your Google account to sign up. This will also apply to new Fitbit devices that you want to activate in the future. If you are already using the Sign in with Google option on Fitbits app, note that this is different from using your Google account to register. You will still need to migrate your account to Google if you want to continue using your Fitbit devices and data. Google has also promised that it will not use your Fitbit data for advertising purposes and will keep your health and fitness data separate from other Google data. You can also control your Fitbit data from your Google account settings and the Fitbit app. Source: 1 + 2 Monday, June 5, 2023 at 6:20AM Linda Yaccarino, the former head of global advertising and partnerships at NBC Universal, is now officially the new CEO of Twitter. She starts her new role along with Joe Benarroch, a former colleague and executive vice president at NBC Universal. Benarroch will focus on business operations at Twitter, according to a memo obtained by the Wall Street Journal. Yaccarino replaces Elon Musk, who stepped down as Twitter's CEO to concentrate on his other businesses, Tesla and SpaceX. Yaccarino has praised Musk's vision for Twitter and vowed to work with him and the users to create a more innovative and engaging platform. She has also expressed her excitement about collaborating with the community to build Twitter 2.0. Yaccarino brings her years of experience in ad sales and partnerships to Twitter. She led a team of 2,000 people at NBC Universal and generated over USD 100 billion in revenue. She also established strategic alliances with major companies, such as Apple, Snapchat, BuzzFeed, Twitter, and YouTube. Source: 1 + 2 The ecosystem of higher education institutions in India has grown exponentially over the years requiring an effective mechanism to rank their academic excellence and standards. The ranking of institutions of higher education and learning, however, is a herculean task requiring in-depth knowledge of the higher education system in India. In a bid to address this concern, the Ministry of Education (MoE) adopted a methodology called the National Institutional Ranking Framework or NIRF to rank institutions of higher education and learning in India. Every year, the Education Ministry releases the National Institutional Ranking Framework or NIRF ranking with the objective to promote competitive excellence among the higher educational institutions in the country based on the parameters that broadly include - "Teaching, Learning and Resources," "Research and Professional Practices," "Graduation Outcomes," "Outreach and Inclusivity," and "Perception". The NIRF Ranking will benefit students who are aspiring to pursue higher education in India. Explore what is NIRF Ranking and its parameters and categories - overall rankings, university rankings, management rankings, college rankings, pharmacy rankings, medical rankings, engineering rankings, architecture rankings, law rankings, dental rankings and ranking of research Institutions. in detail based on NIRF 2023 list. New Category in NIRF Ranking The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) has included a new category, Agriculture and Allied Sectors, in accordance with recent changes. According to the announcement made on the official website, "NIRF has added a new category, called Agriculture & Allied Sectors. Institutions interested in participating can do so under "Agriculture & Allied Sectors." What Is ARIIA Ranking? Explore Top 10 Institutes In Innovation What is the NIRF Ranking? The National Institutional Ranking Framework or NIRF ranking is a methodology to rank institutions of higher education in India adopted by the Ministry of Education. The NIRF framework was approved by the MHRD and rolled out for the first time in 2015. NIRF Ranking Categories Every year, MHRD releases NIRF Ranking in 11 categories. Overall Ranking University Ranking Engineering Ranking College Ranking Management Ranking Pharmacy Ranking Law Ranking Architecture Ranking Medical Ranking Dental and Research Institutions NIRF Ranking Parameters The NIRF Ranking is prepared based on five parameters 1. Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR) Student Strength including Doctoral Students (SS) Faculty-student ratio with emphasis on permanent faculty (FSR) Combined metric for Faculty with PhD (or equivalent) and Experience (FQE) Financial Resources and their Utilisation (FRU) 2. Research and Professional Practice (RP) Combined metric for Publications (PU) Combined metric for Quality of Publications (QP) IPR and Patents: Published and Granted (IPR) Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice (FPPP) 3. Graduation Outcomes (GO) Metric for University Examinations (GUE) Metric for Number of Ph.D. Students Graduated (GPHD) 4. Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) Percentage of Students from Other States/Countries (Region Diversity RD) Percentage of Women (Women Diversity WD) Economically and Socially Challenged Students (ESCS) Facilities for Physically Challenged Students (PCS) Perception (PR) Ranking 5. Peer Perception Academic Peers and Employers (PR) Over the years, the NIRF Ranking has become very famous and widely accepted. The participation of the institutes in the national ranking system also increased compared to previous years. Also Read: YUKTI Portal Launched By MHRD To Combat Coronavirus Engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu were ranked by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) based on characteristics such as teaching, learning, and resources, research and professional practice, graduation outcomes, outreach and inclusivity, and peer perception. This list contains the greatest engineering science and technology colleges in Tamil Nadu. The Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu 2023 provide a wide range of educational programmes, from fundamentals to advanced degrees. The programmes given by the leading Engineering institutions in Tamil Nadu are intended to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue their careers. As we know that Tamil Nadu is renowned for its excellence in education, particularly in the field of engineering. Here, we will explore the NIRF rankings of engineering institutions in Tamil Nadu for the year 2023, highlighting the notable institutions and their achievements. Starting with a brief about the top four engineering colleges. Indian Institute of Technology Madras At the pinnacle of the NIRF rankings stands the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, located in Chennai. With an impressive NIRF score of 89.79, IIT Madras secures the first position in the national ranking. Known for its academic rigor, cutting-edge research, and distinguished faculty, IIT Madras continues to be a beacon of excellence in the field of engineering. National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli Ranked at number nine nationally, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Tiruchirappalli is a name synonymous with quality technical education. Situated in the historic city of Tiruchirappalli, NIT Tiruchirappalli boasts a NIRF score of 69.71. Its commitment to fostering innovation, industry collaboration, and holistic development of students contributes to its well-deserved recognition. Vellore Institute of Technology With a NIRF score of 66.59, the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) secures the 11th position in the national rankings. Known for its state-of-the-art infrastructure and emphasis on research and entrepreneurship, VIT in Vellore has consistently maintained its position among the top engineering institutions in the country. Anna University Chennai's Anna University is a venerable institution renowned for its comprehensive curriculum and academic excellence. Securing the 13th position in the national rankings with a NIRF score of 65.06, Anna University continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of engineering education in Tamil Nadu. List of Top 15 Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu by NIRF Ranking 2023 Here is the list of the top 15 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. Karnataka, known for its renowned educational institutions, boasts several excellent dental colleges that offer quality education and training to aspiring dentists. In this article, we will explore the top dental colleges in Karnataka based on their National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) scores for the year 2023. These rankings provide valuable insights into the academic excellence and overall performance of the dental colleges in the state. These top dental colleges in Karnataka, as per the NIRF rankings of 2023, offer exceptional education and training to students aspiring to pursue a career in dentistry. With their strong emphasis on research, clinical exposure, and community service, these institutions produce skilled dental professionals who contribute significantly to oral healthcare in Karnataka and beyond. List of Dental Colleges as per NIRF 2023: Dental College City NIRF Score National Rank Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal Manipal 77.51 2 A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences Mangaluru 69.21 5 Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore Mangalore 62.44 8 JSS Dental College and Hospital Mysuru 60.06 11 M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences Bangalore 58.99 14 SDM College of Dental Sciences & Hospital Dharwad 55.29 22 Government Dental College, Bangalore Bangalore 54.94 24 Yenepoya Dental College Mangaluru 53.77 28 KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences Belgaum 50.62 35 Bapuji Dental College & Hospital Davangere 50.52 36 Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal Securing the second position in the national ranking, Manipal College of Dental Sciences in Manipal has achieved a remarkable NIRF score of 77.51. With a reputation for its state-of-the-art infrastructure, highly experienced faculty, and emphasis on research and innovation, this college has established itself as one of the premier dental institutions in the country. A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangaluru Located in Mangaluru, the A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences holds the fifth position in the national rankings with a NIRF score of 69.21. Known for its comprehensive dental programs, advanced clinical facilities, and a strong focus on community service, this institution has consistently produced skilled dental professionals. Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore Securing the eighth position in the national rankings, Manipal College of Dental Sciences in Mangalore has a NIRF score of 62.44. The college prides itself on its well-designed curriculum, world-class dental clinics, and collaborations with international universities, providing students with a global perspective in the field of dentistry. JSS Dental College and Hospital, Mysuru JSS Dental College and Hospital in Mysuru ranks eleventh nationally with a NIRF score of 60.06. Known for its comprehensive patient care, cutting-edge research, and robust academic programs, this college prepares students to excel in various areas of dentistry, ranging from clinical practice to research and academia. M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore In the fourteenth position nationally, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences in Bangalore has achieved a NIRF score of 58.99. The college is known for its industry-oriented dental programs, interdisciplinary collaborations, and the integration of technology in dental education, ensuring students receive a holistic and practical learning experience. SDM College of Dental Sciences & Hospital, Dharwad With a NIRF score of 55.29, the SDM College of Dental Sciences & Hospital in Dharwad ranks twenty-second nationally. This institution is recognized for its strong clinical exposure, community-based dental care initiatives, and a student-centered approach that focuses on developing well-rounded dental professionals. Government Dental College, Bangalore Securing the twenty-fourth position nationally, Government Dental College in Bangalore has achieved a NIRF score of 54.94. As a prestigious government institution, it offers affordable dental education without compromising on quality. The college's well-equipped clinics, dedicated faculty, and research opportunities contribute to its reputation as a leading dental college in Karnataka. Yenepoya Dental College, Mangaluru Yenepoya Dental College in Mangaluru ranks twenty-eighth nationally, with a NIRF score of 53.77. This college focuses on holistic development, incorporating research, patient care, and community outreach into its curriculum. With its emphasis on ethical dental practice and patient-centered care, Yenepoya Dental College prepares students to excel in their professional careers. KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum The KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences in Belgaum secures the thirty-fifth position nationally with a NIRF score of 50.62. This institution is known for its student-centric approach, strong clinical training, and research-oriented programs, providing a conducive environment for aspiring dentists to hone their skills. Bapuji Dental College & Hospital, Davangere With a NIRF score of 50.52, the Bapuji Dental College & Hospital in Davangere ranks thirty-sixth nationally. The college focuses on developing competent dental professionals through its comprehensive curriculum, advanced clinical facilities, and research opportunities, contributing to the overall dental healthcare system. Today, on June 5, the Ministry of Education unveiled the NIRF ranking 2023. The National Institutional Ranking Framework was presented by Dr. Raj Kumar Ranjan Songh, the State Minister of Education, during a National Press Conference held in New Delhi. Notably, the ministry has introduced a novel category called Innovations this year. Below is a compilation of exceptional institutions that demonstrated remarkable achievements in innovation. Thanks for being with us, we will update the full list shortly along with the scores. The NIRF Rankings 2023 is made available online. The National Institutional Rating Framework, or NIRF, is a rating methodology that uses educational and other related standards to establish a ranking of academic institutions. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is the official ranking methodology used by the Government of India's Ministry of Education. Teaching, Learning, and Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practise (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Perception (PR) are the five broad factors used by NIRF to evaluate institutions. With numerous medical colleges in India, students and parents alike may find it difficult to choose the best one. medical college rankings, fortunately, can assist in simplifying the process by offering a complete and objective examination of Universities based on a variety of characteristics such as academic excellence, research facilities, faculty, and infrastructure. The school where students study for their medical degree has a substantial impact on their achievement in the medical industry. As a result, all students currently preparing for their class 12th board examinations should begin researching the best medical colleges in India to assist them decide their future course of action. With numerous medical colleges in India, students and parents alike may find it difficult to choose the best one. medical college rankings, fortunately, can assist in simplifying the process by offering a complete and objective examination of Universities based on a variety of characteristics such as academic excellence, research facilities, faculty, and infrastructure. Here is the full list of medical colleges in India as per NIRF Ranking 2023 A Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English is a popular and versatile undergraduate degree that offers students an opportunity to explore the rich world of literature, language, and communication. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the BA in English program, highlights the potential career scope, and lists some of the best colleges in India that offer this course. Additionally, it covers important admission details for aspiring students. What's the course BA in English all about? The study of the English language, literature, and related subjects is the main focus of the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English undergraduate degree programme. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the English language, its historical development, literary works, and critical analysis from this course. The course covers a wide range of topics, including literary theory, language studies, communication skills, literature from many eras, genres, and cultures, as well as literature from various periods, cultures, genres, and time periods. Career Scope after pursuing BA in English Here are some potential career paths for BA in English graduates: 1. Education: Many graduates choose to pursue a career in teaching. They can become English language teachers at schools, colleges, or language institutes, sharing their knowledge and passion for literature and language with students. 2. Writing and Publishing: BA in English graduates can work as content writers, copywriters, or editors for various industries such as publishing houses, advertising agencies, digital media companies, or content creation firms. They may also explore careers in journalism, writing articles, features, or news stories. 3. Media and Communication: Graduates can find opportunities in media organizations, including newspapers, magazines, radio, television, or online media platforms. They can work as journalists, reporters, media researchers, or content creators, contributing to the dissemination of information and storytelling. 4. Publishing and Editing: Graduates can work in the publishing industry as editors, proofreaders, or literary agents. They can be involved in the process of reviewing manuscripts, editing content, and facilitating the publication of books, journals, or digital content. 5. Research and Analysis: Graduates can pursue research careers in academic institutions, think tanks, or market research firms. They can conduct research, analyze data, and contribute to scholarly publications or reports. 6. Freelance and Creative Work: Some graduates choose to work independently as freelance writers, bloggers, or authors. They have the flexibility to undertake creative projects, write novels, poetry, or contribute to online platforms. List of Best Universities for BA in English Here are some esteemed colleges offering a BA in English: 1. Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR), Delhi Establishment/About : Lady Shri Ram College is a public women's college. It was started in 1956 and was founded by Lala Shri Ram. It provides professional programmes such as a bachelor's degree in mass communication and English journalism. With the help of engaging and entertaining lecturers, students can discover the world of literature at this college. Rankings: LSR Overall ranking by NIRF is 5 out of 200 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 2 out of 200 colleges in India in 2021. LSR Arts ranking by The Week is 2 out of 50 colleges in India in 2020 and it was 1 out of 50 colleges in India in 2019. LSR Arts ranking by India Today is 4 out of 171 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 4 out of 162 colleges in India in 2021. Application Start Date: All UG programme admission to Lady Shri Ram College for the class of 2023 will shortly begin via the Common Seat Allocation Portal (CSAS) of Delhi University. CUET scores will be used to determine admission to all UG programmes. Exam CUET UG 2023 will be conducted between May 21 and May 31, 2023. However, due to the high volume of applications, the CUET UG 2023 exam dates have been moved to June 1, 2, and 5 in several cities. Fee Structure: Fee for UG Course BA is INR 21290. Admission Requirements/Eligibility: The basic eligibility criteria for admission to these programs is 10+2 with at least 45% marks in aggregate. Admission will be based on the CUET marks followed by e-counselling. Official Website: lsr.edu.in 2. Christ (deemed-to-be-university), Bangalore Establishment/About : Christ University is a deemed-to-be-university in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Christ College, which was founded in 1969 as Christ College, was granted autonomy by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India in 2004. approximately 20,000 students attend the university, and there are approximately 800 academic members. Around 700 international students from 58 different countries attend this university. The university provides undergraduate, graduate, and research programmes that are accredited both domestically and abroad. Rankings: Christ is ranked 20-25 in the QS India rankings for the year 2020. Christ was ranked 19 in 2019. Its position among Asian institutions is 501-550. Christ University is ranked second in the general (private) university category in India Today's Best Universities Survey 2022. According to India Today MDRA Survey of Excellence National Rankings, Christ University is ranked first for BCA Programme, fourth for BBA, seventh for Commerce, seventh for Media and Social Work, and ninth for Arts. Application Start Date: Open From : 28-May-2023, Open Until : 11-June-2023, Applicants may apply online for the programme from January 2023 on the University website till the date of applications officially closing. Fee Structure: Fee for UG Course BA is INR 75,000 INR P/A for Karnataka domicile students and 95,000 INR for students from other states students. The university provides comprehensive information on the course fees through their official website. Admission Requirements/Eligibility: Minimum Eligibility will be PUC/10 +2 from across Boards ((Karnataka PUC, ISCE, CBSE, NIOS, other State Boards), and recognized bodies in India.). Candidates writing the +2 examinations in March-May 2023 may apply with their class X and XI marks. The selection process will include auditions, skill assessments, personal interview and reviewing of previous academic performance. Official Website: christuniversity.in 3. St. Xavier's College, Kolkata Establishment/About : St. Xavier's College is located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It was founded in 1860 as a public college. The UGC and NAAC have accredited the college. 50 courses are offered at St. Xavier's College in Kolkata in 9 streams, including Arts, Science, Management, Commerce & Banking, and IT. St. Xavier's College in Kolkata offers a variety of placement opportunities, including employment in the private, public, and entrepreneurial sectors. Rankings: St. Xavier's College Kolkata Overall ranking by NIRF is 8 out of 200 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 4 out of 200 colleges in India in 2021. St. Xavier's College Kolkata Arts ranking by The Week is 9 out of 50 colleges in India in 2019. Application Start Date: The Process Is Ongoing. The Deadline For UG Applications Has Been Postponed. The Final Day Will Be Revealed When It Is Suitable. Fee Structure: 20,000 - 23,000 per Annum. The university's official website provides comprehensive information on the course fees. Admission Requirements/Eligibility: Only After The Release Of Their Respective Board/Council (10+2) Results Can Students Apply Online. The student must have obtained 45% marks in each of the 4 subjects included in the aggregate calculation. Official Website: www.sxccal.edu 4. Miranda House College, Delhi Establishment/About : Miranda House, which was founded in 1948 in New Delhi, is well-known for supporting superior education for women. The institution, which is associated with DU, provides a wide range of courses in the arts and sciences. Over the past few years, Miranda House has continuously attained outstanding rankings. Rankings: Miranda House, New Delhi Overall ranking by NIRF is 1 out of 200 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 1 out of 200 colleges in India in 2021. Miranda House, New Delhi Arts ranking by Outlook is 2 out of 115 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 2 out of 120 colleges in India in 2021. Miranda House, New Delhi Arts ranking by The Week is 5 out of 50 colleges in India in 2020 and it was 7 out of 50 colleges in India in 2019. Miranda House, New Delhi Arts ranking by India Today is 3 out of 171 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 3 out of 162 colleges in India in 2021. Application Start Date: The Common Seat Allocation Portal (CSAS) of Delhi University will soon begin accepting applications for Miranda House admissions for all UG programmes in 2023. CUET scores will be used to determine admission to all UG programmes. From May 21 to May 31, 2023, the CUET UG examination will be conducted. However, due to the high volume of applications, the CUET UG 2023 exam dates have been moved to June 1, 2, and 5 in several cities. Fee Structure: Fee for UG Course BA is INR 14160 per annum. Admission Requirements/Eligibility: Candidates who meet the requirements for all UG programmes must register on Delhi University's Admission Portal, after the CUET results are released. They must also fill out information about their selected college and programme. Qualifying applicants from the CUET UG exam must register on the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS), and seats will be assigned using the CSAS portal, in order to be considered for undergraduate admissions. Official Website: www.mirandahouse.ac.in 5. Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Delhi Establishment/About : Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) is a central university in New Delhi. The institution was founded in 1920 and has been accredited with an 'A' grade by the NAAC and the UGC. The Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, and the Centre for Management Studies are just a few of JMI's research facilities. More than 200 programmes at the UG, PG, and research levels are available at Jamia Millia Islamia. Rankings: Jamia Millia Islamia Overall ranking by NIRF is 13 out of 200 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 13 out of 200 colleges in India in 2021. Jamia Millia Islamia Architecture ranking by NIRF is 9 out of 30 colleges in India in 2022 and it was 10 out of 25 colleges in India in 2021. Jamia Millia Islamia Overall ranking by The Week is 8 out of 79 colleges in India in 2021 and it was 9 out of 76 colleges in India in 2020. Jamia Millia Islamia Architecture ranking by The Week is 5 out of 25 colleges in India in 2022. Application Start Date: CUET scores will be used to determine admission to all UG programmes. From May 21 to May 31, 2023, the CUET UG examination will be conducted. However, due to the high volume of applications, the CUET UG 2023 exam dates have been moved to June 1, 2, and 5 in several cities. Fee Structure: Fee for UG Course BA is INR 7200 annually. Admission Requirements/Eligibility: The admission process is completely online for all courses. Candidates need to register on the official website of the university. Official Website: jmicoe.in Note: Please note that the specific application dates, fee structures, and admission requirements may vary each year. It is recommended to visit the official websites of these universities for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the application process and admission requirements. Remember the Mitsubishi Colt? Well, this is how it looks like right now thanks to an OE partnership with alliance member, Renault. The seven... The Carter Center offers its condolences to the family of Judge Thomas Buergenthal, a leading international human rights lawyer and the founder of the Centers Human Rights Program. Judge Buergenthal was a member of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights when he established the Centers Human Rights Program in 1986. During his tenure, The Carter Center created the Carter-Menil Human Rights Prize, which honored persecuted champions of human rights from Latin-America, Israel and Palestine, Sri Lanka, Haiti, and South Africa. In 1988, Buergenthal convened Caribbean heads of state at The Carter Center in order to create a coordinated effort to promote the American Convention on Human Rights and other human rights instruments in the region. Judge Buergenthals contributions to the establishment of human rights as a set of standards for policymaking are well known and universally admired. The Carter Center is proud to call him the founder of its still-thriving Human Rights Program. 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All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Holcim Philippines PLC offering ICR Research By Published 05 June 2023 The introduction of Holcim Philippines brand of Portland limestone cement (PLC) to the domestic construction market is an important step in the local cement industrys strides towards a low-carbon economy. The company is leading the way with this greener cement offering, which includes a range of benefits in terms of durability and versatility. By Kandy Icy Minano, Holcim Philippines. The continuous development of building and infrastructure in the Philippines has resulted in higher CO 2 emissions as the country remains reliant on fossil fuels for energy generation as well as the production of various industrial materials such as cement. With the unabated increase in CO 2 emissions causing a range of negative impacts, it is important that the country transitions to greener options. To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login Bangladeshs clinker imports more expensive in new budget FY23-24 05 June 2023 Bangladesh Minister for Finance, AHM Mustafa Kamal, presented National Budget Speech 2023-24 (July-June) in parliament on 1 June and made some tax measures on the cement industry. The measures are detrimental to the cement industry as they will raise the import cost of clinker and the price of cement bags in Bangladesh, according to local experts. Increase duty on clinker imports The minister proposed that the specific duty of only BDT500/t (US$4.66/t) currently in force for importing cement clinkers for the last 10 years would be increased. At present, the country is self-sufficient in cement production. Therefore, to rationalise the customs duty and increase the revenue, he proposed increasing the specific duty rate on cement clinker from BDT500/t to BDT700/t. In addition, Mr Kamal proposed increasing the specific duty rate from BDT750/t to BDT950/t for commercial importers. State-owned industry The minister said a research programme titled Identification of the Number of Sick Industries and the Causes of Weakness has been initiated in 38 state-owned enterprises. There is also an initiative to transform the production method of the Chattak Cement Factory from wet- to dry process, using energy-efficient, eco-friendly and cutting-edge technology. Local reaction The Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association is yet to share its reaction to the budget. The officials of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB), in their initial response, said the housing would become costlier as government imposes new taxes. The proposed FY23-24 budget includes an increase in the land registration tax at source, while import duties on lifts and cement clinkers will also increase. Published under Here are the new business licenses from the County Clerk's office: 360 PAINTING OF CHATTANOOGA MARK S CUTLER 4339 SAILMAKER CIR CHATTANOOGA TN 37416 A LIGHT IN THE DARK PHOTOGRAPHY R A VEGA 7477 COMMONS BLVD APT 113 CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 ADVANCED INSURANCE VICTORIA L MIDDLETON 5422 HIXSON PIKE HIXSON TN 37343 BIG BLUE MARBLE ACADEMY COLLEGEDALE BIG BLUE MARBLE ACADEMY, LLC 5368 OOLTEWAH RINGGOLD RD COLLEGEDALE TN 37363 BIG BLUE MARBLE ACADEMY HIXSON BIG BLUE MARBLE ACADEMY, LLC 5010 ALPHA LN HIXSON TN 37343 BMC DAUGHTER MARCELLA D MCREYNOLDS 5140 LOIS LN CHATTANOOGA TN 37416 CAROUSEL COTTAGE JENNY HARDISON 503 TUCKER ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37405 CHICK-FIL-A NORTHGATE MALL KRISTINA A KITCHEN 209 NORTHGATE MALL CHATTANOOGA TN 37415 CMF PHOTOGRAPHY LLC CHAUNCEY M FIGGURES 8491 BOOTH BAY DR HIXSON TN 37343 CONCORD TRIMMING LLC ABDULHADI HOURANI 8934 CHAFFIN LN CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 DIVINE DESIGNS CONSTRUCTION INC JOSE ESPINOZA 37 PINE GROVE CIR RINGGOLD GA 30736 DLT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DEWEY TURNER 211 OAK ST ROSSVILLE GA 30741 DRAGON HOLDINGS CODY W CAMPBELL 1427 CARRIAGE PARC DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 EAGLES FOOD AND FUEL DEVANG PATEL 5902 SHALLOWFORD RD CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 EMILY'S CLOSET EMILY DILLS 6215 HIDDEN HILL RD HARRISON TN 37341 FCELECTRIC JUAN ESCOBAR 1130 OAKES VISTA WAY SEYMOUR TN 37865 GAMBINOS AUTO DEALER SERVICES CRAIG BARR 3638 PHELPS ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37412 GRAHAM & SON SEAMLESS GUTTERS ADAM GRAHAM 10169 ROD LN HARRISON TN 37341 GRAVESTONE CLEANING AND RESTORATION R A VEGA 7477 COMMONS BLVD APT 113 CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 GREEN ZONE LANDSCAPING LLC MARLON E ALVAREZ 2513 MAPLEWOOD DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 GREENALL GLASSWORKS MICHAELA GEENALL 6603 HUNT DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 HELLO BEAUTIFUL JENNIFER LAFERRY 2020 GUNBARREL RD STE 115 CHATTANOOGA TN 37421 J-TRUTH EXPRESS RONALD JONES 6390 FRANKFURT RD OOLTEWAH TN 37363 KEPT BY COLE LLC NICOLE R TORREY 6740 HOLDER RD HARRISON TN 37341 KICK YOUR ASS COACH CONSULTING TONY HERNDON 633 CHESTNUT ST STE 600 CHATTANOOGA TN 37450 LEAD CHOICE MARKETING DAVID S AYERS 540 S SEMINOLE DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37412 LONELYDOG WOOD WORK CHRISTOPHER A CLAYTON 7015 GLACIER LN HARRISON TN 37341 MACS SUBS & FRIES INC ALBERT MCDONALD 1715 LA HUGH ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37406 MATIAS AUTO MOTORS LLC GASPAR MATIAS-FRANCISCO 1527 BURNS AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37412 NAGI TANKA LLC THERESA AVERBECK 11050 ROCK POINT SODDY DAISY TN 37379 NATES CHOP SHOP LLC NATHAN SHROPSHIRE 6303 PYTHIAN RD HARRISON TN 37341 P.O.E. POWER OF EFFORT JORDAN PARROTT 3217 ORCHARD KNOB AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37407PAULS PRESSURE WASHING & LAWN SERVICE PAUL D WALLACE 10541 DAFFODIL CIR SODDY DAISY TN 37379PINAIRE ROOFING, LLC STEPHEN PINAIRE 44 INDUSTRIAL PARK DR HENDERSONVILLE TN 37075POPPIN PIES LAURIE S JACKSON 116 TALLEY RD CHATTANOOGA TN 37411POSH PICNICS CONSTANCE DREVENCHUK 880 MOUNTAIN BLUFF LN CHATTANOOGA TN 37419RAMEZ CONSTRUCTION MARIO RAMIREZ 6105 WENTWORTH AVE APT A CHATTANOOGA TN 37412RICARDO VAZQUEZ RICARDO VAZQUEZ 313 S MOORE RD CHATTANOOGA TN 37411RIVER TRANSPORT LLC JAMES R KOSTYK 2313 PINEWAY TRL SODDY DAISY TN 37379RIVERSONG TEA COMPANY ROBERT L PERRY 305 PEACHBLOOM DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37411SMOKING GOAT BBQ JEFF MAXWELL 9043 LEE HWY OOLTEWAH TN 37363SOHO NAILS BAR SON NGUYEN 2020 GUNBARREL RD STE 142 CHATTANOOGA TN 37421STUNNER BULLIES KAILAH PENDLETON 7744 NAUTICAL WAY CHATTANOOGA TN 37416STYLIN BEAUTIQUE SHAKENDRA GOOSBY 1509 SOUTH SMITH STREET STE 9 CHATTANOOGA TN 37412T CLEANING SERVICE LAKEESHA D FEATHERSTONE 1905 E 26TH ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37407TOP SHELF BUD DISPENSARY CLAYTON HULGAN 5466 HIXSON PIKE STE C HIXSON TN 37343TUCKER'S PAVING JEFF TUCKER 21 PINE LAKES DR RINGGOLD GA 30736 Night shift officers made contact with an individual at the Circle K in the 9300 block of Lee Highway who advised that they were trying to get back to their vehicle, parked on the side if I-75, with gas. The individual was identified and found to be a fugitive out of Alabama. The individual was arrested on 12 felony counts of auto burglary and two counts of theft out of Scottsboro, Alabama. They were transported to the jail to await extradition. A Collegedale fugitive turned themself in to be booked on a failure to appear warrant. They were booked and released on bond.A moving truck damaged the drive through canopy at the Regions Bank, in the 5500 block of Little Debbie Parkway.A Collegedale fugitive was booked on bond revocation warrants for failure to appear on drug charges.A traffic stop in the 9100 block of Apison Pike resulted in the vehicle occupants arrest for possession of illegal narcotics and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Another occupant was also arrested for felony drug possession, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and removal of a firearms serial number.An officer was requested to check an individual wandering through the Ooltewah Crossing Plaza wearing all black.A juvenile ran from their home in the 5000 block of High Street twice and was returned both times to their parent by police.An officer checked on three minor children that were left in a running vehicle in the Walmart parking lot. The parent was back with the vehicle upon the officers arrival.A traffic stop in the 9300 block of Lee Highway led to the driver being taken into custody for driving on a revoked license. The driver also had two Collegedale bond revocation warrants for driving on a revoked license and possession of drug paraphernalia.Officers attempted to stop a vehicle stolen out of Knoxville in the 5400 block of Little Debbie Parkway but the driver refused to stop and was pursued into Bradley County, where the pursuit was terminated.A minor crash was reported in the 9600 block of Leyland Drive.An alarm was activated at Catos, in the Ooltewah Crossing Plaza. The building was checked and all doors were found secure.A night shift officer conducting routine neighborhood patrols found the rear hatch of a vehicle open in the 9400 block of Homewood Circle. No contact was made with the owner. The officer secured the vehicle.A traffic stop in the 9200 block of Lee Highway for an expired license plate resulted in the arrest of two vehicle occupants for felony possession of fentanyl and the arrest of a third for possession of drug paraphernalia.The clerk of the Circle K in the 9300 block of Lee Highway reported two disorderly individuals refusing to pay for their food. The individuals fled the scene before officers arrived.Officers responded to Jacks Family Restaurant for an alarm. The alarm was activated by a delivery driver with an incorrect pass code.A couple of individuals begging for money on Walmart property were told to leave at the request of store management.A Collegedale fugitive was booked on a warrant for driving on a revoked license.A traffic stop for speeding in the 8800 block of Apison Pike resulted in the drivers arrest for possession of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia, as well as warrants out of Hamilton County.A minor parking lot crash at the Chick-fil-A was reported.An unknown 9-1-1 call came in from the Hills Parc apartment complex. The area was checked but no emergencies were found.A business alarm was triggered at Rhodes Storage. Everything was secure.Chattanooga police made contact with a Collegedale fugitive with bond revocation warrants for reckless driving, evading arrest, resisting arrest, and driving on a revoked license. The fugitive was transported to the jail.Officers were requested to check the wellness of juvenile residents in the 9800 block of Bowen Trail.A concerned citizen requested police to check the well-being of a resident in the Winding Creek apartments, however no apartment number for the individual could be found.A vehicle was observed parked and running outside of a closed business in the 5700 block of Main Street. Contact was made with the driver who was passed out behind the wheel. An on-scene investigation revealed that the driver was intoxicated and was arrested for DUI.A concerned citizen requested police to again check the well-being of a resident in the Winding Creek apartments, this time an apartment number was provided. Contact was made and the individual was in good health. They stated that they had not wanted to speak to the concerned citizen that had called.Collegedale police assisted the American Legion who was conducting a veterans motorcycle event at Scooters coffee.Officers responded to an accidental alarm at a residence in the 10000 block of Sunny Lane.Collegedale police assisted the sheriffs office with a warehouse alarm in the 6800 block of Mountain View Road.A Walmart employee left their phone on top of a customers vehicle while loading up a grill. An officer was able to find the vehicle on Apison Pike and retrieve the phone.An alarm was activated at the Collegedale Exxon. The building was checked and found secure.A Collegedale fugitive wanted on a bond revocation warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia was transported from the Bradley County Jail to the Hamilton County Jail.Officers responded to a mental health emergency in the Chestnutt Creek Apartments. One individual was transported to a treatment facility.Collegedale police assisted with traffic control in the 9500 block of Lee Highway due to a tree being down blocking one lane of traffic in a dangerous area on the Hamilton County side of Dead Mans Curve. The Tri-Community Fire Department was able to cut up the tree and remove it from the roadway.An alarm at the Ooltewah Nursery was activated. Everything checked secure.A concerned resident at the College Park apartments reported that a homeless person was building a hut in the tree line behind the apartments. An officer spoke with several other residents who stated that the individual lives at the apartments and was just trimming trees.Police responded to the Village at Apison Pike apartments after receiving reports that three young individuals were messing with cars in the parking lot. The area was searched but nothing was found.An unknown 9-1-1 came in from the 10600 block of Pine Hill Road. An officer made contact with a resident in the area who stated that they had accidentally dialed 911.Officers responded to a verbal disorder at the Village at Apison Pike apartment complex. Everything checked out after the disorder was confirmed as verbal only.An altercation occurred between a customer and manager for Cracker Barrel. After trying to get the order correct, words were exchanged and the manager bumped the customer with their chest. Both parties refused to press charges. The customer was given the managers name and the phone number for the corporate office.A parent pulled into the Collegedale police departments parking lot due to their 17-year-old child trying to exit the vehicle while going down the interstate. This had started in Atlanta. After speaking with both individuals the juvenile agreed to get along. The parent was advised of the countys juvenile process if they thought it necessary to proceed further.Collegedale police assisted the sheriffs office with a medical emergency in the 8800 block of Finney Point Drive.An officer stopped to check the well-being of an individual walking in the 8900 block of Apison Pike in the early morning hours without any shoes. The individual advised that they didnt need any assistance. Star of stage and screen Alan Cumming will be the featured guest at InterMission, a fundraising event and celebration of Chattanoogas arts community, benefiting ArtsBuild's support of community arts organizations and programming, as well as field trips for Hamilton County Schools students. The inaugural event will be held on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. at the Roland Hayes Concert Hall on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.Following a limited pre-sale for ArtsBuild supporters, tickets are on-sale to the general public as of 10 a.m.today, and may be accessed by visiting ArtsBuild.com/intermission We are thrilled to invite an artist of Alans caliber and talent to our community for the first time, says ArtsBuild Board member and InterMission Co-Chair Dr. Quincy Jenkins. His achievements across every possible medium are staggering, and hes the ideal person to help us celebrate everything that the arts mean to communities like ours.Regular tickets are available for $125. VIP tickets are $250 and include premium seating for the event itself, as well as a private reception and photograph with Mr. Cumming, complimentary beverages and hors d'oeuvres.InterMission will also serve as ArtsBuilds annual recognition event for the recipients of the Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts in Chattanooga and who are actively engaged in the cultural life of the community Arts Builders who exemplify ArtsBuilds mission to build a stronger community through the arts as demonstrated by their significant contributions to the arts and their leadership. Nominations for this years Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award are now open and may be accessed at ArtsBuild.com/intermission Ruth Holmbergs legendary love of the arts continues to enrich the lives of Chattanoogans every day, says ArtsBuild Board member and InterMission Co-Chair Miles Huff. She believed that the Scenic City should forever be known as a vibrant creative capital, and we cant wait to honor the individuals who share her vision and generous spirit.InterMission is sponsored by TVA, US Xpress and Coeo Media. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Former Chattanooga Police Department Spokesman and local broadcaster Ed Buice died unexpectedly over the weekend. Mr. Buice lived with his family in Fredricksburg, Va. He was 64. His close friend, David Carroll issued the following statement: We've lost another great local journalist, friend, and family man. Ed Buice was an outstanding newsman in Chattanooga and Atlanta, and an excellent PIO for the Chattanooga Police Department, before moving to Virginia for a long career with NCIS. Ed passed away suddenly on Saturday, and we will miss his wit, warmth, and wisdom. He enriched our lives in so many ways. He and Garry Mac adored each other, and they're together again. His family posted the following on Eds Facebook page: It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of Ed Buice, a cherished husband, devoted father, and adored grandfather. Ed left us on June 3, 2023, due to a sudden heart attack. His departure has left an immense void in the lives of his loved ones and the community. "Ed was a pillar of strength and a beacon of love, always ready with a smile and a helping hand. His dedication to his family was unmatched, and his love for his wife, Tricia Buice was evident in every moment they shared. Ed was a source of unwavering support, guidance, and warmth for his children, Patrick Buice and Allie Newton and their spouses, Callie Buice and Josh Newton who will forever cherish his memory. "As a loving grandfather, Ed was adored by his grandchildren, Isaac Newton, Jayden Buice, Isabelle Newton, Ethan Newton, and Noah Newton. He created lasting memories with them and instilled values that will be carried on for generations to come. "Ed Buice's untimely departure serves as a poignant reminder to treasure each moment with our loved ones. His passing has left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him, and his presence will be deeply missed. "The family kindly requests privacy during this difficult time as they mourn the loss of a remarkable man. They extend their gratitude for the outpouring of love, condolences, and support they have received from friends, family, and the community. "A memorial service will be held at a later date to celebrate the life of Ed Buice and honor the legacy he leaves behind. "Ed Buice will forever remain in our hearts, and his legacy of love and kindness will continue to inspire us all. May he rest in eternal peace." Mr. Buice worked at several Chattanooga radio stations, WUSY, WDOD, WDXB, and WGOW. He also worked for WTVC TV as a reporter and assignment editor. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Local Chattanooga lawyer John Jolley did not aspire to practice law when he first arrived on the campus of Tennessee Tech University as a transfer student from Roane State Community College in 2009. Yet by his senior year, Mr. Jolley was president of Techs pre-law society, charting a path that led him to his current role as a staff attorney in Chattanooga with Legal Aid of East Tennessee, a nonprofit law firm providing free legal representation to underserved populations. I think I was a little rudderless before I got to Tennessee Tech, said Mr. Jolley. Tech was where I found the ability to direct where I wanted to go in life. After a stint with Legal Aids offices in Johnson City, where he focused on helping clients with Social Security and TennCare denials, consumer debt issues and evictions, Mr. Jolley and his wife, fellow attorney Karen Anderson Jolley, moved to Chattanooga. Here, he spends his days at the Chattanooga Family Justice Center representing victims of domestic violence in civil legal matters including orders of protection, custody proceedings and divorce. While many of Mr. Jolleys clients are lower-income Chattanoogans who could not otherwise afford legal representation, Mr. Jolley says finances are not the only consideration for whom Legal Aid will assist. People who are victims of domestic violence can have difficulty getting an attorney immediately, no matter their income. They may be cut off from marital funds. So, we want to be there to help them, he explained. Legal Aid can represent victims of domestic violence regardless of financial status. An active member of the Tennessee Valleys legal community, Mr. Jolley serves as president-elect of the Chattanooga Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division and as a board member for the Tennessee Bar Associations Young Lawyers Division. While other career opportunities are never far from reach, Mr. Jolley says he finds purpose in the mission of his nonprofit firm and the clients he serves. Ive represented victims in some of the most heinous crimes one can imagine attempted murder, sexual assault and child sexual abuse to name a few. It is difficult and taxing, but it is also incredibly rewarding to be entrusted to represent these vulnerable populations within our community who have been so victimized, said Mr. Jolley. Its meant a lot to me. Mr. Jolley adds that Sometimes its hard to separate out these incredibly emotional areas of law from the rest of your life, but it is also an area where you can be most confident that youve really done something to help somebody. I benefit from having some incredible coworkers and community partners, too. Legal Aid has been a great firm to work for in terms of the way they support their staff. In recent years, Mr. Jolley found a new outlet to balance the demands of his day job: woodworking. While he doesnt sell his wares for profit, he has been making and donating hand-carved bowls, platters, pens and other items since 2019 under the name Jolley Good Woods. Today, his creations are a popular fixture at silent auctions benefiting Legal Aid, Ronald McDonald House and other charitable causes around town. Mr. Jolleys woodworking also made its way to famed historian, presidential biographer and Chattanooga native Jon Meacham, whom Mr. Jolley gifted a handmade walnut burl pen after a speaking event in Chattanooga last fall. I had read several of his books. I really respect his voice and so I wanted to make something as a show of appreciation, said Mr. Jolley. While family law will always be a passion for Mr. Jolley, his most important project to date is outside of the courtroom. Mr. Jolley and his wife Karen welcomed their first child in January, a son named Hank. As the new father looks to the future, he says he feels gratitude for the foundation that Tennessee Tech provided. I made a home and found community in the political science department and my pre-law classes at Tech, said Mr. Jolley. Tech did a lot to prepare me for the future. Kate Middleton has played many significant roles in the monarchys progression throughout her relationship with and marriage to Prince William. However, the Princess of Wales hit a particularly poignant milestone as a guest at the evening banquet following Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordans royal wedding. Most importantly, it involved wearing Princess Dianas favorite accessory. Kate Middleton wears Princess Dianas favorite tiara, the Queen Mary Lovers Knot, at a royal event | Chris Jackson/Getty Images One of Princess Dianas favorite accessories helped Kate Middleton hit a poignant royal milestone Kate Middleton and her husband, Prince William, attended the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan on June 2, 2023. The couple cut a stunning figure in royal regalia for the ceremony and subsequent reception. The Princess of Wales wore a glittering rose gown by Jenny Packham for the evening dinner. In addition, Kate donned several essential accessories befitting her status as Princess of Wales. First, she wore the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II. The order is an oval portrait of the late queen surrounded by diamonds pinned to a yellow silk ribbon. She also added the Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. It is an eight-pointed star with the cipher of Queen Victoria on an enamel cross at its center, pinned to her left hip. It was attached to the Royal Victoria Order Sash. But perhaps the most significant accessory Kate wore to the royal wedding was the diamond and pearl Queen Marys Lovers Knot tiara. This stunning bejeweled headpiece was a favorite of Kates late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. Throughout her reign as Princess of Wales, Diana alternated between the Queen Marys Lovers Knot tiara and her familys Spencer tiara. The Queen Mary tiara was reportedly one of Dianas favorite pieces. Wearing Dianas favorite tiara to the Jordan royal wedding marked the first time Kate has worn one outside of the U.K. She last donned the gorgeous sparkler in December 2023 for the South Africa state visit to the U.K. Kate Middleton has famously only worn three tiaras since marrying Prince William Kate Middleton and Prince William on their 2011 wedding day | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images British royalty has strict rules regarding the use of sparkling headpieces, which makes the occasions Kate Middleton wears these gems so special. Some of these rules include weddings, white-tie events, and official banquets. Since these types of royal appearances are less sporadic than regular royal appearances, wearing tiaras is special for royal family members. Wearing a tiara is reportedly tied to the dress code of the event as well as personal preference. Therefore, the first time Kate Middleton wore a tiara was at her 2011 wedding to Prince William. For her nuptials, Kate donned the Cartier Halo design. She has also added to her regular rotation of royal looks the Lotus Flower Tiara, one of Princess Margarets favorites, and Princess Dianas favorite, the Queen Mary Lovers Knot. All the details on the Queen Mary Lovers Knot Tiara Four royal women have worn the Queen Marys Lovers Knot tiara. In 1913, Queen Mary was inspired by her aunt, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitzs lovers knot tiara. She commissioned royal jeweler Garrard to make a copy. The late Queen Elizabeth II inherited Queen Marys jewels after her death. The Lovers Knot tiara became part of the queens jewelry collection in 1953. She often wore it to official royal events. In 1981, Queen Elizabeth gifted the diadem to Princess Diana. She married the queens son Charles in July of that same year. When Princess Dianas divorce from then-Prince Charles was made official in 1996, the tiara was returned to Queen Elizabeth. It was placed in the Tower of London for safekeeping, along with other royal jewels. Dianas daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, subsequently debuted the tiara at a diplomatic reception in December 2015. It was the first time the sparkler had been worn by a royal family member since Princess Dianas 1997 death. Elements of this story were also reported by The Court Jeweler and Newsweek. The Beatles Michelle includes some French lyrics. Paul McCartney said a teacher helped him write the song. Subsequently, she received a check for her help but only years after the songs release. The Beatles | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer Paul McCartney said a teacher helped write The Beatles Michelle In the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, Paul discussed the origin of The Beatles Michelle. He said he looked to a French teacher named Jan Vaughan to help him write the French lyrics of the song. Notably, Vaughn was married to Ivan Vaughan, the man who introduced Paul to John Lennon. Jan convinced Paul to rhyme Michelle with ma belle. Eventually, Jan received compensation for her work. I got that off Jan, and years later I sent her a check around, Paul remembered. I thought I better had because shes virtually a co-writer on that. From there I just pieced together the verses. Notably, Jan did not receive a writing credit on Michelle, which is credited to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership. Why the song matters so much in The Beatles discography Michelle is a pretty important song in The Beatles canon. While The Beatles recorded songs primarily in English, singing words in French showed off their versatility. It probably helped fans in French-speaking nations connect with the band on a deeper level. Michelle was not the only time The Beatles recorded music in a language other than English. For example, the Fab Four released a single called Komm, gib mir deine Hand / Sie liebt dich. The single contains German-language versions of I Want to Hold Your Hand and She Loves You. Notably, the tunes keep the instrumentals of the original songs intact even though they dont feature exact translations of the songs lyrics. Tracks like Michelle and Komm, gib mir deine Hand helped the band become an even bigger international phenomenon. How Michelle and Rubber Soul performed in the United States and the United Kingdom Michelle was never a single in the United States, so it didnt chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Its plausible the song would have flopped in the U.S., as French is not widely spoken in the country. The tune appeared on the album Rubber Soul. That record topped the Billboard 200 for six weeks, staying on the chart for 70 weeks. According to The Official Charts Company, Michelle did not chart in the United Kingdom either. On the other hand, Rubber Soul was No. 1 in the U.K. for eight weeks. The album lasted on the chart for a total of 42 weeks. Rubber Soul was an album that showed The Beatles maturation as artists. It also highlighted their willingness to experiment and borrow from other musical styles such as Indian classical music and American folk music. The use of the French language in Michelle is one example of that adventurous spirit, as is the songs jazz influences. Michelle is one of the most famous tracks from Rubber Soul and it wouldnt be the same without Jan. A recent study published by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that after teens and young adults cut down their use of social media by 50% for a few weeks, they witnessed a drastic improvement in body image. The teens and young adults specifically felt better about their weight, as well as their overall appearance, as compared to peers who did not reduce social media use. Adolescence is a vulnerable period for the development of body image issues, eating disorders, and mental illness. Youth are spending, on average, between six to eight hours per day on screens, much of it on social media, explained Gary Goldfield, the studys lead author. Social media can expose users to hundreds or even thousands of images and photos every day, including those of celebrities and fashion or fitness models, which we know leads to an internalization of beauty ideals that are unattainable for almost everyone, resulting in greater dissatisfaction with body weight and shape. But, according to Goldfield, most of the psychological research surrounding social media, mental health, and body image is correlational. In other words, it is unclear whether people struggling with mental health and body image issues are spending more time on social platforms; or if the social media use itself is leading to greater mental health and body image impacts. Thats why Goldfield and his colleagues first conducted a past pilot study with 38 participants. Each participant was an undergraduate student suffering from elevated levels of depression and/or anxiety. Some of the students were asked to cut down their social media use to a maximum of 60 minutes each day; meanwhile, other students were able to use social media for any amount of time. The researchers ultimately found that participants who practiced restricted social media use had an improved regard for their overall appearance after just three weeks. Although, this was not the same for body weight perspectives. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. You may not know much about former First Lady Claudia Johnson besides her doting nickname, Lady Bird. But, she lived a rather fascinating life, from a little girl growing up in Texas to a first lady on a mission to beautify the United States. Heres some more info on Lady Bird Johnson. Claudia was born in Karnack, Texas, in 1912. She got her nickname Lady Bird as a little girl when someone remarked that she was as cute and pretty as a Lady Bird. The nickname stuck, and she was referred to as Lady Bird throughout the rest of her life. Claudias father was a wealthy businessman, and her mother died when she was only five years old, so she was raised by her maternal aunt. As a child, she spent a lot of time outdoors and was a very good student. She graduated high school when she was only 15 years old and got her degree in journalism from the University of Texas in 1934. She met her husband, Lyndon Baines Johnson, that same year when he was visiting Austin, Texas, as a Congressional secretary. He proposed to Claudia seven weeks after they met, and they were married in November 1934. When Claudias father passed away, she received a large inheritance. Some of it went towards investing in and acquiring several radio and television stations before she used it to fund Lyndons political campaigns. When Lyndon was selected as former President John F. Kennedys running mate in 1960, Claudia worked tirelessly on their campaign. As second lady, she attended numerous events and traveled thousands of miles, often standing in for Jacqueline Kennedy. In 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was tragically assassinated, and Lyndon took over the role, Claudia did what she could to ease the suffering of those grieving the former Presidents loss as she transitioned into a first lady. As first lady, Claudia took on and created many projects surrounding environmentalism and restoring the countrys natural beauty. She greatly influenced the passing of The Beautification Act of 1965, which called for limited outdoor advertising and the planting of flowers along the national highway system. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. As Canadians living in Austin, Texas, my wife and I have a sign on our front door that reads, Please take off your shoes. The Northern experience of slush, grit, and mud, as well as a few years spent living in Japan, made us committed to the goodness of shoeless indoor living. (Slippers and indoor shoes allowed.) We hung the sign several years into our time in Austin. After more than a few awkward greetingsan effusive welcome coupled with quick instructions about our footwear convictionswe decided that clarity was a necessary part of hospitality. This same connection between clarity and hospitality has come to inform our practice in church as well, especially on the topic of marriage and sexuality. As part of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA), our churchs position is clear: We hold that Gods desire for faithful conjugal sexuality happens in the context of a covenant marriage between one man and one woman. But as a particular church in Austin seeking to embody the welcome of God in Christ, conveying that message is more difficult. Our community draws people who are surprised and even pained by this counter-cultural teaching. Im not totally sure why our small church often attracts people with more left-of-center perspectives. Part of it relates to the area of the city were in, where a lot of young families and professionals come to live. Part of it is simply generational, as these millennial and Gen Z Christians grapple with the legacy of their particular traditions. For some in our community, the churchs teachings on marriage impinge on the most intimate and personal areas of their life. What does it look like for their own sexuality to be conformed to the image of Christ? For others, these issues affect their posture toward family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. As the rector of this congregation, Ive had several challenging conversations related to marriage and sexuality. My own insufficiencies and knowledge gaps feel most acute in the area of pastoral care. How do I hold forth the grace and truth of Jesus? How do I hold forth the historic teachings of the church in a hospitable way? While talking over several months with one gentleman in our church who identifies as queer, I realized that, even after extensive discussions, what I referred to as the traditional perspective on marriage had not landed with him as meaning the marriage of male and female. That moment of clarification was painful and disorienting for him. After a few more conversations, he left our churcha place where hed been making friendships, forging connections, and feeling loved. Article continues below My pastoral engagement of that situation might draw criticism from readers. Some will see it as a failure inherent to the traditional positionthe natural outcome of its exclusionary and discriminatory nature. As someone fully convinced of the traditional position, I dont agree. Instead, I see my shortcoming as a failure of hospitality, and by that I mean, a failure to be clear. In the same way that my wife and I decided to put a sign on our front door to avoid confusion, Ive become convinced that clearly stating what our church teaches on marriage and sexuality is necessary in our context. Among those we welcome and minister to, that clarity is an act of care. I dont mean that sexuality is a regular topic of our preaching, or that its part of the barking posture Alan Jacobs has identified as the sheepdogs view. But when the issue arises, as it did not too long ago in a sermon series on Romans, we address it head-on. We do the same when the text of Scripture speaks to racial justice, creation care, or care for the unborn. In our efforts to be clear with people, weve also created a white paper of sortsa summary of what the church teaches and why, with specific responses to common objections or points of confusion. The document also sketches out some of our pastoral approaches more generally. Our hope is that the position paper, imperfect though it is, serves as an act of hospitality by providing openness about our views. We make the paper available to those in our community who inquire, and we also share it as part our membership process at the church. We have a number of people in our church who question or even disagree with our teaching. But many of them have expressed appreciation for the forthright way weve talked about the issue, and theyve found a place in our community nonetheless. Recently, one parishioner whos unconvinced by the historic position told me he appreciated our willingness to let the weirdness of the Christian position stand. With the beloved slogan Keep Austin Weird so pervasive in our city, maybe that comment shouldnt be surprising! Article continues below Im glad that he and others continue to stay in our community and give our views a hearing, even though their disagreement is significant and consequential. Its better for them to know the vision and convictions that animate our pastoral care and teaching. The same goes for those who identify as sexual minorities. Within the context of a newer church like ours, I struggle with the common temptation to so heavily emphasize enfolding people that I end up downplaying any uncomfortable, countercultural, or burdensome teaching. The danger of a bait and switch is real. The better path, however, is to be clear in a spirit of humility and kindness. The traditional view of marriage as a sacramental, creative, and covenanted union between male and female is Gods gift and was arguably abandoned by the church long before the question of same-sex marriage rose to the fore. This original vision is worth expressing, clearly and without apology. Its beautiful and challenging for us alla good the church can offer in a world of estrangement and disposable relationships. It invites us together to celebrate the gospel with our bodies. And it calls us not only to agree with Gods design but also to confess and proclaim it. In the biography Augustine of Hippo, author Peter Brown describes how the intellectual climate of the bishops time required him to openly refute particular pagan beliefs. In Browns view, Augustine might have preferred to devote his energies and gifts to other ends. But the cultural pressure around Christians in Hippo could not be ignored. At our church in Austin, I feel a similar imperative in the context of marriage and sexuality. As a pastor, I believe doctrines worth holding to are also worth talking about and declaring (with great care, of course). For most of our parishioners, the issue is paramount. It cant be ignored without cost. And addressing it takes courage, humility, and discernment. I know many other pastors are in the same boat. But how do we go about it, exactly? Here are a few things Im learning about how to hospitably address sexual ethics: First, make it personal. [Sexual minorities] are not a problem for experts and theologians to solve, says Melinda Selmys in Sexual Authenticity. They are, first and foremost, the face of Christ, marginalized, bullied, misunderstood, spit upon and rejected, and absolutely beloved of God. Article continues below As you seek to articulate the historic vision of marriage and sexuality, keep in mind the particular members of your church who are most challenged and affected by this teaching. If you cant think of any, then you might consider voices you can listen to from a distance. As our church continues to grow in its ability to convey Scriptures teachings on this issue, our ministry philosophy has been informed by writers from a wide variety of disciplines and perspectives. Second, be ready to grow. Our white paper exists as a living document. That doesnt mean the teaching of the church is up for grabs, nor does it mean that I foresee my own convictions ever changing. If that ever happened, Id resign rather than seek to lead our church into a different set of beliefs. And yet, I have so much to learn when it comes to pastoral care and the concrete implications of Christian sexual ethics. In our rapidly changing culture, these questions will only continue to grow. How does the church respond to the same-sex married couple with children who have encountered Jesus for the first time? How does the body of Christ care for those whove transitioned from one gender to another? What does participation in the local church look like for those who are unconvinced by the churchs historic teaching? These are questions that continue to challenge me and the local body I serve. In my own learning process, Ive sought to frame my preaching and teaching on this topic as an invitation to further conversation. Finally, tell the truth. Quoting actor James Cagney, the playwright David Mamet exhorts aspiring actors to find your mark, look the other fellow in the eye, and tell the truth. Thats good advice for the pastoral vocation as well. The historic teaching of the church on marriage is not likely to become more palatable in our culture, at least during my lifetime. It will likely continue to be on the wrong side of history. And it will likely only get harder to embody grace and truth on this topic. Yet, as an expression of hospitality, pastors and churches must clearly and consistently articulate the churchs long-standing vision. Doing that requires reading and listening. It requires putting ideas to paper. And it requires humble couragesomething I often feel lacking in. Rather than finding our mark, as Mamet exhorts, we can rest in the knowledge that Christ has been revealed. He is our mark, and we can abide in his sovereignty and grace. In that place, the other imperatives still remain: Look other image bearers in the eye. And with the profound humility of Jesus, tell the truth. Do it as an act of hospitality. Do it as an offering of Gods good gift. Peter Coelho is the rector of Church of the Cross in Austin, Texas. The Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) has decided to ordain women and allow them to carry the title of pastor. More than 60 percent of the denominations delegates approved the two changes at the Alliances general council in Spokane, Washington, last week, after four years of official discussion and debate. John Stumbo, president of the Alliance, supported the changes but also urged the gathered delegates to respect different interpretations of the New Testament verses on church leadership. Do not think that just because someone disagrees with your biblical position that they dont love the Word of God, honor the authority of the Word of God, and hold true to its core teachings, he said. Everyone Ive spoken to across the country has come with a thoughtful position. We have the right, privilege, and necessity of having a mutual respectability for each other. Stumbo said the Alliance, which includes about 2,000 churches in the United States, needs unity, but not uniformity. Churches that accept the ordaination of women and those that dont can work together to proclaim the gospel. A deeper life and missions movementthat has always been the Alliance at its best, experiencing the fullness of Jesus within us, the heart change of Christ within us, that sends us on mission to the world, he said. The denomination has trained both men and women for that mission to the world, but the women were previously consecrated, not ordained, and were told they should not use the title of pastor. Some women testified during the biannual conference that calling themselves Consecrated Woman of God and using the acronym CWG creates unnecessary confusion. When I go to the hospital and I show my credentials, they look at me, Leida Matias, a chaplain in Puerto Rico, told the gathered delegates. They dont have a clue what the letters mean. Then I have to say, I am a pastor. Explaining the distinctive Alliance terminology gets in the way of doing ministry, a number of CMA women said. Worse, it seems to diminish their calling. Being ordained would make my life a lot easier as a military chaplain, not having to make the big long explanation, said US Air Force chaplain Krista Lain. But its so much more than that. I am called to join God in raising up a vast army from dry bones by the breath of the Holy Spirit. I know I have angel armies backing me up. But I wonder, do I have the Alliance family backing me up? Some CMA churches already use the title of pastor for women in ministry. They have pointed to ambiguity in the denominations governing documents and the longer history of women in ministry in the Alliance. Founder A. B. Simpson insisted that women be trained to preach when he started Nyack Bible College (now Alliance University), and one of the first students to win a preaching prize at the New York school was a woman. Simpson wrote that women are under certain limitations and so are not called to exercise ecclesiastical authority, but he also supported and encouraged women to become Bible teachers, evangelists, branch presidents, and executive board members. Rob Bashioum, the lead pastor at Salem Alliance Church in Oregon, told the conference that his congregation was started by a woman 102 years ago. When she asked Simpson to send a pastor, he sent another woman to lead the fledgling church. Today the congregation has 25 people on staff with the title of pastor, and 14 of them are women. I believe this recommendation affirms the early practices of the Alliance and the intentions of our founder, Bashioum said. Our women are exceptional, and without them we would not see the kingdom advance like we have. The conference also heard from vocal opponents to the changes. Some expressed concern that the Alliance was turning its back on the wisdom of previous generations who didnt think women should be called pastors. Is this saying that the men and the councils of previous generations were somehow less spiritual women haters and werent as godly? asked Doug Birr, pastor of Campbellsport Alliance Church in Campbellsport, Wisconsin. Now weve arrived at having people who are progressive and able to be spiritual? Others warned that ordaining women would inevitably lead to a liberal slide and, eventually, denominational decline. They pointed to the examples of mainline churches, such as the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church, which began to lose members after they ordained women. This motion serves to destroy the role of men in the body of Christ and the authority that God has given to the shepherds in the Word of God, said Paul Taylor, pastor of Discovery Alliance Church in Missoula, Montana. We must face the hand of God and removal of his blessing. One consecrated woman spoke against the changes. Sandy Rose, whose husband is pastor of Living Hope Alliance Church in Huron, South Dakota, said the biblical pattern is that men carry a greater level of authority. That didnt mean consecrated women were inferior to ordained men, she said, just that they had a different role, just like Jesus has a different role in the Trinity than God the Father, and submits to the Father, but is still fully equal. I think that titling women as pastors is going to have a long-term negative effect on our denomination, Rose said. Several men went out of their way to say they respected the women in the Alliance and believed they really were called to ministrythey just shouldnt be called pastors. I want to fully affirm the calling, the gifting, and the ministry of women in this room and throughout the Alliance, said Don Wiggins, former North Central District superintendent. I can make that distinction in my heart and I believe many of us in the room can do that as well. The council delegates voted 1,008588 to ordain women. They voted 1,025592 to allow churches to call ordained women pastors. The conference also voted to reaffirm the Alliance position that elders can only be men. The lead pastors of Alliance churches are required to be elders, so that role will also be reserved for men. The rule change only applies to Alliance churches and ministries in the United States, and churches will not be required to hire women if they dont want to. The denomination cannot be neatly categorized as either complementarian or egalitarian, Alliance vice president Terry Smith told CT. Rules about church leadership are considered a secondary issue. What really makes our heart pound fast is mobilizing more people to ministry, he said. Thats kind of the heart of who we are. After voting for the change on June 2, the Alliance delegates gathered in the evening to worship together. They started with a CMA song written the week before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US in 2020. All of you for all the world / All we have no holding back, the delegates sang, paraphrasing Simpsons summation of the commitment of the Alliance. All of you for all the world / All we have no holding back. 172 UMC congregations in Ohio disaffiliate amid LGBT schism Over 170 United Methodist Church congregations in Ohio had their dissafiliation votes ratified this weekend as they seek to leave the second-largest Protestant largest denomination in the United States amid deep theological disagreements over LGBT issues. The Western Ohio Conference of the UMC, which oversees congregations mostly west and south of Columbus, voted to allow 172 out of approximately 960 congregations to disaffiliate at the 2023 West Ohio Annual Conference over the weekend. "Our calling is to serve this present age, even if there's a storm in the midst of passing over. One of our storms is disaffiliation," Bishop Gregory V. Palmer said in a statement. "That's not a blame thing; it's just the way it is. It's in the book. We've given a lot of attention to it. Let me be clear. It is not our mission. We gave attention to it. We'll finish up what there is to be finished up. But it is not Jesus' mission. It's not the mission of The United Methodist Church. It's not Greg Palmer's mission, and it's not your mission. We've got one mission: Make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. " The approval follows the disaffiliation of 80 congregations from the conference during a special session last year. "I bid the 172 churches that have departed our communion the best," Palmer said. "My focus will continue to be on a vibrant future for the West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church and its more than 700 churches." Over the past several years, the UMC has been embroiled in a divisive debate over whether to change its official stance labeling homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching," which includes a ban on the blessing of same-sex unions and prohibiting noncelibate homosexuals from becoming clergy. As some theological liberal leaders within the denomination have refused to enforce the Book of Discipline's stance on the matter, thousands of theologically conservative churches have disaffiliated from the denomination, with some joining the newly-formed Global Methodist Church or becoming nondenominational. "We all believe that gay people are worthy of Christian love. We don't agree on how to do that," Brian Straub, an ordained pastor in the Global Methodist Church, as quoted by Dayton Daily News. Brian Straub, president of the West Ohio Wesleyan Covenant Association, which helps churches disaffiliate from the UMC, said that while the disaffiliating churches believe "gay people are worthy of Christian love," there is disagreement over "how to do that." Despite the emotional turmoil and the financial obligations associated with disaffiliation, Straub told Dayton Daily News that the process in Ohio had been smoother compared to other regions. He credited the leadership of Bishop Palmer for this relative ease. Paragraph 2553 of the UMC Book of Discipline, set to expire at the end of 2023, allows U.S. congregations to disaffiliate from the denomination over the debate if they meet specific financial and procedural requirements. In some cases, church votes to leave the UMC have been rejected by regional bodies. In December, the First United Methodist Church of Jonesboro, Arkansas, filed a lawsuit against the Arkansas Conference after the conference voted to reject the church's disaffiliation and suspended its pastor. First UMC was among three congregations that had their disaffiliation voters rejected by the conference in November, although it approved the disaffiliation requests of 35 other congregations. Last July, 106 churches filed a lawsuit against the UMC Florida Annual Conference, claiming that it requires departing congregations to pay a "sum of money" to retain control of their church properties. During the legal proceedings, however, 35 churches eventually left the lawsuit to pursue the disaffiliation process, with a judge ruling in favor of the Florida Conference in April. According to numbers compiled by UM News, as of Monday morning, the UMC has approved 4,359 disaffiliations across the United States since 2019, the vast majority of which have happened since last year. 4 shocking findings from State Department's religious freedom report The U.S. State Department's recent report highlighting religious freedom conditions abroad relayed several shocking realities about the scale of violence and persecution being faced by Christians and other religious minorities around the world. The report, released by the State Department Office of International Religious Freedom on May 15, is submitted to Congress under the order of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to document human rights abuses and areas of concern regarding religious freedom. "U.S. embassies prepare the initial drafts of country chapters based on information from government officials, religious groups, nongovernmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, academics, media, and others," the report notes. "The Office of International Religious Freedom, based in Washington, collaborates in collecting and analyzing additional information, drawing on its consultations with foreign government officials, domestic and foreign religious groups, domestic and foreign nongovernmental organizations, multilateral and other international and regional organizations, journalists, academic experts, community leaders, and other relevant U.S. government institutions." The following pages highlight four shocking findings in the State Departments 2022 report. 1 2 3 4 5 Next Mike Stone gets surprising endorsement for his SBC presidential bid Prominent Southern Baptist Convention Pastor Mike Stone received a surprising endorsement for his bid to become president of the largest Protestant denomination in the United States on Monday. Florida Pastor Willy Rice, who has been critical of the Conservative Baptist Network, to which Stone serves on the steering council, and supported Ed Litton for SBC president over Stone in 2021, has endorsed Stone. Rice posted a statement to the website of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Florida, where he serves as senior pastor. He stated that he will nominate Stone at the SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, next week. Stone is the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Blackshear, Georgia, and former president of the SBC Executive Committee who ran unsuccessfully for SBC president in 2021. "In the last months I have come to know Mike Stone on a personal level. I have found him to be a man of courageous conviction, a pastor with a shepherd's heart, and somebody who understands the SBC and the issues of this hour that we face," wrote Rice. "He is an independent thinker and, more than most, he is his own man. He is also willing to run for SBC President again, and this time I will support him and hope he is elected." Rice explained that when Stone ran for president in 2021, he "disagreed with him on several issues and especially felt concern over the Conservative Baptist Network" because he found "some of their voices to be overly divisive and unnecessarily caustic." The Conservative Baptist Network was founded in 2020 as a grassroots effort to maintain the proclamation of the Gospel at the center of SBC life amid concerns that others within the denomination are drifting from biblical orthodoxy. "I am not a part of the CBN. I do not endorse everything they have said or written, but neither do I think every concern they have expressed can be ignored and summarily dismissed," Rice said. "Mike and I have spoken at length about this. Mike does not represent the CBN and if elected, Mike will not be a CBN President; he will be the SBC President and he will serve us all." While Rice was supportive of the reform effort with SBC to tackle issues of sexual abuse, he claims that the direction the convention now seems to be heading is not what he "signed up for." "I didn't sign up for left wing, feminist critical theory, cancel culture, politics," he wrote. "I didn't sign up for leaked emails, taped conversations, endless lawsuits, and character assassination." Rice sought to run for SBC president in 2022 before dropping out of contention after it was revealed that a Calvary Church deacon committed sexual sin that could also be described as abusive. That deacon was since removed as an SBC resolution passed in 2021 encouraged churches to disqualify individuals who have committed sexual abuse from holding church leadership roles. Rice stated that his change of opinion on Stone came because he believes that the SBC "is facing an existential crisis that could irreparably damage our cooperative work." "A movement that should have united Southern Baptists to attack a problem has instead divided us into attacking one another," Rice wrote. "Godly believers have been maligned and attacked as somehow supportive of sexual abuse and of sexual abusers simply because they advocate a different approach to dealing with this critical issue." Rice believes Stone is "one of the few people who understands what has gone wrong and knows how to right the direction." "Mike is a sexual abuse survivor. He knows firsthand the horror of such a violation," Rice wrote. "He also knows what it feels like to be unfairly attacked. He is one of the few guys I know who possess the strength to stand in this current moment and the wisdom to know what to do." In late April, Stone announced his intention to run again for SBC president, challenging incumbent Bart Barber, elected at last year's annual meeting. It's uncommon for SBC presidents to face an opponent as they seek a second year in office. As the former president of the SBC Executive Committee, Stone believes the convention is headed in a financially unstable direction, declaring that "unsustainable should be unacceptable." "We can deal rightly with the abuse issue while staying on mission for Christ," Stone said in his April announcement. "There's more that can and will be said over the next few weeks, but the bottom line today is the largest Evangelical network of churches in America is on an unsustainable trajectory." In October 2021, Stone sued Russell Moore, former head of the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, after letters written by Moore were leaked to the press after he departed from the ERLC and the convention. The letters claimed that SBC leaders mishandled a "crisis of sexual abuse" and that Moore and his family had experienced unfair treatment from SBC leaders. In his lawsuit, Stone argued that the letters negatively impacted his 2021 campaign for SBC president. Stone withdrew the lawsuit in December 2021, saying in a statement emailed to The Christian Post at the time that he believes he should "leave the matter in the hands of our Lord." Texas becomes largest state to ban sex-change surgeries, puberty blockers for minors Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed a bill into law Friday that bans sex-change surgeries and hormonal interventions aimed at transitioning minors with gender dysphoria, as the Lone Star State joins more than a dozen others to pass similar legislation. Senate Bill 14, which goes into effect on Sept. 1, prohibits medical interventions such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries like double mastectomy for female-born minors identifying as male. It also forbids the use of state funds for such procedures in children. The law stipulates that the procedures are prohibited "for the purpose of transitioning a child's biological sex as determined by the sex organs, chromosomes, and endogenous profiles of the child or affirming the child's perception of the child's sex if that perception is inconsistent with the child's biological sex." The bill passed the Texas Legislature last month. It's signing into law drew praise from conservatives and condemnation from Democrats and progressive civil rights groups. "Today, Texas has sent a clear message: they take child safety seriously," Autumn Leva, senior vice president of strategy at the social conservative advocacy group Family Policy Alliance, said in a statement to The Christian Post. Leva's group has been involved in crafting legislation related to this issue since 2017. Emmett Schelling, executive director at Transgender Education Network of Texas, criticized SB 14 and other bills advanced by the Texas Legislature this session as an "opportunity to launch a barbaric hate campaign against trans and queer Texans." "Legislators treat our lives like a game, treating our freedoms like backroom deals and selling us out," Schelling said in a statement shared by the ACLU of Texas. "The bigotry displayed this session should have legislators feeling disgraced and ashamed." The author of the bill, Republican State Sen. Donna Campbell, an emergency room doctor, said during the Senate State Affairs Committee hearing in March that "If there comes a time when a profession such as the medical profession cannot regulate itself to protect patients protect children then the government needs to step in." Campbell emphasized that children require counseling and affection, not irreversible medical interventions, according to The Herald-Zeitung. With the recent passage of the bill in Texas, there are now at least 17 states with similar laws: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. As of 2023, another 26 states have introduced legislation along the same lines. Gov. Abbott's signature also makes Texas, with a population of about 30 million, the largest state to legislate against such procedures for minors. Despite parliamentary delays caused by Democrats in both Texas legislature chambers, the bill passed the Republican-controlled legislature. Democrat Rep. Shawn Thierry voted for the bill, saying she wanted to "place the safety and well-being of all young people over the comfort of political expediency," CBS News reports. Before its passage, left-wing legal groups, such as Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Texas, announced plans for legal action against the law. In 2022, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a formal opinion stating that certain sex-change procedures and interventions "can legally constitute child abuse under several provisions of chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code." The law comes after allegations that Texas Children's Hospital in Houston performed transgender procedures on children as young as 11, according to documents obtained by City Journal. The hospital announced in 2022 that it would no longer provide puberty-blocking drugs to minors. In May, Paxton announced an investigation into Austin-based Dell Children's Medical Center (DCMC), where prosecutors allege the use of puberty blockers and "gender transitioning" procedures were unlawfully performed on minor children. Chick-Fil-As DEI policy an intentional shift to progressivism This week, controversy was sparked over the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) portion of Chick-fil-As website. The content, apparently not entirely new, brought some calls for boycott on social media. To be clear, this piece is not one of those calls. But it is still important for Christians to recognize the situation for what it is: it is a shift away from the values that we appreciated about the company. The DEI page reads that One of our core values at Chick-fil-A, Inc. is that we are better together. And Chick-fil-A, Inc.s commitment to being Better at Together means embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in everything we do. It is true that the company explains that it aims to achieve DEI by promoting equal opportunity, understanding and honoring unique experiences and perspectives, and promoting a culture where all individuals can thrive. But this is mere flowery language that provides cover for something more nefarious. Based upon this authors observations on social media, many Christians are falling for these platitudes. After all, it is true that environments free of discrimination sound loving. But language is not always meant to be taken at face value. The verbiage used signals the intent. Here, Chick-fil-A signals pride in its policy. It created a slogan to go along with it. It is not bland boilerplate hidden deep within the websites policy section. Rather, it reads like a press release. And, it uses the words diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is the same exact language used by progressives. It signals alignment with progressivism. And that is the concern. Progressivism is never inclusive of the Christian worldview. Progressivism seeks to cancel those who believe in the sanctity of marriage, those who believe that our sex/gender is God-given and cannot be changed, and those who believe that one should not be treated according to their skin color. These Christian ideals are pushed out of the spaces that progressives take over. Further concerning, and telling, is the statement that this DEI effort is involved in everything we do. So, any claim that there is simply an effort to be inclusive of those who are different is not true. Everything includes the companys beliefs, values, and mission. The same mission that used to be unequivocally Christian. DEI is not Christian. It is rooted in critical theory, which claims that society is to be divided into oppressor/oppressed groups which view people based on their sex, race, sexuality, etc. classifications. So, policies that focus on DEI would, by extension, seek to remedy the oppressed groups by giving them advantages. And, when a company makes an effort toward valuing differences, as Chick-Fil-A puts it, they are trying to accommodate lived experiences that value ones perception over objective truth. Scripture tells us to not place focus on oppressor/oppressed classifications. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. Romans 10:12. Historically, the Jew and Greek would have had an oppressor/oppressed dynamic. And clearly, the Romans were focused on this dynamic. But Paul tells us to only focus on those who call on him. Similarly, we cannot place too much emphasis on lived experience. Lived experience requires us to give deference to ones own experience rather than objective truth. In this time in history, this lived experience requires us to hear how one came to adopt unbiblical life decisions. But objective truth rests in the Bible. One cannot reconcile some lived experiences with Biblical truth. This isnt to say that you are somehow endorsing untruth or an unbiblical worldview by eating at Chick-fil-A. But the currents of the world right now are dangerous. The Church cannot continue to be unaware of the significance of messaging. Christians must be able to recognize when there is danger so that they do not drown in the worldly currents that presently exist. And with DEI, the danger is real. As for Chick-fil-A, it is hard to understand this shift. A good portion of their success has come from them being one of us. Christians rightly admire and support people and companies who do not conform to the pattern of this world. Sadly, Chick-fil-A seems to be doing just that. Over 4,000 people baptized at California beach during historic 'Baptize SoCal' event More than 4,000 people were baptized off the beaches of Southern California on Pentecost Sunday as part of a revival event organized by several congregations. On May 28, around 300 churches came to Pirates Cove Beach under the banner of the event "Baptize SoCal," with a recorded number of 4,166 people being baptized. Pastor Mark Francey, one of the lead pastors of California-based Oceans Church and one of the people behind the event, told The Christian Post that God gave him the vision to do the event during "a prayer time back in May of 2022." "As believers, we always want to be obedient to what Jesus asks us to do. My mentors taught me it's as simple as praying, obeying, then acting," said Francey. While his church has previously hosted baptism events at local beaches, including Pirates Cove Beach, before, Francey said, "We have never seen a crowd like that for baptisms." R.J. McCauley, pastor of student ministries at Magnolia Church of Riverside and an attendee of the mass baptism, told CP that it was a "beautiful event." "In our times of cultural darkness, there was a bright light shining throughout the event on Pentecost Sunday. There was live worship, prayer, and thousands of people cheering on those who were getting baptized," said McCauley. "We want a Jesus Revolution to truly happen in our state and among the youth, so this is a beautiful event that helps accomplish that goal." McCauley, who heads the California Southern Baptist Convention organization CSBC Youth, told CP that there are plans to return to Pirates Cove for Pentecost 2024. "We want to plant a Gospel seed in every Gen Z in California, so I hope to be involved next year and help mobilize Gen Z students to attend this historic baptism spot and pass it on to the future in California," he added. California's beaches are no stranger to mass baptisms in the recent past, especially Pirates Cove. Greg Laurie, an evangelist and senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, has held baptism events at Pirates Cove over the years. In 2018, over 550 people were baptized during a baptism event at Pirates Cove led by Laurie. "Back over 40 years ago, during the Jesus Movement, we used to do baptisms down at Pirates Cove Beach. In fact, that is where I was baptized and my wife, Cathe, was baptized there as well," Laurie told CP at the time. "It is a significant place, historically, for the Church because that was sort of the epicenter of the Jesus Revolution, as reported on by Time magazine and others. It was a phenomenon." In September 2020, nearly 1,000 people were baptized at Newport Beach's Corona Del Mar State Beach at an event sponsored by Calvary Chapel of Chino Hills. Bible removed from Utah elementary, middle school bookshelves for sex and violence Utahs Davis School District has removed the Bible from the libraries of its elementary and middle schools, citing passages describing sex and violence as inappropriate for those age groups. The decision has created a national stir since its announcement. The process began when a parent filed a challenge to the continued presence of the Bible in school libraries, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. The complaint argued that the Bible, as one of the most sex-ridden books around, features multiple instances of content including incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, rape and infanticide. The complainant further asserted that such content clearly violates the Utah Code Ann. 76-10-1227 passed in 2022, which bans books with pornographic or indecent content from schools. In response, the district formed a committee to review the Bible and its appropriateness for student access. After a detailed investigation, the committee announced its decision. The Bible will remain on the shelves of high schools in the district but will be removed from the libraries of elementary and middle schools. Christopher Williams, spokesperson for the Davis School District, was quoted as saying that the decision would take effect immediately. It is believed that seven or eight elementary and middle schools within the district currently hold copies of the Bible that will be removed. As it stands, Davis School District libraries hold other religious texts, such as the Book of Mormon, Torah and Quran, available for students to check out without age restrictions. These have yet to face challenges similar to the Bible. Following the removal of the Bible from many Davis School District libraries, a request was made to ban the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Book of Mormon due to its violent content. This religious text, deemed a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible by the LDS, will now face a review to determine its suitability for school libraries. The Bible challenge and subsequent review occurred amid a nationwide wave of book removals from school libraries. Under the same Utah Code, books such as The Bluest Eye by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison and Gender Queer, a graphic novel exploring the authors journey of self-identity, have also been removed from Utah schools. Although the committee did not find the Bible to contain sensitive material as defined by the Utah code, the decision to limit the books availability was based on the age appropriateness of its content, Fox 13 reported. The decision has faced backlash, with one parent appealing to keep the Bible accessible for students of all ages. In response, the district will form a new committee consisting of three members of its Board of Education. The committee will review both the original complaint and the appeal and make a recommendation to the full board, who will make the final decision in a forthcoming public meeting. The challenging of religious texts within the school district has sparked national debate and brought further attention to the ongoing discussions about the appropriateness of book content in schools. Publishers group apologises for school textbook criticising Christian missionaries in Ghana (CP) The Ghana National Association of Authors and Publishers has offered an apology and admitted to errors amid criticism from parents, educators and the country's deputy education minister for a textbook's negative depiction of the impact Christian missionaries have had on the country. In a statement, the association offered an "unqualified apology" to the Ministry of Education, The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Ghanaian Schools, Nananom, the Christian Council of Ghana and "any Ghanaian who find the statements obnoxious." The book, titled "History of Ghana for Basic Schools, Learners Book 4," reportedly touches on what it describes as the negative consequences of Christian missionary activities and claims Christianity has led to an increase in poverty in the country, according to Ghana's largest English radio station JoyFM and MyJoyOnline. The book also reported claims that "Christianity has led to an increase in poverty" and that "some religious doctrines brought by missionaries create a sense of fear or timidity." Furthermore, the textbook asserts that religion is a major cause of physical conflict worldwide and that many religions discriminate against women. According to MyJoyOnline, the book claimed that religion makes people lackadaisical about finding ways to improve their living conditions. The book claims to teach that many politicians in Ghana use religion to cause disaffection among people to advance their political interest and that religion creates an avenue for many tricksters. "[T]he points raised in the book were views or opinions of the author regarding the negative effects of the Christian missionaries in Ghana. However, we admit in part to the error of adherence to content requirements and suitability of content for the level it was intended for," the press statement from the Ghana National Association of Authors and Publishers reads. "The authors, we admit, should have remained faithful to the demands of the syllabus and stressed the impact of Christian missionaries rather than religion as a whole." In a May 25 tweet, Ntim Fordjour, Ghana's deputy education minister, condemned the book as "obnoxious" and accused it of being "smuggled into the market for unsuspecting learners." "The content is appalling and misconceived," Fordjour wrote. "I support NaCCA's swift action to recall the books and apply sanction. Ghana is most peaceful for a reason, and the important place of religion cannot be undermined." The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has called for an immediate recall of the book from the market. However, Gifty Swum Ampofo, also a deputy minister for education, has said that while the textbook was approved by NaCCA, the contentious passages were not present at the time of the assessment, according to Ghana Web. She expressed her bewilderment about how the textbook with anti-Christian commentary made its way to the market. As of the 2021 census, Christianity is the predominant faith in Ghana, practiced by 71.3% of the population across numerous denominations. Meanwhile, Islam constitutes the religious beliefs of 19.9% of the nation's total populace. Christianity was introduced to Ghana in the late 15th century by Portuguese traders who initially arrived on the coast in search of gold and other valuables. They built the first Christian chapel in Sub-Saharan Africa, named Elmina, in the coastal town of Sao Jorge da Mina. However, it was not until the 19th century that Christian missionary activity substantially increased, led predominantly by Methodists and Anglicans from Britain. These missionaries established schools, introduced formal education and translated the Bible into local languages. The Christian Post Philippines expects more Chinese tourists by facilitating e-visa service Xinhua) 13:24, June 05, 2023 MANILA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines hopes to attract up to 2 million Chinese tourists this year amid the Southeast Asian country's efforts to remove the cap for issuing e-visa for Chinese nationals, Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Gracia Frasco has said. The Department of Tourism (DOT) is "continuously coordinating" with other government agencies to lift the cap on issuing e-visa for Chinese nationals to meet the ambitious target, Frasco said in a statement on Friday. "We hope to be able to inure, for the benefit of our stakeholders, the full implementation of the e-visa system by the end of this year," Frasco said. In January, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos directed agencies to extend e-visa for Chinese, Indian, South Korean, and Japanese nationals to encourage tourists from these countries. According to the DOT, over 2 million foreign tourists visited the Philippines from January to mid-May this year. Some 75,000 Chinese tourists were among those who vacationed in the archipelagic country famous for world-class fine-sand beaches, limestone formations, and aquamarine lagoons. As a key economic driver, the tourism industry's contribution to the Philippines' gross domestic product stood at 12.7 percent in 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the tourism sector, slashing foreign arrivals and displacing almost 1.1 million service workers nationwide. The Philippines received over 2.65 million foreign tourists in 2022 since it eased restrictions on foreign travelers' entry, earning roughly 3.82 billion U.S. dollars in revenue. For 2023, the tourism department targets international arrivals to hit between 2.6 million to 6.4 million "in a high scenario." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Utah school district bans King James Bible from school libraries Copies of the King James Bible have been removed from some school libraries in the US state of Utah after a parent complained. The parent allegedly claimed in a complaint to the Davis School District last December that parts of the King James Bible were unsuitable for children. The district has removed copies from several elementary and middle school libraries, stating that "vulgarity and violence not suitable for younger students", The Salt Lake Tribune newspaper reports. Copies of the King James Bible in the district's high schools will remain. State law was changed last year to require districts to consult with parents about "sensitive material". The complaint is reported to have referred to this law in claiming that the King James Bible "has 'no serious values for minors' because it's pornographic by our new definition". The bill that changed the law was sponsored by Ken Ivory who said that the King James Bible "is a challenging read for elementary or middle school children on their own". "Traditionally, in America, the Bible is best taught, and best understood, in the home, and around the hearth, as a family," Ken Ivory said in a Facebook post. 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 The chair of Christian Aid has stepped down from his role following the publication of a report by the national safeguarding team of the Church of England. On Friday, the charity announced the resignation of John Sentamu who had been its chair since November 2021 after retiring as bishop of York the previous year. In his resignation letter to the trustees, Sentamu said he was concerned that recent events could become a distraction from the vital work of Christian Aid. Civil Society understands that Sentamu was referring to the findings of the Independent Learning Lessons Review , published last month, which concluded that he had failed to act as bishop on sexual abuse allegations made by a teenage boy against the late priest Trevor Devamanikkam. Christian Aid said that vice chair Maggie Swinson will take over from Sentamu as interim chair until a permanent chair is recruited. Christian Aid: We understand the reasons for his resignation Patrick Watt, chief executive of Christian Aid, said that given recent events the charity understands why Sentamu resigned. During his tenure Sentamu gave generously of his time, as he steered the organisation through a change of chief executive, and a review of its strategy. He has played a critical role in our campaigning on climate justice, and on a just peace for Ukraine, and has brought Christian Aids work to the attention of new audiences, he said. Sentamu recently visited Sierra Leone where he saw first-hand the work of Christian Aids partners and met with government and religious leaders to discuss our programmes to strengthen womens political participation, support livelihoods, and promote community peacebuilding. His visit reinforced our relationships in the country, and inspired staff and partners. Safeguarding report Following the publication of the review in May, the diocese of Newcastle asked Sentamu, who was then its honorary assistant bishop, to step back from active ministry until both the findings and his response can be explored further. The review said that the survivor was repeatedly abused as a 16-year-old boy by Devamanikkam in the 1980s and had disclosed his abuse in a letter to two members of the clergy including Sentamu, who both failed to act on his disclosures. Sentamu rejected the findings of the review, saying that its author had a fundamental misunderstanding of the jurisdictional, pastoral and legal responsibilities of diocesan bishops and archbishops in the Church of England. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, A building under construction partially collapsed Friday in New Haven, Connecticut, when a concrete pour went awry, injuring eight workers, including two critically, city officials said, adding there were no fatalities. City firefighters and other authorities were called to Lafayette Street shortly after 12:30 p.m. Our units responded immediately within minutes and found several persons in varying degrees of injury, from broken bones to three that were partially buried under the rubble, Fire Chief John Alston Jr. said during a news conference. Firefighters used ladders and ropes to get to the victims through sharp, broken rebar and other debris, witnesses and officials said. Some victims were hoisted out of the deep hole in rescue baskets attached to ropes, while others were pulled out of the side of the building. We heard a crash and we jumped up, said Danean Doheny, a medical assistant who was working on the fourth floor of a neighboring building and witnessed the rescues. It was crazy. It was very emotional and scary. Im just glad everybody for the most part is OK. Doheny said the concrete delivery equipment was still running for a time after the collapse, sending the construction mixture onto the injured workers in the hole. There were 36 people at the work site at the time, and all were accounted for, officials said. All eight injured people were construction workers. Six were pulled out of the building by firefighters, while two were able to escape on their own, officials said. Officials later brought in dogs to search the building for any other people. They were doing a concrete pour on this building and as they were pouring concrete a portion of the second floor collapsed onto the first floor and then into the basement, Mayor Justin Elicker said. Workers at the site told first responders the concrete was being poured faster than they could spread it, and it pooled too much in one area and caused the collapse, Alston said. First responders had additional urgency to rescue the victims because the concrete was drying, he said. Elicker said the property is owned by nearby Yale University and is being developed into what will be a seven-story residential building by RMS Companies, based in Stamford, Connecticut, which bills itself as a builder of upscale, modern apartments and luxurious boutique hotels on its website. The building is currently two stories high, with two parking levels underground. Plans call for 112 residential units, Elicker said. There will be a significant investigation as with any construction situation like this, the mayor said. A person who answered the phone at RMS said the company was not commenting at this time. Investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the scene. City officials said they planned to issue a stop work order at the site until it is safe. Lafayette Street is a short distance from Yale New Haven Hospital and the Yale School of Medicine and is home to several medical offices, about five blocks from the New Haven Green and Yales main campus. Alston said city emergency officials had been talking about responding to building collapses in recent days, in response to the partial collapse of an apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, on Sunday that left three people missing and feared dead. They did some excellent work under some harrowing conditions, Alston said about New Haven first responders. Im very proud of that considering what happened in Iowa recently. Weve been talking about collapses in our area so they responded admirably. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. MONTREAL (AP) A fishing excursion ended in tragedy on Saturday when four children died in a village in northeastern Quebec, provincial police said. Authorities said they were still searching for a missing man in his 30s who was a member of the fishing party and remained unaccounted for. The bodies of the four children all minors older than 10 were found unresponsive on the river bank a few hours after authorities received an emergency call about a group that had been swept up by the tide near Portneuf- sur-Mer, about 550 kilometers (341 miles) northeast of Montreal. They were among a group of 11 people who were fishing for capelin on foot near the shore when they were caught off guard by the rising tide. Quebec provincial police divers and Canadian Forces members took part in the search for the missing adult. Mayor Jean-Maurice Tremblay said Saturday he did not know more about the victims or if they were from Portneuf-sur-Mer, a community of about 600 people. Everyone is affected by what happened, because this kind of event, its the first time its happened, Tremblay said in French. When it involves five people, and four children drowning during a recreational activity, its certain people are quite sad about it. Capelin a silvery smelt fish are a forage species consumed by many marine animals, and Tremblay said fishing for them is a popular activity in his part of Quebecs north shore. It is done on the banks of the river using scoops rather than fishing lines. Capelin most often roll at night, so people light a fire on the shore and wait, Tremblay added. Tremblay said the sandbank on which the victims were fishing is accessed by all- terrain vehicles. They were caught on a part of the peninsula where parts can be submerged by up to four meters of water when the tide rises. A 911 call came in at about 2 a.m. on Saturday, and police say six people were rescued from the water and five others were reported missing the four victims and the missing man. The bodies of the four children were transported to a nearby health clinic where a doctor confirmed their deaths. Police investigators and forensic teams have been deployed to shed light on what happened. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An Iowa task force has completed its search for survivors at the site of a partially collapsed Davenport apartment building without finding three missing people who are feared dead, authorities said Friday. The focus has shifted to shoring up the structure so recovery efforts can begin. The remains of the six-story apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on Sunday, which officials said posed a risk to rescuers who were trying to search for survivors. We do what the building tells us to do, Rick Halleran, the task forces Cedar Rapids division chief, said of the delay in searching the building. City officials earlier this week said that Brandon Colvin, Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien were unaccounted for and had high probability of being home at the time of the collapse. All three have since been listed in the National Database of Missing Persons. The state task force was mobilized and on site to first search for survivors and then secure the structure, Halleran said. He said the search for survivors was completed Thursday evening after electrical equipment connected to the building were controlled. The states search and rescue team, search dogs and cameras were used in the search Thursday. Officials fear the unstable building will eventually collapse on its own. Adding to the challenge is a giant pile of brick and steel at the base of the building that is helping to hold up the structure but also may contain the remains of people killed in the collapse. We are doing the best we can to balance the building conditions and the safety of our responders, said Fire Chief Mike Carlsten. He said conditions have forced a response that may take days and weeks instead of what ideally would have been minutes or hours after the collapse. Mayor Mike Matson has said the debris pile could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted and stressed the city would be sensitive about those remains, comparing work at the site to an archeological dig. Work to bring down the building comes amid questions about why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger even after a structural engineers report issued last week indicated a wall of the century- old building was at imminent risk of crumbling. Do I have regrets about this tragedy and about people potentially losing their lives? Hell yeah. Do I think about this every moment? Hell yeah, Matson said Thursday. I have regrets about a lot of things. Believe me, were going to look at that. City officials said Thursday that they did not order an evacuation because they relied on the engineers assurances that the building remained safe. Matson promised to improve inspections and to investigate what happened. The building collapsed shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday. Rescue crews pulled seven people from the building in their initial response and escorted out 12 others who could walk on their own. Later, two more people were rescued, including a woman who was removed from the fourth floor hours after authorities said they were going to begin setting up for demolition. Bladel said transient people also often entered the building but there was no indication anyone else was inside and missing. People living in the building will be eligible for $6,000 payments from the city and those meeting certain income requirements could get state payments of $5,000. Businesses near the collapsed building will also be eligible to receive payments. City Administrator Corri Spiegel said Thursday the building likely is filled with asbestos given its age and the city will develop a plan to protect workers and others when the structure is demolished. Andrew Wold, the buildings owner, released a statement dated Tuesday saying our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million. Tenants had complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show. City officials ordered repairs after they found seven fire code violations on Feb. 6. However, they were told three weeks later by building maintenance officials that none of the work was completed, records show. Rich Oswald, the citys director of development and neighborhood services, confirmed Thursday that the citys chief building official, Trishna Pradhan, resigned in the aftermath of the collapse. Pradhan had visited the building on May 25, and erroneously reported it had passed an inspection in notes in the citys online permitting system, Oswald said. Pradhan attempted to change the inspection result to incomplete on Tuesday after the collapse but a technical glitch instead listed the outcome as failed, he said. Oswald said the incomplete status is the correct status since the repair work was unfinished. The city later clarified that Pradhan resigned voluntarily and not in lieu of termination. Calls and text messages to Pradhan were not immediately returned. Assistant City Attorney Brian Heyer said he is unaware whether the city had considered earlier civil enforcement action to protect residents. Only after the collapse did the city file a civil infraction seeking a $300 fine against Wold for failing to maintain the structure in a safe manner. He will be required to pay for the cost of demolition, Heyer said. Emails and calls to an attorney believed to be representing Wold have not been returned. Foley reported from Iowa City. Associated Press reporter Summer Ballentine contributed from Jefferson City, Missouri. Top photo: Three search and rescue workers and a dog approach the site of a building collapse in Davenport, Iowa, during a search, Thursday, June 1, 2023. (Grace Kinnicutt/Quad City Times via AP) Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A single voicemail message left on a cellphone without permission is enough to allow an individual to proceed with a class-action lawsuit alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, a panel with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday. The appellate panel reversed a District Court ruling that found Matthew Dickson lacked standing to pursue a lawsuit against Direct Energy LP because he suffered no concrete harm. The 6th Circuits ruling in Dickson v. Direct Energy resolves a critical legal issue for TCPA plaintiffs on Article III standing and will allow our case to move forward and hopefully secure a judgment for the in excess of 2.5 million class members who were subjected to Direct Energys illegal prerecorded telemarketing calls, Dicksons attorney, Brian K. Murphy, said in an email. The TCPA allows civil penalties of $500 per call, or $1,500 for willful violations. Murphy, who is a partner with the Murphy Murray Moul + Basil law firm in Columbus, Ohio, said Dickson is seeking damages in the range of $1.4 billion to $4.2 billion for Direct Energys robocalling campaign. Dickson alleged in a lawsuit that he received multiple ringless voicemails, known as RVMs, on his cell phone in November 2017.RVM technology allows telemarketers to automatically dial telephone numbers and deliver prerecorded voice messages without triggering the devices ringer. Congress passed the TCPA in 1991 to bar automatic telephone calls to people who have not given permission. Dickson alleged that the pre-recorded messages placed on his cell phone by Nancy Brown with Direct Energy were a nuisance and a violation of the law. He filed a lawsuit and sought class-action status to seek damages for an estimated 2.5 million consumers who received voicemails during Direct Energys telemarketing campaign. During discovery, Dickson said he received 11 ringless voicemails from Direct Energy. An expert for Direct Energy, however, concluded that only one of those RVMs came from the company, which sells electricity distribution plans to residents and businesses. US District Judge John R. Adams, with the Northern District of Ohio in Akron, ruled that a single RVM was not enough concrete harm to give Dickson standing because Dickson was not charged for the call and the call did not tie up his phone. Dickson appealed, arguing that even one call was an intrusion upon seclusion. The 6th Circuit panel said it has never before been asked to decide whether a single call is enough to give a consumer standing under the TCPA. The panel reviewed several decisions by the Supreme Court and other Circuit Courts to decide that it is. Citizens have a common-law right to privacy, which includes the right to be left alone, the panel said. From a lay perspective, we can see why members of the public and Congress, through the TCPA, deemed such calls intrusive, the opinion says. For example, some consider their phone number a matter of private information in and of itself. People commonly exercise discretion in publicizing their phone numbers, entrusting them only to their circle of friends, family, and select others on an as-needed basis. The panel said the District Court relied on two 11th Circuit rulings that found an invasion of privacy must be substantial to create a concrete harm that would give Dickson standing to pursue his lawsuit. Those rulings are not persuasive, the panel said, because they did not look to both history and the judgment of Congress to determine whether an intangible harm is sufficiently concrete to constitute an injury in fact. Dicksons receipt of an unsolicited RVM bears a close relationship to the kind of injury protected by the common law tort of intrusion upon seclusion; and his claimed harm directly correlates with the protections enshrined by Congress in the TCPA, the panel concluded. Therefore, Dickson suffered a concrete injury in fact sufficient for Article III standing purposes. AKRON, Ohio A Summit County judge has sentenced two men to life in prison after both were found guilty of the slaying of an Akron man in July 2022. Anthony Fowler, 44, of Akron, will be eligible for parole after serving 18 years in prison, while Alexander Quarterman, 49, of New York, will be eligible for parole after 25 years, according a news release from Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walshs office. On May 17, a jury convicted both men of two counts of murder with firearm specifications, felonious assault with a firearm specification, and felonious assault for the 2022 killing of Derrick Patterson in West Akron. Prosecutors say Fowler and Quarterman got into a fight with Patterson at a convenience store on Copley Road. Pattersons nephew intervened, then drove his uncle away from the store and dropped him off about a block away, prosecutors say. Fowler and Quarterman drove by moments later and ran over Patterson, then shot and killed him, prosecutors say. Fowler was arrested soon after the shooting, but Quarterman wasnt arrested until September in Troy, N.Y. CLEVELAND, Ohio Three men will each spend more than a decade in prison for an armed carjacking spree in Northeast Ohio. U.S. District Judge James Gwin on Monday sentenced Kenneth Franklin, 19, of Akron to 15 years in prison. Gwin previously ordered co-defendants Donteze Congress, 19, and Thomas Williams, 19, to serve identical sentences, based on their plea agreements. The trio pleaded guilty to carjacking, possessing a gun during a violent crime and other charges. Congress and Williams are from Maple Heights. Franklin had no prior criminal history, went to school at Akron Alternative Academy and worked jobs at Kentucky Fried Chicken, Daves Supermarket and La Bodega restaurant. That all changed on Jan. 13, 2022, when Franklin witnessed his 16-year-old brother, Phillip Green Jr., shot in the head in the Buckeye-Shaker Square neighborhood. Green died nine days later. He had no care about himself at the time and engaged in reckless behavior, Franklins attorney, Fernando Mack, said. He had no violence in his background, no criminal history. But the wheels all came off. About eight months later, Franklin, Congress and Williams carjacked two people and tried to carjack a third person in a two-hour span. Franklin acted as the driver in all three incidents. About 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 9, the three men intentionally rear-ended a 22-year-old womans Jeep. When she stopped and got out, Williams and an unidentified juvenile pointed guns at her, stole her Jeep and sped away, with Franklin following. The group drove to Streetsboro where they followed a 39-year-old woman until she pulled into a parking lot near Planet Fitness on Ohio 303. Congress and Williams pointed guns at the woman and ordered her out of her car. The woman got out, but she fought back, hitting Congress and successfully ordering the group out of her car. The group sped away and ended up shortly after in Solon. Again, Franklin rear-ended someone, a 62-year-old rabbi. Williams and Congress pointed guns at the rabbi, took his 2022 Volvo S90 and sped away. Solon police tracked the Volvo to East 94th Street in Garfield Heights, where they found the car and arrested Williams after a foot chase. Investigators later found a cellphone video of the group standing in a parking lot with both stolen cars. Franklin had a rifle slung over his shoulder. Police later found stolen keys and other items from the carjackings during raids on their homes. To some degree, his history suggests that this was a terrible mistake that will cost him the rest of his life, Gwin said. But his conduct was terrible. Adam Ferrise covers federal courts at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. You can find his work here. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Ohio State Highway Patrol is searching for a suspect who fired gunshots on the Ohio Turnpike during a road-rage incident. Troopers received a call at 7:06 p.m. May 9 from a driver at the exit ramp to Ohio 4 in Groton Township in Erie County. The victim said he was driving eastbound when a man shot at him from a white, four-door sedan, according to the patrol. The two vehicles were tailgating each other before the driver pulled out a gun and shot at the victims vehicle, according to the patrol. The vehicle was struck once on the left rear door. No one was injured. Surveillance video showed the suspected vehicle exiting the turnpike at U.S. 250, near Sandusky, minutes after the incident occurred, the patrol said. Troopers have not been able to determine the identity of the driver or the location of the vehicle. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Milan Post of the patrol at 440-234-2096. Its been 40 years since Flaming Lips emerged from Oklahoma City, but group leader Wayne Coyne says its only recently that hes learned to accept the bands durability. Everybodys insecure; you always see it being more fragile than it is, says Coyne, 62, who will be in Cleveland on Sunday for a Flaming Lips show at the Agora. Coyne is the sole remaining member of the Lips original lineup. (Fellow multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd has been on board since 1991.) It wasnt until a couple of years ago I would stop worrying absolutely all the time that the group would break up or we wouldnt find the energy or patience with each other or the love and all that stuff to just keep it going. Little by little, I was like, I think we will. But part of your mind is always worried about keeping the family together...making sure everybodys happy and healthy and keeping it going. It still feels like this very precious connection between the guys -- Gosh, this is cool. Lets see if we can keep it going. Eventually, I started to feel like, Dude, it WILL keep going! Thats good news, of course, to a cult of fans that has gravitated towards the Lips arty, experimental and ever-changing brand of pop during the past four decades. Over the course of 16 studio albums and a number of EPs the group has never been a commercial juggernaut -- She Dont Use Jelly was Top 10 on Billboards Alternative Rock chart in 1993 and Do You Realize was certified gold during 2002 -- but it has won three Grammy Awards. Mostly Coyne and company are acclaimed for their creativity, pushing the proverbial envelope and seldom staying in the same place for very long. The Lips has done everything from surrealistic concept albums to surprising collaborations (Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz in 2015) and has explored outlandish visual ideas, whether its Coyne rolling across the top of audiences in a large inflatable ball, having fans on stage dressed as corps of Santa Clauses and aliens, or creating interactive art installations to tour the country. Its a band that revels in its quirkiness but at the same time professes not to find anything particularly strange about what it does -- although it did title a 2006 compilation 20 Years of Weird. I try to just embrace each thing as we go, Coyne explains. Were always looking for some new corner to turn, see if we can stumble on a new sound, a new direction we can follow. I chalk most of it up just to the power of music. The music does most of the work for you. If it moves us when were creating it, chances are it will move other people. But you cant tell whats going to happen until you do it. Occasionally you do get lucky and you get to a great crescendo; other times you take the greatest pains in the world and it doesnt work. Luckily most good art is just unpredictable in that way. Thats why it remains a mystery and remains powerful. Fortunately, Coyne acknowledges, the Lips have found enough people who feel the same way. Were lucky; we do attract a really great audience, he says. Every band thinks that, but a lot of times a band has an image or whatever and people are drawn to that and the music is just a side thing. With Flaming Lips fans we run into people who are knowledgeable about all music. Theyll tell us what the chord sequences are in our songs. I dont think that happens a lot. And we got lucky that they grew up with us; instead of losing people when they turn 24, 25 years old, they stuck with us and we kept them and then added more along the way. Were grateful for that. In addition to the 40th anniversary, the Lips is also celebrating a pandemic-delayed 20th for its 2002 release Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Bookended by The Soft Bulletin in 1999 and At War With the Mystics in 2006, Yoshimi was the Lips first-ever album on the Billboard 200 (No. 50) and its first to be certified gold. The closing track, Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia) won the groups first Grammy, for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, while a subsequent EP featuring the Yoshimi song Fight Test was nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Interestingly that song featured a co-writing credit for Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens due to its similarity to his Father and Son. You never know whats going to happen when you put out records, if its gonna be embraced at all or embraced for a little while, Coyne says. With Yoshimi, it kind of stayed third or fourth on peoples list for a while. Other records have come and gone and were their No. 1, but it seemed like (Yoshimi) stayed on peoples lists forever. That gave us time to do a lot of different shows and sort of get a stage routine and everything built around this whole story that wasnt a story when we started. Now it seems like this big concept, but when you do a record you dont know any of that. Each song has to hit you as a thing in itself, and you try to leave it ambiguous enough that the listener can insert themselves into it. The Yoshimi story was further developed by Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff, who created a stage musical piece that opened in November of 2012 at the La Jolla Playhouse in California and has played in other parts of the world. Coyne and the Lips, meanwhile, have marched on, trying to find other interesting things to do. The band reimagined Pink Floyds The Dark Side of the Moon with Henry Rollins and Peaches for a release in 2009, while its Heady Fwends album featured Bon Iver, Tame Impala, Nick Cave, Yoko Ono, Erykah Badu, Kesh, Biz Markie and others. Its last album, American Head, came out in 2020 and featured country-pop star Kacey Musgraves on three tracks, and a 20th-anniversary box set for Yoshimi came out in April with more than 30 previously unreleased tracks. And on June 16 the group is releasing Hypnotist, a vinyl EP featuring rarities from the Yoshimi box set released during April. The band will be touring into August, and Coyne says hes anxious, as ever to discover whats next. Really youre just feeling your way through until you stumble upon something -- thats why it remains a mystery and remains powerful, he explains. It isnt something where you concoct a recipe and follow it. What worked last year doesnt work this year. Sometimes when you see comedians from the 80s, their jokes arent that funny now, and you remember, That killed me then. Music and ideas, theyre all the same type of thing. You just try to be relevant to current culture and even lead it when you can. Flaming Lips perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 11, at the Agora, 5000 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. 216-881-2221 or agoracleveland.com. AVON LAKE, Ohio -- The Avon Lake High School graduating Class of 2023 celebrated commencement on Friday night in the Avon Lake Memorial Stadium in front of a packed stadium of proud friends and family. More than 300 graduating seniors took part in the schools 98th graduation ceremony. CLEVELAND, Ohio J.T.M. Provisions Co. of Harrison, Ohio, is recalling about 22,530 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat beef chili with beans products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service. The recall affects 30-pound cases of Chili with Beans containing six 5-pound boilable bags of CP5309 Chili with Beans with lot code 23058 on the bag and case, and February 27, 2023, on the case. Products bear EST. 1917 inside the USDA inspection mark on the case. BERLIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio Two motorcyclists were killed when they crashed into each other while riding side-by-side, throwing both from their bikes. Jay Lucal, 48, of Monroeville, and James Ogle, 53, of Collinsville, were pronounced dead at the scene following the crash on Ohio 113 in Erie County, according to the State Highway Patrol. Troopers say neither man was wearing a helmet. The patrol says both men were riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles west on Ohio 113 at about 10:18 p.m. Friday when the crash occurred. Drugs appear to be a factor in the crash, the patrol says. No additional details have been released. More coverage on cleveland.com: Head-on crash with car kills 2 motorcycle riders in Sandusky County SALT LAKE CITY The Good Book is being treated like a bad book in Utah after a parent frustrated by efforts to ban materials from schools convinced a suburban district that some Bible verses were too vulgar or violent for younger children. And the Book of Mormon could be next. The 72,000-student Davis School District north of Salt Lake City removed the Bible from its elementary and middle schools while keeping it in high schools after a committee reviewed the scripture in response to a parental complaint. The district has removed other titles, including Sherman Alexies The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and John Greens Looking for Alaska, following a 2022 state law requiring districts to include parents in decisions over what constitutes sensitive material. On Friday, a complaint was submitted about the signature scripture of the predominant faith in Utah, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. District spokesperson Chris Williams confirmed that someone filed a review request for the Book of Mormon but would not say what reasons were listed. Citing a school board privacy policy, he also would not say whether it was from the same person who complained about the Bible. Representatives for the church declined to comment on the challenge. Members of the faith also read the Bible. Williams said the district doesnt differentiate between requests to review books and doesnt consider whether complaints may be submitted as satire. The reviews are handled by a committee made up of teachers, parents and administrators in the largely conservative community. The committee published its decision about the Bible in an online database of review requests and did not elaborate on its reasoning or which passages it found overly violent or vulgar. The decision comes as conservative parent activists, including state-based chapters of the group Parents United, descend on school boards and statehouses throughout the United States, sowing alarm about how sex and violence are talked about in schools. Because of the districts privacy policy, its unknown who made the request for the Bible to be banned from Davis schools or if they are affiliated with any larger group. A copy of the complaint obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune through a public records request shows that the parent noted the Bible contains instances of incest, prostitution and rape. The complaint derided a bad faith process and said the district was ceding our childrens education, First Amendment Rights, and library access to Parents United. Utah Parents United left off one of the most sex-ridden books around: The Bible, the parents complaint, dated Dec. 11, said. It later went on to add, Youll no doubt find that the Bible (under state law) has no serious values for minors because its pornographic by our new definition. The review committee determined the Bible didnt qualify under Utahs definition of whats pornographic or indecent, which is why it remains in high schools, Williams said. The committee can make its own decisions under the new 2022 state law and has applied different standards based on students ages in response to multiple challenges, he said. An unnamed party filed an appeal on Wednesday. The Bible has long found itself on the American Library Associations list of most challenged books and was temporarily pulled off shelves last year in school districts in Texas and Missouri. Concerns about new policies potentially ensnaring the Bible have routinely arisen in statehouses during debates over efforts to expand book banning procedures. That includes Arkansas one of the states that enacted a law this year that would subject librarians to criminal penalties for providing harmful materials to minors, and creates a new process for the public to request materials be relocated in libraries. I dont want people to be able to say, I dont want the Bible in the library, Arkansas Democratic state Sen. Linda Chesterfield said during a hearing. Parents who have pushed for more say in their childrens education and the curriculum and materials available in schools have argued that they should control how their children are taught about matters like gender, sexuality and race. EveryLibrary, a national political action committee, told The Associated Press last month it was tracking at least 121 different proposals introduced in legislatures this year targeting libraries, librarians, educators and access to materials. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. in 2022 was the highest in the 20 years, according to the American Library Association. If folks are outraged about the Bible being banned, they should be outraged about all the books that are being censored in our public schools, said Kasey Meehan, who directs the Freedom to Read program at the writers organization PEN America. COLUMBUS, Ohio In a new court filing, Ohio officials acknowledge they made a mistake in the ballot language they wrote summarizing State Issue 1, the proposal to make it harder to change the state constitution. But they contend the error doesnt matter and defend the measures overall wording as fair and accurate. Lawyers in Attorney General Dave Yosts office, representing Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, filed a written defense of State Issue 1s ballot language on Friday with the Ohio Supreme Court. The filing comes in response to a lawsuit from One Person One Vote, the campaign group working to defeat the measure in the upcoming Aug. 8 election. The issue has to do with the summary language and title that will appear on the ballot, as written and approved last month by Republicans on the Ohio Ballot Board. The lawsuit asks the Ohio Supreme Court, where Republicans hold a 4-3 majority, to reject the language and order that it be rewritten. One Person One Vote says Republicans stacked the deck while writing the ballot language, and failed to meet legal requirements that the language be accurate and neutral. Their issues include: The ballot summary does not describe the status quo for amendments, including failing to describe that the proposed new 60% approval threshold is higher than the current 50%. The ballot language describes the changes as elevating the standards for proposing amendments. One Person One Vote contends elevate is not a neutral term, and the language should say modify, raise or increase. State officials said Monday all the words functionally are the same. The summary inaccurately describes how the amendment would require future amendment campaigns to collect a minimum number of voter signatures from all 88 Ohio counties, compared to the current 44 counties, in order to qualify for the ballot When it comes to the signature-gathering requirements, the states new court filling concedes there is a technical difference between what the ballot language says (at least 5% of eligible voters in each county) and what the amendment actually would require (at least 5% of the ballots cast in each county during the most recent election for governor.) In Cuyahoga County, for example, 416,339 people voted in the 2022 election for governor. Under the amendment, anyone pursuing a ballot issue would need to gather at least 20,816 signatures in Cuyahoga County to satisfy the 5% requirement. But the ballot language describes a much larger set of eligible voters. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there 981,416 people age 18 and older in Cuyahoga County, meaning backers of a constitutional amendment would need more than twice as many valid signatures. But, state officials say the error isnt a material defect. It also argues that the full language of the amendment will be well publicized, so voters will have a chance to learn about what the measure actually would do. The Ohio Constitution allows the Ohio Ballot Board to either submit the full amendment language or a summary as part of the ballot language. The summary must properly identify the substance of the proposal to be voted upon, but in the case of errors, has no bearing on what the proposal would do. The language summarizing what State Issue 1 as it will appear on the ballot. (Ohio Secretary of State's Office) The filing also says the state isnt legally required to include the status quo in ballot language describing the proposed change. It says voters could infer there is a current 50% requirement though, by reading the language that appears in the ballot title, since it reads: A majority yes vote is necessary for the amendment to pass. The brief doesnt get into this, but LaRose previously has said that state officials excluded status quo information to avoid making it too wordy. Finally, state officials in their filing responded to State Issue 1 opponents arguments that Republicans on the ballot board broke with recent precedent by not including the status quo information. They said two recent amendments that voters passed one from 2017 expanding the requirements that courts and prosecutors notify crime victims, and another from last year further barring non-citizens from voting in Ohio elections didnt include the status quo. One Person One Vote filed its reply to the states filing on Monday. That means written arguments in the case are complete. They mocked the state for downplaying the inaccurate information describing the signature requirements for amendment campaigns. They said no court ruled on the ballot language for the 2017 or 2022 amendments, so no one challenged them, but that there were words in each that at least offered clues that each was a change. Misleading and inaccurate ballot language is not lawful just because it is short, said the Monday filing from One Person One Vote, filed by Don McTigue, a well-known Democratic elections lawyer in Columbus. And many of the defects could be fixed by adding or changing just a few simple words, with no risk of confusing voters. The states filing on Friday was accompanied by a friend of the court brief from Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections, a conservative elections-law advocacy group. The filing criticizes the remedies sought by One Person One Vote, calling the groups proposed ballot language for State Issue 1 ambiguous, misleading, confusing, and unprecedented. One Person One Vote has filed another lawsuit challenging State Issue 1. The second lawsuit, for which written arguments have been completed, seeks to cancel the Aug. 8 election altogether. It argues that Republican lawmakers, while setting the Aug. 8 election, failed to properly undo a law they recently passed that largely barred August elections in Ohio. While State Issue 1 has broader ramifications, Republicans specifically fast-tracked the Aug. 8 election to try to spoil a potential November ballot issue that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. If it intends to intervene, the Ohio Supreme Court will need to make a decision on both lawsuits soon. LaRose has ordered county boards of election to finalize their absentee ballots by June 23, when ballots must be mailed to military members and other overseas Ohio voters. Andrew Tobias covers state politics and government for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio Case Western Reserve University has high ambitions for the new, $300 million research building its planning as the biggest single investment on its main campus in decades. Emerging designs for the new Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building, made public today through cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, depict a project that could send ripples across the CWRU campus, the surrounding University Circle area, and the rest of Northeast Ohio. It will be located south of Euclid Avenue on the west side of its Case Quad, part of the former Case Institute of Technology, which merged with Western Reserve University in 1967. The site overlooks Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to the west. In addition to helping it win more grants and boost its rankings, CWRU wants the new building to help grow the regional economy, attract and retain star researchers, and open up a walled-off portion of its campus that has long sent a keep out message to adjacent majority-Black neighborhoods. Its absolutely critical to our future, said CWRU President Eric Kaler. It makes a statement about who we are and more importantly who were going to be. CWRU President Eric Kaler places a model of a planned $300 million research building into a tabletop model of the university's Case Quad.Steven Litt, cleveland.com He said the project was by far the biggest investment planned by CWRU since he moved to Cleveland in 2021 after having served as president of the University of Minnesota from 2011 to 2019. The university is also spending $110 million on building two new dorms in its South Residential Village. A chemical engineer who holds 10 patents, Kaler said he came to CWRU specifically to shift what he calls its stagnant' non-medical research operations into a higher gear. We need to grow our research activities outside of medicine; theyve been pretty stagnant for the past 15 years or so, and thats not where we want to be, he said. We havent built a new laboratory building outside of medicine in decades. Assessing impact Baiju Shah, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the regions chamber of commerce, hailed the project as an important addition to research facilities at institutions including the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland State University, and NASAs Glenn Research Center. Im thrilled to see all of our research institutions growing right now, Shah said. The new building could enable CWRU to play a role in Cleveland like that of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where research in robotics is helping to power the local economy, Shah said. Kaler and top administrators at CWRU said research in the building will focus on interdisciplinary explorations that could spur collaborations with established and growing industries in Northeast Ohio. Were not big enough to take on all the worlds problems and then do all of them well, so, therefore, we have to pick and choose, and thats very tricky, said Ragu Balakrishnan, dean of the Case School of Engineering. He will oversee research projects in the new building along with Joy Ward, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who will serve as interim provost starting July 1. They said the building is designed to break down academic barriers by providing new space for research by faculty from different disciplines now siloed in buildings across the campus. Its also intended to lure academic stars from other institutions by enabling them to participate in fitting out their own research spaces. Projects could include, for example, developing industrial-scale batteries for the electrical grid, researching new green processes for sustainable manufacturing, studying pathogens that proliferate in air conditioning systems, developing new types of prosthetics, and catalyzing new connections between the humanities and STEM disciplines science, technology, engineering, and math. When and where CWRU plans to start construction in late 2024 and complete the new building by 2026. Financing will be split 50-50 between philanthropic donations and a portion of the $350 million in century bonds CWRU issued in 2022, Kaler said. The building will replace Yost Hall, a former dorm that houses the Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics. Built in 1955, Yost encompasses less than 50,000 square feet roughly a quarter of the space the new building will house. The new, $300 million research building at CWRU will replace Yost Hall, which overlooks parking lots facing Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in University Circle.Steven Litt, cleveland.com Planning for the new building has not been without glitches. The Observer, CWRUs independent student newspaper and website, reported in April that 81 professors, graduate students, and undergraduates connected to Yost signed an open letter saying the administration was doing a poor job of communicating about the project and that they hadnt been told where theyd work after Yost comes down. CWRU responded that it has communicated regularly with those in Yost Hall affected by this project, but that it also recognizes that relocations are inherently uncomfortable --especially when people have been in one place for many years. Engagement is ongoing, and every effort is being made to minimize disruption for all involved. Bridging Town and Gown A major goal of the new building is to open up a campus that has felt closed off from MLK Drive, a physical reality with racial connotations. Over the past century, CWRU and the Case Institute before it designed the buildings that face MLK Drive with blank walls, back doors, trash cans, loading docks and large surface parking lots. Eight buildings along the west side of the Case Quad at CWRU face MLK Drive with parking lots, garbage cans, loading docks, and asphalt.Steven Litt, cleveland.com In part, the universitys approach was a response to periodic flooding along the drainage of Doan Brook, which is now culverted. But the university and its neighbors have also recognized that CWRU has turned its back to surrounding neighborhoods. Architect Peter Cook, a design principal and vice president in the Washington, D.C. office of HGA, said hes designing the building to create a welcoming face' when viewed from MLK. We want it very light, bright, airy and welcoming. Early renderings show that instead of a single, large mass, the new building will resemble a cluster of rectangular blocks pushing forward and back, with different roof levels, and with window grids creating a sense of dynamism and movement. On the MLK Drive side, the building will push close to the boulevard, filling an area now occupied by a parking lot. Kaler said he wants the glassy lobby on the MLK side to glow at night with blue light CWRUs color. Today, a row of eight CWRU buildings facing MLK Drive resemble a virtually impenetrable barrier. The exception is a steep staircase on the south side of Yost, which climbs a weed-covered slope from the parking lot on the MLK side to reach the Case Quad. A staircase provides rare outdoor access for pedestrians from parking lots at CWRU to the Case Quad inside the campus.Steven Litt, cleveland.com Plans for the new building call for creating a broad, welcoming, wheelchair-accessible walkway on its north side, between it and Tomlinson Hall, to create an outdoor connection from the MLK frontage to the Case Quad Kaler said one of the most important features of the new building will be a glassy, ground-level coffee shop or cafe. The cafe will embody CWRUs goal of encouraging what Balakrishnan called serendipitous collisions among researchers and students to spark new discoveries. Rising in the rankings With annual research spending of $421 million in 2021, the latest year for which comparative data are available, CWRU ranked 66th on a list of American universities compiled by the National Science Foundations HERD Survey, short for Higher Education Research and Development. Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore was No. 1, with research spending of nearly $3.2 billion. CWRU says on its website that it wants to boost annual spending on research to $600 million within 10 years, but Michael Oakes, CWRUs new senior VP of research, recruited by Kaler from the University of Minnesota, said he wants to hit the goal sooner. Spending $600 million a year on research spending would bring CWRU into contention with the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, for 48th place on the HERD survey, according to the 2021 numbers. We need to do this, Oakes said of the project. This is not a luxury item for Case Western. Its needed for us to grow and compete, and its needed I think for the region. We dont have enough research space and what we have is falling apart. He added that CWRU is motivated by its desire to serve Cleveland a city fighting poverty, segregation, and population loss by building on assets including the university. There is no great city in the world without a great research university, Oakes said. MVP Boeing 787 Dreamliners are built at the aviation company's North Charleston, South Carolina, assembly plant on May 30, 2023. Juliette Michel | AFP | Getty Images Air travel will be affected by "very frustrating" supply chain issues this year, according to Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, as he discussed the challenges facing the aviation sector this year. "[It's] so frustrating, because it is going to have an impact in summer 2023. And we're already seeing that," Walsh told CNBC's Dan Murphy. Shortages will be particularly noticeable when it comes to engine parts, he added, which could then delay the delivery of new aircraft from manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus . watch now A shortage of planes has been a thorn in the side of U.S. airlines for months, with some now turning to bigger aircraft to accommodate more passengers as they try to balance strong travel demand with a lack of resources. A scarcity of air traffic control staff is also likely to be a problem in 2023, Walsh said. "The challenges we expect to see in the short term are outside of our control, and they principally relate to shortages, in resources in air traffic control," Walsh said. "We've already seen restrictions on capacity in the United States [and] we're seeing problems in Europe." A positive 2023 A worsening macroeconomic climate and the collapse of industry giants such as FTX and Terra have weighed on bitcoin's price this year. Cryptocurrency prices dropped Monday after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the world, with violating securities laws. Bitcoin fell 5.5% to $25,662.50, its lowest level since March, according to Coin Metrics. Ether slid 5.1% to $1,807.79. Binance Coin , a token used to pay transaction and trading fees on the Binance exchange, tumbled 9.5%. The declines came after the SEC alleged Binance and its co-founder, Changpeng Zhao, comingled billions of dollars of investor funds with their own and violated securities laws. The complaint follows a similar one against Binance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission earlier this year. "Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume so it's no surprise that the market is responding the way it is to the news," Sam Callahan, lead analyst at bitcoin services company Swan Bitcoin, told CNBC. "Any regulatory action against a major player in the cryptocurrency space creates uncertainty and leads to increased market volatility in the short term." "However, such volatility is often temporary, and prices may recover once the market absorbs the news," he added. "Long term this can be seen as a healthy development for the ecosystem as bad actors are cleansed out, and capital flows out of cryptocurrencies with significant regulatory risk and into bitcoin." The suit is the latest development in this year's crackdown on the crypto industry by U.S. regulators. Since January, the SEC has charged Kraken, Genesis and Gemini Trust with offering unregistered securities to investors and has warned Coinbase of potential securities charges. Bitcoin last week capped its worst month of trading since November, finishing May down 7.9% after trading in a narrow range of between $26,000 and $28,000. Technical analysts see $25,200 as the key level to watch for bitcoin on the downside. A food delivery worker sits outside a restaurant at a shopping mall in Beijing on May 30, 2023. Jade Gao | Afp | Getty Images BEIJING China's economic recovery from the pandemic is set to broaden, meaning the country isn't headed toward Japan-style stagnation just yet, according to Macquarie's Chief China Economist Larry Hu. China's recent economic data largely disappointed investors hoping for a sharp rebound in the world's second-largest economy after the end of Covid controls in December. Youth unemployment hit a record high of above 20% in April. In a report Friday, Hu attributed the recent economic slowdown to a "premature" withdrawal of policy support after better-than-expected first quarter data. While the worst is behind us, the recovery is far from being self-sustaining. Larry Hu Chief China economist, Macquarie Going forward, he expects policymakers to remain accommodative given the lack of inflation and high youth unemployment with more urgency to ease as year-on-year comparisons soften in the third quarter. "As the recovery broadens over time, the economy will enter another upward spiral with stronger demand and better confidence," Hu said. watch now At a meeting Friday, China's top executive body, the State Council, called for improving the business environment and removing local barriers to market access, according to state media. The country would also extend purchase incentives for new energy vehicles as a way to boost consumption, state media reported. The meeting, led by Premier Li Qiang, noted the foundation of China's economic recovery is not yet solid. Similar, but not the same as, Japan "While the worst is behind us, the recovery is far from being self-sustaining," Macquarie's Hu said. "Companies are reluctant to hire due to soft consumer demand, and consumers are reluctant to spend due to weak labor market." "Such a self-fulfilled downward spiral bears some resemblance to Japan's 'lost decades,'" he said. Japan's economy grew rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s, only to stagnate when the bubble burst in the 1990s and stock and real estate prices plummeted. Japan was the world's second-largest economy for decades, until China overtook it in 2010. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon iShares MSCI China ETF "The absence of a self-sustained recovery in China today is mainly a cyclical, not structural, phenomenon," Hu said. "History suggests that the concern on 'Japanification' will subside once the recovery becomes more entrenched." He pointed out that previous concerns about economic recoveries in 2012, 2016 and 2019 all led to market corrections in the second quarter of those years before the MSCI China Index turned higher. The iShares MSCI China ETF is down by about 4% so far this year. A view of the drought that affected the Los Bermejales reservoir which is at 18% of its capacity in Arenas del Rey in Granada, Spain, on May 13, 2023. European policymakers are battling to get to grips with a growing water crisis ahead of what researchers fear could be yet another climate crisis-fueled summer of drought. Water resources in Europe are growing increasingly scarce because of the deepening climate emergency, with record-breaking temperatures through spring and a historic winter heatwave taking a visible toll on the region's rivers and ski slopes. Reservoirs in Mediterranean countries like Italy have fallen to water levels typically associated with summer heatwaves in recent weeks, threatening agricultural production, while protests have broken out over water shortages in both France and Spain. It comes as temperatures are poised to climb through summer and many fear Europe's already "very precarious" water problem could get even worse. Satellite data analyzed by researchers from Austria's University of Graz at the start of the year found that drought was impacting Europe on a much larger scale than researchers had previously expected. The study was published after European Union researchers found that Europe experienced its hottest summer ever last year, with the intense drought thought to be the worst the region had seen in at least 500 years. Researchers at the University of Graz said Europe had been suffering from a severe drought since 2018, with the effects becoming clear last year as receding waters wreaked havoc for food and energy production, while numerous aquatic species lost their habitats. "A few years ago, I would never have imagined that water would be a problem here in Europe, especially in Germany or Austria," said Torsten Mayer-Gurr, a lead author of the satellite study. "We are actually getting problems with the water supply here we have to think about this." JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon talks to reporters as he leaves the U.S. Capitol after an unannounced meeting with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Schumer that was reportedly about the possibility of the U.S. defaulting on its debt, outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., May 17, 2023. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has "no plans" to run for office, according to a statement from the bank Monday. Speculation about Dimon's possible future in politics flares up from time to time. The CEO is respected in business circles for his stewardship of JPMorgan, building it into the biggest and most profitable U.S. bank. Last week, hedge fund manager Bill Ackman tweeted that Dimon should run for president in the upcoming 2024 elections. That came after Dimon said in a recent interview that he would like to one day serve his country "in one capacity or another." "As he has said in the past, Jamie has no plans to run for office," the bank said in its statement Monday. "He is very happy in his current role." Still, Dimon, who took over at JPMorgan in 2005, has himself occasionally fed the speculation. In off-the-cuff remarks in a 2018 investor meeting, Dimon said that he could take on then-President Donald Trump in a race. He quickly said he regretted the comments. In recent years, Dimon has pushed his institution in new directions, attempting to tackle some of the country's intractable issues including health care, economic disparity and urban blight. But his long tenure has sparked questions about succession planning at the New York-based bank. Last month, at the firm's annual investor day, an analyst asked Dimon how many more years he expected to serve as CEO. The question came after Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman announced an orderly succession process expected to unfold within the year. Dimon didn't directly answer the question. "I can't do this forever, I know that," he said. "But my intensity is the same. I think when I don't have that kind of intensity, I should leave." A woman places a container of food atop the grave of her son in the soldier's section of a cemetery on March 07, 2023 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Last February, Russia's military invaded Ukraine from three sides and launched airstrikes across the country. The United Nations said that at least 8,983 Ukrainian civilians have died since the start of Russia's war nearly 500 days ago. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, or OHCHR, added that at least 15,442 have been injured due to the ongoing conflict. "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. This concerns, for example, Mariupol, Lysychansk, Popasna and Sievierodonetsk where there are allegations of numerous civilian casualties," the U.N. group wrote in a statement. About 94% of the deaths and injuries were caused by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, according to the U.N. report. Amanda Macias Former Vice President Mike Pence addresses the GOP Lincoln-Reagan Dinner on June 3, 2021 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Pence's visit to New Hampshire would be the first time back since he was Vice President. Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork Monday to run for president in 2024, Federal Election Commission documents showed. Pence, who served under former President Donald Trump, is expected to personally launch his bid for the GOP nomination on Wednesday. A spokesman for Pence confirmed the FEC filings. The former vice president is expected to bring a more traditionally conservative voice to a primary field that has been drowned out by the populist preachings of Trump, the current front-runner, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Pence, who turns 64 on Wednesday, served more than a decade in the U.S. House and one term as governor of Indiana, establishing himself as a staunch conservative before becoming Trump's running mate in his winning 2016 presidential campaign. But he faces some stiff headwinds in the race to the White House as he fights to win the support of a party that remains largely loyal to Trump. His poll numbers are better than some of his competitors' but have mostly hovered around the low- to mid-single digits in surveys of the prospective primary field. His campaign is booting up weeks, if not months, later than those of many of his rivals, including Trump and DeSantis, who are leading the pack in polls. And it's unclear if Pence will be able to generate a big enough war chest to be able to meaningfully compete with other contenders' operations, some of which were flush with cash from the outset or poised to benefit from massive spending from allied super PACs. One such group backing DeSantis, for instance, expects to wield a $200 million operating budget. Perhaps one of Pence's biggest hurdles: Walking the fine line of touting his accomplishments in the "Trump-Pence administration," as he often calls it, while distinguishing himself from his former boss. Pence in recent months has said that the executive branch under Trump and Pence could have done more to rein in spending. He has also been one of the few politicians of either party to regularly call for changes to Social Security and Medicare, voluntarily touching the so-called third rail of politics that most of his opponents have avoided. Pence's once-close alliance with Trump imploded after he refused to aid the then-president's efforts to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden after the 2020 election. Trump, both publicly and privately, had heaped pressure on Pence to reject key Electoral College votes for Biden while Pence presided over a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021. Biden had won 306 electoral votes to Trump's 232 a fact cemented by the Electoral College weeks earlier and federal lawmakers had gathered at the U.S. Capitol building to confirm Biden's victory in what was historically a ceremonial event. Pence said just before that gathering began that he did not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally decide which electoral votes should or should not be counted. That announcement infuriated many of Trump's supporters who had gathered at a nearby rally to hear the then-president echo unfounded and debunked conspiracy theories about widespread election fraud. Many of those rallygoers were among the thousands of Trump's backers who then stormed the Capitol, forcing Pence and members of Congress to flee the House and Senate chambers. Some of the rioters chanted "Hang Mike Pence" as they marched through the building. As the riot unfolded, Trump tweeted that Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done." Trump has since defended those chanters who called to hang Pence, and he has doubled down on his false claim that Pence "could have overturned" the 2020 election. Pence has stood by his actions on the day of the Capitol riot, while mostly avoiding explicitly criticizing Trump. He has said Trump was "wrong" to believe the vice president could overthrow the election, but has cast doubt on whether Trump committed a crime related to those actions. Pence also vowed to fight a grand jury subpoena for his testimony in a special counsel investigation into whether the efforts to undo the 2020 election results were unlawful. Pence's break with Trump over the 2020 election nevertheless made him an enemy of some Republicans. In a recent survey from Quinnipiac University, 35% of Republican registered voters said they held an unfavorable opinion of Pence a significantly higher figure than Trump (11%), DeSantis (5%) and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (12%) received. While his standing in the Republican mainstream seemed to wane following the Capitol riot and the 2022 midterms, Trump remains the Republican to beat in the 2024 primary. Polls show him leading the pack of potential primary challengers and keeping a firm grip on a base of voters that forms a sizable chunk of the GOP. Pence has taken a few oblique jabs at his former boss in the run-up to his campaign launch, predicting that there will be "better candidates" than Trump in 2024. He also suggested that Trump deserved blame for the GOP's underperformance in the 2022 midterms. "Our candidates that were focused on the past, particularly on relitigating the last election, did not do well," Pence told CNBC in an apparent reference to Trump, who has made his denial of the 2020 election results a central theme of his 2024 campaign. Jack Dorsey, co-founder and chief executive officer of Twitter Inc. and Square Inc., speaks during the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, Florida, U.S., on Friday, June 4, 2021. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid for the Democratic nomination for president has gained a boost from several Silicon Valley executives. Block CEO Jack Dorsey endorsed Kennedy on Twitter on Sunday, while Twitter owner Elon Musk invited the contender to a live audio discussion on the platform. That discussion is set for 2 p.m. ET on Twitter on Monday and will be moderated by venture capitalist David Sacks, another prominent name in Silicon Valley. Musk said last year that he would support Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president in 2024, should he run. DeSantis recently announced his candidacy on a glitch-plagued Twitter Spaces event with Musk and Sacks. But Musk said the event was not a formal endorsement of DeSantis. President Joe Biden is heavily favored to win the Democratic nomination for 2024. But Kennedy has entered the race appealing to skepticism about vaccines by citing debunked theories linking them to autism. A recent Fox News survey found 19% of Democratic primary voters surveyed said they would support Kennedy in the primary, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. Musk has clashed with Democratic officials over Covid restrictions and previously doubted the mortality rate of the disease estimated by public health organizations. After he took over Twitter, the platform stopped enforcing its previous policy to remove misleading information regarding Covid. On a 2020 earnings call, Musk called stay-at-home orders "fascist." Early in the pandemic, Musk clashed with California officials who did not allow Tesla to resume operations at its plant there as early as he had hoped due to the global outbreak. Dorsey, for his part, has a history of supporting underdog and nonmainstream candidates, including businessman Andrew Yang and former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. WATCH: Why the GOP's 'red wave' never materialized on election night Spotify announced Monday it's laying off roughly 200 employees, or about 2% of its-person workforce, as part of an effort to change how the streaming company handles its partnership with "leading podcasters from across the globe." Spotify's global workforce was 8,359 people in 2020, according to an SEC filing, with 4,332 of those employees in the United States. The cuts were announced by Sahar Elhabashi, vice president at Spotify, in a memo to employees. Those impacted will be provided with "generous severance packages," Elhabashi said. Elhabashi said the "fundamental pivot from a more uniform proposition will allow us to support the creator community better." Spotify has spent heavily to expand its podcast unit in the last three years. Since 2020, Spotify spent 493 million euros ($526 million), on four different acquisitions in the podcast space, according to an SEC filing. Spotify also entered into high-profile sponsorship deals with prominent names like Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Joe Rogan, the online personality. Spotify did not immediately return a request for comment. Plans for a universal basic income trial have just been published in the U.K. by think tank Autonomy. Receiving free cash from the government when nothing is expected in return might sound like a utopian dream. But it could soon be a reality for some in the U.K., where plans for a universal basic income trial have just been published. Thirty people in the U.K. could soon receive 1,600 ($1,983) each month if the trial by independent think tank Autonomy secures funding. The basic income payments are estimated to cost 1.15 million through the duration of the two-year project. During this time, researchers would assess the impact of the UBI cash on the lives of participants. A separate group who won't be receiving the money each month will be monitored through one on one interviews, focus groups and questionnaires to understand the difference in their experiences. The trial is two years in the making. Dialogue with local communities during that time found strong support for UBI and informed how the trial was planned. It focuses on two areas in the U.K., one in East Finchley in the capital of London, which is often associated with a higher cost of living, and one in central Jarrow in the northeast of the country. Local citizens would be able to put themselves forward to take part in the trial and participant selection would be random. Autonomy has said they would work to ensure the trial group is representative, however. watch now SINGAPORE A handshake and a ministerial lunch were all that the U.S. defense chief and his Chinese counterpart shared on the sidelines of a regional security summit in Singapore. Ahead of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue which kicked off Friday, Beijing rejected a U.S. request for a bilateral meeting between its defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu, and his American counterpart Lloyd Austin. On Saturday, when Austin took to the stage at the summit where global defense leaders gathered, he called out China for refusing to engage in military dialogue. "Dialogue is not a reward. It is a necessity. A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for substantive engagement," Austin said in prepared remarks. "The more that we talk, the more we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict." China's Li responded a day later by accusing the U.S. of lacking sincerity and behaving in a manner not befitting of a superpower. "It is undeniable that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the U.S. will be an unbearable disaster for the world. China believes that a major country should behave like one," Li said Sunday in a translation provided by summit organizers. It was his first address to an international audience in his current role as China's defense chief. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (L) and China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu (R) attend a ministerial luncheon on Saturday at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Roslan Rahman | Afp | Getty Images The war of words over the weekend occurred as the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said a China warship came within 150 yards (137 meters) of a U.S. destroyer on Saturday in the Taiwan Strait which separates China and Taiwan. China claims self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and regards any foreign presence near the island as a form of interference in its domestic affairs. The incident underscored the potential for conflict as relations between the two global powers stay strained. "Why did all those incidents happen in areas near China, not in areas near other countries?" Li said, responding to questions on the latest incident. Li said Chinese naval vessels and fighter jets do not engage in "hegemonic navigation actions" near other countries. "Freedom of navigation, innocent passage, we have not seen any problem with that," Li added. "What is key now is that we must prevent attempts that want to use those freedom of navigation and innocent passage as a pretext to exercise hegemony of navigation." Austin, meanwhile, called for dialogue during his plenary address. "I am deeply concerned that the [People's Republic of China] has been unwilling to engage more seriously on better mechanisms for crisis management between our two militaries. But I hope that will change, and soon," he said. watch now The episode Saturday occurred while the U.S. and Canadian navies were conducting "a routine south to north Taiwan Strait transit June 3 through waters where high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply," according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. It comes on the heels of another incident late last month, when the U.S. accused a Chinese fighter jet of engaging in an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" while intercepting a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the South China Sea. The South China Sea is a flashpoint in Asia-Pacific as China has grown more assertive with its historical claim over the strategic waterway that is rich with resources such as oil and gas. A host of other Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines also have competing claims to parts of the waterway, which is a vital trade route. Flurry of multilateral meetings This year's Shangri-La Dialogue, a security summit focused on Asia now in its 20th iteration, was attended by 48 ministers and about 600 delegates from 40 countries. Delegates included the prime minister of Estonia, and the defense ministers of the U.K., Sweden and Germany. Austin held bilateral meetings with leaders from host Singapore, as well as Malaysia and Indonesia. There were also multilateral meetings with defense leaders from Australia, Japan and South Korea and other Southeast Asian countries. Singapore is Austin's second stop on a whirlwind tour that took him to Japan, and after Singapore, to India and France. China's Li said he had meetings with defense officials from 11 countries while he was in Singapore. Separately, he also made a pact with Singapore to establish a secure defense telephone link between officials from both countries. China's Minister for National Defense, General Li Shangfu, delivers his plenary session Sunday at the 20th Asia Security Summit in Singapore, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue. Roslan Rahman | Afp | Getty Images "The cold war mentality is now resurging and greatly increases security risks of block confrontation in the Asia Pacific," Li said in his prepared remarks. Without referring to the U.S., Li said: "Some big power [continues] to promote its so-called Indo-Pacific strategy." "China holds that no strategy should be based on ideological ground and [aims] to build exclusive military alliances against imagined threats, as this could easily lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy." Calls for dialogue Yet, even as the U.S. and China defense chiefs talked past each other, so-called middle powers such as Australia urged the two feuding powers to reestablish dialogue. "If you don't have the pressure valve of dialogue, if you don't have the capacity at a decision-making level to pick up the phone to seek some clarity or provide some context, then there is always a much greater risk of assumptions spilling over into irretrievable action and reaction," said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the summit's opening address on Friday. "The consequences of such a breakdown, whether in the Taiwan Strait or elsewhere, would not be confined to the big powers or the site of their conflict," he added. watch now Morgan Stanley thinks one natural gas company could add more than 50% to its stock value due to progress on a key pipeline. The bank double upgraded Equitrans Midstream Corporation to overweight from underweight Sunday with a $14 per share price target, double the prior $7. Equitrans stock closed at $9.08 Friday and has gained nearly 42% since the start of the year. ETRN YTD mountain Equitrans stock has added more than 41% from the start of the year. The company is primarily a gatherer of natural gas that also provides storage and delivery for providers. One of the projects set to benefit Equitrans is the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which will run from West Virginia to southern Virginia. Analyst Robert Kad noted the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the bill that lifted the federal debt ceiling, included terminology that adds to optimism the MVP is gaining steam and coming closer to reality. "In short, the language offers a clear and comprehensive directive that should prove effective in ensuring completion of the project," Kad said. Despite the stock jumping nearly 50% after news broke of the debt ceiling bill, Kad says there is still lots more upside in Equitrans stock. "While the stock rallied +49.1% to $9.08/sh last week following initial news of the debt ceiling legislation, ETRN continues to trade below its fair value, in our view," he said. Kad noted fair value could be realized once the MVP project is completed, offering clear communication with investors concerning capital allocation and a coherent strategy beyond the pipeline. CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) The Marcos administration is pursuing its aggressive disposal of idle government properties with 2.5 billion worth of assets to be privatized this year, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said. Proceeds from the sale could give priority projects a funding boost, he added. A total of 143 state assets have been identified for disposal, a copy of a document from the Department of Finance (DOF) showed. The aggressive disposition of non-performing assets will provide much-needed revenues for priority projects. It will also clear the National Governments books of stagnant assets, Diokno told reporters over the weekend. From 2019 to 2021, total sales only reached 664 million, the DOF chief added. Diokno noted that within the first six months of the new administration, the Privatization Council already greenlighted the final sale of 800 million worth of assets. Just last week, the council approved the sale of six properties with a total value of 152.8 million, he added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5) Two senators criticized Finance Secretary Benjamin Dioknos recent statement that state pension funds may still be used to finance some projects of the Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC). In a statement Monday, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said there should be no room for interpretation on the issue. He said the proposed bill was very clear that government agencies and government-owned or controlled corporations involved in providing social security and health insurance to Filipinos are banned from investing in the MIC and the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF). Villanueva said the prohibition was repeated three times in the measure. We trust that the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) will be faithful to the bill that we passed and to the numerous manifestations and statements of support from this representation and our colleagues on this issue, he said. The bill is now awaiting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s signature after the House of Representatives adopted the Senates final version. READ: Senate bars investment of state pension funds in Maharlika, okays key changes in bill's final version https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/5/31/senate-maharlika-key-changes.html During a recent chat with reporters, Diokno said the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) may opt to subscribe to a project of MIC if a high return is possible. They can do it sa project, but not equity, he said, with National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon sharing similar sentiment. Just like Villanueva, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel rejected this idea. He claimed Dioknos approach was a play on words. They are avoiding the words used in the law like initial capital, additional capital, bonds, he said. If they say subscribe to projects, ano ibig sabihin nun? (What does that mean?) GSIS and SSS will finance the projects? Financing means advancing the money needed. Isnt that plain and simple lending or loaning money to the project? Just like buying a bond from Maharlika Corp. the same thing. Circumvention in effect, Pimentel said. The opposition senator said government must not touch SSS and GSIS funds because these are the private funds of members. Marcos also said last week that state pension funds will not be tapped as a source of capital for the MIF. But he added, "If the pension fund decides that the Maharlika fund is a good investment, it's up to them if they want to invest in it." Ever since generative AI exploded into public consciousness with the launch of ChatGPT at the end of last year, calls to regulate the technology to stop it from causing undue harm have risen to fever pitch around the world. The stakes are high just last week, technology leaders signed an open public letter saying that if government officials get it wrong, the consequence could be the extinction of the human race. While most consumers are just having fun testing the limits of large language models such as ChatGPT, a number of worrying stories have circulated about the technology making up supposed facts (also known as "hallucinating") and making inappropriate suggestions to users, as when an AI-powered version of Bing told a New York Times reporter to divorce his spouse. Tech industry insiders and legal experts also note a raft of other concerns, including the ability of generative AI to enhance the attacks of threat actors on cybersecurity defenses, the possibility of copyright and data-privacy violations since large language models are trained on all sorts of information and the potential for discrimination as humans encode their own biases into algorithms. Possibly the biggest area of concern is that generative AI programs are essentially self-learning, demonstrating increasing capability as they ingest data, and that their creators don't know exactly what is happening within them. This may mean, as ex-Google AI leader Geoffrey Hinton has said, that humanity may just be a passing phase in the evolution of intelligence and that AI systems could develop their own goals that humans know nothing about. All this has prompted governments around the world to call for protective regulations. But, as with most technology regulation, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all approach, with different governments looking to regulate generative AI in a way that best suits their own political landscape. Countries make their own regulations [When it comes to] tech issues, even though every country is free to make its own rules, in the past what we have seen is theres been some form of harmonization between the US, EU, and most Western countries, said Sophie Goossens, a partner at law firm Reed Smith who specializes in AI, copyright, and IP issues. It's rare to see legislation that completely contradicts the legislation of someone else. While the details of the legislation put forward by each jurisdiction might differ, there is one overarching theme that unites all governments that have so far outlined proposals: how the benefits of AI can be realized while minimizing the risks it presents to society. Indeed, EU and US lawmakers are drawing up an AI code of conduct to bridge the gap until any legislation has been legally passed. Generative AI is an umbrella term for any kind of automated process that uses algorithms to produce, manipulate, or synthesize data, often in the form of images or human-readable text. Its called generative because it creates something that didnt previously exist. It's not a new technology, and conversations around regulation are not new either. Generative AI has arguably been around (in a very basic chatbot form, at least) since the mid-1960s, when an MIT professor created ELIZA, an application programmed to use pattern matching and language substitution methodology to issue responses fashioned to make users feel like they were talking to a therapist. But generative AI's recent advent into the public domain has allowed people who might not have had access to the technology before to create sophisticated content on just about any topic, based off a few basic prompts. As generative AI applications become more powerful and prevalent, there is growing pressure for regulation. The risk is definitely higher because now these companies have decided to release extremely powerful tools on the open internet for everyone to use, and I think there is definitely a risk that technology could be used with bad intentions, Goossens said. First steps toward AI legislation Although discussions by the European Commission around an AI regulatory act began in 2019, the UK government was one of the first to announce its intentions, publishing a white paper in March this year that outlined five principles it wants companies to follow: safety, security, and robustness; transparency and explainability; fairness; accountability and governance; and contestability and redress. In an effort to to avoid what it called heavy-handed legislation, however, the UK government has called on existing regulatory bodies to use current regulations to ensure that AI applications adhere to guidelines, rather than draft new laws. Since then, the European Commission has published the first draft of its AI Act, which was delayed due to the need to include provisions for regulating the more recent generative AI applications. The draft legislation includes requirements for generative AI models to reasonably mitigate against foreseeable risks to health, safety, fundamental rights, the environment, democracy, and the rule of law, with the involvement of independent experts. The legislation proposed by the EU would forbid the use of AI when it could become a threat to safety, livelihoods, or peoples rights, with stipulations around the use of artificial intelligence becoming less restrictive based on the perceived risk it might pose to someone coming into contact with it for example, interacting with a chatbot in a customer service setting would be considered low risk. AI systems that present such limited and minimal risks may be used with few requirements. AI systems posing higher levels of bias or risk, such as those used for government social-scoring systems and biometric identification systems, will generally not be allowed, with few exceptions. However, even before the legislation had been finalized, ChatGPT in particular had already come under scrutiny from a number of individual European countries for possible GDPR data protection violations. The Italian data regulator initially banned ChatGPT over alleged privacy violations relating to the chatbots collection and storage of personal data, but reinstated use of the technology after Microsoft-backed OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, clarified its privacy policy and made it more accessible, and offered a new tool to verify the age of users. Other European countries, including France and Spain, have filed complaints about ChatGPT similar to those issued by Italy, although no decisions relating to those grievances have been made. Differing approaches to regulation All regulation reflects the politics, ethics, and culture of the society youre in, said Martha Bennett, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, noting that in the US, for instance, theres an instinctive reluctance to regulate unless there is tremendous pressure to do so, whereas in Europe there is a much stronger culture of regulation for the common good. There is nothing wrong with having a different approach, because yes, you do not want to stifle innovation, Bennett said. Alluding to the comments made by the UK government, Bennett said it is understandable to not want to stifle innovation, but she doesnt agree with the idea that by relying largely on current laws and being less stringent than the EU AI Act, the UK government can provide the country with a competitive advantage particularly if this comes at the expense of data protection laws. If the UK gets a reputation of playing fast and loose with personal data, thats also not appropriate, she said. While Bennett believes that differing legislative approaches can have their benefits, she notes that AI regulations implemented by the Chinese government would be completely unacceptable in North America or Western Europe. Under Chinese law, AI firms will be required to submit security assessments to the government before launching their AI tools to the public, and any content generated by generative AI must be in line with the countrys core socialist values. Failure to comply with the rules will results in providers being fined, having their services suspended, or facing criminal investigations. The challenges to AI legislation Although a number of countries have begun to draft AI regulations, such efforts are hampered by the reality that lawmakers constantly have to play catchup to new technologies, trying to understand their risks and rewards. If we refer back to most technological advancements, such as the internet or artificial intelligence, its like a double-edged sword, as you can use it for both lawful and unlawful purposes, said Felipe Romero Moreno, a principal lecturer at the University of Hertfordshires Law School whose work focuses on legal issues and regulation of emerging technologies, including AI. AI systems may also do harm inadvertently, since humans who program them can be biased, and the data the programs are trained with may contain bias or inaccurate information. We need artificial intelligence that has been trained with unbiased data, Romero Moreno said. Otherwise, decisions made by AI will be inaccurate as well as discriminatory. Accountability on the part of vendors is essential, he said, stating that users should be able to challenge the outcome of any artificial intelligence decision and compel AI developers to explain the logic or the rationale behind the technologys reasoning. (A recent example of a related case is a class-action lawsuit filed by US man who was rejected from a job because AI video software judged him to be untrustworthy.) Tech companies need to make artificial intelligence systems auditable so that they can be subject to independent and external checks from regulatory bodies and users should have access to legal recourse to challenge the impact of a decision made by artificial intelligence, with final oversight always being given to a human, not a machine, Romero Moreno said. Copyright a major issue for AI apps Another major regulatory issue that needs to be navigated is copyright. The EUs AI Act includes a provision that would make creators of generative AI tools disclose any copyrighted material used to develop their systems. Copyright is everywhere, so when you have a gigantic amount of data somewhere on a server, and youre going to use that data in order to train a model, chances are that at least some of that data will be protected by copyright, Goossens said, adding that the most difficult issues to resolve will be around the training sets on which AI tools are developed. When this problem first arose, lawmakers in countries including Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore made an exception for copyrighted material that found its way into training sets, stating that copyright should not stand in the way of technological advancements. However, Goossens said, a lot of these copyright exceptions are now almost seven years old. The issue is further complicated by the fact that in the EU, while these same exceptions exist, anyone who is a rights holder can opt out of having their data used in training sets. Currently, because there is no incentive to having your data included, huge swathes of people are now opting out, meaning the EU is a less desirable jurisdiction for AI vendors to operate from. In the UK, an exception currently exists for research purposes, but the plan to introduce an exception that includes commercial AI technologies was scrapped, with the government yet to announce an alternative plan. Whats next for AI regulation? So far, China is the only country that has passed laws and launched prosecutions relating to generative AI in May, Chinese authorities detained a man in Northern China for allegedly using ChatGPT to write fake news articles. Elsewhere, the UK government has said that regulators will issue practical guidance to organizations, setting out how to implement the principles outlined in its white paper over the next 12 months, while the EU Commission is expected to vote imminently to finalize the text of its AI Act. By comparison, the US still appears to be in the fact-finding stages, although President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris recently met with executives from leading AI companies to discuss the potential dangers of AI. Last month, two Senate committees also met with industry experts, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Speaking to lawmakers, Altman said regulation would be wise because people need to know if theyre talking to an AI system or looking at content images, videos, or documents generated by a chatbot. I think well also need rules and guidelines about what is expected in terms of disclosure from a company providing a model that could have these sorts of abilities were talking about, Altman said. This is a sentiment Forresters Bennett agrees with, arguing that the biggest danger generative AI presents to society is the ease with which misinformation and disinformation can be created. [This issue] goes hand in hand with ensuring that providers of these large language models and generative AI tools are abiding by existing rules around copyright, intellectual property, personal data, etc. and looking at how we make sure those rules are really enforced, she said. Romero Moreno argues that education holds the key to tackling the technologys ability to create and spread disinformation, particularly among young people or those who are less technologically savvy. Pop-up notifications that remind users that content might not be accurate would encourage people to think more critically about how they engage with online content, he said, adding that something like the current cookie disclaimer messages that show up on web pages would not be suitable, as they are often long and convoluted and therefore rarely read. Ultimately, Bennett said, irrespective of what final legislation looks like, regulators and governments across the world need to act now. Otherwise well end up in a situation where the technology has been exploited to such an extreme that were fighting a battle we can never win. Nepali Sherpa rescues climber from Mt Everest 'death zone' A Nepali Sherpa saved a Malaysian climber who was incapacitated in Mount Everest's death zone, where temperatures can get to as low as -30C, a Nepalese government official stated. Gelje reportedly convinced his client to give up his summit attempt so that he could rescue the climber. Photo courtesy: Instagram/gelje_sherpa_ Gelje Sherpa, 30, was guiding a Chinese client to the 8,849-metre (29,032ft) Everest summit on May 18 when they came across another climber clinging to a rope and shivering from extreme cold. Gelje reportedly convinced his client to give up his summit attempt so that he could rescue the climber. He posted a video of the rare Everest rescue on his Instagram: "I saw someone in danger," Gelje posted. "A man who needed rescuing and no one else was helping. I made the decision to cancel our client's summit push so that I could bring him down to safety before he died up there alone." "Death zone" is the nickname of the area above the last camp South Col located at 8,000 metres. The final and most difficult part of the Everest climb is notorious for its thin air, high winds and treacherous icy slopes, which coupled with exhaustion, make any rescue almost impossible. According to reports, Gelje wrapped the climber in a sleeping mat and carried him for over six hours back to Camp Four, where a rescue team joined to help. They dragged and carried the distressed climber to Camp Three, from where a helicopter using a long line lifted the climber down to base camp. Nepal issued a record 478 permits for Everest during this years March to May climbing season. At least 12 climbers have died, the highest number for eight years, and another five are still missing on Everests slopes. Also read: Decoding dark facts in the search for missing Singaporean-Indian climber Shrinivas Dattatraya On May 19, 39-year-old Singaporean climber Shrinivas Sainis was reported missing after reaching the summit of Mount Everest. A week later, on May 27, Shrinivas's wife informed the public that the search and rescue team was unable to locate her husband. Chinese envoy urges placing Palestinian question on top of int'l agenda Xinhua) 13:28, June 05, 2023 UNITED NATIONS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday urged the international community to place the Palestinian question on top of the international agenda. "The international community must always place the Palestinian question on top of the international agenda, and advance the two-state solution with a greater sense of urgency," said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, at this year's pledging conference for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). "For over 70 years, the agency has played an irreplaceable and vital role in alleviating the humanitarian plight of Palestinian refugees by providing them with critical relief and protection. China fully recognizes and highly commends the work of the agency, and welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly of the resolution on the renewal of the agency's mandate with a majority of votes in December last year," Geng said. China notes with concern that the agency has been in a deep financial crisis in recent years, and its ability to perform its duties has been severely limited, he said. "China called for political support and financial guarantees for UNRWA and necessary help to host countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. We also call for the lift of blockade on the Gaza Strip, the cessation of settlement activities in the occupied territory, and the avoidance of unilateral actions that exacerbate the plight of Palestinian refugees," said the envoy. Geng said that China has long been providing humanitarian and development assistance to Palestine, and has been providing assistance "within our capacity to support the agency in fulfilling its mandate. This year, China will again contribute 1 million U.S. dollars to the agency." "China always and firmly supports the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, and supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and on the basis of 1967 borders," he said. Geng added that in December 2022, the Riyadh Declaration of the China-Arab States Summit gave prominence to the Palestinian question, demonstrating the solidarity and consensus between China and Arab countries. "China is ready to work with the international community and make positive contributions to the early achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question and the realization of lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity in the Middle East," said the envoy. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Unannounced inspections of its slaughterhouses, and taking action against facilities that failed those inspections New animal-handling guidelines More cage space for laying hens that gave them enough room to stand fully upright More water drinkers per cage Pork purchases from farms that didnt confine sows to stalls Good for animals and good for fast-food consumers, but of all people, why was Pryor working as a cow crusader? Its actually not that much of a mystery. Richard always loved animals, his two-time wife Jennifer Lee Pryor told National Geographics Jordan Schaul and celebrity animal lovers the Barbi Twins, citing the comedians virtual menagerie that included a miniature pony, monkeys and at least three dogs. Richard mimicked animals in his comedy routines (like) a deer in the woods, and he gave a voice to a neighbors German Shepherd who took pity on Richard during a heartbreak. Richard had a deep well of empathy and compassion. It was a wonderful bond we shared. He had two companion dogs, Homer and Spirit, that were with him throughout the last years of his life. Advertisement The comics love for animals lives on at Pryors Planet, a nonprofit in Pryors name dedicated to saving lives, providing sanctuary and making the world a better place for all creatures. He also helped change Burger King forever, ironic since Pryor was a vegetarian and therefore an unlikely customer. I was standing at the corner of 42nd Street, and this man came up to me and said, Rise, and go forth and be a vegetarian, he told the New Yorker. Vegetables are funny. They have a great sense of humor. You drop their seeds in the ground and they rub around in the dirt and then they grow up and you can eat them. As far as we know, neither the seeds nor the vegetables mind at all. Advertisement I couldnt be more thrilled to live out this lifelong dream! To tour the world, spreading laughter, with some of my best friends, is something I never thought would be possible. Im so grateful to get this opportunity, and its even more fulfilling knowing that its all because of the incredible people who enjoy my comedy, Rife told Deadline of the ProbleMATTic world tour, which will be produced by Live Nation. Ive been working so hard toward this for 12 years, and now Ive surrounded myself with a team who works just as hard and share the same passion! I still cant believe it. Advertisement Rifes success and upcoming tour, which will take him across Australia, Europe and North America, represents a paradigm shift in the way stand-up comics achieve superstar status. Though Rife has had a handful of guest appearances in more mainstream comedy projects such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the vast majority of his celebrity exists solely through his social media accounts. Furthermore, Rife still hasnt been co-signed by either the traditional or neuvo-gatekeepers of comedy with no HBO, Netflix or Amazon special yet on his resume. In fact, his first two self-produced specials are available for free on YouTube. Even in the internet age, a strictly stand-up comedian with no major mainstream comedy credits launching a multi-continent Live Nation supertour is untread territory. Advertisement Clearly, Kutcher and his wife Mila Kunis see in Rife what his 14 million fans see a superstar ready to take the next step. Since Kutcher and Rife both fill the beefy-but-funny archetype for their respective generations, maybe the elder humor hunk could give his protege some important advice, like, for instance, dont do an Elon Musk biopic with Josh Gad. Microsoft revealed on May 24 that the Chinese threat group Volt Typhoon attempted to gain access to communications systems in the United States, including Navy infrastructure on Guam. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro later confirmed the Navy "has been impacted" by the cyberattacks, although he provided no further details. Following the release of the report, a joint advisory published by the FBI, NSA, CISA, and Five Eyes partners cybersecurity agencies from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada detailed the group's primary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) as part of a relatively new approach to warning about these kinds of operations quickly to undercut them. The Biden administration earlier this year announced a comprehensive National Cybersecurity Strategy that seeks to bolster federal government cybersecurity and foreclose incidents like these even earlier. Officials expect the administration to release soon guidance for agencies to implement the strategy, although experts say implementation of the guidance won't be easy. Recent significant federal government cyber incidents The Navy incident follows a spate of recent and significant intrusions, thefts, and financially motivated attacks on US federal government systems, as outlined in the following timeline. Not surprisingly, most of these incidents entailed foreign threat actors seeking to engage in surveillance or steal government assets. May 2023 - The personal information of 237,000 current and former federal government employees was exposed in a data breach at the US Transportation Department (USDOT), affecting systems for processing TRANServe transit benefits that reimburse government employees for some commuting costs. - The personal information of 237,000 current and former federal government employees was exposed in a data breach at the US Transportation Department (USDOT), affecting systems for processing TRANServe transit benefits that reimburse government employees for some commuting costs. March 2023 - CISA, the FBI, and MS-ISAC announced that two threat actors, one of them the Vietnamese XE Group, hacked an unnamed US federal agency's Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) web server by exploiting a critical .NET deserialization vulnerability in the Progress Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX component. - CISA, the FBI, and MS-ISAC announced that two threat actors, one of them the Vietnamese XE Group, hacked an unnamed US federal agency's Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) web server by exploiting a critical .NET deserialization vulnerability in the Progress Telerik UI for ASP.NET AJAX component. February 2023 - The US Marshals Service suffered a significant security breach when ransomware hackers broke into and stole data from a computer system, including a trove of personal information about investigative targets and agency employees. - The US Marshals Service suffered a significant security breach when ransomware hackers broke into and stole data from a computer system, including a trove of personal information about investigative targets and agency employees. January 2023 - CISA discovered malicious activity within the networks of multiple federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agencies using the EINSTEIN intrusion detection system in a "widespread, financially motivated phishing campaign." - CISA discovered malicious activity within the networks of multiple federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agencies using the EINSTEIN intrusion detection system in a "widespread, financially motivated phishing campaign." December 2022 - Hackers gained access through a false account to data on more than 80,000 members of the FBI threat information-sharing program, Infragard, and began selling data stolen from it. - Hackers gained access through a false account to data on more than 80,000 members of the FBI threat information-sharing program, Infragard, and began selling data stolen from it. November 2021 - Hackers gained access to the FBI's Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal, sending spam emails to potentially thousands of people and companies with a faked warning of a cyberattack. The email referenced an international hacker group called the Dark Overlord, which allegedly steals data and demands large ransoms for its return. - Hackers gained access to the FBI's Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal, sending spam emails to potentially thousands of people and companies with a faked warning of a cyberattack. The email referenced an international hacker group called the Dark Overlord, which allegedly steals data and demands large ransoms for its return. March 2021 - Russian hackers accessed emails in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, although it's unclear if the theft was part of the SolarWinds breach. - Russian hackers accessed emails in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, although it's unclear if the theft was part of the SolarWinds breach. December 2020 - Hackers from Russia's SVR intel agency were discovered to have breached multiple government agencies and at least 200 other organizations worldwide, including NATO, the UK government, the European Parliament, and Microsoft, through a supply chain attack on business software supplier SolarWinds's Orion software. - Hackers from Russia's SVR intel agency were discovered to have breached multiple government agencies and at least 200 other organizations worldwide, including NATO, the UK government, the European Parliament, and Microsoft, through a supply chain attack on business software supplier SolarWinds's Orion software. October 2020 - The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said it consistently observed Chinese Ministry of State Security-affiliated cyber threat actors using publicly available information sources and common, well-known tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to target US Government agencies. - The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said it consistently observed Chinese Ministry of State Security-affiliated cyber threat actors using publicly available information sources and common, well-known tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to target US Government agencies. August 2020 - The FBI said elite hackers for the Iranian government, identified separately as the Fox Kitten or Parisite group, were detected attacking the US private and government sector - The FBI said elite hackers for the Iranian government, identified separately as the Fox Kitten or Parisite group, were detected attacking the US private and government sector April 2020 - Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was struck by a surge of daily strikes by Chinese threat actors to steal coronavirus research. - Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was struck by a surge of daily strikes by Chinese threat actors to steal coronavirus research. February 2020 - The Defense Information Systems Agency warned of a data breach that may have exposed social security numbers and other sensitive information on 8,000 military staff and contractors. - The Defense Information Systems Agency warned of a data breach that may have exposed social security numbers and other sensitive information on 8,000 military staff and contractors. January 2020 - The US Office of Inspector General (OIG) said that hackers who exploited a Citrix ADC zero-day vulnerability breached US Census Bureau servers. Biden's strategy seeks to harden federal infrastructure More than any previous administration, the Biden administration has taken a serious step forward to secure federal government infrastructure (and, by extension, the private sector through government contractor requirements) with its expansive National Cybersecurity Strategy, released in March. The strategy outlines five broad "pillars" of cybersecurity efforts that civilian agencies must meet, including approaches to defending critical infrastructure, disrupting and dismantling threat actors, shaping market forces to drive security and resilience, investing in a resilient future, and enhancing public-private operational collaboration to disrupt adversaries. But the details of how agencies should start tackling the challenges won't be fully understood until the administration releases the strategy's implementation guidance, which officials say could occur over the next month or so. Implementing the strategy will be a challenge No matter how the guidance shakes out, government agencies' challenges in implementing the strategy will undoubtedly be significant. First off is the sheer size and complexity of the federal government. "It's difficult for people to understand the scale of the federal government," Michael Daniel, head of the Cyber Threat Alliance, tells CSO. "It's got so many different departments and agencies and pieces and commissions and structures, and it's geographically distributed. So, the challenges you face of moving all of that enormous enterprise along, the effort you have to go to make those changes, it's enormous and should not be understated." Shawn Henry, CSO at CrowdStrike, praises the strategy as an essential step but also sees the sprawling nature of the federal government as a vexing variable in implementing the strategy. "When you think about the federal government, the multiple agencies, civilian agencies, and military agencies, the spread of those organizations, of their people and their facilities and each of those agencies from an administrative perspective, reporting up to a different enterprise," it's a challenge, he tells CSO. Centralization is key For Henry, who spent two decades in the federal government before joining the private sector, the goal of a sound cybersecurity strategy is centralization, which is especially true for the government. "I talk to companies all the time about having their overall strategy, their coordination in a centralized manner because only then can you have full visibility into what's happening and a sense of accountability," he says. "And historically in the government, things have been spread across all civilian agencies, the intel community, and the Department of Defense. So, it's really, really important [to centralize] when you've got too many silos and too many people, the proverbial too many cooks in the kitchen." Likewise, Daniel thinks it's crucial to centralize cybersecurity in the most capable parts of the government. "How do you continue shifting the burden away from every little department and agency, whether it's the Marine Mammal Commission to the Department of Justice? How do you have the more capable agencies being the ones providing cybersecurity? How do you centralize more of that? Feds won't be starting at square one Aside from the greater need for centralization, Daniel and Henry think the cybersecurity challenges the federal government faces are not really that different from those faced by private sector organizations. "There are more similarities than there are differences," Henry says. "When you look at the issues that the federal government faces in cybersecurity at one level, they're no different than what major corporations and other businesses face in the United States," Daniel says. The federal government won't be starting a square one once the implementation process gets underway because departments and agencies have already been moving toward better cybersecurity for years. Nonetheless, the full strategy implementation will be a long slog. Henry thinks there are some areas where the government could make quick wins at the outset, such as eliminating known problematic software from federal systems. "I've been concerned as a citizen and security professional to see the continued reliance on different software vendors that have proven to be vulnerable for many years. I call it a self-inflicted wound," he says. And when we're using software that's vulnerable over and over and over again, the most exploited software that we've seen, that's a problem. It's like leaving your front door unlocked sometimes and then wondering why you got robbed. If we're using software that's consistently vulnerable, and then it gets breached by China, well, shame on us." The security of critical infrastructure has been high on the agenda in 2023, with cyberattacks and other risks posing a persistent threat to the technologies and systems relied upon for essential services such as energy, food, electricity, and healthcare. Research from cybersecurity services firm Bridewell assessed the current state of critical national infrastructure (CNI) threats in the UK and the US, warning that global economic downturns, geopolitical tensions, nation-state actors, and ransomware are all contributing to increasing threats faced by organizations and suppliers in the CNI space. In April, it was revealed the hacking group responsible for the significant supply-chain attack targeting VoIP company 3CX also breached two critical infrastructure organizations in the energy sector, with one located in the US and the other in Europe. Meanwhile, the UK National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) issued an alert about a new class of Russian cyber adversary threatening the UKs critical infrastructure. In March, the White Houses National Cybersecurity Strategy reclassified ransomware as a tier-one national security threat following a series of attacks hitting CNI services like food suppliers, hospitals, and schools. In response, multiple initiatives, programs, guidance, and standards have been launched this year to enhance the cybersecurity of critical systems and tackle the growing risks that threaten CNI. Vendors, governments, industry bodies, and nonprofits have all contributed, with information-sharing and collaboration a key theme of many efforts to increase cyber resilience across the CNI spectrum. Here are 10 notable examples from the year so far. UK introduces Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act In December 2022, the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act was introduced into UK law, with organizations granted the duration of 2023 as a grace period to achieve compliance with its new rules. The act sets out provisions about the security of internet-connectable products and products capable of connecting to such products and electronic communications infrastructure. Products covered by existing legislation (including healthcare monitoring products and smart meters) or products that are complex and may one day have their own legislation (for example autonomous cars) are not covered by the PSTI Act. Three key areas require compliance: Clear information on support periods stating exactly how long manufacturers will continue to provide updates. Default passwords are not permitted which means users will need to be supplied with unique product passwords upon first use, which then need to be changed. Information on where anyone who finds a vulnerability can inform the manufacturer and for the manufacturer to inform its customers of vulnerabilities and provide a fix in a timely manner. EU NIS2 Directive sets out new standards for essential entities In January, the Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) came into force in the EU, introducing a new regulation component that extends to critical infrastructure. Under NIS2, organizations classed as essential entities such as providers of energy, transport, and healthcare will be subject to the strictest requirements and most comprehensive regulatory oversight including (potentially) on-site inspections and targeted, independent, security audits. NIS2 replaced the NIS directive that took effect in the EU in 2018 and EU countries must meet the updated rules by October 2024. With the changes implemented through NIS2, EU regulators are recognizing the increasing risk of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and their web of third parties. Notably, the revised legislation encompasses a broader spectrum of organizations and businesses, imposing a mandatory obligation to promptly notify relevant authorities within 24 hours of a cyberattack and sets a minimum baseline security standard to be upheld by these entities, says Tim Callan, chief experience officer at Sectigo. NATO, EU launch critical infrastructure resilience task force In January, NATO and the EU agreed to create a task force on resilience and critical infrastructure protection. In the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putins weaponization of energy and the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, the pair said that the task forces focus is on making critical infrastructure, technology, and supply chains more resilient to potential threats and taking action to mitigate vulnerabilities. The following month, senior officials from NATO and the EU met to officially launch the NATO-EU Task Force on Resilience of Critical Infrastructure. The initiative brings together officials from both organizations to share best practices and situational awareness, along with developing principles to improve resilience. The task force began with a focus on four sectors: energy, transport, digital infrastructure, and space. In December 2022, NATO experimented with AIs ability to protect critical infrastructure, with findings indicating that it can help significantly in identifying critical infrastructure cyberattack patterns/network activity and detecting malware to enable enhanced decision-making about defensive responses. International task force combats ransomware national security threats In January, 36 governments and the EU launched the International Counter Ransomware Task Force to combat ransomware attacks that pose national security threats, particularly those that impact businesses in the CNI sector. Led by the Australian government, the coalition aims to enable sustained and impactful international collaboration designed to disrupt, combat, and defend against increasing ransomware threats through information and intelligence exchanges, sharing best practice policy and legal authority frameworks, and collaboration between law enforcement and cyber authorities. The International Counter Ransomware Task Force has great potential to have an immediate effect compared to other industry initiatives, says Craig Jones, vice president of security operations at managed detection and response provider Ontinue. This is due to its international focus on ransomware, the most formidable global threat to businesses and infrastructure as a whole. SANS Institute releases ICS Cybersecurity Field Manual volumes 2 and 3 The SANS Institute released two new volumes of its Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cybersecurity Field Manual, providing ICS cybersecurity professionals and risk managers new insights into incident response, vulnerability management, defender skillsets, team management, and security tools/ protocols to defend systems. Volume 2 was published in January, while Volume 3 was published in May. The SANS ICS Cybersecurity Field Manual series is an essential tool for all ICS security professionals, says ICS expert, field manual author, and certified SANS instructor, Dean Parsons. It should find a home on the desk of every control system operator, critical infrastructure cyber defender, and ICS/OT risk manager, in all industrial control system sectors globally. CISA updates Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals In March, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) updated its Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) to help establish a common set of fundamental cybersecurity practices for critical infrastructure. The CPGs are a prioritized subset of IT and OT cybersecurity practices that critical infrastructure owners and operators can implement to meaningfully reduce the likelihood and impact of known risks and adversary techniques. Version 1.0.1 reordered and renumbered the CPGs to align more closely with the NIST Cyber Security Framework. The update included new guidance relating to phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA) and incident recovery planning. Cybersecurity firms form the Elite Cyber Defenders Program In April, global cybersecurity firms Accenture, IBM, and Mandiant joined the Elite Cyber Defenders Program a new, collaborative initiative led by Nozomi Networks and designed to help secure critical infrastructure. The program aims to provide global industrial and government customers access to strong cybersecurity defense tools, incident response teams, and threat intelligence. Each participant in the program will offer custom-designed incident response and assessment programs for joint customers, along with committing to working with Nozomi Networks Labs on shared threat intelligence and joint security research focused on identifying novel malware and new TTPs employed by threat actors. OT giants collaborate on ETHOS early threat, attack warning system In April, a group of OT security companies that usually compete with one another announced they were setting aside their rivalries to collaborate on a new vendor-neutral, open-source, and anonymous OT threat warning system called ETHOS (Emerging Threat Open Sharing). Formed as a nonprofit, ETHOS aims to share data on early threat indicators and discover new and novel attacks threatening industrial organizations that run essential services, including electricity, water, oil and gas production, and manufacturing systems. It has already gained US CISA endorsement, a boost that could give the initiative greater traction. All organizations, including public and private asset owners, can contribute to ETHOS at no cost, and founders envisage it evolving along the lines of open-source software Linux. ETHOS community and board members include some of the top OT security companies 1898 & Co., ABS Group, Claroty, Dragos, Forescout, NetRise, Network Perception, Nozomi Networks, Schneider Electric, Tenable, and Waterfall Security. This is a community effort, says Marty Edwards, deputy chief technology officer for OT and IoT at Tenable. Were hoping that we can get a technology-neutral third party [to stand up ETHOS] and whether thats a government entity, an information sharing and analysis center, or quite frankly, whether we have to stand up our own entity under the nonprofit organization. UK NCSC announces Principles Based Assurance framework In April, the UK NCSC announced that it was establishing the Principles-Based (PBA) framework to measure and certify the cyber resilience of products and systems that, if compromised, could cause a significant impact on peoples lives. This includes CNI, which faces significant cyber threats and attackers with resources, skill, and time working in a targeted way, the NCSC said. The PBA will have a three-layered process. The first, foundational layer is the philosophy of a risk-based rather than a compliance-driven approach. The second stage is developing a consistent method that can be followed, along with documentation and templates to be used. The final stage is how the method can be deployed and accessed as a service in the marketplace by both vendors and buyers in a consistent and trusted way. The NCSC will be publishing the PBA method when it is available so that people can start using it. Work is underway on the service layer to design a way to scale the PBA philosophy and method through industry partners. By next year, the NCSC plans to have an embryonic network of approved Cyber Resilience Test Facilities. UK launches Secure Connected Places cybersecurity playbook In May, the UK government published the alpha version of Secure Connected Places: Cybersecurity Playbook to support local authorities in improving the security of their connected places, including critical infrastructure and utilities such as smart energy systems that reduce pressure on the grid. It was designed in collaboration with six local authorities and comprises several cybersecurity resources covering topics including governance, procurement and supply chain management, and how to conduct good threat analysis. Connected places present an opportunity for local authorities to enhance the quality of living for their citizens, the playbook says. However, without the necessary protection in place, the diversity and interconnectedness of technologies needed to operate connected places also makes them vulnerable to cyberattacks. These attacks can lead to reputational damage, the loss of sensitive data, and the damaging of physical infrastructure that residents rely on. STORY LINK Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) Exchange Rate Dips as Thin Data Calendar Blights GBP Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) Exchange Rate Dips as Thin Data Calendar Blights GBP Pound (GBP) Cushioned by Services PMI Uptick Euro (EUR) Quiet as Investors Await Lagarde Speech Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) Exchange Rate Forecast: German Data to Boost EUR? Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate weakened on Monday, as a lack of key data releases sapped sentiment towards Sterling.At the time of writing, GBP/EUR traded at around 1.1589, a fall of around 0.3% from Mondays opening rates.The Pound (GBP) was cushioned on Monday, as the final UK services PMI printed above preliminary readings, marking strong growth in the sector.However, as the increase was to 55.2 above 55.1 and still reflected a fall from Aprils 12 month high of 55.9. This may have undercut the optimism surrounding the figure.Tim Moor, Economics Director at S&P Global, commented: Service sector businesses have experienced strong growth so far in the second quarter of 2023, fuelled by resilient demand for consumer and technology services, combined with a post-pandemic tailwind as households switched from spending on goods to services.However, a wider lack of significant data releases likely kept GBP on the back foot during Mondays European session. With little in the way of catalysts for movement, Sterling appeared unable to capitalise on the risk on market mood.The Euro (EUR) saw minimal support during the early European session on Monday, as investors awaited a speech from European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde.With President Lagarde likely to remain hawkish, investors stayed cautious as they awaited clearer indications on the ECBs path forward in regard to rate hikes.Elsewhere, downbeat data releases may have weighed on the common currency. The Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence Index weakened in Junes reading, and printed below forecasts. The index came in at -17.1, far below a forecast of -9.2 and a drop from Mays reading of -13.1.Manfred Hubner, Managing Director at CEFA, commented: This raises the question of whether the recession has already begun in the Eurozone. A question that has already been answered for Germany. A look at the sentix data of the largest economy then clearly shows that the cause of the misery in Euroland is probably linked to the weakness of the German economy. It is of little help that expectations have improved slightly, as they remain negative at -18.3 points.Elsewhere, strength in the US Dollar was likely keeping the Euro under pressure on Monday. As these two currencies share a negative correlation, the Greenback gaining ground likely sapped sentiment towards the common currency.Looking ahead for the Euro (EUR), the core catalyst of movement is likely to be German industrial data. On Tuesday, Germanys latest factory orders data for April is forecast by economists to shoot up from -10.7% to 3.5%.If this prints accurately, it could reflect a staunch improvement in the blocs largest economys output. As such, this could bring strength to the single currency by indicating promising signs for the Eurozones economy at large.This could then be compounded on Wednesday, with the release of the latest industrial production data for April. Germanys production is forecast to have increased by 0.5% on a monthly basis, which would offer further indication of increased economic recovery in the German economy.Elsewhere, EU retail sales data is due to print on Tuesday. This is also forecast to show a recovery over April, with sales expected to have increased by 0.2%. This could bring further strength to EUR.For the Pound (GBP), meanwhile, the short term is rather bereft of impactful macroeconomic data releases. Because of this, Sterling may struggle for support and may be left vulnerable to shifts in market dynamics and risk appetite.As an increasingly risk sensitive currency, the Pound could gain ground if the market mood improves in the coming days. However, if cautious trade remains the default, it could weaken against the Euro.However, continued bets on further tightening from the Bank of England (BoE) may keep Sterling underpinned over the next couple of days. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Euro Forecasts Eugene voted to update its camping ordinance on May 24, specifying where it is illegal to camp and increasing punishments for people caught illegally camping twice in a month. The change comes as cities across Oregon change their camping ordinances to come into compliance with a state law requiring local camping laws be objectively reasonable about where unhoused people can camp. Eugene passed a set of restrictions banning camping in most of the city, and Springfield plans to pass a similar ordinance this week. House Bill 3115 codifies two rulings from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that found Boise and Grants Pass had unreasonable camping ordinances that violated the 8th Amendment's protection from cruel and unusual punishment. It doesn't prevent cities from banning camping in public spaces but forces cities to update camping laws that are unreasonable as to where people experiencing homelessness can sit, lay, sleep and keep warm and dry. The bill permits persons experiencing homelessness to file a lawsuit against the City of Eugene if they find local camping laws to be unreasonable. Eugene City Attorney Kathryn Brotherton said the old ordinance was not compliant because it banned camping on all public property and said it has to be more specific about time, place and manner. After months of sessions, Eugene City Council passed a new ordinance that changes camping restrictions at a May 24 work session. The new ordinance would ban camping: Within 1000 feet of educational facilities, which includes daycares and libraries Within 100 feet of the top of water banks Within five feet of ditches and wetlands Within five feet of streets Blocking a buildings entrance, exit, stairs or ramp And would require camps to allow at least four feet of space on sidewalks and ten feet on shared use paths Under the previous illegal camping ordinance, someone would only be considered a willful violator someone who is caught illegally camping twice in 30 days if they were camping in a vehicle. But under the new ordinance, any kind of camper faces the fine or 10 days in jail that comes with a willful violation. The ordinance also increased the fine for a willful violation from $250 to $500. The ordinance doesnt directly address parks, but retains current rules saying people arent allowed in parks after 11 p.m., although parks rules prevent people from having tents or bedding in parks. In theory, the updated code will allow for more camping than the old policy which banned camping on all public property. But unhoused advocates predicted there would not be a significant change. Heather Quaas-Annsa, director of philanthropy at Community Supported Shelters, said she hoped to see designation of where people can camp in addition to where they cant. The way the ordinance is being changed makes it difficult for people to know where they are legally allowed to be, she said. Quaas-Annsa said she objected to the increased penalty and that the ordinance could lead to more sweeps by empowering city officials to enforce the code in the designated illegal areas. Punitive measures really don't make sense to a population that is inherently struggling financially, Quaas-Annsa said. City Councilors who voted in favor of the ordinance said the increased fine wasnt about making unhoused people pay the fine, but to increase the incentive for them to go to community court. Were not trying to create more of a crisis for them, Mayor Lucy Vinis said. Were actually trying to compel them to actually seek the services have that fine forgiven in exchange for doing alternative service. But Quaas-Annsa said not designating places where people could camp would push people to the outskirts of the city and have the opposite effect. If the only place youre legally allowed to stay is not near any bus systems, is not near any support systems, the likelihood of you being successful in the community court program drastically decreases, she said. Quaas-Annsa said the same principle applies to the services Community Supported Shelters offers. If [unhoused people are] doing dispersed camping, who knows where, it makes it infinitely harder for us to be able to get them into our program and help them, she said. Several people asked city councilors to provide a map, an idea the councilors pushed back against. I dont know how practical it is to develop a map that shows 10 square feet of space where someone can or cannot be, Councilor Randy Groves said. Unhoused advocate Wayne Martin said the citys practice of buying unused land to designate as parks lets the city make it illegal to camp there. So they are enforcing, sometimes very mean-spiritedly, sometimes very inhumanely, the parking violations, the camping violations, in the middle of the night, he said. That's a denial of human rights. Unhoused advocate Lynn Porter said these restrictions would cover most of the city. He said he asked city councilors to establish places for self-managed camps until they have enough spots in formal shelters. Councilors pushed against this idea. Groves said encampments dont work when they arent managed and supervised. We get crime problems. We have filth. We have rat populations explode, he said. Porter said there is a need to compare problems with self-managed camps to the status quo. Were talking about survival here. We're talking about people living in hell. Every winter homeless people die on the street, he said. I think we need to get them off the street. And I think self-managed camps could work. On April 25, the University of Oregon held a public forum addressing four possible options for transitioning the Universitys heating systems. Currently, building heat accounts for 72% of the Universitys total greenhouse gas emissions. Following a study held by Affiliated Engineering, Inc. engineering firm, the university is currently considering four possible options for the future of campus heating. The UO Office of Sustainability set a requirement of a minimum 50% reduction in emissions, with a higher ideal goal being an 80% reduction. These four options explore the choices between gas or electric powered heating, and steam or hot water distribution system. Currently, the heating infrastructure on campus relies on gas powered boilers located at the Universitys central power plant, which distributes steam through four miles of pipes under campus to heat each of the buildings. The first option being considered is called systems as usual. The University would keep its current boiler systems, and keep things operating as they are. As a result, this option is low cost and has no disruption to campus. This option has no significant reduction in emissions. As the Climate Protection Plan in Oregon advances and implements required reductions in emissions, these systems would have to follow these changes. Option 2 involves switching the gas boilers to electric boilers. This option would result in the biggest reduction of emissions, passing the 80% goal and has a relatively low initial cost. These electric boilers would, however, require a significant increase in the annual cost to upkeep them, according to the presentation the UO gave at the public forum. Option 3 would require a more disruptive process of digging up and replacing the four miles of steam tunnels under campus, to transition to a more efficient hot water distribution system. This option would add two heat recovery chillers, which extract heat that is lost when cooling in one area and moves it to a place that needs the heat. According to the presentation, this system would work both ways, allowing the overall heating and cooling process to be more efficient. This transition would require a high initial cost, but would be relatively low annual cost to maintain, and would result in over 50% emissions reduction. Option 4 requires the transitions mentioned in option 3, but adds an alternative heat source. This method extracts heat from a nearby water source, meaning the systems use less energy to heat the water that will be distributed across campus. The best option for the water source is undecided as of now, but pulling out warm water, and putting cooler water back into the source is not harmful to sources under consideration like the Willamette River. This option would also reduce emissions by over 80%. We truly do not know the implications of a project like this [options 3 and 4], but we know it will be disruptive, Justin Mouledous, ASUOs sustainability policy secretary, said. Our warming planet is also a disruptive issue; so, a few months of street closure is likely worth the long-term benefits of the Thermal Systems Project. Brendan Adamczyk of the Climate Justice League and Student Sustainability Center said he and his peers noticed something major missing from the University of Oregons Climate Action Plans 2.0, which came out in 2018: there was no goal for carbon neutrality. One of the things that we pushed for was more studies and efforts into actual things we could do on campus rather than just sort of thinking 20 years in the future, and so this is one of the things, Adamczyk said. The work that were doing now is a result of student advocacy almost five years ago. The Thermal Systems Task Force, made up of board members, faculty, students, and staff, is analyzing the issue of emissions caused by the heating systems on campus. The task force is set to send the president an official report in the winter of 2024, with Climate Action Plan 3 set to launch in the spring of 2024. The task forces ultimate goal is to recommend a well researched, well supported, and viable plan for the future. This isn't something that we have to deal with over a 20 year period, we need to do it now. And if it impacts everybody, well, so be it. 350 Eugene volunteer Jim Neu said. It's been impacting all these people on especially low income, people of color and economic challenges. There is currently a survey open for students and the public to offer their opinions on which course they think the University should take moving forward. There will also be more opportunities for student and public input in the Fall of 2023 through both surveys and forums. The thermal heating systems transition study and survey can be found here. Opinion: The dangerous stereotype of pit bulls isnt centered around their appearance but rather a racist background. ---------- Long-lived myths about pit bulls continue to float around society: Pit bulls are the most dangerous dog breed and They have locking jaws. Everyone has been warned at least once about their vicious bites, up to 740 pounds of pressure per square inch. All of the myths are false. The anatomical structure of their jaws is incapable of this. But it goes beyond just anatomy; the endless misconceptions promote the negative stigmatization of pit bulls. Lets debunk. Pit bulls are not biologically more aggressive than any other dog breed. A golden retriever or a miniature poodle can be just as dangerous. It all comes back to socialization. Jeff Wright, a trainer at the Greenhill Humane Society, works with dogs from various backgrounds and personalities. His biggest projects are neglected, untrained or abused dogs who arent ready to be adopted. Just like people, dogs have development stages between four weeks and 16 weeks where they learn how to socialize and be around other people and other dogs. So if they arent properly socialized during that time, theyre going to react to situations fear-based, Wright said. An undersocialized pit bull isnt always aggressive, either. Untrained dogs are notorious for jumping and mouthing. However, it stems from awkwardness and social anxiety, according to Wright. To help the rehabilitation process, the Humane Society relies on foster homes. Wright recently encountered a severe case with a dog. Just a puppy, Gracie came into the shelter fearful and aggressive. This is abnormal behavior for a young dog. She was growling at me, which is a huge red flag. She should be curious. So I sent her to a foster home, where they integrated her with their dogs and potty trained her. Gracie just got adopted the other day, Wright said. Any aggressive dog can be properly trained. Its not genetic. Unfortunately, the stigmatization of pit bulls goes further than their overpopulation in animal shelters. Many know pit bulls were historically used in dog fighting, yet it wasnt until the 1970s that the stigma started expanding. As urban areas struggled, poorer residents, often Black and Latino, searched for protection and companionship. With a large number of pit bulls in animal shelters, they became the popular breed in poorer neighborhoods. A decade later, America entered the War on Drugs. The media was obsessed over covering the ghetto, or poorer neighborhoods. Pit bulls were advertised as vicious animals as they were the popular urban dog. They were often exhibited having large fangs with a title above saying BEWARE OF DOG. This paralleled the portrayal of Black and Latino men, who were treated as toxic carriers of drug addiction and social dysfunction. The American pit bull became an extension of the racism against people of color. The breed is most likely to be targeted by Breed Specific Legislation. This generates multiple struggles for both the dog and the owner. For example, some housing legally bans all types of pit bulls. This creates housing issues for owners, as theyre excluded from properties for simply owning a pit bull. Pit bulls also fall victim to murder, specifically by the police force. American police are notorious for executing dogs on search warrants. There are times the dogs react aggressively. And there are many other times when they dont, such as Dutchess, a rescue dog who approached a police officer in a friendly manner and was instantly shot. Because of these dangerous stereotypes, pit bulls are subject to mistreatment and torture. The historical racism of Black and Latino populations persists today. And pit bulls are only one example, demonstrating the ongoing effects of racial discrimination within America. The image of the pit bull has improved in the past few years, but not for the right reasons. Theyre now termed nanny dogs in a public relations campaign. They advertise Helen Keller and Fred Astaire as pit bull owners in an attempt to break the stigmatization. Reestablishing the pit bull name is important. But dissociating them from people of color is the wrong direction. The underlying truth of clearing the stigma of pit bulls is addressing the racism underneath. Opinion: The alarming political changes in Florida have spurred travel advisories from humanitarian groups. ---------- The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other high profile civil rights organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign, League of United Latin American Citizens and Equality Florida have released advisories that Florida isnt safe to travel to for people in certain marginalized groups. In its statement on May 20, the NAACP wrote, Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color. In response, Rick Scott, a Republican House of Representatives member from Florida, released his own statement on Twitter, which wrote that, Florida is openly hostile toward Socialists, Communists and those that enable them. While its framed as comedic, mocking the serious tone of the advisories, its an indicator of greater malice. Scott saying that leftists shouldnt come to Florida is much more than a bad joke its a threat. Scott and others like him want conservative ideology to be enforced by the state, including in schools and workplaces. Floridas infamous Dont Say Gay law, banning all curriculums on sexuality or gender identity, has recently been expanded to all grades. There is a great amount of censorship and bannings happening within the states educational system, with even one complaint from a parent being enough to enact a full ban on a certain book or movie. Scotts statement further wrote, Travelers should be aware that attempts to spread Socialism in north Florida will fail and be met with laughter and mockery. Florida politicians like Governor Ron DeSantis and Scott are gleefully sliding Florida into fascism while the rest of the country watches. These politicians know the mask of respectability has slipped and they dont care. The lives of so many people in marginalized communities are being put at risk to further the spine-chilling agenda taking place there. The ramifications are already in effect. Pride parades are being canceled across the state, and recently Amanda Gormans poem from Bidens inauguration known for its inspirational message about overcoming oppression has been banned at a Florida school in Miami-Dade county. As someone with family ties in Florida, its been distressing to see the political battlefield it has become under DeSantis. While the state is known to have a conservative leaning, the open hostility towards anyone who doesnt wholeheartedly support far-right ideology goes beyond the pale. Visiting my family there, something thats important to me, now feels much more unsafe. I wont feel comfortable expressing my true political views or feelings while there. Florida has become a testing ground for a fascist reality that these extremists want to push across the entire nation. DeSantis, who has officially begun his presidential campaign, is intentionally setting people against each other so that he can achieve his radical agenda. Its important to understand the true danger behind the many antics of Florida republicans. They shouldnt be taken for granted, or treated as just one of the crazy things that are common in the state. People in Florida deserve the same rights and protections others in the U.S. have, and what theyre going through right now is a dire warning for the rest of the country. Crude Oil, OPEC+, WTI, US Dollar, US Jobs Data, Saudi Arabia, Russia Talking Points Crude oil leapt to higher ground after the OPEC+ declared a production cut The June OPEC+ meeting delivered a price reaction that had been foretold The US Dollar might weigh on oil if it keeps climbing. Will WTI rally? Trade Smarter - Sign up for the DailyFX Newsletter Receive timely and compelling market commentary from the DailyFX team Subscribe to Newsletter Crude oil opened at a 5-week high on Monday after OPEC+ announced a reduction in the output target over the weekend that will take effect from the 1st of July. The decision at the Vienna gathering of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) comes after a similar move back in April that saw black gold race to a 6-month peak. After that run-up, it collapsed to an 18-month low at the start of last month ahead of last weekends conclave. The price action so far today has been somewhat similar with an initial rally of over 4% from Fridays close before giving up most of those gains. The latest prices can be viewed here. Within OPEC+, Saudi Arabia will do most of the heavy lifting, lowering their production by a million barrels per day. This puts the largest oil-exporting nation at around 9 million barrels per day, down from circa 10.5 million barrels per day before the April cuts. Russian production targets were left unchanged, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) gained permission to add slightly while some African nations saw modest cuts and their output will be monitored. Recommended by Daniel McCarthy How to Trade Oil Get My Guide The move had been telegraphed to some extent by the Saudi Arabia Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman. Two weeks ago, he said, speculators, like in any market, they are there to stay. I keep advising that they will be ouching. They did ouch in April. I dont have to show my card, Im not [a] poker player but I would just tell them, watch out. The US Dollar is also stronger to start the week after mixed jobs data on Friday that saw 339k jobs added in May according to the non-farm payrolls data. This beat the 195k anticipated and there was also an upward revision to the April figure to 295k from 253k. However, the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.7% from 3.4% prior and above the 3.5% forecast. There had been some commentary from a number of Fed speakers last week hinting that the bank might skip a hike at the June 14th Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. We are now in the blackout period for committee members to be making public statements about policy until after the gathering. Without further guidance on Fed thinking, uncertainty and speculation might see a tick-up in volatility across markets, including oil prices. WTI CRUDE OIL CHART Chart created in TradingView --- Written by Daniel McCarthy, Strategist for DailyFX.com Please contact Daniel via @DanMcCarthyFX on Twitter Advertisement The announcement by Ukraine that it is 'shifting to offensive actions' heralds the start of a new and potentially vital phase of the war with Russia that could be its only chance to win back territory, a military expert said today. JUSTIN BRONK, a research fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, has analysed the latest situation in an article for MailOnline today and believes it is unlikely Volodymyr Zelenksy's forces will have a better opportunity to take back control of land occupied by the Russians. Months of heavy fighting around urban areas such as Bakhmut have the exchange of territory between the opposing armies slow to a crawl. But that time has not been wasted, as Ukraine has replenished its elite brigades and been bolstered by the arrival of equipment from European and NATO allies including German Leopard 2 and British Challenger 2 tanks. Ukrainian officials have kept Russia guessing about when and where it might launch its long-awaited counter-offensive, with commanders cautious about repeating the mistakes made by Russian forces during their attacks which saw entire brigades scuttled. Mr Bronk said the task ahead for Zelensky's troops will be huge as they have to power through extensive Russian defensive lines that have been months in the making by Putin's troops and feature trenches, minefields and anti-tank defences. The stakes are high, but after significant Western support and the struggle faced by Russia to adapt to the attritional nature of the war which has left Kremlin troops short of ammunition, spare parts, reinforcements and morale, now could be Ukraine's best chance to make progress. A Ministry of Defence map issued today on the latest situation in Ukraine [CLICK TO EXPAND] A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on May 28, 2023 As Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister announces that Ukrainian forces are 'shifting to offensive actions', it is important to manage our expectations of a quick and decisive result in the West. Ukraine now has the operational advantage and the strategic initiative in the long gruelling war it has been fighting since Russia invaded in February 2022. Since its highly successful counter offensive in the northern Kharkiv region in Autumn last year, and its more attritional success in grinding down the Russian Army in the south to finally retake the city of Kherson before Christmas, Ukraine has bided its time. Russia had mobilised and tried to train some 300,000 new soldiers from September last year that it has tried to form into new units and reinforce existing ones depleted by heavy and sustained casualties. However, since then it has essentially depleted these forces, over six months of staggeringly wasteful infantry and artillery assaults around Vuhledar, Ardiivka and especially Bakhmut. Now Russia has just about enough troops to man its trench lines in defence, but nothing significant in the way of a reserve force of mobile armoured units key to plugging any large-scale breach of those trench lines by a Ukrainian counter-offensive force. Ukraine had previously suffered significant attrition in its elite brigades which were used heavily in its Autumn counter-offensives due to having received NATO training, the best equipment and thus being capable of combined arms manoeuvre warfare. Combined arms warfare is where tanks, infantry, armoured vehicles, artillery, electronic warfare assets and logistics are all used together to take ground rapidly. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint news conference with his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 2 Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Monday, June 5. Kremlin troops are lacking in ammunition, reinforcements and morale, Justin Bronk says An armoured vehicle is driven on a street near the Ukraine-Russia border in Vovchansk on Monday, June 5, as Kyiv announces it has begun 'offensive actions' Drone footage released today shows a burning armoured vehicle in an unidentified location after the Defence Ministry in Moscow said Russia thwarted a Ukrainian offensive in Donetsk Ukrainian soldiers carrying guns stand in their positions near the war-torn city of Bakhmut in the region of Donetsk on Monday After taking heavy losses in the successful Autumn counter offensives, therefore, Ukraine has been carefully husbanding these units to both rebuild them and form additional brigades with the same capabilities. Western tanks like the German Leopard 2 and British Challenger 2, for example, have been being used to train and now to equip these elite brigades for offensive combat. Consequently, less well equipped and trained but more numerous infantry and lightly armoured units were sent to desperately defend Bakhmut and other areas from the waves of Russian attacks since the start of 2023. As a result, both Russia and Ukraine took tens of thousands of casualties and Russia gained some limited territory in the rubble, but whereas Russia's elite units were exhausted, Ukraine's are now ready to try and reconquer large areas this Summer. The challenge, however, remains formidable. Russian units have not been idle in their trenches away from the main offensive actions. READ MORE HERE: Military expert JUSTIN BRONK says Vladimir Putin has NO good options and Russia's entire invasion force could COLLAPSE in worst defeat since WW2 Advertisement They have constructed extensive defensive lines consisting of bunkers, anti-tank obstacles and thick minefields densely strewn with both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. The fate of the Russian 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade at Vuhledar in March shows exactly what the danger is for Ukrainian forces going over to the counter-offensive at scale against these sort of defensive lines. At Vuhledar, a Russian unit with tanks and artillery support attempted to advance through lanes that their engineers had cleared through defensive minefields. However, they encountered freshly scattered mines laid the night before that had not been cleared, and once the first few vehicles were hit and had to stop, the force was suddenly trapped in narrow cleared corridors with mines on all sides in daylight. Ukrainian UAVs quickly directed heavy artillery fire onto the stopped units, along with fire from ground based anti-tank guided missile teams, and the Russian vehicles and dismounted infantry were forced to disperse and retreat through mines under withering fire. The 155th Brigade was functionally destroyed in only a few minutes. This is why Ukrainian commanders have been so cautious preparing for the counter-offensive. Any small mistake on a battlefield strewn with mines, watched by UAVs and pulverised by artillery that will accurately be brought down onto any unit caught stationary in the open in 2-3 minutes could easily cost a large part of one of Ukraine's carefully built elite brigades. On the other hand, the prize is clear the Russian Army is at a desperately weak point and this may be Ukraine's only chance to potentially liberate most if not all of its occupied territory. Having anticipated a short, easy war of conquest, Russia's leadership took until the end of last year to start seriously preparing for a long war. Their factories and training facilities are still trying to adjust to a massively increased demand for materiel and troops. Smoke rises after shelling in the town of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine on Monday, June 5. A military expert has said the upcoming Ukrainian offensive could be its best change to regain occupied territory Workers clear debris in a partially destroyed residential building after a Russian missile strike on April 28, 2023, in Uman, Cherkasy region Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut, an eastern city where fierce battles against Russian forces have been taking place, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on May 15, 2023 The aftermath of a rocket attack in the Dnipro area, central Ukraine, on June 4, 2023. According to the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine, a 2-years old girl died and 22 people were injured Therefore, at the front, Russian troops are short of ammunition, spare parts, reinforcements, reserves and morale. However, this will not last forever Russia's leaders have every incentive to sort out their military production and a brutal coercive state apparatus to enforce their will. Western support capacity, too, is not unlimited. Ukraine is likely as strong militarily at this point as it can sustainably be in the short term. As a result, the stakes are extremely high for the counter-offensive. Ukrainian troops, no matter how brave, motivated and skilfully led, will face withering firepower and very tough Russian defensive lines. There will almost certainly be set backs and heavy casualties. However, with no mobile reserves of any significance, the Russian Army faces an extremely difficult situation if Ukrainian forces manage to achieve a significant breakthrough and push mobile forces through at scale. So far, Russian troops have retreated in largely good order from Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson. That saved many of their formations and much equipment that would have been lost in a rout. However, with the balance of forces at a critical point; if Ukraine can break through at scale we could see a large-scale Russian rout for the first time during this war. The announcement of a royal birth is steeped in as much tradition and theatre as any of the most glamorous royal occasions. As soon as the baby is born, a proclamation signed by doctors who delivered the boy or girl is rushed from the ward to Buckingham Palace and stands on an easel in the forecourt for the public to see. Celebratory gun salutes are also fired for the birth of every prince or princess, no matter where their place is in the line of succession. But as a new generation of royal babies make their entrance, their parents are opting for a modern approach to the announcement. Princess Eugenie announced the birth of her new son, Ernest, on Instagram while Mike Tindall chose to share that his youngest son Lucas had been born during a podcast interview, recounting how Zara had given birth on their bathroom floor. The birth of Princess Anne was announced with a proclamation on the gates of Clarence House where she was born on 15 August 1950 while Buckingham palace was being renovated Charles' birth was born at 9:14pm on 14 November 1948 with a proclamation confirming the news being posted on the railings outside Buckingham Palace King Charles' birth on 14 November 1948 was announced in traditional style, despite the heir to the throne being born late in the evening, at 9:14pm. A handwritten proclamation of Charles' birth was posted on the railings outside Buckingham Palace, declaring: 'The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh was safely delivered of a Prince at nine fourteen pm today.' After his birth at Buckingham Palace, the bells at Westminster Abbey rang out, a 41-gun salute was fired by the King's Troop Royal Artillery and the fountains of Trafalgar Square were floodlit blue in celebration. Philip, like most husbands of his era, was not at his wife's bedside during the birth and occupied himself by playing squash on the Palace court. Upon hearing the news of his son's birth, the duke then ran upstairs into the Buhl Room, which had been converted into an operating theatre, and held his firstborn, still wearing his sporting flannels and open-neck shirt. Unlike her three brothers, Charles' younger sister Princess Anne was delivered at Clarence House while Buckingham Palace was being renovated after the war. Born at 11:50am on 15 August 1950, Anne's birth was announced with a message posted on the gates of Clarence House, on a board outside the Home Office in Whitehall and at Mansion House in the City. News was shared that 'The Queen has had a comfortable night' after the birth of Prince Edward on 10 March 1964 Prince William was the first heir to the throne to be born in a hospital and a traditional announcement was placed outside Buckingham Palace announcing his birth on 21 June 1982 Elizabeth returned to Buckingham Palace for the births of Prince Andrew on 19 February 1960 and Prince Edward on 10 March 1964, both of which were formally announced with a bulletin outside the Palace. The Duke reportedly called the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret as well as the Prince of Wales and Princess Anne at their respective schools after the birth of their youngest brother, Edward. Charles and Princess Diana gave birth to their first son Prince William at the Lindo Wing at St Marys hospital on 21 June 1982 - making William the first future monarch to be born in a hospital. An announcement declaring the prince's birth was placed on a gold easel outside Buckingham Palace but, after a 16 hour labour, Princess Diana spent the night in hospital and showed William to the public with Charles the following day. Two years later, Prince Harry's birth was announced in a similar way to his brother, with Charles declaring after the birth that the arrival was 'much quicker than last time'. The birth of William and Kate's first child, George, was shared with the public in the traditional way - in keeping with his position as a future heir to the throne. Kate also chose the Lindo Wing to give birth to her children, the same as Princess Diana, and Prince William was by Kate's side as she delivered George on 22 July 2013. William would then make his first call to the Queen on an encrypted phone while the public would be informed with a formal notice on a piece of creamy A4 size Buckingham Palace-headed paper framed on an easel. The announcement of Prince Harry's birth at the Lindo Wing two years later was very similar to his brother, with a proclamation placed on the gates of Buckingham Palace Kate and William opted for a traditional announcement of the birth of their son George, future heir to the throne, on 22 July 2013 with a proclamation signed by the medics who attended Kate A palace spokesman said: 'We wanted to retain some of the theatre of the notice. 'It is quite important to us that this is done properly and with the degree of dignity that the event demands. 'This is the birth of a child who will be in line to the throne. It is a rare occasion and it is nice to be able to do it with some historical precedence.' However, despite plans for a formal announcement, the press were informed by a statement from the Royal household sent out at 8.30pm regarding the birth of the young prince. The pair forged a modern path with their two younger children, Charlotte and Louis, announcing the births on social media in an era-defining move. Princess Charlotte's birth was shared on Twitter on 2 May 2015, later followed up with the traditional easel announcement. The announcement of her younger brother Louis' birth on 23 April 2018 was extended to both a Twitter and an Instagram post which included all the traditional content such as the baby's weight and that 'Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.' Other young royal parents have followed suit, sharing their baby news in the most fitting way possible for modern society. Prince Harry revealed that his wife had given birth to a healthy baby boy while speaking at Windsor Castle Harry and Meghan's Instagram account posted a picture saying 'it's a boy' less than an hour after the news broke that the duchess had gone into labour At around 4pm members of staff set up an easel announcing the birth at the gates of Buckingham Palace in London A Right Royal Timeline: What happened, and when we were told Sunday night: Meghan and her mother Doria are driven in secrecy to London's Portland hospital accompanied by royal protection officers Monday, 5.26am: Meghan gives birth 6.30am: Senior members of the Royal family are informed 1pm to 2pm: Palace aides try to send emails to alert the media that Meghan had 'gone into labour' - despite the fact the baby had been born six hours previously. But most outlets do not receive the emails. 1.30pm: Most of the media (and the rest of the world) still know nothing, but a spokesman for the Sussexes calls Sky News to arrange coverage of Harry's statement. 1.45pm: Sky News exclusively reports Meghan is in labour. Sky was randomly selected as the pool broadcaster and distributed the footage as soon as it went to air, but it was seven minutes before it arrived with the BBC, and too late for ITV to cover in their 1.45pm lunchtime news bulletin. 2.03pm: The Palace's email statement finally sends to all outlets. 2.15pm: Harry pre-records his charmingly gleeful statement about the couple's to-die-for son. 2.37pm: The Sussexes' Instagram account posts a picture saying 'It's a Boy', and the palace issues a press release announcing the birth 2.40pm: Harry's statement is broadcast Tuesday, 12.28pm: Palace PR officials issue apology over the day's timings and announcements. But they still won't confirm where the baby was born, or explain why the world was told the Duchess was in labour when she'd already given birth. Advertisement The Duke and Duchess of Sussex swerved traditional channels, opting for a birth shrouded in secrecy before their social media reveal of baby Archie's birth. But a series of miscommunications from Harry and Meghan's PR team meant there was confusion over the announcement of the birth, after emails informing the media reportedly failed to send. While Meghan gave birth to Archie at 5:26am on 6 May 2019, emails did not reach some media outlets until 2pm. Kensington Palace blamed 'technical difficulties on site at Windsor' for some media outlets receiving statements on time, others late, and some not at all. The Palace had said it would announce that the Duchess 'is in labour', however, the statement eventually put out, over eight hours after the baby had actually been born, was ambiguously worded, reading: 'The Duchess went into labour in the early hours of this morning.' They had called Sky News, which had been picked at random to be the 'pool' broadcaster which would syndicate its footage to all networks and the channel broke the news to the world at 1:45pm. Less than an hour later, with journalists and royal watchers' heads still spinning, Harry and Meghan's Instagram account posted a picture saying 'it's a boy'. An easel was placed outside Buckingham Palace 12 hours after the birth and without the names of the medics who had attended to the duchess. Meanwhile, Mike Tindall opted to announce the birth of their youngest child on the podcast The Good, The Bad and the Rugby, revealing his wife Zara had to give birth to their youngest child Lucas on the bathroom floor of their home on the Gatcombe Park estate. The couple organised childcare for their daughters Mia and Lena after Zara had experienced contractions the night before but they didn't have time to get to the hospital. Mike recalled: 'It was run into the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, towels down, brace brace brace!' It followed his reveal on the same platform to announce that Zara was pregnant with Lucas in 2020. He was welcomed with cheers from his rugby mates as he told co-hosts Alex Payne and James Haskell: 'It's been a good week for me, had a little scan last week - third Tindall on its way.' Mike Tindall announced that his wife Zara was pregnant with their third child, Lucas, on the podcast The Good, The Bad and the Rugby Princess Eugenie took to Instagram in 2020 to announce that she was expected her first child, posting a photo of a pair of teddy baby slippers She took the same approach to share that she would be having another baby this year with an adorable Instagram post of her embracing her son August Princess Eugenie took to Instagram in 2020 to announce that she was expected her first child. Posting a photo of a pair of teddy baby slippers, she wrote: 'Jack and I are so excited for early 2021'. The daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York opted for a similar Instagram reveal to announce that they were expecting a second baby, sharing an adorable snap of her embracing her son August on a cold, sunny day. She wrote the caption: 'We're so excited to share that there will be a new addition to our family this summer' and credited the photo to her husband, Jack Brooksbank. Princess Eugenie announced the birth of her second baby with husband Jack Brooksbank, named Ernest George Ronnie, on Instagram A sweet snap showed proud big brother August admiring his baby brother, who was born last Tuesday The caption announced that Ernest weighed 7.1lbs and was born on 30th May 2023 - the week before the announcement was made on Instagram Her mother, Sarah Ferguson, shared her reaction on the same platform, posting a photo of her grandson splashing in puddles and writing: 'You will be sharing puddles, Augie! Superb news, Granny heaven. So deeply grateful.' The Princess again took to Instagram to announce the birth of her son, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank, who had in fact been born the week before. A picture of their second son was accompanied by a sweet snap showing her older son August watching over his little brother asleep in his Moses basket. The caption read: 'Jack and I wanted to share the news that we had our little boy, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank on 30th May 2023 at 8.49 weighing 7.1lbs. 'He is named after his great great great Grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald. 'Augie is loving being a big brother already.' On June 4, two years ago, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California. Royal watchers waited in eager anticipation to know what the name of Harry and Meghan's second child would be, and within just two days they had their answer. The couple shared the happy news with a statement through their Archwell foundation, saying 'It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world. 'She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, on June 4, 2021 The first picture of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet was released in a Christmas card in December 2021 Lilibet's sentimental family name pays tribute to two very important female royals 'Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honuor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.' A personal message from the pair about their newly born daughter read: 'She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.' In anticipation of her birth, bookmakers favoured Philippa following Prince Philip's recent death, along with Diana, Elizabeth, Allegra and Alexandra. Lilibet's name still held held deep sentimental meaning, howeer, and paid tribute to two other members of the royal family. Why did Harry and Meghan pick the name Lilibet? Lilibet's first name is in honour of her late great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname was Lilibet. The name was first used when the young Princess Elizabeth was just a toddler and unable to pronounce her name correctly. From then on, the term of endearment stuck, and the Queen's father, King George VI, reportedly used to say: 'Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy.' The Queen's childhood name was also used by her late husband, Prince Philip, who passed away after 73 years of marriage on April 9, 2021. It was reported that this was the name that the Queen signed on the card placed on Philip's casket. The name Lilibet was first used when the young Princess Elizabeth was just a toddler, often used by her father King George VI. Pictured: The then Duke and Duchess of York with their daughter Princess Elizabeth in 1927 King George VI, reportedly used to say: 'Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy' However, Harry and Meghan revealed that they would be referring to their daughter as Lili - a playful modernisation of the sentimental family name. It's also believed that Lilibet's nickname, Lili, may have been inspired by Meghan's name of endearment from her mother, Doria Ragland, who would call her 'Flower' as a child. The name Lilibet, or Lili, originates from the Hebrew meaning 'oath of God', which is intended to be a reminder of the promise of love and hope in the world. The late Queen Elizabeth took Harry and Meghan naming their daughter Lilibet as the 'compliment it was intended to be', according to the book 'Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait' by Gyles Brandreth. Mr Brandreth added that the Queen accepted the choice with 'good grace'. Why pick Diana as a middle name? The young Princess's middle name pays tribute to Harry's late mother and Lilibet's late grandmother, Diana, Princess of Wales. Princess Diana passed away in a car crash on August 31, 1997, in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris when Harry was just 12. 'Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales,' the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said. During Harry's 'The Me You Can't See,' an Apple TV+ documentary series, which aired in May 2021, he said: 'My mom would be incredibly proud of me. I'm living the life she wanted to live for herself, 'I've never felt her presence more as I have done over the past year.' Lili's cousin, Princess Charlotte, also has Diana as one of her middle names, with her full name being Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. The young Princess's middle name pays tribute to Harry's late mother and Lilibet's grandmother, Diana, Princess of Wales Following their marriage in 1960, the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh joined their surnames together to become Mountbatten-Windsor Why the surname Mountbatten-Windsor? Like her brother, Archie, Lilibet has the hyphenated surname Mountbatten-Windsor, which was created to combine the names of the late Queen and Prince Philip. Following their marriage in 1960, the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh sought to differentiate their direct descendants from the rest of the House of Windsor. Philip's family surname Mountbatten had been a thorny issue for the royals in the past. The late Prince had been keen that their children take Mountbatten and famously exclaimed: 'I am nothing but a bloody amoeba when refused. 'I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children.' So, it was decided the Queen's descendants, other than those with the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince or Princess would carry the name of Mountbatten-Windsor. Does Lilibet have an official title? King George V limited family titles during the First World War. He decreed that only the children of the sons of the monarch - as well as the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales - could use the title His Royal Highness as well as 'prince' or 'princess'. Under the rules, only Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge's eldest son Prince George - as a great-grandson of the monarch down the direct line of succession to the throne - was originally entitled to be a prince. But the Queen stepped in ahead of George's birth in 2013 to issue a Letters Patent ensuring all children of future monarch Prince William would have fitting titles. After her birth, Lilibet was known as simply Miss, unlike William's children, who were able to use the titles, Prince and Princess. After Charles acceded to the throne, Lilibet and her brother automatically became Prince and Princess Harry and Meghan are understood to be keen to not deny their children their titles but to allow them the chance to decide for themselves when older Harry's children could not make use of the title during the Queen's lifetime as he wasn't the grandson of a monarch, but after Charles acceded to the throne, Lilibet and her brother automatically became Prince and Princess. The pair were officially recognised as Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie in March this year - something Harry and Meghan decided was their children's 'birthright'. A spokesman for the Sussexes said: 'The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.' While it is understood the title will be used in formal settings, it will not be in everyday conversational use by the couple. Harry and Meghan are understood to be keen to not deny their children their titles but to allow them the chance to decide for themselves when older whether to drop or keep using them. So, it will be up to Lilibet whether she wants to describe herself as a princess. The woman at the center of TikTok's TattooGate has finally got her full-sleeve fox tattoo after the saga went viral. Courtney Monteith, from Ontario, Canada, took to the video-sharing platform last month to reveal she had spent $2,600 to get an initial sketch of a fox surrounded by leaves and flowers. She claimed that the rough drawing she received from Lindsay Joseph, of Lucid Tattoos, looked nothing like what she wanted and, after deciding not to go through with it, was refused a refund. But now Monteith has given an update on the body art debacle and revealed she finally has her 'happy ending' after being inundated with messages from artists offering to do it for free. Courtney Monteith, from Ontario, Canada, who was at the center of TikTok's TattooGate, has finally got her full-sleeve fox tattoo after the saga went viral She first showed off the initial outline of the intricate design (left) before then finally giving a glimpse of the finished tattoo (right) in all its glory Monteith uploaded a clip on Thursday which has so far been viewed more than 384,000 times. In it, she documented her progress as she traveled to see award-winning artist Matt Vaught who flew her out to his design studio in Newport Beach, California. She first showed off the initial outline of the intricate design before then finally giving a glimpse of the finished tattoo in all its glory. Monteith uploaded the video alongside a caption that thanked Vaught and added: 'A happy ending!' And other social media users who had been following the saga were quick to flood the comments with praise as many expressed relief that the issue had been resolved. One wrote: 'All is right in the world. So beautiful to see humans being selfless for others. so happy for you!' Another added: 'Glad you brought this situation to light and were able to get what you finally deserved! Excellent job to the artist!' And a third said: 'The closure we all needed. Thank you for sharing. It is gorgeous!' And other social media users who had been following her for updates were quick to flood the comments with praise with many expressing relief the issue had been resolved Monteith first sent the internet into a frenzy after posting a video on May 10 which explained how she had consulted with tattoo artist Joseph and sent her examples after agreeing to upfront fees. The sketch turned out nothing like she wanted but the artist wanted more money to change it - ultimately denying her a refund - which left Monteith feeling ripped off. The unhappy customer then turned to TikTok to share her nightmare experience, with her first video receiving more than five million views that was later dubbed #tattoogate. Monteith told her followers that she sent Joseph two photos of what she wanted her tattoo to look like: A full body image of an orange fox surrounded by different plants or butterflies. Joseph agreed and Monteith booked a consultation with her for a non-refundable fee of $180. Monteith first sent the internet into a frenzy after posting a video on May 10 which explained how she had consulted with tattoo artist Joseph and sent her examples after agreeing to upfront fee She wanted a full sleeve tattoo on her arm of a fox surrounded by leaves and flowers (above), but what she got was a rough drawing that she said looked nothing like what she wanted During the consultation is when Joseph explained her other fees - which social media users said were red flags. The first option was to pay $1,500 for a concept sketch to which she could request one change, a second option of $3,500 to have a few changes, or $6,000 for multiple sketches, reviews and changes, all plus tax. Monteith settled on the first option, forking over $2,695, remaining 'confident' that Joseph would design a beautiful piece for her. But things started to go wrong for Monteith when received the first sketch of the fox tattoo and it wasn't anything like what she asked for. She told her followers that she wanted the full body of the fox like in the reference images she had provided. When she emailed the artist for changes, Joseph balked pointing at the price options and the fees she had agreed on. Monteith turned to TikTok to share her nightmare experience, with her first video receiving more than five million views that was later dubbed #tattoogate Lindsay Joseph, of Lucid Tattoos, has since made her accounts private after reportedly getting flooded with bad reviews and death threats after the ordeal She explained that she would have to pay the difference between option one and option two which was an extra $2,260. 'She said it was my fault that I wasn't clear that I wanted a full fox,' Monteith said. 'I don't know how much clearer I could have been.' The artist also reportedly emailed Monteith explaining that a tattoo of a full fox would've looked like the animal was 'scooting when they get an itchy back end.' A disappointed Monteith gave up on her fox tattoo and asked for a refund. To her shock, Joseph refused. 'No. I'm not refunding you anything, I have given you options of moving forward, I have been kind, patient, and have fulfilled my duties to you this far,' she wrote in a screenshot Monteith shared. 'If you don't want to move forward, that is your choice, but I'm not giving you my time, expertise, and creativity for nothing.' Monteith booked a consultation with Joseph for a non-refundable fee of $180 and then Joseph explained her other fees - which social media users said were red flags When Monteith posted her story on TikTok, some social media users pointed out red flags that were apparent from the beginning. 'I'm 70 per cent covered in ink,' one person wrote. 'I've never had an artist charge for a concept or a consultation. RUUUUN!!' There was also backlash against the tattoo artist as people flooded Google with bad reviews. Joseph, who set her social media accounts to private, told Insider that she had also received death threats because of the ordeal, including messages 'telling me my children should die, my mother should get cancer, the list goes on.' Several other people shared similar experiences across the country as part of the hashtag #tattoogate. Two Trader Joe's employees have revealed the real reason the parking lots are the source of so many frustrations. Anyone who frequents Trader Joe's can agree that the parking lots present a problem, and while you may have thought you'd never know the real reason behind the parking lots that have been branded a 'hot mess,' two employees for the company have now revealed the logic of the small parking spaces. The grocery store has a podcast has a podcast titled 'Inside Trader Joe's,' which is hosted by employees Tara Miller and Matt Sloan. The two discuss topics related to Trader Joe's like product hacks and why the chain doesn't have online shopping. One episode from October, 2022 that resurfaced has offered up a reason for the parking lots of the specialty grocer being so small. Anyone who frequents Trader Joe's can agree that the parking lots present a problem, with customers sharing their frustrations every chance they get Tara began by asking Matt: 'What is up with our parking lots?' 'Like a lot of things related to Trader Joes, this can be traced back to the very first location, the Arroyo Parkway store in Pasadena, which has had, and still very much has a challenging parking lot. 'And by that, I mean its small and its busy. That size factor, its small, and the busyness factor, lots of people parking cars, well, those are the two reasons that our parking lots can be, well, a bit challenging,' he said. Tara offered up her own explanation, adding that the grocery stores are small on purpose. She said it's because the company wants to stay true to its personal nature, in comparison to big box stores. Tara said: 'There tend to be a lot of people, maybe not even more people than you might find in a regular grocery store. But if our stores are 10,000 square feet and those stores are 70,000 square feet, it feels like more people. But what does that have to do with the parking?' Matt then explained this because when a store is designed, you allocate parking spaces for the size of a store. So, because Trader Joe's stores tend to be relatively small, its parking spaces are limited, making it a nightmare for customers. 'When you design a parking space or you allocate spaces for parking for a retail store, its based on the size of the store. So, because Trader Joe's stores tend to be relatively small, its parking spaces are limited, making it a nightmare for customers 'So you mentioned how small our stores are relative to other grocers. Well, thats true and that can have an effect on the number of parking spaces allocated,' he explained. Tara even gave an example. She said: 'A 12,000 square foot store will get far fewer parking spaces than a 70,000 square foot store.' Matt responded: 'Yes. Now lets say that 12,000 square foot store has 500 people visiting and the giant store has a 100 people visiting, the parking lots are going to feel very different.' Tara then pointed the reactions of Trader Joe's parking lots on social media, where people brand them the 'worst' and even call them their personal 'hell.' She said: 'If you spend any time on social media, looking at things about Trader Joes, you will find there are lots of conspiratorial theories about our parking lots and people out there in the world really seem to think, not all people, but a number of people, that we are purposefully making horrible parking lot.' And Tara isn't wrong, many customers have flooded social media and shared frustrations about the parking lots. One person commented: 'Why are all the Trader Joe's parking lots miserable?!' 'Trader joes parking lots are the worst,' wrote someone else. Another user said: 'Trader joes parking lots are my own personal hell.' And Tara isn't wrong, many customers have flooded social media and shared frustrations about the parking lots 'I hate all Trader Joe's parking lots,' said another person. 'Why are Trader Joe's parking lots so bad,' added one user. Someone else asked: 'Is it just me or are Trader Joe's parking lots the worst?' Is it a law that Trader Joe's parking lots have to be horrible?' said another person. And for those who question why the stores just can't be bigger, Tara has a response for them as well. Tara explained: 'The argument could be made, "Hey, Trader Joes just make your stores bigger." But that kind of changes who we are. We have small stores, so they come with small parking lots. 'If we had bigger stores, sure wed have bigger parking lots, but wed feel like a different store.' She noted that people often accuse the grocery store of purposefully creating small parking lots to raise frustrations. Tara responded to those claims with: 'Thats not our plan. We try to get as much parking as possible. In some municipalities, we cant get any parking at all.' Matt added: 'Parking can be an energized experience. And thanks to you for taking up the challenge to find that spot when you do your shopping.' Baffled viewers have taken to Twitter to criticise BBC1 nature programme Spy in the Ocean. The four part series, which is filmed in the Indian Ocean as well as other locations including Thailand, Japan, and the Caribbean, uses high-tech robots built to look like animals to capture footage of wildlife. These spycams, which cost tens of thousands to create, were able to swim closer to animals than human divers, capturing unprecedented footage. However, some viewers were unimpressed by the technology, with some describing the animatronic animals as 'pointless'. This is because traditional cameras were also used to capture footage of the robots interacting with the animals, as well as to show off the spycam robots themselves. A macaque checks out one of the spycams in the first episode of the BBC's new nature show Spy in the Ocean One disgruntled viewer took to the social media platform to write: '#spyintheocean but there is another camera filming the spy. Doesnt it defeat the whole idea?' Another added: 'Whos filming the spys? Doesnt this just defeat the object? #spyintheocean.' In a similar vein, a third wrote: 'uh, isnt this mostly just normal cameras taking video of expensive (Lic' Payers expense) "spy" cameras taking a small amount of video of the animals? The spy cameras seem pointless. #spyintheocean.' And a further Twitter user concurred, adding: 'When you see the fake animal cameras .. Remember it's being filmed with an ordinary camera and camera man so.....WHATS THE F****** POINT ...#spyintheocean.' Another similar Tweet read: '#spyintheocean So you need a camera person at all times to take video of the animated sea creatures. Guess I am missing something here.' One seemed annoyed about the episode, revealing: 'A few things irritate about this series. 1.Its mostly about the animatronics not the anomals. 2.Who films the spycams filming the animals?' And a further viewer questioned whether the programme was an effective use of resources, writing: 'So they make models of animals and put cameras in them then film the spy camera interacting with the animals can someone explain why we need both as seems a waste of license fee #spyintheocean.' However, many viewers seemed delighted by the footage, which captured a number of creatures in their natural habitat. A number of viewers appeared baffled by the show, and questioned why there were camera operators as well as the spycams Among the ones featured last night were sperm whales, macaques, wild pigs, and hermit crabs. Also making an appearance on the small screen during the first episode were puffer fish and a coconut octopus. One impressed viewer wrote: 'The people who make the creatures featured in #spyintheocean are extraordinary ! Loving the bond between the real octopus & the spy ; the monkey was cute & the swimming pig just genius. This is fantastic tv!' Another agreed, adding: 'Oh wow, Spy in the Ocean is @BBCOne at its best. The Puffer Fish getting a helping hand from the Spy to secure a mate! And Spy Octopus saving its friend from being a shark's dinner! #SpyInTheOcean #BBC #Ocean.' Despite the critics, many enjoyed the programme, and were extremely impressed by the spycam technology A third added: 'Watching #SpyInTheOcean on BBC1 and the spy creatures have given us such beautiful views and scenery of the ocean.' And a fourth wrote: 'The technology involved in creating the spies, is absolutely astounding! #SpyInTheOcean.' A further Twitter user was equally impressed by the tech, saying: 'The amount of detail and effort that has gone into making these animals is incredible, even down to the minute detail of the pigs tail doing a little wiggle #SpyInTheOcean.' Describing the programme, the BBC said: 'In this brand new four-part series, an amazing new generation of spy creatures set out to explore the ocean, encountering the ingenious and emotional animals that have made this habitat their home.' Spy in the Ocean airs on BBC One on Sunday at 7pm. It is also available to view via iPlayer. Carrie Johnson has shared an adorable photo of her children Wilf and Romy enjoying the summer sunshine as they prepare to welcome their new sibling. Last month, the mother-of-two, 35, announced she is expecting her third child with former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Ahead of the family's new arrival, Carrie posted two photos of her children sitting in a rainbow striped hammock. The first image shows Wilf, three, and Romy, one, happily looking out over the plush green countryside as they soak up the sunshine. The proud mother captioned the heartwarming images: 'Two peas in a pod.' Boris and Carrie Johnson - who are expecting their third child - pictured arriving at King Charles' Coronation at Westminster Abbey last month Over the weekend, Carrie shared this sweet image of her children Wilf, three, and Romy, one, sitting in a rainbow striped hammock She then shared a closer image of her children playing together in the hammock. Wilf - who has inherited his father's striking blonde hair - is pictured wearing a red long-sleeved top and printed shorts. Meanwhile, Romy was dressed in a printed dress and had a sweet silk green bow in her light brown hair. At the end of May, Carrie announced the happy news that she is set to become a mother-of-three on Instagram. The mother - who boasts almost 70,000 followers - shared a photo of her walking hand-in-hand with her children alongside another of Romy and Wilf holding her baby bump. She captioned the images: 'New team member arriving in just a few weeks. 'Ive felt pretty exhausted for much of the last 8 months but we cant wait to meet this little one. 'Wilf is v excited about being a big brother again and has been chattering about it nonstop. Wilf, three, has inherited his father's striking blonde hair while his little sister Romy was pictured with a green silk bow in her light brown locks Carrie Johnson made the surprise announcement on Instagram last month. 'New team member arriving in just a few weeks,' she wrote alongside a sweet photo of Wilf, three, and one-year-old Romy Mrs Johnson said she had felt 'pretty exhausted' for the last eight months but 'can't wait' to meet her new baby. Pictured is one of the photos she shared on Instagram announcing her third pregnancy 'Dont think Romy has a clue whats comingShe soon will!' In May 2020,it was announced that Carrie and Boris had named Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, after their grandfathers and the hospital doctors who treated the former Prime Minister for Covid-19. Romy was born at University College London Hospital in December 2021 and was named after Carrie's aunt Rosemary. When announcing their daughter's name, Boris and Carrie explained how Iris came from the Greek word meaning rainbow and Charlotte was chosen as a tribute for Mr Johnson's late mother, who they 'miss so much'. When announcing she was pregnant with Romy, Carrie revealed she had suffered a miscarriage earlier in 2021 and described her as her 'rainbow baby'. Boris will now become a father of eight, having had two children with Carrie, four children with his second wife Marina Wheeler and at least one from an affair. It's a classic chocolate treat that's beloved by many. But Toblerone can be tricky to to grapple with, with many struggling to break off a piece of the delicious Swiss chocolate when they indulge in the popular snack. But now a top chef has shared the correct way to break off triangles from the sweet treat, leaving many perplexed. Chef Koudy, from the Czech Republic, revealed the triangles are supposed to be pushed together and pinched before being snapped off an be eaten. Eating a bar of Toblerone usually involves tugging at the bar to snap away each of the triangular pieces. Chef Koudy (pictured) from the Czech Republic, revealed the triangles are supposed to be pushed together and pinched before being snapped off an be eaten Eating a bar of Toblerone usually involves tugging at the bar to snap away each of the triangular pieces But with Chef Koudy's method it's a matter of just placing your finger on the tip of the piece and instead of trying to firmly pull the chunk of chocolate off the bar, he instead pushes it towards it. Taking to TikTok, the food influencer demonstrated the bar being snapped off piece-by-piece, ensuring you don't end up with chocolate all over your hands. 'Do you know Toblerone should be pushed together to break?' he wrote in the caption. The video has since racked up nearly 50 million views with many commenting their shock. 'Each day I learn new things,' one person wrote. Taking to TikTok, the food influencer demonstrated the bar being snapped off piece-by-piece, ensuring you don't end up with chocolate all over your hands (pictured doing it the wrong way) However, many said they just bite straight into the chocolate bar, while others worried about touching a piece of chocolate you don't eat. 'I personally eat it like normal chocolate,' wrote one. 'Aren't we supposed to just take a bite?' said another. The discovery comes after a 10-year-old boy shocked thousands after he noticed a hidden symbol on the packaging of Toblerone chocolate bars that the majority of people have never seen before. However, many said they just bite straight into the chocolate bar, while others worried about touching a piece of chocolate you don't eat His mum revealed that the boy spotted a 'secret bear' inside the image of the Swiss mountains to the left of the word Toblerone. 'My son had his first Toblerone today. "What's the bear for?" Me: "what bear?" the woman, called Stephanie, posted online. 'I was today years old when I found out theres a bear in the Toblerone logo,' she laughed. The original post was shared on Facebook in November, and it wasn't long before thousands of people said they too had never noticed the bear. Ivanka Trump took inspiration from one of the world's most stylish royals when it came to choosing a second look to wear to Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan's wedding last week - opting for a stunning gown by one of Kate Middleton's favorite designers. The 41-year-old former first daughter, who attended Thursday's glamorous event with her husband Jared Kushner, 42, took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal the first dress that she donned for the occasion, a $6,500 multi-colored cape dress from Jenny Packham. Ivanka appears to have worn the rainbow-striped gown for the first half of the event, having already shared photos of herself sporting a beautiful pale blue gown from Alex Perry - which she was seen wearing while having a chat with Prince William at the wedding. Last week, Ivanka posted a photo of herself and Jared dressed to the nines in their formal wear, while offering her congratulations to the Crown Prince and his new wife Rajwa. However it seems the mother-of-three was eager to let her other ensemble choice get its moment in the spotlight, uploading an image of herself and her husband to her Instagram over the weekend. Ivanka Trump has showed off a second gown she wore to Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan's royal wedding last week - a $6,500 rainbow design by Jenny Packham The 41-year-old appears to have worn the multi-colored design for the reception - before changing into a stunning powder blue dress from Alex Perry for the banquet dinner It appears Ivanka wore the rainbow design - which featured a cape embellishment and a thin silver belt around the waist - to the reception, before changing into her blue gown for the banquet dinner hours later. Ivanka and Jared were among a host of high-profile guests at the event - including First Lady Jill Biden, whose husband, President Joe Biden, has come under furious criticism at the hands of Ivanka's father, former President Donald Trump. Unsurprisingly, the former First Daughter was not pictured spending any time with Jill, 71, however she was seen engaged in a quiet conversation with Prince William, 40, whom she met four years ago with the Trump family went on an official trip to the UK and met several members of the royal family. An image taken at the wedding shows Ivanka and William speaking to one another, while Kate, the Princess of Wales can be seen walking ahead of them. One day after the wedding, Ivanka took to Instagram to offer her official congratulations to Jordan's Crown Prince and his new wife, writing in a post shared on her Stories: 'Congratulations to Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah and Princess Rajwa Al Hussein on their beautiful wedding in Jordan yesterday. 'May their lives together be blessed with an abundance of love, health and happiness.' She then shared a picture of the newlywed couple during the ceremony, before offering her followers a glimpse at her own stunning ensemble, sharing a snap of herself modeling a floor-length blue gown while posing with Jared, who looked dapper in a white-tie tuxedo. Ivanka made no mention of her chat with William - or any of the other guests she may have seen during the event. Ahead of the banquet, Ivanka was seen enjoying a conversation with Prince William - who attended the event with the Princess of Wales Ivanka and William, 40, first met back in 2019, when the former First Daughter joined her father, then-President Donald Trump, on an official visit to the UK Their meeting comes four years after mother-of-three Ivanka first met the Prince and Princess of Wales - then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - when she joined her father on a three-day trip to the UK, where they marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. William and Ivanka were not pictured together during the Trumps' trip, however they did both attend a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace so it's likely that they crossed paths at least once. During that same visit, Ivanka was seen spending time with William's younger brother Prince Harry, 38, who was seen chatting with the then-first daughter as she and her father enjoyed a tour of the Royal Collection at the palace. Donald Trump himself has made no secret of his love for the British monarchy - even going so far as to describe himself as a 'friend and admirer of the [late] Queen.' Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the former President wrote a moving tribute for DailyMail.com to laud her 'grace, charm, nobility.' But he was also keen to express his admiration for the next-in-line to the throne. 'As we grieve,' he wrote, 'we are comforted that King Charles III will be a great and outstanding successor Melania and I were blessed to get to know him well he will be an inspiration to the British People.' However, he has been far less complimentary about President Joe Biden on numerous occasions - and has previously taken verbal swipes at both him and his family. President Joe Biden's wife Jill and daughter Ashley were also in attendance at the event - however they were not seen spending any time with Ivanka and Jared One day after the wedding, Ivanka shared a message of congratulations to the happy couple on her Instagram, where she posted an image of the newlyweds during the ceremony Trump has repeatedly slammed the Biden administration as 'worst in history' and described his political rival as a 'low IQ person,' 'incompetent' and 'the most boring human being I've ever seen.' In April, he also seized on claims made by Rep. James Comer and accused the Biden family of corruption on a mass scale on the same day the President launched his re-election campaign. And so it seems likely that Ivanka Trump and Jill Biden did not interact at the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and his new wife Rajwa. Although Trump's presidency has since come to an end, Ivanka has actually found even more time to explore her love of travel, with the mother-of-three and her husband jetting off on multiple vacations over the past few months alone. Before they traveled to Jordan for the royal wedding, the couple spent several days on a romantic trip in Greece - where they took in many of the country's historical sights. Ivanka documented much of the trip on her Instagram account, where she gushed about how much her visit to the country had meant to her. 'During the pandemic I reread "The Odyssey" and fell in love Homer's epic poem once again (I loved Robert Fitzgerald's translation),' she wrote alongside several photos from the trip. She offered wishes of 'love, health and happiness' to the pair Donald Trump himself has made no secret of his love for the British monarchy. Pictured left to right: Donald Trump, the late Queen, Melania Trump, and the then-Duke and Duchess of Cornwall at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2019 'Walking in the footsteps of Odysseus these past few days has been an extraordinary experience - ancient ruins and mythical landscapes came alive before my eyes as I explored this breathtaking country. 'Thank you, Greece, for bringing the Odyssey to life in the most enchanting way possible. 'Here's to new adventures and embracing the spirit of Odysseus within us all!' It is not known whether Ivanka and Jared have a particularly close connection to the Crown Prince of Jordan and his new wife, however the former First Daughter is known to have formed a friendship with the newlywed royal's mother, Queen Rania, in the past. In January 2017, days before her father officially became President, Ivanka was reported to have hosted Rania for a meeting at her offices at Trump Tower in New York City, according to Vanity Fair. Just a few months later, Queen Rania and her husband, King Abdullah II Hussein, traveled to the US, where they met with then-President Trump and his wife Melania at the White House. At the time, Rania was not pictured with Ivanka, however it's likely that the pair crossed paths at some point during the royals' visit to D.C. Two dogs rescued from the Chinese meat trade have arrived at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris as they make their way to their new homes in the UK. London-based charity No To Dog Meat, which was founded in 2009 when founder Julia de Cadenet saw for herself the horrors of the trade, saved the two dogs. They were facing certain death at the hands of dog meat butchers at the infamous Yulin Dog Meat Festival. The annual event, which began around 2010, sees dogs and cats - who are often stolen pets - brutally tortured and killed in the street before they are made into dishes for stalls and restaurants to serve. Over the 10-day festival, it is thought that up to 10,000 dogs and 5,000 cats are killed and eaten. The event is set to take place later this month. Debbie is one of two dogs who has just arrived in Europe after being rescued by No To Dog Meat in China. Here she is pictured not long after being saved by the charity Pomeranian crossbreed Debbie, and Samoyed Delphi are among the many dogs rescued from slaughter at Yulin by No To Dog Meat. NoToDogMeat, which was the first organisation to highlight this animal cruelty issue on a global scale, holds United Nations Special Consultative Status regarding the trade. The charity is currently seeking UK homes for more than 750 dogs who are currently living at its shelters in Hebei and Beijing. Travelling to the west is often the best option for the dogs, according to the charity. It explained that regional rules on dog size, and lack of interest in adopting pets, means the animals are otherwise at risk of ending up back on the streets to be picked up by meat trade opportunists. Charity founder Julia de Cadenet said: 'We are so pleased that Debbie and Delphi are finally getting the happy lives that they deserve. 'We have had lots of tears at our Beijing shelter as volunteers love this pair so much, but everyone knows they have won the lottery by getting to travel.' She added that Debbie and Delphi have been waiting since before the pandemic to come to the UK, 'so they deserve this more than ever'. The pooch, who was facing a certain death at the hands of Chinese butchers, is looking much healthier and happier now The animals were accompanied by a chaperone on the plane for the 13 hour flight from Beijing airport, rather than travelling cargo. Speaking about the misconception that the festival is an event with historical and cultural significance, Julia said: 'People often mistakenly think that condemning the dog meat trade is attacking another culture, but the Yulin Dog Meat Festival began in 2009 so is hardly a cultural tradition.' She added that the charity is dedicated to continuing its work saving animals from the dog meat butchers, asking people to donate. She said: 'We desperately need the help of the public to save more dogs like Debbie and Delphi, and to continue our lobbying work to end this cruel trade once and for all.' Felicity was rescued by No To Dog Meat some time ago. She now acts as a canine 'ambassador' for the charity, and was snapped at the airport in Paris as the other rescues arrived The charity adds that at Yulin, dogs are tortured in front of crowds of people, before being killed or boiled alive to make stews and soups. It is estimated that in China alone, 10 to 15 million dogs are eaten annually - some figures say 50,000 per day and 4 to 5 million cats. However, polls show the majority of Chinese people do not support the dog and cat meat trade. Additionally, around 72 per cent of Yulin residents say they don't eat dog meat regularly, despite traders' efforts to promote it. The work of international organisations like NoToDogMeat as well as Chinese organisations and activists mean progress has been made in working towards an end to the brutal trade. Jill Duggar has broken her silence on Amazon Prime's explosive new documentary about her family, claiming that she 'loves her parents' despite railing against them in the four-part series, while thanking her fans for supporting her as she continues to 'speak her truth.' Jill, 32, detailed the horrific trauma that she endured while growing up as a member of the 'cult-like' religious group known as the Institute of Basic Life Principles throughout the doc. She also made a series of shocking accusations about her parents, including that they 'took advantage' of her and her siblings by tricking them into signing contracts and forcing them to be take part in the family's numerous reality shows against their will - without paying them. Now, Jill - who was the only of the 19 Duggar children to participate in the docuseries, which is called Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets - has addressed it for the first time since it premiered on June 2. Jill Duggar has broken her silence on Amazon Prime's explosive new documentary about her family, claiming that she 'loves her parents' despite railing against them in the four-part series Jill, 32, made a series of shocking accusations about her parents throughout the doc, called called Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, which premiered on June 2 Now, Jill - who was the only of the 19 Duggar children to participate in the docuseries - has addressed it for the first time via Instagram In the comment section of a recent post, someone wrote, 'You did a great job on the doc. I don't even see any "dishonoring" of your parents,' to which Jill replied, 'I love my parents' Someone else said, 'I just watched the documentary, I admire your bravery and courage. "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes."' Jill added, 'This quote comes to mind often' 'Life a journey. Sometimes courage is built in the toughest storms,' the former reality star captioned an Instagram post that showed her standing in front of a lake and looking away from the camera on Sunday. In the comment section, one of her fans wrote, 'You did a great job on the documentary. 'I don't even see any "dishonoring" of your parents - just facts about what happened and captivating on all the beautiful childhood memories ... Never forget who you are, and who made you the way you are.' 'Thanks,' Jill replied with a heart emoji. 'I love my parents.' Someone else commented, 'I just watched the documentary, I admire your bravery and courage. "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes,"' to which Jill said, 'Thanks. This quote comes to mind often.' During the docuseries, Jill claimed that her dad, Jim Bob Duggar, stopped his children from being paid for their participation in the family's multiple TLC reality shows, even after they became adults. She explained that she was asked to sign a contract on the day before she married Derick, whom she wed in 2014, but said she was never actually shown the full thing, only the 'signature page.' 'It was just at the end of the kitchen table. [My dad was like,] "Hey, I just need you guys to sign these,"' she recalled. 'I didn't know what it was for.' During the docuseries, Jill claimed that her dad, Jim Bob Duggar (seen with his wife, Michelle), stopped his children from being paid for their participation in the family's TLC reality shows She said she was asked to sign a contract (seen) the day before she married Derick Dillard in 2014, but said she was never actually shown the full thing, only the 'signature page' She said she later found out that it was a 'commitment of her life to the show' for the next 'five years.' She is seen with her husband and parents She said she later found out that it was a 'commitment of her life to the show' for the next 'five years.' The mother-of-three explained that any 'business meetings' and 'negotiations' held with TLC did not involve her or her siblings, only her father. 'We were just told when to be there and what was going on and what we needed to do,' Derick, 34, added. For nearly 13 years, the intimate details of the Duggar family's lives were video taped and shared to their millions of avid viewers through their various shows. It's been reported that the Duggars received $18 million over the course of their 21 seasons on TV, but according to Jill, it all went into her father's pocket. When asked if they ever received money for their time in the show, Jill stated: 'No. I never received any payout. 'No check, no cash, no nothing. For seven-and-a-half years of my adult life, I was never paid. We were taken advantage of.' Jill and Derick said they felt like they had 'no choice' but to allow millions of people into their home. When the now-32-year-old became pregnant with their first child, she recalled making it clear that she did not want any camera crew inside the delivery room with her. However, she claimed the production company was not pleased with that request, and ultimately convinced her and Derick to record the birth themselves on a handheld camera. 'A few weeks out from the birth, the production company is like, "Hey so we're thinking about the birth, are you good with us having one person there?" I was like, "Well actually, we don't want you guys there at all,"' she explained. 'They were like, "At all?' They were shocked. I knew for sure nobody was going to be in my delivery room. Nobody. And nobody would be there for the labor. I didn't want any of that.' Derick added: 'We basically lost. They were gonna get what they wanted.' For nearly 13 years, the intimate details of the Duggar family's lives were video taped and shared to their millions of avid viewers through their various shows When asked if they ever received money, Jill stated: 'No. I never received any payout. For seven-and-a-half years of my adult life, I was never paid. We were taken advantage of' She also said she was given no choice but to video tape the birth of her son despite her telling the production crew that she wasn't comfortable with it. She's seen during the birth 'They gave us cameras and they were like, "You guys shoot." We did diary cams, we did a lot of work so they got the footage,' Jill interjected. After their son, Israel, was born in 2015, Jill said she asked TLC to pay them for the footage they had provided - but were told that the network had already given money to Jim Bob, now 57, for it. After their son, Israel, was born in 2015, Jill said she asked TLC to pay them for the footage they had provided - but were told that the network had already given money to Jim Bob for it 'They said they paid the family. Paying the family means we don't get anything,' Derick said. 'They said, "We paid your dad so take it up with him."' Things came to a head when Jill and Derick moved to El Salvador in 2016 for 10 months to do mission work. While the camera crews went with them - continuing to film their every move - they recalled facing immense 'pressure' from the network to return back to their home in Arkansas for more 'shoots.' 'It was a matter of principle, like, no, we're gonna stay here,' Jill recalled. 'That was the first time we really put our foot down and said no. 'I've never said no to our family before. I said, "No. We cannot do what you're asking us to do." It was one of those ah-hah moments for us.' But according to Jill, they didn't have a choice thanks to the contract she had signed on the day before her wedding. Jill and Derick cut ties with TLC in 2017. Following their departure from the show, Derick said he received a series of threatening text messages from an anonymous person (seen above) During the doc, Jill also shared some of the extreme measures that her dad took to try to cover up her brother Josh Duggar 's molestation of his own sisters 'They were basically like, "You have to." Then my dad sends us the [papers we signed before our wedding] and the obligations section of the contract,' she continued. 'At first I was like, "Someone forged my signature," but then I look at it and I'm like, "That is my signature." 'That's when we realized what we had signed the day before we got married. That wasn't what I thought I was signing.' After returning to America to do the shoot, Derick said he told Jim Bob that he and Jill had to be compensated for their time. 'If we're giving up something then we should get something in return,' he stated. 'Jim Bob was like, "What do you want? $10 an hour?" And I was like, "I don't know, what's it worth?" 'And he was like, "What's your price?" He was like, "I can pay you $10 an hour." That's when we asked to talk to TLC.' Unfortunately, Jill said their requests to talk to TLC were shut down by their dad's publicist, Chad Gallagher, who claimed they weren't allowed to discuss anything without him. News of a rift building within the family soon trickled into the media, which Jill said resulted in Jim Bob finally offering to pay his adult kids a 'lump sum of money.' However, Jill and Derick explained that they ultimately turned it down because they claimed they would have to sign another contract to get the money. They then parted ways with TLC. 'In order to receive that, you had to sign another deal with my dad and his production company, Mad Family Inc., which would last like forever. We were automatically like, we're done,' Jill explained. She also recalled how she was forced to defend her brother on national television during an appearance on the Megyn Kelly show (seen) to prevent their series from being canceled She explained that when news of Josh's (seen) abuse was made public in 2015, her dad's main focus was protecting the family's squeaky-clean reputation - rather than the victims She recalled an 'urgency' in 'trying to figure out' how the show could continue on in the wake of the scandal Derick said, 'We found out on social media that our relationship, if we ever had a relationship with TLC, came to an end at that time.' Following their departure from the show, Derick said he received a series of terrifying and threatening text messages from a 'burner phone.' The anonymous person claimed to be a friend of the family's and threatened Derick for 'mistreating' Jim Bob and Michelle and 'returning evil.' 'Jim Bob or Michelle have never done you wrong nor Jill,' read one of the messages. 'You are returning evil for the unbelievable privilege of marrying their most beautiful and intelligent daughter, who is the fruit of their lives. 'You were a trusted man to be given the high privilege of courting and marrying their treasured daughter, godly, well trained, talented, capable. Never was there a girl like Jill.' Another said: 'As a son-in-law, Jill's parents are also yours, and biblically, whatever you do to them is the same as your own parents. 'The mistreatment of parents is forbidden in both the Old and New Testament, with death penalties ascribed to those violations and wrong actions to parents. And the reverse promise, that things will not go well for you.' When asked if he believed Jim Bob had sent him the text message, Derick admitted, 'I don't know, I can't speculate.' During the doc, Jill also shared some of the extreme measures that her dad took to try to cover up her brother Josh Duggar's molestation of his own sisters - and recalled how she was forced to defend him on national television to prevent the family's hit reality show from being canceled. She explained that when news of Josh's alleged abuse was made public in 2015, her dad's main focus was protecting the family's squeaky-clean reputation - rather than the victims. Now, looking back, Jill admitted that she regretted taking part in the TV appearance, and that she felt 'obligated' to do it due to the immense pressure her dad had put on her In 2015, Jill (second from right) and Jessa (center) identified themselves as two of Josh's victims. Years later, Jinger (second from left) and Joy (left) came forward as the other victims As for their relationship with the family now, Derick said in the doc, 'We're very much on the outside.' Jill added, 'Everything within the family dynamic has shifted, and not for the better' She recalled an 'urgency' in 'trying to figure out' how the show could continue on in the wake of the scandal. At the time, she and her younger sister Jessa sat down with Megyn Kelly to discuss the harrowing allegations during a lengthy interview, in which they confirmed that their brother had touched them inappropriately but defended him from people who had branded him as a 'child molester, pedophile, or rapist.' Now, looking back, Jill admitted that she regretted taking part in the TV appearance, and that she felt 'obligated' to do it due to the immense pressure her dad had put on her. 'There was an urgency in trying to figure out how the show was going to be handled in the wake of the 2015 events,' she said. 'As far as recovery and damage control, you just feel like a burden and the weight falls on you to help because you're the only one who can [help].' 'In hindsight, I wouldn't have done the Megyn Kelly show. I feel like I was bearing the burden and the weight of...' she trailed off as tears ran down her cheeks. 'Me and Jessa just felt the weight of it. It fell on us.' The former reality star added that while she technically 'volunteered' to do the appearance, she felt like it was her responsibility to step up and 'help.' 'I don't even like to talk about it because it's not something that I'm proud of. If I hadn't felt obligated to one, do it for the sake of the show, and two, do it for the sake of my parents, I wouldn't have done it,' she continued. Her husband, Derick, described the TV appearance as a 'suicide mission' for Jill and Jessa, who were age 23 and 22 at the time. 'I would not call it voluntary. They were basically called on to carry out a suicide mission,' he stated. 'Like, "You're gonna destroy yourself, but we need you to take the fall so we can carry the show forward because the show cannot fail." '[The Duggars] were gonna do whatever they could to get the return on their investment. If that meant collateral damage, that meant collateral damage.' As for their relationship with the family now, Derick said in the doc, 'We're very much on the outside.' Jill added, 'Everything within the family dynamic has shifted, and not for the better.' Queen Maxima of the Netherlands made a very elegant entrance as she arrived for a business lunch in Sao Paulo today. The Dutch royal, 52, met with banks including Santander, PicPay, and Banco Itau to discuss financial empowerment on the first engagement of what will be a three-day visit to Brazil. For the occasion, she donned a stylish blush pink blouse with a matching striped skirt. Maxima is visiting Brazil as part of her role as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Financial Inclusion and Development. This comes as the mother-of-three was just in Jordan to attend the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein last week. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 52, has arrived in Sao Paulo for the first day of a three-day visit to Brazil The Dutch Queen looked relaxed during today's event, where she enjoyed a lunch with different bank representatives For her day out in Sao Paulo, the stylish royal opted for the blouse and wore it with a matching striped pleated midi skirt with shades of pink, blue, yellow and orange. She paired the look with coral pink slip-on heels and an off-white clutch bag. She added a pop of bling with large red studded earrings that looked like rubies. Her blonde locks were styled straight into a neat blowdry, and the Dutch royal donned a glamourous day makeup with a strong trait of eyeliner bringing some drama to the eye, with a dash of bronzer to enhance her natural glow. The mother-of-three, who travelled to Brazil solo, looked relaxed and well-rested as she stepped out ahead of a day filled with engagements. Upon her arrival, she sat down with the different banks' representatives for a talk on financial inclusivity and empowerment over a welcome lunch. Queen Maxima of The Netherlands has served as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) since 2009. She was appointed by former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and in this role is a leading global voice on advancing universal access to and responsible usage of affordable, effective and safe financial services. The Dutch Queen has been racking up air miles in recent days, travelling to Brazil on the heels of a trip to Jordan, where she attended the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein. Maxima is visiting Brazil as part of her role as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Financial Inclusion and Development For today's event, she opted for a blush pink blouse, tucked into a matching skirt with colourful stripes The Monarch shook the hands of her hosts ahead of a sit down lunch where they discussed financial empowerment As per usual, she was effortlessly elegant in a blue floral gown as she arrived ahead of the nuptials. She opted for a V-neck gown with floaty sleeves for the occasion and was seen arriving at Zahran Palace in Amman arm-in-arm with her husband King Willem-Alexander, 56. As the couple entered the Palace, they were greeted by Crown Prince Hussein's proud parents King Abdullah II, 61, and Queen Rania, 52. Maxima's show-stopping dress featured billowing sheer sleeves - making it ideal for 31C temperatures today. The stunning A-Line chiffon gown - which was cinched in at the waist with a ribbon - featured a dainty blue floral pattern. What's more, Maxima matched her accessories to the colour of her pretty summery dress. The royal wore long silver necklace featuring an assortment of blue jewels and matching dangly earrings. Maxima donned a atraight blow-dry for the occasion, as well as her trusted trait of eyeliner and some blush The royal addressed the group of representatives for Santander, PicPay and Banco Itau during today's lunch With documents on the table, Maxima was seen in a deep conversation with one of the attendees She also carried a navy shell-shaped woven clutch bag to carry her essentials. Tying into her glamorous ensemble, Maxima styled her blonde hair in old Hollywood-style waves. The stylish royal famously loves a smokey eye-look for everyday royal engagements - but opted for something more dramatic for the Royal Wedding today. To offset her nude lipstick, Maxima donned a sweep of navy eyeshadow and highlighter on the high points of her face to give her a sunkissed glow. Meanwhile, King Willem-Alexander was just as dapper in a navy suit and a pale blue tie, which matched the exact hue of his wife's dress. A man who became Britain's youngest airline pilot in his teens, is now soaring to new heights by launching his own airline. Seth Van Beek, 22, from London, is said to be in talks with financial investors to help solidify the major move. The ambitious pilot first hit headlines back in 2020 when he became the UK's youngest qualified commercial pilot at just 18 - after his mother sold their family home to help fund flying lessons. Seth's mother Frances, 42, saved up a staggering 85,000 for a flight school course, which saw him complete 150 hours in the air before passing with flying colours. And now the pilot told has told of his excitement at the prospect of his own carrier, which he says has been 'fully approved in principle'. Seth Van Beek, 22, from London, became Britain's youngest airline pilot at 18, and is now set to launch his own airline He told The Express: 'There is a lot of interest from one particular investment banker who is looking at the business plan as we speak. I have come a long way and not just in the last four years'. Seth indeed has come along way, even though his hopes were nearly thrown off course by the pandemic travel ban. The pilot, who now flies private jets, explained that his career was nearly cut short when the pandemic deemed it impossible to respond to job prospects. Seth's career was planned out from the tender age of eight, and he soon got to work learning subjects like visual flight training, before eventually becoming qualified. He pursued his dream profession with grit, and through a combination of relentless calls and emails he was finally rewarded with his first job. The ambitious pilot says he has he major interest from 'one particular investment banker' But after months on end the lad still couldn't hit the skies. It took another cash injection of 20,000, this time from both his mother and grandmother, alongside another flying course before he could break down the door. Their labour paid off, and to everyone's delight, he was called up by a British airline company. Now Seth is keen for other youngsters to follow in his footsteps, and is looking to set up a scholarship for would-be pilots in Africa. He said: 'I've had such good fortune in my life. Now is the time to pay it forward'. He adds there are other ways to learn aviation skills, including Government-funded schemes like Talentview Aviation or Aviation Skills Recruitment Platform. Seth left school at 16 after doing his GCSEs and managed to pass the gruelling entrance exams to attended Egnatia Aviation Training College in Greece. In April 2018, he began 18 months training at the academy. He sat 14 exams, alternating between learning theory and practical flying at Greeces Kavala International Airport. The teenager would take to the skies up to five times a week during his practical stints, initially for just 60 minutes, but eventually flying for five hours. He graduated at the top of his class, getting his licence from the European Aviation Safety Agency a month later. He remains grateful to mum Frances who sold their three-bedroom home in Milton Keynes and downsized to a flat to free up 85,000 for his course and accommodation fees. Senior members of the Windsor family will have to shuffle a little further away from the throne after Princess Eugenie announced the birth of her second baby today. The Duke of York's youngest daughter, 32, and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who are already parents to two-year-old August, welcomed their son Ernest George Ronnie last Tuesday. Despite being born to a princess and being 13th in line to the throne, the baby boy won't get a royal title because only grandchildren of the monarch are entitled. Instead, it's likely the child will be simply Master or Miss Brooksbank - much like his sibling, August. His birth means he will be pushing others down the line of succession - including the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Royal and Peter Philips. Senior members of the Windsor family will have to shuffle a little further away from the throne after Princess Eugenie announced the birth of her second baby today The Duke of York's youngest daughter, 32, and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who are already parents to two-year-old August, welcomed their son Ernest George Ronnie last Tuesday Despite being born to a princess and being 13th in line to the throne, the baby boy won't get a royal title because only grandchildren of the monarch are entitled The first 12 places in the line of succession will remain unchanged - the Prince of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Harry, and Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. They are followed by Lilibet, the Duke of York, Princess Beatrice and her daughter Sienna, as well as Princess Eugenie and her eldest son August. Born last Tuesday weighing 7lbs 1oz, Ernest's name pays tribute to his late grandfather, Jack's dad George, who died aged 72 in 2021, Fergie's father Major Ronald Ferguson and Eugenie's great grandfather Ernest. Sharing the news on Instagram, Eugenie wrote: 'Jack and I wanted to share the news that we had our little boy, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank on 30th May 2023 at 8.49 weighing 7.1lbs. 'He is named after his great great great Grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald. 'Augie is loving being a big brother already.' The youngest daughter of Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York had her first son August two years ago, and first announced the family's newest addition in January, with an adorable snap on Instagram. The sweet post showed two-year-old August kissing her stomach as she told followers about her pregnancy. 'Were so excited to share that there will be a new addition to our family this summer,' Eugenie wrote. The Princess gave birth to her first son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, who is 13th-in-line to the throne, at London's Portland Hospital in February 2021. And earlier this month, a very pregnant Eugenie was glowing on the Coronation weekend as she took part in several events to celebrate her uncle King Charles III being crowned. As she and the family arrived at Westminster Abbey on May 6 to take their seats for the ceremony, Prince Harry, who sat with his cousin was pictured looking astonished at her baby bump. Expert lip reader Jacqui Press deciphered his words to Eugenie, with whom he is incredibly close, as he saw her at the entrance to the Abbey. She claims he said: 'Wow, amazing look at the bump!', using his hands to indicate to a heavily-pregnant Eugenie's tummy. 'I know', her husband Jack replied, smiling as he walked to his seat. And there's no doubt that little one's grandmother - affectionately known the public as 'Fergie' - is delighted with the newborn. It appeared the excitement proved too much to contain as earlier this month, Eugenie's mother appeared to let slip her due date. His birth means he will be pushing others down the line of succession - including the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Royal and Peter Philips Jack and a very pregnant Eugenie pictured in April, at the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle Princess Eugenie is pregnant with her second child and due to give birth in the summer, it has been announced (pictured, with her son August) The royal shared an adorable snap on her Instagram page showing her young son kissing her stomach, and taken by her husband Jack Speaking to Hello, she said: 'We don't know what it is yet. But the baby is due by the end of May, I think. So it's any minute now.' In April, Sarah also revealed she loves being a grandmother and said her grandchildren find her 'very funny'. She told OK! magazine: 'It's a whole new phase of life and I am modelling myself on Super Gran. 'I love being with them and how it brings out my inner child. My grandchildren seem to find me very funny. I love indulging them, too.' Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, gave birth to her first son in February 2021. Pictured with August at the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee The Duchess of York, 61, has previously praised Eugenie's mothering skills during an interview, saying both of her daughters are 'phenomenal' mothers But she admitted she gets in trouble for giving them sweets. That same month, on Loose Women, the Duchess of York also told the audience her grandchildren's nickname for her. 'They call me Gigi... like the film,' she explained, also sharing an Easter basket - adorned with bells and other trinkets - which she says signal to her grandchildren that she has arrived. 'They hear me coming,' she said. '"Gigi coming, Gigi coming".' Eugenie and Jack, 36, began dating in 2011 and confirmed their relationship in an appearance at Royal Ascot that year. When Eugenie left London to work for an auction house in New York in 2013, the pair maintained a long-distance relationship. At the time, Jack told The Daily Mail: 'We spend a lot of time on Skype. It's great. We're still very much together.' Earlier this month, a very pregnant Eugenie was glowing on the Coronation weekend as she took part in several events to celebrate her uncle King Charles III being crowned As she and the family arrived at Westminster Abbey on May 6 to take their seats for the ceremony, Prince Harry walked along with his cousin In 2015 the princess returned to London where the pair grew ever closer - and they sparked engagement rumours the following year. But it was not until January 2018 that Jack popped the question while the pair were away in Nicaragua. Then in October that year. Eugenie announced her first pregnancy in a similar fashion, posting on Instagram at the same time the palace announced the news. When he was born, August weighed 8lb 1oz and the couple broke with tradition by immediately sharing a black-and-white photo to Eugenie's Instagram of them holding their newborn's tiny hand. The happy couple pictured a month before they announced their pregnancy, at Sandringham Church The royal couple occasionally share family shots on Eugenie's Instagram page. Pictured, a post from February 2022 Eugenie and Jack, 36, began dating in 2011 and confirmed their relationship in an appearance at Royal Ascot that year. Pictured in a post from 2022 When he was born, August weighed 8lb 1oz and the couple broke with tradition by immediately sharing a black-and-white photo to Eugenie's Instagram of them holding their newborn's tiny hand Eugenie and Jack pictured posing with their son August when he was born, in a heartwarming Instagram post about their family She followed the post with three blue hearts after welcoming her son at the luxury private hospital where Meghan Markle also gave birth to her son, Archie. Eugenie went on to reveal August's name was a touching tribute to Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert, whose birth name was Franz Albert August Karl Emanuel, and Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99. She largely kept August out of the limelight for his first two years, but delighted fans when she shared a video of him dancing during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The Duchess of York has previously praised Eugenie's mothering skills during an interview with Hello magazine. She revealed: 'My children are phenomenal mothers. They were great children but now they're phenomenal mothers. 'And now, I have these two exceptional grandchildren all in one year.' The nephew of a Missouri congresswoman has claimed his parents hired an 'exorcist' to expel 'all the demons' from his room that they thought 'were making him gay.' Andrew Hartzler, who grew up in Kansas City, came out to his family - who were members of the conservative evangelical sect called the International House of Prayer - at age 14. The now 25-year-old, who was also sent to a conversion camp, recently took to TikTok to share a clip of the 'exorcism' that his parents ordered to rid his room of the devil as a result. Other social media users were left stunned and quickly flooded the comments with supportive words for Andrew. Andrew Hartzler, who grew up in Kansas City, came out to his family - who were members of the conservative evangelical sect called the International House of Prayer - at age 14 The now 25-year-old recently took to TikTok to share a clip of the 'exorcism' that his parents ordered to rid his room of the devil after he made the revelation Andrew lets the video of the encounter play out as the exorcist wanders around the bedroom and closets with a Bible in hand In the clip, which has so far been viewed more than 853,000 times, Andrew talks directly to camera as he reveals: 'Here is when my parents hired an exorcist to get all the demons out of my room that they thought were making me gay.' Andrew then lets the video of the encounter play out as the exorcist wanders around the bedroom and closets with a Bible in hand. He says: 'Devil go in Jesus' name. You foul spirit, you leave in Jesus' name. Every evil spirit go now in Jesus' name. And I pray the conviction of the Lord upon this room... 'Devil you have no more place, you can never enter this room again. I plead the blood of Christ over this closet, over every piece of clothing in here.' The exorcist, who is joined by two other adults, then anoints various items in the room with Holy Water as he proclaims: 'We anoint this bed in the name of Jesus that every person that touches this bed shall be saved.' And the video left other social media users stunned and rushing to Andrew's side, as one wrote: 'It is so painful and at the same time comical in a sad way. OMG honey, I am so sorry.' Another added: 'Good lord, I can't believe this is real life! I am so sorry.' And a third simply said: 'I have no words.' Other social media users were left stunned and quickly flooded the comments with supportive words for Andrew Andrew has since told Insider that he was sent to a conversation camp after coming out to his parents aged 14. He said: 'It was like some of the darkest moments of my entire life. It basically just teaches you learned self-hate, like learning to repress half of your mind. It's exhausting.' Andrew was sent to a conversion therapy counselor as well as being enrolled at the conservative Christian Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He came out to his parents once again during his sophomore year and told the publication that he suspected his parents may go through his room as a result. So he decided to set up a series of cameras whenever he went away - which is why the exorcism was recorded. 'My father thought my identity issues were a "demonic stronghold,"' he said. 'He always used that type of language around my sexuality. 'It was really important for people to see that there are right-wing Christian fanatics who are subjecting their children to this type of practice and that they believe being gay is something profoundly evil that has to be performed away by some ritual.' Andrew, who no longer speaks to his parents, caused quite the stir last year after condemning his aunt, Republican congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, for bigotry. Andrew, who no longer speaks to his parents, caused quite the stir last year after condemning his aunt, Republican congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, for bigotry In December 2022, Vicky cried in the Capitol while speaking in opposition to the gay marriage bill which the House ultimately passed. The 62-year-old was in tears, her voice quavering, as she told the House: 'I hope and pray that my colleagues will find the courage to join me in opposing this misguided, and this dangerous bill.' And Andrew was quick to speak out on the matter as he said she was misguided, and would have to learn tolerance and acceptance. He came out to her in February last year, despite her long history of rejecting LGBTQ rights, including her decision in 2019 to sponsor an event arranged by proponents of conversion therapy. He said: 'So, despite my coming out to my aunt this past February, I guess she's still as much of a homophobe.' Andrew told BuzzFeed News at the time that he wasn't surprised by her performance, adding: 'I don't want my last name to be associated with hate. I want it to be associated with love.' He also sued the evangelical Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma - a university he did not choose, but the only one his father said he would pay tuition fees. Andrew also sued the evangelical Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma - a university he did not choose, but the only one his father said he would pay tuition fees Like all students, Andrew had signed a pledge on arrival stating: 'I will not engage in or attempt to engage in any illicit, unscriptural sexual acts, which include any homosexual activity and sexual intercourse with one who is not my spouse. 'I will not be united in marriage other than the marriage between one man and one woman.' The president of the university, William Wilson, preached during one of the mandatory twice-weekly sermons that 'if a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable, they are put to death.' Wilson asked the assembled students to close their eyes, bow their heads and raise their hand if they if they needed 'healing in this area of sexuality.' Andrew is now part of a federal class action lawsuit in which plaintiffs are suing the Department of Education to stop religious schools from receiving federal funds if they discriminate against LGBTQ students. Under current law, such schools receive religious exemptions from complying with Title IX anti-discrimination laws. A mum known for sharing her little-known 'laundry hacks' has revealed how to wash bedroom pillows. Carolina McCauley, from Perth, used five household ingredients to make the pillows 'squeaky clean' again. To replicate the method, all you need is baking soda, gentle detergent mixed with hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar and eucalyptus oil. She also used three dryer balls to keep the shape. In a video, she demonstrated the quick and easy process, starting with reading the label beforehand. According to Asthma Australia, pillows should be washed monthly to help reduce the risk of exposure to the dust and dust mites. Scroll down for video Carolina McCauley, from Perth, used five household ingredients to make the pillows 'squeaky clean' again. She used baking soda, gentle detergent mixed with hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar and Eucalyptus oil Depending on what the pillow is made from will determine how it should be washed. In this instance, Carolina owns pillows suitable for machine washing Depending on what the pillow is made from will determine how it should be washed. Australian consumer company CHOICE advised memory foam pillows should be spot cleaned and latex pillows should be hand washed while polyester, cotton and microfibre pillows should be machine washed on a gentle cycle. Pillows made with goose down or goose feathers should be dry cleaned In this instance, Carolina owns pillows suitable for machine washing and placed two in the barrel of her front loader, ensuring the space wasn't overcrowded. How to clean pillows in the washing machine: What you'll need: 1/2 cup baking soda 1 lid gentle detergent 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide with the detergent 1/2 cup vinegar instead of softener A few drops of Eucalyptus oil Dryer balls Method: Read the label before cleaning pillows Remove the pillow cases and place pillows in washing machine, ensuring the space isn't crowded Add baking soda into the washing machine barrel Add detergent and hydrogen peroxide into detergent drawer Add vinegar and Eucalyptus in fabric softener drawer Add 2-3 dryer balls in barrel to ensure the pillows keep in shape Advertisement Carolina placed half a cup of baking soda directly into the machine barrel. She then poured one lid full of gentle detergent into the detergent drawer as well as a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide to remove bacteria. Next, half a cup of white vinegar was poured into the fabric softener drawer along with a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to kill dust mites. The mum also added three dryer balls with the pillows to ensure the shape is maintained then opted for a gentle wash cycle. The cleanliness of your pillow can help ease allergies and keep your skin free from blemishes. In a recent article, the CHOICE experts wrote: It's not pleasant to think about, but when you sleep on a pillow, the oils from your skin and hair combine with sweat and drool into one icky mess that's absorbed into the material of your pillow. 'It can create unsightly yellow stains or discolouration. Even if it's covered up by a lovely floral pillowcase, it's still there and could be breeding bacteria and mould or housing allergens.' A mum-of-two has divided thousands after she admitted she never folds her family's laundry. Rachel Jane Morgan said she 'couldn't think of anything worse' than having to fold every piece of clothing as she sorts through her family's laundry sending mums into a spin. She said she 'doesn't care' about how her kid's clothes end up in their drawers as they will 'just get messed up anyway' prompting many to applaud her fuss-free laundry approach. The Auckland mum shared a time lapse of her tidying and making over her spare room as she cleared away mounds of laundry to create a tidy office space - but there was one detail many viewers couldn't get over. Viewers were shocked at the mum for how she organised the washing with one saying: 'No folding clothes? My OCD just went into overdrive.' Scroll down for video Auckland mum-of-two Rachel Jane has responded after critics slammed her when she admitted she doesn't fold her family's laundry. She said laundry was her 'least favourite chore' Rachel shared a response to the judging laundry lovers saying it's her 'least favourite chore' and her kids are happy and healthy despite not having folded clothes in their closets. 'I didn't expect to trigger so many people by the fact that I don't fold our washing, I never do,' she said in a TikTok clip. 'I couldn't imagine anything worse than sitting here and folding all of this washing and we're all fine.' Rachel said people have even expressed their concern for her children after finding out she doesn't fold washing to which she assured them they were happy and healthy. 'It just gets shoved in their drawers and just gets messed up anyway so who cares?' she said. 'My towels get folded because they're stacked in the linen cupboard but everything else, I don't care and we're all happy and healthy.' Rachel said people have even expressed their concern for her children after finding out she doesn't fold washing to which she assured them they were happy and healthy Viewers still weren't convinced and thought Rachel's care-free laundry system was 'insane'. 'It's wrinkly, it gets unorganised so you can't find stuff and it takes up more space,' one woman said. 'Girl do you but I could never,' a second wrote and a third added: 'I'm sorry, but putting clean clothes on the floor is insane to me'. 'Why don't people fold as soon as they're done as you take them out the dryer? Why wait until the entire 100 loads are done,' a fourth commented. However many were quick to defend the mum and confessed they also refuse to spend time folding their laundry. 'Great job!!! Folding clothes with kids is a waste of time, your working smarter not harder!' one user replied. 'Folding washing is the bane of my existence too,' a second agreed and another said: 'I started this a year ago! Laundry GAME CHANGER!!'. 'I'm with you on this! Folding baskets and baskets of laundry for five people is depressing and pointless with kids who riffle through the drawers anyway,' someone wrote. 'You know the whole shove-in-your-drawers theory is low-key something tonnes do but won't admit,' pointed out another mum while someone else said the practice was 'totally normal'. Some parents shared their own 'lazy mum hacks' with one explaining she lets her family do what they want with their washing. 'I'm about to bring back the bucket method in my house. Everyone has a bucket and clean clothes go in there, what you do with them is on you,' one woman said. 'I will run the dishwasher twice to three times if it means I don't have to stand there scrubbing them,' a second added. Aldi shoppers have been left in a fury after discovering the supermarket giant has adopted yet another 'annoying' policy from the competition. Paper bags have been introduced in stores across the country, taking the place of the retailer's 15cent single-use plastic bags. But customers complain the 25cent paper bags are 'no good' got heavy items or anything from the fridge or freezer section. 'They break easily and I can't trust they won't,' one shopper fumed. Despite customer complaints the change looks to be permanent. Paper bags have been introduced in stores across the country, taking the place of the retailer's 15cent single-use plastic bags The German-owned retailer told FEMAIL the bags are part of a bigger strategy combating plastic waste. 'ALDI Australia has never provided free-of-charge plastic carrier bags and made the decision to remove all single-use plastic tableware from shelves in 2020, so this is the next step in its efforts to reduce plastic,' a spokesperson said. Adding: 'It will see more than 888 tonnes of plastic removed from circulation annually.' Poll Do you like paper bags? No! Yes! I think people need to bring their own - get rid of all the bags. Do you like paper bags? No! 274 votes Yes! 82 votes I think people need to bring their own - get rid of all the bags. 199 votes Now share your opinion Daniel Baker, Sustainability Director at ALDI Australia said the move is also in line with 'what customers want'. 'Aussies are continuing to make more conscious choices, and we want to continue meeting their needs. Ultimately, bringing your own bags every time you shop is the most sustainable option. 'We encourage customers to continue doing so, but when they cant, our paper bags are now available. These may seem like small changes, but they all add up to making a big difference,' they said. But it appears many customers aren't happy with the change. 'Good different, I guess not,' complained another using Aldi's slogan. 'Bought one today to use I had one zucchini, one avocado, and one pre-cooked chicken breast. The bottom fell out of it as I was walking out of store,' complained another. Others claim bag changes are all part of a cycle. 'I remember people complaining about paper bags so plastic bags were introduced. Now they are complaining about plastic bags so the paper bags are coming back.' This is the second time the retailer has come under fire in recent weeks. The first was over the decision to rollout self-service checkouts across the country. Customers are claiming they prefer to put their groceries through at staffed tills and 'refuse to use' self-serve checkouts especially as many are card only. Aldi customers are venting their frustrations at the retailer's self-serve checkout which are being installed in stores across the country after many praised the update One woman even said she has abandoned her entire trolley of groceries and walked out of an Aldi store multiple times when there were no manned registers available. A Sunshine Coast customer was delighted to see the checkouts at her local store and shared the update online but was met with a flurry of comments slamming the new system. 'Aldi shoppers! So many times I have heard people say 'why don't they have self checkouts?'...Well, look what has arrived at my local on the Sunshine Coast,' she wrote in a post of the Mums who Budget and Save Facebook group. While she was excited by the new addition, the post was quickly met with hostility by many who said they 'refuse' to put their shopping through the unstaffed tills. 'Many a time I've left a full trolley and walked out. If they're not going to pay someone to serve me they can pay someone to put everything back out of my trolley,' a disgruntled shopper replied. 'I don't use any self checkout. I don't work there!' a second agreed and another said: 'I prefer a human interaction and to help people keep their jobs'. 'Please no. I do a massive shop and the last thing I need is to put it through myself!' a fourth complained while another wrote: 'Wrong. Just wrong'. Shoppers are claiming they prefer to put their groceries through at staffed tills and 'refuse to use' self-serve checkouts especially as many are card only However there were many fans of the self-serve checkouts who say the registers make it easier for those who are only buying a handful of items to swiftly get through their shopping. 'I absolutely love them. I now can go through with my basket of stuff and not have to wait in line,' one woman said. Poll Do you use self-serve checkouts? Yes, always - I love them Yes but only when a staffed checkout isn't available No, I use cash No, I refuse Do you use self-serve checkouts? Yes, always - I love them 658 votes Yes but only when a staffed checkout isn't available 612 votes No, I use cash 304 votes No, I refuse 1295 votes Now share your opinion 'Handy when I'm only going to a supermarket to get just a basketful of things...I have better things to do than wait behind people with trolleys mountain full of groceries,' a mum added. 'My kids love using the self serve checkouts so they are happy to do it for me.' 'Well kinda makes sense since I gotta pack my own bags, at least I can do it at my own pace,' another pointed out. But the self-serve haters weren't having bar and continued to criticise the tills saying the volume is 'too loud' and that they don't accept cash. Aldi has addressed the checkout concerns multiple times since it slowly started to roll out the self service tills in stores all over Australia in 2021. An Aldi spokesperson previously told FEMAIL: 'Self-serve checkouts are a quick and convenient way for customers to shop, and all ALDI self-serve checkouts are card only to maximise efficiencies.' Previously shoppers were all for the self-serve checkouts saying Aldi workers are 'too fast' at scanning their groceries. They said many Aldi employees can groceries at the checkout far too quickly for them to bag their items before the transaction finishes so were thankful for the self-serve aisles. Many said they still loved the unmanned registers but the haters weren't having bar and continued to criticise the tills saying the volume is 'too loud' and that they don't accept cash 'At least now I can pack my groceries without it being thrown at my face! No offense to Aldi staff, but you guys are just too quick!' one customer wrote on Facebook. In response, one former worker revealed the computers track how many items they are scanning per minute and gave their advice for getting through the register fuss-free. 'We were measured on items per minute when on registers - which is shown at the end of your shift when closing out your individual till. Promise you, they're not doing it for fun,' they explained. 'Don't pack your bags at the register. Toss it all into the trolley/basket when scanned at take your time at the packing bench just next to the registers. Or buy those bags that hook into the trolley basket so you can kind of pack quickly,' they added. Aldi employees review and adjust their scan speed based on how quickly or slowly each customer packs their shopping. If a customer would like a checkout worker to slow down, they are encouraged to request they do so. A young worker was left red faced after a postie noticed an unusual note stuck to a package they were sending to a customer. A shopper at novelty clothing and gift brand Grey Lines added a cheeky message about their fake breasts to their order which packers didn't realise would be plastered in large writing on the shipping label. The X-rated note raised the eye brows of the Australia Post worker who came to collect the package. Grey Lines shoppers have been receiving surprise gifts with their orders of the small Aussie brand's 'nostalgic party game' and one customer made a hilarious plea for a freebie. 'So we have a nostalgic party game and are always looking for fun things to give away. We added Fantasy by Britney Spears gift packs to random orders,' a Grey Lines staffer said in an Instagram video. Scroll down for video A worker at Aussie novelty clothing brand Grey Lines has an awkward exchange with an Australia Post driver who spotted a cheeky note on a customer's package The shopper said they deserved the free Britney Spears perfume gift pack with their game because they named one of their fake breasts after the star. 'I named one of my fake t**s after Britz (the one one's named Christina, obvs), so for this reason, I think I really deserve to win the Fantasy gift pack. Thank you for listening to my speech,' the message read. Staff thought the risque note was so 'iconic' they decided the busty woman was a worthy candidate for the free perfume and added the gift pack to their purchase. However, when they printed out the shipping label with the customer's details, they did not realise the bawdy message would be visible making for an awkward interaction with the postman who collected it. 'The delivery driver read it and said the less I know the better,' the employee said in the video adding: 'Just another day at Grey Lines to be honest'. The hysterical video racked up more than 20,000 views and many laughing-face emoji from fans. The woman who wrote the note even saw the clip and said she looks forward to greeting the postman who delivers her special package. 'Brits and Xtina finally getting the recognition they deserve! Thanks guys,' she said in a comment. 'I hope I'm home when my postie delivers it I'll make sure I've got the gals out in full force!' Thousands of bowel cancer patients could be spared gruelling radiotherapy with no impact on their survival, research shows. Most people with advanced bowel cancer currently undergo radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy and then surgery. But a major trial found more than nine in ten patients who skipped radiotherapy were just as likely to be alive five years later than those who had it. Experts said avoiding radiotherapy would be a 'major step forward' for patients, who would be spared debilitating side effects including pelvic fractures, impaired bowel, bladder and sexual function and secondary cancers. Presenting their findings at the world's largest cancer conference in Chicago, they called for clinical practice to change. Thousands of bowel cancer patients could be spared gruelling radiotherapy with no impact on their survival, research shows (File image) Dr Deb Schrag, of the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, said: 'Most intermediate risk rectal cancer patients can be cured without needing pelvic radiation. 'It's a big deal because we have been radiating pelvises to treat this type of rectal cancer for the past 30 years. 'Although it works well, pelvic radiation has real toxicities. It impaired bowel, bladder and sexual function and has increased risk of pelvic fractures and secondary cancers. It can impair the function of the bone marrow which can affect chemotherapy in the future. 'We asked the question, could we use radiation more selectively and only give it to people who don't respond to chemotherapy rather than giving the radiation to everyone as part of the standard? 'There were no meaningful differences between the two approaches and only 9 per cent of patients in the radiation arm needed radiation.' Around 40,000 people in UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year, with about 20 to 30 per cent diagnosed with rectal cancer. The study involved 1,194 patients with stage 3 rectal cancer - meaning it has spread to lymph nodes but not other organs. Around half were not given radiation treatment unless they failed to respond to chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the tumour. Of this group, only nine per cent were found to need radiotherapy as well, according to the findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine. A trial found more than nine in ten patients who skipped radiotherapy were just as likely to be alive five years later as those who had it (File image) After five years, 80.8 per cent of those just given chemotherapy and surgery were free from disease, compared to 78.6 per cent of those given both radiotherapy and chemotherapy before surgery. Recurrence rates were very low and similar for both groups at two per cent, the study found. While radiotherapy has been part of the standard treatment for this cancer for decades, chemotherapy has improved. Professor Charles Swanton, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said oncologists were increasingly trying to find ways to reduce drug or radiation exposure to limit the long-term side effects for patients. 'Pelvic radiotherapy is associated with major long term side effects. I think avoiding radiation is a major step forward. And this non inferiority trial has shown that it does look like you can avoid radiation for the majority of patients. He added: 'I think you're probably talking about thousands of patients a year in the UK [who could be spared radiotherapy]. 'It's excellent for NHS resources, being able to avoid radiation and free up radiotherapy slots for other patients.' Dr Pamela Kunz, an ASCO expert, said it was 'really a case of less is more'. She said: 'The study shows that we can spare select patients from receiving radiation without compromising efficacy. 'This leads to improved quality of life and reduced side effects including things like early menopause, and infertility. This trial is practice changing.' Draconian lockdown measures taken to stop the spread of Covid in early 2020 may have saved as few as 1,700 lives, analysis suggests. Economists today claimed their findings were 'clear', arguing that policies adopted by the likes of Britain and the US were a 'failure of gigantic proportions' and stating the deaths saved were 'a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral costs imposed'. Yet the 'gold-standard' report is disputed. Critics say the authors are longstanding and public critics of lockdowns, and a previous version of their work was accused of 'cherry-picking' studies. Unprecedented stay-at-home orders which included WFH mandates and closing schools were among the key virus-controlling policies introduced at the start of the pandemic. Ministers had little choice but to shelter society once the virus reached the UK, after being given grim warnings that hundreds of thousands of Brits could die without immediate action. A report suggests specific initiatives to control the spread of Covid had mixed results in reducing mortality, with mask mandates having the biggest impact while measures such as limiting gatherings paradoxically raised death rates Vaccines considered the only safe route out of the pandemic were still months away from being deployed. Health chiefs have repeatedly acknowledged there would be huge consequences of the measures taken in early 2020, including knock-on delays which have ravaged the NHS and left it battling a record waiting list. Oncologists have also warned of a 'cancer timebomb' due to Brits being scared of coming forward with symptoms during the pandemic due to fear of the virus and wanting to protect the NHS. Three researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the US and Lund University in Sweden assessed the 'negligible impact' of policies on Covid mortality rates. Read more: Row at the General Medical Council as doctors accuse the regulators of failing to tackle medics who spread Covid vaccine conspiracies The medics are crowdfunding to take a case against medics promoting conspiracy theories Advertisement The trio's work deriding the impacts of lockdowns has been criticised in the past. Twenty-two studies from around the world assessing the impact of lockdown-style health interventions were included in the analysis. Their results, published in a book by the conservative think-tank The Institute of Economic Affairs, claimed to reveal the harshest lockdowns had only a relatively minor impact on the total death toll. Stricter lockdown measures, similar to those imposed in the UK, reduced Covid mortality by 3.2 per cent compared to softer, voluntary, policies such as those enacted in Sweden. The Scandinavian nation was an international outcast when it defied scientific advice and decided against shutting down, instead relying on people's common sense and light social restrictions. Lockdown critics have repeatedly pointed to Sweden's low overall Covid death toll as evidence that Britain's approach was flawed. Others have, however, argued that it is impossible to compare the two and that Sweden fared worse than its Scandinavian neighbours. The Covid death toll of 55,000 by June 2020 - when lockdown rules started to be eased - suggests lockdown saved 1,700 lives in England and Wales. This graph shows the Covid deaths per million people recorded in the UK and Sweden over the course of the pandemic. Sweden never saw the same mortality peaks as Britain despite not going into a harsh lockdown This chart shows the cumulative death toll in both countries. Some experts and commentators have pointed to Sweden's lower overall mortality rate as proof the UK's draconic lockdown was unnecessary Former prime minister Boris Johnson and then-health secretary Matt Hancock were central figures in managing the UK's response to Covid and the original lockdown A similar calculation for the US suggests harsh policies there saved 4,000 lives. On average, there are about 10,000 deaths in England and Wales and 46,000 in the US each week. Study co-author Dr Lars Jonung, an economic expert from Lund, said their research was the first of its kind to evaluate the 'effectiveness' of lockdowns. 'It demonstrates that lockdowns were a failed promise,' he said. 'They had negligible health effects but disastrous economic, social and political costs to society. The timeline of England's lockdowns March 16, 2020 At the beginning on the month, the first UK Covid death is confirmed. Government advises against non-essential travel and socialising, and suggests working from home. Four days later schools close, along with pubs and restaurants. March 23 First lockdown begins. Non-essential shops are closed and Britons are ordered to stay at home. Days later, this is made a legal requirement. Deaths peak at 1,076 on April 8th. June 1 First lockdown begins to ease. Schools begin to reopen as do non-essential shops, two weeks later. On June 23rd the PM announces that the UKs 'national hibernation' is coming to and end. July 4 Pubs, restaurants, hairdressers reopen except in Leicester, which is subject to the first local lockdown, with non-essential shops remaining closed. September 14 Rising cases led to the introduction of 'rule of six' indoors and outdoors. By the end of the month, the work from home begins again and a 10pm curfew came into force for pubs, bars and restaurants October 14 Three tier system of Covid-19 restrictions begins in England. In the highest tier hospitality venues are closed. People are not permitted to mix with other households at home, but can meet in groups of up to six outdoors. November 5 Second national lockdown in England, but schools stay open. At the end of the month, the Prime Minister announces that three households will be able to meet for five days over Christmas. December 2 The second lockdown ends, and England returns to a three-tier system. On 21st December London and South East are put into new Tier 4 restrictions, with a stay-at-home order and mixing permitted with just one other person in an public outdoor space. 2021 January 6 The third national lockdown begins. Schools close a day after they went back following the Christmas break. In February, the PM publishes roadmap for lifting lockdown, and hotel quarantine for arrivals from 33 countries begins. March 29 Stay at home order ends but Britons can only mix with six people, or two households, outdoors. Earlier in the month the roadmap's Step 1 saw schools in England reopen. April 12 Roadmap Step 2 sees non-essential retail, hairdressers, pubs and restaurants reopen. Step 3, starting May 17th, allows six people or two households to meet indoors. Theatres and stadiums reopen. In June, restrictions on funerals and weddings end. July 19 Freedom day. All legal limits on social contact except for those with Covid symptoms are removed. This wasn't the end in September, Plan B measures included work-from-home advice and mask mandates. But no more lockdowns. Advertisement 'Most likely lockdowns represent the biggest policy mistake in modern times.' Fellow co-author Professor Steve Hanke, an expert in economics at Johns Hopkins, added: 'When it comes to Covid, epidemiological models have many things in common: dubious assumptions, hair-raising predictions of disaster that miss the mark, and few lessons learned. 'The science of lockdowns is clear, the data are in: the lives saved were a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral costs imposed.' Even a more generous analysis which broadened the definition of lockdown to incorporate more initiatives such as mask wearing found such measures reduced mortality by only 10.7 per cent. The scientists also examined the impact of particular measures in reducing Covid mortality. Mask mandates were found to be the biggest overall preventative factor, reducing deaths from the virus by 18.7 per cent. Ministers have been accused of mixed-messaging on wearing masks during the pandemic in Britain. The authors of the report, while acknowledging the potential impact of mask mandates, said further research on their effectiveness was needed. While some lockdown-style measures, such as closing businesses, were linked to a 7.5 per cent fall in virus mortality, others such as 'gathering limits' were found to actually increase Covid death rates. Such restrictions, which included the 'rule of six' in England, were associated with a 5.9 per cent rise in mortality. The authors couldn't pin down exactly why this was but suggested that other lockdown measures, such as the closure of outdoor spaces, could have pushed people to meet in risker indoor spaces where they were more likely to be infected. The report also highlights how their estimate of 1,700 deaths being prevented by lockdown pales in comparison to the between 18,500 and 24,800 deaths that occur during a typical flu season without any national restrictions. They said that on balance the benefits of lockdowns were dwarfed by their cost to the economy, education, and damage to physical and mental health from other non-Covid ailments. It concludes that, unless substantial alternative evidence emerges, lockdowns should be 'rejected out of hand' to control future pandemics. The analysis is the latest to highlight the detrimental impacts of the original Covid lockdown. Ex-PM Boris Johnson was spooked into imposing lockdown by modelling from a team including Professor Neil Ferguson, later dubbed 'Professor Lockdown', which predicted there could be 500,000 Covid deaths if no action was taken to curb the spread of the virus. The modelling was based on data taken from the early days of the pandemic, when scientists were still grappling with the pathogen with no vaccines in sight. The wave ended up being much less severe than Professor Ferguson predicted, with around 150,000 deaths recorded in the first year of the pandemic. Other experts insist that lockdown is why cases didn't reach the levels set out in models. Professor Ferguson has previously taken aim at the three authors during an initial publication of their analysis. In February last year, he said the team's work 'does not significantly advance' understanding of non-pharmaceutical measures, like lockdowns, to control the spread of Covid. Professor Fergsson said it was difficult to group different countries lockdowns together, as the report had done, as they varied 'dramatically', making a comparative analysis 'problematic'. How the Government reacted during the early days of the Covid pandemic is set to be examined by the Covid Inquiry. Lockdown's disruption to children's education has been blamed for worsening test scores in science, grammar and spelling, reading, and maths. Graph shows the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in various subjects based on Government data Professor Neil Ferguson, the Imperial College London epidemiologist whose modelling led the UK Government to impose the first lockdown, criticised an earlier version of the report, stating it 'does not significantly advance' understandings of how effective the draconian measure was But a row has erupted over whether WhatsApp messages from Mr Johnson who set up the Covid inquiry should be included. Access to Mr Johnson's unredacted messages was requested by the inquiry's chair, retired judge Baroness Hallett. The peer, who has the power to summon evidence and question witnesses under oath, wanted to judge documents spanning a two-year period between January 2020 and February 2022. The Cabinet Office originally asked for a delay in supplying the documents, and eventually provided only an incomplete version of Mr Johnson's documents. At the time it said it had cut personal and private information that was 'unambiguously irrelevant' to the investigation and would challenge Baroness Hallett's order to reveal all of the details in court. Mr Johnson waded into the row, saying the Government's decision was its own, not on his behalf, and revealed he would be handing over the uncensored documents directly to the inquiry, circumventing ministers. Private clinics are illegally promoting hay fever jabs, cashing in on fears the UK will be hit by a 'pollen bomb' in the coming days. MailOnline found practices advertising Kenalog steroid injections on Instagram for between 45 and 75. While Brits can legally get Kenalog privately, clinics are banned from promoting any prescription-only medications under UK advertising rules. The powerful drug suppresses the immune system, dampening the allergic reaction hay fever sufferers experience. Its effects can last months. But the jab was phased out of NHS use around a decade ago after safety watchdogs decided its risks outweighed the benefits. The adverts come amid forecasts of high pollen levels across Britain this week, with the south of England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit hardest. The Met Office predicts 'high' pollen levels across almost every area of England and Wales today The powerful drug works by suppressing the immune system and dampening the allergic reaction hay fever sufferers experience. Its effects can last months. But the steroid - anti-inflammatory medication - also comes with other side effects including stomach and abdominal pain, shortness of breath and bone pain It can trigger side effects such as stomach and abdominal pain, shortness of breath and bone pain. Kenalog can also leave people vulnerable to other infections, including chickenpox, shingles or the flu. It can also potentially cause irregular heartbeats, depression and high blood pressure. It comes as pollen levels are set to soar across Britain this week, with the south of England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit hardest. The Met Office predicts 'high' pollen levels across almost every area of England and Wales today. High pressure is set to welcome warm sunshine for many later this week, with temperatures forecast to reach 23C (73.4) in London on Friday. WHAT IS KENALOG AND WHY WAS IT PULLED FROM NHS? What is Kenalog? Kenalog is a steroid injection used to treat hay fever. The jab, usually administered to the buttocks, contains triamcinolone a corticosteroid hormone. Rather than curing hay fever, it is a blunt tool that works by suppressing the body's immune response, so that symptoms are alleviated. One injection may be enough for hay fever sufferers to get through the year but others may need a booster dose two weeks after the first. As well as hay fever, the drug is used to treat arthritis, gout and skin diseases. Why did the NHS stop offering Kenalog? The jabs were routinely given to severe hay fever sufferers until around a decade ago. But guidelines found their side effect risk was too high, compared to the benefits of the jab. It was found to leave people vulnerable to other infections like chicken pox, shingles or the flu, and cause serious side effects like irregular heartbeats, depression and high blood pressure. Advertisement Cardiff and Exeter will see temperatures spike at 24C (75.2F), with the mercury hitting 21C (69.8F) in Manchester. The millions of Brits who suffer from bad hay fever, as well as asthma and other lung issues, are urged to take precautions, including taking regular medication, always carrying their inhaler and call their GP or 111 if their symptoms get worse. MailOnline found several clinics most of which specialised in cosmetic treatments promoting Kenalog. Optimized Body Mind in Luton advertised its injection for a 'reasonable cost of 75'. It adds: 'Say goodbye to hay fever symptoms for months with a Kenalog injection.' Another, @beglam_beauty_aesthetics in Derby, promoted the jab for 60 and claimed it is 'super convenient, resulting in amazing results. Imagine not having to take a tablet every day'. It even acknowledged the injections are 'no longer available on our NHS', adding 'it's even a battle to now obtain tablets'. Meanwhile Bella Luxe London in King's Cross told its 1,000 plus Instagram followers that the jab 'completely relieves the symptoms for the entire season' for 'many people'. A fourth, @samantha.louise.salon in the Wirral, used a syringe emoji to promote the drug. It asked its more than 1,700 Instagram followers to message its nurse directly for a consultation and Kenalog injection costing 45. Claire Tilstone, head of advertising at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which polices the safety of drugs in the UK told MailOnline: 'The advertising of prescription-only medicines in the UK is banned under UK advertising law. 'Clinics should urgently review their websites and social media to ensure that they are not advertising the prescription-only medicine Kenalog to avoid further enforcement action.' She added: 'We would urge anyone who sees a clinic advertising Kenalog to report it either to the MHRA or the Advertising Standards Authority, and always to consult a qualified healthcare professional to discuss options for hay fever treatment.' High pressure is set to welcome warm sunshine for many later this week, with temperatures forecast to reach 23C in London on Friday. Cardiff and Exeter will see temperatures soar to 24C, with the mercury hitting 21C in Manchester. But the warm weather could spell misery for hay fever sufferers, with the millions with bad hay fever, as well as asthma and other lung issues, being urged to take precautions Allergy UK also told MailOnline it does 'not recommend the use of these injections in the treatment of hay fever'. The charity added: 'Kenalog injections deliver a large dose of corticosteroid into the body to reduce inflammation, the injection is not targeted to one particular area. 'Unlike for example corticosteroid asthma inhalers where the medicine is a small, measured dose, delivered directly to the lungs and so there is minimal risk of side effects to the rest of the body. 'Therefore, when injected, Kenalog affects every body system including your immune system making you more susceptible to serious side effects and infection.' Last summer, UK health chiefs issued a joint enforcement notice about the advertising of Kenalog injections on social media, which was welcomed by health bodies and charities including Allergy UK. The MHRA alongside the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) warned any ads found to include text or images promoting the jabs would be banned. Even including a syringe emoji would be a breach of the law. At the time, Shahriar Coupal, the director of CAP, said: 'Our enforcement notice, published jointly with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, makes it abundantly clear that Kenalog, as a prescription-only-medicine, should not be directly or indirectly advertised to the public.' He added: 'Our rules apply across media, but we are particularly concerned about the prevalence of Kenalog injection advertising on social media.' MailOnline found several clinics - most of which specialised in cosmetic treatments - promoting Kenalog. Optimized Body Mind in Luton advertised its injection for a 'reasonable cost of 75'. It adds: 'Say goodbye to hay fever symptoms for months with a Kenalog injection Another, @beglam_beauty_aesthetics, in Derby promoting the jab for 60, claims the jabs are 'super convenient, resulting in amazing results. Imagine not having to take a tablet every day'. It even acknowledges the injections are 'no longer available on our NHS', adding 'it's even a battle to now obtain tablets' Bella Luxe London in King's Cross told its 1,000+ Instagram followers that the jab 'completely relieves the symptoms for the entire season' for 'many people' A fourth, @samantha.louise.salon in the Wirral, used a syringe emoji to promote the drug. It asked its 1,700+ Instagram followers to message its nurse directly for a consultation and Kenalog injection costing 45 An ASA spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Our rules make it abundantly clear that Kenalog, as a prescription-only-medicine, should not be directly or indirectly advertised to the public. 'Our Enforcement Notice is not a silver bullet and is just the first part of our enforcement activity in this area. We acknowledge that problem ads are still appearing. That's why we're conducting follow-up monitoring and taking further action. 'Our Compliance team are continuing to monitor advertisers using our monitoring technology to swiftly remove non-compliant ads and help ensure a level-playing-field. Posts on Instagram and Facebook that are found to be advertising Kenalog will be removed. 'We cannot comment on the specific ads you have cited without going through our processes, i.e. assessing complaints and establishing whether our rules have been broken and if there are grounds for action. However, we have passed these on so they can be assessed by our compliance team. 'Any advertisers that are unwilling or unable to stick to the rules will face targeted enforcement action including referral to the MHRA.' Syringe emojis, patient testimonials and memes deemed to be promoting the jabs all breach the rules. Those found to be in violation could face action from Trading Standards. It can push for criminal prosecution for those involved, which can result in hefty fines or even imprisonment. Kenalog is the brand name for triamcinolone acetonide and is a steroid injection that is licensed as a medicine for a number of conditions, though not for the treatment of hay fever. Unlike a cold, which normally goes away within a week, hay fever can last for weeks or months. Symptoms begin when immune cells mistakenly identify pollen proteins as a threat and make antibodies that trigger chemicals called histamines. These make the blood vessels dilate, prompting the release of fluid from capillaries, triggering a runny nose, sneezing and weeping eyes. While not life-threatening itself, tens of thousands of hay fever sufferers also have asthma, which can flare-up during pollen bombs. Asthma attacks can be fatal. But the NHS says there are things people can do to ease their symptoms when the pollen count is high this weekend. They include putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen, wearing wrap-around sunglasses to stop pollen getting in the eyes and showering and changing clothes after being outside to wash pollen off. Medical providers who violate the law could have their licenses revoked The Texas ban on gender-affirming care will come into force on September 1 Texas has become the 17th state to outlaw gender-affirming care for teenagers. Republican Governor Greg Abbot signed a bill Friday banning puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for under-18s wishing to transition. Medical providers who violate the law set to come into force from September 1 could have their licenses revoked. Texas is the largest state to bring in the restrictions to date, being the second largest nationwide and has a large transgender community. Opposition groups have already blasted the law as 'jeopardizing' healthcare and vowed to file a lawsuit. The above map shows the 20 states where restrictions on transgender care for minors have been brought in. Three of the states that have had their care bans suspended are Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alabama Republican Congressman and author of the bill Tom Oliverson heralded the governor's signing as 'protecting' children. He said on Twitter, responding to the move: 'Children in Texas are officially protected from harmful, experimental medical and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria.' But activists have hit back. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas (ACLU) slammed lawmakers, saying they were 'hellbent on joining the growing roster of states determined to jeopardize the health and lives of transgender youth'. They added that this was 'in direct opposition to the overwhelming body of scientific and medical evidence'. 'Transgender youth in Texas deserve the support and care necessary to give them the same chance to thrive as their peers,' a spokesperson said. The Texas law called Senate Bill 14 incorporates exceptions to the bans for minors who began treatment before June 1 or those who attended 12 or more sessions of mental health counseling or psychotherapy for at least six months. But it says these patients should be 'weaned off' the prescription drugs over an undefined 'time period'. The measures were inserted by lawmakers in the hopes of avoiding lawsuits against the ban. Estimates suggest there are about 29,800 under-18s who identify as transgender in Texas the third highest number in the US behind New York and California. The state also ordered child welfare officials to investigate reports of children receiving transgender care as child abuse. A judge has blocked these investigations. The move comes barely two weeks after Nebraska also restricted transgender care for minors as more Republican states seek to block the treatments. State governor Jim Pillen signed into law a ban on hormone therapy, puberty blockers and surgery for under-19s wishing to change their sex. In Nebraska, someone is defined as a minor until they turn 19 years old. The ban will come into force on October 1 and exempt people with a 'medically verifiable disorder of sex development'. After signing the law which also limited abortions after 12-week gestation Gov. Pillen called it the 'most significant win for social conservative agenda in over a generation of Nebraska'. 'It's about protecting our kids and saving babies. Pure and simple,' he said while signing the bill while holding the five-day-old daughter of friends with his two oldest granddaughters standing next to him. Texas Governor Greg Abbot, pictured, signed the bill into law. It is due to come into force in the state on September 1 At least 18 states have brought in bans on transgender care: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, South Dakota and West Virginia. Florida has restricted the care via regulations or administrative orders, and Missouri is the only one that limits adult treatments. Bans in three of the states Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alabama have been suspended by federal judges, however, while court cases are being heard. Republican lawmakers nationwide have advanced hundreds of measures aimed at nearly every facet of trans existence this year. That includes bans on gender-affirming medical care for minors, restrictions on the types of restrooms transgender people can use, measures restricting classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and bills that would out transgender students who want teachers to address them by the pronouns they use. The Food and Drug Administration approved puberty blockers 30 years ago to treat children with precocious puberty, which causes sexual development to begin much earlier than usual. Sex hormones synthetic forms of estrogen and testosterone were approved decades ago to treat hormone disorders or as birth control pills. The FDA has not approved the medications specifically to treat gender-questioning youth, but they have been used for many years for 'off-label,' a common and accepted practice for many medical conditions. Doctors who treat transgender patients say those decades of use are proof the treatments are not experimental. Research has shown that transgender youths and adults can be prone to suicidal behavior when forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth. A 68-year-old ecologist in New York has claimed that his immune system kills ticks that bite him. Dr Richard Ostfeld has spent decades studying the critters in the Hudson Valley and been bitten hundreds of times. The many pricks have, according to the ecologist, taught his immune cells to recognize the threat and go on the attack in a condition called acquired tick immunity helping to protect him from illnesses like Lyme disease. The results are deadly for the tick and leave Dr Ostfeld with an itchy and burning 'welt' where the bite took place that takes a few days to disappear. Richard Ostweld, 68, from New York, has revealed that he has been bitten by ticks so many times that he now has immunity to the critters He said that when they bite him he ends up with an itchy and burning welt around the location. But the immune reaction proves fatal for the tick. He is pictured above researching tick populations in the Hudson Valley Dr Ostweld has been running a five-year project researching ways to reduce the tick population and, thereby, cut the number of Lyme disease cases (Pictured above doing research in the Hudson Valley) When a tick bites someone, it starts sucking the blood while releasing proteins and molecules into the host's body to help it evade detection. But in a few cases, such as for Dr Ostfeld, the immune system has learned to recognize these proteins and launch a counterattack. One of the main hormones it releases is histamine, which causes blood vessels to widen and draws other immune cells to the site of the attack. It is not clear how this can prove fatal to ticks, but it is likely the tick would take up a lot of the histamine and white blood cells which could damage its internal organs. The condition is rare and only present in a handful of Americans. It is thought to be triggered by repeated tick bites. Health officials regularly warn people not to get bitten by ticks, however, because of the risk of catching diseases. Dr Ostfeld told the Insider: 'I develop an itchy, burning welt at the site of the tick bite, shortly after the tick attempts to embed its mouthparts'. He explained this would appear even if he was bitten by a tiny larvae tick which can be no bigger than a grain of sand and the pain could wake him up in the night. 'It takes hours to a couple of days for any pathogens to leave the tick and enter your body,' he added. Dr Ostfeld said his body's fast response has likely protected him from tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease a bacterial infection that can cause facial paralysis, memory problems and death and babesiosis which can lead to organ failure and meningitis. This is because the arachnids are not able to suck his blood for long enough to pass on the pathogens that cause disease. Dr Ostfeld has spent more than two decades studying ticks in the Hudson Valley and how they transmit Lyme disease to humans. He has also run a five-year study called the Tick Project which looked at ways of reducing the tick population and the risk of catching the disease. The long hours spent in the field searching for ticks and trying to count them inevitably led to many tick bites, which is likely how he got immunity. He has never been diagnosed with a disease from ticks, however, with some experts suggesting his body may have fought it off in the early stages. Ticks are spreading in the US driven by climate change, allowing them to reach further north and be active for longer during the year. This raises the risk of catching Lyme disease Pictured above are ticks at different stages of growth. Dr Ostfeld said he even suffers an immune reaction to bites from ticks that are no bigger than a grain of sand The above graph shows cases of Lyme disease reported in the US by year His case suggests the tantalizing possibility of a vaccine being developed against tick bites. Dr Ostfeld said: 'In my mind, a very promising direction is to develop a vaccine against the ticks themselves, against the right choice of proteins and antigens in the ticks' saliva.' An estimated 300,000 Americans are bitten by ticks every year, but that number is rising as climate change allows the critters to march ever further north and stay active for longer. Some 50,000 Americans are now diagnosed with Lyme disease annually, up from 20,000 in the 1990s. There has been work to develop a vaccine against ticks, but this has focused on Lyme disease rather than the bites themselves. Scientists did develop a jab against Lyme disease in the late 1990s, Lymerix, but this was pulled from shelves within years of its release amid reports it trigger arthritis. Efforts were kick-started again by the European Union in 2013, with Pfizer and Valneva receiving funding for a new Lyme disease shot. This works by injecting proteins from the surface of the bacteria that cause the disease into patients, sparking an immune response. It has shown promise in early clinical studies and is now in phase three trials being run in parts of the US, Germany and Sweden among other countries where Lyme disease is common. The trial had 6,000 participants when it was launched in 2022, but in February Pfizer revealed it was removing a 'significant percentage' of participants amid concerns over poor practice at certain clinical sites. Results from the trial are expected to be revealed in 2025 at the earliest. Concerns over developing a vaccine against tick bites include the risks that it could trigger severe allergic reactions that could prove fatal. But doctors diagnosed her with blood cancer that had spread to her lungs A 'super-fit' woman who put bouts of dizziness down to not trying hard enough at the gym has been diagnosed with a type of blood cancer. Taylor Davis, now 26, from San Diego, California, put the spinning sensation down to not lifting heavy enough weights when it emerged in September last year. But over the next three months, she developed a persistent wet cough, swelling in the face, unexplained weight loss and light bruises emerged on her arms and knees prompting her to get checked by doctors. It was then that she was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma and a tumor in her lungs. Doctors immediately put her on chemotherapy and the cancer is now in remission, but she must go for monthly checkups in case it returns. Taylor Davis, now 26 and from San Diego, California, (Pictured above before the diagnosis) was told she had a type of blood cancer after seeking help for a persistent cough She is pictured above during chemotherapy, which had caused her hair to fall out. The cancer is now in remission, but she must go for monthly checks in case it returns About 80,500 people are diagnosed with lymphoma yearly in the United States, the most common cancer in teenagers and young adults. It occurs when white blood cells in the lymph system divide uncontrollably, triggering symptoms and, in later stages, causing organs to shut down. The cancer can be fast-growing, and, combined with the age of patients, it is often not diagnosed until later stages when it is harder to treat. It is unclear why the cancer is more common in young people, but scientists say this may be linked to viral or bacterial infections that cause damaging cell mutations. Davis said that the diagnosis in December came as a 'huge shock'. 'One, because I am 26 years old and wasn't even thinking about that happening to me right now,' she said. 'But two, because I am really healthy: I eat organic, I work out five days a week, I don't smoke, I don't drink a lot.' The restaurant manager initially tried to shrug off the dizziness that emerged whenever she worked out or bent over. But in just a few weeks, she struggled to lift boxes and trays at work and woke up with sweat-drenched sheets. A persistent cough emerged in December that would not go away, and then she woke up to find her face swollen and light bruises on her chest and arms. She went to doctors believing they would diagnose her with pneumonia, but after an X-ray and MRI they diagnosed the cancer. 'I felt like my life was ending, and, in a way, it was,' she said. 'Everything I thought I knew about my body and all my life plans were taken away at that moment. Being told I had cancer at 26 after I had done everything I had been taught to do to prevent it, was traumatic.' Davis said the diagnosis came as a 'huge shock'. She had always been healthy, eating organic and avoiding smoking and drinking a lot of alcohol She added: 'I was told in one night [my diagnosis] and that I needed to begin chemotherapy right away or I would die.' Doctors carried out a biopsy the following day to confirm the diagnosis but by this point, Davis' cough had become so bad that she 'couldn't breathe'. 'I was told that I had pneumonia and superior vena cava syndrome, an obstruction of blood flow, due to cancer, which wasnt getting to my brain and it can be deadly. 'I had seen the effects of cancer and chemotherapy in movies and the thought of going through things like losing my hair terrified me. 'All of this happened so fast one day, I didnt know anything and suddenly, my life was in danger.' Davis did not reveal whether she had Hodgkin lymphoma where cancerous cells appear in the lymph nodes or the more common non-Hodgkin lymphoma which can develop in many locations in the body, including the spleen and bone marrow. In the early stages, the disease may cause painless swellings in the neck, armpits or groin region. Sometimes, it can also trigger dizziness, which may be caused by less oxygen reaching the brain due to anemia or a reduction in red blood cells. In the intermediate stage, warning signs progress to unintentional weight loss, persistent fatigue, night sweats and increased susceptibility to infections. In Davis' case, she also developed a cough, which doctors said was due to the tumor in her lungs obstructing the flow of blood and causing pressure to build up triggering the cough. After the diagnosis, Davis who would normally even avoid painkillers was signed up to receive five-day chemotherapy infusions every two and a half weeks for six rounds. She is currently recovering from chemotherapy, and the cancer is in remission. But doctors have told her she must come for monthly check-ups to ensure the disease does not reemerge. She has also started using cool capping and wearing ice packs on the head to help combat hair loss due to the chemotherapy. She said: 'It has taken a toll on me. One of the worst parts was losing my hair, as it was so important to me and a huge piece of how I presented myself to the world. 'But, I am committed to remaining positive and grateful throughout this journey. 'I am using it as a learning experience and educating myself on how to live a life aware of what I am putting in and on my body. 'My experience with being so afraid and unaware of what to expect is what led me to start sharing my journey online. 'I wanted to provide other people going through similar diagnoses with a positive medium.' Buying travel insurance at the last minute can mean paying lower premiums. However, leaving it until late in the day also means taking on more risk. In tests run by This is Money, a family of four could get single trip travel insurance for a week in Spain for 15.05 if booked on the day of the trip - the cheapest quote available. The price was 20 per cent more if booked one month out and 21.8 per cent extra if booked six months beforehand. Pay more, get more: Travel cover varies in price to reflect risk to the insurer For annual multi-trip cover, the same family would pay 32.65 if buying on the day. But they would pay 56.51 - or 23.86 more - if buying this cover six months in advance. The reason is that travel insurance pays for cancellation costs, as well as delays, lost luggage and medical expenses while travelling. The chance of claiming on an insurance policy for cancellation is obviously much higher the longer the policy is in place. That means greater risk for the insurer, and a higher premium to reflect that. A spokespman for travel insurer Staysure said: 'Travel insurance policies are often cheaper the closer the purchase date is to the start date of the holiday due decreased risk exposure. 'By purchasing closer to the start date of your holiday, the time window for potential cancellations or unforeseen events is smaller, resulting in lower risk for the insurance company. This decreased risk exposure is reflected in lower premiums.' When should I buy travel insurance? The safest option is always to buy travel insurance as soon as you book the holiday. Some holidays may include free cancellation, but otherwise travel insurance is your best bet. If all you care about is lost luggage and medical bills, you may be able to save a few pounds buying travel cover at the last minute. This is likely to apply to solo travellers heading for cheap European trips with budget airlines and flexible hotel bookings that can be cancelled right up to the last minute. However, buying travel insurance late to save money can be a risky game. Firstly, the savings from booking cover late are not always huge. Our example four-person family, above, could save 4.20 on their insurance by buying it on the day compared to six months out, or 3.77 if buying it one month out. However, the cost of a cancelled holiday could run into the thousands of pounds. Taking out cover at the last minute can also mean a reduced pool of insurers prepared to offer you a policy. That could mean paying more for premiums, or not getting the level of cover you need. Additionally, if your holiday is cancelled due to bad weather, travel insurance will not pay out if this was forecast at the point you bought the policy. Tony Brown, director of underwriting at travel insurance company Tifgroup, said: 'If you buy your travel insurance policy close to your departure date, then the likelihood of you needing to cancel your holiday and submit a claim for trip cancellation can decrease. 'This is why it can sometimes be cheaper to buy your protection at the last minute. 'However, it's sensible for holidaymakers to buy their travel insurance as soon as they book their trip, to make sure they are fully protected from the get-go. 'By having protection in place as soon as you've booked, you're often covered in case you have to cancel your trip for a number of reasons that could crop up between paying for your holiday and actually going on your break.' Other ways of getting travel refunds Most insurers ask travellers to try to get a refund or rescheduled trip from their airline, tour operator or accommodation provider before paying any claims. ATOL protection covers people taking a package holiday with a flight involved. If a package holiday company goes bust during a trip, ATOL protection pays for accommodation and can handle refunds for things like car hire and flights home. Protection from ABTA, or the Association of British Travel Agents, covers package holidays including travel by road, sea or train. If your package holiday firm goes under, ABTA will pay out for money lost on accommodation and travel, including transport home if you end up stuck overseas. However, ABTA says package holidays that are for less than 24 hours, or are for business travel, may not be protected. What is not covered by ATOL or ABTA? Many things - for example, if your luggage is lost or stolen, if you need medical treatment overseas, if you need to cancel a trip or if there are any delays that rack up extra costs for you. This is why it is still important to get the right travel insurance, even if your holiday is covered by ATOL or ABTA. DIY package holidays are also not covered by either scheme. One major exception with ATOL is that it does not pay out for cancelled flights alone, only for airline travel as part of a package holiday. If you have booked a flight by itself through a travel firm, that may be ATOL protected if the firm fails, but it depends on the circumstances. Separate laws on package holidays do entitle you to a refund if you book a flight from a package holiday firm that is later cancelled. Travel insurance can help fill the gaps in both ABTA and ATOL protected holidays. If you book travel or accommodation using a credit card, Section 75 protection means your credit card firm can pay out for cancellations. However, this only works on amounts between 100 and 30,000, and the cancellation cannot be your fault. The UK is entering a 'golden age' of film and television with production at a record high, says the UK boss of broadcaster Sky. The combined spend on production in 2022 hit 6.2billion, the highest reported and 1.83billion more than pre-Covid levels, according to British Film Institute figures. Stephen van Rooyen, chief executive of Sky UK and Ireland, told the Mail: 'This is the golden age of British TV and film the jewel in the crown of our economy.' Record: The combined spend on production in 2022 hit 6.2billion, the highest reported and 1.83billion more than pre-Covid levels Sky is set to open a studio at Elstree this year. Last month ministers promised extra support in a strategy to add 1m more jobs in creative industries within a decade. Paolo Pescatore, analyst at PP Foresight, said that van Rooyen's comments show 'a strong endorsement for UK talent as a major hub for storytellers, producers and creators alike'. Slump: Germany fell into recession in early 2023 Germany has been branded the problem child of the eurozone economy as confidence among investors ebbs away. Economic analysis company Sentix said its monthly survey of investors views on the 20-member euro area, which gauges whether they are positive or negative about growth prospects, fell to minus 17 points for June, from minus 13.1 in May. The cause of the misery in euroland is probably linked to the weakness of the German economy, the report said. The biggest problem child in the eurozone remains Germany. The economy fell into recession in early 2023. The Sentix index in June fell to the lowest since November last year, at minus 21.1, from minus 14.5 the previous month. No matter how hard the [German] Federal Minister of Economics tries, the story he is writing is not a positive summer fairytale, the survey said. The boss of the tobacco giant behind the iconic Marlboro Man said a date should be set to ban cigarettes. Jacek Olczak, chief executive of Philip Morris International (PMI), has made it his mission to make old-style gaspers a thing of the past and he says cigarettes should be replaced by alternatives such as vapes. Since 2016, the company, which is best known for brands such as Marlboro and Chesterfield, has been trying to transform itself from the worlds biggest tobacco firm into a scientific hub that can help smokers quit for good. It has invested more than 8.5billion in this smoke-free future from research papers to promotion of new products. Olczak believes that a move on cigarettes similar to the combustion engine would have to be on a timescale that gives consumers and the industry time to respond and change. Stubbing it out: Philip Morris International, whose Marlboro brand was advertised by the Marlboro Man (pictured), has invested more than 8.5bn in a smoke-free future Looking at what the UK is doing in the car industry, saying that as of a certain year you are not allowed to produce petrol cars, we could have this with tobacco too, he told the Mail. Olczak was himself a smoker for two decades until he tried the brands IQOS heated tobacco device, which costs 39 for a starter kit. Products such as heated tobacco and e-vapes now account for nearly 35pc of total annual revenues at PMI. And the Polish businessman, who wants the company to become a so-called ESG stock that qualifies to be included in funds that invest on environmental, social and governance principles, said government action would help to speed up the switch. New petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned in the UK from 2030 forcing manufacturers to produce green alternatives and putting pressure on drivers to go green. Olczak, 58, also drew an analogy with the switch to energy-saving lightbulbs. In different countries they had a number of investment schemes to promote research and development to see whether you can produce light with much less energy, he said. The main thrust of Olczaks argument is that governments could reduce smoking and the costs to health services if they supported tobacco companies like PMI to research alternatives which are less damaging to health while setting a deadline for banning traditional cigarettes. Quit habit: Philip Morris boss Jacek Olczak was himself a smoker for two decades There could be a tenfold reduction in deaths linked to smoking if smokers fully switched to smoke-free products, based on World Health Organisation data. In the past, PMI whose brand was advertised by the Marlboro Man from the 1950s to the late 1990s has fought lawsuits that alleged it hid the dangers associated with smoking. But Olczak, who became chief executive in 2021 after decades at PMI, said the business has fundamentally changed so much so that cigarettes now, in his view, belong in museums. Speaking at a recent event in London, Olczak said: When governments and organisations that lobby them prevent men and women who continue to smoke from accessing less harmful alternatives, and when they perpetuate misinformation about these products, it has a direct correlation to the persistence of smoking. Its time for anti-tobacco organisations to stop fighting against us and start fighting for adults who smoke. He praised Sweden and Japan for their approach to smoking alternatives in contrast with Brazil and Singapore, which have banned certain less harmful options. PMIs sales of cigarettes are still strong in the Middle East, Africa, south-east Asia and the Americas. Dashing and popular, the eldest son of Queen Victoria was famous for his love of beautiful women. But this particular penchant put the Prince of Wales, Bertie - the future King Edward VII - in an awkward spot as the first royal in living memory to give evidence in court. Prince Harry is expected to appear in the High Court in the next few days as he gives evidence in the case he is bringing against another newspaper group. It is a highly unusual departure for a British Royal. But is it not unique. In 1871, the Prince of Wales was called on to explain the nature of his relationship with close lady friend Harriet Mordaunt, who confessed to her husband Sir Charles that she had committed adultery with the Prince - as well as other high-flying men. Dashing and popular, the eldest son of Queen Victoria was famous for his love of beautiful women. But as the Prince of Wales, Bertie - the future King Edward VII (pictured above in his 29th year in 1870) - became the first royal in living memory to have to give evidence in court His evidence, given in 1871, was on the nature of his relationship with close lady friend Harriet Mordaunt (above), who confessed to her husband that she had committed adultery with the Prince - as well as other high-flying men Furious at the apparent betrayal, he filed divorce proceedings, prompting Harriet's father to try to stop the action in court by claiming his daughter was insane. The Prince's subsequent insistence in the witness box that there had not been any impropriety contributed to an insanity ruling, meaning that Harriet spent the rest of her life locked up in an asylum. There has been no shortage of legal controversy surrounding the royals. Princess Anne became the first member of the current royal family to be convicted of a criminal offence, after one of her dogs bit two children in 2002. She pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Her three-year-old English bull terrier, called Dotty, attacked the children in Windsor Great Park. She was fined 500, and ordered to pay 250 in compensation and 148 in costs. The Princess Royal was also convicted of speeding in her Bentley, after admitting driving at 93mph in a 70mph zone in Gloucestershire. But the saga involving Edward VII was far more dramatic. It is told in 1999 book The Warwickshire Scandal, by author Elizabeth Hamilton. Aged just 17, Harriet had been invited to join the Prince and Princess of Wales - the future Queen Alexandra - at Sandringham in 1865. With the visit proving a great success, Harriet wrote to the prince and became a member of his circle. At the time, Bertie's interest in women other than his wife was well known. As a wedding present after she married Mordaunt in 1866, the prince gave her a diamond and emerald horseshoe ring. When her husband commented on her flirting with many male admirers, she insisted that 'everyone did it'. With Mordaunt often away, Harriet attended balls, receptions and social visits. And when Mordaunt left London to go salmon fishing in Norway, Harriet was regularly seeing the prince at the houses of mutual friends, even though her husband had forbidden her from seeing him. Harriet was married to MP Charles Mordaunt (pictured on his horse), who forbade his wife to from seeing the Prince of Wales The couple lived at Mordaunt's stately home, Walton Hall in Warwickshire (above) Court documents held by the National Archives reveal details of the case involving Harriet He also saw her on several occasions alone at her home, with Mordaunt knowing nothing of the visits. She met another of her admirers, Captain Arthur Farquhar, in a hotel in London. With her servants now suspicious about her apparent infidelity, they began keeping diaries to document any misdeeds. She had been married to Mordaunt for 18 months when he came home early from a fishing trip to find the prince on the doorstep of his stately home, Walton House in Warwickshire. He was watching Harriet enjoy a ride in a carriage being pulled by two ponies he had bought her. Mordaunt demanded that the prince leave and then ordered that the animals be led on to the lawn, where he shot them in front of his wife. The drama continued when Harriet gave birth eight months later. An infection in her baby's eye convinced Harriet that she had caught syphilis and passed it on to her daughter. Albert, the Prince of Wales, is seen with his new wife Princess Alexandra after their wedding King Edward VII is seen on board the royal yacht 'Osborne' during Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight in 1884, when he was the Prince of Wales Distraught, she confessed to her husband about having committed adultery with men including the prince. The others she said she had enjoyed dalliances with were Irish peer Viscount Cole and racehorse owner Sir Frederick John William Johnstone. Harriet told her husband she had been 'wicked' and had 'done wrong' with the men, as well as 'others, often and in open day'. Mordaunt, furious at his wife's confession, began divorce proceedings on the grounds of her having committed adultery. In Harriet's desk, 18 letters from the prince were found, alongside a lock of hair, pressed flowers and even a Valentine poem. Harriet's father, the respected Sir Thomas Moncrieffe, declared his daughter insane to try to prevent the divorce from being granted, which would have brought shame on his family and meant he would have had to support her financially. Bertie gave evidence at a pre-trial hearing in 1871, where he claimed there had been no impropriety between them. Harriet was examined by several doctors, some of whom were known to be loyal to Bertie. And with her behaviour becoming stranger amid the stress of the accusations, she was declared insane and Mordaunt lost his case. It meant he was forbidden from divorcing his wife until she recovered her sanity. Two years later, after she had failed to recover, she was declared permanently insane and sent to an asylum. In 1875, Mordaunt was granted the divorce on the basis that Harriet would not recover. Harriet spent the rest of her life - 33 years - locked up and died in 1906. The Prince of Wales had to appear in court again in 1890 at the age of 49, when a man he had been gambling with was spotted cheating. Bertie had been at Tranby Croft in Yorkshire for the Doncaster Races when guest Lieutenant Colonel William Gordon-Cumming attempted foul play in a game of baccarat. When the prince backed the accusers, Gordon-Cumming signed a document promising never to play cards again, on the condition that no one who had been present discuss the scandal. But the gossip still spread and there were calls in Gordon-Cumming's regiment for him to resign. To try to keep his career, Gordon-Cumming accused those making the claims of slander. When called to the witness box, Bertie admitted he had not seen any cheating, but still believed the accusations because they 'appeared so unanimous.' The jury found the five guests not guilty and Gordon-Cumming was dismissed from the Army. Edward became King in 1901, after the death of Queen Victoria. He reigned for only nine years before he passed away aged 68 after suffering from health problems brought on by smoking. A mix of wildlife experts, everyday Australians and artificial intelligence have banded together to try to save the Great Barrier Reef from damage. The Great Barrier Census, organised by the non-profit organisation Citizens of The Great Barrier Reef, is a large scale reconnaissance project that allows members of the public to analyse photos to identify what sections of the reef are damaged. The images are taken by groups of locals, tourists and experts while diving on the reef and then uploaded to a system where they will be later analysed. Although the process of analysing photos was initially slow, an A.I. built by Dell Technologies has allowed thousands of photos to be analysed in a day. The introduction of A.I. has been a windfall for experts who have been busy trying to analyse a reef that is larger than the area of the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the Netherlands combined. The new technology means they can quickly identify unhealthy regions of the reef and focus recovery efforts in revitalising in a more timely manner. An AI developed by Dell Technologies and the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef is being bolstered by the general public in an effort to restore the Great Barrier Reef Large areas of the Great Barrier Reef has sustained serious damage from coral bleaching and crown-of-thorns starfish that have evolved to eat coral Sections of the Great Barrier Reef have been severely damaged by recurring incidences of bleaching across large sections of the reef. The first mass bleaching event occurred in 1998, with several more incidences in recent years. Crown-of-thorns starfish, bottom-feeders which have evolved to eat coral, have also caused the reef substantial harm after exploding in population due to increased nutrients from water run-offs. Citizens of The Great Barrier Reef co-founder and CEO of Andy Ridley was drawn to the cause after the 2016 mass bleaching that drew world-wide headlines claiming prematurely that the Great Barrier Reef had died. He had been working with another organisation in the Netherlands at the time and was 'astounded' to see the reaction from younger colleagues at an international level. 'Seeing their reaction was just devastating because it wasn't a reaction of "we must do something", it was a reaction of despair,' Mr Ridley told Daily Mail Australia. 'It was sort of started off very much as a marketing idea. 'But when the first bleaching happened it became an opportunity to try and do something different.' Mr Ridley spent eight years as the co-founder and CEO of Earth Hour, the internationally successful environmental campaign that urged both public and private sectors to turn off their lights and not use any technology for an hour. The AI identifies how health parts of the reef are by what types and how much coral is growing in certain areas, and is strengthened by citizens analysing photos themselves Upon arriving in Cairns and starting the initiative, the scale of the project quickly became daunting. 'Basically we got to a stage where we had something like 60,000 images and we didn't have enough time or money to get experts to analyse it to the scale wanted to,' Mr Ridley said. However, a Dell Technologies-based AI helped speed up the process of identifying what types and how much coral is inhabiting areas of the reef. 'Dell came up with this AI algorithm and after the first five months it was about 50% accurate and we thought "this isn't good enough",' Mr Ridley said. 'Then as as time went on, we got better and better and better.' The Great Barrier Census has now collected more than 75,000 images of the reef, and with the help of citizens 510 unique reefs have been surveyed 15 per cent of reefs across the Great Barrier Reef. 'We always wanted to make sure that the role of humans people in this process is never taken out of it,' Mr Ridley said. 'Often in science the default is remove the people and just leave it to the machines or leave it to the sciences. 'We were trying to get this perfect form of experts, AI and the human eye. The initiative has helped analyse thousands of images in a day instead of deferring to experts and processing the same amount of images over months. Former CEO of Earth Hour and CEO of Citizens of The Great Barrier Reef, Andy Ridley (pictured), started the non-profit after seeing the degradation of the reef in 2016 The citizen-based approach has also lead to local indigenous groups, citizens and tourists joining efforts alongside universities and other organisations. 'This is a massive cooperative, collaborative effort,' Mr Ridley said. 'It involves multiple unis, multiple tourism operators, skippers, tugs also there's so many different people so it's a very different model.' Locals and tourists have been able to take photos of the reef for the project for the past three years, with the next opportunity in September this year. A Stan Original documentary called Reefshot follows Mr Ridley, experts and locals as they attempt to restore the reef. 'I felt quite emotional at the end (of the film),' Mr Ridley said. 'It was pretty wild to see all of that kind of put on film.' Kay Hinman Martley spoke out against the recent court order granting Manson Family murderer Leslie Van Houten parole in an interview with DailyMail.com The cousin of one of the Manson Family's victims has told DailyMail.com of her 'never-ending nightmare' after a Los Angeles appeals court overturned California Governor Gavin Newsom's decision to deny killer Leslie Van Houten parole for the fifth time. As a result, Van Houten, 73, is being prepared for release from the California Institution for Women in Chino and could be out of prison as soon as this week even if the decision to free her is contested. Newsom now has to decide whether to file an appeal against the decision in the California Supreme Court setting up a potentially years-long legal battle over Van Houten's future. For Kay Hinman Martley, 85, whose cousin Gary Hinman was savagely murdered in July 1969 by members of Charles Manson's cult, Van Houten's legal victory came as a shock and she now fears it could lead to the release of the other four surviving Manson killers. Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, she said: 'This is opening the door for the other four. I can't believe the courts would do that how can they override the governor? Van Houten (pictured in 2020) was the youngest member of the Manson Family cult which was responsible for the brutal murder of Martley's cousin Gary Hinman in July 1969 Leslie Van Houten pictured in a Los Angeles lockup aged 22. She could be out of prison as soon as next week even if the decision to free her is contested 'Every year, [Newsom] has taken away every parole that the Manson group has tried.' Kay lives in Denver and has fought for years alongside murdered actress Sharon Tate's sister Debra to block the release of any of the Manson killers. Despite her age, she has repeatedly flown to California to argue her family's case at parole hearings and has repeatedly faced down UCLA music student Gary's killers: Manson's 'right-hand man' Bruce Davis, now 80, and drifter turned cult member Bobby Beausoleil, 75. California Governor Gavin Newsom has to decide whether to appeal the parole board's decision to free Van Houten She told DailyMail.com the verdict has made a mockery of her and Tate's efforts. Kay said: 'I don't know what I will do. I am in such a state of shock and Debra Tate is in such a state of shock; she lives there. I live in Colorado. 'I can't believe California would do this, that they would let a killer who tortured several people I mean the Manson Family has got a terrible reputation. 'I don't care what this woman says, if she says she's sorry. 'She was given a death sentence and then it was turned to life imprisonment and they forgot [to add] that darn "without parole". 'I'm just livid. I don't know what else to do. 'I'm 85 years old now and I fight Beausoleil and Davis [at parole hearings] all the time, and then I help on the other three to support the other victims' families. 'This is an infringement on all the victims' families. 'I feel terrible. It's so frustrating because you feel so helpless. You have nothing. You're depending on the powers that be to take care of you and they're not doing it. Manson cult members Susan Atkins, (left), Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten,(right), laugh after receiving the death sentence for their part in the Tate-LaBianca killings on the order of Charles Manson in 1971 Leslie Van Houten, pictured being transported to jail in 1977, had been originally sentenced to death before being resentenced to life imprisonment after California briefly jettisoned the death penalty Leslie Van Houten at her parole hearing at the California Institution for Women in Corona, California, in 2017 'These people can never bring back those people's lives and given the manner they did it, they should not be forgiven for that.' In a desperate plea to Governor Newsom, she added: 'Please do not let any of these Manson killers out on the street.' Van Houten was 19 when she and other cult members knifed grocers Rosemary and Leno LaBianca to death in August 1969 as part of Manson's deranged plan to incite a race war by terrifying Los Angeles with a killing spree. The 73-year-old held Rosemary down as she was murdered before stabbing her in the stomach 16 times. Van Houten then helped Patricia Krenwinkel, Tex Watson, and Clem Grogan to carve up Leno's body before smearing the couple's blood on the walls. She is one of five surviving members of Manson's cult still in jail. Krenwinkel is currently locked up in Chino alongside Van Houten. Meanwhile Davis is at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, Watson is at the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, and Beausoleil at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. Cult leader Charles Manson was found responsible for seven of the murders. He died aged 83 in 2017 Grogan, 71, was released in 1985 handed parole after helping cops find the body of Manson victim Donald Shea and heading up a jail program aimed at deterring juveniles from leading a life of crime while incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison in Bakersfield. Charles Manson followers Bruce Davis, left, and Steve Grogan are pictured leaving court after a hearing in Los Angeles in 1970 Bobby Beausoleil, now 75, is one of five other surviving Manson killers serving time behind bars. he is pictured in mugshots in 1969 and 2019 From left to right: Voityck Frykowski, Sharon Tate, Stephen Parent, Jay Sebring, and Abigail Folger, were among the victims of the Manson Family Originally sentenced to death, Van Houten was resentenced to life imprisonment after California briefly jettisoned the death penalty, and has applied for and been granted parole five times, only to have it overturned by Newsom and former governor Jerry Brown. She applied for a writ of habeas corpus in November 2022 and the Appeals Court for the Second District of California made a two to one decision to grant it in a ruling handed down on Tuesday last week. The habeas corpus law allows prisoners to challenge the grounds for their incarceration and often leads to release. In Van Houten's case, judges said Newsom's decision to deny her parole was based on 'intuition' and did not take into account her unblemished prison record and efforts to rehabilitate herself. Kay believes the judges have not taken into account the feelings of the families and says the constant round of parole hearings could have been avoided had the killers not been given a chance of release when they were resentenced following a moratorium on the death penalty in California in 1972. As a result, Kay and other family members have had to repeatedly attend parole hearings and file legal challenges to stop the gang going free. She said: 'It just goes on and on. Legal fees, some are paid for, some are pro bono. It takes a toll especially on family members. 'Debra Tate has so many health problems and I'm sure it's all caused by all this nonsense by the Manson family, trying to beat them at their game. 'It's a never-ending nightmare. It never goes away. We're always the victims' families.' Sharon Tate's sister Debra has worked alongside Martley in fighting to prevent members of the Manson family getting parole Actress Sharon Tate was eight-and-a-half months pregnant when she was brutally murdered by four cult members in 1969 Kay's cousin Gary was the gang's first victim and he died a death that was brutal even by the standards of the Manson cult tortured over three days by Beausoleil, Davis, Susan Atkins, and Manson himself. Gary was targeted because Manson believed the 'bright' PHD student had access to a $20,000 inheritance and sent his gang to get it only for them to stab and suffocate him to death when they realized he didn't have the money. Manson, who died behind bars at Corcoran State Prison in November 2017, then told his followers to make the UCLA student's murder look like a political killing in a bid to put cops off their scent with Beausoleil smearing the words 'political piggy' on the wall in Hinman's blood. Kay said: 'He was cut off from his life. He was bright man. He was working on his PHD. 'Sharon Tate was a nice person, the Sebrings were nice people. They weren't hurting anybody. 'The LaBiancas. Everybody was ordinary, doing their thing, being a productive citizen. 'All these Manson groupies, they were digging in trash cans, stealing credit cards, they were the trash of the world.' The Manson Family would go on to claim at least seven more victims among them pregnant actress Tate and coffee heiress Abigail Folger. However, authorities have said the gang could be responsible for as many as 35 other deaths. Kay is now hoping Newsom will appeal and succeed in blocking Van Houten's release but says she should never have been able to get so close to freedom. She said: 'They say it was a mistake, I was young, I was on drugs. They have lots of things saying why they did it. 'Now they want everybody to forgive them. It doesn't bring all those victims back. They're gone. And in such a horrible way. The victims are gone. 'I don't care how many times you say I'm sorry. I don't want them tortured or anything. 'I just want them to pay for their crimes and I think that's what life imprisonment is it is paying for their crimes. I don't care if it was 50 years ago.' Ex-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vowed to get into the ring with Donald Trump in 2024 at a private meeting of Republican kingmakers, sources have told DailyMail.com. The larger-than-life lawmaker pledged to take on the ex-commander-in-chief at the secret gathering of GOP bigwigs in the key swing state of New Hampshire six weeks ago. Christie, who has been teasing a 2024 White House run for months, was in the Granite State ahead of its party primary next year. Christie went on a lengthy rant about Donald Trump at the closed-doors meeting in New Hampshire. The ex-New Jersey governor went on to back the real estate mogul after abandoning his own 2016 presidential run. Trump dismissed the prospect of a Chris Christie challenge, branding it a waste of time and money on his Truth Social platform on Friday. The 60-year-old one-time Trump whisperer made his case for a presidential run in a fiery 45-minute rant that focused entirely on the man he went on to back in the 2016 election. It was all about Trump. He was just wants to get into the ring with him and beat him up. Hes not in it to win it, said one source present at the previously unreported closed-doors event. Another source said: Christie seemed very angry. He was saying I am the guy who can take on Trump, but I was left wondering if he had any other policies. He will announce his candidacy for the GOP presidential nomination in New Hampshire on Tuesday, sources close to the former governor said. The former president took to Truth Social on Friday to tell Christie's backers that they are 'wasting their time and money.' But just a mere 1 percent of Republicans see the Trump-bashing Republican as their preferred 2024 nominee, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published last month. He spectacularly fell out with the former president in 2020 refusing to back his entirely baseless claims that Joe Bidens 2020 victory was rigged. The ex-New Jersey federal prosecutor also famously jailed Charles Kushner, the real estate tycoon father of Trumps son-in-law Jared, in 2004 for tax evasion. Christie was fired from Trumps transition team shortly after his presidential election victory just over six years ago. He himself had launched a botched bid for Americas top job in 2015, only to suspend his campaign in February the following year after a humiliating sixth place finish in New Hampshire. The former attorney has launched a string of astonishing attacks on Trump since he left the White House, branding him a 'coward' and a 'puppet of Putin'. He has also attacked Ron DeSantis, the recently-declared Republican candidate, over his 'war on woke' battle with Disney. Christie has attacked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his state-issued diktats to Disney made under the auspices of his so-called 'war on woke'. Where are we headed here now that, if you express disagreement in this country, the government is allowed to punish you?' the former New Jersey governor said in April. In a thinly-veiled swipe at the leader of the Sunshine State, he added: 'To me, that's what I always thought liberals did. And now all of a sudden here we are participating in this with a Republican.' Christie hinted at the likelihood of a 2024 run earlier in May, saying he was 'very concerned' about potential rematch between Trump and President Biden because it would be 'bad for the Republican Party.' He will join a crowded Republican field that already includes South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and ex-South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and talk radio host Larry Elder are also in the running for the GOP nomination. Mike Pence, who served as vice president in the previous administration, will declare his plans to run for the White House next week. But Donald Trump remains the runaway favorite in nationwide opinion polls, as well as in voter surveys in key battleground states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. A senior homecare startup last valued at $1.4 billion is in the center of a storm over reports of alleged abuse - including a contractor accused of raping a 70-year-old at knifepoint. Papa, which was founded in 2017 by CEO Andrew Parker, aims to address America's severe shortage of healthcare workers and caregivers with a gig economy version of home assistance. Customers, who are known as 'papas' hire contractors, known as 'pals', from Papa's network through a mobile app. When opening the app, the 'pals' will see a map of clients and details of their request. The idea is the 'pals' come to their homes and help them with household tasks such as grocery shopping, driving them to doctor appointments or just keeping them company. Medicare Advantage and Medicaid health plans offer the service, as do a number of large employer-sponsored programs. Bloomberg Businessweek reported that of 1,200 confidential complaint reports logged by Papa, there were allegedly 'dozens of allegations of sexual harassment and assault, as well as an allegation of unlawful imprisonment, among a broader range of issues including theft and dissatisfaction with the services quality.' Papa was founded in 2017 by CEO Andrew Parker with the aim to address America's severe shortage of healthcare workers Customers, who are known as 'papas' hire contractors, known as 'pals', from Papa's network through a mobile app The outlet claimed 'pals' have also filed complaints alleging that 'clients tried to kiss or fondle them, or that their residences were covered in feces or infested with cockroaches or, in one instance, home to an alligator.' It alleges that the problem is exacerbated by the company offering 'little training or oversight' and not having enough concrete safeguarding measures in place. According to the outlet, 'Pal' Martin Jermaine Billue Sr. used the app to organize to help a 70-year-old woman with her shopping. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota, and gets around using a walker or power wheelchair. According to the criminal complaint against Billue, when they returned to her home, she began moving the groceries inside, but he allegedly didnt offer to help. Instead, he changed clothes and surprised her in a bedroom, holding a knife in one hand and his exposed penis in the other. According to the criminal complaint, he raped her and then demanded she request that he be sent to her home again. He is now being held on a $200,000 bond pending trial. Billue has said the sex was consensual and denied the states charges of criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping and assault with a dangerous weapon. He has also taken to social media to express that he has been 'falsely accused.' A spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'We wereand aredeeply saddened by this incident. Our CEO has had several conversations with the member and has offered her all the help and support we can. 'Within minutes of learning about this, we terminated Billue and launched an internal investigation. In response, we fundamentally reviewed and revamped our screening process to immediately begin going above and beyond the industry standard for background checks. This includes now ensuring the raw data is reviewed by two humans manually, as well as via software.' Martin Jermaine Billue Sr. is being held on a $200,000 bond pending trial Bloomberg Businessweek reported that of 1,200 confidential complaint reports logged by Papa, there were allegedly 'dozens of allegations of sexual harassment and assault Papa aims to provide a solution for the worsening care crisis in the US. A fast growing senior population are being left with few viable options. Millions do not qualify for federal safety-net insurance, but cannot afford the spiraling costs of specialized care. Bloomberg Businessweek also alleges that people who signed up to be 'pals' were also subject to difficulties with their clients. One complaint obtained by the outlet detailed how a woman asked a 'pal' to take old meat out of her freezer and throw it in a lake behind her house, not warning that there was an alligator living there. Another claimed that a man locked her inside his living room, while another reported to the company that a male 'papa' had offered to 'give her $100 to touch her private parts.' Another alleged that a man pretended to be a doctor and groped her while she was eight months pregnant. A spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told Bloomberg Businessweek the agency has been 'reviewing complaints and grievances that allegedly involve Papa.' The outlet said most complaints revolve around customer service, but the agency said it is also aware of the allegations and 'continues to monitor' complaints against the company. The representative added that if a Medicare Advantage plan were contracted with a partner thats not up to par with the agencys standards, the agency has 'meaningful ways to discourage plans from contracting with them.' Unlike other major gig economy companies like TaskRabbit and Uber, Papa reportedly relies on contracts with health insurers offering the service to its members. The outlet said that as Papa's stripped-down service does not offer the clinical aspects of home care, it is not subject to the 75 hours of classroom supervision and practical training mandatory for all Medicare-eligible home health aides under federal regulations. According to Bloomberg Business, the company was last valued at $1.4 billion in 2021 and has raised about $240 million from investors. According to company documents, around seven million people could gain access to Papas services through their or a relatives health plan as of last year. Papa disputes these figures but said it had so far facilitated approximately 1.5 million visits between members and caregivers and maintains a network of thousands of active 'pals'. Danielle Filgueiras, an ex-teacher in Kissimmee, Florida, signed up to work as a 'pal' in late 2021. She told the outlet that she had no pre-hire interview. 'I do think there could be better training,' she said. 'I never talked to a real person before getting accepted.' The company says on its website that prospective pals can apply online in minutes, if theyre 21 or older, have US work authorization and can communicate in English and pass a background check. A Papa spokesperson said in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'Trust and safety is at the center of our operations and mission and incidents have been incredibly rare. We work as hard as we can to keep it that way, but painfully whenever you connect people in person, there is a chance that safety incidents can happen. 'Any such incident is unacceptable and were deeply saddened when this occurs. While there is no way to completely eliminate that chance, we want to make sure we are doing every single thing we can for the people involved and always work to identify whether we could have done anything to prevent it. 'We conduct enhanced background checks on every Papa Pal prior to hire and annually thereafter. We screen monthly against The Office of Inspector Generals List of Excluded Individuals/Entities and U.S. System for Awards Management. We also monitor visits in real-time using geolocation technology and continuously monitor feedback from Pals and members about visits. 'We have already taken steps to strengthen our screening and onboarding protocols including adding continuous monitoring so we can be made aware of disqualifying offenses and enhanced training. 'In February 2023, we began an end-to-end review of our safety program for both members and Papa Pals conducted by an external trust and safety expert to further enhance our program. We will continue to invest in the trust and safety on which we provide these critical services to those who are too often in desperate need across America.' Police have charged an animal rights activist who disrupted the Epsom Derby by running onto the track. Ben Newman, 32, from Hackney, east London, has been charged with causing a public nuisance and is set to appear at court in Guildford today. It comes after a man was filmed jumping the fence and sprinting on to the course as the race began on Saturday, June 3. He was pursued by police as the crowd jeered, with some shouting 'get him', before officers tackled him and pulled him away. The man was one of 31 people arrested on Saturday, including 12 on the racecourse grounds and two women who were stopped as they tried to climb the fence to get onto the track. Ben Newman, 32, from Hackney, east London, has been charged with causing a public nuisance after he disrupted the Epsom Derby on Saturday by running onto the track (pictured) Newman (pictured) is set to appear at court in Guildford on Monday, June 5. He was one of 31 people arrested on Saturday On Sunday Animal Rising claimed Newman had been charged by police after the incident at the racecourse, something later confirmed by Surrey Police. A police spokesman said: 'A total of 39 arrests were made over the course of the two days. 'Thirty-one of these arrests were made in connection with planned criminal activity at the Epsom Derby Festival, including two women who were quickly detained moments before they were able to get on to the track. 'Thirty have since been released on bail pending further inquiries.' Chief Superintendent Clive Davies, who was in charge of the policing operation for the Derby, added: 'I am incredibly proud of every single officer, staff member and volunteer who worked in the run-up to the event and at the event itself. 'They played a vital role in protecting the public and preventing and responding to criminality.' A spokesperson for Animal Rising said: 'Like most people, Ben cares deeply about animals. 'He made it onto the track yesterday to continue this urgent conversation about our treatment of not just horses in the racing industry, but all the intelligent, feeling animals who suffer unnecessarily in society. 'Before the race started it was clear to security and police that multiple people were attempting to get over the barriers, but organisers chose to steam ahead regardless and not only started the race, but failed to follow the British Horseracing Authority's 'Stop Race' procedures with Ben on the track. Police officers and security were seen lining the race track on Saturday to prevent Animal Rising supporters from gaining access to the course Animal Rising supporters gathered outside the main grandstand in Epsom with signs criticising horse racing on Saturday Protesters from Animal Rising assembled outside the grandstand on Saturday in a bid to highlight the cruelty associated with horse racing 'To protect the race, an additional 150,000 was spent on security alongside a policing operation that included facial recognition cameras, 2 house raids, and 30 pre-emptive arrests. 'The fact anyone made it on the track goes to show that people who care deeply will not be stopped by crackdowns on protesting, and we will continue to do all we can to ensure a safe, secure future for all life.' The protest occurred after the Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs, was granted an injunction prohibiting the Animal Rising group from intervening in the event, claiming the organisation had made 'explicitly clear' that it intended to breach security. After the Derby, the chief executive of the Epsom Jockey Club, Nevin Truesdale, praised the 'swift and decisive' action of police in putting an end to the 'deplorable and mindless actions' of the protesters. Newman, who was named by Animal Rising on Saturday, has previously appeared on GB News. He will appear at Guildford Magistrates' Court on Monday. The former FBI chief also said he could see Trump seeing another presidency as a shot at 'retribution' and an opportunity to go at his rivals, including Comey The two said it's completely possible that Trump could accept the nomination and even the presidency while 'wearing an ankle monitor' Jen Psaki and James Comey discussed the possibility of another presidency for former President Donald Trump while he is under federal investigation MSNBC's Jen Psaki laughed with former FBI head James Comey about the possibility of Trump accepting his presidential nomination 'in an ankle monitor' - as they ignored discussing the findings of the Durham report. In a sit-down interview that aired Sunday, the two agreed that the former president could accept the Republican nomination while facing legal repercussions. 'It's a crazy world that Donald Trump is dragging this country into, but he could be wearing an ankle bracelet while accepting the nomination at the Republican convention,' Comey said. That would create a devastating situation for the judicial system, Comey argued, claiming that Trump could 'destroy' those that investigate or hold him accountable. The two did not however touch on the Durham Report which essentially debunked claims that the Trump team worked with Russia to collude in the 2016 election. MSNBC's Jen Psaki laughed with former FBI head James Comey about the possibility of another Trump presidency amid investigations into the former president 'It's a crazy world that Donald Trump is dragging this country into, but he could be wearing an ankle bracelet while accepting the nomination at the Republican convention,' Comey said In their nearly 10 minute interview, the former White House Press Secretary and disgraced FBI director shared banter about their fears of a repeat Trump presidency. Comey told Psaki: 'Think about what four years of a retribution presidency might look like. He could order the investigation and prosecution of individuals, who he sees as enemies.' He also explicitly proclaimed his hopes that the case involving the documents found at Mar-a-Lago holds up and that he is brought to justice. He also argued that existence of the tape in which Trump allegedly admits to knowing about the classified documents makes the case much stronger. 'I don't know where the case will end up,' Comey told Psaki. 'But it makes it immeasurably stronger to have the subject of the investigation saying in a way that that can't be impeached - no pun intended, with Trump.' 'Tapes are amazing for a prosecutor because you can't cross examine a tape. You can't call a tape a liar,' he said. Comey went on to add that he once prayed there would be tapes that came to light in the case because it makes a case so much easier to prosecute. 'That's why I once said, "Lordy, I hope there are tapes." And, Lordy, it's a good thing that there are tapes,' the former government employee said. Trump has publicly stated that 'everything I did was right,' regarding the documents found by the FBI during their search of Mar-a-Lago. The conversation then turned to the status of the investigations into Trump and how officials within the DOJ and FBI are likely feeling the pressure to move quickly. Former FBI Director James Comey with former President Donald Trump in Janurary 2017 'That's why I once said, 'lordy, I hope there are tapes.' And, lordy, it's a good thing that there are tapes,' Comey said of the documents found at Mar-a-Lago in Florida Trump is under investigation after the FBI executed a search warrant at his Florida home of Mar-a-Lago and found classified and secret documents Trump has said 'everything I did was right,' regarding the documents found by the FBI Psaki asked Comey, given his experience with investigations during campaign cycles, if he believes the timetable should be of concern for prosecutors. 'It's concerning to a prosecutor leading investigation and to the FBI, because despite history, we desperately don't want to be involved in an election time investigations and near them,' he told the MSNBC host. Comey led the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails which plagued the media for months around the time of the 2016 election. 'They are feeling intense pressure to move, to move, to move, so they're not in the position to making a charging decision next year, when Donald Trump may be the nominee,' Comey continued. 'So I think they are likely working very, very hard and trying to get ahead of where even the normal pace of the investigation might be,' he added. At that point, the two then turned to the discussion regarding the potential that Trump accepts the Republican nomination while in an ankle monitor. Comey said he could see a situation in which Trump wins again in 2024 but that he doesn't 'want to' envision a scenario where 'justice is delayed.' He added that there's no precedent for whether a criminal investigation into Trump would be paused or if it would continue after he is re-sworn in. 'Yeah, there's no precedent whatsoever that I'm aware of. We've never contemplated electing again someone like Donald Trump,' Comey said. 'So I don't know what would happen,' he continued. Comey went on to add that he considers himself to be on Trump's 'enemies list' and that he - a lifelong Republican - plans to vote for President Joe Biden in 2024. Psaki asked Comey, given his experience with investigations during campaign cycles, if he believes the timetable should be of concern for prosecutors Some of the documents discovered in Trump's possession during the August 8, 2022 federal raid on Mar-a-Lago Despite the lengthy interview time, the two did not mention the recent results from Special Counsel John Durham's Report published in May. The shocking report found the FBI did not have enough 'factual evidence' to investigate allegations of Trump-Russia collusion. Immediately after it was published, members of the GOP slammed left-leaning outlets for publishing stories despite 'shaky' sourcing. 'What have we learned from the Durham Report? That the New York Times and Washington Post were given a Pulitzer Prize for writing a bunch of politically motivated crap,' Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement. The ad agency that connected Dylan Mulvaney with Bud Light was reportedly in 'panic mode' following the two parties' failed partnership - as backlash continues to hurt the beer brand's bottom line. An eight-year-old marketing firm based in San Francisco, Captiv8 caters to consumer brands across the globe - and at some point introduced Anheuser-Busch to the 26-year-old transgender activist, a recent report has revealed. According to its website, the small outfit operates out of modest office in San Mateo, and uses a business model that pairs various social-media influencers with blue chip firms such as Walmart, American Express, Twitter and KraftHeinz. It was co-founded in 2015 by dot.com millionaire Krishna Subramanian, who sold ad network BlueLithium to Yahoo in 2007 and has since touted himself as an 'expert on influencer marketing' in a series of interviews in the mainstream media. A video on the ad agency's website, moreover, tells viewers there are over '30 million creators' in the relatively obscure company's farm system. Its connection to the failed campaign involving Mulvaney and Bud Light, however, was unveiled Sunday by an insider - who revealed 'there was a lot of chatter' among employees about whether that backlash would ever reach their office. Scroll down for video: The agency that reportedly connected Dylan Mulvaney with Bud Light is now in 'panic mode' after the two parties' failed partnership. A video on the Silicon Valley agency shows of a swanky office - but is no more than a 'staged' statement according to a well-placed source It was co-founded in 2015 by dot.com millionaire Krishna Subramanian, who sold ad network BlueLithium to Yahoo in 2007 and has since touted himself as an 'expert on influencer marketing' in a series of interviews in the mainstream media Since partnering with Mulvaney, a 26-year-old transgender activist who propelled to fame on TikTok during the pandemic, Bud Light's parent company Anheuser-Busch has faced boycotts and declining sales 'Internally, the company was in serious panic mode,' the source told The New York Post Sunday as an ongoing Bud Light boycott has reportedly cost the beer's parent company $27billion in market evaluation in the span a few months. As for the video on the agency website - which depicts a lively tour of the firm's supposedly swank office with appearances from influencers like athlete Zion Clark and Smosh star Olivia Sui - the source said thats just a 'staged advertisement.' Speaking to the Post, the well-placed insider revealed Capitv8s actual office is a small space that's a far cry from the futuristic set seen in the two-minute clip, and in reality can only accommodate about a dozen staffers. Most of the companys some 100-strong workforce, the source said, works remotely. The source went on to reveal those staffers, since April, have been frantically conferring amongst themselves as to their fate following the failed Bud Light initiative - announced in a now-infamous video of Mulvaney showing of a can of the popular beverage bearing her face. The company claims to have a database of more than 1 million influencers on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitter - though it is not yet clear if they are responsible for the can that bore Mulvaney's likeness. The revelation regarding the origins of the failed campaign comes as Bud Light parent Anheuser-Busch InBev have placed two executives responsible for the Captiv8-presided partnership Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing, and her boss, Daniel Blake on leave in April. After the swift outcry, the Belgian-based company insisted to distributors that Mulvaneys beer can was not their work, but that of a then-unnamed 'third-party' ad agency responsible for the video and several others touting the partnership. Heinerscheid was hired to overhaul Bud Light's marketing in June 2022 with the vision of freshening up its image, while Blake had worked at Anheuser-Busch for nearly nine years. Heinerscheid's short-lived tenure reportedly included a widely-lauded Super Bowl ad featuring Miles Teller and wife Keleigh Sperry, as well as 'the Bud Light Carry' campaign that showed a woman carrying a round of beers to a table of friends without spilling a drop. Those ads, statements from the beer brand revealed, were part of Heinerscheid's vision to make the brand more female friendly - something she described only a few months ago as a 'passion point'. But that vision was swiftly cut down on April 3 with the brand's partnership with Mulvaney, a controversial trans activist with a mass following on social media, which proved to be a step too far for Bud Light's loyal customers. Speaking to the Post, the well-placed insider revealed Capitv8s actual office is a small space that's a far cry from the futuristic set seen in the two-minute clip, and in reality can only accommodate about a dozen staffer The video on the agency website depicts a lively tour of the firm's supposedly swank office, with appearances from renowned social media influencers such as former Smosh star Olivia Sui and amputee athlete Zion Clark - two of supposedly 30million creators in the firm's stable Most of the companys some 100-strong workforce, the source said, works remotely - contrary to what the futuristic scene seen on the firm's website suggests The company claims to have a database of more than 1 million influencers on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitter - though it is not yet clear if they are responsible for the can that bore Mulvaney's likeness The partnership sparked protests and backlash and parent company Anheuser-Busch has shed $27 billion in value in mere months The revelation regarding the origins of the failed campaign come as Bud Light parent Anheuser-Busch InBev have placed two executives responsible for the Captiv8-presided partnership Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing, and her boss, Daniel Blake on leave in April. The backlash was amplified on April 3 when it was announced 26-year-old transgender influencer Mulvaney - seen here running errands in LA last month amid the height of the still persisting public outcry - would be working with Bud Light's marketing division Bud Light has tried to win consumers back, with no luck, and now some say they have lost commissions because of the decline in sales. After the swift outcry, its parent company told distributors that Mulvaneys beer can was not their work, but that of a then unnamed 'third-party' ad agency responsible for the video and others touting the partnership Neither Heinerscheid of Blake have not commented on the scandal. A graduate of Wharton business school, she has been hailed in interviews as the first woman to 'lead' Bud Light in its 41-year history. On March 30, in an interview with the Make Yourself at Home podcast, she told of her strategy to ditch Bud Light's 'fratty' reputation and embrace inclusivity to attract a young generation of drinkers. 'Im a businesswoman. I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was this brand is in decline. Its been in decline for a really long time. And if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand, there will be no future for Bud Light. So I had this super clear mandate. Its like we need to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand. 'What does evolve and elevate mean? It means inclusivity. It means shifting the tone. It means having a campaign thats truly inclusive and feels lighter and brighter and different. And appeals to women and to men. 'And representation. Is it sort of the heart of evolution? Youve got to see people who reflect you in the work. 'And we had this hangover. I mean, Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out of touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach,' she said. In an earlier interview with Forbes, she gave the same mandate. 'As the first woman to lead the biggest beer brand in the world, its an amazing opportunity to really evolve and elevate Bud Light, this brand I love. 'This campaign is meant to feel different, to be lighter and brighter, with a confidence and magnetism, and its really critical to depict real people and real places,' she said. 'What I need to do to help this brand to evolve... this is my passion point.' During a podcast appearance last month, days before the Mulvaney partnership was announced, Heinerscheid said Bud Light was on the wane when she took the helm last summer, but planned to right the ship in the coming months The partnership is evidently part of Heinerscheid's previously mentioned plans for the company, to make it more inclusive and less male-centered Since taking the gig in July, Heinerscheid has already rolled out several adverts as part of a push to empower women - one of which features a dancing Miles Teller and his wife This desire was felt in a February commercial titled 'The Bud Light Carry,' which saw a female protagonist, after buying her friends a round of beer, successfully bring the glasses to her friends without spilling a drop The 26-yea-old transgender activist announced the partnership in a series of videos that included the hashtag '#budlightpartner', and captions that touted the cans bearing her face as her 'most prized possession' Prior to her current role, Heinerscheid worked as an associate brand manager for Listerine, and afterward headed Bud Light's parent Anheuser-Busch's in-house agency for seven months. During that time, the marketing specialist claims to have created the firm's current 'internal influencer agency', an approach that Bud Light now appears to be favoring with its decision to market through figures like Mulvaney. In an interview with New York PR publication Provoke Media last year, Heinerscheid hailed companies like Nike for inclusive, 'culturally relevant campaigns' featuring black athletes, while also praising former employer General Mills for its more 'wholesome and genuine' approach to ads. 'I have always been impressed with how culturally relevant and impactful the marketing is for Nike,' she told the outlet in November after being named on of its 25 American Innovators of the year. 'Also, as a parent,' she added, 'there is just something so wholesome and genuine about what General Mills does.' That said, despite being a proponent of progressive ideals, the New Yorker is a registered Republican, according to public records updated in 2016, and as previously mentioned, has a family with three young children. She married her husband Henry Charles Heinerscheid, a consultant in Boston with Tapestry Networks, in 2011, after working with him as a senior associate for five years at the firm after graduating Harvard, where she studied English. Their wedding was announced by the New York Times in May 2011. She then enrolled in a marketing Master's program at $60,000-per-year Wharton, finishing in 2013. She has held roles at Cheerio's, Listerine, and Anheuser-Busch in the time since. Mulvaney - a transgender woman, who during the pandemic, became known on TikTok for her 'days of girlhood' series - has more than 10.8million followers on the platform. The Mulvaney controversy began on April 3 when Bud Light sent her custom-made cans featuring her face. The gift served as the start of the since-confirmed partnership between the parties, further confirmed by an ensuing post from Mulvaney, in which she appeared to her followers naked in a bathtub drinking a Bud Light beer. In the turmoil that ensued, Bud Light's parent company and Heinerscheid's former employer, Anheuser-Busch, issued a statement saying it supported the brand's decision to work with Mulvaney, whose videos follow her journey. 'Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics,' the rep said in a statement shared with several outlets last week. It added: 'From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Mulvaney. This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public.' Their doubling down only angered customers more. Onlookers are now criticizing the maneuver as a shameless publicity grab, amid the recent trend of companies going 'woke' to better their bottom lines. A Minnesota transgender woman serving prison time on a drug charge has successfully sued the state Department of Corrections for discrimination and will be transferred to a women's facility. Christina Lusk, 56, will also be receiving $495,000 in financial compensation and vaginoplasty as she is sent to an all-women facility in Shakopee this week after claiming sexual and verbal abuse in an all-male facility. Lusk, who is legally recognized as a female, came out as transgender 14 years ago, started hormone therapy, and legally changed her name in 2018. The following year she pleaded guilty to a felony drug possession charge. The settlement also promises Lusk will be given further gender-affirming healthcare and will strengthen its policies to protect transgender inmates. 'This journey has brought extreme challenges, and I have endured so much. My hope is that nobody has to go through the same set of circumstances. I relied on my faith, and I never gave up hope. I can truly say that I am a strong, proud, transgender woman, and my name is Christina Lusk,' she said in a statement. Christina Lusk, 56, has filed a lawsuit against the state corrections department seeking $50,000 in financial compensation because she was assigned to the men's prison and denied gender-affirming surgery Paul Schnell, the Minnesota DOC Commissioner, said the state is 'constitutionally obligated' to treat gender dysphoria and will do so for Lusk, according to Fox 9. 'Based on the facts of this specific case, the incarcerated person will now have access to the medical care she needs, she deserves, and we have a legal obligation to provide,' he said in a statement. A Department of Corrections release on the settlement includes promises that gender non-conforming inmates will be placed at facilities matching their gender identities. They will grant those requests 'unless the requested placement would pose a heightened risk of physical or sexual harm to that person or those housed in the preferred facility.' 'Everybody needs to come together in unity, and embrace positive change. I believe we have made a big step toward allowing people to express who they truly are, and bring some sort of peace and happiness to their lives,' Lusk added. Jess Braverman, an attorney for the group Gender Justice, which is representing Lusk along with the Minneapolis law firm of Robins Kaplan, considers the settlement a positive step. 'Minnesota was the first state in the country to expressly protect transgender people in our anti-discrimination laws. But sometimes it feels like we're the last ones to get it right. I think this goes a long way in showing that Minnesota is moving forward,' she said in a statement. 'We are fulfilling that promise, and we are going to give transgender people the dignity they deserve, whether they're in an institutional setting, whether they're incarcerated or not.' Lusk, of Minneapolis, came out as transgender 14 years ago, started human therapy, and legally changed her name in 2018. The following year she pleaded guilty to a felony drug possession charge Lusk will be sent to an all-women facility in Shakopee (pictured) this week after claiming sexual and verbal abuse in an all-male facility Braverman had said her client was unsafe in Moose Lake. 'She's a woman, and suddenly she's placed in a men's facility. She's in a locked cell with a number of men, and she's really exposed to harassment and violence in that setting,' Braverman said. While in prison, Lusk had also been denied gender-affirming surgery by corrections officials - despite doctors approving the procedure before she was incarcerated, the lawsuit says. She is set to be released in 2024. Lusk had been seeking a vaginoplasty since her incarceration but DOC Medical Director James Amsterdam determined that she should not be allowed the genital surgery whilst in prison, but 'could pursue that after release', according to the lawsuit. Lusk wrote in the complaint: 'I have been diagnosed with severe Gender Dysphoria. I have attempted suicide four times due to my severe distress caused by my GD as well as self mutilation. My mental capacity is under control, and I am able to make good decisions as far as surgery. 'I have letters of support from my primary physician, my gender specialist, my therapist, as well as my psychiatrist, only two letters are required for surgery but I go up and beyond what is required.' The move by the corrections department to hold Lusk in a men's prison and deny her the surgery is unconstitutional and a violation of her human rights, according to the lawsuit. While in prison, Lusk has also been denied gender-affirming surgery by corrections officials - despite doctors approving the procedure before she was incarcerated, the lawsuit says Lusk, who is legally recognized as a female, has asked to be moved from the men's facility in Moose Lake (pictured) to the women's prison in Skakopee 'Christina Lusk is recognized legally and socially as female - including by the state of Minnesota. Yet, the Minnesota DOC treats Ms Lusk as a man simply because she is transgender,' the lawsuit stated. Lusk has been reprimanded for having breasts and wearing women's clothing, yet also scolded for going without a bra while her bras were in the wash, the lawsuit contends. Lusk filed the first of two complaints with the state Department of Human Rights in early 2020. She alleged that prison staff housed her in a room with seven men, required her to change her clothes and use the bathroom with men, and called her by her former name. Both requests to be moved were denied without explanation, according to the suit. Robins Kaplan attorney Rebecca Bact told the Star Tribune her firm is assisting Lusk because she 'deserves proper housing, healthcare and a dignified existence free from discrimination.' 'Transgender people disproportionately face abuse and harassment in state institutions including jails and prisons, schools, healthcare facilities, and more,' Braverman told the newspaper. 'Every person in custody deserves to be protected from violence and harassment,' she continued. 'We need our systems, such as the [Minnesota] Department of Corrections (DOC), to do better now to protect all vulnerable groups, including transgender people.' A photo of a large bruise on Brittany Higgins' leg was taken 11 days after she alleged she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann, the former political staffer said in a statutory declaration exclusively obtained by Daily Mail Australia. Ms Higgins' signed the sworn document as part of The Project's newsgathering process ahead of her interview with Lisa Wilkinson airing on February 15, 2021, when she levelled her allegations against Mr Lehrmann for the first time, without naming him. The statutory declaration emerged after Mr Lehrmann spoke out for the first time on Channel Seven's Spotlight program on Sunday night, during which he claimed the photo was a 'fabrication'. At trial last year, Ms Higgins was grilled about the photo of the bruise on her upper right thigh, and firmly denied that she fabricated her allegations against Mr Lehrmann, saying: 'I'm not a monster.' In her statutory declaration, Ms Higgins said that the bruise was caused by Mr Lehrmann when he allegedly raped her in the early hours of March 23, 2019. He has always denied the allegations. Brittany Higgins is pictured during her interview on The Project in February 2021 - when she first went public with her allegations against Bruce Lehrmann This photo of a bruise on Ms Higgins' leg was aired on The Project in February 2021. Mr Lehrmann claimed the image was 'fabricated' or 'a bruise from much later' In the declaration - which was certified by a Justice of the Peace in Brisbane on February 10, 2021 - Ms Higgins said she took the photo of her bruised thigh on April 3, 2019 - 11 days after the alleged assault. Ms Higgins initialed the document in two places, and signed her name at the bottom. The statement said: 'The photograph of the bruise on my leg, as I referred to in the interview, is also annexed to and forms the part of my statutory declaration. 'The photograph at annexure B shows the bruise on my leg that was caused by Bruce Lehrmann during the rape and sexual assault that occurred in Minister Reynolds' office on March 22-23, 2019. 'I took the photograph with my iPhone at annexure B on April 3, 2019.' Anyone who intentionally makes a false statement in a statutory declaration can face up to four years in jail. Ms Higgins said in the statutory declaration that she did not lie or misrepresent the truth at any stage of the interview. Pictured: A statutory declaration Ms Higgins signed on February 10, 2021 - claiming the bruise photo was taken 11 days after the alleged assault Further, the same photo was shown to the ACT Supreme Court last year during Mr Lehrmann's criminal trial - after investigating officers extracted the contents of her phone to conduct a metadata analysis. The court heard experts were unable find evidence of the photo on her phone prior to January 2021 - just weeks before her television interview was recorded. Experts also said she didn't mention the image in any messages prior to February 2021. The photo of the bruise was also shown on an extended episode of 7News Spotlight on Sunday night, during which Mr Lehrmann broke his media silence about the alleged assault. Spotlight host Liam Bartlett said to Mr Lehrmann: 'This bruise suggested in no uncertain terms that you had pinned her down.' Mr Lehrmann interjected: 'Well, it was fabricated.' 'That's the only explanation, is that it was fabricated or it's a bruise from much later.' During Mr Lehrmann's trial last year, Ms Higgins responded to cross-examination by Mr Lehrmann's defence barrister Steven Whybrow, who put to her that she invented the rape claim, and asked why she didn't mention the photo to police. He told the court the photo didn't come up until police did 'extractions' of her phones in January 2021. 'In those extractions there is no reference to this bruise before January 2021,' he put to Ms Higgins. She replied: 'I don't think I sent it to anyone. I sent to to [News Corp journalist] Samantha Maiden and Lisa Wilkinson... but until I was making a police complaint, why would I send that around?' Mr Whybrow: 'I put to you that the bruises and injury you sustained is a fabrication.' Ms Higgins replied: 'I reject that completely.' Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) broke his silence in a TV interview two years after Brittany Higgins accused him of raping her in Parliament House. He denies the allegation Mr Whybrow said: 'You did what you thought was necessary to have people believe you had been [sexually assaulted].' Ms Higgins replied: 'I'm not a monster. I would never do something like that.' She has not publicly commented on Mr Lehrmann's interview, but her fiance David Sharaz retweeted a post on Monday morning condemning the TV piece. It read: 'No woman in her right mind would face what Miss Higgins has gone through for any reason other than peace of mind. 'No amount of money would be worth the nightmare of reporting (allegations of) rape.' Mr Lehrmann was tried in a 12-day hearing in the ACT Supreme Court in October last year. He had pleaded not guilty, but a mistrial was declared after a jury member brought banned reading material into the court. Shane Drumgold, the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, dropped the case altogether in December due to concerns over Ms Higgins' mental health. Daily Mail Australia approached Ms Higgins for comment on Monday. Britain did not have to obey the 'unnamed judge in Strasbourg' who blocked the first flight sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, a leading think-tank suggests today. Policy Exchange said it was not correct that the UK must comply with the European Court of Human Rights' so-called Rule 39 measures the interim mechanism by which a single anonymous judge halted the start of removals to Rwanda last year in a blow to then Home Secretary Priti Patel's plans. The report said the court had exceeded its mandate because the European Convention on Human Rights does not allow the court a power to make orders requiring countries to do or refrain from doing something on the grounds that it might at a later stage be found to have been an infringement of the convention. It comes as the House of Lords this week prepares to scrutinise the Government's Illegal Migration Bill, which would make it easier to deport people arriving on the UK's shores. Britain did not have to obey the 'unnamed judge in Strasbourg' who blocked the first flight sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, a leading think-tank suggests today (File image) The House of Lords this week prepares to scrutinise the Government's Illegal Migration Bill, which would make it easier to deport people arriving on the UK's shores (File image) Policy Exchange said it was not correct that the UK must comply with the European Court of Human Rights' so-called Rule 39 measures the interim mechanism by which a single anonymous judge halted the start of removals to Rwanda last year in a blow to then Home Secretary Priti Patel's (pictured) plans The Policy Exchange report by Richard Ekins, professor of law and constitutional government at the University of Oxford, concluded: 'Many lawyers, and parliamentarians, have attacked the Bill as a glaring breach of international law and an attack on the rule of law. They argue that the UK simply has to treat a Rule 39 order as legally binding and must obey whatever a judge of the Strasbourg Court says. 'This line of criticism is flatly wrong. The UK does not have an obligation in international law to comply with Rule 39 orders. 'They are not binding, despite what the Strasbourg Court says.' The report recommends that the UK should make clear that it refuses to accept that the European Court of Human Rights has any authority to grant binding interim relief. Lord Sumption, a former Supreme Court judge, described the legal basis of the Rule 39 measures as 'slender' in a foreword to the report. A group of 30 people are set to be paid 1,600 per month in what will be England's first ever trial of a universal income scheme. Over a period of two years, they will receive the monthly lump sum without any conditions while researchers monitor what effects the cash has on their lives. The money will be given to 15 participants in Jarrow, south Tyneside, and 15 in East Finchley, north London. They will be paid 'without a requirement to work or to demonstrate willingness to work'. Will Stronge, director of research at the think-tank Autonomy which is running the scheme, said the 1,600 figure was a 'substantial' amount. Over a period of two years, they will receive the monthly lump sum without any conditions while researchers monitor what effects the cash has on their lives He told The Guardian: 'Universal basic income usually covers people's basic needs but we want to see what effect this unconditional lump sum has on people's mental and physical health, whether they choose to work or not. 'Our society is going to require some form of basic income in the coming years, given the tumult of climate change, tech disruption and industrial transition that lies ahead. 'This is why building the evidence base and public engagement now is so important, so the ground is well prepared for national implementation.' Costing more than 1.6million to run, as well as the 30 recipients the project will also monitor the experiences of a control group who will not be paid anything. Similar studies are already under way in countries such as the US, and last summer the Welsh Government launched a trial which pays 1,600 per month to more than 500 young adults leaving care. Cleo Goodman, co-founder of Basic Income Conversation, said: 'We're hopeful that this plan will result in the first ever basic income pilots in England. 'No one should ever be facing poverty, having to choose between heating and eating, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.' She added: 'Basic income has the potential to simplify the welfare system and tackle poverty in Britain.' Ministers are expected to ditch a new green tax which would add around 180 a year to household energy bills. The levy was intended to support the move away from fossil fuels by funding hydrogen production. But the Government fears a public backlash over the tax. Officials previously said there was 'uncertainty regarding the precise impact of the levy on consumer bills' when it was announced last month. But the tax would be expected to land households with an added charge of around 180 per year if introduced, as originally planned, in 2025. Ministers are expected to ditch a new green tax which would add around 180 a year to household energy bills One insider told The Sun on Sunday: 'It's looking like the levy in its current form is going to have to go. 'Too many MPs think it's just too toxic when families are already struggling with bills.' Jack Richardson, head of energy and climate for think-tank Onward, said. 'Ditching the hydrogen levy would be a good move for all involved: greater political support for hydrogen industry and for the Government by not whacking households with higher energy bills for stuff they won't use.' The Government said hydrogen would be 'critical in reducing emissions from heavy industry, as well as in power, transport and potentially heat'. Sanctuary state California and woke Governor Gavin Newsom are investigating 'state-sanctioned kidnapping' after 16 migrants were dropped on the doorstep of a Sacramento church without 'advance warning'. The young Venezuelan and Colombian men and women were dropped off Friday outside the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento without 'advance warning' and with only a backpack's worth of belongings each, said Eddie Carmona, campaign director at PICO California, a faith-based community organizing group that has been assisting the migrants. The migrants had entered Texas via the southern border. California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement to say they had been transported from Texas to New Mexico before being flown to Sacramento. But state Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a separate statement in which he said the migrants possessed documentation allegedly showing they had arrived from Florida. They had already been processed by U.S. immigration officials and given court dates for their asylum cases when 'individuals representing a private contractor' approached them outside a migrant center in El Paso, Texas, Carmona said. More than a dozen Venezuelan and Colombian migrants who entered the US via Texas were transported by private plane to Sacramento, California, and left outside the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, pictured A humanitarian group is looking to see if the migrants were deceived and misled and unaware of their whereabouts. Pictured, migrants at the border in Mexico before crossing into the U.S. 'They were lied to and intentionally deceived,' Carmona said, adding the migrants had no idea where they were after being dropped off in Sacramento. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg likened the act to that of human smuggling. 'Whoever is behind this must answer the following: Is there anything more cruel than using scared human beings to score cheap political points?' Steinberg asked in a statement. 'Sacramento represents the best of American values. We always welcome the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses, and we always will.' Newsom said he and Bonta met with the group of migrants Saturday and learned they were transported from Texas to New Mexico and then flown by private chartered jet to Sacramento. California Governor Gavin Newsom said he is working with the California Department of Justice to find out whether any criminal wrongdoing took place including who paid for the group's travel Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who announced his 2024 presidential bid last month, has been heavily criticized for his hardline stance on immigration. He is pictured on Sunday in Iowa Bonta said the migrants had documents 'purporting to be from the government of the state of Florida.' 'State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting,' Bonta wrote. 'We are a nation built by immigrants and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful rhetoric of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to recognize humanity and who turn their backs on extending dignity and care to fellow human beings,' he went on. Bonta said his agency was 'investigating the circumstances by which these individuals were brought to California,' and was 'evaluating the potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants.' It is not clear who was responsible for transporting the group to Sacramento Friday. The group said the migrants all have pending court appearances, and by transporting them to California under false pretenses, there will be a disruption in their due process. Newsom said he is also working with the California Department of Justice to find out whether any criminal wrongdoing took place, including who paid for the group's travel and 'whether the individuals orchestrating this trip misled anyone with false promises or have violated any criminal laws, including kidnapping.' 'We are working closely with the Mayor's office, along with local and nonprofit partners to ensure the people who have arrived are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases,' Newsom said in a statement. Over the last year, Republican governors in Texas and Florida have been busing and flying migrants to Democratic strongholds and so-called Sanctuary Cities including New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C., without advance warning 'What has occurred recently with the deceiving drop off of our undocumented brothers and sisters into the Sacramento area grieves my heart. 'This political polarizing act is heartbreaking and yet I rejoice that I am part of a movement that brings the love of God and goodwill upon the injustices and political wickedness that impacts our vulnerable brothers and sisters,' Rev. Efrem Smith, Sacramento ACT president, told the Sacramento Bee. Rabbi Mona Alfi, of Congregation B'nai Israel, told the outlet that what happened to the migrants was 'a moral travesty' and that 'these are human beings, no different than you or me, who simply want to take care of their families and live a peaceful life, and they deserve to be treated better.' Over the last year, Republican governors in Texas and Florida have been busing and flying migrants to Democratic strongholds and so-called Sanctuary Cities including New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C., without advance warning as part of a campaign to focus attention on what they say are the Biden administration's failed border policies. DeSantis, who announced his 2024 presidential bid last month and has been heavily criticized for his hardline stance on immigration, is expected to come to Sacramento himself on June 19 for a fundraising breakfast priced at $3,300 a seat. Newsom has spoken out and aired ads in Florida against DeSantis, whom he labeled 'America's chief bully,' since they were both elected in 2018. Albanian people smugglers are mocking Britain's soft approach on migrants in adverts promoting their services. The Home Office last week launched a new campaign in Albania, warning would-be migrants they faced being 'detained and removed'. But the gangsters, who charge up to 3,500 for the dangerous Channel crossings, have countered with their own ads on social media platform TikTok. In one, seen by the Mail, the gangsters boast: 'Crossing this weekend. 3,000 from France to UK. No one will return you back to Albania.' The Home Office last week launched a new campaign in Albania, warning would-be migrants they faced being 'detained and removed' Other ads suggest that those making the journey would spend only 'one day in detention'. Research by Oxford University's Migration Observatory found most of those released from detention facilities were held for fewer than 29 days, with only 13 per cent staying longer. The Illegal Migration Bill, which is under consideration in the House of Lords, will ensure those who arrive in the UK illegally would be detained and promptly removed. America is still coming to grips with its place in the world, but its special relationship with Britain has been 'forged by the fires of history', according to a senior US diplomat. Matthew Palmer, deputy US ambassador to the United Kingdom, was speaking at celebrations to mark the centenary of the Harmsworth Chair in American History at Oxford University, which invites leading professors of American history from the US to spend a year in the UK. The Harmsworth Professorship was established by the first Lord Rothermere who founded the Daily Mail with his brother in memory of his son Vyvyan Harmsworth MC, who was killed in the First World War and whose favourite subject was history. Mr Palmer said: 'The Harmsworth professorship carries the lustre of history itself. 'It was the first chair in American history established at a British university and I'm sure one of the first in the world. Matthew Palmer (pictured), deputy US ambassador to the United Kingdom, was speaking at celebrations to mark the centenary of the Harmsworth Chair in American History at Oxford University 'And whether it was 100 years ago, in the shadow of the Great War, a time when America was still coming to grips with its place in the world, or today, a time when America is still coming to grips with its place in the world, the Harmsworth Professorship has made an incredible contribution to the study of our country, where it has been and where it might be headed.' Speaking on the eve of this week's commemorations in Normandy to mark the anniversary of D-Day, when British and American forces collaborated to free the Continent from Nazi tyranny, the deputy ambassador added: 'The bond between our two countries was forged by the fires of history. 'And the study of each other's histories has only strengthened that bond, building alloys of understanding and empathy. 'We believe that the study of American history in the UK is as vital now as it was 100 years ago.' Lord Rothermere, chairman of the Daily Mail's owners DMGT, and his wife Lady Rothermere joined 20 past and present Harmsworth Professors and Lord Patten, the Chancellor of Oxford University, to celebrate the centenary of the post at a special dinner at Queen's College Oxford on Saturday evening. Lord Rothermere (pictured), chairman of the Daily Mail's owners DMGT, and his wife Lady Rothermere joined 20 past and present Harmsworth Professors and Lord Patten, the Chancellor of Oxford University, to celebrate the centenary of the post at a special dinner at Queen's College Oxford on Saturday evening Vyvyan Harmsworth, secretary of the Rothermere Foundation and cousin of Lord Rothermere, said the professorship now based at the Rothermere American Institute at Oxford University was now one which carried considerable weight among US academics specialising in American history. He said: 'Over the last 100 years we have seen the importance of this position grow enormously it is now viewed as one of the most pre-eminent positions among US history professors.' The current Harmsworth Professor, Bruce Schulman, the William E Huntington Professor of History at Boston University, said he still had to pinch himself at his good fortune at being invited to take up the role. Professor Schulman said: 'The role helps all those American professors who come over here to view our country in a different way and that can only be good. 'I am incredibly lucky to have been a Harmsworth Professor as it is now viewed by US historians as one of the most prestigious positions outside of America.' A heavily-tattooed bikie boss was ordered to lean against a wall in his undies as part of sweeping raids targeting the state's biggest outlaw motorcycle gangs. Former Bandidos national president Jason Fahey's Five Dock apartment, in Sydney's inner west, was raided by specialist officers during an eight-day blitz to stifle gang activity across the city. Dozens of homes and vehicles were searched as cops carried out compliance checks on big underworld figures, seizing guns and banning members from communicating. The major crackdown comes just weeks after Fahey patched over to the Hells Angels as the club works to aggressively expand in Sydney. Footage shows heavily-armed officers swarming Fahey's apartment last month as they searched the premises to ensure he was complying with his firearm ban. Bandidos president-turned Hells Angels boss Jason Fahey's apartment has been raided by police Fahey recently patched over to the Hells Angels after spending more than a decade at the top of the Bandidos heirarchy . Fahey is pictured with model and influencer Chaye Connelly Officers can been seen banging on the door before Fahey calls out: 'Yeah, I am coming.' The shirtless bikie was then ordered to face against against a wall with his hands up. One officer then supervised Fahey while several others scoured through his apartment. Police found a Hells Angels vest and a Bandidos puffer jacket - both of which were seized. Officers could also be seen paying special attention to two motorbikes parked in a storage section of the complex. Fahey was one of the first bikies targeted in Operation Patch, which saw searches carried out across Five Dock, Westmead, Earlwood and Wiley Park from May 24 to June 1 on Hells Angels, Finks and Commanchero members and their associates. After a decade at the top of the Bandidos hierarchy Jason Fahey is considered a major figure in the bikie underworld, with his transition to the Hells Angels signaling a feat for the club. Police and underworld figures expect more bikies to join the Hells Angels as supporters follow Fahey and after a Rebels chapter in western Sydney's wholesale defection. Specialist officers are pictured barging into Fahey's apartment as part of Operation Patch A Hells Angels Vest and Bandidos puffer jacket were seized from Fahey's home Fahey crossing over to the Hells Angels sparked rumours of a feud between his former and new gang. Senior members from both sides quickly quashed the rumour by meeting up for a public lunch dressed in their club colours, the Daily Telegraph reported. In another sign the club is strengthening, Hells Angels recently opened a 'Bayside' chapter at Brighton Le-Sands, in Sydney's south, which had traditionally been a stronghold of the Comanchero. The latter gang has been in disarray with leaders Mark Buddle, Allan Meehan, Mick Murray and Tarek Zahed behind bars awaiting trial for various alleged offences. Raptor Squad boss Andrew Koutsoufis said the latest operation should serve as a warning to the state's bikie gangs. 'Raptor Squad remain dedicated to stopping the activities of OMCG members and associates before it escalates in any suburb; be it Brighton-Le-Sands to Broken Hill or otherwise,' Detective Superintendent Koutsoufis said. 'Operation Patch is a proactive tasking to ensure our targets know if they put a foot wrong, well be making sure they feel the full force of the law. 'This is no knee-jerk reaction, rather its routine practice. If you are a member or associate of an OMCG, you should always expect a visit from the Raptor Squad. 'We want to send OMCG members and their associates a clear message; Raptor are always watching and are always ready to respond.' Operation Patch saw two firearms seized, one firearms licence suspended and 36 consorting warnings issued. In total, 26 vehicles were searched and 13 compliance checks were completed. The Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu has warned that conflict with the USA would be an 'unbearable disaster' for the world - as Washington accused the People's Liberation Army of responsibility for a second 'unsafe' incident in a week. Speaking at Asia's top security summit, Li Shangfu, dressed in the uniform of a PLA general, said the world was big enough for China and the US to grow together. 'China and the US have different systems and are different in many other ways,' he said in a speech that marked his first significant international address since he was named China's Minister of National Defence in March. 'However, this should not keep the two sides from seeking common ground and common interests to grow bilateral ties and deepen cooperation,' he said. 'It is undeniable that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the US will be an unbearable disaster for the world.' Speaking at Asia's top security summit, Li Shangfu, dressed in the uniform of a PLA general, said the world was big enough for China and the US to grow together US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin (pictured) rebuked China in a speech at the security meeting in Singapore on Saturday for refusing to hold military talks, leaving the superpowers deadlocked over their differences Ties between Washington and Beijing are badly strained over a range of issues, including democratically ruled Taiwan, territorial disputes in the South China Sea and President Joe Biden's restrictions on semiconductor chip exports. In their latest row, China's military criticised the United States and Canada for 'deliberately provoking risk' after the countries' navies staged a rare joint sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Saturday. US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin rebuked China in a speech at the security meeting in Singapore on Saturday for refusing to hold military talks, leaving the superpowers deadlocked over their differences. Li was more restrained in his speech, although he took thinly veiled digs at the United States, accusing 'some countries' of intensifying an arms race and wilfully interfering in the internal affairs of others. 'A Cold War mentality is now resurgent, greatly increasing security risks,' he said. 'Mutual respect should prevail over bullying and hegemony.' Li, sanctioned by the United States in 2018 over weapons purchases from Russia, shook hands with Austin at a dinner on Friday but the two have not had a deeper discussion, despite repeated US demands for more military exchanges. Speaking privately on the sidelines of the conference, two Chinese military officers said that Beijing wanted clear signs from Washington of a less confrontational approach in Asia - including the dropping of sanctions against Li - before military-to-military talks could resume. Meanwhile, a Chinese ship manoeuvred in an 'unsafe manner' near an American destroyer transiting the sensitive Strait, the US military said on Saturday. It is the second close encounter between American and Chinese military assets in less than 10 days, following what the US military said was an 'unnecessarily aggressive manoeuvre' by one of Beijing's fighter's near one of Washington's surveillance planes last week. The Chinese ship 'executed manoeuvres in an unsafe manner in the vicinity of Chung-Hoon,' an American destroyer, during the Saturday transit, the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) said in a statement. Beijing's ship 'overtook Chung-Hoon on their port side and crossed their bow at 150 yards. Chung-Hoon maintained course and slowed to 10 (knots) to avoid a collision,' the statement said. It then 'crossed Chung-Hoon's bow a second time starboard to port at 2,000 yards (meters) and remained off Chung-Hoon's port bow,' coming within 150 yards at the closest point, the US military said, adding that the 'US military flies, sails, and operates safely and responsibly anywhere international law allows.' US warships frequently sail through the strait. The last joint US-Canada passage was in September 2022. The Taiwan Strait ship encounter followed what the US military characterized as a risky manoeuvre by a Chinese jet that 'flew directly in front of and within 400 feet of the nose' of an RC-135 surveillance plane on May 26 over the South China Sea. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Investigators are comparing soil samples collected during the recent search for Madeleine McCann with dirt found on the prime suspect's camper van, it has emerged. Detectives last month searched the remote Barragem do Arade reservoir in the Algarve, Portugal where they believe prime suspect Christian Brueckner had visited in the days after the young girl vanished. Police cleared an area of around 160 square feet of woodland at the reservoir and dug eight deep holes to collect samples of soil which were sent for forensic testing. The officials recovered a 'number of items' during the search. Authorities now believe they have a good chance of proving that Brueckner's van was in the area at the time of Madeleine's abduction, sources told The Daily Mirror. The insider claims that if the soil sample analysis reveals a 'positive match', police may be able to further 'close the net' around Brueckner, 45, who has not yet been charged and denies involvement in the girl's disappearance. Investigators are comparing soil samples collected during the recent search for Madeleine McCann with dirt found on the prime suspect's camper van, it has emerged. Police dug eight deep holes (pictured) to collect samples of soil during their search last month Authorities now believe they have a good chance of proving that Brueckner's van was in the area at the time of Madeleine's abduction, sources allege. Investigators are pictured at the search site in Silves, Portugal on May 25 Madeleine McCann (left) was taken from a holiday apartment on May 3, 2007. Police have identified Christian Brueckner (right) as the prime suspect in her disappearance. He has not yet been charged and denies any involvement Madeleine McCann disappearance: When did Maddie go missing? Click here for the full timeline and investigation history Advertisement German prosecutors first connected Brueckner to the Portuguese beauty spot after photos - that have not been made public - linked him to the area. It is understood that proving he visited the reservoir in May 2007 could be 'pivotal' to the tying him to Madeleine's case. A source claimed police are focusing on 'showing through soil sample analysis' that Brueckner's VW T3 Westfalia was at Barragem do Arade around the time Madeleine was taken. 'A positive match of the soil they already have from the vehicle with the earth they removed during the search last week will be another important piece of evidence against him,' the insider told the newspaper. The individual added that it would be a 'slight setback' if the lab does not find a match, but claims 'investigators remain hopeful'. The reservoir is located 30 miles from the holiday apartment where three-year-old Madeleine was taken on May 3, 2007. Scotland Yard is reportedly updating her parents Kate and Gerry McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, about the German authorities' investigation. A source claimed police are focusing on 'showing through soil sample analysis' that Brueckner's VW T3 Westfalia (pictured) was at Barragem do Arade around the time Madeleine was taken The insider added that it would be a 'slight setback' if the lab does not find a match, but claims 'investigators remain hopeful'. Authorities are pictured at the search site on May 25 Several items were removed from the site, which may or may not be of relevance to the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. They include a bra strap, pieces of clothing and plastic items. German and Portuguese investigators are pictured dismantling base camp at the end of the three-day search on May 25 The three-day search last month was conducted by Portugese police with the help of German and British colleagues. Police had said they found a 'relevant clue' during their search of the beauty spot after an informant was able to match photographs showing Brueckner close to the reservoir. Several items were removed from the site, which may or may not be of relevance to the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. They include a bra strap, pieces of clothing and plastic items. German prosecutors in June 2020 revealed they were investigating Brueckner and had 'concrete evidence' he killed Madeleine. In their statement after the search, the prosecutors said the investigations against the 46-year-old suspect are expected to 'go on for some time'. Madeleine McCann (pictured) was three when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in 2007 Despite a huge international manhunt, no trace of McCann has been found and no one has been charged over her disappearance. According to police, Brueckner lived in the Algarve region between 1995 and 2007, making a living doing odd jobs as well as burgling hotel rooms and holiday apartments. It has also been reported that he would regularly spend time near the reservoir outside the small inland town of Silves. Police already combed the site in 2008 but divers found only animal remains at that time, according to media reports. Elon Musk has joined the outcry over allegations that a British government unit worked with social media firms to stifle criticism of Covid lockdown policies. A report claims that the Counter-Disinformation Unit (CDU), which leads the Government's response to 'disinformation threats' online, was used during the pandemic to curb critics of lockdown. Documents revealed under Freedom of Information and data protection requests showed that the activities of prominent critics of Covid policies were secretly monitored, according to the report in the Daily Telegraph. Elon Musk (pictured) has joined the outcry over allegations that a British government unit worked with social media firms to stifle criticism of Covid lockdown policies In April 2020, Mr Musk joined an anti-lockdown protest by tweeting: 'Free America now.' He later clarified this by saying shops and businesses should 'reopen with care and appropriate protection' Twitter and Tesla owner Mr Musk, 51, described this alleged use as 'terrible'. But a government spokesman said: 'The unit has never tracked the activity of individuals and has a blanket ban on referring journalists and MPs to social media platforms.' In April 2020, Mr Musk joined an anti-lockdown protest by tweeting: 'Free America now.' He later clarified this by saying shops and businesses should 'reopen with care and appropriate protection.' Reality TV fraudster Joe Giudice has said he would never have been convicted and deported had he not appeared on Real Housewives of New Jersey alongside ex-wife Teresa, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. Giudice, 51, was hit with a 41-month jail sentence in 2014 after being convicted of multiple counts of bankruptcy fraud and one of tax dodging. After being released, he was deported to his native Italy in 2019 and has been living in the Bahamas since 2021, where he is waging a legal campaign to be allowed back into the US. The 51-year-old made the comments while moaning about being jailed and dumped in Italy in an incendiary new episode of the celebrity podcast Behind the Velvet Rope, which is out tomorrow. Asked if he regrets his time on RHONJ by host David Yontef, Giudice said he did not but added the Federal government probably would never have taken any interest in him had he not gained reality TV fame. Reality TV fraudster Joe Giudice - seen here outside his new home in the Bahamas -said he would never have been convicted and deported had he not appeared on RHONJ, when asked about being jailed and dumped in Italy during a podcast that airs on Monday Giudice, 51, was hit with a 41-month jail sentence in 2014 after being convicted of multiple counts of fraud and one of tax dodging. His ex, Teresa, was convicted on the same charges and served 11 months in prison, but was released and filed for divorced. She has since remarried He said: I probably wouldn't have ended up here in the Bahamas if I never was on the show. That's for sure. Nobody would have known about me because I had everything I had way before I got on that show. So, it's not like RHONJ made my money, you know, bought my house in Montville where we filmed and did everything like that. I had all that way before that. But, you know, they kind of exposed me and I guess the Feds took interest in what was going on. And, you know, I, you know, didn't have citizenship, which was my main mistake, you know what I mean, but the rest was just, you know, it wasn't really, you know, a big thing, you know what, I mean. They made it to be what it was. But, I mean, at the end of the day, it wasn't a big thing, He added: They [the FBI] would not have cared [without RHONJ]. Why would they care about me? I mean, I was in that house for 15 years and they never came to visit me, right? Giudices criminal conviction and subsequent deportation also ended his marriage with ex-wife Teresa also sentenced to 11 months inside. At the time of their conviction, the Justice Department released a statement that made an example of the former couple and highlighted the risks of cheating the government by failing to pay taxes. After being released, Giudice, seen here with ex Teresa in 2016, was deported back to his native Italy in 2019 and has been living in the Bahamas since 2021 - where he is waging a legal campaign to be allowed back into the US. At the time of their conviction, the Justice Department released a statement that made an example of the former couple and highlighted the risks of cheating the government by failing to pay taxes During the spot, an audibly angry Giudice - seen here with his kids a recent snap posted to his Instagram - also complained that he would never have been charged with fraud in the Bahamas or Italy, and claimed murderers get treated better than fraudsters in the US Memories: Teresa and her ex Joe had raised their daughters: Gia, 21, Gabriella, 18, Milania, 16, Audriana 13, in the home, until 2014 when when the couple was convicted and ultimately jailed for bankruptcy fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and failing to pay taxes Fighting for family: 'I would like to be able to see my children again in our home state, be a part of their lives, be physically present when they need me and watch them grow up,' he said; L-R Gabriella Giudice, Gia Giudice, Joe, Milania Giudice, Audriana Giudice Doting dad: Joe shares Gia, 20, Gabriella, 17, Milania, 15, and Audriana, 12, with ex-wife Teresa Amenities: When the reality star filed for divorce in July 2020, she got ownership of their garish mansion - which sits on 3.7 acres and boast amenities including: a gourmet chef's kitchen, an in-ground pool, a Cinderella staircase and a two-story great room; pictured 2020 Now remarried, Teresa resides in a 7-bed, 7.5-bath house for $3.35 million down the road from her old home with her new husband Louis Ruelas New home: On October 7 Teresa and her now- husband moved into their new shared home which boasts 7-bedrooms, 7.5-bathrooms which they purchased in January 2021 for $3.35 million; pictured September 6 Giudice, 51, made the comments on renowned celebrity podcast Behind the Velvet Rope, in an an episode due out tomorrow. The show is presided over by fellow reality TV personality Yontef U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said: The Giudices together deceived financial institutions with patently false loan applications; were dishonest when they sought the protection of the bankruptcy court and hid assets and income from the trustee; and Giuseppe [Joe] Giudice cheated the government by failing to pay taxes on years of significant income. When they pleaded guilty, both admitted swearing to statements they knew were lies. Prison is the appropriate penalty for these serious financial crimes. Despite getting hit with a lengthy sentence, Giudice told the podcast that he still doesnt believe he did much wrong and slammed the US for dumping him like a dog in Italy. He said: I got thrown into a country that I knew nothing about. All right, basically, just dumped there like, like, like, I don't know, like, I guess a dog, you know what I mean. Not even a dog gets dumped like that. And, you know, thank God, Italy took me in and, and basically took care of me. You know, they actually treated me like a person, not like the US. The US treats you like garbage. I mean, they treat their own citizens like garbage. You know what? I mean, it's ridiculous the way they treat people there when you get involved in, you know, certain things like this. An audibly angry Giudice also complained he would never have been charged with fraud in the Bahamas or Italy and claimed murderers get treated better than fraudsters in the US. The dad-of-three continued: I mean, my charges don't even exist here. You know, tax things don't exist in The Bahamas. Tax things don't exist in, in Italy. You know what I mean, you know, you, you just don't go to jail for that stuff. You know what I mean, you get a fine, you get whatever. But, I mean, you don't go to jail. You don't break your you know, they don't break families up in, you know, like they do over there. I mean, they throw people behind bars there for years for that stuff. You know what I mean? And it's ridiculous, you know what I mean? A fine, you know, a slap on a wrist, six months. You know, anything you do as a first offense should be more than a fine, not 15-years, or whatever the hell they give by, you know, for certain things like this, which I've seen them all in there. You know what I mean? Who had 20 years. Who had 30 years. For tax things? You know what I mean? I'm not talking about, you kill somebody. Last week, he also made a surprise return to RHONJ calling Teresa during the reunion show to ask for her thoughts on plastic surgery. Together again: Rachel Fuda, Margaret Josephs, Melissa, Teresa, Jennifer Aydin, Dolores Catania and Danielle Cabral met up for the Irish-themed reunion - the first of the 3-part series kicked with host Andy Cohen This scene. Joe Giudice talking to Andy Cohen just makes me smile :) #RHONJ #RHONJreunion pic.twitter.com/WJHYYWiax1 Bye Wig, Hello Drama (@nosmokenomore) May 26, 2023 Murderers get out before people like do tax frauds in the states. You know what I mean? First time, you should get a slap on a wrist, a fine. All right, take the money away, do whatever you gotta do. But, you know, to break up a family and, you know, destroy their lives over one mistake. I don't think it's fair. Despite being furious over his jail sentence and deportation, Giudice says he hopes to overturn his deportation order and return to the US to be closer to his daughters: Gia, Milania and Gabriella. Last week, he also made a surprise return to RHONJ calling Teresa during the reunion show to ask for her thoughts on plastic surgery. During the call, Giudice revealed he has already had a few girlfriends since relocating to the Bahamas - and insisted he has not watched 'RHONJ' a single time not even while he was in prison. After everyone said their goodbyes - and a well-timed joke from Giudice - reunion show host Andy Cohen hung up and remarked, 'Wow, unexpected. Not so sure about that, but anyway... it was a moment.' The full interview appears in an episode of Behind the Velvet Rope released tomorrow. Rishi Sunak will pledge 1billion to train tens of thousands of extra nurses, midwives, doctors and dentists over the next five years. The Prime Minister hopes the extra funding will help fix the NHS staffing crisis as it battles to meet demand with 112,000 vacancies. Proposals still under discussion include a doubling of medical school places for doctors to 15,000 by 2028/29. As part of the workforce plan, 24,000 nurses and midwives would be trained by 2030, with 2,000 more trainee GPs and thousands more dentists. Doctors and nurses degree apprenticeships will increase, with those enrolled learning on the job. Rishi Sunak will pledge 1billion to train tens of thousands of extra nurses, midwives, doctors and dentists over the next five years However, the Treasury is understood to have resisted calls for the 15-year plan to be fully funded, according to the Sunday Times. It said Jeremy Hunt, who backed calls for a long-term workforce plan before he became Chancellor, has pushed for higher spending, but has faced opposition from Treasury officials over committing billions beyond the next Government spending review in 2025. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has demanded the NHS improve productivity and efficiency in return for the increase in its budget. The plan, which has been repeatedly delayed, is being finalised by Mr Sunak and could be announced by July 5 the 75th anniversary of the founding of the NHS. Mr Hunt has been negotiating the plan directly with Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, the Sunday Times added. The Prime Minister hopes the extra funding will help fix the NHS staffing crisis as it battles to meet demand with 112,000 vacancies (File image) Mr Sunak and senior ministers are believed to be concerned the costs could eat into the Government's ability to cut taxes before the next election. The Treasury has committed only to funding training costs for the next five years, putting the later stages at potential risk. If fully funded, the cost would reach several billions. Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents trusts, said: 'NHS trusts, their leaders, staff, patients and communities will all be disappointed if a fully funded plan isn't published imminently. 'The plan is meant to represent the cavalry arriving over the hill. If not fully funded then there is no guarantee the cavalry is coming.' A Government spokesman said: 'The NHS will publish a long-term workforce plan to recruit and retain more staff. The Government will bring forward this plan shortly but will not comment on speculation.' Racism is endemic in society, affecting trade unions, political parties and the media, Scotland's police chief has said days after branding his own force institutionally racist. Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone, who said institutional racism, sexism and misogyny were problems for Police Scotland, has vowed to crack down on 'canteen culture' and offensive banter. He has now challenged other organisations to examine their own records on discrimination, claiming they 'also have some of these elements'. Sir Iain's shock declaration of institutional racism in policing which he made at a public board meeting of the Scottish Police Authority last month triggered a backlash from rank-and-file officers. One former senior officer has branded Sir Iain a 'coward' for raising the issue shortly before his retirement in August and leaving his successor, who has not yet been chosen, to tackle the fallout. Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone (pictured) has vowed to crack down on 'canteen culture' and offensive banter Bosses at the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), representing rank-and-file officers, have accused him of having 'damaged the reputation' of policing Bosses at the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), representing rank-and-file officers, have accused him of having 'damaged the reputation' of policing. But Sir Iain defended his comments and accused his critics of misinterpreting the remarks, insisting that they were intended as an 'accelerator to make the changes we wish to make'. He sparked controversy on May 25 when he announced a review of Police Scotland had found inst-ances of racism, sexism and homophobia. He said: 'Publicly acknowledging that these institutional issues exist in our organisation is essential to our absolute commitment to championing equality and becoming an anti-racist service.' In an interview with the Sunday Times, Sir Iain said: 'I would also stress it is important not to see this just as a police issue. Policing is reflective of society. 'I genuinely put the challenge out to political parties, the trade unions, private sector trade associations and the media. If they reflect society, then they also have some of these elements'. He added: 'I'm saying this because it is the right thing to do and the right time to do it. It will allow the organisation to go forward.' He has now challenged other organisations to examine their own records on discrimination, claiming they 'also have some of these elements' Police Scotland is under pressure due to an ongoing public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh (pictured), who died after he was restrained by police officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in May 2015 Around 100 campaigners joined a vigil outside Capital House in Edinburgh in November last year as the second stage of the public inquiry into Sheku Bayoh's death resumed Sir Iain, 56, said 'minority staff associations and women within the service' had 'really welcomed' his remarks 'because it then allows progress to be made'. He said he did not want to suggest that Scottish people were racist, only that long-standing historical attitudes, whether based on race, religion or sex, are still embedded in society. He insisted he had made 'a positive statement of recognition, so it should actually act as an accelerator to make the changes we wish to make'. The SPF, representing around 16,600 officers, has attacked Sir Iain directly on its website, accusing him of having 'damaged the reputation' of officers and civilian staff. Its general secretary, David Kennedy, said that 'no matter how much context you gave and qualifications you made, or how you tried to reassure us that you were not labelling individual police officers as racist, sexist, misogynistic or discriminatory, that is how it was interpreted by many within and outwith the service'. Former Police Scotland temporary superintendent Brian Cook said Sir Iain is an 'utter disgrace', and a 'coward who throws his force under a bus and then runs away into cosy retirement'. Ships sailing from Invergordon, Easter Ross, have been told not to use horns It is the traditional farewell given by cruise ships the world over. But now captains have been banned from sounding their horns as they leave a Scottish port after officials received a single noise complaint. Cruise ships sailing from Invergordon, Easter Ross, have been told not to use their horns on leaving the Cromarty Firth. Port officials confirmed the measure has been imposed in the wake of a complaint from a peeved resident. The move has prompted a petition from other locals to reinstate the horns, which last night had been signed by more than 1,000 people. Cruise ships and large vessels traditionally give one prolonged foghorn blast as they leave any port they visit to bid farewell. Ships at Invergordon can no longer blast their horn on departure. It is the traditional farewell given by cruise ships the world over A spokesman for Port of Cromarty Firth said it was doing everything it could to resolve the issue, adding: 'We can confirm that following a complaint from a resident in Cromarty, we have advised the cruise ship masters to refrain from blowing their horns as they leave the Firth. 'As good neighbours we take complaints from our communities seriously and will do everything we can to resolve their issues.' Cromarty local Laura Thompson said hearing ship horns go off has never been a source of irritation for her. She said: 'I don't mind the horn. Lots of people go down and watch the ships leave so I'm sure people enjoy it. 'I heard one the other day that was playing a tune, which was quite funny.' The petition to bring back the horns was started by Toria Anderson. She said: 'It has come to light that an individual in Cromarty complained about cruise liners sounding their horns. 'The port authority have advised all liners to stop sounding their horns. 'Cromarty as a community are appalled by this and very upset. Liners have been passing Cromarty for many years and sounding their horns as a way of communication. Cruise ships sailing from Invergordon, Easter Ross, have been told not to use their horns on leaving the Cromarty Firth (File image) 'Cromarty residents and visitors love seeing the liners pass and the horns sounding. 'On a safety aspect cruise liners alongside other boats need to sound their horns to alert of their passing especially in foggy conditions or in limited visibility. We must make a stand and bring back the horns of the cruise liners. We are entering key tourist time and both tourists and locals love to wave farewell to the liners. 'A blast of the horn has happened for years and is a tradition. Sign the petition and bring back the horns to our community.' Cromarty Firth will welcome record numbers of passengers and ships during the 2023 cruising season, which runs from April to October. More than 125 liners are scheduled to visit, bringing in around 200,000 tourists. The port authority website says: 'The port has been welcoming cruise ships since 1978. We are the closest cruise port to Loch Ness and its famous monster.' Health chiefs have used taxpayers' cash to monitor the social media of the widow of a dead patient, it has emerged. Louise Slorance is leading a campaign to find answers regarding a catalogue of deaths at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH), including that of her late husband Andrew. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) admitted recently it had been monitoring her online activity but has now conceded it hired a contractor to do the job. Last night, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: 'It is utterly obscene that taxpayer money is being spent this way.' Civil servant and father-of-five Mr Slorance, 49, died in 2020 while waiting for cancer treatment at the QEUH. Louise Slorance (pictured) is leading a campaign to find answers regarding a catalogue of deaths at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH), including that of her late husband Andrew Civil servant and father-of-five Mr Slorance (pictured), 49, died in 2020 while waiting for cancer treatment at the QEUH Pictured: The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow, Scotland He had caught Covid in hospital but his wife later found he had also contracted a deadly fungal infection, Aspergillus which may have been linked to poor construction standards at the QEUH. Mrs Slorance, 46, is campaigning for justice for families who lost their loved ones in similar circumstances. She told the Sunday Mail: 'This is disgusting. NHSGGC should be carrying out their role in providing safe and effective care, not monitoring dead patients on social media. It is morally and ethically wrong.' NHSGGC admitted last month it had been conducting 'social listening' around Mrs Slorance's online activity. This involved searches for key words relating to individuals or issues. However, it insists it has not monitored any other patients or their families and has now ceased tracking Mrs Slorance, who only discovered she was a target via a Freedom of Information request. Now it has emerged the tracking was done by a contractor. NHSGGC will not name the company for commercial reasons. He had caught Covid in hospital but his wife later found he had also contracted a deadly fungal infection, Aspergillus which may have been linked to poor construction standards at the QEUH. Mrs Slorance, 46, is campaigning for justice for families who lost their loved ones in similar circumstances (pictured: Louise Slorance with her husband and their three children) Mrs Slorance said: 'This is disgusting. NHSGGC should be carrying out their role in providing safe and effective care, not monitoring dead patients on social media. It is morally and ethically wrong.' Mr Sarwar said: 'The SNP cannot keep enabling this shameful behaviour from the NHSGGC leadership, which has treated grieving families with unimaginable cruelty time and time again. 'The culture of secrecy and cover-up must end now all those involved in this appalling scandal must be sacked.' NHSGGC denied 'spying' on Mrs Slorance. A spokesman said: 'In the same way as other large organisations, and due to the scale of social media interactions with and about NHSGGC, we utilise social listening tools and regularly review the content of traditional media, so we can better understand developing issues as they happen. 'We take our responsibilities in relation to people's privacy very seriously. The information we read about our organisation is only that which has been published and made publicly-available by individual users or authors.' The QEUH is at the centre of a public inquiry into whether construction standards led to the deaths of three child patients and dozens of others who picked up infections while being treated. Scotland's top civil servant has been accused of 'dodging basic questions' about whether Nicola Sturgeon had told him she or her husband were being investigated by police. Permanent Secretary John-Paul Marks was asked if the former First Minister had disclosed that she and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell were subject to a police probe. But he ignored the question for a month before treating it as a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Government officials then claimed not to know the answer. Police Scotland searched Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell's house in April as part of a probe into the SNP's finances. Mr Murrell was arrested and later released pending further investigation. Hours after the arrest, Labour MSP Daniel Johnson wrote to the Permanent Secretary asking if the former SNP leader had informed him of any police investigation. Permanent Secretary John-Paul Marks (pictured) was asked if the former First Minister had disclosed that she and former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell were subject to a police probe Police Scotland searched Ms Sturgeon (left) and Mr Murrell's (right) house in April as part of a probe into the SNP's finances. Mr Murrell was arrested and later released pending further investigation Hours after the arrest, Labour MSP Daniel Johnson (pictured) wrote to the Permanent Secretary asking if the former SNP leader had informed him of any police investigation Chief defends Sturgeon tent By Graham Grant The search of Nicola Sturgeon's home as part of the police fraud probe was 'proportionate and necessary', Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone has said. A security tent was erected on the lawn outside the house, a move that was seen by some SNP figures as excessive and highly damaging as the images were seen around the world and many viewers would normally associate the use of a tent with a murder inquiry. Sir Iain told the Sunday Times he was satisfied the processes put in place during the Operation Branchform probe into SNP finances were 'proportionate and necessary'. Asked if he had approved the decision to erect the tent, Sir Iain said: 'I was aware of it and was supportive of it because I knew the circumstances and the rationale for utilising it, and part of it was to protect rights of individuals.' Advertisement He wrote: 'There is significant public interest in this case which is why transparency is important. 'I would appreciate if you can clarify whether the former First Minister advised you of Police Scotland's interest in either her or her husband, Peter Murrell.' The Government eventually replied a month later and said it was treating his letter as a request for information under FOI laws. On May 5, an official replied: 'In response to your request, the Scottish Government does not have the information requested.' Mr Johnson said: 'This entire debacle is shrouded in the secrecy we have all come to expect from the SNP. The public deserve to know who knew what and when. The Scottish Government must stop dodging basic questions and come clean.' Tory MSP Craig Hoy added: 'It's disappointing but not surprising that John-Paul Marks has avoided questions about the circumstances surrounding the probe into the SNP's finances. 'Shunning scrutiny and saying nothing is the party's default position whenever there are awkward questions and it now appears the civil service is adopting a similar strategy. 'But this is a major criminal investigation, and this approach won't cut it with the police. 'Everyone questioned by Police Scotland has a duty to fully cooperate. 'As Scotland's top civil servant, John-Paul Marks must stop dodging legitimate questions on the issue and be transparent with both the police and the public. 'He must come clean on whether Nicola Sturgeon told him about the police investigation into both herself and her husband.' The Scottish Government said: 'Given there is a live police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment.' A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon added: 'It is not appropriate to comment on a live police investigation.' Twitter's co-founder Jack Dorsey has endorsed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for president - insisting he is the candidate with the best shot at beating Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump. Aired on the social media giant on Sunday, the endorsement was accompanied with a clip of the longshot 2024 candidate - who, like Dorsey, is a fierce advocate of Bitcoin - in which he tore into the two conservatives believed to be the frontrunners. Featuring a chyron that read: 'Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. argues he can beat Trump and DeSantis in 2024', the 21-minute spot over the weekend saw the 69-year-old nephew of JFK repeatedly explain why the duo are not fit for the Oval Office. Instead of Biden - the incumbent thought to be the left's best chance at the White House - Kennedy touted himself as the best bet at a Democratic win, despite being the only candidate with a criminal record, including a felony for possessing heroin. In apparent agreement was ex-Twitter exec Dorsey, 46, who stepped down as CEO in 2021 following a series of controversies including the alleged suppression of tweets during the 2020 election. Scroll down for video: Twitter's co-founder Jack Dorsey has officially endorsed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for president - insisting he is the candidate with the best shot at beating Republicans Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump Twitter's co-founder Jack Dorsey, 46, on Sunday officially endorsed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for president - insisting in the form of a tweet that he is the best candidate to beat Republicans Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump come 2024 The endorsement from the former Twitter CEO was accompanied with a reshared Fox News clip featuring the longshot 2024 candidate - in which he explained why he believes he is a better fit to go up against the GOP than Biden The recent Fox interview saw Kennedy - an outspoken conspiracy theorist with a criminal record - tear into two conservatives believed to be frontrunners in the upcoming race 'He can and will,' wrote Dorsey, in a pointed post that served as a response to the aforementioned assertion seen in the Fox graphic. When commenters weighed in to ask whether he was endorsing or predicting, the billionaire San Francisco resident offered yet another curt reply - simply writing, 'Both.' Within minutes, Dorsey - who in 2019 donated millions to the campaigns of 2020 presidential busts Tulsi Gabbard and Andrew Yang - was hit with perhaps the most pressing matter in regard to a potential Kennedy primary win: that the DNC would never bring another candidate and risk pulling votes away from Biden, 80. 'The DNC would never allow that, are you kidding??' the user wrote - to which Dorset cryptically replied: 'True but they seem to be more irrelevant by the day.' When confronted by another commenter's assertion that 'one politician isn't going to fix [the country's current] situation, Dorsey again offered a somewhat vague, albeit foreboding statement, tweeting just two words: 'None will.' Dosey's unexpected seal of approval came days after Kennedy - an outspoken anti-vaccine who has surfaced as a more moderate alternative to Biden - hit the campaign trail this week for the first time since launching his bid back in April. When commenters weighed in to ask whether he was endorsing or predicting, the billionaire San Francisco resident offered yet another curt reply - simply writing, 'Both.' Within minutes, Dorsey - who in 2019 donated millions to the campaigns of 2020 busts Tulsi Gabbard and Andrew Yang - was hit with perhaps the most pressing matter in regard to a Kennedy win: that the DNC would never bring another candidate in addition to Biden Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (left) kicked off his longshot bid for the White House Wednesday by being honest about his past, as he revealed plans to get big pharma out of the government and create peace in Ukraine. He poses with his wife, actress Cheryl Hines (right) Kennedy rolled out his campaign website that spelled out six priorities including peace, honest government, the environment, reconciliation, civil liberties and revitalization The son of the slain Robert F. Kennedy, the outspoken cryptocurrency advocate once had the reputation of being a serial womanizer and abusing drugs in the wake of his uncle and fathers deaths - culminating in a felony charge of possessing heroin aboard an airline flight to Rapid City in 1984. At the time, John Fitzgerald, one of the more centrist conspiracy theorist's many lawyers, said Kennedy ''was coming to South Dakota for treatment, realizing he had a problem' with drugs. Clean for the past several decades - not including a 2019 arrest for protesting climate change at the U.S. Capitol with celebs such as Jane Fonda, more recently, he's made waves as a prominent anti-vaxxer. 'I told my wife the other day, I said, I've got so many skeletons in my closet that if they could vote, I could be king of the world,' Kennedy told supporters during his nearly two hour-long speech at a hotel in Boston announcing his unexpected bid. In advance of the speech, the Kennedy campaign launched its website, which included six priorities for the Democratic candidate. In a section on 'honest government,' the Democratic hopeful says that special interests are too entrenched with the government agencies that are supposed to monitor them. 'Wall Street controls the SEC. Polluters and extractive industries dominate the EPA and BLM. Pharma controls the CDC, NIH, and FDA. Big Ag controls the USDA. Big Tech has captured the FTC,' Kennedy said. 'No wonder trust in government is at all-time lows. It's time to earn it back.' In order to disentangle these entities, Kennedy - who is married to Curb Your Enthusiasm actress Cheryl Hines - said he would 'protect whistleblowers and prosecute officials who abuse the public trust.' 'We will rein in the lobbyists and slam shut the revolving door that shunts people from government agencies to lucrative positions in the companies they were supposed to regulate, and back again,' the candidate added. Kennedy outlined his idea on how to achieve peace in Ukraine as he rolled out his 2024 campaign website on Wednesday In order to disentangle government entities, Kennedy - who is married to Curb Your Enthusiasm actress Cheryl Hines (seen here) - said he would 'protect whistleblowers and prosecute officials who abuse the public trust' In a section entitled 'peace,' Kennedy laid out what he would do in Ukraine. 'Diplomacy has never really been tried,' Kennedy said. 'We will offer to withdraw our troops and nuclear-capable missiles from Russia's borders.' He argued that would entice Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. 'UN peacekeepers will guarantee peace to the Russian-speaking eastern regions,' he continued. 'We will put an end to this war.' During his address, he said that discussions about the war needed to be more nuanced. 'We can't tell one side that they're Nazis and the other side that they love Putin,' he said. Kennedy said the U.S. government needed to be clear about why we're aiding Ukraine. 'It is not in America's national interest to push Russia closer to China,' Kennedy argued. 'It's not in America's national interest to involve us in something that could lead to a nuclear exchange.' 'We are in Ukraine for the right reasons,' Kennedy also said. 'We are there because of our compassion for the Ukrainian people who've been brutalized, who've been illegally invaded.' But Kennedy questioned the cost of supporting Kyiv. 'We have money for wars and we have money to bail [out] bankers,' he said. 'But what happens to American people who hit hard times?' he mused. Other priorities Kennedy outlined included 'healing the divide' - turning down the hyper-partisanship in the country. In his announcement speech, he spoke of the divisions within his own family - noting how a number of them did not support his presidential bid. Several of his family members have ambassador roles in the current Biden administration. But he said if they can respect one another, there's hope for the broader country. 'No one is deplorable,' his policy platform said - a word once used by Hillary Clinton to characterize supporters of former President Donald Trump. 'Everyone wants their children to be safe. Few relish the thought of dead fetuses, nor do they want to force women to have unwanted babies. Everyone wants safe streets, yet few wish for millions of people to languish in prison,' Kennedy's policy document went on. While Kennedy didn't explicitly back reparations, he said he would help heal the country's racial wounds by implementing a program of 'Targeted Community Repair.' 'In the case of race relations, reconciliation includes repairing the damage caused by centuries of bigotry,' he said. 'Our operating principle is not guilt for the sins of one's ancestors, but rather compassion. We will invoke the authentic desire in all Americans, white and black, liberal and conservative, to improve the condition of our Black and Native brothers and sisters.' Kennedy said he would not 'defund the police,' as some progressive Democrats have pushed for, instead transforming them to have a less adversarial relationship with the public Kennedy said another one of his six priorities is civil liberties - but said he would not 'defund the police.' Instead, he said, 'we will transform the police.' 'We will incentivize them to prevent violence, not make unnecessary arrests,' he said. 'No longer will their relationship to the public be adversarial.' Kennedy, a drug offender himself, also vowed to grant amnesty to nonviolent drug criminals. He also promised to end the 'censorship-industrial complex,' in which he claimed that 'big tech' was deplatforming and censoring Americans the government asked them to. In August, Facebook and Instagram suspended Kennedy's nonprofit from the social media sites, accusing it of spreading medical misinformation. In a section on 'revitalization' Kennedy vowed to 'reverse America's economic decline' and tackle the country's 'widening wealth gap' which he calls 'the most unequal since the 1920s.' He said that his administration would make 'government assistance to the nation's most vulnerable a high priority.' Meanwhile, Dorsey's old empire at Twitter also weighed in on the looming presidential race just last week, when Florida Gov. DeSantis announced his presidential bid on the sites new Twitter Space feature - though it was marred by technical glitches. Trump, meanwhile, was welcomed back to Twitter following a long absence late last year - when the firm was taken over by Dogecoin backer Elon Musk. Kathleen Folbigg has been released from jail and pardoned immediately, the NSW Attorney General Michael Daley has announced. The mother of four has been locked up for killing her children for 20 years, after being convicted in 2003. 'There is reasonable doubt for the guilt of Ms Folbigg for each of those offences,' Mr Daley said, adding that she would be granted a free pardon. This now opens the possibility for Ms Folbigg to apply for compensation now that she has been released from the Grafton prison where she was being held. Greens MP Sue Higginson confirmed Ms Folbigg had been freed from prison and that 'shes walking, shes outside, shes in the sunshine'. 'This is our second Lindy Chamberlain case in Australia,' Higginson said. Folbigg is expected to spend her first night of freedom in two decades with lifelong friend and advocate, Tracey Chapman. Mr Daley said he had recommended Ms Folbigg be pardoned following the inquiry into her convictions, led by Hon Thomas Bathurst AC KC. Mr Daley said Mr Bathurst had reached 'a firm view that there was reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms Folbigg for each of the offences for which she was originally tried. 'The result today is confirmation that our judicial system is capable of delivering justice, and demonstrates that the rule of law is an important underpinning of our democratic system,' he said. Kathleen Folbigg will walk free after spending 20 years in prison for the killing of her four children after being granted a pardon 'I thank the team on the inquiry for the work they have done so far. I also thank Mr Bathurst for the thorough and robust assessment he provided me which helped enable this outcome. REASONS FOR KATHLEEN FOLBIGG'S RELEASE Kathleen Folbigg was released from jail on Monday after receiving a pardon by the NSW Attorney General. The pardon was granted after an inquiry found there was 'reasonable doubt' about her guilt for four convictions. Folbigg was convicted in 2003 for the murder of three of her children and the manslaughter of a fourth child, who all died between 1989 and 1999. Doubt was cast over the convictions by scientific evidence that her two daughters carried a genetic mutation that could cause fatal cardiac problems. An April, 2023 inquiry into her convictions heard credible evidence the four children may have died of natural causes. Under the pardon, her convictions are not quashed, but she will not have to serve the rest of her 30 year sentence. Advertisement 'I thank the previous Attorney General Mark Speakman and the NSW Governor her Excellency the Hon Margaret Beazley, KC, AC, for establishing this inquiry.' The pardon does not mean Folbigg's convictions will automatically be quashed. Supporters have been calling for Ms Folbigg to be immediately released from prison after counsel assisting Bathurst inquiry said earlier this year there was now a reasonable doubt that she had killed her four children. Mr Daley said he extended his sympathy to the childrens father, Craig Folbigg. 'Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not feel sympathy for Kathleen and Craig Folbigg. I am glad that our legal system in NSW contains provisions that allow for the continual pursuit of truth and justice,' he said. Folbigg, 55, was convicted of the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, as well as manslaughter of her first child Caleb, who all died between 1989 and 1999. The mother of four was sentenced to 30 years in jail and was not eligible for parole until 2028, but had consistently maintained her innocence. After exhausting all her avenues of appeal, an inquiry in 2019 reinforced her guilt. A second inquiry was called following lobbying from the scientific community after the discovery of what was described as fresh genetic evidence. The inquiry overseen by retired Supreme Court Justice Tom Bathurst KC was set up to consider the possibility the Folbigg children died of natural causes after a string of medical experts suggested there was a genetic mutation which could have resulted in the deaths of Laura and Sarah. An inquiry into what was described as fresh genetic evidence in the case has now resulted in Kathleen Folbigg (above, prior to sentencing, with then husband Craig and one of her children) New expert medical evidence published in March 2021 cast doubt on Folbigg's guilt after it showed that Sarah and Laura Folbigg carried a genetic mutation - known as CALM2 G114R - which can cause cardiac problems and lead to sudden death. DNA sequencing found that Folbigg and her daughters shared the variants, however Caleb and Patrick did not. The gene produces the calmodulin protein, CALM2, which affects the opening and closing of channels in the heart. In a memorandum outlining his findings, Mr Bathurst said he had reached 'a firm view that there was reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms Folbigg for each of the offences for which she was originally tried.' He found there was 'reasonable possibility that three of the children died of natural causes', and a reasonable possibility Sarah and Lauras deaths were the result of genetic mutation CALM2-G114R. In the case of Ms Folbiggs fourth child, Mr Bathurst found 'the coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) Crown case falls away'. Mr Bathurst said he was 'unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children'. Folbigg was convicted of the murder of her son Patrick (right), as well as manslaughter of her first child Caleb (left) China's security initiative contributes to addressing global challenges: defense minister Xinhua) 13:59, June 05, 2023 SINGAPORE, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The Global Security Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping contributes Chinese wisdom to addressing international security challenges, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu said here Sunday. The initiative calls for common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, Li said in his speech at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue. China has succeeded in blazing a Chinese path to modernization, which has injected a strong driving force into promoting common development, made significant contributions to safeguarding world peace and played a positive role in improving global governance, Li said. He expressed China's willingness to work with all parties to enhance the commitment to an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, promote the sound development of regional security cooperation, and strive to build an open, inclusive, transparent and equitable architecture on regional security cooperation. Li stressed that Taiwan is China's Taiwan and how to resolve the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese to decide, and that it brooks no interference from any external forces. Criticizing Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities for soliciting foreign support for independence and some foreign forces for attempting to contain China with Taiwan, Li said they are the biggest troublemakers trying to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. He warned that if anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a second. "We will fear no opponents and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity regardless of any cost." Li also elaborated on China's position on the South China Sea and China-U.S. relations. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Kathleen Folbigg was released from prison on Monday after spending 20 years behind bars when an inquiry found her children may have died from natural causes. Ms Folbigg, 55, was convicted of three counts of murder and one of manslaughter in 2003 after her babies Patrick, Sarah, Laura and Caleb died in suspicious circumstances between 1989 and 1999. She has always maintained her innocence and Tom Bathurst KC, who was tasked with leading the inquiry, found there was reasonable doubt over her convictions. The decision prompted NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley to pardon Ms Folbigg on Monday with the 55-year-old released from jail. In his report, Mr Bathurst said he held 'a firm view that there was reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms Folbigg for each of the offences for which she was originally tried'. The report said scientific advances showed there was a 'reasonable possibility three of the children died of natural causes' and that Mr Bathurst was 'unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children'. Kathleen Folbigg (pictured) was released from prison after spending 20 years behind bars after an inquiry found her children may have died from natural causes Caleb Folbigg is pictured. His mother Kathleen Folbigg has been cleared of his manslaughter 'In the case of Sarah and Laura Folbigg, there is a reasonable possibility a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R occasioned their deaths,' the findings said. In relation to the death of the fourth child, Mr Bathurst found 'the coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) Crown case falls away'. Key points from inquiry There is a reasonable possibility that three of the children died of natural causes In the case of Sarah and Laura Folbigg, there is a reasonable possibility a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R caused their deaths Tom Bathurst KC was 'unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children' In relation to the death of a fourth child, Mr Bathurst found 'the coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) Crown case falls away' In relation to Ms Folbigg's diary entries, evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them Advertisement The former NSW chief justice also addressed what Ms Folbigg had written in her diary, which had previously been used against her. 'Evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them,' he found. The inquiry in February heard evidence from experts about scientific developments that could potentially prove some of her babies died of natural causes linked to a genetic mutation. This genetic mutation was not discovered by medical scientists until years after the deaths, and would not have been investigated at the time, the inquiry was told. A 2021 scientific report suggested at least the deaths of Laura, who died at 18 months, and her older sister Sarah, who previously died at 10 months, were linked to a rare genetic variant. During the inquiry, medical experts discussed the possibility that Laura and Sarah had the rare genetic mutations CALM2G114R, which is linked to long QT syndrome, a heart-signalling disorder that can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats or arrhythmias. The inquiry was also told the girls' deaths might be linked to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a condition characterised by an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia. Professor Carola Vinuesa told the inquiry that she had contributed research on the rare mutation CALM2G114R and hypothesised that the four Folbigg children most likely died from some form of cardiac arrest that led to unexplained deaths. She told the inquiry that Sarah and Laura had this variant and the Folbigg boys also died from similar issues relating to the sudden unexplained deaths. However, the inquiry did hear from others who dismissed the genetic mutation theory. Cardiovascular genetics expert Dominic Abrams told the inquiry it was 'unlikely' Laura and Sarah died from the mutation and that there was a lack of evidence proving their exact cause of death. 'Whilst a cardiac arrhythmia related to the calmodulin variant cannot be definitely excluded, I believe the likelihood this was responsible for the deaths of Laura and Sarah is low,' he wrote in a report tendered to the inquiry. Patrick Folbigg is pictured. His mother Kathleen has been cleared of murdering him 'There is no compelling evidence to support any environmental triggers as clear factors that may have increased arrhythmia susceptibility.' Dr Matthew Orde told the inquiry he had analysed records of Laura's heart tissue, known as slides, to determine if myocarditis, commonly known as inflammation of the heart, had caused her death. He said the slides he assessed showed clear signs myocarditis was present and was the likely cause of death, but from a forensic pathologist's perspective, he would need to look at the 'big picture'. 'In my experience as a forensic expert, the extent of degree of inflammation in Laura's heart slides creates a very compelling contention for the cause of death,' Dr Orde said. 'All I'm trying to draw attention to is, on the basis on the slides, I see a potential cause of death, but I can't exclude other factors having contributed.' The inquiry was told both Patrick and Caleb most likely did not carry the same variant their sisters shared. Their cause of death was more difficult to determine as neither boy shared any similarities other than their sudden unexplained deaths. An autopsy on Patrick found his cause of death to be an acute asphyxiating event resulting from an epileptic seizure. The inquiry was told Patrick had been taken to hospital on October 18, 1990, after his parents had found him struggling to breathe. Laura Folbigg is pictured. Her mother Kathleen has been freed and pardoned 20 years after she was jailed for murdering three of her children, including Laura Kathleen Folbigg has been freed and pardoned 20 years after she was jailed for murdering three of her babies, including Laura (pictured) The then four-month-old boy was also reportedly blue in colour when he was rushed to hospital. Neurologist and federal independent MP Monique Ryan told the inquiry that Patrick's sudden death could have been linked to a brain injury he suffered during this medical episode. Dr Ryan said it was most likely around October 1990 that Patrick had his first seizure. 'He had an uncontrolled epileptic seizure and more likely than not caused his death,' she told the inquiry. 'Sometimes when babies have seizures they can be relatively subtle, but they (the parents) would recognise the babies were having unusual events even if they didn't recognise them to be a seizure.' However, Dr Ryan said she questioned whether the seizures had brought on a brain injury linked to lack of oxygen that ultimately caused Patrick's death because of how quickly he initially recovered. 'The baby's eyes were open, he appeared awake, but he was less responsive than usual and the fact that he was only responsive to painful stimuli indicates how unresponsive he was,' Dr Ryan said. 'If a baby's had a severe brain injury related to breathing problems for it to be severe enough I would have expected he wouldn't have recovered as quickly as he did.' Patrick had begun to respond to medical attention within 15 minutes of attending hospital on October 18, 1990, the inquiry was told. 'He was behaving more normally, which would be inconsistent with a severe hypoxic brain injury,' Dr Ryan said. 'The kidneys and the heart would show signs of hypoxic brain injury as well. 'The blood tests done initially which were limited were relatively benign. 'He wasn't sent to intensive care, which all argues against an acute severe hypoxic brain injury at that time.' She said while his seizure was a 'fairly significant one', Patrick didn't continue to display typical behaviour for a child with ongoing issues relating to the brain injury. Kathleen Folbigg holds one of her diaries while appearing via video link screened at the New South Wales Coroners Court in Sydney, April 29, 2019 Dr Ryan said this could be the result of a diagnosed genetic disorder scientists hadn't discovered yet. She said another possibility was Patrick's death could be related to 'stroke-like episodes', linked to energy failures within the brain. 'It was pretty clear something happened on the 18th of October which was fairly profound, before that date Patrick Folbigg was felt to be normal,' she said. 'He was not neurologically normal (after October 18) there has to have been some sort of brain injury at or around that time. 'I think it's more likely he had an underlying condition that manifested on that date.' The inquiry heard evidence from medical experts that genetic science was a fairly new field, with discoveries being made every day about new mutations. 'The fact a definitive abnormality wasn't found on Patrick's genetic testing does not to me indicate it wasn't a genetic disorder,' Dr Ryan told the inquiry. 'If he was born today and we did a whole genome sequencing and it was negative, we would just have to wait and see. We'd do it every five years. 'Unfortunately, he died without a definitive diagnosis. Unfortunately, these sorts of things happen.' Dr Ryan said she had patients under her care where she had made a diagnosis 'long after' their deaths. 'It's very often we don't have sufficient timeframes within a baby's life that we have time to make a sufficient diagnosis,' she said. The eldest of the four siblings, Caleb died at 19 days old in Newcastle, NSW. However, the inquiry was unable to determine the cause of his death. The Crown's case in 2003 had relied on circumstantial evidence after the four post-mortems failed to determine what caused the children's deaths. But prosecutors pursued the allegation, which ultimately turned into a conviction, that Ms Folbigg had smothered her four children, including Caleb. The NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley (pictured) welcomed Ms Folbigg's release The NSW Attorney-General welcomed Ms Folbigg's release on Monday. 'The result today is confirmation that our judicial system is capable of delivering justice, and demonstrates that the rule of law is an important underpinning of our democratic system,' Mr Daley said. 'Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not feel sympathy for Kathleen and Craig Folbigg. 'I am glad that our legal system in NSW contains provisions that allow for the continual pursuit of truth and justice.' Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese raised five questions about Brittany Higgins in Question Time just one day Lisa Wilkinson aired her allegations of sexual abuse in Parliament House aired. It has been revealed that Wilkinson name dropped both politicians during an unofficial, five-hour 'pre interview' with Ms Higgins before the Channel Ten show aired the political staffer's bombshell allegations on The Project on February 15, 2021. Ms Higgins boyfriend David Sharaz asked if Ms Wilkinson had any 'friendly MPs' who 'could fire questions at Question Time'. 'Oh, certainly Albo,' Ms Wilkinson said in response, adding: 'Tanya Plibersek, definitely.' Now, footage can be revealed which shows Mr Albanese and Ms Plibersek directing five questions about Ms Higgins' allegations at then-prime minister Scott Morrison during Question Time the day after The Project aired, on February 16. Ms Higgins boyfriend David Sharaz asked if Ms Wilkinson had any 'friendly MPs' who 'could fire questions at Question Time' Mr Albanese asked the first question of the session - as is customary for Opposition Leader - to ask if Mr Morrison would establish an external review into the culture within Parliament House in the wake of Ms Higgins' claims. Six minutes later, Ms Plibersek made the first direct reference to Ms Higgins. She said: 'When and how did the Prime Minister first become aware of the reported sexual assault of Brittany Higgins?' Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House after a night out in 2019. Mr Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence. Mr Morrison fumbled his way through his answer, insisting he became aware of the allegations the morning of The Project's report, and that his office knew of the complaint just days earlier. But Ms Plibersek doubted his claims, noting in a second question that he had contradicted Ms Higgins' version of events, which stated the PM's private secretary was told of the alleged assault in 2019. 'The Prime Minister claimed in his press conference that Ms Higgins's statements were confused. Previously the Prime Minister has said victims of sexual assault should be believed. Why doesn't that apply in this case?' she asked. Lisa Wilkinson name dropped both politicians during an unofficial, five-hour 'pre interview' with Ms Higgins prior to airing the bombshell allegations on The Project on February 15, 2021 Mr Morrison attempted to skirt around the issue by quoting Ms Higgins herself, who had earlier in the day asked for her 'privacy to be respected' as she 'began to emotionally recover'. Ms Higgins' statement said she wished to make no further comment on the allegations. The PM said: 'I will be complying with that request, and we will be seeking to pursue this matter through the mechanisms that I've already announced today and also potentially through the other mechanisms that have been suggested.' In the bombshell audio played by Seven's Spotlight on Sunday night, Wilkinson told Ms Higgins, Mr Sharaz and her producer Angus Llewellyn she is 'a great believer in ''people's time will come'''. Mr Sharaz said in response: 'Is it Linda's time? Please God, let it be Linda's time.' Ms Wilkinson answered: 'Well, it might be.' During Question Time, Mr Albanese probed Mr Morrison on Ms Reynolds' role in parliament, asking if it was 'acceptable that the defence minister was aware that a reported serious crime had been committed in her office but did not inform the Prime Minister or his office'. To that, Mr Morrison said: 'It is not, and it shouldn't happen again.' Mr Albanese asked the first question of the session - as is customary for Opposition Leader - to determine if Mr Morrison would establish an external review into the culture within Parliament House Three minutes later, Mr Albanese was back with another question on the matter, asking if Mr Morrison had 'confidence in his defence minister'. Mr Morrison said: 'Yes, I do. This is a shattering incident, as I've said. It is very serious and we have been taking it very, very seriously, from the moment I became aware. 'I don't think this should be a matter of politics. It should be a matter of keeping people safe in this building.' Mr Albanese's final question on the matter came five minutes later, at 2.29pm. He said: 'How can the defence minister maintain the Prime Minister's confidence when the Prime Minister agrees that the defence minister was aware for two years of a reported serious offence occurring just down the corridor from the Prime Minister's own office which potentially attracts a custodial sentence and did not inform the Prime Minister or his office, according to his own statements?' The then-prime minister said he believed Ms Reynolds had 'acted in good faith' by 'supporting Brittany'. Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House after a night out in 2019 Mr Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence Daily Mail Australia has contacted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's office for comment. Ms Plibersek was asked whether she was approached by Wilkinson or her producer ahead of Question Time on the Seven Network on Monday morning. She denied speaking to the journalists about the matter, but noted she had spoken with Ms Higgins to see how she was coping. Ms Plibersek said that it should come as 'no surprise' that she went to bat for Ms Higgins. 'It is absolutely no surprise that anybody would think that I would follow up on it, an instance like this,' she said. 'For 30 years I have been campaigning for better investigation and better treatment of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and child sexual assault. 'It's been a constant party of my political activism, long before anybody heard of Brittany Higgins. 'I've been doing this for decades now, and it is no surprise that I would be interested in justice being served in a situation like this.' She had nothing further to add when approached by Daily Mail Australia. A Texas woman is dead after her family of five, including her three children, were shot at while leaving their car Sunday evening. The interim police chief in Sunnyvale - about 16 miles east of Dallas - said officers responded to a weapons disturbance call just before 6 p.m. local time. The family had parked in their apartment complex and were followed by two suspects. Once the man, woman and three children got out of their white car, the suspects began shooting. There were visible bullet holes in the windows of the vehicle afterward. The woman got out of the car and ran into her apartment, but was pronounced dead on the scene when authorities arrived. A Texas woman is dead after her family of five, including her three children, were shot at while leaving their car Sunday evening The victims have not yet been identified. The children, all between the ages of eight and ten years old, are expected to survive. The man was taken to a separate hospital from the children. Police were on their way to question him Sunday evening. Interim Chief Bill Vegas of Sunnyvale Police was horrified by the shooting. 'I've been in the business 33 years, and it's never an easy scene to walk up on where five people have been shot... three children is pretty horrific,' he told CBS Dallas. The suspects, according to authorities, are believed to be an adult man and an adult woman. Police also said they believe the suspects were driving a black Toyota Camry. The town police is also working with the neighboring city of Mesquite to share security camera footage in their investigation. When asked if there was a threat to the public, Vegas explained that there were so many unknowns that it was possible the suspects could strike again. The family had parked in their apartment complex and were followed by two suspects. Once the man, woman and three children got out of their white car, the suspects began shooting Investigators are still trying to determine the cause that led to the shooting Interim Chief Bill Vegas of Sunnyvale Police was horrified by the shooting 'I would not say that there is not a threat to the public. We don't know where they are,' Vegas said. 'We do know that they are armed. We do know that they are capable of shooting, so there is a definite threat,' he added. Investigators are still trying to determine the events that led to the shooting. One person was killed and at least four were injured when a car crashed into a group of people on a street corner in lower Manhattan on Sunday evening. The victims, some of whom were said to be migrants, were on the intersection of East 21st Street and Third Avenue when a grey Hyundai plowed into them around 8pm. Police said 26-year-old Mahbub Ali, of Queens, was intoxicated and may have been trying to avoid a cyclist. He was uninjured and handcuffed at the scene. A 23-year-old man died at the scene. He has not yet been named pending notification of his family. A woman, 27, broke her leg, a 21-year-old suffered a cut to his leg and a cyclist, 18, suffered injuries to their leg and back, ABC7 reported. One person was killed and at least four were injured when a car crashed into a group of people on a street corner in lower Manhattan. Pictured is the scene at the intersection East 21st Street and Third Avenue A view looking west along East 21st Street shows the car crashed into the LinkNYC station and facing north on Third Avenue A driver of the vehicle is seen in hand cuffs at the scene of the collision A 25-year-old female passenger in the Hyundai also broke her leg. Two e-bikes were destroyed in the collision. According to a witness some of the victims were migrants staying nearby at the old NYPD academy shelter. George Colli, who heard the crash and rushed to the scene to help, told PIX11 at least some of the victims were migrants. 'This corner is right a block away from the Gramercy Training Academy where they have 300 to 400 immigrants sheltered, and that's not an area that has rooms, it's not a hotel,' he told the station. 'They often hang out on the street corners. This happened right at a LinkNYC Wi-Fi and charging station where many of the immigrants will go to make calls home, video, FaceTiming, and so on,' he said. A witness who heard the crash said a number of the victims on the corner were migrants who has been staying at the Gramercy Training Academy and were using a LinkNYC Wi-Fi station A 25-year-old female passenger of the car was said to have broken a leg in the collision The grey Hyundai Sonata crashed into the LinkNYC internet and charging station some migrants were said by witnesses to have been using One of the women injured was taken away on a stretcher At least one cyclist was injured in the crash on Sunday evening One of the cars appeared to have hit the LinkNYC kiosk that was being used at the time of the crash. Ali was immediately taken into custody after the crash. He has been charged with manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault and driving while intoxicated. Pardoned child killer Kathleen Folbigg has been reunited with her nearest and dearest after being released from jail after 20 years behind bars. Ms Folbigg was driven out of Grafton prison in northern New South Wales on Monday morning to her friend Tracy Chapman's home near Coffs Harbour. The pair hugged tightly, laughing and crying. 'I am so elated, it is not funny. And I am nervous and I am everything,' Ms Folbigg said. 'I'm still like 'is this even happening? Oh my God'. Ms Folbigg, 55, was convicted of three counts of murder and one of manslaughter in 2003 after her babies Patrick, Sarah, Laura and Caleb died in suspicious circumstances between 1989 and 1999. Former accused child serial killer Kathleen Folbigg has tasted freedom for the first time in 20 years Folbigg (pictured) is expected to spend her first night as a free woman with her friend and supporter, Tracey Chapman She has always maintained her innocence and Tom Bathurst KC, who was tasked with leading an inquiry into her case, found there was reasonable doubt over her convictions. The decision prompted NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley to pardon Ms Folbigg on Monday with the 55-year-old released from jail. She has not officially been acquitted. Ms Folbigg said she planned to enjoy a T-bone steak and some fresh pyjamas on her first night of freedom. Footage of her first few moments of freedom also showed her marvelling at being able to use a metal spoon to stir her tea - as she was not allowed one in prison. 'I can't thank everybody enough for all of the support, and all the hard work that has gone into reaching this moment,' Ms Folbigg said. 'I'm beyond happy, it's ridiculous. I'm in shock, so thank you.' Mr Bathurst's report said he held 'a firm view that there was reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms Folbigg for each of the offences for which she was originally tried'. The report said scientific advances showed there was a 'reasonable possibility three of the children died of natural causes' and that Mr Bathurst was 'unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children'. Folbigg was convicted in 2003 of killing Sarah, Laura, Caleb and Patrick over a ten year period 'In the case of Sarah and Laura Folbigg, there is a reasonable possibility a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R occasioned their deaths,' the findings said. In relation to the death of the fourth child, Mr Bathurst found 'the coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) Crown case falls away'. The former NSW chief justice also addressed what Ms Folbigg had written in her diary, which had previously been used against her. 'Evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them,' he found. The inquiry in February heard evidence from experts about scientific developments that could potentially prove some of her babies died of natural causes linked to a genetic mutation. This genetic mutation was not discovered by medical scientists until years after the deaths, and would not have been investigated at the time, the inquiry was told. A 2021 scientific report suggested at least the deaths of Laura, who died at 18 months, and her older sister Sarah, who previously died at 10 months, were linked to a rare genetic variant. During the inquiry, medical experts discussed the possibility that Laura and Sarah had the rare genetic mutations CALM2G114R, which is linked to long QT syndrome, a heart-signalling disorder that can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats or arrhythmias. Kathleen Folbigg is pictured above on her wedding day with Craig, the father of her four children Key points from inquiry There is a reasonable possibility that three of the children died of natural causes In the case of Sarah and Laura Folbigg, there is a reasonable possibility a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R caused their deaths Tom Bathurst KC was 'unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children' In relation to the death of a fourth child, Mr Bathurst found 'the coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) Crown case falls away' In relation to Ms Folbigg's diary entries, evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them Advertisement The inquiry was also told the girls' deaths might be linked to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a condition characterised by an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia. Professor Carola Vinuesa told the inquiry that she had contributed research on the rare mutation CALM2G114R and hypothesised that the four Folbigg children most likely died from some form of cardiac arrest that led to unexplained deaths. She told the inquiry that Sarah and Laura had this variant and the Folbigg boys also died from similar issues relating to the sudden unexplained deaths. However, the inquiry did hear from others who dismissed the genetic mutation theory. Cardiovascular genetics expert Dominic Abrams told the inquiry it was 'unlikely' Laura and Sarah died from the mutation and that there was a lack of evidence proving their exact cause of death. 'Whilst a cardiac arrhythmia related to the calmodulin variant cannot be definitely excluded, I believe the likelihood this was responsible for the deaths of Laura and Sarah is low,' he wrote in a report tendered to the inquiry. 'There is no compelling evidence to support any environmental triggers as clear factors that may have increased arrhythmia susceptibility.' Dr Matthew Orde told the inquiry he had analysed records of Laura's heart tissue, known as slides, to determine if myocarditis, commonly known as inflammation of the heart, had caused her death. He said the slides he assessed showed clear signs myocarditis was present and was the likely cause of death, but from a forensic pathologist's perspective, he would need to look at the 'big picture'. 'In my experience as a forensic expert, the extent of degree of inflammation in Laura's heart slides creates a very compelling contention for the cause of death,' Dr Orde said. 'All I'm trying to draw attention to is, on the basis on the slides, I see a potential cause of death, but I can't exclude other factors having contributed.' The inquiry was told both Patrick and Caleb most likely did not carry the same variant their sisters shared. Letters Kathleen Folbigg (above) is now a free woman thanks to new scientific evidence raising reasonable doubt about her conviction Their cause of death was more difficult to determine as neither boy shared any similarities other than their sudden unexplained deaths. An autopsy on Patrick found his cause of death to be an acute asphyxiating event resulting from an epileptic seizure. The inquiry was told Patrick had been taken to hospital on October 18, 1990, after his parents had found him struggling to breathe. The then four-month-old boy was also reportedly blue in colour when he was rushed to hospital. Neurologist and federal independent MP Monique Ryan told the inquiry that Patrick's sudden death could have been linked to a brain injury he suffered during this medical episode. Dr Ryan said it was most likely around October 1990 that Patrick had his first seizure. 'He had an uncontrolled epileptic seizure and more likely than not caused his death,' she told the inquiry. 'Sometimes when babies have seizures they can be relatively subtle, but they (the parents) would recognise the babies were having unusual events even if they didn't recognise them to be a seizure.' However, Dr Ryan said she questioned whether the seizures had brought on a brain injury linked to lack of oxygen that ultimately caused Patrick's death because of how quickly he initially recovered. 'The baby's eyes were open, he appeared awake, but he was less responsive than usual and the fact that he was only responsive to painful stimuli indicates how unresponsive he was,' Dr Ryan said. Folbigg is pictured with her child Laura KATHLEEN FOLBIGG: TIMELINE OF A KILLER June 14, 1967 - Kathleen Folbigg is born. January 8, 1969 - Folbigg's father, Thomas John Britton, murdered her mother by stabbing her 24 times. Folbigg was made a ward of the state and place into foster care. 1982 - Folbigg left school at the age of 18. 1987 - Folbigg married Craig Folbigg. February 1, 1989 - Caleb Folbigg is born. February 20, 1989 - Folbigg put Caleb to sleep in a room next to her bedroom. She later found him dead in his bed. June 3, 1990 - Patrick Folbigg is born. October 18, 1990 - Kathleen Folbigg put Patrick to bed before Craig woke to sounds of his wife screaming. Patrick was taken to hospital and diagnosed with epliepsy and blindness. February 18, 1991 - Folbigg called her husband at work to tell him Patrick had died, saying: 'It's happened again!' October 14, 1992 - Sarah Folbigg is born. August 29, 1993 - Sarah died. 1996 - The Folbiggs move from Maitland, New South Wales to Singleton in the Hunter Region. August 7, 1997 - Laura Folbigg was born. February 27, 1999 - Laura died. May 21, 2003 - Kathleen Folbigg was found guilty of murder and manslaughter and later sentenced to 40 years in prison. February 17, 2005 - Court reduces her sentence to 30 years with a non-parole period of 25 years. August 22, 2018 - NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman announced there would be an inquiry into Folbigg's convictions. April 29, 2019 - The inquiry begins in Lidcombe, Sydney. Advertisement 'If a baby's had a severe brain injury related to breathing problems for it to be severe enough I would have expected he wouldn't have recovered as quickly as he did.' Patrick had begun to respond to medical attention within 15 minutes of attending hospital on October 18, 1990, the inquiry was told. 'He was behaving more normally, which would be inconsistent with a severe hypoxic brain injury,' Dr Ryan said. 'The kidneys and the heart would show signs of hypoxic brain injury as well. 'The blood tests done initially which were limited were relatively benign. 'He wasn't sent to intensive care, which all argues against an acute severe hypoxic brain injury at that time.' She said while his seizure was a 'fairly significant one', Patrick didn't continue to display typical behaviour for a child with ongoing issues relating to the brain injury. Dr Ryan said this could be the result of a diagnosed genetic disorder scientists hadn't discovered yet. She said another possibility was Patrick's death could be related to 'stroke-like episodes', linked to energy failures within the brain. 'It was pretty clear something happened on the 18th of October which was fairly profound, before that date Patrick Folbigg was felt to be normal,' she said. 'He was not neurologically normal (after October 18) there has to have been some sort of brain injury at or around that time. 'I think it's more likely he had an underlying condition that manifested on that date.' The inquiry heard evidence from medical experts that genetic science was a fairly new field, with discoveries being made every day about new mutations. 'The fact a definitive abnormality wasn't found on Patrick's genetic testing does not to me indicate it wasn't a genetic disorder,' Dr Ryan told the inquiry. 'If he was born today and we did a whole genome sequencing and it was negative, we would just have to wait and see. We'd do it every five years. 'Unfortunately, he died without a definitive diagnosis. Unfortunately, these sorts of things happen.' Dr Ryan said she had patients under her care where she had made a diagnosis 'long after' their deaths. 'It's very often we don't have sufficient timeframes within a baby's life that we have time to make a sufficient diagnosis,' she said. The eldest of the four siblings, Caleb died at 19 days old in Newcastle, NSW. However, the inquiry was unable to determine the cause of his death. The Crown's case in 2003 had relied on circumstantial evidence after the four post-mortems failed to determine what caused the children's deaths. But prosecutors pursued the allegation, which ultimately turned into a conviction, that Ms Folbigg had smothered her four children, including Caleb. The NSW Attorney-General welcomed Ms Folbigg's release on Monday. 'The result today is confirmation that our judicial system is capable of delivering justice, and demonstrates that the rule of law is an important underpinning of our democratic system,' Mr Daley said. 'Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not feel sympathy for Kathleen and Craig Folbigg. 'I am glad that our legal system in NSW contains provisions that allow for the continual pursuit of truth and justice.' A Chicagoan who was arrested earlier this year when he tried to block migrant buses moving into the Windy City has slammed its new $51 million immigrant aid package. Andre Smith, 55, described the situation as a 'mess' and demanded that officials temporarily pause the city's sanctuary status which has led to it being overwhelmed with more than 10,000 migrants since August. 'It's just a mess here,' he told Fox & Friends Weekend on Saturday. 'We have in Chicago $160 million that was spent for the migrants with no records, no plan. And now we're fixing to spend $51 million that was passed at city council with no record, no plan for 500 migrants for 30 days. That's unheard of.' Smith was also in attendance during the heated city hall debate on the issue last week during which police removed members of the public. Andre Smith, 55, who was arrested earlier this year when he tried to block buses of migrants from entering Chicago, has slammed the city's new $51 million immigrant aid package Smith called for Mayor Brandon Johnson, who assumed office last month, to pause the sanctuary city status of Chicago 'Never has it been done before. 500 migrants, $51 million. No plan of execution, so I'm calling for forensic audit,' Smith said. 'I'm calling for a sanctuary hold on this city, I'm calling for the mayor to freeze on what we call a sanctuary disaster.' Smith suggested that some of the money earmarked for the migrant package should be invested in struggling black communities in Chicago. 'When you look at all Memorial Day, we had 53 people shot in the city of Chicago, 11 killed. That's just on Memorial Day weekend. So you can put that money to crime,' he said. The Chicago Police Department said that 53 people were shot in 42 separate incidents between 6 pm on Friday and 11.59pm on Monday, WTTW reported at the time. One person was also fatally stabbed. Smith said his fight against city officials would go on. 'I waited 55 years to get arrested by stopping a bus of migrants to go into a school the taxpayers pay for,' he said. 'The fight will continue. Going to jail or not, we're going to fight,' he added. At least three people, including Smith, were arrested while protesting the Chicago's decision to move migrants into a former Woodlawn school building in February, Block Club Chicago reported. In May, furious residents filed a lawsuit against the city after it announced plans to house illegal immigrants in a disused high school in the South Side. The old South Shore High School was expected to become a temporary holding space for up to 500 migrants, but officials were unable to clarify at the time for how long. More than 10,000 migrants have flooded the city since buses started arriving from the US-Mexico border in August and some have had to resort to sleeping in police stations because of scarce housing options. Officials have pleaded for more financial help but others demanded the money should go to other places neighborhoods. During a dramatic session last Wednesday lawmakers in Chicago voted in favor of a temporary $51 million package to manage the city's escalating migrant crisis. Pictured is an animated man addressing council members The funding, which passed 43-13, is only to last until June and is designed to help Mayor Brandon Johnson adjust to the crisis he inherited from previous mayor, Lori Lightfoot 'We need to allocate some of this money for our black children, for the black community,' a member of the public stated during the meeting last week. The new funding, which passed 43 votes to 13 last week, is only to last until June and designed to help Mayor Brandon Johnson, who assumed office just two weeks ago, navigate a crisis he inherited from the outgoing mayor, Lori Lightfoot. In her final days as mayor, she declared the migrant situation in Chicago a 'state of emergency'. Officials have said they cannot afford to rent hotel rooms for the migrants, who have arrived in the city and with nowhere else to go, started filling police stations. The new money will be spent on staffing, food, transportation and legal services at temporary shelters, in the hopes it will ease the city's crisis. Alderman Jason Ervin, the budget committee chairman, told ABC7 the city is going to have to come up with a plan for the long term, and that the money is primarily intended to give Johnson's administration breathing room. 'There does need to be a greater plan and I do think this was always designed to give the incoming administration time to do that. This is a stop-gap measure, pure and simple,' he said after the proposal passed. Much of the debate on Wednesday afternoon was racially charged and considered black Chicagoans and Hispanic migrants as two separate groups in need. 'We need to allocate some of this money for our black children, for the black community,' shouted one member of the public. However, some speakers encouraged taking a less divisive view. 'We have to help the residents of this big city. It's not an either-or. It's both,' Alderman David Moore for the 17th Ward said. Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward (pictured) was reduced to tears while pleading with people to empathize with the migrants despite feeling that the city was neglecting black communities Jeanette Taylor of the 20th Ward was reduced to tears when she addressed the crowd, which went on to applaud her remarks. 'We fight just to drink out of a damn fountain, but hurt people don't hurt other hurt people,' she said. Chicago Republican Party chairman Steve Boulton criticized the funding outright. 'We don't know where that money is coming from,' he said. 'We are not being told where that money is going to be spent. We are not being told how it is being spent. 'It is irresponsible for the City Council to appropriate what is no more than stop-gap money that will get us through a month or two and then the problem will still be staring at us in the face.' Alderman Maria Hadden of the 49th Ward voted in favor of the extra funding but asked community members to think about black residents too. 'Everybody that is working hard for this, you have to show up for black Chicagoans with the same energy, and that does mean money,' Hadden said during the meeting. Videos and photos in recent weeks have shown hallways in some Chicago precincts lined with mattresses and the personal belongings of migrants Chicago is one of several Democratic-run cities where southern states have bused migrants as the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border grows Videos and photos in recent weeks have shown hallways in some Chicago precincts lined with mattresses and the personal belongings of migrants. Chicago is one of several Democratic-run cities where southern states have bused migrants as the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border grows. Footage posted by photojournalist Rebecca Brannon showed dozens of migrants sitting on and around mattresses in a Chicago police station. Brannon reported many of the migrants had slept and eaten on the floors, which has interfered with the day-to-day police activities. More than 10,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago since August, which is when southern states started to bus asylum seekers north. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent migrants to the Democrat-led cities to help ease the burden on border towns. 'To provide much-needed relief to our overrun border communities, Texas began busing migrants to sanctuary cities such as your 'Welcoming City,' along with Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia, with more to come. 'Until Biden secures the border to stop the inflow of mass migration, Texas will continue this necessary program,' Abbott noted in a letter in May. Migrants have been sent to cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. Migrants have also arrived in Washington, DC, with buses stopping outside the home of Vice President Kamala Harris. A group of special needs students who attend a Las Vegas school were excluded from a yearbook that featured every other pupil at the Nevada technical college. The mother of Samir Azarpir, 22, only noticed something was wrong after she flicked through the entire book and noticed her son's name and photo were completely missing, along with around ten others with learning disabilities. Mariela Azarpira purchased the commemorative yearbook from Northwest Career and Technical Academy but she now feels upset and hurt that her son, who is on the autism spectrum, was left out. Making matters worse, it is Samir's final year in the Clark County School District. Mariela Azarpira, the mother of 22-year-old Samir Azarpira, said a Las Vegas school yearbook excluded a group of special needs students, including her son Mariela, right, discovered the omission when she noticed her son's name, Samir Azarpira together with his photo were missing 'Honestly, it really broke my heart,' Mariela told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'I went page-by-page. Not even one picture. Not even one acknowledgement.' 'They're 22 years old, that's it. They're done with school. [NWCTA] didn't do anything for memory, for me, for us to have,' Mariela said through tears. He had been attending Northwest Career and Technical Academy since October 2021 after his family moved to Las Vegas from the Los Angeles area and had enrolled in a Program Approach to Career Employment, known as PACE. The program is a transition program for young adults with special needs and have already earned an adjusted high school diploma. Mariela describes her son as being a sociable, lovable and cherished youngest son in their family of five children. Mariela describes her son, who is autistic, as being a sociable, lovable and cherished youngest in their family of five children The school in question is Northwest Career & Technical Academy in Las Vegas 'I got his yearbook and they're not even mentioned. It's like they didn't exist,' she told 8NewsNow. 'It's like for them, they didn't matter. It wasn't important for them to be recognized.' The district has owned up to what it is calling an 'oversight' acknowledging that it typically features students in grades nine through twelve. 'The school is reviewing the yearbook layout for future years to consider the addition of members of the school community enrolled in pre or post-graduation programs on campus,' the district wrote. School principal, Laura Willis also apologized to Mariela over email and accepted the responsibility for omitting the select students. 'It is unfortunate that we failed to represent all that they do and bring to our campus,' Willis wrote. 'There are no excuses, just human error. I will ensure that this does not happen in the future. 'I don't want the money back. I want them to include all the children because it's so important. Because if the school includes them, all of the parents are going to learn,' Mariela said. 'They need to be included. They matter too.' Samit had been attending Northwest Career and Technical Academy since October 2021 Mariela describes her son as being a sociable, lovable, and cherished youngest in their family of five children 'Please note we love all of our kids, especially our young adults,' she added. She attempted to reassure Mariela the error would be rectified in future editions and has offered her a $90 refund which she has declined because, in her view, the damage has already been done. 'I don't want the money back. I want them to include all the children because it's so important. Because if the school includes them, all of the parents are going to learn,' Mariela said. 'They need to be included. They matter too.' She is skeptical of the mistake being 'human error' when PACE students had never been included in previous editions of the yearbook. She believes that Northwest Career and Technical Academy, despite being an excellent school, simply failed to fulfill its responsibility in producing an inclusive memento of the school year. 'I got his yearbook and they're not even mentioned. It's like they didn't exist,' Mariela said. 'It's like for them, they didn't matter. It wasn't important for them to be recognized.' Education advocates Lori and Sig Rogich have expressed their outrage at the Clark County School District's 'callous disregard of students with special needs that seems to permeate the district.' They have called for an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, responsible for safeguarding the rights of students under federal disability law. 'The emerging picture is one in which students with special needs were intentionally set aside and hidden,' Lori Rogich said in the statement. 'These students work hard to receive an education and are part of our community. The district's disregard of their existence is just hard to comprehend.' Julie Bishop is 'always the bridesmaid, never the bride', 'no one' wants to sit next to Linda Reynolds, one MP is nicknamed 'Scary Eyes' and Parliament House culture is 'come down to Canberra, have an affair'. These are just some of the snarky remarks made about politicians at a planning meeting with Lisa Wilkinson, Brittany Higgins, David Sharaz and TV producer Angus Llewellyn - two weeks before the political staffer would accuse her ex-colleague Bruce Lehrmann of raping her during an interview on The Project. Mr Lehrmann has continually denied the allegations against him. An audio recording of the conversation documented the meeting at a Sydney hotel on January 27, 2021, where Ms Higgins drank a mimosa and Mr Sharaz a gin and tonic as they discussed the forthcoming episode with Wilkinson and Llewellyn. In one extraordinary moment, Mr Sharaz said he had a 'friend' in Finance Minister Katy Gallagher who could lob questions in Parliament on his behalf - a detail that has never been reported until now. Throughout the conversation, the group could be heard laughing about various federal ministers and senators while sharing salacious details about the inner workings of Parliament House. Brittany Higgins (left) and fiance David Sharaz (right) attended a meeting on January 27, 2021, with Lisa Wilkinson and a producer to discuss the plan of action for Ms Higgins' forthcoming interview on The Project in which she would accuse her ex-colleague Bruce Lehrmann of rape At one stage, Wilkinson said the nation's highest office operated in a such a way that 'allows bad behaviour to go unchecked... which is why there's always affairs going on'. Mr Sharaz chimed in: 'Come down to Canberra, wife's home. Have an affair. Go back home to my family.' Wilkinson then compared Australia's Parliament to American paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, who trafficked young girls for decades - in full view of the world's elite, whose secrets he kept - before eventually being jailed for his crimes. 'It's like Jeffrey Epstein - everyone's got something on everyone else, so no one talks,' she said. Wilkinson's interview with Ms Higgins aired on The Project on February 15, 2021 - little more than two weeks after the recorded meeting - and marked the first time the former media advisor went public with her allegations against Mr Lehrmann. Mr Lehrmann has always denied any wrongdoing. Ms Higgins (right) drank a mimosa as she planned with Mr Sharaz, Ms Wilkinson (left) and the producer Angus Llewellyn what she would say on The Project two weeks later A 'friend' in Katy Gallagher Finance Minister Katy Gallagher knew Mr Sharaz before Ms Higgins aired her rape allegations for the first time. It was previously reported Mr Sharaz gave the senator a heads-up about the impending sexual assault allegations. He did not disclose the details, but told her 'it would be big'. It can now be revealed Mr Sharaz hoped Senator Gallagher would be instrumental in his plan to get more publicity around Ms Higgins' allegations, and create a political disaster ahead of the federal election. During the meeting on January 27, 2021, Mr Sharaz told Ms Wilkinson and network producer Mr Llewellyn: 'The senate recommences in March and that's when I'm going to talk to [Senator Gallagher]. 'I have a friend in Labor, Katy Gallagher on the Labor side, who will probe and continue it going. 'So sitting week, story comes out, they have to answer questions at Question Time, it's a mess for them.' Mr Sharaz then said 'Britt's picked that timeline' so her allegations would impact the federal election. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher (pictured) knew Mr Sharaz before Ms Higgins aired her rape allegations for the first time. Mr Sharaz gave the senator a heads-up about the impending sexual assault allegations; he did not disclose the details, but told her 'it would be big' Senator Gallagher did raise the allegations, as planned, during Senate estimates on February 15, 2021 - the day The Project interview went to air. 'Has anything changed to the way the Department [of Parliamentary Services] responds to incidents at APH since March 2019? And the answer is, there have been no changes to policy. Is that correct?' she asked. In December last year, Senator Gallagher's department signed off on a multimillion-dollar settlement to Ms Higgins over her claim she was not supported by then-defence minister Linda Reynolds, her boss at the time of the alleged assault. A spokesperson for Senator Gallagher previously said: 'The Minister for Finance has no decision-making role in processes around significant legal matters.' Linda Reynolds' birthday, and 'scary eyes' Andrew Hastie Ms Higgins also told Ms Wilkinson and Mr Llewellyn she went to Western Australia with Senator Reynolds and other colleagues in the weeks following her alleged rape in Reynolds' ministerial office in 2019. She went to help with the election campaign, but described her six weeks in Perth as 'hell' - partly because Senator Reynolds allegedly 'didn't want a bar of me, she didn't want to be near me'. Recalling the candidates in the Perth seats of Hasluck, Canning and Swan, Ms Higgins confirmed they were Steve Irons and Ken Wyatt - but she struggled to recall the member for Canning. Ms Higgins said she went to Western Australia with her then-boss Linda Reynolds (pictured) and other colleagues in the weeks following her alleged rape in Reynolds' ministerial office 'Canning was... scary eyes, scary eyes, scary eyes,' she said, trying to remind herself of his name, before she eventually said 'Hastie', referring to Andrew Hastie. Moments later, Mr Sharaz told the group Senator Reynolds' birthday fell within the campaign period. 'Britt told me that when she arrived at dinner for Linda's birthday, there was only one seat available next to Linda and Linda was not happy,' he said. Ms Higgins said: 'It was during the campaign, yeah. So that was in WA.' Wilkinson interjected: 'So even at her own birthday, no one wanted to sit next to her?' Ms Higgins replied: 'Yeah.' Julie Bishop is 'never the bride' Towards the end of the meeting, the conversation turned to how to best publicise and back up Ms Higgins' allegations after the interview went to air. Mr Llewellyn suggested Julia Banks, the member for Chisholm, speak on ABC breakfast, before he briefly floated the idea of Julie Bishop, the former deputy leader of the Liberal Party. 'Julie Bishop's got nothing to gain,' he said, before turning to Wilkinson and asking: 'Do you know Julie?' 'I know Julie well,' she responded. 'Do you think she would speak to the culture in that place, the next day?' he added. Wilkinson went on to say Ms Bishop was 'frustrating' because 'she had so many opportunities to speak out against the culture' of sexism in politics, but had not. She said: 'And for one woman to, what was she, deputy to thirteen different prime ministers over the course of her time in Parliament?' Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) firmly denies raping Ms Higgins in March 2019 Mr Sharaz then made a crack about how she was never the leader of the coalition, saying: 'Always the loyal too - bridesmaid, never the bride'. Wilkinson replied: 'The minute she was out of there [she said], "Oh, it's really sexist." I tried to get her on the record with that so many times when she could've actually affected change, and she wouldn't.' The group then wondered whether Ms Bishop would speak out, or whether she would back Senator Reynolds and Michaelia Cash, for whom Ms Higgins worked after leaving the defence portfolio. 'They're all Perth girls,' Ms Wilkinson said, to which Ms Higgins replied: 'They were never friends.' 'I don't know why, but they never liked each other,' Ms Higgins added. Mr Sharaz said: 'Julie doesn't have any friends.' More gossip The five-hour meeting would invariably swap between mocking different news outlets. News.com.com was labelled 'dinky', as opposed to The Project, which Wilkinson said was 'well-produced'. Mr Sharaz, a former Sky News Australia journalist, said only a parliamentarian 'without media experience' would give a tip to The Canberra Times. 'You don't go to The Canberra Times,' he said. The gossip session ended with a conversation complaining about a Sky News reporter for being a Donald Trump supporter. Little more than two weeks later, The Project aired Ms Higgins' allegations - sparking a tangled political, media and legal saga that continues to this day. His distraught mother has demanded an apology from the NHS health board A mother whose mentally ill son stabbed a dog walker to death ten days after he was released from a psychiatric unit has demanded a public apology from an NHS health board for failing her son and the victim's family. Lewis Stone, 71, was set upon by David Fleet, 20, on the banks of the River Leri in west Wales on February 28, 2019 after the teenager heard 'voices in his head that were going to kill him'. Mr Stone died in hospital three months later. Fleet's mother Sharon Lees told the BBC that prior to the attack, she had struggled to control her son's mental state and that he had become increasingly erratic in the build up to being detained in a psychiatric unit. Following a frightening incident in which he had 'severely self-harmed' in his room, he was placed on anti-psychotic medication, but his mental health still deteriorated. She said: 'He seemed to think that we'd put something on his head to erase his memory. It was like he was seeing things that weren't there. David Fleet, 20, stabbed a man to death after leaving a psychiatric unit 'It was clear that he was in psychosis. He started asking bizarre questions about someone watching us. 'Eventually he said to me that he thought he might have to kill someone because "people are watching us, there was hidden cameras everywhere and nowhere is safe" - that was when I said he had to come with me to hospital. 'We had to prise the knife off him to get him into the car and get him into hospital.' Fleet was detained under the Mental Health Act but was allowed home for visits despite his mother claiming to have warned hospital staff he was looking for knives. After spending four months in the facility as an in-patient, Fleet was sent home to the seaside town of Borth, Ceredigion, to the dismay of his mother who knew she would not be able to control him. Lewis Stone, pictured, was set upon by David Fleet on the banks of the River Leri on February 28 2019 She said: 'I just cried because I just don't know how I'm going to cope... he's over 6ft tall, I can't stop him from going out.' Recalling the dreadful day Fleet's behaviour spiralled, Ms Lees said she 'knew' something awful had happened. She recalled: 'I'm trying to phone him, trying to message him... I looked out of the back window and I could see the air ambulance. 'I just remember having this really sinking feeling. Like I knew.' According to a BBC Wales investigation, a copy of an internal health board report into Fleet's care before the attack revealed that three weeks before the stabbing, a doctor had warned he was not ready to leave hospital because of his 'worsening mental state'. It also referenced the 'risks he posed with knives'. However, he was sent home without his risk assessment being updated. On the day of the incident, Fleet did not receive a dose of his anti-psychotic medication. He would go on to plead guilty to Mr Stone's manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. He was then detained indefinitely at a secure psychiatric unit. The family of Mr Stone have said that there was 'no excuse or forgiveness' for the killer and that 'nothing could be said or done to help them understand or move on from what's happened'. Ms Lees had raised her son David Fleet in the seaside town of Borth, Ceredigion They did concede that 'huge failings in the mental health sector' allowed the 'monster [to be] walking the streets, able to cause such harm'. Under pressure to open an independent mental health homicide review, the Welsh government has since said it is 'satisfied' with the Hywel Dda health board's 'thorough' investigation of the case. The board said it shared its internal report into Fleet's care with the Welsh government but would not publish it as it contains confidential medical information. However, Ms Lees believes more should be done and an apology should be made. She said: 'The feelings of guilt and remorse that David is feeling are incomprehensible. 'It's really important for just not only us, but for Mr Stone's family to have a public apology because of his illness and the lack of care that he received... it only feels justified that he also receives an apology because the health board failed him, which then in turn failed his victim's family.' Mandy Rayani, director of nursing, quality and patient experience for Hywel Dda University Health Board, told MailOnline: 'We are unable to comment upon any individual cases as we have a duty of care and duty of confidentiality to our patients. 'In the event of a serious incident we have robust processes in place for reviewing the incident internally, identifying any issues and, where appropriate, preparing an improvement plan to prevent such an occurrence in the future. 'We regret any such incidents, and always seek to learn from them. We endeavour to engage with those directly impacted whenever there is cause for concern. 'For the most serious incidents we would conduct a clinical review of the incident. Our aim is to identify learning points and to have the relevant information available that will explain what, why and how the incident happened. 'In accordance with national guidelines we will then submit a Serious Incident Report to Welsh Government or National Reportable Incident to the NHS Wales Executive, depending on the policy requirements at the time of the incident.' The parents of dead conwoman Melissa Caddick will be paid nearly $1m in a bid to settle a bitter fight with their daughter's defrauded investors. In the Federal Court on Monday, court-appointed receivers finalised their offer to pay Ted and Barbara Grimley $950,000 to vacate a disputed property in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The multimillion-dollar apartment in Edgecliff has become the flashpoint in the fight over the assets and debts left behind by one of the country's most notorious fraudsters. A coronial inquest last month that Melissa Caddick had died after vanishing from her Dover Heights home in November 2020, but could not determine the means by which she was killed Caddick vanished in November 2020, a day after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission raided her Dover Heights home in connection with her alleged financial scam. She is believed to have stolen at least $23m from more than 50 investors while fraudulently presenting herself as a financial adviser. A coronial inquest found last month that the conwoman had died but it could not determine the date, cause, or location of her death. Caddick left behind a substantial cache of assets, including designer jewellery, luxurious cars, and two multimillion dollar properties with views of the Sydney Harbour. Most have been sold by the receivers to repay wronged investors, but Caddick's parents fought in the Federal Court to retain the Edgecliff apartment after paying more than $1m toward its purchase. Melissa Caddick's parents Barbara and Ted Grimley had tried to retain their Edgecliff apartment (above) On Monday, they agreed to waive their claim to the property in exchange for the hefty sum proposed by the receivers. The funds from the sale of the apartment will then be distributed between Caddick's defrauded investors according to a schedule devised by the receivers. Lawyers for the group of investors and the Grimleys did not oppose the settlement when it was raised in court on May 31. More to come. Kathleen Folbigg may be looking for love as she's pardoned and freed from jail after two decades, with prison letters emerging where she joked she could be a 'danger to men' due to years of pent-up 'lust'. The former convicted child killer, who got her first taste of freedom after walking from Grafton Correctional Centre on Monday, has written extensively from jail about what she would do when released. In one letter, written nine years ago when she believed she was about to walk free, Folbigg wrote it was now 'time ... to find another love or at least a trusted companion for the remaining years I have left. 'To hopefully remind me about LUST and all those glorious feelings that go with it. 'LOL ... I am a woman still, and since having years of delay in that department ... I could be a danger to men and wish to make up for lost time, LOL. 'Time to live a life of my choosing, to experience everything and love life. Kathleen Folbigg tastes freedom for the first time in 20 years - and according to prison latter s she may be looking for new love after her release on a state pardon 'I'm pretty sure I'll still be able to handle that department. Well I hope so. I am quite rusty in that department for sure. 'Know anyone that would fit ... me? They'd have to be pretty special to say the least. My list of requirements are pretty high. I'm sure I'll most likely be way too shy!' Folbigg wrote of her desires to her friend and supporter Tracey Chapman, in one of many letters released by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice during the inquiry which ultimately oversaw her release from jail today. The inquiry by the Hon Justice Tom Bathurst KC found on Monday that there was reasonable doubt about Folbigg's guilt in her 2003 conviction for the murder of three of her children and the manslaughter of one between 1989 and 1999. Letters Kathleen Folbigg (above) wrote from prison reveal she could be a 'danger to men' with years of pent-up 'lust' from being locked up in jail In this letter written nine years ago when Folbigg believed she had a chance at walking out of prison she write that 'it was now 'time ... to find another love. To hopefully remind me about LUST and all those glorious feelings that go with it' Doubt was cast over the convictions by scientific evidence that her two daughters carried a genetic mutation that could cause fatal cardiac problems. The Bathurst inquiry heard credible evidence all her four children may have died of natural causes. Under this week's pardon, Folbigg's convictions were not quashed, but she was spared from serving the rest of her 30 year sentence. The private letters written by Folbigg to her best friend revealed the then-reviled inmate's greatest hopes even during her dark days of incarceration. Folbigg hoped that on leaving prison she could 'enjoy fresh uncaged air, no fences with barb (sic) wire ... choice, liberty to choose interactions with other people. Kathleen Folbigg (above on her wedding day with Craig, the father of her four doomed children)said in a letter that marriage was 'a sham' but after years in jail 'I could be a danger to men and wish to make up for lost time' 'I accept that I'm now always and forever ... known as "that woman" who was jailed for killing her children. I'll never escape that Trace. 'I'm not bitter about that. All I want to do is live and live quietly like I used to or even better than I used to.' In letters written between 2003 when she was first incarcerated up to 2016, Folbigg detailed life in jail, fight with other female inmates, tedious chores and prison routine as well as her hopes and dreams. She described her marriage to the father of her four children who died, Craig Folbigg as 'a sham' and how her diaries had been misconstrued to make her out to be guilty of child murder. Folbigg, 55, was found guilty of murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura - aged from eight months to 19 months - and of the manslaughter of her first-born child, Caleb, who was just 19 days old. Kathleen Folbigg, (above before her 2003 conviction) has since spent two decades behind bars for the deaths of her children Folbigg joked about being 'a jail bird' with the letter, above left, and yearned for a life on the outside and meeting a man with whom she could start a loving relationship Her childhood friend Tracy Chapman - with whom Folbigg is expected to spend her first night on the outside with - was always adamant Folbigg was innocent and believed her correspondence proved it. Many of the 32 letters submitted to the hearing sought to explain troubling passages in her diary at the time of their deaths, which was a key factor in the guilty verdicts. In one letter to Ms Chapman, Folbigg, admitted 'some of my [diary] entries sound atrocious'. Folbigg wrote in 1997 before Laura's death, 'She's a fairly good natured baby Thank goodness, it has saved her from the fate of her siblings. I think she was warned' She told Ms Chapman in a 2005 letter 'I probably exaggerated on my thoughts about them warning her'. 'I still had weird thoughts stuck in my head about any possible reason why she would of left me. I grasped at anything Trace,' she wrote. 'If it wasn't physical, medical, genetic what was it. I thought I was to blame, I blamed myself." Folbigg was also convicted for murdering her son Patrick (pictured left) and the manslaughter death of her firstborn son Caleb (pictured right) Regarding an infamous diary entry that stated 'I am my father's daughter', Folbigg claimed in a letter to Ms Chapman to have mixed up the order of her words Folbigg wrote in the diary that Laura's 'good nature' had 'saved her from the fate of her siblings' and 'I think she was warned'. In a letter to Ms Chapman, Folbigg walked back part of that diary entry Mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group have taken captive a lieutenant colonel from Vladimir Putin's regular forces in the latest example of bitter infighting in Russian ranks. The captured colonel was seen hanging his head in a humiliating video posted by the Wagner group in which he confessed his 'guilt' and admitted to being drunk on duty after allegedly shooting at a Wagner vehicle. This follows claims by the mercenaries that the regular Russian army targeted their ranks with mines, as a clip showed their sappers clearing the explosive devices from a road. Wagner mercenaries have been fighting for Putin in Ukraine and are credited with seizing the embattled city of Bakhmut from Ukrainian armed forces after months of bloody warfare. But its success has seemingly angered regular Russian army commanders. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has launched several verbal tirades at Putin's military leaders. He has accused them of ordering their troops to retreat from their positions and leaving Wagner fighters unprotected on the frontlines. Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin (right) speaks with servicemen during the withdrawal of his forces from Bakhmut and the handover to regular Russian forces Wagner private army mercenaries film themselves de-mining a road which they claim was mined by regular Russian troops as the mercenaries made their way back from the front The Wagner group is fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Vladimir Putin, but the relationship between them and Putin's regular troops is one of mutual hatred The captured soldier identified himself as Roman Venevitin, commander of Russia's 72nd Brigade. READ MORE: Russia claims to have thwarted 'major' attack in Donetsk Advertisement Venevitin, who appeared to have a broken or wounded nose, confessed that he 'opened fire on a Wagner PMC [private military company] vehicle while intoxicated from alcohol'. He did so due to 'personal animosity', he claimed. The shooting damaged a Ural supply truck but did not wound any Wagner soldiers, according to the private army. Venevitin also confessed to leading a group of ten to 12 Russian army soldiers who 'disarmed' a Wagner rapid response group. 'Does personal animosity have any place at all in war?' an angry Wagner commander asked Venevitin. 'No,' the captured colonel replied sheepishly. Wagner has a reputation for battering its own 'traitors' to death with a sledgehammer - but there is no suggestion the Russian colonel will face the same treatment. A summary execution of a high-ranking Russian commander by Wagner forces would cause unprecedented chaos in Moscow's ranks. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has launched several verbal tirades at Putin's military leaders. He has accused them of ordering their troops to retreat from their positions and leaving Wagner fighters unprotected on the frontlines A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut The capture of Venevitin came hours after Wagner mercenaries were forced to clear a road of mines which they claim had been laid by the regular army corps. READ MORE: One Russian was killed for every 48cm of land captured by Vladimir Putin's forces in the siege of Bakhmut Advertisement Prigozhin said hundreds of mines had been laid by the regular army to snare Wagner forces when they pulled out of Bakhmut after securing a rare victory for Putin in the war. 'We discovered about a dozen places where various explosive devices were placed, ranging from hundreds of anti-tank mines to tons of [charges] from Zmey Gorynych self-propelled missiles,' Prigozhin said. 'Those who planted these charges were representatives of the ministry of defence... These [explosive] charges did not need to be stacked in order to hold back the enemy since it is in the rear area. 'It can be assumed that they wanted to meet the advancing units of the Wagner PMC [Private Military Company] with these charges, even though we do not walk in columns.' It highlights the rift inside the Kremlin forces fighting Ukraine, and some analysts see civil war as a possibility in Russia if Putin loses the war. Despite huge losses, and a ban on recruiting prisoners from Russia's penal colonies, Prigozhin is still thought to have up to 60,000 men at his disposal. Wagner is one of several private armies in Russia. Chechen warlord leader Ramzan Kadyrov controls a heavily armed group of his own, and Russian energy giant Gazprom has set up its own private military company. Prince Harry was yesterday accused of wasting court time after missing the first day of his historic case to celebrate his daughter's birthday. When he enters the High Court witness box today, he will become the first senior royal to give evidence in 132 years, swearing an oath to tell the truth beneath his father the Sovereign's coat of arms. But that could have happened yesterday. Instead an exasperated judge rebuked the duke's barrister when it became clear the royal witness was 'unavailable' for the opening day of his own case suing the publisher of the Mirror newspaper. David Sherborne explained that his client was in a 'different category' because of his 'travel and security arrangements'. Those arrangements involved Harry flying from California on Sunday night after celebrating Princess Lilibet of Sussex's second birthday, the court heard. Harry and Meghan attend the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York on May 16 It comes just over a month after Harry attended the Coronation of his father the King on May 6 Harry in witness box for two days The Duke of Sussex will be in the High Court witness box for two days this week twice as long as he spent when he came for the Coronation. He made a flying visit for the momentous day his father King Charles was crowned, spending around 28 hours in Britain before dashing back to California. But the duke seems to have more time to devote to his legal crusade against the Mirror newspapers' publisher. He is expected to spend a full day in the witness box at the High Court today and at least half a day tomorrow. In fact, he could have begun giving his evidence yesterday, but he did not fly to the UK until Sunday evening so that he could help celebrate his two-year-old daughter's birthday. Earlier this year, Harry spent another three days in the High Court watching a preliminary hearing in a separate court battle he is waging against the publisher of the Mail. At the Coronation on May 6, Harry flew in the day before. He sat in the third row at Westminster Abbey, two rows behind his brother William, before hurrying back to Heathrow as soon as the service was over. By the time King Charles and Queen Camilla were waving from the Buckingham Palace balcony, he was already at the airport, on his way back to his Montecito mansion for his son Archie's fourth birthday. Advertisement The Mirror's KC Andrew Green said it was 'absolutely extraordinary' that Harry was 'not available for day one of his trial'. Mr Justice Fancourt said he was 'a little surprised' that Harry was not there, and admonished Mr Sherborne for causing 'timetable chaos'. Prince Harry will finally walk into the High Court's modern annexe the Rolls Building today. He and three others are suing the Mirror group claiming the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People newspaper hacked their phones or conducted other illegal activity, which is denied. Harry, 38, complains that a 2003 article in The People deepened a bitter rift with Prince William revealing the brothers fell out two decades ago over Diana's former butler Paul Burrell. It described an allegedly private disagreement over how to handle Mr Burrell, who had been accused of talking to the media about her private affairs. William was said to have claimed that meeting Mr Burrell was 'the only way to stop him selling more Diana secrets' while Harry thought the former servant would simply use the opportunity to make money. Mr Sherborne said: 'Even at this very early formative stage the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown.' He claimed Harry had been subjected to unlawful activities from when he was a young boy, past the death of his mother, through Sandhurst army training and into young adulthood. He said: 'Nothing was sacrosanct and out of bounds every facet of his life, even the revelations of the ups and downs of his first serious relationship with Chelsy Davy.' But the publisher's KC insisted: 'There is simply no evidence that the Duke of Sussex was ever hacked still less that he was hacked on a habitual basis.' David Sherborne, Harry's barrister, arrives at London's High Court today A court artist's sketch of Harry's barrister David Sherborne (left) at the High Court today A box of paperwork marked 'Duke of Sussex' is brought into the High Court in London today First evidence from a senior royal since 1891 The case will be the first time a senior royal has given evidence in one of His or Her Majesty's courts since 1891. That was the baccarat scandal, when a slander action was brought by a card player accused of cheating at a time when gambling was illegal. Edward VII gave evidence about the game in which he had been a player. His appearance in the witness box left Queen Victoria unamused. The prince also testified in a divorce case in which he was alleged to have been the third party. A century later, a more minor royal, Viscount Linley, son of Princess Margaret, came to court when he sued a newspaper for portraying him as an 'upper-class lager lout'. In 2002, Princess Anne was convicted at Slough Magistrates' Court for letting her dog bite two children. She pleaded guilty, and so did not have to give evidence. The same year, the trial of former butler Paul Burrell collapsed due to the impossibility of calling the Queen as a witness in her own courts. Perhaps the most famous royal court appearance is that of King Charles I, who in January 1649 was convicted of treason and later executed. Advertisement Mr Green said unlike other hacking cases which were supported by phonecall data, Harry's case had 'zilch, zero, nada' similar evidence. He also said it was a 'striking fact' that not even convicted phone hackers Graham Johnson and Dan Evans former Mirror journalists who have given evidence in support of Harry have said that the duke or those close to him were hacked. Mr Green added that the Metropolitan Police had thoroughly investigated the phone hacking scandal and had never suggested to Harry that he was a victim. Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods. Mr Sherborne claimed the duke's phone 'would have been hacked on multiple occasions' along with those of his family, friends and royal aides. He said Harry who is also suing The Sun's publisher and that of the Daily Mail was not pursuing 'a vendetta generally against the UK media' but wanted to use his fame to 'focus attention'. Piers Morgan's Daily Mirror was also hacking Princess Diana's voicemails from Harry when he was a schoolboy, it was claimed. Mr Sherborne said the title's former editor had boasted he heard Diana had secretly comforted TV comic Michael Barrymore, who was in turmoil over addiction and coming out as gay, adding: 'How he heard was obvious the Mirror was listening in to her messages and would have heard private messages from Prince Harry.' Mr Green said this was 'total speculation without any evidential basis whatsoever'. The case is set to last seven weeks, hearing claims by Coronation Street actors Michael Turner and Nikki Sanderson and comedian Paul Whitehouse's ex-wife Fiona Wightman. A distraught mother has pleaded with locals to stop pulling down a memorial to her daughter, who was investigated for 'sexually grooming' before she died in a car crash alongside three teenagers. Alicia Montebello, 31, was killed when her red Toyota Corolla hatchback veered out of control and ploughed into a tree near Bochara in south-west Victoria on May 27. The bodies of local Hamilton teens Meghan Fox, 14, Joshua Elmes, 15, and Lucas Gorzali, 14, were also found in the wreckage. Following the tragedy, the Coles checkout supervisor's mother Debbie Montebello, set up a simple memorial to her daughter at the crash site. But the heartfelt tribute which reads 'In loving memory of Alicia Jade Montebello forever loved. You will always be missed. RIP', has since been torn down. 'STOP STOP PLEASE,' she wrote on a Hamilton residents' Facebook group. Alicia Montebello was charged with stalking and causing damage to the teenager's car in February and was bailed on the condition she didn't contact two teenage girls The mother's Facebook post that pleads with those living in the Hamilton region to stop tearing down a memorial to Alicia Montebello who died in a car crash on Saturday 'I am begging the people of Hamilton to stop trashing our daughter n sister memorial site. Its killing us. 'We know you are all angry at Alicia. But please stop. We are grieving n hurting too.' '...We all lost someone we love.' Debbie said her youngest son, Jaryd, lives in Hamilton and 'goes out every day n talks with his sister' but when he noticed the plaque had been ripped down it left him 'angry and devastated'. The grieving mother's plea for 'peace' was met with general agreement and sympathy. 'I hope people respect this memorial, they aren't doing this to her they are doing this to you and your family who have already suffered more than enough,' one person replied. Another said: 'No matter what they feel towards everything, you all deserve peace.' 'Really doesn't matter who did what. Young lives were lost an people should be able to grieve in peace,' a third added. 'If the mother and brother want to put up memorial for there sister an daughter and the others, let them. Please wake up an stop destroying it.' Alicia had pledged her love for a young teenage girl and posted several pictures of her kissing the youngster Parents told police they feared their teenage daughter - who is not being identified by Daily Mail Australia - was being groomed for sex by Alicia Montebello (pictured) Another girl, Jorja, 17, who was also in the crash alongside her sister Meghan, survived the horror ordeal and remains in hospital in a serious condition after suffering critical upper body injuries. A haunting last picture of Jorja taken just days earlier shows her in the car passenger seat of the Corolla without a seatbelt on as it apparently speeds down the road. The photograph, which appeared as the final image in Ms Montebello's last TikTok video, posted on May 14, seems to have been taken by the driver while driving. Police believe no-one in the car was wearing a seat belt at the time the horror crash, and parents had previously sounded warnings about Ms Montebello's unsafe driving practices. The Adelaide-born woman had twice been banned from driving after she was caught drunk driving an unregistered car and driving while disqualified. Parents also told police they feared their teenage daughter - who is not being identified by Daily Mail Australia - was being groomed for sex by Ms Montebello. Daily Mail Australia revealed a string of online messages from the adult to the teenager almost half her age, telling her: 'I love you...I love you little one.' In another post she added: 'My best friend - I love you little one.' In another message to the teenager after she posted a picture of herself in a party frock, Ms Montebello added: 'Wow u in the blue dress gawjus.' Ms Montebello was charged with stalking and causing damage to a teenager's car in February and was bailed on the condition she didn't contact two teenage girls. But she had bombarded the teenager - who had been in a relationship with one of the teenage boys killed in the crash - with around 30 text messages in late March before turning up at her work. A haunting last picture of Jorja Fox (above) taken just days before the crash shows her in the car passenger seat of the Corolla without a seatbelt on as it apparently speeds down the road The mangled wreck of the Toyota Corolla that claimed the lives of four people with one other taken to hospital in a serious condition On March 31, she posted a video on TikTok telling the teenagers: 'I miss you - best friends forever and always. Love you guys. My world.' In a second video the same day, she posted more pictures and added: 'I promise that I will always be there for you somehow. 'I will make it work. I love you guys xx' She was arrested and charged with breaching her bail conditions when she was caught with the two teenagers in the early hours of the morning in Hamilton in April. Alicia was fined $700 without conviction for willful damage, two counts of stalking, and four counts of contravening bail, reported the Warrnambool Standard. Police are yet to reveal who was behind the wheel of the car at the time of the crash, with detectives hopeful Jorja Fox can help with inquiries when she's well enough. A toddler who was allegedly stabbed to death by his father has been remembered by his family as a 'beautiful boy' who 'loved trucks and diggers'. The body of boy, 3, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was discovered in an apartment in Riverwood, south west Sydney, on Wednesday afternoon. His father, Nathan Vikatos, 45, had serious knife injuries, which police believe were self-inflicted, and was taken to St George Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He has been charged with his son's alleged murder and refused bail. Family members have expressed their shock and horror over the boy's tragic death. Nathan Vikatos, 45, was in another room with serious knife injuries, which police believe were self-inflicted, and was taken to hospital. He has since been charged with his son's murder One relative told The Daily Telegraph: 'What has happened is just tragic... but we don't want it to overshadow what a beautiful boy (he) was.' 'He was always happy...he loved trucks and diggers...we are all heartbroken,' the person commented. Another devastated loved one posted a tribute to the little boy on Facebook page, saying 'you are now an angel in heaven'. They child's mother, Jessica Marett, died in early 2021 shortly after giving birth. The father then moved the pair to the Central Coast and allegedly cut off contact with her side of the family. Elizabeth Risbridger, who babysat the boy, said she was 'broken' after hearing the news. Nathan had made his way to the Riverwood complex owned by his aunt, which is about 100 kilometres from his Blue Mountains home, hours before the alleged stabbing 'He called me Mum...he excelled at speaking and confidence whilst I babysat him,' she said. Ms Risbridger said she 'loved' babysitting the young boy and recounted spending hours at the beach with him and her dog. Relatives of Ms Marett are calling for the boy's body to be buried next to his mother after finding out about his tragic death. Relatives descried his late mother as a 'supportive, affectionate' woman. Around 60 Afghan girls have been poisoned at their school in northern Afghanistan, local police said on Monday. Authorities said the girls were subsequently hospitalised and were recovering in 'good condition'. The poisoning, which targeted the girls' school in the Afghan province of Sar-e Pol, comes after intense scrutiny of female education in the war-torn nation since the Taliban took over. The Taliban have barred most teenage female students from school beyond the sixth grade through to university. Women are also barred from public spaces, including parks, and most forms of employment. This comes after a wave of poison attacks on girls' schools in neighbouring Iran. The girls were subsequently hospitalised and were said to be recovering in 'good condition' (file image of Afghan women in Kabul, 2023) 'Some unknown people entered a girls' ... school in Sancharak District .. and poisoned the classes, when the girls come to classes they got poisoned,' said Den Mohammad Nazari, Sar-e-Pol's police spokesperson. He did not elaborate on which substance was used or who was thought to be behind the incident. Nazari said the girls had been taken to hospital but were in 'good condition.' The police spokesperson also confirmed that no one had yet been arrested. In neighbouring Iran, poisoning incidents at girls' schools sickened an estimated 13,000 mostly female students since November. During Afghanistan's previous foreign-backed government, several poisoning attacks, including suspected gas attacks, on girls' schools had taken place. The Taliban have barred most teenage female students from school beyond the sixth grade through to university (file image of Afghan school girls in 2019) The Taliban administration has prevented most female students from attending high school and university since taking over in 2021, sparking condemnation from international governments and many Afghans. Taliban authorities have kept primary schools open for girls, up until the age of around 12 and say they are in favour of female education under certain conditions. Rishi Sunak is expected to claim progress in his mission to 'stop the boats' today despite rising Tory fury at the state of the asylum system. The PM is giving an 'update' on his vow to curb arrivals with a speech and press conference in Kent. Official figures suggest numbers crossing the Channel have been slightly lower so far this year, although the weather can have a major impact. Nearly 3,800 have been recorded, compared to 4,500 in the equivalent period in 2022. Provisional figures show another 3,800 in April and May, but there were more than 5,000 over those two months last year. Mr Sunak is set to point to deals with Albania and France designed to curb flows, while conceding that more needs to be done to fulfil his pledge - seen as crucial if he is to have any hope of winning the election next year. However, Conservatives are demanding faster action after immigration minister Robert Jenrick was forced to admit yesterday that the vast majority of Albanians arriving illegally had not been returned. He said 'hundreds' had been repatriated since Britain signed an agreement with the eastern European nation in December. But around 12,000 Albanians entered the UK via the Channel last year, up from around 800 in 2021. Rishi Sunak is giving an 'update' on his vow to curb arrivals with a speech and press conference in Kent Official figures suggest numbers crossing the Channel have been slightly lower so far this year, although the weather can have a major impact Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'What the hell is the hold-up?' Sir Iain added: 'Is the Civil Service simply failing to do what it is supposed to have done? 'We need to have a real reason as to why with a full agreement that people are lauding we haven't got into priority mode and literally kicked these people out. 'There needs to be a full explanation from the Home Office as to why this hasn't happened.' Tory former minister John Hayes added: 'The Home Office has done a good job in a deal with Albania, which has meant that the number coming here has fallen sharply. But clearly the ones that are here already, presumably encouraged by fat cat lawyers and dodgy interest groups, are gaming the system to avoid deportation. 'We need to take every step to deport them and any other illegal immigrant in this country.' The Albania deal was cited by Mr Sunak as part of his plan to cut migration. But Mr Jenrick told Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday that only 'hundreds' had been returned from the UK. 'It's relatively early days,' he said. 'Some [Albanians] are being accommodated, some have returned home voluntarily, and some may well have absconded but that's absolutely the reason why we are taking this action.' Earlier this year Mr Sunak committed to paying France almost half a billion pounds as part of a three-year deal to fund a new detention centre on the Continent and hundreds of extra French law enforcement officers in an effort to end the migrant crossings. He also set up a unified Small Boats Operational Command, bringing together the military, Border Force and the National Crime Agency, with more than 700 new staff working on intelligence-gathering on people traffickers and intercepting vessels in the Channel. Robert Jenrick (pictured on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg) said 'hundreds' of Albanians who arrived on small boats have been returned to their homeland since Britain signed a deal with the eastern European nation in December last year Earlier this year Mr Sunak set up a unified Small Boats Operational Command, bringing together the military, Border Force and the National Crime Agency, with more than 700 new staff working on intelligence-gathering on people traffickers and intercepting vessels in the Channel The has picked Kent for his update, the county on the frontline of the migrant crisis. Net migration to the UK was estimated to have reached a record 606,000 in 2022, up 24 per cent from 488,000 in 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics. The backlog in processing asylum cases that Mr Sunak promised to abolish this year stands at more than 150,000 cases after hitting record levels. Mr Jenrick admitted that the asylum system is 'riddled with abuse' and needs 'fundamental' reform during his interviews yesterday. He also defended asking asylum seekers to share hotel rooms as he sought to reduce the burden on taxpayers. He said he did not think it was unreasonable to ask single men to occupy rooms together after a protest by migrants at a hotel in Pimlico, central London, last week. And he vowed to never put the interests of migrants above those of the British public. Mr Jenrick told the BBC that officials asked the asylum seekers in Pimlico to share rooms to save money for the taxpayer where it was legal to do so. He added: 'Anyone who is genuinely destitute would, I think, accept that offer. They had nowhere to stay, we had offered them a safe bed with board and lodgings in a good-quality hotel in central London.' The Home Office is currently using about 400 hotels to house asylum seekers as the backlog to process their claims soars, which is estimated to be costing the taxpayer 5.6million a day. Former Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins has blasted the 'absolutely ridiculous' universal benefits trial that will hand 1,600 a month to people who will not be obliged to work. A group of 30 people are set to take part in England's first ever trial of a universal income scheme, which is being organised and funded by the think tank, Autonomy. Over a period of two years, they will receive the monthly lump sum without any conditions while researchers monitor what effects the cash has on their lives. But hard-working Britons have lashed out at the scheme for the 'unfair system' that they alleged 'encourages people not to go to work'. Mr Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers which he sold in 2021, told MailOnline that he fears the financial burden this would entail for tax payers, if the scheme was implemented by any future British government. Charlie Mullins, (pictured in 2016) founder of Pimlico Plumbers, told MailOnline the scheme was 'absolutely ridiculous' People have been hitting out at the scheme, saying 'hard working doesn't pay' Mr Mullins said: 'They are encouraging people not to go to work and sending out the wrong message. 'There's only so much in the government's pot. That money needs to be replaced, that means people putting it in the pot have got to work harder or pay more tax. 'It's an unfair system.' 'It's a crazy idea. Why are they giving people money for nothing?' READ MORE: Universal income benefits trial will see people rake in cash for doing zilch Advertisement The money will be given to 15 participants in Jarrow, south Tyneside, and 15 in East Finchley, north London. They will be paid 'without a requirement to work or to demonstrate willingness to work'. One critic wrote online: 'Pensioners like me worked all our lives and getting 205 a week. Someone will be getting paid almost double than me. Hard working doesn't pay.' Another said: 'I've worked all my life, 40/50 hours a week and am due to retire. With my state pension AND my small works pension, I will not get anywhere near that amount a month! This is not right but of course, we know why it's being done. Total reliance on the state and all that brings!' One person explained his issue with the scheme, writing online: 'This Universal Basic Income trial - here is where I have a massive problem with it: There will be people, many millions, working 40 hr weeks, with the 'costs' of work, and earning less than UBI. 'But they will still be taxed to fund UBI. That is unfair by EVERY measure.' But other people were intrigued by the scheme, with one saying they were interested to see the results and pointed out it had worked in other countries. Another argued it would result in 'certainly happier people'. Cleo Goodman, Co-Founder of Basic Income Conversation, said: 'No one should ever be facing poverty, having to choose between heating and eating, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. 'Basic income has the potential to simplify the welfare system and tackle poverty in Britain.' Will Stronge, director of research at the think-tank Autonomy which is running the scheme, said the 1,600 figure was a 'substantial' amount. Over a period of two years, participants will receive the monthly lump sum without any conditions while researchers monitor what effects the cash has on their lives Opinions were mixed on the universal basic income pilot scheme He said: 'A guaranteed basic income could be transformative for welfare in this country. 'All the evidence shows that it would directly alleviate poverty and boost millions of people's wellbeing. The potential benefits are just too large to ignore. 'With the decades ahead set to be full of economic shocks due to climate change and new forms of automation, basic income is going to be a crucial part of securing livelihoods in the future.' He earlier told The Guardian: 'Universal basic income usually covers people's basic needs but we want to see what effect this unconditional lump sum has on people's mental and physical health, whether they choose to work or not. 'Our society is going to require some form of basic income in the coming years, given the tumult of climate change, tech disruption and industrial transition that lies ahead. 'This is why building the evidence base and public engagement now is so important, so the ground is well prepared for national implementation.' Costing more than 1.6million to run, the project will also monitor the experiences of a control group who will not be paid anything. Similar studies are under way in countries such as the US, and last summer the Welsh government launched a trial which pays 1,600 per month to more than 500 young adults leaving care. Matt Leach, chief executive of Local Trust said the initiative 'could provide a model for other universal basic income schemes across the country'. He added: 'It demonstrates how a programme like Big Local, which provides resident-led, long-term funding can help communities to identify and start to proactively address their own needs, partnering with others to bring much needed resources into their area.' A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: The Government has no plans to introduce a universal basic income. An Instagram influencer who found fame as the so-called Gatsby of Cambridge has claimed she faked her application to the prestigious university. American Caroline Calloway, 31, went viral in 2015 through her social media posts documenting life through a US lens while studying History of Art at the University of Cambridge. But she had been accused of deceiving fans after claims she paid for followers on Instagram and after failing to properly deliver on a book advance and live events. In 2015, her large Instagram following helped her secure a book deal worth six figures - but just two years later Miss Calloway announced on social media that the book was no longer in the works as she branded its premise 'sexist'. In 2019, she hosted a series of 'creative workshops' which cost $165 per session, but Miss Calloway was likened to notorious Fyre Festival conman Billy McFarland after the expensive workshops she hosted fell short of expectations. Now the self-confessed 'scammer' has even suggested her place at St Edmund's College, where she studied from 2013 until 2016, was gained under false pretences. She said: 'I lied on my application. I forged my transcript when I got in.' A transcript is a record of academic qualifications and achievements. American Caroline Calloway, 31, rocketed to fame through her Instagram posts on social media The social media influencer (left) would put up images online of her life as a Cambridge student Caroline Calloway could be in trouble with the university after admitting faking her application She has since won another 400,000 book deal, with her memoir entitled Scammer about to be released. Miss Calloway's latest admission about how she achieved her university place, which emerged during a Vanity Fair interview, has thrown the college into disarray. While the college was not immediately available for comment to MailOnline, it told university paper Varsity it was looking into Miss Calloway's claim. A spokesman said: 'We cannot comment on individual students, however we take statements like this very seriously.' New York-born Miss Calloway gained a huge Instagram following with her picturesque photos of Cambridge life, which formed part of a blog she began in 2012 about the experience of an American student at the university. 'I feel like I'm in Harry Potter, turning up for dinner in the grand hall in my robes and having beautiful three-course meals,' she told MailOnline when she was a student at St Edmunds College. Ms Calloway's social media posts were coveted by thousands of fans envious of her lifestyle It was claimed that the captions for her Instagram posts had been penned by one of her friends 'I feel like I'm in Harry Potter, turning up for dinner in the grand hall in my robes and having beautiful three-course meals,' she told MailOnline when she was a student. Pictured here wearing one of her staple flower crowns Instagram influencer Caroline Calloway was accused of buying followers to create a fan base for herself to sell her unwritten memoir 'I'm still getting used to which way to lean when they serve you. I can't tell you the amount of times I've had to Google etiquette. What is the 'transcript' Calloway says she forged? An academic transcript is essentially a CV of qualifications but in greater detail. It is also called an academic record or a statement of learning. The Open University says: 'It should list all the modules or subjects you studied in each year, the marks or grades you achieved for each module and the credit value and level of each module. It should be stamped or signed by the registry of your previous institution and be on official letter-headed paper. If you do not have an academic transcript you will need to contact your previous institution to request one. 'A transcript from a professional body will list all the units completed, grades achieved and confirmation of any exemptions. It should be stamped or signed by your previous institution and be on official letter-headed paper.' Advertisement 'Not because I necessarily want to change to be British but more because I don't want to horribly embarrass myself or be rude to the host. 'It's been a steep learning curve but so much fun. 'The British just have so many forks but I love all the history.' In 2015, her large Instagram following helped her secure a book deal worth six figures, with a working title And We Were Like. However, two years later Miss Calloway announced on social media that the book was no longer in the works as she branded its premise 'sexist'. Instead of publishing, she sold the first seven chapters on Etsy, admitting she was in debt of $100,000 to her publisher from the advance she had already been paid. In 2019, she hosted a series of 'creative workshops' which cost $165 per session, but were widely considered a disaster as they promised things that never materialised, such as her staple 'orchid crowns'. The following year, the Guardian reported Miss Calloway had refunded disappointed customers. By October 2019 the demise of her reputation accelerated after a former friend Natalie Beach published an opinion piece in The Cut claiming she was responsible for the influencer's success, and had been the person behind her famous Instagram captions. According to Miss Beach, Miss Calloway told her that she took out 'ads designed to look like posts to promote her account' and 'bought tens of thousands of followers' to build a fan base to sell her unwritten memoir. Jumping for joy, Ms Calloway often appeared to be having the most wonderful time online Ms Calloway's popularity sparked a 400,000 book deal, the result of which entitled Scammer is about to be released New York-born Cambridge University student Caroline Calloway gained a huge Instagram following with her picturesque photos and wistful captions which supported a blog she began writing in 2012 Caroline Calloway pictured outside the Rad Cam at Oxford University holding some flowers Although Miss Calloway defended herself in TV interviews and through her Instagram account, the controversy ultimately caused her to retreat from social media and delete her Instagram posts. However, before wiping her account clean, she revealed in a lengthy post that she had made up most of the money she owed to her publisher through an OnlyFans account. After going dark on Instagram for several years, she revived her account four weeks ago to reveal the cover of her new book, Scammer. She captioned the photo of the book: 'Babe wake up the new manic pixie dream book is dropping mid-May.' Just Stop Oil are in their seventh week of slow march protests in London Members of the public fought back against Just Stop Oil protesters blocking roads with slow marches as tensions boiled over during Monday morning's rush hour. Footage emerged of a furious mother pleading with protesters: 'I need to get my kids to school!' as around 75 eco-zealots slow marched in the capital. 'Four of them I've just left on the f***ing bus,' she said. 'Four of them, and one's four months. You lot are taking the p***.' She added: 'You can [for] 30 seconds let the bus go past. That's all I'm asking, for 30 seconds. This is ridiculous.' But undeterred activists, who are entering their seventh week of slow-march protests in London, refused to get out of the way - prompting drivers to beep their horns. An angry parent shouted at activists that her children were trying to get to school The mother pleaded with Just Stop Oil to move out of the way for 30 seconds to let traffic pass An angry motorcyclist revved his engine and drove through the Just Stop Oil protesters Protesters tried to hold the motorcyclist back but he still managed to get past them The motorcyclist was undeterred and ripped through the activists' sign this morning Other dramatic footage showed frustrated commuters ripping Just Stop Oil banners from protesters' hands as motorists trying to pass blared their horns. Another clip also captured the moment an angry motorcyclist revved his engine and drove through activists blocking the road in Redbridge, east London. The eco demonstrators tried to stop the rider but there was no holding him back, and he ripped through one of the signs held up by activists on the A12 in Gants Hill, near Colchester. Met Police confirmed they were at the slow march in Redbridge, one of numerous locations descended upon by protesters this morning, and quickly cleared the road. Another clip showed an angry motorcyclist shouting 'scumbags' as he drove past. Met Police said this morning: 'Police are at the scene of a slow marching Just Stop Oil #protest in Gants Hill along the #A12. 'Officers imposed Section 12 conditions on those involved at 08.56hrs. Within two minutes the road was cleared.' They also tweeted: 'At 08:03hrs, Monday 5 June, we were notified of Just Stop Oil #protesters walking slowly in the road along the #A13. 'We arrived on scene at 08.19hrs and Section 12 conditions were issued on those involved at 08.20hrs. 'The road was cleared at 08.26hrs.' At 8am, around 75 Just Stop Oil supporters, in four groups, began marching in West, East and South London. One team on Gunnersbury Lane in Chiswick was led by eight doctors Two activists were arrested in Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, south London, shortly after police ordered them to move out of the road. One man ripped banners out of the hands of protesters in frustration as JSO stopped traffic The man walked around pulling banners down as protesters blocked a road Another angry motorcyclist shouted 'scumbags' as he drove past activists The protest group is at various locations this morning, causing chaos with slow marches One of those arrested this morning, Aaron Gunning, spoke to camera: 'I'm Aaron. I'm 24 years old, I just graduated in physics last year. 'I've been arrested here for peacefully marching in the road for about five minutes, before the police swooped in and started grabbing people, arresting me for demanding some level of action on the climate crisis, and now here I am in handcuffs.' Met Police said: 'Section 12 conditions were issued to Just Stop Oil #protesters blocking the road in Kennington Lane. The majority of those involved moved out of the road after conditions were imposed. 'Two people were arrested for failing to comply with the conditions imposed.' It comes as Just Stop Oil supporters started their seventh straight week of marching through central London, having marched six days a week since April 24. They are demanding that the Government halt all licences and consents for new oil, gas and coal projects. Protester Pia Baas, 29, a community worker from London, said: 'I am using my democratic right to protest, slowly marching down the street. I am fulfilling my moral and civic obligations, that is, to resist a Government that is determined to sell away our futures for the profits of billionaires and fossil fuel companies. 'I am terrified of the imminent social and environmental collapses we are hurtling towards. 'This Government chooses to ignore the science, ignore its people and ignore the solutions available. I choose to say No. Not in my name. ' Just Stop Oil protesters slow walking towards Tower Hill in London on Monday There has been mounting fury at protests by the environmental group, as they continue slow walking on major roads in central London to bring traffic to a standstill Police issued a Public Order Act (Section 12) notice in Vauxhall, south London, this morning Just Stop Oil supporters are entering their seventh straight week of marching through central London Yesterday it was revealed that Just Stop Oil activists could be stripped of driving licences under a new crackdown. Judges could be given new powers to suspend motoring rights for those who breach public order laws. The plans come amid mounting fury at protests by the environmental group, including slow walking on major roads to bring traffic to a standstill. It is understood the mooted policy could be used against anyone who breaks public order legislation. However, ministers hope it will be targeted at environmental zealots. A government source said: 'These hypocritical eco zealots would hate to get a taste of their own medicine. 'If their own journeys were kiboshed, they might think twice about disrupting everyone else's lives.' The law has already been changed to enable officers to act 'immediately' to get protesters out of the road or arrest them. EQS-Ad-hoc: EUSOLAG European Solar AG / Key word(s): Bond/Payout EUSOLAG European Solar AG: ISIN: DE000A3MQYU1 / WKN: A3MQYU: Direct and bilateral payment of 6.25% coupon for period 22/23 05-Jun-2023 / 15:47 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Frankfurt, 5th June 2023 - EUSOLAG European Solar AG, a specialist in building a portfolio of photovoltaic plants, announces that the previously announced technical issues with the payment of the bond coupon with Clearstream Banking could not be resolved. Accordingly, Company Management has resolved to execute due coupon payments for the year 22/23 ending on 29th March 2023 due to the bondholders of the EUSOLAG bond with ISIN DE000A3MQYU1 2022/2027 directly, bilaterally and excluding the Clearstream Banking system. Requirements and procedure Bondholders who held the EUSOLAG Bonds on 29th March 2023 are requested to contact the Company at 1) a bank account statement for the bond ISIN: DE000A3MQYU1 as of 29th March 2023, 2) a completed form available on the Company's website ("News" section) as of 12th June 2023, 3) a legally valid copy of an ID copy and/or trade register excerpt identifying the deposit holder. The preparation of a vote without a meeting ( 18 SchVG) announced priorly will be discontinued and not pursued further. This notification has been published on the Company's website and will be published in the German Federal Gazette in the next few days. The Company Management extends gratitude to the bondholders for their understanding and support of the Company. Kontakt: EUSOLAG European Solar AG Alicia Meier Leiterin Investor Relations T +49 69 8700 879 295 E info@eusolag.de EUSOLAG European Solar AG Lurgiallee 14 60439 Frankfurt am Main Deutschland Uber die EUSOLAG European Solar AG Die EUSOLAG European Solar AG ist ein Eigentumer von Photovoltaikparks in ganz Europa mit Hauptsitz in Frankfurt am Main. Das Unternehmen konzentriert sich auf den Aufbau eines attraktiven Portfolios von Photovoltaikparks in ganz Europa. Das Unternehmen agiert als Asset Manager fur institutionelle Investoren im Utility-Scale-Segment uber 50 MWp und einem Kapitalbedarf von uber 30 Mio. EUR. Als Buy-and-Hold-Betreiber strebt das Unternehmen eine stetige Wertsteigerung mit positivem Cash-Flow an. EUSOLAG verfugt uber eine schlanke Managementstruktur, wobei personalintensive Tatigkeiten an Dritte ausgelagert sind, aber von EUSOLAG eng gefuhrt werden. 1995468D GR Equity - EUSOLAG European Solar AG, a specialist in building a portfolio of photovoltaic plants, announces that the previously announced technical issues with the payment of the bond coupon with Clearstream Banking could not be resolved.Accordingly, Company Management has resolved to execute due coupon payments for the year 22/23 ending on 29March 2023 due to the bondholders of the EUSOLAG bond with ISIN DE000A3MQYU1 2022/2027 directly, bilaterally and excluding the Clearstream Banking system.Bondholders who held the EUSOLAG Bonds on 29March 2023 are requested to contact the Company at bonds2305@eusolag.de with:1) a bank account statement for the bond ISIN: DE000A3MQYU1 as of 29March 2023,2) a completed form available on the Company's website ("News" section) as of 12June 2023,3) a legally valid copy of an ID copy and/or trade register excerpt identifying the deposit holder.The preparation of a vote without a meeting ( 18 SchVG) announced priorly will be discontinued and not pursued further.This notification has been published on the Company's website and will be published in the German Federal Gazette in the next few days.The Company Management extends gratitude to the bondholders for their understanding and support of the Company.EUSOLAG European Solar AGLeiterin Investor RelationsT +49 69 8700 879 295EUSOLAG European Solar AGLurgiallee 1460439 Frankfurt am MainDeutschlandDie EUSOLAG European Solar AG ist ein Eigentumer von Photovoltaikparks in ganz Europa mit Hauptsitz in Frankfurt am Main. Das Unternehmen konzentriert sich auf den Aufbau eines attraktiven Portfolios von Photovoltaikparks in ganz Europa. Das Unternehmen agiert als Asset Manager fur institutionelle Investoren im Utility-Scale-Segment uber 50 MWp und einem Kapitalbedarf von uber 30 Mio. EUR. Als Buy-and-Hold-Betreiber strebt das Unternehmen eine stetige Wertsteigerung mit positivem Cash-Flow an. EUSOLAG verfugt uber eine schlanke Managementstruktur, wobei personalintensive Tatigkeiten an Dritte ausgelagert sind, aber von EUSOLAG eng gefuhrt werden. 1995468D GR Equity End of Inside Information 05-Jun-2023 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Neighbours say Betty Richings 'volunteered at local hospital' after she retired A retired policeman is being held over the suspected murder of an elderly woman at a riverside bungalow in Bournemouth. Betty Richings, aged in her 80s, was found dead at their 500,000 home close to the River Stour in Bournemouth. Her husband Grenville, also in his 80s, was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries and remained there yesterday. Neighbours of the retired nurse today paid tribute to the 'lovely lady' - as the murder probe got underway. Tom Allen, 92, who has lived next to Ms Richings for 20 years, said: 'Betty was absolutely lovely, it's an awful shock. 'She was frail and sick the last few years but she was always lovely to talk to. She walked by with a friend just last week. Police were called to the bungalow on Roscrea Drive in Bournemouth (pictured) after concerns were raised for the welfare of a woman in her 80s on Saturday The woman, who lived at the 500,000 property (pictured) in the smart cul-de-sac of Roscrea Drive, was named as Betty Richings Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins, of Dorset Police, said: 'Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the woman who has sadly died'. Pictured: Police at the scene on Sunday 'She was frail and sick the last few years but she was always lovely to talk to. She walked by with a friend just last week. 'She volunteered at the local hospital even after retiring.' A friend living opposite said: 'I didn't see it or hear anything. We were woken up by all the police and ambulances though. I had never seen so many. I can only guess that something major has happened, some accident in the house.' Another woman neighbour said: 'I didn't hear anything and I can't imagine what could have happened. It's a horrible mystery.' Neighbours said the victim was a devout Christian and a regular member of the congregation at the nearby Christchurch Priory. Associate Priest, the Revd Richard Partridge, said today: 'The community at Christchurch Priory is grieved to hear this shocking news and our heartfelt prayers are with all those affected. 'The Priory will be open until 6pm every day if members of the community would like to visit to pray or light a candle.' Police were alerted to the property close to the River Stour at Wick in Dorset, after concerns were raised for the welfare of the woman at approximately 7pm on June 3. The retired policeman, who is also in his 80s, was a member of the former Bournemouth Borough Police Force in the 1960s. Police confirmed that the family of the woman had been informed and specially trained officers are providing support for them. Detective Inspector Mark Jenkins, of Dorset Police, said: 'Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the woman who has sadly died. 'We have launched an investigation to establish the full circumstances of what happened. 'I am keen to hear from anyone locally who may have information that may assist our enquiries. 'There will be an increased police presence in the area over the coming days and officers can be approached by any member of the public with information or concerns.' Dorset Police said 'the man who was arrested in connection with the incident remains in hospital and our enquiries are ongoing. 'No charges have been brought at this stage.' A BBC episode of Casualty which featured a non-binary character discussing top surgery pre-watershed has been slammed by campaigners. The doctor drama series aired an episode on BBC One at 8.20pm on Saturday, where it discussed the gender-affirming breast tissue surgery for transgender people. Campaign group Safe Schools Alliance said it was a 'new low' for the broadcaster, while female rights charity Fair Play for Women questioned whether the BBC had taken its safeguarding responsibilities 'seriously'. However some viewers praised the episode, with one describing it as 'an utterly joyful moment' while another said: 'I think this is a good thing to broadcast.' The episode features the character Sah, who is played by non-binary trans actor Arin Smethurst. Arin Smethurst, a non-binary trans actor, is pictured playing the character Sah during an episode of Casualty which aired on BBC One at 8.20pm on Saturday Milo Clarke (right), who plays Teddy, and Diane Botcher (left), who plays Jan, are both happy for Sah in the episode when they have top surgery booked In it Sah explains to co-star Milo Clarke, who plays Teddy, that they have booked time off work 'because I've finally got the date for my top surgery'. Sah then says: 'I know a double mastectomy is not to be taken lightly,' before explaining: 'For now at least, I'm just happy that I'll finally look like the person I feel like on the inside.' In response the character Jan, who is played by Welsh actress Diane Botcher, says: 'If you're sure that's what you want then I'm pleased for you, really.' Later in the episode Sah is then presented with a surprise cake shaped like breasts. Smethurst previously told the Metro: 'Sah is really interesting for me to play for a number of reasons. I think that I've figured out more about my queer identity than they have when you meet them in the show. 'I am familiar and comfy with my sexuality and I'm uncovering new parts of my gender identity at a rapid pace. 'I am non-binary and also transmasculine, which means that I consider myself to lean more towards masculinity. I'm more boy than anything else, but still not a man.' Reacting to the episode, Safe Schools Alliance slammed the show, calling it a 'new low for the BBC which has continually appeased the ideologues in their organisation rather than engaging with experts who understand child development and safeguarding.' Fair Play for Women posted a screenshot of an FOI sent to the BBC which asks for the names of external groups consulted about including the 'top surgery' in the storyline. The charity added: 'Let's see whether the BBC team took its safeguarding responsibilities seriously.' Teddy, played by Clarke, looks ecstatic for Sah after hearing that they have booked top surgery Sah then says: 'I'm just happy that I'll finally look like the person I feel like on the inside' The BBC doctor drama series received a variety of responses with some in support of the discussion of top surgery and others in disagreement Other people on social media criticised the decision to show the scene before the 9pm watershed when children could be watching the show. One wrote: 'I used to love Casualty, stopped watching a few years ago because it was becoming one big virtue signal on each new trend. Disgusted by this story.' Another said: 'Hi BBC, can you explain why you are showing celebratory scenes with boob cake, the works, on top surgery aka double mastectomy, on @BBCCasualty before 9pm or at anytime come to think of it?' However, others praised Casualty's representation of the LGBTQ+ community and offered their support. One person tweeted: 'Watching Sah on #Casualty getting the date for their top surgery was an utterly joyful moment. @ArinSmethurst continues to be a delight EVERY WEEK. #MoreSahPlease.' Another praised the show by saying: 'I think this is a good thing to broadcast. People fear and hate what they don't understand and even lash out. 'Trans people are not new it's not a fad it's been around as long as humans have. The world is not black and white and this issue goes back to the womb with stages of pregnancy. There are even people born with male and female organs.' The BBC have been contacted for comment. Bruce Lehrmann has savaged former prime minister Scott Morrison, claiming Australia would be in a better place once he left politics for good. Mr Lehrmann, who worked as a political staffer for the Liberal party during Mr Morrison's reign, unleashed on the man he served under during a tell-all interview with 7News Spotlight on Sunday night. He had broken his two-year media silence to give his version of events to the rape allegations levelled against him by former colleague Brittany Higgins. Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by Mr Lehrmann in Parliament House after a night out in 2019. Mr Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence. The program also played a recording days prior to Ms Higgins' February 15, 2021 interview on The Project - when she first aired her rape allegations. During the meeting Lisa Wilkinson name-dropped Labor heavyweights Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek, insisting the pair could raise the issue during Question Time. Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by Mr Lehrmann (pictured) in Parliament House after a night out in 2019. Mr Lehrmann has always maintained his innocence. Mr Lehrmann had remained quiet about the allegations against him, speaking only in a recorded interview with police in 2021 - which was played before the ACT Supreme Court during his criminal trial in October last year. Now, he has responded to a number of direct questions from interviewer Liam Bartlett, including: Did you rape Brittany Higgins? Did you have consensual sex? Did you kiss her? Were you intimate with her at all? To each question, Mr Lehrmann replied 'no'. However, the former policy advisor did take the opportunity to slam Scott Morrison's leadership. 'The sooner Mr Morrison is out of parliament, the better for our country,' he said. When asked about his thoughts on Mr Morrison's formal apology to Brittany Higgins in Parliament in February last year, Mr Lehrmann said: 'That was a disgrace.' The former prime minister's apology was also directed towards other women who had allegedly faced ill-treatment in federal parliament. Speaking to Ms Higgins directly, he said at the time: 'I am sorry to Miss Higgins for the terrible things that took place here. And that what should have been a place for safety and contribution, turned out to be a nightmare.' Bruce Lehrmann has savaged former prime minister Scott Morrison (pictured), claiming Australia would be in a better place once he left politics for good The episode also aired, for the first time, vision of Mr Lehrmann and Ms Higgins arriving at Parliament House moments before she alleges he raped her Ms Higgins boyfriend David Sharaz (pictured together) asked if Ms Wilkinson had any 'friendly MPs' who 'could fire questions at Question Time' Ms Higgins and her boyfriend David Sharaz had a five-hour lunch with Lisa Wilkinson and Channel 10 producer Angus Llewellyn a few days prior to her interview on The Project, where the group could be heard laughing and joking about the inner workings of Parliament House. They also mocked a former colleague's last name, and called Mr Lehrmann a 'predator' - despite the unproven allegations. At one point during the meeting, Mr Sharaz asked Wilkinson if she knew of any 'friendly MPs' who 'could fire questions in Question Time' in parliament. 'Oh, certainly Albo,' Ms Wilkinson said in response, adding: 'Tanya Plibersek, definitely.' Ms Plibersek rejected any assertion that Wilkinson approached her or told her what to ask in Question Time during an interview with Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr on Monday. 'No, not by then, but I was in contact with Brittany to check on her welfare,' the environment minister said. 'I was very worried about her, I was very worried about her indeed.' Lisa Wilkinson name-dropped politicians during an unofficial, five-hour 'pre interview' with Ms Higgins prior to airing the bombshell allegations on The Project on February 15, 2021 Barr continued to press Ms Plibersek, asking whether Ms Higgins approached her to raise the topic in Question Time. 'Nobody tells me what to ask in question time,' she responded. 'I don't recall anything like that. She's a very upset and fragile young woman that I was checking on, that's my involvement here.' Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese did raise five questions about Ms Higgins in Question Time just one day after Lisa Wilkinson aired Ms Higgins' allegations of sexual abuse on The Project on February 15, 2021. Mr Lehrmann was tried in a 12-day hearing in October last year, but a mistrial was declared after a jury member brought banned reading material into the court. Shane Drumgold, the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, dropped the case altogether in December due to concerns over Ms Higgins' mental health. With their hairy feet, colourful choice of attire and diminutive stature, the Hobbits are perhaps the most famous inhabitants of Middle Earth. JRR Tolkien's creations - and their distinctively English homeland of The Shire - have brought joy to millions since they first appeared in his 1937 work The Hobbit. Now, newly unearthed letters which the author sent to a female fan have revealed his deep connection with the characters, to the extent that he felt like one of the 'men so little'. In one, written in June 1955, a year after the publication of the first instalment of sequel The Lord of the Rings, he admitted to feeling 'alarm' at the prospect of 'hardship or deprivation of familiar foods (and tobacco)', adding: 'This sounds a fair description of a hobbit!' In the same letter, written to a Miss F.L. Perry, he confessed that the Lord of the Rings was 'laborious' to write and likened it to 'walking uphill in heavy boots against a strong wind with the light failing'. The letter is one of four to the same fan which have come up for sale in New York, where they are collectively expected to sell for nearly 40,000 ($47,000). With their hairy feet, colourful choice of attire and diminutive stature, the Hobbits are perhaps the most famous inhabitants of Middle Earth. Now, a letter sent by JRR Tolkien (left) to a female fan has revealed how he said he felt like one of his diminutive creations. Right: Ian Holm portraying Bilbo Baggins in 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The correspondence began with Tolkien's description of a visit to London bookseller J & E Bumpus Ltd. He called John Gideon Wilson, the firm's chief, 'one of my major supporters, who has done more than any other one person to promote sales.' Tolkien then went on to liken himself to a Hobbit, saying: 'Alas, I love men so little en masse that my own desire is for empty countries, though being far more timid and unadventurous than my desires, I do not really face the prospect of hardship or deprivation of familiar foods (and tobacco) with anything but alarm. 'This sounds a fair description of a hobbit! But I cannot claim to be one, since I have no confidence at all that I should prove "tough at/or in a pinch". Responding to Miss Perry's note that his writing 'gave the effect of ease', Tolkien then admitted that his most famous work was very hard to write. He said: '...the whole work was so laborious, and so often (at all points) rewritten: the actual sensation in process of composition, except for a few passages, was more like walking uphill in heavy boots against a strong wind with the light failing!" In one, written in June 1955 a year after the publication of sequel The Lord of the Rings, he admitted to feeling 'alarm' at the prospect of 'hardship or deprivation of familiar foods (and tobacco)', adding: 'This sounds a fair description of a hobbit!'. The correspondence began with Tolkien's description of a visit to London bookseller J & E Bumpus Ltd Tolkien then went on to liken himself to a Hobbit, saying: 'Alas, I love men so little en masse that my own desire is for empty countries, though being far more timid and unadventurous than my desires, I do not really face the prospect of hardship or deprivation of familiar foods (and tobacco) with anything but alarm. 'This sounds a fair description of a hobbit! But I cannot claim to be one, since I have no confidence at all that I should prove "tough at/or in a pinch"' The letter is tipped to sell for up to $15,000 (12,000). Miss Perry initially wrote to Tolkien nearly two years before the publication of the The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of the Lord of the Ring's three parts. In his reply to her, dated December 2, 1953, Tolkien explained a delay in publication, saying that an illness he had suffered had stopped him from completing the book's maps and adjuncts. Expressing his ultimately unfounded fears for the work and explaining some its settings, he added: 'Alas! Having put so much into this sequel, it has grown to such a large book that size and cost alone will, I fear, keep it out of many hands that would enjoy it. 'But I hear the Americans are taking it up, after seeing an advance copy of Vol. I, and I am told that may make a larger issue and a lower price possible on the side of the Water ... There is no more about Mirkwood, or the Northern countries, I am afraid; and the story moves away down the Great River to the Kingdoms of the South. Miss Perry initially wrote to Tolkien nearly two years before the publication of the Lord of the Rings. In his reply to her, dated December 2, 1953, Tolkien explained a delay in publication, saying that an illness he had suffered had stopped him from completing the book's maps and adjuncts Responding to her again in September 1954, Tolkien noted some of the less favourable reviews of the novel's first installment, the Fellowship of the Ring 'But there is a great deal of Ancient History and geography and genealogy in it: too much, I dare say, for all but the most devoted friends of Hobbits.' The 1953 letter is expected to sell for up to $8,000 (6,450). Responding to her again in September 1954, Tolkien noted some of the less favourable reviews of the novel's first installment, the Fellowship of the Ring. He also mentioned a positive write-up by his friend and fellow author CS Lewis, whose own Chronicles of Narnia series were published between 1950 and 1956. 'However, I cannot complain, as I have had some write-ups (which even my vanity suspects of being too good) of remarkable appreciation (and length): chief the "essay" in Time and Tide by C.S. Lewis (not C. Day Lewis!), but others as widely distributed as the New Statesman, Truth, and Country Life,' he wrote. He concluded the letter by telling Miss Perry how he felt as though he had not invented his works. 'I do not think you can possibly have any inkling of what you are in for, as at the point you have reached, I had none myself,' he said. 'The whole process was far more like deciphering the pages (disordered) of a history, and of finding out what was there and did happen, than of "invention." 'Of that I had no experience except in parts discarded as wrong.' The letter is expected to sell for up to $12,000 (9,680). The final letter in the sale was sent by Tolkien in November 1954. The final letter in the sale was sent by Tolkien to Ms Perry in November 1954 Ian Holm and Ian McKellen are seen starring as Bilbo Baggins and the wizard Gandalf in 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring He admitted that he had been 'anxious' about various points in the plot, including 'the return of Gandalf; and generally: whether my friends would feel a falling off on a failure of their expectations; or feel they had had enough after the novelty wore off, and perhaps regret the decrease in hobbitry and elvishness: as the darkness increase and war and terror come out of the East.' Tolkien went on to express his love for an Old English poem about the 10th-century Battle of Maldon, in which an Anglo-Saxon army failed to repel Viking raiders. He said the poem was '...really on the theme which has always engrossed me and is the foundation of The Lord of the Rings: the noble and the ignoble. 'For hobbitry, you have the plain farmer-soldiers; for the chivalry, a young minstrel or poet.' The letter could sell for up to $12,000 (9,688). The other Tolkien-related objects in the sale at Bonhams in New York on June 22 include a signed set of first editions of the three parts of The Lord of the Rings. They could sell for up to $15,000 (12,110) The sale of the four letters is taking place at Bonhams in New York on June 22. Royal Navy and US Navy ships chased away a group of Iranian military fast-boats that were 'harassing' a merchant vessel in the Persian Gulf, the US Navy has revealed. Three fast-attack boats, crewed by armed troops of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, approached the merchant ship as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday afternoon. The US Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul and the Royal Navy's frigate HMS Lancaster responded to the incident, with the Lancaster launching a helicopter to dissuade the Iranian boats from making any attempt to board the commercial ship. The navy released a pair of images taken by a Boeing P-8 Poseidon - a reconnaissance aircraft which flew over the region to provide further intel - showing a trio of small ships in hot pursuit of the merchant vessel. The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, sees 20% of the world's oil pass through it and is one of the world's most strategically important choke points. While the Navy did not identify the vessel involved, ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analysed by The Associated Press showed the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venture erratically changed course as it travelled through the strait at the time of the incident. Its location also matched information about the incident given by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military operation overseeing traffic in the region. The British frigate HMS Lancaster is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz. The Lancaster launched a helicopter to pursue the Iranian fast boats and discourage them from making any attempt to board the merchant ship Iranian fast boats are seen coming within metres of the merchant vessel before they were chased away by UK and US Navy ships This still image taken from surveillance video from a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon shows three Iranian Revolutionary Guard fast-attack vessels near a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz Sunday, June 4, 2023 'The situation de-escalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene,' the Navy said. 'The merchant ship continued transiting the Strait of Hormuz without further incident.' The ship's registered manager, Trust Bulkers of Athens, Greece, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. There have been a series of maritime incidents involving Iran since the US unilaterally withdrew from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018. The suspected American seizure of the Suez Rajan, a tanker linked to a US private equity firm believed to have been carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil off Singapore, likely sparked Tehran to recently take the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Advantage Sweet. That ship carried Kuwaiti crude oil for energy firm Chevron. of San Ramon, California. While authorities have not acknowledged the Suez Rajan's seizure, the vessel is now off the coast of Galveston, Texas, according to ship-tracking data analysed by the AP. Meanwhile, Iran separately seized the Niovi, a Panama-flagged tanker, as it left a dry dock in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, bound for Fujairah on the UAE's eastern coast. While not carrying any cargo, data from S&P Global Market Intelligence seen by the AP showed the Niovi in July 2020 received oil from a ship known then as the Oman Pride. In August 2021, the US Treasury sanctioned the Oman Pride and others associated with the vessel over it being 'involved in an international oil smuggling network' that supported the Quds Force, the expeditionary unit of the Guard that operates across the Middle East. Purported emails published online by Wikiran, a website that solicits leaked documents from the Islamic Republic, suggest that cargo carried by the Niovi was sold on to firms in China without permission. Satellite images analysed by the AP show those two vessels anchored off Bandar Abbas, Iran. Jeremy Corbyn was forced into an embarrassing climb down today after posing for a selfie with a Norwegian far-fight Holocaust denier. The former Labour leader was pictured with Hans Jrgen Lysglimt Johansen in Oslo, where he was speaking at an event in support of Julian Assange. Mr Johansen, leader of the fringe Alliance - Alternative for Norway party, was investigated by police in 2018 after accusing Jews of pushing a 'false Holocaust narrative'. Last week he attacked Norway's membership of Nato after the arrival of a massive US aircraft carrier off the country, saying: 'USA/NATO/ZOG (Zionist Occupationist Government) is now the biggest security risk for Norway.' Mr Corbyn was bombarded with comments on Twitter after Mr Johansen posted the picture online. He replied to one, saying: 'I am approached for selfies on a daily basis from strangers. I had no idea who know who this individual was. Naturally, I condemn his abhorrent politics in the strongest possible terms.' Ian Austin, the Jewish former Labour MP, said: 'Poor Jeremy. The unluckiest anti-racist in history.' The former Labour leader was pictured with Hans Jrgen Lysglimt Johansen in Oslo, where he was speaking at an event in support of Julian Assange. Mr Corbyn was bombarded with comments on Twitter after Mr Johansen posted the picture online. He replied to one, saying: 'I am approached for selfies on a daily basis from strangers. I had no idea who know who this individual was.' Mr Corbyn speaking at an event in support of Julian Assange in Oslo Last week Mr Johansen attacked Norway's membership of Nato after the arrival of a massive US aircraft carrier off the country, saying: 'USA/NATO/ZOG (Zionist Occupationist Government) is now the biggest security risk for Norway.' Last October Mr Johansen congratulated Vladimir Putin on his 70th birthday, suggesting Russia and Norway 'join forces to stop the madness of the west (sic)'. Mr Corbyn has previously attacked the UK for sending arms to Ukraine to fight off Putin's invading forces. He has advocated for an immediate truce, which critics say would allow Russia to cement its positions in occupied territory at a time when it is struggling. Today Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Ukrainian forces had retaken part of the settlement of Berkhivka, north of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, calling it a 'disgrace'. Prigozhin's private Wagner army captured Bakhmut last month after the longest battle of the war and handed its positions there to regular Russian troops. Keir Starmer is embroiled in a bitter row with one of his most high-profile rivals today over an attempt to block a Corbynista from running for election. Former minister Andy Burnham blasted a decision by Labour HQ to prevent Jamie Driscoll from running to be regional mayor of the North East. Mr Burnham, who is now mayor of Greater Manchester, said the decision was 'anti-democratic, a position echoed by another northern mayor, Liverpool City Region's Steve Rotheram. But their intervention prompted a savage clapback from supporters of the Labour leader, who are suspicious that Mr Burnham wants to return to top level politics and lead the party himself. Mr Driscoll, the serving North of Tyne mayor who is described as the 'last Corbynista in power', was excluded from the longlist to run in the new expanded authority. A senior Labour source linked the decision to Mr Driscoll sharing a panel with filmmaker Ken Loach, who was expelled from the party amid efforts to root out anti-Semitism. A source told Politico: 'Andy is fishing in the swamp for votes. The problem for him is, we've drained it.' Former minister Andy Burnham (right) blasted a decision by Labour HQ to prevent Jamie Driscoll (left) from running to be regional mayor of the North East. But their intervention prompted a savage clapback from supporters of the Labour leader (pictured today), who are suspicious that Mr Burnham wants to return to top level politics and leader the party himself. A source told Politico: 'Andy is fishing in the swamp for votes. The problem for him is, we've drained it.' Mr Burnham and Mr Rotheram expressed their 'concern' in a joint letter to Johanna Baxter, chairwoman of Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC). 'Whilst we appreciate the NEC's important role in upholding standards within the party, and rooting out any form of antisemitism, racism and discrimination, it also has a responsibility to ensure decisions are democratic, transparent and fair,' they wrote. 'To exclude a sitting mayor from a selection process with no right of appeal appears to us to be none of those things.' They said Mr Driscoll should be entitled to an appeal process and 'deserves to be treated with more respect than he has so far been shown'. Unite, the party's biggest union donor, warned of 'serious consequences' over the 'major mistake' of barring Jamie Driscoll's candidacy. And other figures on the left of the party have blamed 'factionalism' under Sir Keir's leadership. Mr Driscoll said preventing Labour members from having a say over whether he should represent the North East was 'frankly shocking' as he defended his 'fantastic' track record. The mayor defended discussing Loach's films, some of which have been produced in the North East, despite the director downplaying the issue of anti-Semitism in the party. He told Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday show: 'In a two-party system, if you're going to ban people who are promoting socialist views from participating in that, that is really quite anti-democratic.' The mayor defended discussing Loach's films, some of which have been produced in the North East, despite the director downplaying the issue of anti-Semitism in the party. 'My understanding is he's made all sorts of clarifications that he's not a Holocaust denier and I think he wrote a letter to the New York Times explicitly saying that the Holocaust was a real event, which of course it was,' he said. Loach, the director of socially critical films including I, Daniel Blake, was expelled from Labour in 2021 during what he called at the time a 'purge' of Jeremy Corbyn's allies. He told the PA news agency that keeping the mayor off the longlist published on Friday because they shared a platform was the 'lamest excuse I've ever heard'. The UK's equalities watchdog found that Labour was responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination while Mr Corbyn was party leader, as he struggled to tackle antisemitism. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham warned that if Labour 'remains intent on only selecting nodding heads' then it will 'continue to make serious policy mistakes'. 'These actions by Labour are a major mistake and have serious consequences,' she added. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds yesterday 'strongly' disagreed with claims that Sir Keir is trying to purge the left of the party. He told Sky: 'Specifically in a case where somebody shares a platform with someone who themselves has been expelled from the Labour Party for their views on antisemitism, for opposing the tough action that needed to happen, that would preclude them from being a Labour candidate going forward. 'Because when we said we'd have zero-tolerance for antisemitism, when we said we would tear it out from its roots, we were serious about that.' Rishi Sunak claimed his push to 'stop the boats' is 'starting to work' today as he announce two more barges to house asylum seekers. The PM insisted crossings are down 20 per cent since he unveiled his plan five months ago as he gave an 'update' on his vow during a speech in Kent. Although he conceded there was still a 'long way to go', he argued that the same progress was not being seen across the Channel in France. Mr Sunak revealed that two more barges are being brought in to house 1,000 asylum seekers. The first is due to take up position off Portland in Dorset in the coming weeks, but the premier refused to say where the new additions will be located. There has been speculation one will be placed in Merseyside. 'Our approach is working,' Mr Sunak said. 'I said I will stop the boats and I meant it.' He added: 'If you look at what is happening in Europe the numbers are up.' Official figures suggest numbers crossing from the continent have been slightly lower so far this year, although the weather can have a major impact. Nearly 3,800 have been recorded, compared to 4,500 in the equivalent period in 2022. Provisional figures show another 3,800 in April and May, but there were more than 5,000 over those two months last year. Mr Sunak pointed to deals with Albania and France designed to curb flows, while conceding that more needs to be done to fulfil his pledge - seen as crucial if he is to have any hope of winning the election next year. However, Conservatives are demanding faster action after immigration minister Robert Jenrick was forced to admit yesterday that the vast majority of Albanians arriving illegally had not been returned. He said 'hundreds' had been repatriated since Britain signed an agreement with the eastern European nation in December. But around 12,000 Albanians entered the UK via the Channel last year, up from around 800 in 2021. Rishi Sunak was taken out on the Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during his visit today The Bibby Stockholm arrived in Falmouth last month for renovations ahead of going into service off the coast of Dorset in the coming weeks. Mr Sunak announced today that another two barges are being brought in to house asylum seekers Official figures suggest numbers crossing the Channel have been slightly lower so far this year, although the weather can have a major impact After being taken out on a Border Force cutter, Mr Sunak said: 'Our plan is starting to work. 'Before I launched my plan in December, the number entering the UK illegally in small boats had more than quadrupled in two years. 'Some said this problem was insoluble, or just a fact of 21st century life. They'd lost faith in politicians to put in the hard yards to do something about it. 'And of course, we still have a long way to go. But in the five months since I launched the plan, crossings are now down 20 per cent compared to last year. 'This is the first time since this problem began that arrivals between January and May have fallen compared to the year before.' He suggested that the UK was doing better than other European countries, but said that the Government was not 'complacent'. 'With grit and determination, the Government can fix this and we are using every tool at our disposal.' Asked whether windy conditions in the Channel and subsequently fewer crossings was the reason behind the timing of his visit, Mr Sunak replied: 'There's many things I can control, the weather is not one of them. I wish it was so.' Mr Sunak declined to say where the two new barges would be moored, although there has been widespread speculation one could be based on Merseyside. The PM described his approach as 'more than fair', saying his message to migrants would be: 'If you're coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution, then you should be willing to share a taxpayer-funded hotel room in central London.' The announcement drew criticism including from the Tory backbenches, with Conservative MP Richard Drax repeating a suggestion that the barge to be moored in Portland his constituency would be like a 'quasi-prison'. 'Some rooms will have three or four inhabitants. It's a quasi-prison,' he told LBC. Sir Keir Starmer said the promise of further measures to tackle the crisis was 'like Groundhog Day' as crossings continue this year despite the Prime Minister's pledge to 'stop the boats'. The Albania deal was cited by Mr Sunak as part of his plan to cut migration. But Mr Jenrick told Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday that only 'hundreds' had been returned from the UK. 'It's relatively early days,' he said. 'Some [Albanians] are being accommodated, some have returned home voluntarily, and some may well have absconded but that's absolutely the reason why we are taking this action.' Earlier this year Mr Sunak committed to paying France almost half a billion pounds as part of a three-year deal to fund a new detention centre on the Continent and hundreds of extra French law enforcement officers in an effort to end the migrant crossings. He also set up a unified Small Boats Operational Command, bringing together the military, Border Force and the National Crime Agency, with more than 700 new staff working on intelligence-gathering on people traffickers and intercepting vessels in the Channel. On the numbers sent back to Albania, Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'What the hell is the hold-up?' Sir Iain added: 'Is the Civil Service simply failing to do what it is supposed to have done? 'We need to have a real reason as to why with a full agreement that people are lauding we haven't got into priority mode and literally kicked these people out. 'There needs to be a full explanation from the Home Office as to why this hasn't happened.' Tory former minister John Hayes added: 'The Home Office has done a good job in a deal with Albania, which has meant that the number coming here has fallen sharply. But clearly the ones that are here already, presumably encouraged by fat cat lawyers and dodgy interest groups, are gaming the system to avoid deportation. 'We need to take every step to deport them and any other illegal immigrant in this country.' Mr Sunak had donned some sturdy boots for the visit to Dover today Robert Jenrick (pictured on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg) said 'hundreds' of Albanians who arrived on small boats have been returned to their homeland since Britain signed a deal with the eastern European nation in December last year Earlier this year Mr Sunak set up a unified Small Boats Operational Command, bringing together the military, Border Force and the National Crime Agency, with more than 700 new staff working on intelligence-gathering on people traffickers and intercepting vessels in the Channel Mr Sunak said his message to migrants would be: 'If you're coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution, then you should be willing to share a taxpayer-funded hotel room in central London. 'To reduce pressures on local communities, we'll also house people on ships, the first will arrive in Portland in the next fortnight and we've secured another two today that will accommodate another thousand.' The PM picked Kent for his update, the county on the frontline of the migrant crisis. Net migration to the UK was estimated to have reached a record 606,000 in 2022, up 24 per cent from 488,000 in 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics. The backlog in processing asylum cases that Mr Sunak promised to abolish this year stands at more than 150,000 cases after hitting record levels. Mr Jenrick admitted that the asylum system is 'riddled with abuse' and needs 'fundamental' reform during his interviews yesterday. He also defended asking asylum seekers to share hotel rooms as he sought to reduce the burden on taxpayers. He said he did not think it was unreasonable to ask single men to occupy rooms together after a protest by migrants at a hotel in Pimlico, central London, last week. And he vowed to never put the interests of migrants above those of the British public. Mr Jenrick told the BBC that officials asked the asylum seekers in Pimlico to share rooms to save money for the taxpayer where it was legal to do so. He added: 'Anyone who is genuinely destitute would, I think, accept that offer. They had nowhere to stay, we had offered them a safe bed with board and lodgings in a good-quality hotel in central London.' The Home Office is currently using about 400 hotels to house asylum seekers as the backlog to process their claims soars, which is estimated to be costing the taxpayer 5.6million a day. Inside the giant barge that will house 500 migrants on arrival in Britain A giant barge that will house asylum seekers off the coast of Dorset has space for 506 people in 222 en-suite bedrooms and features a gym and a games room. The Bibby Stockholm, which has previously been used to house offshore workers, offers 'delicious, nutritious food' in its restaurant and Wi-Fi throughout the ship. The vessel, operated by Liverpool-based Bibby Marine, arrived in Falmouth for renovations last month ahead of going into service in the coming weeks. Photos from inside the barge show clean but functional interiors, including a bar area with seats gathered around small wooden tables. The gym has exercise equipment including running machines, spin bikes and indoor rowers. The Bibby Stockholm, which has previously been used to house offshore workers, will now house asylum seekers The vessel will accommodate up to 506 people in 222 en-suite bedrooms who will be free to come and go while their asylum claims are processed A gym inside the barge, which is owned by Liverpool based company Bibby Marine It was towed from Italy and will now undergo safety checks as well as being refitted to increase the onboard capacity as it currently only has space for 200 people. The vessel will be moved into position off Dorset shortly, and used for single adult male asylum seekers. Confirming the plan earlier this year, immigration minister Robert Jenrick said it will help trim the 6million-a-day cost of housing Channel migrants in hotels. He also claimed it would help 'prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe'. The Bibby Stockholm barge will provide 'basic and functional accommodation' as well as healthcare and catering facilities when it is berthed at Portland in Dorset, according to the Home Office. The Port of Portland is also set to welcome more than 40 cruise ships over the course of the year, and usually advertises arrival and departure dates on its website to help residents and local businesses plan for busy periods. Single adult males will be housed on the barge while their asylum claims are processed The barge offers 'delicious, nutritious food' in its restaurant and Wi-Fi throughout the ship The barge, operated by Liverpool-based Bibby Marine features a games room The Bibby Stockholm will offer 'basic and functional accommodation, healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security There will also be round-the-clock security on board to 'minimise the disruption to local communities'. However, the Government is facing stiff local opposition to positioning the Bibby Stockholm at a popular beauty spot. This is despite suggestions that local councils could be paid up to 3,500 per migrant to accept barges in their ports. There has also been a backlash from charities and human rights campaigners who say the accommodation is not fit for people fleeing war. The barge includes a gym, games room and bar. It also has 'delicious, nutritious food' in its restaurant and Wi-Fi throughout the ship. The barge, operated by Liverpool-based Bibby Marine, will house up to 506 people in 222 en-suite bedrooms. An aerial view of the barge being accompanied by tug boats into Falmouth The death of a newborn baby at a hospital is being investigated by police for gross negligence manslaughter. 'Beautiful' Polly Lindop was born on March 13 this year at St Marys Hospital, in Manchester, but just one day later she sadly passed away. Greater Manchester Police said they had begun probing the incident when concerns were raised with their officers and the coroner about the nature of her death. And they said several staff had now been spoken to as witnesses, while adding Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, had been 'fully cooperative'. Polly's parents released a heart-breaking tribute to their daughter following the news saying, 'We miss you every day'. Polly Lindop died within 24 hours of being born at Saint Mary's Hospital in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester on March 13 this year They said: 'As Polly's parents we would like to thank everyone at GMP for their continual efforts every day in gaining us answers. 'Our beautiful brave baby girl Polly, we love you and miss you every day. Sleep tight my darling.' DCI Mark Davis of GMP's Major Incident Team said his thoughts were with Polly's relatives and confirmed their investigation was 'ongoing'. He said: 'First, I want to express my condolences to the parents of Polly at what is an extremely difficult time for them. 'Our thoughts will remain with them as we carry out our investigation. A number of staff at the hospital, which is run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, have been spoken to in connection with Polly's death 'A number of hospital staff have been spoken to as witnesses by officers and no arrests have been made at this time. 'The hospital trust has been fully cooperative with the police and all relevant authorities have been kept informed. 'The investigation into Polly's death is on-going and her family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.' The hospital was founded in 1790 and claims on its website to have 'a wide range of world class medical services for women, babies and children'. Fake heiress Anna 'Delvey' Sorokin has debuted a striking new look in promotional pictures for her podcast - recorded under house arrest in her apartment. The 32-year-old con artist looks unrecognizable compared to her previous outings in Manhattan courtrooms, showing off fuller lips, a tauter brow and blonde highlights. It comes as Delvey, a working class Russian who swindled hotels, high society friends and banks out of more than $200,000 by posing as a German heiress, is being sued by her former lawyer over $152,000 in unpaid fees. Audrey A. Thomas was hired in 2020 to represent Delvey in an immigration case and to appeal her fraud conviction. But the relationship soured and Delvey dropped Thomas last April, saying she withheld records in her case. The since-disbarred lawyer brushed off the claims, telling DailyMail.com: '[Delvey] can kiss my a**.' Anna Delvey, also known as Anna Sorokin, poses at her apartment in New York - where she is on house arrest - on May 26, 2023, to promote her podcast, The Anna Delvey Show Former lawyer Audrey A. Thomas appears in court in March. She is now suing Delvey Delvey poses beside the microphone in her apartment while recording her new podcast. She has since been on house-arrest at her East Village apartment in Manhattan. Guests of the new show are said to include Emily Ratajkowski, Julia Fox and Whitney Cummings , as she discusses 'what it means to be a rule-breaker' As Delvey sues her former lawyer for the court records, Thomas will now fight back, according to a Manhattan Supreme Court filing, which claims Delvey has lied to get out of paying 'astronomical legal fees'. Delvey's lavish lifestyle as a con artist was captured in 2022 miniseries 'Inventing Anna'. The show tells the story of a woman leading New York's elite to believe she is a heiress to a large fortune in order to bank a personal hoard of cash and goods as she looks to open an art-themed club. The 'Soho Grifter' pretended to be a German heiress with a 60mn euro fortune before she was found out and arrested. Despite being sentenced to four years in jail in April 2019, Delvey was released on good behavior until she was re-arrested for overstaying her visa. She has since been on house-arrest at her East Village apartment in Manhattan and has recently announced the launch of a podcast, recorded under house arrest. Guests are said to include Emily Ratajkowski, Julia Fox and Whitney Cummings, as she discusses 'what it means to be a rule-breaker'. Delvey has continued to clash with her former lawyer, who she has claimed failed to turn over records she needs to fight a deportation order and appeal her conviction. In March this year, Thomas collapsed in court as she faced Delvey in Manhattan Civil Court. She said: 'My heart is hurting me! I need an ambulance!' After a brief delay while the former attorney was wheeled out of the courtroom on a stretcher, Delvey emerged victorious as the judge ordered Thomas to hand over the documents. Thomas was disbarred in November after she allegedly stole money from an elderly client. In the new court papers, seen by the New York Post, she referred to this, saying that her disbarment 'does not negate the balance that the defendant owes'. Delvey in a recent photoshoot to promote her new podcast which she is recording from her apartment while under house arrest Anna Sorokin appears in Manhattan Civil court in March, since dropping Thomas in April 2022 Thomas collapsed in court on March 10, before she was ordered to hand over court documents Delvey has announced she will launch a podcast featuring famous guests from her apartment Thomas was held in contempt of court and fined $1,000 a day 'until she either returns the materials or provides and explanation' as to their whereabouts. After being dropped by Delvey, Thomas previously sent two batches of the deportation documents in August to Delvey's new legal team. However, she allegedly failed to turn over 'any of the digital audio recordings of (Delvey's) immigration court hearings,' according to the lawsuit against her. The convicted fraudster also alleged that Thomas withheld her personal property, claiming she is concealing the items because she has a 'vendetta' against her. Leclanche SA / Key word(s): AGMEGM Leclanche SA: Invitation to the Upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to Beheld on 26 June 2023 at 10:30am Swiss Time 05-Jun-2023 / 06:55 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR Invitation to the Upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to Be Held on 26 June 2023 at 10:30am Swiss Time Leclanche SA convenes its Annual General Meeting for 26 June 2023. The Board of Directors proposes the conversion of CHF 66.7 million of debt owed to SEF-Lux, Golden Partner Holding Co. S.a r.l and Golden Partner SA into shares of the company in order to strengthen its balance sheet . YVERDON-LES-BAINS, Switzerland, June 5, 2023 - Leclanche SA (SIX: LECN), one of the worlds leading energy storage companies, is convening its Annual Ordinary General Meeting on 26 June 2023 at 10:30 am (CEST), at CEI Rue Galilee 13, 1400 Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, Meeting room: "Galilee". I. AGENDA 1. Annual Report 2022, Consolidated Financial Statements 2022, Statutory Financial Statements 2022 and Compensation Report 2022 of Leclanche SA 2. Appropriation of Available Earnings 3. Discharge of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee 4. Elections of the Board of Directors and Compensation Committee 5. Vote on the Compensation of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee 6. Re-Election of the Independent Representative 7. Re-Election of the Auditor 8. Financial Restructuring Measures 9. Amendments to the Articles of Association 10. Set-off of Accumulated Losses with Capital Contribution Reserves II. ANNUAL REPORT III. DOCUMENTATION AND VOTING INSTRUCTIONS IV. PARTICIPATION AND VOTING RIGHTS V. REPRESENTATION VI. LANGUAGE Annex 1: Explanations to Agenda Item 5 Annex 2: Explanations to Agenda Item 9 I. AGENDA Introduction by the Chairman of the Board of Directors. 1. Annual Report 2022, Consolidated Financial Statements 2022, Statutory Financial Statements 2022 and Compensation Report 2022 of LECLANCHE SA 1.1 Approval of the Annual Report 2022, Consolidated Financial Statements 2022 and Statutory Financial Statements 2022 of LECLANCHE SA Proposal of the Board of Directors: to approve the Annual Report 2022, the Consolidated Financial Statements 2022 and the Statutory Financial Statements 2022 of LECLANCHE SA. Explanation: As per Art. 698 para. 2 no. 3 and 4 Swiss Code of Obligations ("CO") as well as LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, the Board of Directors presents the Annual Report 2022, the Consolidated Financial Statements 2022 and the Statutory Financial Statements 2022 for shareholders' approval. LECLANCHE SA's auditor MAZARS SA has reviewed these reports and recommends their approval. 1.2 Consultative Vote on the Compensation Report 2022 Proposal of the Board of Directors: to approve, on a consultative basis, the Compensation Report 2022. Explanation: In line with the recommendations of the Swiss Code of Best Practice for Corporate Governance, the Board of Directors is seeking your endorsement of the Compensation Report 2022 on a consultative basis. The Compensation Report, part of the Annual Report, reflects the remuneration structure, governance, and the compensation awarded to the members of the Board and the Executive Committee in the reporting year. The legally required sections of the Compensation Report have been audited by MAZARS SA, who confirmed in their Audit Report, also included in the Annual Report, compliance with the law and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association. 2. Appropriation of Available Earnings Loss for the year 2022 CHF -51,301,023.92 Loss carried forward from previous year CHF -60,896,600.00 Total accumulated losses CHF -112,197,623.92 Proposal of the Board of Directors: Dividend for the year 2022 0.00 Balance to be carried forward CHF -112,197,623.92 Explanation: In accordance with Art. 698 para. 2 no. 4 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, it is the responsibility of the Annual General Meeting to approve the appropriation of available earnings, including the determination of the dividend. 3. Discharge of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee Proposal of the Board of Directors: to discharge the members of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee. Explanation: Pursuant to Art. 698 para. 2 no. 7 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, the Annual General Meeting has the responsibility to grant discharge to the members of both the Board of Directors and the Executive Board. 4. Elections of the Board of Directors and Appointment and Remuneration Committee 4.1 Elections / Re-Election of the Board of Directors Proposal of the Board of Directors: to re-elect the following member(s) of the Board of Directors, each for a term of office until the end of the next Annual General Meeting of shareholders: Mr. Alexander Rhea Mr. Marc Lepiece Mr. Christophe Manset Mr. Bernard Pons Mr. Ali Sherwani Explanation: In accordance with Art. 698 para. 2 no. 2 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, the Annual General Meeting has to elect the members of the Board of Directors, who serve for a term of one year as stipulated by law. Additional details about the board members up for re-election may be found in the Annual Report 2022. 4.2 Re-Election of the Chairman of the Board of Directors Proposal of the Board of Directors: to re-elect Mr. Alexander Rhea as Chairman of the Board of Directors for a term of office until the end of the next Annual General Meeting of shareholders. Explanation: In accordance with Art. 698 para. 3 no. 1 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, the Annual General Meeting has the responsibility to elect the Chairman of the Board of Directors, who is appointed for a one-year term as stipulated by law. 4.3 Election / Re-Election of the Appointment and Remuneration Committee Proposal of the Board of Directors: to elect resp. re-elect the following members to the Appointments and Remuneration Committee, each for a term of office until the end of the next Annual General Meeting of shareholders: Mr. Alexander Rhea Mr. Christophe Manset Mr. Marc Lepiece Explanation: According to Art. 698 para. 3 no. 2 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, the Annual General Meeting is responsible for the election of the members of the Compensation Committee. Their term of office is limited by law to one year, and only members of the Board of Directors may be elected. Mr. Ali Sherwani does not stand for re-election to the Appointment and Remuneration Committee. 5. Vote on the Compensation of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee 5.1 Compensation for the Board of Directors Proposal of the Board of Directors: to approve of the maximum aggregate amount of compensation of the Board of Directors for the term until the 2024 Annual General Meeting of CHF 600,000.00. This amount is identical to that of the prior year. Explanation: In accordance with Art. 698 para. 3, no. 4 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, it is the responsibility of the Annual General Meeting to approve the compensation of the Board of Directors. The enclosed Annex 1 sets out further details in relation to the proposed votes on compensation amounts for the Board of Directors. 5.2 Compensation for the Members of the Executive Committee Proposal of the Board of Directors: to approve of the maximum aggregate amount of the Executive Committee for the financial year 2024 of CHF 2,350,000.00. This amount is half to that approved for the financial year 2023 Explanation: Under Art. 698 para. 3 no. 4 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, the Annual General Meeting has to approve the compensation of the Executive Committee. The enclosed Annex 1 sets out further details in relation to the proposed votes on compensation amounts for the Executive Committee. 6. Re-Election of the Independent Representative Proposal of the Board of Directors: to re-elect Me. Manuel Isler, attorney-at-law, Geneva, as Independent Representative until the end of the next Annual General Meeting of shareholders. Explanation: In line with Art. 698 para. 3 no. 3 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, the Annual General Meeting is charged with the election of the Independent Representative. 7. Re-Election of the Auditor Proposal of the Board of Directors: to re-elect MAZARS SA, Lausanne, as statutory auditors for the financial year 2023. Explanation: As per Art.698 para. 2 no. 2 CO and LECLANCHE SA's Articles of Association, it is the responsibility of the Annual General Meeting to elect the Auditor. 8. Financial Restructuring Measures 8.1 Overview As per 31 December 2022, the Company was and still is over-indebted according to Art. 725b CO, but has sufficient subordinations in place to cover the negative equity. During 2023, debt owed to SEF-Lux[1] in the aggregate amount of approx. CHF 87,982,656.01 was subordinated, which improved the balance sheet situation of the Company temporarily. Given the financial distress situation of the Company, a financial restructuring measure is proposed, which is aimed at improving the balance sheet situation. Specifically, the Board of Directors proposes a conversion of existing debt in the amount of CHF 66,684,928.67334 into equity through an ordinary capital increase. In order to address this situation, the Board of Directors has agreed with SEF-Lux1, Golden Partner Holding Co. S.a r.l. ("GP Holding") and Golden Partner SA ("GPSA") to convert a portion of the debt owed to SEF-Lux1, GP Holding and GPSA in the aggregate amount of CHF 66,684,928.67334 (the "Debt") into 141,299,859 registered shares of the Company with a par value of CHF 0.10 each, subject to fulfilment of the requirements pursuant to Swiss law and subject to approval of the shareholders' meeting of the Company (the "Debt-to-Equity-Conversion"). In order to implement the Debt-to-Equity-Conversion, the pre-emptive subscription rights of shareholders will have to be excluded in connection with the required capital increase, which requires shareholders approval with a qualified majority. The following legal entities belonging to SEF-Lux1, GP Holding and GPSA are parties to the relevant financing agreements and shall be part of the proposed Debt-to-Equity-Conversion (the "Creditors"), and they have committed to convert the below amounts into equity: AM Investment S.C.A. SICAV - FIS - R&D Sub-Fund ("AM R&D") will convert claims of CHF 22,819,516.38036 against the Company under a loan agreement with the Company dated 25 June 2021, as amended from time to time (the AM St. Kitts Construction Loan); AM Investment S.C.A. SICAV FIS Liquid Assets Sub-Fund ("AM Liquid") will convert claims of CHF 7,486,355.83134 against the Company under a loan agreement with the Company dated 16 June 2022 (the "AM Liquid Bridge Loan 7M"), and due interests in the amount of CHF 91,999.81398 stemming from a calculation error in connection with the calculation of interest relating to a loan agreement dated 4 February 2021 (the "AM Liquid Bridge Loan 20.4M") converted under the Conversion Agreement 2022[2]. AM Investment S.C.A. SICAV - FIS Illiquid Assets Sub-Fund (AM Illiquid) will convert claims of CHF 2,669,314.92552 against the Company under a loan agreement with the Company dated 14 June 2022 (the "AM Illiquid Bridge Loan CHF 2.5M"), and due interests under loan agreements dated 23 April 2019 (the "AM Illiquid Bridge Loan 1.27M"), dated 30 March 2017 (the "AM Illiquid Bridge Loan EUR 2.5M Agreement"), dated 23 December 2019 (the "AM Illiquid WCL Loan Agreement"), dated 1 February 2018 (the "AM Illiquid Bridge Loan 3M Agreement"), dated 31 May 2021 (the "AM Illiquid Bridge Loan 3.297M"), dated 4 September 2020 (the "AM Illiquid Bridge Loan 34M") as well as dated 16 March 2018 (the "AM Illiquid ROFO Loan Agreement") for CHF 2,242,156.27032, which includes a correction for the benefit of the Company in the amount of CHF 243,232.93 stemming from a calculation error in connection with the calculation of interest relating to the AM Illiquid Bridge Loan 3.297M converted under the Conversion Agreement 2022; Strategic Equity Fund SCA SICAV RAIF Renewable Energy (RE) ("SEF-RE") will convert claims of CHF 28,261,775.5926 against the Company under loan agreements dated 7 February 2023 (the "SEF-RE Bridge Loan 0.3M"), dated 29 December 2022 (the "SEF-RE Bridge Loan 3M"), dated 24 August 2022 (the "SEF-RE Bridge Loan 3.4M"), dated 26 September 2022 (the "SEF-RE Bridge Loan 3.74M"), dated 13 July 2022 (the "SEF-RE Bridge Loan 5.6M") as well as dated 26 October 2022 (the "SEF-RE Bridge Loan 11M"); SEF-RE will convert claims of CHF 1,447,429.55808 against the Company under loan agreements dated 7 February 2023 (the "SEF-EMS Bridge Loan 0.4M") and dated 26 October 2022 (the "SEF-EMS Bridge Loan 1M"); SEF-RE will convert claims of CHF 818,585.77968 against the Company under loan agreements dated 7 February 2023 (the "SEF-MAS Bridge Loan 0.3M") and dated 29 December 2022 (the "SEF-MAS Bridge Loan 0.5M"); GP Holding will convert due interests in the amount of CHF 4,755.41706 being the correction for the benefit of GP Holding of a calculation error in connection with the calculation of interest relating to a loan agreement dated 4 February 2021 (the "GP Holding Loan 10.7M) converted under the Conversion Agreement 2022; GPSA will convert claims of CHF 843,039.1044 against the Company representing arrangement fees under the SEF-EMS Bridge Loan 0.4M, the SEF-RE Bridge Loan 0.3M, the SEF-RE Bridge Loan 3M, the SEF-RE Bridge Loan 3.74M, the SEF-RE Bridge Loan 5.6M, the SEF-MAS Bridge Loan 0.3M, the SEF-MAS Bridge Loan 0.5M as well as under the loan agreements dated 7 February 2023 (the "GP FOF February Bridge Loan 1M"), dated 14 March 2023 (the "GP FOF March Bridge Loan 1M"), dated 21 April 2023 (the "GP FOF Bridge Loan 5.8M") and dated 22 March 2023 (the "GP FOF Bridge Loan 6.5M") (together the "GP Shanghai Advisory Agreements"). The Debt to be converted at Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) calculated over the 60 days preceding 30 April 2023 for: - AM St. Kitts Construction Loan converted at 85% of the VWAP; and - all other loans / debt of SEF Lux, GP Holding and GPSA at 75% of the VWAP. The proposed Debt-to-Equity-Conversion shall serve to improve the financial status of the Company and its balance sheet position. If approved by the Annual General Meeting 2023, the Board of Directors will have to implement the Debt-to-Equity-Conversion within six months after the shareholders' meeting. The implementation requires meeting SIX Swiss Exchange's requirements with respect to listing of new shares. The GP FOF February Bridge Loan 1M, the GP FOF March Bridge Loan 1M, the GP FOF Bridge Loan 5.8M and the GP FOF Bridge Loan 6.5M granted by Golden Partner Private Equity FOF RAIF Privilege Invest Sub-Fund (as lender) to LECLANCHE SA (as borrower) in the amount of CHF 14,424,646.55, as well as due interests in the amount of CHF 16,116.66 stemming from a calculation error in connection with the calculation of interest relating to loan agreements dated 18 October 2021, 22 November 2021 and 10 December 2021 (the "GP FOF Interests Bridge Loans") converted under the Conversion Agreement 2022, are outstanding as at 30 April 2023, will not be converted and remain outstanding, but have been subordinated in the sense of Art. 725b para. 4 no. 1 CO. 8.2 Ordinary Capital Increase for Debt-to-Equity-Conversion Proposal of the Board of Directors: The Board of Directors proposes to increase the Company's share capital in the amount of CHF 14,129,985.90, to bring it from CHF 44,481,491.00 to CHF 58,611,476.90by way of two ordinary capital increases as follows: 8.2.1 Capital Increase for Conversion of AM St. Kitts Construction Loan Entire nominal amount by which the share capital is to be increased: CHF 4'445'389.20 Amount of contributions to be made: CHF 22'819'516.38036[3] Number, nominal value and type of new shares: 44'453'892 registered shares at a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each Preferential rights of individual categories: None Issue amount: 85% of the Volume Weighted Average Price ("VWAP") calculated over the 60 days preceding 30 April 2023 (CHF 0.51333) for AM St. Kitts Construction Loan Start of eligibility of dividends: Entry date of the capital increase in the Commercial Register Type of contribution: By way of set-off against a claim of CHF 22'819'516.38036 of AM Investment SCA SICAV FIS R&D Sub-Fund, Luxembourg. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 44'453'892 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.51333 per share Special benefits: None Restriction on transferability: As per the Articles of Association Pre-emptive subscription rights: The entire nominal increase of CHF 4'445'389.20will be subscribed by AM Investment S.C.A. SICAV FIS R&D Sub-Fund, which is why the pre-emptive subscription rights of shareholders for all newly issued shares in the amount of 44'453'892 are excluded. 8.2.2 Capital Increase for Conversion of the other Loans / Debt of SEF-Lux, GP Holding and GPSA Entire nominal amount by which the share capital is to be increased: CHF 9'684'596.70 Amount of contributions to be made: CHF 43'865'412.29298[4] Number, nominal value and type of new shares: 96'845'967 registered shares at a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each Preferential rights of individual categories: None Issue amount: 75% of the VWAP calculated over the 60 days preceding 30 April 2023 (CHF 0.45294) for all other loans / debt of SEF-Lux, GP Holding and GPSA Start of eligibility of dividends: Entry date of the capital increase in the Commercial Register Type of contribution: By way of set-off of claims in the total of CHF 43'865'412.29298: - by way of set-off of a claim of CHF 7'578'355.64532 of AM Investment SCA SICAV FIS Liquid Assets Sub-Fund, Luxembourg. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 16'731'478 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.45294 per share - by way of set-off of a claim of CHF 4'911'471.19584 of AM Investment SCA SICAV - FIS - Illiquid Assets Sub-Fund, Luxembourg. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 10'843'536 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.45294 per share - by way of set-off of a claim of CHF 28'261'775.59260 of Strategic Equity Fund SCA SICAV RAIF (renewable Energy RE), Luxembourg. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 62'396'290 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.45294 per share - by way of set-off of a claim of CHF 1'447'429.55808 of Strategic Equity Fund SCA SICAV RAIF (renewable Energy RE), Luxembourg. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 3'195'632 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.45294 per share - by way of set-off of a claim of CHF 818'585.77968 of Strategic Equity Fund SCA SICAV RAIF (renewable Energy RE), Luxembourg. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 1'807'272 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.45294 per share - by way of set-off of a claim of CHF 843'039.10440 of Golden Partner SA, Geneva. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 1'861'260 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.45294 per share - by way of set-off of a claim of CHF 4'755.41706 of Golden Partner Holding Co S.a r.l., Luxembourg. In exchange, the creditor shall receive 10'499 fully paid-up registered shares at an issue price of CHF 0.45294 per share Special benefits: None Restriction on transferability: As per the Articles of Association Pre-emptive subscription rights: The entire nominal increase of CHF 9'684'596.70will be subscribed by the Creditors, which is why the pre-emptive subscription rights of shareholders for all newly issued shares in the amount of 96'845'967are excluded. Explanation: The Company has a negative equity and is over-indebted in the sense of Art. 725b CO. For improving the financial status of the Company and its balance sheet position, the Debt-to-Equity-Conversion is proposed. In order to implement the Debt-to-Equity Conversion and to issue the required number of new shares to the Creditors, it is necessary to increase the Company's share capital in the nominal amount of CHF 14,129,985.90, thereby excluding the pre-emptive subscription rights of shareholders. In line with Art. 650 CO, it is the responsibility of the Annual General Meeting to approve an ordinary increase of the share capital; for the proposed two capital increases to achieve the Debt-to-Equity Conversion, a qualified quorum requirement pursuant to Art. 704 para. 1 no. 3 and no. 4 CO. It applies due to the nature of the Debt-to-Equity Conversion with an offset of claims against debt resulting from the subscription of new shares and the exclusion of the pre-emptive subscription rights of shareholders. 9. Amendments to the Articles of Association Proposal of the Board of Directors: to approve of the amendments to the Articles of Association to comply with the revised Swiss corporate law effective from 1 January 2023, and to introduce contemporary best practices in corporate governance. Explanation: The proposed amendments to the Articles of Association are primarily driven by the Swiss corporate law reform and are intended to introduce a capital band for increased financial flexibility, incorporate the use of electronic means for more efficient operations, and align the articles with the new compulsory legal provisions. The detailed explanations of the proposed changes, including comparisons to the existing provisions, are provided in the enclosed Annex 2. In line with Art. 698 para. 2 no. 1 CO, it is the responsibility of the Annual General Meeting to amend the Articles of Association. 9.1 Deletion of Art. 3quater and adoption of a new Art. 3quater: Introduction of Capital Band 9.2 Deletion of Art. 3ter and Art. 3quinquies and adoption of a new Art. 3ter and Art. 3quinquies: Conditional Capital (Use of Electronic Means) 9.3 Amendment to Art. 4: Transferability of Shares 9.4 Amendments to Art. 11: Convening of General Meeting, Hybrid and Virtual Meetings, Use of Electronic Means 9.5 Amendment to Art. 11: General Meeting with Venue Abroad 9.6 Amendment to Art. 14: Provision on Qualified Majorities 9.7 Amendments to Art. 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 23octies, 23decies, 25, 28: Amendments to align Articles of Association with Compulsory New Law 9.8 Amendments to Art. 8, 19, 20, 23sexies and 31: Other Voluntary Changes 10. Set-off of Accumulated Losses with Capital Contribution Reserves Proposal of the Board of Directors: The Board of Directors proposes to set-off accumulated losses and the loss of the year 2022 in the total amount of CHF 30,378,148.87 with capital contribution reserves. Explanation: The Board of Directors proposes to set-off accumulated losses with capital contribution reserves, thereby partly eliminating the existing loss of capital. Pursuant to Art. 698 para. 2 no. 4 and no. 6 CO resolutions on the allocation of available profit (and loss) as well as with respect to statutory capital reserves fall within the competence of the Annual General Meeting. II. ANNUAL REPORT The Annual Report 2022, which contains the Consolidated Financial Statements, the Statutory Financial Statements as well as the Auditor's Report and the Compensation Report 2022 are available for inspection to shareholders at the Company's headquarters (at the front desk, Avenue des Decouvertes 14 C 1400 Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland). The Annual Report and the Compensation Report are also available on LECLANCHE SA's website at https://www.leclanche.com/investor-relations/financial-reports/. III. DOCUMENTATION AND VOTING INSTRUCTIONS Enclosed with the invitation sent to shareholders are a registration form and an instruction form which shareholders are asked to complete and return by mail to the following address if they wish to attend, or to be represented at the shareholders' meeting: areg.ch ag, Fabrikstrasse 10, 4614 Hagendorf. Electronic remote votes by proxy and voting instructions to the Independent Representative (netVote): shareholders may participate in the votes and elections by giving instructions to the Independent Representative electronically via https://leclanche.netvote.ch . The required login information will be sent to shareholders together with the written documents for the Annual General Meeting. Changes to the electronically transferred instructions can be made until Friday, 23 June 2023, 11:59 am (CEST). To the extent the shareholder does not provide specific instructions to the Independent Representative, she/he instructs the Independent Representative to vote her/his shares in favour of the proposals of the Board of Directors with respect to the items listed on the agenda. The same shall apply for additional or alternative proposals to the agenda items included in this invitation and for new agenda items. IV. PARTICIPATION AND VOTING RIGHTS Shareholders registered with voting rights in the share register as of 15 June 2023 at 17:00 (CEST), will be authorised to participate and to vote at the shareholders' meeting. They will receive their entrance card and voting material upon returning the registration form or by contacting areg.ch ag at the address indicated above. From 15 June 2023 at 17:00 (CEST) to 26 June 2023, no entries will be made in the share register, which would create a right to vote at the shareholders meeting. Shareholders who sell part or all of their shares during this period are no longer entitled to vote to that extent. They are requested to return or to exchange their admission card and voting material. V. REPRESENTATION Shareholders who do not intend to participate in the shareholders' meeting personally may be represented by another person authorized by a written proxy who does not need to be a shareholder or by the Independent Representative. Mr. Manuel Isler, attorney-at-law, c/o BMG Avocats, 8C, avenue de Champel, P.O. Box 385, CH-1211 Geneva, acts as the Independent Representative. The registration form with the completed and signed powers of at-torney should be submitted to areg.ch ag at the address indicated above. Shareholders who wish to be represented by another person should send their registration form with the completed and signed power of attorney to the attention of areg.ch ag at the address indicated above. The admission card and the voting material will then be sent directly to the address of their designated repre-sentative. VI. LANGUAGE The Annual General Meeting of shareholders will be held in English. Yverdon-les-Bains, 2 June 2023 For the Board of Directors The Chairman Alexander Rhea Annex 1: Explanations to Agenda Item 5 As required by the Swiss Code of Obligations ("CO") and the Articles of Association, the Board of Directors will propose for shareholders approval: the maximum aggregate amount of Board of Directors compensation for the period until the next AGM in 2024[5] the maximum aggregate amount of the Executive Committee's compensation for the financial year 2024[6] The proposed amounts submitted for approval at this years Annual General Meeting of shareholders are aligned with our compensation policy. Also, we have given you the opportunity to vote under agenda item 1.2 on a consultative basis on the Compensation Report 2022. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Maximum Compensation Amount of the Board of Directors (Agenda Item 5.1) The proposed aggregate maximum compensation amount of CHF 600,000.00 is payable to the Board of Directors and, as an indication, consists of fixed fees. This amount is identical to that of the prior period. In addition, LECLANCHE SA pays compulsory social security insurance contributions to Board of Directors who get paid through the Swiss payroll, as required by law. No variable compensations or pension benefits are awarded to members of the Board of Directors. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Maximum Compensation Amount of the Executive Committee for the Financial Year 2024 (Agenda Item 5.2) The Board of Directors is seeking approval for CHF 2,350,000.00 as the maximum aggregate amount of the Executive Committees compensation for the financial year 2024. This amount is half to that approved for financial year 2023. In accordance with the Articles of Association, the Board of Directors submits at each year to the Annual General Meeting of shareholders for approval the maximum compensation of the Executive Committee for the next financial year. The proposed aggregate maximum compensation amount includes the base salary, the variable short-term compensation (bonus) as well as the variable long-term compensation paid or awarded in that year. As disclosed in the Compensation Report 2022, the compensation of the Executive Committee amounted to kCHF 2'287.90 in the financial year 2022. The proposed aggregate maximum compensation amount is in line with LECLANCHE SA's current compensation policy. The aggregate maximum compensation amount is a budget and based on the assumption that each member of the Executive Committee and LECLANCHE SA will have fully achieved all target objectives. It should not be regarded as the compensation amount that will be actually paid or awarded. In addition, LECLANCHE SA pays compulsory social security insurance contributions as required by law. Annex 2: Explanations to Agenda Item 9 The Swiss Corporate Law Reform, providing for certain revisions to provisions with respect to companies limited by shares in the Swiss Code of Obligations ("CO") and effective since 1 January 2023, necessitates adaptations to the articles of association to ensure alignment with the updated regulations. The amendments proposed by LECLANCHE SA's Board of Directors reflect not just the requirements of the new law, but also a commitment to upholding shareholder rights, modernizing corporate governance, and aligning with the latest market standards. Key areas addressed in the proposed amendments include the introduction of the capital band to provide enhanced financial flexibility, the incorporation of provisions for the use of electronic means for improved shareholder participation, and general revisions to ensure adherence to the new law. Additionally, voluntary adjustments have been made to further consolidate the governance structure. The Board of Directors believes that these amendments will reinforce the governance framework and demonstrate the commitment to the highest standards of corporate conduct, thus proposing the approval of all suggested amendments. The proposed amendments to the articles of association of LECLANCHE SA (the "Articles of Association") are explained below. Subsequently, each proposed amendment is compared to the current provision. Deletions are shown in red, crossed-out font, new additions in blue font and shifts in green font. Explanations Concerning the deletion of Art. 3quater and adoption of a new Art. 3quater: Introduction of Capital Band (Agenda Item 9.1) Pursuant to the recent changes in Swiss corporate law, the Board of Directors suggests replacing the current authorized share capital with a more flexible instrument known as the capital band. This new instrument, providing the Board with the capacity to increase or decrease the share capital by up to 50% within a five-year timeframe, aligns with the latest legal frameworks and aims to enhance financial flexibility by ensuring rapid responses to capital requirements. Such a transition to the capital band is designed to enable the Board to promptly respond to market fluctuations, invest in potential growth opportunities, and optimize capital structure in line with strategic goals, all without the requirement of additional shareholder approval. By doing so, the Board seeks to maintain a competitive edge in the market and to ensure the financial agility necessary in today's dynamic business environment. The Board of Directors proposes to introduce a capital band of 50% (above and below) of the existing share capital (under the assumption that the share capital is increased according to agenda item 8) for the period until 26 June 2028 by deleting the current Art. 3quater and adopting a new Art. 3quater accordingly. The capital band proposed by the Board of Directors would allow the Board of Directors to increase the share capital of LECLANCHE SA by issuing up to 293,057,384 new shares or to reduce it by eliminating up to 293,057,384 shares. Explanations Concerning the deletion of Art. 3ter and Art. 3quinquies and the adoption of a new Art. 3ter and 3quinquies: Conditional Capital (Use of Electronic Means) (Agenda Item 9.2) The newly proposed para. 2 of Art. 3ter is based on the newly enacted Art. 653b para. 1 no. 7 CO, according to which the procedure for exercising the conversion or option rights and for waiving these rights must be stipulated in the articles of association. The same explanation applies to the newly proposed para. 3 of Art. 3quinquies. With the new Art. 3ter and Art. 3quinquies the Board proposes that the exercise of conversion or option rights, and the waiver of these rights, may in the future be performed electronically or in writing, enhancing the process' flexibility and efficiency. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Amendment to Art. 4: Transferability of Shares (Agenda Item 9.3) The proposed amendment to Art. 4 para. 1 mirrors Art. 685d para. 2 CO by newly granting the Board of Directors the option to refuse entry into the share ledger if the requesting party does not declare on demand that no agreement has been made concerning the retraction or return of the relevant shares or that they bear the economic risk of the shares (securities lending). In essence, these new conditions ensure that the registered shareholders are the ultimate beneficial owners of the shares, without any contractual arrangements that might undermine their ownership status or their exposure to the economic risks and rewards associated with share ownership. This proposed adjustment of Art. 4, thus, aims to reduce the risk of harmful voting practices that run counter to the interests of the economic beneficiaries of LECLANCHE SA. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Amendments to Art. 11: Convening of General Meeting, Hybrid and Virtual Meetings, Use of Electronic Means (Agenda Item 9.4) The amendment of Art. 11 para. 1 adjusts the minimum share capital threshold for one or more shareholders to request a shareholders' meeting. This is now set at five percent, in line with Art. 699 para. 3 no. 1 CO. It also explicitly states that the Board of Directors shall convene such a meeting within 60 days of receipt, as specified by Art. 699 para. 5 CO. With the rapid advancement of technology and in staying ahead of evolving norms, the proposed introduction of para. 2 and para. 3 to Art. 11 aims to ensure continued accessibility and inclusivity for all shareholders, irrespective of their ability to be physically present at shareholders' meetings. The addition in para. 2 to Art. 11 and the introduction of para. 3 to Art. 11 aligns with the recent changes in Swiss corporate law, specifically Art. 701c CO and Art. 701d CO, which permit two new forms of shareholders' meetings: (1) hybrid meetings, which combine physical attendance with electronic participation, and (2) virtual meetings, which are held exclusively via electronic means with no physical location. These new possibilities shall be made explicitly available through corresponding provisions in the Articles of Association, illustRating LECLANCHE SA's commitment to technological advancement. The addition in para. 2 to Art. 11 would offer the Board of Directors the flexibility to hold virtual shareholders' meetings (para. 2 in Art. 11) and the introduction of para. 3 in Art. 11 reflects the revised Art. 701c CO that the Board of Directors may hold hybrid meetings (para. 3 in Art. 11). The desire to have flexible forms and to obtain agility for structuring suitable governance and approval processes became particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic where physical meetings were restricted during certain periods, which highlighted the importance for companies to be flexible, including in the form of holding their shareholders' meetings. These possibilities provide the necessary foundation to leverage the potential of modern communication technologies, and ensure that the company is well-equipped to adapt its mode of operation to meet the ever-changing dynamics of the corporate landscape. Consequently, the proposed addition in para. 2 to Art. 11 and the introduction of para. 3 to Art. 11 mark a significant stride towards digital accessibility and flexibility, assuring continued shareholder participation in any given circumstance, thereby further strengthening the company's commitment to shareholder engagement. The introduction of para. 4 to Art. 11 now explicitly states which information must be included in the notice convening the meeting, thereby mirroring Art. 700 para. 2 CO. The proposed adjustment of Art. 11 para. 5 aligns with the fact, that under the revised Swiss corporate law companies are no longer required to make available the annual report and audit report at the company's registered office for inspection. Moreover, it also takes into account the new Art. 699a para. 1 CO, by stating that if the management report including the annual accounts, auditor report, remuneration report, and the Board of Directors' proposals for the shareholders' meeting are not made available electronically, any shareholder may request that a copy of these documents be provided to them in good time. Similar to the change in Art. 11 para. 1, the minimum share capital required for calling an extraordinary shareholders' meeting is adjusted in Art. 11 para. 6 to at least five percent, as foreseen by Art. 699 para. 3 no. 1 CO. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Amendment to Art. 11: General Meeting with Venue Abroad (Agenda Item 9.5) In the proposed amendment of Art. 11 para. 2, the possibility of holding a shareholders' meeting outside of Switzerland, pursuant to the new Art. 701b CO, is introduced. The ability to hold a shareholders' meeting abroad provides more flexibility for the company and can be advantageous for various reasons. With shareholders and board members spread across different countries, this provision allows the Board to hold meetings in a location that might be more convenient for a majority of participants. Further, it is also consistent with the growing trend towards globalization and international cooperation. Moreover, this provision could also facilitate participation of foreign investors in LECLANCHE SA's shareholders' meetings, which could, in turn, attract more international investment and foster a more global outlook for LECLANCHE SA. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Amendment to Art. 14: Provisions on Qualified Majorities (Agenda Item 9.6) The proposed amended wording of Art. 14 complies with the revised Art. 704 CO, resulting in the deletion of the word "absolute" in connection with the majority of the nominal share values represented. No substantive change is intended by this. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Amendment to Amendments to Art. 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 23octies, 23decies, 25, 28: Amendments to align Articles of Association with Compulsory New Law (Agenda Item 9.7) Art. 10 reflects the amended catalogue of non-transferable powers of the general meeting. These include according to the new Swiss corporate law, the power of the general meeting to approve and adopt the interim dividend (Art. 10 no. 6), the resolution on the repayment of the statutory capital reserve (Art. 10 no. 7) and the delisting of the shares of LECLANCHE SA (Art. 10 no.8). The change proposed in Art. 13 para. 1 broadens the methods through which shareholders can authorize representation at the shareholders' meeting. While the concept of representation remains the same, the Board of Directors would now also have the discretion to allow forms of authorization other than in writing. This could potentially involve electronic or digital forms of authorization, providing shareholders with more flexibility in how they authorize their representation. The revised Swiss corporate law uses the term "special investigation" instead of "special audit". Consequently, Art. 15 shall be amended accordingly. Under the new law, public companies must make the resolutions and election results electronically accessible within 15 days after the shareholders' meeting, stating the exact proportions of the votes. In addition, shareholders may request that the minutes be made available to them within 30 days after the shareholders' meeting. These legal requirements shall be expressly stated in the amended Art. 16 para. 4. Under the new law, the board of directors no longer has to appoint a secretary. Consequently, Art. 16 para. 2 and Art. 18 shall be adjusted accordingly. Art. 23octies para. 2 is amended to align it with the revised provisions on post-contractual non-competition clauses. According to Art. 735c para. 2 CO, compensation based on a non-competition clause may not exceed the average of the remuneration of the last three business years and may only be paid if the non-competition clause is justified in terms of business. The reform has further developed the definition of mandates outside a company and defined them in Art. 626 para. 2 no. 1 CO as positions in comparable functions at other companies with an economic purpose. Consequently, the board proposes to adjust Art. 23decies para. 4 accordingly. As the Swiss Corporate Law Reform led to the deletion of Art. 662a et seq. CO, Art. 25 para. 1 shall be adjusted accordingly, foreseeing that the annual accounts, comprising the profit and loss account, the balance sheet, the notes to the accounts and the group accounts in future shall be drawn up in accordance with Art. 957 et seq. CO. The proposed amendment to Art. 28 widens the circumstances under which the Board of Directors must take action and convene a shareholders' meeting for restructuring measures. This change is aimed at aligning Art. 28 more closely with Art. 725 para. 2 CO. Explanations Concerning the Proposed Amendments to Art. 8, 19, 20, 23sexies and 31: Other Voluntary Changes (Agenda Item 9.8) With the proposed introduction of the capital band, the board proposes to adjust Art. 8 accordingly. The reintroduction of Art. 19 aims to provide an operational framework for the Board of Directors, stipulating how meetings are convened, how resolutions are adopted, and how deliberations are documented. It allows any board member to call for a meeting, ensures collective decision-making, allows for digital meetings, mandates minute-keeping, and allows written or electronic resolutions unless discussion is requested. The proposed amendment to Art. 20 para. 2 reinforces the Board of Directors' powers according to Art. 716a CO, including decisions about acknowledging increases and now also decreases in capital and any resulting changes to the articles of association. Additionally, meetings solely meant for recognising capital changes or subsequent payments on not fully paid-up shares now do not require a special attendance quorum. Specific references to Swiss law articles have been included for clarity. The proposed modification of Art. 23sexies para. 1 eliminates the term "or promoted", focusing additional compensation solely on newly appointed executive committee members. This change implies that promoted members are not eligible for extra remuneration under Art. 23sexies. The proposed amendment of Art. 31 broadens the scope and methods for company communications. The new provision retains the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce as the primary publication organ, but also enables the Board of Directors to designate additional publication outlets. Furthermore, the revised provision introduces more direct and modern methods of communication. Notices to shareholders or participants and other announcements can be sent via letter to the registered addresses in the share ledger, via e-mail, or through any other form the Board deems appropriate. Articles of Incorporation of LECLANCHE SA with registered office in Yverdon-les-Bains Existing articles of incorporation Articles of incorporation including proposed amendments I. General Provisions I. General Provisions Article 1: Corporate Name, Registered Office, Duration Under the corporate name "LECLANCHE SA" There exists a public limited company governed by the provisions of Title XXVI of the Swiss Code of Obligations (CO), insofar as these articles of associations do not derogate from them. The duration of the company is unlimited. Its registered office is in Yverdon-les-Bains. Article 1: Corporate Name, Registered Office, Duration [Article not amended] Article 2: Purpose The purpose of the company is the direct and indirect acquisition, management, and sale of participations in domestic and foreign, listed, and non-listed companies in the electrical industry as well as the design, development, and assembly of electrical energy storage systems, the distribution of batteries and electrical accessories, and anything else directly or indirectly related to the electrical industry. Article 2: Purpose [Article not amended] The company may set up branch offices in Switzerland and abroad, participate in, acquire, or set up companies of the same kind, buy or sell real estate, with the exception of transactions prohibited by the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad, acquire, and market immaterial rights or know-how, carry out any operation and conclude any contracts directly or indirectly related to its purpose or capable of furthering its realization. II. Share Capital II. Share Capital Article 3: Number of Shares, Nominal Value, Type The share capital amounts to CHF 44,481,491, divided into 444,814,910 fully paid-up registered shares with a par value of CHF 0.10 each. The company issues registered shares in the form of individual certificates, global certificates or security rights. The company may, at any time and without the approval of the shareholders, convert the issued registered shares into another form. Each shareholder may, however, at any time request from the company a certificate relating to the registered shares held by him in accordance with the share register. The registered shares issued in the form of uncertificated rights as well as those converted into uncertificated rights are held as intermediated securities by a depository within the meaning of the Intermediated Securities Act. Article 3: Number of Shares, Nominal Value, Type [Article not amended] Article 3 bis: Contributions in kind By contribution agreement dated 12 November 2015, Emrol BVBA contributed to Leclanche SA, 1,659,854 registered shares without par value of Leclanche BVBA, in Turnhout (Belgium), for a total value of CHF 768,021.-- (seven hundred and sixty-eight thousand and twenty-one Swiss francs). In exchange, the contributor shall receive 512,014 fully paid-up registered shares of the company with a nominal value of CHF 1.50 each, for a value corresponding to the total price of CHF 768,021.--. Article 3 bis: Contributions in kind [Article not amended] Article 3 ter: The share capital of the company may be increased by a maximum amount of CHF 600,000 by issuing up to 6,000,000 fully paid-up registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each by issuing new shares to employees of the company and to companies of the group. The preferential subscription rights of existing shareholders are waived. The shares or subscription rights will be granted to employees according to the conditions defined by the board of directors or, to the extent delegated to it, by the compensation committee, taking into account performance, functions, level of responsibility and profitability criteria. Shares or subscription rights may be granted to employees at a price below the stock market price. The new registered shares shall be subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the company's articles of association. Article 3 ter: The share capital of the company may be increased by a maximum amount of CHF 600,000 by issuing up to 6,000,000 fully paid-up registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each by issuing new shares to employees of the company and to companies of the group. The preferential subscription rights of existing shareholders are waived. The shares or subscription rights will be granted to employees according to the conditions defined by the board of directors or, to the extent delegated to it, by the compensation committee, taking into account performance, functions, level of responsibility and profitability criteria. Shares or subscription rights may be granted to employees at a price below the stock market price. The new registered shares shall be subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the company's articles of association. Article 3 ter: The share capital of the company may be increased by a maximum amount of CHF 600,000 by issuing up to 6,000,000 fully paid-up registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each by issuing new shares to employees of the company and to companies of the group. The preferential subscription rights of existing shareholders are waived. The shares or subscription rights will be granted to employees according to the conditions defined by the board of directors or, to the extent delegated to it, by the compensation committee, taking into account performance, functions, level of responsibility and profitability criteria. Shares or subscription rights may be granted to employees at a price below the stock market price. The exercise of conversion, option, or similar rights as well as the waiver of these rights may be effected electronically or in writing. The new registered shares shall be subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the company's articles of association. Article 3 quater: The board of directors is to increase the share capital at any time until 30 June 2024 by a maximum amount of CHF 16'759'854.40 by issuing up to 167'598'544 fully paid-up registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each. A partial increase may be permitted. An increase of the share capital by way of an underwriting by a financial institution, a syndicate of financial institutions or another third party or parties, followed by an offer to the existing shareholders of the company is permitted. The board of directors shall determine the date of issue, the issue price, the type of contributions, the time at which the right to dividends arises, the conditions for the exercise of pre-emptive rights, and the allocation of unexercised pre-emptive rights. The board of directors shall have the right to authorise, restrict or withdraw the pre-emptive rights. The board of directors may cancel unexercised pre-emptive rights or may allocate such rights and/or shares on market terms or use them in any other way in the interest of the company. A pay-up by conversion of freely disposable equity capital (including by means of contribution reserves to the company's capital) in accordance with art. 652d CO is possible up to the full issue price of each share. The board of directors may cancel or limit the pre-emptive rights and may allocate them to individual shareholders or third parties in the following cases: 1) In connection with the ApS Recharge Convertible Loan Agreement ("Recharge") and ACE Energy Efficiency SPC ("ACE") dated 7 December 2014 (the "Recharge/ACE Convertible Loan"), as several times amended, the lenders were entitled to pay all or part of the issue price by way of set-off against the claims granted under the Recharge/ACE Convertible Loan; or 2) In relation to the Recharge Convertible Loan/ACE, modified from time to time, if the lenders require the company to make a capital increase; or 3) In connection with the financing and refinancing of the company's investments or acquisitions (including the purchase of a business or equity interests) or the financing or refinancing of acquisitions by the company (through equity or convertible loans); or 4) In relation to options granted to Talisman Infrastructure International Ltd, a company associated with Talisman Infrastructure Ventures LLP; or 5) For the purpose of granting an over-allotment option (Greenshoe) of up to 20% of the total number of shares in a placing or sale of shares to the initial purchaser or subscriber; or 6) To use the shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions or investments of the company; or 7) To issue new shares if the issue price is determined by reference to the market price; or 8) To broaden the shareholder base in financial and institutional markets or in connection with the issue of new shares on the domestic or foreign stock market; or 9) For the granting of shares nationally and internationally to increase the floating shares or to meet listing requirements; or 10) For the participation of investors or strategic partners; or 11) For financial restructuring, in particular the conversion of debt into equity; or 12) To increase capital quickly and flexibly (including private placements) which could hardly succeed without the exclusion of the pre-emptive rights of the current shareholders. The new registered shares are subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the company's articles of association. Article 3 quater: The board of directors is to increase the share capital at any time until 30 June 2024 by a maximum amount of CHF 16'759'854.40 by issuing up to 167'598'544 fully paid-up registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each. A partial increase may be permitted. An increase of the share capital by way of an underwriting by a financial institution, a syndicate of financial institutions or another third party or parties, followed by an offer to the existing shareholders of the company is permitted. The board of directors shall determine the date of issue, the issue price, the type of contributions, the time at which the right to dividends arises, the conditions for the exercise of pre-emptive rights, and the allocation of unexercised pre-emptive rights. The board of directors shall have the right to authorise, restrict or withdraw the pre-emptive rights. The board of directors may cancel unexercised pre-emptive rights or may allocate such rights and/or shares on market terms or use them in any other way in the interest of the company. A pay-up by conversion of freely disposable equity capital (including by means of contribution reserves to the company's capital) in accordance with art. 652d CO is possible up to the full issue price of each share. The board of directors may cancel or limit the pre-emptive rights and may allocate them to individual shareholders or third parties in the following cases: 1) In connection with the ApS Recharge Convertible Loan Agreement ("Recharge") and ACE Energy Efficiency SPC ("ACE") dated 7 December 2014 (the "Recharge/ACE Convertible Loan"), as several times amended, the lenders were entitled to pay all or part of the issue price by way of set-off against the claims granted under the Recharge/ACE Convertible Loan; or 2) In relation to the Recharge Convertible Loan/ACE, modified from time to time, if the lenders require the company to make a capital increase; or 3) In connection with the financing and refinancing of the company's investments or acquisitions (including the purchase of a business or equity interests) or the financing or refinancing of acquisitions by the company (through equity or convertible loans); or 4) In relation to options granted to Talisman Infrastructure International Ltd, a company associated with Talisman Infrastructure Ventures LLP; or 5) For the purpose of granting an over-allotment option (Greenshoe) of up to 20% of the total number of shares in a placing or sale of shares to the initial purchaser or subscriber; or 6) To use the shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions or investments of the company; or 7) To issue new shares if the issue price is determined by reference to the market price; or 8) To broaden the shareholder base in financial and institutional markets or in connection with the issue of new shares on the domestic or foreign stock market; or 9) For the granting of shares nationally and internationally to increase the floating shares or to meet listing requirements; or 10) For the participation of investors or strategic partners; or 11) For financial restructuring, in particular the conversion of debt into equity; or 12) To increase capital quickly and flexibly (including private placements) which could hardly succeed without the exclusion of the pre-emptive rights of the current shareholders. The new registered shares are subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the company's articles of association. Article 3 quater: Capital Band The board of directors is authorized until 28 June 2028, (i) to increase the company's share capital with one or more increases up to a maximum of CHF 87,917,215.30 through the issuance of up to 293,057,384 fully paid-in new registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each and/or (ii) to reduce the company's share capital with one or more decreases to a minimum of CHF 29,305,738.50. A capital reduction can be carried out by cancellation of up to 293,057,384 of registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each and/or by reduction of the nominal value. An increase of the share capital by way of an underwriting by a financial institution, a syndicate of financial institutions or another third party or parties, followed by an offer to the existing shareholders of the company is permitted. In case of a capital increase: (a) The board of directors shall determine the date of issue, the issue price, the type of contributions, the time at which the right to dividends arises, the conditions for the exercise of pre-emptive rights, and the allocation of unexercised pre-emptive rights. (b) The board of directors shall have the right to authorise, restrict or withdraw the pre-emptive rights. The board of directors may cancel unexercised pre-emptive rights or may allocate such rights and/or shares on market terms or use them in any other way in the interest of the company. (c) A pay-up by conversion of freely disposable equity capital (including by means of contribution reserves to the company's capital) in accordance with art. 652d CO is possible up to the full issue price of each share. (d) The board of directors may cancel or limit the pre-emptive rights and may allocate them to individual shareholders or third parties in the following cases: 1) In connection with the ApS Recharge Convertible Loan Agreement ("Recharge") and ACE Energy Efficiency SPC ("ACE") dated 7 December 2014 (the "Recharge/ACE Convertible Loan"), as several times amended, the lenders were entitled to pay all or part of the issue price by way of set-off against the claims granted under the Recharge/ACE Convertible Loan; or 2) In relation to the Recharge Convertible Loan/ACE, modified from time to time, if the lenders require the company to make a capital increase; or 3) In connection with the financing and refinancing of the company's investments or acquisitions (including the purchase of a business or equity interests) or the financing or refinancing of acquisitions by the company (through equity or convertible loans); or 4) In relation to options granted to Talisman Infrastructure International Ltd, a company associated with Talisman Infrastructure Ventures LLP; or 5) For the purpose of granting an over-allotment option (Greenshoe) of up to 20% of the total number of shares in a placing or sale of shares to the initial purchaser or subscriber; or 6) To use the shares as consideration for mergers, acquisitions or investments of the company; or 7) To issue new shares if the issue price is determined by reference to the market price; or 8) To broaden the shareholder base in financial and institutional markets or in connection with the issue of new shares on the domestic or foreign stock market; or 9) For the granting of shares nationally and internationally to increase the floating shares or to meet listing requirements; or 10) For the participation of investors or strategic partners; or 11) For financial restructuring, in particular the conversion of debt into equity; or 12) To increase capital quickly and flexibly (including private placements) which could hardly succeed without the exclusion of the pre-emptive rights of the current shareholders. Within the limits of this capital band, the board of directors is also authorized to carry out capital reductions by means of a reduction in nominal value once or several times per year and to pay out the reduction amount to the shareholders after adjusting the articles of association. The new registered shares are subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the company's articles of association. Article 3 quinquies: The share capital may be increased in an amount not to exceed CHF 16,159,854.40 through the issuance of up to 161,598,544 fully paid-up shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 per share. The increase is effected through the exercise of conversion rights and/or options and/or similar rights granted in connection with new options or options that have already been issued, similar securities, loans or any other financial instruments or contractual securities of the company or one of its group companies, and/or the exercise of option rights issued by the company or one of its group companies ("Financial Instruments"). Shareholders' pre-emptive rights are excluded in relation to the issue of Financial Instruments. The then current holders of the Financial Instruments are entitled to subscribe for the new shares. The terms of the Financial Instruments shall be determined by the board of directors. The board of directors is authorised to exclude or restrict the pre-emptive rights of shareholders: l) In connection with the Convertible Loan Agreement with Recharge ApS ("Recharge") and ACE Energy Efficiency SPC ("ACE") dated 7 December 2014, together with any amendments thereto (the "Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement"); or 2) In connection with the financing or refinancing of investments and the company's expansion plan. 3) If the Financial Instruments are issued to investors or strategic partners; or 4) If the Financial Instruments are issued on the national or international stock market or through a private placement; or 5) For a company underwriting such Financial Instruments through a banking institution or third party/parties with subsequent public offerings; or 6) For financial restructuring, in particular for the conversion of debt into equity. The conversion rights granted to Recharge/ACE under the Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement pursuant to paragraph 1 are necessary for the restructuring and future expansion of the company. The conversion will be carried out in accordance with the terms of the Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement. The conversion is exercisable until 30 June 2016, the date which may be extended (in accordance with the terms of the respective contracts). If the pre-emptive rights are excluded on the basis of this article 3 quinquies: in the case of "conditional share capital for financing", the following shall apply: The Financial Instruments will be issued in accordance with the prevailing market conditions, taking into account the financing and operational position of the company, the share price and/or other similar instruments with a market value. The issue price below the market price of the shares is possible. Conversion rights may be exercised for a maximum period of 10 years, and options may be exercised for a maximum period of 7 years, in both cases from the respective issue date. The new registered shares are subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the articles of association of the company. Article 3 quinquies: The share capital may be increased in an amount not to exceed CHF 16,159,854.40 through the issuance of up to 161,598,544 fully paid-up shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 per share. The increase is effected through the exercise of conversion rights and/or options and/or similar rights granted in connection with new options or options that have already been issued, similar securities, loans or any other financial instruments or contractual securities of the company or one of its group companies, and/or the exercise of option rights issued by the company or one of its group companies ("Financial Instruments"). Shareholders' pre-emptive rights are excluded in relation to the issue of Financial Instruments. The then current holders of the Financial Instruments are entitled to subscribe for the new shares. The terms of the Financial Instruments shall be determined by the board of directors. The board of directors is authorised to exclude or restrict the pre-emptive rights of shareholders: l) In connection with the Convertible Loan Agreement with Recharge ApS ("Recharge") and ACE Energy Efficiency SPC ("ACE") dated 7 December 2014, together with any amendments thereto (the "Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement"); or 2) In connection with the financing or refinancing of investments and the company's expansion plan. 3) If the Financial Instruments are issued to investors or strategic partners; or 4) If the Financial Instruments are issued on the national or international stock market or through a private placement; or 5) For a company underwriting such Financial Instruments through a banking institution or third party/parties with subsequent public offerings; or 6) For financial restructuring, in particular for the conversion of debt into equity. The conversion rights granted to Recharge/ACE under the Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement pursuant to paragraph 1 are necessary for the restructuring and future expansion of the company. The conversion will be carried out in accordance with the terms of the Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement. The conversion is exercisable until 30 June 2016, the date which may be extended (in accordance with the terms of the respective contracts). If the pre-emptive rights are excluded on the basis of this article 3 quinquies: in the case of "conditional share capital for financing", the following shall apply: The Financial Instruments will be issued in accordance with the prevailing market conditions, taking into account the financing and operational position of the company, the share price and/or other similar instruments with a market value. The issue price below the market price of the shares is possible. Conversion rights may be exercised for a maximum period of 10 years, and options may be exercised for a maximum period of 7 years, in both cases from the respective issue date. The new registered shares are subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the articles of association of the company. Article 3 quinquies: The share capital may be increased in an amount not to exceed CHF 16,159,854.40 through the issuance of up to 161,598,544 fully paid-up shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 per share. The increase is effected through the exercise of conversion rights and/or options and/or similar rights granted in connection with new options or options that have already been issued, similar securities, loans or any other financial instruments or contractual securities of the company or one of its group companies, and/or the exercise of option rights issued by the company or one of its group companies ("Financial Instruments"). The exercise of conversion, option, or similar rights as well as the waiver of these rights may be effected electronically or in writing. Shareholders' pre-emptive rights are excluded in relation to the issue of Financial Instruments. The then current holders of the Financial Instruments are entitled to subscribe for the new shares. The terms of the Financial Instruments shall be determined by the board of directors. The board of directors is authorised to exclude or restrict the pre-emptive rights of shareholders: l) In connection with the Convertible Loan Agreement with Recharge ApS ("Recharge") and ACE Energy Efficiency SPC ("ACE") dated 7 December 2014, together with any amendments thereto (the "Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement"); or 2) In connection with the financing or refinancing of investments and the company's expansion plan. 3) If the Financial Instruments are issued to investors or strategic partners; or 4) If the Financial Instruments are issued on the national or international stock market or through a private placement; or 5) For a company underwriting such Financial Instruments through a banking institution or third party/parties with subsequent public offerings; or 6) For financial restructuring, in particular for the conversion of debt into equity. The conversion rights granted to Recharge/ACE under the Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement pursuant to paragraph 1 are necessary for the restructuring and future expansion of the company. The conversion will be carried out in accordance with the terms of the Recharge/ACE convertible loan agreement. The conversion is exercisable until 30 June 2016, the date which may be extended (in accordance with the terms of the respective contracts). If the pre-emptive rights are excluded on the basis of this article 3 quinquies: in the case of "conditional share capital for financing", the following shall apply: The Financial Instruments will be issued in accordance with the prevailing market conditions, taking into account the financing and operational position of the company, the share price and/or other similar instruments with a market value. The issue price below the market price of the shares is possible. Conversion rights may be exercised for a maximum period of 10 years, and options may be exercised for a maximum period of 7 years, in both cases from the respective issue date. The new registered shares are subject to the transferability restrictions set out in article 4 of the articles of association of the company. Article 3 sexies: (Repealed) Article 3 sexies: (Repealed) Article 4: Transferability of shares Purchasers (in ownership or usufruct) of registered shares shall be entered on request in the share register as shareholders with voting rights, if they expressly declare that they have acquired their shares in their own name and for their own account, or if they indicate the surname, first name, domicile, address and nationality (registered office in the case of legal entities) of the person in whose name or for whose account they hold their shares. The board of directors may, after hearing the person concerned, cancel his registration with retroactive effect, if it was made on the basis of false or misleading information given by the purchaser. The purchaser must be informed immediately. The transfer of intermediated securities and the granting of security interests in intermediated securities are governed by the provisions of the Swiss Federal Act on Intermediated Securities. Intermediated securities may not be transferred or provided as collateral by written assignment. The restrictions on transferability remain unaffected when issuing registered shares in the form of security rights as well as when holding them as intermediated securities. Article 4: Transferability of shares Purchasers (in ownership or usufruct) of registered shares shall be entered on request in the share register as shareholders with voting rights, if they expressly declare that they have acquired their shares in their own name and for their own account, or if they indicate the surname, first name, domicile, address and nationality (registered office in the case of legal entities) of the person in whose name or for whose account they hold their shares, if they declare that there is no agreement to take back or return the shares concerned and that they bear the economic risk association with the shares . The board of directors may, after hearing the person concerned, cancel his registration with retroactive effect, if it was made on the basis of false or misleading information given by the purchaser. The purchaser must be informed immediately. The transfer of intermediated securities and the granting of security interests in intermediated securities are governed by the provisions of the Swiss Federal Act on Intermediated Securities. Intermediated securities may not be transferred or provided as collateral by written assignment. The restrictions on transferability remain unaffected when issuing registered shares in the form of security rights as well as when holding them as intermediated securities. Article 5: Anyone who directly, indirectly or acting in concert with third parties acquires equity securities which, together with the equity securities already held, exceed the legal threshold of 49% of the voting rights, whether exercisable or not, shall make a public tender offer for all listed equity securities of Leclanche S.A. (Art. 135 FinMIA). Article 5: [Article not amended] Article 6: (Repealed) Article 6: (Repealed) Article 7: Preferential subscription rights The shareholders shall have a preferential subscription right in proportion to the nominal value of the shares held by them upon the issuance of new shares, unless the decision on the capital increase provides otherwise. The provisions regarding the registration of registered shares shall remain reserved. Article 7: Preferential subscription rights [Article not amended] Article 8: Increase of the share capital The share capital may be increased by new issues of shares in accordance with the provisions of the CO (art. 650 et seq.; ordinary, authorised or conditional increase). Article 8: Increase of the share capital The share capital may be increased by new issues of shares in accordance with the provisions of the CO (art. 650 et seq.; ordinary, authorised or conditional increase and increase out of the capital band). III. Organisation of the Company III. Organisation of the Company Article 9: The bodies of the company are: The shareholders's meeting The board of directors The auditors Article 9: The bodies of the company are: [Article not amended] General Meeting General Meeting Article 10: Rights of the shareholders' meeting The shareholders' meeting is the supreme power of the company. It shall have the inalienable right to: 1. adopt and amend the articles of association; 2. to appoint and dismiss the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, the members of the compensation committee, the auditors and the independent shareholder representative; 3. to approve the balance sheet, the notes to the accounts, the profit and loss account and the annual report for each financial year; 4. to determine the use of the profit resulting from the balance sheet; 5. to approve the compensation of the members of the board of directors and of the members of the Executive Committee in accordance with article 23 quinquies; 6. to grant discharge to the members of the board of directors, persons having taken part in the management shall not vote; and 7. to take all decisions which are reserved to it by law or the articles of association or which have been submitted to it by the board of directors or the auditors. Article 10: Rights of the shareholders' meeting The shareholders' meeting is the supreme power of the company. It shall have the inalienable right to: 1. adopt and amend the articles of association; 2. to appoint and dismiss the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, the members of the compensation committee, the auditors and the independent shareholder representative; 3. to approve the balance sheet, the notes to the accounts, the profit and loss account and the annual report for each financial year and if necessary, the report on non-financial matters; 4. to determine the use of the profit resulting from the balance sheet; 5. to approve the compensation of the members of the board of directors and of the members of the Executive Committee in accordance with article 23 quinquies; 6. approval and adoption of the interim dividend and approval of the required financial statements; 7. resolution on the repayment of the statutory capital reserve; 8. delisting of the shares of the company; 9. to grant discharge to the members of the board of directors, persons having taken part in the management shall not vote; and 10. to take all decisions which are reserved to it by law or the articles of association or which have been submitted to it by the board of directors or the auditors. Article 11: Convening The shareholders' meeting shall be convened by the board of directors, if necessary at the request of the auditors or at the written and signed request of one or more shareholders representing together at least ten percent of the share capital, indicating the items to be discussed and the proposals. The ordinary shareholders' meeting shall be held each year within six months of the end of the financial year. It shall be convened at least twenty days before the date set by means of a notice published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce. It shall be held at the registered office or at another place designated by the shall be mentioned in the notification of the meeting. Within the same period of twenty days prior to the ordinary shareholders' meeting, the management report including the annual accounts, the auditors' report, the compensation report and the proposals of the board of directors to the shareholders' meeting shall be made available to the shareholders at the registered office. The extraordinary shareholders' meeting may be convened by the board of directors, if required at the request of the auditors or of the shareholders representing together at least ten percent of the share capital, as often as it appears necessary in the interest of the company. Article 11: Convening The shareholders' meeting shall be convened by the board of directors, if necessary at the request of the auditors or at the written and signed request of one or more shareholders representing together at least tenfive percent of the share capital, indicating or of the votes of the company, submitting the agenda items in writing, setting forth the items to be discussed and the proposals. to be decided upon. The shareholders' meeting shall be convened by the board of directors within 60 days of receipt of such request. The ordinary shareholders' meeting shall be held each year within six months of the end of the financial year. It shall be convened at least twenty days before the date set by means of a notice published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce. It shall be held at the registered office or at another place designated by the shall be mentioned in the notification of theboard of directors. The shareholders' meeting may be also held outside of Switzerland or by electronic means without a venue . The board of directors may provide, that shareholders who are not present at the venue of the shareholders' meeting may exercise their rights by electronic means. The date, time, form and place of the meeting, the agenda as well as the proposals of the board of directors, if necessary the proposals of the shareholders, including a short explanation, and if necessary the name and the address of the independent shareholder representative shall be mentioned in the notification of the meeting. Within the same period of twenty days prior to the ordinary shareholders' meeting, the management report including the annual accounts, the auditors' report, the compensation report and the proposals of the board of directors to the shareholders' meeting shall be made available tofor inspection by the shareholders at the registered office. In case the documents are not made available electronically, any shareholder may request a copy of the documents to be provided in due time . The extraordinary shareholders' meeting may be convened by the board of directors, if required at the request of the auditors or of the shareholders representing together at least tenfive percent of the share capital, as often as it appears necessary in the interest of the company. Article 12: The universal shareholders' meeting The owners or representatives of all the shares may, if there is no opposition, hold a shareholders' meeting without observing the forms provided for its convocation. As long as they are present this assembly shall have the right to deliberate and decide validly on all matters which fall within the competence of the shareholders' meeting. Article 12: The universal shareholders' meeting [Article not amended] Article 13: Voting rights, representation Each share shall entitle the holder to one vote. Each shareholder entitled to vote may have his shares represented at the shareholders' meeting by a person authorised in writing by him or by a legal representative or by the independent shareholder representative. The representatives need not be shareholders. The provisions of the law to the contrary, in particular article 693, paragraph 3 of the CO, are reserved. The shareholders' meeting shall elect the independent shareholder representative for a term of office ending at the end of the next ordinary shareholders' meeting. The independent shareholder representative may be re-elected. If the company does not have an independent shareholder representative, the board of directors shall appoint one for the next shareholders' meeting. Article 13: Voting rights, representation Each share shall entitle the holder to one vote. Each shareholder entitled to vote may have his shares represented at the shareholders' meeting by a person authorised in writing by him or by a legal representative or by the independent shareholder representative. The board of directors may also allow other forms of authorization vis-a-vis the Company other than in writing. The representatives need not be shareholders. The provisions of the law to the contrary, in particular article 693, paragraph 3 of the CO, are reserved. The shareholders' meeting shall elect the independent shareholder representative for a term of office ending at the end of the next ordinary shareholders' meeting. The independent shareholder representative may be re-elected. If the company does not have an independent shareholder representative, the board of directors shall appoint one for the next shareholders' meeting. Article 14: Resolutions and elections The shareholders' meeting may pass resolutions and make appointments irrespective of the number of shares represented. Article 27 paragraph 1 of these articles of association is reserved. Unless otherwise provided for by law or by the articles of association, the shareholders' meeting shall take decisions and hold elections by a majority of votes. In the event of a tie, the chairperson shall have the deciding vote. The chairperson of the board of directors shall establish all the rules of procedure applicable to votes and elections. He may arrange for electronic voting. A resolution with at least two thirds of the votes attributed to the shares represented and an absolute majority of the nominal values represented is required in the reserved cases of article 704 CO. Decisions to amend or repeal article 4 and this article 14 shall require a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes attributed to the shares represented. The same majority shall be required in the event of the dismissal of more than one third of the board of directors. Article 14: Resolutions and elections The shareholders' meeting may pass resolutions and make appointments irrespective of the number of shares represented. Article 27 paragraph 1 of these articles of association is reserved. Unless otherwise provided for by law or by the articles of association, the shareholders' meeting shall take decisions and hold elections by a majority of votes. In the event of a tie, the chairperson shall have the deciding vote. The chairperson of the board of directors shall establish all the rules of procedure applicable to votes and elections. He may arrange for electronic voting. A resolution with at least two thirds of the votes attributed to the shares represented and an absolutethe majority of the nominal values represented is required in the reserved cases of article 704 CO. Decisions to amend or repeal article 4 and this article 14 shall require a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes attributed to the shares represented. The same majority shall be required in the event of the dismissal of more than one third of the board of directors. Article 15: Agenda The shareholders' meeting may only deliberate on items on the agenda, with the exception of proposals to convene an extraordinary shareholders' meeting or to institute a special audit. Article 15: Agenda The shareholders' meeting may only deliberate on items on the agenda, with the exception of proposals to convene an extraordinary shareholders' meeting or to institute a special auditinvestigation . Article 16: Chairmanship, minutes The shareholders' meeting shall be chaired by the chairperson of the board of directors or, in her/his absence, by a member of the board of directors. The chairperson appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the board of directors or a shareholder, and two scrutineers, who need not be members of the board of directors or the auditors. The minutes, which must be signed by the chairperson and the secretary of the meeting, shall contain the information required by article 702, paragraph 2 CO. The shareholders have the right to inspect the minutes. The attendance sheet shall be signed by the chairperson, the secretary of the meeting and the scrutineers. Article 16: Chairmanship, minutes The shareholders' meeting shall be chaired by the chairperson of the board of directors or, in her/his absence, by a member of the board of directors. The chairperson may appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the board of directors or a shareholder, and two scrutineers, who need not be members of the board of directors or the auditors. The minutes, which must be signed by the chairperson and the secretary of the meeting, shall contain the information required by article 702, paragraph 2 CO. The shareholders have the right to inspect the minutes. Any shareholder may request access to the minutes within 30 days following the shareholders' meeting. The resolutions and the election results with details of the exact proportions of votes cast shall be made electronically accessible within 15 days following the shareholders' meeting. The attendance sheet shall be signed by the chairperson, the secretary of the meeting and the scrutineers. Board of Directors Board of Directors Article 17: Establishment, term of office The board of directors shall consist of three to seven members. The shareholders' meeting shall elect the members of the board of directors and the chairperson individually for a term of office ending at the end of the next ordinary shareholders' meeting. The right to resign and to be removed from office remains reserved. The members of the board of directors and the chairperson may be re-elected. Article 17: Establishment, term of office [Article not amended] Article 18: Constitution and organization The board of directors constitutes and organizes itself within the limits of the law and the articles of association. It appoints its secretary. The latter does not necessarily belong to the board of directors. If the chairperson resigns during his term of office, or is otherwise unable to act, the vice-chairperson shall replace him and assume all his duties and powers until the next ordinary shareholders' meeting, unless the board of directors decides otherwise. Article 18: Constitution and organization The board of directors constitutes and organizes itself within the limits of the law and the articles of association. It may appoints itsa secretary. The latter does not necessarily belong to the board of directors. If the chairperson resigns during his term of office, or is otherwise unable to act, the vice-chairperson shall replace him and assume all his duties and powers until the next ordinary shareholders' meeting, unless the board of directors decides otherwise. Article 19: (Repealed) Article 19: (Repealed)Convening of meetings, passing of resolutions A meeting of the board of directors is convened by its chairperson or upon the written request of one of its members. The adoption of a resolution by the board of directors requires that the majority of its members be present. The board of directors adopts its resolutions and carries out its elections by means of the simple majority of the votes cast. Meetings may also be held by electronic means without a meeting venue. Minutes shall be kept of the deliberations and resolutions of the board of directors. The minutes shall be signed by the chairperson and the secretary of the meeting. Resolutions may also be passed in writing or in electronic form if no member requests that the resolution be discussed in a meeting. No signature is required if the resolutions are passed in electronic form. Such written resolutions and resolutions by electronic means shall only pass if adopted by the absolute majority of the votes of the board of directors. Article 20: Duties and representations The board of directors shall exercise the executive management of the company, supervise the management and issue the necessary directives. It shall represent the company in relation to third parties and shall carry out all matters which do not fall within the competence of another body of the company by law, the articles of association or the regulations. In particular, it may plead, settle and compromise. In addition to its non-transferable and binding powers under art. 716a CO, the board of directors also decides on the subsequent call for contributions in respect of shares that have not been fully paid up, as well as on the recognition of increases in capital and the resulting amendments to the Articles of Association. The board of directors prepares the compensation report in accordance with the legal requirements. Finally, it examines the professional requirements of auditors that are especially qualified. The board of directors may entrust all or part of its powers to one (delegate) or more members of the board of directors (board committee), as well as to the executive board, without prejudice to art. 716a CO. Their powers and competences are defined in one of the regulations. The board of directors shall designate the persons authorised to represent the company and shall determine the individual or collective form of their signature. Article 20: Duties and representations The board of directors shall exercise the executive management of the company, supervise the management and issue the necessary directives. It shall represent the company in relation to third parties and shall carry out all matters which do not fall within the competence of another body of the company by law, the articles of association or the regulations. In particular, it may plead, settle and compromise. In addition to its non-transferable and binding powers under art. 716a CO, the board of directors also decides on the subsequent call for contributions in respect of shares that have not been fully paid up, as well as on the recognition of increases and decreases in capital and the resulting amendments to the Aarticles of Aassociation. . No special attendance quorum shall be required if the sole purpose of the meeting is to ascertain the fact that the company has increased or decreased its capital or of a subsequent payment of contributions on not fully paid-up shares, and to adopt a resolution on the ensuing amendment of the articles of incorporation (art. 652g, 653g and 653o CO). The board of directors prepares the compensation report in accordance with the legal requirements. Finally, it examines the professional requirements of auditors that are especially qualified. The board of directors may entrust all or part of its powers to one (delegate) or more members of the board of directors (board committee), as well as to the executive board, without prejudice to art. 716a CO. Their powers and competences are defined in one of the regulations. The board of directors shall designate the persons authorised to represent the company and shall determine the individual or collective form of their signature. Article 21: Compensations and expenses The board of directors shall determine the compensation of its members subject to approval by the shareholders' meeting. Article 21: Compensations and expenses [Article not amended] III. Bis: Compensation Committee III. Bis: Compensation Committee Article 21bis: Number of members, term of office The compensation committee shall consist of at least three members of the board of directors. The shareholders' meeting shall elect the members of the compensation committee individually for a term of office ending at the end of the next ordinary shareholders' meeting. Members of the compensation committee may be re-elected. If one or more members of the compensation committee resign or are otherwise unable to act, the board of directors shall appoint their replacements from among its members for a term of office ending at the end of the next ordinary shareholders' meeting. Article 21bis: Number of members, term of office [Article not amended] Article 21 ter: Organisation The compensation committee organises itself within the limits of the law and the articles of association. It appoints its chairperson. The board of directors shall issue regulations determining the organisation and decision-making process of the compensation committee. Article 21 ter: Organisation [Article not amended] Article 21 quater: Duties and powers The compensation committee shall assist the board of directors: 1. in the establishment and periodic review of the company's compensation policy, strategy, guidelines and performance criteria; 2. in the preparation of proposals to the shareholders' meeting regarding the compensation of the members of the board of directors and the executive committee. The compensation committee may submit to the board of directors any proposals and recommendations on compensation that it deems useful or necessary. The board of directors shall establish regulations determining for which functions the compensation committee shall propose to the board of directors, on its own initiative or in agreement with the chairperson of the board of directors, the performance criteria and objectives and the compensation of the members of the executive committee and the board of directors, and for which other functions the compensation committee shall have the authority to determine, on its own initiative and in accordance with these articles of association and the compensation principles established by the board of directors, the performance criteria and objectives and the compensation. The board of directors may delegate to the compensation committee other tasks and powers. Article 21 quater: Duties and powers [Article not amended] IV. Auditors IV. Auditors Article 22: Appointment The ordinary shareholders' meeting shall appoint one or more independent auditors or a fiduciary company as auditors within the meaning of art. 727 et seq. CO. Article 22: Appointment [Article not amended] Article 23: Duties The auditors shall submit to the shareholders' meeting a written report on the balance sheet and the accounts presented by the board of directors, in which they shall propose the approval of the balance sheet, with or without reservations, or its referral to the members of the board of directors, and shall give their opinion on the proposals of the latter concerning the distribution of the profit. The shareholders' meeting may not vote on the balance sheet unless this report has been submitted to it. The auditors are obliged to attend the shareholders' meeting, unless the shareholders' meeting unanimously decides otherwise (art. 731 paragraph 2 CO). Article 23: Duties [Article not amended] IV. bis: Compensation of the Members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee IV. bis: Compensation of the Members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee Article 23bis: General Principles of Compensation The company aims to attract, motivate and retain individual talent in order to maintain its position as market leader. Its compensation principles are established with this aim and take into account the position and level of responsibility of the beneficiaries. Compensation may be paid by the company or any other company it controls or mandates. Article 23bis: General Principles of Compensation [Article not amended] Article 23ter: Compensation of the Members of the Board of Directors The compensation of the members of the board of directors shall consist of cash and securities. The compensation paid in cash shall consist of directors' fees and committee members' fees. The compensation paid in securities shall consist of shares or equivalent securities, blocked for a period of three years at least. Article 23ter: Compensation of the Members of the Board of Directors [Article not amended] Article 23quater: Compensation of the Members of the Executive Committee The compensation of the members of the executive committee shall comprise fixed and variable compensation elements. The fixed compensation shall comprise the basic salary and may include other compensation elements and benefits. Variable compensation may include short-term and long-term compensation elements and is capped according to predetermined multipliers against the respective target levels. Short-term compensation elements are governed by performance indicators that take into account the performance of the company and/or part of the company, targets relative to the market, other companies or comparable benchmarks and/or individual targets, the achievement of which is generally measured over a one-year period. The annual target level of the short-term compensation elements is determined as a percentage of base salary; depending on the performance achieved, the compensation may reach a predetermined multiplier amount in relation to the target level. Long-term compensation elements are governed by performance indicators that take into account the company's strategic objectives, the achievement of which is generally measured over a multi-year period. The annual target level of the long-term compensation elements is determined as a percentage of basic salary; depending on the performance achieved, the compensation can reach a predetermined multiplier amount against the target level. The board of directors or the compensation committee, when this task is delegated to it, determines the performance indicators and target levels and their achievement. Compensation may be paid or granted in cash, sh Indian villagers have exposed the laughable quality of roads built under an Indian government project by rolling up the edges of the street like carpet. In an astounding clip posted to social media, four men are seen squatting by the side of the road in a village in the Jalna district of India's Maharashtra state. At first glance it looks as though they are attempting to fold a grey rug of some sort, but the camera quickly pans out to show the villagers are in fact tugging at what was supposed to be newly-laid tarmac leading out of the village. The camera then zooms in to show the pitiful layers of material resembling bitumen, which appeared to have been slapped on top of a large piece of cloth to cover the existing dirt road like a plaster over a wound. Indian outlets Times Now and the Pune Mirror reported that the villagers went on to slam the contractors for what they described as 'bogus' work. 'This is all bogus work being carried out in the name of ''development'',' one was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, some 1,500 kilometres away on the other side of the country in the Bhagalpur district, Bihar, locals watched on in horror as a huge bridge spectacularly collapsed into the Ganges river below. Indian outlets Times Now and the Pune Mirror reported that the villagers went on to slam the contractors for what they described as 'bogus' work The men can be seen lifting up the road like a piece of carpet in sheer disbelief In Bihar state, locals watched on in horror as a huge bridge spectacularly collapsed into the Ganges river In 2000, the Indian government launched an initiative called the Prime Minister's Village Road Scheme (PMGSY). The intention was to construct a network of all-weather roads to link rural villages across India, thereby improving connectivity and encouraging industrialisation, urbanisation and social mobility. The scheme, which is still ongoing, claims to have laid some 808,000 kilometres of rural roads in the past two decades. It was initially fully funded by the government, but in recent years the funding was reduced and states were forced to shoulder some of the financial burden. Many social media users speculated that state officials had skimped on quality, giving cheap contracts to low bidders and pocketing the difference. Others meanwhile simply poked fun at the shoddy workmanship. 'Is it a road? Is it a carpet?' one wrote, while another chipped in: Very good technology! This is called factory-made Road! Just dispatched the required quantity of rolls at the site, unroll it and all is done!' A third wrote: 'Wherever there is 'ruling party' government, there is only loot and corruption!' Incredible footage from the riverbank showed locals watching on in stunned silence as the collapsing concrete sprayed water dozens of metres into the air Villagers exposed the shoddy road quality in Jalna, while some 1500 kilometres away, a huge bridge collapsed in Bhagalpur The Maharashtra Rural State Road Development Agency later hit back, asserting that they had employed 'innovative construction technology' to ensure the longevity and durability of the roads, according to The Hindustan Times. An agency official reportedly said the villagers' attempt to remove the 'stress-absorbing membrane interface layer' occurred while the roadwork was still in progress. But authorities in Bihar may not be able to tell the same story. The Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge, which measures more than three kilometres in length, unceremoniously imploded and crashed into the Ganges river. The incredible structure was undergoing construction, having already collapsed once last November. National Disaster Response teams are conducting a search for one guard who was reported missing in the wake of the incident. One worker was killed in the previous collapse. Incredible footage from the riverbank showed locals watching on in stunned silence as the collapsing concrete sprayed water dozens of metres into the air. The state's chief minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a probe into the incident and has vowed to discover those responsible for the structural failure. Vladimir Putin has staged a huge show of military strength in the Baltic Sea and Pacific Ocean today amid setbacks in his war in Ukraine. Some 40 surface warships and 25 aircraft took part in naval drills in the Baltic Sea involving some 3,500 service personnel, which is scheduled to last until June 15. Russia shares the sea with seven NATO countries plus soon-to-join Sweden. The seven alliance states bordering the Baltic Sea are Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany. The drills involving thousands of military personnel still went ahead despite Russia currently facing several setbacks in Ukraine, including infighting among its own ranks. Russia's drills come just a day after NATO member states kicked off their own annual Baltic drills. On the NATO side, 6,000 personnel, 50 ships and more than 45 aircraft are taking part, with Finland participating for the first time as an alliance member, the United States Navy said. Some 40 surface warships and 25 aircraft took part in naval drills in the Baltic Sea and Pacific Ocean today Russia put on a show of military might today as it deployed warships in drills to the Baltic Sea and Pacific Ocean The drills involving thousands of military personnel still went head despite setbacks for Vladimir Putin (pictured) and his men in Ukraine 'An operational exercise with the Fleet's groupings commanded by Baltic Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Vladimir Vorobyov has begun on June 5 in the Baltic Sea and at combat training ranges in the Kaliningrad region,' said a spokesman for the Russian defence ministry. READ MORE: Russia claims to have thwarted 'major' attack in Donetsk Advertisement In the Russian Far East, from 6,400 miles away, more than 60 naval and support vessels and 35 aircraft were sent to undertake exercises based in the seas of Japan and Okhotsk off the Pacific coast. More than 11,000 troops in total were involved in Putin's strategic war games. A statement from the Russian defence ministry said: 'An operational exercise of all-arms forces of the [Pacific] Fleet is being held in the offshore maritime zone from June 5 to 20 under the guidance of Admiral Viktor Liina, the Fleet Commander.' Footage showed warships sailing from Vladivostok and engaging in the Kremlin's military drills. The drills come amid major setbacks in Putin's war in Ukraine. His forces are currently in a tussle over territory with Russian partisans in the Belgorod region as he faces unprecedented attacks by pro-Ukrainian forces on his territory. The Russian army claimed to have repelled the 'sabotage group of Ukrainian terrorists' seeking to cross the border near the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka, in the southern region of Belgorod. Fighting around the village follows last month's dramatic armed incursion from Ukraine into the Belgorod region which forced Russia to use its artillery and air force on home soil. The border breach was claimed by anti-Kremlin Russian ultra-nationalists. The drills involving thousands of military personnel still went head despite Russia currently facing several setbacks in Ukraine Warships engage in Russia war games in the Baltic Sea and Pacific Ocean today Footage showed missiles on display, taking part in Russian naval drills today in the Baltic Sea A helicopter takes off over Russian warships. Some 40 surface warships and 25 aircraft took part in naval drills in the Baltic Sea More than 60 naval and support vessels and 35 aircraft were sent to undertake exercises based in the seas of Japan Ukraine has consistently not claimed responsibility for attacks on Russian soil, but presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak said Sunday the situation in the border areas 'should be viewed as the future of Russia'. It was also revealed that the Russian mercenary force Wagner had taken captive a lieutenant colonel from Putin's regular forces in the latest example of bitter infighting in Russian ranks. This follows claims by the mercenaries that the regular Russian army targeted their ranks with mines, as a clip showed their sappers clearing the explosive devices from a road. Wagner mercenaries have been fighting for Putin in Ukraine and are credited with seizing the embattled city of Bakhmut from Ukrainian armed forces after months of bloody warfare. But its success has seemingly angered regular Russian army commanders. Former health secretary Matt Hancock apologised to MPs after being found to have tried to lobby its standards watchdog while it investigated a fellow MP - for lobbying. Mr Hancock, who lost the Conservative whip last year for appearing on I'm A Celebrity, was told to say sorry for a letter he wrote on behalf of Steve Brine. He was found to have committed a 'minor breach' of the MPs' code of conduct by writing an unsolicited letter to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg in defence of the Winchester MP - who is himself under investigation for an alleged breach of lobbying rules. Mr Greenberg told the Commons Committee on Standards that the breach was 'likely due to inattention and carelessness rather than a deliberate attempt to subvert my inquiry'. There is no suggestion Mr Brine instigated the letter. The committee said today that Mr Hancock, who was health secretary during the Covid pandemic, 'has still not acknowledged his mistake'. But he came to the Commons this afternoon as requested. 'The Committee On Standards found that I did not seek to break the rules, had no prospect of personal gain and acted without malice,' he told MPs. 'However, they recommended that I apologise to the House and the commissioner for this minor breach and underline that respect for the code and the processes of investigating potential breaches of the code is an important and necessary part of the code. 'I'm happy to do so.' Hancock, who lost the Conservative whip last year for appearing on I'm A Celebrity, was censured for a letter he wrote on behalf of Steve Brine Hancock was found to have committed a 'minor breach' of the MPs' code of conduct by writing an unsolicited letter to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg in defence of Brine, pictured, who is himself under investigation for an alleged breach of lobbying rules. The committee recommended that Mr Hancock should make a personal statement to apologise to the House of Commons and the commissioner. He should also attend a 'briefing on his obligations under the code with the commissioner', the committee's report said. Mr Brine is being investigated over claims he lobbied the head of the NHS on behalf of Remedium. At the time in early 2021 the company was paying him 1,600 per month for eight hours' work as a consultant. Mr Brine, a former health minister, complained that he had been 'trying for months' to persuade the health service to take on anaesthetists via the firm. The details were revealed in the tranche of leaked WhatsApp messages from Mr Hancock published by the Daily Telegraph. In his letter to the commissioner, Mr Hancock said it was his 'firm belief that what Mr Brine did was acting overwhelmingly in the national interest'. He wrote: 'Mr Brine contacted Ministers after the UK Government put out a call for help to the public to fight the unprecedented and serious pandemic. Indeed, both the then-Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and myself as Health Secretary were publicly encouraging anyone who could help in our national effort to come forward to help fight this virus - including specifically the recruitment of trained staff. For example, our ''Your NHS Needs You'' campaign, launched in March 2020, called for a mass recruitment drive to help protect the NHS. 'It is my belief that Mr Brine, like many people, did his duty and came forward to try to help the Government achieve our mission. He also made it very clear that he was a paid adviser to this company, so was not trying to conceal this information. Given the position he was in, it would have been inappropriate not to act.' Mr Hancock denies that his letter breached the code of conduct, the Committee noted. In evidence he referred to Paragraph 14 of the code, which he breached, as a 'new rule', despite it being in place for 14 years. The committee said he had acted to 'lobby [] the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards [] in a manner calculated or intended to influence their consideration of whether a breach of the Code of Conduct has occurred'. 'Mr Hancock has evidenced a lack of attention to the rules,' it said in its report. 'Mr Hancock is a former Cabinet minister and has been an MP for over 10 years. It is concerning that a member with this experience has not taken account of these provisions of the code.' It also criticised him for making 'a statement to the press on the investigation which showed a lack of attention to the rules on confidentiality'. However, in mitigation, it also said that Mr Hancock did not set out to break the rules, had not acted 'with malice' and 'had no prospect of personal gain through writing his letter to the Commissioner'. Three members of a toxic police squad who spent three years subjecting colleagues to racist, sexist and bullying behaviour have been found guilty of gross misconduct. Inspector Nick Mantle, PC Mark Jordan-Gill and PC Paul Perdrisat of Dorset Police were described as 'testosterone-fuelled, neanderthal thugs' whose behaviour belonged in the 1980s. Between them they pinned up a Nazi-themed poster at their station, called a black motorist a 'c***' in a road rage incident and cruelly filmed a colleague with a nervous tick. Another officer was called a 'c***' by 'alpha male' Perdrisat who also made him drink a glass full of salty water. The officer was forced to quit the Force Support Group - where Mantle, Jordan-Gill and Perdrisat worked - after six months, at which point Perdrisat messaged him to say he was 'glad you are gone' and that it was his job to weed out the 'weakest link'. Paul Perdrisat, who worked for Dorset Police Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Raya, of Dorset Police, apologised to the public for the conduct of the officers The bullying culture they created was so bad it led one officer to contemplate suicide. Much of the shocking and appalling behaviour was played out in messages in a Whatsapp group called 'The Real FSG'. Mantle, Jordan-Gill and Perdrisat - who has since left Dorset Police - were found guilty of gross misconduct after a disciplinary hearing. Mantle and Jordan-Gill now face dismissal. PCs Michael Lowther and Matthew Young were found to be guilty of misconduct and received written warnings. Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Raya, of Dorset Police, apologised to the public for the officers' conduct. She said: 'Any behaviour demonstrating traits of prejudice [or] negative bias against a person will not be tolerated in our organisation and, as this case has demonstrated, we will swiftly and robustly investigate any offences reported to us. Michael Lowther (left) was found guilty of misconduct and received a written warning. Paul Perdrisat, right, was found guilty of gross misconduct and has left Dorset Police 'Following a detailed investigation by our professional standards department, this matter was referred to the independently chaired panel, which made the decision three of the individuals were guilty of gross misconduct and two were found for misconduct. 'We respect the decision of the panel and await the remaining sanctions.' She added: 'The public quite rightly expect the highest standards of behaviour from serving police officers and staff as this is a core component of maintaining the trust of our communities. I am sorry that the behaviour of these officers let you down. 'We are committed to investigating any unethical or unacceptable behaviour relating to a member of our organisation and I would encourage you to report them to the force so they can be thoroughly investigated.' The hearing was told the atmosphere of 'racist, homophobic and sexist' behaviour between 2018 and 2021 would have 'shocked any member of the public'. The Force Support Group was based at Bournemouth police station. Michael Lowther was found to be guilty of misconduct and a received written warning One officer told the hearing how he was bullied by members of the Force Support Group so much so that he developed a nervous tick which the squad cruelly filmed to laugh at him. The officer described how Perdrisat had led the others in mocking him, on one occasion forcing him to drink a glass of salty water in front of the other members of the squad. On another occasion he was called a 'c***' by one of the officers after the prison van he was driving scraped a wall at the entrance of Winchester Prison. The officer said: 'It was like going back to neanderthal times. 'Then there was all the posters on the walls. Some of them were borderline for me. It's the sort of thing you might have expected 30 or 40 years ago. 'They were testosterone-fuelled thugs. 'Everything I did wrong I got put down for. I got a really bad tick because of the pressure and stress I was under. 'The team filmed me when I was doing it. It just got worse and worse and worse. 'It's a medical thing that was happening because of the stress. If any supervisor had tried to supervise [the team] it would have been very difficult. 'I was driving to Winchester Prison. It's an old prison and as I was driving the van in and I got it slightly wrong. 'The vehicle touched a wall and getting it out I caused more damage. That's why I was called a c***. I believe it was Paul Perdrisat that said it. 'There was an alpha male - PC Perdrisat. He was the main leader and then Mark Jordan-Gill who looked up to him. They were very close.' One officer told the hearing how he was bullied by members of the Force Support Group so much so that he developed a nervous tick which the squad cruelly filmed to laugh at him Another officer recalled how Perdrisat had told him that he picked 'on the weakest link to get rid of them'. He said: 'It was a toxic atmosphere and PC Perdrisat was the alpha male. 'I just didn't want to come to work. Everything you did was just not good enough. 'I didn't want to get up in the morning. I thought about taking my own life.' He told the hearing about coming into the police station and his shock at discovering a Nazi-themed poster on the wal. He said: 'I came in and I remember someone saying you won't believe this. 'There was wall art. One was an A4 piece of paper with half a dozen men bare chested with shaven heads. 'It looked like they were in a prison and they had Swastikas and they were doing the Nazi salute. 'It was taken down after one or two days. I was incredibly shocked when I saw that picture. I don't know who put it up. There were so many different wall arts.' During another incident the officer was in a patrol van with Jordan-Gill when he heard him shout racist abuse at a motorist. He added: 'We were driving in a van towards Tuckton. We were slowing down to let someone out in front of us and PC Jordan-Gill shouted out "just hurry up you c***".' Two Australians facing the death penalty in Vietnam have been granted clemency after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the country on the weekend. 'I made representations to the Prime Minister yesterday morning and by yesterday afternoon the president had signed the clemency orders,' Mr Albanese told ABC's 7.30 on Monday upon his return to Australia. 'Australia has a strong position of opposition to the death penalty and we make representations on behalf of Australian citizens. 'We are very pleased Vietnam has agreed to the request and we thank them for it.' Mr Albanese (left) made representations to Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) to downgrade the sentences of two Australians on death row during their meeting in Hanoi Mr Albanese did not name the two Australians who had been granted clemency, but said their families had been given the good news. (Stock image of prisoners behind bars) Mr Albanese did not name the two Australians who had been granted clemency, but said their families had been given the good news. 'The families have been informed and very relieved that Australia,' he said. 'They have asked their privacy be respected, which is why I am not mentioning their names them tonight.' The prime minister said the breakthrough was in part due to improved relationships between Australia and Vietnam. Several Australians are on death row in a number of countries. Six have been executed, the most recent being Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in Indonesia in 2015. The two leaders met to mark fifty years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam Mr Albanese spent the weekend in Vietnam to mark fifty years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 'We are strategic partners and we've been enduring friends over that fifty years,' he said. Mr Albanese also met separately with Vietnam's National Assembly President, President of the Socialist Republic, and General-Secretary of the country's Communist Party as part of a concerted effort to strengthen trade and economic ties. Mr Albanese said Australia wanted to work together with its neighbours, especially when dealing with the challenges of climate change. 'I am pleased to announce that Australia will be stepping up our support for Vietnam's energy transformation, with an important package of new overseas development assistance of $105m for supporting sustainable infrastructure planning, for stimulating private investment in clean energy infrastructure, and delivering technical assistance to develop Vietnam's critical mineral sector,' Mr Albanese said. A witness who saw the Bournemouth beach tragedy has revealed how a riptide formed just seconds before a 12-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy drowned. Sunnah Khan, 12, and Joe Abbess, 17, were swimming in the sea on May 31 next to Bournemouth Pier when they and eight others got into difficulty in the water. After a desperate scramble, they were recovered from the sea and lifeguards and paramedics tried valiantly to resuscitate them on the sand. However, despite being air lifted to hospital, both were declared dead a short time later. In a hearing to open the inquest proceedings at Bournemouth Town Hall today, Dorset coroner's officer Nicola Muller said the two children drowned after a 'sudden riptide' in the area. Now, beachgoer Trevor Pinto has revealed how he saw the riptide form just seconds before Sunnah and Joe went under. He described how he was walking towards Bournemouth Pier with his son when they heard the lifeguards on the beach make an announcement about a riptide. Sunnah Khan, 12, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, died after being pulled under the water near Bournemouth Pier The teenage boy who died while swimming off Bournemouth beach was named on Sunday as Joe Abbess Mr Pinto looked out to sea and spotted the swirling current about 200 metres away and headed towards the pier at just after 4pm on May 31. They walked to the end of the pier and saw lifeguards and jet skis recover the bodies of Sunnah and Joe from the water. He said: 'We were walking on the pier just after 4pm and heard an announcement from the lifeguards about a riptide. 'We could see the riptide about 200 metres away. It was a different colour than the rest of the sea. It was on the east side of the pier and was coming towards the shore. 'After that we walked to the end of the pier to the Key West restaurant. I took a photograph of my son there at 4.10pm. 'We noticed a lifeguard on a jet ski looking for people under the pier and that is when we realised something was wrong. They pulled the first person from the water and started giving them CPR on the beach. 'This was about 60 metres away from where we were but there were more lifeguards looking underneath pier. 'Some other people started shouting that they saw a body. We saw that person was wearing black T-shirt or something. That was about 20 or 30 metres away from the pier. They were also given CPR. 'People were taking videos and filming and after that they started pushing people away. 'The pier has two tiers to it and the only person I saw on the pier was a guy fishing. There were no jet skis.' Asked about the presence of the Dorset Belle pleasure craft, Mr Pinto said he recalled seeing it as he walked onto the pier at about 4pm but it had left by the time he reached the end of the pier at 4.10pm. An inquest heard today that Sunnah and Joe died from drowning following the riptide. Sunnah's mother Stephanie Williams, 32, says she has received little clarity over her death An air ambulance takes off from Bournemouth beach after two children died on Wednesday, May 31 The finding raises questions about Dorset Police's initial statement which said Sunnah and Joe suffered 'critical injuries'. Police also arrested a man who had been 'on the water' at the time for manslaughter and impounded a pleasure cruise boat - leading to speculation about what could have lead to the deaths. Earlier, Sunnah's mother Stephanie Williams, 32, said she was frustrated at not been given a full explanation of the circumstances of Sunnah's death. She said: 'It's just really difficult to accept. Somebody has potentially caused Sunnah to be taken away from us. 'The police have only told us what they said in a statement. The cause of death was drowning, there were no other injuries. 'We don't actually know how it came about. I don't understand how somebody can be released on bail for double manslaughter. How does that work?' Rachael Griffin, senior coroner for Dorset, added: 'I understand there is an ongoing police investigation. Despite that, I have already submitted the appropriate paperwork and released both Joe's and Sunnah's bodies for the purposes of their funerals. 12-year-old Sunnah Khan, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire Police have impounded a 78ft pleasure boat, the Dorset Belle (pictured), following the tragedy, but have said they are keeping an open mind about what happened 'It's very important people do not speculate on the circumstances surrounding Joe and Sunnah's deaths and allow the police investigation to proceed, which will allow my investigation to proceed. 'I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to Joe and Sunnah's families, my thoughts are very much with them at this difficult time following this tragedy. 'My thoughts are also with those who attended or witnessed the traumatic events.' She added: 'I wish to take this opportunity to remind all those who enter the sea or open water to be aware of the powers of the water and the risks of swimming in open water. 'It's important they are aware of how to respond when problems arise and urge people to follow guidance from public agencies such as the RNLI.' Ms Griffin adjourned the hearing until a pre-inquest review to be held on September 18. Neither Joe's nor Sunnah's families were present at the short hearing. Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood has expressed concern about a lack of clarity from local police officers about the incident, which he said had led to 'wild speculation on social media'. 'We do need to understand, learn lessons from this, provide clarity early on, just so people can have an assurance of mind as to what roughly happened,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The Bournemouth East MP said: 'Certainly anybody would not want to impede or prejudice the investigation. 'But if the absence of any comprehensive statement becomes standard, I can see who, speaking on a wider picture and security level, those who wish us harm could leverage the void by misleading messaging.' But David Sidwick, the Conservative police and crime commissioner for Dorset, defended the police's handling of the 'complex' case. City College Southampton Principal, Martin Sim, commented: 'Everybody at City College is deeply saddened to hear of the tragic incident that took place at Bournemouth beach on Wednesday 31st May. 'We send our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the two young people who lost their lives, which we now know included one of our Hospitality students, Joe Abbess. 'We have informed his class of this devastating news and are providing professional support to our students and staff through this difficult time.' His hospitality teachers added: 'Joe was an exceptional student who made a huge impact on both the hospitality team and his classmates and he will be deeply missed. 'We loved teaching Joe, he was a gem, with a great sense of humour and an undeniable passion for hospitality. He helped everyone and always stepped up as the first to volunteer, he was an exemplary student. 'Joe was always eager to expand his knowledge and took the time to talk to us about our experiences and to learn everything he could. He was looking forward to working towards his dream of owning his own restaurant. 'Joe's legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew him.' Southampton FC paid tribute to Joe on Monday, revealing he worked in hospitality at the club. A statement read: 'We're extremely saddened to hear the news of the tragic passing of Joe Abbess. Joe was not only a valued employee of Gather & Gather, the club's hospitality and catering partner, but a cherished member of our football family here at the club. 'For more than a year, Joe, who was a trainee chef, had worked across the club on matchdays and was a popular colleague amongst all staff. The thoughts of everyone associated with both the club and Gather & Gather are with Joe's family and friends at this difficult time.' Dorset Police has said that the beach was extremely busy but that neither of the deceased young people or anyone else pulled from the sea at the time of the incident was involved in any collision or contact with any vessel in the water. A man in his 40s, who was 'on the water' at the time, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, and was released under investigation on Thursday. The Dorset Belle sightseeing boat was impounded by Dorset Police after the incident. Ms Muller confirmed reports of a sudden riptide in the sea at the time of the tragedy. She said in relation to Joe: 'Emergency services were contacted by members of the public following reports that swimmers had come into difficulty in the water following the suggestion they had been caught in a riptide. 'He was transferred to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and despite ongoing treatment he was confirmed dead at the hospital.' A second air ambulance takes off from the beach after the half-term tragedy One man was pulled from the water and was given CPR on the beach by lifeguards before being taken away by air ambulance She added of Sunnah: 'She was a school child at the time of her death. The brief circumstances surrounding her death are that emergency services were contacted by members of the public following reports that swimmers had come into difficulty in the water following suggestions they had been caught in a riptide. 'She was treated by paramedics at the scene and transferred to Poole General Hospital. She was confirmed deceased at the hospital.' The devastated family of Joe previously described him as a 'wonderful son and brother' and said they were 'incredibly proud of the fabulous young man he was'. They described the 17-year-old trainee chef as 'kind, generous, loving, caring, hardworking and funny'. Sunnah's mum described her daughter as 'so well loved and well liked'. She said: 'No parent should ever have to go through what her dad and I are going through.' Dorset Police are investigating the weather, wind conditions and state of the water at the time of the tragedy. They said that the pleasure boat that was in the area at the time was just one of several lines of inquiry they were exploring. Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Corrigan said: 'We continue to keep an open mind around the circumstances that have led to the tragic death of two young people in the water off the beach. 'Our thoughts remain with the families of those young people. 'As with any investigation of this nature, we have to look at all factors connected to the state of the water. 'One of those lines of enquiry has involved the pleasure boat, which was in the area at the time of the incident. 'These enquiries also include examining wind, other weather and general coastal conditions at the time. 'I would ask that the police investigation is allowed to continue without further unhelpful speculation around circumstances of the incident, and that there is respect for the families of those who have died so tragically.' Australian employers have been warned they face a two-year prison sentence if migrant workers are exploited under a fresh government crackdown. Reforms to expand protections for some of the most vulnerable in the workforce will be introduced to federal parliament within weeks. The proposed changes would make it a criminal offence to coerce someone into breaching their visa conditions and extend the allowable time between employer sponsors to 180 days. They would also stop employers who have previously exploited workers from hiring people on temporary visas under new 'prohibition notices'. Employers have been warned they face a two-year prison sentence if migrant workers are exploited under a fresh government crackdown. (Stock image of shoppers in a retail precinct) Last week, the Australian Border Force fined Perth-based bubble tea company Utopia $13,320 for underpaying sponsored workers. It also banned the company from sponsoring workers for two years. But under current regulations, the company is free to continue hiring other workers who hold temporary visas, such as international students and backpackers. Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said he would work with the Fair Work Ombudsman to establish best practice on how to close that loophole. 'There will also be triggers for deliberate and repeated cases of noncompliance by employers,' he said in a speech at Victorian Trades Hall. 'In industries where exploitation is particularly widespread - accommodation, food services, cleaning and construction - this is a necessary step to show we can tackle exploitation where it is most prevalent. 'At its heart, immigration is about nation-building, but we cannot build our nation on the back of those being exploited. Exploitation is a sign of weakness, a smallness of character.' One in six migrants are paid less than the national minimum wage, a recent analysis by the Grattan Institute showed. One in six migrants are paid less than the national minimum wage, a recent analysis by the Grattan Institute showed. (Stock image of a bartender) Immigration Minister Andrew Giles is working to close loopholes that allow employers who underpay sponsored workers to continue to hire other workers on temporary visas The Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O'Neil said migrant exploitation was a 'national shame'. But she conceded 'more needs to be done' to ensure migrant workers were able to enforce their 'workplace rights without jeopardising their ability to stay in the country'. Democracy in Colour national director Neha Madhok agreed. 'Most migrants who find themselves in discriminatory or exploitative conditions say nothing because they fear risking their visa status and employability,' they said. The reforms would also include repealing a section of the Migration Act that the government said 'undermines' people from reporting exploitative behaviour. The government said it would continue to consult with business and unions on protections for potential whistleblowers and strengthen a 'firewall' between the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Home Affairs department. His Wagner mercenary group lost thousands of men in battle for city of Bakhmut Yevgeny Prigozhin taunted Russia's military chiefs, told them to go to frontlines The chief of the Wagner mercenary group has lambasted Russia's military leaders after Ukrainian armed forces managed to retake settlements on the outskirts of Bakhmut. Yevgeny Prigozhin said it was a 'disgrace' that Kyiv's troops were able to push back Russian lines and seize Berkhivka, a town in the northern suburbs of the embattled city. Prigozhin's Wagner group just last month managed to wrest Bakhmut out of Ukrainian hands after months of brutal fighting reminiscent of World War I trench warfare, with tens of thousands killed on both sides. The mercenary figurehead hit out at Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu and army chief Valery Gerasimov, taunting them and urging them to go to the frontlines and see the failures for themselves as the armed factions spiral towards civil war. 'Now part of the settlement of [Berkhivka] has already been lost, the troops are slowly falling back. What a disgrace! 'Shoigu, Gerasimov, I urge you to come to the front, raise your pistols at your men to make them go forward. Come on, you can! 'And if you can't, then you will die as heroes.' Prigozhin's latest tirade comes as his mercenaries captured a lieutenant colonel from Vladimir Putin's regular forces in the latest example of bitter infighting in Russian ranks. The captured colonel was seen hanging his head in a humiliating video posted by the Wagner group in which he confessed his 'guilt' and admitted to being drunk on duty after allegedly shooting at a Wagner vehicle. This follows claims by the mercenaries that the regular Russian army targeted their ranks with mines, as a clip showed their sappers clearing the explosive devices from a road. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has launched several verbal tirades at Putin's military leaders. He has accused them of ordering their troops to retreat from their positions and leaving Wagner fighters unprotected on the frontlines Wagner private army mercenaries film themselves de-mining a road which they claim was mined by regular Russian troops as the mercenaries made their way back from the front A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, May 29, 2023 An aerial view shows destructions in the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, in this handout picture released on May 21, 202 Wagner mercenaries have been fighting for Putin in Ukraine and are credited with seizing the embattled city of Bakhmut from Ukrainian armed forces after months of bloody warfare. But their success has seemingly angered regular Russian army commanders. READ MORE: Russia claims to have thwarted 'major' attack in Donetsk Advertisement Wagner chief Prigozhin has launched several verbal tirades at Putin's military leaders. He has accused them of ordering their troops to retreat from their positions and leaving Wagner fighters unprotected on the frontlines. The captured soldier identified himself as Roman Venevitin, commander of Russia's 72nd Brigade. Venevitin, who appeared to have a broken or wounded nose, confessed that he 'opened fire on a Wagner PMC [private military company] vehicle while intoxicated from alcohol'. He did so due to 'personal animosity', he claimed. The shooting damaged a Ural supply truck but did not wound any Wagner soldiers, according to the private army. Venevitin also confessed to leading a group of ten to 12 Russian army soldiers who 'disarmed' a Wagner rapid response group. 'Does personal animosity have any place at all in war?' an angry Wagner commander asked Venevitin. 'No,' the captured colonel replied sheepishly. Wagner has a reputation for battering its own 'traitors' to death with a sledgehammer - but there is no suggestion the Russian colonel will face the same treatment. A summary execution of a high-ranking Russian commander by Wagner forces would cause unprecedented chaos in Moscow's ranks. Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin (right) speaks with servicemen during the withdrawal of his forces from Bakhmut and the handover to regular Russian forces A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut The Wagner group is fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Vladimir Putin, but the relationship between them and Putin's regular troops is one of mutual hatred The capture of Venevitin came hours after Wagner mercenaries were forced to clear a road of mines which they claim had been laid by the regular army corps. READ MORE: One Russian was killed for every 48cm of land captured by Vladimir Putin's forces in the siege of Bakhmut Advertisement Prigozhin said hundreds of mines had been laid by the regular army to snare Wagner forces when they pulled out of Bakhmut after securing a rare victory for Putin in the war. 'We discovered about a dozen places where various explosive devices were placed, ranging from hundreds of anti-tank mines to tons of [charges] from Zmey Gorynych self-propelled missiles,' Prigozhin said. 'Those who planted these charges were representatives of the ministry of defence... These [explosive] charges did not need to be stacked in order to hold back the enemy since it is in the rear area. 'It can be assumed that they wanted to meet the advancing units of the Wagner PMC [Private Military Company] with these charges, even though we do not walk in columns.' It highlights the rift inside the Kremlin forces fighting Ukraine, and some analysts see civil war as a possibility in Russia if Putin loses the war. Despite huge losses, and a ban on recruiting prisoners from Russia's penal colonies, Prigozhin is still thought to have up to 60,000 men at his disposal. Wagner is one of several private armies in Russia. Chechen warlord leader Ramzan Kadyrov controls a heavily armed group of his own, and Russian energy giant Gazprom has set up its own private military company. This marked a massive 59 percent drop in US advertising revenue for Twitter Twitter ad sales dropped to $88m in period between April 1 and first week of May Twitter's US advertising revenue has dropped by a drastic 59 percent in the wake of Elon Musk's takeover of the social media platform - despite the CEO claiming 'almost all advertisers' had returned to the tech giant. An internal presentation shows that Twitter's ad sales dropped to $88million in the period between April 1 and the first week of May - down 59 percent compared to the previous year, reports the New York Times. The internal documents also show that the company has regularly fallen short of its US weekly sales projections - sometimes by 30 percent. The damning development comes after Musk said in April that Twitter 'could be profitable' as 'almost all advertisers have come back or said they are going to come back'. But the reality is different - and Twitter employees told the newspaper that they don't believe the social media giant's will improve any time soon. Twitter's US advertising revenue has dropped by a drastic 59 per cent in the wake of Elon Musk's (pictured on May 15 in Paris) takeover of the social media platform - despite the CEO claiming 'almost all advertisers' had returned to the tech giant They said Twitter's ad sales staff are concerned that advertisers could be shying away from the site due to a rise in pornography and hate speech on the social network. In November, it emerged that half of Twitter's top 100 advertisers, which had accounted for about $2billion in spending since the start of 2020, had pulled their partnerships with the site. High-profile companies including Chevrolet, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Ford, and Jeep have halted advertising on the site. The mass exodus largely stems over ethical concerns regarding the company's new direction under Musk, 51, who has aired plans to increase revenue through subscriptions and offer users increased 'free speech.' Musk's plans - which has already seen previously banned accounts, like the one owned by former president Donald Trump, restored - have proved polarizing in terms of morals. Six ad agency executives told the New York Times that their clients continue to limit their spending on Twitter due to confusion over Musk's changes to the site, as well as 'inconsistent support from Twitter and concerns about the persistent presence of misleading and toxic content on the platform.' Indeed, advertisers have been spooked by the company's mass lay-offs and Musk's rush to implement a paid verification feature that resulted in scammers impersonating companies on Twitter. The social media platform also recently reversed its 2019 ban on political ads and said that it would relax advertising policy for 'cause-based ads' in the United States and align its ad policy with TV and other media outlets. Musk had planned to diversify Twitter's revenue away from ads in the long run. However, the sudden drop in spending will likely hamper the company in the medium term. Musk has already axed 75 percent of its 7,500-strong workforce, resulting in dozens of laid-off workers now trying to sue the company for firing them without warning. And last week, Twitter lost a second safety executive in just 24 hours. The company's head of brand safety and ad quality, A.J. Brown, has resigned - just a day after the head of trust and safety, Ella Irwin (pictured), also quit The company's Head of Brand Safety and ad quality, A.J. Brown, has resigned - just a day after the Head of Trust and Safety, Ella Irwin, also quit, according to the Wall Street Journal. Both the departures come after a controversy on the platform over restrictions on the Daily Wire's 'What is a Woman?' documentary, which sees one of the right-wing outlet's columnists, Matt Walsh, question the transgender movement. Irwin, who resigned on Thursday, was in charge of content-moderation decisions. It's unclear if the exits had anything to do with Musk's overwriting of a decision taken by Twitter execs regarding the Daily Wire's documentary. On Thursday, Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing claimed Twitter representatives had told him the platform would 'no longer provide us any support and would actually limit the reach of the film and label it as 'hateful conduct' because of 'misgendering.' Musk replied to several complaints regarding the censorship, saying it was a mistake by employees and the issue would be fixed on Friday. Indeed, Twitter users could share the documentary by Friday, like Musk himself did. Irwin, who joined Twitter in June 2022, took over as head of the trust and safety team in November when previous head Yoel Roth resigned. Kara Swisher, a tech journalist and frequent critic of Musk, called Irwin an 'Elon loyalist' who was 'kicked to the curb.' Twitter has suffered a massive loss of adverting revenue following Elon Musk's $44 billion takeover last year, as companies don't want their products advertised alongside controversial content. Brown was the top executive working assuring advertisers they should trust Twitter to host their ad content. NBCUniversals former ad-sales chief Linda Yaccarino (pictured) was recently named as Twitters incoming CEO, but has not yet started on the job In December, with Irwin taking over for Roth, Twitter dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the advisory group of around 100 independent civil, human rights and other organizations that the company formed in 2016 to address hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm and other problems on the platform. The council had been scheduled to meet with Twitter representatives. But Twitter informed the group via email that it was disbanding it shortly before the meeting was to take place, according to multiple members. NBCUniversals former ad-sales chief Linda Yaccarino was recently named as Twitters incoming CEO, but has not yet started on the job. On May 12, Musk announced that Yaccarino 'will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology.' Twitter's revenue mostly comes from advertising - in 2021, it accounted for 90 percent of revenue. In January, the company suffered a 40 percent drop in revenue since 2022, as more than 500 advertisers pause spending on the microblogging site. A barmaid threatened to have one of her regulars tortured and 'chopped up' on the Moors where murderers Myra Hindley and Ian Brady killed their victims after she learnt he had a new girlfriend. Kerry Brown, 40, bombarded former lover Mark Carpenter with abusive texts and voice notes making reference to Saddleworth Moors in Greater Manchester where Hindley and Brady buried their child victims in the 1960s. In a series of late-night messages, Brown, a mother-of-one, told Mr Carpenter: 'I'm going to tie you up and I'm going to tear your head off. You need a trip to Saddleworth Moor, you'll be chopped up and tortured.' She also mocked the fact Mr Carpenter was recovering from a stroke and told him: 'I hate your f***ing guts you know. Maybe your stroke was karma.' A court heard the pair who met while Brown was working behind the bar at the White Hart pub in Droylsden, had shared a one-night stand in 2017. The 40-year-old, who now works part-time in a McDonald's, slept with Mr Carpenter in 2017 Ian Brady and Myra Hindley buried their child victims in the 1960s on Saddleworth Moors They had remained friends after the fling with Mr Carpenter lending money to Brown when she needed cash and he also allowed her to rent his holiday home in Cyprus. But she flew into a rage when he started dating someone else. In a statement, Mr Carpenter said: 'I have never done anything wrong to Kerry. She has left me feeling incredibly upset, especially because I received a lot of the messages at unsociable hours. 'I am still recovering from a stroke I had recently and these constant calls from withheld numbers just to threaten me are totally unprovoked. 'This has left me feeling scared to see Kerry if I leave the house. I don't know what she is capable of. Overall, this has left me feeling mentally and physically drained.' At Manchester magistrates court, Brown, who lives in the city's Clayton district and who now works in a MacDonald's burger bar, admitted harassment between October last year and April this year and was sentenced to a 12-month community order. She must complete 20 rehabilitation activity hours and 150 hours of unpaid work, and pay 85 in court costs and the 114 statutory surcharge. Kerry Brown borrowed money from Mr Carpenter and also rented his holiday home in Cyprus A 12-month restraining order was also imposed between her and Carpenter, barring her from attending his address in Ashton-under-Lyne A 12-month restraining order was also imposed between her and Carpenter, barring her from attending his address in Ashton-under-Lyne. Steve Woodman, prosecuting, said: 'Mr Carpenter has known the defendant for 20 years, and they first became acquainted while she was working as a barmaid at The White Hart in Droylsden, his local. 'The pair slept together on one occasion in 2017 but have since kept a distant friendship. 'They would occasionally check in with each other via text, but would rarely meet. Mr Carpenter allowed the defendant to rent out his holiday home in Cyprus a couple of times throughout 2018. The defendant also asked to borrow 250, which Carpenter sent to her. She sent the full amount back soon after. 'She later asked for another 500 from him. He sent her the money, but never received repayment. He assumed she needed the money because she was struggling at that time and didn't follow her up about it. 'The messages sent between the two parties were friendly at first, but at one point during October 2022, the defendant called him a 'c**t.' 'She also started to get angry when he didn't respond to her messages. In response, he told her it would be inappropriate because he had a girlfriend. Mr Carpenter had met Kerry Brown when she was a barmaid at the White Hart in Droylsden 'Throughout October, the defendant accused him of several serious allegations in mostly lengthy paragraph messages that did not make much sense. He told her to not contact him any more after receiving these messages, but she persisted, sending longer paragraphs of abuse. 'One of the paragraphs said, 'I hate your f*****g guts, you know,' and ended with 'maybe your stroke was karma.' Mr Woodman said the messages subsided for a while, but then, seemingly out of nowhere, they started again in February of this year. 'They started to become more direct and threatening in their tone, with her saying I'm going to tie you up and tear your head off. She also said: 'You need a trip to Saddleworth Moor, you'll be chopped up and tortured'. 'Mr Carpenter reported Brown to the police, and she was arrested on the 6th of March. 'She gave a no comment interview and was released with no contact bail conditions. Soon after her release, she breached her bail conditions by messaging Carpenter. 'She said: 'thanks a lot, I really appreciated spending 30 hours in a cell. I'm going to break my bail to tell you I'm going to make you look like an absolute kn*b'. 'She was arrested again on the 11th of April and gave full admissions in her second interview.' Brown has no previous convictions, but had a caution for sending malicious communications in 2021. In mitigation, her lawyer Osman Munir said, 'She regrets her actions, so much so that she attempted an overdose two weeks ago. However, she lives in stable accommodation and works part-time at a McDonald's branch local to her.' Before she was released from the docks, Jonathan Vallance, chairman of the magistrates, said, 'I hope we don't see you back in this court. To this, she responded, 'not this court.' He quickly corrected her, saying, 'any court'. She then left the dock shaking. Before leaving the room, she said: 'He's lying.' Because of the disastrous performance of the Russian military and intelligence agencies in Ukraine, many prominent Russians in the military and intelligence agencies are calling for bringing back the World War II era Smersh (Smert Shpionam or death to spies) organization to deal with the growing leaks of secret information and anti-government commentators. In Ukraine Russia is having a lot of problems Ukrainians in areas Russian troops occupy. This is especially true in areas like Crimea and the Donbas, which Russia has controlled since 2014. Some of the Ukrainian resistance is showing up just across the border in Russia (Belgorod province). This was not supposed to happen and has caused many Russians to question the wisdom of Russians trying to conquer Ukraine. Smersh only existed from 1943 to 1947 and, even while paranoid dictators Josef Stalin was still alive, was seen as excessive. After Stalin died in 1953 there was even less police state terror in Russia as the 1930s NKVD was replaced by the less oppressive KGB. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 it became obvious that Russians wanted nearly all Soviet era security practices gone for good. The KGB turned into a less threatening FSB. This meant less arbitrary justice, state-controlled economy and massive conscription. Democracy was introduced but it never really took hold and when Vladimir Putin gained national power in 1999, he gradually brought back many Soviet-era practices. Putin joined the KGB in 1975 and missed its police state powers after 1991. When Putin gained national power in 1999 he began turning the FSB into a more powerful agency similar to the KGB. Putin has encountered increasing resistance to this from Russians with long memories or just unwillingness to live in a police state. Putins response has been to increase the police state practices and consider backing another use of Smersh tactics. The source of all this unrest is the invasion of Ukraine in2022. Putin thought this would be a quick victory and absorption of a neighboring nation that Putin declared part of Russia and not meant to be independent. The Ukrainians successfully fought back and inside Russia many people blamed Putin for this mess and supported getting out of Ukraine. Recently some of these Russians have been armed and fighting back against Russian security forces. The Russian situation should not surprise anyone, especially when you consider the growing police state oppression in Russia over the last decade. In 2013 Russia completed reforms of its police forces, which comprise over one percent of the population and have traditionally been far more powerful than their counterparts in the West. Russia has also been using its police much more aggressively since 2000. For example, the number of court approved wiretaps (mainly on phones or Internet accounts) grew, reaching about 400,000 by 2013 and continuing to increase. Causing more unrest among Russians. In Russia the security services include the national police force and the FSB (federal investigative agency). The FSB replaced the Soviet era KGB in the 1990s. This growth in wiretap activity continued, apparently unaffected by the enormous changes the police forces underwent during this period. For example, the national police underwent a major reform a decade ago, with all police now reporting to federal control. Before that, and since the establishment of police in Russia 300 years ago, police forces had been controlled by city or regional governments, which paid for and controlled the local police. There was some supervision from the Ministry of the Interior, but the cops were mainly local. Since a new law was passed in 2011, that has changed. All police now work for the Ministry of the Interior and police strength in Russia has been cut 20 percent. A few years before that Russian intelligence officials began a largely successful effort to resurrect the Cold War era KGB. When the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991, the new Russian government broke up the KGB, creating a domestic intelligence agency (the FSB) , a CIA-like operation for foreign intel (the SVR), and several other separate organizations that used to be part of the KGB. But because of poor performance by the SVR, and a certain nostalgia for the powerful KGB of yore, FSB officials made an effort to absorb the smaller SVR. That did not succeed, but other efforts to absorb organizations that used to be part of the KGB have succeeded. The FSB, which appears to have inherited the ruthlessness that made the KGB such a fearsome organization, believed that Russian espionage operations had become sloppy since the SVR took over KGB foreign intelligence operations in 1991. This is in sharp contrast to the Cold War. In the 1990s it was revealed that the Russians were much better at the spy game than their Western opponents. But those super spies appear to have moved on to more lucrative work in the civilian sector or the government. In any event, the past masters are no longer running the show. It's amateur hour now, and the Russians would rather not talk about it. But in light of all this, the calls for merging SVR with the FSB, to create a neo-KGB, made sense. The KGB had a well-deserved reputation for ruthless efficiency. Russians get nostalgic for stuff like that. But the man who has been running Russia since 2000, Vladimir Putin, is a veteran KGB officer and decided that the SVR should stay independent and perhaps improve itself. Putin was more accepting of FSB moves to absorb domestic paramilitary organizations. Even before the current SVR merger business, the FSB was being given more and more of its old KGB-era powers, and personnel, back. Before the Soviet Union disappeared in 1991, the KGB was the most powerful organization in the country. It was a law unto itself, as long as it stuck to its main task: keeping the Communist Party in power. Since the late 1990s, the FSB has been regaining a lot of the KGBs Cold War powers and people. It again controls the border police and several specialist technical organizations. While this pleases the law and order crowd, it disturbs Russians who remember when the KGB was the principal organization keeping the communist dictatorship in power for so long. The new powers give the FSB more authority to do whatever they want, just like in their good old days when the communists were in charge. The FSB is believed to directly control over 100,000 personnel and have authority over many more in other government departments (like the national police force). The KGB acquired most of its power just before World War II, after dictator Joseph Stalin had killed most of the army leadership to prevent what he believed was the possibility of a military takeover. The KGB was to be a powerful state secret police, a sort of FBI, CIA, Border Patrol, Coast Guard, and more rolled into one organization. The KGB was everywhere as it worked diligently to keep its communist masters in power. For example, the KGB had a network of informants in the military, as well as among the civilian population. When Stalin died of natural causes in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev and some close Communist Party associates took over. One of the first things they did was execute the head of the KGB, an old Stalin crony named Beria, who had been responsible for large scale massacres within the KGB and elsewhere during Stalin's reign. Less bloody-minded KGB officers were subsequently promoted to head the organization. Until the very end of the Soviet Union, the KGB remained at the top of the social, political, economic, and legal pecking order. In the late 1980s, reformers like Gorbachev rose to power via the assistance of senior KGB officials who saw a need for reform. The KGB were aware that their tsarist predecessors survived the 1917 Revolution. They were a relatively small group compared to the military and the Communist party and they were prepared to survive the next "revolution." This the KGB did, and now they are being rewarded for their loyalty and effectiveness in dealing with terrorism, corruption, capitalism, and criminal gangs by having many of their old powers restored. While the FSB has regained control of the border police, this force is but a shadow of its former, Soviet self. Back then the Soviet Union maintained 200,000 KGB border troops. This "army" had armored units, warships, and combat aircraft. These forces served the same function as the United States Coast Guard and Border Patrol, but in America these forces amount to fewer than half as many personnel. The KGB border forces had much more power than their American counterparts. The 25,000 sailors in the "Maritime Border Guards" (MBG) answered to no one but the head of the KGB. To put it more clearly, a lieutenant commanding an MBG patrol boat could order any Russian warship to halt and then arrest its captain. In fact, this was one of the principal functions of the MBG, to prevent mutiny or defection by ships and sailors of the Soviet Navy and merchant fleet. Smuggling was a minor problem, as Russian currency was useless outside the country and there were few items Russia produced that were good enough, and small enough, to be profitably smuggled. Moreover, much of Russia's coastline is in arctic waters and most of the remainder was adjacent to other communist nations. What kept the MBG busy was ensuring that Russian citizens didn't flee the country. Such flight was a criminal offense and several prisons were full of Russians who attempted it and got caught by the MBG. The FSB still relies on conscripts for many low level security jobs. As in the Soviet period, getting drafted into the FSB is an attractive proposition for many young Russian men. Doing well in this job, which includes guarding nuclear weapons or other important national assets, marks you as someone worthy of other jobs within the security services. What bothers many Russians is the ultimate purpose of the FSB. The KGB was known as the main protector of the Communist Party. The communists are gone and the FSB is seen as the supporter of wealthy criminals who used their KGB connections and powers after the Soviet Union collapsed, to grab ownership of many state-owned assets. The current Russian government is acting more and more like the autocratic rulers Russia has suffered under for centuries. The FSB seems to act more like the palace guard than public servants. The guards want more power and are likely to get it. The FSB suffered a setback in Ukraine, where they believed their subversive activities had weakened the Ukrainian government and security services enough to enable a quick Russian victory. The Ukrainians and now a growing number of Russians, successfully fought back and the FSB is seeking salvation in a revived Smersh campaign. Rishi Sunak hailed 'fantastic' Ben Wallace today as he admitted 'conversations are happening' about who will be the next head of NATO. The PM dodged explicitly saying whether he will use a trip to Washington this week to push Joe Biden to endorse the Defence Secretary for the prestigious post. But Mr Sunak did nothing to kill off speculation, praising Mr Wallace as 'widely respected' and highlighting Britain's financial and military contribution to the alliance. Incumbent Jens Stoltenberg is due to stand down in September, but with 31 member states the appointment process is always highly political. France is said to be pushing for a candidate from the EU, while others would prefer to break new ground by installing a woman. Rishi Sunak hailed 'fantastic' Ben Wallace today as he admitted 'conversations are happening' about who will be the next head of NATO The PM dodged explicitly saying whether he will use a trip to Washington this week to push Joe Biden to endorse the Defence Secretary for the prestigious post Mr Sunak is due to hold talks with the president (pictured) on Thursday Asked about the White House visit and NATO role at a press conference in Kent this morning, Mr Sunak said: 'Ben does a fantastic job. He is a great Defence Secretary. 'This is a conversation that is happening amongst leaders around the world more generally and I'm sure it will continue to happen. 'Ben is widely respected among his colleagues around the world. 'We're one of the only countries that participates in every single NATO operation. We are widely perceived as a thought leader in NATO. 'And I think if you asked the NATO secretary general, he would agree with everything I've just said and we will always continue to be a strong contributor and participant in Nato.' Mr Wallace has dropped a series of heavy hints that he would like to lead NATO, saying it is a 'job I'd like' - although he 'loves' being Defence Secretary. Rumours have swirled about Mr Wallace's intentions since he twice ducked out of running for the Tory leadership - despite polls suggesting he is the most popular member of the Cabinet with party grass roots. NATO member states typically decide on the alliance's next chief behind the scenes. Mr Wallace would have to overcome the opposition of those said to be pushing for a woman or someone from eastern Europe, and of France, which would reportedly prefer an EU candidate. If the Defence Secretary did succeed, it could trigger a by-election in his Wyre and Preston North seat, although it is set to be carved up under a planned shake-up of Westminster constituencies later this year. The appointment of Labour MP George Robertson as Nato chief in 1999 led to a by-election in his Hamilton South constituency, south west of Glasgow. Nikki Haley didn't hold back in her criticism of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, calling him a 'hypocrite' for his ongoing feud with Disney during her town hall with CNN on Sunday. The 2024 presidential candidate is among the growing list duking it out for DeSantis' second place spot as he remains at least 20 points behind former President Donald Trump but around the same distance ahead of the rest of the primary field. Haley, a former South Carolina Gov. and once Trump's Ambassador to the United Nations, slammed DeSantis for using taxpayer dollars to fund the Florida government's lawsuit with Walt Disney Co. 'So here you have DeSantis, who accepted $50,000 in political contributions from Disney; he went and put their executives and their lobbyists on prominent boards throughout Florida; and he went and basically gave the highest corporate subsidies in Florida history to Disney,' Haley said to the crowd during her town hall conversation with CNN's Jake Tapper. 'But because they went and criticized him, now he's going to spend taxpayer dollars on a lawsuit.' 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley called competitor and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a 'hypocrite' for spending taxpayer money in his lawsuit against Walt Disney Co. DeSantis is in an ongoing war with Disney after the former CEO slammed the governor for banning classroom instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity 'All this vendetta stuff, we've been down that road,' she added, likely in reference to Trump. 'We can't go down that [again].' She added: 'And I think he's being hypocritical.' DeSantis has made Disney the focus of much of his 'anti-woke' ire, claiming that the 'corporate kingdom' is pushing a gender-ideology agenda after the former CEO was critical of the Florida governor's so-called' Don't Say Gay' law. Despite the governor getting married to wife Casey DeSantis at Walt Disney World in 2009, he has gone all-in on his war with the company in Florida, engaging in a lawsuit on taxpayers' dime. He also stripped Disney of its board power of the special-designated Reedy Creek, where much of the park and resorts sat along with residential properties where a lot of staff lived. Much of the attacks against DeSantis from progressives has focused on his agenda removing the classroom discussion and instruction of anything involving gender identity and sexual orientation. Haley also doubled down on her criticism of Trump during her town hall on Sunday after the former president congratulated North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the dictatorship was given an appointment to the World Health Organization's executive board. Ron and Casey DeSantis had their wedding at Disney World in Florida in 2009 'There's nothing good or decent about Kim Jong Un,' the former UN ambassador said, calling him a 'thug.' 'I don't think we should congratulate dictators,' she added when pushed by Tapper on Trump's post to Truth Social. 'Congratulate our friends. Don't congratulate our enemies. It emboldens them when we do.' Continuing with the popular line of being 'anti-woke' in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, Haley touted her state's politics and said DeSantis should not have waged such a public war with Disney. 'Luckily, South Carolina is very anti-woke,' she claimed. 'But when you have a company like that, don't bring the citizens' taxpayer dollars into that. Pick up the phone, deal with it, settle it the way you should.' A gay couple in Florida claimed a Target employee stopped them from buying a Pride onesie for their son because the item should have been pulled from the shelves. Michael Hoffacker and Michael Roedel tried to buy a Pride outfit for their 10-month-old child, but they were told by staff that they weren't allowed to purchase it. They took the rainbow-themed item of clothing to a self-checkout, but as they scanned it, an alert flashed up on the screen. A staff member then let them know that the item had a 'do not sell' tag on it because it had been pulled from shelves amid the backlash Target is facing for its Pride Month merchandise. This comes as Target has suffered financial setback after financial setback - with JPMorgan downgrading its stock as its market value plummeted by $12billion over backlash to its controversial LGBTQ Pride product release. Gay couple Michael Hoffacker and Michael Roedel were trying to buy a Pride onesie for their 10-month-old child, but they were told by staff that they weren't allowed to purchase it Target has suffered financial setback after financial setback - with JPMorgan downgrading its stock as its market value plummeted by $12billion over backlash to its controversial LGBTQ Pride product release Hoffacker told WPBF: 'A Target team member walked over and she let us know that that item should have been pulled from the shelves and it had a Do Not Sell on it and they would not be able to sell us the item. 'I was confident that with the fact that it was there that we would be able to actually purchase it and that I would actually be able to talk one of the managers into selling it to us.' The gay couple then called the manager to see if they could convince her to let them buy it. He said the manager at the Target on Northlake Boulevard in Lake Park told the couple that if they sold them the onesie, she would probably lose her job. The ordeal rocked the couple, who said it was a painful, infuriating moment. And they said Target needs to be a better ally to the gay community in the face of the backlash they are facing. Hoffacker said: 'It was a pretty painful and emotional moment. Ive never actually felt restricted from my rights as a gay man through being in college to when I came out until now, I mean this was one of the moments when I felt like I didnt have the rights that I deserved to have. It was very uncomfortable.' The gay couple called the manager in the Florida store to see if they could convince her to let them buy it - but it did not work Target has had billions wiped from its value following the criticism over the Pride collection Roedel added: 'That says it all. Infuriating... Target, in this moment, is wrong. 'They need to be better and they need to be a better ally in this community and especially in a situation where our family is there, trying to celebrate who we are in a very, very historic and proud, prideful June, and were there having a team lead, a manager at Target, tell us we cant buy a product to actually celebrate our community. 'Target needs to do better because we are as big of a community as anybody else out there with a right to shop in their stores, and when they take merchandise away from us in this way its hurtful and its infuriating and it makes us feel less than. 'And, thats just not OK from a brand we supported for so long.' Target has been contacted for comment. The pair have now demanded that the company reverse their decision to pull the Pride items from shelves - and sent a letter to the Board of Directors for Target. This comes after a former Target executive said the retailer's biggest mistake was selling 'tuck-friendly' swimwear for Pride, which has led to a $12billion loss since mid-May. Former Target Vice Chairman Gerald Storch believes the company's controversial 'tuck-friendly' swimwear set Target's Pride collection apart from others for the worst. 'I've never seen a case where one item, that tuck swimsuit, that's really what made the difference versus the competitors. That's where the big mistake [was] made,' he told Fox and Friends. He said other companies carried colored plates and gingerbread houses and that's 'fine' because 'who cares? Everybody carries that stuff.' A student at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio has claimed a professor failed her on a project proposal over her use of the term 'biological women.' Sophomore Olivia Krolczyk posted a now-viral TikTok claiming her Womens Gender Studies in Pop Culture professor told her that while the proposal was 'solid,' the term was 'exclusionary.' When asked to pick a topic for a project with the theme of 'feminism,' the 20-year-old chose to look at how rights and opportunities for female athletes have changed throughout history. Krolczyk's project would explore events like the first woman to compete in the Olympics and the current fight by female athletes like swimmer Riley Gaines to keep trans women from women's sports. The proposal concluded these rights and opportunities 'are being threatened by allowing men to compete in womens sports.' Olivia Krolczyk posted a now-viral TikTok claiming her Womens Gender Studies in Pop Culture professor gave a her a zero on a project proposal over her use of the term 'biological women' Krolczyk said the grades related to the project are worth half of the total grade for the class @oliveourviews Emailed her and was told using the term is transphobic be for real original sound - oliveourviews 'Olivia, this is a solid proposal,' reads the professor's alleged note, shared on Krolczyk's TikTok. 'However, "biological women" are exclusionary and now allowed in this course as they further reinforce heteronormativity. Please reassess your topic and edit it to focus on women's rights (not just 'females') and I'll re-grade.' Krolczyk, who competed in cross country and track in high school, told the New York Post that the grades related to this specific project are worth half of the total grade for the class. She said she emailed the professor after receiving the feedback, and was then told the term was 'transphobic.' 'Then I was told I was implementing TERF ideology, which is Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism, which she then went on to explain that it was "women who fight for women's rights but exclude trans because they think that women's rights are being affected by trans people,"' Krolczyk said in another TikTok. Krolczyk has not named the professor for fear of possible online harassment, she told the New York Post. She says she has contacted the university's Gender Equality and was told they would have a different professor grade her work. However, Krolczyk said there has been no review of her work in nearly two weeks. The student said she emailed the professor after receiving the feedback, and was then told the term was 'transphobic' She argues she followed the professor's instructions and was told This exercise is developmental. Thoughtful proposals submitted on time will receive full credit." 'I turned in my assignment on time and I can guarantee 100% that my proposal was extremely thoughtful,' Krolczy added. And it's not the first time Krolczy has encountered trouble with the professor. Krolczyk also claims she was rebuked during a class discussion when she said that generalizing all white men as having privileges is 'not fair.' 'She commented that something along the lines of it being necessary and important to recognize privilege and oppression. I was docked on my grade,' the chemistry major claimed. Krolczyk's TikTok was posted on May 21 and has been viewed over 2.8million times. She says hundreds have contacted her with similar experiences, and she decided to be vocal about the issue because 'it wasn't being taken seriously.' 'I can confidently say within my university and many across the country, dissenting opinions are frowned upon and the views of the professors are affecting their abilities to teach,' she told the Post. DailyMail.com has reached out to Krolczyk and the University of Cincinnati for comment on this story. A woman tricked a teenage girl into sex by hiding her long blonde hair under a hood and pretending to be a boy called George, a jury heard today. Georgia Bilham, 21, from Cheshire, set up a fake Snapchat profile under the name 'George Parry' using a cartoon image of a blonde-haired man as her profile picture and began messaging the girl online, it was alleged. They progressed to meeting up for sexual activity in 'George's' car, and later at her home, where 'he' kept up the pretence and tried to dismiss her mounting suspicions that 'he' was really female, the court was told. Each time, 'George' would ask her to remove her glasses, meaning she could not see his face properly. The court heard the accuser had 'very poor' eyesight, with anything more than 5.5in (14cm) from her face being 'blurred'. The jury heard it meant that when she was without her spectacles, she was 'essentially blind'. Georgia Bilham, 21, set up a fake Snapchat profile under the name 'George Parry' using a cartoon image of a blonde-haired man as her profile picture and began messaging her online, it was alleged They progressed to meeting up for sexual activity in 'George's' car, and later at her home, where 'he' kept up the pretence and tried to dismiss her mounting suspicions that 'he' was really female, the court was told. Pictured, Georgia Bilham Initially the defendant would remove her glasses, but as time went on she would take them off herself. The crown's case is that the defendant knew the girl was 'blind without her glasses and so took them from her'. While 'he' regularly performed sex acts on the accuser, when she tried to lower 'his' Calvin Klein boxer shorts 'he' began shaking until she stopped, it was alleged. 'George' told her he was too afraid to take off his top or even lower the hood because he was involved with an Albanian criminal gang. He also said he was self-conscious due to a scar from being stabbed, according to the prosecution. She had begun messaging 'him' online four years earlier, but they only started meeting up after her previous relationship ended, she said, and began going out in 'his' car. 'He always had his coat with the hood up, high underneath the neck,' she said. Describing the incident when she first overheard the name Georgia when the car was stopped by police, she said she confronted 'George' afterwards. 'I asked ''Yes or no are you a girl?'' She eventually agreed to trust him, saying: 'He never let me touch him I thought I'd let him go at his own pace.' She would let George put 'his' hand up inside her top and feel her breasts, she said. She described 'George' as 'tiny' with tanned skin and with 'sort of hair' above his lips. Even in hot weather, she said 'he' kept all his clothes on when they were together. 'I said ''You're literally sweating'',' she said. But when her mother told her 'George is a girl', she said she 'burst into tears'. She told the detective Bilham needed 'serious help'. Asked if she would have let herself be touched had she known that 'George was Georgia', she answered: 'No, it makes me feel sick.' 'I'm not gay,' she added. However the accuser who cannot be named for legal reasons researched Bilham online and confronted 'George'. In a message, she wrote: 'Just admit you've been caught out, I know more than enough now.' Bilham allegedly deleted the Snapchat account under George's name before writing back: 'I don't even dress like a lad, it just took over my life.' After that, the girl contacted police and Bilham was arrested. Opening her trial at Chester Crown Court, Anna Pope, prosecuting, said the accuser was not fully consenting to sexual activity because she believed 'George' was really male. Whether Bilham was 'attracted' to the alleged victim 'or whether she gained some form of buzz from duping another woman into believing she was communicating both verbally and physically with a man, is not known,' she added. But she said the 'real issue' was whether the complainant 'believed when she was engaging in sexual activity that she was doing so with a man'. Bilham began messaging her with the Snapchat profile George_132X, the court heard today Bilham is charged with nine counts of sexual assault and eight counts of penetration, all of which she denies The crown's case is that the defendant knew the girl was 'blind without her glasses and so took them from her'. Pictured: Georgia Bilham Bilham is charged with nine counts of sexual assault and eight counts of penetration, all of which she denies. Bilham, who arrived at court dressed in a loose-fitting cardigan over a black strappy top, tight black trousers and trainers and with her long blonde hair down, began messaging her with the Snapchat profile George_132X, the court heard today. 'George' told her his parents were dead and that he was from Birmingham but was living near Chester and working for Albanian gangsters, Ms Pope said. In 2021 they began meeting up on local railway tracks where Bilham would be 'wearing boys' clothes', Ms Pope said. 'He had a hood pulled up over his head.' She added that this 'was to be a feature of all of their meetings', with 'George' keeping 'his' hood up so the girl could not see 'the true length of Georgia's hair'. The girl began to feel 'an attraction' to 'George', who she believed was a young man, Ms Pope said, and 'he' would pick her up in 'his' car and take her for a drive. In addition, the court heard 'George' spoke like a man in a Birmingham accent and jurors were told they would be played a voice note that Bilham had sent her via Snapchat in the guise of his 'alter ego' of George. They first kissed on May 10, 2021, but later that evening the car became stuck and 'George' started to 'panic' when police arrived at the scene and suggested they make a run for it, Ms Pope said. 'We say that Georgia Bilham was right to be concerned that her true identity would be revealed, because that night, it very nearly was,' she said. Officers took the defendant to their patrol car to check 'his' details, and the girl overheard them using the name 'Georgia'. Afterwards she 'confronted' the defendant and 'demanded an explanation', the prosecuting barrister said, asking: 'Are you a girl?' She said 'George' denied it, telling her: 'It's a fake licence, 'cos I don't have one, that's why I told you to run.' She gave 'him' until the next morning to prove to her that he was not female, but 'George' was unable to do so. However 'he' sent her a 'selfie' showing a 'young man with blonde hair and no top on,' Ms Pope said. Later 'George' sent her a message, saying: 'On my way back to Brum with Slitta, he picked up kilos and decided to get in a police chase.' Ms Pope told jurors this was 'keeping up the pretence of being George from Birmingham with criminal associates'. The defendant also told her the reason 'he' always had his hood up 'was linked to his involvement with the Albanian gang members', and was 'paranoid about being followed'. Georgia Bilham leaving Chester Crown Court after being accused of sexual assault on another woman Jurors were told that Bilham's defence is likely to be that while sexual activity did take place as alleged, the issue for them to decide was whether the girl knew 'George' was really female 'We say that, despite her initial concerns, she trusted him, and believed that what he was telling her about his identity was true,' Ms Pope said. On a later car trip they went to the Horseshoe Pass, a beauty spot in North Wales, where after pulling over she allowed 'George' to carry out sex acts on her, jurors were told. 'She was able to see that George was wearing Calvin Klein boxer shorts,' Ms Pope said. She 'tried to remove his lower clothing so that she too could sexually touch him', but as she pulled them 'to just by the hip area', George 'stopped', lay on top of her 'and started to shake'. Thinking he was 'nervous' and may have been sexually abused when 'he' was younger, she 'did not push it'. The prosecution case is that if she had 'had lowered his tracksuit bottoms and boxer shorts, she would have found out that George Parry was in fact Georgia Bilham,' Ms Pope told jurors. Over the next few weeks, their intimacy progressed, the court heard, but to the girl's 'frustration', the defendant would not let her perform sex acts on 'him'. Ms Pope said: 'George often gave excuses, such as, for example, that he had been stabbed, and because of the scar, he felt self-conscious and didn't like to be touched.' He began staying over at her family home but continued to wear tracksuit bottoms and a top with the hood up, she said. He was 'not as relaxed' as when they were in the car due to the 'much greater risk' that someone would realise 'he' was not who 'he' claimed to be, she added. However her mother became suspicious after meeting 'George' and told her she was being deceived. On one occasion, after 'George' stopped to buy petrol and went to pay, the girl who had stayed in the car - found a bank card in the name of Georgia Bilham, jurors were told. But instead of suspecting that 'George was in fact Georgia', she instead 'confronted him' in the belief that 'he' was seeing someone called Georgia Bilham, Ms Pope said. 'George' told her he had borrowed Georgia Bilham's bank card to pay his road tax, the court heard. The girl even looked up Georgia Bilham's Facebook profile on which she showed her true identity but continued to question whether 'George' was in a relationship with her, the prosecutor said. Ms Pope said this showed it was 'very clear' that at that stage she believed that 'George' and Bilham 'were two separate people'. In August 2021 'George' stayed at her home and woke her up in the night wanting her to 'sit on his face', she said still keeping his hooded top on. She consented, Ms Pope said 'believing, as she had throughout every sexual act, that the person who was performing a sex act on her was a man called George from Birmingham, not a woman called Georgia from Chester'. But when they went to a local Starbucks the following day, the girl messaged her mother who had not yet 'properly' met 'George' to ask if she wanted them to get her a drink. She said she did, and on their return the girl told 'George' he should give it to her mother 'himself' as they hadn't spoken before beyond 'Hello', Ms Pope said. After protesting, 'he' eventually agreed his hand 'shaking so much so that she spilt some of the drink as she was putting it on the table'. Able to see 'George' more clearly than her daughter, she was able to perceive the truth, Ms Pope said. Not only did she not believe that 'George' was the person in the photographs her daughter had been sent, but she 'did not accept that 'George' was a man at all,' she added. After telling her daughter of her suspicions, the girl examined Georgia Bilham's Facebook page. As she asked more questions, she 'began to realise that the persona of George Parry was entirely fake, created by the real George, Georgia Bilham'. Ms Pope said the accuser was 'clear that she did not consent to have sexual activity with a woman'. 'When she agreed to have sexual activity with George Parry, it was on the basis that George Parry was a male,' she added. As a result, she finally confronted 'George' on August 19 before contacting Bilham's father and forwarding the messages 'he' had sent her. Interviewed by police, Bilham answered 'no comment' to each question. Jurors were told that Bilham's defence is likely to be that while sexual activity did take place as alleged, the issue for them to decide was whether the girl knew 'George' was really female. Later jurors were played the alleged victim's police interview during which she told detectives it was 'sick' that Bilham posed as George, adding that she needed 'serious help'. The trial continues. The prime suspect behind the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in 2005 is expected to be extradited to the US Tuesday, sources close to her family say. Joran van der Sloot, who had been serving a 28-year sentence in Peru for the 2010 murder of Stephany Flores, 21, left the maximum security Challapalca jail on Saturday and is due to land in Lima, the countrys capital, at 12pm local time, sources told ABC. He will be held in a prison in Lima before his extradition to the US, where he will be taken to Birmingham, Alabama, to face charges of extortion. He is accused of promising to lead Natalee's family to her body in exchange for $250,000 in 2010. Natalee was 18 when she disappeared from the Caribbean island of Aruba during a trip with school friends. Van der Sloot, a citizen of Holland, has been serving a 28-year sentence in Peru for the 2010 murder of 21-year-old college student Stephany Flores. He was recently beaten by fellow inmates, according to his attorney Natalee Holloway, 18, went missing in 2005. The teen had been on a graduation trip to Aruba with her Alabama high school classmates The teenager was last seen leaving a nightclub with van der Sloot and two of his friends. Her body has never been found and she was declared legally dead in 2012. Van der Sloot was indicted by a grand jury in 2010 on one count each of wire fraud and extortion, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors in the US allege that van der Sloot reached out to Mrs Holloway asking for $25,000 to disclose the location of her daughter's body - and then a further $225,000 when the remains were discovered. During a recorded sting operation, van der Sloot pointed to a house where he said Holloway was buried but, in later emails, admitted to lying about the location, an FBI agent said in an affidavit. But last month DailyMail.com revealed van der Sloot is to protest his innocence and is set to make the extraordinary accusation that it was actually Natalee's mother, Beth, who approached van der Sloot offering money if he took her to her daughter's body. His attorney, Maximo Altez, said his client wanted to be extradited to clear his name. 'He was living his life in Aruba and got a call from Beth Holloway, who tricked him, he claimed. 'She said: "Joran, tell me where the body is and I'll give you $250,000." He never asked for money, she's the one that offered. 'She even gave him an advancement and he never asked for the rest. He only got $25,000.' Altez explained that his client is a 'sick person' and 'compulsive gambler', who 'needed the money to play at the casino'. He claimed Mrs Holloway 'took advantage of him'. Mrs Holloways attorney, John Q. Kelly, declined to comment on the claims. Natalee's body has never been found and she was declared legally dead in 2012 Van der Sloot is facing extradition to the US over extortion charges after allegedly promising to lead Natalee's family to her body in exchange for cash. But his attorney has now claimed it was Natalee's mother, Beth (pictured), who approached him offering cash Van der Sloot, with whom Natalee had been the night of her disappearance, was detained as a suspect in the case, but ultimately released In 2012, van der Sloot pleaded guilty to the murder of a young Peruvian woman in 2010 Van der Sloot has changed his account of what happened to Natalee several times already. Under questioning, van der Sloot is said to have first claimed he dropped Natalee off at a hotel, before later stating he left her alone on a beach. In his 2007 book, 'The Case of Natalee Holloway: My Own Story about her Disappearance on Aruba', van der Sloot admitted lying to police and apologized to the Holloways. He wrote: 'I understand that my lies in the past seriously tarnished my credibility.' He maintained his innocence, explaining that he had left an intoxicated Natalee on the beach, where he said she wanted to 'watch the stars'. In 2010, van der Sloot was arrested in Peru for the murder of Stephany Flores, 21, who was killed five years to the day after Natalee's disappearance. Peruvian prosecutors accused van der Sloot of killing Flores, a business student from a prominent family, to rob her after learning she had won money at the casino where the two met. They said he killed her with 'ferocity' and 'cruelty,' beating then strangling her in his hotel room. He pleaded guilty in 2012. Natalee's body has never been found and she was declared legally dead in 2012 Natalee is seen in casino security footage at a table with van der Sloot shortly before her disappearance It comes after DailyMail.com revealed van der Sloot is ditching his wife of eight years for a 'prettier and younger' girlfriend accused of smuggling him drugs in jail. The killer married accountant Leidy Figueroa, 33, in a private ceremony at Piedras Gordas prison in July 2014, when Leidy was seven months pregnant with their daughter, Dusha. But van der Sloot asked for a divorce around a year ago after beginning a relationship with Eva Pacohuanaco. The 24-year-old Peruvian was accused of helping him smuggle nearly 300 grams of cocaine and 140 grams of marijuana into another jail in Juliaca, according to reports in Peru. It landed the Dutchman an additional seven years on his sentence for the murder of Flores. Last month, Altez claimed van der Sloot had been severely beaten by fellow inmates and had since been moved to the jails medical aisle. He is due for release in 2038. Holly Willoughby made a dramatic return to the This Morning sofa following the departure of co-host Phillip Schofield after he lied to her and ITV colleagues over his affair with a younger man who worked on the show. Dressed in white, the 42-year-old gave an emotional speech to viewers where she called Schofield a liar and opened up on feeling 'troubled' and 'let down'. Here, MailOnline decodes Holly's astonishing monologue, where she painted herself the victim while also making it clear she is ready to captain the This Morning ship: 'Hi there. Good morning. Josie (Gibson), thank you for being here. Right, deep breath. Firstly, are you OK? Holly groups herself with the audience, suggesting she too is a victim. Body language expert Judi James also told MailOnline that her white outfit is another deliberate attempt to portray her 'innocence'. Meanwhile, starting with 'firstly' implies that the wellbeing of the audience is her priority, another attempt to make her appear sympathetic. Some watchers were less than impressed, with one commenting on social media: 'Poor Holly, stop acting the victim. Round of applause for your acting skills though.' While another added: 'I'm sorry, but why is Holly continuing to act like she was the victim of this? The victims are the boy Phillip was having the affair with, and Phillips family. 'I get they were close, but she is far from the victim in this case, and neither are we.' It feels very strange indeed sitting here without Phil. This is the only time she mentions Phillip Schofield my name - a paltry reference to their years together. And I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have - shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what's been going on, and full of questions. Again, she is grouping herself with the audience, suggesting that she, like the people watching, was a helpless victim of Schofield's behaviour. She shows concern for Schofield's wellbeing but is also firm on how she has been 'let down' by her longtime partner. Her manner sparked a flurry of comments and Mamta Saha, who is a British Psychological Society-accredited analyst, told the Mirror that her exhale and opening made her come across as disingenuous. This opinion was echoed by several viewers on social media. One said: 'Holly stating she knew nothing, playing the victim, and now doing an emotional speech on national TV is taking her viewers as absolute mugs, again.' A second added: 'So patronising!!! Covering herself and playing the victim. NO Holly you do not speak for everyone.' You, me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt that they had to resign from ITV, and step down from a career that they loved. Here, she sticks the knife in. Holly, and all of us, are victims of Schofield, a liar who she only refers to as 'someone', despite their previous closeness. She justifies herself in the next breath. Schofield's behaviour was so bad that he himself had to 'step down' from a career he 'loved'. Holly Willoughby has returned to This Morning for the first time since Phillip Schofield's admission of an affair with a 'much younger man' These are strong words against Schofield, making it clear to the audience where she stands. The audience concurred - though some were less convinced by her statement. One said: 'Holly has done nothing wrong, and does not deserve to lose her job. However, another commented: 'Wow Holly is using her statement to stick the knife in. Not a good look. Why isn't she addressing her role?' That is a lot to process. And it's equally hard to see the toll that it's taken on their own mental health. I think what unites us all now is a desire to heal for the health and wellbeing of everyone. I hope that, as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other. After laying into Schofield, Holly suggests that we should cut him some slack. She also clearly tries to draw a line under the affair and move on. It's a bizarre switch. In a matter of breaths she's gone from calling Schofield a liar to asking the British public to think of his mental health. One viewer tweeted: 'There was no point in that statement from Holly...it acknowledged Philip's poor state of mental health but then went on to say he's a liar and basically deserves it.' And, from my heart, can I just say thank you for all of your kind messages. And thank you for being here this morning. This is yet another example of Holly painting herself in a sympathetic light as the victim of Schofield's actions. Thanking the public for their kind messages and for tuning in sends a clear message: This happened to us. We did nothing wrong. Again, there were mixed reactions to her message. One fan wrote: 'Why should she go? She did nothing wrong, don't blame another woman for another man's mistake. 'Will we never learn people? Ladies, please stand firm again.' While a second said: 'Nobody needs friends like Holly Willoughby. When the going gets tough, she is nowhere to be seen. Disassociating herself with Phillip.' Holly gave an emotional speech to viewers where she called Schofield a liar and opened up on feeling 'troubled' and 'let down'. Myself, Josie (Gibson), Dermot (O'Leary), Alison (Hammond), Craig (Doyle), and every single person that works on this show will continue to work hard every single day to bring you this show that we love.' This is an emphatic message to those wanting Holly removed from her role. She makes it clear she is not leaving and by thanking her co-hosts and production staff, she paints herself as the leader of This Morning, as the captain of the ship moving forward. Holly embraced co-host Josie Gibson, who was acting as her 'bodyguard' and 'carer' as they held back tears, body language expert Ms James said. She described the pair as behaving like 'survivors of a disaster' - but added that Holly could not hide her tension and anxiety. A teenager whose front teeth were knocked out after her horse kicked her in the face says she is 'very lucky to be alive'. Ella Shilson, of Sturminster Newton, Dorset, bought her new horse, six-year-old Friday, earlier this year and three days later was walking him out to the arena for their very first ride together. But the 19-year-old claims that her Irish sport horse must have got startled, accidentally kicked her in the face, and knocked her unconscious for around 30 minutes until she was discovered by a dog walker. The dairy farm worker was only half conscious but still managed to update her BeReal account, a social media app that requires users to share whatever they are doing at a given time, before she was dashed to Poole hospital in Dorset. There it was discovered she had a shattered jaw, two missing front teeth, holes in her cheek and a lip that had been split in half. The animal lover claims that doctors at the hospital said the freak accident had been life threatening - as Fridays horseshoe had been just inches away from knocking her nose up to her brain. Ella had surgery the next day to fix a metal plate and brackets to hold her jaw and teeth in place before eventually having the brackets removed three months later. The animal lover said that missing her most prominent teeth had a massive impact on her confidence - as onlookers would point and ask, Why does she look like that?, while others branded her a vampire. The teen claims she was told by the NHS that thered be up to a three-year wait for her to receive dentures, so fundraised to get them done privately - and shes been loving the result. The animal lover claims doctors at the hospital said the accident had been 'life-threatening' Ella said that missing her most prominent teeth had a massive impact on her confidence The 19-year-old says the accident is a 'bit of a blur' but remembers waking up in hospital She says that removing them every night is a constant reminder of what shes been through. In a bid for a more permanent solution, she is now hoping to raise 10,000 to have implants She added: Its all a bit of a blur. Pretty much all that I can properly remember is waking up in hospital with my mum next to me.' An x-ray shows the gap left in Ella's mouth after her horse, Friday, kicked her in the face The dairy farm worker said unkind onlookers have said she looks 'like a vampire' She was discharged from hospital three days later and eventually had her dentures fitted in May. Ella set up a fundraising page and was extremely grateful to have raised enough to have her dentures done privately. She said her two front teeth are missing and that doctors were forced to remove one of her bottom teeth to straighten out her jaw, so is also hoping to have this fixed too when she has implants. Shes also hoping to raise awareness of the importance of equestrians always wearing helmets, as she claims it saved her life. Ella has set up a fundraising page and hopes to raise 10,000 to have implants fitted Ella said: I set up the GoFundMe because the NHS said that even for the dentures, it was a two- to-three-year wait. Things are really good with Friday, she added. He didnt do it out of spite, he got scared. Hes like a different horse. Hes good as gold, has the nicest temperament ever and knows that hes home and not going anywhere now, hes very settled. Were the best of friends. He neighs at me every time I see him and runs up to me in the field, hes my little baby. The University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust said that Poole Hospital deals with emergency patients and that after that initial emergency care, patients are then discharged back to their general dental practice for ongoing care. You can donate to Ellas fundraising page here. A 12-year-old boy has died days after he suffered horrendous burns in a house fire. The blaze in Geraldton, Western Australia, last Thursday left three boys - aged 12, 13, and 14 - fighting for life. The 12-year-old boy died at Perth Children's Hospital on Monday after suffering burns to 90 per cent of his body, The West Australian reported. The other two boys are still in a critical condition. A 12-year-old boy has died days after he suffered horrendous burns in a house fire Emergency services were called to the blaze in the suburb of Mount Tarcoola at Geraldton just after 4pm on Thursday. Callers reported smoke coming from the roof of the brick and tile house and eight fire crews arrived to find it fully engulfed, a Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said. Western Australia Police Force Assistant Commissioner Tony Longhorn said at the time: 'This is an example of (a) tragic outcome." The boys were flown to Perth Children's Hospital with critical injuries A fourth boy, also aged 13, was taken to Geraldton Hospital for what police described as moderate burns and has since been discharged. Firefighters contained the blaze by about 4.30pm on Thursday, and extinguished it by about 6pm. Western Australia Police Force arson squad investigators were examining the scene. But her mother, Patricia Lombard, claims that isn't the case - as Lusk has gender identity struggles for the past 15 years The ex-wife of a transgender female inmate who sued the Department of Corrections after claiming she was abused at an 'all-male' facility says her $495K lawsuit is 'bogus' - as the felon's mom insists it isn't. Minnesota's DOC agreed to settle Christina Lusks case for $495,000 after they housed her in a male facility where she says other prisoners verbally and sexually abused her. The trans woman legally changed her name in 2018 from Craig to Christina, just before she pleaded guilty to drug possession and was jailed for eight years and two months. Lusk married in 2005 and her ex-wife filed for divorce in 2008, alleging that Lusk was a 'heavy drinker' and 'violent.' Lusk's ex-wife, who asked not to be named, told DailMail.com she was a 'scammer' and a 'big fat liar' who would do 'anything for money'. 'I think all of this stuff he (Lusk) is doing to try to get himself out of doing all of the time in jail,' she said. Minnesota's DOC agreed to settle Christina Lusks case for $495,000 after they housed her in a male facility where she says other prisoners verbally and sexually abused her Lusk married in 2005 and has one child - from a prior relationship - and her ex-wife filed for divorce in 2008, alleging that Lusk was a 'heavy drinker' and 'violent' 'He would tell his family that if he was a woman, and had boobs, then they had to put him in a female prison. 'He said that he was going to make sure he made money out of the whole ordeal, he said ''I'm going to become a woman and complain to make sure they give me money and move me''. 'When we were married he wasn't doing anything like that, or even after we were divorced. I think he's a big fat liar. 'I spoke to his family after we divorced, and they said that it was a big thing to get himself out of prison and get some money. 'When I saw it on the news, before they released his name, I said to my family that it was something Craig would do try to scam people to get money. The ex-wife said her relationship with Lusk was volatile until she filed for divorce when Lusk was in prison for DWI. 'He was violent to me, and it's embarrassing. I didn't know anything about his past life or his drug use or anything,' she said. 'I only realized how much he drank after we got married. He was abusive to me and my son. He would drink from the moment he got out of bed until he got back into bed. 'I left him in prison when he got DWI up north. I filed for divorce and I refused to bail him out I just left him there.' The woman said during their marriage she had no inclination that Lusk - who also has a child from a prior relationship - was struggling with her gender, calling her 'extremely masculine.' 'During our marriage there was absolutely nothing about being transgender. I got a call in 2011 from his probation officer asking about us sharing clothes,' she said. 'I was amazed. He had told her that I was comfortable with him doing that, which I wouldn't have been. 'When we were married, I was a size two, there was no way he would have been able to fit in my clothes and I didn't know anything about it until she called me. 'I called his mother, and she said it was a way for him to get out of jail. If he had boobs, he had to be put into a female facility. 'It surprised me that he would go through with the surgery. He was always very proud of his manhood and would walk around all the time showing off his muscles. 'He was very manly. There was nothing feminine about him whatsoever. I think the payout is completely bogus. 'All of this is just to try to get him out of jail, he's one of those people that just like's to be noticed.' Lusk's mother Patricia Lombard, 80, told DailyMail.com that her transition was a 'shock' and believes her extensive criminal record - dating back to 1984 - was in part related to struggles with her gender identity. Lombard denies Lusk's transition is a scam. 'When she told me it was a surprise, but it was some years ago now. I remember her asking me if she was a boy or a girl when she had been drinking,' she said. Her mother Patricia Lombard, 80, (pictured) told DailyMail.com that Lusks transition was a 'shock' and believes her extensive criminal record - dating back to 1984 - was in part related to struggles with her gender identity Lusk will be transferred to a women's facility in Shakopee next week where she will be given further gender-affirming healthcare Lombard (left) , who admits Lusk has a checkered history with police, said that her daughter would never get surgery for a scam 'That was around 15 years ago, maybe more. She still calls me every few weeks, she has certainly had a wild ride with the police. 'I don't know how many drunk driving convictions she has had, but I know it's been a few. I'm sure her issues with her gender identity were a cause of the drinking and the criminality.' Rap sheet of transgender inmate spans three decades and two states 1984: 4th degree Assault Felony Careless driving 1986: Theft of over $250 1988: Theft 1990: Fleeing a peace officer Gross Misdemeanour DUI 1992: Fleeing an officer Reckless driving Driving after revocation 1993: Fleeing Peace Officer Reckless driving 1995: Battery Domestic violence DUI Driving without a license 1997: Fleeing Police in Motor Vehicle 1999: Disorderly Conduct 2000: Driving without a license 2001: Burglary/occupied dwelling Misdemeanour criminal damage Domestic Assault 2004: Traffic 2008: Traffic DWI 2009: Fleeing Peace Officer in Motor Vehicle Escape from Custody DWI 2011: DWI 2018: Drug possession 1st degree Advertisement Lombard, who admits Lusk has a checkered history with police, added: 'I don't believe that. She has already had a breast enhancement, and I know that she wouldn't have gone through all of that for no reason.' 'I don't think the thought had ever entered her mind, she was very confused at the time when she asked if she was a boy or a girl. 'There are times when she has thought about committing suicide, and I have had to talk her off the ledge. 'For it to be a scam, I don't think it would have even been a thought in his mind. I would have a very hard time believing that was the case.' Lusk will be transferred to a women's facility in Shakopee next week where she will be given further gender-affirming healthcare but Lombard raised doubt if the move will help her daughter. 'It was more enough was enough being picked on in the male prison, and not just by the inmates. The guards would throw her into solitary, but I don't think this is her being out to get them,' she said. 'I don't know if the move to a women's prison will be positive, she's had to take time because of her gender issues. The suit was about enough being enough and fighting back.' Lusk claims she had been seeking a vaginoplasty since her incarceration but DOC Medical Director James Amsterdam determined that she should not be allowed the genital surgery whilst in prison, but 'could pursue that after release', according to the lawsuit. The cost of the medical treatments needed for transitioning gender vary by the provider and the type of surgery people choose to get. Often the cost of transgender surgery is not covered by insurance. For a male to female transition such as Lusk's, vaginoplasty can cost $25,600 according to estimates from The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery. Additional procedures can increase transition expenses from there. The trans woman legally changed her name in 2018 from Craig to Christina, just before she pleaded guilty to drug possession and was jailed for eight years and two months Lusk will be sent to an all-women facility in Shakopee (pictured) this week after claiming sexual and verbal abuse in an all-male facility Lusk has a rap sheet spanning more than three decades. When she submitted the lawsuit, Lusk also wrote to Judge Lisa Janzen to say she was a 'first-time non-violent drug-offender'. But DailyMail.com obtained more than 20 criminal records under her under her male name, Craig, spanning more than three decades. Lusk was first convicted of 4th-degree felony assault and careless driving in 1984, when she was just 19 years old. She spent a year in prison for those offenses, according to records from the Minnesota Judicial branch. Documents then show that she was then sentenced to four months in Hennepin County Workhouse for a theft over $250, another felony, in 1986. She was then found guilty of a theft in 1988, but the court imposed a 'stay of imposition' meaning they accepted Lusk was guilty but did not impose a prison sentence. Lusk was instead on probation for five years and had supervised probation as well as being fined $300 and ordered to pay a surcharge of $30. Lusk has a rap sheet spanning more than three decades. When she submitted the lawsuit, Lusk also wrote to Judge Lisa Janzen to say she was a 'first-time non-violent drug-offender' Lusk was first convicted of 4th-degree felony assault and careless driving in 1984, when she was just 19 years old. She spent a year in prison for those offenses In 1990 she was convicted of fleeing a peace officer in Rochester, Minnesota, as well as DUI. The judge again imposed a stay of imposition for two years and was fiend $500 and paid a $65 surcharge and $81 in costs. Court documents then show a conviction in 1992 for fleeing an officer in Bloomington, as well as reckless driving and driving without a license and was jailed for a year. Then in 1993 Lusk was convicted again of fleeing a peace officer and reckless driving in Olmsted County, where she was sentenced to 120 days in jail. Records show that Lusk was meant to 'relocate to Florida' following her release in April of 1994, and was then sentenced to six months' probation in Jacksonville for one count of domestic violence. Lusk was then arrested for a DUI in February 1995, in Jacksonville, as well as not having a valid driver's license and resisting arrest. She was then handed a $250 fine. Just days later she was charged with possessing marijuana, breach of the peace, possessing more than one valid driver's license, and possession less than 20 grams of a barbiturate. She was found guilty of the crimes but has not been formally convicted and was ordered to be monitored by probation. She then spent time in Goodhue County jail after being convicted of criminal damage and burglary of an occupied dwelling in 2001- being sentenced to three years and three months and a $250 fine Lusk's final charge before officially changing her name in 2018, was a first-degree DWI in 2011, which was prosecuted as a felony by Itasca County Attorney While in Florida, Lusk was arrested for breaching her probation with regards to the previous battery charges of domestic violence. In July 1995 Lusk was charged with driving without a license and ordered to pay a fine of $500, costs of $130 and restitution of $500. Lusk then appeared to move back to Minnesota and was convicted of fleeing police in a motor vehicle in St Paul in 1997. She was handed a 13-month sentence and was fined $150. She was then given a sentence of 30 days in jail after being found guilty of disorderly conduct in Wabasha County, in July 1999, and was fined $200 as well as a surcharge of $25. In April 2000 Lusk was then given another stay of imposition after being caught driving without a license, and was fined $1500 as well as being handed a probation of two years. Lusk was then found guilty of domestic assault in 2001, was handed another stay of imposition and ordered to complete an aftercare program and submit to random testing as well as a fine of $200. She then spent time in Goodhue County jail after being convicted of criminal damage and burglary of an occupied dwelling in 2001- being sentenced to three years and three months and a $250 fine. After being released from her prior sentence, Lusk was then convicted of traffic offences in 2004 and 2008, and was banned from bars and liquor stores in the area. Lusk was again convicted of a DWI in 2008, in Ham Lake, and handed a 90 day prison sentence. In 2009 she was convicted of another two DWI charges, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and escaped from lawful custody in Deer River, Minnesota. She was handed a 15-month sentence in total for the crimes, and was ordered to not consume drugs, alcohol or go into any bars or liquor stores as well as submit to psychological evaluations. Lusk's final charge before officially changing her name in 2018, was a first-degree DWI in 2011, which was prosecuted as a felony by Itasca County Attorney. Court documents show that she was jailed at for five years and three months, as well as fined $50. Several social media posts from Lusk also refer to being 'sober' in 2017, before she officially changed her legal name In 2009 she was convicted of another two DWI charges, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and escaped from lawful custody in Deer River, Minnesota The convicted felon is described as a 'male' in the sex part of the sentencing document for her possession of meth in 2018. Officers discovered a digital scale, drug notes, 697.9 grams of methamphetamine, large quantities of baggies and $5,166 in cash, according to a probable cause affidavit. They also discovered a mailing list in Lusk's bedroom, as well as documents referring to her previous legal name of Craig Lusk. Several social media posts from Lusk also refer to being 'sober' in 2017, before she officially changed her legal name. The settlement against the DoC also promises Lusk will be given further gender-affirming healthcare and will strengthen its policies to protect transgender inmates. 'This journey has brought extreme challenges, and I have endured so much. My hope is that nobody has to go through the same set of circumstances,' Lusk said in a statement after the ruling. 'I relied on my faith, and I never gave up hope. I can truly say that I am a strong, proud, transgender woman, and my name is Christina Lusk.' Paul Schnell, the Minnesota DOC Commissioner, said the state is 'constitutionally obligated' to treat gender dysphoria and will do so for Lusk. 'Based on the facts of this specific case, the incarcerated person will now have access to the medical care she needs, she deserves, and we have a legal obligation to provide,' he said in a statement. The DOC said gender non-conforming inmates will be placed at facilities matching their gender identities as a result of the ruling. They will grant those requests 'unless the requested placement would pose a heightened risk of physical or sexual harm to that person or those housed in the preferred facility.' 'Everybody needs to come together in unity, and embrace positive change. I believe we have made a big step toward allowing people to express who they truly are, and bring some sort of peace and happiness to their lives,' Lusk added. Jess Braverman, an attorney for the group Gender Justice, which is representing Lusk along with the Minneapolis law firm of Robins Kaplan, considers the settlement a positive step. The new Russian standard assault rifle, the AK-12, received its first large-scale combat use once the invasion of Ukraine began over a year ago. The manufacturer didnt receive many complaints from troops in Ukraine, other than there were not enough AK-12s for all the newly mobilized troops. There was one minor complaint about the two-round burst capability. It wasnt used except by accident when the user erroneously selected burst fire when they were seeking to select one of the other two options (single-shot or full-automatic). All new or repaired AK-12s will have the burst option removed. Western assault rifle manufacturers came to the same conclusion about burst fire and eliminated this option. Ukrainian troops are also satisfied users of their many captured AK-12s, as it is a major improvement on the older AK rifles Ukrainian forces use. Ukraine had to quickly arm several hundred thousand new troops in early 2022 after the Russians invaded. Most of those new and territorial (local defense) troops received one of several AK tyke rifles. This included the original AK-47 and AKM models using the original 7.62mm round. More recent AK rifles use the 5.45mm round, which is similar to the 5.56mm round the Americans have been using since the 1960s. the United States and other NATO nations have, in the last year, provided Ukraine with thousands of assault rifles that use the 5.56mm round. There are a growing number of non-Russian users of the AK-12, most of them export customers. Ukraine is the only foreign user that captures them from Russian troops. The first paying export customer was the Persian Gulf Arab nation Qatar and Qatari troops received the AK-12 in 2018, before most Russian soldiers got them. Qatar never officially announced that it was buying the AK-12 rifles. Previously Qatar, whose army has 42,000 active-duty troops, were already using some older AK-47s but had replaced most of those with the M-16 and similar models from various European suppliers. All these M-16 type weapons use the same ammo, while the AK-47 and AK-12 dont. It was not until mid-2017 that Russia selected the new AK-12 assault rifles as its new standard infantry rifle and part of its new future soldier (Ratnik) set of gear for its infantry. The government initially had trouble finding the money to buy the 70,000 or more Ratnik systems the army wanted. It wasnt until 2021 that about half the Ratnik systems were delivered. Priority was given to special operations troops, airborne, airmobile and marine units. The basic AK-12 fires the same 5.45/39 round as the AK-74 it replaced and costs 25 percent more. The AK-12 outperformed the AK-74 in extensive field tests and the troops preferred the new rifle. In 2014 one major change was made to the original (2011) AK-12 design that lowered manufacturing costs and fixed some problems found in field testing. The new version (codenamed AK-400) won the competition with rival rifle designs in 2017. The AK-12 can also be provided in a version that fires the old AK-47 7.62x39mm round that was introduced in 1944 and is still popular in many countries. The AK-12 also keeps the basic design principles of the AK-47 alive into the 21st century. How the AK-12 came to be was quite an epic undertaking. The Russians had made several attempts to develop and introduce a replacement for the AK-74. Some new designs even made it into combat. For example, some special operations units got the new AN-94 in the 1990s while most troops continued to use the elderly (in design and manufacture) AK-74s. The troops wanted something that could match the improvements in Western assault rifles. The firm that designed most Russian assault rifles since the 1940s designed a new assault rifle (AK-12) in response to that but the Russian Defense Ministry stalled efforts to even test it. That resistance was finally overcome and the AK-12 eventually passed the tests and outperformed competing designs. This all began in 2012 when the two-century old Russian firm (Izhmash, later changed to Kalashnikov) that has produced assault rifles since World War II announced the arrival of their AK-12 fifth-generation assault rifle. Like earlier AKs the AK-12 used a lot of the basic AK-47 design principles but added many new features popular in Western assault rifles. The AK-12 is but the latest in a long line of innovative Russian infantry weapons that began showing up towards the end of World War II. Assault rifles have since become the standard infantry weapon, almost entirely replacing bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles. The first-generation AK was the AK-47 followed by the AKM in the 1960s, then the AK-74, which was very similar to the U.S. M-16, in the 1970s, and limited numbers of the AN-94, a much-improved AK-74, in the 1990s. Over fifty million AK-47s and AKMs were made, most of them outside Russia. Production, on a small scale, continues. It is still the most numerous assault rifle in use. The original AK-12 (code named AK-200) was a 3.3 kg (7.3 pound) weapon that was 943mm (37.1 inches) long with a 415mm (16.3 inch) barrel. It can be fitted to fire one of four calibers: the original 7.62x39 of the AK-47/AKM, the 5.56x45 of the M-16, the 5.45x39 of the AK-74, or the 7.62x51 NATO rifle/machine-gun round. The AK-12 can use all AK-47/AKM magazines when firing 7.62x39 ammo. There are a lot of small but important changes in the AK-12. The stock is adjustable. The charging handle is easily used whether you are left or right-handed. There is an improved safety switch, pistol grip, hinged top cover, muzzle break, iron sight, and (smaller) ejection port. The AK-12 has Picatinny rails (the U.S. developed standard for attaching all sorts of accessories). The fire control switch now allows for single shot and full- automatic. The AK-12 is inherently more accurate because of improved barrel rifling. The AK-12 handles more easily, has longer effective range (up to 600 meters), and apparently has the same ruggedness of the original AK-47. That last item was put to the test, as the Russian military has had a growing number of AK-12s into the field since 2015, where their performance under combat conditions could be monitored. In 2018 Russia introduced an AK-12 variant, the AK-308, which fires the standard NATO 7.62x51 rifle ammo. Known to civilians as the Winchester 308 round, the 7.62x51 has been a NATO standard since the 1950s. While largely replaced by the 5.56/45 round in the 1960s and 70s, the 7.62mm is still widely used for sniper rifles and vehicle mounted machine-guns. The Russian company that manufactures the AK line of weapons has, since the 1990s, come up with a lot of new designs, mainly for the export market and these new weapons were often chambered for the Western 7.62mm and 5.56mm or whatever a large purchaser wanted. The AK-308 prototype evolved into the new Russian military rifle (AK-12/15) chambered for the 7.62x51 rather than the 5.45x39 (AK-12) or 7.62x39 (AK-15 and AK-47). The AK-308 is 885mm (35 inches) long with a 415mm (16.3 inch) barrel and a folding stock. Empty weight is 4.1 kg (nine pounds) and it uses a 20 or 30 round magazine. Rate of fire on full-automatic is 700 rounds a minute and max effective range is 800 meters. AK-308 has a Picatinny rail and attachments for grenade launcher, suppressor and bayonet. In short it is a 7.62mm rifle any Western soldier would immediately be able to handle even though it is obviously based on the original AK-47 design. The AK-308 is actually based on the AK-103 which was itself a version of the 1970s AK-74. The latest Russian assault rifle, the AK-12 also can be adapted to fire the NATO 7.62x51 but the AK-308 design is competitive with the AK-12/15 weapons which are the latest generation of Russian military rifles. All these AK rifles began with a Russian World War II veteran, Mikhail Kalashnikov, who came up with a brilliant rifle design which so impressed his bosses that they named it after him. AK means Avtomat Kalashnikova which literally translates as Kalashnikov Automatic. This was no fluke. Kalashnikov had always been into mechanical things and grew up in Siberia where rural folk could own a rifle for hunting. As a result of that he was familiar with how rifles operated in addition to being a mechanical genius. Kalashnikov was conscripted in 1938 and because of his small size was assigned to a tank unit. There his ingenuity and mechanical skills came to the notice of his superiors, who praised and encouraged him. He was badly wounded in combat in 1941 and while he spent six months recuperating, came up with some innovative ideas for a new rifle design, instigated by complaints he heard from wounded infantry soldiers. He wrote to the senior officers who had praised his skills before the war and was transferred to a weapons development organization. Among his many innovations and designs over the next five years was the AK-47, which began replacing all older infantry rifles in 1949. Kalashnikov died in 2013 but until the end he hunted and innovated, backing things like the Ratnik concept. The Ratnik system is the Russian version of an American concept pioneered in the 1980s ("Land Warrior") and resulted in the introduction of new body armor, personal communications, wearable computers, night vision devices, and personal medical equipment. Several European countries have followed, especially the German Infanterist der Zukunft (Infantryman Of The Future), and Russia did the same but was delayed by cash shortages and debates over whether a new infantry rifle was needed. Unlike the United States, Russia included a new rifle design (AK-12) as part of its Ratnik gear. There was a lot of opposition to the AK-12 within the Russian high command, but at the troop level there was an even more vigorous and louder call for something to replace the Cold War era AK-74. The AK-12 was not the best (from a technical point of view) candidate for Ratnik. The A545 was a more modern and efficient design, but the AK-12 proved more rugged and Russian troops are not big fans of radical change when it comes to basic items like rifles. The AK-12 is the second attempt since the end of the Cold War (in 1991) to develop a worthy successor to the AK-47. Earlier efforts had not been entirely successful. Part of the problem was that there was not a pressing need for a new AK in Russia. For example, in 2011, Russia stopped buying new AK-74 rifles. Since they already have ten million AK assault rifles, most of them older AK-47 and AKM models in stock and less than a million troops on active duty, plus about as many in the reserves. Buying more assault rifles was deemed wasteful. This did not stop the purchase of special small arms for commandos and other specialist combat units. The new policy did not stop work on the new AK-12. This weapon was originally based on the 5.45mm AK-74, which replaced the 7.62mm AK-47/AKM series as the standard infantry weapon towards the end of the Cold War. The AK-74 entered service in the 1970s and twenty years later a replacement was developed, the AN-94. This rifle used the 5.45mm round first seen in the AK-74 but was able to use larger (45-round and 60-round) magazines. The AN-94 also had burst fire (of two rounds, while Western rifles tend to use three rounds). The AN-94 was supposed to replace all AK-74s in Russian service but due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and sharp cuts in the defense budget, this did not happen. There were also concerns about the mechanical complexity and reliability of the AN-94. That's apparently why the AK-12 was not based on the AN-94. One AN-94 feature that was adopted for the AK-12 was the option to use a 60-round magazine. Meanwhile, an improved AK-74M was introduced in 1991, and is still in service. This is a 3.4 kg (7.5 pound), 94.3 cm (37.1 inch) weapon with a 41.5 cm (16.3 inch) barrel. It has rails for sights and such and can use a 30 or 45 round magazine. Rate of fire is 650 RPM on full auto, and max effective range was 600 meters. The AK-74 looked like an AK-47 and used the same technology. Some five million AK-74s were built, most before the Cold War ended in 1991. North Korea manufactures a copy of the AK-74 called the Type 98. The AK-74M was the basis for the AK-12, and the two weapons are very similar, with the new rifle having more flexibility and capacity for accessories. One of Finland's richest men has been handed an eye-watering 104,000 speeding fine by police. Anders Wiklof, 76, was caught doing 51mph in a 30mph zone along a road on the Aland islands, an autonomous archipelago in the Baltic Sea that is part of Finland. And because Finland penalises speeding motorists by fining them based on their income, multi-millionaire and businessman Wiklof was hit with a hefty fine. Wiklof, who grew up on the Aland Islands, had been travelling with his friends when he was caught speeding and handed a 104,000 (121,000 euro) fine, reports Finnish newspaper Nya Aland. The businessman said the speed limit 'suddenly' turned to 30mph and he had tried to slow down in time. 'I slowed down, you shouldn't panic break,' Wiklof told HBL. 'But then the blue lights came after me.' Anders Wiklof, 76, was caught doing 51mph in a 30mph zone along a road on the Aland islands, an autonomous archipelago in the Baltic Sea that is part of Finland Alongside his hefty fine, Wiklof has his driving license suspended for ten days. It's not the first time the businessman, who founded his company Wiklof Holding in 1987, has been fined. In 2013, he was fined 80,000 after he was caught doing 47mph in a 30mph zone on the Aland Islands and in 2018 he faced a 54,900 bill. Following his latest hefty fine, Wiklof said 'there should perhaps be a cap on the fine' handed to Finnish drivers for speeding. But the businessman said he hoped the money would go towards healthcare and care for the elderly. 'I really regret the matter and hope that the money is in any case used for healthcare through the treasury,' Wiklof, the chairman of a holding company that includes businesses in the logistics, helicopter services, real estate, trade and tourism sectors, said. In Finland, speeding fines are proportional to the drivers' income, meaning the multi-millionaire was required to pay a fine equal to 14 days of income, which is 104,000. Finland is not the only country to calculate fines based on an offender's income and the speed at which they are driving. Switzerland does the same. Former US president Bill Clinton and businessman Anders Wiklof admire a saxophone during Wiklof's birthday party on the Aland Islands in July 2019 And in 2010, a Swedish driver, 37, was fined a whopping 1.08 million Swiss francs (957,000) in what is believed to be the biggest speeding fine in the world. The Swedish driver, whose Mercedes had a disconnected speedometer, was caught doing 125mph in a 20mph zone. The 37-year-old mans 140,000 Mercedes SLS AMG was impounded along with his driving licence after he was caught racing along the motorway between Bern and Lausanne. In Switzerland - and in Finland - the level of the fine is always dependent on a person's income. Nearly a third of the population of a remote Scottish island turned out to protest being cut off from the mainland for more than a month amid the SNP's 300million ferry fiasco. Around 500 residents, 200 cars, 40 vans and 20 lorries gathered at the main port on South Uist in the Outer Hebrides in a protest over publicly owned operator CalMac's decision to cancel almost every ferry service in June. Islanders complained of feeling 'forgotten, abandoned and ignored', while business leaders are angry about the lack of compensation from the Scottish Government to make up for the loss of income during peak holiday season. Scotland is in the grip of a ferry shortage that has been made worse by lengthy delays in the construction of two new vessels in Port Glasgow. The project - commissioned by SNP ministers - has risen to nearly four times the original 97million price tag and the vessels are now five years overdue. Last month, ministers vowed to press on with building one of the ferries, temporarily called 'hull 802', despite admitting it would be cheaper to scrap it and buy a new vessel. Around 500 residents, 200 cars, 40 vans and 20 lorries (pictured) gathered at the main port on South Uist in the Outer Hebrides in a protest over publicly owned operator CalMac's decision to cancel almost every ferry service in June Islanders complained of feeling 'forgotten, abandoned and ignored'. Pictured is the protest convoy by Lochboisdale port Local business leaders are angry about the lack of compensation from the Scottish Government to make up for the loss of income during peak holiday season Economy Secretary Neil Gray insisted scrapping the ferry project would lead to the collapse of the yard, with the loss of hundreds of jobs but admitted the project will continue to swallow up taxpayer money despite already costing north of 300m. At Sunday's protest on South Uist, islanders blamed SNP bungling for making their lives a misery. John Daniel Peteranna, a member of the Lochboisdale Ferry Business Impact Group, accused the SNP government of treating islanders as 'expendable'. He said: 'People are leaving the island and the atmosphere is awful. People are depressed - the government thinks we are expendable. 'CalMac effectively decides which islands survive and which don't. I think there should be a management change at CalMac. 'The transport minister Kevin Stewart cannot control them and they are not listening to the customers. Our confidence in CalMac is zero. 'The attitude seems to be ''we will do what we want, what suits us as a company best and stuff everyone else''.' Mr Peteranna, who runs a renewable energy company, added: 'I look at the news and see that the Scottish Government has plans to stop depopulation of the islands. I feel like someone is taking the mick.' Scotland is in the grip of a ferry shortage that has been made worse by lengthy delays in the construction of two new vessels in Port Glasgow. Pictured: One of two Caledonian Macbrayne ferries in Port Glasgow, 10 May 2022 The unfinished Glen Sannox Caledonian Macbrayne ferry in the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde South Uist is reliant on a daily lorry crossing to supply shops, and last August rationing was in use in order to deal with transport failings. Last year, Lochboisdale was out of action to ferries between September 24 and October 8 to allow for repairs to the linkspan used by the ferry. Other recent factors included ferries being put in service, and drafted onto other routes. PhD student Padruig Moireasdan said: 'The route has been cancelled to the mainland for a month. 'They suggest going through other islands but the routes are fully booked. There's no chance of getting on other routes. It's terrible especially in holiday season.' Hundreds of protesters attended Sunday's protest with signs reading 'ferry is our oxygen', 'every cancelled ferry is killing our islands', and 'no ferry, no future'. The ferry crisis is one of several problems facing SNP leader and Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf Many were angry about a ban on motorhomes from a ferry to North Uist at the weekend, which affected people's holiday plans. Chris Brooks, 47, who runs the Grianaig Guest House with his partner Carla Regler, said the situation had become 'desperate'. 'We lost the ferry for a month in June and most of May, they gave us one ferry a week on a Wednesday,' he said. 'The money has just been squandered, it hasn't been put in the right places. People are missing weddings and funerals, and being able to spend time with dying loved ones.' Islander Darren Taylor, who is chief executive of community-owned local firm Storas Uibhist, told the Press and Journal that islanders felt 'forgotten, abandoned and ignored'. Echoing their concerns, Donald Cameron, the Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said residents were 'at their wits end'. Minister for Transport, Kevin Stewart said: 'It is important that communities are fully engaged when further disruption comes so soon after just having services restored. 'I have been very clear with CalMac that they must continue to explore all avenues as I am fully aware from my recent visit the direct impact the loss of service is having on the community.' A Jetstar pilot has been suspended after traces of an illegal drug were found on his luggage and phone. The substance was detected after the plane landed in Melbourne on May 23 having flown from Bali. Australian Federal Police made the discovery during a routine screening. Officers conducted further investigations but found no illicit drugs on the pilot or in his belongings. However, traces of an illegal drug were also found on the pilot's phone, according to unnamed sources reported by Channel Nine. A Jetstar pilot who flew from Bali in May has been stood down after traces of illegal drugs were found on his luggage and phone (Stock image) While the Australian Federal Police found no drugs on the pilot, Jetstar is conducting their own internal investigation As part of the screening process other crew and passengers were also searched. Police have closed their investigation and issued a statement that there are no criminal charges forthcoming as they consider the matter closed. However, the airline is still investigating the pilot, who has been stood down from all duties until he is cleared. In a statement issued on Monday, Jetstar said its staff understood illicit or recreational drugs were completely out of bounds while on duty. 'We have zero-tolerance towards pilots operating under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and always undertake testing in accordance with aviation regulations,' Jetstar said. The airline said for privacy reasons it could not divulge any further information about the matter. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is ridiculing an emerging Biden administration effort to reestablish contacts with China amid tensions over Taiwan and Russia comparing the diplomatic dance to 'lovestruck teenagers.' Cotton, a Republican China hawk, made the comments on 'Fox News Sunday,' as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin shook hands with his Chinese counterpart. The White House has stopped short of saying there is any kind of thaw underway, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a planned trip to Beijing amid the furor over the Chinese spy balloon in February. 'Biden administration officials should stop chasing after their Chinese communist counterparts like lovestruck teenagers. Its embarrassing and its pathetic,' he fumed. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark in a June 4, 2023 appearance on FOX News Sunday blasted Biden Administration efforts to reengage with China, comparing them to 'lovestruck' teenagers His comment came after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin shook hands with his counterpart, Li Shangfu, at a dinner in Singapore. The administration has stopped short of saying any rapprochement is underway. The Pentagon said the effort was part of seeking to establish 'military-to-military communication' to prevent potential escalating mishaps. Asked Friday if there was any 'thaw' underway, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president 'is looking forward to -- to speaking to President Xi. As you know, theyve spoken many times in the last two years.' A People's Republic of China (PRC) warship, identified by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as PRC LY 132, crosses the path of U.S. Navy destroyer USS Chung-Hoon as it was transiting the Taiwan Strait with the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Montreal June 3, 2023 Sec. State Blinken canceled his own trip in February after a Chinese spy balloon made its way across the continental U.S. before the U.S. military shot it down over the Atlantic coast. That decision preceded a tense late winter and spring. China has regularly undertaken military exercises in the Taiwan Strait that have U.S. politicians concerned it could be preparing for an invasion within years. During previous contacts with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Joe Biden has warned China not to provide arms to Russia amid its war on Ukraine. The US military today shared a video of an 'unsafe' Chinese maneuver in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, with a Chinese navy ship forcing an American destroyer to avoid a collision after it cut sharply across its path. Amid a joint US-Canadian 'freedom of navigation' operation through the strait on Saturday, the Luyang III guided-missile destroyer overtook the USS Chung-Hoon and veered across its bow, coming within 150 yards, US Indo-Pacific Command said. Thousands of Hindu worshippers scaled an active Indonesian volcano on Monday to toss livestock, food and other offerings into its smoking crater in a centuries-old religious ceremony. Swarming the thin rim around the basin of Mount Bromo, devotees heaved goats, chickens and vegetables slung across their backs up to the dusty peak as part of the Yadnya Kasada festival. Every year Tengger tribe members from surrounding highlands gather at the top of the volcano - famed for its stunning sunrise views - in hope of pleasing their gods and bringing luck to the Tenggerese, an Indigenous group in eastern Java. Slamet, a 40-year-old farmer who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, brought a baby cow as an offering. 'We have a lot of cows back home and this one can be considered excess, so we are bringing it here... to return it back to God,' he told AFP. Members of the Tengger sub-ethnic group ascend the active Mount Bromo volcano to present offerings to their gods The worshipers present offerings of rice, fruit, livestock and other items as part of the Yadnya Kasada festival Villagers use nets to catch offerings thrown by members of the Tengger sub-ethnic group in the crater of the active Mount Bromo volcano 'This is also an act of gratitude to God for giving us prosperity... We return it back to God so we can come back here next year.' The calf had a lucky escape as it was handed to a villager after Slamet's prayers instead of being sacrificed to the volcanic cauldron. Some villagers who do not belong to the Tengger tribe took to the crater's steep slopes equipped with nets in an attempt to intercept offerings thrown into the abyss and avoid them going to waste. Farmer Joko Priyanto brought some of his own produce in the form of cabbages and carrots to lob down into the smoky void. 'I hope I will receive a reward from the almighty God,' the 36-year-old said. Monday's ritual was the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that authorities had allowed tourists to the site after the festival was limited to worshippers last year. The event has its roots in 15th-century folklore from the Majapahit kingdom, a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empire that stretched across Southeast Asia. Legend has it that Princess Roro Anteng and her husband, unable to bear children after years of marriage, begged the gods for help. An aerial picture shows members of the Tengger sub-ethnic group gathering to present offerings at the crater's edge The animal and harvest offerings are part of the Yadnya Kasada festival in Probolinggo A villager uses a net to catch a bird thrown by members of the Tengger sub-ethnic group into the crater of the volcano Thousands of Hindu worshippers scale the active Indonesian volcano to toss livestock, food and other offerings into its smoking crater As part of the centuries-old religious ceremony, villagers use nets to catch offerings thrown by members of the Tengger sub-ethnic group Devotees heave goats, chickens and vegetables slung across their backs up the dusty peak As part of the Yadnya Kasada festival, worshipers scaled the active Mount Bromo volcano Members of the Tengger sub-ethnic group gather to present offerings at the crater's edge of the active Mount Bromo A goat is lugged up the mountain to be thrown into the crater of the volcano as part of festivities Their prayers were answered when they were promised 25 children, as long as they agreed to sacrifice their youngest child by throwing him into Mount Bromo. Their son is said to have willingly jumped into the volcano to guarantee the prosperity of the Tengger people. For shopkeeper Rohim, who travelled from a nearby Javan city on Monday to launch potatoes, leeks and cash into the lava, it was a chance to pray for good luck. He said his fortunes had improved following previous visits. 'Business has been better than before, hence my coming here,' the 32-year-old said. 'I'm hoping my business can improve so next year I can come back.' Lucy Letby was one of only two nurses who could possibly have attacked two baby boys by contaminating their feeding bags with insulin, her murder trial heard today. Shift patterns at the Countess of Chester Hospital showed that only the alleged killer and a colleague, Belinda Simcock, were working in the neonatal unit at the times the infants were attacked eight months apart. The prosecution at Manchester Crown Court alleges that Letby, 33, contaminated at least three TPN bags used by nurses to give intravenous feeds to babies in their care. Letby, 33, from Hereford, denies murdering seven babies and attempting to murder ten others. Baby F, one of a set of twins, collapsed unexpectedly in August 2015, and Baby L, also one of a set of twins, suffered a similarly life-threatening episode in April 2016. Both infants survived, say prosecutors, only because of the skill of medics working alongside Letby. Neonatal nurse Lucy Letby denied getting a 'thrill' from seeing grieving parents who had lost their baby Nick Johnson KC, prosecuting, said in the two cases the baby's blood sugar inexplicably dropped to a dangerously low level. However, at the time medical staff attributed the episodes to natural causes because 'it simply did not occur to the medical staff that someone in the NNU would have injected them with insulin'. As a result, he previously told the jury, the poisoner 'thought she had got away with it'. Today Mr Johnson said Baby F and Baby L had been 'selected' by Letby, with the nurse contaminating their feeding bags once they had been brought onto the unit. Letby is on her 11th day of giving evidence from the witness box during the murder trial Under cross-examination, the nurse said she accepted the expert evidence that in Baby L's case the insulin must have been administered at some point between midnight and 9.30am on April 9, 2016. She also accepted that there would be 'no reason' for anyone to do this, and that it would be 'highly dangerous'. When the barrister suggested that the insulin had been administered while the bag of dextrose was hanging, she replied: 'I don't know.' He went on to ask whether it followed that it had been a targeted attack. 'I can't answer that,' said Letby. After a pause, she added: 'Not by me, it wasn't.' Mr Johnson put it to her: 'Isn't the reality that unless there's more than one poisoner it has to be either you or Belinda Simcock?' Letby replied: 'I can only answer for myself, and I've never put insulin into any bags.' Letby, 33, originally from Hereford, denies murdering seven babies and attempting to murder ten others Earlier, the neonatal nurse denied trying to sabotage Baby K by removing her ET tube on three separate occasions. She claimed to have no memory of Ravi Jayaram, a consultant on the unit, walking into Nursery 1 to see her standing over the collapsing K. 'I have no recollection so I can't confirm or deny,' she said. Mr Johnson pressed her, saying that the infant had been desaturating. 'I have no memory,' said Letby. The barrister then asked: 'Do you dispute that the monitor was down in the 80s?' 'I have no memory,' Letby said again. Mr Johnson asked: 'And the alarm was not sounding?' 'Again, I have no memory,' Letby replied. Mr Johnson pressed further: 'And the cause of the desaturation was again a displaced ET tube, and the evidence is that on occasion you were there.' Letby replied: 'I can't say that, no.' The barrister put it to her: 'And the reason was that you were trying to kill (Baby) K, weren't you?' Letby, sitting in the witness box flanked by two prison officers, replied: 'No.' Asked one more time about Dr Jayaram's account of seeing her standing over Baby K, she told the prosecutor: 'I don't think it did happen. 'I have no direct memory of it.' The trial continues. Letby denies all charges. Republican politicians are concerned that there could be a repeat of 2016 with former President Donald Trump earning the nomination if too many candidates enter the 2024 presidential primary. The biggest worry over this is that some strategists and lawmakers aren't sure if Trump could beat President Joe Biden in a rematch due to how divisive he is among Republican and independent swing voters. There are already nine candidates vying for the GOP nomination and at least four others considering entering the race in coming days and weeks. Trump's biggest competitor so far is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who consistently comes in second place in surveys despite coming at least 20 points behind the former president. Both Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Republican Whip John Thune of South Carolina said that they see the writing on the wall of a 2016 redo. Republican lawmakers, politicians and strategists are worried former President Donald Trump could sweep the 2024 primaries if other candidates don't get out of the way to let anti-Trump Republican voters focus efforts on one rival Trump's top competitor is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is still polling at least 20 points behind the former president 'A replay of 2016? Yeah,' Sen. Cornyn told The Hill regarding concerns he shared with Republican colleagues in Congress saying that he is hopeful that candidates will drop out if their polling numbers remain low. 'A number of these people are in low single digits, so my hope would be that, if after a few months their numbers don't get better, that they decide to drop out so that it becomes a two- or three-person race,' Cornyn added. 'I think that would be the best development, as far as I'm concerned.' Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley; Sen. Tim Scott, also from South Carolina; former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy are already in the race with Trump and DeSantis. Former Vice President Mike Pence also filed on Monday the appropriate paperwork needed to officially enter the 2024 race. These are the few actually making strides in primary polling while more are already entered or considering making a bid. Conservative Radio host Larry Elder, Dallas-area businessman Ryan Binkley and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson are among those more long shot candidates who have already announced their candidacy. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota noted to The Hill that those who didn't support Trump in 2016 and couldn't come together to decide on a single alternative helped clinch the nomination for the longtime businessman and reality television personality. 'That's happened before,' he claimed, saying that Cornyn is 'just stating the facts. That's the way that it works.' Others who are making strides in polling are ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (left), current Senator for the state Tim Scott (center) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork on Monday needed to run for president and will announce his candidacy Wednesday at Des Moines Area Community College in Iowa Others preparing to enter the race are North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (left) and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (right) Preparing to enter the race is North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and others considering a bid are former New Jersey Gov. and once a Trump ally Chris Christie and former House Intelligence Chair Mike Rogers, who is considering a political comeback with a run for president. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Monday that he is ruling out a bid for president in 2024. After Trump became a divisive frontrunner in the crowded 2016 Republican primary race, voters had difficulty uniting behind an alternative with Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Marco Rubio of Florida and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. This is what strategists and political scientists note led to Trump's rise within the Party as the GOP united behind the nominee despite his naturally divisive nature among voters and politicians. The United States Postal Service revealed the most dangerous cities and states for dog bites on delivery staff The United States Postal Service has revealed its national dog bite hotspots, with Houston the worst city for attacks on mail carriers and California the highest state for canine aggression. More than 5,300 employees were attacked by dogs while delivering the mail in 2022, a slight decrease from 2021 when 5,400 incidents were recorded. The most dangerous city for postal workers was Houston with 57 dog attacks recorded followed by Los Angeles with 48 and Dallas in third spot with 44. Cleveland (43), San Diego (39), Illinois (36), Missouri (33), Arizona (32), San Antonio (32) and Michigan (30) rounded out the top 10. The worst state for dog bite was California with 675 attacks, followed by Texas with 404 and New York in third spot with 321. Pennsylvania (313), Ohio (311), Illinois (245), Florida (220), Missouri (206) attacks, Montana (166) and North Carolina (146) also made the list. The United States Postal Service has revealed its national dog bite hotspots as part of its National Dog Bite Awareness public service campaign Many postal carriers have tools to alert them to dogs while they are delivering mail on their route. Some even carry a dog repellant, personalized protection against dog attacks The data was released as part of USPS' National Dog Bite Awareness public service campaign which kicked off on Sunday to educate dog owners on how they can help postal workers stay safe while delivering mail. USPS employee safety and health awareness manager Leeann Theriault said: 'Dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack.' This year's campaign theme is 'Even good dogs have bad days,' with the hashtag #dogbiteawareness being used to help spread awareness. 'Most people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives every day. Securing your dog before the carrier approaches your property will minimize any potentially dangerous interactions,' they said. Swain Lowe, a letter carrier in Manassas, Virginia was recently nearly bitten by a large aggressive dog. 'Despite the dog being behind a fence, it still managed to jump over and charge me,' Lowe said. 'Thankfully, I was aware of it and remembered not to run but to turn and use my satchel as a shield to prevent what could have been a terrible bite.' Pamela Jane Rock of Melrose, 61, died after she was mauled by five dogs when her USPS vehicle broke down in Interlachen Lakes Estates, Florida in August 2022. The dogs reportedly escaped from a fenced yard, as per the Putnam County Sheriff's office, CNN reported. The most dangerous city for postal workers between January 1 and December 31, 2022 was Houston with 57 dog attacks recorded followed by LA with 48 and Dallas with 44 The worst state for dog bite was California with 675 attacks, followed by Texas with 404 and New York in third spot with 321 The service's senior public relations representative David P. Coleman told DailyMail.com that the Florida mail carrier is the only death that happened while delivering the mail. USPS said children should not be encouraged to take mail directly from a delivery staff as dogs may view the employee as a threat to the child. They said letter carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present and are taught to be alert for potentially dangerous conditions and to respect a dog's territory. Some of the safety measures they are trained to use include never attempting to pet or feed a dog, never startle a dog and to place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping. 'If a dog does attack, mail carriers are also trained to stand their ground and protect their body by placing something between them and the dog such as a mail satchel and to use dog repellent, if necessary,' the USPS said. The USPS said employees who had been bitten had often been told 'my dog won't bite.' Pamela Jane Rock of Melrose, 61, died after she was mauled by five dogs when her USPS vehicle broke down in Interlachen Lakes Estates, Florida in August 2022 The dog alert feature on an employee's handheld scanner informs them of a potentially dangerous situation Many postal carriers have tools to alert them to dogs while they are delivering mail on their route including dog repellent and personalized protection against dog attacks. Other tools include a handheld scanner device, which will alert a postal worker to a possible dog hazard. Mail delivery to the dog owner's home and in some case, their neighborhood could also be halted if postal workers do not feel safe. If mail service is stopped temporarily, the person must pick up their mail at the post office. Woman suffered two broken wrists while her friends were also injured in attack The Iberian ibex charged at the Dutch tourist and pushed her off a cliff in Spain A wild mountain goat pushed a Dutch female tourist off a cliff before attacking her two friends - knocking one unconscious - after they hiked into its territory in Spain. The aggressive ibex charged at the 64-year-old woman and pushed her off the steep cliff's edge, sending her plummeting 20 metres downwards before she landed on an overhanging ledge. The Dutch woman, who has not been named, broke both of her wrists in what could have been a fatal incident in the Alpujarra hills of Granada, southern Spain. The tourist had been travelling with two Belgian hikers, who became the next targets for the mountain goat on May 28. One of them was knocked unconscious in the attack, reports Murcia Today. A local shephard found the two injured Belgian tourists and a rescue helicopter was scrambled to take the hikers to a local hospital. Una cabra montes desata el caos en Trevelez. Tres senderistas han tenido que ser rescatados por la @guardiacivil en el municipio granadino tras ser atacados por el animal. Nos lo cuenta Juan Cano @juancanosur en #LaOtraCronica. Mas https://t.co/6h0Nfshnoe pic.twitter.com/D8tKo5TY8B Despierta Andalucia (@DespiertaCSur) June 2, 2023 The aggressive ibex charged at the 64-year-old woman and pushed her off the steep cliff's edge, sending her plummeting 20 metres downwards before she landed on an overhanging ledge (file image of a Spanish ibex goat) But the rescuers were unable to find the Dutch woman and paused their search operation at 9pm on May 28 due to bad weather. Emergency services later managed resumed their rescue bid and managed to locate the woman. But the bad weather made it too difficult to airlift the woman from the cliff's ledge so the rescuers were forced to shelter her overnight in an abandoned farmhouse. The next morning, the Dutch tourist was taken to hospital where she was treated for hypothermia as well as two broken wrists. Experts said it is currently breeding season for the mountain goats in the Spanish region, meaning the Iberian ibex are particularly aggressive at this time. The peak birthing period for the Spanish mountain goats is in mid-May, meaning that with youngsters now in the herd, the adult animals are much more protective. There is usually a dominant male goat which defends its herd from any outside threats - and experts believe that the ibex could have felt cornered and threatened by the three hikers. Spanish mountain goats are coming into contact with humans more frequently due to a rise in tourism in the area. Democrats are defending Joe Biden's age as 'wisdom' after questions arose yet again about his ability to serve a second term in office following his fall at the Air Force Academy. The defense comes as the president prepares to return to the public stage with several events at the White House this week and hitting the campaign trail in North Carolina on Friday. 'Joe Biden rightly says that he has grown very wise in his many decades in public office and I respect that,' Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. Raskin also noted that 'America is a country that loves youth and vitality, you know, which is why we have laws against age discrimination, because we tend to favor youthfulness and the new thing. In a lot of countries, people who have been in office a longer period of time are praised for their wisdom.' Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland defended Biden's age as 'wisdom' And Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 69, who is challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination, said age isn't a factor as long as the person remains mentally sharp. 'I don't think age is the major metric. I think the metric is your physical health and your mental acuity,' he told Fox News late last week. 'I think there are people who are 80 years who seem younger then me. I don't think the actual chronical age is the limiting factor I think it's the mental acuity.' Biden at the age of 80 is the oldest person ever elected president in American history. And he revived questions about his ability to serve when he tripped over a sandbag and fell during a speech at the Air Force Academy last week. He laughed it off, saying ''I got sandbagged.' But the incident quickly went viral and showed Biden's vulnerability to the age issue. And the topic is not likely to go away any time soon. Biden is running for a second term and will be out on the campaign trail in a way he wasn't during the 2020 campaign when most of his events were virtual due to the COVID pandemic. This time around, he'll be on public display - and under greater scrutiny - in a number of events and settings, meaning it could be a matter of time until another trip or fall occurs. On Friday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to North Carolina - an important state in the presidential election - to discuss worker training programs. Before that, the president has several events at the White House this week, including meetings with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 69, who is challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination, said it's not about a person's age but their mental fitness President Biden, 80, renewed questions about his age last week when he fell on stage during the Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony President Biden will also be back on the fundraising circuit soon and will be under the scrutiny of donors who give millions to the Democratic Party. At a fundraiser in California a few months ago, Biden bungled a story he was telling about a news report he watched on CNN during the flight there, making verbal gaffes in front of people who had donated a million dollars to be there. Biden's recurring stumbles The president has suffered a series of near falls while in office, often while navigating stairs. Earlier this month, Biden stumbled while visiting the Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, Japan. During that event, there was a railing available on some stairs the president had to navigate down. He ignored the railing and stumbled, catching his balance while walking downward. Biden also briefly stumbled while boarding Air Force One in March on a return trip from Selma, Alabama. During that incident, Biden grabbed a railing with his right hand, then briefly let go, and stumbled before regaining his balance. Then he started using the railing again. Biden fell up the stairs while boarding Air Force One in 2021. During that incident, he stumbled repeatedly even while holding the railing of the jetway. He toppled over on his bike near his Delaware beach house last June. He was not harmed in any of the incidents. Biden broke his foot in 2020 while playing with his former German Shepherd, Major, and was required to wear a medical boot for several weeks. Advertisement David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said the age questions were inevitable and the president would be closely watched. 'I think Biden has a very credible record on which to run. The way they navigated the debt ceiling negotiation shows the value of experience,' he told Politico. 'His argument about wisdom is a real argument.' But he added: 'This is a liability that comes with age. Incidents like these are going to be blown up. They are going to be a greater concern than it would be if he were twenty years younger. This is a burden he is going to have to overcome. This is going to be an ongoing challenge.' Biden's Democratic rivals for the 2024 nomination didn't use last week's fall to pounce but they also were careful with their words. When Robert F Kennedy Jr was asked about Biden's mental acuity, he responded to Fox News: 'I don't know. That's for other people to figure out.' And Marianne Williamson, who's also running for the Democratic presidential nomination, has been silent on the issue. 'No comment,' her campaign staff told DailyMail.com when asked about Biden's fitness to serve. Falls are the leading cause of injuries and injury-related deaths to Americans over 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the image of Biden sprawled on stage - then being helped up by Air Force officials - renewed talk that was already out there about his stamina. Biden has dismissed questions about his age, particularly as he campaigns for a second term in the White House. His doctor has declared him healthy and fit to serve but has conceded the president's gait is 'stiff.' Biden has tripped before - twice boarding Air Force One: in March 2023 and in March 2021. He also tripped going down some stairs while at an event at the G7 summit in Japan and left a dinner of world leaders early. The president has downplayed questions about his age, telling reporters in April: 'I can't even say the number, it doesn't register with me.' President Joe Biden is helped up after falling Americans are concerned, however, polls show. In an ABC News/Washington Post poll last month 68% of Americans said Biden's too old for another term as president. And the New York Times did a deep dive into Biden's vulnerabilities as an octogenarian, reporting the president has slowed with age but remains sharp. 'I think the reason this is an issue is primarily because of the media talking about it constantly,' former Senator Ted Kaufman, a longtime Biden confident, told the newspaper. 'I do not see anything in my dealings with him that age is a problem. He's done more than any president has been able to do in my lifetime.' But the paper also noted that the president's age is a constant topic of conversation among Democratic circles. One prominent Wall Street Democrat told the Times that it was all party donors talked about. The Czech Republic recently donated two of its SA-6 Air Defense systems to Ukraine. Each system consists of four tracked missile launcher vehicles, each with three ready-to-fire missiles. There was also a tracked radar vehicle containing a radar that can detect aircraft out to 75 kilometers. Ukraine also received over a hundred missiles used by the SA-6. NATO nations are seeking additional SA-6 missiles from the more than two dozen SA-6 users worldwide. Since Ukrainian SA-6s will mainly deal with Russian missiles, the more SA-6 missiles the better. The Czech SA-6 contribution was welcomed by the Ukrainians, who have long used the SA-6, which entered service in the late 1960s as the 2K12 Kub, and evolved into the Buk system by the 1980s. Buk was superior in many ways but the upgraded SA-6 was still quite useful, as the Ukrainians had discovered in 2022. SA-6 is effective against Russian cruise missiles, which are the main aerial threat to Ukrainian cities and military facilities. SA-6 was upgraded twice in the 1970s and a third upgrade at the end of the 1970s was renamed as the Buk system. It was actually a much improved SA-6 but all upgrades after that were considered improved Buk systems. Buk development was not always successful. Older, reliable and still useful systems like SA-6 were upgraded and overcame a lot of their vulnerabilities to modern countermeasures. Over 10,00 SA-6 missiles have been produced. While production of SA-6 ended in the late 1980s, upgrades did not. SA-6 missiles underwent the most improvements, followed by the search radar and fire control system. Kub kept up, eventually receiving containers for the three missiles carried on the mobile missile launcher vehicle. Range of the SA-6 was 25 kilometers and max altitude was 8,000 meters (25,000 feet) In 2015 Russia introduced a new version of its Buk anti-aircraft missile; the Buk M3. This version has a longer range (75 kilometers compared to 50 for the previous M2) and improvements in the guidance system and overall reliability. Development of the Buk M2, a radical redesign of the 1960s era SA-6, was completed in 1988, near the end of the Cold War and disintegration of the Soviet Union. This delayed its introduction. Russia was not able to start production until after 2002. When NATO discovered the Buk M2 they called it the SA-11. Buk began development in the 1970s because of the success of the SA-6 system in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The Buk M1 entered service in the 1980s while work got underway for the even more advanced M2 and M2E. These were the ones delayed by financial problems in the 1980s. The M2 missiles weighed 720 kg (1,587 pounds) each and have a max range of 50 kilometers. This was followed by a lighter (581 kg) version with the same range. The missiles were carried and launched from a tracked vehicle that now held four, rather than three missiles. Another vehicle has the target acquisition radar which has a range of over 150 kilometers. As successful as the SA-6 was in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, that was due to the Israelis ignoring warnings that the SA-6 was quite effective. The Israeli learned that quickly and adapted but lost a lot of aircraft. The U.S. and Israel quickly developed electronic countermeasures. Russia responded by improving Buk but was never able to repeat the success of 1973, which was largely the result of Israel underestimating the SA-6 and the ability of Egyptian crews to operate the systems. Israel has not repeated that error since then and it was a wakeup call to the United States and other NATO countries as well. The Russian Buk M2E missile had a range of 30 kilometers. The Finns received the Buk M2Es in payment for a $300 million debt that would have taken much longer to be paid off in cash. Russia has paid off many of its older (often Soviet era) debts with modern military equipment. Some of the recipients have found that the stuff wasn't modern, or effective, enough. Buk is a very stable and flexible system and was even adapted to use American Sparrow missiles and be quickly integrated into an air defense network using several different air defense systems. More recently Israel encountered Buk in Syria and used electronic countermeasures and airstrikes to destroy Buk systems that threatened their aircraft. Eventually Israel kept its aircraft out of Syria and launched air-to-surface missiles from aircraft inside Israel, Lebanon or Jordan against Syrian targets. These missiles were sometimes intercepted by Buk missiles. So far the SA-6 and Buk systems have shot down a lot more missiles than aircraft. Warplanes can be equipped with electronic countermeasures to protect them from Buk while air or ground launched missiles usually lack such protection. That is also changing, with some land-attack missiles receiving countermeasure capabilities to get past electronic defenses often deployed to defend ground targets. A two-year-old, her mother and two others died after an unresponsive business plane flying over Washington DC crashed in Virginia on June 4. Rescuers were forced to call off the search with no survivors found after finding the wreckage at the crash site and shredded debris. The tragic crash came only half-an-hour after residents in Washington, Virginia and Maryland were shocked by a sonic boom in the skies above their homes. But it was the military who later claimed responsibility, having scrambled F-16 fighter jets to travel at supersonic speeds to make contact with the runaway jet. It is still not know what happened to the pilot or why the plane turned around after closing in on its Long Island destination. The family of the victims suggested the plane could have lost pressurization, as other experts suggested the pilot may have suffered from low oxygen levels. DailyMail.com recaps the main events of the Virginia plane crash. John and Barbara Rumpel's daughter and granddaughter were killed in the small plane crash File image shows a Cessna Citation private jet, similar to the one involved in Sunday's crash Timeline of key events 13:31pm, Takeoff: A private jet takes off from Elizabethtown, Tennessee, headed for Long Island's MacArthur Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Authority. A pilot accompanies Adina Azarian, her two-year old daughter and the family's nanny on board the flight. The passengers were understood to have been returning from visiting Adina's parents, Trump donors John and Barbara Rumpel, in North Carolina. They were headed to their home in East Hampton, on Long Island. The pilot and the nanny have not been named so far. 2:45pm, Long Island approach: After a little over an hour in the air, the Cessna approaches MacArthur airport in Ronkonkoma. Inexplicably, and assumed to be on autopilot, it deviates from its intended flight path and makes a 180, heading back towards Washington. It proceeds to fly directly over the capital, above some of the most heavily restricted airspace in the country. 3:20pm, F-16 jet chase: Seeing the plane head towards DC at 34,000ft, the military is authorized to scramble F-16 fighter jets to make contact with the plane. Residents in three states report hearing a sonic boom as the jets travel at supersonic speeds to reach the private jet. The pilot is unresponsive. Jets soon catch up with the plane and make an interception, setting off flares in an effort to get the pilot's attention - reportedly without luck. President Biden was said to be playing golf with his brother at the air base where jets were notified, but was not removed from the scene. DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management assures residents in Washington there is 'no threat at this time'. 3:22pm, Crash in Virginia: The Cessna Citation jet crashes over mountainous terrain near Montebello, Virginia, after two jets are sent out to intercept it. A US official tells ABC News that the pilot seemed to have 'passed out'. The plane ultimately comes down in the Shenandoah Valley, some 170 miles (275 kilometers) southwest of the capital. An official says that the president has been briefed on the crash and reports that the sound of the scrambling aircraft was faint at Joint Base Andrews. 3:50pm, Police are notified: Virginia State Police said officers were notified of the crash shortly before 4pm. Officers head towards the crash site on foot and start securing entrance leading up to the crash site. ~8pm, First responders find the wreckage but no survivors: Rescuers manage to reach the crash site around four hours after officers were notified of the crash in Montebello. Four first responders say the plane left a 'crater' and they believe it hit the ground at a steep angle. They say there were perhaps only four recognizable pieces of wreckage from the plane, telling CNN, 'there was nothing really bigger than your arm'. Virginia State Police say they had been unable to locate survivors, but anonymous first responders said they had found signs of human remains at the crash site. Authorities secure the entrance to Mine Bank Trail, towards the rescue operation along the Blue Ridge Parkway where the jet crashed over near Montebello, Va., Sunday, June 4, 2023 Image shows the flight path of the jet flying from Tennessee to Long Island before turning back It was not immediately clear why the plane was nonresponsive, why it crashed or how many people were on board. The plane flew directly over the nation's capital, though it was technically flying above some of the most heavily restricted airspace in the nation. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident. At least 18 people have died and dozens more have fallen ill after drinking adulterated cider in western Russia's Ulyanovsk region, local officials said on Monday. Local governor Alexei Russkikh said the product - labelled 'Mister Cider' - had been sold on tap after being brought into the region in 30 litre kegs. According to local media, the cider contained lethal amounts of methanol, also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol, and is much more toxic than the ethanol found in regular alcoholic drinks. Authorities detained one person on suspicion of causing death through negligence and ordered the affected goods to be removed from sale. Earlier today 16 people were said to be dead but later reports said that 18 people had died from the poisoned cider, with ten in a coma. Fourteen were residents of Dimitrovgrad, and three lived in Ulyanovsk. A girl, 16, who had been fighting for her life was reported to have died. The total number of poisoning victims rose to 43 in Ulyanovsk. Two of them are minors and one is a pregnant woman, reported Izvestia. Russkikh said intensive care beds were being set up across the region, located on the river Volga, and that 19 people had been admitted to hospital. The lethal 'Mister Cider' had been sold on tap after being brought into western Russia's Ulyanovsk region in 30 litre kegs At least 16 people have died and dozens more have fallen ill after drinking the adulterated 'Mister Cider' 'Doctors are fighting to save the lives of each of them,' Russkikh said. There were at least 22 known cases of poisoning, reports said. But there are fears many more people may have drunk the contaminated alcohol, made in Samara region. Two female drinkers from Novokuibyshevsk, Samara, are the latest to die in the outbreak. A young man and woman in a third region Udmurtia were fighting for their lives. Victims suffered nausea, severe headaches, pale skin, dark circles under the eyes. According to doctors, some had more serious symptoms - people allegedly went blind. One of the dead was a worker at a store named Beer Territory which sold the cider. 'She drank a glass,' said a colleague. 'They took her away, she was in a coma. 'Now they have just called me and said that she had died.' A businessman named Anar Huseynov, 32, who allegedly sold the cider from Samara region has been detained, said the Russian Investigative Committee. He is under interrogation on suspicion of causing mass deaths by negligence. According to local media, the cider (pictured) contained lethal amounts of methanol, also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol A businessman named Anar Huseynov, 32, who allegedly sold the cider from Samara region has been detained by police Huseynov is under interrogation on suspicion of causing mass deaths by 'negligence'. It is suspected methanol was put into the cider The contaminated cider contains methanol much more toxic than the ethanol found in regular alcoholic drinks Alexey Russkikh, governor of the Ulyanovsk region, urged an immediate halt to sales of the cider brand. 'The drink was sold for bottling, it was brought to the region in 30-litre bottles,' he said. 'Now law enforcement officers are engaged in the seizure of these products in our region. He urged traders 'to prevent the sale of such products'. 'Our doctors and social services continue to provide all necessary assistance to the victims.' Local police seized 193 bottles from one alcohol outlet. Russia tightened controls on the production and sale of alcohol after 77 people died drinking cheap moonshine in Siberia in 2016, but the consumption of homemade alcohol remains a problem. Twenty-nine people died in a single incident in 2021 after consuming locally produced spirits that contained methanol. A Tory MP has been charged with public order offences - one of them racially motivated - over a clash with Bahrani activists, Scotland Yard said today. Bob Stewart, 73, who has been Beckenham MP since 2010, faces two charges and is due to appear in court in July. The former British Army officer was investigated after an incident outside the Foreign Office's Lancaster House after an event hosted by the Bahraini embassy in December. Mr Stewart was reported to police by Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, who alleges that the MP told him to 'go back to Bahrain'. The former British Army officer was investigated after an incident outside the Foreign Office's Lancaster House after an event hosted by the Bahraini embassy in December. Stewart, 73, who has been Beckenham MP since 2010, faces two charges and is due to appear in court in July. Stewart is charged with using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour and the offence was racially aggravated, and an alternative charge of Using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on July 5, the Metropolitan Police said. It is understood that he will remain a Conservative MP while the case progresses, and he plans to contest the charges. Tim Scott defended Republicans' record on race issues as he received a lecture from The View hosts and slammed them for 'disgusting' rhetoric about black children in America. The 2024 presidential candidate and the only black GOP senator claimed that the show was cutting to commercial breaks every time he was making a good point. His appearance followed co-host Joy Behar claiming that Scott wouldn't be a Republican if he really understood race issues in the U.S. 'One of the reasons why I'm on the show is because of the comments that were made, frankly, on the show that the only way for a young African American kid to be successful in this country is to be the exception and not the rule,' Scott lamented in his interview with The View on Monday morning. 'That is a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today that the only way to succeed is by being the exception,' he added. Sen. Tim Scott appeared on The View on Monday after co-host Joy Behar said that he doesn't understand race issues in the U.S. as a black Republican Scott lamented that the show cut to commercials every time he was making a good point It was hard throughout the appearance for Sen. Scott to finish a thought without being interrupted by one of the five co-hosts four of whom were ready to go on the attack against him. At one point, a producer walked out from behind the cameras to inform Scott that they had to break for commercials. 'Go up and tell him, go tell him,' Goldberg said to those behind the camera as they signaled her that they had to go to commercial. 'Tell it from the mountain,' Scott said as the producer walked up to him from off-camera and said: 'We have to go to commercial, we'll come back. You're going to stick around.' 'I think ya'll have commercial breaks whenever I get on,' the 2024 candidate quipped. Scott wanted to share his message that it does not have to be the 'exception to the rule' for black people to be successful in America. He noted the massive strides African Americans have made in his lifetime alone and noted the successful people in power that he knows today adding former President Barack Obama and current Vice President Kamala Harris to that list. 'What I'm suggesting is that the yesterday's exception is today's rule,' he said. Lead host Whoppi Goldberg reprimanded the audience when they started to boo at Scott for sharing his beliefs regarding teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools and how Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has responded to that in his state. Scott began to share his perspective agreeing with his competitor Gov. DeSantis on 'protecting our kids from the indoctrination that's happening in our culture today' and saying his so-called 'Don't Say Gay' law was a 'step in the right direction.' This line led to immediate jeers from the live studio audience the majority of whom are liberal. 'No, no, no, not here. I'm sorry, sir, do not boo,' Goldberg said. Cheeky Cut-off: A producer walked on-screen from behind the cameras to inform Sen. Scott that they needed to take a commercial break, to which the candidate responded, 'I think ya'll have commercial breaks whenever I get on' The 2024 presidential candidate, at times, appeared to be getting a lecture from The View panel as he presented reasons why he doesn't believe a successful black person is the 'exception to the rule' 'This is The View. We accept we don't have to believe everything people say but you cannot boo people here, please. You cannot do it,' she said to the crowd before turning to Scott to say: 'Please proceed.' Scott's main purpose of appearing on the show was to respond to messaging about African American communities in the U.S., and how he feels The View hosts were sending a bleak message to black and brown children that they have to be an exception to the rule to be successful in America. He announced his appearance on the show over the weekend, after speaking out against host Joy Behar's claim that he doesn't understand racism as a black Republican. Behar, however, usually takes off on Mondays so she was not able to face-down with Scott at The View table on Monday. 'I'm going on The View on Monday because I think it's time for a conservative with a backbone to look those ladies in the eyes and say you do not have to be an exception to succeed in America,' he told an audience of Republicans while on the campaign trail in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday. 'You can be the rule and succeed in America,' he added. 'You see, I scare the dickens out of the radical left and Joe Biden. Proof of my life destroys their lies.' The New York Times has been ridiculed for a fawning article describing Joe Biden as 'sharp and fit' and praising his 'striking stamina' just days after his latest fall. The piece in Sunday's paper was written by four White House reporters and attempts to confront the issue of Biden's age - frequently cited as a top concern for voters ahead of 2024. The article claims that though the 80-year-old commander in chief may 'momentarily forget a name or fact, he retains a formidable memory.' The writers are also glowing about his 'striking stamina', citing two consecutive nine-hour train rides across eastern Europe on a secret visit to war-torn Kyiv, and claiming Biden has had a busier schedule than Barrack Obama. The Times was mocked for 'trying to put lipstick on a pig' just days after the president fell over on stage at a USAF graduation ceremony in Colorado. It was the latest in a string of tumbles which are a glaring reminder of the advanced years of the oldest president in US history. President Joe Biden falls on stage during the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony last Thursday The Times piece said: 'He has at times exhibited striking stamina, such as when he flew to Poland then boarded a nine-hour train ride to make a secret visit to Kyiv, spent hours on the ground, then endured another nine-hour train ride and a flight to Warsaw. 'A study of his schedule by Mr. Bidens aides shows that he has traveled slightly more in the first few months of his third year in office than Mr. Obama did in his.' The writers call the president 'sharp and wise at critical moments' and 'able to rise to the occasion even in the dead of night to confront a dangerous world.' The article has been slammed online by conservative commentators, politicians and Capitol Hill advisors. Senator Ted Cruz's special communications advisor Steve Guest called the article 'embarrassing,' while media reporter Jon Nicosia called the piece 'slobbering' in its choice praise of Biden. Texas congressman Ronny Jackson, who formerly served as the White House physician during the Trump presidency, wrote: 'The New York Times can try to put lipstick on a pig, but it won't work! The American people know Joe Biden is an incompetent disaster.' The timing of the article came just three days after the president fell on stage at the graduation ceremony of the US Air Force Academy and was aided by three Secret Service agents who scurried to pick up the president. The White House quickly released a statement that said the president had tripped over a sandbag on stage and was not injured in the fall. Mere hours later, Biden hit his head as he exited Marine One on his way back to the White House. He refused to take questions from reporters. The New York Times article praised the president's ability to maintain a grueling travel schedule, including a recent surprise visit to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky Last summer, Biden took a tumble from his bike while out on a ride in Rehoboth, near his Delaware beach home The New York Times reporters added that aides to the president have limited his exposure to the media, stopped the president's doctor from answering questions and instead issued continual statements that the president is 'fit for duty.' Repeated events throughout his campaign and presidency have caused some to wonder whether the White House is embellishing, or outright lying about the president's physical and mental fitness. Everything from his stiff shuffle to his repeated inability to recall how many grandchildren he has to falling off his bike in front of the press have led to questions about the octogenarian's physical and mental ability to lead. Following Biden's most recent public fall, Jackson told Fox News' Sean Hannity that Biden's health is becoming a national security issue and said something has to be done. Ronny Jackson, former White House doctor for presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama, has raised concerns over Joe Biden's health and said it is 'malpractice' to allow him to seek re-election 'This man's not fit mentally or physically to be our president, and it's a bad situation for us,' he told Fox News Channel's Hannity on Friday. 'Part of the job of the President of the United States is to inspire confidence and project power, and he's not doing that. He can't do that, he's too old to do that, and I think it's a shame. 'I think his lack of physical ability and his physical decline is now starting to highlight the cognitive decline that we've been watching for so long now. 'It's a package that just doesn't sell around the world, and it's becoming a national security issue for us. We have to do something about.' Jackson added: 'To think that this man thinks he can be president at the age of 86 when he's 80 right now [and] could be in office for another six years is just malpractice on part of the White House in the West Wing to allow this to be happening, for him to even be talking about running for another term. 'Somebody needs to be held accountable. People like Jill Biden and people that surround him and are supposed to love him and care about him, they should be doing something about this, and they should be stopping this because it's a shame.' As Russia continues its brutal invasion of Ukraine and China ramps up its threats to Taiwan, citizens in the United States and Europe have called for unity to take on the West's top adversaries. Despite domestic political divisions on both sides of the Atlantic, voters share a common belief: the driving forces in Beijing and Moscow need to be stopped. Especially when it comes to the internet, with a growing number of Americans and Europeans fearing the Kremlin and Chinese Communist Party's bid to dominate could have damaging global implications. A new survey released by the American Edge Project (AEP) reveals that U.S. and European voters are aligned on common values and share concern about the growing technological threats posed by China and Russia. This includes more support for a joint effort to stop them from exerting more power over the internet and cracking down on freedom of speech. A new survey conducted by the American Edge Project (AEP) found American and European voters want more cooperation to bring down Russia and China's dominance online The majority of voters from a range of nations also believe national security and economies will be damaged if Russia and China get more online power. The Kremlin launched a wide-ranging censorship campaign in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion, while China has maintained a tightly-controlled internet for decades. Russia has detained its critics of the war and heavily monitored social media accounts. In February 2022, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement supporting the internationalization of Internet governance' and 'equal rights of countries to regulate the world-wide web'. They pledged to 'deepen bilateral cooperation in international information security'. Since then they have sought online dominance by cracking down on opponents and restricting activity by blocking social media, apps and encryption tools. The survey shows that developments have alarmed citizens in Western democracies. There is a fear from Americans and voters in the UK, France, Germany and Belgium that their economy and national security will be damaged if Xi and Putin exert more influence over the internet. This broken down by 81 percent of respondents in the U.S. - an increase of five points from last year - and 74 percent in Europe 80 percent in U.S. - up four points from 2022 - and 73 percent in Europe say Moscow and Beijing's growing online influence threatens the economy. Both sides of the Atlantic agree that 'Europe and the U.S. should work together to defend our shared values' (82 percent in U.S. and 79 percent in Europe) and eight in ten (85 percent in U.S., 79 percent in Europe) believe the other allows for a 'free and open' internet. However, when it comes to who should be setting the standard for the internet, only 11 percent of Europeans believe the U.S. should take the lead. Meanwhile, 51 percent of Americans and 47 percent of Europeans believe it should be a 'coalition of democratic nations'. The results also showed overwhelmingly that voters from the United States, the UK, France, Germany and Belgium fear Moscow and Beijing controlling more of the internet will be a threat to their nation's national security Russia has detained its critics of the Ukraine war and heavily monitored social media accounts, Smoke rises from the Ukraine-Russia border town of Vovchansk during a shelling Xi Jinping and China have a wide-ranging censorship program and have pledged internet dominance with Russia. He is pictured before his address to the National People's Congress in March to cement his power as President 'This survey paints a clear picture: voters on both sides of the Atlantic are united in their desire for U.S. policymakers to work alongside our European allies to safeguard our technological edge, defend our interests, and advance our values,' said Doug Kelly, CEO of AEP. 'The transatlantic alliance has served as a bulwark for freedom and prosperity for nearly a century. With digital autocracies, namely China and Russia, now on the rise, it is imperative that leaders in Europe and the U.S. stand together in defense of our shared values and global leadership in technology and innovation '. The poll surveyed 1,005 registered voters in the U.S., 1,011 registered voters in the U.K., 1,020 registered voters in France, 1,003 registered voters in Germany, and 500 voters in Belgium (with Brussels considered the de facto capital of the European Union) The private Cessna plane that crashed in Virginia yesterday after spooking Pentagon officials and scrambling two F-16 jets was likely flying on autopilot after cabin pressure failed and caused everyone on board to lose consciousness. The jet - which had performed a mysterious U-turn towards Washington DC - was carrying Adina Azarian, her two-year-old daughter Aria, their nanny and the pilot, Jeff Hefner. It took off at 1.13pm from Elizabethton Airport in Tennessee and was scheduled to land at MacArthur Airport in Islip, on Long Island. The plane instead approached MacArthur but then turned around at 2.45pm and flew south again, alerting DC officials. No one on board answered calls from the ground, prompting two F-16 fighter jets from Joint Base Andrews to rush to its side to investigate. They flew with such velocity that a sonic boom was heard over parts of DC and Virginia. The jet was carrying Adina Azarian, her two-year-old daughter, their nanny and the pilot. It took off at 1.13pm from Elizabethton Airport in Tennessee and was scheduled to land at MacArthur Airport in Islip, on Long Island. Instead, it flew north then performed an about-turn and crashed in Virginia Adina Azarian and her two-year-old daughter Aria died in the crash. They were traveling with their nanny, who also lost their life Once in the air, the F-16 pilots reported seeing the Cessna pilot slumped over in the cockpit. Within moments, the Cessna crashed, tumbling a terrifying 28,000ft-a-minute into St Mary's Wilderness, around 175 miles southwest of Washington DC. While the tragedy remains under investigation, aviation experts tell DailyMail.com it was likely down to cabin pressure failure which will have caused the pilot - and everyone else - to pass out from a lack of oxygen. When the plane approached Long Island, rather than landing it diverted back to the south. Kyle Bailey, a former FAA Safety Team Representative, told DailyMail.com it was likely the result of the pilot programming his route. 'What appears to have happened as the plane was flying to Islip, it' was very high. 'They very well might have been incapacitated [by then]. The pilot has waypoints in the program, it's similar to a GPS system. So the autopilot might have been flying him to Islip, then the next point could have very well have been the airport they departed from. 'It could have been towards DC or somewhere down south. It looks like it was affixed in that direction. 'In that scenario, it's likely the plane was flying itself.' Azarian's two-year-old daughter, seen here with her mom in a recent photo, also died in the crash Adina's adoptive parents are prominent GOP donors, John and Barbara Rumpel, shown with Trump in March 2020 Barbara Rumpel announced the deaths of her daughter and granddaughter yesterday 'It's most likely a loss of cabin pressure or the pilot became incapacitated. He could have had a heart attack or something like that but judging by the fact there weren't any emergency calls made from the passengers that we know of, I'm leaning more towards loss of cabin pressure. 'It typically happens in older planes,' Kyle Bailey, a former FAA Safety Team Representative, told DailyMail.com. The Cessna involved was a Cessna Citation V 560 manufactured in 1990. It belonged to the company run by John and Barbara Rumpel, Adina adoptive parents, who confirmed her death and that of her daughter. A plane manufactured that long ago would be considered old in aviation terms, Bailey said. 'It wouldn't have the latest and greatest technology, the planes really evolved around the year 2000 that's when the technology really went crazy,' Bailey said. Such planes have a 'complicated' network of pressure relief valves which could have failed. It could have been sudden or gradual. An interior of a Cessna Citation V560, which is the same type of aircraft that crashed yesterday The Cessna tumbled at a terrifying 28,000ft per minute once it ran out of fuel 'When you're up there it could be seconds, but if it's very slow, it could manifest as slowly like making you tired then eventually you just pass out. 'It's interesting, it probably happened fairly quickly because the pilot, if he was feeling ill or even slightly ill, he'd likely want to land at a closer airport.' By the time the F-16s were scrambled, the plane was likely running out of fuel, he said. 'The timing actually works out perfectly. The crash was about an hour after it flew over Islip and there's around a 45 minute fuel reserve, so that works perfectly with the theory that it ran out of fuel. 'It just by chance it ran out of fuel just as it penetrated [the DC] zone.' At 3.20pm, the F-16 jets were in the air. At 3.22pm, the Cessna crashed into St Mary's Wilderness in the Shenandoah Valley. The impact was so violent that it left a 'crater' in the ground. 'That rate of descent, 2800ft-a-minute, that is everyone's worst nightmare,' Bailey said. 'But they likely wouldn't have been conscious so it wouldn't have been painful for anyone. Azarian was described by colleagues as an 'iconic' real estate agent working out of the Hamptons and New York City Two F-16 jets from Joint Base Andrews were approached the jet and tried to get the pilot's attention but he was unconscious He added that it was too soon to rule out that the pilot might have become incapacitated alone, and that the others on board simply didn't know how to raise the alarm. Azarian, 49, was a successful real estate agent in New York City and the Hamptons. She ran her own business for years but had recently found success at Keller Williams. In an internal memo obtained by DailyMail.com, the company described her as 'iconic'. 'It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow that we bring you the tragic news of the untimely passing of our dear colleague, Adina Azarian, and her daughter, Aria. We are devastated by this profound loss and wanted to reach out to inform you and express our deepest condolences,' said. 'Adina was an exceptional member of our Keller Williams Points North team, as well as the original Team Leader of Keller Williams NYC, known for her dedication, professionalism, and warm spirit. 'Her vibrant personality and unwavering commitment to her clients set her apart in the real estate industry. 'Adina's passion for her work and her genuine care for others touched the lives of many, making her an invaluable asset to our team at Keller Williams Points North. 'She will be sorely missed.' Friends told local Hamptons news outlet 27 East how she fought to have Aria and raise her as a single mother. 'Her daughter was her world she was such a loving mother and they were so happy. I was friends with her when she was pregnant and she was so excited to have gotten pregnant and to then have this gorgeous little girl. 'I'm still in such shock. I just saw her in the grocery store, and she was so happy. I can't believe she is gone.' Licht also admitted: 'I should not be in the news unless its taking arrows for you' He said he did not recognize himself in the scathing profile , but understands employees' frustrations and is intent on earning their trust Embattled CNN boss Chris Licht issued a groveling apology to network staffers on a daily editorial call Monday morning, days after an embarrassing profile was published. It was the first time Licht, 51, spoke publicly to his employees since the self-aggrandizing profile in The Atlantic revealed his doubts with the direction of the news network during his first year at the helm. 'This experience has been tremendously humbling,' Licht said on the call. 'And to those whose trust I lost I will fight like hell to win it back.' The 15,000-word Atlantic article gave insight into Licht's first year, which included firing controversial host Don Lemon, moving the company away from the vision of previous CEO Jeff Zucker and blasting CNN's COVID coverage. Ratings have also tanked for CNN since Licht took over. 'I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this org,' Licht told the staff. 'And for that, I am sorry.' Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is said to have been displeased with the piece, entitled 'Inside the Meltdown at CNN,' and agreed it was mishandled, according to those familiar with his thinking who spoke to CNBC on the condition of anonymity. Chris Licht, 51, issued a groveling apology to CNN staffers amid calls for his resignation after a scathing profile piece revealed his doubts with the news network's direction Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav (pictured last month) is said to have been displeased with the profile piece In the profile, Licht spoke out about CNN's approach to covering former President Donald Trump before he took over last year, and said it alienated viewers with its coverage of COVID-19 as he offered a journalist unfettered access In his brief remarks, the CNN boss - whose pay is estimated at $3 million a year - said he did not recognize himself in the Atlantic piece but understood employees' frustrations and is intent on earning their trust, according to sources. He also admitted: 'I should not be in the news unless its taking arrows for you.' Licht, though, seemed perplexed by some portrayals in the article, telling staff members 'there are parts of that article and characterizations made where I don't recognize myself. But there are those of you who do. 'This experience has been tremendously humbling,' he added. 'And to those whose trust I lost I will fight like hell to win it back.' Licht also announced during the morning phone call he would move his office to the 18th floor next month, and in the meantime, will spend his time on the 17th floor of CNN's headquarters to make himself more accessible to editorial staff, which is mainly on that floor of the company's New York City Hudson Yards headquarters. But the CNN boss did not say why he agreed to participate in The Atlantic's profile and have reporter Tim Alberta follow him from personal training sessions at the gym to backstage network programming meetings. And he gave no indication that he plans to step aside from the top position at CNN despite calls for his resignation. Licht offered no indication that he plans to step aside from the top role at the news network after an embarrassing Atlantic article Licht started off his remarks Monday by congratulating Jake Tapper for his town hall with presidential candidate Nikki Haley before he started discussing the profile. 'I know these past few days have been very hard for this group,' he said, according to former staffer Brian Stelter. 'I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this org. And for that, I am sorry.' 'As I read that article, I found myself thinking CNN is not about me,' he continued. 'I should not be in the news unless I'm taking arrows for you. Your work is what should be written about.' Licht then promised to win back staff members' trust 'because you deserve a leader who will be in the trenches, fighting to ensure CNN remains the world's most trusted name in news.' After he spoke, Virginia Moseley, a top CNN editorial executive, took over the call, saying: 'We all agree with you, Chris, that what makes this place so special is those reporters and that reporting.' Licht took over at the helm of CNN last year, but its ratings have remained historically low Ousted CNN anchor Brian Stelter, who remains close with some employees at the network, said they are telling him they think Licht should be fired for his remarks Staff members at CNN have expressed shock at the access Alberta had to the CEO and some remarks he made about the networks' coverage of certain events. In the article, Chris Licht described himself as 'a machine' for skipping meals after losing 50lbs in weight, with the help of early gym sessions and trainer Joe Maysonet. himself as 'a machine' for skipping meals after losing 50lbs in weight, with the help of early gym sessions and trainer Joe Maysonet. One staffer told The Hollywood Reporter the profile offered a lot of 'tea leaves' that employees were analyzing and debating, while another said they felt they learned more about Licht's direction for the network from the piece than they did from his own internal town halls. A third told New York Magazine the CEO is 'just giving haters on the right more ammo to bash us while giving skeptics on the left more ammo to justify turning us off. How does any of this help anything?' Licht took over at the helm of CNN last year, but its ratings have remained historically low as he and other executives work to maintain a prime-time audience while also launching new morning programs. The news division, which once generated more than $1billion annually, raked in just $750million - partially due to the $200million loss the company took on the total shutdown of CNN+ just one month after its highly publicized launch. Following years of sensational coverage of the Trump White House and the COVID-19 pandemic, the network began enduring the so-called Trump slump, and even with a presidential cycle heating up, the network's numbers are down 30 percent relative to this time during the 2016 cycle. David Leavy took over as COO of CNN earlier this month, apparently in hopes of containing the fallout from the story. He is pictured in 2018 Some staff members at the network now believe he should be fired, according to Stelter, who spoke with New York Magazine about the sentiment inside CNN. 'That anti-Licht sentiment is shared by many in the CNN rank and file, and has existed to some extent for months, but The Atlantic article cemented it,' he tweeted Sunday. 'In the words of three employees "He's over." "He's done." "There's no coming back from that profile."' Senior anchors, reporters and correspondents have even reportedly been phoning new COO David Leavy to express their frustrations. Leavy was originally scheduled to begin his new position on June 20, but network executives said he would take on the COO role on June 1, apparently in hopes of containing the fallout from the story. Licht is expected to spend more time focusing on programming, but has already reached out to top talent. According to Stelter, Zaslav has been telling employees that Leavy will provide more adult supervision. The worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly operating an illegal exchange in the US and mishandling billions of dollars in money. The lawsuit - which is the latest action taken by regulators to get crypto firms to comply with US law - was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia on Monday, and named Changpeng Zhao as a defendant. Zhao is the founder and controlling shareholder of the cryptocurrency. Wall Street regulator SEC filed 13 charges against Binance for allegedly mishandling billions in customer funds, as well as lying to regulators and investors about its operations. The complaint claims Binance secretly commingled billions of dollars of investor assets and sent them to a third party, Merit Peak Limited, which is also owned by Zhao. Feds say Zhao headed an 'extensive web of deception' to enrich himself while putting his investors' assets at significant risk. The crypto CEO today brushed off the allegations as 'simply wrong.' The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia, and Changpeng Zhao (pictured) was named as a defendant. The complaint also claims Binance secretly commingled billions of dollars of investor assets and sent them to a third party, Merit Peak Limited, which is also owned by Zhao The price of Binance plummeted dramatically to 1 BNB = $284.79 just 30 minutes after the news that the exchange faced a lawsuit Gurbir S. Grewal, director of the SEC's enforcement division, said: 'We allege that Zhao and the Binance entities not only knew the rules of the road, but they also consciously chose to evade them and put their customers and investors at risk.' In immediate response to the news, Zhao wrote on Twitter: 'Our team is all standing by, ensuring systems are stable, including withdrawals, and deposits. We will issue a response once we see the complaint. Haven't seen it yet.' He claimed Binance's 'size and global name recognition' has meant that it's become 'an easy target now caught in the middle of a U.S. regulatory tug-of-war.' And the founder accused the SEC of lodging the suit just to 'make headlines.' Zhao denied all of the allegations made against Binance. The price of a Binance coin plummeted dramatically to $284.79 just 30 minutes after the news that the exchange was under investigation. It was around $300 for one coin in the moments before the lawsuit. The filing comes months after the SEC lodged criminal charges against Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, for orchestrating a scheme to defraud investors. FTX was a rival to Binance in the crypto trading world until Bankman-Fried's company filed for bankruptcy last November. The alleged troubles at Binance also come weeks after the exchange had difficulty finding a bank to hold customer cash after the failure of Signature Bank, according to the Wall Street Journal. Binance user's dollars were previously sent to the crypto-friendly bank, but when it failed it left groups scrambling to find new partners. Zhao is the founder and controlling shareholder of the cryptocurrency - and Wall Street regulator SEC filed 13 charges against Binance for allegedly mishandling billions in customer funds, as well as lying to regulators and investors about its operations SEC Chair Gary Gensler said about the Binance suit today: 'Through thirteen charges, we allege that Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law. 'As alleged, Zhao and Binance misled investors about their risk controls and corrupted trading volumes while actively concealing who was operating the platform, the manipulative trading of its affiliated market maker, and even where and with whom investor funds and crypto assets were custodied. 'They attempted to evade U.S. securities laws by announcing sham controls that they disregarded behind the scenes so that they could keep high-value U.S. customers on their platforms. 'The public should beware of investing any of their hard-earned assets with or on these unlawful platforms.' Binance is also currently under investigation for money laundering violations by the Justice Department, and last year it lost its auditing firm Mazars when the company announced they would not work with crypto firms anymore. In November, at the fall of FTX, Zhao issued the warning that the troubled sector faced 'cascading effects' because of Bankman-Fried's situation. Zhao, who walked away from a proposed bailout of FTX after deciding the company's problems ran too deep, said the fiasco is like the 2008 financial crisis, adding: 'I think that's probably an accurate analogy.' 'With these type of events happening, its devastating for the industry. A lot of consumer confidence is shaken, and I think basically it sets us back a few years,' added Zhao. 'With FTX going down, we will see cascading effects,' said the Binance CEO. 'Especially for those close to the FTX ecosystem, they will be negatively affected.' Zhao predicted that the crypto industry will likely face more regulatory scrutiny focusing on capital requirements and handling of deposits, adding, 'which is probably a good thing, to be honest.' Former Vice President Mike Pence is officially entering the 2024 race for president by filing paperwork Monday with the Federal Election Commission, setting up a battle with former President Donald Trump and other GOP hopefuls. Pence will kick off his 2024 bid for the presidency in a Des Moines, Iowa, rally on June 7, DailyMail.com confirmed last week. He will then head to New Hampshire and other early voting states to lay out his message to voters. He is also set to participate in a CNN town hall in Iowa with Dana Bash following his official kick-off rally Wednesday - which also falls on his 64th birthday. The former vice president joins a growing field of GOP hopefuls including his old boss former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is also expected to join the race Wednesday. Former Vice President Mike Pence will kick off his 2024 bid for the presidency in a Des Moines, Iowa, rally on June 7 Pence, who hails from Indiana, has been teasing a 2024 presidential bid for months and attended Sen. Joni Ernst's Roast & Ride event last weekend in Iowa, a known 'cattle call' event for presidential contenders. He served for 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and for four years in Indiana as the state's governor. Pence, is known for his signature pro-life views, which he says he is 'unapologetic' about. He also has backed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and fully supports giving aide to help Ukraine against Russia's attacks. He holds Reagan-era views on conservatism and separate federal and states rights. The former vice president has zig zagged across early voting states for the last several months, building momentum with the voting base. He will now officially come head-to-head with his former boss, Donald Trump, as the 2024 primary competition heats up. The former vice president is polling behind Trump and DeSantis in recent polls at around six percent. Trump has held a steady lead over the GOP pack, as support for DeSantis has dwindled. Pence laid out his ideal 'standard-bearer' for the Republican Party during a Federalist Society conference in Washington, D.C., last month. 'I believe that we as conservatives hold the keys we hold the solutions for America. But but but our challenge is to express those in a way that allows us to move our nation forward and I believe we can,' Pence said, referring to the 2024 election. Pence slammed the Biden administration's record in office as a 'disaster' and continues to compare the achievements of the Trump-Pence administration to the failing policies of the current leadership. The first time Pence made a jab at former President Donald Trump was before a similar crowd of conservative legal leaders over a year ago in February 2022. In his first real rebuke of the former president, Pence told the Federalist Society crowd in Florida: 'President Trump is wrong. I had no right to overturn the election.' The former vice president has zig zagged across early voting states for the last several months Sen. Joni Ernst's Roast & Ride event held last weekend in Iowa is a known 'cattle call' event for presidential contenders Since then, Pence has become more vocal about the pitfalls with Trump's handling in the aftermath of the 2020 election. The former vice president recently released a book titled 'So Help Me God,' in which he detailed his experience in the Capitol on January 6, 2021. During the riot at the Capitol, pro-Trump supported chanted 'hang Mike Pence,' which the former president defended. Pence also was subpoenaed by a D.C. federal court and testified before a grand jury in a case related to the January 6 Capitol riot in April. The former vice president did not fight the subpoena, despite Trump's attorneys who were ready to intervene on his behalf and seek executive privilege immunity. Last week, Pence was informed by the Department of Justice that he will not face charges for having classified documents in his Indiana home. DOJ sent a letter to Pence's attorney on Thursday confirming there will be no criminal charges, days before he is set to enter the White House race. The FBI searched his $1.9 million home in Carmel, Indiana, in February and found sensitive files with classified markings. The content of the documents are still not clear, but the federal government's top prosecutors have decided not to take any further action. Meanwhile the classified documents probe into his old boss Donald Trump has appeared to heat up, and a special counsel is also looking into classified documents found in President Joe Biden's Delaware home and lobbying office in Washington. Indignation was widespread and the public is demanding answers after a Panama City beachgoer shared a startling video of a group of men riding a 6-foot shark after pulling it from the water as onlookers cheered on. The video, posted by Tammy Scott on a Facebook group called 'I Love Panama City Beach' on Sunday, shows a group of seven men working together to pull the shark in and hold it down before one man started riding the big shark like a cowboy. Other photos from the Florida beach showed multiple men sitting on top of the animal. The shark can be seen struggling to get free, thrashing around in the water, as the audience laughs in the background. At one point, the shark's fin appears to slap the behind of the man who ended up riding the animal, which caused him to trip. The video caused public outrage, generating hundreds of comments online. 'SICKO boy riding it like a cowboy, instead of unhooking the shark and letting it go. Humans are the biggest threat to the planet,' one user wrote. A video posted on Facebook, showed a group of seven men working together to pull the shark on to Panama City Beach and hold it down, before one man started riding the 6-foot animal Another Facebook user said 'Stupid idiots too bad he didn't get a good long ride out in the ocean and turned into supper. and more idiots standing around laughing. Leave nature alone people!!!' Others argued the scene was a common occurrence along the Florida beach and not a cause of concern. 'People everyone speculate that they were doing something wrong, did you think maybe they were trying to help it out since it floated on shore? Don't always assume the bad!' one user wrote in defense. It's unclear whether the men were fishing and caught the shark on purpose or if they were trying to help the shark by unhooking it and setting it free. Scott said both the shark and the people involved appeared unharmed following the incident, according to AL. Dailymail.com contacted Panama City Beach police but officials did not respond in time for this reprot. Laura Griffin, his fiancee, clutched at rosary beads and a cross as she attended his hearing He was arrested by FBI officers last week after they lured him out of his luxury apartment in Weehawken Matthew Nilo, 35, denied attacking four different women during his appearance in Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts A New Jersey attorney has pleaded not guilty to raping four women as a college student in 2007 and 2008. Matthew Nilo, 35, looked emotionless as he appeared in handcuffs while wearing a blue shirt and jeans at Suffolk Superior Court this morning. He is charged with three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with the intent to rape and one count of indecent assault and battery. Nilo, who was linked to the crimes by DNA, was supported in court by family members and his fiancee Laura Griffin, 37, who was present when FBI officers swooped at their home in Weehawken last week. She stayed silent and emotionless during the entire hearing on Monday, clutching rosary beads with a cross attached. Matthew Nilo, 35, denied attacking four women in Boston in 2008 and 2007 during his appearance in Suffolk Superior Court this morning Nilo's new fiancee Laura Griffin, 37, stayed silent and emotionless during the entire hearing on Monday His fiancee gripped the religious beads throughout the hearing but did not say anything as she exited the court Nilo's bail was posted at $500,000, and if he able to post that amount, he must submit to GPS monitoring and stay away from his alleged victims and the scene of the crime. At the time of the alleged rapes, Boston Police Department issued a warning that a man was attacking women after offering them rides home. Nilo was identified to law enforcement through family members who voluntarily sent DNA samples to a genealogy database, like '23 and Me.' According to a police affidavit, a dozen FBI agents and Boston Police officers arrested Nilo at his luxury apartment complex. They lured him down to the lobby under the pretense that 'a large package had been delivered to him that did not fit in the ... lockers where the residents pick up packages.' He was with his fiancee at the time of his arrest, and immediately invoked his Miranda rights. Griffin also attended Nilo's court hearing in New Jersey last week, where he waived extradition. Nilo is accused of assaulting the four women in or around Terminal Street in Charleston on 18 August 2007, 22 November 2007, 5 August 2008 and 23 December 2008. Nilo was handcuffed and appeared in court wearing a blue shirt and jeans and looked emotional as he pleaded not guilty to the charges Nilo, who was linked to the crimes by DNA, was supported in court by family members and Griffin who was present when FBI officers swooped at their home Prosecutors said that all three women underwent a sexual assault examination, which yielded a DNA profile, which matched the male in each attack A 23-year-old woman claims that she was approached by a man in his 20's after leaving a friend's home in the State Street area in the early hours. She said she thought she knew the man, who offered her a ride to help her look for her vehicle before driving her to Terminal Street. Nilo then allegedly told her to 'shut up' or he would kill her, claiming to have a weapon before raping her on a grassy area near railroad tracks, according to court filings. The second attack took place in November 2007, when a woman, 23, was leaving a bar on State Street after attending a high school reunion. Documents say that she got into Nilo's car, thinking it was a taxi, before giving him the address of an ATM near her apartment. She claims that the man flashed a knife at her after she told him he missed the address, driving her to Terminal Street where he ordered her out of the car before raping her. The third assault took place in August 2008, after Nilo allegedly approached a 36-year-old woman on Boston Common, promising her money if she went to Charlestown with him. When they exited the car at Terminal Street, he allegedly 'tackled her to the ground, held a gun to her back' and raped her repeatedly. Prosecutors said that all three women underwent a sexual assault examination, which yielded a DNA profile, which matched the male in each attack. Nilo, who once lived in the North End, was arrested at his home in Weehawken, New Jersey, on Tuesday, more than 15 years after he allegedly terrorized four victims Police revisited the investigation last year, using 'forensic investigative genetic genealogy' which resulted in Nilo being placed under surveillance in New York Nilo is accused of assaulting the four women in or around Terminal Street in Charleston on 18 August 2007, 22 November 2007, 5 August 2008 and 23 December 2008 The final assault took place in December 2008, where a 44-year-old woman was attacked as she was jogging in the area of Terminal Street. Court documents claim that he approached her from behind, tackled her to the ground and sexually assaulted her. The man, who was later allegedly identified as Nilo, repeatedly told her 'I have a gun' before she managed to escape by poking at his eyes while wearing a glove. Police revisited the investigation last year, using 'forensic investigative genetic genealogy' which resulted in Nilo being placed under surveillance in New York. The filing, obtained by the Boston Globe, said: 'FBI agents were able to obtain various utensils and drinking glasses they watched the defendant use at a corporate event. 'From one of the glasses the Boston Police Crime Lab obtained a male DNA profile, which was found to match the suspect profile from the three Terminal Street rapes.' The glove that the fourth woman used to poke her attacker with was also tested, with investigators 'determining that this profile was 314 times more likely to belong to Matthew Nilo than to any other male in the population.' Boston Police Department has arrested six people, including Nilo, accused of years-old rapes using a $2.5 million federal grant to re-examine 'unsolved cases that present the greatest threat to public safety.' Nilo's lawyer Joseph Cataldo claimed that he has received 'no indication' that a search warrant was obtained before they collected Nilo's DNA samples. Nilo is seen partying with friends during his college days Several photos posted to Nilo's Facebook page at the time showed him living a life full of parties and drinking with his friends In one of his old photos, he was caught peeing in a hallway Speaking outside court, he said: 'My educated guess is there are no search warrants. Obtaining DNA and analyzing it without a warrant based on probable cause, I posit that is unconstitutional.' Nilo grew up in Boston and attended Boston Latin School, before graduating in 2010 from the University of Wisconsin Madison where he studied psychology. He earned a law degree at the University of San Francisco in 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile and records posted to the New York State Unified Court System website. At the time of his arrest, Nilo was working as cyber claims counsel for Cowbell Cyber, and previously worked as a paralegal at the Law offices of Iannella and Mummolo for the two years between his bachelor's degree and when he started law school. He was then an associate at the San Francisco-based Clyde & Co and then an associate at Atheria Law in New York. Cowbell Cyber suspended Nilo when they learned of the charges, saying in a statementL 'Matthew Nilo was an employee of Cowbell and was hired in January, 2023 after passing our background check. Mr. Nilo's employment at Cowbell has been suspended pending further investigation.' Nilo has also lived in Wisconsin and New York and authorities urged anyone who thinks they may have been victimized by Nilo to contact Boston police or the FBI. A man accused of murdering his partner's nine-year-old son has told jurors he did not 'dunk' him in a shallow bath as punishment or beat him on the day he died. Dirk Howell also denied attempting to stage a cover-up along with Alfie Steele's mother, Carla Scott, following the youngster's death on February 18, 2021. A trial at Coventry Crown Court has been told Alfie died after being 'repeatedly assaulted, beaten' and 'held' in a cold bath. The schoolboy, who was covered in bruises, is alleged to have been subjected to a cruel and 'sinister' regime of correction by Scott and Howell, both of whom deny murder. Giving evidence in his defence on Monday, Howell denied harming Alfie at his home in Vashon Drive, Droitwich, Worcestershire, on February 18. A man accused of murdering his partner's son Alfie Steele, nine, (pictured) has told jurors he did not 'dunk' him in a shallow bath as punishment or beat him on the day he died. Dirk Howell (pictured) also denied attempting to stage a cover-up along with Alfie Steele's mother, Carla Scott, following the youngster's death on February 18, 2021 The schoolboy, who was covered in bruises, is alleged to have been subjected to a cruel and 'sinister' regime of correction by Carla Scott (pictured) and Howell, both of whom deny murder The 41-year-old told jurors he had met Scott in 2019 when he had jumped out of a van and asked for her number. Answering questions from his barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, Howell said Scott 'came flying' into their bedroom holding Alfie, crying, before putting him on the floor at the bottom of the bed. 'I said what's happened. She said he's not breathing. I said phone an ambulance,' Howell told the jury. According to his account, Howell started CPR on Alfie after he checked for and could not find a pulse. Howell told the court he realised chest compressions were not working and he left the house because his 'head was a mess'. Alfie was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after he was found in a critical condition at his home. Pictured: Flowers and tributes left outside the home of Alfie The defendant also denied 'dunking' Alfie in a shallow bath, said he had no explanation for seven bruises found on his head, and denied that he had 'set about a cover-up' with Scott. Pictured: Officers outside Droitwich After denying that he had 'punished' Alfie on the morning of February 18, Howell said he did not know how the child had died. Under cross-examination from prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC, Howell was shown CCTV of him being apprehended by police after running over a footbridge at Droitwich railway station. Ms Heeley said of Howell: 'I suggest that if you had killed Alfie then you might panic and run and that's what you were doing on the footage there.' Howell responded: 'That's not true.' The defendant also denied 'dunking' Alfie in a shallow bath, said he had no explanation for seven bruises found on his head, and denied that he had 'set about a cover-up' with Scott. Howell, of Princip Street, Birmingham, denies murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of Alfie. Scott, of Vashon Drive, Droitwich, also denies murder, manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of Alfie and child cruelty offences against her son and other children. The trial continues. Ukrainian forces have advanced in Novodonetsk by up to five or six kilometres Western advisers warn Russia's defensive line may be 'more fragile than thought' The head of paramilitary group Wagner has slammed claims by the Russian defence ministry it had killed 1,500 Ukrainian soldiers in two days as 'absurd science fiction'. Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose mercenary troops have spent months fighting in Bakhmut on behalf of the Kremlin, has poured scorn on his country's establishment after it claimed to have thwarted a second major offensive in Donetsk. It comes as fighting continues to rage in the eastern provinces of the war-torn country, with Kyiv's long-awaited 'all or nothing' counter-offensive believed to be getting underway. Ukrainian forces have advanced in Novodonetske by up to five or six kilometres, local reports suggest, as officials claim 'fierce battles are going on' for control of the settlement. Western sources have claimed that despite having to face hundreds of miles of entrenched Russian troops, the defences manned by Vladimir Putin's troops could be 'more fragile than thought'. Russia's defences could be 'more fragile than thought', western officials have warned amid growing signs that Ukraine's counter-offensive has begun. Pictured: View of a military vehicle as Ukrainian forces destroy Russian positions in direction of Bakhmut yesterday Early on Monday the Russian defence ministry claimed to have repelled a major offensive in South Donetsk, and made a similar claim once again on Monday night as it alleged to have thwarted a second attack. It claimed to have killed 1,500 troops and destroyed among other military equipment, eight main battle Leopard tanks supplied to Ukraine by its Western allies and 109 armoured vehicles. 'Having suffered heavy losses the day before, the Kiev regime reorganized the remnants of the 23rd and 31st mechanized brigades into separate consolidated units, which continued offensive operations,' the ministry said on Telegram. 'A complex fire defeat was inflicted by army forces, assault and operational-tactical aviation, missile forces and artillery, as well as heavy flamethrower systems.' But this was quickly, and very publicly, doubted by Prigozhin, who has repeatedly lambasted senior officials in the Kremlin, Russian Army and Vladimir Putin himself for perceived missteps in the war effort. In remarks published on the Telegram channel of his press service, the 61-year-old said to kill that many Ukrainian troops would require daily gains of 150km (93 miles). 'I therefore believe that this is simply wild and absurd science fiction,' said Prigozhin. Totting up the figures provided by the ministry would imply 'we have already destroyed the entire planet five times over,' he added sarcastically. Ukrainian soldiers smile as they ride in a pickup van on the frontline near Bakhmut, the site of fierce battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region on Monday A view shows a crater left by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in central Kharkiv, Ukraine, in the early hours of Tuesday morning Ukrainian officials have made no mention of any broad, significant new campaign, although in his nightly address on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was enigmatic, hailing 'the news we have been waiting for' and forward moves in Bakhmut in Donetsk. He said: 'I am grateful to each of our soldiers, to all our defenders, men and women, who have given us today the news have been waiting for. Well done, soldiers in the Bakhmut sector!' He did not provide further detail. The commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said earlier that his forces continued 'moving forward' near Bakhmut. Russian fighters and officials said the situation there was 'very difficult' for Moscow. Russia claimed late last month to have captured Bakhmut following what had become the war's longest and bloodiest battle, but Ukraine has insisted its forces retained a small foothold and denied that Moscow was in full control of the city. Zelenskiy said Russia was reacting 'hysterically' to any action undertaken by Ukrainian forces and singled out two units who 'skillfully, decisively and effectively defend our positions, destroy the occupiers and, most importantly, move forward'. The frontline assault comes after weeks of intensive behind-the-scenes preparations, including vital training by UK troops, and some 16 months after Putin's illegal invasion. American and European military officials advising Kyiv have claimed that Kremlin defensive lines may be fragile, an insider told The Economist yesterday. Semyon Pegov, a prominent Kremlin-affiliated 'milblogger', confirmed that Ukraine had 'some success' in an attack in Novoselivka-Ugledar and claimed updates from the Russian-controlled region were 'more and more alarming every hour'. Pegov, commonly known under his alias Wargonzo, said the war is 'heating up' and that Monday's attack was 'much more serious than yesterday'. Ukrainian forces punched through Russian defensive lines in southeast Ukraine for a second day as fighting raged at several flashpoints along the 600-mile frontline. Ukrainian soldiers were seen scrambling out of trenches Monday as attacks were carried out in Novodarovka, Rivnopol and Velyka Novosilka. Kyiv said their forces were indeed increasing offensive operations and making gains, as Russian officials said that Moscow's forces have foiled at least one assault. But Ukrainian officials have suggested some of the Russian announcements were misinformation as speculation grows about a widely anticipated counteroffensive after more than 15 months of war. Ed Arnold, of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said: 'We are seeing a lot more Ukrainian military activity and reconnaissance on a larger scale. They need to understand the disposition of Russian forces and to unmask the Russian guns, which have a range of 12-18 miles and have been placed with overlapping arcs to cover as much of the frontline as possible. 'Storm Shadows could be used for high value targets, such as ammunition stores for these Russian guns,' Mr Arnold said Details of the crucial advance remained shrouded in secrecy. A news blackout, imposed by Ukraine and supported by its allies such as the UK, meant details were scarce. Reports of the counter-offensive came from Russian military bloggers and the head of the Wagner paramilitary group. Smoke rises after shelling, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the Ukraine-Russia border in the town of Vovchansk, in the Kharkiv region Monday Ukrainian soldiers fire at the Russian air target on the frontline near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region on Monday A Ministry of Defence map issued today on the latest situation in Ukraine [CLICK TO EXPAND] Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russia-backed administration of Ukraine's partly occupied Zaporizhzhia province, said fighting resumed on its border with the eastern Donetsk province yesterday after Russian defences beat back a Ukrainian advance the previous day. 'The enemy threw an even bigger force into the attack than yesterday (Sunday),' and the new attempt to break through the front line was 'more large-scale and organised,' Rogov said, adding: 'A battle is underway.' Rogov interpreted the Ukrainian military movements as part of an effort to reach the Sea of Azov coast and sever the land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Analysts have long viewed that strategy as likely because it would cut the Russian forces in two and severely strain supplies to Crimea, which has served as a key Russian military hub in the war that started February 24, 2022. Rogov's comments came after Moscow also said that its forces thwarted large Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk province, near its border with the Zaporizhzhia province. Servicemen of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade run through the clouds of smoke during the 30th Chestnut Run are pictured in Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine on May 28 A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, May 29, 2023 The chief of the Wagner mercenary group has lambasted Russia's military leaders after Ukrainian armed forces managed to retake settlements on the outskirts of Bakhmut. Yevgeny Prigozhin said it was a 'disgrace' that Kyiv's troops were able to push back Russian lines and seize Berkhivka, a town in the northern suburbs of the embattled city. READ MORE HERE: Russia claims to have thwarted 'major' attack in Donetsk A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk Advertisement Prigozhin's Wagner group just last month managed to wrest Bakhmut out of Ukrainian hands after months of brutal fighting reminiscent of World War I trench warfare, with tens of thousands killed on both sides. The mercenary figurehead hit out at Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu and army chief Valery Gerasimov, taunting them and urging them to go to the frontlines and see the failures for themselves as the armed factions spiral towards civil war. 'Now part of the settlement of [Berkhivka] has already been lost, the troops are slowly falling back. What a disgrace! 'Shoigu, Gerasimov, I urge you to come to the front, raise your pistols at your men to make them go forward. Come on, you can! 'And if you can't, then you will die as heroes.' Prigozhin's latest tirade comes as his mercenaries captured a lieutenant colonel from Vladimir Putin's regular forces in the latest example of bitter infighting in Russian ranks. The captured colonel was seen hanging his head in a humiliating video posted by the Wagner group in which he confessed his 'guilt' and admitted to being drunk on duty after allegedly shooting at a Wagner vehicle. This follows claims by the mercenaries that the regular Russian army targeted their ranks with mines, as a clip showed their sappers clearing the explosive devices from a road. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has launched several verbal tirades at Putin's military leaders. He has accused them of ordering their troops to retreat from their positions and leaving Wagner fighters unprotected on the frontlines Wagner private army mercenaries film themselves de-mining a road which they claim was mined by regular Russian troops as the mercenaries made their way back from the front An aerial view shows destructions in the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, in this handout picture released on May 21, 2023 Wagner mercenaries have been fighting for Putin in Ukraine and are credited with seizing the embattled city of Bakhmut from Ukrainian armed forces after months of bloody warfare. But their success has seemingly angered regular Russian army commanders. READ MORE HERE: Russia claims to have thwarted 'major' attack in Donetsk Advertisement Wagner chief Prigozhin has launched several verbal tirades at Putin's military leaders. He has accused them of ordering their troops to retreat from their positions and leaving Wagner fighters unprotected on the frontlines. The captured soldier identified himself as Roman Venevitin, commander of Russia's 72nd Brigade. Venevitin, who appeared to have a broken or wounded nose, confessed that he 'opened fire on a Wagner PMC [private military company] vehicle while intoxicated from alcohol'. He did so due to 'personal animosity', he claimed. The shooting damaged a Ural supply truck but did not wound any Wagner soldiers, according to the private army. Venevitin also confessed to leading a group of ten to 12 Russian army soldiers who 'disarmed' a Wagner rapid response group. 'Does personal animosity have any place at all in war?' an angry Wagner commander asked Venevitin. 'No,' the captured colonel replied sheepishly. Wagner has a reputation for battering its own 'traitors' to death with a sledgehammer - but there is no suggestion the Russian colonel will face the same treatment. A summary execution of a high-ranking Russian commander by Wagner forces would cause unprecedented chaos in Moscow's ranks. Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin (right) speaks with servicemen during the withdrawal of his forces from Bakhmut and the handover to regular Russian forces A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut on May 28 American and European military officials advising Kyiv have claimed that Kremlin defensive lines may be fragile, sources allege. Pictured: Servicemen of the assault brigade 'Spartan' of National Guard of Ukraine, take part in military exercises in Kharkiv region on Thursday The Wagner group is fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Vladimir Putin, but the relationship between them and Putin's regular troops is one of mutual hatred The capture of Venevitin came hours after Wagner mercenaries were forced to clear a road of mines which they claim had been laid by the regular army corps. READ MORE HERE: One Russian was killed for every 48cm of land captured by Vladimir Putin's forces in the siege of Bakhmut Advertisement Prigozhin said hundreds of mines had been laid by the regular army to snare Wagner forces when they pulled out of Bakhmut after securing a rare victory for Putin in the war. 'We discovered about a dozen places where various explosive devices were placed, ranging from hundreds of anti-tank mines to tons of [charges] from Zmey Gorynych self-propelled missiles,' Prigozhin said. 'Those who planted these charges were representatives of the ministry of defence... These [explosive] charges did not need to be stacked in order to hold back the enemy since it is in the rear area. 'It can be assumed that they wanted to meet the advancing units of the Wagner PMC [Private Military Company] with these charges, even though we do not walk in columns.' It highlights the rift inside the Kremlin forces fighting Ukraine, and some analysts see civil war as a possibility in Russia if Putin loses the war. Despite huge losses, and a ban on recruiting prisoners from Russia's penal colonies, Prigozhin is still thought to have up to 60,000 men at his disposal. Wagner is one of several private armies in Russia. Chechen warlord leader Ramzan Kadyrov controls a heavily armed group of his own, and Russian energy giant Gazprom has set up its own private military company. Academics have blasted Edinburgh University for postponing the screening of a gender-critical film for the third time, branding it 'shameful' and accusing protestors of sabotage. After two previous screenings of Adult Human Female were cancelled, the University of Edinburgh Academics for Academic Freedom (EAAF) issued a statement, alleging there is no balance of debate on campus, and accused trans student protestors of sabotaging the event. It stated that pro-trans events have previously been held 'uncritically' with no gender-critical events hosted. The statement pointed to the University of Oxford, which hosted Professor Kathleen Stock last week, and University College London which screened Adult Human Female as an example of good leadership around the 'contentious' issue. The group also accused university bosses of allowing 'physical intimidation', 'sexist insults' and 'monstering' and insisted that police involvement was 'crucial'. Previous screenings of the 90-minute documentary film, which claims to 'look at the clash between women's rights and trans ideology', were cancelled due to complaints from some students and lecturers. Academics have blasted Edinburgh University for postponing the screening of a gender-critical film for the third time, branding it 'shameful' and accusing protestors of sabotage The film, rated 15, discusses issues such as trans women being placed in women's prisons, and criticises political moves toward gender self-identification. Some claimed screening the 'transphobic' documentary could 'endanger trans people and erase their identities'. The student Pride Society condemned the event last year, and said that it was 'appalled' by the decision to host a screening of the film. It said that showing the film would 'endanger trans people on campus and beyond, erasing their identities' and encourage hate. Organisers of the third attempted screening felt suggestions from university bosses were 'inadequate' but the plug was pulled due to a lack of preparation. The statement read: 'We are very sorry to announce that our screening and discussion of Adult Human Female is postponed until after the summer. 'Shortly after our second attempt to hold this event was sabotaged, and we and our attendees were subjected to sexist and ageist insults by protestors, the Principal issued this statement. 'We welcomed its robust tone and apparent commitment to action, whilst noting at the time that, 'words alone are not enough, and we hope prompt and decisive action will now be taken'. Adult Human Female is a 90-minute documentary film, which claims to 'look at the clash between women's rights and trans ideology' 'Three weeks after the second sabotage, we met with the Principal and other members of management. They assured us that they were committed to enabling our event to go ahead successfully. 'We put it to them that for a third attempt to succeed, managers would need to act decisively to prevent the escalation of hostilities such as those we saw from members of the University of Edinburgh (using the University's infrastructure) in the run-up to both the December and April events, as well as plan for more effective crisis management on the day, including (crucially) police involvement. 'The preventative action to which they were willing to commit did not seem adequate to us, and seemed a repeat of actions that have been unsuccessful in the past, but we had no option other than to accept what they proposed to do. 'We noted that the promised actions would need to be progressed by the end of May for there to be time to reschedule the event during June, before the summer holidays. 'At the end of last week the University Provost confirmed that managers have not been able to make the preparations they consider appropriate in the five weeks since the April sabotage 'As a consequence, we are forced to postpone our screening and discussion of Adult Human Female until the start of next academic year. We apologise, once again, to our attendees and panel for the disappointment this will cause. 'The conflict over sex and gender, playing out in various arenas of academia, law, policy and practice, is a major and socially significant issue, as well as a deeply contentious one. 'It is, or should be, part of the role of a university to provide opportunities for robust, respectful, good faith discussion according to the normal rules of academic engagement on contested issues. 'We are aware of several public engagement events platforming gender-identity theory uncritically which have gone ahead on our campus during the past academic year. 'No events allowing critical discussion of that theory and advocating for women's rights on the basis of sex have, to our knowledge, been allowed to happen. We believe this is shameful. 'The sabotage, not once but twice, of our screening and discussion, was an effective exercise of what is sometimes known as the 'heckler's veto': the use of intimidatory tactics which in this case have included denouncing and monstering, unfounded allegations made in inflammatory language, and physically preventing people from accessing the venue. It comes after a Dutch-based printing firm became embroiled in a women's rights row earlier this year after declaring it would no longer make stickers defining them as 'Adult human females' for prominent campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen (pictured) 'We put it to managers that the University of Edinburgh should not allow the use of the heckler's veto to stand over the summer. 'As far as we know, the University of Edinburgh is the only UK university at which the actions of protestors have successfully prevented a public engagement event platforming critical discussion of gender-identity theory. 'Adult Human Female was successfully shown and discussed at University College London in February of this year so it is clearly possible, with appropriate preparation and support. 'Last week, Professor Kathleen Stock spoke at the Oxford Union, despite intense and heavily-publicised protests. It seems to be only the University of Edinburgh which is unable to prevent such events from being sabotaged. 'In the immediate aftermath of the second sabotage of our screening and discussion, we said that 'senior leaders in the University have failed to uphold their legal and moral responsibility to promote and defend academic freedom'. 'The prompt and decisive action we hoped for has not materialised. 'We hope that they will now use the breathing space they have over the summer to reflect on what has happened, and take whatever steps need to be taken to allow our event to go ahead early in the new academic year.' Ms Keen's dictionary design has become well-known among those interested in the debate It comes after a Dutch-based printing firm became embroiled in a women's rights row earlier this year after declaring it would no longer make stickers defining them as 'Adult human females' for a prominent campaigner. Helloprint - which has a UK branch - refused to supply them to Kellie-Jay Keen, who is the founder of Standing for Women. Her now well-known dictionary-style design shows the word 'Woman' above a definition which reads 'adult human female' and has been printed by them some 80,000 times. The firm also made a T-shirt designed by Ms Keen and worn by JK Rowling which described First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as a 'Destroyer of women's rights' over the controversial Gender Recognition Act. But the company - who accepted 75,000 of orders from the cause - stated they are 'offensive material' in February and refused further orders. A spokesperson for Edinburgh University said: 'At the University of Edinburgh, we are committed to upholding freedom of expression and academic freedom and the right of people to take part in peaceful and lawful protest. 'We remain steadfast in our determination to facilitate a safe environment where challenging topics can be debated and discussed lawfully within the boundaries of our Dignity and Respect Policy. 'We are in discussion with the organisers of the screening of the film Adult Human Female and others in our community with the aim of identifying a suitable approach for screening the film safely.' A Waitrose sushi chef who sued for harassment after his boss sent him his rota on Whatsapp after midnight before the pair had a bust-up in the supermarket aisle has won over 7,000 in a breach of contract claim. Hemanta Mainali was furious after being woken in the early hours of a Saturday morning, telling majority shareholder and his boss Sumin Lohani, with who he ran the kiosk in the Godalming store in Surrey, it was 'very wrong' to bother him at that time of night. An employment tribunal in Watford heard that he responded to the message with 'go f**k yourself'. Mr Mainali claimed the rota had been sent directly to him, not to a group chat, and was a 'deliberate attempted to disturb him' and even 'encourage him to leave'. His relationship with Mr Lohani deteriorated so badly that a fortnight later, the pair ended up having a violent confrontation in public at the sushi counter of the supermarket. Mr Mainali ended up leaving the business and sued his former partner for harassment and breach of contract, claiming he had been forced out as part of a deliberate campaign. The relationship between the two men deteriorated so badly that a fortnight later, they ended up having a violent confrontation in public at an independent sushi kiosk franchise located inside a Waitrose At the tribunal, Mr Mainali lost his harassment claim as a judge ruled that Mr Lohani had not meant to disturb him on purpose by sending the message after midnight. But, he won his claim of breach of contract, as he was forced to leave without his contracted six months notice period. As a result, he was awarded 7,678. Mr Mainali owned 30 per cent of the firm which operated the sushi kiosk at the Waitrose store, with Mr Lohani owning the rest. The pair had known each other since childhood, having both come from the same village in Nepal. The tribunal heard that Mr Mainali started working at the supermarket in June 2018, and was paid 1,500 a month. However, the relationship between the two men became 'strained' in January 2020 when Mr Lohani sent a rota for the upcoming week to several employees via WhatsApp in the early hours of a Saturday morning. 'On January 4, 2020, at about 00:29, Mr Lohani sent out the rota for the following week. He sent it to the employees who would be working at the kiosk that week, including Mr Mainali' the tribunal heard. 'He sent it via WhatsApp. He did not send it to Mr Mainali only. He did not choose the time of sending to annoy Mr Mainali or anyone else. Hemanta Mainali was furious after being woken in the early hours of a Saturday morning, telling majority shareholder and his boss Sumin Lohani (pictured) that it was 'very wrong' to bother him at that time of night 'He had thought that people would read the message when convenient to them, and had not expected them to read/respond straight away (and no response was necessarily required, unless there was a problem working the specified shifts). 'Mr Mainali's phone made a sound when this message was received. That had not been Mr Lohani's intention; he had simply given no thought to that possibility. Mr Mainali and his family were asleep, and were disturbed by the phone alert.' The tribunal heard he angrily responded 'This is very wrong to post at midnight. Go f**k yourselves', to which Mr Lohani replied 'Watch your mouth, I didn't ask you to check now'. Just weeks later, the pair had a confrontation at the sushi counter. Mr Lohani accused Mr Mainali of 'becoming very aggressive and trying to punch him' while holding a knife in his hand - while the chef said his business partner tried to headbutt him. The tribunal found that both men's account of the incident was exaggerated and only involved some 'pushing and shoving'. 'Between the two of them before matters became too overheated, there was a realisation that having a very aggressive interaction in Waitrose during opening hours was not sensible for themselves as individuals, or for their business venture,' the panel found. The hearing was told Mr Mainali left the business - called New Godalming Sushi Ltd - at the end of the month, before taking the company to the tribunal claiming to have been the victim of a 'campaign' to force him out of his job. He claimed he had been discriminated against due to 'mental health issues which include anxiety, insomnia and panic attacks', and alleged he had been 'bullied and verbally abused in front of staff'. His complaints of harassment and disability discrimination were dismissed. Of the WhatsApp message, Employment Judge Patrick Quill said: 'Mr Mainali suggested that the WhatsApp message of 4 January was a deliberate attempt to disturb him, and perhaps encourage him to leave. We find that that is not the case. 'Even if he is right in his belief that it was sent to his own contact address, not just to the group contact address, that does not indicate that he was being targeted or deliberately disturbed at night. 'As a co-owner of the business and somebody also responsible for drawing up rotas, there is nothing suspicious about the item being sent to him directly (if that was in fact the case).' Mr Mainali's complaint that he was forced to leave without his contracted six months notice period was found by the tribunal to be a breach of contract. The damages will not be paid until a further hearing. A Polish tourist has shared footage of the moment he and a friend were mugged at knifepoint while hiking in Colombia. The man and the woman, whose names have not been released, were trekking through the Cerro El Volador, a ridge in Medellin Wednesday, when a man approached them from behind with a sharp object. The man was talking to the camera in his native language while he recorded them, which is when one of the suspects can be seen running up to them from behind. A suspect placed his hand around the woman's mouth and his accomplice placed the man in a chokehold as the phone fell to the ground and the video recording stopped. Later, the man posted a second video showing himself covered in blood. Police have yet to make an arrest in the case. An unnamed Polish tourist visiting Medellin, Colombia, revealed footage of the woman he and a woman were violently mugged while they were hiking Wednesday. The victim said they were attacked by two men who stole their belongings One of the two mugging suspects approaches the two tourists from Poland while they were hiking in Medellin Wednesday. He and an accomplice remain on the run The Polish man shared the footage on his social media in hopes that police could help in identifying the muggers. One of the videos shows his battered face covered in blood as he explains what occurred. 'I was attacked by two men and one of them hit me in the head (with) a knife,' he said in English. 'And yeah, I have a really big headache right now. I need to block my bank account and stuff like this. It's crazy.' Medellin Mayor Daniel Quintero called on the police to launch a search for the suspects and offered a reward for anyone that offered information on their whereabouts. 'I have asked my (National Police ) General (Jose) Acevedo for the utmost attention to find the capture of (these thieves,' Quintero said in a statement. 'The Mayor's Office offers a reward of up to 10 million pesos (approximately $2,300) for information that allows us to immediately capture and prosecute (them).' A Polish man (right) records him and his friend walking through the Cerro El Volador, a ridge in Medellin, before they were mugged Wednesday One of the two mugging suspects approaches a Polish tourist while she and her friend were hiking in Medellin, Colombia, on Wednesday The Polish tourists were attacked by two suspects as they were hiking in Medellin, Colombia, on Wednesday. Authorities are offering around $2,300 for information leading to their capture The violent mugging came before a British tourist was brutally beaten by three Venezuelan women in Medellin Friday. Surveillance camera showed the man approaching a corner at Berrio Park in the heart of the Colombian city. One of the women could be seen pointing at him when her accomplice joined her in following their target. They managed to gain his attention when they approached him from behind and tapped him in the back. Several words were exchanged and the man walked away from them before they stopped him from leaving. A third suspect then joined the fray and the women took turns in beating him and tried to take his backpack as dozens of bystanders kept their distance. The man then managed to escape from the woman and was aided by the police, who arrested the three muggers. Data released by the Medellin's Tourism Observatory revealed that thefts against foreign visitors quadrupled in the first four months of 2023 in comparison with the same period last year. Authorities registered 300 thefts between January and April 2023. There were 69 robberies reported by tourists during the same stretch in 2022. A doctor sexually assaulted a woman by depositing his semen into cups of coffee he made for her on multiple occasions, a court heard. Dr Nicholas John Chapman, 55, has gone on trial accused of two counts of attempting to cause a woman, aged 16 or over, to engage in sexual activity without her consent. Gloucester Crown Court heard the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was shocked after discovering a 'gloopy' substance at the bottom of her cup when she finished a hot drink given to her by the defendant. After she found suspicious 'specimens', she reported him to the police and a laboratory test later confirmed the substance was 'semen that related to the doctor'. The GP was arrested when he turned up to work and suspended when the allegations came to light. Dr Nicholas Chapman (pictured arriving at court), 54, of Kingston St Mary, Taunton, denied two charges of trying to engage a woman in sexual activity without her consent Gloucester Crown Court heard that after the victim found suspicious 'specimens', she reported him to the police and a laboratory test later confirmed the substance was 'semen that related to the doctor' Opening the case, prosecution barrister Richard Posner said it was in September 2021 when the alleged victim 'became concerned there might be something not right about the hot drinks' the defendant was making for her. He added: '(She) had good reason to be suspicious because there was a substance in her coffee that had no business being there at all. The defendant's semen had been added to the drinks that the prosecution say he had been making for her. 'By adding semen to coffee, he had been attempting to engage her in a form of sexual activity - by her ingesting his semen.' The prosecution said the alleged victim started to notice something strange about her coffee at the end of 2020 - but had no idea what it was for nearly a year. Mr Posner added: 'She took a sip of her drink and spat it out into the sink.. It didn't taste right. It tasted salty. She tipped the remainder into the sink and saw a thick, gloopy substance go into the sink. 'She just knew it was something that shouldn't have been there. She did not for a moment think it could have been semen.' The court heard she didn't think much more of it, but told others her drink tasted funny and would tip away other drinks he made for her during that time. Mr Chapman (pictured) went on trial today accused of giving a woman a cup of coffee that contained his own semen She believes it happened on around six or seven other occasions, but her suspicions were raised in September 2021, when she noticed a plastic specimen in his possession that had 'no business being there'. The woman shared her concerns and 'realised the reality' of what had been happening, Mr Posner told the court. He said she then waited until another drink was made for her the following week and noticed in his trouser pocket what looked like one of his specimen bottles. Mr Posner said: 'This immediately raised suspicion. She collected the coffee and tipped it down a sink and noticed a slimy trail. 'Some of the substance was retrieved and put into specimen pots and photos were taken of the gloopy substance at the bottom of the mug.' The victim later told partner what had happened and said it had taken place around six or seven times. She also showed him photos of a 'gloopy substance that looked like semen' in the bottom of the cup. Samples were put in the freezer and she later gave them to police. Analysis of the coffee made on the September 13 2021 found semen and DNA provided a match to the defendant. He was arrested by police at his surgery as he arrived to work and during interview said he was 'shocked' and denied putting semen into her coffee. Chapman later claimed that due to a condition, he has managed since a teen, he lets out semen while defecating and that some 'residue' might have remained on his hands. Mr Posner said the defendant accepted he had performed a 'sex act in the toilet', but was 'not sexually gratifying himself over the victim and he may not have washed his hands.' But he added: 'The prosecution case is he did not have a reasonable explanation for his semen being in her drinks.' The two charges are that on September 13 2021 and between September 12 2020 and September 12 2021 he attempted to engage in sexual activity without consent by making her ingest his semen. Defence, barrister Virginia Cornwall. told the court her defendant did not have any sexual interest in the victim. She added: 'He did not behave inappropriately at any time and did not exclusively make coffee for her. 'He did not make coffee on September 13 and denies putting anything into her coffee at any time and does not know who did so. 'He did not tamper with her coffee - and can only assume someone else did as a prank. 'While a sample of coffee collected from September 13 contained his biological fluid, he has underlying medical condition where semen will discharge when opening his bowels.' She said the semen was a 'by-product of defecation and not sexual in nature'. Dr Chapman was born in South Africa, where he qualified as a doctor at the University of Cape Town in 1993. The trial continues. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu announced Monday he will stay out of the increasingly crowded Republican presidential primary saying former President Donald Trump can't win and cautioning other contenders not to enable him. 'The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help ensure this does not happen,' he wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Post, in a reference to Trump's seeming lock on a base chunk of GOP voters. Sununu, who has been critical of Trump in a series of TV interviews, including on CNN, said his party was on a 'collision course toward electoral irrelevance,' citing defeats in 2020 and disappointments in off-year elections. He delivered much of his criticism not at Trump but at the bevy of people running to challenge him with a number that could grow to a dozen this week. He spoke on a day when former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run after riding a motorcycle at an Iowa political event over the weekend, hours after former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley held a CNN town hall where she didn't aggressively target Trump, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was making his own preparations to run with an event expected at St. Anselm College Tuesday. Staying out: New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he won't run for president in 2024, and warned of the risks of a crowded field handing the nomination to former President Donald Trump Sununu argued that by diluting opposition, these figures could allow Trump to walk back into the nomination. 'We must not be complacent, and candidates should not get into this race to further a vanity campaign, to sell books or to audition to serve as Donald Trumps vice president,' he said. 'No one can stop candidates from entering this race, but candidates with no path to victory must have the discipline to get out,' he said. Sununu himself faced the prospect of underperforming in his own state in a divided field had he decided to run in 2024. Trump was at 42 per cent in an April University of New Hampshire poll, with Ron DeSantis at 22 and Sununu at 12 30 points behind his rival. In that same survey, just a third (35%) said Sununu should definitely or probably run for president, while a majority said he shouldn't. The poll also showed 56% of Trump backers naming Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as their second choice, giving him prospects in the state. Sununu, whose father served as governor and White House Chief of Staff under Geroge H.W. Bush and whose brother served in the Senate, has prominently challenged Trump's claims about January 6, and called perpetrators 'domestic terrorists.' He has also kept his name in the mix as a potential presidential contender, attending the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner and speaking at a Gridiron dinner event in D.C. Donald Trump Jr. ripped the development on Twitter. 'The establishment RINOs are desperate to stop Trump & destroy the America First movement. These globalist politicians want to return the GOP to being the party of George Bush, Mitt Romney & Paul Ryan, but we're not going to let them win. We're going to Make America Great Again!' he wrote. A lawyer for a victim of abuse at the notorious former Kincora Boys' Home in Belfast has claimed police were obstructed from investigating a paedophile at the home because he was a state agent. At Belfast High Court today, Claire McKeegan, who represents former Kincora resident Gary Hoy, said there was relief that there had finally been a hearing in court on the issues and that she is hopeful that a compensation case will proceed to full hearing. The Kincora home, close to Stormont's Parliament Buildings, opened in May 1958. It closed in October 1980 after a sex abuse scandal. Three senior staff at Kincora - William McGrath, Raymond Semple and Joseph Mains - were jailed in 1981 for abusing 11 boys. Former residents Mr Hoy and Richard Kerr are suing a number of statutory agencies, including the police and the Home Office. Claire McKeegan (pictured left), who represents former Kincora resident Gary Hoy (right), has claimed Northern Ireland police were blocked from investigating a paedophile at the home Kincora Boys' Home (pictured) closed in October 1980 after a sex abuse scandal. Three senior staff were jailed in 1981 for abusing 11 boys Their lawsuit includes claims for assault and battery, misfeasance in public office, breach of statutory duty and negligence. The PSNI and Home Office are attempting to have the actions against them struck out before the case proceeds to full hearing. A barrister for the two former residents argued that police should have had a 'in loco parentis' responsibility for vulnerable minors who were abused at Kincora. Aidan McGowan said: 'The police had become aware that vulnerable minor children who were within the care of the state were being abused by the people who were meant to be caring for them. 'In those circumstances there was no-one else who could act in loco parentis. On that basis we say they had assumed this status.' The barrister then told the court that a key element of their case was that the state was running former Kincora housemaster McGrath as an agent. He said: 'They were using the abuse in order to use him as an agent.' Former residents Mr Hoy (pictured) and Richard Kerr are suing a number of statutory agencies, including the police and the Home Office Mr McGowan said authorities enabled McGrath to target young victims so that information could be obtained about the hardline loyalist group Tara, of which he was a member. He added: 'That was the factor they were able to use against William McGrath to get the information. 'Otherwise there was no hold over William McGrath for the defendants to use him as an agent.' PSNI barrister Fiona Fee denied that police had assumed a statutory responsibility for residents of Kincora. The judge said it was an extremely important and complex decision and he would not expect to issue a judgment before September. Speaking outside court, Ms McKeegan said: 'Today we are very relieved that after three years of this application brought by the PSNI and the security forces, we have had a full hearing of the issues. 'There was an application to strike out elements of our clients' cases and to get out of the litigation and to get out of providing documents and disclosure about the abuse that occurred at Kincora. 'Our clients are relieved to have this step over with and look forward to September when hopefully we will get trial dates and proceed to a full hearing.' The Historical Institutional Abuse inquiry found 39 boys were abused at Kincora. The inquiry found no evidence security agencies were complicit. A report by Marie Anderson, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, said complaints from some former residents about the failure of police to investigate allegations of sexual abuse at Kincora were 'legitimate and justified'. The home was demolished last year. LOBAMBA- It was all joy as the two- week festival hosted by the Nazareth Baptist Church came to end yesterday. The festival ended with Umgidi held at Ludzidzini Royal Residence. Umgidi is another form of worship, where members of the church worship God the traditional way. Worshiping God the traditional way is derived from the Book of Psalms 150, where God told King David that He had to be worshiped in many ways including drums, trumpets, and dances among other ways. Admiration Filled with joy and admiration, His Majesty King Mswati III wished that the event would last forever. The King said it was pleasing to see people worshipping God in a traditional and African way. Kwaze kwaba munandzi kufika kwa Shembe Eswatini. Awu nemgidvo umnandzi sibili kwangatsi ngabe sesakha emadvokodvo. Egameni leNdlovukazi nemaSwati onkhe sitsi siyabonga, the King said in vernacular, losely translated to mean It has been great to be with Shembe in the kingdom. Your worshiping has been so good. I wish it would have not come to an end. I wish we could pitch tents and be here forever. The King made the remnarks after cheering the regiments of the church during the course of Umgidi. The King was seated next to Unyazi Lwezulu who explained the significance of the umgidi during the course of the dances. Worth noting is that virgin girls danced separately from married women. Married men danced separate from their wives who also had their own regiment. Unmarried men and women were not eligible for Umgidi as the church observed culture and purity. The regiments gave the best of the performances, leaving the audience wanting more. The King witnessed Umgidi with other members of the royal family, ministers and some emaSwati. The King then wished the members of the church well as some returned to their various homesteads in the Republic of South Africa. Some members of the church had been in the country since May 22, 2023 for the two-week festival. Their visit benefited many people as they had an opportunity to state their life challenges before the leader of the church Unyazi Lwezulu Shembe, whom the members of the church regarded as their messiah. The belief and testimonies from those who had an experience with Shembe saw many people flocking the local headquarters at Esabelweni for blessings. However, Unyazi Lwezulu was accessible wherever he was during the course of the two-week festival. Blessings He started releasing blessings upon his arrival at Lavumisa Border Gate. He also released blessings during his visit to Mdlangampisi where he was allocated a piece of land for the construction of another Baptist Nazareth Church. Unyazi Lwezulu was available for blessing even at Ludzidzini Royal Residence. Among those who were blessed by Shembe had requested for jobs, promotions, marriages and success in their lives. Unyazi Lwezulu also prayed for peace and unity among emaSwati. He also released his blessing so that the jobless could get employment, the sick to be healed, those seeking scholarship to get it. He also prayed for the elderly to be taken care of. The event also boosted emaSwati as some had been selling food, clothing, and airtime among other items since the beginning of the festival A total of 11 British veterans gathered in Ver-sur-Mer in Normandy on Monday British D-Day veterans have received an emotional welcome today as they returned to France to mark the 79th anniversary of the Normandy landings. War heroes from the UK's armed forces travelled across the Channel for a gathering at the British Normandy Memorial in the town of Ver-sur-Mer, where two days of commemorative events are taking place. A total of 11 British veterans were greeted by French schoolchildren at the site overlooking the beaches where 22,442 servicemen and women under UK command were killed on D-Day and in the Battle of Normandy. The soldiers who attended had tears in their eyes as the youths laid wreathes to honour the fallen, sparking memories of their fallen brothers in arms, with the event also offering a stark reminder of the dwindling number of survivors able to attend. They were joined by servicemen and women from the United States who had also taken part in the D-Day landings, and had travelled across the Atlantic to pay tribute to the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the invasion. Ernie Davies, 98, a Royal Navy veteran who served on the HMS Cotton, looks on during the ceremony in Ver-sur-Mer on Monday Bill Gladden, who served in the 6ht Airborne Army Recce Regiment, is greeted by schoolchildren at the British Normandy Memorial Tom Schaffer, of the 13th Battalion Parachute Regiment, speaks to local French schoolchildren at the event Members of an American landing unit help their fellow soldiers ashore during the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944 The gathering on Monday, June 5, came 79 years after the campaign to retake Europe and liberate it from Nazi occupation got underway with the largest seaborne invasion in history. Navy veteran Ernie Davies has said how happy he was to see 'so many people' ahead of the 79th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, as the number of survivors able to attend memorial services dwindles. Mr Davies, 98, was among the 11 British veterans who travelled across the Channel, and met some old friends and 'had a few drinks' along the way. Mr Davies, from Hornchurch, east London, also recalled his own role in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Cotton during the summer of 1944. He said: 'I was in the Channel in a Navy destroyer looking for U-boats. It was desperate. It was the end of the war, for them, they had nothing to lose. 'We did our best to keep them at bay. They knew they were beaten, they were taking desperate measures and we did as well.' John Pinkerton, who accompanied a D-Day veteran, said: 'They've got to learn what sacrifices people had so we can have freedom today. 'They need to know what happened at the time, it's very important we pass on what happened here nearly 80 years ago.' D-Day veterans Tom Schaffer (left) and John Pinkerton (right) study names on the British Normandy Memorial British war veteran Marie Scott (centre) attends a ceremony at the Pegasus Bridge memorial in Benouville, Normandy, today British veteran Roy Smith (right) talks to US veteran Pete Corrao (left) at the Pegasus Bridge memorial today Mervyn Kersch, who served in the 17 Vehicle Company RAOC and landed on Gold Beach in the invasion, watches on at the ceremony at Pegasus Bridge today A US landing barge packed with helmeted soldiers makes its way to the shore in Normandy on June 6, 1944 Dozens of ships line the coast off Omaha Beach in Normandy during the D-Day landings in June 1944 London black cab driver and Taxi Charity for Military Veterans volunteer Tony Neal, said: 'Watching the children's faces, seeing the interaction between the children and veterans, it's the love, it's brilliant to see.' Mr Neal and fellow Londoner Danny Shelton were among the volunteers who helped take the veterans to the D-Day memorial events, with some of their journeys taking about 12 hours. The men said it was a rewarding experience. Mr Shelton said: 'Sitting in the bar with the veterans having a laugh and a joke - the stories you don't hear.' Mr Neal added: 'They talk about how they lost their friends and the last moment with their best friend. 'They always say they're not heroes, but we know they are.' The British Normandy Memorial will also host the Royal British Legion's remembrance service tomorrow, alongside a number of events taking place in Ver-sur-Mer and Bayeux. It is the first time the international ceremony, which brings together Allied nations and Germany, will be held at the site since it opened in 2021. The latest addition to the British Normandy Memorial is an avenue of 70 trees planted to mark the reign of, and in memory of, Queen Elizabeth II. The gift was offered by French President Emmanuel Macron for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, and the trees were planted on January 11. Portland police say they have found no connection between the deaths of six women found in secluded wooded areas within a 100-mile radius over three months. The women, aged between 22 and 32, were found between February 19 and May 7 of this year, sparking claims by internet sleuths that a serial killer is on the loose. The cases are being investigated by five different law enforcement agencies, at least three of which have said they are working with others to determine if the cases may be connected. But over the weekend, partially in an effort to pour cold water on rumors circulating on social media, the Portland Police Bureau clarified that there is no known connection between the cases. 'We want to provide reassurance that the speculation is not supported by the facts available at this point,' the department said Sunday. 'While any premature death is concerning (the Portland Police Bureau) has no reason to believe these 6 cases are connected.' The six female victims were found inside a 100 mile radius around Portland, Oregon all inside of three months. From top left to top right, then bottom left to bottom right: Kristin Smith; Joanna Speaks; Charity Perry; unidentified woman; Bridget Webster; Ashley Real 'If we learn of an articulable danger, we will notify the public about it,' the department added. Internet sleuths have been speculating that some of the murders may be connected, while others were alarmed that the investigating offices had not come out (until now) to directly say that that the cases are not known to be related. Authorities found most of their bodies in wooded or secluded rural areas not far from Portland. Most recently, on May 7, the body of 22-year-old Ashley Real was found in a heavily wooded area near Eagle Creek. The young woman had last been seen in March. Another victims, Joanna Speaks, 32, was found inside a barn at an abandoned property in Ridgefield, about 22 miles north of Portland. She died of blunt force trauma to the head and neck and her death was declared a homicide. Speaks' sister, Robin, spoke out about her sibling's murder saying that 'there are women dying at awful numbers.' 'Women need to pay attention and they need to know there are dangers and they're clearly taking the lives of people we love,' she added. Joanna was a recovering drug addict and mother of three who was found dead in early April. Most of the dead women were found in secluded rural areas or in the woods surrounding Portland The last body to be found was that of Ashley Real, 22. Her remains were spotted by a fisherman in a heavily wooded area in Eagle Creek on May 7. She was last seen on surveillance footage at a fast food restaurant on March 27 (right) On April 24, police found the bodies of an unidentified Native American or Alaskan woman (left in a computer generated image). The same day, Charity Perry (right) was also found Mother-of-three Joanna Speaks, left, was found dead in a barn. Her body had been moved there after she was killed, and she died as the result of blunt force injury to the head. Right, Bridget Leann Ramsey Webster, 31, who was found dead on April 30 Kristin Smith, 22, was found on February 19. She had been missing since December Police have also said that her body had been moved to the barn where she was found after she'd been killed. The other victims: Bridget Leann Ramsey Webster, 31; Charity Lynn Perry, 24; Kristin Smith, 22; and an unidentified woman who was found several miles from Smith's body, were all found within 100 miles of one another, sparking communal anxiety in the area. At present, just one of the cases is being investigated as a homicide. Four are being looked into as suspicious deaths, and in one of the cases, police say no foul play was involved. In some cases, police are refusing to release any additional information for fear of compromising their investigation. The multi-billionaire founder of the largest cryptocurrency exchange once worked flipping burgers at McDonald's to make ends meet before the boom of his company made him one of the world's richest men. Dubai-based Changpeng Zhao - known to many as CZ - is subject to a fierce federal lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has accused him of mishandling billions in customer funds. Before the SEC filed the suit in June 2023, China-born Zhao's net worth was an estimated $27.4billion, according to Bloomberg. It's now plummeted to $10.5billion, reports Forbes. His wealth comes from his holdings in Binance and Binance.US. The former is the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, with more than 120 million users at the end of 2022. The founder even got a tattoo of his company's logo on his arm to show how committed he is to the firm. But Zhao, 46, did not have an easy ride before launching his billion-dollar company. Dubai-based Changpeng Zhao - known to many as CZ - is subject to a fierce federal lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission. But Zhao, 46, has not had an easy ride to billion-dollar success Changpeng Zhao (center) showing off his Binance logo tattoo on his arm Zhao was born in Jiangsu, China, and lived in a rural village after his father was banished there for his bourgeois leanings. 'We had rationing,' Zhao told Fortune. 'You get a ticket to buy meat. We were not starving.' He lived there until the age of 12 in the late 1980s when his family moved to Vancouver, Canada. His mother was a teacher, and his father was an academic who got a job at the University of British Columbia. When he was a teenager, Zhao worked a number of jobs to help support his family - including flipping burgers at McDonald's for $4.5 Canadian dollars an hour and working overnight shifts at a gas station. He was known as a math whizz in high school, and was captain of the volleyball team, earning him the nickname 'Champ.' Zhao graduated with a computer science degree from Montreal's McGill University, and he worked at Bloomberg's Tradebook in New York in 2001 where he developed futures trading software. He also had a stint in Japan, working at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. His career went from strength to strength, and he was promoted three times in less than two years, while managing teams across three continents. 'My dad has always taught me to go work hard, you know, to get a decent job, and both my parents had that kind of mentality,' Zhao once said. 'They're not into business. After I read Rich Dad Poor Dad, I started thinking, maybe I want to own a business. It wasn't so much I have to be the CEO. But it was just creating a business that was kind of intriguing.' In 2005, he moved to Shanghai where he launched his own company developing trading software, called Fusion Systems. It wasn't until 2013 that Zhao heard about cryptocurrencies. Zhao pictured in 1989 as a child. He moved to Canada at the age of 12 Yi He and Changpeng Zhao. They have two young children together The crypto CEO's girlfriend Yi He, who he has been in a romantic relationship with for several years, is a former host of a Chinese TV travel show He learned about Bitcoin from a friend, venture capitalist CEO of Bitcoin China Bobby Lee, as the two bonded over poker. Lee encouraged him to put 10 percent of his net worth into Bitcoin. In December 2013, he ran into Vitalik Buterin, one of the founders of Ethereum, while at a conference in Las Vegas, who was influential in Zhao's budding interest in crypto. Zhao did his research and then sold his apartment to invest $1million in Bitcoin. In the meantime, he worked for Blockchain.info and OKCoin before starting his own company. In 2017, Zhao founded Binance - which soon flourished into a powerhouse central for cryptocurrencies. He initially raised $15 million through an initial coin offering. Binance focuses on crypto-to-crypto transactions - which cuts out the need for interactions with banks and their regulators. And the big appeal for Zhao's exchange was its speed, 50 percent discount on trading fees, and its overall reliability. Users flocked to Binance and within eight months, it was the largest exchange in the world. 'The idea that a five-year-old start-up could mature and operate at the same level as a financial institution that has been around for 200 years was once impossible to fathom,' he once noted, according to Reuters. 'But we are nearly there today.' Zhao with FTX former CEO Bankman-Fried The firm's lack of a permanent location has also made it problematic for regulators to get a proper hold over the company - but conversely helped it grow without restriction. He hopscotched to whichever country offered his company the best rules, hence why little is known about where he or his company is based. In 2022 alone, Binance facilitated spot trades worth an estimated $5.3 trillion. It has been at the helm of a US Department of Justice investigation, as well as a probe by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority, and similar regulators in Japan, Canada and Germany. Now, he has been sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly operating an illegal exchange in the US and mishandling billions of dollars in money. Zhao was an early investor in FTX - the cryptocurrency that was led by Sam Bankman-Fried before it collapsed in 2022. In 2022, Zhao invested $500million as part of Elon Musk's deal to take over Twitter. He dedicated half a billion dollars before he had even heard a business plan from the Tesla CEO. Previously, Zhao has vowed to give away 99 percent of his wealth. The crypto CEO's girlfriend Yi He, who he has been in a romantic relationship with for several years, is a former host of a Chinese TV travel show. Yi He is a Binance co-founder and works as the current CCSO - and the mother of Zhao's two children. Their relationship started before the launch of Binance. She previously was the head of Binance's venture capital arm and marketing chief. On Monday, Wall Street regulator SEC filed 13 charges against Binance for allegedly mishandling billions in customer funds, as well as lying to regulators and investors about its operations. The complaint claims Binance secretly commingled billions of dollars of investor assets and sent them to a third party, Merit Peak Limited, which is also owned by Zhao. Feds say Zhao headed an 'extensive web of deception' to enrich himself while putting his investors' assets at significant risk. The crypto CEO today brushed off the allegations as 'simply wrong.' The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia, and Changpeng Zhao (pictured) was named as a defendant. The complaint also claims Binance secretly commingled billions of dollars of investor assets and sent them to a third party, Merit Peak Limited, which is also owned by Zhao The price of Binance plummeted dramatically to 1 BNB = $284.79 just 30 minutes after the news that the exchange faced a lawsuit Gurbir S. Grewal, director of the SEC's enforcement division, said: 'We allege that Zhao and the Binance entities not only knew the rules of the road, but they also consciously chose to evade them and put their customers and investors at risk.' In immediate response to the news, Zhao wrote on Twitter: 'Our team is all standing by, ensuring systems are stable, including withdrawals, and deposits. We will issue a response once we see the complaint. Haven't seen it yet.' He claimed Binance's 'size and global name recognition' has meant that it's become 'an easy target now caught in the middle of a U.S. regulatory tug-of-war.' And the founder accused the SEC of lodging the suit just to 'make headlines.' Zhao denied all of the allegations made against Binance. The price of a Binance coin plummeted dramatically to $284.79 just 30 minutes after the news that the exchange was under investigation. It was around $300 for one coin in the moments before the lawsuit. The filing comes months after the SEC lodged criminal charges against Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, for orchestrating a scheme to defraud investors. FTX was a rival to Binance in the crypto trading world until Bankman-Fried's company filed for bankruptcy last November. The alleged troubles at Binance also come weeks after the exchange had difficulty finding a bank to hold customer cash after the failure of Signature Bank, according to the Wall Street Journal. Binance user's dollars were previously sent to the crypto-friendly bank, but when it failed it left groups scrambling to find new partners. SEC Chair Gary Gensler said about the Binance suit today: 'Through thirteen charges, we allege that Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law. 'As alleged, Zhao and Binance misled investors about their risk controls and corrupted trading volumes while actively concealing who was operating the platform, the manipulative trading of its affiliated market maker, and even where and with whom investor funds and crypto assets were custodied. 'They attempted to evade U.S. securities laws by announcing sham controls that they disregarded behind the scenes so that they could keep high-value U.S. customers on their platforms. 'The public should beware of investing any of their hard-earned assets with or on these unlawful platforms.' Binance is also currently under investigation for money laundering violations by the Justice Department, and last year it lost its auditing firm Mazars when the company announced they would not work with crypto firms anymore. In November, at the fall of FTX, Zhao issued the warning that the troubled sector faced 'cascading effects' because of Bankman-Fried's situation. Zhao, who walked away from a proposed bailout of FTX after deciding the company's problems ran too deep, said the fiasco is like the 2008 financial crisis, adding: 'I think that's probably an accurate analogy.' 'With these type of events happening, its devastating for the industry. A lot of consumer confidence is shaken, and I think basically it sets us back a few years,' added Zhao. 'With FTX going down, we will see cascading effects,' said the Binance CEO. 'Especially for those close to the FTX ecosystem, they will be negatively affected.' Zhao predicted that the crypto industry will likely face more regulatory scrutiny focusing on capital requirements and handling of deposits, adding, 'which is probably a good thing, to be honest.' The salespeople at Bud Light have been hit with a barrage of attacks, including 'abusive language' the 'middle finger' and homophobic slurs in the wake of the Dylan Mulvaney debacle. One company supervisor told ABC News: 'This has really, really killed a lot of the guys who are commission-based,' adding 'there's nothing they could've done - this was thrown in their faces.' The disparaging behavior began in April shortly after the beer giant joined forces with the transgender influencer, leading to well-known conservatives to call for a boycott and it's sales to nosedive. Bud Light's parent company Anheuser-Busch lost a staggering $27 billion in value in market capitalization as a result of the backlash. Influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted this video on April 1 to their Instagram to promote Bud Light Aheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris (pictured) told ABC News the impact the boycott was reportedly having across all channels Nearly seven-weeks since the fiasco, members who work in sales at the roughly 500 independent wholesalers that sell Anheuser-Busch products to restaurants, bars, and grocery stores have had their commission cut. Some of the sales team have reported losing $2,000 last month compared to the typical May because of the backlash. Many of its truck drivers have been subjected to an onslaught of homophobic remarks, including 'gay beer salesmen,' while others are getting flipped the bird, during their deliveries, ABC News reported. Aheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris told the news outlet that the boycott was having an impact across all channels. 'This situation has impacted our people and especially our frontline workers: The delivery drivers, sales representatives, our wholesalers, Bud owners and servers,' Doukeris said. Bud Light truck driver makes a delivery - some of its drivers have been subjected to an onslaught of homophobic remarks, including 'gay beer salesmen,' while others are getting flipped the bird A former Anheuser-Busch InBev executive Anson Frericks also spoke about the ripple effect. 'Good people are going to start leaving because they aren't making money,' former Anheuser-Busch InBev executive Anson Frericks told ABC News. Some stores are reportedly giving Bud Light away for free with the the company possibly resorting to purchase expired unsold beer from wholesalers, The Wall Street Journal reported. A president of a distributor in the Midwest tried to reassure his employees at a meeting with Bud Light salespeople and remain hopeful that the boycott will end soon. 'I'm frustrated that this has [dragged] on as long as it has,' he said. 'None of this is your fault and none of this is my fault.' House Republicans are officially starting contempt of Congress charges against FBI Director Chris Wray for failing to turn over Biden 'bribery' document they claim shows then-Vice President Joe Biden was involved in a $5 million 'criminal' scheme with a foreign national. The escalation comes after the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Oversight Committee were granted access by the FBI Monday to view the FD-1023 form in a secure facility within the Capitol. The document apparently details an 'arrangement' for an exchange of money for policy decisions. The Republicans issued a subpoena for the FD-1023 form last month and FBI Director Chris Wray was given a hard deadline of May 30 to hand over the unclassified document, which he did not comply with. After reviewing the document Monday, Comer told reporters the accusations contained in the form 'suggests a pattern of bribery' consistent with findings the committee has put out publicly. It's called 'money laundering,' he said, saying it fits within the pattern of over $1 million in Romanian-linked payments to the Biden family revealed last month. The House Oversight Committee released a new memo specifically outlining the Biden family's ties to Romanian 'influence peddling' and a web of LLCs created while Biden was vice president In early May, Republicans released a report digging in on over $10 million received by Biden family members from foreign actors, including previously undisclosed $1 million in Romanian-linked payments, and a 'web' of 20 companies created while President Joe Biden was vice president and pushing anti-corruption efforts abroad. He also said the FBI record was 'not disproven' and is currently being used in an ongoing investigation that is being conducted by the Department of Justice in Delaware into Hunter Biden's finances. The 'confidential human source' is a 'trusted, highly credible informant' who has been used by the FBI for over 10 years and has been paid over six figures, continued Comer. The chairman added that contempt proceedings will begin this Thursday. 'At the briefing, the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee, and we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday.' Last week, Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, spoke with Wray by phone and the FBI director offered to let them and Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., view the documents at the FBI headquarters in an attempt to stave off the contempt threat. The FBI confirmed to DailyMail.com last week that it would allow committee leadership to view the document. 'During today's call, Director Wray offered to provide the Committee's Chairman and Ranking Member an opportunity to review information responsive to the subpoena in a secure manner to accommodate the committee, while protecting the confidentiality and safety of sources and important investigative sensitivities,' said the FBI in a statement. 'The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to working with the Committee to accommodate its request, from scheduling briefings and calls to now allowing the Chair to review information in person. The FBI remains committed to cooperating with the Committee in good faith.' Comer also informed Wray that he was also narrowing the breadth of the subpoena for the document by providing two additional terms that may be referenced in the record: 'June 30, 2020' and 'five million.' Raskin blasted the Republicans' handling of the document in a reporter gaggle following Monday's briefing, calling it 'second-hand hearsay.' He said former U.S. Attorney Scott Brady for the Western District of Pennsylvania and then-Attorney General Bill Barr did not find any reason to escalate the investigation into all 'allegations related to Ukraine' that were first based on documents handed over to the DOJ by Rudy Giuliani in 2020. 'I am just surprised that my colleagues want to try to litigate this in public, much less hold the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in contempt for complying with the request when there was a whole process that was undertaken, and that process came to its natural end as I understand it,' Raskin said. He would not directly confirm that the foreign national alleged in the memo being sought by Republicans is from Ukraine. Raskin did agree with his Republican colleagues that the whistleblower is considered 'credible.' The White House has also pushed back, calling the Republican-led investigation 'unfounded' and 'politically motivated.' Last week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy backed up Comer's contempt threat - saying he is 'prepared' to move forward with the charge. 'We have jurisdiction over the FBI, which they seem to act like we do not,' said McCarthy. The FBI's latest stonewalling also comes after a second IRS whistleblower came forward, claiming he was sidelined from the Hunter Biden probe when he spoke up about the president's son getting preferential treatment. The case agent, who has not been identified, says he was fired recently without any explanation after working on the Hunter Biden investigation since 2018, according to documents sent to congressional leaders obtained by DailyMail.com. FBI Director Chris Wray has until May 30 to hand over the document to congressional Republicans 'The information provided by a whistleblower raises concerns that then-Vice President Biden allegedly engaged in a bribery scheme with a foreign national,' Comer said This is the second whistleblower to come forward in recent days on the matter. According to documents, he informed Congress last week about backlash he suffered for acting as a whistleblower and alleged unfair retaliatory treatment. He sent an email in recent weeks to senior IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and several other officials alleging that he was ousted for raising concerns that the Department of Justice was 'acting inappropriately' in its handling of the investigation into the president's son. His complaint comes days after the Department of Justice removed the entire team probing Hunter Biden's tax returns, according to attorneys representing an initial supervisory whistleblower - Gary Shapley. Shapley testified before the GOP-led Ways and Means Committee for six hours and answered all questions from both Republicans and Democrats, DailyMail.com learned. Casey DeSantis is under attack in the media again; this time as a cheap knockoff version of former first lady Melania Trump. The Florida first lady sparked comparisons to Melania Trump when she wore a black leather jacket during a campaign appearance in Iowa on Saturday with lettering on the back that read 'where woke goes to die.' Ron DeSantis has made attacking 'woke' culture a major cornerstone of his presidential campaign. The liberal news website Daily Beast went after DeSantis for her fashion choice. 'Casey DeSantis Is the Walmart Melania' read the headline in the Daily Beast on Monday, in an op-ed written by the site's executive editor Katie Baker. Casey DeSantis was blasted for wearing a black leather jacket in Iowa that read 'where woke goes to die' - above she wears the jacket as she stands next to her husband Ron DeSantis Baker described it as 'a ghastly black leather jacket - American flag on front, an alligator and the silhouette of her state on the back, with the sneering words, 'Where Woke Goes to Die' - that brought to mind nothing so much as the racks of a Red State big-bin store where it would be retailing for $24.99.' Additionally she charged that people dying under DeSantis' administration, referring to the COVID pandemic: 'DeSantis Florida is where the woke go to die - and a lot of other people die as well.' The Sunshine State had a high death rate during the pandemic. DeSantis flouted restrictions and touted Florida as a place for freedom. Baker, meanwhile, went on to blast Ron and Casey DeSantis as 'knock-offs' and 'poseurs. Fake Birkins. Mar-a-Lago imitators. ... They want it way too much and it shows.' DeSantis supporters flooded social media with messages of support for the governor's wife, who has been a prominent presence at his side as he campaigns for the GOP presidential nomination. 'Walmart Melania' was trending on Twitter in the U.S. on Monday afternoon along side 'Casey DeSantis.' In response, the DeSantis campaign is now selling a black sweatshirt that says 'where woke goes to die' for $65. Conservative pundit Erik Erickson slammed the Daily Beast op-ed, writing on Twitter: 'The shallowness of this piece is remarkable and is a reminder that for all the bellyaching about sexism in the press, female journalists really are often that catty.' The Daily Beast piece called Casey a 'Walmart Melania' The DeSantis campaign is selling black sweatshirts that say 'where woke goes to die' Conservative pundit Erick Erickson defended Casey DeSantis The debate was trending on Twitter on Monday afternoon Melania and Donald Trump with Ron and Casey DeSantis in a photo dating back to the Trump administration Casey DeSantis wore the jacket on a hot day in Iowa, where her husband was campaigning at a charity biker rally in Des Moines, Iowa. It promptly sparked comparisons to former first lady Melania Trump, who wore her own statement jacket during a 2018 trip to Texas to visit migrant children separated from their families when crossing the border. 'I really don't care do u?' the green jacket read. It prompted outrage about the message she was sending during her visit. Donald Trump said the words were directed to the media. Casey posted a photo on her instagram account of herself wearing the jacket and DeSantis fans wrote messages of support, asking where they could buy such a jacket. This is not the first time the Florida first lady has come under fire in the media. Last month conservatives blasted an article in Politico titled 'The Casey DeSantis Problem: 'His Greatest Asset and His Greatest Liability.' The piece portrayed Casey as a Lady Macbeth-type character in desire of power and drew the ire of many on the right, who argued the mainstream media would never treat a Democrat politician's wife so harshly. Donald and Melania Trump at a December 2020 campaign rally Casey's jacket drew comparisons to the 'I really don't care do you?' jacket that Melania Trump wore in June 2018 during a trip to Texas to visit migrant children Ron DeSantis has defended his wife vigorously. In a radio interview last month, he said that if Casey wasn't a conservative, she would be a fashion star. 'If she were a Democrat, she'd be on every fashion magazine. They would be making her out to be the biggest deal. But because we're conservative, we know that that's not what happens. In reality, it will be the opposite, where they try to really attack,' he said on the Mark Levin Show. He called her his 'best friend.' 'She's a great wife, a great mother. But I'll tell you when I'm out there on the campaign trail, there is nobody I would rather have by my side than Casey DeSantis. And the corrupt media knows that. They know she's good. So they're going to try to fabricate stories about her.' The US has a trove of parts and equipment from 'non-human origin' UFOs which have crash landed on earth, a whistleblower claims. Former intelligence officer David Charles Grusch said the US and other nations are also engaged in top-secret operations that attempt to 'reverse-engineer' the pieces to create weapons. But Grusch also claims that the information has been illegally withheld from Congress as the government tried to hide the finds, which are involved in an '80-year arms race' to take advantage of the technology. He told The Debrief: 'We are not talking about prosaic origins or identities. The material includes intact and partially intact vehicles. 'The existence of complex historical programs involving the coordinated retrieval and study of exotic materials, dating back to the early 20th century, should no longer remain a secret.' Former intelligence officer David Charles Grusch said the US has a trove of parts and equipment from 'non-human origin' UFOs which have crash landed on earth The claims comes days after a Pentagon chief told a first-of-its-kind NASA hearing that unidentified metallic orb UFOs have been spotted 'all over the world' Grusch, who served in Afghanistan and worked for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), has handed over details of the alleged operations to Congress and the Intelligence Community Inspector General. He has also filed a complaint against the Department of Defense and claims he's been ostracized for his decision to blow the whistle. The 36-year-old worked on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force from 2019-2021. He also told News Nation that the US has part of 'non-human origin technical vehicles'. 'Call it spacecraft if you will. It's probably not the right parlance. But no kidding, non-human exotic origin vehicles that have either landed or crashed.' He said the evidence amounted to spacecraft from other species. A retired Army Colonel who was also part of the UAP task force, Karl Nell, said: 'His assertion concerning the existence of a terrestrial arms race occurring sub-rosa over the past eighty years focused on reverse engineering technologies of unknown origin is fundamentally correct, as is the indisputable realization that at least some of these technologies of unknown origin derive from non-human intelligence.' A military whistleblower claims a secret UFO retrieval program within the U.S. government has recovered non-human origin technical vehicles." Hear from the whistleblower on "Elizabeth Vargas Reports" at 6p/5C. Find your channel: https://t.co/ZH35VUpzxS. pic.twitter.com/CHLKtAD94c NewsNation (@NewsNation) June 5, 2023 Grusch said that keeping the information secret 'further inhibits the world populace to be prepared for an unexpected, non-human intelligence contact scenario'. The claims comes days after a Pentagon chief admitted that unidentified metallic orb UFOs have been spotted 'all over the world'. Physicist Dr Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), told NASA's first ever public hearing into the phenomenon: 'We see these ['metallic orbs'] all over the world, and we see these making very interesting apparent maneuvers.' Dr Kirkpatrick presented AARO's latest findings to NASA's independent team of scientists and other experts who have been tasked with studying the UFO phenomenon which has become increasingly less stigmatized following several high-profile congressional hearings and military sightings. Scientists and policymakers from NASA's independent panel also discussed their own proposed recommendations to the federal space agency, including: an active effort to remove the stigma surrounding UAP research, as well as a hunt for alien 'artifacts' within our solar system. Meanwhile, it was also revealed at the NASA hearing that the space agency will work closely with the Pentagon's official UFO investigators on top secret UFO cases. Dr Kirkpatrick said that the Pentagon is closely collaborating with 'NASA embeds,' scientists who have been cleared for work on classified UAP cases where their expertise could help military investigators identify the mysterious craft or events. Kirkpatrick added that AARO plans to deploy 'dedicated sensors for typical UAP' sightings, equipment independent of the existing military defense sensors that have thus far picked up UAP evidence in the course of their normal duties. The Pentagon recently showed the Senate mysterious flying orb spotted by Reaper drone over an active combat zone in the Middle East Both NASA's head of science, the space and atmospheric physicist Dr. Nicky Fox, and AARO's director, Dr. Kirkpatrick, also took time to rebuke unnamed individuals for harassing members of the NASA panel. Both said that these attitudes, online and among officialdom, have contributed to the continuing social stigma surrounding UAP. NASA UAP study group member Karlin Toner, senior advisor for data policy integration of the FAA's Office of Aviation Policy and Plans, recommended that the space agency work to 'make it safer to explore data' for any scientists facing the 'negative stigma' surrounding UAP. Toner suggested that the independent panel 'consider advising NASA to more fully assess the cultural and social barriers to studying and reporting UAP,' to effectively work hard to end the stigma on UAP research among the scientific community. NASA, she said, should 'implement a plan to leverage its brand image to start removing these obstacles.' Ultimately, however, as the chair of NASA's independent UAP panel, theoretical astrophysicist David Spergel, described it, their group's main purpose is to answer this one question: 'How can NASA contribute to understanding the nature of UAPs?' He summarized the current state of data collection efforts on UAP as 'unsystematic' and 'fragmented across various agencies' often using instruments that were fit for their security or safety mandate, but 'uncalibrated for scientific data collection. Dr. Garry Nolan spoke at a conference in Manhattan in May titled 'The Pentagon, Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Crashed UFOs' and claimed that aliens have been on earth and are 'still here' A Stanford University professor also recently made the claim that aliens have been on planet Earth and are 'still here,' with experts are working on reverse engineering UFOs that have crash landed. Dr. Garry Nolan told 'The Pentagon, Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Crashed UFOs' conference in Manhattan in May that aliens on earth are probably 'an advanced form of intelligence that using some kind of intermediaries'. Nolan, an immunologist and Nobel Prize nominee, was previously commissioned by the CIA to investigate cases of the mysterious Havana Syndrome inflicting embassy officials worldwide, and has conducted experiments analyzing material allegedly jettisoned in UFO flyovers. He says that we've likely witnessed alien life on Earth but just not known how to process it. 'They're showing up and saying who amongst you are intelligent enough to realize what it is you're looking at 'Can you see what's in front of you for what it really is? Can you see the anomalous data point?' Grusch's interview on Elizabeth Vargas Tonight will air on NewsNation at 6pm on Monday. The teens risk deportation if found guilty of killings Fay, the popular swan The three teens who are accused of kidnapping, murdering and eating a New York town's beloved swan, Fay, for dinner last week were refugees from Myanmar, The Washington Free Beacon reported. The swan and her four babies were kidnapped from Manlius swan pond in Manlius, New York, last Saturday. Eman Hussan, 18, and his two accomplices were charged with felony grand larceny and criminal mischief. Hussan was seen smiling proudly at reporters when police took him into custody. The three criminals are refugees from Myanmar and attend high school in the Syracuse area, Manlius Police Sgt. Ken Hatter told the Washington Free Beacon. The teens risk deportation if found guilty. According to The Immigration and Nationality Act, offenders can be forcibly removed from the United States if they commit aggravated felonies or 'crimes involving moral turpitude.' Eman Hussan, 18, was arrested in connection with the killing of the Manlius pond's swan, Fay, along with two other teens They have court dates scheduled for later this month. Police say the three jumped the fence in the middle of the night and were able to steal Faye because she was nesting and did not fight back. The suspects then brought Fay home to cook for dinner. Faye's children were also abducted but were later retrieved by authorities unharmed. A biologist who works with the village of Manlius will care for the cygnets until they are ready to be released. The teens told police they intended to raise them as pets. Despite consuming the swan, the family and friends of the suspect told police they did not know it was a swan but thought it was a very large duck, and also were not aware that it was a wild animal. Police said the teens 'didn't necessarily show remorse' but probably regretted their alleged acts. The teens apparently did not know that the swan was considered a mascot of the village. 'They did not have any idea of the significance the swans had on this community.' The lineage of swans has been around for over 100 years and were originally donated to the village along with the pond in 1905. The mayor said the town plans to continue the tradition of hosting swans. Neighbors are mourning the loss of the iconic swan couple, known as the Manlius mascot, and placing memorials around the town. The three criminals are refugees from Myanmar and attend high school in the neighboring city, In March, two illegal Honduran migrants were arrested after shooting down an American bald eagle that they planned to cook and eat in Nebraska. Over 5,630 people have signed a petition 'Justice For Faye', which calls for the harshest penalties for the suspects. The cygnets and father swan will be removed from the pond following the death of mother swan Faye, the famous resident of Manlius' Swan Pond and mother of four baby swans, has been killed and eaten Manny & Fay, the iconic swan couple have been Manlius mascots, capturing the hearts of the town and visitors of Manlius Pond This is the second time in recent months that immigrants have killed and planned to eat a precious bird. In March, two illegal Honduran migrants were arrested after shooting down an American bald eagle that they planned to cook and eat in Nebraska. Over 5,630 people have signed a petition called 'Justice For Faye', which calls for the harshest penalties for the suspects. 'The highest charges possible need to be sought, whos to say they wouldnt do this to a human being if they did this to an innocent animal, that they had no right to go in take and then kill and eat,' it reads. To protect the swans and prevent such tragedies, the Mayor said he is installing cameras and coming up with a safety plan. The town plans to have 'eyes on the pond at all times,' he said. A former FBI agent convicted of spying for Russia and serving a life sentence in the Colorado Supermax prison has died at the age of 79. The bureau confirmed on Monday that Robert Hanssen was found unresponsive in his federal prison cell at the ADX in Florence, Colorado around 6.55am. A cause of death has not yet been released. Hanssen became notorious in the United States when he was arrested in 2001 and pleaded guilty to selling highly classified materials to the Soviet Union, and later to Russia, over the course of more than 20 years. He was sentenced to life in the Supermax prison where he has languished for the last two decades. After his arrest, details of Hanssen's sordid life as a sexual deviant became known. He allowed a friend to watch him and his wife have sex - without her knowledge. Hanssen then began to secretly record the encounters, and detailed his sex life in online chat rooms. Hanssen - a devout member of the conservative Opus Dei sect of the Catholic Church - also spent time with a stripper named Priscilla Sue Galey, giving her money, jewels and a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E sedan. Robert Hanssen was serving 15 consecutive life sentences in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to espionage charges FBI agents are pictured arresting Hanssen near his Virginia home in February 2001 Hanssen was confronted by agents when making a dead drop at a suburban Virginia park (seen here) On Monday, Bureau of Prisons officials said Hanssen was found dead and no other staff or inmates were hurt. Responding prison staff members initiated life-saving measures, the bureau said in a statement, but Hanssen was ultimately pronounced dead by outside medical personnel. Hanssen is pictured in his official FBI headshot He was only 20 years into his 15 consecutive life sentences for espionage, conspiracy to commit espionage and attempted espionage at the time of his death. Hanssen began his operation just three years after he was hired by the FBI, when he personally approached the Soviets. Hanssen was said to be motivated to spy for the country due to 'low self-esteem and [a] desire to demonstrate intellectual superiority.' He began spying for the KGB in 1979 until he was confronted by his wife. Religion played a central part in Hanssen's life as he was a regular attendee at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Great Falls, Virginia. Other members included Louis J Freeh, former Director of FBI, and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. When his wife first found out about his espionage, she did not force him to confess to authorities: instead he admitted to his crimes in confession with Catholic priests. Hanssen was respected at the FBI, though friends said it seemed he had reached the pinnacle of his career and was just months from retirement when he was arrested. He would frequently denounced the Russians as 'godless', despite his years working with them. The coworkers also described how he would not spend time at strip clubs with them, passing on the opportunity. But, he had a secret relationship with a stripper, one she said was not sexual. Stripper Priscilla Sue Galey told how Hanssen would give her money, jewels and even a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E sedan The two would meet alone in private, according to a Washington Post interview with Galey, who said he would never allow her to take a picture of him. When he found out there was one shot of him from Hong Kong, Galey said he took it from her and quickly destroyed it. 'I got the courage to ask him what was going on a few times, and he'd always laugh and say, "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you,"' she said at the time. Hanssen ended contact with her before his arrest, and claimed he was trying to convert her to Catholicism. But in 1985, Hanssen continued his operation, selling thousands of classified documents involving human sources, counterintelligence techniques and investigations in exchange for more than $1.4 million in cash, diamonds and foreign bank deposits. Hanssen, pictured here with his wife Bonnie and their six children, stopped spying for a few years when he was confronted by his wife Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Hanssen again suspended his spying operation, fearing he would be exposed. But he instigated communication with the KGB's successor the following year, as his bank balance dwindled after his mother stopped sending him an allowance. Some of the information that he was able to pass on included details about the United States's nuclear war preparations and a secret eavesdropping tunnel underneath the Soviet embassy in Washington, DC. His espionage also caused the death of several Russian assets to the FBI. Throughout his career, Hanssen never met with a Russian handler in person but would instead use the alias 'Ramon Garcia' to pass on encrypted communications and conduct dead drops. Hanssen was ultimately arrested on February 18, 2001, at a park near his home in the Washington, DC, suburb of Vienna, Virginia, where he was spotted attempting to make a dead drop. He had placed a white piece of tape on a park sign, signaling Russian contacts that there was information at the site. Hanssen is said to have told FBI agents who took him into custody: 'What took you so long?' He was later able to negotiate a plea deal, whereby he shared information with U.S. officials, in return for avoiding the death penalty. On May 10, 2002, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. 'I apologize for my behavior. I am shamed by it,' he said at the time. 'Beyond its illegality, I have torn the trust of so many. 'Worse, I have opened the door for calumny against my totally innocent wife and our children. I hurt them deeply. I have hurt so many deeply.' He began his espionage operation just three years after being hired by the FBI and continued until shortly before his planned retirement FBI agents are pictured removing evidence of Hanssen's espionage from his Virginia home Prior to his arrest, Hanssen was a well-respected counterintelligence agent. He first served on a White Collar Crime squad in Indiana, and during his career he served in various positions at the New York Field Office, the Washington Field Office, at FBI headquarters and even as the FBI's senior representative to the Office of Foreign Missions at the US State Department. Questions about Hanssen's actions had surrounded him for years before his arrest, with even his own brother-in-law telling FBI higher-ups to investigate him for possible espionage. He also aroused suspicion after he hacked into a fellow agent's computer and downloaded classified documents though he claimed he was just demonstrating a security flaw. And after the Soviet Union fell, Hanssen personally went to the Russian embassy and physically approached a GRU officer in the parking lot, identifying himself as 'Ramon Garcia.' Not recognizing the name, the agent became suspicious, and filed an official protest with the State Department accusing him of being a triple agent and providing a physical description of him. But still nothing happened. FBI insiders finally became suspicious of Hanssen in the mid-1990s following the arrest of Aldrich Ames, a former CIA counterintelligence officer who was also spying for the USSR and Russia. Both the FBI and CIA realized at the time that Ames could not have provided the KGB with all of the information it had acquired, and the two agencies formed a joint mole-hunting team in 1994. FBI agents later said the inquiry was complicated by the fact that a number of Hanssen's colleagues were investigating him, and he had a habit of checking FBI records in an ongoing attempt to see if he was being watched. 'He didn't make any slip-ups,' Vincent Cannistrano, the former CIA director of counterintelligence, told ABC News at the time. Hanssen negotiated a plea deal to share information with agents so that he did not receive the death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole Police tape surrounded the Vienna, Virginia, home of Robert Hanssen in February 2001 Hanssen's identity was ultimately finally revealed after agents paid the KGB $7million to obtain a file on their mole, and a Russian intelligence officer handed the FBI a file containing a trash bag with his fingerprints and a tape recording of his voice. But before they could prove anything, the FBI decided to transfer Hannsen from the State Department post he held since 1995 and promote him to the FBI headquarters, where he was not authorized to have contact with Russian agents. He was provided with an assistant, Eric O'Neill, who was actually a young FBI surveillance specialist assigned to watch Hanssen. O'Neill was able to obtain and copy a letter that revealed Hanssen 'dreamed of being a spy against his country since the age of 14, after reading a book about Kim Philby the British intelligence officer who was also a Russian double agent'. Eric O'Neill (pictured) was assigned to watch over Hanssen at FBI headquarters In the letter Hanssen wrote: 'One might propose that I am either insanely brave or quite insane. I'd answer neither. I'd say insanely loyal. Take your pick. There is insanity in all the answers.' It also revealed Hanssen's frustrations with the Russians and how he came to request the PalmPilot device that would ultimately help lock him up for life. 'I have come about as close as I ever want to come to sacrificing myself to help you, and I get silence. I hate silence' Hanssen wrote at one point. 'The US can be errantly likened to a powerfully built but retarded child, potentially dangerous, but young, immature and easily manipulated. But don't be fooled by that appearance. It is also one which can turn ingenious quickly, like an idiot savant, once convinced of a goal.' Following his arrest and conviction, the federal government instituted mandatory financial disclosures for all its agents. It also created the Commission for the Review of FBI Security Programs, which described Hanssen's espionage as 'possibly the worse intelligence disaster in US history.' And a review by the Inspector General also called Hanssen 'the most damaging spy in FBI history.' FBI agents are seen here sealing off Hanssen's home before searching it for further evidence Hanssen received $1.4million in cash from the KGB and its successor during his efforts After his arrest, friend and neighbors seemed shocked by the allegations with many saying that Hanssen didn't fit the profile. In articles shortly after his 2001 capture, they described him as a man who didn't swear, who put his children through private school associated with the Opus Dei church and who was a bland dresser who lacked the personality traits to advance further up the FBI ladder. Former colleagues of Hanssen's said they would have been shocked if he spent the money he earned from his espionage on women. Instead, they told the New York Times, they suspected he probably used the money to pay for his sons' preparatory school and his daughters' Catholic school. His story captivated America, inspiring the 2007 movie, Breach. 'Robert Hanssen's death brings a somber end to one of the most infamous espionage cases in US history,' Javed Ali, former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council told ABC News. He was warned by his father King Charles that a bid to silence the British media is a suicide mission, while his estranged brother Prince William made clear he was choosing a very different path. But it still hasn't dawned on Harry, the prince of hypocrisy, that he shouldn't be entitled to the usual kid glove special treatment when becoming the first senior royal to give evidence in court under oath since the 19th century in a historic phone hacking civil case versus Mirror Group Newspapers. That became clear when he failed to show up to the High Court this morning as requested, infuriating the newspaper's KC and surprising the judge. His sorry excuse that he couldn't possibly arrive on time, given he'd only flown into the country late last night no doubt by private jet or in first class because he had to be in Montecito for his daughter Lilibet's second birthday, was the first illustration that we're not dealing with a man anchored in reality. Prince Harry has been living in a post-truth world since meeting that shape shifting actress Meghan Markle. The facts don't matter, only their feelings do. Prince Harry (pictured at the King's Coronation) failed to show up to the High Court this morning as requested, infuriating the newspaper's KC and surprising the judge Prince Harry is represented by David Sherborne (left) in the historic phone hacking civil case versus Mirror Group Newspapers Indeed, that was the bizarre excuse given by their weird hagiographer Omid Scobie when attempting to justify why the Sussexes had wound up the world with yet another porky pie about their 'near catastrophic' New York car chase that wasn't last month. Until now, Harry's public performances have only been for their best pals in the media Oprah Winfrey, Tom Bradby and Anderson Cooper. That means Oprah nodded along when Meghan and Harry made false claims that there is a racist in the Royal Family (there wasn't) and that they secretly got married before their Windsor Castle ceremony (they didn't), without asking a pertinent follow up question. Equally, Bradby accepted Harry's ludicrous argument that 'no part of any of the things that I've said are scathing towards any member of my family, especially not my stepmother', despite calling Queen Camilla 'dangerous' and a 'villain'. There was no one to tell him his experiences have clearly been warped and do not represent the reality of many situations. No cross examination. Perhaps that's no surprise. When his father and brother asked difficult questions in private, they ended up being brutally dispensed of, before having their most personal laundry blurted out for the whole world to consume. Pictured: Lawyer David Sherborne, a member of Prince Harry's legal team, outside the Rolls Building of the High Court in London Which is another big problem with this case. In the court of public opinion, Harry has already lost because of his rank hypocrisy of spending years moaning about invasions of his privacy, before invading the privacy of his family in the most intimate ways that journalists would never even consider, like revealing details of the future king's private part. But tomorrow, everything changes; the cross examination will be fast, furious and dissected around the world. Harry will face Andrew Green KC, acting for the Mirror group, whose job is to literally expose him as a purveyor of falsehoods and the first signs are that he's not going to hold back when testing his dubious credibility. In court today, he lamented that it is 'absolutely extraordinary we were told only yesterday that he is not available for day one of his trial'. And he later added of the 'fantastical' claims themselves: 'There's no evidence to support a finding that any mobile phone owned or used by the Duke of Sussex was hacked. Zilch, Zero, Nil, De Nada, Niente, Nothing.' So Harry can no longer rely on 'his truth' or he risks perjuring himself. There is only one set of facts. And, while I haven't been in court every day, there seems very little evidence to prove Harry's hacking claims. I'm aware of how these cases work. The celebrity lawyers try and claim virtually every article about their client must have come via illegal means, discounting the reality that 99.99 per cent of reporters obtain stories through genuine journalism, including leaks directly from the palaces or credible royal sources. Of course, such a case is made difficult by the unwavering principle of all journalists to protect their confidential sources. So while I believe Harry's decision to give evidence may well backfire spectacularly tomorrow, my bigger concern in all of this is what pursuing a life dominated by courtrooms and lawyers who charge hundreds of pounds an hour must say about Harry's mindset. I have been dragged through the courts before against my will, in a bid to silence my journalism, and it is truly hellish. There is nothing fun about it; it's a caustic experience that eats away at you over time. That's not to say I'm excusing any illegal activity that went on at British tabloid newspapers in the past. I'm not it was wrong, but it stopped well over a decade ago. The mentality of a man who seemingly wants to spend his entire life focussed on settling scores of the past is worrying. What happened to the peaceful California utopia Harry and Meghan assured us they were planning to create with their young family when they left the UK? The past three years have shown us that Harry's existence is not rooted in the real world. I fear his evidence tomorrow will be an unpleasant shock when his victimhood narrative clashes with the facts. But the biggest sadness is that Harry now believes the success of his once-promising life of service should be dominated by such a spurious, money-making legal pursuit. MBABANE SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini wants the minister of Education and Training, members of the TSC and the accountant general to be sent to jail for 30 days. This comes after government allegedly failed to pay him E154 000 after his salary was withheld in October 2022 as per a court order. He contends that the trio was in contempt of the order wherein they were directed to pay him the aforementioned amount. Disenchanted with the decision of the respondents, Mbongwa has again approached the Industrial Court on an urgent basis. Respondents in the matter are the Minister of Education and Training, Lady Mabuza, accountant general (AG)and the members of the Teaching Service Commission. The matter has been set down for today. The Moyeni High School Maths and Science teacher, who earns about E22 000 per month, has not received his salary since September 2022. The amount of E154 000 was arrived at based on calculations made by this publication after the Industrial Court set aside governments decision to withhold Mbongwas salary from October 2022 and other subsequent months. The court issued no order as to costs. The order was issued by Judge Lungile Msimango. The judge said Mbongwa was not given an opportunity to be heard before the decision to withhold his salary was taken. Respondents In his application, the president of the Swaziland National association of Teachers (SNAT) is praying for an order that the respondents should show cause of why they should not be sent to jail for alleged contempt of court. He is also praying for an order calling for the respondents to show cause why they should not be held in contempt and sentenced to prison for a period of 30 days for failing to comply with the order or purge themselves. They are in deliberate contempt of the Order and are violating the Rule of Law and are undermining the Judiciary to the extent that it will damage the reputation of the Judiciary and that of the country which they are to serve, submitted Mbongwa. He averred that this was a clear abuse of authority, which the Constitution prohibited. He entreated the court not allow same to persist and to continue as it was detrimental to his rights. It was further his argument that the respondents were allegedly in contempt willingly and must therefore be held to be in contempt. They must also be called upon to show because why the court should not hold them to be in contempt, failing which, the court, in my humble submission, has no alternative but to issue the order in terms of the notice of motion, he argued. The applicant said the court could not be seen to be condoning the respondents in their alleged failure to make the payment as per the court order. He brought it to the attention of the court that since the date of the order, the accountant general had paid the salaries of civil servants and no reason could be advanced why he had not been paid. These are allegations whose veracity is still to be tested and he respondents are yet to file their papers. I wish to aver that this matter is urgent as I have already indicated above that the withholding of my salary is not only unlawful but is putting me through a lot of hardship. I am unable to meet my urgent financial obligations. I have a family that is entirely dependent on me, argued the SNAT president. Unlawful He told the court that the conduct of the respondents was allegedly unlawful and had no basis in law and it was as good as taking the law into their own hands, for the second time now an order has been granted and is refusing to comply with the said Order. It was further his averments that, the respondents had no right in law, to withhold his salary, particularly because an order compelling them to make payments was issued. The monthly payments which are due to me are being withheld and I am not in a position to establish when the respondents will comply with the court order, submitted the president. He also argued that the respondents were expected to comply with the court order immediately it was issued. The delay in following the process will leave me and my family destitute. They have withheld my salary with no court order or lawful instrument, they have not held a hearing and found that I had violated any provisions of the law to the extent that I should not be paid any of my wages, he argued. The matter has been set down for today and government through lawyers from the chamber of the attorney general is yet to file its papers. The bodies of three men who had been reported missing after a building partially collapsed in eastern Iowa have been recovered from the site, police said on Monday. The recoveries took place over the weekend - nearly a week after a six-story apartment building collapsed on the Sunday of Memorial Day in Davenport, Iowa, displacing dozens of residents. Branden Colvin Sr., 42, Ryan Hitchcock, 51, and Daniel Prien, 60, were believed to have been at home during the collapse and had been declared missing after the initial rescues. The city's police chief Jeff Bladel said there currently isn't information about any additional people missing. Meanwhile, the first lawsuit against the city and building's owner has already been filed. A residential building partially collapsed on the Sunday of Memorial Day in Davenport, Iowa The bodies of Branden Colvin Sr., 42, Ryan Hitchcock, 51, and Daniel Prien, 60, were recovered nearly a week after the building collapsed Governor Kim Reynolds, center, talks with local officials while touring the site of the apartment building collapse on Monday Tenant Dayna Feuerbach has accused the city of Davenport, as well as the building's current and former owners, of multiple counts of negligence, claiming they knew of the deteriorating conditions and failed to warn residents of the risk. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and notes that additional suits are likely. Rescues were made difficult by the fact that the remains of the building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed, putting rescuers at great risk. However, since the area has been stabilized, crews have been seen using an excavator and other heavy equipment to pull out parts of a debris pile. Davenport officials said they were consulting with experts about how to safely bring down the rest of the structure. The city fire marshal earlier said explosives would not be used because its close to other buildings in a busy part of downtown Davenport. Mayor Mike Matson said Monday that neither he nor other city officials have been in touch with building owner Andrew Wold. On May 30, Wold released a statement saying' our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants.' He has not released any additional statements since. County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in 2021 deal for $4.2 million. Chief Bladel said the Davenport fire marshals office had begun an investigation of the building collapse with help from the state Division of Criminal Investigation, Davenport police and the medical examiners office. Three search and rescue workers and a dog approach the site of a building collapse during a search on Thursday Branden Colvin Jr., center, lights candles for his father, Branden Colvin Sr., with Devina Henderson, left, and Malia Rush, right, during a candlelight vigil Governor Kim Reynolds toured the site on Monday, tweeting later that the state is providing support and resources while working with city officials. 'Thank you to the first responders for putting their lives at risk to help their community,' she wrote. The building, built as a hotel in 1907, had been converted into about 80 apartment units that were home to roughly 50 people. The state earlier made $5,000 available to displaced tenants who met income requirements, and the city offered $6,000 to the people forced from their homes. The governor also waived the fees for tenants who needed to get their drivers license replaced. Unresolved questions include why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger. A structural engineers report issued days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling. Documents released by the city show that city officials and the buildings owner had been warned for months that parts of the building were unstable. Tenants also complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show. Current and former residents told The Associated Press about interior cracks on the wall that ultimately collapsed that were reported to building management. One woman whose apartment ended up in a huge pile of rubble had to have her leg amputated in order to be rescued. On Friday, Scott County prosecutor Kelly Cunningham cautioned against assuming a criminal prosecution is appropriate, saying an independent investigation needs to be conducted into the cause of the buildings structural failure, and right now its in the citys jurisdiction. A mother and daughter are in custody for the alleged murder of a 71-year-old grandmother whose decomposing remains were sniffed out by police after she had been dismembered with a chainsaw and burned on a charcoal grill. Candace Craig, 44, is accused of killing her mother Margaret Craig and enlisting in the help of her 19-year-old daughter Salia Hardy to dispose of the body, according to Prince George's County police. Officers on Friday conducted a welfare check on the matriarch at the Landover, Maryland, and immediately smelled the odor of decomposition. They discovered 'what appeared to be brain matter' in open trash bags, according to gruesome details revealed in court documents obtained by WJLA on Monday. Both Candace and Salia are in the custody of the Prince George's County Department of Corrections and face charges in Margaret Craig's death. Candace Craig, 44, is accused of killing her mother Margaret Craig and enlisting in the help of her daughter Salia Hardy, 19, to dispose of the remains at their home in Landover, Maryland Candace Craig's daughter Salia Hardy, 19, was charged with accessory after the fact An investigation led police to determine that Candace allegedly murdered her mother on May 23, following an altercation and then had her daughter help to dispose of the remains Police claim Candace allegedly murdered her mother on May 23, following an altercation and then had her daughter help to dispose of the remains, which had were reportedly being kept in a blue bin in her bedroom. While police are still working on identifying a motive, according to the press release. Court documents allege that Margaret had threatened to report her daughter Candace to the police for fraudulent use of her credit card. 'Defendant 2 [Salia Hardy] stated that the Defedent threatened to report her daughter, Defendant 1 [Candace Craig], to the police for fraudulent use of her credit card.' Defendant 1 then attacked the Decedent,' the court documents stated. The alleged attack happened just nine days after Mother's Day this year. In 2021, Candace had posted a heartfelt message to her mom on her Facebook page. 'Happy Mother's Day to the number one woman in my life. I hope you have an awesome and peaceful day. I don't get to say this everyday but I love you very much to the moon and back,' she wrote. Court documents allege that Margaret Craig had threatened to report her daughter Candace to the police for fraudulent use of her credit card Police responded to the residence in the 200 block of Hill Road around 1:35 p.m. on Friday after a 911 caller said they had not heard from Margaret Craig and were worried about her Police responded to the family home in the 200 block of Hill Road about 1:35 p.m. on Friday after an unidentified 911 caller said they had not heard from Margaret Craig and were worried about her welfare. Candace Craig answered the door and allowed officers inside to search the home. When police entered the basement, they 'recognized the smell of putrefaction and observed blood and tissue on the floor near three white plastic trash bags.' The documents also revealed that police found a knife on the basement floor, and recovered a chainsaw, cutting utensils, cleaning materials scattered nearby, and found blood spatter throughout the basement. 'The detectives of the Homicide Unit will ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and that both suspects are held accountable for their cruel and criminal behavior,' Major David Blazer, commander of the major crimes division in Prince George's County, said in a statement. Candace Craig is charged with first and second degree murder. Her daughter Salia Hardy is charged with accessory after the fact. A preliminary hearing for Candace is scheduled for July 3. She is being held without bond. President Joe Biden on Monday thanked the Danish prime minister for her country's role in the alliance helping Ukraine resist Russia, as speculation grows that Mette Frederiksen is in line to be N.A.T.O. secretary general. 'There's a shared commitment to the core values and that gives us our strength at least that's what I believe,' Biden said as they met in the Oval Office. 'Together we're working to protect those values including standing up for the people of Ukraine against the brutal aggression of the Russians.' It was the first of two meetings with key allies this week, allies who come with N.A.T.O. aspirations. On Thursday it is the turn of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose defense secretary is another contender to lead the Western alliance when Jens Stoltenberg steps down in October. President Joe Biden on Monday thanked Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen for her country's backing for Ukraine, when they met in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon As she left the White House she said she was only interested in being prime minister when reporters asked her about speculation she was jockeying to lead N.A.T.O. The post of secretary general requires unanimous assent from members, which means the backing of the U.S. president is crucial. White House officials took pains to insist that the N.A.T.O. question was not on the agenda on Monday. But Frederiksen would make history as the first female secretary general if she won out. For her part, The Danish prime minister would not be drawn on questions about her future. 'I've have said before that I am not a candidate for any other job than the one I have now, and this has not changed after my meeting with the U.S. president,' she told reporters as she left the White House. Before the meeting, officials said the talks would focus heavily on the war in Ukraine, including recent efforts to train and equip Ukrainian forces with F-16 fighter jets. The talks come at a crucial period in the 15-month war. In recent days, Ukraine appears to have stepped up its attacks in a long-awaited counter-offensive. The meeting comes at a critical time in Ukraine's 15-month war, as Kyiv apparently steps up its attacks on Russian forces amid reports of a counter-offensive The commander, driver and gunner of an armored personnel carrier (YPR-765) belonging to the Ukraine Armed Forces 57th Motorized Brigade near Bakhmut in the Donetsk Oblast British Prime Minister is due to visit the White House later this week. He is seen here taking tea with Biden when the president visited Northern Ireland in April The two sides traded claims on Monday about who gained ground as fighting intensified in eastern Ukraine in the region of southern Donetsk. White House national security spokesman John Kirby declined to answer questions about whether it amounted to a counter-offensive 'I'm not going to be talking for the Ukrainian military. That's for them to speak to it,' he said. 'I think you heard them say earlier today that they that they're conducting some offensive operations, but I won't go beyond that.' Nor would he say whether the N.A.T.O. was discussed in the Oval Office. 'That is not the purpose for the trip, not the purpose for the conversation,' he told reporters. FBI confirmed 15 years later that the DNA belonged to Matthew Nilo, 35, who plead not guilty in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday Investigations initially stalled because the DNA obtained from each of the women failed to flag any potential matches Police took samples from four women who were attacked in Boston in 2008 and 2007 and all matched the profile of one man Investigators from the FBI linked a New Jersey attorney to a series of violent rapes in Boston after tracking down his relative's DNA on a commercial genealogy database. Matthew Nilo, 35, was arrested last week on suspicion of raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth in 2007 and 2008. Police took samples from the three women who were raped in Terminal Street, in Boston, at the time of the incidents and processed the glove of a fourth victim who poked her assailant in the eye while wearing the garment. All three matched the same profile, leading officers to believe that the same man committed each of the assaults. The FBI confirmed 15 years later that the DNA belonged to Nilo after comparing the samples to one from a glass he drank from at a corporate event, but there were multiple hurdles they had to first overcome. Matthew Nilo, 35, denied attacking four women in Boston in 2008 and 2007 during his appearance in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday Police took samples from the three women who were raped in Terminal Street, in Boston, at the time of the incidents and processed the glove of a fourth victim who poked her assailant in the eye while wearing the garment The investigation initially stalled because the DNA obtained from each of the women failed to flag any potential matches on the federal CODIS system. Officers kept the case open, using the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative - a federal program designed to help process a backlog of rape kits to reinvestigate the incidents. Boston Police Department doesn't have a backlog of rape kits but has instead used the initiative and a $2.5million federal grant to re-examine 'unsolved cases that present the greatest threat to public safety.' Cops requested the DNA be cross-referenced by the FBI using 'forensic investigative genetic genealogy' in October last year. Officers from the BPD submitted the DNA samples obtained from the three women to GEDMatch and Family Tree DNA, two of the only genealogy websites which allow law enforcement access to their databases. Because the databases are so small, the FBI could only search 'about two million people', meaning they had to either 'get lucky or be really skilled.' Consumers using the sites must consent before their information is shared with law enforcement, and they use the sites to trace their ancestry or locate other relatives. GEDMatch and Family Tree DNA then provide a list of relatives and the percentage of DNA they share with the sample submitted by the police - which led them to Nilo in April this year. The FBI confirmed 15 years later that the DNA belonged to Nilo after comparing the samples to one from a glass he drank from at a corporate event His fiance Laura Griffin was seen gripping rosary beads during his court hearing in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday Pictures from Nilo's Facebook page show how he would have looked at the time of the assaults in 2007 and 2008 Unlike police DNA databases, those of commercial genealogy companies can search for up to one million DNA markers (using single-nucleotide polymorphisms, not STRs), creating a much wider pool of relatives to sift through. Historically law enforcement had to rely on federal and local DNA databases, which contain the profiles of people previously arrested. If a suspect had not been apprehended before, then their DNA would not be in the CODIS system, and they could not be identified. Once a suspect is identified through the genealogy companies, who provide names and how strong the match is, police then attempt to take a DNA sample to confirm a direct match. However, this often takes place surreptitiously, with officers tracking Nilo in New York for at least a month when he was identified as a suspect in April. Court documents show that the FBI was able to 'obtain various utensils and drinking glasses they watched the defendant use at a corporate event.' They obtained a DNA profile from one of the glasses, which they say matched the profile of the three rapes on Terminal Street. After obtaining a match from the glass, they then tested a sample found on the glove of the fourth woman and 'determined that this profile was 314 times more likely to belong to Matthew Nilo than to any other male in the population' His fiancee gripped the religious beads throughout the hearing but did not say anything as she exited the court Once a suspect is identified through the genealogy companies, who provide names and how strong the match is, police then attempt to take a DNA sample to confirm a direct match PIctured: Nilo (center) with friends After obtaining a match from the glass, they tested a sample found on the glove of the fourth woman and 'determined that this profile was 314 times more likely to belong to Nilo than to any other male in the population.' In the past 15 months, Boston Police Department has arrested six people for alleged rapes, using a $2.5 million federal grant to re-examine 'unsolved cases that present the greatest threat to public safety.' Former State Street Bank vice president Ivan Cheung was one of those arrested with cops obtaining his DNA from a cigarette butt he discarded at South Bay Center. He is charged with raping two children and two women at knifepoint between 2003 and 2006. Irving Pierre was also arrested over the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl and a woman in Roslindale in 2007 and 2013. They have also charged William Mancortes with attacking women while pretending to be a ride-share driver in 2017. Demetrius Wilson has been charged with two rapes, and Ali Abdallah-Muhammad is accused of a 2014 rape. In the past 15 months, Boston Police Department has arrested six people for alleged rapes, using a $2.5 million federal grant to re-examine 'unsolved cases that present the greatest threat to public safety' Prosecutors said that all three women underwent a sexual assault examination, which yielded a DNA profile which matched the male in each attack Nilo, who once lived in the North End, was arrested at his home in Weehawken, New Jersey, on Tuesday, more than 15 years after he allegedly terrorized four victims Experts say that DNA from sexual assault kits are very reliable, even if they are 15 years old. FBI agents used a kit that was 38 years old to identify a former police officer as the Golden State Killer. Barbara Rae-Venter, an investigative genetic genealogy consultant, told the Boston Globe that people who are identified by the websites 'have no record' and are 'not on anybody's radar.' 'That is what is so amazing about investigative genetic genealogy. You are able to identify people who you otherwise would not be able to identify,' she said. Genetic genealogy has also been used to identify murder victims, with the FBI confirming the identity of 'The Lady of the Dunes' which had left law enforcement puzzled for nearly 50 years. Nilo on Monday pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with the intent to rape and one count of indecent assault and battery Nilo, who was linked to the crimes by DNA, was supported in court by family members and Griffin who was present when FBI officers swooped at their home He was handcuffed and appeared in court wearing a blue shirt and jeans and looked emotional as he pleaded not guilty to the charges Nilo is accused of assaulting the four women in or around Terminal Street in Charleston on 18 August 2007, 22 November 2007, 5 August 2008 and 23 December 2008 His bail was posted at $500,000, and if he able to post that amount, he must submit to GPS monitoring and stay away from his alleged victims and the scene of the crime. At the time of the alleged rapes, Boston Police Department issued a warning that a man was attacking women after offering them rides home. According to a police affidavit, a dozen FBI agents and Boston Police officers arrested Nilo at his luxury apartment complex. They lured him down to the lobby under the pretense that 'a large package had been delivered to him that did not fit in the ... lockers where the residents pick up packages.' He was with his fiancee, Laura Griffin, at the time of his arrest, and immediately invoked his Miranda rights. Nilo is accused of assaulting the four women in or around Terminal Street in Charleston on 18 August 2007, 22 November 2007, 5 August 2008 and 23 December 2008. A 23-year-old woman claims she was approached by a man in his 20's after leaving a friend's home in the State Street area in the early hours. She said she thought she knew the man, who offered her a ride to help her look for her vehicle before driving her to Terminal Street. According to a police affidavit, a dozen FBI agents and Boston Police officers arrested Nilo at his luxury apartment complex Nilo is accused of assaulting the four women in or around Terminal Street in Charleston on 18 August 2007, 22 November 2007, 5 August 2008 and 23 December 2008 Nilo then allegedly told her to 'shut up' or he would kill her, claiming to have a weapon before raping her on a grassy area near railroad tracks, according to court filings. The second attack allegedly took place in November 2007, when a woman, 23, was leaving a bar on State Street after attending a high school reunion. Documents say that she got into Nilo's car, thinking it was a taxi, before giving him the address of an ATM near her apartment. She claims that the man flashed a knife at her after she told him he missed the address, driving her to Terminal Street where he ordered her out of the car before raping her. The third assault took place in August 2008, after Nilo allegedly approached a 36-year-old woman on Boston Common, promising her money if she went to Charlestown with him. When they exited the car at Terminal Street, he allegedly 'tackled her to the ground, held a gun to her back' and raped her repeatedly. The final assault took place in December 2008, where a 44-year-old woman was attacked as she was jogging in the area of Terminal Street. Court documents claim that he approached her from behind, tackled her to the ground and sexually assaulted her. The man, who was later allegedly identified as Nilo, repeatedly told her 'I have a gun' before she managed to escape by poking at his eyes while wearing a glove. Nilo's lawyer Joseph Cataldo claimed that he has received 'no indication' that a search warrant was obtained before they collected Nilo's DNA samples. Speaking outside court, he said: 'My educated guess is there are no search warrants. Obtaining DNA and analyzing it without a warrant based on probable cause, I posit that is unconstitutional.' Police have released dramatic dashcam footage of a high-speed chase with a 10-year-old boy who stole his mom's car to visit her in Detroit. In the 31-second clip, the silver 2017 Buick Encore - being driven by the child - is seen swerving from lane to lane with its blinkers on at 1:40pm on May 27. The hazard lights flashed while the 10-year-old veered the vehicle across southbound Interstate 75 from his home in Buena Vista Township as he ignored the cops chasing him. Before long, the SUV moved toward the side of the road, before hitting the guardrail and coming to a stop. The child, who has not been identified, could be seen opening the door before the end of the video. He then ran into the woods before being caught. The hazard lights flashed while the 10-year-old veered the vehicle across southbound Interstate 75 as he ignored the cops chasing him The child crashed into the guardrail then ran into the woods before he was caught by cops In the 31-second clip, the silver 2017 Buick Encore - being driven by the child - is seen swerving from lane to lane with its blinkers on at 1:40pm on May 27 The child, who is not even five-feet tall, now faces single counts of unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding police, and assaulting, resisting or obstructing police Michigan State Police troopers were informed the stolen SUV was speeding down I-75, and they started following it. Buena Vista Township is about a 90 minute drive from Detroit. As they were responding, they received multiple 911 calls about a child driving recklessly on the same road. MSP Lt. Kimberly Vetter said the child driver disregarded the sirens of the police cars and kept going. OnStar, which was set up in the SUV, remotely disabled and the car then cruised to a stop, which is where the video ended. The child, who was staying with relatives, told police he took his mother's car so he could go see her in Detroit. Police said that the car was stolen from a residence on Hess Avenue in Buena Vista Township. The child, who is not even five-feet tall, now faces single counts of unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding police, and assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police. On Monday, Adams announced a new partnership to open up more shelters Since April 2022, more than 70,000 migrants have arrived in NYC NYC Mayor Eric Adams has said asylum seekers should be in 'private residences' New York City Mayor Eric Adams has suggested putting migrants in 'private residences' to deal with the influx of economic dependents seekers in the Big Apple. The statement came while Adams announced a partnership with New York houses of worship to give migrants a place to stay across the city. 'It is my vision to take the next step to this faith-based locales and then move to a private residence... They have spare rooms,' Adams said Monday afternoon. Adams said when the church-based program is fully operational, they hope to be able to host up to 1,000 asylum seekers at a time. Since April 2022, more than 70,000 migrants have arrived in NYC after governors from Republican states like Texas and Florida sent buses to the liberal-led city. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has suggested putting migrants in 'private residences' to deal with the influx of asylum seekers in the Big Apple The statement came while Adams announced a partnership with New York houses of worship to house thousands of migrants throughout the city. Pictured: Migrants in NYC on May 25 Adams continued his press conference Tuesday, sharing that he thinks offering up private residences will benefit New Yorkers in the long-term. 'There are residents who are suffering right now because of economic challenges, they have spare rooms, they have locales,' the mayor said. 'If we can find a way to get over the 30-day rule and other rules that government has it place, we can take that $4.2 billion - $4.3 maybe now -that we potentially have to spend and put it back in the pockets of every day New Yorkers,' he said. The mayor's suggestion that migrants should be moved into private residences caused outrage among NYC residents who already feel the city's tax payers are being overburdened by the crisis. 'Will Eric Adams set an example and house illegal immigrants in his onw private residence?' one Twitter user remarked. 'Gracie Mansion can house quite a few,' another said, referring to the mayor's historic private residence which overlooks the East River. 'I'm sure he's going to lead by example, isn't he?' one person said. 'Remember when the Founders fought a revolution in part over forced quartering? Was a core reason for becoming a new nation,' another retorted. 'There are residents who are suffering right now because of economic challenges, they have spare rooms, they have locales,' the mayor said. Pictured: Migrants in New York on May 15 The NYC mayor said the partnership is necessary as the current rate of migrants coming into the city is unsustainable. Pictured: Adams during Monday's press conference Asylum seekers arrive at hotels in the Big Apple on May 15 After mentioning his private residence hopes, Adams went on to mention that his church plan would put money back into local houses of worship. The deal Adams announced Monday will allow up to 50 houses of worship in the area to house as many as 19 adult men each night, Adams said. Each night will cost the city about $125 a day, he continued. 'No matter what faith you practice, caring for those in need is part of every spiritual tradition,' Adams said. The NYC mayor said the partnership is necessary as the current rate of migrants coming into the city is unsustainable. During the press conference, he also doubled down on his pleas to the federal government for help with the situation. Earlier this year, Adams visited the U.S.-Mexico border and called the situation 'a disaster' that needed to be addressed at the federal level. The visit came after governors from Republican-led states like Florida and Texas began busing and flying migrants in to New York City in 2022. Adams reopened many of the city's closed hotels and turned them into migrant shelters to deal with an influx of asylum seekers in late 2022 and early 2023 Earlier this year, Adams visited the U.S.-Mexico border and called the situation 'a disaster' that needed to be addressed at the federal level In late-May Adams called for migrants to be sent to every major city in America. Adams reopened many of the city's closed hotels and turned them into migrant shelters to deal with an influx of asylum seekers in late 2022 and early 2023. However, on CBS' Face the Nation, Adams told host Margaret Brennan that this is 'not a burden on one city' and proposed a shared solution. 'We have 108,000 cities, villages, towns,' he said. 'If everyone takes a small portion of that, and if it's coordinated at the border to ensure that those who are coming here to this country in a lawful manner is actually moved throughout the entire country, it is not a burden on one city.' Kathleen Folbigg's ex-husband is 'frustrated and disappointed' by the decision to pardon the formerly accused child killer after she spent 20 years behind bars. Ms Folbigg, 55, was convicted of three counts of murder and one of manslaughter in 2003 after her babies Patrick, Sarah, Laura and Caleb died in suspicious circumstances between 1989 and 1999 but was released on Monday due to 'reasonable doubt' over the cause of their deaths. She will tell her story in an interview with Channel Seven worth more than $400,000. Craig Folbigg, the father of the four children, has 'not changed his view' on the babies' causes of death despite a new inquiry finding there was reasonable doubt over her convictions. Mr Folbigg gave evidence against his ex-wife at her trial and handed over several of her diaries to police, saying it was those documents that made him suspect her. He refused to provide a DNA sample to scientists examining genetic sequencing, and has not attended any further hearings or taken part in the latest inquiry. Mr Folbigg's solicitor Danny Eid said on Monday: 'He is the victim of this case'. Kathleen Folbigg's former husband Craig Folbigg, who gave evidence against her at her trial, has 'not changed his view' despite a new inquiry finding there was reasonable doubt over her convictions (Mr Folbigg is seen arriving to the NSW Coroners Court in April, 2019) Mr Folbigg refused to provide a DNA sample to scientists examining genetic sequencing, has not attended any further hearings or taken part in the latest inquiry (he is pictured with Kathleen Folbigg on their wedding day in 1987) 'He is frustrated and disappointed he has to endure yet another chapter,' Mr Eid told The Daily Telegraph. 'This is a man people say will heal over time. But with all this time the wounds continue to bleed for him.' Mr Eid said after losing four children in such tragic circumstances, closure was important for Mr Folbigg and his family. However, he said that after 20 years of enduring multiple attempts to overturn Ms Folbigg's conviction and several painful inquiries 'the wound can never heal'. It comes as the eye-watering sum paid to secure a tell-all TV interview with the woman dubbed Australia's worst serial child killer is revealed. Following a fierce bidding war, Seven Network has won out over Nine for the rights to the exclusive interview believed to have cost more than $400,000. A source at the triumphant network told The Daily Telegraph the exclusive interview will be aired on Sunday evening current affairs show, 7News Spotlight. On Monday morning, Ms Folbigg was reunited with her nearest and dearest after spending two decades in jail. The 55-year-old was driven out of Grafton prison in northern New South Wales to her friend Tracy Chapman's home near Coffs Harbour. The pair hugged tightly, laughing and crying. 'I am so elated, it is not funny. And I am nervous and I am everything. I'm still like 'is this even happening? Oh my God,' Ms Folbigg said. Ms Chapman said Ms Folbigg asked for a Kahlua and coke, her first alcoholic beverage in over 20 years, alongside a dinner of pizza and garlic bread. Up to a dozen people gathered at her home to celebrate Ms Folbigg's release. Kathleen Folbigg was driven out of Grafton prison in northern New South Wales to her friend Tracy Chapman's home near Coffs Harbour (the pair are seen shortly after their reunion) 'For the first time I'm kind of lost for words. It's been like 20 years and it's been a very hard, long slog and it's quite surreal this morning,' she said. 'Neither of us could actually believe it. It was all a bit surreal yesterday. I think she is just running on adrenaline, she so grateful to be surrounded by her friends and family and her beloved legal team. 'We are so grateful she is here but she is just grateful. She actually said to me this morning "My face muscles hurt from smiling so much".' Ms Chapman said her longtime friend had been 'bamboozled' by advancements in technology over the last two decades, especially iPhones and the TV. She said the former inmate was appreciating the little things like decent tea, real milk, good crockery and a comfortable bed. Ms Chapman said her friend was enjoying listening to the birds, feeling the grass under her feet and petting the guinea pigs and horses at her property. She said her friend 'probably wouldn't speak' to her ex-husband. 'I can't say at the moment because there's two parties involved in that transaction and I'm not sure the other party wishes to. She would, she is very personable. 'There is no hate in Kath's heart, she just wants to be able to live the life she missed for the last 20 years and move on.' NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley pardoned Ms Folbigg on Monday with the 55-year-old released from jail (she is pictured with long-time supporter Tracy Chapman) Ms Folbigg (pictured at an 2019 inquiry) was released after Tom Bathurst KC, who was tasked with leading an inquiry into her case, found there was reasonable doubt over her convictions She was released after Tom Bathurst KC, who was tasked with leading an inquiry into her case, found there was reasonable doubt over her convictions. Footage of her first few moments of freedom also showed her marvelling at being able to use a metal spoon to stir her tea - as she was not allowed one in prison. 'I can't thank everybody enough for all of the support, and all the hard work that has gone into reaching this moment,' Ms Folbigg said. 'I'm beyond happy, it's ridiculous. I'm in shock, so thank you.' Mr Bathurst's report said he held 'a firm view that there was reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms Folbigg for each of the offences for which she was originally tried'. The report said scientific advances showed there was a 'reasonable possibility three of the children died of natural causes' and that Mr Bathurst was 'unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children'. Folbigg was convicted in 2003 of killing Sarah, Laura, Caleb and Patrick over a ten year period 'In the case of Sarah and Laura Folbigg, there is a reasonable possibility a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R occasioned their deaths,' the findings said. In relation to the death of the fourth child, Mr Bathurst found 'the coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) Crown case falls away'. The former NSW chief justice also addressed what Ms Folbigg had written in her diary, which had previously been used against her. 'Evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them,' he found. The inquiry in February heard evidence from experts about scientific developments that could potentially prove some of her babies died of natural causes linked to a genetic mutation. This genetic mutation was not discovered by medical scientists until years after the deaths, and would not have been investigated at the time, the inquiry was told. A 2021 scientific report suggested at least the deaths of Laura, who died at 18 months, and her older sister Sarah, who previously died at 10 months, were linked to a rare genetic variant. During the inquiry, medical experts discussed the possibility that Laura and Sarah had the rare genetic mutations CALM2G114R, which is linked to long QT syndrome, a heart-signalling disorder that can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats or arrhythmias. Craig Folbigg is seen leaving the Supreme Court in Sydney today following the sentencing of his wife, Kathleen Folbigg ( Key points from inquiry There is a reasonable possibility that three of the children died of natural causes In the case of Sarah and Laura Folbigg, there is a reasonable possibility a genetic mutation known as CALM2-G114R caused their deaths Tom Bathurst KC was 'unable to accept the proposition that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children' In relation to the death of a fourth child, Mr Bathurst found 'the coincidence and tendency evidence which was central to the (2003) Crown case falls away' In relation to Ms Folbigg's diary entries, evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them Advertisement The inquiry was also told the girls' deaths might be linked to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a condition characterised by an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia. Professor Carola Vinuesa told the inquiry that she had contributed research on the rare mutation CALM2G114R and hypothesised that the four Folbigg children most likely died from some form of cardiac arrest that led to unexplained deaths. She told the inquiry that Sarah and Laura had this variant and the Folbigg boys also died from similar issues relating to the sudden unexplained deaths. However, the inquiry did hear from others who dismissed the genetic mutation theory. Cardiovascular genetics expert Dominic Abrams told the inquiry it was 'unlikely' Laura and Sarah died from the mutation and that there was a lack of evidence proving their exact cause of death. 'Whilst a cardiac arrhythmia related to the calmodulin variant cannot be definitely excluded, I believe the likelihood this was responsible for the deaths of Laura and Sarah is low,' he wrote in a report tendered to the inquiry. 'There is no compelling evidence to support any environmental triggers as clear factors that may have increased arrhythmia susceptibility.' Dr Matthew Orde told the inquiry he had analysed records of Laura's heart tissue, known as slides, to determine if myocarditis, commonly known as inflammation of the heart, had caused her death. He said the slides he assessed showed clear signs myocarditis was present and was the likely cause of death, but from a forensic pathologist's perspective, he would need to look at the 'big picture'. 'In my experience as a forensic expert, the extent of degree of inflammation in Laura's heart slides creates a very compelling contention for the cause of death,' Dr Orde said. 'All I'm trying to draw attention to is, on the basis on the slides, I see a potential cause of death, but I can't exclude other factors having contributed.' The inquiry was told both Patrick and Caleb most likely did not carry the same variant their sisters shared. Letters Kathleen Folbigg (above) is now a free woman thanks to new scientific evidence raising reasonable doubt about her conviction Their cause of death was more difficult to determine as neither boy shared any similarities other than their sudden unexplained deaths. An autopsy on Patrick found his cause of death to be an acute asphyxiating event resulting from an epileptic seizure. The inquiry was told Patrick had been taken to hospital on October 18, 1990, after his parents had found him struggling to breathe. The then four-month-old boy was also reportedly blue in colour when he was rushed to hospital. Neurologist and federal independent MP Monique Ryan told the inquiry that Patrick's sudden death could have been linked to a brain injury he suffered during this medical episode. Dr Ryan said it was most likely around October 1990 that Patrick had his first seizure. 'He had an uncontrolled epileptic seizure and more likely than not caused his death,' she told the inquiry. 'Sometimes when babies have seizures they can be relatively subtle, but they (the parents) would recognise the babies were having unusual events even if they didn't recognise them to be a seizure.' However, Dr Ryan said she questioned whether the seizures had brought on a brain injury linked to lack of oxygen that ultimately caused Patrick's death because of how quickly he initially recovered. 'The baby's eyes were open, he appeared awake, but he was less responsive than usual and the fact that he was only responsive to painful stimuli indicates how unresponsive he was,' Dr Ryan said. Folbigg is pictured with her child Laura KATHLEEN FOLBIGG: TIMELINE OF A KILLER June 14, 1967 - Kathleen Folbigg is born. January 8, 1969 - Folbigg's father, Thomas John Britton, murdered her mother by stabbing her 24 times. Folbigg was made a ward of the state and place into foster care. 1982 - Folbigg left school at the age of 18. 1987 - Folbigg married Craig Folbigg. February 1, 1989 - Caleb Folbigg is born. February 20, 1989 - Folbigg put Caleb to sleep in a room next to her bedroom. She later found him dead in his bed. June 3, 1990 - Patrick Folbigg is born. October 18, 1990 - Kathleen Folbigg put Patrick to bed before Craig woke to sounds of his wife screaming. Patrick was taken to hospital and diagnosed with epliepsy and blindness. February 18, 1991 - Folbigg called her husband at work to tell him Patrick had died, saying: 'It's happened again!' October 14, 1992 - Sarah Folbigg is born. August 29, 1993 - Sarah died. 1996 - The Folbiggs move from Maitland, New South Wales to Singleton in the Hunter Region. August 7, 1997 - Laura Folbigg was born. February 27, 1999 - Laura died. May 21, 2003 - Kathleen Folbigg was found guilty of murder and manslaughter and later sentenced to 40 years in prison. February 17, 2005 - Court reduces her sentence to 30 years with a non-parole period of 25 years. August 22, 2018 - NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman announced there would be an inquiry into Folbigg's convictions. April 29, 2019 - The inquiry begins in Lidcombe, Sydney. Advertisement 'If a baby's had a severe brain injury related to breathing problems for it to be severe enough I would have expected he wouldn't have recovered as quickly as he did.' Patrick had begun to respond to medical attention within 15 minutes of attending hospital on October 18, 1990, the inquiry was told. 'He was behaving more normally, which would be inconsistent with a severe hypoxic brain injury,' Dr Ryan said. 'The kidneys and the heart would show signs of hypoxic brain injury as well. 'The blood tests done initially which were limited were relatively benign. 'He wasn't sent to intensive care, which all argues against an acute severe hypoxic brain injury at that time.' She said while his seizure was a 'fairly significant one', Patrick didn't continue to display typical behaviour for a child with ongoing issues relating to the brain injury. Dr Ryan said this could be the result of a diagnosed genetic disorder scientists hadn't discovered yet. She said another possibility was Patrick's death could be related to 'stroke-like episodes', linked to energy failures within the brain. 'It was pretty clear something happened on the 18th of October which was fairly profound, before that date Patrick Folbigg was felt to be normal,' she said. 'He was not neurologically normal (after October 18) there has to have been some sort of brain injury at or around that time. 'I think it's more likely he had an underlying condition that manifested on that date.' The inquiry heard evidence from medical experts that genetic science was a fairly new field, with discoveries being made every day about new mutations. 'The fact a definitive abnormality wasn't found on Patrick's genetic testing does not to me indicate it wasn't a genetic disorder,' Dr Ryan told the inquiry. 'If he was born today and we did a whole genome sequencing and it was negative, we would just have to wait and see. We'd do it every five years. 'Unfortunately, he died without a definitive diagnosis. Unfortunately, these sorts of things happen.' Dr Ryan said she had patients under her care where she had made a diagnosis 'long after' their deaths. 'It's very often we don't have sufficient timeframes within a baby's life that we have time to make a sufficient diagnosis,' she said. The eldest of the four siblings, Caleb died at 19 days old in Newcastle, NSW. However, the inquiry was unable to determine the cause of his death. The Crown's case in 2003 had relied on circumstantial evidence after the four post-mortems failed to determine what caused the children's deaths. But prosecutors pursued the allegation, which ultimately turned into a conviction, that Ms Folbigg had smothered her four children, including Caleb. The NSW Attorney-General welcomed Ms Folbigg's release on Monday. 'The result today is confirmation that our judicial system is capable of delivering justice, and demonstrates that the rule of law is an important underpinning of our democratic system,' Mr Daley said. 'Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not feel sympathy for Kathleen and Craig Folbigg. 'I am glad that our legal system in NSW contains provisions that allow for the continual pursuit of truth and justice.' Tourists picked up an injured elk and drove it to rangers station at Yellowstone National Park over Memorial Day weekend, just two weeks after a bison calf had to be put down when a 'compassionate' parkgoer rescued it from drowning. Park officials say the park guests placed an elk in their car while driving on US Highway 191 and gave the newborn to the West Yellowstone, Montana, Police Department. It's unclear what happened next at the police station but the elk at some point ran away. The current condition of the elk is unknown. Yellowstone officials said the incident is under investigation. The incident comes after a string of recent incidents involving tourists coming dangerously close to wildlife at Yellowstone - taking reckless risks, such as attempting to take selfies and pet the wild animals. Last week, a Hawaii man pleaded guilty to intentionally disturbing wildlife, when he attempted to save a bison calf who appeared to be drowning in the same National Park. Tourists picked up an injured elk and drove it to rangers station at Yellowstone National Park over Memorial Day weekend. The elk ended up running away from the police station. Clifford Walters attempted to save a calf from drowning last month which resulted in the death of the animal. He was charged a $500 fine, a $500 community service payment to Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund, a $30 special assessment, and a $10 processing fee. Park rangers tried to reunite the calf from the incident weeks with the herd but their efforts were unsuccessful and the calf was then euthanized. Clifford Walters was charged a $500 fine, a $500 community service payment to Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund, a $30 special assessment, and a $10 processing fee. Last month in Yellowstone, a woman was caught on video standing next to a bison. The woman appeared to be taking a selfie, just inches away from the massive bison resting on the ground. 'Sighted at Biscuit Basin. She was trying to pet it. It was insane. Like inches. Her arrogance was so infuriating. People were telling her to move away and she kept posing for like 10 minutes,' reads the caption. A video showed another woman taking a selfie, just inches away from the massive beast in Yellowstone National Park A woman came dangerously close to being gored by a bison while attempting to pet a bison at Yellowstone National Park In another video from last month, a tourist could be seen extending her hand in an attempt to touch a bison seconds before the bison lunged forward, giving the impression that it is about to charge at the woman. In another video from last month, a tourist could be seen extending her hand in an attempt to touch a bison seconds before the bison lunged forward, giving the impression that it is about to charge at the woman. The woman quickly retreated in a panic, stumbling over herself in the process. The frightened screams of the group can be heard in the background. She fortunately walked away from the risky incident unscathed as the wild beast did not continue its pursuit. Yellowstone rangers warned visitors to stay away from wild animals at Yellowstone. Those who break the law face fines and jail time. 'The animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be,' said Ashton Hooker, a Public Affairs Officer at Yellowstone. 'The safest (and often best) view of wildlife is from inside a car,' he said. 'Always stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards (23 m) away from all other animals, including bison and elk.' Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal. Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans. Elon Musk has conceded Twitter's ad revenue halved 'overnight' and blamed US advertisers for 'trying to drive' the firm bankrupt over its free speech stance. His comments came hours after a report in The New York Times claimed the tech giant's ad revenue for the five weeks from April 1 until the first week of May was down 59 percent, around $125 million, from last year. Twitter's financial woes will be a focus for its new CEO Linda Yaccarino, who was publicly announced by Musk last month and whose first day on the job was brought forward two weeks to Monday. Yaccarino is the former head of advertising at NBCUniversal and will 'focus primarily on business operations', Musk said at the time, suggesting her main job will be to entice advertisers back after his turbulent reign. Advertising is a critical source of income for Twitter, and in 2021 it made up more than 90 percent of its total revenue. Elon Musk confirmed on Monday that Twitter's advertising revenue had halved 'overnight' hours after a report in the New York Times suggested in the US it was down 59 percent Musk's comments came on Monday, the first day for new CEO Linda Yaccarino, who has been hired to entice advertisers back to Twitter The report in the Times on Monday suggested that the company has internally forecast that revenues will remain down at least 56 percent each week this month, as compared with last year. 'The public does not realize the magnitude of the pressure, extreme financial pressure, that is placed upon organizations to toe the line by advertisers,' said Musk during a 'Twitter Spaces' meeting with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday. Kennedy Jr., the son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, recently entered the presidential race as a Republican candidate and described Musk as a free speech 'hero'. Despite being an underdog, on Sunday he was endorsed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, who also predicted he was going to win the Republican nomination. Musk has encouraged presidential candidates to engage with the public on Twitter in recent weeks after Ron DeSantis used it to launch his own presidential bid. 'Twitter has seen extreme pressure from advertisers and has at least in the West, seen an advertising boycott from a lot of companies,' said Musk during the conversation on Monday, and in response to comments about advertising from Kennedy Jr. 'I think this is a fundamental corruption of democracy. And the public should be absolutely outraged by this,' he went on. During a 'Twitter Spaces' meeting with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday Musk said 'the public does not realize the magnitude of the pressure, extreme financial pressure, that is placed upon organizations to toe the line by advertisers' Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently entered the presidential race as a Republican candidate and described Musk as a free speech 'hero' on Monday. He is pictured on June 5 Musk did however express thanks to companies that were remaining loyal to the platform despite the controversial free speech push, which Twitter's ad sales staff had told the Times led to a rise in pornography and hate speech. 'I would like to, for sure, thank those companies that have stuck with us like Apple and Disney and many others, but we have for North America and Europe seen roughly half of our advertising disappear overnight, simply because we insist on free speech,' he said. On Sunday Yaccarino welcomed a fellow former NBCUniversal employee Joe Benarroch to the team, writing: 'Welcome to the flock, @benarroch_joe! From one bird to the next. Let's get to work!' Benarroch was senior vice president of communications, advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal and worked at Meta. At Twitter, he will be focused on business operations. A Brooklyn rabbi and former Yeshiva school principal appeared in a New York court on Monday on charges of sexually assaulting two minor female relatives - after spending a decade on the run in Israel. Gershon Kranczer, 67, appeared before Judge Jill Konviser in Brooklyn Supreme Court in handcuffs belted to his waist. He did not speak during the brief hearing. The father of 14, who is married to his first cousin, is accused of molesting one of the girls from when she was eight in August 1996 to February 2003. A second girl was allegedly sexually abused from March 2001 to September 2002, when she was 11, Reuters reported. He was accused of sexual abuse along with three of his sons, including one aged 15. The boys are accused of having abused other female relatives. Gershon Kranczer, 67, is pictured in court on Monday in New York. He was initially accused in 2010, fled to Israel, and was on the run until his arrest by Israeli forces in January 2020 Kranczer was handcuffed on Monday, with the cuffs attached to a belt The father of 14 has been in jail since his extradition back to the United States in March 2021 Kranczer was founder and principal of the Yeshiva Tehila L'Dovid in Brooklyn - but resigned when the allegations emerged in 2010. He then fled to Israel with one of his sons, Asher, who is legally blind. Kranczer changed his name and went on the run, evading capture until January 2020, when Israeli authorities located and arrested him. He was extradited and appeared in Brooklyn Supreme Court in March 2021, charged with sexual conduct against a child, criminal sexual act and sexual abuse. He has been held in jail since then. Kranczer is pictured after he was formally charged in New York City in March 2021 The rabbi is seen in March 2021, on his extradition to the United States Jewish Community Watch, a watchdog organization that works to combat child sexual abuse within the Orthodox Jewish community, told Forward at the time of his arrest that the group was dismayed at how long it has taken to get justice. 'We have been shocked at the horrific, drawn-out process that the victims have been forced to endure, all the while facing denial and ambivalence from so many in their community,' Jewish Community Watch said in a statement. 'The authorities in both the U.S. and Israel have much to answer for, in allowing this case to drag on for so long.' Rural museum in E China's Jiangsu makes foreign industry insiders its fans People's Daily Online) 14:01, June 05, 2023 Chen Lyusheng talks about cultural relics to young visitors at the Chen Lyusheng Museum. (Photo/Yu Jiarong) "I'm quite impressed by the size and quality of the rural museum," said Sun Haoliang, principal of Xin Jin Shan Chinese Language and Culture School in Australia, during a visit to the Chen Lyusheng Museum, located in a village in Yangzhong city, east China's Jiangsu Province, on May 18. Sun said he will take students from his school to the museum so that they can feel the profound culture displayed at the museum. Cong Zhiyuan, a professor at William Paterson University in the U.S., and Zhang Yi, a Chinese-French artist, also carefully watched the exhibits at the museum while taking pictures of them to recommend the museum to their friends. Rainer Vollkommer, director of the Liechtenstein National Museum, is also a fan of the museum. About 10 days ago, he became an honorary curator of the rural museum. A video showing a foreign volunteer discussing four pieces of bamboo wares from China recently caught the widespread attention of Chinese museum fans. The four artifacts are exhibits preserved at the Chen Lyusheng Museum. Jointly established by Chen and the local government of Yangzhong in 2020, the museum has three areas, including a museum displaying more than 3,000 exquisite bamboo products, an art gallery displaying more nearly 100 works created by Chen since 1977, and a Han culture museum showcasing over 2,000 cultural relics of the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). Since it was opened free of charge on May 18, 2020, the museum has received more than 170,000 visits and over 1,200 tourist groups, and held nearly 100 study activities. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Hongyu) MBABANE The Government of Eswatini has distanced itself from the programme and list of organisations and individuals that the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SAEC) is meeting in the country. SADC is the Southern Africa Development Community. In a statement issued on Saturday, Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo said the programme, in terms of the organisations and individuals that the SADC Electoral Advisory Council was meeting in the country, remained unknown to government. Nxumalo said any insinuations that the government was involved in the drawing up of the SAEC programme was incorrect and tantamount to misleading the nation. This mission was not invited by the Government of Eswatini, said Nxumalo. Nxumalo issued the statement following concerns expressed by various quarters on the national structures in respect to the SADC Electoral Advisory Councils mission in Eswatini. The concerns were that the SAECs programme indicated intentions to meet political parties which were banned in the country. The concerns were raised by organisations like Mangololo Eswatini, who complained about the criteria used by the SAEC to select the organisations to meet, as it reflected political parties as key stakeholders in the elections. Mangololo raised concerns on why political parties were to be met by SAEC whereas they were not allowed to participate in the general elections, because in Eswatini people participate in the elections in their individual capacity. On Thursday, SAEC met with the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and the African United Democratic Party (AUDP). Delegation On Friday, the delegation met the different media houses and leaders of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFFSWA) among others. This week, the SAEC delegation, led by its Deputy Chairperson and former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, Advocate Notemba Tjipueja from the Republic of Namibia is set to meet other stakeholders, which include the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), civil society groups, leaders of different women organisations and trade unions. According to the draft programme, the SAEC delegation would also meet the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) and the Communist Party (CPS). The SAEC delegation would then be expected to finalise and adopt its report on Thursday and then leave the country on Friday. Migration is at the top of the political agenda. The Prime Minister has set his government a target of halving asylum claims. And there is talk of setting up migrant-processing centres outside Europe. Britain in 2023? No, Britain 20 years ago. Fast-forward two decades and on the face of it little has changed. The small-boats crisis in the Channel playing out under Rishi Sunak's leadership is, in many ways, a carbon copy of the situation that persisted in the Blairite era. But from other important perspectives, today's illegal immigration problem is even more intractable than it was 20 years ago. A key difference is that the migrants' arrival is much more visible. Rather than coming in by air, or entering clandestinely via the Channel Tunnel, the migrants' principal mode of transport is perilous inflatable dinghies, which either make high-profile landfalls on south coast beaches or are picked up mid-Channel by Border Force craft and towed into port. Migration is at the top of the political agenda. The Prime Minister has set his government a target of halving asylum claims. Britain in 2023? No, Britain 20 years ago Then there is the involvement of organised crime gangs. Unlike the early 2000s, traffickers' exploitation of desperate people is a key factor in driving up the numbers. The gangs drum up custom in places such as Albania, Iran and Afghanistan, their false promises flashing around the world in an instant via social media platforms such as Facebook which, let's not forget, came into widespread use only from 2006 onwards. Once migrants have arrived on British soil, it has become increasingly difficult to remove them as Labour's Human Rights Act, which came into force in the autumn of 2000, developed a life of its own. Over the years, the Act's original provisions have been supplemented by reams of case law established by endless tribunals populated by armies of immigration lawyers. Meanwhile, the European Court of Human Rights has become increasingly interventionist. In June last year, for example, the Strasbourg court was accused of exceeding its mandate when a single, anonymous judge blocked the British Government's inaugural Rwanda deportations flight. At various stages over the past two decades, the court has unilaterally re-engineered its controversial 'Rule 39' orders, the type of interim injunction that was used to halt the Rwanda flights. A paper for the Policy Exchange think-tank by Oxford University's professor of law and constitutional government Richard Ekins argues the practices surrounding Rule 39 were a 'shameful state of affairs'. Population growth and the UK's subsequent accommodation shortage has added another dimension to the crisis. There were an estimated 59 million people living in this country in 2001, according to the Census taken that year, but 20 years later the number was 67 million and rising. A key side-effect of this huge growth, in the context of migrants, is that the arrivals end up being placed in a hotel at the taxpayers' expense, rather than in more economical options such as self-catering flats. Housing migrants is currently costing 6 million a day. Finally, of course, Britain's relationship with continental Europe is radically different thanks to the historic Brexit vote. The French government, in particular, has been accused of stubbornly resisting agreements that could help resolve the crisis, although there were signs of thawing when Mr Sunak secured a 500 million deal in March to build a migrant detention centre on the Continent and hire more border guards. The PM will have to show a willingness to sign off some eye-wateringly large bills for extra detention space and other asylum accommodation Mr Sunak's speech on the dockside of Dover port yesterday was cautiously upbeat, as he insisted: 'Our plan is working.' There are, indeed, encouraging signs that tough-talking by successive home secretaries may be having a deterrent effect, with the number of small-boat crossings this year down by a fifth on the same period in 2022. However, Home Office insiders continue to hedge their bets, and point out that higher-than-usual wind speeds in the Channel last month may simply have delayed the spring upsurge in crossings. Meanwhile, the Government is engaged in a race against time to get the Illegal Migration Bill through Parliament without it being neutered by the Lords. And the Rwanda removals scheme remains stuck in legal limbo. A Court of Appeal ruling on its legality is due within weeks but there is a strong possibility of further legal challenges after that. The early 2000s asylum crisis was, eventually, resolved by a complex mix of international agreements and bureaucratic knuckling-down in order to clear backlogs. Mr Sunak can find a way to achieve the same result, if he deploys sheer pig-headedness and a laser-like focus on worthy-but-dull details such as asylum casework. The PM will also have to show a willingness to sign off some eye-wateringly large bills for extra detention space and other asylum accommodation. Only then will the Government stand a chance of bringing a spiralling crisis under control, a resolution, which for the sake of those risking their lives in the Channel and for the taxpayer cannot come soon enough. He's a man who clearly thinks that tough talking needs tough boots. Rishi Sunak sported a 150 pair of rugged Timberlands yesterday as he joined border force crews in Dover before giving a speech on his plan to stop small migrant boats. But the Prime Minister found his fashionably-distressed leather footwear, left, creating something of a stir on social media where he was mocked by critics. Rishi Sunak sported a 150 pair of rugged Timberlands yesterday as he joined border force crews in Dover The Prime Minister found his fashionably-distressed leather footwear, left, creating something of a stir on social media where he was mocked by critics One Twitter user posted: 'Stop the boots! Please, it's doesn't make you look like Zelenski (sic)'. Another said: 'Small boats, massive boots.' It is not the first time Mr Sunak has pushed the boat out on expensive footwear in July last year he was spotted wearing 490 Prada suede shoes to a building site. He has also come under fire for his 180 Bluetooth 'smart' coffee cup and a 95 pair of 'slider' slip-ons. House Republicans say that the FBI is violating a subpoena to turn over an alleged Biden 'bribery' document because the original informant's life could be in danger if they are 'unmasked' - despite the names being redacted. According to a 'highly credible' whistleblower, an internal FD-1023 memo created in 2020 based off information from a highly-paid FBI informant apparently details a $5 million 'arrangement' for an exchange of money for policy decisions between then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national. The leaders of the House Oversight Committee were granted access by the FBI Monday to view the redacted FD-1023 form in a secure facility within the Capitol. But it did not satisfy Republicans who are moving forward with contempt of Congress charges against FBI Director Chris Wray for failing to turn over the document in its entirety. Following a committee meeting Monday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told DailyMail.com that the Biden whistleblower in the alleged bribery scheme is now afraid 'someone could kill them if someone found out who they are' for bringing potentially damaging info to light about Joe Biden when he was vice president. As a result Greene said the whistleblower now 'fears for their own life because of our government.' According to a 'highly credible' whistleblower, an internal FD-1023 memo created in 2020 based off information from a highly-paid FBI informant apparently details a $5 million 'arrangement' for an exchange of money for policy decisions between then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told DailyMail.com that the Biden whistleblower in the alleged bribery scheme is now afraid 'someone could kill them' She also told DailyMail.com that the foreign nation involved in the $5 million money exchange was Ukraine, and that it happened seven years ago. Greene said it's 'purely political' that the FBI isn't handing over the document to their lawmakers - which has the names of the informant and whistleblower redacted to protect their identities. 'And their excuse, which we find to be completely false, is the FBI is claiming it is to protect their informants, even though the names are redacted,' Greene told DailyMail.com. Greene added that the FBI could take measures to protect the informant's life if they 'cared about doing the right thing.' She directly accused Wray of protecting Biden by failing to hand over the document, which shows how 'deeply political' the Department of Justice is. The Georgia congresswoman added that it is necessary to move forward with contempt charges against Wray because the information contained in the document is 'so damaging and so dangerous to our national security' that Americans need the facts. 'The unclassified document should be in our hands right now.' Rep. Anna Paulina Luna also said Monday that the FBI is afraid the informant would be 'killed' if their identity is revealed. 'Just left meeting for House Oversight. The FBI is afraid their informant will be killed if unmasked, based on the info he has brought forward about the Biden family,' she stated in a tweet. The Republicans issued a subpoena for the FD-1023 form last month and FBI Director Chris Wray was given a hard deadline of May 30 to hand over the unclassified document, which he did not comply with. After reviewing the document Monday, Comer told reporters the accusations contained in the form 'suggests a pattern of bribery' consistent with findings the committee has put out publicly. It's called 'money laundering,' he said, saying it fits within the pattern of over $1 million in Romanian-linked payments to the Biden family revealed last month. In early May, Republicans released a report digging in on over $10 million received by Biden family members from foreign actors, including previously undisclosed $1 million in Romanian-linked payments, and a 'web' of 20 companies created while President Joe Biden was vice president and pushing anti-corruption efforts abroad. He also said the FBI record was 'not disproven' and is currently being used in an ongoing investigation that is being conducted by the Department of Justice in Delaware into Hunter Biden's finances. The 'confidential human source' is a 'trusted, highly credible informant' who has been used by the FBI for over 10 years and has been paid over six figures, continued Comer. The chairman added that contempt proceedings will begin this Thursday. 'At the briefing, the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee, and we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday.' 'The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the committee's request, including by producing the document in a reading room at the U.S. Capitol,' the FBI said in a statement to DailyMail.com Monday. 'This commonsense safeguard is often employed in response to congressional requests and in court proceedings to protect important concerns, such as the physical safety of sources and the integrity of investigations. The escalation to a contempt vote under these circumstances is unwarranted.' Last week, Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, spoke with Wray by phone and the FBI director offered to let them and Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., view the documents at the FBI headquarters in an attempt to stave off the contempt threat. Comer also informed Wray that he was also narrowing the breadth of the subpoena for the document by providing two additional terms that may be referenced in the record: 'June 30, 2020' and 'five million.' Raskin blasted the Republicans' handling of the document in a reporter gaggle following Monday's briefing, calling it 'second-hand hearsay.' He said former U.S. Attorney Scott Brady for the Western District of Pennsylvania and then-Attorney General Bill Barr did not find any reason to escalate the investigation into all 'allegations related to Ukraine' that were first based on documents handed over to the DOJ by Rudy Giuliani in 2020. 'I am just surprised that my colleagues want to try to litigate this in public, much less hold the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in contempt for complying with the request when there was a whole process that was undertaken, and that process came to its natural end as I understand it,' Raskin said. He would not directly confirm that the foreign national alleged in the memo being sought by Republicans is from Ukraine. Raskin did agree with his Republican colleagues that the whistleblower is considered 'credible.' The White House has also pushed back, calling the Republican-led investigation 'unfounded' and 'politically motivated.' Last week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy backed up Comer's contempt threat - saying he is 'prepared' to move forward with the charge. 'We have jurisdiction over the FBI, which they seem to act like we do not,' said McCarthy. The FBI's latest stonewalling also comes after a second IRS whistleblower came forward, claiming he was sidelined from the Hunter Biden probe when he spoke up about the president's son getting preferential treatment. The case agent, who has not been identified, says he was fired recently without any explanation after working on the Hunter Biden investigation since 2018, according to documents sent to congressional leaders obtained by DailyMail.com. Just left meeting for House Oversight. The @FBI is afraid their informant will be killed if unmasked, based on the info he has brought forward about the Biden family. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) June 5, 2023 FBI Director Chris Wray has until May 30 to hand over the document to congressional Republicans 'The information provided by a whistleblower raises concerns that then-Vice President Biden allegedly engaged in a bribery scheme with a foreign national,' Comer said This is the second whistleblower to come forward in recent days on the matter. According to documents, he informed Congress last week about backlash he suffered for acting as a whistleblower and alleged unfair retaliatory treatment. He sent an email in recent weeks to senior IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and several other officials alleging that he was ousted for raising concerns that the Department of Justice was 'acting inappropriately' in its handling of the investigation into the president's son. His complaint comes days after the Department of Justice removed the entire team probing Hunter Biden's tax returns, according to attorneys representing an initial supervisory whistleblower - Gary Shapley. Shapley testified before the GOP-led Ways and Means Committee for six hours and answered all questions from both Republicans and Democrats, DailyMail.com learned. A government bid to block the release of Boris Johnson's Covid messages could be abandoned, amid Tory warnings that it will backfire. Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin told MPs that ministers were in discussions with the head of the Covid Inquiry in a bid to avoid a damaging courtroom showdown at the end of this month. Ministers confirmed last week they were seeking a judicial review after missing Baroness Hallett's Thursday deadline for handing over the information ahead of the opening of the inquiry next week. Mr Quin said the hearing was being 'expedited' and was likely to be held on June 30. But he acknowledged it could delay the inquiry, adding: 'If there is a way of solving this without going to the courts that would obviously be welcome.' Mr Johnson has vowed to send all his messages to the inquiry, circumventing the Cabinet Office Mr Johnson has vowed to send all his messages to the inquiry, circumventing the Cabinet Office. In the Commons yesterday, Tory MPs lined up to warn the Government against pressing ahead with legal action. Former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland said the Government was almost certain to lose its battle with Baroness Hallett, a former appeal court judge. 'The courts will be very reluctant to get involved in second guessing the decision by Baroness Hallett,' he added. 'They are going to have to decide she has got things very wrong indeed before they wish to intervene.' Addressing Mr Quin, he added: 'It begs the question to use the old wartime adage, ''is your journey really necessary?'' Mr Quin said the row did not undermine the Government's confidence in the inquiry. Former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland said the Government was almost certain to lose its battle with Baroness Hallett, a former appeal court judge 'The Government fully supports the vital work of the inquiry as it seeks to establish the facts and lessons to be learned from the response to the pandemic,' he said. 'It is right that the inquiry into Covid-19 handling in the UK is comprehensive and rigorous.' But he said it was right to contest the 'principle' that the Government should be able to withhold material that was 'unambiguously irrelevant' to the inquiry, such as personal messages and those relating to other areas of government. Tory grandee Sir Edward Leigh urged the Government to 'let everything hang out', adding: 'Let them have what they want and let's get to the truth.' William Wragg, Conservative chairman of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee, said it was for Baroness Hallett to 'determine' what was relevant to her inquiry. He was previously the co-ordinator of Extinction Rebellion's legal strategy team The climate tsar who partly inspired Labour's 28billion green investment plans previously carried out legal work for Extinction Rebellion, it has emerged. Tobias Garnett was hired as a political adviser and now works for Labour climate change spokesman Ed Miliband. But the lawyer's past work included a stint as co-ordinator of Extinction Rebellion's legal strategy team. Weeks before he was taken on by Labour in 2020, Mr Garnett defended the protest group's right to blockade areas around Parliament, reported The Sun. After winning a High Court challenge which allowed the activists to continue their disruptive demonstrations, he said he was 'delighted'. Tobias Garnett was hired as a political adviser and now works for Labour climate change spokesman Ed Miliband (pictured) Last night Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson (pictured) said it was 'no surprise' that Labour 'has recruited another pro-disruption advisor' after it emerged that Just Stop Oil backer Dale Vince has donated 1.5million to the party Last night Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson said it was 'no surprise' that Labour 'has recruited another pro-disruption advisor' after it emerged that Just Stop Oil backer Dale Vince has donated 1.5million to the party. He added: 'This is anarchy in the making and will not end well.' Sir Iain Duncan Smith told City AM: 'Somebody who is so obviously intent on a particular purpose, which includes deliberately interfering into people's daily livelihoods, is surely not fit for advising a national political party.' Prince Andrew is facing fresh questions over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein after emails emerged suggesting he 'lied' about it in his BBC Newsnight interview. A message written by the late billionaire paedophile and released as part of a court case in the US shows he was presenting Andrew, 63, as a potential investor in 2011, despite the royal claiming to have ended all contact in 2010. Epstein's victims last night called on the prince to speak to the FBI, which he has so far refused to do. It is not known if Andrew - who was seen riding in Windsor today - knew Epstein had mentioned him in the email exchange. The victims' representative, US attorney Spencer Kuvin, told the Mirror: 'It appears that either Epstein was highly overselling his relationship with Prince Andrew or that the duke may not have been entirely truthful about when his friendship ended.' One victim, who was awarded compensation under the Epstein victims' compensation program, said: 'The emails raise serious questions. Why would Jeffrey be lauding him as an investor if he was no longer in contact?' Prince Andrew driving his Range Rover in Windsor Great Park this morning Andrew said he cut contact with Jeffrey Epstein after visiting him in New York in December 2010 An email written by Epstein to JP Morgan on August 31, 2011, suggested Andrew as a possible investment partner because 'he is now allowed to make money'. It was revealed as part of a lawsuit against the bank by the US Virgin Islands which claims it was 'complicit in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein'. In a counterclaim, JP Morgan accuses the territory's officials of taking money and favours from Epstein in return for turning a blind eye as he abused women on the island. READ MORE - Prince Andrew has 'no plans' to move out of his Royal Lodge home Advertisement Speaking to the BBC's Emily Maitlis in 2019, Andrew said he cut contact with Epstein after visiting him in New York in December 2010. Asked 'Did you see him or speak to him again?' The duke said: 'No.' Epstein served almost 13 months in jail in 2008 after he was convicted of procuring a child for prostitution and sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. But Prince Andrew continued his friendship with the offender after he was released. In 2019 he told the BBC that his relationship with Epstein and the opportunities he had been given were 'very useful' and said he didn't recall the photo where he is seen with his arm around Virginia Roberts - now known as Virginia Giuffre - 'ever having been taken'. Jeffrey Epstein took his own life while in jail in 2019. Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell - who was also a friend of Andrew's and appears in the background of the photo of him and Ms Giuffre - is serving 20 years in prison for sex trafficking. The palace declined to comment today. MailOnline has contacted JP Morgan and the US Virgin Islands. An email written by Epstein to JP Morgan on August 31, 2011, suggested Andrew - seen today - as a possible investment partner because 'he is now allowed to make money' Asked by Emily Maitlis 'Did you see [Epstein] or speak to him again?' The duke said: 'No' It follows reports the royal faces being forced out of his Royal Lodge home by his brother, King Charles. The monarch is said to have told him to leave the 98-acre property - his home of more than 20 years. But he reportedly intends to honour the lease he signed in 2003 by refusing to move out of the 30million mansion, and is determined to see out the rest of his 75-year lease. A friend told the Mail on Sunday that Andrew is feeling down and 'refusing to budge' from the property, which is believed to have been set aside for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children. The scientists report the discovery of its church - possibly measuring 130 feet The German settlement of Rungholt has been called the For more than half a century, academics wondered if the German town of Rungholt was a 'mythical' but fictional settlement much like Atlantis. Now, researchers have shown that the medieval trading port really did exist, by locating the remains of its main church under the North Sea. The experts used magnetic techniques to find the 130-foot under mudflats at North Frisia, the historic region off Germany's north coast near the border with Denmark. The astonishing discovery comes more than 660 years after the town sank in 1362, hit by a storm that the town's man-made defences failed to keep at bay. As Christian legend goes, the town was sent the destructive weather by God as a punishment for the sins of its inhabitants, thousands of whom died. Lost since 1362: Researchers discover the church of a sunken medieval trading place. Pictured, a metal frame allows archaeological excavations of one square metre in the mud flats during low tide Present-day map of the region: Rungholt was in North Frisia, the historic region of north Germany made up of islands and peninsulas, close to the border with Denmark The discovery was announced by experts at Kiel University, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, the Center for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, and the State Archaeology Department Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. What was Rungholt? Rungholt was a trading town in North Frisia, the historic region of north Germany. The wealthy settlement sank due to a storm surge in January 1362, thought to have killed up to 25,000 people. As legend goes, the town was hit by the storm as a punishment from God due to the sins of its inhabitants. Researchers have now announced that the church of the sunken medieval trading place has been found, 660 years after it sank. Advertisement The team told MailOnline that the discovery of the church was made just four weeks ago and as such has not been described in a research journal yet although it's unclear what state of preservation the church is in after 660 years. 'The find thus joins the ranks of the large churches of North Frisia,' said Dr Bente Sven Majchczack, archaeologist at Kiel University. Although known for its 'mythically exaggerated destruction' at the hands of a storm, it's been widely accepted that Rungholt was not just a local legend although some have classed it as akin to Atlantis. Rungholt has long been referred to as the 'Atlantis of the North Sea', in reference to the alleged ancient city said to have been destroyed and submerged under the Atlantic Ocean. But unlike Rungholt, scientists are generally in agreement that Atlantis is a myth, made up by Greek philosopher Plato 2,300 years ago. According to studies, Rungholt was a rich town due to its port status, which likely facilitated trade and overseas connections. But because of the great wealth, its people became proud and frivolous and lived a life of sin; one group of locals even got a pig drunk before forcing a priest to give it last rites. At the time of the sinking, North Frisia had a very concentrated population of islands, but many of these went underwater after a few hundred years To find Rungholt, the researchers used a combination of geoscientific and archaeological methods to locate the church, including magnetic gradiometry To find Rungholt, the researchers used a combination of geoscientific and archaeological methods to locate the church, including magnetic gradiometry. Unravelling the mystery of Atlantis - READ MORE The story about the world of Atlantis was first told 2,300 years ago by the Greek philosopher Plato Advertisement This technique which involves handheld magnets and relies on Earth's magnetic field allows the mapping of archaeological objects that are submerged beneath soil or mud. The team's techniques registered a previously unknown 1.2-mile-long chain of medieval terps artificial mounds intended as safe grounds during storms. One of these terps shows structures that can 'undoubtedly' be interpreted as the foundations of a church between 50 and 130 feet in size, they claim. Overall, discoveries in the area include 54 terps, drainage systems, a sea dike with a tidal gate harbour and two sites of smaller churches, as well as the large church. 'The special feature of the find lies in the significance of the church as the centre of a settlement structure, which in its size must be interpreted as a parish with superordinate function,' said Dr Ruth Blankenfeldt, archaeologist at the Center for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology. Core samples and excavations of the mudflats which were taken at the location could provide further insights into the structure and foundations of the sacred building. Overall, discoveries in the area include 54 terps, drainage systems, a sea dike with a tidal gate harbour and two sites of smaller churches, as well as the large church. Pictured, a sketch illustrating the main features of the coastal environment connected to the medieval dyke Core samples and excavations of the mudflats could provide further insights into the structure and foundations of the sacred building There have already been archaeological objects found around tidal flats of the nearby island of Sudfall, including imported goods from the Rhineland, Flanders and even Spain. These goods which were likely in Rungholt when the town sank include pottery, metal vessels, metal ornaments and weapons, but the new evidence provide more solid evidence of the town's existence. Now Rungholt has been found, the experts are concerned about the difficulties of preserving the site, which is threatened by erosion. 'Around Hallig Sudfall and in other mudflats, the medieval settlement remains are already heavily eroded and often only detectable as negative imprints,' said Dr Hanna Hadler at the Institute of Geography at Mainz University. 'This is also very evident around the church's location, so we urgently need to intensify research here.' Further research could provide scientific evidence about the town's other buildings and proportions, as well as the life of Rungholt's inhabitants before they were killed. The founder of animal rights group Peta has included a grisly request in her will for part of her body to be sent to King Charles after she dies. Never a stranger to controversy, animal rights extremist Ingrid Newkirk has long said she will have her flesh fried in a human barbecue after death, to persuade people against eating meat. Now, aged 73, she has updated her will with grisly instructions to send part of her neck to the monarch if he fails to cut ties with pigeon-racing. The necks of 'losing' birds are often wrung after they return. After animal rights activists tried to halt the Grand National in April, Ms Newkirk has asked for one of her legs to be removed from her dead body, broken and sent to Aintree, to draw attention to animals which have been injured while racing. She wants her windpipe sent to dog show Crufts, as she says they promote the breeding of flat-faced dogs such as bulldogs and pugs, which struggle to breathe. Never a stranger to controversy, animal rights extremist Ingrid Newkirk has long said she will have her flesh fried in a human barbecue after death, to persuade people against eating meat Don't call your pet a pet: Animal rights charity chief says term is derogatory - READ MORE Petahas long called for owners to be renamed 'human carers' or guardians Advertisement A portion of her heart is bequeathed to Elon Musk, who she says must not have one due to 'cruel' experiments on animals to develop his mind-reading Neuralink brain implant. Ms Newkirk, who has filed the instructions with the lawyer who will be her executor, said: 'On his deathbed, they asked Bob Hope where he wanted to be buried and he apparently replied, "surprise me". 'In my case, when I die, I hope to keep on surprising those who harm animals, provoking conversation about speciesism, and campaigning against animal abuse.' Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, said: 'Of course this is a grotesque publicity stunt designed to erode the distinction between humans and animals. 'However there is a dark side to a stunt that treats human body parts as if they are disposable garbage - its aim is to animalise humans and humanise animals.' Ms Newkirk has previously hitched herself to a horse-drawn carriage. Her will states that her skin should be made into purses and other leather products to raise awareness of animals being used this way. She has said that some of her skin will also be sent to the Ministry of Defence, to protest against real bear skin hats being worn by the King's Guards when fake-fur versions are available. This comes despite King Charles's love of animals, which saw him mandate that his chefs should not buy foie gras. He has reportedly also banned it at Buckingham Palace also. Ms Newkirk's will states that part of her neck is to be sent to King Charles if he fails to cut ties with pigeon-racing, where the necks of 'losing' birds are often wrung after they return Foie gras, known as 'torture in a tin', is the liver of a goose or duck which has been fattened by force-feeding them. Ms Newkirk has bequeathed her intestines to chef Nusret Gokce, also known as Salt Bae, to use as sausage casings in his restaurants, and an ear to the king of Spain in protest against bullfighting, in which the matador often cuts off the bull's ears as a trophy. Her hair will be made into brushes and sent to Truefitt & Hill, the barber shop whose badger hair brushes are sold in Harrods. Bill Lambert, a spokesman for Crufts, said: 'Whilst we are deeply concerned about the welfare of some flat-faced dogs, and have developed a breathing assessment with the University of Cambridge to protect and improve their health which is offered for free at Crufts, we don't believe shock tactics and gruesome stunts like those outlined by Peta will help to resolve irresponsible buying and breeding, or result in any positive change for these popular dogs.' A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: 'Bears are not hunted to order for the MOD. Instead, the bear pelts used are a product of legal and licensed hunts, sourced exclusively from the regulated Canadian market.' Buckingham Palace declined to comment. Microsoft bosses are slated to meet with Jeremy Hunt this week as Britain attempts to stop the company from purchasing the publisher of Call of Duty. The tech firm launched a bid to acquire video game Activision Blizzard, but British antitrust regulators have blocked the roughly 55billion ($69billion) purchase. If Microsoft moves forward with the purchase, gamers in the UK would be unable to purchase or download any titles from the Activision catalogue, including COD, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and Candy Crush. Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, has arranged to meet with the Chancellor this week to discuss the proposal, as well as the 'potential of AI' and the 'need for thoughtful regulation of it', a spokesperson has said. Analysts predict the Government and Microsoft will reach an agreement before 'extreme measures', like prohibiting access to Activision games, take place. Microsoft bosses are slated to meet with Jeremy Hunt (pictured in November) this week as Britain attempts to stop the company from purchasing the publisher of Call of Duty The tech firm launched a bid to acquire video game Activision Blizzard, but British antitrust regulators have blocked the roughly 55billion purchase. Activision made several popular titles including Call of Duty (pictured), World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and Candy Crush The all-cash Activision deal has been scrutinised by regulators over fears that it would give Microsoft and its Xbox console control of hit gaming franchises. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) - the UK's watchdog - has voiced concerns over how the deal would affect cloud gaming, which streams to tablets, phones and other devices and frees players from buying expensive consoles and gaming computers. The CMA announced its decision to block the deal in February, which Mr Smith said was the 'darkest day' Microsoft had experienced in its entire 40 years of working in Britain. Now, he has moved to hold private discussions with Mr Hunt in an apparent bid to reach some common ground. A Microsoft spokesperson told MailOnline on Tuesday: 'Brad Smith will be in London for a scheduled talk about the potential of AI and the need for thoughtful regulation of it. 'He will also hold private discussions on other issues, including the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard as we remain committed to finding creative and constructive ways to address remaining regulatory concerns.' Meanwhile, an open hearing to appeal the CMA's ruling is scheduled for late next month. It is understood that Microsoft began working on its rebuttal as soon as the decision was announced. MailOnline has approached Microsoft for comment. Amanda Holden left listeners in stitches as she presented her Heart Breakfast show hungover with only two hours sleep on Monday. The TV personality, 52, arrived at the studio wearing a high-vis jacket straight after the Britain's Got Talent final afterparty, following Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn's win. She insisted she felt 'fresh' but burst into laughter, begging co-host Jamie Theakston 'where's the coffee?' Amanda started the show by saying: 'I am fresh that's all. Well maybe fresh' Jamie added: 'When I say fresh, that's two hours sleeping' 'Where's the coffee?': Amanda Holden left listeners in stitches as she presented her Heart Breakfast show hungover with only two hours sleep on Monday A giggling Amanda replied: 'Ahh, yes! Oh dear' Jamie asked: 'Is there anymore high vis under that or is it just the one?' Amanda quipped: 'Where's the coffee?' before adding: 'I'm in high-vis this morning I should say. 'I've had two hours sleep but I'm in my high-vis because I thought it was relevant because obviously Viggo was our winner.' Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn was crowned the winner of Britain's Got Talent 2023. Dancer Lilliana Clifton, 13, and 14-year-old magician Cillian O'Connor placed in second and third respectively - but missed out on the title. Viggo scooped the 250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance. However, audience members appeared to boo Viggo, while social media erupted as viewers claimed the talent show was fixed. After technical issues and a series of switch-offs during Saturday evening's Britain's Got Talent semi-final, ITV could be forgiven for crossing fingers and toes as the grand final of their long-running flagship kicked off on Sunday evening. Celebrating: The TV personality, 52, arrived wearing a high-vis jacket straight after the Britain's Got Talent final afterparty Funny: She insisted she felt 'fresh' but burst into laughter, begging co-host Jamie Theakston 'where's the coffee?' Congrats: Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn was crowned the winner of Britain's Got Talent 2023 33-year-old Viggo not only donned his now-iconic hi-vis vest but forced head judge Simon Cowell into wearing a matching one as rose petals were thrown over the pair Judge Alesha Dixon told him: 'You've captivated the nation, they love you.' Bruno Tonioli added: 'I think your physical comedy is world-class, you have created one of the most memorable characters since Mr Bean.' And Simon was full of praise for the funnyman, telling him: 'At least you didn't make me look stupid tonight. I have never ever met an act like you in my life, I will admit it, I really really love you now.' Viggo called back to his original audition at the end of his performance, stripping off his jacket to Daft Punk's 'One More Time' to reveal another hi-vis vest. And when asked why he has so many of the jackets, he told co-host Declan Donnelly: 'I wear so many high-vis because it's really cold in Norway.' Before the show aired, Simon explained how he hoped the programme would help the contestants build better lives for themselves. He said: 'I think you've got two things, you want to make a show which people hopefully will enjoy watching. One more time: Viggo scooped the 250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance Grand final: The winner of BGT 2023 posed alongside hosts Ant and Dec, as well as judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Viggo Venn, Bruno Toniol, Simon Cowell 'And secondly, you want to give whoever it is that opportunity, hopefully, for things to get better in their lives after they've auditioned. I think where things have changed a lot from where we first started is it always used to be about the end prize.' While many took to social media to praise Viggo for his win, some criticised him online, with one penning: 'Nothing irritates me more than when complete JOKE ACT wins a competition' Another wrote: 'This man wore a hi-vis on a talent show and came away with 250k. Fair play' A third added: 'Audience are rightfully booing. Viggo Venn has zero talent. I hate the British public' MANZINI - South Africas ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) is in a move to honour its freedom fighters who were killed in Eswatini during the apartheid era. According to sources close to the matter, during the apartheid era in South Africa, some of the ANCs freedom fighters, included those who were members of the umkhonto wesizwe, fled the neighbouring country and hid in the Kingdom of Eswatini. They said others were killed and allegedly buried in the country. Now, they said the ANC want to build monuments at the locations where their freedom fighters were killed and supposedly exhume their remains and take them to South Africa, where they would be given dignified funerals. Umkhonto wesizwe, was a paramilitary wing of the ANC and it was founded in June 1961, in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. Its mission was to fight against the South African government of that time and it carried a number of attacks on the administration of the neighbouring country. They purported that during the apartheid war, a number of the ANC freedom fighters went to self-exile in foreign countries and some of them hid in the Kingdom of Eswatini. They alleged that they were housed in various residences in Mbabane, Matsapha, Luyengo and Ngwane Park, to mention, a few. They alleged that the rentals for the residences, some of which were government houses, were paid for by the ANC. Regarding the government houses, the sources alleged that they rented from civil servants who occupied. They alleged that the civil servants purportedly received fortunes for the houses. Later on, in particular after the demise of King Sobhuza III in 1982 and before the installation of King Mswati III, the government of South Africa of that time allegedly made arrangements to supposedly bring to book the ANC freedom fighters who had fled their country after purportedly carrying out some attacks on their government. They said most of the incidents took place in March 1984 and some of them were widely reported by some of the local dailies. Shootout However, they alleged that there was a purported shootout between members of the State security organs, in particular the Paramilitary Unit (PMU), which is now known as the Operational Support Services Unit (OSSU) and the ANC freedom fighters. The shootout resulted in the death of a number of the ANC freedom fighters. The sources also notified this publication that about a fortnight ago, a team from the ANC visited the country and engaged government regarding the matter. They said in their engagement, the visitors purportedly sought governments assistance, in particular the police service, in locating the structures where their freedom fighters died. According to the sources, the team from ANC told the administration that they wanted to build something like monuments at the houses where some of their freedom fighters died, mainly in March 1983. They highlighted that the PMU, which was allegedly involved in the operations, was the same unit that introduced the camouflage uniform in the police service. The sources revealed that during their visit in the country, the team from the South African political party worked with some senior law enforcers. They claimed that they visited some of the houses where the said ANC freedom fighters were allegedly shot dead, including Mobeni flats in Matsapha and they took pictures. They also went to the Eswatini National Archives, where they searched for articles which were published by the local dailies about the ANC freedom fighters who were purportedly killed in the country. Again, they also took pictures and photocopied the news articles, the source said. Reverend Hanson Ngwenya, who is a former reporter of this publication, confirmed that he was one of the reporters who wrote articles about the so-called onslaught, which took place in 1984. He also confirmed that in the past two weeks, he received a call from some senior police officers who asked to meet him. He said when he asked what the meeting was about, he was told him that they wanted to talk to about some of the articles he wrote about the ANC members, who were purportedly killed in the country. However, he said they finally met on Wednesday May 31, 2023. He asked not to divulge what was discussed as per the agreement with the senior law enforcers. According to a source close to the matter, the police asked to meet Reverend Ngwenya because one of the stories he wrote, was about some ANC freedom fighters who were killed during an alleged shootout with the PMU at Dalrich in Mbabane in March 1984. The source added that the main reason the police wanted to meet with Ngwenya was they wanted him to show them the house where the incident took place. Again, the source said the reverend led the police to the house in question at Dalrich. He highlighted that the house, which is believed to be a three-bedroom structure, was allegedly a government house and it was found unoccupied. It is believed that the police wanted to know the house because they need to identify it for the ANC people, the source said. Meanwhile, Chief Police Information and Communication Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati referred this publication to the ANC. Talk to ANC, she said. She clarified that her office dealt with policing issues that were officially written down. On the other hand, efforts of getting a comment from the ANC proved to futile as by the time of compiling this report, they had not responded to questions which were sent to its press office on Friday. It is worth noting that around 2010, this publication published an article which was to the effect that the Freedom Park in South Africa sent a team of traditional healers to the country and they were tasked with collecting the spirits of the freedom fighters who were purportedly killed in Eswatini and take them to the neighbouring country purportedly to rest in peace. Hungover Amanda Holden looked very relieved to have finished her radio stint on Monday after admitting she had only had two hours sleep. The Britain's Got Talent judge, 52, had been celebrating the final of the show and was still wearing winner Viggo Venn's high-vis jacket when she departed Heart FM. She looked jubilant as she prepared to head back home to bed after seriously letting her hair down the night before. Naturally, she was still wearing dark sunglasses after partying up a storm but still managed to look incredible wearing a black dress, heels and a leather jacket. Her hair was perfectly coiffed as she walked back to her car and no doubt prepared to get back into bed. Thank goodness! Hungover Amanda Holden wore BGT winner Viggo Venn's high-vis jacket as she left radio studios on Monday after having only had two hours sleep following the final How does she do it? Despite her wild night out, Amanda looked incredible in an all-black ensemble and killer heels Amanda had earlier left listeners in stitches as she presented her Heart Breakfast show, following Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn's win. She insisted she felt 'fresh' but burst into laughter, begging co-host Jamie Theakston 'where's the coffee?' Amanda started the show by saying: 'I am fresh that's all. Well maybe fresh' Jamie added: 'When I say fresh, that's two hours sleeping' A giggling Amanda replied: 'Ahh, yes! Oh dear' Jamie asked: 'Is there anymore high vis under that or is it just the one?' Amanda quipped: 'Where's the coffee?' before adding: 'I'm in high-vis this morning I should say. 'I've had two hours sleep but I'm in my high-vis because I thought it was relevant because obviously Viggo was our winner.' Dancer Lilliana Clifton, 13, and 14-year-old magician Cillian O'Connor placed in second and third respectively - but missed out on the title. 'Where's the coffee?': Amanda left listeners in stitches during the show as she presented her Heart Breakfast show not feeling as fresh as usual Viggo scooped the 250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance. However, audience members appeared to boo Viggo, while social media erupted as viewers claimed the talent show was fixed. After technical issues and a series of switch-offs during Saturday evening's Britain's Got Talent semi-final, ITV could be forgiven for crossing fingers and toes as the grand final of their long-running flagship kicked off on Sunday evening. Celebrating: The TV personality, 52, arrived wearing a high-vis jacket straight after the Britain's Got Talent final afterparty Funny: She insisted she felt 'fresh' but burst into laughter, begging co-host Jamie Theakston 'where's the coffee?' Congrats: Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn was crowned the winner of Britain's Got Talent 2023 33-year-old Viggo not only donned his now-iconic hi-vis vest but forced head judge Simon Cowell into wearing a matching one as rose petals were thrown over the pair Judge Alesha Dixon told him: 'You've captivated the nation, they love you.' Bruno Tonioli added: 'I think your physical comedy is world-class, you have created one of the most memorable characters since Mr Bean.' And Simon was full of praise for the funnyman, telling him: 'At least you didn't make me look stupid tonight. I have never ever met an act like you in my life, I will admit it, I really really love you now.' Viggo called back to his original audition at the end of his performance, stripping off his jacket to Daft Punk's 'One More Time' to reveal another hi-vis vest. And when asked why he has so many of the jackets, he told co-host Declan Donnelly: 'I wear so many high-vis because it's really cold in Norway.' Before the show aired, Simon explained how he hoped the programme would help the contestants build better lives for themselves. He said: 'I think you've got two things, you want to make a show which people hopefully will enjoy watching. One more time: Viggo scooped the 250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance Grand final: The winner of BGT 2023 posed alongside hosts Ant and Dec, as well as judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Viggo Venn, Bruno Toniol, Simon Cowell 'And secondly, you want to give whoever it is that opportunity, hopefully, for things to get better in their lives after they've auditioned. I think where things have changed a lot from where we first started is it always used to be about the end prize.' While many took to social media to praise Viggo for his win, some criticised him online, with one penning: 'Nothing irritates me more than when complete JOKE ACT wins a competition' Another wrote: 'This man wore a hi-vis on a talent show and came away with 250k. Fair play' A third added: 'Audience are rightfully booing. Viggo Venn has zero talent. I hate the British public' Ashley Graham has claimed that Gua Sha can take the place of Botox. The 35-year-old model - who was last seen leaving France - shared with Byrdie that she likes to rely on more natural procedures. 'I've seen so many girls do Gua Sha so wrong and I feel like I have the best teacher in the whole world,' she began. 'Her name is Sandra Lanshin, and she's also my acupuncturist. 'If you go on her TikTok or Instagram, she shows you exactly how to do it. You don't need filler, you just need Gua Sha. I tell her all the time, like you are my Botox.' Gua sha, or kerokan, is a traditional Chinese medicine practice in which a tool is used to scrape people's skin in order to produce light petechiae. Wild woman: Ashley Graham has claimed that Gua Sha can take the place of Botox. The model shared with Byrdie that she likes to rely on more natural procedures. Seen here getting Cupping and acupuncture Beauty queen: 'I've seen so many girls do Gua Sha so wrong and I feel like I have the best teacher in the whole world,' she began. 'Her name is Sandra Lanshin, and she's also my acupuncturist'; seen in May Gua means 'scrape' and Sha means 'petechiae' (tiny, flat red, purple spots) in Chinese,' said Dr. Ervina Wu, PhD, L.Ac., and the co-founder of YINA, to Harper's Bazaar. 'Gua Sha began as a full body treatmentwhich most people don't realize since facial techniques have recently become popular. 'The key point is to scrape the skin (commonly the upper back) to invigorate blood flow, release heat-toxins, stimulate lymphatic drainage, activate various points of the body, and bring helpful cells to the area by stimulating an immune response. Sometimes this action creates some discoloration on the skin, which can look dramatic. But rest assured, there is no pain and the petechiae usually goes away within days.' Graham added, 'I'm also really into red light infrared sauna blankets. 'I think that they're so healing. It's great to lay in bed, snuggle up in one and sweat your butt off. That's really great for your body.' The model also talked to Byrdie about how she finds the time to squeeze her skincare in between work and parenting. Beauty first: 'If you go on her TikTok or Instagram, she shows you exactly how to do it. You don't need filler, you just need Gua Sha. I tell her all the time, like you are my Botox.' Seen pushing Revlon Gua what? Gua sha, or kerokan, is a traditional Chinese medicine practice in which a tool is used to scrape people's skin in order to produce light petechiae Fame game: She has to keep her looks up for her modeling career She reminded fans she has her hands full with three children with husband Justin Ervin. WHAT IS GUA SHA? Gua means 'scrape' and Sha means 'petechiae' (tiny, flat red, purple spots) in Chinese,' said Dr. Ervina Wu, PhD, L.Ac., and the co-founder of YINA, to Harper's Bazaar. 'Gua Sha began as a full body treatmentwhich most people don't realize since facial techniques have recently become popular. 'The key point is to scrape the skin (commonly the upper back) to invigorate blood flow, release heat-toxins, stimulate lymphatic drainage, activate various points of the body, and bring helpful cells to the area by stimulating an immune response. 'Sometimes this action creates some discoloration on the skin, which can look dramatic. But rest assured, there is no pain and the petechiae usually goes away within days.' Advertisement 'I'm in a stage of life where a crying baby matters more than if the SPF got on,' she says. 'It'll get on eventually.' Her skincare routine has had to adapt to her work and parenting schedule: 'I definitely don't have time anymore,' she shared. 'Everything in the morning has to be faster and less steps. I used to be the type of person [where] everything has it's own little space and gets put away. Now, if it's not out and I can't see it, it's not going on.' She admits her biggest beauty mistake from high school: 'I'll admit it firsthand, when I was in high school I was tanning at the tanning beds. Then I realized, this is very bad for me. 'I am going to look shriveled up by the time I'm 40. As I started traveling for my job, they would expect you to be tan. 'I was like, How the hell am I gonna get a tan? I am pasty pale. I have Irish in my blood. 'People think that I'm another ethnicity sometimesI am not. I am your typical white girl from Nebraska.' The unexpected skincare product that she never skips are basic. 'I'm obsessed with washing my face with Dial Hand Soap ($8). 'I saw this girl with perfect skin on TikTok use it, so I did it and I have not gone back. It gets everything so clean. Like it literally takes everything out of your skin, it is insane.' Mouth taping: Graham revealed that she has started taping her mouth closed before she falls asleep at night Stunning: Ashley put on a sultry display in a sheer, sleeveless minidress with sequins over a black lingerie set in Cannes, France This comes after she revealed that she has started taping her mouth closed before she falls asleep at night. The mom took to Instagram to share an image of herself sleeping with two pieces of tape on her lips as well as pink earplugs. The model - ranked number one on Maxim's Hot 100 Sexiest Women in May - inscribed the image: 'I started taping my mouth shut when I sleep and I have never slept better - and even better when I wake up. Don't knock it till you try it!!' Mouth taping is an increasingly popular home treatment for people with trouble breathing through their nose while sleeping to prevent scratchy throat, bad breath, and snoring. Married At First Sight fans might remember Steve Burley, the charming English lad who was paired with Mishel Karen. Now, he's making headlines with an unexpected career move: he's taken a leap and returned into the barbering industry, opening a new salon named Balaclava Barbers. In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Steve, 55, revealed the decision came on the heels of selling his former business, which he described as somewhat reluctant. 'I felt forced into selling my last business, but what's happened in the past has gone... I'm only interested in what's going on in the future, and that's looking after the community of Melbourne's St. Kilda,' he explained. Indeed, Steve is embracing his new venture with the same passion and dedication that once saw him excel in the realm of hairdressing. Married At First Sight fans might remember Steve Burley, the charming English lad who was paired with Mishel Karen Now, he's making headlines with an unexpected career move: he's taken a leap and returned into the barbering industry, opening a new salon named Balaclava Barbers 'Mate? It's my passion. My passion is looking after all of the individuals that come into my shop,' he asserted. He envisions a community-based shop, a place where people can not only get an amazing haircut but also feel comfortable, valued, and leave with a big smile. 'Balaclava Barbers is a community-based barbershop where you matter. So each and every client that walks in the shopthey matter. They're not just a client... I want my clients, every client that walks in the door, to feel that they matter when they come in and give me their business,' he stressed. In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Steve, 55, revealed the decision came on the heels of selling his former business, which he described as somewhat reluctant 'I felt forced into selling my last business, but what's happened in the past has gone. I'm only interested in what's going on in the future, and that's looking after the community of Melbourne's St. Kilda,' he explained Interestingly, his loyal clients seem to share his enthusiasm. Steve shared that a vast amount of clients from his past business have been visiting his new barbershop, which is located just 50 meters away from his old place. The response has been overwhelming, with many expressing their happiness to see him back in action. Steve also noted the unique relationship people have with their hairdressers, attributing it to the atmosphere built within the shop. 'At the end of the day, it's the atmosphere. Atmosphere that you build in the shop that enables people to feel at ease and comfortable in talking about whether they've got some issues outside or in their workplace or at home or whatever.' In this new endeavour, Steve is not alone. He's partnered with Adam White, a close friend for over two decades and his best man on MAFS. Both pictured In this new endeavour, Steve is not alone. He's partnered with Adam White, a close friend for over two decades and his best man on MAFS. Steve values Adam greatly and trusts him implicitly. 'He understands the value of building a community-based shop,' Steve added. Together, they plan to redefine the barbering experience, putting their clients and community at the heart of it all. Steve, who starred on season seven of the series, was paired with OnlyFans star, Mishel Karen, but the pair failed to get off the ground romantically. Despite largely staying out of the spotlight he did reveal last year that he has moved into selling real estate in Melbourne. 'I left the barber business after wanting a new direction, joining a real estate company in Brighton, Victoria,' he previously told Daily Mail Australia. Steve explained that after years running his own barber salon in Melbourne's CBD while going in and out of lockdown, he felt like it was the right time to see what else was out there. Advertisement Devon Windsor is back in swimsuit shape. The 29-year-old model was back at work Saturday, one month after giving birth to her second child. The Victoria's Secret angel shares her newborn daughter, Celine, and her older daughter Enzo, about 21 months with her husband, Johnny Barbara. The supermodel was spotted in three different looks during the photo shoot in Miami. The runway veteran showcased her long toned legs in a white one-piece with French cut legs and a plunging neckline. The top was embellished with white flowers. Oh Baby!: Devon Windsor is back in swimsuit shape. The 29-year-old model was back at work Saturday, one month after giving birth to her second child. The supermodel was spotted in three different looks during the photo shoot in Miami Strings that crisscrossed her back met together at the torso, accentuating her tiny waist. The high cut legs helped put on a cheeky display, showcasing Devon's firm derriere. Her makeup looked natural with a neutral pink lip. The St. Louis born beauty's long, blonde locks were stilled salty waves that hung down her back and around her shoulders. Devon was spotted seen reclining on the luscious green lawn and climbing a ladder to get into position. Her second look featured a lemon yellow one piece with a square neck and double spaghetti straps. The bathing suit was belted at the waist and featured a high leg. The catwalk queen was accessorized with large silver dangling earrings. The runway veteran showcased her long toned legs in a white one-piece with French cut legs and a plunging neckline. The top was embellished with white flowers Accessories: The St. Louis born beauty's long, blonde locks were stilled salty waves that hung down her back and around her shoulders. She wore several small gold hoop earrings Crisscross: Strings that crisscrossed her back met together at the torso, accentuating her tiny waist. The high cut legs helped put on a cheeky display, showcasing Devon's firm derriere. Experienced model: Devon began modeling at age 14, doing jobs locally in her hometown of St. Louis, MO and later signing with IMG in New York International experience: After graduating from high school, she moved to Europe working with IMG in Milan and London Breakout: The model walked in her first New York Fashion Week for Prada in 2013. Her hair was given its platinum blond color during fittings and has since become her signature color Top: After her Fashion Week debut, Devon was named a Top Newcomer by Models.com Victoria's Secret: Devon made her first appearance in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2013 A straw Panama hat was added to the chic look. She wore neutral toned nail polish on her hands and feet to prevent any clashes with the outfits. For her third look, the fashionista stepped into a sexy, shimmering gold dress with a plunging V-neck connected by interlocking gold squares. Lemon yellow: Her second look featured a lemon yellow one piece with a square neck and double spaghetti straps Belted: The bathing suit was belted at the waist and featured a high leg. The catwalk queen was accessorized with large silver dangling earrings Tanned: Devon soaked in the rays getting more tanned by the moment Chic: A straw Panama hat was added to the chic look. Lots of reusable water bottles were on hand to keep the models and crew hydrated Magazines: Since becoming a model, Devon she has gone on to grace the pages of almost every major magazine around the globe, modeling for top brands including Chanel, Christian Dior and Stella McCartney Signature: Devon's hair was dyed platinum blonde during her first New York Fashion week. It has gone on to become part of her signature look Bump: Before giving birth to Celine, Devon told her social media fans she was 'sad about how I'll miss' her baby bump. The model appeared in fighting form after giving birth a short four weeks prior to the shoot Before giving birth Devon told her fans she was looking forward to enjoying sushi and wine and 'fit into my old clothes again' The detailing of the sheer frock included lines and angles designed to create a slimming look. The look perfectly complimented the warm tones of the model's complexion. Devon did her best to protect the delicate dress from any sharp materials, lifting it to her hips as she walked across the set. Before giving birth to Celine, Devon told her social media fans she was 'sad about how I'll miss' her baby bump. However, that change was going to result in her being able to enjoy sushi and wine and 'fit into my old clothes again.' Since giving birth, the mom of two has bounced back quickly. She has showcased her new thin body in several posts for her own Devon Windsor line of swimsuits on Instagram and TikTok. The gourmand shared video of her big Italian dinner in her Instagram Stories, which features several delicious looking pasta dishes. For her third look, the fashionista stepped into a sexy, shimmering gold dress with a plunging V-neck connected by interlocking gold squares Details: The detailing of the sheer frock included lines and angles designed to create a slimming look. The look perfectly complimented the warm tones of the model's complexion Delicate: Devon did her best to protect the delicate dress from any sharp materials, lifting it to her hips as she walked across the set Designer: She has also created her own line of Devon Windsor swimwear. The high end brand features bikinis, one pieces and sexy coverups Devon was discovered at age 14 in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. She began modeling locally and signed with IMG in New York while still in high school. After graduating from high school, she moved to Europe working with IMG in Milan and London. She walked in her first New York Fashion Week for Prada in 2013. Her hair was given its platinum blond color during fittings and has since become her signature color. After her runway debut, was named a Top Newcomer by Models.com. That same year, she made her first appearance in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Since then, she has gone on to grace the pages of is almost every major magazine around the globe. She has also created her own line of Devon Windsor swimwear. The high end brand features bikinis, one pieces and sexy coverups. She split from her partner Chris Walker at the start of the year. And Carrie Bickmore, 42, is enjoying the single life and was seen partying with a number of gal pals in Byron Bay over the weekend. The former Project host took several selfies with her girlfriends inside a buzzing venue and outside on the main street. 'Girls weekend,' Carrie captioned one blurry photo. 'Only drew breath to take these photos,' she captioned another. 'So. Much. Talking,' she added to another . Carrie Bickmore partied in Byron Bay with her gal pals over the weekend following split from partner Chris Walker Yet another photo had a love heart drawn around her pals as they pulled silly faces. Carrie owns a holiday house in Byron Bay with her regularly spotted in the celebrity-filled coastal hamlet. Carrie announced her departure from The Project after 12 years on air in October. 'Girls weekend,' Carrie captioned one blurry photo The former Project host took several selfies with her girlfriends in a venue and outside on the main street Yet another photo had a love heart drawn around her pals as they pulled silly faces She had been absent for a three month 'sabbatical' with her family in London earlier in the year, before returning to the panel in July, only to quit in October. Three months after leaving the show, Carrie announced she'd split from her partner of 11 years Chris Walker. 'It's with immense sadness that Chris and I have decided to separate,' she wrote in a statement on Instagram. 'While this is a tough time, our focus is on parenting, loving and supporting our three children Ollie, Evie and Addie with everything that we've got. 'They are doing great. We won't be making any further comment.' The pair are thought to be on good terms with Chris even spotted with Carrie's old colleague, Waleed Aly. It comes amid reports Carrie has grown close to her radio co-host Tommy Little, who is also single following his breakup with girlfriend Natalie Kyriacou in 2021. Carrie announced her split from Chris in January this year via Instagram, saying the pair are focused on co-parenting their three children, Ollie, 15, Evie, seven, and Adelaide, four Tommy rushed to the mother-of-three's side in January when she confirmed her split, leading insiders to speculate their friendship could evolve into something more. In recent months Tommy has shared several gushing tributes to Carrie on Instagram, and in one post called her the 'best in the business' who 'lifts up everyone around her and makes them look good'. Ahead of her last day on The Project last November, Tommy also treated the blonde bombshell to a private helicopter ride across Melbourne. He is often seen close to her at glitzy events, including the 2022 Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs) last October, where he didn't leave her side even as guests got up from their tables and mingled with others. The duo are regularly seen posing for cosy selfies on social media, which has prompted curious fans to question whether romance is on the cards. 'You guys make a lovely couple,' one recently commented on a photo of the pair. It comes amid reports Carrie has grown close to her radio co-host Tommy Little, who is also single following his breakup with girlfriend Natalie Kyriacou in 2021 'Get a room already, you two,' another said. It's not hard to see why fans are hoping for love to blossom, as Tommy and Carrie are already known for their electric chemistry. Their professional relationship began in 2016 when Tommy joined Carrie on the panel of The Project. A year later, the pair began co-hosting Hit Network's Melbourne drive show in 2017, and immediately gained a cult following thanks to their entertaining and organic banter. Mark Hamill revealed that he sees no 'reason' to portray Luke Skywalker again, but remains open to returning to the role during and interview with CBS Sunday Morning. The 71-year-old Star Wars star spoke with CBS News Sunday Morning correspondent Tracy Smith, 54, at his home above the sea in Malibu, California. 'I had my time, and that's good,' Hamill said of playing the Force-enabled hero. 'But that's enough.' 'So, even though you say you won't go back, there's always a chance that you could go back?,' Smith asked. 'Well, you never say never. I just don't see any reason to. Let me put it that way: I mean, they have so many stories to tell, they don't need Luke anymore,' Hamill answered. Sci-fi star: Mark Hamill revealed that he sees no 'reason' to portray Luke Skywalker again, but remains open to returning to the role during and interview with CBS Sunday Morning 'You know that a lot of people out there would argue, ''They always need Luke'',' Smith said, prompting Hamill to laugh. Smith also asked if he had accepted being forever associated as Luke Skywalker. 'Yeah. Well, I don't care,' Hamill said. 'I mean, the truth of the matter is, I never really expected to be remembered for anything. I just wanted to make a living doing what I liked. And I thought, ''Well, it could be worse. I could be, like, known as being the best actor who ever played Adolf Hitler, you know?'' At least Luke is an admirable fellow!' Hamill during his segment that was introduced by CBS Sunday Morning host Jane Pauley, 72, promoted his new movie The Machine. The action-comedy movie was inspired by the 2016 stand-up comedy routine created by Bert Kreischer, 50. The film stars Bert as a fictionalized version of himself who inadvertently crosses the Russian mob while on a trip to Russia in 1999 as a college freshman. Hamill portrays Bert's father Albert Kreischer, Sr. in the movie directed by Peter Atencio, 40. 'I was drawn to the project because of the relationship between the son and the father. I mean, they're at odds and trying to understand one another,' Hamill said. Legendary film: Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are shown in a still from the 1977 film Star Wars by director George Lucas Reprised role: The 71-year-old actor portayed Luke again in Star Wars: The Force Awakens Show host: CBS Sunday Morning host Jane Pauley, 72, introduced the segment featuring Hamill New correspondent: CBS News Sunday Morning correspondent Tracy Smith, 54, interviewed Hamill at his home above the sea in Malibu, California Hamill recently told Esquire that he had a 'tumultuous relationship' with his Star Wars franchise co-star Carrie Fisher, who died in December 2016 at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack. He also opened up to CBS Sunday Morning about auditioning for Star Wars in 1976 with Harrison Ford, 80, and not being sure what to make of the George Lucas dialogue. 'The problem was they didn't give us a whole script. And yeah, I couldn't figure out, is this, like, a send-up of Flash Gordon or whatever? You couldn't tell, 'cause nobody talks like this!,' Hamill said. 'And I was asking Harrison, 'cause he had been in 'American Graffiti.' I said, 'You know George. Is this, like, a joke? Should we send it up? Make fun of it?' 'Whatever. Get it done.' So, he was no help!'',' Hamill said of Harrison who landed the role of Han Solo. Hamill also recalled working with the late Sir Alec Guinness, who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. 'He took me out to lunch just to get to know each other a little bit. And I kept calling him Sir Alec. And at one point he tapped my face, little harder. I went, ''Oww! What?'' ''I want to be known by my name, not my accolade'',' Hamill shared. 'I said, 'So, can I call ya' Big Al?'',' Hamill recalled. Latest movie: 'I was drawn to the project because of the relationship between the son and the father. I mean, they're at odds and trying to understand one another,' Hamill said of his latest father-son movie The Machine Fond memories: Hamill, shown in June 2019 in Hollywood, also recalled working with the late Sir Alec Guiness, who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars Father figure: Hamill portrays Bert's father Albert Kreischer, Sr. in The Machine Hamill is active on social media and has 5.2 million followers on Twitter. It was reported last month by Deadline that Hamill will be joining Tom Hiddleston, 42, in a film adaptation of the Stephen King short story The Life Of Chuck. Hamill will portray a character named Albie, while Hiddleston will play the title character. The Life Of Chuck is based on the story of the same name from King's 2020 collection of four previously unpublished novellas, If It Bleeds. An Australian influencer got the ultimate revenge on her husband after he lied to her about what he got up to on a work trip. Indy Clinton, 26, discovered her husband Ben had visited a venue she did not approve of after finding photos on his phone. So she got back at him by running wild with his credit card, maxing it out at The Star casino in Sydney. One of her friends described her punishment to Instagram celebrity watchdog account Dutch Minty: 'He was away for work and lied about it.' 'So, she took the kids and went to max out his credit card as payback.' Australian influencer Indy Clinton (left) got the ultimate revenge on her husband Ben (right) after he lied to her about what he got up to on a work trip Indy also posted a video of TikTok of a remorseful-looking Ben giving her flowers and begging her for forgiveness. 'He's been in the dog house for a week so I finally let him out,' she wrote next to the footage. Last year, Indy made headlines by outlining the five controversial rules she 'will never' enforce upon her two children, including physically disciplining them and forcing them to eat vegetables they don't like. Indy, who lives with her husband and two children in Sydney, took to TikTok to discuss common parenting 'rules' - and the ones she'd never enforce. She captioned the footage 'get your popcorn ready' to signal the 'rant' she was about to share with her 588,000 followers. 'Let's address the elephant in the room: discipline. I will never physically discipline my children. I was brought up with a belt and wooden spoon - and I don't think that's the right way,' she began. 'I get back in the day they did it at schools and it was the thing to do but I'm speaking from first-hand experience and I know that it doesn't make a situation any better. Indy also posted a video to TikTok of a remorseful Ben giving her flowers and begging for forgiveness 'If anything it will give them life-long trauma. If you do that it's your choice but your child is defenseless. 'I see comments all the time on my posts saying "you need to smack him" but that says more about you... I would be embarrassed writing that because it says you have some underlying problems.' Indy has gained a large following on social media for sharing her 'real' parenting moments with her two-year-old son Navy, who she describes as her 'crazy toddler'. Despite being more than two weeks away from the official start of summer, Katie Holmes has been rolling out some of her favorite warm-weather pieces and ensembles since early spring. And over the weekend the former Dawson's Creek star was back at it again, with a couple more fashionable outfits that are not only stylish, in the casual-cool department, but also comfortable even when the temperatures begin to reach the scorching level. On Sunday, the actress stepped out onto the bustling streets of Manhattan, seemingly on an errand run, in loose-fitting, breathable pants with a high-water design, considering they fell to the bottom of her calves. Going for an all-white summer look, she also donned a matching sweater, with the sleeves rolled up a bit, that also had a loose fit, along with a white purse over her right shoulder. For contrast, the Batman Begins actress slipped on a pair of black loafers, as well as stylish dark sunglasses. Summer style: Katie Holmes, 44, rolled out another one of her summer-ready ensembles, in all-white, during errand run in New York City on Sunday The glasses were not only a fashion accessory, they also came in handy to help block out some of the glaring sun on a day where the temperature rose close to nearly 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The previous day, on Saturday, Holmes modeled another of her casual-cool ensemble that are also equally comfortable and summer-ready, consisting of beige cargo pants, a light brown sweater worn on top of a white t-shirt, and black sneakers. In recent days, she's also been seen out in a short denim skirt with a loose-fitting beige-patterned blouse and brown clogs. Another of her stylish, warm-weather outfits showed her giving more than a hint of her toned midriff in a fitted black button-up cardigan with white, low-hanging pants and clogs once again. She also showed off her penchant for warm-weather fashion while attending the 76th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France in May. But even before heading overseas, Holmes appeared to get her jump on spring and summer fashion with her choices of outfit she wore on her personal time and for work-relayed outings. The Toledo, Ohio native moved to New York City soon after her split and eventual divorce from Tom Cruise in 2012, which was when their daughter Suri was about six-years-old. Her decision to start over in such a massive metropolitan city was simple: she loved how much there was to do in the five boroughs, both day and night, for herself and Suri. Summer-ready: The actress wore high-water white pants and a matching sweater with black loafers, which is the latest of her warm-weather fashion choices ahead of summer 'Yes, its a little too exposed at times, and we work hard to maneuver and navigate. But what I love about New York is that for me and my child, this is our vibe,' she told InStyle in 2020. 'When there are 25 things to do every night, it takes you out of your own thing.' Initially, Holmes had to get creative when trying to keep prying photographers away from her little girl, which included waking up when many people, like the paparazzi, were still asleep. 'We were followed a lot when [Suri] was little. I just wanted her outside, so I would walk her around to find parks at, like, six in the morning when nobody would see us,' she explained. Known as one of those celebrities who leads a very private life, The Gift star tried to protect her daughter from the downside of fame, all while helping her become the woman she wanted to be. Trend setter: The proud mom to Suri Cruise, now 17, has also rolled out other summer-ready ensembles that are equally comfortable for the hot months when she attended the 76th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France in May; she is pictured in Cannes in both pictures 'My biggest goal has always been to nurture [Suri] into her individuality,' the actress and director told InStyle in 2020. 'To make sure she is 100 percent herself and strong, confident, and able. And to know it.' Now ,17, Suri has already started applying to colleges with the help of her mother, but the teen's famous father is expected to take part in the search because the longtime Hollywood leading man 'has no part' in his child's life. While she's sending out applications to schools in different parts of the country, a source close to Holmes tells DailyMail.com exclusively that Suri is 'leaning towards' studying fashion in New York City, a choice that would make her mom very pleased. Holmes filed for divorce from Cruise in June 2012 after five and a half years of marriage. Bec Judd has been criticised over an elaborate outfit she wore to a charity ball over the weekend. The AFL WAG, 40, ensured that all eyes were on her during the Two Sisters Foundation's 2023 Winter Ball in Melbourne on Saturday where she looked like a snow princess as she arrived at the event in a sparkly white J'Aton Couture gown. But not everyone was impressed with Bec's over-the-top outfit, with fans taking to social media to express their displeasure - even comparing her to a witch. Two Sisters Foundation was set up by Ellie Rogers and Lisa Bardas to raise funds for ovarian and breast cancer medical research. So far, they have raised over $2million. 'Whilst (Bec) looks beautiful, my first reaction was to laugh at how completely over the top she looks to the point of being a touch ridiculous. I literally rolled my eyes at some of the pics I saw posted,' wrote someone on Facebook. Bec Judd has been criticised over an elaborate outfit she wore to a charity ball over the weekend. Pictured 'Whilst (Bec) looks beautiful, my first reaction was to laugh at how completely over the top she looks to the point of being a touch ridiculous. I literally rolled my eyes at some of the pics I saw posted,' wrote someone on Facebook 'Absolutely stunning, but honestly a bit over the top, its about the foundation not the attendees, do you think in time your grandkids would be proud to share this about,' added another follower on the stylish WAG's Instagram. 'Disagree! Incredible dress! Incredible woman? Enjoy the beauty! Nothing is over the top when its pure art!' countered one of her fans. But it wasn't all sartorial smooth sailing. 'WTF is on your head?' wrote another. Elsewhere, others thought Bec resembled Glinda the Good Witch from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. 'Glenda [sic] the good witch xxx love,' wrote one of her adoring fans, while another posted a gif of the iconic witch in action. 'You look like Gilda [sic] the good witch from the wizard of Oz,' wrote one more. 'Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore,' added another, continuing the theme. 'Absolutely stunning, but honestly a bit over the top, its about the foundation not the attendees, do you think in time your grandkids would be proud to share this about,' added another follower on the stylish WAG's Instagram Elsewhere, others thought Bec resembled Glinda the Good Witch from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. Pictured: Glinda Not everyone was impressed with Bec's over-the-top outfit, with fans taking to social media to express their displeasure - even comparing her to a witch Bec's show-stopping dress featured a plunging sheer neckline and had a silver sequin design decorating the sleeves. The former model completed her look with a dramatic diamante headpiece which she placed on her long blonde wavy locks. Rebecca also wore a full face of makeup consisting of dark eyeliner, face jewels and silver eyeshadow. The WAG attended the event with her husband Chris Judd, who looked dapper in a black tuxedo and white buttoned shirt. The AFL WAG attended the event with her husband Chris Judd (left), who looked dapper in a black tuxedo and white buttoned shirt David 'Kochie' Koch is preparing to lift the lid on his 21-year tenure hosting Sunrise in a 'warts-and-all' memoir, reports claim. According to New Idea magazine, the 61-year-old is planning to write an explosive tell-all that will delve into his personal is experiences at Channel Seven and expose breakfast TV's industry secrets. Kochie has already been presented with a $1million contract offer as publishers fight to win the rights to his memoir. 'This will no doubt turn into a fierce bidding war among the country's top publishers chequebooks will be open for whatever advance he asks for,' an insider said on Monday. The source described Kochie as a 'straight shooter' who is 'bound to deliver an explosive read', especially when it comes to sharing his thoughts on his former Sunrise co-hosts Melissa Doyle, Samantha Armytage and Natalie Barr. David 'Kochie' Koch, 61, (pictured) is preparing to lift the lid on his 21-year tenure hosting Sunrise in a 'warts-and-all' memoir, reports claim 'You can expect gushing chapters when it comes to the decade he shared with Mel Doyle they're still very close. The same can be said for Nat Barr,' they said. However, Armytage's chapter may not receive the same kind of glowing feedback, given persistent rumours of her feud with Kochie and other members of the Sunrise team. Rumours of the feud made headlines in 2021 after it was revealed that Armytage didn't follow her then co-host Kochie and reporter Natalie Barr on Instagram. According to New Idea magazine, Koch is planning to write an explosive tell-all that will delve into his personal is experiences at Channel Seven and expose breakfast TV's industry secrets. (Pictured with Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr) Armytage gave a very vague response when grilled about the subject by KIIS FM radio host Kyle Sandilands during a discussion on her own Something To Talk About podcast in March 2021. The KIIS FM host asked her: 'I read that you were unfollowing Kochie and Nat! Did you unfollow these people?' Through awkward laughter, Armytage responded: 'I don't think I unfo...' before trailing off and adding: 'I don't think anyone's following anyone in there.' The source described Kochie as a 'straight shooter' who is 'bound to deliver an explosive read', especially when it comes to sharing his thoughts on his former Sunrise co-hosts Melissa Doyle (pictured with Koch), Samantha Armytage and Natalie Barr It comes as Kochie prepares to embark upon the next chapter of his career. Kochie's departure from Sunrise comes just months into the two-year contract he signed with Seven in December, meaning he has still unfinished work to do at the network. According to The Australian Media Diary, network bosses are keen to get their money's worth out of the former financial expert until his contract expires in 2024. Kochie will continue to make guest appearances on various Seven shows including Sunrise,' the publication reported on Monday. 'You can expect gushing chapters when it comes to the decade he shared with Mel Doyle they're still very close. The same can be said for Nat Barr,' they said. However, Armytage's chapter may not receive the same kind of glowing feedback, given persistent rumours of her feud with Kochie and other members of the Sunrise team. (Pictured: Armytage and Koch) His background in financial journalism will come in handy, as Seven apparently plans to position Kochie as the face of economic news updates for the network. It was confirmed that Matt Shirvington would be replacing Kochie on Sunrise on Monday, after a three-year plan to prepare him for the top job. Shirvo said he was feeling 'mixed emotions' about the new gig as he joined Barr and Kochie on the couch for the announcement. It comes as Kochie prepares to embark upon the next chapter of his career. Kochie's departure from Sunrise comes just months into the two-year contract he signed with Seven in December, meaning he has still unfinished work to do at the network 'Just amazing. Daunted. So excited. Happy. Cannot tell you the honour and privilege this is, Kochie, particularly. A huge job. A huge job. And an exciting job,' he said. Both Kochie and Barr said they were thrilled with the choice. Shirvo will co-host his first edition of Sunrise with Natalie next Monday, 12 June. MBABANE - Relatives of incarcerated commander of the Solidarity Forces, Thabo Kunene, reportedly encountered difficulties in securing a legal representative for him. Most of the lawyers who were approached by the relatives to represent Kunene turned them down, citing fear of the unknown as the main factor. According to a relative, who preferred not to have his name published, most of the attorneys whose services were being sought by the family on behalf of Kunene succinctly stated that they were not comfortable in appearing on his behalf as they feared victimisation. This, according to the relative, resulted in them encountering difficulties in securing services of an attorney to represent Kunene, especially during his maiden court appearance at the High Court on Saturday. Appearance When Kunene and his co-accused, Sibusiso Nkomonye, made their first court appearance at the High Court on Saturday, they were without a legal representative. This became evident when Judge Mazwi Mavuso enquired whether the accused persons had an attorney and the response was to the contrary. Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lomvula Hlophe, informed the court that the duo was self-represented. Self-represented litigants are persons who appear in court without representation from a lawyer. According to the relative, one of the attorneys they approached concisely stated that he was reluctant as in the past, some of her colleagues who represented accused persons charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008, were attacked by unknown people. This reporter managed to locate some of the lawyers who were approached by Kunenes relatives and they confirmed their unwillingness to appear on his behalf due to the fear of the unknown. This matter is too complex and has some political elements in it. So it is prudent for one to consider the safety of his or her family before agreeing to represent a client charged under this Act. You can recall that in the past, some lawyers who represented accused persons charged under this Act, were attacked by unknown people, especially Maxwell Nkambule, said one of the attorneys. Another lawyer, who was also reportedly approached by Kunenes relatives, said: I politely told them to approach another attorney as I have my reservations about appearing on behalf of Kunene. Times have changed. Everyone is concerned about their safety now. Its unlike in the past when we took any case that came our way, said the lawyer. Kunenes previous attorney, Leo Ndvuna Dlamini, said he would not represent him as he was conflicted in the matter. The previous representation relates to Kunenes personal matters that have nothing to do with the current charges. Dlamini disclosed that Kunene was his relative by virtue of his (Dlamini) sister being married to one of his (Kunene) brothers. He also highlighted that he was also related to businessman Andile Nkomonye, popularly known as Dr Mkhulu, the two accused persons had visited prior to their arrest in the Kingdom of Eswatini. According to Dlamini, one of Dr Mkhulus sisters was his sister-in-law. He said, therefore, it would not be neat for him to represent Kunene. He was my client and I represented him in a number of his family matters, but I will not be representing him this time around as I am conflicted, he added. Dlamini said Kunenes children came to him seeking legal advice as they knew him to be their fathers attorney. He said he would be going to check on him at the police station tomorrow. As I have been informed that he was remanded in police custody and will be transferred to a Correctional facility today, I will ensure that I go see him, said Dlamini. Kunene and his co-accused Sibusiso are facing 43 charges of allegedly contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act. The charges include six of murder, 17 of attempted murder, nine of malicious damage to property, two counts of arson. The accused persons as per the charge sheet, allegedly also had a hand in the murder of a warder Mike Mthethwa, murder of Zandondo Chief Mahloma, shooting at the homestead of Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala, and the murder of law enforcement agents. Investigations In the past, the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS) had to conduct some investigations and intervene after some lawyers who were representing accused persons charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act made a hue and cry, claiming that they were receiving threats. If Kunenes situation persists, government will find itself having to provide him with pro deo counsel. A pro deo counsel is assigned to accused persons in murder cases and any other cases which have constitutional connotations. This means that the accused might be entitled to legal representation at the expense of government, as some of the charges he is facing carry a sentence of death or imprisonment for life. Section 21 (2) (c) of the Constitution provides that a person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to legal representation at the expense of government in the case of any offence, which carries a sentence of death or imprisonment for life. Johnny Depp's possible return to reprise his iconic Captain Jack Sparrow character in the new Pirates of the Caribbean film has not been ruled out by Disney. The actor, 59, was axed from the franchise by the company in 2018, as they wanted to bring a 'new energy' to the much-loved films. But in a recent interview with The New York Times, Disney Studios Motion Picture Production president Sean Bailey discussed the future of the sixth film and left the door for Depp's potential return open. 'We think we have a really good, exciting story that honours the films that have come before but also has something new to say,' he stated. When asked if Depp might be part of that story, Bailey replied that the studio was 'noncommittal at this point.' There's hope! Johnny Depp's return to reprise his iconic Captain Jack Sparrow character in the new Pirates of the Caribbean film has not been ruled out by Disney; Depp seen in 2023 And though it is not a resounding yes, it's also not exactly a no. Depp last played the swashbuckling character in 2017's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Rumors of Depp returning to the franchise also circulated last year. At the time it was reported that the actor was in talks with Disney about a '$300 million deal' after winning his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, though later sources confirmed to DailyMail.com that the information was false. The Edward Scissorhands star previously told the jury that he would not work with Disney again after he was scrubbed from the sixth Pirates movie. His legal team claims Depp lost out on a $22 million payday after Heard published her Washington Post op-ed in 2018 that didn't identify Depp, but clearly branded him as a domestic abuser. Depp said he felt as if he was 'guilty until proven innocent' with Disney executives. Depp sued Heard over the op-ed she wrote, describing herself as 'a public figure representing domestic abuse.' Leaving the door open: When asked if Depp might be part of the sixth film in the franchise, Disney Studios Motion Picture Production president Sean Bailey replied that the studio was 'noncommittal at this point' in a recent interview with The New York Times Jack Sparrow: The actor, 59, was axed from the franchise by the company in 2018, as they wanted to bring a 'new energy' to the much-loved films Iconic: Depp last played the swashbuckling character in 2017's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales The jury found in Depp's favor on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in the 2018 piece. After a six-week trial last year, it was determined that Heard had defamed her ex-husband and she was ordered to pay him over $8million in damages though they later agreed on $1million in order to put an end to their legal battle. In 2018, a Disney producer claimed that Depp would not be asked to return, saying they wanted to bring a 'new energy' to the much-loved films. New ideas to breathe life into the franchise, included a female-led Pirates Of The Caribbean, starring Margot Robbie. However in an interview with Vanity Fair last year, the Oscar nominee revealed the highly-anticipated of the film will her in it will not happen. 'We had an idea and we were developing it for a while, ages ago, to have more of a female-lednot totally female-led, but just a different kind of storywhich we thought would've been really cool, but I guess they don't want to do it,' she said of Disney. It's been a good couple weeks for Depp, who received a seven-minute standing ovation at the premiere of his comeback film Jeanne du Barry during the Cannes Film Festival last month. The acclaimed actor - who plays King Louis XV in the period drama - teared up while taking in the moment with director and co-star Maiwenn by his side. Might be tough: The Edward Scissorhands star previously stated that he would not work with Disney again after he was scrubbed from the sixth Pirates movie; Pictured 2023 Previous legal woes: His legal team claimed Depp lost out on a $22 million payday after his ex-wife Amber Heard published her Washington Post op-ed in 2018 that didn't identify Depp, but clearly branded him as a domestic abuser; Pictured with Heard in 2016 The film is Depp's first project since he was blackballed by Hollywood in the years following Heard's abuse allegations in 2016. The 76th Film Festival also marked Depp's first red carpet appearance since his court victory. The Edward Scissorhands star was greeted with applause and supported by a sea of adoring fans upon his arrival. Depp couldn't hide his delight about being back in the Hollywood fold, after previously being dropped from several projects during the trial, including the Fantastic Beasts film franchise. Insiders claim today's show is set to be emotional with 'lots of tears and hugs' Holly Willoughby has arrived at ITV's London studios and is said to be nervous about returning to This Morning today - and will be 'kind' about Phillip Schofield - but her former co-star won't be watching, it has emerged. The mother-of-three has been away for a fortnight, including a half term break to Portugal, but will present the hit show with Josie Gibson from 10am. A source close to Willoughby has claimed that she feels that she has faced 'undeserved' pressure over the scandal, which saw Schofield, once her best friend, quit in disgrace over an affair with a producer 34 years his junior. 'She's going to be kind about Phillip. And then her whole thing is going to be about "steadying the ship" and taking care of the This Morning family', an insider told The Times. Another source said: 'Expect an outpouring of emotion as she returns, and a lot of tears and hugs.' But friends of Phillip Schofield, who has spent time with his mother Pat in Cornwall, say he won't tune in to watch her return to the This Morning sofa today as it would be too 'triggering' for him, especially the opening credits he featured in for more than two decades. Mr Schofield has said he has been left suicidal over his fall from grace and revealed that Holly had not replied to his text where he asked for her forgiveness. Holly Willoughby arrives to film This Morning at Television Centre Phillip Schofield won't watch Holly Willoughby's return to the This Morning sofa today after he was axed from the show. Pictured: The pair presenting the show in May Big day: It comes as Holly prepares an 'honest and personal statement' to address the departure of her former co-star, who recently admitted he had lied about an affair with a younger male colleague, as she returns to the programme (pictured in Portugal this week) Phillip Schofield was pictured embracing his mother Pat in Newquay, Cornwall, moments after being told bosses at ITV wanted him to leave This Morning Schofield apologised to Holly Willoughby, who presented This Morning with him for 14 years, for lying about his secret relationship with his colleague (centre) and for tainting her public image His former boss Martin Frizell, the This Morning editor, told Sky News that he had not presided over a toxic culture. 'I think you have got to read between the lines, I think some scores are being settled,' he said. READ MORE HERE: Holly Willoughby is 'determined to steer the show through these unprecedented times' as she returns to the sofa to address the Schofield scandal Advertisement While Lorraine Heggessey, a former BBC1 controller, said: They're all under the spotlight. They've lost a friend or colleague, and the whole ethos of the programme is under pressure. It's very tricky.' Allies of 61-year-old Schofield, who left after revelations he had lied about an affair with male colleague, say even watching the opening credits could prove too distressing for him as he comes to terms with leaving the show he had fronted since 2002. It comes as Holly returns to the This Morning sofa later today with questions being asked over whether she will mention her former co-host's name while she delivers an 'honest personal statement' about the scandal. Insiders claim she is 'apprehensive' about getting back in front of the camera, but is 'determined to steer the show through these unprecedented times' that have engulfed one of the channel's most popular programmes. Nearly one million people could tune in to watch her return to the couch alongside Josie Gibson after Schofield revealed she had ignored his texts to her begging for forgiveness. Holly, who was on holiday with her family in Portugal last week, is believed to have written the speech herself and emotions are set to run high when she reads it out live on air. A source told the Mirror: 'She was naturally apprehensive about getting back after her extended break. So much has happened and it's been one storm after another. 'But she needn't worry as the team are behind her. 'Everyone is desperately hoping her speech draws a line under the matter, at least until the barrister-led review comes back 'Expect an outpouring of emotion as she returns, and a lot of tears and hugs.' A source close to the star told the Mail: 'Holly's return is a signal that she is determined to steer the show through these unprecedented times. Her priority is now to make the programme for the viewers watching at home. It's a new chapter for her but also for the fans. 'She knows how she addresses the situation is really important for them so she has asked several people for their thoughts so she can make sure it is absolutely right. 'But how to deal with the issue of Phil, his departure from the show and his relationship with their former colleague, is something she has found very difficult. As of last night the final words hadn't been decided on.' But there will be no return in the morning for Schofield, who was seen with his mother on Friday, May 19, as he was told he was no longer wanted by ITV. The popular show has a loyal following, and despite being out of work, friends of Schofield say he won't be watching today. A friend of the father-of-two told The Sun: 'He physically could not watch - he's not there yet. 'Even listening to the opening credits would be hugely triggering. 'His family is being incredibly careful not to have the TV on when he's in the room to ensure he doesn't see anything. 'Of course he is aware Holly is back on air today and he absolutely wanted her to shine, and smash it. 'But he physically could not watch - he is not there yet.' Even though she is not speaking to him anymore following the fallout of the scandal, Schofield does support Holly and wants her to 'shine and smash it', insiders told The Sun. Schofield has been supported by his family since his sacking, with photos emerging showing the moment he embraced his elderly mother after he was sacked from the show. He was seen hugging his mother Pat, 87, on a bench overlooking the sea in Newquay, Cornwall, last month. Schofield and his mother had driven from her home to their favourite fish and chip shop before heading out to Pentire Headland where they looked out over the sea. The presenter, who had hosted This Morning since 2002, had been in the seaside town to support his mother as his brother, Timothy, was being sentenced for sex offences against a teenage boy. The same day her youngest son was jailed for 12 years, Pat was told by her eldest child that he was losing his job. While getting fish and chips with his mother, Phillip received a phone call from his manager telling him bosses at the channel wanted him to leave the show. In an interview with the Sun last week, he said: 'I had to go down to Cornwall to be with her for the sentencing. The presenter, who had hosted This Morning since 2002, had been in the seaside town to support his mother as his brother, Timothy, was being sentenced for sex offences against a teenage boy Phillip, pictured here on This Morning with former co-host Holly Willoughby, had presented the programme since 2002 'And our family thing was always to buy fish and chips and go and sit on the headland. 'I picked my mum up and she went in to get the fish and chips and while she was getting them, my phone rang. 'It was my then manager saying, 'Mate, I am so sorry, it has become too loud for ITV. You will have to step down from This Morning'. 'And she arrived in the car. She said to me before I arrived, 'You're not coming down with any bad news are you?'. 'She sat in the car and she was all happy to see me, and then she said, 'Oh, your face has changed'. I said, 'Let's go on to the headland'. And I had to tell her.' The furore which has surrounded Schofield has threatened to engulf This Morning, with ITV getting set to introduce 'heavy vetting' of public callers to protect presenters from outbursts over the scandal. Production staff will take on the important role of screening callers, as audience interaction segments are also to be paused to avoid any abuse being sent towards presenters. It comes as Holly prepares an 'honest and personal statement' to address the departure of her former co-star, who recently admitted he had lied about an affair with a younger male colleague, as she returns to the programme on today. Her return to the sofa, accompanied by former guest host Josie Gibson, will mark a permanent change to the line-up as viewers face an altered show, with fewer opportunities to feel included by live presenters. Thoughts: The presenter, 42, posted a snap of the 'Strawberry Moon' on her wellness page Wylde Moon page alongside words urging others to 'maintain a positive perspective' The presenter first met the man, then aged 15, when he was invited to open a drama school It was also reported today that Holly is being courted by BBC bosses as they look to lure her away from ITV. And on the eve of her on-screen return she posted a cryptic message urging others to 'maintain a positive perspective'. Uploading a snap of the 'Strawberry Moon' on her wellness page Wylde Moon page, the full post read: 'This Full 'Strawberry' Moon in Sagittarius brings with it a zest for life. 'The guiding influence of this fire sign combined with Jupiter encourages you to maintain a positive perspective and to tune into your finest qualities. 'Inspire. Renew. Believe.' In an interview last week Phillip said he believed his career was 'over' and he had 'lost everything' after admitting he had lied about his relationship with a man on the show. 'I have to talk about television in the past tense, which breaks my heart,' he told the BBC. 'What am I going to do with my days? I see nothing ahead of me but blackness, sadness regret, remorse and guilt. I did something very wrong, and then I lied about it consistently.' READ MORE HERE: The lie got too big for both of us, says crestfallen Phillip Schofield in an interview laying bare his torment Advertisement He said the criticism he's faced since admitting the affair has had a 'catastrophic effect', adding: 'Do you want me to die? Because that's where I am. I have lost everything.' In the interviews, Schofield, who was also dropped by his talent agency YMU after his admission to the Mail about the 'unwise but not illegal relationship', said he was 'utterly broken and ashamed'. Schofield told the BBC that the young man, who worked as a runner for a short period on This Morning, was 20 when he first had any kind of sexual contact with him. He told The Sun they had become friends but in 2017 three years before he came out as gay and separated from wife Stephanie Lowe after 27 years 'something happened that just changed it'. There was 'a consensual moment' in Schofield's dressing room after a show and 'it was mutual'. He said he did not have a 'love affair' with the man and that 'it was not a relationship, we were not boyfriends, we were mates'. He said 'it wasn't feelings' he was getting but it was 'more like mates: excitement'. He added: 'I was really struggling with my sexuality at that time in the build up to what happened.' The pair only had 'five or six romantic encounters' over a period of around six months. He said they met at Schofield's apartment in south-east London only once after he phoned the young man to invite him over for a beer. He also denied using ITV money to pay for taxis for the man, saying: 'I don't have an ITV account.' Schofield said he had 'no excuse' for what happened, 'no one did anything wrong apart from me' and 'I was unprofessional, one time, in a 41-year career'. He added that he and the young man 'stupidly' thought that 'nobody knew' about them. ITV said the man was 19 when he did work experience at This Morning in 2015, and 20 years old when he applied and secured a job as a runner on the show. He later moved to Loose Women in 2019 and left ITV in 2021. He said telling his wife Ms Lowe about his affair 'was the most difficult conversation I've ever had to have with her' Schofield apologised to Holly Willoughby, who presented This Morning with him for 14 years, for lying about his secret relationship and for tainting her public image. 'I've lost my best friend. I let her down. I let that entire show down. I let the viewers down,' he told The Sun. 'Holly did not know [about the affair]. And she was one of the first texts that I sent to say, 'I am so, so sorry that I lied to you.' 'She didn't reply and I understand why she didn't reply. So if anyone is in any way linking Holly to this, that is absolutely, wholly untrue.' He told the newspaper the pair have broken all contact, and said it was his paedophile brother's imprisonment that made her distance herself from the friendship. Describing Ms Willoughby, 42, as his 'TV sister', Schofield said he understood why she would think, 'I have to step back from this'. He told the BBC, when asked who on the This Morning team knew about his affair: 'To my knowledge, I mean, somebody has to know something for there to be a rumour later on. I didn't believe that anybody knew.' The TV presenter has praised his daughters Molly, 29, and Ruby, 27, for 'guarding him' as he struggles to cope with the fall-out from the affair. He told the BBC: 'Last week if my daughters hadn't been there then I wouldn't be here. And they've guarded me and won't let me out of their sight, it's like a weird numbness. 'I know that's a selfish point of view. But you come to a point where you just think, how much are you supposed to take?' He also said telling his wife Ms Lowe about his affair 'was the most difficult conversation I've ever had to have with her'. He added: 'She is extremely disappointed because I lied to her as well.' Ant McPartlin made a rare appearance with his wife Anne Marie Corbett as they left the Britain's Got Talent final at the Hammersmith Apollo together on Sunday night. The Geordie presenter, 47, was in hysterics as he larked about in the car with Anne Marie's daughter Poppy where they wore winner Viggo Venn's now iconic high vis jacket on their heads. The Norwegian comedian had sported the outfit on stage as he was crowned the winner, scooping the 250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance. Anne-Marie is mother to two daughters, Poppy and Daisy, who she shares with her ex-husband Scott Corbett. She also looked in great spirits as she sat beside him and laughed at their funny antics. Fun: Ant McPartlin made a rare appearance with his wife Anne Marie Corbett as they left the Britain's Got Talent final together on Sunday night Animated: The Geordie presenter, 47, was in hysterics as he larked about in the car with Anne Marie's daughter Poppy where they wore winner Viggo Venn's now iconic high vis jacket on their heads Well done: The Norwegian comedian had sported the outfit on stage as he was crowned the winner, scooping the 250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance Poppy was having a great time as she pulled a series of animated facial expressions in the back of the car. Comedian Viggo was crowned the winner of Britain's Got Talent 2023 on Sunday night''s show. Dancer Lilliana Clifton, 13, and 14-year-old magician Cillian O'Connor placed in second and third respectively - but missed out on the title. Viggo scooped the 250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance. However, audience members appeared to boo Viggo, while social media erupted as viewers claimed the talent show was fixed. After technical issues and a series of switch-offs during Saturday evening's Britain's Got Talent semi-final, ITV could be forgiven for crossing fingers and toes as the grand final of their long-running flagship kicked off on Sunday evening. 33-year-old Viggo not only donned his now-iconic hi-vis vest but forced head judge Simon Cowell into wearing a matching one as rose petals were thrown over the pair LOL: Anne Marie also looked in great spirits as she sat beside him and laughed at their funny antics Cracking up: Ant couldn't contain is laughs as he had a great time while leaving the TV studios in London Judge Alesha Dixon told him: 'You've captivated the nation, they love you.' Bruno Tonioli added: 'I think your physical comedy is world-class, you have created one of the most memorable characters since Mr Bean.' And Simon was full of praise for the funnyman, telling him: 'At least you didn't make me look stupid tonight. I have never ever met an act like you in my life, I will admit it, I really really love you now.' Viggo called back to his original audition at the end of his performance, stripping off his jacket to Daft Punk's 'One More Time' to reveal another hi-vis vest. And when asked why he has so many of the jackets, he told co-host Declan Donnelly: 'I wear so many high-vis because it's really cold in Norway.' Before the show aired, Simon explained how he hoped the programme would help the contestants build better lives for themselves. Having a laugh: Poppy was having a great time as she pulled a series of animated facial expressions in the back of the car Having a great time: She stuck her tongue out as Ant laughed uncontrollably next to her in the car He said: 'I think you've got two things, you want to make a show which people hopefully will enjoy watching. And secondly, you want to give whoever it is that opportunity, hopefully, for things to get better in their lives after they've auditioned. I think where things have changed a lot from where we first started is it always used to be about the end prize.' While many took to social media to praise Viggo for his win, some criticised him online, with one penning: 'Nothing irritates me more than when complete JOKE ACT wins a competition' Another wrote: 'This man wore a hi-vis on a talent show and came away with 250k. Fair play'. A third added: 'Audience are rightfully booing. Viggo Venn has zero talent. I hate the British public'. Nicole Kidman is reportedly hoping to have all her children present when she is handed the Life Achievement Award at the The American Film Institute (AFI) ceremony. Touted by the institute as 'America's highest honor for a career in film' Nicole will be the first Australian actor to be given the nod. The 55-year-old is reportedly hoping to have all her children present, including her two adopted kids with ex-husband Tom Cruise, Connor, 28, and Bella, 30. 'Nicole knows Connor is extremely loyal to his dad so she doesn't expect him to come, but the invitation is there for both of them,' an alleged source tells New Idea. 'It's an event they have every right to celebrate along with the rest of Nicole's family,' they continued. Nicole Kidman (pictured) is reportedly hoping to have all her children present when she is handed the Life Achievement Award at the The American Film Institute ceremony 'Nicole is trying to limit her expectations, but is clinging to hope Bella might make it'. The event was originally set to take place on June 10, but has since been postponed to a later date. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to representatives for Nicole Kidman for comment. Isabella, known as Bella, and Connor, are the only children Tom, 60, and Nicole, 55, share together. Connor was adopted by Kidman and the action star not long after he was born in 1995, but the exact timeline remains unclear. Sister Isabella was adopted by the couple three years earlier in 1992. The 55-year-old is reportedly hoping to have all her children present, including her two adopted kids with ex-husband Tom Cruise, Connor, 28, and Bella, 30 (pictured) 'Nicole knows Connor is extremely loyal to his dad so she doesn't expect him to come, but the invitation is there for both of them,' an alleged source tells New Idea. Connor is pictured The Hollywood pair - who got married in 1990 - divorced in 2001. The Top Gun: Maverick actor also shares daughter Suri Cruise, 17, with ex-wife Katie Holmes. Meanwhile, the Moulin Rouge actress shares daughters Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, 14, and Faith Margaret Kidman Urban, 12, with husband Keith Urban. Tom and Connor have been spotted out on occasion attending sporting events together. Nicole has said in the past that she prefers to keep her relationship with her kids private. Strictly Come Dancing professional Neil Jones and Love Island star Chyna Mills have revealed they are having a baby girl. The couple - who started dating after the dancer slid into the reality star's DMs and got engaged in April - were joined by his fellow Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals tour stars as they held a gender reveal. Dancers Dianne Buswell, Gorka Marquez, Vito Coppola, Carlo Gu, Karen Hauer, Nikita Kuzmin, Luba Mushtuk, Nancy Xu and Jowita Przystal all witnessed the moment they sliced into a cake to reveal a pink sponge. They all cheered: 'It's a girl!' Speaking to HELLO! magazine about the moment they found out the sex of the unborn tot with his 'Strictly' gang, Neil said: 'They were as thrilled as us... 'They'd been trying to guess if we were expecting a girl or a boy, and for the HELLO! shoot the girls wore pink or blue eyeshadow, depending on what they thought... Yay! Strictly Come Dancing professional Neil Jones and Love Island star Chyna Mills have revealed they are having a baby girl Stunning: On Sunday, Chyna shared a slew of stunning snaps with her bump on show 'Dianne was like, 'Your daughter will have so many (Strictly) aunties now!' Chyna and I are so happy and I can't wait to be a dad.' Chyna says she had an inkling she was having a girl because of her intense morning sickness and the fact her mother had it bad with her pregnancies with her girls. She said: 'I had horrendous morning sickness, which my mum who's had four girls tells me is a sign. My cravings have been for sweet food, too. Krispy Kreme donuts are my downfall.' Neil believes their daughter will be a model like his mum because of her long legs, while Chyna is tipping her little girl to be a dancer like daddy. He said: 'During a scan the nurse tried to get the baby to turn. When she wouldn't, the nurse joked, 'This one's quite stubborn,' and I thought, 'That's like Chyna'... Yay! The held the reveal in front of some of his Strictly tour co-stars (L-R Dianne Buswell, Gorka Marquez, Karen Hauer, Cameron Lombard, Luba Mushtuk, Kai Widdrington, Nadiya Bychkova, Neil, Katya Jones and Graziano Di Prima) Sweet: The couple have around 17 weeks until they meet the little one 'The baby even lies with her arms above her head and with her legs crossed just like her mum. Her legs are really long, so she could be a model, too.' Chyna added: 'I think she's going to be a dancer, like her dad. Whenever we play music or I watch Neil perform, she moves as if she's trying to dance. I feel she and I know everything about each other, and I talk to her all the time.' The couple have around 17 weeks until they meet the little one. Neil admitted: 'My outlook on life has changed. It's not just about me anymore I need to take care of two people.' Love: Chyna and Neil revealed in April that she was 13 weeks pregnant and the parents-to-be are set to welcome their newborn in the autumn Helen Skelton showcased her impressively toned abs as she tried her hand at paddle boarding on Sunday. The presenter, 39, looked incredible in a red bikini and wetsuit as she enjoyed the activities at her half-term staycation spot in the Lake District. The TV personality teamed the look with and orange and black wetsuit which she pulled up to just below her midriff, flashing her toned stomach. The mother-of-three paired her look with stylish sunglasses and wore her blonde locks straight. Making her way through the cold waters, she appeared in good spirits as she tested her balancing skills and offered the camera a smile. Impressive! Helen Skelton showcased her impressively toned abs as she tried her hand at paddle boarding on Sunday Wow! The presenter, 39, looked incredible in a red bikini and wetsuit as she enjoyed the activities at her half-term staycation spot in the Lake District Captioning the gallery of snaps, Helen penned: 'Busy half term. Fridge crying to be restocked, machine groaning under the washing but we go back to school grateful for the time and sunshine. 'Thanks big bro for the Wembley memories (@bbc5live @bbcsounds my show still available 10am-12). 'Thanks @draytonmanor for the lovely stay, cheers lakes for a glorious camping trip, even squeezed in a morning with @gooutdoors fam, a party for each child and an eve with old pals (soap award pic pending). 'Thanks as always to the parents and their constant logistical support. 'Back to work for a rest #halfterm #backtowork #backtoschool #memories #family #grateful #lakedistrict' Helen has certainly enjoyed a busy few days. She looked nothing short of sensational on Saturday night, as she attended the British Soap Awards at The Lowry in Salford. The presenter took to the stage to present the best Single Episode award alongside Scott Mills. Looking good: Helen looked nothing short of sensational on Saturday night, as she attended the British Soap Awards at The Lowry in Salford (pictured presenting with Scott Mills) She dazzled in a bright coral gown that clung to her toned frame and boasted a plunging neckline. Helen recently explained why she doesn't need sympathy in the wake of her split from ex-husband Richie Myler. The TV presenter confirmed via her Instagram account on 25 April 2022, that she and Richie were no longer a couple, as he had left the family home. He has since welcomed a baby with his girlfriend Stephanie Thirkill, just one year after his split from Helen was announced. Helen is rumoured to have moved on too - after reports circulated that she has been 'going on casual dates' with Strictly professional Vito Coppola. Helen and Richie are parents to Louis, eight, Ernie, seven, Louis, eight and Elsie, two. Speaking to Grazia, Helen was asked about her tricky time raising three children on her parents' farm after moving from Leeds to Cumbria following the separation. Choosing not to discuss her split from Richie, in any length, she simply said: 'My life's no different to millions of other people's lives. 'Lots of people have the same sorts of things to look after and sort out. I think life is fun, and short, and wonderful, and you just take each chapter as it comes along. There's no point overthinking stuff, you just get on with it.' Helen says that having three children means she doesn't have time to concern herself with other things. She continued: 'I've always got something to do because they always need something. I've loved my babies being babies because you've got no time to be stressed about anything else.' Celebrity Gogglebox has bagged a huge comedy star to bring the laughs to the hit Channel 4 series. Katherine Ryan and her husband Bobby Kootstra are set to give a glimpse into their lavish London home for the first time. The Canadian comedian, 39, said she is 'thrilled' to be taking part in the hit show and gushed that she is very 'excited' for viewers to see inside her home. She told The Sun: 'It's usually just the dogs who get to see us watch TV, so we're excited to welcome viewers into our home as we decompress in our favourite spot the sofa. 'We've been huge Gogglebox fans for years and we are thrilled to be taking part.' 'We're excited to welcome viewers into our home': Celebrity Gogglebox has bagged a huge comedian star to bring the laughs to the hit Channel 4 series 'We are thrilled to be taking part': Katherine Ryan and her husband Bobby Kootstra are set to give a glimpse into their lavish London home for the first time (pictured in 2022) The couple will be joined on the series by Zoe Ball, Johnny Ball and Woody Cook, Denise Van Outen and Duncan James, plus Shaun Ryder and Bez. The news comes after All That Glitters: Britain's Next Jewellery Star was axed after two seasons last month. The popular competition show, which was fronted by Katherine, launched on BBC Two in April 2021 but plans for a third season have been scrapped, TV Zone revealed. The show was similar to the format of Bake Off, but with jewellery instead of cakes, seeing eight talented crafters battle it out in two tasks over the course of six weeks. Under the watchful eye of host Katherine and judges Shaun Leane, Solange Azagury-Partridge and Dinny Hall, the contestants would compete to be named 'Britain's Next Jewellery Star'. Jewellers took on a Best Seller challenge, tasked with making jewellery that met a certain criteria, before the Bespoke Brief, where they would make items requested by a member of the public. All That Glitters managed a respectable 2.6 million peak audience during the launch show, averaging at 2.3 million and was lauded by critics. Speaking about the success of the show, Katherine previously said: 'Jewellery making is so visual and satisfying to watch, but it's the jewellers themselves that make the show unmissable. 'We've been huge Gogglebox fans': The Canadian comedian, 39, said she is 'thrilled' to be taking part in the hit show (pictured in 2022) 'They're all so warm and different, and they all have uniquely compelling personalities and stories that they bring into their craft.' Despite losing her role on the BBC show, Katherine is keeping busy with her thriving comedy career. The comic recently spoke to MailOnline about being a woman in a male-dominated field, explaining she had to carve out her own niche in comedy, something she says was an asset rather than a hindrance. She explained: 'I think that I was in the unique positions that I was never able to fit into a space that wasn't mine or try to change myself. 'I have always been quite authentic to a fault. Even when I tried to be a cheerleader or tried to be quiet because I thought that was the kind of woman that people would like I would still always came out as myself.' She continued: 'So I think I probably benefitted from the industry of being male dominated when I started. 'I am a great example of pedestal white feminism! I got to where I am partly because I was different. She advised: 'Lean into your authentic self, you'll never be as successful doing an impression of someone else. 'And forget about those boys, I think they're more gladiatorial with each other than with us, it's wonderful to be different in this industry and if the boys want to ignore you and think their only competition is with each other, well they'll be wrong.' Katherine is also kept busy by her three children, Fenna Grace, six months, Fred, two, and Violet, 13. The congregation at Kanye West's Sunday Service sported a bizarre line-up of billowing white robes during the weekend's ceremony. Led by his daughter Chicago, five, and Psalm, four, members of the choir headed into the latest ceremony in billowing robes with terrifying face masks. The All Of The Lights rapper, 45, founded the American gospel group Sunday Service in 2019 and since, ceremonies are held weekly, often attended by his children and now his new 'wife' Bianca Censori. Alongside the white robes, the controversial rapper sent tongues wagging when he sported a black T-shirt with vast shoulder pads and leggings, while Bianca had her entire body, including her head, covered by pantyhose and futuristic dress. While social medias panned and marvelled at the ensemble, heads were turned to the congregation, due to the Handmaid's Tale style hoods - which were also causing waves online. Shocker: The congregation at Kanye West's Sunday Service sported a bizarre line-up of billowing white robes during the weekend's ceremony Weee! As well as heading to the service, Kanye was seen with four-year-old son Psalm - on a bicycle at a parking lot in Los Angeles on Sunday Interesting: Chicago was seen wearing a white robe similar to other church attendees but she opted to go without the white robe Matching outfits: Kanye 'Ye' West and his 'wife' Bianca Censori both wore all-black outfits while attending Sunday Services in Los Angeles Kanye was joined by two of his four children, who include daughter North, who turns 10 on June 15; son Saint, seven; and daughter Chicago, and Psalm - from his six-year marriage to Kim Kardashian, which ended in 2021. Kanye's Sunday Service - which the the father-of-four previously admitted gives him strength and quite literally 'saved' his life - are often thrown into the spotlight thanks to his unique dress sense and controversial views. In a nod to his shoulder pads and tight bottoms, some claimed he looked ready to hit the rugby pitch: 'When Kanye start to play Rugby... Kanye plays rugby'. Support system: Kanye's five-year-old daughter Chicago West (center) was also seen in attendance Happy: Members of the Sunday Service choir are pictured earlier this year Others focused further on his hosiery: 'Why arent we talking about what Kanye is wearing ? Were men were men in tiiiiiiiights... OMG, why is he wearing tights?' In November, Kanye and Kim, 42, settled their divorce and 80/20 custody arrangement, which entails him paying her $200K/month in child support. On last week's episode of her Hulu reality show The Kardashians, Kim confessed: 'I really do believe that one day, my kids will appreciate my silence, my understanding, and my grace, and I will try to keep it together at all times... 'I used to run around and call everyone behind his back and be like, "It's gonna be okay, don't worry, just give him another chance." I used to spend hours and hours and hours of my days as the clean-up crew.' What?! Social media was awash with shock at the latest looks 'I really do believe that one day, my kids will appreciate my silence': In November, Kanye and Kim finally settled their divorce and 80/20 custody arrangement, which entails him paying her $200K/month in child support (pictured in 2020) She added: 'It's the hardest feeling to watch someone you really loved, and you have a family with be so different than what you knew.' Following the epic fallout from his anti-Semitic scandal, the Hot S*** rapper - who has bipolar disorder - released (then deleted) the track Censori Overload in January and Someday We'll All Be Free in December. Kanye is currently facing a class-action civil lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by three teachers - Timanii Meeks, Cecilia Hailey, and Chekarey Byers - who were fired from his troubled school Donda Academy. Last Thursday, photographer Nichol Lechmanik filed a civil lawsuit against him for assault, battery, and negligence over a January 27 incident where he was filmed tossing her phone into the street, which damaged the $30 case. Claire Sweeney reunited with her Brookside parents Sue Jenkins and Dean Sullivan this weekend at the British Soap Awards. The actress, 52, who played Lindsey Corkhill in the long-running Channel 4 soap, cosied up to her former on-screen mum and dad - Sue who played Jackie Corkhill, and Dean who played Jimmy Corkhill. Posing for the family reunion, Claire, who played Lindsey on and off for 12 years, admitted it felt very 'emotional'. Taking to her Instagram alongside the pair, she penned: 'Now this felt emotional. So happy to see @deansul @susie.jenks #brookside #family.' Coronation Street actress Claire, who announced she was joining the cast of the soap in April, posed with the train of her dress extending out across the floor beside her. Reunion! Claire Sweeney enjoyed an 'emotional' reunion with her Brookside parents Sue Jenkins and Dean Sullivan this weekend at the British Soap Awards The garment featured shimmering gold decorative detail on the hip and neckline, with Claire carrying a sequinned clutch purse in the same colour to match. She wore a pair of gold open-toed heels to add a few inches to her stature and accessorised with some pendulum earrings for the evening. Claire wore lashings of make-up to highlight her features, opting for a bold red lip. She has already started filming for Coronation Street and her first scenes are set to air on Wednesday June 28. Cosying up in the middle, Dean looked dapper in a black suit and crisp white shirt. He paired the look with an extravagant black and white neck tie and brown hat. Sue also looked fabulous in the shot, in a white frilly blouse and chic brown trousers. Fans were full of compliments for the Corkhill family as they reunited some 20 years after the soap finished. Throwback: The actress, 52, (right) played Lindsey Corkhill in the long-running Channel 4 soap One fan wrote: 'Sue looks phenomenal. Wowwww.' Another said: 'How fabulous does Jackie Corkhill look! [flame emoji]' A third added: 'Look at our Jackie, so fabulous'. Liverpool-born Claire was first known for her portrayal of Lindsey Corkill in the scouse soap Brookside for which she won Best Dramatic Scene at the British Soap Awards The soap, set in Liverpool, chronicled the lives of characters living in 13 houses on a cul-de-sac called Brookside Close. Their family reunion comes after fellow Brookside star Louis Emerick and Claire claimed the long-running Channel 4 soap predicted the future with its storylines. During an appearance on Lorraine in February this year, Claire discussed a plot in which her character Lindsey Corkhill was arrested in Thailand after her ex-husband Gary Jackson (played by Allan Patterson) planted drugs in her suitcase. She said: 'The Thailand storyline... he would write it, and five weeks later the same thing would happen in the press! It's so scary.' Louis (who portrayed Mick Johnson) added: 'When you think about it now, we've got the strikes going on now. When you think about, as well, the sort of plague... we hated that storyline. Claire chimed in: 'We thought it was mental, didn't we?' before Louis said: 'It was the Covid of 25 years ago'. Claire concluded of creator Phil Redmond: 'Phil had this brilliant instinct. There'd be a story in the script, and a week later it'd be in the news.' Earlier this year, it was announced that Brookside was making its return to screens across the UK after 20 years off air. Ashley Roberts sent temperatures soaring in a black crochet unitard as she reunited with former Pussycat Doll bandmate Kimberley Wyatt at Mighty Hoopla festival on Sunday. The TV personality, 41, took to Instagram to share a gallery of snaps from the pop festival in South London as she wowed in a racy cut out one piece. The duo couldn't contain their smiles as they posed up a storm together ahead of Kimberley, also 41, taking to the stage to perform for her new Don't Cha Disco set. Ashley displayed her sensational figure in the revealing number which she teamed with a pair of comfortable Nike trainers. She styled her long blonde tresses in a chic half updo leaving her block fringe to frame her face. Reunited! Ashley Roberts sent temperatures soaring in a black crochet unitard as she reunited with former Pussycat Doll bandmate Kimberley Wyatt at Mighty Hoopla festival on Sunday Sizzling: The TV personality, 41, took to Instagram to share a gallery of snaps from the pop festival in South London as she wowed in a racy cut out one piece The Heart FM radio presenter flashed her gorgeous smile while posing up a storm at the event while hiding behind a pair of chunky black sunglasses. Meanwhile, Kimberley commanded attention in a skintight lace up navy jumpsuit which boasted sheer and dazzling detailing. She slicked her long blonde tresses up in a neat high ponytail and applied a dramatic palette of makeup including a bold blue eyeshadow and winged eyeliner. Kimberley showcased her jaw dropping flexibility during the evening as she took to the stage to perform. Ashley penned: 'Hoopla huns. Fun day celebrating LoVE #pride @mightyhoopla thx @glynfussell'. It comes after Ashley commanded attention in a dazzling silver mini dress while attending Beyonce's Renaissance World Tour on Sunday evening. The TV personality attended Queen B's final of the five incredible sold-out nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. She looked sensational as she went braless in the cowl neck glittering number which she teamed with an oversized black blazer. Amazing: The duo couldn't contain their smiles as they posed up a storm together ahead of Kimberley, also 41, taking to the stage to perform for her new Don't Cha Disco set Jaw dropping: Ashley displayed her sensational figure in the revealing number which she teamed with a pair of comfy Nike trainers Looking good: The radio presenter flashed her gorgeous smile while posing up a storm at the event while hiding behind a pair of chunky black sunglasses Impressive: Meanwhile Kimberley commanded attention in a skintight lace up navy jumpsuit as she showcased her jaw dropping flexibility while performing on stage Ashley kept comfy in a pair of chunky black lace up boots and toted her belongings around for the evening in a dazzling bag. She posed up a storm for pictures outside the stadium before heading inside and getting some extra snaps at her seat ahead of the Single Ladies icon taking to the stage. The beauty penned: 'Pure honey'. During the show, Beyonce was joined on stage yet again by her eldest daughter Blue Ivy, 11. The former Destiny's Child member took to Instagram to share a carousel of snaps to her 310 million fans from the concert. She stunned in a sparkling, silver jumpsuit and eye-catching heels while standing next to her mini-me on the stage. As she sang into the microphone, she proudly held out her left arm in the direction of Blue Ivy as she flashed peace signs with her fingers towards the boisterous crowd below. Hot! It comes after Ashley commanded attention in a dazzling silver mini dress while attending Beyonce's Renaissance World Tour on Sunday evening Special moment: Beyonce, 41, was effortlessly radiant as she was joined by her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, 11, on stage during her tour in London Beyonce shares her eldest child, as well as twins Rumi and Sir, five, with husband Jay-Z, whom she tied the knot with in 2008. The Empire State Of Mind hitmaker cheered on his wife and daughter from the audience, and was joined by other celebrity attendees, such as Paul McCartney, Kelly Rowland, and also Sacha Baron Cohen. Beyonce kicked off her anticipated Renaissance Tour last month in May and is slated to come to an end later this year on September 27 in New Orleans. Following her London stop, the star will head to Spain, as well as other countries such as Germany, before heading back to America for the tour's U.S. trek. 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. Amber Turner set pulses racing on Monday as she shared racy snaps from her latest getaway in Ibiza. The Only Way Is Essex star, 29, showed off her incredible figure as she posed in a black triangle bikini while relaxing on the Balearic party island. Amber looked gorgeous in the racy number which put her ample assets on full display and showcased her abs. Smiling coquettishly for the camera, the TV personality teased her followers as she pulled her bikini top down, a move that exposed more of her cleavage. She opted for a flawless palette of makeup including a swipe of pink lipstick and wore her brunette locks straight with loose waves. Wow! Amber Turner set pulses racing on Monday as she shared a slew of racy snaps from her latest getaway in Ibiza Amber accessorised with dainty gold jewellery and let her incredible figure do the talking in the racy pictures. Sharing the snaps to her Instagram, she wrote: 'Have 3 x' The reality TV star has been quite the jet-setter recently, having visited Dubai and Thailand as well as the Spanish party spot. It seems she is enjoying the single life, after her split from Dan Edgar earlier this year. MailOnline confirmed Dan split from Amber after suspecting she lied to him about attending after-parties in Dubai and 'went off radar' during a two-week girls' holiday. The TOWIE hunk, 32, was left 'hurt' and 'confused' after Amber alleged on multiple occasions that she was 'home' and 'in bed' following nights on the town in Dubai, despite him being told that she was still out partying. Amber, who previously cheated on ex-boyfriend Jamie Reed with Dan in scenes filmed for the ITVBe series, extended her trip several times, leaving her partner of six years in the lurch. MailOnline has learned that Amber began to limit communication with Dan, leading him to suspect that she had met someone else. Cheeky! The TOWIE star, 29, looked nothing short of sensational as she posed up a storm in a black triangle bikini in the mirror Impressive: Amber looked gorgeous in the racy number which put her ample assets on full display and showcased her impressively toned abs Busy: The star, who is no stranger to flaunting her enviable figure, has been quite the jet-setter recently, having visited Dubai and Thailand as well as the Spanish party spot Dan, who stayed at home looking after their dog Oliver, unfollowed Amber and removed all trace of her from his Instagram after he gave up trying to understand her movements overseas. A source close to the ex-couple revealed: 'Dan has been so hurt and confused over Amber's actions the past month. 'Amber went to Dubai to celebrate her mum's 60th but she didn't come home for over two weeks. 'She was out partying with girlfriends and would tell him she was in bed, but he received messages from other people saying she was still out. 'A huge assumption has been made that their split was because of Dan's lack of commitment but this time he was left questioning whether Amber can be trusted.' MailOnline understands that the exes are still living together at their rented apartment in Stapleford Abbotts while they decide on arrangements for the future. Amber shared an upload from the airport before jetting off to the UAE on April 16 and continued to post a number of glamorous photos from her Dubai getaway on Instagram. As well as celebrating her mum's milestone birthday, Amber also shot her new collection with Envy shoes. Her relationship became strained when she started partying and staying out late with girlfriends and Dan wasn't sure she was being honest about her whereabouts. MailOnline contacted Amber and Dan's representation for comment. Rocky: It comes after the MailOnline revealed that Dan Edgar split from Amber after suspecting she lied to him about attending afterparties in Dubai and 'went off radar' during a two-week girls' holiday Suspicious: The TOWIE star was left 'hurt' after Amber alleged on multiple occasions that she was 'home' and 'in bed' following nights on the town in Dubai, despite him being told that she was still out Drama: Dan, who stayed at home looking after their dog Oliver, unfollowed Amber and removed all trace of her from his Instagram after he gave up trying to understand her movements overseas Over the years, Amber's romance with Dan has been rocked by various cheating claims with the reality star becoming known for his 'deny until you die' catchphrase amongst his TOWIE cast mates. In April 2017, Amber finally confessed to ex Jamie that she had lied about cheating on him with Dan during emotional scenes filmed for the reality series. When Amber's car was spotted outside Dan's house, she tried to cover her tracks by telling Jamie she was collecting her leather jacket, but she later admitted to staying the night. In a memorable TOWIE episode, Amber claimed to Jamie 'I went to pick up my leather jacket that I left there' before he questioned 'your car was there all night' and she said 'no, it wasn't there at 7:30 in the morning, I don't know what else you want me to say.' Six months later, Dan was forced to admit that he had betrayed Amber by sleeping with another woman during a lads' trip in Dublin and the star was left devastated dealing with the dishonesty. During a relationship break in 2019 Dan started dating Chloe Sims but he quickly went back to Amber, leaving his friendship with the TOWIE veteran in tatters. Despite their turbulent romance, Amber and Dan recently moved into a new property together, celebrating their fresh chapter with a housewarming party. Dan told co-star James Lock that his life is 'different' now and his lifestyle is more 'civilised' in comparison to his former Lothario ways. He said: 'I'm the first person to admit we've had a very rocky road and it's been very up and down and it's taken us a long way to get to where we are now.' Thomas Ravenel revealed he broke seven bones and punctured his lungs in a polo accident. The 60-year-old reality star, who announced the news via his Instagram page on Sunday, said he spent four days in the hospital recovering from his injuries. 'Out of commission for awhile,' the former Southern Charm star wrote on the post, adding a snap of himself in his polo uniform. 'Just spent 4 days in the hospital. Had a polo accident broke 7 bones and puncturing my lungs,' he added. 'But don't worry. I'll live. If, I don't die. J/k. I'll be back in 7 weeks. When they took the x-rays, they said, "you've broken these bones before." I was a bit surprised. Didn't know broken bones left scars,' Thomas said. The latest: Thomas Ravenel revealed he broke seven bones and punctured his lungs in a polo accident Get well: The 60-year-old reality star, who announced the news via his Instagram page on Sunday, said he spent four days in the hospital recovering from his injuries Thomas' accident comes months after he was awarded full custody of his two children with ex Kathryn Dennis, The Sun reported. The duo share kids Kensington, eight, and Saint, six. The outlet revealed earlier this year that Thomas was given sole custody in February after Kathryn reportedly 'failed drug tests.' Kathryn, 31, has supervised visits on Saturdays and Sundays, per The Sun. She reportedly tested positive for 'three illegal drugs,' The Sun reported. 'Thomas won the court case and was granted sole custody of the kids,' their source added. 'Thomas' legal team had affidavits from the speech therapists, an occupational therapist, physical therapist and play therapists that the children were making tremendous progress under his parenting,' The Sun's insider noted. 'They were doing well in school, enjoying play dates and were happy. They love school and living in Aiken. So far everything is going well. Kathryn has been adhering surprisingly well to the order. Thomas wishes the best for her,' the source said. Thomas originally filed for sole custody in 2020, with Kathryn temporarily losing custody in 2021. In 2021, after he was temporarily awarded full custody, his attorney said: 'I can confirm the information released last week that Ms. Dennis currently has weekend, daytime supervised visitation with the parties' minor children and that Mr. Ravenel plans to relocate with the children to Aiken, South Carolina this summer.' Kids: The duo share kids Kensington, eight, and Saint, six Former: The outlet revealed earlier this year that Thomas was given sole custody in February after Kathryn reportedly 'failed drug tests' 'Due to the sensitive nature of the issues involved, all documents in this case have been sealed, meaning the public cannot access them, and neither Mr. Ravenel, Ms. Dennis, nor their respective attorneys are permitted to release them to third parties,' the statement continued. 'As such, and in keeping with the spirit of the protective order, I will not go into detail regarding the circumstances that necessitated the changes to the parties' custodial arrangement.' Kathryn and Thomas previously shared joint custody of their children, and the arrangement worked well for the exes, according to the Southern Charm star. 'We actually have a great coparenting relationship,' she told Us Weekly in November 2019. 'It's good for him, it's good for me. We're moving forward, which is the first time I've said that in a long time and it feels good.' The positive words strikes a contrast to their otherwise ugly custody battle, with Thomas accusing Kathryn of being addicted to prescription medications and marijuana, among other allegations. Dennis denied the accusations. Former: Ravenel has another child, Jonathan Jackson, two, with Heather Mascoe. The couple got engaged but split last year Brief: Meanwhile, Dennis had a brief relationship with Chleb Ravenell Ravenel and Dennis first began dating in 2013 before splitting up for good in 2016. Thomas has another child, Jonathan Jackson, two, with Heather Mascoe. The couple got engaged but split last year. Meanwhile, Kathryn had a brief relationship with Chleb Ravenell. Bam Margera has been placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold following a spiral of disturbing behavior culminating in the star threatening to 'smoke crack until I'm dead' unless he could see his son. The Jackass star, 43, who is embroiled in a nasty custody battle with estranged wife Nicole Boyd who he claims is keeping him from son Phoenix, five, has sparked mass concern with his social media rants - and has been deemed a danger to himself and others, reports TMZ. LAPD police officers found him at Trejo's Tacos on Sunday by tracking his phone - and called in a psychiatric evaluation team. It was claimed when they met with Bam, they determined he needed to be placed under a 5150. Bam was taken to a mental health facility but it is unclear if he is still getting treatment. The involuntary hold means Margera could be detained at the hospital for up to 72 hours for evaluation and treatment. Heartbreaking: Bam Margera has been placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold following a spiral of disturbing behavior culminating in the star threatening to 'smoke crack until I'm dead' unless he could see his son Father:The Jackass star, 43, who is embroiled in a nasty custody battle with estranged wife Nicole Boyd who he claims is keeping him from son Phoenix, five, has sparked mass concern with his social media rants - and has been deemed a danger to himself and others, reports TMZ This comes after Margera threatened to 'smoke crack' until he is dead unless he is allowed to see his son amid an ongoing divorce battle with his wife. The former Jackass star, 43, claims she has cut off his contact with their son Phoenix over the past two months. He posted a rant on social media where he hit out at his family and his estranged wife and said they are driving him to drink. Margera then threatened to go down the boardwalk to smoke crack with homeless people until he dies or until he is allowed to see his son. He has not seen Phoenix since March 29 during an in-person visit in California and has not been allowed to communicate with his child via phone or FaceTime, according to his lawyer Peter W. Thompson. His wife's lawyer issued a statement on Margera's video, urging the TV stuntman to maintain his sobriety. 'Unfortunately, thats not how the addictions work. Peoples behavior does not drive others to drink. This is a typical defense mechanism, and it shows that Bam may not have learned much in his past addiction's treatment,' lawyer David Glass told TMZ. 'You have to take responsibility for your own actions. Nikki sincerely hopes that Bam can first achieve and then maintain sobriety, for his own good, and for the good of their son.' LAPD police officers found him at Trejo's Tacos on Sunday by tracking his phone - and called in a psychiatric evaluation team. It was claimed when they met with Bam, they determined he needed to be placed under a 5150 Margera split up with Boyd in 2021 and she went to court in September of that year to request full custody of their son. She filed for divorce this February citing irreconcilable differences, and requested the court award her $15,000 a month child support, as well as legal and physical custody of their child. In the documents, Boyd said Margera can see their child as long as it is supervised and he completes rehab for drug and alcohol issues. But Margera has tried to get the judge overseeing the divorce case to throw it out simultaneously trying to move up the next hearing, according to documents obtained by TMZ. The reality star claims that his ex is not allowing him to see their young son Phoenix, though she claimed in her own filing that his lack of visits is due to his own poor behavior. He took to social media to hit out at Boyd and his family and threatened to smoke crack until he was granted visitation rights. 'This is an official message to anybody that cares about me whatsoever,' Margera said. 'I haven't seen Phoenix in two f****** months and I am so f****** fed up. I cry every day, I miss him so much and I know I have to wake up everyday knowing that I probably won't get to talk to him or see him. 'So yes Nicki drives me to f****** drink, so does my f****** mom and so does my f****** pep-talking dad who tells me nothing but I am a f****** fat loser piece of s*** drug addict. Margera threatened to go down the boardwalk to smoke crack with homeless people until he dies or until he is allowed to see his son in the social media rant 'I am going to smoke crack with the bums down at the boardwalk until I am dead or unless you deliver me f****** Phoenix. So get to work Nicki or anybody that wants to help. I want Phoenix.' Thompson told the TMZ that Margera and Boyd had unsuccessfully tried to set up a routine where he would speak to his son via FaceTime, but it never came to fruition. Margera's camp said they find it 'completely unreasonable' that Boyd will not pick up the FaceTime or phone calls he has made, as it poses no danger to the child, the outlet reported. As it stands, the next scheduled hearing in Margera's divorce case is set for July 11, but the skater doesn't want to wait that long. The last time he saw his child was on March 29 during an in-person visit in California. That interaction did not go well, as Margera was seen in a clip on the site arguing with Boyd inside a Burbank, California restaurant over time spent with the child. He was seen arguing with Boyd in the clip, telling her, 'Phoenix has his own mind. Let him have his own mind!' And he was subsequently arrested in connection with public intoxication in the wake of the incident. That marked the most recent time that Margera has had any communication with his son, Thompson said. Sources said Margera has unsuccessfully attempted to deliver presents he purchased his son for Christmas 2022, but Boyd will not take them through Margera or third parties he's offered to have deliver them. Margera split up with Boyd in 2021 and she went to court in September of that year to request full custody of their son Margera has complained in court about the issue, and Boyd responded that she was fine with him having visits with the child, provided they took place in California, where she resides, and he was sober. He is said to be paying Boyd's home and car expenses, and that he remains amenable to working out an arrangement with Boyd and her lawyers for any level of communication. Boyd's lawyer David Glass cited Margera's conduct in his response to the outlet. 'From Nikki's perspective, Bam's continued instability is what makes connecting him and Phoenix difficult,' Glass said. 'But, Nikki remains open to regular FaceTime communication, so long as Bam is not impaired during the calls, and so long as Bam does not denigrate Nikki during the calls.' Margera has struggled with addiction and been in and out of rehab since 2009 and he escaped from a court-ordered rehab facility over three times last year. A judge restructured his treatment to no longer require him to reside at an in-patient facility to avoid another escape attempt. He has made headlines in recent months amid a spate of legal issues, including an altercation with his brother, who has accused him of drug use. Margera has denied the accusations. Eva Longoria is about to release her directorial debut with the film Flamin' Hot, but it is an old role she wants to talk about right now. The Devious Maids alum, 48, sat down with Mario Lopez for an interview on Access Hollywood and revealed that she misses Desperate Housewives and if there was a reboot, she would be the 'first to sign up.' 'I miss Gabby so much! I miss being Gabby Solis,' she said. There's only one problem. Series creator Marc Cherry isn't on board with the idea of bringing back the women of Wisteria Lane. 'Marc wouldn't do it, our creator. I've talked to him several times. He feels like "why now," Like, for the sake of a reboot. He wouldn't do it,' she explained. Desperate Housewives: Eva Longoria is about to release her directorial debut with the film Flamin' Hot, but it is an old role she wants to talk about right now. Seen on Desperate Housewives with, from left, Marci Cross, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher and Dana Delany Flamin' hot: The Devious Maids alum, 48, sat down with Mario Lopez for an interview on Access Hollywood and revealed that she misses Desperate Housewives and if there was a reboot, she would be the 'first to sign up'; seen in May She continued: 'He wants to know like, "what do I have to say with these characters that we haven't already fully mined.'' She explained that Cherry said: ''You know, I come from the generation of 24 episodes a year for a decade of our lives. Like, there's no more six-episode per season stuff that there is now. This was like 24 episodes a year. We fully mined those characters.'' And there's one other potential issue with a reboot - Gabby would have to have new neighbors on Wisteria Lane. 'There was nobody on the street I was left to sleep with. Like I slept with everybody. I was like, "What do we do now,"' Eva joked. Desperate Housewives aired for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012. The nighttime soap opera also starred Marcia Cross, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Nicollette Sheridan and Brenda Strong. And this isn't the first time the Brooklyn Nine-Nine actress has admitted she'd love to play Gabby again. In a 2021 interview with Stellar Magazine, Eva said: 'I'm dying to get back into Gabby's skin. That was like the best time of my life. What a gift that show was to me.' Wisteria Lane: And there's one other potential issue with a reboot - Gabby would have to have new neighbors on Wisteria Lane Reunion: 'There was nobody on the street I was left to sleep with. Like I slept with everybody. I was like, "What do we do now,"' Eva joked Gabby: 'Marc wouldn't do it, our creator. I've talked to him several times. He feels like 'why now.' Like, for the sake of a reboot. He wouldn't do it,' Eva explained On June 2, Eva attended the premiere of her directorial debut Flamin' Hot at Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Los Angeles. Flamin' Hot tells the true story of Richard Montanez - a janitor who claims to have invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos. The trailer for the upcoming film was released on Searchlight Pictures' official YouTube account last month. Flamin' Hot hit Hulu on June 9. Antonia Gorga and Milania Giudice looked gorgeous as they headed off to prom over the weekend. The teens - who are cousins and the daughters of feuding Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Melissa Gorga, 44, and Teresa Giudice, 51 - showcased their individual styles on social media posts marking the traditional milestone. Both pulled off mermaid dresses. Antonia, 17, chose to dazzle in an electric blue dress with a corseted bodice and spaghetti straps. The fit and flare gown featured plunging neckline that was masked with flesh toned material. The teen's long, dark hair was styled in loose curls that cascaded down her back and around her shoulders. Gorgeous: Antonia Gorga and Milania Giudice looked gorgeous as they headed off to prom over the weekend. The cousins are the daughters of Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Melissa Gorga, 44, and Teresa Giudice, 51 No drama: Milania and Antonia posed together for a selfie, which seemed to indicate they had not been drawn into the on-screen drama between their parents Her makeup looked natural with a muted pink lip. Antonia accessorized with gold bangles on both wrists and a simple gold chain around her neck. 'Its all happening.. such an exciting time in her life.' her proud mom wrote next to the photos on Instagram. 'Prom one!' the reality star wrote, indicating there was more fun to come. 'Her original high school!! One more week until the next one! Love my sweet girl.' Antonia switched high schools when her family moved, but apparently kept in touch with her friends. She was joined by a couple of friends dressed in different shades of blue, and posed for a group photo with them in the backyard of her parents' palatial home. Each seemed to be wearing identical wrist corsages. Milania, 17, chose a teal mermaid gown with lace on the bodice and outlining the low back. Electric blue: Antonia, 17, chose to dazzle in an electric blue fit and flair dress with a corseted bodice and spaghetti straps. The teen's long, dark hair was styled in loose curs that cascaded down her back and around her shoulders Original school: 'Its all happening.. such an exciting time in her life. Prom one! Her original high school!! One more week until the next one! Love my sweet girl.' Melissa wrote on Instagram. Antonia changed schools in 2021 after her family moved Mommy" Mother Melissa Gorga attends the About My Father New York premiere at SVA Theater in May in New York City The dress included a small chapel-style train. The teen styled her long, brown hair in a high half- ponytail with loose curls that cascaded down her back. She accessorized with dangling diamond earrings. Her makeup was dramatic, drawing the focus to her almond shaped eyes with a natural pink lip. Milania simply wrote 'Prom' with a green heart next to her photo carousel on Instagram. Mermaid: Milania, 17, chose a teal mermaid gown with lace on the bodice and outlining the low back. The dress included a small chapel-style train Dramatic eyes: The teen styled her long, brown hair in a high half- ponytail with loose curls that cascaded down her back. She accessorized with dangling diamond earrings. Her makeup was dramatic, drawing the focus to her almond shaped eyes with a natural pink lip Mommy: Milania's mother Teresa Giudice seen in Puerto Rico last week Antonia and Milania demonstrated their cousinly love, and posed for a photo together at the dance. Antonia will be headed to the University of Delaware for college in the fall. Milania has not announced where she will be going to school, but in a December episode of Watch What Happens Live, Teresa indicated her third daughter might be interested in going to college in California. 'She looked at two colleges in San Diego,' the Dancing with the Stars contestant revealed at the time. Teresa may be suggesting a location a little closer to home. She shared video of a family trip to Tampa, Florida, in her Instagram Stories and tagged Milania in photos from the University of Tampa. Kendall Jenner is ready for summer. The 27-year-old star of The Kardashians showcased her supermodel physique on Monday, as she showed off her latest bikini range for FWRD. Kendall was seen modeling the $265 DI PETSA 'Twisted Underbust Bikini Top' and matching $220 bikini bottom for the luxury e-tailer's summer campaign. The 27-year-old Society Management Model - who's worked for FWRD for over two years now - also flaunted her cleavage in the $350 THE ATTICO 'One Strap Bikini Set' in 'lobster' red, which quickly sold out of all sizes on Monday. There was not an inch to pinch on Kendall, who maintains her slim 5ft10in frame with help from Alo trainer Louis Chandler-Joseph and Forma Pilates instructor Liana Levi. Jenner also showcased the $204 Jean Paul Gaultier 'Printed Morphing Stripes Bikini Top' and matching $204 bikini bottom during the scantily-clad shoot captured by photographer Yulia Gorbachenko. Hairstylist Lucas Wilson made sure the Calabasas socialite's raven locks looked fabulous in and out of the water, and make-up artist Mary Phillips applied her wet-proof complexion. The new cleavage? FWRD creative director Kendall Jenner flashed substantial flesh modeling the $265 DI PETSA 'Twisted Underbust Bikini Top' and matching $220 bikini bottom for the luxury e-tailer's summer campaign Ever the tomboy, Kendall then clamored on a rock wearing Tropic of C creative director Candice Swanepoel's $80 'Equator Bikini Top' and $70 'Praia Bikini Bottom.' And while Jenner is considered a 'co-curator' for many FWRD collections, it was actually stylist Malina Joseph Gilchrist who handpicked the swimwear. 'I love working with FWRD. We have a long relationship that has built us or led us to this point,' Kendall gushed in a behind-the-scenes video last August. 'I've always been a creative being, and being in front of the camera is obviously... there's a certain creative expression there and it's super fun to collaborate with people and take feedback and learn so much. And I've done that, obviously, for a really long time. 'It's cool to be on the other side of it and have a little more control over, I guess, the atmosphere and be with an awesome team and learn from them. I feel honored.' Jenner's bikini unveiling came three days after Hailey Bieber squashed The Sun's report about their so-called 'feud' by Instastorying a poolside selfie of the BFFs captioned: 'Feuding.' Fans on Reddit were evidently outraged that The Kardashians producer-star and the 26-year-old Rhode founder both spent Memorial Day weekend vacationing in the South of France without sharing snaps together. However, Kendall and Hailey - who originally met at age 16 at The Hunger Games premiere in 2012 - were just photographed having dinner together at Sushi Park in West Hollywood last Wednesday. Already sold out! The 27-year-old Society Management Model - who's worked for FWRD for over two years now - also flaunted her cleavage in the $350 THE ATTICO 'One Strap Bikini Set' Skinny Minnie! There was not an inch to pinch on Kendall, who maintains her slim 5ft10in frame with help from Alo trainer Louis Chandler-Joseph and Forma Pilates instructor Liana Levi Holographic look: Jenner also showcased the $204 Jean Paul Gaultier 'Printed Morphing Stripes Bikini Top' and matching $204 bikini bottom during the scantily-clad shoot captured by photographer Yulia Gorbachenko Pert: Hairstylist Lucas Wilson made sure the Calabasas socialite's raven locks looked fabulous in and out of the water, and make-up artist Mary Phillips applied her wet-proof complexion 'Shop Kendall's edit!' Ever the tomboy, Kendall then clamored on a rock wearing Tropic of C creative director Candice Swanepoel's $80 'Equator Bikini Top' and $70 'Praia Bikini Bottom' 'I love working with FWRD!' And while Jenner is considered a 'co-curator' for many FWRD collections, it was actually stylist Malina Joseph Gilchrist who handpicked the swimwear And on April 19, Bieber posted a What's In My Kitchen vlog where she excitedly prepared passionfruit spritz cocktails and layered dip with Jenner, whom she affectionately calls 'Kenny.' In their prior 2021 vlog, the wife of Justin Bieber revealed they usually spend time together 'sitting at home and drinking wine' or watching movies: 'Like, [our friendship] is so normal people don't even understand how normal it is.' 'I feel like both you and I have experienced - whether it be business, like self, love, like whatever it is - like, I feel like we've both seen each other, like, thrive at different times than others, do you know what I mean?' the 818 Tequila founder responded. 'And we've been there for each other through it all and not, like, let it get in the way of our friendship, which I think is really, like, special and important.' Fans can catch more of Kendall - who's dating three-time Grammy-winning rapper Bad Bunny - in the 10-episode third season of The Kardashians, which airs Thursdays on Hulu. On May 7, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians spin-off won the best docu-reality series trophy at the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards. Kendall's bikini unveiling came three days after Hailey Bieber (R) squashed The Sun's report about their so-called 'feud' by Instastorying a poolside selfie of the BFFs captioned: 'Feuding' 'Wonder if anything happened there': Fans on Reddit were evidently outraged that Jenner (L) and the 26-year-old Rhode founder (R) both spent Memorial Day weekend vacationing in the South of France without sharing snaps together BFFs: However, The Kardashians producer-star and Hailey - who originally met at age 16 at The Hunger Games premiere in 2012 - were just photographed having dinner together at Sushi Park in West Hollywood last Wednesday Advertisement Diana Jenkins of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fame has put her Los Angeles home on the market for $20.5 million, ahead of the birth of her fourth child. The 50-year-old pregnant star's home, located in the celeb sought Hidden Hills, is 13,211 square feet on a 4.3 acre plot of land. Diana's home has seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms and includes a state-of-the art movie theater, an infinity pool and gym. The home was designed by architect George De La Nuez in 2019 with Meg Turner as the interior designer. The mansion also includes a four car garage and has an open-floor plan with an oversized kitchen and bedroom suites. Views: Diana Jenkins of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fame has put her Los Angeles home on the market for $20.5 million, ahead of the birth of her fourth child Star: Diana's home has seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms and includes a state-of-the art movie theater, an infinity pool and gym; seen March 25, 2017 in LA Incredible: The 50-year-old pregnant star's home, located in the celeb sought Hidden Hills, is 13,211 square feet on a 4.3 acre plot of land The sprawling estate features lots of greenery and trees on the four acre lot, with a large negative edge pool that sits on the edge of a hill; it is located in a gated community. The home has a large sitting area in front of the pool where you can enjoy the stunning views of the green hillside and mountains. The tiled outdoor sitting area has plenty of space for a barbeque and large furniture, perfect for families wanting to spend lots of time outdoors. The kitchen features a large island with wooden cabinets, stainless steel appliances and a separate breakfast area. One of the bathrooms had a large area just for the bathtub, with a large window next to it - perfect for a relaxing night in. There is also a wine cellar, with clear glass doors so you can enjoy the view of all your wine bottles. The living area was next to the kitchen, and features vaulted ceilings and recess lighting for an airy open concept. The 50-year-old star is expecting her second child - a baby girl - with fiance Asher Monroe, 34, due in August; They are parents to two-year-old daughter Eliyanah. Diana also has two children from her previous marriage to Roger Jenkins: son Innis, 22, and daughter Eneya, 19. Diana is the CEO of Neuro Brands; she also launched the Jenkins-Penn Haitian Relief Organization with Sean Penn. Beautiful: The sprawling estate features lots of greenery and trees on the four acre lot, with a large negative edge pool that sits on the edge of a hill Wow: The tiled outdoor sitting area has plenty of space for a barbeque and large furniture, perfect for families wanting to spend lots of time outdoors Serene: The home has a large sitting area in front of the pool where you can enjoy the stunning views of the green hillside and mountains Impressive: The kitchen features a large island with wooden cabinets, stainless steel appliances and a separate breakfast area Movie time: The theater room features a large screen and lots of space to put comfortable loungers and chairs Immaculate: One of the bathrooms had a large area just for the bathtub, with a large window next to it - perfect for a relaxing night in Details: There is also a wine cellar, with clear glass doors so you can enjoy the view of all your wine bottles Spacious: The living area was next to the kitchen, and features vaulted ceilings and recess lighting for an airy open concept Lovebirds: Diana seen with her fiance Asher Monroe while showcasing her growing baby bump Mom: The 50-year-old star is expecting her second child - a baby girl - with fiance Asher Monroe, 34, due in August; They are parents to two-year-old daughter Eliyanah TV: Diana made her Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in May 2022 for season 12; Pictured: (l-r) Diana Jenkins, Crystal Minkoff, Erika Girardi, Kyle Richards, Garcelle Beauvais, Dorit Kemsley, Lisa Rinna, Sutton Stracke She in currently in London, where she is set to give birth; People reported that she gave birth to her other children in London as well. Diana made her Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in May 2022 for season 12. She recently revealed she is sitting out filming for season 13 due to having to be on bed rest, ordered by her doctor. 'As many of you know, Asher and I are expecting our second child later this year. You also know that due to many factors, this pregnancy is considered high risk and I am on doctor-advised bed rest,' she said in a statement on her Instagram page. 'To that end, I am not able to devote myself fully to filming the next season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I would like to thank Bravo and Evolution for allowing me to focus on my pregnancy, and for their support and understanding. I promise to continue sharing my fertility journey with you.' Bling Empire's Anna Shay has died at the age of 62. The reality star passed away unexpectedly from a stroke, her family revealed in a statement to People on Monday morning. 'It saddens our hearts to announce that Anna Shay, a loving mother, grandmother, charismatic star, and our brightest ray of sunshine, has passed away at the early age of 62 from a stroke,' her family's statement read. 'Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things. Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but not forgotten.' Anna starred on the Netflix reality series Bling Empire for three seasons, beginning in 2021. Rest in Peace: Bling Empire's Anna Shay has died at the age of 62 Sad news: The reality star passed away unexpectedly from a stroke, her family revealed in a statement to People Anna starred on Bling Empire with Christine Chiu, Kim Lee, Kelly Mi Li, Kevin Kreider, Dorothy Wang and more. Anna has a son named Kenny Kemp, 27. The statement from her family noted grandchildren; it is unknown how many and with whom Kenny has children with. She shared her final Instagram post on December 2, 2022, writing: 'Wishing everyone happy holiday... May all your dreams come true. And a very special Thank you to all at the Netflix.' The show's matriarch, who was half Japanese and half Russian, was the only daughter of the late billionaire businessman Edward Shay and Japanese-American Ai-San. Anna's father founded Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE), a defense and government services contractor that worked with the U.S. government and the United Nations. She and her younger brother Allen sold PAE to Lockheed Martin in an all-cash, $1.2 billion deal in 2006. While she was well-known in LA, the socialite has kept herself out of the public eye. 'Anna Shay is a really reclusive person,' Kane explains in the first episode of Bling Ring. 'Sometimes you see a glimpse of her, sometimes you don't.' With a reported net worth of $600 million, she was by far the richest cast member. Last post: She shared her final Instagram post on December 2, 2022, writing: 'Wishing everyone happy holiday... May all your dreams come true. And a very special Thank you to all at the Netflix' Wealthy: With a reported net worth of $600 million, she was by far the richest cast member RIP: The show's matriarch, who was half Japanese and half Russian, was the only daughter of the late billionaire businessman Edward Shay and Japanese-American Ai-San Poster: Anna seen in a Bling Empire poster with her castmates On the premiere, she flies Kelly Mi Li to Paris for her birthday and buys her a 'friendship ring' from the luxury jeweler Boucheron. 'I bet Anna goes to Paris more times in a year than she goes to Silverlake,' Kelly says during the episode. The heiress was so rich that she admitted to OprahMag.com that she didn't know what to do with the payments she received for starring on the Netflix series. 'It was so confusing when I got the checks. I didn't know what to do with them,' she said. 'I didn't cash them, then I got in trouble for not cashing them. I have them in a savings account. I'd like to have a party some time. I don't think the money belongs to me. I think it belongs to the crew that had to put up with me.' Anna's son Kenny Kemp also appeared on the show. In 2015, he made a name for himself as a 'passionate stoner' after giving BuzzFeed a tour of his collection of bongs worth half a million dollars. The glass pipes were stored in a vault in his mother's Beverly Hills mansion that was originally designed to be a wine cellar. Louise Thompson shared a slew of swimsuit snaps from her 'momentous' holiday to St Lucia with her fiance Ryan Libbey and their son Leo on Monday. The Made In Chelsea star, 32, was due to go on the trip earlier this year, but it was postponed after she suffered a major haemorrhage right before they were due to leave. But after finally having made it, Louise made the most of her sun-soaked surroundings as she slipped into a selection of skimpy swimwear. The stunner showcased her jaw-dropping figure in an iridescent bikini as she enjoyed a spot of sailing, showcasing her active side as she leapt from the vessel onto the golden sand. In another snap Louise donned a figure-hugging plaid one piece with her brunette tresses loose tumbling past her shoulders. Beach babe: Louise Thompson, 32, shared a slew of swimsuit snaps from her 'momentous' holiday to St Lucia with her fiance Ryan Libbey and their son Leo on Monday. Holidays: The Made In Chelsea star was due to go on the trip earlier this year, but it was postponed after she suffered a major haemorrhage right before they were due to leave And on Thursday Louise struggled to contain her smile as she cuddled up to her son in front of the idyllic Caribbean backdrop. Louise, who is the sister of fellow MIC star Sam Thompson, showcased her gorgeous frame in her figure-hugging black swimsuit. The elegant number featured a square neck and cut out straps stretching over her shoulders. She appeared happier than ever in the snaps as she cuddled and played with her 18-month old son in the water. The beauty opted for a simple gold necklace and styled her brunette tresses in a plait, cascading down her back. In another sweet snap, she threw on a stylish black bucket hat and trendy sunglasses as she went for a dip in the pool with her son and fiance Ryan. The trio appeared to be having a good time as Ryan held his son in his arms and smiled for the selfie. Later in the evening, Ryan once again took on daddy duty as he relaxed on their hotel balcony and held his son up in the air. Leggy: The beauty then donned a black swimsuit which she wore with a bright red cover up Style: she also showed off her sensational sense of style in a chic black summer dress Happy: And on Thursday Louise struggled to contain her smile as she cuddled up to her son in front of the idyllic Caribbean backdrop Louise's trip comes after she has been battling PTSD and anxiety following her son Leo's birth in November 2021 and has been open about her deliberating mental and physical symptoms. She has also battled physical health issues, including suspected Asherman's syndrome, a rare condition that causes scar tissue to build up inside the uterus. She took to Instagram on Monday to share a slew of snaps of her, Ryan and their toddler at the beach after arriving on their holiday. Captioning the string of sweet photos, the reality star reflected on her feelings surrounding the getaway. She explained that she had felt 'completely cursed' for the last 18 months, but was starting to feel 'lucky', saying: 'Its time for a new chapter'. She added that she was grateful that her haemorrhage had occurred before the holiday and not during it, saying: 'My instinct is telling me that I wouldnt have survived.' Louise wrote: 'WE MADE IT. We were scheduled to visit St. Lucia to stay with friends in early Feb but my health got in the way... AGAIN. 'I shouldnt complain. In fact I should be counting my lucky stars that I was firmly on British soil when I suffered a major haemorrhage and had subsequent emergency surgery at the end of January. Good times: In another sweet snap, she threw on a stylish black bucket hat and trendy sunglasses as she went for a dip in the pool with her son and fiance Ryan Special: Later in the evening, Ryan once again took on daddy duty as he relaxed on their hotel balcony and held his son up in the air 'If our trip had been 3 days earlier the outcome is likely to have been very different. Goodness only knows what would have happened if Id been flying high in the sky on a 9hr flight, or roaming around bare foot on a remote Caribbean island, but my instinct is telling me that I wouldnt have survived. 'I know I needed several litres of life saving blood/fluids etc. and Im not sure what access to that sort of stuff is like abroad. Maybe dont tell me. Its not really worth stewing over too much.' She continued: 'Life seems to be one big fat sliding door. Who remembers that movie featuring Gwyenny Paltrow? Its one that I relate to quite a bit these days. 'One evening Im laughing with an old friend whilst drinking tea and drowning in bubbles as we entertain our sons who are having a play date. 'She gave me some of her swimwear (Im lucky to have lots of clever and creative friends who own independent brands) as a treat for my trip and a few hours later I have the courage to start packing. 'The next morning Im back in the back of a van being blue lit to hospital. The trip is understandably cancelled and we are bummed x 1000000 because it had taken a lot of planning. 'We made it!' Louise's trip comes after she has been battling PTSD and anxiety following her son Leo's birth in November 2021 and has been open about her deliberating mental and physical symptoms Family: She took to Instagram on Monday to share a slew of snaps of her, Ryan and their child at the beach after arriving on their holiday 'We were desperate for some sun, sea and vitamin d (as cliche as its sounds, everyone kept reminding us that its been a while since weve had a successful hot holiday) but equally I was SO grateful for the timing. 'The cr*p news was easier for me to digest than Ryan, maybe because I was the one in the hot seat. 'Hes scared and scarred for other reasons, including the things hes had to witness going in and out of my body. Gosh life is precious.' Louise went on: 'Anyway, fast forward a few months and we made it. This feels momentous. A holiday has never felt more like a holiday. 'After several recent and eye opening conversations with strangers, including one very funny character who shuttled us from the airport to the north of the island (where we are staying with friends) Ive come to the realisation that maybe I am ACTUALLY one of the lucky ones. 'For the best part of the last 2 years Ive felt completely cursed but Im feeling really ready to change the narrative. 'No one called me lucky before, but now they are starting to call me lucky. Only strangers mind you. But I wonder why? 'Maybe I hear what I want to hear, or maybe I tell the story differently. Either way its time for a new chapter. Its time for me to reframe what has happened. Its time for some post traumatic growth. 'From now on I will be the luckiest person I know. I certainly feel blessed for so many chances. I pray to those looking down on me for keeping me safe. Thank you x a million.' Louise concluded: 'Despite all of my luck or misfortune, whichever way you choose look at it, I cant go on living my entire life in fear, hence we took a calculated risk and decided to postpone our trip until May and dare I say it WE ARRIVED IN ONE PIECE. 'I had two attempts at a hot holiday last year and they both ended disastrously because I was so sick. I was mentally and physically in tatters. 'I hardly travelled when I was pregnant for fear or something happening AND before that we were all in lock down, so I feel a bit out of touch.' She joked: 'Oh who wants to hear about the 9 hr flight'. Alyssa Milano's son has passed a major milestone. The Charmed actress, 50, watched proudly as her son Milo, 12 graduated from elementary school last week. The proud mom. who is set to make her first trip to Australia for the Supanova convention later this month, shares Milo and his younger sister, Elizabeth, eight, with her husband, talent agent David Bugliari, 42. 'We celebrated my son today,' the Give Me an A star wrote next to a carousel of photos that began with a family picture. Alyssa was glowing with pride, wearing a belted black dress with a lace collar and puffy sleeves. Milestone: Alyssa Milano's son has passed a major milestone. The Charmed actress, 50, and husband David Bugliari, 42, watched proudly as their son Milo, 12 graduated from elementary school last week. The couple are also parents to Elizabeth, age eight Her hair was styled in an updo and she accessorized the look with a gold pendant and chain. 'Im emotional,' she continued. 'Parenting is such a phenomenon. You love them so hard. And nurture and guide and feed and push and cherish. And all that emotionthat fire in your bellyis to eventually let them fly.' 'We hold them so closeto let them go. Gah! Its hard. Being a parent is hard. Loving people that much, that wholly, is terrifying. There is nothing I want more than their health and happiness.' Alyssa sent out a thanks for family, such as her father, Thomas Milano, and friends including her bestie, actor Alaa Khaled, for attending the ceremony and graduation party. 'Thanks for being our village. I couldnt parent without you. I love you all so much. The proud mom concluded with, 'Congratulations, Milo. Youre an amazing young man and I love you.' Alyssa's Who's the Boss co-star Danny Pintauro was one of the many friends who send their good wishes. Emotional: 'Im emotional,' Alyssa wrote after the ceremony. 'Parenting is such a phenomenon. You love them so hard. And nurture and guide and feed and push and cherish. And all that emotionthat fire in your bellyis to eventually let them fly' Village: Alyssa sent out a thanks for family, such as her father, Thomas Milano, and friends including her bestie, actor Alaa Khaled, for attending the ceremony and graduation party. 'Thanks for being our village. I couldnt parent without you. I love you all so much 'What a weekend! So happy for your family!,' he wrote. Many parents commiserated with her feelings. 'Ah my kiddo is promoting next week and Im not ready! Never ready. Well said!' wrote one fan. 'I feel ya sister,' commented another, writing about what the future might bright for further big days, 'my youngest baby boy graduates high school on Saturday and Im an emotional wreck. I dont wanna let gooooo!' Besides preparing for her trip Down Under, Alyssa has been mixing her passion for politics and acting in her latest film project. Alyssa Milano for Mayor is currently listed as being in development, featuring Alyssa as the mayor of a Los Angeles suburb, trying to balance fame with the minutiae of local politics. The #MeToo activist previously revealed to The Hill in June 2021, that she was considering running for congress the following year - but this never materialized. 'Im looking at Californias 4th District to potentially run against [Rep. Tom] McClintock (R),' she said, revealing she would 'consider flipping that seat blue.' 'Its going to take someone with, I think, name recognition and deep pockets to be able to run against McClintock, and so Im considering it. Im basically gathering information right now, speaking to different consultants, speaking to the community.' Holly Willoughby has vowed never to publicly address the Phillip Schofield scandal that has engulfed ITV again as insiders claim she is still 'angry' at her former co-host. The 42-year-old distanced herself from her former best friend during a 'highly strategised' return to the This Morning sofa on Monday, after he was ousted from the programme when admitting to lying about his relationship with a much younger male colleague. Holly told viewers she had been left 'shaken, let down and worried' and only mentioned Schofield once by name when she said it was 'very strange indeed sitting here without Phil' - for the rest of her address she instead referred to him as 'someone' and 'they'. Millions of people have since viewed the segment on social media, although some have had a tepid response after complaining it had come across as 'melodramatic, scripted and soulless'. However, those looking for further screen time committed to confronting the scandal may be disappointed after sources claimed the mother-of-three has no intention of revisiting the topic publicly. Holly Willoughby, pictured here on This Morning on Monday, distanced herself from her former co-host Phillip Schofield in a 'highly strategised' speech The pair, who were best friends, have publicly fallen out after Phillip lied to Holly about having an affair with a younger male colleague from the show 'This is the only time Holly will ever speak about Phil and what has happened,' a source told The Sun. 'She still feels incredibly angry and upset by his actions and is very much still trying to get her head around it. 'It took a lot for Holly to compose herself and speak about what has gone on in the last few weeks. READ MORE HERE: Holly Willoughby's statement is met with tepid response from This Morning viewers as she FINALLY addresses Phillip Schofield's ITV exit and affair Advertisement 'But people expecting her to sit and pour her heart out will be waiting for a long time. 'Holly is upset that Phil, who she believed to be a very close friend, lied to her about his affair. 'She is angry and that will take a long time for her to come to terms with.' Holly had appeared to be on the brink of tears during parts of her speech, although some people watching at home were less than impressed. Unconvinced viewers wrote on Twitter: 'Absolutely shocking statement. It's only derivative is to bring Phil down more, poor Holly poor me. Also shows how much she despises him & couldn't care less.' Another added: 'Horrible message. I'm done. Switched over & won't be watching,' while a third said: 'Amazing how she is emotional one moment and the next she's all giggles... like the cat that got the cream.' Another viewer tweeted: 'My one and only comment on this. Scripted and soulless,' and someone added: 'She did well to hold it together although the language was a bit melodramatic.' Other social media users however praised the star, writing: 'Very appropriate. Holly is NOT responsible for Phil. No colleague is responsible for what another colleague does or does not do, no matter how closely the working relationship.' Another added: 'Give it a rest now let the people who need to deal with it do so. Of course it's scripted she's going to know what she needs to say. Phil's the one in the wrong here. Love Josie she's a breath of fresh air! Good luck girls.' A third wrote: 'I'm feeling sorry for Holly & for everyone who Phil lied too.' Holly chose a 188 cream button-up dress from high street shop Reiss to ensure the tone was dour enough, without being too gloomy for the moment. Holly being hugged by Josie Gibson, who she is presenting the programme with after Phillip's departure Prior to the speech insiders had called it the most difficult day of Holly's career, and after the cameras stopped rolling she was embraced by her colleagues in show of support. She had begun by asking viewers if they were 'OK', before remarking it felt 'very strange indeed sitting here without Phil'. Holly went on: 'I imagine that you might have been feeling a lot like I have shaken, troubled, let down, worried for the wellbeing of people on all sides of what's been going on, and full of questions. READ MORE HERE: 'Shaken and troubled' Holly Willoughby chokes back tears as she addresses Phillip Schofield scandal Advertisement 'You, me and all of us at This Morning gave our love and support to someone who was not telling the truth, who acted in a way that they themselves felt they had to resign from ITV, and step down from a career that they loved. That's a lot to process. 'And it's equally hard to see the toll that it's taken on their own mental health. I think what unites us now is a desire to heal for the health and wellbeing of everyone.' Ms Willoughby, who was hosting the programme with 2010 Big Brother winner Josie Gibson, then told viewers that under-fire This Morning was moving forward to a 'new chapter' one without Schofield. She said: 'I hope that, as we start this new chapter and get back to a place of warmth and magic that this show holds for all of us, we can find strength in each other. 'And, from my heart, can I just say thank you for all of your kind messages. And thank you for being here this morning. 'Myself, Josie, Dermot, Alison, Craig and every single person that works on this show will continue to work hard every single day to bring you this show that we love.' Ms Willoughby's words met with a mixed reception from viewers, with some criticising her for being too 'staged.' But sources close to her say that she was 'absolutely relieved' to get it over with. Holly Willoughby old how she had been left 'shaken, troubled, let down and worried' by the scandal that has engulfed the ITV programme and its former host Phillip Schofield And the Mail can reveal that every word was pored over and changed several times before finally a final draft was approved by ITV bosses this morning, not long before the show aired. READ MORE HERE: Awkward moment Holly hands over to Ruth Langsford on This Morning days after Eamonn Holmes brutally criticised her Advertisement Ms Willoughby had consulted her family over how she should deal with it during their sunshine break in Portugal last week. Afterwards she ran it by her publicist, Laura Sinclair. The host's TV production guru Dan Baldwin also helped. However, then it was left in the hands of ITV bosses and Ms Willoughby to decide just how often Schofield was mentioned. A late decision was taken to include him but not when discussing the scandal. One source said: 'Holly knew she needed to put the viewers at the forefront of all of this, the show is in dire straits and she sees it as her role to save it. 'So she personally wanted to get it absolutely right which meant there were many drafts to be gone through. 'Eventually they settled on giving Phil a fleeting mention. As well as getting the messaging right for the audience watching at home, how the statement was reported by all forms of the media was important too. 'The last thing they wanted was a Phil shunned type headline.' After the show, Ms Willoughby spoke to her colleagues and senior staff including editor Martin Frizell before returning home to see her three children. The calm before the storm: Phillip and Holly on the sofa of ITV's This Morning last month, on May 11 Friends of the star say that she 'breathed a huge sigh of relief' once she came off air in what they say was one of the most difficult days of her career. 'Even when Holly finished the statement she had more than two more hours of live telly to do so yes, she was so pleased to have got through it,' one said. 'There were hugs as everyone vowed to move forward together.' Ms Willoughby will be flanked once again tomorrow by Ms Gibson, 38, and then Craig Doyle for Wednesday and Thursday. Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary will return for Friday's episode. Chris Rock had a scary run in with an apparent Peeping Tom while at his home in New York City on Sunday Night. The 58-year-old superstar comedian who spoke about Will Smith's Oscars slap in this year's Selective Outrage special was relaxing at his home in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood when he discovered a man peering in through his window, law enforcement sources told TMZ. After being spooked by the out-of-place figure, Rock reportedly called the police for help. The alleged invasion of privacy appears to have been facilitated by the actor's fire escape, which allowed the man to get right up to his window. DailyMail.com has reached out to a representative to Rock for comment. Creepy: Chris Rock had a scary run in with an apparent Peeping Tom while at his home in New York City on Sunday Night. He found a man watching him through his window while standing on his fire escape, law enforcement sources told TMZ; seen in September in NYC Calling for help: Rock called 911 as soon as he spotted the man, who allegedly had a camera trained on him; seen in 2017 in Austin, Texas Making matters wore for Rock, the voyeur appeared to have a camera with him and may have used it to snap some unauthorized photos of his private sanctuary. A source for Fox News Digital said the subject did not appear to be making an effort to enter Rock's home, and they noted that the encounter happened around 8 p.m., before the sun had completely set. According to the outlet, New York Police Department officers made a speedy arrival at Rock's home, but it was already too late. The sources said that the gawker appeared to have made a hasty exit as soon as Rock spotted him on the fire escape. They said the man jumped down to the ground from the fire escape, though it is unclear just how far he would have fallen. Police sources also told the New York Post that the man appeared to be wearing a dark jacket. One surprising detail was that he allegedly also had on pink Crocs, an odd choice for someone who might have wanted to go incognito. The man appeared to be in his 20s, police said. Quick exit: Rock immediately called police, but the man allegedly fled after the comic spotted him. Sources said he jumped from the fire escape and drove away in a white Mercedes; seen in November in NYC On the case: The sources added that a police report was made, and the NYPD is reportedly still investigating the matter; seen in 2017 in Boston He allegedly got into a white Mercedes near Rock's home and drove away. The law enforcement sources didn't note if he was apparently alone or if anyone was with him in the car. They didn't specify if others noticed the alleged Peeping Tom, or if the descriptions were initially supplied by Rock once police arrived. He added that the main seemed to be trying to get footage of him with his camera, though it wasn't obvious whether he was just taking photos or was trying to film a video. The sources added that a police report was made, and the NYPD is reportedly still investigating the matter. Dozens of comments lamenting her travel photos were left under her post Followers fled to her latest post of her on her private jet and in Paris, France Kylie Jenner has been slammed for 'flaunting' her wealth on Instagram Kylie Jenner has been slammed for showing off her massive wealth in photos from her $72million private jet and in Paris with her mother Kris. Jenner, 25, posted a carousel Saturday sharing snaps from her travels including views from her plane, a limousine and posing on a grand piano. While many of the comments called 'The Kardashians' star beautiful and shared love for her photos, others did not seem to like her boastful post. 'Wow. Look how rich you are. Thanks for reminding us,' one person wrote. The 25-year-old has an estimated net worth of $700 million thanks to her family's television series and her Kylie Cosmetics and skincare empire. Keeping up with the Kardashians may be getting tiresome as fans fled to Kylie Jenner's latest Instagram post to lament about her flaunting her enormous wealth Jenner in a photo posted to Instagram over the weekend from Paris, France While many of the comments called 'The Kardashians' star beautiful and shared love for her photos, others did not seem to like her boastful post 'Wow. Look how rich you are. Thanks for reminding us,' one person wrote The latest photos have accumulated some three million likes from Jenner's 392 million followers. More than 6,000 comments have been left on the carousel which includes pictures of her alongside 'momager' Kris and looking out over the City of Light. The first photo in the series of snaps was taken from the inside of Jenner's private jet. Below the pics, some fans shared their distaste with the reality star and makeup mogul displaying her wealth so freely online. 'Do you think she ever wears something more than once?' one person joked. 'Sometimes I wish I was one of her maids cuz I think she gives most of her clothes to them,' another person responded. 'I hate being poor...' added a commenter. 'And we know you're rich. Post something we haven't seen and that's meaningful. Damn. boring,' another added. Others came to the mogul's defense, adding that she is free to post whatever she likes on her Instagram page as it is hers. 'Your complaining is boring. Get off her page and go look at something meaningful.' The first pic in the series was taken from the inside of Jenner's private jet, which cost $72M More than 6,000 comments have been left on the carousel which includes pictures of her alongside 'momager' Kris Jenner and looking out over the City of Light 'Do you think she ever wears something more than once?' one person joked 'Sometimes I wish I was one of her maids cuz I think she gives most of her clothes to them,' another person responded to the first commenter 'Post something we haven't seen and that's meaningful. Damn. boring,' another added The star has previously been blasted for sharing photos that display her wealth, including in March when she shared pics from inside a limousine. Jenner's followers were not happy with the photos of her in a skin-tight dress alongside friend Stassie Karanikolaou on their way to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. 'Being spoiled and rich sounds great, right,' one commenter wrote. 'This is beyond embarrassing... we know you are loaded, but a bit of humility doesn't hurt, another added. 'But of course, you and your vacuous family wouldn't know the meaning of the word,' the disgusted follower continued. Britain's Got Talent winner Viggo Venn is in love with an award-winning Estonian comedian, MailOnline can reveal. The madcap Norwegian comic has been dating his stunning partner Julia Masli for at least six years as the couple have posted loved-up pictures of them travelling the world together. Julia has posted photos of them in Paris, Greece, Italy and even Australia, but now they live together in England. And last night, as he controversially won over Simon Cowell and the BGT judges and collected 250,000 prize money, Julia was in the audience to cheer him on. In a sweet social media post last night, she wrote: 'He won! But he's been our winner from the beginning, so I'm not surprised at all. Glad everyone realised.' Britain's Got Talent winner Viggo Venn (pictured left) has been dating Julia Masli for at least six years Julia Masli wrote: 'He won! But he's been our winner from the beginning, so I'm not surprised at all. Glad everyone realised. Venn, 34, comes from Kongsberg, a mining town and ski resort in the mountains about an hour west of Oslo, but has lived in London for several years Venn won the show amid boos Julia Masli & Viggo Venn during the pandemic Julia and Viggo have previously worked together years and have featured their collaborations on their YouTube channel. The pair could be seen clowning around for the benefit of locked-down Londoners in a housing estate in 2021, with Venn pretending to conduct an impromptu pots-and-pans symphony from the audience standing on their balconies. At the end of the show, Venn signs off with 'See you next pandemic!' In another short, called Outsiders, produced with help from the Arts Council, the pair are transported from their living room into a snow-filled landscape where they run around throwing snowballs at each other and Masli turns into a giant fish and Venn grows a snowman's head. Salmon King continues the fish theme with the couple in fish-scale leggings, playing 'Norwegian salmon' exploring London, including taking a trip to a launderette. In Masters of Squat, the pair 'celebrate' squatting as if it is a new dance craze and they practise it to music. Venn, 34, comes from Kongsberg, a mining town and ski resort in the mountains about an hour west of Oslo, but has lived in London for several years. After dropping out of a university degree in Economics, he cut his comedy teeth with Oslo-based improv group Lausungene, then studied at the prestigious theatre school Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris, alma mater to Sacha Baron Cohen and double Oscar-winner Emma Thompson. Since 2016, Venn has toured through Europe, the USA and Australia. Something that has made him an established name in the world of comedians. The year 2022 was just a foretaste of his success, when he won the prestigious Top of the Bill award at NATYS (New Act of the Year), and this year made it to the final of the Beat the Frog World Series, run by the Manchester Frog and Bucket comedy club. In 2017, while touring with American Zach Zucker as clowning due Zach and Viggo, he said in an interview with the Herald Sun in Melbourne: 'I do comedy because I didn't want to do economics anymore. 'I studied economics in Norway and then I saw a show in Edinburgh and I was like 'THIS is what I'm gonna do'. The pair have previously worked together years and have featured their collaborations on their YouTube channel 'Yeah, it's paying off we've been doing it now for almost a year, touring around the world, 15 countries, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto, Prague Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, we sold out around there. 'I was not the class clown; I was the class economist. The best thing about being a comedian is you can get up at 2 o'clock and do a show that makes me really happy, and then go and have a beer after. 'The worst thing about being a comedian is wearing lycra on the street every day like this [showing a flyer] because my butt gets smacked every day! I secretly enjoy being smacked on the butt, yes. 'We are going to do this until we are 75 years old and then we're going to die very happy happy clowns.' Julie's performance has been hailed 'Chaplinesque brilliance' by the Daily Telegraph and she won the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019 for her hit show Legs with The Duncan Brothers. In Norway, Venns family joined a packed Cosmopolite theatre in Olso watching BGT live on a big-screen and went wild when the result was announced. Venn's father Bjrn said: Its absolutely incredible, it is such an achievement.' But incredibly, none of his family have managed a word with his son since he won. As other family members laughed in the background, Mr Venn told Norwegian outlet VG: No-ones succeeded in getting hold of Viggo today there was probably a bit of partying last night, so maybe he is a tired boy today!." It has been absolutely crazy, he added, family and friends and people I haven't spoken to in 40 years have made contact. We are completely taken aback by this. He is coming to Norway at the weekend and will stay with me. It's so idiotic, but we didn't know this was going to happen. Neither did the organisers of Humor OverOslo, a festival in the Norwegian capital with over 70 comedians taking part in 25 shows one of whom is Viggo. Organiser and Morten Ramm confirmed that Viggo is still coming, adding: He is not the kind of guy who wouldnt come just because he has won something like that. Caste inequality and caste census must be considered in policy discourse; caste inequality is a reality of Indian society that cannot be ignored On June 12 in Patna, CM Nitish Kumar will meet with regional opposition parties from across the nation. Nitish Kumar has extended an invitation to all regional and Congress parties to unite for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh confirmed that the Congress will join this opposition unity party. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi may also be in the presence. In this meeting, regional parties engaged in social justice politics in the country, which are regarded as having a strong influence in their respective states, and which have long demanded an increase in the reservation, a caste census, etc., are expected to attend. In light of the recent victory of the Congress in Karnataka based on its commitment to the promotion of social justice, it is unsurprising that these issues will be brought up again in this meeting. Moreover, the recent victory of the Congress in Karnataka proves that these concerns will play a significant role in the upcoming national poll. Is about to engage in conflict. The Congress has received 43% of the vote in the state, its greatest percentage since the 1989 assembly elections. Comparing 2018 to 2019, BJP lost only 0.2% of the vote, so Karnataka's victory has cost BJP, but its Most Backward Caste's vote bank remains with it, making the Loksabha 2024 election difficult for Congress without the assistance of the regional parties. If the Congress wishes to win the election, it must unite with the regional parties of the country and campaign on their social justice politics. In addition, Congress and regional parties should ensure the participation of the most backward castes so that they can trust the opposition parties and make a strategy to fight the elections with local issues. The people of Karnataka have taught the BJP what they need to know by defeating them and have given Congress a resounding mandate by favouring social justice politics. The promise that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made in Kolar, "JitniAabadi, Utna Haq," must be maintained until the elections. If Congress wishes to win the elections, it should not evade the topics discussed at the opposition Ekta Dal meeting convened by Nitish Kumar. In addition to the opposition parties Congress, TMC, NCP, RJD, and Shiv Sena, many other opposition parties have accused the central government of misusing the ED, CBI, and other central investigative agencies for several years. The regional parties will retain these issues to surround and defeat the BJP at the national level. In the Karnataka elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi campaigned for social justice in hopes of completely changing the party's image. This initiative did not begin with this election; rather, the Congress Party laid the groundwork for it during the 85th session of the Congress in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. This is why there were hints that the Congress would be shedding its previous image and debuting a fresh one. After a court in Surat found Rahul Gandhi guilty of disrespecting OBCs and disqualified him from the Lok Sabha for his "Modi surname" comment, the issue got even more attention. Rahul Gandhi reiterates the call for caste census & proportionate reservation Jitni Abadi Utna Haq. It indicates an identity group should get promotions proportional to their population share. The huge discrepancy in caste representation in professional success is not due to chance. In empirical terms, caste stands out as the most statistically significant factor that determines professional success within Indian society. After 30 years of implementation of the Mandal Commission, once again the discussion of social justice is gaining momentum in national politics, and this discussion is moving forward with the caste census in its new form. Bihar's CM, Nitish Kumar, has emerged as its major leader. The chief ministers of more than a dozen states in the country started demanding a caste-based census. The Patna High Court on May 4 stayed the caste-based census in its interim order while hearing a petition challenging and seeking an interim stay on the caste survey in Bihar. Despite this, the caste-based census has brought the entire opposition on one platform and has worked to increase the discourse on the politics of social justice for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Caste inequality is a reality of Indian society that cannot be ignored even presently; therefore, why are caste inequality and caste census not considered in policy discourse? Since the year 1931, the Government of India has been continuously conducting the caste census of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes then what is the reason that the government is nervous about counting the rest of the castes? Perhaps the main reason for this is that the OBC community is not homogeneous, nor is politics dominated by people from these oppressed caste groups. Many castes in the OBCs, like Nishad, Bind, Mallah, Kewat, Kashyap, Bhar, Dhivar, Batham, Machua, Prajapati, Rajbhar, Kahar, Pottar, Dhimar, Manjhi, Barai, Lohar, and so on, have been victims of social injustice for a long time. This is the reason why these castes began voting for the BJP for their representation; if these castes are given appropriate representation, they will depart from the BJP and vote for opposition parties. The only Dalit member of the Mandal Commission, L. R. Naik, gave a dissenting note to divide the OBC reservation into two equal parts. L. R. Naik believed that within the OBCs there is an agricultural class, and another is the artisans class that earns their livelihood from handicrafts, craftsmen, and horticulture. These castes are mostly landless, and after globalization in the 1990s, markets and technology have taken away their livelihood options, making their economic and educational status worse than Dalit castes. Special opportunities should be provided for the economic and educational upliftment of these classes. The Mandal Commission report was implemented, and its benefits were given to the agricultural castes, but not to the artisans and horticulture castes. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the needs of the most backward castes at the national level so that they can rely on opposition parties. Before starting the neo-social justice mission, Congress and other regional parties should first understand the problem of OBCs and consider the question of proportional representation for most backward castes along with the caste census. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has identified the politics of social justice for OBCs in the Karnataka elections, but Congress and regional parties could not grasp what was required of most backward castes in 2023, which remain the main voter base of the BJP. If regional parties and Congress parties contemplate proportional representation of these most backward castes and caste census, Congress may gain a wider lead in the next Lok Sabha election. American philosopher John Rawls says about justice that justice for one may not be justice for someone else. So, political parties should make sure that all castes are properly represented in terms of social justice and their growth so that everyone can grow. (KC Tyagi is ex-MP and Chaurasia is a research fellow at Jamia Millia Islamia University) Most of the international relations issues have their connection with envy. It is high time world leaders put a mechanism of envy admiration in place The penchant towards over-preponderance for power during the 1950s resulted in numerous conflicts between states in International politics. The initial phase of the cold war saw the sudden emergence of a number of coalitions/groupings like NATO, SEATO, and CENTO from the western Group led by the US and the Warsaw Pact of Eastern Block mainly centred around pure military might leading virtually to a war-like situation. The ideological differences between Capitalism and Communism resulted in a complete trust deficit and lack of cooperation. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 International Relations changed into a unipolar world dominated by a single most potent centre of power with the emergence of a few countries with approximately similar capabilities to influence world politics. This resulted in the decline of ideological-based rivalries and the rise of interest-based relations where there are no permanent friends and enemies and the beginning of a new era of more pragmatic and flexible IR involving conscious attempts towards more pertinent issues such as political development and modernisation. The post-1991 witnessed tremendous change on account of LPG (Liberalization, Privatisation and Globalization) creating a background for a multifaceted International process involving frequent shifts leading to a period of transition between traditional to modern societies despite maintaining significant regularities and similarities despite differences. There appears to be a visible shift towards building exogenously influenced social interaction without affecting the question of identity through a latent process of interdependence communication due to mushrooming of MNCs across the globe. The steep rise in multiple channels of communication and multifaceted interdependence ranging from an economic, healthy environment and lurking problem of scarcity of water has gradually blurred the difference between national and international politics. Issues such as the regional conflict in West Asia the Ukraine -Russian War, the expansionist mission of China and the rising tide of transnational terrorism have once again proved that peace, harmony and equality among nations are mere ideas. The reality of world politics still revolves around human nature as propounded by Thomas Hobbes ( nasty, selfish and intentionally governed by greed and fear) and tacit explanation of envy by Bertrand Russell in his renowned work "Conquest of Happiness" holding competition, anxiety and envious nature mainly responsible for problems. Russell concedes that envy is the most unfortunate; not only does the envious person wish to inflict misfortune and do so whenever he can with impunity, but he is also himself rendered unhappy by envy. Instead of deriving pleasure from what he has, he derives pain from what others" Ultimately this makes relations highly toxic among nations finally leading them into a gyre for competition and struggle for power. The concept of security needs to be understood in the context of economic, energy, environmental, food security, cyber-security, institutional security, health security and women's security. Nevertheless, still, the issues like funding terrorist activities, policing cooperation and dealing with cyber threats through enhancing technological innovation and tightening border and maritime security information-gathering exercises are among the top priority areas of any country. About 50 per cent of international relations problems have their direct or indirect connection with envy and it is high time countries of the world take a cue from Russells philosophical discourse that finds the solution of envy in admiration. (The author, a recipient of the Bharat Gaurav award is a professor and an expert on strategic affairs) Karnatakas debt has been increasing at double the rate of its GSDP, which makes it unsustainable. Freebies will put an extra burden on its economy Lots have been written on the Karnataka election results. There have been threadbare analyses of why the BJP has lost the elections despite the strong economic performance of the state, how the people have expressed their anger over high prices and perceived corruption and how this emphatic victory for the Congress after a prolonged dry spell has re-energised its demoralised cadres while fostering opposition unity by showcasing a new winning formula. This high hope may yet prove to be elusive. Karnataka is a paradox of sorts in other developed states, economic stability generally brings political continuity, but Karnataka defies this trend. During the last 35 years from 1988, the State had as many as 18 different governments, and been under the Presidents rule four times, while the state has continued to grow all the while. The change of government at every election is a facet of this, and need not be an indicator of peoples disenchantment with any party or government. Now that the dust has settled, the government has begun to focus on the business of governance and on fulfilling its election promises. In one of the first decisions taken by the Siddaramaiah government, the cabinet has cleared the implementation of the partys five election guarantees promised to voters in its election manifesto. These are Gruha Jyoti to provide 200 units of free power to all households, Gruha Laskshmi to pay Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family, Anna Bhagya to provide 10 kilograms of rice free to every member of a below poverty line (BPL) household, Yuva Nidhi to pay Rs 3,000 every month to unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders aged 18-25 for two years, and finally, Shakti to allow free travel for women in public transport. There are many other populist promises in the manifesto, like filling up vacancies in all government departments within a year. Given that a third of the total 769,000 government jobs are lying vacant, this will be challenging not only to recruit but also to pay. The poll manifesto also promised to sympathetically consider extension of OPS (Old Pension Scheme) to pensionable staff who joined service after 2006, which will make it the sixth Indian state to have reverted to the OPS after Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, all ruled by the opposition. The manifesto has further promised to increase public health expenditure to 5 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in line with the recommendations of the National Health Policy. It would be interesting to know where they would get the resources for all this, about which, of course, the manifesto is blissfully silent. In our politics, votes are all that matters and any cost to purchase them is never too high. This winning formula is sure to be applied with increasing vigour in the upcoming elections in MP, Telangana, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, and even the BJP may be forced to join the bandwagon. It would be interesting to see their impact on the state and national finances. The Economic Survey of Karnataka for FY 2021-22 aspired to make Karnataka a trillion-dollar economy by 2032, when Indias GDP is likely to be 10 trillion dollars. Currently, Karnatakas economy as measured by its GSDP is only around $260 billion. To reach the target of $1 trillion by 2032, it needs to grow at an annual compound average rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent annually, a difficult but not impossible target if the finances are managed well. Last year, its nominal GSDP grew by 14 per cent. Its per capita income of around $4000 is almost twice that of India and is among the top five states of India. But the high income conceals its skewed distribution services claim two-thirds of its GSDP - which is a product of its digital economy worth $60 billion largely centred around the capital Bengaluru. Karnatakas prosperity hides its severe indebtedness, an outcome of its populist culture. In 2017-18, Karnataka gave a farm loan waiver for Rs 18000 crore which was expanded to Rs 44000 in the next fiscal. No other state has given such a huge largesse to farmers. In FY 21, its fiscal deficit (FD) of Rs 67,098 crore was 3.7 per cent of its GSDP of Rs 18 lakh crore. The high FD ratio understandably was a result of Covid-19 due to which its limit was raised from 3 to 5 per cent by the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Ac. Its outstanding liability of Rs 4.3 lakh crore was almost 24 per cent of GSDP. Karnatakas debt has been increasing at almost double the rate of its GSDP, which makes it fundamentally unsustainable. Its interest payment at 14.95 per cent of revenue receipt already was way above the fiscal consolidation target of 9.15 per cent prescribed by the Fifteenth Finance Commission. The manifesto guarantees and freebies will cost the exchequer an estimated Rs 62000 crore, more than the estimated fiscal deficit of Rs 60581 crore, or 2.6 per cent of GSDP, for FY23. This means that the prosperous state will sink deeper and deeper into debt which will severely restrict its capital outlay, thereby affecting its future growth. But good economics has never been good politics in Indian states, and perhaps will never be. (The author, is a former Director of General CAG and is currently a Professor at the Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management) Bollywood star Sushmita Sen says she has finished filming for the third season of her acclaimed web series "Aarya". The 47-year-old actor took to social media on Sunday night to share the update with fans and followers. "It's a wrap!!! #Aarya3 #lovelove Captain @RamKMadhvani #KapilSharma #Shradha & #AaryaFamily," she captioned a video from the set of the show. "Aarya" is co-created by Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi. The show, an official Hindi adaption of the Dutch series "Penoza", follows the journey of Aarya, played by Sen, a woman who finds herself in the world of crime after her husband Tej Sareen (Chadrachud Singh) is murdered. In late April, Sen restarted shooting for "Aarya" season three in Jaipur, almost two months after she suffered a heart attack. The former Miss Universe, in an Instagram post early March, revealed she underwent angioplasty following a "big" heart attack. The much awaited season of the Disney+ Hotstar series is co-produced by Ram Madhvani Films and Endemol Shine India. Pakistan is using a mix of social media, local influencers and narcotics to radicalise the Kashmir youth to pick up the gun but Army has launched various people-friendly initiatives to counter the propaganda of the inimical elements, a senior army officer has said. General Officer Commanding of Armys 15 Corps Lieutenant General ADS Aujla said the attempts from across the Line of Control (LoC) to push narcotics was a cause of concern as it was destroying the future generation of Kashmir. Social media plays a very important role in this (radicalisation) and that is where the western adversary invests very heavily and that is where the narratives are built, the themes are built...Which then are let loose in the environment and caught out by the youngsters here, Lt Gen Aujla told PTI in an interview last week. The officer, who has spent considerable part of his career in Jammu and Kashmir, said besides social media, the local cadres of Jamaat-e-Islami also play a major role in the indoctrination of the youth. The local Jamaatis, they also play the major role in radicalising the youngsters. So, a combination of both of these gives them (youths) this high of falling on a wrongful path or joining a tanzeem or picking the weapon and doing something wrong, he added. Lt Gen Aujla said the youth of Kashmir are otherwise very focussed and brilliant minds. It is just that within a large society, there are certain inimical elements who do prey upon certain individuals who are very very vulnerable because of either education or the condition at home or because of the peer pressure. It is primarily the social media, it is the Jamaatis who are there, and to a certain extent the peer group and a little bit about the narcotics which gets them on doing certain wrongs, he said. Asked if the neighbouring country was using drones to deliver weapons and narcotics into Kashmir, the officer said terrain of the LoC in the valley makes it a difficult task. The geography actually does not permit them to use this technology or equipment in this place. So, from that point, I think, we are decently immune. But, I cannot say for sure that they cannot be used. There are certain places where (they can), but we are pretty robust on ground to take care of any such misadventure by the enemy in this area, he said. Lt Gen Aujla said with the type of pressure that is being mounted by the investigating agencies like the NIA and the SIA on terror financing networks, the narcotics smuggling has become the source to finance the nefarious deeds on inimical elements. From where it was and where it is now, we have put a little bit of check on that, the lid has been put. The agencies and the administration are pretty sensitive to it and many a methods, many a measures have been put in place to ensure that this particular trend is controlled and captured at the earliest, he added. The GoC said the narcotics were ruining the system and the society. As far as Kashmir is concerned, a lot of youngsters are getting into this kind of a business, both as carriers and in the consumption part as well. That is where some money comes back which is used by the tanzeems to fund their designs, he said. Lt Gen Aujla said Operation Sadbhavna has been a going on with the focus of the army on three major facets. The first is education where we put a lot of impetus, a lot of focus is there to enhance the educational reforms to give them top-notch education in whatever way is possible. That is where 28 Army goodwill schools are presently running in the Kashmir valley which is a huge number. It constitutes 11,000 students and if you add the staff, it comes to about 15,000. So, that is the type of families that we are associated with for a long period of time, he said. The officer said the other aspect where the Army has invested very heavily is for deradicalisation part is the Sahi Rasta (Right Path) programme where the people on the brink of joining terror ranks are brought back to the mainstream. The Centre on Sunday set up a Commission of Inquiry, headed by former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, to probe the recent series of violence in Manipur that claimed 98 lives. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday appealed to the people of Manipur to lift the blockades from National Highway-2 so that basic and essential goods such as food, medicines and fuel can reach the state. My sincerest appeal to the people of Manipur is to lift the blockades at the Imphal-Dimapur, NH-2 Highway, so that food, medicines, petrol/diesel, and other necessary items can reach the people, he said. I also request that civil society organisations do the needful in bringing consensus, he added. Shah further said in his tweet, Together only we can restore normalcy in this beautiful state. According to a Gazette notification issued by the Union Home Ministry, the commission will make inquiry with respect of the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, which took place in Manipur on May 3 and thereafter. Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei communitys demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The commission will probe the sequence of events leading to, and all the facts relating to such violence; whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities/individuals and adequacy of the administrative measures taken to prevent, and to deal with the violence and riots. The commission will also look into the complaints or allegations that may be made before it by any individual or association. The panel will submit its report to the Central Government as soon as possible but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting. The commission, however, if it deems fit, can make interim reports to the Central Government before the said date. The other members of the commission are retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar. The death toll from clashes has gone up to over 98, officials said. The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserve forest land, which had led to a series of smaller agitations. Shah had visited Manipur for four days between May 29 and June 1 and after taking stock of the situation had announced that the Centre would soon constitute a Commission of Inquiry to probe the violence in the State. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu has met BJP president JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah here to discuss an alliance ahead of the Telangana Assembly election later this year and General Elections next year. According to sources, the BJP and the TDP may have an alliance for the Telangana Assembly elections to be held this year. This was Naidus first meeting with Shah since 2018 when the TDP pulled out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The meeting lasted for over half an hour late on Saturday night, sources said. Naidu, who is here to attend the consultative meeting of the leaders on G20, is also slated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The TDP won two seats in Telangana Assembly in 2018 with the BJP opening its account with a single MLA. The ruling Bharatiya Rashtriya Samithi (BRS) came to power with 88 seats as the Congress won 19 seats. In Andhra Pradesh the TDP badly lost the 2019 Assembly elections to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) which won the elections in a landslide, winning 151 of the 175 seats. The incumbent TDP won only 23 seats and the BJP was unable to win a single seat in Andhra Pradesh. The TDP was a part of the NDA in 2014 but quit the ruling alliance in March 2018 before the 2019 elections on the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. However, both the parties came together after the recent municipal elections in Port Blair. Interestingly, in the last episode of his radio programme Mann ki baat, the Prime Minister had recalled NT Rama Rao (NTR), the TDP founder and late Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for seven years over three terms, on his birth anniversary. Naidu is the son-in-law of the NTR who founded the TDP in 1982. The TDP walked out of Modis coalition over the non-delivery of financial support by the Centre. After quitting the NDA in 2018 it had also sought for a no-confidence motion against the Modi Government. The BJP does not have grassroots electoral or a cadre base in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and thus wants an alliance with the TDP which too has been marginalised after its sound beating in the last Assembly poll in Andhra Pradesh. The Assembly polls in Andhra are due in 2024. The TDPs possible return to the NDA would be a positive development for the Modi Government with the Lok Sabha polls being only 10-11 months away, sources said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said after the Karnataka election victory his party will decimate the BJP in Telangana and other State polls, emphasising that it is not just the Congress party but the people of India who are going to defeat its hate-filled ideology. We have shown in Karnataka that we can decimate the BJPWe did not defeat them, we decimated them. We smashed them in Karnataka, Gandhi said at a dinner event organised by the Indian Overseas Congress-USA. Gandhi arrived in New York after visiting Washington and San Francisco and will address a community rally at the Javits Centre in Manhattan late on Sunday. He said in the Karnataka elections, the BJP tried everything in the book, they had the entire media, they had 10 times the amount of money we had, they had the Government, they had the agency. They had everything and then we decimated them, Gandhi said. And I want you to know that we are going to decimate them in Telangana next, he said to loud cheers and applause from the gathering. It will be hard to find the BJP in Telangana after this election. Election in the southern Indian state is scheduled to be held later this year. Congress supporters, officials, party members and members of the diaspora gathered in large numbers at the community event that was also attended by New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Apart from the Telangana election, there are elections scheduled for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where we will do the same we did to them in Karnataka, Gandhi said to cheers and applause from the supporters. It is not just the Congress party that is going to defeat the BJP. It is the people of India, the people of Madhya Pradesh, the people of Telangana, the people of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh who are going to defeat the BJP, Gandhi said. He added that the reason for this is that India has understood that it cannot go forward with the type of hatred that the BJP is spreading in society. That is what is going to happen in the next few states. And then after that in 2024 we will do the sameThe opposition is united, we are all working together. It is an ideological battle. On one side, there is a divisive ideology of the BJP, the hate-filled ideology of the BJP. On the other side, there is the affectionate, loving ideology of the Congress party, he said. He said in Karnataka, the BJP tried to polarise the election and create anger and hatred between communities. Prime Minister himself tried it. Did it work, he said as the audience replied no. Gandhi said the people of Karnataka declared that the election is about prices, unemployment and corruption. Gandhi referred to his slogan made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, during which he had said Nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukan kholenge. Adams said the New Delhi of America is right here in New York City. This community is one of the most highly-educated, one of the most highly business operated and owned, he said, adding that what is unique about America is that, we tell you never give up your homeland as you embrace your adopted land, amid a round of applause and cheers from those gathered. You are Indian-(dash)Americans. As you embrace America, do not remove the Indian part, the NYC Mayor said. He added that India historically has given so much not only to the geographical boundaries of your country but what the Indian community historically has given to the globe is just remarkable and has yet to truly be reflected in historical proportions. All of the great Nobel peace prize winners have basically borrowed from the rich history of your society, he said, adding that they have drawn inspiration from the ancient Vedas and early writings. Earlier in the day, Gandhi had a thought-provoking fireside chat with leading thinkers of New York at Roosevelt House, home of former US President, Franklin D Roosevelt. Gandhi said the members of the diaspora in the US are our ambassadors and have shown America and the rest of the world what it means to be Indian. He said there is a fight going on back home and a similar fight also in America about two different visions for India. One vision which is our vision - accepts everybody, embraces everybody, respects everybody, loves everybody, and wants everybody to be a part of the future of our country regardless of their religion, their community, their caste, their language. We are fighting our friends in the BJPthey have a very limited view of our country, he said. Addressing the audience and the diaspora at the event, Gandhi said: You respect other religions. You respect other cultures. You respect other people, you respect women. And that is the best way to fight the BJP, to live according to the ideology that we believe in, he said, adding that the fight is not difficult. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal is organizing a series of activities from June 05 to 07, 2023, on the occasion of World Environment Day, celebrated every year on June 5th. It will be organized to promote awareness among the general public, faculty, staff and students of AIIMS, Bhopal about environmental protection and plastic pollution. The theme for this year's World Environment Day being "Beat Plastic Pollution", these activities stress upon the biodegradable alternatives to plastic. The inauguration of the activities will be done by Honoruable Executive Director Prof. (Dr) Ajai Singh on 5th June at 10 am in AIIMS hospital courtyard area. Environment cell, Horticulture committee of AIIMS Bhopal in collaboration with Resident Doctors Welfare Council of AIIMS Bhopal and Ujiyara Foundation NGO, Bhopal are organizing the Tree plantation in AIIMS Hospital Courtyards and plant donation by staff and students to AIIMS. Exhibition and sale of biodegradable alternatives of plastic disposable items, Awareness about Environmental improvement by Ujiyara foundation(NGO), Distribution of paper bags to pharmacies of AIIMS, Paper pen/paper pencil (with seed) distribution, Cleaning drive and Seed ball making workshop by Ujiyara foundation, Bhopal followed by distribution of seed balls will be the main activities of this event. Faculty, staff, residents and students are actively taking part in this. The green campus of AIIMS Bhopal gets more greener with the promotion of these activities. Expo of alternatives to plastics and seed ball making are going to be major attractions. The Consumer Court, Bargarh slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 and an additional Rs 10,000 towards court costs on the Bajaj Finance for not giving the owner of a bike its papers despite paying the premium on time. A Bajaj City 100 motorcycle bearing registration number OD 31G 1426 was financed from Bajaj Finance at Dhankouda, Sambalpur from Mama Motors, the authorized dealer of Bajaj motorcycles at Binka in Subarnapur district. Tirupati Kaunr from Bheden Police Station, Bargarh district, purchased the bike on May 1, 2019. For this he paid a down payment of Rs 20,000. The price of the motorcycle including insurance and registration charges was Rs 53,500. Tirupati agreed with the finance company to pay the remaining amount in 12 monthly installments. Tirupati paid 9 installments. The last three installments were paid to a person named Birendra Mirdha, appointed by Bajaj Finance. However, despite paying all the money, the Bajaj Finance did not give the RC book and insurance papers of the vehicle to Tirupati. Despite repeated requests to the company, the vehicle papers were not received, and finally Tirupati took the shelter of the consumer court. The consumer court ordered the Bajaj Finance Company to pay compensation to Tirupati for causing mental suffering and harassment and hand over all the documents of the vehicle to him. The court also directed the finance company to pay 12 percent interest along with the compensation money. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that Indias prestige had been elevated across the globe because of the visionary leadership and tireless hard work of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of the country. On the occasion of the successful completion of nine years of the Modi government, the chief minister addressed a meeting of Gorakhpur city assemblys senior workers under Bharatiya Janata Partys Maha Sampark Abhiyan as well as the Tiffin par charcha programme. He said, When we talk about our own achievements, it does not mean much. But, when the world acknowledges and recognises our work, it is a real honour. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath added that while everyone was aware of Indias position globally prior to 2014, not only the country but the whole world was witnessing the positive changes that had taken place under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In times of crisis, the world looks towards India and Prime Minister Modi with hope, he remarked. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that before 2014, the citizens of India did not get the respect they deserved. He said during the 9-year tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the respect of Indian citizens, expatriates and Indians had increased in the whole world. Referring to Prime Minister Modis recent visit to three countries, the chief minister said, Every Indian is proud of the increased attraction towards India and the prime minister. Breaking protocol, the prime minister of Papua New Guinea not only received Prime Minister Modi after sunset but also greeted him by touching his feet. Fiji and Papua New Guinea conferred their countrys highest honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He further added that the prime minister of Australia addressed Prime Minister Modi as Boss, while the president of America was eager to take his autograph. All this shows the strength of Indias leadership, Yogi remarked. The chief minister said that by standing with 140 crore countrymen in every situation of crisis, by giving miraculous leadership to rule in everyones hearts, the prime minister had increased Indias prestige on the global stage. Emphasising the prime ministers leadership, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that India had become very strong in terms of border security. No one can look at Indias borders with bad intent, or do terrorist activities today. If any incident happens somewhere, countries of the world start giving clarification but India has learned to protect its self-respect and honour. He further said that before 2014, the problem of extremism in Kashmir, separatism in the North-Eastern states and Naxalism was at its peak in 12 to 15 states of the country. Today, due to the abolition of Article 370, there is an atmosphere of peace, harmony and development in Kashmir, he pointed out, adding that people participated in the panchayat elections in large numbers and Bharatiya Janata Party also got huge support. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that presently the BJP government was ruling in the North-Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur and Assam. He said in Nagaland and Meghalaya too, the government was running with the cooperation of the BJP. He said Naxalite incidents had been curbed in the affected states and rapid development was taking place there. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that patterns of development were being created under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said unprecedented development was taking place in all sectors like infrastructure, highway, railway, airport etc. He said Prime Minister Modis vision was that even a citizen wearing slippers could travel by air. There were a total of 74 airports in the country from 1947 to 2014, while 74 new airports were built between 2014 and 2022. From 1947 to 2014, there were only five AIIMS in the country while 15 new ones have been built from 2014 to 2022, he pointed out. Yogi said, With the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the concept of One District One Medical College is also being realised. Every day 35 kilometres of highways are being expanded. New railway projects are progressing. Waterways are being built. Best facilities are being provided to the citizens through development at every level. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that along with development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had provided the basis for leading a reputable life to every citizen of the country through public welfare schemes. He said that Prime Minister Modis nine-year tenure was dedicated to service, good governance and welfare of the poor. No poor person is worried about what they will eat in the evening. Since the COVID-19 period, 80 crore people of the country were provided free ration. No poor woman has to worry about cooking in the rain anymore as free cooking gas connection from the Ujjwala scheme is being made available to her. No poor is worried about a house as 3.5 crore poor have been provided pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Bank accounts of 48 crore have been opened and funds for welfare schemes are being sent directly to their bank accounts. If anyone demands a bribe, he will land in jail. For the convenience of treatment, 50 crore people have got insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat Yojana, he said. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, welfare schemes are being run for every section of society including farmers, women, youth, elderly, destitute, labourers and others. No section will be deprived of benefiting from it, he added. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called upon all the workers to join the 14 programmes being run for a month to commemorate the nine years of Prime Minister Modis tenure. He also mentioned the special gifts received by Gorakhpur under the guidance of the prime minister. He further said that the fertiliser factory in Gorakhpur, AIIMS and eradication of encephalitis were dreams. He said with the inspiration of the prime minister, the fertiliser factory was running at 110 per cent capacity, AIIMS had also opened, and encephalitis was under control. He said, Bharatiya Janata Party is not only the biggest political party in the world, but it is a party of common people and workers dedicated to Indian values and ideals. He said that the BJP should also get credit for the work done in the interest of the common man, and for this special programmes had been fixed for a month. After addressing the workers, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath opened the tiffin box and had food with the workers. On this occasion, MP Ravikishan Shukla also spoke. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will inaugurate the World Environment Day celebrations focussed on Prime Minister Narendra Modis call Mission LiFE to bring public awareness towards environmental protection and conservation at the global level at Rabindra Bhawan on June 5. It was started on the proposal of Prime Minister Modi in the United Nations for Mission LiFE- Lifestyle For Environment. It is being seen as a global mass movement led by India. Environment Minister Hardeep Singh Dang said that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has set the target of organizing one lakh events across the country based on 7 themes of Mission LiFE which includes reducing single use plastic, energy conservation, saving water, adopting sustainable food system, reducing waste, adopting healthy lifestyle, and reducing e-waste. Dang said that it is a matter of pride that this campaign was launched in a big way by all the departments of Madhya Pradesh and in Madhya Pradesh alone, more then One Lakh programmes have been organized in the Mission LiFE. With the aim of increasing the income from cow dung and cow-urine etc. a Waste-to-Wealth Hackathon was organized by the M.P. Pollution Control Board on the theme Atmanirbhar Gaushala. Apart from the state, 54 suggestions have been presented by participants from Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi and Gujarat. Prizes will be given in the programme on the two best suggestions. In accordance with the resolution taken by Chief Minister Chouhan in the Yuva Mahapanchayat, 2100 youths will be trained as life volunteers in the first phase in the state, and given certificates by the Environment Department. A lot of enthusiasm is being seen among the youth for LiFE Volunteer. In the first phase itself, more than 4 thousand youths have applied for training. This training will prove to be very important in future for protection of the global environment. The Chief Minister will also inaugurate the training programme on the occasion of World Environment Day. The Climate Smart City Assessment Framework has been launched by the Union Ministry of Urban Development and Housing under the Smart City Mission. In this, important climate action plans have been prepared by the Environment Department with the technical support of EPCO and WRI for 7 smart cities of Madhya Pradesh Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Satna and Sagar, which will help these cities to get better ranking in the country. Chief Minister Chouhan will also release this action plan and the second edition of the climate change action plan by EPCO. Police on Sunday arrested a suspended government employee for siphoning Rs 37.95 lakhs from the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corp Ltd (CSMCL) in 2021. Dhamtari Superintendent of Police Prashant Thakur identified him as Harshendra Kumar Sahu of Dhamtari town. A cheating case was lodged against Sahu in 2021. Sahu was a grade-III employee in a government-run higher secondary school in Saloni village. He was later posted as a grade-III employee in CSMCL. He siphoned Rs 37.95 lakhs from the corporations bank account and transferred the money into the accounts of his relatives and family between 2018 and 2021. He was arrested from his residence and a court sent him to prison. Half a dozen people were killed in separate road accidents since Saturday night. In Barabanki, a speeding dumper went out of control, crashed into the road divider and entered the other lane and hit another dumper and a motorcycle, killing three people, including the cleaner. On getting information, the police reached the spot and sent the bodies for post-mortem. The accident took place near Awadh petrol pump on Banda-Bahraich national highway in Ramnagar police station area in the wee hours of Sunday. The dumper which lost control was loaded with maurang and was going from Lucknow to Bahraich. Police identified the motorcycle riders who died in the accident as Raju (36) and Kalyan (30). They were going to Hasnapur after attending a marriage function. The driver of the other dumper, aged about 38 years also died in the mishap. The injured were shifted to hospital and a case was registered in this regard by the police. In Jaunpur, a couple returning from a marriage function late in the night on Saturday met with an accident in which the husband was killed while the wife was critically injured. Reports said that 52-year-old Subhash of Dharamsari village in the area went to attend a marriage ceremony in Tiari village in Gaurabadshahpur area of the district on Saturday night. He was returning home late in the night with his wife, Chandrakala. He left the Jaunpur-Azamgarh highway and was going via Dharmasari road when a speeding vehicle hit the motorcycle, killing Subhash on the spot and critically injuring Chandrakala. Two more persons were killed and 11 others were injured in separate road accidents in Ballia and Balrampur districts. A clerk of the Commercial Tax department was killed when his motorcycle was hit by a speeding tractor in Alavpur village in Sukhpura area of Ballia on Saturday night. The deceased was identified as Mahesh Srivastava (47). He was returning from duty when the incident occurred. A woman was killed and 11, including three children, were injured when their vehicle overturned on Deoria turn in the Dehat area of Balrampur on Sunday. The accident took place when they were going to a dargah (shrine) in Bahraich. Razia (45) died on the spot. Among those injured, the condition of two was stated to be critical. Stressing the need for protected and balanced development in the direction of environment conservation, the Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Sunday said that India is emitting the least carbon as compared to the western countries and their environment was so unbalanced that it affected the whole world. The Governor, addressing the gathering as the chief guest at the North Zone Environment Workshop organized by Arogya Bharti Himachal Pradesh in association with National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur at NIT, said that Himachal has good environmental condition and we need to preserve our green cover. For a healthy life, we have to adopt chemical free agricultural practices and go back to millets, he added. He said that today, climate change has emerged as a matter of global concern which also directly affects us. Due to rapid urbanization, industrialization, population growth and uncontrolled human activities in the northern region, the environmental balance was being affected in a big way. Air pollution has become the biggest concern in this area. Industrial emissions, vehicular pollution etc were contributing factors to this problem, he said, adding that to end this, strict regulations to promote sustainable development, adopt cleaner technologies. Shukla further said that water scarcity was another important factor today which needs our attention. The water sources of major rivers of the northern region are under threat of pollution, overuse, and encroachment. Rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment, and community awareness campaigns could go a long way in ensuring sustainable water supply for future generations, he added. He also stressed on safeguarding the fragile ecosystems and biodiversity of the northern region and said that conservation of habitats of endangered species of wildlife should be given priority and activities like deforestation, illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction should be discouraged. The Governor said that climate change was an impending threat and the Himalayan region is particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. Hence, there is a need to raise awareness about climate change, promote sustainable practices and support renewable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, he added. / Bajrang Punia, who is among the top wrestlers comprising Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, protesting since April 23 demanding action against WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over charges of sexual harassment, on Sunday announced that a mahapanchayat, only of wrestlers, will be held in three-four days. Punia, during a mahapanchayat at Mundlana in Sonipat, said: When we go out in the public, we get new energy. People's cooperation is our strength. Today our daughters (wrestlers) are mentally shattered. On May 28, you people tried to reach (at our protest site) but the police stopped you. We can't win by being different and we appeal to all organisations to unite. We will hold a 'mahapanchayat' and will take a major decision in it. You will be informed about the place and time of the 'mahapanchayat' of wrestlers in three-four days, he said. Besides Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni, the event was attended by former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, among other prominent people. Earlier, Malik visited the Jantar Mantar in Delhi and interacted with wrestlers on April 26. He had then said that the support needs to grow because this fight is not just theirs it is for all women in our country. Farmers and representatives of Khap panchayats, from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh gathered in numbers in Sonipat to expressing solidarity and to send out a message to the BJP government in the Centre to arrest Singh. Two days ago, farmers and representatives of Khap panchayats (community courts) gave the BJP government in the Centre an ultimatum to arrest Singh by June 9 or prepare for a larger protest. A collective and unanimous decision in this regard was taken at the 'mahapanchayat' held in Kurukshetra town on the future strategy of wrestlers' protest. On June 1, a 'mahapanchayat' was held in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar where it was decided that a delegation would meet the President Droupadi Murmu to seek justice for the wrestlers. In Kurukshetra, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait warned the Central government that if no action is taken against Brij Bhushan by June 9, they will hold a larger protest along with the wrestlers. We have taken a decision that the government must address the grievances of wrestlers and he should be arrested, otherwise we will go with wrestlers to Jantar Mantar, Delhi, on June 9 and will hold panchayats across the nation, he had said. At the same time, Tikait warned the Central Government that if they aren't allowed to protest at Jantar Mantar on June 9, "there will be an announcement of agitation." The farmer leader also demanded that cases against the wrestlers, who were manhandled and detained during their march towards the new Parliament building, should be withdrawn. Renowned environmental activist and former Indian Forest Service officer Manoj Misra breathed his last at 12.40 pm on Sunday, leaving behind a legacy of battles fought to safeguard precious forests and rivers. He was 68. Misra, who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 8, was undergoing treatment since April 10. The conservation community, including members of the Indian Forest Service fraternity, mourned his passing and hailed his tireless efforts to safeguard forests and rivers. Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has expressed his shock and pain at Misra's "untimely demise". "He remained a warrior for the cause of environment and a son of river Yamuna, consistently striving for her revival. His passing away leaves us bereft of a valuable fellow traveler on path of rejuvenating Yamuna," Saxena said on Twitter. Congress leader and former Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh expressed sadness at Misra's death and said, "Deeply distressed to learn of the passing away of Manoj Misra, an indefatigable environmentalist. He was particularly passionate about the protection of rivers and spent much of his time on the revival of the Yamuna. "He helped me in the drafting of the first set of rules for River Regulation Zone, much along the lines of the Coastal Regulation Zone rules. Sadly, we still dont have enforceable RRZ rules." Born in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Misra's early life was shaped by his love for nature and the environment. He pursued his education from Pant Nagar University in Uttarakhand and later at Allahabad University. In 1979, he joined the Indian Forest Service. He belonged to the Madhya Pradesh cadre and served in various capacities across the country. Misra opted for voluntary retirement in 2001. In 2007, he founded the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, a movement dedicated to the revival of the river. Misra fought numerous legal battles to protect the Yamuna and its floodplains, taking a stand against the construction of a metro depot (2007), a Millennium Bus depot (2011), dumping of construction debris (2012), covering of stormwater drains (2013), pollution in the Hindon river (2014), construction of an elevated road without environmental study (2015) and a cultural festival organised by the Art of Living. Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar has indicated that his party is likely to forge an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Rajbhar said here on Sunday that without entering into alliance with the SBSP, it would be difficult for any political party to win the Lok Sabha seats in eastern Uttar Pradesh. He said besides east UP, his party had a significant presence in several districts of the state. Rajbhar said during 2017 UP assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party had failed to open its account in large parts of east UP and its tally was reduced to mere 47 seats in a House of 403 members. He said the same was repeated in 2022 as BJP lost most of the seats in several east UP districts like Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Mau and Ballia. He said SP won most of the seats as it had contested the election in alliance with the SBSP and won 111 seats in UP assembly. Rajbhar claimed that the SBSP has established itself as an important player in UP politics. He said in 2022 UP assembly elections, the SBSP polled over two lakh votes in assembly segments of the Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency and Ballia and over 1.5 lakh votes in assembly segments of Ghazipur Lok Sabha seat. He said the SBSP polled a significant number of votes in Chandauli, Machhalishahr, Salempur, Mishrikh, Kushinagar and Maharajganj Lok Sabha constituencies. He said the number of votes polled by the SBSP in the 2022 assembly election was ample proof of the support base of the party and without the support of the SBSP it would be difficult for any party to win the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. He said all the parties claimed to be the messiah of the Dalits and Other Backward Classes, but it was only the SBSP which fought the most effective battle for the disadvantaged sections of society. In a major breakthrough against Maoist insurgents, security forces successfully foiled their bid to carry out a deadly attack, recovering two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the process. The incident took place, under Goilkera Police station area in Chaibasa where a joint operation was conducted by the local police and paramilitary forces. Acting on credible intelligence about Maoists planning a potential attack, the security forces launched a well-coordinated operation to neutralize the threat. The operation involved meticulous combing of the area known to be a stronghold for the Maoists. During the operation, security personnel discovered and defused two powerful IEDs, which were apparently intended to cause significant damage and loss of life. The IEDs were carefully concealed in a remote location, highlighting the Maoists' strategic planning and intent to carry out a deadly assault. " The security forces have foiled the conspiracy of the Naxalites. On Sunday, the security forces recovered two IEDs of five kg planted by the Naxalites in the Naxal-affected Goilkera police station area of Chaibasa. The recovered IED has been destroyed by the police in the forest itself. Notably, the Naxalites had planted IEDs only to harm the police, said an official. Top leaders of Maoist leaders Misir Besra, Anmol, Mochu, Chaman, Kande, Ajay Mahto, Sagen Angaria, Ashwin along with their squad members are camping in the Kolhan area for subversive activity. In this regard, since last January 11, a continuous campaign is being run by the security forces. During this, IEDs have been placed in the forest by the Naxalites to target the security forces. It is notable that from November 1, 2022 to June 4, Naxalites have planted a total of 167 IEDs planted at various places in Chaibasa to harm the security forces which have been recovered. The recovered IEDs were immediately handed over to the bomb disposal squad for further examination and neutralization. Experts are analyzing the composition and structure of the explosive devices to gather vital information about the Maoists' modus operandi and the source of their supplies. Local residents lauded the swift action taken by the security forces, expressing relief that a potential catastrophe was averted. The operation has boosted the morale of the security personnel, who have been engaged in a continuous battle against the Maoist insurgency. Authorities have intensified efforts to gather more intelligence about the Maoists' network and their future plans. They are also conducting rigorous search operations in the surrounding areas to ensure no other threats remain. The successful foiling of this bid sends a strong message to the Maoist groups that their activities will not go unchecked. The incident serves as a reminder of the persistent challenges faced by security forces in tackling insurgency and maintaining law and order in the region. The government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of its citizens and remains resolute in its efforts to eliminate the Maoist insurgency. Further investigations are underway, and security forces are working towards dismantling the Maoists' network and bringing those responsible for planning and executing such attacks to justice. / Ahead of the 39th anniversary of Operation Bluestar on June 6, the Punjab Police has beefed up the security in the holy city of Amritsar where the operation was carried out by the Indian Army in June 1984 to flush out the militants from the Golden Temple, the Sikhs holiest shrine. For the day, four companies of the central armed police forces, besides 3,000 Punjab Police personnel are guarding the city. The states special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla (law and order) on Sunday reviewed the security arrangements in the city. Strict security measures are in place with increased patrols by local police and paramilitary forces in inner and outer areas, said special DGP Shukla. Shukla also held a meeting with the senior police officials regarding the security arrangements made in view of the Ghallughara divas. Police said that 68 checkpoints have been set up for round-the-clock surveillance while patrolling teams have been deployed in congested areas of Amritsar. Shukla, talking with the media in Amritsar, said that the people should not fall prey to fake messages on social media and warned of strict action against anyone trying to spread rumours. He said that the police officials had already held meeting with various organisations urging them for maintaining peace. Four companies of central armed police forces have been deployed in the district, besides 3,000 Punjab Police personnel, while replying to a question on security arrangements in Amritsar, he added. The post-mortem report of the minor girl has revealed that she was left with her internal organs hanging out of her stomach after being stabbed for 16 times by the accused Sahil at Shahbad Dairy area of Delhi. The incident took place on May 28. The autopsy report revealed that her skull was broken into pieces and due to multiple stabbing by knife, her intestines also came out of the body. It has been revealed in the post-mortem that Sahil's attacks were so severe and brutal, that victim's internal organs including the intestine came out, sources said. According to sources, there were 16 deep wounds in Sakshi's body, with excessive bleeding leading to her death. "A total of 11 wounds were detected on her vital organs and that caused her death. Her left lung was punctured due to stabbing and her intestines were protruding from the body. There was a deep wound below the abdomen," claimed sources. The report has revealed that accused Sahil had stabbed her multiple times and then burgeoned her head with a rock. Several stab wounds on the victim's body confirm the same. Some bones in the head region have also been found with cracks and injuries. Out of the 16 stab wounds in the victim's body, maximum wounds are present from the shoulder to the hip region, the sources said. Also, a number of bones in her body have been found in broken condition, showing the brutality of the killing. As per the doctors, this is the result of multiple brutal assaults on the victim's body by accused Sahil. There is no such work in this world which is impossible for anyone. If we try to complete that work with determination and full will power, then definitely success kisses our feet. Age is just a number for those who want to do something, said International mountaineer Jyoti Ratre while interacting with media persons. She was addressing under the Mountaineering - Story of Courage program organized at 9 Masala Restaurant Bhopal on Sunday organised by Public Relations Society of India Bhopal Chapter. On this occasion, President of Public Relations Society of India Bhopal Chapter Manoj Dwivedi, National Council Member Vijay Bondria, Vice President Avinash Bajpai, Secretary Pankaj Mishra and other members were present. Jyoti Ratre of the capital Bhopal left for Kathmandu on March 31, 2023 for the Mount Everest expedition and returned to Bhopal on May 29, 2023 after 58 days. Jyoti Ratre had completed the climb to the summit of Mount Everest, about 8200 meters (26900 feet) ahead of Camp 4, and only 650 meters were left to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which is 8848 meters high, when suddenly the weather turned bad. He had to make the difficult decision to return. According to Jyoti Ratre, so far no Indian woman older than her has been able to reach this height. Jyoti Ratre has emerged as an inspiration for crores of Indians over the years. Significantly, Jyoti Ratre is 54 years old and has successfully conquered three of the world's seven continents, the highest mountain peaks of Europe, Africa, and South America respectively Mount Elbrus 5642 meters, Mount Kilimanjaro 5895 meters and Mount Aconcagua 6961 meters. In this year's Mount Everest expedition, very few climbers have been able to succeed in their expedition due to bad weather this year. When Jyoti Ratre left Camp 4 for the Mount Everest Summit at 4 pm on May 22, after climbing suddenly clouds covered the surroundings, making it impossible to move forward, she was taken back to Camp 4 by her Sherpa. Achievements Pin Parvati Pass Trek Height 5350m in July 2018, Mount Deotibba peak height 6001 m in October 2020, Mount Elbrus (the highest mountain peak in Europe) height 5642 m July 2021, Mount Kilimanjaro (highest peak in Africa) height 5895 m 15 August 2022, Everest Base Camp Winter Trek Altitude 5364 m 26 January 2022, Mount Aconcagua (highest mountain peak in South America) height 6962 m January 3, 2023, Island Peak 6100m 17 April 2023, Success in climbing Mount Everest (the world's highest peak, height 8848 m) up to 8200 m on May 22, 2023. It is a dirty culture, seen mostly in India, where VIPs visit the places of disasters. These visits cause more inconvenience than help. People whose service could be utilised for rescue operation get diverted to handling of these VIPs visits. They only add to the woes of the victims, impairing and putting a stop to all efforts during the VIPs flying visits. The choppers that land in the quickly-prepared helipads could have been more appropriately used for ferrying the injured to nearly hospitals. Is there anybody to tell the VIPs, particularly the politicians, to keep off the disaster sites? Police and other security personnel are sent into a tizzy as appropriate bandobast has to be made for the visiting VIPs. Taking stock of the situation is the catch word during such visits. One wonders what stock taking is done. The visits seriously hamper the relief and rescue operations as officials join the race to keep the VIPs in good humour. The dead and dying can wait, but not the VIPs. Precious time is wasted in briefing the technical details to the virtually uninitiated VIPs, who, in their turn, pretend to understand the nitty-gritty even though most of it goes over their heads. Their visits, in particular reference to the Baleswar train tragedy, are an avoidable burden on the public exchequer as the actual cost incurred on such visits can be better used for railway safety. These visits add a political dimension to an essentially human tragedy with a game of one-upmanship being played out for the TV cameras. Every politician and their uncles join the bandwagon; political polarisation takes place relegating the human suffering to the background. Mamata Banerji and a Ministerial delegation from Tamil Nadu too visited the train accident site. VIPs can pay their condolence from the places where they are. They can go to the hospitals to ensure proper care of the injured. The next of kin of the affected, both injured and dead, should be provided quick passage both by air and rail and taken to the morgues for dignified funerals. The vulgar manner in which the compensation amount is announced, even before the actual death count comes, also smacks of political babble. Russian President Putin had refused to go the Kursk submarine disaster site stating that it would impact the rescue operation. When Hurricane Katrina struck, the US President did not rush to the disaster zone. Train accidents in Turkey, Greece and France did not see the Prime Ministers rushing to the spots. While disasters make for good electoral politics, what can these politicians actually do in a disaster beyond the theatre of making brief visits? They can get out of the way and let the relief workers do their job. Unfortunately, the value of life in India is just worth politics, cheap politics! COBHAM PLC/ADR (OTCMKTS:CBHMY Get Rating) and Absolute Software (OTCMKTS:ALSWF Get Rating) are both aerospace companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, risk, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability, valuation and analyst recommendations. Dividends COBHAM PLC/ADR pays an annual dividend of $0.01 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.2%. Absolute Software pays an annual dividend of $0.24 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.0%. COBHAM PLC/ADR pays out 9.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Get COBHAM PLC/ADR alerts: Profitability This table compares COBHAM PLC/ADR and Absolute Softwares net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets COBHAM PLC/ADR N/A N/A N/A Absolute Software 10.16% -23.28% 9.44% Earnings & Valuation Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio COBHAM PLC/ADR $2.18 billion 2.54 $98.11 million $0.11 40.82 Absolute Software $104.67 million 4.93 $10.64 million N/A N/A This table compares COBHAM PLC/ADR and Absolute Softwares gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. COBHAM PLC/ADR has higher revenue and earnings than Absolute Software. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for COBHAM PLC/ADR and Absolute Software, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score COBHAM PLC/ADR 0 0 0 0 N/A Absolute Software 0 0 0 0 N/A Institutional & Insider Ownership 1.2% of Absolute Software shares are owned by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Risk & Volatility COBHAM PLC/ADR has a beta of 1.26, meaning that its stock price is 26% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Absolute Software has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its stock price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Absolute Software beats COBHAM PLC/ADR on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About COBHAM PLC/ADR (Get Rating) Cobham plc provides a range of technologies and services to commercial, defense, aerospace, space, and security markets in the United Kingdom, the United States, other European countries, Australia, Asia, and internationally. The company operates in four segments: Communications and Connectivity, Mission Systems, Advanced Electronic Solutions, and Aviation Services. The Communications and Connectivity segment offers equipment and solutions for the aerospace, avionics, satellite, radio, wireless, antenna, and mobile connectivity markets. The Mission Systems segment provides safety and survival systems for extreme environments; nose-to-tail aerial refueling systems; and wing-tip to wing-tip mission systems for jets, transport aircraft, and rotorcraft. The Advanced Electronic Solutions segment offers critical solutions for communication on land, at sea, in the air, and in space through off-the-shelf and customized products, which include radio frequency, microwave, microelectronics, antenna subsystems, and motion control solutions. This segment serves defense, radar, electronic warfare, X-ray imaging, medical, and industrial markets. The Aviation Services segment delivers outsourced aviation services for military and commercial customers through military training, special mission flights, outsourced commercial aviation, fly-in fly-out, and aircraft engineering services. Cobham plc was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Wimborne, the United Kingdom. About Absolute Software (Get Rating) Absolute Software Corp. engages in the provision of cloud-based service that supports the management and security of computing devices, applications, and data for a variety of organizations. Its solutions includes education, financial services, general date protection regulations (GDPR) compliance, government, healthcare, professional services, and technology solutions such as Absolute for Android, and Absolute for Chromebook. The company was founded on November 24, 1993 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Receive News & Ratings for COBHAM PLC/ADR Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for COBHAM PLC/ADR and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR Get Rating) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Friday morning. A number of other brokerages have also commented on IR. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, April 10th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $60.00 to $61.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $62.00 to $66.00 in a report on Friday, May 5th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $64.00 to $65.00 in a report on Friday, May 5th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Ingersoll Rand from $55.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $60.36. Get Ingersoll Rand alerts: Ingersoll Rand Stock Up 5.5 % Ingersoll Rand stock opened at $61.36 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 2.16. Ingersoll Rand has a 52-week low of $39.28 and a 52-week high of $61.60. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $57.14 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $55.88. The firm has a market cap of $24.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.88 and a beta of 1.42. Ingersoll Rand Announces Dividend Institutional Inflows and Outflows The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 22nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 24th will be given a dividend of $0.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 23rd. This represents a $0.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.13%. Ingersoll Rands dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 4.94%. Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IR. American Century Companies Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 12.0% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 15,601 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $786,000 after purchasing an additional 1,675 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 47.6% in the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 9,880 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $497,000 after purchasing an additional 3,185 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand in the first quarter worth $327,000. Panagora Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ingersoll Rand by 62.2% in the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 28,937 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,457,000 after purchasing an additional 11,096 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Ingersoll Rand by 1.7% during the first quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 57,771 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,909,000 after acquiring an additional 988 shares in the last quarter. 99.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Ingersoll Rand (Get Rating) Ingersoll Rand, Inc provides a broad range of mission critical air, fluid, energy, specialty vehicle and medical technologies, providing services and solutions to increase industrial productivity and efficiency. It operates through the following segments: Industrial Technologies and Services, Precision and Science Technologies, High Pressure Solutions, and Specialty Vehicle Technologies. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Ingersoll Rand Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ingersoll Rand and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nabors Industries (NYSE:NBR Get Rating) had its target price lowered by Susquehanna from $110.00 to $91.00 in a report released on Friday, The Fly reports. Several other equities analysts have also recently commented on NBR. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Nabors Industries from $195.00 to $176.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Nabors Industries from $200.00 to $140.00 in a research report on Friday, May 19th. 888 reissued a maintains rating on shares of Nabors Industries in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Nabors Industries from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $175.00 to $165.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Nabors Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, May 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $152.29. Get Nabors Industries alerts: Nabors Industries Stock Performance Shares of NBR stock opened at $96.39 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.61, a current ratio of 1.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.40. Nabors Industries has a 52 week low of $83.05 and a 52 week high of $193.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $919.56 million, a PE ratio of -6.44 and a beta of 2.77. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $104.90 and a two-hundred day moving average of $136.31. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nabors Industries About Nabors Industries Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Nabors Industries in the first quarter valued at about $25,000. US Bancorp DE raised its holdings in shares of Nabors Industries by 165.9% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 226 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 141 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Nabors Industries in the first quarter valued at about $32,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in shares of Nabors Industries by 89.6% in the third quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 565 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 267 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in shares of Nabors Industries by 43.1% in the third quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 793 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $80,000 after buying an additional 239 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.98% of the companys stock. (Get Rating) Nabors Industries Ltd. engages in the provision of platform work over and drilling rigs. It also provides performance tools, directional drilling services, tubular running services, and innovative technologies. It operates through the following business segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Nabors Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nabors Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit In this file photo, gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari being produced at district court, in Prayagraj. A court in Varanasi on Monday, June 5, 2023, convicted Ansari in the murder of Congress leader Awadhesh Rai. (Photo: PTI) LUCKNOW: A Varanasi court on Monday sentenced gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari to life imprisonment for the murder of Congress leader Awadhesh Rai more than 30 years ago. Awadhesh Rai, the brother of Congress leader Ajay Rai, was shot dead on August 3, 1991, at the gate of his Lahurabir residence. A case in the matter was registered against Mukhtar Ansari and others. "Mukhtar has been convicted in the Awadhesh Rai murder case of 1991. The court will pronounce its judgment later in the day," a lawyer told reporters in Varanasi. Reacting to the development, Ajay Rai said, "This is the end of our many years of waiting. I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter and the whole family kept patience... Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself. "But we did not give up. Because of our lawyers' efforts, today the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother," Rai added. Lawyers said that around 1 am on August 3, 1991, Congress leader Ajay Rai and his brother were standing at the gate of their house in Varanasi when some assailants, including Ansari, came there in a car and shot Awadhesh. Ajay Rai fired from his licensed pistol in retaliation, following which the assailants fled, leaving the car behind, they said. Awadhesh was rushed to a hospital in Kabirchaura, where doctors declared him dead. Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat, did not contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election and the seat was won by his son Abbas Ansari on a ticket from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, which had tied up with the Samajwadi Party. A view of an under-construction bridge that collapsed on Sunday, in Bhagalpur, Monday, (PTI) Patna/Bhagalpur/Khagaria: An under-construction bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihar on Sunday, portions of which were deliberately destroyed in a planned fashion under expert advice as it had design flaws, claimed state government officials. The bridge was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur. Images of the bridge collapse that took place in Khagaria evoked immediate criticisms from the opposition, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Additional Chief Secretary of Road Construction Department, Pratyay Amrit, to hold a hurried press conference. "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said at the press conference. Amrit, who took over, added, "It was decided that we must not take any chance and wait for a final report. So we went ahead with pulling down parts of the bridge." Once the final report comes, which is expected shortly, the state government would contemplate action like lodging of FIR and blacklisting the company which was awarded the contract, he said. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. "Last year, a portion of this bridge had given away in a thunderstorm. It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav, in an apparent riposte to the BJP, now in opposition, which sought the CM's resignation over the issue. Yadav disclosed that "many structural defects" have been pointed out by experts and "we have already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable. Today's incident confirms our worst apprehensions". No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident that took place in the evening and was caught on camera by some bystanders. As media outlets beamed the video footage, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary came out with a statement demanding the resignation of Nitish Kumar, who had snapped ties with the saffron party in August last year. Fellow BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a former Bhagalpur MP, also came out with a statement blaming the mishap on "corruption" and demanding a "high-level inquiry" into the incident. He also alleged that the incident "has put a question mark on construction works being undertaken across the state, many of which have been awarded to the same contractor". Amrit also said at the press conference that soon after the news of the incident was received, he was summoned by the chief minister who "sought a detailed report on the mishap and issued strict instructions for strong action against those who might be held responsible". The bridge was being constructed at a cost of more than Rs 1, 700 crore and it was supposed to have been completed by November, 2019. However, Yadav asserted, "This bridge is of great importance for north Bihar where connectivity will greatly improve once it begins to function. We are committed to completing the project after setting right everything that has been wrong." Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, meanwhile, came out with a tweet pointing out that much of the construction took place "during the tenures of Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav and Nitin Nabin" as road construction ministers and asked whether the BJP would, therefore, take the blame. Policemen inspect the wrecked carriages of a three-train collision near Balasore, in Odisha, on June 4 (DIBYANGSHU SARKAR / AFP) Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary PK Jena said his government has no intention to hide the deaths in the Balasore train crash and the entire rescue operation was being conducted in full public view. Reacting to allegations that the death toll figure was being manipulated, he said Odisha believes in transparency. "Media persons are very much present at the accident site since the beginning. Everything is being done in the presence of cameras," he said. "The railways had stated the death toll as 288. We also said that, and the figure was based on information from the railways. But, our Balasore District Collector has verified the death toll, and the figure was 275 till 10 am of Sunday," he said. Asked about the change in the toll, Jena said it was due to double counting of some bodies. The chief secretary said there was also no prohibition on the entry of media persons at the accident site. "The rescue and even restoration activities went on in full public view," he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the death figures, stating that 61 people from her state were dead and 182 were still missing. "If from one state, 182 are missing and 61 are confirmed dead, then where would the figures stand?" she asked, addressing a press conference. Railway Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw declined to take any questions from journalists in connection with Banerjee's allegation. Of the 275 dead bodies, only 108 have been identified, the chief secretary said. He said the state would like all the bodies to be identified so that those could be cremated by their families. "Keeping in view the prevailing hot weather, the bodies are decomposing fast. Therefore, the state can maximum wait for two more days before disposing of them as per the law," he said. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. (Photo: Twitter) Vijayawada: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said high top priority must be given for promotion of micro, small and medium enterprises by providing them with technical know-how and linking them with multinational companies to sell their products in the global market. The Chief Minister was speaking at a review meeting on industry he held with minister G Amaranath and senior officials at his camp office on Monday. Jagan Reddy said MSMEs played a crucial role in the growth of the industries sector in AP and these could generate large numbers of jobs. The government should serve as a guide for MSMES by identifying the products that are in high demand in the global market, providing them with technical know-how and help link them with the MNCs. The CM called for an action plan for promotion of MSMEs. He asked the officials to set up a special wing exclusively for MSMEs and appoint a secretary exclusively for this wing. Product diversification must be encouraged so as to reach world markets, he said. He stressed on maintenance of quality for the products and felt the need to provide skill development training. The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of implementation of MoUs signed at the Global Investors Summits held in AP in the last few years. The officials informed the CM that the State Investment Promotion Board meetings were held 10 times since the YSRC government assumed power in 2019, and as many as 59 projects were given approval. Out of these, a sum of Rs 3,39,959 crore worth investments were to be received and 2,34,378 jobs to be generated. They said that out of 1,739 MoUs signed with an investment commitment of Rs 18,87,058 crore from 2016 to 2018, not even 10 per cent of the committed investment were materialised. In the recently held Global Investors Summit in Visakhapatnam, 387 MoUs were signed, of which 100 MoUs belonged to industries and commerce. Of them, 13 MoUs were realised with a total of Rs 2,739 crore in investments and it generated employment for 6,858 persons, officials said. The CM also reviewed the progress via-a-vis power projects. The officials said that out of 25 MoUs signed at the Visakhapatnam GIS, eight project proposals were sent for approval to SIPB while works on four more projects would begin soon. Besides, DPRs for eight more projects have been prepared. The CM wanted Visakhpatnam to be a hub for IT and IT-based services. The officials told the CM that out of 88 IT-related MoUs signed worth Rs 44,963 crore, 85 per cent of the firms either started the work or are already ready for software production. Nearly Rs 38,573 crore was realized out of these so far. The CM called for execution of the MoUs signed in the food processing sector expeditiously so that it would benefit the farmers in a big way. YSRC activists staging a rally with toilet mugs and staging a protest against toilet scam of TDP MLA Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy in Monday. (Photo by arrangement) TIRUPATI: A tense situation prevailed in Kondapi constituency of Prakasam district when supporters of the ruling YSRC and the opposition Telugu Desam engaged in protests and counter-protests. These events led to the arrest of Telugu Desam MLA Veeranjaneya Swamy and the house arrest of YSRC leader Varikuti Ashokbabu. Trouble started when YSRC leaders and activists led by Ashok, YSRCs constituency in-charge, attempted to encircle MLA Veeranjaneya Swamy's residence in Naidupalem. YSRC accused the TD legislator of corruption in the construction of toilets during the previous TD term. They demanded immediate action against the MLA. A sizable number of YSRC functionaries gathered at the party office in Tangutur, preparing to march towards the MLA's residence. The police arrived and placed Ashok under house arrest. Police force was deployed in strength to prevent a clash. In response, TD leaders organised a counter-protest against the YSRC. Led by MLA Swamy, TD supporters planned to lay siege to the residence of YSRC leader Ashok Babu in Tangutur and started marching towards it. The police intervened and halted their march on Highway 16, leading to strong protests from TD men. The police encountered strong resistance from the supporters of MLA Swamy when they attempted to arrest him. Despite a scuffle with the MLA's supporters, the police whisked him away in a police vehicle. During the commotion, the MLA's shirt was torn. TD men expressed their anger, alleging bias on the part of the police. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. (Photo: PTI) PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced on Monday that the Opposition meeting, which was originally scheduled to take place on June 12 in Patna, has been postponed. The reason behind the postponement seems to be the Congress reluctance to send its top leaders to the meeting. Nitish Kumar stated that he had urged the Congress to ensure the presence of their party head rather than sending a representative. While confirming the postponement, Nitish Kumar mentioned that most political parties had confirmed their participation except for one or two. He emphasised the importance of party heads attending the meeting instead of representatives, as it would serve the purpose better and be more acceptable. Nitish Kumar expressed his willingness to wait for the political parties to collectively decide on a new date for the crucial Opposition meeting. According to reports, the meeting is expected to be held by the end of June. It was initially decided by the Congress to send a representative instead of party president Mallikarjun Kharge or Rahul Gandhi. Similarly, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also expressed his unwillingness to attend the meeting and intended to send his representative. The Opposition meeting holds significance for shaping the future political landscape of the country, as emphasised by Nitish Kumar and other grand alliance leaders. Nitish Kumar has been actively coordinating with political parties to unite and contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against the BJP. Nitish Kumar, along with JD(U) Chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan Singh), had recently met with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UTB) leader Uddhav Thackeray, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren to discuss the Opposition alliance. The decision to host the Opposition meeting in Patna was proposed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a joint press conference in Kolkata with Nitish Kumar in April. In addition to the discussion on the Opposition meeting, Nitish Kumar also commented on the Balasore train accident, which resulted in the loss of around 275 lives. He criticised the decision to eliminate the separate rail budget and expressed concerns about the government's approach to the railways. Nitish Kumar recalled his resignation as Railway Minister in 1999 following a major train accident in Gaisal, West Bengal. Source: @JoshiPralhad / Twitter A story was reported on June 2 with the headline "Bengal couple accused of being Bangladeshi infiltrators freed from Bengaluru jail after 10 months". The couple were Palash and Shukla Adhikari, who were accused of being foreigners. They spent an extra month in jail after getting bail because they could not produce local sureties. Another story, somewhat related, was reported the same day with the headline "Political leaders in Nepal object to Akhand Bharat mural in new Parliament". The story explained that "Akhand Bharat" was a concept espoused by Hindutva nationalists envisaging that neighbouring countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka would become a part of India. Lumbini the birthplace of the Buddhas is in Nepal but features on the map in the new Parliament. Both of these are again in a way related to something else. I am writing a book whose title is The case for Akhand Bharat, which is an attempt to figure out two things. First, if Indians, especially Hindus of the BJP type, really want to unite South Asia, why are they not trying it except in paintings and murals? Second, what would it take to actually bring about an "Akhand Bharat"? The answer to the first question is easy. The BJP and Hindus who back it do not want a united South Asia. What they want is an empire with subjects. A party ruling India with no Muslim minister or MP or MLA is not going to be attractive to the woman in Chittagong or enthuse the child in Peshawar. What the BJP wants is land, it does not want the people. Look at Kashmir to understand. Bigotry is boring, but the second question is more interesting. What would it actually take to unite the people of the sub-continent? It cannot be the force of arms, because we do not have the capacity, though we do not admit it. This is a fact. Kashmir looks different in reality than it does on the map. It would actually horrify the average Indian, brainwashed by school maps, if they were to learn the actual position. The bits in the west are not in our control and we cannot take them back despite the brave words. Mind you, the opponent is only one-seventh our size. We cannot take them back not because of lack of intent but lack of capacity. The bits on the east are missing too, but we do not talk about taking them back for fear of agitating the stronger power whom we cannot even name. We can bully Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh up to a point, but do not have the legitimacy to stake a real claim on them as opposed to pantomime ones in maps and speeches. And yet there is another way, which is not being considered (and that is what my book is about). What if India as the dominant power, the largest economy, the oldest democracy and the most populous nation reaches out to its neighbours and tries to unite them? What would that look like and what would it entail? Well, first, it would have to do with addressing things that were other than political. When the European Union began to form, it was not either through a unified currency or a unified parliament. It was through connecting their steel and coal industries. Why? Because these were the two materials needed to develop their economies and their militaries. First through coercion on Germany after the war, and then through consensus, the European nations united themselves. Remember that though belonging to the same religion, they had murdered more of each other than any other part of the world in a mere three decades between 1914 and 1945. What are the things in South Asia that can be similarly connected without addressing issues like a common currency or a common Prime Minister? They would have to be transport, meaning open roads and connectivity on rail and air; communications, meaning mobile telephony that can be used on both sides and free travel. That would mean being able to go from Kolkata to Dhaka without a visa for a holiday or from Lahore to Shimla. Is it difficult to do? No, it would take the stroke of a pen. The problem lies in the imagination of nations held hostage mentally to the idea that the neighbour is the enemy. The next step would be, as the European Union did, easing the movement of goods and services. This would unite the economies eventually and benefit all nations, especially ones that produce and manufacture the things that the others cannot. India can produce and send cars, two-wheelers, petrol, software, musical instruments, books, nurses, engineers and biochemists at a more efficient cost than can be produced in the other nations locally. To not do this is to deny Indians opportunity and deny India growth potential. The final aspect of this softer "Akhand Bharat" would be some element of political integration as the EU has also done. We do not need to go there yet. We do not need to even consider it till the other parts have matured. But we have to understand that this third element is absolutely impossible in the absence of the first two. To think otherwise, as is the case of that mural in Parliament that Nepal and others object to, is to think like a child. It is a reality that the thinking of the Indian elite, as presented to the world in the new Parliament, is juvenile and unreal. But it is also a fact that needs to be acknowledged and engaged with. "Akhand Bharat" will not come about through crayons and murals. The writer is the chair of Amnesty International India. Twitter: @aakar__patel UBS Group AG is looking to retain more than 100 Credit Suisse Group AG investment bankers across Asia, seeking to shore up talent in markets where its Swiss rival has stronger presence, according to people familiar with the matter. The bank is currently in advanced discussions to keep dozens of Credit Suisses senior dealmakers in the region, spanning from Korea, Thailand, Vietnam to India, proposing compensation targets for a group of managing directors, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. Among the people targeted to stay on is Allan Chu, Asia-Pacific head of telecommunication, media and technology, as well as various country heads in Korea and some of the Southeast Asia markets, according to the people. UBS will also retain a considerable number of bankers in India, where the merger will enable it to rebuild its presence after shutting down the local team in late 2021. Also Read | UBS says it was rushed into unwanted Credit Suisse rescue merger The retention target of more than 100 bankers doesnt include China, where the two banks have considerable overlaps. In mainland China, UBS has held talks with Janice Hu, Credit Suisses country chief executive officer, as well as a few other senior bankers, the people said. Hus role is still being discussed. The final number of China bankers being kept will depend on discussions with regulators, they added. Media representatives at UBS in Hong Kong and Credit Suisse in Singapore declined to comment. Hu and Chu didnt respond to requests for comment. UBS is making a global push to boost its technology banking reach, and is prepared to tap bankers focusing on general industries dealmaking, the people said. The offers will not come into effect until after the merger completes, the people said. The Swiss lenders are in the final stages of completing a combination orchestrated by the government in March as Credit Suisse was teetering on the edge of collapse. Its unclear how many Credit Suisse bankers will stay in the end as some may opt to join rivals. UBS will conduct more formal on-boarding processes after gaining access to details on deals and clients at Credit Suisse, according to the people. UBS had said it expects the $3.2 billion merger to close at the end of May at the earliest, though that timetable has been pushed into June. It has created global integration committees spanning the wealth, asset management, and investment bank divisions. Two soldiers and two militants were killed during an exchange of fire in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Army said on Monday. The exchange of fire that took place between Pakistani troops and terrorists in the North Waziristan district of the province also left two other militants injured, the Dawn newspaper quoted Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the armys media affairs wing as saying. The statement said weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists while sanitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area. Also Read | Pakistani drone downed near IB in Punjab's Amritsar; over 3 kg heroin recovered Armed forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism, the statement said. Last week, at least four militants were killed in two separate similar incidents in the Afghan bordering North Waziristan district while a soldier protecting a polio team was killed. Also Read | Five members of Palestinian militant group killed in blast on Lebanese-Syrian border Although the Pakistani military claims it has cleared North Waziristan of militants, occasional attacks and shootouts continue, raising concerns that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which earlier had a stronghold in the district, are regrouping in the area. The TTP is a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, as the US and NATO forces withdrew from the country after two decades of war. The TTP unilaterally ended a cease-fire agreement with the Pakistani government last November and has since stepped up its attacks in the country. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP saying they never talk about the future, and always blame somebody else in the past for their failures. Gandhi, who is on a visit to the US, was addressing the members of Indian diaspora in the Javits Centre here. They observed 60-second silence in respect of those who died in the Odisha train accident. The accident involving three trains has left at least 280 dead and brought into focus the issue of railway safety. There has been demand for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from some quarters. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi has deep understanding of technology, says entrepreneur who hosted him in Silicon Valley "I remember a train accident when the Congress was in power. The Congress did not get up and say 'now it is the fault of the British that the train has crashed'. The Congress minister said 'it's my responsibility and I'm resigning'. So this is the problem we have back home, we make excuses and we are not accepting the reality we are faced with," Gandhi said, without naming the Congress minister. He said the BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. "He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is trying to drive the car...the Indian car and he looks in the rear-view mirror. Then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS. All of them. You listen to the ministers, you listen to the prime minister. You will never find them talking about the future. They only talk about the past," he said. "The BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. They never talk about the future; they only talk about the past. And they will always blame somebody else for the past," he said. He said there is a fight going on back in India between two ideologies -- one represented by the Congress and the other by the BJP and the RSS. "The simplest way to describe this fight is that on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side, Nathuram Godse," he said. He also praised the Indian-American community for the way they have lived in the US. "All the giants that have emerged from India, you can see that there were certain qualities that all of them possessed. Firstly, they searched for, represented and fought for the truth. Secondly, all these people were humble, and there was no arrogance in them. That is how Indians have worked in the US, and that's why Indians are successful here. I respect and honour you for that." Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday accused the Centre of misusing its investigative agencies and said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches in the state were "anticipated" as the assembly elections are approaching. The ED conducted searches at multiple locations in Rajasthan during the day in connection with a money laundering investigation into an alleged exam paper leak case for recruitment of government teachers in the state, according to sources in New Delhi. Also Read: BJP lost in Himachal, Karnataka polls due to Modi's stubbornness, says Ashok Gehlot While the opposition BJP in the state defended the ED action, saying the law will take its course, the Congress said the ED has come to Rajasthan on a "political task". The chief minister also accused the Centre of targeting his Officer on Special Duty Lokesh Sharma in a phone tapping case. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Gehlot said the ED, CBI and the Income Tax department were "eagerly desirous" to enter Rajasthan, and accused the Centre of misusing these agencies in election-bound states for political vendetta. He questioned why the ED was "intervening" when the state's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was doing such a "good job" in investigating the leakage of papers in the government's teacher recruitment exam. "ACB is doing such a good job, why are you intervening? Earlier also, the ED was sent in a paper leak case but what happened after that? Why do you interfere without any reason," Gehlot asked. He also said that the ED should also cooperate with the ACB if the federal agency gets something in the course of its searches. Gehlot said while he would welcome any action that is taken as per the law, the action by the central government was taken for political vendetta and to create an atmosphere to defame the state government. "ED's arrival in Rajasthan was anticipated. People are saying ED officials who have come have been given a list (of names) and asked to see how many they can reach," the chief minister said. "ED, CBI and Income Tax are yearning to enter Rajasthan it is a good thing, but the state's Anti-Corruption Bureau has caught a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), and ED officials should tell their bosses why they are sending them to Rajasthan where the ACB is strong and has done excellent work," he said in reply to a question on the searches. Alleging that the central government was targeting OSD Lokesh Sharma, Gehlot said, "They are after him despite the fact that there is no evidence against him. The acts they are doing are not in the interest of the country in any manner." The Delhi Police registered an FIR in March 2021 against Sharma on charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and unlawfully intercepting telegraphic signals (telephonic conversation) on a complaint by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Referring to the arrest of RPSC member Babulal Katara by the Special Operations Group (RPSC) of the Rajasthan Police last month in the paper leak case, Gehlot said Katara was not asked to resign before being apprehended as the government wanted to send out a message. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena claimed that ED raids were underway at 28 locations due to which the paper leak mafia was panicking. "The state government, which has been giving protection to them till now, is also afraid that if the truth surfaces, the chief minister who calls himself a Gandhian will be exposed," he said in a statement. "I exposed with proof that the entire recruitment system is in the clutches of 'nakal mafia'. Not a single recruitment took place in which there was no cheating. I repeatedly requested the chief minister for a CBI inquiry. He did not agree as the government itself is involved," Meena alleged. The BJP leader also accused the chief minister of being involved in covering up the case by acting on "small fish" while the "big crocodiles" were still far from being caught. He alleged that the SOG was not arresting the mastermind of the senior teacher recruitment exam paper leaks of 2022 Suresh Dhaka because he knows the secrets of many such "big crocodiles". Defending the ED searches, Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said, "ED will certainly come when there are transactions of lakhs and crores of rupees by looting government jobs and selling papers." Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, "Modi-Shah's central government does this in every state before elections but the BJP should get rid of the misconception that elections are won by using ED-Income Tax. To win elections, one has to win the hearts of the people." The state has witnessed a few instances where it was alleged that question papers for recruitment of teachers were leaked to aspirants, including in 2021 during the hiring of teachers by the state education board and last year in a test conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC). Besides Katara, the SOG has arrested several other accused in connection with the paper leaks. Senior IAS officer and former DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai has alleged harassment by Special Secretary (Vigilance) YVVJ Rajasekhar, who is supervising a probe against him in connection with the demolition of a heritage palace here, sources in the Delhi government said. However, Rajasekhar, also an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, claimed that the probe was based on "documentary evidence" and everything was on record. The heritage structure, a remnant of the Sayyid dynasty, was allegedly demolished for the construction of the official residence of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Delhi Jal Borad (DJB) in South Delhi's Kilokari area during Rai's tenure. No response could be elicited on the issue from Rai, a 2007-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, who is currently posted in Mizoram, despite repeated calls and messages. In multiple complaints to the Union home ministry, the Delhi lieutenant governor and the Delhi chief minister, Rai has also demanded that Rajasekhar be replaced by a secretary-level officer to supervise the probe against him. Also Read: Wrestlers to hold mahapanchayat of own soon, says Bajrang Punia as he calls for unity In four complaints lodged by Rai over a period of four days from May 30 to June 2, he has accused Rajasekhar of "harassment" and targeting his family, including his wife and children, the official sources said on Sunday. They said Rai has alleged harassment by Rajasekhar during the course of the probe. Rajasekhar, a 2012-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, claimed that the probe against Rai was "documentary evidence-based" and everything was on record. "It was already confirmed by a joint inspection report by the archaeology department and the DJB that a medieval heritage monument was demolished," he said. The vigilance directorate tried to conduct an inspection in the presence of Rai, but the officer locked his official residence and did not allow the inspection to happen, Rajasekhar claimed. "It had to be seen whether the officer constructed more than what was mentioned in the notice inviting tender for the construction of the official residence of the CEO of the DJB. The vigilance directorate is being forcefully prevented from conducting this investigation," he said. The IAS officer said there are various issues such as award of contract to a contractor on single-financial tender basis. The vigilance directorate is also examining the issue of "diverting" of funds of other projects for the construction of the DJB CEO's residence, he claimed. The DJB has already given a notice for vacating the building to the former CEO of the DJB. In case, the officer does not give a response, the directorate proposes to go ahead with the probe according to records and the joint inspection report, Rajasekhar said. In his first complaint to the Delhi chief secretary on May 30, Rai alleged that " Rajasekhar is motivated and has a personal vendetta against me. His actions are partial, reek of personal prejudice against me". Copies of the complaint were also sent to the lieutenant governor, the chief minister and the Union home secretary, among others. Expressing fear that the inquiry against him in the vigilance probe would be "totally one sided" under Rajasekhar, the former DJB CEO has also urged the chief secretary to handover over the investigation to a "neutral officer" of the rank of secretary in the government of Delhi. In his complaints, Rai said his family was in Delhi and he feared for its safety. "My wife was routinely getting stalked by unknown menshe was getting abusive calls on the phone," Rai said in his complaints. His wife, a teacher in a government school, has given a separate complaint to the police. In his subsequent complaints on June 1 and June 2, Rai alleged that about 20 people with a huge police team tried to "break into" his house on May 31 when his family was away. He was apparently referring to an "on ground" inspection carried out by officers of the DJB, and vigilance, archaeology and revenue departments on that day. Rai alleged that Rajasekhar was trying to get the house vacated at the behest of the current DJB CEO, who wanted to occupy it. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin here on Monday. Austin, who flew into New Delhi on Sunday from Singapore, inspected the Tri-Service Guard of Honour earlier in the day. "I'm returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, we're advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," he said in a tweet after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/P73Oy2npDx Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) June 4, 2023 He was received by US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti. This is the Secretary Austin's second visit to India, the previous one being in March 2021. Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar said that BJP will hold protests if the Congress government makes any attempt to withdraw the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act. The BJP had formulated a law to prevent cow slaughter after holding a series of consultations with the people. The Congress had raised objections even when the BJP passed it, he told mediapersons in Karkala. Also Read: BJP stages demo against Karnataka minister's statement on cow slaughter and power tariff hike He said that the Congress neither loves cows nor the nation. Whatever ethos that are followed by people, the Congress opposes it. The Congress leaders and Ministers have been repeatedly stating that the government will withdraw the act and revise textbooks. These clearly indicate the aim of the Congress government, he said. As per the law, no cattle below 12 years should be sent for slaughtering, Kumar added. If the congress brings a Bill to revoke the anti-cow slaughter Act on the floor of the legislature, then the BJP will oppose the same. The BJP will also launch a statewide agitation against any move to rescind the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, he said. DK BJP President Sudarshan Moodbidri took strong exception to Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh's statement that if buffaloes can be slaughtered, then why not cows. "People in India have an emotional attachment to the cow and are revered in the society. The government should drop any proposal to ban anti-cow slaughter law." LPL Financial LLC trimmed its holdings in Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:JUST Get Rating) by 17.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 8,711 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,845 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC owned approximately 0.19% of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF worth $481,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in JUST. Citigroup Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF during the first quarter worth $40,000. Fort Point Capital Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 8.5% during the first quarter. Fort Point Capital Partners LLC now owns 10,192 shares of the companys stock worth $661,000 after buying an additional 801 shares during the period. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. raised its stake in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 40.5% in the first quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 7,674 shares of the companys stock valued at $497,000 after acquiring an additional 2,214 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 2.7% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,021,594 shares of the companys stock valued at $66,087,000 after acquiring an additional 26,638 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Eaton Vance Management raised its stake in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 18.9% in the first quarter. Eaton Vance Management now owns 3,150 shares of the companys stock valued at $204,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Get Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF alerts: Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF Trading Up 1.7 % Shares of NYSEARCA JUST opened at $61.34 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $288.30 million, a P/E ratio of 10.19 and a beta of 1.00. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $59.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $57.87. Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF has a 12-month low of $50.87 and a 12-month high of $62.01. About Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF The Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (JUST) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the JUST US Large Cap Diversified index. The fund tracks a tier-weighted index of US-listed large-cap stocks selected based on a survey-based assessment of business behavior. JUST was launched on Jun 7, 2018 and is managed by Goldman Sachs. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JUST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:JUST Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. by David J. Lobina It was no accident that it was an immigrant who revived the debate. While Marxist thought provided () a lens through which to observe the nation from the outside, the experience of living as an alien () proved an almost indispensable condition for () more advanced tools of observation. Shlomo Sand, The Invention of the Jewish People. Who he? Exactly. An anarchist rabbi nowadays mostly known for a book on Anarcho-Syndicalism as well as for his involvement with the Jewish anarchist movement in East London at the turn of the 20th century, the life and work of the German thinker Rudolf Rocker has much to teach us in these most modern of times, if only we were to read him more often. Of particular interest to me is his magnum opus, Nationalism and Culture, a work now basically forgotten but which was regarded as a genuine contribution to the study of nationalism (and other topics) when it was published in 1937 by people as diverse as Bertrand Russell, Albert Einstein, and Herbert Read. The book, and Rocker himself, are now due a revisit.[i] The first thing one notes when approaching Nationalism and Culture is its impressive combination of breadth and depth. The book covers multiple time periods, thinkers, and artistic developments, and in doing so Rocker chronicles how the state and the nationalist worldview have combined to shape the contemporary world, influencing life and manners, thought and culture, and much else and for this alone it should be more widely known.[ii] But Im getting ahead of myself. As is often the case, Rockers outlook was partly a product of the times he lived, so lets start with that first and I will come back to the book next month. Rocker left a large bibliography behind, including about his own experiences, and while many biographical details have been accounted for (for instance, here and here), the record is necessarily an incomplete one. Rocker wrote three volumes of memoirs, only a small part of which has been published in English, and conducted a large correspondence, much of which remains unpublished to this day (for a time he also kept a diary; most of Rockers personal papers are at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, where they were donated by his second son in 1960). I will base my brief biographical sketch on some of these sources. Born to working class parents in 1873 in Mainz, Rockers aversion to any form of authoritarianism and institutionalism, a hallmark of anarchist thought, appears to have formed very early on. Mainz itself provided an amenable climate for radical politics; the city had been mostly autonomous during the 18th century as part of the French Republic and its citizens had in fact objected to becoming part of the German Empire upon the unification of Germany in 1871. The anti-Prussian sentiment was certainly present in Rockers family, and a politically active uncle was to be a particularly important influence in his life. Already finding the strictures of school too rigid as a young boy, these feelings were compounded during his time at the catholic orphanage he was sent to soon after his mothers passing in 1887 (his father had died in 1877). After leaving school, he learned bookbinding and became politically engaged, joining his uncles Social Democratic Party in 1890, though he would soon get involved with an internal faction which espoused more radical politics (the so-called Jungen youth group). By the time Rocker attended the Congress of the Second International in Brussels in August 1891, he had become an anarchist and by October had been expelled from the SDP. Rockers distrust of state-directed socialism and his preference for a libertarian kind associated to the syndicalist movement would be a constant in his life. Rockers activities eventually came to the attention of the authorities some of Germanys anti-socialist laws had ended in 1890, but police repression continued and after becoming involved in illegal propaganda he fled to Paris in 1892 (he was also keen to avoid conscription at age 20, which was compulsory). His first political exile had begun and would last over 25 years. It was in Paris where Rocker first encountered Jewish anarchists, and by the time he moved to London in 1895, he would soon gravitate towards Londons East End, where most Jewish immigrants had settled. Rockers time in London is possibly the most interesting part of his life, as it constitutes a fascinating story of how a German Catholic became a leading figure in Londons Yiddish-speaking Jewish anarchist movement it is certainly the better known of Rockers lifelong activism.[iii] By the 19th century, England had become the home of many left-wing political exiles fleeing more autocratic regimes in continental Europe. Widely regarded as a safe haven because of the Victorian right of asylum, which would be curtailed in the early 20th century, England had welcomed the repressed as well, such as the many Jews who fled Russia during the pogroms of 1881-1884.[iv] Socialist groups had of course been common in England since the mid 19th century, but by the end of the century there were also specifically Jewish socialist groups. Rocker credits Aaron Liebermann as a pioneer of the Jewish labour movement, and it was indeed Liebermann who had founded a union of Jewish socialists in London in 1876, the first of its kind Agudas HaSozialistim HoIvrim, or the Hebrew Socialist Union. As mentioned, most Jewish immigrants concentrated on Londons East End, a poor and heavily populated district; historians estimate that there were around 120,000 Jews residents at the time (contemporary photographic record of the area is still available). A world Rocker would join fully, he started attending the meetings of various Jewish radical groups and was soon busy organising numerous meetings and talks, including at well-known venues such as the Great Assembly Hall and the Wonderland, where he would speak himself. More importantly, and certainly more enduring, were Rockers endeavours at the Jubilee Street Club. Founded by Rocker and fellow Jewish anarchists, Rockers activities there is what he was most fondly remembered for by the community, as recorded in various oral accounts of the times. The Club started in 1906 and was open to everyone, offering its users a library and reading rooms as well as various educational programmes. Courses in English were the most popular, as many Jews in the East End didnt speak the language and had little contact with the local population (Rocker himself lectured in history and sociology). Rockers immersion in the Jewish community was to be very comprehensive. He moved to the East End and at a political event met the person who would become his lifelong companion Milly Witkop, an activist from a very religious Jewish family from Ukraine who had also made use of the Victorian right of asylum, eventually bringing her family over to London (Millys anarchism as well as her partnership with Rocker would, however, estrange her from her family for a time). They had a son in 1907, Rockers second, and lived in the area until they left London for good in 1918 (their son Fermin has left an interview and a memoir of their time in London). Rocker did an enormous amount of writing and editing during this time, and at one point he was even offered the position of editor at a small Yiddish-language periodical, a language he didnt speak but had encountered in Paris, which he had then regarded a dialect of German (Yiddish was closer to German at the time than is the case today). He gradually learned Yiddish and in 1889 was asked to run Der Arbeter Fraynd (The Workers Friend), a better-known Yiddish periodical. Rocker would devote himself to both the Arbeter Fraynd and the activities of the Jubilee Street Club in the following years. He even started his own magazine during this time Germinal which Rocker edited and typeset in his own home (with Millys help). These periodicals were instrumental for the activism Rocker and colleagues conducted at the time, not least to organise industrial action for better pay and conditions, a perennial issue in the sweatshops of East London. Charles Booths 1902 classic in social research, Life and Labour of the People of London, had indeed described the tailoring industry as being infected by a sweating disease where low wages, long hours, and unsanitary conditions prevailed, and this is precisely where many Jews from the East End worked. One result of this was the 1912 Tailors Strike, which started in west London and soon spread to the east with Rockers active participation. There was also a strike by the London dockers at around the same time, and this series of events eventually saw thousands of people strike and some genuine victories won. It was an occasion for Jewish and English workers to collaborate as well, though this did not happen as often as Rocker would have liked. There was an element of xenophobia towards immigrants in London at the time and the Jew was then viewed as the archetypical foreigner, an undercurrent Rocker would experience himself as a German when the First World War broke out. It all came to an end with the advent of the Great War and Rockers interment as an enemy alien in late 1914, where he would remain until he was released in 1918. He was taken to various camps, most notably the Alexandra Palace in North London, where his firstborn, Rudolf Jr, would eventually join him too. The Alexandra Palace camp was organised as a military camp, and this proved a heavy burden for the interred, the majority of whom were civilians. Some pictures from the time provide an idea of the conditions the interred faced and there are also reports of what daily life was like (this BBC clip discusses internment at the Palace and briefly mentions Rocker). Rockers skills and experience would come in handy in this new environment. He became leader of a battalion and in that capacity was able to negotiate better conditions for the interred. Rocker even managed to organise educational programmes and found himself teaching and lecturing again. He wrote much in the camp too, especially diaries and correspondence, but also an interesting essay on camp psychology detailing, among other things, the mental toll of being interred for the sole reason of being German one particular point Rocker makes in this essay is the fact that many of his co-nationals became more militaristic and patriotic than they would have been had they not been interred in the first place (the British Library in London holds a typescript, as shown in the photo below, which Rocker never actually finished). In 1916, Milly was herself arrested. Russians had been ordered to enlist or face deportation during the war and as a nominally Russian citizen she helped organise a series of protests against the policy. She was held at a womens prison and was released towards the end of the war (Fermin was placed under the care of relatives and friends). Once hostilities had ceased, it was decided that most German citizens would be deported to Germany. Rocker was sent to the Netherlands in March 1918 in order to be repatriated to Germany, but in the event he was denied entry at the border because his German citizenship had lapsed, forcing him to stay in the Netherlands as a stateless refugee. He was reunited with Milly there, and after the German revolution of 1918-19, the whole family was able to make their way to what was now the Weimar Republic of Germany. It was back in Germany, in the 1920s, when Rocker started working on Nationalism and Culture, which he initially envisioned as a short book but would only finish in the 1930s by then Rocker and his family had fled Nazi Germany, arriving in New York in 1933, Rockers second and last exile (he died in the US in 1955). The book was first published in Spanish in 1937 and in English soon after, and together with Anarcho-Syndicalism, remains the prime example of Rockers mature thought, though these are but the tip of the literary iceberg he left behind. Untranslated and so far unavailable are the hundreds of pages he wrote in the Yiddish periodicals he edited in London, a significant and so far lost record of the pre-war years the poorer Jewish working classes experienced and of Rockers life and thought. Going back to Nationalism and Culture, and as alluded to at the beginning, this is a very ambitious and interesting book. Not only an impressive piece of scholarship, it is also a tour de force defence of Rockers political and ideological ideas. Thus, we find Rockers insistence on the importance of personal freedom and his concern regarding societys ability to protect this freedom by non-coercive means; his rejection of all forms of authority and most kinds of organisation, except workers unions and some others; his rejection of the private property of the means of production; and, last but not least, his belief that a socialist order of things constitutes the best way to safeguard free societies. Sounds interesting? I shall come back to this in four weeks! [i] Rockers epithet as an anarchist rabbi is the title of both a book and a documentary about Rocker: Mina Graur, An Anarchist Rabbi (PhD thesis, 1988; published as a book by St Martins Press, NY, in 1998), and Adam Kossoff, The Anarchist Rabbi (Documentary film, 2014). Some of the popularity of Rockers Anarcho-Syndicalism book, published in 1938, may have something to do with Noam Chomskys championing of it over the years the modern edition includes a short preface by Chomsky, for instance (curiously, my own copy of Anarcho-Syndicalism, which I found in a second-hand bookshop in London a long time ago, is signed by Chomsky himself). The quote heading this post, which comes from Shlomo Sand, The Invention of the Jewish People (London, England: Verso, 2009, p. 34), refers to Karl Deutsch, a political scientist who emigrated from his native Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation of 1939-45, but it applies to Rocker rather well too. A focal point of Sands book is the contribution of converts to Judaism to a Jewish/Israeli national identity, and though Rocker was neither such a convert nor did he seek to promote any national feelings, he was a kind of Gentile-Jew interloper, foreign to both peoples. As we shall see, this will be a theme of this two-parter. [ii] Chomsky, again, is an exception; he has discussed Rockers 1937 book in various places, for instance in his Chomsky on Anarchism (Edinburgh, Scotland: AK Press, 2005, chapter 2). My own series on Language and Nationalism here at 3QD was greatly influenced by Rockers Nationalism and Culture, and those posts are, in a way, an update of the book, though not explicitly so. [iii] This is possibly because the English version of the memoirs is the only easily available volume of the memoirs these days, and these only cover Rockers time in London. I should add a couple of comments on the memoirs, in fact, as there is some confusion about them, especially in online anarchist forums and among the editors of Rockers entry on Wikipedia (ah, the battles I fight sometimes!). Rockers memoirs were originally written in German and have only been published in full in Spanish in the 1940-50s and in Yiddish in the 1950-60s, some of these books released in Argentina but now long out of print, with the noted Spanish anarchist Diego Abad de Santillan as the translator of the Spanish versions (a German edition from 1974 only offers a selection from the original typescripts). As mentioned, the English version covers Rockers time in London, to which Rocker devoted the second volume of the memoirs, and was first published in 1956, possibly as a translation of the corresponding Yiddish volume from 1952. This edition, however, which was titled The London Years, in contrast to the curious Sturm und Drang of the original (which was rendered as In the storm: Years of Exile in the Spanish and Yiddish versions, losing the reference to the artistic movement), is not a translation of the entire second volume of Rockers memoirs, but of only a part of it. Though this aspect of the translation goes unmentioned in the introduction provided by the translator, one Joseph Leftwich (born Lefkowitz), a note on the dedication page explicitly states that the book is an abridgement of Rockers memoirs (see the photos below); a comparison of this edition with the Spanish translation of the second volume, which I have carried out myself, clearly shows that the English version is much shorter than the second volume (curiously, the first chapter of The London Years is an abridged version of one of the last chapters of the first volume of the memoirs, which in the original functions as a conduit to the second volume and here seems to have been added as a way to provide some sort of unity to the book, which was meant as a single, standalone volume). Complicating matters somewhat is the fact that the English edition of 1956 was re-edited in 2005 with a new typeset, thus reducing the number of pages significantly, from over 350 pages to a little over 200, but this is simply a reflection of employing a more modern (and smaller) typeface and spacing, as the actual text itself remains basically the same, as I have been able to ascertain myself here too (the 2005 edition also contains the abridgement note, in this case tucked away in the copyright page, though the translators introduction is not included). It has to be said, in any case, that Rockers full memoirs, which I have read in Spanish, dont contain as much information about his life as one may expect (the mother of his first child is not even dignified with a name, and is simply referred to as a girl). The memoirs are more of a commentary of the times, in fact, and though this makes them fascinating in their own right, there is endless details about the politics of the day. [iv] For a thorough account of how the Rocker-Wiktop family was affected by Britains right of asylum, including its eventual curtailment, see Thomas C. Jones, The Rocker-Wiktop family and the closing of political asylum in Britain, Revue dhistoire du XIX siecle, 61, 123-149. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC cut its position in Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust (NYSE:VPV Get Rating) by 23.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 13,380 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 3,992 shares during the quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLCs holdings in Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust were worth $131,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust by 23.3% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 138,145 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,614,000 after acquiring an additional 26,099 shares during the last quarter. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust by 41.7% in the 1st quarter. Rivernorth Capital Management LLC now owns 137,655 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,608,000 after purchasing an additional 40,540 shares in the last quarter. Matisse Capital acquired a new position in Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust during the 4th quarter worth about $593,000. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust by 13.3% during the 3rd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 51,926 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $501,000 after buying an additional 6,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust by 46.7% during the 4th quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 40,293 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $395,000 after buying an additional 12,832 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 12.53% of the companys stock. Get Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust alerts: Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust Stock Performance Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust stock opened at $9.74 on Monday. Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust has a 1 year low of $9.12 and a 1 year high of $11.34. The companys 50-day moving average is $9.89 and its two-hundred day moving average is $9.99. 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Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. A call has been made for a fundamental reset within the police and prosecution service to tackle delays in the criminal justice system. The Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, Jacqui Durkin, called for improvements in the quality of prosecution files and the speed of case progression. She said clear objectives coupled with governance and accountability mechanisms at every level are needed to tackle delays and improve outcomes for victims, witnesses and defendants. The inspection report, published on Monday, said a review of 100 police and 100 prosecution case files revealed the quality of criminal case files was poor. Ms Durkin said in the police file review, inspectors found 54% of crown court files did not meet or only partially met file build standards, falling to 44% in magistrates court files. In Public Prosecution Service (PPS) files, Ms Durkin said 41% of magistrates court and 54% of crown court Cases did not meet or only partially met the required standard. The report also found that police case files were taking too long to prepare, with more than three out of 10 court files not progressed in a timely way. The chief inspector said improvements in key areas needed to be delivered by both organisations. The foundations of a fair and effective criminal justice system are quality police investigations, robust prosecutorial decisions and effective disclosure. Getting this right can reduce delay and ensure a more efficient use of resources throughout the criminal justice system to deliver better outcomes for victims and witnesses, she said. The swifter conclusion of court cases can mean convicted defendants can feel the consequences of their offending behaviour sooner and criminal justice organisations can meaningfully engage with them earlier to prevent further offending. Meanwhile, the handling of disclosure, where material is provided that may assist the defence or undermine a prosecution case, was found to be poor in police and prosecution files. Ms Durkin said each organisation needs to focus on getting the basics right at each stage of case progression. Quality needs (to be) built in at every stage for each police officer and prosecutor involved in a case so better outcomes can be delivered for victims and witnesses, she said. She said one strategic and one operational recommendation were made in the latest report, while recommendations from the 2015 inspection report were repeated. We have called on the Criminal Justice Board to jointly agree a criminal justice system vision and strategy to improve quality and reduce delay at each stage of file preparation and disclosure within the next six months, she said. This will require the Police Service and PPS to have an effective partnership to deliver performance improvement and accountability at every stage and support the Criminal Justice Board and judiciary to robustly monitor outcomes. Clear targets should be introduced that are reflected in the corporate and business plan priorities of each organisation to address the issues evidenced in this report, along with a case progression commitment document for Northern Ireland, to set quality standards and meaningfully monitor system performance and agree improvements to support case progression. Ms Durkin said inspectors also recommended that police provide a programme of enhanced training and ongoing support and supervision as part of new quality assurance measures to tackle quality and delay within the organisation in the next six months. We have also urged the Police Service and PPS to jointly review all previous recommendations made in our 2015 inspection report and provide a joint action plan for their completion by the end of September 2023, she added. The PPS acknowledged that delay is one of the biggest challenges facing the criminal justice system. Deputy director Michael Agnew said delays have been exacerbated by Covid-19 and funding pressures on criminal justice agencies, adding that case work is becoming more complex with vastly increasing digital material. We are acutely aware of the impact delay has on all those who participate in the criminal justice process, he said. We have made significant efforts to improve timeliness in recent years and we are working with all our criminal justice partners on how further progress can best be delivered. While challenges remain, we are pleased to see that this report has acknowledged some of the positive work being done by the PPS, including the finding that the test for prosecution was correctly applied in 96% of the files examined. Mr Agnew said that while the PPS is committed to doing all it can to improve the speed and efficiency of every stage of the process, a high-level strategic approach is needed to achieve substantial and long-lasting change across the system. The PPS agrees that a longer-term resolution needs to be found at a strategic level, he said. We believe that reform of the criminal justice system, including investment and modernisation, is needed to tackle issues such as delay and improve the way the system serves victims, witnesses, defendants and wider society. One of Belfasts youngest lord mayors has been confirmed in the position. Sinn Fein councillor Ryan Murphy, 28, said it was a huge honour to take over the reins in Northern Irelands capital. His party colleague Niall O Donnghaile was the citys youngest ever first citizen, having taken on the position at the age of 25 in 2011. Outgoing Lord Mayor Tina Black (Sinn Fein) placed the mayoral chain on Mr Murphys shoulders as she left the chair at City Hall on Monday evening. Paying tribute to Ms Black, Mr Murphy said he had big boots to fill. Im very much of the belief that showing positive political leadership, building reconciliation, respect and prosperity in this society is a collective responsibility, he said. As first citizen of Beal Feirste, Ill grasp that huge opportunity to demonstrate that positive leadership We believe in the concept of mayor for all. We believe that every citizen in this region has the right to have their voice heard, and their aspirations respected. I know that the incoming year will be very demanding. All I can say is I am 100% up for that job. Im looking forward to getting stuck in and getting the sleeves rolled up. Workers and families right across Belfast at the minute face many challenges and theres a big job ahead of us in continuing the transformation of this great city of ours for the better. He added: The commitment that Im giving to the people of Belfast is that I will use this office to the very best of my ability to continue building on the fantastic work that Tina and others have done. Ill continue to reach out that hand of friendship, Ill continue to be a mayor for all. Aine Groogan (Green Party) was confirmed as deputy lord mayor at a meeting of the council at City Hall on Monday evening. Ms Groogan is the first from her party to take on a mayoral position in Northern Ireland. I hope to do the whole green movement proud in the year ahead, she said. Sinn Fein reinforced its position as the largest party in the city council at the recent local government elections, where it won 22 out of 60 seats. Next largest is the DUP with 14 councillors in Belfast, followed by the Alliance Party with 11, SDLP with five, the Green Party with three, Ulster Unionist Party with two, while People Before Profit and the TUV each have one and there is one independent councillor. Meanwhile, a number of other mayors were elected at councils across Northern Ireland on Monday evening. In Londonderry, Patricia Logue (Sinn Fein) was elected mayor at the councils annual meeting in the Guildhall, and Jason Barr (SDLP) was elected deputy mayor. Ms Logue said she was deeply honoured and promised to engage with all the people of the council area to send out a clear message that she will be a mayor for all. At Mid and East Antrim Council, Gerardine Mulvenna (Alliance) became mayor with Stewart McDonald (TUV) deputy. Ms Mulvenna served as mayor of the former Larne Borough Council in 2012. We have so much to be proud of in Mid and East Antrim and as mayor I want us to be shouting from the rooftops when it comes to the many jewels in our crown, she said. Realme has had a series of new models releasing this year in the budget category however, the brand is all set to announce its flagship series the Realme 11 Pro series. On June 8th, the Realme 11 Pro series is scheduled to debut in India. We are aware of the phones' appearance and hardware specifications because they have already made their debut in China. Pre-order information and launch offers for the Realme 11 Pro series have now been revealed by tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore. The graphic also reveals pre-order promotions for the new Realme smartphones, including bank discounts and no-interest EMI plans. Also read: Best 5G phones from OnePlus 2023 in India: OnePlus 11, Nord CE 3 Lite with price and features Another rumour from NewzOnly, citing tipster Paras Guglani, has given additional information regarding the Realme 11 Pro 5G, including the RAM and storage possibilities. The tipster also disclosed the Realme smartphone's anticipated global price. Realme 11 Pro Sale Offers According to the teasers that have been leaked, the pre-order options will be available for the Realme 11 Pro series from June 8th to June 14th. There are speculations that the smartphones will go live for sale from June 15 on Flipkart and the official Realme website. Also read: The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is the best portrait camera phone on the market now, heres why According to the rumours, there is anticipation that users who are looking forward to purchasing the Realme 11 Pro 5G series will get a free Realme Watch 2 Pro when they place a pre-order request for the device. This is an interesting addition to the pre-order offer for the Realme 11 Pro 5G series. The Watch 2 Pro was launched recently, mid-2021 and is currently priced at 4,499 on the official Realme site. Moreover, the brand will also offer no-cost EMI through IDFC, Bajaj Finance, TVS Credit, Paytm, HDB, IDFC Bank, Home Credit, bonushub, benow, and ezetap for a low down payment of 11. The Realme 11 Pro 5G is anticipated to go on sale on June 17 globally. Are you excited about the added offer for the pre-order purchase? Let us know at editor@digit.in The telecom regulator TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has sent in a notice to service providers to create a uniform digital platform in two months to obtain, preserve, and withdraw consumer authorization for promotional calls and messages in order to stop the threat of intrusive calls and SMS. "TRAI has now issued a direction to all the access providers to develop and deploy the Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) facility for creating a unified platform and process to register customers' consent digitally across all service providers and principal entities," stated TRAI. Also read: Delhi Metro Airport Line users can book tickets on WhatsApp: Heres how According to a statement released on Saturday by TRAI, only subscribers will be able to begin the process of registering their consent for acquiring promotional calls and SMS in the first phase. After that, business entities will be able to contact customers to ask for their permission to get promotional messages. Further instructions have been given to access providers, which include telecom companies like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, to use a standard short code that begins with the number 127 for sending messages requesting approval. There is currently no centralised way to demonstrate client consent for receiving promotional messages. Various primary enterprises, including banks, other financial institutions, insurance firms, trading businesses, business entities, real estate companies, etc., seek and maintain consent under the current system. Because there isn't a single digital platform, telecom companies can't verify the validity of permission. Also read: Unlimited night data from 12 am to 6 am on Vis new prepaid plans TRAI mentioned that, "The DCA process shall have the facility to seek, maintain and revoke the consent of customers, as per the processes envisaged under TCCCP Regulation 2018. The consent data collected will be shared on the Digital Ledger Platform (DLT) for scrubbing by all access providers," The statement also mentioned, "The purpose, the scope of the consent, and the principal entity or brand name shall be mentioned clearly in the consent-seeking message sent through the short code." Pic story: border defense team in SW China's Tibet Xinhua) 14:12, June 05, 2023 Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. Members of the border defense team prepare lunch in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team take a break in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team prepare to patrol at the No. 33 boundary marker in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team prepare to patrol at the No. 33 boundary marker in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team prepare to patrol at the No. 33 boundary marker in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) by David J. Lobina As I mentioned last month, the first thing one notes when approaching Rudolf Rockers 1937 book, Nationalism and Culture, is its impressive combination of breadth and depth, thus making it entirely unpublishable today. Not only that, and whats worse, the book is also rather modern in outlook as well as original. The originality stems from Rockers interest in the practical effects of nationalism on the people that have to undergo the typical processes of becoming a common people (not something historians care much about), whilst the relevance of the overall account follows from the prescience of some of the ideas defended in the book. The book itself is divided into two parts and spans nearly 600 pages. Book I traces the evolution of nationalism and its relationship to the expansion of the state, resulting in the reality of the nation-state, while Book II is a critical analysis of the notion that there is any type of homogeneity to any one national identity or nation. Remarkably, Book I anticipates some features of the modern study on nationalism, and something along these lines is also true of Book II vis-a-vis the linguistic update of nationalism I offered so long ago now, with the required modifications and adjustments. So let us deep-dive, as the nerds say nowadays.[i] Book I starts by emphasising the role of power, and power relations, as a driver of historical processes, complementing, and sometimes subsuming, more purely economic factors (chapter 1). The effects of power relations are ubiquitous in Book I, starting with the parallels Rocker sees between the authority of the Church and the authority of the state the legitimacy of a state or nation, Rocker argues, is not so dissimilar to the legitimacy of religion, an analogy that has also been noted in more modern works on nationalism (chapter 2).[ii] More generally, Rocker argues that from power relations sprang, on the one hand, the requirement that power be exclusive, as evidenced in Caesarism, and indeed in Church doctrine (chapter 3), and on the other, the inevitable class divisions that arise therefrom, a point Rocker derives from his reading of Plato and Aristotle (chapter 4). Perhaps curiously, Rocker is most interested in the Middle Ages, an epoch he often takes as a model. According to Rocker, people were rooted in local, fraternal associations at the time and had no need for any national consciousness (p. 92), the latter a phenomenon he traces to the Renaissance more properly. Rocker advances that human relations in the Middle Ages mostly involved ties to family and tribe and further points out that, in these very terms, local revolts against the powers that be the crown, the aristocracy, the Church (the metropolitan elites of the day!) were inevitable. As a case in point, Rocker makes much of the numerous charters won between the 11th and 15th centuries, which he associates to small revolts from the bottom up (chapter 5).[iii] So-called national interests, as Rocker stresses, did not spring from free association for the protection of common interests, but have been imposedfrom above to protect and extend the privileges of small minorities in society (p. 96). These were the (small) elites who in the 15th century or so started conceptualising large European societies in terms of differences in language and tradition, though these terms did not reflect the facts on the ground in any way (this would be the cultural nationalism I have discussed here before). Nevertheless, such ideas were starting to become entrenched in the thinking of the elites during the Enlightenment, and this certainly helped make the modern world. Rocker pays special attention to three figures in this respect. One is Johann Gottfried Herder, who even though recognised that the measures necessary to create nation-states were imposed by force (chapter 9), saw much to praise in what such processes yield the emergence of the spirit of a people, or Volkgeist, a term Herder popularised. The active role of the state in directing and organising the lives of citizens received further, more explicit support from Johann Gottlieb Fichte and Georg Wilhelm Hegel. The latter argued that the state was self-justifying in what it does, while Fichte proposed that the state should be heavily involved in educating the masses. And given that by the 18-19th centuries nationalist feelings were cemented into the elites psyche and by then they were able to use the tools of the state to promote them, a nationalist agenda was a natural development in itself (chapter 11). The conclusions Rocker draws from the whirlwind but incisive history he presents in Book I of the events and ideas leading to the emergence of the nation-state are quite wide-ranging. A national consciousness is not born in people, but trained into them (chapter 12), and this is most obvious in the fact that instruments of the state such as legislation, army, public education, press, clubs, assemblies are all required to draw people to a national identity (p. 177). Early modern European countries included a whole array of different peopleswho have by more or less violent means been pressed into the frame of a common state (p. 201), the latter an outcome of using the ideology of nationalism to enforce on the separate parts of thehuman family a definite character according to a preconceived idea (p. 213). Thus, national identities are the result of employing state tools to bring them existence, a historical development that took place in the 19th century (p. 202). And in due time there would come some of the common side-effects of nationalism, from recollections of vanished glory and past greatness (p. 202) to the distrust, at the very least, of foreigners (p. 219).[iv] As advanced, some of the issues I discussed in my series on Language and Nationalism are already present in Book I of Nationalism and Culture, though in somewhat germinal form. There is the artificiality of national identities and their origin in the rarefied discourses of elites; the conflation of the interests of the elites and those of the state; the use of state tools to homogenise large groups of people, forging and shaping national identities; and, of course, the fact that these historical developments are rather modern in the worlds history. The details regarding how these developments came about, most notably the roles of industrialisation and universal schooling, as well as a more comprehensive discussion of why populations embrace national feelings at all (Rockers answer to this question was to draw attention to peoples need for the authority of a father figure, which modern peoples may have found in the idea of the motherland), are certainly lacking in Rockers account, but he was on the right path overall. Moreover, Rocker couldnt possibly be faulted for having been troubled by the imposition of any kind of commonality on a large territory, for he believed that the origins of cultural homogeneity ultimately lied in the ever increasing centralisation of the modern state and he viewed centralisation as being incompatible with a certain healthy tendency of the liberal impulse namely, the desire for self-realisation as well as for wanting to have a say in local affairs, in cooperation with others and for the benefit of all. Such proclivity includes the political as well as the artistic spheres as far as Rocker is concerned, and it is noteworthy that he held the opinion that decentralisation was crucial to the flourishing of culture, the issue he devoted most of Book II to. Book II starts by identifying the etymology of the word nation, and as Rocker notes its Latin origin and its then main denotation of place of birth, he points out that the term was only used for political units in early modern European history (chapter 1). As ever-larger communities increasingly came under the control of ever-more centralised states, the power relations Rocker emphasises throughout the entire book inevitably became ever-more ubiquitous, and this resulted in the internal divisions typical of moderns countries in terms of different classes or castes of people, different ideologies and political parties, etc. (p. 260). Power relations are all-pervasive for Rocker, and nationalist feelings totally secondary; at one point he observes that the German industrialists who so handsomely profited after the first world war had never bothered their brains concerning the alleged community of national interests (p. 264), interests that Rocker regards as being based on false facts in any case. The national identities discussed in Book I are certainly among these false facts, and in Book II Rocker further argues, after noting Max Webers now-common assertion that language may be the real characteristic of large communities, that there is no obvious connection between a language and a particular people, not least because there is no such thing as a homogenous language (chapter 2) or indeed homogenous peoples or races (chapter 3). A great number of different linguistic varieties have contributed to what are now called the Italian or French languages, and who can tell when precisely in history did people stop speaking Latin and started speaking Italian or French (pp. 287-8)? Rocker considers any sort of imposition illegitimate, and linguistic and cultural homogeneity quite contrary to human nature, especially when it comes to artistic creativity (chapter 4), a central topic in Book II. Interestingly, Rocker believed that the quality of artistic creativity was closely related to the prominence and reach of the state in that the more extensive the state is, the less rich culture tends to be. In part this follows from Rockers belief that artistic creativity requires freedom of thought and action, and a homogenised society would not be the most apt of environments in this respect. Rockers understanding of freedom respects a common understanding of this concept in the socialist and anarchist literatures, for he takes freedom to be the practical possibility which guarantees to every member of society that [they] may develop to the fullest all those powers, talents and capacities with which nature has endowed [them] (p. 344) a positive account of freedom rather than the negative kind favoured by liberalism. And given that Rocker also believed that cultural activities go hand in hand with the voluntary union and fusion of different human groups (p. 350), he naturally concluded that culture could function as a liberating force against the shackles of dogmatism and institutionalisation culture, that is, could constitute a bulwark against the excesses of nationalist state policies. Rocker sees much evidence for this take on things in the historical record. He identifies a correlation of sorts between cultural creativity and political disunity by pointing to the examples of Ancient Greece, the early Roman republic (chapters 5-6), and more prominently, the Italian peninsula in medieval times. The Italian Renaissance is especially admired by Rocker, a period he views as the greatest example of art and thought since Ancient Greece, and precisely because of political disunity (chapter 7). Modern history is a completely different matter because of the entrenchment of state institutions and the addition of two further factors, also recent in the history of the world: capitalist models of the economy, and what Rocker terms mass psychology. As Rocker has it, a capitalist order in the economy promotes a fixation on the profit motive and the virtues of competition among different groups of people (in this case power relations would be augmented by economic considerations),[v] while a mass psychology involves the transfer from properties of the psychology of the individual to the psychology of the masses in the case of nationalism, this would mean the application of the nationalist viewpoint that originates in the minds of the few to a whole population (chapter 8). These two factors together are very harmful to culture, says Rocker, because capitalism and mass psychology promote social conflict and homogenisation, and what culture needs instead is free association, mutual assistance, and solidarity, the requisite preconditions for cultural creativity (chapter 9) some form of socialism. Further, towards the end of Book II, and perhaps as a reflection of the times he lived, Rocker devotes plenty of attention to the question of whether there is such a thing as a national art, though he starts from the presumption that there is little connection between national identities and art or culture in general. Nevertheless, Rocker is at pains to stress that trends in art derive from social and historical conditions as well as from personal circumstances rather than from specific national characteristics (chapter 10). There is no national peculiarity to an artist (p. 498); an artist is a member of a cultural unity greater than the supposed unity of a given nation (chapter 11), for artistic achievement is above national boundaries and belongs to the whole world instead (Rocker channels Goethe to make this point, and a rather elitist stance to adopt it is; p. 460).[vi] Thus the bulk of Book II, and in this case too Rocker shows remarkable insight and not a little foresight, though he hardly ever makes an appearance in the literature on nationalism. There is the report of the origins of the word nation and how it was used in the Middle Ages, turning political in meaning in more modern times. There is much about both the central role of language in recognising national identities as well as the issue of linguistic variability and the parallel between linguistic and cultural varieties.[vii] And finally, there is Rockers identification of artistic creativity as a central feature of human psychology, including, naturally, the psychology of nationalism. It should be stressed that one of Rockers main points in Book II is that there is no unified set of national interests. So-called national interests never apply to a population at large but typically only reflect the interests of the small groups of people who are in charge (the damned elites once more). After all, as Rocker points out, for the majority of people who are born and grow up in a particular nation the state of affairs is such that, strictly speaking, they have little say in what type of citizens they become what national identities they will acquire. The local school system and the overall environment conspire to make one a citizen of a special kind i.e., of a particular national identity but there is certainly no choosing involved.[viii] But to go back to Rockers main point in Book II namely, that there is direct a relationship between artistic output and political structure I dont mean to deny that different political systems may well have different effects on the type of art that is produced, though the very idea of discussing art in terms of worth or value, as Rocker does, is perhaps best avoided. Rocker may be right to point out that the modern state, nationalism, and capitalism developed pari passu rather than independently of each other in early modern Europe (Book II, chapter 12), but no state is a monolith and there are all sorts of non-capitalist and non-nationalist currents in modern countries, many of which clearly have an effect on art and culture. All we can say about the matter, I think, is that socialism may provide, to paraphrase Chomsky, the best kind of material and psychological conditions for the free, unburdened self-realisation of people, be this in ones occupation, artistic output, or else. Rockers insistence that socialism is the ideal to pursue may be justified in these very terms, and his book certainly gives the lie to the supposed justice of nationalism, the modern state, and capitalism. The case against nationalism is especially compelling because promoters of nationalist policies can often pervert otherwise just causes. As Rocker himself puts it in the epilogue to Nationalism and Culture, nationalism is often associated to such fundamental human rights as the self-determination of a people, often in combination with socialist aims, and when the focus of attention falls upon small nationalist movements regarded as being oppressed, usually by a greater nationalist movement, it is easy to sympathise with the objectives of such movements and forget all that is in fact reactionary to nationalism the imposition of a language and a culture, the enforced contrast with other peoples, etc. Rocker did but intuit the general state of affairs, and though he lacked the theoretical tools to ascertain it properly, he was on the money, as Americans say, in his twofold claim that national identities foster divisions and discord in humanity, and that nationalism may well be incompatible to human development and freedom. There are always outsiders when identity conditions of the kind nationalism imposes and normalises are in place, and such a regrettable and unfortunate situation is possibly another of the perennial side-effects that capitalism and the nation-state bestow upon a world in which such systems dominate and organise peoples lives so thoroughly. All in all, Nationalism and Culture should certainly be read more often. In fact, everything Rocker wrote should be read more often, and it is a shame to think that most of his production remains unpublished in any language. Whats more, many of Rockers writings may even be unavailable now, especially the material he published in Yiddish periodicals during his time in London. And speaking of Rockers life in London, his memoirs are exceedingly hard to find in either Spanish or Yiddish, the only full versions ever published in any language, and this is something else to regret, considering how insightful the memoirs are, as I can attest. What is also needed is critical editions of Rockers works, something that this short piece, modest as it is, has tried to remedy a little bit. More is needed, and as ever, I offer my services to this endeavour. I do have to make a living somehow, after all! [i] I shall cite individual chapters from Rockers book when referencing a global topic, and page numbers when quoting actual text or referencing a more specific point. The overall book itself is composed of 27 short chapters, 15 in Book I and 12 in Book II, each devoted to a fairly narrow subject. It is also rather old-fashioned in style, as each chapter is headed by a succinct summary of its contents, as was the custom in olden times. Rocker discusses a great number of thinkers and ideas in the book, but I will only focus on a small selection and shall not conduct an exercise in exegesis. [ii] Rockers peculiar take was that the Protestant reformation caused the principle of authority to be transferred from the religious sphere to the political (chapter 6). [iii] Rockers views on the Middle Ages were certainly a bit rose-tinted. Most communities at the time were typically under the control of the local nobility and medieval charters were not granted directly to the people; in the vast majority of cases, these charters were won by the aristocracy in revolts against whatever royal house was in charge of the overall country. Medieval charters can hardly be regarded as popular victories, even though some of their precepts may have benefited the overall population in one way or other and they have certainly functioned as precedent for subsequent popular struggles. Popular rebellions in medieval and early modern Europe were often mostly about tax collection, though these could often and easily derive into more general disputes regarding autonomy, freedom, and the like (see Henry Kamen, European Society 1500-1700, London, England: Routledge, 1984, for some details on this). [iv] Rocker ends Book I with chapters 14-15, where he discusses the differences between liberalism and anarchism, on the one hand, and democracy, nationalism, and communism, on the other. Rocker lumps the last three together on the grounds that all three are centred on the idea of a unified community, be this citizen-voters, co-nationals or workers, whilst he viewed anarchism as a synthesis of liberalism and socialism, and thus quite different in nature. [v] The question of how power relations and economic considerations result in different groups of people, along with their own interests, was already of utmost importance to early theorists of capitalism. Adam Smith, for instance, divided the population of England into classes of people as defined by their relationship to economic activity: landowners, working people, and capitalists. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2008 [1776]), Book IV. [vi] Another question entirely is the kind of politicised aesthetics Rocker would have experienced in Nazi Germany, which shouldnt be taken to be a case of a national aesthetics or art. [vii] Though not quite in the terms I discussed in my series on Language and Nationalism here at 3QD Tower. Rockers understanding of homogeneity, for instance, certainly diverges from my own, as he was interested in the question of whether languages and cultures are intrinsically their own English as purely English, with no contamination from other languages or cultures while my point in the series was that any two speakers of the nominally same language have slightly different systems represented in their minds (that is, slightly different mental grammars). [viii] Let alone legitimising where one is born. What I mean by this phrase the legitimisation of ones national identity and nation, effectively is that in the overwhelming majority of cases throughout history the question of whether any citizen is given the right to consent, or indeed accept, the political system they inherit hardly ever arises. There are of course exceptions, but these tend to come after crises and do not occur as a matter of fact; there were various referenda in both Italy and Spain after the regimes imposed by Mussolini and Franco fell, for instance, resulting in the adoption of novel constitutional arrangements, but subsequent generations have had little to no say in the matter (minus elections and other, narrower referenda; and I should add that the actual details of the new constitutions are also never put to consultation). In any case, there is often quite a large intellectual and political chasm between what effectively are rather recent generations, and the gap can only increase the further back we go in history. This is on a par with the discontinuity I have claimed in this blog is the norm when it comes to the history of a language, and yet it appears to be perfectly normal to see a continuity of sorts in both the linguistic and political history of any one country, no matter all the changes that do occur through the ages. The political continuity can perhaps be best exemplified by the common practice of sharing and even taking pride in the past glories (and, sometimes, guilt) of previous generations of supposed co-nationals, even centuries apart. But there is really nothing there! The general sentiment is a familiar one in the anarchist literature, from Rockers own work to modern discussions of the tension between the authority of the nation-state and the autonomy of the individual, but I shall put this topic to one side. Check, if interested, Robert Paul Wolff, In Defense of Anarchism (Los Angeles, California: University of California Press, 1998 [1970]), and maybe even Wolffs blog, where he has often treated these issues, though it is best to ignore the comments section. A nationwide strike by Siptu members in local authority water services, which was due to start on Wednesday June 7, has been called off. The dispute related to a demand that the Government protect all earnings for local authority water service workers if they did not transfer to the state-owned utility company Uisce Eireann, formerly known as Irish Water. Siptu said Minister for Housing Darragh OBrien had conceded to their demands over overtime, conditions and allowances. Siptu public administration and community division organiser Karan O Loughlin said: A strike which was to commence on 7th June and could have adversely impacted water services across the country has been averted by the intervention of minister OBrien. This evening the minister has written to Siptu and categorically stated that workers who opt to stay in local authority employment rather than transfer to Uisce Eireann will have all their earnings protected. The letter specifically includes guarantees in relation to workers allowances and overtime payments they accrue currently as part of their work. The letter gives concrete examples of how the earnings of our members will be protected and removes an attempt by individual local authorities to renege on this commitment. The minister had previously said that no-one would be transferred to Uisce Eireann on a compulsory basis. Speaking in the Dail on Thursday, Mr OBrien said workers will be transferred with existing terms and conditions. Those who decide to stay within the local government sector will have their terms and conditions also protected. Siptu said this was a major success for its members. Local authority worker and chairman of the Siptu water workers national negotiating committee, Stephen Kelly, said: We believe we have now secured such a guarantee from the minister in a manner which will not allow individual local authorities to deviate from it. Siptu sector organiser Brendan OBrien said: The protection of our members earnings was a commitment given by local authorities and the Government in the framework for the future of water services document which lays out the move towards a national public water utility. Unfortunately, as this document was being implemented it became clear certain local authorities were not living up to the protection of earnings commitment. This forced our members to vote for strike action which they were to commence next Wednesday. by David J. Lobina Is Ron DeSantis a fascist? Well, no, not really, and the question itself is not a little ridiculous, but I will come back to this properly next month (and, can you even pronounce his name properly?). In the meantime, I thought I would revisit some ideas of Rudolf Rocker briefly, the anarchist thinker and activist I wrote about last year I wrote about his fascinatingly rich life as well as about his most important work, his 1937 book, Nationalism and Culture. I must confess that I was a little gutted that the two entries I wrote in June and July last seemed to receive rather little attention, as I believe Rockers life experience and intellectual output have much to offer to us, not least to understand and properly situate some of the recent events on the (far) right political spectrum. Rocker lived through actually existing fascism and Nazism, after all, and what he had to say about the nationalist phenomenon then remains relevant to this day. As the title of Rockers 1937 book indicates, and I stressed when I wrote about it, the study was focused on the relationship between nationalism and culture, and in particular, on the question of how cultural creativity can develop and flourish within modern nation-states, a topic Rocker devoted half of his book to. Rocker was most interested in the nature of the creative output given the pressures a nation-state imposes on individuals. According to Rocker, the state not only has little effect on artistic creativity in general, it can in fact often hinder it, especially if art is to be subverted to national interests, a constraint Rocker considers entirely unjustified. The artist does not derive much inspiration from actual national interests, Rocker argues, but from their own personal circumstances and endowments as well as from the great cultural unity artists supposedly belong to instead (p. 516; page numbers refer to Rockers book). This might be a slightly elitist take on the arts, and it seems to me that Rocker overstates the role of the state in such matters. Modern nations offer all sorts of subsidies and general funding for the arts, and in most cases very little of these funds is dependent upon following a national line. Its not the case that it doesnt happen at all in fact, the opposite does happen, of course, in authoritarian states. But even when public funds are specifically meant to advocate national interests say, to boost the teaching of the official language or advertise the culture the reach of such policies is not as expansive as usually supposed to be and the policies themselves need not be detrimental to human nature. Consider state-sponsored cultural centres and language academies, which Rocker also discusses in the book. The case of Continental Spanish, with the Real Academia Espanola in charge of polishing and standardising the language and the Instituto Cervantes providing lessons in dozens of countries in the very version of Spanish that the Academia promotes, may be a particularly apposite example. At first sight, such a set-up seems to be an attempt to stymie different varieties of Spanish within Spain, favouring one particular instance, in order to then teach this very form of Spanish both in schools in Spain and throughout the world, and this would appear to be a further development of some of the historical processes I chronicled in my Language and Nationalism series. Such a situation is not mirrored in quite this way in many of the worlds languages this is certainly true for English, the worlds lingua franca, for which there is no official linguistic regulator of any kind and this may suggest that the general state of affairs is not so straightforward. As a matter of fact, language academies and cultural centres mostly react to circumstances rather than direct progress. Linguistic forms are in constant flux, in all sort of settings and contexts, and though many innovations eventually end up being sanctioned by language academies where these exist, by the time they do so what is new has already become part of the language and the official stamp becomes a bit by-the-by. All it takes for this to happen is for new forms to be shared widely from the mental grammars of small groups of people to the mental grammars of large groups of people (mental grammars? Again, do go back to my Language and Nationalism series!) and in the majority of cases this takes place outside classrooms. The same was true, in a different way, in premodern times when there was limited formal schooling. Rocker himself discusses the establishment of the French Academy in the 17th century as way to refine the language (p. 287) and subordinate language and poetry to authority so that only what from above was found correct in stylewas to be allowed to achieve immortality (p. 429). Academies certainly have been involved in the process of standardising elite languages from the 17th century onwards, but medieval academies too reacted to events (elite languages? See the Language and Nationalism series again!). In the past it was mostly literary works that drove the kind of innovation that would end up being adopted by the elites (the people who could read and write), and eventually by language academies, and as the case of English once again comes to show, elite languages can become standardised without the need for dedicated institutions. What state policies do is make specific languages and cultural customs widespread. As for the actual effects of such state policies on human nature, it is worth pointing out that any one linguistic variety among the many that the linguistic capacity allows for is as representative of human cognition overall as any other individual variety or language. This is a common position in linguistics, where the study of one single language, even English, is regarded as a perfectly rich basis upon which to study the overall language capacity itself (though cross-linguistic analyses have certainly not been skewed, on the contrary), for many of the properties linguists are interested in appear to apply universally across languages. The claim of universality may not be all that obvious to outsiders, perhaps because the relevant properties are fairly abstract (and theres much in-fighting about it in the linguistics literature). As a sample, though, all languages convey thoughts and express them through sounds or hand gestures; all languages exhibit phonological and syntactic properties, with all of these systems (phonology, syntax, etc.) making use of the same kind of primitives (phonemes, words, etc.) and the same type of rules to combine the primitives with each other into sounds, words, sentences, etc.. And rather pertinently here, it is always possible to translate the thought or meaning conveyed in one language into any other, barring lack of certain words and the like, a problem that can usually be circumvented, anyway. More to the point I want to make here, the stance linguists adapt follows from the belief that any linguistic or cultural variety that is, any individual language or culture is effectively representative of the human propensity to create literature and cultural customs, given that any one realisation of Language or Culture the mental capacities underlying language and culture (Im being a bore, but I promise that this nomenclature is laid out in my by now nauseating series on Language and Nationalism) constitutes a suitable manifestation of the ability to produce a potentially infinite number of forms which can be replicated in myriad sort of situations. In this sense, the disappearance of the great number of languages and cultures that particular nationalisms have undoubtably brought about in the last 200 or so years may not be as great a loss, in general, as it is usually taken to be. The extent of the human capacity for creativity, be this in language, the arts, or else, does not depend upon the number of individual languages, cultures, and art forms present in the world, but on whether such creativity is exercised without constraints. If we assume that cultural forms such as literature, music, and art constitute some of the main ways in which we can express and share what is universal in humans, be this feelings, beliefs or thoughts, then any one language or cultural form ought to be apt to articulate any of these feelings and thoughts. Indeed, translation between languages is not impossible (at least in terms of the main message being conveyed), diverse types of music can elicit the same kind of emotions, and different art styles (from painting to sculpture) can represent similar scenes and settings. In other words, what creativity requires is a medium in which to realise its potential. (The disappearance of so many of the worlds languages and cultures may be an important loss for other reasons, of course, but this is beyond my remit here.) Many individual languages and cultures have disappeared in history, many of these because of nationalist policies (and many more through displacement, war, and extermination), but this does not mean that the capacity for language and culture are not realised to the full of what may be possible in extant languages and cultures. There is a general tendency to overemphasise differences among languages and cultures when what is universal to the human species may well be more significant. The very fact that differences across languages and cultures are perfectly understandable and in fact appreciated and shared when explained is an unappreciated fact of human nature, while the opposite, the claim that some beliefs may only be expressed in some languages, is more often assumed than supported by evidence. Having said that, this is not to deny that different political systems may very well have different effects on the type of art that is produced, though the very idea of discussing art in terms of worth or value, as Rocker was fond to do, is perhaps best avoided. Rocker may be right to have pointed out that the modern state and nationalism developed pari passu rather than independently of each other in early modern Europe, but no state is a monolith and there are all sorts of non-nationalist currents in modern countries, many of which plausibly have an effect on art and culture. So what is the point of this piece, with all the references to previous posts and, in some cases, rehashes of past material? I will explain properly next month, when I retake the issue of the use and abuse of the term and concept of fascism to describe current events, especially in the US, and where I will argue that following Umberto Ecos description of so-called ur-fascism is not a particularly good idea (and, to be fair, seems to miss Ecos point, anyway). The issue of core, multiannual funding for the Family Addiction Support Network (FASN) in Dundalk was raised in Leinster House last week by Louth TD Ruairi O Murchu who said recurring funding must be made available for it to continue its significant work. The Sinn Fein TD asked Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton about the pathways available to FASN for multiannual funding. Minister Naughton said there is funding available through the North-eastern Regional Drugs and Alcohol Task Force and added that Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) is also funded to provide family-based support services in Louth and Meath. But Deputy O Murchu said that in 2008, many groups like regional task forces had their funding slashed. He said: We all know the issues that exist at this time in regard to drug addiction and drug crime. We have not seen the sort of funding that is required. A lot of positive stuff has happened under the Drogheda implementation plan and the new board, but we are starting from way behind. The Gardai recognises that the Family Addiction Support Network is doing significant work. The organisation offers a service the Gardai cannot offer in dealing with families who are going through an absolute disaster. It also offers a route map for people who would not necessarily go directly to Gardai because of the stigma, fear and severe pressure they are under as a result of drug debt intimidation. We have been talking about the issues for a long time. The Gardai have been involved in direct fundraising for this organisation. It is a crazy situation and we need to do far better. In response, Minister Naughton said: It is important that the organisation in question engages with the regional task force, which can provide technical assistance to prepare its business case for funding. Deputy O Murchu said: Let me be clear. The Family Addiction Support Network has had a huge amount of engagement with the drugs and alcohol task force. In fairness, the latter has put in business plans and requests for funding that have not necessarily been met at this point. However, the requests that have been put in probably would not cut the mustard in regard to the particular issue we are dealing with, namely, the drug addiction crisis and the pressures families are under as a result. As I outlined, State agencies use this organisation. It is not some organisation that exists in a silo and only imagines it is doing really good work. Christy Mangan, the former Garda chief superintendent for Louth, is still personally involved with it on the basis of the work it has done in the past. As I said, the Gardai is involved in fundraising every year to keep the organisation afloat. We really need to look at how we deal with organisations like this one. When I speak to people in Turas Counselling, the Red Door Project and the Dundalk Counselling Centre, they all talk about the issue of corporatism and the difficulties of dealing with State agencies in regard to funding. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. by Mike Bendzela It took a couple of million years, but any careful observer could have seen it coming. One of the most destructive and invasive mammalian species in the world has been seen striding across the continent. This primate was recently spotted at a watering hole in the northern territories, confirming its presence in the area for the first time.* Until recently, the primate had penetrated only as far as the margins of the central mountains. It is believed to have originated on the eastern African continent. Genus Homo is a bipedal, diurnal, omnivorous and predatory mammal that can survive for decades. This new ape can form encampments on hill and in dale; in forests, prairies, or deserts; on tundra and on islands. It establishes semi-permanent colonies that feed on surrounding flora and fauna until they are depleted. Then it moves on. Even though it produces small litters and spaces out births by years, it can go from hundreds to thousands to millions to billions of individuals in a geologically brief time. Many characteristic traits of Homo set it apart from the other primates. Therewith, it dismantles the natural checks on its existence, one by one. It is tailless and upright, freeing its hands to pick, pluck, tear, shred, gesture, pitch, punch, throw, and thrust. Its arched feet and tapered stance make it adept at running down prey, stalking enemies, fleeing responsibility, and trespassing on new territories. It is big-brained and small-jawed, endowing it with a propensity to ruminate and ruminate and ruminate. It has a low larynx and nimble lips and tongue. With its repertoire of buzzes, moans and clicks, it forecasts the future and preserves the past in vast epics of song and falsehood. Its expansive, thin-boned skull houses all known paradoxes: Fragility and ruggedness. Genius and lunacy. Naivete and guile. Planning and plunder. Ceremony and mayhem. Tenderness and torture. Penitence and vanity. Sainthood and savagery. Altruism and genocide. It is nearly hairless yet nurses its young in the blue shadows of glaciers. It cannot masticate raw flesh to save itself yet tracks down and butchers huge game. It tends to eschew monogamy yet has relatively unimpressive testicles. It commits its dead to the dirt while thinking rather highly of itself. It passes along information like fire. It leaves scorched earth in its wake.# Those who spot it must resign themselves to the fact that it is too late to prevent. ________________ Notes *One may think immediately of sapiens arriving in North America via the Beringia land bridge, but this sort of migration was a recurring theme in the history of Homo, including the arrival of erectus in Asia, Siberia and Southeast Asia, and heidelbergensis and neanderthalensis in the Middle East and Europe. It seems likely that all our Homo ancestors, not just sapiens, were speakers. It is implausible that Acheulian tool kits, big game hunting traditions, and sailing technologies endured for over a million years without the aid of some sort of language. Studies have shown a proportional relationship between the size of testes in male primates and their relative tendencies toward monogamy/polygamy. Intentional burial of the dead goes back at least as far as neanderthalensis and perhaps as far as naledi 300,000 years ago. #Expropriation and extinction have long been our legacy. A newspaper article forms the template for this piece. The narrative voice may be seen as that of the rest of Creation. Images CORE social welfare rates must increase by 25 in Budget 2024, and Government must commit to benchmarking social welfare rates to average weekly earnings if it is to have any impact on reducing poverty and meeting its own targets. These are the key findings from Social Justice Irelands policy brief Social Welfare Rates Budget 2024: the case for benchmarking and Indexation. Adequate levels of social welfare are essential to addressing poverty. Government must increase core social welfare rates by 25 in the forthcoming budget. Income adequacy cannot be addressed by one-off measures. Budget 2023 failed to deliver for vulnerable and low-income households as the necessary increase to the minimum social welfare payment was not made. A repetition of this mistake would mean Government yet again fails those on low incomes, said Susanne Rogers, Research and Policy Analyst, Social Justice Ireland. Ms Rogers went on to state In addition, we are calling on Government to benchmark social welfare rates to 27.5% of average weekly earnings in Budget 2024. This benchmark is hugely important to improving the living standards of many in Irish society, and to achieving anti-poverty commitments. This benchmark should be used as the starting point in the development of a pathway to index core social welfare rates to the Minimum Essential Budget Standard over time. Achieving this benchmark requires a 25 increase in core social welfare payments. Social welfare payments play a crucial role in reducing poverty. Without the social welfare system just over one-third of the Irish population (36.7%) would have been living in poverty in 2022. Such an underlying poverty rate suggests a deeply unequal distribution of direct income. In 2022, the actual poverty figure of 13.1% reflects the fact that social welfare payments reduced poverty by almost 24 percentage points. If Government is serious about meeting its own poverty targets and supporting households on the lowest incomes who, through good and bad economic times, struggle to live life on a low income the core social welfare rates must increase by 25 in the budget, concluded Ms Rogers. Social Welfare Rates Budget 2024: the case for benchmarking and indexation key recommendations: A commitment from the Government to benchmark core social welfare rates to 27.5% of average weekly earnings in Budget 2024. An increase of 25 in all core social welfare rates in Budget 2024. Commitment to using this benchmark as the starting point in the development of a pathway to index core social welfare rates to the Minimum Essential Budget Standard over time. AHEAD of the Cork Midsummer Festival, groups are gathering across the city to create puppets, practise their circus skills, and run lines. It takes the work, and support, of hundreds of people to create a festival of this scale, but before it begins on June 14, I looked in on three Cork backstage spaces to get a taste of what lies ahead. In the mornings sun, I arrive at the colourful Lido building in Watercourse Road to visit Cork Community Arts Link (CCAL). The level of industry thats happening inside is mesmerising. Ornate cardboard hats line the table ready for todays volunteers. Large sellotaped faces stand erect on tables, while the railings burst with every costume imaginable. Its a space where anything seems possible. Manager Aisling McCallion explains that, between planning the parade, pre-production meetings and workshops were constantly working on it. The creation of the Midsummer Parade involves an army of nearly 200 participants. All of whom help design, create and deliver a parade to remember. With Suisha Arts, Blackpool Community Access Program, National Learning Network, Blackpool Mens Shed, Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance, CCAL Drama Troupe and many more groups all involved, I wonder how they manage it all. Aisling says that community groups are integral to all the preparations - they have ownership of it, and its as much their parade as it is anyone elses. Thats whats really beautiful about it. 0phelia McCabe, Lidija ola, Cormac Mohally and Noelle Ni Riagain in rehearsal for the Four Lovers as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival at the Circus Factory Picture: Ann Marie OSullivan As for finding a home for the different groups ideas, she explains: Thats where William Frode de la Foret (director) and Beibhinn OCallaghan (assistant director) come in. They always have this vision in their head of how to pull it together and still keep listening to everyones voice. Its a skill for sure and its amazing to see that happen. As I leave, Im greeted by a community group streaming into the Lido for a facilitated workshop. The Lido is ready to welcome them and they are keen to begin work on what Aisling describes as the big travelling train of madness that will roll onto Oliver Plunkett Street on June 18. Next, I cross the river to Centre Park Road where I join the Circus Factory. Here they will deliver the Four Lovers, a circus-infused excerpt from Midsummer Nights Dream adapted by Cormac Mohally. As the only building dedicated just to circus performers in the Republic, this is a special space that will form their stage. Despite their rising insurance costs, the show will go on. To reduce both expense and waste, their set will use lighting and projections to bring the factory to life. Elements of the set that need to be made are being adapted from the equipment they already have. Cast member and hip hop artist Ophelia McCabe is also composing all the music for the show, which demonstrates a pride and investment in the piece. Listening to director Noelle Ni Riagain, its clear she values her teams varied and accomplished skill set. She says: You know, the reason all these people have been picked is because theyre class at what they do. I have a lot of trust in them. Mohally, who adapted and will perform in the show, says: The story itself is interesting. But that story is sometimes disassociated from people because of the [Shakespearean] language. Or they think it has to be put on in a certain way. He explains: Were keeping the language, its pared right back and were interspersing it with circus, so the physical theatre aspect of the circus should also convey the story. Making Shakespeare accessible and fun is a priority, Noelle says. Shakespeare wrote for the people If you havent got a clue or youre not really into Shakespeare. I think this will give you, hopefully, a love of it. At almost midday, I arrive at the Granary Theatre UCC, on Western Road, where I find Deirdre Dwyer directing a cast of three in The Settling, an original play written by Gavin McEntee. Deirdre studied Drama in UCC and says: It feels really great to be back in the place where I learned my craft. She is a member of BrokenCrow, a collective of six theatre artists, who are bringing two original shows to the Midsummer Festival, The Settling and Found. Aisling McCallion and Casey Walsh from the Cork Community Art Link test a puppet Deirdre explains: Its a busy time for us all. We really feel the benefit of being in such a prestigious arts festival. She describes the Midsummer Festival as a time when there is so much happening per square foot of the city, adding: Its a really special time of year where the arts gets to be at the forefront, not only for exposure to audiences, but also because theres a community of artists who are all making work, who all get to be highlighted together. The Settling tells the story of an old man, caught in the recesses of his mind as actions, long buried, climb to the surface. Watching the experienced actors run their lines in the Granarys studio, their exchange is captivating. Its only the scripts in hand that remind me this is only a rehearsal and the best is yet to come. The arts pulse is on the rise across Cork city and its been a privilege to see a tiny snippet of what lies behind creating a 12-day festival. Before the curtains go up, audiences still have time to prepare themselves by visiting www.corkmidsummer.com and curate their own festival experience. Cork Midsummer Festival runs from June 14-25. by Ashutosh Jogalekar This is the fourth in a series of posts about J. Robert Oppenheimers life and times. Part I is here, Part II is here, Part III is here. Robert Oppenheimer, said Hans Bethe, created the greatest school of theoretical physics America has ever known. Coming from Bethe, a physicist of legendary stature who received the Nobel Prize for figuring out what makes the stars shine and who published papers well into his nineties, this was high praise. Before Oppenheimer, it was almost mandatory for young American physics students to go to Europe to study at the feet of masters like Bohr or Born. After Oppenheimer brought back the fire from the continent, they only had to go to California to bask in its glow. Today, while Oppenheimer is most famous as the father of the bomb, it is very likely that posterity will judge his creation of the American school of modern physics as his most important accomplishment. When he graduated from Gottingen with his Ph.D. in 1927, Oppenheimers reputation preceded him. He received ten job offers from universities like Harvard, Princeton and Yale. He chose to go to the University of California, Berkeley. There were two reasons that drew him to what was then a promising but not superlative outpost of physics far from the Eastern centers. Berkeley was, in his words, a desert, a place with enormous potential but one which did not have a flourishing tradition of physics yet. The physics department there had already hired Ernest Lawrence, an experimentalist who would become, with his cyclotron, the father of big science in the country. Now they wanted a theorist to match Lawrences experimental acumen. Oppenheimer who had proven that he could hold his own with the most important physicists in Europe was a logical choice. There was another reason Oppenheimer was drawn to Berkeley. The arrangement he made with Raymond Birge, the chairman of the physics department, was to split his time between Berkeley and the equally promising California Institute of Technology down the coast. Just like Birge was building up physics at Berkeley, Robert Millikan was building up physics at Caltech. Unlike Berkeley, Caltech had the best experimenters in the two fields that were then fashionable and exciting cosmic rays and nuclear physics. The astute Oppenheimer, through his failed experimental adolescence in Rutherfords lab, understood all too well how theory without experiment was barren. Caltech would provide him the grounding in experimental reality that flying in the upper reaches of theory at Berkeley would not. Before Oppenheimer started his tenure in California, he applied for and received a National Research Council fellowship to study with two other European masters of the art Paul Ehrenfest in Leiden and Wolfgang Pauli in Zurich. The fellowship was aimed at repairing some of the lack of rigor and gaps in his knowledge of physics. His choice of both mentors was apt; among physicists of their era, both Pauli and Ehrenfest were best known for being the severest critics. Pauli, affectionately called the wrath of God by his colleagues, was one of the most important theoretical physicists of the 20th century, contributing his name among other things to the exclusion principle that underlies the construction of electron shells in the elements, and therefore all of chemistry. Unlike Oppenheimer who found his footing only in his late 20s, Pauli had started as a prodigy. When he was 19 he had published an authoritative, long article on relativity that drew praise from Einstein. As trenchant in his opinions as original in his ideas he famously once called the ideas in a paper not even wrong Pauli was enormously respected by both his teachers (Bohr, Sommerfeld, Born) and his colleagues, including his closest friend Heisenberg. Paul Ehrenfest, a warm, supportive physicist who sometimes suffered from bouts of depression, was even more liked and respected for his objective advice and keen interest in the welfare of young physicists. Six weeks after arriving in Leiden, Oppenheimer astonished his colleagues who were not familiar with his facility with languages by delivering a lecture in Dutch. They affectionally christened him Opje, a nickname which became Americanized to Oppie and stuck for a long time. He did some important work in statistical mechanics with Ehrenfest and then planned to study with Bohr, but Ehrenfest wisely cautioned him against it and sent him to Pauli. Ehrenfest realized, Oppenheimer recalled, that Bohr with his largeness and vagueness was not the medicine I needed but that I needed someone who was a professional calculating physicist and that Pauli would be right for meit was clear that he was sending me there to be fixed up. To Pauli Ehrenfest wrote, For the development of his scientific talents, Oppenheimer needs right now to be lovingly spanked in shape. The spanking seems to have worked well; from Pauli and Ehrenfest Oppenheimer acquired rigor, and he was to have a deep respect for both men for the rest of his life. Oppenheimer started as a professor at Berkeley in 1929. The next ten years or so, until he was drawn into the maw of the atomic bomb project, were arguably the happiest and most contented of his life. He could live the academics privileged life, working on the frontiers of physics. Offers from other places including Harvard refused to draw him away from the Golden State, where the good California wine consoles for the hardness of physics and the poor powers of the human mind., as he wrote to his brother. The 1930s are filled with copious letters Oppenheimer wrote to Frank, then pursuing a degree in physics at Johns Hopkins, on the virtues of discipline, on physics and advice on romantic attachments. When the summers got too hot, he and Frank along with occasional students and colleagues could find relief at a cabin the brothers had purchased in the New Mexico Pecos wilderness in 1929 the cabins name was Perro Caliente, Spanish for hot dog, the phrase uttered by Robert when he first saw it. The cabin was spare with no running water. Newcomers were taught how to ride, and the brothers slept under the stars. Buttressed by a handsome trust fund and engrossed in his science, literature and poetry, Oppenheimer could afford to not worry about money and world events and surround himself in an ivory tower cocoon; owning no radio and subscribing to no newspapers, he claimed to have not heard of the world-changing 1929 stock market crash until several months after it happened. He acquired new interests and pursuits, most notably an interest in Sanskrit and the Bhagavad Gita that was to lead to his most publicly famous quote; he enjoyed the sweet luxury of being taught Sanskrit from Arthur Ryder, an austere Sanskrit scholar who headed a department of one at Berkeley. Since Oppenheimers quote from the Bhagavad Gita Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds has become such a central part of his public identity, its worth a digression to explore it in some detail. The most authoritative account of Oppenheimer and the Gita is by the historian James Hajiya. The Gita is essentially a long poem from the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. Its essence is an emphasis on doing your duty and not worrying about the fruits of your labor, enjoying the journey and the process for their own sake. Close to the end of his life, when Oppenheimer submitted a list of the ten books that most shaped his worldview to The Christian Century, the Gita made the list (others included Baudelaires Les Fleurs du Mal, T. S. Eliots The Wasteland and the Collected Works of Bernhard Riemann). It is tempting to think that the Gita might have profoundly and generally shaped his worldview, but the evidence does not support such an influence. His brother Frank said that he never really embraced any core tenets of Hinduism. More strikingly, the physicist Freeman Dyson who knew Oppenheimer well for twenty years told me once that not a single time during those twenty years did Oppenheimer mention anything at all about Hinduism or the Gita to him. Whatever the influence of the Gita was, it seems to have been one among many eclectic sources from which the polymath physicist drew inspiration. Promising young physicists started to be drawn to Oppenheimer like moths to a flame. Between 1929 and 1945, Oppenheimer supervised the Ph.D. theses of twenty-nine students as well as numerous postdocs. This number included an astonishing sixteen Ph.D.s between just 1940 and 1943. Students flocked to him from all over the country. The speed of his thinking, the blue eyes and spare frame, the remarkable ability to speak in complete sentences, the chain smoking, the fondness for whipping up spicy dishes that would leave everyone gasping for breath, the knowledge of Sanskrit and poetry, the mastery of all of physics they were mesmerized by all of it. It did not matter that his brilliance came with a sharp tongue and a withering impatience with people he considered less intellectually adept than himself. They acquired his mannerisms, his walk, his inflections while speaking Oppenheimer made little pauses that sounded like nim, nim and confidently drove with him each year to Caltech, not knowing where they were going to live. When Pauli was asked by a fellow physicist if there was any good theoretical physics in America, he replied, Havent you heard of Oppenheimer and his nim nim boys?. During a visit to Berkeley, Enrico Fermi one of historys greatest physicists joked to his colleague Emilio Segre, I am getting old and rusty, Emilio. I could not understand anything Oppenheimer and his pupils were saying. Only the last sentence cheered me up And this is Fermis theory of beta decay. Robert Serber, a young physicist from Philadelphia with a piercing mind who later become one of Oppenheimers closest confidants, was on his way to a research fellowship with physicist Eugene Wigner at Princeton when he heard Oppenheimer at a summer school at the University of Michigan. His mind was so quick, his speech so fluent, that Serber was awestruck. He straightaway drove to Princeton and had his fellowship changed to Berkeley. Other students who later became famous David Bohm, Philip Morrison, Willis Lamb, Melba Phillips followed. Philips was one of Oppenheimers first students and one of the very few women in those times to get a Ph.D. in physics. With Oppenheimer she discovered a new nuclear process called the Oppenheimer-Phillips process in which a deuteron (a combination of a neutron and a proton) donates its neutron to a target nucleus when it strikes it, ejecting a proton in the process. With his students Oppenheimer made striking advances that established him at the forefront of physics and put American theoretical physics and Berkeley on the map. Perhaps the most important ingredient Oppenheimer brought to his research was his exquisite taste., said Hans Bethe. He always knew what the important problems werehe truly lived with those problems, struggling to solve them, and he communicated his concern to his group. Taste as evidenced by knowledge of the most important, foundational problems in physics had been largely absent in American theoretical physics until then, being the province of the Europeans; Oppenheimer broke this monopoly. Because of his wide interests he worked on a wide variety of topics cosmic rays, nuclear physics, quantum electrodynamics, gravitational physics. For a pure theorist, he was also remarkably well-informed about experiments, often knowing the numbers and data better than the experimentalists. He and Ernest Lawrence became good friends in spite of their opposite political sensibilities with Oppenheimer often interpreting the data coming out of Lawrences giant cyclotrons. Among other accomplishments, Oppenheimer was the first one to point out the problem of infinities that was to lead to a major revolution in physics after the war. He was the first to point out that the positive particle that Dirac had postulated in his theory of the electron could not be the proton, as Dirac had proposed in a crisis of self-confidence. He rapidly worked through problems with his students, being sure of the physics but often making mistakes in the mathematics: his physics was superb but his mathematics was awful, remembered one student. Oppenheimers greatest contribution to physics, one that showcased the complexity of his character, came in 1939. It was in a remarkable paper that was the first one to describe what we call black holes. In this paper Oppenheimer and his student Hartland Snyder noted all the essential aspects of black holes, including the event horizon, the difference between time as experienced by an external observer and one falling through the event horizon and the complete collapse of a star into what we now call a singularity. Many aspects of this paper are striking: it was part of a minor foray by Oppenheimer into the theory of relativity, one of only three papers that he published on the topic; it was written on the eve of the Second World War and was quickly overshadowed by other events and scientific developments; and most importantly, for a paper that turned out to be his most important contribution, it was one in which he showed absolutely no interest for the rest of his life. In a previous post I have written about this work and will have more to say about it later. With all of Oppenheimers contributions and widespread intellectual talents, the outstanding question is why he never ascended to the highest echelons of physics, why he never won a Nobel Prize for instance. Looking at the roster of Nobel Laureates in the 1930s and 1940s, just to set a benchmark, it is clear that many of them, while being very competent physicists, were not equal to Oppenheimer in their insights and their oeuvre. Isidor Rabi who knew Oppenheimer as well as anyone, provided a fascinating, penetrating explanation that partly touches on Oppenheimers interest in Sanskrit: Oppenheimer was overeducated in those fields, which lie outside the scientific tradition, such as his interest in religion, in the Hindu religion in particular, which resulted in a feeling of mystery of the universe that surrounded him like a fog. He saw physics clearly, looking toward what had already been done, but at the border he tended to feel there was much more of the mysterious and novel than there actually was he turned away from the hard, crude methods of theoretical physics into a mystical realm of broad intuition. In essence, Rabi was saying that Oppenheimer was interested in too many things and could not focus on one thing for too long, and that at the very cutting edge he abandoned rigor for intuition, leaving the hard work of complete elucidation to others. Other observers corroborate Rabis insight. Later the physicist Murray Gell-Mann was to say that Oppenheimer lacked sitzfleisch, the German quality of doggedly and carefully working on a problem for a long time and making significant breakthroughs; these quotes are borne out by his sloppiness in mathematical calculation. Freeman Dyson thought that ultimately, Oppenheimers greatest tragedy was not the public ignominy which he faced because of the suspension of his security clearance but the fact that his actual accomplishments in physics always fell short of his great intellectual gifts. Oppenheimers students were devoted to him not just because of his charisma but because he was introducing them to a life that was completely unfamiliar to them in Depression-era America. He made them a part of his life, working late into the night with them at his rental apartment that overlooked magnificent views of the San Francisco Bay. Sometimes in the evening he would take all of them on the ferry to the city (the Bay Bridge wouldnt be built until 1937) where they would have a few drinks, have dinner at a popular restaurant named Jacks and perhaps catch a movie. They would then return to Oppenheimers apartment and work late on physics while listening to classical music. During these excursions Oppenheimer would always select the wines and pick up the check. Especially for the students who came from impoverished families and were making their way through the Depression, this was a lavish, unimaginable way of living. Not surprisingly, these students were completely drawn into Oppenheimers orbit. It was partly the background and struggles of his students that opened the otherworldly Oppenheimers eyes to the suffering and injustice in the world. From being the man immersed in Sanskrit and languages who did not even know about the stock market crash, he metamorphosed into a man with a keen sense of the troubles of the world. Some part of the transformation must also have come from the deaths of his parents, Ellas in 1931 and Juliuss in 1937 when Ella died, Oppenheimer declared himself to his old teacher Herbert Smith as the loneliest man in the world. A third reason, and one that was to play an instrumental role in Oppenheimers life, was a woman. Jean Tatlock was a brilliant, tempestuous medical student at Stanford, the daughter of an English professor at Berkeley. She and Oppenheimer probably met during a party Oppenheimers landlady had organized. Jean was keenly interested in psychoanalysis and social causes and was a member of the communist party. She introduced Robert to many of her left-wing friends and pressed home the importance of community service to him. It was because of Jean that Oppenheimer started attending meetings and writing checks. Jean suffered from deep depression; she could be exuberant one moment, scornful and aloof the next. The two had a roller-coaster relationship, on and off; it was serious enough that at one point they thought of themselves as engaged. But Jeans psychological troubles prevented her and Robert from fully committing to each other. Being a member of the communist party, as Jean was, was not uncommon during the 1930s when the country was in the throes of depression and before the stories of the purges and show trials in the Soviet Union had reached American throes. Much has been written about Oppenheimers flirtation with communism and relationship with communists during this time because of the devastating impact it had on him later. Speculation abounds as to whether he was a member of the party himself. But cutting through the thicket of accusations and counter-accusations, three things are clear: first, that there was no doubt that several of Oppenheimers closest friends, students and family were party members, including Jean Tatlock, his brother Frank and Franks wife Jackie, his close friend and fellow Berkeley professor Haakon Chavelier who was to play a seismic role in his life and many of his students like David Bohm; secondly, that whether he was a party member or not is a moot point since he was definitely a member of many other left-wing organizations the kind that we would call social justice organizations today; and thirdly, that he never formally or intellectually bought into communist dogma. His flirtation with communist organizations was little more than a sympathetic embrace of many left-wing causes including womens, workers and civil rights and Spanish War relief that a lot of communists displayed during a despondent economic time in this countrys history. Nonetheless, Oppenheimer himself admitted that he was a fellow traveler, and one relationship in particular would make it impossible for him to deny this association his wife, Kitty. Kitty Puening was the Prussian-born daughter of a father who was a metallurgical engineer and a mother who was related to Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, chief of Nazi Germanys armed forces. After dropping out while pursuing a science degree, Kitty had successively married two men, one of whom was a man named Joe Dallet who was killed fighting in the Spanish Civil War. A member of the party, Kitty was a committed communist who lived in inspired poverty with Joe. Perhaps realizing that thinking like a communist was easier than living like one, after Dallets death she married a doctor named Richard Harrison while being enrolled as a botany student at the University of Pennsylvania. She followed Harrison for his residency at Caltech and started work in the laboratory of Charles Lauritsen, one of Caltechs leading experimental physicists and a good friend of Oppenheimers. It was at a party thrown by Lauritsen in the summer of 1939 that Kitty met Robert, who by then had broken up with Jean even if he still harbored feelings for her. The two began an affair while Kitty was still married; Robert took her up to the cabin in New Mexico. The affair ended as these often do, with Kitty getting pregnant and marrying Robert after agreeing to an amicable divorce from Harrison; when Oppenheimer broke the news to Robert Serber, Serber was so astonished to hear that he was marrying Kitty, not Jean, that he was rendered speechless. There is no doubt that Jean, Kitty, Frank and his own students and colleagues inspired Oppenheimer to become a member of many left-wing organization, to write letters in favor of social justice causes, to fund party activities and host meetings in his house to which came a wide variety of both members and fellow travelers. But all these interests were to increasingly take a backseat after January, 1939. A month earlier, in a small laboratory in the suburbs of Berlin, a German chemist and physicist had discovered a new kind of nuclear reaction. Sources: IT wasnt quite around the world in 80 days for Midleton man Martin Sheridan, but he is very well travelled, experiencing many adventures along the way. Now, as flights between Cork and Seville have just launched, Martin and his wife, Alicia, are eagerly waiting to greet people from Leeside to their traditional Andalusian restaurant, Restaurante la Cocina De Mi Suegra, (which translates as My Mother-in-laws Kitchen). Martin took the long route to finally finding his little piece of heaven. I left Ireland many years ago, says the 49-year-old. I did a year in college studying legal studies, but it wasnt for me. He had a yen to see the world. I worked in an Irish bar in Germany in 1994, says Martin. Jobs werent plentiful in Ireland; so I was headed for Stuttgart where there were plenty of jobs. He found his feet and his flair for languages. I found I had an ear for languages, and I was fluent in German within a year. In 1996, I came back briefly to work in a pub in Ballycotton that Stephen Pearse had opened. He was looking for staff. I had picked up guitar by then and I had often played in the German bar after the main band finished. So I was entertaining as well as working. The yearning to travel was still in him. If you ever start travelling, the wanderlust is still in you, Martin explains. In May, 1996, I saw an ad in the Examiner looking for a bar manager in Europe. It was very vague. This took him to St Petersburg in Russia. Four Cork lads were looking for someone to look after and mind the pub they owned. I knew nothing about Russia, but I thought Id have a go. He became fluent in Russian after eight months. Playing his guitar, Martin also kept entertaining the punters. Entertaining seemed to be a theme running throughout my career, he says. He moved back home in 1997 when his brother, Patrick, tragically died. Inside my head, I thought of going back to college to get some qualifications. I went to Cathal Brugha Street College to study hospitality, working as a night manager in Dublin to put myself through college. The Andalusian restaurant, Restaurante la Cocina De Mi Suegra, in Seville. After his three-year course, Martin worked for a catering company, Compass Catering. I ended up as manager with them, doing a short stint as Munster assistant area manager. I still missed the cut and thrust and interaction between customers in a more public setting. Martin, not a man to let the grass grow under his feet, met and married a Finnish lady, Essie. We met on a night out in Dublin, recalls Martin, who embraced domesticity for a while. We settled in Clonea with our dogs. I went to work with another UK company, Autobar, that dealt in vending machines. I took over their operation in southern Ireland. I got a good offer in a managing director role, so I said yes as I had a mortgage to pay. Martin and Essie were content. Their eldest son, Cai, was born. Then 2008 arrived, bringing with it the financial crash. I was made redundant, and I was at a loss. What was I to do? I had a big mortgage, but no job offers. The couple decided to move to Finland. Martin went back to work in hospitality, something he loved and was good at. I worked in a German-themed restaurant, he says. Again, I learned the Finnish language quickly. But we were living in a rented house on a barmans wage. And we had a second son, Elias. When Martin got a phone call out of the blue, it looked like things were looking up. The director of Autobar had sold shares in the company and he asked me to come to the UK and work for him. I did the ground work to see if it was viable. The first two years in the UK I was back and forth to Finland every three weeks, spending one week in Finland. Essie was a stay-at-home mum. Being away from his family for that amount of time put a huge strain on the couples marriage and they eventually divorced. My friend saw that I was depressed, and he suggested getting away for a long weekend. He said pick where to go. There were cheap flights to Marbella, so we landed there. When I put a message and selfie on Facebook of me in the sun, I got a message from a girl I knew before asking me what I was doing there. She said, Stay where you are. Ill be with you in five minutes. Restaurante la Cocina De Mi Suegra, in Seville. And so another odyssey began. Im together with Alicia from that day to this day, says Martin. He was embraced by her family. I was invited to Alicias parents in Seville, says Martin. Her mothers cooking was absolutely fabulous. She was a natural cook that had learned from her own mother-in-law. I told Alicias mother that if I ever opened a restaurant, I would call it my mother-in-laws kitchen! Alicia and Martin got married in 2016 and decided to look at what they could do together Olivares, a small agricultural town, is the same distance between Cork and Midleton from Seville, says Martin. It has the same small town feel that Midleton has, and all the people here are half-related. It also enjoys 320 days of sunshine a year - sometimes up to 40C in summer. Christmas Day can be 22C. We found a fabulous old-worldly place with a great interior and a rustic feel. With lots of help from the in-laws, we sanded floors, set up tables and chairs inside and on the huge patio area. It was a labour of love. It was meant to be, says Martin. Restaurante La Cocina De Mi Suegra opened in 2018. Drawing inspiration from the diverse culinary heritage of his wifes Alicias family, the restaurant serves up a delectable array of dishes that pay homage to the regions rich history and unique culinary traditions. We had the idea to use traditional recipes from the area here, says Martin. What about the language? Martin laughs. I had no Spanish and I found it much harder to learn the language than others. But he learned the lingo. I was thrown in the deep end at front of house, says Martin. I thought I might be in the kitchen, and Alicia, a Spanish speaker, would be front of house, but the roles were reversed. There was a strange Irish man with a guitar running Restaurante la Cocina De Mi Suegra who assumed many roles. When our chef on the barbecue left, we couldnt find anyone else, so I jumped in. People started asking, Eho is the chef? We got great reviews on Tripadvisor and Google. Now I was on the meat station and front-of house! I was the host of the restaurant, the meat cooker and the musician! People kept asking, is Martin going to play? Its been that way ever since. The business survived lockdown. Restaurante la Cocina De Mi Suegra, in Seville. The patio saved our bacon, he says. We were at home during the pandemic going stir crazy, so I did gigs online every week, posting them on our Facebook page. We got great support. Martin pulls out his guitar every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the restaurant. We might get a reservation for six and be asked, Will Martin pull out his guitar! And I play for 45 minutes or an hour. We have a different kind of restaurant here in Seville. Now he is looking forward to welcoming some Cork people to his restaurant. It would be great if some people from Cork came out to Seville for the Andalusian experience - and itd be great to see some of my own Cork natives. And the new Ryanair flights, from Cork to Seville, will also make it easier for Martin to pop home more frequently too. La Cocina De Mi Suegra is not just a restaurant, its a celebration of Olivares; our family and Andalusias culinary heritage, he says. Im proud to have created with Alicia a unique experience for diners here in Seville and cant wait to welcome Irish diners to experience the flavours and warmth of Andalusia at La Cocina De Mi Suegra. Huge progress has been made on the new Michael Collins statue for Cork, which is said to be on track to be unveiled in August as planned. Last September, a motion proposed by Fine Gael Councillor Shane OCallaghan was passed by the members of Cork City Council, asking the local authority to facilitate the placing of a statue of Collins in the city centre, with the funds raised by the Michael Collins 100 Committee - a non-political organisation dedicated to honouring the legacy of Collins. The statue, based on the iconic 1922 photograph of Collins with a Pierce bicycle, is set to be located on Grand Parade close to the city library. According to an update from the Michael Collins Centre, the project is progressing well. Sculptor Kevin Holland has been making huge progress with the new statue over the last number of months and in a few weeks the sculpture will be cast in bronze. Clonakilty sign artist Tomas Tuipear is also working on a great design for the inscribed stone, which will be set into the pavement around the statue in Cork City Centre. Everything is on schedule for the unveiling in August and work will begin soon on the statue site in the Grand Parade, the museum said in a post on its Facebook page at the weekend. The site on Grand Parade where the new statue is to be placed has historical links to Collins as on March 12, 1922 the so-called Big Fella attended a Pro Treaty rally on Grand Parade with a number of his fellow Pro Treaty TDs. That day, Collins delivered a passionate speech to a crowd of what was reported to have been around 50,000 people. The new statue is planned to be unveiled on August 20, just before the 101st anniversary of Collins death. Anyone who makes a donation can request and will receive a special commemorative certificate. For further information or to make a donation see www.michaelcollinsstatue.com. One flight from Cork Airport has been cancelled as a result of French air traffic control strikes, which are due to get underway at 7pm today. Ryanair has warned that hundreds of flights are expected to be cancelled across Europe from this evening through to Wednesday morning as a result of the strike action. In fact, Ryanairs Cork to Carcassonne flight, due to depart on Tuesday, has already been cancelled as Tuesday is the main day of strike action. In a statement to The Echo, Cork Airport said there is just one Ryanair flight affected tomorrow to Carcassone and that is due to French Air Traffic Control. In recent days, Ryanair had called on the European Commission to protect overflights and EU citizens freedom of movement during the French strike action. Michael O'Leary, chief executive of the airline, was in Brussels last week calling on the European Commission to act over the impact of air traffic control (ATC) strikes in France, which continue to affect Irish passengers. He delivered almost 1.2m petition signatures from Ryanair passengers across Europe to the commission. The Ryanair petition calls on the EU Commission to take immediate action and protect European citizens freedom of movement and overflights during French ATC strikes. Labour representative in Cork city, Peter Horgan, has called for more public toilets and for sensory play areas. With a vision for a more autism-friendly city, Mr Horgan called on Government to ensure that public spaces are suitable for all families. We are calling for sensory play areas to be installed in playgrounds across Cork city, so that there is access to play and learning for all children, he said. It would make a huge difference to families to ensure everyone is involved and catered for. We must begin the process of making Cork an autism-friendly city. It would send such a message around the world that we are a city of welcomes. It cannot be just a headline, though. It must be buttressed with proper footpaths, safe crossings, and a real commitment from the powers that be. Mr Horgan also said that the majority of towns and villages have few if any public toilets and said that the situation in Cork city is no different. I am calling on the government to make provision for opening well-resourced public toilets in areas where people are meeting and at the times that they tend to congregate. Public toilets are essential and long overdue in Cork city. Moreover, the provision of toilet and seating facilities is an equality issue: For older persons, those with young children, those without money to spend in private enterprise, and those with a disability, access to a toilet can be the difference between communities being accessible or not. He said there has been a missed opportunity by the Government to have a vision for our public spaces, which he said has been highlighted by the pandemic. Local spaces need to be better equipped to host the outdoor summer to which we have all been looking forward. An appeal has been lodged in relation to the change of use of a premises in Glanmire, into a Dominos pizza fast-food restaurant. Maano Foods (Cork) Limited lodged plans with Cork City Council on January 17 this year for planning permission for the change of use of an existing financial services premises into a Dominos take-away restaurant premises, including front elevational changes and new business signage. The address is Unit 3, Hazelwood Shopping Centre, Glanmire, Cork. A local resident outlined their concerns concerning the application, saying there was an over saturation of fast-food style outlets already in Glanmire. It must be noted there is already a significant amount of fast food and takeaway premises in the Glanmire area. "In the Hazelwood/Crestfield Centre alone, there are at least eight premises out of approximately 40 which offer this nature of service which means 20 per cent of all businesses in the principal commercial centre for Glanmire are takeaway businesses, according to the residents submission. There are three businesses that offer hot freshly made pizzas of the same type as Dominos. This concentration of a singular type of service does not concur with property planning and development in the area, stated the resident, citing the Cork City Development Plan 2022 2028. Glanmire, rightly or wrongly, is a very car-dependent area, added the resident. Public transport links are improving but remain inadequate. It must be considered that many customers of the Dominos pizza franchise will travel to the facility by car. The premises which is the subject of this application is located at a particular pinch point at the entrance to the Hazelwood Shopping Centre. There is no parking directly outside the premises, and the situation regarding land ownership dictates this situation cannot change, and while there is parking within the centre, this tends to be in short supply at times. Should the change of use be permitted under the applicants proposals, human nature is such that cars will tend to get double parked directly outside the premises leading to gridlock. Cork City Council granted permission for the development on May 9 subject to 16 conditions. This decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanala on May 25. The case is due to be decided by September 27 next. CORK City Council has been accused of shrugging its shoulders in the face of a dog fouling issue in the city. Just one dog fouling fine was issued by Cork City Council in 2022, and none had been issued up to the end of March this year. The local authority has cited what it described as barriers to issuing fines, including a lack of eye-witnesses and a lack of witnesses willing to go to court. In the county however, 17 dog fouling fines were issued last year. Labour local area representative Peter Horgan said their should be joined-up thinking on the matter between the two local authorities. When asked about the difference in the number of dog fouling fines issued by Cork local authorities last year, a spokesperson for Cork City Council said: When comparing statistics it is important to do so in a fair and equitable manner. Cork County Council has five times more dog licences than Cork City Council. It is thus logical and proper that we would issue less fines for dog fouling. Given the fact that we have less that 20% of the dogs as in the county, we should therefore issue 80% less fines. Thus, if the county issued 17 fines then the corresponding figure for the city would be three and not 17, they added. Addressing the matter of actually issuing dog fouling fines, the spokesperson said: The difficulty in issuing fines is that the litter warden must actually witness both the dog depositing faeces, and the person in control of the dog neglecting to remove the faeces. The practicalities associated with this mean that it is extremely challenging and time consuming to issue fines for such offences. Alternatively, a member of the public who witnesses an offence can make a complaint, they added. In such cases, a fine will issue if the complainant is prepared to go to court if necessary and give evidence. The legal requirement for the complainant to go to court in such cases is a barrier for members of the public proceeding with their complaint, as anonymity is often required by members of the public who report such instances. 'GIVING UP ON THE MATTER' However Mr Horgan said the county council has been more proactive. The comments from the city council on this issue previously, in my view, was a mixture of shrugging their shoulders and giving up on the matter. On the other hand, the county council has been proactive on the issue. This can really be seen in Carrigaline, where they have dog fouling bins, and in Little Island, where they also have the bins. Its deeply frustrating to see the lack of joined-up thinking between the two local authorities on the matter of dog fouling, Mr Horgan said. People dont differentiate between the borders of the county and the city when it comes to dumping, which is essentially what dog fouling is. There must be some cross local authority measure implemented to ensure that enforcement is consistent across both local authorities, and that those who flout the law are fined and made to pay that fine. Over 800 Cork homes are currently without power following an outage this evening, according to ESB Networks. The outage, which was reported just after 5pm today, saw some 809 customers affected in the Macroom area. According to ESB Networks, those customers face a repair time of over three hours, with their powercheck.ie site giving an estimated restoration time of 8.45pm this evening. The ESB Networks website currently has a message saying: We apologise for the loss of supply. We are currently working to repair a fault affecting your premises and will restore power as quickly as possible. ESB Networks is part of the ESB Group, and is licensed to build, operate, maintain and develop the electricity network in the Republic of Ireland. It employs a countrywide staff of 3,000 people and it builds and operates the medium- and low-voltage electricity infrastructure, including distribution stations, overhead lines, poles and underground cables. It is funded through use of system charges billed to customers via electricity suppliers, controlled by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. LANDLORDS must register residential tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) every year and update the RTB if information about a tenancy changes. The RTB uses this information to keep a public register of tenancies, which shows the address of the property and the number of bedrooms. It does not show the identity of the landlord or the tenants, or the amount of rent paid. What tenancies must be registered? Under residential tenancies legislation, most privately rented properties must be registered with the RTB. This includes properties rented out by approved housing bodies and student-specific accommodation. It does not apply to business lettings, holiday lettings or owner-occupied accommodation (for example, if you rent a room in your landlords home) What are the rules about registering a tenancy? Landlords are responsible for registering tenancies. New tenancies must be registered within a month of the start of the tenancy. Then, landlords must register the tenancy every year that the tenancy continues. This must be done within a month of the date of when the tenancy began. For example, if a new tenancy begins on May 4, 2023, the landlord must register the tenancy by June 3, 2023 (within one month of the tenancy start date). If the tenancy continues for the next 12 months, the landlord must register the tenancy again by June 3, 2024, and then every year by August 3 while the tenancy continues. Annual registration has applied since April 4, 2022. The RTB will remind landlords when their tenancy is due for annual registration, if they have up-to-date contact information for the landlord. How do you register a tenancy with the RTB? You can register online using the RTBs new online system. You need to create an RTB online account before you can register a tenancy. You can get information on the RTBs website about how to do this. To register a tenancy by post or email, you download the Tenancy Registration Application Form, complete it and send it back to the RTB. You should keep a copy of the form and proof of postage. If you have questions about the registration process, you can email registrations@rtb.ie. When a tenancy has been registered and the fees paid, the RTB will send letters to the landlord and tenants confirming that the tenancy has been registered. What information do you need to register a tenancy? Private landlords and approved housing bodies must supply the following information when registering: The address of the rented home The name, address and PPS Number of the landlord (or registered number, if a company) The approved housing body (AHB) number, if a housing association The name and PPS Number of each tenant A description of the property (for example, a 2-reception, 3-bedroom semi-detached house) The date the tenancy started The rent and how often it is paid The local authority area the property is located in The term of the lease if it is a fixed-term lease Whether it is a sub-letting Building Energy Rating (BER) if applicable Details of any management company or authorised agent The RTB website has a checklist of the information you need to provide when registering a tenancy. The RTB needs additional information when registering student-specific accommodation, so it uses a slightly different process. For more information about registering student-specific accommodation see the RTBs website or contact your local Citizens Information Centre. Does the landlord have to do anything if there are changes in rent? If the amount of rent changes, the landlord must tell the RTB of the change within one month. The RTB can take action (including criminal proceedings) against landlords who do not notify the RTB about changes in rent. How do you know if a tenancy is registered? You can view the public register to check your tenancy has been registered. The RTB can take action against landlords who do not register tenancies. Even if your landlord hasnt registered your tenancy, as a tenant, you can still use the RTBs dispute resolution service. Landlords can only use this service if they have registered the tenancy. Are there penalties if the tenancy is not registered in time? If you are late registering a tenancy, late fees apply for each month the registration is late. However, late fees do not apply for most tenancies at the moment. If you have paid late fees under the new registration system, you will be refunded. Pausing of late fees has been introduced because landlords have had issues registering tenancies using the new annual system. The pausing of late fees does not apply to tenancies in student-specific accommodation. For more information about late registration fees and the current pausing of these charges, see www.rtb.ie. Are there penalties for not registering a tenancy with the RTB? Landlords who do not register a tenancy can be fined up to 4,000 and face imprisonment for up to six months on conviction. A further penalty of 250 for each day of non-registration can be applied. In addition, the landlord will also have to pay the RTBs legal costs. There is more information about these penalties on the RTBs website. Gerard Couzens Liam Byrne, a key member of the Kinahan organised crime gang, has been arrested in Mallorca, Spain. The UKs National Crime Agency confirmed Liam Byrne was one of two suspected members of the Kinahan gang arrested in Spain. It said in a statement: Two men wanted by the National Crime Agency on suspicion of firearms offences have been arrested in Spain. Liam Byrne, 42, from Dublin, who is thought to be one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group, was arrested on Sunday evening in the Alcudia area of Mallorca while eating in a restaurant with family members. He had flown into Palma Airport from Dubai, UAE, on the 26 May. Another suspected member of the crime group, Jack Kavanagh, 22, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, was arrested by officers from the Spanish National Police last Tuesday (30 May) at Malaga Airport while transiting from Dubai to Turkey. The arrests follow an NCA intelligence-led investigation, supported by the Spanish National Police and officers from An Garda Siochana in Ireland. The NCA obtained Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TACA) warrants after EncroChat messages showed they were believed to be involved in the supply and acquisition of firearms. They are currently in custody while extradition proceedings continue. Two men wanted by the NCA on suspicion of firearms offences have been arrested in Spain. Liam Byrne, from Dublin, who is thought to be one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group, was arrested on Sunday in Mallorca. Full story https://t.co/UYYK9F9DMq pic.twitter.com/1lvj57a3WH National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) June 5, 2023 Kay Mellor, regional head of investigations at the National Crime Agency said: This investigation is part of the NCAs ongoing work targeting the Kinahan crime group. Liam Byrne and Jack Kavanagh have been evading justice for a number of years, but have now been arrested in relation to serious firearms offences. We have an excellent relationship with the Spanish National Police and will continue to work closely with our international partners to ensure those who think they can stay under the radar have no place to hide. Well-placed sources said Byrnes arrest occurred yesterday in Alcudia in the north-east of Majorca. Byrne, who was named in Dublins High Court as the leader of the so-called Byrne Organised Crime Group, is considered to be the de-facto leader of the Kinahan cartel in the UK. Byrne is believed to have taken over from mobster Thomas Bomber Kavanagh as the 'number two' in the hierarchy of the Kinahan cartel, and leader of its operations in the transporting of drugs across the UK and Ireland. Kavanagh, who is Liams brother-in-law, is currently serving a 21-year sentence for conspiring to import millions of pounds worth of drugs. A spokesman for Spains National Police in Majorca said on Monday: The arrest was carried out on Sunday night by the National Polices Madrid-based Fugitives Group and the National Polices UDYCO group which fights organised crime." By Rebecca Black, PA One of Belfasts youngest Lord Mayors has been confirmed in the position. Sinn Fein councillor Ryan Murphy, 28, said it was a huge honour to take over the reins in Northern Irelands capital. His party colleague Niall O Donnghaile was the citys youngest ever First Citizen having taken on the position at the age of 25 in 2011. Outgoing Lord Mayor Tina Black (Sinn Fein) placed the mayoral chain on Mr Murphys shoulders as she left the chair at City Hall on Monday evening. Paying tribute to Ms Black, Mr Murphy said he had big boots to fill. Im very much of the belief that showing positive political leadership, building reconciliation, respect and prosperity in this society is a collective responsibility, he said. As First Citizen of Beal Feirste, Ill grasp that huge opportunity to demonstrate that positive leadership We believe in the concept of Mayor for all. We believe that every citizen in this region has the right to have their voice heard, and their aspirations respected. I know that the incoming year will be very demanding. All I can say is I am 100 per cup for that job. Im looking forward to getting stuck in and getting the sleeves rolled up. Workers and families right across Belfast at the minute face many challenges and theres a big job ahead of us in continuing the transformation of this great city of ours for the better. He added: The commitment that Im giving to the people of Belfast is that I will use this office to the very best of my ability to continue building on the fantastic work that Tina and others have done. Ill continue to reach out that hand of friendship, Ill continue to be a mayor for all. Aine Groogan (Green Party) was also confirmed as Deputy Lord Mayor at a meeting of the council at City Hall on Monday evening. Ms Groogan is the first from her party to take on a mayoral position in Northern Ireland. I hope to do the whole green movement proud in the year ahead, she said. Sinn Fein reinforced its position as the largest party in the city council at the recent local government elections, where it won 22 out of 60 seats. Next largest is the DUP with 14 councillors in Belfast, followed by the Alliance Party with 11, SDLP with five, the Green Party with three, Ulster Unionist Party with two, while People Before Profit and the TUV each have one and there is one independent councillor. Meanwhile, Gerardine Mulvenna (Alliance) became the new Mayor of Mid and East Antrim and Stewart McDonald (TUV) the Deputy Mayor at a meeting of the council on Monday evening. Ms Mulvenna previously served as mayor of the former Larne Borough Council in 2012. We have so much to be proud of in Mid and East Antrim and as Mayor I want us to be shouting from the rooftops when it comes to the many jewels in our crown, she said. by Mindy Clegg In a thread on a Gen X subreddit, a poster named QueenShewolf wondered about the truth of Gen X cynicism as her own Gen X siblings seemed far less cynical and disconnected than herself, a millennial. Some responded that they were certainly cynical, others felt they were merely realistic. Skepticism drove some of this more cynical or realistic worldview, based on their experiences growing up in the 70s and 80s. Many expressed distrust of institutions because of growing up during Watergate and the Reagan administration. Cynicism has its uses, according to the posters in the thread. Being at least a bit cynical about the world around you can help you engage more critically for one. But is too much cynicism dangerous for making positive social change? Has Gen X adoption of cynicism meant that our generation has been less engaged in larger social and political life, leaving it to other generations to shape? While there is some truth in the charges of ironic cynicism, some of that has been imposed on us from without. I argue that Gen X has made some positive contributions to our culture that are often overlooked. Our generation might be more cynical, but we also helped to create durable non and even anti-commercial culture, despite our paucity of numbers. The term Generation X came to describe to the generation that was born from the mid-60s to early 80s. The term was popularized by Douglas Coupland, a baby boomer. Paula Gottula Miles said that he settled on the X to illustrate how this generation had no great existential experiences unifying them unlike previous generations. Instead, they do have as a unifying childhood experience a phenomenal rise in the divorce rates, and a national debt that went from the millions to the billions. Such shared experiences (which are apparently less meaningful than wars or political assassinations) meant they shared a common cynicism, as illustrated by his work.1 But I would argue that Coupland ignored major events that had a formative impact, such as the Reagan era weapons build-up, the end of the Cold War itself, and several major conflicts that saw major acts of genocide (Yugoslavia and Rwanda). Others pointed to the end of the liberal consensus and the rise of the era of neoliberalism as key to understanding the Gen X attitude. Joseph P. Shapiro argued that we felt we could not count on the American Dream. Cynicism and irony became shells Gen X built to insulate themselves from disappointment as the American Dream moved out of reach. Miles argued that this embrace of cynicism constituted a sort of intellectual or cultural social movement itself. Miles noted that Gen X as a group, lack faith in many of the core, formerly unifying value systems in this country.2 According to her, we have embraced the personal over the larger community.3 In a blog post, Simon Stevenson wondered about the roots of Gen X anger. He noted similar issues that Miles discussed. He called Gen X the remix generation, as we took diverse elements [of culture] and smashed them together. Post-punk, indie, dance music, and hip-hop all shaped our understanding of cultural production. Stevenson argued that our embrace of diverse music shows just how strange our relationship is with commercialism. But he felt that we are also too cool for our own good. More worrying, he believed Generation X was leading the revival of the right more so than our older and younger counterparts. More than just cynics, we are a hyper-individualist generation, which is a key aspect of capitalist post-modernism that typifies the neoliberal era. Both the mainstream and some of the underground culture Gen X consumed embraced a cynical distance of cool post-modernity, but this aloofness was hardly new to the social-mediated age. In a recent video about the Gibson girl, Kaz Rowe noted how the originator of the term Charles Dana Gibson, saw an idealized women regularly on the streets which he turned into his famous illustrations. She quoted him as saying I got mine from the crowd, meaning the women he regularly encountered in public spaces. These young women were imagined as effortlessly fashionable, deeply aloof, but only so men like Gibson could project their ideals onto them. These young women pushed back against this idealization. Rowe quoted at length an article from an Indianapolis newspaper published in 1895. It quoted a Chicago woman describing an outing as a Gibson Girl, to comic effect as Rowe noted. She illustrated how the Gibson Girl aesthetic was a commodified version of the more political charged new woman which resulted in a tension between feminist ideals of the new woman and its commercialization. This was not unlike attempts to commodify aloof young women in the 1980s and 1990s. We can see that in films like Heathers or the mainstream embrace of the Riot Grrl movement. In both cases, a cynical mindset was seen as a feature, not a bug, though any deeper political aspect was often downplayed for aesthetics. If the Gibson girl emerged on the scene with modernity, the cynical Gen X girl arrived just in time to define the age of post-modern, neo-liberalism. But not so fast, as Marc Levy agrued Boomers were projecting their own cynicism into the culture of their children. He listed out a litany of reasons why so much of Gen X embraced a more cynical world-view. He used popular culture in which we were immersed to give context and explanation. He blamed the boomers for the general condition of cynicism among our generation. I would argue that just looking at the pop culture produced for Gen X might be reductive, and robs Gen X of our agency as a generational cohort. If the narrative of Gen X is that were highly cynical slackers, and always has been, we should not gloss over how Baby Boomers helped shape that narrative. It is also true that many Gen Xers took on cynicism as a key aspect of their identity. Meanwhile, our contributions to culture have often been ignored and overlooked. Quite a few members of Gen X took punks DIY attitude to its logical conclusion, building up alternatives to the mainstream culture where young people could practice forms of consumer democracy.4 The insistence on understanding Gen X only via the lens of negative cynicismaloof, scathing, tuned outignores the many contributions made by Gen X to the culture, especially to popular culture. As a generation, we leaned hard into culture not just based on cynicism, but on anti-commercialism. The internet provides an example of that. In the early days of the World Wide Web (WWW) after Eternal September in 1993, Gen X found new ways to make and share culture. When we say the WWW, we dont mean the internet itself. That existed prior to the WWW, as did cultural exchange on the internet.5 Many Gen Xers with access to computers created the earliest culture on the WWW. They often created culture for its own sake, for the pure fun of it. A good example is the Brothers Chaps, creators of the website Homestar Runner, which started as a book project in 1996. They still make videos for the Homestar Runner website. Despite its online popularity in the early 2000s, the series was never sold off to be monetized by a corporation. Today, it remains a sort of underground phenomenon for those in the know. Projects like Homestar Runner perhaps smacked of a kind of cynicism that questioned the mode of production for much of our pop culture. But the videos they made had a playful sense of optimism, too. Their work tells us that we can create things for its own sake, rather than for simply building wealth. This sort of culture both appeals to our sense of insiderism that makes cynicism so attractive, but to our instinct for community building via the production of culture. Digging deeper into the history of phenomenon such as post-punk or the early WWW culture, a new way of thinking about the cynicism of Gen X presents itself. The poster on reddit could be correctGen X is not nearly as darkly cynical as we are often perceived. A recent Ted-Ed video details a historical overview of cynicism as a philosophical stance, starting with Diogenes of Sinope. His primary philosophy, the narrator noted, was later taken up by the hippies and Id argue some punks. He and they placed great value on questioning society. He and others have even sought to live outside of society, because of their cynical skepticism. The culture built by Gen X has been commodified to some degree, of course. If it proves profitable, corporations will seek to domesticate and re-sell it to a larger audience. Yet democratic cultural spaces continues to exist today. Some of that is due to us cynical Gen Xers. Footnotes 1 Paula Gottula Miles, Generation X: A Social Movement Towards Cynicism, (MA Thesis, University Nevada, Las Vegas, 1997), 1. 2 Miles, Generation X, 5. 3 Miles, Generation X, 6. 4 Alan OConnor, Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy, (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2008). 5 Fred Turner, From Counterculture to Cyberculture: Stewart Brand, the Whole Earth Network, and the Rise of Digital Utopianism, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008). New homes and more planned along a golf course in Florence, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix, on Jan. 26, 2022. Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Pressures on water supply around Arizona, along with an ongoing megadrought made worse by climate change, have been addressed by recent limits placed on the construction of new homes around Phoenix. The restrictions are meant to limit projects that would rely on groundwater, as the groundwater supply is already needed by existing properties. Most of Arizonas water, around 41%, comes from groundwater, according to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Another 36% comes from the Colorado River, although the state, along with California and Nevada, recently agreed to reduce their water intake from the river by 3 million acre-feet through 2026 as the Colorado River faces shortages. Water demand is expected to outpace supply in the Phoenix area. A recent analysis over a 100-year period found that about 4% of groundwater demand around Phoenix will not be met, unless additional actions are taken. This prompted the Arizona Department of Water Resources to deny additional Assured Water Supply Program certificates for new home construction projects around Phoenix to preserve water for existing properties. We have these rules in place to protect people from buying a home without a water supply, so thats really the effect here, Sarah Porter, director of Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, told The Hill. The state is telling developers you can no longer rely on the water underneath the future subdivision as the water for that subdivision. The certificates are not necessary for construction in all parts of greater Phoenix, but the limits are meant to slow growth in the area and make sure existing water demand can be met. Developers can use other sources of water, including water sold from designated parties, farmers or Native American tribes, to continue their projects, The Guardian reported. However, drought and short water supply have been an issue everywhere in this region. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs also announced $40 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funds to further conserve the states water resources and assured there would be enough water for existing homes and businesses. What the model ultimately shows is that our water future is secure: the Assured Water Supply Program is working, Hobbs said in a statement. Water supplies for homeowners and businesses are protected. Growth has been planned for, and will continue. My message to Arizonans is this: we are not out of water and we will not be running out of water because, as we have done so many times before, we will tackle the water challenges we face with integrity and transparency. 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. Organic farming methods mean less pesticides in our soil and food. They ensure agricultural runoff wont contain toxic chemicals that can make their way into our waterways, polluting the water supply and potentially harming wildlife and ecosystems. They also consider animal welfare. So why do farmers continue to use synthetic pesticides? The answer is simple: yield. They worry giving up the pesticides will mean sacrificing the health and productivity of crops. The same philosophy applies to the management of honey bee colonies. But a new study has shown beekeepers who employ organic methods can have honey bee colonies that are as productive and healthy as those managed using synthetic pesticides. According to new research led by entomologists from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), organically managed colonies can achieve similar results to those that are managed using conventional methods, but without the use of synthetic pesticides to keep pathogens and pests under control, a press release from Penn State said. The study, A longitudinal experiment demonstrates that honey bee colonies managed organically are as healthy and productive as those managed conventionally, was published in the journal Scientific Reports. For the study, the researchers compared honey bee performance in three management systems, and was the first to demonstrate that the organic management of honey bees can sustainably support good honey production levels along with high honey bee survival rates. Lead author of the study Robyn Underwood, who is currently Penn State Extensions Apiculture Extension Educator, said honey bee colony management methods are essential in assisting bees in dealing with stressors like exposure to pesticides, diseases, pests and nutritional deficiencies. Beekeeping management is a key aspect of honey bee health because it can help mitigate some of the negative effects caused by these stressors, Underwood said in the press release. For example, supplemental feeding can mitigate a lack of flowering plants nearby for foraging, and beekeepers can manage pests such as Varroa mites with cultural, mechanical and chemical control practices. Even with the assistance of beekeepers, 30 percent or more of U.S. honey bee colonies perish each winter, with a higher-than-average rate of 40 percent in Pennsylvania. Margarita Lopez-Uribe, co-author of the study and an associate professor of entomology in Penn States College of Agricultural Sciences, said not much research has been done on organic beekeeping, mostly due to the requirements for products to be certified organic. Lopez-Uribe added that a systems approach was best used to evaluate the complexities of beekeeping management. [E]xisting studies largely have looked at the effect of one or two aspects of management at a time, Lopez-Uribe explained in the press release. But in reality, risks and benefits occur in the context of numerous other management decisions involved in beekeeping. Studies like ours using a systems approach can help us better understand the long-term trade-offs among the various practices. Underwood explained that a systems approach was more akin to the day-to-day realities of beekeeping than more narrowly focused studies, which have their merits. A systems approach is more like what a beekeeper actually does. There are so many different things to think about and do as a beekeeper that nothing is done in isolation. While research about specific things, where everything is controlled except the item of interest, is crucial, it is also important to think about the entire system, Underwood told EcoWatch in an email. For the study, the researchers looked at eight certified organic farms with nearly 300 honey bee colonies. Six of the farms were in Pennsylvania and two in West Virginia. We wanted to replicate what beekeepers were doing in their bee yards, Lopez-Uribe said in the press release. It wasnt scientists just telling beekeepers how to do things it was beekeepers telling us how they do things, and then we collected data over multiple years comparing the different systems. The colonies were put into one of three beekeeping management system categories, each based on different philosophies of beekeeping. The first, conventional management, is often used by commercial beekeepers and involves frequent intervention with the colonies and the application of any nutritional supplement or chemical including antibiotics and synthetic chemicals available to keep the bees alive. The second, organic management, is commonly employed by small- and medium-sized beekeeping operations, uses intervention only when needed and does not use any antibiotics or synthetic chemicals. It integrates organic-approved chemical treatments and cultural practices to control pests. The third beekeeping management system, chemical-free management, is well-liked by hobbyists. No chemicals and hardly any interventions are used, bees own immune systems are relied on to fight diseases and only cultural practices are used to control pests. Over a three-year period, the researchers monitored the colonies, measuring honey production, recording overwintering survival and keeping track of parasites, pathogens and the expression of immunity regulating genes as a measure of honey bee health. The results revealed that both conventional and organic management systems increased overwinter honey bee survival rates by more than 180 percent in comparison to chemical-free management. Over the three-year period, total honey production was also increased by both conventional and organic methods by 102 and 118 percent, respectively. There was no significant difference in honey production or survival rates between conventional and organic management systems. Pathogen and parasite levels including the Varroa mite, the parasite that causes Nosema disease and deformed wing virus were reduced by both conventional and organic management systems compared with those that were chemical-free. In my experience, every colony has Varroa mites. Every beekeeper should be monitoring mite populations and taking action when the numbers get too high, Underwood told EcoWatch. Diseases like nosema or viruses are much less common. I think nutrition can be an issue, if there are too many colonies or they are placed in a bad location, but those can be avoided. Underwood added that it was important not to let Varroa mites get out of hand, as infestations could lead to other issues that can potentially destroy the whole colony. The critical thing to do is monitor for mites. If a honey bee colony is able to control the mites on their own, then there is absolutely no need to use chemicals. However, if they cannot keep mite levels down, they do not have the needed mite resistance mechanisms, so chemicals are recommended. When mite levels get high, so do levels for deformed wing virus. The virus can spread out into the environment and infect other bee species, Underwood said. In addition, the colony will suffer greatly from the virus, with bees hatching with crumpled wings, larvae dying, and the entire colony dwindling to nothing. It is unethical to allow that to happen, so chemical treatments are warranted when mite levels reach a threshold, say 2 mites per 100 bees. The conventional and organic management systems also saw lower immune gene expression in comparison to chemical-free management, the press release said. While the study looked at the management of organic honey bee colonies, the apiary products produced by these management systems cannot be marketed as certified organic, Underwood pointed out. That is because the certification requirements are for a minimum three-kilometer radius surrounding colonies that is free from pesticides, a requirement that is hard for beekeepers to maintain. Underwood explained that the radius could likely be reduced without compromising the lack of pesticide contamination of apiary products. That distance is based on how far a bee CAN fly, not on how far she USUALLY flies. So, yes I think the radius can be smaller; perhaps 1 km. This is the topic of our next research study where we will be monitoring QR code marked bees to determine how long they are away from the hive on each foraging trip. We believe the time away will be highly correlated with distance and are working with Maggie Couvillon at Virginia Tech to match the QR code data with the information the bees share using their waggle dances, Underwood told EcoWatch. In our study, we tested for residues of pesticides in beeswax in the second fall. We found that we had very clean wax, despite the bees being on farms much smaller than what is required. Ongoing research by the team on foraging distances and landscape characteristics may lead to a scientific basis for the easing of the radius requirement by organic program authorities. Our future research about the landscape and foraging should help us to inform changes in the standards for certification to decrease the required radius of clean forage, assuming our hypotheses are supported, Underwood said in the press release. Underwood said the future of beekeeping would be best served if more beekeeping operations were to go organic. First of all, the basis of an organic honey bee colony management system is excellent genetics. There are breeders that sell mite-resistant lines of bees and we should all be paying attention to that. It is the best start. Additionally, the organic system worked extremely well, so why would anyone want to put synthetic chemicals into their hives? Mites are quickly developing resistance to the synthetics, as happens often, so their useful life is limited as it is, Underwood told EcoWatch. Despite all the challenges facing bees and beekeepers, Underwood is optimistic about the future of bees globally. I think that bees and beekeepers are both resilient, so the future is bright. Researchers and beekeepers will both continue to adapt to changes as they come and will help the bees do the same, Underwood said. FAO partners with Ugandan Dairy Development Authority to drive milk exports The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has partnered with the Ugandan Dairy Development Authority (DDA) to bolster the export of Ugandan milk and other dairy products, NewVision reported. This partnership aims to assess new markets as part of Uganda's ongoing efforts to strengthen its dairy sector, and will be guided by an export competitiveness study, which will analyse trade flows in the dairy sector, identify dairy products with export potential, and evaluate Uganda's comparative advantage compared to its competitors. Under the leadership of the FAO Monitoring and Analysing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) program, FAO AgrInvest, and the International Growth Centre (IGC) in Uganda, in collaboration with DDA, the initiative will also identify dynamic export markets and recommend policy interventions to position Uganda as a competitive milk and dairy supplier. Marco V Sanchez, deputy director of Agrifood Economics at FAO, said that the significance of understanding the competitiveness of Ugandan milk in international markets is a crucial step in boosting dairy exports. Sanchez also said that the Dairy Policy Action Plan and investments in transforming the dairy sector is important for enhanced production and nutrition. Samson Mpiira Akankiza, executive director of the Dairy Development Authority, expressed his focus on increasing domestic milk consumption through the School Milk Program and expanding the export market portfolio to generate more foreign exchange for farmers. Akankiza welcomed the timely dairy export competitiveness study, which aligns with the DDA's efforts to explore additional export markets for milk. In recent years, raw milk production in Uganda has risen significantly from 1.9 billion liters in 2014 to 3.2 billion litres in 2022. While exports have been increasing, Uganda remains reliant on demand from the key East African market, particularly Kenya. FAO representative in Uganda, Antonio Querido, expressed pride in announcing the collaboration with DDA to enhance the export of Ugandan milk and dairy products. Querido said that this partnership will contribute to ongoing endeavours to strengthen Uganda's dairy sector. - NewVision Nor-Feed becomes sole shareholder of Nor-Feed Vietnam Nor-Feed Holding announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Nor-Feed Vietnam shares owned by NAN Group, thus becoming sole shareholder of the Vietnamese company. Nor-Feed, based in the Angers Technopole (France), was created 20 years ago around an original and unique concept focused on the preventive role of nutritional botanical extracts from agricultural co-products designed to limit the use of antibiotics, coccidiostats and pesticides in animal nutrition. Nor-Feed Vietnam was established in 2016 as a joint-venture between Nor-Feed Holding and NAN Group. The company has gradually introduced its botanicals additives in the Vietnamese feed market, supported by university and research stations work and field validation trials. Today, Nor-Feed Vietnam has a 28 registrations in Vietnam for aquaculture and livestock applications. Effective immediately, Trieu Nguyen becomes director of Nor-Feed Vietnam. Nguyen was until recently regional commercial director in charge of Nor-Feed's business in Southeast Asia. Olivier Clech, chairman of the board of Nor-Feed Vietnam and president of Nor-Feed Holding, said: "Trieu is one of our senior managers, who has demonstrated his business leadership over the years. The demand for botanical additives for animal nutrition is strong in Southeast Asia, especially to offset oxidative stress or manage coccidial risk. The growth potential remains considerable in Vietnam, and the local team is very committed to continuing our development under Trieu's leadership." Trieu Nguyen, director of Nor-Feed Vietnam and regional commercial director of Nor-Feed for Asia, said: "I am delighted to take this additional responsibility and lead Nor-Feed Vietnam, and thankful for the trust of Nor-Feed management. I am deeply convinced that sustainable farming is the way forward and our botanicals can play a significant positive role. We will work with our team to bring sustainable value to our partners." - Nor-Feed The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is acting on concerns crypto giant Binance may have broken the law with its US operations. The regulator has filed 13 charges against Binance and founder Changpeng Zhao accusing the two of violating securities laws. Most notably, officials claim Binance knowingly undermined its own international compliance controls to help US investors keep trading on Binance.com when they were only supposed to rely on the separate Binance.US system. Zhao and his company also controlled Binance.US "behind the scenes," the SEC alleges. The Commission also maintains that Binance and Zhao mixed and diverted customers' assets at will, including with the Zhao-owned Sigma Chain. The company and its US affiliate are further accused of running unregistered exchanges, broker-dealers and clearing agencies, with Zhao serving as the control. They also allegedly sold unregistered crypto assets, the SEC adds. The SEC aims to not only force Binance to comply with the law, but to bar Zhao from helming any domestic securities issuers. It also wants the company to disgorge its financial gains from the alleged violations, and to pay additional penalties. Binance says it's "disheartened" by the charges and maintains that it has participated in "good-faith" talks to reach a settlement. Reuters investigators reported that Binance commingled $20 million from a corporate account with $15 million for a customer-oriented example. The company denied the allegation, saying that the relevant accounts were only used to "facilitate" cryptocurrency purchases and that the funds were exclusively corporate. The SEC allegations come a few months after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed its own charges against Binance and Zhao. It too accused the crypto firm of skirting US regulations and offering unregistered crypto assets. Unlike the SEC, the CFTC charged former compliance officer Samuel Lim. The action against Binance is the latest phase in a broader crackdown against the crypto industry. FTX and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried are facing numerous charges over alleged fraud and bribery. New York State has sued former Celsius chief Alex Mashinsky over purported fraud, while the SEC has charged Terraform Labs with running a "multi-billion dollar" fradulent operation. Combine this with Congress' efforts to shape crypto policy and there's intense pressure on crypto exchanges to alter their practices. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing. 5 June 2023 On 1 June 2023, the Unitary Patent system entered into force across 17 EU Member States, signifying the single most important development in European patent history since the signing of the European Patent Convention on 5 October 1973, nearly fifty years ago. The new system brings a host of substantial improvements for users everywhere, including cost reductions, streamlined procedures, increased transparency and enhanced legal certainty. To mark this momentous occasion at its headquarters in Munich, the European Patent Office (EPO) organised a special hybrid event, entitled Welcoming the Unitary Patent System: A new era for innovation in Europe. In his opening remarks, EPO President Antonio Campinos underscored the vision, dedication and tireless efforts of all stakeholders involved in implementing the Unitary Patent system, while also highlighting the European patent regime as a key driver of innovation, with pre-eminent standing among innovators globally. "This new era is exactly what Europe needs right now," he said. "Because the patent system is at the core of bringing us technological breakthrough after breakthrough, providing the incentive for research, and the investment required to develop technologies." Among the event's many high-profile speakers, Swedish Minister for Justice Gunnar Strommer represented the EU Council Presidency. He celebrated the system's entry into force as a win for Europe that demonstrates Europeans' ability to collaborate and transcend national borders for a common goal. Looking at the Unitary Patent from a legal and business perspective, French Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti highlighted the benefits of legal certainty for both innovators and the broader public. These sentiments were echoed by Luxembourg's Minister of Economy Franz Fayot, who underlined the half-century of hard work and commitment that went into making the Unitary Patent system a reality. He also noted the system's role in helping to realise Europe's full potential in green and digital technologies. EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton spoke on the benefits that the new system will afford Europe in the global economy and urged stakeholders to build further on the collaboration and engagement seen to date. Klaus Grabinski, President of the Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), applauded the foresight of everyone who had envisaged and committed to a patent regime with unitary effect, ever since it was outlined in Article 142 of the European Patent Convention. Finally, Margot Frohlinger was celebrated for her visionary work and outstanding accomplishments in breathing life into the Unitary Patent system, initially while at the European Commission's Directorate General for the Internal Market and then as former Principal Director for Patent Law and Multilateral Affairs at the EPO. The entry into force of the Unitary Patent system was hailed at the event as a shining example of European collaboration and the hope was expressed that all EU Member States would join in time. The hybrid celebration was streamed live and drew more than 5000 viewers online. A recording is available via the link below. Further information: The Pound South African Rand (GBP/ZAR) exchange rate saw some volatile movements over the past week, although ultimately fell from its starting position. Much of the pairings movement was driven by action in the South African Rand (ZAR), with the Pound seeing little significant data over the past seven days. A UK bank holiday prompted the exchange rate to slip at the opening of last week. The Rand suffered from worsening sentiment over the course of the week as power cuts and the possibility of US sanctions harmed the countrys economic outlook. ZAR continued to hit fresh record-lows over the course of Wednesday and Thursday. Amid a lack of data, the Pound found support over much of the week from Bank of England (BoE) rate hike bets. Markets were seen pricing in up to 100bp of policy tightening from the central bank by the end of 2023. GBP/ZAR shed many of its gains on Friday following the latest US jobs data, however. Signs of a cooling labour market prompted mixed bets on further US Federal Reserve rate hikes. This provided some strength to the South African Rand. South African Rand (ZAR) Exchange Rates Strike Record-Lows amid Possibility of US Sanctions The South African Rand nosedived over the past seven days. On Monday the Rand was at a record-low following allegations from US diplomats that the country had been supplying weapons to Russia. Warnings from the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) of the harm US sanctions could have on the countrys economy dented confidence in ZAR. Tuesday saw the Rand continue its descent as investor sentiment around the emerging market currency soured further. ZAR struck fresh record-lows on Wednesday and Thursday as investors remain wary regarding the Rand. Fresh strength in the US Dollar also weighed on the Rand. However, the currency regained some lost ground on Friday as markets coalesced around the possibility of a rate hike pause from the US Federal Reserve. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Buoyed by BoE Rate Hike Bets The Pound (GBP) edged higher over the past week. A lack of significant data releases left Sterling largely at the mercy of market forces and BoE rate hike bets. Sterling was flat on Monday as the UK celebrated another national bank holiday. From Tuesday onwards, GBP caught bids off the back of expectations of additional Bank of England policy tightening. GBP also found support over the week from an improving market mood. The resolution of the US debt ceiling crisis saw investors favour riskier assets in the second half of the week. GBP/ZAR Exchange Rate Forecast: Will SA GDP Rebound Lift ZAR? The South African Rand could strengthen on Tuesday if first quarter GDP growth figures print as expected. The South African economy is forecast to have expanded by 1.1% in the first quarter of 2023. The data would represent a significant recovery from the previous quarters 1.3% contraction. Wednesdays business confidence figures could limit any potential gains for the Rand, however. Second quarter business confidence is expected to fall to 30 from a two-year low of 36. Persistent load shedding and weak performance in the SA economy could be key drivers behind the fall. Production data for SAs manufacturing sector could deepen losses for the Rand on Thursday if it prints as expected. Aprils production levels are forecast to decline by 2% after a 1.1% decline in March. Looking to the week ahead for the Pound, the final reading of Mays services PMI could lift the currency on Monday. The printing is expected to confirm a fourth consecutive month of growth in the UKs dominant private sector. On Tuesday, the latest retail sales data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) could also lift Sterling if it prints as expected. Mays retail sales are expected to increase by 5.4%, building on Aprils gains of 5.2%. Should a health-care program for low-income seniors, the disabled, kids, and pregnant mothers be co-opted by hundreds of thousands of healthy adults? Adults not even eligible for assistance? Since March 2020, thats been the reality for the Medicaid program. But this spring, states regained their ability for the first time in three years to clean eligibility rolls and preserve Medicaid benefits for those who need them most. At the outset of COVID-19, the federal government pressured and coerced states to stop routine Medicaid eligibility redeterminations in return for enhanced funding as part of the Public Health Emergency (PHE). That ended on March 31 of this year, and April saw states once again begin the formidable process of confirming participant eligibility. Its about time. A recent Paragon Health Institute study estimated that upwards of 18 million ineligible adults are using Medicaid. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 600,000 recipients are likely ineligible for Medicaid, and many of these ineligible recipients have other forms of insurance. In short, states like Pennsylvania will spend hundreds of millions on care for noneligible adults, while truly disabled individuals seeking care in a community setting sit on waiting lists. The clean-up process wont be easy. For a large state like Pennsylvania, this means verifying the eligibility of millions of Medicaid recipients. Staffing shortages may present challenges to the review process, but the real complications lie with the onerous Obama-Biden era fast-track eligibility rules. The federal governments Medicaid fast-track enrollment policy requires that state workers renew Medicaid benefits even after having little to no communication with the actual recipients. States use any information available rather than ask recipients to fill out forms. The policy allows recipients to give information about matters such as income without providing proof. States typically verify recipient eligibility once per year. And the federal government discourages states from reviewing more than one-ninth of their total caseload each month during the phase-out of the PHE. Thats not enough because many Medicaid recipients are transient, with fluctuating incomes. When a state finds an ineligible recipient, it must give the individual at least 90 days to respond. In other words, for each ineligible recipient, states must make three or more months of improper payments totaling tens of thousands of dollars with little chance to recoup improper benefit outlays. In short, the fast-track policy is an expensive, inefficient operational nightmare designed to keep people on Medicaid as long as possible. Each eligibility decision matters in a welfare entitlement program like Medicaid, where spending and resources depend on enrollment. In Pennsylvania, Medicaid costs have soared to $42 billion per year. Nearly 40% of all federal and state spending in the state is allocated to the Medicaid program. Moreover, Pennsylvania's Medicaid caseload ballooned from 2.2 million people in 2012 to 3.6 million in 2022. Prior to the pandemic, Pennsylvanias improper-payment rate had reached 14.24%, with most errors owing to erroneous eligibility determinations. In March, the state Office of the Inspector General (OIG) noted that the fraud rate across all Department of Human Services (DHS) programs is 40%. In other words, of the cases investigated by OIG, nearly half contained fraud. State and federal lawmakers should take steps to improve program integrity and protect resources for the most vulnerable. With the end of the PHEs continuous-eligibility policy, Pennsylvania should encourage DHS to prioritize redeterminations for those suspected to be ineligible. These may include instances where the state has information that the recipients employment or income has changed, information is outdated, or the claims data show that services havent been used recently. The state also should be ready to close cases quickly according to federal guidelines if the recipient does not respond. States should ensure that their Medicaid departments have ample resources to enforce eligibility and reduce improper payments. Lastly, states like Pennsylvania should start to use program-integrity tools, like data matches and links to credit bureaus to verify income. The federal government, in turn, should restore the ability of states to perform redeterminations more frequently, use more tools to verify information, and roll back the Obama-Biden fast-track policy. The Medicaid program has long been unsustainable, but the growth of ineligible recipients is pushing it over the edge. When a program becomes financially unsustainable, benefit cuts inevitably follow that will hurt vulnerable citizens the most. Working with Washington, state lawmakers must act now to improve program integrity and protect benefits for the truly needy. COLUMBUS Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that a nationwide search for the next general manager of the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair is now underway. During a joint news conference June 1, Virgil Strickler, who has served as the Expo Center and State Fairs general manager since 2004, announced that he will retire around the end of the year. Fairfield County native Strickler is the longest-running general manager in the history of the Ohio State Fair. He began his career at the Ohio Expo Center in 1993 as agriculture director and was then selected for the role of general manager in January 2004. Today is bittersweet. I will be forever grateful for the last three decades at the Ohio State Fair, Strickler said, in a statement. Ive grown up at fairs, and Ohios county and independent fairs are what makes our state fair so strong. Ive watched my children, and now grandchildren, grow up here. The state fair means so much to generations of Ohioans, and Im proud of the strong partnerships weve developed over the years, and how they have helped our state fair grow and improve each year. Strickler was instrumental in implementing the Ohio State Fairs nationally recognized Youth Reserve Program in 1995, which has awarded $4.6 million in scholarships to more than 44,500 youth exhibitors since its inception. In recognition of Stricklers dedication to the Ohio State Fair over the past three decades, DeWine renamed the program in his honor. The program will now be known as the Virgil L. Strickler Youth Reserve Program. Virgil has poured his all into these grounds over the past three decades, said Angela Krile, chair of the Ohio Expositions Commission, in a statement. He has paved the way for continued investments in our next generation of leaders and for great improvements at the Ohio Expo Center through the Expo 2050 Master Plan, and I am confident that both the Fair and Expo will continue his legacy of excellence and dedication to the youth of Ohio for years to come. Replacement search. Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz, who also serves as a member of the Ohio Expositions Commission, will chair the committee responsible for identifying candidates for the general manager position. Details about the position and how to apply are available at ohiostatefair.com and ohioexpocenter.com. Job applications will be accepted until Sept. 1, with the goal of having a new general manager in place by the start of the new year. More about Strickler. Stricklers professional history began when he worked as an agricultural lender in 1979 at BancOhio National Bank. He then moved on to Producers Livestock Association, where he remained through 1993 when he started as the agricultural director at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair. In fact, through his 30 years of service, Strickler continued to hold this position as agricultural director and oversees the more than 20,000 agricultural, livestock, and horse show entries at the Ohio State Fair. He was promoted to Assistant General Manager in 1998. At his direction, facility improvements such as air conditioning and ventilation improvements occurred in several buildings, and innovative award-winning agricultural education programs were introduced. Outside of the fair, Strickler serves on the Ohio Fair Managers Association board, and has been actively involved in a number of other boards and organizations including the Ohio Department of Agriculture Livestock Exhibition Advisory Board, Ohio Agricultural Council, Ohio Amusement Ride Safety Board, Experience Columbus and the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. Strickler has been recognized with several industry awards including the 4-H Fifth H Award for his contribution to youth development (2000), the Honorary American FFA Degree (2018), and the Meritorious Service Award from The Ohio State University (2019) and the Ohio Friend of 4-H Award (2023). He was also inducted into the Ohio Fair Managers Association Hall of Fame (2014), as well as the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame (2017). A new marketplace which aims to empower UK farmers and food producers has launched, pioneering a digital transformation in the farm-to-table movement. In collaboration with renowned barrister and YouTube personality Daniel ShenSmith, also known as the BlackBeltBarrister, and Versla Marketplace, Eggsdirect.co.uk has launched today (5 June). This initiative, fuelled by the BlackBeltBarrister's YouTube community's generous support, aims to empower UK farmers and food producers, pioneering a digital transformation in the farm-to-table movement. Born from the challenges of the Covid pandemic, Eggsdirect.co.uk serves as a countermeasure to unjust supermarket practises that disadvantage farmers through lower prices and aesthetic preferences. Originally aimed at egg suppliers, the platform has broadened its scope to accommodate a wider range of farmers and food producers. Eggsdirect.co.uk streamlines the online sale of farm goods. Its user-friendly interface offers free, unlimited listings, no monthly fees, and a nominal 2% sale fee capped at 1 per sale. Eggsdirect.co.uk streamlines the online sale of farm goods Stripe secures all transactions, ensuring a trustworthy and safe marketplace for both sellers and buyers. Additionally, Eggsdirect.co.uk provides farmers with a unique chance to establish an online presence with a free webshop, allowing them to use their own domain or a free custom subdomain under Farmshop.direct. Understanding the challenges posed by technology, the team at Eggsdirect.co.uk extends their support to sellers less acquainted with digital platforms. They welcome sellers to reach out for assistance in setting up their online presence and have plans for continual platform enhancements. Originally aimed at egg suppliers, the platform has broadened its scope The Eggsdirect team invites the community to join their endeavour, which is set to revolutionise the online presence of the farming industry. Together, we can sow the seeds for a sustainable future. For more information about EggsDirect, visit its website. Learn more about the partnership and the initial campaign via BlackBeltBarrister's YouTube channel. Elon Musk has criticised a proposal by the Irish government which would see hundreds of thousands of cows culled to combat the climate crisis. The hugely influential CEO of Tesla took to Twitter over the weekend to slam the controversial plan, which is part of the country's effort to meet climate targets. According to a Telegraph report, the Irish government has proposed to slash the national dairy herd by 10% meaning a cull of 65,000 cows a year for three years. Elon Musk, who is also the CEO of Twitter and numerous other companies, said such policies "really need to stop". "The push to end life, of both animals and humans, in the name of climate activism is fundamentally evil," a Twitter user posted on 3 June. "This really needs to stop," Mr Musk commented back, adding "killing some cows doesnt matter for climate change." This really needs to stop. Killing some cows doesnt matter for climate change. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 3, 2023 Ireland has approximately 2.5 million dairy and beef cows, according to the provisional Irish June Livestock Survey published by AHDB. Beef and dairy account for around two-thirds of its agricultural output, with around 90 percent of the produce exported. Responding to the viral media reports, Ireland's Department for Agriculture said the proposal was just a "modelling document". A spokesperson said: "The paper referred to was part of a deliberative process it is one of a number of modelling documents considered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and is not a final policy decision. "As part of the normal work of government departments, various options for policy implementation are regularly considered." In March, Elon Musk sent another sign of support to the global farming industry in response to a video posted by a Twitter user of a farmer protest in Belgium. A three-year project spanning eight European countries including the UK has identified nearly 100 solutions to farmers sheep health and nutrition needs. Eurosheep, a knowledge sharing project which started in 2020, aims to enhance the viability of sheep farms by improving their technical performance. The consortium found 61 common needs relating to sheep health and nutrition across the partner countries of Ireland, UK, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Greece and Turkey. The project, funded by EU Horizon 2020, identified 96 solutions - 47 on health and 49 on nutrition - and 52 tips and tricks relating to these needs. These included practical information on Iceberg diseases and good management for fattening lambs and guidelines on foot-bathing. It also included the use of tools to measure the energy and nutritional value of forages or feed, and for farmers to record grazing activities. The project conducted 53 cost benefits on selected solutions and created 26 factsheets when the solutions did not answer the needs. Dr Claire Morgan-Davies, a livestock systems scientist at SRUC, said the project had been an "incredible" source of knowledge exchanges and discussions between farmers and researchers. The final seminar in the south of France was the culmination of the project work," she said. "It was a great opportunity for the UK farmers we took with us to experience first-hand the issues from the other countries and visit French sheep farms in pastoral mountain areas. Eurosheep held its final seminar in France last month, before the project ends on 30 June. All the materials were translated into seven languages and made available on the project's website. Farm leaders and dozens of police forces are coming together for the first time to discuss the growing rural crime wave sweeping Britain. Industry bodies such as the NFU and NFU Mutual will meet with representatives from 40 police forces to discuss a surge in machinery and equipment thefts, livestock rustling and fly-tipping. The National Rural Crime Unit Conference, taking place today (5 June) in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire will examine ways of combatting these huge rises in cases. Industry groups have said there is an urgent need to improve police and industry co-ordination and problem solving to combat rural crime. The event, launched by the NFU, will include raising awareness across rural communities, preventative measures, and sharing key information and intelligence. As an example of the rural crime spike, research from NFU Mutual has revealed the cost of GPS theft in the first four months of 2023 exceeded 500,000. This was more than double compared to the same period last year. In April, thieves stole tractor GPS systems worth approximately 150,000 across farms in Norfolk. NFU vice president David Exwood, who is hosting the event, said highly organised gangs of criminals continued to plague the British countryside. Todays conference demonstrates the importance of a collaborative approach with farmers, policymakers and police forces working together effectively at national and local level to help protect farmers. Bob Henderson, NFU Mutual lead on rural crime, explained that specialist police support was highly effective in tackling rural crime. "Since NFU Mutual funded and set up a dedicated agricultural vehicle theft unit in 2010 it has shared intelligence, delivered training, and worked with police forces to seize millions of pounds of stolen machinery. "This team is now part of the new Rural Crime Unit which will strengthen work at a national level so that specialist police resources can be targeted where they are needed most." Head of the National Rural Crime Unit, Superintendent Andy Huddleston, accepted "the need and want to do more" to fight rural crime. I am grateful to the NFU and NFU Mutual in helping us host this first ever meeting of all rural crime operational Inspectors from across all regions of the UK. The many rural crime leads at this meeting are doing great work across the UK both operationally and strategically to tackle these crimes. The newly formed National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) is designed to do this and support UK police forces combat the organised crime groups that target rural communities. Scottish businesses extracting water are being urged to put their water scarcity plans into action as fears of a summer drought in Scotland have been raised. Below average rainfall in May has led to a deteriorating water scarcity situation, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) warned on Monday (5 June). It comes after the UK-wide National Drought Group (NDG) recently called on farmers and growers to focus on preserving water now amid increasingly uncertain weather patterns. Now SEPA has confirmed that the Loch Maree area in the Highlands has moved from 'alert' level to 'moderate scarcity', the second highest risk level. In addition, the lack of rain and increasingly dry ground conditions means 12 areas in the Northwest and Southern Central region are now in alert level. Most of the rest of the country is now at 'early warning', with North Aberdeenshire the only area that remains at 'normal conditions'. Little rain is forecast for the next few weeks, and the water scarcity situation is expected to escalate quickly, SEPA warned. Nathan Critchlow-Watton, head of water at SEPA, called for businesses extracting water to manage water wisely in the coming weeks and months. He said: "This is a crucial time of year for water demand, but with no rain in the forecast we cannot rule out needing to impose restrictions over the summer. "Abstractors should already have contingency plans in place in case restrictions are needed to avoid long-term damage to the environment and fish populations All of us have a responsibility in managing our water environment, this summer and beyond." According to SEPA, Scotland received only 44% of the long-term average rainfall across the country in May. With little rainfall forecast in the next week across Scotland, the agency said the situation could "escalate quickly and extend across a much wider area". The Loch Maree area in the Highlands has recorded prolonged extremely low river flows. The surrounding areas of the Northwest Highlands, extending down to Loch Ness, are also experiencing very low river levels so have moved to alert level. Areas in the Southern Central region that have increased to alert level include the Clyde, parts of Dumfries and Galloway, and South Lanarkshire. At the most recent meeting of the National Drought Group (NDG), in April, water experts highlighted the importance of not relying on the weather alone to keep drought at bay. The NDG - made up of senior decision-makers from the Environment Agency, government and key farming groups - said it was preparing for the worst case scenario of another hot, dry spell this summer. NDG chair John Leyland, who is also Environment Agency's executive director, said: A dry February followed by an particularly wet March has highlighted that we cannot rely on the weather alone to preserve our most precious resource ahead of summer. This is why the Environment Agency, water companies and our partners continue to take action to ensure water resources are in the best possible position both for the summer and for future droughts." What is the advice for Scottish farmers? SEPA has issued advice for abstractors - including farmers - on how to manage water wisely: Check SEPAs website and regular water scarcity reports so you are aware of the water situation in your area. Regularly check your abstraction equipment to make sure its in good condition and fix any leaks straight away. Where possible, reduce the volume and rate of your abstractions. Businesses should also put in place a contingency plan if suspensions are put in place: Have you any stored water available? Can you switch to an alternative source, if available within your current authorisation? Can you temporarily switch to ground water? Work together with neighbours and stagger abstractions to make best use of available water. Alexander Lukashenko "passed out" and was "bleeding from everywhere" after a recent visit to see his ally Vladimir Putin. Alexander Lukashenko was 'bleeding from everywhere' after falling ill in Moscow The Belarusian tyrant was taken ill in Moscow last month in an incident which is thought to have been covered up and opposition politician Valery Tsepkalo claims to have received information about Lukashenko's "incurable" condition from Russian doctors who treated him at the Kremlin hospital. The Belarus leader's ill-health led to claims of Russian poisoning but Tsepkalo has explained that his medical sources indicate that Lukashenko has a serious genetic cardiovascular disease and is likely to "relapse". Tespkalo - a former presidential candidate who has been forced into exile - said: "I am absolutely convinced that if the Kremlin wanted to poison him, they would have already poisoned him. "That's why they did everything possible to save him." He continued: "When it happened, almost all (leading) doctors of Moscow, the best specialists, were (mobilised) in the night. "There was a blood transfusion or his blood was cleansed in some way to prevent (clots). "I know that he was bleeding from everywhere. And there truly is a very serious genetic disease, a cardiovascular disease. "It is absolutely clear that it is incurable... he will relapse. "My information comes from (Russian) doctors who were woken up at night (to treat him)." Arnold Schwarzenegger felt like his "heart stopped" when his then-wife Maria Shriver confronted him about his love child. Arnold Schwarzenegger told Maria Shriver about his love child during a joint therapy session 'The Terminator' star's 25-year marriage fell apart back in 2011 after it was revealed he had fathered a son named Jospeh with their housekeeper Mildred Baena - and in a new Netflix documentary about his life the actor/politician has revealed Maria asked him about the rumours during one of their joint therapy sessions. Speaking in new series 'Arnold', he described the moment he finally told the truth, saying: "One day, the counsellor said: Today Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if youre the father of Joseph. I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth. "'Yes, Maria. Joseph is my son. She was obviously crushed by that." Arnold and Maria married in 1986 and welcomed four children together before they split in 2011 following the revelations about the Hollywood star's affair with Mildred. He explained Mildred continued to work as the family's housekeeper after their illicit romance ended and Joseph grew up thinking his mum's ex-husband Rogelio was his dad. However, Arnold says that as Joseph got older, it became increasingly obvious they were related. He added in the Netflix series: "In the beginning, I really didnt know, but the older he got, the more it became clear to me. It was then just a matter of: How do you keep this quiet?'" He added: "I have caused enough pain for my family, because of my f***-up. Everyone had to suffer. Maria had to suffer, the kids had to suffer, Joseph, his mother, everyone. Im going to have to live with that for the rest of my life." Arnold has looked after Mildred and even bought her a house where she could live with Joseph following the breakdown of her marriage, and the actor has grown close to his son after discovering the truth about his parentage. He added of 25-year-old Joseph: "I saw Joseph developing into a fantastic human being. It was wrong what I did but I dont want Joseph to think hes not welcome in this world because he is very much welcome and I love him. He has turned out to be an extraordinary young man." Paul Oakenfold is being sued by a former personal assistant, who claimed he repeatedly masturbated in front of her. Paul Oakenfold has been accused of sexual harassment The 59-year-old DJ is the subject of a lawsuit from a 24-year-old woman identified only as Jane Roe, who accused the 'Swordfish' soundtrack composer of sexual harassment and workplace violations. In court documents filed in Los Angeles on Friday (02.06.23) and obtained by Deadline, the accuser alleged two companies run by CEO Paul Stepanek New Frequency Management and Stepanek Management Oakenfold, and various unnamed men violated her employment rights, and she is seeking damages of over $25,000. The woman explained she took a job at the management companies in October 2022 and was assigned to be the Grammy-nominated DJ's personal assistant for $20 an hour, working out of his home. She alleged that one her first day and on three other separate dates, Oakenfold exposed himself and masturbated in front of her, doing so four times in one single day. The accuser told how she "froze in fear and shock" as a result of the DJ's alleged behaviour, and told how on one occasion, as she drove him home from the post office, the musician allegedly sat in the passenger seat of her car and spread his legs wide, and proceeded to masturbate with Plaintiff only inches away. Roe reportedly froze in fear and shock as a result of the older mans alleged indecent exposure. Jane reported what had happened to the management and claimed she was presented with a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and stopped from returning to work when she refused to sign it. The woman - who claimed she was threatened with dismissal - eventually signed the document "under duress" and was allowed to return to work, but was assigned away from the DJ. But the plaintiff claimed her hours were reduced and she was eventually let go in March 2023 due to a "lack of work". The lawsuit stated: "Defendants terminated Plaintiff not for any legitimate reason, but in retaliation for Plaintiff's complaints about the aforementioned sexual harassment, in violation of the law." In 2022, China surpassed India to become the top buyer of Egyptian cotton, known for its extra-long fibres and smooth yarn. India was the top buyer for Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton of Egypt during 2021. There was a decrease in Egyptian exports to India, in contrast to a substantial increase in exports to China. Egyptian cotton is characterised by its extra-long fibres, smaller in diameter than typical cotton. When these finer, longer fibres are combed and spun, they produce smooth yarn, which in turn yields smooth, soft cloth when woven. Egyptian cotton exports to China in 2022 were valued at $116.934 million, accounting for 43.09 per cent of the total shipment. India, the second largest market, imported cotton worth $75.152 million, which made up 27.69 per cent of the total. Among the top five markets, Pakistan received 14.17 per cent of the shipment, Vietnam 5.37 per cent, and Bangladesh 3.77 per cent, according to Fibre2Fashions market insight tool TexPro. In 2022, China became the top buyer of Egyptian cotton, surpassing India. Egypt's cotton exports to China amounted to $116.934 million, constituting 43.09 per cent of total exports. Chinese industry increased its cotton sourcing globally due to restrictions on exporting garments to the US made from cotton produced in China's Xinjian region. This pattern of buyer distribution greatly contrasts with that of 2021, when cotton exports from Egypt to India were valued at $143.985 million, making up 65.58 per cent of total exports. Meanwhile, shipments to Pakistan constituted 15.32 per cent, Bangladesh 10.17 per cent, and China just 2.34 per cent of the total. Indian trade sources attribute this drastic shift in trade dynamics to significant delays in shipments by multinational cotton trading firms, which forced Indian buyers to stall their purchasing plans in 2022. This happened during a period when the natural fibre reached record high prices. Conversely, the Chinese industry had to source cotton globally, as they were unable to export garments to the US that were made from cotton produced in China's Xinjian region. According to TexPro, the value of Egyptian cotton exports rose to $258.538 million in 2022 (133.158 million kg), up from $219.479 million (129.395 million kg) in 2021. Prior to this, the figures were $161.923 million (99.102 million kg) in 2020, $165.233 million (66.980 million kg) in 2019, and $219.479 million (124.054 million kg) in 2018. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) The Philippine department of trade and industry (DTI) has set up a mechanism to monitor imports as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) took effect in the country beginning June 2. At DTI, we have established an import monitoring system to detect any unwarranted surge in import so that necessary trade remedies or policy interventions can be made immediately. This tool is available to stakeholders for monitoring import volumes of specific commodities, trade secretary Alfredo Pascual told a recent press conference in Makati City. As the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership took effect in the Philippines beginning June 2, the country set up a mechanism to monitor any unwarranted surge in imports so that necessary trade remedies or policy interventions can be implemented. The mechanism aims to build confidence among players threatened by increased imports from RCEP nations. The mechanism aims to build confidence among domestic players, especially those that are threatened by increased imports from other RCEP member nations, he said. Pascual urged Philippine enterprises to take advantage of the RCEP, a news agency reported. The Import Surge Monitoring System dashboard was launched by the Bureau of Import Services (BIS) on May 31, DTI assistant secretary Allan Gepty, who is the countrys lead negotiator in RCEP, said. This will empower Philippine industries and stakeholders to monitor competing products imported by some companies, he added. Domestic industries may enroll with the BIS for accessing import-related information and analytics, he said. If there are unwarranted, sudden and sharp increase in imports, stakeholders can initiate trade remedies like safeguard measures, he clarified. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Bollywood superstars have a positive influence and are always helping to spread awareness of environmental issues.These celebrities are advocating for environmentally friendly habits and encouraging people to take action through campaigns, initiatives, and advocacy. In the end, overcoming environmental problems and advancing towards a sustainable and greener future depends heavily on the coordinated efforts of individuals, including stars. There are various Bollywood celebrities making efforts to safeguard Mother Earth in honour of World Environment Day today. Take a look: By her affiliation with UNICEF, Priyanka Chopra Jonas has contributed to the advancement of sustainable lifestyles and the improvement of the environment for young people. She has also backed a number of environmental campaigns that stress how important it is to live sustainably and with the environment. The actor took part in a prominent campaign named "Greenthon." This campaign emphasised encouraging people to adopt sustainable lifestyles and promoting eco-friendly behaviours. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a group that promotes animal care and rights, has been supported by Amitabh Bachchan multiple times. He helps raise awareness of the moral treatment of animals and the value of their protection by being affiliated with PETA. In order to spread the word about India's vulnerability to climate change, the venerable actor also collaborated with the Indian Film Academy and the international nonprofit Global Cool. This collaboration intended to inform people about the effects of climate change and the necessity of taking action as a community to lessen those effects. Dia Mirza has spoken out about environmental concerns like climate change, animal protection, and sustainable living as the UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India. The actor has been a vocal supporter of waste management and has stressed the significance of garbage segregation. She collaborates with the Wildlife Trust of India, a youth-focused initiative of the Swachh Bharat Mission. As a participant in the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, Dia actively backs programmes that aim to safeguard wildlife and their natural habitats. Coexist is a movement started by Alia Bhatt that strives to educate people about the harmony that exists between nature and human life. The actress talks about the necessity for peaceful coexistence with nature through this project, as well as the effects of human activity on the ecosystem. Her dedication to animal welfare is well known. Alia has participated in animal adoption initiatives and spoken out strongly on the value of protecting and caring for animals. She has taken a leading role in initiatives to lessen plastic pollution. Using the hashtag #BeatPlasticPollution, she launched a social media campaign to persuade people to use less plastic and look for alternatives. The construction of a solar power plant in the Gujarati district of Patan is one notable project under Ajay Devgn's leadership. This endeavour demonstrates his dedication to using renewable energy sources to provide electricity. He increases awareness of the advantages of renewable energy and its potential to lead to a brighter future by vigorously pushing and advocating for eco-friendly energy alternatives. His initiatives encourage others to think about and incorporate sustainable energy techniques into their daily lives. The purpose of World Environment Day is to increase public awareness of environmental problems and motivate people to take action. Everyone should support environmental preservation efforts and spread awareness of sustainable habits, including celebrities. Rakul Preet Singh Bikini Pics: Actress Rakul Preet Singh is currently enjoying her time in the Maldives. The Chhatriwali actor unleashed her beach baby avatar by sharing enticing pictures that make us wish we could drop everything and go on a vacation too. However, since that's not possible, we can only live vicariously through Rakul's lens as she shares wonderful moments from her trip on social media, allowing us to virtually be a part of her fantastic holiday in the pristine Maldives. In the meantime, the actress has been shelling out some major vacation goals in style and has set the internet ablaze by flaunting her sensuous body. Rakul Preet Singh set the internet ablaze with red bikini pics from her Maldives vacation Rakul Preet Singh has been having her best time in the picturesque background of the island nation. She dropped some swoon-worthy red bikini pictures, which she recently shared on Instagram. "Wild and free, just like the sea," Rakul wrote while sharing the photographs. The Bollywood beauty wore a stunning red halter-neck bralette featuring a detailed ruched pattern, which she paired with a bottom of the same colour. IIFA 2023: Rakul Preet Singh Shares Glimpse Of Her Performance Prep; Proves She Can Look Good In Anything! She teamed the red beachwear with a gorgeous red georgette shrug and sported a pair of uber-cool sunglasses, making her look uber cool. As she poses for the camera, Rakul dips her feet into the wet sand. To complete her look, she left her hair open in beachy, long waves and flashed her cute smile, winning her fans' hearts yet again. Fans react to Rakul Preet Singh Soon, Rakul's fans rushed to compliment the actress and call her hot. One wrote, "Kis kis ki crush h rakul wo like karo." Another fan added, "Aap Sach Me Bahut Khubsurat Ho." "Red hot," said one fan. One fan wrote, "Rakul Samandar Me Aag lag Jayegi." "Too hot to resist," one commented. She shared another post donning a gorgeous orange bodycon dress that has side cut-outs, flaunting her hourglass figure and giving off mermaid vibes. Vijay Varma, Tamannaah Bhatia Madly In LOVE With Each Other? Gulshan Devaiah Teasingly Says: Kuch Toh Hai.. Rakul Preet on the work front Rakul Preet Singh has a series of interesting films in her kitty, which include director Mudassar Aziz's romantic comedy Meri Patni Ka Remake with Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar. Next, she has the Tamil-language film Ayalaan, starring Sivakarthikeyan, and Kamal Haasan-starrer Indian 2. Writer, Producer and Actor Harman Baweja is making a lot of headlines right now for his comeback in Hansal Mehta's latest web show titled 'Scoop'. Portraying the role of JCP Shroff, who's pivotal to the story, Harman shines in his first long-format show. After being away from the screen for a decade, the actor has made a smashing return and fans can't be happier. Winning the audiences and critics with his noteworthy performance in the Netflix series, Harman is being hailed for playing an extremely complex character with such ease. Calling 'Scoop' a career defining performance, critics are lauding the actor for taking over the role of 'Shroff' with both, simplicity and intensity. Harman Baweja seamlessly breathes life into this character of a senior cop. Rejoicing his return to the industry, fans are already making the actor trend on social media, urging him to do more such interesting roles. Being addressed as a treat to watch in the web show, Baweja is surely here to steal hearts once again. Overhwhelmed with the response received Harman Baweja said "What can I say, sometimes things are meant to happen. I was genuinely reluctant to do the part, I was busy writing- producing films but it's hard to say no to a filmmaker like Hansal. I'm elated with the response and I'd like to thank all the critics and audiences who've shown their appreciation for my work." 'Scoop' is a six episodes series that revolves around a spine-chilling murder case and uncovers a web involving the media, underworld and the Mumbai Police. Apart from this gripping drama series, Harman Baweja is actively writing and producing films under his banner, Baweja Studios. From the, Hindi adaption of the critically acclaimed Malayalam film, 'The Great Indian Kitchen' with Sanya Malhotra playing the lead to many more interesting projects lined up that are yet to be announced. Abishek Ambareesh Marries Aviva Bidapa Photo Credit: Gallery Abishek Ambareesh-Aviva Bidapa Wedding: Ambareesh- Sumalatha's son Abishek and Aviva tied the nuptial knot on June 5 at Manikya Chamara Vajra Kalyanamantapa in Bengaluru. The couple wedded as per the Vokkaliga tradition and the who's who from the southern film industries and political parties attended the event. Superstar Rajinikanth and veteran Mohan Babu are some of the seniors who were spotted at the event. Many politicians from the BJP party, Tollywood, Kollywood, and Sandalwood celebrities were spotted at the do. Abhishek Ambarish tied the sacred thali called Mangalya dharana, without his wife. According to the information, there is also a tradition of male-carrying as per Okkaliga tradition. Aviva Biddappa's parents brought the son-in-law to Hasemana. As the traditions took place, Ambarish was seen flaunting his million-dollar smile as his friends and relatives cheered for him. Ahead of D-Day, a proper traditional haldi, mehendi, and sangeet ceremony was held for close friends and families. Several pictures from these events have become viral on the internet. The newlyweds have paid a heart-touching tribute to the groom's father, veteran Sandalwood personality and politician Ambareesh, on his 71st birthday. The couple danced to some songs of Ambareesh and the video of the same was shared on the Twitter handle of Abishek. Before entering the wedlock, Abishek Ambareesh and Aviva have been in a relationship for a long time. Stay tuned for more updates about the wedding. Abishek Ambareesh & Avivas Wedding Photo Credit: Twitter The only son of actors-turned-politicians, Sandalwood industry's Rebel star late Ambareesh and Sumalatha, Abishek Ambareesh finally tied the wedding knot with a model-cum-entreprenuer Aviva Bidapa. Abishek-Ambareesh's Wedding: The event was spread over three days including the D-Day and the pre-wedding festivities. The couple got married as per one of the popular traditions among kannadiga's called Vokkaliga. Guests At The Abishek-Ambareesh's Wedding Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, groom's mother has extended invitations to not only the political fraternity of her party but also to the Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi industries. As a result, from superstar Rajinikanth and Mohan Babu, who shared a good rapport with late Ambareesh, to the Rocking star Yash and his wife Radhika Pandit, to Kichcha Sudeep, the A-listers have lit up the couple's wedding venue. Country's Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu was also seen blessing the new couple. In addition, there are several other actors and actresses who made an appearance. Check out few pictures and videos from the wedding, below. Rajinikanth Blesses Aviva & Abishek Ambareesh Photo Credit: Twitter .#AbishekAmbareesh and #AvivaBidapa blissfully unite as they tie the sacred knot at a splendid wedding ceremony held today at the #PalaceGrounds They are blessed by @sumalathaA, adding an extra touch of happiness to their special day. @XpressBengaluru pic.twitter.com/5j6sQOUYT0 A Sharadhaa (@sharadasrinidhi) June 5, 2023 Ahead of the D-Day, a proper traditional haldi, mehendi, and sangeeth ceremony were held for the close friends and families. Several pictures from these events have become viral on the internet. Stay tuned for more updates about the wedding. Aviva is a popular model and a fashion designer, who is also an entrepreneur. She floated an exclusive resort & swimwear along with a jewelry line called Aviva Jewellery. Aviva was earlier married to Vikram Mehta, and the couple divorced in 2016. She then got engaged and subsequently married Abishek Ambareesh. The newlyweds have paid a heart-touching tribute to the groom's father, veteran Sandalwood personality and politician Ambareesh, on his 71st birthday. The couple danced to some songs of Ambareesh, and the video of the same was shared on the Twitter handle of Abishek. Before entering wedlock, Abishek Ambareesh and Aviva have been in a relationship for a long time. Actor Shane Nigam Reacts To Shraddha's Death: The recent death of Shraddha, a second-year food technology student at Kanjirappally Amal Jyothi Engineering College, has sparked widespread outrage and calls for action. Actor Shane Nigam took to social media to express his grief and urge authorities not to dismiss this incident as an isolated case. He emphasised the need for Kerala Government to listen to students who have been vocal about the problems they face. Kollam Sudhi's Untimely Demise Shakes The Industry: Mammootty, Asif Ali, And Peers Pay Heartfelt Tribute In a heartfelt post on his Facebook page, Shane Nigam addressed the incident at Amal Jyothi Engineering College and urged the concerned education department and government authorities in Kerala to refrain from considering it an isolated occurrence. He stressed the need for college authorities to prioritise the safety and mental health of their students, as parents entrust them with their children's future. Shane Nigam's message resonated with many who believe that the voices of students should be heard and appropriate measures should be taken to address their issues. Tragic Death of Shraddha Prompts Calls For Action Shraddha, a Thiruvankulam native from Tripunithura in Ernakulam district, was tragically discovered hanging in her hostel room on Friday evening, reportedly after her mobile phone was confiscated by college authorities. Her family alleges that the mental torment inflicted by a teacher played a significant role in her death. They also accuse the college authorities of deliberately neglecting to seek immediate medical assistance for Shraddha. According to Shraddha's classmates, the unfortunate chain of events began when the college authorities reprimanded her for using her mobile phone in the college laboratory. They confiscated her phone for two days and called Shraddha's parents from Ernakulam to collect it. The head of the department summoned Shraddha to his office, where she was subjected to a scolding. Shortly after this incident, Shraddha confided in friends about contemplating suicide and expressed her exhaustion with life. Kollam Sudhi's Son Rahul Bursts Into Tears At The Hospital, Leaves Colleagues Devastated When the college authorities informed Shraddha's family about the incident, they cited her declining marks in the semester examination, which likely added to her distress. The family alleges that Shraddha took her own life due to the mental anguish and humiliation she experienced at the hands of the college authorities. This tragic event has sparked outrage and demands for accountability within the educational system. Calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Shraddha's death and the implementation of necessary reforms to prevent similar incidents have grown stronger. In the world of education and charitable giving, Dr. Tarita Shankar is a well-known and respected figure. She has been a pioneer in the field of education for about three decades, during which time she has played a significant role in forming the vision and principles of the Indira Group of Institutes (IGI), which is located in Pune, Maharashtra. Generations of students have had their hopes and goals realised, thanks to her dedication and the efforts of Indira Group of Institutes (IGI), which has evolved into a comprehensive educational complex. Dr. Shankar is a proponent of the holistic development of children and considers it an essential component of education. As a result, she has made it a priority to guarantee that all aspects of students' well-being, including their physical, mental, and social health, are given equal weight. Dr. Shankar is actively involved in a wide variety of charitable and humanitarian projects, in addition to the work she does in the field of education. One of these programmes is the CARE Club, which provides students, alumni, and staff with emotional support, guidance, and inspiration. It was established as a trust in accordance with the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act of 1950. The Club participates in a variety of charitable endeavours, including the Mid-Day Meal Initiative, the Indira Sustainable Maharashtra Initiative, the Alumni Entrepreneurship Fund, and the Late Anita Gangal Awards, among others. The foresight and passion of Dr. Shankar have made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of students and assisted them in realising their ambitions. Aishwarya, the daughter of legendary actress Lakshmi, has her own irreplaceable position in the industry by acting in important roles in several languages including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. Though she has not been playing important roles in movies these days, she made a sensation by appearing in an interview, where she revealed her present state. Since then, she has been making the headlines every now and then. Recently, she appeared in an interview given to a popular YouTube channel, and opened up about what happened during the shooting of her movie Meera, where she starred opposite Chiyaan Vikram. Calling it the worst experience, Aishwarya said, "The lip lock scene was shot in a worst possible manner. We both were asked to stand in knee-deep water in the studio. I was ready for it, but the place where I stepped was very dirty and disgusting." She further went on to add, "I didn't even want to set foot in it. So, when I went near Vikram, I didn't really feel romantic. When the scene was shot I was extremely disgusted and wanted to throw up." She further added, "Vikram and I did not get along well when the shooting was started. We were like cat and mouse. But eventually we got along well when we were in the middle of the schedule. But the sad part was that the lip lock scene was shot when we were not getting along well." For the unversed, Meera was directed by popular cinematographer PC Sreeram. Aishwarya, who took a sabbatical from acting, started her YouTube channel during the pandemic lockdown where she takes the viewers through her life as a cat parent. She is also an entrepreneur and has been selling her products through social media. Recently, she has been sharing statuses from the sets to a yet-to-be launched mega serial. Gufi Paintal Death: Veteran actor best-known for playing Shakuni Mama in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, who was hospitalised owing to age-related issues, breathed his last on Monday morning, June 5. The actor's last rites took place in Mumbai in the afternoon. The actor was 79. Gufi Paintal aka Shakuni mama passes away Meanwhile, Paintal's family and friends from the industry gathered to pay their last respects to the late star. In an interview, his nephew, Hiten Paintal, stated that the actor suffered from heart failure and died around 9 a.m. Gufi Paintal is survived by his son, Harry Paintal, a daughter-in-law, and a grandchild. Who Was Gufi Paintal? All About The Veteran Star Who Rose To Fame With Mahabharat As SHAKUNI MAMA Gufi Paintal's brother Kanwarjit and his nephew Hiten were clicked carrying the mortal remains of the late actor. Kanwarjit was in tears as he paid his last tribute to his brother. It is indeed a heavy personal loss for the family, and they were all seen teary-eyed. Actor Surendra Pal, who was seen in the role of iconic Dronacharya in Mahabharat too, was seen paying his last respects to his co-star and spotted wiping his tears. Actor Feroz Khan, who played Arjun in Mahabharat, made sure to be his friend's family during this hour of personal crisis. He, too, was seen getting emotional. The veteran actor's son, Harry, lit up the pyre and broke down while he was walking to the crematorium. Born Sarabjeet Singh Paintal, Gufi Paintal was in the army before becoming an actor. His brother, Kanwarjit Paintal, was already a big name in Bollywood. Besides films, Gufi has also worked as a casting director and directed shows. Gufi Paintal Health Update: Mahabharat's SHAKUNI MAMA Is Stable, Son Harry Says: But Despite This Lot Of Earlier, talking about the actor's health condition, his nephew Hiten had told news agency PTI, "He had blood pressure and heart issues. He was keeping unwell for a while. Things got serious, so we got him to the hospital for observation. He has been in the hospital for seven to eight days. He was critical initially, but right now he is stable." During a conversation with Zoom Digital, Punit Issa said, "I spoke to him about 3-4 days before he went to the hospital, and he said, 'Puneet, I want to do the shows ya, don't worry.' He is a fighter, of what I remember of him, at that age, the zeal to perform and to work, to stand for 3 hours in one show and then once again in another show, and with his age." Our sincere condolences to the Paintal family. Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai has been one of the most loved family dramas of Indian television and has been witnessing an interesting plot these days which has managed to keep the audience hooked. To note, the show features Harshad Chopda, Pranali Rathod and Jay Soni in the lead and fans are in awe of this trio's onscreen equation. Amid this, Harshad Chopda has been the talk of the town for his impressive performance as Abhimanyu in the show. He has certainly managed to leave everyone in awe of his swag and the ladies can't get enough of his charm. As Harshad continues to make headlines for his performance in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, did you know that the handsome hunk is charging a whopping amount per episode for the show which is with a luxurious trip to Thailand? According to a report published in Bollywood Life, Harshad is charging between 60K to 70K per episode for his stint on Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. Clearly, it can sponsor a week long luxurious trip to Thailand. To note, the family drama marks Harshad's first collaboration with Pranali and fans are in awe of their chemistry. Interestingly, there are reports about Harshad and Pranali dating each other. However, the dup clarified saying, "There is nothing like that. At the moment, we all are concentrating on our work and these trophies we won at the Indian Telly Awards is the proof that we need to work more". On the other hand, Harshad also opened up about his ideal partner and told Telly Chakkar, "I have an idea of a partner, what we need in life is cooperation and what we need in life is companionship, and I think that's it. If you can find someone who makes your life easy, what more do you need". Khatron Ke Khiladi 13: TV buffs have been eagerly waiting for Rohit Shetty's show ever since the first promo was unveiled. The new season promises to take the viewers on a roller coaster ride as it will feature Shiv Thakare, Archana Gautam, Arjit Taneja, Aishwarya Sharma and other popular celebrities. SHIV THAKARE INSULTS ARCHANA GAUTAM? Khatron Ke Khiladi 13 has been making waves on social media, courtesy of the star-studded contestants' line-up. Considering the popularity of the Bigg Boss 16 stars, the makers approached Archana Gautam and Shiv Thakare for the new season. There's no doubt that the two arch-rivals will hog the maximum attention on the show as they enjoy a significant fan following. Even before KKK 13 went on air, gossip mills started churning out stories about a tiff on the set. There are mumours that Shiv Thakare insulted Archana Gautam in front of the crew and it left her upset. It is being said that the actress-politician cried after Shiv said something to her while shooting in Cape Town. WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN SHIV THAKARE, ARCHANA GAUTAM? We are taking the rumours with a pinch of salt as both sides have maintained a silence on the matter. While they locked horns inside the BB 16 house, Archana and Shiv had mentioned in their interviews that their rivalry is a thing of the past. For the uninitiated, Shiv Thakare and Archana Gautam engaged in a heated war of words in Bigg Boss 16. She got physical during the argument and was thrown out of the show for breaking an important rule of the show. Later, Salman Khan brought back Archana, citing Shiv's tactic to eliminate her by provoking the actress by using a certain name. SHIV THAKARE SHARES FIRST POST AMID THE DRAMA Amid the conjecture over him insulting Archana Gautam, the 33-year-old shared his first post on social media. The Bigg Boss 16 first runner-up seems to be having a blast while shooting for Khatron Ke Khiladi in South Africa. Breaking his silence over the matter, he let the pictures 'do all the talking'. He gave us a glimpse from the shoot location in his unseen video that he posted on Twitter and Instagram. Responding to him, one user tweeted, "We love you Shiv. We know you very well as a person. Hamara tension mat lo tum. Perform well and tc of yourself. Ignore negativity around u (sic)." "Hope you are happy there. Don't worry you do your stunts there... your fans are always praying for you #ShivThakare," another fan wrote. Keep watching this space for more updates. Jennifer Mistry Controversy: Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has long been a leading comedy show, delighting audiences with its slice-of-life humor. However, the show and its creators have recently found themselves embroiled in controversy. Jennifer Mistry, who portrayed the character of Mrs. Sodhi, made serious allegations against producer Asit Kumar Modi, including accusations of sexual harassment and other shocking claims. Speculation arose that these allegations were merely a publicity stunt, with suggestions that Mistry wanted to participate in reality shows like Bigg Boss. In response to these rumors, Jennifer Mistry has addressed the situation. In an interview with TellyChakkar, Mistry stated that she is currently uninterested in such ventures. She emphasized her 19-year-long tenure in the television industry without any controversial incidents, asserting that publicity stunts are not her style. Mistry clarified that if approached for a reality show, she would consider it at that time. She added that she does not plan her future, expressing her preference for a homely lifestyle. Regarding the possibility of appearing on Bigg Boss, she stated, "I don't plan my future, never in my life, for 15 years anyway, we couldn't plan holidays or anything like that. But I have not planned anything, I am a very homely person, and none of this is for publicity, and I cannot even imagine going there, Bigg Boss I think is for 3 months right, and even if I go then I will come back in a week because I will miss my family so much, so nothing is planned." Following Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal's revelations, other cast members of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, including Monika Bhadoriya and Priya Ahuja, also spoke out about the work environment on the show's sets. They echoed Mistry's sentiments, referring to the set as "male chauvinistic." Previously, Shailesh Lodha and Neha Mehta had accused the show's makers of non-payment of dues. These allegations and claims have stirred significant discussion and raised concerns about the work culture and treatment of cast members on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. The controversy surrounding the show has left fans and the industry alike reflecting on the importance of fostering a safe and respectful working environment for all involved. Keep watching this space for more updates! VT5 Acquisition Company AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous VT5 Acquisition Company AG: VT5 informs about uncertainties in VERAISON Capital's soft sponsor commitments 05-Jun-2023 / 07:00 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Adhoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR 5 June 2023 VT5 informs about uncertainties in VERAISON Capital's soft sponsor commitments The Board of Directors of VT5 Acquisition Company AG ("VT5") has been informed by its sponsor VERAISON Capital Ltd ("VERAISON Capital") that there is uncertainty regarding its soft commitments. VERAISON Capital is engaged as sponsor of VT5 through the SICAV Engagement Fund, acting as initiator and sponsor of the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) VT5. The expectations of public shareholders in the sponsor and the sponsor's soft commitments are that the sponsor will not redeem its investor shares at the time of a potential business combination (De-SPAC). Moreover, there was a soft commitment of VT5's sponsor at the time of the fund raising in the Initial Public Offering of 15 December 2021 that an additional CHF 5 million "PIPE" (Private Investment in Public Equity) funding would be made available in case that a De-SPAC transaction requires additional capital. Given latest information received from VERAISON Capital, both soft commitments became uncertain. The Board of Directors of VT5 ("BoD") is in the process of reviewing this new situation. As a consequence, VT5 is obliged to review the status of the currently ongoing negotiations with potential merger companies (De-SPAC) and to put some on hold until the full soft commitments of the sponsor can be re-assured or the situation can otherwise be solved. The Board of Directors of VT5 is evaluating possible options and will provide further information in a timely manner. The BoD is fully aware of all obligations towards all of its share- and stakeholders and would like to thank all anchor, cornerstone and public shareholders for their continued support VT5 plans to publish next information at the latest as part of the Half-year 2022/2023 report on 29 June 2023. Reporting Calendar 2023 Half-year 2022/2023 results: 29 June 2023 Contact VT5 Acquisition Company AG Communications & Investor Relations Doris Rudischhauser Phone: +41 79 410 81 88 Email: doris.rudischhauser@vt5.ch About VT5 VT5 is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), a vehicle to directly or indirectly acquire one or (if at the same time) more operating companies or businesses in order to take them public and provide dedicated support. VT5 provides a target company with the industry and technical experience of a seasoned team to allow a fast and smooth way to become a public company in Switzerland. VT5 seeks to unlock this investment opportunity for investors by entering into a business combination with a technology and innovation leader backed by scientific research within 24 months of listing. Geographically, VT5 is looking to acquire a business in Central and Northern Europe with a focus on the DACH region and in particular on Switzerland. The Class A Shares and redeemable Warrants are listed on SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbols of VT5 and VT5W, respectively. More information about VT5 and its IPO can be found at www.vt5.ch . Disclaimer This announcement may contain forward looking statements, estimates, opinions and projections with respect to anticipated future performance of VT5 ("forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "may," "will" or "should" or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on the current views, expectations and assumptions of the Board and management of VT5 and involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements included herein only speak as at the date of this release. VT5 undertakes no obligation, and does not expect to publicly update, or publicly revise, any of the information, forward-looking statements or the conclusions contained herein or to reflect new events or circumstances or to correct any inaccuracies which may become apparent subsequent to the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. VT5 accepts no liability whatsoever in respect of the achievement of such forward-looking statements and assumptions. - Lunit and Sweden's largest private hospital pioneering a new approach to combine radiologists' expertise with AI SEOUL, South Korea, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lunit (KRX:328130.KQ), a leading global provider of AI-powered cancer diagnostic solutions, today announced the signing of a supply and license agreement with Capio S:t Goran Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Under the agreement, Lunit will provide S:t Goran Hospital with Lunit INSIGHT MMG, an AI solution for mammography analysis, for the next three years. Capio S:t Goran Hospital is Sweden's largest private hospital with over 2,300 medical staff. It is operated by Capio, a part of the Ramsay Sante group. The hospital delivers both planned and emergency medical care services to 100,000 patients from the region of Stockholm. The integration of Lunit's AI solution will enable Capio S:t Goran Hospital to analyze approximately 78,000 patients' mammography images each year, significantly contributing to Sweden's national cancer screening program. Sweden currently struggles with a pronounced shortage of radiologists, posing challenges to efficient mammography analysis. In response, Lunit INSIGHT MMG is poised to play a pivotal role in addressing this shortage and enhancing the efficacy of cancer screening programs. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, the solution assists radiologists in accurately interpreting mammography images, alleviating the burden on limited resources. This collaboration introduces an advancement where, for the very first time, AI takes on the role of interpreting mammograms as an independent reader in a structural and validated setting. By leveraging AI technology in a safe, scalable, and effective manner, this innovative approach not only enhances productivity but also reduces the necessary workforce by half in the double screening setting. The decision to adopt Lunit INSIGHT MMG by S:t Goran Hospital was bolstered by the results of the world's first prospective medical AI study. Led by Dr. Fredrik Strand at Karolinska University Hospital. The study examined data from 55,581 Swedish women provided by S:t Goran Hospital. The study demonstrated that the combined analysis of one radiologist and AI, achieved higher cancer detection rates and lower recall rates compared to the analysis performed by two radiologists. "This innovative step to becoming the world's first breast center using AI as an independent reader, allows radiologists to be less burdened from the excessive amount of reading, enabling them to focus on more advanced diagnostics and ensuring shorter waiting times for patients," said Dr. Karin Dembrower, Senior Physician of Capio S:t Goran Hospital Mammography Clinic, locally responsible for the study. "In the short term, we anticipate detecting more cancers; in the long term, we envision a decrease in interval cancers and the detection of smaller tumors. We are excited to conduct further studies to explore these possibilities." "We are delighted to partner with Capio S:t Goran Hospital and be part of their innovating efforts in transforming cancer screening workflows," said Brandon Suh, CEO of Lunit. "This collaboration represents a significant milestone in leveraging AI technology to address the radiologist shortage in Sweden. Lunit INSIGHT MMG has the potential to revolutionize mammography analysis, make a substantial contribution to the national cancer screening program, and ultimately improve patient outcomes as well." Lunit remains committed to forging partnerships with medical institutions across Europe, offering advanced medical experiences for patients and enhancing operational efficiency for hospitals. ### About Lunit With AI, Lunit aims to 'conquer cancer,' one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Lunit is an AI software company devoted to developing AI solutions for precision diagnostics and therapeutics, to find the right diagnosis at the right cost, and the right treatment for the right patients. Lunit, a portmanteau of 'learning unit,' is a deep learning-based medical AI company devoted to developing advanced medical image analytics and data-driven imaging biomarkers via cutting-edge technology. Founded in 2013, Lunit has been acknowledged around the world for its advanced, state-of-the-art technology and its application in medical images. Its technology has been recognized at international AI competitions surpassing top companies like Google, IBM, and Microsoft. As a medical AI company with a focus on clinical evidence, the company's findings are presented in major peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology and JAMA Network Open, and global conferences including ASCO and AACR. After receiving FDA clearance and the CE Mark, Lunit INSIGHT CXR and MMG are clinically used in approximately 2,000 hospitals and medical institutions across more than 40 countries. Lunit is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea with offices and representatives around the world. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092580/AI_solution_mammography_analysis_Lunit_INSIGHT_MMG.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1576401/Lunit_CI_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/lunit-and-capio-st-goran-hospital-collaborate-to-address-radiologist-shortage-with-ai-powered-mammography-analysis-301842078.html Oral presentation highlights first data from the GDFATHER-2a trial demonstrating lasting and confirmed responses (as per RECIST criteria) following treatment with visugromab and the anti-PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab in, advanced-stage solid tumor patients that were relapsed/refractory to prior anti-PD1/-L1 treatment Promising early responses in major cancer indications, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), bladder cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Treatment with visugromab and nivolumab continues to demonstrate overall very good safety and tolerability profile Evaluation of potentially response-predictive biomarkers continued Totality of updated data from Phase 1 and emerging 2a further underscores the potential of neutralizing GDF-15 as a novel treatment strategy in combination with PD-1 inhibition in advanced-stage solid tumor patients CatalYm today announced first Phase 2a data from its ongoing GDFather-2 trial (GDF-15 Antibody-mediaTed Human Effector Cell Relocation Phase 2) (NCT04725474) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. The early data presented during today's oral "Developmental Therapeutics-Immunotherapy" session revealed lasting and confirmed responses in several solid tumor types investigated following treatment with visugromab and the anti-PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab. In addition, the combination continues to demonstrate a good safety and tolerability profile across all cohorts. CatalYm's lead candidate, visugromab, is a humanized, monoclonal antibody designed to neutralize the tumor-produced Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15), a central regulator of tumor resistance development. "These early data from our Phase 2a cohorts corroborate the encouraging anti-tumor-response we have seen in the Phase 1 study and further elucidate the considerable therapeutic potential of visugromab in very advanced and anti-PD1/PD-L1 relapsed/refractory solid tumor patient populations. They also confirm and further refine our scientifically guided indication selection to identify the solid tumor patients that would most benefit from a GDF-15 modulating approach," said Prof. Dr. Eugen Leo, Chief Medical Officer at CatalYm The presentation at ASCO by International Coordinating Investigator Prof. Dr. Ignacio Melero Bermejo, MD, Co-Director of Immunology and Immunotherapy (CIMA) at the Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona/Spain, builds on the further matured Phase 1 trial data announced in September 2022 which showed a significant clinical benefit in last line tumor patients that were anti-PD1/-L1 relapsed or refractory with an overall response rate of 17% in an advanced-stage mixed tumor population (RECIST, all responses confirmed). The Phase 2a study cohorts were selected based on a translational research program and include several major solid tumor types identified in Catalym's translation research program as potentially being GDF-15 influenced. The emerging phase 2a efficacy data further extend the initial encouraging data from Phase 1 with durable, confirmed responses as per RECIST criteria in several major tumor indications. Furthermore, investigation of potentially response-predictive biomarkers identified during phase 1 dose-escalation are ongoing through tumor biopsy analyses. The cumulative safety and tolerability profile for the Phase 1/2a study confirmed, so far, a well-acceptable safety profile when treating advanced-stage cancer patients, an important aspect for combination therapy in this critically ill patient population and earlier treatment lines. Dr. Phil L'Huillier, Chief Executive Officer at CatalYm added: "The data revealed in today's presentation illustrate the strides we have made in developing a completely novel treatment option by neutralizing GDF-15 in a variety of indications. We will continue in our broad multi-arm Phase 2 development program (GDFATHER-2) in 2023 and anticipate sharing more data and an update on our late-stage clinical development strategy later this year. I am grateful for the study patients and dedicated clinicians who have been a part of our clinical development program to this stage." The Phase 2a GDFATHER-2 program was initiated in March 2022. The ongoing study consists of two segments with up to seven cohorts, expected to enroll a total of over 200 patients in Simon-2-stage designs and in a biomarker-evaluation directed cohort. Mature data readouts for efficacy and safety data of the core phase 2a program as well as main biomarker-correlations are expected to become available before the end of 2023. About the GDFATHER-2 Trials The GDFATHER-2a trial (GDF-15 Antibody-mediaTed Human Effector Cell Relocation Phase 2) (NCT04725474) is an ongoing Phase 2a trial with several cohorts investigating the effect of visugromab (CTL-002) as monotherapy and/or in combination with a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor in patients in various advanced-stage, relapse/refractory solid tumor types and a biomarker-selected cohort. The study can enroll 200 patients in Simon-2-stage designs and a biomarker-evaluation directed cohort to confirm certain response rates and potential biomarker-based responder patient selection. About Visugromab (CTL-002) Visugromab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that neutralizes the tumor-derived Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15). GDF-15 is an essential player in feto-maternal tolerance, a powerful mechanism that cancer cells hijack to create an immunosuppressive environment to evade destruction. By neutralizing GDF-15, visugromab reverses the immunosuppressive effects that block an efficient anti-tumor immune response in the tumor microenvironment and the draining lymph nodes. Visugromab drives an activated and differentiated immune cell infiltration into the solid tumor as well as enables priming of T cells and enhances the tumor killing effects of T cells and NK cells. GDF-15 is currently investigated in an ongoing Phase 2 program that includes confirmatory studies in multiple solid tumor indications and the analysis of a predictive response biomarker to better identify the patients benefiting from this new class of immunotherapy. About CatalYm CatalYm is pioneering a novel immuno-oncology therapy that safely overcomes GDF-15-mediated immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. Our lead product, visugromab, a first-in-class GDF-15 neutralizing antibody, has demonstrated potent and durable anti-tumor efficacy with multiple, long-lasting objective responses in combination with anti-PD-1 treatment in phase 1/2 studies in advanced cancer patients. CatalYm is focused on maximizing visugromab's potential as a new class of cancer immunotherapy with a clinically distinct profile in a range of solid tumor indications. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005030/en/ Contacts: CatalYm GmbH Dr. Phil L'Huilier, CEO info@catalym.com Media Inquiries Trophic Communications Dr. Stephanie May Phone: +49 171 185 56 82 catalym@trophic.eu Automation Anywhere will launch new generative AI features in its Automation Success Platform, powered by Google's LLMs and Vertex AI SEOUL, South Korea, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Automation Anywhere and Google Cloud today announced an expanded partnership that combines the power of generative AI and intelligent automation to accelerate the adoption of AI and make it accessible to every enterprise. Automation Anywhere is utilizing Google Cloud's large language models (LLMs) via Vertex AI to build and launch new generative AI features on the Automation Success Platform. Businesses today utilize the Automation Success Platform to automate common front- and back-office processes in areas like human resources, finance, IT, and supply chains. The partnership with Google Cloud will now unlock new value and automation use cases for customers with generative AI, including: Empowering citizen developers: Businesses can build automation from natural language using the Automation Success Platform and Google Cloud's generative AI and go from idea to automation faster than ever. With the power of generative AI models in Vertex AI, automation builders can use natural language to simply describe what they need and action a process in Automation Anywhere. Businesses can build automation from natural language using the Automation Success Platform and Google Cloud's generative AI and go from idea to automation faster than ever. With the power of generative AI models in Vertex AI, automation builders can use natural language to simply describe what they need and action a process in Automation Anywhere. Automating data summaries: By expanding the depth and breadth of document types that can be leveraged for business process automation, users can extract data from complex and unstructured documents like contracts, resumes, waybills, and more. This enables automation to be used for even greater impact use cases in healthcare, finance and legal services, all with significantly improved accuracy. By expanding the depth and breadth of document types that can be leveraged for business process automation, users can extract data from complex and unstructured documents like contracts, resumes, waybills, and more. This enables automation to be used for even greater impact use cases in healthcare, finance and legal services, all with significantly improved accuracy. Communicating directly with customers: Virtual or human support center representatives can leverage natural language processing to respond to customer issues and automatically generate pre-populated, personalized email responses . From there, it's fast and easy to generate call summaries and other reports and integrate them into customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Virtual or human support center representatives can leverage natural language processing to respond to customer issues and automatically generate pre-populated, personalized email responses From there, it's fast and easy to generate call summaries and other reports and integrate them into customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Accelerating underwriting processes: In the highly competitive commercial loan industry, using automation to collect and summarize all loan application information can accelerate the underwriting process and optimize close cycle times. This improves accuracy, reduces risk, improves customer experiences and results in higher employee satisfaction. "Generative AI is heralding a new era for technology, unleashing a wave of innovation that will change how we work, learn and live. Simultaneously, every company is facing a productivity crisis, searching for ways to transform its operating model," said Mihir Shukla, CEO, and Co-Founder of Automation Anywhere. "Automation Anywhere, in partnership with Google Cloud, will help companies embrace Generative AI and put it to work, reshaping how companies engage customers, empower employees, and build apps - all with an unwavering commitment to trust, governance, and privacy." "Generative AI can add real value for businesses and users by streamlining many of our most common business processes and tasks," said Thomas Kurian, CEO at Google Cloud. "Through this partnership with Automation Anywhere, we will put generative AI into the hands of more users, helping to transform critical areas like customer support, employee engagement, app development, and more." This new combination of Google Cloud's generative AI with Automation Anywhere builds on years of AI work between the two companies and hundreds of mutual customers. Google Cloud and Automation Anywhere also have a deep go-to-market partnership, focused on driving customer success, and the Automation Success Platform is available to deploy via the Google Cloud Marketplace. Automation Anywhere and Google Cloud expect to announce additional integrations of Vertex AI with the Automation Success Platform in the coming months, with a full range of integrations generally available to customers by July 2023. Interact with Automation Anywhere: Visit our website: automationanywhere.com Follow us on Twitter: @AutomationAnywh Explore with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/automation_anywhere/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/automation-anywhere About Automation Anywhere Automation Anywhere is the No. 1 cloud automation platform, delivering automation and process intelligence solutions across all industries to automate end-to-end business processes for the fastest path to enterprise transformation. The company offers the world's only cloud-native platform combining RPA, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics to automate repetitive tasks and build enterprise agility, freeing up humans to pivot to the next big idea and build deeper customer relationships that drive business growth. For additional information, visit www.automationanywhere.com. Automation Anywhere is a registered trademark/service mark of Automation Anywhere, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other parties' marks are the property of their respective owners. About Google Cloud Google Cloud accelerates every organization's ability to digitally transform its business. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology - all on the cleanest cloud in the industry. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/541440/Automation_Anywhere_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/automation-anywhere-partners-with-google-cloud-to-bring-together-generative-ai-and-intelligent-automation-301842155.html Compelling in vivo and in vitro data published in peer-reviewed Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) Secarna's LNAplus-based ASOs effectively stimulate TLR9 signaling, an important innate immune pathway, and simultaneously suppress PD-L1 expression, a clinically validated immune checkpoint Combination of both activities in a single-molecule approach results in exceptional anti- tumor activity in different tumor models MUNICH and MARTINSRIED, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG ("Secarna"), a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery and development of next-generation antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies to address challenging or previously undruggable targets via its LNAplus platform, announced the publication of striking new preclinical data demonstrating that bimodal ASOs can enable efficacious long-term antitumor immunity in tumor models compared to current immune checkpoint inhibitors. The data were published in the peer-reviewed publication, Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. The article, "Dual TLR9 and PD-L1 targeting unleashes dendritic cells to induce durable antitumor immunity," discusses the joint work of the teams of Prof. Alfred Zippelius, Department of Biomedicine, Basel University; Prof. Mikael Pittet, Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva; and Secarna and can be found here. The publication describes the preclinical activity of Secarna's high-affinity bimodal LNAplus-based ASO, IM-T9P1, that simultaneously triggers toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling and downregulates programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, a protein involved in the suppression of the adaptive immune system, in one molecular entity. TLR9 signaling is an important innate immune pathway that is relevant as a first-line defense mechanism against pathogens. It is activated by DNA that contains motifs, which are frequently present in bacterial DNA. Activation of TLR9 signaling can also be achieved by synthetic oligonucleotides and hold strong potential for treating cancer; several such compounds are in clinical testing. A drawback to this approach is that the TLR9 -mediated immune response is blunted by immediate upregulation of immune checkpoints such as PD-L1. The combined downregulation of PD-L1 expression in a single-molecule approach resulted in exceptional antitumor activity in different tumor models. Frank Jaschinski, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Secarna Pharmaceuticals, said: "The promising preclinical results seen with our bimodal ASO, IM-T9P1, pave the way for the development of combination therapies targeting TLR9 and PD-L1 for the treatment of cancer. Collectively, these data show that IM-T9P1 leads to long-lasting, adaptive antitumor immunity that can be further improved when combined with T cell-targeting immune checkpoint inhibitors and can have efficacy against large, established tumors in preclinical tumor models. These studies provide critical insight for moving forward to develop our ASOs for the treatment of cancer patients." Overcoming resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) through ASO therapies ICIs have transformed the treatment of cancer, producing responses in patients with various types of metastatic disease. These drugs inhibit immune-suppressive signals and reinstate cancer immunosurveillance. However, many patients either don't respond or develop resistance to treatment, with only a minority of them showing a durable response. The studies described in the publication evaluated the use of ASOs as potential immunomodulators and their role in overcoming immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance through its dual mechanism of action. The activity of IM-T9P1 was tested in cancer cell lines and tumor models. Treatment with IM-T9P1 resulted in the sustained activation of a specific type of tumor infiltrating cell, dendritic cells 3 (DC3s), which can promote antitumor immunity by supporting T cells with survival signals and enabling them to perform their effector functions. These results demonstrate the importance of DCs in overcoming ICI resistance and achieving effective and durable antitumor responses and, in many cases, antitumor immunity. The general concept that PD-L1 is induced after TLR9 stimulation is conserved between mice and humans. Therefore, these studies serve as a roadmap for translation to the human situation for treatment of cancer patients. Treatment with IM-T9P1 Notably, IM-T9P1 triggered complete tumor regression in 39% (7/18) of MC38 tumor-bearing mice (compared with the 0% regression rate following PD-L1 monoclonal antibody treatment), and in 77% (30/39) of EMT6 tumor-bearing mice (compared with the 28% response rate following PD-L1 monoclonal antibody treatment). Additionally, we observed a significant antitumor effect of IM-T9P1 in the D4M.3A melanoma model, which is considered poorly immunogenic and unresponsive to anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody therapy. In addition, IM-T9P1 induced the formation of protective antitumor memory, as mice that survived the initial treatment remained tumor-free after being exposed a second time to the same tumor cell line. "The development of novel cancer therapeutics, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, are being advanced at unprecedented speed. However, low response rates and the increase of resistance mechanisms in patients continues to pose a challenge for the scientific and medical communities," commented Alexander Gebauer, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of Secarna Pharmaceuticals. "Our recently published data demonstrate the potential therapeutic effect of simultaneously targeting TLR9 and PD-L1, key modulators of the innate and adaptive immune system, respectively, with a bimodal ASO. These data further support the versatility of our LNAplus ASO platform and its ability to offer novel therapeutic solutions to overcome cancer treatment resistance." About Secarna's proprietary drug discovery and development platform, LNAplus Secarna's proprietary, customized LNAplus platform is being applied to the discovery, testing and selection of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) for pre-clinical and clinical development. LNAplus encompasses all aspects of drug discovery and pre-clinical development and has proven to be fast, reliable, scalable and efficient, enabling the discovery of novel antisense-based therapies for challenging or currently undruggable targets.The platform includes the powerful proprietary Oligofyer bioinformatics pipeline, a streamlined, high efficiency screening process, including Secarna's proprietary LNA-Vit(r)ox safety test system, as well as target-specific functional assays. Secarna's platform and ASOs have been validated by numerous in-house projects as well as in several academic and industry collaborations. About Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG Secarna Pharmaceuticals is the leading independent European next-generation antisense drug discovery and development company addressing high unmet medical needs in immuno-oncology and immunology, as well as viral, neurodegenerative and cardiometabolic diseases. Secarna's mission is to maximize the performance and output of its proprietary LNAplus antisense oligonucleotide discovery platform, as well as to develop highly specific, safe, and efficacious best-in-class antisense therapies. With over 20 discovery and development programs, including both proprietary pipeline projects and partnered programs, Secarna focuses on targets in indications where antisense-based approaches have clear potential benefits over other therapeutic modalities. www.secarna.com Contact Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG Alexander Gebauer, MD, PhD CEO alexander.gebauer@secarna.com Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG Am Klopferspitz 19 82152 Planegg/Martinsried Tel.: +49 89 215 46 375 For media enquiries Anne Hennecke/Lydia Robinson-Garcia MC Services AG secarna@mc-services.eu Tel.: +49 211 529252 14 Mobile: +49 170 7134018 SOURCE: Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/759243/Secarna-Pharmaceuticals-Announces-Publication-of-New-Preclinical-Data-Showing-Durable-Antitumor-Activity-of-LNAplusTM-Based-ASOs-that-Both-Stimulate-the-Innate-Immune-System-and-Suppress-PD-L1-Expression Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - SuperBuzz Inc. (TSXV: SPZ) ("SuperBuzz" or the "Company"), an artificial intelligence ("AI"), machine learning software-as-a-service-based MarTech solutions provider announced that Steven Glaser has resigned as director of the Company due to personal considerations. The Company would like to thank Steven for his valuable contributions to the Company and to wish him every success in his future endeavours. About SuperBuzz Inc. SuperBuzz is one of the first AI companies to specialize in marketing technology. Marketers deserve a platform to streamline content creation and automate campaigns. SuperBuzz's AI technology generates eye-grabbing content in a few seconds. Using advanced natural language processing models, SuperBuzz creates engaging and intelligent content designed for scaling marketing campaigns. For more information about the Company, please visit www.superbuzz.io. SuperBuzz Inc. is a fully reporting publicly traded company which is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "SPZ". Additional information in respect of the Company's business is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. For Additional Information, Contact: Liran Brenner Chief Executive Officer Email: liran@superbuzz.io 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/168757 Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB: BLGO), a cleantech and life sciences innovator and engineering services solution provider. President and CEO of BioLargo, Inc., Dennis P. Calvert, joined Stock Day host Kevin Davis. The interview covered the following topics: The company's first quarter financial results, including increased revenues from sales of private-label pet odor product Pooph (www.pooph.com), Progress at the company's engineering group, Progress at subsidiary Clyra Medical and its Bioclynse surgical wound irrigation solution, The company's overall innovation development cycle; and The company's sodium-sulfur battery technology. "What we're going to witness, we believe, is exactly what's happening at Pooph has the potential to happen for all the other operating assets in the portfolio," said Mr. Calvert. "In each case, we've done the hardest work to invent, prove up, find first commercial adoption, and then find distribution through partnerships." To hear Dennis Calvert's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8312041-biolargo-inc-discusses-record-breaking-financial-results-innovation-pipeline-business-model-a. Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/. About The "Stock Day" Podcast Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. SOURCE: Stock Day Media (602) 821-1102 About BioLargo, Inc. BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB: BLGO) is a cleantech and life sciences innovator and engineering services solution provider. Its core products address PFAS contamination, achieve advanced water and wastewater treatment, control odor and VOCs, improve air quality, and control infections and infectious disease. Its business approach is to invent or acquire novel technologies, develop them into product offerings, and extend their commercial reach through licensing and channel partnerships to maximize their impact. www.BioLargo.com Dennis P. Calvert President and CEO, BioLargo, Inc. 888-400-2863 Safe Harbor Act This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include without limitation those about BioLargo's (the "Company") expectations regarding anticipated revenue and plans for future operations, and may be identified by words such as "we believe". These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's business, results of operations, financial condition, and stock price; the effect of global and regional economic conditions on the Company's business, including effects on purchasing decisions by consumers and businesses; the ability of the Company to compete in markets that are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change; the ability of the Company to manage frequent introductions and transitions of products and services, including delivering to the marketplace, and stimulating customer demand for, new products, services, and technological innovations on a timely basis; the dependency of the Company on the performance of distributors of the Company's products. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect the Company's business and financial results is included 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 periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168758 Two apartment towers frame gateway of Dix Park, bringing modern living with park views to Raleigh RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / SLI Capital and Mack Real Estate Group have secured financing for the first phase of The Weld, a 1200-unit modern residential development at the front door of the 308-acre Dix Park in Raleigh. SLI, a Raleigh-based real estate investment firm, and Mack Real Estate Group, a national real estate investment firm with offices in Raleigh, are collaborating on this new $700 million mixed-use neighborhood. Financing for Phase I, The Weld, a $700m project of SLI/Mack closed June 2. The two 20-story towers are located at the intersection of Lake Wheeler Road and Hammel Drive at Dix Park, Raleigh, NC. The first phase consists of 675 units of one, two-and three-bedrooms in two 20-story buildings on 3.5 acres at the intersection of Lake Wheeler Road and Hammell Drive, where sitework is already underway. Construction should be completed by Summer, 2025. These sleek and glass-fronted spaces will meet residents' increased demand for a modern urban lifestyle with expansive park views. Each building will include a ground-level restaurant and retail space and share a central greenspace that will serve as a gathering place for residents. The financing for the first phase was arranged by Grant Frankel, Chris Campbell and Matt Brody of Eastdil Secured. The Weld will be built into the neighborhood surrounding Dix Park, which was historically industrial in nature and has transformed into a vibrant mix of local, entrepreneurial businesses that create a unique, authentic appeal to residents. In essence, The Weld is the connection between the past and the future, between the verdant Dix Park and Raleigh's thriving urban center. "The Weld is a truly pivotal site for Dix Park, and will be transformative for the city," said Bryan Kane, CEO and managing partner at SLI Capital. "With Park City South next door, The Weld will be the front door to Dix Park and provide a direct connection to downtown. "In addition, we are collaborating with the Dix Park Conservancy to identify other meaningful ways to support the Park's development and expect to announce further details in the Fall." Richard Mack, CEO of Mack Real Estate Group, added, "Raleigh has become a regional hub for us, where we have an office and a development team on the ground. As we expand in the Southeast, we are focusing on multifamily and mixed-use projects in dynamic growth markets. The location of The Weld is contiguous to one of the largest new park developments in the United States. Our goal is to create a vibrant new neighborhood in a burgeoning and green urban environment." Companies participating in the design and construction of The Weld include Gensler Architects and JDavis Architects of Raleigh; Clancy & Theys Construction, general contractor; and McAdams Civil Engineers of Raleigh. About SLI Capital SLI Capital (SLI) is a Raleigh, NC-based real estate investment and development firm. SLI employs an investment strategy that includes a variety of property types and capital structures with an emphasis on multifamily and office in the southeastern US. Since SLI's founding in 2017, the firm has invested in projects with a total capitalization in excess of $1.5B. SLI has offices in Raleigh, NC and Nashville, TN. About Mack Real Estate Group Mack Real Estate Group, LLC (MREG) is an institutional real estate investment firm with roots in several Mack family real estate businesses, dating back to the 1960s. Today, MREG's equity, credit and property management businesses employ nearly 300 people, with six offices across the US including New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, Miami and Raleigh. MREG's equity business specializes in the acquisition, development and management of multifamily and industrial properties located in gateway and high-growth markets. Its recently created portfolio, excluding legacy Mack family assets, represents approximately 9,000 multifamily units and six million square feet of industrial space, including development and pre-development pipeline. The firm's affiliated credit business, Mack Real Estate Credit Strategies, L.P. (MRECS), has originated or co-originated more than $20 billion of loans since 2015 across multiple lending strategies. An MRECS affiliate manages one of the largest publicly traded commercial mortgage REITs, Claros Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYSE: CMTG). For more information, please visit mackregroup.com. For more information: Cyrus Stewart 919-696-2928 cystewart@fitzpatrickcomm.com SOURCE: SLI Capital View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/759111/SLI-Capital-and-Mack-Real-Estate-Group-Close-on-Financing-for-First-Phase-of-700-Million-Project-The-Weld Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - Kingsmen Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KNG) (OTCQB: KNGRF) ("Kingsmen" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that at the Annual and Special Meeting (the "Meeting") of Shareholders of the Company held on June 2, 2023, Messrs. Scott Emerson, Nick DeMare and Rod Johnston were re-elected as directors and Messrs. Kieran Downes and Carlos Garza were elected as new directors. Mr. Kieran Downes is a Professional Geologist with over 40 years diversified experience in gold, base metals, uranium and diamond exploration. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Geology from University College Galway (1971) and a Ph.D. in Geology from Dublin University (1974). He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Institute for Industrial Research & Standards, Dublin (1974-1977). He is a Registered Professional Geologist in British Columbia and president of Tristia Ventures Corp., a company providing services in mineral exploration, property valuation and geochemistry. Mr. Carlos Garza is an Industrial and Systems Engineer. Mr. Garza's activities have been mostly dedicated to providing consulting services. As a principal in a mining consulting company, Mr. Garza is involved in numerous exploration projects in Mexico and is focused on the acquisition, maintenance, and management of mining concessions, community relations, operational processes of mineral exploration. He is also directly involved in production, processing, and commercialization of minerals. Mr. David Henstridge did not stand for re-election at the Meeting. The Board thanks Mr. Henstridge for his contributions during his 20+ year tenure with the Company and we wish him the best in his future endeavours. At the Meeting the shareholders also passed all other resolutions including an ordinary resolution to ratify the Company's stock option plan, pursuant to which the Company may grant stock options up to 10% of its issued and outstanding common shares at the time of the grant. Following the Meeting the Board appointed Mr. Scott Emerson as President and CEO, Mr. Nick DeMare as CFO and Mr. Harvey Lim as Corporate Secretary of the Company. Messrs. DeMare, Johnston and Downes were appointed to the audit committee. About Kingsmen Resources In line with Kingsmen's organic-growth strategy, the Company's focus is on exploration and development, and is currently focused on district-scale exploration for high -margin metallic mineral deposits in the prolific mining districts of Parral Mexico. In addition, the company has a 1% NSR on the Los Ricos North project in Mexico operated by GoGold Resources Inc. The Company's leaders have extensive experience in the mining and financial sectors. Kingsmen is a publicly-traded company (TSXV: KNG) (OTCQB: KNGRF) and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. -2- On behalf of the Board, Signed: "Scott Emerson" Scott Emerson, President & CEO Phone: 6046859316 Email: se@kingsmenresources.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement: All statements, trend analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project and receipt of regulatory approval, are forward-looking statements. Although Kingsmen believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Kingsmen can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Kingsmen's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators, and assumptions made with regard to: Kingsmen's ability to make the required payments under the definitive agreements; and Kingsmen's ability to secure the necessary regulatory approvals. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Kingsmen's expectations include risks associated with the business of Kingsmen; risks related to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions to the closing of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project; non-completion of the acquisition of the Las Coloradas Project; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Las Coloradas Project; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Kingsmen's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Kingsmen does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors 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/168723 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Acre ?The future of vertical farming in the UK looks set to propagate with more investment being funnelled towards a more sustainable food system. Sustainability-led alternative investment manager Foresight Group has agreed to invest in Harvest London, to expand the vertical farming industry and enable the company to develop a new state-of-the-art farm to grow crops vertically stacked in layers under fully controlled conditions. The partnership has secured a 140,000sq ft property in Beddington, South London, following Foresight's agreement to aid the expansion of the controlled environment agriculture company. Harvest London was founded in the capital in 2017 by Chris Davies and Matt Chlebek, who opened its first, proof-of-concept farm, in Walthamstow in 2018. In 2020, the company opened a second farm in Leyton, following a Crowdfunding campaign through Seedrs, which enables growth-focused businesses to raise capital and a community in the process. Since its inception, the company has grown more than 100 different crops, from herbs and salads to specialist ingredients, supplying restaurant and food service groups, meal kit providers and food manufacturers. It aims to create a network of data-driven vertical farms, all with the same mission of transforming food sustainability in our cities. B-Corp status Harvest London, like Acre, is a B Corporation, having gone through a rigorous accreditation process requiring it to display socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to areas including water use and waste, staff pay and corporate transparency. There are around 1,200 B-Corp-certified companies in the UK, spanning 58 industries, all working to use business as a force for good. To date, Harvest London has constructed two farms, grown more than 100 different crops using hydroponic vertical farming techniques, and partnered with brands such as Pizza Pilgrims and Compass Group. The increasing demand for locally-grown produce has driven the requirement for expansion, which will help boost its presence in key retail markets, backed by strong positive feedback from existing customers. Reassurance for food security New farming techniques are required to reduce the negative environmental impacts that food production can cause, from soil degradation to land and water use. With rising concerns surrounding food security in the UK, Harvest London's indoor vertical farming approach delivers high-quality year-round crops without chemical pesticides and reliance on appropriate weather conditions. The controlled environment for growing crops reduces the amount of fertiliser needed, significantly shortens supply chains, and avoids river pollution. Shelf life is increased, which helps to combat food waste and emissions from transportation are reduced. The new funding will allow Harvest London to expand its current operations and supply a range of salads and herbs to customers in London and beyond. The company currently operates a farm in East London, which has been producing crops since 2020. Matt Hammond, a partner at Foresight, said: "Foresight is delighted to be working with Harvest London, a dynamic and growing company that will help the vital push towards a greener future for food production. This approach to farming will play a pivotal role in shaping a more sustainable future and meeting the country's food needs. The next phase of expansion will positively impact job creation and stimulate the local economy." Chris Davies, the founder of Harvest London, said: "This investment is a sign that the vertical farming sector in the UK is maturing. While you might not yet have tasted something grown in a vertical farm, in the future, this type of produce is going to be on your menu, whether that's from a supermarket, in prepared food, or eating out. "Vertical farming is a technology that can complement British agriculture, helping us reduce our reliance on food imports, and give consumers fresher, more local ingredients. We want to make the UK a world leader in this exciting new industry." Tom Townsend, Principal Consultant - Agriculture, Food & Beverage - Sustainable Business at Acre UK, said: "There has been a lot of interest in this area for some time now, and whilst it remains a niche area in our agricultural supply chains, the expansion of Harvest London is the next step in expanding the footprint of vertical farming in the UK. "How large vertical farming becomes remains to be seen and cannot be a distraction from the fundamental reform which is needed in traditional agriculture if we are to hit our net zero ambitions and deliver an inclusive, sustainable food system in this country." This latest Harvest London investment follows other investments by Foresight in UK greenhouses and a land-based sustainable aquaculture farm in Norway. About Acre At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy. Our 18 years' experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change. Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too. We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations. Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Acre on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Acre Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/acre Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Acre View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/759293/Vertical-Farming-Firm-Succeeds-in-Investment-Deal-To-Secure-Further-Growth 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. South Africa: OHSC welcomes appointment of new Health Ombud The Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) says it welcomes the appointment of Professor Taole Mokoena as South Africas second Health Ombudsman with effect from 1 June 2023. Mokoena, appointed by the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, succeeds the outgoing Health Ombud, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba. Having spent extended study and working periods in the United Kingdom and Canada, the OHSC believes Mokoena comes with a wealth of experience in academics and research within the health sector. The 71-year-old is a medical graduate of the University of Natal, a Doctor of Philosophy graduate of the University of Oxford and a fellow from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He retired as a Professor and Academic Head of the Department of Surgery and Chief Surgeon from the Department of General Surgery at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. He continues on a part-time sessional basis to teach, train and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate medical students, and research, the OHSC statement read. The Office of the Health Ombud is located within the OHSC, an independent body that ensures that both public and private health establishments in South Africa comply with the required health standards. Meanwhile, the Health Ombud has the responsibility to consider and investigate complaints from the public on non-compliance by health establishments. The OHSC would like to thank the outgoing Health Ombud, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, for his excellent service and contribution to South Africas healthcare sector. The OHSC board and staff wish the newly appointed Health Ombud, Professor Mokoena, well in his new journey and looks forward to working with him and providing the necessary support. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2023-06-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Cambodian PM says AUKUS becoming concern for ASEAN over nuclear proliferation Xinhua) 14:30, June 05, 2023 PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Monday that the tripartite AUKUS alliance, a military pact among the United States, Britain and Australia, is becoming a concern for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Under the AUKUS alliance, which was announced in September 2021, Australia will be able to build nuclear-powered submarines with technology provided by the United States and Britain. "The small-scale alliance relevant to nuclear-powered submarines among the U.S., Britain and Australia is becoming a concern for ASEAN and countries in the region because ASEAN is a nuclear weapon-free zone, and we oppose nuclear weapon proliferation," he said in a speech during the graduation ceremony of nearly 6,000 students at the Royal University of Law and Economics. Hun Sen said this military alliance is the "starting point of a very dangerous arms race" in the region. "I think if this situation continues, the world will face a bigger danger," he said. Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said AUKUS is posing a major security threat to ASEAN and the whole Asian region. "This alliance will trigger a conventional and nuclear arms race in the region, and thus destabilize the peace and security, undermine the economic development and destroy the ASEAN's centrality," he told Xinhua. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Combined General Meeting of 5 June 2023 Voting results and dividend for financial year 2022 Paris-La Defense, on 5 June 2023, 17.35 p.m (CET) - Assystem S.A. (ISIN: FR0000074148 - ASY), confirms that its Combined General Meeting was held today, at the Centre de conferences Etoile Saint Honore located at 21-25 rue Balzac, 75008 Paris, chaired by Mr. Dominique Louis, Chairman and CEO. The quorum was 87.39 % and the General Meeting approved all resolutions submitted to vote except for the fourth one (Approval of related-party agreements). In particular, the General Meeting: approved the parent company and consolidated financial statements for the year ended on December 31 st , 2022 , 2022 and also decided the payment of a dividend of 1.00 per share for the 2022 financial year with the following schedule: 5 July 2023: ex-date, 6 July 2023 (after-market closure): record date, 7 July 2023: payment date. The results of votes are available on the Company's website). ABOUT ASSYSTEM Assystem, one of the world's leading independent nuclear engineering companies, is committed to accelerating the energy transition. With more than 55 years of experience in highly regulated sectors with stringent safety and security constraints, the Group provides engineering services as well as digital solutions and services to optimise the performance of complex infrastructure assets throughout their life cycle. In its 12 countries of operation, Assystem's 6,500 experts are supporting energy transition. To achieve an affordable low carbon energy supply, Assystem is committed to the development of low carbon electricity (nuclear, renewables and electricity grids) and clean hydrogen. The Group is also helping drive the use of low carbon electricity in industrial sectors such as transportation. For more information please visit www.assystem.com/ Follow Assystem on Twitter: @Assystem CONTACTS Malene Korvin - Chief Financial Officer - mkorvin@assystem.com - Tel.: +33 (0)1 41 25 29 00 Anne-Charlotte Dagorn - Communications Director - acdagorn@assystem.com - Tel.: +33 (0)6 83 03 70 29 Agnes Villeret - Komodo - Investor relations - agnes.villeret@agence-komodo.com - Tel: +33 (0)6 83 28 04 15 Attachment DIRECTOR/PDMR SHAREHOLDING PERTH, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Centamin plc ("Centamin" or "the Company") (LSE:CEY)(TSX:CEE) Centamin announces that the 2020 share awards under the Company's shareholder approved Remuneration Policy and Performance Share Plan ("PSP") have partially (63.1%) vested. The share awards are for ordinary shares of nil par value in the Company. As per the PSP, awards carried the right to dividend equivalents on the shares that vested. For more details on the Company's long term incentive plans, including performance conditions of the PSP, please refer to the Remuneration Report within the 2022 Annual Report and Accounts, available on the Company's website (https://www.centamin.com/annual-report-2022/). DIRECTOR/PDMR NOTIFICATIONS In accordance with the requirements of Article 19 of the UK Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation (EU) 596/2014, as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018), the Company makes the below notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them. All vested shares (net of tax) will be held by the Directors for a further two-year period and these shares will be retained towards the Company's in-employment and post-employment share ownership guidelines detailed in the 2022 Remuneration Report. Disposals referred to in this announcement are to cover tax liabilities on the vested share awards. This announcement contains ongoing regulated information. FOR MORE INFORMATION please visit the website www.centamin.com or contact: Centamin plc Alexandra Barter-Carse, Head of Corporate Communications investor@centaminplc.com FTI Consulting Ben Brewerton / Sara Powell / Nick Hennis +442037271000 centamin@fticonsulting.com Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them 1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Martin Horgan 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Director - Chief Executive Officer b) Initial notification/Amendment Initial notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Centamin plc b) LEI LEI 213800PDI9G7OUKLPV84 4 Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code Ordinary shares ISIN JE00B5TT1872 b) Nature of the transaction Vested share awards that were granted in June 2020 under the terms of the Company's Performance Share Plan c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s) Nil 372,290 d) Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price 372,290 CEY shares Nil e) Date of the transaction 2023-06-05 f) Place of the transaction Outside a trading venue Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them 1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Martin Horgan 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Director - Chief Executive Officer b) Initial notification/Amendment Initial notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Centamin plc b) LEI LEI 213800PDI9G7OUKLPV84 4 Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code Ordinary shares ISIN JE00B5TT1872 b) Nature of the transaction Disposal c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s) 0.987449 174,976 d) Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price 174,976 CEY shares 0.987449 e) Date of the transaction 2023-06-05 f) Place of the transaction London Stock Exchange Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them 1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Ross Jerrard 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Director - Chief Financial Officer b) Initial notification/Amendment Initial notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Centamin plc b) LEI LEI 213800PDI9G7OUKLPV84 4 Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code Ordinary shares ISIN JE00B5TT1872 b) Nature of the transaction Vested share awards that were granted in June 2020 under the terms of the Company's Performance Share Plan c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s) Nil 246,090 d) Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price 246,090 CEY shares Nil e) Date of the transaction 2023-06-05 f) Place of the transaction Outside a trading venue Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them 1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Amr Hassouna 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status PDMR - Country Manager (Egypt) b) Initial notification/Amendment Initial notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Centamin plc b) LEI LEI 213800PDI9G7OUKLPV84 4 Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code Ordinary shares ISIN JE00B5TT1872 b) Nature of the transaction Vested share awards that were granted in June 2020 under the terms of the Company's Deferred Bonus Share Plan c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price(s) Volume(s) Nil 30,000 d) Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price 30,000 CEY shares Nil e) Date of the transaction 2023-06-05 f) Place of the transaction Outside a trading venue -END LEI: 213800PDI9G7OUKLPV84 Company No: 109180 This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: Centamin PLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/759303/Centamin-PLC-Announces-DirectorPDMR-Shareholding Publication of a transparency notification received from Scorpiaux BV Liege, Belgium,05June 2023- 17:45 CEST - Mithra (Euronext Brussels: MITRA), a company dedicated to Women's Health, today announces, in accordance with Article 14 of the Belgian Law of 2 May 2007 regarding the publication of major shareholdings in issuers whose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market (the "Transparency Law"), that it received a notification of transparency from Scorpiaux BV, with registered offices at Blinckaertlaan 4, 8300 Knokke-Heist, on 31, May 2023. Scorpiaux BV notified Mithra that it has passively fallen below the statutory 3% threshold on 14 March 2023. Scorpiaux BV now holds 2.88% (1,641,407 shares) of the 57,073,622 shares currently outstanding. The detailed transparency notifications are available on the Investors section of Mithraen/investors/). An updated overview of the Mithra's shareholders structure will be included in the corporate governance charter of Mithra, which will be made available on its website. ******** For more information, please contact: Investor relations :investorrelations@mithra.com About Mithra Mithra (Euronext: MITRA) is a Belgian biotech company dedicated to transforming Women's Health by offering new choices through innovation, with a particular focus on contraception and menopause. Mithra's goal is to develop products offering better efficacy, safety and convenience, meeting women's needs throughout their life span. Mithra explores the potential of the unique native estrogen estetrol in a wide range of applications in women health and beyond. After having successfully launched the first estetrol-based product in 2021, the contraceptive pill Estelle, Mithra is now focusing on its second product Donesta, the next-generation hormone therapy. Mithra also offers partners a complete spectrum of solutions from early drug development, clinical batches and commercial manufacturing of complex polymeric products (vaginal ring, implants) and complex liquid injectables and biologicals (vials, pre-filled syringes or cartridges) at its technological platform Mithra CDMO. Active in more than 100 countries around the world, Mithra - is headquartered in Liege, Belgium.www.mithra.com ESTELLE, DONESTA are registered trademarks of Mithra Pharmaceuticals or one of its affiliates. Important information The contents of this announcement include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes", "estimates," "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", "plans", "continue", "ongoing", "potential", "predict", "project", "target", "seek" or "should", and include statements the Company makes concerning the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law. Subscribe to our mailing list on mithra.com (http://www.mithra.com/) to receive our press releases by email or follow us on our social media : Link (https://www.linkedin.com/company/1456363/)e (https://www.linkedin.com/company/1456363/)d (https://www.linkedin.com/company/1456363/)I (https://www.linkedin.com/company/1456363/)n (https://www.linkedin.com/company/1456363/) Twitt (https://twitter.com/mithrapharma)e (https://twitter.com/mithrapharma)r (https://twitter.com/mithrapharma) Fa (https://www.facebook.com/mithrapharmaceuticals/)c (https://www.facebook.com/mithrapharmaceuticals/)ebook (https://www.facebook.com/mithrapharmaceuticals/) Attachment ABU DHABI, UAE, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) continues to strengthen global AI talent capacity and contribute solutions to pressing challenges across health, education, and climate, following its second commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023 on June 4. Held at the Abu Dhabi Energy Center in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Excellency Khalifa bin Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Jordan; and His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, President-Designate of COP28 UAE; the commencement celebrated 59 students graduating with a master's in computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML), along with its first-ever natural language processing (NLP) cohort. MBZUAI - the world's first graduate research university dedicated to AI - is currently ranked 19th globally in AI and in these three key areas of specialization, according to CSRankings. H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said: "The importance of AI is undisputed, which is why MBZUAI continues to push the boundaries of this technology through advanced research, strategic industry collaborations, and, of course, by empowering the next generation of AI experts. I am confident that the Class of 2023 will make a profound impact and develop tangible AI solutions that will help to overcome some of society's major challenges, particularly in the areas of climate, healthcare, and education." MBZUAI President and University Professor Eric Xing said: "This is a pivotal time as wider public interest turns its attention to AI - and with the UAE's pace, scale, and ambition as a young nation, it offers a cosmopolitan hub of innovation that attracts the world's greatest minds in the field. I extend my congratulations to the Class of 2023 as they embark on the next stage of their journey." Among the 59 students who graduated, 32 majored in ML, 20 in CV, and seven in NLP. The Class of 2023 comprised 25 nationalities from countries including China, UAE, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Italy, USA, and Jordan, highlighting the university's commitment to a diverse and inclusive learning environment that attracts top talent from around the world. The Class of 2023 also had 17 academic papers published or accepted at major conferences and journals of international standing, including the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR 2023), Journal of Physics Energy, and IEEE Access journal. Currently, 46% of the graduating class have confirmed employment, Ph.D. placements, or paid internships. Employment has been secured with organizations including Snapchat UK, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Police, G42 Healthcare, and Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence (IIAI)/G42. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2093138/MBZUAI_Class_of_2023.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/worlds-first-ai-university-demonstrates-its-relevance-in-global-ai-talent-race-with-second-commencement-301842531.html Article L. 238-8-II of the French commercial Code and article 223-16 of the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) general regulation Regulatory News: Veolia Environnement (Paris:VIE): Corporate name of the issuer: Veolia Environnement 21 rue La Boetie 75008 PARIS FRANCE (ISIN code: FR0000124141-VIE) Information closing date Total number of shares forming the share capital Total number of voting rights May 31, 2023 715,383,875 Total number of theoretical voting rights (1): 732,952,605 Total number of voting rights that may be exercised (2): 720,484,183 Inclusion in the Veolia Environnement Articles of Association of a clause requiring a reporting obligation of the declaration of crossing a shareholding threshold, complementary to the one relating to the thresholds provided by the French law and the regulations in force (article 8). (1) Number of theoretical voting rights after taking into account the number of shares with double voting rights as of May 31, 2023 (17,568,730 shares) and the number of treasury shares held as of May 31, 2023 (12,468,422 shares). (2) Number of voting rights that may be exercised number of theoretical voting rights (or total number of voting rights attached to shares) shares without voting rights (number of treasury shares held as of May 31, 2023). Veolia Environnement Siege social/head office: 21, rue La Boetie 75008 PARIS France Adresse postale/Correspondence address: 30, rue Madeleine Vionnet 93300 AUBERVILLIERS France tel.: +33 (0)1 85 57 70 00 Fax: +33 (0)1 71 75 10 45 www.veolia.com A Public Limited Company (Societe Anonyme) with a share capital of 3,576,919,375 403 210 032 RCS PARIS View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005737/en/ Contacts: Veolia Environnement Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - Hillcrest Energy Technologies (CSE: HEAT) (OTCQB: HLRTF) (FSE: 7HIA.F) ("Hillcrest" or the "Company"), announces that the company will complete a consolidation of the authorized and issued common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares"), effective at the opening of the markets on June 8, 2023, on the basis of a one (1) post-consolidated Common Share for each six (6) pre-consolidation Common Shares (the "Consolidation"). Don Currie, Hillcrest Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This proposed consolidation and the resulting share structure are key components of our Company's strategic business growth plan to increase our presence and equity trading in the US." No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the Consolidation. In the event a holder of Common Shares would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional Common Share in connection with the Consolidation, the number of Common Shares to be received by such shareholder will be rounded down to the next whole number if that fractional Common Share is less than one half (1/2) of a Common Share, and will be rounded up to the next whole number of Common Shares if that fractional Common Share is equal to or greater than one half (1/2) of a Common Share. Effective at the opening of markets on June 8, 2023, the Common Shares will commence trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange on a post-Consolidation basis under the existing ticker "HEAT". The new CUSIP number will be 431502202 and the new ISIN number will be CA4315022026. Registered shareholders whose holdings are represented by a physical share certificate will be sent a letter of transmittal from Odyssey Trust Company, transfer agent to Hillcrest, with information related to the exchange of the physical certificate for a Direct Registry System ("DRS") statement or new physical share certificate representing the post-Consolidation holdings of the shareholder. Intermediaries, such as brokerage houses and financial institutions, who may hold physical certificates on behalf of a beneficial shareholder will facilitate the transmittal of the Common Shares in those instances, however beneficial positions held through CDS and DTC will be automatically exchanged on completion of the Consolidation, and subsequent to the effective date. Registered shareholders whose holdings are represented by a DRS statement will receive a new, post-Consolidation DRS statement showing the adjustment to their position. About Hillcrest Energy Technologies Hillcrest Energy Technologies is a clean technology company developing high value, high performance power conversion technologies and digital control systems for next-generation powertrains and grid-connected renewable energy systems. From concept to commercialization, Hillcrest is investing in the development of energy solutions that will power a more sustainable and electrified future. Hillcrest is publicly traded on the CSE under the symbol "HEAT," on the OTCQB Venture Market as "HLRTF" and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as "7HIA.F." For more information, please visit: https://hillcrestenergy.tech/. Contact Information Don Currie Chief Executive Officer and Director dcurrie@hillcrestenergy.tech O: +1-604-609-0006 Toll-free: 1-855-609-0006 Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information Some of the statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "intends," "is expected," "potential," "suggests" or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "should," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this news release. The forward-looking information reflects our current expectations and assumptions and is subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. No assurance can be given that these assumptions will prove correct. Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control. Investors are advised to consider the risk factors under the heading "Risks & Uncertainties" in the Company's MD&A for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, available at www.sedar.com for a discussion of the factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law. 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 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168790 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - K9 Gold Corp. (TSXV: KNC) (FSE: 5GP) (OTCQB: WDFCF) ("K9" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its press released dated May 24, 2023, it has acquired 1415322 B.C. LTD. ("141 BC") pursuant to a share exchange agreement (the "Agreement") dated May 24, 2023 (the "Transaction"). Pursuant to the Transaction, the Company added 64 claims (3304 Ha) to its JB lithium project in the James Bay region of northern Quebec. This will bring the total project holdings to 5418 Ha in 105 claims. The Lac Joubert-Tilly (LJ-T) property (the "Property") is located approximately 60 km due east of the previously announced Riviere Salomon (RS) property on the JB Li Project. The LJ-T property is located approximately 400 km east-southeast of Radisson, Quebec, and is immediately adjacent to Winsome Resources recently announced Tilly Project (Winsome company release April 19, 2023). Other projects in the area include Allkem's James Bay lithium project, which recently received federal approval for development, Patriot Battery Metals Corvette project located 50 km to the west and Winsome Resources Lithium Adina project located approximately 40 km to the west. The LJ-T property is underlain by a package of Archaean rocks that is similar to the geological setting of the Corvette and Adina projects, and includes outcrops of Tilly pegmatites, a known host of lithium in the James Bay region. About JB Lithium Project The JB Lithium Project is located in the La Grande sub-province of the Archaean Superior Province in Quebec, and comprises two units, the Riviere Salomon property (see Company release November 15, 2022 for property details) and the newly acquired Lac Joubert - Tilly property. Lac Joubert-Tilly (LJ-T)property The LJ-T property is underlain mainly by the Archean Joubert Suite and the Salomon River formation. Where the Joubert Suite occurs on the property, it consists of a package of foliated, banded or gneissic biotite-tonalite and granodiorite. The Salomon River formation in the area consists mainly of paragneisses that have undergone moderate partial melting, with 10% or more mobilisate. Within the property boundaries, the Salomon River formation has been intruded by at least five zones of Tilly Pegmatites which comprise pegmatitic granite with biotite-muscovite-tourmaline-magnetite-garnet assemblages. These pegmatites are a significant lithium target for other explorers in this area. They are in close proximity to the Joubert Suite tonalites which are believed to be the source of lithium in regional discoveries. A 2015 Quebec Government geological mapping program located at least six outcrops of pegmatitic granite, consistent with the Tilly Pegmatites. In addition, one outcrop of an ultramafic intrusive returned an assay of 77 ppm Li, along with 0.10% Ni and 0.30% Cr. Riviere Salomon (RS) property The Trieste Formation, which hosts lithium mineralization on the adjacent Adina property, transects the RS property. Within the property boundaries, this Meso-Archaean age formation is mainly an ensemble of mylonites and banded amphibolites derived from basalt, which have been intruded by various intermediate rocks. A significant band of tonalite, part of the Meso-Archaean age Kamusaawach Intrusion, cuts through the centre of the property. Also cutting through the claims is a band of the Neo-Archaean Richardie Suite, an intrusive biotite-magnetite-hornblende granodiorite. The northern portion of the property is underlain by the Neo-Archaean Sauvolles Pluton, which is mainly of granitic composition. There is also a prominent Paleoproterozoic-age mafic dyke (Senneterre dyke system) cutting through the north of the property with a NE-SW orientation. During a regional mapping program in 2013 by Government geologists, one outcrop was collected sample from the property, reported in the Quebec Government's online geological database, SIGEOM, an returned a value of 65 ppm Li. K9 has recently completed a helicopter-borne magnetometer and VLF survey on this property. Results will be reported on completion of data interpretation. Lac Joubert - Tilly acquisition terms In connection with the Transaction, the Company issued 3,000,000 common shares (the "Company Shares") to the shareholders of 141 BC in exchange for the issued and outstanding common shares of 141 BC. The Company Shares were issued at a deemed value of $0.035 per Company Share. The Company Shares were issued to the 141 BC shareholders pursuant to applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. 141 BC is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. 141 BC is a party to an option agreement (the "Option Agreement") whereby, pursuant to the terms of the Option Agreement, 141 BC may acquire a 100% interest in the Property upon the completion of certain expenditures, cash payments or issuances of Company Shares. Pursuant to the Option Agreement, 141 BC can earn a 100% undivided interest in the Property upon the occurrence of the following milestones (collectively, the "Milestones"): Payment of $25,000 within 180 days of May 9, 2023 (the " Effective Date ") to the optionor (the " Optionor "); ") to the optionor (the " "); Payment of $80,000, or the issuance of $80,000 worth of Company Shares to the Optionor within one year of the Effective Date; Payment of $150,000, or the issuance of $150,000 worth of Company Shares to the Optionor within two years of the Effective Date; and Payment of $215,000, or the issuance of $215,000 worth of Company Shares to the Optionor within two years of the Effective Date. If the Company elects to issue Company Shares in satisfaction of the certain payments under the Option Agreement, an aggregate of 12,714,285 Company Shares may be issuable at a deemed price of $0.035 Per Company Share. Upon exercise of the Milestones, the Optionor will be granted a 2% net smelter royalty (the "NSR"), of which 1.5% of the NSR may be purchased by 141 BC for a cash payment of $2,000,000. Further, 141 BC has agreed to pay to the Optionor a one-time payment of $1,000,000 in the event there is a National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects compliant mineral resource on the Property valued over $100,000,000. The Transaction is an Arm's Length Transaction (as such term is used in the TSX Venture Exchange policies) and no finder's fees are payable in connection with the Transaction. About K9 Gold Corp K9 Gold Corp has assembled a highly-experienced and dynamic team to explore its JB Lithium Project. K9 also operates the Stony Lake Gold Project in central Newfoundland. The project has been acquired from District Copper Corp by an option agreement, whereby K9 can earn up to a 100% interest in the project (see Company release dated July 30, 2020). The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Desert Eagle Vanadium-Uranium project located in the historic Henry Mountains Mining District in SE Utah. The area has seen extensive historic vanadium and uranium mining and is close to Anfield Energy Inc's Shootaring Canyon mill. To ensure a safe workplace environment that protects the health and safety of employees and contractors, K9 Gold follows all federally and provincially mandated and recommended guidelines regarding COVID-19. Chris M. Healey, P. Geo, Chief Geologist and a Director of K9 Gold Corp., is the qualified person under NI 43-101 guidelines who is responsible for the technical content of this release and approves its release. Toll Free Number: (833) 434-GOLD (4653) Kosta Tsoutsis Director K9 Gold Corp. email: kosta@k9goldcorp.com Telephone: 604 808-9134 Brian Morrison Chief Financial Officer and Director K9 Gold Corp. email: brian@k9goldcorp.com telephone: 604 312-6910 The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. 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. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding K9's intention to continue to identify potential transactions and make certain corporate changes and applications. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits K9 will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect managements' current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including K9's inability to identify transactions having satisfactory terms or at all and the results of exploration or review of properties that K9 does acquire. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and K9 assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results differed from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168815 DETROIT, MI / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Developed in partnership with Tempest - a leading website, CRM and digital solutions provider for the Destination Marketing industry - Visit Detroit has officially launched a bold new vision for VisitDetroit.com that channels the essence of Detroit's personality and signature experiences to travelers and event planners with captivating new visuals and improved functionality. VisitDetroit.com Image courtesy of Tempest The new VisitDetroit.com features modern, experiential design elements that pay tribute to Detroit's rich cultural heritage, including iconic line art, halftone imagery and typography that draws parallels to Motown albums and music-themed brands. High-resolution imagery remains a primary focus to better leverage Detroit's unique experiences, while customizable, circular icon scrollers showcase the diversity of activities through campaign-style visuals. Functionally, the new website benefits from a refined information architecture optimized for organic search that aids in content discovery through search engines and site navigation. A dynamic and responsive site search - enhanced and personalized with artificial intelligence (AI) - populates results in real time, efficiently connecting travelers and meeting planners to local businesses and Visit Detroit partners. Industry-leading mapping functionality further elevates website content, aiding users with effortless navigation of Metro Detroit's neighborhoods, top attractions, meeting venues, restaurants and experiences. "We're thrilled to officially unveil this bold new vision for Visit Detroit, which authentically showcases our city's spirit with unparalleled functionality that will aid, inspire, and attract a worldwide audience," stated Claude Molinari, President & CEO of Visit Detroit. "The improved functionality will better spotlight the vibrant businesses, attractions, individuals and events that form the fabric of our city and region." "It has been a pleasure working alongside the team at Visit Detroit to deliver this best-in-class digital experience, which will serve as an invaluable asset for the community of Detroit," said Gregg Shapiro, President & Chief Creative Officer of Tempest. "The new VisitDetroit.com captures what makes Detroit such a unique destination and sets a new standard for destination websites moving forward." "Visit Detroit was grateful to partner with Tempest to create an immersive digital experience that reflects the vitality of our region," said Stan Smith, Sr. Director of Marketing for Visit Detroit. "By focusing on how users can easily engage with content, the new website is designed to capture the imagination of our audience and move them to Detroit." ### About Visit Detroit: Visit Detroit is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to market and sell the metropolitan Detroit area on a worldwide basis as a destination for leisure and business travel including conventions, trade shows, corporate meetings, tours and incentive travel to maximize additional visitors, visitor expenditures, state and local tax revenues and job opportunities. More than 700 businesses are represented in Visit Detroit's membership. Visit Detroit was founded in 1896 as the world's first convention and visitors bureau. visitdetroit.com About Tempest: Tempest provides CRM, Web and Digital Marketing solutions that empower innovative Destination Organizations to grow and make a positive impact in their communities. www.tempest.im Contact Information: Kyle Huff Director of Content Marketing, Tempest kyle.huff@tempest.im Christopher Moyer Senior Director of Communications, Visit Detroit cmoyer@visitdetroit.com SOURCE: Tempest View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/759382/Visit-Detroit-Sets-Industry-Standard-for-Destination-Organizations-With-New-Website VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQB:PMMCF) is pleased to provide an update on the progress of diamond drilling designed to test coincident geological, geochemical, and geophysical anomalies on its 100% owned Buenavista target located along the world's pre-eminent porphyry copper belt in northern Chile. Highlights - Buenavista Target Drilling: Three diamond drill holes for 1,957 metres completed. Core processing in progress with assay results expected by end June. Hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation indicative of the upper epithermal, in transition to a porphyry copper system (or systems), was intersected in all three holes. Intermediate argillic and sericite alteration typical of the peripheral parts of porphyry systems and associated with several narrow intercepts of copper sulphides comprising enargite, some chalcopyrite, and traces of chalcocite occur. Pyrite is common as disseminations and in breccias, with molybdenite common in hole BV01-2023. Quartz veinlets are variable, but intense on occasions. Narrow sulphide-rich breccias and quartz-sulphides veins, together with narrow, granodiorite dykes, occur in holes BV02-2023 and BV03-2023. Current interpretation is that the dacite porphyry and quartz-veinlet stockwork zone targeted by BV01-2023 represents a separate porphyry centre to the quartz-sulphide breccia zone including early-stage inter-mineral dykes cut by holes BV02-2023 and BV03-2023. A main-stage inter-mineral porphyry source is interpreted to lie beneath, or to the side of holes BV02-2023 and BV03-2023, with a separate source likely to the north of BV01-2023. Commenting on the results, Joseph van den Elsen, President and CEO, stated: "The Buenavista target displays many characteristics indicative of a large, fertile, Tertiary aged, porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold system and we are very pleased to have successfully demonstrated this potential in the recently completed three-hole scout drilling program. Detailed geological logging and sampling together with complementary studies including petrography of key alteration types is in progress, and we look forward to updating the market following receipt and interpretation of assays." Buenavista Drilling Program: Drill hole BV01-2023, collared on the dacite porphyry with quartz veinlet stockwork in the Buenavista porphyry alteration zone, cut the previously dated Early Tertiary (+/- 60 Ma) dacite porphyry intrusion with variable quartz veining and visible pyrite-molybdenite disseminations, prior to entering Paleozoic granite country rocks with early porphyry phase quartz-magnetite veining and breccias at depth. BV01-2023 was completed to a vertical depth of 553m. As BV01-2023 exited the dacite porphyry at 475m depth, it is interpreted that the porphyry is tilted to the north with its likely roots coincident with an IP chargeability anomaly which is located 750m north of the hole collar position. Drill hole BV02-2023 was collared 450m west of hole BV01-2923 on a mapped quartz-sulphide breccia zone with visible copper oxides at surface. Drilling intersected Paleozoic aged rhyolite volcanic and granite batholithic rocks crosscut by a series of quartz-sulphide (pyrite-enargite) veins and thin granodiorite dykes with porphyry style quartz veining, pervasive phyllic alteration, and visible pyrite-chalcopyrite (+/- molybdenite) disseminations. This series of dykes and veins is currently interpreted to represent a Tertiary-aged, early inter-mineral phase of a porphyry system. Hole BV02-2023 was completed to a down-hole depth of 670m, angled at 60 to the southwest. Drill hole BV03-2023 was collared from the same platform as hole BV02-2023 and drilled at a steeper angle to target the interpreted source of the narrow granodiorite dykes intersected in hole BV02-2023. Similar geology to that seen in hole BV02-2023 was intersected. Hole BV03-2023 was completed to a down-hole depth of 734m, angled at 80 to the southwest. Buenavista - Drill Hole BV02-2023 Quartz Vein with Coarse Disseminations of Pyrite-Chalcopyrite Hydrothermal Breccia with Sulphides and Sericite Buenavista Target - Section 7205000N - Showing Completed Drill Holes over IP Chargeability, 3D Magnetics, and Geological Interpretation (ordered top-bottom) About the Buenavista Target Buenavista displays characteristics indicative of a large, fertile, Tertiary aged, porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold system, located along the world's preeminent porphyry copper belt in northern Chile; Intense, sub-cropping, quartz-veinlet stockwork occurs at Buenavista within a dacite porphyry and interpreted phreatomagmatic breccia complex, flanked by a quartz-sulphide breccia to the west and skarn-type mineralization to the east, and is coincident with key geochemical and geophysical anomalies; Anomalous soil and trench geochemical values of copper, molybdenum, and gold (and other pathfinders) in a heavily supergene leached desert environment, coincide with mapped geology, hydrothermal alteration, magnetic and induced polarisation (IP) geophysical anomalies, and other complementary data including 3D modeling and age dating; The Buenavista Target footprint comprising geological, geochemical, and geophysical anomalies is approximately 1.5 km E-W by 1 km N-S along a significant geological structure; The presence of several other geophysical anomalies under post-mineral covered portions of the broader project is suggestive of a potential "cluster" of porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold systems, a characteristic typical of some major porphyry copper districts in Chile and worldwide. Buenavista - Location Along Domeyko Cordillera Porphyry Copper Belt ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE:PM), Frankfurt (FSE:FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB:PMMCF) exchanges which wholly owns a 47,400 hectare portfolio of seven projects highly prospective for copper, molybdenum and gold located along proven and highly productive mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively advancing its projects through systematic exploration and drill testing of the highest priority targets, with a current focus on the Buenavista Project. The Company's vision is to create significant value for shareholders and stakeholders through the application of its technical and commercial expertise towards exploring for a major copper discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website at www.pampametals.com. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G, Geologist and a Registered Member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego is a consultant to the Company. Note: The reader is cautioned that Pampa Metals' projects are early-stage exploration projects, and reference to existing mines and deposits, or mineralization hosted on adjacent or nearby properties, is not necessarily indicative of any mineralization on Pampa Metals' properties. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Joseph van den Elsen | President & CEO INVESTORS CONTACT Joseph van den Elsen | President & CEO joseph@pampametals.com Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will" or "may" occur. These statements are subject to various risks. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/759309/Pampa-Metals-Drilling-Confirms-Porphyry-System-at-the-Buenavista-Target-Chile Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - Bolt Metals Corp. (CSE: BOLT) (FSE: A2QEUB) (OTCQB: PCRCF) ("Bolt" or the "Company") announces it has closed a non-brokered private placement announced May 12, 2023, by issuing 714,928 units (each a "Unit") at CAD$0.35 per Unit for gross proceeds of CAD$250,225 (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one (1) transferable Common Share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one (1) Common Share at CAD$0.50 until June 5, 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 October 6, 2023, in accordance with the rules and policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange and applicable Canadian securities laws. About Bolt Metals Bolt Metals is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of production grade nickel and cobalt deposits, key raw material inputs for the growing lithium-ion battery industry. Visit https://boltmetals.com/ to find out more. Bolt Metals Corp. Ranjeet Sundher - President and CEO (604) 922-8272 rsundher@boltmetals.com Steve Vanry - CFO & Director (604) 922-8272 steve@vanrycap.com Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements made in this news release include the proposed use of the proceeds of the Offering. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, availability of funds, personnel and other resources necessary to conduct exploration or development programs, successes of the Company's exploration efforts, availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither 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 UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168791 Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Bourne Digital, an Australian digital design agency focused on the SAP ecosystem. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With a specialization in the SAP Business Technology Platform, Bourne Digital creates experience driven applications, streamlining workflows and introducing automation. It will enhance Accentures SAP offerings in the market, particularly in the fast-moving consumer goods, financial services, resources, health and travel industries. Founded in 2015 and led by Selim Ahmed, chief executive officer, Bourne Digital is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and has offices in Sydney and Brisbane. As a specialist SAP Business Technology Platform partner, Bourne Digital builds design-led digital products and experiences for enterprise customers, including custom portal and web solutions, and mobile applications. Its 66 employees will join the Accenture SAP Business Group in Australia. A member of the SAP AppHaus Network since December 2018, Bourne Digital was the first SAP partner in Australia to run an SAP AppHaus a collaborative space that brings together creative and technical experts to prototype and test ideas aimed at improving the user experience and adoption of SAP systems. FinSMEs 05/06/2023 Allison Fintech Co., a Birmingham, Alabama-based provider of a banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform, received an investment from Alabama Futures Fund. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by Brian Alvarez-Bailey, CEO, Allison is a Banking-as-a-Service platform that enables banks to incorporate fintech products into their traditional payment remittance and banking service offerings. Its BaaS offering utilizes software that connects non-bank financial services customers with participating banking partners and incorporates compliance tools, low-code workflow creation tools, and embedded finance functionality. Allisons proprietary software is used by community banks and credit unions. In connection with the investment from AFF, Allison will relocate its headquarters to Birmingham, Alabama, while maintaining an office in Tampa, Florida, and establishing a presence in the tech-savvy city of Austin, Texas. These locations are the foundation of Allisons nationwide growth strategy, driven by its mission to revolutionize banking operations with its groundbreaking software. FinSMEs 05/06/2023 Brightflow AI, a Covina, California-based financial data and intelligence platform empowering small businesses to take control of their cash flow and make data-backed decisions, acquired CircleUp, a San Francisco, California-based fintech company and owner of the Helio insights engine. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The acquisition will combine CircleUps data and machine learning capabilities with the Brightflow AI financial intelligence toolkit to create a comprehensive solution for consumer companies that need help growing their businesses. Helios descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics and extensive data will provide Brightflow AIs customers with insights into their target markets, adding to Brightflow AIs current capabilities that help customers manage their cash flow and make better decisions about their finances. Led by Ryan Caldbeck, and Rory Eakin, CircleUp is a fintech company that uses machine learning and a tremendous amount of data to find and evaluate consumer companies. It leverages data to provide capital and resources to emerging consumer brands. With its proprietary technology platform, Helio algorithmically finds, classifies and evaluates private companies to power more objective and efficient decision-making. The companys data and analytics platform is used by founders, investors, lenders, and consumer companies to make better data-informed decisions. CircleUp has supplied over $1 billion in capital to over 500 consumer companies, including Beyond Meat, Supergoop!, Nom Nom Now, Liquid I.V., SmartyPants, Function of Beauty, Kitu Life, Halo Top, Nutpods and others. The company is backed by world-class investors including Union Square Ventures, GV, Canaan Partners, QED Advisors, TPG, Temasek, Rose Park Advisors, and others. Led by Robbie Bhathal, CEO, Brightflow AI is a financial data and intelligence platform empowering small businesses to take control of their cash flow. The company offers financial tools to give business owners real-time visibility into their cash flow, revenue, demand forecast, profitability, return on ad spend (ROAS), and customer lifetime value (LTV) data. FinSMEs 05/06/2023 IQ Capital, a London, UK-based deep tech venture capital firm, closed its fourth fund, at $200m, taking its assets under management to more than $1bn. Investors in Fund IV include global institutions, funds-of-funds, family offices, corporates and tech entrepreneurs of whom several were previously backed by IQ Capital, as well as British Patient Capital. The firm has also launched its second $200m Growth Fund to provide later-stage funding to outperforming companies, primarily in its venture portfolios. This enables IQ Capital to deploy capital at multiple stages, investing an additional $30m in individual companies as they internationalize. Founded in Cambridge in 2007 and led by general partners Kerry Baldwin, Max Bautin and Ed Stacey, IQ Capital will continue to invest at Seed and Series A into UK and European startups to commercialise IP-rich technologies and back founders with the ambition to scale globally. Fund IV has already made investments including: DreamFold, which uses Generative AI algorithms to predict the properties of therapeutic proteins; Risilience, a climate-risk platform providing the technology for multinational corporates to meet their net-zero objectives, which has gone on to raise a further $26m, and Secretarium, which has pioneered confidential computing, developing a trustless cloud computing infrastructure, based on advanced cryptography using only standard hardware components. IQ Capitals investments include: Thought Machine, a core-banking software unicorn which they backed from Seed; Nyobolt, ultra-fast charging battery tech; and Speechmatics, the leading speech recognition technology scale-up. FinSMEs 05/06/2023 NEXT Life Sciences, a Los Angeles, CA-based medical device company raised $1.55M in Seed funding. Backers were not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to support the development and commercialization of Plan A. Led by L.R. Fox, CEO, NEXT Life Sciences is a medical device company advancing Plan A, a reversible contraceptive solution for men. Plan A utilizes Vasalgel, a proprietary hydrogel acquired by NEXT. The Plan A procedure is similar to that of a no-scalpel vasectomy except instead of permanently cutting the vas deferens, the hydrogel acts as a flexible filter to block the flow of sperm, preventing pregnancy. Preclinical studies demonstrated rapid restoration of sperm flow after Vasalgel was dissolved and flushed from the vas deferens. With the goal to initiate clinical trials by the end of 2023, NEXT has brought together family planning experts to join their Medical Advisory Board, including Dr. Charles Carignan, an experienced CEO and former CMO of Boston Scientific, with extensive contraceptive development experience with Conceptus, WHO, FDA, and USAID. FinSMEs 05/06/2023 SNGLR XTF Fund, a Guernsey, Channel Islands-based exponential tech focused venture capital fund, received an investment from Ayre Ventures. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. Led by Dr. Daniel Diemers, SNGLR XTF invests mainly in European early-stage technology startups with exponential growth potential in sectors such as longevity and smart mobility & smart cities, enabled by technologies such as AI, Blockchain, Data (IoT; API), 5G, robotics and others. Founded by Calvin Ayre, Ayre Ventures provides capital to scalable, high-growth businesses within the BSV blockchain ecosystem. FinSMEs 05/07/2023 StrongArm Technologies, a Denver, CO-based company which specializes in in wearable safety technology that identifies risk and prevents injuries in the workplace, received a multi-million dollar growth funding package with Decathlon Capital Partners. The amount of the deal a shareholder-friendly, revenue-based financing structure was not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to expand new customer programs, new product innovation, and deployment capability efforts. Led by CEO Sean Petterson, StrongArm Technologies is a workplace safety management system company that uses predictive data from safety wearables to reduce workplace injuries. Its SafeWork System tells employees in real-time to correct unsafe behavior and reports on ways to reduce risk and drive safety culture deep within customers facilities. StrongArm Technologies recently merged with Worklete, a complementary technology company that provides preventative safety training solutions. The joint organization will do business as StrongArm Tech. FinSMEs 05/06/2023 Unbabel, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of an AI-powered Language Operations (LangOps) platform, acquired Bablic, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based provider of a cloud-based solution supporting all localization and translation management requirements of websites and web applications. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. By using Bablics website translation capabilities coupled with Unbabels Quality Estimation framework, Unbabel customers will be able to easily determine if there are errors and ensure websites are customer ready. Led by Gabriele Manasse, Founder & CEO, Bablic was enables customers to maximize SEO while controlling localized content with no coding necessary. Its solutions also allow customers to organically grow international traffic, making web updates in real-time with the ability to customize translation preferences. The company works with leading brands such as Rogue, Colgate, National Geographic, and more to increase accessibility globally to website localization. Led by CEO Vasco Pedro, Unbabel provides a Language Operations platform that combines advanced artificial intelligence with humans for translations that get smarter over time. The company serves leading brands such as Booking.com, Nestle, Panasonic, Patagonia, and UPS, to communicate with customers around the world, no matter what language they speak, and allow them to grow into new global markets. Unbabel works with brands such as Booking.com, Nestle, Panasonic, Patagonia, and UPS. FinSMEs 03/05/2023 A 21-year-old has built a company with a net worth of Rs 500 crore just by offering medicines at a much lower price than the market rate. The company now boasts of a chain of franchisees and also has the support of veteran industrialist and former Tata Group chairperson Ratan Tata. When Arjun Deshpande was barely 16, he started a company that offered medicines at a cheaper rate than usually available in the market. At 21, Deshpande is the CEO of Generic Aadhaar which sells generic medicines via its chain of franchisees at 80-90 per cent discounts. The Mumbai-based startup is now worth Rs 500 crores. Christened Generic Aadhaar, his company removed the multiple intermediaries such as marketers, distributors, and stockists, to cut down production and selling costs significantly. For instance, diabetes drug Glimipiride, which normally sells for Rs 110 per strip, is available at a little over Rs 5 through Generic Aadhaar, whereas anti-allergen Levocetrizine, which usually sells for Rs 55, is available for under Rs 6 per strip, according to a CNBCTV18 report. In its early years, Generic Aadhaar expanded rapidly across cities and won Deshpande his first TED talk which soon turned viral and caught Ratan Tatas attention. Impressed by the companys innovative model, the industrialist offered to invest in the start-up venture. Since then, Ratan Tata has helped Generic Aadhaar reach the last mile of the country. Now, the startup has 2,000 stores across the country, and employs staff of nearly 10,000 people. In April, Arjun Deshpande was lauded by President Droupadi Murmu for his dedication to making medicines affordable for Indian citizens and acknowledged Generic Aadhaars work is contributing to the growth of the economy. She also called Deshpande the wonder kid of pharma. The firm is currently working on expanding to Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, UAE, and Myanmar a sizeable section of Indias neighbours. We will be shortly opening our stores in Dubai, Oman, Cambodia, and Vietnam as well, Deshpande said earlier. The company is also looking at increasing it stores to 3,000 up by 500 and entering the veterinary space. CEO Arjun Deshpande believes medicines for animals available at low prices would significantly reduce the financial stress of farmers. Generic Aadhaar, recently, opened its first veterinary store in Andhra Pradesh. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council ( AHSEC) is likely to announce the results of the Class 12 examination today, 5 June. The appeared students can check their scores through the official website of AHSEC ahsec.assam.gov.in. Candidates need to enter their roll number, date of birth and other required login credentials to access their intermediate results. The Assam Board examinations were held from 20 February to 20 March, with an attendance of 3,42,689 students from across the state. Among the participants, 2,72,529 students were from the Arts stream, 47,485 were from the Science stream, and 20,907 were from the Commerce stream. AHSEC HSC Class 12 Results: How to check Step 1: Visit the official website of AHSEC https://ahsec.assam.gov.in. Step 2: On the landing page, clock on the link titled Assam HS Result 2023. Step 3: Login by submitting the requested credentials such as your roll number, date of birth and captcha. Step 4: The scorecard of our Class 12 examination will appear on your screen. Step 5: Check and download the same. The marksheet of your result will contain your roll number, name, subject marks, overall marks, qualification status among other details. Students are advised to carefully review these details and if they are any mistakes, they should contact their school immediately for the correction. Due to heavy online traffic during results, sometimes the official websites either crash or process slowly. In that case, students can also access their results through SMS, Digilocker and other apps. Assam HS Class 12 Results: How to Check through SMS Step 1: Open the messaging app on your device. Step 2: Type the message by adhering to this formatASSAM12, followed by your roll number. Step 3: Send the SMS to 56263. Step 4: The AHSEC Class 12 result will be sent to your mobile number. You can also check your result through government-provided facilities such as Digilocker. AHSEC HS Class 12 Result: Check Via Digilocker Step 1: Instal the app on your device or you can directly access it from any device. Step 2: Log in using your username and password, which will be sent to your mobile number when you access the app. Step 3: Select Assam under the Education Tab. Step 4: Click on the HS Class 12 result link. Step 5: The result will be displayed on your screen. AHSEC HS Class 12 Result 2023: Check Via the Upolobdha app Step 1: Download the official app for AHSEC HS Results from playstoreUpolobdha Step 2: Enter your roll code and other requested details. Step 3: Tap on Get Results to view your Assam Class 12 examination result. Step 4: Download your results for future reference. For any further query regarding the exam results, students can visit Assam Education Boards official portal at ahsec.assam.gov.in. 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 mafias of Uttar Pradesh are undoubtedly having a difficult year. In the 1991 murder case of Awadhesh Rai, a Varanasi court on Monday sentenced gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari to life imprisonment, according to news agency ANI. The elder brother of Congressman Ajay Rai, Awadhesh Rai, was fatally shot on 3 August 1991, outside his Lahurabir home. Ansari and others were the targets of a case that was filed in the matter. Mukhtar has been convicted in the Awadhesh Rai murder case of 1991. The court will pronounce its judgment later in the day, a lawyer told reporters in Varanasi. Who is Mukhtar Ansari? Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari has been an influential figure in eastern UP, particularly in Ghazipur. He has been in charge of the clan, which is notorious for romanticising dacoit lands, gang warfare, and other such events. He is related to Mohammad Hamid Ansari, a former vice president of India. His paternal grandfather, Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, was a freedom fighter and the leader of the Congress party. Mohammad Usman, his maternal grandfather, was a brigadier in the Indian Army. He received the Mahaveer Chakra posthumously after dying in the Indo-Pak War in 1948, reported Hindustan Times. Ansari established himself as a gangster during the 1970s mafia activity in the Ghazipur area before entering politics. Ansari served a long time in jail, contesting elections several times either from outside or inside. He joined several parties, even starting one at one point. He served as an MLA five times in Uttar Pradeshs Mau district, which is presently represented by his son Abbas. So he was the only ruler of the tiny borough. Ansari has around 61 cases of land grabbing, extortion, and murder against him and has been incarcerated for more than 15 years. Importantly, Mukhtar Ansari was found guilty once more today despite circumstances in many cases changing. Prior to this, he only received acquittals, and in many cases, eyewitnesses became hostile or even died, according to The Print. Also read: The three faces of Uttar Pradesh mafia: Mukhtar Ansari, Ateeq Ahmed and Azam Khan Political journey Ansari began his political career as a leader of the student union at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in the early 1990s. He was subsequently chosen as an MLA in 1996. Over time, Ansari rose to become the province of Poorvanchals unchallenged ruler. Ansari has profited from the Muslim voter base, according to Hindustan Times. Ansari and his brother joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2007. After the accusations of inciting racial unrest in the Mau district turned out to be untrue and motivated, the pair was allowed an entry into the party. While he was imprisoned, Ansari ran for the BSP in the Varanasi district of the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. 2010 saw the expulsion of the two from the gathering. The current murder case Awadhesh Rai was the elder brother of Ajay Rai who was earlier in the BJP and campaigned against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Congress candidate from Varanasi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The prosecutions case contends that on 3 August 1991, a group of assailants arrived in a car and started shooting at Awadhesh as he stood in front of his home in Varanasis Maldiya neighbourhood. Awadhesh was taken to the hospital by Ajay Rai and a friend, Vijay Pandey, who were on the scene. On arrival, he was, however, pronounced dead. Mukhtar Ansari did not hold an MLA position at the time of the incident, according to NDTV. At the Chetganj police station, a FIR was filed against Mukhtar Ansari, Abdul Kalam, Bheem Singh, Kamlesh Singh, and Rakesh Kumar Srivastava. Ajay Rai filed the complaint, claiming to have seen Mukhtar Ansari and his friends shoot his brother. The murder was the result of a neighbourhood supremacy dispute, according to former government attorney Alok Chandra, who had pursued the case, reported Indian Express. A few months later, the cases investigation was given to the UP Polices Crime Branch (CID). Surprisingly, the case notebook had mysteriously vanished when it was discovered during the cases hearing in June 2022, NDTV reported. On the basis of photocopies, the entire case was heard. The verdict was rendered in this case for the first time using duplicate papers. While the case against Bheem Singh and Rakesh Srivastava is ongoing, Kamlesh and Abdul Kalam have passed away. Welcoming the judgement, Ajay Rai said, This is the end of our many years of waiting. I, my parents, Awadheshs daughter and the whole family kept patience Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself. But we did not give up. Because of our lawyers efforts, today the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother. Other pending cases against him According to NDTV, the 1988 murder of local contractor Sachchidanand Rai was the case that brought Mukhtar Ansari to public attention for the first time. After this murder, he is thought to have entered the criminal underworld, and a lengthy list of victims followed. He was implicated in the killing of chief constable Rajendra Singh, the brother of his arch-rival Tribhuvan Singh, beyond the Varanasi police perimeter. Mukhtar Ansari was apprehended by the police in Chandauli in 1991, although it is claimed that he shot two officers before fleeing. Then Mukhtar Ansari began meddling with deals for alcohol, illegal coal trading, and government contracts. His name surfaced once more in the 1996 murder of Assistant Superintendent of Police Uday Shankar Jaiswal, who had gestured for his car to stop. According to reports, Ansari and his assistants dismissed randomly. Ansari gained notoriety as a criminal during the 1997 kidnapping of Rungta, the largest coal trader in Purvanchal. The most dramatic political murder in the annals of Uttar Pradesh have involved Mukhtar Ansari. In November 2005, he is accused of using an AK-47 weapon to murder BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. 400 bullet shells are said to have been found there. From Rais body, as many as 21 bullets were found. Ansari was charged with killing Ram Singh Maurya in 2010. Mannat Singh, a neighbourhood contractor who was allegedly murdered by Ansaris gang in 2009, was allegedly assassinated in front of Maurya. He was charged with assault in 2008 after allegedly hitting a murder witness named Dharmendra Singh. His suspected involvement in an organised criminal network led the Maharashtra government to enforce the severe Maharashtra Control of Organised Criminal Act (MCOCA) on him in 2012. Violence broke out in Mau in October 2005, and he was the subject of numerous accusations that were later refuted. In contrast, Mukhtar Ansari turned himself in to the Ghazipur police and has been imprisoned ever since. Since then, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister, is rumoured to have had Ansari on his hit list. He is the subject of 61 cases, the most of which are in Ghazipur. Afzal Ansari, a BSP MP, and his brother Mukhtar Ansari were recently given prison terms of 10 and 4 years, respectively, in a 2007 Gangsters Act case. In addition to this, he has also been given penalties in some other cases. 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. Even as the country reels from the horrific Odisha train accident, which has killed over 270 people and injured thousand more, Sunday saw another tragedy unfold as an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihars Khagaria. Incidentally, the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge, which collapsed on Sunday, had also buckled in April last year. The incident has prompted a war of words between the ruling Janata Dal-United {JD(U)}-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance and the Opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the latter demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. But what exactly happened? Why did the bridge collapse? Heres what we know. Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge collapses On Sunday, people were left aghast when a 200-metre stretch on the Aguwani Sultanganj Ganga bridge came crashing down like a deck of cards around 6 pm. The moment when the bridge collapsed was captured by several locals on their phones and cameras and the video soon turned viral on social media. VIDEO | Under construction Aguwani-Sultanganj Ganga bridge collapsed in Bihars Bhagalpur earlier today. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/q26wzRoIlT Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2023 Fortunately, no casualties have been reported after a section of the bridge, linking Bhagalpur with Khagaria district, collapsed into the Ganga river. The collapse of the bridge brought back memories from 29 April last year when it had collapsed last year. At the time, a storm and the rains had been blamed for the bridge succumbing and falling down. In fact, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had also expressed surprise at the officials explanation for the bridge collapse, saying: I cannot understand how can a bridge collapse due to strong winds. There must be some error (which led to collapse of the bridge). Construction on the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge started in 2014. It was due to be completed in 2019 but work on it is still on. Described as Nitish Kumars dream project, this 3,160-metre long bridge is supposed to connect Khagaria with Bhagalpur, and comes with a price tag of Rs 1,700 crore. According to government officials, the bridge will significantly reduce the travel time between Bhagalpur and Khagaria. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also been quoted as saying that the bridge held great importance as it would reduce the load on the Vikramshila bridge near Bhagalpur. A planned demolition Shortly after the bridge came tumbling down like a pack of cards, the BJP in Bihar slammed the administration and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonwalla described it as the bridge of corruption and took a dig at the chief minister. Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge in Bihars Bhagalpur - dream project of CM Nitish Kumar collapses. This is the second time the bridge has collapsed. Imagine the level of corruption ! Rs 1750 crores of tax payer money takes Jal Samadhi with the bridge. THE BRIDGE OF CORRUPTION COLLAPSES EVEN AS NITISH BABU IS BUSY ATTEMPTING TO BE A BRIDGE OF OPPOSITION UNITY. Wait & see how Pappu Media ignores this story or somehow blames PM Modi for it, Poonwalla tweeted. BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a former Bhagalpur MP, also came out with a statement blaming the mishap on corruption and demanding a high-level inquiry into the incident. He further alleged that the incident has put a question mark on construction works being undertaken across the state, many of which have been awarded to the same contractor. Also read: A look at other deadly bridge crashes in India However, in a counter to this narrative, the government said that the section of the bridge collapsed owing to a planned demolition. In a press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, along with Pratyay Amrit, the additional chief secretary of the road construction department, stated that that the decision to demolish the bridge was made following a previous collapse of a section during a thunderstorm in 2022. The minister said the bridge had been deliberately destroyed in a planned manner as it had design flaws. We had approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects. Additional Chief Secretary of Road Construction Department Pratyay Amrit claimed that the state decided to go ahead with the demolition of the bridge without waiting for the final report. It was decided that we must not take any chance and wait for a final report, he said, according to news agency PTI. So we went ahead with pulling down parts of the bridge. Todays incident was a part of such a preventive exercise. On Monday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar commenting on the matter said, The bridge that collapsed yesterday had collapsed last year also. I have instructed officials to take strict action. It is not being constructed correctly thats why it is collapsing again and again. The department will look into it and action will be taken. Bihar bridge failures The collapse of the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge, adds to a series of bridge failures in Bihar. Last December, a bridge snapped into two and fell into the Burhi Gandak river in Begusarai district. No one was injured in the incident as the bridge was yet to be formally opened to the public due to the lack of an access road. Prior to that, a month before a labourer died and another was injured when an under-construction bridge in CM Nitish Kumars Nalanda district came down like a pack of cards. And Bihar is no stranger to bridge collapses. Ten labourers were injured last July when an under construction reinforced cement concrete (RCC) bridge collapsed in Bihars Katihar district. The Rs 1-crore bridge was being built on Kosi stream to connect the people of two blocks of Katihar: Sameli and Barari. In the same month, a small bridge connecting Gopalganj to Saran was also washed away. Additionally, in June, a part of a bridge being constructed over the Kosi river was washed away due to strong current in Bhagalpur district. 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. On Friday, the Coromandel Express collided with the Howrah Superfast Express and a stationary goods train on an adjoining track in the eastern state of Odisha. Railway teams worked non-stop Sunday restoring tracks after Indias deadliest train crash in decades, a tragedy that has reignited safety concerns about one of the largest networks in the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pushed a $30 billion (Rs 2.47 lakh crore) railway infrastructure modernisation in a bid to boost Indias economy and connectivity, with trains the preferred and cheapest mode of long-distance travel for both people and goods. This sad event unfortunately occurs at a time when the Indian Railways is actively launching semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express trains. On Saturday, when Modi viewed the mangled wreckage, offered condolences to the families of the nearly 300 killed in the triple-train crash and visited some of the hundreds of injured, he had been due to launch a modern electric train fitted with a state-of-the-art safety feature to prevent collisions. Also Read: God gave us a second life: Three members from same family escape death in Odisha train accident Experts said the crash on Friday at Balasore in Odisha showed Indias complex and often antiquated railway system still has far to go. Pure operational failures are not uncommon on Indian railways, former top railways official Subodh Jain told AFP. Safety mechanisms are now far more robust, but its a work in progress. Drastic change Indian Railways, the worlds fourth largest rail network, runs some 14,000 trains daily with 8,000 locomotives over a vast system of tracks some 64,000 kilometres (40,000 miles) long. Carrying more than 21 million passengers each day, according to official figures, the network is under enormous pressure in a country which has recently become the worlds most populous. Jain said the pressure of traffic is so great it is often hard to block a line long enough to carry out necessary improvements. There has to be some drastic change, the former railway board member said. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday linked the cause of the latest crash to the signal system, on a change that occurred during electronic interlocking, a technical term for a complex computer signal system meant to stop crashes. But Vaishnaw, who said it was not appropriate to give details before a final investigation report, also noted that the people responsible for it had been identified. Also Read: Police say social media accounts giving communal colour to Odisha accident, threaten legal action Local media have quoted a preliminary investigation report, with the Times of India reporting on Sunday that human error in signalling may have caused the collision between three trains. Modi has warned that no one responsible would be spared. Imagine the pressure India has spent vast sums in recent years to upgrade its rail network, run express trains, build modern railway stations, lay new tracks and install electronic signalling systems. But Jaya Varma Sinha, a member of the Indian Railway Board, told reporters that even if the Indian-designed Kavach anti-collision system meaning shield in Hindi had been in place, it would not have stopped Fridays disaster. It has been tested at various levels, and is very effective in preventing trains moving in opposite directions on the same track from colliding, she said. But in this case, even if Kavach was there, it would not have stopped the collision because it was a situation as if a big boulder was suddenly dropped in the way of a fast moving train. An average of 20,000 people died in rail accidents collisions, derailments and other causes between 2017 and 2021, according to official records. Experts say that while accidents have reduced over time, the needed improvements have been incremental at best Derailment accounted for 69 per cent of accidents, according to a 2022 report by the countrys top audit institution, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Defective tracks, poor maintenance and old signalling kit combined with human errors caused many derailments, the report said. For India, one of the worlds fastest-expanding major economies, more time is needed to improve the network, Jain said. We are running more trains, more longer trains of 24-25 carriages, more faster trains more frequently on all tracks: imagine the pressure, Jain said. What we need is to run more shorter length trains, ideally 18 carriages long, more frequently on all tracks but that needs a lot of upgrade work which will take time. Money is not a problem anymore. 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. The Odisha train accident, which has claimed more than 270 lives, has set off a political slugfest. Even as the Ministry of Railways has sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Fridays mishap, described as one of the worst in India, there have been demands from the Opposition that Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw should resign. But will a resignation help? Should railway ministers step down over train tragedies? We take a look at the records. It is unfortunate but rail accidents, especially derailments, are not so rare. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 17,993 railway accidents were reported in 2021. Train collisions killed 86 and derailments 22. Records show that roughly 2.6 lakh people have lost their lives in train accidents in the past 10 years and a majority of this is not because of collisions but because people fell off trains or were run over by them. That said, rail safety remains a major concern in the country. Big rail accidents with a high death toll and injuries have occurred during the tenure of other railway ministers as well. When Nitish reisgned as rail minister Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar served as the minister of railways for two terms in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led-government. During his time, 1079 accidents were recorded collisions and derailments which led to 1,527 deaths, according to the railways ministry data. There were 1,000 incidents of derailments and 79 collisions when Kumar was in charge of railways. The Janata Dal (United) chief quit after the Gaisal train disaster on 2 August 1999, when two trains carrying about 2,500 people collided at the remote station in West Bengal, claiming at least 285 lives. But Kumars resignation citing moral responsibility is rare. Also read: Odisha train accident: What are the electronic locking system and Kavach in the spotlight after the crash? Mamata Banerjees tenure in railways West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is now slamming the Centre for the Odisha tragedy, does not have a clean track record either as railways minister. She served under Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh and during her tenure, the country witnessed 839 derailments and 54 collisions, leading to 1451 deaths, according to ministry data. After two train disasters in 2000, Banerjee resigned from the post but Vajpayee rejected her resignation. Now Banerjee has raised concerns about the failure of the anti-collision system and has highlighted the need for a thorough investigation, saying the crash could have been averted if the trains were equipped with the system. The Bengal CM has said that 182 people from the state are still missing. It is not that everyone (dead body) has been identified so far. We received confirmation on 62 deaths from our state. There are also 182 more from Bengal, who are still missing or not identified (among the deceased) The number (of deaths) may rise, she told the media on Sunday. Banerjee had also questioned the official death toll on Saturday in the presence of Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, saying the number had mounted to 500. However, he contested the claim. Lalu as rail minister In the Manmohan Singh-led government, Lalu Prasad Yadav was the railways minister from May 2004 to May 2009. During his tenure, 601 accidents were recorded 550 derailments and 51 collisions. The number of deaths in these mishaps stood at 1159. Now the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief has hit out at the Centre after the Odisha tragedy, saying that this government has destroyed the railways, demanding high-level inquiry to find out the cause of the Odisha train accident. Alleging negligence and taking a dig at the BJP without naming it, Yadav said, The manner in which they showed negligence and didnt show alertness led to such a large number of casualties. There should be a high-level inquiry and action should be taken against those responsible for itThere was major negligence. They have destroyed Railways, he added. The first railways minister to resign While there is a growing demand for Vaishnaws resignation, only two ministers have resigned so far after train tragedies. Nitish Kumars resignation in 1999 was the second and came 43 years after the first. In November 1956, Lal Bahadur Shastri stepped down from his post as railways minister on moral grounds after the Ariyalur train accident in Tamil Nadu, which led to 142 deaths. Jawaharlal Nehru hailed Shastri as a man of integrity. He went on to become the countrys second prime minister. Railways under PM Modi Rail accidents have come down in the last decade, according to official data. From 2012-13 to 2022-23, during the terms of nine ministers under the United Progressive Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance, the Indian Railways recorded 878 mishaps, including collisions, derailment, and fires among others. The number is close accidents seen during Banerjees two terms as railways minister. In the decade before from 2002-03 to 2011-12, the railways recorded a total of 2,147 mishaps, reports News18. In August 2017, Suresh Prabhu offered his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taking moral responsibility for two derailments in four days the Kaifiyat Express derailment near Auriaya, which injured over 70 persons, and the Kalinga Utkal Express derailment at Khatauli near Muzaffarnagar, which killed 22 people and injured over 150 others. However, the PM asked him to wait. Now Vaishnaw faces his biggest test yet as railways minister. He has been camping in Balasore, close to the site of the crash, and has been overseeing rescue and relief operations, steering clear of any political confrontations. The railways minister turned emotional as he spoke about reuniting survivors with their family members. Our goal is to make sure missing persons family members can find them as soon as possible our responsibility is not over yet, Vaishnaw said as he announced the restoration of train services in the affected section. After repairs of damaged tracks, train services resumed on Sunday night, 51 hours after the triple train accident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his advice and instructions on the restoration of the railway tracks. The whole team (involved in the restoration work) laboured diligently and systematically to fix the damaged rails for the resumption of services, Vaishnaw said. In the past, we saw that railway ministers actions were only limited to photo ops during accidents. People like Mamata Banerjee even played politics then. But Vaishnaw is on the spot for more than 30 hours and is tirelessly involved in rescue and other relief efforts, a senior government official told News18. According to government sources, all agencies are working together as part of PM Modis direction of whole of government approach. The railways ministry is working in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force and the health ministry. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is also on the ground to ensure that there are no lapses in meting out medical treatment and to minimise losses. 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. Prince Harry remains unwavering in his war against the media, which he blames for his mothers death and his strained relationship with his family. He has had a turbulent relationship with the media and holds the press responsible for the death of his mother Princes Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she fled from paparazzi. Harry and his wife Meghan in 2020 stepped back from royal duties and relocated to California, in part blaming media attention for the move. The prince has vowed to make reforming the British media his lifes mission and has waged several battles with British tabloids over privacy concerns. Here is a breakdown of his ongoing court cases: Mirror Group Newspapers Harry is among a number of celebrity claimants seeking damages from Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over unlawful information-gathering, including phone hacking, at its titles. His is one of four representative cases selected for a trial that will also help the court decide the level of damages if their claim is successful. MGN, which published The Mirror, The Sunday Mirror and The Sunday People, at the start of the trial admitted some evidence of unlawful information gathering, including for a story about Harry. But it has denied all accusations of voicemail interception and argued that some of the claims have been brought too late. Associated Newspapers Several claimants, including Harry and pop star Elton John, are taking legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday tabloids over alleged breaches of privacy. They accuse Associated Newspapers (ANL) of methods such as hiring private investigators, tapping phone calls and impersonating individuals to obtain medical information for articles. Also Read: Britains Prince Harry to be first royal in 130 years to testify in phone hacking trial: What is the case all about? Lawyers for the claimants said the alleged unlawful acts were carried out from 1993 to 2011, but some took place as late as 2018. ANL has dismissed the allegations, arguing the case should not go to trial. A ruling is expected at a later date. ANL libel claim In another lawsuit against the Daily Mail publisher, Harry is bringing a libel claim over an article about his separate legal battle with the British government over security arrangements while in the UK. The article published by The Mail on Sunday newspaper in February 2022 suggested that Harry tried to keep the legal challenge a secret. ANL is arguing the article did not cause serious reputational harm and expressed an honest opinion. Harrys legal team have asked the court to dismiss ANLs defence or deliver a judgment in his favour without going to trial. A judgment is expected at a later date. News Group Newspapers Harry is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), part of Rupert Murdochs global media empire, for unlawful information-gathering. The publisher of tabloids The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World is asking the court to throw out the claims without trial, arguing they were brought too late. Also Read: Prince Harry and Meghan divorce rumours: Which British royals have called it quits before? But in documents submitted to court Harry claims the delay in filing a lawsuit against NGN stems from a secret agreement between the royal family as an institution and the publisher. NGN denies the existence of such an agreement. A similar claim against NGN was brought by British actor Hugh Grant and the High Court recently ruled to let the case go to trial. 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. A woman that had been dubbed Australias worst serial killer has been freed. Kathleen Folbigg, who spent 20 years in prison for killing her four children, was pardoned after new evidence has emerged. Lets take a closer look at who Folbigg is and what happened in her case: Who is Folbigg? According to ABC, Kathleen was born in 1967. Kathleens father murdered her mother before her second birthday leaving her a ward of the state until she was adopted by a couple in Newcastle. In 1985, Kathleen met her soon-to-be-husband Craig Folbigg. They married in 1987. Two years later, Kathleen gave birth to their first child Caleb. But just a few days after he was born, Caleb would be discovered dead in his crib. According to EuroNews, Kathleen discovered her son wasnt breathing when she got up one night to go to the bathroom. Theres something wrong with my baby, Kathleen yelled. Her cries awakened Craig who rushed in. They attempted to revive Caleb and called an ambulance but it was too late. Sadly, more were to follow. In 1991, Kathleen gave birth to Patrick this child would be found dead at eight months old. In 1993, their daughter Sarah died at 10 months. In 1999, their child Laura died at 19 months. Craig could take no more. According to EuroNews, the trauma of the childrens deaths devastated the couples relationship. Craig and Kathleen decided to divorce. But then Craig came upon Kathleens personal diaries. What shed written in them shocked Craig to the core. In May 1999, Craig gave Kathleens private journals to the police, as per ABC. In 2001, Kathleen was accused of smothering her children to death and charged with four murders. She insisted that she found three dead while going to the bathroom and the fourth when checking on the childs wellbeing. Kathleens trial According to BBC, there was no physical evidence that Kathleen had hurt her children. It was the diaries then that would become the key piece of evidence against Kathleen. They argued that Kathleens diaries contained admissions of guilt. According to ABC, Kathleen wrote, This was the day that Patrick Allan David Folbigg was born. I had mixed feelings this day. wether [sic] or not I was going to cope as a mother or wether [sic] I was going to get stressed out like I did last time . I often regret Caleb & Patrick, only because your life changes so much, and maybe Im not a Person that likes change. But we will see? Kathleen also made entries such as my guilt about them all haunts me; what scares me most will be when Im alone with the baby and obviously, Im my fathers daughter. Prosecutors told the jury at her trial that the similarities among the deaths made coincidence an unlikely explanation. According to CNN, the prosecution argued that the chances of four babies in one family dying of natural causes before age 2 would be akin to pigs flying. Throughout the trial, Kathleen steadfastly continued to maintain her innocence. But the jury agreed with the prosecution and found Kathleen guilty. In 2003, Kathleen was given a jail term of 40 years. A ray of hope In 2018, professor Carola Vinuesa of the Australian National University got a call from a former student asking help, as per Sydney Morning Herald. The student wanted the immunologist to look into Kathleens case. As a mother, I cannot think of a more worthy cause, Vinuesa told Kathleens lawyers over email. Vinuesa and her colleagues began mapping Kathleens DNA in an attempt to explain why her children would pass away suddenly. What they found shocked them. Kathleens DNA contained CALM2 a rare mutant gene. We did the first test and found a [gene] variant that looked very suspicious even then in November 2018, we thought this [a] very high likelihood, if found in the children, to be the culprit, Vinuesa told the BBC. While the genetic condition itself is extremely rare, those with it have a high chance of dying. One report showed nearly 30 per cent of a group who carried the disease died. Contrary to the prosecutions arguments, science found that the chances of two of Kathleens children dying were rather high, as per SMH. A new inquiry brings freedom In 2022, an inquiry headed by retired judge Tom Bathurst began examining the latest scientific evidence in the case. Bathurst conducted the inquiry into Folbiggs guilt based on a petition signed by 90 scientists, medical practitioners and related professionals that said it was based on significant positive evidence of natural causes of death. Lawyer Sophie Callan told the court expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, was also a reasonably possible cause of Lauras death, Callan said. For Patrick, Callan said there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused his sudden death. The scientific evidence created doubt that Kathleen killed the three children and undermined the argument made in Calebs case that four child deaths were an improbable coincidence, Callan said. Craig told the inquiry the implausibility that four children in one family would die of natural causes before the age of 2 was compelling grounds to continue treating the diary entries as admissions of his former wifes guilt. But Callan said psychologists and psychiatrists gave evidence that it would be unreliable to interpret the entries in this way. Kathleen had been suffering a major depressive disorder and maternal grief when she made the entries, Callan said. Bathurst for his part described the scientific evidence as quite exceptional, according to Sydney Morning Herald. Bathurst said Sarah and Laura Folbigg possessed a rare genetic mutation, while Patrick Folbigg may have had an underlying neurogenic condition. Given these factors, Bathurst found the death of Caleb Folbigg was also no longer suspicious. He said he was unable to accept that Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children. As per CNN, Bathurst, with regards to the diaries, concluded that the evidence suggests they were the writings of a grieving and possibly depressed mother, blaming herself for the death of each child, as distinct from admissions that she murdered or otherwise harmed them. On Monday, New South Wales Attorney-General Michael Daley announced that Kathleen had been pardoned after the inquiry found reasonable doubt surrounding the convictions. This has been a terrible ordeal for everyone concerned, and I hope that our actions today put some closure on this 20-year matter, he told reporters. The pardon was seen as the quickest way of getting Kathleen out of prison, and a final report from the second inquiry into her guilt could recommend the state Court of Appeals quash her convictions. Australian state governors are figureheads who act on instructions of governments. Daley said Bathurst had advised him last week there was reasonable doubt about Kathleens guilt based on new scientific evidence that the deaths could have been from natural causes. There is a reasonable doubt as to Ms Folbiggs guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, Daley told reporters. I have reached a view that there is reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms Folbigg of those offenses, Daley added. CNN quoted Daley as saying he knows some will find it hard to accept this. There will be some people who have strong views. Theres nothing I can do to disavow them of those views, (and) its not my role to do that, he said. Weve got four little bubbas who are dead. Weve got a husband and wife who lost each other. A woman who spent 20 years in jail, and a family that never had a chance. Youd not be human if you didnt feel something, he said. Kathleen, now 55, was released on Monday morning from a prison in Grafton, in the north of New South Wales state. The theory that she had killed her children had no evidence. The only evidence was circumstantial, because she was the one finding them dead, Vinuesa told Euronews. She is very grateful, not only to us the scientists but also to her lawyers, who have done most of the work for free, Vinuesa added. While the pardon lifts Kathleens prison sentence, she would need to apply separately through the court system to have the convictions overturned, a process that could take two or three years. The Australian Academy of Science, which helped to spark the inquiry, said it was relieved to see justice for Folbigg. Kathleens friend Peter Yates said he was absolutely delighted. What were particularly pleased about is that hes given Kathleen a full pardon, he told national broadcaster ABC. That means that shes free to live her life as a normal citizen and that makes a big difference to her. But Kathleens former husband Craig remains unconvinced. His lawyer Danny Eid said Craigs views on Kathleens guilt have not changed whatsoever. Ms Folbigg has not been acquitted of the crimes, and her convictions are not displaced, Eid told CNN. 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 worlds top spy chiefs held a secret meeting in Singapore last week. The meet saw senior officials from about two dozen of the worlds major intelligence agencies come together at the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue. But what do we know about this shadowy summit? Lets take a closer look: What do we know? On Thursday evening, intelligence chiefs held an informal gathering before holding talks on Friday. According to Reuters, the Singapore government has organised these gatherings for several years. They have been held discreetly at a separate venue alongside the security summit for many years, according to people in the know. The meetings have not been previously reported. The meeting is an important fixture on the international shadow agenda, said one person with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters. Given the range of countries involved, it is not a festival of tradecraft, but rather a way of promoting a deeper understanding of intentions and bottom lines. There is an unspoken code among intelligence services that they can talk when more formal and open diplomacy is harder it is a very important factor during times of tension, and the Singapore event helps promote that. All five sources who discussed the meetings declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. A spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Defence said that while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, participants including senior officials from intelligence agencies also take the opportunity to meet their counterparts. The Singapore Ministry of Defence may facilitate some of these bilateral or multilateral meetings, the spokesperson said. Participants have found such meetings held on the sidelines of the (dialogue) beneficial. Who was in attendance? The US, China and India among others. Washington was represented by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, the head of her countrys intelligence community, while China was among the other countries present, despite the tensions between the two superpowers. The United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operate what is called the Five Eyes network to gather and share a broad range of intelligence, and their intelligence officials meet frequently. Larger meetings of the intelligence community are rarer, and almost never publicised. India was represented by Samant Goel, the head of Indias overseas intelligence gathering agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, according to an Indian source. According to The Wire, Indias deputy national security advisor Vikram Misri was also present at the meet. India does not believe in partnering in military alliances. We are, however, a partner for many countries including in the military and defence field, he said, adding that when it comes to Indias pacts with the US, as sovereign countries, India and the US conclude such agreements as all other countries have it, Misri was quoted as saying by PTI. No Russian representative was present, one of the sources said. Ukraines deputy defence minister, Volodymr V Havrylov, was at the Shangri-La Dialogue but said he did not attend the intelligence meeting. What was discussed? Although few details were available on the specific discussions in Singapore, Russias war in Ukraine and transnational crime figured in the talks on Friday, the person with knowledge of the discussions added. Another of the sources said the tone at the meeting was collaborative and cooperative, and not confrontational. The US Embassy in Singapore said it had no information on the meeting. The Chinese and Indian governments did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Shangri-La Dialogue At the main security dialogue, more than 600 delegates from 49 countries held three days of plenary sessions, as well as closed-door bilateral and multilateral meetings at the sprawling Shangri-La Hotel. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese gave the keynote address while US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu and counterparts from Britain. If you dont have the pressure valve of dialogue, if you dont have the capacity at a decision-making level to pick up the phone, to seek some clarity or provide some context, then there is always a much greater risk of assumptions spilling over into irretrievable action and reaction, Albanese said. Japan, Canada, Indonesia and South Korea also spoke. Haines was among the official US delegates to the Shangri-La Dialogue. At a discussion on cybersecurity in the main meeting, she said in response to a question from a Chinese military officer that cooperation between countries was essential. It is absolutely critical, even when there is distrust, and even when you are facing in effect adversaries, that you still try to work through and cooperate on issues of mutual interest and also try to manage the potential for escalation, she said. US officials said on Friday that CIA Director William Burns visited China last month for talks with Chinese counterparts as the Biden administration seeks to boost communications with Beijing. 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. Summary Brain function is an important part of our health. Unfortunately, in todays society, a lot of people suffer from ADHD, also called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This is a disease that can destroy an individuals quality of life. Well talk about it more below in our review. To eliminate the symptoms of this disorder, lots of people choose prescription drugs, such as Adderall, which can indeed help to some degree short-term. However, the consequences of taking this product for longer periods of time are quite big. Addiction, headaches, irritability, and weight gain are some of the side effects of taking Adderall consistently. Thats why we decided to research the market and find the best natural Adderall alternative which will be as effective or even more potent than Adderall itself, while substantially minimizing the risk of side effects. We have finally found one. Here it is! VYVAMIND BEST ADDERALL ALTERNATIVE ONLINE Positive Sides: Clean formula with no additives Only natural ingredients in doses supported by science Contains 6 compounds more than enough for substantial results if you use them consistently while making the supplement exceptionally safe for those who are sensitive Made by the respected company Endorsed by celebrities and professionals Ideal for individuals with ADHD Can help to get rid of ADHD symptoms permanently with consistent usage Most effective at increasing focus and energy levels Increases cerebral blood flow which can enhance cognitive function Negative Sides: Expensive at $74.99 per bottle Not available from retailers, only directly from the official website Quick Summary of The Best-Rated Natural Adderall Alternative: The best natural otc Adderall alternative at the moment to eliminate brain fog, boost mental clarity, treat ADHD, promote healthy blood flow to the brain, prevent cognitive decline, and support long-term brain health comes in a form of Vyvamind, made by the excellent company SAP Nutrition. Why do we rank this as the best product for the brain at the moment? It is due to a combination of 6 natural nutrients inside which are all dosed according to scientific research, with no pointless additives or proprietary blends. With Vyvamind, you can be sure that you are paying for a quality product. It is suitable even for sensitive stomachs; 6 ingredients inside might not sound like a lot, but this makes it ideal for everyone who wants to support their brain. Supplements that contain too many ingredients could be harsh on the stomach for most people and that automatically rises the risk of some adverse effects. Students that require more focus and better mental clarity, businessmen, academics, entrepreneurs, and old people are just some types of individuals that will significantly benefit from taking Vyvamind. Another great thing about Vyvamind is that it is made in FDA-inspected facilities, which speaks a lot about the company that produces this one. Say goodbye to stimulant medications, and go for natural alternatives. You wont be disappointed with Vyvamind. It replicates the advantages of Adderall, but in a more effective way, while providing a minimum risk of side effects and addiction. You can consume Vyvamind for longer periods of time without fear. All in all, we give the manufacturer a huge thumbs up. Order Vyvamind Today And Improve Your Quality of Life. Click Here To Investigate The Official Site. ADDERALL Adderall is an amphetamine-based prescription medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It is a central nervous system stimulant that affects neurotransmitters in the brain and can help increase attention, improve focus, and reduce impulsivity. Adderall is a Schedule II controlled substance, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and may lead to physical or psychological dependence if misused. ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a complex disorder which affects the way people focus, act, and learn. It is characterized by difficulty with paying attention, controlling behavior and impulsivity. People with ADHD often experience difficulty in school or work, social interactions and relationships. ADHD affects both children and adults but is more common in younger people. It can be difficult to diagnose as symptoms can vary significantly between individuals. However, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of ADHD such as difficulty with concentration, impulsivity or hyperactivity it is important to seek professional help as soon as possible to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. ADDERALL ALTERNATIVES FOR ADHD SYMPTOMS DO THESE ALTERNATIVES WORK? Natural otc Adderall alternatives are also called brain health supplements. They work for the brain by delivering certain nutrients which are essential for an improved level of focus, lowering anxiety, depression, and stress, boosting motivation, mood, energy levels, and supporting overall cognitive functions and cognitive health. Why are Adderall alternatives so much better than taking Adderall? First of all, many people choose to go for prescription medication to treat ADHD symptoms. We think this is a bad idea. While Adderall can help reduce the symptoms of ADHD short-term, long-term usage can cause major side effects. This is because Adderall contains certain chemicals, some of them being amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Some of the more common side effects associated with Adderall include changes in appetite, weight loss or gain, insomnia, headaches, and irritability. Additionally, long-term use of this medication has been linked to an increased risk of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Its always better to choose natural ingredients. Natural Adderall alternatives can be taken for a long time without having to stress yourself about potential side effects. Our team has been searching through the market for a very long time, and after going through many scam supplements, we have found what we consider the best natural Adderall alternative at the moment. It is free of any chemicals, proprietary blends, and fillers. Our advice is to always inspect the supplement by yourself before purchasing it. That way, youll be extra secure. We are here to help you today choose the right, informed decision for your health. Here are some tips for choosing the right supplement for yourself. Take a look at the ingredients. As we mentioned earlier, natural ingredients are the best. The doses must be optimal according to scientific research. See if there are any additives or proprietary blends. If there are, skip that product. And finally, see if the customer reviews are any good. How Were Brain Health Supplements Invented? Brain health supplements came about as a result of the human need to enhance cognitive performance and mental clarity. Scientists have been researching and developing ways to do this for centuries, with the first supplement being developed during the early days of ancient Greece. Throughout history, herbal remedies have been used to increase mental clarity and focus, but it wasnt until the 1950s that a more formalized approach was taken towards brain health supplements. The development of modern nootropic drugs has allowed for a more effective way of improving cognitive performance and overall brain health. Lets take a look at the most potent Adderall alternative available online at the moment. Vyvamind The Best Supplement Among Natural Adderall Alternatives Click Here to Buy From Official Website Vyvamind is the strongest brain pill and otc Adderall alternative made particularly for ADHD symptoms. This is a supplement made by the reputable SAP Nutra. Vyvamind is a nootropic pill that increases the bodys natural production of acetylcholine, a molecule that aids in controlling cognitive function and reaction speed. Dopamine is also produced more, which boosts motivation and cognitive function in general. Its blend of organic ingredients has a variety of advantageous effects, including higher mood and more endurance. The benefits of prescription medicines are very effectively replicated by this nootropic pill but without the dangers or negative consequences. Many users see its effects an hour after taking their first dose because it has more of a kick than the majority of Adderall substitutes weve seen on the market. Vyvamind, unlike other Adderall substitutes, also offers long-term support for brain cells, assisting in stress reduction and promoting a positive mood, which will result in better learning and easier focus on daily tasks. Lets take a closer look at the formulation of this product. It contains six different nootropic compounds, all beneficial for different areas of brain function. Vitamins B6 and B12 are included, alongside Citicoline, L-Tyrosine, Caffeine Anhydrous, and L-Theanine, which is known to prevent the negative effects of stimulants. Vitamins B6 and B12 play an important role in keeping our brains healthy. They have been proven to improve cognitive function, reduce stress and anxiety, and help protect against age-related mental decline. Vitamin B6 helps the body produce neurotransmitters that are essential for memory formation, while vitamin B12 is vital in producing myelin sheaths which insulate nerve cells. This helps promote better communication between neurons and plays a key role in maintaining overall brain health. Furthermore, studies suggest that people who consume enough vitamin B6 and B12 may be better equipped to fight off depression and Alzheimers disease. Citicoline helps to increase acetylcholine levels in the brain, as previously mentioned. This helps to boost motivation, mood, and overall cognitive functions. This substance is found naturally in the body and has been clinically proven to help with memory, focus, and concentration, as well as having a protective effect on the brain from damage caused by aging. It also helps reduce mental fatigue, brain fog, and boost mental clarity. L-Tyrosine helps to produce norepinephrine and dopamine which are also involved in higher motivation levels and better mood. It is proven to have many positive effects on mental health and cognitive performance, including boosting memory, increasing focus, and reducing stress levels. L-Tyrosine can also be used to benefit those suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. In addition to its calming effect on mental health, L-Tyrosine has been proven to help improve overall brain health by enhancing memory recall and increasing alertness. Popular stimulant caffeine is included in this supplement too, more precisely, in a form of caffeine anhydrous. It is a great way for treating ADHD symptoms such as low focus and energy. In fact, it is superb at boosting energy, and this is nothing new to those who regularly drink coffee. Caffeine should not be taken at night because it can disturb your sleep and even cause insomnia in some cases. For those who worry about the dosage of caffeine in Vyvamind, in our opinion, there is no reason to stress yourself. Caffeine comes at 75mg per serving in Vyvamind, which is approximately a cup of coffee, and it shouldnt cause any major side effects in most people. L-Theanine is an amino acid found naturally in tea leaves. It is known for its numerous benefits on brain health and has been used to treat anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that it may also have neuroprotective effects, as well as improve memory, focus, and concentration. However, it is the most potent at promoting a relaxation state. What Do We Think About Vyvamind? We think that Vyvamind has one of the best formulas on the market for those who suffer from ADHD symptoms. It will also help to improve other aspects of brain health while providing a minimal risk of adverse effects long-term. Also, unlike Adderall, the risk of addiction with Vyvamind doesnt exist, since the ingredients inside are coming directly from mother nature. As a result, we rank this as the best brain pill in 2023. It is safe, highly potent, and will provide you with precise results. While testing the product, our team noticed a significant mental improvement in cognitive functions and the level of focus after just a month of consistent usage! So, for all those looking for an Adderall alternative, we advise considering Vyvamind. Pricing Vyvamind isnt available from retailers such as Amazon. You can only purchase it from the main site for the current price of $74.99 per bottle which should last you for one to two months. Fast shipping across the globe is guaranteed by the manufacturer. Want to take a look at Vyvamind? Click Here to Visit the Official Site. Disclaimer: This is a partnered post. The information provided in this post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The views and opinions expressed in any referenced product or service do not necessarily reflect those of Network18. Network18 does not vouch for the efficacy or safety of any products mentioned in this post. The reader is advised to conduct their own research and due diligence before purchasing or using any product. Network18 shall not be held responsible for any negative consequences that may arise from the use of any product mentioned in this post. The information does not constitute advice or an offer to buy. Any purchase made from the above press release is made at your own risk. Consult an expert advisor/health professional before any such purchase. Any purchase made from this link is subject to the final terms and conditions of the websites sales as mentioned above as a source. The Advertising Agency and its downstream distribution partners do not take any responsibility directly or indirectly. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the company this news is about. Advertising and Marketing by: This content was marketed by Brandingbyexperts.com on behalf of their client. For queries reach out support@brandingbyexperts.com This is a Partnered Post. Timely and accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone to good clinical practice and an essential first step to achieving optimal patient outcomes. The occurrence of laboratory errors can severely impair the clinical decision-making process. It is estimated that 2/3rd of patient diagnosis and treatment is dependent on lab results. A recent study concluded that most of us will experience at least one diagnostic error in our lifetime. In order to reduce errors and improve quality of care, laboratory professionals must be made aware of the impact laboratory results have on the patient and on the other hand clinicians must have a thorough understanding of laboratory processes. The practice of patient safety needs to be adopted in laboratory medicine to avoid any harm to patients and to improve the total testing process. Patients can be harmed not only by the issuance of erroneous results but also due to delayed result generation or delayed critical results communication, etc. India has now recognised the importance of patient safety and is in the process of adopting a patient safety culture and numerous initiatives are being taken to address this issue. In 2015 during the 68th WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia all Member of the Region, including India, endorsed the Regional Strategy for Patient Safety in the WHO South-East Asia Region aiming to support the development of national quality of care and patient safety strategies. Laboratory errors can be avoided by adopting quality assurance practices, newer technologies and through continuous education of lab personnel. Medical laboratories must implement effective quality improvement plans to identify and prevent errors in order to guarantee the reliability of laboratory results. Accreditation in compliance with the International Standard ISO 15189 represents the crucial first step. Unfortunately, only ~2 per cent of laboratories in India are accredited. There is no enforcement by the government for laboratories to undergo accreditation. We need to make people aware of quality stamping and which kind of a lab they should be going to get themselves tested. Another important step in preventing errors and ensuring patient safety is the development of specific educational and training programs addressed to all personnel involved. A wide variety of information can be provided by a robust quality management system (QMS) including the identification of Quality Indicators (QI) that will help identify undesirable events, evaluate the risk to the patient, and call for corrective and preventive actions as and when required. Risk management constitutes an essential component of the QMS of medical laboratories. Laboratories need to develop a practical tool for risk management that contains five major steps: risk identification, quantification, prioritisation, mitigation, and surveillance. Potential risks identification must include all aspects of testing including preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical phases. Despite the automation of processes, some risks are persistent, and those, if not controlled adequately, could result in a wrong diagnosis, wrong treatment, and ultimately morbidity and mortality. Therefore, identification and mitigation of potential risks associated with laboratory processes should be given prime importance. However, the effectiveness of the QMS depends on the careful analysis of data collected, staff awareness of the importance of laboratory medicine to the healthcare process and continuous monitoring of the quality improvement plan. In order to safeguard patients interest, laboratory professionals must assist clinicians in selecting the right test for the right patient and provide the right report at the right time to facilitate diagnosis and treatment. The author is Senior Consultant & Head-Hematology and Biochemistry, PathKind Reference Laboratory. 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. Noted Author, Shantanu Gupta, who has written two bestseller titles on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, launched his new graphic novel Ajay to Yogi Adityanath for the young readers. The graphic novel was launched in 51+ schools of Uttar Pradesh on 5th of June, the 51st birthday of Yogi Adityanath. Author himself was present at Seth Anandram Jaipuria School in Lucknow with hundreds of children along with the education minister Sandeep Singh and other guests. And simultaneously more than 5,000 children launched the book in 51+ schools across various districts of Uttar Pradesh in this record launch. This was the first time that a book is launched in multiple locations simultaneously with so many participants, that to children. The launch created an Asia book of records. When our team contacted Shantanu, author shared the finer details about his new graphic novel. Gupta told that Ajay to Yogi Adityanath, is a journey of a young boy Ajay Singh Bisht born in the hinterlands of Uttarakhand with six other siblings. His father Anand Singh Bisht was a junior forest officer and mother Savitri Devi was a home maker. From childhood, Ajay was fond of taking care of the family cows, listening to stories of freedom fighters and participating in the school debates . They all lived in a one and a half room house in a remote village name Panchur, in todays Uttarakhand. From here Ajay rose to become Mahant of Gorakhnath Mutt, youngest member of the parliament of India and the Chief Minister of the most populated state of India, Uttar Pradesh. Author added that Ajay to Yogi Adityanath is a story of sheer grit, determination and hard work for every student to follow and take inspirational from. Author told that he is able to narrate this story through the inspirational accounts, he heard and documented during his conversations with various individuals who were a part of Yogi Adityanaths growing up years. They were, his father late Anand Singh Bisht, his mother Savitri Devi, his friends from the Panchur village, classmates and teachers from his colleges in Kotdwar and Rishikesh and through various fellow saints and leaders who crossed paths with him. For the literature buffs, Shantanu narrated the detailed literary and artistic journey that the graphic novel has gone through in last one year. First the author storyboarded all the pages based on his primary research. Along with the dialogues, he suggested the possible layout to the artists. From there on the team of artists and designers Nitesh Kushwaha, Akash Jaiswal and Pallavi Saxena took on. First the artists did the rough thumbnailing for estimation of the page layout, then they did the meticulous pencil art work the most important part of the journey, then they inked it, did panelling, added dialogues and then the colours. Detailed review and rigorous feedback loops were run through for each panel, each page and every dialogue between the team members. To make the book more engaging, book also has many puzzles and games on Yogi Adityanath at the end. The QR code in the book will take the readers to a website, where young readers can play 100+ games and puzzles to know more about Yogi Adityanath and Uttar Pradesh. Speaking at the Lucknow record the launch, PWD minister in Yogis cabinet Jitin Prasada motivated children to dream big and constantly look up to successful people like CM Yogi Adityanath. He said he elated to be a part of a book launch which is ranking number#1 in the childrens new releases category on Amazon among lakhs of listed books there. He emphasized on innovation and value of new and innovative ideas, like the innovative graphic novel author Shantanu has created on CM Yogi. Prasada further called upon students of Seth Anandram Jaipuria to learn from the life of Honourable Chief Minister and be the leaders of tomorrow. He invoked page 5 of the book Ajay to Yogi Adityanath, which depicts Chief Minister living in a one room house, with six siblings in poverty and later rose to become an iconic leader that he is today. MLA from Lucknow and from Joint director of ED, Rajeshwar Singh said that he is personally highly impressed with the personality of CM Yogi Adityanath, who has transformed Uttar Pradesh and cracked down on crime in the state. Talking on Shantanu Guptas graphic novel, he said this is one of kind of book, where life and struggles of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths journey from a boy being born in a small village till taking the oath as CM of Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister media advisor Mrityunjay Singh, told that we are all fortunate to be in UP today under the able leadership of Yogi Adityanath. When we go out of UP, today we take to be in Upite, which was not the case earlier. This graphic novel has reached in the hands of the kids, who are the future of the country. He congratulate author Shantanu Gupta and his entire team. Sqd Leader Toolika Rani spoke about her experience and challenges from the air force, and connected that to the challenges faced by Yogi ji in his growing up years. She added that the way army is protecting the borders, Yogi Aditynath ji is protecting the people of Uttar Pradesh. She congratulated Shantanu and his team to make the life of such a leader available to children in the form of a engaging graphic novel. After the end of the grand launch in 51+ schools of Uttar Pradesh simultaneously with more than 5000 children on the 51st birthday of Yogi Adityanath, adjudicator of the Asia Book of Records Dr Sameer Das , gave the provisional certificate of Asia Book of Records for this massive launch. The certificate read: MAXIMUM SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN A BOOK LAUNCH Shantanu Gupta (born on February 7, 1979) of Noida, Uttar Pradesh set the record for maximum school students participating in a book launch. Students from different schools across Uttar Pradesh simultaneously launched a book authored by Shantanu Gupta titled Ajay to Yogi Adityanath to commemorate the 51st birthday of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as confirmed on June 5, 2023. Schools from all the four regions of Uttar Pradesh West UP, Poorvanchal, Bundelkhand and Awadh regions joined this record launch. Leading schools of Uttar Pradesh like Jaipuria Schools from Lucknow and Khushinagar, Delhi Public School and Vidya Bal Bhavan from Ghaziabad, Sunbeam School and St Xaviers High School from Varanasi, St. Joseph School from Prayagraj, JP International School, Sarvottam and Manav Rachna from Gautam Budha Nagar, RNS World School Jhansi, KL International and IIMT Schools from Meerut, Alpine Public School from Bulandshahar, Mount Litera ZEE School from Muzaffarnagar, Abhyuday Public School from Gorakhpur, Guru Kripa School from Bahraich, TINY TOTS from Ayodhya to name a few from the long list of schools, which celebrated their beloved Chief Ministers birthday across different cities of Uttar Pradesh. Prashant Singh of Koshala literature festival motivated children make reading and writing a regular habit for a successful career in future. He invited all the children for the upcoming edition of Koshala literature festival (KLF) in December 2023. COO of MotoGP Bharat, Pushkar Nath Srivastava announced at the venue that they will distribute this graphic novel among children in 5 cities Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Noida, Lucknow and Prayag. He also announced collaboration with Shantanus team for a graphic novel on responsible driving for the Moto GP Bharats outreach. Speed artist Amit Verma fascinated every one by painting the cover of the book with in few minutes in a life size canvas. Ashutosh, the art teacher of Jaipuria school gifted a wonderfully painted portrait of Yogi Adityanath to the guests. In past Shantanu Gupta has written two bestselling titles on Yogi Adityanath The Monk Who Became Chief Minister and The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh. And now he has written an inspirational graphic novel on UP Chief Minister specially for children- Ajay to Yogi Adityanath. Book is already ranking among the bestsellers on Amazon. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A Pakistani drone carrying narcotics across the Attari-Wagah border was shot down by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, officials said on Monday. A Pakistani drone that violated Indian airspace was intercepted & brought down by BSF troops in Amritsars Attari. Heroin weighing 3.2Kg(appx) recovered: BSF Punjab (Pic credits BSF Punjabs twitter handle) pic.twitter.com/HVObuWzSzi ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2023 According to officials, the drone, which violated Indian airspace, was intercepted and shot down by alert BSF personnel in Amritsar. We were getting inputs for the last two-three days that smugglers from Pakistan will try to smuggle the heroin through drone. Acting on that, our troops yesterday seized one drone and three packets containing approximately 3.1 kg of heroin, said Sanjay Gaur, DIG BSF, Amritsar. #WATCH | Punjab: We were getting inputs for the last 2-3 days that smugglers from Pakistan will try to smuggle the heroin through drone. Acting on that, our troops yesterday seized one drone & three packets containing approx 3.1 kg of heroin: Sanjay Gaur, DIG BSF, Amritsar pic.twitter.com/0u7HFO6dMW ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2023 Further investigation is on, said the officials. 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 post-mortem report of Sakshi, victim of Delhis Shahbad Dairy murder case, has revealed that the 16-year-old girls internal organs, including the intestine, were left hanging out of her stomach after being brutally stabbed by her alleged boyfriend Sahil Khan. Sakshi was stabbed atleast 16 times by Sahil on 28 May. He also kicked her and bludgeoned her face with a stone. The 20-year-old then dumped the knife which he used to commit the grisly murder and left for Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh to avoid being caught. However, Sahil, who worked as a AC and fridge mechanic, was arrested from his aunts house in Bulandshahr hours after he stabbed Sakshi to death. Sakshi murder case: Post-mortem report reveals grisly details 1 Police received a 16-17 page chargesheet from the hospital detailing the brutal murder of Sakshi 2 Sahils attacks were so severe and brutal that victims internal organs, including the intestine came out 3 Out of the 16 stab wounds in the victims body, the maximum were observed from the shoulder to the hip region, a report by ANI quoted police sources as saying 4 The report revealed that Sahil burgeoned Sakshis head with a rock and some bones in head region have also been found with cracks Also Read: Delhi Murder Case: After killing Sakshi, Sahil took a nap in park 5 A number of bones in her body have been found in broken condition. As per the doctors, this is the result of multiple brutal assaults on the victims body by the accused 6 The preliminary findings of the post-mortem report had said that the girl suffered a ruptured skull during the attack. The knife and shoes that police have recovered from the crime spot have been sent to the forensic lab. The CCTV clip of the incident showed Sahil purportedly stabbed the minor Hindu girl multiple times with a knife. He continued with his brutality even when she fell on the ground. Sahil kicked her and then took a concrete slab lying nearby and bludgeoned her head. Dont Miss: Delhi murder: New video shows Sakshi running minutes before being stabbed by Sahil The clip all showed people passing by the busy area where the crime took place, watching the events unfold and not intervening. FIR under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at Shahbad Dairy Police Station. According to the section, whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the poor and developing countries are paying the price for the wrong policies of some developed nations and stressed that India has been strongly raising the issue of climate justice with all such advanced and big countries. In his video message at a World Environment Day event, the Prime Minister said that for the protection of world climate, it is very important that every country thinks above vested interests. The model of development that has been created in the big and modern countries of the world for a long time is very contradictory. In this development model, the only thinking about the environment was that first we should develop our country, then later we will also worry about the environment. With this, such countries achieved the development goals, but the environment of the whole world had to pay the price for their development, PM Modi said. He said that today India has raised the question of climate justice in front of every such country. Even today, the developing and poor countries of the world are suffering due to the wrong policies of some developed countries. For decades, there was no one to stop this attitude of some developed countries, there was no country, he said. The Prime Minister said the theme of this years World Environment Day is Freedom from Single-Use Plastic and he is happy that India has been working continuously for the last 4-5 years on what the world is doing today. In 2018, India started working at two levels to get rid of single-use plastic. On the one hand, we banned single-use plastic and on the other, plastic waste processing was made mandatory. Due to this, about 30 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging has been recycled in India. This is 75 percent of the total annual plastic waste generated in India, the Prime Minister said. He said in the past nine years, India has given unprecedented focus on green and clean energy. Be it solar power, LED bulbs should reach more and more homes, which has saved the money of the people of the country, our poor and middle class and has also protected the environment. The electricity bill has come down continuously, the PM said. Talking about Indias leadership during the pandemic, he said India launched Mission Green Hydrogen and took major steps towards natural farming. PM Modi said India is focussing on environment in a big way just like any other area for its growth. If India has expanded its 4G and 5G telecom networks, it has also enhanced its forest cover on an equal footing, he added. On the one hand, India built 4 crore houses for the poor, on the other hand, the number of wildlife and wildlife sanctuaries in India also increased by record. Today, on one hand, India is running the Jal Jeevan Mission, on the other hand, we have prepared more than 50,000 Amrut Sarovars for water security. Today, on one hand, India has become the fifth largest economy in the world, while it has also joined the top-5 countries in renewable energy. Today, on one hand, India is increasing agricultural exports, on the other hand, it is also campaigning for 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. Today, on one hand, India has become the basis of organisations like Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), on the other hand, India has also announced the International Big Cat Alliance. This is a big step towards the conservation of Big Cats, he said. Continuing the campaign of Green Future, Green Economy, he said two more schemes have been launched today. In the last nine years, the number of wetlands in India and Ramsar sites has increased almost three times compared to before. Today the Amrut Dharohar Yojana has been started. Through this scheme, conservation of these Ramsar sites will be ensured with public participation. In the future, these Ramsar sites will become the center of eco-tourism and will become a medium of green jobs for thousands of people, informed the Prime Minister. He said the second plan is related to the countrys long coastline and the population living there. Through the Mishti Yojana, the mangrove ecosystem of the country will also be revived and will also be safe. With this, mangrove cover will be restored in nine states of the country. This will help reduce the crisis of life and livelihood in coastal areas from sea level rise and disasters like cyclones, he added. Expressing his happiness over Mission LiFE becoming a mass movement all over the world, he said, When I launched Mission Life in Kevadia-Ekta Nagar in Gujarat last year, there was a curiosity among people. Today, this mission is infusing a new consciousness about lifestyle changes to deal with climate change. He said a month ago, a campaign was also launched regarding Mission LiFE. I am told that in less than 30 days, about 2 crore people have joined it. With this spirit, giving life to my city, somewhere there were rallies, somewhere quiz competitions were held. Lakhs of school children, their teachers, joined this campaign through eco-clubs. Millions of friends have adopted the mantra of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in their daily lives. Change in nature is change in the world, this is the basic principle of mission life. Mission Life is equally important for the bright future of our future generations, the entire humanity, said the PM. He said this consciousness is not limited to the country, but there is growing support for this initiative of India all over the world. Last year, on Environment Day, I made another appeal to the world community. The urge was to share innovative solutions to bring about climate-friendly behavioural change among individuals and communities. Solutions that are meassurable are scalable. It is a matter of great happiness that thousands of colleagues from about 70 countries around the world shared their views. These include students, researchers, experts from different domains, professionals, NGOs and ordinary citizens. The ideas of some of these distinguished colleagues have also been rewarded a while ago. I congratulate all the award winners, PM Modi said. He said the collection of Thought Leadership for LiFE has also been released today. I am confident that such efforts will further strengthen our resolve for green growth, he added. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on 5 June since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A strong belief of a father refusing to believe that his son has died in Odisha train accident not only led him to travel 230 km to Balasore but also managed to trace and bring him back home safely to Kolkata. On Friday, a triple train crash in Odishas Balasore district involving two express trains and a goods train resulted in death of 275 people and over 1100 people being injured. Twenty four-year-old Biswajit Malik, the victim of the Balasore train accident who had boarded the Coromandel Express, was believed to be dead in the accident. However, Biswajits father Helaram Maliks quest to find his son led him to a makeshift morgue in Odisha where he reached after travelling for over 230 km in an ambulance from Kolkata, according to a Times of India report. The heartwarming story of Maliks father not giving up on his strong belief is winning hearts online. After being brought home from Odisha, Biswajit underwent surgery at SSKM Hospitals trauma care unit and is now expected to undergo a few more surgeries. Although he is critically injured, Maliks condition is said to be stable. As per the report, Maliks father runs a small shop in Howrah. After learning about the Odisha train accident, Helaram called his son and found that he was badly injured. Without giving a second thought, along with his brother-in-law Dipak Das, he set course in an ambulance to Odishas Balasore to bring his son back home. However, things didnt go as planned. Helaram ran from pillar to post but was unable to find his son. However, the father didnt give up. Helaram and Das continued their search and finally landed at Bahanaga high school, where their eyes were confronted with numerous bodies kept at the temporary morgue. Das said that when a commotion broke out they saw a hand shivering among the pile of bodies. Das said that when they saw a hand shivering, they realised that it was Biswajit, who was badly injured. They immediately took Biswajit and left for Balasore Hospital, where he was administered first aid. However, doctors asked Helaram to take his son to Cuttack Medical College Hospital, but he signed a bond and got his son discharged and headed back home. Ambulance driver Palash Pandit who accompanied Das and Malik said that Biswajit was unconscious most of the time on their way back to Kolkata. Reports suggest that Biswajit suffered multiple fractures to his right hand. He is set to undergo a few more surgeries. Speaking about Biswajits survival, forensic medicine expert Somnath Das said there is a condition called suspended animation in which a persons vitals get reduced to a bare minimum. It is possible that those involved in search and rescue were not able to check the vitals of injured passengers and Biswajit is one such example. 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. Odisha Police on Sunday said some social media accounts were giving a communal colour to the horrific train accident in the Balasore district and threatened strong legal action against those who try to incite communities through false and malicious posts. Terming the development unfortunate, the police said the collision and derailment involving two passenger trains and a goods train on Friday evening was maliciously communalised by these social media accounts. It has come to notice that some social media handles are mischievously giving communal colour to the tragic train accident at Balasore. This is highly unfortunate, the Odisha Police said in a statement. The police requested everyone to refrain from sharing such deceptive and malicious posts about the accident. We appeal to all concerned to desist from circulating such false and ill-motivated posts. Severe legal action will be initiated against those who are trying to create communal disharmony by spreading rumours, the state police added in its statement. It stated further that the Government Railway Police (GRP) was in the process of conducting an inquiry into the accident and probe all aspects of the case. An investigation by the Government Railway Police GRP, Odisha into the cause and all other aspects of the accident is going on, it said. The triple train accident on Friday involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and the goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore. Earlier, on Sunday, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the accident occurred due to a change in electronic interlocking. Electronic interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements between trains through an arrangement of tracks. It is basically a safety measure to prevent signals from being changed in improper sequence. The aim of this system is that no train gets the signal to proceed unless the route is proven safe. Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, along with Vaishnaw and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met the injured at Srirama Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Secy Pradeep Jena clarified that the death toll from the horrific accident had been revised from 288 to 275 after it was determined that some bodies had been counted twice. The death toll is 275, and not 288 as reported earlier. The toll was re-checked by the district magistrate (DM) and it was found that some bodies had been counted twice. Hence the toll was revised to 275, of which 88 bodies have been identified, Jena told ANI. Of the 1,175 injured, 793 were discharged after treatment, he added. Over 1000 workers were pressed into service for restoration of the damaged tracks, the ministry stated, adding that more than 7 Poclain Machines, two Accident Relief Trains and 3-4 Railway and Road Cranes are deployed for the purpose as well. 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. Upon his return from Odisha after the horrific railway accident, which killed over 270 people and left over 1000 injured, Railway Board Chairman, AK Lahoti on Monday evening briefed top officials in the Prime Ministers Office on the update on ground, including the ongoing investigation. Chairperson of the Railway Board will be meeting top officials in the Prime Ministers office, including the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister about the details from the ground, reliable sources had earlier told ANI. While the enquiry ordered by the railway ministry is currently underway, the government has also sent a request to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the matter. There is a need to have a deep investigation by a professional agency to rule out any deliberate interference, top government sources told ANI. Within hours of the rail accident. The chairman railway board was on the ground with the Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and has returned only today. So he is likely to brief the details to the PMO that has been keeping a constant watch on the developments on the ground. The triple train accident in Balasore happened on Friday evening. At least 275 people were killed, while more than 1,000 were injured in the accident that took place near the Bahanaga Bazar area on June 2. The Odisha government on Monday informed that 151 bodies from the triple train accident that took place in Odishas Balasore district have been identified till today morning. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the Balasore accident site from ground zero and also visited the injured being treated at the hospital. Before leaving Delhi for the mishap site, PM Modi had also chaired a high-level review meeting on the same. 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 UPs Varanasi, a court convicted jailed gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari in the 30-year-old murder of Congress leader Awadhesh Rai and sentenced him to life in prison. On 3 August, 1991, Congress leader and brother of former MLA Ajay Rai, Awadhesh Rai, was shot dead outside his Lahurabir residence in Varanasi. Mukhtar who was not active in politics at that time was named alomg with Bhim Singh, former MLA Abdul Kalim, and two others, the FIR of the daylight crime. He, however, had many criminal cases lodged against him in different police stations of UP, at that time. In Rais murder case, Ansari was also accused of tempering with the evidence. Reportedly, the entire case against him was heard by the court on the basis of photocopies since the case diary went missing, making it the first case where the verdict has been pronounced on the basis of duplicate papers. Following the announcement of his conviction, Ajay Rai, brother of deceased Awadhesh Rai told PTI, This is the result of 32 years of hard work by us and the people who stood by us in this battle, he said. VIDEO | This is the result of 32 years of hard work by us and the people who stood by us in this battle. The honourable court has found him (jailed gangster Mukhtar Ansari) guilty and will pronounce the quantum of sentence at 2 pm, says Ajay Rai, brother of Awadhesh Rai, who pic.twitter.com/KuMYQHyHlJ Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 5, 2023 Lawyer who represented Rai in the court, told PTI that testimonials of the two eyewitnesses of the brutal murder of Awadhesh Rai played a crucial role in the conviction. VIDEO | "It was a brutal murder in broad daylight and there were two eyewitnesses who gave their statements without being afraid of Mukhtar Ansari," says the lawyer who represented Ajay Rai in the MP/MLA court in Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/2G5kmY4Nyu Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 5, 2023 Mukhtar Ansari won assembly elections five times 1996, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017. The last three victories came while he was in jail. His son Abbas Ansari won the Uttar Pradesh assembly election from his stronghold Mau Sadar in 2022 from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). Ansari has 61 cases registered against him, most of which are in Ghazipur. Recently, a court sentenced Mukhtar Ansari and his brother and BSP MP Afzal Ansari to imprisonment for 10 years and four years, respectively, in a 2007 Gangsters Act case. Apart from this, sentences have also been framed on him in some other cases. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the condolence messages and the outpouring of support that he received in the wake of the horrific train accident in Odisha shows how connected the world is with India. Addressing the Indian diaspora in Namibia on Sunday, he said, A lot of leaders from all over the world and the foreign minister from here [Namibia] also has expressed solidarity and sent sympathy. #WATCH | Windhoek, Namibia: Lots of Foreign Ministers and other friends across the world have reached out to me, PM Modi has also received a lot of messagesthis shows how much the world is united with Indiasuch a tragedy happened in India & world thought to stay by our pic.twitter.com/vYkVYNPokd ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023 I received many messages and foreign ministers and friends from across the world. The Prime Minister also received lots of messages. This is an example of how globalised todays world is and how the world is connected with India, he said further. A tragedy happened in India and the world decided to stand with India, the EAM added. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday reached the Namibian Capital Windhoek to further strengthen relations with Namibia. The Balasore derailment incident, involving two passenger trains and a goods train, claimed 275 lives and left over 1,000 injured. The three-way accident involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods trains on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district. Expressing grief over the accident, Jaishankar said, I am physically here but the heart is in india. Our prayers today are for it. During the visit to Namibia, the EAM will call on the countrys top leadership. He was received by the deputy minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu. Arrived in Windhoek. Thank Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu for receiving me so warmly. Look forward to a productive visit that takes our time-tested ties forward, Jaishankar tweeted earlier. Arrived in Windhoek. Thank Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu for receiving me so warmly. Look forward to a productive visit that takes our time-tested ties forward. pic.twitter.com/gpLt3vxIE8 Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 4, 2023 He will also meet other ministers in the Namibian government while also co-chairing the inaugural session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian deputy PM and Foreign minister. Before arriving in the Namibian capital on Sunday, the External Affairs Minister was in Cape Town, South Africa to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting. In Cape Town, Jaishankar invoked the three-decade-old ties between India and South Africa stating that there is a very deeply emotional connection between the two countries. He said Indias and South Africas respective struggles were deeply intertwined. Jaishankar made these remarks while interacting with the Indian diaspora in Cape Town. Jaishankar also recalled that when South Africa got its independence, there was as much celebration in India as there was in there. The EAM also said that India had invited South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in 2019. We have really India and South Africa located at two different continents, but working together very closely in the United Nations, in the BRICS of which we are members in a body called IPSA, which is India, Brazil and South Africa, and in a variety of ways between the two of us directly now, he added. The relations between India and South Africa in these three decades have flowered in every conceivable sense, Jaishankar noted. 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 contemporary transgender debate has embroiled women in a remarkable and unenviable predicament. One watches in astonishment as a succession of prominent women thinkers and writers become victims of transgender ire and boycotts for reiterating the essentially biological basis of gender. There is a tragic irony in their plaintive cries asserting the inviolability of biology in determining gender because many feminist writers have insisted that female roles were socially constructed. The extraordinary situation justifies no celebratory macho self-satisfaction because the travails of the other gender are an inseparably integral part of the very humanity of their own gender. More to the point, the argument that femininity was constructed was never consciously extended by feminist writers and ideologues to the core notion of biological identity. Yet, one might wish to pause to consider some of the wider implications for women of current debates. A man might dare discuss them though from an implicit androgynous intellectual perspective and also because the fate of women and men are inseparably conjoined. In addition, the historical traditions of India have always quite taken for granted the pre-eminent role of the female sex. In the India that is Bharat, the goddess Durga did pronounce in the most ancient of times: I am supreme and I am the one to whom all answer. American YouTube videos are full of lament of women beyond their late 30s, who allegedly find themselves alone and fear for the future, although many of these are produced by men with an unattractive sense of schadenfreude. However, there is indeed growing evidence of a breakdown in gender relations, especially in the US, with men anxious about the potential legal and financial implications of marriage and inevitability of its breakdown. There is also significant statistical evidence that marriage will cease to be the norm and a disproportionate number of American women will remain unmarried and childless. Even if this outcome is by choice it will result in major socio-economic changes with significant wider consequences that deserve to be examined and understood. At the same time, the Me Too movement highlights the exploitation of women, especially by men in positions of power, which comes as no surprise. But an ensuing ideological politicisation of the issue threatens a wider breach in gender relations because of a spillover impact that implicates all gender interaction. Some women have also reacted to the increasingly conditional fate of marriage by suggesting a reversion to traditional gender roles as the appropriate response to growing evidence of societal breakdown. However, that seems to consign the issue to the influence of attitudes rather than objective socio-economic imperatives and constraints which have dictated gender role outcomes. It is clear that the fear among men that they will lose a significant portion of their assets, to which a partners legal entitlement might not be commensurate with their contribution during the married relationship, is of relevance to the reluctance to commit to marriage. There is also an intensification of short-term calculation in gender alliances and prioritisation of personal gratifications on multiple axes by both men and women that curtail the scope for postponement of personal satisfaction and evaluation of long-term fallouts. One noteworthy aspect of the developing norm is the increasingly transactional nature of relationships and the high priority attached to the sexual encounter, as contrasted with the possibility of prolonged intimate emotional engagement. Unfortunately, it also seems that the welfare of children during the breakup of marriage is now less significant and mostly consigned to the realm of negotiating practicalities and legal sanctions for arrangements following the estrangement. A largely unnoticed negative aspect of the degradation of committed long-term relationships is truncated steadfast exposure to offspring. Waning of this deeply rooted humanising form of domesticating socialisation is especially unfortunate in the case of men. It may be surmised that a turning point has been reached for society in the roles of both genders. The situation is avowedly not a womens issue alone since the gender roles are always inseparably interlocked. It might be useful to pause and attempt a much broader and deeper historical contextualisation of gender roles that has led to the contemporary impasse. It might be noted in passing that although some economically advanced countries, especially the US, are most affected by the resulting deepening societal crisis in gender roles, the phenomenon is becoming visible elsewhere. The reasons for its evident globalisation are not far to seek and it will be appropriate to acknowledge a debt to the materialist conception of history in analysing it. Although Marxism has lost appeal and is now derided, and most are unfamiliar with its analytical framework, it does provide a conceptual apparatus for making sense of the development of contemporary gender roles. The long historical development of human society is the bedrock on which contemporary gender roles originate, however great the distance in time. Indeed, like widespread literacy, gender roles too were relatively stable historically until a few hundred years ago. Changes in gender roles that began in the nineteenth century only accelerated during the post-WWII era. For much of history, human societies constantly engaged in warfare, men met early death and women abduction and effective enslavement. This long history of enduring horrors is frequently forgotten though it has not ceased, as WWII illustrated, and the very recent tragic fate of the Yezidi people has highlighted once again. There is still continuing ideological justification for the abduction and enslavement of women in the contemporary world. And governments of societies claiming a lien on the very idea of civilisation, to the exclusion of others, have quietly acquiesced in it. Human society discovered the use of fire forty thousand years ago (though there is some unconfirmed evidence of use dating back 300,000-400,000 years) and it understood the degradation of progeny through inbreeding about thirty-four thousand years ago to evolve sophisticated mating systems to overcome it. The onset of agriculture and the establishment of less nomadic settled groups occurred four thousand years ago. Knowledge of the consequences of inbreeding and the onset of more stable agricultural settlements were a crucial turning point for the origin of gender roles. One may immediately surmise a decisive separation of gender roles at this crucial moment when the importance of inbreeding between immediate relatives was understood. However, the issue of consanguineous mating is somewhat distinctive and the antecedents of gender roles probably lie even earlier. A critical historical context for gender roles is biological reality since women always lacked the freedom of time and space compared to men. This material condition of life pre-determined their role in earliest human society. Women always lacked time because of the nurture of offspring and space because of their relative immobility during the period when their care was necessary. But knowledge of inbreeding also impelled the exchange of women between groups and the impossibility for men to know who was their own progeny prompted the creation of social norms and sanctions to discipline women. Thus, women became the single most valuable community for groups to keep under control since their exchange was imperative to avoid inbreeding and they were also a primordial necessity for self-perpetuation of the individual and tribe. Through much of history, the lives of the overwhelming majority of women were shaped and dictated by this basic condition of life, constraints on their time and space. During all the prolonged history of warring and carnage for conquest and dominance this predicament was institutionalised further because it was men who did most of the actual fighting. That it reduced women to chattel under the control of men, anxious about the integrity of their sole right to the progeny of women under their control is not open to debate. Other kinds of religious superstitions accompanied the perception of women, from anxieties about menstruation to the attribution of suspect powers that led to various forms of torture for infractions, from stoning to death to burning at the stake and much else besides. (This is Part 1 of the two-part series) The writer taught international political economy for more than two decades at the London School of Economics and Political Science. 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. Generative Artificial Intelligence has broken onto the tech space with a disruption like never before, presenting a world of possibilities towards increased automation, superior problem solving, and revolutionary capabilities. Created by OpenAI, a San Francisco-based A.I. company, ChatGPT has percolated across domains, advancing human learning through providing a large scope of knowledge over topics like writing jokes, working computer code, along with exhibiting abilities to explain scientific concepts at multiple levels of difficulty. Its varied potential for application presents unique opportunities, and universities and institutions have begun using, or speculating over it. Education was forced to evolve with the onset of a global pandemic, as schools and universities shifted to online platforms to continue classroom activities, and EdTech platforms offered a range of upskilling courses and learning opportunities. Meanwhile, growth of Indias digital economy led to a robust growth in financial technology services, allowing new avenues for students, professionals, and millions of people access to formal credit. The advent of new-age technology such as the artificial intelligence chatbot, ChatGPT is now further advancing the education and lending space in a myriad way. Education ChatGPTs impact on education can be revolutionary. By offering personalised and accessible learning experiences via its Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities, it can function as a virtual tutor, providing instant feedback, answering questions and aiding students in problem-solving, and also producing interactive and insightful conversations. This implies huge benefits that enhance student engagement, knowledge retention, while enabling customised learning pathways and experiences, catering specifically to the individual learning abilities of every different student. Simultaneously, ChatGPT can reduce workload for teachers by automating several processes, providing critical assistance in test grading, lesson planning, and much more. With a vast and varied knowledge base, ChatGPTs ease of accessibility and ease of use can be leveraged to find solutions to challenges posed by Indias diverse population, bridging the gap and enabling access to educational resources in remote areas. Finance Limited access to formal credit has long been an obstacle in Indias pursuit of financial inclusion, but, on the back of digitalisation and technology adoption, FinTech platforms are playing a crucial role in enabling the population realise its financial goals. Quality credit has been the need for students at several different stages of their educational journey, and use of artificial intelligence in the lending space can have a massive impact. ChatGPT and other AI systems can streamline and expedite loan application processes, as more and more FinTech players offer unique financial products for emerging borrowers. ChatGPTs human-like conversational abilities can be used to provide various services, such as those of a virtual loan officer to determine a customers creditworthiness, leading to better turnaround times for loan approvals. Accurate lending decisions are facilitated via ChatGPTs capabilities to analyse vast amounts of financial data, and it can also consider complex factors including credit history, income, and purpose of borrowing. Valuable insights and risk assessments are also provided by the powerful chatbot, which can help lenders make informed decisions, reducing chances of default to render a more robust and sustainable credit ecosystem. Albeit the advantages, there are also limitations to the use of such an advanced generative artificial intelligence. Its application by organisations and institutes is only viable when it ensures safe usage of the data in a secure manner, while mitigating biases which may be contained within its code. User acceptance and trust will also play a key role in future adoption of technologies such as ChatGPT. Other limitations include ChatGPTs data base, which is limited to information available on the internet till December 2022. But one thing is clear, the future is AI, and technologies such as ChatGPT are here to make a significant impact on the lives of millions of people. The author is Founder, Kuhoo Fintech. 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. Several media reports and a recent article published by Nature Journal claim that the topics of Periodic Table and Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution have been entirely dropped from the school education curriculum in India. This claim is completely misleading as the topics have not been not removed but shifted from Class 10 to Class 11 (Unit 3 in Chemistry: Classification of Elements and periodicity in properties, Pages 74-99) and Class 12 (Chapter 6 in Biology: Evolution, Pages 110-126), respectively. This has been clarified in a recent statement issued by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). As stated by NCERT in a series of tweets, this exercise has been done as a part of Rationalisation of NCERT Textbooks aiming to reduce content load, particularly keeping in view challenges faced by the students during the COVID-19pandemic, which impacted students mental health and their learning abilities. Indeed, there is a developing consensus in the academic community that students enrolling for first year undergraduate programmes in recent years faced difficulties in coping up with the university-level curriculum due to a lack of understanding of many fundamental concepts in basic sciences taught inchool education. Therefore, a restructuring of school curriculum to emphasize basic concepts and principles instead of overwhelming content is an urgent need. NCERT has also stated that the rationalised content has been proposed as a stopgap strategy to facilitate a smooth transition in learning from pandemic to post-pandemic times. In the long-term, all the textbooks will be completely revamped following National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) based on the vision outlined in National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. In fact, the pre-draft for the same was released in the public domain on 6th April 2023 and is currently soliciting inputs from the public. As well articulated by the Nature article, NEP 2020 emphasises the need to improve problem-solving and critical thinking ability of students, rather than rote memorisation of the content. However, instead of focusing on this critical aspect to understand the motive behind the rationalization, the article appears to take a political perspective by claiming that these changes are advocated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and have been implemented due to their close ties with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Such political comments may be considered unwarranted for a prestigious scientific journal like Nature. The Nature article also emphasises that the development of a scientific temperament and pride in heritage can go hand in hand. In this context, the article advocates for alternative methods such as using visual aids like videos and animations instead of adapting rote learning approaches in cultivating scientific temperament among students. However, it appears puzzling to understand why the article fails to recognize the rationalization of textbooks, for example, relocation of the topic of The Periodic Table from Class 10 to Class 11, as one such alternative strategy. It is a common observation of many teachers that majority of school students in India often begin their learning of the periodic table by memorising the names of first 20 or 30 elements without fully grasping the underlying basis of classification. The appreciation for the principles of classification typically comes rather late in Classes 11 and 12, when students delve deeper into the study of individual groups, and explore the shared physical and chemical properties of elements within the same group. Consequently, this traditional approach might negatively impact the interest of Class 10 students in Chemistry, as it can create an impression among them that the subject involves a lot of memorisation. One alternative approach is to first introduce the underlying core principle behind classification of elements into groups, namely, the same number of electrons present in the outermost shell (called valence electrons) in all elements constituting a group. This can beeffectively achieved by providing specific examples of elements that exhibit similar properties due to an equal number of valence electrons. For example, the elements sodium and potassium both have only one valence electron, explaining their shared tendency to lose exactly one electron (metals) to attain a stable configuration. Similarly, chlorine and bromine, with seven valence electrons, gain exactly one electron (non-metals) to achieve stability. By presenting these examples, students can better comprehend the formation of a chemical bond between an element with tendency to lose one electron (sodium or potassium) and one with tendency to gain one electro (chlorine or bromine). This approach reduces the reliance on memorization and helps students inculcate an algorithmic approach in understanding the concept of chemical bond. Moreover, it enhances critical thinking of students by enabling them to identify patterns among the properties of different elements, and encourages them to devise their own method of classifying elements into groups. For example, upon realising that lithium, sodium, and potassium exhibit similar properties, students might be inclined to group these three elements together, a classification reminiscent of Dobereiners Triads proposed in 1817. It is reassuring that the NCERT textbook of Class 9 continues to address fundamental concepts such as electronic configuration of elements, formation of atoms and molecules, octet rule, and textbook of class 10 covers metals and non-metals. By familiarising themselves with the principle that elements with an equal number of valence electrons exhibit similar properties and other above-mentioned fundamental concepts, students become well-prepared for the next step in their academic journey. Therefore, introducing the classification of elements into groups based on this principle, The Periodic Table, in Class 11 seems a logical progression. The author is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Department of Chemistry at SRM University AP. He can be reached at baswanthoruganti.s@srmap.edu.in). His major research interests include Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, and Quantum Computing. 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 22nd law commission has recently submitted a report on the Usage of law of sedition attracting strong reactions from the Opposition parties. It is interesting to see how a one-sided picture has been painted by certain opposition leaders as well as civil rights activists on this issue. A detailed look at the Law Commission report gives another side of the picture. Section124A of Indian Penal Code In Indian Constitution, the cases related to sedition are dealt under Section124A of the Indian Penal Code that broadly reads, Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, a shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine. Why Law Commission examined sedition law The Law Commission received a reference from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, vide letter dated 29s March, 2016, addressed to the Department of legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, for a study of the usage of the provision of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (lPC) and suggest amendments, if any. This reference was made after the constitutionality of Section l24A of IPC was challenged before the Supreme Court in S.G. Vombatkere v. Union of India [(2022) 7 SCC 433]. The Central government had assured the apex court that it was re-examining Section 124A and the Court may not invest its valuable time in doing the same. Pursuant to the same and vide order passed on 11 May 2022, the Supreme Court directed the Central government and all the state governments to refrain from registering any FIR or taking any coercive measures while suspending all continuing investigations in relation to Section 124A. Further, it also directed that all pending trials, appeals and proceedings be kept in abeyance. In this context, the Central government had referred this matter to the Law Commission. Law Commissions recommendations The Law Commission said in its report submitted recently: The Law Commission is of the considered view that Section l24A needs to be retained in the Indian Penal Code, though certain amendments, as suggested, may be introduced in it Most significantly, the Commission has dealt with the issue of misuse of this law as it categorically said, Moreover, cognizant of the views regarding the misuse of Section 124A, the Commission recommends that model guidelines curbing the same be issued by the Central Government. Interestingly, those who are criticising the Law Commission for its recommendations have overlooked this part of its report. This is a classical example of creating a false bogey by quoting things out of context. Let us take a closer look at this section of the report that hasnt been discussed much so far. The Commission has identified the origin of this problem as it mentioned in its report. The Commissions report explains, While the political class may be accused of misusing the sedition law, the root of the problem lies in the complicity of the police. Sometimes, in an overzeal to please the political masters, the police action in this regard becomes partisan and not as per the law. Further, the erroneous interpretation of the law on sedition by the police authorities is also what leads to its misuse. The invocation of Section 124A of IPC in any case very much depends on how the police whimsically interpret the language of this provision and the bearing that the alleged committed act has on public order. When an FIR regarding Section 124A is registered at a police station, how the concerned police officer apprehends a situation and imputes a law is entirely dependent on his own interpretation of the provision. This interpretation may further vary depending on whether the police officer-in-charge is a lower level or high-ranking officer. The Commission has also given a solution for this problem also as it said in this report, It is imperative to lay down certain procedural guidelines for curbing any misuse of Section l24A of IPC by the law enforcement authorities, any allegation of misuse of this provision does not by implication warrant a call for its repeal. However, it has also given a valid reason for retaining this law as it said, there are a plethora of examples of various laws being misused by ill-intentioned individuals only to settle their scores in cases of personal rivalries and vested interests, with even the Supreme Court recognising the same in a number of decisions. Never has there been any plausible demand to repeal any such laws merely because they are being misused by a section of the populace. This is so because, for every abuser of that law, there might be ten other genuine victims of any offence who direly need the protection of such a law. What is then required in such cases is only to introduce legal ways and means to prevent the misuse of such a law. The Commission added, In the same vein, while any alleged misuse of Section 1244. of IPC can be reined in by laying down adequate procedural safeguards, repealing the provision altogether can have serious adverse ramifications for the security and integrity of the country, with the subversive forces getting a free hand to further their sinister agenda as a consequence. National security The Commission has looked into the national security scenario and has identified many challenges. The topmost challenge is from the radical left in the form of armed Maoists trying to overthrow governments in India. A section of these Maoists has been fighting the information warfare against India in the garb of civil rights activists. They have been trying to sabotage Indias march towards progress and development. They receive strong foreign funding and aid from many foreign governments and their intelligence agencies. One of the biggest deterrents for such elements has been Section 124A. That is why one shouldnt be surprised that Maoists in the garb of civil rights activists are at the forefront of this campaign to junk Section 124A. Meanwhile, it is also a fact that this section often tends to get misused. The low conviction rate in such cases also points towards the possibility of using it as a tool to harass the critics. But that doesnt mean that this law isnt required. Poor law implementation shouldnt become the basis of questioning its relevance. We need to find a middle ground where we have effective guidelines to prevent its misuse while ensuring that it is effectively implemented on the ground with better investigation skills in view of the growing threats to our national security through new-age communication tools. The writer, an author and columnist has written several books. He tweets @ArunAnandLive. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this 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. The Hindu recently reported that new posts of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) had sprung up some six-seven Kilometres north of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Middle Sector on the Indo-Tibet boundary, while the frequency of patrolling has also significantly increased in certain areas, it noted. Citing sources in the Government, the newspaper asserted that China was actively expanding its network of Xiaokang model villages (Xiaokang meaning moderately prosperous villages), along the Middle Sector of the LAC. These villages are said to be constructed with the main objective of poverty alleviation, but one could ask: Is there a need for hundreds of such villages precisely on Indias northern bordersif there was no other purpose? Obviously, these villages have a dual use; further, the fact that both Tibetans and Hans are settled there will quickly change the demography of the border areas, moreover providing bases or garrisons for the PLA when required. The report also mentioned that the Chinese are building villages at a rapid pace, sometimes as many as 300-400 houses in multi-storey blocks within 90-100 days. Construction of a likely border settlement village was observed northwest of Tholing area [north of Chamoli district Uttarakhand] and a military complex is also under construction close by. Superstructures of buildings in both the locations are complete. China apparently uses prefabricated parts extensively to construct the houses at a quick pace. Historical background The history of how Barahoti became a disputed area is interesting. Let us remember that for centuries the Indo-Tibet frontier had been peaceful; however the Indian diplomats who negotiated the Panchsheel Agreement foolishly avoided confirming Indias northern frontiers during the talks and in the final accord signed in April 1954. India still pays dearly for this monumental lapse. The signature of the Panchsheel Agreement with China, through which India surrendered all its rights and responsibilities in Tibet while getting nothing in return, was a complete surrender to China; Delhi did not wait long to see the consequences of The Nehru doctrine (to be friendly at any cost with China). Intelligence Bureaus version Let us go into the history of the so-called dispute; in July 1952, in a note Border Disputes and Collection of Taxes by Tibetans in Garhwal District, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) described the topography of the area (todays Chamoli district of Uttarakhand): The Garhwal-Tibet border can only be crossed through the Mana and Niti Valleys where there are open places and habitation, while the rest of the border area consists of snow-covered mountains studded with glaciers The IB report continued its descriptions of the area: There are four passes between Niti Valley and Tibet, namely: Gothing Pass, Damjin [Tunjun] Pass, Hoti Pass and Ghirti Pass. Niti, the northernmost village in the Indian territory, is situated 11 miles from Gothing Pass and Damjin Pass. There are few plains situated near these passes in the Indian territory. These passes marked the watershed line: North was Tibet (China after 1951), south was India. The Intelligence note admitted that once in the 19th century, there was a short boundary dispute about Hoti Plain. Giving the background, it says: About the end of the last [19th] century, the Tibetans had established a Customs Post at Hoti Plain. To stop this practice, the British Govt. had to send out a detachment of Gurkhas along with Shri Dharma Nand Joshi, Deputy Collector in 1890. The Tibetan official (called a Sarji, an emissary of the Tibetan Dzongpon or District Commissioner) usually crossed the border at Tunjun-la pass to announce the beginning of the trading season. Though the access to the place was difficult, making it hard to keep a tab on the area, the British were quick to understand the plot and stop the Tibetan official to cross the pass. Soon after the Chinese occupied western Tibet in the early 1950s, they started claiming Barahoti as theirs. The IB recommended to the Government of India that it was essential that Delhi should make it clear to the Government of Tibet and its Dzongpon that the Hoti Plain is Indian territory and the Tibetans have no right to establish any customs post there; nor can they exercise any authority in the area. But the Tibetan Government was fast losing its independence. The ink was hardly dry Hardly two months after the Panchsheel Agreement was signed, India discovered that all problems had not been solved, as just announced in Parliament by the Prime Minister. The first Chinese incursion took place in Barahoti in June 1954. This was followed by a series of intrusions numbering into hundreds and culminating in the attack on India in October 1962. The irony of the story of the first intrusion is that it was China which complained about the incursion of Indian troops on Indias territory! Though Barahoti was well inside Indias frontiers (clearly south of Tunjun-la, the watershed), arguments about the new dispute continued with the exchange of hundreds of notes during the following months and years. TN Kaul who had negotiated the Panchsheel Agreement, (before being sent back to Delhi for having an affair with a Chinese woman), philosophically explained later: Territorial disputes have existed between near and distant neighbours through the ages. The question is whether they can and should be resolved by war, threat, use of force or through the more civilised and peaceful method of negotiation Both sides still profess their faith in the Five Principles, and therein lies perhaps some hope for the future. The Five Principles had put Kaul and his colleagues to sleep. Where is Wuje? In the meantime, the Chinese started calling Barahoti by the name of Wuje creating more confusion in the minds of the Indian diplomats (the same tactic of changing the names of places is today used in Arunachal Pradesh). During the following months, the Chinese would insist on sending a joint investigating team to this spot, something Delhi always refused. The main reason for Beijing to insist on a joint investigation team was that Beijing did not know that Barahoti was located south of Tunjun-la and therefore in India. A new note Over the years, as the situation continued to deteriorate, a note was prepared by Jagat Mehta, Director (China) in the Ministry of External Affairs in 1961. It provides the background of Barahoti saga during the preceding years. Mehta writes: The Chinese claim to the Barahoti became known to us in 1954, when the Indian and Chinese army faced each other in the small pasture ground. The suggestion for refraining from sending the troops was first made in 1955 and was reiterated in 1956; it was agreed that no troops should be sent by either party in 1957, and a conference to discuss the dispute regarding Bara Hoti was held in April June 1958. At the end of the conference, it was agreed that neither side should send forces in exercise of its supposed right during the talks and until the question was settled. At the same time, the Chinese reiterated again their desire for a joint investigation, while persistently refused to specify the actual area of Wuje. When pressed, in a vague manner they said that Wuje covered 15 kms north to south and 10 kms, east to west, but no coordinates were given even with reference to this area. Mehta explained that India made it clear that Barahoti was a small pasture ground south of Tunjun-la: during the talks we specified the relevant coordinates and pointed out that the area involved was 2 miles in length and of a mile in breadth. The Chinese did not agree to our suggestion for the complete neutralisation of this area and hinted that they would continue to send civil officials, where upon we also informed them that we were reserving the right to send our own revenue officials to this area. The agreement was that the patrols should be unarmed; while India always kept its promise, already in 1958, China sent an armed detachment to the area after the Indian civil party withdrew in September. Two points should be made to conclude: Though it was not necessary for India to participate in a conference for Barahoti in 1958 as the area was clearly south of the watershed and therefore in India, Delhi agreed out of goodwill and for the sake of the friendship with China. It did not help to find a solution for the issue. The second point is that even after agreeing not to send armed patrols to the remote plain, Beijing did not keep its word. It was the beginning of a series of un-kept promises, which continues till today in Eastern Ladakh or Arunachal Pradesh. The author is Distinguished Fellow, Centre of Excellence for Himalayan Studies, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence (Delhi). Views 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. China and the US are far apart relationally, even though the Shangri-La Dialogue -organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) from 2-4 June is designed to bring nations together to discuss issues of strategic importance. Chinas refusal to accept a meeting with the US at the 2023 event in Singapore is emblematic of the troubled relationship. Instead of dialoguing, the Chinese government presented its one-sided view and told others to essentially like it or lump it. This was very obvious in the speech of General Li Shangfu, Chinas Minister of National Defense, who deflected blame for any responsibility, pointed fingers at others and brazenly pushed a warped worldview that only the communist masters in Beijing subscribe to. This was Lis first international engagement since being appointed to the post on 12 March, but his speech only regurgitated the partys old canards. Meanwhile, the rest of the world recognizes a growing disconnect between what China says and what it does. Li acknowledged at the IISS on 4 June, Our world is far from tranquil, and people across the countries long for peace, development and cooperation. How ironic that Li was speaking on the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, in which hundreds of peaceful Chinese protestors lost their lives in 1989, and of which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has expunged all traces from societal memory. Li asked three questions: Who is disrupting peace in the region? What are the root causes of chaos and instability? And what should we stay vigilant and guard against? On the very day Li was giving his speech, a Chinese destroyer abruptly cut off an American warship (accompanied by a Canadian one) as it transited the Taiwan Strait, contravening International Maritime Organization collision regulations. A week earlier, a Chinese J-16 fighter buzzed an American RC-135 aircraft over the South China Sea, in what Washington DC described as an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver. Such actions greatly increase the risk of miscalculation. They also illustrate how China has gone rogue. Worse than that, China and the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) are proud of such blatant behavior. Contrary to the PLAs aforementioned antics, Li called for mutual respect instead of bullying and hegemony. Yet his words are hollow. We in China believe that the key for countries to live in harmony is mutual respect and treating each other as equals. We are strongly opposed to imposing ones own will on others, placing ones own interests above those of others, and pursuing ones own security at the expense of others. Well said, General Li! But it is advice designed for others, for China is not beholden to such standards of behavior. Ladies and gentlemen, friends, Li crooned, China is committed to promoting world peace and development with concrete actions. He asserted that fairness and justice should transcend the law of the jungle. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community. International affairs should be handled by all countries through consultation rather than be dictated by one or a few countries. Li also laughably stated China firmly upholds the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law and basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Chinas exemplary upholding of international norms are belied by its treatment of Uyghurs, with hundreds of thousands incarcerated or pushed into forced labor. It is also seen in Hong Kong, which marked the most recent Tiananmen Square massacre by arresting people for any hint of remembrance. One with a candle in his pocket was promptly arrested, showing just how fearful and weak the communist edifice is. Displaying the utmost hypocrisy, Li said some countries i.e. the US take a selective approach to rules and international laws. It likes forcing its own rules on others In the so-called rules-based international order, it never tells you what the rules are and who made these rules. This complaint comes from a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), but who flagrantly flaunts its rules. It wishes to prevent foreign warships from sailing through the international waters of the Taiwan Strait or South China Sea, or from foreign military aircraft flying over the same areas. Chinese naval, law enforcement and maritime militia vessels routinely harass, chase away or even deliberately collide with fishing or foreign coast guard vessels from the likes of the Philippines and Vietnam. In 2014, China and the US signed a memorandum of understanding setting out rules of behavior for air and maritime encounters. Signed by Secretary Hagel and Defense Min Chang Wanquan, such documents are now worthless because China refuses to abide by them. China feels it has the right to break international rules at will, and it therefore conducts surveys in the waters of other nations, for example. Currently, four weeks after entering Vietnams EEZ to perform illegal survey operations, Chinas Xiang Yang Hong 10 and a large security escort of coast guard and maritime militia ships started for home. At the IISS event in Singapore, Commodore Jay Tristan Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard challenged Li about this duplicity between Chinas words and actions. Li avoided giving an answer, for empty promises of mutual respect are just that empty. Similarly, during a meeting with Yasukazu Hamada, Li told the Japanese defense minister that incursions near the Senkaku Islands should be viewed from a long-term and big-picture perspective. What he actually meant was from Chinas perspective, for Beijing has no intention to acknowledge the concerns of another. Questioned about Chinas dangerous antics in the air and at sea after his speech, Li bullishly asked: Whats the point of going there? For China we always say mind your own business. Take good care of your own vessels, your fighter jets, take good care of your own territorial airspace and waters. If thats the case, then I dont think there will be future problems. Yet this is hypocritical in the extreme. Chinese warships and aircraft regularly operate near the territorial waters of neighbors like Japan and the Philippines. Chinese warships have exercised the right of innocent passage through US territorial waters in the Aleutians Islands in Alaska. It has also sent spy ships to observe naval exercises near Australia and Hawaii. Despite a speech entitled Chinas New Security Initiatives, Li had little new to offer. Just once did he mention Chairman Xi Jinpings Global Security Initiative, in which Xi promotes common comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and explores a new path to security, featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliances, and a win-win over this zero sum. With nary a trace of irony, Li said, Chinese modernization has played its role in improving global governance. Facing growing deficits in global governance, China holds high the banner of multilateralism and endeavors to follow a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. Chinas promulgation of a new path to security remains nebulous. Xi wants to promote more equitable security rules, which does not mean reinventing the wheel or overturning the existing rules. Rather, countries should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and complement and refine existing rules to make the international order fairer and more equitable. This is extreme dissemblance. China wants the ability to pick and choose what rules it follows, and it does wish to overturn the current rules and pecking order. Li promised China will accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, for example, and will follow and improve the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES). Yet China is the one who has been delaying the former, plus the code will have no means of enforcement. In other words, China will piously claim to have contributed to this agreement, but will continue to bully others with no fear of reprisal. Similarly, China has agreed to CUES, but it still dangerously maneuvers against foreign military assets without self-restraint. Chinese belligerence to all and sundry shows that the CCPs aim is to undermine the US and impose its militaristic might is right vision on others. Chinas gambit is that the USA is not an Asian country, and it should therefore give up its presence in Asia-Pacific. Then again, the same could be said of China and its Arctic ambitions. China is not in the Arctic, so why does it not butt out of that region? Without naming the US directly, Li continued his invective: Some country has willfully interfered in other countrys internal affairs and matter in the affairs of other countries and frequently resorted to unilateral sanctions, incursion with force. It has incited color revolutions and proxy wars in different regions to create chaos and turbulence and just walked away, leaving a mess behind. We must never allow such things to happen again in the Asia-Pacific. Li pointed fingers at the same country expanding military bases, reinforcing its military presence, intensifying an arms race in the region and transferring nuclear weapon technologies to non-nuclear states, of fueling the fire and fishing in troubled waters. But this is disingenuous. Li was undoubtedly referring to AUKUS, in which Australia will gain nuclear-powered submarines. However, these boats have nothing to do with nuclear weapons, for only their propulsion relies on nuclear power. Li warned of a resurgence in Cold War and bloc mentalities, and decried NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific. China fails to see that its own militarism is pushing regional nations closer together, with the Quad and AUKUS logical reactions to Beijings arrogant saber-rattling. Li said Beijing will establish various direct hotlines to expand the communication channels. China already has a hotline with the US military, but American leaders lament that China never answers it. Again, this is all meaningless doublespeak. Li hollowly promised, At the end of the day, only enhancing dialogue, and communication and promoting solidarity and cooperation, will ensure stability in our region. Li snubbed an invitation from US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to talk during the Shangri-La Dialogue, and the best he got was a handshake at mealtime. Austin said in his speech: For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime, the right time to talk is every time, and the right time to talk is now. Then again, China is not responsible, preferring to act like a truculent child and avoid talking to the US. Amidst all the hypocrisy, the above represented Chinas carrot. After that, Li brought out the stick. We will never hesitate to defend our legitimate rights and interests, let alone sacrificing the nations core interests, he threatened. As the lyrics of a well-known Chinese song go, when friends visit us, we welcome them with fine wine. When jackals or wolves come, we will face them with shotguns. This illustrates the Chinese peoples character of being friendly and kind, but not intimidated by strong power. Reflecting the CCPs fixation with Taiwan, he claimed that Taiwan is an internal affair. He alleged that the democratic nation of 23.6 million is Chinas Taiwan, and a resolution is a matter for the Chinese to decide. Naturally, China has absolutely no intention of letting the Taiwanese decide for themselves. He accused the Democratic Progressive Party of pushing for incremental Taiwan independence, erasing Taiwans Chinese identity (because China mistakenly conflates communism with being Chinese) and hijacking public opinion. He further blamed the US for selling arms to Taiwan. Let me make it clear once again, the more rampant the separatist activities for Taiwan independence are, the more resolute outcome the measures will be, and all foreign interference will end up in failure. Li, parroting CCP dogma, said, Chinas reunification is an overriding historical trend and an unstoppable course China must be and will be reunified We make no promise to renounce the use of force. If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a second. We will fear no opponents and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, regardless of any cost. What fighting talk! Clearly, China is not afraid to throw its weight around. Yet, frighteningly, it echoes the kind of statements Tsar Vladimir Putin was making ahead of his want on invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Li acknowledged, It is undeniable that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the US will be an unbearable disaster for the world. China is the virtuous party, of course, as it is the US that needs to act with sincerity, match its words with deeds and take concrete actions together with China to stabilize the relations and prevent further deterioration. There was no Chinese charm offensive at Shangri-La Dialogue 2023. Instead, over the years, China has become more and more aggressive, as evinced by Chinese defense minister speeches there. It is high time that China take its own advice and match its words with deeds. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Iran will reopen its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia this week, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, several months after Tehran and Riyadh agreed to end years of antagonism under a Chinese-brokered deal. In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish relations between the regional rivals whose hostility had threatened stability and security in the Middle East and helped fuel regional conflicts from Yemen to Syria. To implement the agreement , Irans embassy in Riyadh, our Consulate General in Jeddah and our office to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be officially reopened on Tuesday and Wednesday, spokesman Nasser Kanaani said. Last month, Tehran named Alireza Enayati as its ambassador to Saudi Arabia, which had severed relations in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute over Sunni Muslim-ruled Riyadhs execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric. The relationship had begun to deteriorate a year earlier after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in Yemens war, where the Iran-aligned Houthi movement had ousted a Saudi-backed government and taken over the capital Sanaa. Riyadh accused Tehran of arming the Houthis, who went on to strike Saudi cities with armed drones and ballistic missiles. In 2019, the kingdom blamed an attack on Aramco oil facilities, which temporarily knocked out half of its oil output, directly on the Islamic Republic. Iran denied those accusations. Summers are for long getaways from the bustling pace of inland cities. One is always spoilt for choice when deciding on the right destination. It is true that no obstacle can stop someone from visiting their ideal destination. Even so, a warning call from ones own country should not be ignored. In a recent incident, those planning to visit Italy were informed in advance about the exorbitant restaurant prices in the country. Paying unusually high rates for average food leaves one disheartened. Imagine doing it while on a fancy vacation. Sadly, this is exactly what fate had in store for some Japanese travellers. A 2018 incident has resurfaced where four Japanese students were charged 970 pounds or Rs 99,520 for dinner at Osteria de Luca, a restaurant near St Marks Square. To their shock, the eating joint informed that they were also charged for using the eaterys internet hotspot. As reported by The Daily Star, the dinner included four steaks, a plate of fried fish, and water. A series of similar episodes A report of the exorbitant price was made to the local authorities upon the students return to Bologna, where they studied Italian cuisine. Additionally, three servings of seafood pasta were charged 301 or Rs 30,882 to the groups friends who dined at another restaurant. A similar complaint was made by an Italian tourist in 2019, when they complained that they had been charged 37 or Rs 3796 for two coffees and two bottles of water at Caffe Lavena near St Marks Square. According to a British tourist, he and his elderly parents were also defrauded into paying 463 or Rs 47,502 for lunch. They dined on lobster and oysters at a city-wide restaurant in yet another separate incident. Authorities actions As soon as the complaints were registered, Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor, promised to investigate the incident closely. On confirming the occurrence of the shameful episode and receiving a copy of the filed complaint, he confided to punish those responsible. He wrote on Twitter: Nei prossimi giorni verificheremo bene questo episodio, ci faremo inviare la copia della denuncia se e stata effettivamente presentata. Se sara confermato questo episodio vergognoso, faremo tutto il possibile per punire i responsabili. Noi siamo per la giustizia, sempre! https://t.co/SgDDJWB3VP Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) January 21, 2018 The Guardian reported that a spokesperson for the restaurant, which is owned by Chinese investors and managed by an Egyptian, said he was not aware of any specific issues involving Japanese customers. But ultimately, the establishment was found guilty and fined 12,300. In general, it is important to carefully see the bill before paying anything. Make sure to read restaurant reviews before going to a foreign country. A positive news is that most of these scam restaurants have been rated badly on travel websites by previous customers and warned to be avoided in reviews. 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 two separate cases, 80 primary school girls were poisoned in northern Afghanistan. All have been admitted to the hospital. The news broke late Sunday evening when the education officer of the area came before the media. This is the first such case since the Taliban came to power in August 2021. The Taliban has already banned girls in the country from studying beyond the sixth grade. The schools where the girls have been poisoned are in Sar-e-Pol province of Afghanistan. Both schools are reportedly situated next to each other. They were targeted one after the other, according to reports. An official of the Education Department of Sar-e-Pol told local media that they are probing the matter. From the initial investigation, it appeared like a planned conspiracy. It is not yet known how the girls were poisoned. Nor has any information been received about the age of the girls and in which class they study. A similar incident happened in Afghanistan in 2015 as well. Then 600 school girls were poisoned in Herat province. Even then no organization had taken responsibility for it. Although at that time many human rights organizations blamed the Taliban for the incident. In March this year, a similar incident took place in Iran as well. Female students were poisoned to stop them from studying. This was disclosed by Deputy Health Minister Yunus Panahi. He had said since November 2022, hundreds of cases of respiratory poisoning have been reported in Ghom city. He said that the water in the schools is being polluted due to which the girl students are facing difficulty in breathing. These include vomiting, severe body pain and mental problems. His condition is deteriorating so much that he was admitted to the hospital for treatment. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. While New Delhi has been repeatedly urging the German authorities to send 21-month-old girl Ariha Shah, living in a foster care since September 2021, back to India at the earliest, Berlin has been turning a deaf ear. When Firstpost reached out to the German embassy in New Delhi, a senior official, dodging questions about Ariha, kept saying: We are not commenting on it at this moment. Why Ariha Shah is in custody of German authorities? Ariha, daughter of Gujarati software engineer Bhavesh Shah, has been sent to a special facility home in Berlin recently. Bhavesh and his wife Dhara moved to Berlin in 2018 and Ariha was born to the couple in 2021. In September that year, Ariha was taken by the Jugendamt, German childcare services. Talking to media, Dhara said Arihas grandmother had visited Berlin to see her new-born granddaughter. Unfortunately, she accidentally hurt the child, causing injury to her outer genital area. Dhara had said that she and Bhavesh had taken the baby to a doctor in September 2021 after they spotted blood in her diaper. They took Ariha back home when the doctor gave the all-clear, but when she was taken for a follow-up, the hospital handed Ariha over to German child services and an attempt was made to accuse the parents of sexually abusing her. They took the baby to a hospital, authorities were alerted of what was suspected to be a case of sexual assault, she said. After the Jugendamt was made aware of the situation, it immediately took the child away to foster care, with her parents allowed to visit once every fortnight. The authorities also registered a case of child sexual abuse against the parents. However, after the investigation, the assault charges were dropped and authorities instead accused Arihas parents of negligence. In February 2022, the case against the parents was closed without any formal charges being filed against them. Despite this, Ariha was not returned Bhavesh and Dhara. Instead, the Jugendamt had filed a civil custody case for the termination of parental rights and permanent custody their daughter. Since then, Arihas parents have been fighting a legal battle for the custody of their daughter. Send back Ariha As many as 59 MPs from 19 political parties, including the BJP, Congress, the Left and the Trinamool Congress, have written a joint letter to Germanys Ambassador to India, asking him to do everything possible to ensure that Ariha is repatriated to India at the earliest. In the letter to German Ambassador to New Delhi, Philipp Ackerman, the MPs both from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha said it is essential to bring Ariha back to her own country, people, culture and environment. They wrote that any delay will cause irreparable harm to the baby. We, Members from both Houses of Indias Parliament, belonging to 19 political parties across the political spectrum are writing this joint letter to you with an urgent request regarding the repatriation to India of Ariha Shah, a two year old baby girl, a citizen of India as are her parents Dhara and Bhavesh Shah. The family were in Berlin as the babys father was employed in a company there. The family should have been back in India by now but for some tragic events, the Indian lawmakers wrote We do not cast aspersions on any agency in your country and assume that whatever was done was thought to be in the best interests of the baby, the letter by Indian parliamentarians read. The Government of India also officially asked Germany to let Ariha return, saying it is her inalienable right as an Indian national. The MEA has released a very strong statement, asking German authorities to send Ariha (Shah) back to India at the earliest. This has given us a lot of hope that Ariha will soon return to her country, Dhara was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Arihas mother also said that if there will be a Prime Minister-level intervention in the case, then her daughter can return to India. Last week, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Arihas continued stay in German foster care and infringement of her social, cultural and linguistic rights is of deep concern to the government of India and the parents. We would like to reiterate that Ariha Shah is an Indian national and her nationality and socio-cultural background is the most important determinant of where her foster care is to be provided, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. We urge German authorities to do all that is necessary to send Ariha to India at the earliest, which is also her inalienable right as an Indian national. We remain committed to ensuring the return of Ariha Shah to India, 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. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced an upcoming visit to India as part of his extensive tour across six countries. Along with India, Altman will be visiting Israel, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, and South Korea. excited to visit israel, jordan, qatar, the uae, india, and south korea this week! Sam Altman (@sama) June 4, 2023 This visit comes after Altman gained prominence as a key figure in the field of AI following the widespread recognition of his ChatGPT chatbot. Altman shared the news of his tour on his Twitter account. Sam Altman expressed his enthusiasm for his upcoming trip to Israel, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, India, and South Korea through a tweet. He shared his excitement on Twitter, stating, Excited to visit Israel, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, India, and South Korea this week! Also read: Indias Moment To Shine? US cant regulate AI and NVIDIA has ensured it Altmans visit to India holds great significance, considering the countrys increasing prominence as a global hub for AI research and development. India boasts a sizable and expanding pool of AI talent, while the government is actively investing in various AI initiatives. With its vibrant technology ecosystem and focus on innovation, India offers a fertile ground for collaboration and exploration in the field of AI. Altmans visit reflects the recognition of Indias potential and the opportunity to further strengthen the ties between OpenAI and the Indian AI community. Also read: AI could go horribly wrong and destroy humanity, should be regulated says Sam Altman to US lawmakers According to a report by The Information, OpenAI is expected to release a new open-source language model to the public. OpenAI, the parent company of the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, is known for its advancements in the field of artificial intelligence. ChatGPT was introduced to the world in November 2022 and quickly gained popularity. It became a versatile tool for various tasks, such as composing music, writing poetry, and generating essays. Initially, there were concerns about its use in public schools, leading to a ban in New York. However, the ban was recently lifted as educators recognized the value of understanding and utilizing this emerging technology to its fullest potential. Also read: Yoshua Bengio, engineer who made modern AI, now wracked with guilt over what it has become Altman is now on a world tour of sorts to speak to as many government officials as he can and help them in creating a regulatory framework that would enable governments to create regulations that would limit or ideally stop the damages from AI, while ensuring that it is allowed to be developed to its potential in the best way possible. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A Chinese vessel approached within 150 yards (137 metres) of a US destroyer in the Taiwan Strait in an unsafe manner, according to US military sources, as China accused the US of deliberately provoking risk in the region. The US and Canadian navies were conducting a joint exercise in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the island of Taiwan and China, on Saturday when a Chinese ship cut in front of the US guided-missile destroyer Chung-Hoon, forcing it to slow down to avoid a collision, according to the US Indo-Pacific Command. Since the defeated Republic of China government retreated to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedongs communists, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has claimed self-ruled Taiwan as its territory. Taiwans government claims that the PRC has never dominated the island, and US President Joe Biden has stated that the US would support Taiwan if China invaded. Chinas military chastised the United States and Canada for deliberately provoking risk during a rarely combined sailing across the Taiwan Strait. The Chung-Hoon and Canadas Montreal were on a routine crossing of the strait when the Chinese ship cut in front of the American ship, according to the US Indo-Pacific Command. The Chinese ships closest point of approach was 150 yards and its actions violated the maritime Rules of the Road of safe passage in international waters, the US command said. Video footage broadcast by Canadian website Global News showed the close encounter between the ships. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The maritime encounter was the latest close call between the Chinese and US military. On May 26, a Chinese fighter jet carried out an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver near a US military plane over the South China Sea in international airspace, the US Indo-Pacific Command said on Tuesday. The spokesperson for Chinas embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, did not comment on the specifics of the jet incident, but said the US had frequently deployed aircraft and vessels for close-in reconnaissance on China, which poses a serious danger to Chinas national security. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a pre-recorded interview that aired on CNN on Sunday that the US is seeking to maintain the stable, cross-strait dynamic between China and Taiwan and avoid a conflict that would end up cratering the global economy. The interview for Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN took place on Friday. Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu told Asias top security summit on Sunday that conflict with the United States would be an unbearable disaster but that his country sought dialogue over confrontation. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In a bizarre turn of events, Jeffrey David Salazar, an employee of Sonic Drive-In, New Mexico, was arrested on a felony charge at the fast-food chain. According to Rio Grande Sun, the 54-year-old lost his cocaine bag and later, a customer discovered it hidden in a hot dog at Sonics Coney purchase. As per a statement released by Espanola Police Department Chief Mizel Garcia, the accused was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. According to New Mexico Criminal Defense Attorneys, a felony is a serious crime for which a person can be prosecuted. The penalties associated with unlawful possession of controlled substances vary according to the type and amount of controlled substances in possession. A felony conviction is subject to significantly harsher penalties than a misdemeanor conviction. Those convicted of felonies face prison sentences of at least one year, fines reaching thousands of dollars, probation, and permanent criminal records. Cops at work A Scott test, widely used as the field test for cocaine helped the police uncover the truth about cocaine possession. Salazar was acknowledged as the one who prepared the food; so he was accused on charges of illegal possession. In a statement, the police informed that a woman called to tell them that she had found a plastic bag while biting her food. A police spokesperson told the media that she did not believe any powdered substance had entered her mouth. A representative of the customer, Merit Bennett of the Bennett Law Group, has stated that they intend to make a claim once they have verified the reports. Arrest warrant As per the arrest warrant, Salazar was seen conducting a hand-to-hand transaction with a female employee in CCTV footage. Later, he prepared the customers meal and searched the area frantically as if something had gone missing. The arrest warrant also indicated that Salazar admitted to police that he had purchased the cocaine he was carrying from someone in the restaurant parking lot. 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 Sunday, Hong Kong police detained 23 individuals for breaching public peace and arrested a 53-year-old woman for obstructing police officers as authorities increased security on the 34th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Restrictions in Hong Kong have curtailed what were once the largest vigils commemorating the anniversary of Chinas violent assault on pro-democracy activists, leaving places such as Taipei, London, New York, and Berlin to keep the memory of June 4 alive. Hundreds of police officers performed stop-and-search procedures and stationed armoured vehicles and police vans near Victoria Park, the previous location of annual vigils. Witnesses told Reuters that more than a dozen individuals were detained, including campaigner Alexandra Wong, 67, who was carrying a bouquet of flowers, a guy holding a copy of 35th of May, a parody of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, and an elderly man standing alone on a street corner with a candle. The regime wants you to forget, but you cant forget It (China) wants to whitewash all history, said Chris To, 51, who visited the park in a black t-shirt and was searched by police. We need to use our bodies and word of mouth to tell others what happened. Officers removed 11 men and 12 women, aged between 20 to 74, who were accused of breaching the public peace at the scene, according to the police report on Monday. Activists in Hong Kong claim the police raid is part of a larger Chinese push to quell dissent in the city, which was guaranteed ongoing freedoms for 50 years under a one country, two systems model when Britain gave it back in 1997. According to local media, security in Hong Kong is substantially tighter this year, with up to 6,000 police personnel deployed, including riot and anti-terrorism officials. Senior officials have warned people to abide by the law, but have refused to clarify if such commemoration activities are illegal under a national security law China imposed on Hong Kong in 2020 after sometimes violent mass pro-democracy protests. In a statement, police said some had been arrested for seditious intent and for breaching public peace. The United Nations said on Monday it was alarmed by detentions in Hong Kong. In Beijing, Tiananmen Square was thronged with tourists taking pictures under the watchful eyes of police and other personnel but with no obvious sign of stepped-up security. A group of relatives called the Tiananmen Mothers said the anguish never ended. Though 34 years have passed, for us, family members of those killed, the pain of losing our loved ones in that one night has tormented us to this day, the group said in a statement released by the New York-based watchdog Human Rights in China. Clear conclusion Despite the warnings in Hong Kong, some individuals, including book shop owners, have been quietly marking June 4. Jailed Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung, one of the leaders of a group called The Alliance, which used to organise the June 4 vigils, said on Facebook that she would hold a 34-hour hunger strike. In mainland China, any mention of the Tiananmen Square crackdown where troops opened fire on pro-democracy protesters, killing hundreds if not thousands, according to rights groups is taboo and the subject is heavily censored. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, when asked about the governments response to events around the world to mark the anniversary, said in Beijing on Friday that the government had already come to a clear conclusion about the political turmoil in the late 1980s. In democratically governed Taiwan, the last remaining part of the Chinese-speaking world where the anniversary can be marked freely, hundreds attended a memorial at Taipeis Liberty Square where a Pillar of Shame statue was displayed. Peggy Kwan, 57, an interpreter at the event, expressed sadness at the stifling of commemorations in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is moving backwards, she said. China claims Taiwan as its own and has not renounced the use of force to ensure eventual unification. Taiwan Vice President William Lai, the ruling Democratic Progressive Partys presidential candidate in an election next January, wrote on his Facebook page that the memory of what happened in Beijing in 1989 must be preserved. The event commemorating June 4 has continued to be held in Taipei, which shows that democracy and authoritarianism are the biggest differences between Taiwan and China, he said. In Sydney, one of more than 30 places in North America, Europe and Asia hosting commemoration events, dozens of demonstrators rallied at the Town Hall, chanting Free Hong Kong while holding up placards and yellow umbrellas, the symbol of pro-democracy protests since 2014. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande and his Bangladesh counterpart General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed met in Dhaka on Monday to discuss a number of topics of interest to both countries. They also looked into measures to strengthen their bilateral defence and security ties. Lt General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed forces division, was also in contact with Gen Pande, who arrived in Bangladesh earlier on Monday on a two-day visit. This is Gen Pandes second visit to Bangladesh as Army chief. The Indian Army chief had visited Bangladesh in July last year. It was his first foreign our after assuming charge. General Manoj Pande #COAS interacted with General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff, #BangladeshArmy & Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, #Bangladesh and discussed aspects of mutual interest, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information said in a tweet. The commander of the Indian Army also lay a wreath at Shikha Anirban to honour the warriors who gave their lives to liberate Bangladesh. At Senakunja, he also received the Guard of Honour and planted a tree to honour the cordial relationship between the two forces. General Manoj Pande will inspect the 84th Long Course officer cadets Passing Out Parade (POP) on Tuesday at the Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) in Chattogram. The Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy, established for the top foreign cadet from a friendly foreign country graduating from the BMAs passing out course, will be presented by the head of the Indian Army during the parade. This years inaugural trophy is going to Tanzanian cadet Everton. According to a statement from the Indian Army, this trophy is given in retaliation for the Bangladesh Trophy and Medal, which was established at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, in December 2021 for the best foreign cadet who completed the course. On June 10, the Indian Army chief will examine the POP at IMA in Dehradun and award the Bangladesh Medal and trophy. In April of this year, the Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh had visited India and observed the passing out parade at the Chennai Officers Training Academy. (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. Indonesia on Monday will host American, Chinese, and Russian navy ships for joint exercises in Indonesian waters to drill responses to humanitarian disasters, in a rare moment of cooperation amid heightened defence competition across the Asia-Pacific. Komodo naval exercises in the Makassar Strait will be on until Thursday. Held in waters between Borneo and Sulawesi, the exercise brings together 49 countries including sworn geopolitical rivals such as North and South Korea, and India and Pakistan. According to South China Morning Post, citing experts, Asean chair Indonesia which deftly handled last years G20 meeting in Bali in the shadow of Russias invasion of Ukraine quietly fills the role of neutral broker in a region scored by competing claims to seas and territories. The event comes days after the Shangri-la Dialogue defence summit in Singapore ended in a new bout of mudslinging between Chinese and US defence chiefs with the status of Taiwan the focal point. President Joko Widodo is expected to open the event following a slew of high-profile international appearances after Indonesia chaired the G20 and Asean and attended the G7. The cast of countries is in line with the international status and standing of Indonesia, as one of the motives of the countrys defence diplomacy is to enhance its international image and reputation, South China Morning Post quoted Frega Wenas, a lecturer at Indonesias National Defence University, as saying. With the attendance of major power countries such as the US, China and many other countries, the exercise will provide an opportunity for dialogue as the chiefs of navy will also meet up in parallel with the operational activities at sea, Wenas added. Focus on humanitarian emergencies The Komodo exercises will include sea rescues and responses to humanitarian emergencies such as natural disasters. Yet diplomatic outreach a duty of the Indonesian navy seems just as significant. Alongside the naval manoeuvres are lighter events including a city parade, a culinary programme and a maritime exhibition. According to the report, when asked by This Week in Asia whether tensions with Russia and China might cause friction during the Komodo exercise, a US Navy spokesman said, We respect the government of Indonesias ability to select participants in its host-nation capacity. The United States will continue work with partners, such as Indonesia, to ensure that the region remains open and accessible and that the regions seas and skies are governed and used according to international law. Citing the Chinas Global Times, the report said that Beijings participation in the exercise was aimed at boosting understanding, exchanges and communication with foreign militaries to safeguard peace and stability amid rising tensions in the Asia-Pacific. Geopolitical tensions Yet days before the drills got under way, geopolitical tensions reared up at Singapores Shangri-La Dialogue. China refused Americas proposal for a customary meeting between their defence chiefs citing sanctions levelled at Li Shangfu, Chinas Minister of National Defence. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin responded with a veiled swipe in a speech: For responsible defence leaders, the right time to talk is any time. The right time to talk is every time, and the right time to talk is now. Meanwhile, in the Taiwan Strait a Chinese warship came within 150 yards of hitting the US destroyer USS Chung-Hoon, after American and Canadian warships sailed through the sensitive waterway. Both Beijing and Washington have been building up their security relationships with states in the Asia-Pacific recently. Meanwhile, Indian Navy on Monday tweeted that INS Satpura has arrived at Makassar in Indonesia for the drills. As part of her ongoing deployment to #ASEAN countries, #INSSatpura arrived at Makassar, #Indonesia to participate in the 4th Edition of Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK 2023) & International Fleet Review, tweeted Indian Navy 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 US Navy reported on Monday that its personnel and those of the United Kingdom Royal Navy assisted a ship in the vital Strait of Hormuz after it had been harassed by Irans Revolutionary Guard. The cargo ship was approached closely by three fast-attack Guard boats on Sunday afternoon, according to a statement from the US Navy. It provided black-and-white pictures of three tiny ships that it said were taken from a US Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon flying overhead. In response to the event, the frigate HMS Lancaster of the Royal Navy and the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul of the US Navy both launched helicopters. The situation de-escalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene, the Navy said. The merchant ship continued transiting the Strait of Hormuz without further incident. 20 per cent of the worlds oil passes via the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulfs tiny entrance. The Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venture erratically altered course while it was travelling through the strait at the time of the incident, according to ship tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analysed by The Associated Press, despite the Navy failing to identify the implicated vessel. Its position also matched details provided by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military operation in charge of monitoring traffic in the area, about the event. The ship matched the pictures the Navy had provided as well. Trust Bulkers of Athens, Greece, the ships registered management, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The event was not immediately acknowledged by Iranian official media or the Revolutionary Guard. The Iranian delegation to the United Nations did not reply quickly to a request for comment. This current incident follows a string of maritime events involving Iran since the US unilaterally exited Tehrans nuclear accord with foreign powers in 2018. The probable American seizure of the Suez Rajan, a tanker affiliated to a US private equity firm suspected of transporting sanctioned Iranian crude oil off the coast of Singapore, most certainly prompted Tehran to recently capture the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Advantage Sweet. That ship was carrying Kuwaiti crude oil for the energy firm Chevron Corp. of San Ramon, California. While authorities have not acknowledged the Suez Rajans seizure, the vessel is now off the coast of Galveston, Texas, according to ship-tracking data analyzed by the AP. Meanwhile, Iran separately seized the Niovi, a Panama-flagged tanker, as it left a dry dock in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, bound for Fujairah on the UAEs eastern coast. While not carrying any cargo, data from S&P Global Market Intelligence seen by the AP showed the Niovi in July 2020 received oil from a ship known then as the Oman Pride. The US Treasury in August 2021 sanctioned the Oman Pride and others associated with the vessel over it being involved in an international oil smuggling network that supported the Quds Force, the expeditionary unit of the Guard that operates across the Mideast. Purported emails published online by Wikiran, a website that solicits leaked documents from the Islamic Republic, suggest that cargo carried by the Niovi was sold on to firms in China without permission. Satellite images analyzed by the AP show those two vessels anchored off Bandar Abbas, Iran. The recent seizures have put new pressure on the US, long the security guarantor for Gulf Arab nations. The United Arab Emirates claimed last week it earlier withdrew its participation from a joint naval command called the Combined Maritime Forces though the US Navy said it was still in the group. Meanwhile, the US militarys Central Command said Saturday its chief visited the region, met with Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discussed shared regional security concerns as well as US and UAE security partnerships. The Mideast-based commanders of the US, British and French navies last month also transited the Strait of Hormuz on Friday aboard an American warship, a sign of their unified approach to keep the crucial waterway open after Iran seized the two oil tankers. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Britains King Charles III has expressed his deepest condolences to President Droupadi Murmu over the tragic triple train accident in Odisha and said that he is profoundly shocked and saddened by the news. He said that he is saddened by the dreadful accident that took place in Balasore. Both my wife and I have been most profoundly shocked and saddened by the news of such a dreadful accident outside Balasore. I would like to express our deepest possible condolences to the families of all those who have so tragically lost their lives, King Charles said, according to the official handle of the Royal Family which tweeted the message on Monday. In the condolence message, he not only expressed solidarity with victims families but also recalled fond memories of himself visiting Odisha in 1980. I do hope you know what a special place India and the people of India have in our hearts. I have particularly fond memories of visiting Odisha in 1980 and meeting some of its people on that occasion, the message read. I pray, therefore, that you may be able to convey our most heartfelt prayers and sympathy to all those who have been affected by this appalling tragedy, together with our special thoughts for the people of Odisha, the Royal Family tweeted. Condolences poured from across the globe after the tragic train accident took place in Odisha on Friday evening last week. The accident claimed 275 lives and injured over thousand people. President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday tweeted to express his grief over the tragic triple train accident in Odishas Balasore, which claimed the lives of 275 passengers and left over a 1,000 injured. On behalf of myself and my nation, I offer my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the train accident in Odisha, India, as well to the people and the government of India. We wish a speedy recovery to the injured. We stand by India as it mourns the loss of lives in the tragic accident, Erdogan tweeted. Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also made a phone call to External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to express his grief over the loss of lives in the horrific triple train accident. Appreciating Blinkens words, the EAM said that such sentiments are deeply valued at this challenging time. Thank @SecBlinken for the phone call expressing his support and sympathy on the Odisha railway accident. Such sentiments are deeply valued at this difficult time, tweeted Jaishankar. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin met in New Delhi and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in maritime, military and airspace technologies. As per sources to News18, Doval and Austin also discussed ways for greater transfer of technology, co-production and indigenous building capacities in line with Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. The two leaders also discussed ensuring that countries in different regions Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia and Indo-Pacific retain their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and are not coerced into poor choices. They also talked about ways to take a strategic approach to global challenges through government, people to people and societal relations. At their meeting, Doval and Austin maintained India and the US focus on trusted sources of supply, resilient supply chains, and greater industry-to-industry partnerships. Austins two-day tour to New Delhi over couple of weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis state visit to Washington during which the two sides are expected to unveil initiatives to expand the India-Us global strategic partnership. Austin also held wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh and said that the India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rule-bound Indo-Pacific region. During a media briefing earlier today, Austin said India and the US have decided to establish an ambitious roadmap for defence industrial cooperation. He also described the India-US global strategic partnership as the cornerstone of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our partnership is continuing to grow rapidly and we are looking at expanding the defence industrial cooperation, Austin 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. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicted on Monday that Israel will play a huge role in mitigating the threats posed by artificial intelligence, even as the government disputes whether and how to regulate the technology underlying ChatGPT. He is one of the most prominent voices in the IT sector encouraging governments to quickly develop legislation to ensure that AI is used properly. Altman will fly to Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India, and South Korea this week after crisscrossing Europe last month meeting politicians and national leaders to discuss the opportunities and perils of AI. He is now in Israel, which according to Stanford University research is one of the top five countries for major machine learning systems and AI talent concentration. I have been very heartened as I have been doing this trip around the world, getting to meet world leaders, in seeing the thoughtfulness, the focus, and the urgency on figuring out how we mitigate these very huge risks, Altman said during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. The energy on making use of the technology and its positive benefits is fantastic to see, and I am sure Israel will play a huge role. Since Microsoft-backed OpenAI released ChatGPT last year, the fast development and popularity of generative AI have prompted worldwide politicians to craft legislation to address safety issues associated with the technology. The European Union is moving on with its draught AI Act, which is scheduled to become law later this year, but the United States is leaning towards adjusting current rules for AI rather than developing whole new legislation. Britain also wants to avoid draconian regulations that might impede innovation. Israel like Britain, and to a great extent like Canada, too is at the US end of the spectrum, Ziv Katzir, director of national AI planning at the Israel Innovation Authority, told Reuters. It has been working on this matter for the last 18 months or so, with a view to achieving the right balance between innovation and the preservation of human rights and civic safeguards. Israel published a 115-page draft AI policy in October and is collating public feedback ahead of a final decision. 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 recent report, the tech job market has experienced significant volatility in recent months. The introduction of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Bing has further increased the challenges faced by professionals in this field. ChatGPT was unveiled by OpenAI in November 2022, while Bard and Bing were launched by Google and Microsoft respectively in February of this year. Also read: AI Taking Human Jobs: IBM freezes hiring, set to replace 7,800 jobs with AI over next 5 years Since their inception, these three AI tools have garnered significant attention in the tech industry, prompting numerous companies to leverage AI for their benefit. Unfortunately, the growing influence of these emerging technologies resulted in approximately 4,000 job losses in 2023s May alone. 80,000 people terminated in May, 4,000 techies because of AI According to a report by Business Insider, sourced from a monthly report by Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, the month of May witnessed a significant number of job losses, with approximately 4,000 people being affected by artificial intelligence. The report further indicated that a total of 80,000 job cuts occurred during that month, with 3,900 of them directly linked to AI. The remaining job cuts were attributed to various factors such as economic conditions, cost-cutting measures, company restructuring, and mergers and acquisitions. The report also provided insights into the overall job cuts that have taken place in 2023 thus far. From January to May, approximately 400,000 individuals lost their jobs. A spokesperson highlighted that this was the first instance in which job cuts were explicitly attributed to AI. Furthermore, the spokesperson clarified that all the layoffs occurred within the tech sector. AI replacing more human jobs by the day In February of this year, a survey conducted by Resumebuilder.com, a job advice platform, revealed that certain companies in the United States had started implementing ChatGPT instead of human workers. Also read: AI is coming for your jobs: 80% US jobs to be impacted by ChatGPT-like AI in coming years The survey involved 1,000 business leaders, and nearly half of the participating US companies reported that they were utilizing ChatGPT, with the chatbot replacing employees within their organizations. Time to shift gears Resumebuilder.com stated at the time that business leaders were impressed with the performance of the widely talked-about chatbot. The company mentioned, Overall, most business leaders are impressed by ChatGPTs work. Fifty-five per cent stated that the quality of work produced by ChatGPT is excellent, while 34 per cent considered it very good. Also read: AI taking jobs: From recruiters to tutors, ChatGPTs GPT-4 version says it will replace these 20 jobs Stacie Haller, Chief Career Advisor at Resumebuilder.com, was quoted in a Business Today report stating, There is a lot of excitement regarding the use of ChatGPT. As this new technology gains momentum in the workplace, workers should consider how it may impact the responsibilities of their current jobs. The survey results indicate that employers are seeking to streamline certain job responsibilities through the implementation of ChatGPT. Furthermore, Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, mentioned in an interview in March that one job that could potentially be replaced by ChatGPT was customer service. 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 Russias TASS news agency, a senior Armenian official suggested on Sunday that a peace deal with neighbouring Azerbaijan might be concluded by the end of 2023, putting an end to a decades-long war. Moscow, Washington, and the European Union are all working individually to aid Azerbaijan and Armenia, who have fought two wars in the previous 30 years over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. According to TASS, Armen Grigoryan, secretary of Armenias Security Council, said on national television that the conversations were intense. If we can maintain this intensity and there is strong support from the international community to achieve progress, then there is a chance to have a peace treaty by the end of the year, he said. Azerbaijan took control of regions controlled by ethnic Armenians in and around Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020. The enclave is internationally accepted as a part of Azerbaijan, however, it is mostly populated by ethnic Armenians. Both sides constantly accuse the other of violating a 2020 ceasefire agreement. According to TASS, European Council President Charles Michel will meet with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in July. 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 European Commission has sent Polands agricultural minister a draft rule that would prolong a restriction on the import of some Ukrainian food goods until 15 September, he said on Monday. The EU imposed import limits on Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seed on 2 May until 5 June to alleviate oversupply in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. These nations protested that cheaper Ukrainian grain made domestic production unprofitable, and they pushed the EU to prolong the prohibition. We have received from the EC a draft of a new regulation banning the import of 4 products to the 5 countries, Robert Telus wrote on Twitter. The effective date provided for in the draft is September 15 this year. Its a draft but I hope it will come into force from tomorrow, he added. A representative for the European Commission did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment. Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seed can be exported to any of the 27-member EU. The EU had previously liberalised all Ukrainian imports in order to aid Kyivs attempts to repel Russias invasion. Because of the conflict, the five nations became transit routes for Ukrainian grain that could not be shipped through its Black Sea ports. During meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked for the unconditional lifting of all export restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural goods. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A pregnant bus driver named Imunek Williams from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States is being hailed as a hero for her quick action in evacuating numerous children from her bus mere moments before it erupted in a fierce fire. She said that it feels satisfying that she could ensure their safety without anyone getting injured. Williams emphasised that ensuring the safety of the children is her utmost concern. She highlighted that if it was her own child on the bus, she would expect the bus driver to take the same decisive action. Williams had been operating her bus on a regular morning route towards the Milwaukee Academy of Science with 37 students onboard, spanning from kindergarten to high school, as reported by WISN. All of a sudden, when she was approximately half a mile away from the school, she noticed an unusual odour. Williams told the publication, I just thought it was normal smoke coming from another car, because I always smell smoke or weird smells. But then as I started to drive more, the smell and the smoke started to get thicker. Despite the school being close by, she contemplated disregarding the problem. However, she ultimately chose the life-saving option and decided to stop the bus. She recounted that she simply instructed the kids to exit. She evacuated the bus, ensured everyone was off, and had them line up near a gate. She said that as soon as they stepped off the bus, she turned around, and the bus was engulfed in flames. Footage obtained by the news organisation reveals smoke and flames emanating from the burnt yellow school bus, extending from the front to the rear, while firefighters directed a water hose through one of the windows. Milwaukee authorities confirmed that no children were present on the bus during the fire, as reported by WISN. Later, Williams was transported to a nearby hospital to ensure her well-being and that of her baby, expected in August, and both were determined to be in good health. Following the incident, both students and school officials expressed their gratitude towards Williams for her quick thinking. The very next morning, Williams resumed her regular route, picking up the children. She said that they were actually surprised to see her. Authorities stated that the cause of the fire was being investigated. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart Lloyd Austin on Monday held wide-ranging talks focusing on various key aspects of India-US defence ties and the regional security scenario including in the Indo-Pacific. Austin arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day tour that comes over two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis state visit to Washington. Ahead of the talks, people familiar with the US Defence Secretarys visit said his discussions with Singh will focus on a number of significant areas of cooperation, including transfer of critical technologies for co-development of military hardware. Austin was accorded a guard of honour ahead of the talks at the Manekshaw Centre. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, the US defence secretary tweeted on Sunday. The people cited above said Singh and Austin are set to discuss the General Electrics proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhis plan to procure 30 MQ-9B armed drones at a cost of over USD 3 billion from US defence major General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc besides other issues. India has been looking for manufacture of jet engines in India under the framework of technology transfer to power its fighter aircraft. In June 2016, the US designated India a Major Defence Partner paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology. It is Secretary Austins second visit to India. His previous trip to India was in March, 2021. In his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday, the US Defence secretary said, Our Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology with India lets us explore new ways to co-develop key defence platforms. In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced in May last year the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. The iCET is expected to forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space and semiconductors. The two countries have inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each others bases for repair and replenishment of supplies. India and the US also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India. In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries. (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. The Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), a pro-Ukraine group of Russian fighters, will hand over two Russian soldiers to Kyiv since the proposed meeting did not take place, stated the RVC. They had offered to exchange the soldiers for a meeting with the governor of the Belgorod region. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov responded, Most likely they killed them, as hard as it is for me to say. But if they are alive, from 5pm to 6pm Shebekino checkpoint. I guarantee safety. He seemed to agree to the meeting. However, Gladkov did not show up for the meeting, leading the RVC to declare that they would transfer the soldiers to Ukraine instead. Later, the Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL), another pro-Ukrainian Russian group, released a new video on Telegram stating that Mr. Gladkov had not met them. In an earlier Telegram video, the self-identified commander of the RVC appeared with the two captives, one of whom seemed to be injured and lying on an operating table. The RVC had set a deadline of 2pm for Gladkov to meet with them. The RVC and FJL issued a joint statement, stating, Today until 5pm [local time], you have the opportunity to communicate without weapons and take home two Russian citizens, ordinary soldiers whom you and your political leadership sent to the slaughter. Governor Gladkov shared on Telegram that he had an operational meeting with local officials. Earlier, the governor mentioned ongoing fighting with a Ukrainian saboteur group in the town of Novaya Tavolzhanka, near the Ukrainian border. Both partisan groups, supposedly consisting of Russian nationals, have been involved in clashes in the area. The FRL launched two attacks on Belgorod recently. It was established in spring 2022 to fight in the Ukrainian army against Putins armed gang. While Ukraine denies involvement with the group, the militia claims to cooperate with the Ukrainian armed forces. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Sunday that Russia was evading UN sanctions by utilising a network of suppliers to manufacture missiles and other weaponry. In a video speech, Zelenskyy stated that unspecified nations and firms were assisting Russia in acquiring technology, with a focus on missile production. Since late October, Russia has fired hundreds of missiles at Ukrainian sites. Unfortunately, the terrorist state manages to use the technologies of the world through a network of suppliers, manages to bypass international sanctions, Zelenskyy said. Ukraine, Zelenskyy noted, is well aware of Russias efforts to avoid sanctions and would work to guarantee that no products of the free world are found in Russian missiles. In April, a top Zelenskyy aide stated that Ukrainian troops were discovering an increasing amount of Chinese components in Russian weaponry deployed in Ukraine, as Western supply was being constrained by sanctions. China has denied that it has sent military equipment to Russia. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Gunmen opened fire in a room at a mens hostel near the eastern South African city of Durban, killing eight people and injuring two more, police said Sunday, in the countrys latest mass shooting. Seven males were pronounced dead immediately following the shooting in the Umlazi community in the early hours of Saturday. According to authorities, an eighth guy died on Sunday. Two more people have been hospitalised with injuries, including a guy who leapt out the window of the hostel room to escape the shooting. According to police, 12 men were drinking wine in the room when several shooters broke in, fired at them, and then escaped. Two of the males in the room escaped unharmed. South Africa has one of the worlds highest homicide rates, and there has been a rash of mass shootings in recent years. Earlier this year, at least two mass shootings were recorded. A youngster was one of ten family members slain at a residence in April. In January, eight people were killed during a birthday party. Last year, 22 people were slain in three separate shootings at pubs throughout the country in one weekend. South Africa has relatively strong gun regulations, but there are severe issues with illicit guns, according to police and community groups. An average of 30 people a day were killed by firearms in South Africa in the first three months of this year, according to official crime statistics. During the same three months, police recorded more than 4,000 cases of illegal possession of guns or ammunition. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A group of UK-based climate activists, called the Tyre Extinguishers, is moving around deflating the tyres of parked SUVs (sports utility vehicles) on roads in an effort to combat global warming. The group has claimed credit for tyre-deflating operations in American cities including New York City, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, and cities in England, Canada, France, Spain, Germany and Italy among others, according to a report by Fox News. Reports coming in of very angry #CarShaggers who are upset they cant drive their massive tanks around Lisbon. Oh no! Welcome to the fun, Portugal! We will make SUVs history, the group posted on Twitter along with an image of a Portuguese-language pamphlet the activists left on one of the targeted SUVs. On their own website, the Tyre Extinguishers who believe in guerilla climate activism explain why they are protesting against SUVs. The groups website has details and instructions on how to quickly deflate tires on parked cars. It also has a template for pamphlets that activists can use during their operations. Once the person deflates the tyres, they leave a document with a headline stating, ATTENTION your gas guzzler kills, on the vehicles windshield explaining to its owner why such action was taken. Youll be angry, but dont take it personally. Its not you, its your car. We did this because driving around in urban areas in your massive vehicle has huge consequences for others, the pamphlet reads. NEW: FIRST ACTION IN PORTUGAL! LISBON SUVS DISARMED Reports coming in of very angry #CarShaggers who are upset they cant drive their massive tanks around Lisbon. Oh no! Welcome to the fun, Portugal! We will make SUVs history. Find out more here: https://t.co/cmqm5IOeg7 pic.twitter.com/lDi9AZWUjv The Tyre Extinguishers (@T_Extinguishers) June 1, 2023 We are people from all walks of life with one aim: To make it impossible to own a huge polluting 4x4 in the world's urban areas, the group's website adds. We are defending ourselves against climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers. We do this with a simple tactic: Deflating the tyres of these massive, unnecessary vehicles, causing inconvenience for their owners, the website points out. Tyre Extinguishers is a leaderless, autonomous movement of groups that act independently, according to their website. SUVs and 4x4s are a disaster for our health, our public safety, and our climate. Bigger and bigger cars are dominating our towns and cities, all so a privileged few can flaunt their wealth. Because governments and politicians have failed to protect us from this danger, we must protect ourselves. We want to make it impossible to own a huge polluting 4x4 in the world's urban areas. We do this by deflating the tyres of these massive, unnecessary vehicles, causing inconvenience and expense for their owners, says the website of the organisation. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Anti-Putin saboteurs have been killing civilians and crippling children as they forayed into a local settlement in Belgorod region where they are allegedly engaged in fighting with the Russian forces, governor Viacheslav Gladkov claimed. The governor of the Belgorod region further said that he hoped all members of the group from Ukraine would be killed. I saw the appeal of scoundrels, bast**ds, murderers and fascists who allegedly want to meet with me, offering a conversation in exchange for prisoners. In fact, a group of sabouteurs went in, there is a battle in Novaya Tavolzhanka, Gladkov said. I hope that they will all be destroyed. It cannot be otherwise. Every day civilians die at the hands of these fascists, we bury them every day. Crippled children and dead old people thats their handiwork, he said in a video address, responding to Denis Nikitin, the leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps, a neo-Nazi group of Russian nationals fighting on Kyivs side. The Freedom of Russian Legion and Russian Volunteer Corps, have struck deep inside Russian territory. The mission of Freedom of Russian Legion, an anti-Kremlin militia group, serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, is to liberate Russia from Putin-ism. Also Read: Belgorod Conundrum: Pro-Ukraine anti-Putin saboteurs sting Russia, strike behind enemy lines Formed weeks after Russias invasion of Ukraine that started in February last year, these Russian fighters claimed to have seized settlements in the Belgorod region, situated close to the Ukrainian border. They even conducted an incursion into the Grayvoronsky District of Belgorod Region and managed to briefly capture two villages Kozinka, and Gora-Podol, before encountering a swift response from the Russian military, resulting in significant casualties for the attackers. After these attack, the Russian Defence Ministry declared that the shootout had resulted in the destruction of over 70 Ukrainian terrorists, four armoured combat vehicles, and five pickup trucks. 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. US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin claimed on Monday that China is bullying and coercing nations, threatening their national sovereignty, and trying to redraw borders by force throughout the world. Addressing a press conference after holding a bilateral meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the US Defence Secretary said, We face a rapidly changing world. We see bullying and coercion from China, Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders by force and threatens national sovereignty, as well as transnational challenges, such as terrorism and climate change. The significance of cooperative military drills between the US and India was emphasised uopn by the US Defence Secretary. So democracies must now rally together around not just our common interest, but also our shared values. Preserving and protecting the freedoms that are essential to peace and prosperity will require vigorous leadership from the United States and India. And so we still have a lot of work to do, but I am confident that the US-India Partnership will help to secure an open and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific and the wider world, he added. Austin and Rajnath Singh came to an agreement on a framework for defence industrial cooperation today, a day after Austin landed in India. The plan for the upcoming years will highlight potential for the two nations to collaborate more closely on the co-production of new and existing systems as well as on the co-development of novel technology. Austin recently criticised China for its activities in the area while noting that the confrontation in the Taiwan Strait would be terrible in his speech at the Shangri-La Security Summit in Singapore. Our policy is constant and firm. It has held true across U.S. administrations. And we will continue to categorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. Id also highlight that conflict is neither imminent or inevitable. Deterrence is strong todayand its our job to keep it that way, Austin said at the Shangri-La Security Summit in Singapore on Saturday. You know, the whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Straitthe whole world. The security of commercial shipping lanes and global supply chains depends on it. And so does freedom of navigation world-wide.But make no mistake: conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be devastating, he said in his remarks A Shared Vision for the Indo-Pacific in Singapore. Austin said earlier today that the US and Indias worldwide strategic cooperation has continued to expand quickly. The cooperation between India and the US provides the basis for a free and open Indo-Pacific. An ambitious strategy for US-India defence industry cooperation has been devised by both countries. Speaking of his discussion with the defence minister, he said that they had addressed INDUS-X, a crucial new programme intended to kick-start collaborations between the US and Indian defence innovation industries. According to a statement made by the Defence Ministry, Austin and Rajnath Singh looked into ways to create robust supply networks. Both sides decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. They also discussed regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the ministry said. Meanwhile, addressing a press conference today, Austin responding to a query on the ongoing Russian Ukaraine conflict said, Its been widely reported that Russia has constructed defences along the border of the occupied territory. And those defences, in many cases, are defences in depth. So we see several lines of fortifications, ditches, dragons teeth prepared positions, those kinds of things. In some cases, its a fairly significant preparation there, but I would say that they have to defend against a pretty significant across a pretty significant area. So they probably cant be strong in every place. So its incumbent upon the Ukrainians to find those points of advantage that they can leverage and exploit. So well see what happens. Rajnath Singh and Lloyd Austin discussed their robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation efforts during their meeting, and they decided to keep the momentum going. Rajnath Singh stated on Twitter after the meeting that the discussions focused on advancing defence cooperation in a number of areas, such as the alignment of strategic interests and improved security cooperation. India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership, Singh tweeted. The recent initial discussions on defence artificial intelligence and defence space were well received by the two leaders. Singh and Austin talked about regional security issues in light of their common desire to keep the Indo-Pacific area peaceful and stable. Senior members of the Ministry of Defence, including the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the Secretary of Defence Giridhar Aramane, the Secretary of the Department of Defence Research and Development, and the Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Dr. Samir V. Kamat, attended the meeting. Austin, who arrived in Delhi from Singapore on Sunday, looked over a Tri-Services Guard of Honour earlier today when the Defence Minister was present at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi. Austin is making his second trip to India. (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. US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has asserted that the United States is not attempting to build the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in the Indo-Pacific area. He also stated that the US will continue to cooperate with other like-minded nations to guarantee that the region is free and open. While answering a media query over the Chinese defence ministers statement, Austin said at a press conference, We are absolutely not trying to establish a NATO in the Indo-Pacific. We continue to work with like-minded countries to ensure that the region remains free and open so that commerce can prosper and ideas can continue to be exchanged. We will continue that work. Certainly, India and us share the same vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, he added. This statement by US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin came in reaction to Chinas statement regarding NATO, this was said. According to a report by Channel News Asia, the Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu had warned against NATO-style military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would send the area into a whirlpool of violence. Addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, he said, In essence, attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations, which will only plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts. Austin, who is presently on a tour to four countries, landed in India on Sunday. India is the third destination after Singapore and Japan. Meanwhile, on the probability of the misadventures that can take place in the India-China Line of Actual Control (LAC), Austin said, In terms of what could happen along the LAC, I wont get into any kind of speculation, but a number of things can always happen.. but want to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure that things dont happen. And part of that is being able to communicate with great powers, and with each other to prevent things from incidents escalating out of control. So I wont to speculate as to whether or not therell be additional misadventure, but I certainly hope not. Austin and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting and delegation-level discussions earlier today where they came to an agreement on a roadmap for defence industrial cooperation. This roadmap will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and the co-production of existing and new systems as well as enable increased cooperation between the two countries defence start-up ecosystems. (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. A woman from Washington State, who had been defying a court order for more than a year to undergo tuberculosis treatment, was apprehended on 1 June, as told by the authorities to The New York Times. The arrest came after a civil warrant had been issued for her over three months ago. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department stated that the woman, identified as V.N. in court documents, was now detained at Pierce County Jail. On 2 June, Sergent Darren Moss, a representative of the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, mentioned in an email that the woman was apprehended peacefully from her residence on 1 June and subsequently transported to the jail. During the journey, she was accommodated in a specialised vehicle that ensured her isolation throughout. Sergent Moss refrained from disclosing the womans place of residence. Pierce County Sheriffs Department said that she would be placed in a designated room within the facility, specifically designed for isolation, testing, and treatment. The statement said, We are hopeful she will choose to get the lifesaving treatment she needs to treat her tuberculosis. Sergeant Moss stated that decisions regarding treatment and potential early release are the responsibility of the Health Department and the courts. He emphasised that this case is not considered a criminal matter, and the role of the Sheriffs Department is solely to detain the woman and facilitate her transportation for treatment. The Health Department has mentioned on its website that they have been collaborating with the womans family for more than a year, aiming to convince her to comply with medication intake in order to safeguard both herself and the community. According to a news release from the Sheriffs Department, the woman will be housed in a designated negative pressure room within the jail. Sergeant Moss explained that this room is a secure area that prevents the spread of the disease while ensuring her proper care and treatment. On 24 February, Judge Philip Sorensen from Pierce County Superior Court issued a civil warrant for the womans arrest. This warrant authorised law enforcement to detain her due to her non-compliance with previous orders to isolate or take medication. The warrant outlined that she would be detained in a facility that possesses the necessary resources for testing and treatment. Her confinement would continue until it could be ascertained that she did not present a public health threat anymore. In an April court filing, Patricia Jackson, the head of the Pierce County Sheriffs Department Corrections Bureau, stated that she had authorised surveillance of the woman to gather relevant information. This was done to ensure the safe apprehension of the woman by providing officers with the necessary details. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Pakistans former army chief (retrd) General Qamar Javed Bajwa was reportedly heckled by an Afghanistan national in France on Sunday during a family trip. Bajwa was accompanied by his wife when the incident took place. In a viral video, Bajwa, along with his wife, can be seen sitting on stairs as the man heckles and abuses him. Former Pakistan Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa vacationing in France is being brutally abused by Afghan National for killing innocent Afghanis and sponsoring Jihad in Afghanistan and Kashmir. No Army chief has settled in Pakistan post retirement. Speaks volumes about their pic.twitter.com/fGjQ36FHA5 Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) June 5, 2023 The authenticity of the video could not be verified by Firstpost. In the clip, the man can be heard verbally abusing Bajwa in his native language. Later on, Bajwa warned him, stating that he would be handed over to the police, but the man didnt stop and continued to insult him. (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. Chinas Foreign Ministry has published the results of its study session on Xi Jinping thought on diplomacy, which, amid other things, focused on improving the countrys capacity to address external risks in its next stage of diplomacy. The latest report, a part of the ongoing themed education campaign to unify the Partys thinking, came as relations between China and the US are strained on almost every front, from the military, Taiwan and the South China Sea, to technology and human rights issues. The study result stressed on parameters such as core theory of Xis thought, general trend of world developments and building a community with a shared future of mankind. Core theory of XJP Thought Part of the report consisted of the core theory of XJP (Xi Jinping) Thought which states that party leadership is the soul of Chinas diplomacy and that said diplomacy should defend the socialist path. It went on to state that Chinas systemic advantage was the partys overall coordination and the ministrys culture should be loyal to the party. General trend of world development The report result also stressed on the general trend of world development claiming that Chinas leaders have long formulated directives based on scientific assessments of world trends, of which Maos trend was war and revolution and for Deng, it was peace and economic development. Series of opportunities, risks and challenges As per the report result, for Xi, the world has entered a period of turmoil and change which was not seen in the last 100 years and presented a series of strategic opportunities, risks and challenges along with unpredictable factors to Chinas developments. These changes include scientific and technological breakthroughs in materialist substructures as well as shifts in balance of power with the rise of the east and decline of the west as well as rising anti-globalisation, protectionism and unilateralism. The result reiterated Xis basic concept of Building a community with a shared future for mankind, the core of which is the Five worlds which include World of Lasting Peace, Universal Security, Common Prosperity, Openness and Inclusion and Cleanliness and beauty. The report also cited the achievements made by Xi over the last decade, which includes brilliant head-of-state diplomacy, creating official relations with over 10 countries and over 70 new strategic partners as well as China-Russia blooming relationship, creating a tone of friendly cooperation with EU and making breakthroughs with ASEAN, Central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands. The report followed Xis April order to senior officials to prepare a new themed education program to infuse Xi Jinping Thought into the minds of cadres from Beijing all the way down to the countrys grassroots level which comprises of more than 2,800 county-level areas. 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. London-based consumer technology brand Nothing has announced that their upcoming smartphone, the Nothing Phone (2), will be manufactured in India to cater to the demands of the Indian market. This follows the Phone (1) which was also made in India at a facility in Tamil Nadu. Last week, the company confirmed that the Phone (2) has 3x more recycled or bio-based parts vs Phone (1). It also revealed that the Phone (2) has a bigger 6.7-inch screen, yet has a has SGS certified carbon footprint of 53.45 kg, over 5 kg lower than the Phone (1). Nothing already confirmed Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC for the phone and also confirmed the phone will pack a 4700mAh battery, slightly bigger than the 4500mAh battery in the Phone (1). The company said that it continues to expand its customer support in the region, to 230+ authorized service centres in more than 250 cities, as well as support via the Nothing India channels. On the announcement, Manu Sharma, VP and GM of Nothing India said: Nothing smartphones are known for their iconic transparent design. These designs require hi-tech manufacturing processes and precision engineering, which have led to enhancement of smartphone manufacturing capabilities in India. Our drive to manufacture in India reflects our commitment towards the local consumers and their demands. We are proud to announce that Phone (2) will be manufactured in India. As a young brand, we have always believed in an earth-first approach. Phone (2) is designed to be one of the most sustainable smartphones on the market. Consistent Infosystems has introduced the first Indian brand to release the 4th Gen SSD in India. The company launched a 21-inch FHD LED monitor in the country recently. Consistents NVMe 4th Gen SSD offers significant speed enhancements compared to standard SSDs, greatly improving user experience. Inspired by the speed of a cheetah, the Consistent NVMe 4th Gen SSD leverages PCIe 4.0 Gen 44 to achieve speeds up to 7,300 MB per second, resulting in an enhanced gaming experience. It incorporates features like 3D NAND for faster performance, increased storage capacity, improved efficiency, and lower energy consumption. SLC Caching enables high-speed write transfers, even on flash memory that typically has limitations. Additionally, LDPC Advanced ensures reliable message transmission in noisy transmission channels. Quick specifications: Consistent NVMe 4th Gen SSD Storage: 512GB/1TB/2TB Read Speeds: 5000Mbps/7000Mbps/7300Mbps NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 x4 Interface, PCIe 4.0 Compliant / NVMe 1.3 Compliant Power Management Support for APST / ASPM / L1.2 Supports SMART and TRIM commands Supports ONFi 2.3, ONFi 3.0, ONFi 3.2, and ONFi 4.0 interfaces Advanced Wear Leveling, Bad Block Management, Error Correction Code, and Over-Provision Pricing and availability The Consistent NVMe 4th Gen SSD is available in three variants: 512GB with read speeds of 5000Mbps for Rs. 8,999 1TB with read speeds of 7000Mbps for Rs. 15,999 2TB with read speeds of 7300Mbps for Rs. 29,999 You can purchase the SSD at Consistent branches starting today. Commenting on the launch, Yogesh Agrawal, CEO and Co-Founder, Consistent Infosystems, Pvt. Ltd. said: China key contributor to green, sustainable development in Lancang-Mekong countries: Cambodian official, expert Xinhua) 14:31, June 05, 2023 PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- China has been a key supporter of water governance and green and sustainable development in the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) countries, a Cambodian official and an expert said on Monday. The LMC consists of six countries, namely China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. So Sophort, secretary general of the Cambodia National Mekong Committee, said the regional cooperation between China and the Mekong countries, including Cambodia, is well progressive. "All the LMC countries have exchanged and shared with each other the water resources development and management experience and continue to work together to further strengthen and enhance water resources cooperation and management of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin," he told Xinhua. "Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and in the cooperation frameworks of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the LMC, China has always shown its stronger commitment and confirmed its full support, deepening cooperation on transboundary water governance for the more sustainable development and management of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin," he said. Sophort said all the riparian countries acknowledge that the stronger synergy between LMC and MRC as well as others concerned is a key contributor toward achieving shared prosperity and a sustainable future in the riparian countries and improving the basin peoples' well-being. "The stronger regional cooperation has yielded fruitful and better outcomes in deepening the regional economic integration, and achieving an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development and growth in the Lancang-Mekong region," he said. "It has been done through win-win cooperation and this has been seen through the application of action-and-outcomes-oriented approaches," he added. Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Asian Vision Institute's Mekong Center for Strategic Studies, said China is a key contributor to water resources development and environmental protection in the Lancang-Mekong River. "China has always shared year-round accurate hydrological data with the Mekong countries, which has contributed to better river monitoring and flood and drought forecasting in the Mekong countries," he told Xinhua. He said China has also provided urgent information on any unusual rise or fall in water levels and discharges, as well as other relevant information on factors that might lead to sudden flooding in the lower reaches of the basin. "The cooperation between China and the Lancang-Mekong countries under the BRI and the LMC has provided tremendous opportunities and benefits to the Lancang-Mekong countries in their socio-economic development and poverty reduction," Mengdavid said. He said the support from China has been transforming the Lancang-Mekong region into a region of peace, stability, green and sustainable development, and prosperity. "China and the Mekong countries' close cooperation is essential to enhance the well-being of the people, narrow the development gap within the region, and build a community with a shared future of peace and prosperity among Lancang-Mekong countries," he said. Originating from the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in southwest China, the river is called the Lancang River in China, and the Mekong River when flows through the other five countries before emptying into the sea. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts 1. Depicted in this 1826 painting, the Battle of Clontarf (1014) saw the High King of Ireland defeat the Vikings and break the stranglehold that they long had over the island. Who was this important Irish figure? Answer: Brian Boru The Battle of Clontarf holds great significance for the Irish people as it marked a pivotal moment in their history. Led by the legendary High King Brian Boru, the Irish forces achieved a decisive victory over the Viking invaders, led by Sigtrygg Silkbeard. Brian Boru, a revered figure in Irish history, unified the country and established a period of relative stability and cultural flourishing. Sigtrygg Silkbeard, a Viking ruler of Dublin, played a crucial role as his defeat at Clontarf marked the decline of Viking power in Ireland. Additionally, notable figures such as Mael Morda mac Murchada, the King of Leinster, and Sigurd of Orkney, a Viking commander, also played significant roles in the battle. Though his forces were successful, Brian Boru was killed during the battle. 2. Supposedly issued by a man named Adrian IV in 1155, which of these was used by the Anglo-Normans to justify their invasion of Ireland? Answer: a papal bull The Anglo-Normans presented several justifications for their invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. One of the main justifications was a papal bull called Laudabiliter, issued by Pope Adrian IV. According to Laudabiliter, the Pope granted permission to the Anglo-Normans to invade and establish control over Ireland. Pope Adrian IV, the only English pope in history, saw the invasion as an opportunity to bring the Irish Church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The Anglo-Normans also claimed that they were restoring order and stability to a region that they believed was divided and lacking proper governance. Moreover, they argued that they were spreading civilization and Christianity to the native Irish population, framing their invasion as a civilizing mission. Some historians believe that the papal bull never gave this authority and that the Anglo-Normans simply took it upon themselves to use the prestige of having the first and only English pope pronounce their invasion as legitimate. 3. Shown in gray in the image and centering on Dublin and its surrounding areas, what was the term given to the English-held lands in the Late Middle Ages? the Pale The English Pale in Ireland referred to a region of English control and settlement around Dublin during the late medieval period. The Pale acted as a buffer zone, separating the English settlers from the predominantly Gaelic Irish population. Dublin served as the center of English authority within the Pale. It was a thriving urban center with fortified walls, trade networks, and governmental institutions. The English Pale provided a sense of security and stability for the English settlers, but it also created a distinct divide between the English and Irish populations, contributing to the ongoing tensions and conflicts between the two groups. The English phrase "beyond the pale" doesn't necessarily refer specifically to the English Pale in Ireland, though as it was one of the "pales" England controlled over the centuries, it certainly contributed to the phrase's meaning. Answer:The English Pale in Ireland referred to a region of English control and settlement around Dublin during the late medieval period. The Pale acted as a buffer zone, separating the English settlers from the predominantly Gaelic Irish population. Dublin served as the center of English authority within the Pale. It was a thriving urban center with fortified walls, trade networks, and governmental institutions. The English Pale provided a sense of security and stability for the English settlers, but it also created a distinct divide between the English and Irish populations, contributing to the ongoing tensions and conflicts between the two groups.The English phrase "beyond the pale" doesn't necessarily refer specifically to the English Pale in Ireland, though as it was one of the "pales" England controlled over the centuries, it certainly contributed to the phrase's meaning. 4. Started before the American colonies under Mary I (and intensified in Ulster under James I), the English confiscated lands belonging to the Irish and set up their own operations. What were these estates most commonly known as? Answer: plantations The English plantations in Ireland were a series of colonization endeavors conducted by English monarchs, including Mary I, Elizabeth I, and James I, during the 16th and early 17th centuries. Mary I and Elizabeth I sought to expand English influence and control over Ireland, particularly in areas where rebellions had taken place. They encouraged the colonization of Irish lands by English settlers, often through the granting of confiscated lands. James I further intensified these efforts by initiating the plantation of Ulster, forcibly displacing native Irish inhabitants and replacing them with Protestant settlers from England and Scotland. These plantations resulted in long-lasting divisions, cultural clashes, and conflicts between the colonizers and the native Irish population. The other three answer options are all forms of medieval fortifications. 5. The Irish Confederate Wars (1641-1653) were the deadliest conflict in history for the Irish. What was the ultimate outcome of the wars? Answer: conquest of Ireland by the English Parliamentarians The Irish Confederate Wars arose from tensions between the Irish Catholics and the English Protestant settlers. The conflict intensified with the involvement of Oliver Cromwell, a prominent figure in the English Civil War. Cromwell led brutal military campaigns in Ireland, resulting in widespread destruction and the loss of thousands of lives. The lasting ramifications of the Irish Confederate Wars included the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, the confiscation of Irish land, and the oppression of the Catholic population, which had long-lasting effects on Irish society and fueled deep-seated resentment towards English rule. 6. The proximate cause of the Great Famine (also called the Irish Potato Famine) was the crippling potato blight that crossed the lands, yet there were other contributing factors that made it much worse than it had to be. Which of these was NOT a contributing factor to the Great Famine? Answer: the increased rates of immigration to Ireland The practice of English absentee landlordism, where English landlords owned large tracts of land in Ireland but resided in England, led to neglect and lack of investment in agricultural infrastructure. Additionally, the exportation of non-potato crops, such as wheat and barley, by English landlords for profit further reduced the availability of food for the Irish population. When the devastating potato blight hit Ireland in the mid-19th century, the over-reliance on potatoes as a staple crop and the lack of alternative food sources exacerbated the famine's impact, resulting in mass starvation and death. During the Great Famine, the Irish faced widespread devastation and starvation, leading to a significant wave of emigration. Instead of foreigners coming to the starving island nation, many Irish people, desperate for survival and opportunities, left their homeland and sought refuge in other countries, particularly the United States. 7. Subsequent to the Government of Ireland Act 1914, the Irish Parliamentary Party encouraged Irish citizens to fight in WWI in order to ensure the British would grant them self-government after the war concluded. Answer: True John Redmond, the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, advocated for Irish participation in World War I for several reasons. Firstly, he believed that supporting the British war effort would strengthen Ireland's position in negotiations for increased self-government after the war. Redmond also saw the war as an opportunity for Irish nationalists to demonstrate their loyalty to Britain and prove their commitment to Home Rule. Additionally, Redmond believed that Irish involvement would help secure the rights and protections of Irish Catholics within the British Empire. Ultimately, Redmond's support for Irish participation in the war led to the formation of the Irish National Volunteers and the subsequent division within Irish nationalist ranks. The colorized image included in this quiz shows a group of the Royal Irish Rifles in a trench on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. 8. The partition of Ireland into northern and southern parts would profoundly affect the politics of the island for decades to come. Even today, the boundaries remain much the same. What year did Southern Ireland become the Irish Free State, effectively becoming independent? 1922 The events leading up to the partition of Ireland into the Irish Free State were marked by political, religious, and ethnic tensions. The Irish War of Independence, which began in 1919, saw Irish nationalists fighting against British forces in their struggle for independence. The conflict, along with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, led to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, which encompassed 26 southern counties of Ireland. The remaining six northeastern counties, predominantly Protestant and loyal to the British crown, became Northern Ireland and remained part of the United Kingdom. The partition of Ireland resulted in deep divisions, ongoing sectarian conflicts, and a lasting legacy of political and social strife between the two regions. Answer:The events leading up to the partition of Ireland into the Irish Free State were marked by political, religious, and ethnic tensions. The Irish War of Independence, which began in 1919, saw Irish nationalists fighting against British forces in their struggle for independence. The conflict, along with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, led to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, which encompassed 26 southern counties of Ireland. The remaining six northeastern counties, predominantly Protestant and loyal to the British crown, became Northern Ireland and remained part of the United Kingdom.The partition of Ireland resulted in deep divisions, ongoing sectarian conflicts, and a lasting legacy of political and social strife between the two regions. 9. The Troubles, a series of conflicts in Northern Ireland that lasted from the late 1960s to the late 1990s, are generally agreed by historians to have been ended by what 1998 multilateral agreement? Answer: Good Friday Agreement The Troubles involved clashes between Irish nationalists, who sought a united Ireland, and Unionists, who wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom. The violence resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread social and economic disruption. The Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998, provided a framework for peace and reconciliation. It established power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland, addressed issues of identity and political representation, and created mechanisms for cross-border cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. 10. The term "Celtic Tiger" refers to which of the following Irish phenomena that took place from the 1990s-2000s? Answer: rapid economic growth The term "Celtic Tiger" originated in the late 1990s and referred to the rapid economic growth experienced by Ireland during that time. After years of economic stagnation, Ireland underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. The term "Celtic Tiger" was important as it symbolized Ireland's emergence from a period of economic struggle and its newfound prosperity. The country attracted international attention and investment, boosted employment rates, and improved living standards for many Irish people. However, the term also came to represent the subsequent economic downturn and financial crisis Ireland faced in the late 2000s. Source: Author trident This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ponycargirl before going online.Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system. bayonel3 at 5-06-2023 03:17 PM (6 days ago) (m) President Bola Ahmed Tinubus eldest child, Chief Folashade Iyabo-Ojo has pleaded with Nigerians to support her father's government. She made the plea at the Evolving Women In Politics (EWIP) Presidential Inauguration Victory dinner in Abuja on Saturday. The event was for the celebration of Tinubus victory at the election and his inauguration as the 16th President of Nigeria. President Bola Ahmed Tinubus eldest child, Chief Folashade Iyabo-Ojo has pleaded with Nigerians to support her father's government. She made the plea at the Evolving Women In Politics (EWIP) Presidential Inauguration Victory dinner in Abuja on Saturday. The event was for the celebration of Tinubus victory at the election and his inauguration as the 16th President of Nigeria. I seek fellow Nigerians understanding and support for our President to succeed. I also want to appreciate Nigerian women. This is our turn, our hope is renewed. I must appreciate the commitment of this group, EWIP, for what we have done, the love is overwhelming. All that you have committed to this cause may God return it to you in a million fold. What you have done for someone else, may your children enjoy it while you are alive. Thank you for being patriotic, you spent your money, time, and resources towards this cause, Tinubu-Ojo, who is also the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, said. In her welcome address, the National President of EWIP, Hajia Fatima Bello, said, We are here to appreciate our journey so far and to celebrate our father and President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his inauguration. EWIP is a group of women supporting women to bring the best out of us. Our principal and grand matron talked about 35 percent women inclusion, we have visited about 200-300 Obas in four years and they said yes to us. His (Tinubu) leadership is second to none. He is talk and do. Only God is 100 percent but we trust that he will be able to do all that he promised. We called him to come and contest. We know he can fix Nigeria. We trust that he will appoint more women in his government. We are proud of him. Member-elect of the Federal House of Representatives, Kosofe Local Government in Lagos State, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, in her keynote said, EWIP has been my baby, I have known EWIP before SWAGA happened. EWIP is very strategic and important if we want women participation in politics to increase. These women are already interested and passionate to go into politics. I want to charge us to tell more women to join EWIP. Ogbara advised Nigerian women to be each others sisters keeper and should not allow men them against each other. Be your sisters keeper and not be against your sister. What she will get cant stop what you will get. When we are united, there is nothing that we cannot get, she said. Tinubu-Ojo, who is also the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, said.In her welcome address, the National President of EWIP, Hajia Fatima Bello, said,Member-elect of the Federal House of Representatives, Kosofe Local Government in Lagos State, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, in her keynote said,Ogbara advised Nigerian women to be each others sisters keeper and should not allow men them against each other.she said. Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. [email protected] Posted: at 5-06-2023 03:17 PM (6 days ago) | Addicted Hero kacylee at 5-06-2023 05:51 PM (6 days ago) (f) A young Nigerian woman who relocated abroad reportedly dies in a car accident in Nigeria while on her way to retrieve N5M from a debtor. A young Nigerian woman who relocated abroad reportedly dies in a car accident in Nigeria while on her way to retrieve N5M from a debtor. A Twitter user identified as @Dagbofather took to the platform to narrate the tale of a friend of his whom they relocated to the UK together. According to the young man, the woman had struggled to survive abroad and made efforts to sell her SUV in Nigeria, while hoping to receive a N5M from a debtor. Tragically, she lost her life in a car accident after arriving in Nigeria to claim her money. Got to UK together with this babe. Her relocation was so fast. She could sell her SUV and couldnt get her money off someone whos owing her in Abuja. She got to UK stranded. She later got an accommodation off a Nigerian woman who was staying with her kids but not with the husband. The woman told her to pay whatever she has but it would come at a cost. The cost was going to pick the kids from school and taking them to school. So she agreed as she was helpless. She was calling the debtor back in Abuja to pay but nothing was coming I told her to sell her suv first and start from there. Her sis couldnt sell the suv asap, so she threatened the debtor and said she was coming to get her money. She told me it was 5m then. One night she called me and said she was coming to sleep in my place. I asked why and she said her landlady didnt allow her to use the heater. Omo inside this cold? She came and slept. Anytime I went to her house, the woman was always looking like who get dangbana for head but me na giran, I no send her papa. She booked a flight back to Nigeria to get her money and sell her car. Despite all efforts to tell her to just chill, she no listen. We left Cardiff together, I was going to Southampton while she faced London. She called me at Heathrow and that was it. I was busy with work in Southampton and when she called me later, she was complaining of heat and there was me saying u just left Naija 3 months ago babe, which heat na. Id call u back. I never got to hear from her again. The call I got was my other friend telling me she had died in an accident. Apparently she took her suv and was on the way to go meet the debtor and she call summersaulted into a ditch and she died. Car gone, debt gone, life gone. Sometimes I just go through our chats and just think. I dont even know her siblings or her parents. Everything btw us happened so fast and mehn it was just mad. Just close eyes and open am, person don die like that and nothing fit bring them. All vain!!! Rest in peace Mariam. Its a year already. I dont even know her siblings or her parents. Everything btw us happened so fast and mehn it was just mad. Just close eyes and open am, person don die like that and nothing fit bring them. All vain!!! Rest in peace Mariam. Its a year already. pic.twitter.com/qeHzkogv4A Dr. Dagbo (@Dagbofather) June 4, 2023 A Twitter user identified as @Dagbofather took to the platform to narrate the tale of a friend of his whom they relocated to the UK together.According to the young man, the woman had struggled to survive abroad and made efforts to sell her SUV in Nigeria, while hoping to receive a N5M from a debtor. Tragically, she lost her life in a car accident after arriving in Nigeria to claim her money. Post Reply I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 5-06-2023 05:51 PM (6 days ago) | Addicted Hero The Federal government has secured an interim order stopping members of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC from embarking on a strike on Wednesday June 7 over fuel subsidy removal. The Federal government approached the Federal High court challenging the decision of the union to go on strike.In a ruling delivered today, Justice O.Y Anuwe gave an interim injunction restraining the NLC and the Trade Union Congress TUC from going on strike until the determination of the motion on notice. The judge then adjourned the matter for further hearing till 19 June.See the court papers below Microsoft 365 Down; Outage Affects Thousands of Users Across Outlook, Word, and Excel News oi -Nachiket Mhatre Microsoft, one of the world's leading technology companies, experienced a significant service disruption on Monday, June 5, as users reported difficulties accessing their Microsoft Outlook accounts and using the company's productivity suite, which includes Word and Excel. According to Downdetector, a renowned outage tracking platform, the interruption affected over 15,000 users globally. The issue was not confined to a specific region, with nearly 800 outage reports pertaining to Microsoft 365 emerging from India alone. A breakdown of these problems indicates that 91% were related to Outlook, 7% to Microsoft Exchange, and a smaller 2% to SharePoint, underscoring the widespread nature of this service disruption. Update: Microsoft Reverts Rogue Update, Claims Service Improvement In a recent update, Microsoft stated they've made headway in restoring the services disrupted during the recent outage. "We've reverted the update and telemetry shows service improvement," the company said. The tech giant is continuing to monitor the situation to ensure full recovery, and addressing any residual impacts. For further information, users can refer to EX571516 and MO571683 in the admin center. We've reverted the update and telemetry shows service improvement. We're continuing to monitor the service to ensure recovery and performing actions to address any residual impact. Further information can be found under EX571516 and MO571683 in the admin center. Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) June 5, 2023 Microsoft's service improvement claim is corroborated by Downdetector's user report graph showing a sharp downtrend following Microsoft's tweet claiming improved user telemetry. Having said that, Microsoft had acknowledged "residual impact" of the outage caused by the recent update continues to affect users worldwide. Microsoft Confirms Outage, Investigating Recent Updates Microsoft swiftly acknowledged the issue on its official Twitter account. "We're investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web," tweeted Microsoft 365 Status, the official Microsoft account for updates on certain Microsoft 365 service incidents. This issue was assigned a tracking code, EX571516, for follow-up and for users to find more details in the admin centre. We're investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web. Further details can be found under EX571516 in the admin center. Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) June 5, 2023 The company was swift to launch an investigation into the cause of this incident. "We're reviewing our networking systems and recent updates in an effort to identify the underlying root cause of the issue," the company added. This proactive approach demonstrated Microsoft's commitment to understanding and resolving the issue swiftly to minimize user inconvenience. Global Disruption Impacts Outlook, Word, and Excel Users reported that their access to Microsoft services via the Outlook desktop application was also affected. The issues were reported across various operating systems, with both Windows and macOS users experiencing difficulties in sending emails. User reports indicate Microsoft Teams is having problems since 11:16 AM EDT. https://t.co/lrZW08yr6T RT if you're also having problems #teamsdown Downdetector (@downdetector) June 5, 2023 This outage is reportedly the third to affect Microsoft services since the start of the year. The frequency and scale of these service interruptions underscore the complexities and challenges associated with maintaining consistent uptime in large-scale cloud-based services. Microsoft, like other tech giants, must continually invest in enhancing the resilience and robustness of its network infrastructure to prevent such disruptions and maintain user trust in its products. Best Mobiles in India Irish Town Bans Smartphones for Children Under 13 News oi -Nachiket Mhatre In an era of technological ubiquity, parents in Greystones, Ireland, have united in an effort to curb the negative impact of smartphones on their children. They have voluntarily initiated a smartphone ban until children reach secondary school, usually around 12 or 13 years old, in hopes of reducing anxiety and exposure to inappropriate content that smartphones and social media often foster. The initiative, deemed as a rare example of collective action in the digital age, has drawn support from all eight primary schools in the district. Parents' associations have chosen to enforce the ban not only in schools but at homes as well, acknowledging that restrictions solely within school premises were insufficient to curb the effects of social media and digital exposure. Voluntary Ban Uses School Regulations to Beat Peer Pressure Critically, the ban isn't enforced uniformly across all families. Instead, it's voluntary, providing families the flexibility to make their own choices. Yet, the program has already found favor among many parents, creating a groundswell that may eventually become the norm, according to primary school principal Rachel Harper, who led the initiative. As Harper explains, the policy presents an opportunity for parents to manage the delicate balance between embracing technology and protecting childhood innocence. "They love it - now they can blame the schools," Harper said. The approach effectively uses school regulations to mitigate potential peer pressure and resentment among the children. Concerns over the implications of excessive smartphone use on children's health are not unfounded. Studies by the National Institutes of Health have shown that children who spend over two hours daily on screens tend to score lower in thinking and language tests. Moreover, the increased anxiety levels among children in Greystones, partially attributed to the COVID-19-era adaptation, further underscore the urgent need to address digital wellness. A community without kids using smartphones Paul talks about a new phone ban in an Irish primary school . pic.twitter.com/5OfXTItrgg Ireland AM (@IrelandAMVMTV) May 26, 2023 What Do the Children Think of the Ban? While the policy has found significant local support, its potential impact has piqued interest internationally. Parents' associations worldwide and Stephen Donnelly, Ireland's health minister, who advocates for a nationwide adoption of this policy, recognize its importance. Donnelly emphasized, "Ireland can be, and must be, a world leader in ensuring that children and young people are not targeted and are not harmed by their interactions with the digital world." Interestingly, children have voiced mixed sentiments about the ban. Some are willing to wait, recognizing the risk of potential addiction, while others express their desire for connection and inclusion. Meanwhile, India Already Ahead of the Digital Curve The trend towards regulating digital exposure is not unique to Ireland. In India, towns have implemented similar restrictions on smartphone usage for those under 18, with additional evening "digital detox" hours. However, the collective action of Greystones parents and schools truly stands out in this ongoing global dialogue on digital wellbeing. With growing global interest, it's likely that this innovative approach could serve as a model for communities worldwide striving to preserve childhood in the digital age. Best Mobiles in India These Samsung Phones Are Likely to Bag the Upcoming One UI 6.0 Update News oi -Kabir Jain Samsung is anticipated to release One UI 6.0 and Android 14 updates for its Samsung devices launched in recent years. The updates are expected to be rolled out around August, following a similar timeline to the previous One UI update. One UI 6.0 will incorporate major changes from Google's Developer Preview and Beta versions, including new gesture navigation, an updated sharing menu, pre-app language preference, and new lock screen and home screen options announced at Google IO 2023. Here is the list of phones that are likely to receive the update. One UI 6.0: These Samsung Phones Are Expected to Get the Update The Samsung Galaxy S23 series, including the Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra, will be the first to receive the One UI 6.0 and Android 14 updates. Following that, updates will likely be rolled out to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 5, and Galaxy Z Flip 5, expected to launch in August. The Galaxy A73, A53, and A54 from the A series are expected to receive the next batch of updates, followed by some M series phones. The One UI 6.0 Beta will start rolling out in August, with the stable version to follow a few weeks later, likely in October. Based on Samsung's promise, the following Samsung phones are eligible for the Android 14 update: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S23+ Samsung Galaxy S23 Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S22+ Samsung Galaxy S22 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S21+ Samsung Galaxy S21 Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Samsung Galaxy A73 Samsung Galaxy A72 Samsung Galaxy A53 Samsung Galaxy A52 Samsung Galaxy A52s Samsung Galaxy A33 Samsung Galaxy A23 Samsung Galaxy A14 Samsung Galaxy A13 Samsung Galaxy A04s Samsung Galaxy M53 5G Samsung Galaxy M33 5G Samsung Galaxy M23 Samsung has not yet provided confirmation regarding the eligibility of phones for the One UI 6.0 update. However, it is possible that the company will announce the list of devices in the near future. Via Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Xiaomi Pad 6 Confirmed to Launch on June 13, Specs Revealed News lekhaka -Subhrojit Mallick Xiaomi's re-entry into the tablet market is set to continue with the launch of the Xiaomi Pad 6, which the company confirmed will be launching next week. The tablet, which will be the successor to the Xiaomi Pad 5 has been officially teased by the company, revealing the launch date and the design. The teaser image shared by the company's official handles on social media reveals the Xiaomi Pad 6 will launch in India on June 13, and will feature an 8-series Snapdragon chipset, improved keyboard dock and the 2nd Gen Xiaomi Smart Pen, which is likely to be sold separately. "Discover the epitome of performance, style, & versatility - all packed into one extraordinary tablet. Introducing the #, launching on ... Take your tablet game to a whole new level & #!," the company said in a tweet. Xiaomi Pad 6 India Launch Confirmed The Xiaomi Pad 6 is now being officially teased with social media posters and a dedicated microsite detailing some of the features of the tablet. The tablet looks quite similar to its predecessor. By the looks of it, it will have a metal build and a sleek design. Xiaomi Pad 6: Confirmed Specs The tablet is confirmed to be powered by the Snapdragon 870 SoC, which is a flagship processor from Qualcomm but is now slightly dated. The microsite also confirmed the tablet will sport a Dolby Vision display with support for Dolby Atmos sound. It will also have support for the second generation Xiaomi Smart Pen. The tablet will feature an 11-inch display with 2.8K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. The display specs are similar to the OnePlus Pad and the iQOO Pad. The tablet will also sport a 8,860 mAh battery with support for 33W fsat charging. There is expected to be 8GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage. At the back, the tablet will feature a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP selfie camera. Additionally, the tablet will come with MIUI 14 out of the box, based on Android 13, and a USB-C port for charging. The tablet was announced back in China earlier this year, and is expected to be priced under Rs 30,000. However, the company has not revealed anything about the pricing of the tablet. 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. 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Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe June 3, 2023 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Meeting With Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met today with Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong at the Singapore Treasury on the margins of the International Institute for Strategic Studies' 20th Asia Security Summit. This was Secretary Austin's first meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Wong. During their discussion, Secretary Austin and Deputy Prime Minister Wong reaffirmed the robust and long-standing bilateral defense partnership between the United States and Singapore, grounded in their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The two leaders exchanged views on the regional security environment and underscored the need for open lines of communication to ensure continued stability. Secretary Austin thanked Deputy Prime Minister Wong for the vital role that Singapore provides as an anchor for the U.S. security presence in the region. Both sides underscored the critical role that U.S.-Singapore defense cooperation plays in sustaining regional security and stability. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to standing as partners in bringing greater security, prosperity, and stability to the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3415954/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Stoltenberg Says Sweden Fulfilled Its Obligations to Join NATO Sputnik News 20230604 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after negotiations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that Sweden has fulfilled all its obligations to join the alliance. "We also discussed Sweden's bid for NATO membership. Turkiye has legitimate security concerns. No other Ally has faced more terrorist attacks. Sweden has taken significant, concrete steps to meet Turkiye's concerns... So Sweden has fulfilled its obligations", Stoltenberg said at the Dolmabahce Palace. He added that Stockholm and Ankara would hold new consultations on Sweden's NATO membership starting June 12. "At the Madrid Summit last year, Turkiye, Finland and Sweden signed a trilateral memorandum paving the way for Finland and Sweden's NATO membership. This included the establishment of a Permanent Joint Mechanism to strengthen cooperation between Turkiye, Finland, and Sweden ... President Erdogan and I agreed today that the Permanent Joint Mechanism should meet again in the week starting on the 12th of June," Stoltenberg said. He also commented on demonstrations against NATO and Turkiye in Sweden, saying that their organizers wanted to prevent Sweden from joining NATO, thus weakening the bloc, and that the alliance should not let them succeed. Sweden, along with Finland, submitted its NATO application in May 2022, several months after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine. Finland became a member of the alliance in April. Sweden's application is still pending approval from Hungary and Turkiye. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Healy testifies before defense subcommittee Published June 4, 2023 By Lt. Col. Elizabeth Magnusson Office of the Air Force Reserve WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Senior Department of Defense leaders from the Reserve and Guard testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense regarding the Reserve Component fiscal 2024 budget request at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, June 1. The panel of senior leaders included Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau; Lt. Gen. John P. Healy, chief of the Air Force Reserve; Lt. Gen. Jody J. Daniels, chief of the Army Reserve; Vice Adm. John B. Mustin, chief of the Navy Reserve; and Lt. Gen. David G. Bellon, commander of the Marine Corps Reserve. Each senior leader highlighted their near-term and longer-range budget and operational plans during their opening statements. "To optimize our performance as part of the Total Force, the Air Force Reserve must transform for the future," Healy said. "That transformation requires the Air Force Reserve be proportionally and concurrently modernized with the Regular Component. Maintaining equipment parity with the Regular Component ensures our ability to match pacing threats." In addition to transforming traditional weapons systems, Healy emphasized the need to take care of what he called "our most important weapon system: our Airmen." "We are focused on ensuring that Reserve Citizen Airmen receive the support they need," he said. "This includes providing mental health resources, investments in resilience initiatives, offering social support through Yellow Ribbon reintegration programs, implementing recommendations from the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault and policy changes to remove barriers to service." Throughout the hearing, Healy emphasized the capability and capacity the Air Force Reserve provides to the DoD and its partners and allies. "This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Air Force Reserve," the general said. "During that time, we have provided the nation with an operational capability, a strategic depth and surge capacity across every core mission set of the United States Air Force. As a largely part-time force, we provide a 'Ready Now' accessible force that is both mission-effective and cost-efficient." During the hour-long hearing, lawmakers asked questions on topics including healthcare and childcare for Reservists and Guardsmen, the Space Guard, the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account, recruiting and retention, cyber security, modernization and proportional equipment fielding. Healy said that 77% of the Air Force Reserve's aircraft fleet is legacythe aircraft are no longer in production. "In the words of the secretary of the Air Force, 'legacy' does not concern the PRC [Peoples' Republic of China] in a fight," he said. "KC-135s, C-130Hs, pre-block F-16s and A-10 divestment are all issues and concerns for the Air Force Reserve in terms of proportionality. The National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force in 2014 called for and recommended proportional and concurrent fielding in weapons systems with the Guard and Reserve in association with the active component, and we're constantly advocating adherence to that recommendation." The general concluded his testimony by saying, "We're looking to contribute. And we want to be that surge capacity that we have provided for the last 75 years." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 04 June 2023 - Day 466 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 some local Russian security officials are likely interpreting Russia's draconian wartime legislation to mean that public display of blue and yellow items is outlawed because it might evidence discreet support for Ukraine. On 09 May 2023, a care home worker was reportedly arrested after wearing a blue and yellow jacket to work. In recent days, Russian National Guard troops arrested a 22 year old man in Volkhov near St Petersburg for displaying which was eventually determined to be the blue and yellow flag of Russia's own Aerospace Forces. The clampdown highlights uncertainty within a paranoid Russian officialdom of what is and is deemed permissible within an increasingly totalitarian system. Criticism of the arrests has come from an unexpected quarter: the ultra-nationalist, pro-war Liberal Democratic party. The party's own branding features yellow on a blue background. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that tonight, Russian forces used Kh-101/Kh-555 air-based cruise missiles and Iranian strike UAVs "Shahed-136/131". According to detailed information, the forces and means of the air command, in cooperation with the air defense of other components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, destroyed 4 out of 6 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles and 6 out of 8 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs. During the day of June 4th, Russian forces launched 7x missile and 25x air strikes, launched about 20 MLRS attacks on Ukrainian settlements and Ukrainian Defense Forces. Unfortunately, there are victims among the civilian population, private houses, educational institutions, and other civil and administrative infrastructure have been damaged. The threat of missile and air strikes remains high across Ukraine. Russia continues to focus its main efforts on the full occupation of Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts. The Russian occupiers conducted 23x assaults, but all of them were repelled by Ukrainian Defense Forces. Volyn' and Polissya axes: the operational situation has not changed significantly, there are no signs of the formation of offensive groupings. Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia continues to maintain a military presence in the areas bordering Ukraine. russian forces made an unsuccessful attempt to infiltrate sabotage group through the state border of Ukraine near Zelene settlement of Kharkiv Oblast. They also carried out a missile strike in the Vovchansk area and air strikes in the Ivashka, Ohirtseve, Gatishche of Kharkiv Oblast. The occupiers shelled the settlements Karpovych, Chernihiv Oblast; Znob-Novgorods'ke, Shevchenkove, Brusky, Oleksandrivka, Sadky, Basivka, Hrabovske in the Sumy Oblast, as well as Ivashki, Udy, Chervona Zorya, Hoptivka, Krasne, Zelene, Staritsa, Ogirtseve, Hatyshche, Pletenivka, Vovchans'k, Karaichne, Budarky and Chugunivka in the Kharkiv Oblast. Kup'yans'k axis: the Russian forces carried out unsuccessful offensive operations near Novoselivskyi, Luhansk Oblast. Kolodyazne, Krasne Pershe, Figolivka, Novomlyns'k, Dovgenke, Kutkivka, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kislivka, Kotlyarivka, Tabaivka, Berestov in the Kharkiv Oblast and Novoselivske in the Luhansk Oblast got under Russian artillery and mortar fire. Lyman axis: the Russian adversary conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in near Belogorivka, Luhansk Oblast. Areas of settlements near the frontline of Makiivka, Nevs'ke, Belogorivka of Luhansk Oblast and Verkhny'okam'ians'ke, Tors'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka of Donetsk Oblast were shelled by artillery. Bakhmut axis: the Russian forces carried out offensive actions in the Ivanovo area, without success. They carried out airstrikes in the Vasyutynske, Toretsk, and Northern Oblasts of the Donetsk Oblast. Areas of settlements of Vasyukivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Khromov, Chasiv Yar, Ivanovske, Stupochki, Predtechine, Bila Gora, Diliivka and New York of the Donetsk Oblast were affected by Russian artillery shelling. Avdiivka axis: the Russian occupiers did not conduct offensive operations. They carried out an airstrike and shelled areas of Avdiivka, Pervomais'ke, Karlivka in the Donetsk Oblast. Mar'inka axis: Russian forces carried out offensive operations however, Ukrainian defenders repelled all 16x Russian attacks. Moreover, the Russian forces carried out an air strike within the population center of Mar'inka. They shelled Gostre, Mar'inka, Pobyeda of the Donetsk Oblast. Shakhtars'k axis: Russian forces shelled the frontline settlements, including: Vugledar, Prechistivka, and Novoukrayinka of the Donetsk Oblast. Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: Russian forces are on the defensive. They carried out airstrikes in the Beryslav and Vesele districts of the Kherson Oblast, shelled such settlements as Vilne Pole, Zelene Pole, Novopil', Temyrivka of the Donetsk Oblast; Olhivs'ke, Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, Stepove and Kam'ians'ke of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Kozats'ke, Tyaginka, Ivanivka, Dniprovs'ke, Kizomys of the Kherson Oblast and the city of Kherson. The Russian occupiers continue to suffer heavy losses in manpower. It is known, that one of the units of the Russian occupation forces, which operates in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kharkiv Oblast, received reinforcements from the former convicted citizens of the Russian Federation in the amount of about 500x people during the week. After shelling conducted by the Defense Forces of Ukraine at the Russian forces' positions, about 100x people from among the newly arrived reinforcements suffered injuries of varying degrees of severity, even mortal injuries. Also, after this event, about 80x people voluntarily left their positions. Ukrainian Air Force conducted 10 airstrikes on manpower concentrations. Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed 1x Russian reconnaissance UAV. Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit 2x weapons and military equipment concentrations, an ammunition warehouse, 2x anti-aircraft missile systems and 2x radio electronic warfare stations. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Russian Armed Forces launched a long-range air-based high-precision weaponry strike against the enemy targets at the military airfields. The goal of the attack has been reached. The command posts, radar stations, Ukrainian aviation equipment, as well as ammunition depots, have been hit. In Kupyansk direction, the attacks, launched by aviation and the artillery of the Zapad Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy manpower and hardware near Novomlynsk, Sinkovka, Olshana and Timkovka (Kharkov region). In addition, the actions of four Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been prevented close to Berestovoye (Kharkov region), Rozovka, Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic) and Liman (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses were up to 70 Ukrainian servicemen, three motor vehicles, two pickup trucks and one D-20 howitzer. In Krasny Liman direction, the attacks, launched by Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, as well as artillery of the Tsentr Group of Forces, have resulted in the neutralisation of AFU units near Yampolovka, Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Makeevka, Poschanka, Nevskoye and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), as well as Serebryansky forestry. One Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group has been neutralised close to Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses were up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, three pickup trucks, D-20 and D-30 howitzers, as well as two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems. One ammunition depot of the AFU 63th Mechanised Brigade has been destroyed near Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic). In Donetsk direction, the active combat operations continue with the Akhmat special units in Maryinka tactical area and the units of the 1st Army Corps of the Yug Group of Forces close to Avdeevka. The enemy losses were up to 200 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, one Grad MLRS, two U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery systems, as well as D-20 and D-30 howitzers. In addition, the ammunition depots of the Liman operational-tactical group and the AFU 128th Mountain Assault Brigade have been eliminated close to Slovyansk and Minkovka (Donetsk People's Republic). In South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the attacks, launched by aviation and artillery of the Vostok Group of Forces have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy units near Pavlovka, Shevchenko (Donetsk People's Republic), Chervonoye, Poltavka, Preobrazhenka and Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were up to 240 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, one Msta-B howitzer, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system and one Grad multiple-launch rocket system. The ammunition depots of the 11th Artillery Brigade and the 65th Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been destroyed close to Temirovka and Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region). In Kherson direction, the enemy losses were up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen, two motor vehicles and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 96 artillery units of the AFU at their firing positions, manpower and military hardware at 73 areas. One Ukrainian UAV assembly facility near Dnepropetrovsk has been hit by high-precision ground-based weapons. The command and observation posts of the 102nd Territorial Defence Brigade and the 24th Mechanised Brigade battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit close to Poltavka (Zaporozhye region) and Dzerzhinsk (Donetsk people's republic). In addition, the AFU control posts have been hit close to Slovyansk (Donetsk People's Republic) and Sumy. Air defence facilities have intercepted two Storm Shadow cruise missiles, two Tochka-U tactical missiles and 14 HIMARS and Uragan multiple-launch rocket system ballistic missiles. In addition, 21 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Vrubovka, Lozovsky, Kremennaya (Lugansk People's Republic), Orlinskoye, Maly Kremenchik, Volodino (Donetsk People's Republic), Zhovtnyovoye (Kharkov region), Novaya Kakhovka, Lyubimovka, Andreevka (Kherson region), Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), and also over the Black Sea waters. In total, 432 airplanes, 236 helicopters, 4,473 unmanned aerial vehicles, 424 air defence missile systems, 9,382 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,112 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 4,996 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 10,656 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Four Additional Oath Keepers Sentenced for Seditious Conspiracy Related to U.S. Capitol Breach FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, June 2, 2023 Four members of the Oath Keepers were sentenced this week on seditious conspiracy and other charges for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election. Roberto Minuta, 39, of Prosper, Texas, was sentenced June 1 to 54 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. Edward Vallejo, 64, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on June 1 to 36 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release, including the first 12 months to be served on home confinement. David Moerschel, 45, of Punta Gorda, Florida, was sentenced on June 2 to 36 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. Joseph Hackett, 53, of Sarasota, Florida, was sentenced on June 2 to 42 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. The four defendants were found guilty of seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to prevent Members of Congress from discharging their official duties on Jan. 23, following a seven-week trial. Hackett was also found guilty of destruction of evidence. According to the evidence, in the months leading up to Jan. 6, the defendants and their co-conspirators plotted to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power, including by amassing an armed "quick reaction force" on the outskirts of the District of Columbia. Beginning in late December 2020, via encrypted and private communications applications, the defendants and various co-conspirators coordinated and planned to travel to Washington, D.C., on or around Jan. 6, 2021, the date of the certification of the electoral college vote. The defendants made plans to bring weapons to the area to support the operation. The co-conspirators then traveled across the country to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area in early January 2021, with paramilitary gear and supplies including firearms, tactical vests with plates, helmets, and radio equipment. The defendants conspired through a variety of manners and means, including: organizing into teams that were prepared and willing to use force and to transport firearms and ammunition into Washington, D.C.; recruiting members and affiliates to participate in the conspiracy; organizing trainings to teach and learn paramilitary combat tactics; bringing and contributing paramilitary gear, weapons, and supplies - including knives, camouflaged combat uniforms, tactical vests with plates, helmets, eye protection and radio equipment - to the Capitol grounds; breaching and attempting to take control of the Capitol grounds and building on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to prevent, hinder and delay the certification of the electoral college vote; using force against law enforcement officers while inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; continuing to plot, after Jan. 6, 2021, to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power and using websites, social media, text messaging and encrypted messaging applications to communicate with co-conspirators and others. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department's National Security and Criminal Divisions. Valuable assistance was provided by numerous U.S. Attorneys' Offices across the country. The case is being investigated by the FBI's Washington Field Office, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the FBI's New York, Dallas, Tampa and Phoenix Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Secret Service. In the 28 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov. Topic(s): National Security Component(s): Criminal Division Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Security Division (NSD) USAO - District of Columbia Press Release Number: 23-626 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address COVID-19 tops most reported infectious disease in Beijing for five consecutive weeks Global Times By Global Times Published: Jun 02, 2023 01:33 PM COVID-19 has continued to be the most reported infectious disease in Beijing for five consecutive weeks, media reported Friday citing latest weekly report of Beijing municipal health authority, as sporadic reports of COVID-19 reinfections have kept increasing in some Chinese cities recently, causing public concern over whether there will be a new wave of the virus. According to the latest data, Beijing health authority received 30,750 reports of 16 notifiable infectious diseases in the 21st week of this year (May 22-28). The five most reported diseases were COVID-19, other infectious diarrheal diseases, influenza, tuberculosis and syphilis, accounting for about 99 percent of the total reports. Respiratory infectious diseases are the most reported diseases this week, accounting for more than 97 percent of the total reports, media said. From the 17th to the 21st week of this year, the reports of infectious diseases gradually climbed in Beijing. The data in the previous four weeks are 6,438, 10,508, 18,081 and 25,544, according to media reports. Amid growing reports of COVID-19 infections in recent period with a certain part of them being reinfection cases, the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism organized experts to respond to public concerns. The proportion of pneumonia and severe cases in the COVID-19 reinfection patients is very low, and reinfected people are mainly young people with relatively mild symptoms that mainly manifest in the upper respiratory tract, media reported Thursday citing Tong Zhaohui, an expert in critical respiratory diseases under the National Health Commission. The symptoms of reinfection patients are generally milder than those of the first infection, according to Tong. The symptoms of people infected for the first time in recent period are similar to those that were infected last winter, and are relatively severe, such as body temperature exceeding 38.5 C and severe respiratory symptoms, while the body temperature of reinfection cases generally does not exceed 38 C, he said. "This is because people who were infected last winter still have certain antibodies, and the memory of cellular immunity exists, which has a protective effect on the human body [when they get reinfected this time]," Tong explained. The elderly, those with underlying diseases and the unvaccinated are still high-risk groups, Wang Guiqiang, director of the infectious diseases department at Peking University First Hospital, told media. He encouraged people from these groups to get vaccinated or receive booster shots to reduce risk of severe diseases. Wang also said medical service institutes in communities should conduct thorough investigation in local high-risk groups and timely provide antigen and nucleic acid tests. Other people can take anti-virus drugs if they have fever after infection, Wang said, noting currently six kinds of anti-virus drugs are available in China. As to public concerns over the sequelae of COVID-19, Tong said that some people may experience symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, and anxiety for a period of time after recovering from COVID-19 infection. These are only post-coronavirus symptoms, not sequelae. They can recover after a longer time and will not affect work and life. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Huge increase in transnational crime and synthetic drugs in SE Asia requires cross-border cooperation 2 June 2023 - The trafficking in illegal narcotics, precursor chemicals, timber and wildlife, people and illicit goods across Southeast Asia is being tackled thanks to the support of the specialized UN agency focusing on drugs and crime. A Thai Navy launch travels at high speed down the muddy brown waters of the Mekong River close to the border town of Chiang Saen in the north of Thailand. To the right is Laos, where huge construction projects funded by foreign investment are rising out of the lush undergrowth along the riverbank and ahead to the left are the dense jungles of Myanmar. This is the storied Golden Triangle where historically opium was grown to produce heroin for export but where, in recent years, the trade of even deadlier and more profitable synthetic drugs has taken over. Thailand, Laos and Myanmar are at the frontlines of illicit trade in Asia dominated by transnational organized crime syndicates. River seizure The crew on the Thai boat is buoyant following the recent seizure of 6.4 million pills of the banned and highly addictive synthetic drug methamphetamine, known locally as yaba. "I was astonished but also really pleased that we seized this amount of yaba," Captain Phakorn Maniam Head of Operations and Intelligence Section of the, Mekong Riverine Unit, Royal Thai Navy told UN News. "Normally, this amount of drugs is seized on land; it's a difficult operation apprehending offenders in the middle of the river," he said, "and so I'm especially proud of our crew, who are so dedicated to protecting our country and our people." A few miles downstream at the small town of Houay Xai on the Laos side of the Mekong, border authorities are celebrating their own significant seizure of drugs; the previous night following a tip-off, a military land patrol caught drug mules carrying 500 kilograms of crystal meth. The previous month 7.1 million methamphetamine pills had also been seized in the same area. The drugs tracked down in Laos and Thailand had originated in illegal industrial-scale laboratories operated by militias and criminal gangs in the remote mountainous jungles of northern Shan State in Myanmar and were being transited through both countries to the Thai capital, Bangkok, but also across Southeast Asia and to distant lucrative markets including Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia. It's difficult to calculate with any certainty what quantity of synthetic drugs is being manufactured in Myanmar, but some estimates suggest many hundreds of tons are being trafficked out of the country. Despite the seemingly relentless flow of drugs, the Thai and Lao authorities are experiencing some success thanks, in part, to the support of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which is promoting a regional intelligence gathering network. Officer C, who is based in Houay Xai with Lao authorities and who did not want to be named for security reasons, said that cooperating with law enforcement agencies across the border in Thailand through regular calls, face-to-face meetings and other communications has improved the response to illegal trafficking. "With this cross-border collaboration and sharing of information, we have been able to counter narcotics trafficking and also other types of transnational organized crime." The crime-fighting authorities in Thailand and Laos are collaborating more closely as a result of UNODC's Regional Border Management Programme under which a network of border liaisons offices or BLOs were set up to strengthen cross-border cooperation and information sharing. The network of over 120 BLOs stretches across Southeast Asia from Myanmar in the west to China in the east and Indonesia to the south and also includes Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. The BLOs are being strengthened with the support of UNODC to counter what the drugs and crime fighting agency's Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Jeremy Douglas, calls "one of the biggest drug trafficking corridors in the world." The challenges in disrupting this transnational trade are immense according to Mr. Douglas: "There are complex governance issues at play in the Golden Triangle and inside Myanmar, with fragmented armed groups and militias involved in the drug trade and other illicit businesses that control territory," he said. "At the same time, these groups are operating in very remote places, and in some cases along very porous, open borders. It is easy to traffic drugs and illicit goods in and out of Myanmar, and the situation is very difficult for its neighbours to address." The increase in the production of synthetic drugs in recent has been "unprecedented" according to the UNODC Regional Representative who believes that collaboration between countries is "fundamental" to preventing trafficking: "This is a shared responsibility; addressing transnational criminality requires states to collaborate to react quickly to what's happening, especially along border areas." It is not just drugs which are being trafficked across the region. Chemical precursors to manufacture synthetic drugs are being illegally transported into Myanmar in quantities far larger than the drugs that are trafficked out. Trafficking in people, wildlife, timber and weapons is also taking place. In such a complex and problematic environment, new skills are needed to deal with fresh challenges. As part of its BLO support, UNODC has developed training partnerships with agencies across Southeast Asia. On Highway 1, some 40 kilometres south of the Thai-Myanmar border Police lieutenant Colonel Amonrat Wathanakhosit is taking her students through a practical exercise focused on searching vehicles for contraband. "Our students are using UNODC knowledge products and training and learning how to question drivers, and they are getting use to how they are behaving. Our students are becoming more confident about identifying which drivers may be hiding synthetic drugs." Unlike heroin, the production of which is restrained by the natural growing cycle of the opium poppy, methamphetamine can be manufactured almost at will as long as precursor and other chemicals are available. The collaboration of governments with the support of UNODC is helping to stem the flow of drugs, even if it is widely accepted that seizures represent only a small percentage of the drugs which are trafficked across the region. Officers like Lt Col Amonrat Wathanakhosit recognize the challenges but she no doubt speaks for many across the region saying that "my job trying to stop drugs is crucial to the security of my country." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Did The Bulgarian Mobster Gunned Down In South Africa Know Too Much? By RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service, Tony Wesolowsky June 04, 2023 He was one of Bulgaria's most notorious mafia kingpins, who rose through the ranks in the chaotic 1990s, acquiring along the way an empire of businesses -- some legitimate, many not -- from fruit markets, parking lots, to a stake in a business at a key border crossing serving as a gateway to the European Union. But as is often the fate of those operating in the underworld, Krasmir Kamenov met a violent end. Kamenov, also known by his nickname of Kuro, was found shot dead along with his wife and two others in their home in a suburb of Cape Town early on May 25, police reported. No suspects have been detained or questioned and no possible motive was given. Kamenov had reportedly been living in South Africa for years, although details of his life there -- even including photos of him -- are scant. But in the weeks before his death, Kamenov hit the headlines again, in connection to the disappearance of a cryptocurrency queen and an alleged plot against the country's prosecutor-general. And since his death, there has been widespread speculation that Kamenov was killed because he knew too much about the ties between organized crime and Bulgarian elites -- and, crucially, was about to speak out. In March, prosecutors in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, charged him with ordering the murder of a police officer in a bizarre case involving Ruja Ignatova, a vanished cryptocurrency queen who fled Bulgaria years ago after bilking gullible investors of billions. Even Interpol issued a worldwide "red notice" for Kamenov's arrest. Around the same time, Kamenov was also fingered by the country's top prosecutor in what he claimed was part of a plot against him and the Bulgarian Interior Ministry. Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev, who himself faces strong suspicions -- including in Brussels and Washington -- that he is less than eager to root out graft in one of the EU's most corrupt members, later claimed he had escaped a car bombing, even though his accounting of events didn't appear to exactly jibe with what appeared to have happened. While few doubt that Kamenov had his enemies, his death has sparked speculation as to why now? For reporters at Bulgaria's Bureau of Investigative Reporting and Data (BIRD), the timing was no accident, claiming he was about to divulge details to U.S. investigators about the mysterious fate of cryptocurrency queen Ignatova. Others suspect what Kamenov knew could have proved damaging to political elites. "What's interesting is how people who for the last 20 years were only 'urban legends' suddenly became headline news," Miroliuba Benatova, an award-winning investigative journalist who has covered Kamenov and organized crime, recently told RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service. "Information about how Kuro is a suspect and maybe accused of organizing five murders, suddenly started to appear. It's as if this man was protected from all that until now." The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office on March 27 charged Kamenov with organizing the murder of former policeman Lyubomir Ivanov, who was killed in March 2022. Following his killing, allegedly damning documents were discovered in Ivanov's personal safe at his home. Those papers allegedly exposed a plot to kill the infamous Ignatova, who was head of the multimillion-dollar OneCoin scam. She vanished in 2017 after allegedly ripping off investors to the tune of $5 billion. The documents reportedly found in the possession of Ivanov indicated that Ignatova had been killed in 2018. The papers are also said to have linked the plot against Ignatova to a Bulgarian drug lord, who was alleged to be a former key associate of Kamenov from the 1990s. The alleged documents -- said to be official police reports -- were the basis of an in-depth investigation by BIRD that claimed Ignatova was killed on a yacht in the Ionian Sea. Her whereabouts, let alone death, have yet to be officially confirmed, however. Adding to the confusion, Ignatova is one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives, the only woman on the list at this time. According to BIRD, the timing of Kamenov's killing was no accident. In a post on Twitter on May 26, BIRD said Kamenov had been their "source" for the police reports on the alleged murder plot and "was about to say more to U.S. investigators." Kamenov was again in the spotlight in March when Geshev, the prosecutor-general, accused journalists of conspiring with criminals, business owners, and politicians to plot against him and high-ranking officials at the Interior Ministry. Kamenov was one of those named by Geshev in his rambling rant. Geshev is no stranger to controversy. He has long been accused by Brussels and Washington of turning a blind eye to much of the corruption in Bulgaria, refusing to open probes into some of the more egregious cases. Kamenov's business interests were murky as they were widespread. He and his various partners allegedly held stakes in multiple businesses, from parking lots to a fruit market and a bathhouse in Sofia. More worrying for Brussels was his part in the alleged mob takeover of a key border crossing with Turkey, where importers have reportedly been extorted for years. In 2022, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who rose to power on a pledge to root out entrenched corruption in Bulgaria, vowed to put a stop to the suspected mafia shakedown at the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint on the border with Turkey, a notorious entry point for drugs into the European Union, and where food items destined for EU markets were reportedly cleared without proper checks. For the criminals cashing in, the border crossing was known as a golden goose. Kamenov was alleged to have a stake in a contract to disinfect vehicles at the checkpoint, a state requirement for all cars and trucks, and was reportedly tied to a private laboratory that tested all food imports from Turkey. Ivan Hristanov, the deputy agriculture minister under Petkov, was tasked with cleaning up the operations at the notorious checkpoint. In June 2022, a day after the minister requested files on operations at Kapitan Andreevo, he received threats. "There was this message from the mafia guys," he said in an interview with Politico in June 2022. "It was like a question: 'Would it be a war with you? Or we'll have peace?'" Hristanov told Bulgarian media at the time that he feared for his and his family's lives. Kamenov rose to prominence in the 1990s, when Bulgaria, like much of former communist Eastern Europe, was gripped by instability as it struggled to transition to a free society after decades of authoritarian rule. He was allegedly a member of a hit squad run by VIS, a protection racket under the guise of a security firm that was owned by Vassil Iliev, an infamous Bulgarian organized crime kingpin who reportedly ran multiple criminal enterprises and was allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. Iliev was killed in Sofia on April 25, 1995, when unidentified gunmen sprayed his Mercedes-Benz with gunfire. After his death, Kamenov rose even faster up the ranks of VIS, eventually taking control of much of its assets, according to Nikolay Stoyanov, a Bulgarian investigative journalist at Kapital weekly in comments to RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service. In time, Kamenov and his alleged drug-lord associate expanded their empire, taking effective control of hotels, parking lots in Sofia, beach concessions, and the Slatina fruit and vegetable market, a sprawling complex in the capital near the city's main airport. However, about a decade ago, a fallout between Kamenov and his close criminal associate began to emerge, Stoyanov says. "This partnership worked relatively smoothly for several years, until at some point, sometime around 2019, Kuro's confidants, whom he literally appointed to manage parts of his legal businesses in Bulgaria...began to betray him one by one.... And so [Kamenov] starts to lose control," including, according to Stoyanov, of the operations at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint. To investigative journalist Benatova, Kamenov's death could have been part of a "settling of accounts." "The entire political elite and the elite of the judicial system have shown very clearly that these people who are from...organized crime, then whitewashed their business, are intertwined," she said. "So, if there is a mafia war, it is already of a mafia that has merged much more with the state and it is already an intrastate war," Stoyanov added. "Not just underground clans, but at a higher level, of people who occupy quite high positions in the state." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-mafia-killings- corruption-state/32444094.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 Chinese scientists finish development of hypervelocity wind tunnel Global Times By GT staff reporters Published: Jun 04, 2023 07:43 PM China's world-leading hypervelocity wind tunnel, which is expected to significantly contribute to the country's development of aerospace transport systems and hypersonic aircraft, recently passed an acceptance check, marking the success of the project. The National Natural Science Foundation of China organized an acceptance check meeting about the JF-22 hypervelocity wind tunnel at the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Science in Beijing, the institute said in a press release on Saturday. A delegation of 16 experts from various institutes and organizations unanimously approved the acceptance check, noting that the project team finished the development and reached its research goals on time and completely, with the wind tunnel reaching world-leading levels in terms of comprehensive performance parameters including effective experiment time, total temperature, total pressure and the size of the nozzle flow field, according to the press release. Sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and undertaken by the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the JF-22 hypervelocity wind tunnel is a major national scientific research instrument development project. The project was launched in 2018, and in five years it led to the construction of a super-large experiment instrument with a length of 167 meters, a nozzle exit of 2.5 meters and a test cabin diameter of four meters. Capable of testing airflows of three to 10 kilometers a second, or as high as Mach 30, the wind tunnel can powerfully support the development of China's aerospace transport systems and hypersonic aircraft, the press release said. The combination of the JF-22 hypervelocity wind tunnel and the previously developed JF-12 reproduction wind tunnel has become the only ground experimental platform that can cover all flight ranges for near-space aircraft, the institute said in the press release. Project leader Jiang Zonglin said on China Central Television in August 2021 that aerospace aircraft reduce the launch cost of satellites and spacecraft by 90 percent, while hypersonic aircraft will be able to fly at Mach 5 to 10 and arrive at any location in the world within one or two hours. Chinese aerospace expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times that hypersonic aircraft could see civilian uses like transport in addition to military applications like reconnaissance and attack when related technologies become mature. The development of aerospace aircraft is a long-term goal because it also requires breakthroughs on powerful engines, but eventually the investments would be worthwhile, Fu said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China presents path to true, sustainable security for Asia-Pacific in contrast to US' bloc confrontation approach at Shangri-La Dialogue Global Times By Li Aixin, Guo Yuandan in Singapore and Zhang Han in Beijing Published: Jun 04, 2023 11:05 PM Fierce "crossfire" between China and the US over security issues continues at the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, as Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu elaborated on Sunday China's common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security vision and its pursuit of a new path to security featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum. Delegates attending the event, through Li's remarks, can have a deeper understanding of the China-proposed Global Security Initiative (GSI), analysts said, as it conforms to the general trend of world peace and development and demonstrates China's wisdom, strength and efforts for regional security and prosperity, a stark contrast to US' divisive and bloc confrontation approach reflected in the speech by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin "US' leadership in the Indo-Pacific." For true security In a speech titled "China's New Security Initiatives," the Chinese defense minister said to implement the GSI, mutual respect should prevail over bullying and hegemony, fairness and justice should transcend the law of the jungle, eliminating conflicts and confrontation through mutual trust and consultation and preventing bloc confrontation with openness and inclusiveness. "China stands ready to work with all parties to enhance our commitment to an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, promote sound development of regional security cooperation and strive to build an open, inclusive, transparent and equitable architecture and pursue brighter prospects for security in the Asia-Pacific," Li said, specifying the needs to build stronger security and confidence-building systems; promote more equitable security rules; improve multilateral security mechanisms; and carry out more effective defense and security cooperation. Li also underlined Chinese modernization as a powerful force driving development for all, contributes to safeguarding world peace and improving global governance. On the Taiwan question, Li said China will strive for the prospects of peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and greatest efforts but makes no promise to renounce the use of force. "If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, Chinese military will not hesitate for a second." Li's speech received warm and long applause and his responses to 10 questions including on the South China Sea, Taiwan question, China-US relations, and Ukraine crisis conveyed Chinese stance in a clear manner. "China's new security initiatives" became a buzzword at the event, the Global Times learned on site. During the 2023 dialogue, the first Li attends as Chinese defense minister, Li met with defense chiefs and delegations of countries including Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Germany, the UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and international organizations, including the EU. Dino Patti Djalal, former Indonesian vice-minister for foreign affairs, said the speech was very useful to know how China views military planning, geopolitical relationships with the region and the rest of the world, China-US relations, its views on international order, on the Taiwan question and South China Sea. "I'm sure Indonesia will stand ready to work with China in terms of security of the region," Djalal said at the event. A thundershower on Sunday noon did not dampen media's passion to learn more about China's overall security vision and views on hot button issues as the Global Times saw reporters, some with wet shirts, surrounded all seven People's Liberation Army (PLA) representatives at an afternoon press conference in Shangri-La Hotel. Li's reference of "certain countries" and "external forces" hints on the US without saying it, which is a gentle expression easier for audience to receive, Ei Sun Oh, principal advisor of the Pacific Research Center in Malaysia, noticed the detail. Some research fellows from London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) thought Li's speech have displayed professionalism, firm stance and adherence to principles, as well as sincerity, genuine willingness to communicate with others, particularly the US, according to Senior Colonel Zhu Qichao, Deputy Director of the Center for National Defense Technology and Strategic Studies of National University of Defense Technology. Lieutenant General He Lei, former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA, told the Global Times that the GSI upholds the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and conforms to the trend of world peace and development. It provides a Chinese solution to the construction of an open, inclusive, transparent, and equal security architecture in the Asia-Pacific and contributes Chinese wisdom and strength to the cause, said He, who is also the former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA. Global troublemaker China and the US already traded barbs at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit over the Taiwan question and bilateral military relations in the past few days. The US did not rein in its "says one thing and does another" pattern, as it called on crisis management inside the summit venue while stepping up provocations outside. The US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS MontrAal made a transit through the Taiwan Straits on Saturday. The PLA Eastern Theater Command handled the situation in accordance with law and regulations yet the two countries attacked China's response, calling it "aggressive." The incident resembles a recent similar "thief crying 'stop thief'" scenario - a PLA Air Force J-16 fighter jet intercepted a US RC-135 reconnaissance plane when the latter attempted to spy on the PLA Navy Shandong aircraft carrier group's routine training in the South China Sea on May 26. Who is disrupting peace in the Asia-Pacific? What are the root causes of chaos and instability? And what should we stay vigilant and guard against? Defense Minister Li raised the three questions in his Sunday speech. In addition to actions, analysts said China's security initiative presents a stark contrast with and constitutes a loud response to US' divisive and bloc confrontation approach reflected in Lloyd Austin's speech, "US leadership in the Indo-Pacific." Isn't it self-contradictory for the US to claim support ASEAN centrality on one hand while establishing blocs without ASEAN like Quad and AUKUS on the other? Zhang Chi, an associate professor at the National Defense University of PLA, asked Austin. But Austin did not get the gist of the question, as he went on repeating AUKUS "absolutely promotes regional stability and security" without elaborating how. John Pang, a former Malaysian government official and a senior research fellow at Perak Academy, Malaysia, tweeted, "It turns out Secretary Austin failed to address the question because he doesn't understand the term 'ASEAN centrality,' a core priority of ASEAN." Senior Colonel Qi Dapeng, a delegate and director of National Security College at the National Defense University of PLA, told the Global Times on site that most Asia-Pacific countries do not agree with the US' practice of engaging in alliance politics and forming cliques. Counterparts from Malaysia and New Zealand believe that there are nearly 200 countries and regions in the world, yet the US' enhancing communication and mutual trust is communicating within a small clique, rather than with the majority of the world, Qi said. Pang said the propagation of NATO-like military structures in Asia-Pacific is based on a divisive and expansionist notion of security. This notion of security justifies yet more militarization, fulfilling a vicious cycle creating a pipeline of war for the military industrial complex. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Honduras appoints first ambassador to China, 'a significant step to enhancing bilateral diplomatic ties' Global Times By Zhang Changyue Published: Jun 04, 2023 09:44 PM Appointing ambassadors is a significant step to further consolidating China-Honduras relations after the two countries had established diplomatic ties, and the two countries are expected to take actions in concrete and substantial cooperation, Chinese experts said on Sunday after Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced on Saturday to name Salvador Enrique Moncada as the first ambassador of Honduras to China. "It is with immense satisfaction that I am honored to inform the people that our ambassador to the People's Republic of China will be Dr. Sir Salvador Enrique Moncada..." Castro said on her Twitter account on Saturday. Salvador Enrique Moncada is a famous pharmacologist and medical researcher in Honduras. Moncada once oversaw work at the Wolfson Institute of Biomedical Research at University College London and researched cancer at the University of Manchester. "First establish diplomatic ties and then appoint ambassadors - China and Honduras are consolidating their diplomatic relations smoothly and will in the next stage boost economic and trade ties, where the most important aspect of bilateral relations lies," Jiang Shixue, a professor at the Center for Latin American Studies at Shanghai University, told the Global Times on Sunday. Jiang believes there will be a significant improvement of China's investment in Honduras and China's imports of agricultural products from the Central American country. The appointment of Moncada as the first ambassador to China followed the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Honduras on March 26, 2023 after the Central American country announced the breakdown of "diplomatic relations" with China's Taiwan region and no more official contact with the island moving forward. Jiang pointed out that the establishment and continuous consolidation of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras has a very important demonstration effect in the Latin American region, as there are only seven countries remaining there that maintain the so-called diplomatic relations with the island of Taiwan. In the foreseeable future, we can see the US and the DPP authorities in Taiwan continue to pressure those countries, but it's the general trend that more countries will adopt the correct stance on the international consensus concerning one China, Jiang noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China warns US: NATO-like expansion in Asia-Pacific could lead to conflict Iran Press TV Sunday, 04 June 2023 6:53 AM Chinese defense minister has warned that "NATO-like" military alliances in the Asia-Pacific could undermine regional peace and stability and lead to conflict. Li Shangfu said during the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Sunday that "inclusive cooperation" does not allow disastrous world wars to repeat themselves. "In essence, attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations, which will only plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts," he told the two-day security conference also attended by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. "Today's Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques. We must not forget the severe disasters brought by the two world wars to peoples of all countries, and we must not allow such tragic history to repeat itself." Li did not mention any country by name; however, his comments echoed long-held Chinese criticism of the United States, seeking to create alliances and expand NATO into the region. In related remarks, China's embassy in Norway said on Saturday that NATO must stop threatening regional security. "China urges NATO to stop stirring up regional conflicts and creating divisions and unrest," the embassy said in response to recent remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a visit to Norway. Stoltenberg alleged that China is "threatening neighboring countries." In the meantime, Austin called for top-level talks with Beijing to avoid conflict. Austin described the dialogue between the two countries as "essential." "The United States believes that open lines of communication with the People's Republic of China are essential -- especially between our defense and military leaders," Austin said at the Shangri-La summit on Saturday. "The more that we talk, the more that we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict," claimed the Pentagon's military chief. Austin and Li shook hands and spoke briefly at the opening dinner of the event on Friday night prior to the summit's commencement, but the interaction did not lead to a more substantive exchange as hoped by the Pentagon. China has rejected a request by the United States for a meeting between the two countries' defense chiefs, as tensions continue to rise between Beijing and Washington in the face of persisting US "provocations." China's senior colonel Zhao Xiaozhou said Beijing also believed the lines of communication were necessary, but "the problem is for the United States to stop provoking China's security." On Friday, a US and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait, in a rare joint mission in the sensitive waterway at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over Chinese-claimed Taiwan. The United States has created the Quad partnership with India, Japan and Australia, in addition to the AUKUS alliance, also with Australia, alongside the UK. Both US pacts are intended to strengthen the ability of each government to support security and defense interests in the form of a military, NATO-like alliance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing seeks 'dialogue over confrontation', defense chief says Li Shangfu's comments come after reports of a China, U.S. near-miss in the Taiwan Strait. Reported by RFA Staff from Singapore 2023.06.04 -- China's defense minister said at a major regional security forum on Sunday that Beijing seeks dialogue over confrontation, hours after a Chinese warship was accused of nearly hitting a U.S. destroyer in the Taiwan Strait. General Li Shangfu said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that China's leader Xi Jinping proposed a set of so-called Global Security Initiatives (GSI) which features "dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero sum." In an apparent reference to the U.S., Li accused "some country" of taking a "selective approach to rules and international laws," and "forcing its own rules on others." "It practices exceptionalism and double standards and only serves the interests and follows the rules of a small number of countries." The minister said it "even attempts to constrain others with a convention itself has not acceded to," pointing to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982 that the United States, while recognizing it, is not a party of. The U.S. and China have been at loggerheads over a number of issues, among them China's extensive claims in the South China Sea and the U.S. 's freedom of navigation operations (FONOP) to uphold its principle of a free and open Indo-Pacific. China has repeatedly accused the U.S. of "navigation hegemony" in the South China Sea. The U.S. military meanwhile said that a Chinese warship on Saturday came close to hitting an American destroyer when the latter was sailing through the Taiwan Strait during a joint Canada-U.S. mission. Near-collision The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that its guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Montreal were conducting a "routine" transit through international waters in the Taiwan Strait. During the transit a Chinese Navy destroyer "executed maneuvers in an unsafe manner in the vicinity of Chung-Hoon," it said, adding that the Chinese ship "overtook Chung-Hoon on their port side and crossed their bow at 150 yards (140 meters)." "Chung-Hoon maintained course and slowed to 10 knots to avoid a collision." The Indo-Pacific Command said that China's actions violated the maritime 'Rules of the Road' of safe passage in international waters "where aircraft and ships of all nations may fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows." China's Ministry of National Defense claimed the Chinese ship handled the situation "lawfully and professionally" but analysts said they found the event "disturbing" and "probably the worst such reported close maritime encounter in the South China Sea since October 2018," when a Chinese warship approached the USS Decatur within just 45 yards (41 meters). "China is getting reckless while trying to enforce sovereignty in the Taiwan Strait," said Richard Bitzinger, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. "Beijing is just trying to force everyone to accept the idea that Taiwan Straits are somehow China's de facto territorial waters," the military analyst told RFA. Minister Li Shangfu told the audience at the Shangri-La Dialogue that the U.S. ships are in the region "for provocation." "What is key now is that we must prevent attempts to use freedom of navigation ... as a pretext to exercise hegemony of navigation," he said. Taiwanese military analysts said that the Saturday transit was a routine operation but the Chinese Navy's reaction indicated a more resolute stance. "As President Xi Jinping had instructed, senior officials and military leaders should take a tough stance against challenges rather than showing a soft behavior that can be seen as weak," said Shen Ming-shih, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research. "That's what the Chinese Defense Minister demonstrated in his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue," Shen said. Military expert Richard Bitzinger said the reason behind this approach may be that "the Chinese are worried that they have a narrow and closing window to exert themselves before the economy tanks and demographics catch up with them." Using risks as weapons The Chinese minister of defense in his speech lambasted the U.S.'s Cold War mentality. He accused Washington of "expanding military bases, re-enforcing military presence and intensifying arms race in the region" - those actions that reflect its "desire to make enem[ies], stoke confrontation, fuel the fire and fish in troubled waters." Li also accused the U.S. of "wilfully interfering in the internal affairs of others," referring to the issue of Taiwan which he said was "core of China's core interests." The U.S. and China should seek common ground "grow bilateral ties and deepen cooperation," he said. "International affairs should not be handled through confrontation," the minister said, insisting that China is always "seeking consensus, promoting reconciliation and negotiations." A day earlier, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he was "deeply concerned" that Beijing has been unwilling to engage with Washington and refused to hold direct bilateral talks. "The Chinese minister's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue and the dangerous action of its warships in the Taiwan Strait are part of the strategy that I'd call 'riskfare', which plays on the concerns of the U.S. and other countries for risks," said Alexandre Vuving, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii. "The U.S. emphasizes communication, but China emphasizes risks and is using risk as a weapon in its struggle with the U.S.," he said. "Washington shows it's concerned about risks in its competition with Beijing. Beijing sees it and weaponizes this U.S. concern." The U.S.'s willingness to reopen communications with China is genuine and some analysts believe that, despite the absence of direct contacts between the U.S. and Chinese delegations in Singapore, there are hopes for closer interactions. Baohui Zhang, director of the Centre for Asian Pacific Studies at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, told RFA that the "communication" issue in U.S.-China relations has been somewhat exaggerated. "The truth is that the two sides are communicating with each other," Zhang said, noting that the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency William Burns reportedly paid a secret visit to China last month. Jake Sullivan, the top U.S. national security official, also met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in May. The trade ministers of the two countries have also met. "My own view is that both sides appreciate the importance of maintaining dialogues to prevent misunderstanding and inadvertent crisis situations," said the analyst. "Neither side wants war and they still maintain sufficient dialogues with each other," he said. The U.S. State Department announced on Saturday that Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink is travelling to China on Sunday. "In Beijing, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink, joined by National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran, will discuss key issues in the bilateral relationship," it said. The 20th Shangri-La Dialogue, the region's leading security forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), closes on Sunday. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2023, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content June 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 The Limits Of China's Budding Relationship With Afghanistan's Taliban By Abubakar Siddique June 04, 2023 China has played a visible role in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021. Beijing is among only a handful of countries to maintain a diplomatic presence in Kabul, where the Chinese ambassador regularly meets with Taliban officials. There has also been a surge in Chinese traders visiting Afghanistan to explore business opportunities and ink deals. The Taliban, meanwhile, has boasted of Beijing's interest in expanding trade and investing billions of dollars in Afghanistan's mining sector. Last month, the hard-line Islamist group also announced the resumption of direct flights between Afghanistan and China after a three-year gap, saying it would help strengthen bilateral relations. Despite the appearance that China and the Taliban are becoming allies, experts say the relationship is limited and largely transactional. Experts say Beijing's primary concern in Afghanistan is the threat posed by members of the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) -- an Uyghur extremist group that Beijing blames for unrest in its western province of Xinjiang and refers to by its former name, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). The Taliban has been accused of sheltering Uyghur militants and done little to alleviate China's security concerns. Policymakers in Beijing also continue to worry about instability spreading from Afghanistan into South and Central Asia, where China has significant economic and political interests. Meanwhile, Beijing has provided only limited development assistance to Afghanistan and large mining projects backed by Chinese companies have failed to get off the ground. "China is not a 'friend' of the Taliban and can be relied on only to pursue its national interest," said Barnett Rubin, an academic and former adviser to the U.S. State Department on Afghanistan. "China's economic engagement with Afghanistan is as much if not more about national defense than profit-seeking." 'Terrorist Forces' During its rule in the 1990s, the Taliban allowed Uyghur groups to operate in Afghanistan and is believed to still have links with them. Since the Taliban regained power, the Taliban has relocated Uyghur fighters from the northeastern province of Badakhshan, which is located along Afghanistan's 76-kilometer border with China, in a bid to allay Beijing's fears. But China has demanded that the Taliban cut any ties with the militants and hand them over to Beijing. The exact number of Uyghur fighters based in Afghanistan is unknown, although experts believe they number in the hundreds. "China's top priority in Afghanistan by far is to persuade the Taliban to turn these militants over to China," Rubin said. If the Taliban refuses, then Beijing expects the group to keep the activities of the Uyghur militants "under strict surveillance and control," Rubin added. In April, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Beijing "hopes that Afghanistan will fulfill its commitment in earnest and take more effective measures to crack down on all terrorist forces." Rubin says Beijing's fears that Uyghur militants have been integrated into the Taliban's "military and terrorist structures" explain why China is eager to increase its diplomatic and economic engagement with the Taliban. "Chinese interests in the Afghan economy are likely about trying to incentivize the Taliban to cooperate on counterterrorism," he said. Economic Incentives For the cash-strapped Taliban government, which remains internationally unrecognized, securing investment and economic assistance is seen as a top priority as it seeks domestic and international legitimacy. The Taliban takeover triggered an economic collapse and aggravated a major humanitarian crisis, with international donors cutting crucial financial assistance to Afghanistan. "Afghanistan's economic catastrophe overshadows all other problems in the country," said Hameed Hakimi, an Afghanistan expert at the Washington-based Atlantic Council think tank. "If the Taliban can demonstrate that they can deliver on the economy, their popularity and support will expand considerably." Beijing has faced criticism for its infrastructure projects in developing countries around the world, which Western officials have described as exploitative. But that has not put off the Taliban, which has actively sought Chinese investment in Afghanistan's vast untapped mineral resources. In April, the Taliban claimed that a Chinese firm was interested in investing $10 billion in lithium extraction, a project that it said would employ more than 120,000 Afghans. "Afghans are looking forward to exploiting their lithium and other mining deposits for their benefit," Shahabuddin Delawar, the Taliban's minister for mining, said that month. In January, the Taliban signed an oil-extraction contract with a Chinese firm. Under the deal, China's Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Co is expected to invest up to $150 million during the first year. After three years, the amount is expected to increase to $540 million. The Taliban claims the project will provide around 3,000 local jobs. But experts do not expect Beijing to invest heavily in Afghanistan, which lacks infrastructure and roads. Despite a dramatic increase in violence, the country is also still the scene of sporadic attacks by the Islamic State-Khorasan extremist group. "The Taliban benefit from maintaining a relationship with the Chinese government and would also like to use it both as an insurance and leverage against Western nations," Hakimi said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-china- taliban-uyghurs-security/32444038.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 Complex security threats call for modern thinking, measures: experts Global Times By Yang Sheng Published: Jun 05, 2023 12:31 AM As China reiterated its security concepts and initiatives at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore about "unprecedented" security challenges facing the Asia-Pacific, Chinese experts on international relations and national security said on Sunday that China's national security is now facing more comprehensive and complex threats not only in traditional fields such as geopolitics, but also in those such as finance and high-tech sectors, so the country needs to form modernized thinking and countermeasures to deal with the new situation. The main threat at the moment has been caused by the US-launched new cold war against China despite Washington refusing to admit it, analysts noted. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the first meeting of the National Security Commission under the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) last week, called for accelerated efforts to modernize the country's national security system and capacity. The national security issues China faces today are "considerably more complex and much more difficult to be resolved," the meeting said. It stressed the necessity of being prepared to deal with worst-case and extreme-case scenarios and being ready to withstand "high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms." On Sunday, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Li Shangfu delivered a highly anticipated speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. "People cannot but ask these questions: Who is disrupting peace in the region? What are the root causes of the chaos and instability? And what should we stay vigilant about and guard against?" said Li. These questions must be answered in the interests of the security, stability and future of the Asia-Pacific, Li underscored. Noting that "a certain country" has incited "color revolutions" and proxy wars in different regions, created chaos and turbulence and just walked away leaving a mess behind, Li added that such things should never be allowed to happen in the Asia-Pacific region. Experts said China's national security concerns are in line with the shared concerns of the ASEAN and other regional countries hoping for peace and stability. Extreme-case scenario Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday that "the worst-case scenarios" mentioned in the National Security Commission meeting refers to "challenges such as a massive geopolitical crisis or another global financial crisis," but "the extreme-case scenarios," to be clear, "means the danger of war." China always maintains high alert over threats to its national security, but if there is anything that can bring "dangerous storms" or the danger of war, that would definitely be the Taiwan question, Jin said. "The US' increasing provocations and the risky acts of Taiwan secessionists could bring an imminent threat that may cause a war in the region," Jin noted. Li Wei, an expert on national security at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, echoed that view, saying that there are challenges stemming from both international and regional issues, terrorism and those brought by unilateralism and trade protectionism. "A mindset of dealing with worst-case and extreme-case scenarios should be applied in addressing affairs related to the South China Sea and the Taiwan question," the expert said. In 2024, the US will hold its presidential elections, and the island of Taiwan will also hold a regional election, and one possibility for an "extreme-case scenario" is Donald Trump, if reelected as president withdrawing US resources from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and maximizing the manipulation of the Taiwan question to provoke and contain China, and Lai Ching-te, a radical secessionist politician on the island, winning the elections, as these radical and unpredictable forces could recklessly cross the bottom-line and force China to solve the Taiwan question once and for all, said Jin. China has exercised restraints in responding to the US-launched new cold war, and Washington is the side that is provoking uncertainties and major impacts, so even though China is making full preparations and trying its best to deter and prevent "the worst or extreme-case scenarios," the extent of the danger of a war breaking out in the region in the near future is still unclear, analysts said. Favorable environment The first meeting of the National Security Commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee last week called for initiative to be taken to "shape a favorable external security environment for China to better safeguard its opening up and push for a deep integration of development and security." "Believe it or not, after the Biden administration issued its latest National Security Strategy in October 2022, a new cold war against China was launched," Jin said. The US has clearly identified China as its "only competitor," and Washington is mobilizing different political forces and business groups within the country as well as its allies around the globe to join this new cold war, but the mobilization has not been very successful. More importantly, the US also wants to avoid a hot direct war when launching its comprehensive containment against China, and this is why its senior officials are desperately seeking communication with China but with no sincerity in reducing its hostilities, Jin noted. "All this proves that a new cold war has already been launched by the US." So the key to avoid worst-case and extreme-case scenarios is to work together with all peace-loving parties, including US business elites and Western countries, to shape a favorable environment that not only benefits China, but also provides certainty and stability for everyone who hungers for peace, development and recovery, experts said. Recent high-profile China trips made and to be made by executives of top American companies such as Elon Musk of Tesla, Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan, and Jensen Huang of Nvidia have made headlines around the world, as they are seeking to expand their business in the world's biggest and most vibrant market due to its high certainty and stability. Executives from a couple of top UK companies, including the executive chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings Ben Keswick, also met with senior Chinese officials recently, even as some Western officials, including those in the US and some of its allies, are calling for "decoupling" or "de-risking" in their trade ties with China. Jin said forming friendly ties and mutual trust, providing opportunities and benefits, and building a community with shared future with others are some of the most effective measures being taken to prevent the "the worst-case and extreme-case scenarios." After unilaterally launching a new cold war against China, the US has failed to mobilize its own big companies and business elites in different industries, and has also failed to mobilize its key allies such as major EU members including France and Germany. This means the new cold war is exerting limited harm to the world economy, and also makes the damage caused by US hegemony and unilateralism more manageable in terms of finance, economy, as well as supply and industrial chains, experts noted. The National Security Commission meeting also called for dedicated efforts to safeguard political security and improve the security governance of "internet data and artificial intelligence (AI)." It also called for expedited endeavors to establish a risk monitoring and early warning system. Shen Yi, a professor on cybersecurity and international relations at Fudan University, told the Global Times that China will embrace and make the best use of these cutting-edge technologies, to better unleash productive forces and better serve its governance and national security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Special Representative for North Korea Urges China to 'Influence' Pyongyang Sputnik News 20230604 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States is calling on Beijing to use its influence on North Korea to encourage Pyongyang to return to the negotiating table, US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim said on Sunday, adding that North Korea's actions in the region would have "consequences." "It is unfortunate that in recent years the international community has not been able to speak with one voice in condemning the DPRK's reckless and destabilizing activity ... We urge Beijing to use its influence to encourage the DPRK to refrain from further destabilizing behavior and return to the negotiating table," Sung Kim told a South Korean news agency. Washington also urges China to fulfill its obligations "under the resolutions that UN Security Council members unanimously adopted," the ambassador added. "It's important to make clear to the DPRK that its escalatory behavior has consequences. The DPRK must also understand that the only viable path forward is through diplomacy," Sung Kim said, adding that any nuclear attack against South Korea would be met with a "swift, overwhelming and decisive" response. The United States is open to dialogue with Pyongyang and "remains committed to diplomacy," Sung Kim noted. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany to Send Warships to Indo-Pacific in 2024 Amid Standoff With China Sputnik News 20230604 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Germany will send two warships to the Indo-Pacific in 2024, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Sunday, citing the need to uphold "rules-based international order." NATO allies have been bolstering their presence in the region after the US-led military alliance labeled China a security challenge last year. "The German Federal Government sent a frigate to the Indo-Pacific in 2021, and will again, in 2024, deploy maritime assets a this time a frigate and a supply ship a to the region," Pistorius said in Singapore. The minister stressed that the deployment was not directed at any nation and was aimed at protecting sea lines of communication. He said the 2021 deployment was in response to tensions on the Korean peninsula. "These deployments a I want to make this very clear a are not directed against any nation," he said. The German defense minister said Berlin was committed to contributing to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and would increase its engagement in the region in the coming years. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Hybrid warfare against Iran will fail with jihad of enlightenment' IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jun 4, 2023 Tehran, IRNA -- The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran has announced that the jihad of enlightenment and explanation of realities can foil enemies' plots to manipulate Iranian youths' minds by the use of their hybrid warfare. The top Iranian military body issued a statement on the occasion of 34th demise anniversary of the founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini as well as the anniversary of demonstrations on June 5 and 6, 1963, known as Khordad 15 Uprising, to protest against the arrest of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after his denouncement of Iran's former Shah and the Zionist regime. The statement said that the Khordad 15 Uprising was the onset of downfall of the Shah's regime and the decline of the US hegemony which was finally sealed by the movement of Imam Khomeini in Iran and led to the glorious victory of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979. According to the announcement, now 44 years after the victory of the Revolution, the Iranian nation have overcome numerous military, security and economic challenges with the help of wise guidelines of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said the statement. It added that Iran's foes, who resorted to all methods against the Islamic system and failed to reach their goals, have utilized hybrid warfare to manipulate the minds of the Iranian youth in a bid to achieve their destructive objectives. The statement said that it is the enlightenment jihad and the clarification of realities that can foil such plots. 4208**2050**4261 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan, Australia Sign Memorandum on Cooperation in Defense Research Sputnik News 20230604 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Japan and Australia on Sunday signed a memorandum to simplify the procedures for joint technical research in the defense sector, the Japanese Defense Ministry said. The document was signed during a meeting between Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles. "The Ministers noted the importance of maintaining a technological edge and committed to working ever closer in defense science and technology. They welcomed the signing of the bilateral Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Arrangement as an enduring framework to streamline and elevate cooperation," the ministry said in a statement. Both sides expressed hope for the early implementation of the Australia-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), which was signed at the meeting of the two countries' leaders in October last year and will facilitate conditions for joint exercises and maneuvers, especially air-to-air refueling drills between the Japanese air self-defense force and the Australian air force. The ministers also exchanged their views on the issues of regional security and reaffirmed their commitment to free and open Indo-Pacific, the statement read. On Saturday, the defense ministers of Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines held their first quadrilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue Summit in Singapore. The parties discussed regional issues of common interest and ways to expand cooperation. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Peace Talks in Myanmar Highlight China's Increasing Influence By Ingyin Naing June 04, 2023 Chinese-sponsored talks in Myanmar between the junta and three of Myanmar's ethnic armies, known as the Brotherhood Alliance, aimed at persuading the three to support the junta's election plan concluded without an agreement Friday. The alliance of the Arakan Army, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army has been providing military training and supplies to anti-junta forces. The talks were held over two days in the Mongla region in northern Myanmar's Shan state, near the Chinese border. According to local reports, the meetings were attended by Guo Bao, China's special envoy from neighboring Chinese province Yunnan's Foreign Affairs Department. "Both parties exchanged opinions and agreed to hold a second meeting," Kyi Myint, a spokesman for the National Democratic Alliance Army a which is separate from the Myanmar National Democratic Army and is one of the groups that facilitated the talks a told VOA. "Three ethnic armed groups were in attendance to express their views and listen to the junta's point of view," according to Kyi Myint, who coordinated the meeting. "They said they would submit reports to their respective central executive committees," he added, "but they did not reach any agreements with the junta officials." First meeting since the military coup The peace talks between the junta and the alliance, assisted by China, were the first since the military coup in 2021. "We would not be willing to meet with the junta without China," said Khaing Thu Kha, a spokesman for the Arakan Army, in a phone interview with VOA on Thursday. He told VOA, "We demanded the release of our detained members by the junta, to revoke the designation of our group as an 'outlaw association' and to end travel restrictions in Rakhine so that aid can be delivered to the victims of Cyclone Mocha," which struck the western province May 14. Major General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the junta, responded to VOA on Thursday, expressing optimism about the meeting. "Our delegation broadly discussed building trust, national reconciliation, multiparty democratization, and building a federal union, to cooperate in peace and developments," he said, adding that their delegation was led by Lt. Gen. Yar Pyae, chair of the National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee. According to local reports, the junta officials at the meeting asked the alliance to support its long-planned election, but the alliance refused to discuss the matter. The junta asked the ethnic armed groups to support its election plan after the coup in 2021, with the promise that power would go to the winning party. However, the junta has not set a date for the election and has only stated that it will take place when there is peace. The planned election has been called illegal both in the country and around the world. "It is premature at this time for our side to make definitive statements," Khaing Thu Kha told VOA. "The military junta has stated that it wants to build trust, but from our perspective, that will take time and numerous discussions." When asked about China's role in the peace talks, Khaing Thu Kha said, "China was only sponsoring the meeting and they were not involved in our discussion." Although there is no official cease-fire between the armed groups and the Myanmar junta, according to Khaing Thu Kha, the Arakan Army has ceased fighting with the Myanmar military on humanitarian grounds. The other two armed organizations, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, have fought the junta's forces on occasion, but are not engaged in fights with the military now, he said. China's agenda A May 30 alliance statement pointed to China's role in initiating the meeting, saying that in "accordance with the mediation" of Chinese authorities, alliance and junta representatives would meet in Mongla on June 1. Than Soe Naing, a China-Myanmar expert and former member of the Communist Party of Burma, told VOA that the junta was using the discussions to persuade ethnic armed groups not to join the anti-coup resistance movement, as well as to gain support for the forthcoming elections. "This in line with China's agenda of nonalignment by the armed groups with the National Unity Government and the People's Defense Forces," said Than Soe Naing. "The NUG and the PDF are seen by China as being supported by the U.S. especially because those groups are mentioned by name in the BURMA Act as part of the recently passed NDAA," Than Soe Naing told VOA, referring to language in the National Defense Authorization Act broadening the U.S. government's authority to impose sanctions against the Myanmar regime and aid opposiion and resistance groups. "China wants to portray itself as an international peacemaker," Than Soe Naing told VOA. "For instance, China is actively leading the repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh back to Rakhine state; but China's underlying goal is to prevent Western countries and democratic forces from further influence in Myanmar and Southeast Asia in general." State media in Myanmar reported last Tuesday that a top official from Chinese military intelligence, Major General Yang Yang, conferred with the junta's deputy leader in Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw, prior to the peace talks. The official, the first Chinese military leader to publicly visit Myanmar since the 2021 coup, met with Deputy Senior General Soe Win to discuss "cooperation between the two armies." Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang also came to Naypyidaw May 2, meeting with the junta's leader, General Min Aung Hlaing. "Such visits by Chinese officials only serve to bolster the junta's legitimacy," said Than Soe Naing. According to the online publication Irrawaddy, Qin's visit was followed by protests around the Myanmar over China's connection with the military junta. One of these was a demonstration in Letpadaung, in Sagaing region, home to a contentious copper mine operated by China, during which a Chinese flag was burned. A demonstration by Burmese-Americans against China's support for the military junta in Myanmar also took place outside of the Chinese Consulate General in New York Friday. "If the Chinese government acts against the will of the Myanmar people to pursue their interests by maintaining close ties with the junta, anti-China sentiment will rise both within and outside the country," Than Soe Naing told VOA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria, Iraq stand together in face of all joint challenges: Syrian FM Iran Press TV Sunday, 04 June 2023 3:07 PM Syria has reaffirmed its commitment to developing further cooperation with Iraq in various fields, saying Damascus and Baghdad stand united in facing common challenges. Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Mekdad made the remarks during a press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in Baghdad on Sunday, where they discussed the latest developments in the region as well as bilateral relations and means of bolstering them. "The talks were constructive and included boosting cooperation in all fields," he said, adding that "Syria and Iraq stand together in facing all common challenges." The Syria foreign minister further stressed the need to make every effort to strengthen the existing mutual relations in a way that would serve the interests of the two countries and brotherly peoples. He also noted that the two sides discussed joint efforts to counter terrorism, "since what affects Syria affects Iraq and vice versa." Mekdad went on to say that the two sides will meet soon in the Egyptian Capital of Cairo to discuss ending the challenges that Syria faces, particularly from the presence of terrorist groups in Idlib province and ending the US occupation of some Syrian territories. He stressed that Syria wants a solution for these problems in a way that maintains its sovereignty as well as Iraq's. Mekdad also thanked Iraq for the assistance it provided to Syria following the deadly earthquake in February. Hussein, for his part, described as "deep" and "historical" the Iraqi-Syrian ties, emphasizing that Baghdad's stance in supporting Damascus is "firm". He also pointed to Syria's dire humanitarian situation, saying "We need to move at the regional and international levels to address it, and to facilitate access to humanitarian aid." The Iraq foreign minister also expressed pleasure over Syria's return to the Arab League, stressing the need for enhancing the bilateral coordination of the Arab, regional, and international forums regarding all issues of mutual concerns NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA handles US, Canadian warships in provocative Taiwan Straits transit amid Shangri-La Dialogue, forcing US vessel to alter course Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Published: Jun 04, 2023 02:45 PM Updated: Jun 04, 2023 02:39 PM The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) handled a provocative transit in the Taiwan Straits made by US and Canadian warships on Saturday, with a Chinese destroyer reportedly forcing the US vessel to alter course by cutting in front of it, showing determination and capability in countering the provocation, experts said on Sunday. Coming against the background of the US failing to arrange a meeting between Chinese and US defense chiefs during the ongoing Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore amid rising tensions, the latest Taiwan Straits transit, led by the US, again showed the US' lack of sincerity, analysts said. The US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS MontrAal made a transit through the Taiwan Straits on Saturday, and the PLA Eastern Theater Command organized naval and aerial forces, tracked and monitored them through the whole course, and handled the situation in accordance with law and regulations, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, a spokesperson at the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement late on Saturday. These countries deliberately stirred up trouble and risk in the Taiwan Straits, maliciously undermined regional peace and stability and sent wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" forces, Shi said. The command troops are on high alert at all times and will take all necessary measures to firmly deal with all threats and provocations, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and regional peace and stability, the spokesperson said. Shi's statement came after the US and Canada hyped their warships' transit through the Taiwan Straits, including Canadian news outlet Global News releasing a video on Saturday, which showed a PLA Navy Type 052D destroyer picking up speed and cutting in front of the bow of the USS Chung-Hoon from left to right, forcing the US warship to alter course and slow down to avoid a crash as the two vessels were reportedly within 150 yards (137 meters.) The maneuvers in the Taiwan Straits share resemblances to another recent incident in which a PLA Air Force J-16 fighter jet intercepted a US RC-135 reconnaissance plane when the latter attempted to spy on the PLA Navy Shandong aircraft carrier group's routine training in the South China Sea on May 26, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday. Both incidents were caused by US provocations in sensitive regions on China's doorsteps, followed by US failure to listen to Chinese radio warnings, led to professional PLA tactical maneuvers, which were then hyped by Western media attempting to shift blame to China, hype "China threat" and pressure China on the Shangri-La Dialogue, the expert said. It showed that the US has no sincerity at all in communicating with the Chinese side, and if any accident happens, it would be the US who must shoulder the blame, the expert said. If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a second, as China must be and will be reunified, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu said at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday, also urging the US to act with sincerity, match its words with deeds and take concrete actions to work with China in the same direction to stabilize the relationship between two armies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary General congratulates President Erdogan on re-election, looks forward to finalising Sweden's NATO membership NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 04 Jun. 2023 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and members of his new government in Istanbul on Sunday (4 June 2023). Calling TArkiye an important and highly valued Ally, Mr Stoltenberg praised TArkiye's contributions of troops to NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, including reinforcements following the recent unrest in northern Kosovo. He also thanked TArkiye for contributing to NATO's training for Iraqi forces, pre-assigning troops to the multinational battlegroup in Hungary, and providing strong support to Ukraine, including through leadership of the Black Sea grain initiative. The Secretary General congratulated President Erdogan on his re-election and on the high turnout among the Turkish people. They discussed a range of issues on the agenda for July's NATO Summit in Vilnius, including support to Ukraine, work to bolster deterrence and defence, and the fight against terrorism. The two leaders also discussed Sweden's bid for NATO membership. Mr Stoltenberg noted that Stockholm has taken significant, concrete steps to meet TArkiye's concerns, including amending the Swedish constitution, ending its arms embargo, and stepping up counter-terrorism cooperation, including against the PKK. He further noted that important new anti-terrorism legislation has come into force in the past few days, and that Sweden has fulfilled its obligations. He said that it was difficult to see demonstrations against TArkiye and against NATO in Sweden, but that the organisers should not be allowed to succeed in their attempts to block counter-terrorism cooperation and stop Sweden from joining the Alliance. The Secretary General and President Erdogan agreed that the Permanent Joint Mechanism between TArkiye, Finland, and Sweden should meet again in the week beginning on 12 June. Mr Stoltenberg said he looked forward to finalising Sweden's accession as soon as possible. On Saturday, the Secretary General attended President Erdogan's inauguration ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, alongside dozens of other world leaders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran FM: Tehran seeks close cooperation, further development of relations with Ankara Iran Press TV Sunday, 04 June 2023 9:36 PM Iran's foreign minister has congratulated his Turkish counterpart on his appointment as Turkey's new top diplomat, calling for the development of the two countries' relations. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a Sunday phone call with Turkey's new Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, urging more speedy steps toward expansion of ties between Tehran and Ankara. While inviting Fidan to visit Tehran, the Iranian top diplomat expressed hope that close cooperation between the two neighboring countries would continue during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's new term in office. He also stressed the necessity of close cooperation between Tehran and Ankara in regional issues, while emphasizing the need for activating regional mechanisms. Fidan, for his part, said cooperation between Iran and Turkey must continue on bilateral and regional levels, adding that he will do his best to help develop bilateral relations between the two countries. Amir-Abdollahian had felicitated Hakan on his new post through a tweet earlier on Sunday, describing him as a professional diplomat. Fidan became Turkey's foreign minister, replacing MevlAt AavuAYoAYlu, after Erdogan won another term in office in close competition with the opposition candidate Kemal KAlAAdaroAYlu. Erdogan took the oath of office at the parliament building in Ankara on Saturday, June 3, extending his administration into a third decade. Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro were among dignitaries taking part in his swearing-in ceremony. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Western long-range missiles to Ukraine will fuel 'spiraling tension': Russia Iran Press TV Sunday, 04 June 2023 5:00 PM Russia has once again criticized the West for supplying Ukraine with weapons, warning that any supply of long-range missiles to Kiev by France and Germany would lead to a further round of "spiraling tension" in the ongoing conflict. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks on Sunday, following reports that Germany and France plan to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles. "We are already starting to see discussions about deliveries from France and Germany of missiles with a range of 500 km or more," Peskov said. "This is a completely different weapon which will lead to, let's say, another round of spiraling tension," he added. Peskov further noted that NATO member countries have effectively become direct parties to the Ukraine conflict, reiterating that Russia would continue its operations in the former Soviet state until the "job is done... There is no alternative." Back in May, Germany said it has received an official request from Ukraine to provide it with Taurus air-to-surface missiles, which would allow Kiev to strike well inside the Russian territory with their range of more than 500 kilometers. French President Emmanuel Macron also said France will give Ukraine missiles with a range allowing it to carry out its long-anticipated counteroffensive. Kiev has formerly used UK-made Storm Shadow to strike Russian supply depots and command posts deep behind the frontline in Russian-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine since May. Earlier in the month, Russia also said Ukraine used Britain's Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles to strike civilian targets in the Russian-controlled territory. Moscow has constantly warned the West against providing Ukraine with longer-range missiles, saying the move will escalate the war. The West, however, continues to provide Ukraine with military equipment worth tens of billions of dollars since Russia began its military campaign in Ukraine in February last year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deadly Ukrainian shelling in Russia's Belgorod rages; thousands relocated Iran Press TV Sunday, 04 June 2023 8:11 AM Belgorod governor has said shelling and strikes by Ukrainian forces continued overnight on Sunday after two were killed and thousands of Russians, including children, were displaced. Vyacheslav Gladkov said on the Telegram channel that more than 4,000 people were relocated to temporary accommodation in the border region, which borders Ukraine to its south and west. "Overnight, it was quite restless," Gladkov said, adding that the Shebekino and Volokonovsky districts suffered "lots" of damage from shelling during the night. Gladkov said he has escorted about 600 children from the region's Shebekino and Graivoron districts to Yaroslavl and Kaluga. "The children of Shebekino are very worried about their hometown," Gladkov said. "I started leaving; they stopped me and with anxiety started asking questions." Shebekino, a town with a population of about 40,000 on the border and other places in the southern Russian region, has repeatedly come under attacks over the past week, forcing at least 2,500 people to relocate so far, Gladkov has said earlier. Also on Friday, two people were killed and two injured overnight in the village of Sobolevka as Ukraine continued with shelling and striking the region during the day, including on Shebekino, Gladkov said. On Thursday, Russia's Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Moscow has repelled an attempt by the "Ukrainian terrorist formations" to break into the country's southwestern borders. The ministry of defense cited at least three attempts to cross the country and said that 70 militiamen, five tanks, four armored vehicles, seven pickup trucks, and one Kamaz truck were involved in the attack. The ministry announced that it used air force and artillery to repel these attacks and killed more than 50 Ukrainian fighters. Russia began what it described as a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, as part of a national security measure against the persisting eastern advance of the US-led NATO military alliance. Moscow also said the military operation was aimed at defending the pro-Russia population in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk against persecution by Kiev, and also to "de-Nazify" Ukraine. Since the start of the war, the US and its Western allies have been providing Kiev with military equipment worth tens of billions of dollars. Western weapons supplied to Kiev include advanced missile systems, armored vehicles, tanks, and communication systems. Russia has repeatedly warned against flooding Ukraine with weapons, insisting the massive shipments of armaments to Kiev will only prolong the conflict. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Skirmishes Break Out Along Ukrainian Border As Anti-Kremlin Forces Capture Russian Soldiers By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service June 04, 2023 Fresh battles broke out on the Russian side of the Ukrainian border on June 4, as anti-Kremlin fighters said they had captured several Russian soldiers and turned them over to Kyiv after the governor of the Belgorod region failed to show up for negotiations on a prisoner swap. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod, acknowledged fighting was taking place in his region, which borders Ukraine, and that some soldiers had been taken prisoner by the pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters. He earlier vowed to meet with the fighters near the border and said he would "guarantee [their] security" to discuss a swap. But the anti-Kremlin fighters said the governor never arrived and that they were turning over their captives to the Ukrainian government. The developments could not immediately be independently verified. The self-styled Russian Volunteer Corps released a statement on Telegram making the claims and showed a video of what appeared to be 10-12 Russian soldiers being held captive, including two who were on hospital beds. The military action inside Russia comes two weeks after the corps and another group, the Free Russia Legion, made a stunning cross-border incursion, attacking Russian forces in towns and villages in the Belgorod region. Ukraine has denied it is behind the attacks. Gladkov acknowledged the new fighting in the region, saying that "there is combat" in the border village of Novaya Tavolzhanka. Gladkov blamed "sabotage groups." "I hope they will all be destroyed," he said. He did not immediately comment on the report stating that he failed to show at a negotiation site. Earlier, Ukrainian officials said a 2-year-old child had been killed in a Russian air strike on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, while air defenses in the capital of Kyiv repelled a wave of Russian drones and missiles. The Russian strike late on June 3 on a residential district of Dnipro also left 22 people injured -- including five children -- according to Serhiy Lysak, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration. In a post on Telegram, Lysak said the attack damaged a pair of two-story buildings, as well as 10 homes, a shop, and a gas pipeline. Russian air strikes over Ukraine have increased in recent weeks amid expectations that Ukrainian military forces will soon launch a much-anticipated counteroffensive to reclaim territory lost since Russia invaded in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in published remarks on June 3 that Ukrainian forces were ready for the counteroffensive. He later condemned Russia for the air strike on Dnipro. "Once again, Russia proves it is a terrorist state. The Russians will bear responsibility for everything committed against our state and people," Zelenskiy said in a post late on June 3 on Facebook. Zelenskiy said on June 4 that Russia's war, now in its 16th month, had killed at least 500 Ukrainian children. He said in a statement that "Russian weapons and hatred, which continue to take and destroy the lives of Ukrainian children every day," killed the hundreds who had perished since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat told local television that four of six cruise missiles had been shot down by air defenses but that two had struck an "operational airfield" near the central city of Kropyvnytskiy. Meanwhile, the General Staff said in its daily report on June 4 that Russian invading forces had carried out two unsuccessful operations around Bakhmut and launched several air strikes and artillery shelling on nearby villages. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia's mercenary Wagner Group, said on June 3 that 99 percent of his fighters had left Bakhmut after their monthslong assault in the war's longest and bloodiest battle. Ukraine said late last month that fighting had eased in the area, but General Oleksandr Syrskiy, commander of the ground forces, said on June 3 that Ukrainian forces continued their fight there. "The enemy continues to suffer significant losses in the Bakhmut direction," Syrskiy said on Telegram after what he said was a visit to troops around Bakhmut. "Defense forces continue to fight. We will win." Zelenskiy told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on June 3 that Ukrainian forces were ready to launch their counteroffensive, cautioning it could take some time and be costly. "We strongly believe that we will succeed," Zelenskiy said. "I don't know how long it will take. To be honest, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we are going to do it, and we are ready," he added. Zelenskiy said the Ukrainian Army had not received "all the weapons it hoped for, but we can't wait any longer." With reporting by AFP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-dnipro- child-killed/32443794.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 Belgium to Demand Answers After Ukraine Uses Its Weapons in Russia Raid Sputnik News 20230604 BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Belgium said it would demand clarifications from Ukraine after it reportedly used Belgian weapons and hardware supplied by NATO allies in a raid on Russian villages, media reported Sunday. Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder and Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib said they would raise the issue with Ukraine at the earliest opportunity, Le Soir daily reported citing sources in the know. Belgium has been supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine on condition that they will only be used to defend the Ukrainian territory, a source familiar with the matter told the newspaper. The Russian military said a sabotage and reconnaissance group entered the western Russian region of Belgorod on May 22, killing a civilian and wounding 13 others. Russian troops killed more than 70 militants. A Polish armed group confirmed on Sunday that it took part in the raid. US Media reported Saturday, citing US officials familiar with intelligence findings, that Ukrainian militants were armed with Belgian and Czech rifles and at least one AT-3 anti-tank weapon, which is used by US and allied troops. The Ukrainians drove mine-resistant MRAP armored vehicles donated to Ukraine by the US and Poland. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Military Disperses Ukrainian Armed Group in Belgorod Region Sputnik News 20230604 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - An artillery strike dispersed a Ukrainian armed group as it attempted an inroad into western Russia near the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka on Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "On June 4, border defense units of the Western Military District and border guards of the Russian Federal Security Service detected an attempt by a sabotage and reconnaissance group of Ukrainian terrorists to cross a river near the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka, in the Belgorod Region," it said. "The enemy was hit by artillery fire. The enemy was dispersed and pulled back," the ministry added. Earlier in the day, the regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said that fighting was underway between Russian forces and a Ukrainian sabotage group in the western Russian village of Novaya Tavolzhanka in the Belgorod Region. "They entered as a sabotage and intelligence-gathering group. A battle is underway in Novaya Tavolzhanka. I hope they will all be eliminated," Gladkov said in a video address on social media. Gladkov said Ukrainian saboteurs had offered a swap for people they captured during the incursion. He said he feared that prisoners had been killed but agreed to meet for talks at a checkpoint in the Russian town of Shebekino, bordering Ukraine's Khrarkov region. The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that Russian troops had repelled three Ukrainian cross-border attacks near Shebekino in Belgorod Region. A dormitory in Shebekino was set alight and an administrative budding was damaged in the attacks, local authorities said. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address West Keeps Leveling Up Capacities of Weapons Supplied to Ukraine - Kremlin Sputnik News 20230604 PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY, Russia (Sputnik) - Weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western countries are becoming more and more advanced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday, adding that possible deliveries of long-range missiles are fraught with a new escalation. "Indeed, the level of tactical and technical characteristics of the weapons that are going [to Ukraine] is constantly rising. Now we can already see the beginning of discussions on the supply of missiles with a range of 500 kilometers [310 miles] or more from France and Germany. This is a completely different type of weapon," Peskov told reporters, adding that such deliveries would bring about a new phase of escalation. He added that these developments force Russia to be "more concentrated, stronger, more mobilized" and to continue the special military operation. Last week, German newspaper cited sources as saying that Kiev had asked Germany to supply Taurus missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers. In late May, Roderich Kiesewetter, a German lawmaker from the opposition Christian Democratic Union, said Berlin should abandon "red lines" in its approach to the Ukrainian conflict and supply Kiev with cruise missiles with a range of more than 500 kilometers. Western countries have been providing military aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's special military operation in February. The aid includes both light and heavy weapons, such as tanks and other armored vehicles, missiles, drones, artillery and ammunition. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Launches Group Missile Strike on Targets at Ukraine's Military Airfields Sputnik News 20230604 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian military carried out a group strike with long-range precision weapons against enemy targets at military airfields, the Defense Ministry said on Sunday, adding that the strikes were successful. "Last night, the Russian armed forces carried out a long-range high-precision air-launched group strike against enemy targets at military airfields. The purpose of the strike was achieved. Command and control posts, radar posts, Ukrainian aircraft, and storage facilities with weapons and ammunition were hit," the ministry said. The ministry added that Ukraine lost up to 440 military over the past 24 hours in the Donetsk, South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions. Russian Military Hits Ukraine's UAV Assembly Facility Near Dnepropetrovsk The Russian military has hit Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicles' (UAV) assembly facility near the city of Dnepropetrovsk with ground-based precision weapons, MoD added. "A facility for the assembly of Ukrainian UAVs has been hit by ground-based precision weapons near the city of Dnepropetrovsk," the ministry said in a statement. In addition, the command and observation posts of Ukrainian battalions were hit near the settlements of Poltavka in the Zaporozhye region and Toretsk in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). Russia began striking Ukrainian infrastructure on October 10, two days after the attack on the Crimean bridge. The strikes are targeting energy, defense industry, military command and communications facilities throughout Ukraine. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The time will come when children on Earth, including those in Ukraine, will be protected from such evil as Russian - address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy President of Ukraine 4 June 2023 - 20:02 Dear Ukrainians! The rescue operation in the town of Pidhorodne, Dnipro region, where a Russian missile destroyed houses, has already been completed. 25 people were injured, five of them children. Davyd, who is 6 years old, is in serious condition and hospitalized. Denys, 11, is also in serious condition and hospitalized. Oleksandr, 15, is also in serious condition. Liza, 17 years old, is undergoing outpatient treatment. Kira, 10 years old, has a mine-blast injury, she is undergoing outpatient treatment. It is painful to see such reports. Liza, a 2-year-old girl, was killed by this Russian missile. Probably an Iskander missile. My condolences to the family and friends... The Russian terror has claimed the lives of hundreds of our children, and only since February 24, during the full-scale war, we know for sure that 485 children have been killed. This is a number that we can officially confirm, knowing the data of each child. Unfortunately, the real number is higher. Every time we liberate our land from the Russian occupiers, we learn the terrible truth about the occupation. About how many people, how many children are buried in the occupied territory - in the graves of this war, this aggression. And how many more are still under the ruins in Ukrainian cities and villages burned by Russia. So far, unfortunately, we do not have complete information about the hundreds of thousands of children who were deported to Russia. As of today, thanks to various efforts, 371 children have been returned to Ukraine from deportation. At the same time, we know for sure about at least 19,505 deported Ukrainian children, and this is only a part of all our little Ukrainians who are still in the hands of the enemy. We must return them all. Today in our country is the day of remembrance for children who died as a result of Russian aggression. Since 2014. Children who would have been alive if a bunch of thugs in the Kremlin, in Moscow, hadn't considered themselves chieftains who allegedly had the right to decide the fate of nations. Each of these bandits will be convicted. I have no doubt about it. All the necessary legal institutions are working for this result. And today, on this day of remembrance, I want to thank everyone in the world who supports our efforts for justice. For the sake of punishing everyone who brought terror to our land, everyone who kills and deports children and adults. I am grateful to everyone in the world who helps the work of the International Criminal Court and its team in investigating Russian crimes on Ukrainian soil. And who helps us organize a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine - for the original crime that gave rise to all the other terrible crimes of this war. Let the verdicts against the ruscists that they will one day hear in the dock - lawful and just verdicts - be evidence that the world will still protect life, protect civilization. And that the time will come when children on Earth - in Ukraine and elsewhere - will be protected from such evil as Russian evil and from such aggressions. That is why it is so important that the power of justice, the power of accountability, be a powerful reminder of every life that was taken by evil, by Russia. And today part of this accountability - a mandatory part - is sanctions. Sanctions from the world that make Russia pay the price for what it is doing. Sanctions that should limit Russia's capacity for terror to the maximum. Today I held a special meeting on sanctions. The Main Intelligence Directorate, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Government, the Office. We analyzed in great detail how Russia circumvents sanctions and who helps it. Different countries, different companies, without which Russia would not be able to produce terrorist weapons, including missiles. Unfortunately, the terrorist state manages to use the technologies of the world through a network of suppliers, and manages to circumvent international sanctions regimes. We see every direction of circumvention of existing sanctions, every country whose territory or jurisdiction, whose citizens are used by Russia to continue terror. And we must close all such areas - together with our partners - to ensure that Russian missiles and weapons do not contain products of the free world. The necessary steps will be taken. Thank you to everyone who helps us fight the evil of aggression! Glory to all our warriors! And thank you for this day on the frontline. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEWARK, Del, June 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The water-based inks market is projected to reach a value of US$ 9,120.0 million in 2023 and is expected to exceed US$ 12,415.0 million by 2033. The market is capturing a CAGR of 3.1% during the forecast period. Water-based inks are gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to solvent-based inks due to their environmental friendliness. Drivers for the demand for water-based inks include stringent environmental regulations, health and safety considerations, packaging industry requirements, technological advancements, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. For More Info on this Market, Get your Sample Report here @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-17341 However, companies in the market also face challenges such as performance and durability limitations, equipment and infrastructure adjustments, education and awareness gaps, and cost considerations. Opportunities in the industry lie in market expansion, technological innovations, collaborations and partnerships, and education and awareness campaigns. Ongoing trends in the market include the focus on bio-based and renewable materials, customization and special effects, digital transformation and e-commerce, and integration of smart technologies. Europe: Europe captures a market share of 17.9% in the market. The region has witnessed a shift towards sustainable packaging materials, driven by consumer preferences and regulatory requirements. Collaboration between industry players and governmental bodies has fostered innovation and supported the growth of the water-based inks market in Europe. United States: The United States has a significant share of the global water-based inks market, with a market share of 18.7% in 2022. Stringent environmental regulations and consumer preference for sustainable products have driven the adoption of water-based inks in the country. India: A significant increase in demand for water-based inks has been witnessed in India. The market in the country is experiencing a steady growth of 6.0%. Factors such as increasing environmental awareness, the expansion of the packaging industry, regulatory support, technological advancements, and the demand for sustainable printing solutions have contributed to this growth. The United Kingdom: The country has a mature printing industry and a strong market for water-based inks, with a projected growth rate of 2.1% from 2023 to 2033. Environmental regulations, sustainability initiatives, and consumer demand for eco-friendly printing solutions have driven the adoption of water-based inks in the United Kingdom. Expand operations in the future - ask for a customized report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-17341 Recent Developments: DIC Corporation and BASF SE: In 2020, DIC Corporation, a leading Japanese ink manufacturer, announced a strategic collaboration with BASF SE, a global chemical company. Siegwerk and Agfa Graphics: Siegwerk, a global provider of printing inks for packaging applications, partnered with Agfa Graphics, a leading supplier of prepress and inkjet systems, in 2018. Toyo Ink Group and DYO Printing Inks: Toyo Ink Group, a Japanese ink manufacturer, acquired DYO Printing Inks, a leading Turkish ink company, in 2019. The acquisition aimed to strengthen Toyo Ink Group's presence in the European and Middle Eastern markets for water-based inks. Key market players operating in the water-based inks market include DIC Corporation; Flint Group; Hubergroup; Sakata Inx Corporation; Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA; T&K TOKA Co. Ltd.; Toyo Ink SC Holdings Co., Ltd.; Fujifilm Holdings Corporation; American Inks & Technology; and Wikoff Color Corporation. Segmentation Analysis: By Printing Process: Flexographic Gravure Lithographic Digital Screen Others (Letterpress, etc.) By Application: Packaging and Labeling Publishing and Printing Textiles Flexible Films and Laminations Others (Decorative Printing, Wallpaper, etc.) By Colorants: Organic Inorganic Metallic Fluorescent Specialty By End Use: Food and Beverage Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Personal Care and Cosmetics Textiles and Apparel Paper and Packaging Others (Automotive, Electronics, etc.) By Region: North America Latin America Europe East Asia South Asia Oceania The Middle East & Africa Speak to Our Analyst @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-17341 Table of Content (ToC): 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Market Outlook 1.2. Demand-side Trends 1.3. Supply-side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Market Background 3.1. Market Dynamics 3.2. Scenario Forecast 3.3. Product launches & Recent Developments 3.4. Product Life Cycle Analysis 3.5. Value Chain Analysis 4. Global Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast, 2023 to 2033 4.1. Historical Market Size Value (US$ Million) & Volume (Tonnes) Analysis, 2018 to 2022 4.2. Current and Future Market Size Value (US$ Million) & Volume (Tonnes) Projections, 2023 to 2033 5. Global Analysis 2018 to 2022 and Forecast 2023 to 2033, By Printing Process 5.1. Introduction / Key Findings 5.2. Historical Market Size Value (US$ Million) & Volume (Tonnes) Analysis By Printing Process, 2018 to 2022 5.3. Current and Future Market Size Value (US$ Million) & Volume (Tonnes) Analysis and Forecast By 5.3.1. Printing Process, 2023 to 2033 5.3.2. Flexographic Get details for Water-based Inks Market 333 pages ToC Report About the Packaging Division at Future Market Insights (FMI): The packaging division at Future Market Insights provides an in-depth historical analysis and projections for the next ten years and covers the competitive landscape through a unique dashboard view. Ranging from packaging materials, and packaging machinery to packaging designs & formats, Future Market Insights has an exhaustive database for these industry verticals, serving clients with unique research offerings and strategic recommendations. With a repository of 1,000+ reports, the team has analysed the packaging industry comprehensively in 50+ countries. The team evaluates every node of the value chain and provides end-to-end research and consulting services; reach out to explore how we can help. Explore Research Related Reports of Packaging: Direct-to-Shape Inkjet Printers Market Size: The global direct-to-shape inkjet printers market is estimated at US$ 3.8 Billion in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 6.6 Billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2022 to 2030. Direct Thermal Inks & Coating Market Share: Geographically, the global Direct Thermal Inks & Coating market is segmented into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Western Europe, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Inkjet Printers Market Trends: The global inkjet printers market is expected to be valued at over US$ 52.1 Billion in 2022 and is expected to procure significant market value during the forecast period. The market is likely to record at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2022 to 2028. Continuous Inkjet Ink Market Analysis: The global continuous inkjet inks market is estimated at US$ 337.6 Million in 2022 and is projected to reach US$ 488.6 Million by 2030, at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2022 to 2030. Light-Changing Packaging Inks Market Outlook: During the forecast period, the light-changing packaging inks market size is expected to increase from US$ 9,500 Million in 2022 to US$ 15,470 Million by 2032. Thermal Inkjet Inks Market Overview: In 2022, the global thermal inkjet inks market was predicted to be valued at US$ 1152.3 Million. According to the report published by Future Market Insights, the market is anticipated to reach nearly US$ 1896.3 Million by 2032, with a growing CAGR of 5.1% from 2022 to 2032. Eco-Friendly Inks Market Growth: By 2032, industry is expected to consistently expand at a 5.8% CAGR. According to FMI, the eco-friendly inks market is expected to expand its revenue share from US$ 4.3 billion in 2022 to US$ 7.5 billion by 2032. Low Migration Inks Market Demand: The low migration inks market size is projected to be worth US$ 1.4 billion in 2023. The market is likely to surpass US$ 2.8 billion by 2033. It is expected to showcase growth at an impressive CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period. Waterproof Label Market Forecast: The waterproof label market is anticipated to rise to US$ 9.1 billion in 2022 and estimated to reach US$ 13.1 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 3.7% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2032. Water Activated Tape Dispensers Market Scope: Rapid industrialization in APEJ region is expected to drive the water activated tape market in the region hence accounting for most of the water activated tape dispensers market. About Future Market Insights (FMI): Future Market Insights, Inc. (ESOMAR certified, Stevie Award - recipient market research organization and a member of Greater New York Chamber of Commerce) provides in-depth insights into governing factors elevating the demand in the market. It discloses opportunities that will favor the market growth in various segments on the basis of Source, Application, Sales Channel and End Use over the next 10-years. Contact Us: Melbourne, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the new market research report Synchronous Condenser Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Cooling Type (Hydrogen-Cooles, Air-Cooled, Water-Cooled), Type (New & Refurbished), Starting Method (Static Frequency Converter, Pony Motor), End-User, Reactive Power Rating and Region, Supply & Demand Side Analysis, and Segment Forecasts, 2023-2030, published by Delvens, the global Synchronous Condenser Market is expected to reach $947.1 million by 2030 from $615.2 million in 2022, registering impressive expansion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.7%. Synchronous Condenser Market research report gives most appropriate and specific information to the decision makers in the Energy industry which saves their time and result in excellent output. The report carefully analyses the potential of the market with respect to current scenario and the future prospects with respect to several industry aspects. This Synchronous Condenser Market business report explains several market factors such as market estimates and forecasts, entry strategies, opportunity analysis, market positioning, competitive landscape, product positioning, market assessment and viability studies. The best solution is offered with the systematic study of all these parameters that is performed by the experts. Click Here for a Free Sample + Related Graphs of the Report at: https://www.delvens.com/get-free-sample/synchronous-condenser-market-trends-forecast-till-2028 Some of the major players are ABB, Siemens Energy, GE, Eaton, Voith Group, Fuji Electric, WEG, BRUSH Group, ANDRITZ, Ansaldo Energia, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., BHEL, Ideal Electric Power Co., Power Systems & Controls, Electromechanical Engineering Associates, Anhui Zhongdian (ZDDQ) Electric Co., Shanghai Electric, Ingeteam, Doosan Skoda Power, and Hangzhou Jingcheng Electrical Equipment Co. among others. A synchronous machine called a condenser is used to control voltage variation and enhance power factors. It is a mechanically load-free motor. It can generate VAr and excite the field winding. The system is cooled down using it, and the desired voltage is maintained. It has a shaft that rotates freely and is not attached to anything. It can change the conditions necessary for the electrical power transmission grid and specify the amounts of electricity flowing into a grid from reactive power. The distribution system is under higher strain due to the lower power factor's increased current draw and increased electrical load. A synchronous condenser is used in Power Factor Correction to ensure stability and can boost efficiency. It is utilized in today's power grids, renewable resource production facilities like solar, wind, hydro, nuclear, and coal-fired power plants, as well as electricity distribution networks. The expense of synchronous condensation maintenance is significant. Over-excitation occurs when the motor draws a leading current and functions as a capacitor when it operates at a leading power factor. When the voltage leads the current at a 90 angle. Under-excitation: When the motor is run at a lagging power factor, it works as an inductor by providing a leading current while drawing a trailing current from the system. Synchronous Condenser Market Overview The synchronous condenser's ability to continuously change reactive power is one of its key advantages. To increase the power factor in a static capacitor bank, the synchronous condenser is designed using cutting-edge technology. At distribution and transmission voltage levels, synchronous condensers are typically employed to increase stability and maintain voltages within acceptable limits during varying load conditions and contingency situations. A solid integrated pole stator and rotor, a cooling system (hydrogen, air, or water), an excitation system, a supply of lubricating oil, a step-up transformer, and an auxiliary transformer make up the synchronous condenser. An established, well-known technology with benefits is the synchronous condenser. A synchronous condenser has a high system inertia by nature because it is a rotating machine. Increased voltage rigidity, which enhances the system's overall performance, is an advantage of inertia. Increased short-term overload capability increases system support during crises, contingencies, or even under extremely low voltage contingencies by supplying more than twice its rating for a short period. It stays linked and gives the grid smooth, dependable operation and true short-circuit strength, enhancing system protection and boosting system stability with weak interconnections. Synchronous Condenser Market Segmentation Analysis According to the starting approach, the static frequency converter sector is anticipated to represent the largest market during the forecast period. During the projected period, the static frequency converter sector is anticipated to be the largest. Static converters are in high demand in the global market for synchronous condensers because they are less noisy and take up less space than mechanical converters with large machinery. The need for static frequency converters is anticipated to increase due to the need for reduced installation costs. The segment of the worldwide synchronous condenser market with the highest reactive power rating is anticipated to grow at the quickest rate during the forecast period. Based on reactive power ratings, the market has been classified into three groups: up to 100 MVAr, 101-200 MVAr, and above 200 MVAr. During the projected period, it is expected that above 200 MVAr will grow at the fastest rate. Low cost, good power quality, extremely low harmonic emission, and short-circuit power capacity are just a few advantages that these systems have to offer. For synchronous condensers more powerful than 200 MVAr, hydrogen is the cooling technique that is most usually employed. The increasing use of huge hydrogen-cooled synchronous condensers is expected to drive the market. Regional Insights North America is predicted to experience the fastest growth in the worldwide synchronous condenser market between 2022 and 2030, followed by Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. In North America, major efforts are being made to upgrade outdated infrastructure to improve grid stability and resilience and develop smart power networks. The North American power industry is currently facing challenges related to the grid integration of various distributed generating sources, carbon regulations, energy efficiency goals, and other issues. A substantial digital operational revolution is taking place in the local utilities. The main concerns of power system operators are decentralization, digitization, and decarbonization. These industry shifts are what is driving the market in North America. To Grow Your Business Revenue, Make an Inquiry Before Buying at: https://www.delvens.com/Inquire-before-buying/synchronous-condenser-market-trends-forecast-till-2028 Synchronous Condenser Market Outlook Driver: Growing use of renewable and sustainable energy sources and increasing investments in capacity additions Countries are turning to clean energy sources as a result of government initiatives to address environmental problems like global warming, carbon emissions, and rising pollution. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 38% of the installed power production capacity worldwide in 2021 came from renewable sources. Over the next ten years, there will likely be a shift in the balance of power generation, with utility-scale solar, distributed generation and storage, and grid-scale energy storage all predicted to grow significantly. Global investments in renewable energy technology have increased over the past ten years and are expected to reach USD 359 billion in 2020. Even as the COVID-19 epidemic affected the electricity market, the global capital investment for renewables climbed by about 7% in 2020 compared to 2019. The rapidly growing demand for renewable energy technologies is a result of the quickly decreasing installation cost of solar panels brought on by rapid technological breakthroughs. So, throughout the projected period, the demand for synchronous condensers is anticipated to be fueled by the growing adoption of renewable energy power production technologies. Restraint: High manufacturing and maintenance costs Synchronous condensers are quite expensive to produce because they need a lot of expensive raw materials like copper and aluminum. For a single synchronous condenser, the maintenance costs typically fall between USD 0.4/kVAr per year and USD 0.8/kVAr per year. It needs a significant amount of power to run constantly without a load. Installing new synchronous condensers often costs hundreds of thousands of dollars per megawatt hour, whereas refurbishing or converting from generators to synchronous condensers costs between $20,000 and $50,000 per megawatt hour. Synchronous condensers are more expensive than alternatives since they can also be used as DC-excited synchronous motors. Synchronous condensers are the least common product on the market when compared to other options like capacitor banks and shunt reactors. Opportunities: Conversion of existing synchronous generators into synchronous condensers Due to the decommissioning of outdated power generation facilities, environmental regulations, increasing competition from gas-fired turbines, and an abundance of renewable energy sources, the growth of the conventional power production source market is diminishing. Many outdated coal-fired power stations in North America and Europe have been shut down as a result of these causes. 21 nations have committed to getting rid of coal-fired electrical generation since the Paris Agreement was announced. Coal power stations have been phased down in Belgium, Austria, and Sweden. Operators have planned for 14.9 gigawatts (GW) of electric generating capacity to be out of service in the US during 2022, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Coal-fired power facilities are expected to retire the most (85%), followed by natural gas (8%) and nuclear (5%). Challenges: Availability of low-cost substitute To reinforce and stabilize the grid systems, synchronous condensers are utilized to increase power factors by either absorbing or producing reactive power. The industry offers some low-cost alternatives to the synchronous condenser, including shunt reactors, capacitor banks, STATCOM, and static VAR compensators. At a reduced cost, these substitutes can likewise accomplish grid stability or dynamic voltage regulation. Additionally, synchronous condensers with long equipment lives and stability are not commonly used due to their expensive equipment and maintenance costs. Key Companies & Market Share Insights Some of the key players operating in the global Synchronous Condenser market are ABB, Siemens Energy, GE, Eaton, Voith Group, Fuji Electric, WEG, BRUSH Group, ANDRITZ, Ansaldo Energia, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., BHEL, Ideal Electric Power Co., Power Systems & Controls, Electromechanical Engineering Associates, Anhui Zhongdian (ZDDQ) Electric Co., Shanghai Electric, Ingeteam, Doosan Skoda Power, and Hangzhou Jingcheng Electrical Equipment Co. among others. Recent Developments Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd. awarded a contract to ANDRITZ Group in March 2022 to provide the hydro- and electromechanical equipment for the 216-MW Upper Trishuli 1 hydropower plant, a run-of-river facility in Nepal operated by Nepal Water & Energy Development Company Pvt. Ltd. The fundamental and detailed design of the turbine and generator components, complete electrical power systems, balance of plant, automation, installation, and commissioning are all included in the order for the electromechanical equipment. Statkraft, the largest renewable energy producer in Europe, granted ABB a significant turnkey contract in August 2021 to design, build, and install two high-inertia synchronous condenser systems for the Lister Drive Greener Grid project in Liverpool in Northwest England. Two static synchronous compensators (STATCOM) systems and two synchronous condensers will be ordered by the Italian transmission system operator Terna S.p.A (Terna) in May 2021 to ensure the stability of the Italian grid. Industrial e Comercio de Turbinals e Transmisses Ltda. (TGM) was purchased by WEG in January 2021. TGM is a Brazilian company that specializes in thermal and wind energy and offers equipment and solutions to power generator drivers. The product portfolio of WEG in the areas of energy generation and industrial electronic equipment would increase as a result of this acquisition. Global Synchronous Condenser Market Table of Contents Insulation Type Outlook New Synchronous Conder Refurbished Synchronous Condenser Cooling Technology Outlook Hydrogen-Cooled Synchronous Condenser Air-Cooled Synchronous Condenser Water-Cooled Synchronous Condenser Starting Method Outlook Static Frequency Converter Pony Motor Others End User Outlook Electrical Utilities Industrial Sector Regional Outlook Europe Germany U.K. France Italy Spain Sweden Austria Finland Belgium Turkey Russia Poland Hungary Czech Republic Switzerland Netherlands Rest of Europe North America U.S. Canada Mexico Asia-Pacific Japan China India Australia South Korea Vietnam New Zealand Philippines Thailand Malaysia Hong Kong Taiwan Singapore Indonesia Sri Lanka Rest of Asia-Pacific South America Brazil Argentina Chile Colombia Rest of South America Middle East And Africa South Africa U.A.E. Saudi Arabia Oman Qatar Iran Egypt Rest of Middle East and Africa Direct Purchase of Synchronous Condenser Market Research Report at: https://www.delvens.com/checkout/synchronous-condenser-market-trends-forecast-till-2028 Report Scope Report Feature Descriptions Growth Rate CAGR of 2.7% during the forecasting period, 2023-2030 Historical Data 2019-2021 Forecast Years 2023-2030 Base Year 2022 Units Considered Revenue in USD million and CAGR from 2023 to 2030 Report Segmentation Insulation, Cooling Technology, End-Use, and Region. Report Attribute Market Revenue Sizing (Global, Regional and Country Level) Company Share Analysis, Market Dynamics, Company Profiling Regional Level Scope North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East and Africa Country Level Scope U.S., Japan, Germany, U.K., China, India, Brazil, UAE, South Africa (50+ Countries Across the Globe) Companies Profiled ABB, Siemens Energy, GE, Eaton, Voith Group, Fuji Electric, WEG, BRUSH Group, ANDRITZ, Ansaldo Energia, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., BHEL, Ideal Electric Power Co., Power Systems & Controls, Electromechanical Engineering Associates, Anhui Zhongdian (ZDDQ) Electric Co., Shanghai Electric, Ingeteam, Doosan Skoda Power, and Hangzhou Jingcheng Electrical Equipment Co. among others. Available Customization In addition to the market data for the Synchronous Condenser Market, Delvens offers client-centric reports customized according to the companys specific demand and requirement. For More Energy Industry Reports: https://www.delvens.com/industry/energy Browse Related Reports: Hydrogen Energy Storage Market: https://www.delvens.com/report/hydrogen-energy-storage-market-trends-forecast-till-2030 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Market: https://www.delvens.com/report/electric-vehicle-ev-charger-market-trends-forecast-till-2030 Motor Monitoring Market: https://www.delvens.com/report/motor-monitoring-market-trends-forecast-till-2028 Recloser Market: https://www.delvens.com/report/recloser-market-trends-forecast-till-2028 Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Market: https://www.delvens.com/report/rotary-uninterruptible-power-supply-market-trends-forecast-till-2028 High-Speed Engine Market: https://www.delvens.com/report/high-speed-engine-market-trends-forecast-till-2028 About Delvens Delvens is a strategic advisory and consulting company headquartered in New Delhi, India. The company holds expertise in providing syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. Delvens qualitative and quantitative data is highly utilized by each level from niche to major markets, serving more than 1K prominent companies by assuring to provide information on the country, regional, and global business environment. We have a database for more than 45 industries in more than 115+ major countries globally. We use AI and machine learning to make existing offerings quicker and cheaper, as well as to offer new services which couldnt have been dreamt of a few years ago. From creating concepts to implementing them, we have the best-proven strategies that will help the organization and are assisting the organization to overcome the prevailing challenges and recognize recent opportunities before their competitors. We are capable of providing tailor-made research services keeping because of your specific requirements. We assure to provide the best possible services for all our clients. Our analysts are available for your assistance and will perfectly understand your needs and demand. Delvens database assists clients by providing in-depth information on crucial business decisions. Delvens offers significant facts and figures across various industries namely Healthcare, IT & Telecom, Chemicals & Materials, Semiconductor & Electronics, Energy, Pharmaceutical, Consumer Goods & Services, and Food & Beverages. Our company provides an exhaustive and comprehensive understanding of the business environment. To find out more, visit https://www.delvens.com/ or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact Us: Varsha Chaudhari Delvens Private Limited Unit No. 2126, Tower B, 21st Floor Alphathum, Sector 90 Noida 201305, IN D: +44 20 8638 5055 | C: +91 9561827515 | P: +0120 4569 248 varsha.chaudhari@delvens.com | sales@delvens.com Website: https://www.delvens.com/ Dublin, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Industrial Sugar Market by Type (White Sugar, Brown Sugar, & Liquid Sugar), Application (Dairy Products, Bakery Products, Confectionery, Beverages, & Pharmaceuticals), Source (Sugarcane & Sugar Beet) and Region - Global Forecast to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The industrial sugar market is projected to reach USD 59.1 billion by 2028 from USD 46.4 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period in terms of value. The demand for industrial sugar is driven by the growth in the food and beverage industry, which accounts for the majority of sugar consumption. The increasing demand for convenience foods and beverages has led to an increase in the use of sugar as a sweetener and preservative. The pharmaceutical and chemical industries also use sugar as a raw material in the production of various products. Moreover, the industrial sugar market is also influenced by the growing trend toward natural and organic food products, which has increased demand for organic sugar. Additionally, the market for alternative sweeteners, such as high-fructose corn syrup, is also impacting the demand for industrial sugar. By type, white sugar is projected in high demand during the forecast period. Several factors, including the growing demand for processed foods and beverages and the increasing use of sugar in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries, drive the global market for white sugar. The market is also influenced by factors such as sugar prices, government regulations, and the availability of raw sugar. Moreover, the raw sugar undergoes a refining process that removes impurities and produces a granulated, white product that is approximately 99.5% pure sucrose. This refined white sugar is commonly used in the food and beverage industry as a sweetener and in other industrial applications. By form, the market for granulated industrial sugar is projected in high demand Granulated sugar is commonly used as a sweetener in a wide variety of food and beverage products, including baked goods, confectionery, soft drinks, and other processed foods. The demand for granulated sugar is steady throughout the year because it is a common ingredient in many food and beverage products. The granulated sugar market is also influenced by various external factors such as changes in government regulations, weather conditions, and trade policies. For instance, changes in sugar import/export tariffs and quotas can impact the availability and prices of granulated sugar in different regions of the world. Asia Pacific will significantly contribute towards market growth during the forecast period The industrial sugar market in the Asia Pacific region has been experiencing steady growth over the past few years. This growth can be attributed to the dominance of domestic food manufacturers, which is driving the adoption of food & beverages industry in the region. Moreover, the food and beverage industry is the largest consumer of industrial sugar in the region, due to the high demand for sweeteners and other sugar-based ingredients in various food and beverage products. Additionally, the pharmaceutical and personal care industries are also driving the growth of the industrial sugar market in the region, as sugar is widely used in the production of medicines and cosmetic products. Market Dynamics Drivers Rise in Global Consumption of Sugar and Growth in International Trade Increasing Use of Sugar By-Products in Industries Rising Use of Beet Sugar as Raw Material in Beverage Production Restraints Need for Water-Consuming Monoculture Production Increasing Popularity of Alternate Sweeteners as Sugar Substitutes Opportunities Growing Need to Explore Potential of Sugarcane Crops Using Energy Optimization Increasing Development of the Global Sugar Industry Preferential Trade Agreements Governing Sugar Imports Challenges Fluctuations in Price and Availability of Sugar High Cost of Producing Sugar Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 242 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $46.4 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $59.1 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.0% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 5 Market Overview 6 Industry Trends 7 Industrial Sugar Market, by Form 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Granulated 7.2.1 Growing Demand for Processed Foods to Boost Growth of Granulated Sugar 7.3 Powdered 7.3.1 Popularity of Bakery and Confectionery Products to Drive Powdered Sugar Market in Developing Countries 7.4 Syrup 7.4.1 Increased Shelf Life of Syrup Sugar to Boost Use in the Food Industry 8 Industrial Sugar Market, by Source 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Sugarcane 8.2.1 Rising Consumption of Bakery Items to Propel Demand for Natural and Non-Gmo Sugarcane 8.3 Sugar Beet 8.3.1 Sugar Beet Cultivation to Promote Environmental Sustainability and Ensure Local Food Security 9 Industrial Sugar Market, by Type 9.1 Introduction 9.2 White Sugar 9.2.1 Versatility and Availability of White Sugar to Drive Its Popularity as an Important Ingredient in Food Industry 9.3 Brown Sugar 9.3.1 Popularity of Brown Sugar Expected to Rise with Consumers Seeking Healthy and Ethical Food Options 9.4 Liquid Sugar 9.4.1 Adaptability and Consistency of Liquid Sugar to Enhance Use in the Food Sector 10 Industrial Sugar Market, by Application 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Dairy Products 10.2.1 Rise in Popularity of Cream, Milk, and Cheese to Drive Growth of Industrial Sugar Market 10.3 Bakery Products 10.3.1 Increased Consumption of Bakery Products due to Rising Per Capita Incomes to Propel Market for Industrial Sugar 10.4 Confectionery 10.4.1 Rising Consumption of Gummies and Jellies Among Youth to Boost Growth of Industrial Sugar 10.5 Beverages 10.5.1 Increasing Inclination Toward Refreshment Drinks to Boost Use of Sugar in Beverages 10.6 Canned & Frozen Foods 10.6.1 Growing Popularity of Canned Fruits and Ice Creams to Drive Market for Industrial Sugar 10.7 Pharmaceuticals 10.7.1 Rising Use of High-Quality Sugar in Pharma Formulations to Boost Growth of the Industrial Sugar Market 10.8 Other Applications 11 Industrial Sugar Market, by Region 12 Competitive Landscape 13 Company Profiles 14 Adjacent & Related Markets 15 Appendix Companies Mentioned Al Khaleej Sugar American Crystal Sugar Company Associated British Foods PLC Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar Ltd. Bannari Amman Group Canal Sugar Cargill, Inc. Dalmia Bharat Group Dhampur Bio Organics Limited Dhanraj Sugars Pvt. Ltd. Dwarikesh Sugar Industries Limited Lantic Inc. Louis Dreyfus Company Mehta Group Michigan Sugar Company Mitr Phol Group Nile Sugar Rajshree Sugars & Chemicals Limited (Rscl) Rana Group Raizen Shree Renuka Sugars Sudzucker AG Tereos Thai Sugar Group Upper Ganges Sugar & Industries Limited For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/oakbt9 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 English French SAINT-JEROME, Quebec, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We are proud to announce that Bofu Agence Marketing recently obtained the CONCILIVI seal, which recognizes companies advocating better work-family balance for its employees. This recognition reinforces our commitment to our team and our understanding of their priorities in 2023. We believe that work should be part of our lives, not the other way around. At Bofu, we offer 100% remote working with flexible scheduling and digital tools to facilitate communication, task management and workload. We support family logistics by implementing a flexible time off policy, access to telemedicine and an employee and family assistance program. We also offer social benefits adapted to the reality of our employees, as well as paid training and a motivating career path. Our human-centric approach aims to create a balanced and positive work environment for all. We are proud to have obtained the CONCILIVI seal, which recognizes our efforts in terms of work-family balance. But our efforts will not stop there, because we are now aiming to obtain B Corp certification, which highlights companies that meet societal and environmental, governance and transparency requirements. Adding this certification is important to us as it would further strengthen our commitment to the environment and society, with the aim of leaving a positive impact on our employees, our customers, and our communities. Quote "We're proud of the commitment we have to all of the amazing people on our team to provide them with a work environment that supports work-life balance. Our priority is the well-being of the members of our organization in order to provide the best service and the best results." - Marc-Antoine Rioux, Co-Founder About Bofu Marketing Agency BOFU is a team of experts passionate about the success of its customers. Its raison d'etre is to lend a hand to the marketing department and key decision-makers of local businesses, by establishing and executing optimized, innovative, bold and tailor-made growth strategies according to their needs and objectives. www.bofu.ca/en Information : Marc-Antoine Rioux, Co-Founder Bofu Marketing Agency Cell : (438) 501-0955 marc@bofu.ca A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a123b420-fd10-4a49-8fa4-2ad7fa788b49 VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Georgia Lake Lithium District has a proven track record of economic Li deposits dating back to the mid 1950s. Victorys 2,263 hectare Georgia Lake property is located 1.8 kilometers east of Rock Tech Lithium Inc.s (TSXV-RCK) North Spodumene Pegmatite Area (NSPA) where a positive Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") was announced on November 15, 2022 supporting a proposed open pit and underground mine operation along with the construction of a 1,000,000 tonne-per-annum spodumene concentrator https://www.rocktechlithium.com/de/news/georgia-lake-project:-pre-feasibility-study-published Three new LCT-type Li bearing pegmatites named Line 20, Camp 38, and Conway East were discovered by Rock Tech near the eastern border of their NSPA during the 2022 field and was announced on Jan. 31, 2023 Rock Tech Lithium: Positive Assay Results of Summer Exploration Program and Three New Prospects at Georgia Lake (prnewswire.com) These recently discovered LCT pegmatites on Rock Techs NSPA ground is considered very encouraging with respect to Victorys claims and current 2023 exploration program which is now underway Victorys property shares similar geology and is along strike from Rock Techs advanced NSPA property. Victorys ground is recognized as being highly prospective for the discovery of new LCT pegmatites on this under-explored property which has never been subject to systematic exploration and drilling using modern exploration techniques Rock Tech Lithium (TSXV: RCK) is building a lithium ore processing facility for custom milling in Thunder Bay, to be online in early 2024, which with Ontario Government support will support mineral processing from other nearby Li mines VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA (5 June 2023) Victory Battery Metals (CSE: VR) (FWB: VR61) (OTC: VRCFF) (Victory or the Company) is excited to announce the Companys exploration team is onsite conducting its summer exploration program at its Georgia Lake Lithium Project in the Thunder Bay Mining District, Ontario. The Georgia Lake Lithium project is a strong lithium play in a proven lithium region. Our work program is being led by two geologists along with two prospectors and has been designed towards identifying geological or geochemical indicators of Li bearing pegmatites on the Georgia Lake Property, said Mr. Mark Ireton, Victorys President and CEO. Victorys Georgia Lake Lithium Project Exploration Program Details The current exploration program consists of prospecting and sampling, as well as rock, till and stream sediment sampling directed towards identifying geological or geochemical indicators of Li bearing pegmatites on the Georgia Lake Property, and has been designed to build upon the information below: Muscovite bearing granites are associated with lithium bearing pegmatites on Rock Techs property, which lies 1.8 km west of Victory Battery Metals Georgia Lake Property. The majority of the lithium bearing pegmatites occur within the metasediments which underlie both properties. These granites are shown to the south and east of the Georgia Lake Property on Pyes 1965 regional map. 1 This is the only mapping that has been done over Victorys ground and is likely based on widely spaced traverses that would not have covered the area in detail This is the only mapping that has been done over Victorys ground and is likely based on widely spaced traverses that would not have covered the area in detail As the property is underlain by metasediments, and muscovite granites occur close to the property to the west, south and east, Victory considers the Georgia Lake Property to be highly prospective for Li bearing pegmatites overlooked during regional mapping The discovery of new Li bearing pegmatite prospects on the Rock Tech ground is considered very encouraging with respect to Victorys program on its under-explored Georgia Lake Property a few kilometers to the east Figure 1: Victorys Georgia Lake Project in relation to Rock Techs Project About Georgia Lake Lithium Victorys Georgia Lake property is 2 km east of Rock Tech Resources advanced lithium project within the Georgia Lake lithium District and hosts numerous Li bearing pegmatites A 2022 Technical Report on the Georgia Lake Property produced a Mineral Resource estimate which outlined 10.60 million tonnes (Mt) Indicated Mineral Resource at a grade of 0.88% Li2O and 4.22 Mt of Inferred Mineral Resource at a grade of 1.0% Li2O https://www.rocktechlithium.com/de/news/georgia-lake-project:-pre-feasibility-study-published In the Georgia Lake Lithium District, spodumene bearing pegmatites occur almost entirely within metasediments, usually spatially associated with mica bearing granitic rocks. Regional mapping by Pye (1965) indicates that Victorys Georgia Lake property is largely underlain by metasediments Pegmatites and mica granites are reported to the south, west and east of the Property Mapping on Rock Techs ground has outlined additional bodies of mica granite not shown on Pyes map, suggesting the possibility that previously unmapped mica granites and associated pegmatites may be found on Victorys ground as well Scientific and technical information contained in this press release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Helgi Sigurgeirson, Victory Geologist, and a "qualified person" under NI 43-101. 1 http://www.geologyontario.mndm.gov.on.ca/mndmfiles/pub/data/records/R031.html For further information, please contact: Mark Ireton, President Telephone: +1 (236) 317 2822 or TOLL FREE 1 (855) 665-GOLD (4653) E-mail: info@victorybatterymetals.com About Victory Battery Metals VICTORY BATTERY METALS (CSE: VR) is a publicly traded diversified investment corporation with mineral interests in North America. The Company is also actively seeking other exploration opportunities. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. Attachment NEW YORK, NY, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NANO Nuclear), an emerging micro-Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Advanced Nuclear Reactor (ANR) technology company lead by a world class nuclear engineering team developing smaller, cheaper and safer advanced portable nuclear energy solutions utilizing proprietary novel reactor designs, is pleased to announce that former State Department Senior Advisor Mark Nichols has joined the companys executive advisory board in the role of Executive Advisor for Military, Defense and Policy. As an emerging technology company in the nuclear energy space, it is imperative that we cultivate healthy working relationships with key policy and thought leaders in our industry, notably in Washington D.C., said Jay Jiang Yu, NANO Nuclears Founder, Executive Chairman and President. Mark is a strategic renewable energy leader and has spent his career developing relationships and expertise in Washington D.C. and will add tremendous value to our executive advisory board as we seek to further develop our products and bring them to market. Mr. Nichols has an extensive background in European affairs, energy, infrastructure, commodities, emerging markets and national security. During the Clinton Administration, Mr. Nichols was Senior Advisor at the State Department in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Europe. He has also served at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and at Wesley K. Clark & Associates, where he represented clients in the energy and defense sectors, including an electric vehicle manufacturer, an interoperability defense communications firm, a biometrics firm, and a cyber security company. Today, he is President of Seven Summits, a strategic advisory firm in Washington D.C. focused on energy, infrastructure and national security. It is a pleasure to be involved with an exciting sustainable and clean technology energy venture like NANO Nuclear, said Mark Nichols, NANO Nuclear Energys Executive Advisor for Military, Defense and Policy. There is an incredible amount of momentum in the industry right now, especially as the ADVANCE Act heads to the full Senate with widespread bipartisan support. The industry is ripe for innovation and NANO Nuclears senior leadership team has impressed me with their dedication, execution of milestones, and future roadmap. I look forward to working closely with them. Figure 1 Mark Nichols, Executive Advisor for Military, Defense and Policy The United States has accelerated its micro-small modular reactor plans in recent years, a trend NANO Nuclear hopes to capitalize on. The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023 is pending bipartisan legislation that prioritizes the future of American energy security by establishing commonsense policies to help deploy nuclear energy. The legislation would empower the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop regulations for advanced nuclear reactors and establish an initiative to enhance preparedness to qualify and license advanced nuclear fuels. It would also seek to establish policies to enable the continued operation of current reactors and give certainty for capital investments in building new reactors, modernize outdated rules that restrict international investment and reduce the cost to license advanced nuclear reactor technologies. Also, the Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office is investigating portable nuclear reactors through Project Pele, while the U.S. Air Force is focused on the use of fixed-site applications of microreactors. Project Pele is a whole-of-government effort, with critical expertise provided by the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. In addition, the Air Force Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety, and Infrastructure is working with the Air Force Office of Energy Assurance, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Environment and Energy Resilience, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to facilitate its microreactor pilot. The addition of Mark to our executive advisory board instantly strengthens our capabilities and it is a pleasure to welcome him to the NANO Nuclear team, said James Walker, NANO Nuclear Energys CEO and Head of Nuclear Reactor Development. As U.S. government moves firmly ahead towards encouraging the development of promising new nuclear energy solutions, a strong relationship with policymakers is crucial for our plans to further develop our products, ultimately drive sales and help ensure that NANO Nuclear continues to be a streamlined and efficient player in the marketplace. Marks connections and experience will be vital to us in this regard. About NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. is an emerging micro-Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Advanced Nuclear Reactor (ANR) technology company lead by a world class nuclear engineering team developing smaller, cheaper and safer advanced portable nuclear energy solutions utilizing proprietary novel reactor designs. NANO Nuclear is committed to incorporating the latest technology into its own proprietary novel reactor designs, intellectual properties, and research methods. NANO Nuclears subsidiary, HALEU Energy Fuel Inc., will focus on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry and providing fuel to power NANO Nuclear reactors. NANO Nuclears products in technical development are ZEUS, a solid core battery reactor, and ODIN, a low-pressure coolant reactor, each of which represent advanced developments in portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear micro reactors. For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/ For further information, please contact: Email: Info@NanoNuclearEnergy.com Business Tel: (212) 634-9206 PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE: NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE NANO Nuclear Energy TWITTER NANO Nuclear Energy INSTAGRAM Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release and the statements of NANO Nuclears management contained or made in connection herewith contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "will", "should", "could", "would" hope, "may" and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management's current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear Energy Inc., particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following which are, and will be, exacerbated by any worsening of global business and economic environment: (i) risks related to the development of new or advanced technology, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, development of competitive technology, loss of key individuals and uncertainty of success of patent filing, (ii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations and (iii) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor technology, (iv) risks related to the impact of government regulation and policies including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in this and our other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law. Attachment TORONTO, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnviroGold Global Limited (CSE: NVRO | OTCQB: ESGLF | FSE: YGK) (EnviroGold Global or the Company), a Clean Technology Company accelerating the worlds transition to a circular-resource economy, is pleased to announce that further to the news release dated May 29, 2023, it has closed a non-brokered private placement of unsecured convertible notes (the Notes) with two investor groups to raise gross proceeds of $2.15M (the Financing). The Notes will mature twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance (the Maturity Date) and bear interest at the rate of 8.0% per annum, calculated as simple interest accrued monthly in arrears. Pursuant to the terms of the Notes, the subscribers may at any time prior to the Maturity Date convert the principal amounts of the Notes into common shares of the Company (Common Shares), at a price of $0.25 per Common Share. The accrued and unpaid interest shall be payable in Common Shares at the average closing price on CSE for the 20 trading days immediately prior to the date of conversion. Proceeds from the Financing will be used to provide additional working capital and fund additional expenses of the Company. All securities issued in connection with the Financing are subject to a statutory hold period which will expire on October 5, 2023. Finders fees of $145,770 cash and 516,000 warrants (Finders Warrants) have been issued to qualified parties in connection with the Financing. The Finders Warrants are non-transferrable and will allow the holder to acquire one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.25 per Finders Warrant for a period for 24 months following the closing date. None of the securities to be issued in connection with the Financing will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), and none of them have been offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. 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 the securities in any state where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. The Company also announces that Dan Buckley, the former Chief Operating Officer (COO) has transitioned into a new contract role with the Company. The Company will look to reappoint a COO in due course as the Hellyer Project advances to implementation. About EnviroGold Global EnviroGold Global is a CleanTech company that uses proprietary technologies to reduce the environmental liabilities of wastes from mining projects while maximizing return for its shareholders. The company is dedicated to establishing ESG and circular economy leadership by profitably reprocessing and remediating mine waste (tailings) to recover precious, critical, and strategic metals including gold, silver, copper, and nickel. Further Information Dr. Mark B. Thorpe Chief Executive Officer Telephone: +1 416 777 6720 Email: InvestorRelations@EnviroGoldGlobal.com Website: www.EnviroGoldGlobal.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, earnings guidance, economic guidance, operational guidance and future capital spending amounts. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. Graphical representations included in this news release are approximate representations which may vary from defined regulatory boundaries. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, will continue, will occur or will be achieved. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements pertaining to the use of funds from the Financing and the Companys ability to accelerate the worlds transition to a circular resource economy. Forward-looking information in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Companys ability to continue as a going concern; the continued commercial viability and growth in the clean technology and mining waste reprocessing industry; continued approval of the Companys activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the continued development of clean technology and mining waste reprocessing technology; and the continued growth of the Company. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the Companys inability to accelerate the worlds transition to a circular resource economy, the risks associated with assessing metallurgical recovery rates from mine tailings and waste and related volumetric assessments, the risks associated with the mining and mining waste recycling industry in general; increased competition in the clean technology and waste reprocessing market; the potential unviability of the clean technology and mining waste reprocessing market; incorrect assessment of the value and potential benefits of various transactions; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to clean technology and mining waste reprocessing; risks associated with a potential collapse in the value of clean technology and waste reprocessing; and risks relating to the Companys potential inability to expand its reprocessing pipeline. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Companys expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law. New York, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Texture Paint Market by Resin Type, Technology, Product Type, Application, & Region (Asia Pacific, Europe, North America - Global Forecast to 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05376201/?utm_source=GNW from USD 12.5 billion in 2022. The water-based, by technology type segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the texture paint market in 2022. Water-based technology is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period Stringent environmental regulations and increased awareness of the harmful effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have driven the demand for water-based texture paint.Water-based formulations have lower VOC content compared to solvent-based alternatives, making them a more sustainable and environmentally friendly choice. Water-based texture paint offers ease of application and cleanup compared to solvent-based alternatives.It can be applied using standard painting tools and techniques, and it can be cleaned with water, eliminating the need for harsh chemicals or solvents. This convenience attracts both professionals and DIY enthusiasts, contributing to the market growth. North America texture paint market is expected to account for the second largest share in 2022 North America has seen a steady demand for texture paint, driven by residential and commercial construction, as well as the renovation and remodeling sectors.The market has been influenced by factors such as the growing preference for textured finishes, the need for surface protection, and the desire to hide imperfections. Additionally, the increasing focus on sustainable and eco-friendly products has also played a role in shaping the texture paint market in North America. China texture paint market is projected to account for largest share in 2022 Chinas growing construction sector, urbanisation, and rising disposable income have all contributed to the countrys texture paint markets expansion.The need for aesthetically pleasing and unique finishes in both residential and commercial environments drives the market for texture paint. Furthermore, the Chinese governments efforts to improve environmental regulations and encourage sustainable building practises have had an impact on the industry, with a greater emphasis on eco-friendly texture paint compositions. The break-up of the profile of primary participants in the texture paint market: By Company Type: Tier 1 39%, Tier 2 34%, and Tier 3 27% By Designation: C Level 30%, D Level 30%, and Others 40% By Region: North America 20%, Asia Pacific 40%, Europe 20%, Middle East & Africa 10%, and South America 10% Prominent companies includes The Sherwin-Williams Company (US), PPG Industries, Inc (US), AkzoNobel N.V. (The Netherlands), Asian Paints Limited (India), Kansai Paint Co., Ltd (Japan), Nippon Paint Holding Co., Ltd (Japan), Axalta Coating Systems LLC (US), and others. Research Coverage: This research report provide detailed segmentation of texture paint market by resin type (acrylic, and epoxy), by technology (water based, and solvent based), by product type (Interior, and Exterior), by application (residential, and non-residential) and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and South America).The report covers detailed information about the major factors, such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities, influencing the growth of the texture paint market. A thorough analysis of the major industry players has been conducted to provide insights into their business overview, products, finances; key strategies;. new product launches, mergers and acquisitions, and significant changes affecting the texture paint market. In order to better position their companies and develop effective go to market strategies, stakeholder will benefit from the competitive landscape and gaining additional insight from this report. The report Provides insights on the following pointers: Analysis of key drivers (Booming construction industry), restraints (High price of texture paint as compared to that of conventional paint), opportunity (Superior properties of texture paints) and challenges (Texture paint increases the thickness of the wall). Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and new product & service launches in the texture paint market Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets the report analyses the texture paint market across varied regions Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products & services, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the texture paint market Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies and service offerings of leading players like The Sherwin-Williams Company (US), PPG Industries, Inc (US), AkzoNobel N.V. (The Netherlands), Asian Paints Limited (India), Kansai Paint Co., Ltd (Japan), Nippon Paint Holding Co., Ltd (Japan), Axalta Coating Systems LLC (US), and others. The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the texture paint market and provides them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05376201/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Detroit, Michigan, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc., (the Company) ( OTCPK:AITX ), a global leader in AI-driven security and productivity solutions, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD) have announced that complete details, features and specification of RADDOG 2LE will be announced the day after the quadruped robot premieres on the all-new TV series "Stars on Mars," which will debut on FOX on Monday, June 5 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). RADs RADDOG 2LE will be formally introduced on Tuesday June 6th, with demonstrations available for law enforcement agencies. The RADDOG quadruped robots used in the show are similar to RADDOG 2LE units, which are specially designed for law enforcement. The Stars on Mars RADDOGs perform the duties of the mission's security robots, as well as being companions to the crew members. Once we saw RADDOG, we wanted it as member of the crew, said Charles Wachter, Stars on Mars executive producer and showrunner. Lost in Space had their robot, Star Wars had their R2D2, and similarly, RADDOG was a big part of our cast. It performed both a functional role in the seriesas sentry security for the crew, with remote viewing, and also as a companion. It has a ton of personality, but even more capabilities. "We are so excited to see the missions and antics of RADDOG on Stars on Mars," said Steve Reinharz, CEO of AITX and RAD. "RADDOG is the first robotic dog to participate in this type of television programming. Millions of households will get an up-close glimpse of what RADDOG can do." " Stars on Mars " is an out-of-this-world new unscripted series, premiering on FOX, where 12 fearless celebrities will colonize, compete and conquer Mars until there is one victorious space invader, who will claim the title of the brightest star in the galaxy. The stars and RADDOG will receive interstellar assignments from legendary actor and Star Trek icon William Shatner, who serves as Mission Control. RADDOG 2LE is scheduled to begin shipping in August. Complete specifics of its capabilities, features and other details including pricing and options will be made available on June 6th at www.radsecurity.com and www.raddog.ai . Reinharz further added that the Company sent a total of 5 RADDOGs along with a Canadian-based robotics technician to support the production crew in Coober Pedy, Australia. Reports from the outback have been extremely positive, with RADDOG participating in many amazing missions and challenges. We sincerely thank Eureka Productions and FOX for this incredible opportunity to help launch RADDOG, Reinharz concluded. As previously indicated by the Company, no placement, publicity or other fees have been paid to the production company, studio, network, or cast for RADDOGs Stars on Mars appearance. The production company reached out to Eclipse Worldwide , RADs marketing agency months earlier of their interest in having RADDOG participate in the show. AITX, through its subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the $25 billion (US) security and guarding services industry through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model. RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide a cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industrys existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model. RAD delivers this tremendous costs savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines. All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house. RAD has a prospective sales pipeline of over 35 Fortune 500 companies and numerous other client opportunities. RAD expects to continue to attract new business as it converts its existing sales opportunities into deployed clients generating a recurring revenue stream. Each Fortune 500 client has the potential of making numerous reorders over time. CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The information contained in this publication does not constitute an offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy securities of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (the "Company"). This publication contains forward-looking statements, which are not guarantees of future performance and may involve subjective judgment and analysis. The information provided herein is believed to be accurate and reliable, however the Company makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to its accuracy or completeness. The Company has no obligation to provide the recipient with additional updated information. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Company's future revenues, results of operations, or stock price. About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions (AITX) AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITXs RAD, RAD-M and RAD-G companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI, and strengthen business. AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staff and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.aitx.ai, www.radsecurity.com , www.stevereinharz.com, www.radgroup.ai, www.raddog.ai, and www.radlightmyway.com, or follow Steve Reinharz on Twitter @SteveReinharz . ### Steve Reinharz 949-636-7060 @SteveReinharz Attachment BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medical waste disposal can be defined as the subset of waste produced by hospitals, physicians offices, dental practices, mortuaries, nursing homes, blood banks, veterinary clinics, medical research facilities, and laboratories. The waste is disposed of by incineration, autoclaving, chemical treatment, and other disposal methods. The two types of waste are classified as a) Hazardous Waste: Hazardous waste has properties that can have a harmful effect on human health or the environment. It is derived from infectious, pathological (tissue), sharp, chemical, pharmaceutical, cytotoxic (mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic substances) or radioactive sources. b) Non-hazardous Waste: Non-hazardous waste does not cause harm to people or the environment, and regulations for the disposal of non-hazardous waste are relatively less strict. Examples of non-hazardous medical waste include plastic packaging, clean glass and plastic, paper and cardboard, and office products. It makes up about 85% of all medical waste, and ~15% is hazardous. The WHO estimates that in rich countries for each occupied hospital bed, 0.5kg of hazardous medical waste is produced, in developing nations this is closer to 0.2kg. However, estimates are harder to come to as hazardous and non-hazardous waste are commonly mixed up making the volume much higher. Proper waste disposal is required to reduce environmental risks, protect healthcare staff and prevent contamination. Growing Volume of Hazardous Medical Waste to Drive the Medical Waste Management Market An increasing population and healthcare utilization, especially in developing economies, is driving the growth of the medical waste management market. Overall life expectancies are improving and the world is aging increasing morbidity and therefore medical waste. Other growth factors are as follows: Increasing use of disposables Hospitals are increasingly using disposables common items such as catheters and scalpels are disposed of as opposed to autoclaving or UV treating them. Prions (pathogens resistant to sterilization by autoclaving or UV) exhibit the highest level of resistance to disinfection/sterilization. Reusable medical devices are more prone to become contaminated with prions. Additional concerns surrounding the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are also driving the move to using disposables. An increasing use of a wide range of radionuclides in medicine and medical research has fueled the volume of biomedical radioactive waste. Another major driver for the increase in hazardous waste is due to inadequate waste management in developing economies. Improper disposal causes a hazardous waste to be mixed with general waste, therefore making the general waste hazardous. This increases the overall volume of waste which needs to be disposed of through incineration. Bolstered by Covid-19 Pandemic, Legislative Focus on the Proper Disposal of Medical Waste is Expected to Continue to Drive the Growth of the Medical Waste Management Market The Covid-19 pandemic brought into focus the need for an effective and safe medical waste management, placing plans for it higher on the agenda for governments. Waste produced due to Covid-19 pandemic in many countries exceeded the waste management capabilities available at the time. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in the Hubei Province, China witnessed a medical waste generation rate of 0.5kg/bed/day in many hospitals, which in turn led to investments in increasing capacity and emergency solutions to waste disposal. The focus on the safe processing of waste has brought legislation surrounding the safe disposal of waste from governments globally, requiring effective disposal. The most commonly utilized methods are incineration, autoclaving, chemical disinfection, and microwave treatment. Examples of the increasing focus on the effective disposal of medical waste are as follows: Healthcare waste management was one of the major strains that arose due to the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. So, to strengthen and safely manage the infectious waste, in July 2020, the European Union (EU) and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) donated two medical waste autoclaves to the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) in Belize (North-eastern coast of Central America). Autoclaves play a key role in proper waste management and are mainly used to sterilize infectious waste before they are disposed of in designated landfills. Through the donation of the autoclaves, the Ministry of Health and Wellness in Belize enhanced the hospitals capacity for infection prevention and control with a focus on medical waste management. North America Holds the Highest Market Share in Medical Waste Management Market while China is Growing Rapidly as Companies Aim to Comply with Chinese Regulations The USA has a well-developed healthcare industry there is also a stringent set of regulatory guidelines that healthcare providers and waste disposal companies have to adhere to. The disposal of medical waste is overseen by multiple government bodies including the EPA, OSHA, and individual State Departments for Environmental Protection. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) issued regulations surrounding emissions produced by medical waste incineration, and other methods of disposal such as microwave, chemical and electro pyrolysis disposal are more commonly used driving demand for these services. As China and India begin to better implement their medical waste disposal policy, the medical waste disposal market is expected to see a substantial growth in the near future. Competitive Landscape Analysis: Medical Waste Management Market Some of the leading and well-established players operating in the medical waste management market are Biomedical Waste Solutions, Clean Harbors, Inc., Daniels Health Inc., EcoMed Services, Remondis Medison (A Subsidiary of Remondis Ag & Co.Kg), Republic Services, Inc., Stericycle, Inc., Suez Environmental Services, Veolia Environmental Services and Waste Management, Inc. The global medical waste management market is moderately fragmented, with some leading players holding a significant market share in developed economies. However, the lack of standardized regulations for medical waste management and the lack of awareness on medical waste management in developing countries are some of the key factors that might hamper the growth of the medical waste management market. Explore Detailed Insights on Medical Waste Management Market Report @ https://meditechinsights.com/medical-waste-management-market/ About Medi-Tech Insights: Medi-Tech Insights is a healthcare-focused business research & insights firm. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, blue-chip investors & hyper-growth start-ups. We have completed 100+ projects in Digital Health, Healthcare IT, Medical Technology, Medical Devices & Pharma Services. Contact Us: Ruta Halde Associate, Medi-Tech Insights +32 498 86 80 79 info@meditechinsights.com https://meditechinsights.com/ Attachment TORONTO, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Express Employment Professionals is proud to celebrate Canadas contingent workforce as part of this years Staffing for Canada Week, observed June 4-10th. Whether looking for flexibility, a chance to gain new skills or stepping back into the workforce, staffing agencies provide the right solution for a growing number of Canadian job seekers. The commemorative week, celebrated by the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS) and its members, recognizes the millions of temporary and contract employees working for Canadian staffing agencies each year. Express values hard-working and dedicated associates who help our clients all across the country meet their employment needs and business goals. According to ACSESS, Canadian staffing companies employ more than 500,000 people and place more than 2 million job seekersmore than 10% of Canadas workforceeach year. The staffing and recruiting industry generates more than $15 billion in revenue toward Canadas economy. As a leading global staffing provider, we are honoured that nearly 600,000 job seekers annually trust Express worldwide to connect them with reputable companies, and they are never charged a fee, Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. Locally owned Express franchises are an integral part of communities and have connections to businesses that you wouldnt otherwise find sifting through thousands of online job boards and social media. Our diverse job assignments through of thousands of client companies offer something for everyone in the light industrial, office services, professional or skilled trades industries. With job openings continuing to outpace available workers, our recruiters are dedicated to finding applicants the right opportunity in their markets. If you are interested in applying for a job through Express, visit ExpressPros.com/CA for local openings at Express more than 860 franchise locations, including 47 in Canada. If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Ana Curic at (613) 858-2622 or email Ana@MapleLeafStrategies.com. 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/CA. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0351ab8-63c5-44a1-b6ab-eee3d01ddcfa BOSTON, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Origin, the startup reimagining financial wellness in the workplace, announced today it has acquired Finny, a financial health startup. Origin will integrate Finny's financial education, content, curriculum, and debt management tools into its financial wellness platform addressing the urgent need for improved financial literacy. Terms were not disclosed. Money is the #1 source of stress - more than jobs, health, and relationships combined. That stress is exacerbated in the current economic environment, which is presenting people with once-in-a-generation financial challenges. Origin is tackling this problem head on by expanding access to wealth management for those who have historically been boxed out due to high barriers to entry. The Origin platform simplifies finances for individuals making it easy to track spend, get expert advice, manage investments, and take action to hit financial goals. By acquiring Finny, Origin will now be able to offer its customers the valuable resources and financial education content necessary to empower employees to make more informed decisions about their financial future. For instance, people can now learn about credit reporting, understand the nuances involved in calculating a credit score, and then access their own credit score and get actionable advice on how to improve it. Origin Co-Founder and CEO Matthew Watson started the company in 2019. Despite starting his career working in finance on Wall Street, Watson couldnt find resources widely available to easily manage his personal finances, and saw the same pattern for others. Most people are simply priced out of financial planning tools, and financial advisors traditionally only work with high income individuals. This leaves tens of millions of Americans in the dark, left with unnecessary fees as well as missed investment and tax opportunities that can cost them thousands of dollars a year, Watson shared. With tremendous demand for an all-in-one, more accessible financial planning platform, Origin has grown quickly, more than doubling its revenues year over year. To date Origin has raised $70M from top VC funds including 01 Advisors, where Managing Partner Dick Costolo experienced Origins customer pain point firsthand at Twitter. During my tenure as CEO at Twitter, I witnessed firsthand the knowledge gap that exists among employees and even HR teams when it comes to understanding equity and financial benefits, said Costolo. I strongly believe that Origin can bridge that gap and revolutionize financial literacy and education in a way that has not been achieved before. Today Origin is offered to individuals as an employee benefit to help employees alleviate financial stress and help them be happier and more productive. Offering Origin as a benefit also helps to attract and retain staff: 93 percent of employees want their company to offer increased access to financial planning (but only 28 percent do so). Plus Origin acts as extra support for powering the People teams, helping with comp, benefits, equity grants, and reducing employers liability by bringing in a third-party registered financial advisor as a resource for employees. Lattice is one of the many companies offering Origin as a benefit to its employees. Origin has been an extremely popular benefit among our employees, providing them with valuable insights into their finances, compensation, and equity, said Cara Allamano, Chief People Officer at Lattice. Now with Origins acquisition of Finny theyll have more financial resources at their fingertips. Our employees have been looking for this type of educational content and tutorials, and having this all in one place within the Origin platform is incredibly beneficial. On the employee side, Origin members are matched with a certified financial planner to discuss their finances, goals, and develop an action plan. The planner will provide personalized advice that helps them make smarter money decisions and prepare for lifes biggest milestones from buying a home, starting a family, paying off student debt, or planning for retirement to name a few. Individuals can also use the Origin platform and mobile app to track and visualize all their finances connecting accounts, and then creating budgets, managing investments and retirement savings. Origin can also help them understand equity compensation and tax consequences of selling. Each person is matched with a CFP that they work with on an ongoing basis. The acquisition of Finny is a significant milestone for Origin, as it demonstrates the company's dedication to offering a comprehensive and well-rounded financial wellness platform. Finny has been working with employers and over 60,000 consumers to provide top-notch financial education. Integrating Finny's financial education resources and debt management tools will enable Origin to make an even more significant impact on employees' financial health. "Finny's expertise in financial education and focus on debt management will be an invaluable addition to the Origin platform," said Watson. "We believe that addressing the educational gap in employee financial education is key to helping individuals achieve financial security." "Origin's commitment to simplifying money management for employees aligns with Finny's mission to improve global financial literacy," said Chihee Kim and Milan Kovacevic, Co-Founders of Finny. "Together, we share a common goal of helping individuals achieve a secure financial future, and we're excited to join forces to further expand our reach and impact." About Origin Origin is reimagining financial wellness in the workplace, with the most comprehensive all-in-one financial planning platform. Combining proprietary technology with Certified Financial Planners, Origin is an all-in-one software based financial management platform that enables people to track spend and income, get expert advice, take action, and manage their money confidently and with ease. Origin is offered by hundreds of innovative employers including Lattice, Roku and Udemy. Learn more about Origin at useorigin.com. Media contact: Kerry Metzdorf Big Swing Communications 978-463-2575 kerry@big-swing.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8d44297d-939f-46af-a491-ae40233457c4 Confirmatory data from Cohort 1 of the Phase 3 THOR study showed greater than four-month improvement in median overall survival in patients treated with erdafitinib versus chemotherapy1 BEERSE, Belgium, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced results from an interim analysis of Cohort 1 of the Phase 3 THOR study, evaluating treatment with erdafitinib versus chemotherapy in patients with metastatic or unresectable urothelial carcinoma (UC) and selected fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) gene alterations who had received prior treatment with an anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-(L)1) agent.1 In this cohort, the study met its primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) and reduced the risk of death by 36 percent.1 These confirmatory data were featured in a Late-Breaking Presentation Session (Abstract #LBA4619) at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, taking place in Chicago, from 26 June. These results represent the first data from a randomised, controlled trial evaluating erdafitinib for the treatment of patients with FGFR-altered urothelial carcinoma, who often experience poor disease outcomes, said Yohann Loriot, M.D., Ph.D., Institut Gustave Roussy and University of Paris-Saclay, France, and principal study investigator. The use of erdafitinib in this setting supports recommendations for FGFR testing in all patients with metastatic urothelial cancer. THOR ( NCT03390504 ) is a Phase 3 randomised, open-label, multicentre study evaluating the efficacy and safety of erdafitinib.1 Patients were categorised to one of two cohorts based on the type of prior therapy they had received: prior treatment with an anti-PD-(L)1 agent (Cohort 1) or prior treatment not containing an anti-PD-(L)1 agent (Cohort 2).1 Patients in Cohort 1 were randomised to receive either erdafitinib or chemotherapy in a 1:1 ratio and patients in Cohort 2 were randomised to receive either erdafitinib or pembrolizumab in a 1:1 ratio.1 The primary endpoint of the study is OS; progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), patient-reported outcomes, safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) are secondary endpoints.1 Results from the interim analysis of Cohort 1 included data inclusive of 266 patients where 136 patients were assigned to erdafitinib and 130 were randomised to chemotherapy.1 Median follow-up was 15.9 months.1 At the data cutoff on 15 January 2023, OS in patients who received erdafitinib was 12.1 months compared to 7.8 months in patients who received chemotherapy (Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.64; [95 percent Confidence Interval (CI), 0.47-0.88]; p=0.005).1 Treatment with erdafitinib also showed an improvement in median PFS compared to chemotherapy of 5.6 months versus 2.7 months (HR 0.58; [95 percent CI, 0.44-0.78]; p=0.0002)1 and an ORR of 45.6 percent versus 11.5 percent (Relative Risk (RR) 3.94; [95 percent CI, 2.37-6.57]; p<0.001).1 These data met the predefined criteria for superiority, and the independent data safety monitoring committee recommended that the study be stopped at the interim analysis and that all patients randomised to chemotherapy be offered the opportunity to cross-over to erdafitinib.1 Across all subgroups, OS benefit with erdafitinib versus chemotherapy was consistently observed.1 Subgroups included FGFR alteration type, baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, lines of prior treatment, visceral metastasis, primary tumour location and type of chemotherapy.1 The safety profile of erdafitinib observed in THOR was consistent with the known safety profile of erdafitinib in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC).1 Serious treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were observed in 13.3 percent of patients who received erdafitinib and 24.1 percent of patients randomised to chemotherapy, and grade three or higher adverse events were observed in 45.9 percent of patients on erdafitinib and 46.4 percent on chemotherapy.1 8.1 percent of patients who received erdafitinib and 13.4 percent of patients who received chemotherapy had TRAEs that lead to discontinuation of therapy.1 TRAEs leading to death were reported in one patient who received erdafitinib and six patients who received chemotherapy.1 "Bladder cancer, of which urothelial carcinoma is the most common form, carries a high burden of disease for patients. Europe has one of the highest rates of bladder cancer in the world, with over 203,000 patients diagnosed in 2020 alone. Patients with advanced, FGFR-driven tumours who have exhausted standard treatment options can face a particularly poor prognosis, said Martin Vogel, EMEA Therapeutic Area Lead Oncology, Janssen-Cilag GmbH. These data demonstrate the potential benefit of targeted therapy in effectively inhibiting the growth of FGFR-altered tumours and provides hope that we can tailor treatment to improve outcomes for these patients." Final Results from the Phase 2 NORSE Study Evaluating Erdafitinib and Cetrelimab Combination Therapy Also presented were data from the Phase 2 NORSE study evaluating erdafitinib alone and in combination with cetrelimab, an investigational anti-programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody, as first-line treatment of patients with mUC who were ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy and who had FGFR alterations.2 Both the combination and monotherapy treatment demonstrated a clinically meaningful response, with an ORR of 54.5 percent (95 percent CI, 38.8-69.6) in the combination arm and of 44.2 percent (95 percent CI, 29.1-60.1) in the monotherapy arm and was well-tolerated in patients.2 In the combination arm, six patients achieved a complete response (CR) and one patient in the monotherapy arm achieved a CR.2 Median PFS in the combination arm was 10.97 months (95 percent CI, 5.45-13.63), versus 5.62 months (95 percent CI, 4.34-7.36) in the monotherapy arm.2 Grade three or higher TRAEs were observed in 45.5 percent of patients who received erdafitinib and cetrelimab combination therapy and 46.5 percent of patients who received erdafitinib monotherapy.2 Results from the Phase 2 RAGNAR Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Erdafitinib Additionally, data from the phase 2 RAGNAR study, evaluating the efficacy and safety of erdafitinib in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumours with prespecified FGFR alterations, regardless of tumour location or histology (tumour-agnostic), were also presented at ASCO this year.3 Treatment with erdafitinib demonstrated a clinically meaningful response at a median follow-up of 17.9 months, with an ORR of 30 percent (95 percent CI, 24-36). Responses were observed across 16 distinct tumours. Among the 64 responding patients, three percent of patients had a CR and 27 percent of patients had a partial response. Grade three or higher TRAEs were observed in 46 percent of patients who received erdafitinib. Serious TRAEs were observed in 8.3 percent of patients and no deaths due to TRAEs were observed. Janssens ongoing evaluation of erdafitinib reinforces our commitment to improving outcomes for people diagnosed with bladder cancer and to identify therapeutic solutions for late-stage as well as early-stage disease, said Kiran Patel, M.D., Vice President, Clinical Development, Solid Tumors, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. Through ongoing trials, including the Phase 3 THOR study and the Phase 2 NORSE and RAGNAR studies, we continue to add to the growing body of evidence supporting the impact of this important targeted therapy in bladder cancer and with other tumour types with FGFR genetic alterations. Erdafitinib received accelerated approval from the FDA as a targeted therapy for adult patients with locally advanced or mUC with susceptible FGFR3 or FGFR2 genetic alterations and who have progressed during or following at least one line of prior platinum-containing chemotherapy, including within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant platinum-containing chemotherapy. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.1,4 #ENDS# About THOR THOR ( NCT03390504 ) is a Phase 3 randomised, open-label, multicenter study evaluating the efficacy and safety of erdafitinib.5 The study compares erdafitinib with standard of care treatments chemotherapy (investigators choice of docetaxel or vinflunine) or pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic or unresectable UC with selected FGFR genetic alterations that has progressed during or after one or two prior lines of therapy, at least one of which includes an anti-PD-(L)1 monoclonal antibody (Cohort 1) or one prior treatment not containing an anti-PD-(L)1 agent (Cohort 2).5 The trial consists of screening, a treatment phase (from randomisation until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, withdrawal of consent or decision by investigator to discontinue treatment) and a post-treatment follow-up (from end-of-treatment to participants death, withdraws consent, lost to follow-up study completion for the respective cohort, whichever comes first).5 A long-term extension period is planned for after the clinical cutoff date is achieved for the final analysis of each cohort and eligible patients will continue to benefit from the study intervention. The primary endpoint of the study is OS; PFS, ORR, DOR, patient-reported outcomes, safety and PK are secondary endpoints.5 About NORSE NORSE ( NCT03473743 ) is an open-label, Phase 1b/2 study of erdafitinib in combination with cetrelimab in patients with locally advanced or mUC with FGFR3 or FGFR2 gene alterations.6 Participants enrolled in Phase 1b may have received any number of lines of prior therapy, and participants enrolled in Phase 2 had no prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease and are ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy, currently the standard of care. Phase 1b established the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) for erdafitinib in combination with cetrelimab, and Phase 2 evaluates the safety and efficacy of the RP2D.6 The study is being conducted in three phases: screening phase, treatment phase and follow-up phase. Study evaluations include efficacy, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, immunogenicity, biomarkers and safety.6 About RAGNAR RAGNAR ( NCT04083976 ) is a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of erdafitinib in patients with advanced solid tumours, regardless of cancer type or tumour location (tumour-agnostic), driven by FGFR14 alterations.7 Patients in the trial have progressed on or after at least one line of systemic therapy and have no alternative standard treatment options.7 Following screening by local molecular testing or central NGS, patients are enrolled in four separate cohorts: a broad panel cohort of patients with pathogenic FGFR mutations or gene fusions (tumour histologies evaluated include but are not limited to cholangiocarcinoma [bile duct cancer], high- and low-grade glioma [a tumour type occurring in the brain or spinal cord], breast, pancreatic, squamous and non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal, endometrial, esophageal, salivary gland, ovarian, duodenal [cancer occurring in the first part of the small intestine], thyroid and cancer of unknown primary origin); an exploratory cohort of patients with other FGFR mutations; a cholangiocarcinoma expansion cohort; and a pediatric cohort of patients ages six to seventeen with FGFR alterations.7 The primary endpoint of RAGNAR is IRC-assessed ORR. Key secondary endpoints include investigator-assessed ORR, DOR, DCR, clinical benefit rate, PFS, OS and incidence and severity of adverse events.7 About Erdafitinib Erdafitinib is a once-daily, oral pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor being evaluated by Janssen Research & Development in Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials in patients with advanced urothelial cancer.8,9 In addition to the Phase 3 THOR, Phase 1b/2 NORSE and Phase 2 RAGNAR studies, erdafitinib is being studied in the Phase 2 THOR-2/BLC2003 ( NCT04172675 ) study examining erdafitinib versus investigator choice of intravesical chemotherapy in participants who received Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and recurred with high risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.10 In 2008, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement with Astex Therapeutics Limited to develop and commercialise erdafitinib.11 About Cetrelimab Administered intravenously, cetrelimab is an investigational programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody12 being studied to treat bladder cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, and multiple myeloma as part of a combination treatment. Cetrelimab is also being evaluated in multiple other combination regimens across the Janssen portfolio.13 About Urothelial Carcinoma Urothelial carcinoma (UC), also known as transitional cell carcinoma, starts in the innermost lining of the bladder.14 It is the most common and frequent form of bladder cancer, representing more than 90 percent of all bladder cancers.15 Up to one in five patients (20 percent) diagnosed with metastatic UC have a fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) genetic alteration.9 FGFRs are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases that can be activated by genetic alterations in a variety of tumour types, and these alterations may lead to increased tumour cell growth and survival.16 FGFRs play a key role in several biological processes including tissue repair, inflammatory response and metabolism.17 Fusions or mutations in the genes that control FGFR (known as FGFR14 alterations) may lead to the development and progression of certain cancers by increasing tumour cell growth and survival.18 Patients with advanced, FGFR-driven solid tumours who have exhausted standard treatment options typically face a poor prognosis.19 The five-year survival rate for patients with metastatic bladder cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body is currently 8 percent.20 About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular, Metabolism & Retina; Immunology; Infectious Diseases & Vaccines; Neuroscience; Oncology; and Pulmonary Hypertension. Learn more at www.janssen.com/emea . Follow us at www.linkedin.com/janssenEMEA for our latest news. Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen-Cilag GmBH and Janssen Research & Development, LLC are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. # # # Dr. Loriot has served as a paid consultant to the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies; he has not been paid for any media work. Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of erdafitinib and cetrelimab. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialise, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen-Cilag GmBH, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behaviour and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2023, including in the sections captioned Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Item 1A. Risk Factors, and in Johnson & Johnsons subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov , www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. ### References 1 Loriot, Y et al. Phase 3 THOR study: results of erdafitinib versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer with select fibroblast growth factor receptor alterations. Oral presentation at ASCO 2023. 2 Siefker-Radtke, A et al. Erdafitinib (ERDA) vs ERDA Plus Cetrelimab (ERDA+CET) for Patients (pts) with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma (mUC) and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Alterations (FGFRa): Final Results from the Phase 2 NORSE Study. Poster presentation at ASCO 2023. 3 Pant, S et al. Tumor agnostic efficacy and safety of erdafitinib (erda) in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors with prespecified FGFR alterations (FGFRalt): RAGNAR primary analysis. Presented at ASCO 2023 Annual Meeting. 4 US Food and Drug Administration. FDA approves first targeted therapy for metastatic bladder cancer. Available at: FDA approves first targeted therapy for metastatic bladder cancer | FDA. Accessed May 2023. 5 Clinicaltrials.gov. A Study of Erdafitinib Compared With Vinflunine or Docetaxel or Pembrolizumab in Participants With Advanced Urothelial Cancer and Selected Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) Gene Aberrations (THOR). Available at: A Study of Erdafitinib Compared With Vinflunine or Docetaxel or Pembrolizumab in Participants With Advanced Urothelial Cancer and Selected Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) Gene Aberrations - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov. Accessed May 2023. 6 Clinicaltrials.gov. A Study of Erdafitinib in Participants With Metastatic or Locally Advanced Urothelial Cancer. Available at: A Study of Erdafitinib in Participants With Metastatic or Locally Advanced Urothelial Cancer - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov. Accessed May 2023. 7 Clinicaltrials.gov. A Study of Erdafitinib in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) Gene Alterations (RAGNAR). Available at: A Study of Erdafitinib in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) Gene Alterations - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov. Accessed May 2023. 8 Tabernero J, et al. Phase I dose-escalation study of JNJ-42756493, an oral pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumours. J Clin Oncol. 2015;33:34013408. 9 Loriot Y, et al. Erdafitinib in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma. N Engl J Med 2019; 381(4):338-348. 10 Clinicaltrials.gov. A Study of Erdafitinib Versus Investigator Choice of Intravesical Chemotherapy in Participants Who Received Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and Recurred With High Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC). Available at: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04172675?term=NCT04172675&draw=2&rank=1 Accessed May 2023. 11 Astex Therapeutics Limited. Astex Announces New Drug Discovery Alliance with Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. 2008. Available at: https://astx.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ASTX_News_2008_6_9_General_Releases.pdf. Last accessed June 2023. 12 National Cancer Institute. Cetrelimab. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-drug/def/cetrelimab?redirect=true. Accessed May 2023. Accessed May 2023. 13 Clinicaltrials.gov. Cetrelimab + Janssen. Available at: Search of: cetrelimab Janssen - List Results - ClinicalTrials.gov. Accessed May 2023. 14 Tanaka, M. & Sonpavde, G. Diagnosis and Management of Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder. Postgraduate Medicine. 2011;123(3): 43-55. DOI: 10.3810/pgm.2011.05.2283 15 Milojevic B, Dzamic Z, Kajmakovic B, Milenkovic Petronic D, Sipetic Grujicic S. Urothelial carcinoma: Recurrence and risk factors. J BUON. 2015 Mar-Apr;20(2):391-8. PMID: 26011327 16 Presta M et al. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) in cancer: FGF traps as a new therapeutic approach. Pharmacol Ther. 2017;179:171-187. 17 Xie Y, et al. FGF/FGFR signaling in health and disease. Sig Transduct Target Ther 5, 181 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-020-00222-7 18 Katoh M. Fibroblast growth factor receptors as treatment targets in clinical oncology. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2019;16(2):105-122. 19 Fernandez E, et al. Prognostic value and clinical significance of FGFR genomic alterations (GAs) in metastatic urothelial cancer patients. J Clin Med. 2022;11(15): 4483. 20 www.cancer.gov. (2023). Bladder Cancer Prognosis and Survival Rates - NCI. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/bladder/survival. Accessed May 2023. CP-393559 May 2023 On Friday, June 2, 2023, the SEC issued an Order entitled Order Dismissing Proceedings as Release No. 4413, advising 42 companies that their pending Administrative Proceedings had been Dismissed. NEW YORK, NY, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group Inc. (OTC Pink: DBMM): In summary, the enforcement and in-house ruling arms of the SEC are supposed to be kept completely separate from each other regarding such matters. The Chinese Wall between adjudication and enforcement is a sacrosanct tenet of the SEC and of internal control policy. After concluding that the enforcement staff had improper access to materials meant for the commission officials ruling on those cases, all cases affected were Dismissed to preserve the Commissions resources. The review was initiated by the Chair of the Commission under the supervision of the Commissions General Counsel (the review team / OGC). The review team has been supported by Berkeley Research Group, LLC, a consulting firm retained by OGC that includes a team of experienced investigators and forensic analysts. Since the Initial Decision Dismissal on November 12, 2019, by ALJ Carol Fox Foelak, it had remained the Standing Order, until the SEC announcement which superseded and Dismissed the AP as a Final Order. The action affected 42 companies, including DBMM. SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS: The foregoing contains certain predictive statements that relate to future events or future business and financial performance. Such statements can only be predictions, and the actual events or results may differ from those discussed due to, among other things, those risks described in DBMMs reports filed with the SEC. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. This document is published solely for information purposes and is not to be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any state. Past performance does not guarantee future performance. Additional information is available upon request. At 16 months median follow-up, cilta-cel significantly improved progression-free survival compared to two standard of care treatment regimens1 Data presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting and EHA Congress and published in The New England Journal of Medicine2 BEERSE, Belgium, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced today that results from the Phase 3 CARTITUDE-4 study showed CARVYKTI (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel) reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 74 percent compared to two standard of care treatment (SOC) regimens, pomalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (PVd) or daratumumab, pomalidomide and dexamethasone (DPd), in adults with relapsed and lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma who received one to three prior lines of therapy.1,3 These data were featured in the press programme and as an oral presentation in a special session at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract #LBA106), taking place in Chicago, from 2-6 June and were simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine.2 The results will also be presented as part of the plenary session on Saturday 10 June, at the European Hematology Association (EHA) Hybrid Congress (Abstract #S100), taking place 8-11 June in Frankfurt, Germany. The CARTITUDE-4 study is the first randomised study investigating the efficacy of a cell therapy as early as after first relapse in multiple myeloma.4,5 Results from the CARTITUDE-4 study are highly encouraging as they demonstrate significant improvements in progression-free survival, response rates and a reduction in the risk of death with cilta-cel compared to existing standards of care, said Professor Jesus San Miguel, Director of Clinical & Translational Medicine, Universidad de Navarra, Spain. The findings confirm the potential for cilta-cel to become a key therapy for patients with multiple myeloma earlier in their treatment journey, where unmet needs for novel therapeutic approaches remain. The Phase 3 CARTITUDE-4 study included patients (n=419) who received one to three prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and immunomodulatory agent (IMiD), and were lenalidomide-refractory.1 Patients were randomised [cilta-cel, n=208; SOC, n=211] and those in the cilta-cel arm then underwent apheresis.1 In the cilta-cel arm, 50 percent of patients were refractory to treatment with a PI and 23 percent were refractory to treatment with anti-CD38 therapies; in the SOC group, 46 percent and 21 percent of patients were refractory to PI and anti-CD38 therapies, respectively.1 Thirty-three percent of patients in the cilta-cel group received one prior line of treatment, compared to 32 percent of patients in the SOC group.1 At a median follow-up of 16 months, a 74 percent (Hazard Ratio [HR]=0.26; 95 percent Confidence Interval [CI], 0.180.38; p value p<0.0001) reduction in the risk of disease progression or death was observed in patients randomised to the cilta-cel arm compared to SOC.1,3 Among patients in the cilta-cel arm, median progression-free survival (PFS) was not reached and in the SOC arm, median PFS was 11.8 months.1 PFS at 12 months for patients in the cilta-cel arm and SOC arm was 76 percent (95 percent CI, 69 to 81) and 49 percent (95 percent CI, 42 to 55), respectively.1,3 At the data cut-off, patients randomised to the cilta-cel arm achieved an 85 percent overall response rate (ORR) and 73 percent achieved a complete response (CR) or better.1 Among patients in the SOC arm, the ORR was 67 percent and CR or better was 22 percent.1 In 144 patients in the cilta-cel arm and 101 patients in the SOC arm evaluable for minimal residual disease (MRD) status, 88 percent of patients randomised to the cilta-cel arm and 33 percent of patients randomised to the SOC arm achieved MRD negativity at the 10-5 threshold, respectively.1 Ninety-seven percent and 94 percent of patients reported grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs), including infections (27 percent, 25 percent) and cytopenias (94 percent, 86 percent), respectively.1,3 In the cilta-cel arm, 76 percent reported cytokine release syndrome (one percent grade 3, no grade 4 or 5), five percent reported immune effector-cell associated neurotoxicity syndrome (all grade 1 or 2) and one patient had a grade 1 movement and neurocognitive treatment-emergent AE (TEAE).1,3 Overall, 39 patients in the cilta-cel arm and 46 patients in the SOC arms died; 10 cilta-cel and five SOC patients died due to TEAEs.1 The results from the CARTITUDE-4 study clearly demonstrate the efficacy of cilta-cel when administered earlier in a patients treatment journey, said Jordan Schecter, M.D., Vice President, Clinical Development Cellular Therapy Program, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. At Janssen, we are committed to advancing innovative therapies to improve outcomes for patients and cilta-cel represents an important therapy in our approach to redefine the treatment of multiple myeloma. On 25 May 2023, Janssen submitted a Type II variation application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) based on the CARTITUDE-4 study results seeking approval of cilta-cel for the earlier treatment of patients with relapsed and lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma. Final Analysis of the CARTITUDE-1 Study of cilta-cel Study closeout results from the Phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 study (NCT03548207) of cilta-cel in adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received three or more prior lines of therapy including a PI, an IMiD, and an anti-CD38 antibody therapy showed at median follow up of 33.4 months, median PFS was 34.9 months (95 percent CI, 25.2 to not estimable [NE]), and median duration of response was 33.9 months (95 percent CI, 25.5-NE).6 No new neurotoxicity events were reported since the 27.7 month median follow-up.6 These data were featured as a poster presentation at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract #8009) and will be presented as an oral presentation at the 2023 EHA Hybrid Congress (Abstract #S202).6 The latest CARTITUDE-1 and CARTITUDE-4 data reinforce the potential of a single infusion of cilta-cel, both in the heavily pretreated relapsed and refractory patient population for which it is currently approved, and in eligible patients as early as after first relapse, said Edmond Chan, MBChB M.D. (Res), Senior Director, EMEA Therapeutic Area Lead Haematology, Janssen-Cilag Limited. Our goal has always been to address the needs of patients at each stage of the disease, and ultimately achieve sustained remissions earlier in their treatment journey, and we are excited to be making great progress towards this ambition with cilta-cel. #ENDS# About Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel (cilta-cel) Cilta-cel received conditional marketing authorisation from the European Commission in May 2022, for the treatment of adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior therapies, including an IMiD, a PI and an anti-CD38 antibody, and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy.7,8 In February 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cilta-cel for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy, including a PI, an IMiD, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.9,10 For a full list of adverse events and information on dosage and administration, contraindications and other precautions when using cilta-cel please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics for further information.8 In line with EMA regulations for new medicines and those given conditional approval, cilta-cel is subject to additional monitoring. Cilta-cel is a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed, genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy, which involves reprogramming a patients own T-cells with a transgene encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that identifies and eliminates cells that express BCMA.11 BCMA is primarily expressed on the surface of malignant multiple myeloma B-lineage cells, as well as late-stage B-cells and plasma cells.12,13 The cilta-cel CAR protein features two BCMA-targeting single domain antibodies designed to confer high avidity against human BCMA.11 The CAR-modified T-cells express fusion proteins of antigen receptors against tumour-associated surface antigens and T-cell activation domains, and upon binding to BCMA-expressing cells redirect the effector T-cells and enhance tumour-specific immunosurveillance.14 In December 2017, Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen) entered into a worldwide license and collaboration agreement with Legend Biotech USA, Inc. to develop and commercialise cilta-cel.15 About CARTITUDE-4 CARTITUDE-4 ( NCT04181827 ) is the first international, randomised, open-label Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of cilta-cel versus PVd or DPd in adult patients with relapsed and lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma who received one to three prior lines of therapy.1 About CARTITUDE-1 CARTITUDE-1 (NCT03548207) is a Phase 1b/2, open-label, multi-center study evaluating cilta-cel for the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, who previously received a PI, an IMiD and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and who had disease progression on or after the last regimen. Patients in the study had received a median of six prior treatment regimens (range, 3-18). Of the 97 patients enrolled in the trial, 99 percent were refractory to the last line of treatment and 88 percent were triple-class refractory, meaning their cancer did not respond to, or had progressed on, an IMiD, a PI and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.6,16 About Multiple Myeloma Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that affects a type of white blood cell called plasma cells, which are found in the bone marrow.17 In multiple myeloma, these malignant plasma cells change and grow out of control.13 In Europe, more than 50,900 people were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2020, and more than 32,400 patients died.18 While some patients with multiple myeloma initially have no symptoms, others can have common signs and symptoms of the disease, which can include bone fracture or pain, low red blood cell counts, tiredness, high calcium levels, or kidney failure.19 About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular, Metabolism & Retina; Immunology; Infectious Diseases & Vaccines; Neuroscience; Oncology; and Pulmonary Hypertension. Learn more at www.janssen.com/emea . Follow us on www.linkedin.com/janssenEMEA for our latest news. Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen-Cilag Limited, Janssen Research & Development, LLC and Janssen Biotech, Inc., are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. # # # Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel). The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialise, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen-Cilag Limited, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Janssen Biotech, Inc., and any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behaviour and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnsons Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2023, including in the sections captioned Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Item 1A. Risk Factors, and in Johnson & Johnsons subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov , www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. Professor Jesus San Miguel, Director of Clinical & Translational Medicine, Universidad de Navarra has provided consulting, advisory, and speaking services to Janssen; he has not been paid for any media work. References 1 Dhakal B. Phase 3 Results From CARTITUDE-4: Cilta-cel Versus Standard of Care (PVd or DPd) in Lenalidomide-Refractory Multiple Myeloma. Abstract #LBA106 [Oral Presentation]. Presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. 2 San-Miguel J, Dhakal B, et al. Cilta-cel or Standard Care in Lenalidomide-Refractory Multiple Myeloma. N Engl J Med. 2023;DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa2303379. Last accessed: June 2023. 3 Dhakal B, et al. First phase 3 results from CARTITUDE-4: Cilta-cel versus standard of care (PVd or DPd) in lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma. Abstract #LBA106 [Abstract]. Presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. 4 ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study Comparing JNJ-68284528, a CAR-T Therapy Directed Against B-cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA), Versus Pomalidomide, Bortezomib and Dexamethasone (PVd) or Daratumumab, Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone (DPd) in Participants With Relapsed and Lenalidomide-Refractory Multiple Myeloma (CARTITUDE-4). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04181827?term=JNJ-68284528&phase=2&draw=2&rank=1. Last accessed: June 2023. 5 ClinicalTrials.gov. Search results for CAR-T, Multiple Myeloma, Phase 3 studies. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=CAR-T&cond=Multiple+Myeloma&age_v=&gndr=&type=&rslt=&phase=2&Search=Apply. Last accessed: June 2023. 6 Lin Y. CARTITUDE-1 Final Results: Phase 1b/2 Study of Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel in Heavily Pretreated Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma. Abstract #8009 [Oral Presentation]. Presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. 7 Janssen.com. European Commission Grants Conditional Approval of CARVYKTI (Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel), Janssens First Cell Therapy, for the Treatment of Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma. Available at: https://www.janssen.com/european-commission-grants-conditional-approval-carvykti-ciltacabtagene-autoleucel-janssens-first. Last accessed: June 2023. 8 European Medicines Agency. CARVYKTI (Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel) Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/carvykti-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed: June 2023. 9 JnJ.com. U.S. FDA Approves CARVYKTI (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), Janssens First Cell Therapy, a BCMA-Directed CAR-T Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma. Available at: https://www.jnj.com/u-s-fda-approves-carvykti-ciltacabtagene-autoleucel-janssens-first-cell-therapy-a-bcma-directed-car-t-immunotherapy-for-the-treatment-of-patients-with-relapsed-or-refractory-multiple-myeloma. Last accessed: June 2023. 10 CARVYKTI Prescribing Information. Horsham, PA: Janssen Biotech, Inc. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/media/156560/download. Last accessed: June 2023. 11 Martin T, et al. Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel, an AntiB-cell Maturation Antigen Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy, for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: CARTITUDE-1 2-Year Follow-Up. J Clin Oncol. 2022;41:1265-1274. 12 Frerichs KA, et al. Preclinical Activity of JNJ-7957, a Novel BCMACD3 Bispecific Antibody for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma, Is Potentiated by Daratumumab. Clin Cancer Res. 2020;26(9):2203-2215. 13 Cho SF, et al. Targeting B Cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA) in Multiple Myeloma: Potential Uses of BCMA-Based Immunotherapy. Front Immunol. 2018;10(9):1821. 14 Tai YT, Anderson KC. Targeting B-cell maturation antigen in multiple myeloma. Immunotherapy. 2015;7(11):1187-1199. 15 JnJ.com. Janssen Enters Worldwide Collaboration and License Agreement with Chinese Company Legend Biotech to Develop Investigational CAR-T Anti-Cancer Therapy. Available at: https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases/janssen-enters-worldwide-collaboration-and-license-agreement-with-chinese-company-legend-biotech-to-develop-investigational-car-t-anti-cancer-therapy. Last accessed: June 2023. 16 ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study of JNJ-68284528, a Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell (CAR-T) Therapy Directed Against B-Cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA) in Participants With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma (CARTITUDE-1). Available at: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03548207. Last accessed: June 2023. 17 American Cancer Society. "What Is Multiple Myeloma?" Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiple-myeloma/about/what-is-multiple-myeloma.html. Last accessed: June 2023. 18 GLOBOCAN 2020. Cancer Today Population Factsheets: Europe Region. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/908-europe-fact-sheets.pdf. Last accessed: June 2023. 19 American Cancer Society. Multiple myeloma: early detection, diagnosis and staging. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8740.00.pdf. Last accessed: June 2023. CP-393696 June 2023 MONTREAL, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Troilus Gold Corp. (Troilus or the Company, TSX: TLG; OTCQX: CHXMF; FSE: CM5R) advises that in response to worsening forest fire conditions in the Eeyou-Istchee James Bay region of northern Quebec over the weekend, the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources & Forests announced prohibitions regarding forest access on Crown lands and closed roads for reasons of public safety. The Route du Nord, which provides the only road access to the Troilus site, is currently closed. As a result, operations at the Troilus site have been suspended and staff have been withdrawn as a safety precaution. Justin Reid, CEO and Director of Troilus commented, We are carefully monitoring the situation and will continue to comply with local directives to ensure the health and safety of our staff and local communities. All personnel are safe, and the Troilus site is secure. The temporary closure is not anticipated to have a material impact on our business. We will provide further updates as the situation continues to evolve. About Troilus Gold Corp. Troilus Gold Corp. is a Canadian-based junior mining company focused on the systematic advancement and de-risking of the former gold and copper Troilus Mine towards production. From 1996 to 2010, the Troilus Mine produced +2 million ounces of gold and nearly 70,000 tonnes of copper. Troilus is located in the top-rated mining jurisdiction of Quebec, Canada, where is holds a strategic land position of 1,420 km in the Frotet-Evans Greenstone Belt. Since acquiring the project in 2017, ongoing exploration success has demonstrated the tremendous scale potential of the gold system on the property with significant mineral resource growth. The Company is advancing engineering studies following the completion of a robust PEA in 2020, which demonstrated the potential for the Troilus project to become a top-ranked gold and copper producing asset in Canada. Led by an experienced team with a track-record of successful mine development, Troilus is positioned to become a cornerstone project in North America. For more information: Caroline Arsenault VP Corporate Communications +1 (647) 407-7123 info@troilusgold.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the impact of the ongoing forest fires, related evacuations and impact on the Company. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, continue, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, will, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are made based upon certain assumptions and other important facts that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Troilus to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which Troilus will operate in the future. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performances or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, amongst others, currency fluctuations, the global economic climate, dilution, share price volatility and competition. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Troilus to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: there being no assurance that the exploration program will result in expanded mineral resources; risks and uncertainties inherent to mineral resource estimates; the impact the COVID 19 pandemic may have on the Companys activities (including without limitation on its employees and suppliers) and the economy in general; the impact of the recovery post COVID 19 pandemic and its impact on gold and other metals; the receipt of necessary approvals; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of mineral prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages; environmental and other risks of the mining industry, including without limitation, risks and uncertainties discussed in the most recent Technical Report and in other continuous disclosure documents of the Company available under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com. Although Troilus has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, 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. Troilus does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. New York, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Retail Buildings Global Market Report 2023" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06464147/?utm_source=GNW , Kneeland Construction Corporation, Shannon Waltchack LLC, Bechtel Corporation, Fluor Corporation, Whiting-Turner, Turner Construction, Gilbane Building Company, and Hensel Phelps Construction Co. The global retail buildings market is expected to grow from $299.02 billion in 2022 to $310.59 billion in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9%. The Russia-Ukraine war disrupted the chances of global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, at least in the short term. The war between these two countries has led to economic sanctions on multiple countries, a surge in commodity prices, and supply chain disruptions, and affecting many every markets across the globe. The retail buildings market is expected to reach $343.23 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 2.5%. The retail buildings market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as planning, developing, designing, procuring, constructing, and leasing single-store supermarkets, shopping centers, warehouse-type distribution centers, retail parks, mixed-use structures.The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included. Retail buildings refer to structures that are built or planned for retail purposes. Retail structures can also be termed shops that serve an entire warehouse-style building to small traders in a building with other retail businesses. Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the retail buildings market in 2022.North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the retail buildings market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The main types of retail buildings are buildings construction, heavy and civil engineering construction, and specialty trade contractors.Building construction refers to any physical activity on the building site that involves the creation of a structure, paneling, exterior finish, falsework, fixtures, the fixing of service installation, and the unloading of plant, equipment, supplies, and other similar items. The materials used include aggregates, bricks, cement, ceramic facing and floor tiles, composites, glass, and others for various types of construction including new construction and renovation for residential and non-residential building applications. The globally expanding commercial sector is expected to propel the growth of the retail buildings market going forward.The commercial sector refers to a sector that comprises enterprises service-providing facilities and equipment; federal, state, and local governments; and other private and public organizations such as religious, social, or fraternal organizations. Retail facilities are part of the commercial sector. So, growth of the commercial sector increases the construction of retail buildings.. For instance, in June 2021, according to GOV.UK, a UK-based public sector information website, by the end of March 2021, there were 4,716,126 company registers, which is an increase of 8.4% from the end of March 2020. From 2020 to 2021, 810,316 new businesses were registered, a 21.8% increase from 2019 to 2020. Therefore, the globally expanding commercial sector is driving the retail buildings market. Technology adoption is a key trend gaining popularity in the retail buildings market.Major companies operating in the retail buildings market are focused on adopting innovative technologies to strengthen their position in the market. For instance, in December 2022, Stereolabs Inc., a US-based company that offers 3D depth and motion sensing solutions based on stereo vision and artificial intelligence, launched ZED-X, the worlds first 3D robot camera with a new SDK (software development kit) and control for multiple cameras. ZED-X is created for robotic process automation and navigation in challenging indoor and outdoor locations. The ZED-X is powered and supported by Stereolabs comprehensive software ecosystem, which opens the door to quick commercial implementations of robots in construction. In October 2022, Bouygues S.A., a France-based construction company that plans, constructs, and manages projects in the construction, infrastructure, and industrial sectors, acquired Equans for a deal value of $7.3 billion. Through the acquisition, Bouygues became the global leader in the potential multi-technical services industry, which is crucial to environmental, industrial, and digital transformations. This deal would increase the overall revenues of the Bouygues group from $41 billion to roughly $55 billion, and the manpower in over 80 countries to around 200,000. Equans is a France-based company that specialized in building services, mechanical and electrical construction, and industrial and energy infrastructure. The countries covered in the retail buildings market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA. The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified). The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products. The retail buildings market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides retail buildings market statistics, including retail buildings industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a retail buildings market share, detailed retail buildings market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the retail buildings industry. This retail buildings market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06464147/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ NEW YORK, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) between May 5, 2020 and February 21, 2023, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important July 18, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Charles River securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Charles River class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=12403 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 18, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Charles River had engaged in illegal activity with respect to its importation of non-human primates for research; (2) as a result, Charles River was at a heightened risk of criminal and regulatory investigation by, inter alia, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ); (3) as a result, Charles River would be forced to suspend shipments of primates from Cambodia; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants positive statements about Charles Rivers business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Charles River class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=12403 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com cases@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com English French TORONTO, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AGF Management Limited (TSX: AGF.B) will release its financial results for Q2 2023 on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at approximately 8:00 a.m. ET. AGF will hold a conference call and webcast to discuss these results at 11:00 a.m. ET. Kevin McCreadie, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Judy G. Goldring, President and Head of Global Distribution, Ken Tsang, CFO, and Jenny Quinn, Vice-President and Chief Accounting Officer, will participate in the conference call. The live audio webcast with supporting materials will be available in the Investor Relations section of AGFs website at www.agf.com or at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/wpgusrjc. Alternatively, the call can be accessed over the phone by registering here or in the Investor Relations section of AGFs website at www.agf.com, to receive the dial-in numbers and unique PIN. A complete archive of this discussion along with supporting materials will be available at the same webcast address within 24 hours of the end of the conference call. About AGF Management Limited Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm delivering excellence in investing in the public and private markets through its three distinct business lines: AGF Investments, AGF Private Capital and AGF Private Wealth. AGF brings a disciplined approach focused on providing an exceptional client experience and incorporating sound responsible and sustainable practices. The firms investment solutions, driven by its fundamental, quantitative and private investing capabilities, extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and their clients to high-net worth and institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AGF has investment operations and client servicing teams on the ground in North America and Europe. With over $41 billion in total assets under management and fee-earning assets, AGF serves more than 800,000 investors. AGF trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AGF.B. AGF MANAGEMENT LIMITED SHAREHOLDERS, ANALYSTS AND MEDIA, PLEASE CONTACT: Courtney Learmont Vice-President, Finance 647-253-6804, InvestorRelations@agf.com Vancouver, June 5, 2023 - Gladiator Metals Corp. (TSXV: GLAD) (OTC Pink: GDTRF) (FSE: ZX7) ("Gladiator" or the "Company") is pleased to announce initial results from its maiden drilling campaign at the Cowley Park prospect at the Whitehorse Copper Project. Gladiator has completed a 2,632m maiden diamond drilling program at the Cowley Park prospect ("Cowley Park") and has received initial assays results from the first 7 of 14 holes. All holes returned significant intercepts confirming the width and continuity of mineralization previously targeted at Cowley Park with mineralization remaining open in all directions, with results including: CPG-006: 16m @ 2.36% Cu from 79m within 92m @ 0.71% Cu from 67m CPG-002: 13m @ 1.44% Cu and 0.15% Mo from 28m and; 33m @ 1.48% Cu from 71m within; 113m @ 0.79% Cu CPG-003: 13.2m @ 2.26% Cu from 22.8m CPG-001: 20m @ 1.43% Cu from 42m within 71m @ 0.72% Cu from 32m CPG-004: 10m @ 1.68% Cu from 87m within 28m @ 0.91% Cu from 87m CPG-010: 26m @ 1.14% Cu from 86m These shallow results confirm the continuity of copper skarn mineralization at Cowley Park as well as highlighting the potential for a larger mineralized envelope, not previously considered, or tested by previous operators. Importantly, these assay results highlight the previously unrecognized potential of the endoskarn copper mineralization at Cowley Park which has not been systematically targeted or assayed in historic drilling. Multi Element Assays confirms high grade coincident Molybdenum. The recent assay results also highlight significant zones of molybdenum mineralization coincident with the copper mineralization. Copper mineralization remains open along strike and down dip in all directions at Cowley Park. The Company is advanced in its planning to complete a further 2,000 m of diamond drilling based on initial observations from diamond core drilled to date. This program will be aimed at testing strike and depth extensions to mineralization providing Gladiator with a better understanding of the identified parts of the mineralized system where limited or no assaying was undertaken within the historical drilling. Gladiator CEO, Jason Bontempo commented: "Gladiator is pleased to announce initial results from the recently completed 2,632m maiden diamond drill campaign. These results highlight the rapid progress Gladiator has made in the first three months since acquiring the rights to the Whitehorse Copper Project and is testament to the hard work of the team on the ground. "Results from Gladiators sampling continues to define the continuity and scale of copper mineralisation at Cowley Park as well as providing further definition to the potentially significant coincident Molybdenum mineralisation. The broad widths of mineralisation, surrounding the higher-grade intervals were not typically assayed by previous operators and Gladiator believes that these have significant potential. "The recent drilling has also identified significant widths and grades of copper mineralisation within the endoskarn which was not previously targeted by previous operators. "As well as updating the market in the coming weeks with the remainder of the assays from the maiden diamond drill campaign Gladiator has already begun planning for follow up diamond drilling which will be targeting extensions to historically defined mineralisation at Cowley Park. We also look forward to announcing results from the remainder of our data compilation of historic drilling as well as further assays from previously unlogged and unsampled core." Cowley Park - Maiden Drilling Campaign Gladiators 2632m, 14-hole maiden diamond drilling campaign was completed on May 19th and initial assay results from the program have now been received for seven of the holes (please refer to Figure 1 below for details). Significant drill intercepts include: CPG-006: 16m @ 2.36% Cu from 79m within 92m @ 0.71% Cu from 67m CPG-002: 13m @ 1.44% Cu and 0.15% Mo from 28m and; 33m @ 1.48% Cu from 71m within; 113m @ 0.79% Cu CPG-003: 13.2m @ 2.26% Cu from 22.8m CPG-001: 20m @ 1.43% Cu from 42m within 71m @ 0.72% Cu from 32m CPG-004: 10m @ 1.68% Cu from 87m within 28m @ 0.91% Cu from 87m CPG-010: 26m @ 1.14% Cu from 86m A complete list of drilling completed by Gladiator Metals, including the hole locations, drill azimuth and dip are tabled below. Table 1: Cowley Park Drilling - Hole Details & Significant Intercepts HoleID East North RL TD Dip Azimuth Comment From TO Interval Cu (%) Au (ppm) Ag (ppm) Mo (ppm) Cu% * Int(m) Remarks CPG-001 505,846 6,715,455 764 155 -60 6 13.69 19 5.31 0.78 0.09 5.35 26 4.12 Including 13.69 17 3.31 1.1 0.15 8.03 28 3.63 And 32 103 71 0.72 0.04 2.08 143 51.35 Including 42 62 20 1.43 0.07 3.96 254 28.68 CPG-002 505,839 6,715,412 765 183 -60 1 19 132 113 0.79 0.13 4.75 464 89.57 Including 28 41 13 1.44 0.31 10.53 1,564 18.66 And 71 104 33 1.48 0.25 8.31 404 48.89 CPG-003 505,837 6,715,492 763 134 -60 2 9 14 5 1.23 0.12 10.44 1,121 6.16 And 22.8 36 13.2 2.26 0.34 17.96 833 29.88 CPG-004 506,032 6,715,258 753 155 -60 4 87 115 28 0.91 0.1 9.13 383 25.53 Including 87 97 10 1.65 0.26 21.94 791 16.48 CPG-005 506,051 6,715,309 757 177 -60 355 Assay Not Received CPG-006 506,197 6,715,374 757 181 -60 356 67 159 92 0.71 0.07 5.13 313 64.89 Including 67 71 4 0.8 0.07 6.35 755 3.2 And 79 137 58 0.95 0.08 7.07 367 55.05 Or 79 95 16 2.36 0.26 20.58 455 37.71 And 129 135 6 1.57 0.01 4.07 183 9.43 And 149 159 10 0.54 0.07 2.78 273 5.43 CPG-007 506,267 6,715,349 752 191 -61 354 84 87 3 1.13 0.2 6.93 680 3.38 Assays Received from 61 to 89m CPG-008 506,262 6,715,387 755 181 -60 349 65 77 12 0.53 0.09 4.6 825 6.38 And 101 109 8 0.74 0.23 5.03 355 5.91 CPG-009 506,120 6,715,340 758 241 -60 357 Assay Not Received CPG-010 506,115 6,715,370 759 207 -60 360 86 112 26 1.14 0.02 3.09 256 29.55 And 134 146 12 0.56 0.1 3.07 384 6.71 CPG-011 506,099 6,715,400 761 190 -60 356 Assay Not Received CPG-012 505,955 6,715,451 765 162 -60 357 Assay Not Received CPG-013 506,040 6,715,368 761 196 -60 9 Assay Not Received CPG-014 505,993 6,715,305 758 280 -60 339 Assay Not Received Notes on Table: All drill hole locations are recorded in NAD83 Coordinates (Zone 8N). No significant core loss was observed during the logging and sampling within the reported drill intervals. All intercepts that are greater than 0.5% Cu and having a minimum summed value >2, calculated as the sum of the weighted average of Cu (%) x Interval (m) over the reported interval have been tabled. Figure 1: Plan map of the advanced Cowley Park Copper Prospect. Previously released (historicql) collated drill results with a cumulative Copper%*m of >40 highlighted as well as initial significant drill intercepts from the recently completed maiden diamond drilling campaign. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/168732_b069d459347e7b6d_003full.jpg Cu Mineralization Width and Grade Confirmed These results confirm the width and continuity of mineralization previously targeted at Cowley Park with mineralization remaining open in all directions. Results such as 16m @ 2.36% Cu in CPG-006 and 13.2m @ 2.26% Cu in CPG-003 compare favorably to previously announced historical drill intercepts (refer Company's news releases dated February 13 2023, April 3, 2023 and May 15 2023) such as: CP-003: 16.76m @ 2.27% Cu from Surface CP-053: 27.7m @ 2.74% Cu from 8.69m, Including 7.83m @ 8.34% Cu from 23.93m CP-119: 36.27m @ 2.28% Cu from 72.24m CP-125: 23.32m @ 3.53% Cu from 51.51m 19-CP-08: 43.28m @ 2.24% Cu from 93.27m As a result, recently completed drilling compares favorably to previous (historical) results and highlights the potential for Gladiator to significantly enhance Cowley Park through systematic targeting and sampling of lower grade envelopes to the high-grade mineralization. Figure 2 below shows a recently completed cross section at Cowley Park comparing the extent of recent and historic sampling and drill intercepts and contrasting the widths of recently returned assays with those of previous (historic) drilling campaigns. Figure 2: Section A-A' through drillholes CPG-001, 002 and 003 in comparison to previous (historic) historical drilling intercepts on the same section. Section A-A' is marked on Figure 1 for reference. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/168732_b069d459347e7b6d_004full.jpg In addition, Figure 2 highlights the previously underrepresented potential of endoskarn copper mineralization hosted within the granodiorite intrusion. This style of mineralization has not been systematically targeted or assayed in historic drilling. New results from the recently completed drilling campaign demonstrates the potential for this style of mineralization. This has become evident when current drilling is compared against selectively assayed historical drilling in neighboring holes. For example, recently completed drill hole CPG-002 returned 113m @ 0.79% Cu from 19m, compared against historic drill hole CP-039 that returned 62.49m @ 0.65% cu from 42.67m. Multi Element Assays confirms high grade coincident Molybdenum The recent assay results also highlight significant zones of molybdenum mineralization coincident with the copper mineralization. Significant intervals from recently completed drilling includes: CPG-002: 13m @ 1.44% Cu and 0.15% Mo from 28m CPG-003: 5m @ 1.23% Cu and 0.11% Mo from 9m These results are supported by recently announced results from Gladiators multi-element sampling program of previously unassayed core at Cowley Park with results including (refer Company's news releases dated February 13, 2023, April 3, 2023 and May 15 2023): 19-CP-01: 10.54m @ 1.87% Cu, 0.16% Mo 19-CP-01: 19.81m @ 1.19% Cu, 0.13% Mo 19-CP-05: 27m @ 0.68% Cu and 0.23% Mo from 97m Molybdenum was not systematically assayed for in the historical drilling and Gladiator intends to add co-product value to the project through the inclusion of this and other potentially contributing elements including silver and gold. A complete list of the compiled historic drill holes from Cowley Park and their significant intercepts and details can be found at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mn25VTZ5DSvCH-NfXUYRnCmB6WxwWVE5NVYMdYKd41U/edit#gid=1204953821 Exploration Update The Company's exploration program at the Whitehorse Copper Project for 2023 is categorized into three parts which includes: The Company has recently completed its maiden 2,632m diamond drilling program and a further 2000m is in an advanced planning stage, scheduled to commence in July. Identified mineralisation at Cowley remains open along strike and down dip. In addition to the Company's own diamond drilling above, Gladiator will continue its program of logging and assaying approximately 10,000 metres of unassayed core from exploration drilling completed in recent years. The 10,000 metres of core mostly relates to drilling at Cowley Park but also includes drilling at other prospect areas including North Star, Grafters and Verona which are situated in the Best Chance to North Star trend and includes the former Little Chief Mine. Gladiator will also assay for molybdenum, gold, silver, and other elements which were not historically systematically assayed for, along with incorporating potentially lower grade mineralised material within or adjacent to significant mineralised widths that was often not assayed in the past to allow for future assessment of modern bulk mining potential. The Company is also carrying out a systematic consolidation of the historic drilling and mining activity representing the first time a comprehensive review of regional datasets has been undertaken since the last mining activity in the region ceased in 1982 with the closure of the Little Chief mine. Gladiator to date has identified over 800 historical surface drill holes drilled by Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co Ltd., Yankee Hat Minerals Ltd., Lobo Del Norte Ltd and the Vendor H.Coyne & Sons Ltd which were logged and selectively assayed. This includes 219 holes for approximately 25,000 metres completed at the Cowley Park Prospect which were reported to the market on April 3, 2023. As compilation and digitisation is completed the Company will release the results of this historical drilling by prospect area along the Whitehorse Copper belt. Regional Exploration Work completed to date has identified more than 30, drill ready, high-grade regional targets associated with copper rich skarns at the contact between the Cretaceous age Whitehorse Plutonic Suite and the Triassic to Jurassic Lewes River Group's clastic and carbonate metasediments. Cumulatively, there is more than 35km of underexplored strike on the contact which is highly prospective for high-grade copper+/-molybdenum+/-silver+/- gold (refer to Figure 3 below). Figure 3: Plan map of the Whitehorse Copper Project showing geology and location of key prospects and historic drill intercepts within the main trend please refer to Company's news releases dated February 13 2023 and April 3, 2023 for details. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1930/168732_b069d459347e7b6d_005full.jpg Gladiator's position is enhanced at Whitehorse, with the project having near year-round access for work programs, including an established road and drill access network, lower capital infrastructure requirements due to the project's proximity to Whitehorse and a strong partnership with the owners of the Whitehorse Copper Project, an experienced local drilling service provider. Data Verification and QA / QC Drilling completed by Gladiator was irregularly spaced to test parts of the mineralised systems, holes were generally drilled at -60 degrees towards true north and the holes were directionally surveyed utilising a North Seeking Gyro direction tool. On completion of drilling drill collars are surveyed utilising a high-accuracy RTK DGPS system. Upon drilling of diamond core Gladiator undertakes geological logging, marking up of lineal length of the core, recording core recovery, and Geotech measurements such as RQD's and taking core photographs. Based on the geological logging, core is then marked up for sampling with a new sampling ticket that matches the submitted sample for analysis at the start of the sample interval, the drill core is then cut in half utilizing a core saw equipped with a diamond saw blade. The core samples are then sent for analysis and the remaining half core retained for future reference. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) or known blank material is placed within the sampling sequence at a nominal sampling rate of 1 in 20 samples to monitor the laboratory. Samples are submitted to the ALS Global laboratory (Whitehorse YT) which is independent of Gladiator. Samples subject to this release were crushed to 70% less than 2mm before pulverizing to better than 85% passing 75 microns. Samples were then analysed by ALS method ME-ICP61 (Aqua Regia with ICP-MS finish), with over limits for Cu analysed by method CU-OG62 (Aqua Regia with ICP-MS finish). As part of this process, Gladiator also captures the required sampling metadata to potentially utilize the core and analysis for any future requirements. Gladiator believes that this current QA/QC regime meets required standards under reporting instruments, such as NI-43-101. At this point the Company regards the data collected from this exercise as reliable for the purposes of identifying future exploration targets and may be used to inform future drilling and exploration campaigns or utilised in future resource calculations. In reference to historic drill results reported in this news release from the Company's data compilation exercise, these results are historical in nature. Gladiator has not undertaken any independent investigation, nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. The Company believes that the historical drill results currently do not conform to presently accepted industry standards. Gladiator considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company will use this data as a guide to plan future exploration and drilling programs. The Company also considers the data to be reliable for these purposes, however, the Company's future exploration work will include verification of the data through drilling. Please refer to Company's news releases dated February 13, 2023, April 3, 2023 and April 27 2023 for further details. ABOUT GLADIATOR METALS CORP. Gladiator Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the advancement of multiple high- grade copper prospects at its Whitehorse Copper Project (the "Project"), an advanced-stage copper (Cu) molybdenum (Mo) silver (Ag) gold (Au) skarn exploration project in the Yukon Territory, Canada. The Project comprises 314 contiguous claims covering approximately 5,380 Hectares (13,294 acres) in the Whitehorse Mining District. Copper mineralization was first discovered in 1897 on the Whitehorse Copper Belt, as it came to be known. The Whitehorse Copper Belt comprised over 30 copper-related, primarily skarn occurrences covering an area of 35 by 5 km in a northwesterly trending arc. Exploration and mining development have been carried out intermittently since that time with the main production era lasting between 1967 and 1982 where production totaled 267,500,000 pounds copper, 225,000 ounces of gold and 2,838,000 ounces of silver from 11.1 million tons of mineralized skarn ore were milled (Watson, 1984). The Project is accessible through numerous access roads and trails located within 2 km of the South Klondike Highway and the Alaska Highway. An extensive network of historical gravel exploration and haul roads exists throughout the project area, providing excellent access to the majority of the claim package. Access to existing electric power facilities is available through the main Yukon power grid. In November 2022, Gladiator executed an option agreement to acquire 100% of the Whitehorse Copper Project by incurring exploration expenditure of $12m on the project, staged payment of $300,000 in cash and the staged issue of 15m shares over 6 years. Following the exercise of the Option, the Company must pay the Optionor, or such other person(s) as the Optionor may direct from time to time, a 1.0% net smelter returns royalty on the Whitehorse Copper Project. Qualified Person All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared or reviewed and approved by Kell Nielsen, a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Jason Bontempo" Jason Bontempo President and CEO For further information contact: Dustin Zinger, Investor Relations +1-604-653-9464 dzinger@gladiatormetals.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. Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information". Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "estimates", "intends", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "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) that are not statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information.. Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company's properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company's material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons; availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs; and that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements or information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company's forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this news release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management's assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168732 /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO US NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES/ TORONTO, June 5, 2023 - Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX: AMC) (OTCQB: AZMCF) (the "Company" or "Arizona Metals") is pleased to announce the appointment of Morgan Knowles as Vice President of Investor Relations. Morgan brings with her significant experience in collaborating with executive-level and cross-functional teams, analyzing business situations, and developing and implementing practical investor relations programs and strategies. Morgan has managed investor relations and corporate communications strategies for public companies spanning various industries, including mining, environmental sustainability, and consumer packaged goods. She has successfully managed and executed large-scale investor relations campaigns during public and private equity offerings, company acquisitions, financial reporting, product launches and conferences. Marc Pais, CEO, commented "We are delighted to welcome Morgan to Arizona Metals' senior executive team. Her strong investor relations background, combined with a deep understanding of the mining and exploration industries, will be a great complement to the existing team as we continue to highlight exploration at the Kay Mine Deposit, as well as upcoming results of the fully-funded, 76,000 metre Phase 3 program at the Central and Western Targets (budgeted at $32 million). We believe that Morgan's capital markets experience and extensive industry contacts will be a driving force in our goal of creating substantial shareholder value." The Qualified Person who reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this release is David Smith, CPG. This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding drilling at and around the Western and Central Targets and the continuation and completion of the Company's Phase II drill program. 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 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: 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. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE (NOR ITS REGULATORY SERVICE PROVIDER) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE SOURCE Arizona Metals Corp. Alpine, June 5, 2023 - Stanley Cutler, a shareholder of Clifton Mining Company, is providing the following open communication to fellow shareholders: Dear fellow shareholders, As you are likely aware, Clifton Mining Company ("Clifton") needs a change in management and a board of directors with more independent directors, meaning directors who do not represent the views of the officers of Clifton. As a result of the failures of Clifton's management, as more specifically outlined below, and in an effort to spur positive change for Clifton and its shareholders, the holders of more than 10% of Clifton's outstanding shares have demanded that the Clifton Board of Directors call a Special Meeting of Shareholders. This news release is provided to alert Clifton shareholders that there will be a special shareholders' meeting sometime within the next few months to replace Kenneth Friedman and Scott Moeller as directors. We urge you to read the Proxy Statement that will be sent to you and to vote in favor of proposal(s) to remove and replace Kenneth Friedman and Scott Moeller. We will only be able to effect this change if the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote are represented (in person or by proxy) at the meeting. Here are a few of the reasons we must replace these directors: Under the management of Ken Friedman, Clifton President, and Scott Moeller, Clifton Vice President and Secretary, the value of Clifton shares has dropped from $2.96 per share on January 1, 2004 to $0.08 per share on May 4, 2023. As a result of Clifton's delinquent filings this year, in April 2023, OTC Markets downgraded Clifton to the "Pink Limited Information" tier, and in May 2023 removed the "Verified Profile" green checkmark, labeled Clifton as "Dark or Defunct," and threatened Clifton with delisting from the pink sheets. These delinquent filings indicate a pattern of mismanagement. In 2011, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") terminated the registration of American Consolidated Management Group, Inc. (formerly known as American Consolidated Mining Co., a predecessor of Clifton under the management of the Moeller family) for violations of securities laws by failing to file annual and quarterly reports. In a violation of Clifton's bylaws (Section 2.1) and the Utah Revised Business Corporation Act (Section 16-10a-701), Clifton management failed to call or hold an annual shareholder meeting in 2022. To date, no shareholder meeting has been held in 18 months. In violation of Clifton's bylaws (Section 3.2) and the Utah Revised Business Corporation Act (Section 16-10a-803), Clifton management has regularly provided for the election of directors for terms lasting multiple years. In particular, the board has provided relatively longer terms for directors who are not independent directors. In September 2004, Clifton filed a registration statement on Form 10-SB with the SEC to register Clifton with the SEC as a publicly reporting company. Stan Cutler, a shareholder, had requested in shareholders meetings that Clifton file with the SEC. Shareholders were repeatedly promised that Clifton would file with the SEC and would in addition get its shares listed on a stock exchange. However, in May 2005, Clifton withdrew the registration statement prior to its having gone effective. Clifton filed another registration statement in November 2007, but withdrew it in January 2008, again prior to its having gone effective. Clifton management then told shareholders that it is too expensive to make SEC periodic filings. In a news release, dated October 3, 2014, Clifton stated it was focused on two goals when filling vacancies on its board of directors: "One is to have an outside board, with a majority of members not related to the founding family. The other is to add individuals who can contribute significantly to areas of particular interest to [Clifton]: (i) metallurgy, including microwave processing; (ii) biotechnology; and (iii) interests of potentially large investors." This was used as a pretense to bring on board an individual who is only nominally an outsider - Robert J. Holladay. Mr. Holladay is the CEO of ABL Medical, which is controlled by the Moeller family. Additionally, 17.2% of ABL Medical stock is owned by Clifton. Mr. Holladay's board seat has been used largely to keep outsiders from interfering with Moeller family control over Clifton. The result is a continued erosion of Clifton's value to the detriment of Clifton's shareholders. For the reasons listed above as well as others to be discussed at the meeting, we encourage you to attend the special shareholders' meeting and vote FOR the new slate of directors to be presented to you in the Notice of Special Meeting and the Proxy Statement that will be sent to you. Contact Information Stanley Cutler 801 368 1219 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168655 Vancouver, June 5, 2023 - CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQX: CVVU) (FSE: DH7N) ("CanAlaska" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the promotion of Cory Belyk to President of the Company effective June 1, 2023. Mr. Belyk will continue as Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and as a Director of CanAlaska. Continued resurgence of interest in the uranium market as part of a carbon-free clean-energy world has continued to accelerate the Company's activities. Recent new high-grade uranium discoveries at it's West McArthur and Moon Lake South joint venture projects, and continued project generation activity in the world's richest uranium district in Saskatchewan, have CanAlaska ready for the next steps in its evolution. Mr. Belyk leads CanAlaska's exploration and management teams, located at the Company's office in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2864/168704_49c43cd3d4d4a909_001full.jpg Mr. Belyk is a professional geologist with nearly 30 years of experience working for major and junior mining companies in the Athabasca Basin and worldwide. Prior to joining CanAlaska in 2019 as Chief Operating Officer, he was Director of Exploration for Cameco's international operations including Mongolia and Australia. Mr. Belyk was also a member of Cameco's exploration management team during the Fox Lake and West McArthur uranium discoveries in Saskatchewan. More recently, Mr. Belyk established CanAlaska's Saskatoon office and led growth of the management, administration, and geological teams in support of growing exploration and project generation activities. Mr. Belyk holds a Bachelor's (1994) degree in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan and a Certificate in Negotiation from Harvard Law School (2014). He is a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of British Columbia. Cory Belyk, Chief Executive Officer, comments: "I welcome the opportunity to expand my role at CanAlaska and to lead the company toward new uranium and nickel discoveries. The world is seeking more of the critical minerals necessary to make a clean-energy future a reality. CanAlaska and its shareholders are uniquely positioned to take advantage of this future reality with an exploration portfolio built on world-class uranium and nickel assets in tier 1 jurisdictions, great project partnerships, and wonderful employees. It is a pleasure and a privilege to lead the CanAlaska team." About CanAlaska Uranium CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQX: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) holds interests in approximately 350,000 hectares (865,000 acres), in Canada's Athabasca Basin - the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings have attracted major international mining companies. CanAlaska is currently working with Cameco and Denison at two of the Company's properties in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. CanAlaska is a project generator positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. The Company also holds properties prospective for nickel, copper, gold and diamonds. For further information visit www.canalaska.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Cory Belyk" Cory Belyk, P.Geo., FGC CEO, President and Director CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Contacts: Cory Belyk, CEO and President Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138 Email: cbelyk@canalaska.com General Enquiry Tel: +1.604.688.3211 Email: info@canalaska.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking information All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168704 Grass Valley, June 5, 2023 - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQX: RYES) (the "Company" or "Rise Gold") reports that it has sent a letter to the Nevada County (the "County") Board of Supervisors (the "Board"), that highlights significant irregularities with the May 10-11 Planning Commission Hearing (the "Hearing") regarding the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project (the "IMM Project"). The letter details Brown Act violations, egregious abuses of the Company's constitutionally protected rights to due process, as well as the Planning Commission's non-compliance with the County's ethics training and adopted policies for conducting the business of Board-appointed bodies. The County's Final Environmental Impact Report ("FEIR") concluded that the IMM Project would have no significant impacts to air quality, biological resources, water quality, groundwater, vibration, truck traffic, or noise from operations. In addition, an independent economic study commissioned by the County concluded that the IMM Project would deliver substantial economic benefits, including at least 475 new local jobs, $45.3 million in new local labor income per year, additional tax revenue between $1.4 to $6.4 million per year, and a stronger and more diversified local economy. The Company thanks the many community members who supported the IMM Project with thousands of support letters and attendance at the recent Planning Commission Hearing. During the Hearing, a number of the County Planning Commissioners ("Commissioners") made unsupported assertions contradicting the findings of the FEIR without allowing County staff or the Company to respond, called on non-experts to testify without allowing the County's own technical experts to rebut or correct the misinformation, and introduced materials purported to be new damning information which were, in fact, already part of the FEIR and its analysis of the Project. It is notable that the Commissioners did not ask a single question of the fourteen expert consultants who were present at the Hearing, including those working directly for the County. One of the Commissioners knowingly presented false and inaccurate evidence and testimony into the deliberations, including from a geotechnical report included in the FEIR that he claimed was new information obtained from "a friend". The Commissioner read extensively from a letter from the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District ("NSAQMD") dated April 4th 2022 that was already included and analyzed in the FEIR and represented this letter to the County staff and his fellow commissioners as a new letter that had not been addressed. As stated in the FEIR, this unsigned letter was revised and replaced by the NSAQMD. The copy of this letter presented by the Commissioner was modified with the addition of a new date of May 8th, 2023, and a forged agency signature. Social media posts, and records obtained from a Public Records Act Request initiated by Rise Gold reveal that this Commissioner met with numerous Project opponents before the Hearing, attended an evening victory celebration for project opponents after the Hearing concluded, and participated in an anti-Project documentary after the Hearing, demonstrating clear bias against the IMM Project. Both the federal and state constitutions guarantee the right to due process of law. This constitutional right to due process requires a fair tribunal and applies to local agencies' (e.g., the County) decisions on land use permits. A fair tribunal requires that the decision-making process - including all decision-makers - be impartial, non-involved, and unbiased for or against a project proponent and/or project. Where there is a probability of actual bias during the decision-making process, the decision must be vacated. The Company's letter dated June 1st, 2023, urges the Board to conduct an independent inquiry into the events surrounding the Hearing and calls on the Board to publicly disavow the Planning Commission's recommendation to deny the IMM Project and disregard it when the Board deliberates whether to approve the IMM Project. A copy of the letter sent to the Board detailing the nature of the Company's objections to the Planning Commission hearing is provided on the Company's website at the following link. Download Rise Letter to BOS dated June 1st 2023. A printed copy of the letter and appendices will be provided to interested parties upon request. The Nevada County Board of Supervisors is the highest decision-making body within the County and has announced it will hold a public hearing to consider and make a final decision on the IMM Project sometime after July 2023. Rise Gold Corp. and Rise Grass Valley Inc. are American companies and have been members of the Nevada County community for over 6 years and Rise Gold is a significant local property owner and taxpayer. The Company asks for the community's continued support as it defends its private property and constitutional rights. The Company is committed to continue its mission to re-open the Idaho-Maryland Mine for the benefit of both the Company's shareholders and the community. About Rise Gold Corp. Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company incorporated in Nevada, USA. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA. On behalf of the Board of Directors: Benjamin Mossman President, CEO and Director Rise Gold Corp. For further information, please contact: Rise Gold Corp. Suite 215, 333 Crown Point Circle Grass Valley, CA 95945 T: 530.433.0188 info@risegoldcorp.com www.risegoldcorp.com The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to, among other things, its ongoing business operations. These risks are related to a number of factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals, meeting expenditure and financing requirements, compliance with environmental regulations, 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 that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168731 Ulaanbaatar, June 5, 2023 - Steppe Gold Ltd. (TSX: STGO) (OTCQX: STPGF) (FSE: 2J9) ("Steppe Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the chief executive officer of the Company (the "CEO"), Mr Bataa Tumur-Ochir will also assume the role of Chairman, effective immediately. Mr Bataa Tumur-Ochir is a founding Director of Steppe Gold and he has led the Company as CEO since December 2019. He is also now the largest shareholder of the Company, on a partially diluted basis. He has been instrumental in the management and growth of the Company since listing, guiding the ATO Gold Mine from a greenfield site on the Mongolian steppe to a modern and international standard gold mine in Mongolia today, now in its fourth year of production. Mr Matthew Wood, retiring Chairman of the Company, will remain in the role of a Non-Executive Director and will continue to act as an advisor to the Board. Mr Bataa Tumur-Ochir commented, "I am excited to take on the role of Chairman as we embark on an exciting period for Steppe Gold. Completion of financing for our Phase 2 Expansion is our top priority and advancing the dual listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. We expect that these projects will be transformative for our Company. We are a proud Mongolian company and I want to thank all of our stakeholders and partners who have shown us great support in recent years. We want to be at the forefront of fulfilling the great promise of homegrown Mongolian mining companies on the world stage." Mr Wood said, "It has been my honour and privilege to be the Chairman of Steppe Gold during an extremely challenging and rewarding phase in the Company's life. We entered production in April 2020, at the height of the pandemic and I am proud of our resilience, with continuous production during the last three years. Mr Bataa Tumur-Ochir has proven his commitment to building Steppe Gold into Mongolia's premier precious metals company, and he is now also our largest stakeholder. He has my full support as we look to expand in Mongolia." Steppe Gold Ltd. Steppe Gold is Mongolia's premier precious metals company. For Further information, please contact: Bataa Tumur-Ochir, CEO and President Shangri-La office, Suite 1201, Olympic Street 19A, Sukhbaatar District 1, Ulaanbaatar 14241, Mongolia Tel: +976 7732 1914 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the market position of the Company on a global scale, and continued production . Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information, including the factors disclosed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2022. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "embark", "expect", "promise", "plan", "commitment", "continuous" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events, or results "may", "can", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur, or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance, and results and speak only as of the date of this news release. 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. Except as required by securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if the Company's expectations regarding future events, performance, or results change. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168754 VANCOUVER, June 5, 2023 - Archer Exploration Corp. (CSE: RCHR) (the "Company" or "Archer") announced today that due to an emergency order from the Quebec Ministere des Ressources naturelles et des Forets (Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests) prohibiting access to lands in the province impacted by forest fires, drilling and exploration activities have been temporarily suspended and all personnel from the Grasset Project in the James Bay territory in Quebec have been evacuated. Tom Meyer, President and CEO, stated: " The safety of our employees, drill contractors and suppliers is always our top priority. The Grasset Project is located in a region in the province of Quebec that has been impacted by forest fires within the area covered by the order prohibiting access, and we have been asked to evacuate the area as soon as possible. This is a dynamic situation we are monitoring, and we will provide updates on any material developments in a timely manner." The news release from the Ministere des Ressources naturelles et des Forets (Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests) announcing the prohibition can be accessed below: https://www.quebec.ca/nouvelles/actualites/details/incendies-de-foret-modification-du-territoire-touche-par-linterdiction-dacces-en-foret-sur-les-terres-du-domaine-de-letat-et-par-la-fermeture-de-chemins-48424 About Archer Archer Exploration is a Canadian Ni-Cu-Co-PGE focused exploration and development company with an extensive portfolio of assets in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. The Company's flagship asset is the Grasset Project, located within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, with an Indicated Resource of 5.5 Mt @ 1.53% NiEq. In addition, the Company holds a strategically significant portfolio of 37 properties and over 300 km2 in the world-class mining district of Sudbury, Ontario. The Company's growth strategy is focused on the exploration and development of its nickel sulphide properties within its portfolio. Archer's vision is to be a responsible nickel sulphide developer in stable pro-mining jurisdictions. Archer is committed to socially responsible exploration and development, working safely, ethically, and with integrity. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Archer Exploration Corp. TORONTO, June 05, 2023 - Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd. (TSX:WM, OTCQX:WLBMF) ("Wallbridge" or the "Company") today announced that it has temporarily evacuated the camp at its 100% owned Fenelon Gold project ("Fenelon") and suspended all exploration activities on its Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property due to an emergency order from the Quebec Ministere des Ressources naturelles et des Forets (Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests) prohibiting access to lands in the province impacted by forest fires. "Safety is of paramount importance at Wallbridge," said Marz Kord, President and CEO. "All of our employees and contractors' staff have been safely evacuated and we have taken appropriate measures to secure and mitigate risk to the Fenelon camp site. Exploration activities at Fenelon and our other projects will resume as soon as practicable." The news release from the Ministere des Ressources naturelles et des Forets (Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests) announcing the prohibition can be found at https://www.quebec.ca/nouvelles/actualites/details/incendies-de-foret-modification-du-territoire-touche-par-linterdiction-dacces-en-foret-sur-les-terres-du-domaine-de-letat-et-par-la-fermeture-de-chemins-48424 About Wallbridge Mining Wallbridge is focused on creating value through the exploration and sustainable development of gold projects along the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend while respecting the environment and communities where it operates. Wallbridge's flagship project, Fenelon Gold ("Fenelon"), is located on the highly prospective Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property in Quebec's Northern Abitibi region. An updated mineral resource estimate completed in January 2023 yielded significantly improved grades and additional ounces at the 100%-owned Fenelon and Martiniere projects, incorporating a combined 3.05 million ounces of indicated gold resources and 2.35 million ounces of inferred gold resources. Fenelon and Martiniere are located within an 830 km2 exploration land package controlled by Wallbridge. The Company believes that these two deposits have good potential for economic development, especially given their proximity to existing hydro-electric power and transportation infrastructure. In addition, Wallbridge believes that the extensive land package is extremely prospective for the discovery of additional gold deposits. Wallbridge also holds a 19.9% interest in the common shares of Archer Exploration Corp. ("Archer") as a result of the sale of the Company's portfolio of nickel assets in Ontario and Quebec in November of 2022. Wallbridge will continue to focus on its core Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property while enabling shareholders to participate in the potential economic upside in Archer. For further information please visit the Company's website at www.wallbridgemining.com or contact: Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd. Marz Kord, P. Eng., M. Sc., MBA President & CEO Tel: (705) 682?9297 ext. 251 Email: mkord@wallbridgemining.com Victoria Vargas, B.Sc. (Hon.) Economics, MBA Investor Relations Advisor Email: vvargas@wallbridgemining.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively, "FLI") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. FLI is based on expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations as at the date of this press release. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are FLI that involve various risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties. Generally, FLI can be identified by the use of statements that include words such as "seeks", "believes", "anticipates", "plans", "continues", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "intends", "projects", "predicts", "proposes", "potential", "targets" and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "will", "could", "would", "should" or "might", "be taken", "occur" or "be achieved." FLI herein includes but is not limited to: statements regarding the potential future performance of Archer common shares; future drill results; the Company's ability to convert inferred resources into measured and indicated resources; environmental matters; stakeholder engagement and relationships; parameters and methods used to estimate the MRE's at the Fenelon Gold (defined below) and Martiniere (defined below) properties (collectively the "Deposits"); the prospects, if any, of the Deposits; future drilling at the Deposits; and the significance of historic exploration activities and results. FLI is designed to help you understand management's current views of its near- and longer-term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes. FLI by their nature are based on assumptions and 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 FLI. Although the FLI contained in this press release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such FLI, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such FLI. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such FLI contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances. Unless otherwise noted, this press release has been prepared based on information available as of the date of this press release. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the FLI, or information contained herein. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in FLI. Assumptions upon which FLI is based, without limitation, include: the results of exploration activities, the Company's financial position and general economic conditions, the ability of exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; the accuracy of geological modelling; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; the legitimacy of title and property interests in the Deposits; the accuracy of key assumptions, parameters or methods used to estimate the MREs; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; the evolution of the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental expectations; community and non-governmental actions; and any impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Deposits, the Company's financial position, the Company's ability to secure required funding, or operations. In addition to the MD&A, risks and uncertainties about Wallbridge's business are discussed in the disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available at www.sedar.com. Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources The disclosure relating to the Deposits and MRE's in this press release and referred to herein was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The terms "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" used in this press release are in reference to the mining terms defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards (the "CIM Definition Standards"), which definitions have been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained in this press release providing descriptions of our mineral deposits in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all mineral resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to CIM Definition Standards, "inferred mineral resources" are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Such geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an indicated mineral resource and must not be converted to a mineral reserve. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated mineral resources with continued exploration. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Investors are cautioned that while terms, are substantially similar to CIM Definition Standards, there are differences in the definitions and standards under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SEC Modernization Rules"), with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources," "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". Information regarding mineral resources contained or referenced in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC Modernization Rules are purported to be "substantially similar" to the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral resources that the Company may report as "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. A top FIA official has played down "noise" suggesting Madrid is in pole position to replace the current Spanish GP host at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya. "There's a lot of noise but the circuit has not been approved and there is no firm proposal," said Carmelo Sanz de Barros, who is also president of Spain's automobile club Real Automovil Club de Espana. However, he does admit that there is the "political will" to put a Madrid event together, with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also warning Barcelona that it needs to up its game in order to extend the current race deal beyond 2026. But he says Madrid's plans are still not at an advanced stage. "The first request would be to the Spanish federation and then to the FIA. Then the commercial proposal would go to FOM," said de Barros. "I can confirm that there is nothing for now and that due to the political situation, the situation will continue like this until September at least." He also said Barcelona's Spanish GP is not in doubt at all because "both the FIA and FOM have the habit of fulfilling our contracts". Another top Spanish motor racing and FIA official, Manuel Avino, added: "We cannot afford a war between Barcelona and Madrid for the grand prix. "What interests us is keeping it in Spain and if there can be two, even better. In Spain we had two, with Barcelona and Valencia, not so long ago," he said. Domenicali, however, has played that scenario down - but even FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem admits it is a possibility. "I like this country and that there is interest in having more than one grand prix is good news," he said. "In fact, there could be two and even three," the FIA president smiled, referring to his meetings in Barcelona with a delegation from Jerez. (GMM) The female drivers signed up to race in the all-female 'W Series' are still waiting to see if the financial problems can be resolved. Although the FIA is now pushing ahead with its own female-only 'F1 Academy' series, the original concept - W Series - collapsed late last year. One of the drivers, Finnish 33-year-old Emma Kimilainen, admits the future of W Series is still under a cloud with the engines completely silent at present. "We are in this situation for reasons independent of the series," she told Iltalehti newspaper. A key aspect of the business model was that all the drivers were actually paid by the series. The newspaper said Kimilainen made $125,000 in prize money in 2021 and $90,000 in 2019. When financial trouble struck, a deal with a new investor emerged. But Kimilainen now reveals: "The money owing to the series was never paid. "A big deal had been made with the investor, but the money never came. In the end, it became clear that it would never come," she added. "That's when the uncertain times began. Suddenly, they had to start looking for the missing millions in a hurry." Ultimately, the 2022 season collapsed with four races to go and it has not re-emerged in 2023. But Kimilainen says all hope is not yet lost. "I think a change of ownership is underway," she said. "A lot of still unclear, but things are being tried behind the scenes. But these big contracts take time. That's why I urge everyone to wait in peace." She admits, however, that the waiting is difficult at present. "We are ready to drive as soon as we get some kind of signal about the continuation," said Kimilainen. "But it's impossible to say whether we will be able to race this year or next year at the earliest. "For now we can only wait and see what happens." (GMM) Economist proposes more taxes on banks ...2 MPs, bankers disagree Maclean Kwofi Business News Jun - 05 - 2023 , 13:47 An international economist, Dr Sajid Mukhtar Chaudhry, has called for the introduction of a special tax on banks in Ghana to provide the government with a sustained source of revenue that can move the countrys economy beyond dependence on aid in the long term. Dr Chaudhry, who is a Senior Lecturer at Aston University in Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK), explained that banks in the country were making a lot of profit and needed to be taxed more to help drive the countrys economy out of its current challenges. However, in a sharp rebuttal two Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the house, as well as a banking consultant, had disagreed and maintained that banks could not be burdened with additional taxes at this moment. Presenting highlights of a report on the banking sector at an economic policy forum organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in Accra at the weekend, Dr Chaudhry noted, for instance, that the profit of the 10 biggest banks in the country in 2021 totalled GH8.55 billion, equivalent to 1.97 per cent of the national economic output, measured by gross domestic product (GDP). The top 10 banks are Ecobank Ghana, GCB, Stanbic Bank, Absa Bank, Fidelity Bank, Standard Chartered, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Cal Bank and First Atlantic Bank. I propose a tax of two per cent of total liabilities net on equity and insured deposits for the long term or 10 per cent of profit before tax, whichever is higher. For the short term, I propose a 10 per cent tax on investment in treasury securities, he said during the presentation of the report titled Profits and risk of banks in Ghana: a case for permanent bank taxation. Reliance The lecturer observed that a tax on total liabilities net of equity and insured deposits would act as a catalyst for banks to reduce reliance on short-term funding sources and also help reduce their risk in the long term. He said tax on liabilities would particularly be helpful when banks were bigger, riskier and earning even more profit in the future. He noted that several countries had introduced a bank tax with the latest to do so being Australia in May 2017, to tackle its budget deficit. Net interest margin, return on assets and return on equity for Ghanaian banks are too profitable, especially for the top 10 banks and they also earn much higher profits compared to other industries with most of the profits coming from investment in treasury securities. Imposing a special bank tax of 10 per cent on the profit of the big 10 banks alone would yield approximately GH528 million for the government, he added. Regulations The Vice Chairperson of the Finance Committee in Parliament, Patrick Boamah, who chaired the forum, disagreed with the proposals made in the report but rather underlined the need for the government to strengthen banking regulations in the country to protect customers. He said most of the banks, especially the indigenous financial institutions, were in distress and rather needed help and not imposing more taxes on their profit. If taxed more, he said, the banks would not hesitate to pass on to the customer and for that reason, any such attempt should not be mooted at this moment. He said with the exception of the foreign banks that received timely support from their parent banks, the indigenous banks had huge problems with regard to liquidity support and for that reason, an attempt to impose additional taxes would not go well for the industry. Survival Corroborating the views of the vice chairman, the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is also a member of the Finance Committee in Parliament, stated that banks were currently finding means of survival under the ongoing domestic debt exchange programme (DDEP). I am not sure you will propose that banks should be taxed more if you are privy to how the domestic debt exchange programme is having an impact on the operations of the banks. I know you are looking at the medium to long term; but even with that, we are not too clear on when we will be able to come out of the current challenges, he said. Mr Ablakwa said banks should rather be encouraged to support areas such as agriculture and entrepreneurship, which held much potential for growth and job creation. The government recently introduced the YouStart initiative but has not been able to take off properly mainly because the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) did not meet projections, he said at the forum. DDEP A banking consultant and lecturer, Dr Richmond Atuahene, in an interview with the Daily Graphic at a different forum on June 2, said most of the banks were likely not to make a profit in the next three years for the government to even consider imposing an additional tax. That, he said, was due to the fallout of the domestic debt exchange programme, which had affected their bonds. It would have been right in 2021 should anyone propose that Ghanaian banks needed to be taxed some more but in 2022 the picture is difficult, and it would be very difficult for them to make a profit going forward between 2023 and 2025. And so, imposing additional taxes on banks would collapse the industry, he said. He added that the government should rather consider imposing a tax on the profits of telcos in the country. When contacted, a source at the Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB) told the Daily Graphic that the banks had already been overburdened with many taxes and levies with two additions recently introduced in the 2023 budget. We recently saw an increased value-added tax (VAT) threshold on banks to about 2.5 per cent and an increase in the marginal income tax rate to 35 per cent, the source added. Confluence of Yangtze and Jialing rivers in Chongqing By Huang Jingjing and Zhang Jian (People's Daily App) 15:26, June 05, 2023 When the Yangtze River meets one of its tributaries, the Jialing River, in Southwest China's Chongqing, a stunning scene appears. Can you tell which is the Yangtze River and what is happening? The yellow water comes from the Yangtze River. According to experts, this scene usually happens during flood season, between May and September, as the upstream region of the Yangtze River is hit by heavy rainfall, which then washes large amounts of sediment and mud into the river. Netizens on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media platform, jokingly referred to this as "double-flavor" hot pot. (Video source: Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) SMEs clinic & fair: Access Bank lends GH504 million to 170,000 businesses Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor Business News Jun - 05 - 2023 , 07:02 A collaboration between Access Bank Ghana PLC and Graphic Communications Group Ltd has resulted in the bank reaching out to and supporting more than 170,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The collaboration, which is centred around the organisation of business clinics and fairs for SMEs, has enabled Access Bank Ghana to disburse GH504 million in loans to about 170,000 SMEs over the past three years. Out of the amount, GH150 million was collateral free, disbursed through the banks instant loan product. Within the period, Access Bank PLC has also supported over 60,000 SMEs to migrate to the digital space to enable them to take advantage of the opportunities to expand and grow their businesses. Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director of Access Bank PLC Ghana, Olumide Olatunji, the Group Head of Business Banking of the bank, Kafui Bimpe, disclosed this in Accra during the Graphic Business/Access Bank PLC SME Clinic and Fair in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi. More than 400 SME participants attended the three-day business clinic and fair which was the second edition being organised in the Ashanti Region. The participants were from the industries, academia and public sector including regulatory bodies, while the exhibitors were from the telecommunication sector, food and beverages, fashion and design sectors. While the clinic was for one day, the fair ran till last Saturday. Over the last three years, the SME clinic and fair has been held in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi. Resolute Mr Bimpe said Access Bank Ghana remained resolute in its support for the sustainable growth of the SMEs sector in the country. As the go-to bank for SMEs, Access Bank remains resolute in our commitment to support the sustainable growth of SMEs in Ghana, he stated. Access Bank Ghanas Group Head of Business Banking said the banks interventions had led to an upscale of our SME partners which has positively impacted employment and has inspired entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and create a brighter future for themselves and their communities. Collaboration Mr Bimpe noted that the partnership between the bank and the GCGL had enabled the bank to reach out to more SMEs in the country through the regional clinics and fairs and the fortnightly business education. The Group Head of Business Banking said through the biweekly business education programmes, SMEs had been equipped with timely information needed to navigate the ever evolving business landscape. For us at Access Bank, we can only express our deep gratitude for the remarkable progress we have achieved in partnership with stakeholders, he said. Platform Mr Bimpe said the fair was to create a platform for businesses in the region to showcase their products and services and also share ideas, and to network to create a bigger market for their products. Today, we stand united with you to create a platform that showcases your exceptional product and services while offering unparalleled networking opportunities, he said. The Group Head of Business Banking added that Graphic/Access Bank clinics and fairs had provided a platform for SMEs to showcase products, forge connection and access funding. Achievement He said the contribution of the bank to the SME sector had not gone unnoticed as it had picked up some awards for its role in growing the private sector. Some of the awards included the Best SME Bank of the Year at the 2023 World Economic Magazine Award; the 2022 SME Bank of the Year by Credit Excellence Award and the 2022 Most Innovative SME brand by Global Brands Award. Notwithstanding the achievements, Mr Bimpe acknowledged that there is much work to be done, and called on policymakers to remain steadfast in their support for the SMEs sector. Africas first petroleum hub: Ekubas anxiety and PHDCs assurance! Albert Oppong-Ansah Features Jun - 05 - 2023 , 08:18 For three and half decades, Madam Ekuba Ackah, mother of four has been a fishmonger. Over the years, she has been getting the variety of fishes for her business and personal consumption from the sea and nearby wetlands in her native Egbazo, a community in the Jomoro District of the Western Region. Her favourite for business any day is catfish, however, many of her high-income clients prefer delicacies such as tilapia, shrimps, crabs and tympanotonus fuscata, locally known as Apoofee, all sourced from the Amanzule Wetlands and the Domunli Lagoon Complex. According to the National Geographic Society, a wetland is an area of land that is either covered by water or saturated with waterwhich can come from a river, a lake or even sea water. Besides being major sources of a variety of fisheries resources, wetlands provide an ecology that serves as shelter, feeding grounds, and spawning areas for many species of freshwater and marine origin. The Amanzule wetlands and Domunli Lagoon Complex are the only reliable sources I turn to during the lean season when the fishermen are unable to get fish from the sea, and they are fresh and tasty, says Ekuba, with a grin, which immediately faded into a look of despair. Ive heard that government wants to build some factory or something for petrol business around here and if they take over the land, what will we do? I didnt go to school, so I learned to sell fish from the women in my family and this is how I survive, she explains her sudden change in mood to the GNA. The Petroleum Hub Project The government has earmarked a 20,000-acre parcel of land in the Jomoro Municipal Area of the Western Region for the building of the petroleum hub project. The Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC) describes the Integrated Petroleum Complex as Africa's first. PHDC is intended to be a leading integrated petroleum complex created to add value to the upstream and downstream oil and gas value chain in Africa. Upon completion, the hub will house a complex web of onshore, offshore and ancillary assets not limited to refineries, petrochemical plants and storage tanks intended to change the face of the petrochemical industry on the continent. A total of 780,000 jobs will be created during the development phase and beyond with significant positive outlook on the economy. It is expected to transform the economy through export tax of about $1.56 billion by 2030, increase GDP by about 70 per cent and create jobs in excess of 780,000. According to PHDCs official brochure, the key infrastructure of the US$ 60 billion project includes three refineries, expected to produce a minimum capacity of 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) each, five petrochemical plants, huge storage tanks, jetties and port infrastructure. Ancillary infrastructure and services will also include Liquefied Natural Gas terminals, pipelines, power plant, rail and road network, airfield, water treatment services, repairs and maintenance services, among others. There will be other infrastructure such as fabrication workshops, and facilities for metering and calibration services, equipment supplies, logistics services, remote monitoring and diagnostics, and lubricant supply and storage. It will ensure that all Ghanaian homes and industries have access to adequate, reliable, affordable and environmentally-sustainable supply of energy to meet their needs and support the Governments accelerated growth and development agenda. The vision is to develop a modern, diversified, efficient and financially sustainable energy economy. Some development experts hail the project as one that holds the potential to generate much revenue and jobs to help stabilise the economy. Concerns As with every major development project that necessitates the resettlement of communities and encroachment of biological resources, residents of local communities, like Ekuba, and environmentalists have become anxious about the projects possible negative impact on the wellbeing of people and nature. According to the 2022 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) conducted and published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Petroleum Hub area covers approximately five kilometres - representing eight per cent of the Jomoro Municipalitys 66 km coastline. The coastline is linked to rivers, estuaries and the greater part of the vast ecologically significant Amanzule wetland and Domunli lagoon complex. These provide habitats for diverse flora and fauna, which are worth preserving, it states. They also provide essential ecosystem services, which are critical for maintaining a healthy fishery. Most of these ecosystems are of national and international significance, it notes and recommends that more efforts be made to preserve these ecosystems due to their irreplaceability and strong linkage to the livelihoods of the residents. The rich and largely undisturbed wetlands, estuaries, lagoons and nationally identified ecologically sensitive areas that are in the district have the potential of diversifying the economy via tourism development if properly developed. The SEA classifies the Amanzule Wetlands and the Domunli Lagoon complex, which are within the 20,000-acre parcel of land of the project zone, as ecologically sensitive. The Dweneya, Amanzule and Domunli Lagoons are the largest of such water bodies within the Zone. These water bodies provide an immense support system to the residents as a source of livelihood (through fishing), irrigation, transportation, and ecosystem service, according to the SEA. The SEA thus flags the potential loss of biodiversity as the first of about nine concerns raised by stakeholders during the community consultations. It is followed by pollution and climate change. It reveals that the area earmarked for the hub and its surroundings has a total of 65 species of reptiles. Eleven of these reptiles and amphibians are of international conservation importance, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, while the remaining 41 are listed as Least Concern with the status of one species not assessed. The Olive Ridley Sea, Leatherback and Green turtles utilise the area for nesting. A total of 43 mammal species have also been identified, with 13 of them being on the IUCN Red List, while 27 are listed as least concern. For offshore petroleum activities in Ghana, notable biodiversity that will potentially be impacted include marine turtles, marine mammals, and commercially important fish species, explains Dr Andrews Agyekumhene, a mangrove expert at the Department of Marine and Fisheries Science at the University of Ghana. Different aspects of their lives that could be impacted include feeding, breeding, and migration. There is the potential for the offshore activities to cause mortality to these species resulting in the decline in populations. Dr Agyekumhene says pipelines that would be laid from the offshore facilities to the Onshore Receiving Facilities (ORFs) have the potential to disturb nesting beaches and impact the breeding of sea turtles, leading to reduced recruitment and ultimately population decline. The shorebirds feeding and roosting habitats may also be impacted, he adds. In the vegetated areas where the ORFs are situated, the Marine Specialist says the destruction of habitats from the construction activities could impact mammals, avifauna, reptiles, and amphibians. Bad Experiences Six decades of oil exploration have made the Niger Delta one of the most polluted places on earth and damaged a lot, including farmlands, a recent story written by Arinze Chijioke for Aljazeera cautions. Following the most recent oil spillage in Mauritius, the UNDP and International Organization for Migrations impact assessment, found out that the spill directly affected approximately 48,000 Mauritians living in 17 coastal villages along the 30 km shoreline, according to a March 2021 publication by African Renewal. Some experts warn that when unique species are destroyed, they are difficult or impossible to restore and the ecological integrity of their habitat will be compromised forever. Preventive Strategy However, the PHDC says it is fully aware of its responsibility to man and nature as it executes this ambitious project. It is, therefore, working with the EPA to develop an Integrated Biodiversity Management Plan. Its guiding principles include ensuring strict adherence to safety, sustainability, and reliable operations, it highlights to the GNA. Dr Bob Alfa, Director, Planning Department, Water Resources Commission (WRC), tells the GNA that with projects of such magnitude, the potential impact on biodiversity can be high. But countries, such as Norway, have to a large extent, managed to deal with oil exploration-related issues, though conservationists are particularly concerned about the long-term ecological damage to biodiversity. Best Practices The development of a SEA is a first step with projects of this nature, he says, but it is imperative to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to earmark the specific areas that could be impacted and how to mitigate issues that come up. Everything can be done to safely undertake the project and protect the biodiversity. The technology and best practices and regulatory agencies are thereand we only have to comply with the environmental guidelines. The challenge is, will we follow the guidelines? he asks. Dr Gerald Forkuor, Climate Change Lead, Feed the Future Ghana Policy LINK Activity, recommends that best practices of similar projects in other countries should be adopted to minimise biodiversity loss and other related impacts. Already, wildlife populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish have declined to nearly 70 per cent on average since 1970, according to Living Planet Report 2022. The report, therefore, urges governments, businesses, and the public to take transformative actions to reverse the destruction of biodiversity. For Ekuba and her compatriots, their prayer is that this mega ground-breaking project, will be true to its commitment of ensuring strict adherence to safety, sustainability, and reliable operations to safeguard the wellbeing of man and nature. GNA Rosewood destruction in Northern Ghana: Call for urgent action Takal Silas Uwumborge Opinion Jun - 05 - 2023 , 12:07 The lush forests of northern Ghana have long been home to a magnificent and valuable resource rosewood. With its beauty and durability, rosewood has been a cherished part of our local economy and cultural heritage for generations. However, the unchecked and unsustainable exploitation of rosewood in the fragile savannah ecosystem of northern Ghana in recent years has pushed this precious species to the brink of extinction, endangering our environment and threatening the livelihoods of communities that depend on it. Alarming Northern Ghana is currently facing a grave environmental crisis as rosewood destruction reaches unprecedented levels. In pursuit of quick profits, illegal loggers and traders have engaged in the indiscriminate felling of rosewood trees, leaving behind a trail of devastation. This rampant exploitation not only disrupts the delicate ecosystem, but also disrupts the lives of countless individuals, who rely on the resource for their sustenance. Environmental consequences The consequences of rosewood destruction are far-reaching and alarming. The loss of forests not only depletes a valuable natural resource but also leads to devastating environmental impacts. Soil erosion, reduced water quality and the displacement of vital plant and animal species are just a few of the detrimental effects we are witnessing. The delicate balance of our ecosystems is being thrown off, and the long-term consequences for our environment are deeply concerning. Social, economic impact The destruction of rosewood forests is not only an ecological, crisis but also a blow to the livelihoods of communities in northern Ghana. Many individuals, particularly those in rural areas, depend on rosewood for their economic survival. Traditionally, rosewood is used for the production of high-quality charcoal and for building and construction especially by the local people. It is used for fuelwood, medicinal purposes, as a woodworking material and as a nitrogen-fixing plant that helps to improve nutrient-depleted farmlands. The loss of this resource therefore jeopardises their income and exacerbates poverty levels, further deepening socio-economic disparities. The communities affected by the depletion of rosewood face an uncertain future, with their way of life under threat. Call for action To address this pressing issue, immediate and concerted action is required from all stakeholders involved. The government, civil society organisations, local communities and the public must work together to tackle rosewood destruction head-on and ensure a sustainable future for northern Ghana. Strengthening Law Enforcement and Regulatory Frameworks: The government must enhance efforts to combat illegal logging and trade through stricter penalties and effective monitoring mechanisms. Collaboration between law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and local communities is crucial to deter and prosecute those involved in the unlawful extraction and trafficking of rosewood. Supporting Sustainable Alternatives and Livelihood Diversification: Investment in sustainable alternatives and the diversification of livelihoods is essential for communities heavily dependent on rosewood. By providing education, training, and support, we can empower these communities to engage in environmentally friendly practices and sustainable economic activities that protect both their well-being and the integrity of our forests. Promoting Public Awareness and Engagement: Raising public awareness about the consequences of rosewood destruction is vital. Robust public awareness campaigns should educate individuals about the value of our natural resources and the need for sustainable forest management. By fostering a sense of responsibility and ownership, we can inspire collective action in preserving our forests for future generations. Conclusion The destruction of rosewood in northern Ghana demands our immediate attention and concerted efforts to reverse this devastating trend. Preserving our natural heritage and sustaining the livelihoods of communities depend on our commitment to halt rosewood destruction. Let us join hands, advocate for change, and work towards a future where our forests thrive, our ecosystems flourish, and the generations to come can inherit the beauty and abundance of northern Ghana. Together, we can make a difference and protect the legacy of rosewood for generations to come. Track records will decide Bawumia, Alans fate Suleiman Mustapha Opinion Jun - 05 - 2023 , 09:39 The political season is already in full swing as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) prepares to hold its presidential and parliamentary primaries ahead of the December 2024 general election. The forthcoming g contest for the flagbearership of the NPP is expected to be a tight contest between Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and former Trades and Industry Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen. Other claimants for the flagbearership of the NPP include a former Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; a former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko; a former General Secretary of the party, Kwabena Agyepong; the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, and a former Trades and Industry Minister, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku. The NPP race is the complete opposite of the opposition National Democratic Congresss (NDC) recent presidential primary, which, as had been widely expected, turned out to be a massive landslide victory for John Dramani Mahama, the immediate past president who looks to be the odds on favourite for a return to Jubilee House, considering the ongoing economic morass in the country. But the NPP has the advantage of incumbency and despite the sharp decline in its economic performance record, there are still widespread concerns that the NDC does not have the expertise to turn the situation around, which means that the incumbent party still has a chance of winning the next presidential election. Boast Indeed, the NPP has always boasted of presidential contenders seeking to take over the leadership mantle from President Nana Akufo-Addo who is constitutionally barred from contesting for another term in office. The pack, however, is led by Dr Bawumia and Mr Kyerematen, both of whom are the clear favourites and both of whom represent the NPPs best chance of retaining power at next years presidential election. However, neither candidate has a clear advantage over the other at the forthcoming party primary. The emergent conventional wisdom is that Dr Bawumia is the establishment candidate in that he is still the countrys second-highest person in authority and he has the tacit support of the President himself. On the other hand, Alan Kyerematen, having resigned from his ministerial position to contest for the presidency has reinvented himself as the partys anti-establishment candidate; thus, looking to garner the support of people who are dissatisfied with the political administration he was part of for more than six years, or at least who doubt whether the electorate will accept someone who remains an integral part of the current government, as Dr Bawumia is. Mr Kyerematens strategy is prudent, but contains one potentially fatal flaw: he has been too big a part of the Akufo-Addo administration to distance himself now with any credibility. As Trade and Industry Minister, he was one of the most powerful members of both the Cabinet and the Economic Management Team. Indeed, it is instructive that recently, a social media campaign by some people was carried out pointing out that Kyerematen was a major influence at a time when so many unpopular, or at least controversial, policy initiatives were formulated. Indeed, it is too late for him to dissociate himself from the failings of the incumbent government and so some political analysts are recommending that he rather defends his track record of governance and emphasise his achievements in the NPP, as Dr Bawumia is doing. Strategy That strategy is certainly working for Dr Bawumia to some extent but he cannot disassociate himself from the economic management shortcomings that have taken Ghana back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a $3 billion bailout. The current economic malaise has shut the doors of the international capital markets to the government, forcing it to make painful and hugely unpopular public debt restructuring. The Vice-President can point out that in actual fact, he did not have nearly as much authority with regard to economic management as his title would suggest. Indeed, that mantle fell on the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, which explains why both economic policy analysts and the political class (from both parties) lobbied for his removal at the height of the crisis. Some political analysts claim that the Finance Ministers supreme authority derives from his family relationship with the President but that claim is not wholly credible. The simple truth is that Mr Ofori-Attas power is derived from the governments fiscal difficulties. This is because the Finance Minister had the ultimate say in virtually everything concerning both revenues and expenditures, including the policies underpinning them. Dr Bawumias political strategists need to explain this as a central part of his campaign. Influence The other key strategy is to emphasise the policies that the Vice-President did have authority over and how they have panned out. Here Dr Bawumias track record is good, rather than bad and this should be able to influence voters in his favour at both the primary and the general election if he gets that far. Take, for instance, his paperless ports initiative, which has increased state revenues from international trade duties and levies by over 50 per cent, while at the same time vastly improving the sheer efficiency with which goods pass through the countrys entry and exit points. Another example is the medical drones initiative; Ghana remains the model in Africa in this regard and the results for remote communities have been lifesaving. But his efforts, which put him in the best stead, have been his championing of the digitalisation of Ghanas economy, its society and governance itself, which has effectively enabled the country to bridge the digital divide. More importantly, those initiatives have provided the foundation for bringing the vast informal sector into the tax net, which stands to overcome Ghanas single biggest challenge with regard to macro-economic management: inadequate revenues, despite the over-taxation of the formal sector. Interestingly by remaining in the current administration, Dr Bawumia has a key advantage over Mr Kyerematen of still being able to devise and implement policies that gratify the electorate; for instance, his new initiative of providing pre-tertiary pupils with computers already loaded with learning materials. Despite all this though, Kyerematens strategy of hanging Ghanas recent economic management shortcomings on Dr Bawumia will still have dire effects. Here though Dr Bawumia can correctly point to his past achievements particularly as deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana as evidence that where he is given the real authority with regard to economic management, he does the right thing; which is why then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo insisted on having him as his running mate despite protests from many in the NPP. Ultimately, the NPP presidential primary will depend largely on delegate perceptions of the roles played by both Mr Kyerematen and Dr Bawumia since 2017. If the delegates can see through the politics and judge by actual performance, it will either be Dr Bawumia or Alan Kyerematen. The choice is for the delegates to decide. Obituary: Professor Ama Ata Aidoo Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng Life Jun - 05 - 2023 , 15:36 The literary world has been rocked by the passing away of one of the pillars of literature in Africa; Professor Ama Ata Aidoo, one of Africa's most celebrated authors and playwrights. Ghanas Ama Ata Aidoo, died aged 81, last Monday. Family sources said that she had been unwell for some time. Professor Aidoo, who was noted for her depiction of the social condition of African women in her works, was one the last of the post-independence cohort of writers who became titans of the craft. They included the likes of Efua Sutherland, Kofi Awoonor, Gyinaye Kyei, Francis Selormey and Joe de Graft, among others. Luckily, Ayi Kwei Armah is perhaps the only surviving member of that group of writers and intellectuals whose work defined a specific genre identified as Ghanaian literature. Ama Ata Aidoos works included acclaimed works such as The Dilemma of a Ghost, Our Sister Killjoy and Changes. Ata Aidoo won many literary awards for her novels, plays and poems, including the 1992 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Changes, a love story about a statistician who divorces her first husband and enters into a polygamous marriage. She was, for many years, a university lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, where she nurtured generations of scholars, writers, teachers and public servants. She also served as education minister in the early 1980s but resigned when she could not make education free. She went into self-exile in Zimbabwe, where she lived and worked as a university lecturer for many years. She later returned to Ghana as a full-time lecturer. Among the many undertakings she provided to the literary scene in Ghana in her later years, she served as the Chair of the Ghana Association of Writers Book Festival, from its inception in 2011. She will be sorely missed by her countless readers and admirers around the world. Since her passing, her famous quotation about Africas venomous encounter with colonialism has been making the rounds. It sums up her work and its central conviction. Accra West ECG recovers GH675,313.00 from illegal connections Emmanuel Bonney Jun - 05 - 2023 , 12:46 The Electricity Company of Ghana Ltd. (ECG), Accra West Region of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), has recovered GH675,313.00 from 94 customers found to have engaged in various forms of illegal connection of power. The illegalities the customers engaged in included meter bypasses, meter tampering, unauthorized service connections and direct connections. Their activities were identified during the companys one-week nationwide revenue mobilisation exercise embarked upon from Monday, May 26 to June 2, 2023. Debts The revenue mobilisation initiative, a follow-up to the initial one month exercise, was designed to retrieve all debts owed the ECG. It was also to monitor the health of its meter installations in customer facilities. In the course of the monitoring, the Accra West Region retrieved 535,822 KWh of electricity which translated into the GH675,313.00. Vigilance Commenting on the development, the ECG Accra West General Manager, Emmanuel Akinie commended the vigilance of the field team in uncovering the illegalities. He noted that the illegalities identified were sophisticated, which showed the determination of some customers to deny the company of revenue from the electricity they use. We have disconnected power to these customers, surcharged them for the electricity they used and a penalty fee for engaging in the illegalities and they will be prosecuted, Ing. Akinie added. Technology ECG has revealed that it is investing heavily in technology to help identify customers who engage in illegalities. We have introduced some smart meter solutions on pilot basis, which give us real time updates of what is happening on a customer premises. It signals our office once the meter-case is opened, bypassed or tampered with, he said. Ing. Akinie signaled plans to roll out more of such smart meters to aid in the fight against illegalities. The Accra West Region has eight operational districts. These are Ablekuma, Achimota, Amasaman, Bortianor, Dansoman, Kaneshie, Korle-Bu and Nsawam. Akyem Manso installs Nkosuohene Samuel Kyei-Boateng Jun - 05 - 2023 , 07:26 The Benkumhene of the Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area, Obrempong Sintim Poku III, has admonished chiefs not to lord it over their subjects, but to instead seek their counsel in decision making in order to sustain their confidence. He also urged them to spearhead development programmes to accelerate the progress of their communities. Obrempong Sintim Poku, who is also the Chief of Akyem Manso, near Oda, in the Eastern Region, made the call at the installation of Prof. Theophilus Adjei-Kumi of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as the Nkosuohene (Development Chief) of the town. The 55-year-old new Nkosuohene, whose stool name is Nana Prof. Adjei-Kumi I, is the Head of the Department of Construction Technology and Management at KNUST. A former provost of KNUST, Prof. Joshua Ayarkwah, who is currently a Vice-Chancellor and Head of Faculty of Arts and Building Technology Department, led a high powered delegation from KNUST, comprising over 30 professors and doctors to attend the function, which attracted people from all walks of life. Advice Obrempong Sintim Poku advised the new Nkosuohene to use his influential position in society to bring investors to put up factories in the town to absorb some of the unemployed youth in the area. He enjoined the people in the community to sustain the prevailing peace and unity in the area, stressing that they must offer Nana Adjei-Kumi their maximum support to ensure the success of his reign. In his maiden speech, Nana Adjei-Kumi gave the assurance that with their support and cooperation he would live up to expectation. He spoke against land and chieftaincy litigations which were counter productive. He promised to team up with the traditional rulers to mobilise both human and material resources to develop the community, and called for the support of the citizenry to achieve the objective. A patron of the Akyem Manso Development Union of which Nana Adjei-Kumi is the secretary, Nana Amoawua Awusi, enumerated a number of social amenities the four year-old union had provided to the Manso community. The projects include potable water for the Atweaman Senior High School and part of the town, provision of street lights for the town and donation of essential medical equipment to the local health centre. Dont hide visually impaired children - EP Church Presbyter to parents Agnes Melissa Yovo Jun - 05 - 2023 , 07:22 A Presbyter of the Good Shepherd Congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, Ho, Bettina Hewlett-Bogart, has appealed for the allocation of more funds towards providing quality life and education to most children, especially those living with disability. Mrs Hewlett-Bogart who made the appeal during a presentation by the church to the New Horizon E.P. Educational Centre for the Blind in Ho, stated that visually impaired persons were not liabilities, and must be treated better. She, therefore, called on parents hiding their children that are visually impaired to put a stop to it and enroll their children in the New Horizon educational centre for quality life. "Good Shepherd Lashibi has adopted the centre so we will go all out to support. Parents should bring their children out. Come to the right place and seek help and get it. If you hide them, no one will see and help them. But with the goodwill of people, the children will have a bright future", she added. The centre is a boarding facility where children and young persons with visual impairment undergo rehabilitation in order to be equipped with relevant skills to enable them join mainstream education to study with other children, depending on their levels and abilities. The children receive training in mobility skills training, braille literacy skills, accessible computing skills, daily living skills and social skills among others. The presentation was made to the school as part of the yearlong activities of the church towards its 25 years anniversary celebrations. The items presented included food items, toiletries and stationeries made up of 20 pieces of school bags, five bags of 25kg rice, three bags of 5kg rice, a box of noodles, 25L gallon of oil, two crates of milk, 12 canned fishes, six boxes of biscuits, a box of beverages, packs of drinks, two boxes of sanitary pads, packs of tissue papers, and detergents. Catechist Gershon Breni said the donation was a corporate social responsibility which sought to improve on the learning environment and living conditions of the children. He said that the church would not relent in its efforts to ensure that children living with disabilities had a home and proper training to enhance their knowledge, skills and talents. In an address, the School Prefect, Mary Deh, said their right to education as children living with disabilities, most importantly, the visually impaired, would have been curtailed but for the intervention of the Evangelical Presbyterian Educational Centre for the Blind. "It is worthy to note that despite our impairment, we are making remarkable progress in our academics. Last year for instance, one of us in primary six had grade one in mathematics. Another who also came to learn accessible computing completed and gained admission into Presbyterian College of Education to pursue a degree in basic education. These successes show clearly that indeed disability is not inability; and truly there is vision beyond sight, as our motto suggests," she added. She appealed for support of a new braille embosser machine in order to provide access to adequate braille books for studies. External support In an interview, Speaker of the Advisory Board of the Deutsches Blindenhilfswerk (DBHW), a German-based organisation, Regine Hauch, who pledged the organisation's continuous support to the school said it was the organisation's worldwide goal to close the disability gap and ensure that visually impaired children were privileged and positioned to have access to mainstream school and be competitive with their peers. China opens workshop in Sunyani to train youth in agriculture Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Jun - 05 - 2023 , 08:54 China has opened its flagship vocational and technical workshop in Ghana to provide skills training in agriculture, especially for the youth. Known as the China-Ghana Agricultural Luban Workshop (CGALW), it is situated at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani, Bono Region. The centre will enable Chinese experts to imbibe in students cutting-edge skills and technology training in agriculture. The Luban workshop, which is based on an ancient Chinese great craftsman, is an international vocational educational training programme backed by the Ministry of Education of China. It is established by Chinese educational institutions in partnership with their counterparts in host countries to provide skills training for the youth. So far, about 20 of the Luban workshops have been opened in 19 countries including Thailand, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Egypt, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya. The one in the country was jointly established by Liaoning Agricultural Vocational and Technical College in China, the UENR, the Ghana Chinese Chamber of Commerce and TIAST West Africa Limited. Objective At the launch of the CGLAW in Accra last Friday, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Lu Kan, said the project was aimed at promoting cultural and educational cooperation between China and other countries. He said 10 of such workshops were being established in Africa to deepen collaboration between China and African countries. Under the personal care and promotion of President Xi Jinping, in the past five years, the African Luban workshop has realised the overall output of Chinese standards, models, equipment and solutions. More young Africans are eager to improve their skills in Luban workshops and find new opportunities for employment and development, Mr Kan added. He said the centre would primarily focus on cassava production to increase yields. According to the ambassador, China had consistently cooperated with Ghana to improve agriculture by bringing experts to the country and also sending Ghanaians to China to benefit from experience in the sector, adding that the CGLAW will help inject new impetus for GhanaChina relationship. Chinas support A Deputy Minister of Education, Gifty Twum-Ampofo, lauded China for its continuous support to technical education in the country, saying it had led to the retooling and improvement of 13 technical second cycle schools and 10 technical universities in the country. She said the workshop would further support the governments industrialisation drive to help the country process its raw materials. For his part, Ghanas Ambassador to China, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, said the Luban educational workshop had significantly empowered many young people in countries where they had been established and expressed the hope that same would be replicated in Ghana. Notably, in Pakistan, the programme has successfully trained over 100,000 young people in vocational skills, leading to significant employment opportunities and economic growth, he added. June 4 anniversary: Protect nations democracy - Former President Mahama urges citizens Jemima Achivors Jun - 05 - 2023 , 08:47 Former President and flag bearer of the National Democracy Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has urged the citizenry to protect and strengthen the nation's democracy by being active participants in the process. He encouraged them to exercise their rights and responsibilities and hold governments accountable to safeguard the nation's democratic values. Addressing a massive crowd of residents and party faithful at a durbar at Hohoe in the Volta Region to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the June 4 Uprising, former President Mahama said the event occurred for far less economic hardships as pertains currently and, therefore, called for a new peaceful revolution of using election 2024 to end what he described as a long period of suffering to reset the economy. According to him, the challenges facing the nations democracy today, including concerns over electoral integrity, corruption and the need for inclusive governance were reminiscent of events that catalysed the June 4 uprising. Mismanagement The NDC flag bearer further said that citizens were wallowing in anguish, pain and suffering from the severe hardships resulting from what he said was the governments mismanagement of the economy. Our country today has been declared bankrupt and we are suffering from the humiliation of defaulting on our debts," he added. The former President said prices of goods and services continued to rise, with education and healthcare systems in poor shape while livelihoods were bearing the brunt of the governments debt restructuring programme. "They prefer to better their lot and improve their circumstances to the detriment of the millions of ordinary citizens," he added. The former President, however, asked the people not to despair since there is hope on the horizon. On the 1979 June 4 uprising which was led by a group of military officers, including Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, who later became the President of Ghana, the flag bearer said it was a pivotal moment in the country's history. He explained that it was to address widespread corruption, economic challenges and the deteriorating state of governance at the time. Significant event The NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Rawlings, said Jerry Rawlings, her father, considered June 4 an important event. She said the significance and role of the event in the countrys history could not be overridden as it served as emancipation to self-empowerment, adding "June 4 is your legacy, be proud of it, do not allow anybody to shame you". The MP called for rededication to the ideals of the NDC. She said the pillars of good governance are the principles that should protect the nations democracy and respect for human rights of all citizens. The General-Secretary of the party, Fifi Kwetey, said the June 4 revolution was birthed 22 days earlier on May 15, 1979 by the young 31-year-old Jerry Rawlings. He said it was not born out of selfish reasons unlike other countries in Africa and said this was evident in Rawlingss demand to "Let my men go" directive. According to him, the event reignited the flame of self-empowerment of the people and said: "Our victory next year depends on the self-awakening of every one of you. Let us get behind our leader to ensure that his victory will bring in the needed transformation of our country, Mr Kwetey added. For his part, the Volta Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mawutor Agbavitor, said the party was determined to correct the anomalies of previous elections by imbibing the core values of truth, probity, accountability and transparency as its guiding principles. School feeding caterers to be paid this week Minister Kester Aburam Korankye Jun - 05 - 2023 , 08:33 Caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) will be paid their arrears for the third term of the 2022 academic year this week, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, has said. According to the minister, the files of 11,052 caterers had been finalised for payment, adding that the government had already settled the outstanding debts for the first and second terms of the 2022 academic year. Although Hajia Abudu could not indicate the exact amount of the payments to be made this week, she said 76 caterers were unlikely to receive their money due to some pending challenges with their ezwich cards. Meet-the-press Hajia Abudu was addressing journalists at the Ministers Press Briefing in Accra yesterday to update the public on the payments, the way forward and other matters. This follows weeks of agitations by the caterers, some of whom threatened to stop preparing meals for beneficiary schoolchildren due to the mounting arrears which they said had compelled them to operate under constrained budgets. Feeding programme The minister said there were about 34,350 caterers under the programme who cooked for about 3,801,491 beneficiaries in 10,832 public basic schools across the country. The feeding cost per meal per day per child was increased from 80 pesewas (80Gp) in 2018 to GH1, and in 2023, the cost per meal per child per day has been proposed as GH1.20, she said. Ms Abudu said that the programme which provided employment to especially women to generate income to take care of their families had also created a ready market for local farmers, thereby helping to boost the economy. The GSFP is one of the social protection flagship programmes which is consistent with other major policies and development strategies of the government as part of its shared growth development agenda and national social protection strategy which hinges on Sustainable Development Goals One, Two, Four and Five, she said. Ms Abudu said the ministry was running an electronic monitoring system which provided real time data to enhance the delivery of the programme. A software has been developed to manage the GSFP data, and the ministry will continue to implement planned activities and monitor compliance to standards so that no one is left behind, she added. LEAP programme Touching on Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP), the minister said, it had cleared arrears from 2022 and that beneficiaries had reached 1.5 million this year, adding that the government has doubled the amount for beneficiaries. She said persons accused of witchcraft in the five camps of the Northern and North East regions had been included in the LEAP cash grants. Ms Abudu explained that while it was not difficult for the government to close down the witch camps, it was important to note that the camps served as the first port of call for the safety of such persons. She said in 2022 there were about 84 inmates at the camps which had since risen to 96 as of last month, including alleged wizards (men). GJA urges Fair Wages to stop deducting allowances from GBC members Graphic.com.gh Jun - 05 - 2023 , 18:51 The Greater Accra Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has added its voice to calls on the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to cease, with immediate effect, the deduction of allowances from the salaries of staff of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and allow for an amicable and conclusive settlement of the current impasse between the two groups. The Accra chapter of the GJA in a statement on Monday, June 5, 2023, signed by its Chairman, Charles Benoni Okine, said it has come to their notice that "the deductions are creating serious financial, psychological and emotional challenges for our members, a development which demands immediate attention." "It has been established that senior management staff have lost about 33 per cent of their salaries following the implementation of a directive we find most disturbing in view of the fact that, these allowances, we are told, had been fixed for the past 15 years and are part of the negotiated and approved conditions of service," he noted. He expressed surprise that after many years of implementation, "this purported illegality has now come to the attention of the FWSC", calling on the Ministry of Information, to as a matter of urgency, step in to stop the deductions and allow for proper discussions on the matter. Below is the statement from GJA, Accra chapter The Greater Accra Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) wishes to add its voice to calls on the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to cease, with immediate effect, the deduction of allowances from the salaries of our members and allow for an amicable and conclusive settlement of the current impasse. We are informed that the deductions are creating serious financial, psychological and emotional challenges for our members, a development which demands immediate attention. It has been established that senior management staff have lost about 33 per cent of their salaries following the implementation of a directive we find most disturbing in view of the fact that, these allowances, we are told, had been fixed for the past 15 years and are part of the negotiated and approved conditions of service. The chapter finds it baffling that after many years of implementation, this purported illegality has now come to the attention of the FWSC. We call on the Ministry of Information, to as a matter of urgency, step in to stop the deductions and allow for proper discussions on the matter. Much as we will not condone any illegalities, we also think that, our members should, under no circumstance, be made worse off because of a problem they did not cause. The role of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in information dissemination throughout the country and beyond cannot be over emphasized hence, the nation cannot stand aloof to watch the strike happen or the deductions continue. All efforts must be made to ensure that, there is peace and understanding at GBC to prevent uninterrupted service to the nation. We also call on all affected workers, including our regional branch members to stay calm for the authorities to do what is right to maintain industrial harmony. Signed Charles Benoni Okine KNUST rated 1st in world ranking for quality Daily Graphic Jun - 05 - 2023 , 07:05 The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been adjudged the best university in the world for its contribution to the provision of quality education in line with Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4). The prestigious accolade was announced in the 2023 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings which was published last Thursday. KNUST secured the top position globally in the Quality Education category with an outstanding score of 93.1, surpassing all other universities worldwide in that category. Aalborg University in Denmark and Lingnan University in Hong Kong jointly earned the second position. Context The Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings is published by the Times Higher Education, a reputable British education magazine, and is considered one of the most reputable and credible university rankings in the world. The Impact Rankings are the sole global performance tables that evaluate universities based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Employing meticulously calibrated indicators, the provides comprehensive and impartial comparisons across four key areas: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching, the organisation said in a statement. The organisation further explained that the THE SDG 4 quality education - measures universities contribution to early years and lifelong learning, as well as their pedagogy research and commitment to inclusive education. The 2023 Impact Rankings, in its fifth edition, encompassed 1,591 universities from 112 countries. Reflection of investment In a reaction to the latest rankings, KNUST officials said the feat was a remarkable achievement that reflected the substantial and strategic investments made by the university's management over the years. The University Relations Officer, Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, praised past and current administrations for the phenomenal investments in infrastructure, information and communication technology (ICT) and e-learning resources, which had significantly enhanced the educational experience at KNUST. In addition, Dr Bekoe highlighted the noteworthy endeavours undertaken by the university's management in assisting emerging researchers through financial support and facilitating the pursuit of impactful research initiatives and subsequently publishing their findings in high-impact journals. He said that was recognised as a pivotal factor with transformative implications for the institution. The University Relations Officer also highlighted initiatives such as scholarships for academically gifted but financially disadvantaged students, the Support One Needy Student with One Laptop (SONSOL) programme initiated by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, to bridge the digital divide, and the provision of full scholarships covering accommodation, food, clothing and special vehicles to enhance the mobility of persons with disabilities. Commitment to inclusiveness Dr Bekoe noted that those accomplishments reflected KNUST's commitment to inclusiveness and ensuring that no student was left behind. He also commended the management for enacting policies such as gender, anti-sexual harassment and disability policies to safeguard the vulnerable members of the university community, and explained that such policies had created a safe academic environment that fostered improved teaching and learning for all students and staff. The University Relations Officer expressed the firm commitment of the management to consistently make strategic decisions and investments aimed at enhancing the quality of education. This steadfast dedication is driven by the overarching goal of nurturing students who possess not only a profound understanding of their subjects but also exemplary character traits. By steadfastly adhering to this principle, KNUST aspires to equip its students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel not only within Ghana, but also on a global scale, he added. Dr Bekoe conveyed the profound appreciation of the university's management to the dedicated staff and students, invaluable partners and esteemed stakeholders for their immense contributions leading to this outstanding milestone. The University Relations Officer said this significant achievement stood as a testament to the collective efforts and unwavering commitment exhibited by the entire KNUST community. Dr Bekoe further emphasised the need for all staff and students to sustain the diligent and persevering spirit. 'Lack of employment no justification' for illegal mining - Abu Jinapor Graphic.com.gh Jun - 05 - 2023 , 18:35 The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, says the government remains fully committed to protecting Anglogold Ashanti Obuasi Mine while working to ensure responsible and environmentally-sound small scale mining in Obuasi. The Minister stated this on Monday, [June 5, 2023] when he paid a working visit to Obuasi following an invasion of an underground mining pit within AngloGold Ashantis concession by some illegal miners last week, leading to a clash between the security in the Municipality and some youth of the town. The purpose of the visit was to assess the situation on the ground, and engage the various stakeholders involved in the impasse. The Minister held separate meetings with traditional leaders in the Adansi Traditional area, small scale miners, the Municipal and District Security Councils in the Obuasi Municipality and Obuasi East District, as well as the management of AngloGold Ashanti. He also, visited the area of the concession where the illegal miners used to assess the pit, and other illegal routes created by some of the miners. Mr. Jinapor assured the mining company of governments unflinching commitment to the protection of its concessions. "Weve got a deeper understanding of the issues at stake. Weve had very detailed discussions and a lot of conclusions have been reached to first of all protect the concession of AngloGold Ashanti and map out strategy which will give us sustainable resolution of the matter." In the meeting with the small scale miners, the Minister underscored the need for them to respect the laws of the country, and ensure that they operate legally and responsibly in accordance with laid down procedures. He said the government was not against small scale mining, but will not condone illegal small scale mining that pays no regard to the laws of the country. Briefing the media after the meetings, Mr. Jinapor reiterated the commitment of government to the protection of AngloGolds Obuasi Mine and every licensed mining firm in the country. The Minister emphasised the crucial economic importance of the AngloGold Obuasi Mine to the country. He said illegal mining activities contributed to the Mine being put under care and maintenance in 2016. But through the instrumentality of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Mine was brought back to life in 2019. He called on all stakeholders to work together to protect the Mine as a national asset. I want to underscore the importance of this asset to the economy of this country I should say so forcefully that it is governments policy that AngloGolds concession be protected through any legal means, he said. Mr. Jinapor added that the mining laws of the country will be strictly enforced and persons who flout the laws will be made to face the full rigours of the law. The Minister also tasked the Deputy Minister responsible for Mines, George Mireku Duker, to chair a committee to, among others, examine the Internal Security Architecture of the company as well as provide Alternative Livelihood opportunities for the teaming Youth through the creation of Community Mining Schemes (CMS) and ensure a healthy and closer collaboration among all stakeholders in the Municipality. He, however, insisted that lack of employment cannot be a justification for illegalities. The management of AngloGold Ashanti thanked the Minister for his interest in the matter. They said all 86 illegal miners who went underground have come out and been handed over to the police. They pledged their commitment to work with Government to ensure a healthy collaboration between the company and the community. Nogokpo vs Agyinasare: Let's pray through obstacle to new levels of victory - Archbishop Graphic.com.gh Jun - 05 - 2023 , 12:52 With 11-days remaining on the 14-day ultimatum given by the chiefs and residents of Nogokpo for him to report and engage in peace talks or face their wrath, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, the founder and leader of Perez Chapel International has urged members of the church to continue to join the one-week fasting and prayers to enable them breakthrough every obstacle towards new levels of victory. The church, Perez Chapel International on Sunday, June 4, 2023, declared a one-week fast with prayers for all members across the globe over the Nogokpo controversy. Related: Nogokpo chiefs give Archbishop Agyinasare 14-day ultimatum for peace talks The church and Archbishop Charles Agyinasare have been criticised by a section of the public following one of the sermons of the church in which the founder said Nogokpo was the "demonic headquarters" of the Volta Region. Indigenes of Nogokpo have called out the Archbishop to apologise over his comments which the Archbishop has done in his Sunday, May 28, 2023, service. During the May 28 service, Archbishop Agyinasare explained that his comments were never meant to denigrate the people of Nogokpo and the Volta Region as a whole. He explained that he only sought to refer to an experience he experienced at the area when he held a crusade there. "To drive home my point, I made reference to several instances where I have encountered manifestations of demonic powers in my crusades, which have taken me to over 92 countries of the world. I gave an example of people who were seeking to levitate during a crusade in India. I gave an example of an attack I suffered as a very young pastor who had gone to preach at a bus stop around Korle Bu. In reference to Nogokpo, I wish to clarify that I never intended to refer to the town but an incident that happened after a crusade at Aflao I had absolutely no intention to cast a slur on the people of Nogokpo town and the Volta Region as a whole, he explained. He added, I have had a cordial relationship with the people of the Volta Region my wife of 38 years is an Ewe from Keta and two of my biological children bear Ewe names all the examples I gave were not intended to denigrate any of the towns and their people, but to elucidate the principles of divine protection to congregants. Archbishop Agyinasare further apologised for the issues surrounding the statement he made and said he remained committed to serving Ghana as a spiritual leader. Any misrepresentations or misinformation that has characterised the subsequent commentary and reportage is regretted my ministry over the past 40 years has been one that has spoken up at critical times in our nation as a spiritual gatekeeper and I remain committed to serving Gods people and the nation as the spirit directs, he remarked. At the Summit held recently at the headquarters of Perez Chapel in Accra, the Archbishop preached about divine protection and the existence of evil forces and cited several examples to support his teaching, where he mentioned Nogokpo as an example of an area where he experienced spiritual forces that worked against a crusade he organised in the area. On Monday morning, June 5, 2023, three days after the ultimatum given by the chiefs and people of Nogokpo, and a day after the church declared a one-week fasting and prayers, Archbishop Agyinasare encouraged members of the church to continue to join the prayer session. In a Facebook post, the Perez Chapel Founder said: "Precious one, "Join us tomorrow for another powerful breakthrough prayer session at the Perez Dome from 9-12 am. Let's come together and pray through "every obstacle and breakthrough to new levels of victory. Don't miss out on this life-changing experience! See you soon." New curricula implementation: Give us textbooks - Educational heads cry out to GES Nana Konadu Agyeman Jun - 05 - 2023 , 07:42 Municipal and district directors of education and head teachers of some basic schools in the Central Region have made a passionate appeal to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure the supply of the full complement of textbooks to basic schools. They said the current shortfall in the supply of textbooks, particularly for English Language, Core Mathematics and Science, was not aiding effective teaching and learning under the new standard-based curricula. Parliamentary Committee These concerns emerged when a 20-member Government Assurance Committee of Parliament embarked on a verification visit to some selected basic schools in the Central Region last Thursday and Friday. Minister responds However, in a quick response, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, said there were enough textbooks and copies for all regions and said the ministry was working with the Regional Heads of Stores to correct the deficit. We have procured enough textbooks for all subjects to go round all the schools. What is left is for the Regional Stores to ensure that every school with a shortfall receives the extra textbooks they need, he said. As an interim measure to overcome the bottleneck, Dr Adutwum said he had engaged GhanaPost and another courier service to ensure that the books were delivered quickly to places where they were in short supply. The engagement with GhanaPost is to ensure that the books are distributed immediately while a more permanent way is found to distribute textbooks to the schools from the regional stores, the minister said, stressing that it was not right for the books to remain at the regional depots when the schools needed them. Stakeholders The stakeholders noted that while some of the textbooks, teachers guide and other materials had been supplied, they were yet to receive the full complement. The directors and head teachers also cited how the adverse situation had compelled schools to prevent learners from taking textbooks home for homework, a practice they said undermined the output of pupils. Additionally, they expressed deep worry over how they had not yet received any textbooks for some of the junior high schools (JHS) at a time final-year students had to be prepared for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in August this year. Verification tour The visit, led by the chairperson of the committee, Patricia Appiagyei, was aimed at finding out if all the basic schools had received the full complement of textbooks which Dr Adutwum promised to supply. The minister had appeared in Parliament in 2021 to assure Members of Parliament that the GES had supplied the full complement of textbooks to all basic schools in the Central Region. To verify that assurance, the committee visited the Islamic Research School in the Awutu Senya East Municipality, the Osubonpanyin Ateitu MA Basic School in the Effutu Municipality, Pomadze-Asebu D/A B Model Basic in the Gomoa Central District, Apewosika M/A Basic School in Cape Coast and the Kufui M/A Primary School in the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipality, where it discovered that most schools had not received the full set of textbooks. The team also visited the Central Regional Depot at the Ghana National College where the Regional Supply Officer, Ebenezer Awotwe, also confirmed the shortage in the supply of textbooks. During the visit to the Islamic Research Basic School, the Head teacher of the school, Rahinatu Iddrisu, informed the committee that the school had received a set of English and Science textbooks for standard-based curriculum from Class One to Class Six. However, it had not received Mathematics textbooks for Classes One to Five. For Creative Arts textbooks, she said, they received textbooks from Class One to Class Three. When the chairperson of the committee asked when the textbooks were delivered, the head teacher said the first consignment came in on September 28, last year; the second on January 16, this year, while the third consignment was received on April 13, 2023. Cumbersome carting of books On how the municipal education directorate took delivery of the books, the Awutu Senya East Municipal Director of Education, Faustina Alimatu Braimah, told the committee that the GES in Accra first delivered the textbooks to the Central Regional Depot in Cape Coast, where the municipal directorate sent vehicles to pick them up to Kasoa for distribution to schools, based on enrolment. She described the process of sending vehicles to pick up the books as not only cumbersome but costly to the directorate which operated on an annual budget of GH3,000. We cannot cart all the textbooks at a go because our vehicles are small and sometimes we have to rent cars to go and bring them from Cape Coast for distribution, she said. Mrs Braimah, therefore, suggested the construction of a depot in the Effutu Municipality where districts close to Accra such as Awutu Senya East, Gomoa East, Senya and Effutu could easily go for the textbooks. Full set received At the Osubonpanyin Ateitu M/A Basic School in Winneba, the Head teacher, Catherine Bentum, told the committee that the school had received the full set of Mathematics, English and Science textbooks. However, the Effutu Municipal Director of Education, Mabel Judith Micah, said anytime textbooks arrived they were taken to Cape Coast and a pick-up had to be dispatched to cart them. So, we think that if we had a depot nearby, schools around could go for the textbooks to reduce the burden of travelling to Cape Coast for the materials, she suggested. No textbooks for JHS students At the Pomadze Asebu D/A B Basic School, the Head teacher, Rose Quansah, said the school with an enrolment of 573 learners from Kindergarten One to JHS Three, had received 31 copies of Science for Class One, 42 copies for Class Two, 36 copies for Class Three, 46 copies for Class Four, 40 copies for Class Five and 40 copies for Class Six. However, when the committee members quizzed her about textbooks received for JHS, she stated: We have received none at the JHS level. On how the school had managed with no textbooks, given that final-year JHS students will soon write the BECE, Mrs Quansah said: Normally, the students buy their own textbooks to support teaching and learning. Request for full complement The Cape Coast Municipal Director of Education, Phyllis Asante-Krobea, also said the directorate had not received the full complement of textbooks for all the subjects except for Mathematics and Creative Arts. Asked if the shortfall in the supply affected teaching and learning, Mrs Asante-Krobea said: Yes, it does and we want to have the full complement and that will be better. The committee also visited the Central Regional Book Depot where the regional Supply Officer of the GES Regional Education Directorate, Ebenezer Awotwe, corroborated the concerns of the head teacher and the district education director. Mr Awotwe said since 2021, he had not received the full set of Creative Arts and Core Mathematics textbooks from Primary One to Six, adding that we are yet to receive some of the materials. Since I took over as the regional supply officer in January 2022, I have not received any textbooks for the junior high school, Mr Awotwe told the committee. Asked if he knew the quantity of textbooks allocated to the Central regional schools, Mr Awotwe said: I receive the materials from the headquarters in Accra without knowing the beneficiaries. If they are meant for basic schools, I go to the regional statistics and planning office and collect data and share the books to district offices which also share them, he said. Engagement Speaking to the media after the tour, Mrs Appiagye gave the assurance that the committee would engage the Education Minister to find out why there had been a shortfall in the supply of textbooks in the Central Region. NGO ends project for vulnerable groups Diana Mensah Jun - 05 - 2023 , 10:37 A 2-year project aimed at improving the disability inclusion programme in Ghana has ended. It was aimed at protecting the rights and elimination of stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities, including people with mental health conditions. The programme, geared towards impacting issues of disability and mental health, was dubbed: The Social Behaviour Change Communication and Stigma Reduction for Mental Health and Disability Inclusion Intervention. It was under the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie project. Facilitated by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Hope for Future Generations (HFFG), it was a collaborative grant with PsykForum, with funding from the British government and UKaid. An event to officially end the project has been held to discuss the achievements, challenges and way forward in the post-project era. The event brought together various key stakeholders, including the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Department of Social Welfare, religious leaders, the media, as well as people with disabilities. Background The Ghana Somubi Dwumadie project is a 4-year programme run by an Options-led consortium, which consists of Basic Needs Ghana, Kings College London, Sightsavers International and Tropical Health. HFFG and Psykforum as a consortium were awarded a grant by the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie to promote mental health and disability inclusion in Ghana. The grant commenced on April 26, 2021, and ended on April 28, 2023, intending to reduce negative and discriminatory attitudes, behaviours and norms faced by people with disabilities, including mental health conditions. The 2-year project looked at three main areas, including the promotion of positive disability language, people with disabilities having rights like everybody and being respected, and to be given the opportunity to function in their various communities and in their respective capacities. Achievements The Executive Director of HFFG, Cecilia Senoo, said the project had achieved its main objectives, including a positive disability language in the various communities, a culture of support in their families and communities, an enabling environment and encouraging feedback. She said the project had brought about a great suicidal ideation change where people with disabilities who had intentions of committing suicide were made to engage in counselling sessions. Ms Senoo also indicated that there had been inclusion clauses on stigma and discrimination in some districts by-laws, adding that Central Gonja had had its clauses approved and all eight districts in the Savannah and North East regions were at various stages of approval. That, she explained, had brought people with disabilities into contact with law enforcement agencies where they could call and report cases of stigma and discrimination, adding: We have achieved a lot with the numbers and that is encouraging. Challenges/Way forward The Director of Programmes of HFFG, Nancy Ansah Cobbah, indicated that the project initially had a challenge with reaching out to persons with disabilities but eventually proved successful and received positive feedback. Ms Cobbah, however, stated that HFFG looked forward to sustaining the project in the respective districts, adding that the various institutions must take up the mantle and continue to carry out the sensitisation on the salient issues. All stakeholders at the national, regional, district and community levels must take actions to reduce stigma and discrimination against persons with disabilities and mental health conditions to ensure that they are engaged, empowered and able to enjoy improved social and economic outcomes and rights, she stressed. Solidarity message A grant Advisor of Ghana Somubi Dwumadie, Matthias Aneinini, commended the HFFG for working towards the project and advised that the NGO ensured knowledge and skills were passed to future generations. A representative from CHRAJ, Roger Amanda, said the doors of the institution were always open to trumpet issues going on with persons with disabilities, and We will step in and defend your rights, so dont hesitate to call us. The Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam, Dr Marzuqi Mohammed Azindoo, who had his message read on his behalf, expressed appreciation to HFFG for the gesture and encouraged the public to show support and love for persons with disabilities. @ a glance Eschew stigmatisation and discrimination against persons with disabilities and mental health conditions. Reduce waste to help economic growth - ICAG advises govt Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Jun - 05 - 2023 , 08:15 The Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) has advised the government to reduce waste in its operations as part of the measures to help the country out of its current economic difficulties. Additionally, it has encouraged people to also be honest in their dealings with the government to help protect public finances. peaking at the 41st Graduation and Admission ceremony of ICAG in Accra last Saturday (June 3), the President of the accountancy regulatory body, Sena Dake, said: Devoid of politics, lets reduce waste, lets promote honesty, lets teach the future generation how to be trustworthy, knowing that it is our attitudinal change that can enhance our stewardship. Ceremony, graduates The ceremony saw the graduation of 721 individuals who had successfully completed the chartered accountancy professional programme. Out of the 721, 620 were formally admitted as Chartered Accountants and full members of ICAG, while 202 became associate members. The associate members will become full members after having at least 36 months of work experience. One of the highlights of the event was 18-year old Princess Korkor Boateng, a student of the University of Ghana, who became an associate member of ICAG, the youngest ever in the history of the accountancy profession. Thirty seven staff of the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service, Audit Service, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Narcotics Control Commission, Financial Intelligence Centre and Internal Audit Agency, also graduated with Post-Chartered Diploma in Forensic Audit, a training programme by ICAG in collaboration with EOCO. Present at the ceremony were council members of ICAG, the country Managing Partner of Deloitte, Daniel Owusu, who was the guest of honour, the Executive Director of EOCO and a former council member of the ICAG, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo Danquah, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey, who represented the Minister of Education. Initiatives Ms Dake said ICAG as the regulatory body of the accountancy profession was implementing a number of initiatives to further enhance the quality of the profession and also support growth of businesses and the economy at large. For instance, she said the ICAG had embarked on a programme to strengthen entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by making the services of chartered accountants more easily accessible to them. We are also engaging the public through financial literacy to support basic appreciation of financial management by all, help protect public interest and to build public trust, she said. Poor remuneration The ICAG President, however, bemoaned the salaries and remuneration paid by some institutions to chartered accountants, describing them as appalling and a disincentive to professional accountants. It is time we paid attention to and recognised the key roles that professional accountants play in creating, verifying, and giving assurance on high-quality sustainable information as enablers and trusted advisors, she stressed. Mr Owusu, in his keynote address, advised accountants to ascribe to professionalism in all aspects of their work as their decisions and omissions could significantly affect the wellbeing of organisations and the economy in general. We should always exhibit professional behaviour. This involves treating others with respect, maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment and avoiding anything that will damage the reputation of the business we work for and their stakeholders, he said. Speaker of Parliament commends Vanuatu Trade Commissioner for strengthening bilateral trade Kweku Zurek Jun - 05 - 2023 , 14:25 The Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin, has expressed his appreciation to the Vanuatu Trade Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Professor Hugh Aryee, for his efforts in establishing a connection between the Republic of Vanuatu and Ghana, and fostering business interests between the two countries. The Speaker emphasized the importance of global connectivity in today's world, highlighting the need for smaller nations to engage in bilateral trade with advanced economies. During a meeting with the Vanuatu Trade Commissioner and his team at the Parliament House in Accra, the Rt Hon Speaker warmly welcomed them and discussed the upcoming visit of the Speaker of the Vanuatu Parliament and his delegation to Ghana in July 2023. The purpose of the visit was to officially inform the Speaker about the forthcoming visit and discuss the itinerary, including the important places and personalities the delegation plans to visit during their stay in Ghana. Amb. Prof Hugh Aryee also informed the Speaker and his staff about the reciprocal business trip to Vanuatu scheduled for August 20 to September 4. The trade mission aims to facilitate business engagements between Ghanaian public, businesses, trade agencies, and the Republic of Vanuatu, as well as provide opportunities for leisure and holidays. Expressing his delight about the visit, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin assured the delegation that the Parliament of Ghana is ready to receive their counterparts and extend all necessary courtesies and protocols. He mentioned his personal excitement as he had always desired to visit Vanuatu in the past, making this visit a pleasant opportunity. The Speaker encouraged Ghanaians to take advantage of this occasion. The Rt Hon Speaker emphasized the readiness of the entire House to welcome the visiting delegation and expressed his intention to confer with the leadership of the House to provide the visiting Speaker an opportunity to address the Parliament. He called for the establishment of a joint committee comprising parliamentary staff and the Trade Commission to develop a suitable plan of action for the historic visit, marking the first official visit of a government delegation from the Republic of Vanuatu to Ghana. Accompanying the Vanuatu Trade Commissioner will be Hon Seremaiah Matai Nawalu, Member of Parliament and Minister of Trade, Industry, Tourism, and Ni-Vanuatu Businesses, Hon Anatole Hymak, Member of Parliament and Chairman of Economics and Foreign Policies Standing Committees of Vanuatu Parliament, Mr. Noel Kalo, Director of the Department of Trade, Mr. Gaetan Ruru, overseeing Interparliamentary Relations of the Office of the Parliament of Vanuatu, and Ms. Vanessa MOLISA, Advisor to the Office of Speaker. As a token of goodwill, the Trade Commissioner presented a picturesque brochure outlining the Vanuatu Trade Commission's goals and objectives for Ghana and the West African regional bloc. Additionally, Vanuatu vehicle stickers were presented to the Rt Hon Speaker. You don't have to be a registered voter in a constituency to contest parliamentary election there... - EC Getrude Ankah Nyavi Politics Jun - 05 - 2023 , 15:36 Per Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution, a person does not need to be a registered voter in a particular constituency to enable him/ her to contest an election in that constituency," the Electoral Commission has stated. However, if a person wishes to contest in a Parliamentary election in a constituency the person does not hail from, that person must be ordinarily resident there or have resided there for at least five years out of the previous ten years. This explanation from the Electoral Commission follows an allegation by the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi, that the EC was in a collaboration with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the purpose of transferring the vote of one Charles Opoku to the Assin North constituency ahead of the by-election in that constituency. According to Mr Gyamfi, this was to enable the said Charles Opoku to contest the upcoming by-election in Assin North. But in a press statement dated June 5, 2023, the EC said Sammy Gyamfi's allegation was misleading. Mr Gyamfi had alleged, "Our [NDC] unimpeachable sources have revealed that contrary to the clear requirement on the nomination form for the Assin North by-election, which demands that a candidate in the election must be a registered voter in Assin North, the said Charles Opoku is not a registered voter in the Assin North Constituency, he said. EC reaction and explanation Reacting to the allegation, the commission said: For the records, the EC has not received any such request from the NPP to transfer the votes of any person. This allegation is false and a figment of the authors imagination. As usual, it is aimed at maligning the integrity of the Electoral Commission" Per Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution, a person does not need to be a registered voter in a particular constituency to enable him/ her to contest an election in that constituency.....However, if a person wishes to contest in a constituency where they do not hail from, they must be ordinarily resident there or have resided there for at least five years out of the previous ten years. The commission added that to date, the NDC has not proved a "single" allegation they have made against the EC. The EC further observed that the continuous maligning of state institutions such as the EC by the NDC only weakens and undermines the country's democracy. The commission said it will continue to uphold transparency, fairness, and integrity in all its operations. while calling on Ghanaians to trust the EC to continue to deliver credible elections. NPP's reaction Meanwhile, the NPP in a press statement issued on Monday June 5, 2023 has debunked the allegations that the Party was in a plot to illegally insert the name of an unqualified NPP Parliamentary candidate into the Assin North Register. The party said it has not even held a primary to select a candidate to stand on its ticket for it to go ahead and try to insert a name in the register in the constituency. "It therefore beggars belief how the NDC is able to determine our Parliamentary Candidate ahead of time and to suggest that we are plotting with the EC to illegally insert his name in the Assin North register", he party stated . Below is a copy of full statement by the EC: RE: NPP AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION IN A PLOT TO ILLEGALLY INSERT THE NAME OF AN UNQUALIFIED NPP PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE INTO THE ASSIN NORTH VOTERS REGISTER The Electoral Commissions attention has been drawn to a misleading press statement attributed to the National Communications Officer of the NDC alleging collaboration between the NPP and the EC for the purpose of transferring the vote of one Charles Opoku to the Assin North Constituency to enable him to contest the upcoming by-election in the said constituency. We wish to state that this is not true. For the records, the EC has not received any such request from the NPP to transfer the votes of any person. This allegation is false and a figment of the authors imagination. As usual, it is aimed at maligning the integrity of the Electoral Commission. Per Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution, a person does not need to be a registered voter in a particular constituency to enable him/ her to contest an election in that constituency. Per the Constitution, simply hailing from a constituency entitles a person to contest an election in that constituency so long as the person is: A Ghanaian Twenty-one years and above Of sound mind And a registered voter In the event that a person who wishes to contest in a particular constituency does not hail from that constituency, that person will be eligible to contest if he/she is ordinarily resident in that constituency or has been a resident there for a total period of not less than five years out of the ten years immediately preceding the election for which he/she stands. We make this point to buttress the fact that a person who hails from a constituency per the Constitution need not be a registered voter in the constituency he /she wishes to contest in. Simply hailing from there is enough. As such there is no reason to engage in transfers as alleged by the NDC Communications Officer. It is a well-known fact that the current Commission has been the most transparent and accountable in its operations. The Commission has carried out its mandate in strict consonance with the Constitution. To date, the NDC has not proved a single allegation they have made against the EC. The continuous maligning of state institutions such as the EC by the NDC only weakens and undermines our democracy. The EC will continue to uphold transparency, fairness, and integrity in all its operations. We urge the good people of Ghana to trust us to continue to deliver credible elections. Below is a copy of the NPP's statement Amprius Technologies, the developer of the next-generation lithium-ion battery Silicon Anode Platform, announced that it and the US Department of Energys (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) mutually agreed to end the negotiation of a previously announced cost-shared demonstration project. (Earlier post.) Amprius thanked the DOE for the invitation to participate in the negotiations for this funding award and appreciates the support it has received from the DOE over the years (earlier post) and looks forward to future partnership opportunities. In March of 2023, Amprius announced plans to build a gigawatt-scale factory in Brighton, Colorado for its next-generation lithium-ion batteries with its Silicon Anode Platform. The DOE funding of $50 million was only a portion of the expected cost to complete the initial phase of 500 MWh production. This facility is planned to create 330 full-time jobs and is still expected to be operational by 2025. Amprius plans to continue its commercialization plans that include a multi-phased approach. As Amprius works to meet the significant demand for its ultra-high energy density lithium-ion batteries, it remains unchanged in its focus on achieving mass production scale and delivering on its product roadmap. Amprius said that the decision to exit the DOE program provides it with significantly more operational flexibility in scale, vendor and supply chain management, product portfolio development and speed required for the success of large-scale manufacturing of Amprius high energy density batteries in the United States. Amprius current level of battery performance demonstrates that the company has the capability to deliver battery cells using its proprietary anode technology that have a specific energy and energy density that approach 2X the performance of graphite cells currently available for purchase. Amprius commercially available batteries today deliver up to 450 Wh/kg and 1,150 Wh/L, the industrys highest known energy density cells available on the market today. Most recently the companys batteries were independently verified to perform at 500 Wh/kg and 1,300 Wh/L. Amprius has military, commercial and defense segment customers who are integrating this capacity into their product plans in order to serve critical national security needs. These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Haiti - Insecurity : Escalation of unprecedented violence in the commune of Carrefour Jude Edouard Pierre, Town Hall of Carrefour informs the public in general, the crossroads in particular, that an important meeting was held around the unprecedented escalation of violence that has occurred in the town with : the former Minister of interior Raynaldo Brunet, former deputies Elie Blaise and Jacques Bovil, former mayor Yvon Jerome, the Mayor's chief of staff, Emmanuel Hyppolite Jean, the director general of the town hall of Carrefour, Ykervens Fils Aime, entrepreneurs, notables, pastors, catholic and voodoo priests of the commune. All the participants expressed their deep concerns about the unprecedented escalation of violence that has occurred in the town since May 30, when clashes took place between members of the "Ti Bwa" gang and agents of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) causing 3 deaths including a policeman. This situation has paralyzed public transport and the operation of businesses, schools and public institutions. While deploring the loss of human life recorded, the municipal administration and civil society have mobilized to allow a return to public order. The town hall gives its full support to the Carrefour police and asks armed civilians to lay down their arms and withdraw from the peaceful neighborhoods of Bizoton, Diquini and Thor so that life can resume normally in the commune. The Municipal Council associates its voice with those of the population and the leaders of the Carrefour Police to ask the High Command of the PNH to strengthen the police station of the commune in order to allow the police to fulfill their mission. The City Council is appalled by this escalation of violence and calls for calm while saluting the courage of the police who spare no effort to defend the commune. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - NOTICE : Artistic Research Residency, Call for Applications The Artistic Research Residence offered by the Association "Quatre Chemins" (A4C) is a program dedicated to artistic research in Haiti. It is a question of offering innovative creators in all fields the opportunity to spend precious time developing their projects in the interior cities of the country. Through this program, the association aims on the one hand to support artists from the very beginning of their creative ideas, but also to the effective decentralization of cultural proposals too often confined to Port-au-Prince. Supported by the French Institute in Paris, the residencies are carried out in partnership with local cultural institutions, which benefit from the workshops led by the selected artists, intended for residents of the respective areas: art centers, performance halls, libraries, museums, art galleries, schools, prisons, etc All artistic disciplines are concerned: living arts, visual arts, transdisciplinary, etc... Scheduled for one month, the stay in residence leads to a public restitution of the project carried out in the studio by the artist with a few local participants. The winners will be awarded a lump sum living allowance of the equivalent in Gourdes of 1,000 US dollars. Eligibility criteria: The candidate must: Be a creator in a discipline of the living and/or visual arts, or trans-disciplinary, etc; Have an artistic project related to an interior city of Haiti; Proof of several years (at least 3 years) of professional practice; Be released from their professional activity during the stay; No age limit required. Application file : A precise description of the project indicating the specific objectives of the stay in relation to a given city. The residency period desired by the artist must be indicated between September and October; A short CV; An artistic file (photo, audio, video CD, or documents by email); The project and CV must be written in French and/or Creole. Funding and support: The winner will receive 80% of their living allowance when leaving their residence. The balance will be paid to him upon return, upon receipt of a report of the stay which must be submitted within two months of the return. Any reduction in the length of the stay will result in a deduction in proportion to the number of days actually spent on site; Payments will only be made once the administrative procedures have been settled with the Association Quatre Chemins. The living allowance awarded to the winner is fixed and final. All costs and expenses incurred outside of this allowance remain the responsibility of the winner. Under no circumstances may the stay be split; If, for personal or professional reasons, the winner cannot maintain their stay during the current year, it cannot under any circumstances be postponed to the following year. The winners are required to pay for their transport and insurance. They will be held responsible for any damage that may result from the execution of their stay programs; It is recognized that the program may make changes if circumstances so require. In this case, the winners will be formally informed without prejudice to the objectives pursued. Calendar : July 30, 2023: closing of applications August 15, 2023: announcement of results September / October 2023: Residency period November 2023: Programming of the work stages at the Quatre Chemins Festival Contacts - Info : Michael FORMILUS, programming assistant Telephone: +509 4752 0400 Email: michaelformilus@gmail.com Note : Applications should be sent to the following email address: festivalquatrechemins@gmail.com HL/ HaitiLibre Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up New Ad-free Subscriber Login Email Password Password Username Subscribe to our daily NewsLetter Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password or receive our NewsLetter. Stay logged in Lost password Contact Korean Movie | 2023 Musical Show/Performance Directed by Woo Jin-ha () 101min | Release date in South Korea: 2023/06/07 Synopsis The youth that lives today, the youth that would have been my time In 2022, Oh Yeong-won, a travel publicity writer who has never been on a trip, visits an old villa on the outskirts of Seoul and dreams of becoming a real writer who travels for real someday, writing briskly in a room that is soundproof. Han Ah-reum, who prepares for a job while working part-time, moves into the house above him. In the harsh reality of beauty, the only comfort is the journey of eternity. However, they do not know each other's faces or names, and they are gradually concerned about the sound of everyday life created by their opposite lifestyle. Eventually, the two receive expert advice. Yeong-won posts a note upstairs stating his dissatisfaction with the noise. Ah-reum pretends to be a man with a secret past, afraid that she will be harmed if she lives alone. Lies are quickly discovered, and they spend days between eternity, beautiful and unfortunate days... "There's only a 15cm wall between you and me. My room is right next to you." How can I survive the noise between floors without an answer? Korean Movie | 2005 Action Detective Directed by Choi Jin-won () Written by Choi Jin-won () 109min | Release date in South Korea: 2005/11/10 Asking his father who is imprisoned in jail for money, threatening a friend who became a murderer by mistake, stealing money from his friends... Goo Dong-hyeok (Kim Rae-won) is the worst scumbag you can ever imagine. Living a low-life existence like a street dog, one day, Dong-hyeok gets kidnapped by a mysterious gang. Held captive for no reason, Dong-hyeok is repeatedly trained by the gang in a secret and inhumane way. Dong-hyeok tries to escape but fails, which makes the training more harsh and cruel than before. After finishing all the training, the gang orders Dong-hyeok to become a police detective as their secret connection. Source BOONE, NC At 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 11, The Reggie Buie Group will perform under the tent at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock as the final headliner event during the 2023 High Country Jazz Festival. It is the last of 15 separate events in ten different locations throughout Boone and Blowing Rock that are part of the 2023 festival, which runs from June 9 through 11. The 2023 festival is presented by Mast General Store with additional support from Explore Boone and Hampton Inn & Suites, Boone. More than half of the 15 events are free of charge to the general public with tickets on sale for headliner performances via the festival website: www.highcountryjazzfestival.org. Tickets for the Buie concert are only $25 due to grants from the Watauga Arts Council and the North Carolina Arts Council. A resident of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Buie began his musical journey at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. From there, he attended Florida A&M and was a member of the famed Marching 100. Buie earned both writing and recording credits on the national level while living in Miami. Now, the Reggie Buie Group is a regular on stage in Greensboro, Charlotte, and Raleigh swinging between smooth jazz and standards. His groups versatility and ability to move effortlessly between soft background music, performing jazz standards, music for dancing, or delivering passionate jazz performances and improvisation are hallmarks of their concerts. Festival co-chair Todd Wright said, The Reggie Buie Group offers something a little different, a smooth jazz sound that showcases these Triad-based artists for High Country Jazz audiences. Were expecting this to be a memorable event. Buies concert is the last of four events on Sunday, June 11, the final day of the 2023 High Country Jazz Festival. The festival heads back to Blowing Rock for a series of events beginning with a High Country Jazz Brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the historic 1891 Green Park Inn featuring the Todd Wright All-Stars. Wright, director of the Jazz Studies at Appalachian State University, is the Ambassador for Jazz in the High Country region and has been in the trenches playing and promoting jazz and music education since 1982. The Grande Dame of fine hotels in the High Country, the Inn is located at 9239 Valley Boulevard on Highway 321 in Blowing Rock. Reservations are highly recommended. Chetola hosts the final two events, beginning at 4 p.m. Shane Chalke is performing during cocktail hour on the patio of the resort, located at 185 Chetola Lake Drive in Blowing Rock. Shane is a regular performer during the summer season in the High Country, dishing up a large serving of straight-ahead jazz. Its a perfect time to enjoy a snack, a cocktail, or an early meal accompanied by the silky sounds of Shanes ensemble. At 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, June 11, The Reggie Buie Group will perform under the tent at Chetola Resort. The cocktail hour jazz is free of charge and, as noted previously, general admission tickets to the Buie concert are only $25. Due to strong advance reservations, a second jazz lunch has been added from noon to 3 p.m. at Lost Province Brewing Company, located at 130 North Depot Street in Boone. It will feature Joseph Hasty and Centerpiece Jazz performing straight ahead classic jazz, swing tunes, show tunes and other standards. Centerpiece Jazz plays all of your favorites from Miles and Monk, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Ella, to Antonio Carlos Jobim, Coltrane, and Cole Porter. While there is no cover charge for this event, reservations are encouraged. The goal of the High Country Jazz Festival is to host exceptional and engaging jazz experiences for local residents and regional audiences with proceeds to support arts, education, and civic programs that enrich our High Country home. The three-day celebration of the art form of jazz is a unique partnership between the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country (ATHC), Boone Sunrise Rotary, and Jazz Studies Program at Appalachian State University. Event sponsors include the Town of Blowing Rock, Creekside Electronics, and Footsloggers, with contributions from Blue Ridge Energy, New River Light & Power Company, and The Beacon. An additional two dozen local firms and individuals have also stepped up with generous donations to support the festival. Festival media sponsors are the Curtis Media Group, The Mountain Times, Watauga Democrat, 88.5 WFDD, and Yes! Weekly. Members of the 2023 leadership team for the High Country Jazz Festival have been working since last June to make this years even bigger and better than the inaugural event in 2022, said Festival co-chair Keith Martin. These dedicated volunteers include John Cooper, Mark Freed, Sali Gill-Johnson, Paige Henderson, Brian Irving, David Jackson, Suzanne Livesay, Keith Martin, Sheri Moretz, Denise Ringler, Kathy Scott, Jim Street, Wright Tilley, and Todd Wright. None of this would have been possible without their collaborative efforts. The festival is offering an all-event ticket, which includes admission to all three headliner performances: The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Emmet Cohen Trio, and the Reggie Buie Group. There are two options: Premier ($110, including taxes and fees, with prime seating for Appalachian Theatre performances) and Regular ($95, including taxes and fees). To purchase tickets, please visit the festivals official website at www.highcountryjazzfestival.org. ### The 2023 High Country Jazz Festival is a collaborative program of: About the Appalachian Theatre The mission of the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country is to revitalize and sustain this historic community touchstone as a quality home for diverse artists and audiences with a special focus on programs that celebrate our distinctive Appalachian heritage and enhance our capacity to serve as an economic catalyst for Boone and the High Country. Once a gorgeous 999-seat Art Deco movie house, the building closed in 2007 and sat empty and gutted for years. On October 14, 2019, the Appalachian Theatre reopened its doors after a $10 million renovation that brought the distinctive Art Deco details back to this historic theatre and created a new 629-seat, state-of-the-art, acoustically pristine venue for live concerts, films, plays, and dance performances. The historic Appalachian Theatre has entertained regional audiences in the heart of downtown Boone, North Carolina since 1938. www.apptheatre.org About Boone Sunrise Rotary Boone Sunrise Rotary brings together business, professional and civic leaders within our community. Rotary promotes integrity, understanding and goodwill locally, nationally, and worldwide. The proceeds from the festival will further Rotarys commitment to humanitarian and civic service and will go directly to many of the local nonprofit organizations that serve the High Country. www.boonerotary.org About the Jazz Studies Program The Jazz Studies Program at Appalachian State University identifies students with a special interest in jazz, promotes high standards of jazz performance, and expands the circle of students who have meaningful experiences with jazz during their college careers. Program support will help provide student enrichment, off-set performance tour costs, student scholarships, host acclaimed jazz clinicians and the purchase of music and supplies. www.music.appstate.edu Courtesy of Appalachian Theatre Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket Picnic for Progress celebrates Pride Month More than 40 local exhibitors and nonprofits will be on hand when Hendersonville Pride hosts the third annual Picnic for Progress to celebrate Pride Month from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 10, at Jackson Park. The event will include games, rock & face painting, yoga, reiki, seated massages and, new this year, a childrens art festival. Hendersonville Pride invited the public to bring the kids creationspaintings, sculptures, photography, jewelry, textile creationsto Pavilion No. 3, where they will be displayed. Food trucks include Shaa Bingo Jamaican fare,Texas brisket, Allies Sweet Treats and First United Methodist Church. Gluten free and vegan options available Thousands of Christian Evangelists march at "March of the Nations 2018 " event in center of Jerusalem, May 15, 2018. (JNS) - Thousands of participants from around the world joined the "March of Nations" event in Jerusalem to celebrate Israel's 75th year of independence. The event was organized by March of Life, an initiative founded by Jobst and Charlotte Bittner and the evangelical TOS Ministries from Tubingen, Germany. The southwestern German university town served as the training ground for the Einsatzgruppen, the SS death squads that murdered 700,000 Jews, primarily by shooting, during the Holocaust. Joined by the descendants of German Wehrmacht soldiers and members of the SS and police force, March of Life have organized memorial and reconciliation marches at Holocaust sites all over Europe. Founded in 2007, March of Life has spread to more than 20 nations and 500 cities around the world. "As descendants of Nazi perpetrators it is not enough to say 'never again,' March of Life founder Pastor Jobst Bittner told JNS in an interview from Germany earlier this year. "We have to be responsible to do something and are calling on people to speak out against antisemitism and to stand with Israel." Bittner, whose father was an officer in the Wehrmacht's Afrika Corps during the Second World War, has been honored by Israel for his staunch support for the Jewish state. He calls the founding of Israel one of the greatest miracles of our time. Officially welcoming the "March of Nations" event to Jerusalem earlier this year, Israeli President Isaac Herzog gave his endorsement. "I commend your courage in engaging with dark and difficult family histories, and your insistence on directing the call of your collective conscience to advocating on behalf of Israel and Jewish communities everywhere. I look forward to the upcoming March of the Nations, which coincides with the international date of Israel's 75th anniversary. Your presence demonstrates unwavering moral support for our nation-state and its people, and the State of Israel welcomes you with open arms," he said. Tuesday's event drew well over a thousand participants from around the world who marched from Sacher Park to Safra Square in front of Jerusalem City Hall. They were addressed by a variety of speakers, including Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Jewish Agency President Doron Almog, Ahmed al-Mansoori, founder of the first Holocaust museum in Dubai, and March of Life founder Bittner. "It is something special for us to be Jerusalem in this crucial time. Our motto of the March of Life is: 'Israel you are not alone,' and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We expect many participants and are thankful to stand alongside Israel," said Bittner. The march was led by Odessa-born Holocaust survivor Arie Itamar, who arrived in Israel on the Exodus as a seven-year-old, and the theme was "Mi Shoah le Tkuma-from the Holocaust to New Life." Participant Carolin Klein was proud to be among the marchers. "I am here with the March of Nations because I love Israel, and we come from many nations to really stand with Israel, especially at times of attacks. I am from Germany, and about 40 percent of the young people do not know what Auschwitz was, so I want to talk about what happened in the Second World War. Mostly all families were part of the Nazi regime during that time. I found out many of my forefathers were Nazis, too, and I want to make a clear statement that with my generation we really want to stand with Israel. We love Israel and we will speak up against antisemitism when we see it." Additional marches took place on Wednesday in various cities across Israel including Metula, Tiberias, Zichron Yaakov, Netanya, Ashkelon, Beersheva and Merhavim. Participants had the opportunity to meet with Holocaust survivors, students and soldiers. New Jersey psychiatry practice pays $30,000 to settle complaint about impermissible disclosure of protected health information by disclosing this information in online review Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announces a settlement with Manasa Health Center, LLC, a health care provider in New Jersey that provides adult and child psychiatric services. The settlement resolves a complaint received by OCR in April 2020, alleging that Manasa Health Center impermissibly disclosed the protected health information of a patient when the entity posted a response to the patients negative online review. Following an OCR investigation, potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule include impermissible disclosures of patient protected health information in response to negative online reviews, and failure to implement policies and procedures with respect to protected health information. Manasa Health Center paid $30,000 to OCR and agreed to implement a corrective action plan to resolve these potential violations. OCR continues to receive complaints about health care providers disclosing their patients protected health information on social media or on the internet in response to negative reviews. Simply put, this is not allowed, said OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainer. The HIPAA Privacy Rule expressly protects patients from this type of activity, which is a clear violation of both patient trust and the law. OCR will investigate and take action when we learn of such impermissible disclosures, no matter how large or small the organization. OCR opened an investigation in response to a complaint by a patient alleging that Manasa Health Center posted a response to the patients negative online review that included specific information regarding the individuals diagnosis and treatment of their mental health condition. In addition to the patient who filed the complaint, OCRs investigation found that Manasa Health Center impermissibly disclosed the protected health information of three other patients in response to their negative online reviews. OCRs investigation also found that Manasa Health Center failed to implement HIPAA Privacy policies and procedures. In addition to the monetary settlement, Manasa Health Center will undertake a corrective action plan that will be monitored for two years by OCR to ensure compliance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The corrective action plan includes the following steps: Develop, maintain, and revise its written policies and procedures to comply with the HIPAA Privacy Rule, Train all members of Manasa Health Centers workforce, including owners and managers, on the organizations policies and procedures to comply with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, Within 30 calendar days of the agreement, Manasa Health Center shall issue breach notices to all individuals, or their personal representatives, whose protected health information is disclosed on any internet platform without a valid authorization, and Within 30 calendar days of the agreement, Manasa Health Center shall submit a breach report to HHS concerning individuals whose protected health information is disclosed on any internet platform without a valid authorization. The resolution agreement and corrective action plan may be found at: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/compliance-enforcement/agreements/manasa-ra-cap/index.html OCR is committed to enforcing the HIPAA Rules that protect the privacy and security of peoples health information. If you believe that your or another persons health information privacy or civil rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with OCR at: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints/index.html. New Delhi (India), June 5: The much-awaited Top 50 Indian Icon Awards, conceived by Bollywood luminary Dushyant Pratap Singh, is ready to make a resounding impact once again as it draws participants from more than eight countries. The esteemed awards ceremony, produced by the enterprising visionary Saurabh Garg, continues to cast a dazzling spotlight on exceptional Indians who have left an indelible mark in their respective domains. Dushyant Pratap Singh, a prominent personality in the Indian film industry, established the Top 50 Indian Icon Awards in 2016 with a noble vision to recognize outstanding individuals who often remain unnoticed. The awards have now blossomed into an annual celebration, acknowledging the accomplishments of proud Indians across diverse fields such as sports, arts, culture, business, social work, and education. Overseeing the creative direction of the awards is none other than Vishnupriya Singh, the eldest daughter of Dushyant Pratap Singh. The Top 50 Indian Icon Awards have become synonymous with honoring proud Indians living in India and abroad. Each year, the awards pay homage to 50 individuals who have showcased exceptional dedication, commitment, and passion in their respective domains. It serves as a heartfelt tribute to those who selflessly serve others and bring glory to the nation. The awards strive to recognize individuals who have made a profound positive impact on society through their work or community service. The upcoming season of the Top 50 Indian Icon Awards promises to transcend borders, with participants hailing from more than eight countries. This international presence solidifies the awards' reputation as a platform that unites extraordinary individuals from diverse backgrounds, transcending cultural boundaries. The event will provide a unique opportunity for cultural exchange and a celebration of global talent. As preparations for the Top 50 Indian Icon Awards Season 5 are underway, anticipation and excitement are reaching fever pitch in the industry and among the public. The awards ceremony, which has garnered significant acclaim over the years, is expected to be a grand affair, honoring the achievements and inspiring stories of remarkable Indians who continue to make a difference in the world. The Top 50 Indian Icon Awards Season 5 not only reflects the dedication and passion of the participants but also celebrates the legacy of Dushyant Corporation, the organization behind these prestigious awards. The fifth season of the Top 50 Indian Icon Awards is poised to mesmerize audiences, celebrating the spirit of excellence and showcasing the incredible accomplishments of proud Indians on a global stage. With its illustrious legacy and international reach, the awards ceremony remains an influential platform for recognizing and honoring exceptional talent from India and around the world. Official Website: https://top50indianiconawards.in/ 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. Five MLAs belonging to BJP walked out of an all-party meeting called by Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Monday to discuss issues pertaining to Bengaluru. They alleged that DK Shivakumar who invited them to the meeting is unpunctual and arrived to the venue after one hour of the scheduled time. Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar. Also Read - Karnataka government arranges flight tickets to stranded folk artists in Odisha Speaking with the reporters, Bengalurus Malleshwaram MLA Ashwathnarayan said, We waited for one hour and the deputy CM who had called for the meeting did not show up. It is nothing but taking us for granted and deliberately disrespecting us. We cannot wait for more than an hour, which is why we walked out. Along with Ashwathnarayan, Munirathna, Byrathi Basavaraja, SR Vishwanath and ST Somasekhar are four other MLAs who walked out of the meeting. However, other BJP MLAs like CK Ramamurthy, Krishnappa, Ravi Subramanya and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya attended the meeting. The meeting which was scheduled to begin at 11am was called to discuss Bengalurus civic issues, ahead of monsoon season. The recent spell of rain once again exposed the civic apathy in Karnatakas capital and residents of Bengaluru are expecting the new government to fix the issues with timely intervention. Out of 28 constituencies in the IT capital, BJP won 16 seats and Congress only managed to win 12. Currently, DK Shivakumar holds major and medium irrigation, Bengaluru city development including Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) portfolios in the state cabinet. To protect its workers from alleged atrocities by the Congress party in Karnataka, the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party will be starting a 24*7 help line number, the party announced on Sunday. The party will also train a team with the help of a legal cell to handle the help line number. BJYM National President Tejasvi Surya (File Photo / ANI) Bengaluru South MP and BJP youth cell chief Tejasvi Surya said, During Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka, many BJP workers are targeted and it came to our notice that they are charged with false cases. To fight such atrocities against the party workers, the BJP decided to launch a helpline number for all party workers in the state. Surya further said that they are equipped with lawyers and activists across the state and any false case will be legally fought. We have lawyers and activists present all over the state and BJP workers who face the atrocities of Congress can dial the helpline number for any kind of protection. We will launch the toll-free number in next one week, he added. Countering the BJPs idea of a helpline number, Karnataka minister MB Patil appealed to the chief minister and home minister for another helpline called Peaceful Karnataka. He tweeted, Requesting @DrParameshwara @PriyankKharge @DKShivakumar @CMofKarnataka to consider setting up a new helpline called Peaceful Karnataka. To ensure there is no hatred being spread in Karnataka, and keep track of any such incidents. Our agenda is only Development & Progress, and to protect Brand Karnataka. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that the anti-cow slaughter law in the state will be discussed in the upcoming cabinet meeting, as he defended his colleague and animal husbandry minister K Venkateshs statement that if buffaloes can be slaughtered, why not cows. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said anti-cow slaughter law will be discussed in next cabinet meeting. (ANI) Also read: Ex-CM Bommai condemns Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister's statement on cow slaughter Venkateshs remarks, made in Mysuru on Saturday, evoked a sharp reaction from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which held protests across the state on Monday. The party also cautioned the Congress-led government from repealing the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020. Brought in by the previous BJP government, the law replaced the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, which stood repealed. The new law came into force in 2021. Siddaramaiah said there was lack of clarity in the law brought in by the previous BJP government. We will discuss it (reviewing of anti-cow slaughter law) in the cabinet and take a decision, he told reporters. We have not decided anything yet. Venaktesh had also suggested that slaughtering of aged cows could alleviate challenges faced by farmers. The chief minister backed his statement, saying that cattle over the age of 12 could indeed be slaughtered. According to the 1964 Act [now repealed], there is a provision to slaughter cows that are over 12 years old and cannot be used in agricultural activities, Siddaramaiah said. Thats what Venkatesh meant. He could not put it across clearly. The state animal husbandry minister K Venkatesh had said on Sunday, If one can slaughter buffaloes and bulls, what is wrong with slaughtering cows? Reacting to Venkateshs remarks, former minister and BJP legislator V Sunil Kumar alleged that the Congress loves neither the nation nor the cow. Whatever Indian ethos that are followed by people, the Congress hates them. Rescinding the cow slaughter prevention Act is one such example, Kumar told reporters in Karkala, his assembly constituency. He added that the BJP will oppose any attempt by the Congress government to withdraw the anti-cow slaughter law. The BJP had formulated a law to prevent cow slaughter after holding a series of consultations with the people. The Congress had raised objections even when the BJP passed it, he said. Congress leaders and ministers have been repeatedly stating that the government will withdraw the act and revise textbooks. These clearly indicate the aim of the Congress government. Another former minister Kota Srinivas Poojary of the BJP appealed to chief minister Siddaramaiah and other Congress ministers to understand the feelings of people. People have voted for you and you got elected as chief minister. But, that does not mean that you have all powers and do as you wish. If you bring amendments and changes to the cow slaughter prohibition law, members of the BJP will strictly oppose this and will fight against any move, Poojary, a member of the legislative council, said. Also read: Karnataka budget to be tabled on July 7, says CM Siddaramaiah When the BJP was ruling, it brought the cow slaughter prohibition bill in both houses in support of farmers and to protect cows. This has become the law as Hindus worship the cow and it is necessary to protect them, he added. Amid uproar over the issue, Congress legislator Rizwan Arshad appealed the state government to consult farmers before making any decision regarding the law. Whatever is done should aim to take care of the interests of the farmers of Karnataka. Cow Slaughter is affecting the farmers of Karnataka. It is not a religious issue or a caste issue. It is the farmers issue. State government should seek consultation with farmers and take a decision, Arshad added. As many as 246 students appeared for the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) out of a total of 250 registered candidates at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute of Management and Technology in Dakha. HT Image The exam was conducted in two shifts. The paper-1 was held between 9 am to 12 pm and the paper 2 was conducted between 3.30 to 5.30 pm. It was compulsory for the students to appear in both papers. Students started reaching the centre as early as 7.30 am, apart from the students from the district, students from nearby towns and cities, including Moga, Ahmedgarh and Sangrur also appeared for the exam. A number of students found the paper to be tough and less scoring. One student, appearing at the centre for the exam, Dakshveer Chahal, said all the portions of the examination physics, chemistry and maths were tough. He added that as a mark is deducted for each negative question it added to the anxiety. Dakshveer said he had scored 99.91 in the JEE-Mains exams and is hoping to secure a seat in the computer science streams at one of the Indian Institute of Technologies (IIT). Another student, Rohit Kumar, said the chemistry section in the second shift was quite competitive. He added after securing a good score in JEE-Mains he was studying regularly for eight hours and is confident that he will secure admission at a prominent institute. He said that he wishes to pursue computer science from one of the IITs. Students with shining marks in the JEE Main are eligible to get into numerous engineering courses,including at National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIT) and other centrally-funded technical colleges while JEE Advanced is conducted for admissions to IITs. Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out search operations at multiple offices of real estate developers IREO Group and M3M Group across Gurugram and Delhi in connection with case of siphoning home buyers and investors money. ED siezed luxury vehicles during raids at the Gurugram and Delhi offices of real estate firms M3M and IREO. (HT Photo) Seventeen high-end Ferrari, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mercedes-Maybach vehicles having acquisition value of about 60 crore, jewellery worth 5.75 crore, 15 lakh cash and various incriminating documents, digital evidence and books of accounts were seized during the search operation, carried out at seven locations on June 1 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) provisions, the ED said. The PMLA investigations were initiated based on multiple first information reports (FIR) registered against the IREO group. The investigations revealed that huge amounts of money were siphoned off through M3M group as well, a ED statement released on Monday revealed. Investigations showed that in one of the transactions, M3M group received about 400 crore from IREO group through several shell companies. The land was owned by M3M group and the market value of the land was around 4 crore. M3M group initially sold the development rights of the said land to five shell companies for a payment of 10 crore. It was claimed that the five companies were unrelated, an ED statement said. Investigations, however, showed five companies were operated by M3M Group and immediately sold the development rights of the same land to IREO Group for about 400 crore. After receiving the amount, the shell companies transferred the said amounts immediately to M3M Group. All shell companies were owned and operated by M3M Group under the directions of its promoters Basant Kumar Bansal and Roop Kumar Bansal and their family members. In this way, IREO and M3M siphoned off about 400 crore money belonging to investors and customers and the proceeds of crime remained with M3M Group, the statement read. During the course of searches, Basant Kumar Bansal, Roop Kumar Bansal, Pankaj Bansal and other key persons deliberately avoided investigation. Key names also figure in ACB case at Panchkula The name of IREO vice-chairperson Lalit Goyal and Roop Kumar also figured in an April 17 first information report (FIR) registered by Haryana anti-corruption bureau (ACB) under sections 7, 8, 11 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code against former CBI judge, Sudhir Parmar and his nephew, Ajay Parmar at Panchkula. Haryana judicial officer Sudhir Parmar who was suspended on April 27, after being booked on April 17, has been accused of alleged favouritism to real estate developers including Roop Bansal and his brother Basant Bansal as well as Lalit Goyal, according to the ACB FIR. The Bansals and Goyal have been named as accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the ED in cases pending before the special CBI court a court that was presided over by Parmar. The sections invoked in the April 17 ACB FIR pertained to offences relating to a public servant being bribed, a public servant taking undue advantage without consideration from a person concerned in proceedings or business transacted by such public servant, criminal misconduct by a public servant and criminal conspiracy. The FIR was registered on the basis of reliable source information, WhatsApp chats and audio recordings of the accused. Sameer Chaudhary, lawyer for the real estate development company IREO, had in an email on May 11 denied allegations of any misconduct or wrongdoing and participation in any offence, as alleged or otherwise in connection with the ACB FIR. The ED, sources said, is likely to initiate Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigations in the Panchkula ACB case following the registration of an enforcement case information report (ECIR) based on the April 17 FIR. The EDs move to step in the ACB case has gained strength from a May 12 Supreme Court ruling, where a bench headed by justice Krishna Murari had held that the criminal activity and the generation of the proceeds of crime in case of an offence of corruption are like Siamese twins. The agency, which is investigating real estate developer IREO for allegedly siphoning funds of investors and home buyers, had in November 2021 arrested the Goyal. Later in February 2022, the ED presented a prosecution complaint (challan) against Goyal in a special PMLA court in Panchkula. The Punjab and Haryana high court granted Goyal regular bail on medical grounds in August 2022. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former district president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parveen Bansal and five others suffered injuries in a violent clash that took place between two groups in an Arya Samaj Temple in Kidwai Nagar over performing havan on Sunday morning. HT Image While Bansal accused the son of the priest and his accomplices for attacking them, the rivals alleged that Bansal along with others opened an attack on them, including women, after barging into the temple. Bansal was also captured on camera assaulting them with a stick. After the clash, panic gripped the area. The police reached the spot and initiated an investigation. Later, in the evening, Bansal along with his supporters staged a protest outside Division number 2 police alleging police of inaction and favouring the accused. Heavy police force was deputed in the area after the incident. Bansal stated that they used to perform havan in the temple every Sunday. The priest son, who lives on the premises with his family members, interrupted the havan and assaulted them with sharp-edged weapons and iron rods. His aides were already hiding in the temple. Bansal added that he along with other members of society, including Heera Lal, suffered injuries. Bansal alleged that after the death of priest Bharat Singh, his son had encroached upon the temple. Bansal alleged that the priests son is also involved in embezzlement of funds. On the other hand, Rohsni of a rival group alleged that Bansal along with his aides assaulted them with the intuition of taking possession of the temple. She added that their family has been serving the temple for the past 50 years and now the accused are forcing them to leave. She added that in the assault she along with Rajpal, Rajesh and Aditya suffered injuries. Sub-inspector Amritpal Sharma, SHO at police station Division number 2, said that both the groups have filed written complaints. The police are investigating the matter and will lodge an FIR after investigation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tech addiction, women empowerment, and forest conservation were among the themes featured in the Hunar competition organised by the district administration which saw the participation of as many as 3,500 students. DC Surabhi Malik felicitating students during 'Hunar' awards in Ludhiana on Monday. (HT Photo) A total of 52 students from various colleges and schools were felicitated on Monday for highlighting social issues through their paintings. The competition was organised to mark World Art Day on April 15. The selected students were handed over appreciation certificates and saplings on June 5, which is celebrated as World Environment Day. Students of different age groups participated in the competition. Speaking on the occasion, deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik said that these young minds have exhibited talent in their artwork on various subjects including the environment, climate change and tech addiction. She added that students should play an active role in promoting an environment-friendly lifestyle. The deputy commissioner said that the selected artworks would be put on display in the district administrative complex and other offices. She said that it was tough for the jury to select the best work as all students have done brilliant creativity but after the initial round of elimination, 500 entries were shortlisted of which 52 were awarded today. The second day of the Kasauli Week saw a strategic seminar focusing on Indias neighbourhood conundrum being held on Monday at the events namesake club approximately 58 km from Chandigarh. (From left) Major General BK Sharma (retd), Major General Ashok Mehta (retd), Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, former Indian ambassador to China Ashok Kantha and Vice-Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla during the strategic seminar at the Kasauli Club on Monday. (Sant Arora/HT) As part of the seminar, billed as the highlight of the week, experts shared their insights on various crucial topics concerning Indias complex relationship with its neighbours including China, Nepal and Bhutan. Lieutenant General Kamal Davar (retd), convener strategic studies cell, delivered the introductory remarks. In April-May 2020, while India was focused on combating the pandemic, China surprised us by making incursions. Despite 16 rounds of talks, some disengagements have occurred. Recently, China attempted to create disturbance in the Tawang sector. Moreover, they boycotted the G20 tourism conference in Srinagar, referring to Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory. Former Indian ambassador to China, Ashok Kantha, meanwhile, discussed Xi Jinpings consolidation of political and ideological power. Kantha highlighted the leaders vision, emphasising that after achieving modernisation, China aims to become a great modern socialist country. Kantha said Chinas emergence as a dominant global power meant that India needed to develop a viable strategy to effectively manage things. Major General Ashok Mehta (retd), strategic analyst, discussed the rise of Chinese influence over Nepal and Bhutan during his presentation, saying India must offer financial help to Nepal however feasible. Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) and Central University of Kashmir chancellor spoke about Chinas grey zone warfare, while United Service Institution of India (USI) director Major General BK Sharm discussed geopolitics of Eurasia. Vice-admiral Anil Kumar Chawla (retd) in his presentation emphasised on the importance of India strengthening its maritime power through the implementation of a comprehensive strategy. He highlighted that history has consistently demonstrated that no country has achieved great power status without possessing significant maritime capabilities. Kasauli Club, established in 1880, is hosting the 101st edition of the Kasauli Week, which serves as a platform to highlight the towns rich history, cultural heritage, and natural landscapes. This years event kicked off on Sunday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The dreams of a Khanna resident to settle abroad were shattered after his fiancee ditched him and solemnised marriage with some other man. The man and his family had spent 20 lakh to send the woman abroad with a hope that she would take him to Canada on a spouse Visa. HT Image Following the complaint of the mother of the man, the Khanna police lodged an FIR against the woman and her family members. In her complaint, she stated that her younger son wanted to go to Canada. Meanwhile, one of the relatives suggested a match for her son in 2018 stating that the girl has cleared IELTS, but the family has no funds to support her to complete her study in Canada. As the girl was aged less than 18, they decided that they would bear the expenses of her study. After she attains the age of 18, they will solemnise their marriage. Later, she will take her son to Canada on a spouse Visa. The complainant added that in April 2018, the woman went to Canada on a study visa. She added that in October 2022, the woman returned to India and stayed with her parents at Doraha, but they did not inform them about it. They came to know that she had solemnised marriage with someother man on November 1. She went back to Canada on November 6. Inspector Kuljinder Singh, SHO Khanna city-2 police station, said that during investigation the police have recorded the statement of the womans husband, who stated that his wife had informed him that she had taken a loan of 20 lakh from the complainant to go to Canada. He was ready to return 20 lakh to her on behalf of his wife. The SHO added an FIR under Sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC at Khanna city-2 police station. The woman was still in Canada. A hunt is on for the arrest of the accused. The Dugri police booked a labourer for molesting the nine-year-old daughter of his friend in Jawaddi. The accused lured the girl with biscuits and molested her after taking her to a room. HT Image After the father of the victim raised an alarm, the accused escaped from the spot and fled to his ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh. The FIR has been lodged following the statement of the father of the victim. The complainant stated that he and the accused belong to the same place in Uttar Pradesh and are friends. They were living together in the same labour quarters in Ludhiana. He added that on March 23, his daughter was alone in their one-room accommodation when the accused went there with a packet of biscuits. He lured his daughter with biscuits and molested her. Meanwhile, he reached there and raised the alarm. On seeing him, the accused escaped from the spot. The complainant stated that he found that after escaping from the city, the accused went to Uttar Pradesh. Following the accused he also reached Uttar Pradesh and filed a complaint against him there. The Uttar Pradesh police lodged a Zero FIR against the accused and sent it to Ludhiana Police for further action. ASI Balkar Singh, who is investigating the case, said that an FIR under Sections 354 (sexual harassment) of the IPC, Section 7 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. A hunt is on for his arrest. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After the recovery of ammunition from a canal near Gurthali Bridge in Doraha, the police are connecting the dots to trace the accused who dumped the bullets in the water. The police are making a list of shootings involving .303 rifles and SLR rifles reported in the state. According to the police, a search in the canal is on to check if more ammunition and weapons were dumped in the water. HT Image The police suspect that the bullets were dumped in the canal 3 to 4 years ago, as the bag in which the bullets were stuffed was not damaged. According to the police, the .303 rifles were discontinued by the forced in 2020, which is another reason that made the police think that the incident of dumping the bullets is recent. Apart from live bullets, the police recovered three shells of .303 rifle, seven shells of AK 47 rifle, 10 shells of self-loaded rifles which are meant for police and security forces only. Such weapons were reportedly recovered from terrorist groups during terrorism in Punjab. Almost 21 empty shells of pistols and revolvers were also recovered from the canal besides 10 bullets, three detonator HC 36 with fuse, two receivers and transmitters. The police officials stated that during the end of terrorism in Punjab, terrorist groups had dumped the weapons, ammunition in fields and banks of canal and rivers. The weapons were recovered by locals on so many occasions, but instead of informing the police, they used to dump it in canals to avoid interrogation. Deputy superintendent of police (DSP, Payal) Harsimrat Singh Chhetra said that it might be possible that the ammunition was dumped somewhere else and reached here with the flow of water. The ammunition was gathering rust which suggested that it was in water for a long time. The police are investigating to trace the accused who dumped it in the canal. Panic gripped Doraha after locals found at least 1,000 live bullets from the canal near Gurthali Bridge near Military area on June 2. On being informed, the police reached the spot and initiated an investigation. A massive fire broke out in an industrial unit at Nichi Mangli village on Chandigarh road on Monday afternoon. The fire broke out on the top floor of the building which was being used as a store for chemical products. Firefighters trying to control fire at the industrial unit on Chandigarh road in Ludhiana on Monday. (HT Photo) As the store contained a huge quantity of inflammable material, including thinner, paints, and other chemical products, the fire spread rapidly. Material worth 25 lakh was gutted in the fire, as per the owner of the factory The factory, US Ink, prints on polythene. Plumes of dark smoke engulfed the entire area, spreading panic among the residents. After receiving the information, fire brigade teams from all substations rushed to the spot. Six fire tenders were pressed into service. The fire broke out at 4.20 pm and was brought under control in two hours. However, no one was injured in the incident. The workers were outside the building when the fire broke out. The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained. As per the initial information, there was no electricity connection in the godown, said fire officials. Sub-fire officer Atish Rai said that while fire extinguishers had been installed in the building, it was found that the required fire safety measures were not followed by the unit. He said that a report regarding the same will be submitted to the authorities. He added that the fire was brought under control before it reached the first floor where machinery is kept. The CIA staff of Mohali police have busted a nexus of drug smugglers and snatchers, behind over 100 snatching cases in the district, with the arrest of 13 members of three different gangs, including an associate of gangster Dilpreet Singh Baba. Mohali SSP Sandeep Garg sharing details of the arrests. (HT Photo) As many as 80 stolen mobiles, six stolen motorcycles, two cars, along with two pistols and three live cartridges, apart from 300 gm heroin, have been recovered from the 13 accused. Among the three gangs, two comprise snatchers, while the third supplied heroin to one of the other gangs. They were nabbed by the CIA team led by SP (Investigation) Amandeep Singh Brar, DSP Gursher Singh and inspector Shiv Kumar. Their arrest came following investigation into three different FIRs registered in Mohali. Working on a case of Arms Act and NDPS Act registered at the Sadar Kharar police station on June 3, the CIA team initially nabbed five members of the drug peddlers gang. They were identified as Davinder Singh, alias Baba, 31, of Dahirpur village, Rupnagar; Ajay Kumar, 35, of Garniawali village, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh; Sandeep Singh, alias Banksar, 32, of Uttam Nagar, Khanna, Ludhiana; Jaskaranjit Singh, alias Vishal, 20, of Punia village, Banga, SBS Nagar, and Avtar Ram, alias Sunny, 29, of Punia village, SBS Nagar. They were found in possession of 300 gm heroin, two .32-bore pistols and three live cartridges. Their cars, including a Toyota Fortuner and Maruti Suzuki Swift, were seized. According to the police, Davinder, an associate of gangster Dilpreet Singh Baba, is named in nine criminal cases, including those of NDPS Act, attempt to murder, assault and Arms Act. Sandeep is also facing seven criminal cases registered under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act. Jaskaranjit was previously booked in two cases of rape and Arms Act. The arrest of the drug peddlers was followed by the arrest of four snatchers, following a probe into a theft and snatching case registered at the Balongi station on June 3. The four accused are Baljinder Singh, alias Prince, 32, of Nilon Kalan village, Ludhiana; Jasveer Singh, alias Jass, 20, of Mansa; Rajan Kumar, alias Jangu, 31, of Jaipur; and Nitin, 35, of Phase 1, Mohali. All four accused were residing in a rented accommodation in Balongi. The gang used to snatch mobile phones and sell them to migrant labourers through Nitin, who runs a mobile shop. After making money, the snatchers, all drug addicts, would buy heroin from Davinder and his gang members for self-consumption. Baljinder is the kingpin of the gang and is named in seven criminal cases, mostly those of theft, said Sandeep Garg, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Mohali. Meanwhile, police arrested four more snatchers of another gang in connection with a snatching case registered at the City Kharar police station on May 30. They were identified as Harmeet Singh, alias Gola, 30; Roshan Singh, alias Sonu, 20; Jashnpreet Singh, alias Bhatti, 21, and Harminder Singh, 25, all residents of Morinda, Rupnagar. Harmeet was also wanted in a snatching case filed at Majri, Mohali, in 2021. Police said this gang would also sell the snatched mobile phones to migrant labourers for quick money. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Panjab University (PU) has gone down three spots to rank 44 in the Union education ministrys National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023 rankings that were announced on Monday. The top three institutions this year are IIT Madras, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and IIT Delhi. Among universities, Panjab University managed to clinch the 25th rank, same as last year. (HT File) However, the varsitys overall score improved from 51.23 in 2022 to 53.31 this year. Last year, PU was ranked 41, also a drop from the 38th spot in the 2021 rankings. In the very first NIRF rankings released in 2016, the university was ranked 12. Last year, PU was ranked 41, also a drop from the 38th spot in the 2021 rankings The top three institutions this year are IIT Madras, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and IIT Delhi. Among universities, PU managed to clinch the 25th rank, same as last year. Out of the five parameters for the rankings, PU lost marks only for outreach and inclusivity, which includes the percentage of students from other states and countries; woman students, economically and socially challenged students and facilities for disabled students. PU scored just 0.73 of a total 20 for facilities provided to economically and socially challenged students, which includes the total number of undergraduate or postgraduate students being provided full tuition fees reimbursement by the institution to pursue their degrees. Speaking about the rankings, dean of university instructions (DUI) Rumina Sethi said, We will examine the report in detail. We have managed to maintain the same rank as last year among universities and our overall score has also improved. Sethi added that various activities going on at the varsity, including the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) from the upcoming session, were sure to improve its rankings next year. The varsity improved its score in all other parameters, including teaching learning and resources, research and professional practice, graduation outcomes and peer perception (see box). PEC and PU slip in engineering The slip in rankings has been the most dramatic in engineering, where PU did not even figure in the top 100 institutions of India. Even Punjab Engineering College (PEC) did not make the cut. Both have been placed in the 101-150 bracket. Last year, PEC was ranked 87 and PU 92. Speaking about this, PEC director Baldev Setia said, The rankings dont take into account some of the latest figures like the money spent on salaries by the institute. We have improved and hope to be among the top 100 again next year. To solve the faculty crunch, PEC has recruited 31 new teachers that will help boost their ranking, as a dwindling student-faculty ratio has been highlighted as a problem in the university, according to the external peer review committee formed by the institute. PU drops from third to eighth in pharmacy While PU was among the top three institutes in the country for pharmacy in the previous two rankings, it dropped to the eighth spot this time. Indu Pal Kaur, chairperson, University institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), PU, said, UIPS scored high when it comes to research and professional practice, but we lost out in teaching learning and resources, which covers student-faculty ratio and financial resources, where the score dropped from 74 to 66.38. Even among research institutions, PUs rank fell from 29 to 33 since last year. Home science college among top 100 colleges Government Home Science College, Sector 10, was ranked 52 among the countrys colleges, becoming the only college in Chandigarh to make it to the top 100 list. However, it had ranked higher (46) last year. GGDSD College, Sector 32, and MCM DAV College, Sector 36, figured in the 101-150 bracket, while DAV College Sector 10 and Government Post Graduate College for Girls, Sector 11, were placed in the 151-200 band. Chandigarh College of Architecture, Sector 12, was placed 29 among the top 30 architecture institutes of the country. Other varsities in region improve rankings The ranking of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar improved from 35 last year to 33 this year. Similarly, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, also climbed up in the rankings, rising from 48 to 45. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology bettered its rank from 57 to 40. Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, did not make it to the top 100 institutions overall, but improved its ranks among universities from 96 to 73. Chitkara University, Rajpura, stayed in the 101-150 bracket among top universities in both 2022 and 2023 rankings. The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought a response from Panjab University and its vice-chancellor on a plea challenging the appointment of a political science professor as the director of University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS). Sarabjit Kaur is a professor of political science, thus, she cannot be appointed as director of the legal studies institute, the plea argued. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Professor Sarabjit Kaur, who was appointed as director on May 31, has no experience of teaching law, said the plea by her colleague, Shruti Bedi, who has argued that as per Rule 16 of Rules of Legal Education, 2008, framed by the Bar Council of India, only a professor having a 15-year experience of teaching law may be appointed as director of any institute imparting legal studies. Kaur is a professor of political science, thus, she cannot be appointed as director of the legal studies institute, the plea argued, adding that the appointment was made even in violation of the procedure prescribed by the university itself. The high court vacation bench of justice Jagmohan Bansal has sought the response by July 5 and also asked the varsity as to why the appointment should not be stayed, pending proceedings in high court. The second meeting called by UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit to discuss Haryanas proposal for affiliation to its colleges in three districts bordering Punjab with Panjab University and helping the varsity tide over its financial crisis remained inconclusive on Monday. (From left) Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator Banwarilal Purohit and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann at a meeting on the Panjab University financial crisis. (HT file photo) Chief minister Bhagwant Mann rejected his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattars proposal of affiliation of Haryana colleges in Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar districts with PU, saying the Chandigarh-based university has always been connected with Punjabs legacy and heritage. Officials privy to the matter said that Purohit advised a middle path after Khattar offered to contribute up to 40% of the total annual expenses needed to run the university and suggested it give affiliation to the colleges of the three districts of Haryana bordering Punjab. Also read: HT explainer: Whats behind Panjab Universitys financial crisis Mann told reporters later, I categorically conveyed in the meeting that there is no scope for inclusion of Haryana in running of the Panjab University, as Punjab is self-sufficient to run the university, a symbol of Punjabs culture, ethos, traditions and literature. On June 1, Purohit had presided over the first meeting between the two CMs but it was inconclusive. The governor intervened after Union home minister Amit Shahs suggestion in the northern zonal council meeting that such issues should be resolved locally. Purohit said the next meeting in this regard will be held on July 3. Universitys growing financial crisis The universitys financial crisis is growing by the year. For instance, for the 2023-24 academic session, as per the budget, the University Grants Commission (UGC) will pay a grant of 294 crore and Punjab will pay 38 crore. Yet there will be a deficit of 118 crore in this years budget. Arrears worth 200 crore are also pending. In March, the UGC had said that there is no possibility of any further increase in salary grant of PU at this stage. In 1976, a consultative committee of the central government fixed the funding ratio between the Centre and Punjab government at 60:40. But in 2011, Punjab fixed its grant at 20 crore. Since then, it is being increased marginally. In the June 1 meeting, Khattar had said that under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the share of Haryana was given to Panjab University and the colleges and regional centres of Haryana were affiliated to PU. However, it was abolished by issuing a notification in 1973. Last year, the Haryana assembly had unanimously passed a resolution recommending the government seek restoration of the states share in Panjab University. Khattar said that in the interest of the students, the colleges of the state should be given the option of affiliation with Panjab University. Delhi University is building its campus in Haryana. Apart from this, the campus of IIT, Delhi is also coming up in the state. Expanding education and affiliation of the colleges will provide new opportunities to students of Haryana, he said. Punjab vs Haryana argument The Haryana government spokesman said that the state has 60% share in the university and Punjab has 40% share. In 10 years, the university has received an average of 200- 300 crore per year from the Centre. But in the last decade, only 20- 21 crore have been received from Punjab on an average per year. In 2020-21, 39 crore was released by Punjab. Overall, the university gets only 7 to 14% of the budget as against Punjabs share of 40%, the spokesman added. On the other hand, Mann, said, in 1970 the Haryana government voluntarily surrendered its claim over the university. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha also passed a resolution on June 30, 2022, for not making a change in the decision-making body of the University and it will not be made a central university, the CM said. Facing opposition in Punjab With political parties in Punjab criticising his handling of Haryanas proposal of affiliation of its colleges with PU, Mann on Monday made public a letter written in 2008 by then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, offering a no-objection certificate for converting PU into a central university. The political parties in Punjab had criticised Mann for even allowing the presence of the Haryana CM in the meeting on June 1. A State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) team on Monday recovered the body of a pilgrim, who went missing after a snow avalanche hit a group of pilgrims en route to Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand on Sunday. Five other pilgrims were rescued on Sunday. Hemkund Sahib shrine in Uttarakhand (HT PHOTO/File) The body was recovered after the SDRF resumed the search operation on Monday morning. In a statement, SDRF said the avalanche hit the group of pilgrims returning from the revered Sikh shrine, which was opened for devotees on May 20. Authorities earlier prohibited pilgrims aged over 60 and children from going to the Hemkund Sahib in view of the excessive snow along its route. In 2022, a record 247000 pilgrims visited the shrine. The pilgrims stay overnight at Ghangria after a six kilometre steep climb before trekking to Hemkund Sahib over 15,000 feet above sea level. Hemkund Sahib is inaccessible because of snow from October to April. A week after a 16-year-old girl was murdered by her stalker in northwest Delhis Shahbad Dairy, the post mortem report of the victim has revealed that she died of haemorrhagic shock, and that her small and large intestines had been pieced at multiple places. People gathered at the residence of the 16-year-old girl, who was stabbed to death at Shahbad Dairy in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo) Read here: Delhi girl's intestines were 'hanging out' after stabbing, finds autopsy: Report According to police, on May 28, a 20-year-old man identified as Sahil, who had been stalking the girl, waited in the lane where one of the girls friends lived. He eventually approached her as she emerged from a public toilet, stabbed her multiple times with a knife, and pounded her body with a stone slab, even as passerby did not intervene. The brutal killing was planned over three days, and triggered by a verbal spat between the accused, Sahil, and the deceased, according to police officers involved in the probe. The entire attack on the girl was captured on a CCTV camera. The autopsy report, conducted by the department of forensic sciences at Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, said that the cause of death was haemorrhagic shock consequent to multiple injuries sustained to the body. All injuries were ante-mortem in nature and fresh before death. All the 20 injuries were caused by a single sided sharp-edged weapon and the rest of them were caused by blunt force, the 12-page report, undersigned by Dr Jyoti Rani and Dr Anita Singh, said. The report also said that the victim sustained 22 injuries in the attack, mostly on the upper half of the body. On June 1, police had recovered a sharp knife that Sahil allegedly used to murder the girl, said senior officers involved in the investigation. The knife was recovered at the instance of Sahil from a vacant plot near the Rithala Metro station, said Dependra Pathak, special commissioner of police (law and order). Meanwhile, Sahil was sent to judicial custody on Saturday after serving a five days police remand. We recovered all the evidence, including the knife and shoes, at his instance. They have been sent to forensic laboratory for further examinations, said Ravi Kumar Singh, the deputy commissioner of police (outer north). Read here: A nation of onlookers: Minor getting stabbed in Delhi, shocks India Singh further said that the statements of all the family and friends of deceased and accused have been recorded. We have also recreated the crime scene at the instance of Sahil, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former Delhi Jal Board (DJB) chief executive officer and 2007 batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, Udit Prakash Rai, who is currently serving as secretary to the Mizoram government, has filed a series of complaints against Delhi vigilance special secretary YVVJ Rajasekhar, alleging that a biased inquiry is being conducted against him in the Jal Vihar bungalow case, and that his family was being subjected to harassment. The Jal Vihar bungalow at the heart of the tussle. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo) Read here: Courts cannot take decisions on Delhi water row: Haryana Rajasekhar, in turn, has filed a police complaint against Rai at the IP Estate police station, alleging forgery in annual performance assessment reports. The Jal Vihar bungalow case refers to the April 26 show-cause notice issued by the vigilance department to Rai for allegedly demolishing a monument dating back to the 15th century to build a double-storey bungalow in its place in 2021-22, when he was still the DJB chief executive. The monument in question finds a mention in the Archaeological Survey of Indias (ASI) list of Muhammadan and Hindu monuments, prepared in 1922, and is identified as Mahal, built during the Sayyid rule in Delhi. On May 30, the vigilance department issued a second notice to Rai, asking him to furnish a reply to the April 26 notice without fail. On May 31, a joint team, comprising officials from the vigilance and archaeological departments, and the DJB, among others, visited the bungalow for an assessment but found it locked, and returned without conducting the inspection. Rais family continues to occupy the house. Rai said that he has not received any such notice directly or through the Mizoram government, adding that sensitive information is being leaked to malign his image. In his complaint dated May 30, addressed to the lieutenant governor, chief minister, and ministry of home affairs, among others, Rai requested that the inquiry should be entrusted to any neutral officer of the secretary rank who can impartially go into the merit of the case. He alleged there is a sense of insecurity among his family members and unknown people have been roaming around his house taking pictures. HT has seen a copy of the complaint. Rai said he retained the house according to prevalent rules, and that almost 20 such residential accommodations of DJB have been occupied by various Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Civil Services (DANICS) officers and IAS officers of the AGMUT cadre, none of whom are working for DJB and many officers are working outside Delhi and still retaining their house. Read here: Delhi LG directs action on poor upkeep of Wazirabad WTP Meanwhile, Rais wife Shilpi filed a police complaint on May 30, alleging that she was being stalked by unknown people. A senior Delhi Police officer said Shilpi Rais complaint was received at the Lajpat Nagar police station. Prima facie, it does not appear to have any mens rea. What is a crime if a government servant serves notice to someone? But we are scrutinising the content of the complaint. If something is wrong, we will take appropriate legal action. Till now, no FIR has been lodged, said the officer, asking not to be named. Rai filed another complaint on June 1, alleging that he was receiving show-cause notices in order to get the house vacated from him and get the same allocated to a very senior officer of DJB, and filed another complaint on June 2, requesting that the probe officer be replaced by a neutral officer. The lieutenant governors secretariat did not respond to HTs queries seeking comments. However, a Delhi government official, requesting anonymity, said, We have received the complaint (from Rai). The details of the complaint are being looked into. We will take appropriate action upon it accordingly. Responding to HTs queries, Rajsekhar on Sunday denied the allegations and said that the investigation was documentary evidence-based, and the vigilance department was being forcefully prevented from conducting the investigation. The special secretary said in a statement, Everything (in this case) is as per records. Even the Union cabinet ministers residence is much smaller than this (house). It was already confirmed by a joint inspection report that the medieval heritage monument was demolished. The department tried to conduct an inspection in the presence of the officer but he locked his home and did not allow the inspection. It has to be seen whether the officer has constructed more than what was mentioned in NIT (notice inviting tender). He added, This officer was appointed as CEO DJB though he was not eligible to hold the assignment. The officer, if innocent, can allow independent bodies like INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) inspection... Secondly, DJB already gave a notice to vacate this building... In case, the officer does not give a response the department proposes to go as per records filed by the joint inspection report. Separately, Rajasekhar also filed a police complaint against Rai at the IP Estate police station, alleging that the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) in July 2022 informed the Delhi government of discrepancies in annual performance assessment reports from April 2017 to October 2017, October 2017 to March 2018, and April 2019 to July 2019. Read here: Delhi Jal Board plans higher supply to meet summer water needs A senior police officer said that the complaint has been received but an FIR has not been registered in the case. We are looking into the complaint and will take action if needed, the officer said. NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday rejected former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodias request for interim bail in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, underlining that the charges against him were extremely serious. Former Delhi deputy chief minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia was permitted by Delhi high court to go home to visit his ailing wife (HT File Photo/Raj K Raj) The court, however, allowed Manish Sisodia to meet his ailing wife on any day at home or hospital. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said Sisodia could be taken out of jail between 10am and 5pm to meet his wife on any day convenient to his wife and directed the police to ensure that Sisodia didnt interact with reporters. The judge also told the authorities that Sisodia should not interact with anyone except his family and barred him from using a phone or the Internet. Justice Sharma first allowed Sisodia to visit his wife on Friday but the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader could not see her because she was hospitalised shortly before he reached home. Mondays order allowed this meeting to take place at home or hospital. On his decision to reject Sisodias interim bail, justice Sharma underlined that the AAP leader was earlier the citys deputy chief minister. The allegations are extremely serious in nature. This court cannot forget the position held by the applicant. This court finds itself very hard to persuade to grant bail to Manish Sisodia, justice Sharma said on Sisodias petition that sought interim bail for six weeks on the ground that he needed to look after his ailing wife. On Saturday, the high court ordered Lok Nayak Jaiprakash (LNJP) Hospital to report on his wife, Seema Sisodias health. On Monday, the high court cited the medical report and said that Seema Sisodia was conscious and her blood pressure and pulse rate were also stable. The court also suggested that the former deputy chief ministers wife Seema Sisodia be examined by a medical board constituted by the All India Institute for Medical Sciences for better treatment. This court directs that the best medical treatment be provided to Mrs Sisodia. Though it is the choice of the patient and family members from where to get the medical treatment, however, this court as the guardian suggests that she may be examined by a board of doctors to be constituted by medical doctors to be constituted by medical superintendent of AIIMS, the court said. ED on Saturday opposed the request for interim bail, claiming that Seema Sisodias condition had remained unchanged for the last 20 years and that there was a possibility that Sisodia could tamper with the evidence as some documents were allegedly removed from the office of special secretary vigilance after the top courts ruling on the services department. Advocate Zoheb Hossain, appearing for ED, also underscored that Sisodias wife has been suffering from a degenerative disease for over two decades and releasing the former minister for six weeks will not make any difference to her but only to Sisodia. Hossain also cited the 18 departments that Sisodia oversaw as a Delhi minister, saying he could not have been the sole caretaker because of his workload and that his mother-in-law looked after her. Senior advocate Mohit Mathur who appeared for Sisodia, countered ED. Yes, he is the only caretaker. The only son is studying abroad. Would it make a person less of a caretaker if he is holding 18 portfolios? We are busy dealing with multiple cases throughout the day. But dont we go back home at the end of the day, and are we not the caretakers of the family? Mathur also said a persons life cannot be so insignificant that her husband cannot meet her even when she is in such a condition. What kind of jurisprudence are we heading toward, he asked. CBI arrested Sisodia on February 26. The ED took him into custody on March 9 after quizzing him in Tihar Jail for approximately eight hours. He was sent to seven days ED custody on March 10, which was later extended by five days, before he was sent back to Tihar on March 22. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In 2003, Daeyoung Jung landed in Delhi from South Koreas capital Seoul, all of 10, as his father moved to India for work. In a new land, the young boy quickly took to its customs and languages, even as his mother, with her knowledge of Korean cuisine, opened the Capitals first such eatery. PREMIUM Daeyoung Jung said he first started thinking about pursuing law when his father was allegedly harassed by their landlord in Delhi, when they started a Korean eatery. (HT Photo) Also read: SC stays HCs order on examining horoscope of woman in rape case While Jung aspired to become a lawyer after completing his schooling and higher education in the country, the familys Indian dream was cut short in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic after his fathers health deteriorated and they were forced to return to South Korea after spending 15 years in the country. Now 30, Jung is all set to return to India this time, as an advocate after a landmark verdict by the Delhi high court allowed him last week to get enrolled in the Bar Council of Delhi, setting aside the law bodys order denying him recognition to practise in India despite an agreement with South Korea. While BCI was yet to enrol him, the verdict has paved the way for Jung to be the first ever foreign national to be part of the statutory body. I would love to, and intend to, come back to India. Thats where all my friends are. I have worked and studied in India for the longest part of my life. Even my mother wants to return with me, said Jung, who currently works as a project coordinator in Seoul. In the May 30 judgment, justice Yashwant Verma said that foreign nationals are not barred from being considered for enrolment on a state roll under Section 24 of the Advocates Act if Indian nationals have the right to practise law in that particular country. In the absence of a nationality restriction clause being found to exist in a foreign nation, its citizens would be entitled in law to apply for enrolment subject of course to them being compliant with the other parts of Section 24, the courts order read. Section 24 stipulates various conditions to be fulfilled by a person who intends to be an advocate on a state roll. The proviso to Section 24(1) (a) adds that a foreign national may be admitted if the citizens of India are permitted to practise law in the foreign country. Jungs counsel, advocate Ashim Sood, said that this is the first time that a foreign national will be enrolled with BCI. There have been several foreign legal luminaries who have practised in India after independence. But this is the first time that a foreign national has been permitted to enrol in India, Sood said. Former Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) chairman, KC Mittal, also said that this is the first foreign national to get enrolled with BCI. He, however, said that they are examining the HC judgment. We are also opposed to the recent BCI notification which permits foreign lawyers to enter India, Mittal said. Familys legal tussles Jung said he first started thinking about pursuing law when his father was allegedly harassed by their landlord in Delhi, when they started a Korean eatery. During a court hearing, I downloaded the Indian Penal Code and realised that I could understand nothing. Thats when I decided that I need to be a lawyer to help my parents and all other foreigners who face legal problems, Jung said. Jung studied law at NALSAR University in Hyderabad and also worked in Delhi at Invest India and the South Korean embassy between December 2018 and April 2021. But his parents, after living in Delhi for nine years and in Mumbai for another seven, were abruptly forced to leave the country in April 2020, and their restaurant was allegedly taken over by the landlord. Later, he too left for South Korea in April 2021. ...my mother also wants to return to India. But our restaurant, called Sun and Moon and located in Worli neighbourhood of Mumbai, has been usurped by the landlord, who is currently running it, Jung said. In Korea, Jung quickly found that he didnt blend into the local culture nor did he know the language well, which also made jobs difficult to come by. I did not have any qualification other than the law degree from NALSAR, but it was heartbreaking to see that I was not accepted by the legal community in India. For the first year, we did not get a sense of belongingness because I did not know the culture and did not have any friends. We were mainly considered Indians. That was a tough time But now things are taking a turn for the better, Jung said. Also read: On sedition law, govt says repealing can have adverse impact on India's security Prior to this, Jung said, he had been to Korea a few times mainly for his visa renewal, except once in 2016 for 21 months of mandatory military service. For the first six months in the Korean army, I kept trying to figure out the languageI could only speak Hindi and English fluently,he said. The young man is now getting ready to come back to the country he grew up in. While he says he still needs a job and a place to live, the verdict if not challenged can open doors for South Koreans to come to India for education. While he admits he has a daunting task at hand, the desire to belong is what motivates Jung. I think its very natural to return to a place where you have a sense of belonging. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday laid stress on peoples support to mitigate the side-effects of pollution. Administering an online pledge to 58,000 village heads, he urged them to plant saplings in each village during the week- long Van Mahotsav that will begin in the first week of July. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath waters sapling on the premises of Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur on Monday. (ANI PHOTO) He was addressing a conference on Race for Life: Circular Economy and Local Climate Action organised by the department of forest, environment and climate change on the occasion of the World Environment Day in Gorakhpur. Village heads, newly elected chairpersons of municipality and town areas along with officials of Gorakhpur municipal corporation and panchayati raj institution took the oath to beat plastic pollution and support reforestation. The chief minister mentioned that pollution generated by plastic is harmful to the environment. This year, the theme of World Environment Day is Solution for Plastic Pollution, he said. It was banned in the state in 2018 itself. Single-use plastic consumption is equivalent to sin as a cow might die after consuming it. Being an indestructible thing, plastic also affects the health of mother earth, he said. He also gave the mantra of the Six Rs-- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Refabricate, and Repair-- to protect the environment from plastic. He said that the state government had decided to plant 35 crore saplings. At least one thousand saplings should be planted in all the gram panchayats of the state. If all gram panchayats and municipal bodies adopt this target, then they will only plant six crore saplings, he said. Yogi Adityanath said the celebration of World Environment Day on June 5 bears testimony to the global concern over the environmental crisis, which has increased significantly over the years. Earth, water, air, trees, and plants work together to form the environment. We have all also been created around the five elements. Although there is a connection between our life cycle and that of the rest of creation, we pollute the water, air, and other natural resources. We have to bear the brunt of this in the form of various diseases. The cost of treating these diseases consumes a significant portion of peoples incomes, he added. He further stated that the consequences of tampering with the environment are visible in the form of untimely floods of September-October in some parts of the state or smog in November-December in Delhi. He emphasised that the government is promoting environment-friendly energy by reducing carbon emissions. For this, LED lights are being arranged not only in the cities but also in the villages. LED is becoming a means of reducing carbon emissions. Similarly, solar power is also being promoted, he said. Citing the Namami Gange project, he said Ganga water has become clean and uninterrupted in Prayagraj and Kashi. The chief minister stated that Amrit Sarovars are being constructed in every village as part of the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav under the direction of Prime Minister Modi for the purpose of water conservation. During the programme, he released booklets, folders and animation films of the forest department focused on environmental protection. Meanwhile, chief minister Yogi Adityanath offered special prayers and performed Rudrabhishek at Gorakhnath temple on Monday, marking his 51st birthday. He also planted saplings of banyan and peepal that are considered auspicious. Minister of state for social forestry and environment Arun Kumar Saxena and forest controller Vikas Yadav were also present on this occasion. Earlier, during Yogi Adityanaths morning walk on the temple premises, two dozen taekwondo players approached him, offered flowers and extended birthday greetings. The chief minister blessed them and, in a five-minute interaction, urged them to focus on health and education. A young artist made a 51-foot-high portrait of Yogi Adityanath with the help of a rubber stamp and placed it at the Gambhir Nath auditorium gate. Seeing the portrait, the chief minister stopped there for a moment and appreciated the hard work. Leaders and officials also extended birthday greetings to the chief minister and many took to social media to wish him good health and a long life. Uttar Pradesh had scripted a saga of success under Yogi Adityanaths leadership, chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra said. Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak and mayor Sushma Kharakwal brainstormed with the MLAs of the city to save Lucknow from water-logging at a programme Suniye Mayor Sahab on Monday. Dy-CM Brajesh Pathak at the programme organised in Lucknow on Monday (HT Photo) At the programme organised by the prominent Hindi daily, Hindustan, they also discussed planned development of the city with the help of citizens and officials. The programme began with MLAs telling the problems faced by them in their constituencies. The MLA from Lucknow Central Ravidas Mehrotra blamed the LMC for not cleaning the nullahs from base and he accused the authorities of doing work only on paper. MLA from Lucknow West Arman Khan proposed that municipal officials should also contact them before cleaning of nullahs as they know the bottlenecks where the nullahs and drains are choked. He also requested the deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak to increase the number of sanitation workers to keep Old City Areas clean. MLA of Bakshi Ka Talab Yogesh Shukla expressed concern about the encroachments on drains, resulting in water-logging in many areas of his constituency. MLA of Lucknow North Neeraj Bora said that CM has approved funds for construction of major nullah which would end the problem of waterlogging in Faizullahganj area. Akhilesh Singh, representative of MLA Sarojini Nagar Rajeshwar Singh said, A drain master plan must be prepared like a city Masterplan. One must decide the slope and gradient of drains by using the digital topography mapping technique. The proposal to create a state capital region would be beneficial for the development of peripheral areas of the city. A social audit of all drains should be conducted, and obstacles must be cleaned. He said, Our team spotted 210 water-logging affected areas out of 283 in their constituency. To solve their problems 160 drains have been constructed, 2 new nullahs are made besides that 7 new nullahs are proposed. Mayor Sushma Kharwal assured that all drains of the city will be cleaned by June 20 before the onset of monsoon. She said, Efforts are being made so that this time there is no water-logging in the city. Even then, if there is water-logging, the responsibility of the officers would be fixed. The work of cleaning drains is going on in the city. For the last one week, I have been personally monitoring the cleaning of the drains. Qila Mohammadi drain Kharwal said, The water of four assembly constituencies comes out of this drain. In such a situation, if the entire drain is constructed pucca (54 km), then the problem of water-logging in Alambagh and South City would be solved. Similarly, she talked about covering the Haidar Canal for better stormwater management. The mayor said that she had also gone to see the cleaning of the drain in Udayganj. Here, due to encroachments on Haider Canal, desilting is a big challenge. Kathauta lake The mayor said that the Kathauta Lake has dried up twice in a year because of cleaning of Sharda Canal which feeds the lake. When the canal is closed for cleaning, the lake stops getting water. The lake will be desilted and the depth of the lake will be increased so that it starts storing more water for the days when Sharda Canal is closed. Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, who was present throughout the interaction, assured the MLAs of full support from the state government. He said, Lucknow has 83 big nullahs and 80 of them are already cleaned, out of 465 mid-level nullahs 155 are cleaned, out of 944 small nullahs 859 are cleaned. He said, Lucknow expanded very fast in an unplanned way. Now what we need is planned development. For that we need to develop an integrated system for traffic, stormwater drainage, smart roads, proper solid waste management, and 100 % sewer lines. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON For over three decades, Mukhtar Ansari had been using legal tactics and political clout to delay court proceedings against him. He stonewalled polices efforts to frame charges in many cases out of the 62 FIRs registered against him not only in U.P. but also in other states, said senior police and prosecution officials on Monday. Ansaris conviction in the Awadesh Rai murder case came after 32 years. (File) Also read: Mukhtar Ansari convicted in 5th case in 9 months As a result of Ansaris delay tactics, a Lucknow court had acquitted him in a case registered for threatening the jailor of the Lucknow district jail in 2003. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court, however, overturned his acquittal and sentenced him to seven years of imprisonment on September 21, 2022, nearly 19 years after the incident. Similarly, Ansaris conviction in the Awadesh Rai murder case came after 32 years. Ansaris delay tactics helped him to avoid being charged in cases in which he feared of getting convicted. He managed to retain his assembly membership for nearly 27 years by not getting convicted in any of the cases, said a senior police official aware of the development. Recent acquittal On May 17 this year, a Ghazipur MP/MLA court acquitted Ansari in a 2009 attempt to murder case for lack of sufficient evidence. According to a lawyer, in 2009, one Meer Hasan, a resident of Mohammadabad, had lodged a complaint alleging that one Sonu Yadav had attacked him with the intent to kill. A case was registered under section 307 (attempt to murder) at the Mohammadabad police station. Later, the police included Ansaris name in the FIR. It was alleged that Mukhtar had hatched the conspiracy of this attempt to murder. Tiff between U.P, Punjab over Mukhtar Ansari reportedly got himself shifted to the Ropad jail of Punjab in January 2019 as he feared threat to his life after his one-time close aide and shooter Prem Prakash Singh alias Munna Bajrangi was killed by gangster Sunil Rathi inside the Baghpat jail on July 9, 2018. The Punjab police took him to Ropad after producing a B-warrant in an extortion case lodged against him by a businessman there. He remained there for nearly 26 months before being brought to U.P. despite the northern states reluctance to transfer him. The U.P. government had to approach the Supreme Court to bring him back to the state. Also read: Mukhtar Ansari gets life imprisonment: Who was Awadhesh Rai? Things to know about murder case Wife, younger son on the run While Ansaris wife Afsa and younger son Umar are absconding after non-bailable warrants were issued against them in different courts, his elder son Abbas and his wife Nikhat Bano are lodged in Kasganj and Chitrakoot jails. While Abbas, the MLA from Mau, was recently transferred from Chitrakoot to Kasganj after his arrest in connection with a disproportionate assets case, his wife Nikhat and driver Niyaz Ansari were arrested on February 11 from inside the jail. The jail authorities had allegedly facilitated the frequent visits of the MLAs wife. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said he firmly hoped that all (opposition) parties would share a common platform (in the 2024 general elections). Alliance (among the opposition parties) is a strong possibility, he said in Kheri. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav with former MLA RA Usmani in Lakhimpur Kheri on June 5. (HT photo) The SP chief is here to attend the two-day party cadre training camp, which was inaugurated by SP national general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav at Adarsh Janta Inter College at Devkali, about 8 km from the district headquarters on Monday. Yadav is scheduled to attend the concluding session of the training camp. He will also unveil the statue of former SP MLA the late Dr Kaushal Kishore Verma who had founded the college. Party cadre training camps have been kicked off from Lakhimpur Kheri. Talking to media persons in Lakhimpur city during his visit to the residences of some party leaders, Akhilesh Yadav said the training camps, which aimed at preparing the party workers to expose the misrule of Bhartiya Janata Party ahead of 2024 polls, would be held in all 75 districts of the state. He also said the motive of the training camps was to bridge the gap between party leaders and workers and to enable them to carry forward the organisation and the issues among the masses unitedly. Yadav said ahead of the 2024 polls, SP leaders and workers would expose the BJP had betrayed the farmers, youths, backwards, dalits and minorities during its past several regimes. Over law and order in the state, he cited the Kannauj incident, alleging that the BJP government had given a free hand to its cadre. He alleged that during the last nine years of BJP rule at the Centre, farmers were yet to get justice and their income was yet to be doubled. He further said the Samajwadi Party would perform well in the next years general elections. Every section feeling oppressed under BJP rule: Shivpal Moreover, senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav gave party cadre some tips about booth management and organisational issue. Later, talking to media persons, he alleged that under the BJP rule every section of the society, be they minorities, dalits, farmers or traders, felt oppressed. He said through the training camps, party workers would be urged to get united for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Former MLC Shashank Yadav, former MLAs Utkarsh Verma, Vinay Tiwari, Ram Saran, Arvind Singh Gope, Ram Achal Rajbhar, ML Bharti, Prof Sudhir Pawar, Irfan Quadri and SP district unit president Ram Pal Yadav were prominent among those present on the occasion. The decades-long political career of Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau, is on a rapid decline after his recent convictions. Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is being produced in a district court in a money laundering case, in Prayagraj on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) The former lawmaker, who represented Mau consistently from 1997 to 2022, and his family found themselves in the centre of the eastern Uttar Pradesh politics. His brother, Afzal Ansari, represented the Mohammadabad assembly seat in Ghazipur for five terms. Afzal also went on to win the Lok Sabha elections from Ghazipur in 2004 and 2019 by defeating BJPs Manoj Sinha, the current lieutenant-governor of Jammu-Kashmir. His another brother, Sibgatullah, also won the assembly election twice, in 2007 and 2012, from the Mohammadabad seat. In the 2022 state elections, Mukhtar passed the baton to his son Abbas, who won the Mau seat, while Suhaib Anasri, Sibgatullahs son, won his home turf Mohammadabad on SP ticket. Recently, the Ansaris suffered a setback as Afzal was disqualified as an MP on May 1 after a special MP/MLA court convicted and sentenced him to a four-year jail term for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai in November 2005 and also the kidnapping and murder of Varanasi-based trader Nand Kishore Rungta in 1997. Meanwhile, Abbas is lodged in the Kasganj jail in connection with a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate. Involved in criminal activities since the early 90s, Mukhtar made a name as a dreaded gangster from East U.P. as his gang was active in Ghazipur, Mau, Azamgarh, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Jaunpur districts. In 1995, Mukhtar joined the BSP, and unsuccessfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha elections from Ghosi against veteran Congress leader Kalpnath Rai. Though he lost the election, the BSP fielded him from Mau assembly seat the same year. Ansari secured a victory from prison. That year, the BSP formed its government with the support of the BJP. His visit to the DGP office while being taken to a court from a district jail embarrassed the state government. Under pressure from its ally, the BSP expelled him from the party. Later, Ansari contested the 2002 legislative assembly election as an independent candidate from Mau and secured a victory. Again, in 2007, he contested assembly election as an independent candidate from Mau and emerged victorious. Before the Lok Sabha 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Mukhtar rejoined the BSP along with his brother Afzal. He contested from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat against BJP candidate Murli Manohar Joshi but lost. His second innings in the BSP lasted for a year before party chief Mayawati expelled him and his brother on April 10, 2010. Thereafter, he launched the Quami Ekta Dal (QED) and bagged Mau and Mohammadabad in the 2012 assembly elections. Before the next state elections in 2017, the QED merged with the Samajwadi Party but the merger was later annulled by Akhilesh Yadav. In January 2017, the QED merged with the BSP after which Mayawati fielded Mukhtar, who was lodged in a jail, from Mau and elder brother Sibgatullah from Mohammadabad in Ghazipur district. Though behind bars, Mukhtar again managed to win the seat. His brother Afzal also secured a victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a BSP ticket. Before the 2022 assembly elections, Mayawati announced that her party would not field bahubalis (strongmen) or gangsters. Ending her ties with Mukhtar, she said the jailed gangster-politician would not be given the ticket from Mau. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Unauthorised appointments of two working presidents that Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Brijlal Khabri made in Jhansi and Jaunpur districts have raised many eyebrows in the Congress circles in the state. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Brijlal Khabri. (HT file photo) All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal has cancelled the appointments with immediate effect though saying Khabri did not follow the due organisational procedure. The move is a point of discussion in the party circles with many questioning his continuation as UPCC president. I have come to know that you have appointed working presidents in Jhansi and Jaunpur districts without following the due organisational procedure. You are aware that AICC presidents approval is necessary to make such appointments. Hence, the appointment of working presidents is cancelled with immediate effect, said Venugopal in a letter dated May 29, 2023, sent to Khabri. Khabri has rushed to New Delhi to meet the party high command and explain his point. Those aware of the development said Khabri had met senior party leaders and was likely to meet AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge. Will the party leadership act or give Khabri another chance to continue is the million-dollar question being asked in the Congress circles here. Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhna Mishra, however, said there should be no doubt about continuation of Khabri as UPCC president. About the appointments made by him, she said the party leadership had rightly cancelled these appointments. Khabri also faces accusations of large-scale irregularities in distribution of party tickets in the election to urban local bodies. If senior party leaders are to be believed, Khabri may lose his chair if he is not able to give a satisfactory explanation to the accusations being levelled against him. Khabri was not available for his comments. A senior UPCC leader said Khabri is a Dalit leader and any decision to replace him would have adverse impact on the party. The leader said any decision on Khabris fate was likely to be taken only after consulting AICC general secretary (incharge UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi. Senior party leader and former MLA Ajay Kapoor had recently met Kharge to draw his attention towards the UPCCs interference in distribution of party tickets in 2023 urban local body elections. Yes, I met Kharge and brought to his attention the issue of distribution of tickets. The Congress tickets to various posts in urban local bodies are distributed by the local units. This time UPCC decided to distribute tickets and this affected the partys prospects in the poll, said Kapoor. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mumbai: A sprawling residential and commercial complex is set to come up on 55 acres of salt-pan land in Wadala East, pending environment clearance. The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has sought the clearance on behalf of the Customs Department, Government of India, which plans to establish an office building there along with six towers. The project will house 769 residential quarters for employees of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. According to documents submitted to the state environment department for consideration of EC, the land under question -- CTS No. 146, Salt Pan Division -- falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-II category, which refers to areas which have already been developed up till the shoreline of the coast, and where building restrictions have been recently lifted under the provisions of CRZ Notification, 2019.) (Aalok Soni/HT PHOTO) Proposed to be built at a cost of 2003 crore, the total residential and commercial population of the project is 6,948 individuals. The project will also create parking space for a total of 1,483 vehicles, both four and two-wheelers. Around 51 acres of the 55-acre plot will be developed. According to documents submitted to the state environment department for consideration of EC, the land under question -- CTS No. 146, Salt Pan Division -- falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-II category, which refers to areas which have already been developed up till the shoreline of the coast, and where building restrictions have been recently lifted under the provisions of CRZ Notification, 2019. The sprawling project site, under the ownership of the Customs Department, can be viewed easily from the Eastern Express Highway, to the left as one drives toward south Mumbai after crossing Wadalas Bhakti Park area. Environmentalists, however, have warned against reclaiming the citys salt-pan lands in this manner. By definition, a salt pan lies in the area between the high-tide and low-tide line where construction is not permitted. It needs to be investigated as to how this land has come to be categorised as CRZ-II. There is a maxim that a party having done wrong cannot benefit from their own illegality. Over the last decade, this land has been slowly reclaimed and mangroves concertedly destroyed to change its nature, said Debi Goenka, executive trustee, Conservation Action Trust (CAT), who is familiar with the project. Hindustan Times was unable to contact Satya Pal Singh, CPWDs executive engineer overseeing the project. However, submissions made by the CPWD to the state environment department state, The existing land use pattern is residential. There will be no change in land use pattern due to the proposed project. To be sure, the project will require separate CRZ clearance, which is under process. On May 5, Ravi Pratap Suryanath Singh, director at a private firm, was in Bhubaneshwar on a work-related trip when he received a text message from the Maharashtra transport department that said he was penalised 2,000 for speeding in Chembur the day before. HT Image There was nothing out of the ordinary in the message as the registration number was the same as that of his own car. But what perplexed him was the fact that his vehicle was parked at his Ulwe residence when he had left for Odisha. Curious, Singh rang up his son and enquired with him if he had taken the car out, but he replied in negative. So, the first thing Singh, a former executive director at BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited), did on his return to Navi Mumbai last week was to check his vehicles records on the website of the state traffic department. To his shock, there were seven e-challans issued to him between November 2022 and May 2023. When I paid a challan in November 2022, I did not ponder when and where I had flouted the traffic rules. But the records showed that an e-challan was also issued in January, followed by five in April and one in May. I mostly travelled this year, so these challans surprised me, Singh told HT. Singh said he had even planned to visit the Worli office of the traffic department to find out the details of his violations when he came to know that one could download an e-challan that too had a photo of the vehicle. While verifying the e-challans, I found that the vehicle in question was not my car. Someone had faked my cars registration number and used it on his vehicle which is identical to mine, he said. Both the cars were grey-coloured Maruti Suzuki Ciaz with the same number plate but what helped Singh to discern the difference was the variant. While the accused used a hybrid variant, I have a VXi variant with a back camera, which too was missing in the challan photos, Singh, 61, said. A minute check also revealed that the fonts used in both number plates were different and so was the placement of screws, he said. Besides, there were four people in the conmans car who were not at all related to me. A total of 10,700 was to be paid for the six e-challans with the fake number plate, Singh pointed out. More than the money, I was worried that if the car was misused then I would be held responsible. Based on Singhs complaint, the Nhava Sheva police have registered a case and are on the lookout for the accused. A total of seven e-challans were found for offences like speeding and not wearing seat belt. On checking the photos clicked by the CCTV cameras, the complainant realised that the make and colour were same, but the variant was different, a police officer said. We are working on this case in coordination with the Mumbai traffic police. We have found some leads and the accused will be arrested soon, senior police inspector Sanjeev Dhumal from Nhava Sheva police station said. NAVI MUMBAI: Maharashtra governments Environment and Climate Change department has ranked Navi Mumbai as the top city under its `Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan 3.0 2022-23 amongst the `C category municipal corporations in the State. The city has ranked second amongst the overall big city municipal corporations of A, B and C category. Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar receiving the award from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday. (HT PHOTO) The award carries a prize money of 8 cr for Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. The award was presented on Monday by chief minister Eknath Shinde at NCPA in Mumbai at an award function organised on the occasion of World Environment day at which assembly speak Rahul Narvekar and several ministers were present. It was accepted by municipal commissioner Rajesh Narvekar who was accompanied by additional municipal commissioner Sujata Dhole, Sanjay Kakde, city engineer Sanjay Desai and deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management Dr Babasaheb Rajale. Dedicating the award to the environment loving residents of the city, Narvekar said, This has been possible due to the active support of all sections of the society to all our endeavours. He added, We are working towards an environment friendly city with an effective solid waste management, promotion of environment friendly vehicles, increase in the green belt and stopping single use plastic articles apart from taking steps to control air pollution. He informed, In the last 2 years, we have planted over 2 lakh trees in the city with a stress on their conservation. We have developed urban forests in the city using Miyawaki technique keeping in mind the limited space available in the city areas. Concluded Narvekar, Along with cleanliness, we are committed to conserving natures panchtatva of land, air, water, fire and sky in the city. Box Panvel Municipal Corporation has bagged the third prize in the Amrut city category with 3 to 10 lakh population. The award carries a prize money of 5 crore. The award was accepted by Panvel municipal commissioner Ganesh Deshmukh, who was accompanied by top civic officials. On Friday, Mira-Bhyandar Police found the dismembered body of a woman at Uttan beach, in Bhayandar West. She was stuffed in a blue suitcase. Her head was missing and all that the police had to go by were the large tattoos on her right hand. They surmised she was a young woman. She was soft spoken but curt with those who remarked on her lifestyle. Three days later, we know the identity of body in the suitcase. She was a 23-year-old woman from Sitamarhi, a small town in Bihar, on the Indo-Nepal border, a wife, mother of a 14-month-old son, and a woman with city big dreams. Those who knew Anjali Mintu Singh in Naigaon East, where she lived over the last two years, spoke about her zeal to explore urban mores. Soon after her move from Vishwakarma chawl, where she came to live after being wed to Mintu Singh, to Raj Apartments in Rajvali village, she traded her traditional wardrobe for a western one, got tattoos and started using make-up. She would often be turned out like a model, said a neighbour. She was soft spoken but curt with those who remarked on her lifestyle. The neighbour remembered her as pious who longed to get a tattoo of Lord Shiva. She researched tattoo artists in Vasai and Naigaon and drew a detailed art-work she wanted inked on a piece of paper, said tattoo artist Noor, who owns a salon in the neighbourhood. Anjali had seen my Instagram page @ Noortattooist, and came to me with a man. I did not know her, but she was very clear about what she wanted, said Noor, adding that she paid him 2,000 for the body art. When Anjali had moved from Bihar to Mumbai and came to the chawl, she stood out by her choice of traditional outfits and penchant for striking lipsticks. But as soon as she shifted to Naigaon East, a kilometer-and-a-half away, she was emboldened to experiment, said Priyanka Mishra, a homemaker and Anjalis neighbour at both the chawl and apartment complex. Anjali had married Mintu around two years ago thrilled about the move to Mumbai. However, her dreams were shattered when she learnt that Mintu lived in a chawl in Naigaon far removed from the glitter of the Mumbai of her imagination, said Priyanka. After they moved to the flat, Anjali convinced Mintu to let her work so that a dual income could provide a better life. She found a job as a server with a catering company and doubled up as a henna artist as well. The catering job often compelled her to keep late hours. Outstation weddings would keep her away for a few days. Thats when the relationship started souring, said Priyanka. Residents of Raj Apartments would often hear raised voices from the couples apartment late at night. They were not known to socialise with too many people, as a neighbour said: We just saw them leaving for work or returning home. On weekends they mostly went out together with their child. She had once revealed to Priyanka how she missed being surrounded by people at the chawl. She was a free bird and did not like the cramped one-bedroom apartment with nothing to stare at besides the saltpans, said another neighbour. Neighbours last saw Anjali stepping out of the house to buy milk for her son on the day of the incident, said Priyanka. Although her husband claimed that he had accidentally killed her during a fight, neighbours and acquaintances said Mintu Singh, an alcoholic, might have deliberately wanted her dead as he suspected she was having an affair. Mintu is just another Aftab -- a devil, said a neighbour, unwilling to divulge anymore, as residents of the building have been instructed by Uttan Police to not speak about the issue. Naigaon police have arrested Mintu Singh, a native of Bihar who worked in Bhayandar, for allegedly killing her by banging her head on wall in their house in Naigaon East, following a quarrel. He then allegedly decapitated the body and cut the torso in two pieces using a kitchen knife and disposed of the body parts separately the head was packed in an empty paint bucket while the remaining parts were in a suitcase. Both the bucket and suitcase were dumped in the sea. Cops are still looking for the deceaseds head. We will carry out a search operation for the head and knife used by Mintu Singh to chop the body, in Bhayandar creek soon, said an officer investigating the case, from Naigaon police. Mintu and his brother Chunchun, who was his accomplice, are in police custody till June 8. Anjalis son has been sent to her parents in Nepal. We have called Anjalis parents to Mumbai to claim her body, said Jayant Bajbale, deputy commissioner of police (Mira-Bhayandar). A 32-year-old man from Assams Badarpur district who tried to dupe the superintendent of police (Cachar) by impersonating him was arrested on Sunday, police said. The accused was brought to Cachar district on Sunday where he is being questioned by the authorities. (Representative file image) The man identified as Jubair Ahmed, a resident of Kochikona area of Badarpur town in Karimganj, had allegedly opened an online mobile payment service account in the name of Cachar SP and used to collect money from various sources. However, his luck ran out as he ended up calling the same senior police official who he was impersonating earlier. According to police, the accused was returning home on Saturday evening when he called SP Cachar Numal Mahatta and addressed himself as SP Cachar. Also Read: Gujarat conman who tried to dupe BJP MLAs remanded police custody till May 22 I saw on the Truecaller that some SP Silchar is calling me. I picked up the call and the man from the other side said he is the superintendent of police of Cachar district. I realised that it was a trap call, but I kept talking to him, Mahatta said. As Mahatta continued to speak with the accused, the cyber expert team of Cachar police started to trace the source of the phone call. Police then traced the accused to his house on Saturday from where he was taken into custody. According to Mahatta, a Google Pay account was being operated for a few months under SP Cachars name and the police received the information last month. He directed the authorities to close it several times but it didnt work. Despite Mahattas directives, the accused continued to collect money from that account. Mahatta said that the man used to collect money, mostly from the people who were awaiting their passport verification. In the initial investigation, we have found that the man used to tell people that he will help them in getting passport easily. His charge for one passport was 5,000 and people used to pay him that amount, Mahatta said. According to officials of Cachar police, the verification of around 9,000 passport applications were pending and in the last 11 months, it has come below 1,000. To ease fears, Cachar police conducted two passport melas and a large number of applicants participated in it. Some people were left out due to irregularities in their documents and people like Jubair tried to take advantage of this, police added. The accused was brought to Cachar district on Sunday where he is being questioned by the authorities. A case under relevant sections including 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Information Technology Act have been registered by the Cachar police, SP said. The Prayagraj police have got in touch with people who have businesses in Dubai, in a bid to learn about details of slain mafioso-politician Atiq Ahmads properties in the UAE. Mafioso Atiq Ahmad (HT File Photo) People of Kareli and other areas of Sangam city who work in Dubai have also been contacted by the Prayagraj police in this regard. After the murders of Atiq and Ashraf it has become difficult for police and other agencies to learn about their illegally earned properties and money which they may have also invested in Dubai and other countries. However, after receiving concrete inputs that Atiq Ahmad has made investments in Dubai, the Prayagraj police is developing a network to unearth details of properties of mafia brothers in the Gulf country. Investigations till now have revealed that Atiq had invested in a hotel in Dubai through a builder. Before Atiq and Ashraf were shot dead, Ashrafs brother-in-law Saddam fled to Dubai where his brothers work in a private company. Bareilly police declared a reward of 1 lakh on Saddams arrest, but he could not be traced. Police officials suspect that Saddam fled to Dubai to handle the business of Atiq and Ashraf. Atiqs wife Shaista Parveen is also at large. It is believed that Shaista is also in contact with Atiqs associates who are in Dubai. Bangladesh's gov't primary school temporarily closed for heatwave Xinhua) 17:01, June 05, 2023 DHAKA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's Primary and Mass Education Ministry announced in a statement on Sunday that classroom activities in all the government primary schools nationwide will be closed for four days because of the ongoing heatwave. The ministry noted the decision was taken considering the health and safety of the children. The heatwave has gripped many parts of Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, as the country enters the height of summer, pushing temperatures to record levels. The authorities are expected to take further preventive measures if the heatwave continues. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Six cadres of the banned insurgent outfit National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) surrendered before Border Security Force (BSF), an official statement said. The six cadres were residents of Manikpur in Dhalai District of Tripura. (PTI file photo) The six cadres, Ramanjoy Tripura, Khorsamohan Tripura, Madan Mohan Tripura, Alajoy Tripura, Meturam Tripura and Barmita Tripura were residents of Manikpur in Dhalai District of Tripura. ...06 newly joined cadres who were lured by NLFT(BM) cadres, sympathisers and recently joined National Liberation Front of Tripura (Bishwa Mohan) outfit have surrendered before BSF Authorities by leaving the path of violence, statement released by the BSF said on Sunday. Also Read: Two BSF personnel killed in militant ambush in Tripura; NLFT hand suspected The NLFT was floated in 1989 with the agenda of sovereign Tripura. Later in 1997, the NLFT was banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). According to BSF records, 23 NLFT insurgents along with a few commanders have surrendered since 2017. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thousands of weavers took out a rally under the aegis of Bunkar Association to protest the increase in power tariff here on Monday. Weavers taking out protest march in Meerut on Monday. (HT Photo) The weavers gathered at the Golakuan area and after covering around 5 kilometres on foot in scorching heat, they reached the office of the district magistrate and handed over a memorandum of their demands. Association leaders said that the decision of the state government would affect the trade and millions of weavers. They said that weavers would resort to march towards Delhi if their demands were not resolved. The weavers also carried placards with slogans like Bunkaro ka utpeedan band karo (stop exploiting weavers), and bunkar barbadi ki or (weavers on the verge of destruction). Meanwhile, treasurer of the Association and Samajwadi Party MLA Rafeeq Ansari said that during the regime of former chief minister Late Mulayam Singh Yadav, the government had fixed a flat rate of 65 and 130 per month for small (.5 HP) and big power looms (1 HP). Besides, weavers were given the facility to use power up to 150 KW which helped them install multiple machines through one connection, he said. Ansari said that now the state government has raised tariff for small machines to 400 per month from 65 and for big machines, the tariff has been raised to 800 per month from 130 per month. They have also been restricted from using maximum KW on one connection, he alleged. Expressing concern over the plight of millions of weavers across the state, he said, This new policy which has been implemented since March will ruin the entire trade and weavers would be on the brink of starvation because they cant afford such high tariff rates. He further said millions of weavers in Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Faizabad, Maunath Bhanjanpur, Barabanki, Moradabad, Bijnor and Meerut earn their livelihood by weaving clothes. In Meerut alone, power looms have over 7 thousand connections and more than 1 lakh machines are operational. More than 4 to 5 lakh people are directly or indirectly associated with this trade here, said Rafeeq who also marched with protesters. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A day after the collapse of the under-construction Aguanighat-Sultanganj bridge on river Ganga, the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL) on Monday initiated the process of terminating contract with the construction firm, SP Singla Construction Pvt Ltd, following a decision of the states road construction department (RCD) decision, officials familiar with the matter said. Portion of under-construction Aguanighat-Sultanganj bridge collapses on Sunday. (HT Photo) A part of the 3.11-km-long four-lane bridge, being constructed at a cost of 1,710.12 crore since 2014, collapsed on Sunday evening. A purported video of the crash, shot by locals, has been circulating on the social media. The bridge, sixth on the Ganga to connect northern Bihar with the southern, was to link Khagaria and Bhagalpur districts in Bihar and significantly reduce travel time in the larger region. RCD officials said they had suspected design trouble behind crash of the bridge, another portion of the which had caved in April last year also. At a hurriedly convened press conference soon after the bridge collapse, additional chief secretary (RCD) Pratyaya Amrit had announced that the department would blacklist the firm and take all legal action to compensate for the damage. We will not compromise on quality of construction or deficiency in design. Entire process for construction of the bridge would be started afresh and tender would be floated soon to hire another construction company, he said. Chief minister Nitish Kumar said Monday that he had directed the officials to take stern action against those responsible for the mishap after inquiry. I laid its foundation stone in 2014. I wonder why this is taking too much time to complete. I had suspected some flaws in the bridge when its portion on the Sultanganj side had collapsed last year and directed the officials to act, said the CM. Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who also holds the RCD portfolio, said he had questioned the quality of the bridge as the opposition leader when it suffered its first crash in April 2022. Soon after the collapse of pier no 5, we had ordered demolition of the segment and reconstruction of the pillar. Additionally, we had engaged experts from IIT-Roorkee in November last year to examine the causes of partial damage of the bridge. Their preliminary report had hinted about design faults and stressed comprehensive technical overhaul of the entire structure, said Yadav. The deputy CM said that as the RCD minister, he had decided to demolish the entire bridge structure and its reconstruction after two MLAs had questioned its vulnerability. The final report of IIT-Roorkee is still awaited, he said. Meanwhile, former RCD minister and BJP leader Nitin Nabin wondered as to why the government allowed the construction company to carry on with the construction when the experts had found serious structural flaws. Tejashwi Prasad Yadav must be hiding the truthhe is not revealing the facts, said Nabin. He also asked why the deputy CM took so much time to decide to demolish the entire structure after the bridge collapsed, even though he did not highlight anything wrong with the construction during his reply in the House as RCD minister. Former deputy CM and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi also countered Yadav for changing his tone after the disaster. Why did he give clean chit to the construction company in the Assembly when there was fault in design of the bridge, he asked. Later, taking to Twitter, Yadav said the RCD was being headed by BJP leaders like Nand Kishore Yadav, Mangal Pandey and Nitin Nabin when the work of the bridge was awarded to the construction company and when the bridge met with its first disaster. Amid the claims and counterclaims, an engineer of the RCD said the way the bridge collapsed apparently hinted at the flaw in the design and not the quality of construction. The bridge would have come down bit by bit had there been any compromise in quality of construction. It was fault in the design that let to sudden collapse, he said. Amrit and managing director of the BRPNNL Neeraj Saxena could not reached for their comment despite repeated efforts. IIT- Roorkee had detected design flaws Preliminary inquiry reports submitted by IIT-Roorkee experts had suggested design fault in the pre-stressed concrete technique based extradoze-cable supported bridge, which had the longest cantilever balanced spans (550 metres) in the country. The institute, considered best for such constructions, was tasked by RCD in November last year to probe partial bridge collapse in April 2022 at Sultanganj end. The initial report said that spans attached with pier no 5, which supposedly dislocated and fell down allegedly under the impact of heavy rains and strong windy condition, required critical examination for design. It required to study the entire design to understand the forces and stresses on all components of the final system and during the construction stages, the initial report said. Officials said they were still awaiting final inquiry report from IIT-Roorkee. Timeline: 2012: RCD told to prepare plans to build the bridge March 10, 2014: Tender floated to appoint construction firm June 2014: SP Singla construction Ltd selected as lowest bidder and gets work order March 9, 2015: Construction begins November 2019: Initial deadline to complete April 30, 2022: Bridge met with 1st disaster as span collapses near Sultanganj November 2022: IIT- Roorkee engaged to probe the damage June 4, 2023: Four spans along with pillar crash in water towards Khagaria side SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka will release the final answer key for the COMEDK UGET Entrance Exam on June 6. The final answer key will be released at 12 noon. Candidates who have appeared for the COMDEK UGCET 2023 examination can download the answer key from the official website at comedk.org. COMEDK UGET 2023 final answer key releasing on June 6 COMEDK UGET Entrance Exam 2023 was held on May 28. COMEDK Rank Card 2023 will be available on June 10. The provisional answer key was released on May 30. COMEDK 2023: How to check final answer key Visit the official site of COMEDK at comedk.org. On the homepage, click on the COMDEK UGCET 2023 final answer key Key in your login details Your final answer key will be displayed on the screen Download the page and keep a hard copy of the same for further need. Actor Kangana Ranaut took a walk down memory lane with Salman Khan in an old video. She re-posted a video clip from the time when she appeared in Salman's popular TV show, Dus Ka Dum. While Kangana went Oh My God upon seeing the old video, fans want her to work with Salman Khan soon. Also read: Kangana Ranaut schools people calling her traditional headpiece crown Kangana Ranaut and Salman Khan on Dus Ka Dum. When Kangana Ranaut danced to Dhak Dhak Karne Laga The video features Kangana during a special segment of the show. She is seen dancing to Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor's popular song Dhak Dhak Karne Laga in a ghagra choli which she was given during the show. As she wore the dress, Salman praised her saying, Kya kamal lag rahi hai (How beautiful you are looking). Salman appeared to be enjoying as Kangana aced her expressions and danced to the song. In the end, the two burst into laughter. Sharing the video, Kangana wrote in her Instagram Stories, OMG!!! SK why do we look so young?? Does that mean we aren't anymore? She also tagged Salman. Kangana Ranaut recalls time with Salman Khan. Fans react to Salman Khan and Kangana Ranaut's old video While Salman Khan is yet to reply, fans have flooded the comment section of the original post about a collaboration between the actors. One of them commented, Omggg they both (loved up emojis). The way I love them and desperately waiting for them to do a movie together. Oh wow want to see both of them together in a movie, added another one. One more said, Most beautiful actress and actor in Bollywood film industry. They should do a romantic comedy type film as a lead pair. In April, Kangana Ranaut attended Salman Khan's sister Arpita Khan's Eid party in Mumbai. Last year, Kangana who is selective about her friends in the industry, had addressed Salman as her friend during an interview. Salman Khan will be next seen in Tiger 3, with Katrina Kaif. On the other hand, Kangana's next film to release is expected to be her political drama, Emergency. It is her first solo directorial, which revolves around the life of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. While Kangana will be seen as the late politician, actors such as Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhry, Vishak Nair and Shreyas Talpade are also a part of the film in key roles. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Shah Rukh Khan's lookalike, Suraj Kumar, recently shared a video of himself on his Instagram account, Chhota Shahrukh. In the clip, he was seen with his family during an outing in Delhi. From his hair to his baggy T-shirt and black sunglasses, Suraj grabbed attention for his uncanny resemblance to the actor in the video. Many on social media said, they could not believe their eyes and thought it was an old video of Shah Rukh himself. Also read: TikToker gives Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan perfect faces. See results here Shah Rukh Khan's lookalike Suraj Kumar has shared a new video of himself. Reactions to the video An Instagram user commented, "90s' Shah Rukh Khan (heart emojis)." Another comment read, 'This is Shah Rukh Khan of the 90s. You look exactly like him." A person also said, "When Shah Rukh Khan came in films, he looked like this." Another one said, "I thought it was the first video of SRK (Shah Rukh Khan). Then I came to know that it is a copy of SRK." Some also wanted the man in the video to try his luck in films. A person commented, Give him a chance at least once... Who is Suraj Kumar? His Instagram bio says he was 'born in Kolkata and lives in Jharkhand'. Suraj also calls himself an artiste and said he was open to performing at various functions and events, writing in his bio, DM for event, show, birthday, wedding, party. Suraj enjoys a fan following of his own with around 160 thousand followers on Instagram. He has posted around 1800 videos and photos of himself on Instagram, so far from clips and pictures from his street shows to videos of him channelling his inner Shah Rukh Khan and saying some of his famous lines from films such as Baazigar (1993). What's next for Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan, who was born in Delhi and started his acting career with television series such as Fauji in the late 1980s, had made his debut in movies with Deewana in 1992. He was last seen in Pathaan (2023). He will be next seen in Atlees upcoming action film Jawan. It will be released in September worldwide in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Nayanthara will also be seen in the film. Sunil Grover, Priyamani, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanya Malhotra and Riddhi Dogra also have pivotal roles in the film. He also has Dunki as one of his upcoming projects. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, Dunki marks the first collaboration between Shah Rukh and the National Film Awards-winning director. The film also features Taapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal. Dunki is scheduled to be released in December. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori were spotted in unique black outfits as they headed to church in Los Angeles on Sunday. The rapper, also known as Ye, is no stranger to dividing the internet with his statements, but his latest look has many scratching their heads. Photos of Kanye with Bianca Censori are all over social media as they attended Sunday church in what are being termed as 'bizarre' outfits. Also read: Bianca Censori unveils secret in TikTok video, confirms marriage to Kanye West Bianca Censori is reportedly Kanye West's new wife after Kim Kardashian. (Pics LinkedIn File Photo) What Kanye and Bianca Censori wore Kanye, who was previously married to Kim Kardashian, wore a black T-shirt, which had 'Polizei', German word for police written on the back in white. The T-shirt also featured huge shoulder pads. He also wore a matching pair of black leggings. Meanwhile, Bianca had her entire head, neck, arms, and hands covered in a black see-through outfit. Around her shoulders, her dress featured a large piece of fabric shaped like a bucket. Along with her black outfit, she wore matching high-heeled boots. What social media users said about the looks Sharing their photos on Instagram, Just Jared wrote, "Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori wore a unique, full nylon material dress, while heading to a Sunday church service in LA." A person commented on the post, "Looks like a hostage situation." Another person seemed worried, writing, "This is not weird anymore, or funny. It is actually worrying. And it is not about the outfit, is their whole dynamic or performance or whatever you wanna call this." A person also said, "This is just bizarre. So weird, both of them look equally strange!" Sharing their photo, a Twitter user said, "Kanye West with his wife Bianca (confused face emoji)." One more person tweeted, "I dont EVER want to hear another word out of you Kanye West stans (laughing emojis)." Who is Bianca Censori, Kanye's 'wife' Kanye West and Bianca Censori, a Yeezy architectural designer, 'got married' in a non-legally binding ceremony in January, as per a 2023 Page Six report. Bianca in a recent TikTok video also confirmed her marriage to Kanye. According to her LinkedIn profile, Bianca has worked for Yeezy since 2020. As per another recent report by The US Sun, a source was quoted as having said about her marriage with Kanye, Things are going well for them in their marriage. They both seem extremely well-suited and happy together. Kanye's previous relationships Kanye was earlier married to entrepreneur and reality TV personality Kim Kardashian. In February 2021, Kim had filed for divorce from Kanye. The two share four children, and had married in 2014. Kanye had been linked to multiple women since Kim and his divorce proceedings began. The former couple officially divorced in November 2022 after more than eight years of marriage. Following their separation, according to a 2021 report by People magazine, Kanye began dating model Irina Shayk in June 2021. In August 2021, it was reported that the two had ended the relationship. Kanye then reportedly dated actor Julia Fox for a few months, between December 2021 and February 2022. After her, Kanye reportedly dated model Chaney Jones for a few months, before news of his wedding with Bianca broke. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx is facing a challenging journey to regain his mobility after a mysterious health crisis that occurred while filming Netflix's Back in Action in Atlanta. The 55-year-old star has been undergoing intensive physiotherapy at a top physical rehabilitation center in Chicago, according to information obtained by RadarOnline.com. Jamie Foxx arrives at the premiere of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" at the Regency Village Theater.(Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) The facility, renowned for its expertise in treating injuries and conditions that impact mobility, specializes in helping individuals learn to walk again. Foxx's presence at the clinic indicates that he has been affected in some way, although the exact details of his condition remain shrouded in secrecy. Despite the mystery surrounding Foxx's health, sources assure fans that he is receiving the best possible care at the rehabilitation center. The facility has a focus on stroke, brain injury, and spinal cord injuries, indicating the severity of the challenges Foxx is facing on his road to recovery. Last month, Foxx's family was spotted visiting him during his hospitalization and recovery period. While the specifics of his condition have not been officially disclosed, veteran Hollywood journalist A.J. Benza claimed on Dr. Drew Pinsky's podcast that Foxx experienced a blood clot in his brain, resulting in partial paralysis and blindness. Benza alleged that Foxx was pressured into receiving a COVID-19 vaccine for the film production, although these claims have not been confirmed by Foxx's spokesperson. The discussion around Foxx's health crisis has raised controversy, with criticism aimed at Benza and Dr. Drew for promoting unfounded anti-vaccine conspiracy theories linking COVID-19 vaccines to strokes. It is important to note that these claims have not been substantiated by medical professionals or official sources. Also read | Is Covid vaccination really responsible for Jamie Foxx's health condition? Here's all you need to know As Foxx continues his rehabilitation journey, his fans eagerly await updates on his progress. The talented actor's resilience and commitment to regaining his mobility serve as an inspiration to many facing similar challenges. Actor Siddharth, who is gearing up for the release of his Tamil film Takkar, opened up about why he quit Twitter, on which he was active and had voiced his opinion on several issues. Siddharth decided to leave Twitter in early 2022 after he found no support from fellow actors on the issues he spoke against. Also read: Aditi Rao Hydari poses for pic with rumoured boyfriend Siddharth as they vacation together. See pics Siddharth is opening up about his decision to quite Twitter last year. In a recent interview, Siddharth revealed the exact reason why he quit Twitter. The actor said he is 'not a superhero' as he questioned celebrities for not speaking up 'against the evils in the world'. Why he quit Twitter He told India Today, "Activist is such a funny word but I have always spoken the truth as that is who I am. As an actor, I have been doing it for all these years. But I didn't have any of my compatriots, or colleagues for company. Nobody ever asked them why they weren't speaking and why I was the only one speaking. Then I said hold on, why am I the only one speaking? I can't be the only one rallying against the evils in the world, I'm not a superhero. Whether standing in solidarity or getting into trouble, I was doing both. I wasn't enjoying this suffering and there were filmmakers who had invested so many crores on me and I had to prioritise that." Siddharth deactivated his Twitter account in 2022 Last year, Siddharth was at the receiving end of backlash after responding to a tweet of badminton player Saina Nehwal on Prime Minister Narendra Modis security breach in Punjab. Following his reply to Sainas tweet, Siddharth quit Twitter and hasnt returned so far on the platform. Siddharth's upcoming projects Meanwhile, Siddharths Takkar releases in cinemas this week. The film, directed by Karthik G Krish, stars Siddharth as the son of a local rowdy wanting to make money in life the easy way. It also stars Divyansha Kaushik and Yogi Babu among others. He also has Kamal Haasans Indian 2 in the pipeline. The Shankar directorial project marks Siddharths reunion with the filmmaker after almost two decades. He recently said that he considers himself blessed to have been even considered for the project in the first place. Siddharth plays a key role in Indian 2. Reportedly, he will be seen playing Kamal Haasan characters grandson. ott:10 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR HT Entertainment Desk Dedicated professionals who write about cinema and television in all their vibrancy. Expect views, reviews and news. ...view detail SILCHAR: Two persons were killed and two others injured when a group of unidentified men opened fire in the Panbari area of Assams Dhemaji district on Monday. Assam director general of police GP Singh said senior state police officers are at the site. (Representative image) (Twitter/GolaghatPolice) Police said the incident took place in an area close to one of the unresolved portions of the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary on Monday afternoon. Reports said the victims were among those who had gone to a location along the inter-state boundary to make arrangements for a plantation drive to mark World Environment Day when they came under fire, Dhemaji superintendent of police (SP) Ranjan Bhuyan said, according to news agency PTI. The two men who died were identified as Boga Chutia and Monitu Gogoi. The two injured persons, Puspa Gogoi and Akoni Gohain, have been admitted to the hospital and are being treated. Police said Boga Chutia was a resident of Borbila Chutiakari village while the other three were from the districts Milonpur village. Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu said Boga Chutia lived in his constituency and condemned the violence. I strongly condemn the act of violence at the Panbari area of the Asam-Arunachal border in Dhemaji, he said in a post on Twitter. Assam director general of police GP Singh said senior state police officers are at the site. Efforts are on to apprehend the perpetrators, Singh said. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he doesnt want to draw any conclusion without accurate information as the police are still investigating the matter. There have been disputes over the border demarcation and the matter is under discussion. As per the information, this act was done by a few miscreants and itll be inappropriate to blame our neighbouring state or draw conclusions in a hurry. Police are investigating the incident and the truth will come out, he said. HT tried to reach out to the police department of the Lower Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh but did not get a response. Two persons died and three others went missing after alleged firing along the Arunachal Pradesh border in Assam's Dhemaji district on Monday, police said. Three others sustained bullet injuries and were taken to the Dhemaji Civil Hospital by locals, where one person died. (Representative Image) Locals had arranged a plantation drive at the inter-state border area on the occasion of World Environment Day, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ranjan Bhuyan said. Seven villagers had gone in advance to make the arrangements in the morning. They allegedly came under firing, in which one person died on the spot, he said. Also Read | Eight dead, 42 missing from Bihar in Odisha train accident Three others sustained bullet injuries and were taken to the Dhemaji Civil Hospital by locals, where one person died, he added. Three others went missing and police were looking for them, Bhuyan said "Our team rushed to the spot on receiving the information. We are investigating the incident," he said. Locals alleged the involvement of miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh as there was a dispute over the inter-state boundary in the area. Also Read | 1 dead, 3 injured as railing of dais collapses due to heavy rain in Pune Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share an 804-km-long border, and both sides have been engaging in discussions to resolve the boundary disputes. An MoU was signed by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal CM Pema Khandu on April 20 in New Delhi, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to resolve the border row. In July last year, the two chief ministers signed the Namsai Declaration setting in motion the efforts to solve the boundary disputes. Arunachal Pradesh, which was made a Union Territory in 1972, claims that several forested tracts in the plains that had traditionally belonged to the hill tribal chiefs and communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam. After Arunachal Pradesh achieved statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee was appointed which recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh. Assam contested this and the matter has been in the Supreme Court. A day after an under-construction bridge over river Ganga collapsed, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday acknowledged its faulty design. Speaking to news agency ANI, Kumar said that necessary action will be initiated against those found guilty. He added that the same bridge had come crashing down in 2022 also. Nitish Kumar added that the same bridge had collapsed in 2022 also. The bridge that collapsed yesterday had collapsed last year also. I have instructed officials to take strict action. It is not being constructed correctly that's why it is collapsing again & again. The department will look into it & action will be taken, the CM said. It was earlier reported that Kumar had ordered a probe immediately after the incident and asked to identify those responsible. The bridge was inaugurated in 2014 by Kumar. Videos of the Bhagalpur bridge that connected Aguvanighat and Sultanganj collapsing on Sunday were widely shared on social media. No injuries were reported in the incident. What deputy CM Tejashwi said on the incident Earlier, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said that it was a planned demolition as experts had found serious defects in its design, news agency PTI reported. Addressing a press conference, Yadav along with additional chief secretary of road construction department, Pratyay Amrit, said that the decision was taken after a portion of the same bridge collapsed during a thunderstorm in 2022. The government had then assigned researchers at IIT-Roorkee to analyse the structure, he added. Opposition hits out The collapse of the bridge invited criticism from the BJP, Kumar's old ally in the state. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonwalla described it as "the bridge of corruption while JDU MLA from Sultanganj Lalit Narayan Mandal said, We were expecting that the inauguration of the bridge would happen by November-December later this yearA probe must happen into the incident, there's some fault. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The latest video on Monday captured the collapse of Bihar's under-construction Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge, showing the wreckage immersed in the waters of the river Ganga. State government officials have attributed Sunday's collapse to design flaws and revealed that portions of the bridge were deliberately destroyed under expert advice. The bridge, intended to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur, incurred a cost of more than Rs. 1,700 crore. This is the second time the bridge has collapsed, with a previous incident occurring on April 30 last year. This is the second time the bridge has collapsed, with a previous incident occurring on April 30 last year. (ANI) A video shared by news agency ANI showed the aftermath of the collapse, with the collapsed portion visible above the water, and onlookers witnessing the scene from the riverbank. Additional footage, seemingly captured from a boat, offers closer views of the collapsed structure. The moment of the bridge's collapse in the Ganga River was captured on video by local residents. In response to the incident, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has instructed the Building Construction Department's additional chief secretary, Pratyaya Amrit, to establish an enquiry committee to thoroughly investigate the matter and take strict action against those responsible. The foundation for the bridge was laid by Nitish Kumar in 2014, and it was originally scheduled to be inaugurated in 2019. Guard reported missing in Bhagalpur bridge collapse In the aftermath of the bridge collapse in Bhagalpur, it has been reported that a person working as a guard with SP Singla Company is missing, news agency ANI quoted circle officer of Parbatta as saying on Monday. Despite earlier statements by the government claiming no casualties, the officer said, Guard's body has not yet been found. Search operations led by SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams are currently underway to locate the missing individual. The confirmation of the guard's death can only be made upon the recovery of his body, the officer added. Similar collapse last year In a reminiscent incident from last year, a portion of a bridge spanning the Burhi Gandak River in Sahebpur Kamal, Bihar's Begusarai district, collapsed and plunged into the river. No casualties were reported in the incident. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao Trainee Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital Stream. India's regional languages attract me. ...view detail Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising objections to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe request made by the railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw into the Odisha railways tragedy that left over 270 persons dead and above 1,000 injured. Kharge said the tragic train accident in Balasore shocked the nation. (Mallikarjun Kharge | Facebook) The people in charge your goodself and Railway Minister Vaishnaw do not want to admit that there are problems, the Congress chief said in the letter addressed to the PM. The Railway Minister claims to have already found a root cause, but yet has requested the CBI to investigate. The CBI is meant to investigate crimes, not railway accidents. The CBI, or any other law enforcement agency, cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures, Kharge argued. In addition, they lack the technical expertise in railway safety, signalling, and maintenance practices, he said. Also Read:CBI probe recommended into Odisha three-train collision, says Ashwini Vaishnaw The Congress chief also stressed on the need to improve the safety of railways and ascertain the exact cause of the train accident. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the government to ascertain and bring to light the real reasons that caused this grave accident, he said. In his letter, Kharge said the tragic train accident in Balasore, Odisha, one of the worst in Indian history, has shocked the nation. The country stands united in this hour of grief. However the loss of so many precious lives has shaken the conscience of every Indian. The loss of these lives is irreparable and no amount of monetary compensation or words of condolence can make up for this grave tragedy, he said. Earlier on Sunday, railways minister Vaishnaw said the railway board has recommended a probe by the CBI into the Balasore train accident. Vaishnaw said the root cause of the accident and the criminals responsible for it have been identified. The crash involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train occurred around 7pm on Friday near the Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar. China has built an extensive set of installations and established an ecosystem to support its troop deployments in the disputed Aksai Chin region, expanding roads, outposts, and camps in the area, according to a report from Chatham House. Chinese soldiers along the Line of Actual Control. (ANI/File) Also read: China in focus as Singh meets US defence secretary The report by the UK-based think tank is based on an analysis of satellite images taken in the six months since October 2022 and builds on other evidence of the massive ramping of infrastructure on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since the start of a military standoff with India in May 2020. The satellite images of Aksai Chin show expanded roads, outposts and modern weatherproof camps equipped with parking areas, solar panels and even helipads, according to the report from Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs. A new heliport is being built in disputed territory, away from the frontlines and near Aksai Chin Lake, the report said. This facility comprises 18 hangars and short runways for use by helicopters and possibly drones, which will significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in and around Aksai Chin, the report said. Hindustan Times on June 1 reported, using satellite images provided exclusively by Planet Labs, how Chinas expansion of airfields along the LAC since 2020 has created capabilities for the PLA to conduct a wider range of operations and to counter Indias comparative advantages in some areas. The border standoff has taken India-China relations to a six-decade low, especially after a brutal clash at Galwan Valley in June 2020 killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops. Indias top leadership has maintained that ties cannot be normalised until steps are taken to address the abnormal situation on the LAC. In the Galwan Valley, a number of PLA bases connected by roads can now be seen leading up from the main standoff site, following the path of the frozen river, the report said. There is also significant Chinese activity at the Depsang plains, one of the remaining friction points in the Ladakh sector of the LAC. Patrols seemingly intend to put pressure on, and impede the development of, a strategic Indian airstrip at Daulat Beg Oldi, which serves as a logistics and transport base for Indian operations at high altitudes and is the highest airstrip in the world, the report noted. At Raki Nala, a river valley south of the Depsang plains, Chinese outposts are visible, potentially able to block Indian patrols in the area. At Pangong Lake, a bridge is nearing completion and when finished, it will allow the rapid deployment of Chinese forces from PLAs Rutog military garrison to mountain ridges overlooking the water body. The proposed Chinese G695 highway, intended to link Xinjiang with Tibet, is due to be completed in 2035 and will run the length of Aksai Chin through the Depsang Plains, south past Galwan Valley and towards Pangong Tso. The report described this as a strategic artery that will connect the contested region to mainland China and give the PLA a new supply route. Also read: Facilitate continued presence of Indian journalists: India tells China While the reasons behind Chinas sudden move across the LAC are still hotly debated, the true motives are probably only known in the highest echelons in view of the opaque nature of Chinese policymaking under President Xi Jinping. Whatever drove the decision, the PLA is now firmly ensconced in Aksai Chin and looks set to remain there, the report said. For India, this means its armed forces will now have to match a large-scale and probably semi-permanent Chinese presence along the border with Aksai Chin, perhaps for years to come, it added. Following more than two dozen rounds of diplomatic and military talks, India and China pulled back frontline forces at Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Gogra. However, there has been no headway in disengagement and de-escalation at friction points such as Depsang and Demchok. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After the former director of Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad (IIM-A) Errol DSouza wrote a letter on his last day as the head of the institute in February this year arguing why the iconic red-brick campus needs to be redeveloped, the Board of Governors (BoG) chairman Pankaj Patel on June 4 held a townhall meeting with alumni and other stakeholders over the contentious issue on whether to demolish the buildings designed by renowned architect Louis Kahn in the 1960s. PREMIUM On whether the iconic red-brick campus needs to be redeveloped(HT File) The meeting held in hybrid mode (online and in-person) was presided by the BoG chairman Patel and was attended by more than 300-350 people, including alumni, faculty, IIM-A director Bharat Bhasker and a few members of the board. While DSouzas letter drew criticism from experts and a group of alumni, Patel seems to have garnered substantial support from the stakeholders meeting that was held on campus. I was impressed by the openness and candour displayed during the meeting. The chairman presented a compelling case for infrastructure redevelopment, backed by a detailed presentation from IIT-Roorkee, which acknowledged the complexity of restoration. They discussed the rational and emotional aspects, considering exhaustive restoration efforts and the possibility of a replica, a 2005 IIM-A post-graduate programme alumnus who attended the event, said. This meet has the potential to significantly influence the debate surrounding the preservation of architectural heritage, which first began in 2020, when the IIM-A announced plans to demolish 14 out of 18 dormitories due to dampness in walls and leakages in roofs among other issues. The outcry however caused the board to rescind its plans at the time. The matter was revived in 2022, when the IIM-A released a statement in which it said that some buildings in the old campus will undergo reconstruction in line with the Louis Kahn heritage and keeping in mind the functional needs of current and future residents of the campus. It also revealed that two groups of experts were tasked with the assessment of the conditions and structural status of the buildings and visited the campus in 2021 to conduct their studies first-hand one, a group of structural and earthquake engineers from IIT Roorkee and the second, an international group comprising restoration experts, architects, and structural engineers. Restoration vs demolition During Sundays meeting, a team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee delivered a presentation outlining the challenges faced in previous restoration attempts at IIM-As main campus buildings. Kahn designed the architectural masterpiece on about 25 hectares of land in Ahmedabad that constitutes the heritage campus of IIM-A today. It consists of a total of 18 buildings that were constructed between 1962 and 1974. Some of the notable buildings in the IIM-A campus include the Main Building (also known as the Louis Kahn Plaza), Faculty Block, Dormitories (Dorm 1 to Dorm 18), Library, and the Kasturbhai Lalbhai Management Development Centre (KLMDC). The experts presentation emphasised the porous nature of the bricks, which had high sand content, as well as concerns about substandard brickwork and local brickwork skills. The scope of the consultancy work assigned to IIT Roorkee included structural assessment of dormitories, the classroom complex and the KLMDC and Annexe area at IIM-A. HT has seen a copy of the presentation. The results of our investigations indicate structural soundness and integrity issues in the dormitories and other buildings at numerous locations. While theoretically, restoration and strengthening are possible, the ground realities make it technically inadvisable, impractical, and prohibitively expensive, stated the IIT-Roorkee presentation. Prem Chandavarkar, a Bengaluru-based architectural practitioner and theorist, said the highly technical slides of the IIT Roorkee analysis require review by structural engineering experts. The distress in structural masonry elements is no doubt a serious concern and interventions necessary to deal with them may necessitate physical alterations that affect the architectural spirit of the original building. However, there is not enough information publicly available to conclude either way. I am told that the final decision taken in the town hall meeting of June 4 between the BoG and alumni is to rebuild the Kahn campus as a faithful recreation of the original. If that is the case, it should follow a proper process in line with best practices undertaken in similar heritage conservation projects where restoration is not a feasible option, according to Chandavarkar. A brief history Renowned American architect Louis Kahn, in collaboration with Indian architects Balkrishna V Doshi and Anant Raje, embarked on the IIM-A campus project in 1962. His visionary design philosophy and the meticulous execution of brick masonry resulted in a masterpiece that came close to completion before Kahn's untimely demise in 1974. The campus, with its distinctive red-brick facade and harmonious integration with nature, stands as a testament to Kahn's architectural brilliance and his contribution to India's design landscape. However, the deterioration in the structures was noticed and raised at a Building Committee meeting held in 1982. In 2014, IIM-A appointed Mumbai-based firm, Somaya and Kalappa (S&K) Consultants to restore Dorm-15 which was in the most dilapidated state. The work was completed in 2017. Meanwhile, the same firm also restored the Vikram Sarabhai Library at IIM-A in 2018 and received an award of distinction at the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage. In November 2022, the IIM-A governing council decided that restoration work at the heritage campus will cease altogether. While the Louis Kahn design with brick facade was to be replicated for a few of the outer dorms, the majority of the residential dorms were slated to be redeveloped based on new designs by commissioned architects. However, nothing substantial has happened in this direction so far. The Louis Kahn buildings at IIM-A are not just aesthetically pleasing structures; they carry immense historical and architectural value. The fusion of modernist principles with Indian architectural elements, the clever use of natural light, and the meticulous attention to detail make these buildings a treasure trove of architectural history. They have inspired countless architects and designers around the world and are considered iconic representations of Kahn's oeuvre. According to Riyaz Tayyibji, the principal architect and partner at Anthill Design in Ahmedabad, who has in the past been a vocal advocate against the demolition of Kahn's buildings, there is support for the poor state of the structures in both the IIT Roorkee report and Alessandra Rampazzo's 2020 book titled Steel like Straw: Louis I. Kahn and the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. However, despite not being publicly disclosed by the institute, the data suggests that the buildings are in an unsafe condition. While the option of replicating the buildings exists, concerns arise regarding the proposed modifications, such as the incorporation of air conditioning and attached toilets, which deviate from Kahn's original vision. The institute's intention to upgrade and expand the buildings gives rise to worries about compromising their authenticity and the frugal student life they once embodied. Moreover, the fact that the institute has previously solicited tenders for redevelopment indicates a predetermined solution, rather than an exploration of creative approaches in preserving the structures, according to Tayyibji. Proponents of the demolition argue that sentimental attachments to the past should not hinder IIM-A's growth and progress. They advocate for adapting to the evolving educational landscape by incorporating modern amenities and technologies to provide the best possible learning experience. The need for increased space and improved functionality outweighs the historical value of the existing structures, according to their perspective. IIM-A's development should not be restrained by an undue attachment to the past. We must embrace change and prioritise the institute's future needs. Modernization and advanced infrastructure are essential for staying at the forefront of education, a faculty member who attended the June 4 meeting, said. Another alumnus, from 1997 batch, who also attended the same meeting said one of the points raised by the alumni was that the elements of the newly built IIM-A campus should not creep into the heritage campus during the replication of Kahns designs. They all spoke on conditions of anonymity as it was an internal meeting. "IIM-A wants to bring everyone on board and will consult various stakeholders before making any decision regarding Louis Kahn buildings. At IIM-A, safety comes first, followed by heritage," an official close to the development at IIM-A stated. As the discussions continue, the fate of the Louis Kahn buildings hangs in the balance. The controversy surrounding their potential demolition raises important questions about the preservation of architectural heritage in the face of modernization and the evolving needs of educational institutions like IIM-A. Three more envelope-bombs, addressed to prominent Britons and believed to have been sent by Jewish terrorists operating from Italy, were handed over to Scotland Yard today. HT This Day: June 6, 1947 -- Cripps and Eden receive envelope-bombs They were of the same type as eight others discovered yesterday-they were meant to explode on opening. While the authorities have refused to disclose the names of the recipients of the letters, it is known that high Cabinet Ministers, including Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade and Sir John Strachey, Minister of Food, former Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, and Mr Arthur Greenwood, Lord Privy Seal, had envelope-bombs addressed to them. High officials connected with the Palestine administration were among the intended recipients of the eight envelope-bombs sent from Italy yesterday. Although none of the bombs, which consisted of 700 grams of gelignite in envelopes, exploded, Scotland Yard experts said they were powerful enough to maim or even kill those to whom the letters were addressed. Others to whom the letters we a sent were the Middle East expert, Brigadier-General Sir Edward Spears, formerly British Minister to Syria Evelyn Barker, former High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Harold Mac Michael, and the Financial Secretary to the War Office, Mr J. Feeman. Security Measures Strict security measures were taken in London post offices and Government departments today and Scotland Yard advised that a close watch would be kept on on all mail from Italy as the terrorists might vary the method of detonation in future parcels and letters. The eighth letter was addressed to the War Office. Immediately the first bomb was defused on Tuesday night, a warning was flashed to all prominent persons in Britain and broadcasts yesterday put officials in all Government departments on their guards. British police are in touch with Italian police in an effort to trace the place where the envelopes were posted. Italian postal authorities expressed doubt that any envelope containing explosives could pass through the stamping machines used in Italy for marking mail. New York India is witnessing a battle between those who believe in Mahatma Gandhi and those who believe in Nathuram Godse, those who look only in the rear view mirror and blame the Congress for the past and those who want to discuss the issues of the future, and those who believe in love and compassion and those who believe in hatred and violence, Rahul Gandhi has said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses Indian diaspora at an event in New York. (PTI) Speaking at a public meeting in New Yorks Javits Centre, on the corner of 11th avenue and 36th street on Manhattans west side, to a 3,000-strong crowd, on Sunday evening (early Monday morning IST), Gandhi also told the diaspora that the Indian freedom struggle began in South Africa, and Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Subas Chandra Bose, and BR Ambedkar were all non-resident Indians (NRIs) who made a difference. That, he said, is what he expected from Indians in America. Wrapping up his six-day US visit with a public speech to members of the diaspora, many of them sympathetic or associated with the Congress from New York and New Jersey, Gandhi said, There is a fight going on back home between two ideologies, one that we represent, and the other that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) represents. The simplest way to describe this fight is you have Mahatma Gandhi versus Nathuram Godse. On one side, Gandhi said was a brave man, an NRI like you, the most impactful NRI that India has had in many many years, a humble man, a simple man who believed in India, propagated non-violence and searched for the truth. And on the other side, Gandhi claimed, was Godse violent, angry, unable to face the reality of his own life. The electoral subtext of the meeting was visible, as Congress leaders of different states travelled to New York to mobilise the diaspora of their respective states. The crowd, adorning Congress flags and Rahul Gandhis posters, waited for over two-and-a-half hours to hear the Congress leader. Rahuls pitch Gandhi began his speech by saying that the visit to the US had been fantastic because he had met the diaspora and seen them representing the country with humility and talent. You didnt come here arrogantly. You came here with limited means and built something wonderful. All of you have different journeys and struggles, none more or less important than the other. The reason, Gandhi said, the diaspora had succeeded was because it respected the people, history and customs of the US and embraced them. That is the heart of your success, I commend and respect and honour you for that. Building on the theme of how India is witnessing a Gandhi versus Godse battle, the Congress leader said that the Mahatma was modern and open-minded, while Godse spoke only of the past, never of the future and was a coward. Back home, we have a problem. The BJP and RSS are incapable of looking at the future. You ask then anything, they look at the back. Ask then about the train accident, and they will say Congress did this 50 years ago. Ask them about the removal of periodic tables and evolution from textbooks and they will say Congress did this 60 years ago. Gandhi said if one just looked into the rearview mirror while driving, there would be one accident after another. That is the phenomena of Narendra Modiji. He looks only in the rearview mirror and then doesnt understand why the car is crashing. Gandhi said that one reason he had come to the US was because he believed that to build an India where a majority of the young were employed, they had to think about the bridge between India and the US. What does our partnership focus on? How do we compete with the challenge the Chinese have placed on the table? What is our view on the revolution in mobility, data and connectivity and the transformations taking place in the energy systems of the world? As a group of pro-Khalistani protesters barged into the hall, Gandhi greeted them and said that was the Congresss power, of not being violent, aggressive or nasty. He then spoke about the challenges to the democratic structure in India and the responsibility on everyone to defend the Constitution and democracy. To be nasty, arrogant, violent these are not Indian values. There is a new fashion that to express Indianness, you have to be hateful, abusive, beat people. No. No. Thats not Indianness. We refuse to accept that as Indian, Gandhi said. The electoral subtext The event was held with a clear eye on the upcoming state assembly elections, particularly Telangana. Telugu-speakers constitute the biggest Indian diaspora group in the US, with Telangana president Revanth Reddy, who was present, claiming that there are close to 650,000 Indians from the state in the US. Over 50% of the audience today was from Telangana and they came from different parts of the US, said Reddy, mobbed by his supporters as he was walking out after the event. Asked if the event was meant to mobilise the states diaspora for the elections, Reddy said that the idea was to allow people in the US, with roots in the state, an opportunity to connect with Gandhi after the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Karnataka victory. Reddy, however, added that Telugu Desam Party ruled united Andhra for ten years between 1994 and 2004, the Congress ruled the state from 2004 and 2014, and the recently-renamed Bharatiya Rastriya Samiti had ruled Telangana from 2014 to 2023. No one thought when they were ruling that they could be voted out. But it happened. This time, the Congress will come back in the state. A Congress diaspora figure from the state, who requested anonymity, said, We want people associated with the party here to give time, go back and influence their families and villages. Their impact is very strong. He acknowledged that another motive was fund-raising. But money is not the main criteria. If they can give time, we will be satisfied. Besides Reddy, member of Parliament from Haryana, Deepender Singh Hooda, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja, senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, and other leaders of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) were present at the public meeting. Many leaders who spoke before Gandhi categorically asked the audience to support the party for the 2024 elections and make Rahul Gandhi, in the words of IOC President Mohinder Singh Gilzian, the next PM of India. Outlining the ways in which the Congress-leaning diaspora could help, IOC chairman Sam Pitroda said, Spread our message. Talk to your families and community. I often say that for a selfie with Rahul Gandhi, get ten votes. Help the party. Support a local candidate. Go back and work with the candidate. Refine their campaign. The next election will decide the destiny of India. Among the 3000 or so people who attended the event, there was a higher representation from southern states, but also Punjab and Haryana in terms of geographies, and from Muslim, Christian and Dalit organisations. Constellation of supporters Satinath Chaudhary, 81, came to the US in 1965. After having grown up in Patna and studied at IIT-Kharagpur, Chaudhary went to graduate school in the US, completed a PhD in electronic physics, and began teaching computer science. But he closely follows Indian politics back home and said he had come to support the candidate best positioned to defeat Narendra Modi in 2024. I dont like anything about the BJP. It is controlled by upper castes, and supported by those who hate reservations, Chaudhary, who is Dalit, said. When asked how was it that Dalits then appeared to support the BJP in large numbers, Thats because the BJP has control over institutions and media and due to its propaganda. The Congress too is dominated by upper castes but it is not as regressive. And it seems that Mallikarjun Kharge has convinced Rahul that upper castes have migrated to the BJP. Thats why I like his support for the caste census. Another person who attended the event was Chitralekha, a business analyst at a major bank in New Jersey. She grew up near Madurai in Tamil Nadu and while she didnt have an association with the Congress, she had come to listen to Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi introduced computer education and the vision of technology to India. That meant that those from lower middle classes like me could study computers in our small towns. And that is why I support the Congress and Rajivs son. She claimed that the BJP had only replicated the earlier Congress-led government programmes, was a master of fake news and had taken the country backward. But I can see that the Congress organisation is weak. I came to know of this event and the entry details only yesterday. Rohit Karupatis family in Andhra Pradesh was traditionally associated with the Congress. Now a software engineer in New Jersey, he had come to listen to Gandhi with his brother, who had travelled from Florida. Karupati said that he felt there was a fight after Bharat Jodo Yatra and had come to listen to Gandhi. I want to know what changes he can bring to repair the social fabric in India. The BJP has destroyed it completely. We read the news and get a culture shock. This is not the India we grew up in. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Indias continuing dependence on Russian weapons is not in Germanys interest, German defence minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday, ahead of his arrival in New Delhi on a visit aimed at bolstering security ties. German defence minister Boris Pistorius said he will be accompanied by representatives of German defence companies and that he wanted to send a signal with that (REUTERS File) Pistorius is on his first tour of Asia since becoming defence minister in January. He participated in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday and held talks with his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Monday. Pistorius is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on Tuesday. Asked during an interview with German state-owned broadcaster whether Germany will step up arms sales to India to change the countrys dependence on Russian weaponry, Pistorius replied: It is not up to Germany to change that on our own. This is an issue we have to solve jointly with other partners. But of course, we cant have an interest in the long run that India is so dependent on Russias delivery of weapons or other materials. Therefore, we have to think about that, what we can do. Pistorius also hinted at the possible sale of German submarines to India. When I will arrive in India, I will be accompanied by representatives of German defence industry companies and I want to send a signal with that we are willing to support our reliable partners like Indonesia, like India. And that includes the possibility of delivering submarines, for example, he said. Reports have suggested that German is a contender for the Indian Navys plan to acquire six conventional submarines in a deal expected to be worth $5.2 billion. Germanys chances have improved since Frances Naval Group pulled out of the project a year ago. Germany last signed a major defence deal with India in 1981 for four HDW Type 209 submarines. In a major shift in its defence posture following the Ukraine crisis, Germany has begun loosening its strict arms export controls. Pointing to the change in public opinion and German policies on defence exports, Pistorius said: We have to find a balance between delivering weapons, on the one hand, to our reliable partners, and on the other hand, to control and to limit delivering weapons all over the world. Because we dont need really so much weapons anymore in the world. Pistorius explained Germanys focus on the Indo-Pacific by saying that the region will shape the 21st century in terms of security, freedom of navigation and international economic challenges. Germany, which has adopted its own Indo-Pacific guidelines, may not have an active role in the region but will show a presence by deploying warships in the area, he said. Germany deployed its first warship to the Indo-Pacific the frigate Bayern in 2021 and will send another ship to the region in 2024. Germanys stance must include the willingness to discuss how it can support its old and new partners in the region, he said. Indias defence minister will host Pistorius a day after holding wide-ranging talks with US defence secretary Lloyd Austin, during which the two sides unveiled a roadmap for defence industrial cooperation to fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in areas such as air combat, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and munitions. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI India on Monday briefed the United States on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, where the Indian Army and the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army have been locked in a border row for more than three years, the Chinese military build-up across the contested LAC, and countermeasures taken by India to deal with any contingency during talks between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart Lloyd J Austin, officials aware of the matter said. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh receives the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III on his arrival to inspect the Tri-Services Guard of Honour, at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on Monday. (ANI) The regional security situation, including the latest developments along the LAC and Pakistan-backed terror, was discussed during the delegation-level talks. Both sides have been tracking Chinas moves closely in the region as well as in the Indo-Pacific, said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named. India and China have held 18 round of talks to ease tensions along the LAC but outstanding problems at Depsang and Demchok are still on the negotiating table. Despite four rounds of disengagement from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15), the Indian and Chinese armies still have more than 60,000 troops each and advanced weaponry deployed in the Ladakh theatre. Chinas expansion of airfields along the LAC since 2020 has created capabilities for its military to conduct a wider range of operations, and to counter Indias comparative advantages in some areas, according to an analysis of satellite imagery by HT last week. The changes on the ground since the military standoff on the LAC began in May 2020 show that China has embarked on a massive expansion of airfields, helipads, railway facilities, missile bases, roads and bridges, both for the faster deployment of troops and to create a range of offensive capabilities, HT reported on June 1. Apart from Singh, Austin also held talks with national security adviser Ajit Doval. During his meetings, the Secretary and his counterparts exchanged perspectives on a range of regional security issues and committed to collaborating closely with India in support of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, the US Department of Defense said in a statement. This comes at a time when China is pushing for greater influence in the Indo-Pacific. Austin told reporters that the world was witnessing bullying and coercion by China, and Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders and threatens national sovereignty. Democracies must now rally together in common interests and shared values. Preserving and protecting freedom is essential to peace and prosperity and requires vigorous leadership from the US and India, he said. Doval and Austin exchanged views on regional and global security issues of concern, including maritime security in the Indian Ocean region. The Secretary welcomed Mr Dovals perspective about shared security interests and objectives, including his ideas for greater maritime collaboration...In all of his engagements, the Secretary underscored the centrality of the US-India partnership to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, the DoD statement said. India has consistently called for a free, open and inclusive order in the Indo-Pacific, pivoting on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, while stressing on peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and under the framework of international laws at a time when China claims large portions of the disputed South China Sea, and its aggressive moves in the region threaten to escalate tensions. India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely working with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership, Singh wrote on Twitter on Monday. India is keeping tabs on Chinas aggressive moves in the South China Sea and taking steps to ensure that the Chinese navy doesnt muscle its way into the Indian Ocean where combat-ready Indian warships are carrying out round-the-clock surveillance for any unusual activity. India and the United States on Monday announced the conclusion of a new road map for future defence industrial cooperation with the goal of fast-tracking technology cooperation and co-production in critical areas such as air combat and land mobility systems; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions, and the undersea domain, in a renewed push for deepening collaboration in the sector during delegation-level talks between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart Lloyd J Austin. Defence minister Rajnath Singh with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in New Delhi on Monday. (ANI) Also read: US Congress invitation puts Modi in elite club In separate statements, the two sides highlighted what the new road map seeks to achieve. This initiative aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between US and Indian defense sectors, including a set of specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support Indias defense modernization plans, the US Department of Defense (DoD) said in a statement. Both sides will identify opportunities for co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence their start-ups, the Indian defence ministry said after the talks. The talks covered a raft of areas including manufacturing GE-414 fighter jet engines in the country through transfer of technology, buying hi-tech drones from the US for the Indian military, the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh where India has been locked in a border row with China for over three years, and a free and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region where China is pushing for greater influence, Indian officials tracking the dialogue said, asking not to be named. The deal to build GE-414 engines in India is set to be announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US from June 21 to June 24, said one of the officials cited above. The engine will power the light combat aircraft (LCA) Mk-2 and other indigenous fighters that India plans to develop including the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) and the twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF). The GE-414 engine deal will be a stepping stone to bring newer technologies to India. The scope for collaboration is immense across critical defence domains, said one of the officials cited above. Austin is in India to reinforce the major defense partnership, and advance cooperation in critical domains ahead of Modis official state visit to Washington, the DoD statement said. India is also on course to buy Predator drones from the US for the three services, and discussions are on to finalise the numbers needed, the officials said. The possible drone purchase came up during the talks, the officials said. The earlier plan was to buy 30 such drones (10 each for the navy, air force and army) in a deal estimated to be worth $3 billion. In 2020, the navy leased a pair of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones (an unarmed variant of the Predators manufactured by General Atomics) from the US to boost its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The MQ-9Bs have helped the navy keep a close watch on the Indian Ocean at a time when it has stepped up surveillance in the region to check Chinas ambitions. Also read: World Environment Day: US Presidential candidate Nikki Haley calls India one of biggest polluters, sparks row Removing roadblocks to industrial cooperation was discussed during the talks. The two sides also decided to initiate negotiations on a new arrangement that will enable them to access each others industrial resources to address unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet their security needs. Closer industry-to-industry partnerships and creating resilient supply chains is critical, the Indian officials said. The Secretary and Minister Singh also pledged to review regulatory hurdles impeding closer industry-to-industry cooperation and to initiate negotiations on a Security of Supply Arrangement and a Reciprocal Defense Procurement agreement, which will promote long-term supply chain stability, the DoD statement said. Austin also held talks with national security advisor Ajit Doval. During his meetings, the Secretary and his counterparts exchanged perspectives on a range of regional security issues and committed to collaborating closely with India in support of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, the US statement said. The two sides agreed that it was key to ensure that countries in the region and the Indo-Pacific retained their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and were not coerced into poor choices, HT has learnt. The secretary and his counterparts discussed the growing importance of defence innovation and cooperation in emerging domains such as space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence, the DoD statement said. They praised the recent launch of a new Advanced Domains Defense Dialogue and committed to expanding the scope of bilateral defence cooperation to encompass all domains, while welcoming the establishment of the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), a new initiative to advance cutting-edge technology cooperation. The initiative, which will be launched by the US-India Business Council on June 21, is designed to complement existing government-to-government collaboration by promoting innovative partnerships between US and Indian companies, investors, start-up accelerators, and academic research institutions, the US statement said. Austin and Singh also committed to strengthening operational collaboration across all military services to support Indias leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific. They discussed new opportunities to strengthen information sharing and increase cooperation in the maritime domain. On this note, Secretary Austin welcomed Indias leadership role in the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative (IPMDA), which will provide cutting-edge domain awareness capability to countries across the Indo-Pacific region, the US statement added. Both sides reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement, the Indian statement said. They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, it added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin met in New Delhi on Monday and exchanged ideas on several issues of mutual interest. The two leaders highlighted the cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military, and aerospace domains to boost capabilities. NSA Ajit Doval and US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin in New Delhi on Monday. The two also discussed the greater transfer of technology, to India from the US, co-production, and building indigenous capacities between the two nations in line with Indias Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. Another point of discussion between them was ensuring that countries in different regions - Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia and Indo-Pacific retain their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and are not coerced into poor choices. During the meeting, Doval and Austin maintained India and the US focus on trusted sources of supply, resilient supply chains, and greater industry-to-industry partnerships. They decided to take a strategic approach to global challenges through whole government efforts including through people-to-people and societal relations. The US defence secretary, who is on a two-day tour to New Delhi, also held wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh. At a media briefing, Austin said India and the US have decided to establish an ambitious roadmap for defence-industrial cooperation. He also described the India-US global strategic partnership as the "cornerstone" of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our partnership is continuing to grow rapidly and we are looking at expanding the defence industrial cooperation, Austin said. The US Defence Secretary arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) laid the foundation for a massive party office complex at Kokapet on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Monday, aimed at providing research and training facilities for the party functionaries. Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao lays the foundation stone for 'Bharat Bhavan', at Kokapet, on Monday. (ANI) Named Bharat Bhavan, the 15-storied Centre for Excellence and Human Resource Development will come up in a sprawling 11-acre campus. On Monday, KCR performed the ground-breaking ceremony marking the commencement of the construction work. He also took part in Bhoo Varaha Homam (vedic ritual) on the campus and planted a sapling to mark the occasion. The chief minister said that political parties, being democratically elected by the people, provide the true leadership to govern the state. It is the responsibility of the political parties to groom strong and effective leaders to fulfil the aspirations of the people, he said. KCR said Bharat Bhavan would extend political, social, economic, cultural and ideological research and training facilities to the BRS leaders in the state. There was a need to groom a strong leadership to the country to work in tune with the aspirations of the people, he said. We shall invite experienced people in various fields, political scientists, intellectuals, retired bureaucrats and even Nobel laureates to train and teach the BRS cadres to extend good governance to the people and strengthen the democratic edifice of the country, he added. He said the Bharat Bhavan will function as a comprehensive training facility for party workers, providing access to information from all corners of the country. It will feature spacious meeting halls, a state-of-the-art digital library, multilingual newspapers, news collation services, and the provision of essential information to party leaders. Further, it will serve as a platform for gathering state-wise and sector-wise data, the chief minister said. The establishment of classrooms and conference halls will facilitate the training of party workers from across the nation, he added. The centre will also provide the necessary accommodation for the trainees to stay. Experienced professionals who have worked in renowned organisations across the country will be appointed to conduct training and research programmes. Retired officers, legal experts, and individuals knowledgeable in the political field will serve as coordinators, trainers, and subject matter experts. Senior BRS leaders, including secretary general K Keshava Rao, ministers P Sabitha Indra Reddy, Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Mohd Mahmood Ali and Ch Malla Reddy, Lok Sabha floor leader Nama Nageswara Rao, and several MPs and MLAs attended the ceremony. TRS HEADQUARTERS LIKELY TO BE SHIFTED Meanwhile, a senior BRS leader, on condition of anonymity, said after the completion of the new building in a year or two, the partys central office is most likely to be shifted there. If it happens, it is going to be the biggest office of any political party in the country, he said. The BRS already has had its party headquarters at Telangana Bhavan at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad for the last 15 years, besides its buildings in all 33 districts. It also established the partys national office in Delhi and state offices in some states. Last month, the state cabinet, which met under the leadership of KCR, decided to allot 11 acres of land to the BRS for setting up of Centre for Excellence and Human Resource Development at Kokapet for 37.53 crore, approximately at the rate of 3.5 crore per acre. After the cabinet decision, Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy described it as a big scam. The present market value of the land at Kokapet is around 50-60 crore per acre. When Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) auctioned government lands in Kokapet last year, each acre fetched 60 crore in the bidding. That way, the land allotted to the BRS is worth around 660 crore, he said. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Bandi Sanjay alleged that the state government had allotted the prime land to the BRS at a throwaway price. This is nothing but blatant misuse of power, he said. He also alleged that the land allotment to the BRS was made within a week of the party applying to the government. The BRS already has a huge party office in Hyderabad. Where is the need for such a massive building again? he asked. Do we have a response to these allegations? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A court in Varanasi on Monday awarded life imprisonment to gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari in the 1991 Awadhesh Rai murder case. Awadhesh Rai, the brother of Congress leader Ajay Rai, was shot dead on August 3, 1991, at the gate of his Lahurabir residence. A case in the matter was registered against Mukhtar Ansari and others. Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari.(PTI file) "Mukhtar has been convicted and awarded life imprisonment in the Awadhesh Rai murder case of 1991," a lawyer told reporters outside the Varanasi court. Reacting to the development, Ajay Rai said, "This is the end of our many years of waiting. I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter and the whole family kept patience... Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself. "But we did not give up. Because of our lawyers' efforts, today the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother," Rai added. Lawyers said that around 1 am on August 3, 1991, Congress leader Ajay Rai and his brother were standing at the gate of their house in Varanasi when some assailants, including Ansari, came there in a car and shot Awadhesh. Ajay Rai fired from his licensed pistol in retaliation, following which the assailants fled, leaving the car behind, they said. Awadhesh was rushed to a hospital in Kabirchaura, where doctors declared him dead. Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat, did not contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election and the seat was won by his son Abbas Ansari on a ticket from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, which had tied up with the Samajwadi Party. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As the ruling BJP and the opposition continued to trade barbs over the triple train collision in Odishas Balasore, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote a scathing letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter highlighted 10 points that urged the government to bring out the real reason behind the accident. He alleged that the empty safety claims of railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were now exposed. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.(ANI) The Rajya Sabha MP slammed Vaishnaw for involving CBI, which he claimed lacked the technical expertise in railway safety, signalling, and maintenance practices, to probe a train accident. "The CBI is meant to investigate crimes, not railway accidents. The CBI, or any other law enforcement agency, cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures," he argued. Kharge compared the incident to 2016 when the then railways minister asked the National Investigation Agency to investigate the derailment of a train in Kanpur in which 150 people were killed. The nation is still in the dark who is responsible for 150 avoidable deaths? he asked. The Congress leader also pointed out that nearly 3 lakh posts were lying vacant in Indian Railways. Vacant posts pose a threat to the assured jobs of people who belong to SC / ST / OBC and EWS, he stated. Kharge wondered how the railway ministry ignored a letter written by the principal chief operations manager of South Western Railway in February highlighting signal failure with the Sampark Kranti Express. He cited the Parliamentary Standing Committee's 323rd report which criticised the railways for the disregard shown by the railway board towards the recommendations of the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS). Referring to last years audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) which found that nearly three in four consequential train accidents between 2017-18 and 2020-21 were caused by derailments, Kharge asked why these grave red flags were disregarded. In the four-page letter, the former railways minister also demanded to know the reason for merging the Budget for Indian Railways with the Union Budget in 2017-18 and asked, Has this not adversely affected the autonomy and decision-making capacity of Indian Railways? Kharge alleged that the railways were being given step-motherly treatment and consistently flawed decision-making has made train travel unsafe. The former leader of opposition in RS also asserted that the Odisha crash was an eye-opener and that there is serious concern among passengers about the deterioration in safety. He concluded by noting that priority should be accorded to installation of mandatory safety standards and equipment across railway routes. The crash involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, which were carrying around 2,500 passengers, and a goods train on Friday has left 275 people dead and over 1,100 injured. (With inputs from PTI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A day after railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Friday night's horrifying train accident in Odisha in which 275 people died and 1,100 were injured, government sources on Monday said there was deliberate interference in the system and that information came to the fore during the initial investigation by a professional agency, news agency PTI reported. NDRF personnel during a rescue operation after three trains collided with each other resulting in a major accident in Odisha's Balasore district on Saturday. (Photo by Arabinda Mahapatra) The reactions came even as the Opposition, including the Congress on Monday accused the BJP-led Centre of playing with the lives of railway passengers by not focussing on their safety and security and hit out at the railways for seeking a CBI probe. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the probe agency cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures, a day after the railways sought a CBI probe into the tragedy. Reacting to questions on the need for a CBI probe when the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) was already probing the incident, an official told PTI that the preliminary inquiry revealed the need for a more thorough investigation. Lot of information has come during the course of the investigation. Various kinds of information have been made available which required a professional investigative agency, PTI quoted the official as saying. 'Initial findings entail inquiry by professional agency' The accident in which a speeding Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train on the loop line instead of travelling on the main line indicated issues with the electronic interlocking system which changed the route of the train and led to the collision. "Unless there is deliberate interference in the system, it is impossible that a route set for the main line is switched to the loop line," he said. Railway officials have indicated that possible "sabotage" and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the accident. Root cause identified: Vaishnaw Vaishnaw on Sunday claimed that the root cause of the accident and the "criminals" responsible for it have been identified. "The setting of the point machine was changed. How and why it was done will be revealed in the probe report," he said. "The root cause of the horrifying incident has been identified... I do not want to go into details. Let the report come out. I will just say that the root cause and the people responsible for the criminal act have been identified," he added. Railway officials, news agency PTI reported, also indicated that possible "sabotage" and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the Friday accident. CBI all set to take over the probe The CBI is all set to take over the investigation in the Balasore train accident. In accordance with the procedure, the central agency will take over the Balasore GRP case number 64 registered by Odisha Police on June 3, a day after the accident in Odisha involving two passengers trains and a goods train. The case was registered under IPC sections 337, 338, 304A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention) and sections 153 (unlawful and negligent action endangering lives of Railway passengers ), 154 and 175 (endangering lives) of the Railways Act. It is likely to be allotted to Special Crime Unit at the Delhi headquarters. According to the procedure, the CBI re-registers the local police FIR as its own case and starts the probe. It can add or remove a charge from the FIR in its charge sheet filed after the completion of its probe. (With inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aniruddha Dhar Have 11 years' experience in print and digital media. Write on politics, defence and world affairs, and have a keen eye for human-interest stories. ...view detail On Monday morning, Rajkumari Paswan walked gingerly from one room of the Balasore district headquarters hospital to the other. She first scanned the surgery ward; then orthopaedics; then back to surgery. A day before, Paswan had made the trip from her home in Champaran, along with two sisters and a brother-in-law, with a single minded focus. They wanted to find Rajkumaris younger brother Amarjit, one of the occupants of the ill fated Coromandel Express that was involved in one of Indias worst train accidents in three decades years on Friday, among the injured. But even three days after the accident that left 275 dead and over 1,100 injured, Rajeshwaris struggle to locate her brother is emblematic of a growing challenge; reuniting those injured, particularly critically, with their families, and identifying bodies of the dead. Hospital staff carry a victim's coffin who died in the Odisha train accident. (AFP) Also read: Odisha train accident: 48 hours later, Assam man found alive under rubble At a railway accident help desk on Monday afternoon, a volunteer attempted to guide Rajkumari to other hospitals in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. An exhausted Paswan said, I never thought that I would have to travel to a hospital to search for my brother. I feel hopeless. Immediately after the collision between the trains that took place a little before 7 pm on Friday, the bodies of the dead were first piled up at the Bahanaga primary school because of its proximity to the accident site. By Saturday however, with morgues overflowing, and summer causing quick decomposition, bodies were first shifted to an air conditioned hall in Balasore. On Sunday night, 120 of these bodies were sent to AIIMS Bhubaneswar through 60 special ambulances. In the same way, many of the injured were first treated close to the accident site, either at primary health centres near Bahanaga, or in Balasore. Since then, they have been referred to various hospitals such as SCB Medical College and Hospital of Cuttack, and some private hospitals. Like Rajkumari Paswan, Baisakhi Dhar from Bankura of Bengal has also spent the last two days in the desperate search for her husband, Nikhil Dhar, who works for the CRPF. When she reached the accident spot on Saturday morning, and identified herself, she was given his luggage and mobile phone by the local police. She searched first in the pile of bodies at the Bahanaga high school, travelled to the Balasore district hospital as instructed, and has now been asked to hunt for the body in hospitals in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. In her hand, all through the search, has been Nikhil Dhars CRPF cap, which she found at the site. It has been more than three days, but still there is no news about my husband. What do I do? asked Dhar. Close to Dhar, Biplab Pal of Purulia was distraught as well. For two days he has searched for the body of his 10-year-old nephew, who was traveling on the Yesvantpur Howrah Express with his sister, Chanchal Pal. On Sunday, he found Chanchal being treated at the Balasore Hospital, but his little nephew was not next to her. On Monday, he left for AIIMS Bhubaneswar to search for his remains at the mortuary there. Odisha chief secretary Pradeep Jena said the government was making progress, with 170 of the 275 bodies identified, a number that was 88 on Sunday evening. The Odisha government will send the bodies to their respective destinations at its own expense. Besides, we will send the death certificate to the family members of the deceased at the earliest. People from across the country can call the two toll-free numbers 1800-3450061/1929 to get necessary information about the deceased and injured persons undergoing treatment at hospitals in the state, said Jena. Also read: Odisha train accident sheds light on plight of labourers leaving home for work Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the governments focus through the day has been to reach out to families of passengers. In Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, wherever we have information, railway officials are trying to reach the kin. I appeal to families from across the country that for whatever you need, contact numbers have been given. They should be used and we must move forward, Vaishnaw said. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that when he was the railway minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, he promptly tendered his resignation when an accident occurred in West Bengal's Gaisal. However, he expressed uncertainty about whether the current railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw should follow suit and resign in the wake of the disastrous triple train accident in Odisha, which tragically claimed the lives of at least 288 people. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar addresses a press conference.(Pappi Sharma) Also read | Odisha train crash: Audit report last year flagged multiple shortcomings. 10 points A train accident took place in West Bengal when I was the railway minister. I immediately asked the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee to accept my resignation. Earlier the Railway budget was presented separately but this new government has abolished the separate Railway budget... I will not comment if Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw should resign or not, Bihar CM said. Oppositions seek railway minister's resignation Kumar's remark came after Opposition parties, including Congress, called for the immediate resignation of Vaishnaw, while also criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The grand old party asserts that the Prime Minister should acknowledge his share of responsibility for perpetuating an illusion of normalcy, despite the deteriorating condition of Indian Railways infrastructure, which has been ignored and neglected. Read | No accountability even after 270+ deaths: Rahul Gandhi on Odisha train mishap West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee termed the horrific train accident in Odisha the biggest of the century and has called for an investigation into the absence of an anti-collision system on the trains, which could have prevented the disaster. BJP on railway minister's resignation demands Hitting back Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell head Amit Malviya urged opposition parties not to politicise the incident, and said the track record of the Congress-led UPA government's railway ministers was nothing short of a disaster. Malviya said: "Stop politicising the unfortunate Balasore tragedy because track record of railway ministers, under the UPA, to put it mildly, was nothing short of disaster. Let us focus on relief and rescue operation and putting life and rail back on track, at the earliest." Odisha triple- train accident At least 288 people have been killed and over 1000 were injured in a horrific three-train collision. The crash involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Posters threatening Muslim traders to shut shops by June 15 surfaced in Uttarakhands Uttarkashi town on Monday, amid ongoing tensions over an alleged abduction attempt on a 14-year-old girl by two men, including one from the minority community, last month, police said. The posters surfaced two days after members of right wing outfits held protests in Barkot (HT) Both the men Ubed Khan (24), a local shopkeeper, and Jitender Saini (23), a motorcycle mechanic were arrested on May 27 for the alleged abduction attempt. Local residents alleged it was a case of love jihad a term used by right-wing groups to describe an alleged conspiracy by Muslim men to woo and seduce Hindu women, although courts and the Union government do not officially recognise it. The posters, in Uttarkashis Purola main market, asked Muslim traders to vacate their shops before a mahapanchayat on June 15. Love jihadiyon ko suchit kia jata hai ki dinak June 15, 2023 ko hone wali mahapanchayat hone se purv apni dukanein khali kar de. Yadi tumhae dwara aisa nahi kia jata, toh wakt par nirbhar karega (Love jihadists are informed that they should vacate the shops prior to a mahapanchayat on June 15. If they dont, it (consequences) will depend on time), the poster, which calls for Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan (campaign for protection of land) said. The posters surfaced two days after members of right wing outfits held protests in Barkot and reportedly attacked shops and houses belonging to Muslims. Police said efforts are on to identify those behind the violence. Police also said the posters were removed on Monday itself and a probe is underway to identify the people who pasted them. We have removed these posters andare identifying the anti-social elements who pasted them, Uttarkashi superintendent of police (SP) Arpan Yaduvanshi said. According to people aware of the matter, the Purola main market roughly consists of 650-700 shops and of these, around 30-40 are run by the Muslims. A local Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader said the posters were pasted by local residents. These posters were put up by local residents who want people from a particular community to leave the town to ensure peace and communal harmony. They came here on the pretext of doing business but are targeting girls and women from our community, VHP leader Virender Rana said. The ongoing tension has prompted Muslims to keep their shops shut and, in some cases, even flee the district. We are living in constant fear and cannot return to Purola in such an atmosphere. If they want us to leave the hills, authorities should compensate us for the property owned by us, Saleem (35), who runs a garment shop in Purola and has fled to his brothers house in Dehradun in the wake of the tension, said. Another 40-year-old Muslim shopkeeper in the market, who did not wish to be identified, said: We condemn the abduction bid and demand strict action against the culprits. We dont support people who indulge in criminal and illegal activities. On Monday, a few Muslim families handed over a memorandum to Purolo sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), highlighting the financial crisis they are facing and seeking security to reopen businesses. The memorandum, seen by HT, also said the administration will be held responsible if anything untoward happens to the Muslims. The law and order situation is under control. We are keeping an eye on developments to ensure peace and harmony in the town, SDM Devanand Sharma said. Tension gripped Uttarkashi on May 26 when the two men allegedly attempted to abduct the minor. Police said the accused had fled after their abduction bid failed and were arrested the next day from Hudoli village. On May 29, a protest march in Purola turned violent after some of the agitators attacked shops and establishments belonging to the Muslims. A similar protest was held on Saturday, under the banner of Yamuna Ghati Hindu Jagriti Sangathan. Nearly 900 people took part in the stir. The protesters also handed over a memorandum to the SDM, seeking verification of people coming from outside for doing business in the town. In the garb of doing businesses in the town, some people from a particular community have been indulging in immoral activities thereby, polluting the atmosphere, the memorandum in Hindi, seen by HT, said. Several shops run by the Muslims have remained shut since May 29. A verification drive of all Muslim traders and shopkeepers should be conducted. Those who are delinquent types shouldnt be allowed to stay in the town. Others can operate freely, Brij Mohan Chauhan, president, Purola vyapar mandal, said. Durgeshwar Lal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Purola, said he will discuss the matter with chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Rahul Gandhi, who is currently on a six-day tour of the US spanning across three cities, received mixed reactions from the audience, ahead of his address to the Indian-American diaspora in New York. A video showed a group of Khalistan extremists chanting go back slogans for the Congress leaders while other attendees, including children, displayed their enthusiasm by holding the Tricolour and eagerly awaiting Rahul's arrival. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi speaks at an event, in Washington.(PTI) During an interaction with the press, an individual stood beside a poster featuring Congress leader and expressed admiration for Rahul's remarkable 145-day journey on foot from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. He praised his efforts, stating that he is making positive contributions to the nation. Also read | Why this Indian-American startup CEO called Rahul Gandhi a living Buddha In his latest address, the disqualified Lok Sabha MP continued his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that the BJP and RSS are incapable of looking at the future and can only talk about the past. At the gathering of the Indian diaspora in the Javits Centre in New York, Gandhi had said, He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is trying to drive the carthe Indian car and he looks in the rear-view mirror. Then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And its the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS. All of them. You listen to the ministers, you listen to the Prime Minister. You will never find them talking about the future. They only talk about the past. Gandhi also called for Indians in the US and back home to stand up for democracy and the Indian constitution. Modern India cannot exist without our constitution and our democracy, he said Sunday night. He also urged a stronger partnership between India and the U.S. to offset China's influence. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As condolences poured in from global leaders on the Odisha three-way train accident, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday that the immense support showed how connected the world was with India. Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar attends a press conference as BRICS foreign ministers meet in Cape Town, South Africa, (REUTERS) "A lot of leaders from all over the world and the foreign minister from here [Namibia] also expressed solidarity and sent sympathy," Jaishankar said while addressing the Indian diaspora in Namibia. Jaishankar added that many foreign ministers and friends from around the globe had sent messages to him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signalling India's importance in a globalised world. "A tragedy happened in India and the world decided to stand with India," the EAM further said. Jaishankar had earlier expressed grief over the mishap, "I am physically here but the heart is in India. Our prayers today are for it." The accident on Friday evening that claimed nearly 300 lives involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in the Balasore district. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said the triple train collision occurred due to a "change in electronic interlocking". The EAM reached the capital Windhoek on Sunday to enhance bilateral relations with Namibia. He was received by the deputy minister of international relations and cooperation, Jenelly Matundu. "Arrived in Windhoek. Thank the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu for receiving me so warmly. Look forward to a productive visit that takes our time-tested ties forward," he tweeted then. Jaishankar is set to meet other ministers in the Namibian government and co-chairing the inaugural session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian deputy PM and foreign minister. He arrived in Namibia after attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. (With inputs from ANI) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ritu Maria Johny Multimedia journalist with Hindustan Times. Covers India, world, business and tech news with a keen eye for human-interest stories rooted in gender and culture. ...view detail HYDERABAD: Seven people were killed and 20 others injured when a tractor on which they were travelling overturned and plunged into a canal in Andhra Pradeshs Guntur district on Monday , police said. The Guntur Police said a group of 40 people were travelling on a tractor when the accident took place (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The incident took place at Vatticherukur village when a group of 40 people were travelling from Kondepadu village of Prathipadu block to Jupudi village of Chebrolu block on a tractor to attend a family function, Guntur (urban) superintendent of police K Arif Hafeez told reporters. Preliminary investigations revealed that the tractor, which was apparently travelling at a high speed, lost control and overturned on the bund of the irrigation canal and plunged into the water. While three persons died on the spot, four others succumbed while being shifted to the Guntur general hospital. Another 20 persons sustained injuries, some of them seriously, the police officer said. Police identified the deceased as Mikkli Nagamma, Mamidi Jhansi Rani, Katta Nirmala, Garikapudi Mariamma, Garikapudi Ratnakumari, Garikapudi Suhasini and Salomi. Senior police officers and district collector M Venugopal Reddy visited the spot. State irrigation minister Ambati Rambabu went to Guntur hospital to meet the injured. Hafeez said the Guntur police have registered a case and are investigating. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A team of forest officials, who have been tracking the movement of the wild tusker Arikomban, located the elephant and tranquilised it early on Monday. A team of 4 veterinary doctors have been monitoring the movement of the elephant and its health since the last few days. (HT Photo)(HT_PRINT) Currently, efforts are on to translocate the tusker to a suitable habitat, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Tamil Nadu, Supriya Saha said on Monday. Also Read | Mission Arikomban unsuccessful on day one as jumbo remains elusive: Official The wild tusker, known for its love for rice and ration shop raids in Kerala, which was moving in the Cumbum forest range was tranquilised early on Monday. A team of 4 veterinary doctors have been monitoring the movement of the elephant and its health since the last few days. Four teams of forest frontline personnel led by the Field Director, Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) along with Deputy Director, Megamalai Division, Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) and the District Forest Officer, Theni, were monitoring the movement of the elephant. "Arikomban the wild tusker was safely tranquilised in early hours today in Cumbum East Range by a team of Forest Veterinary Surgeons and Forest Department officials," Sahu said. Also Read | Elephant family enjoys a bath during summer heat. Watch "The elephant is being translocated to a suitable habitat where the Tamil Nadu Forest Department will continue to monitor him #TNForest," she tweeted posting photos of the operation. "Arikomban translocated by the Kerala Forest department in the Periyar Tiger Reserve on April 29, entered the Tamil Nadu forest area on April 30. The Additional Chief Secretary had recently visited Theni district and held discussions with the senior officials and Theni Collector R V Shajeevana on the preparedness of the field team. In less than two months, a 35-year-old elephant nicknamed Arikomban was tranqualised and captured for the second time on Monday. He was first capture in Kerala and in Tamil Nadus Theni district for the second time. Forest officials transporting 'Arikomban' the wild elephant, at Idukki district in Kerala on April 29, 2023. (AFP) He will be let deep into the forests of the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (in Tirunelveli district), said a senior official not wishing to be named. He will be left more than 150 km into the forest so no one can have access to him. While a team of officers from the Tamil Nadu forest department will be monitoring him round the clock, they are not sure if this is a temporary arrangement. Only a few top officials of the government are aware if he would be shifted and if so, where, given the interest around Arikomban. For safety reasons, this information is shared with a few officials, another official said. While he has to be kept far away from human habitat, we also do not want to disclose locations which could encourage people to come and want to see the elephant. There is a lot of interest in this case. The rice-loving elephant had strayed into human habitats and ration shops, created a chaos that earned him the nickname Arikomban ( ari stands for rice and komban for male elephant, in Malayalam). A 56-year-old man had died in Theni on May 30, after being trampled on by the elephant, while in neighbouring Kerala, in the past two years, Arikomban, has reportedly killed eight people and destroyed many houses and shops. When Arikomban was darted in the early hours of Monday, a large crowd gathered along the road route and cheered, while he was being transported on a truck. For a month, the elephant has instilled fear among the locals and section 144 was imposed by the district authority. Arikomban strayed into the Tamil Nadu forest area on April 30. He had been translocated by the Kerala Forest department to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (in Kerala) on April 29 following an order by the Kerala high court. In the neighbouring state, locals of several villages had protested for their safety. It is a life and death situation for us, P Rejimon, a farmer in Kerala, who had a miraculous escape from Arikomban, had told HT in April. Meanwhile, animal rights groups had also intervened, which led the court to strike down Kerala forest departments plan to train Arikomban into a kumki elephant. Kumki elephants are elephants that are trained to tame and capture wild elephants. Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin assured that the elephant will be captured. The state had earlier issued a solatium for a lone death and the damage of an auto, for which, Arikomaban was held responsible. After days of searching, in the wee hours of Monday a team of forest veterinary surgeons darted the elephant when they found him moving in Chinnaobulapuram village, near Cumbum in Theni. Arikomban the wild tusker was safely tranquilised in early hours today in Cumbum East Range by a team of forest veterinary surgeons and forest department officials, additional chief secretary of the Tamil Nadu forest department, Supriya Sahu, tweeted. The elephant is being translocated to a suitable habitat, where the Tamil Nadu Forest Department will continue to monitor him. Animal rights activist and secretary of Coimbatore-based NGO Arulagam, S Bharathidasan says that it is disheartening that the fate of wild tuskers such as Arikomban can either be to be made a kumki elephant through rigorous training or be kept isolated. Is that the only choice? How can people oppose the elephant to be let back into the forest? questions Bharathidasan. To satisfy the people, the state has also given in as a temporary arrangement. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Planning a wedding is an exhilarating experience that allows couples to bring their unique love story to life. Weddings have evolved over the years, and modern couples are increasingly seeking unique and stylish ways to celebrate their special day. With a plethora of innovative trends and design concepts, modern wedding decor is all about creating an atmosphere that is both sophisticated and personalized. India, with its rich cultural heritage and vibrant traditions, offers a captivating canvas for modern wedding decor. From minimalist chic to avant-garde extravagance, prepare to be enchanted by the limitless possibilities that await in the world of modern wedding design. (Also read: Trend Alert: 9 best theme wedding decor ideas for 2023 ) With sleek lines, bold color palettes, and innovative design elements, modern weddings have become a captivating visual journey that captures the essence of contemporary romance.(Unsplash) Modern Wedding Decor Ideas Sanjeet Das Mohapatra Business Head, Crossroads Venues in Gurugram shared with HT Lifestyle, some of the most captivating modern wedding decor ideas that will leave guests in awe and create lasting memories. 1. Bold and vibrant colours India is known for its vibrant colour palette, and modern Indian weddings embrace this characteristic with a twist. Opt for bold and unconventional colour combinations such as royal blue with blush pink, emerald green with mustard yellow, or deep purple with burnt orange. Introduce these hues through elaborate floral arrangements, colourful draperies, and statement pieces like intricately designed backdrops or canopies. Let the colours set the stage for a festive and visually striking ambience. 2. Luxurious fabrics and textures Incorporate luxurious fabrics and textures to add depth and opulence to your wedding decor. Velvet drapes in jewel tones, silk table linens, and brocade cushions can bring a touch of grandeur to the setting. Consider incorporating elements like intricate embroidery, sequins, or mirror work on table runners, chair covers, or backdrops to showcase rich Indian craftsmanship. Play with a mix of textures to create a multi-dimensional visual experience. 3. Floral extravaganza Flowers play a significant role in Indian weddings, and modern decor ideas take it a step further. Instead of traditional floral arrangements, consider incorporating larger-than-life floral installations, cascading blooms, and suspended floral chandeliers. Experiment with exotic flowers like orchids, hydrangeas, and bird-of-paradise, combined with local blooms to create a stunning fusion of traditional and contemporary floral arrangements. Add fragrant elements like jasmine garlands or rose petals to infuse the air with an enchanting aroma. 4. Ambient lighting Lighting sets the mood for any wedding celebration, and in modern Indian weddings, it plays a crucial role. Create a captivating ambience with a combination of soft, warm lighting and dramatic spotlighting. Incorporate fairy lights, chandeliers, and lanterns to add a touch of magic. Experiment with LED lights in various colours to create dynamic and ever-changing lighting effects. Utilize candles in ornate candle holders or traditional diyas (oil lamps) for a romantic and traditional touch. 5. Fusion of traditional and contemporary elements Modern Indian weddings often feature a harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary elements. Consider incorporating traditional motifs and patterns in unconventional ways, such as on modern backdrops, table runners, or stationery. Mix traditional Indian furniture with contemporary pieces for a unique seating arrangement. Incorporate traditional elements like rangoli (colourful floor art), ornate wedding umbrellas, or intricately carved wooden structures to add a touch of authenticity. Sustainable practices, such as the usage of locally procured mehndi. Hand-block printed fabrics from local artisans, Flowers that are grown in the vicinity. We basically support local produce and create magic by rightly mixing and matching to create the magic. Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter In 1971, two years before his death, Pablo Picasso created the painting "Buste de femme." Art historians have identified the woman in the painting as Picasso's second wife, Jacqueline Roque. That painting is now up for auction in Cologne the first time in decades that a Picasso painting is being auctioned in Germany. Pablo Picasso's 'Buste de femme' from 1971(Federico Gambarini/dpa/picture alliance) Picasso and Roque met in 1953, and Roque, who was born in France in 1927, was more than forty years younger than the Spanish-born artist Picasso. They married following the death of the painter's first wife, Olga Khokhlova. Picasso depicted Roque, with her thick dark hair and classically Mediterranean facial features, more often any of his numerous mistresses or his other wife. None of her predecessors devoted their lives as fully to Picassoas Roque did. She moved back to France in 1954 and was at his side almost constantly until his death on April 8, 1973, which left her utterly bereft. Emaciated and severely depressed, she took her own life 13 years later. Roque had worshipped Picasso and called him her "sun." At the time of her suicide, Roque was 59 years old. 'Buste de Femmes' from Roque's estate The painting of Roque is originally from her estate and will be auctioned on June 5 by the Cologne auction house Van Ham on behalf of a German private collector. It's expected to fetch between 1.5 to 2.4 million ($1.6 to 2.6 million), a bargain compared to the record-breaking $179.4 million dollars (some 160 million euros) paid for Picasso's "The Women of Algiers." But thats in part because the artist's later works are in general less valued on the art market. The auction house launched a PR campaign to try to drive up the price of "Buste de Femme," displaying the work in Berlin, Munich and Hamburg before the auction. According to Van Ham, this is the first time in nearly 25 years that a major work by Picasso has gone on auction in Germany. Picasso used his power 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso's death, and museums around the world are paying tribute with exhibitions. But the celebrations have also increasingly focused on the Spanish-born artist's relationships with his wives and mistresses. Only now in the wake of the #MeToo movement and a new wave of self-assertion among women is new focus being paid to the ways in which Picasso exploited his power and influence with women. The artist himself made no secret of that: he once said he divided women into goddesses and doormats, and almost all of the women in his life underwent this shift at some point. But now, on the occasion of the anniversary year, book publications and exhibitions are drawing attention to it as well. As a result, some art connoisseurs are starting to see Picasso being pulled off his pedestal. This article was originally written in German. Karisma Kapoor's sartorial palette has always inclined towards a comfort-first aesthetic. The star has established herself as a style icon with her unforgettable fashion moments over the years. However, it is Karisma's off-duty wardrobe that has enamoured us. From dresses in bold prints or shades to colour blocking in stylish co-ords, her sartorial line-up of fail-safe dresses is one to take note of - including her latest outing in a hot pink-coloured midi ensemble that she paired with a pair of sneakers. Karisma Kapoor's hot pink midi dress is a must-have date-night look. (Instagram/@varinderchawla) Karisma Kapoor shows how to nail the cool girl aesthetic Karisma Kapoor stepped out in Mumbai yesterday to attend an event. The paparazzi clicked Karisma at the occasion and shared her pictures on social media. The paparazzi photos show the star dressed in a hot pink midi dress perfect for the hot summer days. It is a must-have date-night look to nail the cool girl aesthetic. Karisma styled the ensemble with minimal accessories and makeup pics. Scroll ahead to steal some styling tips from the star, and check out her pictures. Karisma's hot pink-coloured dress comes adorned with contrast white stitching. The wide collared neckline, button closures on the torso, patch pockets on the front, pleated design on the skirt, full-length sleeves, a cinched waist, and a midi hem length rounded the design elements of her ensemble. Karisma accessorised the dress with white lace-up sneakers, embellished hoop earrings, and statement rings. Lastly, she chose a centre-parted messy ponytail, fuchsia pink lip shade, feathered brows, sleek eyeliner, kohl-lined eyes, mascara on the lashes, subtle eye shadow, rouged cheekbones, a dewy base, and beaming highlighter for the glam picks. On the work front Meanwhile, Karisma's upcoming projects include the film Murder Mubarak. It also stars Sara Ali Khan. Karisma also has the Zee5 web series Brown in which she plays a police officer. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) decision to drop the periodic table from the Class 10 syllabus as part of the rationalisation exercise is being debated hotly. To be sure, the periodic table remains in Class 11 for those who choose to continue further in the science stream. What cannot be debated, however, is why the periodic table is vital to understand what the world around us is made of. PREMIUM The Periodic Table (Wikimedia Commons) The periodic table orders all the elements in neat rows and columns as a guide to their properties and atomic structures. Atomic structure, in fact, explains why the periodic table works, but this was understood much after the table was first constructed. The backstory to the construction is no less fascinating. It is marked by the tireless efforts of scientists in difficult conditions, their failures and insightful predictions, and refinements made to the table as scientific knowledge expanded. Why a table was made To get a sense of its significance, it is necessary to first recognise the circumstances under which the periodic table was created in 1869. The number of known elements was growing, and scientists wanted to order them in a meaningful way. But no such order was immediately apparent, with each element coming with its own set of properties. In 1862, a French geologist, Alexandre-Emile Beguyer de Chancourtois, found a pattern. At that time, scientists already knew the mass of an atom of each known element; although the technology did not exist to isolate and weigh the atoms, these atomic masses could be calculated by observing what amounts of one element combined with what amounts of another element to create a certain amount of a compound. De Chancourtois arranged the elements in order of their atomic masses, and noticed a periodicity in their chemical properties. In other words, the properties of one element would repeat themselves in another element after a certain period as one proceeded in order of atomic mass. For example, lithium and sodium, separated by 16 places in the order of atomic masses, were chemically similar in many respects; both metals are highly reactive, and both release hydrogen gas when they react with water. The two elements could thus be placed in the same vertical column; so could potassium further down the list. Such columns made for a more orderly arrangement than a single row, which would have gone on forever. In 1864, the British chemist John Newlands made the same observations. The real periodic table, however, was yet to come. The genius of Mendeleev In 1869, the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev, along with the German chemist Lothar Meyer, proposed a tabulation of the elements which was different from previous arrangements in at least two ways. In a stroke of genius, Mendeleev prioritised an elements properties over its atomic mass. If the situation demanded it, he boldly interchanged the positions of elements. The classic example is of iodine (atomic mass 126.9) and tellurium (127.6). In terms of atomic mass, iodine should have come before tellurium, but Mendeleev chose to swap them, placing each one in a column that already had other elements with similar properties. Thus, tellurium went below selenium in one column, and iodine below bromine in the next column. Because selenium was already placed before bromine, this arrangement effectively brought the heavier tellurium before the lighter iodine. The periodic table, therefore, was no longer strictly in the order of atomic mass. In the process, Mendeleev introduced the concept of atomic numbers, assigning these numbers to reflect the position of each element in the periodic table. Mendeleevs other innovation was no less bold. He predicted the existence of elements that had not yet been discovered. According to the positions he had assigned, there should have been elements with certain properties with the atomic numbers 23, 31 and 32. Since no such elements were known, he left those positions blank in the periodic table, confident that these elements must exist. As it turned out, all three elements were discovered during his lifetime gallium (31) in 1875, scandium (23) in 1879, and germanium (32) in 1886. Many more new elements would follow over the next few decades. Filling up the gaps The hunt for new elements coincided with a series of advancements in scientific knowledge. Radioactivity and X-rays, both discovered in the 1890s, led to the detection of a number of elements. The periodic table, which reflected atomic numbers, did not undergo any change as a result of the discovery of the electron. However, the electron finally explained the mystery behind the neat patterns in the periodic table which even Mendeleev did not know of when he introduced the atomic numbers on the basis of chemical properties alone. Two discoveries using radioactivity are now the subject of scientific lore. In 1898, Marie Curie and her husband Pierre found that the radioactivity from pitchblende, a uranium-rich mineral, was so high that the uranium alone could not explain it, implying it had at least one other radioactive element. The events that followed have been written about several times, and are depicted in a simplistic, accessible manner in the film Madame Curie (1943), which has Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon playing the Curies. Using very basic equipment in a shed, they experimented on tonnes of pitchblende and isolated polonium (atomic number 84), followed by radium (atomic number 88). X-rays came into the picture in 1914, when the English physicist Henry Mosley measured the wavelengths of X-rays scattered from different metals. As he went from one element to another higher up the periodic table, the wavelengths decreased successively, at a predictable rate. This knowledge, in turn, allowed scientists to predict elements missing in the periodic table. For example, if elements A and B were next to each other in the periodic table, and produced X-rays whose wavelengths differed by exactly the predicted amount, then they must be in their right places. But if the difference did not match the prediction, then there needed to be one or more elements in between. By comparing the actual difference with the predicted difference, it was also possible to calculate how many elements were missing. The periodic table could thus be refined. Scientists identified a number of empty slots between atomic numbers 1 (hydrogen) to 92 (uranium). One by one, all these slots were filled by 1945, mostly with radioactive elements. But by then, the hunt had already extended to elements beyond uranium at 92. In due course, a number of trans-uranium elements were detected by means of bombardment with particles, which resulted in creating atoms of the next higher element on the periodic table. Today, the periodic table stands at 118 elements, each in its rightful place, and with no gaps in between. Behind the pattern What is it about atomic numbers that dictates the elements properties and, consequently, their positions in the periodic table? At the time Mendeleev had assigned these numbers, no one knew, because the structure of the atom was not yet fully understood. Enlightenment came with the unearthing of the electron (first detected in 1854, described in detail in 1897). Subsequent studies showed that the atomic number of each element was the same as the number of electrons in its atom. Then in 1925, the Austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli showed how electrons are distributed among a number of shells, something dictated by simple mathematical rules. As it turned out, an elements chemical properties depend on the number of electrons in the outermost shell of its atom. The positions in the periodic table were, therefore, dictated by these so-called valence electrons. The mystery had finally been solved. Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook will deliver the keynote address of the iPhone maker's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). During his address which is expected to stretch beyond 150 minutes as per some media reports, Cook is likely to announce several big ticket products and updates. But all eyes are transfixed on the mixed reality headset which could be unveiled at the tech extravaganza. The $3,000 device is a blend of augmented and virtual reality and is considered to be Apple's shot at the metaverse. The launch of mixed reality headset, which according to reports has been named Reality Pro is Apple's answer to Mark Zuckerberg-led Meta's Quest 3 headset which was launched days ago. But what does Cook think about virtual and augmented reality? ALSO READ: Excited for whats to come', Apple CEO Tim Cook tweets ahead of WWDC 2023 In an interview to GQ in April, the tech boss had termed AR/VR as the one which could enhance people's communication and connection. If you think about the technology itself with augmented reality, just to take one side of the AR/VR piece, the idea that you could overlay the physical world with things from the digital world could greatly enhance peoples communication, peoples connection, he had said. Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook interacts with students ahead of WWDC 2023. (Twitter/Tim Cook) The 62-year-old tech boss had said that AR/VR can empower people to achieve things they could not do before. Cook said, We might be able to collaborate on something much easier if we were sitting here brainstorming about it and all of a sudden we could pull up something digitally and both see it and begin to collaborate on it and create with it. Referring to augmented and virtual reality, Cook said that there is an environment which may be better than the real world. He also said that overlaying real world with a digital one could make it a better world. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Twitter is hiring a senior executive from NBCUniversal to join incoming Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino, the network chief tapped last month to improve the social-media companys relations with advertisers. I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter, and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together, Joe Benarroch wrote. Joe Benarroch, executive vice president of communications, global advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, said in a memo to colleagues on Sunday that he was taking on a business operations position at Elon Musks Twitter. I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter, and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together, he wrote. Last month, Musk tapped Yaccarino, NBCUniversals head of global advertising, to take charge of Twitter, which has lurched through a series of crises since his purchase last year. Musk fired or lost about 75% of Twitter employees since his October takeover, including most of those who had deep relationships in sales and partnerships. In a few hours from now (10:30pm IST), Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver a keynote address, marking the beginning of the 2023 edition of the company's annual 5-day Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Apple will host WWDC 2023 at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, from June 5-9 . (Representational Image) Tech enthusiasts waiting for Apple to unveil new products have some more time to kill. If you are among them, Zac Hall from 9 to 5 Mac has prepared a list of iOS 17 and macOS features he hopes the tech giant will announce at its flagship event. iOS 17 For this latest version of the in-house iPhone-powering software, Hall says he would like to see version history in Notes, a feature the Mac already has for documents. Version history takes the user back to a state the document was in hours ago, if needed. He also hopes iOS will get crossfade, as well as the ability to rearrange tiles in the Weather app, along with that to rearrange data sources (for example, shifting the tiles widget options on the Home screen. iPad OS 17 Here, Hall would like the Cook-helmed company to bring the Lock screen customisation from iPhone to iPad, saying it will be a big one if they pull it off. He also appeals for iPad to be made more Mac-like in that there must be an option to position the app Dock on either side, not just bottom. He also wants the Ferrite editing feature, already on iPad, to be brought to Mac. macOS 17 Finally, for macOS 17, Hall wants some love for notifications and widgets. He further hopes for an iOS-like alternative icon support. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR HT News Desk Follow the latest breaking news and developments from India and around the world with Hindustan Times' newsdesk. From politics and policies to the economy and the environment, from local issues to national events and global affairs, we've got you covered. ...view detail People often share stories about their work environment on social media. While some share how their seniors or managers have helped them in challenging times, others post about the toxic environment at their workplace. A Reddit user shared a similar story in a post. Redditor @m_zayd explained how their boss threw out all the chairs at work because they didnt want their employees to sit down during break time, intending to increase productivity. Boss threw out chairs from the office so that they can increase employee productivity.(Reddit/@m_zayd) Owners throw out all the chairs in store because they don't want employees to sit down, read the caption of the post. They further added, Walked into work today to find chairs missing. The chairs up front for customers are still available but all chairs used by employees during downtime and break time have been removed. There's still one chair available in the back of the store but it's for the owner and has this sign attached. Apparently, this is being done to 'increase productivity.' The Redditor also shared a picture of a folded chair with a note that read, Not for employee use. Take a look at the post here: This post was shared just a few hours ago. Since being posted, it has been upvoted 15,000 times. Many have also shared comments on the post. Check out a few reactions below: An individual wrote, "Time to decrease productivity." A second added, "Am I missing something? Why would productivity need to be increased on employee breaks?" "All part of dehumanizing the working class and instituting a disciplinary regime," shared a third. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote global action to protect our planet. It provides a platform for individuals, communities, and organizations to join hands and take positive steps towards environmental sustainability. Initiated by the United Nations in 1973, this significant day has now reached its fiftieth year. Every year, the day adopts a new theme to address pressing environmental challenges. This year, the focus is on finding solutions to plastic pollution, a grave issue that threatens our ecosystems and marine life. World Environment Day 2023: The theme for this year is to beat plastic pollution. (Representational Image: Pixabay/bones64) According to the United Nations, plastic pollution remains a grave challenge, with over 400 million tonnes of plastic produced worldwide annually and less than 10% of it being recycled. Shockingly, an estimated 19-23 million tonnes of plastic find their way into our lakes, rivers, and oceans each year, weighing roughly the same as 2,200 Eiffel Towers combined. As the world comes together to celebrate World Environment Day, Twitter is abuzz with tweets that use the hashtag #WorldEnvironmentDay, so much so that it is trending on Twitter. We have compiled a few of them. Take a look at some of the tweets on World Environment Day below. The United Nations urged people to speak up for a better future this World Environment Day. IFS officer Parveen Kaswan posted a video of people making areca nut plates in a unit installed in a forest village to highlight their actions toward plastic pollution reduction. Environmental activist Licypriya Kangujam urged people to plant a tree for a better future. This Twitter user urged people to be the agents of change and beat the plastic pollution. Another also shared an important message about a sustainable future. An individual tweeted a picture of himself planting a tree on the occasion of World Environment Day. Shahjahanpur Police takes a pledge to keep our mother Earth green and pollution free. In order to mitigate the impacts of global warming, we must aim to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 50% before the year 2030. Without action, air pollution will surpass the safe guidelines by 50% within the next decade. Additionally, plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems will triple by 2040, exacerbating the already critical issue of plastic pollution. How did you plan to celebrate this World Environment Day? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chuck Todd, the esteemed host and moderator of NBC's iconic political show 'Meet the Press,' has announced his departure from the program. Todd, who has been at the helm for nine years, revealed his decision at the end of the June 4th episode, leaving viewers in shock and speculation rife about the circumstances surrounding his exit. Chuck Todd, the esteemed host and moderator of NBC's iconic political show 'Meet the Press,' has announced his departure from the program. Kristen Welker will replace Chuck in the program. Todd's emotional farewell was filled with gratitude for his time on the show, stating, "It's been an amazing nearly decadelong run. I am really proud of what this team and I have built over the last decade." However, he also revealed that he didn't want work to consume his life and wanted to prioritize his family's well-being, explaining, "I'd rather leave a little bit too soon than stay a little bit too long." Replacing Todd as the new host of 'Meet the Press' will be Kristen Welker, the current co-chief White House correspondent for NBC News. Welker, who has worked closely with Todd and has gained extensive experience in political reporting, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and her readiness to take on the role. She tweeted, "I've learned so much from sitting with @chucktodd at the anchor desk and simply experiencing his passion for politics. Humbled and grateful for this new chapter." While the network has announced Welker's transition, Todd's future role at NBC News remains undisclosed, leaving many curious about the circumstances surrounding his departure. Speculation has run rampant, with some suggesting internal conflicts or disagreements with the network's direction. Todd, known for his dedication to political journalism, pushed the boundaries of 'Meet the Press' during his tenure. He expanded the show's reach beyond its traditional Sunday timeslot, introducing the spin-off program "MTP Daily" and venturing into streaming with "Meet the Press Reports" and "Meet the Press NOW." His commitment to providing unbiased reporting and analysis earned him respect among viewers and colleagues alike. In his final remarks, Todd expressed concerns about the current state of affairs, emphasizing the importance of staying true to the principles of journalism. He urged fellow journalists to report on reality and not shy away from the truth, stating, "If you ignore reality, you'll miss the biggest story." Todd's departure from 'Meet the Press' leaves a void in the world of political journalism, as his passion and dedication have made him a trusted voice in the field. Also read | | From Ron DeSantis's Bible signings to Mike Pence's motorcycle rides! Roast and Ride in Iowa revs up Republican race As audiences eagerly anticipate Kristen Welker's takeover in September, the question remains: What will be Chuck Todd's next move? Only time will tell as the veteran journalist transitions into a new role with NBC News. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prince Harry failed to appear at a High Court in London on Monday, with the judge reportedly surprised by his absence and the lawyer appearing for the publishing house terming it as extraordinary. Harry will now give the evidence on Tuesday, becoming the first member of the British royal family in more than a century to testify in court as his battle with the UK press is headed for a showdown with the publisher of the Daily Mirror. Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, leaves the High Court in London, Britain March 28. (REUTERS) This will be Duke of Sussex's first of five pending legal cases centered around British tabloids, reported news agency AP. Prince Harry said in court documents that the royal family had avoided the courts to prevent testifying about matters that might be embarrassing, it added. The backstory It is alleged that some tabloids unlawfully snooped on the prince since childhood in their cutthroat competition for scoops on the royal family. Moreover, the 38-year-old prince has blamed continuous spying by paparazzi for causing the car crash that killed his mother, Princess Diana. He cited harassment and intrusion by the UK press, including allegedly racist articles, as the reason for leaving behind the royal family and shifting to the US with his wife, Meghan, in 2020. The report stated that Prince Harry has cited articles dating back to his 12th birthday, in 1996, when the Mirror published that he was feeling badly about the divorce of his mother and father. Harry thought his friends are betraying him Prince Harry said in court documents that the reports made him go through a tough time as he wondered who he could trust after fearing that friends and close associates were betraying him by leaking information to the newspapers. He has alleged that his circle of friends grew smaller and he suffered huge bouts of depression and paranoia". Relationships fell apart as the women in his life and even their family members were dragged into the chaos. Harry said he discovered later that the source wasn't disloyal friends but aggressive journalists and the private investigators they hired to eavesdrop on voicemails and track him to locations as remote as Argentina and an island off Mozambique. In a campaign stop in Iowa, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis provided his definition of the term "woke" in response to former President Donald Trump's comment that many people struggle to define it. DeSantis characterized it as a form of cultural Marxism and a war on truth. U.S. Republican presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the "Roast and Ride" event hosted by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst while campaigning in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. June 3, 2023.(REUTERS) During an interview with NBC correspondent Dasha Burns, DeSantis explained that wokeness entails placing identity politics ahead of merit and achievement. He argued that this ideology has corrupted institutions and infected society. The governor proudly declared that Florida is the state where "woke goes to die," emphasizing his commitment to fighting against it. DeSantis has incorporated the concept of wokeness into his career and campaign, even introducing the controversial "Stop WOKE Act" in Florida. The law aimed to combat what he labeled as "woke indoctrination" by prohibiting instruction that could make individuals feel personally responsible for historical wrongdoings based on their race, sex, or national origin. However, the law faced legal challenges and portions of it were blocked due to concerns over free speech and vagueness. By defining "woke" as a cultural Marxism and a war on truth, DeSantis aligns himself with conservative critics who view wokeness as undermining American ideals and freedom. Republicans have used the term broadly to encompass progressive ideologies and actions that they believe go against their values. The term "woke" has been at the center of the culture war, with debates surrounding issues like transgender participation in sports. Critics argue that allowing transgender girls and women to compete against biological females creates an unfair advantage. Swimmer Riley Gaines has been a vocal opponent of this practice. DeSantis's remarks come as he positions himself as a top contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. His firm opposition to certain societal changes resonates with dedicated supporters who see it as crucial to preserving traditional values. The ongoing discussion surrounding the term "woke" underscores the diverse perspectives within the Republican Party as it refines its agenda for the forthcoming election cycle. As the discourse regarding wokeness and its consequences evolves, DeSantis's interpretation of the concept showcases his dedication to addressing what he perceives as a societal issue. The impact of his stance on voters and its potential influence on his political trajectory is yet to be fully determined. Jared Kushner, an infamous figure in political circles, had a reputation for his lackadaisical approach to the President's Daily Brief (PDB), an inconsequential report on mundane matters. Despite his disinterest, Kushner's sudden journey to Riyadh caused quite a stir, fueling wild speculations about his alleged wrongdoings and potential brushes with the law. Jared Kushner's casual attitude towards the President's Daily Brief raised eyebrows, but his unexpected trip to Riyadh sparked intense speculation. (Twitter) The voracious reader: Jared Kushner's involvement with classified intelligence reports, such as the President's Daily Brief, garnered attention before his security clearance was revoked. Reports suggest his keen interest in various global affairs, with a notable focus on the evolving political landscape in Saudi Arabia. The ousted crown prince: In June, MBS orchestrated a power shift by ousting his cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef, and positioning himself as the next in line to the Saudi throne. Subsequent President's Daily Briefs contained names of royal family members opposed to MBS's ascent, creating a tumultuous environment within the kingdom. The mysterious meeting: In late October, Kushner made an unannounced trip to Riyadh, catching many off guard. Reports suggest that he engaged in lengthy discussions with MBS, with both princes said to be strategizing into the early hours. While the details of their conversation remain unknown, MBS claimed that Kushner shared the names of disloyal Saudisa claim Kushner denies through his spokesperson. The anti-corruption crackdown: On November 4, just days after Kushner's return, MBS initiated an anti-corruption crackdown, resulting in the arrest of numerous members of the Saudi royal family. Individuals named in the President's Daily Brief were among those detained, with reports of torture and coerced asset transfers emerging from the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh. Questions of authorization: The disclosure of classified information from the President's Daily Brief requires presidential approval. If Kushner did share names with MBS as part of an approved tactic, it would indicate significant U.S. intervention in the internal power dynamics of an allied nation. However, if Kushner acted without proper authorization, he may have violated federal laws governing the sharing of classified intelligence. Unconventional communications: Kushner's unconventional communication methods have also come under scrutiny. Reports suggest that he communicated directly with MBS and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed using the secure messaging app WhatsApp. Concerns have been raised about potential conflicts of interest and the influence foreign officials may exert through Kushner's family real estate business. Qatar blockade and financial interests: Kushner's support for the Saudi and Emirati blockade against Qatar raised suspicions of a conflict of interest. Kushner Companies had previously sought financing from Qatari sources for their troubled flagship property in New York. The timing of events surrounding the blockade has led to questions about whether Kushner's business interests influenced U.S. foreign policy decisions. The complex network of associations among Kushner, MBS, and the Saudi royal family sparks inquiries regarding the satisfactory management of classified information, potential ethical conflicts, and the possibility of disregarding legal boundaries. The consequences of these engagements extend far beyond the realm of diplomacy, underscoring the imperative of openness and responsibility within upper echelons of governance. A lawyer working with former international students from India facing potential deportation from Canada, has argued that the phenomenon of agents in their home country providing fraudulent documentation should be considered organised crime and they should be extradited. Some of the former international students facing potential deportation from Canada at their indefinite protest site in the Greater Toronto Area. (Inder Singh) Toronto-based barrister and solicitor Sumit Sen is representing Karamjit Kaur, who is from the Jalandhar area, before Canadian authorities. He has also consulted with several other students who are mired in the ongoing cases over their original study permits being based on forged documents that has led to many of them facing hearings over their status and at least two receiving removal orders from the Canadian Border Services Agency or CBSA. Sen argued that if Canadas Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser wants to clean up the system and protect its integrity, its not enough to regulate consultants in Canada. What needs to be done is that Canadian colleges have to stop working with overseas agents who are neither licensed nor accountable in Canada, he added. These students, all from Punjab, arrived in Canada between 2017 and 2019, and in rare instances, in 2020. They started receiving notices from the CBSA in 2021, 2022 and this year, for a hearing as the agency concluded the letter of offer of admission to a Canadian higher education institution, which formed the basis of their study permits, was fake. The majority of the affected students were represented by the agent Brijesh Mishra of the Jalandhar-based counselling firm EMSA Education and Migration Services Australia. What these agents have done by providing fake fraudulent letters of acceptance amounts to organized crime, Sen said. He said he has demanded that these agents be brought to Canada under extradition treaty with India, so they can face justice, and, more importantly, for the impacted ex-students, the facts of their cases can be established. Fraser tweeted last month that the Governments focus is on identifying culprits, not penalizing victims. He had also said, Were actively investigating recent reports of fraudulent acceptance letters. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anirudh Bhattacharyya Anirudh Bhattacharya is a Toronto-based commentator on North American issues, and an author. He has also worked as a journalist in New Delhi and New York spanning print, television and digital media. He tweets as @anirudhb. ...view detail Prince Harry and Meghan Markle know how to throw a celebration fit for royalty, but when it comes to their daughter Lilibet's birthday gifts, they had a different idea in mind. While King Charles III was eager to shower his granddaughter with lavish presents, it seems Harry had other plans. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, daughter of Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reacts in Windsor, Britain.(REUTERS) According to an insider, Charles had his aides searching for custom-made cubby houses, reminiscent of the ones Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret had as young girls. He wanted to give Lili something special, something she would cherish forever. It was going to be the ultimate surprise. However, Harry stepped in and reportedly warned his father to tone down the extravagance. The Duke of Sussex wanted a more modest approach to gifting. The source didn't reveal what Charles ended up sending, leaving fans curious about the surprise awaiting young Lilibet. Living in Montecito, California, with her famous parents and older brother Archie, Lilibet celebrated her second birthday in the U.S. The Sussex family bid farewell to their royal lives in 2020, permanently relocating across the pond. Since their departure, tensions between Harry, Meghan, and the royal family have remained high. The couple has been vocal about their grievances, criticizing "The Firm" and sharing their side of the story in interviews, a Netflix docuseries, and an upcoming memoir. Harry's warning to his father likely came during their recent conversations leading up to Charles' coronation ceremony, coincidentally held on Archie's birthday. Despite their differences, it appears Charles' love for his grandchildren remains unwavering. During a private lunch following the coronation ceremony, Charles reportedly honored Archie with a heartfelt tribute. The details of the tribute were not disclosed, leaving fans to imagine the touching gesture from the doting grandfather. Also read | Prince Harry aspired for a normal life before marrying Meghan Markle - Interview As the Sussex family continues to navigate their new lives outside the royal spotlight, the dynamics and exchanges between family members are sure to be closely watched. The question remains: Will Harry and Charles find common ground and mend their strained relationship? Only time will tell. President Joe Biden's recent fall on stage has sparked a heated debate about his fitness to hold office, with Representative Ronny Jackson, a former White House physician, making waves on social media with his scathing remarks. Jackson, who served as physician to the president under both Barack Obama and Donald Trump, expressed concerns about Biden's physical and mental capabilities after the stumble during a graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy. President Joe Biden's recent fall on stage has sparked a heated debate about his fitness to hold office. Despite Biden's quick recovery and reassurances from the White House, Jackson's comments quickly gained traction online. Having transitioned into politics himself and currently representing Texas' 13th Congressional District, Jackson's opinion carries weight within conservative circles. He questioned Biden's ability to fulfill his presidential duties, labeling the incident an embarrassment for the president and the nation, even suggesting it poses a national security risk. In interviews with Newsmax and Fox News, Jackson reiterated his concerns about Biden's health, highlighting what he perceives as physical and cognitive decline. His comments have stirred controversy and reignited the debate over the president's fitness for office, particularly as Biden has announced his intention to seek a second term in the 2024 presidential election. The issue of presidential fitness is not unique to Biden. Former President Donald Trump, who is just four years younger than Biden, also faced scrutiny regarding his age during his time in office and his potential bid for the 2024 Republican nomination. A recent poll revealed that a significant portion of Americans harbor concerns about both candidates' age and ability to serve effectively. It's worth noting that the White House released Biden's health report in February, which affirmed his good physical and mental condition. However, the ongoing discussion surrounding his fitness demonstrates the divisive nature of this topic and the intense scrutiny that accompanies presidential health assessments. Also read | President Biden's historic Oval office addresses crisis averted, debt ceiling raised As the political landscape evolves and the 2024 election approaches, questions about the candidates' physical and mental well-being will likely continue to play a role in public discourse. Whether or not these concerns will impact voters' decisions remains to be seen, but they undoubtedly add an extra layer of complexity to the already contentious world of politics. Ukraine has reportedly established a network of agents and sympathizers within Russia who are carrying out acts of sabotage against Russian targets, according to sources familiar with US intelligence. CNN's exclusive report unveils that Ukraine has even provided these operatives with drones to execute attacks. While the exact origins of the drone attacks in recent days remain uncertain, evidence suggests that Ukraine has formed sabotage cells within Russia, composed of pro-Ukrainian individuals and skilled operatives in warfare tactics. These cells are believed to have received Ukrainian-made drones, with no indications of the involvement of US-provided drones. Sources familiar with US intelligence reveal Ukraine's alleged network of agents and sympathizers inside Russia, executing drone attacks on Russian targets. The Russian-Ukrainian border's vastness and difficulty to control make it conducive to smuggling activities. Ukrainian operatives have reportedly utilized well-established smuggling routes to transport drones or drone components into Russia, where they are then assembled. A European intelligence official noted the importance of cash in facilitating these operations, given the region's challenging conditions and the shared motivation for survival. The individuals responsible for overseeing these activities remain unidentified, leaving uncertainty regarding their true identities. It is believed by US officials that certain factions within Ukraine's intelligence community may be involved. Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has established broad guidelines for intelligence and security services, specific operations do not always necessitate his personal endorsement. The Ukrainian Security Service declined to provide any comments on the enigmatic incidents involving explosions and drone strikes, stating that they will only address them upon achieving their ultimate triumph. Over the past year, there has been a steady increase in fires and explosions targeting various locations in Russia, including oil depots, railways, military offices, and pipelines. Recent weeks have witnessed a surge in attacks, culminating in the drone strike on the Kremlin. US officials familiar with intelligence suggest that these incidents represent the culmination of months of effort by Ukraine to establish the infrastructure for such acts of sabotage. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, has reportedly proposed bold plans for operations against Russia. Publicly, senior US officials have condemned the attacks inside Russia, expressing concerns about a potential escalation of the conflict. However, privately, US and Western officials view these cross-border attacks as a strategic military approach that diverts Russian resources to protect their own territory, allowing Ukraine to prepare for a significant counteroffensive. The UK's Foreign Secretary acknowledged Ukraine's right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia's ability to project force into Ukraine, highlighting that legitimate military targets outside a nation's borders are recognized as part of self-defense. French Vice Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, chief of operations of the Joint Staff, highlighted the importance of the attacks as a means to communicate with both Vladimir Putin and the Russian populace. Vaujour stated that these strikes aim to raise awareness among the Russian public about their potential involvement in the conflict. Additionally, Ukrainian officials have expressed their intention to persist with these attacks within Russia, utilizing them as a diversionary tactic to redirect Russian focus towards internal security matters. A Chinese warship came within 150 yards (137 meters) of a US destroyer in the Taiwan Strait in "an unsafe manner," US military officials said, as China blamed the United States for "deliberately provoking risk" in the region. US and Canadian navies on Saturday were conducting a joint exercise in the strait.(Reuters) Read here: Taiwan plans to keep its nuclear power plants on emergency standby US and Canadian navies on Saturday were conducting a joint exercise in the strait, which separates the island of Taiwan and China, when the Chinese ship cut in front of the US guided-missile destroyer Chung-Hoon forcing it to slow down to avoid a collision, the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement. The People's Republic of China (PRC) has claimed self-ruled Taiwan as its territory since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists. Taiwan's government says the PRC has never ruled the island and US President Joe Biden has said the US would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. China's military rebuked the United States and Canada for "deliberately provoking risk" after the countries' navies staged a rare joint sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait. The US Indo-Pacific Command said the Chung-Hoon and Canada's Montreal were conducting a "routine" transit of the strait when the Chinese ship cut in front of the American vessel. Read here: Defence secy Lloyd Austin warns China against 'coercion and bullying' of US allies The Chinese ship's "closest point of approach was 150 yards and its actions violated the maritime 'Rules of the Road' of safe passage in international waters," the US command said. Video footage broadcast by Canadian website Global News showed the close encounter between the ships. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The maritime encounter was the latest close call between the Chinese and US military. On May 26, a Chinese fighter jet carried out an "unnecessarily aggressive" maneuver near a US military plane over the South China Sea in international airspace, the US Indo-Pacific Command said on Tuesday. The spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, did not comment on the specifics of the jet incident, but said the US had "frequently deployed aircraft and vessels for close-in reconnaissance on China, which poses a serious danger to Chinas national security." White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a pre-recorded interview that aired on CNN on Sunday that the US is seeking to maintain the "stable, cross-strait dynamic" between China and Taiwan and avoid a conflict "that would end up cratering the global economy." Read here: Taiwan donates $5 million towards rebuilding Ukraine with Lithuania The interview for "Fareed Zakaria GPS" on CNN took place on Friday. Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu told Asia's top security summit on Sunday that conflict with the United States would be an "unbearable disaster" but that his country sought dialogue over confrontation. On 4th June, an unauthorized aircraft, identified as a Cessna 560 Citation V, breached the restricted airspace over Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia. As an emergency response, two F-16 jets were dispatched from Joint Base Andrews to intercept the fight. Washington DC, US(Getty images) The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, monitors aerospace control over the United States and Canada. NORAD stated that the NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds. The NORAD aircraft used flares, in an effort to attract attention of the pilot which may have been visible to the public. The deployment of flares is executed with utmost consideration for the safety of both the intercepted aircraft and individuals on the ground. Following the Cessna's deviation into the restricted area, which encompassed prominent national landmarks, the Federal Aviation Administration attempted to establish contact with the pilot but did not obtain a response, as per the officials. The military then issued orders for fighter jets to intercept the aircraft. At approximately 3:20 p.m. Eastern Time, the civilian aircraft was intercepted. Subsequently, the Cessna crashed in the George Washington National Forest, Virginia. Military and U.S. officials have verified that the loud, explosion-like noise which resonated throughout Washington D.C. on Sunday, resulted from the authorized military flight that responded to the intrusion. The Annapolis Office of Emergency Management tweeted, The loud boom that was heard across the DMV area was caused by an authorized DOD flight. This flight caused a sonic boom. Notably, a sonic boom is caused by an object which moves faster than the speed of sound or about 750 miles per hour at sea level. Officials confirmed that the Cessna plane was not deemed a threat, and the investigation will focus on why the pilot was unresponsive to the F.A.A. It was clarified by officials that the Cessna was not shot down. A White House representative asserted that President Biden was briefed on the incident. On Sunday evening, the Virginia State Police confirmed that search operations were in progress near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Staunton, Virginia, to locate the wreckage and its occupants. The Cessna plane was owned by Encore Motors of Melbourne, a company based in Florida. The owner of the company, John Rumpel, aged 75, revealed that his daughter, 2-year-old granddaughter, a nanny, and the pilot were on board the flight. He mentioned that they were on their way back to East Hampton, New York, after a four-day stay at his residence in North Carolina. The status of those aboard is still uncertain. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Senior officials from about two dozen of the world's major intelligence agencies held a secret meeting on the fringes of the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore this weekend, five people told Reuters. Such meetings are organised by the Singapore government and have been discreetly held at a separate venue alongside the security summit for several years. (Representational Image)(Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) Such meetings are organised by the Singapore government and have been discreetly held at a separate venue alongside the security summit for several years, they said. The meetings have not been previously reported. The U.S. was represented by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, the head of her country's intelligence community, while China was among the other countries present, despite the tensions between the two superpowers. Samant Goel, the head of India's overseas intelligence gathering agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, also attended, an Indian source said. "The meeting is an important fixture on the international shadow agenda," said one person with knowledge of the discussions. "Given the range of countries involved, it is not a festival of tradecraft, but rather a way of promoting a deeper understanding of intentions and bottom lines. Also Read | UAE spy chiefs firm buys into TikTok parent ByteDance "There is an unspoken code among intelligence services that they can talk when more formal and open diplomacy is harder - it is a very important factor during times of tension, and the Singapore event helps promote that." All five sources who discussed the meetings declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. A spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Defence said that while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, "participants including senior officials from intelligence agencies also take the opportunity to meet their counterparts." "The Singapore Ministry of Defence may facilitate some of these bilateral or multilateral meetings," the spokesperson said. "Participants have found such meetings held on the sidelines of the (dialogue) beneficial." The U.S. Embassy in Singapore said it had no information on the meeting. The Chinese and Indian governments did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operate what is called the Five Eyes network to gather and share a broad range of intelligence, and their intelligence officials meet frequently. Larger meetings of the intelligence community are rarer, and almost never publicised. Although few details were available on the specific discussions in Singapore, Russia's war in Ukraine and transnational crime figured in the talks on Friday, the person with knowledge of the discussions added. On Thursday evening, the intelligence chiefs held an informal gathering. No Russian representative was present, one of the sources said. Ukraine's deputy defence minister, Volodymr V. Havrylov, was at the Shangri-La Dialogue but said he did not attend the intelligence meeting. Another of the sources said the tone at the meeting was collaborative and cooperative, and not confrontational. At the main security dialogue, more than 600 delegates from 49 countries held three days of plenary sessions, as well as closed-door bilateral and multilateral meetings at the sprawling Shangri-La Hotel. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave the keynote address while U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu and counterparts from Britain, Japan, Canada, Indonesia and South Korea also spoke. Haines was among the official U.S. delegates to the Shangri-La Dialogue. At a discussion on cybersecurity in the main meeting, she said in response to a question from a Chinese military officer that cooperation between countries was essential. "It is absolutely critical, even when there is distrust, and even when you are facing in effect adversaries, that you still try to work through and cooperate on issues of mutual interest and also try to manage the potential for escalation," she said. U.S. officials said on Friday that CIA Director William Burns visited China last month for talks with Chinese counterparts as the Biden administration seeks to boost communications with Beijing. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has announced the milestone signing of its first Wyndham hotel in Singapore. The Hotel is set to debut as Peninsula Excelsior Singapore, a Wyndham Hotel during its soft opening in July 2023. Following the completion of a multi-million-dollar refurbishment, the Hotel will be officially launched as the Wyndham Singapore at its grand opening in 2024. With this flagship property, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts maintains its strategic and operational presence in Singapore with the debut of an upscale hospitality brand. Singapore continues to be a key destination in Asia Pacific as travel continues to grow post-pandemic, reinforcing Wyndham's commitment to growth in the region to serve guests and owners alike. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,100 hotels spanning more than 95 countries, has announced the signing of its flagship Wyndham brand in Singapore with the 591-key Peninsula Excelsior Singapore, a Wyndham Hotel. The hotel is slated to celebrate its soft opening in July 2023, and marks Wyndham's commitment to continued growth in the country. The introduction of Peninsula Excelsior Singapore, a Wyndham Hotel, comes at a time when bleisure travel continues to grow across the region, coupled with the recovery of Singapore's growing tourism industry which is expected to reach between 12 to 14 million international visitors and $14 billion. In addition to capitalising on this booming region and standing out as a quality, upscale offering, this flagship hotel reinforces Wyndham's presence in the country and indicates the Company's commitment to expansion in the city state. Looking ahead, Wyndham will double down on its focus to further establish a larger presence with its distinctive, upscale, midscale, lifestyle, and value brands in the country. Peninsula Excelsior Singapore, a Wyndham Hotel, features an impressive range of facilities such as a fitness centre, sauna, two swimming pools, executive lounge for club floor guests and four multi functional rooms to meet the needs of both leisure and corporate travellers. The hotel will benefit from Wyndham's wider distribution systems and connection to approximately 100 million Wyndham Rewards members globally. Additionally, the property will gain access to Wyndham's commercial and operational expertise and unlock potential in revenue growth through Wyndham's extensive network of preferred partnerships, affiliations, and distribution channels across Asia Pacific. Combining the hotel's heritage with the Wyndham brand, the hotel will officially launch as Wyndham Singapore in early 2024 following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. In line with Wyndham's brand promise, guests will be delighted with fresh interpretations of upscale hospitality where they can relax in beautiful lounge areas, recharge in smartly detailed and spacious guest rooms and conduct their business meetings in well-designed meeting spaces complete with top-tier technology. Overlooking Singapore's renowned skyline, the Hotel boasts a view of both the Marina Bay and Singapore River, as well as the tranquil greenery of Fort Canning Hill. As guests step out of the Hotel, they will immediately find themselves in the middle of Singapore's Civic District - the nation's most iconic buildings including Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, Old Parliament House, The Arts House, and the Padang are all within walking distance. The Hotel is also well-connected with transportation options, and it is within walking proximity from City Hall MRT station where guests can travel to different tourist spots in Singapore such as Marina Bay, Chinatown, and Little India easily by rail. The Hotel is also strategically located to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Singapore Grand Prix. Every September, guests will find themselves gripped by racing fervour as Singapore Grand Prix takes place on the famed Marina Bay Street Circuit. The track is within 5-minutes' walk from the Hotel where racing and music enthusiasts can immerse themselves in non-stop action with fans from around the world. The Hotel is just a stone's throw away from major shopping malls such as Funan Mall, Raffles City, Suntec City and more, marking the Hotel as the go-to for guests looking to be part of the annual Great Singapore Sale season. Hotel website ADELON Capital and Twenty8 Group are proud to announce the grand opening of the Hyatt Place Melbourne Airport hotel on June 7. An official ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for June 6 at 2:00 pm. AD1 Management has been designated to operate the new hotel. Conveniently located at the Melbourne International Airport (MLB). The new modern hotel will offer comfort, convenience, and breathtaking views of the MLB runway, making it an ideal choice for travelers, families, shuttle launch enthusiasts and solo travelers looking for easy access to the Melbourne-Orlando metro area. The Hyatt Place Melbourne Airport is the perfect starting point for guests looking to catch some waves along the world-famous beaches just 10 minutes away or explore the delicious restaurants, craft breweries, and world-renowned art galleries in historic downtown Melbourne. The hotel is also central to major government contractors, offering private terminals for business and luxury aviation. The Hyatt Place Melbourne Airport boasts 143 spacious suites, all featuring Hyatt's signature amenities, including the Cozy Corner sofa-sleeper, a separate workspace, and a 55-inch HDTV. Guests can also enjoy the hotel's 24/7 fitness center and soon to open outdoor pool and rooftop bar with stunning views of the airport runway. The first-floor restaurant and bar Placery will be open day 1 of operation and serve free breakfast for guests. AD1 Management operates 28 hotels primarily in Florida and has experience with Hyatt and airport hotels. Hotel website Pradeep Raman will be responsible for opening Corinthia's first US hotel in New York City's Upper East Side, at the former Surrey Hotel currently undergoing a comprehensive transformation. His career history began at the Taj Group in India, where he held various positions in operations and management. He later joined Ritz-Carlton, where he held management positions in several properties in Asia and the United States. Most recently, Raman served as General Manager at the Baccarat Hotel & Residences in New York City. Short-term rental Hosts who host on a range of channels, including Airbnb make up nearly one-quarter of all EU tourist accommodation supply. Hosting is an integral part of the EUs tourism offer and is an economic lifeline for everyday Europeans across the bloc helping Hosts afford rising living costs, and guests access affordable travel options across the EU. The EU is home to over 1.4 million Airbnb Hosts more than any other region in the world and more than 1.1 million of these share just one listing. The typical EU Host earned just under 4,000 in 2022 equivalent to more than two months additional pay for the median EU household. Nearly one in five EU Hosts or someone in their household work in education, healthcare or public administration. More than half self-report as women, over a half are in full or part-time employment and over a quarter are retirees. The European Commission launched its proposal for EU-wide STR rules in November last year, which would give authorities better access to data via a harmonized data sharing framework, providing that local rules are clear and simple for everyday Hosts to follow. As the proposal progresses through the EU institutions, Hosts from across the European Union have expressed their view on how to unlock the benefits of hosting for everyday Europeans, many of whom have been excluded from the benefits of hosting due to fragmented and disproportionate local rules. Im an Airbnb host in a rural region in southwestern Germany. Hosting guests in our homes helps us bring people from all over the world to our small rural area and enables us to keep our villages alive and the local economy and community to survive. What I ask from the European Union is to guarantee that we can keep hosting guests from all over the world through simple and balanced rules for hosts across Europe, so that we can work in equal conditions, support our local communities, and attract people to more rural and lesser-known areas of Germany. Niels Becker Rheinland Pfalz Host Club, Germany All around Europe, people are traveling and using homes in different ways. Short-term rentals help them feel at home wherever they go they can have a home for one day, a week, a month, or two. As a Host, Im asking the EU: please help us make our cities more open and more friendly to these kinds of travelers that want to feel at home in different places across Europe. Please help the short-term rental industry and its short-term rental hosts to make our cities more open, accessible and welcoming to all kinds of tourism. Juanjo Bande Galicia Host Club, Spain We need simple short-term rental rules in Europe to be able to continue to host and welcome guests. Hosting is a source of additional income for a large number of people among us who are retired or are relying on this income for various reasons. Short-term rentals are also part of a collaborative economy and their benefits reach far beyond the touristic ecosystem. Fanny Attia Strasbourg Host Club, France I am not only representing the Host Club in Napoli, but almost 75 host communities and thousands of hosts from all over Italy. We are asking the European Commission for good, simple and precise policies to make hosting safe, responsible and sustainable. Erminio Russomando Napoli Host Club, Italy Together with my family, I run a small-scale bed-and-breakfast in the center of Amsterdam. We predominantly welcome families with children from all over the world into our home, and give them local recommendations to make their stay in Amsterdam more enjoyable. To me, one of the many pleasures of being a host is to see guests have a great time in your city. If I could ask for one thing from the EU lawmakers, it would be to look at the possibilities that small-scale peer-to-peer hosts can offer to cities in terms of more resilient and future-oriented tourism. As short-term rental hosts, we carefully select our guests and help them fit in, and I think this is what makes peer-to-peer hosting such a valuable addition to the touristic ecosystem in Europe. Maarten Bruinsma Independent Host Association Amsterdam Gastvrij, Netherlands If I could ask the European Union for one thing, it would be to help us understand and manage the laws regarding hosting. At the moment, the laws are a bit complicated, it is challenging to understand the legal frameworks of the different departments and authorities involved in the regulatory process, and it requires a lot of coordination to set up a listing and start hosting. I wish there was a toolkit for short-term rentals that we could follow, a step-by-step procedure for how one can set up a listing that is easy to understand for everyone, whether they are 19 or 75 years old. Arpad Rudas Romania Airbnb Host Club Im a host and community leader from Slovenia, and my ask to the EU is to make things simpler, and to help us with the unfair local regulations that local governments and municipalities impose on the local host and guest community. It would be much easier for all hosts if rules and regulations for short-term rentals were uniform across Europe. Miha Skof Slovenia Host Club For more information on Your Airbnb Host Community in the EU check out our new interactive digital map. About Airbnb Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals across over 220 countries and regions. Travel on Airbnb keeps more of the financial benefits of tourism with the people and places that make it happen. Airbnb has generated billions of dollars in earnings for Hosts, most of whom are individuals listing the homes in which they live. Among Hosts who report their gender, more than half are women, and one in five employed Hosts are either teachers or healthcare workers. Travel on Airbnb also has generated more than $4 billion in tax revenue around the world. Airbnb has helped advance more than 1,000 regulatory frameworks for short-term rentals, including in 80% of our top 200 geographies. In late 2020, to support our continued expansion and diversification, we launched the City Portal to provide governments with a one-stop shop that supports data sharing and compliance with local registration rules. We continue to invest in innovations and tools to support our ongoing work with governments around the world to advance travel that best serves communities. About Airbnb.org Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc."s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org"s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows Hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform. Airbnb Press Airbnb Press Office Airbnb MUMBAI - Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), Indias largest hospitality company, ahead of the World Environment Day 2023, reaffirms its commitment to reduce the use of single-use-plastic across its hotels. In line with the vision of IHCLs ESG+ framework of Paathya, we are committed to phase out single-use plastic from all our hotels. From elimination of plastic straws, replacing plastic-wrapped dry amenities with eco-friendly substitutes, introduction of bottling plants to initiating Zero-single use plastic hotels in the country, IHCL has stayed the course on beating plastic pollution. Mr. Gaurav Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President Human Resources, IHCL IHCL, which is credited with the introduction of the countrys first ever Zero Single-Use Plastic Hotel Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans, has taken many strides over the years to beat plastic pollution and focus on environmental sustainability. The company has undertaken the initiative to phase out plastic water bottles from its hotels by replacing them with reusable glass water bottles, bottled with treated water. Earlier in its journey, IHCL hotels eliminated the use of plastic straws and also is replacing the use of plastic wrapping of the dry amenities in the rooms, such as toothbrush, shaving kit etc. with eco-friendly substitutes. IHCL has announced its sustainability commitments for the year 2030 under Paathya, weaving in sustainable and responsible practices in business operations. To know more, please visit: Paathya About The Indian Hotels Company Limited The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj the iconic brand for the most discerning travellers and ranked as the World's Strongest Hotel Brand and India's Strongest Brand as per Brand Finance Hotels 50 Report 2022 and India 100 Report 2022, respectively; SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels; Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels; and Ginger, which is revolutionising the lean luxe segment. Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel - The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 270 hotels including 81 under development globally across 4 continents, 11 countries and in over 100 locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is India's largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is primarily listed on the BSE and NSE. Please visit: www.ihcltata.com; www.tajhotels.com; www.seleqtionshotels.com; www.vivantahotels.com; www.gingerhotels.com Kirti Dhingra IHCL Sonesta International Hotel Corporation (Sonesta) today announced the debut of two soft brands within its expanding portfolio, Classico, A Sonesta Collection (Classico) and MOD, A Sonesta Collection (MOD). These two new brands offer independent hotel owners the opportunity to affiliate with Sonestas network while retaining their own iconic hotel names, identities, designs and established styles. All Classico and MOD hotels will be included on Sonestas website and have access to its extensive distribution channels and services. Classico, positioned in the upper-upscale segment, blends local authenticity with global appeal. Marketed by Sonesta's Luxury and Lifestyle Lodging Development Team, each Classico property will have a distinct identity and offer signature local cuisine, traditional high-touch service and refined interiors. The result is a unique, inviting experience that welcomes guests to immerse themselves in each destination. The first Sonesta Classico brand property is the 40-room Z Ocean Hotel in Miami, Floridas South Beach neighborhood, which opened on May 1, 2023. MOD, positioned within Sonestas upscale portfolio, offers guests flexibility by catering to their unique lifestyle and travel needs. Each MOD hotel will feature eclectic interior designs and amenities, such as curated food and beverage options. The first MOD property will launch as Hotel 11 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With a stunning view of the Rocky Mountains, the hotel provides travelers unparalleled opportunities for outdoor adventure. Sonesta is proud to unveil Classico and MOD, extending our suite of offerings with distinct brands that we believe will appeal to both franchisees and consumers, said Elizabeth Harlow, Sonestas Chief Brand Officer. Classicos upper-upscale identity is a unique alternative to The Royal and The James brands. MODs modern upscale brand allows owners and developers to maintain the qualities that make their hotels unique. As we have strengthened Sonestas franchising capabilities over the past two years, we recognized the opportunity for additional growth through soft branding, said Brian Quinn, Chief Development Officer, Sonesta. The launch of Classico and MOD continue Sonestas growth trajectory and we anticipate great success with continued expansion in the upper-upscale and upscale segments. In September 2021, Sonesta Franchising debuted in the U.S. with a complete platform of franchise services, hotel operations and franchise support. Sonesta Franchising now features 19 industry-leading brands with a wide range of hotel service levels to meet travelers needs. Sonesta Franchising provides franchisees with a range of options across the upper upscale, upscale, upper-midscale, midscale, extended-stay and economy segments. Sonestas continued growth, owner centric approach, market availability and executive accessibility make it a compelling choice for owners and developers. About Sonesta Sonesta is the 8th largest hotel company according to Smith Travel Research (STR) with approximately 1,200 properties totaling 100,000 guest rooms across 19 brands in eight countries. Sonesta owns, manages and/or franchises under The Royal Sonesta; The James; Classico A Sonesta Collection; Sonesta Hotels & Resorts; MOD A Sonesta Collection; Sonesta Select; Sonesta Essential; Sonesta ES (Extended Stay) Suites; Sonesta Simply Suites and Sonesta Cruise Collection operating in Egypt, also; Sonesta Posadas del Inca; Hotel RL; Red Lion Hotels; Red Lion Inn & Suites; Signature Inn; GuestHouse Extended Stay; Knight's Inn; Americas Best Value Inn and Canadas Best Value Inn. For more information about Sonesta and its locations, visit franchise.sonesta.com or email [email protected]. Lorie Juliano Sonesta International Hotels Corporation +1 617 421 5429 Sonesta Beyond the dual core components of exhibits and education at the 2023 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), attendees will have multiple opportunities for networking when they are in Toronto on June 2629. A highlight is the newly-added HFTP Women in Hospitality Technology Reception on Wednesday, June 28. The elegant affair is designed to bring together women from across the industry leading the way in technology and innovation. Corresponding with the event, HFTP will distribute a publication highlighting the influence of women industry professionals. Supporting this program as sponsor is Corporate Spending Innovations (CSI), an HFTP Corporate Allied Sponsor and HITEC 2023 exhibitor. HFTP has long-championed the accomplishments of the influential women in the hospitality industry, through editorial profiles and events, as well as leadership positions on the associations advisory boards, said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. As we get back to adding key components to HITEC, after a few unusual years, our planning team felt it was essential to add the reception to this years program. It will be a wonderful opportunity for attendees to connect through their mutual experiences in a lively atmosphere. CSIs Juliann Pless, SVP of Travel Payment Solutions, said, It is exciting to see HFTP creating a forum for Women in Hospitality Technology to come together and learn from and support one another. CSI is honored to sponsor this inaugural event and help pave the way for womens leadership in the hospitality technology space. The growth and innovation that results from like-minded individuals working together will continue to help propel the industry forward. The Reception will cap the third day of HITEC, held from 4:306:00 p.m. in a beautiful, light-filled indoor/outdoor space at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre. Those in attendance can look forward to a relaxing environment featuring a mood-lifting violinist, hors doeuvres and refreshments an excellent surrounding for making industry connections. In addition, influential leaders will host conversation circles to engender discussion on successful professional pathways. Entrance to the reception is exclusive to HITEC Full Conference registered attendees. HITEC North America will take place on June 2629 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ont. Canada. Produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals, HITEC is the world's largest and longest-running hospitality technology exposition and conference. It offers a unique combination of top-notch hospitality technology education, led by industry peers and experts, and an unparalleled trade show showcasing the latest hospitality technology products and services. The 2023 event is expecting 6,000+ attendees and 320+ exhibiting companies. Registration for HITEC Toronto is now open. About Corporate Spending Innovations Corporate Spending Innovations (CSI) is a global FinTech leader providing innovative payment solutions to world-leading brands in hospitality and private-clubs across North America. CSI automates and digitizes B2B payments with a safe and highly secure cloud-based payments platform. CSI customers can automate 100% of B2B payables, including virtual card, proprietary B2B Payments Network, ACH, or check. For a more efficient way to manage payables, book a demo here. Corporate Spending Innovations is part of Edenred, the global leader in payment solutions for the working world, EDEN:PA. CSI is also a certified Mastercard processor and is Visa Ready for Business Solutions approved. About HFTP Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), established in 1952, is a hospitality nonprofit association headquartered in Austin, Texas USA with offices in the EU and Middle East. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with an international network of members and stakeholders. HFTP uniquely understands the industry's pressing issues, and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. HFTP offers expert networks, educational resources, career development programs, research, leadership opportunities and conferences and events. HFTP produces international events throughout the year, including the world's largest hospitality technology tradeshow and conference brand: HITEC. In addition, it oversees the hospitality-specific Pineapplesearch.com and the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI). For more information about HFTP, visit www.hftp.org. For the latest news, visit the HFTP News page at news.hftp.org and the HFTP Connect blog at blog.hftp.org. Eliza Selig Staff VP, Marketing and Communications +1 512 220 4026 HFTP Sonesta International Hotel Corporation (Sonesta) today announced the debut of two soft brands within its expanding portfolio, Classico, A Sonesta Collection (Classico) and MOD, A Sonesta Collection (MOD). These two new brands offer independent hotel owners the opportunity to affiliate with Sonesta's network while retaining their own iconic hotel names, identities, designs and established styles. All Classico and MOD hotels will be included on Sonesta's website and have access to its extensive distribution channels and services. Classico, positioned in the upper-upscale segment, blends local authenticity with global appeal. Marketed by Sonesta's Luxury and Lifestyle Lodging Development Team, each Classico property will have a distinct identity and offer signature local cuisine, traditional high-touch service and refined interiors. The result is a unique, inviting experience that welcomes guests to immerse themselves in each destination. The first Sonesta Classico brand property is the 40-room Z Ocean Hotel in Miami, Florida's South Beach neighborhood, which opened on May 1, 2023. MOD, positioned within Sonesta's upscale portfolio, offers guests flexibility by catering to their unique lifestyle and travel needs. Each MOD hotel will feature eclectic interior designs and amenities, such as curated food and beverage options. The first MOD property will launch as Hotel 11 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With a stunning view of the Rocky Mountains, the hotel provides travelers unparalleled opportunities for outdoor adventure. "Sonesta is proud to unveil Classico and MOD, extending our suite of offerings with distinct brands that we believe will appeal to both franchisees and consumers," said Elizabeth Harlow, Sonesta's Chief Brand Officer. "Classico's upper-upscale identity is a unique alternative to The Royal and The James brands. MOD's modern upscale brand allows owners and developers to maintain the qualities that make their hotels unique." "As we have strengthened Sonesta's franchising capabilities over the past two years, we recognized the opportunity for additional growth through soft branding," said Brian Quinn, Chief Development Officer, Sonesta. "The launch of Classico and MOD continue Sonesta's growth trajectory and we anticipate great success with continued expansion in the upper-upscale and upscale segments." In September 2021, Sonesta Franchising debuted in the U.S. with a complete platform of franchise services, hotel operations and franchise support. Sonesta Franchising now features 19 industry-leading brands with a wide range of hotel service levels to meet travelers' needs. Sonesta Franchising provides franchisees with a range of options across the upper upscale, upscale, upper-midscale, midscale, extended-stay and economy segments. Sonesta's continued growth, owner centric approach, market availability and executive accessibility make it a compelling choice for owners and developers. 82% of Surveyed U.S. Hotels Report Staffing Shortages Hotels on hiring spree with record wages, better benefits, flexibility As over 80% of hotels experience staffing shortages, hoteliers are offering potential hires a host of incentives to fill vacancies, according to a new survey of hoteliers conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Seventy-five percent of respondents are increasing wages, 64% are offering greater flexibility with hours, and 36% are expanding benefits but 87% say they are still unable to fill open positions. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents indicate they are experiencing a staffing shortage, 26% severely so meaning the shortage is impacting the hotels ability to operate. The most critical staffing need is housekeeping, with 40% ranking it as their top hiring need. These numbers have increased slightly from January 2023, when 79% of survey respondents indicated they were experiencing a staffing shortage. The figures have improved since May of 2022, however, when 97% of survey respondents indicated they were experiencing a staffing shortage, 49% severely so. Respondents to the most recent survey are attempting to fill almost 9 positions per property, up from 7 positions in January but still down from 12 vacancies per property in May 2022. These staffing challenges are resulting in historic career opportunities for hotel employees. There are more than 100,000 hotel jobs currently open across the nation, and as of April, national average hotel wages were at an all-time high of more than $23 per hour. Since the pandemic, average hotel wages have increased faster than average wages throughout the general economy, and hotel benefits and flexibility are better than ever. The need for workers throughout the lodging industry continues to drive historic career opportunities for hotel employees, who are enjoying record wages and better benefits and flexibility than ever before, said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. Thats why AHLA and the AHLA Foundation remain focused on growing the industrys talent pipeline through workforce recruitment and retention initiatives like the Foundations Empowering Youth and Registered Apprenticeship programs. But there is still more to be done. We need Congress to help address workforce shortages with bipartisan solutions, including those that create opportunities for more immigrants to enter the American economy. As of April, the United States had nearly 10.1 million job openings, but only 5.7 million unemployed people to fill them, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Congress can help hoteliers address workforce shortages by taking the following actions: Expand the legal H-2B guestworker program by including an H-2B Returning Worker Exemption in the Fiscal Year 2024 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. The H-2B program is vital to helping independent hotels and resorts in remote vacation destinations fill seasonal roles, but the program is capped at 66,000 visas each year. AHLA is asking Congress to modify the H-2B nonimmigrant visa program by exempting returning workers from the inadequate 66,000 annual visa cap. These employees would provide critical staffing relief for seasonal small business hotels and help to rebuild the post-pandemic economy. by including an H-2B Returning Worker Exemption in the Fiscal Year 2024 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. The H-2B program is vital to helping independent hotels and resorts in remote vacation destinations fill seasonal roles, but the program is capped at 66,000 visas each year. AHLA is asking Congress to modify the H-2B nonimmigrant visa program by exempting returning workers from the inadequate 66,000 annual visa cap. These employees would provide critical staffing relief for seasonal small business hotels and help to rebuild the post-pandemic economy. Cosponsor and pass the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act (S.255/H.R.1325). A historic number of asylum seekers are already housed in hotels across America. They are awaiting court dates and are following the legal process. Unfortunately, current law prevents them from legally working for at least six months, forcing them to rely on assistance from local governments and communities. This bipartisan legislation would help hotels address critical staffing needs by allowing asylum seekers to work as soon as 30 days after applying for asylum. Methodology: AHLAs Front Desk Feedback survey of 474 hoteliers was conducted May 3-9, 2023. 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. Chartmetrics relaunches free OneSheet artist EPKs Music data and analytics firm Chartmetric debuted its recently relaunched OneSheet program at the Music Biz in Nashville, after acquiring the startup last year. By David Benjamin De Cristofaro To create your own OneSheet, you simply type your artist-name in the app, and it will immediately gather all of their information from Chartmetrics 8 million-plus musical act database. If the artist is not in the database, you can simply drop the link to their Spotify page and OneSheet will generate one for them. In a matter of moments, the service pulls data and engagement metrics from a variety of digital platforms and an artists online presence and generates a customizable electronic press kit (EPK) and insights that updates with the artists engagement and 8 million artists real-time data from those sources. In addition, OneSheet is integrated with Bandsintown to automatically sync live shows, and with YouTube to add videos and pull in images found online. Music Biz is a perfect conference to launch the new app, said Chartmetric President and COO Andreas Katsambras. Considering the whole music industry has gathered in Nashville for a week of great sessions, panels, meetings and so many other events. The platforms name comes from the one-sheets used in the music industry to provide a glimpse into an artists career and new releases. OneSheet is currently in beta, making the service free to all tiers of account sign up until September 1, 2023. Sign up here to try it. David Benjamin De Cristofaro is a recent grad available-for-hire who achieved National success as an award-winning student of Music Business, Tech, Marketing, and Economics at The University of The Arts and Berklee College of Music. While in school, he met with members of Congress in advocacy with The Recording Academy, worked with some of the largest artists, tours, and festivals in Music, and on creative experience projects and solutions for NARAS, the Capitol Records Innovation Center, Fender, Bose, MusiCares, Spotify, and Republic Records. He has served as an international speaker at universities and conferences. He spent the pandemic writing journalism pieces on immersive and fan experience ecosystems and researching emerging ticket models + solutions, while also contributing to USA Today SMG. Share on: The sun came out as 151 students crossed the stage to receive diplomas, leaving their "home under the dome" for new adventures in life. PHS Class of 2023 Remembers Support in Academic Careers Asa Chard addresses the graduates. He was one of three class speakers for Sunday's graduation ceremonies. See more photos here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Pittsfield High's class of 2023 remembered the people who supported their journey during Sunday's commencement. The sun came out as 151 students crossed the stage to receive diplomas, leaving their "home under the dome" for new adventures in life. "I am truly humbled looking into the crowd and seeing all the supporters of these graduates," Principal Maggie Harrington-Esko said to the expanse of family and friends on the PHS field. "And I would like to thank you for being our partners for the past four years whether we had the opportunity to meet or not. We know that you put countless hours of support into your students, helping them through the tough times and celebrating the good times like today." The administrator said she was honored to work with such a great class. "When I look at this group of graduates I see in front of me I see scholars, actresses and actors, multilingual communicators, athletes and creators, world travelers, activists, and community builders. Hardworking and compassionate young adults," Harrington-Esko added. "No matter the path that you took, you got here and you have earned the right to bask in this moment and be proud of each and every one of your accomplishments." Class speaker Lennox Silvestro-Dias Jr. implored his fellow graduates to remember that it is other people who made this milestone truly extraordinary. "We have not reached this point alone," he said. "We have been supported by families, teachers, and friends who have kicked, dragged, and encouraged us every step of the way. We give thanks to all the parents and caregivers, thank you for your love and guidance. To all the mothers and fathers who stayed up late at night helping us become the leaders and change-makers of tomorrow." Silvestro-Dias also pointed out that graduation is not just about academic achievements but about the connections that have been forged and friendships that have been cultivated along the way. He remembered the countless memories that were made with faces in the rows, from his classmates at the old Elm Street preschool to the time that the dome flash flooded. "We hear a lot about the plague of loneliness and how adults no longer have good friends. I can say, as a graduate of both the Elm Street preschool and PHS, wherever I walk, I walk with a posse. I am happy to say that after the COVID-19 pandemic, I have never felt more connected to a community. The strength of this community shall offer you a shoulder in any difficult humps that will come your way," he said. "We have learned that we can get through anything as a community and come together stronger than ever. As we move forward into the next chapter of our lives, let us treasure these friendships and cherish the moments we have shared. While our paths may diverge, the bond we have formed within these halls will remain unbreakable. As we bid farewell to Pittsfield High School, let us carry with us the memories of our time here and the enduring friendships we have made." It took class speaker Asa Chard until senior year to understand the meaning of the well-admired vines that wrap around PHS. He realized that the greenery indicated the beauty of his class. "We began as mere buds; our feet shuffled as we crowded to enter a cloudy and distant future: four years of high school. We clamored to fit in, our voices shrill with the unavoidable squalor of puberty. Some of us shy, others overconfident, we were given a few months to align ourselves with those around us, and what we wanted to be," Chard said. "We joined sports teams, clubs, groups for music; we made upperclassmen friends, spent long nights out experimenting and experiencing life as it never had been before. All of that came crashing down with remarkable prowess with the 'two-week vacation' that COVID-19 granted us. Reminiscing over the days spent looking at a camera, I cannot help but admire how far we have come." He said the COVID-19 pandemic allowed the students to realize what was important in life. Returning to "normal" life came with bounds of support from peers and a renewed sense of gratitude. "Upon returning to school full time, I watched as everything that had been lost in our year-long hiatus was re-established. Everything from clubs to student government, from sports to theatre. We longed to provide one another with the collaborative process that had been lost; longed to embrace one another as we had previously been unable," Chard explained. "Helping each other through stress, through injury, we provided each other with support and comfort, pushing off of another to reach for the best within ourselves; reestablishing the interconnectedness that we had lost," "Perhaps we need to reassess the name that has been coined on our behalf, the 'Home Under the Dome.' Once a beautiful piece of 20th-century architecture, the mass of brick that inhabits 300 East St., if carefully examined, is no more than the corrosion that befell it decades ago. The dome is not what makes this place beautiful, we are. We began as no more than the sprouts that decorate this place today, struggling endlessly to discover ourselves. As we persevered, we continued to grow, finding passion, finding skills, and most importantly, finding ourselves." Class speaker Daysha Bell emphasized that the future is not dependent on letter grades and urged her peers to shape their own futures. "Our grades here will not define our futures, and I know that it may seem that way. We are all more than our grades. We are the people who have been raised by our parents and caregivers to be who we are today, and who we will be," she said. One of the greatest notions my mother has taught me was to not let the world define you, rather you define yourself and who you will be; don't be a leader or a follower, rather be the difference, and I thank my mother greatly for that. We are the people our friends and family have shaped us to be, and what we will become. We are the people who our teachers have seen us grow into, and the people we will continue to be." On the note of teachers, she gave the school staff a warm farewell and thanked them "endlessly" for what they have done for the school and the students who have had the pleasure of knowing and being taught by them. "We do not need to have our lives set in stone today so live your life as you feel to do so, and be what you want to be. Something I'd like to say to all of you is that it's okay to make mistakes and not be perfect, that's the beauty in being human," Bell advised. "So take those risks because this is the time to do so. Nothing is ever permanent. We all have amazing futures ahead of us and I can't wait to see the numerous forms they come to us in but as of right now let's live in the present and celebrate who we are and how far we've all come. Once again, congratulations to the class of 2023 and we stand strong together." Taibat Ahmed was given the Karl Boyer McEachron Award for outstanding academic achievement, community and extracurricular involvement, dedicated work ethic, and an expressed preference for making engineering or science a lifetime career. This award is given annually to a graduating PHS or Taconic High School senior and this year came with a $1,200 scholarship. During the ceremony, the PHS band performed "Danny Boy" by Samuel Hazo, the PHS chorus performed "The Song of Purple Summer," and Katerina Livermore and Geivens Dextra performed Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor by J.S. Bach. More information on the PHS class of 2023's top GPA students and awards can be found here. Pittsfield High School Class of 2023 Scholarships & Awards Pittsfield High School Class of 2023 Walker S. Abdallah*+ Bibiana Addai Taibat Ahmed Sheila Nicole Alexander Fernando Alvarado Giron Sidni Anderson Brian Annor-Baah++ Keanu Arce-Jackson Avianna Archelus Abigail Archey+ Santino Arienti+ Ryan Aulisio Jr. Graham Auxier Gabrielle Barrett Daysha Bell Allison Blau*+ Theresa Bowen Ava Brazeau*+ Braydon Bunnell Sydney Burnell Nadasia Burnham-Crespo Malysha Swanna Bynum Dylan Carmel David Castegnaro Jr. Irving Chairez Asa Chard*++ Li Chen* Thomas Cimini Aidan Coco*+ Huseyin Colak Kaleb Contini Benjamin Cornish*+ Romeo Cortez Keegan Crouse+ Brenden Dascani Luis De Los Santos Rochely DeJesus Ian Desnoyers Kiera Devine*+ Geivens Dextra James Difilippo Anna DiNicola+ Justin DiNicola* Dakarre Dorsett Jamie Duquette*+ Randi Duquette*+ Justin Duran Nicholas Elzner Taina Figueroa Kaylee Fuentes Rileigh Gleason Katrina Graham Tessa Hanson Kellie Harrington* Lannah Hartley Kialonni Hawkins Charles Heimann*+ Alicia Houle Hannah Howes Logan Hunt Dakotah Hunt* Bethany Iffetayo Lonan Jennings Juliana Johansen*+ Jeremiah Johnson Arianna Johnson Dowdell Madison Joseph William Kinne+ David Klein Abijah Koomson Wrightous Kuoao Hannah LaDouceur Joshua Lampro Connor Lavinio*+ Marlene LeBeau+ Alysa Lefebvre Manuel Lewis Katerina Livermore*++ Gabriela Loaiza Chavarro Keyonne MacHaffie-Spratling Alma Maison*+ Mitchell Manning+ Sam Marquis Bryan McKinney* Colin McKinney* Natalie Mendez Eladio Mendoza Francis Mensah Collin Merwin Kasey Miranda* Mineshka Montero-Pizarro Karliani Morales Guadalupe Thomas Mullin+ Carter Mungin Axel Murphy-Malloy Charlotte Rachel Noyes* Mackenzie O'Soro Autumn Ochs Aynur Ozdemir*++ Karina Pivaral Samantha Reynolds Girey Rivera Jacqueline Roccabruna*+ Ty Roloson*+ Paola Rosito Mercado Olivia Ryan Jake Salvie+ Angel Sandoval Chairez* Kelvin Sarbah Erica Sarvis-Franco Allison Schnopp*+ Maxwell Schweizer Vraj Shah Hayley Shove Lennox Silvestro-Dias Jr.*++ Cameron Sime+ Roller Siquinajay Lily Smith*+ Zander St. Leger Riley Steinman*++ Cecelia Supranowicz*+ James Swanton* Jareth Sykes Devin Taikowski Abigail Taylor*+ Tessie Tierney*+ Haven Timony* Brandon Todriff Jonathan Tracy Justin Underdown* Eric Vega Edgar Vergara Maria Villanueva Portillo Emma Vittum*+ Lyndsay Vosburgh*+ Tyler Vosburgh*+ Jayshawn Warren Jane Whitford Sydney-Ann Whitney-Nason Jack Wildgoose+ Paige Williams Daryn Witherell Alana Wright, Georgios Zamakis * National Honor Society + 2023 Class Council ++ Student Council Pittsfield Public Virtual Academy Class of 2023: Chloe Adams, Cheyanne Benoit, Alyssa Katherine Oakes (honors), Morgan Pagliarini, Iviannah Reis Pittsfield Eagle Academy Class of 2023: Giovanni Rosado, Nicholas Williams Clark Opening Lecture for 'Trembling Earth' Exhibit WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. On Saturday, June 10, in conjunction with the opening of its newest exhibition, "Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth," the Clark Art Institute hosts a lecture by Jay A. Clarke, the exhibition curator and Rothman Family Curator, Art Institute of Chicago, in its auditorium at 11 am. Free; no registration is required. According to a press release: "Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth" is the first exhibition in the United States to consider how the noted Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (18631944) employed nature to convey meaning in his art. Munch is regarded primarily as a figure painter, and his most celebrated images (including his iconic The Scream) are connected to themes of love, anxiety, longing, and death. Yet, landscape plays an essential role in a large portion of Munch's work. Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth considers this important, but less explored aspect of the artist's career. Trembling Earth features more than seventy-five objects, ranging from brilliantly hued landscapes and three stunning self-portraits, to an extensive selection of his innovative prints and drawings, including a lithograph of Munch's most celebrated work, The Scream. The exhibition includes more than thirty works from the Munch Museum's world-renowned collection, major pieces from other museums in the USA and Europe, and nearly forty paintings, prints, and drawings from private collections, many of which are rarely exhibited. On Friday, June 9 at 7:30 pm, the Clark hosts an opening reception. Visitors are invited to enjoy light refreshments and be among the first to view the exhibition. Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth is co-organized by the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts; the Museum Barberini, Potsdam, Germany; and Munchmuseet, Oslo, Norway, and curated by Jay A. Clarke, Rothman Family Curator, Art Institute of Chicago; Jill Lloyd, independent curator; and Trine Otte Bak Nielsen, curator, Munchmuseet. Generous funding for presentation at the Clark and Munchmuseet is provided by the Asbjorn Lunde Foundation, Inc. This exhibition is made possible by Diane and Andreas Halvorsen. Major funding is provided by Carol and Richard Seltzer, with additional support from Lady Gibbons, Robert D. Kraus, the S & L Marx Foundation, and the Norwegian Consulate General, New York. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. June 2, 2023 When it Comes to Prostate Cancer, You've Got Options Its only natural that a cancer diagnosis makes your mind jump to potential treatments. In the case of prostate cancer, not every diagnosis warrants aggressive treatment, or even any treatment at all. Dr. Matthew Vernon, Radiation Oncologist at Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, discusses options and strategies. READ MORE Cataract Awareness Month Learn more about the symptoms of the leading cause of blindness worldwide with this focus on the solutions to restoring your vision. READ MORE ? The Trails are Calling From bikes and hikes to paddles and strolls, the great outdoors is yours to explore on National Trails Day. Read More World Blood Donor Day Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and platelets. Give the gift of life on June 14. ?Read More Drink Up When the weather heats up, staying hydrated is essential. Read More ? OUR CORPORATE SPONSOR: ?Southwestern Vermont Health Care | svhealthcare.org ? ? The BAAMS faculty band plays two sets at the Adams Theater recently to mark the music academy's three years. Saxophonist Ada Rovatti and guitarist William 'Spaceman' Patterson are part of the faculty band. Patterson has played in James Brown's band. Keyboardist Dario Boente is also part of the faculty band. Fellow Drury alumni and Boston based musician Jim Taft joins the group to play 'Let it Be.' PreviousNext BAAMS Celebrates Three Years With Benefit Concert Founder Richard Boulger is a North Adams native. ADAMS, Mass. The Berkshires' Academy for Advanced Musical Studies (BAAMS) marked three years with a concert featuring the academy's faculty. Hundreds attend the benefit concert that was held Friday, May 26, at the Adams Theater. "We at BAAMS are truly grateful and inspired as we celebrate tonight, at the opening night of the Adams Theatre our Third Year Anniversary Celebration of being able to continue to work with young musicians throughout Berkshire County," said founder and Creative Director Richard Boulger. The nonprofit came into existence in 2019 when Boulger, a professional jazz trumpet player and North Adams native, brought a lineup of world-class jazz musicians to teach in the academy. The academy started in Adams but eventually moved to Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams. "Each of our students receives the specific musical tools needed for them to create and express their own original music and improvisations while working with fellow BAAMS students and our world-class music faculty," Boulger said after the performance. "Heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all who have supported us and helped us make it here. We are very excited for all that is ahead." Performers included bass player Gary Foote, drummer Victor Jones, keyboardist Dario Boente, saxophonist Ada Rovatti, guitarist William "Spaceman" Patterson, drummer Tony Lewis, and Boulger. "Our musician faculty are dedicated to passing on the wisdom and experience of their decades of study, performing, composing, recording, and teaching, having themselves been guided by legends, by our American music icons," Boulger said. "A large focus of our mission is to make sure that torch is passed to the next generations of young musicians." Special guest, BAAMS graduate and drummer Braden Collins was also called up for a song as well as North Adams native and professional musician Jim Taft. After an intermission, the band was joined by visible sound artist Tom Reyes who painted a large scalp piece while the band improvised. The weekend also marked the opening of the Adams Theater season. Founding Executive and Artistic Director Yina Moore said she was happy to host a slate of diverse and local performances. "Every time you're going to come here, you're going to see somebody that you probably don't know," she said. "Performances you don't normally get to see, and that's the whole purposeyou just have to touch as much of the community as possible because the shows coming in are different but they're also the same theme. They're always the creative people that are in the county." Attendees could opt into VIP seating with food served by the neighboring Firehouse Cafe. A pop-up bar provided beverages in the theater currently in the process of benign renovation. Page Content Focussing on global cooperation around aviation and environmental protection priorities, ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitanos mission to Japan, which took place from 27 May to 2 June 2023, encompassed bilateral meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japans State Minister, Shunsuke Takei (pictured left), Vice-Minister, Masatoshi Akimoto; and Deputy Director-General for Global Issues, Keiichi Hara. The President also met with Japans State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Toshiro Toyoda (pictured right) and Assistant-Vice Minister for Aviation, Toshiyuki Onuma. In addition to regional and global aviation safety and security concerns, the leaders exchanged views on sustainable aviation fuel initiatives, notably within the context of achieving the long-term goal of decarbonization of aviation decided at the 41st session of the ICAO Assembly. The upcoming Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) Steering Group Meeting, to be held in Takamatsu in October this year, was also highlighted in this vein. On behalf of ICAO, Mr. Sciacchitano expressed the Organizations gratitude for Japans long standing commitment and contributions towards its activities, and set forth ICAOs safety, security, and sustainability priorities for near and medium term. He also commended the Government and the Aviation Industry of Japan for their commitment to make available and use 10 percent of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) at Japanese airports by 2030. The mission also featured advocacy and cooperation on similar themes with the leadership of Japanese airline and airport operators. Mr. Sciacchitanos discussions with the CEOs of Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Haneda Airport, and Narita International Airport Messrs. Yuji Akasaka, Shinichi Inoue , Isao Takashiro, Akihiko Tamura, respectively reflected ICAOs commitment to assuring mutually beneficial cooperation across the aviation value chain towards achieving global air transport sectors priorities. He additionally gave a lecture to Sophia University students. iciHaiti - Training : Ceremony of delivery of parchments to the 21st cohort of Haiti Teen Challenge Last Saturday, June 3rd in the presence of several Haitian and foreign personalities took place the ceremony of presentation of parchments to about thirty young people who took Leadership courses at the initiative of "Haiti Teen Challenge". This is the 21st Edition of this activity, the aim of which is to enable young people, aged 16 to 24, to turn away from all kinds of deviant undertakings and to give a new orientation to their lives in accordance with the objective of "Haiti Teen Challenge" which is to train Irreproachable and Integral Leaders and whose motto is "Transform, Equip, Mobilize and Support." This latest cohort includes 14 girls and 15 boys, most of whom come from disadvantaged neighborhoods in and around the capital. During the 18 months spent in residential training at the centre, the learners first followed specific Leadership courses for six months. The rest of the program offered participants the opportunity to learn the profession of their choice, including electricity, computers, plumbing, cell phone repair, air conditioning and cosmetology. Once graduated, these young people are supported by the organization of "Haiti Teen Challenge" which allows them to continue their studies until university. Then, the institution helps them find a place on the labor market. It should be noted that several former graduates, as part of this initiative, currently offer their professional service to the community. IH/ iciHaiti Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, is partnering with Asia Pacific College (APC) to train and strengthen the cloud computing competencies of teachers and students as part of its efforts on local digital talent empowerment in the Philippines. Rhea-Luz Valbuena, Executive Director of School of Computing and Information Technologies (SoCIT) of Asia Pacific College, Josephine de la Cuesta, Executive Director of Academic Services of Asia Pacific College, Leo Liu, General Manager of the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau SAR, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence and Allen Guo, Country Manager for the Philippines, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Part of the partnership is an establishment of a state-of-the-art joint innovation lab on the APC campus. This innovation lab will serve as a dynamic incubator, fostering the development of creative industry solutions and promoting collaboration among students, faculty, and industry professionals. The partnership with Alibaba Cloud will enable APC educators, learners, and even its IT team to enhance their cloud knowledge through various cutting-edge technology workshops, online and offline training, and certification courses. Alibaba Cloud Academic Empowerment Program (AAEP) will also open opportunities for students to get invited to local community events to meet and learn from professionals and industry leaders. To equip teachers to lead training and workshop sessions in the future, Alibaba Cloud also includes a dedicated knowledge transfer session and hands-on laboratory classes for educators. Through AAEP, students will get local and global internship and competition opportunities as well as invites to campus events through Alibaba Clouds well-connected global network, enabling them to learn from world-class professionals. The exposure and experience will help students and teachers develop a digital-forward mindset that can then guide them in pursuing a career or higher education in the future. Alibaba Cloud will also strengthen APCs cloud infrastructure with the companys cloud solutions for data backup, students management system and online teaching platform. These will ensure the efficiency and security of the schools remote access and overall online system. Creating a digital future means being proactive and assisting people and institutions that will drive the future of digitalization. This also means investing in students and teachers. We admire APCs initiative and commitment to its learners, educators, and IT team to provide them with the tools and skills they will need not just to survive but also to thrive in the digital future. We believe that by equipping them with relevant skills and knowledge, more opportunities will come their way, shared Allen Guo, country manager for the Philippines, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. From the very beginning, we know that economic growth and progress are heavily influenced by technology. Thats why all our programs and curriculum, including future projects, are anchored on technology. We have been equipping our educators and students with the right digital tools. The AAEP, which has been incorporated into major universities curriculum, will further support our programs in place and help us produce graduates and professionals that will steer digital growth in their chosen fields, said Rhea-Luz Valbuena, Executive Director of School of Computing and Information Technologies (SoCIT) of APC. Asia Pacific College, established in 1991, is a leading institution in IT education based in Makati. In consortium with National University, APC is dedicated to advancing knowledge and educating students in IT, entrepreneurship, engineering and commerce. A nonprofit venture by IBM Philippines and SM Foundation, APC has been proudly producing talent that serve in the business and industries sectors. The Alibaba Cloud Academic Empowerment Program(AAEP) is a global education program that aims to help schools and students gain access to Alibaba Cloud learning resources and nurture future talent in the areas of cloud computing, big data and cloud security. The program works directly with accredited universities and other educational institutions to provide resources and tools to educators, students, and researchers. 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 }} Indias military cannot challenge China as it is unlikely to catch up with it in the next few decades, said the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) delegation at Asias top security summit, as ties between the two nuclear neighbours continue to plummet. The delegation of the Chinese army at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore said Indias current capabilities in defence manufacturing and military modernisation are insufficient to counter Beijing. He underscored that PLA would, however, prefer dialogue, exchanges and negotiation to resolve territorial disputes. The armies of the two countries are involved in a continuing standoff over their shared border in the Himalayanan region. India is unlikely to catch up to China in the coming decades because of its weak industrial infrastructure, while China has built complex and systematic defence industrial platforms, said senior colonel Zhao Xiaozhuo of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, according to South China Morning Post. When you look at the Indian militarys weapon systems, what types of tanks, aircraft and warships were made and developed by Indians themselves? The comments were made by the PLA delegation on the sidelines of the Shangri-la security summit, that concluded on Sunday with a heated debate over the worlds most pressing security issues, including Taiwan, the South China Sea and the Ukraine conflict. India and Chinas armies, which have a history of border disputes, have been locked in a high altitude stand-off on the Line of Actual control since June 2020, when soldiers of the two militaries clashed in the deadliest skirmishes in decades on the border. The clashes turned into a long-running standoff in the rugged mountainous area, where each side has stationed thousands of military personnel as well as artillery, tanks and fighter jets. Mr Zhao said India would never be a loyal partner to the US in its Indo-Pacific Strategy because of its independent diplomatic policy, referring to Indias advocacy of the non-aligned movement (NAM). NAM is the grouping of nations that originated during the Cold War era by countries in mainly in the Global South that considered themselves not aligned with any major power bloc or alliance. Several analysts say NAM is not relevant today. In one of the closely watched exchanges during the summit, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinas defence minister General Li Shangfu failed to have a face-to-face meeting even as the two top officials briefly shook hands. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin (right) shake hands with China defense minister Li Shangfu (left) during the opening dinner during Shangri La Summit (AP) Mr Austin chided Beijing for refusing to hold military discussions, while Mr Li accused Washington of using bullying and deceiving and exploiting alliances in Asia. A day after a bitter meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Mr Austin arrived in India the worlds largest arms importer to discuss upgrading the USs partnership with Delhi to counter Chinas economic rise and increased belligerence. The US defence secretarys India visit is crucial as it is expected to lay the groundwork for prime minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington on 22 June, which has fuelled speculation about a possible announcement of defence contracts. Mr Austin met Indian defence minister Rajnath Sigh and the two explored ways of building resilient supply chains, a statement from Indias defence ministry said. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) shake hands with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a ceremonial welcome ceremony (EPA) They decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. They discussed wide-ranging issues, including regional security issues, given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the ministry said. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defence Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, Mr Austin tweeted after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. India is seeking to strengthen its domestic defence industry by acquiring new technology to build its own arsenal rather than relying on other countries for imports. India is the largest importer of arms in the world, accounting for 11 per cent of the worlds all-weapon imports in the 2018-22 period, according to Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Delhi is also appearing to pivot from its largest arm supplier Russia amid its continuing war in Ukraine. India is looking to buy 18 armed high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for an estimated $1.5-2bn dollars (1.2-1.6bn), said Rahul Bedi, a defence analyst. Russia accounts for around 60 per cent of Indian defence equipment, and New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a three-year-old border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, where tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed within shooting distance. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Nearly 60 girls in Afghanistan from two different schools were hospitalised after being poisoned under mysterious circumstances over the weekend, according to police officials in the northern part of the country. Some unknown people entered a girls school in Sancharak district and poisoned the classes. When the girls come to classes, they got poisoned, said Sar-e-Pol provinces police spokesperson Den Mohammad Nazari on Monday. The modus operandi of the poisoning attack is not immediately clear. Officials have not shared details about the toxic substance used in the incident. No immediate arrests have been made, police officials said. The school girls were taken to hospital but were in good condition, the police spokesperson said. The poisoning was carried out in two adjacent primary schools targeted one after the other, Mohammad Rahmani, head of the provisional education department, told the Associated Press. A preliminary probe by authorities shows someone paid a third party to carry out the attack on both schools, the official said. Girl students from the first to sixth grade were targeted in the attack, according to local reports. A local education official said the accused who carried out the poisoning attack had a personal grudge, but did not share more details. The news of the poisoning comes amid an intense crackdown by the Taliban on the education of girls in Afghanistan. Teenage girls above the sixth grade have been banned from attending schools after the militant group took over the nation in August 2021. Poisoning attacks on girls schools in Afghanistan were commonly reported in the US-led administration before the Taliban took over, including suspected gas attacks, but the attacks carried out on Saturday and Sunday are the first of their kind reported in the de facto regime. Taliban officials have only allowed primary schools to be operational for girls until the age of around 12. They claim they are in favour of womens education under certain conditions. Similar attacks have been reported from Afghanistans neighbour Iran, where girls schools had come under a wave of poisonings. Thousands of students were left sick due to inhaling toxic fumes in November last year in a mysterious attack in which the chemical used has not been traced. 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 }} Al Roker has undergone his second knee replacement surgery, which had to be delayed after he was admitted to hospital for blood clots in his legs and lungs last December. The Today show weatherman, 68. has been reporting on the weather for the NBC morning show since 1996. Following his surgery, he returned to the programme on Tuesday (30 May). Roker has now said he is feeling good after the surgery on 9 May, which comes more than a year after his first knee replacement. He attended the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic event in New Jersey with his wife Deborah Roberts over the weekend, which he said was his first public outing since the surgery apart from work. Speaking to People, Roker said: [Its] nice to be wearing nice clothes. Here we are. You cant help but feel better. Roker was rushed to hospital the day after Thanksgiving and remained there for nearly two weeks due to the blood clots. He told his followers on Instagram that he was admitted with a blood clot in my leg which sent some clots into my lungs. After some medical whack-a-mole, I am so fortunate to be getting terrific medical care and on the way to recovery, he said, thanking fans for their well wishes. Al Roker attends the 2023 Broadcasting + Cable Hall Of Fame Gala at The Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 03, 2023 (Getty Images) In March, Roker said he wouldnt be alive if not for Roberts, 62. He told PageSix: I guess I know it now. I didnt know it at the time. Deborah was great at keeping all that away from me so I thought I was doing OK but that was great because I was able to focus on getting better. Roberts is the presenters second wife, who he married in 1995 after splitting from ex-wife Alice Bell the year before. He shares daughter Courtney, 35, with Bell, and two children Leia, 24, and Nick, 20, with Roberts. 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 runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing whatever your hay fever symptoms, its no surprise if youve had a flare-up recently. During spring, both tree and grass pollen is released into the air. If youre allergic to the proteins they contain, your nose, eyes, throat and sinuses can become swollen, irritated and inflamed. Many people are suffering from hay fever just now because the pollen count is high, thanks in part to climate change, says Dr Nisa Aslam, GP from Typharms Skin Life Sciences Foundation. Plus the pollen season is getting longer. The immune function plays an important role in an allergic reactions, she explains. People who suffer from hay fever often have a family history of not just hay fever, but also skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, which can often be borne out of problems with the immune system. The weather can also be a contributing factor in how badly youre affected. Some hay fever sufferers may be experiencing a sudden spike in their symptoms a bit earlier than usual, this may be due to the recent prolonged wet and windy weather, says Claire Nevinson, superintendent pharmacist at Boots. On a daily basis, rainfall tends to decrease pollen, but over a period of months, intermittent wet days tend to produce a more severe hay fever season overall. Conditions could be about to get even worse. A recent study by the University of Worcester, published in the Science of The Total Environment journal, warned that it could be one of the worst seasons for birch pollen on record. The severity is due to two things. Firstly, higher than average temperatures last June, when the pollen is produced, allowed greater potential for high pollen levels, says Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, senior pollen forecaster at the university. Secondly, birch trees have a biennial pattern of pollen production, one mild year and one severe year, and this year was already expected to be a high year. So what can you do if your hay fever is much worse than usual at the moment? The first step is to avoid exposure to the pollen that affects you the most. Allergens responsible for hay fever include grass pollens and tree pollens [spring and summer], weed pollens and fungal mould spores, says Dr Aslam. Watch the daily pollen forecasts. Dont go outside when the pollen count is high and keep all windows shut. Preventive medicines can help to reduce symptoms if you know in advance when youre going to be exposed to pollen. This can be a steroid nasal spray one to two weeks before symptoms start, says Dr Aslam. Alternatively, natural nasal sprays can help to prevent the symptoms of hayfever and other types of allergic rhinitis by forming a protective film in our inner nose, stopping allergens that we breathe in from trying to enter our respiratory system, she says. Similarly, ointments like Vaseline can act as a pollen trap. Apply a barrier balm of petroleum jelly around your nose to trap the pollen and help relieve dry and uncomfortable skin from repetitive nose blowing, Ms Nevinson says. Shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off and wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes. 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 }} Jonnie Irwin has revealed that he has been admitted to hospital as he deals with terminal cancer. The Escape to the Country presenter, 49, said in November that he doesnt know how long he has left to live, after first being diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2020, which later spread to his brain. He went public with his diagnosis in November 2022, after keeping it a secret from his fans for more than two years. Since his announcement, Irwin has been keeping his social media followers up to date with his condition. In the latest update, the father-of-three revealed he has gone into hospital to be monitored but hopes to be released in time for a scheduled appearance at A Place In The Sun Live in London this weekend (2-4 June). He wrote in an Instagram post: In hospital this week monitoring a changeover in my pain management regime. Fingers crossed Ill be out in time to make an appearance on Sunday for this weekends @aplaceinthesunofficial LIVE event at @olympialondon in Kensington, he continued. If he is released from the hospital and attends the event, Irwin will be joined on stage by fellow presenters Jasmine Harman, Ben Hillman and Laura Hamilton. He concluded the post: Hope to see you therex. In a new podcast OneChat released last week, Irwin said that he was living under a dark cloud for the two years he hid his cancer from the world, adding that he kept his condition a secret so that he could continue working and provide for his family. Irwin and his wife Jessica have three children; three-year-old son Rex and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac. Elsewhere in the interview revealed that he had been close to deaths door at least twice, emphasising that he prefers to think of his situation as living with cancer, rather than dying from cancer. Irwin explained how he began to feel alive again after going public with his illness, but noted that didnt mean his journey had been easy. I have been close to deaths door, twice at least, he said. He added: You lose your memory, you lose your patience. I have got a very short temper. Its not made me a better person, thats for sure. In March, Irwin gave a health update, telling The Sun: Im weak now, fragile and my memory is terrible but Im still 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 young woman who suffered from bouts of dizziness and other worrying symptoms believed it was her bodys way of telling her to train harder in the gym but it was actually cancer. When Taylor Davis, 26, started experiencing frequent dizzy spells and intense headaches, as well as extreme facial swelling, she didnt expect a hidden tumour to be the cause. In September 2022, the restaurant manager recalled noticing a sudden drop in her weight, followed by dizziness and headaches whenever she was working out or bending over. Soon, she felt unable to go to the gym without the overwhelming feeling of "blacking out" and as her condition continued to worsen, she sought out medical advice. Three months later, she was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that forms in the bodys cells, along with a five-inch tumour located in her chest. Now, Taylor is sharing her harrowing ordeal in a bid to raise awareness and says that the journey has been traumatic. I felt like my life was ending, and, in a way, it was, the 26-year-old from San Diego, US, told NeedToKnow.co.uk. Everything I thought I knew about my body and all my life plans were taken away at that moment. Being told I had cancer at 26 after I had done everything I had been taught to do to prevent it, was traumatic. I was told in one night [my diagnosis] and that I needed to begin chemotherapy right away or I would die. (Jam Press/Taylor Davis) Initially, she assumed the dizzy spells were due to pushing herself too hard in the gym, so made it her challenge to train harder. Soon, she was unable to lift boxes or trays at work and also began having night sweats, where she would often wake up with her pyjamas and sheets drenched. By December 2022, she was no longer working out and had developed a persistent wet cough, which she later found out was caused by the tumour blocking the arteries to her lungs. Panic started to set in when she woke up with her face swollen and light bruising on her chest and arms, but she claims medics believed she had a torn shoulder muscle. Then, after an X-ray, as well as an MRI, Taylor received the results stating that it was a tumour, caused by lymphoma. (Jam Press/Taylor Davis) She said: My cough turned into a constant fluid in my lungs and I struggled to do any physical activity without being short of breath. I had a biopsy the next day, but while awaiting the results, my cough had become so severe that I could no longer breathe. Then, I was told that I had pneumonia and superior vena cava syndrome, an obstruction of blood flow, due to cancer, which wasnt getting to my brain and it can be deadly. I had seen the effects of cancer and chemotherapy in movies and the thought of going through things like losing my hair terrified me. All of this happened so fast one day, I didnt know anything and suddenly, my life was in danger. Now, Taylor is sharing her ordeal online in a bid to raise awareness for the symptoms to look out for and is currently undergoing treatment, with the tumour shrinking to almost nothing. (Jam Press/Taylor Davis) Along with a five-day infusion of chemotherapy every two-and-a-half weeks for a total of six rounds, shes also doing cold capping, a form of wearing cold ice packs on the head, to help reduce hair loss. She added: Im currently recovering well and after chemotherapy, I will need to do monthly checkups to make sure the cancer remains in remission. It has taken a toll on me, one of the worst parts was losing my hair, as it was so important to me and a huge piece of how I presented myself to the world. But, I am committed to remaining positive and grateful throughout this journey. I am using it as a learning experience and educating myself on how to live a life aware of what I am putting in and on my body. My experience with being so afraid and unaware of what to expect is what led me to start sharing my journey online. (Jam Press/Taylor Davis) I wanted to provide other people going through similar diagnoses with a positive medium. I just want anyone else going through an experience like this to know that it doesnt feel fair, but it is not the end of the road. There are many amazing things in life that are still coming your way and its so important to remain positive. Prayer and practising gratitude has helped me so much during this journey. 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 father-of-two has had limb-lengthening surgery to increase his height from 6ft to almost 6ft 7in after deciding his legs were too short for his body, and hopes to feel on top of the world once the 86,000 (USD $106,000) procedure has fully healed. Brian Sanchez, 33, a mortgage broker who lives in Georgia in the United States with his wife, Nidia, 30, and their daughters, Kaisley, two, and Kairi, six, felt in January 2022 that his body was out of proportion and he looked like like a huge thumb. After some research, he discovered he could have limb-lengthening surgery in Turkey to become his ideal height and as soon as he saw it he thought: OK, I guess this is what Im doing. Brians main reasons for wanting the surgery were not only for his physical appearance but also to improve his weightlifting goals in the gym and be around nine inches taller than his wife so they will no longer be at almost eye level. When he told his loved ones about his plans, they thought it was typical of (him) as just because something is crazy it never means that (he) wont do it. Brian had his first operation in December 2022, which involved breaking his tibia and fibula, putting a rod inside the bones, and fastening it with screws. He underwent a second procedure in March 2023 to extend his femur. To recover, Brian had to be in a wheelchair and turn the screws with an Allen wrench four times a day, but when he is fully recovered he thinks the pain will have been worth it as he will be able to enjoy being taller. My wife is pretty tall we were only about three inches apart but once Im fully recovered itll be a nine-and-a-half-inch difference, he said. Its going to be really nice just to be able to hug her and have her all the way down there on my chest instead of being almost eye level. One of the things that Ill enjoy the most is being able to work out again and put some weight on my legs and have my body look a little bit more how I want it to. In January 2022, Brian suddenly realised his legs didnt match his torso proportions. (PA Real Life) He said: I realised that my legs were always looking weird, and I didnt know what it was, until one day I was sitting next to my brother-in-law who is almost 6ft 6in, and I was actually a little taller than he was. I thought that was weird, because I knew he was taller than I am by a lot, and we stood up, and all of a sudden, I started looking and realised my legs were too short for my body. Im broad, have long arms, and Im wide, but my short legs make me look different I almost look like a huge thumb, like those thumb men from Spy Kids. After the realisation, Brian, who had never previously had cosmetic surgery, started to not like (his) aesthetics and decided to research ways to make himself taller. He said: I thought I can either find a new hobby, and give up lifting weights, or I can fix the issue. I started Googling and ran into the procedure from there as soon as I saw it, I thought OK, I guess this is what Im doing. (PA) Brian set himself a goal of becoming at least 6ft 6in tall and said of his loved ones reaction when he told them about his idea: It was a combination of disbelief, but they also said that it is typical of me. I know this is a very crazy thing, its extremely expensive, time-consuming, difficult, painful and even risky in some respects. In December 2022, he had his first operation in a clinic called Live Life Taller in Turkey, which cost him 30,000. The first procedure involved lengthening the tibia and fibula together. In the first surgery, they broke my tibia and fibula and hollowed out the inside of the tibia, taking out the bone marrow, he said. They then put a rod inside the bone and fastened it with screws and attached the bone segments via pins to external fixators so you have this piece of steel on the outside of your legs and have these constant open wounds that wont close until you remove all the hardware.. His recovery involved being in a wheelchair and using an Allen wrench to turn a bolt on the fixators four times a day at 90 degrees to separate the bone segments a little at a time. (PA Real Life) Brian continued to do this every day for two months, saying of his painful recovery: The hardest part of the whole thing was the lack of sleep, but I think the pain will be worth it once its all finished Ill just be able to enjoy being taller, and hopefully feel on top of the world. In February 2023, the external fixators on his tibia were removed and he was around three inches taller. In March 2023, he had the second operation, which cost him an additional 56,000, to carry out the same procedure on his femur. He said: I actually felt great after my femur procedure, and there was almost no pain throughout the entire process, only from lengthening from actually stretching my legs. Now, Brian is just over an additional three-and-a-half inches taller making him just under 6ft 7in but is still in a wheelchair and is waiting for it to be completely healed. He joked: When its fully healed, Im trying to not have expectations because I dont want to be disappointed but its hard to imagine that Im not going to enjoy it. From the few times that Ive already stood up, it is bizarre to see people that used to be my height come up to under my nose its really weird, and its a lot of fun just seeing the world in a slightly different perspective. (PA Real Life) I can see above the fridge more easily not that its that important, but its cool. Ill be able to see other peoples bald spots, everything will be just different. Looking back on his decision to undergo the surgery, Brian said: I didnt need to do this procedure, but I really wanted to, and I didnt know how hard it would be. So, when I made the decision to do it, I kind of over-estimated how easy it would be and under-estimated how much pain and how much difficulty would be involved. I dont regret my decision, and I hope that Im going to be really happy with the results. 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 }} Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd is currently in the middle of a bitter divorce and custody battle with his estranged wife and Vampire Diaries star Alice Evans. The Reunion actor and his girlfriend, fellow actor Bianca Wallace, were recently spotted out in public for the first time since his teenage daughter reportedly filed a restraining order against them both. Last August, the Titanic star obtained a three-year restraining order against his estranged wife Alice Evans, which also bans her from mentioning him and Wallace on social media, after he claimed his wife had used social media accounts to to harass, threaten, and disturb the peace of both me and my girlfriend. Gruffudd is known for his early roles in James Camerons Titanic and as the lead in Hornblower. He later rose to wider fame opposite Clive Owen and Keira Knightly in the 2004 historical adventure film Lancelot, as Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic in the 2005 superhero movie Fantastic Four, and in ITVs critically acclaimed series Liar. Evans has appeared in films including the British sports-comedy Blackball, and in episodes of the hit supernatural teen drama series, The Vampire Diaries. But when did the now estranged couple get together? Here is a timeline of their relationship: 2000: Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans meet on film set The actor met Evans, who is also an actor, while filming Disneys live-action 101 Dalmations sequel, 102 Dalmations, which was released in 2000. Little is known about the early stages of their relationship, but Gruffudd eventually proposed after they had been together for five years. September 2007: Couple get married resort in Los Cabos Mexico "It was an intimate gathering," a source told People at the time. "Friends and family travelled all over the world for it." Gruffudd told the publication that he was present in every aspect of the planning process ahead of the ceremony. Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans pictured in 2018 (Getty Images) I am heavily involved. Both Alice and I are doing it ourselves, he said. "We did the invitations, which was enough of a burden, and now of course everybodys saying they want to come so were over by about 20 people, but well work it out. September 2009: first daughter Ella Betsi Evans is born Ella is very small and unbelievably beautiful, Evans told Hello magazine at the time. October 2013: Second daughter Elsie Marigold Evans arrives We are beyond thrilled to announce the arrival of our daughter, Elsie Marigold, on Sept. 13th, the couple told People in a statement. A little sister for Ella Betsi. We both feel very grateful and very blessed. January 2021: The pair announce separation The couple announced that they would be separating in January 2021. Evans wrote a blunt statement on Twitter: Sad news. My beloved husband/soulmate of 20 years, Ioan Gruffudd, has announced he is to leave his family, starting next week. Me and our young daughters are very confused and sad. We havent been given a reason except that he no longer loves me. Im so sorry. Following the news, Gruffudd and Evans issued the following statement to ET Canada: As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy. October 2021: Gruffudd goes Instagram official with new girlfriend Bianca Wallace Gruffudd made his new relationship with actor Bianca Wallace official on Instagram by sharing a photograph of them together on set of A Ray of Sunshine, a film about multiple sclerosis that they both star in. Gruffudd captioned the post: Thank you for making me smile again. February 2022: Gruffudd files for a restraining order against Evans According to multiple US media reports, Gruffudd alleged that Evans repeatedly told him between August 2020 and 1 January 2021 that if I left her, she would make false public accusations about me, sell false stories about me to the press, and destroy me and my career. Gruffudd also claimed that Evans had made many false and harassing posts on social media targeting Gruffudd, along with hundreds of harassing, abusive and threatening communications by text, voice message [and] video message. Alice threatened to tell people I had abused her and our daughters, the filing read, threatened to call the police on me if I did not comply with her demands threatened to tell people I am a drug addict and put me in prison threatened to write a fake diary that reflected an abused victim, and to have the diary published; and threatened to destroy my mother. He alleged in the filing that Evans had sent his mother, Margaret Griffiths, threatening emails. In a response to the petition, Evans claimed that she had no idea what [Gruffudd] is going to accuse me of. I have not hit, struck, attacked, threatened, assaulted, harassed, followed, stalked, molested, destroyed the personal property of, kept under surveillance, impersonated, blocked the movement of, annoyed by phone or electronic means by repeated contact, or disturbed the peace [of Gruffudd or Wallace], she said. June 2022: Evans launches GoFundMe as she claims shes out of money Evans said she was out of money for food and bills in an Instagram post that shared an image of her with youngest daughter Elsie. Trying to hold it all together whilst being threatened, completely out of money for food and bills and just found out somebody tried to break down our outside door last night! she wrote. She added: But its all worth it for this [her daughter]! ( And the one who currently doesnt want to be photographed. ) Whatevs. Most of all, I will be the best mother I can possibly be. Forever. They will never lose me. Thank you everybody for so much love and support! Having a bit of a rough moment! Evans shared the post on the the same day she launched a GoFundMe campaign asking for $25,000 (20,000) to help pay for a divorce lawyer. In the pages description, she wrote: I never in a million years thought I would be doing this. ... However in August 2020, just as the pandemic was really kicking in, my entire world fell apart. Since that date I have been not only struggling as a single mother to my babies, but also trying to cover bills and food and legal fees (ha! dont even talk to me about legal fees) which dwarf any other expense in my life and have finally drained everything - savings, acccounts, pension, the lot. Yesterday all my accounts ran out and I couldnt buy anything. On the same day, my husbands laywer sent me a letter telling me I was due in court on 2 August to argue my case in the divorce. I currently have no lawyer and no funds to pay one. If I dont turn up at court I will be in contempt, and I have no idea what will happen to me or my kids at that point. August 2022: Gruffudd granted restraining order against Evans The restraining order banned Evans from mentioning Gruffudd on social media. June 2023: Gruffudds 13-year-old daughter files restraining order against him Gruffudd and his girlfriend Wallace were spotted out in public for the first time since his teenage daughter reportedly filed a restraining order against them both. Ioan Gruffudd and girlfriend Bianca Wallace (@iambiancawallace via Instagram) The pair were seen taking their dog out for a walk near their home in Los Angeles, a week after 13-year-old Ella is said to have filed the paperwork. According to documents seen by the Daily Mail, the teenager applied for a temporary restraining order on 31 May, with a hearing date of 23 June. She reportedly submitted the application after an incident at Gruffudds home in Los Angeles earlier this month, which allegedly occurred while Ella and her younger sister Elvie, nine, were visiting. It is not known what the incident involved or what led to Ellas decision. The Independent has contacted a representative for Gruffudd 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 }} A painting of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex during happier times will no longer be shown at the National Portrait Gallery. The gallery, which will reopen later this month after a three-year closure for refurbishment, will not display a 2010 portrait of Prince William and Prince Harry, painted by artist Nicky Philipps. The artwork is the first official oil portrait of the brothers and shows them in their Blues and Royals uniforms when they were both serving officers in the Household Cavalry. In the image, William stands to the right side, leaning against a wall casually while wearing the star and blue sash of the Order of the Garter, to which he was appointed to in 2008. Meanwhile, Harry is shown sitting opposite his older brother while wearing his military uniform. The duke was later stripped of his military titles after stepping down as a working royal and moving to the US with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2021. In the years since the portrait was created, William and Harry have grown further apart and it is understood the pair now do not speak after the latter made a number of explosive claims about the royal family. Both the National Portrait Gallery whose royal patron is the Princess of Wales and Kensington Palace have told The Times that the decision to remove the painting was not at the request of the palace. A spokesperson for the gallery said that decisions related to what portraits go on display are made by the gallerys curatorial team. With over 250,000 portraits in our collection, we are only able to display a small percentage within our buildings, however, as one of the worlds largest and most important collections of portraits, we regularly lend and tour our works, both nationally and internationally, she added. (Getty Images) This portrait by Nicky Philipps was included in a touring exhibition Tudors to Windsors which travelled between 2018 and 2021. The portrait was last displayed at the gallery between March and August 2018. The portrait was painted in Philipps home in South Kensington rather than at Clarence House, which was the original agreement. However, the artist preferred the light at her own home and requested that the princes sit for the portrait there. Last year, she recalled how close the brothers were before their rift. In his and Meghans Netflix docuseries, released at the end of last year, Harry accused Williams team at Kensington Palace of trading and leaking stories about the Sussexes to the British press. William and Harry arriving for the unveiling of a statue they commissioned of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace, London (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire) Harry also claimed that William screamed at him in front of the late Queen Elizabeth II at the Sandringham summit in 2020, and that the palace lied to protect William over bullying accusations. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Philipps recalled the princes when she painted them and said: They were so sweet. They were so close, those were the days. In another interview with the Sunday Times last year, Philipps said: They were both utterly charming, quick-witted and great fun. Harry was a very different man back then. I suppose my painting has acquired historic significance. Harry is currently in the UK for his court hearing against the publisher of the Daily Mirror. The duke is set to become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for 130 years as he prepares to testify in his lawsuit as part of the case he and more than 100 other celebrities and high-profile figures have brought against Mirror Group Newspapers. 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 delighted Princess Eugenie has given birth to her second child, the royal has announced, as she shared the baby boys unusual name. The late Queens granddaughter, 33, and husband Jack Brooksbank, 37, told followers that their son, who weighed 7lb 1oz, was born nearly a week ago on May 30. Their eldest son, two-year-old August, is loving being a big brother already, the princess said. Eugenie posted on her Instagram account: Jack and I wanted to share the news that we had our little boy, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank on 30th May 2023 at 8.49 weighing 7.1lbs. He is named after his great great great Grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald. Augie is loving being a big brother already. Eugenie shared a sweet picture of Ernest, wearing a knitted blue and white hat, asleep in a Moses basket, and one of August tenderly stroking his brothers head. Ernests great-great-great grandfather was King George V who also had Ernest as a middle name with his full name being George Frederick Ernest Albert. The babys middle name is also a tender tribute to Mr Brooksbanks father George who died in 2021. Eugenies father-in-law Mr Brooksbank had been ill for some time and had previously been seriously unwell with Covid. Ronnie is a nod to Sarah, Duchess of Yorks father, the former royal polo manager Major Ronald Ferguson who died in 2003 and who was dubbed the galloping major following tabloid exposes of his private life and a title he used for his autobiography. Ernest has arrived in the Kings coronation year, just weeks after the ceremony. He is the first of the late Queens great-grandchildren to be born since her death last September. The newest member of the royal family, whose title is Master Brooksbank, is 13th in line to the throne, moving the Duke of Edinburgh down to 14th place. A heavily pregnant Eugenie, daughter of the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, joined the Windsors to witness her uncle Charless coronation in Westminster Abbey at the start of May. Mr Brooksbank was seated next to the Duke of Sussex in the third row. August with his little brother, Ernest The princess is close to her cousin Harry, whose biography caused ructions when he laid bare his fraught relationships with the King and the Prince of Wales. When she was just weeks away from giving birth, Eugenie joked she would use her baby bump to clear a path through the busy crowds at a Coronation Big Lunch on Chalfont St Giless village green in Buckinghamshire during the celebratory weekend. Eugenie and Mr Brooksbank had expressed their excitement ahead of becoming a family of four. The princess posted a photograph of August, in a burgundy winter hat, matching trousers and wellies, embracing her and kissing her bump, to announce her pregnancy in January. Were so excited to share that there will be a new addition to our family this summer, she wrote. August Philip Hawke Brooksbank was born at the exclusive Portland Hospital in central London on February 9 2021. He made an appearance at the Platinum Jubilee pageant celebrations last year wearing a Union flag jumper as Eugenie bounced him up and down on her knee in the royal box. Eco-conscious Eugenie has pledged August will be an activist from two years old and spoken of her own attempts to stop using plastic at home. The princess and Mr Brooksbank married in a glittering ceremony in the gothic surroundings of St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, in front of royal and celebrity guests in October 2018. Mr Brooksbank has worked as a European brand director of Casamigos Tequila, co-founded by actor George Clooney. He met Eugenie through mutual friends while on a ski trip to Verbier. Eugenie is a director at the contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth in London. She is patron of several charities, including the Elephant Family, the Teenage Cancer Trust, the Coronet Theatre and the European School of Osteopathy, and also founded the Anti-Slavery Collective charity. Eugenie and Mr Brooksbank arrived at the coronation with the princesss disgraced father, Andrew, who stepped down from royal duties in 2019 after his controversial Newsnight interview and the furore over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The duke went on to pay millions to settle a civil sexual assault lawsuit to a woman he claimed never to have met. He denied the claims. The baby is Andrew and his ex-wife Sarahs third grandchild, joining August, and Princess Beatrices one-year-old daughter Sienna. 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 International Atomic Energy Agency will never politicize its work in Iran, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Monday, insisting after Israels prime minister accused it of capitulating to Iranian pressure that his agency has been very fair but firm." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments came after a confidential report from the IAEA last week said that its investigators had closed off their investigation of traces of man-made uranium found at Marivan, near the city of Abadeh, about 525 kilometers (325 miles) southeast of Tehran. Analysts had repeatedly linked Marivan to a possible secret Iranian military nuclear program and accused Iran of conducting high-explosives tests there in the early 2000s. Iran is continuing to lie to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agencys capitulation to Iranian pressure is a black stain on its record, Netanyahu told his Cabinet in televised remarks on Sunday. If the IAEA becomes a political organization, then its oversight activity in Iran is without significance, as will be its reports on Irans nuclear activity," Netanyahu said. Asked on Monday about that criticism, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that his agencys work is neutral, it is impartial, it is technical. We will always say things as they are, Grossi told reporters on the first day of a regular meeting in Vienna of the IAEA board of governors. Grossi added that he would never enter into a polemic with the head of government of a member of the IAEA. We never politicize. We have our standards and apply them always, he said. The politicization is in the eye of the beholder, Grossi added. Israel considers Iran to be its greatest enemy, and Netanyahu has repeatedly said that he wouldn't allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. He has said international diplomacy should be accompanied by a serious military option, and hinted that Israel would be prepared to strike Iran on its own if necessary. Before Netanyahu's comments, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat said in a statement on Friday that the explanations provided by Iran for the presence of nuclear material at the Marivan site are not reliable or technically possible. But Grossi insisted that the IAEA will never, ever water down its safeguards standards. We have been strict, technically impartial and, as I like to say, very fair but firm, he said. Analysts had repeatedly linked Marivan to a possible clandestine Iranian military nuclear program that the IAEA, the West and other countries say was abandoned in 2003. They had accused Iran of conducting high-explosives tests there in the early 2000s. Last week's IAEA report said that another member state operated a mine at the area in the 1960s and 1970s under the rule of then Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, without elaborating. Iran had argued the uranium traces could have come from laboratory instruments and equipment used by miners at the site. The IAEA called the answer a possible explanation. The IAEA is still seeking explanations on the origin and current location of the man-made uranium particles found at two other sites in Iran, Varamin and Turquzabad. Tehran has long denied ever seeking nuclear weapons and continues to insist that its nuclear program is entirely for peaceful purposes. 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 }} Conservative MP Bob Stewart has been charged with racially abusing a man he allegedly told to go back to Bahrain. The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after a complaint was made by activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who has said he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state. The MP for Beckenham in south-east London is alleged to have told Mr Alwadaei during an angry confrontation on December 14 to get stuffed and that he is taking money off my country. The Met said on Monday that the 73-year-old politician has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence over the incident outside the Foreign Offices Lancaster House. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on July 5. The MP is also charged with an alternative count of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. This is to allow the court discretion on the racial element of the allegation and does not relate to a separate incident, the Met said. Stewart, a former British Army officer, has represented Beckenham since 2010 and is currently the chairman of the all-parliamentary group on Bahrain. Mr Alwadaei, 36, who said he was tortured after taking part in anti-government protests in the country, is the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy. 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 family of Paedar Phair have said they are devastated that he killed his former partner Concepta Leonard. Ms Leonard, 51, was stabbed by Mr Phair, 55, at her home in Co Fermanagh on May 15 2017. Her son, Conor Gallagher, who has Downs syndrome and was 30 at the time, was also injured in the attack at the house in Maguiresbridge. Mr Phair later took his own life in an apparent murder-suicide. A separate inquest into Ms Leonards death has heard he harassed her after she ended their relationship, and she secured a court order to try to prevent him from contacting her. An inquest into Mr Phairs death heard a statement from his sister, Ms Wheeler, who said he did not have a close relationship with any of his family. She said she was aware of his relationship with Ms Leonard and did not see her brother often, but saw him about five weeks before, after telling him that a friend had died. She said he turned up unexpectedly at her house on April 29, and when she asked why he had not responded by phone, he said he had been arrested for harassing Ms Leonard, I asked him what he had done, but Paedar just kept telling me he wanted Connie back. I just told him to leave her alone, she said in her statement. In the statement, she went on to describe how she heard of what happened to Ms Leonard. I know my brother had been in trouble seven or eight years ago for hitting his then girlfriend. Paedar was then sent to Maghaberry (jail) over this, she said. My family and I are devastated about what has happened. My condolences go to the Leonard family and I am praying for them. The inquest at Belfast Coroners Court also heard evidence of Mr Phairs movements on the day before. Detective Sergeant Zara Lewis was the only witness to give evidence in person to the inquest. She read a statement, which included an account that he had spent the night before the killing with a female friend at his home in Lisnaskea, where he was described as being very upset and spent a considerable part of the night crying about Concepta. The next day he told his friend he was going to work, but did not turn up at a scrapyard where he had been due to start work. Instead he was seen, via CCTV and witnesses, visiting a local garage, a fishing shop where he bought a knife, and a bar in Lisnaskea. The inquest heard he was seen in the bar dressed smartly in a suit, and drank four measures of vodka and two cans of an energy drink. He bought another bar customer a drink, saying he would not be around to buy him another one again. Mr Phair was described in a witness statement as having been in good spirits whilst in the bar and left unfit and unaccompanied. Ms Lewiss statement also described how police found Mr Phair during a search of the property when they checked the garage. He was found having attempted to take his own life and was identified by a driving licence found in a wallet in his pocket. No suicide note has been found. Police and paramedics attempted to resuscitate Mr Phair and took him to the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen where he was declared dead that evening. A statement from Mr Gallagher, which was read to the inquest, heard that he saw Mr Phair enter the house by the front door. He found them in the kitchen, where Mr Phair took Ms Leonards and Mr Gallaghers mobile phones, as well as a handset for the house phone, before pulling out a knife, putting it to Ms Leonards stomach and ordering them upstairs to her bedroom. In the bedroom, Mr Gallagher said, Mr Phair stabbed Ms Leonard in the stomach on the bed. He said he threw a house phone handset at Mr Phairs head and shouted at him: Leave the knife away, put the knife away and go back to jail, before grabbing Mr Phair by the shoulder and pulling the mobile phones from his pocket. Mr Phair stabbed Mr Gallagher in the stomach before leaving the house, after which Mr Gallagher called the police. The inquest heard there was evidence of alcohol in Mr Phairs blood and urine, consistent with the eye witness reports that he had been drinking in a bar that afternoon. Coroner Anne-Louise Toal said she will deliver findings in both inquests on Friday. 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 }} Tragedy struck a packed Bournemouth beach yesterday as two youngsters died after being pulled from the sea. Eight other people were recovered from the water after getting into difficulty off the main pier as thousands of beachgoers enjoyed the sunny half-term weather. They were treated by paramedics for non-life-threatening injuries. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident has been launched by Dorset Police, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Dorset Police said the two deceased - a 17-year-old boy from Southampton and a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire - sustained critical injuries. Police said that, following initial enquiries, a 40-year-old man - who had been on the water at the time - has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. It is believed the man was on a jet ski. What we know about the area Jet skis and other watercraft operating in the Bournemouth and Poole areas must follow specific rules between April and October. Bournemouth, a popular seaside town on Englands south coast, is popular with locals and tourists during the summer months. Average temperatures in and around the pier area of the sea are 12.4C for the month of June and can exceed 16 in September, according to the surf-forecast website. The website says the area tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells, with surfers warned to watch out for rips and crowds. A lifeguard raises a supervised swimming flag on Bournemouth Beach a day after tragedy (PA) Bournemouth Pier, like all outcrops in the ocean such as groins, headlands or sandbars, presents danger for swimmers due to riptides, or rip currents. Rips, as they are commonly known, occur when water that has been pushed towards land by the sea, is tracking back out, creating a channel of water which pulls back out to sea. Rips are often harmless, and swimmers will barely notice them, but typically around large headlands or piers, they can be powerful and drag unwitting swimmers and surfers out to sea, particularly if there is a large swell running. Piers and cliffs also present a hazard in summer because of the popular pursuit of tombstoning, or cliff-jumping, where thrill-seekers throw themselves into the sea off of the side of these outcrops. Frequently people unfamiliar with conditions are hurt, or even killed, due to shallow water, hitting people in the ocean below, or landing in a dangerous position. The sea conditions in Bournemouth when the incident happened appeared to be calm, with very little swell running. The water temperature was 15 degrees, meaning a wetsuit is required to swim comfortably. The tides at Bournemouth see two highs and two lows in a 24-hour period. Like the rest of the UK, the tidal range is large, exposing large swathes of sand at low tide. Low tide on 31 May was at 1:44pm and it was a 1m tide, while high tide was at 7:35pm and was 1.89m - making it a large tide. This means the incident happened at mid-tide when the water would have been pushing shorewards. What else have the police said? At a press conference on Thursday, Dorset Police dismissed reports that the deceased had jumped from the pier or had been hit by a jet ski. Rachel Farrell, assistant chief constable, confirmed that none of the swimmers had been in "physical contact" with any vessel. She said that a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and the force was investigating what caused that to happen. As we have a person in custody, you will know there is only limited information I can give about the investigation, Ms Farrell said. "However, to avoid further speculation, I am able to tell you that its clear that yesterday a number of people already in the water got into difficulty and we are investigating the circumstances or event that caused that to happen. Ms Farrell added that the two who died were not related to each other and those involved were "different people from different families" who were assisted by "great-spirited members of the public". She added: "We are all truly devastated that two young people have lost their lives. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire And Rescue Assistant Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole, Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Farrell and Vikki Slade, leader of the local council (PA) "My thoughts and those of all the emergency services are very much with their loved ones at this horrendous time and we are doing all we can to support their families." Ms Farrell added: "As you can imagine, we are at the early stages of our investigation, and we would ask people not to speculate about the circumstances surrounding the incident to both protect our inquiries and out of respect for the victims and their families. "We are aware of a number of videos circulating on social media and we would urge people to refrain from doing this. "We know the beach was very busy when the incident occurred. I am today urging anyone who saw what happened or has any information that may assist to please come forward. "If anyone has relevant phone footage then they can contact Dorset Police through our major incident public portal where they can upload the images and we will share the links on social media. "This operation is named Operation Marble. So please share the images with the police rather than on social media." She added: "I would sincerely like to thank members of the public who helped people in trouble in the water and also I am very grateful to wider beachgoers who really quickly moved from the beach to allow emergency workers do their work." Witnesses see beachgoers filming aid effort An air ambulance lands on Bournemouth beach (Max Willcock/BNPS) People on the beach said they witnesses other beachgoers filming paramedics delivering CPR to people involved in the incident. Nicola Holton, who was at the beach with her husband, said she witnessed lifeguards entering the sea trying to help multiple people who were struggling in the water. [There were] loads of idiots ignoring lifeguard requests to get out of the water and clear the beach, she said. People were running towards those having CPR filming on their phones. A doctor who said he was involved in the resuscitation attempt on the young girl praised the work of the beach lifeguards and also hit out at those filming the incident. Those videoing the desperate CPR attempts should think long and hard at their actions, the tragic death of a child is not something anyone should voyeuristically observe, he told MailOnline. Council to assess safety of sea near pier Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council leader Vikki Slade said the authority is working with the emergency services and will be assessing safety in the water near the pier. There are specific rules relating to the buoys in the water but there is no evidence that any of these rules have been breached, she said. Tobias Ellwood, the MP for East Bournemouth and chair of the Commons defence committee, told Sky News that the pier was involved in the tragedy. The local council will review its protocols in relation to what can be conducted on the pier, he added. Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns said the incident is a salutary lesson that danger is ever present on beaches and the ocean. Beachgoers shocked at tragedy The two youngsters who died off Bournemouth beach had not jumped from the pier or been hit by a jet-ski, police have confirmed ( (Andrew Matthews/PA)) Families arriving at the beach on Thursday spoke of their shock at the previous days events. One woman, who did not want to be named, said: "Its such a shame, people just come here to have fun, its a real tragedy." Mourners were seen placing a bunch of flowers on the beach close to the pier early on Thursday morning. 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 declined to say if a Ben Wallace bid for Natos top job will be on the agenda when he travels to Washington this week. The Prime Minister, who is set to visit the White House for talks with US President Joe Biden, dodged a question about whether he will use the trip to lobby for the Defence Secretary to takeover as Nato secretary general. Mr Wallace is seen as a potential contender for the soon-to-be vacant role, replacing Jens Stoltenberg. Mr Sunak hopes to encourage Mr Biden to back Mr Wallace for the role, The Telegraph reported on Monday. But, taking questions at a press conference in Dover, Mr Sunak refused to be drawn on the report. He praised Mr Wallace and the UKs contribution to Nato but did not comment directly. Ben does a fantastic job. He is a great Defence Secretary, Mr Sunak said. This is a conversation that is happening amongst leaders around the world more generally and Im sure it will continue to happen. Ben is widely respected among his colleagues around the world. Were one of the only countries that participates in every single Nato operation. We are widely perceived as a thought leader in Nato. And I think if you asked the Nato secretary general, he would agree with everything Ive just said and we will always continue to be a strong contributor and participant in Nato. Mr Sunaks official working visit to the White House will take place on Thursday. He and Mr Biden have already met in San Diego, Belfast and the G7 summit in Hiroshima. 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 }} Letters between the late Princess Diana and Michael Barrymore in which she discusses a secret meeting between the pair have been revealed in her son Prince Harrys High Court trial against the Daily Mirror publisher. The Duke of Sussex is one of four test cases among scores of complaints against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) being heard in London, alleging illegal information-gathering techniques such as phone hacking, which the publisher denies. With Harry flying in from the US late on Sunday after celebrating his daughter Lilibets birthday, his lawyer David Sherborne presented his mothers letters to the court on Monday as he sought to claim the duke had been impacted by unlawful press tactics since childhood. Princess Diana and Michael Barrymore met secretly in 1997, letters suggest (Steve Finn/Getty Images/John Stillwell/AFP via Getty Images) Describing the late Princess of Wales as a huge target for MGN, Mr Sherborne claimed that the alleged interception of her messages would necessarily have involved obtaining information about the young prince [Harry]. Mr Sherborne read out two letters exchanged between Diana and former TV personality Mr Barrymore, which he said plainly showed the Mirror had been listening to her voicemail messages a claim denounced as total speculation by MGNs lawyers. In one letter, sent in March 1997 as Mr Barrymore was struggling while undergoing an acrimonious divorce and addiction treatment, having recently revealed that he was gay, Diana told him: What a joy it was to finally meet you tonight and it was a privilege to share so much with you. I did want to emphasise that Im here for you whenever, its very easy to pop round and see you or please telephone now you have my number anytime. Youre doing just fine and believe me, I know. So take great care and lots of love from Diana. Diana told Mr Barrymore she had been devastated to learn that the Daily Mirror had called her office about him and their meetings, which Mr Sherborne described as secret and highly sensitive. Harry will become the first senior royal in 130 years to be cross-examined in court this week (Getty) In the letter, Diana said she had not told anyone about the meetings. Another letter, dated June 1997 two months before Dianas death demonstrates the impact of these activities, Mr Sherborne said, pointing to the alleged phone-hacking. Mr Sherborne said Diana wrote to Mr Barrymore saying she had not heard from him and hoped his silence was good news, adding: I have had a nightmare time with the tabloids. The barrister added: Mr Barrymore is so frightened off that he does not contact Princess Diana and this is the isolation that this activity causes. He pointed to Piers Morgan editor of the Mirror between 1995 and 2004 having referred to hearing rumours about the meetings between Diana and Mr Barrymore in his 2005 book, The Insider. The reason Mr Morgan had heard was because Mirror journalists would have heard private messages, claimed Mr Sherborne, who is also representing Coronation Street actors Nikki Sanderson and Michael Turner, and Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of actor Paul Whitehouse. In a recent interview with the BBC, Mr Morgan strenuously denied knowing anything about phone hacking at the Mirror, calling the practice completely wrong and lazy journalists being lazy. Addressing the court later on Monday on behalf of MGN, Andrew Green KC said the claims Dianas phone was hacked was total speculation without any evidential basis whatsoever. The letters you were shown, to Michael Barrymore, are not evidence of voicemail interception, Mr Green said, adding that plainly no such finding could be made. Additional reporting by PA 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 }} Households with traditional prepayment meters have been urged to avoid missing out on 400 worth of help with their bills by June 30, with 130 million still available to be claimed. The Claim Your Energy Voucher Day is a final push to encourage the remaining households to claim their vouchers before the scheme ends in a month. All households were eligible for the Governments Energy Bills Support Scheme, which paid 400 in six instalments of 66 or 67 over the winter. However prepayment customers often some of the most vulnerable were paid in vouchers and millions remain unclaimed. We urge anyone who hasn't yet claimed their vouchers to do so before the June 30 deadline and if you have friends and family that may not have used their vouchers, spread the word Adam Scorer, National Energy Action Some customers did not receive them, while others have struggled to redeem them. Customers need to visit a post office or PayPoint with their Energy Bills Support vouchers and identification before June 30. Any lost, missing or expired vouchers can be reissued, as long as they are redeemed by June 30. Those on a traditional prepayment meter who have not received the vouchers, or are unsure of how to redeem them, or need a voucher to be reissued, should contact their supplier. Only around a quarter of the Governments energy bills vouchers have been claimed in December, as postal strikes have left households across the country waiting on payments amid plunging temperatures (Danny Lawson/ PA) (PA Wire) Latest figures show the number of vouchers cashed in has reached an all-time high of 83%, with prepayment meter users so far claiming nearly 650 million under the scheme. The figures, published earlier this month, show that for the sixth month in a row London had the lowest redemption rate, with more than 650,000 vouchers still unused at the end of March. Around 25% of vouchers in both Scotland and the south-east of England are also yet to be claimed. Energy minister Amanda Solloway said: Weve made huge strides in getting nearly 650 million from our Energy Bills Support Scheme out to prepayment meter customers, often in the homes that need it most. Whatever the reason, we want to reassure people that if they havent claimed their voucher, there is still time to do so Matthew Cole, Fuel Bank Foundation Today we are redoubling our efforts to reach anyone who still hasnt claimed this help, and its fantastic to see so many join our final push to spread the word. Tell friends and family or anyone on a traditional prepayment meter to use their vouchers for up to 400 off bills before June 30 there is still 130 million out there to claim. Adam Scorer, chief executive at National Energy Action, said: We urge anyone who hasnt yet claimed their vouchers to do so before the June 30 deadline and if you have friends and family that may not have used their vouchers, spread the word. It may be the support that keeps their lights on, their oven cooking, their hot showers running, through the summer. Its vital money at a time when its never been needed more. Matthew Cole, head of Fuel Bank Foundation, the national charity that provides emergency fuel vouchers to prepayment meter customers, said: Were really concerned that hundreds of thousands of people with traditional prepayment meters are going to miss out on this vital financial support. PayPoint has been sending out thousands of energy vouchers in recent months (Steve Parsons/PA) (PA Wire) As part of our own campaigning on this issue, we found that other reasons why vouchers havent been redeemed included not receiving them, due to incorrect details or the person having moved house and their records havent been updated, or they lost or deleted the voucher. However, whatever the reason, we want to reassure people that if they havent claimed their voucher, there is still time to do so. Households using prepayment meters who use alternative fuels such as LPG, heating oil or biomass as the main way they heat their homes also have until June 30 to use their vouchers worth up to 200 in energy bills support. Customers will have received these vouchers in the post from their supplier and should contact them if they have any questions. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Duke of Sussex is due to appear in the witness box this week for a court showdown in his ongoing phone hacking battle against some members of the British press. Prince Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles committed phone hacking and other illegal methods of obtaining personal information. He has accused MGNs papers, which include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, of so-called blagging or gaining information by deception and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities. Follow our live blog for latest updates The duke has been asked to attend court on Monday in case the opening speeches finish before the end of the day, so there is a possibility he may enter the witness box on Monday afternoon. Otherwise he is expected to begin his evidence on Tuesday, when he will face cross-examination from MGNs lawyers. It is thought to be the first time a senior member of the royal family has personally appeared in court proceedings since 2002, when the Princess Royal pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act after her English bull terrier bit two children in Windsor Great Park. At the start of the phone hacking trial in May, the court was told that the systemic use of private investigators by journalists to obtain private information unlawfully was authorised by senior editors, including Piers Morgan, at the groups titles. MGN said in a written submission that it unreservedly apologises to the duke for one instance of unlawful information-gathering. The group, which also publishes the Daily Mirror, said it accepted Harry was entitled to appropriate compensation. Harry is due to appear in the witness box this week (PA Wire) Harry has vocalised his difficult relationship with the press several times over the years. In his memoir Spare published this year, the duke firmly advocated against press intrusion. Speaking to ITVs Tom Bradby about the book, Harry referred to the media as the devil and blamed the ongoing rift between him and his family on the press. However, he continued: After many, many years of lies being told about me and my family there comes a point where going back to the relationship between certain members of the family and the tabloid press, those certain members have decided to get in the bed with the devil, right? Harry previously attended the High Court in March to attend a preliminary hearing in his separate claim against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday. Harry has also criticised the media for subjecting Meghan to a wave of abuse (AP) A ruling is awaited in that and in another case brought by the duke against ANL, over Mail On Sunday coverage of his claim against the Home Office about his security arrangements when in the UK. He is also bringing legal action against News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World, over unlawful information at its titles and is awaiting a decision on whether that claim can go ahead to a trial expected in January next year. Witnesses for MGN relating to Harrys claim are due to be called to give evidence on Wednesday, although the schedule may change. Close Prince Harry arrives at High Court for battle with MGN over phone hacking 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 }} Soap actress Nikki Sanderson said her hair was set on fire by a group of girls after Mirror articles painted her as a stuck up, nasty, party girl. She said in her witness statement: People would elbow me, push me and, on one occasion, a group of girls even set my hair on fire. This particular incident happened in the toilets of a club and the group of girls had been bothering me all night. I had gone to the toilets on my own and I was washing my hands and I smelt burning. I looked down and they had set fire to the back of my hair. Fortunately, I wasnt wearing any hair product, otherwise, my hair would have gone up in flames. She added: Its because of this narrative created and repeated by MGN that I was stuck up, nasty, rude, promiscuous, and a party girl. It feels like character assassination. Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex has landed back in Los Angeles, after a flying visit to the UK to give evidence in his High Court phone hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). 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 }} Charges were dropped against a terrorist days before he murdered three people because of a misunderstanding over a botched Home Office attempt to deport him, an inquest has heard. Khairi Saadallah murdered three men as they socialised in a Reading park following the relaxation of Covid restrictions in June 2020, and was jailed for life the following year. The Libyan national, then 25, had already committed numerous violent and criminal offences in the UK, and had been refused asylum by the Home Office. The inquests into his victims deaths heard that charges were dropped against Saadallah 19 days before the attack because the Home Office wrongly told prosecutors he would be deported. At the time, he was coming to the end of his most recent prison sentence and was about to be freed from HMP Bullingdon, and the inquest will probe what may have changed if the prosecution continued. Saadallah had been charged with being drunk and disorderly, damaging property and assaulting an emergency worker over an incident in July 2019 at Reading police station. He allegedly spat at a detention officer after being arrested and damaged a mattress by eating it, but his trial was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic and was not due to take place until July 2020. Nicholas Moss KC, counsel to the inquests, told a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided to drop the case on the basis that the Home Office indicated that they planned to deport Saadallah, but could not do so until those charges had been dealt with. The court heard that Home Office staff emailed that message to the CPS on 29 May 2020, and a senior crown prosecutor formally discontinued all charges on the next working day. However, Mr Moss said that at around the same time, other Home Office staff were preparing a submission not to deport Saadallah, on the basis that persons could not be returned to Libya under internal guidance because of the ongoing civil war. Khairi Saadallah was given a whole-life term for the Reading terror attack (CTPSE) Whatever the right and wrongs of that, it appears from that exchange between the CPS and the Home Office charges were dropped, due to what may be thought to have been a misunderstanding or miscommunication about the status of Mr Saadallah, he added. Ms Moss said that the families of his three victims, teacher James Furlong, 36, scientist David Wails, 49, and US citizen Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, 39, were plainly concerned with why he was able to stay in the country. Documents presented to Mondays hearing show that Home Office witnesses will be called to explain Saadallahs immigration history, the decision to grant him discretionary leave to remain in the UK, whether there was any possibility of deportation to Libya and the departments involvement in the decision not to pursue charges against Saadallah before he launched his brutal knife attack. The inquests will also be looking at how referrals to the Prevent counter-terrorism scheme were handled, the management of Saadallah in prison, probation monitoring after he was released on 5 June 2020, and the treatment of his mental health and substance abuse issues. Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, James Furlong and David Wails, the three victims of the Reading attack (Thames Valley Police) Mr Moss said Saadallah was known to be impulsive, aggressive and violent, but that professionals who were alerted to his expression of extremist views saw it as being predominantly a mental health issue, whereas the mental health clinicians saw his condition as being a personality disorder, which was difficult to treat. The risk that within that circle, opportunities may have been missed to assess and communicate his risk effectively should be considered, he added. MI5 and counter-terror policing witnesses are being called to give evidence on what was known about Saadallah and how any potential risk was communicated to other bodies. A further pre-inquest hearing will take place in September, when the security services will make applications on information they want to redact from public hearings and present to the coroner in closed proceedings. The full inquests, before judge coroner Sir Adrian Fulford KC, are due to start on 15 January 2024. 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 }} Suicides among young women in the UK are surging at the fastest rate ever. Data released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows the suicide rate in women and girls under the age of 24 between 2020 and 2021 saw the steepest rise since records started in 1981 - rising from 2.5 to 3.6 deaths per 100,000 women. This comes in the context of suicide among young women rising for several years. Mental Health Innovations Shout, which runs a text messaging support service, revealed they had around an estimated 194,000 text conversations with 74,000 women who had suicidal thoughts as an issue in 2022. Around three in ten of these conversations were with 14-17 year old girls and around a quarter were with 18-24 year old women. While three quarters of those who use their service identify as female, around four in ten female texters had suicide as an issue. We do a risk assessment if we think they are suicidal, Dr Fiona Pienaar, a senior clinical advisor at the charity, tells The Independent. When a texter is very clear they are suicidal - they might say I want to kill myself or sometimes use euphemisms like I dont want to wake up tomorrow, we do a risk assessment. Dr Piennar added that there are several reasons suicides among young women are rising at the fastest rate ever recorded. Trying to understand suicide and suicide prevention is my passion, she adds. Suicide is a complex multi-causal issue but I think young people have had challenges. The pandemic was particularly challenging for them. The situation in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, climate change; all of these challenges contribute. She noted people contacting their service say they are struggling to afford food, housing, heating, clothing and transport. Not having money can stop you from sleeping and impact your social life, Dr Piennar says. We get a lot of young women talking about loneliness and isolation. I think cost of living issues and challenges contribute to this. People can be embarrassed and ashamed about struggling with finances. Dr Piennar, who is a therapist, warned stigma around suicide persists as she noted more suicide attempts are made by women. Men are more likely to use more lethal means of taking their own life, she explains. Issues around stigma are better but we have a long way to go. The top presenting issues are suicidal ideation connected to relationships, adverse childhood experiences, and jobs. It is usually a range of things. Often people are holding things they have experienced in their childhood. Or it can be around parenting. I have had a fair amount of parents struggling with their mental health. Wendy Robinson, head of services at the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a leading charity campaigning against suicide, said the rise in young women taking their own lives is partially linked to overwhelmed mental health services turning people in need away as the threshold for support grows higher. From our helpline we hear from young women who are struggling with social media, Ms Robinson adds. Social media can provide guidance, inspiration, and motivation but if you are struggling, it can compound your issues. Body image issues or eating disorders can lead to self harm as a release and that can lead to suicide. She said women struggling with their mental health may resort to something they deem to be an unhealthy coping strategy and be hard on themselves for doing so - subsequently falling into a vicious loop. Ms Robinson argued a corrosive atmosphere of misogyny could be linked to young women killing themselves as she warned it is not a level playing field for women. It is really important when we look at peoples mental health that we dont over-personalise it, she reflects. We have to accept we are living in chaotic and frightening times. We are bombarded with bad news left, right and centre. We struggle in a context. Its not all in our heads - there is plenty to feel unhappy about. Ms Robinson raised concerns young women pursuing help for mental health issues might be seen as attention seeking but noted sometimes people seek attention because they are struggling. We have done a good job of highlighting the risk factors of suicide for men but we are seeing it as a male problem rather than as a human problem, she explains. We know with suicide, depression is a major factor and we know depression disproportionately affects women. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Suicide thrives in the dark, it gets a grip on you when you keep your suicidal thoughts to yourself. Suicide is the leading killer of men under 50, with men making up around three quarters of the total number of suicides in England and Wales last year. Chloe Witcombe-Farr, a suicide survivor, has first-hand experience of these issues. Back in October 2020, just after the second lockdown hit, I was in a really dark place, the 26-year-old tells The Independent. Being the person everyone came to for advice - the strong one who knows what to say and what to do - I never felt like I could speak to anyone about what I was feeling. Being trapped in your head is one of the worst places. Until you are in that place, you could never imagine being suicidal. Her mental health deteriorated because she was furloughed from her job while being forced to self-isolate due to having a poor immune system, she explained. During this time, she did not leave the house for around 17 weeks and became overwhelmed by the grief of recently losing her father. (Chloe Witcombe-Farr) It felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel, Witcombe-Farr says. I started trying to kill myself. If my husband had walked in a minute later, I wouldnt be here to do this interview. Both of us were in shock. Id never realised in my own head, Id got to that point. She got in touch with Samaritans and says while life is not all rainbows and sunshine, she is now in a good place. Stephen Buckley, of Mind, a leading mental health charity, states it is concerning to witness a rise in young women killing themselves but states it is not clear what is driving the rise. What we do know is that young people were among those hardest hit by the pandemic - greatly affected by loneliness and isolation associated with lockdowns, school closures, missed exams and concerns about future careers, he reflects. Mr Buckley noted their recent research shows this strain isnt easing up - with the study finding the mental health of almost three quarters of women in England and Wales is being harmed by the cost of living crisis. Women are also more likely to have experienced traumatic events such as abuse and are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health problem, he adds. Social media which can be a valuable source of peer support can also negatively affect young peoples mental health and self-esteem, as users may be encouraged to scroll through others unrealistic images, which often portray their lives in the best possible light. If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The 12-year-old girl who died in the Bournemouth beach tragedy was chest-deep in the sea when she was pulled underwater, it has emerged as her heartbroken mother paid tribute to her well-loved daughter. Sunnah Khan, 12, from High Wycombe, was standing chest-deep in the sea before the incident unfolded beside Bournemouth Pier, according to The Sun. A 17-year-old trainee chef from Southampton, Joe Abbess, also died after a struggle in the water. Her mother Stephanie Williams has now shared a picture of her daughter laughing on Bournemouth beach with The Sun, with the newspaper saying it was taken shortly before the tragedy happened. Ms Williams said: Sunnah was so well loved and well liked. No parent should ever have to go through what her dad and I are going through. We love you so much baby girl. Follow the latest updates on what happened at Bournemouth beach last week here. Ms Williams told the newspaper that she has not been given any information beyond what Dorset Police said at a news conference following the deaths. Its just really difficult to accept, she told The Sun. Somebody has potentially caused Sunnah to be taken away from us. Ms Williams added the cause of her daughters death was drowning but there were no other injuries. We dont actually know how it came about, she said. Sunnah had gone to Bournemouth beach for the day with her dad, Asim Khan, 37, and her siblings. The grief-stricken mother said she does want any other family to lose their child in such a traumatic and awful way and relive what weve been going through, adding that Sunnah must have been terrified. Friends of Sunnah have also paid tribute after the incident, with one saying: She will be missed by everyone, she was very popular and her death will leave a hole that will be impossible to fill. 'She had so much more to look forward to. She was an angel. Joe Abbess,17, from Southampton, who has been named by police as the boy who died after getting into difficulty in the water off Bournemouth beach on Wednesday (PA Media) On Sunday, the family of 17-year-old Joe paid tribute to the fabulous young man. They said: We are heartbroken and devastated at the death of our Joe. He was a wonderful son and brother who is sadly missed. His family and friends will always love him and we are incredibly proud of the fabulous young man he was. He was kind and generous, loving and caring, hardworking and funny. Joe was a talented trainee chef, with a bright future ahead of him. We were privileged to have him in our lives for 17 years and we are so sorry he will never fulfil his dreams and ambitions. He was enjoying a day at the beach on Wednesday and we would like to thank his friends and all of the emergency services who helped him, when this tragedy unfolded. A bouquet of flowers left on Bournemouth beach for those who lost their lives on Wednesday afternoon (PA) Local Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood questioned the lack of clarity from police investigating the circumstances of the incident in Bournemouth, saying that it had led to wild speculation on social media. The Bournemouth East MP told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Certainly anybody would not want to impede or prejudice the investigation. But if the absence of any comprehensive statement becomes standard, I can see who, speaking on a wider picture and security level... those who wish us harm could leverage the void by misleading messaging. We do need to understand, learn lessons from this, provide clarity early on - just so people can have an assurance of mind as to what roughly happened, and then make their own assessments as to whether its safe to go or whether they should move away. A cruise boat called the Dorset Belle was impounded at Cobbs Quay Marina in Poole, Dorset following the incident off Bournemouth beach (PA Wire) David Sidwick, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, defended the police handling of the incident. He told BBC Radio 4: At this moment in time, we have to understand that this is an immensely complex situation. The police moved to rule out those things which they could rule out when they had enough evidence to be able to do that. What they cant do is say what exactly happened and they shouldnt because the veracity of any statement made by those investigating this incident must be beyond reproach. And not just for any legal situation, but also because it is, to remind everyone - the victims and their families needs are paramount. 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 }} Tesco has urged its 20 million Clubcard customers to cash in their rewards over the next fortnight before they are cut from three times to two times their value. The UKs biggest supermarket announced in March that its Clubcard points will be worth twice their value when customers cash them in, rather than three times as they are now, from June 14. Rewards ordered up to and including June 13 will continue to be valid for one year from the date of issue. The popular scheme enables shoppers to collect points for money spent at Tesco and exchange them for vouchers which can be used in store or for excursions to locations such as Pizza Express, Legoland and Alton Towers. The grocer first introduced Clubcard in 1995 and promptly saw a 28% spending uplift. Tescos chief customer officer Alessandra Bellini said: While we are making a change to how members can use their vouchers with our reward partners, we want to remind millions of Clubcard holders to redeem their vouchers at three times the value until June 13 so they can use their reward partner codes to give themselves and their families a well-deserved treat. We have extended the validity of redeemed codes at the 3x rate, so if swapped before the deadline, they will be valid for a year, instead of six months, to give customers even more time to enjoy them. Customers expressed their disappointment at the change, pointing out it came as the cost-of-living crisis was already placing pressure on household budgets. One shopper posted: Tesco #clubcard now only worth x2 gee thanks #Tesco you really care about your loyal customers not. Maybe time to shop elsewhere. A second Clubcard user wrote: We were always grateful for the @Tesco Clubcard X4 when our kids were younger, it helped out massively on days out, we used our vouchers to buy towards Merlin passes which saved us so much money. We use it now for ourselves and X3 is good, but what an insult #X2 is to customers! A third wrote: Dear @tesco Just got your email re clubcard voucher exchange value changing to 2x, not 3x the value. Really disappointing! Not that long ago they were worth 4x the value. Are you not making enough profit already? One woman tweeted Tesco that its Clubcard scheme had kept me shopping with you but now with your prices soaring and the announcement about the points changes Ill be looking elsewhere. I bet a lot will do the same. It really helped us all out. Disappointed in you Tesco, she added. Sainsburys and Boots also cut the value of their loyalty schemes recently. From May, Boots Advantage Card holders have received 25% less for every 1 they spend in store, earning 3p rather than 4p. In November Sainsburys Bank cut the amount of Nectar points customers could earn by 75%, from two points for every 1 spent to one point for every 2. 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 }} Peers have threatened to delay the Illegal Migration Bill until the Government publishes the facts and figures showing the financial impact of the controversial proposals. Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth was heckled by peers as he repeatedly said an economic impact assessment on the Bill would be published in due course. But former senior judge Baroness Butler-Sloss, an independent crossbench peer, said it was outrageous the House of Lords was being asked to take decisions on the proposals without knowing the predicted impact of them. Labours Lord Hunt of Kings Heath received shouts of encouragement as he said the Bill should not progress to its next stage without the impact assessment being available. The Bill is a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks bid to deter people from crossing the Channel in small boats. The reforms would prevent people from claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means. The Government also hopes the changes will ensure detained people are promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda. The Bill is undergoing line-by-line scrutiny in the Lords at committee stage, with the Government braced for amendments to be made by peers at report stage. My own thinking is that the House should not allow the Bill to go into report stage without the impact assessment being available Lord Hunt of Kings Heath After Lord Murray sidestepped questions on the details and timing of the economic impact assessment, Lady Butler-Sloss said: How does the Government justify not having an impact statement until presumably the whole of this House has completed its dealing with the Bill? It seems to me outrageous. How can the Government justify it? Conservative Lord Cormack noted the House has to make significant decisions at report stage on the most sensitive legislation that has been before Parliament for a very long time. He said: It is crucial we have all the facts at our disposal. Lord Hunt added: I think the House is entitled to ask the minister what he means by in due course. Let me ask him specifically whether the impact assessment will be available before we move into report stage? Because my own thinking is that the House should not allow the Bill to go into report stage without the impact assessment being available. Shouts of hear, hear and well said could be heard after Lord Hunt made his point. We are whistling in the dark. We have no idea what it means Lord Coaker Lord Murray replied: Clearly I hear what the noble lord says and I will take back his comments and the comments of others in the House, and we can reflect on them. For Labour, home affairs spokesman Lord Coaker sought clarity on how many people could be removed from the UK under the proposals. He also said: In order to make proper decisions its a convention that those facts are made available. At the very least they should be made available before report, they should be made available. He added: We are whistling in the dark. We have no idea what it means. Lord Coaker later asked: Wheres all the other facts and figures? No idea. An analysis produced by the Refugee Council said it would cost between 8.7 billion and 9.6 billion to detain and accommodate people impacted by the Bill in the first three years of its operation. The Government last month published an equality impact assessment which concluded disqualification from modern slavery support under the Bill could have a disproportionate impact on female potential victims. The Bill faces a rocky ride in the Lords, with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby previously condemning it as morally unacceptable and politically impractical. Peers later discussed amendments to the list of countries or territories where a person may be removed, with suggestions to explicitly state that LGBT+ people should not be taken to some of them due to fears of persecution. A separate amendment also suggested removing Rwanda from the list given legal action to challenge the plan. 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 }} Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. The meeting in the war-torn nations capital came amid signs the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive against the Russian invasion may have started. In a video posted to Mr Zelenskys Facebook page, Mr Cleverly is heard saying that the UK will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious. The Ukrainian president thanks the UK for the big support it has given his country. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it James Cleverly to Volodymyr Zelensky He wrote on Facebook: During the meeting, we discussed important topical issues: Ukraines expectations from the Nato Summit in Vilnius, promotion of the Ukrainian peace formula and preparation of the global summit on its implementation, as well as the London international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are very grateful for the support that the UK has provided and continues to provide to Ukraine. Kyiv has long called for Ukraine to be admitted to Nato, but allies are divided about when and how any accession might happen as the war with Russia continues. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week said Ukraines rightful place is in Nato, at a gathering of European leaders in Moldova ahead of the key meeting of Nato leaders in Lithuania in July. In the video from Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary is seen speaking of his previous visit to Ukraine in winter when it was cold and it was dark. But this time I can see theres more life in the city. The traffic is heavier, which normally is a bad sign in a city. But I think for me it demonstrates what I mean to be true. And that is that the Ukrainian people are not going to allow themselves to be broken by this. And I think that, I think youre very much leading by example. Even though there are drone attacks, even though there are alarms going off through the nights, even though Russia has tried throughout the winter, to break the infrastructure of your country, to break the will of your people, the Ukrainian people keep refusing to be broken, yourself included. He added: The sunshine and the leaves and the flowers shouldnt distract us from the fact that there is still very much work to be done. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it. When we said that we would do more and go further, we meant it. 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 death of a newborn baby at a Manchester hospital is being investigated as possible gross negligence manslaughter. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said on Monday that their major incident team is looking into the death of Polly Lindop, who died within 24 hours of being born at St Marys Hospital on March 13. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Davis said: First, I want to express my condolences to the parents of Polly at what is an extremely difficult time for them. Our thoughts will remain with them as we carry out our investigation. A number of hospital staff have been spoken to as witnesses by officers and no arrests have been made at this time. As Pollys parents we would like to thank everyone at GMP for their continual efforts every day in gaining us answers. Our beautiful brave baby girl Polly, we love you and miss you every day. Sleep tight my darling Baby Polly Lindop's parents The hospital trust has been fully co-operative with the police and all relevant authorities have been kept informed. The investigation into Pollys death is ongoing and her family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments. The babys parents paid tribute to her and thanked police in a statement issued through the force. They said: As Pollys parents we would like to thank everyone at GMP for their continual efforts every day in gaining us answers. Our beautiful brave baby girl Polly, we love you and miss you every day. Sleep tight my darling. A spokesman for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said: GMP are investigating an incident that happened in March 2023. Our thoughts continue to be with the family and we are co-operating fully with the police investigation. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former health secretary Matt Hancock has apologised for a rule breach after he lobbied the Commons standards commissioner during an investigation into a Conservative MP. Mr Hancock committed the minor breach of the MPs code of conduct by writing an unsolicited letter to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg in defence of senior Tory Steve Brine, who was under investigation for allegedly breaking lobbying rules. The Commons Committee on Standards, while ruling that Mr Hancock did not act with malice over his contact with the commissioner, recommended that the former cabinet minister make an apology to MPs following a review of his behaviour. The MP, who is currently sitting as an independent after being stripped of the Conservative whip, did so on Monday, telling Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle he was grateful to be able to make his statement at the earliest possible opportunity. The Committee on Standards ... recommended that I apologise to the House and the commissioner for this minor breach ... Im happy to do so Matt Hancock MP Mr Hancock told MPs that he had written to Mr Greenberg in March to provide context to an investigation the commissioner was carrying out into actions taken by Mr Brine in response to a Government call-to-arms during the pandemic. At the time of the letter, Health and Social Care Committee chairman Mr Brine was under investigation over claims he lobbied the head of the NHS on behalf of a firm for which he was working as a paid consultant. The details that led to that probe were revealed in the tranche of leaked WhatsApp messages from Mr Hancock, who helped lead the Governments Covid response as health secretary, published by The Daily Telegraph. In his correspondence with Mr Greenberg, Mr Hancock said it was his firm belief that Mr Brine had been acting overwhelmingly in the national interest. He said Mr Brine did nothing improper and should be cleared from any accusation given his actions were in line with his duties as a Member of Parliament and British citizen to help our country in its time of need. In May, the commissioner concluded that Mr Brine had not properly declared his work for Remedium Partners while contacting Mr Hancock and Michael Gove but cleared him of seeking a financial benefit for the firm, which was offering anaesthetists to the NHS free of charge. Mr Greenberg, in a memorandum on Mr Hancocks case, reprimanded the West Suffolk MP for failing to understand the important distinction between evidence and opinion. He added: Nor has he carefully considered how his opinion about the correct outcome for my inquiry into Mr Brine might put him on the wrong side of the rules laid down by the House. It is concerning that a member with this experience has not taken account of these provisions of the code Commons Committee on Standards Making his apology to the Commons, Mr Hancock said: The commissioner found that in (writing to him about Mr Brine), I inadvertently committed a minor breach of the House rule that forbids members from lobbying the commissioner or members of the committee over an investigation. The Committee on Standards found that I did not seek to break the rules, had no prospect of personal gain and acted without malice. However, they recommended that I apologise to the House and the commissioner for this minor breach and underline that respect for the code and the processes of investigating potential breaches of the code is an important and necessary part of the code. Im happy to do so. The Commons Committee on Standards said on Monday that, while Mr Hancock had made a minor breach of the MPs code of conduct, he had yet to acknowledge his mistake. The committee recommended that Mr Hancock, as well as making a personal statement to apologise to the House of Commons and the commissioner, should also attend a briefing on his obligations under the code with the commissioner. The committee, in its report on his case, said Mr Hancock did not set out to breach the rules, had no prospect of personal gain and did not act with malice by writing to the commissioner. But it said the former cabinet minister had displayed a lack of attention to the rules and it is concerning that a member with this experience has not taken account of these provisions of the code. Mr Hancock had the Tory whip removed in November after agreeing to appear on ITV reality programme Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! He is due to stand down at the next election, having first been elected in 2010. 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 }} Senior Conservative MPs rounded on the government on Monday, saying its refusal to hand over unredacted WhatsApp messages to the Covid Inquiry was based on spurious nonsense. It came as a lawyer representing bereaved families said inquiry chair Lady Hallett will have to resign if the government successfully withholds ministers messages from scrutiny. William Wragg, chair of the public administration select committee, said that, if government ministers were going to conduct business via instant messaging apps, then public inquiries will express an interest in reading what was transacted. He was speaking in the Commons where MPs from all sides attacked the decision to launch a legal challenge to an order by inquiry chair Baroness Hallett to hand over messages sent during the pandemic. Criticising the government, veteran Tory MP Sir Edward Leigh said ministers should let everything hang out. He added: Let them have what they want and lets get to the truth. Former solicitor general and justice secretary Robert Buckland drew laughter as he questioned the governments decision. The courts are going to be very reluctant to get involved in second-guessing the decision-making by Baroness Hallett, and theyre going to have to decide that shes got things very wrong indeed, before they wish to intervene, he predicted. Therefore doesnt it beg this question, the old wartime adage: is your journey really necessary? Conservative select committee chair Mr Wragg said: If business [is] conducted by means of WhatsApp, public inquiries will express an interest in reading what was transacted. When he says there are certain questions over material that might be unambiguously irrelevant, it is for the chair surely to determine that. There is no prospect [of], and it was rather spurious nonsense to hear some ministers witter on about, personal information about their children being disclosed. Thats not the case. Shadow cabinet office minister Fleur Anderson said ministers were not only undermining trust but public safety by potentially undermining and challenging the inquiry. The move also had a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxpayers money on legal fees, she added. Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson are at odds over release of messages (AFP/Getty) Elkan Abrahamson, a solicitor representing the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group, said quitting would be the only logical response for Lady Hallett if the government succeeds in blocking material. Lady Hallett has said quite clearly she needs the material in order to have a proper inquiry, Mr Abrahamson said. And he described the legal challenge as an existential struggle between politics and the inquiry. This is something very important to her, and there would only be two responses. One would be to say: Well, alright, I wont do a proper job, but I will do it anyway. The other would be to say: Well I cant do it under those circumstances. We do not want her to go, I am just pointing out the gravity of the challenge and the implications of it. Mr Abrahamson told The Independent it was difficult to understand why the government was seeking a judicial review of Lady Halletts order for information. He pointed out that the inquiry was set up while Mr Johnson was prime minister and Rishi Sunak was chancellor, so they werent against it at the time. There must be something they are really keen for Lady Hallett and possibly the public not to know about, he said. Responding in the Commons, Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin said the first court hearing for the judicial review would take place on or shortly after June 30. There is no question that all internal discussions on Covid in any form requested by the inquiry will be made transparently available to it, he said. What has been redacted and so not provided in response to the notice is material which the Cabinet Office considers to be clearly and unambiguously irrelevant to that work. That material includes, for example, communications about purely personal matters and about other aspects of the Government's policy and work, which have nothing to do with Covid. It came as TUC general secretary Paul Nowak urged the prime minister to respect the inquiry and not undermine it. The organisation said the UK was hugely unprepared for the pandemic because of years of austerity which left health and social care dangerously understaffed. On the judicial review, Mr Nowak told reporters: Ministers cannot be judge and jury over what is disclosed to the inquiry. That has to be up to the independent chair to decide. And the fact that the prime minister is prepared to spend taxpayers money to try and block the handover of evidence is deeply worrying. The very least we deserve is transparency from our decision-makers. No one should be allowed to hide from scrutiny. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The benefits of the first Covid-19 lockdown were a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral costs it imposed, a study has claimed. Scientists from Johns Hopkins University and Lund University say the policy may have saved as few as 1,700 lives in England and Wales compared to countries which took lighter-touch measures. The researchers looked at existing studies on the impact of various different measures taken to protect populations against the virus across the world. They found that full lockdowns had a negligible impact on mortality and suggested they could be a policy failure of gigantic proportions. The approach's benefits were far outweighed by its impact on economic growth, public debt, and education, they said. Across Europe, countries which imposed lockdowns saw around 6,000 fewer deaths than if they had taken a lighter-touch approach, the study said. Authors examined 19,646 potentially relevant studies and selected 22 with standardised measures. They compared the "stringency" of regulations in different countries and how this impacted on mortality. The authors concluded: The science of lockdowns is clear; the data are in: the deaths saved were a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral costs imposed. But they said more research was needed to examine the impact of specific policies like requiring the wearing of masks. Other studies have found different conclusions. One 2021 commentary in the British Medical Journal said it was challenging to determine whether lockdowns have caused the harms or whether these harms are a direct consequence of the underlying health disaster of the pandemic. There were around 227,000 deaths recored with Covid on their death certificate in the UK up to 5 May 2023, according to government figures. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 / 50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 June 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak onboard Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during a visit to Dover PA UK news in pictures 4 June 2023 A hot air balloon rises into the sky above Ragley Hall, Alcester, south of Birmingham in central England AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 June 2023 Skaters use the mini ramp at the Wavelength Spring Classic festival in Woolacombe Bay in Devon PA UK news in pictures 1 June 2023 The And Beyond installation, during a photo call for the London Design Biennale at Somerset House in London PA UK news in pictures 31 May 2023 Emergency services attending to a blaze at a derelict listed building in Samuel Street, Belfast PA UK news in pictures 30 May 2023 A robot named Stella interacts with visitors during the International Conference on Robotics and Automation ICRA in London AP UK news in pictures 29 May 2023 Dave Hackett and his daughter Daisy, five, explore the laburnum arch in the grounds of Preston Tower, East Lothian, in the warm Spring Bank Holiday weather PA UK news in pictures 28 May 2023 Great Britains Nick Bandurak scores their sides third goal of the game during the FIH Hockey Pro League mens match at Lee Valley, London PA UK news in pictures 27 May 2023 People enjoy the sunny weather at a park in London AP UK news in pictures 26 May 2023 People drink coffee inside Daleks during MCM Comic Con at the ExCel London in east London PA UK news in pictures 25 May 2023 King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a visit to Enniskillen Castle, Co Fermanagh as part of a two day visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 24 May 2023 Horses enjoy the sunny weather on Middleham Gallops in North Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 23 May 2023 An aerial view of a yellow rapeseed field in Hemel Hempstead, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 22 May 2023 Manoj Malde and Clive Gillmor kiss after getting married, the first wedding ever at the Chelsea Flower Show AP UK news in pictures 21 May 2023 People enjoy the warm weather as they take punt tours along the River Cam in Cambridge PA UK news in pictures 20 May 2023 Protesters emerge from the sea as Surfers Against Sewage hold a UK-wide paddle-out protest at Brighton West Pier in East Sussex PA UK news in pictures 19 May 2023 Good Karma ridden by Daniel Muscutt (right) wins the Earl & The Pharaoh Novice Stakes at Newbury Racecourse, Berkshire PA UK news in pictures 18 May 2023 Choristers from the Choir of St Johns College at the University of Cambridge look out from the top of the Chapel Tower before performing the Ascension Day carol - a custom dating back to 1902. PA UK news in pictures 17 May 2023 Oxfam activists wearing 'big heads' of G7 leaders during a demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London, highlighting their lack of action to tackle the East Africa hunger crisis ahead of the start of the G7 summit in Japan PA UK news in pictures 16 May 2023 Part of a childs jacket during a photo call for the Chinas hidden century exhibition, which opens at the British Museum PA UK news in pictures 15 May 2023 Viewing assistant and History of Art student Emma Scarr Hall takes a closer look at @Pink Roses (1923) by Scottish Colourist artist Leslie Hunter which is estimated at 60,000-80,000 in the forthcoming Bonhams Scottish Art Sale in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 14 May 2023 Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Sharon Horgan and Anne-Marie Duff, with the award for Drama Series, for Bad Sisters at the 2023 BAFTA TV Awards in London EPA UK news in pictures 13 May 2023 Singer Loreen performing on behalf of Sweden celebrates with the trophy after winning the final of the Eurovision Song contest 2023 AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 12 May 2023 Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer views a cancer tumour under a microscope during a visit to the Francis Crick Institute in north London where he met scientists working on research into lung cancer PA UK news in pictures 11 May 2023 Judging takes during the artisan cheese awards at St Marys Church, Melton Mowbray PA UK news in pictures 10 May 2023 A dog joins members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) on the picket line outside HMRC in East Kilbride during a strike in the long-running civil service dispute over pay, jobs and conditions PA UK news in pictures 9 May 2023 Two trains carrying 170 Eurovision song contest superfans arrive into Liverpool Lime Street train station PA UK news in pictures 8 May 2023 Britains Prince Louis eats toasted marshmallows as they take part in the Big Help Out, during a visit to the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, England, AP UK news in pictures 6 May 2023 King Charles III and Queen Camilla can be seen on the Buckingham Palace balcony ahead of the flypast during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla Getty UK news in pictures 5 May 2023 Britain's King Charles III leaves after speaking to well-wishers on The Mall near to Buckingham Palace in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 May 2023 A night time rehearsal in central London for the coronation of King Charles III PA UK news in pictures 2 May 2023 Teacher members of the National Education Union (NEU) at a rally in Westminster, London, as they stage walkouts across England in an ongoing dispute over pay PA UK news in pictures 1 May 2023 Former US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the tarmac after disembarking "Trump Force One" at Aberdeen airport on the north-east coast of Scotland AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 April 2023 Handout photo issued by the Big Partnership of walkers at the start of The Kiltwalk 2023 from Glasgow Green. PA UK news in pictures 29 April 2023 Englands flanker Marlie Packer celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the Womens Six Nations Grand Slam at the end of the Six Nations international womens rugby union match between England and France at Twickenham in south-west London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 28 April 2023 Lucy Williams, from Aberfan, holds her son Daniel Williams, one, as he takes the handbag of the Princess of Wales, during her visit with her husband the Prince of Wales, to the Aberfan memorial garden, to pay their respects to those who lost their lives during the Aberfan disaster on October 21st 1966 PA UK news in pictures 27 April 2023 Teachers on the picket line outside Bristol Cathedral School, College Square, Bristol, as they take strike action in a dispute over pay PA UK news in pictures 26 April 2023 Protesters wait for the arrival of King Charles III and the Queen Consort for their visit to Liverpool Central Library PA UK news in pictures 25 April 2023 Wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph in central London, in commemoration for Anzac Day PA UK news in pictures 24 April 2023 Waves crash over Tynemouth pier on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 23 April 2023 People cross the finish line at the 2023 London Marathon Getty UK news in pictures 22 April 2023 A Wrexham fan in a Deadpool costume ahead of the Vanarama National League match at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham PA 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 The UK Covid-19, which is now getting underway, will examine the government's response to the virus and how decisions were made. Rishi Sunak's government has launched a legal challenge to try and stop the inquiry from using its powers to get hold of sweeping unredacted messages showing what ministers were talking about during the pandemic. The government has handed over many messages and documents but says some of those requested are "unambiguously irrelevant". A government spokesman said: We are committed to learning from the Covid Inquirys findings, which will play a key role in informing the Governments planning and preparations for the future. 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 }} Keir Starmer previously told banned Labour mayor Jamie Driscoll that he wanted to "unify the party" before blocking him from standing, it has emerged. In a friendly sit-down interview with Mr Driscoll during the 2020 Labour leadership contest Sir Keir told the North East mayor: "There is more that unites us than divides us". But Mr Driscoll has now been blocked from standing at the next election in a move critics say amounts to factional warfare by Sir Keir against the left. Labour mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, as well as the Unite trade union are among those who have criticised the decision and called for a re-think. Mr Driscoll, who has been the North of Tyne mayor since 2019, recorded a 19 minute sit-down video with Sir Keir during his campaign to become Labour leader. On the issue of factionalism, Sir Keir told Mr Discoll: "One of the most important things is unifying the party. "That doesnt mean everybody agreeing because youre never going to get that in the Labour Party but it does mean creating an environment in which people can respectfully disagree and come together and make a decision and move forward." He added: "If I lead the Labour Party and ask for unity, Ive got to demonstrate that through my campaign and as leader of the Labour Party: because you cant ask others to do something youre not doing yourself." Adding that "disciplining people to be united is going nowhere," he said: "That saying that 'there is more that unites us than divides us' is really powerful." The interview was part of a charm offensive by Sir Keir to win the votes of Labour's left-leaning membership who he has pivoted sharply away from since gaining power in the party. Critics say he ran on a false prospectus. It was announced on Friday that Mr Discoll been blocked by the party from standing as its candidate for the mayoralty he already holds. The decision was taken by Labour's national executive committee, which is controlled by Sir Keir and his allies. The Labour leader's faction on the right of the party has been accused of using its control of the NEC to exclude left-wing candidates from standing to bolster their power in the party's elected positions. Sir Keir's allies say such decisions are often linked to allegations of antisemitism. The party has not publicly said why Mr Driscoll has been barred from his role, but anonymous sources have linked it to Mr Driscoll once appearing on a panel with film director Ken Loach, who has himself been kicked out of the Labour party for supporting a proscribed organisation. Without directly repeating the allegations, shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds on Monday told Times Radio: "Where a person has shared a platform with someone who themselves has been expelled from the Labour Party because of their position on antisemitism ... that would preclude them from going forward as a Labour candidate." There is no suggestion that Mr Driscoll agreed with Mr Loach's view on the matter. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who is from the left of the party, said: "To refuse to allow a serving mayor onto even a selection long list demonstrates that factionalism in the party is completely out of control. "Jamie Driscoll is widely credited with doing a great job. There can be no other motive for excluding him. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 / 50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 7 June 2023 The Princess of Wales during a game of walking rugby during her visit to meet local and national male rugby players at Maidenhead Rugby Club PA UK news in pictures 6 June 2023 An aerial view shows the dry bed of Woodhead Reservoir, revealed by a falling water level after a prolonged period of dry weather, near Glossop, northern England AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 5 June 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak onboard Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during a visit to Dover PA UK news in pictures 4 June 2023 A hot air balloon rises into the sky above Ragley Hall, Alcester, south of Birmingham in central England AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 June 2023 Skaters use the mini ramp at the Wavelength Spring Classic festival in Woolacombe Bay in Devon PA UK news in pictures 1 June 2023 The And Beyond installation, during a photo call for the London Design Biennale at Somerset House in London PA UK news in pictures 31 May 2023 Emergency services attending to a blaze at a derelict listed building in Samuel Street, Belfast PA UK news in pictures 30 May 2023 A robot named Stella interacts with visitors during the International Conference on Robotics and Automation ICRA in London AP UK news in pictures 29 May 2023 Dave Hackett and his daughter Daisy, five, explore the laburnum arch in the grounds of Preston Tower, East Lothian, in the warm Spring Bank Holiday weather PA UK news in pictures 28 May 2023 Great Britains Nick Bandurak scores their sides third goal of the game during the FIH Hockey Pro League mens match at Lee Valley, London PA UK news in pictures 27 May 2023 People enjoy the sunny weather at a park in London AP UK news in pictures 26 May 2023 People drink coffee inside Daleks during MCM Comic Con at the ExCel London in east London PA UK news in pictures 25 May 2023 King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a visit to Enniskillen Castle, Co Fermanagh as part of a two day visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 24 May 2023 Horses enjoy the sunny weather on Middleham Gallops in North Yorkshire PA UK news in pictures 23 May 2023 An aerial view of a yellow rapeseed field in Hemel Hempstead, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 22 May 2023 Manoj Malde and Clive Gillmor kiss after getting married, the first wedding ever at the Chelsea Flower Show AP UK news in pictures 21 May 2023 People enjoy the warm weather as they take punt tours along the River Cam in Cambridge PA UK news in pictures 20 May 2023 Protesters emerge from the sea as Surfers Against Sewage hold a UK-wide paddle-out protest at Brighton West Pier in East Sussex PA UK news in pictures 19 May 2023 Good Karma ridden by Daniel Muscutt (right) wins the Earl & The Pharaoh Novice Stakes at Newbury Racecourse, Berkshire PA UK news in pictures 18 May 2023 Choristers from the Choir of St Johns College at the University of Cambridge look out from the top of the Chapel Tower before performing the Ascension Day carol - a custom dating back to 1902. PA UK news in pictures 17 May 2023 Oxfam activists wearing 'big heads' of G7 leaders during a demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London, highlighting their lack of action to tackle the East Africa hunger crisis ahead of the start of the G7 summit in Japan PA UK news in pictures 16 May 2023 Part of a childs jacket during a photo call for the Chinas hidden century exhibition, which opens at the British Museum PA UK news in pictures 15 May 2023 Viewing assistant and History of Art student Emma Scarr Hall takes a closer look at @Pink Roses (1923) by Scottish Colourist artist Leslie Hunter which is estimated at 60,000-80,000 in the forthcoming Bonhams Scottish Art Sale in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 14 May 2023 Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Sharon Horgan and Anne-Marie Duff, with the award for Drama Series, for Bad Sisters at the 2023 BAFTA TV Awards in London EPA UK news in pictures 13 May 2023 Singer Loreen performing on behalf of Sweden celebrates with the trophy after winning the final of the Eurovision Song contest 2023 AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 12 May 2023 Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer views a cancer tumour under a microscope during a visit to the Francis Crick Institute in north London where he met scientists working on research into lung cancer PA UK news in pictures 11 May 2023 Judging takes during the artisan cheese awards at St Marys Church, Melton Mowbray PA UK news in pictures 10 May 2023 A dog joins members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) on the picket line outside HMRC in East Kilbride during a strike in the long-running civil service dispute over pay, jobs and conditions PA UK news in pictures 9 May 2023 Two trains carrying 170 Eurovision song contest superfans arrive into Liverpool Lime Street train station PA UK news in pictures 8 May 2023 Britains Prince Louis eats toasted marshmallows as they take part in the Big Help Out, during a visit to the 3rd Upton Scouts Hut in Slough, England, AP UK news in pictures 6 May 2023 King Charles III and Queen Camilla can be seen on the Buckingham Palace balcony ahead of the flypast during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla Getty UK news in pictures 5 May 2023 Britain's King Charles III leaves after speaking to well-wishers on The Mall near to Buckingham Palace in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 May 2023 A night time rehearsal in central London for the coronation of King Charles III PA UK news in pictures 2 May 2023 Teacher members of the National Education Union (NEU) at a rally in Westminster, London, as they stage walkouts across England in an ongoing dispute over pay PA UK news in pictures 1 May 2023 Former US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the tarmac after disembarking "Trump Force One" at Aberdeen airport on the north-east coast of Scotland AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 April 2023 Handout photo issued by the Big Partnership of walkers at the start of The Kiltwalk 2023 from Glasgow Green. PA UK news in pictures 29 April 2023 Englands flanker Marlie Packer celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the Womens Six Nations Grand Slam at the end of the Six Nations international womens rugby union match between England and France at Twickenham in south-west London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 28 April 2023 Lucy Williams, from Aberfan, holds her son Daniel Williams, one, as he takes the handbag of the Princess of Wales, during her visit with her husband the Prince of Wales, to the Aberfan memorial garden, to pay their respects to those who lost their lives during the Aberfan disaster on October 21st 1966 PA UK news in pictures 27 April 2023 Teachers on the picket line outside Bristol Cathedral School, College Square, Bristol, as they take strike action in a dispute over pay PA UK news in pictures 26 April 2023 Protesters wait for the arrival of King Charles III and the Queen Consort for their visit to Liverpool Central Library PA UK news in pictures 25 April 2023 Wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph in central London, in commemoration for Anzac Day PA UK news in pictures 24 April 2023 Waves crash over Tynemouth pier on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 23 April 2023 People cross the finish line at the 2023 London Marathon Getty UK news in pictures 22 April 2023 A Wrexham fan in a Deadpool costume ahead of the Vanarama National League match at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham PA 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 Manchester and Liverpool regional mayors Mr Burnham and Mr Rotheram said: "We have worked closely with Jamie and seen first hand the good work he has done as Mayor. "He has taken a constructive, non- partisan approach to his work, as shown by his success in delivering a new devolution deal with government for the North East. He has also been a valuable member of our MI0 group of Mayors. "We believe he deserves to be treated with more respect than he has so far been shown." Labour has not responded to a request for comment on the move to bar the north of Tyne mayor from the long-list. Mr Driscoll said: "Ive been barred from standing as North East Mayor by Labour. No explanation has been given. "Im proud to have created thousands of jobs, fought child poverty, built affordable homes and delivered our Green New Deal. I believe in democracy." 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 }} Labours election war chest has been boosted by a car glass repair tycoon promising 5m to the party. Gary Lubner, who made hundreds of millions of pounds running the company behind Autoglass, hopes his support will keep Labour in power for a long time. He gave the party 500,000 in the first quarter of the year and said this increased significantly in the last three months. That was on top of 200,000 in previous donations This is the beginning, Mr Lubner told the Financial Times. I intend to give more as we move towards the general election, he added. Mr Lubner did not give an exact figure, but suggested 5m was reasonable. The South African-born businessman - whose grandparents were Jewish refugees - said he was appalled by the scale of antisemitism in the Labour party under Jeremy Corbyns leadership. His son, a Labour student activist, was abused, pilloried, attacked, under Mr Corbyns tenure. And Mr Lubner praised Mr Corbyns successor Sir Keir Starmer for getting rid of the cancer of antisemitism plaguing the party. Mr Lubner said his He also took aim at the Conservative Partys record in government, describing the last 13 years as a disaster. In the long list of Tory failures in the last 13 years, Brexit is top of the list, he said. He also lashed out at the governments migration strategy. And Mr Lubner denied he was trying to secure a peerage with the donations, insisting he wanted to give away the vast majority of his wealth. He hopes the support will help Labour win and keep hold of power, and is also donating to affiliated think-tanks and a group aiming to get more women elected as Labour MPs. The donation comes amid a resurgence in support for Labour among the business community - which shunned the party under Mr Corbyns leadership. Currys boss Alex Baldock quipped that everyone in London who wears a suit for a living has had breakfast with Rachel Reeves (PA Wire) Sir Keir and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves have been on a charm offensive in the City, pitching Labour as the party of business. New Labour era backer David Sainsbury returned to the fold with a 2m donation in February, stating he wanted to see Keir Starmer become prime minister as soon as possible. And a former Tory donor who defected to the opposition told The Independent that dozens of leading figures including some former Tory donors had approached him asking how they could help to put Sir Keir in No 10. Mr Lubner made a fortune worth hundreds of millions of pounds running the company behind Autoglass, Belron, for two decades before stepping down in March. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak is blocking the release of WhatsApp messages to the Covid inquiry because he fears they could show his plots against Boris Johnson, according to allies of the former prime minister. The claims rejected as total nonsense by the Sunak camp come as Mr Johnson was warned he could lose taxpayer-funded legal support if he tries to undermine the governments position on the inquiry. And a leading scientist has attacked Mr Sunaks spectacularly stupid Eat Out to Help Out scheme, as he comes under pressure to share his own messages about the much-criticised policy. The former PM remains at the centre of an astonishing row as ministers launched a High Court bid to challenge the inquirys demand for his unredacted messages and notebooks. Mr Johnsons allies claimed Mr Sunak was launching legal action to prevent the release of ministers WhatsApps suggesting he may be hiding plots or messages that put his Covid restaurant scheme in a bad light. One Johnson ally told the Mail on Sunday: What is Rishi hiding? Is it plotting against Boris with Dominic Cummings? Is it because he himself broke lockdown rules? Or does he fear that his Eat Out to Help Out scheme led to a significant number of deaths? They added: Both Rishi and Boris will give evidence in the autumn, and it will be a gift to Labour. We expect them to set up a war room and use it to beat up Sunak every day. A Whitehall source told the newspaper: The government has taken a judge to court to keep other ministers messages secret. Why? What is team Sunak trying to hide? The cover-up office is a shambles and its only a matter of time before heads roll. But a source close to Mr Sunak told The Independent: Its total rubbish as you can see from the Telegraphs lockdown files, Rishi Sunak barely uses WhatsApp. The former PM is at odds with his sucessor over the Covid material (Getty) Asked about the claims by Johnson allies and whether Mr Sunak was trying to hide plots against Mr Johnson, immigration minister Robert Jenrick told Sky News: No the issue here is ... should you hand over material to the inquiry which has absolutely nothing to do with Covid. Mr Jenrick said it is not sensible or reasonable to share material unrelated to Covid and suggested a compromise was still possible, despite the judicial review. I hope this can be resolved indeed even before the matter gets to court, he added. Bereaved families told The Independent that Mr Sunak should stop trying to protect himself and hand over his own WhatsApps so crucial pandemic decisions including the Eat Out to Help Out scheme can be scrutinised. Rivka Gottlieb of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK group said: It looks like Sunak is protecting himself. Its indecent to cover things up. I want every relevant person in government to be handing over WhatsApp messages. Sunak is under pressure over his decision to take legal action against the Covid inquiry (Getty) Prof John Edmunds of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine a member of the governments Sage committee said Eat Out to Help Out was a spectacularly stupid idea and an obscene way to spend public money. The former adviser told The Observer the August 2020 scheme to offer Britons a discount to eat out in restaurants and pubs after the first lockdown was never discussed with scientists. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Cabinet Office lawyers told Mr Johnson that money would cease to be available if he breaks conditions such as releasing evidence without permission. The former PM vowed to send all his messages to the official investigation directly, circumventing the Cabinet Office. The Sunday Times detailed a letter sent by Cabinet Office lawyers to Mr Johnson last week. The funding offer will cease to be available to you if you knowingly seek to frustrate or undermine, either through your own actions or the actions of others, the governments position in relation to the inquiry unless there is a clear and irreconcilable conflict of interest on a particular point at issue, it said. The Cabinet Offices recent referral of Mr Johnson to police for suspected Covid rule breaches referral promoted a furious former PM to sack his team of government-appointed lawyers and ask for a new team at Peters & Peters law firm. The Cabinet Office has agreed to keep paying for the legal support, which is needed for the MPs privileges committee investigation. But the department warned that funding would only remain available if he complied with conditions such as sending the Cabinet Office material for the Covid inquiry for checks by officials. But former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, a staunch ally of Mr Johnson, said it was not a good look for the government, saying the messages should not be restricted by government. Tory donor Lord Cruddas, an outspoken backer of Mr Johnson, also urged his ally not to be held to ransom by the threat. Dont worry Boris Johnson I can easily get your legal fees funded by supporters and crowd funding, its easy, he tweeted. Mr Johnson wrote to the inquirys chair, Baroness Hallett, saying he was sending all the unredacted WhatsApps he had given to the Cabinet Office. He said he would like to do the same for the messages on an old phone he was told not to use after it emerged the number had been online for 15 years. That device will be crucial, containing discussions before May 2021. Mr Jenrick acknowledge this weeks warning letter to Mr Johnson, but told Sky News: Theres absolutely no sense that the government will restrict what Boris Johnson wants to say but if you use taxpayer funds, obviously you should make sure youre using them appropriately. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said the letter from officials simply reiterates that taxpayer-funded lawyers must be used to aid the Covid inquiry and for no other purpose, adding: This letter was intended to protect public funds. It in no way prevents Mr Johnson from providing whatever evidence he wants to. The Independent has approached No 10 for comment on claims by Johnson allies. 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 }} Watch live as Rishi Sunak holds a press conference on the governments plans to stop migrants arriving on small boats. The prime minister will be speaking from Dover, Kent on Monday 5 June and address the progress made in the last six months since the Illegal Migration Bill was introduced. However, Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has described the speech Mr Sunak is due to give as like Groundhog Day. I think everybody wants to make sure that we stop the boats, we dont want people making that dangerous journey, he said. All weve really had from the government though is the announcement of a policy that doesnt work and then the re-announcement of the same policy, essentially. It often feels, I think, like Groundhog Day and meanwhile thats costing a fortune for the taxpayer and theres this growing sense of frustration. The governments controversial Illegal Migration Bill - which is passing through the House of Lords - will effectively ban people arriving in the UK on small boats from claiming asylum. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak has insisted that his plan to tackle the problem of small boat crossings in the English Channel is starting to work, as he announced that two more barges will be used to house asylum seekers off the coast of Britain. The prime minister hailed a 20 per cent fall in asylum seekers making the crossing compared to last year, and claimed that a 90 per cent drop in the number of Albanians arriving by small boat was proof that migrants can be deterred by the measures introduced as part of his crackdown. But opposition parties accused him of self-congratulatory hubris and cynical spin, saying the announcement of yet more micro-measures, including forcing asylum seekers to share rooms, was like Groundhog Day. The latest row over Mr Sunaks small boats policy came as: Border Force sources said staff believe the fall in crossings is largely down to poor weather Tory MP Richard Drax lashed out at quasi-prison conditions on offshore vessels Deputy Tory party chair Lee Anderson said using barges and making asylum seekers share rooms is not the answer Under pressure to fulfil his stop the boats pledge, Mr Sunak used a speech in Kent to insist that his returns deal with Albania is having an impact, with 1,800 Albanians having been sent back in the past six months. While Tory MPs welcomed the latest figures, some remain concerned that those returned to Albania represent only a small proportion of the 12,000 who arrived from the country which is deemed safe by the government via the Channel in 2022. Sir Iain Duncan Smith said that far more Albanians should have been returned to their home country. The former Tory leader told The Independent: If we have had an [Albania] agreement going back to December, then surely we should have been able to get out more people. Former justice secretary Robert Buckland praised Mr Sunak and said the latest figures were encouraging but warned that the dearth of returns deals like the one with Albania means that progress may be a hard slog. Mr Buckland told The Independent: The lack of wider returns agreements remains a problem. The government would be wise to pursue as many agreements as possible. We have to continue constructive dialogue with the French and other European countries we shouldnt give up. Rishi Sunak with director of Small Boats Operational Command (SBOC) Duncan Capps (PA) Analysis of provisional Home Office data suggests that, as of 3 June, 7,610 people had been detected crossing the Channel in 2023, compared with 9,954 by the same date in 2022 a decrease of just over 20 per cent. When we said we would stop the boats, I meant it and thats what were delivering, said Mr Sunak, before admitting that the crossings would continue this summer. We still have a long way to go. Mr Sunak said the 90 per cent year-on-year fall in the number of Albanians arriving on small boats was proof that our deterrence strategy can work. However, Home Office research carried out in 2022 found that there was no evidence that the governments crackdown policies influence the behaviour of migrants making the journey to the UK. Dr Peter William Walsh, senior researcher at the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said it was too early to say for sure what the trajectory of boat arrivals is ... the main test will be over the summer months, when weather is better and boat crossings tend to peak. Dr Walsh also cautioned against the idea that the Sunak plan was having a deterrent effect, saying it was not possible to disentangle the governments policy changes from the range of other factors that influence irregular arrivals. Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, which represents Border Force staff, said the numbers from Albania had dropped off by December pre-dating media coverage of the Illegal Migration Bill. There is some evidence that the French are becoming much more effective in deterring crossings, she said. There are also an increased number of attempts being aborted and returning to French soil when a vessel has failed. However, crossings are continuing, and planning continues to anticipate a similar number to last year. Last year saw around 45,000 arrivals by small boat in total. In April this year, Home Office representatives told the High Court the department was working on estimates of up to another 56,000 arrivals which would be a new record and a rise of over a fifth on 2022. The home secretary and the prime minister are under pressure to stop the boats (Simon Walker/No 10) The prime minister played down the possibility that bad weather might have caused the recent fall in the number of boats. Crossings elsewhere in Europe are up by almost a third over a similar time period, he said, insisting that the lower UK figure is down to the actions weve put in place. However, The Independent understands that many Border Force staff believe the reduction in crossings is largely due to poor weather conditions in the Channel. Mr Sunak revealed that the government had secured two new vessels to house 1,000 people, beyond the 500 migrants set to be placed in the Bibby Stockholm barge off Dorset within a fortnight. But neither No 10 nor the Home Office would say where the new barges will be located. The Tory leader also announced that two large sites to accommodate asylum seekers at Wethersfield and Scampton would be ready to take in nearly 3,000 people by the autumn. The Bibby Stockholm barge will be docked at Portland in Dorset within a fortnight (PA) Sir Keir Starmer attacked Mr Sunak for producing policies that arent working while giving himself a self-congratulatory pat on the back. The Labour leader added: It feels like Groundhog Day. The Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael accused Mr Sunak of cynical spin, pointing out that the asylum backlog remains at a record high and returns remain exceptionally low. Lee Anderson, deputy chair of the Conservative Party, appeared to dismiss the governments latest policies, saying: Sharing rooms, and barges ... and relying on the French is not the answer. He added: Anyone with any common sense knows what the answer is and thats to get the flights off to Rwanda as quick as possible. Tory MP Richard Drax said he was angry about the quasi-prison barge coming to dock at Portland in Dorset. Im against it, he told LBC. This barge will be nothing more than a quasi-prison. Who will monitor them? What happens if they disappear? Amnesty International UKs chief executive Sacha Deshmukh condemned the addition of more barges to house asylum seekers, arguing that corralling large numbers of people onto giant barges is a terrible idea and should be abandoned. Mr Sunak also confirmed a new policy of asking hotels to make sure that single male asylum seekers share rooms. It follows protests by some migrants who had been asked to share four to a room in Pimlico, London. If youre coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution, then you should be willing to share a taxpayer-funded hotel room in central London, the prime minister said. Challenging home secretary Suella Braverman in the Commons, Labours shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: All we get is rhetoric, rhetoric, while the reality gets worse. Demented assumptions, unworkable plans and empty spin. Ms Braverman responded: We have a long way still to go, and we are not complacent. Unlike the benches opposite, we have a plan ... We will not rest until we stop the boats. 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 chairwoman of the Covid inquiry would surely be left with no choice but to resign if the Government wins its legal fight over access to ministers WhatsApp messages, a lawyer for families bereaved in the pandemic has said. The Government has sought a judicial review in a bid to limit disclosure of material to the inquiry, saying personal information could end up being unnecessarily surrendered. A solicitor representing the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group at the inquiry, which is due to have its first hearing next week, said the only logical response if chairwoman Baroness Hallett does not get access to the material, is for her to step down. Elkan Abrahamson, head of major inquests and inquiries at Broudie Jackson Canter, said: I hope and expect that the inquiry will win in that battle. If the court say to her well, you can't see it, it seems to me the only logical response of the chair is to resign because she can't properly do her job Elkan Abrahamson, solicitor for Covid Bereaved group There is a concern that if they dont win, the chair having said quite clearly that she needs to see this material in order to have a proper inquiry, if the court say to her well, you cant see it, it seems to me the only logical response of the chair is to resign because she cant properly do her job. So I see this as an existential struggle between politics and the inquiry. He said the issue is a power struggle between politicians and the inquiry theyve set up rather than a legal tussle around privacy. Mr Abrahamson said he was not calling for Lady Hallett to quit, but rather that losing the legal fight would surely mean that was the only option left open to her. He said: Im not saying she should resign. Im saying I expect that that might be the result because its a matter of logic that the chair is saying I need this material to do my job properly. Thats why shes asking for the disclosure. So if you dont get the material to do your job properly, your choices are to do your job improperly or to say I cant work under those circumstances, and it seems to me logically the conclusion is that you should resign. Mr Abrahamson was speaking at a press conference on Monday alongside TUC general secretary Paul Nowak, who urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to respect the inquiry and not undermine it. The federation of trade unions has said the UK was hugely unprepared for the pandemic because of years of austerity which left health and social care dangerously understaffed. On the judicial review, Mr Nowak told reporters: Ministers cannot be judge and jury over what is disclosed to the inquiry. That has to be up to the independent chair to decide. And the fact that the Prime Minister is prepared to spend taxpayers money to try and block the handover of evidence is deeply worrying. The very least we deserve is transparency from our decision-makers. No-one should be allowed to hide from scrutiny. So today, I would issue a challenge to the Prime Minister. Treat this public inquiry with the respect it deserves and stop trying to undermine it. Lobby Akinnola, spokesman for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, said Mr Sunak must decide whether to be helpful or antagonistic towards the inquiry. Mr Akinnola, who lost his father in the pandemic, said: I think my response to the request for a judicial review would be to ask if theres an understanding of what the purpose of this inquiry is and whether or not the Prime Minister and the Cabinet want to be contributors to that or be antagonistic towards it. Because like weve said today, almost a quarter of a million people have died in this country, and were trying to figure out how we make sure that doesnt happen again. I understand the request for a right to privacy, that is obviously an important right to maintain. But I would also urge the Prime Minister to consider whether letting Lady Hallett see some text messages is a significant enough inconvenience when you hold the lives of the nation in your hands. Mr Akinnola said the inquiry must be comprehensive and thorough but efficient and said he is most interested in hearing commitment to change from those in power in learning lessons and being prepared for possible future pandemics. 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 }} Ukraine can count on the UKs support, James Cleverly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his second visit to Kyiv. The meeting in the war-torn nations capital came amid signs the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive against the Russian invasion may have started. The Foreign Secretary met Mr Zelensky as well as foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to discuss how the UK can continue to best support Ukraine, from the battlefield to banking guarantees, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The UK is preparing to host a conference focused on Ukraines economic recovery in London later in June. In a video posted to Mr Zelenskys Facebook page, Mr Cleverly is heard saying that the UK will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious. The Ukrainian president thanks the UK for the big support it has given his country. He wrote on Facebook: During the meeting, we discussed important topical issues: Ukraines expectations from the Nato Summit in Vilnius, promotion of the Ukrainian peace formula and preparation of the global summit on its implementation, as well as the London international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are very grateful for the support that the UK has provided and continues to provide to Ukraine. Kyiv has long called for Ukraine to be admitted to Nato, but allies are divided about when and how any accession might happen as the war with Russia continues. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week said Ukraines rightful place is in Nato, at a gathering of European leaders in Moldova ahead of the key meeting of Nato leaders in Lithuania in July. In the video from Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary is seen speaking of his previous visit to Ukraine last November when it was cold and it was dark. But this time I can see theres more life in the city. The traffic is heavier, which normally is a bad sign in a city. But I think for me it demonstrates what I mean to be true. And that is that the Ukrainian people are not going to allow themselves to be broken by this. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it James Cleverly to Volodymyr Zelensky He added: The sunshine and the leaves and the flowers shouldnt distract us from the fact that there is still very much work to be done. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it. When we said that we would do more and go further, we meant it. Russia has kept up a steady barrage on the Ukrainian capital and other parts of the country in recent weeks as Kyiv has been readying what it says is a counter-offensive to push back Moscows troops, 15 months after their full-scale invasion. Ukraine has not confirmed claims by Moscow officials that its forces have ramped up efforts to push through Russias defensive lines in south-eastern Ukraine. During his trip, Mr Cleverly also met children who were forcibly transferred to Russia and heard some survivors accounts at a centre supporting their return to Ukraine, the FCDO said. I was able to see for myself the true horrors and devastation of what Russia has wreaked on this sovereign state, the Cabinet minister said in a statement. 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 }} Hundreds of demonstrators rallied in and outside the Atlanta City Council on Monday as city officials were set to vote on whether to spend at least $31m in public funds to construct a controversial police training centre dubbed Cop City. As The Independent has reported, many local residents and community groups argue that the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, which will feature a firing range and a mock city for training exercises, will further military-style police violence towards people of colour. "Todays vote is about perpetuating militarized policing that will endanger the lives of our residents, our visitors, and put the Black people and Brown people in Atlanta at a heightened risk of police violence, Gary Spencer of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund testified on Monday before the council. In this aerial view law enforcement and construction crews are seen at the planned site of a police training facility that activists have nicknamed Cop City (AFP via Getty Images) Critics also say the construction project, backed by the private Atlanta Police Foundation and a variety of high-profile corporate donors, will take place in a rare preserved green space in the Atlanta area, violating environmental law by polluting local waterways, and and will continue the checkered history of a forest that has been the site of indigenous displacement and a prison labour farm. I dont think any of us want anybody to die, anybody to have polluted water, Mekko Chebon, a leader within the Muscogee people who originally inhabited the Weelaunee forest, told the council. We want the better way, he added. Today I ask that you stop, and that if at least if you never see another Muscogee person again, Im standing right here. City officials argue the site is needed to improve on aging city training facilities for fire and police personnel. Controversy has been swirling around the project since its proposal in 2021. Most recently, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the project will cost the public vastly more than the roughly $30m of the $90m project thats been touted by supporters of Cop City. Through decades of annual lease-back payments of $1.2m a year to the Atlanta Police Foundation, taxpayers could end up putting roughly $67m towards the centre. For nearly two years, the city has basically told one story, one narrative: that this would cost $30 million of taxpayer money and that $60 million would be donated by corporations, Kamau Franklin, of Community Movement Builders, recently told the paper. This is the narrative that they told us over and over and over again. City officials argue they havent been misleading, and that the lease payments are cheaper than current city payments on training facilities. Last week, police arrested three organisers behind a nonprofit group that provides bail and legal support to arrested protesters, charging them with money laundering and charity fraud. Bail fund organisers and civil rights groups have warned that the arrests mark a rapid and unconstitutional escalation of law enforcement retaliation against demonstrators involved with the Stop Cop City movement. Over the last two years, activists involved in the movement have been arrested for terrorism charges, though an analysis of their arrest documents by Grist shows none of those arrested and slapped with terrorism charges are accused of seriously injuring anyone and most of the charges are based on the equivalent of misdemeanor trespassing. Activist Manuel Tortuguita Paez Teran, who was killed by Atlanta-area police in January (Courtesy of family / Stop Cop City) In January, a multi-agency team of Georgia police fatally shot a forest protester named Manuel Tortuguita Esteban Paez Teran. Police claim Teran fired on officers unprovoked. No body camera footage of the encounter exists. The official autopsy of Teran, who used they/them pronouns, found no evidence the individual fired on officers In April, the DeKalb County Medical Examiner released its report on the activists death and found no gunpowder residue on Terans hands, an indicator used to show someone recently fired a gun. The probe did find that Teran was shot 57 times by police, with wounds to the body, hands, torso, legs, and head. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner declined to draw the same conclusion as a private autopsy, which found the activist died with their hands raised, writing "there are too many variables with respect to movement of the decedent and the shooters to draw definitive conclusions concerning Mr. Terans body position." Police maintain Teran fired first, and that a gun found in the slain activists possession matched bullet wounds on the wounded officers, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Wisconsin mother woke up to the horrifying discovery that her young son had been suffocated and unable to move after his parents fell asleep with the toddler between them. Breanna Brown, 22, said she and her husband Ezell Brown, 23, are guilt-stricken and blame themselves after their son Karvion, aged just five months, was left possibly blind following the ordeal, according to Kennedy News & Media. On 2 May, Ms Brown was woken up by the cries of her child. She picked him up from his crib and handed him to her husband to feed before they went back to bed. But the young mother had her sleep interrupted yet again at 5am this time by the screams of her husband at the sight of Karvions now blue face as he struggled to breathe. Ms Brown said that the baby had fallen asleep on top of the covers in between the parents and possibly got tangled as he reached for the bottle as the father fell asleep in the process of feeding him. They called an ambulance while attempting to blow air into Karvions mouth while his lips were becoming bluer and bluer by the second. The child was taken to HSHS St Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where a breathing tube was used before he was moved to Childrens Wisconsin in Milwaukee after about an hour. According to the mother, Karvion was without oxygen for about seven minutes, and while in the ambulance, he suffered four subclinical seizures. Ms Brown said that at first, Karvion was having 16 seizures a day. His physicians now worry that he could be blind and he may have lost three-quarters of his brain cells. Karvion Brown was left possibly blind and partially braindead after his parents fell asleep with him between them (Kennedy News & Media) She said that When Karvion woke me up I was really tired, so I nudged my husband and said, can you feed him? I just need a couple of minutes. When Ezell woke me up later, he was on the end of the bed screaming, Karvions not breathing, she added. My sons arms and legs were flopped behind him. I could tell that he was turning purple and blue. Right before the EMT walked up the steps, my husband blew in his mouth and he started gurgling and his eyes started rolling, the Newton, Wisconsin mother said. He was flopping back in Ezells arms. You could just see his lips getting bluer and bluer by the second. He was probably trying to kick his legs and move his arms and wiggle for his bottle, so Im thinking while hes doing that he pulled his cover over his head and got wrapped in it, she explained. Everything was black to me. All I knew is that my son needed help and I couldnt give it to him. I just felt lost. He had 16 seizures on the first day, and that went on for a week and a half. He was having up to 16 seizures in day, Ms Brown said, adding that he hasnt moved or opened his eyes or made any noises since they removed the breathing tube on 21 May. Breanna Brown, 22, found her young son 75 per cent braindead after she and her husband fell asleep with him between them (Kennedy News & Media) She said she was so close with her son. I always had him on me, and he was always looking at me and always smiling at me. Now the last thing he remembers seeing is his mummy picking him up out of his crib angry, and I cant live with that being the last sight he sees, she said. Ms Brown said that doctors have asked if a life of being blind and having lost 75 per cent of his brain cells is an existence they want him to go through. The parents are currently fundraising for Karvions treatment on GoFundMe. I keep putting myself in my sons position of him trying to struggle to breathe, not knowing what was happening, Ms Brown said. He cant get up, he cant do anything, nobody can hear him. I keep putting myself there and its starting to wear on me but I cant stop. I cant sleep at night now. When Karvion had the breathing tube in, he opened one eye and tried to clench one hand, she recalled. Theyre saying that he might be blind now and that it might not be him intentionally opening his eyes they might have just fallen open. Once brain cells die, they turn white on the MRI and 75 per cent of his brain is white. Im terrified, she said. A doctor came in and told us that we dont have to make any big decisions ... but asked if this is the quality of life we want our son to live. She said that at the time, I was angry that Karvion woke up early, and I feel so much guilt because I was mad that my son wanted a bottle. Ezell is feeling the guilt really bad, and I keep telling him not to. Were both equally to blame, she added. I used to sleep with Karvion all the time, but never in the middle of us. But now going back and looking at it, I shouldnt have done it from the get-go - we never should have been used to that, the young mother said. As cute and cuddly as they look, love them enough to put them in their beds. If you truly do deeply love them, give them a kiss and a hug and lay them in their cribs, please. 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 woman was killed and six others were left injured in Chicago after shots rang out during a remembrance for the death anniversary of a man who died in a car crash. Bystanders told the Chicago Police Department that the altercation unfolded around 1am on Sunday in the 4800 block of West Iowa Street in Austin. The group was gathered to celebrate the fourth-year anniversary of a mans death in a traffic accident, ABC News reported. Seven victims were wounded in the shooting. A woman was transported to Mt Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The ages of the other victims injured range from 17 to 19. Authorities have said that the person or people who opened fire were present at the memorial. Police began an investigation but did not take anyone into custody as of Sunday evening. They were out there celebrating and then something happened and a verbal altercation occurred and somebody began shooting, or multiple people began shooting, deputy chief Adnardo Gutierrez said during a press conference on Sunday. A witness told ABC 7 that she became concerned long before the shooting broke out, noting that the street was too crowded. The shooting broke out during a remembrance for the death of a man (ABC) It was totally fine. They were just laughing, dancing, talking. Just having a good time. They were just having fun. I just wanted it broke up because there were so many. It was too many. It was at least 100 kids out, Yvette McCalum said. You couldnt get down the block. You couldnt park anywhere. They were in the alley. They had the alley blocked off, and I told them all this on the phone. This could have been avoided. One eyewitness, Michelle Barnes, told the Chicago Tribune that she had called the police to report what she said was a chaotic crowd at 10pm, 11.05pm and at around 12.30am as well. Im frustrated with the police. Im frustrated with the alderman. Im frustrated with everybody. Because its ridiculous, she said. When you call, they dont come like theres a problem. Barnes neighbour Larell Steel also said her sister and other residents made repeated calls to the police before the shooting. Everybody on this block called them to get them kids, she said. This couldve been prevented. This couldve been prevented if they just came and broken them kids up. 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 }} Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent who infamously spied for Russia for two decades, was found dead in his Colorado supermax prison cell, according to the Bureau of Prisons. Hanssen, 79, was arrested in 2001 and sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to selling highly classified material to first the Soviet Union and then Russia in return for more than $1.4m in diamonds, cash and foreign bank deposits. Officials say that Hanssen, a father of six who had lived in a modest home in Virginia, was found unresponsive in his cell at the federal prison in Florence, Colorado, on Monday morning. Staff requested emergency medical services and life-saving efforts continued, said Bureau of Prisons Director of Communications Kristie Breshears in a statement. The inmate was subsequently pronounced dead by outside emergency medical personnel. The FBI says on its own website that Hanssen, who used the alias Ramon Garcia, Ultimately became the most damaging spy in Bureau history. Hanssen approached the Soviets in 1979, three years after he was hired by the Bureau, but stopped his activities after a few years when he was confronted by his wife, Bonnie. This photo taken on February 13, 2019 shows a view of the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility, also known as the ADX or "Supermax", in Florence, Colorado. (AFP via Getty Images) The FBI says that from 1985, Hanssen used encrypted communications, dead drops, and other clandestine methods to provide information to the KGB and its successor agency, the SVR. The information he handed over compromised a string of human resources and counterintelligence techniques and investigations. They included information on US preparations for nuclear war and even a secret eavesdropping tunnel under the Soviet embassy in Washington DC. Robert Hanssens FBI business cards (FBI) The FBI says that he also gave up double agents, including Soviet General Dmitri Polyakov, who was executed. In the 1990s, after the arrest of CIA agent Aldrich Ames for spying for the Russians, the US intelligence agencies realised that someone in their ranks was still providing classified information to Moscow and the hunt for the mole continued. In 2000 the FBI and CIA obtained information on a Russian spy that appeared to be Hanssen and a massive investigation was launched which saw him placed under surveillance for months. Ellis' Drop Site: Under a footbridge over Wolftrap Creek near Creek Crossing Road at Foxstone Park near Vienna, Virginia (FBI) On 18 February 2001, Hanssen was arrested after making a dead drop of classified materials in Foxstoen Park after leaving his home in Fairfax, Virginia. Hanssen pled guilty to 15 counts of espionage on 6 July 2001 and on 10 May 2002 he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. 'Lewis Drop Site: Package recovered at the Lewis drop site containing $50,000 cash left by Russians for Hanssen (FBI) Hanssen was apologetic for his treasonous acts when he was sentenced. I apologize for my behaviour, he told the court. I am shamed by it. Beyond its illegality, I have torn the trust of so many. Worse, I have opened the door for calumny against my totally innocent wife and our children. I hurt them deeply. I have hurt so many deeply. Florence maximum-security prison, which is the most secure federal prison in the country is home to a string of infamous prisoners, including Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, failed shoe bomber Richard Reid, and Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. Hanssen took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same, but he decided to violate that oath, the Bureau states on its website. The FBI trusted him with some of the most sensitive secrets of the U.S. government, and instead of upholding that trust, he abused and betrayed it. 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 mother of one of the four University of Idaho murder victims has revealed she will not attend Bryan Kohbergers trial. The 28-year-old suspect is charged with killing Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Maddie Mogen, 21, in the early hours of 13 November. It does not change the outcome of our family, and its energy that we need to put into healing our kids and getting back to a new family dynamic and working on that, Stacy Chapin said on TODAY. Stacy Chapin and son Ethan Chapin (Twitter/TODAY) We let the prosecutors do their job and we do our job in our family. Ethan Chapin was staying at the home in Moscow, Idaho, with his girlfriend Xana Kernodle when an intruder broke into the home and brutally murdered them with a knife. Mr Kohberger was a PHD criminology student at nearby Washington State University at the time of the murders and is set to go on trial on 2 October. Prosecutors say that he is linked to the crime scene by DNA evidence found on a knife sheath left behind in the house, video surveillance footage and cell phone data. He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary. Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, listens during his arraignment hearing in Latah County District Court, May 22, 2023 in Moscow, Idaho (Getty Images) Ms Chapin told host Savannah Guthrie that she had written a childrens book called The Boy Who Wore Blue in memory of her son, who was a triplet. Its the best I can do for him, she added. She also showed off a tattoo on her left arm in her sons handwriting which reads, I love you mom with a heart and is signed Ethan from a card he had given her. She said that Ethans siblings, Hunter and Mizie, had returned to the University of Idaho after their brothers murder and completed their semesters. Ms Chapin also said that she was intent on focusing on her children and not her anger. It has its moments, of course. But we get up every morning and we just decided that the best thing we can do is put our best foot forward, mostly for Maizie and Hunter, she said. They deserve it. They didnt deserve this, and so they deserve still the best life that we can give them, and that is really our strength. It drives 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 Hawaiian tourist charged over the botched baby bison rescue in Yellowstone National Park last month has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour count. The newborn calf was euthanised by the Wyoming park staff shortly after Clifford Waterss encounter with the animal. When Mr Waters found the baby bison, it had become separated from its mother as the herd crossed the Lamar River in the northeastern corner of Yellowstone. He then pushed the struggling calf up from the river and onto the roadway, according to a statement by the National Park Service (NPS). MR Waters ill-advised rescue efforts ultimately led to the bison being rejected by its herd and, consequently, euthanised after it caused a hazardous situation by following cars and visitors, the NPS revealed. Mr Waters on Wednesday 31 May pleaded guilty to one count of feeding, touching, teasing, frightening, or intentionally disturbing wildlife in a federal court. According to a statement from the US Attorneys Office for the District of Wyoming, Mr Waters was charged a $500 fine, a $500 community service payment to Yellowstone Forever Wildlife Protection Fund, a $30 special assessment, and a $10 processing fee ($1,040). In an interview with The New York Times on Friday (2 June), Mr Waters said he believed the penalty was fair, adding the fine could have been a lot worse. Recounting the incident, which occurred on 20 May, the 78-year-old told the publication the newborn calfs umbilical cord was still attached and it was begging for help to get out of the water after it had been swept downstream. Explaining the act of compassion to rescue the bison, he said: If I can get him out of the water, maybe someone will come back and save him. The calf was drowning, and it had absolutely no chance if I hadnt done that. He told the news outlet he heard Yellowstone officials were looking for a man, in his 40s or 50s, who pushed the bison, on a Montana radio station. Mr Waters then turned himself in at a ranger station. After the animal was put down, NPS shared a statement explaining its decision to euthanise the calf instead of sending it to a sanctuary or looking after it. Responding to criticism on social media, park authorities said: We made the choice we did not because we are lazy, uncaring, or inexpert in our understanding of bison biology. We made the choice we did because national parks preserve natural processes. By this we mean undomesticated wildlife and the ecosystems they both depend on and contribute to. Every day in national parks, some animals die so that others may live. In fact, as many as 25 per cent of the bison calves born this spring will die, but those deaths will benefit other animals by feeding everything from bears and wolves to birds and insects. Allowing this cycle of life to play out aligns most closely with the stewardship responsibility entrusted to us by the American people, the statement read. After news of the ill-advised rescue and subsequent euthanisation broke, Yellowstone issued a statement reminding park visitors that approaching wild animals can drastically affect their well-being and, in this case, their survival. 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 }} An American woman has reportedly been arrested after a botched murder-for-hire plot to kill the wife of a man she met on a dating site. According to news reports, environmental compliance specialist Melody Sasser, 47, allegedly recruited a hitman on a scam site to murder the wife of David Wallace, a retired Air Force veteran, after they connected on Match.com On Saturday (3 June), The Daily Beast reported that Ms Sasser allegedly plotted to have Mr Wallaces wife murdered after learning they had become engaged last fall. According to unsealed court documents filed at a federal court in Knoxville, Tennessee, a foreign law enforcement agency tipped off the Department of Homeland Security about Ms Sassers plan on 27 April. HSI Birmingham reportedly handed over messages exchanged between a user called cattree and the admin of a dark web-hosted site called Online Killers Market (OKM). According to the affidavit filed in court, the now-defunct website offers hitman for hire services for crimes including hacking, kidnapping, extortion, disfigurement by acid attack, and sexual violence. Assuming the username cattree, Ms Sasser allegedly placed an order on OKM to kill Jennifer Wallace on 11 January 2023. The details included her and Davids Alabama address, their vehicle details as well as information about their offices. Ms Sasser paid OKM 0.4179 Bitcoin, or roughly $7,500 for the hit job, on 31 December last year. Her message to the admin in January reportedly read: It needs to seem random or accident. or plant drugs, do not want a long investigation. When HSI Birmingham reached out to Jennifer Wallace, she reportedly named Ms Sasser as a suspect, according to the affidavit. She told the investigators that David and Ms Sasser were hiking friends in Knoxville before the former relocated to Alabama. David told HSI Birmingham he met Ms Sasser on Match.com and assisted him in his planned Appalachian Hike trail by making hotel reservations and looking after his car. He informed authorities that Ms Sasser worked at Pilot Flying J. A spokesperson for the company Stephanie Myers told the outlet that Ms Sasser was no longer employed with the truck stop chain. Jennifer alleged that Ms Sasser showed up at their home unannounced last fall and, upon learning the couple were engaged, reportedly said: I hope you both fall off a cliff and die. Around the same time, Jennifer said she had reported damage to her vehicle where an unknown perpetrator had gashed the sides of her car with what appeared to be a key. Authorities said Jennifer began receiving threatening phone calls from a person using an electronic device to disguise their voice. According to court documents, Ms Sassers car was spotted in the vicinity of Jennifers workplace in November 2022. After ordering the hit, Ms Sasser as cattree reportedly sent several messages to the admin of OKM asking when the job will be completed. On 22 March 2023, the accused allegedly wrote: I have waited for 2 months and 11 days and the job is not completed. 2 weeks ago you said it has been worked on and would be done in a week. the job is still not done. does it need to be assigned to someone else. what is the delay. Ms Sasser reportedly paid an additional 0.485 Bitcoin for the job to be assigned to a different hitman. She also shared details about Jennifers whereabouts with the admin, and was reportedly monitoring their fitness data on Strava. The Independent has contacted her attorney M Jeffrey Whit for comment. In a statement to The Daily Beast, Mr Whit said: I have been representing citizens accused of crimes for 32 years across this state, and this is certainly not the first prosecution Ive faced alleging some type of murder for hire scheme. Our investigation is in its infancy as I was only retained within the last week. As such, I find it premature to comment on the facts of this case until such time as each of the allegations have been vetted and such future responses are in accordance with our state rules restricting public comments during pending prosecutions. If convicted, Ms Sasser faces up to 10 years in prison. 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 Texas cheerleader who was shot after her friend opened the door of the wrong car has opened up about the traumatising ordeal. Payton Washington, 18, was shot allegedly by 25-year-old Pedro Tello Rodriguez in an act of random violence in the city of Elgin on 18 April. Before the violence unfolded, Payton had parked in a grocery store parking lot which serves as a carpool pickup spot for members of their cheerleading team. Heather Roth, one of four team members transferring rides in the lot after practice, told authorities she got out of a friends car and into a car she thought was her own, but there was a stranger in the passenger seat. She said she panicked and got back into her friends car, but the man got out of his vehicle, pulled out a gun and opened fire. Speaking to ABCs Good Morning America, Ms Washington, who suffered three gunshot wounds to her lower back and leg, said the recovery process has been physically and emotionally challenging but added that she is coping as best she can. Ms Washington said she only realised where she had been shot after her friend pulled over and she saw blood on her own seat. She then began coughing up blood on the side of the road and had to be airlifted to a hospital in Austin to treat life-threatening damage to her stomach, spleen, diaphragm and pancreas. I knew somewhere, I was bleeding, but I had so much to juggle, I didnt know where, Ms Washington recalled in the interview aired on Friday. And then, whenever we pulled over ... I was throwing up blood and I was like, Oop, that is not normal. Ms Washington said that she was texting and eating Twizzlers when the suspect opened fire on her and her friends. Mr Rodriguez has been charged with engaging in deadly conduct, a third-degree felony. He reportedly surrendered to police and was released after his bail was lowered from $500,000 to $100,000. An attorney for Mr Rodriguez told Insider that his client was an employee at the grocery store. Mr Rodriguez claimed through his lawyer that he had previously been robbed at gunpoint while inside his vehicle and feared that a similar situation was unfolding when the teen entered the car by mistake. Peyton Washington had to be airlifted to a hospital in Austin to treat life-threatening damage to herstomach, spleen, diaphragm and pancreas (Peyton Washington ) I didnt see him, honestly. I was still looking at my phone, Ms Washington told GMA. I kind of heard what was going on in the background but I didnt think itd be as big of a deal as it was. [Ms Roth] just kept saying, Im sorry, Im sorry. Ms Roth was grazed by a bullet as one of the other three teens who were inside the vehicle drove away in a desperate attempt to escape the shots being fired at the group. This image provided by the Elgin Police Department shows Pedro Tello Rodriguez Jr. who is charged with engaging in deadly conduct (Elgin Police Department) I was just telling myself to breathe, it was hard to breathe because of my diaphragm, Ms Washington recounted. I was just trying to stay as calm as possible for the other people in the car. I could tell how sad and scared they were. The accomplished athlete said she had struggled in the aftermath of the shooting to come to terms with her new temporary physical limitations amid an intensive and arduous recovery. My spleen was shattered. My stomach had two holes in it. And my diaphragm had two holes in it. And then they had to remove a lobe from my pancreas. I had 32 staples, she recounted. It was hard. It hurting to walk or stand when a week before I was doing a bunch of flips, running, the track ... cant get out of bed by yourself, cant roll off the couch, cant stand by yourself ... it was hard. Ms Washington, who graduated last week, said she is determined to make a full recovery and go back to cheerleading soon. You can literally do anything if you push and you persevere, she told GMA. Dont doubt yourself ever because you can do anything as long as youre putting your 120 per cent into it. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A resident of the apartment building that partially collapsed in Davenport, Iowa last week, has filed a lawsuit against the property owner, the city as well as engineers and contractors who worked on the building- citing negligence. The complaint, filed in Scott County court on Monday (5 June) was filed on behalf of Dayna Feuerbach who lived in The Davenport at the time of its collapse. It accuses the buildings owner, Andrew Wold, and companies of failing to maintain the building to keep tenants safe. It also accuses the city of failing to act on multiple warnings about the buildings structural integrity, according to NBC News which obtained a copy. Despite knowledge of the inevitable nature of this collapse, neither Wold, the City of Davenport, nor the licensed engineers ordered the necessary evacuation of the building, the complaint alleges. The lawsuit comes just hours after Davenport Police Department confirmed they recovered the remains of three previously missing tenants: Branden Colvin Sr, 42, Daniel Prien, 60, and Ryan Hitchcock, 51. In a press conference on Monday morning, Davenport Police Chief Jeffery Bladel said: We dont have any other information at this time and theres any additional people missing and or related to this incident. Mr Bladel said the city was initiating an investigation into the collapse with the Davenport Fire Marshalls Office, the division of criminal investigation, the medical examiners office and other organisations of the city. Documents and reports released after the partial collapse revealed that engineers flagged structural issues with the facade of the building and indicated it was at risk of falling in the days before it fell. Months before the incident, city officials and the buildings owner were warned that parts of The Davenport that were unstable. Over several years, tenants voiced concerns about cracks in the walls, mold, water leakage and broken hot water. One former maintenance employee told The Independent he warned the owner of the buildings deteriorating conditions. The city had warning after warning, attorney Jeffrey Goodman said to The Associated Press. They had the responsibility to make sure that the safety of the citizens comes first. It is very clear that the city of Davenport didnt do that. The complaint brought forward alleges multiple counts of negligence and seeks unspecific damages. Close NTSB investigating deadly Va. plane crash Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The pilot of the private Cessna Citation jet that caused a panic in Washington DC on Sunday when it passed into restricted airspace before crashing into a heavily-wooded area in Virginia was seen slumped in the cockpit prior to the accident. Four people were killed in the disaster, including the adopted daughter and grandaughter of Florida businessman John Rumpel, 75, who had already lost a daughter in a scuba diving accident almost 30 years earlier. Mr Rumpel, owner of Encore Motors of Melbourne and known as a prominent donor to conservative political causes aligned with Donald Trump, was quoted by The Washington Post as saying that his entire family had been on the plane when it crashed. When the doomed flight, en route from Tennessee to MacArthur Airport in Long Island, New York, entered DC airpsace, a loud sonic boom was heard across the capital as two F-16s were scrambled to intercept the plane as it passed by sensitive sites including the White House and US Capitol. First responders at the crash site said it had left a crater in rural Virginia. Outside aviation experts speculated the pilot likely lost consciousness from a lack of oxygen inside the jet when it climbed above 10,000 feet, the altitude that typically requires cabin pressurization. Only minutes into the doomed journey, the pilot stopped responding to air traffic control instructions prompting the alert to military, security and law enforcement agencies. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A group of migrants who crossed the border into Texas were rounded up and flown via private jet to California in the latest example of immigration hardliners using humans as political props. More than a dozen migrants were left outside the Diocese of Sacramento's facility after they arrived in California on Saturday, reportedly with "no prior arrangement or care in place," according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Californian officials determined the group had crossed into the US in Texas, but were then transported to New Mexico, where they were loaded onto a private jet and flown to Sacramento. The migrants also possessed documentation claiming to be from the state government of Florida, according to ABC News. Mr Bonta likened the stunt to "state-sanctioned kidnapping" and is reportedly probing whether or not civil action can be brought in response. "While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting," Mr Bonta said. "We are a nation built by immigrants and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful rhetoric of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to recognise humanity and who turn their backs on extending dignity and care to fellow human beings." The California Department of Justice is currently investigating the incident. The agency is trying to determine who paid for the travel and if any of those involved misled the migrants with false promises. The California Department of Justice will also examine whether or not any criminal laws were broken, including kidnapping. A contractor reportedly approached the migrants in El Paso, Texas, and told the group they could assist them with finding jobs and accessing a migrant centre, according to local broadcaster KXTV. California's Governor Gavin Newsom and Mr Bonta met with the group of migrants on Saturday and are working with local officials and nonprofits to ensure the individuals are treated well and cared for while immigration officials examine their situations. The city's mayor, Darrel Steinberg, said the city would welcome the migrants with open arms, and accused the individuals who sent them of "using scared human beings to score cheap political points." "California and the Sacramento community will welcome these individuals with open arms and provide them with the respect, compassion, and care they will need after such a harrowing experience," Mr Bonta said. This is not the first time migrants have been used as props to try to shame so-called "sanctuary" locations around the US. Perhaps the highest profile incident occurred on 14 September 2022, when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent a group of 50 primarily Venezuelan migrants on a plane to Martha's Vineyard. The migrants were embraced by the locals. Mr DeSantis was celebrated for his ruthlessness by conservatives and condemned by liberals. That incident resulted in a lawsuit brought against Mr DeSantis by Lawyers for Civil Rights, who are representing the migrants. They claim the defendants manipulated [the migrants], stripped them of their dignity, deprived them of their liberty, bodily autonomy, due process and equal protection under the law, The attorneys have also responded to the situation in California and plan to assist the migrants left in Sacramento. We are investigating this latest incident, to determine whether like our Marthas Vineyard clients these most recent migrants were lied to and deceived in order to induce them to travel," the group said in a statement on Monday. "We are offering legal assistance to community allies in California who are assisting the migrants, sharing lessons we learned from community-based efforts on Marthas Vineyard. We stand united with community leaders and allies in California in decrying the shameful practice of using vulnerable people as political pawns." 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 }} Casey DeSantis was mocked as Walmart Melania after she wore a leather jacket in the Iowa heat that said where woke goes to die over a map of Florida and an alligator. Melania Trump wore a jacket that said I really dont care. Do you? while child immigrants were being separated from their families during the presidency of Donald Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his wife appeared at a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa at the Roast and Ride annual event hosted by one of the states US Senators, Joni Ernst. Casey DeSantis wearing her leather jacket advertising Florida as where woke goes to die (AP) While Mr DeSantis frequently invokes the term woke, his main rival Mr Trump recently said: I dont like the term woke, because I hear the term woke woke woke its just a term they use. Half the people cant define it. They dont know what it is. Responding on Saturday, Mr DeSantis told the press that Woke is an existential threat to our society. To say its not a big deal, that just shows you dont understand what a lot of these issues are right now. Ms DeSantis has played a large role in her husbands political life and is now part of the effort to urge suburban women to once again vote for the GOP, Insider noted. As the first lady of the Sunshine State was mocked as Walmart Melania, Twitter users were divided on the moniker. Behind every Republican man, theres a Republican woman selling out her sisterhood, the account Tea Pain tweeted. Stop attacking family members of political candidates. It just shows that you are petty and lack the ability to push back on policy, Brian Krassenstein wrote. Whether its [calling] Casey DeSantis Walmart Melania or questioning Dr Jill Bidens use of Dr your petty name calling and nitpicking is childish and idiotic. Solutions dont come by name-calling. Solutions come via dialogue. We can all be better. Sorry, Walmart Melania made herself fair game when she put on this jacket, one Twitter user said. Pro-Trump commentator Laura Loomer said the governor and his wife are cheap knockoffs of Melania and Donald Trump. The only problem with calling Casey DeSantis Walmart Melania is that it is an implicit compliment to Melania, implying that she is somehow superior to Casey. And she is not. They are both dreadful enablers who wear crass clothing, the account of Betty Bowers, a character played by comedian Deven Green, wrote. Yall should really be ashamed of yourselves for stooping so low as to call the *First Lady* of Florida Walmart Melania when Kmart Casey was sitting right there, one Twitter user said. I dont find it at all funny or amusing to call Casey DeSantis Walmart Melania. Seriously, we should be much better than that as American and humans. Walmart didnt do anything to be compared to that bag of garbage and it deserves better than that, Tony Posnanski joked. Yea calling DeSantiss wife Walmart Melania as an insult is TOTALLY going to crush it with most of of the country who.. *checks notes* loves walmart or at least relies on it, the account for the social commentary YouTube channel The Quartering added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A judge in Argentina on Monday dismissed a long-running money laundering case against Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, after prosecutors and state agencies said there was no evidence she was involved in a crime. Federal Judge Sebastian Casanello ruled that Fernandez de Kirchner be removed from what had come to be known as the K money case because it involved alleged kickbacks and money laundering on behalf of the Kirchner family by businessman Lazaro Baez. Prosecutor Guillermo Marijuan said late last month there was no evidence that Fernandez de Kirchner, a former president (2007-2015), was involved in the corruption for which Baez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Baez was close associate of both Fernandez de Kirchner and her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, who was president from 2003-2007. The case began with allegations that Baez was paid for public works contracts that were never completed and that he then laundered that money on behalf of Kirchner and his wife. Argentinas tax agency and anti-money laundering agency also agreed that Fernandez de Kirchner, who remains politically powerful, should be removed from the case dating back to 2013. Without an accusation, there is no possibility of a criminal process, Casanello wrote in his three-page resolution. Marijuan had said that while it is clear that there was a close and direct personal relationship between Baez and the vice president, that does not mean she was involved in the money laundering of an estimated 65 million dollars that led to Baezs conviction. Baez was the owner of Austral Construcciones, one of the main companies favored with public works contracts during the tenure of Fernandez de Kirchners administration as well as that of her late husband. In an interview late last month, Marijuan said that he didnt find any proof that links Cristina Fernandez to this case. In December of last year, another court sentenced Fernandez to six years in prison in a separate case for fraudulent administration, which included a lifetime ban on holding public office. That conviction can still be appealed and reviewed by higher courts, a process that could take years, and she remains immune from arrest in the meantime. 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 }} Ron DeSantis has presented his definition of his favourite word - woke - days after Donald Trump said half the people cant define it. Look, we know what woke is, its a form of cultural Marxism, Mr DeSantis told NBC News journalist Dasha Burns on a campaign stop in Iowa on Saturday. Its about putting merit and achievement behind identity politics, and its basically a war on the truth. And as that has infected institutions, and it has corrupted institutions. So, youve got to be willing to fight the woke, weve done that in Florida, and we proudly consider ourselves the state where woke goes to die. Two days earlier, Mr Trump took a veiled shot at the Florida governor by criticising overuse of the Republican buzzword at his own campaign event in Iowa on Thursday. I dont like the term woke because I hear, Woke, woke, woke. Its just a term they use, half the people cant even define it, they dont know what it is, Mr Trump said at the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, Iowa, on Thursday. During the event, Mr Trump attacked trans athletes, a popular right-wing grievance, calling it a woke issue before catching himself. I guess they define that as woke, but thats all woke. We have to bring common sense back to the country, he said. Hours later, Mr Trump repeatedly used the word during a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity. The former president regularly uses woke to attack opponents, and just last month his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, announced the launch of a non-woke mens lifestyle magazine. The magazine, which is called Field Ethos, says that it will focus on a forgotten lifestyle to those who refuse to conform, with fishing and hunting articles written by old-school adventurers who make no apologies for who we are. Yes, Im publishing a non-woke mens lifestyle magazine. Check it out and subscribe today.https://t.co/waUJUvntGt pic.twitter.com/dhHwzoRnW3 Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 18, 2023 Mr DeSantis is also obsessed with the term and has said as president he would destroy the woke mind virus. In 2021, Mr DeSantis also signed into law Floridas Stop WOKE Act, which banned college professors in the state from teaching critical race theory. Close Robert F Kennedy Jr launches 2024 campaign 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 }} Democrat presidential candidate and notable anti-vaccine advocate Robert F Kennedy Jr joined Elon Musk and David Sacks on Twitter Spaces on Monday 5 June to discuss the formers bid for the White House. Mr Kennedy was also joined by Tulsi Gabbard, Balaji Srinivasan, Omeed Malik, Michael Shellenberger and Kelly Slater at the event. The Twitter Spaces event comes just weeks after Mr Musk and Mr Sacks hosted and moderated a similar audio listening event with presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, where he launched his own campaign. Notably, the Spaces session was filled with technological glitches, which Mr Sacks attributed to a high volume of listeners. Following the event, Mr Musk welcomed all candidates onto Twitter and said he would be open to hosting other candidates on Twitter Spaces. But some were unhappy with Mr Musks decision to host Mr Kennedy as he has been previously banned from social platforms for spreading misinformation. 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 }} Jack Dorsey has officially endorsed anti-vaxxer and bitcoin enthusiast Robert F Kennedy Jr for president. Mr Dorsey shared a YouTube link to a Fox News interview of John F Kennedys 69-year-old nephew on Sunday, titled Robert F Kennedy Jr argues he can beat Trump and DeSantis in 2024. Mr Dorsey quote tweeted the link. He can and will, wrote the Twitter co-founder. RFK Jr announced his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in April and hit the campaign trail for the first time last week. In response to his tweet, a commentator asked Mr Dorsey if he was just predicting or endorsing RFK Jr. Both, replied the former Twitter boss. In April, during the event in Boston when he announced his 2024 bid, Mr Kennedy Jr said: I got a lot to talk about... Im really going to let loose on them [social media platforms and the mainstream media] for the next 18 months. Theyre going to hear a lot from me. On Twitter, one user replied to Mr Dorseys tweet: Not a chance the DNC allows him to be nominated. To this, he replied: Even more reason. Another user voiced the same fears about the Democratic party not allowing Mr Kennedy Jr in the race. The DNC would never allow that, are you kidding? True but they seem to be more irrelevant by the day, replied Mr Dorsey. His endorsement of Mr Kennedy Jr was also criticised by observers. Imagine being Jack. You could improve global health simply by divesting your wealth, wrote author John Green. But instead, you bait-tweet endorse a fella who thinks HIV is unrelated to AIDS a conspiracy theory that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives. And all for that little hit of Twitter dopamine. Anyway, I hope this hot take feels good, Jack! he tweeted. Thanks for reminding me that billionaires are just as likely to be consumed by misinformation and bias against the truly vulnerable as anyone else! So he is running for the GOP where he belongs, nice, wrote another user. If youre going to blow your reputation on a fringe candidate why go for anti-vax/crypto/conspiracy guy when you could blow your reputation on Marianne Williamsons healing crystal chakra energy? said another user, mocking Mr Dorsey. Instagram on Sunday lifted its suspension of the vaccine sceptic presidential contender, said reports. He was removed from the platform in 2021 for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about Covid in violation of its policies on the pandemic. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Black woman confronted Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) for saying that she felt threatened by Rep Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) after he approached her on the steps of the US Capitol last month. A video of the town hall meeting showed the confrontation. Last month, Mr Bowman, who is Black, and Ms Greene had a confrontation on the US Capitol steps. In a subsequent press conference, she accused Mr Bowman of leading the mob against her and said I am concerned. I feel threatened by him. In response, during a town hall, a woman asked Ms Greene if she knew about Emmett Till, who in 1955 was killed and mutilated after a white woman named Carolyn Dunham accused him of harassing her. He was killed in a horrible, horrible way, Ms Greene said. Thats my understanding. And I think it was horrific what happened to him. Tills mother Mamie Till notably kept an open casket for her sons funeral so the world could see how brutally maimed he was. The woman then responded by asking who Carolyn Dunham was. You had no business saying, Oh, hes so big, oh, I feel so, like hes going to hurt me, the woman said. Thats the same thing Carolyn Dunham said that got Emmett Till killed and that was reckless. And you did a reckless thing. And if anything happens to Jamaal Bowman, its going to be on your hands. In response, Ms Greene asked the woman if she had seen when Mr Bowman stood outside her car and brought a crowd around the vehicle when she was in New York City during former president Donald Trumps arraignment. You were not in New York City when that happened, Ms Greene said. Ms Greene said security had to put her in a car and said Mr Bowman accused her of being a white supremacist. That is insulting to me, she said. That is a horrible thing to say to me. It is derogatory and its wrong. Ms Greene denied that her attacks were about race and said that she has a right to feel threatened by a man who is bigger than her and is yelling at her. This is not about skin colour, she said. This is about respect 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 }} Marjorie Taylor Greene has blamed liberal philanthropist George Soros and supposed concerns for Capitol security for abruptly reversing her position on releasing footage of the January 6 riot. After previously calling for the tapes of the insurrection to be shared publicly, the Georgia congresswoman said on Friday that it could endanger the safety at the Capitol and of those who were present during the rioting but did not commit any crimes. If we released these video tapes just widely for the public number one, we put the security of the Capitol at risk, because theres over 1,700 video cameras, she said in an interview with the right-wing Real Americas Voice channel. We also endanger many Americans that were simply standing on the Capitol grounds, maybe never even walked through the Capitol or committed any crimes, but they could have just walked further than where the barrier was simply because the barrier was torn down by the time they got there, she added. Ms Greene claimed that Soros groups would scour the tapes using facial recognition technology to compile evidence and hand it over to the FBI. She added that those who committed violent crimes against law enforcement should be punished, but those that simply attended the rally didnt deserve to be persecuted. In a later tweet, she wrote: Sedition Hunters would spend every second of every day analysing the videos in order to hunt innocent people that just stood on Capitol grounds on J6. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green says releasing the Jan 6 tapes would endanger law-abiding protesters (AFP via Getty Images) As recently as a month ago, Ms Greene said she supported the unfettered release of footage captured on Capitol security cameras during the riot by an armed mob of Trump supporters. We need to release the J6 tapes to a public on line source so that everyone knows what did and didnt happen, we need to restore fair justice, and America can move on, she said in May. In February, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy handed over 44,000 hours of footage to then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Mr Carlson then produced a much-derided segment which sanitized the extreme violence committed against law enforcement officers, calling it mostly peaceful chaos. Then last week, Ms Greene announced the footage would be handed over to right-wing commentator John Solomon, Julie Kelly, a writer at conservative website American Greatness, and a third, unnamed outlet. Meanwhile, nine media companies including CNN, the New York Times and Politico are suing the Department of Justice under the Freedom of Information Act for the tapes to be released. 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 }} Presidential candidate and anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr heaped praise on Twitter owner Elon Musk for defending free speech, during a Twitter spaces event with the executive on Monday afternoon. Mr Kennedy, who has long promoted the discredited theory that vaccines play a role in causing autism, participated in a Twitter Spaces event on Monday and praised Mr Musk for his stewardship of the social media giant for supposedly stopping censorship of voices that dissent from orthodoxy. I just want to tell you how much I admire you for that and how grateful I am on behalf of my country, he said. You would come here from another country and be a key instrument for rescuing American democracy and freedom of speech. The forum is the second such event that Mr Musk has hosted with a presidential hopeful. Last month, Mr Musk hosted a Twitter Sspaces forum with Florida Gov Ron DeSantis as he announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president in 2024. Mr Kennedy announced his candidacy to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for president in 2024 in April. During the event on Monday, he said that his fellow Democrats had misunderstood Mr Musk and had unfairly maligned him. I was so surprised and delighted when you did that on your own and clearly youve been portrayed as somebody as this sinister agenda but youre doing step after step that is not in your self-interest and that is clearly designed to protect freedom of speech, he said. He also praised Mr Musk for releasing the so-called Twitter Files which showed internal communications within Twitter from before Mr Musk took over the company in October 2022 about how they moderated content, such as The New York Post story about Hunter Bidens laptop as well as the companys decision to suspend former president Donald Trumps account. I can't imagine that any attorney or Twitter told you that that was a good idea, he said. Mr Musk responded by saying that his actions came at a great financial cost. I don't care how much it cost or what it takes, he said. If we lose free speech, we lose. In response, Mr Kennedy compared him to the American revolutionaries who declared their independence from the United Kingdom and who risked their own fortunes and reputations. They put their property on the line, they put their financial status and their social status on the line, he said. I've watched you do the same thing and you've been such an example to other Americans of how we ought to be behaving even if it costs us a lot of money. Similarly, Mr Kennedy said that liberals should support the free speech of those with whom they disagree, bringing up the fact that liberals supported the right to march through the largely Jewish suburb of Skokie, Illinois, in the 1970s. Throughout much of the forum, Mr Musk did not challenge Mr Kennedy, including on some of his more outlandish claims that former Fox News executive Roger Ailes prevented him from discussing people injured by vaccines on the cable news network. He also breezed past Mr Kennedy saying that Covid was clearly a bioweapons problem. The two also meandered and had a longer conversation about artificial intelligence and what it would do to the American workforce as well as Mr Musks Neuralink project. At one point, Michael Shellenberger, one of the writers who published the Twitter Files, jumped into the conversation. The conversation came after former Twitter executive Jack Dorsey tweeted his support of Mr Kennedy, saying He can and will defeat Mr Biden, Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Sen Tim Scott (R-SC) debated with Sunny Hostin, a co-host on The View, about the existence of systemic racism, in the senators latest media outreach as he seeks the Republican nomination for president. Mr Scott, the first Black Senator from the South to win an election since the Reconstruction era, went on the show to discuss his candidacy and respond to criticisms. Ms Hostin asked if he believed in systemic racism. Mr Scott said that he went on the show because he wanted to contest the idea that a successful African American person is an exception rather than the rule in the United States of America. That is a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today, that the only way to succeed is by being the exception, he said. I will tell you that if my life is the exception, I can't imagine it is. Mr Scott rattled off examples of how the United States elected a Black president in Barack Obama and two Black Americans Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice served as US secretaries of state. Furthermore, he added, Vice President Kamala Harris, who is half Black, is the current Vice President of the United States. The fact of the matter is that progress in America is palpable. It can be measured in generations, he said. Mr Scott noted how his grandfather grew up in the deep south and had to step off a sidewalk and not make eye contact when a white person approached. That man believed then what some doubt now in the goodness of America, he said. Because he believed that having faith in God, faith in himself, and faith in what the future could hold for his kids, would unleash opportunities in ways that you cannot imagine. Mr Scott has said that his candidacy as a Black man and a Republican challenges liberal orthodoxy about racism in the United States. He is one of a growing field of Republicans to challenge former president Donald Trump for the GOP nomination for president. On Monday, former vice president Mike Pence filed paperwork to run for president. In addition, North Dakota Gov Doug Burgum and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie are expected to announce their bids this week. Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who appointed Mr Scott to his Senate seat in 2013, is also running for the GOP nomination, as is former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson and Florida Gov Ron DeSantis. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump uses people, said Stephanie Grisham, commenting on the former presidents harsh words against Kayleigh McEnany, her successor in the White House. Speaking to CNNs Jim Acosta on Sunday, the former White House press secretary said Mr Trumps derogatory remarks against Ms McEnany were not surprising. This is what he does, Ms Grisham said. He uses you until there is no use for you anymore, or until you dare to say something that could possibly be construed against him. Ms Grisham, who served as press secretary in 2019, wrote a scathing memoir of her time in the White House in 2021, in which she talked about the former presidents terrifying temper among other shocking revelations. Ms Grisham also acknowledged Ms McEnanys loyalty to Mr Trump during her tenure. You know this is going to happen to you eventually. When he has no use for you, youre going to be gone, Ms Grisham said. The controversy arose after Ms McEnany, now a co-host of Fox News Outnumbered show, mentioned on air that Mr Trump was polling 25 points ahead of Florida governor Ron DeSantis in Iowa. Mr Trump took to his Truth Social platform on 30 May to chastise her by claiming he was actually leading by 34 points and misspelling the word milquetoast, that means a timid or feeble person, as milktoast in the process. Kayleigh Milktoast [sic] McEnany just gave out the wrong poll numbers on FoxNews [sic], Mr Trump wrote. I am 34 points up on DeSanctimonious, not 25 up. While 25 is great, its not 34. She knew the number was corrected upwards by the group that did the poll. The RINOS [Republican in name only] & Globalists can have her, he wrote. FoxNews [sic] should only use REAL Stars!!! Ms Grisham also took to Twitter to further express her views, warning others of Trump's behaviour. He. WILL. Turn. On. You, she wrote. There is only loyalty to HIM not the country, the constitution, his constituents, or anything/anyone else. Many conservatives on Twitter rallied to defend Ms McEnany, highlighting her loyalty to Mr Trump as his former press secretary. Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade praised Ms McEnany, stating, Attacking Kayleigh McEnany is insane. She was one of the best press secretaries ever, Kilmeade said. Jenna Ellis, a former Trump legal adviser, wrote: I will simply leave this here for when people ask why I and *many* others didnt return for 2024. Other voices joined the chorus of support for Ms McEnany, including political commentator Brit Hume and Matt Wolking, Mr Trumps former deputy director of communications. Mr Hume called Trump's behaviour immature, while Mr Wolking described Ms McEnany as someone who slayed the fake news hoaxers and the liberal media activists day in and day out for years. 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 woman once dubbed Australias worst female serial killer has been granted a pardon and dramatically freed from prison after 20 years, with officials accepting there are doubts about whether she had killed her four children. Kathleen Folbigg, now 55, was two decades into a 25-year sentence after being convicted of the murder of her daughters Sarah and Laura and son Patrick, and the manslaughter of another son, Caleb. All four died suddenly between 1989 and 1999, aged between 19 days and 19 months. Prosecutors had alleged that Folbigg had smothered them, although scientists now believe there is evidence that they may have died of natural causes. Folbigg has always maintained her innocence. There is a reasonable doubt as to Folbiggs guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, New South Wales (NSW) state attorney general Michael Daley said. Further, I am unable to accept the proposition that the evidence establishes that Ms Folbigg was anything but a caring mother for her children. Mr Daley said that the governor of NSW Margaret Beazley had granted an unconditional pardon, allowing Folbigg to be released from prison on Monday. Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not to feel sympathy for Kathleen and [her former husband] Craig Folbigg, Mr Daley added. While Folbigg has walked free from prison, her convictions still stand for now. The Court of Appeals still waiting on a final report that could recommend they be quashed completely, a process which could take some weeks with the courts own processes also set to take months on top of that. If her convictions are overturned, she could then potentially sue the government for millions of pounds in compensation. Previous appeals and an inquiry in 2019 had suggested there were no grounds for reasonable doubt in the original 2003 guilty verdict. However, a fresh inquiry was commissioned last year, led by former chief justice Thomas Bathurst, after a growing body of evidence suggested a rare genetic mutation could have led to the deaths of Folbiggs two daughters. Mr Bathhursts inquiry was ordered in the wake of a petition signed by 90 scientists, medical practitioners and related professionals that said it was based on significant positive evidence of natural causes of death. The council assisting the inquiry, Sophie Callan said expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, was also a reasonably possible cause of Laura's death, Ms Callan said. For Patrick, Ms Callan said there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused his sudden death. The scientific evidence created doubt that Folbigg killed the three children and undermined the argument made in Calebs case that four child deaths were an improbable coincidence, Ms Callan said. The result today is confirmation that our judicial system is capable of delivering justice, and demonstrates that the rule of law is an important underpinning of our democratic system, Mr Daley said. Prosecutors had told the jury at Folbiggs trial that the similarities among the deaths made coincidence an unlikely explanation. Folbigg was the only one at home or awake when the young children died. She said she discovered three of the deaths during trips to the bathroom and one while checking on a childs wellbeing. Prosecutors had also told the jury that Folbiggs diaries contained admissions of guilt. Her former husband, Craig Folbigg, said in submissions to this latest inquiry that the implausibility that four children in one family would die of natural causes before the age of two was compelling grounds to continue treating the diary entries as admissions of his former wifes guilt. In a statement following the pardon, Mr Folbiggs lawyer, Danny Eid, said his clients view had not changed. Mr Folbiggs view of the guilt of Ms Folbigg has not changed whatsoever, Mr Eid said. Ms Folbigg has not been acquitted of the crimes, and her convictions are not displaced. Ms Callan said psychologists and psychiatrists gave evidence that it would be unreliable to interpret the entries in the way prosecutors had at trial. Folbigg had been possibly suffering from a major depressive disorder and maternal grief when she made the entries, Ms Callan said. Folbiggs best friend, Tracy Chapman, thanked supporters in the wake of the decision. I know the past 20 years have been horrific for Kathleen, not least for the pain and suffering she has had to endure following the loss of her four children, Ms Chapman said. Mr Daley called it a tragic case. Weve got four little [babies] who are dead. We have a husband and wife who lost each other, a woman who spent 20 years in jail and a family that never had a chance, he said. Youd not be human if you didnt feel something about that. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A German parliamentary delegation canceled plans Monday for a visit to fruit farms in a drought-hit region of southern Spain, after a campaign in Germany to discourage consumers from buying drought berries sparked political controversy. The cross-party visit by nine German lawmakers this week was meant to include a stop in the Donana national park in Andalusia, home to some of Europes most important wetlands. The conservative regional government of Andalusia, which is experiencing its worst drought in nearly three decades, wants to expand water extraction rights in the wetlands. Spains Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has made the matter an issue in the campaign ahead of elections next month. The German parliament's environmental committee said that in view of the high political importance that the topics of the trip have gained in recent days in the upcoming Spanish national elections, (the committee) has decided to refrain from its long-planned trip to Andalusia at the present time. The purpose of the trip was to gather information and exchange views on climate change and its consequences, it said in a statement, adding: "We are confident that we can continue this exchange in the future. Sanchezs party is seeking re-election in a snap general election in July after suffering heavy losses in local elections to the opposition Popular Party last month. A Popular Party spokesperson, Borja Semper, on Monday accused accusing the prime minister of indirectly supporting a German boycott of locally grown fruit. The least that the prime minister can do is to defend our farmers and the Spanish strawberry, Semper said. In recent days, Sanchez has called on voters via Twitter to choose between a Spain that cares about Donana and a Spain that destroys Donana. Spanish conservationists have warned that half of the nature reserves lakes have already disappeared, threatening the survival of freshwater turtles native to the Iberian peninsula, along with dragonflies and eels. The site is also an important transit point for many migratory bird species. 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 prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case has claimed he became the focus of the investigation after a former friend alleged he made a chilling comment about the case, according to reports. German prisoner Christian Brueckner was first named in connection with the unsolved mystery in the summer of 2020, and officially named as a suspect last year. His yellow and white VW T3 Westfalia campervan was reportedly identified as having been near to the Praia da Luz resort in Portugal where the young girl went missing on May 3, 2007. Three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from the bed of her holiday apartment while her parents and family friends dined 180 feet away. The Metropolitan Police took over the investigation, Operation Grange, in 2011 but they hit dead ends. There has not been another significant suspect in the case since 2007 until Brueckner. German prisoner Christian Brueckner was first named in connection with the unsolved mystery in the summer of 2020 (Italian Carabinieri) Brueckner is in prison in Germany for the rape of a woman in Praia da Luz in 2005, and is suspected of further rapes and child sexual abuse committed in the area between 2000 and 2017. During his time in prison, he is said to have written several letters in a bid to clear his name and complain about his treatment in prison. According to a letter seen by the Daily Mail, Brueckner claimed he became a key suspect after his former friend told police he said yes, she did not scream when talking about the case around one year after Madeleine disappeared. According to the newspaper, Brueckner said the claim is "not even worthy of comment. He said that he was then hunted by police after his friend made the allegation to police. The Daily Mail said Brueckner refers to a statement made to the police by Helge Busching - who reportedly contacted police in 2017 saying he had information on the case. He wrote: The following sentences from the witness Helge B in 2017 were responsible for all the public hunting and hatred against me by the German authorities. Madeleine McCann disappeared from a Portugal holiday resort in 2007 (PA Media) Then Brueckner relates an alleged conversation at a festival in Spain in 2008, one year after Madeleine disappeared. He quotes Busching as having said: (Seyferth another witness) was also there as well and Michael (Tatschl another witness), Manfred, Christian and I then started talking about Portugal. "It was then Christian made a comment about the missing girl. Christian asked me if I was still going to Portugal, I replied; Im no longer going to Portugal because there are too many problems there, Portugal has too many police for me on account of the missing child. "It is indeed strange that she disappeared without a trace. Christian replied:Yes, she did not scream. Brueckners lawyer Friedrich Fulscher told the newspaper: It remains to be seen whether this conversation took place at all as we have other witnesses who said it didnt. Brueckner claims that the last time he had a conversation with Busching was in 2007 about a drug deal between them. Busching was arrested in 2017 while trying to smuggle migrants from Greece to Italy. It is claimed that he gave the statement to the police after his arrest. Close Police were scouring the remote Barragem do Arade reservoir in the Algarve, Portugal last week, around 35 miles from where the then-three-year-old went missing in 2007 while on a family holiday in Praia da Luz 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 }} Soil from a reservoir in Portugal searched by police last month is being compared with samples from main suspect Christian Brueckners camper van, it has been reported. Detectives believe Brueckner visited the remote Barragem do Arade reservoir in Portugals Algarve region days after Madeleine disappeared. Officials now believe they can prove that Brueckners van was in the area at the time the three-year-old was abducted , sources told The Daily Mirror. The insider claimed that if the soil sample analysis reveals a positive match, police may be able to further close the net around Brueckner, 45, who has not yet been charged. Earlier, a forensics expert warned that traditional evidence will be difficult to find after 16 years have passed since Madeleine McCanns disappearance. Dan Matthews said that investigators would have searched the remote reservoir in Portugal for things that couldve stood the test of time and not been destroyed by its passage, such as clothing fragments or jewelry. 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 }} Russia could be buying back military supplies previously exported to Myanmar and India, showed customs clearance data assessed in a Nikkei analysis. The report cited records of Russian repurchases of parts for tanks and missiles exported previously to Myanmar and India, likely in a bid to reimport the components to improve older weapons expected to be used in Ukraine. From India, Russias Machine-Building Design Bureau (NPK KBM) looking after the countrys missile production, purchased six components for night-vision sight for ground-to-air missiles for $150,000 (120,757) in August and November last year, the report showed. The order was placed with Indias defence ministry. Customs clearance data on shipments to Russia analysed by Nikkei showed repurchases by Moscow. The report also cited examining records showing Russias imports of parts for weapons like tanks and missiles. While Russia likely reimported the parts for repairs, no records have been found of the items being sent back to India this year till March, the report added. Russia possesses around 5,000 tanks, as per the annual report by the British think tank The International Institute for Strategic Studies in its 2023 edition of The Military Balance. In Myanmar, records show the tank manufacturer for Russias military UralVagonZavod imported military products from the southeast Asian nation on 9 December last year for $24m. These registration details for these imported components confirm being made by UralVagonZavod, the report said. The company repurchased 6,775 sighting telescopes and 200 cameras for installation in tanks, as per the harmonised codes for these reimported goods. In the aftermath of biting trade sanctions imposed, Russia is likely struggling to procure crucial components needed to enhance optical equipment which it previously managed with Western technology. This comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky flagged Russias reliance on a network of suppliers helping it to evade international sanctions and continue building its missile arsenal. The war-time president did not mention the names of the countries and companies helping Russia with missile production on the technology front. We analysed in great detail how Russia circumvents sanctions and who helps it. Different countries, different companies, without which Russia would not be able to produce terrorist weapons, including missiles, Mr Zelensky said on Sunday after a special meeting on sanctions with the main intelligence directorate, the foreign intelligence service and other top officials from the Kyiv administration. He added: Unfortunately, the terrorist state manages to use the technologies of the world through a network of suppliers, and manages to circumvent international sanctions regimes. We see every direction of circumvention of existing sanctions, every country whose territory or jurisdiction, whose citizens are used by Russia to continue terror. And we must close all such areas together with our partners to ensure that Russian missiles and weapons do not contain products of the free world, he said. The necessary steps will be taken, Mr Zelensky said. Close Ukraine: Soviet-era dam destroyed near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant 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 }} Ukraines military has claimed to have recaptured their first village since launching counter-offensive actions against Russia. Ukrainian soldiers were filmed hoisting their blue and yellow flag at a damaged building in what the army said was the village of Blahodatne, in the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region in the southeast of the country. The unverified video was published by the 68th Separate Hunting Brigade of the Armed Forces. It comes after president Volodymyr Zelensky said that counter-offensive and defensive actions are under way against Russian forces in an apparent confirmation of the long-awaited pushback of Putins troops. The Russian Defence Ministry has continued to insist that it is repelling Ukrainian attacks in the Donetsk region. It said in a statement that Ukrainian attempts at offensive operations on the southern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia axes of the frontline over the past 24 hours have been unsuccesful. 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 }} Ukraine has launched attacks at a number of points across the frontline with Russian forces, suggesting that its long-awaited counteroffensive is finally kicking into gear. Officials in Kyiv were coy about the surge in military action, allowing the fog of war to cloud whether it marked the start of a push to reclaim land that Russia has occupied. Ukraines deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said that the countrys forces were shifting to offensive actions in some areas, but sought to play them down as local attacks. However, there is no denying the increase in military activity. Moscow seemed keen to suggest that it had repelled a major offensive at five points across the eastern region of Donetsk. However, its claims were undermined by other Russian sources and military bloggers, who suggested that Ukrainian forces had made advances around the city of Bakhmut in northern Donetsk and villages in the west of the region. Ukrainian officials dismissed claims by Russias defence ministry that Russian forces had killed hundreds of Ukrainian troops and destroyed a number of military vehicles around Donetsk as fanciful. The statement from Moscow said that Kyivs goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front. In response, a Ukrainian military spokesperson said: We do not have such information and we do not comment on any kind of fake. Ms Maliar said Moscows assertions about a Ukrainian counteroffensive were meant to distract attention from the losses Russia is taking around Bakhmut a city that has seen some of the fiercest fighting of the war so far, and one that the Wagner mercenary group claimed to have taken control of last month before handing its positions to Russian troops. Ms Maliar said Bakhmut was the epicentre of hostilities, while the commander of Ukraines ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Kyivs forces were moving forward in the area. The head of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said Ukrainian forces had retaken part of the settlement of Berkhivka north of the city, calling it a disgrace and claiming that Russian troops are quietly running away. Alexander Khodakovsky, the head of a pro-Russian militia in Donetsk, said Ukraine had made advances in western Donetsk and that German-made Leopard 2 tanks had been spotted on the battlefield suggesting that Nato-trained troops had also joined the fray. The situation in Novodonetskoye and to the left of Veliko Novosilka is difficult the enemy, pushing at our weak spots, is increasing his efforts. For the first time in our tactical area we have seen Leopards, he wrote on Telegram. There is a tough fight going on, wrote prominent Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, who blogs under the name War Gonzo, saying Ukrainian forces were attacking in the area. Video released by Moscow claiming to show Ukrainian vehicles being destroyed in Donetsk (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service) American officials have said that the increase in artillery attacks, missile launches and ground assaults suggests that this may be the start of Ukraines counteroffensive. Speaking to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, the officials said this assessment was based in part on information from US military satellites, which have detected an increase in action from Ukrainian military positions. The satellites have infrared capabilities to track artillery fire and missile launches. Ukraine has sought to keep quiet about the location and start of its counteroffensive as it has completed final preparations. Given that the numbers involved in the latest attacks appear to account for only a fraction of the troops Kyiv has claimed to have prepared, they may be probing exercises looking for weaknesses in the Russian lines to then exploit with greater force. Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, told reporters on Monday that his country has enough weapons for the counteroffensive, with some Western allies having agreed to train Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 fighter jets coveted by Kyiv. We [already] unlocked all weapons ... There is nothing big left to fight for, he said. But he also sidestepped the suggestion that the counteroffensive had started, claiming that the most important thing was that it should end in a Ukrainian victory. Elsewhere, the British foreign secretary, James Cleverly, met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. In a video posted to Mr Zelenskys Facebook page, Mr Cleverly is heard saying that the UK will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious. The pair discussed how the UK can best continue to support Ukraine, from the battlefield to banking guarantees, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The UK is preparing to host a conference focused on Ukraines economic recovery in London later in June. The Ukrainian president thanked the UK for the big support it has given his country in the social media post, adding: During the meeting, we discussed important topical issues: Ukraines expectations from the Nato Summit in Vilnius [happening in July], promotion of the Ukrainian peace formula and preparation of the global summit on its implementation, as well as the London international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are very grateful for the support that the UK has provided and continues to provide to Ukraine. Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report 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 }} On the day on which Eurostars final Disneyland Paris train from London departs, it emerged that the cross-Channel rail company could be forced to stop running trains from London to both Rotterdam and Amsterdam for almost a year because of work being carried out on the station in the Dutch capital. Unless a solution can be found, it would see the Eurostar network reduced from a pre-Brexit total of 13 year-round stations to just four: London, Lille, Paris and Brussels. At 10.34am on Monday, the final Eurostar Disneyland Express departed from London St Pancras International. The direct high-speed rail link to the heart of the theme park east of Paris has been running since 1996, except for a pause during the Covid crisis. But Eurostar is now ending the service because of extra red tape brought in as a result of Brexit. The UK government negotiated for British passport holders to become third-country nationals with a hard European Union frontier installed at St Pancras station for outbound passengers. The design of the Eurostar London terminal never envisaged that checks would involve stamping passports and, from next year, taking fingerprints and facial biometrics from UK travellers to the EU. These checks vastly increase the time taken for each passenger, and therefore the space needed. Eurostar is capping passenger numbers on trains because of the sheer physical constraints of its terminals. The extra bureaucracy arising from the decision to leave the European Union has led to the continued closure of two stations in Kent: Ebbsfleet and Ashford International. They shut down as the Covid pandemic took hold, but Eurostar will not reopen them until 2025 at the earliest after the planned entry-exit system for the EU is implemented. The direct train from London St Pancras to Lyon, Avignon and Marseille has been dropped. Calais-Frethun station, serving the French port, is also mothballed. Mark Smith, the international rail expert known as The Man in Seat 61, called the ending of the Disneyland Paris link another Brexit benefit along with dropping calls at Ashford and Ebbsfleet. He said: With increased border checks and consequently reduced terminal capacity, Eurostar are doubling down on their core routes until the full effects of the new EU Entry/Exit System are known. Separately, Eurostars four daily trains each way between London and Amsterdam could be suspended for 11 months next year as a result of work being undertaken on the historic Centraal station in the Dutch capital. On Friday, the Dutch infrastructure minister, Vivianne Heijnen, said that planned large-scale renovation combined with the large amount of space required for pre-departure checks of British passengers could mean the Netherlands is cut off for 11 months with potentially an extra 21 flights each way between Amsterdam and London. The international train terminal is to be demolished, without its replacement being ready. The closure could last from June 2024 until the end of May 2025. Eurostar launched the Amsterdam and Rotterdam service in 2018 and has carried 1.6 million passengers since then. Rotterdam Centraal is not a financially viable option because only 160 passengers are allowed to board the train there due to post-Brexit constraints. From 2036, Eurostars operation in the Dutch capital will be moved to the less convenient Amsterdam Zuid station. Later on Monday, Eurostars chief executive, Gwendoline Cazenave, met with the Dutch infrastructure minister with the hope that space in a subway beneath the station could allow the Eurostar service to continue during renovations. A Eurostar initially spokesperson told The Independent: We have been led to believe that the Eurostar Amsterdam-London route is at risk of being discontinued for an indefinite period as of April next year. The potential proposal to move the Dutch departure/arrival lounge from Amsterdam to Rotterdam is not viable due to capacity and safety reasons. Should this be the only option offered by the ministry, Eurostar Group will be left with no choice but to stop its Amsterdam-London route. However, following the meeting on Monday night with Dutch partners ProRail, NS and with the I&W Ministry in The Hague, Ms Cazenave sounded more optimistic about potentially finding a solution, saying: We are pleased to continue discussions with our partners ProRail and NS in the Netherlands. We are convinced that together we will find a suitable solution to allow a direct service between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and London. Eurostar is fully committed to playing a role in the Dutch sustainability policy by continuing to offer a green travel alternative to its Dutch customers. Stations served year-round by Eurostar Pre-Brexit London Ebbsfleet Ashford International Calais Frethun Lille Paris Brussels Rotterdam Amsterdam Lyon Avignon Marseille Post-Brexit and potentially during renovation work at Amsterdam Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A woman has been arrested after allegedly slapping a Spirit Airlines employee when she was denied boarding onto a flight. Tearaney Burroughs faces assault charges following the altercation that escalated after she was turned away from gate E-3 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for being too intoxicated on the evening of 11 May, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. In the latest violent incident at the worlds busiest airport, gate officers said the woman was so angry to be refused entry that she slapped the Spirit Airlines employee in the face in an attempt to force her way past. Parts of the aftermath of the encounter were captured on police bodycam in clips shared by Atlanta Police Department. According to the Atlanta Police Department incident report, officers were dispatched after reports that a woman was trying to push her way through the gates and onto the jet bridge. She was later arrested and taken to Clayton County Jail. The Spirit Airlines employee was not seriously injured. In a statement to Fox5 Atlanta, former Clayton County solicitor Keith Martin said: Lets rename the gate agent. Call them gatekeepers because they are absolutely the last line of defence in keeping someone off the plane who may cause trouble." Tory MP Gareth Johnson recently proposed legislation to ban violent passengers from flying as incidents involving disorderly travellers increase in the UK. The Independent has contacted Spirit Airlines and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for further comment. It follows a passenger brawl with Spirit Airlines gate agents in Philadelphia this February after a fight broke out over additional baggage fees. Last month, a fight at the Atlanta airport went viral after an intoxicated woman claiming to be pregnant was arrested for allegedly attacking a Spirit Airlines employee when she was unable to board her flight. Police in Hong Kong detained several pro-democracy activists on the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. The leader of one of Hong Kongs main opposition parties was among those arrested, with authorities having banned public commemoration of the 1989 incident. Also detained was 67-year-old Alexandra Wong, a prominent campaigner nicknamed Grandma Wong. She was arrested while carrying flowers near Victoria Park, where vigils had been held for many years. Events to mark the 1989 massacre, which saw the government violently suppress peaceful protests in Beijing with tanks and troops, are also banned in mainland China. Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) speaks during an interview with Reuters in Istanbul, Turkey June 3, 2023. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya Willie Walsh, IATA director general, says he is 'reasonably confident' there won't be too much air flights disruption this summer. Photo: Reuters/Brian Snyder Airlines say they are ready to avoid a repeat of last years travel chaos, but warned that some flights could still be disrupted by controller strikes and hit out at schemes that force them to pay compensation for unavoidable delays. I am reasonably confident that well be able to get through this peak summer without too much disruption, said Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, (IATA). Airlines remain concerned about air traffic control disruption in Europe and the United States. As far as they are concerned, they have fulfilled their obligation to get their resources in place for this summer. Most of the airports, I think, will be OK, as well. I think theyve learned the lessons from last year, Mr Walsh told Reuters. A quick rebound in air travel coupled with labour shortages caused chaos at airports in Europe and North America last summer and prompted a row between airlines and airports over passenger caps designed to ease the pressure. Rising numbers of disputes between travellers and airlines globally have led to calls for passenger compensation. Legislation is under review in Canada, while the US government is writing new rules and the EU is pushing for stronger enforcement of its existing Regulation 261 which requires compensation for delays of more than three hours. Ultimately the consumer pays because this is of course being borne by the industry, but the industry cant just absorb that, said the former Aer Lingus chief. The more expense that airlines have to incur because of problems outside of their control, the more thats going to be reflected in ticket prices, and it will drive ticket prices up. It is a very frustrating environment to be operating in. Some passenger groups have accused airlines of skirting compensation by invoking an exemption for exceptional circumstances. EU rules allow such exemptions as long as airlines can show they have taken reasonable steps to prevent any delay. European air traffic control agency Eurocontrol warned late last year that 2023 could be the most challenging year of the last decade due to the Ukraine conflict, possible strikes, rising numbers of aircraft and the reopening of Asian markets. Irish companies have become too reliant on external consultants when it comes to devising sustainability strategies. Photo: Getty Images Irish companies have become too reliant on external consultants when it comes to devising sustainability strategies, according to new findings from executive search giant Spencer Stuart. Last month, the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act was signed into law, with more new legislation for Irish businesses to follow, such as the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill and revisions to the EUs Packaging and Packing Waste Directive. Its only reasonable that we question how prepared small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are for these new laws, and if they will be able to keep up with larger businesses. The 10th series of Love Island kicks off tonight as a new batch of singletons enter the Majorcan villa in the hopes of finding love. Catherine Agbaje from Dublin was announced as one of this year's islanders, bringing added interest to Irish viewers. Love Island: Behind the scenes at the villa Over the years we have seen a number of Irish contestants, including Maura Higgins, Greg O'Shea, and Jack Keating. Here are some of the iconic moments that Irish contestants have brought to the show. Fanny flutters In 2019 Maura Higgins had several hilarious moments on the show but one that really stuck was her term fanny flutters, that she used on fellow contestants such as Tommy Fury. Maura went all the way to the final, coming fourth with Curtis Pritchard. The two split after eight months of dating. Greg O'Shea and Amber Gill won Love Island in 2019 Two weeks in the villa Greg O'Shea won the show in 2019 after only entering the villa two weeks out from the final. The Limerick native swept Amber Gill off her feet in only four days and the two went on to win 50,000. Harsh dumpings Matthew McNabb from Northern Ireland was taken from Casa Amor into the villa by Kaz Kamwi. On returning from Casa Amor, Kaz realised she still had feelings for Tyler Cruickshank, who she was previously coupled up with before Casa Amor. Matthew made it clear he wasn't going to be a choice, simply pulling aside Kaz for a chat and saying yeah, we're done. Jack Keating Famous father Ronan Keating's son, Jack, was in the villa for a blink-and-you-might-miss-it three days yet he still made his mark. Jack thought he could bond with Michael Owen's daughter, Gemma, over their famous dads but unfortunately Gemma was not familiar with Boyzone. You know Ronan Keating? That's the old man. Peacekeeper Greg O'Shea delivered his iconic quote what was your thought process behind that? after he kept his cool as drama broke out in the villa. Fellow contestant Jordan Hames said his head was turning for India Reynolds only days after asking Anna Vakili to be his girlfriend. Dancing with the Stars' Curtis Pritchard encouraged Jordan to tell India how he felt before speaking with Anna. On hearing this news, Greg kept his cool with the iconic quote what was your thought process behind that?. What goes around comes around In season five Dublin contestant Yewande Biala was savagely dumped from the villa after Danny Williams chose Arabella Chi over her. On leaving the villa, Yewande said to Danny: What goes around comes around, have a nice life. Summers not over Last summer Dami Hope made it into the final with Indiyah Pollack. The pair came third in the competition overall and have been dating ever since. However, it was not smooth sailing for the two after they both recoupled in Casa Amor but eventually found their way back to each other. Dami recoupled with Summer Botwe and during his recoupling speech, he said: It has been a lot of different emotions but its been what it has been. I still like [Indiyah] a lot but Summer's not over, I think it just started. All mouth Maura Higgins had her fair share of drama in the villa but most notably when she caught Tom Walker talking about her behind her back. The two were coupled up and due to spend a night in the hideaway when Maura overheard Tom talking to the boys, saying: Itll be interesting to see if she is all mouth. Go f**k yourself, the Longford contestant replied. Irish abroad Another notably hilarious moment on Love Island was Jack Keatings poor Irish skin burning up. Jack's red complexion was really living up to the Irish stereotype as he burned up in Casa Amor. Questionable metaphors The first Irish contestant to be on Love Island was Belfast native Adam Maxted. Adam was known for his metaphors, most notably comparing his unlucky love life to a PlayStation game. He said his situation was similar to playing a PlayStation game and that he was stuck on a level. Exclusive | Evil rapist Richard OBrien was a monster in a house of horrors Two of his daughters and two sisters tell their stories and how authorities failed them Changes due in September will make the claims process less vulnerable to con artists Minister of State Dara Calleary said it is the second phase of changes geared toward making PIAB operate more effectively. Photo: PA/Damien Storan Major changes are being introduced to the personal injuries system which should lead to a significant reduction in fraudulent claims. The changes, which are due within three months, will make the personal-injury-claims process more robust and much less vulnerable to fraudulent claims. The operating procedures of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) are being tightened up after years of debate about combating cheats. Provisions contained in the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act 2022 mean that, from the autumn, people who apply to PIAB will need to supply a Personal Public Service number or alternative identification. This will make it very difficult for con artists to use an alias or bogus identity. It also means the Department of Social Protection may be able to recover some illness-related social welfare payments from any PIAB compensation payout. All claimants will also be required to sign the application form to PIAB. This means they will leave a signed paper trail if they submit a fraudulent claim. Peter Boland of the Alliance for Insurance Reform said the changes coming into effect in September should stop people gaming the system. PIAB is a state body that adjudicates claims without involving courts. All personal-injuries claims have to go before the board initially, with the exception of medical negligence cases. Cases can only go to the courts if a settlement offer is rejected by either side. Another change will mean a claimant may run out of time under the statute of limitations if they seek to frustrate the PIAB assessment process by withholding medical reports. One of the tactics used by those making dodgy claims has been to withhold a medical report. This often means an assessment has to be made by the PIAB in the absence of a medical report as there are time limits for the board on how long it can take to assess a claim. The changes could mean it is curtains for fraudsters, said Mr Boland. This is because they will struggle to use an alias or bogus identity. They will leave a signed paper trail if they submit a fraudulent claim. We welcome the commencement of these further measures, which will make the Irish personal-injury-claims process more robust and much less vulnerable to fraudulent claims, he added. Already, the number of fraudulent claims being submitted to the specialist unit at An Garda Siochana is well down on 2019 levels, and it is up to insurers to pass on the benefits of these new developments as soon as they come into force. Minister of State Dara Calleary said the adjustments are the second phase of changes geared toward making PIAB operate more effectively. Central Bank research has shown that compensation levels are similar for those who go through PIAB and those who use litigation to settle their claims. But the legal costs for a litigated claim average 17,813. This compares with legal costs of just 1,156 for those using the PIAB process. Mr Calleary said: The second phase will further strengthen the PIAB process and reduce the potential for identity fraud and ensure accuracy in relation to payment of resolved claims. He intends to commence the third and final phase of the act, relating to the introduction of a mediation service, before the end of the year. John Richards (74) hopes to meet family members in UK that he didnt know he had until recently How we reported the story in March John Richards Jnr (centre) with his father John Snr and his mother Sheila on his wedding day in 1973 A man whose father abandoned his Irish family almost 50 years ago and vanished without trace believes the mystery over his fate has been solved thanks to a newspaper article four months ago. John Richards Jr (74) said he was tormented by what became of his father who abandoned his family twice the second time in 1974 and had no further contact with his wife and children left behind in Cork. John, with his wife Mary Nell Richards, has battled ill-health over recent times, but said he was determined to fulfil a decades-old ambition to discover what happened to his father and lay to rest suspicions his father had a second family. An article published in the Irish Independent last February sparked a search that is believed to have traced his vanished father and the second family that John always suspected he had. Nell said the newspaper article was followed up on by an RTE Radio One team as part of a documentary. A genealogist was consulted and expert research from birth and death records found evidence that Johns father died in England in 2009. Records indicate he not only had a wife in England but also also several children. It is believed his UK-based widow is still alive. John apparently has several siblings living in the UK, Nell said. I think he always suspected his father had a second family in the UK, but knowing he has half-siblings there is unbelievable. It is incredible what that one article started. We thought we would never find out what happened to him [John Sr]. What shocked the Cork family is that Johns father apparently lived until the age of 87 and lived for 35 years in the UK without attempting to make contact with his Irish children. John Joseph Alfred Richards abandoned his Cork family not once, but twice. When he left a second time in 1974 from their Fermoy, Co Cork home he broke his wife Sheilas heart. Sometime around 1952 my father went to the UK for work, John Jr explained. He was supposed to send money back to his family in Cork, but we never heard a word from him for almost 20 years. Just weeks before Johns planned wedding to Nell in October 1973, his father sent a letter to his wife, Sheila, asking if he could return home. My brother Donal and I were both adults in our 20s at this stage, John said. We were leaving home so I had no problem with my father returning home if it made my mother happy. His father duly arrived at the familys home at Connolly Street in Fermoy and attended John Jrs wedding to Nell. The only photographs John Jr now has of his father are those from that Fermoy wedding. He often looks at the wedding photographs and notes how delighted his mother appears to be. My mother was a different woman when he arrived home. She was smiling, she was happy and she was clearly delighted to have him home. All seemed well for about a year. John Jrs father was a talented tradesman and was never short of work in the carpentry, plumbing and brick-laying sectors. For his own part, John Jr got a job in Cork and was arriving back in Fermoy from work in December 1974 when he saw his father walking up the town with a suitcase. That was the last we ever saw or heard from him, he said. That is almost 50 years ago and we never even heard a word to say that he had passed away which, at this stage, I presume he must have. In the weeks before his father left the family for a second time, a letter arrived addressed to him from the UK. Unbeknownst to his father, John Jr and his brother Donal opened the letter. It was from a woman in the UK who said that if John Sr didnt return to the UK immediately his seven-year-old daughter would be put on a ferry to travel alone to his Fermoy address. That little girl must be around 55 years old now, said John Jr. I can only assume that my father may also have had other children in the UK. At this stage in my life, I would love to get to meet them, and find out what actually happened to my father. John Sr had met Sheila when he was a member of the Defence Forces stationed at Fermoys Fitzgerald Camp. John discovered that his father named John Joseph Alfred Richards was born in Wales on April 22, 1922. The family may have had mining connections in Wales. Relatives in the UK had a strong connection to the military and are believed to have served both in Palestine and during the Suez campaign. However, John Alfred was raised by a Mary Byrne at Avon Cottage in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow. Why the young boy grew up in Wicklow is a mystery, but it is believed there was some familial connection between Mary Byrne and the Wales-based Richards family. John Sr joined the Defence Forces as a private on September 25 1946. He was compassionately discharged on March 17 1948, one month after marrying Sheila in Fermoy. John Jr said that after his father departed for a second time in December 1974, his mother Sheila never spoke about him again. She was diagnosed with cancer and died aged 59 in July 1983. His father, to the best of his knowledge, never made contact with his mother or his Irish family after 1974. She never spoke about it to us, but she was heartbroken, John Jr said of his mother. I can forgive my father for leaving our family for the first time. But not for a second time. I think it was the not knowing that was the hardest. We never heard a word from him after December 1974. My brother Donal passed away last year, so, really I would just like to know what happened to my father. It would also be nice to meet up with any half-sisters and half-brothers I might have in the UK. Nell said direct contact between the families has not yet been made. But it is hoped a future meeting can be arranged NCT operator Applus, should be fined millions for its complete failure to clear testing backlogs, Junior Minister Jack Chambers has said. Applus, which holds the national car test (NCT) contract, said last week that it is confident that the current average waiting time for an appointment will be almost halved by the end of next month. The testing backlog stood at 414,000 on May 11, which was down since March when there were 425,004 vehicles overdue an NCT the highest level in recent years. The backlog was 375,000 at the end of January. So far, over 4,200 customers have received free tests this year. The test is usually 55 but drivers do not have to pay if they are left without an appointment within 28 days of seeking one, subject to a number of conditions. What to do if you can't get a suitable appointment at your NCT centre Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers said the ongoing delays are absolutely unacceptable and are causing worry and anxiety for motorists. Its a complete failure by Applus to operate the service as per the contract with the Road Safety Authority (RSA), he said. Minister Chambers said he has instructed officials in his department to engage with the RSA on a weekly basis, and he has written to the authority to express his annoyance with this dysfunction from Applus and the affect it is having on motorists and road safety. I think Applus need to pay serious penalties for this dysfunction and the non-performance of their contract, he said. There's a dispute between the Road Safety Authority and Applus on the penalties Ive written to the Road Safety Authority, re-emphasising the need for penalties to be paid and that goes into millions at this point. This an important contract and service that's outsourced from the Road Safety Authority, and where they're not adhering to the service level agreement, they should be paying penalties and I think that needs to be brought to conclusion very quickly, he added. Mr Chambers said the average wait time for an NCT appointment is now 30 days, and in instances where the NCT website is showing no appointments inside 30 days, motorists should apply for the priority waiting list. They will get an appointment, the majority of them with 28 days, he said. 4,209 people have now received a free test since the customer charter was reinstated and many more I expect will receive a free test because the current dysfunction from Applus doesn't appear to be progressing at the targets that they had previously set. The courses will begin in further education institutions before being completed in associated colleges Education Minister Simon Harris said the Leaving Cert points system 'works for some but not for all'. Students who lost out in the CAO points race will still be able to pursue university degrees through a range of new third-level courses. The significant reform of the third-level education system will see the introduction of new courses in the areas of business, technology, science and nursing. These are intended to allow students to pursue their preferred career even if they do not secure the necessary Leaving Cert points. The courses will begin in further education colleges before being completed in associated universities. However, applicants will not have to rely on their Leaving Cert results to secure places on the new courses. The initiative is part of a plan by Higher Education Minister Simon Harris to offer students different education pathways after they complete secondary school. Mr Harris has placed a major emphasis on encouraging people to take up apprenticeships after they complete their second-level education. He has also expanded the apprenticeship system to include courses in careers that are not traditionally provided to apprentices. The new third-level degree courses will be open for applications this month and are scheduled to begin in September. CAO 2023 - Key takeaways with Education Editor - Katherine Donnelly Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr Harris stated that the points race has caused significant pressure to young people all across this country. He added: These courses are not a fall-back but they are another way of getting to where you want to get to. It is just the beginning. We will do more because we cannot continue to ignore the pressure on the shoulders of our young people when they fill out that CAO form. We have to change the conversation with youngsters to one of what they want to do, rather than one of points. The courses will be available in business, nursing, science, software development, immersive production media, music, and industrial laboratory science. A new website has been set up and is scheduled to be launched this month. This will allow students to apply for the degree courses. Additional courses will be added next year. Mr Harris said that since taking office, he has been determined to provide lots of different pathways for people to progress in education outside of the traditional points system. We need further education colleges and universities working much more closely together, he said. This will mean you begin the degree in further education and then complete it in a university. Mr Harris thanked the colleges and Education and Training Boards who have worked to develop the new degree courses. He added: I now intend to travel to all the regions to discuss how we can further grow this exciting project and learn from the pilots. I believe this can be transformational for our education system in shaking up the pathways and processes for entry into degree programmes. It has to be about choice and options. The Leaving Cert points system works for some but not for all. We need an education system that works for all with multiple pathways to progress. This is a real step forward. A man charged over a seizure of more than 180,000 worth of a variety of drugs in Tallaght in Dublin has been granted bail with a travel ban. Lee Morgan (27), of Kilmartin Green, Tallaght, was arrested on Saturday by gardai from the Dublin Crime Response Team and detained under the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Kevin Street garda station. He was charged with unlawfully possessing cocaine, cannabis, MDMA and ketamine and having them for sale or supply in his room at his address on June 3, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Michele Finan set his bond at 1,000, which must be lodged, with a 5,000 independent surety yet to be approved. She remanded him in custody with consent to bail to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Morgan faced objections to bail when he appeared before at Dublin District Court today. Garda Karl Byrne said Mr Morgan made no reply to the charges. Objecting to bail, Gda Byrne voiced flight risk concerns. He told Judge Finan that the total value of the seizure was more than 180,000. It was alleged the drugs were in Mr Morgans bedroom, which was separate from and at the rear of the house. The garda said more than 5,000 was in the accuseds bedroom. Gda Byrne said the accused was unemployed but not getting social welfare. He also alleged that the accused had travelled to Turkey in April, and I dont know how it was financed. He agreed with defence counsel Kevin McCrave that the accused had never been in trouble before, and there was no record of warrants. He accepted that Mr Morgan had lived at his address all his life and that his parents had come to the hearing. Mr McCrave told the court that his clients travel documents were now in garda possession, and he submitted that a refusal of bail could mean his client would be in custody for a year before his trial. On taking up bail, the accused must not apply for a new passport or travel documents, he must also remain in Dublin and stay out of Dublin Airport and not attempt to travel. He will also have to sign on daily at a garda station on his release. Legal aid was granted. Kathleen Mee with Holly the donkey outside the reconstructed pub in Galway. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy/GalwayPix.ie Holly the donkey keeps an eye on Denny Connolly, Pat Diskin and Teresa Mannion during a card game in the pub. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy/GalwayPix.ie Mike Kelly, Martin Kilroy, Denny Connolly, Pat Diskin, Teresa Mannion, Pat Igoe, Grainne O'Gorman, Kathleen Mee, Luke Mee and Katelyn Mee, joined by Holly the donkey at the bar of JJ Devine's Pub now reconstructed at Mee's Bar. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy/GalwayPix.ie Luke Mee, Kathleen Mee and Pat Igoe outside JJ Devine's Pub, which has been reconstructed outside Mee's Bar in Kilkerrin, Co Galway. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy/GalwayPix.ie The iconic pub from Martin McDonaghs Banshees of Inisherin has been relocated to a family-run business in Co Galway where it will be preserved forever. JJ Devines Pub is at the heart of the award-winning film and is where much of the fallout takes place between Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrells characters. Set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland against the backdrop of Civil War, the black comedy tells the story of two life-long friends, Padraic Suilleabhain and Colm Doherty, whose friendship comes to an abrupt end. Luke Mee is the owner of Mees Bar in Kilkerrin in east Galway alongside his sister Kathleen and her partner Pat Igoe. The pub has been in business since 2005. Mr Mees wife Carmel is from Achill Island and some of her family worked on the set throughout filming. This film was given massive attention worldwide and it would have been lovely and ideal to have it in Achill, but it had to be rebuilt indoors and we had the perfect shed at the back of our pub, he told Independent.ie. And there was no point in building it if it didnt have a pub or restaurant that you could use to take advantage of it and make it worthwhile. The Galway native wanted to maintain the pub as part of the films history and restore it to its former glory. As it stands now, the pub is a carbon copy of the original, from the dark wood of the bar to the glass panes in the windows. It was reconstructed indoors to protect the newly thatched roof and keep the restored walls dry. Where was The Banshees of Inisherin filmed? We had the daunting task of loading it into trucks and bringing it back to Kilkerrin, a two-hour drive, he said. But since then, weve spent every spare minute putting it together. We watched the film just to make sure we had everything correct because it was a jigsaw. Obviously when it was taken down, there was no plan to rebuild it and thats really how it came about. Its an iconic movie, I thought it was a great film. Ive seen some of Martin McDonaghs plays our local Glenamaddy drama group covered The Cripple of Inishmaan last year. Ive been a fan of his work and it was great to get the set where Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell and all of this took place. Most of the film took place in the pub. Customers are welcome to visit and Mr Mee is hoping to have an official opening on July 1 alongside a special guest such as comedian and actor Pat Shortt who plays publican Jonjo Devine. Mr Mee said the pub certainly has the wow factor and even has a resident donkey named Holly. Hes just like the donkey in the film, hes constantly walking around after you and he would rest his chin on your knee when you sit down, hes a wee pet, he said. The Mee family would love any members of the Oscar-nominated cast to drop by for a pint and a game of cards. It would be amazing for them to pop in, that would be massive, Mr Mee said. Mr Mee has also extended an invitation to American pop star Taylor Swift, who previously called for the temporary pub to be installed on a permanent basis. The ball is in her court now, we have reserved the first free pint for Taylor Swift, so if Brendan Gleeson comes here or Colin Farrell, theyll have to have two half pints instead, he laughed. Mr Mee is hopeful that the relocation of JJ Devines Pub will be a boost for the local community. Were rural Ireland, a small village with three pubs, one shop, a church and a school. Its a great community and we have a few major towns nearby, but we wouldnt be a tourist area so this may bring some tourism, he said. White-tailed eagle chicks have been produced in the west of Ireland after a successful mating programme A male eagle released in 2008 has bonded with a female released in 2020 and they have now produced two chicks together. It marks a great success story for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) programme to reintroduce the white-tailed eagle to Ireland. The male eagle had previously found a partner and produced chicks. But his previous partner succumbed to bird flu and this male had lived alone in east Clare for the past four years until he recently paired up with his new partner. Eamonn Meskell, head of the NPWS White Tailed Eagle Reintroduction project, said: We have been monitoring these eagles for many years and we feel very familiar with their history as part of the project. The male eagle has been single for four years since his previous partner died. "Of course the fact that he has now found and bred with a new partner is significant to our project, but were also delighted to see this eagle that we know well make a new bond and start a new family. A story like this really brings our reintroduction programme to life, as it helps people to learn about eagle breeding behaviour and the fragility of our reintroduction efforts, all told through the story of a widowed eagle. For our project, the appearance of any new chick is a milestone and shows that the continuation of the project is proving successful. In addition, at another site in Co Clare, NPWS staff observed and tagged three chicks reared by one of the male eagles offspring from his previous partner in recent days. This earlier offspring, a female eagle, has now reared 10 chicks which are spread around the island, some of whom themselves are forming pairs. It is also incredible that one of his offspring is now herself rearing three chicks. This is a very rare occurrence, as a very small minority of nest sites in Ireland, Norway or anywhere else have more than two chicks on nest. This is the second year that three chicks are on the nest at this particular nest site. This shows how suited Ireland and our lakes are from a habitat and feeding perspective for this reintroduction project, said Mr Meskill. The male eagle who has found a new partner was originally released in Killarney National Park in 2008 and set up territory with a female from that batch, eventually making a nest in the Lough Derg area. In 2013, this pair nested successfully and fledged a pair of white-tailed eagle chicks, the first hatching and fledging of a white-tailed eagle chick in over 110 years in Ireland. The same pair successfully fledged chicks for the next four years until 2018, when the female of the pair died after contracting bird flu. The male held the same territory without any mate for the next four years. In 2020, 16 white-tailed eagle chicks were collected from wild nests in Norway and sent to Ireland for the release programme that year, where a female chick from this group bonded with the widowed male. They then set up a territory together, building a nest in February of this year on an island in Lough Derg, They mated and the female hatched one chick. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan said: The successful hatching of these white-tailed eagle chicks symbolises the patience and careful planning of a long-term project such as the white-tailed eagle reintroduction project. It gives us great hope and encouragement for the project, which we always knew would take time and perseverance. As this story shows, reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle hasnt always been straightforward with factors such as avian flu and, in the past, illegal poisoning scuppering efforts. The current phase of the release programme aims to ensure the population is robust enough to give this once-extinct species the best possible chance of long-term success in Ireland. The news from Clare today of five chicks born to eagles from both phases of the reintroduction programme and indeed to their offspring shows why our continued efforts, perseverance and hope can lead not just to lovely stories such as this, but to hope and good news for nature. In 2020, the National Parks and Wildlife Service began a second-phase reintroduction project to bolster the existing eagle population in Ireland. The original programme (2007-2011) involved releasing 100 young white-tailed eagles in Killarney National Park. The eagles dispersed widely throughout Ireland. By July 2020, a small breeding population of eight to 10 pairs had successfully fledged 31 chicks across counties Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway and Tipperary. Some Irish-bred eagles are now reaching maturity and are starting to breed in the wild. As well as bringing biodiversity and ecosystem benefits, restoring this flagship species can help the economy. The re-establishment of breeding eagles at sites like Glengarriff, Lough Derg and Killarney National Park has proven hugely popular with local residents and visitors. In todays Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks opinion poll, 52pc of people, excluding those already retired, believe they will be unable to live comfortably when they stop work. There have been dire warnings for many years that Ireland is facing a pensions timebomb, most recently sounded by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC) as well as routinely by the Pensions Commission. These warnings have come before and after a recent government decision to keep the state pension age at 66, despite recommendations to raise it, and to have it funded largely through higher PRSI contributions. Successive governments, and oppositions, have cynically avoided properly tackling this issue in favour of easier, more populist positions. In todays poll, the public have come down in favour of what is a sensible proposition that favourable tax rates and bands be introduced for those of pensionable age to encourage them to carry on working. They would thus continue to be net contributors to the national coffers, albeit not at the same rate. In the UK, the government recently introduced special concessions to allow workers to top up their pension and return to or remain in the workforce post-Covid, when many people of a certain age opted to retire early. In our poll there is far less support for either raising the retirement age from 66 or introducing higher tax rates, such as increased PRSI, to defuse the timebomb. To deal with the issue, the Government has gone for a compromise, which sees people continue to have an entitlement to the state pension aged 66, but if they worked until 70 the monthly payment would be around 20pc more, funded by increased PRSI. Recent research has found fewer than one in four people are prepared to work longer in exchange for a larger state pension. In other words, the timebomb is still ticking. The IFAC recently warned that immediate action was required if the State is to mitigate the cost of keeping the pension age at 66. The spending watchdog has called for a standalone state pension fund, protected from plundering by governments on the basis of short-term economic and political pressures. Such a fund, it suggested, should be supported with a credible long-term funding plan based on an increase in PRSI rates and the use of windfall corporation tax receipts. Introducing such a fund with a suitably long-term approach would certainly reduce the tax pressure on future generations. The IFAC has argued that the alternative is for much higher PRSI rates down the line as a smaller number of workers are obliged to support a larger group of pensioners who, in their working life, have already benefited from a lower tax burden. As has been warned against, such a move could create issues for intergenerational equity. The IFAC repeated its warnings last week in the wake of new census data showing the countrys growing population is getting older. It said large tax increases now would avoid having to levy even larger ones in the future on a smaller working population. However, there is considerable merit and common sense in the view that favourable tax rates and bands be introduced for those of pensionable age. Not for the first time, the public are ahead of legislators on a pressing issue. Are companies like YouTube worried that if Donald Trump returns, they will have to be on his good side? Photo: Reuters YouTube has made an announcement in regard to false claims about the 2020 US election that ...we will stop removing content that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches occurred in the 2020 and other past US presidential elections. An odd statement, surely. This is certainly a negative approach, as not calling out false information and conspiracies gives these things some credibility when they are published on a major media site. Attaching a big red liar logo to false information pages would just make it a farce, so why allow the lies? Are YouTube viewer numbers declining? I doubt it. Are they afraid that if Donald Trump returns, they will have to be on his good side? If so, politics, media, and the truth will make strange bedfellows. Fortunately, most newspapers still tell the truth and only the truth, so there is hope if more people can be encouraged to pick up a paper rather looking at a screen of lies. Dennis Fitzgerald Box Hill, Melbourne Early views on neutrality might be a wise thing to do Why do the invited experts, academics and political representatives of the Consultative Forum on neutrality not insist, as a priority, on getting the considered deliberations of the 99 citizens chosen at random to represent the consensus of the people of Ireland, before they begin their deliberations? It leaves one in no doubt that the views of the citizens of Ireland are irrelevant. Margaretta DArcy Co Galway Rejoining Commonwealth would not help Irish unity As Derek Ross puts it, I am one of the usual suspects, many of whom can be found doing their weekly supermarket shop decked out in full Manchester United regalia (We should be able to discuss rejoining the Commonwealth, Letters, May 15). There is no reason to be found that joining the Commonwealth will bring a united Ireland any nearer. If one wants a united Ireland, from our political point of view, it would leave the united country with a permanent Sinn Fein government with, I have no doubt, Fianna Fail as the junior partner. Joining the Commonwealth would not impress the DUP they would see it as a gimmick and would be insulted that joining the Commonwealth was being seen by the Irish Government as a way of trying to seduce them. Hugh Duffy Cleggan, Co Galway Lets train our own graduates to be consultants in Ireland Most people agree with Taoiseach and Tanaiste that Ireland needs a seven-day health service. How frontline staff are going to be recruited to achieve this is beyond imagination. They say they are going to negotiate with unions. With a maximum 48-hour working week and skills shortages, it is going to be a very difficult task across a wide range of professions from technicians to nurses and doctors. Availability of qualified hospital consultants will be the greatest challenge. We are already short hundreds of hospital consultants and are qualifying only about 90 per annum to replace retirees and those leaving to go to work in private hospitals. This leaves little hope of increasing capacity. At present, Ireland has one of the lowest numbers of hospital consultants per capita and highest number of non-consultant hospital doctors in the EU, showing that hospitals are heavily reliant on junior doctors. Most of these juniors are not on any particular specialist training schemes. Most are on stand-alone posts. There is currently a massive shortage of training places for medical graduates to train and qualify as consultants, thereby causing the mass exodus of young doctors. Increasing the number of medical graduates will only send more abroad unless full training is made available to qualify as consultants. It is soul-destroying for young doctors not to be able to complete their full training in their own country. Irish hospitals are heavily reliant on importing foreign consultants and we need to look at the effect this is having on the health services in their countries. Would it not be better to train our own graduates to become consultants in our hospitals and not send our graduates away and import consultants from countries that need them? Marion Dermody Newbridge, Co Kildare Make the most of that glowing orb in the sky What, pray tell, is that big, yellow ball that has been hanging about in our sky this past while? Tom Gilsenan Beaumont, Dublin 9 A Dublin councillor has called for the aggressive seizure of alcohol following a public order incident at a beach in North Dublin on Sunday evening. Gardai were called to the incident at the Burrow Beach in Sutton following reports of a mass brawl. Video footage emerged online, which showed the violent scenes as they unfolded on the packed beach. A garda spokeswoman said officers responded to a public order incident on the beach yesterday evening. "Uniform gardai from the Raheny District and the Public Order Unit attended the scene. A large number of people who were gathered on the beach have been dispersed from the area, she said. "No arrests have been made at this time. Enquiries are ongoing. She said gardai do no comment on third party social media. Dublin Fingal Labour Councillor Brian McDonagh said the beach has become increasingly busy in recent years and overcrowding and antisocial behaviour are growing matters for concern. "We have had increasing problems over the last few years that can be put down to two main issues and theyre overcrowding. So, there's been instances where people have been blocked in and also having difficulties of access for emergency services, he told RTEs Morning Ireland. Antisocial behaviour is the second main one and that's predominantly related to alcohol, alcohol on the beaches. We have bylaws, preventing alcohol, and I think what we need is aggressive seizure of alcohol on beaches. Im not normally puritanical, but unfortunately it's gotten to the stage where on any of our beaches and it looked like a mass brawl there yesterday this can and does happen, unfortunately, every year in a different location. Mr McDonagh called for an increased presence of gardai and for officers to proactively seize alcohol. He said very busy beaches should also be policed in the same way as other large public events such as concerts or a street festival to protect members of the public. "Im not second guessing policing on this, but I do know that on Portmarnock and on Burrow Beach and on other beaches, we have a proliferation, it sort of gradually starts with people drinking on the beach. "That starts as me maybe thinking Im fine, Im able to have a glass of wine, but we need to have a position where people dont bring alcohol to the beach because they know that it will be seized. Yesterday evening, gardai from the Raheny District maintained a presence in the area of Burrow Beach as part of ongoing high-visibility patrols under Operation Irene the Garda spokeswoman added. Gardai in Raheny are appealing to any person who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them in Raheny garda station on 01 666 4300, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. Litter at the Sutton beach is also an ongoing issue during busy days. The Howth Tidy Towns group posted a video online yesterday evening showing the large amount of rubbish that was left behind. In a message posted with the video on Twitter, a spokesperson for the group said volunteers had to collect waste from as far down as the tideline. "This is so depressing. Our Karolina & Eoin are litterpicking along the tideline to save the sea from claiming the plastic, bottles, cans etc. Please, please never leave your rubbish on the beach if the bin is full, they wrote. One hundred years ago, in 1923, W B Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. This year, on the 13th June, the poets birthday, Hamilton Gallery will mark this anniversary with the opening of Ancestral Houses, an exhibition of paintings, in Beijing, as part of the cultural programme of Irelands embassy there. The exhibition comprises individual paintings from artists all over Ireland, in response to the suite of poems Mediations in Time of Civil War which Yeats wrote in 1921. To accompany the exhibition, a new short film has been produced by Hamilton Gallery. Filmed on location, by Sligo videographer Peter Martin in the beautiful setting of Temple House in County Sligo, the short film carries parallel readings from Ancestral Houses in both English and Chinese while the cultural context of the poem is explained by Yeats Scholar Sean Golden. Hamilton Gallery extends special thanks to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Embassy in China for their invaluable involvement in making this significant cultural project possible, and also to the Perceval family of Temple House and the family of W B Yeats for their help in creating the film. The exhibition will travel from Beijing to several other major cities in China until the end of 2023, as part of the cultural celebrations surrounding the centenary of W B Yeats Nobel Prize. John Byrne of Ballinoulart, Kilmuckridge was always willing to offer his time to help others and at his funeral mass at St Mary's Church, Kilmuckridge on Saturday, a huge crowd of people from all around Wexford came out to pay tribute to the kind and generous man. John was surrounded by his family when he passed away in Wexford General Hospital on May 24, at the age of 63. He will be sadly missed and remembered with love by his loving wife Mary, cherished daughter Lisa and her partner Niall, his twin sister Kate, brothers Ger and Joe, sisters Mary and Pauline, uncle Willie (Bolger), brothers and sisters in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and his many friends. Born on July 25, 1959 to parents Joe and Dora, John was one of eight children and twin to his sister Kate. He grew up in Kilmuckridge and lived in his family home for his whole life. There is no other place in the world he would rather be. Indeed, John himself became part of the fabric of the community and his loss will be greatly felt by the many people whose lives he touched for a long time to come. John attended both primary and secondary school in Kilmuckridge before his passion for the outdoors led him to pursue a role at Ballywater Farm. He completed a wide range of jobs there, from sowing seeds to ploughing, and approached every task with enthusiasm. Later on, John took on other positions, including work as a bouncer in The Hydro in Kilmuckridge and The 64, along with some scaffolding work with John Somers. He excelled at every role he took on. Indeed, he was a man of many talents. John was a great family man and his wife Mary and daughter Lisa were the loves of his life. He was immensely proud of Lisa and her work as Visual Arts Manager at the Presentation Arts Centre in Enniscorthy, and could regularly be found assisting her with the hanging of pictures at the venue. She was the light of his life. Johns kindness will live on through Lisa, as she inherited this same desire to help others whenever possible. John contributed enormously to his local community and the lives of those within it, and the huge crowd at his funeral served as a testament to the difference he made. As one of the founding members of Cahore Inshore Rescue Service (CIRS), his impact will be felt for many decades to come. John was a crew member for many years and, after his retirement, remained heavily involved in the role of Deputy Launch Authority (DLA). He trained every Sunday and never missed a session. Throughout his service, he was a supportive mentor for many people who joined the crew owing to his kind and patient nature. John remained involved as DLA until seven years ago, when he stepped down due to illness. Despite this, he remained a strong part of the organisation as the crew kept him involved through the CIRS WhatsApp group. At home in Kilmuckridge, John went out of his way to lend a hand to others. This was particularly apparent at the weekly Sunday Castle Market, where he was always on hand to help every single trader to set up their stalls, including his sister and local artist, Kate Tyrrell. As twins, John and Kate were extremely close from an early age. When Kate moved to Dublin for ten years, their bond remained as strong as ever, with the pair swapping news and stories over the phone every few days. There were the very best of friends. From a young age, John held a deep connection with nature, something he shared with Kate. He was particularly passionate about trees and the many trees he has planted around the county are part of his legacy. John steeped himself in nature whenever he could, enjoying daily walks along Ballinoulart beach with his beloved dog Bobby. He also had a great interest in boats and was always keen to learn the details of the various ones that he spotted while strolling by the sea. Kilmuckridge man Ricky Dempsey shared this passion for boats and owing to this mutual interest, the pair quickly formed a strong bond. In fact, so often was Ricky at Johns home that he became jokingly known to many around the community as Ricky Byrne. Many people have expressed their deep sadness at Johns passing in recent days, describing him as a true gentleman who was generous, kind and humorous. In a touching tribute to John, Cahore Inshore Rescue Service recalled his dedication and friendship. "This is one of our saddest days within the Cahore Inshore Rescue family. Yesterday we laid one of our most treasured members to rest, John Byrne. Whilst we mourn the loss of our former crew member, we also pay tribute to a life that was well lived. John leaves behind a legacy of dedication and accomplishment. Thank you John for your dedicated service, friendship and all the memories. You will be greatly missed. Our thought and prayers are with John's wife Mary, his daughter Lisa, his sisters Kate, Mary and Pauline, his brothers Ger and Joe, his uncle Willie (Bolger) and his extended family. Fair Winds and following seas our dear friend. Crew member with CIRS Brenda Kavanagh said that the service and the crew within it are as strong as they are owing to Johns support. "He was absolutely astounding as a crew mate, she said. From a personal perspective, he was such a great support to me. I joined in 2002 at a time when there werent many women involved and only for John, I probably wouldnt have made it. He was a mentor. He would take a new crew member under his wing, encourage them and get them going. I am still involved to this day and that is thanks to him. The Presentation Arts Centre in Enniscorthy described their deep sadness at Johns passing in a tribute to the nice man in the blue overalls. "Armed with a spirit level and a drill, a ladder and a cup of tea not to mention a bold little jack russell John Byrne was the reason why our gallery gleamed. The reason why each piece of artwork was hung so meticulously, so perfectly. There was no job too daunting, and our lofty exhibition ideas were met with a nod and a quick rummage around his toolbag for the perfect solution. He got it done, every time, and made sure that the countless artists who passed through our doors were looked after, their work respected. All thanks to the nice man in the blue overalls, as one young artist once described him. He was one of a kind. Our sadness at John's passing is impossible to describe, and our thoughts are with Lisa, Mary, Kate, Niall, Bobby, and all of John's loved ones. Rest easy, John, and thank you for everything. The Arklow Christian Community Church supported the Arklow Community Action Resource Centre at their monthly Super Sunday event for May. Praising the volunteers for their generosity, selflessness and their dedicated service to the Wicklow community, Patricia Aroboto was delighted to present the cheque in-person to Arklow Community Action Resource Centre committee members PJ Busher, Anne Carroll and Julie Martin. Speaking after the presentation, PJ, Anne and Julie said they were delighted with the churchs generous contribution and felt supremely honoured to be chosen as recipients. The Arklow Christian Community Church organises a Super Sunday fundraising event at their highly popular Sunday service every month. The church has made sizeable donations to a variety of worthy local causes over the years, including Mens Sheds, Arklow Tidy Towns, Arklows schools, The East Wicklow Youth Service, the Vault Youth Cafe, The Arklow Community Action Resource Centre and Arklow First Responders to name but a few. Prince Harry has been accused of wasting court time after he failed to arrive at the High Court in London for his phone hacking showdown against the publisher of the Daily Mirror. David Sherborne, representing the duke and the other claimants, said as the hearing began on Monday that Harry had flown to the UK from Los Angeles in the US last night, as he was celebrating his daughter Lilibets second birthday on Sunday. Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was a little surprised to hear the duke would not be attending court on Monday. The judge said he gave a direction earlier in the trial that witnesses should be available the day before their evidence was due to be heard in case the legal teams opening speeches ran short. Andrew Green KC, for MGN, said he wished to have at least a day and a half to cross examine the duke and was deeply troubled he would not be attending before Tuesday, which may lead to wasted time on Monday afternoon. Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles, which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, were linked to methods including phone-hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception and use of private investigators for unlawful activities. His claim is being heard alongside three other representative claims during a trial that began last month and is due to last up to seven weeks. Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial. MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them. The publisher also argues some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late. Police detain a woman with paper flowers in downtown on the 34th anniversary of the 1989 Beijing's Tiananmen Square crackdown, near where the candlelight vigil is usually held, in Hong Kong, China June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu China tightened access to Tiananmen Square in central Beijing yesterday, the anniversary of the military suppression of 1989 pro-democracy protests that left a still unknown number of people dead and discussions and commemorations forbidden within the country. North America In the end, theyre not coming after me. Theyre coming after you Trump blasts federal indictment as 'baseless' in speech Hurling Brian Lohan: Weve always found it hard to get frees. We just dont have the power and influence that other teams have Critics accuse government of violating the constitution and eroding fundamental rights in Poland An enormous anti-government march in Polands capital saw citizens travel from across the country to voice their anger at a right-wing administration that has eroded democratic norms and created fears the nation is following Hungary and Turkey down the path to autocracy. People check the rubble of their destroyed home after strikes in the Allamat district, Khartoum, on June 1. Photo: AP Shelling and heavy clashes hit areas of Sudan's capital on Monday, residents said, with reports of spreading lawlessness in Khartoum and in the western region of Darfur after more than seven weeks of conflict between rival military factions. Meet the firm behind our content. Visit their website to see how their services can help your business succeed. Image Credit: PIB Mumbai: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has directed insurance companies to proactively initiate the settlement of claims for the victims of the Odisha train tragedy, The Economic Times (ET) reported. The insurers have been instructed to promptly contact the administration to obtain the list of individuals who have suffered injuries or lost their lives. Suo motu settlement, which involves insurers proactively settling claims without the need for application from the affected parties, is typically employed in the aftermath of natural disasters. The train accident, considered as one of the most severe in India in the past twenty years, claimed 288 lives, with over 1,000 injured passengers currently receiving treatment at various hospitals. On Monday SBI Life said it has taken steps to mitigate the hardships of the claimants of SBI Life policies. The company has taken immediate steps to ease the claim settlement process & documentation process which includes receiving alternate valid proofs of the claimants and support the family members of the deceased in this crucial time, a press release said. While the rescue operation by the concerned authorities continue, the company has put in place measures and policies to immediately expedite the claim settlement process for providing financial relief to the policyholders who have been the victim of this tragic train accident and their family members, it said. As the company promises to stand by its policyholders as well as their immediate family members, efforts are put in place to ensure our services reach the affected, read the press release. On Saturday, LIC (Life Insurance Corporation) announced its commitment to fast-track the settlement of claims to offer financial support to its policyholders impacted by the devastating train accident in Balasore, Odisha. Expressing deep sorrow for the victims and their families affected by the tragic train accident in Balasore, LIC Chairperson Siddhartha Mohanty on Friday evening said several concessions have been announced to alleviate the difficulties faced by the claimants of LIC policies and the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, to provide support and relief during this challenging time. In lieu of registered death certificates, a list of casualties published by Railway Authorities, Police or any State or Central Government Authorities will be accepted as proof of death. Special Help Desk has been set up at Divisional and Branch level to respond to claim-related queries and for providing assistance to claimants, Mohanty said in a statement. For further assistance, claimants may contact their nearest branch, division, or customer zones, the LIC said. The claimants may also call at our call centre - 02268276827, it added. Image: UNI Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government on Monday announced that the state has witnessed 55 per cent reduction in carbon emissions in energy production after the implementation of the Solar Power Policy, on the occasion of World Environment Day. "The state government initiated the Gujarat Solar Power Policy 2021 on 29 December 2020 and in the last 2.5 years, 9.32 million tonnes of less carbon have been emitted in energy production across the Gujarat," a statement said. It added, "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat is taking a lead to make India a Net Zero Carbon Emission country by 2070." Talking about the contribution of the Department of Energy towards environment conservation, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) said, "Due to a significant increase in the installed capacity of renewable energy in Gujarat, there is a need to reduce dependence on conventional ways of energy production. Consequently, there has been a substantial reduction in carbon emissions from energy production in Gujarat." "If we examine the figures, there has been a decrease of 26.74 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in April 2023 compared to a decrease of 17.42 million tonnes in December 2020," the GUVNL said in a statement. Additionally, following the announcement of the Solar Policy, GUVNL has secured agreements for 6180 MW of solar power and 1100 MW of wind power, it said. This will lead to an estimated reduction of 11.06 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over the next three years, it added. Gujarat Government is placing great emphasis on the development of renewable energy sources to meet both present and future energy demands, as per the communique issued by the state government. Consequently, the share of renewable energy, comprising solar, wind, and hydro energy, accounted for 35 per cent of the energy mix in Gujarat, with an installed capacity of 13,039 MW as of December 2020, it said. This capacity has increased to 20,432 MW by April 2023, representing a remarkable rise of 44 per cent in the total energy share, it added. The state government aims to enhance the installed capacity of renewable energy to 80 per cent by 2030. The government intends to meet 50 per cent of the state's energy requirements through renewable energy sources, highlighting its commitment to sustainable and clean energy solutions. The efforts of the state government will not only create a sustainable energy ecosystem in Gujarat but also contribute significantly to achieving low carbon emission targets, the release said. (With UNI inputs) Photo credit: Pratima m, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons As the World Environment Day (steered by the United Nations Environment Programme or UNEP), observed across the globe on June 5, enters its 50th year, we are faced with the indomitable challenge of plastic pollution. Did you know that an estimated 19-23 million tonnes of plastic end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually? That is approximately the weight of 2,200 Eiffel Towers all together, according to the United Nations website. According to the global body, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once. Of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled. Therefore, UNEP has adopted beat plastic pollution as the theme for this year. The website also warns that microplastics (tiny plastic particles up to 5mm in diameter) find their way into food, water and air. It is estimated that each person on the planet consumes more than 50,000 plastic particles per year and many more if inhalation is considered. One of the areas which has been adding to the plastic menace is tourism. Most of the products are meant for single use and cannot be recycled, according to the One Planet Network. Last year, to reduce the plastic menace, Indias Central Pollution Control Board, announced a ban on identified single-use plastic products from July 1, 2022. According to a release, the list of banned items includes -ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice- cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers. Although the ground reality is far from ideal conditions, various tourism-dependent Indian destinations and even some states have started implementing their own rules to tackle plastic pollution. Despite its wee size, the Himalayan state of Sikkim has taken very bold steps. Way back in 1998, it became the first Indian state to ban disposable plastic bags. In 2016, according to media reports, the state banned the use of packaged drinking water in offices and government functions. This was followed by a ban on the use of Styrofoam/thermocol plates and cutlery. Sikkim has banned plastic. Image: Unsplash Since January 1, 2022, Sikkim has banned the use, manufacture, import and sale of plastic water bottles of capacities of two litres and below, according to media reports. To ensure that travellers and others were not inconvenienced by the ban, the state has been encouraging the manufacture and use of bottles made of bamboo. Gods own country, Kerala, is not far behind. According to media reports, one of the earliest bans were implemented in Wayanads ecologically fragile tourist destinations, especially those bordering forests. In 2015, the district of Kannur was formally declared a plastic free zone. In 2018, Kerala State Pollution Control Board banned the use of plastic in major tourist destinations in the state, including Kochi. According to media reports, in 2002, the then Collector of the Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu) launched a campaign called Operation Blue Mountain to raise awareness about plastic pollution and to urge people to refrain from using plastic products as well as littering the tourist spots. Since 2019, the district has implemented a ban on the sale of single-use plastic items, such as water bottles and cold drinks along the highways to many tourist destinations, including Ooty (Udhagamandalam). Image: Unsplash Often called Nagaland's Valley of Flowers, the Dzukou valley is an eco-fragile zone. Since 2019, it is a no plastics zone, largely due to sustained campaigns by the Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO), according to local media reports. Pangot, a popular birding destination in the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand, has scripted one of the most successful environmental stories of India. With a bracing climate, picturesque mountains and home to over 200 species of birds, the village started attracting birders from across the country, even abroad. To cater to these travellers, vendors began selling a range of products, including plastic water bottles, chips and other snacks in plastic wrappers, plastic wrapped soaps, etc. Soon it was discovered that Pangot was not equipped to handle this large amount of plastic trash, which ultimately got dumped into a gorge, and washed into the rivers. According to the UNEP website, around 2017, thanks to the owner of a local birding lodge and his efforts to coordinate with a non-profit group that specialized in waste, a strategy to counter the plastic menace was drawn up in collaboration with other resort owners. The local community was also involved. Image: Unsplash By 2018, according to a UNEP report, all waste in Pangot was being identified, segregated and managed and efforts were underway to make Pangot waste-free. According to most visitors to Pangot today, the village has proved how a concerted effort can help tackle the problem of garbage disposal and plastic menace. Discarded or burnt single-use plastic harms human health and biodiversity and pollutes every ecosystem from mountain tops to the ocean floor according to UNEP. With most destinations reporting a rise in tourist numbers in the post pandemic phase, it is important for travellers and tourism stakeholders to focus on sustainable tourism and curbing the plastic menace. Image Credit: UNI Bengaluru/UNI: The Karnataka BJP has threatened to stage statewide agitation if the Congress government lifts the ban on cow slaughter law in the state. "Cow and Oxen are friends of our farmers, if farming has to sustain in India, Cows, Ox and Bulls have to survive. "Now the government is contemplating to rollback anti-cow law, we oppose this and if this is lifted, we will launch state-wide agitation," BJP MLC N Ravkumar told reporters here. The BJP leader was reacting to Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh's intentions to uplift the ban on cow slaughter by making a controversial statement that if buffaloes and bulls can be slaughtered, why not cows. He sought a relook at anti-cow slaughter legislation on June 3. The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act that was brought into force by the BJP government in 2021. The Congress, then, had opposed this law. Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said it was Mahatma Gandhi who was the first to advocate a ban on cow slaughter, and if it is allowed in Karnataka it will lead to large scale smuggling of cows and mass slaughtering factories in the state. Meanwhile in Vijayapura, the BJP workers staged a protest against Congress government for its intentions to repeal cow slaughter law in front of Siddeshwara Temple. The BJP workers also protested against electricity price hike and fake 5 Guarantees ordered by the government. They demanded immediate lifting of electricity price rise. Image: UNI New Delhi: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on Monday discussed how the two countries can boost their cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military and aerospace domains. Greater transfer of technology, co-production and building indigenous capacities in line with the 'Make-in-India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives were also emphasised during the meeting here, according to sources. Doval and Austin, who is on a two-day visit here since on Sunday, held detailed talks on bilateral, regional and global issues of concern, including maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. The NSA shared his perspective about shared security interests and objectives, including his ideas for greater maritime collaboration. The talks between Doval and Austin saw focus being laid on trusted sources of supplies, resilient supply chains and greater industry-to-industry partnerships. It was underlined that countries in different regions - Middle East, South Asia & South East Asia and Indo-Pacific -- should be able to retain their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and are not coerced into poor choices. It was also emphasised that a strategic approach should be adopted to global challenges through whole of government efforts including through people to people and societal relations. Austin underscored the centrality of US-India partnership to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. This assumes special significance considering the growing assertiveness and aggression by China in the maritime zone. The India trip by Austin comes just weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit to the US later this month. (With UNI inputs) Wikipedia Commons Mumbai: One of the most popular onscreen moms of Bollywood, Sulochana Latkar, who also played the role of megastar Amitabh Bachchan's mother in several movies, died on Sunday. She was 94. According to reports, she died due to age-related complications. Her daughter Kanchan Ghanekar confirmed her death with The Indian Express and said, She had age related health issues and breathing difficulties. She died this evening at 6pm. In her illustrious career, she worked in over 200 Hindi movies and more than 50 Marathi movies. Sulochana Latkar's movie career: She made her earliest film appearances in the Marathi film Sasurvas (1946). She rose to prominence through her roles in Marathi films like Jeevacha Sakha (1948), Johar Maibaap (1950), Vahinichya Bangdya (1953), Chimani Pakhre (1954), Dhakti Jaoo (1958), Sangtye Aika (1959), Laxmi Aali Ghara (1965) and Sadhi Manse (1965) among many others, as per National Film Archive of India's Facebook post.. She also established herself in the Hindi film industry through a prolific filmography that spanned more than six decades and included the films Nai Reet (1948), Ab Dilli Dur Nahin (1957), Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Sujata (1959), Bandini (1963), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Himmatwala (1983) and Khoon Bhari Mang (1985) among many others. PM Modi, Amitabh Bachchan mourn: Narendra Modi led the nation in mourning her death as he tweeted: " The passing of Sulochana Ji leaves a big void in the world of Indian cinema. Her unforgettable performances have enriched our culture and have endeared her to people across generations. Her cinematic legacy will live on through her works. Condolences to her family. Om Shanti." The passing of Sulochana Ji leaves a big void in the world of Indian cinema. Her unforgettable performances have enriched our culture and have endeared her to people across generations. Her cinematic legacy will live on through her works. Condolences to her family. Om Shanti. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 4, 2023 "We have lost another great of our Cinema World - Sulochana ji .. the gentle, generous, caring Mother that played in several films with me .. she had been ailing for some time .. and this afternoon she left for her heavenly abode," Big B wrote in his blog. "I had been monitoring here condition with her family .. but finally the sad news!" he said. They had worked together in several movies including Reshma Aur Shera, Muqadddar Ka Sikander, Majboor and Roti Kapada Aur Makan. Sulochana Tai was one of the most loved and graceful actresses cinema has seen. My favourite film of hers will always be Sangate Aika. Her performance in every film was memorable. I will miss our conversations may you rest in peace. Your contribution to Indian cinema will always Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) June 4, 2023 Actress Madhuri Dixit tweeted: "Sulochana Tai was one of the most loved and graceful actresses cinema has seen. My favourite film of hers will always be Sangate Aika. Her performance in every film was memorable. I will miss our conversations may you rest in peace. Your contribution to Indian cinema will always be remembered." Pixabay Lagos: At least 30 people were killed in attacks by armed men on several villages in Nigeria's northwestern state of Sokoto on Saturday, police said. Police in Sokoto said the people killed belonged to a vigilante group in the Tangaza local government area. Prior to the attacks, some members of the vigilante group went to the Azam village of the area to warn the community there against possible violence. "However, the vigilante members overreacted and ended up beating some villagers," it said in a statement. Consequently, the villagers called for assistance, and the assistance came from armed men suspected to be bandits on board 20 motorcycles. "On getting the information that assistance was coming, the vigilantes withdrew to their various villages," it said. However, the gunmen went after the vigilante members and killed eight in Raka, seven in Bilingawa, six in Jaba, four in Dabagi, three in Raka Dutse, and two in Tsalewa villages, the statement said. Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in parts of Nigeria, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. (With UNI inputs) Pixabay Sari Pul, Afghanistan: Scores of students of a primary girl school were poisoned in Sancharak district of Afghanistan's northern Sari Pul province on Sunday, provincial director for Information and Culture, Mufti Amir Saripuli said Monday. "A total of 77 students, seven teachers, five parents and an employee of Faizabad Girl School in Kabod Ab area of Sancharak district were poisoned but the condition of affected people is stable," Saripulit told Xinhua without providing more details. The official added that an investigation had been initiated into the incident. In the meantime, Mahnaz, mother of an affected student has condemned the incident and called upon the provincial administration to identify and bring to justice those behind the crime. The father of another student, Ali Agha Karbalai, described the number of affected students as high as 80 saying he is praying for an early recovery of his daughter. According to villagers, 87 persons including 80 affected students had been taken to hospital on Sunday. (With UNI inputs) Image: Wikimedia Commons Dhaka: The work on Bangladesh's second underground metro rail may start from July, media reports said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will officially inaugurate the construction of the underground metro rail service from Hemayetpur in Savar to Vatara in Dhaka, reports Dhaka Tribune. Officials of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) told the newspaper that they are holding meetings about the construction work, but a date still needs to be set. They also said the land acquisition and registration of the land acquired had been completed. The route will consist of 13.5km of underground infrastructure and 6.5km of elevated infrastructure, the newspaper reported. Jacob Creswick/Unsplash Washington: US fighter aircraft set off a sonic boom that left residents of Washington DC rattled on Sunday as it chased an unresponsive Cessna jet that had flown over the region. The Cessna jet later crashed in Virginia. NORAD Responds to an Unresponsive Aircraft over the National Capital Region pic.twitter.com/EX7r1B1Uum 1st AF/America's AOC (@1stAF) June 4, 2023 No survivors were found. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) deployed F-16 fighter jets to respond to the unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft over Washington, D.C., and Virginia, NORAD said in a statement. The scramble was conducted by the 113th Fighter Wing of the D.C. National Guard, a U.S. official told CBS News. "The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region," NORAD said, adding that flares, which may have been visible to the public, were also used in an attempt to get the pilot's attention. Officials said the U.S. Capitol Complex was briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area. A Cessna Citation crashed into mountainous terrain near Montebello, VA around 3:30 PM ET on June 4. The aircraft took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, TN and was bound for @LIMacArthur in New York. The FAA and @NTSB will investigate. The FAA (@FAANews) June 4, 2023 The U.S. Capitol Police tweeted on the incident: "This afternoon, our officials were working closely with our federal partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying an airplane near the National Capital Region. The U.S. Capitol Complex was briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area. This afternoon, our officials were working closely with our federal partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying an airplane near the National Capital Region. The U.S. Capitol Complex was briefly placed on an elevated alert until the airplane left the area. pic.twitter.com/M1WpH8xzUP The U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) June 4, 2023 The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash and tweeted: " A Cessna Citation crashed into mountainous terrain near Montebello, VA around 3:30 PM ET on June 4. The aircraft took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, TN and was bound for @LIMacArthurin New York. The FAA and @NTSBwill investigate." Several videos have gone viral where residents recorded the sound of the sonic boom and posted on social media. Hustle culture, a term that has gained prominence in recent years, refers to a societal mindset that glorifies constant busyness, overwork, and the relentless pursuit of professional success. Rooted in the belief that one must constantly hustle, grind, and sacrifice personal well-being to achieve their goals, hustle culture has become ingrained in many aspects of modern society. In Shanghai, a woman was spotted in the subway carrying an IV drip and a fluid bottle on her head. The incident was recorded by a man in an elevator around 10 p.m., according to a report from The Paper. Following the video's viral spread online, the woman, Dongdong, explained that she had been experiencing a fever for several days. Unsplash She had received an IV infusion at the hospital the previous day. "At first, I thought she was holding a drink bottle. When I realized it was an IV fluid bottle and she had an IV inserted, I thought she was strong, and life was not easy. My heart ached a bit for her," said the man who took the video posted on Douyin. The woman owns a dance studio in Shanghai, located 20 kilometers away from her home. She disclosed that she wasn't getting enough rest due to her work commitments. As a qualified nurse, she decided to consult the doctors at the hospital and inquire about the possibility of receiving the fluid herself. "I am at the initial stage of my business. I dont want to waste money. If I went to receive the IV at the hospital after 10 p.m. every day and finished the drip at 2 a.m., I wouldnt have enough rest because I need to open my studio early," Dondong told the South China Morning Post. "So I asked the doctors if I could take the IV fluids away. I told them I had studied medicine before and could insert it myself. The doctors agreed," she added. Despite her behavior on the subway, she advised others not to engage in similar conduct in public. Hustle Culture "Please be aware that there are too many uncontrollable factors in the infusion process, like acute allergies and the tubes falling apart. The latter could cause an infection. There also might be adverse reactions, which could put your life at risk," she said. "Its dangerous to receive an IV infusion outside the hospital. I am sorry that my behavior has negatively affected the public," she added. The video elicited numerous responses regarding work pressure in China, and many expressed sympathy toward the woman. "Life is not easy. I understand this girls frugality. Hiring a taxi for a journey of 20 kilometers is expensive," wrote one. "I cannot control my tears. Its like seeing the old me," wrote another. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. A conversation about the future of queer people in India with a close friend ended on a sad note when he said, I dont want to leave India, India wants me to move out. And then it hit me why it was such a familiar feeling. Growing up as a queer child in a middle-class family in India, I always wanted to find an escape spot where I would simply feel okay. In hindsight, I didnt know at the time that I was craving acceptance but it left me with the thoughts of running away to be anywhere except here. As I grew up and interacted with other people from the LGBTQIA+ community, I realised that I wasnt the only one facing these crippling thoughts. Such feelings of alienation are felt by many people from the queer community in India, which makes up for a large chunk of Indias population about 2.5 million people, at least according to a 2012 government survey, making Indias queer community among the largest in the world. Deepak Kashyap, a queer psychologist born in Ajmer, Rajasthan alternates his time between India and Canada. He confirmed that this wish to leave India is a common phenomenon among Indian queers. Its not the economics that drive queer population away, its about safety, security and future. Finances is not the primary reason we are moving out, we are privileged in India already. But can I create a family here? I wish I didnt have to move out, is the most common thing Kashyap has heard while speaking to queer people about this issue. A lot of us are very attached to our families, its not that we wanted to leave, we were pushed out. It was a decision made for us. Also read: Resilience And Glamour: Unveiling The Tapestry Of Indian Drag Queens There are less spaces in India where queer people can be queer. Its mostly [possible in metropolitan cities] like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore. And these cities are very expensive to live in, and they possibly cant house 2.5 million people in just these cities, he added. The truth is that the Indian queer population is moving out in a phenomenon that has come to be known as gay brain drain. Saurabh Kirpal, an openly gay advocate in India, while making his case in favour of legalising same sex marriages during Supreme Court hearings this summer touched upon the subject and said, theres also gay brain drain caused because of [lack of equal rights, including marriage equality]. The best minds all leave the country to secure freedom outside the country. Kirpal: There's also gay brain drain caused because of this. The best minds all leave the country to secure their freedom outside the country.#SupremeCourtofIndia #SameSexMarriage Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) April 25, 2023 According to research by the World Bank, India loses 1.3 per cent of its GDP as a result of greater incidence of despair and suicide among the homosexual population. This issue can be solved by giving equal recognition and rights to the LGBTQIA+ community. India is not only losing millions of bright queer people, but in the process, the country is also losing billions of rupees. India is currently waiting to hear the Supreme Courts judgment on legalisation of same sex marriages in India. However, that didnt stop queer love birds from tying knots with their partners. One such couple is Vaibhav Jain and Parag Mehta, who currently live in the United States. I am an Indian citizen, and I love my country. I watch the Republic Day parade every year with tears in my eyes just as I had tears in my eyes when the Supreme Court of India finally decriminalised homosexuality in 2018, offering a blanket apology for historical wrongs committed against the LGBTQ+ communities. Provided I haven't left India. But sometimes it feels like India is leaving me and millions of others behind. What are our options when other governments invite us to build and learn and achieve within their borders while having to live as second-class citizens, without having to hide who we are and who we love? Leaving India might actually be the easy choice. But, by filing these petitions for recognition of same-sex marriage, we plaintiffs are fighting to stay. We are fighting to be heard and to be seen. Nobody should be invisible to their own government, especially in a democracy, said Jain. Living in India for queer people often means hiding who they are. For Jain, living as a gay man in Delhi and Bangalore meant living half a life. Jain was endlessly bullied by family friends, classmates, even the adults at school, who were supposed to protect him. He said, I could be gay as long as I kept in the shadows. Underground. But being from a respectable family meant that I would someday have to marry a woman and endure a loveless marriage that would ruin both our lives. When I got the opportunity to study abroad for my Masters degree, I thought it was a way out. But, of course, that meant sacrificing everything I knew and grew up with. In the 12 years since I left India for school and work, Ive been relentlessly bothered by the fact that it was me not my bullies and tormentors who were exiled. Its ironic who we keep and who we force out. Expressing similar thoughts, a software engineer from Dehradun who moved to the US in January 2022 to pursue higher education shared what led them to make this choice. Being in a place where I could truly be myself as a gay individual meant the world to me. The freedom to love who I love without judgment was a huge factor in my decision, he said. The engineer, who wished to remain anonymous continued, I couldn't live my life as a gay man with complete freedom in India. It's tough when you can't be your authentic self without worrying about judgment or discrimination. I wanted to find a place where I could express myself openly and embrace my identity without any limitations. I'm happy to say that I found the freedom to be myself. I've been involved in the LGBTQ+ community on campus and have made some awesome new friends. Overall, it's been a positive journey so far, and I'm excited to see what else the US has in store for me, he added. 25-year-old Anmol also moved to the US recently for many reasons but most importantly, to be his real self. Anmol doesnt shy away from admitting that he led a privileged life in India, but it came at a cost, a cost that was too high to pay for that privilege. Despite leading a privileged life in India, I encountered several inconveniences as a queer individual. Firstly, I spent a significant portion of my life in the closet, constantly burdened by the need to conceal a fundamental aspect of my identity. The absence of openly queer individuals during my childhood contributed to this reluctance to come out. Compounding the issue, Bollywood and other forms of Indian pop culture perpetuated harmful misrepresentations, further exacerbating the challenges faced by our community, he said. Also read: Enduring Quest For Equality: Tracing The Origins Of Pride Month Talking about his time in the US, Anmol said, The legal battles that the Indian queer community is winning today were won in the US long ago and it reflects in the everyday lives of the residents of this country. It is commonplace to find officially recognised LGBT+ clubs in universities and colleges, and one may encounter openly gay professors who are happily married to their partners. This inclusive culture permeates corporate and public spaces as well. Even when I was out of the closet in India, I still experienced a subconscious impulse to suppress my queer identity in public settings. In contrast, in the US, I feel significantly more at ease and empowered to express my queer identity openly. I discovered a refreshingly inclusive society where queer individuals are not marginalised but rather live openly, proud of their identities, and enjoy equal rights. They also have effective legal support available should they require it. However, despite these experiences, I continue to be a proud Indian, eager to explore a new country, Anmol added. Queer people of India want to come home to a place that feels like home and accepts them for who they are. Our constitution denies discrimination, and its about time this permeates into the legal framework and civil society. What do you think about Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. For more stories on the LGBTQIA+ community and queerness in India, keep reading Spectrum on Indiatimes. India has gone from having 74 airports in 2014 to having 147 airports in 2022. The target is 220 by 20242025. More than Rs 98,000 crore in CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) is expected to be incurred between FY 2019-20 and FY 2024-25 for projects in the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), of which Airports Authority of India (AAI) will be responsible for approx. Rs 25,000 crore and the remainder expenditure shall be paid by airport developers under Public Private Partnership mode. getty In the past eight years, AAI has spent about Rs. 20,000 crore on capital expenditures meant to strengthen the Civil Aviation industry. Airports provide many facilities, from luggage trolleys to washrooms to security. But the airports have to pay operational costs, pay the borrowers, and fund capital investments too. So, how exactly does an airport generate revenue? Interestingly, there are two broad categories by which airports generate revenue, and they are aeronautical revenue and non-aeronautical revenue. Also Read: Bangalore Airport IPO Likely To Be Launched Next Year How Airports Earn Money The 2021 Airport Economics Report from Airports Council International (ACI) found that, on a global scale, aeronautical and non-aeronautical income was split 54:40. Additionally, non-operating revenue accounts for 5.7% of total revenue. Since aeronautical revenues sometimes fall short of covering all operating and other expenditures, many airports rely on a wide range of non-aeronautical (commercial) revenue streams to make ends meet. The economic health of airports depends heavily on multiple sources of income other than aviation. aai Aeronautical Revenue Airports can earn aeronautical income through the fees they charge airline passengers. Airports are special enterprises that use their own distinct aviation fees. However, the following three components are common to these fees: Per-Passenger Charges: These fees are assessed on each passenger leaving the airport and might change depending on the route used. Airline customers typically bear the brunt of these costs. Movement Charges: Taxes for using a runway are known as "movement charges". They are calculated based on the aircraft's weight. Several airports adjust these baseline fees based on the planes' noise and emissions ratings to incentivise airlines to use quieter and environment-friendly planes. Parking Fees: Parking fees are typically determined by the size of the aircraft and the total number of hours it occupies an apron. There may be a grace period during which airport parking is free of charge. Airport Development Levy: When an airport is investing in large-scale capital initiatives to increase capacity, a fee called a "development levy" is often assessed (on a per-passenger basis) to assist in covering the costs of these endeavours. Security Service Charges: Airport security fees cover the cost of providing security personnel and screening equipment to airlines. Infrastructure Charges: Airport check-in counters, luggage conveyor belts, and boarding gates are all examples of infrastructure that incur fees for their usage. Apart from this, other sources of revenue under aeronautical charges include air traffic management charges, ground service and safety charges, baggage handling charges, and charges on cargo facilities provided by the airports. Also Read: 22-YO Millionaire Shares Tips To Fly In Luxury Jets For Half Price Non-Aeronautical Or Commercial Revenue tfipost The term "non-aeronautical revenue" refers to money made from sources other than operating planes. Retail and concession sales, vehicle rental and valet services, parking fees, and in-airport advertising are all included in this category. Duty-free shops, bookshops, cafes, and currency exchange all contribute significantly to an airport's bottom line through concession revenue. Additionally, lounges, which cost passengers almost nothing, are a good source of income for airports. Non-aeronautical airport earnings account for over 40% of airport incomes worldwide and can sometimes be used to balance the cost base for aeronautical charges, making them crucial to airport operators. They play a crucial role in the travel experience overall. According to ACI's 2021 Airport Economics Report, approximately two-thirds of non-aeronautical earnings come from retail concessions (26.4%), car parking (20.9%), and property and real estate income (15.2%) worldwide. The Indian Context Air Navigation Services (ANS) and Airport Services are the two main categories under which Airports Authority of India (AAI) fees are organised. Airports under AAI have been divided into Major Airports and Non-Major Airports following the creation of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA). AERA is responsible for establishing and enforcing fees for aeronautical services at the country's major airports, while the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) handles this responsibility for smaller airports. In India, various aeronautical charges are different for each airport. At present, the major Airports under AAI are: Chennai Kolkata Trivandrum Ahmedabad Calicut Jaipur Lucknow Guwahati Goa (Civil Enclave - Intl.) Srinagar (Civil Enclave - Intl.) Pune (Civil Enclave - Custom Airport) Impact Of The Pandemic BCCL The Indian aviation industry is soaring to new heights. Statistics from February reveal that domestic air travel has increased and is virtually back to pre-pandemic levels. According to data compiled by an industry group, domestic aviation market passenger revenue kilometres were only 2.2% below pre-pandemic levels. When it comes to passenger load factor (PLF), India is well ahead of other major countries like the United States, China, and Japan. The PLF is a measure of how efficiently an airline is using its passenger-carrying capacity. With PLFs of 88.9% in December 2022, 87.9% in November 2022, 85.2.6% in January, and 81.6% in February, India has been the leading domestic market for the last four months. Moreover, nearly seven crore travellers used the Delhi airport in 2019, before the pandemic, but only about three crore would use it in 2020. In 2020-21, the Indian airline industry lost Rs. 19,564 crore, and airports lost Rs. 5,116 crore. According to the March 2022 report by Official Airline Guide, Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi rose to the position of the second busiest airport in the world. The airport in Delhi jumped from 23rd to second place in a very short amount of time, from March 2019. Conclusion As a means of diversifying their revenue streams and mitigating the effects of traffic downturns, airports are exploring new retail and property opportunities. Some airports have found ways to close their income gap, which is encouraging. In 2020, for instance, Bloomberg reported that Changi Airport in Singapore was luring locals who weren't flying there to shop at its stores. According to ACI's estimations, airports around the world earn roughly 60% of their income from aviation-related sources, with the other 40% coming from retail sales, property rentals, and other sources. Airport economics depend heavily on non-aeronautical revenue, which is also an important component of the passenger experience. We tried contacting Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials for various questions. But no reply was received. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. With fine taste in fashion, Rakul Preet Singh rightly knows how to pull off every outfit with the utmost grace and beauty. The actress has treated us to another marvellous look and we are swooning. She shared pictures from her visit to the Maldives and we are amazed at her beachwear collection. In her recent post, she is spotted wearing a gorgeous vibrant orange dress. The chic outfit features a halter neckline and dramatic cutouts on either side of the torso. The slits on the side added oomph to her look. She accessorised the outfit with large earrings. Rakul glammed up with minimal makeup and let her hair open carelessly. Rakul Preet Singh in orange dress Previously, she shared another set of pictures acing a super stunning bright yellow swim set. Rakul Preet picked a gorgeous zesty yellow bikini top that came with a scooped neckline and stylish chain straps. She wore it with a matching high-waist bikini bottom. In the pictures, you can see the actress playing with water while having a gala time in the Maldives. Rakul Preet picked a stunning black and white printed hat and a pair of black sunglasses to make it more appealing. Her subtle glossy pink lip shade suited her well and the actress tied her mane in a neat bun. Also Read: Rakul Preet Singh speaks high of actor-producer Lakshmi Manchu Yellow bikini set Rakul Preet Singh gave us some major beachwear goals with her various outfits from the Maldives. She was seen rocking a beautiful tropical-printed jumpsuit in one of the posts. The blue attire came with contrasting red printed details all over. The halter neckline and cutout pattern at the torso added all the more drama to her style statement. She just added a pair of drop earrings and a wristwatch as accessories. Her red lipstick went well with the overall look. Rakul Preet preferred tying her hair in a bun. Rakul Preet Singh in a jumpsuit On the work front, Rakul Preet Singh last appeared in Chhatriwali. She will be seen in Kamal Haasans Indian 2. Also Read: Rakul Preet talks about her her wish to do love stories and more Authorities in the northeast border prefecture of Evros The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to publicly declare their assets as a demonstration of their determination to lead by example. PDPs National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a chat with Punch on Sunday, said it was not enough for the President and the Vice President to fill out asset declaration forms and return same to the Code of Conduct Bureau just to fulfill the requirements of the law. Ologunagba however urged both men to show the world that, indeed, they are different by following the path of late former President Umaru Musa Yar Adua in declaring their financial and material worth before Nigerians publicly. He said, They should follow the path of the late President Umaru Yar Adua to demonstrate to Nigerians their readiness for transparent and accountable leadership. READ ALSO: Tinubu About To Face National Resistance That Will Clear His Doubts Sowore There are provisions in our laws covering asset declarations by public officers; it is a statutory requirement. Recall that Umaru YarAdua, a president elected on the platform of the PDP, declared his assets publicly. Those are the kind of leadership traits expected at that level. Asked if Labour Party would want Tinubu to make his declared assets public, the National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, said, Lets give him some time to declare his assets. Thats my opinion. But the law says he should declare his assets. For me, I think he should do it publicly. He is already a wealthy man with all his acquisition after serving as a senator and a two-term governor. Are you even sure he will remember all his assets? But Festus Keyamo, a former Minister of State for Labour and Employment and spokesman for the dissolved Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Council, rejected the agitation for Tinubu to declare his assets publicly. He said, Public declaration of assets is not a legal requirement. The public deserves to know this. It is just a matter of choice. If anyone thinks it is a moral obligation, he can do it. But that is left to individuals. An Ikeja Chief Magistrates Court, on Monday, ordered the remand of a 41-year-old man, Nnamdi Dike, for allegedly defiling the 12-year-old daughter of his lover. The defendant, a security guard, who lives at 27, Salami St., Akute, Ogun State, is being prosecuted for sexual assault. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi, who refused to take the defendants plea, ordered his remand in Kirikiri Correctional Center pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). READ ALSO: Man Rapes 7-Year-Old Girl In Bauchi School Toilet The magistrate subsequently adjourned the case until June 26. Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Raji Akeem told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in November 2022 at 37, Shogbade St., Power Line area, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos. The prosecutor said the 12-year-old victim had confided in her teacher how the defendant, being her mothers lover, allegedly sexually molested her. Akeem added that the defendant usually molested the victim whenever her mother was not at home and would threaten to kill her if she told anyone. Akeem said the teacher, however, informed the victims mother, who reported the case at the police station. The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The Zone D of the Federal Operations Unit, Nigeria Customs Service, Bauchi State, has seized contraband Pangolin scales with a Duty Paid Value of N432 million. Mr. Umar Abdullahi, Public Relations Officer of the Zone, disclosed this at a news conference on Monday in Bauchi. He said the Pangolin scales weighed about 216 kilogrammes, adding that the seized goods contravened section 63 of the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP 45 Laws of Nigeria. READ ALSO: Customs Intercept 450 Drums Of Explosives In Ogun The Comptroller, FOU Zone D Bauchi, Mr Joseph Adelaja, acting on credible intelligence, deployed operatives who raided a makeshift shop at a motor park along Sangere-Yola axis in Adamawa State on May 11, and evacuated four sacks and one small sack of Pangolin scales. The evacuated sacks of Pangolin scales were weighed to be a total of 216 kg with a total Duty Paid Value of N432,000,000, he said. Abdullahi said the general public should understand that illegal wildlife trade was contrary to the provisions of the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna, especially items which pangolins fall under. The spokesman said the unprecedented seizure was achieved as a result of sharing of information, intelligence gathering and doggedness of the personnel in making the zone unbearable for smugglers. Let me use this medium to plead with well-meaning Nigerians to assist in providing genuine information that can aid in eradicating the menace of smuggling in the zone and the country at large. I want them to know that eradicating smuggling in this country will boost the economy, which in the long run will enable the Federal Government to provide social amenities for the citizenry, Abdullahi explained. He also warned smugglers to leave their nefarious activities and get a better trade to earn a living. The officers and men of the FOU Zone D of the Nigerian Customs Service, under the leadership of Adelaja, will not rest on their oars, Abdullahi stressed. Former Minister of State for Employment, Festus Keyamo has spoken on the impending strike announced by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the controversial petrol subsidy removal saga, saying he foresaw the Union will go back on its word. Recall that the NLC had announced it would begin a nationwide strike on Wednesday if the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited fails to reverse the new pump price for the Premium Motor Spirit. Keyamo, in reaction to the outcome of the issue via Twitter on Sunday, made reference to a press release he issued in 2022 during the campaign period. At the time, he alleged that the Labour Union had given their undivided support to the campaign of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi who had also stated that he would get rid of fuel subsidy if elected president. In the release, Keyamo questioned the reason for the Congress support of the LP candidate considering that they were against the removal of the subsidy. He tweeted, Perhaps, I was the only one that saw this junction that we are now on the issue of subsidy removal and the ambivalence of the Labour Unions. Let me refer you to the Press release I issued in the middle of the campaigns, on Saturday, September 17, 2022, yet everyone ignored it READ ALSO: Subsidy: FG To Consider TUCs Demands, Set Up Committee To Review Minimum Wage Saturday, September 17, 2022. PRESS RELEASE BY THE APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL: THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS AND OTHER LEFT-WING SUPPORTERS OF THE LABOUR PARTY SHOULD COME CLEAN ON THEIR STAND ON PETER OBIS VOW TO REMOVE FUEL SUBSIDY IF ELECTED. We note that the leadership of the organized labour under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, September 13, 2022, at a national retreat of the Labour Party in Abuja, promised to mobilise its members across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria to ensure victory for Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, in next years presidential election. We also note that in several interviews he granted in the last few months and weeks, Mr. Peter Obi has vowed to totally remove subsidy on petrol if elected President. We also note NLCs long-standing opposition to total removal of fuel subsidy. Other left-leaning supporters of the Labour Party were also present at the event to cheer Mr. Peter Obi. Consequently, the following questions are urgently begging for answers by the leadership of the NLC: 1. Before adopting Mr. Peter Obi as its candidate, did the leadership of the NLC have a discussion with him on the issue of removal of fuel subsidy? 2. If they did have that discussion, did Mr. Peter Obi agree to back down on the issue of subsidy removal? Was that a basis for supporting him? If he did not back down on the issue, did organised Labour agree with him? READ ALSO: Subsidy Removal Must Be Now Or Never, Negotiate With FG Ndume To NLC 3. If no such discussion held, does it mean the leadership of the NLC now fully supports the removal of fuel subsidy? Or will that not be reckless of the NLC to adopt a candidate without thoroughly interrogating the candidate on his policies as they affect the Nigerian workers or the masses? The NLC must make a public statement and come clean on this. 4. If the excuse is that Mr. Peter Obi has said that the money saved will be used in other critical areas of the economy, how is that different from what the Buharis Government is also saying? These questions have become necessary because Nigerians deserve to know whether organised Labours adopted party, which is the Labour Party, supports and promotes a policy that the leadership of Labour opposes in another breath when it is adopted by the government of the day. They cannot be blowing hot and cold. As our Council stands for issue-based campaigns, we call on all members of the 4th Estate of the Realm not to sweep this point under the carpet and to thoroughly interrogate the NLC and the Labour Party on the one hand; and the seemingly right-leaning supporters of the Labour Party and Mr. Peter Obi on the other, on this issue so that they will come clean before Nigerians. Nigerias President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has urged striking health union workers to return to work, promising to resolve their plight. The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) had embarked on an indefinite strike a week ago over demands for improved welfare, amongst other reasons. We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work, Tinubu told the leadership of the Union during a meeting, on Monday at the State House in Abuja. READ ALSO: Subsidy Removal: Kwara Govt. Directs Civil Servants To Work Three Days A Week The President who stated his resolve via Abiodun Oladunjoye, State House Director of Information, in a statement titled President Tinubu restates commitment to reviving health sector, added that his administrations commitment to revive and restore public confidence in Nigerias health sector harped on the importance of the sector and its professionals. The health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. We will resolve all the problems. Trust must be enshrined in all discussions. I promise you we will accelerate this. We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work, President Tinubu appealed to the leaders. Expressing the readiness of the union to get its members back to work, Acting Chairman, Obinna Ogbonna, entreated Tinubu to pay attention to the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria through adequate investment in healthcare infrastructure and better welfare for workers in the sector to stop brain drain. Mr. President, now that we have assurance from the top, we are encouraged to go back and talk to our members with a view to going back to work, said Ogbonna. The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has advised Kano State, Governor Abba Kabir not to use his office for personal vendetta but for the best interest of the State. Information Nigeria reports that, at the weekend, the New Nigeria Peoples Party governor since assumption of office, begun massive demolition of buildings approved for construction by the immediate-past administration of Abdullahi Ganduje, which he considered as illegal. Demolished also was Daula Hotel, consisting of 50 rooms, four executive rooms, a restaurant and other facilities, which was reconstructed into a three-star hotel and commissioned on 27 May by Ganduje, two days before he left office. Kabir also sacked the officers responsible for Hajj affairs in the 44 local government areas in the State, replacing them with interim officers to coordinate the ongoing operations of intending pilgrims for 2023 Hajj across the State. READ ALSO: Kano Governor, Abba Yusuf, Rejects Official Seat Of Former Gov, Ganduje (VIDEO) However, members of the 2023 Kano PRP candidate forum, in a statement issued to Daily Post, warned the Governor against injustice, prioritizing any individual, group, or political partys interest above the collective interest of the State. Election is the only legal and acceptable way of producing leaders under democracy in Nigeria, there must be a winner and a loser. We are calling on the new government to put the collective interest of the state above any individual, fraternity interest or parochial sentiment. Revitalize our decaying education sector, improve public healthcare service delivery, come up with policies and programs that will enhance agriculture, commerce and industries, job creation and poverty eradication, they stated. The PRP further congratulated the governor alongside other candidates who won election under various political parties. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited disclosed at the weekend that it has commenced termination of crude oil swap contracts and will pay cash for petrol imports. According to NNPCs Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari, private companies would begin importing petrol in June. Kyari who said the national oil company will now pay for its purchases in cash by terminating the crude swap contracts, added that less petrol will be imported by NNPC while private companies will import the bulk. In the last four months, we practically terminated all Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP) contracts. And we now have an arms-length process where we can pay cash for the imports, Kyari told Reuters. READ ALSO: Only The President Can Determine Fuel Price Femi Falana To NNPCL Information Nigeria reports that DSDP is an agreement that allows sales of crude oil to refiners, who will in turn supply NNPC with an equivalent worth of petroleum products. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Thursday, asked the Federal Government to suspend all DSDP contracts sequel to the removal of the petrol subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration. The GCEO however noted it is the first time NNPC has said it is terminating crude swap contracts. Speaking on the countrys production capacity, the of 1.742 million bpd. However, Nigerias oil production fell below the one million mark in April 2023, as output tumbled to 998,602 bpd. The figure was a 21.26 percent decline compared to March, when output was 1,268,202 bpd. It was also the lowest volume of production in the last seven months. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says if the Federal Government fails to liberalize the oil sector to allow for more private individuals to invest, the pump price of petrol may hit N1000 per liter by end of the year. Joe Ajaero, the Unions President, who made the remark while speaking with Arise Television on Sunday, submitted that Dangotes fuel production monopoly and non-functioning refineries limit market competition. According to him, without other players in the sector, petrol prices may reach N1,000/Litre by December. The NLC president insisted that until the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna are in good shape, there may be no competition in the market and the price of the product may continue to skyrocket. How can there be market forces if Dangote is the only one producing? Are we not maintaining a private sector monopoly which is even worse than the public sector monopoly that the NNPC has been maintaining? READ ALSO: Lagos Gov, Sanwo-Olu Appeals To NLC Not To Go On Strike What is the situation in the cement industry and other areas? Why are the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries not working? He queried. However, Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide to Goodluck Jonathan reacted to his stance via Twitter on Monday saying, the NLC president is undermining Nigeria by attacking its crucial asset. I wonder why Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, was criticising Dangote Refinery on AriseTV yesterday. A refinery that will employ 100,000 Nigerians? Shouldnt the NLC be happy about that? If he thinks it will lead to a monopoly, whose fault is that? The Jonathan administration gave multiple licenses. Only Dangote utilised his. A man in the position that Ajaero occupies should rather encourage Dangote Refinery, that is fulfilling a vital national interest. Ajaero should not undermine the Dangote refinery. To undermine it is to undermine NIgeria. Does he want us to keep importing fuel? What is the basis for attacking and asset that is crucial to Nigerias national development? Omokri queried. Mohammed Ali Ndume, former Senate leader has appealed to the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to call off the planned strike, billed to begin on Wednesday. The senator in a statement on Sunday, further urged NLC to return to the negotiation table and sort out areas of disagreements with the Federal Government (FG). Ndume, who is the Director-General of Akpabio Senate presidency Campaign Organisation, also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to personally meet with labour leaders and assure them of the benefits of removing the subsidy. READ ALSO: Fuel Subsidy: NUJ Orders Journalists To Withdraw Services, Joins NLC Strike This fuel subsidy removal is something we must do now or never. We need to open the wounds now and begin to heal them. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) needs to work with the government and see how the effects can be minimised. If we dont remove the subsidy now, some people will continue to milk this country. NLC should go to the negotiation table with the Federal Government. The NLC should not go on a strike first before negotiation. They should not make that mistake. Beside, there is no budget for subsidy. Where will the money come from? I call on President Tinubu to personally meet with Labour leaders and resolve the issues. He should also assure them that things will be all right. The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate for 2023, Omoyele Sowore, has stated that President Bola Tinubus announcement to end the fuel subsidy regime in Nigeria is motivated by impunity. Sowore accused Tinubu of having a feudal lordship over Lagos State however submitted that Tinubu would not find it easy to replicate the same thing in Nigeria. Recall that President Tinubu had on May 29 during his inaugural speech, declared an end to the fuel subsidy regime in Nigeria, sparking increase in the price of petrol across the country. According to the AAC candidate, Tinubu is about to face a national resistance over the fuel subsidy removal. READ MORE: Fuel Scarcity: Tinubus Supporters Now Unable To Go To Work Sowore However, Sowore, while reacting to petrol crisis in a statement on Sunday, wrote via his Twitter account: When @officialABAT was bragging that he will remove subsidy whether people protest or not, no matter how long the protest would last, he was speaking with a certainty driven by the impunity hed practiced in Lagos since he captured Lagos in 1999. However, he forgot that so many of the recent struggles that were rooted in recent revolts across Nigeria, particularly targeted his feudal lordship over Lagos. Hes about to face a national resistance that will clear his doubts regarding his recent thoughtless petrol subsidy policy. Sri Lanka on my mind! #Revolutionnow Meanwhile, the Federal Government has begun to make moves to ease the fuel crisis as Tinubus led administration commenced talks with stakeholders over proposed industrial action which starts on the 7th of June. (Wednesday) Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has explained what led to the disengagement of the services of the former Chairman, Park Management System in the state, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, aka Auxiliary. Recall that the suspended chairman was declared wanted by the states police over alleged unrest activities in the state. Some suspected gang members were paraded by Oyo State Police Command with some dangerous weapons belonging to Axillary. Governor Makinde said that he sacked him because there cant be two governments in a state. Speaking on Sunday at the thanksgiving service in commemoration of Omituntun 2.0 administration at St. Peters Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan, Makinde explained that the need to ensure a peaceful atmosphere and avoid fights in the garages necessitated his action. READ MORE: You Cant Declare Me Wanted Auxiliary Replies Police From Hideout According to him, no meaningful activity can take place in an atmosphere of insecurity hence the need to sanitize the system. The Governor revealed that before the last election, his government had approached the different factions and emphasized the need to avoid fights but one of them said he cant work with the others. In response, Makinde narrated that he told the disagreeing party that there can only be one government in Oyo State. He said: Before the last election, it wasnt as if there is no thugs but we called them and told them the new Oyo State we want. We dont want them to fight themselves, we dont want fight to break from our garages every time We told them, dont fight anybody. if we are re-elected, we shall ensure we unite you so that everyone can get what belongs to him or her for people and the government to operate in the atmosphere of peace. But one of them said he cant work with others. so I said two governments cannot operate in the State, there will only be one government. Kristen Welker, seen here speaking in Philadelphia in 2019, will take over hosting duties on NBC's flagship news program, "Meet the Press." Read more NBCs flagship politics show Meet the Press will soon have some Philly flavor. Kristen Welker, NBCs chief White House correspondent and a one-time NBC10 news anchor, will replace Chuck Todd as the famed Sunday roundtables moderator in September. Ive watched too many friends and family let work consume them before it was too late, Todd told viewers at the end of Sundays Meet the Press. I promised my family I wouldnt do that. Its another step up the NBC News ladder for Welker, 46, who began covering the White House for NBC in 2011. She has reported on three administrators, cohosted NBCs weekend edition of the Today show, and drew rave reviews for performance during a 2020 presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Advertisement Ive had the privilege of working with her from essentially her first day and let me just say shes the right person in the right moment, Todd said of Welker. This is exactly how I always hoped this would end, that Id be passing the baton to her. Heres everything you need to know about Kristen Welker, the new moderator of Meet the Press: Kristen Welker is a tough, scrappy Philadelphian Kristen Welker with her mother, Julie Welker, in Philadelphia in 2019. Read more RAYMOND W. Holman A Philadelphia native who was raised in Fairmount, Welker knew in sixth grade she wanted to be a reporter, telling The Inquirer in 2016 she was in awe of Barbara Walters interviewing Patrick Swayze and dancing with him. Welker said she knew she wanted to becoming a political reporter in 1995 when her mother, Julie, ran unsuccessfully for Philadelphia City Council. Advertisement Some reporters asked her about being married to my father they have an interracial relationship as if that was somehow a negative thing, Welker said. I think my parents handled it with grace I would get very upset about this line of questioning. It made me realize how important it is that political reporters are being fair. Tough, but fair. Andrea Mitchell, the chief foreign affairs correspondent at NBC News and MSNBC anchor, quickly became friends with Welker during the 2016 presidential campaign. Shes got all the virtues of a tough, scrappy Philadelphian, Mitchell, a Penn grad, told The Inquirer in 2020. Shes very down to Earth, very connected to home and family, and I think she combines all of the great talents youd want in a superb journalist. READ MORE: National NBC news star Kristen Welker is still a Philly girl Welker spent five years at NBC10 Welker graduated from Germantown Friends School and Harvard University, and spent several years working for ABC affiliates before landing with NBC in 2005 as a reporter for NBC10. She also served as a weekend anchor. She remained in Philadelphia for five years before a temporary reporting assignment at NBCs Los Angeles bureau. That turned into a role as a network correspondent for NBC News based in Burbank, Calif., and from there shes never looked back. Advertisement NBC10 has been a jumping-off platform for a number of national media figures. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was once a reporter for the station, and it was the launching pad for CBS News executive editor and former NBC News president Steve Capus. Former NBC Nightly News anchor and MSNBC host Brian Williams once covered South Jersey for WCAU when it was still owned by CBS. Its hard not to feel inspired and excited that Im following in their footsteps, to some extent, Welker told Philly Mag in 2010. It doesnt suggest that Ill rise to the level of Brian Williams. READ MORE: The Interview: NBC's Kristen Welker Who else has hosted Meet the Press? Former "Meet the Press" moderator Tim Russert. Read more AP Welker will become the 16th moderator on Meet the Press, the longest-running television show in history, airing consecutively for more than 76 years. Welker will become the shows first Black moderator and just its second female anchor. When Meet the Press launched in 1947, it was hosted by broadcasting pioneer and cofounder Martha Rountree, who remained in the role until 1953. Advertisement Probably the most well-known Meet the Press moderator is the late Tim Russert, who anchored the show for more than 16 years until his death in 2008. The Buffalo native and Bills fans placed an emphasis on probing interviews with high-profile Washington guests, and Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008. Here are the previous moderators on Meet the Press: Martha Rountree: 1947 to 1953 Ned Brooks: 1953 to 1965 Lawrence Spivak: 1966 to 1975 Bill Monroe: 1975 to 1984 Roger Mudd and Marvin Kalb: 1984 to 1985 Marvin Kalb: 1985 to 1987 Chris Wallace: 1987 to 1988 Garrick Utley: 1989 to 1991 Tim Russert: 1991 to 2008 Tom Brokaw: 2008 David Gregory: 2008 to 2014 Chuck Todd: 2014 to 2023 Is Chuck Todd leaving NBC? Chuck Todd, NBC News political director and moderator of "Meet the Press. Read more Peter Kramer / NBC / Peter Kramer /NBC After he hands over the baton, Todd will transition into a role as chief political analyst leading into the 2024 presidential election. As part of that role, Todd, 51, plans to focus on long-form journalism, according to a memo from NBC News president of editorial Rebecca Blumenstein and NBC News senior vice president of politics Carrie Budoff Brown. Todd will continue to host the Chuck Toddcast and Meet the Press Reports on NBC News Now, the online streaming network. During one of the longest runs as moderator in the shows storied history, [Todd] transformed the brand into a vital modern-day franchise, expanding its footprint to an array of new mediums, and kept Meet the Press at the forefront of political discourse, Blumenstein and Brown wrote. Chuck has established himself as a trusted authority on all things politics from consequential presidential and national elections to local and congressional races across the country. Todd as served as the political director of NBC News since joining the network in 2007. In addition to moderating Meet the Press, he launched MTP Daily, which aired on MSNBC until 2022. There should be a sell-by date on all journalists in Washington, Todd told Poynter last year, Im a believer that you shouldnt have one person in a beat forever. Chicharron with a burnt tortilla and habanero mayo, topped with hibiscus pickled onions and cilantro macho, from the tatemado menu at Mission Taqueria, 1516 Sansom St. Read more Tequilas restaurant, heavily damaged by a fire Feb. 9, is expected to come back later this year. While the Suro family is working with contractors and insurance companies to repair the historic building at 16th and Locust Streets in Center City, the restaurant community is helping Tequilas 50 employees, many of whom are still out of work. David Suro, a native of Guadalajara, opened the first incarnation of Tequilas in 1986 at 1511 Locust St. He moved it to 1602 Locust St. in 2001. Dan Suro, a son of the founder, said Jose Pistolas has thrown a party with proceeds and raffle tickets donated to Tequilas. Anejos locations in Northern Liberties and Manhattan donated. Tacos Guey in New York and Cantina El Mexcal in Point Breeze brought in guest bartenders from Tequilas staff, with proceeds going to the fund. Oyamel in Washington, D.C., served Tequilas cocktails for a week. Monks in Center City sent a portion of its Pliny the Younger proceeds to Tequilas staff. Also, he said, Tequilas kitchen workers are working with Martha in Kensington on a collaboration. Advertisement READ MORE: Inquirer critic Craig LaBan joins Tequilas' David Suro on a spirited trip to Mexico Mission Taqueria at 1516 Sansom St., which shuttered for a few days in January after a kitchen fire, donated proceeds from the sale of avocado margaritas on Cinco de Mayo, raising $2,000 for the Tequilas employees fund. Mission owner Daniel McLaughlin is going one better with what he and consultant Roland Bui call the Tatemado Project. Tatemado is a technique of cooking food by burying it in burning coals. Missions new executive chef, Alejandro Martin Sanchez, formerly at LMNO, is using this technique to create four dishes; 25% of proceeds are being donated to the fund. Among them are coal-roasted asparagus with smoked requeson crema, and chicharron with a burnt tortilla and habanero mayo, topped with hibiscus pickled onions and cilantro macho. The promotion will end when Tequilas reopens. Quite literally, its helping them recover from their fire, by raising funds from the ashes, Bui said. Saturday night, Philadelphia-based mixologist Toby Maloney won a James Beard Award for his book The Bartenders Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro, coauthored by Emma Janzen. The win is Maloneys second Beard Award. In 2015, he won for outstanding bar program at the Violet Hour cocktail bar in Chicago, which he cofounded. The Bartenders Manifesto was inspired by his work there. READ MORE: Nearly 60 new restaurants are on the way in the Philly area With his win for the book, it feels like a big piece of the puzzle got put into place, said Maloney, 54, bartender in residence at Hop Sing Laundromat at 1029 Race St. in Philadelphias Chinatown. Its come full circle. Advertisement At Hop Sing, Maloney works most Fridays and Saturdays, serving a maximum of 24 patrons a night all vetted by the owner, who is known only as Le. Maloney can work from his menu but prefers to query customers on their preferences and create original drinks. This is all in the name of research. Maloney said he is working on a proposal for a new book. Does he consider Hop Sing his laboratory for the book? Not per se, Maloney said. Its more of a playing field for some theories and practices and such. Thoughts about Philadelphia since arriving last fall? Im lucky to be here in this magical time of food and drink, he said. Its cool to be part of it, and I didnt know that I could eat as much hummus per month as I am right now. It seems to be at so many different places, and its really amazing. How do Philadelphians compare with bar customers elsewhere? You know, theres not much difference; I mean, theyre all adventurous and thoughtful and they run the gamut from fun and whimsical to really seriously hard-core. I feel its a sophisticated and thoughtful drinking population. Tell me your first experience with alcohol. He said he was 9 or 10. The first drink that I ever remember was, I would say, the late 70s in Juarez, Mexico, and my parents had given me a few pesos to go run around while they were doing some stuff. It was like 120 degrees out. I found a guy with an Igloo cooler and he had a guitar strap to hang it around his neck. I gave him some pesos and he opened it up. He had a salt shaker and a lime and he shook the shaker across the top of the beer, squeezed the lime in it, and handed it to me. I took that first sip of that freezing cold beer with the salt and the lime, and it is seared into my memory as one of the most delicious things Ive ever had in my life. (He said he had to relearn to enjoy beer when he was older because there was no salt, lime, or high temperature involved.) The first time I remember having a bad drink, I was probably right around that age. My dad drank rum and Cokes. I was at a party and my uncle was pouring drinks for people and I ordered a rum and Coke. Without tasting it, I said, Put some more rum in it, and he put more rum in it because I didnt think hed put any rum in. I was 9 years old! Well, he had put rum in it, and the second amount of rum that he put in it made it undrinkable. That was my first unbalanced drink, where I realized that the proportions of things are of utmost importance. Where are bars headed? Everything is cyclical. We went from cocktail bars that were very much like Milk & Honey and Death & Co. and the Violet Hour and Hop Sing, which are about the rules and decorum. We had just come out of the horrifically bad drinking of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, so there had to be a complete change in the paradigm of drinking culture. We completely changed what you were drinking. Instead of sour mix, everything was fresh. It was about classics and technique. Then about 10 years after that happened, people started doing really high-end cocktails in more relaxed settings. I think theres going to be a new outcropping of bars that are cocktail meccas another rash of really serious cocktail bars. The Philadelphia skyline is shown on August 23, 2022, from Camden, N.J. Read more Financial pressures from higher costs for labor, pharmaceuticals, and other supplies did not let up in the first three months of this year for not-for-profit health systems in Southeastern Pennsylvania, as most continued reporting operating losses through March 31. The Inquirer has been tracking financial results for the regions nine health systems, as they work to recover financially in a world where experts expect permanently higher costs to prevent a return to pre-pandemic profitability levels. Hospital and health system leaders must figure out how to navigate the new financial reality, said Erik Swanson, senior vice president of data and analytics at Kaufman Hall, a Chicago health-care consulting firm. Here is what we know about the earnings of the Philadelphia regions health systems in the nine months through March 31: University of Pennsylvania Health System The University of Pennsylvania Health System remained profitable, though at a lower level than it saw before the coronavirus pandemic. Penns $57 million operating profit for the quarter that ended March 31 was far better than a year ago, when the system had a rare quarterly loss of $15 million. Read more about the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Thomas Jefferson University, including Jefferson Health Thomas Jefferson University reported a $117 million operating loss nearly three times bigger than the loss for the comparable period a year ago. Jeffersons operating results included $121 million in investment income that other health systems typically only include in net income. Excluding that investment income, Jeffersons operating loss would have been $238 million. Read more about Thomas Jefferson University, including Jefferson Health. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia recorded its smallest operating profit margin in at least 10 years, according to an Inquirer analysis of the not-for-profit health systems financial results. Thats true even excluding federal COVID-19 aid during the pandemic. Read more about the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Temple University Health System Temple University Health System reported a $54 million loss in the first nine months of fiscal 2023, but showed significant improvement in the most recent quarter. Temple had a $49 million profit in the quarter, up significantly from $27 million the previous year. Read more about the Temple University Health System. Main Line Health Patient admissions, emergency department visits, and outpatient surgeries are up solidly at Main Line Health, which has four acute-care hospitals in Philadelphias western suburbs. Still, the system lost $114 million on operations, significantly more than the $43 million loss last year. Read more about Main Line Health. Tower Health Towers cash reserves had dwindled to $202 million on March 31, down 45%, from the end of last June. That left the Berks County organization, anchored by Reading Hospital, with just 39 days of cash on hand, Tower reported Friday. Days of cash on hand is a common measure of financial strength and stability. Read more about Tower Health. New Jersey systems The quarterly financial results that New Jerseys not-for-profit health systems report to bondholders are not comparable with those shared by their Pennsylvania counterparts, so The Inquirer looked at annual results for 2022 available in audited financials statements. They showed that rising costs for labor and other expenses squeezed Virtua Health, Cooper University Health Care, and Inspira Health Network, South Jerseys largest not-for-profit health systems, but only Inspira Health Network reported losing money on operations. Advertisement We achieved a 4% revenue increase in 2022, but it was not enough to offset increased costs. We have a plan in place and anticipate getting back to break even by 2025, Inspira said in a statement. Despite the financial downturn, both Fitch Ratings and Moodys Investors Service this spring affirmed Inspiras strong credit rating. Read more about N.J. health systems, including Inspira. Smaller suburban players In Philadelphias northern suburbs, three small systems reported losses. Doylestown Health improved slightly, to a loss of $18 million, down from $20 million last year. During the three months that ended March 31, Doylestown swung to a 1.9 million profit from a $12.7 million loss last year. Grand View reported a loss of $38 million, up from $27 million a year ago. As a percentage revenue, Grand Views loss was the biggest in the region. Redeemer Healths operating loss was $37 million, up from $24 million last year. At 101 years old, Alma Ross is fully alert to Philly happenings, but her memories span growing up in the South, moving to Philadelphia, and all her blessings: her daughter, Sharon; her church life and work life, and her commitment to helping people in the neighborhood community. Her life story begins in South Carolina. I was born in South Bend [Bennettsville] South Carolina. 1921. October 22 1921. ... Advertisement I had to work hard to get where I am now. I had to work hard. I didnt have a good life. I have grandparents. My parents separated when I was 2 years old. My [parents] separated. And my grandmother, my fathers mother, raised me and [then] my grandfather died. And she married again. And we had to work hard. I had to work hard in my life. I have no silver spoon in my mouth. I had a hard way in my life. Rosss early life revolved around farming. Yeah, I had to work on a farm and pick cotton and corn, corn ... and everything we had, we had to raise it. We had to go to the market and we had to grow everything [pigs] cows, I had to feed [the] mule, the cow, the home, the chickens, and everything that I had, we had to do that to survive. So that was my lifetime. And going to school. For Ross, there were household obligations to fulfill before school. On the way to school, she and the other Black children withstood racist taunts and provocations. I used to have to get up in the morning and make a fire, big heater and lay down behind the stove until it gets hot. And then I had to make breakfast before went to school with my brother and everybody. I had to make breakfast before I went to school. And we had to go to school. The white children went [to] one school and we went to another neighborhood on a bus. We had to walk to school and [white children] would pass right by us on the street and go ... they spit out the window [and] call us black, black mud, we call them red clay. The segregation extended beyond school, of course. We [had] to walk five miles to school and walk back. Every now and [then] they went to different schools and different churches and different school. We didnt go to the same school, whether racism and they could come to our church, but we werent allowed to go to their church. That was what I remember being down South Carolina and growing up as a child. After Ross got married, she left South Carolina and came to Philadelphia. She gave birth to a child, which she lost. As I got married I was 21. Yeah, I came here. Sept. 23. On Labor Day on the first day of September. ... When I came here, I went to 2417 Master Street and my mother had lived there and I went to live with her. I bought this house in 65. And Ive been here ever since it was a duplex. Ross described life on the 1900 block of North Van Pelt Street as very different from now. [T]his whole block was people livin not no vacant house or no [vacant] lot. All these lots were filled up with family with children. But now its like a ghost house now. All of the children is gone and married and gone wherever. But not one child in this block. ... Sometimes I get lonely because I look around even Halloween. No children come to pick up no candy and nothing. Nobody rang my bell. But thats kind of lonely. You know for me. Being by myself. Ross said if she could, shed offer young people this message: Stop using drugs and stop using the guns and [you] shouldnt be killing people. I would tell them to go to church . Ross said that her faith, along with her friends, has been instrumental in helping her surmount the challenges that African Americans experience in Philadelphia. I was always involved in churches. And Ive always had a lot of friends whatever church I go to. I always had a lot of friends. I was a Baptist before I came here. I was a Baptist. When I join Catholic Church when I had that adopted this child that died couple of years ago. I adopted her. She went to Catholic school. Ross became a Catholic in part due to her adopted daughter, Sharon, attending Catholic school. Because of her thats why I decided to because she was going to St. Es [St. Elizabeth] kindergarten. So I decided because she was baptized and everything. Once Sharon graduated from St. Elizabeth, Ross wanted her to attend William Penn High School, but her daughter wanted to go to Strawberry Mansion High School. I went and bought all of these things for and she ended up she didnt want to go, she wanted to go to Strawberry Mansion. So thats where she went. Then she went back to William Penn. And she dropped out. I think about 10th grade or something, she jumped out of it. Ross and her daughter had a taxing relationship at times, due to Sharons health challenges, which included juvenile diabetes. Because Ross had become an LPN (licensed practical nurse), she cared for Sharon and saw that she got therapy. Sometimes, she felt as if her daughter hated her even though the medical professionals treating her daughter told her otherwise. I never changed. I took her from the hospital where she was 9 days old. But she had juvenile diabetes. And she went into a coma when she was 9 years old. She went into a coma. And she went they took her to Womens Medical Hospital. And she stayed in [a] coma on for four days and I sat beside her bed for four days. . I cared for [her and] loved her to death. ... She hated me. But she loved my mother, she loved her. Neither caring for her daughter nor working an 11 to 7 shift at St. John Newman Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare on Roosevelt Boulevard deterred Ross from helping others in the neighborhood. The Murphy family continues to call her every night after she helped them out, and her goddaughter, Marlene, has lived with her for more than 15 years. Her generosity is acknowledged to extend beyond people. [The president of the Martin Luther King Senior Center] used to say anybody dont have no place to go, to go to Alma house. She take care of rats, raccoons, possums [laughter] Ross says that although her life wasnt a bowl of cherries, it was a big pile of bricks. It has also brought her joy. I lived to be one hundred and one years old. [Laughter] Wouldnt that be joy? Listen to Alma Rosss recollections in full below or click here. Read more Moving to Philadelphia from the South St. Elizabeth Curtis Brown, of North Philadelphia, 82, poses for a portrait in front of one of his pieces called Cousins at his home. I want people to see my work to be inspired, Brown said. I want them to reflect on the positivity on African Americans. Read more Exhibition opportunities for Black and brown visual artists were few and far between in Philadelphia in the 1980s; the white art establishment in Philly mostly gave Black artists the cold shoulder. But that decade also saw the emergence of the Minority Arts Resource Council (MARC), founded through the vision and perseverance of artist and educator Curtis Brown. The organization developed programs, spaces, and places for Black art in Philadelphia, and hosted an annual MARCFest that counted with participation of the cream of the crop of Black and brown, established and emerging visual artists. Brown learned how to persevere and overcome obstacles when growing up with his six siblings in the Francisville section of North Philadelphia. Now in his 80s, he recalls growing up in Philadelphia during the 1940s and 1950s. Advertisement Francisville playground thats where we did most of our playing around and fighting and [laugh] whatever. ... There are a couple of things, you had to, as a young Black boy, you had to know. ... You had to know how to fight, and also you had to know how to read. And most of the time if you see some of us walking up and down the street, we usually have a newspaper or book in our hand. So we were very versed. I mean, we didnt know anything about Black history cause it wasnt taught in our schools. But we [were] versed with poems and literature and things like that. We did that on our own because we want to impress the young ladies in the community. Brown discovered his passion for the arts while attending Benjamin Franklin High School, but like most Black students at the time, he was not encouraged to go to college. Thats when I started getting more extra in the arts. There was an art teacher called Mr. Michaels that, he thought that I was, had a little talent, and so he encouraged me to pursue my, you know, I guess, my interest in the arts. ... Mostly the people, Black boys in Philadelphia, we werent encouraged to go to college because we were encouraged to go to some trade schools or things like that. They had a program in the [Bok] school called postgraduate course. So I took two years of commercial art ... They should have directed me to a college rather than a postgraduate school. So I wasted two years. I didnt waste two years, I learned a lot, but I could have put those two years in college. Brown moved to New York and lived with an uncle while working as a commercial artist. Thats where he met and married his wife, Monica, an artist and fashion designer. But Brown still yearned to attend college, so he joined the Army for the veterans benefits. After leaving the Army, he worked as a cartographer for a few years. Back in Philly, he applied to Temple Universitys Tyler School of Art but wasnt accepted in spite of having an outstanding portfolio. He eventually attended the University of the Arts, and became involved in the Ile Ife Artist Consortium, which was part of Ile Ife Black Humanitarian Center founded by iconic dancer and choreographer Arthur Hall in North Philadelphia. Ile Ife was one of the foundations of Phillys Black Arts Movement of the late 1960s and 70s, and the consortium was organized by artist John D. Queen a prolific elder artist who took Brown under his wing and became his mentor. The idea of what would become MARC started percolating then. I was always inquisitive in trying to find out why Black artists werent [getting] their platform and publicity to showcase their art. So I saw, while I was in college at University of [the] Arts, I saw a flier for people to apply to go to National Endowment for the Arts in Washington. So I applied. Fortunately, I did get that grant to go. I was in the program for Minority Arts and started talking to people and telling em that what I was thinking about, bringing a group of programs to Philadelphia and things like that. ... So I said OK, let me get all the Philadelphia artists together. So I formed the Minority Arts Resource Council. I arranged for [people from Freedom Theatre, Ile Ife Artist Consortium, Philadanco] to go to Washington as a trip cause they didnt really know anything about the National Endowment for the Arts. ... So we met with AB Pelman, who was the director of [the] Expansion Arts [program] and then they started getting grants [to develop their programs] cause theyre aware of, there was, there was money out there for them to develop and improve and to showcase their art. So thats how the Minority Arts Resource Council started. In 1979, with Queens guidance and the knowledge he gained working at the NEA, Brown founded MARC in a small storefront on Wayne Avenue, and asked the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to create a minority arts program and fund an arts festival. I said, let me create a festival that will highlight all the artists in Philadelphia. I submitted it to the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts.They thought it was such a good program that they want to include the Mid-Atlantic states. So they tried to push me out and give it to somebody else and let [them] think that they, they created the program, but, you know, being a little slick, you know, I had to maneuver and make sure that they knew who created the program. Since they tried to maneuver me out, [the next year] in 81, I just called it MARCFest and did it myself. The last MARCFest was held in 1993 at the William Penn High School field. MARC later moved to Girard Avenue, where it offered arts programs for youth and produced African American Rodeos in an effort to educate people about the role of African American cowboys in the West. Brown went on to get a masters degree from Drexel and become a doctoral candidate in art history at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives surrounded by the evidence of Black excellence in the arts his late wife, Monica, worked in the costume and textiles department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art for decades, and their son Akinseye is one of the organizers of the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention. Nevertheless, Brown believes that many doors are still closed to Black visual artists but advises them to keep pushing. Its still a closed door for African Americans in being on the same level of promotion, financing and making a living in, you know, your field of art, especially in the fine arts. [Keep] your eyes open and, and look at all the opportunities that are available to you as an artist. Just dont sit back and not get involved actively in programs. Even if youre just the only Black person or Latino or whatever, just let em know that youre there. And, you are just as qualified as they are. And mostly probably better [laugh]. ... I think what you need to know is your history. Mostly look, look back at your history and see what it tells you and what it teaches you, and shows you the direction that you should go. Listen to Curtis Browns recollections in full below or click here. Read more African American art in Philadelphia in the 1980s African American cowboys People line up outside Brinkmans Live Bait shop on Saturday, its last day of being open, in Philadelphia. Only one family-owned bait and tackle shop now remains in the city. Read more Photographs of people holding fish have faded, like memories, just beyond the front door of Brinkmans Bait & Tackle Shop. Back in the day, between World War II and the new millennium, getting a Polaroid pinned to the wall of your local bait and tackle shop was a high honor. At this Northeast Philadelphia shop, on the corner of State Road and Linden Avenue since 1961, there was a picture of a woman kissing a largemouth bass, two guys hoisting a bluefish in front of a city rowhouse, and some guys chomping cigars in bloody butchers coats about to filet a fat striper. We had a guy bring in a tuna that barely fit through the door. There was the carp guy who caught a piranha in Philly. We had the state record crappie weighed in there, but its been broken a few times since. Theres too many to remember, said Bill Brinkman, who sold the shop in 2018. A lot of those folks in those pictures are long gone. A few hundred more photos lined the walls at Brinkmans but most customers hurried past them Saturday morning, their pockets full of cash, hoping to get a deal on the shops last day after 62 years. Im prepared to give you $400 now for the line spooler, fisherman Max Rubinstein, 31, told a woman at the counter. Saturdays cash n carry was meant to clear Brinkmans out for good every hook, hot-pink worm, and heavy lead jig. Owner Mike Reynolds, a longtime fisherman who had also owned a shop in Morrisville, Bucks County, died on May 6. The family, according to the stores Facebook page, has decided not to keep Brinkmans open and declined to comment Saturday amid the flurry of transactions. Advertisement Brinkmans closure leaves one family-owned bait & tackle shop left in Philadelphia, a city with two major rivers and a spiderweb of adjoining creeks, waterways where the young and old of every race spend weekends sitting on buckets and chairs, soaking worms and waiting for a tug on their fishing pole. According to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commissions, there were 13,476 fishing licenses sold to people with a Philadelphia address in 2022. I just say Im going out to enjoy myself, not to fish, said Corey Bryant, a Northeast Philadelphia resident waiting in line Saturday morning at Brinkmans. I dont really care what kind of fish I catch. Like the folks in those decades-old old photos, most small bait & tackle stores in the greater Philadelphia region are also long gone, supplanted by internet deals, large, sporting goods chains, and megastores like Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas. The few dozen men and women in line at Brinkmans on Saturday sipped from Wawa and Dunkin Donuts cups, rattling off names of shuttered stores on both sides of the river: Bobs, Joes, Jays, Dees, Taylors, Busnardos, Strattons, Eds, Edelmans, Fish-n-Fur, Creek Keepers, to name a few. A lot of the old-time shops, they just ran out of time. Their owners grew old or died, and the kids dont want to keep it going, Brinkman, 62, said via phone from his cabin in Wayne County. We were still doing well when we sold, but it was time. Theres no easy way to track the number of bait and tackle shops left in the region. Many still thrive at the Jersey Shores barrier islands, where its not so easy to build a Walmart. In Pennsylvania, the Fish & Boat Commission keeps track of the number of stores where hobbyists can purchase an official fishing license. Today, theres 700 license agents in the state. In 1991, there were 1,200. Philadelphia has seven agents, four of them being Walmarts. One is an auto tag store. Another agent, Sportmaster Bait and Tackle, on Ditman Street by the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, is the last bait and tackle shop left in the city. We dont like to see any store close. Its a tough game to be in, for sure, but you get something here you dont get at the big store, said Brady Riley, 26, whose parents own Sportmaster. Us young guys here at the store are always out fishing and we can answer a ton of questions. We have the experience. " While no one was seeking out photos at Brinkmans on Saturday, fisherman and journalist Joe Cermele, of Yardley, was gifted a box of Polaroids from Bill Brinkman years ago. Cermele, who hosts the Cut & Retie fishing podcast, cherishes the photos as much as the gear and occasionally shares them on his Instagram page. He says something is lost when a small shop like Brinkmans closes. Theres the sights and a certain smell and the sound of the bubblers keeping the bait alive, Cermele, 40, said. You lose a certain charisma and you definitely lose the conversations. Its really a downer to see it go. Brinkmans is for sale for $649,000 and, according to the listing, could be converted into retail, luxury town houses, or an apartment building with views of the Delaware River. A buyer could forge ahead with bait and tackle too, the listing noted. While the merchandise was disappearing from the shelves, even the ceiling, Reynoldss wife decided to keep the line spooler, for now, in case a buyer decides to bite on the citys fishermen, instead of apartments. Intelligent, culturally conscious, aware, down-to-earth, sophisticated, confident and compassionate thats North Philly-born and bred Mama Delores Carter Berry. Berry was born on the 1900 block of North 24th Street in the early 1930s, to the Fullers, a well-known family in the neighborhood. At that time, young people were identified by their families. Elders would ask, Whos your people and who that child belong to? Everyone knew the Fullers and little Delores. I was born at 1912 N. 24th St. to a family of adults. I was the only child and I was spoiled, but I came from a family of good, clean, non-smoking, non-drinking people. I was a happy child and I loved Saturdays because on Saturdays I could put on my mothers high heels and go across the street to the drug store and buy a Tastykake. Tastykakes were big deals back in the day. Advertisement Berry has vivid memories of when she and her mother moved into Johnson Homes a well-kept, close-knit, public housing community on Ridge Avenue between Sedgley Avenue and 25th Street. My mother finally got her own place. And Johnson Homes were clean. And they were people that ... agreed with each other and, and, and got along very well together. And that was my mothers first apartment. And actually, I had my first bedroom in the Johnson homes. Berry attended Frederick Douglass Elementary School at 21st and Norris Streets and later went to Roberts Vaux Junior High at 23rd and Master Streets, which, at the time, was as predominantly white as the surrounding neighborhood. Yes, I went to Frederick Douglass Elementary School and I loved it. [Later, when she attended Kensington High School for Girls, things were a bit different.] Well, first of all, the area, the area, the Kensington area, was surprised to see about seven or eight of us Black young girls coming in at one time. But they were very pleasant and the teachers were acceptable. They werent so welcoming, but they were acceptable. She graduated from Kensington High School for Girls, where she and Daisy Carter (Editors note: Carter is the reporters mother) became fast friends after a mix-up in which Daisy Carter was accused of cutting class instead of Delores Carter . The school had only a handful of Black students, the surrounding community had a white working-class population and was a dangerous place for Black people in the 1940s. At one time a bunch of Black guys came up to I guess to meet us. Coming from North Philly they stood on the corner and waited for us to come out of high school. And the police quickly came and removed them from the area. They never came back. The contrast between Berrys school experiences and her life in her home neighborhood was noteworthy. Everybody in the neighborhood knew who I belong to. My nickname was Pete. So everybody knew when I walk from 23rd and Master to 24 and [Norris] who I belong to. I never had a fight. I never had anything taken from me. And I was a happy, I was a happy child. Berry and Carter socialized and raised their children together in central North Philadelphia. Marilyns mother and I used to walk every Tuesday night to Reynolds Hall. And it was called Mercantile Hall at the time, and we would get dressed up in our high heels and walk from 25th and Norris, which is where I lived. We were raising our daughters. She was raising Marilyn, I was raising Crystal and nobody else could raise our children but us and we didnt leave them with anybody. And that was the way it was our children were taken care of by us. Marilyns mother and I were the only ones that really wanted to be bothered with pure-blooded African men the men that were directly from Africa, or just came here to go to school. They didnt drink or smoke, and neither did Marilyns mother. After graduating high school, Berry was hired as a telephone operator at Bell Telephone Co. It paid the bills but wasnt a pleasant experience. I worked for that racist organization Bell Telephone and, and I hated it. And they really did not like me because I had an attitude when I came there. I knew that those white women that work there had no more education than I did. And their parents came from no [better] financial situations than I did. And so I went there with attitude. And of course, they didnt like me, but I didnt care because I needed a job. And thats what I went for, to get a job. She worked there for seven years, and while there went on a group tour to Europe. I went to Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and France, on a tour with white folks, where they could not understand why us Black folks would be on the same plane going on the same trip with them. But we saved our money. We worked at the same telephone company. So we had the same opportunity. And we had a ball. But when we got to Europe, we were so accepted. It was unbelievable. Nobody stared at us twice, or came and asked us why are we here? It just didnt happen. We were just beautiful. And the food was good. But the white folks we came with, they just couldnt understand why us Black folks could have the same opportunities. Carter had introduced Berry to some of her African friends living in Philadelphia, and when Berry later visited Nigeria she felt warmly welcomed. I know I met some people that were from Nigeria and I went to visit the areas that they were from. ... When I was in Nigeria, the Black people treated me very warm and very friendly. I felt very accepted. I really did. And that is in opposition to when you go here in the United States. Berry was a member of the African Sisterhood, a group of African American women that was prominent in the 1990s, who wore white dresses accessorized by Kente cloth, and who supported cultural/educational programs for African American youth. She loved representing African culture through her locs and attire, and showed up at cultural events dressed in sharp mudcloth or other Afrocentric attire, looking like an African Queen/North Philly Diva. I want to say that I enjoy being Black. I never wanted to be anything but Black, she said during her video interview. Carter and Berry went together to the Million Woman March, which was all about unity. At 89, and living in a nursing home, Berry wanted to share her wisdom about unity with young Black people. I think that Black folks really dont look out for each other as a family as they used to. And I miss that respect one another. Stop and listen to one another. Know that we are all here together. Were Black, we are not changing. We are all here together and we must learn to respect one another. Thats my advice. I would like the feeling of comfort that being around another young Black person gives you simply because theyre Black and you live in their neighborhood. Thats what I would like to see. The comfort that one Black person gives another simply because were all Black together. Period. Listen to Mama Delores Berrys recollections in full below or click here. Read more Racism at Bell Telephone Million Woman March Editors note: Mama Delores Berry died before the publication of the Elders Project, but her memory and words live on in her oral history. Montgomery County investigators arrested a Philadelphia man for alleged straw purchasing, the practrice of legally buying firearms and reselling them to those legally barred from purchasing weapons themselves. Read more A Philadelphia man who authorities say bought guns for people barred from buying weapons themselves has been charged with firearms violations and related crimes. Steven Lee Smith, 28, was apprehended Sunday and charged with 18 felony firearms sales offenses and related crimes after police sought him for over a month. The arrest is the latest in a regional crackdown on straw purchasing, the practice of legally buying guns and reselling them to those looking to evade government background checks. While the practice is more common in Philadelphia, the citys collar counties have begun to focus on offenders who purchase the firearms at suburban gun stores in a trend that experts say makes gun crimes easier to commit. Advertisement Smith is alleged to have legally purchased nine handguns most at a retailer in Bucks County over a six-month period in 2022 and later reselling them. Police recovered three of those weapons, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Smiths arrest. Montgomery County got involved when one of those guns, a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, was turned in to Bridgeport police. Smith purchased most of the handguns in a short period of time authorities said, and purposely attempted to obscure the guns serial numbers. Two of the guns were recovered during arrests of people barred from purchasing firearms due to previous criminal convictions. Kate Delano, a spokesperson for Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, said Monday that the arrest demonstrated the offices commitment to prosecuting straw purchasers. Were always going after them, Delano said. Were always investigating. Those efforts led county investigators to arrest a Glenside man in May for allegedly distributing 15 straw-purchased firearms, some of them later used in Philadelphia homicides. That suspect legally purchased a high-quantity of firearms seven in total over a short amount of time, investigators said, and bought them online before picking them up at a Montgomery County retailer. And in December, police arrested a Philadelphia man for selling straw-purchased firearms he bought at stores in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Smith is being held in the Montgomery County prison on $99,000 bail. In Pennsylvania, the penalty for purchasing multiple firearms on behalf of another person is 10 to 15 years in jail. Straw purchases have become the target of Philadelphia investigators in recent years amid high rates of gun violence. Nearly 900 straw-purchased weapons were recovered in the last three years, according to an Inquirer report. Police found that at least dozen were used in crimes. The Montgomery County Sheriffs Department announced in May that it would begin regular inspections of the countys gun retailers to make sure shops are complying with federal and state firearms laws. Retailers are at risk of having their licenses revoked should they fail a series of inspections, the sheriffs office said. The move would be a first among local governments in Pennsylvania, where the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives typically conducts such inspections every 10 years. Museum Director Barbara Whiteman talks about some of the dolls in the collection at the Philadelphia Doll Museum in Philadelphia on March 29, 2023. The Ruth Foundation for the Arts has granted $400,000 over the next two years to help preserve the museum's collection of 300 dolls. Read more What question can get an interviewee to share a point of significance? How about this one: If you could go back to an age in your life, what would it be? I was most impressed during my teenage years. It was in the 1950s that Emmett Till was killed. And I think it sort of was a wake [up call for] me. For me, I contacted my cousins in South Carolina, I was very upset. I wanted them to move out of the state. But it was the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. And then I was more conscious of who I was. Racism in United States, both North and South. So, if I could go back, I would have been a more stronger person. Though, in that time, I was not as conscious of racism [my] being born in the North as opposed to the South. It was only in my later teen years that I begin to feel the realization of racism in the United States. Barbara Whiteman, who would go on to found the Philadelphia Doll Museum in North Philadelphia, sees her collecting first of Black memorabilia and later of dolls as a progression from the Emmett Till story as a teen, into her adulthood in the 1970s as a mother, then as a Temple University student and member of Temples Black Student Union, where the cultural programming served as a cultural awakening. [My] awakening to history, our history and culture by way of the Black Student Union that gave lectures and programs and going to these [events] with my child is where [I] found consciousness. Advertisement Whitemans memories were shaped by family and neighborhood. Im a North Philadelphia girl. So my memory is my neighborhood. We have [had] both professional and business folks. The children played all together. We went to public school, private school, and parochial schools. We just had fun knowing [every] one there. I lived in North Philadelphia, but I was what you call [a] weekend child. I lived in North Philadelphia with my grandmother, and my aunt. And basically, my mother and brothers lived in Tacony. ... I think the most significant change was the death of my father at an early age. That was the breakdown of our family. My brothers basically became head of household, which put them in to have a lot of responsibility at a young age. As I said, I was a weekend child. So, I wasnt with my mother. During this time, I basically was raised by my grandmother and my aunt. Whiteman excelled at school, but in order to financially help her family, she didnt immediately go to college. I really did love school. And I [did] well in school, I was what you might call the teachers favorite teachers pet. I enjoyed all my subjects, and I help[ed] other kids re [in] high school, I always carried five majors. And I was very good at that, in that I got admitted to the honor society. ... When I graduated from high school, I did not go to college, I went into the work field. My mother says she needed me to help with the finances. I did have my church, who would have sponsored me with scholarship. But at that particular time, my mother needed economic help. Episcopal Hospital was her first stop in the work world. Next was retail work at Queen Casual, followed by being a laboratory trainee at Philadelphia General Hospital, and a library trainee for the city of Philadelphia. Her curiosity and love of the sciences led to her completing her undergraduate studies at Temple University as a biology major with a minor in education. She would go on to become a medical technologist with the VA Medical Center until her retirement. But what would become one of the great joys of her life started from attending antiques and book shows where items reflecting Black life were displayed. At Black memorabilia shows, she viewed dolls of every creation style, such as rag dolls, folk dolls, and bottle dolls, which led her to begin her doll collection. Besides having my family and the birth of my daughter, the creation of the Philadelphia Doll Museum was a big challenge and joy of my life. The museum had this beginning in my collecting memorabilia, and memorabilia sort of give you an idea about consciousness. Black memorabilia was what we call negative collecting [collecting racist items]. But I wanted to do something positive. I wanted to bring out the dolls. Not being a doll lover as a child, Whiteman nevertheless has a vivid memory of asking her mother about a Black doll called Amosandra, and getting the doll. Still, she said the dolls arent mere playthings. Im asked a lot of time what is my favorite doll. I dont have a favorite. All the dolls are important because theyre unique in the type of history of that person, whether or not theyre [a] historical person or celebrity. That is the purpose. We say more than playthings that these dolls are artifacts of history. So, this is the whole purpose and goal of the Philadelphia Doll Museum. The Philadelphia Doll Museum recently received funding for cataloging the doll collection and preparing it to go on an exhibition tour to cultural and other institutions in 2024. Though the doors of the museum closed in 2020, Whitemans legacy plan is to have the doll collection find its final home at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, and although there may be some sadness in this evolution, the collections historical impact will still be part of Philadelphia. Whiteman hopes her experiences can offer guidance to younger members of the community. I would tell young people to have patience, to go after their goals, and to work very hard to be conscious of not only local history, but world history. [T]hese are some of the things that we werent taught when we were young. So, this would be a good place for them to start finding their place in, in this world and never to give up to work, you know, have that faith and have a faith community that will help them meet their goals. Listen to Barbara Whitemans recollections in full below or click here. Read more Philadelphia Doll Museum Grant will preserve the legacy of Black dolls and the Philadelphia Doll Museum Black memorabilia and dolls Collecting Our History: How Black Memorabilia Shapes the Present Through the Past Black Is Beautiful: Why Black Dolls Matter This Temple doll exhibit separates dolls by race, and reminds us that were all the same Anita Cornwell speaking at the (Chief Justice Warren E.) Burger Roast in 1987 at 5th and Chestnut Streets. Read more Anita Cornwell, 99, the Philadelphia writer who authored the first published collection of essays by an out Black lesbian, has died, her literary executor, Briona Simone Jones, said. Ms. Cornwell was the first Black female writer to publicly identify as a lesbian in print, Jones said, contributing to The Ladder, a lesbian publication, and Negro Digest in the 1950s and later publishing her groundbreaking essay collection, Black Lesbian in White America, in 1983. In those days, when people could be fired for the suspicion they were gay, choosing to write about her lesbian identity as an unmarried, Black, working-class woman, was nothing short of radical. We tend to underestimate how brave and daring and audacious it was to be out unapologetically as a lesbian in the 1970s, in the 1980s, said Julie R. Enszer, editor of Sinister Wisdom, a lesbian literary and arts journal that is republishing Ms. Cornwells work. To put your face on the cover of a book that says lesbian was extraordinarily courageous and meaningful to so many people. Ms. Cornwell died May 27, at Wesley Enhanced Living Center at Stapeley in Germantown, surrounded by the compassionate women who cared for her, Jones said. Advertisement A native of Greenwood, S.C., Ms. Cornwell moved to the Philadelphia area when she was a teenager and attended Temple University to study journalism. She was a prolific writer of essays, poetry, fiction, and journalism, though most of her work was never published. Ms. Cornwell was unsparing in her critiques of heteropatriarchy, white supremacy, and the Jim Crow South, exploring ideas of intersectionality and misogynoir decades before such terms were coined. She conducted interviews and corresponded with other prominent Black lesbian writers: Audre Lorde, Pat Parker, and Barbara Smith. And grief, yearning, and heartbreak coursed through her writing. Perhaps if I had not been so badly scarred from having been born black, poor, and female in the Deep South at a time when all blacks were invisible I might have been more enterprising, she wrote in the essay Three for the Price of One: Notes from a Gay, Black Feminist. Perhaps if I hadnt had to cope with all those battles, fears, phobias, and anxieties continually raging within me, I might have gone to live in Greenwich Village or Paris or Los Angeles or any place except conservative Philadelphia. READ MORE: The day Phillys radical lesbians took on City Hall Though she was well-known within lesbian feminist circles, her work was not widely accessible during the decades she wrote. Her work was rendered invisible because she was a Black lesbian, Jones said. Like thats it, you know? Full stop. Her papers, which are being archived at William Way LGBT Community Centers John J. Wilcox Archives, are filled with rejection letters from publishing houses telling Ms. Cornwell her writing did not fit into the image they were seeking to build, said Ainsley Wynn Eakins, the archivist processing Ms. Cornwells papers. The world just wasnt ready for her yet, Eakins said. She struggled to survive financially, saying in a 1993 interview with historian Marc Stein that she chose apartments in West and North Philadelphia based not on community or neighborhood preferences but on what she could afford. Ms. Cornwell organized with the womens movement (the only movement that I saw that might include me, she told Stein) in Philadelphia and helped found the local chapter of Radicalesbians a group formed in response to the male-dominated Gay Liberation Front in 1971. She helped raise money for women in need, writing a mutual aid newsletter called Funds for Our Sisters, said Wit Lopez, who studied Ms. Cornwells papers as part of a fellowship with Chronicling Resistance. The Philadelphia Gas Works vs. the Elderly Poor, reads one entry, where Ms. Cornwell encourages readers to send money for an 80-year-old woman who lived alone and whose gas was shut off. Ms. Cornwell was not an academic housed at a university, nor was she considered a public intellectual akin to Lorraine Hansberry. And yet, Jones said, we Black intellectuals follow in her particular lineage, whether we know it or not. Ms. Cornwell is survived by her chosen family. An online memorial will be hosted by Jones and Sinister Wisdom on Thursday, Sept, 21 at 7 p.m. Donations in Ms. Cornwells memory can be made on Sinister Wisdom. An in-person memorial will be held at William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m. Capt. Lufkin served in the Navy Nurse Corps for more than two decades. Read more Janice Lufkin, 81, of Abington, retired decorated Navy nurse, former head nurse of the cardiac-care unit at Presbyterian Hospital, award-winning American Red Cross volunteer, and church elder, died Saturday, May 13, of heart failure at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Capt. Lufkin served in the Navy Nurse Corps from 1966 to 1992 and earned a dozen medals, stars, ribbons and citations, including the Meritorious Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. She was the charge nurse of an 18-bed intensive-care unit on the hospital ship USS Repose and spent a year during 1968 and 1969 treating injured soldiers and marines off the coast of South Vietnam. She had later assignments as charge nurse at Philadelphia Naval Hospital and patient care coordinator at Navy medical centers in Portsmouth, Va., and Charleston, S.C. She became director for nursing services at the Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan, in 1986 and held that position later at Navy hospitals in Jacksonville, Fla., and Charleston. I just like helping people in trouble. Capt. Lufkin Her retirement from the Navy was marked by a ceremony on board the museum ship USS Yorktown at Patriots Point in Charleston harbor. She was service-oriented and personable, said her brother David. She accomplished so much, and she was never boastful about it. Earlier at Presbyterian Hospital, now Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Capt. Lufkin worked in the intensive-care unit and became head nurse of a groundbreaking cardiac-care unit in 1963. A tireless volunteer after she left the Navy, Capt. Lufkin returned to her roots in Abington and served with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Region of the American Red Cross. She provided aid at more than 200 disaster sites in Montgomery County, served as the Red Cross liaison with the Eastern Montgomery County Emergency Management Group, and won the EMGs 2017 Ed Momorella Eagle Award for commitment to the emergency services community. Advertisement She also won a 2008 Commemorative Award for service from the Philadelphia chapter of the Red Cross, and the International Committee of the Red Cross gave her a 2011 Florence Nightingale Medal for exceptional courage and devotion to the wounded, sick or disabled or to civilian victims of a conflict or disaster. She was disappointed, she told family and colleagues, that controversy over the Vietnam War resulted in the work and sacrifices of veterans and others being insufficiently acknowledged. She will be deeply missed, her family said in a tribute. Janice Mae Lufkin was born Dec. 18, 1941, in Philadelphia. She grew up in West Oak Lane, moved with her family to Abington when she was 12, and graduated from Abington Senior High School in 1959. Her mother, Betty, was a registered nurse, and Capt. Lufkin earned a nursing diploma at Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in 1962. She joined the Navy Nurse Corps in 1966 as a lieutenant junior grade, earned a bachelors degree in nursing from Boston University School of Nursing in 1978, and was promoted to captain in 1986. READ MORE: Janice Lufkin is finalist for national service award She was a longtime member of Abington Presbyterian Church, served as parish nurse, and was ordained as an elder in 1998. She valued education and history and belonged to the Questers historical preservation and restoration group. She cared for at least a dozen cats over her lifetime and doted most recently on Little Man and Hopi. Her cats were the loves of her life, her brother said. Capt. Lufkin supported Boston University, the Salvation Army, National Museum of the Surface Navy, National Museum of the U.S. Navy, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In 2011, she was one of 20 finalists for a Citizen Service-Before-Self Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. I was absolutely astonished when I got the call, she told The Inquirer in 2011. It mattered not to her that she did not win. I love what Im doing, Capt. Lufkin said. Im not doing it for any awards. I just like helping people in trouble. In addition to her brother, Capt. Lufkin is survived by other relatives. A memorial service is to be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 20, at Abington Presbyterian Church, 1082 Old York Rd., Abington, Pa. 19001. A reception is to follow. Interment and military honors are to be later at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Donations in her name may be made to the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region, Philadelphia Chapter, 2221 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103. Andrea Robinson sits inside the United Church of the First Born in North Philadelphia before the start of an anti-violence event on May 27. Read more Andrea Robinson is brutally honest about the person responsible for helping lead her son to the streets that eventually cost him his life: her. When Robinsons son, Jermaine, was gunned down in April 2021 at age 29, it was the bleak culmination of a life lived on the edge. He got kicked out of school for assaulting a teacher. He stole his grandmothers gun. He lied incessantly moments all, Robinson recognizes now, that essentially followed in her footsteps. I planted all the seeds, she said. Advertisement Ive shared many stories of victims of gun violence, but none of them has been quite like that of Robinson, a 47-year-old transportation driver, who not only acknowledges her position as a negative role model but has now made it her personal mission to make sure others do not become the same thing. Robinson, a mother of five, loved her son, Jermaine. Shes mourned her firstborn every day since he was shot multiple times on the 3500 block of Emerald Street two springs ago. But to deny her part in the path he took, she said, would be to perpetuate the kind of lie that too many people tell themselves. By the time I met Robinson at the United Church of the First Born near 25th Street and Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia one recent Saturday afternoon, I knew not to look for her sons image among the dozen or so photographs of shooting victims that were on display inside. The church, where a quarter of the parishioners have lost a loved one to gun violence including the lead pastor, whose son was killed in November was hosting a roundtable discussion on the citys gun violence crisis. Robinson was one of the panelists, but it was a viral video of Robinson speaking at another anti-violence event a month earlier that sent me in search of her. That day, Robinson did not speak of what she lost, but of what her son may have taken from others maybe even from some of those in that very crowd who were hanging on her every word before he was killed. I refuse to post my son, she said, referring to putting his image on social media sites or other forums. I refuse to put up a poster, a picture, or wear a shirt with his face on it. My son was a trap boy a drug dealer and I used to go to the drug blocks and chase him away. I gave birth to him, she said. But the streets raised him. To display his photo as even an honorary gesture, she told me at the church, would not just be dishonest but potentially dangerous. After all, there are some in the neighborhood who still might nurse a grudge with Robinsons family despite Jermaines death. His friends insist her sons nickname Shooter referred to his rapping talents. But Robinson said she knows better, just as she knows that she must answer for her part in her sons choices. Robinson grew up with her mom and older sister in North Philadelphia. She regularly attended school and church. But when she got pregnant with Jermaine at 15, she fell away from both and into a life in the streets with the father of her two oldest children. She drove around in johnnies stolen cars. She wore clothes and jewelry that had been shoplifted. All the while, she told her children, Do as I say, not as I do. Her life was a messy tangle of contradictions. My kids seen all of that, she said. And, at the end of the day, the lessons that stuck most with Jermaine involved what he saw, not what she said. By the time Robinson started turning her life around and tried to pull her son back with her, he was spiraling away from her on a downward trajectory that could not be reversed. After the age of 11, the longest Jermaine stayed out of the criminal justice system was the two years before his death. But he never served much time for drug and gun charges. After Jermaine could no longer convince his mother to believe his lies, he exploited a legal system that Robinson said often just slapped him on the wrist. As we spoke, I couldnt help but wonder what some might take away from her story. Whenever I write about gun violence, there are always those who insist on putting the blame on victims or the victims families. They trot out the myth of Black-on-Black criminality, despite white people committing crimes against other white people at about the same rate that Black people do against other Black people. The reality is that the vast majority of most crimes are committed by a person of the same race as the victim. I shared my concerns with Robinson, who recently self-published Mothers of Trapboys: This is Our Story, and asked her if she ever worried that some might use her story to lean on all those tired stereotypes about African Americans and crime. Hers is an uncomfortable story, she acknowledged, an uncomfortable truth. But in order to hold herself accountable, Robinson said she could no more fear the judgments of others than she could control those who choose to use her story to fit their own preconceived notions of Black Americans. At a time when so many people in our city the police, prosecutors, far too many politicians are running away from taking any responsibility for their role in Philadelphias gun crisis, Robinson has leaned into hers. She planted the seeds, and her heart broke as she watched them be sown. That sense of personal accountability, more than anything else, may be the most important takeaway from Robinsons journey. It may also be the missing element in the often incomplete stories we keep telling ourselves, and each other, about our shared responsibility for whats killing our city. Philadelphia City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier speaking during a news conference in September 2022. She is leading an effort to invest millions more in city dollars to address quality-of-life issues like illegal dumping and street safety. Read more Nearly every member of Philadelphia City Council last week backed a plan to invest an additional $72 million for the city to combat quality-of-life issues, a proposal that could become a key tenet of budget negotiations taking place this month. City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, who represents West Philadelphias Third District, authored the budget amendment, which includes funding to improve code enforcement, secure abandoned lots, and address illegal dumping. The largest chunk of money is $37 million to improve traffic safety, specifically around schools and day cares. These are not extras or a cherry on top, Gauthier said in an interview. These are core, basic services that the city should be able to provide well to keep neighborhoods feeling and looking good, and to let residents know that we care. Gauthier said every Council member signed a letter to Council President Darrell L. Clarke in support of the proposal. Clarke is in the midst of negotiations with both members and Mayor Jim Kenneys administration, and the parties must hammer out a budget agreement by the end of the month, when the current budget expires. Advertisement In March, Kenney proposed a $6.1 billion budget that Council leaders predicted would sail through the legislative process. It is Kenneys final budget before he leaves office in January at the end of his second term. Philadelphia mayors are limited to two terms. Democrat Cherelle Parker and Republican David Oh, both former Council members, are running to replace him. Parker, who made cleaning and greening the city a key part of her primary campaign, is heavily favored to win given Philadelphias strongly Democratic electorate. This season is also the final budget process that will be steered by Clarke, a mainstay in City Hall for decades who is retiring at the end of the term. Several members jockeying to replace him may see the budget agreement as a way to flex their muscle or test their political influence. READ MORE: Last year's budget committed millions to combat quality-of-life issues, but critics said it was not enough Kenneys proposal included some additional investments in quality-of-life issues and improving the delivery of bread-and-butter city services. It calls for a $2.5 million infusion to expand street sweeping and a $4 million line item to create an additional crew to clean up sites plagued by illegal dumping. Councils proposal goes further. Gauthier is asking the city to commit nearly $9 million more to address illegal dumping, an amount she says could fund six additional crews. The proposal also includes: More than $10 million in funding to clean and secure vacant lots, both those that are privately and publicly owned. More than $10 million to improve code enforcement by increasing salaries and hiring more building inspectors, as well as adding 100 additional vehicles to the citys fleet. Nearly $1 million to expand the Law Departments code enforcement initiative, specifically to hold illegal dumpers accountable in court. A spokesperson for Kenneys administration did not respond to a request for comment. Gauthier, a progressive poised to win a second term on Council this November, said she sees the investments as an antiviolence initiative, saying blight and nuisance businesses attract crime. She said its particularly unacceptable that blighted properties across the city are owned by the municipal government. This is the second year Gauthier has led the charge for new investments to address quality-of-life issues. Last year, her campaign called #JustServicesPHL resulted in millions of new funding to remove abandoned cars, fix broken streetlights, and crack down on illegal dumping. But critics said it was not enough to combat what they see as an uneven delivery of services that disproportionately affects communities of color. Weve seen some improvements, Gauthier said, but we know that much more needs to happen. Professional painters, such as those at CertaPro Painters, can help homeowners choose paint colors and shades if they're unsure. Read more For homeowners looking for a spring refresh, new coats of paint can change the whole look and feel of a home. And painting can be an affordable way to transform living spaces, especially if homeowners can do the work themselves. Alex Lewis, a residential specialist for the Montgomery County-based CertaPro Painters, shared some tips for homeowners those painting on their own and those looking to hire help. How often should homeowners think about repainting? That typically depends on wear and tear. Inside a home, a household with young children can expect more scuffs and dings to walls than a household without children. Advertisement On exteriors, the south and the west sides age more quickly than the other sides. Just because they get more sun and weather exposure, Lewis said. READ MORE: Modern Chestnut Hill home features bold colors Paint might still look fresh after 12 years or not look great after three. CertaPro Painters recommends people get their homes power washed every year or so to make exterior paint jobs last. Switching up a space with paint During the pandemic, especially, homeowners desire to switch things up in their living spaces meant a lot of people turned to paint, Lewis said. Because everybody was sitting there looking at their walls and going, Man, Ive had it this way for so long, and we liked it, but its time for a change. READ MORE: Martha Stewart: Your brush with fate: Paint like a pro Moods shift. Uses for rooms change. Parents may want a home that looks completely different after their children leave. The lifestyle of the client really is a big influence, Lewis said. What we do is very personal. The limitation of paint colors Dark colors can make a space feel cozier, and light colors can brighten a room and make it feel larger. But theres only so much that paint can do. A common mistake homeowners make is failing to consider the importance of lighting. Weve had projects where we completed the project and the color looked off, and it was because of the lightbulbs, Lewis said. And we changed the lightbulbs, and it fixed the issue. A room painted white without good lighting will still be dark. READ MORE: Urban Outfitters adds new paint options to its home section Choosing from a rainbow of paint colors In the 1990s and early 2000s, everyone was using beige and tan, Lewis said. And then gray started gaining popularity. Shades of gray and white are still the most popular interior paint colors for property owners. Theyre influenced by interior designers as well as social media and Pinterest, he said. Homeowners have been playing with color on their cabinets, going for colors such as dark navy or dark green. And that looks pretty neat in a house where everything else is white. Really stands out. READ MORE: Make your DIY paint job look professional with this expert advice Exterior colors have always been pretty wide-ranging, he said. We still paint red houses. We still paint blue. We still paint obviously gray as well. Its common to still paint exteriors really any color. Lewis said hes been painting a lot of brick, which is usually white. If you live in a historic neighborhood, we would recommend you use historic colors. There are specified historic colors to stay with the style of the home. READ MORE: Brushing up on exterior colors People often feel overwhelmed by the idea of picking paint colors. If someone says they have no idea, and I say, OK, well, how about red? Oh no, we dont want red. OK, how about orange? No, heavens. So you kinda just go down the rainbow, Lewis said. And they know a little bit more about what they dont want, and that helps narrow it down to what they do want. Relying on paint swatches is a common mistake Most homeowners dont sample enough, depending instead on holding small paint swatches up to their walls. To see the true color, you really need to get samples, Lewis said. People tend to underestimate shades, especially how bright a color will be on their walls. They realize only once the paint is applied to a wall. This especially happens in childrens rooms where a kid often will pick a really bright color. Weigh the costs and benefits of DIY painting Because costs vary widely based on factors such as the size and difficulty of projects, Lewis declined to give general cost guidelines for paint jobs. Workers at CertaPro Painters price jobs after seeing them. Homeowners will pay less if they paint themselves. But they should weigh the pros and cons. Dont try to bite off more than you can chew, Lewis said. If youre gonna paint one room, Id try it. See how you like it. He estimates that a homeowner takes about three times as long as a professional to paint. READ MORE: A primer on house painting go pro, or no? Sometimes it becomes quite a mess, its not looking very crisp. So when theyre in that situation where its taking them a lot longer than expected and it doesnt look the way they wanted, they usually call for help. Sometimes homeowners use the wrong products, tools, or techniques. If paint isnt applied correctly or at the correct thickness, colors wont look right. The paint could peel. The paint could bubble, blister, not cover. You might be able to see the roller marks, Lewis said. Theres a lot of variables that go into what we do. And I think thats way underestimated. READ MORE: New Jersey makes $38 million available to address lead paint in homes And using chemicals and going up on ladders can be dangerous, so he urges people to be careful. There are a lot of older homes in the Philadelphia region, so homeowners also have to watch out for lead in old paint, which can cause health problems and which professionals test for. Homeowners can meet with professional painters for consultations about their specific projects. We can help them decide if they want to do it or hire us or someone else, Lewis said. Policies put in place to ensure our ability to park easily anywhere and everywhere have quietly and profoundly shaped almost every element of the human landscape, contends author Henry Grabar. Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World featured recently on Fresh Air With Terry Gross and in the New Yorker takes a deep dive into how the United States has allowed its obsession with storing automobiles to undercut walkable communities, affordable housing, and the fight against climate change. But Paved Paradise is not a screed against cars or driving. Instead Grabar analyzes how midcentury American ideas about parking policy and design have warped priorities and made it harder to build communities that allow us to do anything other than drive. This interview with Grabar has been edited for concision and clarity. Since the 1950s, America has been designed to accommodate convenient, available, and free parking a combination expected for no other good. How has that affected how we live? There are two big consequences: More parking incentivizes more driving. More parking creates urban environments where its difficult to walk, bike, or use transit. Theres a study of Philadelphia that looks at different types of grocery stores. It turns out that even if the stores have the same amount of parking, if the parking is located behind the store instead of in front so the store door comes right up to the sidewalk more people will walk to the store, and fewer people will drive. Advertisement READ MORE: Philadelphia has 2,172,896 parking spaces. So how come youre still circling the block? That shows the extent to which people will read an environment full of parking as one where they should drive. Then theres parkings effect on housing, which is that it makes it impossible to build many of the traditional beloved typologies that characterize old American cities. [Parking] is not only expensive to build, but it also takes up a lot of space and makes it impossible to build your classic Philadelphia rowhouse. Society Hill with parking requirements? Forget about it. Many Philadelphia politicians see robust parking requirements as a way to protect constituents from the effects of new development. What has happened in cities that abolished those kinds of laws? In the last five years, city after city and even some states have begun to revisit these rules. Were starting to see what happens when developers have a choice. They dont always just tell tenants to figure it out and park on the street, which is what many neighbors fear. That does happen sometimes. But it turns out most of the time developers still build parking. But they often build less than the law would have stipulated, which makes sense because most residential garages are rarely full, and in fact, they are often significantly overbuilt. You highlight some ways the pandemic helped people think differently about parking, such as using street space for outdoor dining. But Philadelphia has undone many of those changes, even as transit use is way down. So that may have been a hopeful trend two years ago, but what about today? Ive seen a lot of the retrenchment youre talking about in a lot of places. But I do think that during the pandemic people at least got the idea that this space does not need to be used for parking. Drivers have successfully clawed back that public space, but I think the realization that something else could happen there is still in the imagination of lots of people who didnt have it there before. With respect to transit, this is a point where I feel extremely pessimistic. Most American transit systems are designed to serve the needs of downtown office workers. When they disappear, your transit system suffers. When the trips downtown get replaced by trips between neighborhoods people going shopping, to a restaurant, to the gym the transit system does not serve those trips well. Transit systems are not designed to make it possible to live without a car. Theyre designed to reinforce land values downtown and permit a density of jobs and people without being choked by traffic. Transit agencies need to rethink their mission as being about helping people live without cars rather than trying to reinforce downtown centrality in the metro area. Thats a matter of both thinking spatially about where the trains and buses go, but also when they run. Anybody whos tried to take transit on Saturday or Sunday, knows that its much, much less convenient than it is at 9 a.m. or 5 p.m. on a weekday. You write that reducing parking availability or raising the price increasingly falls on the backs of working-class people. As some inner-city neighborhoods become more highly valued largely because they are walkable that means lower-income people are pushed to places where they have to drive. How do you mitigate that? We have a severe shortage of housing in this country, and by restricting who can live in the city, or in a suburb, we push those people into houses that are further and further away with less access to jobs and amenities where they have to drive more and more. That, in turn, produces more carbon and more pollution and places more and more demand on our fossil fuel needs. So there is this larger imperative to make it possible for more people to live in cities. At a certain point, it becomes a political decision. For a long time, we have let the right to park supersede the right to live someplace. Whats more important? And a positive cycle can be unlocked as an area gets denser. A denser neighborhood will support more jobs. It will support more amenities and more shops and more restaurants. All the things that people drive to now, in a city thats denser and more populous, they will become closer and easier to access without a car. What does that look like in Philadelphia, which has a very different income mix from other more walkable American cities? Philadelphia is unusual in that it is the poorest large city in the United States. Theres a more convincing argument there to be made for some sort of equity consideration about how the people who have been parking on the street for a long time deserve some kind of protection from encroachment from new neighbors. That whole argument looks totally different when youre in a place like lower Manhattan or San Francisco, and people make exactly the same argument except they just have so much money and so much money locked up in their real estate assets. Maybe that means that in San Francisco, and in New York, you just tell those existing residents to shove it. But in Philadelphia, you accommodate them by making sure that they dont feel like theyre being priced out of their neighborhood and making sure they have access to parking going forward. How would that work? One thing you could do is issue parking permits to those people and grandfather them in. You essentially say, this parking belongs to you, you have a right to it, and even perhaps your permit to the space is a tradable asset. Some new resident who moves into the neighborhood who isnt permitted to park on the street might be able to buy that from you one day. And so not only are you guaranteed to still have a spot on the street, but you have an investment in the neighborhood filling up and becoming a busier and more lively destination. You could only sell enough permits so that no block was ever more than 80% sold or no neighborhood was ever more than 80% sold. You sold enough permits that you would make sure it was going to be pretty easy for the people who live there to park. Its not that complicated. You just say: Do you live in this neighborhood? Were gonna sell X number of permits for X amount of money. Come and get em. And then you stop selling them. Other AI issues raised by the review include: Whether insurers should be required under the Code to tell repairers that an assessment or estimation has been carried out by AI and the rights smash repairers have to dispute assessments and estimations made using AI, and whether these are the same as their rights under the current code. Cavanough said two schoolteachers one of whom was a lawyer recognised his potential during legal studies in high school and nudged him towards his career path. He said the law was attractive because there were thousands of different ways to achieve the result a client wants, as opposed to, say, mathematics, where there was always only one correct answer. I don't even know who our BDMs are most of the time. And what they can actually do for us is nothing apart from pass queries on to other people, a broker told Insurance Business Australia (IB). At Duck Creek, we're proud of our close partnerships with our customers and the support we can offer. The fact that most of our employees have worked at, or for, an insurer means we deeply appreciate of what our customers are going through and what they're trying to achieve. Anna's diverse insurance experience and her fresh perspective will allow us to strengthen these relationships even further, Sethu said. We need to earn our stripes here, so it helps having someone local who understands the nuances of the New Zealand market and can offer our strong proposition to the market, said Walker. Cyber insurance uptake is in its infancy in New Zealand but gaining momentum. The first step is making sure insurers can charge rates that reflect the increasing risk of loss, said Mark Sektnan, APCIAs vice president for state government relations. The California Department of Insurance is working on this. Next, we need to allow admitted insurers to include the cost of reinsurance in their rates and use forward-looking probabilistic models to accurately assess future risk. Finally, we all have one common goal: mitigate properties and reduce the risk. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Consistency within cyber insurance policies is something the industry has been grappling with for nearly a decade, according to speakers at the annual RIMS Riskworld conference, held this year in Atlanta, but the industry is beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I cant underscore enough how much better the cyber marketplace has gotten in that regard, said William Bennett, partner at Saxe Doernberger & Vita. There are still policies with two insuring agreements and policies with 25 agreements and 400 definitions, but at least now they largely get to the same place. Bennett spoke during a session about cyber coverage responses to the current global risk climate. Thomas Francavilla, director of insurance programs at Stratus Risk Associates, spoke during the sesssion, as well. He pointed to an example of an exercise the Stratus team recently did with a broker client that is 51% owned by a banking group. The company was transitioning away from having standalone cyber policies in place for each broker in favor of one parent-owned cyber policy. Every single one of them the brokers had their opinions about why the cyber form that they had already was the best one and why thats the one the parent should use, he said. Francavilla said his team worked on putting together a side-by-side comparison of all nine standalone forms in order to find the best solution. It really did range from literally policies with one first-party insuring agreement, one third-party insuring agreement and then excluding stuff out, and two policies with 25 insuring agreements and definitions within definitions that only exist with the purpose of defining other definitions, he said. At the end of the exercise, however, Francavilla said his team found it difficult to make a recommendation to the client about the best form to use. Almost all of them were missing something the other forms had, but they were all also almost entirely overlapping, he said. If we had done that exercise 10 years ago, it just simply wouldnt have been true, not at all. So, from the risk managers perspective, now were in a much better place in terms of what youre getting. There are still things here and there that you can do to improve the policy, but its a lot more consistent. This consistency is serving the industry well, particularly when it comes to silent cyber, both panelists agreed. Bennett defined silent cyber as the idea that theres still some cyber coverage lurking out there in other policies that arent cyber policies. He pointed to Merck & Co.s NotPetya case as an example of the need for clarity in terms of exclusionary language and definitions within policies. Insurance Journal reported in May that the appellate division of New Jersey Superior Court upheld a state trial court opinion that the war exclusion in drugmaker Merck & Co.s all-risk property insurance policies does not apply in the case of the cyber attack the company suffered in 2017. The appeals court affirmed that insurers could not use the policy exclusion to avoid covering about $1.4 billion in damages Merck said it suffered from a spring 2017 cyber attack known as NotPetya. Again, clarity is great, Bennett said. Those situations involve ambiguous exclusions, and that one was great to the lawyers, right? Billions and millions of dollars were spent litigating those property claims. In addition to clear exclusionary language, Bennett emphasized the importance of ensuring different lines of coverage fit together. You want to make sure that when youre losing [coverage] in one place, you do still have it in that other place, he said. Francavilla agreed. Our approach to all of our clients is generally to make sure that your policies are working together, you know, to make sure you have coverage in the appropriate place, he said. The conversation about silent cyber points to another challenge for organizations: gaining access to the right cyber coverage in the first place. As cyber policies adapt to the evolving risk landscape, insureds will need to evolve as well, both speakers agreed. To get coverage, you have to be a cyber secure organization, generally speaking, Francavilla said. Cybersecurity is continuously evolving, and the bad actors are moving quickly. Theyre very innovative in finding new ways to breach systems, whether its through something as simple as a phishing attack or whether its something as complex as a state-sponsored situation. Think Like a Tech Company Francavilla said this means that every company needs to fundamentally be thinking like a technology company. Whether thats your internal systems, whether thats an internal network, whether that is a client-facing system that gathers data, or even just how you internally handle your files theres an email address, theres a computer server, theres a client-facing application that is at risk. He said its important for companies to have a chief information security officer and retain consultants to perform 24-hour monitoring of systems, as well as establish backups in case systems are disconnected from the network, ensure multi-factor authentication is in place, and offer robust training for employees. Make sure that if you have a company with lots of employees that access your systems, that theyre being tested, and its not always the younger or less experienced employees that youre worrying about in a situation like that, he said. Some of our clients actually have noticed that the more senior executives tend to fall for the phishing attacks far more frequently than the younger employees. Younger employees tend to have the benefit of growing up with the technology and being a little bit more naturally suspicious. He said at Stratus, his team was recently put to the test when they received a fake phishing email from Francavilla. Our security folks found ways to integrate with the Microsoft Active directory and to send out those test emails using my name very official. And all of [my team members] called [me], which I thought was a very positive response, he said. Thats something that carriers are going to be looking at, you know what is your testing and training regimen? Becoming a Better Risk In addition to training regimens, Francavilla said its important for companies to establish a business continuity policy that is also being tested. This can help companies understand how to respond if an attack does occur. Becoming a better risk for an insurance company will make you are a more secure company, he said. Despite any changes that have occurred within cyber insurance policies, more changes are likely on the horizon, the speakers said. Artificial intelligence is just one way the industry could be kept on its toes, according to Bennett. Its just the next of many, many ways that the market will have had to react and adapt, he said. Certainly at the moment, it seems like itll be one of the most significant. He said that although he expects insurance policies to address AI in the future, its still too early to make predictions with any certainty as to how policies will need to change. Anything thats been written so far would be nothing but speculation, he said. I would have to believe that within the next year of renewals, there will be something in that policy somewhere that addresses [AI], but its really hard to say at this point. Francavilla added that while he has seen questions on applications that are starting to touch on AI, nothing significant has come across his radar just yet. I think, you know, the fundamentals dont change, right? he said. The fundamental [questions] of: How is it being implemented? Where is the technology actually being housed? How is the access to that technology being monitored? I think some of the fundamentals around that dont change. Its the nuance of whats coming out of that AI and how its being utilized in the business. That said, RIMS attendees could see more AI topics on the agenda next year, Bennett said. Ill try to find another catchy presentation title, he joked. Ask us about it again next year. Topics Cyber New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A fire that burned down a 160-year-old Massachusetts church was likely started by a lightning strike, a fire chief said. The First Congregational Church in Spencer caught fire Friday afternoon, when a storm was moving through the area. Video showed the steeple falling as the building was engulfed in flames. Spencer Fire Chief Robert Parsons said in an email Saturday that lightning likely started the fire. He said the building was a total loss. No injuries were reported in the fire, which drew nearly 100 firefighters from close to 20 departments. There has been a church in the area since the 1700s. A church on the site was lost to fire in 1862. Spencer, in central Massachusetts, is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Worcester. Topics Massachusetts Church New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Connecticut lawmakers voted Friday to take steps to protect people from the states growing bear population. But they stopped far short of a bear hunt and restrictions on people unintentionally feeding the hungry animals. The legislation, which cleared the House of Representatives on a 115-32 vote after being revamped by the Senate, instead explicitly allows someone to use deadly force to kill a bear in Connecticut if they reasonably believe its inflicting or about to inflict great bodily harm to a person, a pet or is entering an occupied building. This is just taking away second-guessing to defend what we love, said Republican Rep. Patrick Callahan, whose northwestern Connecticut district has seen a lot of bear activity in recent years. The bill, which now moves to Democratic Gov. Ned Lamonts desk, has been one of the most emotional issues of this years legislative session. It has pitted legislators who want to protect the animals against those whose constituents are afraid to let their children play in their yards. Reports of bears interacting with humans have become commonplace in Connecticut. Last month, a hungry black bear barged into the garage of a bakery in the suburban community of Avon, scared several employees and helped itself to 60 cupcakes before ambling away. The intrusion was caught on surveillance tape. A 74-year-old woman suffered bites to her arms and legs in April when she was attacked by a bear while walking her dog in a Hartford suburb, the first such attack this year. There were two attacks last year, including one in October where a 10-year-old boy was mauled in a backyard. DEEP Estimates The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), which estimates there are 1,000 to 1,200 bears in the state, has advocated for a limited bear hunt. That idea, however, has been very controversial and was removed from the bill in March. According to DEEP, bears entered residential homes 67 times in 2022, eclipsing the previous record of 45 home invasions. The agency said bears entered homes in Connecticut less than 10 times annually just seven years ago. Under the bill headed to the governor, the state agency can issue nuisance wildlife permits to kill certain wildlife, including bears, that threaten or cause damage to agricultural crops, livestock and apiaries a concept supported by many of the states farmers. In order to obtain a permit, the landowner must prove they have made nonlethal attempts, such as electric fencing, to thwart the bears. Connecticut Couple Can No Longer Bear Wild Animal Snapping Photos on Their Property Some critics of the bill expressed concern that people might take advantage of these permits, arguing the legislation could be abused. The bill also prohibits people from intentionally feeding potentially dangerous animals, including bears, on private land, making the violation an infraction. Originally, it included restrictions on unintentionally feeding the bears, such as leaving trash accessible and hanging birdfeeders, but that was stripped in the Senate, to the dismay of some House members. Democratic Rep. Mary Mushinsky said Connecticut needs a Bear Smart program to teach residents how to safely coexist with bears, like what is in place in other states. Remember, we have unfinished business to make our state a Bear Smart state, she told her colleagues. She and other lawmakers predicted the issue will come up again next year. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Connecticut Russias main security service accused a US intelligence agency of hacking several thousand iPhones, including devices belonging to Russian nationals and others linked to diplomatic missions and embassies in the country. The statement from Russias Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, was scant on details and didnt identify which US intelligence agency was behind the alleged attacks. The Russian security agency claimed that Apple Inc., the maker of iPhone, works closely with US intelligence, particularly the National Security Agency. The attacks were linked to SIM cards registered with Russia-based diplomats for NATO countries, Israel and China, according to the statement. A spokesperson for Apple didnt comment on whether any Russian iPhones were breached. But the spokesperson said the company hadnt helped any government breach iPhones, as the FSB suggested, and never will. Apple halted product sales in Russia following that countrys invasion of Ukraine, but iPhones are still widely available via parallel import schemes. Beware of Zero-Click Hacks That Exploit Security Flaws in Phones Operating Systems A representative for the NSA declined to comment. Spokespeople for the Chinese and Israeli embassies in Washington didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Separately, the Moscow-based cybersecurity company Kaspersky published a blog post saying iPhones belonging to several dozen of its employees had been hacked, and it included technical details of how the operation allegedly worked. The hack went undetected for years, according to the timeline on the blog post. Kaspersky didnt identify who it believed was behind the attack, which it described as a extremely complex, professional targeted cyberattack. In an email, a Kaspersky spokesman said the hacking campaign was discovered at the beginning of the year. Russian authorities have indicated the attacks are linked, he said, and a Kaspersky employee tweeted that the FSBs and Kasperskys statements were related. Kaspersky said the spyware worked on an older version of Apples operating system. It wasnt possible to confirm the allegations, which were made at a time of exceptionally fraught relations between the US and Russia over the ongoing war in Ukraine. The US is providing Ukraine with intelligence support and military hardware but is at pains to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia. In addition, just last month, the US Department of Justice announced that it had disrupted a years-long hacking campaign carried out by an infamous FSB unit called Turla. The malware, called Snake, allegedly impacted over 50 countries and was used by Russian hackers for more than 20 years, according to the US authorities. The US government banned the use of Kaspersky software from federal systems in 2017, citing espionage fears, and last year, the US Federal Communications Commission placed the Russian firm on a list of companies whose equipment and services have been deemed a national security threat. Following Russias invasion of Ukraine last year, Rob Joyce, the NSAs director of cybersecurity, told Bloomberg News he was very worried about US companies using Kaspersky antivirus products, saying it was ill-advised with this global situation. Cybersecurity experts who reviewed the Kaspersky blog said the hackers appeared to use advanced techniques to breach iPhones, but they added that more information was needed to know definitively. The sophistication of these attacks narrows it down to just a handful of the worlds most powerful players in the offensive space, and I have a feeling that we will know more about the origin as soon as Apple starts to notify the victims, said Zack Ganot, chief executive officer of Israel-based Sunday Security, who reviewed Kasperkys findings. The hackers infiltrated the devices by sending a malicious attachment via iMessage, according to Kaspersky. A user isnt required to click on anything in order for the hack to work, known as a zero-click attack. The method is considered the gold standard for hackers breaking into computers or mobile devices and is sold by commercial surveillance companies, including Israels NSO Group. Kaspersky, arguably one of the best exploit detection companies in the world, was potentially hacked via an iOS zero-day for five years and only now discovered it, said Patrick Wardle, the founder of the Objective-See Foundation, a nonprofit specializing in Apple security tools and a former NSA employee. It would be super risky to go after Kaspersky, basically youd have to assume eventually youd get caught, he said. The US government and US-based cybersecurity companies often detail the inner workings of alleged hacking operations by foreign actors, particularly those based in Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. But it is unusual for those countries to provide technical details of alleged US hacking campaigns. In the blog post, CEO Eugene Kaspersky said the spyware, dubbed triangulation, transmits private information to remote servers: microphone recordings, photos from instant messengers, geolocation and data about a number of other activities. The threat from the attack at the company had been neutralized, he said. Photograph: People use their smart phones on Broadway in downtown New York, New York, U.S., on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Photo credit: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg Copyright 2023 Bloomberg. Topics Cyber USA Russia New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! The U.S. auto safety regulator routinely fails to meet its internal timelines for completing auto safety defect investigations, a government report released on Thursday found, hindering its ability to quickly respond to severe safety risks. The Transportation Departments Office of Inspector General said that 26 of 27 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigations in its 2018 to 2019 sample did not meet the agencys timeliness targets, and faulted other aspects of its review of safety defects. The report found NHTSAs efforts, including its leadership holding regular investigation reviews and trying to tighten timelines, had not resulted in timely defect investigations. The lack of timeliness in completing investigations limits NHTSAs ability to respond to rapidly evolving or severe risks to vehicle safety as well as the agencys public accountability, the report added. NHTSA defect investigations are required before the agency can seek to compel an automaker to conduct a recall of vehicles that pose serious safety risks. NHTSA has a 120-day target for completing preliminary evaluations and a one-year target to complete engineering analyzes. The report, in its sample of some 2018 and 2019 NHTSA investigations, found preliminary evaluations spent 617 days open on average while engineering analyzes were on average open for 1,001 days. Deputy NHTSA Administrator Sophie Shulman said in response to the report that simply because the agency exceeded internal timelines that did not demonstrate that its safety interventions were insufficient. We do not wait until an investigation is closed to hold a manufacturer accountable for fixing a safety defect, she said. The report said NHTSA Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) staff complained about limited resources, being overwhelmed by an unprecedented increase in correspondence, managements decision making, approval processes, documentation reviews and the agencys interaction with manufacturers. NHTSA wants 26 additional ODI employees to identify and investigate potential safety defects and manage recalls, the report said. The report also faulted NHTSAs reliance upon aging, decentralized databases and said a lack of consistent compliance with its issue escalation processes increased the potential for delays in investigating and mitigating important safety issues. NHTSA said in response it had already taken actions that fully implement half of the reports recommendations. President Joe Biden on Tuesday withdrew the nomination of the acting head of NHTSA to take the top job on a permanent basis. For much of the last six years, NHTSA has been without a Senate-confirmed administrator. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A former Aflac Insurance employee, described as the leader of a fraud ring in Georgia, has been charged in connection with submitting dozens of false claims to the supplemental insurance provider. Amber Miles, 32, filed 52 claims and submitted three dozen forged documents, for medical treatment, to Aflac, and collected more than $21,000, from 2018 to 2021, according to Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Kings office. The office said that Miles used her knowledge of AFLACs process and system to manage the alleged fraud. Three others, Ashley Simmons, Shermekia Owens and Tyria King, submitted some 19 fraudulent claims and were paid $18,000, King said in a bulletin. All four women were booked into the Muscogee County jail, Kings office said. The alleged fraud came to light when Aflac officials discovered the former employee was turning in fraudulent claims and reported her to the Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, said Weston Burleson, director of communications for the office. Topics Fraud Georgia New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! An Alabama federal judge has sentenced the man who admits being the leader of a scheme to set fires to Walmart stores along the Gulf Coast to 18 years in prison double the recommended sentence. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors had recommended a nine-year sentence for Jeffery Sikes, which was the high end of the sentencing guideline range. But U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer said Tuesday he believed those guidelines did not capture the full extent of the defendants criminal conduct, WALA-TV reported. This guideline, as applied, in my opinion, is woefully inadequate for the crime, the judge said. In addition, Moorer ordered Sikes and his co-conspirators to pay nearly $7.3 million to Walmart in compensation for the damage incurred in the fires at stores in Alabama and Mississippi. After his prison term is completed, Sikes will be on probation for three years. Others involved in the fires will be sentenced later. Sikes pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to maliciously destroy by fire. He admitted to directing the creation of a document called the Declaration of War and Demands for the People. Several local media organizations received the manifesto, which outlined grievances against Walmart related to pay, benefits and working conditions and threatened continued arsons if the demands were not met. Sikes told the judge that he deserves whatever punishment he gets, but he urged Moorer to spare his co-defendants. These guys had nothing to do with it, he said. Quite honestly, they fought me on it. I was the mastermind. I was the leader. I take full responsibility. Moorer said he was glad to hear Sikes say the things that he did. But I dont really give you credit for that, inasmuch, as what you just said is just the truth, he said. The judge recited a long list of factors leading to his conclusion that this case was outside the heartland of the guidelines. He noted that there was not just one fire, but four. Moorer also said the defendants text messages demonstrate a callous disregard for what you did at the time you did it. Furthermore, the judge said the guidelines do not adequately capture the defendants political motivation, his participation in shoplifting schemes to raise money or his attempt to intimidate the media into publishing his manifesto. Sikes is described as a federal fugitive who disappeared from Kearney, Nebraska, before a 2018 sentencing hearing for wire fraud. He was using the alias Kenneth Allen while living in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The indictment said Sean Bottorff, who is Sikes brother-in-law, also disappeared from Kearney at the same time, along with his wife and an unrelated adult female who pleaded last year to a conspiracy charge. Defense attorney Tom Walsh said outside the courthouse that despite the higher sentence, there are still issues that can be raised on appeal. Its certainly disappointing, he said of the judges decision. At some point, Sikes will be returned to Nebraska to face sentencing for the fraud conviction that prompted him to flee in 2018. Walsh said his client most likely will have to serve that sentence after the one handed down in Mobile. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Alabama New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A Kentucky farmer and his sister-in-law have pleaded guilty to a multi-year scheme to defraud the Federal Crop Insurance Corp. and companies the FCIC reinsures. ARMTech Insurance Services, now part of AgriSompo North America, paid out on some of the policies. James McDonald and Cheryl Lynn Noble entered pleas last month and will face sentencing Sept. 7. The two may have agreed to testify against Nobles brother, Randall Taulbee, also a farmer in Kentucky. Taulbee has pleaded not guilty to the $700,000 fraud scheme and his trial in federal court in Lexington is set to begin June 26, according to court documents. From 2013 to 2017, McDonald worked with Taulbee, and at times an insurance agent, to falsify crop insurance policies in his and Taulbees names reads McDonalds plea agreement. The insurance agent was not named in court papers. The fraud, part of a widespread tobacco-crop scheme in central Kentucky in recent years, worked like this, according to prosecutors and the indictment: Taulbee and McDonald owned and rented farmland and obtained crop insurance on tobacco and corn, starting in 2009. In 2013, Taulbee certified that he was a new producer, which allowed greater insurance benefits. Over the next two years, he overreported the acreage he had insured, and submitted false records on supplies. In 2014 to 2016, McDonald overreported the tobacco acreage on his farmland, falsely claimed hail damage, and submitted false records on purchased farm supplies, the indictment reads. Corn was also sold under James McDonald sons name, but the proceeds were actually split between the two farmers, prosecutors alleged. The production was not reported, resulting in a larger indemnity payout from the crop insurance. The men also split expenses and profits, but on insurance policies each claimed 100% ownership of the crops, the indictment notes. In 2014, ARMTech Insurance paid McDonald more than $129,000 and paid Taulbee more than $76,000. In 2015 and 2016, Noble obtained crop insurance on tobacco in Bourbon County and filed a hail-loss claim. But she did not own the crop, and gave the $179,500 in insurance proceeds to Taulbee and McDonald, prosecutors said. When a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector questioned Noble, she claimed she was not related to her brother and that she, not the men, farmed the tobacco crop. McDonald and Noble could face more than five years in prison. McDonald could also be required to pay $458,000 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and $260,700 to AgriSompo North America, his plea agreement notes. Noble argues in her agreement that she earned just over $3,000 from the scheme and should not have to repay more than that, although prosecutors have said the figure should be more than $260,000. McDonald also has agreed to refrain from participating in any crop insurance or benefits programs for at least five years. The guilty pleas are the latest development in several prosecutions of what authorities have said was extensive crop insurance fraud in central parts of Kentucky, according to local news reports. Some two dozen farmers and others associated with a tobacco operation have been convicted or pleaded guilty. An independent adjuster was sentenced in late 2021 to three years in prison. A Fleming County insurance agent pleaded guilty in 2019 to crop insurance fraud. Topics Fraud Agribusiness Kentucky The family of a man who drowned in Tempe Town Lake in Arizona a year ago filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, noting that its police department doesnt have a policy requiring officers to go into the water to save someone. The civil suit said 34-year-old Sean Bickings pleaded for help while in the water after he jumped into the lake during an encounter with law enforcement on May 28., 2022. Body camera footage released later showed three Tempe police officers watching from the shore less than 50 yards away from Bickings. According to a transcript of the footage, one of the officers told Bickings: Im not jumping in after you. It took about six hours for public safety officials to recover Bickings body. The suit accuses Tempe of negligently not training employees to better respond to water rescues at the man-made lake and of not having proper security and safety measures to prevent or respond to drownings. The City of Tempe and Tempe law enforcement promised new safety measurements following Seans tragic death and a year later we have yet to see these actions implemented, said Benjamin Taylor, a lawyer for Bickings family. We hope this lawsuit will encourage the City of Tempe to take the necessary steps to ensure no one else carelessly loses their life by drowning in Tempe Town Lake. The lawsuit doesnt list a specific amount of money the family is asking for, but states that Bickings mother be fully and fairly compensated. Tempe spokeswoman Nikki Ripley said the city does not discuss active litigation. However, Tempe is expected to vote soon on $1.8 million funding for a Park Ranger program. If approved, the rangers would be responsible for proactive patrols in city parks including the town lake which opened to the public in November 1999. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Arizona A lawsuit filed by a Washington oyster farmer accusing a former county deputy of falsifying an arrest report and urging a person to lie during a domestic-violence investigation has been settled for $250, 000. Gerardo Rodarte, the owner of Samish Gold Seafoods, sued Skagit County and former deputy Joseph Gutierrez in 2020, after Rodarte was acquitted by a jury of domestic-violence assault charges, The Seattle Times reported. The charges were based on the deputys sworn statement and reports. Court documents show Gutierrez, who was fired in 2018 over allegations of having sex while on duty and failing to aid other officers during a jail escape, refused to testify at trial. Rodartes lawsuit alleged that Gutierrez conspired with Rodartes niece, who was also an oyster farm employee, to falsely accuse her uncle of assaulting her in exchange for help with her immigration status. The niece called the Sheriffs Office on June 7, 2017, and claimed she had been assaulted by Rodarte. Gutierrez responded and arrested Rodarte, despite his claims and statements from his wife that the niece attacked him, biting his thumb and hitting him in the head with a telephone handset, according to the lawsuit and other documents filed in U.S. District Court. Rodarte claimed in his lawsuit that, while taking him to jail, Gutierrez met his niece and told her they needed to change their story because it did not fit the evidence, and that they had to fix it so it looked real, according to the documents. He claimed Gutierrez took pictures of the nieces neck, which showed bruising and marks that werent there previously. U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein in a 2021 ruling denied Gutierrezs motion to dismiss the fabrication and false- evidence claim and ordered it to proceed to trial. Rodartes wife, Fabiola Higareda Hernandez, also signed a sworn affidavit claiming Gutierrez had falsified statements attributed to her in his arrest report. Gutierrez appealed Rothsteins decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. An appeals court panel in January upheld Rothsteins trial decision. As for damages, the appeals judges wrote, We have held that it is virtually self-evident that there is a clearly established constitutional right not to be subjected to criminal charges on the basis of false evidence deliberately fabricated by the government.' Rodartes lawsuit alleges a clam harvest worth $500,000 he had farmed the day of his arrest spoiled while he was incarcerated. The Skagit County Attorneys Office, which represented Gutierrez, didnt respond to a phone message from the newspaper seeking comment on the settlement. Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Washington Source: Streetwise Reports June 5, 2023 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Reliq Health Technologies announces record revenues for the three months ending March 31 and its first profitable quarter after a loss during the same quarter in 2022. Reliq Health Technologies Inc. (RHT:TSX.V; RQHTF:OTCQB; A2AJTB:WKN) announced record revenues for the three months ending March 31 and its first profitable quarter with a gain from operations of CA$731,017. During the same three months in 2022, the telehealth company reported a loss of CA$811,042. Sales increased 88% YoY to CA$4.7 million compared to CA$2.4 million for the three months ending March 31, 2022. "Since January 1, 2023, the Company has added over 120 new Skilled Nursing Facilities to its client base and signed new contracts with a large U.S. Healthcare System client and a large U.S. Health Plan," Chief Executive Officer Lisa Crossley said. "It is a tremendous validation of Reliq's unique value proposition that we are able to attract these very large clients. We expect to see increasing traction with large clients through the remainder of 2023 and beyond." The focus of the rest of the year will focus on "improving profitability and cashflows," Crossley said during a webcast on the financial results. The company's continued expansion "is really a testament to our unique value proposition in this space," she said. According to Research and Markets, the global telehealth market is expected to grow with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27% from 2022 to 2028 due to the growing prevalence of chronic diseases and growing accessibility to platforms like Reliq's. "The rising occurrence of chronic illness in developing regions will drive the demand for telemedicine services," Global Market Insights wrote. "Increased traditional health care costs, growing number of digital health users, and the evolution of health services in the health care institutions have spurred the technology uptake." In an April 3 note, Sadif Analytics upgraded RHT to Above Average from Average. The company "has fair financials and good earnings quality," the note said, adding the stock was "safe." And technical analyst Clive Maund of CliveMaund.com recommended the stock shortly after news broke last year that the company's revenue jumped 485% from the fiscal year 2021 to the fiscal year 2022. Writing for Streetwise Reports, he said he would "stay long" on the stock. The Catalyst: Increasing Software and Services Revenue Reliq said it expects the majority of its revenue to come from software and services by 2024. Revenue from that category increased by more than 69% to CA$1.8 million relative to the three months ending March 31, 2022. The company said gross profits for the quarter increased by 95% to CA$3.2 million. Gross margins for the period were 68% and are expected to exceed 70% by the end of 2023 due to reduced device costs and an increase in the percentage of Reliq's total revenues from higher-margin software and services vs. hardware sales. The company said its adjusted EBITDA for Q3 FY 2023 was a 2,190% increase YoY to CA$1.4 million. Reliq is in the process of taking over adherence management for clients and has done so for 30% of them so far, improving patient adherence levels from less than 20% to about 70%. It expects to be managing adherence for all clients by June 30, the end of the fiscal year. The company said it also expects to have all clients caught up on accounts receivable by that time. Multiple New Contracts The company recently signed a contract with a U.S. health plan that operates in five states with more than 3,000 doctors and 1 million patients, a move expected to add more than 10,000 new patients to iUGO by next March at an average revenue of CA$65 per patient per month. It also signed five new contracts in four states for iUGO, including its first contract in Arkansas. Reliq also started onboarding patients in March for another large client, a healthcare system with more than 1,200 care centers in seven states that are expected to add over 2,000 new patients per month to iUGO. Diseases the platform aims to manage include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, and others. Patients get audible reminders to step on a scale, take their blood pressure, or prick their fingers for glucose monitoring. The information is automatically uploaded to the cloud. iUGO draws on data from fall detection devices, medication tracking, and vitals data to flag patients at home or in facilities who need additional monitoring. Ownership and Share Structure About 8% of Reliq's shares are owned by insiders, including Crossley, with 1.6% or 3.22 million shares. About 0.3% of the company is owned by institutional investors, including FNB Wealth Management, with 0.01% or 0.03 million shares, according to Reuters. Other top investors include Eugene Beukman, who owns 0.11% or 0.23 million shares, and Brian Storseth, who owns 0.07% or 0.14 million shares, Reuters said. Crossley said 91.7% of the company is retail. The company has 202 million shares outstanding, with about 198.4 million free-floating. It has a market cap of CA$112.56 million and trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.76 and CA$0.36. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Seattle, Washington - June 5, 2023 (Investorideas.com Newswire) In a recent turn of events, an AI Crypto protocol has detected a bizarre Ethereum token burn by the KuCoin exchange, raising questions and concerns about the reasons behind this occurrence. This comprehensive article will discuss the details of this extraordinary incident, examining its background, potential causes, and implications for the crypto community. Overview of the Incident The Ethereum null address, commonly called the burn address, is essentially a void within the blockchain cosmos. Any tokens transferred to this address become irrecoverable and are effectively taken out of circulation, leading to the term "burning." This process typically results in a decreased total supply and increased rarity of tokens, potentially causing their value to rise. KuCoin, a well-known cryptocurrency exchange, is vital in safeguarding substantial quantities of digital assets. The platform provides a broad selection of crypto services, such as trading, staking, and lending, making it a favored option for numerous investors and traders. Recently, Avorak AI, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence system, revealed a shocking occurrence on the KuCoin exchange that took place in September of the previous year. Over a three-day period beginning on September 7, 2021, the exchange accidentally transferred an immense amount of Ethereum (ETH) and Tether (USDT) tokens, valued at tens of millions of dollars, to the Ethereum burn address. This event remained largely undetected until Avorak AI's recent discovery. The Sequence of Events The unexpected burns encompassed over 3,500 transactions involving USDT and ETH. The total value of the burned tokens amounted to tens of millions of dollars, making it one of the most significant burning incidents in the history of cryptocurrency. The series of transactions took place over three consecutive days. Avorak AI's analysis indicates that the first transaction occurred on September 7, 2021, followed by subsequent transactions on September 8 and 9. Avorak AI's algorithmic capabilities allowed it to identify and analyze these unusual transactions, shedding light on a significant event that had gone under the radar for months. The Potential Causes A hypothesis regarding the Ethereum token burn speculates that a unique arrangement may have been made between KuCoin and Bitfinex, the entity responsible for issuing Tether (USDT). This deal would entail KuCoin exchanging USDT for Ethereum and then burning it. Nevertheless, this idea also needs to clarify why ETH is sent to the burn address. An alternative supposition indicates a possible system malfunction or a mistake in an automated procedure resulting in this atypical asset transfer. In the complex world of cryptocurrency exchanges, it is not entirely implausible for an error to occur, leading to such a massive and unintentional burn. A third possibility is that the token burn was intentional, although the motivation behind such a move remains unclear. Burning tokens can reduce their supply and potentially increase their value, but the sheer magnitude of the burned assets, in this case, raises questions about the rationale. Implications for the Crypto Community Burning such a substantial amount of Ethereum and Tether tokens could impact their overall supply. While the effect on the Ethereum supply may be relatively small compared to its total circulating supply, the impact on Tether's supply could be more significant, given its smaller market capitalization. The incident raises questions about the security and reliability of the KuCoin exchange. If the token burn was unintentional, it could indicate a vulnerability in the platform's systems or processes. On the other hand, if the burn was intentional, it could suggest an undisclosed motive that may concern users and regulators. The Role of Avorak AI Avorak AI's advanced analytics and detection capabilities allowed it to identify this unusual event, even several months after it transpired. The AI system's ability to analyze large volumes of data and identify anomalies demonstrates the potential for artificial intelligence in the field of cryptocurrency and blockchain. By detecting the incident and bringing it to the crypto community's attention, Avorak AI has showcased the importance of robust security and monitoring measures in the world of digital assets. The application of AI in detecting and preventing fraudulent activities, hacks, and other security breaches can significantly enhance the overall security of the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Conclusion The bizarre Ethereum token burn by the KuCoin exchange, detected by Avorak AI, has left the crypto community with more questions than answers. As the industry continues to mature and evolve, incidents like this emphasize the importance of transparency, robust security measures, and the role of AI in monitoring and enhancing the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Only time will tell if the reasons behind this extraordinary event will be revealed, but it remains a fascinating and mysterious chapter in the world of digital assets. Learn more here: Website | Buy AVRK Avorak is an AI-powered cryptocurrency built on the Binance Smart Chain, melding artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technology, creating a powerful and free-to-use platform with chatbots, trade indicators, generative content modules, and automated trading bots. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Adam Adam@avorak.ai Company Website https://avorak.ai/ More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Source: Stephane Foucaud June 5, 2023 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Despite this progress, the Canadian firm will likely wait for the Henry Hub gas price to rebound before continuing its well work, noted an Auctus Advisors report. Southern Energy Corp. (SOU:TSX; SOUTF:OTCMKTS; SOUC:AIM) lowered its well drilling and completion costs, but to return to growth, it still needs the Henry Hub gas price over US$3 per thousand cubic foot (US$3/Mcf), reported Auctus Advisors analyst Stephane Foucaud in a May 30 research note. The Canadian oil and gas producer can hold off until the price reaches this point. "With available undrawn credit facilities of about US$14.5 million (US$14.5M) and corporate cash flow break-even of about US$1.80-1.90/Mcf (Henry Hub), the company is well positioned to wait for a rebound in gas prices," Foucaud wrote. Possible 567% Gain Auctus maintained its target price of 1.60 per share on Southern Energy, currently trading at about 0.24 per share. The difference between these two prices implies a large potential return for investors of 567%. Well Costs Reduced Southern has four already-drilled wells ready for completion: two Lower Selma Chalk laterals, one City Bank lateral, and one Upper Selma Chalk lateral, Foucaud relayed. Now, after having effected cost efficiencies, it will run the company about US$3.4M to complete each well. As such, it is expected Southern will hold off until the Henry Hub gas price, currently about US$2.25/Mcf, exceeds US$3/Mcf, purported Foucaud. Completion is now forecasted for potentially Q4/23. "The acquisition of the Gwinville assets from PetroTx has provided Southern with additional access to the Florida Gas Transmission System that provides access to a market with much higher gas price premium than achieved by Southern in the past," Foucaud pointed out. First Quarter in Brief Also, in his report, Foucaud noted that during Q1/23, Southern produced 2,607 barrels of oil equivalent per day, as expected. As of the quarter's end, March 31, 2023, the energy company had about US$12M of cash and US$19M of net debt, including working capital. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Source: Streetwise Reports June 5, 2023 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Quebec Precious Metals Corp. will drill at its flagship Sakami project in the James Bay territory of Quebec, as it also studies whether its properties include viable amounts of lithium. Quebec Precious Metals Corp. (QPM:TSX.V; CJCFF:OTCQB;YXEP:FSE) is set to continue drilling at its flagship Sakami project in the James Bay territory of Quebec next month as it also studies whether its properties include viable amounts of lithium. To date, the company has drilled more than 50,000 meters and is looking to reach the mineral resource estimation stage at Sakami. "Now we're going to step out and test more," Chief Executive Officer Normand Champigny told Streetwise Reports. Sakami remains largely under-explored, with a potential of 2 million ounces (Moz) or more of gold, which could attract a major to mine and develop the property. Drilling at the site over the fall and winter of 2021-2022 led to assay results of 69.6 grams gold per tonne (69.6 g/t Au) over 0.6 meter inside a longer intercept of 94 meters grading 1.32 g/t Au. Highlights from drilling at the La Pointe Extension deposit included 1.61 g/t Au over 19.5 meters, including 4.91 g/t Au over 1.5 meters; and 0.84 g/t Au over 63 meters, including 1.25 g/t Au over 18 meters. With more exploration, the company said Sakami has the potential to become a series of significant deposits along a 23-kilometer trend. QPM plans to start drilling at the LaPointe Extension and other points in the southwest in July, and the results from its lithium study are expected in mid-July. The global lithium market is expected to grow from US$3.83 billion in 2021 to US$6.62 billion in 2028. "The growing adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles, high-drain portable electronics, and energy storage systems has had a huge impact on the growth of the overall market," Fortune Business Insights wrote. "The rise in adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is attributable to the growing concerns surrounding environmental pollution as EVs reduce carbon emissions." The Catalyst: Explorers Target Gold, Lithium Quebec Precious Metals was formed from the merger of Canada Strategic Metals Inc. and Matamec Explorations Inc. in 2018. Champigny said the company was started with the hopes of finding the next Eleonore mine, one of the largest underground gold mines in Quebec owned by the world's largest miner, Newmont Corp. (NEM:NYSE) The James Bay territory itself is about the size of Arizona. Gold was initially reported in the area in the 1890s, but it would take more than a century and significant development in the area before it got the attention of investors. Now it's not just gold, but a lithium rush is on in the province, where many deposits of the important battery metal are hosted in pegmatite rocks. "We know we have pegmatite on our gold projects, but we didn't focus on lithium," Champigny said. "That was not the purpose of the creation of the company. But we almost have a moral obligation to find out. And so that's what we're doing now." Shifting Supply Chains From South America, China The company has contracted ALS GoldSpot Discoveries Ltd. to do a detailed lithium-targeting study on its 1,338 claims covering 697 square kilometers, all 100%-owned. Patriot Battery Metals Inc. (PMET:CA) discovered a 4.3-kilometer trend of spodumene pegmatite in James Bay in 2017. Its market cap was nearly CA$500 million last fall. Now, it's CA$1.47 billion. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial leaders are selling the country as an important backstop to shift supply chains away from South America and China. Canada has listed lithium among the top six critical minerals. The others are graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earth elements. QPM noted that its Elmer East project is located north to northwest of three significant lithium deposits being developed by Allkem Ltd. (OROCF;OTCMKTS), Critical Elements Corp. (CRE:TSX.V), and Investissement Quebec and Livent Corp. (LTHM:NYSE) [OWNERSHIP_CHART-10040] QPM also has another play when it comes to lithium. It entered a binding memorandum of understanding with Idaho Champion Gold Mines Canada Inc. (ITKO:CNX) last fall for Idaho Champion to acquire a 100% interest in two other James Bay lithium pegmatite projects. QPM still has 6% of its shares. Ownership and Share Structure Newmont owns about 13% of QPM. Government-backed Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec and other Quebec institutions own about 12%. QPM management and insiders own about 15%, including non-executive Chairman James Shannon with 0.8% or 660,000 shares and Champigny with 0.33% or 280,000 shares, according to Reuters. The rest, 60%, is retail. The company is covered by Laurentian Bank Securities' Barry Allan and Research Capital Corporation's Ryan Hanley. Newsletter writer Chris Temple of The National Investor also follows the stock. Quebec Precious Metals has a market cap of CA$6.64 million and 83.4 million shares outstanding, of which about 71 million are free-floating. It trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.14 to CA$0.06. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Source: Streetwise Reports June 5, 2023 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Emerita Resources Corp. has released its maiden NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate on the Iberian Belt West Project. Read on to see the large quantities of valuable metals reported, and how much potential remains at IBW. Emerita Resources Corp. (EMO:TSX.V; EMOTF:OTCMKTS;LLJA:FSE), which is based in Canada, has released its maiden (interim) NI 43-101 resource estimate for its Iberia Belt West (IBW) Project in Spain. Drilling is ongoing, and new mineralization is still being delineated. The focus now shifts to continued expansion drilling at the large La Romanera deposit and initial exploration efforts that are underway at the historical El Cura deposit (which sits between La Romanera and La Infanta). Additionally, assay results from IBW are expected to be released in the near term. Emerita has also announced that the Ministry of Industrial Policy and Energy of Huelva, Andalusia, has granted the company an exploration permit for the Infanta Sur property, which adds an additional 848.5 hectares to IBW, bringing the total to 2,394.1 hectares. News Emerita's mineral resource estimate is based on the La Romanera and the La Infanta deposits at their IBW project. Drilling is expected to continue through 2023 and into 2024 as all deposits are open for expansion along strike and depth. Exploration has also commenced at El Cura as drilling continues at La Romanera with six drill rigs on the property. Metallurgical testing at La Romanera and La Infanta has also started. The highlights of the initial mineral resource estimate (MRE) are as follows: The initial MRE estimate for the IBW project includes an indicated resource of 14.07 million tons (Mt) grading 3.29% zinc (Zn), 1.66% lead (Pb), 0.46% copper (Cu), 75.2g/t silver (Ag), and 1.39g/t gold (Au), resulting in a zinc equivalent ("ZnEq") grade of 7.63% ZnEq along with an inferred resource of 4.71Mt grading 4.7% Zn, 2.14% Pb, 0.54% Cu, 72.4g/t Ag, and 0.9g/t Au with a ZnEq grade of 9.29%. The two deposits are approximately 6 km apart, such that they could share infrastructure in a potential future development scenario. El Cura is approximately halfway between and, according to the company, would also directly impact operations by providing immense upside. The La Romanera deposit contains an indicated resource of 13Mt grading 2.98% Zn, 1.45% Pb, 0.42% Cu, 74.1g/t Ag, and 0.9g/t Au, and an inferred resource of 3.14Mt grading 4.85% Zn, 1.96% Pb, 0.45% Cu, and 71.3g/t Ag, and 1.16g/t Au. The La Romanera MRE was calculated based on data from 144 drill holes covering 52,750m of drilling. On the La Infanta deposit, the indicated resource is 1.07Mt grading 7.1% Zn, 4.24% Pb, 1.03% Cu, 88.5g/t Ag, and 0.32g/t Au along with an inferred resource of 1.56Mt grading 4.41% Zn, 2.49% Pb, 0.74% Cu, 74.7g/t Ag, and 0.38g/t Au. The La Infanta MRE was calculated based on data from 86 drill holes covering 19,565m of drilling. According to Emerita, mineralization remains open at both deposits, as the MRE confirms the resource starts at or near the surface and remains open at depth and along strike. According to the company, "This represents an interim mineral resource estimate as work continues to expand the resources at IBW. The recent exploration mapping, drilling, and geophysical surveys demonstrate both La Romanera and La Infanta remain open along strike and at depth. This, coupled with targets associated with the recently expanded land position, provides additional targets for new discoveries." Why Gold? Technical analyst Clive Maund rated Emerita as an opportunity for investors in March of 2023. According to Maund, "The charts for Emerita look increasingly positive . . . Momentum is now swinging positive. With its closing price on the U.S. market of US$0.666, this stock may for a brief time have special appeal to Globalist investors." Additionally, according to Rick Mills of Ahead of the Herd, a number of factors are creating a surge in gold, including fears of a recession and the actions of the Fed. Catalysts Emerita is continuing to drill at La Romanera and has begun drilling at El Cura. Because of recent high-grade and thicknesses at depth coming from La Romanera, the company will continue to perform step-down drilling to potentially increase the resource. Initial exploration work has begun at El Cura, which will offer immediate resource expansion potential. Metallurgical work has commenced in the lab in order to solidify the recovery rates at IBW. La Romanera, El Cura, and La Infanta continue to remain open to expansion. The company is strengthening its cash position with a financing just announced. Ownership and Share Structure Management and insiders own 15.17% of Emerita Resources. According to Reuters, Chairman Lawrence Guy owns 1.36% with 2.82 million shares, CEO and Director David Patrick Gower owns 1.21% with 2.51 million shares, President and Director Joaquin Merino-Marquez owns 0.98% with 2.03 million shares, Director Catherine Stretch owns 0.72% with 1.50 million shares. Director Marilia Bento owns 0.48% with 1.00 million shares, and Damian J.D. Lopez with 0.13% with 0.28 shares. 16.85% of the stock is held by institutional investors. Merk Investments LLC has 1.33%, with 2.75 million, according to Reuters. Sprott Asset Management LP has 0.13%, with 0.26 million, and Palos Management Inc. has 0.10%, with 0.20 million The company reports no strategic investors, and the rest is with retail investors. Emerita has CA$8.06 million in the bank as of March 31, 2023. Emerita does not report a monthly burn rate or monthly drilling cost. The company has a market cap of CA$100 million. There are 207.32 million shares, 8.8 million warrants, and 18.85 million options. It trades in the 52-week period between CA$0.43 and CA$1.66. The company also just announced a press release about additional financing for a CA$8,000,000 private placement on June 2, 2023. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Tens of thousands of employees of British Airways, Boots, and the BBC were among those who had their personal data exposed following a wide-ranging breach centered on a popular file transfer tool, the organisations have confirmed. BA, Boots, and the BBC said the breach occurred at their payroll provider, Zellis. The provincial government of Nova Scotia in Canada was also hit. The data from Zellis and the Nova Scotia government was exposed through their use of MOVEit file transfer software, both organisations said in separate statements. Zellis did not immediately respond when asked how many customers were affected. In a statement, Nova Scotias cyber security and digital solutions minister Colton LeBlanc said his residents will have questions, and we do, too. British Airways, owned by IAG, said it had notified affected employees and was providing them with support. Part of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Boots said the attack had included some of its employees personal details. The BBC said it was working with Zellis as they urgently investigate the extent of the breach. MOVEit has been at the centre of security industry concerns after its maker, Progress Software, disclosed a flaw last week that could have allowed hackers to intercept data being exchanged through it. Microsoft said it believed the group behind the hacks was Lace Tempest, the nickname assigned to online extortionists who run the Cl0p ransomware site. The earliest known data breach due to the bug occurred on May 27, researchers at Googles Mandiant threat intelligence group said in a report published last week. There was no immediate response to an email seeking comment from the hackers. Boots employs over 50,000 people in Britain. British Airways has about 30,000 staff, and the BBC employs more than 21,000 people. Reuters Global airlines have more than doubled their forecast for the industry's 2023 profit to almost $10bn (9.3bn), but warned that delays in getting planes to cope with rising demand could dampen their post-pandemic recovery. "The pandemic years are behind us and borders are open as normal," head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Willie Walsh told its annual summit of some 300 carriers in Istanbul. The airline industrys main lobby body is doubling its estimate for global net profit in 2023 as a surge in flying drives up air fares, although risks include rising interest rates to combat spiralling inflation and lingering supply chain issues. IATA boosted its industry profit forecast to $9.8bn from $4.7bn, based on strong travel demand and an easing in oil prices. But slender profit margins of 1.2% mean repairing damaged balance sheets and offering sustainable returns on investments will continue to be a headache for some airlines, Mr Walsh said. This summer will be better than last for air travel, but there are still challenges in areas such as air-traffic control and strikes in France, IAG chief executive Luis Gallego said. IAG owns Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling. The profit forecast reflected a boost in Europe, despite a wave of strikes. Airlines have reported strong results in recent months as they prepare for a busy summer season, with travel demand showing no sign of flagging despite peaking inflation. Pressure from oil prices has also eased this year. Executive director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, told delegates that the prospect of higher prices has "increased a lot" as a result of Sunday's Opec+ deal. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said that airlines saw their industry grind to a near-halt when the spread of covid closed borders in early 2020, but these have started to moderate as capacity comes back online. The IATA said that fares have not gone up in real terms since 2019. In an unusual move, airlines have asked IATA led by Mr Walsh, who used to run British Airways and Aer Lingus to intervene directly with planemakers to make sure their frustrations are heard. Airbus and Boeing have said supply chains are to blame. Reuters and Bloomberg It was almost inevitable that Kevin OFarrell would fall under the spell of Hegartys Boatyard in Skibbereen, Co Cork, the last business in the country dedicated to building large-scale wooden boats. A photographer by trade, he also works as a furniture restorer and has a keen interest in watersports. I was always into kayaking and canoeing and activities like that, he says. When I moved to West Cork, I got into sailing. I bought an old wooden boat, and brought it to Hegartys to be restored. And then, as I got to know Liam and John Hegarty, the boatyard became a natural place for me to photograph. OFarrells fascination with the Hegartys work as boat builders has resulted in two books of photographs and the exhibition, Hegartys Boatyard: Last Traditional Wooden Boatyard in Ireland, now showing at Uillinn, the West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen. Having done so much woodwork myself, I can appreciate the qualities involved in what they do, says OFarrell. But boat-building is completely different to furniture restoration. Theres not a single straight piece of wood in a boat for a start. Its all concave and convex curves. Theres bends and bevels and angles of every description. In woodworking terms, I think its the highest kind of craft. Theres a set of processes rather than a formula. You start with the keel, and you build up the skeleton of the frame, then you do the planking and then the beams go in for the deck and the whole thing comes together over a period of time. Its all manual labour, so its a slow process. Lunch time at Hegarty's Boatyard Skibbereen by Kevin O'Farrell. As OFarrell sees it, the decline in traditional boat-building follows inevitably from that of the fishing industry all around the coast. Its hard to get skilled people to do this kind of work any more, he says. Another issue these days is getting timber. They used to buy it in from North America, but now they import it from Germany. There are problems sourcing bronze fittings, you just cant get them in Ireland anymore, so they have to be imported too. "There are plenty of small boat-builders in Ireland, making good museum quality little sailing boats. But, apart from the Hegartys, theres no one else in the country building boats up to 70/80 feet. No one else has the facilities to do that any more. In the UK, the Heritage Crafts Association have put traditional wooden boat building on the endangered crafts list, even though theres more support for the industry there. OFarrell grew up in the UK, but his parents came from Banagher and Birr in Co Offaly, and he always considered Ireland home. He moved over in 1980, living on Heir Island for fifteen years before eventually moving to a house he describes as being halfway between Skibbereen and Ballydehob. Hegartys is close by, so I can pop in and out of the boatyard any time I want, he says. Liam and John have three other staff, but I dont think Ive ever seen them tell anyone what to do. They all know instinctively what needs doing and they just get on with it. The atmospheres easy-going; people drop in for a chat all the time, and theres a great sense of humour and fun. Fachtna O'Sullivan fairing frames with an adze to ready them for planking. Over the years, OFarrell has survived by working as a sailing and outdoors activities instructor, as well as a furniture restorer. He admits to having little interest in commercial photography, preferring to focus on projects that interest him personally. David Hurn was a great influence. He set up the college in Newport in South Wales where I studied documentary photography for two years. David is in his mid-80s now, but hes still working and his photographs are absolutely stunning. His teaching would be the foundation of everything Ive done really. He regrets that there is less interest in teaching the craft of photography in contemporary education. People are doing degrees in photography now, he says. Its become more conceptual, and the written word is becoming more important than the images. Youll have a picture on the wall, with a short thesis beside it explaining what its all about. To me, thats sort of going backwards. Paddy Hegarty, John Hegarty, Fachtna O'Sullivan, Teddy O'Donovan, Pierre Couture and Liam Hegarty. For all his fascination with traditional boat-building, he has welcomed advances in technology in his own profession. Analogue or digital photography is the same process in the end, he says. You still look through the viewfinder, you still decide when you press or dont press the button. The magic of digital is that you can have colour and black-and-white in the same camera. Most of the photographs in this show were taken in near-darkness, but the ISO settings on the camera are so good that youd never think it. A councillor has called for the "aggressive seizure of alcohol on beaches" after Burrow Beach in Co Dublin was cleared by gardai on Sunday evening. Uniformed gardai from the Raheny district and the Public Order Unit attended the scene of what has been described as a "mass brawl" at the Sutton beach. Gardai said "a presence was maintained until large crowds that had gathered there for much of the day had dispersed safely". "No arrests were made and enquires into the incident are ongoing," a garda spokesperson said. Local Labour councillor Brian McDonagh said the beach has seen "increasing problems over the last few years". Speaking to RTE's Morning Ireland, Mr McDonagh said: "We have put it down to two main issues and they're overcrowding. So there's been instances where people have been blocked in and also having difficulties of access for emergency services. "Anti-social behaviour is the second main one and that's pre-dominantly related to alcohol on the beaches. We have bylaws preventing alcohol, and I think what we need is aggressive seizure of alcohol on beaches." The councillor said he is calling for an increased presence from gardai and to have them "proactively seizing alcohol" saying it it has worked before at Portmarnock. Gardai have said they will continue to carry out high-visibility patrols in the area across the summer months as part of Operation Irene. The campaign, which was launched last year, is a targeted multi-agency operation to combat underage alcohol consumption and consumption of alcohol in public places throughout the Dublin Metropolitan Region. This is done through the enforcement of legislation regulating the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol as well as relevant public order legislation. Gardai in Raheny are appealing to any person who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them at Raheny Garda Station on 01 666 4300, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. Liam Byrne, a key member of the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang, has been arrested in Mallorca, Spain. Spanish police say they held him after discovering he was on the island with an international arrest warrant after he spent time hiding out in Dubai. The UKs National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed on Monday that Mr Byrne was one of two suspected members of the Kinahan clan arrested in Spain. They said the arrests follow an "intelligence-led investigation" that was supported by gardai. Spanish police did not name him in a statement but described him as someone who led a criminal organisation specialising in arms trafficking. Crumlin man Liam Byrne, whose brother David was shot dead in the Regency Hotel attack, forged a close partnership and became a trusted arm of the Kinahan cartel which became a global player in organised crime over the past two decades. The NCA said: Liam Byrne, 42, from Dublin, who is thought to be one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group, was arrested on Sunday evening in the Alcudia area of Mallorca while eating in a restaurant with family members. He had flown into Palma Airport from Dubai, UAE, on the 26 May." Arrest A spokesman for Spains National Police in Mallorca said "the fugitive" had recently travelled to Mallorca "to meet up secretly with his family". They said officers arrested "a dangerous Irish fugitive who is a member of the Kinahan clan". They said the arrest "was a priority of the UKs National Crime Agency, for leading a criminal organisation involved in weapons trafficking in the UK". The fugitive led the weapons trafficking organisation which bought pistols and submachine guns to then sell to other organisations. Many of the weapons were bought with systems that didnt leave fingerprints to be able to commit crimes and complicate police work. Such was the size of the organisation that it received an order from another organisation for 14 firearms in a single go." Liam Byrne, 42, from Dublin, described by the NCA as a trusted member of the Kinahan organised crime gang, after he was arrested on Sunday evening in the Alcudia area of Mallorca, Spain, while eating in a restaurant with family members. Picture: NCA/PA Wire The police spokesman said that during the NCAs investigation "several members of the organisation this man belongs to were arrested for these crimes and for drugs trafficking, and a hideout with several handguns, submachine guns and a large amount of ammunition was discovered". The fugitive fled to Dubai after the NCA investigation finished and enough evidence was accumulated against him, and there he continued enjoying a luxury lifestyle and leading the organisation from a distance. After a lengthy investigation the NCA discovered the fugitive had recently travelled to Mallorca to meet up secretly with his family, and British police contacted the Spanish National Polices specialist fugitive unit to make inquiries on his whereabouts. Officers were able through inquiries to locate a vehicle he could be using. After focusing the search on that area, the fugitive was located and arrested. The NCA also confirmed that Jack Kavanagh, "another suspected member of the crime group", from Tamworth, Staffordshire, England, was also arrested last week. He was arrested by officers from the Spanish National Police on 30 May at Malaga Airport while transiting from Dubai to Turkey. The arrests follow an NCA intelligence-led investigation, supported by the Spanish National Police and officers from An Garda Siochana in Ireland. The NCA obtained Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TACA) warrants after EncroChat messages showed they were believed to be involved in the supply and acquisition of firearms. They are currently in custody while extradition proceedings continue. NCA Regional Head of Investigations Kay Mellor said: This investigation is part of the NCAs ongoing work targeting the Kinahan crime group. Liam Byrne and Jack Kavanagh have been evading justice for a number of years, but have now been arrested in relation to serious firearms offences. We have an excellent relationship with the Spanish National Police and will continue to work closely with our international partners to ensure those who think they can stay under the radar have no place to hide. Garda assistant commissioner Justin Kelly said: The arrest of Liam Byrne is a particularly significant development in the efforts of international law enforcement to dismantle the operations of the Kinahan organised crime group. These arrests are a demonstration of An Garda Siochanas continued co-operation with our colleagues in the National Crime Agency. additional reporting from PA The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is celebrating the hatching of five new white-tailed eagle chicks in Co Clare. The NPWS said the newly hatched chicks come from the bonding of eagles released under the white-tailed eagle reintroduction project, which aims to bring the species back to Ireland. Of particular note, a previously widowed male eagle that had been without a partner for four years has recently bonded with another female that was released in 2020. The male eagle was originally released in Killarney National Park in 2008 and set up territory with a female from that batch, making a nest in the Lough Derg area. In 2013, this pair nested successfully and fledged a pair of chicks the first new white-tailed eagles in more than 110 years in Ireland. Eamonn Meskell of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Howard Jones of Kerry Airport bringing newly-arrived white-tailed sea eagles to Killarney National Park in 2020. Picture: Domnick Walsh After fledging chicks for four years the female died of avian flu in 2018. The male eagle then lived alone in East Clare for the past four years until he recently paired up with his new partner and welcomed two new chicks, the NPWS said. The female comes from a batch of 16 chicks collected from wild nests in Norway and sent to Ireland for the release programme in 2020. She was released at a site in Lough Derg but flew back to Scotland. However, she returned to Ireland six months later and bonded with the widowed male. The pair built a nest on an island in Lough Derg in February of this year. Eamonn Meskell, who leads the NPWS white-tailed eagle reintroduction project, said the project was very familiar with these eagles after monitoring them for so long: We have been monitoring these eagles for many years and of course we feel very familiar with their history as part of the project. The male eagle has been single for four years since his previous partner died. Of course, the fact that he has now found and bred with a new partner is significant to our project but were also delighted to see this eagle that we know well make a new bond and start a new family, he said. A story like this really brings our reintroduction programme to life, as it helps people to learn about eagle breeding behaviour and the fragility of our reintroduction efforts, all told through the story of a widowed eagle. He said any new chick was a milestone and showed the projects success. At a separate site in Co Clare, three other chicks reared by one of the offspring of the male eagle and its previous partner were observed and tagged by the NPWS in recent days. The NPWS said this female offspring reared 10 chicks which are spread around the island of Ireland, now themselves forming pairs. Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan said the successful hatching symbolises the patience and careful planning of the reintroduction project. It gives us great hope and encouragement for the project which we always knew would take time and perseverance, he said. He added: The news from Clare today of five chicks born to eagles from both phases of the reintroduction programme and indeed to their offspring shows why our continued efforts, perseverance and hope can lead not just to lovely stories such as this, but to hope and good news for nature." The border region's GDP per capita has dropped to 52% of the EU 27 average the lowest since records began. Think about that. Compared to all other EU regions, the border region stands at 52% of the EU average. Its GDP has fallen off a cliff. Generally, I am not given to hyperbole but this is disastrous. The warning from independent TD Marian Harkin in a Dail debate at the end of April was stark. The border region, and the North West at large, is falling behind in a way that might not be reversible. But Ms Harkin went on: If you look at the entire northern and western region, you can see that its GDP is at 83% of the EU average. It is not even making the average of all EU regions. "In 2006 17 years ago the border region was close to the EU average at 98% but it has been steadily declining since and has hit the new low of 52%. This is just not acceptable. In fact, it is a disgrace." In the debate, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the figure itself was not the whole story. GDP is not everything, he said. GDP must come up with a very big health warning he added. The presence of Apples European headquarters in Cork alone throws the numbers for GDP in the south west region, he argued, while the presence of Microsoft throws the numbers dramatically for the eastern region, the Taoiseach said. But is this a case of a regional imbalance that is impacting quality of life across the board? Or is it a misunderstood figure, an incomplete story? Has Dublin left Irelands regions behind? In a way, Mr Varadkar is right, says the North-West Regional Assembly's economist, John Daly. "GDP is an input to the output which is disposable income, because that measures the real economic wellbeing. So the Taoiseach is right. But if you look at disposable income per capita in the region, it was 92% of the State in 2010 now it's 84%." According to CSO figures from February, households in the Eastern and Midland region had a median household disposable income of 53,101, compared with 42,690 in the Southern region, and 38,530 in the Northern and Western region. Lack of growth Mr Daly says he accepts that the North West will always be behind Dublin on metrics like this, but says that a regional imbalance impacts many things. This means that after taxes, the average worker in the Dublin and Midlands region has about 27,000, while in the North-West this drops to 21,000. Marian Harkin: 'Balanced regional development is just a phrase that is trotted out. It is not a policy that is at the heart of Government. It is an extra tacked on when announcements are made.' Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin. "The area suffers from a lack of urban centres which disadvantages us in terms of attracting high-value client companies and growing the local economy that way. The European Commission has said that the North-West is the only area in Ireland classed as a moderate innovator and an area in transition." This is affecting the region's ability to grow, and to retain young people. For its part, the Department of Expenditure says that it is committed to balanced development of the regions. They say that it is "a key priority of this Government and is at the heart of Project Ireland 2040", the strategic plan which includes the National Planning Framework (NPF), the overarching spatial strategy for the next twenty years, and the revised National Development Plan 2021 - 30 (NDP) which was published in October 2021. A spokesperson said: Management and delivery of individual investment projects within the allocations agreed under the National Development Plan (NDP) is a key responsibility of every department and minister. Expenditure is therefore allocated on a Departmental basis and not a geographic basis. "In 2023, almost 13bn will be made available from the Exchequer for investment in public capital projects, which will provide more schools, homes, hospitals and other pieces of vital infrastructure. This level of expenditure will be pivotal in consolidating the progress already made, supporting balanced regional development and, most importantly, delivering the necessary infrastructure to support our future climate change obligations as well as our social and economic requirements." However, according to the 2022 European Commission country report for Ireland, regional imbalance is likely to grow, rather than reverse, largely due to the ability of urban centres like Cork and Dublin to attract multinationals. Regional disparities are likely to continue growing in Ireland. Average growth in GDP per capita was high throughout Ireland over the 2010-2019 period. However, as the Southern region grew by 7.5%, the Eastern amd Midland region by 3.6% and the Northern and Western region by only 1.4%, regional differences are likely to increase. "Regional disparities remain significant in Ireland and are growing in terms of regional GDP per capita. "Multinationals are geographically concentrated in the areas in and around Dublin and Cork. These areas have strong regional innovation systems and significantly outperform the rest of the country in all relevant economic indicators, such as growth of regional GDP, productivity of the labour force, or disposable income. Other predominantly rural and remote regions in the north, west, or along the border with Northern Ireland, are lagging behind." Infrastructure falls short But as Mr Daly points out, the disparity is not just in economics, and extends most notably to infrastructure. New data published in April shows that Ireland is ranked as the 9th most competitive economy in the EU. However, the data also shows that addressing infrastructure deficits outside of the Greater Dublin Area could significantly improve Irelands competitiveness ranking, and that of the Northern and Western Region underperformed in areas relating to infrastructure, innovation capabilities, market size and business sophistication. In the Northern and Western Regional Assembly's regional economic briefing note, the assembly says that key infrastructure projects must be delivered. If policymakers are to improve the competitiveness of the Irish economy, then it is clear that the ambition, quality and scale of infrastructure projects delivered to the Northern and Western Region will have to be significantly upgraded. "This also underlines the importance of delivering an integrated sustainable development approach to the prioritization and delivery of large scale infrastructure projects necessary to harness the potential of our regional assets, in our urban centres of scale such as Galway, Sligo, Letterkenny, and Athlone; at our seaports of regional scale such as Galway Harbour, Killybegs, and Ros a Mhil and at our airports." And this extends to the entire region, Mr Daly adds. "The underinvestment is having an impact across western Northern Ireland and Derry. It's inefficient to underuse your regions. But we also know that there's a political element there, too, when people feel left behind. "Ireland falls down on infrastructure, innovation and market size capabilities because the NW region and to a lesser degree the South are underperforming on infrastructure. The North-West is the 17th worst EU region for infrastructure." Indeed, the findings of the European Commissions Regional Competitiveness Index show that the the Northern and Western region has underperformed in areas relating to infrastructure, innovation capabilities, market size, and business sophistication. Of the 234 EU regions examined in the index, the Eastern and midland region was ranked 24th, with the Southern Region ranked 90th and the Northern and Western Region ranked 113th. When the EU average is set to an index score of 100, the eastern and midland region recorded an above-average infrastructure index score of 115.2, whereas the Northern and Western region recorded an infrastructure index score of only 34.1. And this goes beyond just roads. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said of the GDP disparity: 'The presence of Apples European headquarters in Cork alone throws the numbers for GDP in the south west region, he argued, while the presence of Microsoft throws the numbers dramatically for the eastern region'. Picture: Dan Linehan Just last month, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) warned that the growing shortage of essential acute hospital beds and Consultants across the West and North-West region is resulting in waiting lists for treatment that is impacting on patient outcomes. At the end of March there were 131,600 people waiting for an outpatient appointment, inpatient/day case treatment, or procedure across the six hospitals making up the Saolta University Health Care Group. The IHCA said that just 69 beds had been added in the region over the last three years. IHCA president Professor Robert Landers said that a new hospital in Galway is welcome, but still five years away. "It is understood and welcomed that a new elective hospital is planned for Galway, which is expected to include eight operating theatres, seven endoscopy suites, and nine minor operation rooms, intended to provide 175,000 additional procedures, treatments, and diagnostic appointments per year. "However, despite Government approval last year, progress has been extremely slow, with the new facility likely to be located at Merlin Park Hospital not due to be operational until 2028." Transport presents yet another challenge. Sligo Chamber last week warned that the Government must press ahead with the extension of the N17. Chamber CEO Aidan Doyle, whose organisation represents more than 300 businesses, said the N17 was the main artery and regional link connecting Galway to Ireland West Airport and Sligo. "It is currently unsafe, unsuitable for the huge volume of traffic using it and in dire need of State intervention to support a long planned for 600m transformation," he added. But what can be done to address the imbalance? Mr Daly says it's a question of targeted investment. What do we do? We can address the infrastructure deficits and boost the competitiveness of the economy. We lack motorways, rail, and have no tier 1 port. We need to see these large-scale projects completed. If we don't have an investment strategy, you'll see agglomeration around Cork metropolitan area and Dublin. "In our Budget submission, we'll be asking for a policy of positive discrimination an above-average capital investment per head to rebalance with Dublin and a regional stimulus package for the likes of Knock Airport. "The high-level risks are that overdevelopment of Cork and Dublin would essentially build in unsustainable trends commute times, sprawl, house prices etc you'll see overheating there and underuse of the urban centres like Galway. That would increase brain drain and workers leaving. Regional economies will continue to underperform. "We're never going to get above the national average. We will always be the most rural region. But we want to get closer to the average and the EU27." From the Government's side, the Department says that it "is committed to detailing progress on the delivery of the NDP at regular intervals into the future to allow for full transparency of the implementation of Project Ireland 2040", and that the NDP continues to support a range of projects in the North West, including enabling and main works on Sligo Acute Mental Health Unit, the Interim Emergency Department to facilitate service continuity, University Hospital Galway, construction completed on 14 residential care homes, a range of social housing units delivered across the region, school building projects, upgrade on the N4 from Collooney to Castlebaldwin, N17/18 Gort- Tuam road, N56 Mountcharles to Inver Road, N5 Westport to Turlough (under construction), along with larger projects such as Regeneration of Galway City Inner Harbour. For Ms Harkin, however, the figures speak for themselves. and a new policy is needed. "It shows that balanced regional development is just a phrase that is trotted out. It is not a policy that is at the heart of Government. It is an extra tacked on when announcements are made. "Unless and until balanced regional development has a Minister who is responsible for it, it is a systemic policy objective of this Government that is supported by specific commitments that are revisited and reinforced on a three-monthly basis and there is positive discrimination to address the ever-widening economic gap, we will end up with jaw-dropping figures like this." For a country with such a proud literary connection, Ireland is an outlier when it comes to our school libraries. Unlike the UK, where there is a long-established tradition of professionally staffed school libraries, Ireland doesnt have a national policy or funding model for schools, instead relying mainly on volunteerism from teachers and funding siphoned off from already stretched budgets. A keen interest in school libraries led sisters Breege and Shivaun OBrien to research provision here. Breege is a retired teacher of English and French, having worked in the west of Ireland her whole life. Dr Shivaun OBrien is an associate professor at the Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education, where her research has focused on education policy and development. Last month they published their findings. Really, I was open-minded to see what was out there, said Breege. I had an idea as to what was out there, and I just wanted to see if that was the case on the ground. Focusing on schools in one province, what they found was stark; Many Irish school libraries are underfunded, under-resourced, and falling short of international standards. The Department of Education funds just 30 (4%) out of 730 post-primary school libraries nationally. Known as the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP), these funded school libraries serve schools in disadvantaged areas. Dr Shivaun O'Brien: "Even our Numeracy and Literacy Strategy, which is coming to an end now, doesnt mention school libraries." The JCSP libraries are super as models of best practice, according to Breege. But my approach to it would be is that every school in the country should have a school library of that quality and service and there is a need to expand it out, initially maybe to the wider DEIS community but then to all schools really. All schools deserve the well-established benefits of school libraries. Unlike countries across Europe like Czech Republic, Croatia, France, and the Netherlands where school library provision is underpinned by law, there is no statutory requirement for schools here to provide library services. 'Low expectation' Given the lack of State investment, in their own words, Breege and Shivaun set a low expectation in terms of how they defined a school library for the purpose of the study. They sought out school library services that involved any provision for students to access books, reading materials, or items of information in any format and in any space. Out of a total of 102 post-primary schools, only 55 confirmed they had a library matching this definition. Most were dependent on volunteerism from staff, in particular English teachers. Less than a third provided library access throughout the school day, and in many schools access was occasional or only when supervision was available. Despite the lack of funding, just under 45% of the schools had a dedicated room for the library, while in all other schools, no such space was available. This figure is well below the average number of dedicated school libraries in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Many schools were also not within walking distance of their nearest public library. "It is very strange to us that the Department of Education seems to just ignore or reject massive literature and findings around school libraries, and how they enhance learning in all kinds of ways," Shivaun said. "You couldnt call what we found a library service, bar one school that is a JSCP library." Ireland really is an outlier in this regard. Even our Numeracy and Literacy Strategy, which is coming to an end now, doesnt mention school libraries. "The solution from the Department of Education is that schools access their public libraries. Public libraries are great, but they are not school libraries. Our research has found how unrealistic it is with distances and various issues for most schools to actually use their public libraries. Public v school libraries A school library is specifically curated with the learning needs of the community in mind, according to Breege. "In each school, it will differ depending on learning needs and the demographics. If you had effective school library provision, you would have a professionally qualified librarian managing it to the specific needs of students and teachers." "They would curate the collection with the students and teachers in mind, and make it accessible to 12- to 18-year-olds. A best practice model would also have the school librarian delivering information skills education and supporting teaching staff specifically in relation to their curriculum needs. So if the school teaches German for example, the librarian would ensure that there is a body of resource material there like texts in German or additional texts to help with the teaching of the subject. They would also provide a full programme of events and a learning support structured programme that enhances reading education in the school. Like hosting writers, novelists, and writing workshops, as well as workshops for music and for the arts. The researchers are not alone in their call for dedicated school libraries. Childrens Books Ireland told the Irish Examiner that funding school libraries is the best way to ensure that every young person has access to books, regardless of whether their family has a culture of reading or the means to buy them. Breege O'Brien: "All schools deserve the well-established benefits of school libraries. Efforts have been made to improve schools links with their local libraries, but for some, libraries remain inaccessible, whether due to geographical distance or a feeling that the library might not be for them. In 2022, just 16% of the Irish population held a public library membership. Dedicated, well-staffed school libraries are, realistically speaking, the only way to ensure universal access to excellent books. The Libraries Association of Ireland (LAI) also supports this stance, with its School Libraries Group telling the Irish Examiner that a school library is not just books on shelves at the back of a classroom but rather a dedicated space in a school for teaching and learning, cultural events and extra-curricular activities which should be run by a qualified librarian. Support The Oireachtas education committee has also recommended that the department develop a national strategy on school libraries with the aim of ensuring there is a school library and school librarian in all primary and post-primary schools by the end of 2024. In the interim, the JCSP should also be expanded. A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said that once-off funding of 20 million was made available in May 2022 to enable all schools to improve their existing literacy resource banks. Support is being provided so as to ensure that schools can make best use of the grant funding within their schools. In this regard, the department is working with the Public Library Service. Libraries Ireland provides services and support to schools within local authority areas. For information on the services and supports available to schools within a local authority area, the local library service can be contacted. A review of the JCSP Library Project is also underway, she added. 20m might sound like a lot of money but put it in perspective, Dr Shivaun O'Brien pointed to the number of students here. "That works out to 21 euro per student, and we dont know when that once-off funding might be given again. Before last year, the last time once-off funding was given was 24 years ago in 1998. 'We're here full time' At Thomond Community College in Limerick city, the school library stays around the clock. Its one of 30 Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) libraries in schools around the country. As a JCSP librarian, Jane Bingham-Shee works with teachers and students, as well as other librarians in the JCSP project, to develop reading and writing skills and nurture reading habits. Were here full time, Ms Bingham-Shee said. "A very important part of the school day would be coming to the library." In the library that we have, we have funding to buy stock and also for activities and to hold events throughout the year for the school. If theres software that we need or any kind of equipment, it would include that. We would be quite proactive; We have timetabled classes with all the students, where the teachers would bring them to the library. For example, all the first-year classes would come into me for a double period of literacy work. Wed work on stations, so for literacy wed have a reading station, and a writing station. Librarian Jane Bingham-Shee and teacher Noreen Carew with first Year students at the JCSP Library at Thomond Community College in Limerick City. Picture: Brian Arthur For maths, we have a computer that I buy maths software games for, that cover the Junior Cert course. Its a fun way to make maths accessible. We also have a teaching station where students can get maths tutorials in a small group. Wed also have a maths for fun games station. The school library at Thomond Community College is embedded in school life, often hosting competitions like drop everything and read or draws to win book vouchers. It also remains open after school and at lunchtime. Its not very quiet, Ms Bingham-Shee laughed. But the students can come in, they can play board games, they can do some quiet reading, maybe catch up on bits of homework. After school, we have different clubs, like homework club for first and second years. On Thursdays we have Dungeons and Dragons club. One of the days we also have our book club for students, we also have a chess club. Theres lot of different activities. Just as how public libraries would have events and activities always going on to get members in, we would do the same. Its important to make sure it's accessible as a resource for students, she added. You could have the most beautiful library in the world but if you are not bringing students into it, they mightnt use it. "I'll survey the students to see what they like reading. Sometimes a student can come in and say something like oh I hate reading so I ask them about their interests. They may love horses, or dogs, or Man United, or Liverpool, or whatever, so Id make sure there is something for everybody there on the shelf. Just like in a public library, you can order a book if you want to read it. In reading stations, wed always pick books that are fun for them or wed let them choose. We dont always let them go to the same section every time, to try and broaden it out. Well do a non-fiction day or a teen fiction day. The library also has plenty of books for reluctant readers or for who are less able. This includes Barrington Stokes books, which are accessible dyslexia-friendly fiction books. Through the JCSP, students also have access to a digital library. Membership is free to all students and staff in all JCSP or DEIS schools. Students can have free access to that free library where they can download loads of e-books or audiobooks and read them on phones or on a device like a tablet. She also works closely with teachers. "If students are working on their classroom-based assessments, for example, in history, I'll have research prepared or ask them what they need and help them find the resources." An elderly woman who died alone in a Cork hospital during January 2021 had previously made a 999 call to gardai from her ward because she was so frightened, the Ombudsman has confirmed. Your home for the latest news, views, sports and business reporting from Cork. Alice Donovans daughter Allison McCarthy has fought for over two years to find out what happened during her mothers time in Mercy University Hospital (MUH) between December 27, 2020, and her death from covid-19 in the early hours of January 30, 2021. Ms McCarthy is devastated by the findings. It is appalling, she said. Theyve said now my mother was alone when she died, they have. I live four minutes away. My sister was there till half-ten, the nurse told her shes going nowhere, shes too strong and she left. Alice, 78, was witty and loved by her family, she said, and until this prolonged hospital visit was rarely apart from her daughter. Acute heart failure Alice was admitted by ambulance to the hospital on December 27, with the family initially thinking it was a complication of her COPD. However, within hours a doctor phoned to say she had acute heart failure. Ms McCarthy was in constant contact with her mother on her mobile, and with nurses on the wards. Speaking to a nurse on the morning of December 30, Ms McCarthy remembers: And [the nurse] said 'she rang the guards ', and I said 'what' and she said 'did she ever do that before'". Distracted then by medical updates, Ms McCarthy never asked her mother about this, but it stuck in her mind. She later checked with gardai and they retrieved the call, made at 05.56 on December 30, so Ms McCarthy and her sister could hear it. We listened to the call, the call was horrific. Nobody should have to listen to that, she said, her voice wobbling as she recounts from memory what her mother said. Allison McCarthy with a photograph of her mother Alice: 'Theyve said now my mother was alone when she died, they have. I live four minutes away.' Picture: Denis Minihane Alice told the garda: My family dont know where I am" having been moved a number of times within the hospital. You could hear all the machines beeping in the background, Ms McCarthy said. The last thing she said to him was: Im 78 years of age boy, dont forget about me. They raised concerns with the Ombudsman as neither this nor the guards' follow-up call, which gardai confirmed in a letter to Ms McCarthy last year, were documented in Alices health records which the family have. The hospital apologised for this failure, the report states. The 999 call haunts Ms McCarthy and she said: If I spoke about this last year, I would be climbing the walls hysterical, but my tears cant come out now. A letter on March 31, 2022, from the MUH confirms Alice was on three wards, including repeat stays on two of these. However, the report states after discussion with medical consultants: I cannot find fault with the hospital in this regard. Weeks went by, with only one visit allowed on December 31 for Ms McCarthys brother as their mother had been living with him. Positive for covid-19 During their phone calls she could hear Alice was deteriorating. Then to her shock, on January 22 she was told Alice tested positive for covid-19. She remained without visitors, until January 28. That day, MsMcCarthy said: I spoke to that ward-head, and I said this is ridiculous, my mother is deteriorating, and I said look Ive had covid, Ill take a chance, Ill do anything, Ill give my right arm. She put on PPE and carried in a photograph of Alice with her grand-daughters but the nurse couldnt recognise her sick patient in the happy image, she said. A photograph of Allison McCarthy's mother Alice, and a drawing of Alice and her youngest grandchild Sophie which Sophie made in 2020. Picture: Denis Minihane The hospitals nursing notes show Ms McCarthy was advised of her mothers condition by a member of the medical team, the Ombudsman found. I painted her nails, I never left her hand go, I fixed her hair, Ms McCarthy said. I kept telling her things, how proud I was. She was in a hospital gown that day, I was like where are all her pyjamas?. Then after an hour, they said you have to go. On the evening of January 29, her sister Sharon was allowed in she sang songs to their mother, and reluctantly left at 10:30pm. I rang at half 12 [midnight] couldnt get through. I rang at half one and couldnt get through, then at quarter past two I rang again, Ms McCarthy said, describing how her own family sat around her as she called. She was told the nurse in charge of Alice was on break and would call her shortly. The phone rang at two minutes past three, and [nurse] said: Allison, we are just ringing to say your mum passed so peacefully, she remembers. I live five minutes literally from the hospital in the car. Ombudsman's report The Ombudsmans report states: The hospital acknowledges that your mother was alone when she passed away. It says that unfortunately this can happen. While it tries as much as possible to ensure that family or a member of staff are with patients at the end of life, it can sometimes happen that patients pass away in their sleep. Hospital practice is that each patient is checked every 15 minutes. The hospital apologises to you for any upset that this may have caused you or your family. Until this report was issued on May 29, MsMcCarthy had believed nurses were with her mother. I wanted the truth, she said. '[MUH] says communication at this time proved challenging for staff, patients and their family members,' due to the covid-cases, level 5 restrictions and staff shortages, the Ombudsman found. Picture: Larry Cummins One nurse wrote on rip.ie that she stayed with my mum [earlier] and held her hand. I can tell you the names of the nurses who were good, this kills me to complain but the bad outweighs the good. She also raised concerns around communication. [MUH] says communication at this time proved challenging for staff, patients and their family members, the Ombudsman found. It says that there were unprecedented times with health staff under significant pressure, due to the covid-cases, level 5 restrictions and staff shortages. The report outlines significant changes since then. I am satisfied that it [MUH] is taking your complaint very seriously and is attempting to put robust processes in place to prevent such a situation arising again, the report states. 'Sincere apology' The hospital has also asked me to provide you with a sincere apology for your experience. The report concludes parts of the complaint relating to medical care did not fall under the Ombudsmans remit. It states: Your complaint has been taken very seriously and has led to some important changes. Your complaint to this office will now be closed as partially upheld. The report is to be shared with the HSE Hospice Friendly Hospital End of Life Oversight Committee. Advocacy group Care Champions have supported Ms McCarthy. Majella Beatty said: [We] have repeatedly called for a fit for purpose complaints system that will allow for an individual truth telling process for each bereaved family. She described the current system in hospitals as adversarial for families. The high number of patients who died alone, many in substandard conditions must be acknowledged, independently reviewed and included in the public inquiry which should be human rights led, she said. A spokesman for the Mercy University Hospital said they cannot comment on individual cases. Detailed results from Census 2022 identified a population rising over 5m for the first time in over 150 years. The average age of the population increased from 37.4 in 2016 to 38.8 in 2022, and there was a 5% drop in the proportion of people who reported their health as good or very good, from 87% to 83%. These statistics have key implications for healthcare policy. The current healthy state of the public finances is an opportunity to address these policy implications by building capacity in the public sector. A key area that needs to be addressed is the capacity of the healthcare system to address the needs of an ageing population. In his opening address at the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO)conference in April, president Dr John Cannon said: "Tragically, it is inevitable that this capacity crisis is contributing to increased avoidable mortality because patients are being treated in overcrowded hospitals, or treatment is being delayed in primary or secondary care settings as capacity cannot meet patient need." Improve GP capacity A key measure to alleviate pressures on hospital EDs is to increase GP capacity. The IMO says that Ireland will need over 1,100 extra GPs to meet future demand, while about one in ten people in Ireland currently do not have a GP. Increasing GP capacity significantly improves healthcare access for ageing populations as well as taking pressures off hospital EDs and hospital beds. There is to be a significant increase in the number of GP training places available next year, as the Government tries to tackle the shortage of available doctors. Training places will increase by 35% to 350, and the capacity of the non-EU GP training scheme will increase from 50 to 250 by the end of 2024, while the total number of trainees undertaking the four-year programme will also rise from 932 to 1,300 in 2026 under the plans. All of these efforts will help towards meeting GP shortages, particularly in rural areas, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said. Nursing accommodation A critical capacity issue is the recruitment and retention of nurses. Earlier this year, one of the countrys busiest hospitals was reported to be considering buying property to accommodate critical staff due to growing challenges posed by the housing crisis. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly recently reported that hospitals are drawing up plans to build or buy houses for nurses and other key staff, and that funding could be made available from the capital health fund. "Individual hospitals are now looking at this. I think thats very positive because I think, in the cases of the hospitals that are having the most difficulty in hiring people, it is because of the lack of rental accommodation. Theyre the ones that really are looking to prioritise this, he said. Availability of affordable accommodation has the potential to be game-changing for recruitment of nurses in Irelands major cities, and steps to address this now could impact significantly on potential trolley crises later in the year. Recruiting carers Another critical issue is the recruitment and retention of carers. Homecare services were recently reported in the Irish Examiner as facing collapse because they cannot recruit staff. More than 6,000 people have been approved for homecare packages, but carers cannot be hired to fill the roles. State-funded charities are paying workers 10% less than their similarly qualified colleagues in the public sector due to pay cuts made during the financial crisis that have never been reversed, with the issue due to be examined at the Workplace Relations Commission on June 12. Prompt resolution of this pay disparity for carers and other workers in disability and addiction services could be transformative in the ability of the State to care for an ageing population in the community and avoid hospitalisation. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly recently reported that hospitals are drawing up plans to build or buy houses for nurses and other key staff, and that funding could be made available from the capital health fund. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Sarcopenia From the age of 50, we lose muscle mass every year. The evidence shows that up to two thirds of people over the age of 70 have sarcopenia a progressive and generalised ageing muscle disease characterised by loss in muscle mass, weaker muscle strength, and infiltration of the muscles with fat. Once it sets in, it becomes more difficult to reverse and physical activity declines further, leading to a chicken and egg scenario of further age-related weakness in skeletal muscle. Subsidised community supports to incentivise regular twice weekly strength exercise programmes in local communities could have a huge impact in terms of building muscle mass and strength, reducing physical frailty, increasing healthy ageing and keeping older people out of hospital. Fruit and vegetables on prescription In Ireland, 70% of people over 50 are overweight or obese. Along with the UK, we are top of the obesity league in comparison to other European jurisdictions. The big issue with this is that obesity comes with accelerated ageing and early presentations of disease sometimes by as much as 20 years early such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and liver disease. Government policy that focuses on access to and affordability of healthy food has the potential to address healthy weight, frailty, and chronic disease, as well as healthcare needs in older people over the next decade. Last year, the UK introduced a pilot scheme, co funded by the Alexandra Rose Charity, to allow fruit and vegetables to be given out on prescription to low income families, aimed at tackling the growth of poverty-related hunger and health inequalities that predispose to conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Chief executive of the charity Jonathan Pauling said if the scheme was effective, the hope would be that fruit and veg vouchers would be made routinely available on the NHS. This scheme provides a template for the HSE to develop a similar scheme in Ireland to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and improve health in low income groups across all ages in Ireland. Loneliness Healthcare workers and policy makers in high income countries are increasingly worried about loneliness. Research conducted by Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Head of the academic department of medical gerontology at Trinity College Dublin and principal investigator of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) found that a quarter of Irish adults feel lonely some of the time and 5% often feel lonely. Living alone doubles the likelihood of experiencing loneliness. Men who live alone are lonelier than women who live alone. Loneliness increases with age and lonely people are more likely to suffer from depression. The evidence also shows that loneliness can significantly increase the risk of early death. It is associated with Alzheimers and other types of dementia as well as mental health disorders including depression and anxiety. It has also been linked to a range of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Recruitment and retention drives for key health workers combined with significant State support for community programmes are not just about keeping older people happy they can have long-term benefits in physical and emotional wellbeing that can make a real difference to keeping older people resilient, healthy, and out of hospital. Russias defence ministry said it had thwarted a large-scale Ukrainian assault in the eastern province of Donetsk on Sunday. Ukraine has not commented on the report, which was made by defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov on Monday. He said Russian forces had killed 250 Ukrainian personnel, as well as destroying 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armoured combat vehicles releasing a video which claimed to show some of the destroyed equipment. The enemys goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front, said Mr Konashenkov. The enemy did not achieve its tasks. It had no success. Orthodox priests bless people celebrating Trinity in Zaporizhia, Ukraine, on Sunday (Andriy Andriyenko/AP) In a rare specific mention of the presence of Russias top military leaders in battlefield operations, he said the chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, general Valery Gerasimov, was at one of the forward command posts. Announcing his direct involvement could be a response to criticism that Russias military brass has not been visible at the front or taken sufficient control or responsibility for military operations in Ukraine. On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at least 500 Ukrainian children have been killed in the war. The United Nations says around 1,000 other Ukrainian children have been wounded and thousands of others have been forcibly deported to Russia. All of Ukraine, all our people, all our children, must be free from the Russian terror! Mr Zelensky wrote in the messaging app Telegram: Russian weapons and hatred continue to take and destroy the lives of Ukrainian children every day, adding that many of them could have become famous scholars, artists, sports champions, contributing to Ukraines history. We must hold out and win this war! he said. All of Ukraine, all our people, all our children, must be free from the Russian terror! His comments came after Ukrainian authorities said a soldier returned to the central city of Dnipro to find his two-year-old daughter dead and his wife seriously wounded after a missile strike which left 25 people injured, including five children. Russian drone and cruise missile strikes on Sunday targeted multiple areas of the country, including the capital, Kyiv. The Ukrainian air force updated earlier figures and said air defences downed six of eight Shahed self-exploding drones and four of six cruise missiles fired. Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venzuelan president Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to another US foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Mr Maduro arrived late on Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by US secretary of state Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close US ally for decades but relations have been strained in recent years. Nicolas Maduro has been criticised by the US (Andre Penner/AP) Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Irans theocracy and Syrias president Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdoms image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Mr Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognise the election results and challenged Mr Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Mr Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Mr Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has met his Indian counterpart to discuss increasing co-operation as both countries grapple with Chinas economic rise and increased belligerence. Mr Austins visit comes as India strengthens its domestic defence industry by acquiring new technology and reducing reliance on imports, particularly from Russia, its largest supplier of military hardware despite the war in Ukraine. Mr Austin and Rajnath Singh explored ways of building resilient supply chains, a statement from Indias Defence Ministry said. They decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. They also discussed regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the ministry said. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defence Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, Mr Austin tweeted after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/P73Oy2npDx Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) June 4, 2023 Mr Austin, who is on his second visit to India, was expected to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington on June 22, which has fuelled speculation about a possible announcement of defence contracts. India is looking to buy 18 armed high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for an estimated 1.5 billion to 2 billion dollars (1.2-1.6bn), said Rahul Bedi, a defence analyst. The UAVs would likely be deployed along its restive borders with China and Pakistan and in the strategic Indian Ocean region, Mr Bedi said. Indian media reports said a joint production and manufacture of combat aircraft engines, infantry combat vehicles, howitzers and their precision ordnance were discussed last month in Washington at a meeting of the US-India Defence Policy Group. Mr Austin arrived in New Delhi from Singapore, where he attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defence officials, diplomats and leaders. Lloyd Austin inspects a joint military guard of honour upon his arrival at the Manekshaw Centre for a meeting (Manish Swarup/AP) Mr Austin lobbied for support for Washingtons vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. Chinas defence minister Li Shangfu said at the conference that the US has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve its dominant position. Mr Li suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are remnants of the Cold War and establishing new pacts, like the Aukus agreement with Britain and Australia and the Quad grouping with Australia, India and Japan, to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation. India is trying a balancing act in its ties with Washington and Moscow, and has been reducing its dependence on Russian arms by also buying from the US, France, Germany and other countries. Experts say up to 60% of Indian defence equipment comes from Russia, and New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a three-year-old border stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh, where tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed within shooting distance. Twenty Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops died in a clash in 2020. Conservative MP Bob Stewart has been charged with racially abusing a man he allegedly told to go back to Bahrain. The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after a complaint was made by activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who said he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state. The MP for Beckenham in south-east London is alleged to have told Mr Alwadaei during an angry confrontation on December 14 to get stuffed and that he is taking money off my country. The Met said on Monday that the 73-year-old politician has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence over the incident outside the Foreign Offices Lancaster House. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on July 5. The MP is also charged with an alternative count of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to allow the court discretion on the racial element. Stewart, a former British Army officer, has represented Beckenham since 2010 and is currently the chairman of the all-parliamentary group on Bahrain. Mr Alwadaei, 36, who said he was tortured after taking part in anti-government protests in the country, is the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy. Former US vice president Mike Pence is filing paperwork on Monday declaring his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a challenge to his former boss, Donald Trump, just two years after their time in the White House ended with an insurrection at the US Capitol and Mr Pence fleeing for his life. Mr Pence, the nations 48th vice president, will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and kick-off event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, which is his 64th birthday, according to people familiar with his plans. He was set to file papers making his candidacy official with the Federal Election Commission. While Trump is currently leading the early fight for the nomination, with Florida governor Ron DeSantis polling consistently in second, Mr Pences supporters see a lane for a reliable conservative who espouses many of the previous administrations policies but without the constant tumult. Mike Pence aims to challenge for the Republican nomination for the presidency (AP Photo/Holly Ramer) While he frequently lauds the accomplishments of the Trump-Pence administration, a Pence nomination in many ways would be a return to positions long associated with the Republican establishment but abandoned as Trump reshaped the party in his image. Mr Pence has warned against the growing populist tide in the party, and advisers see him as the only traditional, Ronald Reagan-style conservative in the race. A staunch opponent of abortion rights, Mr Pence supports a national ban on the procedure and has campaigned against transgender-affirming policies in schools. He has argued that changes to social security and medicare, like raising the age for qualification, should be on the table to keep the programs solvent which both Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis have opposed and criticised Mr DeSantis for his escalating feud with Disney. He also has said the US should offer more support to Ukraine against Russian aggression, while admonishing Putin apologists in the party unwilling to stand up to the Russian leader. Mr Pence, who describes himself as a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order, has spent months laying the groundwork for an expected run, holding events in early voting states like Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, visiting churches, delivering policy speeches and courting donors. Burma Myanmar Junta, Kokang Forces Clash as Negotiators Meet for Peace Talks Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army troops / The Kokang News Fighting erupted between junta forces and ethnic revolutionary organization the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) on Fridaythe same day regime officials sat down for peace talks with the armed group and two of its alliescausing the talks to break off and sparking four days of clashes that continued into Monday. The fighting began as the juntas representative team was meeting with the Northern Brotherhood Alliance Squad, which comprises the MNDAA, Arakan Army (AA) and Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), with the involvement of Chinese government facilitators. However, the meeting in Mongla, Shan State, ended without any settlement on June 2. The meeting was held due to pressure from China. The military wants temporary ceasefires with the three EAO groups [as it is busy fighting pro-democracy resistance forces in the Burmese heartland]. But the EAO groups already understand that the junta will never meet their demands and only wants to meet as a delay tactic. That is why the meeting was unsuccessful, a political analyst told The Irrawaddy. On the same morning that the two sides were meeting in Mongla, a clash broke out in Hseni Township when regime forces launched a raid on a temporary base of the MNDAA, said The Kokang News, the media wing of the ethnic rebel group. To put pressure on groups that it is negotiating with, or to try to gain control of more territory, the military has long used the tactic of launching offensives against ethnic armed groups even as it meets with them to discuss ceasefires, the political analyst said. On Saturday and Sunday, further firefights erupted in Kokang district as regime forces raided the MNDAAs areas. In the clashes, an MNDAA fighter was killed and another injured, The Kokang News reported. At 4 a.m. on Monday, heavy clashes broke out in Lashio, the biggest town in northern Shan State, when the MNDAA and Peoples Defense Force (PDF) reportedly launched counterattacks targeting a military battalion, police station and another military unit in the town, according to local ethnic Shan media. The junta also used aircraft to attack resistance forces, residents told Shan media. However, details of damage and casualties were unknown for either side. The Myanmar junta faces near-daily attacks from PDFs and many ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) nationwide. Facing a shortage of soldiers due to the daily clashes, the Myanmar junta is now relying on its aircraft and artillery units to attack both resistance and civilian targets. Burma Political Prisoners Report Rise in Torture by Myanmar Regime Obo Prison in Mandalay pictured in 2020. / The Irrawaddy Political prisoners in Myanmars jails have reported increased abuse at the hands of jailers following a high-profile escape, according to support groups. Ten political prisoners managed to flee from Taungoo Prison in Bago Region on May 18. Abuse including torture has since spiked in prisons, reportedly by order of the junta-controlled Correctional Department. A member of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said: There have been more cases of abuse since political prisoners escaped from Taungoo. Political prisoners are now shackled when they are brought to court for trial. We heard the regime has ordered its Correctional Department to do this. At least 10 political prisoners were tied and beaten in the governors office at Myingyan Prison in Mandalay Region between May 21-28. They were sent back to their cells on May 29 but kept in solitary confinement and denied medical treatment, according to Ko Shin Thant, a member of the anti-coup protest committee for Monywa. They have been sent back to prison cells now. None of them died, despite reports that Ko Okkar was beaten to death. However, he was very badly beaten. I heard they were tied and [prison guards] beat them on their arms and knees, he said. Other political prisoners in Myingyan Prison staged a hunger strike in protest at the beatings on May 22-23. Authorities responded by locking them in their cells and deploying junta soldiers and police to the prison. The regime also banned delivery of food and other necessities to Myingyan prisoners for one month. A prison officer from Myingyan Prison who asked for anonymity told The Irrawaddy: The officer in charge of Myingyan Prison, U Tin Cho, says he beats them because he doesnt give a shit about PDFs [Peoples Defense Forces]. Staff officer U Win Kyaing also says he beats [political prisoners] even for minor violations of prison rules. Jailer Myat Kyaw Thu said the prison warden allowed him to do anything he likes to political prisoners. So, it appears that there will be more abuse. Myingyan Prison holds around 200 political prisoners, including ousted National League for Democracy Sagaing chief minister Dr. Myint Naing and others from Mandalay, Monywa and Taungtha. Political prisoners from Mandalays Obo Prison and Monywa Prison were moved to Myingyan in July last year. A former prisoner of conscience said: [Jailers] have become tougher on political prisoners after the escape from Taungoo Prison. The worst thing is that political prisoners are shackled for trial. And in cases heard by courts inside prisons, defense lawyers are searched before entering and not allowed to take their phones into prison. So, the situation has got a lot worse. On May 21, family members of Ko Pyae Phyo Win, who was serving seven years in Bago Regions Tharyarwaddy Prison for alleged arson and incitement, were informed that the 25-year-old political prisoner had died. But prison authorities did not return the body. His family were told that Ko Pyae Phyo Win died of a lung infection, but they were not allowed to see the body, which suggests he was tortured to death, said a political activist close to his family. Nine inmates at Tharyarwaddy Prison were also tortured regarding the escape of 10 political prisoners from Myingyan Prison. The Irrawaddy could not independently confirm if Ko Pyae Phyo Win was one of the nine tortured. In another case, junta officials have reportedly been beating over 20 political prisoners during interrogation at Kyaiksakaw Prison in Bago Regions Daik-U Township since May 25. They were among 40 prisoners detained for alleged links with Bago Township Peoples Defense Force. Family members have expressed concern over reports that three have died during interrogation. According to AAPP, 22,842 people have been detained since the coup and 18,522 remained in detention as of May 31. Of these, 156 people have been handed death sentences, of whom 42 are still wanted and 114 are being held in prison. A total of 3,596 civilians and democracy activists have died at the hands of the Myanmar military regime since the February 2021 coup. Myanmars Crisis & the World Thailand Can Take Lead on Restoring Stability in Myanmar: Election-Winning MFP Move Forward Party leader and prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat speaks to the press in Bangkok on May 22./ AFP The leader of Thailands Move Forward Party (MFP), which won last months general election, said his country now has an opportunity to bring stability to a Myanmar politically and socially devastated by the 2021 coup. Pita Limjaroenrat told Thailands Channel 3 recently that both world powers, the United States and China, want stability in Myanmar. The country has been engulfed in armed conflict since 2021, as the junta conducts a brutal crackdown on the nationwide armed uprising against military rule. China is a major investor in Myanmar, while Thailand shares a border of more than 2,400 kilometers with its neighbor, an important trade partner. MFP leader and prospective prime minister Pita said his talks with the US and China showed that both countries want stability restored in Myanmar. Thailand has the ability and opportunity to make this happen. We can guide the leaders of Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) countries to collaborate to help Myanmar, he said. Thailands proximity to Myanmar also gave it an advantage that other ASEAN countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia lack, he added. As a neighbor, Thailand could invite ASEAN leaders for roundtable discussions on Myanmar that would benefit the country. We [Thailand and Myanmar] are neighbors. If your neighbor gets cold, you are affected, too. Thailand is under pressure from the influx of Myanmar refugees, as well as fighting between junta troops and resistance forces on its frontier, and disruption to border trade. Even if they are illegal migrant workers, we have to take care of them as they are humans and we are sharing the border, Pita said of border-crossers. The 42-year-old prospective PM has been a consistent critic of Thailands policy on Myanmar, where the junta has been attacking both resistance forces and civilians, by bombing villages, schools, and clinics. Pita revealed his policy on Myanmar at a post-election press conference on May 15, saying, We want to push ahead to make sure the Five Point Consensus is really achieved. The consensus is the peace plan for Myanmar adopted by ASEAN in the wake of the 2021 coup and bloody crackdown. The junta has ignored the plan and continued killing civilians. Pita said the Move Forward-led government would restore Thailands leading role in ASEAN and work to curb the violence in Myanmar. We will start a humanitarian journey, especially with the Burma Act passed by US Congress, which means we can start that work with the international community to ensure the right amount of pressure and incentives for people to resolve their conflict. The Burma Act authorizes US funding of non-lethal support for resistance forces in Myanmar. Unsurprisingly, Pitas policy declaration on Myanmar rang alarm bells with the regime next door. Shortly after the election-winners announcement, regime No. 2 Vice Senior General Soe Win issued a directive to his regional commanders to watch the border, saying, The Move Forward Party is pro-West and they will assist terrorists [resistance groups active along the border] We have to watch the border and get information about them, their movements and their activities. Guest Column Myanmar Needs Full Political Rights and Accountability, Not Food Handouts Houses destroyed by Cyclone Mocha in Chin State's Mindat Township / Mindat Public Administration The plight of half a million marginalized, brutalized people in Myanmars remote Chin State has become a test case for the UN agencies ability to address the deepening needs of some of Myanmars most embattled, isolated populations caused by the juntas vicious repression. The conclusion is clear. The UN has failed abjectly. It has failed the people of Chin State and millions of others across Myanmar. Two weeks after Cyclone Mocha ripped through the northwest of the country, there is no UN presence on the ground in Chin State. Not a single UN truck has arrived, not a single aid worker. The UN is absent. Even before Mocha, the situation in Chin State was dire. Over 500 people, according to conservative estimates, have been killed in the state since the attempted coup in February 2021, through indiscriminate and disproportionate air strikes, summary executions, torture, the use of civilians as human shields, and mass arson attacks. Women have been raped and executed. Schools, hospitals and religious buildings have been deliberately targeted. Anecdotal evidence suggests poverty-related disease, particularly among Chin children, is on the increase, education indices are plummeting and infant mortality is on the rise. Beyond its passivity in the face of this deepening humanitarian crisis, the UN has actively contributed to the misery of the Chin people and others by legitimizing the illegal junta and allowing it to weaponize aid by blocking deliveries to non-junta areas. The UN is presenting two-week aid plans to the junta, even though Security Council Resolution 2669 adopted last year allows unhindered humanitarian access, whether the junta approves or not. Adding insult to injury, heads of UN agencies have posed for photo-ops shaking hands with representatives of a regime responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. These photos adorn the pages of pro-regime papers distributed across the country in an attempt by the junta to bolster itself internally. Perhaps most egregiously, an email leaked in March this year revealed that the UN had transported junta officials in UN boats with insignia removed, in order to organize a pilot scheme to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh, even though the UN refugee agencys public position is that its too dangerous for these victims of the 2017 genocide to return. Similar returns in the past have seen thousands die. But history is repeating itself. After the Rohingya genocide six years ago, an independent inquiry into the UNs dysfunctional performance found systemic and structural failings and called for root and branch reform. Twenty-five thousand had been killed, three quarters of a million had fled to Bangladesh. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres accepted the findings of the so-called Rosenthal Report in full, and yet to date, its recommendations remain unimplemented. Put simply, the UN has been instrumentalized and led down a path by the junta to the point where many Myanmar people believe it is actively enabling a regime that has declared war on its own people, and engendering a culture of impunity. This compounds an even more fundamental failing: the inability of the UN to engage meaningfully and deliver on the two things that matter far more to Myanmar people than aid handouts: full political rights in the context of a federal democracy and accountability for the atrocity crimes being perpetrated on a scale not seen in Southeast Asia since Pol Pot unleashed the Khmer Rouges reign of terror on Cambodia. In the face of this, many Chin say to the UN: keep your humanitarian aid. Do not come to Chin State. Do not even attempt to. Do not conduct any negotiations with the junta about humanitarian access on our behalf. We have grassroots organizations working effectively with our most vulnerable groups. The UN is more trouble than its worth. Instead, channel humanitarian assistance to the local actors that are able to provide it to affected populations. We also say to the UN Country Team: your engagement with the junta contradicts the political signals emanating from the two most powerful bodies at UN Headquarters in New York. The General Assembly has twice decided to reject the juntas credentials and leave the National Unity Governments ambassador in his seat. The Security Council has also denied recognition to the junta and has accepted the credentials of the man representing Myanmars democratic government. Does the UN Country Teams not realize its modus operandi in Myanmar is contradicting these political signals? Does the UN Country Team not realize that by legitimizing the junta, its humanitarian programs are making it even less likely that the people of Myanmar will achieve their aspiration for full political rights and accountability? UN agencies have failed to make the case to the donor community for full funding and as a result, the UN Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 is just 10-percent funded. We hope this will force a thoroughgoing review of the UNs entire approach. Let us be clear. We reject unconditionally UN handouts. We demand the recalibration of the UNs involvement in Chin State and perhaps beyond. We must reset the conversation and prioritize two things: political rights in the context of a federal democracy and accountability. The departure of the UNs envoy, Noleen Heyzer, in a few weeks presents an ideal opportunity for a conversation involving key stakeholders and we call on the Secretary-General and the United Kingdom as penholder at the Security Council to lead this. Our message to the UN is clear: humanitarian aid can never be a substitute for rights, justice and dignity. Salai Za Uk is deputy executive director of the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO). Chris Gunness is director of the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP). Monday, Jun 5th, 2023 (1:17 pm) - Score 2,040 Network operator Digital Infrastructure supported by ISP BeFibre has today announced that their gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure is now well on its way to rolling out to a fully designed base of 400,000 premises, with over 100,000 now ready for connection. On top of that, theyve appointed a new CEO, Paul Doyle. Just to recap. The operator began its rollout of a new FTTP network in 2021 with an aim to cover 1 million premises across 80 UK towns and cities by the end of 2027 (here), albeit starting with an initial goal of achieving 200,000 premises passed (Ready for Service) by the end of 2022 (14,000 were completed by August 2022). Clearly, they appear to have missed their original ambition for 2022, but the rollout does now look set to accelerate. NOTE: BeFibre / DI is fuelled by a 100m investment from Basalt Infrastructure Partners. The provider now claims to be actively selling broadband in more than 30 of the countrys towns and cities (e.g. weve seen them announce various places like Crewe, Brentwood, Worcester, Clacton on Sea, Hattersley and more here and here), with their build areas being anticipated to double by the end of 2023 taking the rollout figure to 60 locations this year alone. As part of this, the company has today announced the appointment of a new interim CEO, Paul Doyle, as they gear up for their next phase of growth. Doyle has 40 years of experience in the telecoms sector and, until 2018, he managed the full range of technology, operations, commercial, finance, and support functions, for Irelands largest telco, eir Ireland. Paul Doyle, CEO of BeFibre and DI, said: We are committed to fulfilling our growth ambitions and Im looking forward to driving this forward as we move into the next phase of our business plan developing our network and evolving our proposition on a much larger scale. While competition in the market has intensified, there is ever-rising demand for high-speed broadband in the UK particularly in underserved areas. BeFibres aim is to empower consumers with a fit-for-the-future network that delivers the guaranteed speeds they need now, providing a premium product at an affordable price point. The press release makes no mention of what happened to their former CEO, Charlie Ruddy, but according to Linkedin he has taken up the CEO position at COA Networks and will now be leading a project on the island of St Helena to build a full fibre network for the government and its 4,000 St Helenians. So far as logistical challenges go, thats a huge one. Back to BeFibre and DI. Clowne, Worcester, Brightlingsea and Skelmersdale are said to be just a few of several project areas where the build is now well underway, with more areas set to be announced by the end of the year. We have also asked the operator to confirm which towns now have some live areas and whether ready for connection is the same as the industry standard Ready for Service (RFS) definition. Customers tend to pay from 29 per month on a 24-month term for an unlimited 150Mbps (symmetric) package with free installation, which rises to just 49 for their top 900Mbps tier. Most of their fastest tiers also give new customers the option of taking either a Weber Go-Anywhere BBQ (RRP 111.99) or 75 Amazon voucher. UPDATE 1:51pm The operator has confirmed that the 100k figure is indeed RFS and their live deployments are currently as follows: 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 Reddit Email 36 Shares Im RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Heres what Ive been following during the past week and what Im watching for in the days ahead. The Big Issue ( RFE/RL ) A revolutionary court in Iran this week began the trials of two female journalists who helped break the story of Mahsa Aminis death. Aminis death in September soon after she was arrested by Irans morality police for allegedly violating the countrys hijab law triggered months of nationwide protests against the clerical establishment. Reporters Nilufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi helped expose the case of Amini to the world by reporting, respectively, from the hospital where she died and her funeral. The women, who have been held in pretrial detention since September, face a number of charges that include collaborating with the hostile government of America, conspiracy and collusion to commit crimes against national security, and propaganda against the establishment. The trials are being held behind closed doors, despite widespread calls inside and outside Iran for them to be open to the public. The women have complained that they were allowed to meet their lawyers only last week. Hamedi denied all charges against her as her trial began on May 30, her husband said. The 30-year-old said she had performed her work as a journalist within the framework of the law and did not take any action against Irans security, her husband, Mohammad Hossein Ajorlu, wrote on Twitter. Mohammadis trial began a day earlier. Her lawyer, Shahabeddin Mirlohi, said the Tehran Revolutionary Court was not qualified to rule on the cases. Revolutionary courts mainly deal with prominent political cases and are seen to be less regulated and more hard-line in their judgments than ordinary courts. Reporters Nilufar Hamedi (left) and Elahe Mohammadi helped break the story of Mahsa Amini, whose death in police custody sparked outrage in Iran. (file photo) Why It Matters: Hamedi and Mohammadi are being tried for simply doing their job. Hamedi of the Shargh daily had reported from the Tehran hospital where Amini died from the injuries she allegedly suffered in custody. Mohammadi of the Hammihan daily reported from Aminis funeral in her hometown of Saghez, where the first protests erupted. Their cases have highlighted the Iranian authorities renewed crackdown on dissent in the wake of the antiestablishment protests. Whats Next: Rights groups and media watchdogs are closely watching the trial of Hamedi and Mohammadi, who have both been hailed for their reporting and honored by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Shargh editor-in-chief Mehdi Rahmanian expressed hope that the two will be acquitted and able to return to their jobs. But the fact that the trials are being presided over by hard-line judge Abolqasem Salavati, who is known for handing out harsh sentences, is potentially bad news for the reporters . . . Thats all from me for now. Dont forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have. Until next time, Golnaz Esfandiari Via RFE/RL Copyright (c)2022 RFE/RL, Inc. Used with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036. Reddit Email 42 Shares ( Tomdispatch.com ) Greenville, CA Pines and firs parched by a three-year drought had been burning for days on a ridge 1,000 feet above my remote mountain town. On August 4, 2021, the flames suddenly flared into a heat so intense it formed a molten cloud the color of bruised flesh. As that sinister cumulus rose above an oval-shaped reservoir, it collapsed, sending red-hot embers down the steep slopes toward Greenville in a storm of torched trees and exploding shrubs. It took less than 30 minutes for the Dixie fire to transform my towns tarnished Gold Rush charm into a heap of smoldering hand-hewn timbers and century-old brick walls. Minutes earlier, the last of the nearly 1,000 residents had bolted, some in shirts singed by flames. We fled with what belongings we could take in the face of a fire few believed would ever destroy our town. I was among the evacuees, escaping with a hastily assembled truckload of journals and notebooks, shoes and shovels, laptops and passports. We scattered in the sort of desperate diaspora that has become ever more common in towns like ours across the West. The Dixie fire left more than 700 residents of Greenville and its surroundings homeless. (While my office in town was demolished, my home on its outskirts escaped the flames.) Displaced by wildfire in a forest both poorly managed and dried by a warming planet, we burned-out residents joined Americas swelling ranks of climate migrants. Many of us found temporary shelter in neighboring small towns. Others went to Reno or Los Angeles, Idaho, Missouri, or Kentucky, where relatives and friends were ready to offer at least temporary safety. My neighbors in Greenville, Indian Falls, and Canyon Dam werent the only victims of climate-driven fires that summer. Near Lake Tahoe, 100 miles to the south, the Caldor fire crossed the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains, destroying more than 1,000 structures and forcing the entire city of South Lake Tahoe to evacuate. Nor were wildfires the only all-American calamities caused by our rapidly warming planet that year: Hurricane Ida pummeled Louisiana and Mississippi with 150-mile-an-hour winds; a crippling megadrought of a sort not seen in 1,200 years gripped the Southwest; and an unprecedented heat dome in the Pacific Northwest drove temperatures to 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius). Think of the destruction of my adopted hometown as a parable for what the next century of climate change holds in store for this country, as Jake Bittle makes all too clear in his book The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration. By the end of 2021, one in three Americans had already experienced some kind of weather disaster driven by climate change and last year alone more than three million Americans lost their homes to climate disasters. These days, its the sort of heartbreaking tale told around the globe, one that will, it seems, only worsen into the distant future. By 2050, its now believed that between 31 million and 72 million people across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America will be displaced due to water stress, sea level rise, or crop failures, according to an estimate in the most recent report of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Unless we dramatically curb greenhouse-gas emissions in the years to come, scientists predict that, by centurys end, climate-change-caused events will affect every last one of us. Where will we go to find safety from fire, floods, and extreme storms then? How long will those of us uprooted from our homes have to stay in evacuation sanctuaries? Will we ever find home again? Unpredictable, Chaotic, and Life-Changing The term climate migration has an orderly, almost bucolic ring to it, evoking as it does the age-old seasonal treks of caribou, wildebeests, and other charismatic species. In human terms, it suggests coastal residents dealing with flooding by simply moving inland and continuing their lives, or forest dwellers relocating from burn scars to places where the risk of wildfire is much lower. Unfortunately, in the years to come, count on one thing: climate migration will have a far less peaceful ring to it. In a sense, of course, migration has always been the story of humanity. Throughout history, people have moved for a myriad of reasons. But what sets todays growing climate-driven migration apart is the way it involuntarily displaces people, increasingly often at an unprecedented pace and scale. The more the planet warms, the more pressure so many of us will face to move, as those IPCC scientists made clear in their 2022 report. According to the IPCC, most climate migration is still occurring within countries rather than across borders (though that, too, is growing). And while people of every income bracket will be hit by climate disasters, overall such migrants are only expected to increase social inequities. As the IPCC summary for policymakers puts it, Across sectors and regions, the most vulnerable people and systems are observed to be disproportionately affected. But count on one thing: climate migration will be increasingly hard on everyone. As those scientists add: Through displacement and involuntary migration from extreme weather and climate events, climate change has generated and perpetuated vulnerability. In translation, thats bureaucratese for widespread trauma to come. And that, claims Bittle, is putting it mildly, since the fossil-fuelization of the atmosphere (and the oceans) is already creating disasters of a frequency and intensity that have no precedent in living memory. Over the past decade, the United States has, typically enough, experienced a succession of monumental climate disasters. Hurricanes have obliterated parts of the Gulf Coast, dumping more than 50 inches of rain in some places. Wildfires have denuded the California wilderness and destroyed thousands of homes. A once-in-a-millennium drought has dried up western rivers, even forcing farmers to stop planting crops. As Bittle puts it, The real story of climate change begins only once the skies clear and the fire burns out. In fact, he insists, migration isnt even the right word for the phenomena already taking place across this country. It implies an intentional action, while the response to ever-increasing climate disasters will be tumultuous and frenzied, as victims try to cope with the destruction of their homes and dreams, while searching for safe and affordable shelter. His term for it is displacement, which, he adds, is unpredictable, chaotic, and life-changing. (Scientists are similarly now using the term climate displaced rather than refugee.) And such displacement is already altering American geography. In the decades to come, he suggests, climate change will displace more people than the six million Blacks who began moving north in the 1920s to escape the Jim Crow regimes of the former southern plantation states in other words, a population relocation greater than what became known as the Great Migration. Where do people go and what do they do after an evacuation? Were just beginning to sort that out, Deb Niemeier, a transportation engineer at the University of Maryland, told me. They almost always end up in places where they have connections, whether family ones or otherwise, and those, Niemeier points out, tend to be in urban settings. One of only a handful of studies documenting where climate migrants have gone was launched in 2018 by civil engineer Sarah Grajdura, previously a student of Niemeiers. She began interviewing evacuees in shelters only three weeks after the Camp fire, Californias deadliest blaze, killed 85 people in the sadly named town of Paradise. She followed up eight months later. Where people settled and how long they stayed, she found, varied with income, age, and race, especially as time elapsed. Those with greater financial resources were able, in the end, to resettle nearer their original homes. Younger white evacuees accepted housing farther away, on average 117 miles from their original residences, while Black residents and other people of color generally couldnt afford to move more than 21 miles from their burned-out town. Retreat or Adapt? The human upheaval underway should make it obvious to even the most skeptical that our world is changing that we, in fact, are changing it in a remarkably radical fashion. Carbon dioxide and other gases that trap heat in the Earths atmosphere have raised the average temperature of the planet about two degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius) since the late nineteenth century. The ocean has absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 328 feet showing warming of 0.67 degrees Fahrenheit (0.37 degrees Celsius) just since 1969. Ice sheets are shrinking, glaciers are melting, and snow cover is decreasing. Global sea level has risen about eight inches in the last century, with the rate in the last two decades nearly double that of the century as a whole. As more and more of us are uprooted by floods, rising seas, ever fiercer storms, and brutal wildfires, how we view the natural world has become ever more essential to our collective future. Our relationship to the places where we live needs to be re-envisioned. Historically, we Americans have sought to control nature with dams, sea walls, and an all-out federal campaign to suppress Western wildfires. Clearly, none of that is working any longer. A handful of communities are starting to think differently about the ecosystems they share and how they interact with them. Several Gulf Coast communities are, for instance, accepting the inevitability of flooding and designing schools that float to keep their children protected. In New Orleans and elsewhere, entrepreneurs are experimenting with installing plastic water containers and manufactured dock floats inside the structural subframe of a house. The house and subframe would then be anchored to vertical guideposts, allowing that structure to rise and fall without floating away. In California, dozens of fire-prone communities are adopting the long-outlawed practices of Native Americans by setting small, controlled burns along forest edges to thwart future town-destroying fires and improve wildlife habitat. Other communities are starting to accept that the places they chose as home and the houses theyve built are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time for a rapidly warming planet. If its not a fire on the horizon, its a flood. If not tomorrow, next month, or next year. Instead of waiting to become inadvertent climate migrants evacuating under duress, they are moving in whats becoming known as a managed retreat. Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, is an early example. In 1978, 600 residents retreated from the Kickapoo River to avoid its rising flood waters. After Superstorm Sandy swamped New York City in 2012, killing 24 people, homeowners in several neighborhoods on Staten Island decided not to wait for the inevitable future. They took buyouts from the states Office of Storm Recovery, moving to new homes away from the coast. Today, more than 600 properties in that area are being returned to nature and a salt marsh created where deer and turkeys, rabbits and racoons are already moving in. That marshland will, in turn, create a buffer for the homes that remain. For Erica Gies, who reported on that Staten Island retreat, the possibility of living safely in a time of extreme storm events is transforming our relationship with water. What does water want? she asks in her book Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge. Re-envisioning the way we live with water, and with nature more generally, she says, will help create a better world in which people are happier and communities more adaptable. Some places, however, are already beyond retreat. On the Bering Sea in 2019, thawing permafrost and erosion forced 380 villagers from Yupik, Alaska, to abandon homes where they had lived for centuries. And what about towns like Paradise and Greenville, each destroyed once by wildfire and still all too vulnerable? They are among the communities built in a particular historical context that no longer exists, as Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, puts it. Whatever risk tolerances that we collectively decided were acceptable, for whatever reason, in whatever context, are no longer valid, he told the Los Angeles Times in 2022. The Pull of Home For all the documentation of the threats posed to ecosystems that humanity has so violently altered, for all the dangers so many of us have experienced living in them, and for all the uncomfortable questions raised about their future vulnerability, such places often still hold a powerful, almost magnetic draw for us. Gabrielle Wong-Parodi, a Stanford University behavioral scientist, calls such feelings place attachment, a powerful commitment to the community people have or had. Some of that attraction is, of course, simply the security of the familiar. Some is intangible: the smell of coastal fog, the sound of wind in the tops of sugar pines, the sag of wet sand underfoot. Its the draw of home. As Jake Bittle puts it, For a lot of people, a hometown is a really essential part of their identity. He reports on a man who lost his entire neighborhood to a wildfire in Santa Rosa, California. He spent four years with family in Kentucky, but eventually rebuilt in his old neighborhood. The winding road home was even longer for a family that evacuated after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other Gulf of Mexico communities in 2005. Even while forced to live elsewhere, they couldnt help but envision going back home. It took them about eight years, but eventually they did so. In our present world, sadly enough, the question always remains: For how long? The importance of place and the compulsion to go back, despite ever-worsening odds, have Wong-Parodi and other scientists thinking about what resources are available when people do return. How can they better prepare for the known risks and the certainty that, over time, given our overheating planet, theyll only increase? When it comes to Greenville, my California town now in ruins, the pull to return, as Sue Weber, chair of the Dixie Fire Collaborative, points out, combines a yearning for the physical beauty of the place with a sense of community and hope. I wouldnt build back, she says, if I didnt think there was a way to actually work collectively to create a safer environment. Less than two years after the Dixie fire, a third of the residents who fled Greenville are committed to rebuilding their homes and businesses. More than 20 already have. They are, however, applying Dixies harsh lessons to reconstruction, often using cross-laminated timber, Hardie board, and other less flammable materials. And when it comes to restoring the forests that surround the town, they are repurposing Giess question about water by asking what forests want. Answers are coming from the legacy of the Native Americans who managed these forests when they were far more resilient to fire and drought. The blackened specters that still haunt our hillsides will soon come down; the seedlings that take their place will be native species planted not in lines but in clumps. There will be space for fire to burn through, clearing out decadent brush and small trees to cleanse the land for new growth. Climate disaster, Weber points out, inspires climate mitigation. We are in a constant conversation about what that looks like for us Its going to take years to know whether we really survived or not. If humanity continues to emit greenhouse gases at anything like the current rate globally, all too many of the rest of us may not have to wait that long. We may once again become climate migrants embarking on our own torturous journeys, following in the footsteps of last years three million Americans. And home will be that elusive pot of gold at the end of a climate-driven rainbow. Copyright 2023 Jane Braxton Little Via Tomdispatch.com Reddit Email 34 Shares Munich (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) Recep Tayyip Erdogan won the elections in Turkiye. Again. In power for two decades, first as prime minister and then as president, Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) secured a relatively comfortable victory over Kemal Klcdaroglu in the runoff election held on May 28. Klcdaroglu, the leader of the center-left Republican Peoples Party (CHP), had the support of the The Table of Six. This opposition platform was born when the CHP joined forces with the right-wing nationalist IYI Parti and four smaller parties. Klcdaroglu garnered 47.8% of the votes in the runoff election, more than four percentage points below Erdogan and his 52.2% of support. As we will see, Erdogan went to the polls at a very complicated time for him and his party, but he exploited the advantages of his incumbent status and benefited from the oppositions numerous strategic mistakes. Embed from Getty Images ANKARA, TURKIYE- JUNE 3: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan first received his mandate from MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, as the temporary chairman of the Parliament, and then took the oath at the General Assembly on June 3, 2023 in Ankara, Turkiye. Re-elected President once again in the 28 May election, Recep Tayyip Erdogans duty, which he will continue until 2028, has officially started. The first ceremony was held in the Turkish Grand National Assembly.(Photo by Ugur Yildirim/ dia images via Getty Images). Turkiye finds itself in a deep economic crisis, which most analysts agree has been worsened by Erdogans unorthodox economic policies and his spending spree before the election. The months before the electoral contest were also marked by the earthquake that shook south-eastern Turkiye and northern Syria, leaving over 50,000 people dead on the Turkish side of the border alone. In the aftermath of the natural disaster, multiple reports showed that the low construction standards condoned by local authorities and the Turkish government resulted in avoidable deaths. Erdogan and his center-right AKP have worked over the years to create an institutional and media environment that facilitates their repeated electoral successes. According to an observation mission of the Turkish elections conducted by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), biased media coverage and the lack of a level playing field gave an unjustified advantage to the incumbent. However, the strategic mistakes of the opposition also need to be considered to understand why they failed to unseat Erdogan at his moment of maximum weakness. It has been noted that Klcdaroglus promises to assign vice presidential positions to the different party leaders of the opposition coalition sent a confusing message to the Turkish population regarding who would be in charge if the opposition won. The contrast with Erdogans personalist platform was certainly stark. Even so, if skillfully communicated along the lines of unity in diversity, the collective leadership of the opposition platform could have proven a strength rather than a weakness. In contrast, it was known long before the election campaign started that Klcdaroglu was not the best presidential candidate for the opposition. Different polls from early 2022 to early 2023 showed that CHP politicians Ekrem Imamoglu and Mansur Yavas, the mayors of Istanbul and Ankara respectively, were far more popular than Klcdaroglu. In December 2022, a judicial ruling banned Imamoglu from politics (he has been able to stay in office while appealing the decision) for referring to members of the Turkish supreme election council as fools. Imamoglus accusations came after the members of the council forced a repetition of the 2019 local elections in Istanbul, which Imamoglu won by a wider margin than the initial elections that were declared void. Imamoglus legal problems clearly affected his chances of running for president, but Yavas did not have any obvious impediment. If Erdogan was the personification of victory, in discursive terms the triumph went for anti-immigration positions. In fact, the reason Erdogan failed to win the election in the first round, as he had done in 2014 and 2018, was the strong showing of the ultra-nationalist Sinan Ogan, who received 5.2% of the votes. Ogans campaign largely revolved around promises to send back Syrian refugees living in Turkiye according to the Turkish government, 3.7 million Syrian refugees out of a total of 5.5 million foreigners live in the country. Ogan found fertile ground in a country that has seen the emergence of deadly assaults on refugees and immigrant neighborhoods during the last years. When recently polled on the subject of Syrian refugees, more than 88.5% of Turks demonstrated that they want them to return to their country. Embed from Getty Images Turkeys main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu attends a swearing-in ceremony at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, June 2, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images) The runoff contest had almost become a formality after the first-round results: 49.5% of the vote went for Erdogan and 44.9% for Klcdaroglu, which put the AKP leader half a point away from victory. The impressively high turnout, at 87.4%, meant that the oppositions options to mobilize citizens who had not participated in the first round were very limited. To complicate matters further, after the first round the opposition lost a few key days involved in recriminations, the restructuring of the election campaign team, and carving up a new strategy for the runoff. The despair within the opposition camp was closely related to the high expectations generated by the majority of pre-election polls, which suggested Klcdaroglu would emerge on top after the first round. Once the soul-searching came to an end, the next step was the pursuit of Ogans votes to have a slight chance in the runoff. There were rumors that the opposition offered Ogan to head a new migration ministry or even the vice presidency if he were to support Klcdaroglu in the second round. At the end, he sided with Erdogan although the Turkish President did not appear to make any concession to him. Ogan probably saw Erdogan was going to win regardless of his decision and preferred to back the strongest force. The opposition had to content itself with the support of Umit Ozdag, the leader of the far-right Victory Party, which had been the main party in the alliance that backed Ogans candidacy in the first round. Although both the government and the opposition coalition promised to send refugees back to Syria, the anti-refugee discourse has been much more prominent in the opposition camp, explains Chatham House Associate Fellow Galip Dalay. During the two weeks between the first round and the runoff election, Klcdaroglu stepped up his anti-refugee messages. Six days before the second round, in a rally in the province of Hatay, which borders Syria, Klcdaroglu exhorted his audience to make up your mind before refugees take over the country. Hatay would go on to become the only province in Turkiye where there was a shift of winner: Klcdaroglu won the first round, Erdogan the second. Embed from Getty Images ISTANBUL, TURKEY MAY 29: Members of the public are seen near the Hagia Sophia the day after Erdogan was re-elected to presidency on May 29, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. On Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won another 5-year term after he was forced into a runoff election with the opposition politician Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Erdogan prevailed despite criticism of his management of the countrys economy and the governments response to the devastating earthquakes earlier this year. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images). The roadmap to gain Ogans vote was not a complete failure, but the opposition needed around 90% of Ogans votes to win the election if turnout had remained constant a possibility that became even more distant as turnout fell by 3.1% in the second round. This meant Erdogan needed a lesser number of votes to overcome the 50% mark in the runoff election. In fact, the 27.13 million votes Erdogan received in the first round (as compared to 27.83 million votes in the second) would have been enough to win the second round with over 51% of the valid votes. Three different provinces illustrate the limited success of the opposition in winning over Ogan voters. In both Kayseri and Bilecik, Ogan received more than 8% of the vote, far above the national average of 5.2%. In the second round, the share of the vote for Klcdaroglu increased at the same rate as Erdogans in Kayseri while Klcdaroglus gains in Bilecik were only slightly bigger 1.6% more than Erdogan. Something similar happened in Bursa, a far more important province in electoral terms as it is Turkiyes fourth in number of population. In this western region, Ogan received 7.4% of the vote in the first round. In the second round, Klcdaroglus share of the vote increased by 4.5% and Erdogans by 3%. Article continues after bonus IC video Al Jazeera English: Turkey inauguration: President Erdogan sworn in for third term The opposition did a better job in Istanbul and Ankara, the two largest metropolitan areas, where its margin of victory doubled, but the differences remained too small to compensate for Erdogans overwhelming wins in Central Anatolia and the Black Sea region. Furthermore, Ozdags Victory Party support for the opposition proved to have negative consequences in the Kurdish-majority areas of Turkiye. This is something several analysts had expected given the Victory partys strong anti-Kurdish views. In Diyarbakr, Van, and Mardin, the most populated Kurdish provinces won by Klcdaroglu in the first round, the oppositions candidate lost between 0.3 and 1% of the vote in the runoff election. The number of votes for Erdogan in these provinces hardly increased, but the fall in the turnout rate was higher than the national average of 3.1% 6% in Diyarbakr and Van, 4% in Mardin suggesting the opposition failed to re-mobilize some of the voters who had previously voted for Klcdaroglu. Part of the problem for Klcdaroglu was that most of the support he received in the Kurdish areas in the first round consisted of tactical voting. The first round of the presidential election was held together with the parliamentary elections, which the opposition lost to the AKP and its ultra-nationalist ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The pro-Kurdish and left-wing Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) called for HDP supporters to back Klcdaroglu in the presidential election, forgoing putting up their own presidential candidate as they had done in the past. In the parliamentary elections, however, the HDP put forward its candidates under the umbrella of the Green Left Party (YSP), which gained close to 9% of the vote and was the strongest political force in 13 south-eastern provinces. It is reasonable to assume that a significant number of Kurdish voters who had split their vote for Klcdaroglu and the YSP in the first round decided to stay at home for the second round, especially considering Klcdaroglus reach-out to the anti-Kurdish Victory Party. Erdogan and his AKP had probably never been weaker than they were in the run-up to these recent parliamentary and presidential elections. Consequently, the opposition has strong reasons to believe it has missed an incomparable opportunity. Under the new presidential system, Erdogan will not be allowed to run for president again in 2028 due to a two-term limit. Even so, the difficulties for the opposition arising from the lack of a level playing field in Turkish elections will likely only have increased by 2028. Considering the results of the second round of the presidential election, the CHP is in a good position to maintain the mayorships of Istanbul and Ankara in the 2024 local elections. But even if these good prospects for the opposition materialize, these wins will have a sour taste with four more years to go until the next presidential and parliamentary elections. Reddit Email 116 Shares ( Georgia Recorder ) Georgia college students can continue to bring their handgun to class after the Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a lower courts decision to dismiss a challenge to the states campus carry law from a group of five professors. The law, which went into effect in 2017, requires the university systems 26 universities to allow lawful gun owners to carry concealed handguns at school buildings with a few exceptions, such as in on-campus childcare centers, in classes in which high school students are enrolled or in administrative offices where disciplinary proceedings are held. Last years constitutional carry law further eliminated license requirements to carry in colleges and elsewhere. The law was controversial when created. Former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed a version of the law in 2016 before signing another version with more exceptions the following year. After that, the Board of Regents, which oversees the states public universities, changed its policy to comply with the law. The five professors behind the lawsuit said being forced to allow guns into their classrooms puts them at risk. Some said they run laboratories with chemicals or machinery that could be extremely dangerous if damaged by a firearm. Photo by Jisoo Park on Unsplash They argued that Georgia universities disallowed guns on campuses for over two centuries and the Legislature overstepped its bounds by changing their rules. But in a unanimous ruling, the justices found that the Board of Regents adopted the rule change on their own initiative, and it was the Regents policy, not anything that passed the Legislature, that resulted in the alleged harms the professors hoped to redress. In determining that this action by the Board moots the professors challenge to the 2017 amendment, we do not concern ourselves with why the Board took this action, wrote Justice John J. Ellington in Tuesdays decision. We do not look behind the exercise of government power to determine the subjective reasonslegal, political, or otherwisefor a particular action, so long as the action was within the government actors authority. Ellington added that doing as the professors asked and declaring that the campus carry law constituted a separation of powers violation would not have eliminated the issues caused by the university systems gun policy. Matthew Boedy, a professor at the University of North Georgia and state chapter president of the American Association of University Professors, said the ruling reaffirms the independence of Georgias higher education system, and he hopes the Regents will use that independence to re-ban firearms. While the law allowing guns on campus was supported by a GOP-led legislature and signed by a GOP governor, the court made clear it was actions by the Board of Regents in revising its own policy that pushed this dangerous law on students, faculty, and staff, Boedy said. The court then implied the Regents can act independently and ban guns from campus. The Regents should do so. I applaud the professors for standing up for the safety of all on campus. I continue to ask the Regents to do the same. Guns on campus are an affront to education. Grass Valley, California--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQX: RYES) (the "Company" or "Rise Gold") reports that it has sent a letter to the Nevada County (the "County") Board of Supervisors (the "Board"), that highlights significant irregularities with the May 10-11 Planning Commission Hearing (the "Hearing") regarding the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project (the "IMM Project"). The letter details Brown Act violations, egregious abuses of the Company's constitutionally protected rights to due process, as well as the Planning Commission's non-compliance with the County's ethics training and adopted policies for conducting the business of Board-appointed bodies. The County's Final Environmental Impact Report ("FEIR") concluded that the IMM Project would have no significant impacts to air quality, biological resources, water quality, groundwater, vibration, truck traffic, or noise from operations. In addition, an independent economic study commissioned by the County concluded that the IMM Project would deliver substantial economic benefits, including at least 475 new local jobs, $45.3 million in new local labor income per year, additional tax revenue between $1.4 to $6.4 million per year, and a stronger and more diversified local economy. The Company thanks the many community members who supported the IMM Project with thousands of support letters and attendance at the recent Planning Commission Hearing. During the Hearing, a number of the County Planning Commissioners ("Commissioners") made unsupported assertions contradicting the findings of the FEIR without allowing County staff or the Company to respond, called on non-experts to testify without allowing the County's own technical experts to rebut or correct the misinformation, and introduced materials purported to be new damning information which were, in fact, already part of the FEIR and its analysis of the Project. It is notable that the Commissioners did not ask a single question of the fourteen expert consultants who were present at the Hearing, including those working directly for the County. One of the Commissioners knowingly presented false and inaccurate evidence and testimony into the deliberations, including from a geotechnical report included in the FEIR that he claimed was new information obtained from "a friend". The Commissioner read extensively from a letter from the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District ("NSAQMD") dated April 4th 2022 that was already included and analyzed in the FEIR and represented this letter to the County staff and his fellow commissioners as a new letter that had not been addressed. As stated in the FEIR, this unsigned letter was revised and replaced by the NSAQMD. The copy of this letter presented by the Commissioner was modified with the addition of a new date of May 8th, 2023, and a forged agency signature. Social media posts, and records obtained from a Public Records Act Request initiated by Rise Gold reveal that this Commissioner met with numerous Project opponents before the Hearing, attended an evening victory celebration for project opponents after the Hearing concluded, and participated in an anti-Project documentary after the Hearing, demonstrating clear bias against the IMM Project. Both the federal and state constitutions guarantee the right to due process of law. This constitutional right to due process requires a fair tribunal and applies to local agencies' (e.g., the County) decisions on land use permits. A fair tribunal requires that the decision-making process - including all decision-makers - be impartial, non-involved, and unbiased for or against a project proponent and/or project. Where there is a probability of actual bias during the decision-making process, the decision must be vacated. The Company's letter dated June 1st, 2023, urges the Board to conduct an independent inquiry into the events surrounding the Hearing and calls on the Board to publicly disavow the Planning Commission's recommendation to deny the IMM Project and disregard it when the Board deliberates whether to approve the IMM Project. A copy of the letter sent to the Board detailing the nature of the Company's objections to the Planning Commission hearing is provided on the Company's website at the following link. Download Rise Letter to BOS dated June 1st 2023. A printed copy of the letter and appendices will be provided to interested parties upon request. The Nevada County Board of Supervisors is the highest decision-making body within the County and has announced it will hold a public hearing to consider and make a final decision on the IMM Project sometime after July 2023. Rise Gold Corp. and Rise Grass Valley Inc. are American companies and have been members of the Nevada County community for over 6 years and Rise Gold is a significant local property owner and taxpayer. The Company asks for the community's continued support as it defends its private property and constitutional rights. The Company is committed to continue its mission to re-open the Idaho-Maryland Mine for the benefit of both the Company's shareholders and the community. About Rise Gold Corp. Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company incorporated in Nevada, USA. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA. On behalf of the Board of Directors: Benjamin Mossman President, CEO and Director Rise Gold Corp. For further information, please contact: RISE GOLD CORP. Suite 215, 333 Crown Point Circle Grass Valley, CA 95945 T: 530.433.0188 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.risegoldcorp.com The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to, among other things, its ongoing business operations. These risks are related to a number of factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals, meeting expenditure and financing requirements, compliance with environmental regulations, 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 that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. Burlington, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - CBLT Inc. (TSXV: CBLT) ("CBLT" or "the Company") is very pleased to announce it has purchased the Falcon Gold property, host to the former Falcon Gold Mine, in Sudbury, Ontario ("Falcon" or "the Property"), with a historical gold resource estimate. This purchase consolidates Falcon with CBLT's Copper Prince along the Garson Fault, effecting a 1996 recommendation from Falconbridge Limited, a prior owner. "There are many overlooked wonderful properties like Falcon in safe jurisdictions," said Peter M. Clausi, CBLT's CEO. "We are grateful to have the opportunity to marry Copper Prince with Falcon along the Garson Fault for future exploration." Location Falcon comprises a contiguous block of 3 patented claims, within Falconbridge Township in the Sudbury Basin. In the map below, it is the red middle between the patented and unpatented lands that are part of CBLT's existing copper-gold-cobalt property, Copper Prince. The Garson Fault runs east-west through Copper Prince and Falcon Gold. Map of Falcon Gold and Copper Prince The Property lies within the Huronian Gold Belt, a zone of past gold producers that extends from northeast of the Sudbury Basin to south of Espanola, a distance of roughly 120 kilometers. History Like CBLT's adjacent Copper Prince, Falcon has been explored intermittently. Exploration has been carried out since prior to 1900 after gold was found through prospecting. A work report from 2005 filed by Millstream Mines Ltd. indicates over 28,000 feet of diamond drilling was carried out over time at Falcon. Some of the historical data appears to be reliable but there are gaps as some exploration activity was unrecorded, due to Falcon being patented land. Further work will be required to confirm the Millstream Mines data and the data should not be relied upon. CBLT has not been able to find any production data associated with the past producing Falcon Gold Mine. The Bailey Report and Resource Estimate The most interesting report dates from 1996, authored by Gordon Bailey, M.Sc. Geol., based upon work carried out by Falconbridge Limited in 1994 and 1995. Bailey advises five samples from near the former mine site were collected and assayed. Two pyrite-rich surface samples assayed 50.47 and 53.21 g Au/tonne whereas three pyrite-rich dump samples assayed 33.60, 38.33 and 40.46 g Au/tonne. (The work and the report were not carried out according to NI43-101 standards, it is unknown if Bailey would meet the current definition of "Qualified Person", and therefore the results above and the resource estimate below should not be relied upon without further work by CBLT.) Bailey then recommended: As the adjacent Copper Prince property has reportedly returned assays of up to 1.1 oz Au/ton over 5 feet and of 4.8% Cu and 0.07 oz Au/ton over 5 feet, and appears to be along strike of the Falcon deposit along the Garson Fault, a purchase or joint venture agreement with its' [sic] owners should be considered as a fist [sic] step towards gold exploration in this environment beyond the Falcon Gold property. 1996 Regional location map from Bailey report showing the Garson Fault This is what CBLT has done. It has consolidated title along part of the Garson Fault, allowing for efficient exploration for gold, copper and cobalt, and ensuring all value created through such exploration can be retained within CBLT. Subject to the qualifications set out above, Bailey went on to report on a resource estimate at Falcon: In 1988, Falconbridge completed a 24-hole, 14 951-foot drill program which increased the mineral inventory of the Falcon deposit to 59 400 tons grading 0.226 oz Au/ton in a pyritiferous zone traced to a vertical depth of 600 feet with an average dimension of l1 by 100 feet. CBLT intends to carry out a summer work program at Falcon and Copper Prince, consisting of data aggregation, mapping and sampling. A longer term goal would be to prove up a larger gold resource in accordance with NI43-101. CBLT also advises it intends to carry out work on at least two of its other properties this summer, and intends to continue with M&A activity as opportunities present themselves. CONTACT INFORMATION Peter M. Clausi CEO and Director 1 416 890 1232 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. @ClausiPeter Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking statements as they relate to CBLT and its management. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but represent management's current expectation of future events, and can be identified by words such as "believe", "expects", "will", "intends", "plans", "projects", "anticipates", "estimates", "should", "continues" and similar expressions. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be correct or will come to pass. By their nature, forward-looking statements include assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. If and when forward-looking statements are set out in this new release, CBLT will also set out the material risk factors or assumptions used to develop the forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by applicable securities laws, CBLT assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. The future outcomes that relate to forward-looking statements may be influenced by many factors, including but not limited to; SARS-CoV-2; reliance on key personnel; the performance of the Ciscom Corp. leadership team; shareholder and regulatory approvals; First Nations and other local communities; jurisdictional risk; risks of future legal proceedings; income tax matters; availability and terms of financing; distribution of securities; commodities pricing; environmental issues; forest fires and other natural phenomena; rising costs related to inflation; effect of market interest on price of securities; failing to identify an economically viable mineral deposit; and, potential dilution. CBLT's operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of a contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of illness caused by COVID-19. It is not possible to accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect operations and the ability to finance its operations. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - ATEX Resources Inc. (TSXV: ATX) ("ATEX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce complete assay results for drill holes ATXD-22A and ATXD-23 from its Phase III drill campaign at the Valeriano Copper-Gold Project ("Valeriano" or the "Project") located in Atacama Region, Chile. Highlights include: ATXD-23 successfully extended the high-grade trend discovered in ATXD-11B, intersecting 964 metres of 0.70% Copper Equivalent ("CuEq") (0.48% Cu, 0.24 g/t Au and 78 ppm Mo) (Figures 1, 2A & 2B) starting at 782 metres and including : 602 metres of 0.80% CuEq (0.50% Cu, 0.37 g/t Au and 11 ppm Mo) from 1,130 metres, and 120 metres of 0.90% CuEq (0.45% Cu, 0.54 g/t Au and 3ppm Mo) starting at 1,612 metres. Additionally, ATXD-23 intersected 192 metres of 0.56% CuEq (0.24% Cu, 0.40 Au and 4ppm Mo) from 1,858 metres to the bottom of the hole, ending in mineralization. The newly discovered Western Porphyry Trend now has a strike length of approximately 700 metres and remains open. The Phase IV program will include holes testing further extensions of this high-grade discovery . : ATXD-22A (daughter hole), targeting the Eastern Porphyry Trend, intersected 546 metres of 0.45% CuEq (0.32% Cu, 0.08 g/t Au and 173 ppm Mo) from 921.4 meters downhole. This mineralization continues from hole ATXD-22 (mother hole) grading 0.44% CuEq over 292 metres from 630 to 922 metres (0.31% Cu, 0.01 g/t Au and108 ppm Mo) (See March 30 release) above the kickoff point for ATXD-22A. The final two holes of the program, ATXD-24 and ATXD-22B reached depths of 1,842.4 metres and 1,615.05 metres respectively, with ATXD-24 paused in early porphyry within the Central Trend and ATXD-22B in potassic altered, mineralized rock milled breccia "RMB" approaching the Central Trend extension. Both holes were paused due to earlier-than-expected adverse weather conditions. Samples for the partial holes ATXD-24 and ATXD-22B have been sent to the lab with results expected by late June or early July. "We are incredibly happy and proud of how well our team and partners were able to execute throughout this campaign," stated Raymond Jannas, President, and CEO of ATEX. "The Phase III program has delivered on, and exceeded, its stated objectives, expanding the mineralized footprint, confirming continuity along the Central High-Grade Trend, and testing new targets. This has led to the discovery of a new high-grade porphyry trend, the Western Trend where ATXD-11B, the highest-grade hole of the Phase III was drilled. The overall size of the system has grown to 1,000 metres long by 1,000 metres wide with a vertical extent of 1,000 metres. Within this footprint we have confirmed two high-grade porphyry trends and have demonstrated their continuity with multiple drill intersections in both. We are looking forward to completing a full review of these results and integrating them into our plans for Phase IV, where we intend to continue demonstrating the enormous potential of the Valeriano Porphyry system. We are also working towards an updated mineral resource estimate incorporating drilling up to and including Phase III. We expect to update investors on this in the coming months." Table 1. ATXD-23 and ATXD-22A Results Hole ID From To Interval2,3 Cu Au Mo CuEq1 Hole Length (metres) (metres) (metres) (metres) % g/t ppm % ATXD-23 782.00 1,746.00 964.00 0.48 0.24 78 0.70 2,050.5 incl. 1,130.00 1,732.00 602.00 0.50 0.37 11 0.80 incl. 1,612.00 1,732.00 120.00 0.45 0.54 3 0.90 and 1,858.00 2,050.05 192.05 0.24 0.40 4 0.56 ATXD-22* 630.00 1,600.00 970.00 0.38 0.10 99 0.51 1,712.0 incl. 630.00 922.00 292.00 0.31 0.01 108 0.44 ATXD-22A** 921.35 1,468.00 546.65 0.32 0.08 173 0.45 1,871.0 1 The CuEq grade was calculated using a copper price of $2.60/lb, gold price of $1,450/oz and molybdenum price of $11.00/lb (all prices in US$). Metal recoveries are not considered. CuEq is calculated using the following formula - CuEq% = ((Cu%/100 * Cu $/tonne) + (Au g/t * Au $/gr.) + (Mo%/100 * Mo $/tonne)) / Cu $/tonne. 2 Intervals are composited at a 0.40% CuEq cut-off and unless otherwise stated a maximum of 10 metres of internal dilution. 3 All intervals are reported as core lengths as the true lengths of the intervals are unknown at this time. * ATXD-22 Was initially reported by the Company on March 30, 2023. ** ATXD-22A continues from mineralized interval in ATXD-22 from 630 metres to 922 metres. Results The intervals reported in ATXD-23 (Table 1) are interrupted by a 112-metre interval of intermineral porphyry ("IMP") from 1,746 to 1,858 metres downhole. This interval of IMP grades 0.24% CuEq (0.11% Cu, 0.16 g/t Au and 2 ppm Mo). ATXD-23 was drilled at a sub vertical angle (-83 degrees) and drilled along the intermineral porphyry before exiting back into the early porphyry. Phase IV drill plans for the Western Trend will include drill holes with intersection angles planned to drill across the target geology and better test the width of the trend. ATXD-22A (Daughter hole) commenced at a depth of 921.4 metres and was drilled southeast to test the northern extension of the Eastern Trend. It was targeted to intersect this trend approximately 400 metres north of VAL-16 (1,045 metres of 0.54% CuEq (0.39% Cu, 0.17 g/t Au & 54 ppm Mo)). The hole commenced in mineralized RMB from its start point at 921 metres downhole in ATXD-22. Mineralization and alteration in the hole decreased as the hole intersected a series of faults that ultimately cut-off mineralization. ATXD-24 was drilled to the southeast across the eastern contact of the Western trend and towards the Central Trend. The hole intersected chalcopyrite bearing, mineralized RMB and a series of intermineral porphyries starting from a depth of 580 metres to a depth of 1,350 metres. Several chalcopyrite bearing hydrothermal breccia units were observed from 1,350 metres to 1,525 metres downhole. Strong potassic alteration with intense stockwork and veining was intersected within the early porphyry from 1,525 metres to where the hole was paused at 1,842.4 metres. Assay results from ATXD-24 are expected in late June or early July. ATXD-22B (daughter hole), targeting the Central High-Grade Trend extension, commenced at a depth of 444 metres downhole from ATXD-22(mother hole). The hole intersected chalcopyrite bearing argillic altered RMB from 595 metres to a depth of 1,100 metres. From 1,100 metres, to where the hole was paused due to weather conditions, potassic altered chalcopyrite bearing RMB was intersected, including zones of veining with visible chalcopyrite and bornite mineralization. The hole has been left in a condition to be re-entered and completed, as an option in Phase IV, and results are expected by late June or early July. The Phase III campaign commenced in October 2022 and has been completed in late May 2023. In total 12,513 metres of drilling were completed in eight drill holes including four holes from surface, and four daughter holes drilled from existing holes. A summary of results for phase III is presented in Table 2. There are two holes still to be reported from Phase III, ATXD-24 and ATXD-22B which are expected to be announced in late June or early July. Phase III achieved a series of execution records for the project including completing the deepest hole to date at a depth of 2,190.5 metres (ATXD-11B) as well as achieving a 100% completion rate on drill holes. Additionally, the utilization of directional drilling in Phase III resulted in a saving of ~3,000 metres of drilling from surface. Phase IV, which will follow up on the success achieved in Phase III, is expected to commence in October 2023. Figure 1. Valeriano Project Plan View Figure 2A and 2B. Valeriano Cross Section and Western Long Section Table 2. Phase III Results Summary Hole ID From To Interval2 Cu Au Mo Cu Eq Hole Length (m) and Objective (metres) (metres) (metres) (%) (g/t) (ppm) (%) ATXD-11A 860.0 2130.0 1270.0 0.43 0.21 52 0.63 2,130 m - daughter from VALDD-11. Tested Western and Central Trends incl. 1048.0 1213.4 165.4 0.51 0.20 105 0.73 and 1376.0 1492.4 116.4 0.56 0.30 95 0.82 Incl. 1376.0 1393.3 17.3 0.73 0.30 39 1.01 and incl. 1450.0 1470.0 20.0 0.64 0.30 308 1.06 and 1698.0 2130.1 432.1 0.48 0.30 12 0.71 incl. 1698.0 1868.0 170.0 0.54 0.30 11 0.81 also incl. 1730.0 1752.0 22.0 0.66 0.40 11 0.95 and 1816.7 1836.0 19.3 0.56 0.50 10 0.94 and 1854.0 1868.0 14.0 0.60 0.50 11 1.00 and 2100.0 2130.1 30.1 0.53 0.20 19 0.73 ATXD-21 846.0 1274.0 428.0 0.31 0.20 56 0.48 1,838 m - Drilled from surface. Tested above Eastern Trend didn't reach Central Trend incl. 850.0 902.0 52.0 0.34 0.20 73 0.53 incl. 1020.0 1044.0 24.0 0.32 0.20 38 0.52 incl. 1084.0 1252.0 168.0 0.41 0.20 60 0.59 and 1492.0 1532.0 40.0 0.27 0.10 68 0.41 ATXD-11B 848.0 2190.5 1342.5 0.46 0.31 43 0.73 2,190.5 m - Daughter from VALDD-11. Discovery hole on Western Trend incl. 1078.0 2088.0 1010.0 0.50 0.35 29 0.80 incl. 1438.0 2088.0 650.0 0.46 0.44 13 0.83 incl. 1864.0 2086.0 222.0 0.46 0.58 13 0.94 incl. 1964.0 2086.0 122.0 0.47 0.65 14 1.01 ATXD-22 630.0 1600.0 970.0 0.38 0.10 99 0.51 1,712 m - Drilled from surface - Mother hole between Central and Eastern Trends incl. 1016.0 1128.0 112.0 0.57 0.14 212 0.77 and 1426.0 1568.0 142.0 0.4 0.11 55 0.51 ATXD-23 782.00 1,746.00 964.0 0.48 0.24 78 0.70 2,050.5 m - Drilled from Surface testing Western Trend extension incl. 1,130.00 1,732.00 602.0 0.50 0.37 11 0.80 incl. 1,612.00 1,732.00 120.0 0.45 0.54 3 0.90 and 1,858.00 2,050.05 192.1 0.24 0.40 4 0.56 ATXD-22A 921.35 1,468.00 546.7 0.32 0.08 173 0.45 1,871 m - daughter from ATXD-22 testing Eastern Trend * Please see Company releases noted below for full details on Phase III results: ATXD-11A - Released Feb 07, 2023 ATXD-21 - Released Feb 27, 2023 ATXD-11B & ATXD-22 - Released March 30, 2023 Outlook Final assay results for the remaining holes of the Phase III drill program are expected by the end of June or early July. The Company intends to use these the Phase III results and data to update the copper-gold mineral resource statement for the Valeriano Project and file an updated NI-43 101 compliant technical report. Additionally, metallurgical test work using core from the Phase III program is being undertaken by Atex in conjunction with Libertas Metallurgy and Base Met Labs of Kamloops BC. This work is expected to be completed in Q3. QAQC Drill holes are collared with a PQ drill bit, reduced to HQ and, sequentially, to NQ as the drill holes progressed deeper. Drill core produced by the drill rigs was extracted from the core tubes by the drill contractor under the supervision of ATEX employees, marked for consistent orientation and placed in core boxes with appropriate depth markers added. Full core boxes were then sealed before being transported by ATEX personnel to the Valeriano field camp. Core at the field camp is processed, quick logged, checked for recovery, photographed, and marked for specific gravity, geotechnical studies and for assays. From camp, the core is transferred to a secure core-cutting facility in Vallenar, operated by IMG, a third-party consultant. Here, the core trays are weighed before being cut using a diamond saw under ATEX personnel oversight. ATEX geologists working at this facility double-check the selected two-metre sample intervals, placing the samples in seal bags and ensuring that the same side of the core is consistently sampled. Reference numbers are assigned to each sample and each sample is weighed. The core trays with the remaining half-core are weighed and photographed. Additionally, core logs are updated, and the specific gravity and geotechnical samples are collected. The remaining core is stored in racks at the Company's secure facility in Vallenar. From Vallenar samples are sent to an ALS preparation facility in La Serena. ALS is an accredited laboratory which is independent of the Company. The prepared samples were sent to the ALS assay laboratories in either Santiago, Chile and Lima, Peru for gold (Au-AA24), copper (Cu-AA62), molybdenum (Mo-AA62) and silver (Ag-AA62) assays as well as and multi-element ICP (ME-MS61) analysis. No data quality problems were indicated by the QA/QC program. Qualified Person Mr. Ben Pullinger, P.Geo., registered with the Professional Geoscientists Ontario, is the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects, for the Valeriano Copper Gold Porphyry Project. Mr. Pullinger is not considered independent under NI 43-101 as he is Senior Vice President Exploration and Business Development of ATEX. He has reviewed and approved the disclosure of the scientific and technical information contained in this press release. About ATEX ATEX is exploring the Valeriano Copper Gold Project which is located within the emerging copper gold porphyry mineral belt linking the prolific El Indio High-Sulphidation Belt to the south with the Maricunga Gold Porphyry Belt to the north. This emerging belt, informally referred to as the Link Belt, hosts several copper gold porphyry deposits at various stages of development including, Filo del Sol (Filo Mining), Josemaria (Lundin Mining), Los Helados (NGEX Minerals/JX Nippon), La Fortuna (Teck Resources/Newmont) and El Encierro (Antofagasta/Barrick Gold). Valeriano hosts a large copper gold porphyry deposit overlain by a near surface oxidized epithermal gold deposit. In 2022, ATEX completed the Company's first limited drill test of the copper gold porphyry system that is now being followed up with campaign of directional drilling to extend the high-grade trend, test new targets and expand the mineralized envelope. For further information, please contact: Raymond Jannas, President and CEO Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Ben Pullinger, Senior Vice President of Exploration and Business Development Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit ATEX's website at www.atexresources.com CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, including predictions, projections, and forecasts. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "expects" or "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, among others: plans for the evaluation of exploration properties including the Valeriano Copper Gold Project; the success of evaluation plans; the success of exploration activities; mine development prospects; potential for future metals production; changes in economic parameters and assumptions; all aspects related to the timing and extent of exploration activities including the Phase III drill program contemplated in this press release; timing of receipt of exploration results; the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities and mineralization; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the results of regulatory and permitting processes; future metals price; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; the results of economic and technical studies; delays in obtaining governmental and local approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration; timing of assay results; as well as those factors disclosed in ATEX's publicly filed documents. Although ATEX has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. TORONTO, June 5, 2023 /CNW/ - Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX: AMC) (OTCQB: AZMCF) (the "Company" or "Arizona Metals") is pleased to announce the appointment of Morgan Knowles as Vice President of Investor Relations. Morgan brings with her significant experience in collaborating with executive-level and cross-functional teams, analyzing business situations, and developing and implementing practical investor relations programs and strategies. Morgan has managed investor relations and corporate communications strategies for public companies spanning various industries, including mining, environmental sustainability, and consumer packaged goods. She has successfully managed and executed large-scale investor relations campaigns during public and private equity offerings, company acquisitions, financial reporting, product launches and conferences. Marc Pais, CEO, commented "We are delighted to welcome Morgan to Arizona Metals' senior executive team. Her strong investor relations background, combined with a deep understanding of the mining and exploration industries, will be a great complement to the existing team as we continue to highlight exploration at the Kay Mine Deposit, as well as upcoming results of the fully-funded, 76,000 metre Phase 3 program at the Central and Western Targets (budgeted at $32 million). We believe that Morgan's capital markets experience and extensive industry contacts will be a driving force in our goal of creating substantial shareholder value." The Qualified Person who reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this release is David Smith, CPG. This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding drilling at and around the Western and Central Targets and the continuation and completion of the Company's Phase II drill program. 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 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: 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. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE (NOR ITS REGULATORY SERVICE PROVIDER) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - Burin Gold Corp. (TSXV: BURG) ("Burin" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it signed a letter of intent agreement on June 2, 2023 (the "Agreement") with Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. ("Globex") (TSX: GMX) to acquire a 100% interest in the Dalhousie Project (the "Property"), comprised of 32 claims located 53 km to the east of Matagami and 4km South of Ramsay Bay at Lac au Goeland, Quebec. The Dalhousie Project is an ortho-magmatic Ni-Cu-Co prospect located within the mafic-ultramafic package of the Bell River Complex. It is located on the north central margin of the Abitibi Orogenic Belt in proximity to the Matagami Mining Camp in Quebec, Canada. Limited historical drilling, up until the late 1980's, focused on poorly constrained geophysical anomalies, yet successfully intercepted mineralization near conductive features. A property-wide geophysical (TDEM) survey, completed in 2007, identified multiple conductive features coincident with surface mineralization and these targets remain untested. Historical chip channel samples collected above the untested EM conductors graded up to 3.79% Cu, 0.90% Ni and 0.28% Co. Fieldwork will commence this summer, including reprocessing of the TDEM data, aiming to better delineate and model existing conductive features. This work should quickly fast-track the project, so that the Company can drill-test the priority conductors later this year, in conjunction with downhole electromagnetic surveying (DHEM) to identify any possible off-hole conductors. Under the terms of the agreement, Burin shall pay $1,500,000 and issue 4,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company ("Shares") to Globex and undertake $5,000,000 in exploration over a four-year period to earn 100 % interest in the property. The terms are as follows. Cash Shares Exploration Expenditures On Signing $100,000 1,000,000 - First Anniversary $100,000 - $1,000,000 (within first 12-month period) Second Anniversary $300,000 1,000,000 $1,000,000 (within second 12-month period) Third Anniversary $500,000 1,000,000 $1,000,000 (within third 12-month period) Fourth Anniversary $500,000 1,000,000 $1,000,000 (within fourth 12-month period) All Shares issued and issuable pursuant to the Agreement shall be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance. Completion of the acquisition of the Property is subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Globex shall retain a 3% gross metal royalty on all payable metals subject to a 1% buyback for $1,000,000, payable anytime. Tom Panoulias commented that: "We are pleased to be optioning this land package from Globex. The Dalhousie Project is an under-explored property with several quality untested targets that has not been worked on since 2007. Our plans are to explore the Property with modern methods and test the targets with diamond drilling by the end of 2023. We are excited to enter a new chapter with the company as an emerging Canadian nickel-copper-cobalt explorer and look forward to updating our shareholders about our progress towards drilling in the coming months." Update at Hickey's Pond, Newfoundland Burin carried out a 32-hole diamond drill program totaling 6,840m in winter 2022, primarily concentrated on the Hickey's Pond geophysical signature that was identified back in 2020. Burin tested 700 m of strike length along this 7km structure. Drilling intersected broad zones of significant gold mineralization including a best drill intersection of 10.8 m of 4.43 g/t Au in HP-20-002. Burin has compiled and interpreted all data collected during the 2022 drilling program, including gold and multi-element geochemistry, thin section petrography, detailed drill logs, spectral mineralogy, and structural geology for the purpose of integrating the data into a comprehensive geological model to better assess and understand its resource potential and help direct future exploration plans. Recently, leading epithermal consultant, Dr. Richard Sillitoe, visited the project and conducted a thorough review of the drill core, with company geologists. It was concluded that the intersected mineralization is located very deep within the epithermal system, and that we are likely observing the root zones, with most of the overlying epithermal system having been eroded. Furthermore, it was noted that the Hickey's trend is a very large system, with extensive alteration, with significant amounts of gold mineralization, but with poor early-mineral ground preparation. In high sulphidation epithermal deposits, much of the gold is deposited within vuggy silica, which forms as a result of aggressive early-mineral acids creating large volumes of porous rock. However, at Hickey's Pond, it seems very little vuggy silica was formed, or, is preserved, perhaps due to the original host rock not being suitable. The Company has concluded that no further work at Hickeys Pond or Tower is justified. By contrast, the Bullwinkle Trend, parallel to the Hickey's Pond trend, appears to be hosted in a more mafic unit, and which is likely a far better host to potential high sulphidation epithermal mineralization, owing to its tendency to form vuggy silica after the dissolution of the feldspars. The Bullwinkle trend has received very little exploration efforts, with all drilling metres confined to Hickeys Pond and Tower, and further work at the Bullwinkle trend is justified. The Company is reviewing all options with regards to the Hickey's Pond Paradise Gold Project. Burin gratefully acknowledges the support of the Newfoundland and Labrador government through the Junior Exploration Assistance program. Qualified Person Robert Selwyn MGeol, CGeol, is an independent contractor and is the Company's designated Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). He has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release on behalf of Burin. About Burin Gold Corp. Burin Gold is a public company on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: BURG) focussing on the exploration for critical metals (Nickel, Copper and Cobalt) in the province of Quebec. The Company has signed an option agreement with Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. on the Dalhousie Project, which hosts magmatic Ni-Cu-Co sulphide mineralization, coincident with conductive features and remains largely untested. The Company also holds a series of key gold prospects on the Burin Peninsula, Newfoundland, where it has completed 6,840 m of diamond drilling on the Hickey's Pond target. For further information contact: Tom Panoulias Interim CEO Burin Gold Corp. 416 294-5649 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Forward-Looking Statements Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This 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, the proposed acquisition of the Property, 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 failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations and other indigenous peoples, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in the 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. While fans are given an array of high scale works every quarter, there's also a huge number of works that were kept from coming into fruition. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, many K-Dramas are being canceled even before its production. Here are four highly anticipated works that were sadly given the red signal. 'Prometheus' Ha Ji Won and Jin Goo's espionage "Prometheus" was one of the fated dramas to be canceled from being produced. Because of schedule conflicts, the two lead stars backed out from the work. MBC then tried to hold auditions for their characters but it unfortunately failed. The company eventually decided to call the show off as they had no plans on airing it anymore. 'School 2020' Similar to "Prometheus," the KBS teen romance series "School 2020" also didn't make it to the screen due to casting conflicts. Ahn Seo Hyun decided to withdraw from the work after her father didn't see eye to eye with the production company on certain terms and policies. The role was then given to Kim Sae Ron but was once again halted because of the stakeholders' opinions of the actress. The drama was re-upped in the following year as "School 2021" with Kim Yo Han and Cho Yi Hyun in the main lead. 'Juvenile Justice 2' In 2022, Netflix released the court drama "Juvenile Justice" with legendary star Kim Hye Soo. It instantly became one of the best works of 2022, all thanks to its sound premise and amazing performances from the ensemble. In the second half of 2022, Netflix confidently announced that a new installment was in the works. However, fans' excitement was short-lived as the work, which was in its pre-production phase, was immediately canceled. Netflix Korea didn't provide any explanation but fans suspect that schedule conflicts were the main reason as Kim Hye Soo was filming her period drama "Under the Queen's Umbrella" at the time. 'The Price of Confession' Song Hye Kyo and Han So Hee were supposed to decorate the television screen together this 2023 with "The Price of Confession." Fans all over the world rejoiced after the two actresses confirmed their participation. They also entertained their supporters through their adorable interactions online. Earlier this May 2023, fans were surprised when Song Hye Kyo and Han So Hee both withdrew from the drama due to unknown reasons. Any hope for the work to be released with different actors also disappeared as its producing director, Lee Eung Bok, decided not to join "The Price of Confession" anymore. KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Lee Na Young made a spoiler about this legendary actor who she said is considering making a K-drama comeback after almost 12 years of hiatus. Curious about who this celebrity is? Then read on. Lee Na Young Makes Interview Appearance After 'One Day Off' Conclusion Following the conclusion of her series, "One Day Off," Lee Na Young sat for an interview and shared some insights about her recent drama. The actress played the role of a teacher in the short series released by Wavve. The drama follows the unexpected moments and miraculous encounters of Korean literature teacher, Park Ha Young. Since it was her small screen return following "Romance is a Bonus Book" in 2019, where she teamed up with Lee Jong Suk, Lee Na Young made lots of preparations for her role. The lead star revealed that she practiced dancing for the series and even enjoyed the filming process. Is It True? Won Bin Reviewing Scripts for His K-Drama Comeback As the conversation continued, Lee Na Young answered a question about her husband Won Bin's long-awaited comeback. She immediately responded by spoiling that the actor is preparing for returning to the industry. "Won Bin is diligently reading scripts. He also gets excited when watching good works. Let's wait for his comeback." Won Bin is one of the top lead actors who has been absent from the industry for more than 12 years. Since the release of his 2010 movie "The Man From Nowhere," the celebrity has not joined the cast of any drama or film. He has been living a low-key life after declaring a hiatus. Apart from working on some brand endorsements, there seems to be no further information about the heartthrob. Lee Na Young & Won Bin's Marriage Lee Na Young and Won Bin began dating in August 2012. Later on, their agency, Eden 9, confirmed their relationship in July 2013. In May 2015, the celebrity couple tied the knot and welcomed their first child in December of the same year. In the first half of this year, the couple is rumored to have spent 14.5 billion won (estimated 13.3 million USD) to purchase a house in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul. It has been said that the newly bought place consists of two basement floors and five above-ground floors and has a total area of over 2,400 square meters. What can you say about Won Bin's possible drama comeback? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars. KDramaStars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Kennesaw State targets in-school mental health gaps using $4.4 million federal grant KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 5, 2023 Monica Nandan Bringing needed school-based mental health resources into five rural northwest Georgia counties is the aim of a five-year, federally funded project led by Kennesaw State University. An interdisciplinary team headed by Monica Nandan, director of strategic partnerships and social impact in Kennesaw States Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, has been awarded a $4.45 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education. Faculty from the Wellstar College and the Bagwell College of Education will collaborate on the project to bring Master of Social Work students and specially trained student teachers into Georgia public schools in Bartow, Floyd, Gordon, Paulding and Polk counties, as well as provide specialized intervention training to teachers and school-based police officers there. Nandan said high poverty rates in the project area, along with other stressors exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, have meant a rising level of anxiety, depression and other adverse effects on the mental health of students. The limited numbers of school psychologists and counselors are not enough to meet all student needs, she said. School social workers are needed to do things that psychologists and counselors dont do help connect students and their families to community resources, Nandan said. They handle referrals to community resources, addressing the needs of students families, who may have endured layoffs or other issues. Anything that affects a childs life that is affecting them academically the social workers can help. Over five years, 50 Master of Social Work students and 80 student teachers will be trained to serve students in public schools in the target counties. The participating social work students will sign a commitment to work at least one year after graduation in one of the five school districts, or with a social service agency that serves children within the five-county project area. In addition, Kennesaw State educators will provide mental health training to teachers and school-based police officers in the five counties twice a year. Along with Wellstar College team members Irene McClatchey, professor emeritus of Social Work; Alan Kirk Master of Social Work program director; Victoria Corrigan, MSW internship director, Jennifer Wade-Berg, assistant dean for student success; and Allison Garefino research scholar social, behavioral and health sciences; the project involves collaboration with Megan Adams, associate professor of reading education in the Bagwell College of Education, and Latesia Woodley, CEO of Dynamic Achievement. The members of the project team and their school system partners are recruiting Master of Social Work students now who will intern in the school systems starting in August. Next spring, they will begin recruiting student teachers to pair with the social work students beginning in August 2024. The student social workers and student teachers will work as a team to identify students with needs and connect them to community resources that can help. The goal is to establish a pipeline of trained professionals to work in interprofessional dyads and teams, with enough traction to continue after the five-year project period, Nandan said. In addition to the work in northwest Georgia, the Wellstar College received a $92,500 subaward from Georgia State University to train up to eight Master of Social Work students to work in the Clayton County school district. These efforts are part of a larger effort by Wellstar College in mental health that has attracted local, state and federal funding for several projects since 2019, Nandan said. The current project builds on a similar four-year project begun in 2021 to train KSU students to provide substance abuse and suicide prevention services for youth in the same five-county area. That ongoing effort is funded by a $1 million grant from the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA). Were building a critical mass here at Kennesaw State in behavioral health in terms of how we are training people for the workforce, while at the same time serving our neighboring communities, Nandan said. By Gary Tanner Related Stories A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 43,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The universitys vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu. Hospitals have the duty to ensure that their physicians are professionally content, both physically and mentally to provide the highest quality of care. But they also have a responsibility to prevent physicians from leaving work for competing institutions. The paradox between the use of restrictive covenants in physicians contracts and hospitals concerns about physician wellness arises from a tension between two important objectives. Restrictive covenants, which are clauses in contracts that limit a physicians ability to practice in a certain area or for a certain period after leaving a hospital, are an effective way for hospitals to protect their interests. However, such covenants can also limit a physicians professional autonomy and ability to seek out new opportunities. There are 27 community health and hospital systems in Maryland, with 18 of them in Baltimore alone. From the physicians perspective, restrictive covenants can be a source of stress and anxiety. Physicians can feel trapped in their current position and unable to explore new opportunities, higher wages, or pursue career goals. This may lead to burnout and decreased job satisfaction. Several academic organizations joined together to call for systemic change and highlight the return on investment for well-being initiatives and the profound downstream effects of physician burnout on patient safety and quality of care. Due to the litigious nature of the American legal system, there is very little room for vulnerability, which puts physicians involved in a lawsuit at a higher risk for stress, personal consequences, and burnout. Additionally, the increased number of lawsuits against doctors is contributing to a growing trend of physicians leaving the medical profession completely. Institutions also place physician-patient relationships in jeopardy when threatening physicians with legal actions. Fewer than 50 percent of physicians in the United States are currently working in private practice. The rise of corporations with reduced resources and autonomy overshadows the traditional independent practice of physicians. Over the past twenty years, hospital employment, private equity, and corporate acquisitions have progressively undermined independent medical practice. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted physicians worldwide. The pandemic has placed an immense burden on health care systems, leading to increased demands on physicians to provide care to COVID-19 patients while still managing other patients needs. Physicians have been forced to adapt to new ways of working, such as telemedicine, to reduce exposure risks while continuing to provide care. Additionally, the pandemic has taken a toll on physicians mental health, with many experiencing burnout and stress due to the high workload and the emotional toll of treating patients with a highly infectious disease. The pandemic has also exposed systemic inequalities in health care, with physicians in low-income communities facing greater challenges due to limited resources and inadequate infrastructure. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted physicians, highlighting the need for greater support and resources to ensure they can continue to provide high-quality care in challenging circumstances. On January 5th, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission suggested banning restrictive covenants. The suggested regulation would prohibit hospitals and corporate employers from enforcing existing noncompete agreements or creating new ones for employed physicians. Although the ban on noncompete agreements will not uniformly shift power dynamics across the medical profession, it remains unclear how it will affect hospital-based specialists like emergency medicine, hospitalist, and intensive care physicians, or diagnostic specialists such as pathologists and radiologists, where patient relationships are attenuated, time-limited, or non-existent. Nevertheless, the FTCs proposed ban would be a game-changer for primary care physicians and subspecialists like cardiologists and orthopedists, where continuing or repeat patient relationships are prevalent. If noncompete agreements were to be banned, it would significantly change the balance of economic and professional power, favoring practicing physicians and increasing their bargaining power with prospective employers regarding work conditions and professional expectations. Hospital systems and private equity firms are expected to strongly resist the proposed rule, given that the FTCs action would reduce their control and asset values. Physician-owners who have sold their practices are likely prohibited from competing with the new owners, but non-equity-owning associates would not be subject to the ban. Corporate interests will undoubtedly lobby for additional exceptions to the ban or attempt to overturn it entirely and find a balance between protecting their interests and supporting their physicians well-being. Medical societies at federal, state, and local levels and influential specialty societies must engage in aggressive pro-physician advocacy now that the comment period on the proposed noncompete ban will soon be open. The voices of individual physicians and members of Congress who support pro-competitive policies will also influence the FTC regulation. Noncompete agreements were historically justified to protect an employers intellectual property, but this justitifcation has limited applicability to the relationship between physicians and their employers. A more dynamic professional marketplace benefits both patients and their physicians. Employers must focus on providing value beyond just salaries, including supportive working conditions, peer collaboration, professional development, career mobility, and creating value for patients to retain physicians for the long term. It is imperative that we take immediate action to eliminate restrictive covenants in physicians contracts. The well-being of the medical community is contingent upon a comprehensive overhaul of the medical system. The mere gesture of checking the well-being box is insufficient: Substantial change is necessary. Restrictive covenants that curtail physicians autonomy and exacerbate burnout must be removed immediately. Leading experts in physician well-being have long recognized this issue we cannot rely on group yoga sessions or mandatory resilience training alone. We must commit to the arduous task of transforming our culture, starting with eliminating these restrictive covenants. Raya E. Kheirbek is a geriatrics and palliative medicine physician. Economists and educationists are calling for reforms in the way the student loan scheme is managed. The recent Auditor Generals report exposed the gross mismanagement of the Higher Education Students Financing Scheme and exposed the problem of regional imbalances. Parliament has since discussed that the scheme favours mostly science students, side-lining those in humanities. The STiR Uganda Country Director, Modern Musiimenta says this is unfair because the rich who are in better schools are the ones who are benefitting instead of those from vulnerable communities. He says the scheme should be realigned in order to fill the gaps of equity in access to education services. Stephen Mukitale, an economist and Former Buliisa County MP underscores the need for regional governments where all children benefit from the regional-based system. Makerere University Council is under fire for sacking the chairperson of the Staff Tribunal, Justice Patrick Tabaaro without consulting the University Chancellor, Prof Ezra Suruma whose term had not yet expired. In the May 22 letter addressed to the University Council Chairperson, Prof Suruma was not pleased with the removal of Justice Tabaro from office without consultation with him. He says that the law provides that the Chancellor is the sole appointing authority of the Chairperson of the Tribunal and it also follows that only the said authority can lawfully remove the chairperson. Trouble started on April 6 when the University Council halted activities of the staff tribunal following guidance from the Attorney The University Council indicated that the Staff Tribunal was not properly constituted. However, according to the four-page letter addressed to Lorna Magara, Prof Ezra said that the University Council does not have powers to issue directives removing the Tribunal chairperson. Justice Tabaaros contract had five weeks before reaching its end, something that raised the eyebrows of the public about why the university could not wait for his term to end. It is against the above background that Prof Suruma has instructed the University Council to reinstate Justice Tabaaro until his term expires. He also asked the University Council to apologize to Tabaaro. The university secretary says the University Council is slated to sit on June 21 to further address the raised concerns Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has called for the promotion of local alternatives to plastics that have proven very dangerous to the environment. She made the remarks on Monday afternoon at Kololo Independence grounds in commemoration of World Environment Day. The premier said that Ugandans should be informed about the negative effects of plastics, noting that they not only destroy the environment but also produce chemicals that can enter the food chain, causing health complications. She noted that paper bags and fabric bags can replace the Kavera (polythene bags) to protect the environment and the adverse effects of climate change. Meanwhile, Nabbanja said the government is committed to educating the public on environmental conservation. The nomination of candidates in the by-election for the Bukedea district chairperson will be conducted starting today, Monday, June 5, 2023. The district chairperson seat for Bukedea fell vacant following the death of former chairperson, Moses Olemukan on December 17, 2022. The Electoral Commission (EC) has revealed that during this exercise, they will also nominate candidates to contest for positions of councillors in local government councils in Bukedea district where vacancies exist. According to EC spokesperson Mr. Paul Bukenya, the nominations will be conducted at the Office of the Returning Officer in Bukedea Town Council, starting at 9am and ending at 5pm. Aspiring candidates will be required to fulfill all the requirements for nomination for district chairperson and councillor for the respective electoral position. So far, seven aspirants have collected forms for the nomination of district chairperson, and are expected to return them for verification during this exercise. These include Mary Akol Mary on the National Resistance Movement NRM ticket, Pius Edekeny an Independent, Lokwiisk Tychicus Ebukalin an Independent, and Sam Oita Odeke on the Forum for Democratic Change FDC party ticket. Others are Paul Okiria on the National Unity Platform NUP party ticket, Salim Okwii on the Uganda Peoples Congress UPC and, David Stephen Omagor an Independent. Mr Bukenya notes that The nomination exercise will end on Tuesday 6th June 2023 nominated candidates will conduct campaign meetings for six (6) days, that is, from Wednesday 7th to Monday 12th June 2023, According to the EC, polling and counting of results for the -election will be conducted on Wednesday, June 14 2023, at all polling stations in the affected electoral areas. Grow Mental Health is inviting Kilkenny communities to wear yellow and walk for 30 minutes on this years summer solstice - Wednesday, June 21 at 7pm in The Castle Park. By supporting the YELLOWWALK for Mental Health, youll be helping achieve a vision of an Ireland where no one needs to navigate mental health challenges or life's struggles alone. You can register on: https://buytickets.at/grow22/906273 or scan the QR code on the poster. Or contact Grow Mental Health, Kilkenny Area Coordinator Liz Shortall Email: lizshortall@grow.ie Phone: 086 0849171 Grow is a community of people drawn together by first-hand experiences of mental health problems. From a Grow member Aislings story: "Who knows where this heart will go, for some things are not yet known. This feeling of aliveness within myself is a deep compulsion to be shared. So, with the determination of a baby learning to walk Ill try, try and try again. Its not about how often we fall but how often we get back up." From STORIES OF HOPE AND RECOVERY. Forward by Dr Pat Bracken. There are weekly Grow Mental Health support meetings at 4 Dean Street in Kilkenny - for more details contact area coordinator Liz Shortall. The theatre tour of the critically-acclaimed production of Mojo Mickybo by Belfast playwright, Owen McCafferty will be performed at the Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny later this month. Mojo Mickybo shows the friendship between two boys growing up in Belfast a friendship that at first is immune to the sectarian violence taking place around them, but which nonetheless is ultimately destroyed by it. Mojo and his mate Mickybo are two nine-year-old boys from opposing sides of the sectarian divide. They are 'thick as two small thieves', playing headers, being mouthy, building huts, spitting from cinema balconies and re-enacting their favourite movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. They are young cowboys in the making, with the violence of The Troubles only obliquely impacting on them until finally their friendship is destroyed in a way that they only later come to understand. This is pure, undiluted storytelling in Bruiser Theatre Companys trademark dynamic physical style. Fast-paced, darkly funny and action-packed. The show is brought to life by two of our finest local actors, John Travers and Conor Quinn, who seamlessly slip in and out of multiple roles and imaginary worlds. Mojo Mickybo unsentimentally portrays a kind of innocence betrayed by communal hatred, showing the harsh absurdity of sectarianism. Our young heroes, Mojo and Mickybo, represent the division of a benighted country that has spent a century at war with itself. Bruiser Theatre Company are renowned for their fast-paced, energetic, and engaging performances. Under the meticulous direction of Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards nominated Lisa May, Mojo Mickybo is ready for a live audience following its successful online run while theatres remained closed. Bruiser Theatre Company is delighted to be bringing this award-winning production across the border, and proud to present this showcase of both Northern Irelands talent and complex history to mark the 25th anniversary of The Good Friday Agreement. Artistic Director, Lisa May said: We at Bruiser are very excited to be producing Mojo Mickybo. It flies at breakneck speed, is witty, darkly funny and searingly honest; perfect to explore in Bruisers bold physical style. To me, it feels like Owen McCaffertys love letter to Belfast, warts and all, and shows how sectarian anger is so deeply buried into the psyche of those who have grown up during the troubles; it is passed on to generation after generation. Nostalgic yet damning, hilarious yet heartbreaking; Mojo Mickybo is sadly all too relevant for todays audience, not just in Northern Ireland but around the world. Mojo Mickybo will be performed at the Watergate Theatre on June 16 and there are still a limited amount of tickets available. Two brothers who beat a convicted paedophile to death before taking his car and bank card have been jailed for life. Matthew and Luke Roe killed 85-year-old Henry Thwaites, who was friends with their mother, after getting him to drive them to a remote location in Nottinghamshire on July 23 2022. Mr Thwaites, who had previously served two prison terms for sexual offences against boys under 16, had offered to buy a car for the brothers and believed he was driving them to see a Mercedes on the night they killed him, Nottinghamshire Police said. He was taken out of his Fiat Punto at around 10.40pm and beaten in a rural road near Worksop, leaving him with 26 head injuries including skull fractures. The brothers then took his bank card and used it at cash machines having obtained the correct PIN. Mr Thwaitess body was found under a metal fence by a member of the public the next morning and Matthew, 25, and Luke, 34, were arrested after police found them driving Mr Thwaitess car less than an hour after he was reported missing. Luke Roe, of Potter Street, Worksop, and Matthew Roe, of Franklin Road, Jacksdale, were convicted of murder on May 26 following a nine-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court. Matthew was also found guilty of four counts of fraud by false representation in relation to Mr Thwaitess bank card, while the jury found Luke guilty of one count of fraud by false representation. Luke was also found guilty of criminal damage after damaging a car windscreen using an unopened can of beer. After the murder, the brothers travelled to the home of Abby Dixon, 27, who was in a sexual relationship with Luke, in Watson Road, where she helped them dispose of clothes in a waste bin. A jury found Dixon guilty of two counts of assisting an offender and she will be sentenced on June 12. At Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, the two brothers were handed life sentences, with Luke Roe to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison, while his younger brother Matthew will serve a minimum of 24 years. Detective Inspector Kaz Smithson, who led the investigation, said: This was a brutal and cowardly assault on a frail and vulnerable 85-year-old man. The murder was premeditated and callous, with Matthew and Luke Roe subjecting Mr Thwaites to a horrific death for their own selfish gain. Despite overwhelming evidence, neither brother had the courage to accept responsibility for their sadistic and vile actions, forcing a jury to sit though nine weeks of distressing evidence. Matthew claimed he was too drunk to remember the night in question and I am pleased jurors saw through his lies. Luke wasnt even brave enough to go in the witness box. They have shown no remorse whatsoever and our communities are undoubtedly safer with them behind bars. Strengths Among the cryptocurrencies monitored by CoinMarketCap, Injective was the top performer this week, gaining 22.25%. A crypto startup co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman raised additional funding to further its mission of creating a digital ID for every person on the planet. As reported by Bloomberg, the startup intends to generate distinct IDs for each individual, in part, by scanning their eyes. Galaxy Digital CEO Michael Novogratz, while acknowledging the recent low trading volume and range-bound behavior of Bitcoin and Ethereum, told Bloomberg that these are still "the best assets to invest in over two, three, and six years." Weaknesses Pep, among the cryptocurrencies monitored by CoinMarketCap, was the worst performer this week, depreciating 13.75%. The cryptocurrency rebound is losing momentum, causing Bitcoin to record its worst month since the FTX exchange collapse in November of the previous year. Bloomberg reports that Bitcoin's roughly 7.6% drop in May was its first monthly decline of 2023. Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has lost a quarter of its market share in the past three months due to an ongoing investigation by a U.S. watchdog for alleged violations of federal laws, as reported by Bloomberg. Opportunities Bloomberg reports that Binance is considering a proposal to allow some institutional clients to keep their trading collateral in a bank instead of with the crypto platform. This step could potentially reduce counterparty risk. Bitcoin and other digital tokens were trading at a discount on Binance Australia compared to rival exchanges in the country. This situation arose as the platform is set to lose access to a key local currency withdrawal route. Avalanche, a layer 1 blockchain network, has surpassed 1 million monthly active users for the first time. Ava Labs, the creator of Avalanche, credits the recent launch of AvaCloud as a major contributor to this growth, according to Bloomberg. Threats A crypto entrepreneur, whose business in China was disrupted by regulatory crackdowns, views his experience as a warning for companies attracted to Hong Kong's initiative to establish a digital-asset hub. Bloomberg reports that crypto may not remain a long-term priority for Hong Kong, even though the city is currently focused on implementing new rules for the sector. Bitcoin mining difficulty experienced a 3.4% surge at block number 792,288, crossing the 50 trillion threshold for the first time, according to Bloomberg data. Binance, the crypto exchange, has reportedly received an order from one of Canada's securities regulators to investigate whether the platform tried to bypass local regulations and compliance controls while seeking approvals in the country, as reported by Bloomberg. By Frank E. Holmes Contributing to kitco.com Follow @bulldogholmes www.goldnewsletter.com Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. Due to heightened fire restrictions, Patriot Battery Metals (TSX-V: PMET) said today it is suspending some operations at its Quebec project. The company commenced its 2023 summer-fall drill and surface exploration programs in late May at its wholly-owned Corvette property in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec. "The recent restrictions imposed by the Quebec government, as a result of the regional forest fire situation, is directly impacting our exploration operations and, therefore, the company has temporarily ceased drilling and surface exploration field activities until the situation improves," wrote the company. "The company continues to process drill core from holes completed at the Property in May 2023 as well as advance the exploration camp construction activities." 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) - JPMorgan, the largest bank by assets under management in the U.S., has formed a new partnership with six major Indian banks to launch a pilot program designed to test a blockchain-based platform for the settlement of interbank dollar transactions. According to a report from Bloomberg, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Yes Bank and IndusInd Bank will be joining forces with JPMorgans banking unit at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, also known as GIFT City, to trial the new platform that enables interbank settlement of U.S. dollar transactions. We will be running a pilot project for the next few months as we need to analyze banks experience, said Kaustubh Kulkarni, senior country officer for India and vice chairman for the Asia Pacific region at JPMorgan. This development comes as New Delhi is attempting to position GIFT City as an international financial hub and alternative trading center to places like Singapore and Dubai. As part of this effort, the Reserve Bank of India has also started a domestic non-deliverable forward market settled in dollars at GIFT City. The goal of the new blockchain project is to expand the capacity of the existing settlement system, Kulkarni said, and the platform will allow the banks to process instant transactions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Under the current settlement system, transactions can take several hours to complete, and the service is not available on Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays. By leveraging blockchain technology to facilitate transactions on a 24x7 basis, processing is instantaneous and enables GIFT City banks to support their own time-zone and operating hours, said Kulkarni. The pilot project is expected to be launched on Monday and will use JPMorgans Onyx blockchain platform a permissioned version of Ethereum that is designed to handle wholesale payment transactions once final approval from the International Financial Services Center Authority is received. JPMorgan originally launched Onyx in 2020 to utilize blockchain technology to improve the quality of wholesale payment transactions. According to Tyrone Labbone, program head for Onyx, the platform is already being used by Goldman Sachs, DBS Bank and BNP Paribas, and another 15 banks and broker-dealers are looking to sign up. As of April 27, JPMorgan has processed almost $700 billion in transactions in short-term loans using its Onyx platform, Labbone said, and customers have been able to trade tokens that denote ownership rights to U.S. Treasurys as well as use blockchain bank accounts known as JPM Coin. Moving forward, Labbone said JPMorgan plans to use Onyx to focus on tokenizing assets that are traditionally hard to finance, such as money-market funds, and will use them as collateral. Eventually, the plan is to expand Onyx to issue a wider range of blockchain-based assets, including private funds. In February, JPMorgan announced its plans to open a crypto innovation lab in Athens, Greece, to foster development in blockchain technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptography, and to build out blockchain-related capabilities in support of Onyx. "China does not represent any upside risk to metal markets for now. Its property market is too soft and too important to be disregarded," said Julius Baer analyst Carsten Menke. "But the long-term outlook for copper from the energy transition has not changed, it is still bullish. Around $8,000 a tonne would be a good buying opportunity." China is working on new measures to support the property market, but consumer caution about big-ticket spending amid concerns over incomes and jobs as a post-pandemic recovery loses steam is a headwind. Rising stocks of copper in LME-registered warehouses, which at 98,950 tonnes have nearly doubled since April 18, are also partly behind copper price weakness. However, fresh cancellations - metal earmarked for delivery from LME warehouses - in Busan, Korea of 17,050 tonnes of copper and large holdings of contracts for nearby delivery have fuelled some concern about supplies on the LME market. This has narrowed the discount for the cash against the three-month contract to around $2 a tonne compared with $66 a tonne on May 23. On the technical front, copper faces strong upside resistance at the 200-day moving average currently sitting at $8,375 a tonne, with trendline support at $8,170. Worries about demand also weighed on other industrial metals. Aluminium slipped 0.8% to $2,245, zinc ceded 0.4% to $2,297, lead was down 0.2% at $2,028, tin lost 0.1% to $25,620 and nickel fell 1.3% to $20.925 a tonne. (Reporting by Pratima Desai; Editing by Jan Harvey and Alexander Smith) 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 U.S. crackdown on crypto intensified on Monday as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, and its CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ). Through thirteen charges, we allege that Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law, said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. As alleged, Zhao and Binance misled investors about their risk controls and corrupted trading volumes while actively concealing who was operating the platform, the manipulative trading of its affiliated market maker, and even where and with whom investor funds and crypto assets were custodied. According to the court filing by the SEC, the regulator has charged Binance and its CEO with operating an illegal platform in the U.S. and for the misuse of customer funds. This case arises from Defendants blatant disregard of the federal securities laws and the investor and market protections these laws provide, the lawsuit said. In so doing, Defendants have enriched themselves by billions of U.S. dollars while placing investors assets at significant risk. The SEC has alleged that customer funds were illegally diverted to Sigma Chain, a trading entity controlled by Zhao, and used to engage in fraudulent trading that made Binances volume appear larger than it actually was. The filing also says that Binance concealed the fact that it commingled billions of dollars in customer assets that were sent to Merit Peak, another third-party entity owned by Zhao. As part of its lawsuit, the SEC has labeled 12 tokens as securities, but said that list is not exhaustive. The tokens identified include BNB Smart Chain (BNB), Binance USD stablecoin (BUSD), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Polygon (MATIC), Filecoin (FIL), Cosmos Hub (ATOM), The Sandbox (SAND), Decentraland (MANA), Algorand (ALGO), Axie Infinity (AXS,) and Coti (COTI). Todays action is another in a line of examples where, as with other crypto projects facing similar suits, the Commission has determined to regulate with the blunt weapons of enforcement and litigation rather than the thoughtful, nuanced approach demanded by this dynamic and complex technology, Binance said in a response to the SEC filing. Unilaterally labeling certain tokens and services as securities even ones over which other U.S. authorities have asserted jurisdiction only compounds these problems. While we take the SECs allegations seriously, they should not be the subject of an SEC enforcement action, let alone on an emergency basis. We intend to defend our platform vigorously, Binance said. Unfortunately, the SECs refusal to productively engage with us is just another example of the Commissions misguided and conscious refusal to provide much-needed clarity and guidance to the digital asset industry. The dealings between Binance and Merit Peak were first reported back in February, with records showing that more than $400 million was transferred from an account at Californias Silvergate Bank belonging to Binance.US to Merit Peak Ltd between late 2020 and March of 2021. Binance refuted the allegations at that time, with a spokesperson from Binance.US saying that the reports were based on outdated information, adding that Merit Peak is neither trading nor providing any kind of services on the Binance.US platform, and "only Binance.US employees have access to the bank accounts in question. According to a new report from Reuters, Guangying Chen, a close associate of CZ and senior Binance executive, was the main operator for five bank accounts belonging to Binance.US, which allowed Chen and her deputies to move funds held in the bank accounts. Company messages show that Binance.US had to ask Chens team to process payments and cover the companys payroll. The SEC said the new findings provide clear evidence of how Binance exercised tight control over Binance.US, despite both firms maintaining that they have always operated independently. Defendants purposeful efforts to evade U.S. regulatory oversight while simultaneously providing securities-related services to U.S. customers put the safety of billions of dollars of U.S. investor capital at risk and at Binances and Zhaos mercy, the court filing said. Lacking regulatory oversight, Defendants were free to and did transfer investors crypto and fiat assets as Defendants pleased, at times commingling and diverting them in ways that properly registered brokers, dealers, exchanges, and clearing agencies would not have been able to do. According to the court filing, the SEC is seeking a final judgment that: permanently enjoins Binance and CZ from committing further violations of the federal securities laws they are alleged to have violated; orders them to disgorge their ill-gotten gains with prejudgement interest; and permanently enjoins them from participating in a variety of activities, including, but not limited to, acting as an unregistered exchange or broker with respect to any securities, participating in the issuance, purchase, offer, or sale of any security, including any crypto asset security, or acting as an unregistered clearing agency with respect to any securities. We allege that Zhao and the Binance entities not only knew the rules of the road, but they also consciously chose to evade them and put their customers and investors at risk all in an effort to maximize their own profits, said Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SECs Division of Enforcement. By engaging in multiple unregistered offerings and also failing to register while at the same time combining the functions of exchanges, brokers, dealers, and clearing agencies, the Binance platforms under Zhaos control imposed outsized risks and conflicts of interest on investors, Grewal said. Those risks and conflicts are only heightened by the Binance platforms lack of transparency, reliance on related-party transactions, and lies about controls to prevent manipulative trading. Despite their years-long efforts to not be held accountable, todays complaint begins the process of doing so. In the time since the lawsuit was announced, the crypto market has seen a steep dive, with Bitcoin (BTC) breaking below support at $26,000 to trade at $25,700, a decrease of 5.5% on the daily chart. Binance has sought to lay the blame on this downturn at the feet of the SEC, saying, We want to reiterate: although this glaring lack of process and cooperation is frustrating, what is most concerning to us is the fact that the SEC appears to have given no consideration to the drastic and cascading negative impact its actions today may have on users and the industry. User security has always been paramount to Binance, and although we will do everything we can to continue to provide that security to our users, any subsequent ripple effects through the platform and the industry will be directly attributable to the SEC's unjustified decision to unilaterally litigate on a purported emergency basis today. June 5 (Reuters) - Gold and silver producer Polymetal International is considering divesting its Russian operations and senior managers have resigned from Russia-related duties after the imposition of U.S. sanctions, the company said on Monday. Washington last month included Polymetal's Russian business and Polyus - the largest gold producers in Russia - on its latest list of sanctions targets, aiming to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. "In light of recent developments, and in the interests of preserving shareholder value, the board and the special committee have decided to consider all possible options available for divestment of JSC Polymetal and its subsidiaries," Polymetal International said in a statement. JSC Polymetal is the holding company for the group's Russian assets, which accounted for about two thirds of group revenue in 2022. "Vitaly Nesis, Chief Executive Officer, and Maxim Nazimok, Chief Financial Officer, have resigned from all executive positions with, and terminated their employment at, JSC Polymetal and its subsidiaries," Polymetal said. Nesis and Nazimok will retain their positions with Polymetal International to continue to focus on its Kazakhstan assets as well as plans to re-domicile from Jersey to Kazakhstan and shift its primary listing from London to Astana. Polymetal said it was ring-fencing its Russian subsidiaries to ensure sanctions compliance. "All service agreements between (Polymetal International) and its non-Russian subsidiaries, and JSC Polymetal and its subsidiaries, have been terminated," the company said. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 72F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. A MoDOT foreman discovered the void on April 11 when he was excavating for the foundation of the new bridge. Kansas City Police are investigating an aggravated assault after they say someone fired a pellet gun toward people standing in line outside of Fountain Haus. Bank of America upgraded shares of Alteryx (NYSE:AYX Get Rating) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report released on Thursday morning, The Fly reports. Bank of America currently has $70.00 price target on the stock, up from their prior price target of $60.00. AYX has been the subject of several other research reports. Cowen increased their price target on Alteryx from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, February 10th. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on Alteryx from $80.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, April 28th. Citigroup increased their price target on Alteryx from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, February 13th. Needham & Company LLC raised their price objective on shares of Alteryx from $62.00 to $78.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, February 10th. Finally, Rosenblatt Securities cut their target price on Alteryx from $86.00 to $75.00 in a research report on Friday, April 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $73.15. Get Alteryx alerts: Alteryx Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:AYX opened at $42.35 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $2.98 billion, a P/E ratio of -9.67 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.86, a quick ratio of 2.55 and a current ratio of 2.55. Alteryx has a one year low of $34.70 and a one year high of $70.63. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $45.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $51.12. Insider Activity Alteryx ( NYSE:AYX Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 27th. The company reported ($1.06) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.75) by ($0.31). The business had revenue of $199.09 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $199.81 million. Alteryx had a negative return on equity of 139.14% and a negative net margin of 33.68%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Alteryx will post -1.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. In related news, CAO Chris Natali sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.31, for a total value of $43,310.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 40,464 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,752,495.84. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Alteryx news, Director Eileen Schloss sold 4,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.47, for a total transaction of $294,615.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 6,715 shares in the company, valued at approximately $439,631.05. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Chris Natali sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.31, for a total value of $43,310.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 40,464 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,752,495.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 13.56% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Alteryx Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quadrature Capital Ltd bought a new stake in Alteryx during the 3rd quarter valued at $568,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in Alteryx by 172.3% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 256,930 shares of the companys stock worth $13,019,000 after purchasing an additional 162,576 shares in the last quarter. Madison Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Alteryx by 65.3% during the 4th quarter. Madison Asset Management LLC now owns 94,960 shares of the companys stock worth $4,812,000 after purchasing an additional 37,525 shares in the last quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management increased its holdings in Alteryx by 596.4% during the 3rd quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 110,665 shares of the companys stock worth $6,182,000 after purchasing an additional 94,775 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System increased its holdings in Alteryx by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 17,145 shares of the companys stock worth $869,000 after purchasing an additional 717 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 74.23% of the companys stock. Alteryx Company Profile (Get Rating) Alteryx, Inc engages in the provision of self-service data analytics software. Its subscription-based platform allows organizations to prepare, blend, and analyze data from a multitude of sources and benefit from data-driven decisions. The company was founded by Dean A. Stoecker, Olivia Duane-Adams, and Edward P. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Alteryx Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Alteryx and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG Get Rating) had its price objective increased by Argus from $2,200.00 to $2,400.00 in a research note published on Thursday morning, The Fly reports. A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on CMG. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,750.00 to $2,000.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, April 21st. Wedbush lifted their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $2,080.00 to $2,200.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 26th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,960.00 to $2,270.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 26th. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Raymond James lifted their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $1,900.00 to $2,100.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 26th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $2,039.89. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance Shares of NYSE CMG opened at $2,062.23 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 55.78, a PEG ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 1.34. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a 12 month low of $1,196.28 and a 12 month high of $2,139.88. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $1,911.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $1,668.56. Insider Buying and Selling at Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle Mexican Grill ( NYSE:CMG Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 25th. The restaurant operator reported $10.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $8.89 by $1.61. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 11.49% and a return on equity of 45.01%. The firm had revenue of $2.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $5.70 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 18.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Chipotle Mexican Grill will post 43.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. In other Chipotle Mexican Grill news, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,078 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,058.13, for a total value of $2,218,664.14. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 23,347 shares of the companys stock, valued at $48,051,161.11. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Robin S. Hickenlooper sold 105 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2,073.08, for a total value of $217,673.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 853 shares in the company, valued at $1,768,337.24. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Brian R. Niccol sold 1,078 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $2,058.13, for a total value of $2,218,664.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 23,347 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $48,051,161.11. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 13,337 shares of company stock valued at $26,227,935. 0.96% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,620,725 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $3,938,320,000 after purchasing an additional 114,699 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,966,428 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $2,955,068,000 after purchasing an additional 23,107 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,058,549 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $1,590,745,000 after purchasing an additional 5,450 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 565,479 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $963,779,000 after purchasing an additional 9,520 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 507,232 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $703,779,000 after purchasing an additional 2,012 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.26% of the companys stock. Chipotle Mexican Grill Company Profile (Get Rating) Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc engages in the development and operation of classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It offers a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads prepared using classic cooking methods. The company was founded by Steve Ells in 1993 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, CA. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras (NYSE:EBR Get Rating) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras Stock Performance NYSE EBR opened at $7.29 on Thursday. The firms 50-day moving average is $6.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.28. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras has a 12 month low of $5.67 and a 12 month high of $10.39. The company has a quick ratio of 2.03, a current ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. Get Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. - Eletrobras alerts: Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras Cuts Dividend The firm also recently declared an annual dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 1st were given a dividend of $0.0443 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 5th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.7%. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobrass dividend payout ratio is presently 5.80%. Institutional Trading of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras About Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EBR. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras by 13.9% during the first quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 13,966 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $110,000 after buying an additional 1,699 shares during the period. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras by 49.0% during the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 4,898 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 1,611 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. increased its stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras by 127.8% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 58,698 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $464,000 after buying an additional 32,935 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can increased its stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras by 27.7% during the first quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 70,541 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $541,000 after buying an additional 15,296 shares during the period. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras during the first quarter worth approximately $84,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.37% of the companys stock. (Get Rating) Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA engages in the production and dissemination of electricity. It operates through the Generation and Transmission segments. The Generation segment refers to the electric power generation including hydroelectric, thermal, and nuclear power plants. The Transmission segment focuses on the transmission of electric power in Brazil. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. - Eletrobras Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. - Eletrobras and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Flexible Solutions International (NYSE:FSI Get Rating) in a report released on Thursday morning. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock. Flexible Solutions International Stock Up 1.4 % Shares of FSI opened at $2.92 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $36.32 million, a PE ratio of 5.73 and a beta of 1.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.63 and a current ratio of 2.96. Flexible Solutions International has a 12-month low of $1.51 and a 12-month high of $3.70. Get Flexible Solutions International alerts: Flexible Solutions International (NYSE:FSI Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 31st. The company reported $0.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $12.21 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.41 million. Flexible Solutions International had a net margin of 14.19% and a return on equity of 18.91%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Flexible Solutions International will post 0.41 EPS for the current year. About Flexible Solutions International Flexible Solutions International, Inc is an environmental technology company engaged in the research, development, and manufacture of products that save water and energy. It operates through the following segments: Energy and Water Conservation Products and Biodegradable Polymers. The Energy and Water Conservation Products segment consists of a liquid swimming pool blanket which saves energy and water by inhibiting evaporation from the pool surface, and a food-safe powdered form of the active ingredient within the liquid blanket. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Flexible Solutions International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Flexible Solutions International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund (NYSEARCA:JPI Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, June 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a dividend of 0.098 per share on Monday, July 3rd. This represents a $1.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.93%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund Stock Performance Shares of Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund stock traded down $0.05 on Monday, hitting $16.97. 49,451 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 53,578. Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund has a 12-month low of $16.02 and a 12-month high of $21.34. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $16.83 and its 200 day simple moving average is $18.35. Get Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund alerts: Institutional Trading of Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund during the first quarter worth approximately $273,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its position in Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund by 51.0% in the 1st quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 34,913 shares of the companys stock worth $616,000 after purchasing an additional 11,798 shares during the period. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its position in Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund by 1,206.4% in the 1st quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 10,451 shares of the companys stock worth $184,000 after purchasing an additional 9,651 shares during the period. Susquehanna International Group LLP bought a new stake in Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund in the first quarter worth $182,000. Finally, Punch & Associates Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund by 9.6% during the first quarter. Punch & Associates Investment Management Inc. now owns 391,189 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,897,000 after buying an additional 34,121 shares during the period. About Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund Nuveen Preferred & Income Term Fund operates as a closed-end investment fund. It seeks to provide high level current income and total return. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PagerDuty (NYSE:PD Get Rating) had its target price lowered by Robert W. Baird from $35.00 to $32.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday, The Fly reports. PD has been the subject of several other research reports. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on PagerDuty from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on PagerDuty from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, PagerDuty presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $33.30. Get PagerDuty alerts: PagerDuty Price Performance Shares of NYSE PD opened at $23.00 on Friday. PagerDuty has a 1-year low of $19.51 and a 1-year high of $35.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 2.21 and a quick ratio of 2.21. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $30.49 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.12 billion, a PE ratio of -19.17 and a beta of 0.93. Insider Buying and Selling PagerDuty ( NYSE:PD Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, June 1st. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.11. PagerDuty had a negative return on equity of 35.38% and a negative net margin of 27.74%. The firm had revenue of $103.25 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $103.25 million. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.33) earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 20.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that PagerDuty will post -0.76 EPS for the current year. In related news, SVP Shelley Webb sold 1,983 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.62, for a total value of $66,668.46. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 229,240 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,707,048.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Jennifer Tejada sold 75,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.64, for a total transaction of $2,373,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 602,610 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,066,580.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Shelley Webb sold 1,983 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.62, for a total value of $66,668.46. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 229,240 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,707,048.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 253,605 shares of company stock valued at $7,934,700. Corporate insiders own 7.90% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of PagerDuty by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,481,775 shares of the companys stock worth $172,604,000 after purchasing an additional 180,197 shares in the last quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of PagerDuty by 11.8% during the 4th quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 4,886,613 shares of the companys stock worth $129,788,000 after purchasing an additional 517,110 shares in the last quarter. RGM Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of PagerDuty by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. RGM Capital LLC now owns 3,982,801 shares of the companys stock worth $105,783,000 after purchasing an additional 75,000 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its holdings in shares of PagerDuty by 6.7% during the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 3,883,371 shares of the companys stock worth $135,840,000 after purchasing an additional 242,771 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of PagerDuty by 7.2% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,894,218 shares of the companys stock worth $66,260,000 after purchasing an additional 126,421 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.66% of the companys stock. About PagerDuty (Get Rating) PagerDuty, Inc operates a digital operations management platform. It provides incident management solution that integrates with information technology Ops and DevOps monitoring stacks to improve operational reliability and agility. The firm collect machine generated data from virtually any software-enabled system or device, combine it with human response data, correlating and interpreting this data to understand issues and opportunities that need to be addressed in real-time. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for PagerDuty Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PagerDuty and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 888 reiterated their maintains rating on shares of Southwest Gas (NYSE:SWX Get Rating) in a research report report published on Thursday, Benzinga reports. Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of Southwest Gas from $78.00 to $75.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 7th. StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Southwest Gas in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a sell rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada restated an underweight rating and set a $95.00 price objective (down from $100.00) on shares of Southwest Gas in a report on Monday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Southwest Gas from $71.00 to $63.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of Southwest Gas from $66.00 to $64.00 in a report on Thursday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Southwest Gas currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $77.00. Get Southwest Gas alerts: Southwest Gas Price Performance NYSE:SWX traded down $0.73 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $59.15. The companys stock had a trading volume of 300,171 shares, compared to its average volume of 546,084. Southwest Gas has a fifty-two week low of $53.79 and a fifty-two week high of $94.99. The company has a market capitalization of $4.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -15.61, a P/E/G ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $58.12 and a 200-day moving average of $62.49. Southwest Gas Dividend Announcement Insider Transactions at Southwest Gas The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.62 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 14th. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.19%. Southwest Gass dividend payout ratio is presently -65.44%. In other news, major shareholder Carl C. Icahn acquired 238,785 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 13th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $59.89 per share, for a total transaction of $14,300,833.65. Following the purchase, the insider now directly owns 9,483,250 shares of the companys stock, valued at $567,951,842.50. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Southwest Gas news, major shareholder Carl C. Icahn acquired 238,785 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, March 13th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $59.89 per share, with a total value of $14,300,833.65. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 9,483,250 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $567,951,842.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Carl C. Icahn acquired 15,681 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 24th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $57.98 per share, with a total value of $909,184.38. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 10,610,217 shares in the company, valued at $615,180,381.66. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have bought 3,350,789 shares of company stock worth $201,194,382 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.32% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Southwest Gas Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in Southwest Gas by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 10,117,342 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $631,828,000 after purchasing an additional 436,206 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Southwest Gas by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,770,373 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $472,233,000 after acquiring an additional 114,397 shares during the period. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Southwest Gas by 10.1% in the 4th quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,362,333 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $146,181,000 after acquiring an additional 215,807 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its position in Southwest Gas by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,277,553 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $142,233,000 after acquiring an additional 67,936 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in Southwest Gas by 5.6% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,324,858 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $82,737,000 after acquiring an additional 70,444 shares during the period. 87.59% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Southwest Gas Company Profile (Get Rating) Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc engages in the energy business. It operates through the following business segments: Natural Gas Operations and Utility Infrastructure Services. The Natural Gas Operations segment focuses on purchasing, distribution, and transportation of natural gas in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Southwest Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southwest Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Members of the Korea Military Song Choir take part in a commemorative ceremony honoring fallen Belgian soldiers of the Korean War in this October 2019 photo. The choir will hold a concert Tuesday to commemorate the Thai soldiers this year. Courtesy of Korea Military Song Choir By Lee Hyo-jin The Korea Military Song Choir (KMSC) will hold a commemorative ceremony to honor fallen Thai soldiers of the 1950-53 Korean War, Tuesday, marking Memorial Day, which falls on June 6. The event will take place at the Thai Army Veterans Memorial that is located in Pocheon, northeast of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province from 3 p.m., with 20 members of the choir performing. It will feature a silent tribute, the laying of a wreath and the singing of the Thai national anthem as well as a Korean military marching song. Thailand was one of the first countries to dispatch troops to help South Korea during the Korean War. A total of 6,326 Thai soldiers participated in the war and U.N. peacekeeping efforts thereafter. Among them, 129 were killed and 1,139 were wounded. Later this month on June 23, the choir members will travel to Thailand to participate in a memorial ceremony, organized by the Korean Embassy in Bangkok to mark the 70th anniversary of the armistice, which halted the Korean War. During the ceremony, the choir will give a performance honoring the sacrifices of the fallen Thai soldiers and their families. It will be the second overseas concert of the choir, following the first one held in three European countries the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria in 2019. The KMSC, founded in 2015, consists of about 90 men including retired soldiers and government officials. The choir performs its annual concert each June, which is the month dedicated to honoring and remembering patriots and veterans here. This year's concert is slated for June 11 at Lotte Concert Hall in Songpa District, Seoul. Robert Carlyle has always been "a bit of a loner" and believes it started during his "dark" childhood. The 'Trainspotting' star's mum walked out when he was a child and he was raised by a single dad in Glasgow, Scotland and Robert admits his tough upbringing made him feel isolated and "different" to his peers. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, he explained: "Ive always been a bit of a loner to be honest ... I always think about it as darkness and light, my life, because the first part of it was pretty dark. My mother had left when I was a wee boy. "I was brought up by my dad alone in Glasgow in the 60s, and the single- parent family, there was not a lot of that around, especially a single-parent family with a father. "That made me instantly different from the rest of the people who were around me. Genuinely, Ive never really spoken about this before. But I guess thats probably where it started." Robert went on to insist he felt like an outsider at school because he was often reminded about being part of a single-parent family. He added: "When I was very young, yeah, definitely. Its the little things ... Back in the day, if you had to get permission for something, the teachers would say, bring a note in from your mum. Stuff like that. Of course, when you dont have that, that really hits home, even when youre a wee boy. The actor now lives in Canada with his wife Anastasia Shirley and their three children - aged 21, 19 and 17 - but he still keeps a home in Glasgow where he grew up - but Robert says he prefers the relaxed lifestyle in Vancouver. He said: "Theres a laid-back attitude and quality here I enjoy," May has been a busy month for our favorite K-pop artists. Fans are well aware of how hectic idols' schedules are, especially when they're active in releasing new music, content, appearances, events, and many more. Idols are making the best of their activities, and that leads them to online exposure. With their influence, idols can catch the eye of certain brands, campaigns, or services. Without further ado, here are 4 K-pop idols who became ambassadors in May 2023! 1. BTS RM For MAKRI On May 31, BTS's agency BIGHIT MUSIC officially announced that leader RM will be selected as the public relations ambassador for the MDA (Ministry of National Defense) Agency for KIA (Killed in Action) Recovery & Identification, which is also known as MAKRI. RM would officially take on the role on June 1. MAKRI is a company that sets out on a mission to recover the remains of war heroes during the Korean War and returns them to their families. RM will be its third public relations ambassador, following professor Seo Kyung Deok and host Song Hae. With RM's signing, the idol is expected to participate in future activities with MAKRI to support their projects. 2. NCT Jeno For Ferragamo NCT Jeno made history on May 30, when he was officially appointed as Ferragamo's global brand ambassador. Notably, he also became the brand's first-ever male ambassador, making K-pop history. Maximilian Davis, creative director of Ferragamo, has shared his statement regarding Jeno's inclusion. Meanwhile, Jeno has also expressed his excitement over the partnership. Given Jeno's iconic history in fashion, this collaboration is something worth looking out for. "We're driven by the same passion in our creativity, and we feel fortunate to have him (NCT Jeno) join Ferragamo." "I am very excited to create a synergy with the brand, and I'm looking forward to disclosing our future projects!" 3. NCT Doyoung For Dolce & Gabbana Doyoung of NCT became the newest brand ambassador for Dolce & Gabbana. To celebrate Doyoung's presence, the Italian luxury brand posted several pictures on Instagram, which displayed Doyoung's fashionable clothes and charismatic vibe. The brand stated: "With his ability to uphold the status of a global K-pop icon, Doyoung expresses his own charisma and talent through music and class." 4. ASTRO Cha Eun Woo For '2023-2024 Visit Korea Year' On May 24, Fantagio announced that idol actor Cha Eun Woo has been selected as the project ambassador for "2023-2024 Visit Korea Year." Cha Eun Woo is expected to participate in activities in promoting Korean culture and tourism. Which idol on the list is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: These K-Pop Idols Are The Global and Korean Ambassadors of The Top 15 Luxury Brand Fashion Houses KpopStarz owns this article Written by Riely Miller Netizens are praising Jang Wonyoung for her mental fortitude in an online forum despite undergoing so much hate and criticism. Here's what people are saying. IVE Jang Wonyoung Praised by DIVEs For Being Mentally Strong On June 4, DIVEs created an online forum regarding Jang Wonyoung, whom they discussed for her perseverance in the industry despite going through so much hate. Wonyoung is one of the most criticized idols in K-pop, which has already gained immediate awareness across fandoms. While idols can't satisfy everyone, Wonyoung is criticized for the smallest of reasons such as the way she eats pizza, strawberries, and chicken, or for tiniest gestures that can generate numerous online discussions. Other reasons also include agency Starship's "favoritism" with Wonyoung when it comes to line distributions and for wearing a dress that visibly differs from other members. The hate train also involves people pointing out her "lazy dancing," slim body ratio, for counting fingers in a certain way, along with flak from the Chinese media for "stealing" a culture with a phoenix hairpin. Fans expressed how amazed they are with Wonyoung's strong mentality for overcoming loads of harsh remarks. They also commended how the idol's willingness to move forward despite numerous obstacles thrown at her way. Read their comments below: "She got so much hate when she was in 'Produce' and when IVE was the hot topic in 2022." "She was hated as much as politicians, and all of this happened when she was still a minor." "If I was her, I would've panicked and retired already. I find her really impressive for ignoring all the hate and persevering." "Honestly, I feel like her mentality is even stronger than the average male idol." "That's why her fans become even stronger core fans. The company doesn't protect her at all while this young kid is just overcoming everything herself." "Her mom, dad and unnie's personal information all got exposed and she received all sorts of forced hate but seeing how she's still remaining still really makes her a saint." "When she went on Lee Youngji's show back then, she said that she didn't care about the hate. Her mentality must be really strong." DIVEs Compliment Jang Wonyoung For Ethereal Visuals Meanwhile, after their discussion on Wonyoung's persistence, fans followed up an appreciation thread for Wonyoung about her flawless looks. DIVEs commented that while Wonyoung may be naturally pretty, her presence is further amplified on stage and her facial expressions as well. Fans remarked: "She's really pretty when she smiles on stage." "Her pretty looks aside, her expressions are so pretty too." "I like it when Jang Wonyoung smiles big like that. She's cute." "Just when is Jang Wonyoung not pretty?" What are your thoughts on this? Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: IVE Wonyoung's Anecdote on How She Feels & Handles Gossips About Her Draws Mixed Reactions KpopStarz owns this article Written by Riely Miller Here's a look at the two men who escaped after a traffic stop on Sunday. (Photo credit: Greenwood Police Department) Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. New Delhi, June 5: Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in a meeting on Monday with Airlines Advisory Group discussed the issue of rise in air fares. During the meeting, he shared his concerns regarding recent reports of abnormal surge pricing on certain routes and asked airlines to self-monitor fares on certain select routes that have seen considerable surge pricing recently, including after Go First filed for voluntary insolvency and its services remain cancelled. The government has been receiving numerous complaints regarding skyrocketing air fares after GoFirst shut down, a member who attended the meeting said. The social media is flooded with complaints over the high airfares. During the peak summer season, the tourist hotspot sector like Delhi - Leh and Srinagar have witnessed a Delhi return airfares touching around Rs 50,000. The airlines airfare is unregulated and it usually is determined by the market forces (the demand and supply). Flight Ticket Price Hike: Civil Aviation Ministry, Airlines To Discuss Airfare Spike on Certain Routes After Go First Suspended Operations. The meeting was also called amid reports of a "huge increase" in fares for flights to and from violence-hit Manipur, even as some airlines temporarily waived off some charges, including rescheduling of flights. The air prices will be monitored by the regulator DGCA. Scindia, referring to the unfortunate Odisha train accident, specially stressed that airlines need to keep a check on the pricing tickets in view of the humanitarian situation and monitor and control any surge in ticket prices to/from that region. Government Asks Airlines To Exercise Moderation and Ensure Balance in Pricing Tickets Amid Spike in Airfares After Suspension of Flights by Crisis-Hit Go First. On Monday, the airlines have also been advised to provide free cargo services to the families of the deceased. The train accident in Balasore on Friday evening left 275 dead and over 1,000 injured. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) BusinessWire India Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], June 5: Reckitt, world's leading consumer health and hygiene company, under its flagship campaign Dettol Banega Swasth India in partnership with PLAN India under the project Dettol School Hygiene Education Program, inaugurated first Dettol Climate Resilient School in Uttarkashi, a district in Uttarakhand on World Environment Day. Government Higher Secondary School in Athali, Uttarkashi is first amongst the four schools to be developed in Uttarakhand in Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Also Read | US: Woman Allegedly Hires Hitman To Kill Wife of Man She Met Online, Arrested After Fake Assassination Website Tips Off Police. From hilly terrains to holy rivers from mountain covered clouds through lush green forest, Uttarakhand is an epitome of heavens on Earth. The state of Uttarakhand is specifically vulnerable to climate change owing to geological reasons including melting glaciers, increased population pressure, seismic activities and over-exploitation of natural resources. To preserve and prepare for any adverse effects of climate change in Uttarakhand, Reckitt aims to prepare the young change makers in schools as climate champions bearing the flag of Mission Life. The project aims to create a sustainable school environment across the state by reducing carbon footprint, enhancing energy efficiency, and promoting awareness and education around climate change among students, teachers, and the community. India is the seventh most vulnerable country to climate change impact, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021. During the Glasgow summit in 2021, India took another step towards its commitment to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2070 by introducing the LiFE (Lifestyle for the Environment) movement. Following the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dettol Climate Resilient Schools follows the LiFE framework which guides governments, institutions, and societies to transition towards mindful resource utilization. Thus, bringing forth the need for climate change education to encourage the upcoming generation to work towards a climate-resilient future. Also Read | Riar Saab Opens Up On Obsessed, Says Vicky Kaushals Post Fuelled It To Another Level. Aligned with the vision of the Government of India, Dettol Climate Resilient Schools will empower children and recognise them as climate champions, who will act as catalyst in creating climate-resilient communities. This initiative will also focus on impact democratization, building children parliament on climate, through STEM labs, that will focus on efficient way of preserving flora and fauna. As part of the project, Dettol Banega Swasth India also urges the nation to come together and take a pledge showcasing their support towards Mission LiFE. This zero-carbon school will produce its own electricity, will cut in water wastage, and promote flora and fauna. Additionally, school is provided with upcycled bags, uniforms, xylene-free markers, dust-free chalks, environment lab, eco-friendly school bags and many other unique things. The school will witness the following impact - 100% energy independent, 55% less energy demand, improved light quality, 70% reduced water use, water, promoting biodiversity through native vegetation and 100% wet waste diverted towards composting. The inaugural ceremony witnessed esteemed dignitaries including Abhishek Ruhela, District Magistrate, District Uttarkashi, Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, SOA External Affairs and Partnerships, Reckitt, Dr Sudhir Kumar Uniyal, Principal, High School Athali, Uttarkashi, Padmendra Saklani, District Education Officer of Elementary Education. Commenting on the inauguration, Abhishek Ruhela, District Magistrate, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, said, "I congratulate Reckitt for this unique and first-of-its-kind initiative in India to establish Climate Resilient schools. This endeavour is truly remarkable and holds an important value specially as we commemorate this school in Uttarkashi which is the origin of Ganga and Yamuna. It is the true representation of our ecology, environment and rich heritage that have been passed to us over the years and it is for us to preserve for the generations to come." Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, Reckitt, South Asia, said, "At Reckitt, we believe we have a duty to combat climate change across everything we do, and we are globally committed to reach net zero by 2040, powering our operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2030. We have been working closely in the state of Uttarakhand to drive on-ground behaviour change and educate the younger generation, who are the future of the nation. Setting up a Climate Resilient School in Uttarkashi is just another step towards our commitment of building a sustainable future. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Uttarakhand for their invaluable support and look forward to driving substantial impact in the state together." Ravi Bhatnagar, Director - External Affairs and Partnerships, Reckitt-South Asia, said, "Dettol Climate Resilient School project is an attempt by Reckitt to empower the next generation towards building a sustainable and resilient future through Respond, Repair and Recover. In Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand, where elements of nature meet in the most pure form, this initiative will empower our younger generations with self-sustaining practices, one of the key learnings from Mission LiFE, helping them emerge as climate champions. This will give opportunities to young change makers from hills to stand for climate change by representing their voices at COP 28." The program is in response to the National Education Policy (Government of India) intimation on the need to develop schools as places for holistic development and social change. The project strategy is based on the 3Cs of Sustainable and Climate Resilient Schools Framework- Campus, Collaboration and Curriculum. Dettol Climate Resilient Schools also contributes to SDGs 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), 4 (Quality Education), 5 (gender Equality), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 12 (Responsible Consumption and production), 13 (Climate Action), and 17 (Partnerships for the goals). (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lakhimpur Kheri (UP), Jun 5 (PTI) Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Monday referred to the Balasore railway accident involving three trains as he trashed the BJP's recent campaign for a "triple-engine" government in Uttar Pradesh. "Those who are showing dreams of a triple engine, you have seen that the triple engines collided," he said in an apparent reference to the tragedy on Friday that claimed 275 lives and injured over 1,100 others. Also Read | Gujarat: 200 Indian Fishermen Reach Vadodara by Special Train After Release From Pakistan Jail. A day after the accident, Yadav on Twitter shared a clip of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explaining the anti-collision system deployed in trains and said, "The false technology of the false government has taken so many lives." Also Read | Elephant Tusks Smuggling Racket Busted in Delhi, Seven Arrested With 4 Kg Ivory Worth Rs 7.19 Crore. Ahead of the recent urban local body polls in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had asked voters to elect the party at the third tier of governance as well, after bringing it to power at the Centre and in the state. The BJP swept the polls held on May 4 and 11 winning 813 out of the 1,420 seats in the corporators category in the state's urban local bodies, while opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 191 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 85. The ruling party in Uttar Pradesh also registered wins on all the 17 mayoral seats in the state. Yadav also mocked the BJP's "Tiffin Pe Charcha" outreach campaign, which implies "discussion over a meal", launched to mark nine years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. "Price rise and unemployment are at an all-time high, and the government is conducting tiffin events. What is this tiffin programme of the BJP? You are neither giving food to children nor are you giving shoes to them," he told reporters here. "Those who are not giving food to children, and are themselves having tiffin, what can be expected from them... that they will improve the future of the children?" the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked. Asked why the party chose to start its (2024 Lok Sabha) election campaign from Lakhimpur Kheri, the SP chief said, "Lakhimpur was once known for the sweetness of its sugarcane and sugarmills. Then one morning, a 'Thar' moved, and Lakhimpur came to be known for it. Have the farmers who died got justice? Do the farmers have the hope that in the BJP's rule, their income will increase or get doubled?" On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district's Tikonia after violence erupted when farmers were protesting against the then Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area. According to a Uttar Pradesh Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV. Yadav also exuded confidence that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP will be wiped out from the state and also the country. He also visited his party workers and leaders at their residences. On Tuesday, Yadav is scheduled to participate in the concluding session of a training workshop for SP workers in Devkali. (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, June 5: The Supreme Court on Monday granted three-weeks interim bail to former police officer Pradeep Sharma, who was arrested in connection with the Antilia bomb scare case and the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran, to meet his ailing wife. A vacation bench headed by Justice Aniruddha Bose posted the matter for hearing on June 26 this year and asked Sharma to furnish a medical report indicating the status of the treatment of his wife. Antilia Bomb Scare Case: Setback For Sachin Waze As Delhi High Court Dismisses His Plea Challenging Prosecution Under UAPA. Sharma was arrested in the case in June 2021 and in judicial custody had sought interim bail on humanitarian grounds. Sharma said that his wife has developed serious complications after surgery and her condition was deteriorating with each passing day. Sharma has sought interim bail for the limited purpose of taking care of his wife, his counsel told the apex court. On May 18, the apex court had issued notice on Sharma's plea challenging an order of the Bombay High Court which had refused to grant him bail. Antilia Bomb Scare Case: Bombay High Court Junks Plea for Probe Into Ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singhs Role. Sharma had approached the High Court last year challenging a February 2022 order of a special NIA court which had declined his bail plea. On February 25, 2021, an explosives-laden SUV was found near Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's residence 'Antilia' in south Mumbai. Businessman Hiran, who was in possession of the SUV, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5 last year. Sharma, who along with police officers Daya Nayak, Vijay Salaskar and Ravindranath Angre was a member of the Mumbai police's encounter squad that killed over 300 criminals in numerous encounters, has been accused of helping his former colleague Waze in eliminating Mansukh Hiran. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 5 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday inaugurated the permanent building of the pre-historic, 5,000 year old, Dhalpur Shiva Mandir in Sipajhar Revenue Circle in Darrang district. The temple was restored to its ancient glory after it was retrieved during last year's encroachment. Also Read | Gruha Jyoti Scheme: Karnataka Govt Issues Orders to Implement Electricity Scheme Offering 200 Units Free Power to Domestic Consumers. It may be noted that during his first visit at Dhalpur on June 7, 2021 after becoming Chief Minister, Sarma said that he would help in creating a permanent structure of the Shiva Mandir at Dhalpur which has been existing since the pre-historic days. So fulfilling his promise, the Chief Minister today dedicated the Mandir to the devotees. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that visiting the Shiva Mandir at the pristine milieu of Dhalpur is a heavenly feeling for him. Also Read | Noida: Woman Loses Diamond Ring Worth Rs 5 Lakh in Shopping Mall, Cops Trace It From Delhi Within 6 Hours. "I really feel blessed to have got the opportunity to inaugurate the pre-historic Shiva Mandir at Dhalpur along with a guest house and pujari griha," the Assam Chief Minister said. Chief Minister Sarma offered prayers to Lord Shiva and prayed for the wellbeing of all sections of the people of the state. He also said that for the convenience of the devotees of the state to visit the Shiva Mandir and offer their pujas, a good quality road along with three bridges will be built in Dhalpur area. Moreover since the area is flood prone, to save Dhalpur from recurring floods an embankment will be built. Sarma also said that Garukhuti project in Darrang district is associated with the pride of the people of Assam. Therefore, giving the project to a successful shape, State government will do everything possible. The Chief Minister during his visit, also held discussion with the office bearers of the Mandir Management Committee in presence of CEM KAAC Tuliram Ronghang, MLA Sipajhar Paramananda Rajbongshi and General Secretary Dhalpur Shiva Mandir Managing Committee Dharma Kanta Sarma and discussed all issues towards solving all the problems that the Shiva Mandir is facing. He said that all the problems would be solved on a priority. After the inauguration ceremony, Sarma took to Twitter and said, "During the encroachment at Garukhuti, we had taken a vow that we would try to restore the 5000 years old Shivalaya there to its old glory. Today this work was dedicated at the feet of Bholenath. With the blessings of Mahadev & cooperation of all, Garukhuti is reclaiming its ancient heritage." On the occasion of World Environment Day today, Chief Minister Sarma also planted saplings at the Mandir premises. He said that his government has been consistently working towards ensuring a clean and green environment for the future generations where everyone enjoys a high quality of life. He on this occasion also called upon all to contribute towards building a shared, sustainable and safe future. A host of devotees and people from all sections were present on the occasion. (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], June 5 (ANI): Two accused persons were arrested for being allegedly involved in the murder of a CISF constable, police said on Monday. Police said that accused named Rahul Yadav (24) and wife (32) of the deceased personnel were involved in the murder incident. Also Read | EU Asks Big Tech to Label AI-generated Content. Police also mentioned that earlier the wife of the deceased personnel had made a fake story of death in which she told officials that her husband had died to due to electric shock. "On May 31, a PCR Call regarding "injury after slipping in bathroom at Nav Shakti apartment, Ghitorni" was recieved at PS Vasant Kunj South. It was known that the PCR had taken the injured to Safdarjung hospital. After sometime, information of MLC regarding a person namely Rajiv who was admitted in hospital with the history of Electric shock at home (as told by his wife MK), who was declared brought dead was received at PS Vasant Kunj South. IO collected the MLC of the deceased and the dead body was deposited in mortuary," police said. Also Read | Manipur Violence: State Govt Extends Internet Suspension For 7th Time Till June 10. "No visible injury marks were present over the body of the deceased. The scene of crime was inspected by Crime Team and the statements of family members were recorded," police added. Police further mentioned that the post mortem report of the deceased revealed that the cause of death was manual strangulation. "On June 3 the post mortem report of the deceased was received and the cause of death was known as manual strangulation. Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 323/2023 under sections 302/201 IPC was registered at Police Station Vasant Kunj South and the investigation was taken up," an official statement said. Police mentioned that in the analysis of CCTV footage, it was found that one suspected person was seen entering and leaving the building twice at the time of incident. "On sustained interrogation, MK (wife of deceased) disclosed the name of suspected person as Rahul Yadav. During investigation, accused Rahul Yadav aged 24 yrs and MK aged 32 yrs were arrested. On sustained interrogation, accused Rahul Yadav disclosed that he was in a relationship with MK. On 31.05.2023, a scuffle happened between deceased Rajiv and him & he strangulated deceased Rajiv," police said. "After finding Rajiv is dead both Rahul Yadav and MK came up with a plan to fake the story of electric shock. For that his dead body was put inside bathroom and a bucket was filled with water and immersion rod was immersed in that so as to create the scene as if Rajiv got electric shock," it added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Jun 5 (PTI) Four persons were arrested and more than 10 kg of gold worth Rs 6.21 crore was seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here, an official said on Monday. Also Read | India in Strong Position To Develop Medical Countermeasures for Equitable Drugs, Vaccine Distribution, Says WHO Official. The DRI made the seizures and arrests in two separate operations on Saturday, the official said. Also Read | US: Woman Allegedly Hires Hitman To Kill Wife of Man She Met Online, Arrested After Fake Assassination Website Tips Off Police. Based on a tip-off, the DRI team intercepted two passengers who arrived in Mumbai from Sharjah in an Air India Express flight, he said. The duo had concealed eight 24K gold bars with foreign markings, weighing 8 kg, in their clothes around their waist, he said. During interrogation, DRI officials found out about another aide of the accused passengers and apprehended him, the official said, adding that the seized gold bars were worth Rs 4.98 crore. Similarly on the same day, an Indian national travelling from Dubai was caught with 24K gold wires, the official said. The accused had hidden these wires under metal strips in 56 women's purses, he said. The DRI recovered 2.05 kg of gold wires worth Rs 1.23 crore from the accused, the official said. The accused was directly involved in the planning and execution of the crime, he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) On World Environment Day, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacked the Modi government on Monday, alleging that there is a push for a radical loosening of environment and forest laws, with "more assaults" on the regulations in the offing. The former environment minister hit out at the government's actions in the environment sector, saying there is a "gigantic gap" between the global talk and local walk. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Couple Die by Suicide by Hanging Inside House in Fatehpur District, Probe Underway. "Today is World Environment Day and undoubtedly self-styled Paryavaran Premi will give his gyaan. However, the reality is that he is pushing for a radical loosening of environment and forest laws and regulations," Ramesh said in a tweet. "Environmental approvals have been hugely liberalised. The Standing Committee I chair was deliberately bypassed to bulldoze far-reaching amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 has been rendered toothless affecting tribal communities. The National Green Tribunal has been emasculated. Elephant trade has been opened up," he said. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Self-Styled Godman Rapes Beautician on Pretext of Performing Rituals to Grow Her Business in Bijnor, Detained. More assaults on regulations are in the pipeline while environmental activism has been intimidated, the Congress leader alleged. "There is a gigantic gap between the global talk and local walk," he said. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on June 5 since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 5 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said that the state government does not want a share of Haryana in Panjab University adding that the University is part of the emotional, cultural, literature and rich legacy of the state. While addressing the media, Punjab CM Mann said, "Neither any college of Haryana will be given affiliation from the university nor will any attempt of Haryana for back door entry in the senate of university be allowed." Also Read | Andhra Pradesh Accident: Seven Women Killed, 20 Others Injured As Tractor Travelling to Wedding Overturns in Guntur (Watch Video). On the occasion, Chief Minister bemoaned that regular attempts are being made to change the status of the university. "Punjab government will not allow any such move in the larger interests of the students. Bhagwant Mann said that 175 colleges of the state are affiliated with this premier university due to which generations of Punjab are emotionally attached to it," CM Mann said. Also Read | EU Asks Big Tech to Label AI-generated Content. The Chief Minister said that the University caters only to the state of Punjab and its capital Chandigarh. Citing the history of the University, its constitution, its ethnic, socio-cultural and historical roots as well as its faculty and students who hail primarily from the state of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann said, "It is important that the present legal and administrative status of the Panjab University should be preserved. He reminded that at the time of the reorganization of the State of Punjab in 1966, Panjab University was declared as an 'Inter State Body Corporate' under section 72(1) of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966 enacted by the Parliament." The Chief Minister said that ever since its inception, the Panjab University has been continuously and uninterruptedly functioning in the state of Punjab. Bhagwant Mann recalled that after partition it was shifted from Lahore, the then capital of Punjab, to Hoshiarpur and then to Chandigarh the present capital of Punjab. He asserted that the entire territorial jurisdiction of Panjab University lies primarily in the state of Punjab and Union territory of Chandigarh. The Chief Minister said, "As per Sub-section (4) of Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, the maintenance deficit grants to the University were to be shared and paid by the states concerned, i.e., Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and UT Administration of Chandigarh in the ratio of 20:20:20:40, respectively." "In 1970 the then Chief Minister of Haryana Bansi Lal voluntarily pulled out his state's share from the university adding that in 1973 even the state called back its members of senate from university. Bhagwant Mann said that since then the state of Punjab and UT Administration of Chandigarh have borne the financial responsibility of paying maintenance deficit grants to the University in the ratio of 40:60 respectively," he added. The Chief Minister said that despite increased financial burden caused by withdrawal of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and the creation of new universities in the state, Punjab has continued to support Panjab University to ensure that the historical and emotional attachment of the people of Punjab with the University is maintained and preserved. "Recently also the state government has given Rs 49 crore for construction of hostels to the university, even though no demand was made for it.The state government has left no stone unturned for the holistic development of the university in all possible manners," he said. The Chief Minister further said that every step will be taken to retain the Interstate Status of the university. "No one will be allowed to make any change in it. Interests of the state are not saleable so that anyone will offer money and purchase it. Haryana government's proposal to bear the share of grants in university is totally unacceptable and unwarranted too," he said. The Chief Minister, while quoting a letter written by the Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana to the Vice Chancellors of all the universities of the state, said that the Haryana government had through communique expressed its inability to give funds to universities. He said that in this letter the Universities were asked to manage their own resources whereas on the other hand Haryana is too eager to put a share in Panjab University which indicates some nefarious designs of the state. Bhagwant Mann said, "How can any state which is not able to manage its own universities fund a university of stature of Panjab University until and unless some higher agency was not funding it in a clandestine manner? " The Chief Minister said that after assuming the charge of office he had written two letters to Union Ministers Amit Shah and Dharminder Pradhan asking them that the university is heritage of the state and any sort of change in it will not be tolerated. The Chief Minister also said that a resolution was also passed in Punjab assembly on June 30, 2022 to retain the original status of PU to avert any sort of intrusion in the senate of university. "State government is not against the people of Haryana and it is also a well known fact that 35% students in university are from Haryana. Bhagwant Mann categorically said that Haryana is free to make its university anywhere but they will not be allowed any share in the Panjab University," he said. Chief Minister also slammed them for backstabbing the state and its people. He said that the then Chief Minister of state late Parkash Singh Badal wrote a letter to erstwhile Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on August 26, 2008 seeking central status for Panjab University. Bhagwant Mann said that going beyond that, the Akali Dal government had issued an NOC to the Union government for converting this premier institute into a central university. The Chief Minister said, "On what grounds the Akali leaders are thumping their chest when everyone knows that they have worked overtime against the interests of the state and its people. "Granting NOC for the central university was a treacherous move aimed at weakening the claim of state over the university. Bhagwant Mann said that Akali Dal has no moral right to say even a single word on the issue," he added. The Chief Minister said that these leaders and parties had always preferred their own interests by jeopardizing that of the state. He also mentioned that Congress was also dyed in the same wool as a female Congress MLA of Haryana had in August 2022 moved a resolution in state Vidhan Sabha to affiliate colleges of state with Panjab University. Bhagwant Mann said, "Both these parties were hypocrites who had always ignored the interests of the state for their selfish interests." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mathura (UP), Jun 5 (PTI) BJP MP Hema Malini on Monday said if she has to contest the next election, she will contest it from Mathura and no other place. "I will contest the next election from Mathura only. If there is any proposal to contest from any other seat, it will not be accepted," Malini, who was interacting with media on the achievements of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completion of nine years, said. Also Read | EU Asks Big Tech to Label AI-generated Content. When asked about her plans on contesting elections for a third time, the actress, popularly known as 'Dream Girl', said, "If the party wants me to contest, then what can be my problem." Elaborating on her decision, she said she has immense love for Lord Krishna and his devotees, and that she wants to serve them. Also Read | Manipur Violence: State Govt Extends Internet Suspension For 7th Time Till June 10. The leader exuded confidence that Narendra Modi will come back to power a third time on the back of work done by his government in the last nine years. Hema Malini won the Mathura Lok Sabha seat for two consecutive terms in 2014 and 2019 on BJP ticket. Before that, she was a member of the Rajya Sabha. (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], June 5 (ANI): Upon his return from Odisha after the horrific railway accident, which killed over 270 people and left over 1000 injured, Railway Board Chairman, AK Lahoti on Monday evening will brief top officials in the Prime Minister's Office on the update on ground, including the ongoing investigation. "Chairperson of the Railway Board will be meeting top officials in the Prime Minister's office, including the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister about the details from the ground," reliable sources told ANI. Also Read | Karnataka Budget to Be Presented on July 7, Says CM Siddaramaiah. While the enquiry ordered by the railway ministry is currently underway, the government has also sent a request to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the matter. "There is a need to have a deep investigation by a professional agency to rule out any deliberate interference," top government sources told ANI. Also Read | Rajasthan Shocker: Angered Over Daughters Eloping, Parents Declare Her Dead, Distribute Invitation Card For Condolence Prayer Meeting of 18-Year-Old Girl in Ratanpura Village. Within hours of the rail accident. The chairman railway board was on the ground with the Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and has returned only today. So he is likely to brief the details to the PMO that has been keeping a constant watch on the developments on the ground. The triple train accident in Balasore happened on Friday evening. At least 275 people were killed, while more than 1,000 were injured in the accident that took place near the Bahanaga Bazar area on June 2. The Odisha government on Monday informed that 151 bodies from the triple train accident that took place in Odisha's Balasore district have been identified till today morning. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the Balasore accident site from ground zero and also visited the injured being treated at the hospital. Before leaving Delhi for the mishap site, PM Modi had also chaired a high-level review meeting on the same. (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, Jun 5 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday held wide-ranging talks with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin focusing on various key aspects of India-US defence ties and the regional security scenario including in the Indo-Pacific. The US Defence Secretary arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day tour that comes over two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Couple Die by Suicide by Hanging Inside House in Fatehpur District, Probe Underway. Ahead of the talks, people familiar with Austin's visit said his discussions with Singh will focus on a number of significant areas of cooperation, including transfer of critical technologies for co-development of military hardware. Secretary Austin was accorded a guard of honour ahead of the talks at the Manekshaw Centre. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Self-Styled Godman Rapes Beautician on Pretext of Performing Rituals to Grow Her Business in Bijnor, Detained. "I'm returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, we're advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the US defence secretary tweeted on Sunday. The people cited above said Singh and Austin are set to discuss the General Electric's proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhi's plan to procure 30 MQ-9B armed drones at a cost of over USD 3 billion from US defence major General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc besides other issues. India has been looking for manufacture of jet engines in India under the framework of technology transfer to power its fighter aircraft. In June 2016, the US designated India a "Major Defence Partner" paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology. It is Secretary Austin's second visit to India. His previous trip to India was in March, 2021. In his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday, the US Defence secretary said, "Our Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology with India lets us explore new ways to co-develop key defence platforms." In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced in May last year the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. The iCET is expected to forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space and semiconductors. The two countries have inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies. India and the US also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India. In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sitapur, June 5: A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by five persons, including three minors, in the Ramkot police station area of this Uttar Pradesh district, police said on Monday. The incident took place when the minor had gone to defecate. The five accused forcibly dragged her to a field and allegedly gang-raped her, they said. Upon receiving information, police reached the spot and sent the survivor to the district hospital for medical examination. On the complaint of the family members, the police have started investigating the matter. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) (North) Prakash Kumar said three of the five accused are minors. Based on the complaint of the family members, the police have taken three accused in custody while raids are being conducted in search of the two accused. Lucknow Shocker: Inspired by Popular Web Series, Three Boys Attempt To Loot Jewellery Shop; Accused Wanted to Visit Phuket and Celebrate Their Birthdays Lavishly, Say Police. In a complaint, the victim's brother has alleged that one of the accused along with his four accomplices forcibly dragged his sister to the field and raped her. All the five accused belong to a particular community, they said. To avoid tension in the village, a large number of policemen have been deployed in the entire village, the ASP said. Sitapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Ghule Sushil Chandrabhan visited the spot and enquired about the incident and instructed the officials to work out the case promptly. Gujarat Shocker: Teacher Dies by Suicide After Being Harassed by Usurers in Ahmedabad, Suicide Note Recovered. Meanwhile, Hindu organisations have given an ultimatum of 48 hours to the police, demanding the arrest of all accused. They have alleged that for the last several days, the victim was continuously being harassed by the accused. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, Jun 5 (PTI) A team of forest officials, who have been tracking the movement of the wild tusker Arikomban, located the elephant and tranquilised it early on Monday. Currently, efforts are on to translocate the tusker to a suitable habitat, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Tamil Nadu, Supriya Saha said on Monday. Also Read | Terror Threat in Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore Police on Alert After Tip-Off From Central and State Intelligence Agencies Over Terror Elements Regrouping in City. The wild tusker, known for its love for rice and ration shop raids in Kerala, which was moving in the Cumbum forest range was tranquilised early on Monday. A team of 4 veterinary doctors have been monitoring the movement of the elephant and its health since the last few days. Four teams of forest frontline personnel led by the Field Director, Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) along with Deputy Director, Megamalai Division, Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) and the District Forest Officer, Theni, were monitoring the movement of the elephant. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Couple Die by Suicide by Hanging Inside House in Fatehpur District, Probe Underway. "Arikomban the wild tusker was safely tranquilised in early hours today in Cumbum East Range by a team of Forest Veterinary Surgeons and Forest Department officials," Sahu said. "The elephant is being translocated to a suitable habitat where the Tamil Nadu Forest Department will continue to monitor him #TNForest," she tweeted posting photos of the operation. "Arikomban translocated by the Kerala Forest department in the Periyar Tiger Reserve on April 29, entered the Tamil Nadu forest area on April 30. The Additional Chief Secretary had recently visited Theni district and held discussions with the senior officials and Theni Collector R V Shajeevana on the preparedness of the field team. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Noida, June 5: Noida Police worked overnight to trace and recover a ring worth Rs 5 lakh studded with 70 diamonds belonging to a Delhi-based woman who misplaced it inside a shopping mall here, officials said on Monday. The woman, wife of a real estate developer from Shahdara in Delhi, had gone to the washroom to change the diaper of her child where she removed the ring from her finger and kept it on a sink but forgot to take it back, an official said. Noida: Security Guards, Medical Students Clash at GIMS College; Over 30 Arrested After Videos of Brawl Go Viral. Another woman, who also lives in Delhi, was in the washroom and found the ring. She asked this woman who was changing the diaper of her child if she had lost her ring, to which replied in negative. This led the other woman to take that ring with her while the owner of the ring did not realise missing the ring, ACP (Noida 1) Rajneesh Verma told PTI. Later, around 10.30 pm, the ring owner and her husband realised that it was missing and they dialled 112 for emergency help after which local Sector 20 police station officials also rushed to the site, even as the DLF Mall of India was closing down for the night, he said. It was a Sunday rush of visitors but by that time most people had left. The police team looked for the ring at all possible places and then checked the CCTV footages to trace the woman who had carried the ring with her, Verma said. In one of the footages from the parking area, the woman's car was seen and its number was tracked. The woman was found to be living in Ganesh Nagar area of Delhi and our police team, including the DLF outpost in-charge Subhash, somehow managed to reach her and recover that ring by 5 am this morning, the officer said. Lucknow Shocker: Inspired by Popular Web Series, Three Boys Attempt To Loot Jewellery Shop; Accused Wanted to Visit Phuket and Celebrate Their Birthdays Lavishly, Say Police. The search for the ring was an arduous task but it was recovered and handed over to the family on Monday morning itself after due procedures, he said. The family informed the police that the ring was studded with 70 diamond pieces and costs Rs 5 lakh, he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, June 5: Bank of Baroda on Monday announced launch of Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW) facility wherein a customer can withdraw cash using UPI from the bank's ATMs. "The first public sector bank to launch this service, Bank of Baroda customers as well as customers of other participating issuer banks that use BHIM UPI, bob World UPI or any other UPI application enabled for ICCW on their mobile phone can withdraw cash from a Bank of Baroda ATM without using their debit card," the lender said. Razorpay Turbo UPI Launched in India: New 1-Step UPI Payment Solution To Be 5 Times Faster. On selecting the option 'UPI Cash Withdrawal' at a Bank of Baroda ATM, the customer needs to enter the withdrawal amount, post which a QR code is displayed on the ATM screen. Explaining the process, the lender said the customer will scan the QR code using a UPI app enabled for ICCW and then authorise the transaction with her/his UPI PIN on the mobile phone to withdraw the cash from the ATM. UPI-PayNow Linked: Here's How Integration of India and Singapore's Digital Payment Systems Would Benefit Users. If multiple bank accounts are linked to a single UPI ID, ICCW functionality gives customers the option to select the account to be debited. Akhil Handa, Chief Digital Officer at Bank of Baroda, said the new ICCW facility being offered by the bank gives customers the freedom to withdraw money without the use of a physical card - a simple, convenient and secure way to withdraw cash." Customers can avail two transactions a day per account with a withdrawal limit of Rs 5,000 per transaction. Bank of Baroda has over 11,000 ATMs across the country. (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, Jun 5 (PTI) The government expects people to move towards electric cooking (e-cooking) as the nation now has a 24x7 electricity supply in households, according to an official. "We want to move towards e-cooking since we have 24/7 electricity in our households," Additional Secretary Power Ajay Tewari said while addressing a conference organised here. Also Read | Odisha Train Tragedy: List of Injured, Deceased Passengers Put On Websites; Check Details. He pointed out that India has, in just 18 months, given Saubhagya (scheme) connections to 26 million households who did not have electricity access. Never before in the history of the world has so many households been given electricity connection in such a short time, he noted. Also Read | Indian Girls Aspire To Build World-Class Apps, Solve Problems. "We are supplying energy for 23.5 hours in all urban areas and 23 hours, and more in rural areas. It is a big achievement that the age of power cuts is behind us," a power ministry statement quoted Tewari as saying. He also informed that 700 million people in the world, however, still do not have access to electricity, and universal energy access is one of the priorities of G20. Highlighting the importance of affordability, he said that we must promote e-cooking from renewable energy sources like solar and thermal power. "We are coming up with aggregation models whereby prices can be brought down. If we have standard and affordable models, we should be able to cover all urban areas within 2-3 years. By 2030, we will like to cover as many households as possible under e-cooking," he stated. The focus on electric cooking is based on the recognition that e-cooking is a key pathway to Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), an India-led global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021, Mission LiFE seeks to transform persons into pro-planet people, who would adopt sustainable lifestyles. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The French medical charity Medicine San Frontiers (MSF) has warned of a looming health crisis in Kenya's sprawling Dadaab refugee complex. The camp hosts nearly 300,000 refugees from Somalia and neighboring countries.According to WHO, as of March 2023, Kenya had recorded more than 7,800 cholera cases and over 127 deaths. In addition, the outbreak, which began in October 2022, has seen more than 2,700 occupants of the Dadaab camp contract gastrointestinal illness. Also Read | India News | No Disruptions to Indian Railways Routes: Adani Group After Its Private Wagons Derail in Odisha. One of the satellite complexes, Dagahaley, has been most affected accounting for about 1,100 infections alone. Also Read | World News | Odisha Train Tragedy: King Charles III Sends Message of Condolence; Recalls His Visit to Odisha in 1980. "We have already seen the worst cholera outbreak in five years and the risk of other epidemics breaking out is high," MSF Country Director Hassan Maiyaki told DW. "If this occurs, it would outstrip medical capacity in the camps, with potentially catastrophic consequences. Maiyaki warned. Poor sanitary conditions at the camp Some factors that have exacerbated the conditions include poor sanitary conditions within the camps, influx of refugees, overstretched resources, and dwindling donor funds. Dr. Kapil Sharma, a medical doctor who is the project coordinator at MSF Health in Dadaab, blamed the seventh-month-long cholera outbreak on the camp's unhygienic conditions. "One of the main reasons for cholera as we all know is poor sanitary situation," Sharma told DW, adding that the camp also lacks access to latrines. "There is rampant open defecation in the camp, and less than 50% of the people have access to the latrines, so these are all compounding factors for this outbreak to increase." Call to improve camp conditions The medical practitioners in the area are now urging for improvement in water, sanitation, and hygiene to contain the outbreak. Kenya's Ministry of Health and other humanitarian agencies have conducted a cholera vaccination campaign since February. They also conducted health promotions, but medical practitioners in the area say it was insufficient. "More needs to be done in terms of water, sanitation and hygiene for this population," Kapil said, calling on more substantial support from the international community to organizations providing water, hygiene, and sanitation services in the camp. Influx of refugees from neighboring countries According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Dadaab camp hosts over 43% of Kenya's refugee population. The humanitarian crisis in the countries surrounding Kenya has led to a further growth in the number of refugees at the Dadaab camp. In 2022 alone, about 100,000 refugees came into the country, with 67,000 new refugees finding their way to Dadaab. The new arrivals have put more pressure on the camp's capacity. "The camps are already overstretched, and the humanitarian conditions there are already at its limit," Dr. Nitya Udayraj, MSF Medical Coordinator in Kenya, told DW. Tens of thousands of unregistered refugees Presently there are over 124,000 refugees yet to be registered but still within the Dadaab refugee complex. The drought that has plagued the Horn of Africa region has not helped either, as most of those coming into the camp are either malnourished, tired, or susceptible to the disease. In addition, the worsening drought in Somalia and the crises in the neighboring Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia have all forced some to seek refuge in Kenya. Out of a holding capacity of 35,000 people, the satellite camp of Dagahaley hosts about 140,000 refugees, and more continue to stream in. Few doctors for thousands of people The medical doctors are not only serving the people within the camp but an extra 14,000 people within the host community, who also require the services of the medical teams. This has left the medical facilities overstretched and almost running on empty if help comes in late. "MSF calls on the international community, donors and aid agencies to respond urgently to the unfolding crisis in Dadaab, taking immediate action to address the alarming sanitary conditions and prevent the further spread of disease," Maiyaki said. The global economic crisis has also played a part in the worsening of the situation at the camp. As a result, many aid organizations have delayed remitting funds. "What is important is the allocation of appropriate resources for organizations responsible to provide these services as fast as possible," Kapil said. Kenya plans new refugee camp The Kenyan government has announced plans to reopen a fourth camp, Ifo 2, to accommodate new arrivals and alleviate the strain on resources in the existing camps. "MSF calls on the government of Kenya and the UNHCR to find durable solutions for the refugees confined within the camps at Dadaab," Maiyaki said. Even as MSF calls on the government to fulfill the promise urgently, other interventions like water distribution and sanitary facilities supply to the refugees have been in top gear to prevent the further spread of the disease. "We are providing 50,000 liters of water to the outskirts population of 9,000 people," Kapil said, stressing that the organization had facilitated the construction of 150 latrines for the population." We have also provided plastic sheeting and maps to the 1,000 families." The MSF health practitioner said he remains optimistic that the situation can improve. "I feel really very sad when I see this number which has really increased over the last few months," Kapil said, calling on all stakeholders to join hands and provide essential human services "to prevent people from contracting these disease which should not happen actually." Edited by: Chrispin Mwakideu (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 06:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Islamabad, June 5: Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog has sought details of the vehicles sold and purchased by 22 members of former prime minister Imran Khan's cabinet as it expands the scope of the investigation into the Al-Qadir Trust case, according to a media report on Monday. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) asked the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department to provide details of vehicles registered under the ex-cabinet members' names to check them as part of the probe into the Al-Qadir Trust case, Dawn News quoted a source as saying. Pak Women Who Attacked Military Installations to Be Jailed for 10 Years: Official. Some of the former cabinet members belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Asad Umar, Shireen Mazari, Pervez Khattak, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Azam Khan Swati, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Babar Awan have quit the party after the May 9 violence. The anti-graft watchdog issued a letter to the provincial excise department, informing that NAB Rawalpindi was conducting an investigation against the 22 former cabinet members on the allegations of corruption under the provisions of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999. In view thereof, you are requested to provide the details/copies of certified documents of any vehicles' sales/purchase during the period of January 2018 till date in the name of the following persons by June 20," the letter said. NAB spokesperson Kashif Zaman said the letter was issued a few days ago but did not specify the exact date. On May 9, the bureau arrested PTI chief Khan over the alleged illegal acquisition of land and construction of Al-Qadir University and extending benefits to the real estate tycoon and Bahria Town owner, Malik Riaz, by legalising Rs 50 billion that was identified and returned by the UK during his government. The arrest of Khan, 70, from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises in the case sparked countrywide protests, during which several public and private properties, including military installations, were attacked. The NAB had already summoned Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, "as a witness and not as an accused" on June 7. Khan also appeared before the investigation team at NAB's Rawalpindi office on May 23 where he was grilled for about four hours. Imran Khan Likely To Be Tried in Military Court, Says Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. Many of the 22 cabinet members facing the investigation have also told NAB that an agreement between UK's National Crime Agency and the PTI government was presented before them in a sealed envelope during a cabinet meeting. They claimed that the approval was given without seeing the contents of the document. Fawad Chaudhry, who was science and technology minister in 2019, told the NAB that he had not seen an agreement presented before the cabinet in a sealed envelope. Similarly, Sheikh Rashid the Awami Muslim League chief and an ally of the PTI in government said he had not attended that cabinet meeting, where the settlement with the National Command Authority was approved. Moreover, former federal minister Faisal Vawda even claimed that ex-ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was the architect and the mastermind of the case, according to the Dawn report. Women's writing and sexuality must be freed: On the birthday of French feminist author Helene Cixous, here's a look at how her best-known essay still resonates today.Helene Cixous' call is clear: "Woman must write her self." Also Read | Business News | Springer Natures New State-of-the-art, Sustainable Office Inaugurated in Pune. Even if some of the post-structuralist and theoretical references in "The Laugh of the Medusa" can feel challenging for unversed readers, the essay by the French feminist author is filled with striking, empowering quotes. Also Read | Manish Sisodia Bail Application: Delhi High Court Refuses To Grant Interim Bail to AAP Leader in Excise Policy Scam. It remains essential reading, especially for any young woman hoping to become an author: "Write, let no one hold you back, let nothing stop you: not man; not the imbecilic capitalist machinery, in which publishing houses are the crafty, obsequious relayers of imperatives handed down by an economy that works against us and off our backs; and not yourself." A pioneer of feminist studies in Europe Born on June 5, 1937, in French Algeria to Jewish parents, Cixous became known for her experimental writing style, covering many genres: theater, literary and feminist theory, art criticism, autobiography and poetic fiction. In 1974, Cixous established Europe's first center for women's studies at the University of Paris VIII, a public and experimental university which she also co-founded as a direct response to the French student riots of May 1968. The essayist, novelist and playwright has published over 70 works and is seen as a strong contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her most influential article remains "The Laugh of the Medusa," which was originally published in French under the title "Le Rire de la Meduse" in 1975, and was translated into English by Paula Cohen and Keith Cohen in 1976. On masturbation and writing Even though the literary landscape has considerably evolved since the 1970s, with more women authors being published and gaining recognition in recent years, "The Laugh of the Medusa" is an important reminder that over millennia, our Western cultural heritage has been defined through the male perspective. Cixous argues that woman's abasement has been defined by how we have been "colonized" by "phallogocentric" thinking. The author builds on ideas developed by fellow Algerian-born French philosopher Jacques Derrida (1930-2004). He was the one who coined the term "phallogocentrism," which refers to the focus given to the masculine point of view through language. While she rejects our culture's imposed patriarchal narratives, Cixous' essay is equally filled with juicy phallic references, such as: "The act of writing is equivalent to masculine masturbation (and so the woman who writes cuts herself out a paper penis)." For the feminist author, there is a direct connection between freeing woman's writing and the liberation of their personal sexuality, as both woman's writing and masturbation were too long associated with shame; they could only be done in secret, and accompanied by a feeling of guilt. Revisiting the myth of the Medusa The essay refers to the Greek myth of Medusa, a monster with venomous snakes for hair, whose gaze turned men to stone. For Cixous, men's narrative portrayals of Medusa a symbol of seduction and power turned her into a symbol of the threat of castration. Medusa represented their fear of female desire. "My text was an update of Greek mythology. There is no better example to describe the position of women and the murderous battle men take up against women. Medusa was one of three Gorgons [powerful, winged daemons], the daughters of Phorkys and Keto. She was the only mortal among them. Men were afraid of her. When they looked at her, they turned to stone," Cixous told DW in December 2022, referring to her famous essay. "But why did she have such great power over men? Because she saw the men. The latter did not have the time to see her," she added. Medusa and freeing women's hair in Iran "Men do not want to see women and they put veils over them so that they become invisible, like phantoms. It is terrible to what extent women have been veiled, even in daily life," Cixous said in the DW interview focusing on women's protests in Iran. "Yet women are not objects, not veiled dolls. They are radiant. They are beautiful. My Medusa has traveled around the world. Right now she is obviously in Iran." The feminist author was initially hesitant to speak on behalf of women fighting for their rights in Iran: "Of course, I ask myself whether I can legitimately comment on this. After all, I'm not in Iran and I'm not risking my life like the people there. But she was encouraged to do so by fellow feminists: "My Iranian friends told me, why don't you do something? Speak! If you speak, the local people will hear. It is important for me to say, I heard you." Meanwhile, Medusa has been widely adopted by feminists and the #MeToo movement as a symbol of rage and the protector of women's secrets. Cixous has also revisited her own text in a 2010 republication of the French original with a new foreword, exploring the idea of Medusa as a queer body, which is another reason why the essay remains widely quoted to this day. "You only have to look at the Medusa straight on to see her," writes Cixous. "And she's not deadly. She's beautiful and she's laughing." The DW interview with Helene Cixous was conducted by Lisa Louis in December 2022 Edited by: Brenda Haas (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 02:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Tehran, Jun 5 (AP) Iran's foreign ministry announced it would reopen its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia this week, restoring diplomatic ties after a seven-year rift, state-run media reported on Monday. The foreign ministry's spokesman, Nasser Kanaani said that the Iranian Embassy in Riyadh, its consulate general in Jeddah, and office of the permanent representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation would officially reopen on Tuesday and Wednesday. Also Read | Pakistan: NAB to Probe Former PM Imran Khans 22 Cabinet Members in Al-Qadir Trust Corruption Case. In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to establish diplomatic ties, in a Chinese-brokered deal, representing a major breakthrough in the region. Saudi Arabia broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts in Tehran and the northeastern city of Mashhad during demonstrations triggered by the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric and 46 others in the oil-rich Kingdom. Also Read | US: Woman Allegedly Hires Hitman To Kill Wife of Man She Met Online, Arrested After Fake Assassination Website Tips Off Police. Kanaani added that Iran's Embassy in Riyadh and its consulate general in Jeddah had already begun operating to help Iranian pilgrims heading to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, or Islamic pilgrimage, set to commence by the end of June. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Silicon Valley, Jun 5 (PTI) It is a lot easier now for global companies, especially in technology zones, to establish a footprint in India compared to a decade ago due to the Modi government's big focus on attracting the FDI from tech companies, according to the newly-appointed Indian-American president of a US firm that pioneers in managing electronic agreements. The remarks by Robert Chatwani, president & general manager, Growth at DocuSign came as he spoke about the adoption of technology for governance and other areas in India. Also Read | UK: Indian-Origin Woman Dipti Patel Banned From Teaching for Minimum Two Years for Committing Fraud. My understanding is that all of that legislation has come under Narendra Modi's administration. I think it's just one indication of how technology and adopting technology, not only for the government but just at large, has really changed under Prime Minister Modi's leadership in the last several years, Chatwani told PTI in an interview. Encouraged by the changing technological environment, DocuSign, a San Francisco-based company that allows organisations to manage electronic agreements, has announced it is committed to building a full engineering centre and development centre in India. It would come up in Bangalore, he said. Also Read | US F-16 Fighter Jets Cause Sonic Boom in Washington DC While Chasing Unresponsive Aircraft That Eventually Crashed in Virginia. We are really excited about the market, not just because of the employee base, we'll build there, but also because of the market opportunity for DocuSign, said Chatwani, who took over as the president of the company some 90 days ago. Before joining DocuSign, Chatwani served as the Chief Marketing Officer at Atlassian, a SaaS industry leader and pioneer in product-led growth. He oversaw teams across marketing, brand, communications and data science, and worked with the product organisation to help scale Atlassian's business to nearly USD3 billion in revenue. Prior to Atlassian, he served as Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer for the social e-commerce platform Spring. He also spent more than a decade at eBay, ending his tenure as CMO of North America where his teams supported USD 35 billion in annual trading volume. I've been lucky to be in multiple companies where we've had deep investments in India. One is at eBay where we made a big acquisition in India many years ago and opened our India development centres, eBay and PayPal. My last company, Atlassian, which is an Australian-based company, we now have close to 2,500 employees in India, he said. And DocuSign, which we haven't opened our office yet, but it's coming this year. What I'll say, in every one of those examples, compared to even a decade or more ago, it's becoming a lot easier for global companies to establish a footprint there, especially in these technology zones, in particular, the companies I have been ., in Chennai, Bangalore, or Hyderabad, Chatwani told PTI. It's no longer just a cost factor, but really access to talent. Some of the best talents in each of these companies, and hopefully now at DocuSign, come out as a result of our footprint in India. My sense is that under the Modi administration, attracting foreign direct investment from technology companies has been a big focus, and certainly we've benefited quite a bit from that, Chatwani said. But at the same time, he noted that while from a large company perspective, probably it's quite easy, for small to midsize companies, it is still a struggle. In my last company, Atlassian, we had a network of partners that were much smaller companies, but they would build their technology in our platform, and they attempted to also build India footprint, oftentimes to get, software development cycles going 24 hours and I've heard firsthand from at least one of them that they struggled because, as a smaller company of maybe under 500 or under a thousand employees, they found it a lot more difficult to get established and get a footprint in India, he said. So, I'm guessing this is secondhand, that there's still a lot more efficiency to be had for companies that may not have the resources of a publicly traded company, to get started and to do business in India. That's just my sense. I think there are still ways to go before it is truly frictionless, he said. Responding to a question, Chatwani said everything that he has sensed is that it has only gotten easier to do business and transact 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 [India], June 5 (ANI): US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met each other in New Delhi on Monday and discussed Indo-Pacific, and cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military and aerospace domains. According to government officials, the two leaders also spoke on the greater transfer of technology, co-production and building indigenous capacities in line with India's Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. Also Read | Heatwave in Bangladesh: Bangladesh Education Ministry Announces Four-Day Closure of Government Primary Schools Across Country. Additionally, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and NSA Ajit Doval stressed that nations in several regions, including the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, and the Indo-Pacific retain their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and are not coerced into poor choices. In order to uplift industry-to-industry partnerships, Austin and NSA Doval agreed to focus on trusted sources of supply, and resilient supply chains, the governmnet officials said. Also Read | Vikram Patel, India-Born Mental Health Researcher, Named New Chair of Harvard Medical School's Global Health and Social Medicine. In their discussion today, NSA Doval and the US Defence Secretary underlined the strategic approach to tackling global challenges by utilising all available government resources, including interpersonal and societal relationships. Austin, today, stated that India and US global strategic partnership has continued to rapidly grow. India-US partnership is the cornerstone of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Both nations have established an ambitious roadmap for US-India defence industrial cooperation. The visiting United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that the world is witnessing bullying and coercion from China which was seeking to "redraw borders by force" and also threaten the national sovereignty of countries. Addressing a press conference after holding a bilateral meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the US Defence Secretary said, "We face a rapidly changing world. We see bullying and coercion from China, Russian aggression against Ukraine that seeks to redraw borders by force and threatens national sovereignty, as well as transnational challenges, such as terrorism and climate change." The US Defence Secretary highlighted the importance of joint military exercises between India and the US. Austin, who arrived in India a day ago today concluded a roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation with Rajnath Singh. Lloyd Austin arrived in Delhi on Sunday from Singapore as a part of his four-nation visit. Earlier today, Austin inspected a Tri-Services Guard of Honour in the presence of the Defence Minister at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi. This is Austin's second visit to India. Previously, Lloyd Austin visited India in March 2021. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Buffalo, Jun 6 (AP) A New York state trooper was charged with manslaughter on Monday for fatally shooting a Pennsylvania man after a high-speed car chase last year. Trooper Anthony Nigro was arraigned in state court in Buffalo for the Feb. 12, 2022, shooting of 38-year-old James Huber of North East, Pennsylvania. Also Read | AI Threat to Humanity? Artificial Intelligence Could Wipe Out Human Race With Virus More Deadly Than COVID-19, Says Professor. Nigro, a nearly 16-year veteran of the state police, pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree manslaughter and was released without bail. Troopers first spotted Huber speeding on Interstate 90 near Buffalo and pursued him at speeds that topped 100 mph (161 kph), police said. Also Read | Balasore Train Tragedy: King Charles III Sends Message of Condolence to President Droupadi Murmu; Recalls Visit to Odisha in 1980. The fatal encounter happened after Huber eventually pulled over in Buffalo. Body camera footage released by the state attorney general's office shows Nigro holding his gun in front of him as he approaches the car and orders Huber, with a curse word, to get out. Huber, sitting in the driver's seat, turns away from the officer and says, Go away." Huber appears to reach his right had toward something in the car, and Nigro grabs the hood on Huber's sweatshirt. The trooper fires two shots and falls to the ground as the car lurches backward, briefly dragging Nigro. It is unclear what Huber may have been reaching for. The car moved in reverse out of camera range, crashed and landed on its side on a parking ramp. The body camera footage shows Nigro running to the car. He radios, Driver's been hit. I'm fine. Huber, who was unarmed, died of gunshot wounds at the scene. His death was investigated by Attorney General Letitia James, whose office brought the charges against Nigro. Charles Murphy, the president of the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association, said that while the outcome was tragic, Trooper Nigro's actions were in accordance with his training and the law. Murphy said in a statement that Huber's dangerous" actions threatened the safety of innocent motorists on the Thruway and in the city of Buffalo, which justified Trooper Nigro's actions. The New York attorney's office is tasked with investigating all deaths that are caused by police officers, but criminal charges against an officer are rare. The state police said in a statement that the department has cooperated with the attorney general's investigation and will continue to do so. Cary Arnold, a Pennsylvania woman who has a daughter with Huber, told the Buffalo News that Huber might have been heading for a rally in support of Canadian truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates at the time of the shooting. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger has opened up about the affair he had in 1996 - with his housekeeper - while he was still married to Maria Shriver. The actor, 75, is set to "tell his own life story" in the upcoming three-part docuseries Arnold, which is scheduled to be released on June 7, reports Mirror.co.uk. And now it has been revealed that in the tell-all docuseries, Arnold will recall the moment Maria confronted him about the affair. In 1996, Arnold had an affair with housekeeper Mildred Baena, who fell pregnant and welcomed a child nine months later. Arnold Schwarzenegger Confirms That He is 'Done' Playing the Terminator. Which happened to be just five days after Maria and Arnold's son Christopher was born. Mirror.co.uk further states that at the time, nobody knew that Mildred's son was actually Arnold's child, or that Christopher was his half-brother. But as Mildred's son Joseph grew up, she noticed that he looked a lot like the famous actor she had an affair with months prior to welcoming her son. It wasn't until 2010 when Joseph was 13 that he learned who his biological dad was, which came when the media announced it. Arnold: Arnold Schwarzenegger Gets Candid About Acting, Politics and Scandals in the New Netflix Documentary. Arnold has now spoken about the affair and how his "heart stopped" when Maria confronted him about the affair in a counselling session, as per US Sun. "One day, the counsellor said, 'Today Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if you're the father of Joseph'. I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth," he says in the new docu-series. He then went on to reveal how he was honest, admitted that Joseph was his son and that Maria was "obviously crushed by that." Speaking about his son Joe in the docuseries, Arnold added: "In the beginning, I really didn't know, but the older he got, the more it became clear to me. It was then just a matter of, 'How do you keep this quiet?'" Arnold then admits that the affair he had with the housekeeper was his biggest "failure", adding that he has "caused enough pain" for his family and noting how "everyone had to suffer." "Maria had to suffer, the kids had to suffer, Joseph, his mother, everyone. I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life," he added. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 04:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Chandigarh, June 5: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday rejected a proposal of affiliation of Haryana colleges with Panjab University, saying the Chandigarh-based university belongs to Punjab and will remain so. He also strongly objected to Haryana's offer of funds for restoration of the state's share in the Panjab University (PU), and asked his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar to set up a varsity in any part of his state. Mann was speaking after holding a meeting with Khattar over the matter. The meeting was also attended by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and PU Vice Chancellor Renu Vig. Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh has always been connected with Punjab's legacy, heritage, emotions, culture and literature, Mann said while addressing media after the meeting. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Gives Ultimatum to Squatters, Says Vacate Govt Land by May 31 or Face Action. He also accused the neighbouring state of trying to gain indirect entry into the varsity.They want indirect entry into the university which is connected with Punjab's emotions, literature and culture. We told them today that there is a clear no from our side. We cannot give affiliation to any Haryana college, he said. PU belongs to Punjab and will remain so, he added. On the Satluj Yamuna Link issue, the chief minister said Punjab's stand is clear that it does not have water to share. The first meeting on the issue of affiliation of Haryana colleges was held on June 1 in which Punjab Governor Purohit had flagged the possibility of colleges in neighbouring Haryana to be affiliated with the Chandigarh-based university, triggering a strong reaction from Mann. The chief minister recalled that the PU was shifted from Lahore, the then capital of Punjab, to Hoshiarpur after partition and later to Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana. He said at present, 175 colleges of Punjab and 30 colleges of Union Territory Chandigarh are affiliated with the PU. He said earlier, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh had also 20 per cent each share in the PU. But the then Haryana chief minister Bansi Lal on his own decided to withdraw the state's share from the PU and got Kurukshetra University in the state. Himachal Pradesh also withdrew their share from the PU, he said. At present, Punjab's share is 40 per cent while UT Chandigarh has 60 per cent share in PU. Mann also slammed the then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal for writing to the then prime minister Manmohan Singh in August 2008 for giving no objection certificate for granting central status to PU. He also showed a communique in this regard to media while taking a dig at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) which asked Mann not to attend a meeting with Khattar. Mann said his government had written two letters to Union ministers Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan for retaining the PU's status as inter-state corporate body as envisaged in the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966. He said the Punjab Assembly had also passed a resolution in June last year to not alter the status of the PU. Mann also stated that a Haryana Congress MLA in August 2022 had brought a resolution for affiliating Haryana colleges with the PU. During Monday's meeting, Mann said the Kurukshetra University (KU) was a good university and asked whether there was any shortage of staff or the teaching was not good at the university. On Haryana's offer of money for restoration of share, Mann said, I told them-- tomorrow you will say what is the rate of Punjab. I wonder if it is constitutional to say that one can restore the share with money." Mann also showed Haryana government's letter dated May 28 to vice chancellors of all universities, asking them to raise their own funds. On one hand, they say they do not have funds for its universities and on the other hand, they offer money for restoration of share (in PU), he said. Mann also said that he was told that the then Haryana CM Bansi Lal had decided to withdraw the state's share from PU after he felt "insulted" as no chair was kept for him to sit at an event in which the Punjab chief minister was also present. We do not stop students from studying here. Students come here from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and other places, he said. Mann said the next meeting on this issue has been called on July 3, but his stand will remain the same. He said his government has released Rs 49 crore for a hostel in PU. Punjab to Telecast Gurbani From Golden Temple On All Channels, Announces Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He also took a dig at the Punjab governor's "keen interest" on the matter. He said he has often mentioned how "main office, BJP" should be written outside the governor's house. Governor Purohit, who is also the administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, had earlier said the affiliation was possible with mutual consent of chief ministers of both the states. Mumbai, June 5: The triple train crash in Odisha's Balasore district involving two express trains and a goods train resulted in 275 deaths and over 1100 people being injured. Amid all of this, a heartwarming incident of a father refusing to believe that his son died in the train mishap led him to trace and bring back his son home safely. Biswajit Malik (24), the victim of the Balasore train accident who had boarded the Coromandel Express was believed to be dead but his father's belief about his son being alive led to Biwajit being traced. According to a report in the Times of India, Malik's father reportedly travelled over 230 km in an ambulance from Kolkata to Balasore in order to search for his son. Malik's father not only managed to trace his son to a makeshift morgue in Odisha but also saved his life and brought him back to Kolkata safely. The heartwarming story of Malik's father Helaram Malik not giving up on his quest to find his son is winning hearts online. Balasore Train Tragedy: Dead Body Identification Major Challenge for Odisha Government After Triple Train Crash. Father Traces Son in Odisha, Takes Him Back Home to Kolkata After being brought home from Odisha, Biswajit underwent surgery at SSKM Hospital's trauma care unit and is now expected to undergo a few more surgeries. Although he is critically injured, Malik's condition is said to be stable. As per the report, Malik's father runs a small shop in Howrah. After learning about the Odisha train accident, Malik called his son to find that he was badly injured. Without giving a second thought, Helaram along with an ambulance and his brother-in-law Dipak Das set course to Odisha's Balasore to bring his son back home. However, things didn't go as planned. Malik was unable to find his son even after travelling more than 230 km to Odisha. However, Malik did not give up. They continued their search and finally landed at Bahanaga high school, where their eyes were confronted with numerous bodies kept at the temporary morgue. Das said that when a commotion broke out they saw a hand shivering among the pile of bodies. Vande Bharat Express Crosses Restored Track in Balasore as Normal Services Resume After Triple Train Accident in Odisha (Watch Video). Hand Belonged to Biswajit, Says Das Das, who accompanied Malik in the search said that when they saw a hand shivering, they realised that it was Biswajit, who was badly injured. They immediately took Biswajit and left for Balasore Hospital, where he was administered first aid. However, doctors asked Malik to take his son to Cuttack Medical College Hospital, but he signed a bond and got his son discharged and headed back home. Ambulance driver Palash Pandit who accompanied Das and Malik said that Biswajit was unconscious most of the time on their way back to Kolkata. Reports suggest that Biswajit suffered multiple fractures to his right hand. He is set to undergo a few more surgeries. Speaking about Biswajit's survival, forensic medicine expert Somnath Das said there is a condition called "suspended animation" in which a person's vitals get reduced to a bare minimum. It is possible that those involved in search and rescue were not able to check the vitals of injured passengers and Biswajit is one example of it. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 03:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Lucknow, June 5: Three minor boys took inspiration from a popular web series, and attempted to loot a jeweller's shop in the Maidoan area of the state capital. The three accused, aged 15, 16 and 17, have now been apprehended. According to the jeweller Harsh Maheshwari, he was at his shop when three minor youths riding a motorcycle reached there and asked Harsh to show them ornaments. Money Heist in Mumbai: Woman Steals Cash, Jewellery Worth Rs 8.5 Lakh From Own House in Malad To Elope With Ex-Husband; Arrested. The boys then trained pistols at Harsh, threatening to shoot him and attempted to loot. But an alarm raised by the shop owner made the boys nervous and they fled. Later Harsh lodged a complaint with the Madioan police. Assistant commissioner of police, Aliganj, Ashutosh Kumar, who led the probe, said that during investigation of the case, the police obtained the image of the miscreants from the CCTV installed at Harsh's shop and also from other places to find the link. Later, on confirmation, the police passed the information about the image of the suspects among the network of informers. Online Fraud in Mumbai: Private Bank VP Duped of Rs 4 Lakh After Fraudster Impersonates His Boss in WhatsApp Scam To Send Gift Vouchers. "The trio were nabbed and interrogated. They owned up to their crime and disclosed that they wanted to earn quick money to visit foreign countries like Phuket island and celebrate their birthdays lavishly," said the officer. "They confessed about their failed plan to loot gold and silver ornaments from the shop and admitted that they had threatened the shop owner to kill him," said Kumar. The three are Class 8 dropouts and their parents were not aware of their activities. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 09:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The move to slash supplies by 1 million barrels per day in July is "extendable," said Riyadh. Members of the OPEC+ grouping also agreed to extend cuts previously agreed in April until the end of next year.Saudi Arabia on Sunday announced that it would slash its oil supplies to the global economy in a bid to prop up prices. Also Read | Tiananmen Square: Taiwan Hopes for Future without Fear. The announcement came after hourslong negotiations at an OPEC+ meeting the grouping of the 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), headed by Saudi Arabia, and the group's 10 partners, led by Russia. Also Read | Tiananmen Square: Taiwan Hopes for Future without Fear. The meeting was closely watched as a tough one, with Russia seen as wanting to maintain production levels, and Saudi Arabia seeking to push prices. OPEC+ producers agreed in the meeting in Vienna to extend earlier production cuts through next year, while the Saudi decision to slash 1 million barrels per day (bpd) was a unilateral step. What did Saudi Arabia say? Saudi Arabia's output will drop to 9 million bpd in July from around 10 million bpd in May. The country's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told reporters that Riyadh's latest cut is "extendable." OPEC+ producers "will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market," he added. "This is a Saudi lollipop," the prince said. "We wanted to ice the cake. We always want to add suspense. We don't want people to try to predict what we do... This market needs stabilization." Why is Saudi Arabia cutting oil output? Oil producers have suffered from falling prices and high market volatility in light of Russia's war in Ukraine. In April, several OPEC+ countries agreed to cut production voluntarily by more than one million bpd. Prices initially jumped after the announcement, but later plunged amid concerns about the weakness of the global economy. Analysts see that the latest cut is likely to hike oil prices in the short term, while the long-term impact will depend on whether the cuts are further extended. Jorge Leon, senior vice president of oil markets research at Rystad Energy, told the Associated Press (AP) news agency that Riyadh's decision provides "a price floor because the Saudis can play with the voluntary cut as much as they like." The oil-rich country needs revenue to balance its budget and fund ambitious state projects. According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, Saudi Arabia needs $80.90 per barrel to meet its envisioned spending commitments, which include a planned $500 billion futuristic desert city project. How is Russia affected? The Saudi decision and increases to oil prices could profit Russia, since Moscow has found new oil customers in India, China and Turkey amid Western sanctions. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow would extend its voluntary cut of 500,000 barrels a day until the end of 2024 under the OPEC+ deal, according to Russian state news agency Tass. But Moscow's total exports of oil and refined products, such as diesel fuel, rose in April to 8.3 million bpd, according to the International Energy Agency, in a post-invasion record high. fb/sri (AFP, AP) (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 04:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Actor Akshay Kumar, on Monday, arrived in Old Delhi, to shoot for his next project. Several videos and pictures of the Khiladi actor surfaced on social media in which he could be seen donning a formal grey shirt and waving to his fans. UK's King Charles today sent a message of condolence to President Droupadi Murmu over the loss of lives in the Odisha train tragedy. In the condolence message, King Charles said he and the Queen were most profoundly shocked and saddened'' by the ''dreadful accident outside Balasore. ''I would like to express our deepest possible condolences to the families of all those who have so tragically lost their lives,'' He added. At least 275 people died, and around 1,000 were injured as the Coromandel Express derailed and rammed into a passenger and a goods train in Odisha's Balasore on Friday evening. Odisha Train Tragedy: Canada PM Justin Trudeau, Other World Leaders Extend Support to India, Condole Loss of Lives After Major Mishap in Balasore. King Charles Sends Condolence Message: The King has sent a message of condolence to the President of India following the train crash in Odisha: The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 5, 2023 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) San Francisco, June 5: Linda Yaccarino is set to take over as the new Twitter CEO from Monday, as Elon Musk aims to focus more on Tesla and SpaceX, the media reported. Yaccarino, former Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBC Universal, has also hired Joe Benarroch, executive vice president at NBC Universal, to work along with her at Twitter. 'What Is a Woman?' Documentary Film by Matt Walsh Available for Free Streaming on Twitter, Elon Musk Wants All Parents To Watch It. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) late on Sunday, Benarroch has been a trusted adviser to Yaccarino. "Tomorrow, I start a different professional adventure at Twitter, taking on a role focusing on business operations," Benarroch wrote in the memo seen by WSJ. "I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together," he added. Yaccarino said last month that she is prepared to build Twitter 2.0 and transform the business together with Musk and millions of platform users. "I've long been inspired by your vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together," she posted on Twitter. "I'm just as committed to the future of this platform. Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I'm here for all of it. Let's keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together," Yaccarino also commented. Musk is looking forward to working with Yaccarino to transform the platform into X, the everything app, just like China's WeChat. Ella Irwin Resigns: Twitter's Trust and Safety Head Quits Amid High Drama Over 'What is a Woman?' Documentary Film. Yaccarino oversaw about 2,000 workers at NBC Universal. Her team generated more than $100 billion in ad sales and entered partnerships with companies, including Apple, Snapchat, BuzzFeed, Twitter and YouTube. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 08:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, June 5 : To cater to the demands of the Indian market, London-based consumer electronic brand Nothing on Monday announced that their upcoming smartphone, 'Phone (2)', will be manufactured in India. "Nothing smartphones are known for their iconic transparent design. These designs require hi-tech manufacturing processes and precision engineering which have led to the enhancement of smartphone manufacturing capabilities in India," Manu Sharma, VP and GM of Nothing India, said in a statement. realme 11 Pro Series Pre-Order Date, Price Leaked Prior India Launch on June 8. "Our drive to manufacture in India reflects our commitment towards the local consumers and their demands. We are proud to announce that Phone (2) will be manufactured in India," he added. Towards its sustainability efforts, Nothing has recently announced that the Phone (2) will boast an SGS_SA (a Swiss multinational firm which provides inspection, verification, testing and certification services), a certified carbon footprint of 53.45 kg, over 5 kg lower than Phone (1). Apple WWDC 2023: Tech Giant Expected To Release iOS 17 on June 5; Download Availability and All Important Facts. The company said that this significant achievement given the overall boost in performance, including a 200 mAh increase in battery and a screen that is 0.15-inch bigger than the Phone (1). Last month, Nothing's Founder Carl Pei said that Phone (2) will be powered by Snapdragon 8 Series chipset, which is a clear upgrade from Phone (1). In a tweet, Pei said that its initial tests show that app opening speed on Phone (2) is twice as fast compared to Phone (1), "with an impressive 80 per cent overall performance improvement". The company also said that it will be releasing the Phone (2) this British summer. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 02:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). During a high-level meeting, the South Asian neighbors increased cooperation on connectivity and energy infrastructure, opening the door to new markets for Nepal's energy producers and improving bilateral ties.Nepal and India are working to increase cross-border connectivity and energy cooperation, sealing a number of deals, including a long-term energy cooperation plan that paves the way for Nepal to export up to 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India within a decade. Also Read | Pakistan: NAB to Probe Former PM Imran Khans 22 Cabinet Members in Al-Qadir Trust Corruption Case. The agreements were reached during Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's official visit to India last week, which included meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read | US: Woman Allegedly Hires Hitman To Kill Wife of Man She Met Online, Arrested After Fake Assassination Website Tips Off Police. In a joint press conference, Modi said many important decisions were taken to "deepen cross-border physical connectivity." Other cross-border projects include a new railway and two bridges, a transmission line and expanding cross-border oil pipelines, according to a statement released by Nepal's Foreign Affairs Ministry. The visit also drew more Indian investment commitments to further develop Nepal's hydropower sector. During the visit, Nepal and India also renewed a treaty allowing Nepal the use of Indian railways and inland waterways for trade and business with a third country. Geopolitical analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta told DW that, unlike the previous high-level visits between Nepal and India, this time economic issues affecting the general public took priority. "Earlier, hard issues like politics, border issues and strategic topics used to occupy center stage. Now, soft issues such as physical and financial connectivity, trade and investment, and cultural ties have entered with prominence," Bhatta said. "This is a bottom-up approach in our diplomatic dealings with India, instead of the previous top-down approach, which used to be largely confined at the government and political levels," she added. India facilitates Nepal energy exports During the visit, India said it was ready to facilitate electricity trade between Nepal and Bangladesh, with Nepal permitted to export up to 50 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh using India's power grids. Although Nepal and Bangladesh already signed a power trade agreement, this depended on the use of Indian transmission lines. Analysts say India's readiness to import additional electricity from Nepal and willingness to facilitate Nepal-Bangladesh power trade will help promote foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nepal's hydro-energy sector. "Earlier, it was difficult for Nepal to garner FDI in the hydropower sector owing to lack of energy markets," Indra Adhikari, an expert on Nepal-India relations, told DW. "The new understanding with India has created a favorable environment for prospective foreign investors no matter if they are from India, Bangladesh or other countries." Before the deal was closed, the Indian side had insisted on buying electricity only from those projects developed by India or an Indian joint venture company. Now, New Delhi has become more flexible. Adhikari said long-term energy cooperation with India, along with its willingness to facilitate Nepal-Bangladesh energy trade would not only help reduce Nepals widening trade gap with India, but also promote sub-regional cooperation between Nepal, India and Bangladesh in the long run. Nepal runs a massive trade deficit with its largest trading partner, India. In the fiscal year 2021-2022, Nepal imported $10 billion (9 billion) worth of goods and services from India, while exporting $1.3 billion, according to the statistics compiled by the Department of Customs. Border territory issues remain Nepal and India have a competing territorial claim over Himalayan landcalled Lipu Lekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani located near the borders of Nepal,India and China. Prime Minister Dahal said after the meeting that Nepal and India will resolve border disputes through diplomacy. Dahal added that he discussed with the Indian side about a possible land-swap option as a long-term solution. He said Nepal could consider swapping Lipu Lekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani with India in exchange for a similar area of Indian territory that would allow a land link with Bangladesh. Nepal and Bangladesh are separated by a 27 kilometer (16 mile) stretch called the Siliguri Corridor, which is part of India. "Since India and Bangladesh achieved success in resolving border issues by swapping their territories, we discussed that experience could also be helpful for us," he said. In 2015, India and Bangladesh resolved a long-standing border dispute through a historic land swap agreement. Edited by: Wesley Rahn (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2023 08:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). TIMES STAFF WRITER Breaking her five-month silence, the wife of FBI spy Robert Philip Hanssen said Thursday that she deeply regrets the damage her husband has caused the United States and believes it is appropriate that he spend the rest of his life in prison. As a devout Catholic, Bonnie Hanssen feels that he needs time [in prison] to pray for forgiveness and be redeemed in some way, the wifes attorney, Janine Brookner, said in an interview. Its difficult, but its better than seeing him put to death. Bonnie Hanssens first public statements on the case reveal both her anxiety over her husbands actions and her sense of relief over the fact that she and her six children will retain an estimated $39,000 a year from his government pension. Advertisement Hanssen, a former counterintelligence supervisor for the FBI, pleaded guilty last week to 15 espionage-related charges and admitted that he had sold the Russians thousands of pages of national security secrets in exchange for $1.4 million in cash and diamonds. The plea bargain spared Hanssen the death penalty. Instead, the 57-year-old defendant will be sentenced to life in prison without parole if he honors his pledge to tell the government all the secrets behind his two-decade career as a Russian spy. Intelligence officials began debriefing Hanssen this week, defense attorney Preston Burton said Thursday. In the face of worldwide publicity about one of the most damaging espionage breaches in U.S. history, Bonnie Hanssen, 54, has maintained a steadfast silence since her husband of nearly 30 years was arrested in February near their home in suburban Washington. But Thursday, Bonnie Hanssen issued a statement through her attorney revealing the torment that the case has caused. Please be aware how deeply Mrs. Hanssen regrets the damage that her husband, Robert Hanssen, has caused to our country and to their family, the statement said. She supports the plea agreement and agrees that the sentence of life in prison without parole, rather than the death penalty, is appropriate in these circumstances. Authorities said they are convinced that Bonnie Hanssen--unlike the wives of several other notorious U.S. spies who helped their husbands--was not involved in Hanssens spying. Brookner said that the only time Bonnie Hanssen harbored any suspicions about her husbands activities came around 1979 or 1980, when they lived in Scarsdale, N.Y. She walked in on him and he covered up some papers, so she got suspicious, Brookner said. After Bonnie Hanssen confronted her husband, he told her that he had been in contact with his Soviet intelligence counterparts only as a ploy to trick them with disinformation, the attorney said. Troubled by the incident, Bonnie Hanssen made her husband speak with a Catholic priest, who directed him to contribute money to Mother Teresa, the Catholic nun who ran a Calcutta charitable organization, as a form of penance, Brookner said. The attorney estimated that Hanssen contributed $10,000 to $20,000 to Mother Teresa in small installments over the years, although the FBI has not been able to verify the payments. The Hanssens are active members of Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic group. Authorities say Hanssen was driven by greed, but Brookner rejected that assertion. It wasnt money, thats for sure, she said, noting that the family lived in a modest home with three mortgages and drove older-model cars as they scrimped to send their children to private Catholic schools. They never lived the high life; they never even went out to dinner, she said. Hanssen reportedly lavished cash and gifts on a Washington stripper whom he befriended. But Brookner said Hanssens family was never the beneficiary of any spy money and that Bonnie Hanssen has no idea what happened to the proceeds from his spying, including $800,000 that authorities say the Russians deposited for him in a Moscow bank. Under the plea agreement, Hanssen is obligated to return the $1.4 million in spying proceeds to the government, but Brookner said she doubts that will ever happen. We dont know at this point what happened to that money, she said. The plea bargain allows Bonnie Hanssen to receive about 55% of Hanssens pension, which will total an estimated $39,000 per year. In her statement, Bonnie Hanssen thanked government officials for allowing her to retain the pension and for recognizing that she and the children clearly are innocent victims. The pension was an important consideration for Hanssen in his plea negotiations, Brookner said. Once he got caught, the only thing he cared about was trying to provide for his wife and his children, who visit him regularly in prison, Brookner said. With two children already out of school, the pension money will help Bonnie Hanssen support two children who are in college and two more still in high school, Brookner said. But money is tight, she said, and the former housewife has taken a teaching job at her daughters school in Virginia. She is also challenging some of her husbands credit card bills. But even as her life regains some sense of normalcy, Bonnie Hanssen struggles to understand the havoc that the last few months have wrought, Brookner said. I dont think there was anybody more shocked by all this, Brookner said. Asked what Bonnie Hanssen thinks may have motivated her husband, Brookner said: Who knows? Its amazing to live with a man for all those years and not know him. Yet Brookner said Bonnie Hanssen has no intention of divorcing her husband. Clearly she doesnt approve of what hes done, and there was a whole part of this man she doesnt know, but I think with her deep religious convictions, he will, at least in mind and in spirit, continue to be her husband and the father of her children. Born to Kurdish parents in Syria and raised in Sweden, Jwan Yosef, Ricky Martin husband, has established himself as a notable figure in the art world, The Sun noted. With solo exhibitions in London and Stockholm, Yosef's conceptual art has garnered attention and acclaim. He draws inspiration from renowned artists such as Neo Rauch, Gerhard Richter, and Jaan Toomik, whose influence is evident in his work. Yosef completed his Master of Arts in Fine Arts at Central Saint Martins in London, solidifying his artistic credentials in 2011 The world saw Jwan Yosef's personal life when Ricky Martin, the internationally acclaimed musician, announced their marriage at the premiere of American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. In 2017, the couple exchanged vows in a secret ceremony, surprising fans and media alike. Ricky Martin revealed their engagement during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in November 2016, expressing his excitement and joy. After a year together, Martin gathered the courage to propose to Yosef, an emotional moment he described as "beautiful." Beyond their marital bond, Martin spoke proudly of the loving relationship between his twin sons and Yosef. Despite the complexities of blended families, Martin emphasized that his ex-girlfriend and Yosef share a genuine affection for each other. Alongside his music career, Martin is an avid art collector, and it was through his passion for art he first discovered Yosef's work. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Martin recounted seeing Yosef's art and being captivated by its originality. He reached out to the talented artist, an encounter that would eventually lead to their union. Ellen playfully remarked, "And then you collected him." READ NEXT: Ricky Martin: From Stardom to a Dark Story Ricky Martin Husband, Jwan Yosef, Grows in an 'Unconventional' and 'Open-Minded' Family In a candid discussion, Jwan Yosef opened up about his experiences growing up as a homosexual in a religious household, shedding light on his unique upbringing and the accepting environment he was fortunate to have, per PEOPLE. Born in Syria, he immigrated to Sweden with his family at the age of 2 during the 1980s. His parents' union was unconventional, with his mother being Christian and his father Muslim. As Yosef explained, this interfaith relationship laid the foundation for a remarkably open-minded and atypical upbringing in Sweden. Recounting his childhood, Yosef, Ricky Martin husband, fondly reminisced about the love and acceptance he received from his family, even as he faced some instances of bullying at school. As a queer kid, he found solace in a safe space encompassing his family, friends, and school. Although he displayed what some might consider 'feminine' characteristics, he said he faced occasional teasing from other children and was supported mainly. "My parents were very open-minded and played with me while I played with my dolls, never making me feel 'off' in any way," Yosef said. Jwan Yosef Met Ricky Martin on Instagram The story of Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef's love affair began in a relatively modern way: through a captivating piece of art discovered on Instagram, Oprah Daily noted In a candid conversation with Andy Cohen on SiriusXM Radio Andy, Martin shared the serendipitous nature of their first encounter. As Martin scrolled through his Instagram feed, a particular artwork caught his attention, instantly captivating him. Intrigued, he delved deeper, determined to uncover the artist behind the masterpiece. "I'm scrolling, seeing this beautiful piece of art, and I'm like, 'Whoa, how cool! Who's this?'" Martin recounted. The pivotal moment led him to reach out to Yosef, initiating a conversation that would forever change their lives. However, rather than rushing into romance, Martin and Yosef took a deliberate and gradual approach. For six months, they engaged in meaningful conversations, exclusively through direct messages on social media, immersing themselves in discussions about art and the broader aspects of life. "We talked about art-nothing sexy...I swear, nothing sexy. It was all about art and life in general," Martin emphasized. Their connection deepened, and the time finally came for their virtual interactions to transition into an in-person meeting. Ricky Martin husband, Yosef, resided in London at the time. "I went to London and met him," Martin said. The couple's relationship remained private until the amFAR Inspiration Gala in Sao Paolo, Brazil, in April 2016. Martin made their love known to the world on this occasion with a simple yet powerful Instagram caption: "Yup." READ MORE: Tom Brady Gets 100% Real on 'Failures' This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Ricky Martin Met His Future Husband on Instagram - From SiriusXM In what may yet be another stunt that might constitute human trafficking, a group of migrants was sent from Texas to New Mexico before being flown to California via private jet. They were sent to a church in Sacramento, California in the face of the migrant crisis. On Saturday, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said that over a dozen migrants were flown to the California capital "with no prior arrangement or care in place." The group had no documentation and was merely "dumped on the doorstep of a local church without any advance warning," said Newsom. Meanwhile, AG Bonta stated that the investigation is now underway and they are "evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants." According to CNN, the stunt, which lured migrants staying at a shelter in Texas to travel to be transported to New Mexico before being flown by private jet to Sacramento, may have been by the state government of Florida. California authorities are still investigating who funded it, though Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has infamously pulled off a political stunt such as this last year. Personnel with ties to his office are said to have lured Venezuelan migrants from a shelter in Texas and flown via private jet to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. The Florida governor is now being investigated for human trafficking over his involvement in that incident. He has also vowed to do a stunt like this again. AG Bonta condemned this act and stated that "State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting." READ MORE: Ron DeSantis' 5 Controversial Policies Migrants Lured From Texas to California with Promises of Jobs There were sixteen migrants in total who were flown to California. They were all reportedly from either Texas or from Venezuela and entered the US through Texas. When they arrived via private jet, they were sent to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, bringing only a backpack's worth of belongings each. A faith-based organization called PICO California is helping out these migrants, with its campaign director, Eddie Carmona, telling CBS News that they were processed by US immigration officials and given court dates for their asylum cases already when they were approached by "individuals representing a private contractor" outside a migrant center in El Paso, Texas. Republican governors in Texas and Florida held a busing policy, using taxpayer money to send migrants from Texas to Democratic states and cities to "focus" the attention on the "Biden administration's failed border policies." However, many nonprofit organizations and human rights groups have pointed out that these acts may be tantamount to fraud and human trafficking. Ron DeSantis and Human Trafficking of Migrants Legal experts have stated that the act of busing migrants, such as DeSantis's political stunt in Martha's Vineyard last year, was indeed human trafficking, with Northeastern University's Director and Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Amy Farrell stating that the Florida governor and current presidential candidate may have broken the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. "To me there's clearly fraud associated here, and potentially coercion," she said as the victims ticked the boxes on whether or not they were victims of human trafficking as they were promised jobs that were never there. This "fraud" element and the fact that they were transported through state lines fulfill the requirements of human trafficking. "The [action], here, was that [the migrants] were transported or diverted from where they were originally traveling, and the [means] was that it was done so fraudulently," the law professor told Northeastern Global News. READ NEXT: Florida Could Face Mass Labor Shortage Due to Ron DeSantis's New Immigration Law This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH:16 migrants processed in Texas 'deceived,' flown on jet to Sacramento - ABC 7 Donald Trump just heaped some very kind words in praise of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Now, his rivals for the 2024 GOP nomination pounced on him for this. Trump praised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday after the rogue nation received a seat on the World Health Organization's (WHO) executive board. He took to his social media site, Truth Social, and wrote, "Congratulations to Kim Jung Un!" Many countries, including the United States, were not happy with North Korea's ascension to the WHO board on Friday, with both Republicans and Democrats condemning it. However, Trump, the only president to ever meet a North Korean leader in person, still heaped praise on the country. According to The Hill, former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley was one of the loudest Republicans, calling the ascension a "total farce." She then turned on her former boss, Donald Trump, saying, "You don't congratulate a thug." Haley, who is one of Trump's many rivals for the Republican nomination in 2024, added, "I mean, let's keep in mind, this thug has threatened America, has threatened our allies, over and over again." She also stated, "This is not something to play with," before calling Kim Jong Un a "terrible individual" who is also terrible to his people and terrible to US allies. Ron DeSantis Also Blasts Donald Trump Over Kim Jong Un Praise Meanwhile, Donald Trump's biggest rival so far, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, also reacted to Trump praising Kim. He was in Iowa for Iowa Senator Joni Ernst's annual Roast and Ride fundraiser with rivals former Vice President Mike Pence and Nikki Haley and stated that he was "surprised" that Trump said that. DeSantis then called the North Korean leader a "murderous dictator" before saying that the World Health Organization is bankrupt for ascending North Korea in that position, according to USA Today. RED NEXT: Florida Immigrants Hold 'Day Without Immigrants' Protest Against New Ron Desantis Law The controversial Florida governor then stated that the US should get out of the WHO rather than congratulate dictators like Kim Jong Un for joining it. DeSantis, much like many on the far right, has been aiming for the US to get out of the WHO ever since the pandemic began. However, his state was one of the hardest-hit states at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mike Pence Takes Shot at Donald Trump's History of Praising Dictators Meanwhile, former Vice President Mike Pence was once considered the most loyal person in the Trump administration. Now, he is considered one of his most bitter rivals as Trump once set an angry mob to "hang" him during the events of January 6. Pence, who is projected to announce his run for the presidency in 2024, hit his former boss on his strong relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Kim Jong Un. "Whether it's my former running mate or anyone else, no one should be praising the dictator in North Korea - or praising the leader of Russia, who has launched an unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine," he said in an interview in Iowa. "This is a time when we ought to make it clear to the world that we stand for freedom and we stand with those who stand for freedom." According to Politico, this latest attack on Trump from his former VP is a sign that he will be ramping up his attacks on his former close ally as he prepares to launch his 2024 candidacy. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Caught On Tape Talking About Classified Document He Kept This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: GOP presidential hopefuls slam Trump for praising Kim Jong Un | NewsNation Prime In a tragic turn of events during the early hours of Sunday, a memorial service in Chicago meant to honor a man who lost his life in a vehicular accident was marred by a sudden outbreak of gunfire, according to ABC News. Authorities confirmed that this horrifying incident resulted in the death of a woman while leaving six others wounded. The distressing episode unfolded shortly after 1:00 am when a sizable gathering had assembled to pay tribute to a man who had passed away four years ago in a collision. The commemoration took an alarming turn as a confrontation escalated, culminating in the exchange of gunfire, according to Deputy Chief Adnardo Gutierrez of the Chicago Police Department. Among the seven individuals who suffered injuries, tragically, a 25-year-old woman succumbed to her wounds after being transported to a hospital. Furthermore, one of the remaining six victims is currently in critical condition, undergoing medical treatment to address their injuries. READ NEXT: Chicago Man Beat Up Woman He Met on Dating App Chicago Shooting Started in an Argument Chicago authorities are investigating the tragic incident that unfolded early Sunday morning on the city's West Side, involving a fatal gunshot. The Chicago shooting occurred in the Austin area, near the intersection of Iowa and Cicero. Police reports indicate that the incident originated when a large gathering assembled to pay homage to an individual who had died in a car accident four years ago, CBS News noted. Following a fuss, the situation rapidly escalated, resulting in a chaotic exchange of gunfire. A close friend of the woman who lost her life recounted the harrowing sequence of events, sharing, "I think somebody came from this end of the alley shooting, shooting at the crowd they saw. Many of them returned fire, and all types of chaos ensued." As a result of the shooting, multiple individuals sustained injuries and were promptly transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Among the victims, a 17-year-old female was shot in the leg and is currently in stable condition at West Suburban Hospital. Additionally, five others were taken to Stroger Hospital for medical care. A 27-year-old male suffered a gunshot wound to the leg but remains stable. Another 29-year-old male sustained critical injuries after being shot in the chest and arm. Meanwhile, a 29-year-old man who was shot in the arm is showing signs of recovery. A 28-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man, both shot in the ear and leg/arm, respectively, are also in good health as they recuperate. As investigators comb the scene for evidence, early findings reveal that over 100 shell casings were recovered in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with additional evidence discovered hours later. Two Others Fatally Shot in Separate Chicago Shooting Incidents In a series of separate incidents, Chicago experienced a surge in gun violence resulting in multiple casualties. Minutes before the tragic Chicago shooting incident at the memorial gathering, authorities reported the killing of one individual and the injury of another in downtown Chicago, per ABC7. A 34-year-old man was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds in the 300 block of East Huron Street. He was swiftly transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Concurrently, a 27-year-old male arrived at the same hospital with a gunshot wound to the left leg, though his current condition remains unknown. The circumstances surrounding this incident remain unclear, and no suspects have been apprehended. Another tragic shooting unfolded, resulting in one man's death and a woman's injury a few hours later in the Little Italy neighborhood. Shots rang out in the 1300 block of South Throop Street at around 4:20 am. The 30-year-old male victim suffered a headshot wound and was promptly transported to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Meanwhile, a 31-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound to her left arm. She managed to drive herself to the University of Illinois Hospital, where she is currently reported to be in good condition. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and detectives are diligently working to gather further details. READ MORE: Hawaii Man Pleads Guilty to Interfering with Baby Bison This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: 1 killed, 6 hurt in Chicago West Side Shooting - From CBS Chicago The Haiti Crisis continues as heavy rains and massive floods add to the country's growing list of problems that include gang violence and a cholera outbreak. Over the weekend, the Caribbean country was hit with torrential rains that caused widespread flooding and several landslides. Rivers also overflowed, with brown waters flooding into Haiti's streets, according to ABC News. These massive floods have forced almost 13,400 people all around Haiti to evacuate, as hundreds of homes were consumed by the rising flood waters. Over 7,400 families reported damage, with officials still assessing how much impact the nonstop rains have done. So far, there are reportedly 15 dead, with seven people still considered missing as floods sweep across the country. Significant damage to crops has been reported in the country's central region. This came at a bad time for the country, which is suffering from starvation due to the ongoing crisis. Local governments around the country are now working with international organizations to respond to the needs of those affected by the floods, according to Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Haiti has been in a perpetual state of crisis ever since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Governmental institutions have weakened, and lawlessness has hampered the country as gangs slowly take over. READ MORE: Haiti Gang Burns Courthouse Nonstop Rain Pounding Haiti Since June 1 Images and videos of streets being flooded with waist-deep waters and cars being swept away are making their rounds on the internet as the crisis-hit Caribbean nation braces for even more. Marcelin Esterlin, the director general of the Hydro-meteorological Unit, stated that the country has been experiencing nonstop torrential downpours since June 1, and it is expected to continue this week. Up to 65% rain is expected on Monday and may even get worse on Tuesday, as another 85% is expected. "We had planned a situation where we would have three to five days of rain. It started on June 1 and will continue, Esterlin told The Loop Caribbean News. "This is not a situation that will improve in the coming hours because we have compact rain cells that have settled in the West and South-East departments." Vigilantes Strike Back Against Haiti Gangs Meanwhile, as rain rips through Haiti, the main cause of the country's problems, the ongoing gang wars being fought throughout the capital, Port-au-Prince, has caught an enormous setback as citizens start fighting back. A movement has sprung in Haiti in response to gangs invading neighborhoods, and it is called "bwa kale" or "peeled wood" in Haitian Creole. It is street slang that insinuates male dominance and power and has resulted in vigilantes killing at least 164 people since April. One of the community leaders fighting back against these gangs, identified as Leo, spoke with the Associated Press and said, "If you're not from here, we're going to kill you." Gangs now control an estimated 80% of Port-au-Prince's territory, with communities desperately arming themselves to stop these lawless gangs from taking over. In Leo's Turgeau neighborhood, there were banners that read, "We are tired of the kidnapping," and "Watch out for one another." It, along with other neighborhoods, has also erected barricades, and people must show IDs in order to get in. Bags are also searched, and people are required to lift their shirts to reveal any gang tattoos. Residents must also provide a password that changes every week. READ MORE: Dominican Republic Deported 1,800 Children to Haiti - UNICEF This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Haiti Submerged Today: Massive Flooding Engulfs Port Au Prince, June 3, 2023 - chave weather - daily videos Brazil authorities have officially charged the alleged leader of a "transnational criminal organization" with orchestrating the murders of Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira. This tragic incident occurred in the Amazon last year. The victims, Phillips and Pereira, had supported Indigenous activists in their efforts to protect their lands from illegal fishing and mining operations. Three local fishermen have been in custody awaiting trial on suspicion of committing the murders. TV Globo in Brazil reported that federal police had brought legal charges against two additional individuals connected to the deaths Sunday night. The suspects are identified as Ruben Dario da Silva Villar, believed to be the leader of a global illegal fishing network operating in the tri-border region of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, and Janio Freitas de Souza, a fisherman accused of being one of Silva Villar's associates at the Itaqua river, where the killings took place. Silva Villar, also known by the alias "Colombia," has been charged by federal police with masterminding the murders and concealing the victims' bodies. Souza, on the other hand, faces charges related to his alleged involvement in both crimes. Details outlined in the six-page federal police indictment, obtained by The Guardian, reveal that investigative efforts have uncovered extensive communication between Silva Villar and Souza in the days leading up to and following the crime last year. During police interviews in 2022, Souza claimed to have recognized Silva Villar "by sight." Moreover, the federal police indictment indicates that the two individuals exchanged 419 phone calls between June 1, 2022, when Phillips and Pereira arrived in the Javari region for their reporting assignment, and June 6, the day after their tragic deaths. Throughout the year-long investigation, evidence has emerged suggesting that the criminal organization closely monitored the activities of Bruno and Dom in the days leading up to the crime. READ NEXT: Brazil Police Discover Items Belonging to Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips Death of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips Bruno Pereira, 41, a journalist, and Dom Phillips, 57, an Indigenous expert, went missing on June 5, 2022, while on a boat trip in the Javari Valley Indigenous area in Brazil. The region is known for its conflicts involving illegal miners, loggers, poachers, and drug traffickers. The disappearance of Pereira and Phillips highlighted the risks faced by journalists, environmentalists, and Indigenous leaders working in the area. After ten days of searching, a fisherman named Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira confessed to murdering the two men. He led authorities to a hidden burial site in the Brazilian jungle. Pereira had a history of conflicts with local fishermen while working for Brazil's federal agency for Indigenous issues. Threats to his safety had led him to carry a gun. Although he had left the agency, he continued his work with Indigenous communities, documenting criminal activities with photographs. On the day of their disappearance, Pereira was allegedly delivering evidence of illegal fishing to the police in Atalaia do Norte. They were both fatally shot. Tragic Deaths of Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips Illuminate Environmental Crisis in Brazil Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips's deaths have brought attention to Brazil's environmental and Indigenous rights issues under the previous government led by Jair Bolsonaro. Following their deaths, there has been an international outcry, with criticism directed toward Bolsonaro's policies and actions. Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro's successor, accused him of genocide against the Yanomami people of the Amazon. Lula claimed Bolsonaro had dismantled Indigenous protections and supported illegal gold miners encroaching on Indigenous territories. Beto Marubo, a Javari leader and ally of Pereira, expressed concerns about the security situation in the region and called for justice for the murders. He hoped the new Brazilian government would address these issues and ensure justice for Pereira and Phillips. READ MORE: Girl Who Died in US Border Patrol Custody Allegedly Denied Medical Assistance This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Killed on the frontline of the battle to save the Amazon: remembering Bruno Pereira and Dom Phillips - From Guardian News Three people were charged last week with breaking through two locked doors inside a Sikh temple in Lower Nazareth Township and stealing surveillance cameras and related equipment. Its the latest episode in a yearslong saga over whos in charge of the Gurudwara Sikh Society of the Lehigh Valleys temple at 648 Daniels Road. A 61-year-old Palmer Township man, a 20-year-old Palmer Township man and a 25-year-old Wind Gap man broke locks off the two interior doors and took $1,700 worth of equipment on Jan. 15, police said. One of the alleged thieves claimed the equipment was his. Hes one of a handful of plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in 2019 over leadership of the temple. The faction that sued claims the faction in charge usurped its authority and held an illegal election, the lawsuit says. One of the alleged camera thieves produced a receipt for the cameras, but the product was a different brand of camera than the ones that were missing, police said. Colonial Regional police filed charges on June 1 in connection with the camera thefts. The men have yet to be arraigned, District Judge John Capobianco said. Each is charged with theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief. Attorney Alex Short represents the temple. He filed an injunction request in February to bar the outside faction from entering the temple. Pending lawsuits say the outsiders are disruptive during services, that they have repeatedly harassed and shoved congregants on different dates. A hearing on the injunction request is set for August. Im just trying to get this place to a point where the children and the women and the families can go in there and not worry that something is going to happen. Its a religious house of worship, Short said. 16 1 / 16 Sikhs protest at their gurdwara in Lower Nazareth Township Police have been reluctant to file charges. Each side accuses the other of wrongdoing and when police arrive its often one sides word against the other, police have said. Efforts to mediate the dispute have been unsuccessful. Police have been waiting for a judge to resolve what they say is a civil dispute. Police have been called to the temple at least 20 times since December 2021. Misbehavior escalated April 29, 2022, to the point where police charged three congregants with harassment. A priest was pulled from the pulpit, and one man allegedly threatened to break the priests legs and throw his luggage out of the temple. The three men were convicted of harassment by Judge Capobianco. They appealed the convictions to county court. Online records dont list a final disposition to the cases. Attorneys for the defendants didnt return calls. On Jan. 15, 2023, police were called when the factions disputed the rightful owner of $1,500 from a donation box. Police took the money for safekeeping while the dispute over the temple leadership plays out. Short sued, claiming police illegally seized the funds. In April, President Judge Michael Koury ruled his court has no jurisdiction over the matter. Short appealed the case to the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Asked whether his clients are paying more in legal fees than the $1,500 they hope to recover, Short had no comment. Short said hes pleased Colonial Regional police filed charges over the camera thefts. Were very relieved to see that some action has been taken, he said. My client is very willing to cooperate and work with the police and district attorneys office to make sure justice is had in the case. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Its undeniably clear that the Lehigh Valley is facing an affordable housing crisis, but how bad is our condition? New data published by national affordable housing watchdogs tracking the nations housing shortage outline how grave the deficit in housing attainability actually is for families across income spectrums within Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Valley metro area. A May report by Pennsylvania Housing Alliance claims there is a critical shortage of affordable homes. For every 100 extremely low-income families living within Northampton County, the report states, only 35 housing units are affordable and available to them; and only 30 affordable housing units are available per 100 extremely low-income households in Lehigh County, the report cites. That data comes straight from The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), a nonprofit advocacy group that analyzes national and state data to evaluate the need for low-income housing in the United States. For the purpose of the NLIHC report, renters with incomes between to 0% and 30% of the area median income (roughly $97,950 in 2023, based on HUD data) were considered extremely low-income; 31% to 50% were considered very low-income; 51% to 80% were considered low-income and 81% to 100% were considered middle-income and so on. For renters in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area, that roughly means a three-person household generating less than $25,900 per year, in 2023, classified as extremely low-income, and a very low-income household generating between $25,901 and $43,200, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Experts at the National Low Income Housing Coalition say they are looking to the federal level for greater investments into affordable housing programs to correct past errors, which led to a decrease in spending on low-income housing developments within the last decade. Weve had this shortage for decades, a private market simply doesnt adequately serve low-income renters. Senior Vice President of Research for the National Low Income Housing Coalition Andrew Aurand said. We dont have the private market providing a supply, we dont have a government providing sufficient subsidies and we havent invested at the federal and local levels nearly enough, Nationwide, the population of low-income renters have grown in number since the 2008 housing bubble popped, Aurand added; and now, in the Lehigh Valley, there simply isnt enough middle-income housing to meet the housing needs we have now. Were in the same boat as the rest of the nation, says Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Director Becky Bradley, were just trying to find ways to mitigate the harm to residents. We are seeing people who grew up in our communities not be able to move back, or even be able to afford a home in the places they grew up because of the shortages, Bradley said. We are doing the hard work as the regions convener and collaborator on housing issues to develop a plan with the people capable of implementing it. Some of that plan could involve convening a partnership with local governments, school districts, the banking community, the development community and the affordable housing community to create a housing production strategy where and for people who are most in need, but those discussions about that sort of strategy are still in their early stages, she said. For now, Lehigh Valley residents are playing a waiting game. The commission estimates the Lehigh Valley is short some 9,000 residential units, not including units designated exclusively for low-income households, but data shared with lehighvalleylive.com from the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates the shortage could be as much as 25,000 just for people living above the area median income; and more than 10,000 for extremely low income people. The report also claims the deficit of affordable available units in the region is 17,726 for extremely low-income households; 16,519 units for very low-income households; and 1,877 for low-income households. A surplus of 1,346 units is available to middle income households and 2,444 for high-income households, it states. Every estimate illustrates an imbalance that could continue to worsen as the region moves closer toward adding some 100,000 new residents by 2050. In 2020, LVPC measured the regions population at 687,508. Last year, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission reviewed applications to develop some 6,500 new housing units in the region, of which 3,733 were for apartments, but its evident those wont be enough to turn things around overnight. Housing issues are super dynamic. Its going to take several years or more for those units, once theyre approved, to be built, so we will continue to see a housing shortage, said Jill Seitz, senior community planner for the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. In an ideal world, before the region adds anymore people, we wouldve already seen sufficient levels of housing for our existing residents, but were not facing ideal conditions and the issue is multifaceted, said Bradley, who says the region isnt only facing an affordable housing crisis, but a flat out housing crisis. One of the many contributors to the affordable housing crisis is that middle-and higher-income residents have more housing options available to them and property owners are responding to that demand. Thats why were seeing so many apartment building with $1,800- and $2,000-a-month rents popping up, she said, but also why were seeing higher-income residents buying into those lower-cost markets, just because there arent enough units available at those higher price points. Over time, the pressure on units that are affordable for low-income residents will be lifted, if the region continues to see consistent development, she said. You have to work the whole market. You cant just work the affordable housing market because if you dont have enough housing on the high end, then it creates compression in the middle and presses down. 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. A Lehigh Valley man is accused of fleeing a crash in Hellertown, leaving an injured person at the scene. The 31-year-old Salisbury Township man was charged Friday with accidents involving injury, accidents involving injury while not properly licensed, driving with a suspended license and failing to stop at a stop sign in connection with the April 19 crash at Wagner Avenue and Burkhardt Street in Hellertown. The driver is free on $10,000 unsecured bail. Police said the man was driving a green Jeep Grand Cherokee south on Burkhardt Street when he crashed into a Hyundai Tucson. The driver of the Tucson was injured and the man drove away, police said. Witnesses and nearby surveillance video helped police identify the Jeep. Officers went to the owners registered address in Salisbury Township and saw a damaged Jeep parked on the property with the engine still warm, court records say. Officers said they later learned that the driver was the Jeep owners son. In an interview May 2 with police, the driver reportedly admitted to being in the April 19 crash and then fleeing the scene because he was not properly licensed, court records say. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Story by Stephen Caruso 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 June is budget negotiation month in Pennsylvania, when state lawmakers decide how to direct billions of tax dollars and make big policy choices on everything from energy to education to health care. The average Pennsylvanian likely doesnt have time to prowl the halls of the Capitol in Harrisburg to keep up with the latest developments, which is why Spotlight PA has compiled this guide. Below, youll learn what Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed, what comes next in the process, and how to follow along. Whats on the table? In his March budget address, Shapiro proposed a $44.4 billion spending plan. It calls for $1 billion in new education spending (including state funding directly to school districts as well as money for building repairs and mental health services), ending transfers of gas tax money to the State Police, and the commonwealths first-ever investment into public defenders. Legislators in both major parties have greeted it with cautious optimism as a fine starting point, even if their priorities are in opposite directions. Democrats have said they want to spend more on education and use more of the states multi-billion surplus on new government programs, from installing solar panels in schools to grants to develop grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods. Republicans meanwhile have said Shapiros plan spends too much of the states cash reserves, and have quibbled with some of his proposed programs, like a tax credit for nurses, teachers, and police. What comes next? The governors budget address kicked things off earlier this year. That speech is an opening offer, and every year it is followed by hearings with the state departments and agencies in which lawmakers interrogate officials about past actions and future goals. Those hearings ended in April (you can find transcripts of state House budget hearings here and video of state Senate budget hearings here). The Capitol has been pretty quiet since then, with leadership in both major parties playing their cards close to their chests. But now that Memorial Day has passed, expect things to speed up quickly as the June 30 deadline approaches. Publicly, interest groups will hold rally after rally in the Capitol Rotunda, touting why their issue must be addressed this year (a calendar of events can be found here). Behind closed doors, negotiations will intensify among top lawmakers. While there are 253 members serving in the General Assembly, very few of them get to sit at the negotiating table. Leadership namely the speaker of the state House, president pro tempore of the state Senate, floor leaders, and appropriations chairs and their staff hash out the details, although leaders usually talk with rank-and-file members to gauge their priorities during negotiations. You can also expect to see lawmakers in the building for regular session days as legislative leaders position bills to head swiftly to the governors desk. What it takes to pass a budget The General Assembly must pass several bills to complete the budget. It takes at least six days for a bill to go through the committee and floor process in both chambers, allowing the legislation to be sent to the governor for consideration. Amendments can slow down the process. For example, if the state House amends a bill after it has already passed the state Senate, the legislation must return to the upper chamber for reconsideration. To speed up the process, leadership will often take an unrelated bill that has already passed the other chamber and insert budget language into it. This has several benefits. One, the bill will go back to the other chambers rules committee, dominated by loyal and veteran lawmakers rather than rank-and-file members who may be tempted to slow things down and attempt to insert their own priorities. And unlike the initial process for passage, bills on concurrence are subject to different rules. They can be put up for a vote within hours (or sooner if lawmakers agree to suspend the rules), rather than days. In addition to a bill that shows how much money should be appropriated to different line items (heres an example), lawmakers must also pass code bills that serve as an instruction manual for how that money should be spent. Veteran Capitol watchers keep an eye out for these bills as legislative leaders often use them to quietly make far-reaching policy tweaks or direct money to pet programs. In past years, lawmakers approved code bills that temporarily prevented municipalities from banning plastic bags and created state rules for college athletes endorsement deals. The final budget deal is usually revealed in the days approaching June 30 and swiftly passed, before being sent to the governor. The legislature may also pass other bills that are seemingly unrelated to the budget but whose consideration has been negotiated as part of backroom talks. That happened last year, when Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill that eliminated third-party election funding a priority for Republicans and created a $45 million state grant program for county election boards. Whats on the table as a bargaining chip is impossible to say early on, but Capitol sources have discussed everything from a minimum wage hike to regulatory reform as building blocks to a final deal thatll make everyone happy. What if theres no deal by June 30? Under state law, the budget must be finished by June 30. Blowing the deadline doesnt mean much in the short term. The state is legally bound to cut paychecks for state workers and provide health care benefits to Medicaid recipients. But if an impasse runs into August or September, public services from schools to domestic violence shelters will face tough decisions on which bills to pay first as they wait for state money. If lawmakers meet the deadline, they will go to their home districts for summer recess and return in the fall. In past years when the legislature has missed the budget deadline, leadership has stayed in Harrisburg to negotiate while rank-and-file lawmakers have returned home until called back for a vote. That has sometimes stretched into the fall. Its hard to predict what will happen this year. The state House is under Democratic control for the first time in more than a decade, while Shapiro who ran as a consensus builder is in his first term. State Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R., Indiana) has said publicly that Republicans in that chamber are not wed to June 30. Whether its before June 30, on June 30, or after June 30, our caucus focus is on making sure its a responsible product for the taxpayers of this commonwealth, Pittman said in April. For their part, state House Democrats have already advanced a bill containing Shapiros budget proposal as written. Budget bills typically dont advance until near the end of June. We just legislatively began the budget process, state House Appropriations Chair Jordan Harris (D., Philadelphia) told reporters on May 24 of the move. So we look forward to conversations with Republicans both in the House and in the Senate, as well as continuing to work with the governor, and see where we have common ground. How you can follow along Spotlight PA will cover major budget developments, but we dont have the resources to write about everything. We created this guide to empower people to go deeper into the process and do their own research. Democrats and Republicans each maintain their own Appropriations Committee webpages and sites (here, here, here, and here). The caucuses offer analyses of the proposals that break down spending by departments and are more digestible than the much thicker budget documents from the governors office. Details about what lawmakers will actually vote on emerge at the last minute, arent compiled in a centralized place, and are usually considered before the average person has time to even find the documents. One of the best ways to know when new information is released, and when lawmakers are actually debating the package, is to follow the reporters who cover the Capitol on Twitter, including Spotlight PAs Stephen Caruso and Kate Huangpu. 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. A major multi-million renovation of Portlaoise Garda Station is nearing construction, with another milestone on the way. The construction tender has gone out to find a contractor to take on the project that will turn the once English military barracks into a centre fit for its status as the headquarters for the Laois, Kildare and Offaly Garda Division. The tender describes the work planned. "Refurbishment, extension and alteration of the existing An Garda Siochana (AGS) Station on the existing main Garda barracks site and adjacent site rear to existing Garda Station site, hereinafter referred to as the PSSB site. They note that the construction of a new Defence Forces facility beside the Portlaoise Prison Campus is already underway. "There will be demolition, construction and refurbishment works to buildings within the existing Garda Station and PSSB site. Both the Garda Station development and Defence Forces facility development will be progressed through a phased process. "The development of the new Defence Forces facility is part of this project. The entire project will progress as two inter-related and dependent sub-projects. "One project team will have responsibility for the entire project and will be involved throughout all project phases. "The development works will consist of: a) Demolition to existing buildings to 2 storey office block, detention facilities, out-buildings and PSSB building at the rear of the Garda Station. b) A refurbishment of the existing 2 storey Garda Station building on the Garda barracks site in Portlaoise; c) Construction of a new 3 storey extension to the existing Garda Station building with a level link to the existing building, forming the new external courtyard, on main Garda barracks site; d) Construction of a new proposed standalone building on the PSSB site. e) Construction of a new Defence Forces facility in Portlaoise area (separate contract). "The existing main Garda Station building is positioned centrally on the site. It is surrounded by the historic high army barracks walls with attached guard houses, entrance gate, 4 no. projecting defensive corners, one and two-storey contemporary additions." The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is celebrating the hatching of five new white-tailed eagle chicks in Co Clare. The NPWS said the newly-hatched chicks come from the bonding of eagles released under the white-tailed eagle reintroduction project, which aims to bring the species back to Ireland. Of particular note, a previously widowed male eagle that had been without a partner for four years has recently bonded with another female that was released in 2020. The male eagle was originally released in Killarney National Park in 2008 and set up territory with a female from that batch, eventually making a nest in the Lough Derg area. In 2013, this pair nested successfully and fledged a pair of chicks the first hatching and fledging of a white-tailed eagle in more than 110 years in Ireland. The same pair successfully fledged further chicks for the next four years until 2018, when the female of the pair died after contracting avian flu. The male eagle then lived alone in East Clare for the past four years until he recently paired up with his new partner and welcomed two new chicks, the NPWS said. The female chick comes from a batch of 16 white-tailed eagle chicks collected from the wild nests in Norway and sent to Ireland for the release programme in 2020. The chick was released a site in Lough Derg but flew back to Scotland after her release. It returned to Ireland six months later and bonded with the widowed male. They then set up a territory together, building a nest in February of this year on an island in Lough Derg. Eamonn Meskell, who leads the NPWS white-tailed eagle reintroduction project, said: We have been monitoring these eagles for many years and of course we feel very familiar with their history as part of the project. The male eagle has been single for four years since his previous partner died. Of course, the fact that he has now found and bred with a new partner is significant to our project but were also delighted to see this eagle that we know well make a new bond and start a new family. A story like this really brings our reintroduction programme to life, as it helps people to learn about eagle breeding behaviour and the fragility of our reintroduction efforts, all told through the story of a widowed eagle. For our project, the appearance of any new chick is a milestone and shows that the continuation of the project is proving successful. At a separate site in Co Clare, three other chicks reared by one of the offspring of the male eagle and its previous partner were observed and tagged by the NPWS in recent days. The NPWS said this female offspring has reared 10 chicks which are spread around the island of Ireland, some of whom themselves are forming pairs. Mr Meskill added: It is also incredible that one of his offspring is now herself rearing three chicks. This is a very rare occurrence, as a very small minority of nest sites in Ireland, Norway or anywhere else have more than two chicks on nest. This is the second year that three chicks are on the nest at this particular nest site. This shows how suited Ireland and our lakes are from a habitat and feeding perspective for this reintroduction project. Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan the successful hatching symbolises the patience and careful planning of the reintroduction project. It gives us great hope and encouragement for the project which we always knew would take time and perseverance. He added: The news from Clare today of five chicks born to eagles from both phases of the reintroduction programme and indeed to their offspring shows why our continued efforts, perseverance and hope can lead not just to lovely stories such as this, but to hope and good news for nature. The original reintroduction programme between 2007 and 2011 involved releasing 100 young white-tailed eagles in Killarney National Park, County Kerry which subsequently dispersed widely throughout Ireland. By July 2020, a small breeding population of eight to ten pairs had successfully fledged 31 chicks across counties Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway and Tipperary. Some Irish-bred eagles are now reaching maturity and starting to breed in the wild. However, a scientific review of the reintroduction project indicated the small population is still vulnerable to mortality factors such as Avian Influenza, illegal poisoning and extreme weather events. Three Laois mothers have been warmly thanked for volunteering for an incredible 24 years between them on the Parents' Council of a secondary school. Parents Christelle Dunne, Sinead Moran, and Sinead Walsh are retiring from the council at Portlaoise College. The secondary school has paid tribute to their volunteer spirit and selfless devotion. "Portlaoise College is pleased to recognise and honour the remarkable contributions and unwavering dedication of three esteemed individuals who have served on the Parents Council for an incredible combined 24 years and are retiring from the council this year as their children recently graduated from 6 th Year. "Christelle Dunne, Sinead Moran, and Sinead Walsh have been pillars of support for the school community, tirelessly working to enhance the educational experience for students, parents, and staff alike. "Since joining the Parents Council, they have demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment and passion for the betterment of Portlaoise College. Their relentless efforts have greatly enriched the school environment, fostering a sense of community, collaboration, and shared responsibility. "These outstanding individuals have selflessly devoted their time, expertise, and unwavering support to a myriad of initiatives and activities. They have played a pivotal role in organizing and overseeing numerous events, fundraisers, and parent involvement programs, all with the aim of enhancing the educational journey of the students. A dizzying number of events were supported by the women. "Some initiatives that they were instrumental in organising were a Fashion Show, Strictly Come Dancing, Lip Sync, a Harvest Ball, setting up a Parents choir, a 80s night and the establishment of a third level student bursary (to name just a few). "Sinead, Christelle and Sinead have been instrumental in bridging the gap between the parents, students, ensuring effective communication channels and nurturing a harmonious relationship. Their tireless advocacy for parent engagement has empowered families to actively participate in their children's education and has strengthened the bond between home and school. "Sinead, Christelle and Sinead recently called into the school and when asked about their highlight of their time on the Portlaoise College Parents Council, they said Making lifelong friends, the Lip Sync fundraiser and the joy they got out of how their children were looked after at Portlaoise College Noel Daly is Principal of Portlaoise College. The legacy of Christelle Dunne, Sinead Moran, and Sinead Walsh on the Parents Council will endure for years to come. Their remarkable tenure and outstanding contributions have set a benchmark for future council members and have left an indelible mark on the school community. Portlaoise College extends its heartfelt gratitude to them for their exceptional service, support, and commitment throughout their 24 years on the Parents Council, he said. IS IT possible to earn an annual income of 52,500 and buy a property for 300,000, and have no savings and have monthly repayments of c. 1,060 per month? The answer is yes. And the reasons how this could be, are primarily down to two state backed initiatives which help facilitate first time buyers buy a newly built home. They are the Help to Buy Scheme (HBS) and the First Home Scheme (FHS). The significance of both mean a first-time buyer, assuming they are earning enough, could buy a new property costing up to 300,000 without needing to have any savings at all. Typically a first-time buyer would need to have a 10% deposit towards the purchase of a property and that can be a big ask particularly if someone was renting and they didnt have much of their monthly income leftover that could go towards savings, and what amount they could save would take them years before the reach the 10% they need. But the HBS and FHS schemes allow first time buyers to bypass that 10% requirement somewhat and accelerate the home buying process for those who would find it difficult to save a deposit that could be 20,000 or 30,000 or 40,000 or even 50,000. Ive written a number of times in the recent past about the HBS scheme so in this article Im going to concentrate on the FHS, but Ill quickly refresh you on the HBS scheme because its somewhat linked to the FHS scheme. Okay, the HBS scheme allows eligible first-time buyers to get up to 10% of the purchase price of a new house or apartment back in the form of a tax rebate. This amount can then be used towards the minimum deposit required for the purchase. The total tax rebate is limited to the total income tax and DIRT paid over the previous four tax years and is capped at 30,000. If you have paid less than 30,000 income tax/ DIRT in the past four years, the maximum rebate possible will be the total amount of tax you paid. And because the amount is capped at 30,000 it means that anything above 300,000 would require savings from the borrower. So, the help to buy scheme is really good for those struggling to save and who dont want to have to wait years before they can become a homeowner. Anyway, I want to tell you about another initiative called the First Home Scheme (FHS) which was launched back in July 2022. The scheme is available to all first-time buyers of newly built properties. It is also available to people who previously purchased a property with a partner but that relationship has ended and they have no beneficial interest retained in the property. And its also available to those who have sold or divested a previously owned property as part of a bankruptcy/personal insolvency arrangement. And essentially, its a shared equity scheme whose function is to bridge the gap between your deposit and mortgage, and the price of your new home. It works whereby the state and participating banks take a share in your home in return for providing you with up to 30% of the property price. So, you own 70% of the property and the state and participating mortgage lenders will own the remaining 30%. And whatever % the FHS puts up is equal to the % they own, so if you take 15% from the HFS scheme, you own 85% of the property and the state/lenders own 15%. The FHS is effectively lending you money and they wont charge you anything for the first five years and from year six onwards an annual fee will apply. From years six to 15, a service charge of 1.75% will apply, and from years 16 to 29 a service charge rate of 2.15% will apply and from year 30 onwards, the rate moves to 2.85%. But unlike a typical mortgage these repayments are interest only i.e. no capital repayments are required by the HFS. And these rates are fixed for the life of the equity facility. The First Home Schemes connectivity with the Help to Buy Scheme (HBS) is that if you avail of the HBS scheme the amount you can get from the FHS is reduced to 20%. Let me give you some more examples of how this scheme works in practice. Example 1 Single/couple earning 50,000 and they want to buy a property costing 333,333 and have 33,333 savings in place. It can be financed by: - 10% deposit (savings) 33,333 - 30% (first home scheme) 100,000 - Mortgage approval 200,000 Example 2 Single/couple earning 50,000 and they want to buy a property costing 285,715 and have no savings in place. It can be financed by: - 10% deposit (help to buy scheme) 28,571 - 20% (first home scheme) 57,144 - Mortgage approval 200,000 Example 3 Single/couple earning 80,000 and they want to buy a property costing 457,100 and they have 15,700 in savings. It can be financed by: - 10% deposit (savings - 15.7k and help to buy scheme - 30k) 45,700 -20% (first home scheme) 91,400 -Mortgage approval 320,000 Its worth noting that if your mortgage approval, when added to your deposit, are sufficient to purchase a property you are interested in purchasing, you cannot avail of the FHS scheme. Again, to remind you, the purpose of the FHS scheme is to make up a funding shortfall when the deposit plus mortgage approval is less than the purchase price of the property. And if you sell a property the FHS is entitled to their percentage of the sales price, so if the value of the property has gone up, the FHS will share in the capital appreciation of the property i.e. you will pay them back more than the initial loan, and equally if the value of the property goes down, the FHS will share in that loss. The FHS doesnt apply to second hand properties, it only applies to newly built properties. And there are many criteria that must be met before you can apply and qualify for the FHS scheme and an example of some of them are: - You must have a minimum deposit of 10% of the purchase price. - You must be over 18 years of age. - The property must be intended to be your primary residence. - You must have mortgage approval from a lender that is participating in the First Home scheme (AIB and its subsidiaries EBS and Haven, Bank of Ireland, and Permanent TSB). - You must borrow the maximum amount a lender is willing to give you. - There are limits on the price of the property you can buy which will vary by each local authority area e.g. in Cork and Dublin city the ceiling is 475,000 for a house and 500,000 for an apartment. In Galway city its 425,000 for an apartment and 450,000 for an apartment and in Limerick city its 375,000 and 450,000. - Joint applications are possible but both applicants have to be first time buyers. Theres a great website which explains the FHS in great detail and it has lots of FAQs from eligibility, fees and charges, the role of your solicitor, selling the property, renting out a room, moving lenders, fees and charges, the application process, the limits on the price of properties in every area in Ireland and so on. And that website is www.firsthomescheme.ie and Id encourage any first-time buyer to take a look inside it. Liam Croke is MD of Harmonics Financial Ltd, based in Plassey. He can be contacted at liam@harmonics.ie or www.harmonics.ie A number of changes, including a partial demolition, has been proposed for part of a well-known Naas structure. According to planning permission documents lodged with Kildare County Council (KCC), Central Tower Limited is seeking permission in relation to The Forge Inn No. 46 (which is a Protected Structure: RPS. Ref. NS19-186) and Bank of Ireland No.48 (Protected Structure: RPS Ref. NS19-034) on South Main Street in Naas. Central Tower Ltd also trades under the following names: Sarah Floods, The Five Lamps and The Forge Inn. Specifically, the company is seeking permission from KCC for the demolition of the temporary access to Bank of Ireland in the former part of Bank of Ireland structure, including ramp and rail and removal of ATM machine. Central Tower Ltd is also seeking planning permission for: the modification of former Bank of Ireland structure to create new openings to a new plaza at the rear, including security gates and two signs (front and rear); provision of new public house internal layout for The Forge Inn over four floors including basement, along with minor works to north facade and provision of new 3 storey lift lobby extension. In addition, permission for the provision of retail use in existing vacant unit to the rear of The Forge Inn, including: new glazing; provision of new plaza including hard and soft landscaping, seating and lighting is being sought; the erection of two ATM machines on the south facade of Bank of Ireland building; provision of new entrance doors and three signs; and all associated site works, including drainage. The date received on the application is listed as May 30 last, while the submission-by and due dates are listed as July 3 and July 24 respectively. According to the business information website SoloCheck.ie, Central Tower Ltd was established in 2020. The company's largest shareholder is listed as Roche Family Pharmacy Limited. It has an address registered at Vista Primary Care Centre, Ballymore Eustace, Naas, County Kildare. The puffin population in Ireland may appear to be thriving, but more research is needed to assess how they are breeding, bird experts say. According to the last available figures, there are an estimated 21,000 pairs of puffins in Ireland, which can mostly be seen along its west coast. The comical looking birds can be viewed by the public on boat tours around Irelands Eye off the coast of Howth in Dublin and at the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare. According to a study carried out on the puffin population on Sceilg Mhichil, located off the Co Kerry coast, 7,380 individual puffins were recorded on the slopes, flying over and loafing on the surrounding waters of the site on May 5 this year, followed by 8,236 the following evening. Niall Hatch, Birdwatch Irelands head of communications, told the PA news agency that it was unclear exactly how many pairs of puffins there are currently in Ireland. We do know that Ireland is of international importance to puffins, we have some very large puffin colonies around the Irish coast. But more survey work needs to be done to see how their chicks are surviving, he said. Mr Hatch said that each pair of puffins produces just one chick, or one puffling, a year. They nest in burrows under the ground, which makes it more difficult to count their population, compared with other seabirds that would nest on ledges out in the open. So the fact is that things may look well with puffins because were seeing lots of adults around, but it doesnt necessarily mean that the chicks are surviving and that theyre breeding successfully, he said. He said that climate change, unsustainable overfishing and the pollution of plastics in the sea, which can block the birds digestive systems, could also be affecting their breeding attempts. As ocean temperatures warm, plankton can move further north to colder waters, which has more oxygen in it. Then the small fish follow the plankton and the small fish are the food that the puffins need to feed their chicks, Mr Hatch told PA. So where it may be the case that the adult puffins can go out to sea and feed, they spend most of the year out in the mid Atlantic Ocean, they can find food out there well away from land, but their chicks are back on land. So if the fish end up too far away, its too far for the parents to bring fish back back to the chicks. And thats thought to be a major reason why were seeing population collapses in many parts of the North Atlantic, and we still do not fully know the picture in Ireland. He said that it was understandable that members of the public would want to view the comical, cartoon-like bird, but said if they are they should do it in a non-intrusive way. Now we would urge people when they are going to look at puffins to do it in a way that doesnt impact on them, he said. Theyre very appealing to people. Theres something very comical about about them, something very cute. That that sort of clown makeup look they have on their face, those big beaks that they have they almost look like a cartoon. Of course people really would like to see them. Theres many ways to do that: around Dublin, getting a boat from Howth around Irelands Eye and watching the puffins in the water; and going to places like Sceilg Mhichil and seeing them on the rocks, but keeping your distance. One of the very best places in Ireland to see puffins without any impact on them at all would be the Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs of Moher are home to thousands of puffins during the summer and theyre quite easy to see there, so thats what wed recommend. He added: People should enjoy them, were keen for people to experience puffins as much as possible. But please remember that theyre not toys, theyre creatures that are frightened of us and we have to be careful not to disturb them. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) said the last published population estimate of puffins on the island of Ireland comes from a book published in 2004, where it was estimated there was a breeding population of 21,000 pairs. The NPWSs Breeding Seabird Monitoring Programme has carried out a series of surveys of several seabird species, but it warned of the difficulty of counting the population as they nest in burrows and/or rock crevices. However work on increasing our level of understanding of this species is growing, it said, citing a report into the puffin population on Sceilg Mhichil it had carried out this month. The Social Democrats have nominated Lola Gonzalez Farrell to contest the 2024 local elections in the Carrick-on-Shannon local electoral area. The local branch of the party launched her election campaign last Saturday, June 3 at the St George's Heritage Centre, Carrick-on-Shannon, attended by the party. Originally from Panama, Ms Gonzalez Farrell grew up in the United States and moved to Carrick on Shannon with her Irish husband almost a decade ago. Since then she has been hugely involved in the local community, working for six years as manager of the National Council of the Blind shop and with Momentum in Leitrim Village for the past year. On a voluntary basis she is involved in the Leitrim Peace Plus Partnership, a director of the Leitrim Volunteer Centre Board, former member as Inclusion Pillar of the Leitrim Local Community Development Committee, member of the Migrant and Refugee Leaders Network, PR of the Leitrim International Community Group, and a member of the Leitrim Integration Strategy Working Group. Speaking at the launch, Ms Gonzalez Farrell said, "I see a town that needs more innovative ideas to progress and become a community that all are a part of and can feel proud to be a part of. I believe I can feel that need. I know that communities benefit from collaboration and transparency to reach goals and that we need those skills here. "I will be championing issues related to housing, public transportation, the environment, and better broadband for better communication so we engage with each other more effectively." All roads lead to Kiltyclogher on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th June where The Sean MacDiarmada Summer School 2023 takes place. This is the second physical event since June 2019 because of Covid. In 2020 and 2021, the school successfully went to a virtual platform where we had an audience from the UK, America, Dubai, Switzerland, France and Australia. We are really looking forward to people coming in the physical sense to the village for what promises to be a very stimulating and educational event. For those people that are living abroad or are unable to make the physical event they can go to www.seanmacdiaramada.ie and book the various lectures online from the comfort of their own homes as live streaming will take place again this year in conjunction with the actual event taking place in the Holiday Centre. This will be a feature of the summer school going forward and was one very positive outcome for the event after two long and twilight years of lockdown and semi-lockdown during the pandemic. The event theme for June 2023 is Irelands place in a world in crisis, examining the cultural, economic, political and social effects on Ireland in the midst of a global crisis. The opening of the summer school will take place on Friday, June 9th with the customary event at the Mac Diarmada homestead in Corranmore by Cllr Sean McDermott, Leitrim County Council. Friday 9th June Vincent Woods - playwright, poet, news and current affairs and arts broadcaster, currently working with RTE Radio 1. Hope, History and Human Intelligence will examine the cultural aspect of the theme. Patricia Groves - communications professional will offer insight with regard to managing current crises in our country, and globally, in her presentation entitled: Lessons from the Ladies Land League: Managing a Country in Crisis During Global Upheaval. Saturday, 10th June Dr. Tony Bates, clinical psychologist and head of the Dept of Psychology at St. James Hospital, Dublin and founder of Jigsaw - National Centre for Youth Mental Health. Tony Bates presentation is entitled: What Psychology Has to Offer in a Frantic World - Widening the Aperture of Our Awareness. Dr. Micheline Sheehy Skeffington - President of the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. Micheline will address the environmental and ecological issues of the day in Ireland in her presentation entitled Irelands Native Flora - Is It In Crisis? Senator Emer Currie - Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson for Northern Ireland, Special Education and Inclusion. Emer will present on Convergence Versus Divergence in a Changing World. - addressing the most pertinent political and economic issues of the day. Fr. Peter McVerry - will bring the event to a close with his presentation entitled: Ireland in Crisis - How Can Intelligent People Be So Stupid? Booking details can be found on www.seanmacdiarmada.ie or by contacting Kiltyclogher Heritage Centre on 071-98-54865. A COUNCILLOR has called for people to be denied further dog licences if they breach the conditions of their existing licence. Kevin Sheahan made his comments during a debate on the control of dogs in Limerick. We have certain sections of the community in west Limerick, and they seem to have dogs when the sun goes down. They seem to have no dogs in the hours of daylight. Its a situation which needs to be investigated, said the Askeaton-based councillor. People should be denied the right to obtain a licence for their dogs if they are in breach of the rules once. They should never be allowed to be licensed again, added Cllr Sheahan. Every person who owns a dog over four months old requires a licence, apart from in very specific circumstances. The comments come as council members resolved to contact both the Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and Justice Minister Helen McEntee requesting that new legislation be put in place relating to dogs entering onto private lands. This is in order to prevent distress to farmers, owners and their animals to counteract dog fouling, according to the motion which was signed by the seven members of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District Fine Gael councillor John Egan, a farmer by trade, said: Some people who have pets, there is one thing they are not doing, they are not taking responsibility for looking after their dogs. They are not taking any responsibility for the damage these dogs cause. It's only a couple of days ago since stray dogs came into our place and did a desperate amount of damage to our sheep. Independent councillor Brigid Teefy added: There is a big issue with stray dogs. We have dogs hunting. There are a lot of issues with landowners. Dog fouling is another issue - on footpaths, parks and everything. The legislation needs to be stronger as it's not there at the moment. Dog wardens can't do too much, and the gardai don't have enough powers. I hope this motion triggers something. Instances where a dog licence is not required include if the animal is under four months old and still with their mother, and Guide Dogs. PRAMS, buggies and bicycles were thrown as gardai arrested a teenager in a highly-volatile situation lasting up to 40 minutes, Limerick Circuit Court heard. A 19-year-old, who was 16 at the time of the incident in Johnsgate village, Limerick city on May 26, 2020 pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Prosecuting barrister John OSullivan, instructed by State Solicitor Padraig Mawe, outlined the case with the assistance of Garda Peter Connolly. On May 26, 2020, Garda John OSullivan went to Johnsgate village to arrest a man in an unrelated matter - nothing to do with the accused. He went into a house. A large amount of residents gathered and threatened violence. Garda OSullivan became uncomfortable and requested back-up. It was a highly-volatile situation. Gardai were prevented from entering the property, said Mr OSullivan. The barrister said numerous gardai surrounded the back and front of the property. They were met with considerable hostility with numerous people holding up mobile phones in the faces of gardai. They were subject to threats and insults. There were young children in a green area. It lasted 30 to 40 minutes. Gardai persevered, entered the property and found the man hiding in the base of a bed. Prams, buggies and bicycles were thrown at garda vehicles. Gardai identified five of the main aggressors, said Mr OSullivan. The then 16-year-old was arrested and admitted throwing a bicycle at a garda vehicle. He admitted his behaviour could make gardai fear for their safety. He put a mobile phone in the face of gardai and verbally abused them. The situation was highly-volatile and they had to tread carefully, said Mr OSullivan, who added that the defendant has quite a number of convictions for stealing bicycles, public order and attempted larceny. Jack Nicholas, barrister for the accused, said his client wishes to apologise to all the gardai involved in this very heated incident. Mr Nicholas asked Garda Connolly to pass on the apology to other members of the force present on the day. The barrister said a mob developed who behaved in an unruly and unsatisfactory manner. Mr Nicholas made reference to a probation report which stated his client was at a high risk of reoffending Mr Nicholas said Johnsgate had become somewhat of anti-social area and the houses are boarded up. He said everyboyd left including his client and his family. Judge Tom ODonnell said it was the first time he had seen the Probation Service declining their involvement due to a persons attitude. Mr Nicholas said his client had difficulties in younger life but a person is not just a product of a family but of a community and surrounds. He became involved with a group which have now broken up. He is no longer in that area. The Probation Service may not be aware of that change. It is disappointing they reached that conclusion, said Mr Nicholas, who added that his client has his whole future ahead of him and he hoped being before the court serves as a shock. Judge ODonnell said it is a two-way street with the Probation Service. He failed to engage. He must accept responsibility. He has other convictions - it doesnt augur well. This is a serious matter - extremely, extremely volatile egged on by adults and young people. It made it much harder for gardai to do their lawful duty, said Judge ODonnell, who imposed a fully suspended 18 month sentence. The judge said if the accused doesnt co-operate with the Probation Service or behaves like this or other criminality he is sending himself to jail. A FORMER Limerick student, now billionaire, has shared the lengths he went to for ice-cream while driving in County Kerry. John Collison, originally from Tipperary and co-founder of financial services company Stripe went to great lengths in search of ice-cream during the current raging heatwave. Mr Collison was driving around County Kerry when he came across a sign for Muckross Creamerys pop-up ice-cream parlour. He drove 1.5 km down a country lane before arriving at the ice-cream parlour and shared his journey on Twitter. I would be very easy to kidnap, the former Castletroy College student joked, comparing his journey to something out of Looney Tunes Wile E Coyote and the Road Runner. I would be very easy to kidnap. While driving in Kerry, ended up following a series of signs 1.5 km down a country lane for ice cream like in a Wile E. Coyote plot. Ended up at Muckross Creamery @MuckrossC, a farm now operating a delicious ice cream stand. https://t.co/Cm0qPoLagI pic.twitter.com/5GvScwEBVQ John Collison (@collision) June 5, 2023 Muckross Creamery produces a wide variety of ice-cream flavours, using their own fresh milk, fresh cream and free-range eggs based in Killarney. Mr Collison co-founded Stripe with his brother Patrick in 2010. He now serves as the companys president. Stripe lets businesses and individuals accept payments over the internet. Many of those in Limerick and across the country have been enjoying the current spell of sunny weather which according to Met Eireann could stick around into the coming weekend. A KILTEELY native has published his first collection of short stories. With Letters From an Irish Hearth, Pat Green delves on themes of birth, death, marriage and love through 32 stories. Set in various locations across Ireland, the stories are from the past and capture some aspects of life which have been lost, such as customs and turns of phrase. Originally from Limerick, Pat Green has lived in Brooklyn, New York, since 1990. Pat, who described himself as a feel-good writer, brings to life a quaint old world where people still write letters, wait for a call at the village phone box, come over unannounced for tea, or just sit with each other in the face of tragedy. Speaking of the timing of this collection, the author explained: This book has been a dream of mine for well over 50 years. It all started out with writing pen-pal letters, but storytelling was always a gift that came easy for me. His favourite story in the book is titled A Small Lifetime. I think lots of us knew elderly women like Kate while we were growing up all over Ireland in the 60s and 70s. These were strong women who lived alone and they took the full brunt of life's hardships, and carried on without ever once complaining. Kate will always be very near and dear to me. She is a reminder to me every single day that no matter how hard life can get for us, we have to always find a reason to find a little happiness in our life, commented Pat. Is it 32 stories for 32 counties? I never meant for there to be 32 stories in the book. After showing it to a friend of mine, he made the suggestion for it having a story for each county in Ireland. My stories always travel here as whispers to New York, from home - and home is always Kilteely, he said. Recently, Pat returned home to spend time with his father in Kilteely and to meet up with friends. Later on this year, the author will be doing a book tour to promote his collection of short stories. Letters From an Irish Hearth is available on Amazon. A ceremonial stone to mark Northern Irelands centenary is expected to be sited in the Stormont estate later this summer, unionist leaders have said. A proposal for the stone sparked a row in the Assembly in 2021 the year of the regions centenary when Sinn Fein opposed the proposal. However, it was passed by the Assembly Commission earlier this year after the Sinn Fein representative on the body dropped off. The stone has been paid for by the unionist parties at Stormont. In a joint statement on Monday evening, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, UUP leader Doug Beattie and TUV Leader Jim Allister, said work on the stone has been completed. We welcome the fact that work on the centenary stone which was commissioned and will be paid for by Stormonts Unionist parties has now been completed, they said. The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission which approved a proposal to erect the stone in the grounds of Stormont, will meet later this month to decide precisely where it will be sited. It is both right and fitting that such an historic milestone in the life of Northern Ireland is marked at Stormont. We look forward to a public unveiling of the centenary stone later this summer. The commission, a body which continues to function to manage Stormonts property, staff and services, passed the proposal in February. It is currently consists of representatives of four of the five largest parties at Stormont: DUP, UUP, Alliance and SDLP. Sinn Fein representative John ODowd stood down from the commission in 2022 after he was appointed infrastructure minister. He was unable to be replaced by a party colleague due to the effective collapse of the institutions. In 2021, Sinn Fein said it vetoed the proposal because the stone had been designed and commissioned by representatives of one tradition and accused unionists of failing to consult with other parties about their plan. Abbey Tauchen | Dr. Stevie Lawrence II has been named as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Lincoln University, effective July 1, 2023. Lawrence will assume responsibility of the academic division for Lincoln University, one of the nations oldest 1890 land-grant institutions. In May, Lawrence visited Lincoln Universitys campus and met with members of the Presidents Advisory Council, as well as deans and the current president of the faculty senate. Dr. Lawrence brings with him a wealth of experience that will add to the momentum we are building, says Dr. John Moseley, President of Lincoln University. The core of our mission is to provide educational opportunity for our students, and I am certain he will provide the leadership we need to build upon our legacy of exemplary scholarship at Lincoln University. With a strong background in higher education leadership, specifically in student retention and success, Lawrence will help Lincoln Universitys students meet their academic needs and champion for their holistic success. He will support Lincoln Universitys strategic emphasis on student success as the collaborative responsibility of students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends of the University. I am extremely excited to join the Lincoln University family. I look forward to working with all constituents of the University to enhance the academic profile of Lincoln under the leadership of President Moseley, states Lawrence. I especially look forward to working with the academic deans, department chairs, and the faculty including them in the decision-making process to move Lincoln University to its next level of preeminence. Most importantly, I am eager to engage with the very bright and talented students at Lincoln University, strengthening existing academic and support programs to enhance their overall experience at the University." Lawrence comes to Lincoln from the Southern Regional Education Board, where he serves as vice president for postsecondary education. In this role, he leads the boards postsecondary programs and developed initiatives to support postsecondary state offices and institutions. Lawrence also was the founding dean of the University College at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. In this position, he worked on innovative strategies that increased student retention, persistence and graduation. In addition, he has academic experience from the University of North Carolina System Office, Shaw University, Virginia Union University and Halifax Community College. Lawrence is a 2022-23 American Council on Education (A.C.E.) fellow, a 2020-21 American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI) protege, and a member of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (H.E.L.F.). Lawrence holds a Doctor of Philosophy in urban higher education from Jackson State University, a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor of Arts from North Carolina A&T State University. When the world started trading in stocks, the exchanges were physical and floor-based. Traders and brokers interacted and agreed on a security, price, and quantity, and settled the trade on paper. A loud voice and convincing rhetoric were considered the primary attributes to become a successful trader. A strong and reliable gut instinct was the next most important quality. As markets digitized, spread globally, and expanded, the floors were replaced by computer terminals. Connected and electronic markets offered ample opportunities to expand by throwing up immense data points, and new and rich data sources for analysis. Also, it facilitated trade in new types of assets and securities. Data mining, research, analysis, and automated trading systems became a distinct possibility. Subsequently, in the 1980s, mathematicians started exploring whether statistical concepts could be applied to stock trading. This gave birth to systematic trading, where investors apply mathematical formulas to decide the trade of financial securities. Since the trades are mostly decided by a quantitative model, it is also called quantitative trading quant for short. Mohit Mutreja and Parshant Mittal saw the evolution of quant trading in the U.S. from close quarters. The AlphaGrep beginnings Mohit, an Economics and Computer Engineering graduate from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, had started his career as a quantitative researcher and trader at Citadel Investment Group in Chicago, where he built, researched, and traded quantitative/statistical strategies on US fixed income securities. He then worked as a trader at D.E. Shaw, another premier global investment management firm, managing a portfolio of Indian public equities and convertible bonds. Around the same time Parshant Mittal, who has similar educational qualifications to Mohit, started his career on Deutsche Banks Credit and Rates trading desk before moving to AQR Capital where he was a portfolio manager and quantitative finance researcher. He managed various investment strategies that included selections of stocks for emerging markets during his tenure with AQR. So, when SEBI permitted algorithmic trading in 2008, Mohit and Parshant came to India and set shop in the form of AlphaGrep Securities. Till 2020, they were proprietary investment managers managing internal capital only. Over the last two-odd years, AlphaGrep has ventured into the external investment management space through multiple investment vehicles in India and abroad. Today, AlphaGrep is one of Indias very few quant trading firms that have specific investment offerings for resident high net-worth investors. Quant Investings potential bull run AlphaGrep is bullish about the potential for quant investment management in India. Historically, direct stocks or mutual funds have seen a lower proportion of invested assets compared to real estate, gold, and fixed deposits. Having said that, the awareness and investment in capital markets by Indian investors have grown significantly over the past decade. Quant investing can offer superior investment products that are uncorrelated to other traditional investment options, besides removing emotions and human bias from the investment process", explains Mohit. Entities such as AlphaGrep devise efficient strategies based on systematic algorithms to affect trades with a statistical edge. It brings a lot of objectivity into the exercise and replaces the human bias that may creep into traditional forms of investment decisions. With the cost of computing power gradually reducing, quant trading can become a cost-effective method of investing in capital markets. Quant trading can continue the evolution of Indias investment management scenario. It can harness Indias private wealth and provide sophisticated investors with an alternative to traditional methods of analyzing financial securities and investing in them. Quant tradings future outlook The next decade would be a golden period for Indias investment management space and I am confident that quant investing will lead the way", says Parshant, expressing anticipation about quant tradings role in the countrys investment management space. AlphaGrep is suitably positioned to leverage the power of systematic/quant investing in stocks and derivatives. It is now trading in over 25 exchanges globally across US, Europe, and Asia. After its success in proprietary trading, it wants to apply the learnings of systematic trading to AIFs (alternative investment funds) and PMS (portfolio management services) products. It has now launched AlphaGrep Investment Management, a systematic investment management business to manage external capital. AlphaGrep is at the forefront of the movement to enhance Indias wealth by making the investment process more objective and the financial markets more transparent and efficient. Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Byju's firm is expected to pay the $40 million instalment of its highest unrated loan of $1.2 billion on Monday. The ed-tech startup needs to make the quarterly interest payment on June 5, which is also the deadline for the instalment. If the company fails to make the quarterly interest payment, then the loan, which is at the centre of the beleaguered firm's financial troubles, will default. The $40 million payment is expected to be made on June 5, reported Bloomberg citing anonymous sources. The information is not available in the public domain. The situation is still fluid and the Byju's payment plan can change as well, reported Bloomberg. Also Read: BYJU'S refutes claims of hiding $500 million through US-based subsidiary BYJU Alpha Byju's firm didn't respond to requests for comment about the coupon payment. Moreover, there were no comments on the issue by the representatives for Houlihan Lokey Inc. The company was hired by creditors to advise them on the loan. The loan is the largest unrated debt by a startup ever. Byju's laurels changed after the reopening of schools post-pandemic. The company's profit jumped significantly after the company's boom during the pandemic. After the decline of the pandemic-era boom in online tutoring, the company's profit crashed significantly. That's why Byjus has been trying to strike a deal with creditors to restructure the loan. But creditors demanding an accelerated payment scrapped the long-term negotiations, according to a Bloomberg report. The lender consortium signed a cooperation agreement that binds them to act together in negotiations. Earlier the mega loan accounted for 64.5 cents a dollar in September. But now, has increased to 78 cents, reported Bloomberg. On-time payment, a ray of hope for the troubled startup Paying the coupon amount on time will be a game changer for Byjus as it will help the company to steal some time for a large capital infusion". According to the company lawyer, the large capital infusion will be used to pay down the loan. Byjus is current on all debt payments, and any default on payment should be considered a technical breach of the loan agreement. Notably, Byjus has missed deadlines to file financial accounts for the year to March 31. Another blow to the firm was audited by an Indian agency to investigate violations of Indian foreign exchange policies. RBI deputy governor MK Jain on Monday said, curbing cyber risk requires an international effort. The deputy governor believes that as financial transactions migrate to digital platforms, the reliance on information technology infrastructure grows exponentially. Thereby, he recommended six cybersecurity strategies that would help improve the global cybersecurity environment. Jain was talking at an international event under Indias G-20 Presidency in Mumbai. According to Jain, cyber-attacks targeting banks not only jeopardize the stability of individual institutions but also have the potential to disrupt financial systems, making it imperative for nations to come together and address this pressing challenge. Therefore, he said, "This event under Indias G-20 Presidency is important to complement efforts of various international bodies for addressing the issues of cyber security in the banking sector." MK whose tenure at RBI as deputy governor is scheduled to end on June 22, outlined six strategies that would help improve the global cybersecurity environment. These are: - First, the global financial systems interdependencies need to be better understood by mapping key operational and technological interconnections, including that of critical infrastructure. Better incorporation of cyber risk into financial stability analysis will improve the ability to understand and mitigate system-wide risk. - Secondly, a minimum common framework for cybersecurity needs to be devised that outlines best practices and standards for financial institutions to follow. This can help ensure that all institutions are taking the necessary steps to protect themselves from cyber threats. - Thirdly, to the extent feasible as per domestic laws, countries can share information and intelligence about cyber threats and attacks. This can help to identify emerging threats and vulnerabilities and enable financial institutions to take proactive measures to prevent attacks. - Fourthly, countries can work together to develop and implement incident response plans. This can help to ensure that in the event of a cyber-attack, there is a coordinated and effective response that minimizes the impact on the financial sector. - Fifthly, cyber-attacks should become more expensive and riskier for the perpetrators through effective measures to confiscate proceeds of crime and prosecute criminals. Stepping up international efforts to prevent, disrupt and deter attackers would reduce the threat at its source. - Finally, countries can collaborate on capacity building and training programs to ensure that financial institutions have the necessary skills and resources to manage cyber risks effectively. This can include training on cybersecurity best practices, incident response planning, and the use of advanced technologies to detect and prevent cyber-attacks. In the case of India, he highlighted that the country is one of the few countries that protects users through the mandate of two-factor authentication for digital payment transactions. He added, although India is now recognised as an innovative regulation, at the time when RBI introduced it about a decade back, there was a push-back and criticism. Similarly, recent measures such as better customer control on card usage, shorter Turn-Around-Times for transaction failures, tokenisation, etc. are all initiatives intended to protect the customer. Further, in the payments space, Jain mentioned that eal Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) have been made 24x7. Further, RBI catalysed the setting up of appropriate institutions like the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) in 1996 and the National Payment Corporation of India in 2008, which have been instrumental in pioneering various payment system technologies and solutions. Also, for UPI, Indias instant payment system, launched in 2016, the RBI deputy governor said, "has witnessed remarkable growth in India with daily transactions averaging over 300 million in volume and 480 billion in value during May 2023." Recently, India and Singapore tied up their UPI and Pay Now systems allowing for real-time cross-border money transfers between the two countries. To this, Jain believes indeed, there is immense potential for the use of UPI globally through partnership and collaboration with other countries. Considering the global nature of cyber threats, efforts by governments, financial entities, and technological companies are insufficient to protect against them. Cyber threats transcend geographical boundaries, making it necessary for countries and financial institutions to work together to address them, as per Jain. In his concluding remarks, he said, it is expected that the G20 forum would complement the efforts of various international bodies towards building an approach for helping financial sector through capacity development initiatives aimed at designing and implementing international standards and best practices as a priority. Lastly, he added, "together, we can make the financial sector more secure and trustworthy." New Delhi: Ammy Virks new Punjabi film Maurh will release in cinemas on 9 June. It has been directed by Jatinder Mauhar. Multiplex operators in Punjab have been demanding an eight-week window between the theatrical and digital premiere of films, a norm before the pandemic struck, even as the regional film industry struggles with low footfall and limited run in cinemas. Producers feel that the move is monopolistic as two large chains, PVR and Inox Leisure, have merged and can now dictate terms. Industry experts say its a fair ask given industries across India should follow standard practices, but the producers argue that its unfair on industries like the one in Punjab thats already battling lower revenues. A few weeks ago, Zee Studios wrote to the Producers Guild of India pointing to the ad-hoc and lopsided change in the OTT release window by major multiplex firms in Punjab. It is unfortunate that major multiplexes operating in the Punjab industry have taken an inequitable stand of changing the theatrical window to eight weeks instead of the previously agreed four weeks. These major multiplexes insist that Punjabi producers/distributors sign a letter/undertaking before the release of a Punjabi film agreeing to an eight-week holdback window, failing which the said major multiplexes refuse to screen the film in their multiplexes/cinemas," Zee had said. According to Zee, an industry that has been struggling to find its feet post the pandemic to stay profitable has been short-changed due to a unilateral decision by the newly-merged, major multiplexes playing Punjabi film content. Zee also pointed out that Punjabi films get the lowest percentage share among all film categories, despite average ticket rates being similar to those of Hindi films. In March 2022, the boards of PVR and Inox approved an all-stock merger of the companies to create Indias largest film exhibitor with a network of more than 1,500 screens. Medical equipments manufacturer, Hemant Surgical Industries on its market debut skyrocketed by 100% on BSE. The company's stock is listed at a premium of 90% against the SME IPO issue price. The company launched its public offer last month on BSE under SME category. The IPO had received oversubscription with strong demand from non-institutional and retail investors. On BSE, Hemant Surgical's stock price closed at 179.55 apiece, up by 89.55 or 99.50%. The current price level is the new 52-week high and is also the 5% upper circuit. Hemant Surgical got listed at a premium of 90% to 171 on BSE, compared to the SME IPO issue price of 90 per share. Compared to the listing price, the stock closed at 5% upside on the exchange. At present, Hemant Surgical's market cap is around 187.45 crore. The stock is listed on BSE in the list of ''MT'' Group Securities. What should investors do? Divam Sharma- Founder at Green Portfolio PMS said, "We would suggest IPO investors to book profits in Hemant Surgicals. The euphoria of SME is enabling good listing gains for IPO allottees. Investors should try to book profits when they see such significant listing gains." Sharma added, "The company has to now show significant growth with the capital that they have raised to justify the PE multiples of above 25 times based on FY22-23 numbers. We have opportunities available at lower valuations in the broader markets." Hemant Surgical is in the business of manufacturing, importing, assembling, and marketing a comprehensive portfolio of medical types of equipment and disposables. The company imports its products from countries like Japan, China, France, and Australia. The company launched its SME IPO from May 24 to May 26. The price band for the issue was at the lower band of 85 per share and the upper band of 90 per share. On the last day of the IPO, Hemant Surgical's public offer oversubscribed by 139.70 times with strong buying from non-institutional investors (NII) and retail individual investors (RII) as the portion reserved for these two categories subscribed by 203.26 times and 158.73 times. Qualified institutional buyers portion also subscribed fully by 41.05 times. By the end of March 31, 2023, Hemant Surgical's net worth increased to nearly 23.60 crore compared to 13.2 crore in FY22. Total revenue was at 111.5 crore versus 105.8 crore in FY22. Saurabh Mukherjea, founder of Marcellus PMS, believes that equity is the only asset class that sees significant compounding over the long term. Known for his Coffee Can investing approach, Mukherjea allocates 90% of his personal investment portfolio to equities, and just 10% for debt instruments, primarily for fixed deposits (FDs) for emergencies. He is also a National Pension Scheme, or NPS enthusiast due to its tax benefits and low fee structure. Mukherjea disclosed his portfolio particulars at the annual Mint series, Guru Portfolio, which began in 2020, to explain the effects of the pandemic on the personal investment portfolios of leading financial services sector professionals. This series examines the performance of the respondents investments, modifications to their portfolios, and investment insights. Has your asset allocation always been 90:10 equity to debt? Throughout my working life, and especially after my wife and I became parents around 15 years ago, we have always been maintaining a 10% debt in the form of fixed deposits. I have never considered debt as an investment tool. These FDs serve as rainy-day corpus, providing a safe harbour in case of major financial emergencies. Equity is the only asset class that truly compounds. In India, neither gold nor real estate offers long-term compounding benefits. View Full Image Graphic: Mint Where do you invest in equity? All of the Indian equity portfolio is with Marcellus, with just one exception. I am an enthusiastic participant in NPS, where I put in money every month. I also encourage Marcellus employees to contribute to NPS. Why NPS? First, I get tax relief for employers (Marcelluss) contribution. Two, the fee is low. In fact, even an index fund may not get such a low fee structure. Third, and most importantly, I cannot touch the corpus till my retirement age because of the lock-in. You have been an active portfolio manager. Have you ever invested in index funds? In the initial days of my career, I was with tech and consulting firm Accenture, in the UK. I didnt know much about finance then. The company had a corporate pension plan managed by a British index fund provider. I joined it, which I am still a part of. It continues to compound at a decent rate. In 2004, when I became an equity analyst, I started investing in active funds. So, does your investment in index funds takes care of international exposure to your portfolio? Yes, we have 20% of our equity portfolio in overseas equities. It is almost entirely invested in American and European stocks, which gives the portfolio a nice hedge, but it was created unwittingly (when the rupee depreciates, and investments in India underperform, our overseas investments do better). It actually worked out nicely. What about your ownership in Marcellus? When Marcellus was incorporated, my wife and I decided to have enough equity to see our kids through universitythe costs which we will incur in the next 5-6 years. That equity part is being managed by Marcellus. Barring this equity investment and the 10% debt for emergency, the rest of our savings were pumped into Marcelluss balance sheet in 2018 to incorporate the business. My shares in Marcellus are unlisted and illiquid. I exclude them from my investments because their valuation could overshadow our public market equity portfolio. Furthermore, we do not have any plans to sell them for several decades. It is interesting that in the current year, I have actually given up a part of my salary to get more Esops (employee stock ownership plan) in the company, as I want to have a bigger stake in the firm. In the last few years, Marcelluss funds struggled to beat benchmarks. Does it bother you? Im as interested as anybody else in Marcelluss performance because my entire life savings are in it. And it is to finance my childrens education. But ups and downs in portfolio value are part and parcel of equity investing. If you want to do the best for your family, I think you have to take a degree of risk. Investors who tend to run away from risk in India are not doing themselves or their families a favour. If anybody reading this piece has a better way to finance their long-term goals than buying, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, Kotak Bank, Titan, Asian Paints, TCS, Pidilite, Divis Labs, etc., please let me know. My parents, my family and Marcellus 9,000 clients are invested in these stocks through Marcellus portfolios. I have financial discussions once a year with my wife and a separate discussion with my parents (retired couple who also invest in Marcellus equity portfolio). Since we are humans, they are also worried when investments do not fare well. But the discussions are more around what we are trying to achieve over the next 5-10 years, and whether we are in a position to finance the goals. Thankfully they dont question me on why Marcellus sold Relaxo Footwears stock, a question, that half of India wants to ask me (he laughed). Whats your view on real estate? We own the house we live in, but beyond that, I honestly dont think I can make a rational case for owning residential real estate in India. Rental yields in cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore are just 2-3%. While the cost of a home loan is 7-8%. Therefore, it makes no mathematical sense. Unless there is some rampant depreciation in real estate prices, it makes no sense to own residential real estate as an asset class. Commercial real estate is a better asset class than residential, but again, it comes with illiquidity, and the ticket size for prime commercial real estate, especially in Mumbai, is so big that its beyond what my wife and I could afford. What has driven you to buy a house in the first place? For the first 10 years of marriage, we didnt buy a house. As my family grew, after my childrena son and a daughterwere born, we realized living in tiny flats and shifting every 2-3 years is not viable. Thats when we decided to buy a flat 15 years ago. Could you walk us through your home-buying journey? In 2008, my family and I relocated to India. However, we found that the prices of real estate were considerably high during the middle of 2008. I did the usual analysis, comparing the rental yield to borrowing costs. The cost of borrowing was around 10%, whereas rental yield was just 2%. Around the same time, the Lehman Brothers crisis occurred. Interestingly,it was because of my anticipation of this event that I sold my company in the UK in the first place. Fortunately for us, the crisis led to a significant decline in residential real estate prices in the suburbs of Bombay where we lived at a rented accommodation back then. That is when we bought our first home in Powai, using the sale proceeds of my company, and a small home loan from HDFC Ltd. In the next four years, the value of that property doubled, but over the last 10 years, the value of the apartment has appreciated by 0%. Thankfully, we managed to pay off the mortgage on our home a long time ago, which relieved us of that financial burden. Do you prefer to first repay a loan before deciding to invest? In the first five years after buying the home, the priority was to pay the mortgage as soon as I could. Im talking about the period when the cost of home loans was 9-10%. If we had invested in the Nifty, we would have generated 13%. If you knock off the capital gains tax from it, there would not be much difference compared to the cost of the loan. Once we paid the mortgage, our cash flows were freed up. 2013-14 was when my journey as a coffee can investor, using Robert Kirbys Can principle started. Are you planning for your retirement corpus? My wife and I had planned how to finance our retirement from age 60 to 85 (now 47), which could cost about 50 lakh per annum. The math based on discounted cash flows suggests that we must have a retirement corpus of at least 20 crore. So, once the kids are done with their university education in the next six years, we will target building our nest egg. Meanwhile, the investments in NPS and our investments in overseas equities are also accumulating nicely and hopefully that will contribute materially towards the 20 crore corpus. I believe its a privilege to live, and work in this country, so I would love to retire here. In a distressing incident nearly 80 schoolgirls were hospitalised after a suspected poisoning attack, according to an education official in Afghanistan, Fox News said. The incidents occurred over the weekend in the province of Sar-e-Pul, located in the northern region. Mohammad Rahmani, the director of the provincial department of education, revealed that the poisoning occurred among female pupils in grades 1 through 6 in the Sangcharak district. Specifically, 60 students from Naswan-e-Kabod Aab School and 17 from Naswan-e-Faizabad School were affected by the attack, Fox News reported. He said, "Both primary schools are near to each other and were targeted one after the other." He , added, "we shifted the students to the hospital and now they are all fine." While the investigation is still ongoing, initial inquiries have revealed that an individual harbouring resentment allegedly paid a third party to carry out the attacks. However, Rahmani did not provide further details regarding the nature of the poisoning or the specific injuries sustained by the girls, according to Fox News. This incident marks a disturbing development since the Taliban assumed control in August 2021, tightening their grip on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls. Under the Taliban regime, girls are prohibited from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade, including access to higher education. Additionally, women face restrictions in employment opportunities and public spaces. This attack serves as a somber reminder of similar incidents in neighboring Iran, where school-age girls have been targeted in a series of poisonings since November. Thousands of students have reported falling ill due to noxious fumes in these incidents. However, there has been no disclosure regarding the culprits behind these attacks or the specific chemicals employed. (With inputs from ANI) New Delhi: Chief of army staff general Manoj Pande is set to visit Bangladesh from 5-6 June with the aim of bolstering defence cooperation between India and Bangladesh. He will engage in meetings with senior military officials to explore avenues for further enhancing bilateral defence relations, according to the defence ministry. Pande will also review the passing out parade of officer cadets of the 84th Long Course at the Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA), Chattogram. He will interact with the chief of army staff of Bangladesh Army and the principal staff officer of armed forces Division. He will also receive briefings from senior military officers of Bangladesh on various bilateral cooperation issues. Frequent visits by senior military leaders and bilateral cooperation events such as joint military exercises contribute to enhancing military-to-military relations between both nations," the ministry added. A Varanasi court on Monday convicted gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari in the Congress leader Awadhesh Rai murder case . Rai was shot dead on August 3, 1991, at the gate of his Lahurabir residence. A case in the matter was registered against Mukhtar Ansari and others. Speaking to media persons in Varanasi, a lawyer said, Mukhtar has been convicted in the Awadhesh Rai murder case of 1991. The court will pronounce its judgment later in the day." Congress leader Ajay Rai, Awadhesh Rai's brother reacted to the development and said that this is the end of their many years of waiting in the case, according to a report published by PTI. "I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter and the whole family kept patience... Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself. But we did not give up. Because of our lawyers' efforts, today the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother," he added. Earlier, the Special Court concluded the hearing after arguments on May 19, reserved its order, and fixed June 5 as the date to deliver it In this case, Ajay Rai had named Mukhtar Ansari, Bhim Singh and former MLA Abdul Kalim, in the FIR, ANI reported. On May 17, a Ghazipur MP/MLA Court acquitted Mukhtar Ansari accused in a case of conspiracy of a murder attempt in Uttar Pradesh's Mohammadabad area in the district. In 2009, Mir Hasan filed a case of attempt to murder against Mukhtar Ansari under 120B. A case under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against Ansari at Mohammadabad police station in Ghazipur. In April this year, the same court had sentenced the gangster-politician and his brother and BSP MP Afzal Ansari to imprisonment for 10 years and four years, respectively in a 2007 Gangsters Act case. Mukhtar had been an MLA for five consecutive terms from the Mau Sadar assembly seat. The gangster-politician did not contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and his seat was won by his son Abbas Ansari from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). (With inputs from agencies) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing the Indian diaspora in US hit out at the Centre over the horrific triple train accident in Odisha, claiming that the only ideology that it espouses is to make excuses not accept the reality. The collision and derailment, involving two passenger trains and a goods train, claimed the lives of 275 passengers and left about 1,000 injured. While speaking in New York as part of his ongoing visit to the US, Rahul claimed that the BJP was in the habit of not owning up to his mistakes and shift the blame, instead, to the Congress when questioned. He said, You ask them (BJP) anything, they will look back and pass the blame. Ask them how the Odisha train accident happened. They will talk about what the Congress did 50 years ago." #WATCH | ..." You ask them (BJP) anything, they will look back and pass the blame..ask them how the #TrainAccident (Odisha) happened, they will talk about what Congress did 50 years ago...": Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New York pic.twitter.com/f6nu6BVK5c ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023 He further gave an example stating that when a similar train tragedy occurred during Congress rule, the then minister in charge of the Railways had owned moral responsibility and resigned. "I remember a train accident when the Congress party was in power. The Congress did not say that the train crashed because of the fault of the British. The Congress minister (in charge of the Railways ministry at the time) said, 'It's my responsibility and I'm resigning'. So, this is the problem we have back home, we make excuses and do not accept the reality," the Congress leader said. The triple train accident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and the goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district of Odisha. Earlier on 4 June, Gandhi attacked the Centre stating that till now "no accountability' even after 270 deaths. The senior leader took to Twitter and wrote,"No accountability even after 270+ deaths! The Modi government cannot run away from taking responsibility for such a painful accident. The Prime Minister should immediately seek the resignation of the Railway Minister!" when loosely translated from Hindi. Congress who held the press conference, questioned the government on railway management. Congress media department head Pawan Khera said that Railway Minister should take responsibility over the triple train tragedy. While addressing the press conference, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil and Khera alleged that the Odisha rail tragedy was a "man-made devastation caused by "utter negligence, serious lapses in the system, incompetence, and a narcissistic sense of know-it-all attitude of the Modi government". Prime Minister Modi, who has announced that the guilty would be punished, must first start with his Railway Minister, Khera said. Moreover, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attacked the Central government and asked why the rail minister didnt say anything when she mentioned the anti-collision device. Dal mein kuch kala hai," Mamata Banerjee said. She also questioned the official death toll numbers and alleged that those who run the BJP-led Central government can change history and change any number." Prior to that, Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh, too, demanded the resignation of the Railways minister in the wake of the triple train tragedy in Odisha. Expressing grief over the horrific incident on Friday evening, Singh told reporters, "How could such an incident have happened after the Railway minister said repeatedly that the system is fool-proof and no severe accident could ever happen. He (Ashwini Vaishnaw) is an ex-IAS officer of the Odisha cadre where this tragedy took place. There is a precedent of Lal Bahadur Shastri resigning as the Railways minister in the wake of a similar accident. " "We don't expect this from PM Modi's cabinet. If he (Ashwini Vaishnaw) has any shame, he should step down immediately," the veteran Congress leader said. On Saturday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, too, hit out at Railways minister saying that "he should tender his resignation" taking moral responsibility for the loss of lives in the Balasore accident. "The entire country is saddened by the incident. Do they have any morality or not? The BJP, which makes such tall claims on morality, should ask the minister to resign," the Congress leader said. Without taking names, the Chhattisgarh CM said, "The BJP, which speaks so often about responsibility, should ask its minister to tender his resignation after this horrific train accident. The Railway minister had said a system had been introduced whereby if a train strays into a wrong track, it is stopped automatically at a distance of 400 metres from the other train. So, why couldn't this system prevent this accident in his state? Since our Railways minister is from Odisha, the onus is on him to take responsibiity for such a major incident and tender his resignation. However, it remains to be seen whether he will do so," Baghel said. Hitting back at Opposition leaders amid the demand for the Railway minister's sacking in the wake of the Balasore accident, the BJP said this wasn't the time to play politics over the loss of lives. (With inputs from agencies) Preliminary investigations into the horrific three-train crash in Odisha point to a signalling error and an interference with the electronic interlocking system. Mint explains how the signalling network works and when it can malfunction. How does railway signalling work? It has two main parts: one dealing with the movement of trains between stations and another within a station. Movement of trains between two stations is governed by block rulesthe track is divided into blocks electronically, with signalling at both ends of the block. Within stations, movement is regulated by interlocking that ensures trains arent set on collision course with the right signalling and alignment of pointsthe place where a train change tracks. If a part of the track or the loop line is already occupied by a train, the interlocking system ensures the signal for the approaching train is not cleared. What can go wrong with the system? The signalling system in India is automatic. There is little manual intervention now. Though automatic signalling is being used across the railway network, the systems vary at different places. Indian Railways is moving to a uniform signalling system called electronic interlocking (EI) a network of signals and switcheswhich would control the movement of trains. But problems could arise due to external interference (like sabotage), system lapses and software glitches. Also, electrical signalling derives its power using underground cables. Faults there could alter EI functioning. Is signalling mostly at fault in train collisions? As per a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General last year, out of 2,017 train accidents between 2017-18 and 2020-21, 1,392 or 69% were due to derailment. And an analysis of 1,129 inquiry reports of derailments revealed 24 factors, including incorrect setting of points at stations, and system and technological deficiencies in signalling systems. So, what went wrong in Odisha? The train accident is still being investigated and the Railway Board is seeking a CBI enquiry. But preliminary investigation points to a signal failure. Coromandel Express, entering Bahagana station, was green signalled to enter the main line but this was taken off, so the train entered a loop line where an iron ore-laden goods train was parked. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has blamed a change in electronic interlocking, pointing toward human intervention and sabotage. How can train travel be made safer? In 2022-23, 530 km of tracks were upgraded with automatic signaling as compared to 218 km in 2021-22, an increase of 143.12%. These are the best figures for automatic signalling in the history of Indian Railways. A large number of digitally interlocked stations have been created. The Research Designs & Standards Organisation, along with manufacturers, has developed an automatic protection system named KAVACH. This activates the brakes if the pilot fails to control the train as per signal or speed restrictions. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pressed criticism of the countrys leadership in a speech and called out Indians in the US and back home to stand up for democracy and the Indian constitution. Gandhi sharply criticised PM Modi of dividing the country and failing to focus on important issues such as unemployment and education. While addressing crowd of about 700 at the Indian Overseas Congress USA event at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan , he said, To be nasty to people, to be arrogant, to be violent, these are not Indian values." Gandhi is on a three-city tour of the United States, including speaking engagements at Stanford University in California and the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Modern India cannot exist without our constitution and our democracy," he said Sunday. He also urged a stronger partnership between India and the US to offset China's influence. One of the things we have to think about is the bridge between India and the United States," he said. How do we compete with the challenge the Chinese have placed on the table," he asked, specifically citing issues of mobility and the world's energy supply. During his address, Gandhi also argued that PM Modi, BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future and can only talk about the past. He said, He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is trying to drive the car...the Indian car and he looks in the rear-view mirror. Then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS. All of them. You listen to the ministers, you listen to the prime minister. You will never find them talking about the future. They only talk about the past," Meanwhile, US congressional leaders have invited Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress later this month. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other leaders announced the address as an opportunity to share your vision for Indias future and speak to the global challenges our countries both face." The Congress Party defeated the BJP in recent state elections in the Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka states, wins that came after a series of state elections defeats after Modi became Indias prime minister in 2014. Gandhi now holds no official position in his party. He gave up the post of party president after his severe defeats by Modis Hindu nationalist party in 2019 national elections, though his supporters hope the more recent results will impact the countrys 2024 national elections, which are likely to be held before May. Gandhi suffered a serious setback in March when a court convicted him in a criminal defamation case for mocking Modis surname, a decision that led to him being expelled from parliament. He could lose his eligibility to run for a parliamentary seat for the next eight years if an appeals court doesnt overturn his conviction. The conviction came in connection with a speech he gave in 2019. Gandhi is travelling on a short-validity ordinary passport, following a no-objection certificate (NOC) from a Delhi court. The former Congress president had surrendered his diplomatic passport after his disqualification as a Member of Parliament in March following his conviction and two-year sentence by a Gujarat court in a defamation case over his Modi surname remark. The sentence has been suspended, pending appeal. The court on Friday granted the NOC to Gandhi for the issuance of an 'ordinary passport' for three years instead of 10. (With inputs from agencies) Monsoon tracker: The monsoon missed its onset date in Kerala on Sunday with the India Meteorological Department anticipating a further delay of three to four days. The southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days. Earlier in May, IMD had said monsoon might arrive in Kerala by June 4. In a latest statement, the IMD said, Conditions (are) becoming favourable with the increase in westerly winds over the south Arabian Sea. Also, the depth of westerly winds is gradually increasing and today, June 4, the depth of westerlies has reached up to 2.1 kilometres above the mean sea level. The cloud mass over the southeast Arabian sea is also increasing. We expect that these favourable conditions for monsoon onset over Kerala will further improve during the next three-four days." Speaking of today's predictions, IMD has predicted generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle in Delhi for Monday with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to settle around 35 and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively. On Sunday too, some parts of the national capital witnessed light rains. Light rainfall over western Himalayan region during next four to five days IMD predicted light rainfall over the western Himalayan region during the next four to five days. According to the weather department, due to a Western disturbance over Iran, light rainfall activity is expected over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi NCR for the next two days. Dr Naresh Kumar, Senior scientist, IMD-Delhi said, Light rainfall activity is expected over the western Himalayan region over the next 4-5 days due to a Western disturbance over Iran. Very light rainfall is expected over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP and Delhi NCR in the next two days. After this temperature is expected to rise." Rainfall predictions in other states -As per IMD, light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds very likely over Kerala, Lakshadweep, South Interior Karnataka and isolated to scattered activity over Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh during next 5 days. -The weather office has also predicted heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands on 4th and 5th June. Heatwave predicted in these states -IMD has also predited heat wave conditions likely to continue over Bihar, northeast Jharkhand and West Bengal and Sikkim during till 8 June. -Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions very likely to continue in some pockets over Bihar during 4-8 June. -As per IMD, heat wave conditions is very likely to continue in isolated pockets over West Bengal & Sikkim and Northeast Jharkhand during 4-8 June; over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on 4 and 5 June; over Telangana during 4-6 June; over Vidarbha during 6-8 June and over East Uttar Pradesh 7 and 8 June. Every year on June 5, the United Kingdom comes together to celebrate Thank You Daya special holiday dedicated to expressing gratitude to the unsung heroes who have made a positive impact in local communities. First observed in 2021, Thank You Day was established as a way to appreciate the selfless contributions of individuals during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic . Thank You Day has been recognized by the UK government and several notable individuals such as Lorraine Kelly and Gary Lineker. The holiday recognizes and honours the National Health Service (NHS) staff, as well as volunteers, council workers, social workers, charities, refuse collectors, and faith leaders who played a vital role in supporting and improving the lives of people in their communities during the pandemic. Many of these unsung heroes went above and beyond their regular duties, with faith leaders even offering their places of worship as vaccination centres. Origin of Thank You Day Thank You Day was initiated by the Together Coalition, a small non-profit organization committed to fostering unity and togetherness. The grassroots campaign aimed not only to show appreciation but also to strengthen community spirit after months of lockdown and isolation. The movement was driven by influential figures such as May Parson, the nurse who administered the first COVID-19 vaccine in the UK, and Debbie Matthew, a stroke survivor. The campaign quickly gained support from the government, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson himself pledging to host a "thank you party" barbecue for NHS workers and representatives from the Royal Voluntary Service. Several notable individuals, including renowned TV personalities Lorraine Kelly and Gary Lineker, as well Michael Sheen, Dame Judi Dench, Raheem Sterling, and Tom Kitchin, expressed their commitment to participating in Thank You Day events. How it is celebrated? On Thank You Day, local communities come together to celebrate in various ways, such as organizing tartan tea parties, picnics, and barbecues. Former UK Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, Rt. Hon. Robert Jenrick, summed up the spirit of Thank You Day by stating, "You are all our community heroes, and on behalf of the UK government, I want to say thank you." Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has accused the powerful army and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of openly trying to destroy his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The former prime minister said he had no doubt" that he would be tried in a military court and thrown in jail. The former prime minister said New Delhi once used to tell the world that there is no democracy in Pakistan and no leader to talk, and now the country is again back in that era. Khan said the country is under dictatorship amid an ongoing crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after May 9 riots. In an interview to Reuters Khan said, It is completely the establishment" who was behind the crackdown. Establishment obviously means the military establishment, because they are really now openly I mean, its not even hidden now theyre just out in the open." Khan termed the violent protests, which erupted after he was briefly arrested, a false flag operation" meant to target him. The former prime minister said ISI, Pakistans most powerful spy agency, was deeply involved in the crackdown. Khan said two senior members of his party were called by the ISI for talks. And when they went there, just they shut them up and said You (wont) leave unless you renounce being part of PTI." The military court, which is usually reserved for service members or the enemies of the state, has begun the process of trying dozens of people, including members of his party, for involvement in the protests. Thats the only way they are going to get me into prison," Khan said, adding that the military wanted to stop him from returning to power in elections due by November. The former prime minister said about 150 criminal cases filed against him were frivolous and would get thrown out in any civilian court. So their only hope, and because they are determined to get me out of the way, I think they will, their whole charade of military courts is to imprison me," Khan said. I have absolutely no doubt that the military courts are meant for me," said Khan, who is out on bail. Europe offers pristine coastlines with beautiful beaches that can be enjoyed from May to September, and some even in April and October. Now, planning a trip to Europe at this last minute might be challenging amid Schengen visa delays, but there is still time to apply. Recent data on Schengen visas issued in 2022, show that the ten countries with the lowest rejection rate in the same year are as follows, for highest to lowest: Check the full list here: Italy 12.7 per cent Greece 12.5 per cent Switzerland 12 per cent Poland 11.6 per cent Luxembourg 10.5 per cent Finland 9.7 per cent Slovakia 9.7 per cent Latvia 9.5 per cent Lithuania 7.8 per cent Iceland only 1.9 per cent Meanwhile, the countries with the highest rejection rates, on the other hand, are Malta, Sweden, Belgium and France. While Malta tops the table with a rejection rate of 36.4 per cent, the second is listed Sweden, with 29 per cent of applications rejected, Belgium third with 28.4 applications rejected, followed by France, with 22.2 per cent, as per the data available Schengen visa news. Rejection rate aside, France is the Schengen country with the highest number of rejected visas, as the French authorities abroad turned down a total of 408,876 applications last year, out of the almost two million applications. A Schengen visa enables one to enter over 30 European countries. However, it is important to note that "visa shopping," where one applies for a visa from one country with the intention of visiting another, is strongly discouraged and condemned by the Schengen countries. It is advisable to plan your trip to a specific Schengen country and apply for the visa accordingly to ensure a smooth and ethical travel experience. US F-16 fighter jets on Sunday scrambled to reach an unresponsive aircraft that crashed in Virginia, said officials, adding that it created a sonic boom across the Washington, DC region. However, a US official clarified that the fighter jets did not shoot the aircraft, according to a report published by CNN. In an official statement, the Continental US North American Aerospace Defense Command Region informed that the pilot of the civilian aircraft was unresponsive when the F-16 fighter jets tried to make contact. The report also stated that the fighter jets were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds when someone is flying unsafely. Later, it resulted in a sonic boom sound in the Washington DC area as the aircraft crashed. NORAD jets intercepted the civilian aircraft, a Cessna 560 Citation V in which four people were onboard, around 3.20 pm, which ultimately crashed near the George Washington National Forest, CNN reported. Taking to Twitter, DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management said, We are aware of reports from communities throughout the National Capital Region of a loud boom this afternoon. There is no threat at this time." 6/4 (3:32PM): We are aware of reports from communities throughout the National Capital Region of a loud boom this afternoon. There is no threat at this time. DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management (@DC_HSEMA) June 4, 2023 According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the civilian aircraft which crashed in Virginia took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and was bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York, as per CNN reports. Police informed that the US Capitol Complex was placed on elevated alert when the aircraft was flying here, and until it left the area. He added that the cops are working closely with FAA partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying the aircraft unsafely. The National Transportation Safety Board said that it was investigating the civilian aircraft crash. A White House official also said that US President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident. Its encouraging to see the positive notes struck by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepal counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda. The two countries have seen ties strain in recent years, but the visible cordiality between the two leaders suggests a definitive thaw in the proverbial ice. Modi promised to take bilateral relations to the height of the Himalayas", while Prachanda had earlier said that he will go back and tell the people of Nepal that a new history is in the making". Several agreements have been signed, including on energy, trade and connectivity. Among the key decisions are for India to allow Nepal to supply power to Bangladesh through its territory and Indias commitment to purchase 10,000 megawatts of power from Nepal over 10 years. All this should help give ties an impetus and build a more amicable atmosphere for resolving harder issues, primarily border disputes. Border claims are often tricky to settle and can require long discussions. So, it is good that ties on other fronts arent being held back pending their resolution. Good relations with Kathmandu are in keeping with Modis neighbourhood first" policy, but, as importantly, they are needed due to the growing strategic importance of Nepal as China tries to strengthen relations with Kathmandu. Beijing has been making investments in Nepal under its Belt and Road Initiative and could use its money, like it has done elsewhere through its debt-trap policies, to tighten its grip on its polity. If it succeeds, it will pose challenges for India. A more assertive external policy of India, in general, under the current regime has caused some smaller neighbours to feel uneasy on occasion, Nepal being one. Ties were strained severely in 2015 when the economic blockade Nepal faced amid protestswhich it blamed on Indiaby Madhesis against its adoption of a new Constitution hurt Indias goodwill in Nepal. Relations then hit a new low after Olis government released a political map that showed Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh of Uttarakhand as part of its territory, eliciting a sharp response from New Delhi. Olis China leanings are known all too well. For that matter, Prachanda, a former Maoist leader, too, had once gone to the extent of threatening India, although priorities have evidently changed now that he must run the government. Prachanda knows Kathmandu is squeezed between two powers and will probably try to extract the most from both. Before visiting New Delhi, he has already made a trip to Beijing, his first since assuming office in December. So, New Delhi will have to move cautiously. Beijing has been making an effort to deepen engagement with Indias neighbours. Like in Sri Lanka, where its spy ship recently anchored much too close for New Delhis comfort, Beijing could attempt to use Nepal as part of a broader strategy to pressure India from all sides. Interestingly, US grants for Nepal have brought a geopolitical twist, with America, too, wanting to wield influence on the Himalayan nation to counter China. All this makes Nepal an important geopolitical player. Being in Indias immediate vicinity and its area of influence, New Delhi cant afford to take ties lightly. Relations, however, are best served by keeping them mutually respectful and settling border issues through calm discussions and no rhetoric. This would weaken the big brother perception in Nepal of India and pave the way for greater engagement. Members of Divaz dance group join participants in the Juneteenth Music Festival and parade on June 17, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. Organizers say that this is one of Denver's longest-running parades, dating back to the 1950s. Juneteenth is a federally-recognized holiday in the U.S. that celebrated on June 19. It commemorates the day in 1865 when the Emancipation Proclamation the federal order ending slavery in the United States was read to enslaved African Americans in Texas. In 2023, Juneteenth falls on a Monday. On June 19, 1865, Union troops led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Texas, where he announced the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery nationwide. The war had ended just two months earlier, when Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865; and it had been two years and nearly six months since the proclamation ending slavery was signed by President Abraham Lincoln , on Jan. 1, 1863. However, Confederate states that were still in open rebellion against the federal government in 1863 didn't recognize President Lincoln's authority, and many slaveholders didn't comply with the order until Union troops arrived to enforce it, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). After learning they were free, formerly enslaved African Americans in Texas adopted June 19, nicknamed Juneteenth, as a day to celebrate freedom. In the following decades, the holiday also known as Emancipation Day and Black Independence Day was embraced by African American people across the country, the NMAAHC says. In June 15, 2021, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill making Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday, with the House of Representatives following suit on June 16. The bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021. According to NPR, "The recognition of Juneteenth as a legal holiday comes amid a broader national reckoning on race and the racism that helped shape America." Related: 4 myths about the history of American slavery Meaning of Juneteenth On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Granger read from Lincoln's General Order Number Three to people in Galveston, Texas, one of the busiest port cities in the U.S. at the time. The document declared that "the people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them became that between employer and free laborer," according to the Obama White House Archives . Many Texan slaveholders and enslaved people likely already knew about Lincoln's order when it became a law two years earlier, but without Union troops to enforce it, slave ownership in Texas "was business as usual" into 1865, said Michael Hurd, director of the Texas Institute for the Preservation of History and Culture at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. During that two-year window, "Texas was considered a safe haven to practice slavery," and slaves who were brought to Texas from other states helped to spread the word among enslaved African Americans about emancipation elsewhere in the failing Confederacy, Hurd told Live Science. "I think a lot of people, Black and white, knew about the emancipation," Hurd said. "But the people in power slave owners made no effort to free their slaves until they absolutely had to, when the Union troops came through." In the 1863 painting "Watch MeetingDec. 31st 1862Waiting for the Hour" by the American artist William Tolman Carlton, enslaved people wait for the clock to strike midnight on Jan. 1, 1863, when President Lincoln would sign the Emancipation Proclamation into law. (Image credit: The White House) History of Juneteenth The first Juneteenth celebrations took place in 1866 throughout East Texas from Texarkana in the northeast down to Houston because that's where the majority of the state's African Americans settled after emancipation, Hurd said. Churches often hosted Juneteenth celebrations, and as African Americans became landowners, they donated and dedicated land for Juneteenth festivities, according to Juneteenth.com , a web portal for Juneteenth information and history. Some formerly enslaved people who left Texas for Mexico after the Civil War brought the holiday with them, where it is still observed today, said Kelly Navies, a Museum Specialist in Oral History for the NMAAHC. "You will find it celebrated on June 19th in some parts of northern Mexico, as el Dia de los Negros," Navies told Live Science. African Americans observed Juneteenth with feasting, music, pageants and parades, with many dressing in fine clothes a luxury denied when they were enslaved. But the holiday was also an opportunity to hold political rallies so that newly freed African Americans could learn about voting rights, according to the Texas State Historical Association . A celebration of Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, in Texas on June 19, 1900. (Image credit: Mrs. Charles Stephenson (Grace Murray), The Portal to Texas History Austin History Center, Austin Public Library) A newspaper article from Austin, Texas, in 1869 described that year's Juneteenth celebration, mentioning a procession led by a parade marshal through local barbecue grounds, said Daina Ramey Berry, a Radkey Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin. "They had drummers; a flag bearer; they were holding the Stars and Stripes. Many of the men on horses were decorated with bright-colored ribbons," Berry told Live Science. Many of the first Juneteenth celebrations were also oral history events during which speakers would talk about life under slavery, Berry explained. "In the early festivals in the 1860s and 1870s, when you had formerly enslaved people still alive, those elders would speak at these ceremonies and educate the young generations," she said. "It's like a public oral history lesson, where the community is learning about a difficult part of our history, but it is a part of our history that needs to be acknowledged." And unlike the Fourth of July, America's national celebration of independence from British rule, Juneteenth commemorates freedom for all in America, Berry said. Frederick Douglass , the renowned African American writer and orator, delivered a keynote address at an Independence Day celebration in 1852, now known as " What to the Slave, Is the Fourth of July?" (it was formerly titled "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro"). In it, Douglass called out the hypocrisy of declaring a holiday devoted to freedom, in a land where approximately 4 million African Americans were not free. From the perspective of enslaved people, "your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless," Douglass wrote. For African Americans who embraced Juneteenth, the holiday "represents the Independence Day that they want to honor and celebrate," said Berry. Emancipation Day celebration in Richmond, Virginia in 1905. (Image credit: Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries Digital Collection) Spread of Juneteenth During the 1920s and the decades that followed, millions of African Americans left the South and moved to cities in northern and western states, in what is known as the Great Migration and the celebration of Juneteenth traveled with them. "Because of that, you started to see those celebrations grow in communities around the country," Hurd said. Interest in Juneteenth surged again in the 1950s and 1960s, spurred by the activism of the Civil Rights movement. In 1979, the state of Texas passed a bill declaring June 19, "Emancipation Day in Texas," making it a legal state holiday starting in 1980, according to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. On June 15, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed another resolution meant to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. The House of Representatives followed suit on June 16, 2021, and on June 17 President Biden signed the legislation that officially declared Juneteenth a federal holiday, reported the New York Times. Gaining federal recognition for Juneteenth "would mean that we're starting to come to terms with some of the important lessons of that time period of slavery and reconstruction that we've had a hard time as a nation confronting," Navies said in an earlier interview. "Juneteenth forces you to look at what the meaning of enslavement was, and what the meaning of being free means to African Americans today, and to 4 million African Americans at that time," she said. "It's a day where you're not just celebrating you're reflecting on what's happened since the year 1865." However, some saw the move to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday as a hollow action. Nneka D. Dennie, assistant professor of history at Washington and Lee University, was one such critic. In an article for Slate, she pointed out that other holidays, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, were once rooted in Black history but have become disconnected from that past. "Given the ways that Dr. Kings lifework and MLK Day have been distorted," Dennie wrote, "it seems valid to fear that making Juneteenth a federal holiday has the potential to diminish its significance, instead of generating further inquiry into the history of American slavery and emancipation." Additional resources This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Living in New York City, working full time and without a car, Jessica Ray and her husband have come to rely on deliveries of food and just about everything else for their home. It has meant more free time on weekends with their young son, rather than standing in line for toilet paper or dragging heavy bags of dog food back to their apartment. I dont even know where to buy dog food, said Jessica Ray of the specialty food she buys for the familys aging dog. There are millions of families like the Rays who have swapped store visits for doorstep deliveries in recent years, meaning that contentious labor negotiations now underway at UPS could become vastly more disruptive than the last time it happened in 1997, when a scrappy upstart called Amazon.com became a public company. UPS delivers millions more packages every day than it did just five years ago and its 350,000 unionized workers, represented by the Teamsters, still seethe about a contract they feel was forced on them in 2018. In an environment of energized labor movements and lingering resentment among UPS workers, the Teamsters are expected to dig in, with the potential to cow a major logistical force in the U.S. The 24 million packages UPS ships on an average day amounts to about a quarter of all U.S. parcel volume, according to the global shipping and logistics firm Pitney Bowes, or as UPS puts it, the equivalent of about 6% of nations gross domestic product. Higher prices and long wait times are all but certain if there is an impasse. Somethings got to give, said Thomas Goldsby, logistics chairman in the Supply Chain Management Department at the University of Tennessee. The python cant swallow the alligator, and thats going to be felt by all of us. In other words, brace yourself for Supply Chain Breakdown: The Sequel. In the second half of 2021, the phrase global supply chain began to enter casual conversations as the world emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses struggled to get what they needed, raising prices and wait times. Automakers held vehicles just off the assembly line because they didn't have all the parts. Some of those problems still linger and a strike at UPS threatens to extend the suffering. Those who have come to rely on doorstep deliveries for the basic may have to rethink weekly schedules. We finally reached a point where we finally feel pretty good about it, Ray said. We can take a Saturday afternoon and do a fun family activity and not feel the burden of making everything work for the day-to-day functioning of our household. UPS workers feel they have played a part in the transformation of how Americans shop since the last contract was ratified in 2018, while helping to make UPS a much more valuable company. Annual profits at UPS in the past two years are close to three times what they were before the pandemic. The Atlanta company returned about $8.6 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and stock buybacks in 2022, and forecasts another $8.4 billion for shareholders this year. The Teamsters say frontline UPS workers deserve some of that windfall. Our members worked really hard over the pandemic, said Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz. They need to see their fair share. Union members rejected the contract they were offered in 2018, but it was pushed through by union leadership based on a technicality. The acrimony over the current contract was so fierce that last year workers rejected a candidate to lead the Teamsters favored by longtime union head James Hoffa, instead choosing the more combative Sean OBrien. OBrien went on a nationwide tour of local Teamsters shops preparing frontline workers ahead of negotiations. In addition to addressing part-time pay, and what workers say is excessive overtime, the union wants to eliminate a contract provision that created two separate hierarchies of workers with different pay scales, hours and benefits. Driver safety, particularly the lack of air conditioning in delivery trucks, is also in the mix. A win at UPS could have implications for the organized labor outside the company. Teamsters are attempting to organize Amazon workers and dozens of company delivery drivers and dispatchers in California joined the union last month. There are also prominent labor organization campaigns at Apple, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Apple, even strippers at a dance club in Los Angeles. This has just huge implications for the entire labor movement in the United States, said John Logan, the director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, referring to labor talks at UPS. Theres greater assertiveness and militancy on the part of a lot of young labor activists and some sectors of the labor establishment. Sean OBrien is representative of that. When dozens of UPS locals met with Teamsters leadership early this year, OBrien delivered a message of urgency. Were going into these negotiations with a clear message to UPS that were not going past August 1, OBrien told the gathering. It would be the first work stoppage since a walkout by 185,000 workers crippled the company a quarter century ago. UPS CEO Carol Tome has remained optimistic publicly, telling investors recently that the company and the Teamsters were not far apart on major issues. While we expect to hear a great deal of noise during the negotiation, I remain confident that a win-win-win contract is very achievable and that UPS and the Teamsters will reach agreement by the end of July, Tome said. If Tome is wrong, Americans may need to put aside more time to shop like they used to do. It has the potential to be significantly impactful, Ray said. My husband and I have invested a lot in figuring out how to remove the burden of just making sure we always have toilet paper. The Laredo Diploma Plus Foundation celebrated its Awards and Presentation of Final Scholarships 2022-23 on Friday for 124 high school students at UT Education & Research Center at Laredo. Executive Director of Communities in School Gloria Rendon was the guest speaker. The senior, junior and sophomore high school students who were awarded during the ceremony received $800, $600 and $500, respectively. The awarded students are from LISD -- Cigarroa, Garcia Early College, Martin and Nixon High Schools -- UISD -- Alexander, LBJ, United and United South High Schools -- and Triumph Public High School, both North and South locations. Adriana B. Nunemaker, Executive Director of The University of Texas Education and Research Center at Laredo, congratulated the students and told them about the schools that are housed at the UT Educational & Research Center at Laredo and the programs they offer. The UT Educational & Research Center at Laredo houses the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and University of Texas San Antonio. "We've been working very hard so all of you have different choices," she said. "We are not competing with Laredo College or TAMIU, we're trying to complement what they already offer." Nunemaker explained that the center does not grant degrees but the universities housed there do. "There is a lot of good things happening here, and I welcome all of you to come in and talk to somebody about what is offered here," she said. "I share your happiness as well, because everything that we've done has been hard work and everything that you will do takes hard work, but it's always worth it." Michael Landeck, President of Laredo Diploma Plus Foundation, thanked the donors for their contributions. He said that over the years, Laredo Diploma Plus Foundation has awarded more than $600,000 raising money from organizations and private donors. "We have not held this event for several years and are happy to have the opportunity, with the help of UT, to enable us to return to our tradition of closing the school year through the celebration of this event," he said. "We are also celebrating the conclusion of our 15th year of operation! "We thank all of our donors and partners for your support and for assisting us in implementing our mission." Landeck said that Laredo Diploma Plus Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a unique focus for reducing high school dropout rates in Laredo through financial assistance, primarily to senior students. "We are unique because our scholarships are directed toward students who are at risk while they are still in high school trying to cover the financial difficulties that they face especially in their senior year," he said. He also thanked the support of Communities in School and the school guidance counselors from LISD, UISD and Triumph Public High School. Cecilia Garza, Laredo Diploma Plus Foundation secretary, said this is a very unique organization devoted to award scholarships to high schoolers and not for college. "This year with the support of the Raymond M. & Melba Gutierrez Trust, we piloted a new scholarship for sophomores and juniors but only for two high schools: LBJ High School and R.T. Martin High School," she said. "It's been very successful, and we can't do it without the support cooperation of Communities in School and our donors such as Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation, Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, IBC Foundation and the many loyal individual donors." Garza told the students about the importance of giving back to the community. "I know from your feedback statements that many of you when you grow up and become professionals that you want to give back to your community and you want to give back to your parents who have done so much for you, so keep that in mind because we need next generations to step up and continue improving the level of education in every community," she said. Garza said that everything in life is a lesson and encouraged the students to continue preparing for life. "We are a credential society," she said. "That means that society requires so many credentials from us, and we are helping you to get your high school diploma which is really the entry to any other occupation that you want to pursue. It's a critical credential, so we congratulate you for getting your diploma. I want to wish all of you the best, especially to you and your families for what you've done." Then, Rendon was introduced as the guest speaker in the event. Rendon -- a retired educator -- spoke about the challenges she faced during her life in order to achieve her dreams. "I went to school in the 70s and 80s, in a modest household," she said. "The 70s and 80s were simpler times. People were kinder and music was way better. To be a teenager today, it is not easy. In fact, it is really hard. As a teenager, you all face social media pressures; you had to go through a pandemic when you should have been enjoying the prime years of being a teen; and you're managing other issues that you continue to deal with. But all of us have a story as how we got to where we are." Rendon encouraged the students to never give up in pursuing their dreams. She said that after going through hard personal challenges, she applied for different jobs in the field of education and she was rejected several times. "Sometimes doors will not open up for you, small ones and big ones," she said. "You are going to have challenges like this, but you keep going and you keep moving forward. You may see that doors are closing, but in reality doors are opening. Doors that you may not have known were going to open. "My message for you today is keep moving forward, never give up on yourself. I guarantee that your challenges will turn into blessings. I wish you all the very best." During the event, Gabriel Castillo, Senior Vice President of Marketing for IBC, discused financial literacy. He spoke about the challenges his niece faced until she become a practitioner radiologist and encouraged them to have faith in God, themselves, their family and teachers, because these things all can help people during hard times. Then, Castillo presented the 10 principles of managing change and explained each one of them: Commit fully to your job. Speed Up -- accelerate to succeed. Behave as the owner. Stay in school. Hold yourself accountable for outcomes. Add value. Manage you own morale. Practice Kaizen. Be a fixer not a fingerpointer. Alter your expectations. Castillo also warned the students about how to manage their finances and disucssed credit reports and how a bad score can affect the decision to hire a person or not. "We all want things, maybe a new car, new clothes, but you gotta think, 'Is this really gonna make a difference in my life and in my futute?'" he said. "Do I need to look fabulous tomorrow or do I need a laptop to get through college? You need to prioritize if you want that degree you have to get, that diploma, you have to go to the next level and everything is possible." A man took out a knife during a fight with another male, according to an arrest affidavit. Miguel Hugo Alfaro Jr., 50, was arrested on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Laredo police officers responded to an assault at about 5:24 p.m. May 30 in the 5900 block of Texas 359. Authorities had detained a suspect later identified as Alfaro. Police said that Alfaro had assaulted a co-worker with a knife. According to court documents, Alfaro and a male were having a verbal argument that escalated into a physical altercation. During the altercation, Alfaro pulled out a pocket knife and swung it two times at the male, who had a cut on his left arm. The male stated he did not know if the cut was from the knife but added that it possibly was. Cameras from the location showed Alfaro instigating a fight with the male. The footage also showed Alfaro taking out the knife and swinging it at the male, states the affidavit. Alfaro, however, claimed that the male had instigated the fight. The Webb County Sheriffs Office would take over the case due to the location of the incident. Travelers to the Laredo area will notice some big renovations this summer as they stop by one of the local travel centers to fuel up their vehicles or simply get a snack. The Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers in the Laredo area remodeled their businesses as part of a $1 billion New Horizons Initiative by the Pilot Company. The two travel centers located in the Laredo area are slated to receive travelers this summer with a fully refreshed look and new amenities. Pilot Company also announced with its new renovations they are donating $10,000 to the United Independent School District as part of its commitment to giving back. The New Horizons Initiative is a three-year project to fully remodel more than 400 Pilot, Flying J and One9 travel centers. It marks the companys most significant investment in store modernization to date. In Laredo -- due to the huge inland port that it is and the fact that many travelers from Mexico come through the area -- the business decided to remodel to be ready for such visitors. We are excited to showcase our newly-updated travel center with the Laredo community and the travelers we serve every day, said Allison Cornish, the vice president of store modernization at Pilot Company. We continue to listen to our guests feedback and strive to make their travel experiences easier and more enjoyable. As part of the complete overhaul from curb to counter in both stores, the Pilot located at 1101 Uniroyal Drive and Flying J located at 1011 Beltway Parkway now feature new amenities like remodeled and expanded restrooms and showers to improve the guest experience, new kitchens to serve guests their favorite food items and expanded beverage selections. Three new self-checkouts for each store will also be established for a quicker shopping experience; new breakrooms for a better team member experience; refreshed public laundry facilities; and newly-added delis with grab-and-go options for made-in-house pizza, burgers, homestyle meals, salads, sandwiches, soup and hot and cold snacks. Locals from Los Dos Laredos voiced some excitement about the new features. Agustin Lopez, a truck driver that frequently passes through the area, said the new features should help them find more options in efforts to enjoy some meals and some rest in better conditions, especially for long trips into the country and while they wait for processing at the border. It is always good to have good facilities on both sides of the border, and this is definitely good, Lopez said. I would call ideal what they already had, but by seeing that they upgraded the business, it just goes to show how the company does care about its customer base and also wants to make the area better. Laredo's John Perez said this would be good for a good pit stop prior to hitting the road northbound and also good to just go for a snack or something while in the area. It is good to see that now these centers will have more things to offer for travelers, as it does not just only help us get ready for the road but greets visitors to the Laredo area with something good to offer before they get into the city, Perez said. Many prefer to go to these gas stations or travel centers in the outskirts as there is less traffic, and most people at them are travelers. Pilot Company is a majority-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and is a company with 870 locations serving an average of 1.3 million guests per day and providing over 70,000 fleet customers with solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, services and rewards. Friday was a magical night for many children who are fighting or who have survived cancer. The first-ever Smiles From Heaven Gala in the Land of Oz presented by IBC Bank took place as hundreds of supporters of the organization, local leaders and other stakeholders got together to honor the plight of pediatric patients. The event featured congressional medals, speeches and testimonies, and donations coming in for the worthy cause through a live donation drive and silent auction. We are very pleased with the outcome of our Gala in the Land of Oz presented by IBC Bank, said Ray Sanchez, who is the co-founder and president of Smiles From Heaven. I can happily say it was a big success for being our first ever gala with six months of planning. The night was filled with a silent auction, good food, good drinks and great company. It was a night with so many emotions, from remembering our Bella and all our angels to honoring local warriors. Recognizing the warriors Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) presented the various awards to nine children who are battling cancer but whose prognoses have gotten better or have fully defeated the disease. These nine children included: Layla Isabelle Vitales, Nancy Gizzy Lozano, McKenzie Flores, Daniella Palacios, Joel Hernandez, Andrew Martinez, Matilda Mae Carrell, Yaneli Ortiz and Kiana Rendon. Cuellar also presented Sanchez and his wife, Betsy Sanchez -- the co-founder and vice president of the organization -- with congressional awards as well. It is a story of resilience, a story of bravery, and the parents talk about a journey that no parent should have to do, Cuellar said. The young kids that we have are struggling way too early in their lives, and every day they wake up and they see their child it brings them a big smile to their face. They are not just parents but also caregivers, advocates and superheroes in the eyes of their children, as they also celebrate the childrens courage, love and strength. Nancy M. Lozano, the mother of Gisslee Lozano and a local UISD school teacher, said she was very honored by the recognition for her daughter. I truly felt honored that she was recognized, as honestly it is something bittersweet, Lozano said. While I was doing my speech I remembered everything that we have been through -- from the moment we found out and to all the moments we told her that it would be fine while our world was shattered. It is very frustrating as parents, but to see her get recognized because of her courage and for her will to continue on and her faith is very beautiful. This event was truly a great one to showcase how this organization is helping children with cancer and how to bring more attention to it. It is something very difficult to have to live with, but we have learned to live with it day by day, and thank God for every gift and second opportunity that he has provided us with her. I really think that a pediatric hospital in the area would definitely make the lives of many people like us much easier. An ongoing struggle Sanchez said that due to the lack of a pediatric center for cancer children in the city, the struggle is very real for parents. Even though the organization has helped immensely by providing over 740,000 donated miles of transportation to parents, other factors come into play such as losing vacation days and needing to find caretakers for their other children. Sanchez said this is important, as parents have to spend weeks, if not more, with their children as they undergo surgery, chemotherapy or constantly traveling back and forth into the city putting a burden on their family life. Lozano said it was very difficult for her family to deal with her daughters diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma. She had just turned 11 months, and at the same time the Lozanos were also told that Giselle also suffered from Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, which makes the development of tumors a lifelong struggle for the little girl. It was difficult for the family to find a way to get to a pediatric center to care for her, as he had to go to Mexico to get a diagnosis and then to San Antonio for treatment because there was nothing Laredo could offer them. Meanwhile, the family must get her sonograms every six months, which shows how costly things can get not just for treatment but with travel expenses such as gas, hotels, food, etc. Lozano said traveling is a must for many, and often it has to be done immediately without warning. Sometimes we have to rush all the way, with a good car or not, to a hospital in San Antonio or elsewhere just because they might have a fever, Lozano said. We need to know what it is and whether it is related to the disease, because if the infection reaches their hearts, then most likely it will be too late for them. It is so much waste of time to travel and do this and not spend enough time with our children, as we have to go out to seek that care elsewhere. That is why we are asking for our community, for our government leaders and the city and anyone else who can vote for people who can establish that hospital in the area. Potential breakthrough While questions still remain on when Laredo could have a facility to help with these issues, Sanchez hinted Friday at a potential development. Sanchez said that Cuellar had been sharing with everyone in attendance "some promising news." He added that the congressman had been working with local hospitals to hopefully have a local childrens facility in the near future. Cuellar also said they are working closely with Doctors Hospital, Laredo Medical Center and Gateway Community Health Center, and they are moving on some things and will make an announcement in the near future during his speech at the gala. For parents like Lozano, they do know that something is being worked on to better how they have access to care in the future. I know there are some moves being made to bring a pediatric center to the area or something similar, as they are right now talking about it going on with those involved, Lozano said. It is all thanks to Betsy and Ray who have been our advocates since the beginning. Many times parents would just complain and fight about the lack of care locally, but they have instead focused on helping parents fight together beside their children with cancer and advocated to bring something meaningful to the area. I know that now we have touched the hearts of many. Lozano also said Smiles From Heavens presence is growing in nearby cities by working with hospitals in San Antonio and Corpus Christi. It's even grown internationally, as they have also put forth efforts to help people in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. Smiles From Heaven is truly a blessing to have in our community, Lozano said. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A suspected human smuggler has been arrested for intentionally crashing into a Texas National Guard truck occupied by two soldiers, authorities said. On May 28, Raul Martinez, 18, was served with an arrest warrant charging him with two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A United High School student was arrested for his involvement in an assault inside the boys restroom, according to an arrest affidavit. On May 26, Roberto Portela Jr., 17, was served with an arrest warrant that charged him with assault. The Texas Legislature convened this January facing a big task: fixing the increasingly unstable youth prison system. Proposals on the table ranged from closing the states five remaining youth prisons and instead relying on local systems to rehabilitate children involved in criminal behavior to spending hundreds of millions of dollars to build additional state lockups for juveniles. Ultimately, lawmakers opted for the latter, passing a budget with $200 million set aside to build two or three additional state-run prisons to hold at least 200 more youth. Currently, fewer than 600 juveniles are imprisoned in the states prisons. In a crucial bill that authorizes the Texas Juvenile Justice Departments continued existence after what is known as a sunset review, the Legislature also passed a provision requiring the transfer of some teenagers from TJJD into the harsher, more punitive adult prison system. Such transfers have already been increasing at TJJDs discretion as the agency has sought to restore order within its prisons, including that of a 16-year-old who died by suicide shortly after he was sent to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The measures will go into effect in September unless Gov. Greg Abbott vetoes them this month. The decisions are a stark reversal from more than a decade of Texas trending away from imprisoning children. With TJJDs history of scandals, state and county officials have shifted toward keeping more youth whove engaged in criminal behavior under local supervision, where research suggests they have the best outcomes. Since 2007, the state has closed eight prisons and shrunk the imprisoned youth population from about 5,000 to less than 600. The youth still sent to TJJD, however, are often the most difficult to manage because of violent behavior, severe mental health needs or both. Although the sunset bill requires the agency to come up with a plan to find more local resources to keep children closer to home and the budget gives a boost to local juvenile probation departments and diversion programs lawmakers also pushed to build more facilities after the state projected more teenagers will be sent to TJJD in the near future after a pandemic-era slump. Social justice groups have condemned both the plan to build new facilities and the plan to send more youth to adult prisons. The advocates have viewed the recent increase in transfers as a way for the beleaguered agency to throw away the kids with the highest needs. Building more prisons, they fear, will exacerbate the already extreme short-staffing for officers and lead to the same dire situations current prisons have faced. The new facilities are problematic, especially given all the problems that have been documented in the current facilities, said Brett Merfish, youth justice director for Texas Appleseed. They made it easier to send the youth from TJJD to TDCJ, so that also concerns me. Given the depth of problems, I don't think this really addressed them adequately. For years, TJJD, which is under federal investigation, has been entrenched in repeated scandals over sexual and physical abuse, and the agency has consistently struggled to keep officers on the payroll. Last summer, short-staffing hit emergency levels, leaving children locked in cells up to 23 hours a day, using water bottles and lunch trays as toilets. Self-harm behavior skyrocketed among imprisoned youth, nearly half of whom spent some time on suicide watch. [Almost 600 Texas youths are trapped in a juvenile prison system on the brink of collapse] The agency has since scrambled to recruit and retain more officers, largely by implementing an emergency 15% pay raise. By April, agency staffing had risen to nearly 60%, according to state reports. Although its still a dramatically low number, the agency had only 44% of its officer positions filled in August 2022. The new state budget, which gives the agency a significant boost, will continue those increased pay rates for juvenile prison officers. It also sets aside the hefty investment for new facilities in populated areas, which have been touted as a solution to the problems plaguing outdated rural facilities. These facilities are needed, and we are grateful to the Legislature for this funding, said Barbara Kessler, a spokesperson for TJJD. We hope to see these modern facilities designed and sited as quickly as possible. With the Texas Facilities Commission, TJJD must submit its plan for the new units by August 2024. Kessler said in an email Wednesday the agency would begin working with its partners to determine the number and locations of new prisons. The size and scope of the units, however, are still unclear. Lawmakers said the new facilities may be designed to serve specific populations, including those with acute mental health needs, the most aggressive or violent youth, or girls. But while lawmakers have touted the benefits of adding smaller, specialized facilities (I think its going to be a game changer, said state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston), the only requirement put into legislation was for the agency to add a minimum of 200 beds. Proposals from last year suggest about $200 million would cover two 100-bed detention centers, or three facilities with 40 to 56 beds. A House change to limit each facility to a maximum of 48 beds was stripped out in negotiations. Without specifics, advocates worry the new facilities will turn out to be two 100-bed units without specialization. To me thats just perpetuating the problem and not fixing the ones we have, Merfish said. Opponents also worried additional prisons will lead to more children being locked up even if its not what is best for them. The more beds that we have, the more people well find to fill those beds, state Rep. Harold Dutton Jr., D-Houston, said in a March legislative hearing. Outside of the budget, the key changes to TJJD come from the sunset bill. Senate Bill 1727 aims to reshape the agencys board, and it requires the agency to come up with a plan to keep more kids closer to home by expanding funding to local services or using financial incentives to divert children away from the criminal system. The bill would also require the agency to request transfers to TDCJ for many of its teens if they commit new crimes while in TJJD. Such crimes would include all first- or second-degree felonies, as well as the less severe but frequently pursued charge of assaulting a prison officer. [A way to throw kids away: Texas troubled juvenile justice department is sending more children to adult prisons] Senators have said such transfers are needed to restore order within youth prison walls and remove the most violent and disruptive kids. Theyve been sent for help and theyre preventing the other youth from getting help, so were trying to hold them accountable when they injure an officer or another youth, Whitmire said in March when youth justice advocates pushed back on the transfers in a legislative hearing. Kessler said the new requirement codifies and strengthens what is generally existing practice in TJJD, which sent significantly more youth to TCDJ last year than in previous years. She said it is difficult to predict how many more youth will be sent to TDCJ if the law takes effect. It supports our mission that youth assigned to TJJD be working toward better behavior, Kessler said. Youth justice advocates, however, fear the agency will wrongly push more of its most troubled kids off of its plate using the new requirement. They point to youth like Joshua Keith Beasley, the 16-year-old who died by suicide this year in TDCJ. Beasley had a lengthy history of mental illness and suicidal behavior and was first committed to TJJD at age 11 for kicking a school employee while on probation for vandalizing property. He was sent to TDCJ after hitting and spitting on a TJJD employee. When are we going to realize this isnt criminal behavior? Merfish asked. First of all, theyre responding to trauma but [also] if Im grabbed by someone, Im going to have a reaction. If theyre out of control, then youre not doing something right. Kessler said the agency will continue to work with youth to set them up for success within TJJD. The agency will continue to deescalate violent youths committed to its care, through treatment and programming, so they avoid additional offenses and have a chance at reform in the juvenile justice system, she said. Disclosure: Texas Appleseed has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/02/texas-youth-prison-crisis/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. Gov. Greg Abbott indicated Friday that one special session may not be enough to decide how to divvy up $12.3 billion in property tax breaks already appropriated by the Legislature. The governor also confirmed that he will call a future special session to deal with school choice, giving no time frame beyond saying it will take place after we get property tax reform fixed. Recapping the regular legislative session at a Texas Public Policy Foundation event in Austin, Abbott touted a plan that the House approved this week at his request that would lower school district tax rates. If we do that, that will cut your property tax rate for school maintenance and operation by 29%, Abbott said. He made no mention of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who repeatedly criticized the Abbott-endorsed House plan at a Tuesday event hosted by the same right-wing think tank and in several pointed tweets this week. Patrick argued that the plan favored by the Senate would bring greater tax relief to homeowners, as opposed to the Abbott-backed House plan, which would provide similar benefits to homeowners and commercial property owners. A Texas Tribune analysis of the proposals found homeowners would save $925 annually under the Senate plan and $486 a year under the House version. In Fridays conversation with TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar, Abbott pitched the House plan as a step toward completely eliminating property taxes, a long-term goal of the think tank and many conservatives. We must dream big, dream the possibility that we can eliminate property taxes in Texas, Abbott said. He drew applause when he repeated a refrain of anti-tax advocates: that property taxes are essentially the government forcing homeowners to pay annual rent on their land. While the Senate plan would provide tax relief by raising the homestead exemption, the House plan would drive down tax rates, which is more beneficial to the goal of completely eliminating property taxes, the Tribunes analysis found. Abbotts favored plan, however, drew no closer to passage Friday. The House approved its bill Tuesday and promptly adjourned, forcing the Senate to either accept it as is or wait for the governor to call another special session for lawmakers to try again. Patrick, who wields tremendous power over the Senate as its presiding officer, said the chamber would not budge. On Thursday, he took it a step further, saying the plan supported by Abbott and TPPF to eliminate all property taxes is not realistic and everyone knows it. The Senate met Friday for the first time since the House adjourned. With most senators absent for the brief gathering, several border-related bills were referred to committee before the Senate adjourned until 6 p.m. Tuesday. No action was taken on the House-passed property tax bill. Joshua Fechter contributed reporting. Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/02/greg-abbott-special-session-property-taxes/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ATLANTA (AP) The voice of Martin Luther King Sr., a melodic tenor like his slain son, carried across Madison Square Garden, calming the raucous Democrats who had nominated his friend and fellow Georgian for the presidency. Surely, the Lord sent Jimmy Carter to come on out and bring America back where she belongs, the venerated Black pastor said as the nominee smiled behind him. Im with him. You are, too. Let me tell you, we must close ranks now. Carter then shared a moment with Coretta Scott King, clasping hands and locking eyes with the widowed first lady of the Civil Rights Movement, their children looking on. For the Kings, closing the 1976 convention affirmed their continued reach and their pragmatism eight years after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. For Carter, it marked the evolution of a white politician from the Old Confederacy: As a local leader and state senator who aspired for more, he had mostly avoided controversial stands during the civil rights era. During all their years in Atlanta, he never met the movement's leader. Carter never did anything racist himself. But he didnt participate, biographer Jonathan Alter said. And King was right there. Yet the alliance Carter later forged with the King family endured as he grew into a governor, president and global humanitarian who advanced racial equality and human rights. He was one of the few presidents who really was an advocate for the Black community out of a pureness of heart, said the Rev. Bernice King, who leads the King Center that her mother founded. Now 98, Carter is receiving hospice care in Plains, Georgia. King, just 39 when he was gunned down in 1968, would have been 94. Certainly, King would have expanded his own legacy with a longer life span after civil rights victories for Black Americans he turned his focus to challenging Western militarism and rapacious capitalism and there's no way to know what kind of relationship King might have had with Carter once the Georgia Democrat reached high office. As it was, Carter used the most visible decades of his public life to reflect King's values and often his rhetoric, while playing a central role in memorializing King as an American icon. Carter opened government contracts to Black-owned businesses and appointed record numbers of Black citizens to executive and judicial posts. He steered more public money to historically Black colleges and opposed tax breaks for discriminatory private schools. He echoed Kings emphasis on peace, expressing pride long after his presidency that he never started a shooting war. Carter quoted many of the same theologians King cited in his practice of nonviolent resistance, and he would join King in 2002 as a Nobel Peace Prize winner. As a former president, Carter tracked King's later economic observations, declaring the U.S. an oligarchy, rather than a fully functioning democracy, because of wealth inequality and money in politics. That record, Bernice King told The Associated Press, cements Carter as a courageous and principled figure who built on her fathers work, while having genuine relationships with her mother and grandfather. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter welcomed the Kings to the White House to present Coretta with a posthumous Medal of Freedom for her husband, making him one of the few Black Americans to receive the nation's highest civilian honor at that point. Carter helped establish government observances of King's birthday and enabled the federal historic site encompassing King's birthplace, burial site and the family's Ebenezer Baptist Church. The former president even served as private mediator for Kings children, helping settle an extended dispute over their parents estate. I appreciate his efforts ending the highly publicized fight, Bernice King said. Barely 5 years old when her father was killed, the younger King said she does not know for sure when the families' friendship began. She thinks her mother made the first overture, after Carter became Georgia governor in 1971. My mother was the kind of leader who made sure that she connected with the people she felt could assist her in the work that she was doing to continue my fathers legacy, King said. It had not been obvious before Carter reached statewide office that he could be such a partner. During the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, as Martin Luther King Jr. worked with President Lyndon Johnson on the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, Carter was a one-term state senator. He supported Johnson's election in 1964 and never aligned with segregationist colleagues in Atlanta, but Carter didn't speak out in favor of the federal laws during his two campaigns for governor, nor did he appear at Ebenezer, just a few blocks from the Georgia Capitol. When King was assassinated, Carter did not attend the funeral. In 1970, he won the governor's race as a conservative Democrat, avoiding explicit mentions of race while assuring voters of his general preference for local control over federal intervention. A code-word campaign, Alter called it. Then, at his inauguration, the 46-year-old Carter issued a surprise edict: The time for racial discrimination is over. Bernice King assessed his declaration as very profound at the time. Within a few years, Carter stood with the King family in the Georgia Capitol as Coretta unveiled a portrait of King, while Ku Klux Klan members protested outside. King Sr. had no trouble reconciling Carter's earlier maneuverings before reaching the governor's seat. He had never been characterized as a cracker lawmaker, the way so many rural statesmen had been, the elder King wrote in his autobiography. He said Carter achieved an unusual reputation" among Black constituents with his willingness to meet with people and work long hours on issues and needs. Such attention showed the way for Democrats as expanded voting rights finally allowed Black voters to flex political power. Every Democratic president since then has depended on strong Black support to win the nomination and general election. President Joe Biden has recognized the dynamics by pushing the national party to put more diverse states, including Georgia, earlier in the nominating process. Political calculations aside, Bernice King said her grandfather and Carter shared real kinship as two Baptists raised in small-town Georgia. The senior King once described their conversations as one country boy to another. Carter paid the elder King an in-person visit to ask for his support at the outset of his presidential bid. Never a party loyalist, the elder King initially told Carter he would support his White House bid only if Republican Vice President Nelson Rockefeller did not run again. Kings reasoning: Carter was a longshot, while Rockefeller, a civil rights liberal, was already a heavyweight. When it became clear Rockefeller would not be President Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976, King endorsed Carter. It was an invaluable imprimatur for a white Southern governor from the same generation as segregationists like Alabamas George Wallace and Georgias Lester Maddox. King vouched for Carter in Black churches across the country and to the nearly all-white national press corps, particularly after Carter mangled federal housing policy discussions by defending ethnic purity in American neighborhoods. Carter tried to clean up his remarks with more explanations, saying he would oppose very strongly and aggressively" any exclusion of a family because of race or ethnic background but still saw it as good to maintain the homogeneity of neighborhoods if they've been established that way. Carter eventually followed with an apology. Bernice King said her grandfather saw Carter's word choices as an innocent mistake" and urged journalists and voters to see Carters values and full record. During the first half of Carter's long life, he had to navigate in a society, in a culture where, as a white person, you were expected to hate and see Black people in a very demeaning way, Bernice King said. Considering the whole of his life, she said, I think he managed that very well. Along the way, Carter learned something the King siblings and cousins always understood about their grandfather and that booming voice. When Granddaddy opened his mouth, Bernice King said, you paid attention. VIENNA (AP) The International Atomic Energy Agency will never politicize its work in Iran, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Monday, insisting after Israels prime minister accused it of capitulating to Iranian pressure that his agency has been very fair but firm." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments came after a confidential report from the IAEA last week said that its investigators had closed off their investigation of traces of man-made uranium found at Marivan, near the city of Abadeh, about 525 kilometers (325 miles) southeast of Tehran. Analysts had repeatedly linked Marivan to a possible secret Iranian military nuclear program and accused Iran of conducting high-explosives tests there in the early 2000s. Iran is continuing to lie to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agencys capitulation to Iranian pressure is a black stain on its record, Netanyahu told his Cabinet in televised remarks on Sunday. If the IAEA becomes a political organization, then its oversight activity in Iran is without significance, as will be its reports on Irans nuclear activity," Netanyahu said. Asked on Monday about that criticism, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that his agencys work is neutral, it is impartial, it is technical. We will always say things as they are, Grossi told reporters on the first day of a regular meeting in Vienna of the IAEA board of governors. Grossi added that he would never enter into a polemic with the head of government of a member of the IAEA. We never politicize. We have our standards and apply them always, he said. The politicization is in the eye of the beholder, Grossi added. Israel considers Iran to be its greatest enemy, and Netanyahu has repeatedly said that he wouldn't allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. He has said international diplomacy should be accompanied by a serious military option, and hinted that Israel would be prepared to strike Iran on its own if necessary. Before Netanyahu's comments, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat said in a statement on Friday that the explanations provided by Iran for the presence of nuclear material at the Marivan site are not reliable or technically possible. But Grossi insisted that the IAEA will never, ever water down its safeguards standards. We have been strict, technically impartial and, as I like to say, very fair but firm, he said. Analysts had repeatedly linked Marivan to a possible clandestine Iranian military nuclear program that the IAEA, the West and other countries say was abandoned in 2003. They had accused Iran of conducting high-explosives tests there in the early 2000s. Last week's IAEA report said that another member state operated a mine at the area in the 1960s and 1970s under the rule of then Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, without elaborating. Iran had argued the uranium traces could have come from laboratory instruments and equipment used by miners at the site. The IAEA called the answer a possible explanation. The IAEA is still seeking explanations on the origin and current location of the man-made uranium particles found at two other sites in Iran, Varamin and Turquzabad. Tehran has long denied ever seeking nuclear weapons and continues to insist that its nuclear program is entirely for peaceful purposes. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles met his Indonesian counterpart on Monday to deepen security ties amid Chinas increasingly assertive activity in the Indo-Pacific region. Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said he and Marles discussed ways to facilitate cooperation between their militaries. Cooperation between Indonesia and Australia can make an important contribution to regional peace and stability, Subianto said, adding that the two governments agreed to further strengthen their security ties, including joint military training in Australia and the education of Indonesian cadets at Australian academies. Military exchanges between the two neighbors have previously included counterterrorism and border protection. Marles declined to make any comment to the media after meeting with Subianto. He vowed in a statement released by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta ahead of the talks to deepen defense engagement with Australias closest major neighbor. I look forward to progressing our comprehensive strategic partnership during my visit to Jakarta, Marles said in the statement. Although Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation of more than 270 million people, is often presented as one of Australias most important neighbors and strategic allies, the relationship has undergone various ups and downs. Recent disagreements include allegations of wiretapping by the Australian Signals Directorate in 2013 to monitor the private phone calls of then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and other senior officials; Indonesias use of capital punishment on Australian drug smugglers; and cases of people smuggling. In 2017, Indonesia temporarily suspended military cooperation with Australia, including joint training, education, exchanges of officers and visits, over an alleged insult against the Indonesian state ideology Pancasila and the Indonesian military at an Australian military base. In September 2021, Indonesia filed a diplomatic protest against Australia for being slow to provide information about its activities in the AUKUS trilateral pact involving the United States and the United Kingdom, including plans for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Last year, Australia, along with Japan and Singapore, joined for the first time the annual Indonesia-U.S. joint combat exercise called Super Garuda Shield, making it the largest since the drills began in 2009. The expanded drills are seen by China as a threat. Chinese state media have accused the U.S. of building an Indo-Pacific alliance similar to NATO to limit Chinas growing military and diplomatic influence in the region. Marles arrived in Jakarta on Monday after attending the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, where he described Australias communications about its nuclear-powered submarine program as a model of military transparency, and said that China needed to offer a strategic explanation of its military expansion. Marles, who is also Australias deputy prime minister, is to visit Vanuatu after Indonesia. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. There are almost 1,300 NRT in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The TCAP retake window was from May 22nd to June 5th, with districts selecting their assessment schedule. The Parent Appeals Form is open until June 30th. Three years ago Gardai and ISPCA officials conducted a raid on a suspected puppy farm in Edgeworthstown with last week seeing the prosecution of eight people arising out of the search being concluded. The matter came before Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Connolly when the late Judge Seamus Hughes made the decision to refuse jurisdiction. The Circuit Court judge complimented the animal charity on their work at the crazy scene where over 40 animals were housed. Kevin and Margaret Stokes, Lucy McDermott, Jonathan Wykes, Jane Ward, Margaret Stokes, Johanna Stokes and Chantel Stokes, all of Lisnanagh, Edgeworthstown, appeared before Longford Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty and neglect. Of the animals on the site 27 were removed by gardai and ISPCA inspectors. Animals on the premises included Old English Bulldogs, American Bulldogs, German Shepherds, an Aikido, and a Great Dane. Prosecution witness Sergeant Michael Hogan outlined details of the Garda visit to the Lisnanagh address on May 7, 2020. Officers called to the home of Kevin and Margaret Stokes to conduct a search of the premises following calls about the conditions animals were being held in. Sgt Hogan said although most of the animals were in good condition themselves, they were kept in filthy circumstances and there were concerns about the absence of drinking water for the dogs. The officer told the court that there were over 40 animals on the premises, including cats, dogs and puppies, and a total of 27 were removed by the ISPCA. Arising from the search charges were brought under the Welfare of Animals Act and in the following days and weeks there were various interactions regarding the ownership of the dogs. Only two of the dogs were licensed. Sgt Hogan said the animals were cared for, but described the issues as being too many dogs for too few people. He told the presiding judge that the ISPCA had paid over 5,000 in veterinary fees and that boarding costs for the animals of 10 per animal per day amounted to over 42,000 in the three years since they were seized. State prosecutor, Shane Geraghty BL, described a complex case which the DPP had directed for summary disposal, however the late Judge Hughes had refused jurisdiction. Counsel for the defendants asked Sgt Hogan to confirm that there were no indication of the trappings of wealth at the home and that the parties consented to the forfeiture of the puppies impounded by the ISPCA. Prosecution witness ISPCA Inspector Karen Lyons told the judge the animals have been in care for the last three years, and the costs accrued included vet's fees, kennelling and vaccination. The witness recommended that as part of the sentencing a maximum of four dogs should be allowed to be kept on site and that all females should to be spayed. Judge Connolly complemented the animal charity on their work. The judge described a crazy scene to have 40 animals on site, but said although it was a significant matter it could have been dealt with in the District Court. The judge noted that if the matter had gone to trial it could have been a six week case, so the guilty pleas were a huge mitigation. The court is concerned by the unsanitary and undesirable conditions, Judge Connoly said. Dogs are valued in society and deserved to be respected and reared in sanitary conditions. If dogs are kept in unsavoury conditions, then they will be impounded. The judge said the offence did not warrant a custodial term, but stressed its seriousness. Judge Connelly indicated he would deal with the matter by way of Section 1.2 of the Probation Act if the parties paid 1,000 each to the ISPCA within six months. The order restricting the number of dogs to be kept on the property was also imposed. The Microsoft Dream Space Showcase was just one leg of a local authority backed project to stimulate interest in science and technology at a young age. The focus is to encourage broader inclusion in STEAM subjects from among primary school-goers. Dream Space with Microsoft is a new science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) education initiative. Longford and Tipperary are piloting the initiative. A collaboration between Microsoft Irelands Dream Space, Our Kids Code, micro:bit foundation, and BCPs, it's supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development. Cathaoirleach of the Longford County Council, Turlough McGovern said the programme's potential will be significant for the young participants: It's going to give younger people the opportunity to participate in computer science at an early age, an opportunity not there in previous years. There is such a great atmosphere here this morning, it's unbelievable. I wish them the best of luck going forward. That future dividend was also alluded to by Danny Lynch Head of Information Systems with Longford County Council: We've nine secondary schools in Longford, two of them will have computer science on the Leaving Cert curriculum from next September, Schoil Mhuire in Longford and Ballymahon Vocational School. There's kids in 6th class that are going into secondary school where they're going to study computer science. They might go on, they might study computer science in third level. The grounding they get from the projects they have here today will help them in years to come. Mr Lynch spoke of the compatibility of the learned expertise: The skills they've gained today, and from studying computer science, will benefit them no matter what they do, no matter what trade or profession they pick in life. The council's Head of Information Systems believes the competition has a future: This year we've 12 schools. We hope we'll increase that number next year. I'd love to say it'll be 24, but maybe even more. We know the 12 schools are going to come back. We'd love to get a few more. We'd love to get every primary school in the county to take part. Longford County Council was awarded funding to progress their ambitious educational plan under the Public Service Innovation Fund 2023, with the aim of starting STEAM subjects in primary school This is the main event of the Dream Space project, Longford County Council CE Paddy Mahon said, We're delighted we are one of the first counties in the country to team up with Microsoft, team up with Ericsson, and get support from the government through the innovation fund. This is all about creating opportunities for our youth here in the county. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: June 05 2023 Grants include $129,400 for the Nassau County Land Bank and $360,000 for the Suffolk County Land Bank. Governor Kathy Hochul has announced nearly $26 million in grant funding has been awarded to 24 Land Banks across New York State. The funding, made available through the State's Land Bank Initiative, will help eliminate blight, increase housing supply, assist local economic development efforts, spur the availability of homeownership opportunities, and improve the quality of life in communities that have experienced disinvestment. "New York's Land Bank Initiative has already allowed us to preserve, restore, and revitalize rundown properties across the state, and we are excited to be extending the opportunity this year," Governor Hochul said. "This program will empower local nonprofits - the people that know their communities best - to help increase homeownership while repairing the fabric of their neighborhoods." The awards announced today complement Governor Hochul's $25 billion comprehensive Housing Plan that will create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York State, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. The grants were awarded on a competitive basis through a Request for Applications issued by New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The funds are drawn from $50 million allotted for the Governor's Land Bank Initiative in the Fiscal Year 2023 New York State Budget. In the summer of 2022, HCR awarded operational funding to 26 land banks in Phase I of the initiative. The Phase II awards announced today will provide capital funding for acquisition, demolition, building stabilization and pre-development expenses. The next RFA for Phase II capital funding is expected in late 2023. New York's land banks were established in 2012 with passage of the New York State Land Bank Act. Land banks are local public authorities designed to acquire, stabilize, assemble, and facilitate the redevelopment of blighted and abandoned properties in order for them to be returned to productive use. There are currently 26 land banks across the state. New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "This $26 million investment will allow local organizations to invest in their communities by turning blight into opportunity that encourages redevelopment and boosts the tax base for the benefit of all. These awards build upon the $15 million in operating funds that we awarded to land banks last year. The Governor's Land Bank Initiative recognizes that art of creating and preserving affordable communities is never a one-size-fits-all process, but requires step-by-step dedication to building healthier, safer, more livable, and affordable neighborhoods." The Phase II Land Bank Initiative grants announced today are: Capital Region Albany County Land Bank Corporation $1,800,000 Capital Region Land Bank $1,757,475 Troy Community Land Bank Corporation $1,764,769 Central New York Oswego County Land Bank Corporation $1,000,000 Greater Syracuse Land Bank $1,800,000 Finger Lakes Finger Lakes Regional Land Bank $332,640 Rochester Land Bank Corporation $900,000 Tioga County Land Bank $900,000 Wayne County Regional Land Bank $1,000,000 Long Island Nassau County Land Bank $129,400 Suffolk County Landbank $360,000 Mid-Hudson Region Kingston City Land Bank $1,800,000 Newburgh Community Land Bank $1,800,000 Sullivan County Land Bank $1,800,000 Mohawk Valley Greater Mohawk Valley Land Bank $1,800,000 North Country Ogdensburg Land Bank $210,357 Southern Tier Broome County Land Bank $1,074,600 Chemung County Property Development Corporation $343,878 Steuben County Land Bank $554,400 Western New York Allegany County Land Bank Corporation $373,800 Buffalo Erie Niagara Land Improvement Corporation $1,694,825 Cattaraugus County Land Bank $90,000 Chautauqua County Land Bank $1,217,196 Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corporation $900,000 Local News By Chris Boyle Published: June 05 2023 82% of pet owners would be willing to pay an additional fee to keep them; half of renters are put off pet ownership due to the challenges they would have keeping them. Rental Ruff: Having a pet, and renting a property, poses challenges. Landlords are often reluctant to allow them barking, shredded cushions, scratched furniture being some of the reasons. Renters have it tough enough as it is, with landlords always having the upper hand in the situation, so it seems a shame that pets are often not made to feel welcome in a rented property. A survey of 3,000 pet-owning tenants by AgentAdvice.com has revealed the extent to which they are prepared to pay to live with their pets. The survey found that 82% of pet owners would be willing to pay an additional fee to keep their furry friend in the rental property with them. The average New York pet-owning renter would be prepared to pay a whopping $6,223 annually to live with their pet! However, the study also revealed that a signficiant proportion want the best of both worlds - that is - to continue living with their pets, but not having to pay any premium in order to do so. AgentAdvice.com discovered that in New York, 14% of pet-owning renters admit to not disclosing this to their landlords (equating to 456,703 illegal pets) - thats a lot of barking to try and cough over, or scratched table legs to try and cover up. The guiltiest pet owners are in Vermont, with the percentage of households hiding illegal pets reaching 50%, or 36,791 furry friends. The most law-abiding pet-owning renters live in Indiana, where the figure is just 4%, or 32,400 pets. Infographic with study results (click on 'embed' to host map on your site) The research also revealed that two thirds thought it was fair for landlords to ask tenants to leave the property if it turned out they had pets which were not permitted. But sadly, the challenge of finding a rental property which allows pets discourages 58% of people from getting a pet if they are renters. "Caring for a pet is a responsibility that requires commitment and dedication, yet the current rental market often makes it challenging for pet owners to find suitable and affordable accommodations. Discriminatory pet policies and limited pet-friendly options not only place an undue burden on renters, but also deny them the joy and companionship that pets bring to their lives" says Chris Heller of AgentAdvice.com. AgentAdvice.com have provided 4 tips for convincing your landlord to allow you to have a pet in your rental: 1. Talk to Your Landlord Getting permission to have a pet as a renter can be difficult as landlords may include a "No Pets" clause in the lease to maintain control over how many pets are in their properties. However, if you have a good relationship with your landlord and are a responsible tenant, you may be able to persuade them to allow a pet. Providing documentation on your prospective pet's health history and training plans can strengthen your case. Many landlords will make exceptions for excellent tenants who are positive contributors to the rental community. 2. Be Flexible To convince your landlord to allow a pet in your rental, it's important to be flexible with your pet choices. Many landlords have restrictions on the type or size of pets allowed due to noise or potential damage. If your landlord approves a pet with certain restrictions, consider being more selective in your choice of pet. However, if you have a good relationship with your landlord, it's possible they may make exceptions for a responsible and reliable tenant. So don't be afraid to have a conversation about the possibility of bringing in a larger pet. 3. Providing Documentation If you're a pet owner looking to move into a new rental property, providing additional documentation can help show your landlord that you're a responsible pet owner. This may include a letter from your current landlord, vet records, training records, and spay/neuter records. By demonstrating that your pet is well-behaved and non-disruptive, you can alleviate any concerns your landlord may have about potential property damage or disturbance to other renters. 4. Offer to Pay More To convince your landlord to allow a pet, offering to pay extra in the form of a deposit or monthly charge can show that you are committed to being a responsible pet owner. While some pet-friendly rentals have upfront policies regarding deposits or rent surcharges, it's possible to convince some landlords who don't allow pets to make exceptions if you offer to pay extra. However, pet deposits can be expensive, so be sure to have the necessary budget before making the offer. F&S Holdings Inc., owned by businessman and 1-PACMAN Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero and his wife Sheila, sold its majority 60-percent stake in AirAsia Philippines to Asian aviation company AA Com Travel Philippines Inc. to focus on power and ports. We are excited at the opportunity to consolidate our business enterprises and realign them to focus more on our core businesses in power and ports, said Sheila Romero, chairman of F&S Holdings. She did not provide additional details on the transaction, including cost and terms, because of confidentiality agreement. Needless to say, we did not want to undertake this while the pandemic was ongoing, and nearly every businessparticularly air travelwas severely hampered. That would not embody the kind of relationship we had with our partners, she said. AA Com Travel acquired the shares of F&S Holdings for an undisclosed amount, making it the sole local owner and majority shareholderof the countrys third-largest airline. Capital A Bhd founders Tony Fernandez and Datuk Karmarudin Menarum control the remaining 40 percent of AirAsia Philippines. We wish nothing but the best to our former partner in AirAsia Philippines as well as to AA Com Travel Philippines. May they continue to fly high and reach new heights, Shiela Romero said. The budget airline earlier saw passenger volume increase 382 percent to 4.21 million in 2022 from 875,927 passengers in 2021. Its load factor rose to 89 percent from 80 percent. AirAsia Philippines operates daily flights from Manila to Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran and Zamboanga. Other interisland destinations flying out of AirAsias Cebu hub include Cagayan, Davao, Caticlan, Puerto Princesa and Clark. Its active international destinations include Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, Osaka, Incheon, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bali. Meanwhile, CapitalOne Energy Corp. will be the holding company to integrate the Romero Groups power generation companies. These include investments in the renewable energy sector through Alterpower Digos Solar Inc., a 40-megawatt solar power plant operating in Digos, Davao del Sur and Fort Pilar Energy, which operates 100-MW battery energy storage system power plants in Zamboanga Del Sur, according to CapitalOne Energy chairman lawyer Joseph Omar Castillo. The group likewise includes the Belgrove Power Corp., which owns the 650-MW Malaya Thermal Power Plant, a must-run unit of the Department of Energy, Castillo said. CapitalOne Energy is expanding its solar power portfolio with the development of new sites in Cagayan, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Marinduque and Palawan. Castillo said these new sites would have a combined capacity of 180 MW. To CapitalOne Energy Corp., may our future endeavors help power up the economy, and energize more communities in the Philippines, Romero said. She said CapitalOne will continue to invest aggressively in our familys core businesses in Globalport terminals, which now operates ten ports in the country and power businesses. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Monday inaugurated the expansion of its embassy in the Philippines as the two countries mark their 65th year of diplomatic relations. The inauguration came after Cohen arrived in the country for his two-day visit, which included a series of bilateral meetings with his counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. Were thrilled to announce the expansion of our Embassy, reflecting the growing and flourishing relations between Israel and the Philippines, the embassy said on Monday. PH-ISRAEL TIES. Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo (left) shakes hands with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen after signing documents following their bilateral meeting in Manila on June 5, as the countries celebrated 65 years of formal relations . AFP Cohens visit will boost the historically friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines spanning over six decades now. The signing of various agreements, participation in meetings with the public and private sectors and boosting trade cooperation between the two nations are among the other expected activities of the Israeli official. Cohen arrived in the Philippines on Sunday night to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries, particularly in areas where Tel Aviv is an expert of, such as economy, agriculture, water, innovation, and technology. The Israeli Embassy in the Philippines said Cohen is also expected to pay a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and conduct meetings with National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Arsenio Molina Balisacan. An Israel business delegation will join Cohen in some of his activities to connect with Filipino business companies, the embassy said. Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Flus said Cohens visit reassures that Israel is a friend and an ally of the Philippines. And we see the relations flourishing further in the years to come, he added. His visit will also send a strong political and economic message, according to the embassy. That is the reciprocity to the visit of former president Rodrigo Duterte to Israel in 2018, which paved the way for the opening of the Israeli Defense and Economic Attache offices in Manila, the signing of bilateral agreements on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the expanding of defense cooperation. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. The Philippines and Australia will conduct 15 defense-related activities in 2024, the Philippine Army said Monday. These will include training on internal security, counterinsurgency, counter-terrorism, external defense, and disasters, the Armys commanding general Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said. Most of these activities are focused on bilateral training, which will be continuous, Brawner said in Filipino. We can see where the Philippine Army falls short, so we are asking for help from our partners, who can teach us about their tactics, and also for us to be able to adapt to the new weapon systems that are out there. This gives us a glimpse of the modern type of warfare. We would like to prepare our Filipino soldiers to be able to operate in future wars, he added. Brawner said such bilateral training could send a message to the world: that armies in the Indo-Pacific are one and together in our objective of preventing war in the region. By training together, we not only develop our respective skills and capabilities, but more importantly, we also give the message to the world that we are one, solid, and can work together to prevent war, and in case war happens, that we are able to transition smoothly and work together effectively, he said. Brawner said the training with allies and partners does not target a specific country. We are training with our partners to strengthen the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Army so that we are ready to face any threat that might arrive, he said. The Philippine Army and Australian Defense Force concluded the first part of their Kasangga bilateral exercise on Monday. A total of 114 soldiers from the Philippine Army 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) and 43 soldiers from the Australian Defense Force took part in the three-week exercise. The troops exchanged knowledge and skills on urban operations, combat tracking, long-range marksmanship, jungle warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations. Australian Defense Attache to the Philippines Col. Paul Barta said Australian troops learned so much about jungle warfare and survival from their Filipino counterparts. Kasangga or partnership, we have an Australian term, mateship or bayanihan. What weve seen in the recent weeks is soldiers who did not know each other coming together, training and developing trust and interoperability, Barta said. The big thing is that Australia is part of the region and we are working with friends in deepening relationships and interoperability. Were at the home of jungle fighters. Australia has not fought in a jungle in a long time, so we are learning a lot from Filipino soldiers. In the same way, Filipino soldiers gained knowledge and skills from their Australian counterparts, especially in urban operations and close-quarter battles. Maj. Gen. Roberto Capulong said the training that Filipino soldiers gain from Kasangga will make them more confident when it comes to critical missions. With the kind of training they received from our Australian counterpart, its something new to them and will really help them be more effective in the performance of their mandate, he said. He said during the siege of Marawi in 2017, the Army lacked skills in urban operations, so this is one focus of their Australian counterparts. The two armies also opened the second part of Kasangga on Monday. This time, a new batch of 122 soldiers from the 2ID will take part in the bilateral exercise, which will be held from June 5 to 25 in Rizal. Capulong said the two batches of Army personnel will cascade newly learned tactics and procedures to other units. Our training system is structured. We usually train the trainers. But if we feel the unit needs these types of skills, we program them in our in-house training, he said. Meanwhile, the United States and China have sent warships to the multinational naval drills that began in Indonesia on Monday, despite the rifts between the two powers. Washington and Beijing are engaged in fierce competition on diplomatic, military, technological, and economic fronts. The US military has stepped up its Asia-Pacific operations to counter an increasingly assertive China, which has recently staged several rounds of war drills around Taiwan. But both dispatched warships to the 2023 Multilateral Naval Exercise (MNEK) hosted by Indonesia in its eastern waters off Sulawesi Island from Monday to Thursday. The US Navy has sent a littoral combat ship to the exercise, a US embassy spokesperson in Jakarta said on Sunday. The drills will allow the United States to join together with like-minded nations, our allies, and our partners to work on solving common challenges such as humanitarian and disaster response, the spokesperson said. The Chinese defense ministry said last week that it would send a destroyer and a frigate at the invitation of the Indonesian navy. Australia and Russia were also expected to send warships, according to an Indonesian military list. Officials said there would be 17 foreign vessels involved in the drills, which will focus on non-military operations with key allies. MNEK is a non-war training which prioritizes maritime cooperation in the region, Indonesian Navy spokesperson I Made Wira Hady said in a statement. Washington and Beijing have clashed this year over a number of Asia-Pacific issues including Taiwan, a self-ruled, US-backed island that China considers its territory. They have also been involved in a diplomatic tussle over Pacific island nations. Tensions skyrocketed when an alleged Chinese spy balloon traversed the United States before it was shot down. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at a defense summit in Singapore last week that the two nations needed to renew dialogue to avoid misunderstandings that could lead to conflict. Beijing, however, declined an invitation for its defense chief to meet Austin on the sidelines of that summit. In other developments: * Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. said the rule of law must be upheld to maintain peace in the Asia-Pacific region. Speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) held in Singapore from June 2 to 4, Galvez also highlighted the continued pursuit of dialogue and multilateralism. * The Philippines and Singapore signed an arrangement concerning education, training assistance, and support activities on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief on the sidelines of the SLD. The arrangement enables both the AFP and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to enhance the capacities of HADR in efficiently addressing the impact of natural and manmade disasters. * The Philippine Navys (PN) offshore patrol vessel, BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17), and Naval Task Group 80.5 arrived in Makassar, Indonesia on Sunday to take part in this years Komodo naval exercises. In a statement Monday, Lt. Jonathan Carretas said BRP Andres Bonifacio is the first foreign warship to arrive for Komodo, which is scheduled for June 4 to 8. Some 193 Philippine Navy personnel were deployed to take part in the Komodo drills. * Some 23 officers and 103 enlisted personnel of the Naval Task Group (NTG) 80.5, aboard the offshore patrol vessel BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17), successfully underwent seamens traditional rites of Crossing the Equator on June 2 while en route to Indonesia to participate in this years Komodo naval exercises. With AFP Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. PBBM taps Gibo to lead DND anew, Herbosa for Health Dept. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday appointed former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. to his old position and Dr. Teodoro Herbosa as Health Secretary, filling two crucial Cabinet positions a year into his administration. Photos released by Malacanang showed Mr. Marcos talking separately to Teodoro and Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez, and with Herbosa and Department of Health OIC Dr. Ma. Rosario Vergeire. Vergeire had said previously she was ready to become Health Secretary if the President wanted to, after initially saying she valued being a career official at DOH, where she was also an undersecretary during the past Duterte government. NEW CABINET APPOINTEES. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks with Gilbert Gibo Teodoro (top photo, left) and Department of Defense officer in charge Carlito Galvez, and later with Department of Health OIC Rosario Vergeire (below, center) and new DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa at Malacanang following their appointments to the Cabinet on Monday. PND Photos Teodoro was Secretary of Defense during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos administration, one of the youngest Cabinet officials at the time at 43 years old. He also assumed the role of chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), which has since been reconstituted into the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The former presidential candidate also served as a three-term member of Congress, representing the first district of Tarlac. Teodoro completed his law degree and graduated at the top of his class at the University of the Philippines. He achieved the top rank in the 1989 Bar Examinations and furthered his legal education by obtaining a Masters degree in Law from Harvard University. Herbosa, on the other hand, obtained his medical degree from the University of the Philippines Manila and holds a bachelors degree in Biology from UP Diliman. He previously served as Health Undersecretary from 2010 to 2015, contributing to various initiatives such as the Hospital Accreditation Commission and the modernization of the Philippine Orthopedics Center, and promoting Public-Private Partnerships in health. From October 2017 to April 2021, Herbosa served as the Executive Vice President of the University of the Philippines System, contributing to its development and growth. He has held various key positions, including Chief Division of Trauma at the Department of Surgery, Philippine General Hospital, Chairman of the Board for Physicians for Peace Philippines, and 3rd Vice President of the UP Alumni Association. Herbosa also served as a Special Adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, offering expert guidance and contributing to the formulation of strategies to mitigate the impact of the virus. With Joyce Pangco Panares Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Now that were into June and the official start of summer is right around the corner, Id thought Id pay tribute to one of the best summer beer styles around: Kolsch. Technically, this beer should be from the Cologne, Germany, area to use the name, but thats a mere formality that U.S. brewers blithely ignore. The beer was created in that area as a way of challenging popular German lagers, which take longer to make. But the funny thing about that is that although Kolsch is technically an ale (top fermenting), its really a hybrid, as the style is conditioned at colder temperatures like lagers are. This makes Kolsch a lagered ale. But enough with the technicalities. Todays column is a paean to the style. For some reason, I dont seem to often encounter the style here in the U.S. Maybe that is just the luck of the draw of where I live, but Im guessing that for whatever reason, the style has never really caught on here to any great degree. This puzzles me because as I said above, the style is so well matched to the summer months. It is light in both color and body and features a somewhat dry, crisp finish. Fortunately, there are two Massachusetts breweries I love which both make a version of the style: Brick & Feather in Montague and Exhibit A Brewing in Framingham. Both breweries do a great job with the style, in my humble opinion. Well start with Exhibit A Brewings version, named Goody Two Shoes. At a sessionable ABV of just 4.5%, this beer already gets high points as a summer refresher. It pours a crystal clear golden hue, topped with a gorgeous white crown. The nose reveals some lemon notes and grassy aspects. The flavor follows suit, with a bit more hop character that I normally would expect, but nothing overwhelming or off-putting. The bready malt structure morphs into the classic cracker taste that is associated with the style. The finish is clean and dry, and leaves you wanting another, which, again, at 4.5% ABV, should not be a problem. Brick & Feathers journey into the style, named Montague Gothic, is no less impressive. Its slightly more alcoholic, coming in at 5.2% ABV, but that certainly is well within the range of the style. The aroma has some attractive grainy and herbal aspects, which are also reflected in the taste. Despite its slightly higher ABV percentage, I felt it was a bit lighter in body that Goody Two Shoes. The cracker aspect is front and center here, and the hops add a touch of citrus, more lemony than orange. As fitting the style, it finishes dry and crisp, with maybe a bit of malt lingering on the palate. Both of these beers are worth seeking out, and both are good starting points if youre not familiar with the style. LONGMEADOW Police say there have been no arrests yet in the theft of two cars and three related vehicle break-ins on Cooley Drive on Sunday night. One of the two stolen cars was found abandoned in New Britain, Connecticut, said Longmeadow Police Capt. Carl Mazzaferro on Monday. Mazzaferro said all five cars involved in this case were unlocked, with one of the two stolen vehicles having its key in the ignition. We always encourage our residents to lock their vehicles. If you have a garage, put the vehicles in there if possible, the captain said. Mazzaferro said his department will be conducting extra patrols, while also teaming up with law enforcement partners on the stolen car cases. We will be working with the New Britain Police Department to try to solve these crimes, he said. Longmeadow resident Michael Sokol, who lives on Cooley Drive, wasnt a victim of the thefts but had heard of the break-ins by 8 a.m. Monday. A lot of people keep their cars unlocked, which is foolish, Sokol said. I think (the suspects are) trying to open the doors as they go. Sokol said the cameras on his house activated around 10 p.m. but didnt pick up anything suspicious. A cat could cross it, and it would go off, he said. Anyone with information about the thefts can call the Longmeadow Police Departments non-emergency line at 413-567-3311 or its tipline at 413-567-3311, ext. 9157. A young couple hiking at night in New Hampshire had to be helped off the mountain late Saturday night when they began showing symptoms of hypothermia, according the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. At 9:30 p.m. on June 3, the department was notified of two hikers in distress on Franconia Ridge. Bryan Morse, 29, and his wife, Samantha Nigro, 26, both from Franklin, had began their hike up Falling Waters Trail at 1 p.m. that day, the department said. By 7:30 p.m., the department said the couple had made it to the summit of Little Haystack and chose to try to get the to the Liberty Springs Tent Site, located two miles across Franconia Ridge. It had been raining on and off all day, the department said, and about a quarter of a mile onto the ridge, Morse and Nigro had became so cold and wet that they called 911. A search and rescue team from Pemigewasset Valley, along with conservation officers, had to hike three miles to get to Morse and Nigro, whod been able to make a fire by the time officials arrived at 1:20 a.m. The couple was equipped with a tent and sleeping bags, but the department said the weather and the pairs lack of experience, along with their water-retaining cotton clothing, was why they couldnt keep warm and dry. The rescuers gave Morse and Nigro warm clothing, food and water, the department said, and led them out of the woods after theyd warmed up, arriving back at the trailhead around 6 a.m. The department cautioned hikers to pay attention to weather before and while on mountains, advising websites, such as www.mountwashington.org, that can predict weather conditions in the high elevations of the White Mountains. The department also added its list of 10 Essentials it said hikers must carry while outdoors on its website. As we approach the Juneteenth holiday on June 19, MassLive asked readers and staff to identify people who are emerging Black leaders throughout the state, working to make a difference in their own area of interest, be it politics, education, business or the arts. These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change. Each day, we will introduce more leaders, and were always open to hear about more inspiring people. If youd like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form. Jimmy Hills, the host of "Java with Jimmy," is set to air an episode of his show on GBH in June. James Jimmy Hills Age: 51 Community: Dorchester His Story: James Jimmy Hills is the host of Java with Jimmy, a virtual talk show where politicians, community organizers and experts come together to provide solutions to issues that affect Black and Brown communities. He began the virtual talk show at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As people locked themselves inside their homes fearing a rapidly changing world, the show served as a positive source of information for people to receive COVID-19 updates. As Java with Jimmy gained more traction, Hills began to expand the shows topics to include information on local news, police accountability and other health-related news. In the two years since its inception, Java with Jimmy has gained the attention of notable figures from the Boston area. Influential people such as U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, former U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey have all made appearances on the show. The mission of Java with Jimmy, according to Hills, is to share valuable information and resources that empower people to achieve a fair and fulfilling quality of life. Ive done well at embracing that though I thought I was either going to be a pastor, a nonprofit leader or a politician, Ive embraced the fact that this is a destined road where Im having my impact. In June, Hills will be moving Java with Jimmy from the small studio in his apartment to a larger stage. On June 15, Hills will be hosting an episode of Java with Jimmy at GBH at Boston Public Library. In his words: By any means necessary is sort of my approach. If its going to be 100% to piss somebody off, Im going to do 99.9% to result in some good for the community. A former Hopkinton police officer accused of sexually assaulting a teenager while he was assigned as a school resource officer had his policing license suspended by state regulators last week. The Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training, the agency charged with certifying police officers across the state, suspended former Hopkinton deputy police chief John Porter. Read More: Former Hopkinton Deputy Police Chief John Porter indicted on child rape charges In early May, Porter, 54, was indicted by a Middlesex grand jury on three counts of child rape in connection in connection to sexually assaulting a student while he was a school resource officer, according to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan. The three incidents occurred between 2004 and 2005 when the survivor was 15 years old, the district attorney said. Porter assaulted the teenager survivor multiple times off school property, the district attorney said. Porter was first placed on leave from the Hopkinton police department in August 2022. A GoFundMe is raising money for the family of a 33-year-old mother who was killed in a car crash in Maryland in May. Jaleisa Wilcox, owner of Quality Cleaners LLC, was pronounced dead on the scene, officials said. Wilcox previously ran the cleaning company in Easthampton prior to moving to Maryland in 2022, according to the companys Facebook page. Jaleisa had a personality unmatched by any other and that made her a very unique person, the GoFundMe reads. She was straight forward and to the point and would tell you how it is, no matter who you were. She was also deeply caring, loving, and generous, always lending a helping hand when she could. The GoFundMe is raising money for the funeral and her family while they adapt and adjust to this tragic loss. According to the GoFundMe, she leaves behind her fiance, Edward Gardner, and their four children. My heart is gone. My soul is broken, Gardner wrote on Facebook. We were suppose [sic] to have our rocking chairs on the front porch and grow old. It raised $8,240 of its $25,000 goal as of 1 p.m. Monday. What happened to Jaleisa Wilcox? On May 31, police said there was a crash on Three Notch Road near the intersection of Mt. Zion Church Road in Mechanicsville, Maryland around 1:44 p.m. Witnesses told police they saw speeding cars cause a chain reaction of collisions. Wilcox was not in one of the speeding cars. Police said a 2020 Corvette hit the rear driver side of a 2000 Toyota 4Runner, which then hit the Toyota Camry, driven by Wilcox. The Corvette and Camry rolled over after the impact and the 4Runner crossed into the northbound lanes, police said. Michael Anthony Carlucci, 48, of Waldorf, Maryland was driving the Corvette, police said. The privilege to drive doesnt supersede anothers right to drive on our roadways without fear of being seriously injured or worse, Sheriff Steve Hall said. These are roadways; they are not raceways. Gardner had publicly wished Wilcox a happy Mothers Day two weeks before the incident. You are one amazing mother, he wrote. THANK YOU for everything that you do. Read more: Former Hopkinton deputy police chief John Porter suspended by POST commission Others also remembered Wilcox on Facebook. Nicole Wright remembered Wilcox as always being there for her. John Gardner said her smile will always be remembered. And Jade Elias said Wilcox was the light of one of the darkest parts of my childhood. You never know when the last time that youre gonna talk to someone is. Or hug them. Or laugh with them. Or get a chance to tell them how much they meant to you, she wrote. HOLYOKE With nearly $63 million in requests and only $19 million remaining, Holyokes mayor must decide which groups will receive the last of the citys American Rescue Plan Act funding. Mayor Joshua A. Garcia makes the final funding decisions for the pandemic-related aid, with recommendations on applications by the Citizens Advisory Committee and the Office for Community Development. This last round of funding must be distributed before July 1, the start of fiscal 2024. In their recommendations, the Community Development Office focused on municipal infrastructure and construction projects, while the Advisory Committee took a community-wide approach. Community Development Administrator Alicia Zoeller will review the recommendations Tuesday in front of the City Councils Development and Government Relations Committee. In a May 31 memo, Zoeller noted that the department supported municipal projects, citing some work that had been delayed for decades. These investments will ensure that the city is well-poised for the next natural disaster, pandemic or economic crisis, Zoeller said. A 21st-century Holyoke will attract new businesses, new residents, new municipal employees and additional private sector investment in the community. While her office understands the financial needs of nonprofits, Zoeller said that many could apply for other available federal and state grants, including a new funding stream for homelessness and housing programs. Zoeller added that small businesses benefited from the first round of ARPA funding. Those not recommended for awards will be directed to alternative programs, she said. Zoellers office created a spreadsheet, listing the recommendations made by Community Development and the seven-member Advisory Committee, chaired by resident Elbert Bowler. In one example of differing priorities, the Advisory Committee favored $1 million for window and exterior door replacements at the Donahue, Lawrence and McMahon schools, while Community Development allocated nothing. A similar divide exists for awarding the Holyoke Police Department $336,000 for ShotSpotter technology and Tasers, with the Advisory Committee solely in favor. Both sides agreed to set aside money for public health response, however, with the citizens committee suggesting $1 million and Zoellers office recommending half that amount. The city agency and citizens panel did agree on a $200,000 outlay for Habitat for Humanitys affordable housing initiative, $2.5 million for OneHolyoke CDCs homeownership program and $200,000 for Revitalize Community Development Corp.s health programs, particularly for asthmatic residents affected by COVID-19. Under the neighborhoods category, Community Development recommended $200,000 for the mayors Flex Squad, which tackles urban blight, and $1.5 million for clearance and demolition. The Advisory Committee went heavy on community-wide project recommendations under the same category. Members recommended $420,000 for a splash pad at Springdale Park; $1 million for a Parks and Recreation rejuvenation project; $200,000 for climate resiliency, flood control and rail removal; and $200,000 for Homework Houses after-school program. In addition, the Advisory Committee advised allocating about $1 million for pandemic-affected industries, with $500,000 for a project at the Victory Theater, $117,000 for the Elks Lodge parking lot near Ashley Reservoirs entrance and $300,000 for a new comprehensive plan for the city. Community Development recommended $293,000 for the comprehensive plan, rejecting the other funding requests. In December, the mayor pledged $2 million in ARPA funding toward the Victory Theater renovations. The Advisory Committee and Community Development Office agreed on $1.2 million in technology upgrades and improvements for the city, with half that money going toward Holyoke Gas and Electrics broadband network upgrades. Twenty years ago it was a sprawling old mill complex empty with little but trees growing through the roofs and occupied by homeless individuals and some wild animals. How did that old mill in one of the most economically challenged cities in the state become a thriving mixed-use development? Ask developer and pizza empire builder Sal Lupoli and hell tell you it wasnt easy. MassLive is taking its news staff on a reporter road trip to Riverwalk in Lawrence Tuesday, June 6, to explore the success that is Lupolis Riverwalk Innovation District now home to about 5,000 employees and nearly 600 market-rate apartments. Staff will be working out of Riverwalk tenant ULicious Smoothie & Juice Bar at 282 Merrimack St. and telling the tale of this Massachusetts success story through stories and videos both on MassLive.com and via our Facebook page. If youre in the area, drop by. MassLive staff will be on-site from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This summer, MassLive staff will be traveling to various locations around the state spotlighting interesting places with unique stories to tell. Know of a neighborhood, city or town with a really good story to tell? Message us at newstips.com and let us know where we should go next. An attorney who police said raped multiple women in a neighborhood of Boston 15 years ago will appear in court on Monday, June 5, according to the Suffolk County Superior Courts clerk office. Matthew J. Nilo, 35, was arrested at his Weehawken, New Jersey residence on May 31, the FBI, Boston Police and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said, in connection with several rapes in Charlestown in 2007 and 2008. Boston Police said Nilo sexually assaulted four women in the Terminal Street area in Charlestown on Aug. 18, 2007, Nov. 22, 2007, Aug. 5, 2008 and Dec. 23, 2008. All four cases are DNA connected, Police Commissioner Michael Cox said, the Boston Globe reported. Nilo was charged with three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape and one count of indecent assault and battery, the police department said. The 35-year-old is scheduled to appear Monday in Suffolk Superior Court. Nilo was a college student at the time of the rapes, according to the Globe. In 2008, Boston police had issued a warning to the public of a man who was attacking women after offering them rides home, the Globe said. Now, with new technology, initiatives within departments and bills passed, police departments across Massachusetts have been working to test thousands of untested rape kits. The Boston Police Department said its Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) helped with the investigation along with resources from the Suffolk County DAs office and the FBI, WCVB reported. The efforts were launched in May of last year to review unsolved sexual assault cases that posed the most threat to public safety, Cox said, according to the news outlet. The FBI said it also used investigative genetic genealogy to help identify the person responsible. The technology combines traditional DNA analysis with publicly available genealogy research and historical records to identify potential leads and suspects in a case, Joseph Bonavolonta, FBI Bostons special agent in charge, said, according to NBC Boston. This type of technology wasnt available at the time of the crimes, the news outlet reported. While we know Matthew Nilos arrest cannot ease the harm he has allegedly inflected upon his survivors, we believe we have removed a dangerous threat from our community. This investigation also highlights our collective commitment to bringing sexual predators to justice for their crimes, Bonavolonta said. The most important takeaway today is for victims of violent crimes and their families. You should know despite the passage of time, the FBI, the Boston Police Department, and our law enforcement partners will not give up, and we will continue to use any technological advancement we can to seek justice for you and your families. This article contains a description of an alleged sexual assault. __________________ A New Jersey attorney accused of raping multiple women in a Boston neighborhood 15 years ago pleaded not guilty to rape and kidnap charges in connection with the sexual assaults in court Monday. In Suffolk County Superior Court Monday morning, Matthew Nilo, 35, pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape and one count of indecent assault and battery. Bail was set at $500,000 for the New Jersey attorney. If he posts bail, hes required to wear a GPS tracker, surrender his passport, have no contact with the victims and stay 1,000 feet away from Terminal Street in Charlestown unless accompanied by his attorney. Nilo is due back in court Monday, June 12, for a bail review hearing. State prosecutors believe that Nilo sexually assaulted four women in the Terminal Street Charlestown area on Aug. 18, 2007, Nov. 22, 2007, Aug. 5, 2008 and Dec. 23, 2008, back when he lived in the north Boston neighborhood. Authorities said advancements in DNA testing technology, and the Boston Police Departments 2022 retrospective review of unsolved sexual assault cases, led authorities to identify Nilo as the suspect in the four sexual assaults. During Nilos arraignment hearing Monday, Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Lynn Feigenbaum gave the states recount of the four sexual assaults that occurred over a decade ago. In the early hours of Aug. 18, 2007, a 23-year-old woman was out with a friend in downtown Boston. Prosecutors said after the woman left the bar and headed to her friends house she came back downtown to look for her car around State Street. At this time, she told police she was approached by a man in his 20s with light olive skin and brown hair whom she thought she knew. He asked if she wanted a ride to help look for her car and she accepted. However, once she stepped into the car the driver drove her away from State Street up toward Terminal Street in Charlestown, according to the prosecutor. Once outside of the car, the male told her to shut up or he would kill her, and that he had a weapon. The male proceeded to rape her on a grassy area near railroad tracks, said Feigenbaum. After the sexual assault, the victim asked a bystander to help and she was taken to a hospital where she underwent a sexual assault evidence collection exam. Boston Police Department Crime Lab personnel obtained a male DNA profile from the exam, which was entered into the national Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database with negative results. Prosecutors said the second assault occurred on Nov. 22, 2007, after another 23-year-old woman had left a State Street bar after her high school reunion. Read more: Former Hopkinton deputy police chief John Porter suspended by POST commission She entered a car she thought was a taxi and gave the male driver an address of an ATM near her apartment. The victim later described the driver as a man in his mid-20s with short hair. When he passed the corner of North Washington Street and Commercial Street, the victim told the driver he missed the address. The driver went on to pull out a small knife and point it at her, the prosecutor stated. He then drove to Terminal Street, where he ordered the victim out of the car, knocked her to the ground and raped her, said Feigenbaum. The woman managed to run away from her attacker and flagged down a passing police cruiser for help. Officials said she was taken to a hospital and underwent a sexual assault evidence collection exam. BPD Crime Lab personnel once again obtained a male DNA profile. When entered into CODIS, this profile matched that of the Aug. 18, 2007, attacker, officials said. On Aug. 5, 2008, a 36-year-old woman, was panhandling in the area of Boylston and Arlington Streets, off the Boston Common when she was approached by a man in his early 20s, according to officials. The man promised to give her money if she went to Charlestown in his car with him, officials said. She accepted and went with the man to Terminal Street. Shortly after they got out of the car, he tackled the victim to the ground, held a gun to her back and raped her, according to prosecutors. After the assault, the victim flagged down a security guard in the area and was taken to a hospital. She too underwent a sexual assault evidence collection exam that resulted in a male DNA profile that matched the unknown male profile from the two previous rapes, officials stated. The fourth assault occurred during the early hours of Dec. 23, 2008. A 44-year-old woman was jogging near Terminal Street in Charlestown when a man ran up behind her and put his arms around her upper body in a bearhug, officials said. The man put his left hand inside the victims pants and underwear, touching her vagina. When the victim screamed, the man said, I have a gun, numerous times, according to prosecutors. The victim fought back with her gloved hands and poked the man in his eyes. After the attacker ran off, the victim returned to her home and called 911 to report the assault. As part of the investigation, her clothing, including her glove, was taken as evidence, but no forensic link was established at that time, officials said. In 2022, Boston police revisited the investigation into the four Terminal Street assaults. Police utilized new forensic investigative genetic genealogy to help narrow suspects. The technology allows investigators to search publicly accessible DNA databases, populated only by data that users have chosen to make available. The technology led police to identify Nilo as the suspect in the four sexual assaults. He was placed under surveillance in May while living in New Jersey and working at a New York City law firm. FBI agents obtained several utensils and drinking glasses Nilo used at a corporate event. From one of the glasses, the Boston Police Crime Lab obtained a male DNA profile, which was found to match the suspect profile from the three Terminal Street rapes, officials said. The glove that the December 2008 assault victim used to poke her attackers eyes was sent for forensic testing at a private lab and a male profile was found, officials stated. Investigators said further testing determined that the DNA found on the glove was 314 times more likely to belong to Nilo than to any other male in the population. The Bolton Police Department has launched a hate crime investigation after disparaging words were found spray-painted on a Pride Day banner and Town of Bolton display sign over the weekend. Bolton Police Chief Warren Nelson said the Pride banner and town sign were vandalized some time late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. The towns DPW placed a tarp over the town sign; the Pride Day organizers removed the banner. Boltons Pride Day occurred as planned despite the vandalism on Sunday. This is something the Town of Bolton takes extremely seriously and will be fully investigated by the Bolton Police Department, Nelson wrote in a statement. There is no place for this type of behavior in our community and we will do everything we can to identify the person or persons who committed this disgusting act. The Bolton Police Department is asking anyone with information about the vandalism to call police at 978-779-2276. Authorities are still investigating the vandalism. The House of Representatives has reached an agreement with the Biden administration to lift the student loan repayment moratorium by the end of the summer as the U.S. Supreme Court is gearing up to release a ruling on the legality of President Bidens student debt forgiveness plan. A deal struck between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy On Wednesday, May 31, voted to raise the countrys debt ceiling before a default and also included an adjustment to the administrations effort to provide student loan relief and aid to millions of borrowers. Student loan payments have been paused for the past three years since the start of the COVID pandemic. During this time, Republicans have attempted to resume student loan payments, which Biden has repeatedly extended. Read more: How to prepare to start paying back student loans when payment freeze ends As part of Wednesdays debt ceiling bill, Biden agreed to restart all student loan payments after Aug. 30, two months after the Supreme Court is expected to release its ruling on Bidens debt relief plan. This bill does end the payment pause, Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said in a press briefing. But very close to the timeframe we were going to end it, as an administration, when it comes to repayment. There is no definitive plan on what the restart process yet looks like for student borrowers, the pause is set to expire 60 days after the Supreme Court ruling. Student loan repayment dates may also vary from borrower to borrower. Student borrowers interested in knowing when they should resume their student loan payments can look toward the Federal Student Aid website for loan counselors. Counselors can look at an individuals financial and employment history and let them know what repayment plan works best and whether they should wait out the 0% interest loan moratorium period. Organizations such as the Student Borrower Protection Center and the Institute of Student Loan Advisors are also useful tools for student loan borrowers. The Biden administration wants to waive $10,000 to $20,000 in debt for over 44 million American student loan borrowers. However, the legality around Bidens authority to erase student debt is currently being considered by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is expected to release its ruling on Bidens debt forgiveness plan before the end of June. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Monday that he will not seek the presidency in 2024. The 48-year-old Republican governor, a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump, made the announcement on CNN and followed up with a post on social media. I will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024, Sununu tweeted. The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help to ensure this does not happen. Read more: Mike Pence to launch campaign for president Sununu was among a small group of Republican officials still openly contemplating a presidential bid. Even with his decision, the 2024 GOP White House field will be large. Earlier Monday, former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork declaring his campaign for president. He joined a field that includes Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to launch his own campaign Tuesday evening in New Hampshire, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will announce his bid Wednesday in Fargo. Sununu has said he would endorse the GOPs ultimate nominee in 2024, but that hes rooting against Trump. You obviously have a very large field, he told CNNs Dana Bash in an interview. I think the former president is doing much better in the polls than folks thought. He said that Trump has no chance of winning the general election in November of 2024. If Republicans nominate him, a vote for him in the primary is effectively a vote for Joe Biden. Sununu, who was recently elected to his fourth two-year term as New Hampshire governor, did not rule out a future run. By not running, he said, he planned to speak with a little more of an unleashed voice to make the Republican Party bigger. Taylor Swift is on her next stop during her record-breaking Eras Tour, now heading to Detroit, Michigan. The tour features songs from her recent 10th studio album, Midnights, which launched back on October 21. It also will span a wide variety of her discography, including her country roots in Fearless, electropop beats from Reputation, slow ballads from sister albums Evermore and Folklore and everything in between. *New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.* Swifts upcoming stop will be at Ford Field in Detroit on June 9 and 10 as part of the 52-date, 17-state-wide tour. She will be joined by artists girl in red and Gracie Abrams. Those who hope to see the 12-time Grammy Award-winning artist can shop at VividSeats, StubHub and SeatGeek for her shows in Chicago and the rest of the remaining tour locations. Here you can find the cheapest concert tickets for the Ford Field shows as of Monday, June 5: June 9 - Ford Field in Detroit, MI - Buy tickets at VividSeats StubHub and SeatGeek June 10 - Ford Field in Detroit, MI - Buy tickets at VividSeats StubHub and SeatGeek Below are the remaining tour schedules below. Find tickets to shows close to you: A Store Closing June 23 sign is Old Navys latest Item of the Week as the store prepares to shut down its Eastfield Mall location ahead of the malls July closure. However, the clothing chain may be a part of the propertys future development. In April, Onyx Partners Limited purchased the 45-acre Eastfield Mall property from Mountain Development for $4.5 million. Onyx Partners plans to knock down the building and transform the space into an open-air shopping center in a major redevelopment thatll cost $65-$85 million to construct over two years, owners told the Republican. Eastfield Malls 43 small businesses and 10 national retailers will have to find a new space before the mall permanently closes after 56 years in July. Old Navy management is directing Springfield customers to its Holyoke Mall store with no immediate plans to reopening around Eastfield Malls Boston Road area after the June 23 closing. However, Old Navy may return to the redeveloped Eastfield Mall property in the future as Onyx developers said theres a high probability theyll bring in a Chick-fil-a, Old Navy, Burlington and PetSmart. Onyx, the city and the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council have helped some of the malls businesses find new locations. The investment group has also offered free rent and utilities as merchants find new spots. Hannoush Jewelers is moving across Boston Road to the former M&T Bank branch. They plan to open later this summer. A Dollar & Deals store will move to the nearby Walmart Supercenter plaza on 1105 Boston Road where itll be rebranded as a party store. However, not every Eastfield Mall business has been lucky. There are still several small businesses searching for new locations before the impending July closure. The Onyx leasing team said it will communicate with current tenants about returning to the property once construction is done. Frankie Walsh, teacher and Safe Space program manager, opens up her snack bag upon walking into a Van Sickle Academy classroom and begins writing todays lesson plan on a whiteboard for the day, her vibrant colored Pride nails flicker with each word written. Its the day before Pride month and the Van Sickle middle school students are learning about the history of Pride. (The) program itself kind of just leads to a lot of social emotional learning amongst the youth of the community, and really just kind of gives them the opportunity to support one another and begin to build community, Taurean Bethea, leader of the Springfield Pride Parade organization, told MassLive. The after-school program grew out of the Safe Space initiative that partners with Springfield businesses to place public-facing decals to commit to and demonstrate their business is inclusive to LGBTQIA+ individuals. MassLive is one of more than a dozen businesses that are a part of this initiative. Last summer, the organization began its summer programming in partnership with Springfield College for grades six to 12. It was only this school year that Safe Space, which currently runs at Van Sickle Academy, John F. Kennedy Academy, and John J Duggan Academy, started, meeting three times a week during the school year with an average of two dozen students across the three schools. Serving youth from grades six to eight, the program now includes four teachers, according to Walsh. Ideally, Walsh said the program would like to have all of their after-school teachers also be full-time teachers at the schools in order to create more of a rapport, support system, and culture just like they have at Duggan. However, this may take time and might be easier as the program aims to expand. Bethea said he is looking to grow into high schools and more Springfield public schools. A gala was held at MGM Springfield on Thursday to raise funds for the potential expansion. Since beginning of the program this school year he has had multiple other schools request to have an after-school Safe Space program and foresees more inquiries as the organization expands, according to Bethea. The Pride Parade organization is also looking at opening offices in schools to provide year-round services for LGBTQIA+ youth. Sarno said he is in support of the Safe Space programs expansion. I think the more education you can get out there the betterment of people understanding each other, which grows the respect, Sarno told MassLive. People need to take the politics out of this and try to treat this as a human spirit situation. Walsh, who was a summer enrichment teacher for the Safe Space program last year, said the program is critical to allowing students to see themselves reflected back in the curriculum. She also said that doing it at the middle school level is important to her so that she is able give information and support to youth early on. So (they)re not learning everything on TikTok, Walsh told MassLive. Each day Walsh meets with her Van Sickle group, she begins her lesson with 15 minutes for her students to unwind and get their pent up energy out from a day of school. Sometimes students argue with her about whether or not to open the window to let cool air in or whether the air outside is hotter. Its in the 80s and Walsh puts her hair up in a bun almost immediately when walking in the classroom. Each student sips on their juice boxes and rummages through the snack bag, determining what kind of chips they want. Students talk freely with Walsh and their classmates about potential crushes and what crazy thing happened at school before the 15 minutes are up and Walsh corrals the six students to focus on her presentation. Safe Space students and teachers at the second annual Springfield Pride Parade. While the students focus ebbs and flows, Walsh speaks with a student about why some family members may not be supportive of LGBTQIA+ individuals and how peoples perspectives may change over time. Walsh said she doesnt typically create formal presentations for the students, each lesson plan is different. Some classes have focused on learning about what healthy relationships are, working on reframing activities and self-esteem, Black History month, forgotten queer heroes, guided meditation, and tie dying t-shirts, among other activities. After Walsh finishes her presentation, she brings the students to the much anticipated outdoors, bringing a ball. Some walk around a track talking with each other while others sit under a tree passing the ball to one another to escape the blazing sun. Yadielys Torres, 13, opts for a mixture of both, taking a walk in the sun to ultimately sit in the shade. For Torres, the Safe Space program has allowed her to learn a lot more about herself, including the fact that she likes to draw and color and enjoys her quiet time. One exercise Walsh created that Torres enjoyed was when she was able to draw on a blank puzzle and on the back wrote self-care and esteem tips. It made me realize how much I like myself, Torres told MassLive. Being a part of the group has built her confidence and allowed her to learn about Pride Month and drag queens, among other topics which she hasnt learned about before. Frankie Walsh, program director, at Van Sickle Academy for the Pride Parade Organization's after-school program. There are usually a myriad of reasons why students decide to join the after-school program. At Van Sickle, Neci Torres, 14, said she joined to learn more about her sexuality while hanging out with her friends. In the process, she also learned more about gender. Julyana Malave, 13, said she thought the program sounded interesting and she was bored after school. Although she has experienced some push back from family members about being a part of the group, she said she wants to stay and has gotten more interested in learning about gender, sexuality, and Pride. Its not like they put things in your head, Malave told MassLive. Three people were hurt after multiple vehicles crashed on Interstate 93 in Woburn Monday afternoon. The crash occurred at around 5 p.m. near exit 30 on I-93 north, according to Massachusetts State Police spokesperson Dave Procopio. Police said three people were rushed to a local hospital with injuries. Officials did not specify the severity of the injuries. Read more: Authorities originally shut down all lanes after the crash. As of 5:40 p.m., all lanes were open and the crash site was clear, according to police. Traffic backed up for at least 9 miles as a result of the crash, police said. The global market for osteoporosis medications generated US$ 13.0 billion in revenue in 2022, and it is anticipated that this market will increase at a CAGR of 3.5% to reach a valuation of about US$ 18.9 billion by the end of 2033. Persistence Market Research predicts that in 2023, bisphosphonates will have a market share of about 43.6%. The global orthopaedic pharmaceuticals and devices market, which was estimated to be worth around US$ 53.9 Bn in 2022, has an overall revenue share of approximately 24.1% that is accounted for by sales of osteoporosis medications. Request For Free Sample Report of Osteoporosis Drugs Market@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/2983 The osteoporosis drugs market has witnessed significant growth in recent years due to the increasing prevalence of osteoporosis and the growing aging population worldwide. Osteoporosis is a chronic condition characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration, leading to an increased risk of fractures. The demand for effective treatment options to manage and prevent osteoporosis has fueled the development of innovative drugs in the market. One of the key drivers of the osteoporosis drugs market is the rising awareness about osteoporosis and its associated risks. As people become more conscious of the impact of osteoporosis on their quality of life, there is a growing demand for therapeutic interventions that can slow down bone loss and reduce fracture risk. Pharmaceutical companies are responding to this demand by investing in research and development to discover novel drugs that can effectively target bone metabolism and strengthen bone structure. Moreover, advancements in drug delivery systems have played a significant role in the growth of the osteoporosis drugs market. The development of oral bisphosphonates, such as alendronate and risedronate, has revolutionized the treatment of osteoporosis. These drugs, along with other therapeutic options such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and monoclonal antibodies, offer convenient and effective means of managing osteoporosis. Furthermore, the increasing geriatric population worldwide has contributed to the expansion of the osteoporosis drugs market. As the elderly population grows, the prevalence of osteoporosis and related fractures is expected to rise, creating a higher demand for osteoporosis drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are focusing on developing drugs that can cater specifically to the needs of the aging population, considering factors such as safety, efficacy, and ease of administration. The osteoporosis drugs market is highly competitive, with several key players actively involved in drug development and commercialization. Companies are engaged in strategic collaborations, partnerships, and acquisitions to expand their product portfolios and gain a competitive edge. Additionally, the market is witnessing significant investments in research and development to introduce new drug formulations and enhance existing therapies. Request Customization @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/request-customization/2983 Competition Landscape To maintain market competition, the firms in the industry are implementing cooperative strategies. Manufacturers are spending money on R&D to release novel products on the market. Eli Lilly and Company F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Merck & Co, Inc. Novartis AG Amgen, Inc. Novo Nordisk A/S Actavis plc Pfizer, Inc. GlaxoSmithKline plc Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd Enzene Biosciences Ltd Theramex Key Segments Covered in Global Osteoporosis Drugs Market Research Drug: Bisphosphonates Parathyroid Hormone Therapy Drugs Calcitonin Selective Oestrogen Receptors Modulators (SERMs) RANK Ligand Inhibitors Distribution Channel: Retail Pharmacies Hospital Pharmacies Online Sales Region: North America Latin America Europe South Asia East Asia Oceania Middle East & Africa Get Full Report Now @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/2983 In conclusion, the osteoporosis drugs market is experiencing robust growth driven by factors such as increasing awareness about osteoporosis, advancements in drug delivery systems, the aging population, and the intense competition among pharmaceutical companies. The development of innovative drugs and therapeutic interventions holds promise for effectively managing osteoporosis, reducing fracture risk, and improving the quality of life for patients affected by this debilitating condition. Explore Extensive Coverage of Persistence Market Researchs Healthcare Industry Related Reports: Skin Imaging Systems Market Recombinant Cell Culture Supplements Market Dialysis Machines Market Examination and Surgical Gloves Market About us: Persistence Market Research is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. Persistence Market Research boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductors and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs. Contact Us: Persistence Market Research Address 305 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007 United States U.S. Ph. +1-646-568-7751 USA-Canada Toll-free +1 800-961-0353 Sales sales@persistencemarketresearch.com by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, June 5, 2023 Meta Platforms has been voluntarily paying U.S. news publishers for news stories. Some U.S. states would like to make it pretty much mandatory. Last year, Facebook's parent company Meta told publishers it would no longer pay for the content it has been aggregating in the news tab. Meta spent about $105 million in three-year content deals for news (plus another $90 million for news videos) -- including $10 million for The Wall Street Journal, $20 million for The New York Times, and $3 million for CNN, according to reports. Sometimes this includes unlocked access to paywalled content. Now California wants to make it a law that social-media platforms should pay up -- regularly. To a great extent this would benefit regional and local newspapers, which have been hard-pressed to realize revenue growth over the last few years. advertisement advertisement Meta is resisting. For its part, Facebook has been allowing news content on their site for years, giving marketing and promotion benefits to those news organizations. Some small levels of money have been exchanged for some of that placement. But not anymore. But should it do more than that? The California bill is not intended to just line the pockets of local media news owners. It requires that publishers invest 70% of usage fee profits into journalism jobs. What about local TV news California TV stations? It seems like that would be included. Considering there have been some cutbacks among TV stations' news operations of late --- perhaps due to overspending on news content -- this might help the situation. Meta brings to this the knowledge that 60% of modern media consumers get some -- if not all -- of their news content via social-media platforms. News content can be a major content expense they have not had to worry about. Meta, like other social media platforms, does not have a real news operation -- and may never have one. But it does bring up the value for its social-media users who count on Meta for their social-media content interaction, which includes news content. Looking at the broader media universe-- including digital media players -- we all know content spend can be incredibly expensive -- scripted video, as well as non-scripted news content. TV, digital, and print-based news organizations should be able to determine their own value and then go out and sell their wares in a free business environment. But a low-ish $200 million over three years from the likes of one dominant social media platform doesnt seem like that can solve anything. So, what now? Expected social media regulation and laws? One idea: Maybe we should stop calling news stories content. by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, June 5, 2023 The good news is that a U.S. fiscal default won't compound global macroeconomic concerns. The bad news is that there continues to be weakening sentiment in the U.S. and worldwide, and by at least one independent measure -- an ongoing tracking study by the U.K.'s Data & Marketing Association (DMA) -- it comes at a time when overall marketing effectiveness continues to erode. In fact, based on the DMA's analysis, which is derived mainly from surveys it conducts among its annual awards entrants, overall marketing effectiveness remains below pre-pandemic levels for the second year in a row. While that assessment comes from self-reported data, it is a big pool of data -- 1,200 DMA awards entrants over a six-year period -- and DMA Director of Insight Ian Gibbs believes it is stable and directional enough that it reveals a potential minor crisis for the overall effectiveness of marketing -- or at the very least, how it is measured. "Proving marketing effectiveness has become a complex task," he says citing the increasing complexity, as well as fragmentation of marketing channels. To help organize those metrics, the DMA released a new CMO Measurement Toolkit and published a companion report advocating some steps that marketers, agencies and the media can apply to get more ground truth around the return on marketing expenditures. The report recommends focusing on five key actions: "Measuring what matters" to a marketer's actual business. Assess which metrics are linked explicitly to their business outcomes. Contextualizing marketing performance against those explicit benchmarks. Stimulating future consumer demand vis a vis "brand-building." Rediscovering the "lost art of creativity" to drive brand response. Some of those recommendations may seem like obvious no-brainers, but two of them are especially notable to me, including the DMA's push for brand-building, which is something I think the marketing industry has moved too far away from due to its increasing push for short-term performance KPIs. The other big takeaway is the fact that many marketers are still relying on loosey-goosey KPIs that are either vestiges of quaint times when they could afford less-than-precise effectiveness measures, or are just something that makes them feel good, like "brand lift." (Has anyone ever seen a brand-lift study in which it went down?). Most damning of all, in the DMA's most recent analysis, it found that only 8% of all the marketing-measurement KPIs it pooled from marketers in 2022, only 8% were explicitly tied to metrics that have a material impact on their business outcomes. "The really big factor is sub-standard measurement," Gibbs confided in me during a briefing following the release of the report and the new toolkit. Specifically, he says the DMA's database includes "180 different metrics that people use to measure advertising effectiveness," but that 92% doing relate explicitly to business outcomes. In fact, he says 40% of all those metrics relate to "less meaningful" criteria overall. "The problem," Gibbs concludes, is that marketers "are not speaking the language of their boards." by Ray Schultz , June 4, 2023 Edward Enninful will leave his post as editor-in-chief of British Vogue and take a new role within Conde Nast in the beginning of 2024, Vogue Business reports. Anna [Wintour] Roger [Lynch], and I have been discussing how I can play a broader role in enhancing Vogue globally, Enninful wrote in a memo to staff. He added, I am excited to share that from next year I will be stepping into the newly appointed position of editorial advisor of British Vogue and global creative and cultural advisor of Vogue, where I will continue to contribute to the creative and cultural success of the Vogue brand globally while having the freedom to take on broader creative projects. advertisement advertisement The company will hire a new head of editorial for British Vogue. The position will partner very closely with you all and Anna, and will initially report to me until we have onboarded them, Enninful added. Enninful shared the news with the heads of editorial content at Vogue France, Vogue Italia, Vogue Spain and Vogue Germany, who report to him, Vogue Business reports. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, June 5, 2023 Ben & Jerrys says it will no longer buy paid advertising on Twitter, citing an increase in hate speech on the platform. The company is calling on its business partners to do the same. Management is not only troubled by hate speech from those across the social network, but also the speech of Elon Musk, the sites owner. Hate speech is up dramatically while content moderation has become all but non-existent, according to a post on the companys site. In addition to the changes on the platform that have led to an increase in hate speech, Musk himself has doubled down on dangerous anti-democratic lies and white nationalist hate speech. advertisement advertisement Twitters U.S. advertising revenue for the five weeks from April 1 2023, to the first week of May was $88 million, down 59% from a year earlier, according to an internal presentation obtained by The New York Times. The company continues to fall short of its U.S. weekly sales projections, sometimes by as much as 30%, the document stated. Ben & Jerry's, in the post, called Twitter a threatening and dangerous place for women, the gay community, Jewish and Muslim people, racial minorities, and many other groups. It said every dollar we spend in the course of our day-to-day operations is an opportunity to advance our progressive values. Until Twitter ends the extremist and violent content on the platform, Ben & Jerrys will spend no money with Twitter. The company plans to remain on the platform to connect with its community, but will revisit that presence as needed pending developments in this space. Musk has continually denied the claims suggesting the hate speech has increased on Twitter since he purchased the company. Last year he posted on Twitter a downward-trending graph showing "hate speech impressions" dropped by one-third since he took over the company. It was around the same time that Twitter blogged about the company commitment to public conversations, and how its Trust & Safety team continues to keep the platform safe from hateful conduct, abusive behavior, and any violation of Twitter's rules. Ben & Jerrys for years has been known for advocating activism and promoting progressive values that attract controversy. Some may not think that the activism around trans rights and LGBQ+ rights could be connected to ice cream, but executives who run the ice cream giant seem to think it does. The company has an Activism section on its website listing the movements it supports, such as racial justice, fair trade, rights and dignity or refugees, and campaign finance reform, just to name a few. Outspoken and insistent about many causes, under the heading of Activism, the company states: we love dough so much, we invented Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream. But dough doesnt mix so well with democracy. In fact, theres so much big money flooding into our elections in the United States that the voice of regular folks is being drowned out. In 2021, the company said it would stop selling its ice cream in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, citing the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians for a potential future state are inconsistent with its values. Unilever, which bought Ben & Jerrys in 2000, said in 2022 it would sell the business in Israel to a local company that would sell the ice cream under its Hebrew and Arabic name throughout Israel and the West Bank, according to the Associated Press. by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, June 5, 2023 After pulling more than 50 TV series and movies from Disney+ and Hulu at the end of May, Disney reported a record $1.5-billion impairment charge for its June quarter. In the Securities and Exchange Commission filing, the company also said that it could incur additional impairment charges of up to $400 million, because it is continuing to review the content on the streaming services and expects that additional produced content will be removed from its DTC and other platforms, mostly during its third fiscal quarter. The content already removed by Disney includes TV series such as Willows and Dollface, and movies including The One and Only Ivan and The Mighty Ducks. Reducing the value of its content assets will allow Disney to reduce its taxes. In its quarterly earnings call in May, CFO Christine McCarthy told analysts that Disney expected to take a $1.5-billion to $1.8-billion write-down in its June quarter. We are in the process of reviewing the content on our services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation, she said. As part of its push to slash costs, Disney, which spent $33 billion on content last year, plans to cut $3 billion this year. The company is confident that rationalizing the volume of content produced and costs are the right path for streamings long-term profitability, CEO Bob Iger said. Disney also plans to launch an integrated Disney+/Hulu app option, and raise Disney+ subscription prices, sometime this year. As the early 2024 deadline for Disney's acquisition of Comcast's 33% stake in Hulu approaches, Comcast has reportedly stopped paying costs related to Hulu and the companies are in arbitration over the value of the streaming platform. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, June 5, 2023 Microsoft quietly announced the end of support for Cortana in Windows 10 and Windows 11 a few months ago, pushing users toward the new Bing powered by artificial intelligence (AI), Microsoft 365 Copilot, Windows Copilot and other products. We are making some changes to Windows that will impact users of the Cortana app, Microsoft explains in a support document online. Starting in late 2023, we will no longer support Cortana in Windows as a standalone app. In 2019, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in 2019 confirmed that Cortana would never be competitive with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, and called the technology a backend service, according to one report. Then, in July 2020, Microsoft announced the end of support for the Cortana app on Android and iPhone, following through on the promise in March 2021. The following June, the company said it would not include support for Cortana in Windows 11. advertisement advertisement Productivity features in Windows and Edge are still available with the increase in AI capabilities in tasks, calendar, and email. The change only impacts Cortana in Windows. Cortana will continue to be available in Outlook mobile, Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms. Rather than click on the Cortana icon to launch the app, users rely on their voice through different tools. The transition puts voice access and AI in Windows 11 in the foreground. This new feature in Windows 11 enables users to write text using their voice. Voice commands will open and switch between apps, browse the web, and read and write emails. Voice access works offline and uses advanced speech recognition to understand your speech and help you get things done. The AI-powered Bing allows users to ask complex questions and get concise answers from reliable sources across the web. Users can type or speak questions in Bing Chat to gain insight from multiple sources. Microsoft 365 Copilot feature uses AI and the users data from calendar, emails, chats, documents, and meetings to help create, edit and share content, and more. Windows Copilot, available in preview for Windows 11 in June, provides centralized AI assistance. Together with Bing Chat and first- and third-party plugins, users can collaborate on complex projects. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, June 5, 2023 Siding against Malwarebytes, a federal appeals court on Friday revived claims that the cybersecurity company engaged in false advertising by flagging programs by Enigma Software, a rival, as possible threats. In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Malwarebytes' argument that its statements regarding Enigma -- including that its programs were potentially unwanted, threats, and malicious -- were opinions, which are protected by the First Amendment. Enigma has alleged that Malwarebytes disparaged Enigmas products for commercial advantage by making misleading statements of fact, Circuit Judge Richard Clifton wrote in an opinion joined by International Trade Judge M. Miller Baker. If those allegations are true, and at this stage we must presume that they are, trying to wrap them in a First Amendment flag does not make them any less offensive or any less actionable. Chief Judge Patrick Bumatay dissented, writing that Malwarebytes' statements regarding Enigma were nonactionable opinions, and therefore couldn't support Enigma's claims. When a cybersecurity company flags another companys products as 'potentially unwanted programs,' 'threats,' or 'malicious,' could it be liable for false advertising under the Lanham Act? The answer is plainly 'no,' Bumatay wrote. He added that those characterizations are subjective statements, not readily verifiable. The panel also revived a claim that Malwarebytes wrongly interfered with Enigma's business contracts. Malwarebytes can still ask the entire 9th Circuit to hear the case, or can ask the Supreme Court to intervene. The battle between the companies began in 2016, when Enigma alleged that its programs -- including SpyHunter and RegHunter -- were wrongly tagged as threats and blocked by Malwarebytes. For its part, Malwarebytes alleged that Enigma uses deceptive scare tactics to trick consumers into purchasing subscriptions. Malwarebytes suffered a key defeat earlier in the proceedings, when it unsuccessfully argued it was protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. That law contains a provision that shields computer services from liability for restricting objectionable material. The 9th Circuit ruled in 2019 that Section 230 didn't apply because Malwarebytes competes with Enigma. Malwarebytes then asked the Supreme Court to hear the matter. The court declined to do so in 2020. A trial judge subsequently dismissed Enigma's lawsuit on the grounds that its allegations, even if proven true, wouldn't show that Malwarebytes wrongly disparaged a competitor. Enigma appealed that ruling to the 9th Circuit, which reversed the trial judge on Friday. Friday's appellate decision doesn't mean Malwarebytes will ultimately lose the case, but suggests that the seven-year-old case will continue to linger in court -- which could drive up the company's legal costs. For that reason, the ruling reinforces how expensive it is for Malwarebytes to defend its classifications, Santa Clara University Eric Goldman says. He adds that the new decision carries chilling consequences for the entire industry. Goldman previously argued to the Supreme Court that the 9th Circuit's 2019 ruling depriving Malwarebytes of the protection of Section 230 could hinder other anti-threat software vendors. Advertisement Zombie Cells Could Make Your Heart Beat Stronger Promising Test Raises Prospects for Heart Transplant Recipients Heart Transplantation in Patients Older than 65 Years: Worthwhile or Wastage of Organs? - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25415627/) This innovative test has the potential to increase the pool of available hearts and save the lives of around 320 people currently awaiting a life-saving heart transplant.The research has shown that people with heart disease have more senescent - or 'zombie' - cells than those without after they found higher levels of 'zombie' cell markers in their blood.'Zombie' cells aren't dead, but they don't work as they should. They release molecules that can impact neighboring cells, turning these into 'zombie' cells too. They also increase the amount of inflammation and cause scar tissue to form in the heart muscle. This raises the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases The team now wants to find out more about the 'signature' that 'zombie' cells leave in the blood and what that signature tells them about the biological as opposed to the chronicle age of the heart. They think that a blood test to look for this signature in older potential donors could reveal those who have biologically young, healthy hearts that might be suitable for transplant.Dr. Gavin Richardson, Senior lecturer and lead of the Vascular Medicine and Biology Theme at Newcastle University, is leading the research. He said:"Our work is revealing more about the clues that 'zombie' cells leave to suggest their presence in the body. We are confident that we will be able to use these clues to better understand which hearts from non-eligible donors might be able to be used after all."This could be a game changer - as currently most hearts from older donors are not used for transplant, but the hope is we will be able to show that a number of these organs are suitable for transplant for people desperately waiting for a new heart."When they looked at human heart cells in a dish, the researchers saw that the 'zombie' cells secrete higher levels of a protein called GDF15 compared to healthy cells.Using blood samples from 774 people aged over 85, the researchers then found higher levels of the GDF15 protein in the blood of people with heart disease than people without - suggesting that their hearts contain more 'zombie' cells.The increase in GDF15 levels in the blood of people with heart disease was similar to that of another protein that is already used to diagnose heart failure - which made the researchers confident that they would be able to identify the cells associated with senescence.The team also looked at the RNA in cells from eight donor hearts. RNA - short for ribonucleic acid - is similar to DNA and tells cells which proteins to make depending on the genes that are turned on. When researchers looked at another marker in these hearts linked to 'zombie' cells - called p21 - they found a strong link between this and another marker of heart and circulatory diseases.The researchers believe these two molecules will form part of the 'zombie' cell signature that could be detected through tissue or blood tests. They're now using blood and tissue samples from the Quality in Organ Donation biobank and NHS Blood and Transplant to look for this signature and find out whether it's linked to better transplant outcomes.Professor James Leiper, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We are facing a heart failure epidemic with nearly one million people in the UK living with this condition - and for a small but significant number of these people the only cure we can offer is a heart transplant."We urgently need more hearts available for transplant, so it is very encouraging to hear about the work Dr. Richardson and his colleagues are doing to help meet this demand."Derek Manas, Medical Director for Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant said: "With the need for organ donation and transplantation to happen quickly, it is helpful to explore the ways that new technologies and tests can help us assess the suitability of organs for transplant. For many reasons, hearts from donors of any age are often not suitable for transplant, so we are keen to support any research which may help us increase the number of hearts suitable for transplantation, save more lives and improve outcomes for those who are waiting."Source: Eurekalert Photo provided/Communications Nova Scotia/The Canadian Press/AP Canadian wildfires are not the reason Michigan experienced a number of recent Air Quality Action Days, when weather conditions may cause air to be unhealthy for some people. On Air Quality Action Days, when the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups like people with a lung disease such as asthma, people are encouraged by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to change their activities to minimize their exposure. Even if the Manistee County area were to receive a little rain this week, it wouldn't be enough to get the region out of the extreme fire danger it is currently under. As it stands, Manistee is not expected to see rain until Saturday when there is a chance of showers, according to National Weather Service forecasts. On Sunday, most of the state and all of the northern Lower Peninsula were under a red flag warning. According to a post on the Norman Township Fire Department's Facebook page, "it will take a substantial amount of rain to get us out of the fire danger." The department noted that residents should not be surprised that an open burning ban remains in place even if the area received some rain. "Just a friendly reminder that even if you have a camp fire, and it gets out of control you could be held criminally and financially responsible for the damage and cost of extinguishing the fire. The fire danger is extreme in our area and is only going to get worse as there is no rain in the forecast," the post reads in part. This notice comes after updates from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources showed that a fire southeast of Grayling that started on Saturday afternoon grew to cover about 2,400 acres. The Wilderness Trail Fire was 90% contained Sunday and the source was a campfire on private property, the news release states. A team of 10 firefighters from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also arrived Sunday to help battle the Wilderness Trail Fire. The U.S. Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forests Facebook page also shared an update on another wildfire over the weekend. Dubbed the Oats Fire, the wildfire near Oscoda grew to about 100 acres and was 30% contained as of Sunday. The cause is unknown and still under investigation. This comes just days after crews were kept busy with the 136-acre Fife Lake Outlet Fire near Manton that started after a campfire at a private residence escaped its ring and burned through dry grass. Fire danger has been very high to extreme in most of Michigan, and that is expected to continue with current hot, dry weather conditions. Burn permits for yard debris are not being granted at this time. One of the most important things people can do now is to refrain from burning until we get significant rain, said Mike Janisse, incident commander of the Department of Natural Resources Incident Management Team supporting the fire. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor maps, the area of abnormally dry conditions spread over the last two weeks and grew to encompass a midsection of the Lower Peninsula from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. This stretch includes much of the Manistee National Forest. See our air quality map that shows air quality ratings across Michigan and the Midwest, updated every 10 minutes. BIG RAPIDS Among the vendors at the MiGOPD2 Republican Party rally at the Mecosta County fairgrounds in Big Rapids this past weekend was the No Go On Gotion booth. Attendee Ormand Hook, of Big Rapids, said the group is comprised of those leading the pushback against the planned Gotion North America electric vehicle battery component manufacturing facility in Green Charter Township. I am a veteran, I am an American. We need business, but we need American business, Hook said. We dont need to be giving Michigan tax money to a foreign country who is our No. 1 enemy. We are just people of the community that dont want Gotion here. He said if you go to the Gotion web page and look at the articles of incorporation, it tells you who they are and why they are here. All that information was kept secret, Hook said. Most of our elected officials dont read it and study it. They want to pretend they dont hear or see anything. Gotion North America vice president Chuck Thelen said previously that Gotion NA is based in California and the articles of corporation come from California. Gotion High Tech is a publicly traded international organization with a diverse board of executive directors including citizens of Germany, USA and China. Within the Gotion North America organization, who will be responsible for Big Rapids plant ownership, there is no CCP organization influence. "We are not Chinese owned," he said. "Like many other national companies, Gotion was started in China, but again, it is not Chinese owned. Thelen has also stated that Gotion, Inc. will invest up to $2.364B in this new venture over multiple phases of development during the span of approximately eight years. Funding is being managed through Switzerland stock sales as well as traditional corporate funding methods. Additionally, the incentive package from the state takes two forms - grants, which come with clawbacks, and tax abatements. The grants will be used for infrastructure, site preparation, and construction activities all at the Big Rapids location. The tax abatements represent a waiver of future property taxes, he said. These dollars will be invested here in the U.S. Hook stated that Michigan tax laws and regulations are what prevent American companies from coming to the state. Michigan led the world in manufacturing. Twenty or 30 years ago Michigan pretty much ran business out of the state with the regulations they chose, he said. Management screwed it up, the unions screwed it up and they (businesses) went to Mexico. Hook shared concerns of others, who oppose the plant about the water usage the company says it will need, saying they will be taking their water out of the same aquifer the city uses, and they are going to be taking more water than the Ice Mountain facility. Additionally, he said, there are concerns about the safety of the chemicals that will be used in the manufacturing process. In the discussion about all the chemicals, they told the city at a safety meeting they will self-police, he said. Would we let the prisoners in our jails self-police?" Thelen said previously, Gotion has an incredible record of safety and environmental protection. The company has never had any environmental issues at any facility worldwide, because they care about the local communities where they choose to locate. The same will be true for the Green Township faiclity, he said. "MIOSHA standards will be met in all phases of the project, because Gotion is committed to meeting or exceeding the highest standards of health and safety for this project," thelen said. "An Environmental Health and Safety team of people will be employed by the company to ensure that employee and community health is not compromised. They will also execute continuing conformance assessment and improvement of water and air quality systems to ensure they are not compromised at any time. "As local neighbors to the people who live here in the BigRapids area, Gotion will be going above and beyond to make sure that our precious natural resources are protected at all phases of this project," he added. All the elected people in the city think this is going to make this a wonderful place, Hook said, but no one is going to want to live here. Is anyone going to want to build their dream home there (near the facility)? It is going to drive down home prices. Thelen has said that roughly 75% of the land the company plans to use was already zoned industrial, and the remaining parcels are noted in the Master Plan as prime industrial locations. According to a REMI economic modeling analysis, he said, the proposed project will have a job multiplier of 3.14 to 1 in direct and indirect employment, and is expected to generate nearly 7,000 total jobs across the broader Big Rapids area. "A project of this size and scope will attract housing developers to the area once construction of the factory is underway," he said. "The Housing Commission can analyze the job projections, estimate how many of those people may seek new housing, and begin to plan and build accordingly. Keep in mind, not all of that housing growth will be in the immediate Big Rapids area. Some may choose to live in Reed City, Newaygo, Canadian Lakes, Cedar Springs or other nearby communities." On the subject of jobs, Hook said we currently have 1,400 unfilled jobs within a 20 mile radius of here and no one is taking those jobs, which are in safer environments. Hook is a retired school psychologist. He spent 45 years in education, working for the Mecosta-Osceola Independent School District for the last 20 years. He has been a principal, a special education director. He served in the Air Force for four years. To read past coverage on the proposed Gotion battery component facility, visit: bit.ly/3NzZkRl. UPDATED 9:15 a.m. June 7 to reflect comments from Gotion North America vice president Chuck Thelen. After pleading no contest to charges concerning the murder and mutilation of his girlfriend and the sexual assault of a fellow inmate, a Michigan man is set to spend decades in prison. Wade Allen, 39, of Sturgis, a city north of the border of Michigan and Indiana, was sentenced Thursday in the 45th Circuit Court after he pleaded no contest to the charges in January 2023, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently announced. Allen was arrested on May 22, 2019, after Sturgis police officers responded to a tip regarding the murder and dismemberment of his girlfriend, Kelly Warner. In searching Allens apartment, officers found the mutilated remains of Allens girlfriend being stored in two coolers, according to Nessels office in a Friday press release. While in the St. Joseph County Jail, Allen told his cellmates that he strangled his girlfriend to death, according to Nessels office. After learning the cellmates shared the information with authorities, Allen sexually assaulted one of them when they were re-housed together. The inmate appeared on video from a state prison during Allens sentencing, the Sturgis Journal reported. He told the judge the conduct was not consensual, adding Allen was a monster. Allen is sentenced to 39 to 60 years imprisonment for second-degree homicide, two to five years for attempted dismemberment and mutilation and 38 months to five years for attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct that he is to serve consecutive to the murder sentence. His sentencing includes restitution for the victims burial expenses, recovery of court costs of prosecution, associated fines and lifetime registration with the states sex offender registry, according to Nessels office. I am grateful to the Sturgis Department of Public Safety, St. Joseph County Sheriffs Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutors Office who spent countless hours on this case, Nessel said at the time of Allens plea acceptance. No sentence will be enough to overcome the grief of the victims family, or the anguish suffered by the victims, but hopefully todays plea will allow the healing process to begin. Lisa Seaman, the sister of Warner, shared a message about her sisters death on Facebook. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Germany and Indonesia agreed on Monday to strengthen their defense cooperation and plan a joint military exercise with other countries in the region. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius discussed the growing ties in a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart, Prabowo Subianto, in Jakarta. We talked about the possibility of having a deal about some submarines. We were talking about the two minesweepers which are already on the way to Indonesia, Pistorius said. Germany and Indonesia are also planning a joint military exercise with other regional partners, but no details have been disclosed. Both ministers attended the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asias annual defense and security forum, where U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday criticized China's "bullying or coercion in the Indo-Pacific region, including tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Pistorius on Sunday said Germany is committed to contributing to peace and security in the region. And we are ready to strengthen our engagement in the years to come, Pistorius said. Subianto said at the forum on Saturday that the security situation in the Indo-Pacific, especially in East Asia, is dominated by tensions resulting from the rise of China as a major power in a world which has long been led by the United States. History teaches us when a rising great power meets a preeminent global power, tensions do arise and the historical record shows many of these conflicts result in open conflict, kinetic conflict. However, this rivalry, some have suggested, has turned into a new Cold War. It is being called the Second Cold War, Subianto said. Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu said at the conference that the U.S. has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self interests to preserve its dominant position. Acting just days after Connecticut legislators approved new firearms regulations, gun rights supporters say they plan to challenge the statute as soon as Gov. Ned Lamont signs the bill into law. We The Patriots, which according to its website advocates for religious freedom, medical freedom and constitutional rights, said they would file a federal lawsuit challenging House Bill 6667, an Act Addressing Gun Violence. Lamont was expected to sign the new legislation this week.. Our organization exists to defend individual liberties and constitutional rights, and a lot of our followers and supporters are very big Second Amendment rights supporters, said Brian Festa, vice president and co-founder of We The Patriots USA. So we want to make sure that we protect their interests and the public's interests, and we feel very strongly that this case will be heard at the United States Supreme Court. The bill bans the open carrying of firearms in public, places limits on handgun sales, increases penalties for repeat offenders, updates the states existing ban on ghost guns and closes loopholes in the states existing ban on assault weapons, among other provisions. The lawsuit is challenging the restriction on the open carry of firearms, as well as the limits on purchases, Festa said. We feel it's an unconstitutional restriction, a violation of the residents of Connecticuts Second Amendment rights. Gov. Ned Lamont said in a release that the law modernizes Connecticuts gun control laws in a smart and strategic way to help prevent tragedy from happening. These updates are supported by the overwhelming majority of Connecticut residents because they want to live in a community that has commonsense measures that encourage gun safety and prevent harm from impacting our neighborhoods and homes, Lamont said. A spokesperson for Lamont's office declined to comment on the lawsuit. The governor was expected to sign the bill privately Monday and hold a ceremonial bill signing later this month. We The Patriots said it would be the lead plaintiff in the federal lawsuit opposing the bill, which would be filed as soon as Lamont signs it. There are also individual plaintiffs, Matthew Sherman and Brandon Tischer, who Festa said were also signed on to the complaint. The plaintiffs "choose to arm themselves against what they reasonably believe to be the threat of violence in public places in the state of Connecticut," the lawsuit says. According to the complaint, "The unintended consequence of this law will be to prohibit those in lawful possession of a gun permit to carry their weapon openly for the purpose of self-defense while leaving unaddressed the fact that many individuals unlawfully possess, carry, and then use guns to commit crimes." The individual plaintiffs are firearms owners and permit holders in the state of Connecticut as well. who do want to have the option to open-carry, what we'd like to call constitutional carry because we believe that the right to keep and bear arms should not be restricted or infringed upon by Congress, he said. We The Patriots' lead attorney is Norm Pattis, who has among other clients represented Alex Jones in his failed $1.4 billion defamation suit filed by Sandy Hook parents. Pattis appealed after his law license was suspended for sharing confidential medical records of Sandy Hook families. A state appeals court ordered a stay on the judge's order "until final resolution" of the legal fight over his suspension. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MIDDLETOWN Middletown High School ninth-grader Ana Cyr earned the highest possible honor for her acrylic self-portrait during Aprils Congressional Art Competition in New Haven. Cyr, a dedicated artist who goes the extra mile for her pieces, worked independently at home on the project, visual arts and photography teacher Nicole Iovanne said. Ana works slowly and carefully, she said. Everything she does for me in art class is always well-done. Three other art students entered their pieces in various media to U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauros office for judging. Each must reside in DeLauros 3rd, and U.S. Rep. John Larsons 1st, congressional districts. The entries were on display during an exhibit and reception held May 20 at Gateway Community College in New Haven. Cyrs work has advanced to the June 20 national competition in Washington, D.C. She received two free plane tickets to fly to the event. Cyr, who will be in the high school art program next year, visual arts teacher Patrick Shugrue said, isnt enrolled in his classes but comes in every other day to boost her skills. Anything that keeps students drawing and involved in it is good, he said of the Congressional Art Competition. It keeps their fine motor skills in place, and at least theyre doing something with it, he added. From there, they can grow and get better. Other students in Iovannes classes have similar processes to Cyr, she said. Their work is amazing quality because theyre spending that much time." This is the only time the high school has placed in the contest, according to Iovanne. In past years, local students received honorable mentions, she said. Others who entered the contest are 11th-grader Maleena Berdecia, 12th-grader Dayna Gronback and 12th-grader Olivia Jascot. They are all students of Shugrue, visual arts, pottery and sculpture educator Kimberly Holliman, and Iovanne. Usually, our kids who are working outside of school, in addition to everything they do in the building, is the key, Iovanne said. Practice, practice, practice. The three other youth completed their work in class, initially designing their pieces on iPads, said Iovanne, who helped them decide what to enter. She encourages them to visit the nationwide contest site to search for work by Connecticut's past entrants and winners to gauge their competition. This is what youre up against, Iovanne tells them. Choose your work wisely. The teens know their color well; their drafting skills are really good, Iovanne said. The kids are really competent in composition; they know how to compose a picture, they know how to create a convincing perspective. We look at artwork from students who have potential talent, Shugrue said. We try to look at the whole person and their compositional skills. Our goal is for them to be fluent by the time they leave high school. Its very important for the instructors to evaluate their talents, he added. A child could be good at copying the picture, but that doesnt tell us everything about them, he said. Its very limited, so we dont know what theyre thinking; about their creativity how they draw from their imagination, how they figure things out. Advanced skills include capturing nuances in facial expressions and body language, as well as how the subject's hairstyles and choice of clothing convey things about their personality, Shugrue said. Hands and faces are particularly difficult to replicate, he added. There are so many parts to the hand, and theyre able to move in so many directions, he said. In the past, hes had teens draw human figures without hair. One of the things they realized was that its very difficult to create an accurate portrayal of someone unless their hairstyle is correct, Shugrue said. If you cover the hair up, it doesnt look like the person, so they learn to draw the person bald to get the face correct. If you draw a person bald, you cant fake it. Its either right or wrong. The students later add the subjects hair, he said. Its not often that Middletown high students enter art schools for higher education or pursue careers in the field, Iovanne said. Its a rarity for us to crank out somebody who goes to art school. This year, maybe two students are considering applying to college at, for example, the University of Hartford Art School, she said. About five years back, Iovanne said, one of her students went to art school in Minneapolis. Sometimes, we have none. Its a once-in-a-10-year thing. For information on the competition, visit house.gov. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MEXICO CITY (AP) The ruling party of Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won the governorship of the country's most populous state, dealing a life-threatening blow to the old ruling Institutional Revolutionary Part y or PRI which had governed the State of Mexico without interruption for nearly a century. With over 99% of precincts counted in a preliminary report, electoral authorities said Monday that Morena's Delfina Gomez won 52.7% of votes in the State of Mexico which surrounds Mexico City on three sides to 44.3% for the PRI's Alejandra del Moral. Del Moral later gave a concession speech acknowledging her defeat. The result was a new low for the PRI, which held Mexico's presidency uninterrupted for 71 years until losing power in 2000 elections; the party had governed the State of Mexico and its 17 million inhabitants for 94 years until its loss Sunday. The PRI managed to hold on to the governorship of the sparsely populated northern border state of Coahuila, and governs the neighboring state of Durango in coalition with other opposition parties. But the PRI is now a shadow of the old days when it ruled Mexico with a combination of hand-out programs and corruption. PRI party leader Alejandro Moreno said Monday that speculation about the PRI's demise was wrong and that the party would survive, but as part of a broad opposition coalition of left, right and center groups that will seek to field an alliance candidate in the presidential elections a year from now. Elections are won with total votes across the country, not with governorships, Moreno said, although state governments in Mexico historically have been a base to mobilize power and cash that can play a key role in federal elections. The Morena party now governs 22 of Mexicos 32 states, propelled by Lopez Obrador's personal popularity and more generous payments to the elderly and students than the PRI offered. The conservative National Action party governs five states, the Morena-allied Green party governs one and the small Citizens Movement holds two large states. Citizens Movement party leader Dante Delgado dashed any hopes Monday that his centrist group would join the PRI coalition, comparing it a sinking ship, and calling Moreno, the PRI leader, the one who dug the grave of the PRI. Lopez Obrador said he was pleased with Sunday's election results, but struck a magnanimous tone Monday, saying his administration would deal fairly with governors from all parties. We have to serve all citizens, whatever party they belong to, that is our responsibility, the president said. Gomez celebrated her victory as the first woman to serve as governor in the State of Mexico. This is a victory for working families, this is a victory for us women, who have fought for years for the recognition of our rights, Gomez said in a victory speech late Sunday. The state has been plagued by a bloody series of killings of women in recent years, and widespread poverty among female-headed households. The State of Mexico covers everything from Mexico City suburbs, industrial sprawl and rural communities plagued by violence, and displays stunning extremes of inequality, violence and corruption. The contest was closely watched, too, because of its potential implications for next years presidential elections. Even without having selected its nominee yet, Morena is considered the frontrunner in that national election and will be even more so with control of the State of Mexico. Political scientist Georgina de la Fuente of the Tecnologico de Monterrey university noted that Sunday's results highlight several things: the PRI has been defeated, though perhaps not as soundly as expected; Morena is not invincible; and parties are going to have to reconfigure their agreements. She added that the smooth elections also confirmed the effectiveness of Mexico's electoral system, whose authorities had come under heavy fire from Lopez Obrador. The loss of the State of Mexico could spell the end of the PRI's political relevance on a national stage. Turnout was only about half of eligible voters in the State of Mexico. It doesn't seem like the elections have excited people, said Miguel Agustin Lopez Moreno, a political scientist and social worker in Ecatepec, one of the state's largest municipalities. He was uncertain the situation for residents would change significantly, attributing the Morena party's success in large part to the amount of resources it invested in the state. Adair Ortiz Herrera, a 21-year-old information systems student from Coyotepec, a rural area in the northern part of the state, said before the results were known Sunday that he was sure a new direction was coming. My vote is to end the current government's hegemony, he said. ___ Romero reported from Naucalpan, Mexico. Emilio Lugo in Huehuetoca, Mexico, contributed to this report. The Air Force is offering a bigger bonus -- up to $50,000 per year -- as it hopes to keep some of its most experienced pilots and retain aviators amid a pilot shortage. Certain pilots -- including remote piloted aircraft pilots, air battle managers and combat systems officers -- can apply for the Legacy Aviation Bonus Program starting Tuesday and through Sept. 15. Major changes to the program include "an increase in the monetary cap from $35,000 per year up to $50,000 per year" for those who are eligible, the service said in a Monday press release. "Reliable personnel forecasts allow the Air Force to continue executing the warfighting mission," Maj. Gen. Albert Miller, the Air Force training and readiness director, said in the release. "Our experienced aviators are uniquely qualified to succeed in a combat environment, and these incentives are necessary to maintain that talent and competitiveness with our pacing challenge." Read Next: 2023 Ain't 2022: More Americans Signing Up with Army Guard, Internal Docs Show In recent years, the Air Force has experienced a wide-ranging pilot shortage. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said during a budget briefing with reporters in March that the service has been working on that issue from several angles, including bonuses. "We do have a [pilot] shortage," Kendall said. "We're having to try to improve the efficiency of the pipeline to get more people in. The reserve and Guard equation is a little more complicated, but we do have some shortages there that we're trying to address as well." To be eligible under the new Legacy Aviation Bonus Program, pilots must have an Undergraduate Flying Training Active-Duty Service Commitment expiring in fiscal 2023 or earlier, according to the press release. Pilots who already have a contract under a previous aviation bonus program "will not be able to renegotiate for a higher amount in this year," according to the news release. The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act also directed the Air Force to create another bonus initiative, called the Rated Officer Retention Demonstration Program. That program would allow active-duty manned pilots -- with no more than three years, but not less than one year, remaining -- to sign a contract for the maximum monetary amount one to two fiscal years prior to the fiscal year their Undergraduate Flying Training Active-Duty Service Commitment expires, according to the press release. The Legacy Aviation Bonus Program won't be offered next year, meaning "the maximum contract amount will only be offered under the demonstration program," the service said. The Air Force's issue with pilot recruitment, training and retention is not new. The service has struggled with a pilot shortage for nearly a decade, often landing anywhere between 1,500 to 2,000 aviators shy of requirements, Military.com has previously reported. The new bonus also comes as the Air Force, as a whole, struggles with its toughest recruiting environment in decades. This past March, Kendall announced at the Air and Space Force Association's conference in Colorado that the service is projecting about a 10% shortfall in active-duty numbers, and the hole will likely be even larger for the Guard and Reserve. Outgoing Air Force Recruiting Service Commander, Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, told Military.com in an interview last month that the shortfall will more likely be around 13% on the active-duty side and around 30% in the Guard and Reserve. -- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly. Related: Gen. Amrhein Takes Over Air Force Recruiting as Service Scrambles to Add Airmen The Navy has relieved the commanding officer of the Norfolk-based destroyer USS Stout, the service said Monday. Cmdr. Jeffrey Applebaugh, the skipper of the Stout, was removed from his position on Friday due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, according to a Navy press release. The decision was made by Capt. Blair Guy, the commodore of Destroyer Squadron 28. The Navy said that Capt. Scott Rosetti will serve as the destroyer's commanding officer until permanent relief -- Cmdr. Desmond Walker -- is able to take command. Read Next: US Releases Video Showing Close Call in Taiwan Strait with Chinese Destroyer Lt. Cmdr. David Carter, a spokesman for the commander of the Navy's Atlantic surface forces, told Military.com that he was not able to offer more detail on the firing but did note that "there are no additional ongoing investigations related to the relief." On Saturday, the ship's Facebook page posted a message that bid farewell to Applebaugh and thanked him for "your dedication, your kindness, your professionalism, your compassion, your understanding, your commitment to the ship and its crew, and their safety and well-being, your knowledge, and your mentorship." "Most of all, thank you for always putting the ship and the crew first," the post added. Comments on the social media post included "a gentleman of pure class and professionalism" and "fearless leader," as well as "truly one of a kind." The ship had most recently returned from a deployment in the fall of 2020 and then went into a maintenance period in summer 2021. Cmdr. Jeffrey Applebaugh (U.S. Navy photo) Applebaugh took command of the Stout in October, according to the Navy. His official biography notes that he served as the Stout's second-in-command before becoming its commander. He also served aboard the cruisers Bunker Hill and Normandy, as well as the destroyer USS Gonzalez. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various service and campaign awards. He graduated in 2005 from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a bachelor of science in marine transportation and also holds a 3rd mate's unlimited tonnage open ocean U.S. Coast Guard license. Applebaugh is at least the fourth ship commander to be relieved this year by the Navy. Last month, it relieved the commander and executive officer of the destroyer USS John Finn and in January, the commanders of the destroyer USS Carney and the amphibious ship USS Mesa Verde were also fired. Carter said that the Navy had not fired the Stout's executive officer or its top enlisted sailor -- the command master chief. In contrast, at around this time last year, the Navy had publicly announced the relief or reassignment of at least 15 commanders, executive officers or command enlisted representatives. The Navy's press release said that Applebaugh will be temporarily reassigned to the Naval Surface Forces Atlantic and asserted that the firing will have no impact to the ship's mission or schedule. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: Navy Fires Destroyer's Leadership as Ship Moves Homeport to Japan Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz was selected Monday as the next enlisted leader of the Marine Corps, as the services and Joint Chiefs prepare for a new crop of leadership. Ruiz is set to replace Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Troy Black and will be the 20th man to fill the role. The decision was unveiled in a brief official message released Monday. The changeover is set for Aug. 8 when a relief and appointment ceremony is planned, the service said. Ruiz is the command senior enlisted leader for Marine Corps Forces Reserve and Marines Corps Forces South, but his background includes a plethora of assignments and duty stations. Read Next: 2023 Ain't 2022: More Americans Signing Up with Army Guard, Internal Docs Show After joining the Marines in 1993, Ruiz was first stationed on Okinawa as a warehouse clerk, then he went on to a logistics base in California, an official biography said. From there, Ruiz served tours as both a recruiter and then a drill instructor. He also deployed several times throughout his career to Iraq and Afghanistan. He's earned a Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device and the Combat Action Ribbon with one gold star, as well as numerous personal awards. He will be taking the post from Black, who took on the job himself in 2019. Black's background as a machine gunner and his battlefield accomplishments drew attention early in his tenure, but he went on to speak regularly about improving quality of life for average Marines. Black frequently spoke to the press and Congress about policy changes or improvements that were being made with an eye towards making service in the Corps less challenging. In those engagements, he would often reference his wife, a retired first sergeant, as a source of inside knowledge on the challenges that come with a military lifestyle. Black also tried to be a source of inspiration and comfort for Marines, especially in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai Airport that claimed the lives of 11 Marines, one sailor and one soldier. "We both believe -- without question -- that your service was meaningful, powerful, and important," Gen. David Berger and Black wrote in a joint letter in 2021. "We value human life, and we want to believe that what Marines have done in Afghanistan made a difference." Last week, the Marine Corps also announced the man who will replace Berger, the current top officer in the Marines. Last Wednesday, President Joe Biden nominated the Marine Corps' current assistant commandant, Gen. Eric Smith, to lead the service after Berger's retirement later this summer. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: Marine Corps' No. 2 Officer Tapped by Biden to Lead the Service A new bill introduced in the Senate seeks to bring stability to the visa program for Afghans who helped U.S. troops by nearly doubling the number of visas available and extending the program for five years. The bill, introduced Thursday by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., would also try to reduce the backlog of visa applications with several provisions aimed at streamlining the process. "Afghanistan might not be on the front pages anymore, but the United States cannot forget about the promise we made to our Afghan allies who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Americans throughout 20 years of war," Shaheen said in a statement last week. "Our nation promised to stand by them as they stood by us. They held up their end of the deal -- the U.S. must do the same." Read Next: US Releases Video Showing Close-Call in Taiwan Strait with Chinese Destroyer Both Shaheen and Wicker sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Wicker serves as the top Republican on the panel. Shaheen's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday on whether the pair are aiming to get the measure in the committee's annual defense policy bill. A companion version of the bill has been introduced in the House by Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. The program, known as the Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV, has been beset by delayed processing and backlogs for years. The issue came to a head with the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, as Afghans worried about being hunted down by the Taliban because of their work with the U.S. scrambled to make it aboard evacuation flights. While the U.S. military evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans during the withdrawal, just a fraction were SIV applicants or visa holders. Advocacy groups estimate that tens of thousands of Afghans who may be eligible for SIVs and their family members remain in Afghanistan. As of the end of 2022, nearly 63,000 applicants were awaiting what's known as chief of mission approval, while another nearly 77,000 have at least started the application process, according to the State Department's most recent quarterly report. The U.S. government's average processing time was 314 days, despite the law stipulating that it should take no longer than nine months. While the SIV program has garnered bipartisan support, it has faced opposition from some Republicans who are immigration hard-liners, and there have been times when supporters were fearful the program would end because of the opposition. For example, an extension of the program was initially left out of last year's defense policy bill, but eventually found a home in the government spending bill passed in December. The related but separate issue of the Afghan Adjustment Act, which is a bill that would create a pathway for the Afghans evacuated in 2021 to become legal permanent residents of the U.S., has been stalled by Republican opposition. To remove the threats of annual fights over extending the SIV program, Shaheen and Wicker's bill would authorize it through 2029 and add 20,000 visas, bringing the total number of visas approved to 54,500. The program is currently authorized through 2024. The bill also seeks to alleviate some chokepoints in the application process identified in a report Shaheen issued on the SIV program last year. Specifically, the bill would allow the State Department to conduct initial interviews with applicants virtually and reimburse them for the application's required medical exam. The bill would also direct the departments of Defense and Homeland Security to appoint senior coordinating officials for the SIV program and require the State Department to craft a strategy to address the backlog. "America made a promise to those who served alongside our armed forces in Afghanistan," Wicker said in a statement last week. "Following the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, these allies are even more at risk. The U.S. has a moral obligation to follow through and help these supporters who have given invaluable assistance to our forces for over 20 years." -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: 10 Months Later, Afghan Refugees Labor to Build New Lives in US NEW DELHI U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday discussed upgrading partnership with India, a major arms buyer, and set a roadmap for cooperation for the next five years as both countries grapple with Chinas economic rise and increased belligerence, officials said. Austin's visit comes as India strengthens its domestic defense industry by acquiring new technologies and reducing reliance on imports, particularly from Russia, its largest supplier of military hardware despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. Austin and his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, explored ways of building resilient supply chains, a statement from India's Defense Ministry said. They decided to identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defense startup ecosystems of the two countries. They also discussed regional security issues and committed to strengthening operational collaboration across all military services, with an eye to supporting Indias leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific, the statement said. The new roadmap for U.S.-India defense industrial cooperation will fast track technology cooperation and co-production in areas such as air combat and land mobility systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, munitions and the undersea domain, said a U.S. Department of Defense press release. "This initiative aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between U.S. and Indian defense sectors, including a set of specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support Indias defense modernization plans," it said. The discussions also included cooperation in space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence. Austin also met with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Im returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, were advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, Austin tweeted after his arrival in New Delhi on Sunday. Austin, who is on his second visit to India, was expected to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington on June 22, which has fuelled speculation about a possible announcement of defense contracts. India is looking to buy 18 armed high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. for an estimated $1.5 billion to $2 billion, said Rahul Bedi, a defense analyst. The UAVs would likely be deployed along its restive borders with China and Pakistan and in the strategic Indian Ocean region, Bedi said. Indian media reports said a joint production and manufacture of combat aircraft engines, infantry combat vehicles, howitzers and their precision ordnance were discussed last month in Washington at a meeting of the U.S.-India Defense Policy Group. Austin arrived in New Delhi from Singapore, where he attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders. Austin lobbied for support for Washingtons vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. China's Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu said at the conference that the U.S. has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve its dominant position. Li suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are remnants of the Cold War and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the Quad grouping with Australia, India and Japan, to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation. India is trying a balancing act in its ties with Washington and Moscow, and has been reducing its dependence on Russian arms by also buying from the U.S., France, Germany and other countries. The U.S. defense trade with India has risen from near zero in 2008 to over $20 billion in 2020. Major Indian purchases from the United States included long-range maritime patrol aircraft, C-130 transport aircraft, missiles and drones. Experts say up to 60% of Indian defense equipment comes from Russia, and New Delhi finds itself in a bind at a time when it is facing a 3-year-old border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, where tens of thousands of soldiers are stationed within shooting distance. Twenty Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops died in a clash in 2020. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts The Reds announced Monday theyve designated right-hander Frank German for assignment and optioned righty Kevin Herget to Triple-A Louisville. That pair of moves will open the necessary roster space to select the contract of top pitching prospect Andrew Abbott, whose previously reported promotion to the big leagues has now been made official. German has bounced around over the past few months. Originally a Yankee farmhand, he landed with the Red Sox in the trade that saw Boston assume the final year of Adam Ottavinos contract in 2021. The 62 righty made a brief major league debut with the Sox last season, appearing in five games. Hes since moved to the White Sox in a minor trade and to the Reds via waivers. The 25-year-old will now be traded or waived again within the next week. German didnt make a big league appearance with Cincinnati. He had a tough showing in a limited look for Louisville. He allowed eight runs in 8 1/3 frames over 10 relief outings, striking out 13 against six walks. It was a similar story with Chicagos Triple-A affiliate early in the year. German carries a 7.78 ERA in 19 2/3 minor league frames this season, offsetting a solid 28.4% strikeout rate by handing out free passes at a huge 14.7% clip. German has run major strikeout and walk tallies throughout his minor league career. The former fourth round selection averaged 97.7 MPH on his four-seam during his brief big league look in Boston. He clearly has intriguing raw stuff but will have to dial in the strike-throwing to claim a lasting spot in an MLB bullpen. This is his first of three minor league option seasons. Abbott takes the vacated roster spot. The University of Virginia product gets an MLB rotation look for the first time thanks to a dominant upper minors showing. Between Double-A Chattanooga and Louisville, the southpaw has worked 54 innings of 2.50 ERA ball while striking out a staggering 42.7% of batters faced. The Reptile Cult Murder premieres tonight at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery. Stream the true crime documentary for free with a 7-day trial from Philo, FuboTV, and Sling. Investigative Discoverys The Reptile Cult Murder will air Monday, June 5 at 10 p.m. About: ID documentary special The Reptile Cult Murder explores the Pennsylvania murder case that landed cult member Barbara Rogers behind bars. When Steven Mineo was found dead, shot in the forehead from extremely close range (as described by WNEP), investigators looked to the bizarre organization with which the couple had been in constant communication. Barbara claimed to authorities that Steven pushed her to kill him due to cult influence and their mentor, Sherry Shriner, who notably would only contact followers by phone or online. Sherry Shriners tech-forward cult was grounded in the belief that extraterrestrial reptilian beings were among us, harbingers of doomsday masquerading as humans. This ideology became more apparent as the case unfolded two key players calling alien infestation in another. According to Rogers, at the time of his death, her boyfriend was convinced that Shriner herself was one of the lizard creatures, said Investigation Discovery in a 2021 article. But it was also revealed that Shriner had warned Mineo about Rogers, a humans no match for that kind of supernatural strength, said Shriner via ID. Apparently, the online cult leader feared that Rogers had been infiltrated by an extraterrestrial and urged Mineo to be cautious. Tonights Investigation Discovery special follows the twisted story and offers viewers a look into the case and mysterious cult. Stream The Reptile Cult Murder tonight at 10/9c on ID. Where to watch Investigation Discovery: MONROE COUNTY, MI A 23-year-old from Ohio drowned at a Michigan beach over the weekend. According to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, the incident occurred at Milan Beach on Cone Road in Milan Township at 6:02 p.m. on June 3. Deputies arrived after receiving a report that the person from Toledo had not been seen since going underwater. Dive teams recovered the body from the water shortly after 8 p.m. The case is under investigation. The person has not been identified by name. Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Dundee Township Fire Department, Dundee Police Department, Milan Police Department, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Monroe Community Ambulance. READ MORE: Michigan man sentenced to life in prison for killing news radio anchor, attacking family Two injured after vehicle crashes into building in Upper Peninsula Small plane narrowly misses power line, crashes in backyard of Detroit home Hazy skies will hang on over Michigan for at least another day or so after Canadian wildfires ramped up this past weekend, sending the drifting smoke over both of our peninsulas. The National Weather Services offices across the state cautioned people that haze from the Quebec wildfires - and even the smell of smoke - will remain in the air on Monday and Tuesday. Its not dense enough where its causing visibility issues, the NWS said. Outside of people thinking its a little hazy, there should not be much impact on folks, NWS meteorologists at the Grand Rapids office said this morning in their forecast notes. There is an Air Quality Alert issued for people in two counties: Chippewa and Mackinac. This means people with respiratory issues like asthma should limit their time outdoors if they live in these counties. This satellite image shows the plume of smoke from wildfires around Quebec drifting into Michigan. Photo provided by the National Weather Service. This weekends satellite image above shows the low-level smoke plume over Michigan coming from active wildfires across Quebec. The NWS said there have also been questions about why this recent plume of smoke has seemed to hang so low, compared to the batch Michigan saw drift across last month. That smoke was from fires in Alberta and British Columbia. The closer proximity of these fires in Quebec has not allowed for this smoke to lift well into the atmosphere, essentially keeping this plume of smoke closer to the surface, NWS meteorologists in Gaylord said. Thousands of people had to evacuate northwestern Quebec this past weekend as the number of wildfires being battled surged past 150, according to The Canadian Press. Firefighters there are working with the military to contain the blazes. Sweet Stan Lane is not the father. That is the good news for the legendary former professional wrestler when it comes to whether or not he is the father of Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert. And, if you are wondering just what in the world and how in the world this is a story, well it goes back decades. Boeberts mother reportedly accused Lane of being Boeberts father. He said he took one DNA test that said he was, in fact, not Boeberts father. But, after a dispute, Lane apparently took another DNA test with Boebert overseeing the chain of custody. Lane said in a statement provided to PWInsider.com that test also recently proved he was not Boeberts father. Michigan residents shouldnt be concerned about strange looking trees theyve likely spotted in certain parts of the state. Those are red pines. And their tops are cut like that on purpose. FLINT, MI -- U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee takes an immense pride in his hometown. And Friday was another moment he wont soon forget. Kildee, D-Flint Twp., stood witness as General Motors announced it is again investing in Michigan, this time to the toll of more than $1 billion. So many families came here to find work and find a future, to plant their families and grow a community that produces the best products on the planet, Kildee said to a crowd of hundreds of General Motors Flint Assembly employees. What were celebrating today is a renewal of that same promise that same optimism that brought thousands of (people) right here to Flint, Michigan. Im proud of my hometown and so proud of the work you all do. RELATED: Whitmer, Gilchrist, Kildee celebrate GMs $795 million Michigan investment The investment will go into the Flint Assembly Plant and Flint Metal Center to prepare those sites for producing next-generation, gas-powered heavy-duty trucks. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and representatives of GM and United Auto Workers made the investment announcement on Monday, June 5, at Flint Assembly, GMs longest-running assembly plant in North America, which is targeted for $788 million in upgrades. Thanks to investments like todays and so many other projects we have competed for and won here in Michigan the last few years, we will continue to be the home of the auto industrys electrified, high-tech future for generations to come as well as building the ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles that hard-working people depend on every day, Whitmer told workers and dignitaries Monday morning. RELATED: GM spending $1B for upgrades at Flint truck plant, metal center Mondays two-plant announcement comes just six months after GM announced it would also spend $579 million to bring V-8 engine manufacturing back to Flint Engine Operations. At Flint Assembly, GM said it will invest $788 million to update the 1947 plant, expanding its body shop and general assembly conveyor and purchasing new tooling and equipment. At the Metal Center, the company plans to spend $233 million for new stamping dies, press refurbishments and other new equipment to support the future production of gas-powered trucks. The Metal Center opened in 1954 and produces sheet metal stampings for GMs heavy-duty and light-duty trucks, full-size SUVs, and crossovers. Today we are announcing significant investments in Flint to strengthen our industry-leading full-size pickup business by preparing two plants to build the next-generation ICE HD trucks, Gerald Johnson, GMs executive vice president of global manufacturing and sustainability, said in advance of Mondays announcement. These investments reflect our commitment to our loyal truck customers and the efforts of the dedicated employees of Flint Assembly and Flint Metal Center. GM was founded in Flint in 1908 and thrived for decades, employing more than 82,000 workers at its peak in 1955. Both Kildee and Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley recalled their own family members having traveled here to settle their families because of the promise of good-paying auto jobs. Today, more than 8,200 employees work at six area facilities -- Flint Assembly, Flint Metal Center, Flint Engine Operations, the North American Engineering and Tooling Center, and Customer Care and Aftersales in Burton and Swartz Creek. 39 1 / 39 GM spending $1B for upgrades at Flint truck plant, metal center While the company has said its goal is for its cars, SUVs and light-duty trucks to be fully electric by 2035, it needs gas engines for at least another decade, particularly for its popular and highly profitable line of trucks. In 2022, GM achieved a 38% year-over-year increase in HD pickup sales with nearly 288,000 trucks sold. Its 2023 Flint-built Chevrolet Silverado HD was the best-selling retail full-size HD pickup. Product details and timing related to GMs future HD trucks were not immediately announced Monday by the company, which has spent more than $30.5 billion on its U.S. manufacturing and parts distribution facilities since 2013. Watch the videos in the post to hear more from Whitmer, Kildee and Neeley and their reactions and thoughts while speaking to hundreds of GM employees at the investment announcement. Read more at The Flint Journal: GM to invest $579M in Flint, $216M in Bay City for next-generation V-8 engine Genesee County task force will push to expand access to high-speed broadband Road Commission setting up 4-month detour as work starts on Grand Blanc Road Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter. CRAWFORD COUNTY, MI -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced the roughly 2,400-acre wildfire southeast of Grayling is at 90% containment with aid flowing in from surrounding states. Just before 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 4, DNR Incident Management Leader Mike Janisse shared in a news release that a crew of 10 firefighters arrived from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with equipment to help knock out the last of the blaze. The team of 10 firefighters, which arrived earlier Sunday afternoon, was sent as part of the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact agreement -- a partnership between agencies in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. Janisse said firefighters continue to secure and suppress the flames, which spread from a campfire on private land. Related: Campfire on private land sparked 3,000-acre wildfire in Northern Michigan He said the approximately 90% contained declaration was made around 5 p.m. Sunday and that the support coming in now will help immensely. Were grateful for the help from our neighbors in Wisconsin as well as the support from federal, state and local fire departments, emergency management officials and law enforcement personnel, said Janisse. Equipment-wise, the Wisconsin firefighters brought three Type-4 engines with tractor plow dozers and two Type-6 engines to assist with fighting the fire. Statistics provided by the DNR said that early estimates listed 35 residences, 38 vehicles including 23 campers and three boats, and 58 outbuildings as threatened by the wildfire. Three outbuildings have been documented as lost. More property is still being assessed as DNR staff are able to get further into the affected area. Also: Wildfire causes evacuations, flight restrictions in Northern Michigan The blaze began around 1 p.m. Saturday and burned through various pine forestland. Firefighters worked through the night under hot, dry conditions to progress containment to its current state. Evacuated residents and visitors are asked to continue to stay away from the area while work to extinguish the wildfire continues. Nearby perimeter roads will continue to stay shuttered until further progress has been made. The DNR said it will continue to share fire updates through news releases and on its Twitter account: @MichiganDNR. More on MLive: New road construction begins this week in Michigan Mackinac conference takes politicos and business leaders up north: Your guide to Michigan politics Michigan judge reverses media ban on remaining marijuana testing lab hearings Dollar General is in every Michigan county except one Michigan AG Dana Nessel violated FOIA by withholding kidnap plot records, lawsuit claims Michigan will be the anti-Florida, state leaders say, kicking off Kalamazoo Pride WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Jeremy Genovese uses about six gallons of water a day at his home. He knows this because it doesnt just come out the kitchen sink. It goes through his hands. The same goes for every pound of propane, every bit of waste. So goes the life of an off-the-grid tiny home resident on Firesign Family Farm, a dozen miles north of Ann Arbor in Webster Township. ANN ARBOR, MI - Hundreds of high school and community college students came to Washtenaw Community College Friday to discover opportunities at historically Black colleges. The Ann Arbor community college debuted its HBCU Day event on June 2 to highlight its transfer partnership with five Historically Black Colleges and Universities. About 400 students, some current high-schoolers and some currently in community college, attended the all-day event and learned about the opportunities at Alabama State, Tuskegee, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State and Southern universities. WCC has a transfer agreement with the five universities called HBCU Pathway, which ensures a smooth transfer of academic credits towards a bachelors degree, officials said. The program also guarantees admission into most of the HBCU partners, access to in-state tuition after transferring and scholarship opportunities, officials said. HBCU Day featured performances from the marching bands from the universities, as well as a Divine Nine Fraternity/Sorority Stroll Off competition to highlight Greek life possibilities. The event was sponsored by a grant from Washtenaw County, officials said. To learn more about the HBCU Pathway opportunities, email diversity@wccnet.edu or visit wccnet.edu/engage/diversity/hbcu-pathway.php. Read more from The Ann Arbor News: Thousands celebrate 26th annual Ann Arbor African American Festival Fulbright Award takes anti-bullying Michigan researcher to Belgium Eminent domain threat looms over property holdouts in University of Michigan dorm plan MILAN, MI -- Over 130 graduates walked across the stage at Milan High School on Sunday, June 4. Principal Aaron Shinn welcomed the crowd with a speech expressing how proud he is of the class of 2023. ANN ARBOR, MI - Sparrow Healths name will change in 2024 to include University of Michigans branding, officials said. The Lansing-based health system will become University of Michigan Health-Sparrow on April 1, 2024, health system officials said in a June 5 release. Sparrow Health officially merged with the Ann Arbor-based health system in April a few months after Michigan Medicine purchased it for $800 million in December. The new name combines the strength of the universitys global brand with the historical significance of the Sparrow brand, according to Sparrow officials. Sparrow has an unmatched reputation in Mid-Michigan while UM-Health is the preeminent health system in Michigan, Sparrow President and CEO James Dover said in a statement. The new name highlights a continued commitment to bringing patients the right care at the right time at the right place, closer to home. Read more: Sparrow Health officially merges with Michigan Medicine The merger gives Michigan Medicine oversight of 200-plus care sites across Michigan, officials said, as Sparrow added 120 care sites, 10,000 caregivers and about 600 primary-care providers. The April merger means Michigan Medicine now makes about $7.8 billion a year in revenue, university officials said, making it the second largest health system in revenue in Michigan. Spectrum Health reports about $9.2 billion a year in revenue. The new names of individual entities within Sparrow Health will be announced at a later date, Dover said. The Lansing-based health system will continue to bear the Sparrow name in internal and external communications until the new name is official in April 2024, officials said. Read more from MLive: Eminent domain threat looms over property holdouts in University of Michigan dorm plan 500-member trade worker union reaches deal with University of Michigan Closing after almost 70 years, Angelos Restaurant stirs up a mix of emotions in Ann Arbor FLINT, MI -- The president of the Flint City Council has been targeted for recall, the second member of the council now facing that prospect if proposed petition language is approved by the Genesee County Election Commission. 7th Ward resident Ebony Coleman filed the recall petition against council President Allie Herkenroder, who was elected to her first term in 2021 and was chosen as council president in a split vote after 1st Ward Councilman Eric Mays was removed from the position seven months ago. Herkenroder declined to comment on the recall effort to MLive-The Flint Journal on Monday, June 5. Colemans recall language says the councilwoman should be removed from office because she did not attend a special council meeting on May 20. That Saturday meeting was called for by Mays and Councilwoman Tonya Burns (Ward 6) to discuss Flints American Rescue Plan Act funding and distribution but only Mays, Burns, and council members Quincy Murphy (Ward 3) and Jerri Winfrey-Carter (Ward 5) attended. The Saturday meeting came 12 days after Herkenroder and two other council members left a council meeting that Councilwoman Ladel Lewis (Ward 2) recessed because we (had) chaos in this chamber. Colemans proposed recall language was filed on Friday, June 2, less than two weeks after another recall petition was filed against Councilwoman Judy Priestley (Ward 4). The attempted recall of Priestley says she should be removed from office for failing to work effectively with her Flint City Council colleagues. Priestleys petition language is scheduled to be reviewed by the Election Commission on Thursday, June 8, but county Clerk-Register Domonique Clemons said the language filed for Herkenroder wont be heard until a later date. State election law says the Election Commission must consider proposed recall language 10 to 20 days after a petition is filed. The commission is composed of three county officials -- Probate Judge Jennie Barkey, Clemons and county Treasurer Deb Cherry. The group is charged with determining whether the language in local recall petitions is clear and factual before allowing for the collection of signatures. If the Election Commission approves recall language, petition circulators must collect the signatures of at least 25% of the number of votes cast in the officials district for all candidates for the office of governor in the last gubernatorial election. The Election Commission meeting on Thursday is scheduled to be held in Barkeys courtroom in the county courthouse, located at 900 S. Saginaw St., Flint. Clemons said the next date that a recall election could be held in Flint would be in November and said signatures to put an issue before voters would have to be collected by early August. In Michigan, all elective officers in the state, except judges, are subject to recall by the voters from their districts. In Flint, council members are elected to four-year terms and recall petitions cannot be filed during the first or last year of their terms. Read more at The Flint Journal: Recall language filed against Flint City Council member Judy Priestley Herkenroder elected new Flint City Council president but old divisions linger Does Flint need a new city hall? Mayor says its time talk about it Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter. (This story has been updated with additional comments from General Motors announcement on Monday, June 5.) FLINT, MI -- General Motors will invest more than $1 billion in its Flint Assembly plant and Flint Metal Center to prepare those sites for producing next-generation, gas-powered heavy-duty trucks. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and representatives of GM and United Auto Workers made the investment announcement on Monday, June 5, at Flint Assembly, GMs longest-running assembly plant in North America, which is targeted for $788 million in upgrades. Thanks to investments like todays and so many other projects we have competed for and won here in Michigan the last few years, we will continue to be the home of the auto industrys electrified, high-tech future for generations to come as well as building the ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles that hard-working people depend on every day, Whitmer told workers and dignitaries Monday morning. GM did not immediately announce additional jobs tied to the planned upgrades but said they reflect a commitment to the city and its existing workforce. This investment in our future is a direct result of a lot of hard work by (UAW) Local 598 members, Local 598 Chairman Eric Welter said. Their diligence to quality and efficiency has created their own job security. Mondays two-plant announcement comes just six months after GM announced it would also spend $579 million to bring V-8 engine manufacturing back to Flint Engine Operations. At Flint Assembly, GM said it will invest $788 million to update the 1947 plant, expanding its body shop and general assembly conveyor and purchasing new tooling and equipment. At the Metal Center, the company plans to spend $233 million for new stamping dies, press refurbishments and other new equipment to support the future production of gas-powered trucks. The Metal Center opened in 1954 and produces sheet metal stampings for GMs heavy-duty and light-duty trucks, full-size SUVs, and crossovers. Today we are announcing significant investments in Flint to strengthen our industry-leading full-size pickup business by preparing two plants to build the next-generation ICE HD trucks, Gerald Johnson, GMs executive vice president of global manufacturing and sustainability, said in advance of Mondays announcement. These investments reflect our commitment to our loyal truck customers and the efforts of the dedicated employees of Flint Assembly and Flint Metal Center. GM was founded in Flint in 1908 and thrived for decades, employing more than 82,000 workers at its peak in 1955. Both U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee and Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley recalled their own family members having traveled here to settle their families because of the promise of good-paying auto jobs. Today, more than 8,200 employees work at six area facilities -- Flint Assembly, Flint Metal Center, Flint Engine Operations, the North American Engineering and Tooling Center, and Customer Care and Aftersales in Burton and Swartz Creek. Although there have been massive cuts in GM employment here, the company has increased its hiring during the last 15 years, adding more than 1,000 jobs to its payroll. Some said we were down and out, Neeley said. They said that about GM. They said that about Flint. But what truly defines us is how we rise. Mondays announcement keeps Flint in the business of producing ICE vehicles, but despite GMs commitment to an electrified future, Johnson and others that production is in demand for the foreseeable future. While the company has said its goal is for its cars, SUVs and light-duty trucks to be fully electric by 2035, it needs gas engines for at least another decade, particularly for its popular and highly profitable line of trucks. Even after 2035, the company expects to continue production of gas-powered heavy-duty trucks, Johnson said Monday. We talk a lot about (electric vehicles) and they are a real part of our future (but) maybe we dont talk enough about the reality that internal combustion engines and the vehicles that they go into are very important to our customers and very important to our future, Johnson said. In 2022, GM achieved a 38% year-over-year increase in HD pickup sales with nearly 288,000 trucks sold. Its 2023 Flint-built Chevrolet Silverado HD was the best-selling retail full-size HD pickup. Product details and timing related to GMs future HD trucks were not immediately announced Monday by the company, which has spent more than $30.5 billion on its U.S. manufacturing and parts distribution facilities since 2013. UAW Vice President Mike Booth said Mondays announcement reflects the strength and performance of Flint-area GM workers, including the more than 5,000 hourly and salaried employees at Flint Assembly. When business is booming as it has been for the past decade -- due to the hard work of UAW members -- the company should continue to invest in its workforce, Booth said in a statement released by the company. Read more at The Flint Journal: GM to invest $579M in Flint, $216M in Bay City for next-generation V-8 engine Genesee County task force will push to expand access to high-speed broadband Road Commission setting up 4-month detour as work starts on Grand Blanc Road Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter. GRAND BLANC, MI A 71-year-old pedestrian hit by a vehicle on Thursday has died from his injuries, according to Grand Blanc police. The victim, Venkat Rao, a local doctor, died Saturday, June 3, from injuries sustained Thursday, June 1, when he was hit by a vehicle in the Kings Pointe neighborhood. Police said the investigation into the incident is still ongoing and will be turned over to the Genesee County Sheriffs Office upon completion. Officials previously said officers from the Grand Blanc Police Department were called Thursday regarding an unconscious man found lying in the roadway of the Kings Pointe Subdivision. The man appeared to have been struck by a vehicle, police said, but no vehicle was in the area. The man, later identified as Rao, was taken to Ascension Genesys Hospital where he was listed in critical condition prior to succumbing to his injuries. Rao graduated from medical school in 1974 and immigrated to the United States two years later, according to his obituary. His kindness was an instantly recognizable feature of his personality, leading him to live a life committed to family, devoted to service, and helping others, his obituary reads. Rao had recently been the chair of the Board of Medicine for the state of Michigan, as well as the head of the McLaren-Flint Internal Medicine and a member of the Genesee County Medical Society board. While at the scene, a person showed up and said they believed they were the person who hit Rao, police said. Police said alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash. Anyone with information can contact the Grand Blanc Police Department at 810-694-1111. Read more at The Flint Journal: St. Clair County man dies when motorcycle collides with deer Woman accused of sex trafficking 9-year-old family member found competent to stand trial Fatal shooting outside Flint apartment complex under investigation Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI A pygmy hippo named Jahari is now on display at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. Under construction since 2021, the new exhibit includes an outdoor area with a large pool, a mud wallow and an underwater viewing area. There is an indoor viewing area to allow guests to see the pygmy hippopotamuses all year round. Pygmy hippos are at least five times smaller than a regular hippo, but still weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. They are about 4.5-6 feet long and 2.5-3 feet high at the shoulder. According to the zoos exhibit, their habitat is elusive, hiding in heavily forested rivers streams. The exhibit opened on schedule last week but without fanfare after the 8-year-old pygmy hippo killed a sitatunga antelope named Chopper in the enclosure on Tuesday, May 16. The incident took place as the two animals were being introduced for the first time without a mesh barrier. The plan was for them to live together in the new exhibit. Related: Hippo that killed antelope at John Ball Zoo had no history of aggression, former zoo says Jahari arrived from the Pittsburgh Zoo, where Public Relations Manager Alex Cauley previously told MLive the hippo was a crowd favorite. Cauley said to her knowledge, Jahari had no aggressive incidents at the Pittsburgh Zoo, but did say that he lived alone in his enclosure and has only ever lived with other pygmy hippos. Pygmy hippos, which are herbivores, do live in peace with other animals at some zoos. For example, sitatungas and pygmy hippos live together at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, and at the Bioparc Valencia Zoo in Spain, a pygmy hippo lives with an Egyptian goose and a sitatunga. John Ball Zoo previously declined to comment on the specifics of Choppers death. Officials have also previously declined to comment on whether the zoo still plans to introduce the other animals planned for the exhibit, including a 3-year-old female pygmy hippo named Penelope from Canada and two European white storks named Ned and Miss Kay. Jahari, a new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo, is pictured inside his new exhibit at the Grand Rapids zoo on Monday, June 5, 2023. The exhibit opened on schedule but without the fanfare after the 8-year-old pygmy hippo, killed a sitatunga antelope named Chopper, in the enclosure last month. Jahari comes to John Ball Zoo from the Pittsburgh Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.com A crowd watches Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.com A crowd watches Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.com Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.com Jahari, the new pygmy hippo at John Ball Zoo. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.com See more photos of the event in the picture gallery above or click here to view the gallery. More from MLive: Hippo road trip: How John Ball Zoo transported its new pygmy hippo to Grand Rapids New pygmy hippos exhibit planned for John Ball Zoo See dazzling video of colorful Asian lantern festival at John Ball Zoo GRAND RAPIDS, MI The vehicle belonging to a Grand Rapids man reported as missing and endangered was found Sunday, June 4, in Cass County. Tracking dogs were brought to the scene in Pokagon Township, near Dowagiac, in an effort to find Johnny Hollis Bolden, 76. He was last seen around 7 a.m. Tuesday, May 30, in the Rockford area. Police said he may be experiencing dementia issues. Several K9 teams from the Michigan Professional Rescue Counsel began looking for Bolden after sheriffs deputies found his vehicle, police said. Investigators asked anyone with information on his whereabouts to call the Cass County sheriffs tips line at 800-462-9328. Read more: Wallet Watch: Hedge fund like a shadow buying Michigan mobile home parks Wildfire in Northern Michigan 90% contained, aid arrives from Wisconsin DNR firefighters 3,000 hemlock trees at Lake Michigan park to be treated for deadly HWA bug KENT COUNTY, MI Trinity Health and Universal Health Services hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking Monday for a jointly operated 96-bed psychiatric hospital in Byron Township that officials say will help address a growing need for behavioral health care services in the region. Southridge Behavioral Hospital is expected to open in 2025, and will be built next to Trinity Health Medical Center Bryon Center, 2372 64th St. SW. The $46 million hospital is expected to employ 170 full- and part-time medical professionals. They will provide medication management, counseling services and more to patients suffering from aliments such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and grief. I think its great that we have a partnership with UHS to help address this growing need around behavioral health, said Dr. Matt Biersack, president of Trinity Health Grand Rapids. Weve seen things escalate during the pandemic, and we know that theres a gap in terms of the number of in-patient psychiatric beds that are available. The push to build the hospital was announced in March 2021. The hospital will be jointly operated by Trinity Health and UHS, a Pennsylvania-based for-profit health care company. UHS has over 500 beds in Michigan, and Southridge will be its seventh location in Michigan. Its other facilities in the state include Forest View Hospital in Grand Rapids Township and Havenwyck Hospital in Auburn Hills. Related: Construction to start this summer on 96-bed psychiatric hospital south of Grand Rapids Biersack said Trinity wanted to partner with UHS because the company is a known national leader in the behavioral health that really understands this work and this space and can help us be successful at meeting this need. Were joint partners in this venture, he said. UHS, were going to rely on their expertise to help manage this facility. But weve been working together around program development and planning for this, and well be jointly governing operations at this facility. By building the hospital, and adding up to 96 in-patient beds, Trinity and UHS are expanding their capacity to serve patients suffering from a behavioral health crisis, officials said. Too often, patients suffering from such a crisis end up at the emergency room because theres too few in-patient psychiatric beds available. Often, when that happens, patients wait hours or days for a bed at an in-patient psychiatric hospital because theres a shortage of beds, said Carrie Mull, director of clinical services at Trinity Health Grand Rapids. We cannot have people go into the emergency room and say yes this is serious, yes you need to be admitted, but no we dont have any beds, she said. Thats completely unacceptable. We must do better. Mondays groundbreaking is the second major behavioral health care project underway now by Trinity Health Grand Rapids. Related: Grand Rapids major effort to fundamentally reform behavioral health services becoming a model for others Last month, the health care organization held a groundbreaking for a 24/7 behavioral health crisis center at Trinity Health Saint Marys campus at 260 Jefferson Ave. SE in downtown Grand Rapids. The facility is a partnership between Trinity Health and Network180, Kent Countys mental health authority. An exact date on which construction for Southridge would begin was not available. But officials said work is expected to start this summer. After it was announced in March 2021, plans to build the hospital faced pushback from a competing behavioral health provider, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. Pine Rest and UHS were competing for a state certificate of need from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to build a new behavioral health hospital. Pine Rest filed an appeal after MDHHS awarded the certificate of need to UHS. However, the appeal was unsuccessful. Once Southridge is complete, patients will see a warm, welcoming facility furnished with serene decor and inviting finishes, said Shelah Adams, vice president of corporate development at UHS. The building, she said, will more closely resemble a hospitality environment rather than an institutional type setting. Large windows will provide natural light, she said. We will have courtyards allowing for fresh air, for movement inside and outside of the hospital to promote healing. The hospital will provide in-patient and out-patient services, with the average in-patient stay expected to last about one week, Adams said. There will also be a variety of group and individual counseling as well as art and music therapy. Our patients will feel valued, she said. They will feel appreciated, and they will feel deeply cared for. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. More on MLive: New renderings give most detailed look yet at Grand Rapids amphitheater Former owner of The Intersection, Zs Bar remembered as great barkeep, larger than life The Moth public radio storytelling show coming to Grand Rapids KALAMAZOO, MI -- When paraprofessionals are hired at Kalamazoo Public Schools, their salary is on one of 22 levels. The district decides which one -- and its not always the first level. ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI A man was sentenced to decades in prison for the murder and mutilation of his girlfriend. Wade Allen, 39, of Sturgis, was sentenced to 39 to 60 years in prison on Thursday, June 1, after he pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in St. Joseph County Court. Related: Michigan man pleads to second-degree murder after girlfriend found dismembered Police found Warners remains in two coolers after a receiving a tip about the murder, a news release from the Michigan Attorneys General Office said. Allen was arrested the same day, May 22, 2019, for the death of his girlfriend, Kelly Jean Warner-Miller, 42. Warner-Miller was kind, caring and a little quirky, her friends and family told MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette after her death. She was a mother and a grandmother. Related: Mother found dead and dismembered remembered as sweet, calm woman Allen allegedly told his cellmates that he strangled Warner-Miller. The cellmates told police about what Allen said. He then sexually assaulted one of the cellmates when they were re-housed together, the news release said. Allen was also sentenced to about three to five years for attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct and two to five years for attempted dismemberment and mutilation. He must pay restitution for Warners burial expenses, along with court costs and fines, the release said. 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: Why Kalamazoos cold case sexual assault team is the gold standard Real-time crime center would give Kalamazoo police live access to security cameras South Haven to add 13 life jacket loaner stations at city beaches Kalamazoo Public Schools shouldnt set pay by vibes for new paraprofessionals, union says BATTLE CREEK, MI Battle Creek has a new police chief. Shannon Bagley was appointed the new chief on Monday, June 5, the city of Battle Creek said in a news release. Bagley was interim chief for six months. Hes now been hired as the official chief a couple weeks before the six months were up, the release said. Bagley took the interim role Jan. 15 after Jim Blocker retired. Bagley joined the department in September 2021, after 25 years with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and time as captain with the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Public Safety Department. Related: Feds, local police team up to address evil of gun violence in West Michigan Overwhelmingly, the feedback has been positive, City Manager Rebecca Fleury said in the news release. In fact, many people asked why it took so long to make this announcement; I wanted enough time for him to become comfortable in this role, and for me to observe his work as chief, plus gather that internal and community feedback. I have no doubt that Shannon is the right person to lead the Battle Creek Police Department. The department recently hired 17 new officers, a record, the release said. The new hires will help fill staffing shortages. Battle Creek police will work to build and expand relationships with the people and business owners in the area, Bagley said in the release. We will be intentional and inclusive with neighborhood outreach and engagement, Bagley said. The future holds tremendous opportunities, and there will be challenges. The members of the Battle Creek Police Department, working collaboratively with the community, will meet those head-on. More from MLive: Please make an example of this killer, mom says at sentencing of drunk driver Real-time crime center would give Kalamazoo police live access to security cameras South Haven to add 13 life jacket loaner stations at city beaches Kalamazoo Public Schools shouldnt set pay by vibes for new paraprofessionals, union says SOUTH HAVEN, MI South Haven will soon have life jacket loaner stations spread across all of its city beaches. The city installed two stations in August 2022 one at North Beach and South Beach via a gift from Safe Kids Greater South Haven, which is a Bronson South Haven Hospital nonprofit. Related: Borrow a life jacket stations set up on Lake Michigan beach This year, the city is planning to install 13 more stations, bringing the total to 15. The new ones are also a gift from Safe Kids Greater South Haven. Once installed, there will be six stations on South Beach, five on North Beach and one each on the citys Woodman, Dyckman, Oak Street and Packard beaches. The new stations, like those installed last year, will have life jackets of all sizes, from infant to oversized adult. Beachgoers are free to use them while at the beach, but return the jackets before they leave so others can use them. Pam Ford, coordinator for Safe Kids Greater South Haven, said funding for the new boards is still being finalized. She is hopeful the boards will begin being placed on the citys beaches by the end of June. Want more Kalamazoo news? Our 3@3 newsletter rounds up Kalamazoos top stories every weekday at 3 p.m. Enter your email to get our free newsletter: Each board will initially have 20 jackets, with four each in infant size, child size, youth size, adult size and adult oversized. Bronson has pledged to review the inventory of each board three times per month during May, June, July, August and September and will donate up to 10 additional replacement jackets per board as needed, city officials said. Exact locations and numbers of stations per beach were selected based on how busy each beach is, said Matt Dey, the citys beach safety and facilities superintendent. Dey said stations will be located next to crosswalks so people can spot them when they enter the beach. The citys beaches have been known for drownings in recent years, as four of Lake Michigans 45 drownings in 2022 occurred in South Haven. Two of those took place in July at North Beach, when a 33-year-old Ohio man and 7-year-old boy from Texas drowned. In August, Kory Ernster, 22, of Novi, and Emily MacDonald, 19, of Columbus Township, drowned at South Beach. Related: Couple who drowned in Lake Michigan will be together forever, mother says As a result of the drownings, some have urged city officials to bring back lifeguards for the first time in more than 20 years. City Manager Kate Mosier told MLive previously that exhaustive discussions to bring lifeguards have taken place in the last couple years, but ultimately no decision to reinstall a lifeguard program was made. The life jacket loaner stations are one many things the city is doing to increase beach safety, she said. More signage, including rip current warnings, on all beaches Regular monitoring and adjusting of the red-green-yellow flag system Expanded presence of South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) on all beaches Call boxes, life rings and throw bags Expanded water rescue training for police department and SHAES Also on MLive: Real-time crime center would give Kalamazoo police live access to security cameras Kalamazoo 5th grader makes it to semifinals in Scripps National Spelling Bee 18 months later, B.C. Pizza reopens with $7 buffet, new owner in Kalamazoo Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter. MUSKEGON, MI The committee that organized Muskegons Memorial Day observations is disbanding following a controversy involving the NAACPs participation in this years parade. The Greater Muskegon Memorial Day Committee, an independent group of volunteers who have organized the citys Memorial Day activities for 25 years, will disband at the end of this month, according to Steve Allen, the committees chair. In addition to the parade through downtown Muskegon, the committee organized a ceremony to honor living and deceased veterans that included speeches, a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps. The ceremony had been held in Hackley Park though in recent years moved to the Frauenthal Theater. The committee also obtained and distributed 11,000 American flags to local veterans organizations for placement at veterans graves. The committee had decided that this year it would not allow politically oriented groups and politicians to participate in the downtown parade, and identified the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as such a group, Allen told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle earlier. He had invited the NAACP to a committee meeting so it could explain how it was different from groups like Right to Life, Planned Parenthood and the NRA, Allen said. Instead, the committee received a letter from the national NAACPs general counsel that suggested the NAACPs civil rights would be violated if it was excluded from the parade. At that point, the committee decided it either had to let the NAACP participate or cancel the parade, Allen said. He said efforts to use the incident to spur NAACP member recruitment didnt sit well, and neither did a rally the NAACP held at Hackley Park after the parade this year, he said. That was exactly why we did not want groups like that with political ties to participate, Allen said on Monday, June 5. The committees members, whose ages range from 74 to 94, were getting harassing telephone calls, Allen said. Two of the committees 10 members, the only ones who are not veterans, already resigned over the NAACP issue and the rest decided to follow suit, Allen said. We thought, We didnt sign up for this. Why are we doing this? Were not getting paid for this, Allen said. A letter from Allen announcing the committees disbandment was sent to Muskegon Mayor Ken Johnson and Muskegon County Board of Commissioners Chair Charles Nash. The letter noted the committees efforts included getting necessary permits and coordinating the parade plans with the citys department of public works and police department. He praised both departments for their assistance. It is the GMMDCs hopes, that the Greater Muskegon community will continue this tradition and we wish you nothing but the best in the future in honoring this solemn Memorial Day holiday, Allen wrote. He told MLive that by giving the community leaders nearly a years notice, he hopes another group can be lined up to organize next years Memorial Day observations. Hes especially concerned about getting flags on the veterans graves. Parades come and go, but the flags need to be put out, he said. Want more Muskegon area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Muskegon daily newsletter. Also on MLive $25M in medical debt erased for 40,000 Muskegon County residents Muskegon Pride Festival begins with first-ever Muskegon Pride Parade 3,000 hemlock trees at Lake Michigan park to be treated for deadly HWA bug SAGINAW TOWNSHIP, MI For Dari Wilson, prom season never really ends. The 26-year-old Saginaw Township woman wove more than a dozen of the dresses spotlighted in last months Saginaw High School prom. In total, the self-taught seamstress created 20 dresses for teenagers in Bay City and even Grand Rapids, although much of her clientele was from her hometown of Saginaw. While her first order for 2024 proms has yet to arrive, it likely wont be more than a few weeks before she begins planning for the next season, she said. Its been nearly a decade since Wilson attended her own prom as a Bridgeport High School graduate in 2014. She said she ordered her dress online. Her business approach, she said, offers a more personal touch to an industry that services one of the most memorable points of the American teenage experience: attending prom. She began down the road to joining that industry about four years ago, when her mother purchased Wilson a $20 sewing machine. Despite zero experience in the craft, Wilson quickly felt a natural pull toward seamstress work. It just kind of fell in my lap, she said. Three years ago, her skill graduated to such a level that she decided to launch her own business selling her woven creations. While most of her work involves prom season, she also designs dresses and suits for weddings, Sweet 16 parties, and other events that call for a fancy get-up. After designing and building about one dozen prom dresses in 2022, Wilson said she nearly doubled that output this year, essentially turning the craft into a full-time job. Word-of-mouth has been really helpful, Wilson said of the demand generated after more people learned she was responsible for some of the most dazzling dresses from the prior years dance. Wilson said she works closely with the women and men who request her handywork. While individual dresses involve up to five hours of seamstress work apiece, the envisioning and prep work often plays out over much of the academic year. For example, she received her first order in October 2022 for the May 2023 prom season. Individual dresses and suits range in cost from $800 to $1,100, with the fabric and ornamental accessories largely determining which end of the cost spectrum Wilsons services land, she said. Envisioning the final product becomes a collaborative effort between Wilson and her clients, she said. The teenagers input often determines the color scheme and style of the outfit. Some want a long train; some want a mermaid-style dress, Wilson said. Some want rhinestones. Ill give them some sketched options. They show me what they like, and we just go from there. She works from a makeshift workspace in her homes basement. While sewing, she often plays music or listens to the TV in the background. Although, I try not to watch TV too much, because I get distracted, Wilson said. She said she enjoys seeing the fruits of her labors in person. She attended the last two Saginaw High School prom meet-up events on Ojibway Island, where attendees gather first to launch their prom experience. There, Wilson takes joy in seeing her clients fit inside her handiwork. It can be trying work, but in the end, seeing them in (the dresses and outfits) makes it all worth it, she said. I love prom season. I love how people go all-out. Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw. Read more on MLive: Saginaw County alert system targets rising danger of property fraud Ready to go antiquing? A Michigan city this weekend will provide the setting. As temperatures sizzle, Saginaw County townships issue burn restrictions Ghanaian songstress Wendy Shay has taken to social media to express her frustration over the alleged theft of her songs by other artists. In a tweet on Friday, June 3, the "Survivor" hitmaker claimed that she had sent songs to other Ghanaian artists for feature requests, only to later hear her melodies in their own new releases. The 27-year-old artist further revealed that she had experienced the theft of her songs twice in her career and called for an end to the practice. "You send a song to a GH Artiste for a feature Next thing you go hear your melodies in their new song! 2nd time this is happening to me...thieves! Ghana Artiste wake up!" Wendy Shay tweeted. The issue of song theft is not a new one in the music industry, with many artists accusing others of stealing their melodies, lyrics, or even entire songs. In some cases, the issue has led to legal battles between artists, with some cases resulting in hefty payouts to the original songwriter. Wendy Shay, whose real name is Wendy Asiamah Addo, has for the past years, been a household name in the Ghanaian music industry. She burst onto the scene in 2018 with her debut single "Uber Driver," which quickly became a hit in Ghana and beyond. Since then, the Ruff Town record signee has released a string of popular singles, including "Bedroom Commando," "All for You," and "Emergency," and has won several awards for her music. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dokpam Ghana, Kwabena Hene Ahenkang, has indicated that the use of Dokpam app would help reduce self-medication. According to him, the app, which was officially launched last year on May 24, 2022, is a digital life-changing medical health application system which connects healthcare providers and clients. Speaking on Nyansa TV, Wednesday 31st May, 2023, he shared that the aim of the app is to facilitate healthcare in Ghana by making healthcare convenient and easy for all to access. Mr. Ahenkang expressed his disappointment why such an initiative hasnt been well deployed. He noted that Ghana grapples with several health challenges such as lack of access to hospitals, doctors, nurses and bad roads. In this regard, he noted that Dokpam app comes in handy to help make healthcare more accessible to everyone everywhere. He believes that the above-stated reasons among many others are why most people with some health conditions end up losing their lives. "To cure this mischief however, is the reason why the Dokpam is in to help. The app is accessible via phone and since most people use phones, it can help reduce such needless deaths that most suffer," he stated. Detailing how the app operates he stated that "it simply puts together all healthcare providers and connects them to patients and clients in one space, this the app." He added that so if anyone needs assistance in relation to health, all you have to do is to download the app, search for the type of service you need and simply request it. The closest provider will also respond immediately to take care of your health problem. Corporate CEO of Dokpam, Jean- Rony Borgelin during the discussion added that another reason theyre trying to connect patients and doctors is due to its effort in tackling the challenges facing the African healthcare sector. Were doing this through our centralized marketplace franchise partners. Our partners are focused on connecting healthcare and wellness businesses and professionals with potential patients and clients, all within their individual countries, he said. He added, Our platform provides consumers in need with easy access to information on available equipment, products and services. They also include telehealth and home visits, resulting in more accessible opportunities to improve their health and well-being. Wisdom Agodza, Chief Marketing Officer for Dokpam Ghana also urged all Ghanaians to download the app and connect to health professionals anywhere, anytime without stress to reduce self-medication resulting from inaccessibility to health professionals in Ghana. Former Deputy Attorney General, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka has admonished the National Democratic Congress (NDCC) to thread cautiously ahead of the Assin North by-election. According to him, the decision by the opposition party to re-present James Gyakye Quayson as its candidate for the upcoming by-election can have dire consequences. Speaking to Joy News on matters relating to the Assin North by-election, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka noted there could be consequences for not only the NDC but the state as well. The NDC is assuming a particular risk. If I were the prosecutor, I will not need more than 2 witnesses to prosecute this case. The risk can pay off or have consequences on them. They should exercise caution. If he wins and is convicted we will be back to this same issue of by-election and that will amount to some waste of state resources, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka argued. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that James Gyakye Quaysons name as MP for Assin North should be expunged from Parliamentary records. This was after he was found guilty of contesting the Assin North election in the 2020 General Election while holding dual citizenship. Although criminal charges have been filed against him, the NDC believes he is still the right candidate and will represent him for the Assin North by-election on June 27. 05.06.2023 LISTEN Students of the Tamale College of Education (TACE) have asked the Principal of the college Dr. Sulemana Iddrisu and the management to forgive them their sins for wrongfully accusing him and the institution of spending their feeding component of the student allowance. Usually, student-teachers during their training at the colleges of education are paid monthly allowance of four hundred Ghana cedis (Ghc400.00) to cushion them to stay and learn well on campus. Out of this amount, four cedis (Ghc4.00) is paid to the Teacher Trainees' Association of Ghana (TTAG) whilst one hundred and ninety-six cedis (Ghc196.00) is paid to the management of the colleges as feeding fees for the students. However, during the mandatory Teaching Practice popularly known as Out-Campus, an exercise done by every teacher trainee in colleges of education, students stay outside campus and end up feeding themselves. The practice has been that the GHS196.00 that are usually paid to the colleges of education to feed the students are refunded to them when they are done with their Teaching Practice since the schools are no longer responsible for their feeding whilst they are doing their Out-Campus service. The case was however not the same for the 2022-year batch who finished their Out-Campus Practice in September 2022, after spending four months in their various schools of placement which ignited anger among the student populace. The students became even more angry when management of the institution announced the date and fees for their graduation without refunding the monies. Some of them, in addition to open and verbal insults directed at the Principal and his management, went further to publish articles on both social and traditional media on May 18, 2023, accusing the principal (Dr. Sulemana) and the management of denying them their monies. They also threatened to abandon the graduation ceremony which has been scheduled for June 17, 2023 should management fail to refund the monies. In response, the College indicated that processes leading to the repayment of the monies were at the final stage. It added that by Friday May 26, 2023, the students, numbering over 500 should visit the college accounts department after applying for the refund for payment to be effected. After receiving the refund, the students led by their Students Representative Council (SRC), apologized to the Principal and the management for their lack of patience and due process. In a letter to the Principal dated Monday May 29, 2023 signed by the SRC President for the 2022 year batch and copied the Vice Principal, the Deen of Students and the Bursar, the students said "With the greatest of regrets, we write on behalf of the entire 2022 year group to render an unreserved apology over the false and baseless publication made against you and your personality on 18th of May, 2023 in Ghanaweb. We take exceptions to condemn such nuisance. It was really unfortunate." They added that "On behalf of the entire 2022-year batch of students, we apologize to you, and the entire staff of the college for whatsoever bad image such publication might have caused the college. "We sincerely appreciate the role you played during our time in school as teacher trainees. You demonstrated to us that you are not only a principal but a father, a guardian, a mentor, a motivator and a role model we could trust and rely on. And so, it is rather unfortunate that such baseless accusation was made against your personality by some unscrupulous personalities." Read the full apology below: LETTER OF APOLOGY With the greatest of regrets, we write on behalf of the entire 2022-year group to render an unreserved apology over the false and baseless publication made against you and your personality on 18th of May 2023 in Ghanaweb. We take exceptions to condemn such nuisance. It was really unfortunate! We sincerely appreciate the role you played during our time in school as teacher trainees. You demonstrated to us that you are not only a principal but a father, a guardian, a mentor, a motivator and a role model we could trust and rely on. And so it is rather unfortunate that such baseless accusation was made against your personality by some unscrupulous personalities. On behalf of the entire 2022-year batch of students, we apologize to you, and the entire staff of the college for whatsoever bad image such publication might have caused the college. We pledge that a counter publication will be made through that same medium to express how regrettable the publication was and setting the records straight. It is deeply regrettable! Yours Sincerely, Tahiru Mohammed Murtala. (For the 2022 Year Group) Cc. Office of the Vice Principal The College Bursa Office of the Dean of Students Affairs Pierre Frank Laporte, the World Bank (WB) Country Director to Ghana, says Ghana's energy sector debt is a major contributor to the countrys debt crisis. In an interview monitored by GNA, the country director indicated that his outfit had identified certain factors that were driving the country's debt situations. According to Mr Laporte, one of the factors the bank has identified is the energy sector. He said the deficiencies in the sector characterized by the tariff systems and management issues coupled with expensive power purchases by the state in addition to the transmission losses, were the major problems in the energy sector driving Ghana's debts. He said the mismatch between the production cost of the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) vis-a-vis how much consumers paid led to an upsurge of debts since the Government could not make financial commitments to them (IPPs). Mr Laporte also said the Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) the Government had signed were expensive. In addition to the exorbitant power purchases the country was paying for energy it does not use due to the take or pay contracts. In the case of Ghana, those contracts that have been signed as PPAs are just expensive and the kind of PPAs signed are take or pay. You pay although you do not use it. The fact is that in the past few years, Ghana entered into an agreement at the wrong rate and the wrong price, and it has impacted the debt situation. He asked the Government to pursue some reforms in the areas of tariff adjustments, addressing the transmission losses through improved infrastructure and restructuring the power purchasing agreements consistent with the energy demands of the country to reduce a significant portion of the debts. The WB Country Director acknowledged the progress made thus far via the recent increment and subsequent approval in tariff by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC), saying much could be achieved if the intended reforms in the energy sector were implemented. He subsequently advised the Government to take advantage of the West African Power Poll, to provide cheap electricity for its people and industry. According to the Fitch Ranks, the energy sector is the biggest driver of the national debt as the West African Country currently owes independent power producers to the tune of $ 1.58 billion. Fitch Ranks also says the country had initially reached out to the IPPs to restructure their debts in view of the External and Domestic Debt Restructuring but the companies objected to the proposal Source: GNA The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has disclosed that it has uncovered plans by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to insert the name of an unqualified parliamentary candidate into the Voter Register of Assin North for the upcoming by-election. The NDC alleged that the NPP is embarking on the illegality with the help of the Electoral Commission (EC). The National Democratic Congress has become aware of a plot by the ruling New Patriotic Party, acting in cahoots with their collaborators in the Electoral Commission to transfer and insert the name of one Charles Opoku, into the Voters Register of the Assin North constituency. This illegal move is to aid the said Charles Opoku to contest in the NPP Parliamentary primaries to select a candidate for the upcoming Assin North by-election, parts of a statement issued by the NDC on Sunday, June 4 said. Under law, the nomination form for the Assin North by-election require that a candidate in the election must be a registered voter in Assin North. However, the NDC believes that the said Charles Opoku is not a registered voter in the Assin North Constituency yet the NPP wants to smuggle him into the poll. According to Regulation 22 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020 (C.I 127), voter transfer can only be effected for an ordinary citizen not less than 42 days before a public election. With the Assin North by-election set to be held on June 27, any voter transfer that will be done will be against the law, the NDC stated. Below is a copy of the NDC statement: PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release 4th June, 2023. NPP AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION IN A PLOT TO ILLEGALLY INSERT THE NAME OF AN UNQUALIFIED NPP PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE INTO THE ASSIN NORTH VOTERS REGISTER. The National Democratic Congress has become aware of a plot by the ruling New Patriotic Party, acting in cahoots with their collaborators in the Electoral Commission to transfer and insert the name of one Charles Opoku, into the Voters Register of the Assin North constituency. This illegal move is to aid the said Charles Opoku to contest in the NPP Parliamentary primaries to select a candidate for the upcoming Assin North by-election. Our unimpeachable sources have revealed that contrary to the clear requirement on the nomination form for the Assin North by-election, which demands that a candidate in the election must be a registered voter in Assin North, the said Charles Opoku is not a registered voter in the Assin North Constituency. It is instructive to note that according to Regulation 22 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020 (C.I 127), voter transfer can only be effected for an ordinary citizen not less than 42 days to a public election. More importantly, transfer applications can only be made to the Returning Officer of a public election. Given the fact that, we have less than 42 days to the by-election in Assin North, and a Returning Officer is yet to be appointed for same, any transfer of voters to Assin North will be unlawful and same shall be fiercely rejected by the NDC. We are closely monitoring this situation and shall take every legitimate step to ensure that this illegal plot is not perpetrated by the Electoral Commission and their collaborators in the NPP. Signed. SAMMY GYAMFI (National Communication Officer) The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu has announced that the necessary auditing and validation has been completed for school feeding caterers to be paid their arrears from the 2022 academic year. Addressing the press on Sunday, June 4, the Gender Minister indicated that the caterers will be paid next week. I want to give the assurance here that next week, caterers' arrears will be paid. We have done all the validation and auditing. The auditing takes time so we need time for it to be done well to ensure every caterer who has cooked has been captured and will be paid. Certainly, we will pay them and next week we are paying them, Lariba Zuweira Abudu said. This brings some relief to caterers under the School Feeding Programme who announced a nationwide strike in April over the non-payment of arrears and the failure of government to increase the amount per child for a day. At the press briefing on Sunday, Lariba Zuweira Abudu who is also the Member of Parliament for Walewale applauded the caterers and thanked them for their patience and collaboration to resolve their grievances. She assured that all pending issues and challenges facing the caterers will also be addressed. I want to applaud the caterers. They have been patient and I want to assure them that we are doing all we can to address the problems they have brought to my table. We are working around the clock and definitely we will solve the problems for them, the Gender Minister said. The Ghana School Feeding Programe is one of the social protection flagship programmes which is consistent with other major policies and development strategies of the Government such as the Ghana Shared Growth Development Agenda, and Ghana National Social Protection Strategy and currently hinging on SDGs 1, 2, 4 & 5. There has been considerable growth and expansion of the programme from 1,671,777 beneficiaries in 2016 to 3,801,491 in 2023 in 10,832 public basic schools (KG to Primary 6). Government says it is keen on improving the programme and extending it to all public schools across the country. Meanwhile, the cost of feeding per head for a day which used to be GHS0.97 is being increased to GHS1.20p. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has denied claims by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that it is plotting to illegally insert the name of an unqualified parliamentary candidate into the voter register ahead of the Assin North by-election. In a statement issued on June 4, the NDC alleged that the NPP is "in cahoots with their collaborators in the Electoral Commission to transfer and insert the name of one Charles Opoku, into the Voters Register of the Assin North constituency." However, in a response, the NPP described the NDC's claims as "spurious" and "baseless allegations intended to mislead the Ghanaian public." The NPP said in a statement issued by its Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah that, "The NPP emphatically debunks the allegations that the Party is in a plot to illegally insert the name of an unqualified NPP Parliamentary Candidate into the Assin North Register." Mr. Ahiagbah stated that the NPP has "worked hard to maintain its enviable position as the pacesetter of multiparty democracy in Ghana," and would not engage in actions to "jeopardize the nations democratic gains." The NPP clarified that it has not selected a parliamentary candidate yet for Assin North and is yet to hold party primaries for the seat. The statement further argued that Article 94 (1)(a) of the Constitution does not require a parliamentary candidate to be registered in the constituency they wish to contest to be eligible. The NPP assured Ghanaians that it is "committed to upholding and defending the 1992 Constitution." The Parliamentary Committee on Government Assurance has inspected the abandoned Elmina Fish Processing Plant in the Central Region to ascertain the challenges and find sustainable solutions to them. The Plant, constructed by Expotec International Limited of India at a cost of $7.8 million, with funding from the EXIM Bank of India, had been abandoned after it was commissioned in 2016. The delegation, led by the Chairperson of the Committee, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, and the Ranking Member, Mr John Kwabena Bless Oti, paid a visit to the facility as part of their two-day working visit to the region to be abreast of activities in the fisheries sector. Mr Enoch Boadu Amoh, a Director at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, who conducted the members round, said after the commissioning in 2016, it was given out to a private person to manage for a while, but it was realised that the ice block chamber was not fit for purpose. The Plant had an ice block-making facility and 40 cubicles of cold storerooms. He said before construction works started, an effluent treatment plant to treat the fish waste was not part of the design but because of the contract that had already been signed, it was decided to go ahead with the project and later add the effluent treatment plant in phase two. The discussion was that they would refurbish the system under phase two so as to process more fish. But it had been back and forth, he said. In 2020, officials from the EXIM Bank of India visited Ghana to inspect the project and later came back in 2021, when they asked the Ministry to submit a proposal for the second phase, Mr Amoh said. After the proposal was submitted, the Fisheries Minister had to visit EXIM Bank in 2022 in India where it was agreed that the project would need a treatment plant and a warehouse. He said without the effluent treatment plant, the Environmental Protection Agency would not allow the project to begin fish processing. On the funding, Mr Amoh said the total funding was about $11 million with the plant costing $7.8 million. So with the about $2.63 million left, it was agreed that they could be able to do the outstanding work and get the facility running, he said. The delegation also toured the Anomabo Fisheries College to acquaint itself with the progress of work, where Mr Richard Abbey, the Consultant, told the members that work was almost completed and would be ready for use by the end of the year. Mrs Appiagyei said the Committee was at the Elmina Fish Processing Plant to verify an assurance in 2021 by the Fisheries Minister that the Ministry was leaving no stone unturned to revive the Plant. However, up until now, they had not seen the realisation of that assurance, she said. Mrs Appiagyei noted that the Committee would have to invite the Minister to make a statement on the state of the Plant. GNA The future of fossil fuels the leading source of global warming emissions will come under scrutiny at UN climate negotiations taking place in Germany this Monday, as an Emirati oil chief is poised to step into the driver's seat. As the world struggles to limit warming to 1.5 Celsius above pre-industrial levels, pressure is on the Unites Arab Emirates to arrive in Bonn this Monday with ambitious plans for its presidency of Dubai's December COP28 climate summit. However the choice of Sultan al-Jaber head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC to head COP28 has triggered calls from campaigners and lawmakers for him to step aside. Al-Jaber favours the rapid development of renewable energy, but he has also focused on tackling carbon emissions with controversial technologies to capture CO rather than reducing the use of fossil fuels, insisting they will have a key role in the energy transition. 'End of an era' for fossil fuels According to Laurence Tubiana, head of the European Climate Foundation, "The presidency needs to quickly show where its ambition lies: ramping up the renewables is part of it but recognising that won't be enough for this COP." She added it was critical to "recognise that the fossil era is ending". On Sunday, the UAE's Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, responsible for overseeing the preparations for COP28, met with US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, in a meeting attended by al-Jaber. The three reviewed UAE-US initiatives including "The UAE-US Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE), which will catalyse $100 billion in financing," according to a statement. Last year's UN climate summit in Egypt reached a landmark deal to help vulnerable countries cope with climate-enhanced disasters, but failed to toughen up commitments to tackle emissions, despite backing from more than 80 countries. Existential challenges ahead Monday's meeting in the former West German capital will strive to close the gap on a past-due promise of $100 billion per year to help poorer countries make their economies greener and prepare for future climate shocks. This comes following a UN report warning that the world may cross the 1.5 Celsius threshold within a decade and existing fossil fuel infrastructure could tip global temperatures over the edge if its carbon pollution is allowed to escape into the atmosphere. Meanwhile, emissions which must drop nearly 50 percent by 2030 to keep the Paris climate treaty goals within reach continue to rise. The 2015 Paris deal calls on countries to limit global warming "well below" two degrees Celsius, or preferably 1.5C a safer limit that would still have severe implications for millions. However, it does not state how the world will meet that challenge. Recent years have seen a crescendo of temperature records and climate-driven disasters worldwide, mostly in poorer regions least responsible for the problem. National Liberation Congress (NLC) founder and former National Democratic Congress (NDC) member Stephen Atubiga has sharply criticized the leadership of the main opposition party, accusing them of neglecting the party's grassroots and derailing the vision of the late founder Jerry John Rawlings. In an impassioned speech on the June 4, commemorating Rawlings' overthrow of the SMC regime, Mr Atubiga said the NDC had "turned into a capitalist organization" that serves the interests of its leaders instead of the people. He noted that the National Liberation Congress (NLC) party he founded is "always disappointed in the leadership of our mother party NDC, who should have known better about protecting the legacy of JJ and the socialist ideology." Mr Atubiga alleged that when in power, the NDC leadership only thinks "about their stomach, neglecting those who break their backs in bringing the NDC to power." While crediting the current NDC flagbearer John Mahama for achieving some good works during his presidency, Mr Atubiga said Mahama was "the last man standing" but cannot win the 2024 election. He said "I just have the conviction with facts and personal instinct that JDM has hit a wall of the end of him winning the election again to be president...Yes, I agree he JDM is the last man standing now for the NDC. How did we come to this that there is nobody else except him? Very dangerous for a party that has been in power for the past 20+ years before..." Mr Atubiga believes Mr Mahama would better serve the NDC as "the father of the party, the unifier of the party, and the lifetime king-maker of the party. He ended his statement by calling for "accountability, probity and justice for all" in the NDC." Controversial Ghanaian prophet Ajagurajah has asserted that there is no such place as heaven, claiming that only the poor believe so. In an interview with UTV, the leader of the Ajagurajah Movement said the place prepared for the righteous after death is called paradise, not heaven. He quoted Ecclesiastes 9:10 to buttress his point, stating: "The word says whatever you deem fit to do, do with all your might with intelligence and wisdom." Prophet Ajagurajah argued that the concept of heaven was not known in the times of biblical figures like Abraham and David. "Where did Abraham go when he died? He is not coming back to take us to heaven, he is prepared a place for his people called Paradise, where there is eternal life, he queried. The controversial prophet claimed that even western countries that propagated and introduced Christianity do not even believe God is coming back. For this reasons he said Western countries are much focused on building and inventing new technologies while Africans are heavily packed in churches busy praying to God to kill their enemies, wonders to happen, miracle wealth and to go to heaven. He alleged that only the poor believe in heaven, saying: "Heaven is so sacred for a human being to be allowed entry. There is no one going to heaven." The spiritual leader maintained that what awaits the righteous is "paradise", not heaven. 05.06.2023 LISTEN Ghanaian prophet Ajagurajah has distanced himself from being a Christian. He claima he is a man of God and not a Christian. In an interview on Accra UTVs United Showbiz on Saturday, June 3, Prophet Ajagurajah - who heads the Ajagurajah Movement explained that though he believes in the death of Christ, he does not practice Christianity. He stated: "I'm a man of God and not a Christian, there is a difference." Prophet Ajagurajah revealed that he comes from a spiritualist background, with his father also being a former spiritualist. According to him, he took over the spiritualist practice from his father after his passing. "My dad is a spiritualist and I was born and buttered in it, I took over the practice from my dad when he passed but I stopped practicing because the rules to it are exhausting. It is a more flexible practicing Christianity, you can sin and go ask God for forgiveness, he said. The controversial prophet indicated that he used to practiced Christianity but felt he had to be "truthful" to himself and his followers. "I used to practice Christianity and was a reverend of the gospel, but I had to be truthful to myself and my followers so I had to go back to practice my spirituality, stated Ajagurajah. He criticized Christianity, saying: "It is a more flexible practicing Christianity, you can sin and go ask God for forgiveness." Prophet Ajagurajah explained that he relies more on the Old Testament in his teachings and uses the New Testament only for references. My Ajaguraja movement is based on the teachings of the old testament, with the new testament as a reference book, he revealed. Controversial Ghanaian marriage counsellor, Cyril George Carstensen Lutterodt, popularly known as Counselor Lutterodt has sparked a debate with his recent comments that having sex with a woman during her menstruation is not wrong. According to him, such periods are when many women develop a sexual appetite and therefore need to be sexually satisfied by their partners. Speaking in an interview on Accra-based UTVs United Showbiz on Saturday, June 3, Counselor Lutterodt explained that most women ovulate while menstruating, and therefore, denying them sexual pleasure during their periods would be unfair. The SC4, SC2, SC1 there are sexual benefits through bleeding, 'menses'. some women ovulate during menstruation, so will you deny your partner pleasure who ovulates during bleeding? "There is nothing wrong with having sex during menstruation, the only discomfort is having to soil the bed, he said. Meanwhile, this conflicts with the long-held belief that seeks to make lovemaking during menstruation a taboo. Some traditional school of thoughts say a man risk facing spiritual issues including bad luck in life if he keeps having sex with a woman menstruating. Many also argue that most ladies experience pain in their period and therefore having sex with them worsens their pain. Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) last week, held a stakeholder meeting with representatives of the Attorney General's Department, Ghana Revenue Authority, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice , the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition and the Financial Intelligence Centre to deliberate on the repealing of Act 804 and drafting a new bill. Delivering the keynote address on the repeal of EOCO Act 2010 (Act 804), the Deputy Minister of Justice, Alfred Tuah Yeboah stated that the time has come for the shortfalls in the EOCO Act 2010 (804) to be addressed in order to make EOCO more effective in its operations. Addressing the challenges of the EOCO Act 2010(804), he stated that the repeal of the Act will clarify the work of EOCO and grant it the independence it needs to work effectively and to execute its mandate. He further stressed that the new bill will address the shortfalls in the areas of confiscation, asset management, freezing and seizure, other sources of funding, among other loopholes in the Act such that it can strengthen the legal framework for which the Office operates. The Executive Director of EOCO, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Daquah was elated beyond herself for the meeting and thanked all key partners represented at the meeting. She also bemoaned the fact that the lack of conditions of service for EOCO is greatly affecting the retention of officers in EOCO. The Director of Administration of EOCO, Edward Cudjoe took stakeholders through the current EOCO Act while highlighting some shortfalls and the need to urgently work on them. Notable among them were whether EOCO is a security agency or not, sources of funding for EOCO operational activities, freezing, seizure, assets recovery and management. After his presentation, the bill was opened for criticism, suggestions, deliberations, and contributions. Various views, suggestions and criticisms were churned with the view to help make the bill a robust law. Present at the meeting were, the Board Chairman of EOCO, Mr. Stephen Raymond Dapaah-Addo, the Head of Legislative Drafting at AG's, Mrs. Mavis Amoa, Deputy Executive Directors of EOCO, Nana Antwi and Mrs. Aba J. Opoku and some officers of EOCO. 3news.com 05.06.2023 LISTEN TV3's broadcast journalist, Johnnie Hughes has expressed deep disappointment in government for its failure to adequately provide meals to basic school children after 66 years of independence. During the Johnnies Bite show on 3FM, Mr Hughes criticized the government for borrowing money to spend lavishly while basic school children are being neglected. He said, We borrow to literally pay those people in those [government] positions - we waste. Were now thinking of trying to pay school feeding caterers. He described the situation as a show of a "wicked country" and expressed his disappointment in Ghana's failure to adequately provide meals for the school children. Were a wicked country, a very wicked country, he said. Mr Hughes highlighted the ongoing strike by school feeding caterers, who play a vital role in the program designed to provide meals for basic school children. He lamented the fact that for more than six weeks, these children have been deprived of the food that was promised by the NPP. And for more than six weeks, the children at the basic schools have not been fed food which was campaigned with, the broadcast journalist expressed. Mr Hughes further described government's misplaced priorities as a waste of state resources. "Were interested in flying aroundwere interested in wasting money, rather than meeting the basic needs of our children. After 66 years of independence, it is a shame that we cannot provide meals for them. We have become a very, very shameful nation," Hughes passionately stated. Pope Francis has sent Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi on a two-day peace mission to Kyiv to sound out government authorities in a bid to help end the war in Ukraine. The Vatican announced Cardinal Zuppi's visit in a short statement this Monday, which many observers see as an uphill effort to get peace negotiations started. The Holy See says the main purpose of the two-day visit is "to listen carefully to Ukrainian authorities on the possible ways to reach a just peace and support humanitarian gestures that may help ease tensions". It is not clear if Zuppi who is the Archbishop of Bologna and head of the Italian Bishops Conference will meet President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky met the Pope at the Vatican on 13 May and later appeared cool to the prospects of any papal initiative that would put Ukraine on an equal footing with Russia, which invaded its neighbour on 24 February 2022. Last month, Zuppi told reporters that he did not foresee a mediation in the strict sense of the word but that he was ready to "do anything" to help ease tensions. "We can't watch a war without at least saying that we are close to the victims and seeking in every way possible to alleviate the consequences," he said. Kyiv 'cool' on Vatican overtures At the meeting in May, Zelensky asked the pope to back Kyiv's peace plan, which Zelensky has repeatedly said is not open to negotiation. The plan calls for the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities. In an interview in May, the pope skirted the issue, saying an eventual return by Russia of occupied territories is a "political problem" to be resolved by both sides. Diplomats have said that Ukraine would also be cool to the idea of putting a meeting between Zuppi and Zelensky and an eventual one between Zuppi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the same plane. "There can be no equality between the victim and the aggressor," Zelensky said after his meeting with Pope Francis. Repatriation of Ukrainian children The Vatican statement's mention of "humanitarian gestures" on Monday appeared to be a reference to Kyiv's request and the Vatican's willingness to help with the repatriation of Ukrainian children. Kyiv estimates nearly 19,500 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since February 2022, in what it condemns as illegal deportations. Zuppi hails from the Sant' Egidio Community, a Rome-based peace and justice group which has been instrumental in several peace negotiations, particularly in Africa. On the 5th of June, 2023, I read a story headlined "Youll be used as a scapegoat to prove the potency of our gods Nogokpo Chiefs warn". Portions of the story read "Chiefs and Elders of Nogokpo in the Ketu South Municipality of Volta Region say after the 14 days ultimatum given to the founder of the Perez Chapel International, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, they will teach him a lesson if he does not do the needful ( MyNewsGH, 2023 )". The elders have expressed their dissatisfaction with the explanation provided by the Man of God for his earlier characterization and labelling of Nogokpo as Volta regions demonic capital. As a result of this, they have therefore requested that the National Peace Council assist Archbishop Charles Agyinasare in appearing before the Nogokpo communitys council of elders within fourteen days for a peaceful resolution. Nogokpo People and Shrine Nogokpo is a small village located in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana along the TransWest African Coastal Highway. It is famed for it's powerful Traditional and Spiritual Shrine which many people from different walks of life have visited and sought for justice. The mention of the name Nogokpo is enough to put erring people on the straight and narrow. However, the name Nogokpo means "Stay in peace". Citi Newsroom, 2023 "The Nogokpo shrine is a popular Traditional Shrine in Ghana that is considered to harbour the god of justice". According to a Coverghana.com.gh, 2020 story, the shrine does not harm innocent people but rather recalcitrant and unrepentant sinners. Such ones would have to pay the hefty price of death or permanently get confined at the shrine to serve. Agyinasares Unsavoury Comments The controversy surrounding this whole brouhaha was commenced by Archbishop Agyinasare who on May 25, 2023 in a sermon made statements during a church service about the Nogokpo shrine. In the said sermon, Archbishop Agyinasare said that Nogokpo was the demonic headquarters of the Volta Region. He went on to make further claims against the Nogokpo deity which has angered its inhabitants. It is against this backdrop that I humbly submit to him, on what basis would the Archbishop come to that conclusion about the people of Nogokpo? What is demonic about a shrine that dispenses justice to the wicked and brings relief to the troubled heart? In any case, why would he brand a people and their shrine demonic? Is it demonic because of the allegation of people dying because they were taken to Nogokpo Shrine? From the readings I've done and the reasons that warranted Archbishop Agyinasare's outburst in describing Nogokpo as the "demonic headquarters of the Volta Region, in my humble appreciation are unwarranted, unsubstantiated, needless and very unfair to the shrine of Nogokpo and it's people. Enter Perez Chapel When a lot of consternation arose against him for the comments against Nogokpo, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare in responding to his critics during Church Service on Sunday, May 28, said, I have received calls from people very close to me and my attention has been drawn to social media commentary on some portions of comments I made this past Thursday during the Supernatural Empowerment Summit at the Perez Dome." This comes after a video of him categorising the town of Nogokpo in the Ketu South Municipal as the headquarters of demons in the Volta Region went viral, attracting criticisms. Responding to his critics during Church Service on Sunday, May 28, he said his comments were not meant to denigrate the people of Nogokpo but To drive home my point, I made reference to several instances where I have encountered manifestations of demonic powers in my crusades which have taken me to over 90 countries of the world. I gave an example of people who were seeking to levitate during a crusade in India. I gave an example of a demonic attack I suffered as a very young pastor who had gone to preach at a bus stop around Korle Bu. The Archbishop continued In reference to Nogokpo, I wish to clarify that I never intended to refer to the town but rather make reference to an incident that happened after a crusade at Aflao. I had absolutely no intention to cast a slur upon the people of the Nogokpo town and the Volta Region as a whole. I have had a very cordial relationship with the people of the Volta Region, and my wife of 38 years is, in fact, an Ewe from Keta. Two of my biological children bear Ewe names, he emphasised Any misrepresentation or misinformation that has characterised the subsequent commentary and reportage is unfortunate (Agyinasare, 2023)". Enter Perez Chapel Perez Chapel International has declared a one-week fast and prayers following the controversy between the churchs founder, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, and the chiefs and people of Nogokpo in the Volta Region. On Sunday, June 4, 2023, a declaration was made by the Presiding Bishop of Perez Chapel International, Benjamin Ohene Aboagye. On the 25th of last month, during our Supernatural Empowerment Summit, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare made a statement concerning the Nogokpo issue. I think we are all aware of the issue in Ghana. It is trending on social media and other platforms. We, the Perez Council, on behalf of the Executive Council, have taken notice of all these things and this is what the Executive Council is saying. We are declaring a one-week fast from the 5th to the 11th of this month, and we expect all pastors, elders, deacons, deaconesses, and all our churches to participate in this fast for one week. We believe that God is our helper. He is our rock. He is the one we look up to. So this is the decision we have taken for now. We expect everyone [in all our branches] to take part in this fast, he said. The Way Forward The decision of the church to declare a one week fasting and prayer in relation to this matter is good. It is a spiritual and/or religious matter but, it doesn't douse the tensions between their leader and the elders and people of Nogokpo. The leadership of the church must do the needful. Again, the ultimatum given by the Nogokpo elders to Agyinasare was appropriate but the inherent threat to using him as a scapegoat to serve as a caution to all others who have the penchant to denigrate and desecrate our Traditional African Religion was also needless. The idea of the elders of Nogokpo in routing their request through the National Peace Council for an amicable settlement between them and the Perez Chapel leader is highly Commendable. Perez Chapel should as mater of urgency send a high powered delegation preferably including their Archbishop to Nogokpo to iron out any misunderstanding. If they cannot go with their Archbishop, they can still send a delegation to appease the elders of the pejorative comments of their leader against them. Nogokpo is a community and not necessarily a shrine. Any comment against them affects the entire image of the inhabitants and the traditional rulers of that enclave have the right to invite whoever has said anything that tarnishes and insults their person. Within our setting, if a traditional authority summons you, necessarily, you must honour the summons as a sign of respect. It is upon this basis that I encourage the Perez Chapel founder to honour the invitation. Conclusion Mistakes happen all the time and that is what makes us humans. Archbishop Agyinasare erred in his comments against the people of Nogokpo. I respectfully submit that a strong delegation of the church should be sent to go and assuage the pain of the Chiefs and Elders of Nogokpo. We all criticise other religions maybe, ignorantly, but to brand a community as the 'demonic headquarters" of the Volta Region is in bad taste and ignorantly said. Our country has co-existed peacefully with all other religions over several years. This too shall pass but Perez Chapel and its leader must do the needful to avoid any unnecessary tensions between the church and the inhabitants of Nogokpo. Who is this guy by name Kevin Ekow Taylor and what is he, one may ask? He is simply a Ghanaian allegedly self-exiling in the United States of America and in pursuit of quick buck. Unlike his fellow Ghanaians in America seemingly fleecing the American green pastures, he is rather fleecing mother Ghana while staying in the USA, through the heavy monthly payment he is rumoured to be receiving for greasing the wheels of the NDC propaganda machine. Kevin Taylor may surely have obtained a doctoral degree in insults and lies from which university in America or Ghana I am yet to discover. He is alleged to have been contracted by NDC to throw dust into the eyes of many a discerning Ghanaian through his overflowing abundance of lies and insults. I am personally not a lover of his videos placed on the social media. However, I had the unfortunate encounter with a Ghanaian watching one of his many videos placed on social media on which he was insulting all Ghanaians residing abroad. His harsh words used were not any different from his known bushman-trained words inundated with insults as he is known of and as it is his trademark. He wonders why Ghanaians abroad are resisting the opportunity offered by general election 2024 to usher in a better government and president to correct the unpardonable economic mistakes allegedly being made by President Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP government? He says, Ghanaians abroad are saying they dont want any northerner to lead them hence the unprintable words of insults of the magnitude of falling tonnes of bricks he heaps on them. He lumps all Ghanaians living abroad together as patronising the same view of not wanting a northerner to rule Ghana, lambasts them in the way he does best, a known uncultured derelict drivelling of filthy words. He thinks it is time for NDC and their flag bearer-cum-presidential-candidate John Dramani Mahama to come to power in 2025 to rescue Ghanaians from the current economic hardships they find themselves in. As damn intentional liar as Kevin Taylor is, he wants Ghanaians to believe that it is only in Ghana and under the administration of President Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP government that citizens are confronted with unbearable conditions of living, so Ghanaians are to mobilise themselves in their multitude to vote against the NPP come election 2024. Nonetheless, the economic problems facing Ghana and Ghanaians are not unique to her but a world phenomenon exacerbated by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. For his lies to sell to culminate in the fruition of getting John Dramani Mahama and NDC into power in 2025, by hook or by crook, he is playing the tribal card, whipping up tribal sentiments, pitting one tribe against the other. Without desiring to spend anyones precious time wastefully, let me inform Ghanaians that it is never true Ghanaians abroad have ever said they dont want any northerner to lead them as president. This nonsensical blasphemous allegation made by Kevin Taylor against Ghanaians living abroad is the figment of his warped imagination, if not his criminal devises to get the northerners to hate and disown the NPP to rather embrace the NDC. From empirical observations over here in Europe and the Americas, most Ghanaians are canvassing for Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia to win the NPP flagbearership contest scheduled for November 2023. Is Dr Bawumia not a northerner, if I should politely ask Kevin Taylor? Why then is he making that unfounded sweeping allegation that Ghanaians abroad do not want a northerner to lead Ghana? It is John Dramani Mahama that they may not want to lead Ghana for him being incompetent, clueless, corrupt, a bloody liar and a person without firm vision for the economic emancipation of Ghana, a jumpy individual that follows and falls for any populist expressions made by sections of the Ghanaian public. Can a person of such descriptive qualities rule Ghana to take us to the sugar-candy mountain? No!! They may not want him for what I have just said but not for his northern extraction. Why should I have to argue with a fool since no matter what you say or how far you go in attempts to let them see reason, they will still hold on to their beliefs? Much as this publication is to expose the lies continually brazenly being told by Kevin Taylor, the lazy git, it is also to educate Ghanaians to be discerning to not believe anything thrown at them hook, line and sinker but to conduct their own little investigations or apply their common sense. Rockson Adofo Senegal's President Macky Sall has not yet clarified whether he will run for a third mandate in the next presidential elections or not. Opposition presidential candidate Idrissa Seck blames the recent violence on Sall's failure to make his intentions clear. On Monday morning, Dakar had returned to relative calm after four days of protests and violence. While the presidential camp blames the protesters, the opposition has denounced what it describes as an "abuse of power". Opponent and presidential candidate Idrissa Seck is calling for calm, and on the Senegalese President, Macky Sall, to clarify his intentions for the next presidential election, in order to avoid more violence. He told RFI that "the problem with a third term is that even the prospect of it is causing turmoil." He added: "We are seeing violence and upheaval in our typically peaceful streets. We have seen death. This is not good for our people. Nor is it good for Senegal's global reach. This situation will only worsen if President Macky Sall announces a bid for a third term. It would be unprecedented and deeply damaging for Senegal." Protesters are angry that President Macky Sall has refused to rule out running for a third term while Senegal has a two-term presidential limit. Call to stop the violence At least 16 people are known to have died in the clashes between demonstrators and security forces in the capital, Dakar, and in Zinguinchor in the region of Casamance, in the south of the country. The Red Cross in Senegal claimed yesterday that almost 360 people were injured in the violence. The violence broke out on Thursday after the opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who is the mayor of Zinghinchor, was sentenced to two years in prison. Sonko's supporters say his conviction on charges of "corrupting" a young woman are politically motivated and designed to prevent him from running for president. They have condemned what they called the "murderous repression" by the national security forces. Sonko's party, the PASTEF, has also condemned the restriction to the mobile internet by the government, to stop what it called "subversive messages" from being shared. Difficult dialogue According to Idrissa Seck, who was the head of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council in Senegal until late April, only Sall's clear indication that he will not run for a third term will appease the Senegalese people, especially young people. "I pray, I believe and expect that President Sall will not run at all," he added. In April, Seck announced that he intends to run for president in Senegal's next election, scheduled for February 2024. He is taking part in the "national dialogue", opened by the President Sall last Thursday, which most of the other opposition parties are boycotting, including Sonko. Seck told RFI that "the priority should be to protect democracy", and hopes to rally the opposition around him. Now 63, Seck was prime minister of Senegal from November 2002 to July 2004, and placed second in the 2019 presidential election. "It's the priority of the government to maintain peace and stability," Seck concluded. "So, I call all opposition leaders to focus on that too." (with newswires) University of Education, Winneba, has described as unsavoury and reprehensible, a statement by a group known as the Concerned Staff demanding the Governing Council Chairman, Nana Ofori Ansah I be removed. The Convener for the Concerned Staff of UEW, Professor George Kankam Senior, accused the Governing Council Chairman of blatantly going against the tenets of the university. Professor Kankam claimed that Nana Ofori Ansah I has been dabbling in double standards by attempting to nominate someone who was not shortlisted for the position of vice-chancellor. But the UEW in a statement described the claims by the group as a diversionary tactic to coerce the Chairman to submit to their whims and caprices, however inimical it may be to achieving the mission and vision of the university. Contrary to the impression that there is heightened tension at UEW and that the community is tipping towards a state of chaos, we wish to state unequivocally that there is absolute peace on campus with students, faculty, and other stakeholders going about their normal business. In fact, workers feel a renewed sense of energy and purpose in pursuing the mission and vision of the university. It is trite knowledge that this resurgent working environment at UEW has to a great extent come from the Council's wisdom, under the leadership of Nana Ofori Ansah I, to constitute a reconciliation committee to hear aggrieved persons and the subsequent implementation of the committee's recommendations. Below is the full statement by UEW RE: STATEMENT BY CONCERNED STAFF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA (UEW) A statement by certain concerned staff of UEW signed by Prof. George Kankam, which he later followed up with an interview on Eyewitness News of Citi FM on Thursday, 1st June, 2023, in connection with the above-mentioned subject, has come to our attention. The contents of the release are unsavoury, unfortunate, reprehensible, and targeted at running down the reputation and the relentless effort of the Council Chairman in his leadership to bring lasting peace to UEW. Since his assumption of office in August 2021, the Chairman, apart from the numerous responsibilities of his office, which he has efficiently delivered, has been pivotal in unifying the various factions of UEW to advance the mission and vision of the university. We view the statement as a diversionary tactic to coerce the Chairman to submit to their whims and caprices, however inimical it may be to achieving the mission and vision of the university. Be that as it may, we wish to respond as follows: 1. Contrary to the impression that there is heightened tension at UEW and that the community is tipping towards a state of chaos, we wish to state unequivocally that there is absolute peace on campus with students, faculty, and other stakeholders going about their normal business. In fact, workers feel a renewed sense of energy and purpose in pursuing the mission and vision of the university. It is trite knowledge that this resurgent working environment at UEW has to a great extent come from the Council's wisdom, under the leadership of Nana Ofori Ansah I, to constitute a reconciliation committee to hear aggrieved persons and the subsequent implementation of the committee's recommendations. This fact can be verified by any media outlet interested in reporting the truth. 2. It is important to stress that the said 2021 Search Committee's report was never received or tabled before Council at any point. The Chairman of the Council, therefore, has no idea where the said report is, let alone its contents. Given the situation, how could the Council Chair accept or assume liability for the implementation of a report that he hasnt seen or has any idea of its whereabouts? Critically, the said report was meant to look for a qualified candidate for appointment as Vice-Chancellor to assume office from 1st October 2021 (i.e. replacement for Prof. Afful-Broni), but as rightly pointed out by Prof. Kankam, an injunction was placed on the university, thus curtailing the then existing opportunity to consider the said report. With the reinstatement of Prof. Avoke, the report in question became moot, necessitating a new process to find the successor to Prof. Avoke, effective October 1, 2023. 3. On the allegations relative to the appointment of a new Chancellor, it is worthy of note that Council established a Search Committee in accordance with the UEW 2020 Statutes to find the new Chancellor. It was up to the Committee to do its work. We must stress that neither the Chairman nor the Council ever interfered with the Committees work. The Search Committee alone made the decision to extend the deadline. It is also important to note that, contrary to the claim that the ultimate person appointed as Chancellor was not shortlisted, the Search Committee's report presented to the Governing Council indicates that the now-appointed Chancellor was duly shortlisted. 4. It is a complete fabrication to claim that the Council Chairman introduced Prof. Mitchual as the incoming Vice-Chancellor to the President of the Republic of Ghana. To be clear, no one has been introduced by the Chairman anywhere as the next Vice-Chancellor. 5. The assertion that, barely seven months into his tenure, the local branches of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) issued a joint press statement calling on the appointing authorities to withdraw Nana Ofori Ansah Is appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council falls flat in the face. The key is that the said statement was discredited as unilateral, and as a result, the authors of the said statement have since retracted and apologised unreservedly to Nana Ofori Ansah I. One is therefore at a loss as to why that statement can be used as the basis to lay claim to anything. 6. The allegation that the Council Chairman disregarded statutes and established procedures, for instance, in the appointment of the Chancellor for the university, is a red herring relative to UEW 2020 Statute Four (4), which provides for the appointment of a Chancellor. The provisions of UEW 2020 Statute Four were accorded full legal effect. It would, therefore, have been better for appreciation if the specific provision(s) breached were stated. In the absence of the aforementioned, it is our considered view that the frivolous claim should be disregarded with the contempt it deserves. 7. Over the years, the university has always assigned a vehicle to the Council Chairmans office for official engagements. The vehicle is kept in Winneba and released as and when necessary. 8. It is impossible and inappropriate to compare the circumstances surrounding the appointment of a vice-chancellor at UEW to those at the University of Ghana. The University of Ghana did not wake up one day to find a rightfully appointed officer thrown out of office because of the selfish and wicked agenda of some individuals. So situations or challenges that may appear similar may have different underlying causes and therefore require different approaches to resolving them. It was very ingenious on the part of a professor of his calibre to comfortably make such a blind comparison. 9. Ironically, Prof. Kankam is on a post-retirement contract and acted as the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for at least three years under Prof. Afful-Broni, contrary to statutory provision. Isnt it also interesting that he claims to represent convocation on the search party when the statutes make no provision for convocation representation but rather academic board representation? In any case, why go to town with the details of a search party report when the Council is not apprised of its details? 10. It must be indicated that Prof. Kankam is known to spew lies. About two weeks ago, he wrote to the Chairman alleging the award of two contracts at the university at the cost of GHS100 million each to pre-determined National Democratic Congress (NDC) contractors and asking the Chairman to give the said contracts to New Patriotic Party (NPP) contractors when, in actual fact, it was an open advertisement in the national dailies for pre-qualification (expression of interests). He has for some time made unsuccessful overtures to win favours from the chairman, hence his hatred for the Chairman and the subsequent spewing of lies. His actions come from none other than a frustrated and mischievous retiree (pensioner) who is desperately seeking an extension of his post-retirement contract and does not see his way clear. On the basis of the aforementioned information, we implore the general public to treat his press statement and subsequent interview with the disdain they merit. Thank you. Citi Newsroom Over the years, the Nigerian government had continued to express its desire to remove the petroleum subsidy which it felt was no longer easy to maintain in the face of the countrys fast dwindling economy. But there hadnt been a simple solution. If government removed the subsidy, many Nigerians would be agitated with government because they would feel shortchanged both as ordinary citizens and as dodgy petroleum dealers. If government kept the subsidy, government would find it difficult to maintain the deal at a time its economy had come to an all time low principally due to fluctuating oil prices. That was why an attempt by former President Goodluck Jonathan to remove the subsidy in 2012 was greeted with stiff resistance from civil society organizations that coordinated a protest which nearly brought the government down on its knees. Another attempt by former President Buhari to remove the subsidy in 2022 was vehemently opposed, this time, by the generality of the Nigerian people. And so, everyone hung in there. After Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was sworn into office as the 16th President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces on 29 May 2023, one of the first things he told Nigerians was that the days of fuel subsidy were over. Many Nigerians were perplexed. And as would be expected, there were several shades of opinions in favour of, and against, the removal of the subsidy. To many Nigerians, the biggest problem about fuel subsidy was that the way it was calculated had never been transparent. Since its calculation was not transparent, nobody knew the exact amount of revenue involved in the subsidy regime. Nigerians only accepted how much they were told funded the subsidy, but the template was never made available in a way that a third party could verify its authenticity. And to that extent, many Nigerians believed that there was need to remove the subsidy because it only served as a huge conduit pipe to secretly drain the Nigerian economy. Considering all the socioeconomic problems Tinubu is going to inherit from his predecessor on the other hand, many Nigerians are minded to think that removal of the subsidy would only add to their sufferings. And of course the labour movements across the country have been quick to summon their members for a show down with the new Tinubu government. They have scheduled a protest for Wednesday, 7 June 2023. President Tinubu has called for a truce in the face of rebellion from the northern and western branches of the trade unions which think that the executives of their union are being partisan and are advocating for a protest in order to discredit the new government and support the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi. Peter Obi and the Labour Congress The first thing we need to understand here, however, is that even Peter Obi himself is in favour of the removal of fuel subsidy. He has already said that he would remove fuel subsidy if he becomes President. The second, and perhaps more important, thing we need to appreciate is that Labour party in any country that has one, is the party of the working class families of that country. What was prevalent in the past was that often in many countries, big business moguls and media entrepreneurs, money bags and wealthy and powerful families would dominate the party politics of the country as has been the case with Nigeria and many other African and European countries over the years. This they do successfully with the tacit backing of the military and police forces they secretly fund. Examples are Ben Ali of Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Maummar Gaddafi of Libya, Ali Sale of Yemen, Bashir Asad of Syria and back in Nigeria, all of them who own oil fields and are privately mining the countrys oil wells, excluding the majority of Nigerians from belonging to their commonwealth. These families have extensive control of the countrys economy from banking, telecommunications, import and export, agriculture and food distribution to petroleum, tourism and real estate. When the wealthy families are in government, they exhibit certain traits that easily show them for who they are. Their principal ambition, which runs diametrically opposite the mission and vision of any Labour Party, is to destroy the middle class and set up a two-class society of extremely rich families and extremely poor families. They nurture impunity in the process and endorse the suppression of the poor who have no one to speak for them. And naturally, young people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and are mainly uneducated are lured into all sorts of crimes, making the society unsafe. Then these wealthy families go further to deplete the police force and sometimes the military who they hire to protect them as security outfits and are paid heavily, thus compromising the security architecture of the country in their selfish service. It is complimentary that Tinubus young administration understood the need to free the police force from serving this group Nigerians identify as the very important personalities (VIPs) in order to have enough manpower to patrol the streets and roads and maintain a highly visible presence in the villages, towns and cities of the country in an attempt to reduce crime. These wealthy politicians would normally share the national wealth among members of their class. You see them driving private jets, dishing out millions for charity, owning hundreds of houses in Nigeria, Dubai, London, France and America. A good example is how they have shared out the oil wells in the country among themselves. They have also given permission for more private universities than public universities to be built in the country. Government by this group of wealthy people in politics doesnt pay workers in time. They owe arrears of salaries running into several months to workers at all levels, including teachers, lecturers, civil servants, doctors and nurses. In such a way, they also encourage child labour, so that you see Nigerian children as young as 10 years hawking commodities like puff-puff, pure water, soft drinks, fried plantains and stuff like that in motor parks and along highways when they should be in school. The laws created for working class families are different from the ones created for the families of those politicians in government. In a government of this nature, the working class families have no voices as they were likely to get fired from their jobs if they raised their voices. And so, at some point, working class families decided to go into politics directly as in the case of Nigeria, to fortify the middle class, bridge the gaping gap between the extremely rich and extremely poor families and thereby minimize the myriads of crimes that would have arisen if the society was built on a two-class social arrangement of extremely rich families and extremely poor families. And that is how the Labour Party evolved in many countries that have it. The Labour Party took the interest of every working class family into consideration if it was in government. It was a revolution against the benign dictatorship of governments by the rich and influential families who cared mainly for their class. The Labour Party knew that that if it was government, the future of the working class people would be in their own hands to make. So, if labour movements in Nigeria are planning for a protest, they need to first consult with and get advice from Peter Obi, their presidential candidate, their main political face. If the unions actually own the party as they should, going by the name, there should be no reason to tribalize their vision. There should be no reason for the Western and Northern branches to talk differently from the Executives. Workers are workers everywhere. And their mandate should be to protect workers at every level in the country, whether they are farmers or herders or civil servants or doctors or teachers. So, the trade unions need to put their house in order and consult with Peter Obi if they wont truncate their chances of leading Nigerian working class families as the organizational wing of their political party. The fact the Labour Union should be considering at this time is that if Nigerians are told to pay N500 per litre of petrol, they should compare themselves with their neighbours. In Ghana a litre of petrol costs 13.207 Ghana cedis which is the equivalent of N545.14k. In Cote de Ivore it is 815 XOF which is the equivalent of N615.72. In Kenya it is 184.560 Kenyan Shillings which is N620.10. In Uganda, it is 4999 Ugandan Shillings which is N615.26. In South Africa, it is 22.980 ZAR, the equivalent of N544.20. In the UK it is 1.44 which is N828.31 (Bank Rate) and N1, 339.2 (Dark Market) and in the USA, a litre of petrol costs $4.30 which is the equivalent of N1, 984.11. If all these countries are not complaining, Nigerians should stop mourning and look out for where the money would be invested in education and health care. Nigerian hospitals need to be upgraded, modern facilities installed, working conditions for workers upgraded to keep workers happy to stay. Schools and public universities should be upgraded, modern books put in the libraries, laboratories equipped with modern facilities and so on. The minimum wage has to be upgraded in the face of economic realities. The need for steady electricity and safe drinking water can also not be underestimated. There is a dire need for the trade unions to understand what they are into as a political party. If they succeed in overthrowing the wealthy families and become the government of the people, it is expected that they will institute laws that would make it a criminal offence for employers of labour to owe workers salary arrears at all levels. It is expected that they will enact laws that would make child labour a criminal offence. There are such laws now but they are rarely enforced. A Labour government will be expected to enforce the laws. It will be expected to make education in every state free and compulsory at least to middle secondary school, in the knowledge that education is the right of every Nigerian child. The labour movements must make sure what they want to do tallies with the aspirations of their political leadership. That is very important. Asinugo is a London-based British-Nigerian journalist, author and publisher of ROLU magazine (Website https://rolultd.com) Oba and four attendants, Benin, Nigeria, previously in Ethnology Museum, Berlin, ownership transferred to Nigeria on 25 August 2022. 05.06.2023 LISTEN There have been intense debates recently in Nigeria on the question of the ownership and custody of returned looted artefacts. Nigeria being a country with thousands of artefacts looted by the British colonialists, has good reason to examine carefully the issues involved but I suggest that other neighbouring African countries would also benefit by following these debates in order to draw conclusions that may be relevant to their own situations. The British and the French colonialists looted artefacts in all their African colonies. The article below reproduced from the Nigerian Leadership is of high-quality reflecting the sophistication and the high calibre of the participants in a recent panel discussion. Readers may wish to pay particular attention to the observations on traditional African concept of ownership which is a key to avoiding unnecessary confusion and strife. Kwame Opoku. Nigerians debate fate of repatriated bronze works In the ongoing discussion about the return of over 2000 Benin Bronze works looted by Britain in 1897, questions of ownership, preservation, and restitution have emerged. Recent repatriation efforts by Germany have brought these issues to the forefront, sparking debates about the rightful custodian of the artifacts and the need for restitution. One key argument revolves around the agreement between the Nigerian government and Germany, which lacks explicit mention of restitution and instead includes a ten-year loan period for some of the bronze works to be displayed in German museums. Critics question why the bronze works should be handed over to the Oba of Benin if the repatriation is a government-to-government transaction. Concerns are raised about the security of the artifacts against theft and their accessibility to the public once under the custody of the Oba. To address these concerns, the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), in collaboration with the German cultural agency Goethe Institut, organised a roundtable discussion titled Abuja Conversation: Benin Bronzes and Nigeria: Self-serving Cultural Diplomacy, or a Service to Nigeria? The event aimed to explore various perspectives on the issue. During the discussion, John Asein, a lawyer and the director general of the National Copyright Commission (NCC), argued that the bronze works rightfully belong to the custody of the Oba of Benin based on traditional notions of ownership. He emphasized that ownership in traditional societies is not always individual but extends to the dead, the living, and the unborn. Asein highlighted that the Oba, as an institution, represents the traditional society and should be entrusted with the responsibility of preserving and securing the artifacts. In defining ownership, Asein said, In traditional societies, ownership is not always individual. Ownership is often three-dimensional at the least. It includes the dead, the living, and the unborn. Even the court in the early days made the pronouncement that land will never belong to the individual. It is owned by the ancestors, the living and the dead. That is the attitude of the average African to the issue of ownership. The only way to begin to approximate the holder of the instrument of ownership is to find the institution and the person that embodies that society, to be the representation of the traditional society from which an object had been taken. I took the time to peruse what Mr President issued in notice on the recognition of ownership, and an order vesting custody and management of repatriated, looted Benin artefacts in the Oba of Benin Kingdom. Artefact in that notice locates the origin of the objects, which are from the Benin Kingdom. It had a narrative to show that issue of ownership is a symbolic attribution to the Oba of Benin. Obviously, the Oba didnt make all those objects. But who do you want to hand them over to? Remember that the Oba in this case is an institution, not a person. There are clear protocols guiding the tradition and institution of the Oba. The Oba will not work alone but interface with other agencies to ensure that it is preserved and secured, stressed Asein. Hence, the Oba as an institution that is representative of the people of Benin has the responsibility for the custody of the artefacts. On the safety of the artefact within the Obas palace, Asein dismissed as unnecessary fears. Repatriation is the first step to reparation. Sometimes, the persons concerned may feel that is enough, and they dont need to pay them anything. The question of monetary restitution is not where we (Benin people) are at the moment. What the people want is to have what belongs to them. I think people will survive even if there is no other reparation in terms of money. In my view, the removal of the bronze works was like breaking the soul of the kingdom. You can imagine how the kingdom would have felt when that looting happened and those around the palace suddenly found that their treasures, their history, their library, and indeed the go-between them and their gods, had just disappeared. It was like the soul of the kingdom was stolen that day. And I dont know that the kingdom ever recovered from it, said Asein. Supporting Aseins viewpoint, Prof Ken Okoli, former Head of Department, Fine Arts, at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, stated that the Obas palace is the safest place for the artifacts. He argued that their presence in the palace would honor the Benin ancestors and boost tourism and economic development in Edo State. The Portrait of Ali Megoro made by the late Abayaomi Baba and other artworks have been stolen from the collection of the National Museum in Lagos. Is it the same government that you want to give these 1100 bronze works? Is it not better in its place of origin? The Benin monarch is a god. That is how his subjects, the Benin people, see him. Have you ever heard that anything has been stolen from the Benin palace since that punitive expedition of 1897? No Benin man who breathes air, dares to go into the Obas palace to steal. So, what are we afraid of? If the Germans want to build a holding facility or a museum, why not build it inside the palace? Those things were removed from altars where sacrifices were being made continuously. Why take it to a national museum in Abuja, which is like a foreign land to Benin. When the holding facility is built (in the palace), the necessary sacrifices will be made, and members of the public can visit (on invitation) and savour the richness of the Benin Kingdom. When people visit that museum, let them perform ablution, and go see the bronze works. The performance of that ablution will be another tourist component. I agree that the Nigerian government should ask for reparation but it should ask for it from the actual thief. I cannot see my stolen shirt worn by somebody and hold that person when they bought it from an open market. It was Britain which sent 1200 soldiers to raid the Obas palace saying it was a punitive expedition not war, averred Prof Okoli. Regarding restitution, panelists agreed that it should be pursued. However, they suggested that restitution should come after the artifacts are returned to the people of Benin to restore their spiritual functions within the community. They also stressed that Britain, the original looter, should be held accountable for restitution. One of the things they didnt tell you was that these artefacts were exhibited in Britain in 1890. At the exhibition, they thought the works were from Germany or France because the artistry rivalled that of the European countries, only to discover it was from Benin Kingdom. So, there was preparation for that 1897 invasion of the Benin palace. That attack (punitive expedition) was of such high level, they came to war here and carted these bronze works away. Britain has a history of moving arts wherever its colonies are. It is happening today, said the SNA President, Mohammed Suleiman. Part of the repatriation agreement between the German and the Nigerian governments, is that the latter will assist in the smooth transition of the artefacts back to Nigeria, including the funding of museum space for the artefacts, in a manner dependent entirely on Nigeria. We do understand that now within Nigeria it is being discussed and decided where the bronzes or part of it will go in the future; where it will be housed. This is a decision and a process that is entirely up to Nigeria. We will be following this discussion with a lot of interest, and see how it plays out. Again, it is Nigerias decision. It will be wonderful to see the bronzes being exhibited and accessible to the public. In view of the large number of Benin Bronzes, it was clearly stated, and from the Nigerian side as well, that at least some of these bronzes continue to be accessible and visible in museums, not just in Germany but other countries as well. The bronzes are in some sense ambassadors of Nigeria and Nigeria was kind to offer that a certain proportion of these bronzes in the future, despite being Nigerian property, will be graciously loaned to German museums for a long period of ten years. Then it will have to be decided if this is extended or not, said the Deputy Ambassador, Germany to Nigeria, Mr Martin Huth. However, how open the agreement is to Nigerias inclusion or request for restitution in the future is likely to bear some legal implications. On the future of the artefacts, some Nigerians are of the opinion that post-repatriation solutions should be locally financed to ensure complete ownership. Similarly, intentional steps, they said, must be taken to promote the teaching and dissemination of information on the Benin Bronzes to the average Nigerian. The level of artistry (witnessed during the Benin Kingdom), that link has been cut off. The challenge now is that Nigeria has to create academies of art, create institutions that practice art that studies the advent to the looting before we can get there again, said Suleiman. The Nigeria media should play the role of a gatekeeper in the matter of the Benin Bronzes. The media can disseminate the right information regarding the bronze works; information that focuses on the significance of the artefacts to Nigeria, whether one is from Benin or not, rather that it means something to us all as Nigerians, concluded Manager, KISS FM, Uju Nwachukwu. The repatriation agreement between Germany and Nigeria includes the Nigerian governments assistance in facilitating the smooth transition of the artifacts back to Nigeria. It also allows Nigeria to decide where the artifacts will be housed and how they will be exhibited. Germany expressed its interest in seeing the bronzes displayed and accessible to the public, both in Nigeria and abroad. Some Nigerians argue that post-repatriation solutions should be locally financed to ensure complete ownership and that efforts should be made to promote the teaching and dissemination of information about the Benin Bronzes to the Nigerian population. As the discussions continue, Nigerians call on the media to play a vital role in disseminating accurate information about the significance of the bronze works to Nigeria as a whole, emphasizing their cultural and historical importance. Chinelo Chikelu Nigerians Debate Fate Of Repatriated Bronze Works (leadership.ng) Some diplomats have joined the humanitarian advocacy against domestic violence in Ghana. They are the Charge d'Affairs of Columbia embassy, Ms. Claudia Milena Milena Vaca Murcia, Ms. Chris Carlisle, Director of international narcotics and law enforcement affairs at the USA Embassy, Mr. Abel Antonio Cardenas Tuppia, Peru Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Amer Al Alawi, Charge d'Affairs at the UAE Embassy and Mrs. Stephanie Sullivan, former US Ambassador to Ghana. The Founder of Humanity Magazine, Mr. Yahaya Alhassan, said he is seeking the platform of the big voices so as to create national awareness against the assault and abuse of the voiceless in communities. He re-echoed his appeal to the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo to scrap the medical cost of violent abused cases. Speaking in a press briefing in Accra, Mr. Alhassan said, Ghana is currently reeling and trending on the prevalent cases of domestic violence. He added that the pain and financial difficulties of paying for the cost of medical diagnosis at a public hospital, charged by a public medical officer before issuing a report for a visibly impaired victim prevents the assaulted from pursuing justice. Victims are required to pay at least an amount of 400 Cedis, excluding transportation, to have their medical forms signed as a step for Ghana police to arrest the culprit. The inability to incur such a ridiculous cost at distress time, forced victims to leave their agony to God, and this unfortunate development is very common in Ghana, he stated. Its worth noting that in our communities, those beaten or assaulted are mostly from poor background, hence, defenseless and helpless;and therefore, to require such a traumatized person to cough such an amount, its clear denial of the patients rights to pursue for fairness, he stressed. Mr. Alhassan said the group believes the rights of the vulnerable is a course closer to the heart of the President, and therefore, appealed to President Akufo Addos focal and vocal action for the protection of the weak. Whilst thanking the personalities involved in the humanitarian campaign, he also urged other civil societies, and stakeholders to join hands for making a cost-free process for justice to prevail. In a related development, the Humanity organization together with Madinatu Latokpa and Rafiatu Latokpa assisted with the medical cost of 16-year-old Kande Firdaus Iddrisu with her 6month old baby who was assaulted by Baba Alhaji at Mamobi in Accra. Mr. Alhassan said the medical cost and arrangement for his arrest at Nima Police Division would have been difficult if not for the assistance of the organization, despite the glaring injuries of the victim. Separatists in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia said they would be open to discussing the possible enlargement of the electorate for the provincial election of 2024, according to the French interior minister. It has been one of the sticking points in the discussions on the future status of the archipelago. Gerald Darmanin, the French Interior Minister was in the Pacific territory at the weekend to discuss a number of issues such as the Noumea Agreement, decolonisation, nickel, security and the environment. It was his third visit since November. He reported that representatives of the pro-independence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) had accepted the idea of expanding electoral lists, something they had refused until now. The change would allow 11,000 native Caledonians who were thus far excluded from the electoral process, to vote. "The independence supporters have taken a big step by agreeing to discuss ... including people who have been blocked for a very long time," said Darmanin after a final meeting before his return to Paris. But the independentist President of the Congress (territorial assembly), Roch Wamytan, pointed out that the FLNKS had only "started discussions, but we have not yet given a definitive agreement," adding that we are still far from an agreement on the electoral body." Following the 1998 Noumea Accord between France and New Caledonia, three referendums on self-determination have rejected independence. The KLNKS boycotted the last one, held in December 2021. Since then, Paris undertook several attempts to bring the local government and the opposition together for a dialogue on the institutional future of the archipelago in vain until now. Darmanin also dsicussed the "right to self-determination" of the New Caledonian population, reiterating that he did not see that happening "within two generations" after the three successive "no" votes in the recent referendums. A new round of talks is planned for August and will take place in Paris. Energy transition For France, New Caledonia has become increasingly important in a period of global energy transition away from fossil fuels. The archipelago is home to some 25 percent of the world's nickel, a component for batteries which are used in electric cars. Currently China is the biggest single client for New Caledonia's nickel exports. Experts suspect that an independent New Caledonia could be more amenable to Beijing's advances, which are partly motivated by an interest in the territory's mining industry. (With agencies) The Tampulma Traditional Council (TTC) and the Tampulma Youth Association (TYA) wish to express their dismay at the unfortunate clashes that took place at Lukula and Nyogbini in the Tampulma Area of the North Gonja District of the Savanna Region on the 1st of June 2023. We believed that, elite groups such as the Gonjas and the Mamprusis could have sorted out their differences using the court system instead of taking arms at each other. However, we also think that the confrontation was not necessary since none of the two groups have any stake on the piece of land they are fighting over. Lukula and its seven sister communities including; Nyogbini, Sekpege No2, Mampeasem, Kuldani, Sakpala, Zoyiri, Bugsa and Sagya are all Mamprusi settler communities located on the Tampulma land and this is well known by all Mamprusis including the settlers. The Over Lord of Mamprugu the Nayiri, His Royal Highness, Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga is very much aware of the issue and has severally discussed this with the Paramount Chief of the Tampulma Traditional Area (Kadichari-Tina) and also made it known to Soo-Naba, Paramount Chief of the Soo Traditional Area. The activities of June 1st, 2023 at Lukula is also a living testimony to the series of threats, intimidations and attacks that the Tampulma people have endured in the hands of the Gonjas of Daboya and their allies for the past 23 years since the Tampulma Ethnic Group enskined their Paramount Chief on the 18th of June 2000 after a long period of its dormancy. Some of the incidents of attacks are catalogue below; On the 1st of March 2016, Tampulma Paramount Chiefs twelve-member entourage was physically attacked at the forecourt of the Jakpa Palace at Damongo by warriors from the Wasipe Palace when our chief was officially invited by The Over Lord of Gonja Kingdom to attend a Gonja Traditional Council meeting for him to discuss our application for recognition and onward recommendation of our paramountcy to the National House of Chiefs for its gazette. This occurred during the Traditional council meeting where all chiefs from the Gonja Traditional council were in attendance and chaired by His Royal Highness, the late Yabum- Wura Tuntunba Borrisa II who witnessed the attack himself and which resulted in serious casualties amongst the entourage. Secondly, in January 2018, Wasipe Warriors supported by their allies again attacked and burnt down two Tampulma communities (Salugu and Dissah), leading to the death of two persons and the destruction of tons of food stuffs valued at several thousands of Ghana cedis since that was just the peak of the harvest season On the side of the Mamprusi communities, Nyogbini was first burnt down in 2011, followed by Lukula in 2019, Mampeasem in April, 2023 and finally the recent clashes involving Lukula and Nyogbini. These persistent attacks perpetuated on the people informed the Tampulma ethnic group to opt for the North East Region when the Government decided to create the two new regions out of the then Northern Region in 2017 since it was no more possible for the group to continue to co- exist with the Gonjas of Daboya in the same region going into the future. We also wish to cease this opportunity to debunk the erroneous impression put up by the Gonjas of Daboya that Tampulmas are taking Gonja lands and handing them over to Mamprusis. We wish to state unequivocally that, that is a complete fallacy and blatant lies. The fact of the case is that, Tampulmas are a complete independent Ethnic Group who owns their own land and for that matter has their own Paramount Chief. Tampulma land is not only limited to the North Gonja District but extends to the Wa East District of the Upper West Region where we have Tampulma communities such as Belle, Holmun, Motigu, Ducie among others. The establishment of the Mole Game Reserve which saw the force re-location of over twenty (20) Tampulma communities over the period 1960 -1964 to pave way for the reserve and which has about three-quarters () of its land area in the Tampulma land separates the Tampulmas of the east from those of the west We also wish to state that, Tampulmas are not re-locating to the North East region to be subjects of the Mampurugu Kingdom but as an independent ethnic group with their own Traditional council and a Paramount Chief. Tampulmas therefore, have no any intention to cede even an inch of Tampulma land to any ethnic group. Tampulmas are re-locating to the North East on security reasons so as to end the persistent intimidations, harassment and threats of attacks on their lives. The recent clashes sent a lot of fears across the area as most communities were seen packing off to safety for fear that they could be victims of the clashes. The people of the area are also living under threats as they keep witnessing in their daily lives, arms and ammunitions being carried through their communities to areas of disturbances. The people of Tampulma land however, wish to appreciate Government efforts so far made in the demarcation process and hope that more efforts would be made to complete the programme in good time. The Tampulma area also serves as the food basket for the five Northern regions and beyond. To ensure that farmers in the area carry on their farming activities safely, we are appealing to Government to provide enough security to protect them in these trying times. To conclude, we wish to use this opportunity to also request for our inclusion into any Government fact finding commission that may be instituted to look into these disturbances since we are a major stakeholder in the case. Thank you. Signed KADICHARI-TINA, MUSAH MAHAMADU II PARAMOUNT CHIEF, TAMPULMA TRADITIONAL AREA Signed BUGLI MUSAH CHAIRMAN, TAMPULMA YOUTH ASSOCIATION Signed AMADU LATIF SECRETARY, TAMPULMA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has issued a statement to react to allegations made by the Concerned Staff of the University against Council Chairman Nana Ofori Ansah 1. In a press release by the Concerned Staff of the University last week, it claimed that the Council Chairman is unfit to serve in that capacity. Among several attacks made, the Concerned Staff alleged that since Nana Ofori Ansah 1 assumed the position, UEW has known no peace. On the basis of the above and other issues that cannot be put in the public domain, we are appealing to His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to as a matter of urgency, withdraw the appointment of Nana Ofori Ansah I as Council Chairman of the University of Education, Winneba. The University has known no peace since his appointment. He has no clue whatsoever as to how a university is run, parts of the release said. It added, As clearly stated above, the call for the immediate dissolution of the UEW Governing Council and the subsequent dismissal of Nana Ofori Ansah I from office as Council Chairman of UEW is justified without a doubt He pursues his personal interest and the interest of other UEW saboteurs and saboteurs of Ghana at large at the expense of the entire UEW and Ghana as a whole. His continued stay in office as the governing council chairman is a threat to the peace and stability of the university. In its press release today, the University of Education, Winneba has hit back at the Concerned Staff, insisting that the contents of its release are unsavoury, unfortunate, reprehensible, and targeted at running down the reputation and the relentless effort of the Council Chairman in his leadership to bring lasting peace to UEW. Contrary to the impression that there is heightened tension at UEW and that the community is tipping towards a state of chaos, we wish to state unequivocally that there is absolute peace on campus with students, faculty, and other stakeholders going about their normal business, part of the release from the University said. The release added that workers feel a renewed sense of energy and purpose in pursuing the mission and vision of the university under the leadership of Nana Ofori Ansah I. UEW as a result wants the general public to treat the press statement from the Concerned Staff of the university with the disdain that it merits. Below is a copy of the reply from the University: RE: STATEMENT BY CONCERNED STAFF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA (UEW) A statement by certain concerned staff of UEW signed by Prof. George Kankam, which he later followed up with an interview on Eyewitness News of Citi FM on Thursday, 1st June, 2023, in connection with the above-mentioned subject, has come to our attention. The contents of the release are unsavoury, unfortunate, reprehensible, and targeted at running down the reputation and the relentless effort of the Council Chairman in his leadership to bring lasting peace to UEW. Since his assumption of office in August 2021, the Chairman, apart from the numerous responsibilities of his office, which he has efficiently delivered, has been pivotal in unifying the various factions of UEW to advance the mission and vision of the university. We view the statement as a diversionary tactic to coerce the Chairman to submit to their whims and caprices, however inimical it may be to achieving the mission and vision of the university. Be that as it may, we wish to respond as follows: 1. Contrary to the impression that there is heightened tension at UEW and that the community is tipping towards a state of chaos, we wish to state unequivocally that there is absolute peace on campus with students, faculty, and other stakeholders going about their normal business. In fact, workers feel a renewed sense of energy and purpose in pursuing the mission and vision of the university. It is trite knowledge that this resurgent working environment at UEW has to a great extent come from the Council's wisdom, under the leadership of Nana Ofori Ansah I, to constitute a reconciliation committee to hear aggrieved persons and the subsequent implementation of the committee's recommendations. This fact can be verified by any media outlet interested in reporting the truth. 2. It is important to stress that the said 2021 Search Committee's report was never received or tabled before Council at any point. The Chairman of the Council, therefore, has no idea where the said report is, let alone its contents. Given the situation, how could the Council Chair accept or assume liability for the implementation of a report that he hasnt seen or has any idea of its whereabouts? Critically, the said report was meant to look for a qualified candidate for appointment as Vice-Chancellor to assume office from 1st October 2021 (i.e. replacement for Prof. Afful-Broni), but as rightly pointed out by Prof. Kankam, an injunction was placed on the university, thus curtailing the then existing opportunity to consider the said report. With the reinstatement of Prof. Avoke, the report in question became moot, necessitating a new process to find the successor to Prof. Avoke, effective October 1, 2023. 3. On the allegations relative to the appointment of a new Chancellor, it is worthy of note that Council established a Search Committee in accordance with the UEW 2020 Statutes to find the new Chancellor. It was up to the Committee to do its work. We must stress that neither the Chairman nor the Council ever interfered with the Committees work. The Search Committee alone made the decision to extend the deadline. It is also important to note that, contrary to the claim that the ultimate person appointed as Chancellor was not shortlisted, the Search Committee's report presented to the Governing Council indicates that the now-appointed Chancellor was duly shortlisted. 4. It is a complete fabrication to claim that the Council Chairman introduced Prof. Mitchual as the incoming Vice-Chancellor to the President of the Republic of Ghana. To be clear, no one has been introduced by the Chairman anywhere as the next Vice-Chancellor. 5. The assertion that, barely seven months into his tenure, the local branches of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) issued a joint press statement calling on the appointing authorities to withdraw Nana Ofori Ansah Is appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council falls flat in the face. The key is that the said statement was discredited as unilateral, and as a result, the authors of the said statement have since retracted and apologised unreservedly to Nana Ofori Ansah I. One is therefore at a loss as to why that statement can be used as the basis to lay claim to anything. 6. The allegation that the Council Chairman disregarded statutes and established procedures, for instance, in the appointment of the Chancellor for the university, is a red herring relative to UEW 2020 Statute Four (4), which provides for the appointment of a Chancellor. The provisions of UEW 2020 Statute Four were accorded full legal effect. It would, therefore, have been better for appreciation if the specific provision(s) breached were stated. In the absence of the aforementioned, it is our considered view that the frivolous claim should be disregarded with the contempt it deserves. 7. Over the years, the university has always assigned a vehicle to the Council Chairmans office for official engagements. The vehicle is kept in Winneba and released as and when necessary. 8. It is impossible and inappropriate to compare the circumstances surrounding the appointment of a vice-chancellor at UEW to those at the University of Ghana. The University of Ghana did not wake up one day to find a rightfully appointed officer thrown out of office because of the selfish and wicked agenda of some individuals. So situations or challenges that may appear similar may have different underlying causes and therefore require different approaches to resolving them. It was very ingenious on the part of a professor of his calibre to comfortably make such a blind comparison. 9. Ironically, Prof. Kankam is on a post-retirement contract and acted as the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for at least three years under Prof. Afful-Broni, contrary to statutory provision. Isnt it also interesting that he claims to represent convocation on the search party when the statutes make no provision for convocation representation but rather academic board representation? In any case, why go to town with the details of a search party report when the Council is not apprised of its details? 10. It must be indicated that Prof. Kankam is known to spew lies. About two weeks ago, he wrote to the Chairman alleging the award of two contracts at the university at the cost of GHS100 million each to pre-determined National Democratic Congress (NDC) contractors and asking the Chairman to give the said contracts to New Patriotic Party (NPP) contractors when, in actual fact, it was an open advertisement in the national dailies for pre-qualification (expression of interests). He has for some time made unsuccessful overtures to win favours from the chairman, hence his hatred for the Chairman and the subsequent spewing of lies. His actions come from none other than a frustrated and mischievous retiree (pensioner) who is desperately seeking an extension of his post-retirement contract and does not see his way clear. On the basis of the aforementioned information, we implore the general public to treat his press statement and subsequent interview with the disdain they merit. Thank you. Hong Kong: Algernon Yau headed to France Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau will depart for France tonight to attend the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development's Ministerial Council Meeting. He will also visit Budapest and Riyadh. At the meeting in Paris on June 7, Mr Yau will join a discussion session with participating ministers on trade policies for resilient and inclusive growth. He will also meet the French business sector to promote Hong Kong's advantages and business opportunities. Mr Yau will visit Budapest from June 8 to 9 to forge closer economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and Hungary. He is scheduled to attend a roundtable luncheon with Hungarian business leaders and meet senior officials. The commerce chief will then travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the 10th Arab-China Business Conference on June 11. Under the theme of "Collaborating for Prosperity", the conference aims to promote co-operation between China and the Arab nations in the areas of economy, trade and investment. Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong on June 12. During his absence, Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan will be Acting Secretary. This story has been published on: 2023-06-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Infrastructure deficit at the Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University (DHLTU) in Wa has remained the major challenge among the many challenges confronting the university, Professor Elias N. K. Sowley, the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the school has said. That had made the school not befitting for a university status and to the swift development of the university. The VC said this with concern in Wa when he presented the university's status report during the 4th Congregation of the DHLTU. He said most of the infrastructural projects that had been awarded on contract had either stalled or are progressing at a snails pace, leaving academic and social lives in the school in jeopardy. Prof. Sowley stated that the VCs residence for instance was about 70 per cent completed but work was progressing slowly forcing the VC to stay in a rented house. The university graduated a total of 365 students who had successfully completed their academic programmes in Higher National Diploma (HND) in Engineering, Applied Science and Technology, Applied Arts, and Business Management. Out of that number, 36 graduated with First Class Honours, 180 graduated with Second Class Upper Division, 146 obtained Second Class Lower Division, while three students graduated with Pass. Prof. Sowley said the school had a total population of 2,179 but without a single hostel facility, and the 10 (40-units-2-bedroom) staff accommodation projects awarded to nine different contractors since 2008 were at various stages of completion. He cited a faculty building project that had been abandoned for many years as a source of worry since it could have served different purposes, including offices and lecture halls. The building, when completed, will accommodate all Deans, Heads of Department, Faculty Officers, and Examination Officers. It also has 47 cubicles for lecturers, six lecture halls, an exhibition hall, and a staff common room, he said. He, therefore, appealed to the public, especially the business community, to partner the university to construct hostel facilities on Public Private Partnership (PPP) or Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. The VC added that individuals and organisations that could also donate the facilities to the school would be acknowledged and appropriately honoured. Prof. Sowley cited the bad state of the roads on the campus as a slur on the image of the university, as it made the movement of students, staff, and other users of the roads within the school difficult, especially during the rainy season. He said with the support of the university council and staff, they would turn the challenges of the school into opportunities for developing the university into a world-class institution. Prof. Sowley, therefore, called on the government to grant the university clearance to recruit the needed staff to meet the staff requirements of the school. Chief Sulemana Nabila, Chairman of the Governing Council, advised the graduates to brace up for the challenges ahead of them as they transitioned into the job market. He said the Council would work within its ability and power to ensure the smooth operation of the university in its bid to support its development. Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, expressed hope that the graduates were shaped into resilient individuals and equipped with the necessary tools to enable them impact society positively. He said the government was aware of the infrastructural challenges of the DHLTU and would address them, adding that he would work to ensure all ongoing projects were completed. Madam Helena Efua Arthur-Twintoh from the Dispensing Technology department emerged as the best graduating female student and was awarded a citation from the school and GH1000.00 from Dr. Salih. The overall best-graduating student was Mr Ibrahim Latif from the Electrical Engineering department who was also awarded a citation from the university and GH1,500.00 from the Regional Minister. GNA 05.06.2023 LISTEN The Police in Ahafo Region have begun investigation to unravel the mysterious death of Alex Gyabaah, the Chairman of the Pentecost Polling Station of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Tano North Municipality of the region. Residents woke up in the early hours of Saturday June 3, 2023, and found the lifeless body of Gyabaah, a carpenter hanging with a rope tied on his neck at his carpentry shop and the Police had since deposited the body at the Duayaw-Nkwanta St John of God Catholic Hospital for preservation and autopsy. A reliable Police source in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Duayaw-Nkwanta said Police investigations were on-going and appealed to the residents to remain calm. Some of the friends and relations told the GNA they were shocked and saddened about the death of Gyabaah, and suspected foul play, and appealed to the Police to be expeditious in their investigations. He was a lovely person, and we still dont know why somebody like Gyabaah should hang himself. I think there is something suspicious because we were just with him on Thursday during the observance of the one-week funeral rite of the late Nana Boakye Tromo II, the paramount chief of Duayaw-Nkwanta, a close friend and leading member of the NPP in the area stated. Meanwhile, the mysterious death of Gyabaah had since spread like wildfire in the town, as hundreds of mourners joined the Duayaw-Nkwanta Traditional Council to observe the one-week funeral rites of the late paramount chief who died somewhere in 2022. Dr Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North constituency together with some of the NPP constituency executives had since visited and sympathized with the bereaved family. The MP said she was also shocked about the death of the Gyabaah, and urged the bereaved family and friends to take solace in God, assuring the Party in the constituency was strongly behind them in their moment of grief and appealed to the Police to be swift in their investigations. GNA The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project (GAMA-SWP) has handed over sanitation facilities to second-cycle schools in the Tema Metropolis as part of sanitary interventions initiated by the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA). GAMA-SWP engaged Kwaneth Company who retrofitted and completed a 1Nr 22-seater toilet facility with ancillaries at Our Lady of Mercy Senior High School (OLAMS), and constructed a 1Nr 11-seater toilet facility and renovated an 11-seater toilet facility with ancillaries at Manhean Technical Senior High. It also constructed a mechanized borehole at Chemu Senior High School, while Freanet Company Limited constructed a 2Nr 15-seater toilet facility with ancillaries at Tema Technical Institute. Ms Benedicta Amafo Osei, an Engineer from the Training Research and Networking for Development on behalf of GAMA-SWP officially handed over the facilities to the beneficiaries through the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA). She explained that the intervention began with a call from the TMA, and then a water, sanitation, and hygiene need assessment was conducted to check the population of students, the existing toilet facility, the condition of the facility, and the availability of land for a new facility in the various schools before construction began. These washrooms consist of disability rooms for boys and girls, changing rooms, urinal and toilet facilities, water storage facilities, waste litter bins, and cleaning equipment like mob sticks, buckets, brooms, and T-Rolls. The headmasters for the various beneficiary Schools received the keys to the facilities with gladness, expressed their gratitude for the intervention, and pledged to maintain the facilities by scheduling consistent cleaning. Mr Yohane Amarh Ashitey, TMA Metropolitan Chief Executive Officer, who commissioned the facility on behalf of GAMA-SWP and other partners, said that water and sanitation contribute to improved learning environments for students. He said it also inculcated in them the habit of freely using a toilet while reducing the outbreaks of diseases and infections in schools. He added that, despite the economic hardship in the country, it is therefore important to commit to improving health as it is a human right as declared by the United Nations (UN). If we are not able to undertake major projects in the metropolis, little things such as providing sanitation facilities must be tackled. That is why we asked GAMA to intervene in this action, he said. The TMA Presiding Member, Engineer Consultants, GAMA Coordinators, Officials from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, some Assemblymen, Contractors, Headmasters, and students participated in the handing-over ceremony. GNA BlueCrest University College in collaboration with OpenLabsGhana, recently hosted a career fair that brought together companies, industry experts and students from Bluecrest College and Openlabs Ghana. The event provided a platform for students to interact with professionals from the media, banking, Journalism, fashion, Tech, Business and NGO fields to explore diverse career paths, gain valuable insights into the ever-evolving job market as well as provide access to jobs and internship opportunities. The career fair, held at the campus of BlueCrest University College, showcased an impressive array of companies from different sectors reflecting the various programs offered by the college. From established corporations to promising startups, recruiters and representatives from sixteen (16) renowned organizations such as SG Bank Ghana, Oze, Dream Oval, The MakersPlace, Bluespace Africa, Odina Couture, Tech Farmhub, MIPL Clothing, Sinop Investment, Assurance Consultancy, Multimedia group, The Salesman Global, Ghana Startup Network, The Aspiring Network, Social Enterprise Ghana, Copy house International amongst others provided students with valuable information about job prospects, internship opportunities, and the skills and qualifications required to excel in their respective fields. Panel Discussions: A Wealth of Knowledge One of the highlights of the career fair was the series of panel discussions with seasoned industry experts. The sessions shed light on the various career paths, emerging trends, and the skills needed to thrive in a modern workforce. The panel sessions held in two parts first featured discussions about the Tech industry with the product growth manager of Dream Oval, Nii Lous Nelson, The head of training and development at OpenLabs Ghana, Augustine Darko, The Head of Digital Skills & Talent at BlueSPACE Innovation Hub Onyekachi Ekeh, and the founder of Makersplace, Douglas Ayitey discussing 21st Century job skills ready skills and how students can position themselves to be relevant. The second panel session featured industry experts across the media, banking, fashion and business landscape and featured Adwoa Serwaa Buamah, HR Generalist of SG Bank Ghana, Alfred Dumenu, General Manager of Odina Couture, Doreen Avio, News Editor and Presenter from Multimedia, Stephen Selase Asuo, President of Young Africa Media and Jerome Adzah, President of The Salesman Global. Students had the opportunity to listen to these seasoned professionals, asked questions, and gained practical advice on making informed career choices. Both discussions covered a broad range of topics, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, personal branding, using social media effectively, steps to take in seeking for a job etc. This multidimensional approach ensured that students were exposed to a wide spectrum of career possibilities, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about their academic and professional pursuits. Inclusivity: Engaging High School Students Recognizing the importance of early career planning, BlueCrest University College and OpenLabsGhana extended invitations to high school students from Odorgonno SHS, allowing them to explore potential career paths and engage with industry professionals. This inclusive approach aimed to inspire and motivate young minds, encouraging them to set ambitious goals and make informed decisions about their career choices and the accompanying courses of study in the university. The participation of high school students added a dynamic energy to the career fair. They eagerly absorbed knowledge, networked with professionals, and discovered fields they had not previously considered. This early exposure to the job market will undoubtedly equip them with a head start in their choices for programs of study at the university level and future career paths. Networking Opportunities and Beyond Besides the informative panel discussions and company presentations, the career fair provided a platform for networking opportunities. Students had the chance to engage with industry professionals one-on-one, discuss their aspirations, and seek guidance on career development. These connections had the potential to evolve into mentorship relationships and even future job opportunities. The Head of Collaboration and Partnerships at Bluecrest College, Ms. Henrietta Mensah in her interview mentioned Im excited about the outcome of the career fair, for a maiden event, this is a huge success seeing that we have sixteen organizations on our campus to interact with our students. I'm especially grateful our corporate partners found this event relevant enough to partner us. The Regional sales head of Openlabs Ghana, Asadullah commented As an institution promoting digital literacy and IT education in Ghana, it is our duty to make sure our students have the right skills and are job ready, as such, organizing such programs is our way of providing our students with the right information and resources to excel in their respective career aspirations''. The manager in charge of careers and internships at Bluecrest College, Ms. Anita Bans-Akuetey indicated her interest to organize more of such events seeking to bridge the gap between academia and industry. We plan to organize more workshops, seminars, and training programs, ensuring that students receive continuous guidance and exposure to the latest industry practices. Other individuals present at the maiden career fair included the Deputy Head of HR for SG bank, Ms. Fouet Mireille-Prisca, Mr. George Adjebeng, Head of SG Innov8, Ms. Akua Ampah from the Virtual career office, the Registrar of Bluecrest College, Mr. Eric Hanson and the Dean of Academics, Prof. Thomas Assan-Buabeng among others. Conclusion The maiden career fair hosted by BlueCrest University College, in collaboration with OpenLabsGhana proved to be an invaluable opportunity for students to explore a plethora of career possibilities. With the presence of companies across various industries and engaging panel discussions, students gained insights into different career paths, emerging trends, and the skills required for success. BlueCrest University College and OpenLabs Ghana are committed to empowering students and providing them with resources and networking opportunities aimed at nurturing a generation of skilled and motivated individuals ready to make their mark in their chosen fields. Source: BlueCrest University College StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of 51Talk Online Education Group (NYSE:COE Get Rating) in a research note issued to investors on Thursday. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the stock. Separately, TheStreet cut shares of 51Talk Online Education Group from a c- rating to a d rating in a research note on Friday, March 31st. Get 51Talk Online Education Group alerts: 51Talk Online Education Group Stock Performance Shares of COE opened at $6.03 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.53 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.52 and a beta of -0.68. 51Talk Online Education Group has a 52 week low of $4.40 and a 52 week high of $9.08. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $5.83 and a 200-day moving average of $6.06. Hedge Funds Weigh In On 51Talk Online Education Group 51Talk Online Education Group ( NYSE:COE Get Rating ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 29th. The company reported ($0.36) earnings per share for the quarter. 51Talk Online Education Group had a negative return on equity of 152.30% and a negative net margin of 118.51%. The business had revenue of $5.05 million during the quarter. Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in 51Talk Online Education Group by 193.2% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 55,979 shares of the companys stock worth $98,000 after buying an additional 36,885 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in shares of 51Talk Online Education Group by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 290,500 shares of the companys stock worth $401,000 after acquiring an additional 7,000 shares during the period. Finally, UBS Group AG lifted its holdings in shares of 51Talk Online Education Group by 179.1% during the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 7,836 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 5,028 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 15.39% of the companys stock. About 51Talk Online Education Group (Get Rating) 51Talk Online Education Group engages in the operation of an online education platform in China. It operates under the China and Philippines geographical segments. Its online and mobile education platforms enable students across China to take live interactive english lessons with overseas foreign teachers on demand. See Also Receive News & Ratings for 51Talk Online Education Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for 51Talk Online Education Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:AAP Get Rating) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Thursday morning. AAP has been the subject of several other research reports. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Advance Auto Parts from $129.00 to $69.00 in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Advance Auto Parts from $158.00 to $84.00 in a research note on Thursday. Stephens decreased their price target on shares of Advance Auto Parts from $148.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Thursday. TheStreet cut shares of Advance Auto Parts from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Friday, May 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut shares of Advance Auto Parts from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and cut their price target for the company from $165.00 to $84.00 in a report on Thursday. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Advance Auto Parts presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $104.42. Get Advance Auto Parts alerts: Advance Auto Parts Stock Performance NYSE AAP opened at $67.56 on Thursday. Advance Auto Parts has a 1 year low of $66.27 and a 1 year high of $212.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 0.21. The firm has a market cap of $4.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.04, a PEG ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $118.32 and a 200-day moving average price of $134.77. Advance Auto Parts Cuts Dividend Advance Auto Parts ( NYSE:AAP Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 31st. The company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.60 by ($1.88). The firm had revenue of $3.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.43 billion. Advance Auto Parts had a return on equity of 22.67% and a net margin of 3.61%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.57 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Advance Auto Parts will post 6.5 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 28th. Investors of record on Friday, July 14th will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.48%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 13th. Advance Auto Partss payout ratio is currently 89.15%. Institutional Trading of Advance Auto Parts Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Private Advisor Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Advance Auto Parts in the 1st quarter valued at $232,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Advance Auto Parts by 21.9% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 16,965 shares of the companys stock worth $3,511,000 after buying an additional 3,046 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS grew its stake in Advance Auto Parts by 5.5% during the 1st quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 8,343 shares of the companys stock worth $1,727,000 after buying an additional 435 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. lifted its position in Advance Auto Parts by 120.6% during the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 11,593 shares of the companys stock worth $2,399,000 after acquiring an additional 6,338 shares during the period. Finally, Blair William & Co. IL lifted its position in Advance Auto Parts by 14.4% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 4,620 shares of the companys stock worth $956,000 after acquiring an additional 582 shares during the period. 96.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Advance Auto Parts Company Profile (Get Rating) Advance Auto Parts, Inc engages in the supply and distribution of aftermarket automotive products for both professional installers and do-it-yourself customers. It operates through the following segments: Advance Auto Parts/Carquest U.S., Carquest Canada, Worldpac, and Independents. The company was founded by Arthur Taubman in 1929 and is headquartered in Raleigh, NC. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Advance Auto Parts Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Advance Auto Parts and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. (NYSE:EGF Get Rating) declared a monthly dividend on Monday, June 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a dividend of 0.041 per share on Friday, June 30th. This represents a $0.49 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.00%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 14th. BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund Price Performance NYSE:EGF traded up $0.11 on Monday, reaching $9.84. The stock had a trading volume of 14,754 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,222. The firms fifty day moving average is $9.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $9.89. BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund has a 12-month low of $9.24 and a 12-month high of $10.87. Get BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows A hedge fund recently raised its stake in BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund stock. Morgan Stanley lifted its stake in shares of BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc. (NYSE:EGF Get Rating) by 53.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,744 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,000 shares during the period. Morgan Stanleys holdings in BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund were worth $56,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. About BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund, Inc is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc It is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets. It primarily invests in a portfolio of United States government and government agency securities, including the U.S. Read More Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust (NYSE:BNY Get Rating) announced a monthly dividend on Monday, June 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a dividend of 0.0305 per share by the financial services provider on Monday, July 3rd. This represents a $0.37 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust Stock Up 0.3 % BNY traded up $0.03 on Monday, reaching $10.02. The stock had a trading volume of 44,527 shares, compared to its average volume of 53,588. BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust has a 12-month low of $9.06 and a 12-month high of $11.92. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $10.19 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $10.36. Get BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Ameriprise Financial Inc. purchased a new position in BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust in the first quarter valued at $1,178,000. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust by 48.0% during the first quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 22,648 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $236,000 after purchasing an additional 7,348 shares in the last quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP acquired a new position in shares of BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust during the 1st quarter worth about $151,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust in the 1st quarter valued at about $77,000. Finally, Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its stake in BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust by 18.7% during the first quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 42,407 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $441,000 after purchasing an additional 6,683 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust Company Profile BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust is a closed-end investment fund. Its investment objective is to provide current income exempt from regular federal income taxes and New York State and New York City personal income taxes. The company was founded on March 30, 2001 and is headquartered in Wilmington, DE. See Also Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock New York Municipal Income Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock New York 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 Monday, June 5th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of 0.0265 per share on Monday, July 3rd. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Trading Up 0.3 % Shares of NYSEAMERICAN:BHV traded up $0.03 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $10.53. 3,660 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,760. BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust has a 1 year low of $10.40 and a 1 year high of $15.19. Get BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in shares of BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond Trust by 37.2% in the first quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 4,975 shares of the companys stock valued at $98,000 after purchasing an additional 1,350 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG grew its stake 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 worth $147,000 after purchasing an additional 4,867 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN increased 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 worth $162,000 after purchasing 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. Recommended Stories 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. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Elastic (NYSE:ESTC Get Rating) from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report published on Friday morning, The Fly reports. They currently have $67.00 target price on the stock, up from their prior target price of $55.00. Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on ESTC. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Elastic from $71.00 to $84.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 31st. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a buy rating and issued a $96.00 price target on shares of Elastic in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Citigroup boosted their price target on Elastic from $75.00 to $92.00 in a report on Thursday. Barclays boosted their price target on Elastic from $70.00 to $83.00 in a report on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Elastic from $70.00 to $67.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 3rd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $78.06. Get Elastic alerts: Elastic Stock Performance Shares of ESTC stock opened at $72.29 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $60.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $57.76. The stock has a market cap of $6.98 billion, a PE ratio of -29.15 and a beta of 1.07. Elastic has a 1 year low of $46.18 and a 1 year high of $91.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47, a quick ratio of 1.89 and a current ratio of 1.89. Insider Transactions at Elastic Elastic ( NYSE:ESTC Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 1st. The company reported $0.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $279.94 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $277.63 million. Elastic had a negative return on equity of 46.75% and a negative net margin of 22.09%. Elastics revenue was up 17.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.64) earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Elastic will post -1.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. In related news, insider Ken Exner sold 2,064 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.28, for a total value of $120,289.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 123,117 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,175,258.76. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Elastic news, insider Ken Exner sold 2,064 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.28, for a total transaction of $120,289.92. Following the sale, the insider now owns 123,117 shares in the company, valued at $7,175,258.76. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Janesh Moorjani sold 3,956 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.28, for a total value of $230,555.68. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 178,235 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,387,535.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 18,118 shares of company stock valued at $1,055,917 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 18.80% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Elastic Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Elastic by 17.2% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 5,780 shares of the companys stock worth $514,000 after purchasing an additional 848 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Elastic by 9.5% during the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 6,472 shares of the companys stock worth $576,000 after purchasing an additional 564 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund acquired a new stake in shares of Elastic during the 1st quarter worth approximately $295,000. Rhumbline Advisers raised its position in shares of Elastic by 3.2% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 72,555 shares of the companys stock worth $6,454,000 after purchasing an additional 2,274 shares during the period. Finally, BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of Elastic by 4.8% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,616,149 shares of the companys stock worth $499,557,000 after purchasing an additional 259,742 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.40% of the companys stock. Elastic Company Profile (Get Rating) Elastic NV engages in the provision of open-source search and analytics engine services. It offers Elastic Stack, a set of software products that ingest and store data from various sources and formats, as well as perform search, analysis, and visualization. The firms Elastic Stack product comprises Elasticsearch, a distributed, real-time search and analytics engine, and data store for various types of data, including textual, numerical, geospatial, structured, and unstructured, Kibana, a user interface, management, and configuration interface for the Elastic Stack, Beats, a single-purpose data shippers for sending data from edge machines to Elasticsearch or Logstash, and Logstash, a data processing pipeline for ingesting data into Elasticsearch or other storage systems. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Elastic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Elastic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Frontline (NYSE:FRO Get Rating) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Friday morning. A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on Frontline from $16.50 to $19.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Monday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group cut Frontline from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $17.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Monday, May 8th. Get Frontline alerts: Frontline Stock Up 1.4 % FRO stock opened at $14.77 on Friday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $15.28 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $14.97. The company has a current ratio of 2.25, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Frontline has a 1-year low of $7.51 and a 1-year high of $19.29. The stock has a market cap of $3.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 0.19. Frontline Increases Dividend Hedge Funds Weigh In On Frontline The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 16th will be given a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 15th. This is a positive change from Frontlines previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 18.96%. Frontlines dividend payout ratio is 147.59%. Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Godsey & Gibb Inc. bought a new position in shares of Frontline during the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Harbour Investments Inc. bought a new position in shares of Frontline during the 1st quarter valued at about $26,000. State of Wyoming bought a new position in shares of Frontline during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Tucker Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Frontline during the 1st quarter valued at about $46,000. Finally, Hexagon Capital Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Frontline by 2,767.0% during the 1st quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,953 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 2,850 shares during the last quarter. 35.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Frontline (Get Rating) Frontline Plc is an international shipping company, which engages in the ownership and operation of oil and product tankers. It also offers the seaborne transportation of crude oil and oil products. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Limmasol, Cyprus. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Frontline Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Frontline and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Holly Energy Partners (NYSE:HEP Get Rating) in a research note released on Friday morning. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the pipeline companys stock. Holly Energy Partners Price Performance HEP opened at $17.61 on Friday. Holly Energy Partners has a 12-month low of $15.12 and a 12-month high of $20.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.70. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $17.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $17.96. The company has a market capitalization of $2.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.95 and a beta of 0.90. Get Holly Energy Partners alerts: Holly Energy Partners (NYSE:HEP Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The pipeline company reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.42 by $0.03. Holly Energy Partners had a return on equity of 24.44% and a net margin of 39.39%. The business had revenue of $143.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $124.62 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.45 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 19.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Holly Energy Partners will post 2.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Holly Energy Partners Dividend Announcement Institutional Investors Weigh In On Holly Energy Partners The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 11th. Investors of record on Monday, May 1st were given a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.95%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, April 28th. Holly Energy Partnerss payout ratio is currently 79.10%. A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HEP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in Holly Energy Partners by 18.0% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 833,860 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $14,484,000 after acquiring an additional 127,176 shares in the last quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Holly Energy Partners by 5.6% in the first quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 13,578 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $236,000 after acquiring an additional 725 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Holly Energy Partners by 4.1% in the first quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 33,377 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $580,000 after acquiring an additional 1,310 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC boosted its holdings in Holly Energy Partners by 110.5% in the first quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC now owns 58,712 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,020,000 after acquiring an additional 30,823 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in Holly Energy Partners by 95.6% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 96,862 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $1,682,000 after acquiring an additional 47,340 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 25.30% of the companys stock. Holly Energy Partners Company Profile (Get Rating) Holly Energy Partners LP engages in the business of operating a system of petroleum product and crude pipelines, storage tanks, distribution terminals, and loading rack facilities. It operates through the Pipelines and Terminals, and Refinery Processing Unit segments. The Pipelines and Terminals segment includes petroleum products, crude pipelines and terminal, tankage, and loading rack facilities. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Holly Energy Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Holly Energy Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Infosys Limited (NYSE:INFY Get Rating) have earned an average rating of Hold from the fourteen research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have issued a hold recommendation and two have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $18.57. Several research firms have recently issued reports on INFY. Nomura lowered Infosys from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, April 13th. Wedbush reduced their price target on Infosys from $25.00 to $22.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 13th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on Infosys from $21.00 to $18.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 14th. Macquarie lowered Infosys from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Sunday, April 16th. Finally, Citigroup downgraded Infosys from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. Get Infosys alerts: Infosys Stock Down 0.2 % Infosys stock opened at $15.80 on Wednesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $15.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $17.57. The stock has a market cap of $65.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.99. Infosys has a 12 month low of $14.71 and a 12 month high of $20.60. Infosys Increases Dividend Infosys ( NYSE:INFY Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 13th. The technology company reported $0.18 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.19 by ($0.01). Infosys had a net margin of 16.37% and a return on equity of 31.78%. The firm had revenue of $4.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.73 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.18 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Infosys will post 0.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 3rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 2nd will be paid a $0.2134 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 1.5%. This is a boost from Infosyss previous semi-annual dividend of $0.17. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 1st. Infosyss dividend payout ratio is presently 50.70%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Golden State Equity Partners acquired a new stake in Infosys during the 1st quarter worth about $248,000. ProShare Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Infosys in the 1st quarter valued at about $385,000. Empower Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Infosys in the 1st quarter valued at about $284,000. Putnam Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Infosys by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Putnam Investments LLC now owns 1,399,689 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $24,411,000 after buying an additional 43,024 shares during the period. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in shares of Infosys by 6.7% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 72,618,957 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,266,476,000 after buying an additional 4,557,724 shares during the period. 12.68% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. 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. Recommended Stories 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. National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA Get Rating) had its price target lowered by Scotiabank from C$111.00 to C$109.00 in a research report report published on Thursday, BayStreet.CA reports. A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. CSFB upped their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$113.00 to C$116.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on National Bank of Canada from C$111.00 to C$108.00 in a research note on Monday, March 27th. CIBC dropped their target price on National Bank of Canada from C$112.00 to C$110.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 16th. Veritas Investment Research reissued a buy rating on shares of National Bank of Canada in a research report on Monday, February 27th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of National Bank of Canada from C$98.00 to C$82.00 in a report on Tuesday, May 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, National Bank of Canada presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of C$105.86. Get National Bank of Canada alerts: National Bank of Canada Stock Performance Shares of NA stock opened at C$98.65 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of C$33.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.40, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.11. The firms 50 day moving average price is C$99.05 and its 200-day moving average price is C$97.86. National Bank of Canada has a one year low of C$82.16 and a one year high of C$104.83. National Bank of Canada Increases Dividend About National Bank of Canada The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 26th will be issued a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.14%. This is an increase from National Bank of Canadas previous quarterly dividend of $0.97. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 23rd. National Bank of Canadas payout ratio is 40.89%. (Get Rating) National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for National Bank of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Bank of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Quaker Chemical (NYSE:KWR Get Rating) in a research report released on Thursday morning, The Fly reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $250.00 price objective on the specialty chemicals companys stock. Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Quaker Chemical from $220.00 to $235.00 in a research report on Monday, May 8th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Quaker Chemical from $203.00 to $227.00 in a report on Monday, May 8th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Quaker Chemical in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Get Quaker Chemical alerts: Quaker Chemical Stock Up 4.5 % Shares of NYSE:KWR opened at $202.00 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $195.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $189.81. Quaker Chemical has a 52-week low of $129.06 and a 52-week high of $216.45. The company has a market capitalization of $3.63 billion, a P/E ratio of -561.11 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a quick ratio of 1.99, a current ratio of 2.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. Quaker Chemical Announces Dividend Quaker Chemical ( NYSE:KWR Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Friday, May 5th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.89 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.54. Quaker Chemical had a positive return on equity of 8.74% and a negative net margin of 0.32%. The firm had revenue of $500.15 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $485.29 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.42 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Quaker Chemical will post 7.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 17th will be paid a $0.435 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 14th. This represents a $1.74 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.86%. Quaker Chemicals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -483.33%. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Melissa Leneis sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $190.21, for a total value of $95,105.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 10,201 shares in the company, valued at $1,940,332.21. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Quaker Chemical news, EVP Melissa Leneis sold 500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $190.21, for a total transaction of $95,105.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 10,201 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,940,332.21. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Robert T. Traub sold 3,650 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $205.00, for a total value of $748,250.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 3,150 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $645,750. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 28,395 shares of company stock worth $5,794,248. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Belpointe Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Quaker Chemical by 65.0% in the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 193 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio acquired a new position in shares of Quaker Chemical in the 1st quarter worth approximately $39,000. Venturi Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Quaker Chemical in the 1st quarter worth approximately $59,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its position in shares of Quaker Chemical by 327.5% in the 3rd quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 436 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $63,000 after acquiring an additional 334 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its position in shares of Quaker Chemical by 17.6% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 327 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $64,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.91% of the companys stock. About Quaker Chemical (Get Rating) Quaker Houghton engages in the business of developing, producing, and marketing formulated chemical specialty products. It operates through the following geographical segments: Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and Global Specialty Businesses. Its products include can making lubricants, cleaners, coatings, cold rolling oils, corrosion preventives, die casting lubricants, dust suppressants, greases, ground control agents, hot rolling oils, hydraulic fluids, industrial lubricants, longwall fluids, metal forming fluids, metal removal fluids, pickle oils, surface treatments, temper fluids, and tin plating. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Quaker Chemical Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Quaker Chemical and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Teck Resources (NYSE:TECK Get Rating) (TSE:TECK) in a report released on Friday morning. The brokerage issued a hold rating on the basic materials companys stock. A number of other analysts have also issued reports on TECK. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Teck Resources from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 29th. Raymond James raised their price target on Teck Resources to C$69.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. Bank of America decreased their price target on Teck Resources from C$65.00 to C$62.00 in a research note on Monday, April 3rd. Benchmark raised their price target on Teck Resources from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, April 17th. Finally, National Bank Financial lowered Teck Resources from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, April 27th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $61.86. Get Teck Resources alerts: Teck Resources Stock Up 6.0 % TECK opened at $43.40 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. The firm has a market cap of $22.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.43, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.07. Teck Resources has a 52 week low of $24.72 and a 52 week high of $49.34. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $42.62 and its 200 day simple moving average is $40.16. Teck Resources Increases Dividend Institutional Inflows and Outflows The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 15th will be given a dividend of $0.125 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 14th. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.15%. This is a positive change from Teck Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $0.09. Teck Resourcess payout ratio is currently 8.65%. Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Aviva PLC boosted its position in Teck Resources by 54.0% during the 4th quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 328,819 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $12,434,000 after purchasing an additional 115,363 shares during the period. Hollencrest Capital Management bought a new stake in Teck Resources during the 4th quarter valued at $38,000. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans bought a new stake in Teck Resources during the 4th quarter valued at $2,920,000. Advisors Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in Teck Resources by 71.2% during the 3rd quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,151 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $309,000 after acquiring an additional 4,220 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC raised its stake in Teck Resources by 41.1% during the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,635 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $100,000 after acquiring an additional 768 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 56.15% of the companys stock. Teck Resources Company Profile (Get Rating) Teck Resources Limited is a resource company, which engages in the exploration, acquisition, development, production, and sale of natural resources, Its products include steelmaking coal, copper, zinc, industrial products and fertilizers, and other metals. Its project operations are located in Canada, Peru, Chile, and US. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Teck Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teck Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fintech firm BharatPe announced Monday that it has appointed Kohinoor Biswas as the Head of Consumer Lending business and that he will look after the entire PostPe operations. "At BharatPe, he (Biswas) will be responsible for leading the entire Postpe business, the credit-first consumer vertical of BharatPe," the firm said in a prepared statement. Biswas will be reporting to Nalin Negi, who is the CFO and interim CEO, and will be building the consumer lending vertical. Prior to joining BharatPe, Biswas was the Head of Credit Cards portfolio at ICICI Bank and spearheaded the overall credit cards strategy driving card spends and loyalty. The alumni of IIM Calcutta was also the vertical head for Credit Card Portfolio at HDFC Bank. He has also been associated with companies like Intellect Design Arena Ltd, JP Morgan Chase, and American Express. "Postpe, while a late entrant in the consumer category, was a huge success from its early days. I am excited to join the BharatPe team as the Head of Consumer Lending. I look forward to strengthening the existing relationships with the Postpe customers by offering new credit products as well as new payment and commerce use cases," said Biswas. In 2021, BharatPe announced its entry into the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) category with the launch of Postpe. This is the third leadership appointment by BharatPe in 2023. The company earlier announced the appointment of Aparna Kuppuswamy as Chief Risk Officer for the BharatPe Group, and Sandeep Indurkar as the Chief Business Officer - Banking and Alliances. 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. 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I Accept Train travel between Bengaluru and Chennai could be reduced to two hours from the current travel time range of 4.25 to 6.30 hours once a new semi-high-speed broad gauge line is established. The Southern Railway has floated a tender for a final location survey (FLS) for a new semi-high-speed broad gauge line between the two cities. The design speed of the proposed line is targeted to be 220 kmph, with an operational speed of 200 kmph. The rail ministry has allocated Rs 8.3 crore for the survey, which will cover the stretch between Byappanahalli in Bengaluru to Chennai Central, spanning around 350 km. The selected firm will be responsible for conducting aerial LiDAR survey, developing a detailed final alignment, carrying out a traffic study, preparing detailed plans and estimates, and submitting a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The survey report is likely to be submitted in three months. While the proposed operational speed is 200 kmph, average speed will rely on various factors like number of stoppages and alignment. Designed to run at 180 kmph, Vande Bharat trains are currently limited to 130 kmph because of track conditions. However, with the new semi-high-speed rail broad gauge line, Vande Bharat trains can also be operated at full potential. "The survey will help railways to identify the required land and alignment for the semi-high speed rail line. This will be submitted to the railway board along with cost estimates for approval. The board will have to sanction the project," said a senior official. The alignment of the proposed semi-high-speed rail broad gauge line has not been revealed yet, but the existing Bengaluru-Chennai rail route is also around 350 km. Fastest train on the Bengaluru-Chennai route is the Vande Bharat Express, which operates at an average speed of 81 kmph and takes 4 hours and 25 minutes to complete the journey. "Covering the Bengaluru-Chennai route in two hours is feasible, however, it relies on the quality of the infrastructure in place. It remains unclear whether the proposed route will follow the existing railway or pass through Krishnaigiri," KN Krishna Prasad, railway activist and member of NGO Karnataka Railway Vedike, said. "It's also important to install fencing along these routes to prevent any human or animal interventions. Additionally, construction of new overpasses, particularly at railway level crossings, water bodies as well as tunnels through hillocks, is necessary. Adequate training for staff is also essential." he said. In 2016, China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co Ltd (CREEC) submitted a report suggesting that travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai could be reduced to less than three hours by upgrading the existing track to operate trains at 160 kmph. The estimated cost for this upgrade was around Rs 3,200 crore. Similarly, the German government also presented a feasibility study to the railway board in 2018 for a bullet train project with a maximum speed of 320 kmph on the Chennai-Arakkonam-Bengaluru-Mysuru route. But these proposals remained on paper. After the launch of the Vande Bharat Express, both South Western Railway (KSR Bengaluru City-Jolarpettai section) and Southern Railway (Jolarpettai-Chennai section) were working to increase the maximum permissible speed from 110 kmph to 130kmph. Once the tracks are upgraded to 130-160 kmph, trains could run at an average speed of 110-120 kmph. South Western Railway on June 1 conducted a speed trial on the KSR Bengaluru City-Jolarpettai route to increase the maximum permissible speed from 110 kmph to 130 kmph. Similarly, maximum permissible speed on the Chennai-Jolarpettai route was recently raised to 130 kmph. "Increasing the maximum permissible speed beyond 130 kmph will necessitate strengthening or rebuilding bridges, fencing, eliminating level crossings, and flattening curves/gradients. The number of stoppages will also impact the average speed," said an official. Bullet train project on Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) is planning a high-speed rail project connecting Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mysuru (435Km). This will have nine stations along the route: Chennai, Poonamallee, Arakkonam, Chittor, Bangarapet, Bengaluru, Channapatna, Mandya, and Mysuru. The maximum speed of the bullet train will be 350 kmph, with an operational speed of 320 kmph and an average speed of 250 kmph. This project is part of the Union government's plan to develop six new high-speed rail (HSR) corridors, although only preparatory work has commenced for Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai corridor. NHSRCL is prioritizing the construction of India's first high-speed rail corridor, which will run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, spanning 508 km. This project is under construction and is expected to be completed by 2026-27. Once operational, Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor will serve as a catalyst for future HSR projects, including the Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai corridor, as part of the national rail plan. Puneet Chandok, who stepped down last week as the President of Commercial Services for Amazon Web Services India and South Asia, is likely to join rival Microsoft India, people familiar said, as both firms compete to meet the growing customer demand for cloud services in the country. He (Chandok) has sounded off people internally that he is joining competition. Talks of him joining Microsoft have been doing the rounds for the last few months, one of the sources cited above said. While Chandok said he had no comment' when asked about his move, a Microsoft spokesperson too said the company has no comments to share on the matter, in response to email queries. AWS did not offer specific comments, only confirming that Chandok would be stepping down after four years at the firm Also Read: Puneet Chandok, head of AWS India & South Asia, resigns It is not clear yet if Chandok will replace Microsoft India President Anant Maheshwari or take up a new responsibility. Sources say the latter will stay on and is likely to get a bigger role within the firm. Maheshwari has been the face of Microsoft in the country, was front and centre during CEO Satya Nadellas India visit and engages closely with policymakers on the opportunities arising out of Indias digital transformation. Chandoks resignation, effective August 31, 2023, came just days after AWS announced that it will invest $12.7 Billion into Indias cloud infrastructure by 2030, a move that would generate 131,700 full-time equivalent jobs in the country. Also Read: We are investing in India for the next decades: AWS country president Puneet Chandok Its huge India commitment comes at a time when growth in its cloud computing business has slowed as companies cut back spending in a tough macroeconomic environment. Expanding presence AWS rivals such as Google, Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM too count India as a key growth market and have expanded their presence by setting up data centres and cloud regions. While Google expanded its cloud services in India with a $1 Billion investment in new data centers, Microsoft too stated a few months ago that it will be setting up its largest India data centre region in Hyderabad with an investment of over Rs 15,000 crore over 15 years. In fact, given the growth of cloud technology in the country, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronic and IT, recently said he expects the country to become the largest market for servers in the world. Research firm IDC estimates that the overall India public cloud services market is expected to reach $13 billion by 2026, as organisations have realized the power of cloud to help them transform digitally. A senior Binance executive was the main operator for five bank accounts belonging to the giant cryptocurrency exchange's purportedly independent U.S. affiliate, including an account that held American customers' funds, bank records show. U.S. lender Silvergate Bank authorized the executive, Guangying Chen, a close associate of Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, to operate the accounts in 2019 and 2020, according to records from those years. This allowed Chen and her deputies to move funds held in the bank accounts. Employees at the affiliate, Binance.US, had to ask Chen's team to process payments, even to cover the firm's payroll, company messages show. The new findings offer further detail into how Binance exercised tight control over Binance.US, despite both firms maintaining that they have always operated independently. The previously unreported bank records and messages show that Binance's management over the U.S. business's finances extended across its bank accounts at Silvergate and detail how this secret access was granted. Binance.US has denied that Binance ever operated its bank accounts. Its head of legal, Krishna Juvvadi, told Reuters in April that employees of Binance.US's operator, BAM Trading, had 'exclusive control' since its founding in 2019. In response to questions for this article, however, a Binance.US spokesperson, Christian Hertenstein, said that since the company's current chief executive, Brian Shroder, took over in late 2021, 'no one other than Binance.US officials have had control or access to Binance.US accounts.' Hertenstein did not explain the discrepancy in the time periods given by him and Juvvadi. Binance and Silvergate, which collapsed in March and is winding down operations, did not respond to requests for comment. Binance's U.S. operations are facing ever-closer attention in Washington. By secretly retaining control over Binance.US's finances, Zhao ensured he could direct the company's expansion in the American crypto market one of the world's biggest while keeping it apart from his global exchange that was under scrutiny from U.S. regulators. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission in March charged Binance and Zhao with willful evasion of commodities laws by intentionally structuring entities to avoid U.S. regulations designed to protect investors. Zhao called the civil charges an incomplete recitation of facts. The CFTC had no comment for this article. Reuters has previously reported that a deputy of Chen's had access to one Binance.US Silvergate account and that the account transferred more than $400 million in 2021 to a trading firm controlled by Zhao. Binance.US has said the trading firm, Merit Peak, was withdrawing its own funds, money that derived from its trading activity on the exchange. Juvvadi said an investigation Binance.US conducted into Reuters' previous findings found they were simply not true. Reuters also reported on May 23 that Binance commingled its customers' funds with its corporate revenues in Merit Peak's Silvergate account, in breach of U.S. financial rules that require client money to be kept separate. Binance denied mixing customer deposits and company funds, saying that users who sent money to the account were not making deposits but rather buying Binance's bespoke dollar-linked crypto token. PRIMARY ADMIN USER The Binance.US trading platform was launched by its operating firm, BAM Trading, in mid-2019 under chief executive Catherine Coley. Zhao owned BAM Trading through layers of offshore companies, company documents show. But Binance.US said it operated solely as a US partner of Binance. Reuters reported last year that, in fact, Zhao created Binance.US as a de-facto subsidiary to draw U.S. regulators' scrutiny away from the global exchange. In December 2019, a Binance.US employee told Coley that Silvergate wanted her to sign a banking resolution, a document that defines a firm's banking relationship, to make sure it is ok for Chen to manage Binance. US's bank accounts, according to messages exchanged between Binance.US employees. The resolution document, reviewed by Reuters and authored by a Silvergate relationship manager, requested that Coley authorize Chen to open accounts, transact, and otherwise operate accounts on behalf of BAM Trading. A person familiar with the document said Coley signed it. Coley left Binance.US in 2021. A lawyer representing her, James McDonald, didn't respond to requests for comment. Chen then signed further agreements with Silvergate to act as the Primary Admin User for the five bank accounts: a customer deposit account; an account for corporate clients that later sent funds to Merit Peak; and three other accounts, according to bank records dated between December 2019 and January 2020. The agreements said the authorized person could withdraw funds from the accounts or deposit them, and designate others to do so, too. Coley told colleagues in a message later that year that she and her finance team were not administrators for BAM's accounts and only had view-access. The arrangement left Binance. US's chief lacking ultimate control over the company's own finances. We cannot change anything in the Silvergate banking portal, she wrote. Hertenstein, the Binance.US spokesperson, told Reuters that since at least 2021, the only Primary Admins on active Binance.US accounts have been Binance.US officials. He said some of the accounts identified by Reuters as being operated by Chen were institutional client accounts, without elaborating on their activity. After Chen gained authorization, her deputy, a Binance executive named Susan Li, took charge of managing the accounts transactions, including payments to cover Binance. US's payroll, company messages show. Approved from my end, Li messaged a Binance.US employee after receiving one payroll request. Chen, known as Heina, retained control over the accounts until at least early 2021, the messages show. The Silvergate documents she signed listed her address as in Shanghai. A Binance.US employee messaged colleagues in May 2020 to say Silvergate was still waiting for Heina to sign the final paperwork on a new bank account for the Binance.US exchange's institutional customers. Reuters could not determine if Chen or Li moved funds from the Binance.US customer deposit account. Neither Chen nor Li responded to questions from Reuters. "Customer funds have not been misused or co-mingled," said Hertenstein at Binance.US. Coley and her team repeatedly asked Li during 2020 for Binance to grant them control over Binance. US's own bank accounts, at one point expressing concern about how regulators would view the situation, company messages show. "I think it makes sense BAM has its own login for the regulatory perspective," a Binance.US finance director wrote to Li in November. Coley also later expressed worries to Li that the transfers to Merit Peak were taking place without her knowledge, according to messages Reuters previously reported. Binance.US did not answer questions about Chen's role, including her control of the accounts or when it may have ended. It is difficult to speak to each and every detail because the company's management team has turned over completely since the time period in question," Hertenstein said. Juvvadi, Binance. US's head of legal, said the fund flows to Merit Peak were all proper. The internal investigation matched all the transfers to Merit Peak with withdrawals the trading firm made from its own digital asset account on the Binance.US platform, he said. "All the funds belonged to Merit Peak," he said. Juvvadi declined to elaborate on Merit Peak's trading activity or Zhao's role at the firm. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday accused the world's largest crypto exchange, Binance, and its founder Changpeng Zhao, of operating an "elaborate scheme to evade U.S. federal securities laws." The SEC charged Binance and Zhao with 13 offences, including operating an unregistered securities exchange and failing to restrict U.S. customers from its platform. The agency also alleged that Binance and Zhao secretly controlled customers' assets, allowing them to commingle and divert customer funds. In a blog post, Binance said: "We intend to defend our platform vigorously," adding that "because Binance is not a U.S. exchange, the SEC's actions are limited in reach." "Any allegations that user assets on the Binance.US platform have ever been at risk are simply wrong," Binance said. Here are some of the highlights from the SEC's complaint: COMMINGLING CUSTOMER FUNDS The SEC's complaint alleged that billions of dollars in Binance customer funds were commingled in a account held by a Zhao-controlled firm called Merit Peak, in breach of U.S. rules that require customer money to be kept separate. Merit Peak's U.S. bank account received over $20 billion that included customer funds both from the Binance platform and the platform of its U.S. affiliate Binance.US. Merit Peak then transferred the "vast majority of those funds" to an unidentified company, "in transfers that appear to relate to the purchase of" Binance's bespoke dollar-linked crypto-token BUSD. "Sending Binance customer funds to Merit Peak placed those funds at risk, including of loss or theft, and was done without notice to customers," the SEC wrote in its complaint. Reuters reported on May 23 that Binance commingled billions of dollars in client funds and corporate revenues in a bank account that Merit Peak held at U.S. lender Silvergate Bank. Binance then used the Merit Peak account to buy BUSD, Reuters reported. Binance denied this at the time. DIVERSION OF FUNDS The SEC alleged that Zhao and Binance diverted customer assets "as they please," including to a Switzerland-based trading firm called Sigma Chain, which is controlled by Zhao. Merit Peak and Sigma Chain were used to transfer tens of billions of dollars involving Binance, Binance.US and other related entities, the SEC said. For example, the SEC said that in 2021 at least $145 million was transferred from Binance.US to a Sigma Chain account. "From this account, Sigma Chain spent $11 million to purchase a yacht," the SEC said. CONTROL OF U.S. BUSINESS Zhao launched Binance in Shanghai in 2017. Since then, the exchange has said it does not have a headquarters and has declined to give the location of its main Binance.com exchange. Binance's holding company is based in the Cayman Islands. Though Zhao publicly said that Binance restricted U.S. customers from trading on the platform, the SEC alleged that the exchange in reality subverted its own controls to allow them to continue doing so. As such, Zhao designed and implemented a plan to "surreptitiously evade U.S. laws." "As Binance's Chief Compliance Officer admitted, 'We do not want [Binance].com to be regulated ever,'" the SEC wrote in its complaint. In 2019, Binance announced a partnership with a U.S. company called BAM trading that would launch the Binance.US platform to serve American clients in compliance with U.S. laws. However, the SEC said that Zhao directed Binance.US even though the U.S. entity has long said it operates independently. Zhao instructed Binance.US to onboard Sigma Chain and Merit Peak as market makers on the Binance.US platform, the SEC said. Both firms were operated by Binance employees, including one that had authority over Binance.US's U.S. dollar bank accounts. Before the SEC complaint was made public, Reuters, citing bank records, reported on Monday that Zhao's head of back office was the primary operator for five of Binance.US's bank accounts, including one that held American customer funds. WASH-TRADING The SEC said that from at least September 2019 to June 2022, Sigma Chain "engaged in wash trading that artificially inflated the trading volume of crypto asset securities on the Binance.US platform." Sigma Chain held dozens of user accounts on Binance.US through which it "fraudulently inflated trading." "Sigma Chain's and Merit Peak's activity on the Binance.US Platform, and their undisclosed relationship with Zhao and Binance, have involved and continue to present conflicts between Zhao's financial interests and those of Binance.US Platform's customers." Embassy Office Parks Reit on Monday said it has raised Rs 1,050 crore in debt by issuing non-convertible debentures (NCDs) to finance existing bank loans. The NCDs were issued at a quarterly coupon of 7.77 per cent, the country's first listed Reit said. The proceeds will be used to refinance bank loans, which are due for an interest reset shortly, the company said in a statement. The move will help Embassy Office Parks save 138 basis points on interest cost, said its chief investment officer Ritwik Bhattacharjee. He said the two-year issue saw participation from institutional investors like mutual funds, insurers and corporates. Embassy Reit owns and operates a 45 million square feet portfolio of nine infrastructure-like office parks and four city-centre office buildings in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, and the National Capital Region. Its portfolio comprises 34.3 million square feet of completed space, which is home to around 230 companies. It also comprises four operational business hotels, two under-construction hotels and a 100 MW solar park, supplying renewable energy to tenants. 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. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept HDFC Bank on June 5 suspended one of its officers in Kolkata for allegedly engaging in unruly behaviour with colleagues during an internal meeting. In a video circulating on Twitter, the officer was heard shouting at his junior colleagues for not selling enough banking and insurance products. In a statement made available to Moneycontrol, HDFC Bank said, "This bears reference to a recent social media report. Basis a preliminary enquiry in the matter, the concerned employee has been suspended and a detailed investigation has been initiated which will be undertaken as per Conduct guidelines of the Bank." The banking major further added that they have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of misconduct at the workplace and firmly believe in treating all our employees with dignity and respect. In the video, manager was asking his junior employee said, "I don't understand, today you're going to do 25 smart ones, 25 sure cover, and 25 health covers." Moneycontrol couldnt reach out to the employee immediately for a response. Here is a Twitter post of the video: @HDFC_Bank Regional Branch Banking Head - Pushpal Roy at Kolkata threatening and abusing his team for not getting desired numbers. of the organisation. And they manage @GPTW_India awards. Legacy of #adityapuri Listen n RT. cc @VinayHDFCBank@ravisunHDFCBankpic.twitter.com/IxlzGftakY Madanlal Dahariya (@MDahariya) June 5, 2023 Misselling compliants In the past, there have been instances where life insurance policies were sold to customers aged above 75 years in Tier II-III cities. Usually, branches of the banks push products of their subsidiary insurers. Bank executives, especially from public sector banks (PSBs), are facing immense pressure from top management to sell third-party products like insurance. Failure to meet targets invites informal penal actions while meeting targets brings perks such as parties in five-star resorts. Banks typically cross-sell insurance products of their subsidiaries, and sometimes of other companies, along with loan products. Many times banks insist purchase of policies along with loan products. RBI caution Last month, Indias central bank conducted a meeting with the board of directors of all public sector banks (PSBs) and private banks to discuss issues related to governance and ethics. Concerned over rising incidence of mis-selling, the finance ministry has directed heads of public sector banks to put in place strong mechanisms to avoid unethical practices for selling insurance policies to customers. The Department of Financial Services has received complaints that fraudulent and unethical practices are adopted by banks and life insurance companies for procuring policies from the bank customers, a letter addressed to chairpersons and managing directors of public sector banks said. IKIO Lighting, an LED lighting solutions provider, is the first initial public offering set to hit the markets this month with an improving sentiment. Here are 10 key things to know before subscribing the offer: 1) IPO Dates The offer will open for subscription on June 6 and close on June 8. The anchor book will open for a day on June 5. 2) Price Band The price band for the offer has been fixed at Rs 270-285 per share. 3) IPO Details The decorative lighting solutions provider plans to raise Rs 606.5 crore through maiden public issue which comprises fresh issuance of shares worth Rs 350 crore, and an offer-for-sale of Rs 256.5 crore by promoters, at the upper price band. Two promoters - Hardeep Singh and Surmeet Kaur - are going to offload 90 lakh shares via offer for sale. 4) Objectives of Issue IKIO intends to utilise fresh issue proceeds for repaying debts (Rs 50 crore) and investment in wholly owned subsidiary IKIO Solutions (Rs 212.31 crore), besides general corporate purposes. Subsidiary IKIO Solutions will set up a new facility at Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The plant will carry out electronic manufacturing services for lights, rotary switch and electric switch, socket, ABS pipe and solar for recreational vehicles. 5) Lot Size Investors can bid for a minimum of 52 equity shares (one lot) and in multiples of 52 shares thereafter. The minimum investment by retail investors in the offer would be Rs 14,820 per lot, and the maximum would be Rs 1,92,660 for 13 lots. Half of the offer size is reserved for qualified institutional buyers, 15 percent for high net-worth individuals (non-institutional investors) and the remaining 35 percent for retail investors. 6) Company Profile Incorporated in 2016, IKIO Lighting is an Indian manufacturer of light emitting diode (LED) lighting solutions, having four manufacturing facilities with one in the SIDCUL Haridwar industrial park in Uttarakhand and three in Noida. It is primarily an original design manufacturer (ODM). It develops, manufactures and supplies products to customers. Then, the customers further distribute these products under their own brands. Its products are categorised as LED lighting; refrigeration lights; ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) piping; and other products. Its LED lighting offerings focus on the premium segment and include lighting, fittings, fixtures, accessories and components. In addition, it manufactures and assembles other products including fan regulators that are designed by clients; light strips, moulding, and other components and spares. IKIO's largest customer is Signify Innovations India (erstwhile Philips Electronics India). According to Frost & Sullivan, in FY22, Signify had a 50 percent market share in Indias functional decorative lighting category, and a 10 percent market share in Indias true-blue decorative lighting segment. Further it has a diversified customer base across all its product segments which include Western Refrigeration, Panasonic Life Solutions India, and Novateur Electrical & Digital Systems. 7) Financials In the nine months ended December 2022, IKIO derived 93.56 percent of consolidated restated revenues from operations from repeat customers. The company recorded restated consolidated profit at Rs 28 crore for FY22 against Rs 20.58 crore in FY21, and in the same period, revenue from operations stood at Rs 219.9 crore against Rs 159.66 crore. On the operating front, its EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) came in at Rs 40.15 crore versus Rs 30.28 crore with margin at 18.26 percent against 18.97 percent. In nine-month period ended December 2022, IKIO reported restated consolidated profit of Rs 34.58 crore on revenue of Rs 240.7 crore, with EBITDA at Rs 48.8 crore and margin at 20.71 percent. The company did not own 100 percent of the equity shareholding of subsidiaries until September 12, 2022, the restated consolidated financial information does not include financial information for subsidiaries prior to their acquisitions. Accordingly, restated consolidated financial information is not comparable to any future financial results. Its listed peers are Dixon Technologies, Amber Enterprises, Syrma SGS Technology, and Elin Electronics. 8) Promoters Promoters - Hardeep Singh and Surmeet Kaur - hold 100 percent shareholding in the company. Hardeep Singh is the Managing Director and Chairman of the company, while Surmeet Kaur and Sanjeet Singh are the Whole-time Directors on the board. Subhash Chand Agrawal is the Chief Financial Officer of the company, while Sandeep Kumar Agarwal is the Company Secretary and Compliance Officer. 9) Risk Factors a) IKIO derives a substantial portion of revenue from Signify Innovations India which accounted for 70.04 percent of restated revenue from operations in nine-month period ended December 2022. Further, over 85 percent of revenue is derived from top twenty customers on a restated basis in the same period. Cancellation by top customers or delay or reduction in their orders could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition. b) It also derives a substantial portion of revenue from LED lighting products which accounted for 91.27 percent of revenue. Any reduction in orders for LED lighting product line could have a material adverse effect on its business. c) The company also relies on third party suppliers for key components, materials and stock-in-trade as well as customer support services including product repairs and returns. Any shortfall in the supply of components and raw materials or an increase in component or raw material costs, or other input costs, may adversely affect the pricing and supply of products. d) IKIO is dependent on imported components from vendors in China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan and raw materials. Any shortfall in the said supply may adversely busines. e) Continuous customer on-boarding is critical to any contact manufacturer. Significant delay could curb growth prospects, says Anand Rathi. f) Anand Rathi further says demand prospects in US markets could be bruised by recessionary headwinds. Prolonged subdued demand could weigh on growth prospects. 10) Listing and Allotment Dates IKIO Lighting will finalise the basis of allotment by June 13. The refunds will be credited to bank accounts of unsuccessful investors by June 14, and equity shares will be transferred to eligible investors by June 15. The listing of equity shares will take place on June 16. Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors is the sole book running lead manager, while KFin Technologies is the registrar to the offer. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Shares of Tata Motors climbed to a 52-week high in early trade on June 5, buoyed by the Tata Group's plans to invest Rs 13,000 crore to set-up a lithium-ion manufacturing facility in Gujarat. At 09.58 am, shares of Tata Motors were trading at Rs 539.80, with gains of around 1 percent on the National Stock Exchange. The stock also touched a 52-week high of Rs 542.50 within the first hour of trade on June 5. The Tata Group, through its subsidiary, Agratas Energy Storage Solution, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat for its capital expenditure plans in the state. The move will significantly support the development of the electric-vehicle (EV) industry in India. According to an official announcement by the Gujarat government, the project is set to commence with an initial investment of Rs 13,000 crores (equivalent to USD 1.8 billion) during its first phase. This endeavour aims to establish a factory with a substantial capacity of 20 gigawatts (GW), furthering the government's push towards achieving 100 percent EV adoption and reduction in carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Follow our live blog for all the market action Global research and broking firm Morgan Stanley sees Tata Group's entry into the battery cells segment as a positive for Tata Motors. The firm believes this move will provide a stable, secure and cost-effective supply chain for Tata Motors which will be critical for the company in maintaining its dominance in the Indian EV space. Currently, Tata Motors holds the largest market share within the EV passenger car segment. With just two models, namely the Nexon EV and Tigor EV, Tata Motors commands an 86 percent market share in the EV sector. Meanwhile, Tata Motors also expects to see some moderation in growth within the passenger vehicle segment to 5-7 percent in FY24. At such a time, the company's efforts to sustain long-term growth through their focus on sustainable products from the EV and CNG segments was cheered by the Street. Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Even as ESG investing gains traction globally as one of the hottest strategies, one Indian fund managers bet against the trade has proved to be a big boon. The Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund boosted holdings of Asias largest cigarette maker ITC Ltd. and the worlds top miner by production Coal India Ltd. at low valuations three years ago, when some large investors balked at them. Those bets helped the fund deliver a return of 14% so far this year, outperforming 90% of its peers. For some time the whole thinking in the investing world was that everything should be ESG and how can you have fossil or tobacco companies, Rajeev Thakkar, who manages about $4 billion as the chief investment officer for Parag Parikh Financial Advisory Services Ltd., said in an interview last week. Global funds, especially money managers based in Europe, have been trimming their exposures to tobacco, coal and oil companies in recent years to comply with their environmental, social and governance mandates. That drove the valuations of companies in these sectors to ridiculously low levels, and thats when we realize there lies a great opportunity, Thakkar said. Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund Has Outperformed Benchmarks European funds ownership of ITC shares declined by about 5% over the past five years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Abrdn PLC, Deutsche Bank AG and Principal Financial Group Plc are among funds that narrowed holdings in the firm, which earns more than 40% of its revenue from tobacco. ITCs shares trailed the Sensex for five out of eight years through 2020 but have turned into one of the benchmarks best performers since then, a period during which Thakkar raised his funds holdings in the Kolkata-headquartered firm, which counts British American Tobacco Plc among its key stake holders. The fund has ITC as its second-largest holding and Coal India as the tenth-biggest, according to the latest filing. The coal producers shares have more than doubled since a 2020 low. It also has one-fifth of its investments in US companies, including Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc. Thakkars conviction in ITC and Coal India is also guided by the companies strategy to wean away from their traditional businesses. ITC is looking to expand its presence in consumer space, agriculture and information technology, while Coal India is investing into gasification and renewable energy. They are clearly working toward a transition, and what matters for us is the direction rather than the current position, said Thakkar. Obviously things cannot change overnight and it has to be a process, which we invested and sort of benefited from. The UTI Nifty 50 Equal Weight Index Fund (UNE50) is an open-ended scheme replicating or tracking NIFTY50 Equal Weight Total Return Index (NE50). Put simply, this scheme will attempt to offer returns in line with the underlying index before accounting for expenses and tracking error. Sharwan Kumar Goyal will be managing this scheme. The index allocates an equal amount of money (2 percent) to each stock in Nifty 50. The weightage is rebalanced every quarter. What works? The index consists of Nifty 50 stocks. These are large companies with an established track record. For those who wish to stay away from small and mid-sized companies, where you could end up investing in companies or management with little or no track record, this sort of a large-cap fund offers solace. It also reduces your portfolios volatility because large and well-established companies are among the least volatile on the stock markets. ALSO READ: NFO review: Edelweiss MFs new multi-asset fund is debt-focussed with indexation taxation benefit As all stocks are equally represented in the NE50, investors are relatively less exposed to sectoral or stock-specific concentration risk. For example, the Nifty 50 index has 37 percent allocation to the financial sector, whereas in case of Nifty equal weight 50 the same gets capped at 22.63 percent. Since each stocks weight is capped at 2 percent at the end of each quarter, the profits are booked periodically. When the equity markets see a broad-based rally, the equal weight index typically does better than the market cap-based Nifty 50 index. Abhay Mathure, a Mumbai-based mutual fund distributor, is of the opinion that NE50 can be a better bet than investing in Nifty 50. If a stock with a large weight in Nifty 50 underperforms, the index returns suffer. However, that is not the case with NE50 as all stocks are equally represented, he says. What does not work? If a particular sector or a handful of stocks, with large allocation in Nifty, are doing well, the Nifty 50 tends to do better than the NE50. Quarterly rebalancing ensures that the winners are trimmed from time to time and relatively less-performing companies are bought. ALSO READ: NPS Equity funds shine, but struggles to beat broader indices The churn of the portfolio of NE50 tends to be higher than that of the Nifty 50 index. While considering index investing, Nitesh Buddhadev, founder of Nimit Consultancy, prefers to stick to index funds which track time-tested indices, based on market capitalisation over equal weight strategy. Indexing in market cap-based index is akin to momentum investing wherein we invest more in stocks doing well. Also, equal weight index tend to charge more than the Nifty 50 index, he adds. What should you do? Over the last three and five years ended June 1, 2023, DSP Nifty Equal Weight Nifty 50 index fund (the oldest scheme tracking NE50 index) has given 28.65 percent and 11.76 percent, respectively. Compared to this, large-cap equity funds have given 23.36 percent and 11.56 percent, respectively, as per Value Research data. Nippon India ETF Nifty BeES that tracks Nifty 50 index has given 24.81 percent and 12.82 percent, respectively, over the same period of time. ALSO READ: Holidays booked with foreign tour operators escape 20% TCS, but Indian tour operators must collect this tax For all those who want to avoid fund manager risk and are still looking for something better than a traditional passive investing approach, this strategy with equal allocation to Nifty 50 constituents may find it interesting. While selecting an index fund, you should pay heed to the expense ratio and the tracking error. Lower the better it is for the investor. UNE50 is not the first of its kind. Other fund houses, like Aditya Birla Sun Life, HDFC, ICICI and DSP, offer it as well. Even if you are keen to invest in the equal weight strategy, ideally opt for a systematic investment plan to reduce timing risk. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it will conduct a four-day Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction for a notified amount of Rs 1 lakh crore on June 5. The auction will take place between 2pm and 2:30pm, the release said. The reversal of these funds will take place on June 9. The VRRR is usually undertaken to withdraw excess liquidity from the banking system. Liquidity in the banking system is estimated to be in surplus of around Rs 2.38 lakh crore. The central bank has last week conducted a 14-day VRRR auction for a notified amount of Rs 2 lakh crore, but received muted response from the banks, who parked only Rs 50,868 crore. This was despite huge surplus liquidity in the banking system. Dealers attribute it to that banks refrained from parking funds for longer tenure due to expectation of heavy outflows in the coming days on account of advance tax and good and service tax. In the April monetary policy, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said that in the period ahead, the Reserve Bank will remain flexible in meeting the productive requirements of the economy through two-way operations, as may be necessary. 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. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Shares of shipbuilders rose after the media reports said that the National Security Advisor of India and the US Secretary of Defence met to discuss cooperation in the maritime defence sector. Shares of Shipping Corporation of India jumped 7 percent, Great Eastern Shipping Company 3 percent, and Cochin Shipyard climbed over 11 percent on Juen 5. US Secretary of Defence Lloyd James Austin III, who arrived in New Delhi for a three-day visit to India earlier on Friday, met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Austin had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well. Strengthening bilateral ties The agenda of the meeting included cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military, and aerospace domains to boost capabilities and greater transfer of technology, co-production, and building indigenous capacities in line with Indias Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. Austin said the US government was committed to strengthening the bilateral defence relations between the two countries, and expressed US strong desire to further enhance the strategic partnership for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Meanwhile, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Government remains deeply committed to the development in the eastern region of India as well as India's neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal. Sarbananda Sonowal attended a crucial meeting of stakeholders of maritime development in the Bay of Bengal area in Kolkata on Sunday. 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. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept In times when pollution and climate change make headlines, it is imperative that residents of housing societies take upon themselves the responsibility of preserving the environment and try to be self-sufficient. On Environment Day, Moneycontrol looks at some green initiatives taken by housing societies in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. While there are a few societies that have worked towards becoming self-sufficient in power by harnessing solar energy, others have directed efforts at preserving water resources. Last year, a report by McKinsey noted that real estate is central to global climate change mitigation efforts. It pointed out that real estate drives approximately 39 percent of total global emissions. Approximately 11 percent of these emissions are generated by manufacturing materials used in buildings (including steel and cement), while the rest is emitted from buildings themselves and by generating the energy that powers buildings. A whiff of fresh air in polluted Delhi Delhi-NCR grapples with air pollution every year, especially with the onset of winter. Real estate remains a major contributor to air pollution after stubble burning. However, Ranjit Singh, former president of Defence Colony RWA in Delhi, believes that today homebuyers have become more conscious about green initiatives compared to five years back. The colony, housing over 6,000 apartments, recently installed a solar panel that resulted in a major dip in its electricity costs. "Today, we are already in the process of installing another one for the clubhouse. And seeing the benefits of energy conservation, individual homebuyers have started installing solar panels in their houses and water harvesting pits," he added. Solar panels installed by RWA in Bengaluru. Protecting Bengaluru Bengaluru often makes the headlines for floods and encroachments due to rapid unplanned development. However, over the last few years, several resident welfare associations (RWAs) have geared up for green transformation within their own apartment complexes. For example, homebuyers of Century Saras in Yelahanka, which has about 128 apartments, saved 10.8 crore litres of water annually thanks to several sustainable initiatives. In 2020, the RWA installed 50 kW of solar rooftop panels at an investment of Rs 30 lakh. Today, the common areas do not draw any electricity from the local supply. "Some months, when we draw more electricity from the solar panels, we often sell them to Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM). Today, we have managed to save 22-24 percent of the maintenance cost from environmental initiatives. This could go up to about 40 percent," Satish Mallya, one of the members of the association and also a member of the Bengaluru Apartment Federation, said. Reviving Mumbai A part of Mumbai, spread across ecologically-sensitive zones, is witnessing revival thanks to a group of RWAs. Opposite Harish Pandey's apartment in Dahisar West adjacent to Link Road, lies about 400 acres of mangrove wetland. However, over the years due to illegal construction and encroachments, large parts of the wetland started disappearing. About 25-30 RWAs in the area came together, pitching in at least Rs 11 per family to raise funds for the rejuvenation of these ecologically sensitive areas. The homebuyers moved the Supreme Court to save the wetland that also acted as a major carbon sink. After about three years, the court ruled in their favour and the mangrove forest was revived. "Today, the rejuvenation has boosted the biodiversity in the area. Not just birds, it has boosted local economies like the lives of fishermen who live in the area," Pandey said. The ruling Congress in Rajasthan remains on the edge. A whole week after the party high command tried to broker peace between its Top Two in the election-bound state, details of the peace formula remain elusive. As suspense and speculations dominate Congress corridors, the truce between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot last Monday seems as fragile as a newborn baby. With the Congress top brass failing to spell out the contours of the peace proposal to resolve the Gehlot-Pilot tussle, an air of uncertainty hangs over the Grand Old Party in Rajasthan. A week after they met Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, there are more questions than answers, despite KC Venugopals claim that the warring duo had decided to fight elections unitedly. Elusive Peace Formula Was the smiling Gehlot-Pilot picture with Venugopal just a photo-op? Was the Delhi meet mere optics or will some concrete steps be taken to resolve the deadlock? Will Gehlot-Pilot be able to work together or is a break-up now inevitable? Besides Congress leaders and cadres, the people of Rajasthan are waiting for answers to these lingering queries. Amid the party high commands keenness to project a united face ahead of assembly polls, it must be remembered that the Gehlot-Pilot pictures last week was the first occasion when the duo were spotted together since the Bharat Jodo Yatra exited Rajasthan in December. A day after the projected unity in Delhi, Gehlot hoped that he and Pilot would work together but also obliquely advised his young rival on the need for patience. But as Pilot loyalists point out, patience is exactly what Gehlot and his lobby lacked last September when the party leadership asked him to become Congress President and hand over chief ministerial reins to Pilot. The well-orchestrated revolt and resignations by pro-Gehlot MLAs then had only deepened the Congress crisis in Rajasthan. A Rift Too Deep To Heal But by May 31, Pilot again struck a discordant note. On a trip to his constituency in Tonk, Pilot asserted that no compromise was possible on his demands. Though his tone was not as aggressive as earlier, Pilot insisted, Corruption and the future of the youth on these two issues it is not possible for me to make any compromiseI feel action should be taken against the allegations of corruption and the youth should be given justice. The May 30 deadline of Pilots ultimatum has come and gone but theres still no sign of any concrete action by the Gehlot government on his demands. Despite the high command striving to end the infighting, the animosity of the two sides for the past several months is not easy to patch up. The Delhi meet came after an ugly slugfest over the past month where the two bigwigs indulged in brinkmanship and their supporters became increasingly belligerent. A Congress meet in Ajmer even saw a scuffle between Gehlot-Pilot loyalists a fortnight ago. Given the bitter backdrop, its no surprise that a peace formula remains missing. Reasons for the delay are causing intense speculation and depending on which faction you meet in the Rajasthan Congress, you get a different answer. While Pilot loyalists insist that Gehlot is blocking all proposals as hes not interested in resolving issues, Gehlot supporters claim Pilot is unreliable and does not deserve any key post. Saner elements say it will be announced after Rahul Gandhi returns from the US. Will Pilot Act On June 11? While rumours and speculations abound, a big buzz has erupted in the last few days that Pilot may be forming his own party on his fathers death anniversary on June 11. Political circles in Delhi and Jaipur are abuzz that Pilot is consulting election strategist Prashant Kishores I-PAC and may finally float a new party on his fathers death anniversary function in Dausa. Pilot has made no announcements so far but some political pundits claim he is now preparing a final exit strategy. As the Grand Old party dithers and the Gehlot-Pilot tussle simmers, it is worth recalling that last year Rahul Gandhi had called both leaders as assets for the Congress party. Sadly, it seems the two assets now see each other as liabilities for their political ambitions and their rift has turned intractable. Though the party high command and Congress supporters want a reconciliation, chances of the two biggies burying the hatchet seem less than likely. A rift that Sonia Gandhi could not resolve seems rather unlikely to be settled in the Kharge era. So will brinkmanship now move towards a final breakup that could dent Congress prospects? Or will there be some face-saver for effective power-sharing to patch up the schism and prevent a further slugfest till the upcoming elections? Pilots rally on June 11 could clear the suspense and finally end the long wait that currently grips the Rajasthan Congress. Rajan Mahan is a senior journalist who headed NDTV and Star News in Rajasthan. He was also a Professor of Journalism at the University of Rajasthan in Jaipur. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. For years, Saudi Arabia has vowed to intervene in the oil market only in concert with OPEC bigwigs and rarely, if ever, alone. Call it the oil version of "all for one, one for all. On Sunday, Riyadh threw away its own rule book, announcing a unilateral output cut that would push the countrys production down to levels rarely seen in the last decade. The market reaction? Meh. Oil rose a lackluster 2 percent in early trading on Monday, with Brent still below $80 a barrel. Few Saudi officials understand better than Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman the never alone mantra. The current Saudi oil minister attended his first meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in 1987. It was a teaching moment for the young royal. For several years, Riyadh had cut oil production unilaterally to support prices, ceding market share to rivals inside and outside OPEC. At one point in late 1985, with output barely covering domestic consumption, the kingdom threw in the towel and sharply boosted output, triggering a price collapse. So why has Prince Abdulaziz, a critic of previous Saudi ministers who acted alone, taken the solo route? On Sunday, Riyadh announced it will reduce output by 10 percent in July. Coming on top of cuts in May and June, which only included a handful of OPEC nations rather than the whole group, it would reduce Saudi output to 9 million barrels a day. Excluding a period during the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand plunged, Saudi oil output would drop to a level unseen in more than a decade. Riyadh regularly pumped more than 9 million barrels a day in 2003, and again from 2005 to 2008. The cut is meant to be only for July, but the Saudis indicated it may be extended if needed. Oil traders reckon thats likely. Prince Abudlaziz said the cut highlighted how the kingdom will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market. For stability, read higher oil prices. Because Riyadh is forfeiting so much production, unless prices rally over the next few days it would end giving up an enormous amount of petroleum revenue. Everyone else inside the OPEC+ alliance would reap the benefits. To keep earnings unchanged, Riyadh needs oil to surge by more than $10 a barrel to offset the drop in production from April to July. Its impossible to know what would have happened to oil prices had the Saudis kept output unchanged. But for now, it doesnt look like the strategy is paying off. Still, if one accepts the Saudi narrative, the cut is the oil market equivalent to shock-and-awe in modern warfare. It will rapidly tighten a market that was about to get tighter anyway thanks to seasonally rising oil demand. Using the supply-and-demand balances published by the International Energy Agency, the oil market may be undersupplied by more than 1.5 million barrels a day during the second half of the year. Thats a huge gap that requires higher prices. Also, because Riyadh doesnt cheat on its oil-output pledges, as others in OPEC do, the impact of the extra cuts would be truly felt in the physical petroleum market. Over time, the physical market tightness will spread into the world of financial contracts in Wall Street, flushing out speculators. Taking a sympathetic view, the cut dubbed the Saudi lollipop by Prince Abdulaziz is bullish, perhaps marking a first step to drive oil prices back to the $90 to $100 range the Saudis prefer. Unlike in the 1980s, the Saudis dont face massive competition. Back then, oil production was gushing everyone. Now, even the US shale industry is somewhat on the back foot, and Russia isnt in a position to increase production either. But theres a far less rosy view. The skeptical perspective says the OPEC weekend didnt go Saudi Arabias way, and Prince Abdulaziz was, effectively, forced into a solo cut. Since Riyadh roped Russia into the cartel in 2006, it was meant that both countries would cut in unison. Over the weekend, no deeper output reductions were pledged by Moscow, which instead simply extended the length of curbs previously announced. Moreover, many inside OPEC were skeptical, to put it mildly, that the Russians were even delivering on those supply promises. And with the United Arab Emirates winning an increase in its quota for 2024, that nation will soon be adding oil into the market, irrespective of what the Saudis do. The dichotomy of Saudi Arabia cutting output to a 10-year low while its neighbor prepares to open the taps is telling. Put together, both measures indicate that Moscow and Abu Dhabi are more content with lower oil prices than Riyadh is. Both are vocal enough to get their way, too. If thats true, Saudi Arabia could be forced to shoulder more of the weight of managing the oil market alone if it wants to keep prices elevated much as it had to do in the 1980s. It's a high-reward but extremely high-risk strategy. The Saudis are hoping their unilateral cut will be short-lived, and soon the market would tighten enough to require more of their oil. That was the bet, too, in the 1980s. Back then, the strategy failed spectacularly. Hopefully for Prince Abdulaziz, the lessons learnt may mean he succeeds where his predecessors stumbled. Javier Blas is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering energy and commodities. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. Credit: Bloomberg 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. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP saying they never talk about the future, and always blame somebody else in the past for their failures. Gandhi, who is on a visit to the US, was addressing the members of Indian diaspora in the Javits Centre here. They observed 60-second silence in respect of those who died in the Odisha train accident. The accident involving three trains has left at least 280 dead and brought into focus the issue of railway safety. There has been demand for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from some quarters. "I remember a train accident when the Congress was in power. The Congress did not get up and say 'now it is the fault of the British that the train has crashed'. The Congress minister said 'it's my responsibility and I'm resigning'. So this is the problem we have back home, we make excuses and we are not accepting the reality we are faced with," Gandhi said, without naming the Congress minister. He said the BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. "He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is trying to drive the car...the Indian car and he looks in the rear-view mirror. Then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS. All of them. You listen to the ministers, you listen to the prime minister. You will never find them talking about the future. They only talk about the past," he said. "The BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. They never talk about the future; they only talk about the past. And they will always blame somebody else for the past," he said. He said there is a fight going on back in India between two ideologies -- one represented by the Congress and the other by the BJP and the RSS. "The simplest way to describe this fight is that on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side, Nathuram Godse," he said. He also praised the Indian-American community for the way they have lived in the US. "All the giants that have emerged from India, you can see that there were certain qualities that all of them possessed. Firstly, they searched for, represented and fought for the truth. Secondly, all these people were humble, and there was no arrogance in them. That is how Indians have worked in the US, and that's why Indians are successful here. I respect and honour you for that." Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Monday said that officials from both Nepal and India should sit down for discussions to resolve the border issue between the two countries. Prachanda visited India from May 31 to June 3, his first official trip abroad since assuming office in December 2022. His meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday saw the two countries signing seven agreements and launching six projects including new railway services. The two leaders also vowed to resolve the vexed boundary dispute in the spirit of friendship. Responding to the questions from lawmakers regarding the agreements reached during his India visit and the authentication of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives, Prachanda said that Nepal and India both sides should sit together and hold discussions, keeping the map before them. "Discussions have been held on several issues during my India visit. We are concerned on matters relating to national interest and sovereignty. Talks have also been held on the issue of the map," the Prime Minister told the Parliament. When asked about wearing a saffron-coloured shawl while offering prayers at Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh during his visit, Prachanda said, "No one should do anything that belittles the religious faith of the people". "I went to Indore to learn about wastage management and the development of IT there," he clarified. "I believe in secularism," the Prime Minister said when some lawmakers asked whether he was theist or atheist. Prachanda said that the Citizenship Bill was forwarded to the President for authentication as it was passed by both the houses of the Parliament. Many people were deprived of citizenship as the Bill had not been authenticated for long, he added. During Monday's session, Prachanda was asked several questions on different issues including the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, border security matters and the Citizenship Bill. The ties between India and Nepal came under severe strain after Kathmandu published a new political map in 2020 that showed three Indian territories Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh as part of Nepal. India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioned Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it. Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and the leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old "Roti Beti" relationship. The country shares a border of over 1850 km with five Indian states Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services. Nepal's access to the sea is through India, and it imports a predominant proportion of its requirements from and through India. The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the special relations between the two countries. Serious heart attacks are more likely to happen at the start of the working week than at any other time, according to a study. The researchers at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland analysed data of 10,528 patients across Ireland admitted to hospital between 2013 and 2018 with the most serious type of heart attack. This is known as an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and occurs when a major coronary artery is completely blocked. The research, presented at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) conference in Manchester, UK, found a spike in rates of STEMI heart attacks at the start of the working week, with rates highest on a Monday. There were also higher rates of STEMI than expected on a Sunday, the researchers said. "This study adds to evidence around the timing of particularly serious heart attacks, but we now need to unpick what it is about certain days of the week that makes them more likely," said Professor Nilesh Samani, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation. "Doing so could help doctors better understand this deadly condition so we can save more lives in future," Samani said. Scientists have so far been unable to fully explain why this "Blue Monday" phenomenon occurs. Previous studies suggesting that heart attacks are more likely on a Monday have highlighted an association with circadian rhythm, the body's sleep or wake cycle. There are over 30,000 hospital admissions due to STEMI each year in the UK. It requires emergency assessment and treatment to minimise damage to the heart, and this is normally performed with emergency angioplasty, a procedure to re-open the blocked coronary artery. "We've found a strong statistical correlation between the start of the working week and the incidence of STEMI. This has been described before but remains a curiosity," said Jack Laffan, who led the research at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. "The cause is likely multifactorial, however, based on what we know from previous studies, it is reasonable to presume a circadian element," Laffan added. Microsoft Corp's product suite that includes Word and Excel was down for more than 15,000 users on Monday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. "We're investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web," Microsoft tweeted. The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the outage reports on Microsoft 365. Microsoft services have faced at least three outages since the beginning of the year. Downdetector tracks outages by collating status reports from several sources including users. 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. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to visit India as part of a six-nation tour that also includes the likes of Jordan and Qatar., later this week. Altman shared the news on his Twitter handle on Sunday. "excited to visit israel, jordan, qatar, the uae, india, and south korea this week!," Altman wrote on Twitter. excited to visit israel, jordan, qatar, the uae, india, and south korea this week! Sam Altman (@sama) June 4, 2023 Despite Altman stating that India was a part of his tour, it is still unclear as to when exactly he would visit the country and which part of India he would be in during his visit to India. Altman's tweet generated several responses, some of whom who wanted to know about his schedule in India. "What's your schedule like in India?," a user wrote. "Welcome to India Sam , more people use ChatGPT, any possible meeting where we can listen to you," a second user wrote. OpenAI has been in the news in the last 12 months for the launch of its artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT, which can produce prose and poetry on command. In January 2023, software giant Microsoft announced a multibillion investment in the company. "Today, we are announcing the third phase of our long-term partnership with OpenAI through a multiyear, multibillion dollar investment to accelerate AI breakthroughs to ensure these benefits are broadly shared with the world," a statement on the company's blog read. Also read: AI poses 'risk of extinction', say ChatGPT creator Sam Altman, experts 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. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Apple is back with its yearly developer event and it is expected that the smartphone manufacturer will introduce a range of new products at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023, the five-day event starting today, June 5 and ending on Friday (June 9). Here is how you can watch the event live in India and what can be expected from the event: When is the event? The five-day event will start at 10:30 pm in India on June 5. While the event is online, a select number of students and developers have received invitations for the event, to be held at Apple Park in Cupertino in California. CEO Tim Cook's keynote is likely to be one of the highlights on the opening day. How to watch it live The event will be streamed live worldwide on apple.com. Apple TV will also stream the event live and those with a subscription will watch the event live there. The official YouTube channel of Apple will also stream the WWDC event live. What to expect Apple WWDC will see premium products such as new MacBook Air, mixed reality (MR) headset and a new operating system from Apple. The MR headset, which is said to have virtual reality and augmented reality features, is likely to be the highlight of the event. The price of the headset is likely to be $3,000 (approximately Rs 2.47 lakh) and could be available in five different colours- black, blue, grey, green and pink. An improved and updated version of the MacBook Air with a 15-inch display could also be introduced on the opening day. An Indian-origin CEO has found himself in the midst of a major crisis as his US-based marketing firm, Captiv8, faces backlash over its partnership with Bud Light beer, resulting in a viral TikTok video that has become an example of marketing misfire. The eight-year-old marketing firm, based in San Mateo, California, specialises in pairing social-media influencers with consumer brands. However, its recent collaboration with a transgender actress, Dylan Mulvaney, has sent the firm into "serious panic mode," according to reports. The video, posted on April 1, featured Mulvaney holding a Bud Light can while taking a bubble bath. The video sparked nationwide backlash, causing anxiety and confusion among Captiv8 employees. "There was a lot of chatter" among the staff about the potential blowback from the botched campaign, revealed a source familiar with the situation. The source further added, "Internally, the company was in serious panic mode." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dylan Mulvaney (@dylanmulvaney) Captiv8, which boasts a database of over 1 million influencers on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, has previously worked with major brands like Walmart, American Express, Twitter, and KraftHeinz. Co-founded in 2015 by Krishna Subramanian, a Silicon Valley investor who sold online ad network BlueLithium to Yahoo for $300 million, Captiv8 has positioned itself as an expert in influencer marketing. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Subramanian emphasized the importance of viral videos in conjunction with major advertising events such as the Super Bowl. "The best way to think about TikTok is that it's a vehicle that takes a consumer to the checkout line," he stated. Contrary to the swanky office depicted in their promotional video, the company's actual office in San Mateo is a small space that can accommodate only a dozen employees, with the majority of their 100-plus workforce operating remotely. Despite the initial panic, Captiv8 seems to have returned to "business as usual," according to inside sources. Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the parent company of Bud Light, has remained tight-lipped about the origins of the ill-fated Mulvaney campaign. The company placed two executives, Alissa Heinerscheid and Daniel Blake, on leave following the controversy. Anheuser-Busch InBev informed its distributors that Mulvaney's beer can was not produced by the company or in any of its facilities. They also revealed that the "third-party" ad agency responsible for the Mulvaney video had been terminated. Read: 'Boycott Starbucks' calls over viral ad on transgender acceptance. Watch An unnamed distributor explained to New York Post, "Ad agencies send out hundreds of influencer kits a year, some of which have a customized can included. This was one of those situations. Subramanian has not made any public statements regarding the crisis. However, the Captiv8 website continues to showcase its influencer marketplace, featuring over 30 million creators. Actor Barry Newman, who was known for his role in the 1971-starrer "Vanishing Point" died at the age of 92. As per report published on The Hollywood Reporter, Newman died on May 11 from natural causes at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Newman is survived by his wife, Angela, who informed the news of his death to the website. Newman's acting career was affected after he was diagnosed with vocal-cord cancer in 2007. However, he later recovered from the disease. In 2022, Newman worked with writer-director Furie in an independent film, titled, "Finding Hannah". But it was in the "Vanishing Point"- released in 1971- which bought Newman fame and recognition. The movie, which was directed by Richard C. Sarafian, saw Newman essay the role of a former race driver Kowalski, who moves around in a Dodge Challenger after getting entangled in a criminal conspiracy. Shot over a duration of eight weeks, "Vanishing Point" has become a cult movie and leading directors like Steven Spielberg have called it one of their favourite films. Additionally, Newman also starred in movies such as Daylight (1996) in which he worked with Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone, The Limey (1999), Bowfinger (1999) and 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002). Also read: Cannes 2023: How Suzlon, COVID & menstrual taboo served this Kolkata boy a female story 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. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept A recent Twitter thread by a film critic exposed a phishing scam that has infiltrated Delhi. Sucharita, armed with a riveting firsthand experience, recalled how a new scam has been targeting innocent individuals through deceptive automated calls masquerading as the Delhi Police. And behind this facade lies a cunning trap aimed at extracting personal information from unsuspecting victims. Sucharita recounted her experience, stating, "Just got an automated call saying 'This call is from @DelhiPolice, a document of yours needs to be picked up, stay on the line and press...garbled.' I randomly press 1, it connects me to a man claiming to be a cop, asking why I have called the police line." The person on the other end of the line, who identified himself as Rahul Singh, a sub-inspector from the Kirti Nagar police station, proceeded to ask for her name and claimed that she had some missing documents, including her Aadhar card, PAN card, and ATM card. However, soon it became evident to Sucharita that it was a scam. She noted, "Obvious at this point yeh scam hai, I'm mildly curious and I say 'nope, I've got everything.'" The scammer then took a more aggressive approach, mentioning a certain Vipul Singh who had been caught with stolen ATM cards and claimed that one of the cards had Sucharita's name on it. He asked her to confirm the last four digits of the card. Realizing the fraudulent nature of the call, Sucharita decided to take action, stating, "Bass means my patience is this much only, Sunday morning hai after all. Toh I hang up saying 'I'll get in touch with Kirti Nagar police station directly.'" The film critic emphasised the authenticity of the scam call, highlighting that both the automated message and the English-speaking scammer were highly convincing. She also provided the phone number associated with the scam: +91 96681 9555. Read the full thread on Twitter below: Phishing scam- Just got an automated call saying This call is from @DelhiPolice, a document of yours needs to be picked up, stay on the line and press*garbled*. I randomly press 1, it connects me to a man claiming to be a cop, asking why *I* have called the police line. Sucharita (@Su4ita) June 4, 2023 Delhi Police soon responded asking her to register a complaint. You may register your complaint on the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, they wrote. One user shared a similar incident they faced last year from, interestingly, a nine-digit number. They wrote: A similar call was received by one known presently living in Mumbai, moved from Delhi last year. The number is interestingly 9 digit. Another user wrote: My dad received a similar call a few days back, the lad asked his name then the follow up question was, what was his mobile number, that's when he grew suspicious and asked what police station was he calling from which led to him disconnecting the call. Sucharita's concluded that it is very easy to fall for such scams, especially the elderly. It would be SO easy to fall for this for a senior citizen or someone who isnt prepared to be scammed everytime the phone rings in 2023, she wrote. She also advised her 41,700 followers to "Sawdhaan Rahein. Satark Rahein" (stay alert. stay cautious), in Crime Patrol style. Saudi Arabia pledged an additional production cut in July to stabilize the oil market, ceding ground to two of its key allies Russia and the United Arab Emirates which made no commitment to curb further. Heres what leading analysts have to say about the kingdoms move to go it alone with a 1 million barrel-a-day reduction: Morgan Stanley The cut may support prices in the short term, but the broad market dynamics for the rest of 2023 and into 2024 remain practically unchanged, analysts including Martijn Rats and Charlotte Firkins wrote in a note. Its the third OPEC cut in nine months and likely to be the last this year, provided there are no major changes in the supply and demand outlook, they added. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The OPEC+ meeting was moderately bullish and offset some bearish downside risk to the banks December forecast of $95 a barrel, said analysts including Daan Struyven and Callum Bruce. The Saudi energy ministers whatever is necessary comment signals a commitment to continue to lean against the shorts and leverage its unusually high pricing power, they said. Vanda Insights The Saudi energy minister is in a difficult situation, having repeated that warning to short sellers, Vandana Hari, the founder of consultancy Vanda Insights in Singapore, said in a Bloomberg television interview. Speculators are going to follow market cues, and if the global economy shows signs of weakness, they will be back in no time, she added. Commonwealth Bank of Australia Saudi Arabia will likely extend Julys production cuts if Brent remains stuck between $70 and $75 a barrel, said Vivek Dhar, director of mining and energy commodities research at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The kingdom could even deepen the curbs if prices drop below $70 a barrel, he added. RBC Capital Markets While some will focus on Saudi Arabia not acting in concert with the rest of OPEC+, the fact that the kingdom is willing to shoulder the curbs alone adds to the credibility of the cut and signals real barrels coming off the market, analysts Helima Croft and Christopher Louney wrote in a note. Saudi Arabia has a track record of delivering on material cuts, they said. ANZ Group Holdings Ltd. The move by Saudi Arabia is likely to come as a surprise, considering the most recent change to quotas had only been in effect for a month, analysts Brian Martin and Daniel Hynes wrote in a note. The oil market now looks like it will be even tighter in the second half of the year. Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern received one of New Zealand's top honours, recognising her efforts for leading the country through the COVID-19 crisis, the terror attacks on two Christchurch mosques and the White Island volcanic eruption. Ardern was named "Dame Grand Companion," the second highest honour in New Zealand, on King Charles' birthday holiday celebrated by the country on June 5, and she made the coronation honours list for this year. The awardee is usually chosen in New Zealand by the prime minister and then approved by the British monarch, the head of state. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said Ardern was recognised for her service during some of the greatest challenges New Zealand had faced in modern times. "Leading New Zealand's response to the 2019 terrorist attacks and to the COVID-19 pandemic represented periods of intense challenge for our 40th Prime Minister, during which time I saw firsthand that her commitment to New Zealand remained absolute," Hipkins said. Ardern, who became the prime minister in 2017, resigned in January in a shock announcement saying she had "no more in the tank" to lead New Zealand. Ardern said she felt "incredibly humbled" to receive the honour but was in "two minds" to accept it as the efforts for which she was getting recognised for "were about all of us rather than one individual." "But I have heard that said by so many kiwis who I have encouraged to accept an honour over the years," Ardern said in a statement. "And so for me this a way to say thank you - to my family, to my colleagues, and to the people who supported me to take on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the two leaders discussed advancing bilateral ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport and connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science and technology. Jaishankar co-chaired the first Joint Commission of Cooperation between India and Namibia with Nandi-Ndaitwah during which he underlined that the contemporary cooperation should build on long-standing political goodwill and growing development partnership. "Discussed advancing our ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport & connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science & technology and culture. As also wildlife collaboration and eco-tourism. Our perspectives (on) regional and global issues are similar and drive our working together in international forums," Jaishankar tweeted. Earlier, Nandi-Ndaitwah held a tete-a-tete with Jaishankar ahead of the delegation-level meeting. Jaishankar also called on President Dr Hage G. Geingob and conveyed the personal greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Thank President @hagegeingob of Namibia for receiving me so warmly. Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. Valued his sentiments for our relationship and the vision to taking it forward," the minister said in another tweet. He also briefed the president on the productive Joint Commission meeting and affirmed India's commitment to "deepening our partnership further". The minister also visited the Namibian Independence Museum. "A powerful reminder of a shared struggle and the Global South solidarity," he said. Jaishankar arrived here in Namibia's capital on Sunday from Cape Town on a three-day visit. He was warmly received on his arrival in Windhoek by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Jenelly Matundu. He also interacted with the Indian community in Windhoek on Sunday evening. "Shared with them the history of our ties, as well as the new expressions of friendship. Also discussed the progress in India and its impact on Indians living abroad," the minister tweeted. 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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 data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, U.N. ambassador under former President Donald Trump, went after her ex-boss and 2024 rival Ron DeSantis on Sunday over their refusal to say whether they want Ukraine to win its war against Russia. In recent town hall events, Trump, the favorite for the Republican presidential nomination, said that he wanted the war to end, but that he would help Ukraine and Russia negotiate a settlement. Florida Governor DeSantis, Trump's nearest rival for the Republican nomination, said recently that he supports a settlement to the war, and that he hopes fighting will end by the time the next president takes the oath of office in January 2025. Haley, the only woman in the race for the Republican nomination, lambasted DeSantis for saying this year that Ukraine was a "territorial dispute", a comment that drew widespread criticism and that he has since walked back. "For them to sit there and say that this is a territorial dispute - that's just not the case, or to say that we should stay neutral," Haley told voters in the early nominating state of Iowa during a televised CNN town hall event. "It's in the best interest of our national security for Ukraine to win," she added. Ukraine is an issue that divides Republicans, because of an isolationist streak among many of the party's primary voters. Haley, 51, a former South Carolina governor, declared her White House bid in February but finds herself in a crowded Republican field that will reach double digits this week with the entrance of more contenders, including former Vice President Mike Pence. Trump dominates the field among potential Republican primary voters with 49% support. DeSantis is next with 19%. There is a yawning chasm between them and the rest of the field, including Haley; she has just 4% support, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll conducted in May. Haley and many of her rivals polling in single digits are trying to differentiate themselves from DeSantis, in the hope that he stumbles and they can become the main alternative to Trump. But some have also begun to criticize Trump himself, after months of shrinking away from attacking the former president out of a fear of alienating his hardcore supporters. On Sunday she also criticized Trump for congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week after the country was elected to the executive board of the World Health Organization. Trump has also praised the North Korean leader in the past. "Kim Jong Un is a thug," Haley said. "I don't think we should congratulate dictators." Trump also took fire from DeSantis and Pence over congratulating Kim, in separate weekend events in Iowa, the state that kicks of the nominating battle next year. In mid-May, cryptocurrency exchange Binance got some bad news in a far-flung corner of its sprawling universe. Binances payments partner in Australia had abruptly cut it off, meaning local customers couldnt deposit Aussie dollars on the platform via bank transfer. The hit to business was immediate, with Binance halting all Aussie trading pairs about two weeks later, along with bank withdrawals of the local currency. Add one more headache to the swelling list of challenges facing Richard Teng, the civil servant-turned-crypto executive whos seen as a possible heir to Binances embattled chief executive officer, billionaire Changpeng CZ Zhao. Teng has emerged as the frontrunner to take over as CEO should Zhao relinquish that position, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The succession issue has taken on additional urgency as US regulatory scrutiny of Binance mounted in recent months, the people said. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued Binance and Zhao himself in late March for allegedly violating derivatives regulations, and accused it of having sham compliance. Binance didnt respond to requests for comment on succession. Zhao has disputed the characterization of many of the issues alleged by the CFTC. Binance still handles more trading than all other top centralized crypto exchanges combined, yet never has its position seemed so precarious. At least four US federal agencies are investigating or bringing enforcement action against it, and regulators in Canada and Australia are looking into its business. Even Dubai, Zhaos adopted home and seen as a free-wheeling crypto hub, has tightened scrutiny of license applicants including Binance. Two months before Binance Australia said payments-solution provider Cuscal had pulled support for Aussie dollar deposit services, a UK banking partner stopped providing support to the exchange for transactions in British pounds. Binance regained a bit of market share in May Overall, volumes are way down since the start of the year, ever since the exchange halted its zero fee #BTC trading program. pic.twitter.com/hgMSHbgOry Kaiko (@KaikoData) June 1, 2023 This is the bleak environment into which Teng, a 52-year-old Singaporean, has been thrust following a meteoritic rise in his less than two years at Binance. In late May, Zhao appointed him as head of all regional markets outside the US, which is run as a separate entity. The apparent bet: Tengs resume, with senior positions at Singapores central bank and Abu Dhabis international free-trade zone, makes him the ideal candidate to help steer Binance through the regulatory hurricane bearing down on it. Tengs appointment checks the boxes for trust, said Campbell Harvey, a finance professor at Duke University. Binance is signaling that they want to work with the regulators. Meet @_RichardTeng, #Binance Head of Asia, Europe, and MENA, with over three decades of financial and regulatory experience. By working closely with policymakers, regulators, and industry players, Richard focuses on supporting our growth in a compliant and sustainable manner. pic.twitter.com/HQWFwCOO2O Binance (@binance) May 17, 2023 The CFTC lawsuit is perhaps the most imminent regulatory challenge for Binance, but its far from the only one. The US Justice Department is investigating whether its platform was used illegally to let Russians skirt US sanctions and move money, Bloomberg News reported in early May. Binance announced in May that it plans to exit Canada two months after its local affiliate filed paperwork to commit to registration citing new regulations that made the market no longer tenable for it. Its currently locked in a dispute with the Ontario Securities Commission. Teng worked for the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the city-states central bank, for 13 years until 2007, according to his LinkedIn profile. After that, he was at the Singapore stock exchange, working as chief regulatory officer. Then came a six-year stint running Abu Dhabi Global Market. He has a Masters degree in applied finance from the University of Western Australia, his profile shows. He joined Binance in August 2021 as Singapore CEO and, in Zhaos telling, his hiring was swift even by cryptos standards. The two men were introduced by an employee at Singapores central bank, Zhao said at Binances weekly Twitter Spaces on May 31. They said look, this is Richard, hes a cool guy, Zhao said. And so I talked to him. Within two weeks we reached a deal to hire him. Singapore Setback One of Tengs first tasks was to help Binance secure a license in Singapore, at the time one of the most coveted seals of approval in crypto. That actually didnt work out, but Richard had done phenomenal work during that process, Zhao said. The application failed because Binances affiliate didnt meet criteria for protecting against money laundering and terrorist financing, Bloomberg News reported in January 2022. Binance denied that at the time, saying it withdrew the application on strategic and commercial grounds. The setback didnt appear to hurt Tengs prospects at Binance. In December 2021, he was promoted to head of the Middle East and North Africa, and was given oversight of Europe less than a year later, according to his LinkedIn profile. Just a month before receiving his current title, Asia was added to the regions under Tengs purview. Hes now based in Dubai, where Binance has more than 500 employees. On paper, at least, Teng cuts a very different figure to Zhao. He spent almost two decades in total working for government entities. At Singapores stock exchange, he ran a group that enforces rules in areas including listings, trading and clearing, working closely with the MAS, his LinkedIn profile says. 580 Flight Hours Zhao, meanwhile, had an itinerant lifestyle for years after starting Binance in China in 2017. He appears to have finally settled on Dubai as his home. In the past few years, his company has been the subject of an array of regulatory rebukes and probes from the US to Thailand. At times, Zhao struck a defiant tone in defending Binance, arguing that its difficult to work with regulators who dont grasp the fundamentals of crypto. The contrasts extend to how the two men express themselves publicly. Zhao, until recently a regular on the crypto-conference tour whos said he spent 580 hours in the air in 2022, often takes to Twitter to disparage news reports he dislikes (he has 8.4 million Twitter followers). His tweets regularly include crypto jargon like FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) and SAFU a play on the word safe thats an acronym for Binances emergency reserve to protect customer assets. Teng is more scripted, preferring to stick to corporate messaging about Binances expansion in various regions and regulatory milestones. Grateful to Thailand and the Thai SEC for granting us and JV partner Gulf Energy the digital asset operator licence. Look forward to supporting our users and community in the Land of Smiles https://t.co/ydgLCX2Mfg Richard Teng (@_RichardTeng) May 26, 2023 Tengs rise has seen him join an inner circle of Zhao confidants that includes He Yi, Binances other co-founder with whom Zhao has two children. In a recent interview, He, who oversees Binances $9 billion venture capital arm, pointed to Tengs regulatory background when asked about his advance, but said other qualities played in as well. I think he is a very seasoned, professional manager, she said. Since he joined Binance, his scope has been continually expanding, and we all like and recognize Richard. Tengs recent promotion isnt the only sign that Binance is gearing up for a period of increased regulatory scrutiny one in part ushered in by the rapid demise last year of FTX, the crypto exchange that was seen by many as the most potent challenger to Binances dominance. Zhao himself helped accelerate FTXs demise when he tweeted that Binance was offloading its native crypto token, called FTT. Earlier this year, Binance hired former Gemini Trust Co. Chief Operating Officer Noah Perlman whose resume also includes a six-year stint as global head of financial crimes at Morgan Stanley to run its compliance operations. The companys compliance team has swelled to more than 750 people over the past two years, Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann said in February. June 05, 2023 Ukraine Launches Its Counterattack The long announced Ukrainian counter offensive has started. New Ukrainian units, never seen before, have come to the front. The attack was launched by Ukraine for political reasons under pressure from its 'western' sponsors. Militarily it is unlikely to become successful but it will eat away at whatever is left of Ukraine's military capabilities. Attacks happened all around the front. In the north towards Belgograd, to the east and, with the most forces, towards the south. There was so far little to no success in any of the attacks. The daily report by the Russian Ministry of Defense list as Ukrainian losses over the last 24 hours 910 soldiers, 16 tanks, 33 armored combat vehicles/infantry fighting vehicle and some 30 trucks. So far only the most forward positions of Russian troops have been attacked. There are two to three well organized defense lines behind those. The Russians can fall back whenever needed and let the artillery and air force destroy their oncoming enemies. As I wrote previously about any attacks in the direction of Tokmak and Melitopol: From the point of strategic value the chosen target is the right one. However, it is also the one where the Russian military has prepared its strongest defense lines. Source: @Inkvisiit, Scribblemaps - bigger In military books this is know as 'echeloned defense' with three lines of well prepared positions ten kilometer apart from each other. Each line consists of tank obstacles, mine belts, prepared anti-tank positions to monitor and counter potential breach attempts and well prepared artillery support from behind the next defense line. bigger To crack such a nut without air support and without significant artillery advantage is nearly impossible. There may still come larger attacks in other directions. But how many could there be? As a former Swedish officer notes: June 4th UkrAF scaled up offensive operations on the Southern Front, but the losses are too high for long time success. Earlier operations were mainly reconnaissance in force with platoon and company sized combat groups. Yesterday the Ukrainian forces seemed to be battalion sized combat groups. According to Russian MoD 8 UkrAF battalions was involved in offensive operations SE of Mala Tokmachka (1), at the Vremivka salient (2) and East of Vuhledar towards Velikonovoselovka (3). The fighting was intense, but on most places Ukrainian forces was turned back, mainly by intense Russian artillery and air attacks. On some places UkrAF succeeded in capturing a couple of hundred meters. ... [If the Russian numbers are true], the prospects for a Ukrainian counteroffensive looks very dim. This is even if we don't take into account the ongoing intense Russian air and artillery offensive against UkrAF troop concentrations, ammunition and fuel depots. With losses of over 1000 KIA and WIA that means that a Ukrainian brigade of 4000 man loose at least 25 percent of its manpower. That's on the brink of making a brigade unusable. Two days fighting with such losses would destroy a brigade's battle capability. 24 days with such losses would in effect destroy the entire fist of 12 brigades UkrAF has gathered for the counteroffensive. With losses of around 12 brigades, 25 000 KIA/WIA, 250 tanks and 1000 IFVs/APCs all the strategic reserves UkrAF has built during the last 6 months would be gone. In exchange the Ukrainian side could have advanced maybe 10 km on some places or more generally 2-3 km along maybe half the southern front. Once again, IF the Russian claims are true, RuAF must feel relieved and UkrAF very worried by the results of the fighting on the Southern front June 4th. I strongly suspect that the Russian military will let the Ukrainian attacks run their course to then launch its own larger scale attacks against weakened Ukrainian defenses. Posted by b on June 5, 2023 at 13:04 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Saudi Arabia will make an extra 1 million barrel-a-day oil supply cut in July, taking its production to the lowest level for several years after a slide in crude prices. The bold move by the most important member of the OPEC+ coalition came at the cost of ceding ground to two key allies: Russia, which made no commitment to cut output deeper, and the United Arab Emirates, which secured a higher production quota for 2024. Oil prices advanced on Monday. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said he will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market. As oil prices are hammered by a softer economic outlook, especially in China, achieving this means shouldering the burden of cuts. The rest of the 23-nation group offered no additional action to buttress the current market, but did pledge to maintain their existing cuts until the end of 2024. The kingdom is doubling down after the previous round of curbs agreed just two months ago failed to deliver a sustained price rally. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries announced a surprise supply reduction of about 1.6 million barrels a day in early April, but since then weak economic data from China have weighed on oil futures, which fell 11% in New York in May. West Texas Intermediate jumped almost 5% early in the session on Monday before paring some gains to trade above $73 a barrel. Global benchmark Brent climbed toward $78 a barrel. Next months additional cut could be extended, but the Saudis will keep the market in suspense about whether this will happen, Prince Abdulaziz said. The minister has repeatedly sought to hurt bearish oil speculators, warning them to watch out in the buildup to Sundays meeting. For the near term, crude prices will largely depend on a test of wills, said Bob McNally, president of consultant Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House official. It will be a battle between stability-seeking Saudi Arabia and bearish paper traders. The Saudi effort to bolster the price of its most important export requires the sacrifice of further market share. Global oil demand is forecast to hit a record high this year, but the additional cuts announced on Sunday will bring Saudi production to about 9 million barrels a day in July, the lowest since June 2021 when output was still recovering from the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic. The main winner from the weekends OPEC+ talks was the United Arab Emirates, which gets a boost to its production limit for next year at the expense of some African members, which were asked to give up part of their unused quotas. Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei thanked his colleagues for the increase and expressed the countrys loyalty to the cartel. We will always support OPEC and will always stay together, Al Mazrouei said. It was an important statement from a country that on at least one previous occasion threatened to leave the group if it didnt get a higher quota. Russia, the second largest OPEC+ producer, wasnt required to make any additional cuts this year, but like other members it extended its existing curbs by 12 months to the end of 2024. Moscow has increasingly been competing with its Middle East OPEC allies in Asian markets since Europe banned most imports of its oil. There have also been questions about whether it has fully implemented its pledged production cuts in recent months due to the high volumes of its exports. The announcement of the OPEC+ deal was delayed by several hours as ministers haggled over the details. The most contentious point was the revision to the baselines against which the production cuts of several nations are measured. African nations Angola and Nigeria, which have struggled to meet their output targets almost since they were introduced three years ago, were the strongest holdouts, delegates said. Even though the countries cant fully utilize their output quotas today, they were unwilling to give them up, delegates said. Several of them are seeking new investments to boost production in coming years and a restrictive OPEC+ output quota could undermine their attractiveness to foreign investors. It was a bitter political pill for them to swallow and talks dragged on through late night sessions in Vienna hotels on Saturday and continued in the OPEC headquarters on Sunday. In the end, the impasse was resolved and the African countries agreed to lower output limits, subject to an independent review of their production capacities. The other controversy of the meeting was that three news organizations, Bloomberg, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal, were barred from entering the OPEC headquarters in Vienna. Asked about the exclusion of journalists, Prince Abdulaziz referred the question to OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais. He offered no explanation for the decision. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union stepped up its rule-of-law fight with member state Poland on Monday when the bloc's highest court confirmed that Warsaw had refused to comply with EU rules on judicial independence for which it has already lost more than 500 million euros ($535 million) in fines. The Court of Justice of the EU ruled that Poland's 2019 justice reform infringed EU law after the European Commission, the bloc's executive branch, said that the Polish Supreme Court lacked the necessary independence and impartiality. By today's judgment, the Court upholds the Commission's action, a court statement said. It was the latest in a streak of setbacks for the nationalist conservative ruling party in Poland, with many Poles furious at what they consider a dramatic erosion of democracy in the country. That sentiment boiled over into a massive anti-government protest in Warsaw on Sunday, probably the largest demonstration in Poland's post-communist era, with an election coming up in the autumn. Opposition leader Donald Tusk, who had called for the march, estimated that 500,000 Poles turned out. Bad news for the government, declared the conservative Do Rzeczy news portal about the EU court ruling. The state broadcaster, TVP, which acts as a propaganda arm of the ruling party, said that the EU court had overstepped its powers and attack Poland again. The court exceeds its powers. The court decision was, however, welcomed by lawyers and other legal experts who hope it might restore independence to the judiciary. The EU court argued that the value of the rule of law is an integral part of the very identity of the European Union as a common legal order and is given concrete expression in principles containing legally binding obligations for the Member States. It said Poland didn't meet these obligations. Amid a plethora of condemnation and criticism, the court said that the measures thus adopted by the Polish legislature are incompatible with the guarantees of access to an independent and impartial tribunal. Poland's minister for the European Union, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek, said that some parts of the ruling were no longer valid or had been abolished. The court said that Polish law requires judges to divulge membership in an association or party and allows that information to be made public. The court ruling said that the provisions were liable to expose judges to risks of undue stigmatization. The disagreement over the functioning of the Supreme Court is only one of several disputes that the conservative government in Warsaw has with the EU institutions. It claims the bloc is undermining Polands inalienable rights to make independent decisions. The EU institutions have insisted that Poland, under the populist Law and Justice party, has been on a slippery slope away from the EUs rule of law principles. The dispute centers on the independence of Polish Supreme Court judges when they review EU law. Only last week, the United States and the EUs top justice official criticized Polish plans for another law that could keep political opponents from holding public office without full legal recourse. The EU threatened to take measures if it became fully clear such a law would undermine democratic standards. In the standoff centering on Monday's ruling by the Luxembourg court, Polish authorities already have had to pay about 550 million euros ($588 million) in fines since October 2021, when the system of 1 million euros in daily fines started. The daily fines were halved in April. In the legal standoff between Brussels and Warsaw, EU authorities are also withholding the release of around 35 billion euros ($37 billion) in pandemic recovery funds. After the collapse of the Soviet empire, Poland joined the EU along with other Central and Eastern European nations. Since they emerged from autocracy, they were long models for other emerging democracies. Critics now say that Poland and Hungary are slipping again toward one-party authoritarian rule. ___ Vanessa Gera contributed to this report from Warsaw, Poland. DAKAR, Senegal (AP) Senegal experts called on the government on Monday to instill calm after days of the deadliest violence in years and concerns it could have lasting consequences. Days of clashes between security forces and supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko have killed at least 16 people and injured hundreds of others. Police have arrested 500 people, some of whom used Molotov cocktails and weapons. (Theres) the threat of chaos. The threat of civil war, Alioune Tine, founder of Afrikajom Center, a West African think tank, told The Associated Press in an interview Monday in the capital, Dakar. We have never ever lived this situation in Senegal ... We cannot go fighting among ourselves and we have to stop now, to make peace now, to be united now." The clashes first broke out last Thursday, after Sonko was convicted of corrupting youth but acquitted on charges of raping a woman who worked at a massage parlor and making death threats against her. Sonko, who didnt attend his trial in Dakar, was sentenced to two years in prison. Sonko came third in Senegals 2019 presidential election and is popular with the countrys youth. His supporters maintain his legal troubles are part of a government effort to derail his candidacy in the 2024 presidential election. Under Senegalese law, Sonkos conviction could bar him from running. While Senegal, a country of around 17 million people, has experienced upheaval before, rights groups and analysts say the current clashes are the worst political crisis the nation has seen since 1988, when a general strike and electoral protest shook the power of the then president, Amnesty International researcher Ousmane Diallo said. At the heart of the unrest are fears that President Macky Sall will run for a third term. The constitution limits presidents to two five-year terms. But Sall argues that a constitutional reform adopted in 2016 allows him to reset the clock and seek another term. My massive worry is that we are only on the premises of the violence cycle in Senegal as the (possible) announcement of a third mandate run by Macky Sall could trigger a massive popular uprising and violence Senegal has never seen so far, said Guillaume Soto-Mayor, researcher at the Middle East Institute. Some extremely young people are dying daily, and Senegal and its democratic system are possibly on the brink of collapse, he said. Others Senegalese experts warn that if the violence continues it might not only destabilize the country but could be an opening for jihadi violence, which has already wracked much of the region, including in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso. Some families have lost relatives who weren't involved in the protests, but have suffered the consequences of the unrest. Elhaji Cisse was walking home after praying at the mosque Friday evening when he was shot in the shoulder by a bullet. The 26-year-old was rushed to hospital, but died minutes later. He was about to study abroad in Canada, said his family. Elhaji was not a demonstrator. He was a good patriot. He was interested in everything that was happening in the country ... He went to pray, but when he came back, they threw tear gas. He stepped aside to avoid the grenades. Then the gendarmes were there and they shot, said Djimbala Ba, his brother. The AP cannot independently verify how Cisse was killed, however demonstrators have reported the use of live bullets. On Monday, dozens of emotional friends and relatives gathered to pray around Cisse's body outside a mosque near his house. They later followed his body to the cemetery in a procession of motorbikes, buses and cars. While a cautious calm returned to Dakar on Monday, with traffic resuming and some people going back to work after days of shuttering inside, many are bracing for what lies ahead. Sonkos house is under tight security, and he hasn't been seen or heard from since the verdict and its unclear when or if hell be detained and taken to prison. Sall also hasn't addressed the nation. Violence erupted in March 2021, killing at least 14 people during clashes when authorities arrested Sonko for disturbing public order on the way to his court hearing. Religious leaders, who hold significant influence in the country, were key in bringing both sides to the table to quell the violence, analysts say. Since last week's clashes erupted, some religious leaders have appealed for calm. Over the weekend, Serigne Mountakha Mbacke, caliph of the Mouride brotherhood, Senegals most influential religious order, called on people in the city of Touba, the brotherhood's headquarters, to stop demonstrating and return home. Religious leaders are mediating with the parties behind the scenes and believe that a minimum consensus might be reached, Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Sy, president of the Unitary Framework of Islam of Senegal, a Muslim religious group, told the AP on Monday. However, obstacles, such as Sonko's arrest remain, which could still set our country ablaze, he said. While many Senegalese want the upheaval to end, others say they'll continue protesting until there's justice. The government wants to prevent our leader from being a candidate. We do not accept, said Malang Coly, a Sonko supporter. We will fight even if the government has arrested many of our comrades. We will continue to denounce. If the opportunity arises, we will demonstrate." LIMA, Peru (AP) The lawyer for the main suspect in the unsolved 2005 disappearance of American student Natalee Holloway on Monday said his client has changed his mind and plans to challenge his extradition to the United States. Defense attorney Maximo Altez announced the decision of Dutchman Joran van der Sloot just hours after the Peruvian government confirmed the extradition would take place Thursday. Altez said van der Sloot reversed course following a meeting with Dutch diplomats. He does not want to be extradited to the United States of America, Altez said, adding that he intended to file a writ of habeas corpus. He was visited today by his embassy (representatives) who made him see the mistake he was making by being extradited without due process. The attorney said van der Sloot was never notified of an open extradition process, and as a result, was not able to challenge it. Less than a week ago, Altez had said his client explained in a letter he did not plan to challenge the extradition. The embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Peruvian Foreign Ministry said it had "not received any complaint from the Netherlands regarding the case. Earlier Monday, the head of Perus prison system, Javier Llaque, told The Associated Press that custody of van der Sloot will be handed over to Interpol first thing in the morning Thursday, after which the Dutchman will be taken to an airport in the capital, Lima, to board a plane to the U.S. Van der Sloot arrived Saturday at a corrections facility in Lima after a long ground trip under strict security measures from a prison in the Andes, where he was serving a 28-year sentence for the murder of a Peruvian woman. The government of Peru announced May 10 that it would temporarily transfer custody of van der Sloot to authorities in the U.S. to face trial on extortion and wire fraud charges. Holloway, who lived in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, was 18 when she was last seen during a trip with classmates to the Caribbean island of Aruba. She was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, who was a student at an international school on the island. Van der Sloot was identified as a suspect and detained weeks later, along with two Surinamese brothers. Holloways body was never found, and no charges were filed in the case. A judge later declared Holloway dead. The federal charges filed in Alabama against van der Sloot stem from an accusation that he tried to extort the Holloway family in 2010, promising to lead them to her body in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars. A grand jury indicted him that year on one count each of wire fraud and extortion. Also in 2010, van der Sloot was arrested in Peru for the murder of 21-year-old Stephany Flores, a business student from a prominent family who was killed five years to the day after Holloways disappearance. Van der Sloot pleaded guilty in Flores case in 2012. A 2001 treaty between Peru and the U.S. allows a suspect to be temporarily extradited to face trial in the other country. The time that van der Sloot ends up spending in the U.S. will be extended until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings, including the appeal process should there be one, according to a resolution published in the South American countrys federal register. The resolution also states that U.S. authorities agreed to return the suspect to the custody of Peru afterward. The young womans mother, Beth Holloway, in a statement released after Peruvian authorities agreed to the extradition last month said the family is finally getting justice for Natalee. It has been a very long and painful journey, but the persistence of many is going to pay off, Beth Holloway said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The U.S. Navy said Monday its sailors and the United Kingdom Royal Navy came to the aid of a ship in the crucial Strait of Hormuz after Iran's Revolutionary Guard harassed it. Three fast-attack Guard vessels with armed troops aboard approached the merchant ship at a close distance Sunday afternoon, the U.S. Navy said in a statement. It offered black-and-white images it said came from a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon overhead, which showed three small ships close to the commercial ship. The U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul and the Royal Navy's frigate HMS Lancaster responded to the incident, with the Lancaster launching a helicopter. The situation deescalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene, the Navy said. The merchant ship continued transiting the Strait of Hormuz without further incident. The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, sees 20% of the world's oil pass through it. While the Navy did not identify the vessel involved, ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venture erratically changed course as it traveled through the strait at the time of the incident. Its location also matched information about the incident given by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military operation overseeing traffic in the region. The vessel also resembled the images released by the Navy. The ship's registered manager, Trust Bulkers of Athens, Greece, did not respond to a request for comment. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency later quoted Guard Rear Adm. Abbas Gholamshahi claiming that his vessels simply responded to the distress signal from the ship. However, the signal came because armed men were seen aboard the small vessels identified by the Navy as belonging to the Guard. This latest incident comes after a series of maritime incidents involving Iran following the U.S. unilaterally withdrawing from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018. The suspected American seizure of the Suez Rajan, a tanker linked to a U.S. private equity firm believed to have been carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil off Singapore, likely sparked Tehran to recently take the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Advantage Sweet. That ship carried Kuwaiti crude oil for energy firm Chevron Corp. of San Ramon, California. While authorities have not acknowledged the Suez Rajan's seizure, the vessel is now off the coast of Galveston, Texas, according to ship-tracking data analyzed by the AP. Meanwhile, Iran separately seized the Niovi, a Panama-flagged tanker, as it left a dry dock in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, bound for Fujairah on the UAEs eastern coast. While not carrying any cargo, data from S&P Global Market Intelligence seen by the AP showed the Niovi in July 2020 received oil from a ship known then as the Oman Pride. The U.S. Treasury in August 2021 sanctioned the Oman Pride and others associated with the vessel over it being involved in an international oil smuggling network that supported the Quds Force, the expeditionary unit of the Guard that operates across the Mideast. Purported emails published online by Wikiran, a website that solicits leaked documents from the Islamic Republic, suggest that cargo carried by the Niovi was sold on to firms in China without permission. Satellite images analyzed by the AP show those two vessels anchored off Bandar Abbas, Iran. The recent seizures have put new pressure on the U.S., long the security guarantor for Gulf Arab nations. The United Arab Emirates claimed last week it earlier "withdrew its participation" from a joint naval command called the Combined Maritime Forces though the U.S. Navy said it was still in the group. Meanwhile, the U.S. military's Central Command said Saturday its chief visited the region, met with Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discussed shared regional security concerns as well as U.S. and UAE security partnerships. The Mideast-based commanders of the U.S., British and French navies last month also transited the Strait of Hormuz on Friday aboard an American warship, a sign of their unified approach to keep the crucial waterway open after Iran seized the two oil tankers. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. People wait in line at the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Center on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at Guam Community College in Mangilao. Staff Reporter Richelle obtained a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications from the Far Eastern University in Manila, the Philippines. She was a junior reporter for Marianas Variety from 2009 to 2010, and from 2014 to 2015. In the Maldives, she worked as a news reporter and marketing executive. In her free time, shes a painter, pianist, and mom baker. Matt Anderson Photography/Getty Images CHANDLERVILLE Health and emergency officials are hoping this week to make a proactive strike against an epidemic of opioid overdoses through a free Narcan education and awareness event. Chandlerville Fire Department and Cass County Health Department will host the event at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Chandlerville Community Building, on the back side of Chandlerville Village Hall at 111 W. Lake St. Germany, Indonesia agree to strengthen defense ties View Photo JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Germany and Indonesia agreed on Monday to strengthen their defense cooperation and plan a joint military exercise with other countries in the region. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius discussed the growing ties in a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart, Prabowo Subianto, in Jakarta. We talked about the possibility of having a deal about some submarines. We were talking about the two minesweepers which are already on the way to Indonesia, Pistorius said. Germany and Indonesia are also planning a joint military exercise with other regional partners, but no details have been disclosed. Both ministers attended the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asias annual defense and security forum, where U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday criticized Chinas bullying or coercion in the Indo-Pacific region, including tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Pistorius on Sunday said Germany is committed to contributing to peace and security in the region. And we are ready to strengthen our engagement in the years to come, Pistorius said. Subianto said at the forum on Saturday that the security situation in the Indo-Pacific, especially in East Asia, is dominated by tensions resulting from the rise of China as a major power in a world which has long been led by the United States. History teaches us when a rising great power meets a preeminent global power, tensions do arise and the historical record shows many of these conflicts result in open conflict, kinetic conflict. However, this rivalry, some have suggested, has turned into a new Cold War. It is being called the Second Cold War, Subianto said. Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu said at the conference that the U.S. has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self interests to preserve its dominant position. By EDNA TARIGAN Associated Press THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) Greek authorities rescued 91 migrants from a river islet and transferred them to a processing center near the border with Turkey, police said Sunday. Police said that the group included 32 men, 25 women and 34 children. The Red Cross was present at the operation. Several migrants told police they were from Syria. The migrants had been on an islet on Evros River at least since Friday, when nongovernmental organizations emailed Greek authorities alerting them to their presence there. Part of the islet is Greek soil and part is Turkish. By early Sunday, the migrants had moved to the Greek side, enabling the rescue operation, a statement from the prime ministers office said. The rivers low water levels of late favors the illegal crossing of migrants, using islets that fall on both Greek and Turkish territory the Greek government has appealed to the Turkish government, which was sworn in (Saturday), to coordinate border authorities and prevent illegal crossings, the statement added. Almost all of the land border between Greece and Turkey is formed by the Evros River, called Meric in Turkey. The Evros is a key crossing point into Greece for people seeking a better life in the European Union. Greece has built a high fence along much of the border to prevent migrants crossing, and is planning to further extend it. ___ Demetris Nellas reported from Athens. ___ Follow APs coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration By COSTAS KANTOURIS and DEMETRIS NELLAS Associated Press Amid row over drought berries, German lawmakers cancel trip to southern Spain View Photo BERLIN (AP) A German parliamentary delegation canceled plans Monday for a visit to fruit farms in a drought-hit region of southern Spain, after a campaign in Germany to discourage consumers from buying drought berries sparked political controversy. The cross-party visit by nine German lawmakers this week was meant to include a stop in the Donana national park in Andalusia, home to some of Europes most important wetlands. The conservative regional government of Andalusia, which is experiencing its worst drought in nearly three decades, wants to expand water extraction rights in the wetlands. Spains Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has made the matter an issue in the campaign ahead of elections next month. The German parliaments environmental committee said that in view of the high political importance that the topics of the trip have gained in recent days in the upcoming Spanish national elections, (the committee) has decided to refrain from its long-planned trip to Andalusia at the present time. The purpose of the trip was to gather information and exchange views on climate change and its consequences, it said in a statement, adding: We are confident that we can continue this exchange in the future. Sanchezs party is seeking re-election in a snap general election in July after suffering heavy losses in local elections to the opposition Popular Party last month. A Popular Party spokesperson, Borja Semper, on Monday accused accusing the prime minister of indirectly supporting a German boycott of locally grown fruit. The least that the prime minister can do is to defend our farmers and the Spanish strawberry, Semper said. In recent days, Sanchez has called on voters via Twitter to choose between a Spain that cares about Donana and a Spain that destroys Donana. Spanish conservationists have warned that half of the nature reserves lakes have already disappeared, threatening the survival of freshwater turtles native to the Iberian peninsula, along with dragonflies and eels. The site is also an important transit point for many migratory bird species. Saudi Arabia welcomes Venezuelan leader Maduro, reaching out to yet another US foe Saudi Arabia welcomes Venezuelan leader Maduro, reaching out to yet another US foe View Photo DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to yet another U.S. foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule, but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, but relations have been strained in recent years. Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Irans theocracy and Syrias President Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdoms image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognize the election results and challenged Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. NAUCALPAN, Mexico (AP) A quick-count sampling of votes for governor of Mexico's most populous state suggested a victory late Sunday for the candidate from the governing party of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, which would end nearly a century of uninterrupted rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party. Preliminary results indicated Delfina Gomez of the Morena party was likely to win between 52.1% and 54.2% of the ballots in the State of Mexico, compared with 43% to 45.2% for Alejandra del Moral, representing the opposition coalition, according to the National Electoral Institute. The forecast was based on representative sampling of voting stations with at least 95% certainty. The outcome will not be final until all ballots were counted. Participation was between 48.7 and 50.2% of eligible state voters. Del Moral conceded shortly after the preliminary forecast was announced. In democracy to be able to win, you have to know how to lose and I am a democrat, she said, adding she had total respect for the electoral authorities. Gomez, a schoolteacher making her second bid for the post, held a healthy lead in recent polling over del Moral. The former mayor representing the PRI struggled to attract a fed-up electorate bent on change. Gomez, who will become the state's first female governor, thanked del Moral Sunday night for conceding quickly. Respect for democracy is an indispensable condition for building the State of Mexico for the good of all, she wrote on Twitter. The State of Mexico hugs Mexico City on three sides, encompassing urban sprawl and rural ranches, as well as stunning inequality, violence and corruption. For decades it has been the heart of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. But voters appeared ready to finally oust the PRI in favor of Lopez Obradors Morena party in a race closely watched as a preview of the 2024 presidential election. Both candidates had claimed victory immediately after polls closed on a largely uneventful day of peaceful voting. It is a recurring and very regrettable practice in Mexican elections to win the narrative in the media, political scientist Georgina de la Fuente said. Del Moral was not only the PRIs hope. She led a bizarre coalition including the conservative National Action Party and leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution sharing only a common desire to deny Lopez Obradors party control of Mexicos largest state electoral prize. She voted Sunday in Cuautitlan Izcalli, a suburb northwest of Mexico City. Gomez campaigned largely on the far-reaching support for Lopez Obradors popular social programs. She voted early on a warm and sunny Sunday in a school in Texcoco, east of Mexico City. We want change, for them to pay attention to us, said Rufina Perez, a retiree living in Naucalpan, a suburb west of the capital. They all made us promises, PRI, PAN already passed and we know how it was, she said, expressing confidence that it would be different with Morena in charge. In Tlalnepantla de Baz, where old warehouses and industrial spaces have given way to apartment complexes north of the capital in recent years, Morena signs and flags were visible, as were those of the PAN and del Moral, but not the traditional ones of the PRI. Benito Elizalde, who retired from patching tires, had always voted for PRI, but this year said he supported Morena because it gave seniors a better pension. His daughter, 35-year-old Claudia Elizalde, complained that parties had focused on offering more to retirees, like her father, rather than improving security or health. Socorro Hernandez was more focused on what the state election could mean on the national political stage. The retiree from Naucalpan said it was very important that she voted Sunday to show disagreement with Lopez Obrador's party. In Huehuetoca, also north of Mexico City, Alejandra Santillan Torres, a 29-year-old homemaker, said the elections are important so that they take into account the workers. Torres said she voted for the governing PRI, as she has in the past, because she felt they were doing well. On Friday, the president said he hoped for a calm vote and was very, very optimistic. His party is also viewed as the favorite in next years presidential election. Even though it has not yet selected a candidate, the party has a couple of strong possibilities and the opposition is generally considered to be in disarray. Voters in the sparsely populated northern border state of Coahuila, where the PRI remains competitive, also selected a new governor Sunday. Preliminary results indicated the opposition coalition candidate Manolo Jimenez was on track to defeat his Morena opponent by a wide margin. But even if the PRI holds on there, the loss of the State of Mexico could spell the end of its political relevance on a national stage, a stunning reversal for a party that ruled Mexico uninterrupted for seven decades. ___ AP writers Maria Verza in Mexico City and Emilio Lugo in Huehuetoca, Mexico, contributed to this report. MERIDEN Edrik Morales Rosa is a few weeks away from crossing the graduation stage at Platt High School. His future is clearly in focus. Morales Rosa wants to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. Its a speciality that Morales Rosa explained is focused on the heart and lungs. Morales Rosa will graduate from Platt number one in his class. Next fall he heads to the University of Connecticut, where he will study chemistry initially. The 18-year-old said hes known since middle school that he would like to pursue a career in the medical field. That passion was confirmed by a medical careers class Morales Rosa took earlier in high school. Upon completing that class, Morales Rosa and his classmates all completed and passed exams that allowed them to be licensed as certified nursing assistants. The class involved clinical rotations in a local nursing care facility. Morales Rosa said helping the elderly, being a little bit of the community that boosted my morale. It also increased my liking for the medical field, because theres this sense of ease when youre helping others. In fact, when Morales Rosa spoke with a Record-Journal reporter, he frequently referenced his desire to help others as a primary motivation for his career choice. It may sound really simple, really cliche, but I like helping people, Morales Rosa said, adding he also wants to help change what he feels is a misperception of Latino people in general. I want to show the world what were capable of, he said. Morales Rosa said his biggest motivation is his own mother. Dominican roots Morales Rosas journey did not begin in Meriden. It actually began in San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic, where Morales Rosa was born. His family subsequently moved to Anasco, Puerto Rico, and eventually relocated to Connecticut, in Meriden. Morales Rosa explained that in the Dominican Republic, significant segments of the countrys population still struggle to earn enough money for food and basic essentials. Morales Rosa and his immediate family left when he was three years old. He still has extended family there, and visited around Holy Week this year. Morales Rosas mother graduated from college in the Dominican Republican, where around 18% of adults have obtained at least a bachelors degree or higher, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development. She worked. She always provided, Morales Rosa said, adding that another motivation for his pursuit of the medical field is because its a career his mother wanted to go into, but couldnt start. She got her degree in business administration. The main thing was medicine, though, for sure. Morales Rosa said he first learned that story in middle school. Its motivated him ever since. My mom, shes done so much for me. I want to show her that even if she wasnt capable in her country, we have a new chance here. And I want to show her that Im capable and that I can make it. That Im able to complete the mission that she was never able to complete for her, he said. Morales Rosa said he hopes to dive immediately into research projects, similar to an anti-malaria project that he already participates in, once he begins his studies at UConn. He has his eyes set toward continuing his studies at one of the nations elite medical schools. And he recognizes that as someone who is bilingual, he already brings a skill to medicine that is lacking the ability to translate for others. Incredibly curious While at Platt, Morales Rosa did more than just focus on academics. He competed in SkillsUSA, and he competed in both of his schools indoor and outdoor track teams, in the javelin and long jump events. He was also a member of his schools DECA club. Morales Rosa described learning a few weeks ago he will finish his high school career ranked first in his class academically as a flabbergasting moment. But his educators dont seem at all surprised. Platt Science teacher Tim Sweigard, who taught Morales Rosa in a UConn Early College Experience course that combines medical terminology and an introduction to the allied health professions, described Morales Rosa as a leader in his class for sure. He is just incredibly curious and thinks differently. Thats going to serve him well at the next level, Sweigard said. Plus, Morales Rosa has all of the other intangible qualities that will serve him well down the road, Sweigard said. Sweigard said his first real introduction to Morales Rosa was during an awards ceremony a year earlier. His family was in attendance, and he was left with a lasting memory of how proud Morales Rosas father was to see his son receive award after award. Sweigard described Morales Rosa as having a tremendous work ethic. Hes not afraid to ask questions. Platt Principal Daniel Corsetti said hes had the honor of knowing Morales Rosa since he was a sixth grade student at Washington Middle School. Corsetti was assistant principal at the time. Even then, the level of kindness and respect for others, as well as his attention to his work, was notable. I am so proud of the person he is becoming, and I am excited to see what his next chapter brings, Corsetti said. Morales Rosas desire to pursue medicine also stems from his own experience having been treated for medical conditions through his own life. The medical staff who treated him, he said, give their 100%. Thats what I want to do in my life. I want to give my 100% to people even if I dont know them, he said. Because maybe they might not be receiving that in other setting Its always nice for somebody to have somebody, that kind of person even if you dont know them care about you. People want to be cared for. mgagne@record-journal.com203-317-2231Twitter:@MikeGagneRJ * Three Chinese astronauts on board Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship returned safely Sunday after six-month space station mission. * The crew successfully completed four extravehicular activities (EVAs). * The crew lived and worked in the space station complex for 186 days. by Xinhua writers Shen Feng, Zhang Dan and Quan Xiaoshu JIUQUAN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts on board the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship returned to Earth safely on Sunday, after completing their six-month space station mission. Shenzhou-15's return capsule, carrying astronauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 6:33 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The astronauts were in good shape, and the Shenzhou-15 manned mission was a success, the agency announced. The astronauts were carried out by ground workers and placed on chairs in front of the capsule. "We have completed all the scheduled tasks and felt good after returning to the motherland," said Fei, the mission commander, who had also participated in the country's second crewed space mission, Shenzhou-6, in October 2005. Deng, who finally got the chance to fly to space after 25 years of preparation, said that he is grateful for the support and encouragement of the people of the whole country. "I always believe in the power of dreams and persistence. No matter how old I am, I feel so happy to be needed by the nation," he added. "I'm now very excited, and when I was on the space station, I often watched through the window, trying to find my motherland and hometown," said Zhang, one of China's second batch of astronauts. "We will adjust our bodies as soon as possible, go back into training, and be ready for space missions in the future," Zhang added. The return capsule separated from Shenzhou-15's orbiting capsule at 5:42 a.m. as per the flight procedure. Soon after the return capsule landed, the ground search team arrived at the landing site. Medical personnel confirmed that the astronauts were in good health. China launched the manned spaceship Shenzhou-15 on Nov. 29, 2022. The Shenzhou-15 crew, China's oldest mission crew in terms of average age, successfully completed four extravehicular activities (EVAs), becoming the crew to accomplish the most EVAs of all Chinese crews to date. The crew lived and worked in the space station complex for 186 days and conducted a number of experiments which produced fruitful results. The crew successfully obtained three-dimensional structural images of their skin cells with the country's self-developed two-photon microscope. This achievement, the first of its kind worldwide, marked the success of the in-orbit verification experiments of the two-photon microscope, providing a promising tool for future health monitoring of astronauts in orbit. China also successfully performed the first in-orbit ignition test in the Mengtian space lab module's combustion cabinet during the Shenzhou-15 mission. The test verified the functions of the combustion science experimental system of the space station and the accuracy and scientificity of the overall experimental process. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the operation of the country's Stirling thermoelectric convertor realized its in-orbit verification. The heat-to-electricity convertor showed an internationally advanced conversion efficiency during its smooth operation, according to the CMSA. China also completed in-orbit experiments on liquid metal thermal management on its space station for the first time ever during the Shenzhou-15 mission. These experiments verified a series of key technologies concerning bismuth-based metal in microgravity, such as controlled melting, expansion and convection heat transfer. As of May 29, they had conducted eight human factors engineering research activities, 28 space medical experiments and 38 space science experiments covering life ecology, material science and fluid mechanics, and obtained valuable experimental data. The crew also moved cargo outboard several times and installed several items of equipment, including extravehicular extended pump sets, cross-module cables, and supporting devices for the extravehicular payload platform, laying a foundation for carrying out subsequent large-scale science and technology experiments outside the space station, according to the CMSA. The crew witnessed the completion of the country's space station construction. Enditem (Video reporters: Li Guoli, Li Yun, Dong Bohan, Hao Xiaojiang, Yang Zhigang, Zou Jianpu, Ye Ziyan, Zhang Sheng, Huang Yichen, Guo Mingzhi, Wang Hui, Guo Zhongzheng; video editors: Hong Ling, Li Qin, Yin Le, Jia Xiaotong) Police in Zimbabwe have launched a manhunt for a suspected vehicle importer accused of defrauding 17 clients of over US$100,000 in a month. Evans Dilingilizwe Mbasopi, a director of Siyaya Trading Company, allegedly tricked the 17 clients between January 1 and February 28 this year. He is facing fraud charges. Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said an investigation found that the victims approached Siyaya Tradings offices to pay for vehicle imports from Japan. They were promised delivery within 8 weeks, but only half the money went toward actual vehicle purchases while Mbasopi allegedly pocketed the rest. As a result, the 17 victims lost around US$102,636 in total without receiving the imported vehicles as promised. Mbasopi is now a wanted man, and police are appealing to the public for any information that could lead to his arrest. Anyone with information should contact the National Complaints Desk or report to the nearest police station. Breaking News via Email Yves here. We warned from the outset that the idea of using a ban on Collective West (as in London) maritime insurance to Russian tankers as a way to stop shipments would not work. If nothing else, the Russian state itself could provide the insurance, as well as private insurers there and in other countries that would very much like to eat the UKs lunch. As we can see, thats whats happened. And author Irina Slav, who normally adopts a neutral tone, registers annoyance at officials who expected otherwise. By Irina Slave, a writer for Oilprice.com with over a decade of experience writing on the oil and gas industry. Originally published at OilPrice It appears that the push to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine is backfiring and hurting insurers and shippers in the West disproportionately. Russias growing shadow fleet of oil tankers is delivering crude despite insurance and price-cap sanctions. Despite the sanctions, Russia has managed to increase crude exports in the first months of the year. A year ago, the Financial Times reported how maritime insurers were concerned that sanctions targeting Russian oil exports would disrupt global supply chains, lead to higher prices, and make life for shippers and insurers more stressful. This week, the same publication sounded the sanction alarm again. But it is no longer a general concern about supply chains, oil prices, and the price cap compliance woes of shippers and insurers. It is now a much more direct concern about how cap-compliant companies are suffering lost business as Russias shadow fleet rises. If the past year has taught the sanction enforcers anything, it is that there is a way around everything. They should have actually seen it with Iran and Venezuela, but apparently they didnt, so they barraged Russia with sanctions expecting it to collapse within months. Instead, Russian oil exports are on the riseto the reported chagrin of its OPEC partner Saudi Arabiadespite the EU embargo and the price cap that the G7 came up with to make sure the global market remains well supplied. The group has hailed the cap as a success, ignoring evidence of Russian oil being sold over it. If the aim of sanctions is to make a state alter course, the test of success would be to ask whether the target country has changed its actions, the head of marine and aviation at insurance trade body Lloyds Market Association wrote in a letter cited by the FT. What is unclear to industry is why policymakers believe that 20 years of Russian inculcation and perceived grievance will be materially altered through further constraints against shipping and insurance, Neil Roberts also wrote in the letter, published on LinkedIn. He then went on to warn that any further sanctions that are currently being mulled over by Western government were unlikely to have any impact on Russia foreign policy but would definitely hurt the worlds legitimate floating supply system. It appears that there was one thing Western governments forgot while they were devising their sanction punch against Russian oil. What they forgot was the fact that there arent only insurers and shippers in the West. There are Russian insurance companies willing to provide coverage for tankers. There are Indian insurers and Chinese shippers. And they are happy to do business, as evidenced by the recent news around Indian shipping company Gatik. Gatik got punished by Lloyds Register for carrying Russian oil, presumably above the cap, but just days later, an Indian insurer stepped up to provide the necessary coverage for the firms vessels, as noted by Roberts in his LinkedIn post. Then there is the shadow fleet of tankers operated by small, unknown companies that carries millions of Russian barrels of oil and fuels across oceans on a daily basis. According to Trafigura, as of February this year, the shadow fleet numbered some 600 vessels. The commodity trader referred to it as huge. Theres a lot of people talking about how they can be clever and get rid of Russian oil. But it is a vast volume that needs to find a new home, Trafiguras co-head of oil trading, Ben Luckock, told Bloomberg at the time. I think in the early days maybe thats okay, but as time progresses there will be difficulties in the products markets. These would be the same people that are currently discussing yet another package of sanctions that would also target countries doing businessincluding oil business-with Russia. Per a Bloomberg report, the discussion is still ongoing, and it is unlikely that the EU would go straight to blacklisting and punishing Russias trade partners, such as India and China. Yet the next sanction package may well include measures targeting companies from these countries. While the EU discusses more sanctions, its sanction push against Russia got a reality check from a Finnish think tank that tracks Russias oil exports and revenues. That think tank, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, found that Russias oil revenues are on the rise, too, after dipping in the first two months of the year, to return to levels from last Novemberbefore the EU embargo and the price cap kicked in. This may well be why insurers are speaking up despite the danger of being criticized for not praising sanctions uncritically. It appears that the push to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine is backfiring and hurting insurers and shippers in the West disproportionately. It was to be expected. There really could not be any way things could have played out, not in a world that depends on crude oil. As proven time and again, oil always finds a way to reach consumers. And while the embargo and the price cap certainly deprived Russia of some oil revenues, they seem to have deprived Western shippers and insurers of more than some revenues. Patient readers, I apologize that this Links is a bit lengthy and there are several long reads. In an excess of zeal, I over-collected link candidates, and I found it too hard to let go of some of them. Take what you like, and leave the rest! lambert * * * The Economics Of Bee Farms Alts.co Felipe M Medalla: Beyond just a bellwether the capital markets as catalyst for dynamic and inclusive economic growth Bank of International Settlements Why is it so hard to buy things that work well? Dan Luu (Jason Boxman). Very dense, very long, very thought-provoking. [I]f we think about things from the vendor side of things, theres little incentive to produce working products since the combination of the fog of war plus making false claims about a product working seems to be roughly as good as making a working product, and its much cheaper. Climate #COVID19 The Scientist and the Bats Pro Publica. Via Mike the Mad Biologist, who comments: This is the kind of research that dies with budget cuts. China? India Odisha Train Accident: A Monumental Tragedy Madras Courier. Well worth a read: Like East Palestine for stupid and greedy? but several orders of magnitude worse. 288+ lives lost, 700+ injuries, due to a signal failure (not just a hot box), which calls the safety of the entire rail system into question (if it was not already). In Maharashtra, Upper Caste Men Kill Youth Who Ensured Village Celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti The Wire Syraqistan European Disunion Dear Old Blighty Our New Not-So-Cold War Biden Administration Non-binary ex-Biden official Sam Brinton arrested for yet another baggage theft FOX. They should have worked through Hunter! Ex-Anheuser-Busch exec reveals how lefty investment firms pressure companies to go woke NY Post. For some definition of lefty. B-a-a-a-d Banks Digital Watch Healthcare Groves of Academe Our Famously Free Press Breaking News at the End of the Earth Esquire Guillotine Watch Company Insiders Made Billions Before SPAC Bust WSJ. Good thing I was sitting down. Marc Heu Patisserie Paris: A place for Hmong grandmas to shy teenagers Sahan Journal. In St Paul, MN. Class Warfare Mathematicians Find Hidden Structure in a Common Type of Space Wired The Wonder Waller Barley. Drystone walling brought me peace. Antidote du Jour (via): Bonus Antidote: See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. My position with the Post has evolved since 2000, when I began work with The City Paper. In 2008, SouthComm Inc. bought the Post and The City Paper, after which I worked with both publications. The City Paper ceased operations in 2013, two years after I was named Post managing editor. In 2018, FW Publishing acquired the Post. Follow William Williams Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today On 2nd June 2023, the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (DGIMS), Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak welcomed the Director General of the European Union Military Staff (DGEUMS), Vice Admiral Herve Blejean and his team to NATO HQ, for the 19th iteration of their bi-annual Directors General conference. In his opening remarks, Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak underscored the unprecedented era of military cooperation between NATO and the EU, as evidenced by these regular meetings, which are key to the continued coordination between both organisations and essential to the larger effort to enhance the overall level of NATO-EU cooperation. In response, Vice Admiral Herve Blejean acknowledged the unwavering commitment demonstrated by both NATO and EU staff, highlighting that these meetings are not only, the building blocks for our enhanced cooperation, but for transatlantic security as a whole. In addition, Vice Admiral Blejean introduced his successor, Lieutenant General Michiel van der Laan and thanked the office of his counterpart and staff for the effective and open cooperation between the EUMS and the NATO IMS during his mandate. Both Directors General then took some time to address the global and regional impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine. We are all aware of the situation on our Eastern borders, where the Russian Federation started their illegal and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. Against Putins expectations, this war was a trigger for strengthening the unity across the democratic countries within NATO and the EU, which provided a new momentum to our cooperation. NATO and the EU stand united in condemning Russias actions, and in supporting Ukraines sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to self-defence whatever it takes, noted Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak. Taking the floor next, Lieutenant General Francesco Diella, Director of Cooperative Security Division of the IMS, introduced the agenda for the day and alluded to the importance of the conference, by stressing that it provides us with a platform to update each other on the meaningful advancement being made, especially in digital transformation, strategic communications, capability development, military mobility, as well as education, training and exercises but above it provides an opportunity to share our perspectives and evaluate the ongoing cooperation between our two organisations. Discussing digital transformation, participants agreed that emerging technologies will play a central role in both NATO and the EUs transformations, but both organisations as well as Nations have a unique responsibility to explore existing opportunities and prepare for subsequent challenges. They also acknowledged the importance of building resilience and protecting critical infrastructure. Our cooperation to strengthen our critical infrastructure has become even more important in light of recent events and Russias weaponisation of energy as part of its more assertive foreign policy, in the aftermath of its war of aggression against Ukraine, emphasised Lieutenant General Adamczak in his remarks. Discussions then turned to the newly established NATO-EU Task Force on Resilience of Critical Infrastructure, which brings together officials from both organisations to share best practices, share situational awareness, and develop principles to improve resilience. The Task Force will begin by focusing on four sectors: energy, transport, digital infrastructure, and space. Both Directors General closed the conference by emphasising the need for close cooperation and continued engagement to advance mutually agreed objectives on designated lines of development that will mutually strengthen both organisations. (Natural News) The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) received a donation check from Bud Light this week for $200,000 despite declining sales following Anheuser-Buschs endorsement of transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. On April Fools Day, conservative activists launched a boycott against Bud Light after Mulvaney shared a video of his trans likeness imprinted on a beer can, stating that this month I celebrated my day 365 of womanhood. Even with sales and market value flowing out the door faster than a pint of Bud Light from the tap, Anheuser-Busch saw fit to financially support NGLCCs Communities of Color Initiative, which was designed to support the growth and success of minority LGBTQ+-owned businesses through certification, scholarships and business development in an effort to create equal opportunities for the economic advancement of small businesses in the LGBTQ+ community, according to a press release. Bud Light is also helping pay for NGLCCs Biz Pitch program, which allows exclusively non-white LGBTQ+ business owners to compete for a $5,000 grant, as well as the opportunity to compete for a $50,000 grand prize at the NGLCCs annual business and leadership conference. Bud Light was brewed to be an Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy beer for everyone 21+ and that still holds true today, Anheuser-Busch announced about the charitable contribution. We look forward to extending our work with the NGLCC to continue making a positive impact on the LGBTQ+ businesses that play a critical role in bringing people everywhere, together. Over the past 20 years, Anheuser-Busch has contributed more than $13 million to LGBTQ+ causes In a press release, the NGLCC thanked Bud Light for the cash, emphasizing that the beer brand continues to both empower and support non-whites and LGBTQ+s by constantly funneling money their way money that is increasingly hard to come by the more sales decline. Were honored to continue our partnership with Bud Light in support of LGBTQ+ businesses, the press release states. We appreciate the brands ongoing efforts to bolster our Communities of Color Initiative that empowers and supports both minority LGBTQ+ business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as the vital roles they play in communities across the United States. Over the past two decades, Anheuser-Busch has dropped more than $13 million into the coffers of LGBTQ+ programs such as this. If it promotes sexual deviancy and better yet, if it involves non-whites promoting sexual deviancy then Anheuser-Busch is ready and waiting to help pay for it. In the week ending on May 20, Bud Light sales fell by nearly 30 percent compared to last year. Anheuser-Buschs market value likewise fell by $15.7 billion ever since the boycott began. On March 31, the companys stock was valued at $66 a share. Now, it is selling for $54 a share. The really wealthy investors are woke, one commenter wrote about the scandal. They are the ones pushing these companies towards ESG and publicly declaring their wokeness. And these companies have made a calculated decision that the investors money is worth ruining their reputations. They have data that show that woke companies withstand the boycotts and public outrage and their profits rise. Thats all true, but companies that remain neutral have much larger profits. If we want this woke madness to stop, then the boycotts must be forever and everyone needs to boycott. Claim a companys scalp and theyll start thinking twice. Another responded to this that it is all about the money anyway, so perhaps these corporations will rethink what they support and promote should their profits really start dwindling due to declining sales. For the latest news about corporate Americas undying support for all things non-white and LGBTQ+, be sure to check out Transhumanism.news. Sources include: Breitbart.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The deep state political conflict in Washington, D.C., is heating up as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is refusing to hand over an investigative memo about a bribery scheme involving fake president Joe Biden to Congress as required in accordance with a subpoena. The FBIs refusal to follow the law, which is really nothing new, has prompted Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, to launch proceedings to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt. Today, the FBI informed the Committee that it will not provide the unclassified documents subpoenaed by the Committee, Comer said. The FBIs decision to stiff-arm Congress and hide this information from the American people is obstructionist and unacceptable. While I have a call scheduled with FBI Director Wray tomorrow to discuss his response further, the Committee has been clear in its intent to protect Congressional oversight authorities and will now be taking steps to hold the FBI Director in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a lawful subpoena. Americans deserve the truth, and the Oversight Committee will continue to demand transparency from this nations chief law enforcement agency. (Related: The FBI is guilty of treason against the United States there is simply no doubt about it anymore.) Seventeen days before receipt of informant tip about Biden Crime Familys $5 million bribery scheme, Ukrainian officials held press conference about it Scott Perry (R-Pa.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, added to the conversation that he thinks Wray should be sent to the congressional brig for refusing to cooperate with Congress by procuring the Biden probe member as required by law. We cant press charges, but we certainly can refer charges, Perry said. And if he shows up on Capitol Hill, if he shows up in the House chamber, he can certainly end up in the brig here. I think those are harsh words, but we just cant have this defiance. The information as we understand it is not classified. Either he needs to comply or there needs to be severe consequences the most extreme competent consequences that the legislative body can provide for. Thats what needs to happen with an individual like him with his defiance about the truth that the American people deserve and own. While vice president, according to an informant tip dated June 30, 2020, Biden and his crime family offered extensive consulting work to various foreign nations in exchange for what amounted to $5 million in cash. Interestingly, just 17 days before this informant tip was received, Ukrainian officials held a press conference in Kyiv showing $5 million in cash that was allegedly offered as a bribe to end an investigation into a natural gas company Burismas founder Mykola Zlochevsky. As you may recall, drug addict Hunter Biden, the son of Joe and Jill, was employed at Burisma from 2014 to 2019. During that time, three Kyiv bureaucrats, including a current and former tax official, were arrested. An additional $1 million was then offered to an officeholder working as the middleman in the scheme. Nazar Kholodnytsky, Ukraines anti-corruption prosecutor, claimed during the press conference that Biden Jr. and Biden Sr. do not appear in this particular proceeding. Two-and-a-half weeks later, however, the FBI document accusing Biden of bribery was created or modified, according to a letter from Comer. While the Oversight Committee has not yet confirmed the country where Biden allegedly accepted the bribe while vice president, it appears as though it was either Russia or Ukraine, and not communist China thought the Biden Crime Family likely has other illicit dealings with the Chinese. The latest news about FBI corruption can be found at FBI.news. Sources include: JustTheNews.com NaturalNews.com NYPost.com NYPost.com (Natural News) A new study has revealed that job-seekers that put nonbinary genders pronouns in their resumes are less likely to be hired. The study conducted by Business.com involved hundreds of individuals who identify as non-binary being surveyed about their employment prospects. The site found that over 80 percent of them believed that being identified as nonbinary would negatively affect their job search. A separate experiment involving the submission of two resumes to 180 job postings was also conducted. The resumes turned in were almost identical, save for one with they/them pronouns. The resume with non-binary pronouns received less attention and fewer interview invitations than those without. It is worth noting that even companies who pride themselves as equal opportunity employers also discriminated against resumes with they/them pronouns on it. Business.com also talked to hiring managers themselves to shed light on this practice. The site found that these managers were also less inclined to contact applicants whose resumes included nonbinary pronouns. Several of the hiring managers expressed their sentiments over the presence of they/them pronouns on job seekers resumes. One hiring manager in the hotel and food services industry remarked: I would first take off the they/them pronoun reference. I find that personal pronouns are quite silly in a job situation. This is better reserved for social settings and not in a job setting. Another hiring manager remarked that the nonbinary pronouns are a little over the top. A third manager, meanwhile, gave straightforward advice: The pronouns are off-putting and unnecessary. Get rid of the pronoun nonsense. Youre either a he or a she.' As major layoffs sweep through the U.S. workforce, these timely data show that non-binary individuals may have a more difficult time finding new jobs, Business.com noted. Nonbinary applicants could bring politics into workplace Writing for the New American, Selwyn Duke put in his two cents on the studys findings. Its not just that thinking you can have your very own pronouns is a bit self-centered. Its also that using non-binary pronouns on job applications reduces your chances of being hired, he wrote. Duke also noted that the survey espouses the belief that discriminating against non-binary applicants in the job market is wrong and must be rooted out. He argued, however, that this is not exactly true. While discrimination often has a negative connotation, the process merely refers to choosing one or more from between/among two or more. Thus, since businesses never take on everyone seeking employment, the hiring process is by definition one of discrimination. Its just a matter [of] how you discriminate. (Related: European countries REJECT transgender mania endorsed by Woke America.) According to Duke, business owners are naturally concerned about applicants showing their non-binary status as their pronoun statements may signal a desire to bring politics into the workplace. He continued: Their pronoun usage reflects that they not only have an agenda, but that they want everyone else including at work to participate in it. The conservative writer noted that companies rejecting any pronoun-professing job applicant is a sensible move. Such red flags tell you more than educational credentials because they serve as proxies for deeper passions and qualities such as a persons worldview, politics and sense of virtue, he explained. You can hire the woke, but it will be an eye-opening and perhaps business-closing experience. Visit GenderConfused.com has more stories about non-binary Americans. Watch this video that talks about gender in America. This video is from the TruthParadigm channel on >Brighteon.com. More related stories: Is your baby nonbinary? Social workers in Pennsylvania are now required to say. Univ. of Minnesota publishes nonbinary gender pronouns writing guide to butcher the English language on behalf of crybullies and snowflakes. Have we reached peak LGBT insanity with gender-transcendent mermaid royalty? Sources include: TheNewAmerican.com Business.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) An anti-tank missile launcher shipped east to the battlefield in Ukraine has been spotted down south, in the hands of a Mexican drug cartel. According to the Daily Star, the said missile launcher was being carried by a member of the Mexican Gulf Cartel (CDG). Established in the 1930s, the CDG often clashes with rival cartel Los Zetas. Milenio TV news anchor Azucena Uresti identified the launcher as an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile system made by the Arlington, Virginia-based Raytheon Technologies in a TV report. The Star noted that Washington has been shipping the Javelin missile system to Kyiv since 2018. More than 10,000 Javelins have been shipped from the U.S. to the front lines to keep the Russian Armed Forces at bay since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in February 2022. Some online observers pointed out that the launcher looks more like a Swedish-made AT-4 anti-armor system. The U.S. has also shipped the AT-4 to Ukraine, alongside the Javelin. There are significant differences between the two anti-tank weapons. The Javelin fires a guided missile and can be reloaded for another firing. The AT-4, meanwhile, fires an unguided warhead and can only be used once. Nevertheless, the news of a CDG member possessing a weapon supposed to be for Ukrainian soldiers has reinforced warnings about U.S. weapons winding up in the wrong hands. There have been multiple reports of Kyiv-bound military aid arming terrorist groups in various parts of the world. (Related: Ukraine aid scam: Only 30% of weapons shipped to besieged country have made it to the front lines.) In October 2022, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) warned that criminal gangs in Finland had obtained Ukraine-bound weapons. The weapons were also found in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. Weve seen signs of these weapons already finding their way to Finland, said Christer Ahlgren, the KRPs detective superintendent. Ukraine has received a large volume of weapons and thats good. But were going to be dealing with these arms for decades and pay the price here. Nigerian, Israeli leaders warn of Ukraine weapons used for terror Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said in November last year that terrorists in the Lake Chad region of Africa were armed with weapons from Ukraine. The raging war in Ukraine [serves] as [a] major [source] of weapons and fighters that bolster the ranks of the terrorists in the Lake Chad region, he remarked. Weapons being used for the war in Ukraine and Russia are equally beginning to filter to the region. This illegal movement of arms into the region has heightened the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which continues to threaten our collective peace and security in the region. There is, therefore, the urgent need for expedited collaborative actions by our border control agencies and other security services to stop the circulation of all illegal weapons. Even incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu espoused the same fears over military aid sent by other countries not reaching Ukraine and falling into the wrong hands. In October 2022, he mentioned the possibility of Israeli military aid to Kyiv being utilized by Iran a sworn enemy of the Jewish-majority nation. On the question of weapons, theres always a possibility and this has happened time and again that weapons we supplied in one battlefield end up in Iranian hands used against us, Netanyahu told CNBC in an interview. In the Golan Heights, where were trying to prevent Iran from creating a second Lebanon front a second terrorist front against us we encounter Israeli-made weapons. Visit MilitaryTech.news for more stories about Ukraine-bound military aid landing in the hands of terrorists. Watch this Russia Today report about how American-made drones sent as military aid to Ukraine ended up on the so-called dark web. This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Billions of dollars worth of American arms and aid disappear into a black hole once they enter Ukraine. Ukraine-bound weapons shipments will end up in Irans hands, former Israeli PM Netanyahu warns. Weapons donated to Ukraine are being used by terrorists in Africa, Nigerian president warns. Sources include: DailyStar.co.uk News.Antiwar.com StateHouse.gov.ng JPost.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The U.S. Supreme Court does not unanimously agree very often, but all nine justices ruled in favor of a 94-year-old widow last week in a case involving Hennepin County, Minn., which sold her home over a small tax debt and then kept the rest. The saga begins in 1999 when Geralidein Tyler purchased a condominium in Minneapolis. However, in 2010, due to various factors, she made the decision to move into a retirement community. The financial burden of managing mortgage payments, condo fees, and rent for her retirement apartment led to Tyler falling behind on her property taxes, Red State reported this week. By 2015, her outstanding tax debt had accumulated to $2,300, with additional interest and penalties imposed by the county, resulting in a total amount of $15,000. As a consequence, the county seized Tylers property title and sold it at a tax auction, fetching $40,000. The county used $15,000 from the sale proceeds to offset Tylers debt but then kept the remaining funds. Officials rationale was that since the county had confiscated her property title, she no longer possessed ownership rights and was not entitled to any compensation. Consequently, Tyler was left responsible for a $50,000 mortgage and $12,000 in condo fees. It should be noted that Tylers case is not at all unique; Red State reports that a dozen states allow city and county governments to confiscate property and homes, sell them to settle existing debts, and then keep the remaining balance in what amounts to outright equity theft. Whats more, its a bipartisan problem; both red and blue states allow it. Tyler filed a lawsuit, presenting two claims. Firstly, she argued that the countys retention of the surplus funds exceeding the back taxes and fees amounted to a violation of the Fifth Amendments prohibition against uncompensated takings. Additionally, Tyler contended that the substantial increase of her $2,300 delinquent tax bill to $15,000 through fines and fees violated the Eighth Amendments prohibition on excessive fines. However, the district court dismissed the case, stating that Tyler lacked a legal basis to claim the proceeds under Minnesota law and lacked grounds to challenge the fines and fees. She appealed her case to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, and it was quickly rejected. Next stop was the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed to take the case. The result: A 9-0 ruling in her favor. SCOTUSBlog noted further: Writing for a unanimous court, Chief Justice John Roberts began by addressing and rejecting the countys argument that Tyler lacked a legal right, known as standing, to bring her takings claim at all. The county contended that Tyler was not actually harmed by the sale of her condo because she may have also had a mortgage for $49,000 on the property, as well as a $12,000 lien for unpaid homeowners association fees. The justices dismissed the countys protests as speculation, noting that the county had never actually provided evidence of either the mortgage or the lien. But in any event, Roberts continued, Tyler still plausibly alleges a financial harm: The County has kept $25,000 that belongs to her. If she had received that money, Roberts wrote, Tyler could have used it to pay down some of the debts linked to the condo. The high court did not rule specifically on the excessive fines aspect, but a concurring opinion written by Justice Neil Gorsuch indicated that Hennepin County would not have done well in that area, either: The Court reverses the Eighth Circuits dismissal of Geraldine Tylers suit and holds that she has plausibly alleged a violation of the Fifth Amendments Takings Clause. I agree. Given its Takings Clause holding, the Court understandably declines to pass on the question whether the Eighth Circuit committed a further error when it dismissed Ms. Tylers claim under the Eighth Amendments Excessive Fines Clause. Ante, at 14. But even a cursory review of the District Courts excessive-fines analysiswhich the Eighth Circuit adopted as well-reasoned, 26 F. 4th 789, 794(2022)reveals that it too contains mistakes future lower courts should not be quick to emulate. Economic penalties imposed to deter willful noncompliance with the law are fines by any other name. And the Constitution has something to say about them: They cannot be excessive. Fortunately, the Supreme Court has been moving in the same direction regarding civil asset forfeiture, another form of legal theft by government. Sources include: RedState.com SCOTUSBlog.com (Natural News) Now that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) scamdemic is over, the World Health Organization (WHO) is busy plotting its next tyrannical scheme in the form of another round of lockdowns, this time to stop climate change. Newly proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHRs) and the so-called Pandemic Treaty both incorporate what is known as the One Health approach. The One Health scheme will grant the WHO absolute power to initiate climate lockdowns at such a time that global warming is determined to be too much of a threat to ignore. While vague and confusing, the language of the One Health scam is a tool to create networks and combine efforts toward centralizing power and control, which is always the goal of all masters everywhere, reported Mac Slavo in the Discern Report. Once that central power has been achieved then similar measures that were imposed in response to the COVID plandemic can be used for climate change, loss of biodiversity, human diseases, vector-borne diseases, and much more. (Related: During covid, some left-wing climate fanatics called on families to kill their relatives in lockdown to save the planet.) The next global lockdown will be the lockdown of all lockdowns The next round of lockdowns to be overseen by the WHO will be much worse than the covid lockdowns. WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will be able to wield unrestrained authoritarian tyranny on everyone all around the globe, forcing people to stay inside and stay safe indefinitely. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), the powers that be will be able to maintain an all-seeing eye on everyone at all times you didnt really think those AI brain implants were actually about saving lives like Elon Musk claims, did you? Bill Gates and his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are the biggest funders of the WHO, driving the organizations tyrannical policies. Billy Boy just cannot wait until the next fake pandemic is launched, plunging the entire world right back into hell a much worse hell than covid, by the way. Covid was just the test run for what the WHO is planning for next time. The World Economic Forum (WEF), run by Klaus Schwab, is also involved with spearheading the scheme, which the Daily Expose describes as follows: WHOs Pandemic Treaty will not only be concerned with pandemics. It introduces globally the One Health ideology. The concept recognizes the interdependence of human and animal health and the connection with the environment. Through this One Health agenda, WHO will have the power to make decisions in matters relating to the environment (including greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and deforestation), animal health (e.g., livestock), and human health (including vaccinations, social determinants, and population movement). With these extended powers, WHO could readily declare a climate or environmental emergency and enforce lockdowns. The excuse for all this tyranny is that it must happen in order to provide a ray of hope for addressing our global challenges. In other words, the planet will die, we are told, unless all humans besides the elite are locked down and subjected to genocide. In order to address the 14 global challenges that the WHO has identified these include food, water, safety, security, soil health, and comparative biology the powers that be must seize control over everything, including not just people but also animals, plants, waterways, and entire ecosystems. To stop this nightmare from coming to fruition, a critical mass of humanity would have to first realize what is happening and agree to systematically resist. This includes the enforcers, i.e., law enforcement, coming to the realization that they are working on behalf of evil, prompting them to switch sides and fight for humanity instead. The latest news about left-wing climate fanaticism can be found at GreenTyranny.news. Sources for this article include: DiscernReport.com NaturalNews.com The latest research showed the helpful contribution of internet animals and digital knowledge to improve the monitoring of animal behavior, species and future. The contribution of technology and digital infrastructure helped to develop the Internet of Animals (IoA). Biodiversity crisis According to research published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, the Internet significantly showed information about the animal kingdom. Many animals suffer from population decline due to many threats. According to the BBC's recent report, about 48% of Earth's species suffer population declines. The study was published in the Biological Reviews, explaining that the biodiversity crisis is considered a pressing concern in the ecosystems. Furthermore, the researchers noted that it looked into more than 70,000 animals, adding that the species extinction reached an alarming level. The report also explained the importance of protecting biodiversity from threats, significantly that humans benefit from the environment. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) lists species directory that is considered critically endangered. Meanwhile, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highlighted the red list of possible threatened species since 1964. Artificial Intelligence's helpful contribution to Internet Animals The research added that the Internet of animals and artificial intelligence could also help the animal population. Also Read: Australian Garlic Variety Can Stop Spread of COVID-19, Other Flu-Related Infections, Doherty Study Says The report was also published on Phys.org's website. According to the report, research professor Roland Kays explained that said technologies could help predict the behavior of animals and predict their future. The study noted integrating the data and predictions. Kays is also from the North Carolina State University and the Biodiversity Research Lab head at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Kays explained that the databases and information have been significant in tracking animals, like the websites iNaturalist. Furthermore, the Internet of Animals helps to connect databases of animals. The contribution of Artificial Intelligence could be vital for massive data information. According to the report published on Phys.org, the article noted that AI technology also made it easier the identification of plants. The report added that they were working with Google to apply AI in identifying plants and animals on images. With the information, the report noted that it could also guide humans with potential conservation and mitigation efforts. On the other hand, the research looked into the agricultural applications of the Internet of Animals. It helps the agricultural industry to develop efficient or effective livestock farming. Improving the lives of domestic animals is also significant. AI technology could help observe the impact on their environment, creating possible sensors, alarms and tracking metals to look into pets. Furthermore, AI could become helpful with ecological forecasting, monitoring for possible diseases, climate change impact and the population of animals. The development of technology has improved animal behavior predictions and monitoring. The information about animals' status would help develop policies protecting them from population decline. Related Article: Wildflower Meadow Helps Local Biodiversity, Climate Change Mitigation For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World News. After the lone stowaway delivered birth in Alaska, invasive marsupial opossums are now being pursued. The possibility of an opossum colony establishing itself in the town of Homer has prompted wildlife authorities to appeal for assistance. More opossums have been seen in the Kenai Peninsula municipality. Lone Opossum Stowaway was Pregnant The most recent finding comes after what was once thought to be a lone opossum landed in Homer in a shipping container from Washington state in late March. The advent of the marsupial immediately sparked attention and excitement, and Homer's inhabitants disagreed on what ought to be done. The animal was given the name "Grubby" after being seen on Homer's Grubstake Avenue, where citizens also promoted the hashtag #FreeGrubby on social media. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game found out the opossum was a female when it was caught last week. The Alaska Zoo in Anchorage took in Grubby. According to Alaska Media Public, the recipients of the shipping container notified the shelter as soon as they noticed the stowaway opossum in the back of the container. According to Jason Herreman, a Kenai Peninsula assistant area biologist, more opossums have recently been discovered in Homer. One was seized on Thursday, and a second was spotted on Klondike Avenue on Friday. The original marsupial was originally spotted on Grubstake Avenue not far from there. The size of the opossum that the team captured and the time between Grubby's arrival and the discovery of the other opossums, according to Herreman, support Fish and Game's working hypothesis that the other animals are offspring of the original opossum. He stated that regrettably, it seems that some young people also visited the place. Also Read: Florida Offers $30,000 Total in Annual Hunting for Invasive Burmese Pythons Invasive Marsupial Opossums According to Herreman, young opossums, also known as joeys, are only reliant on their mothers for around two months, which corresponds to the period of time Grubby was free in Homer before being apprehended. To get rid of the opossums from the ecosystem, Fish and Game is aggressively looking for them, according to Herreman. Opossums are invasive animals that are not native to Alaska. Diseases, which Herreman noted can harm people as well, as well as predation on and competition with local animals, are just a few of the hazards to the local flora and fauna. Small animals and bird populations are particularly vulnerable to opossum damage. When Fish and Game is open for business, anybody who spots an opossum in Homer is urged to phone in. The Homer Police Department should be contacted after hours, according to Herreman. As wildlife officials pursued the invading animals aggressively, Herreman pleaded for help from the people. The problems with illness and competition with the island's natural wildlife, he highlighted, making it undesirable for a population to be developed in Alaska, Anchorage Daily News reports. The garage, attic, and under the porch are common locations for opossums to set up home, according to Wildlife Animal Control. They like to reside in attics, where they rip up insulation, gnaw on cables, and most likely die within the home, posing a biohazard to the people. Opossums carry dangerous bacteria and germs in their mouths and under their claws, so if they attack a household pet, they might infect them with illnesses like rabies even if they are outside. Related Article: Invasive Plant Kudzu Vine Expected to Take Over Midwest US at Alarmingly Rapid Rate In Texas, a homeowner mistook a poison hemlock for a wildflower, and was taken to the emergency room due to the toxic plant. A gorgeous but lethal plant has been seen flourishing in the Lone Star State. Kenzie Kizer, a resident of the Dallas suburb of Lancaster, Texas, turned to social media on Sunday to warn others of certain weeds she had been trying to pluck and get rid of when she almost died. Over 100,000 people have shared the Facebook post that said, "Shortly after pulling the weeds, my arms felt as if they were on fire," where she also says she took a shower to wash off what she assumed were splinters. Less than an hour later, according to Kizer, she started experiencing swelling in her tongue, burning in her skin, slurred speech, dizziness, confusion, and trembling. She began to experience breathing difficulty and a constriction in her chest. Kizer was taken to the hospital's emergency room and discovered that the poison hemlock plant was to blame for the symptoms she was having. Later, she said that choosing to take a shower saved her life and made what may have otherwise resulted in tragedy into a "mild" reaction. Later, Kizer posted a warning to her social media followers advising them not to touch or even approach the object if they encounter it in their own yard. Posin Hemlock and Wildflowers Despite having the appearance of being innocuous wildflowers, poison hemlock is actually quite deadly throughout, with its leaves and stems being the most dangerous. Hemlock poison may be harmful to both people and animals if consumed. When poison hemlock is consumed by animals, respiratory paralysis can cause death in two to three hours. A human can pass away in just two hours after consuming anywhere from six to eight fresh leaves. However, poisoning can also happen if you come into touch with it or breathe in its vapors The plants have thick, upright, hollow stems that are light green in color with purple streaks or spots that may be present. Its white flowers are grouped in umbrella-shaped clusters and typically bloom from late spring to early summer. The fruit is a green, heavily ridged fruit that becomes grayish brown as it ages. According to Texas A&M AgriLife's Brandi Keller, a horticulture agent in Harris County, they resemble Queen Anne's lace, which has a flatter, umbrella-like appearance than poison hemlock, which is more curled. Hemlock may reach heights of three to nine feet, whereas Queen Anne's lace also reaches heights of one to three feet. According to Keller, the stem of Queen Anne's lace is fluffy and green. Smooth stems with purple splotches are a sign of poison hemlock. The leaves might be mistaken for Queen Anne's lace or carrots, so identifying them that way might not be helpful, and rather misleadingly dangerous. Also Read: Deceptive Daisy Species in South Africa Creates Fake Flies for Pollination Invasive Species According to Texas Invasives, the invasive poison hemlock is a Eurasian species that was introduced to the country as an ornamental plant because of its lovely white blooms. The plants, which thrive in wet soil and enjoy full sun to moderate shade, are frequently seen in the bottomlands and rivers of the Edwards Plateau. In the southern part of Texas, there are thick stands along stream banks and ditches by the side of the road. Harris County has not received any official complaints of poison hemlock growing there, however, a distribution map for invasive species from 2010 indicated the presence of one plant in the area. A plant was also noted in Tarrant County in north Texas the same year. Taking Out Poison Hemlock When near poison hemlock, Keller advised wearing protective gloves, trousers, long sleeves, and shoes. Dig up the entire plant, including the tap root, and dispose of it with other yard garbage if you want to get rid of it. Keller also advised against mowing, weed-whacking, and burning plants since these activities might expose the skin, eyes, and lungs to particulates, The Houston Chronicle reported. Related Article: Poisonous Gympie-Gympie Plant Takes Mother Down with the Worst Pain The recent reports explained that the extreme weather events in China, from drought conditions and heatwaves, significantly impacted food security. Recently, Nature World News reported that Shangai recorded one of the record-breaking heat in May that managed to shatter the city's heat record in over 100 years. The high heat unfolded in the Xuhu district. The challenging and soaring temperatures in Shanghai had about 36.1 degrees Celcius, shattering the 35.7 degrees Celcius in May 1876. Furthermore, recent reports from the Guardian explained that high temperatures also emerged in parts of China, especially in Wuhan. According to the Guardian, the country's weather bureau explained that China could experience extreme weather events this 2023. The report explained that a freshwater lake in China in Poyang also suffered from drought conditions, with water at a record low. Extreme weather events in China Based on the AccuWeather and CNN reports, the report explained that China experienced drought conditions and challenging heatwaves last year. In July 2022, CNN Business reported that the heatwaves in China caused about 84 cities to be under red alert warnings due to the scorching heat. As the country began to recover from the lockdowns and COVID-19 pandemic, the report explained that the country's heat waves threatened to result in power outages and pork prices to soar. Last year, the World Meteorological Organization's report explained that climate change and extreme weather impact China's population. The report added the possible vulnerability of China's economy to the impacts of climate change. Furthermore, the report said that the drought conditions were also a significant problem in China, adding that about 5.527 million people were affected. Due to the impact of extreme weather events, the report explained the importance of mitigation and urgent action to address the problem of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Meanwhile, a recent Reuters report explained that southern regions in China had to brace for the persistent challenging heat. In parts of Chongqing and Sichuan, the report explained that the decline in rainfall affected the hydropower supplies in the region and business operations. The report also noted that China's northern regions could deal with the troublesome floods. Impact on animals and crops The latest CNN article showed that the hot temperatures impacted the animals, including rabbits, fish and pigs. Also Read: Shanghai's Challenging Heat Wave in May Records Highest Temperature in More Than 100 Years The possible effect of drought and flooding could significantly affect the supply of food and crop production in China. According to the reports, the extreme heat likely resulted in the deaths of animals: The report noted that the South of China Today newspapers reported that the soaring weather likely killed the fish in the area. In Jiangsu province and Sichuan, the report showed that farm animals also suffered from the extreme heat, affecting the pigs and rabbits. The report also said crops were impacted after heavy rain unloaded in Henan in May. Wheat fields were flooded, affecting the crops and harvest. Related Article: Alarming Climate Crisis Contributed to Most Extreme Weather Events in the Past Few Years, Report Shows For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News. The latest reports revealed that a woman who was walking on a beach in California discovered an ancient and rare foot-long mastodon tooth during the Memorial Day weekend. It was supposed to be a stroll for a woman on a California beach when she found an unusual molar tooth. She then took a picture and uploaded it on Facebook. According to recent Newsweek and The Guardian reports, Jennifer Schuh discovered a foot-long molar tooth on a Beach's sand in Aptos Creek on Rio Del Mar. The said beach is located in Santa Cruz, California. The reports said that Schuh told AP that a lady told her something was at her feet. Little did she know that it was a rare find. Rare and ancient mastodon molar tooth Schuh explained that the said molar tooth looked weird as it was burned-looking. Without knowledge about the tooth, she asked for help on social media. When she posted on Facebook, the report explained that an expert replied to her question. According to the report, a paleontology expert, Wayne Thompson, at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History saw the rare find's importance. Thompson explained that the discovery was a molar tooth from a Pacific mastodon, adding that Schuh should call him for the rare find. However, the tooth was no longer there when it was found. With hope, they tried to look for it on the weekend, but they could not find it. As a result, they decided to seek social media to amplify the search online, hoping to find the missing rare molar tooth. According to the report, the Pacific molar tooth mastodon came from an extinct elephant species. Immediately, Jim Smith discovered the picture of the rare tooth. Smith then reported it to the Aptos Museum. According to the report, Smith found the tooth when he was having his job on the said beach. Finally, the tooth was donated to the said museum, adding that it will be available for viewing from Friday through Sunday. More facts about the Pacific molar tooth mastodon According to San Diego Natural History Museum, the American Mastodon reached a point of extinction about 13 years ago. Before, the report noted that American Mastodon was present in parts of Central Mexico, Alaska and North America. Also Read: 240 Million Years Old Snake Ancestor Skeleton Discovered That Could Help Unlock Evolution Mysteries In terms of the said elephant, Mastodons are considered smaller than the species of mammoths, weighing 5443kg. The San Diego Natural History Museum added that mastodons were said to be herbivores, with their powerful teeth used for looking for food. Meanwhile, the AP reported that the specimen was considered to be less than 1 million years old. According to Liz Broughton, museum experience manager, explained that discovering fossils for winter storms is considered common. Related Article: Scientists Discover New Species of Pterosaurs With Over 16 feet Wings on Atlantic Coast of Angola For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News. A Muskogee County woman, Lindsey Brashear, has been arrested after deputies found more than 100 dead animals on her property. The property owner, who had a verbal lease with Brashear and another resident, Kasey Clay, came to the property on Thursday, June 2, and noticed several dead cows. Clay then called the sheriff's office. The charges and the investigation When deputies arrived, they obtained a search warrant and discovered at least 104 dead animals, including 103 cattle and one dog. Some of the animals were in ponds and creeks, and others had been dragged and stacked in a pile by a stolen tractor. Deputies also had to call a veterinarian to euthanize a calf, which was then transported to OSU in Stillwater to determine if the animals were suffering from some sort of disease or malnourishment. Brashear have been charged with 150 counts of animal cruelty, plus 104 counts of unlawful disposal of a carcass and concealing stolen property. She is being held in the Muskogee County Jail for animal cruelty, as per Fox23 News. The investigation is ongoing and the sheriff's office is working with the district attorney's office to prosecute the case. The possible motive behind hoarding animals Animal hoarding is a complex phenomenon that involves keeping a higher-than-usual number of animals as domestic pets without the ability to properly house or care for them, while at the same time denying this inability, as per Wildlife Informer. Animal hoarders often have a strong attachment to their animals and may feel intense anxiety about giving them away, even if properly caring for them has become impossible. There are different types of animal hoarders, but one common type is the overwhelmed caregiver, who may be socially isolated and falsely believe that their situation is the result of a recent change in their circumstances, such as financial problems or health issues. They may also lack awareness of the harm they are causing to their animals and themselves. Animal hoarding is considered a psychiatric disorder that requires treatment and intervention. It is not a sign of maliciousness or evil intent, but rather a symptom of mental illness that affects both humans and animals. Also Read: Average Animal Hoarder in Spain Keeps 50 Pets, New Study Finds Some other cases of animal hoarding are: In 2019, a woman in New Jersey was charged with animal cruelty after authorities found 44 dead dogs in plastic bags in her freezers and more than 100 dogs living in deplorable conditions in her home, as per Taylor and Francis Online. In 2018, a couple in Texas was arrested after police discovered 276 dogs on their property, many of them sick, injured, or malnourished. The couple claimed they were running a rescue operation, but they were actually hoarding the animals. In 2017, a man in Wisconsin was sentenced to probation and community service after pleading guilty to mistreating animals. He had 40 live cats and 12 dead ones in his apartment, along with feces, urine, and garbage. These are just some examples of animal hoarding cases that have been reported in the media. According to a survey by Gary Patronek, animal control agencies have estimated there are approximately 3000 reportable cases of animal hoarding annually in the United States. Animal hoarding cases vary in size from fewer than 20 animals to hundreds of animals. Every case of animal hoarding results in suboptimal animal welfare. Related article: New Jersey Dog Hoarding Couple Face 552 Animal Cruelty Charges Latest job opportunities Use this website to help find the best person to fill your role. This is a paid-for service aiming at advertising jobs which are of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community and its many churches, groups and organisations. To advertise a vacancy, simply e-mail the details such as job and person specifications, approx salary, contact details and a closing date to us here . For full details of the service, and our cost-effective fee, please click here. Word of thanks Stewart Barber, Eckling Grange Care We had a great advert on Network Norwich for many weeks with great layout, unlimited words, colour logo and a direct link from the weekly newsletter! We also found our new manager through the website. Tom Howell, Halls of Residence Thank you for all your help with our recruiting process during 2019. We have some great new staff at the Matthew Project as a result. God bless."We had a good response to our advert on Network Norwich for a Project Worker. We were able to short-list some very possible applicants and have now made an appointment of a lady whom we expect to fit well into our existing team and who brings to us some useful past experience.Thank you for your help, what a useful medium this is.""We see the Network Norfolk website as a good place to advertise the organisation and Im very pleased to say that the recent advert for an account assistant led to an appointment." South Norfolk church raises the roof South Norfolk church raises the roof All Saints Church in Old Buckenham are holding a celebration event on June 10 with the launch of a History Book and possibly the first multi-sensory, multi-media and memory-friendly trail in Norfolk. Back in 2017 All Saints Church started a project to raise money to re-thatch the roof. They also wanted to find ways to engage the community with the amazing heritage represented by the Grade 1 listed building. A set of activities were planned, aimed at various different groups and individuals, including pupils from both the Primary School and Chapel Green School for special educational needs, both in Old Buckenham. With the help of grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Churches Trust, Norfolk Churches Trust, and with much local fundraising and donations, the new roof was well and truly raised! In addition people enjoyed the heritage walk and talks, children explored the churchyard wildlife, we held a heritage skills day, completely revised and published a new church history book and created a Detective trail leaflet designed with pupils from the primary school. Finally, six years since work began, the last piece of the project is complete and a 'sensory guide' leaflet, designed in conjunction with Chapel Green School, will be launched at a celebration event. Sarah Williamson, class teacher at Chapel Green School, said, "We want as many people as possible to help us celebrate not just those whove been involved in the project (though we definitely want you to be there!) but also those of you who want to find out more about the building, or who just want to enjoy a piece of cake and a cup of tea in our beautiful church and its surroundings. Families can try out the detective trail and the sensory guide, there will be games and activities and lots of pictures that will tell the story of the project." Event details Saturday June 10th 2 - 4pm All Saints Church, Old Buckenham, NR17 1RP Telecom ministers from at least 18 EU countries have rejected a proposal by network operators to have major technology companies fund the rollout of 5G and broadband. The proposal, put forward by telecom lobbying groups GSMA and ETNO, which represent 160 operators across Europe, says that big tech companies that account for more than 5% of a providers peak average internet traffic should help foot the bill for rolling out the services across Europe. The EU launched a consultation on the issue in February 2022. According to a report by Reuters, telecom ministers met with EU Commissioner Thierry Breton to raise their objections, with those who are against the proposal saying there is a lack of analysis to prove the measure would actually work, with some citing concerns that tech companies would end up passing these costs onto the consumer. The report also said that some ministers are worried the proposal could potentially violate the EUs net neutrality rules, which require all internet traffic to be treated without discrimination, blocking, throttling or prioritization However, not every country has rejected the plan. While Reuters reported that Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands were among those who criticized the plan, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain make up a group of 10 countries who support the idea. Google, Apple, Meta, Netflix, Amazon and Microsoft all of which would most likely be the target of any network fee levy have rejected the idea, arguing that they already invest heavily in in the regions digital ecosystem. Breton is expected to present a summary of the feedback submitted to the consultation by the end of June, according to the report, at which point the proposal can either move ahead to be negotiated by the European Parliament, or scrapped. "We urge the Commission to consider the evidence, listen to the range of organisations who have voiced concerns, and abandon these misguided proposals as quickly as possible," Markus Reinisch, Meta's vice presdient for public policy for Europe, said in a blog post last month. Allowing selected telecom operators to charge twice for the same infrastructure will harm net neutrality, the structure of the open internet, as well as consumers without any guarantee of more investment in networks, he said. By PTI NEW DELHI: India's import of cheap Russian oil scaled another record in May and is now more than the combined oil bought from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE and the US, industry data showed. India took 1.96 million barrels a day from Russia in May, 15 per cent more than the previous high in April, according to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa. Russia now makes up for nearly 42 per cent of all crude oil India imported in May. This is the highest share for an individual country in recent years. The rise in Russian share came at the cost of traditional suppliers in the Middle East. Shipments from Saudi Arabia slipped to 560,000 tonnes - the lowest since February 2021, according to figures from the shipping analytics company. Oil producers cartel OPEC's share in India's oil imports fell to an all-time low of 39 per cent in May. Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), mainly in the Middle East and Africa, made up for as much as 90 per cent of all crude oil India imported at one point of time, but this has been sliding since Russian oil became available at a discount in the aftermath of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. For the eighth straight month, Russia continued to be the single largest supplier of crude oil, making up for 42 per cent of all oil India imported. Crude oil is converted into petrol and diesel at refineries. The imports from Russia are now more than the combined purchases from Iraq and Saudi Arabia -- India's biggest suppliers in the last decade -- as well as UAE and the US. Iraq supplied 0.83 million barrels per day (bpd) oil in May, while UAE shipped 203,000 bpd. As much as 138,000 bpd was sourced from the US, the data showed. From a market share of less than 1 per cent in India's import basket before the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Russia's share of India's imports rose to 1.96 million barrels per day in May, taking a 42 per cent share. OPEC supplied 1.8 million bpd out of 4.7 million bpd oil India imported in May. This was down from 2.1 million bpd imported in April, according to Vortexa. Indian refiners in the past rarely bought Russian oil due to high freight costs but now they are snapping up plentiful Russian cargo available at a discount to other grades, as some Western nations rejected it because of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The purchases from Russia in May were more than double of 0.83 million bpd of oil bought from Iraq, which had been India's top oil supplier since 2017-18. Saudi Arabia has been pushed down to No.3 spot. "India's imports of Russian crude continue to test new highs, reaching almost 2 million bpd in May. Refiners have tested and gained confidence in processing Russian crude, and their voracious appetite for "Russian crude is likely to grow as much as they have room to back off spot crude purchases," said Vortexa's head of Asia-Pacific analysis, Serena Huang. The average cost of Russian crude including freight costs landing on Indian shores in April was USD 68.21 a barrel - the lowest level since the Ukraine war. The average cost of Saudi Arabian crude sent to India in April was USD 86.96 a barrel, while Iraqi oil was priced at USD 77.77 a barrel. May import price has not yet been released. Russia is selling record amounts of crude oil to India to plug the gap in its energy exports after the European Union banned imports in December. In December, the EU banned Russian seaborne oil and imposed a USD 60-per-barrel price cap, which prevents other countries from using EU shipping and insurance services, unless oil is sold below the cap. Industry officials said Indian refiners are using the UAE's dirham to pay for oil that is imported at a price lower than USD 60. According to Vortexa, India imported just 68,600 bpd of oil from Russia in March 2022. NEW DELHI: India's import of cheap Russian oil scaled another record in May and is now more than the combined oil bought from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE and the US, industry data showed. India took 1.96 million barrels a day from Russia in May, 15 per cent more than the previous high in April, according to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa. Russia now makes up for nearly 42 per cent of all crude oil India imported in May. This is the highest share for an individual country in recent years. The rise in Russian share came at the cost of traditional suppliers in the Middle East.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Shipments from Saudi Arabia slipped to 560,000 tonnes - the lowest since February 2021, according to figures from the shipping analytics company. Oil producers cartel OPEC's share in India's oil imports fell to an all-time low of 39 per cent in May. Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), mainly in the Middle East and Africa, made up for as much as 90 per cent of all crude oil India imported at one point of time, but this has been sliding since Russian oil became available at a discount in the aftermath of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February last year. For the eighth straight month, Russia continued to be the single largest supplier of crude oil, making up for 42 per cent of all oil India imported. Crude oil is converted into petrol and diesel at refineries. The imports from Russia are now more than the combined purchases from Iraq and Saudi Arabia -- India's biggest suppliers in the last decade -- as well as UAE and the US. Iraq supplied 0.83 million barrels per day (bpd) oil in May, while UAE shipped 203,000 bpd. As much as 138,000 bpd was sourced from the US, the data showed. From a market share of less than 1 per cent in India's import basket before the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Russia's share of India's imports rose to 1.96 million barrels per day in May, taking a 42 per cent share. OPEC supplied 1.8 million bpd out of 4.7 million bpd oil India imported in May. This was down from 2.1 million bpd imported in April, according to Vortexa. Indian refiners in the past rarely bought Russian oil due to high freight costs but now they are snapping up plentiful Russian cargo available at a discount to other grades, as some Western nations rejected it because of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The purchases from Russia in May were more than double of 0.83 million bpd of oil bought from Iraq, which had been India's top oil supplier since 2017-18. Saudi Arabia has been pushed down to No.3 spot. "India's imports of Russian crude continue to test new highs, reaching almost 2 million bpd in May. Refiners have tested and gained confidence in processing Russian crude, and their voracious appetite for "Russian crude is likely to grow as much as they have room to back off spot crude purchases," said Vortexa's head of Asia-Pacific analysis, Serena Huang. The average cost of Russian crude including freight costs landing on Indian shores in April was USD 68.21 a barrel - the lowest level since the Ukraine war. The average cost of Saudi Arabian crude sent to India in April was USD 86.96 a barrel, while Iraqi oil was priced at USD 77.77 a barrel. May import price has not yet been released. Russia is selling record amounts of crude oil to India to plug the gap in its energy exports after the European Union banned imports in December. In December, the EU banned Russian seaborne oil and imposed a USD 60-per-barrel price cap, which prevents other countries from using EU shipping and insurance services, unless oil is sold below the cap. Industry officials said Indian refiners are using the UAE's dirham to pay for oil that is imported at a price lower than USD 60. According to Vortexa, India imported just 68,600 bpd of oil from Russia in March 2022. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday granted bail to a Nepalese national arrested in an espionage case for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers. Justice Vikas Mahajan said no useful purpose would be served in keeping petitioner Sher Singh, who was neither named in the FIR nor was any confidential document recovered from him, behind bars after the completion of an investigation, and granted him bail subject to conditions. The judge said the allegations and defence will be tested during the trial, and at this stage, it has to be noted the other co-accused, who are the "main accused", have been released on default bail, while the petitioner has remained in custody since September 19, 2020. "The investigation is complete and no further recovery has to be made from the petitioner. It is also not the case of the prosecution that the petitioner is a habitual offender or he is involved in any other case," said the court. "In view of the above, no useful purpose would be served in keeping the petitioner behind bars. Accordingly, the petitioner is admitted to bail on his furnishing a Personal Bond in the sum of Rs.10,000/- with one surety of like amount," the court ordered. Delhi Police had registered the present FIR in 2020 for alleged commission of offences under the Official Secrets Act and arrested Delhi-based freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma on September 14, 2020. The prosecution claimed according to inputs received from an Indian intelligence agency, Sharma was receiving funds from his handler through hawala channels and Western Union Money Transfer platform for conveying sensitive information, having a bearing on National Security and foreign relations, through electronic means. Subsequently, the petitioner was also apprehended for being part of the conspiracy. Police opposed the bail plea of the petitioner contending that the offences affect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation, and being a citizen of Nepal, he is a flight risk. It claimed the petitioner played an active role in the conspiracy, and was a director in the company which was acting as a conduit to deliver cash to Rajeev Sharma. The accused claimed he was not educated, and taking advantage of this fact, the co-accused had made him the director having only about 0.01 per cent shareholding in the company. He claimed he was falsely implicated in the case. While granting him bail, the court directed Singh to surrender his passport and not leave the city without its prior permission. Sharma was granted default bail by the high court in December 2020. Under Indian laws, an accused is entitled to default bail if an investigation in a criminal case is not completed within the stipulated time. NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday granted bail to a Nepalese national arrested in an espionage case for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers. Justice Vikas Mahajan said no useful purpose would be served in keeping petitioner Sher Singh, who was neither named in the FIR nor was any confidential document recovered from him, behind bars after the completion of an investigation, and granted him bail subject to conditions. The judge said the allegations and defence will be tested during the trial, and at this stage, it has to be noted the other co-accused, who are the "main accused", have been released on default bail, while the petitioner has remained in custody since September 19, 2020.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); "The investigation is complete and no further recovery has to be made from the petitioner. It is also not the case of the prosecution that the petitioner is a habitual offender or he is involved in any other case," said the court. "In view of the above, no useful purpose would be served in keeping the petitioner behind bars. Accordingly, the petitioner is admitted to bail on his furnishing a Personal Bond in the sum of Rs.10,000/- with one surety of like amount," the court ordered. Delhi Police had registered the present FIR in 2020 for alleged commission of offences under the Official Secrets Act and arrested Delhi-based freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma on September 14, 2020. The prosecution claimed according to inputs received from an Indian intelligence agency, Sharma was receiving funds from his handler through hawala channels and Western Union Money Transfer platform for conveying sensitive information, having a bearing on National Security and foreign relations, through electronic means. Subsequently, the petitioner was also apprehended for being part of the conspiracy. Police opposed the bail plea of the petitioner contending that the offences affect the sovereignty and integrity of the nation, and being a citizen of Nepal, he is a flight risk. It claimed the petitioner played an active role in the conspiracy, and was a director in the company which was acting as a conduit to deliver cash to Rajeev Sharma. The accused claimed he was not educated, and taking advantage of this fact, the co-accused had made him the director having only about 0.01 per cent shareholding in the company. He claimed he was falsely implicated in the case. While granting him bail, the court directed Singh to surrender his passport and not leave the city without its prior permission. Sharma was granted default bail by the high court in December 2020. Under Indian laws, an accused is entitled to default bail if an investigation in a criminal case is not completed within the stipulated time. By PTI VADODARA: As many as 200 Indian fishermen released by Pakistan authorities reached Vadodara in Gujarat on Monday by a special train from Punjab, an official said. He said the fishermen were welcomed when they reached the Vadodara railway early morning. The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency apprehended these fishermen between 2019 and 2022 from the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian Sea, claiming they had entered Pakistani waters. Last week, Pakistan released the 200 Indian fishermen, who were handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) authorities at the Joint Check Post at the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar (Punjab), an official earlier said. Out of the 200 fishermen, 171 are from Gujarat and the others from Diu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, a Gujarat fisheries department official said. A team of Gujarat fisheries department officials had received the 200 fishermen at the Wagah border in Amritsar and brought them to Vadodara by train, he said. From Vadodara, they were being sent to their native places, a government statement said. The fishermen's release was ensured through diplomatic efforts by the central government and efforts made by the Gujarat government, it said. "As many as 200 fishermen apprehended by Pakistan reached Vadodara by a special train. They were welcomed at the Vadodara railway station," stated the release. Among the freed fishermen, 171 are from Gujarat, including 129 from Gir Somnath district, 31 from Devbhoomi Dwarka, two from Junagadh, five from Navsari and four from Porbandar district in the state. Besides, three fishermen from Bihar, 15 from Diu, six from Maharashtra and five from Uttar Pradesh have also been released, the government said. "The fishermen were medically examined and a team of the state fisheries department and police also went to the Wagah border to receive them," it said. Pakistan last week announced the release of 200 Indian fishermen and three civilian prisoners as a humanitarian gesture. Before this, 184 fishermen from Gujarat were released by Pakistani authorities last month. VADODARA: As many as 200 Indian fishermen released by Pakistan authorities reached Vadodara in Gujarat on Monday by a special train from Punjab, an official said. He said the fishermen were welcomed when they reached the Vadodara railway early morning. The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency apprehended these fishermen between 2019 and 2022 from the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian Sea, claiming they had entered Pakistani waters.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Last week, Pakistan released the 200 Indian fishermen, who were handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) authorities at the Joint Check Post at the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar (Punjab), an official earlier said. Out of the 200 fishermen, 171 are from Gujarat and the others from Diu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, a Gujarat fisheries department official said. A team of Gujarat fisheries department officials had received the 200 fishermen at the Wagah border in Amritsar and brought them to Vadodara by train, he said. From Vadodara, they were being sent to their native places, a government statement said. The fishermen's release was ensured through diplomatic efforts by the central government and efforts made by the Gujarat government, it said. "As many as 200 fishermen apprehended by Pakistan reached Vadodara by a special train. They were welcomed at the Vadodara railway station," stated the release. Among the freed fishermen, 171 are from Gujarat, including 129 from Gir Somnath district, 31 from Devbhoomi Dwarka, two from Junagadh, five from Navsari and four from Porbandar district in the state. Besides, three fishermen from Bihar, 15 from Diu, six from Maharashtra and five from Uttar Pradesh have also been released, the government said. "The fishermen were medically examined and a team of the state fisheries department and police also went to the Wagah border to receive them," it said. Pakistan last week announced the release of 200 Indian fishermen and three civilian prisoners as a humanitarian gesture. Before this, 184 fishermen from Gujarat were released by Pakistani authorities last month. By PTI KOLKATA: Rujira Banerjee, wife of senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, was allegedly stopped from boarding a UAE-bound flight citing a "lookout" notice by the Enforcement Directorate that asked her to appear before them on June 8, her lawyer said. Sources said Rujira reached Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport with her two children around 7 am to board the flight. "She was stopped at the immigration, citing a lookout notice issued by the ED in a case. A Supreme Court order says there is no bar on her foreign visits," one of her lawyers told PTI. The lawyer said she had informed the ED on Saturday about her travel plans and gave a copy of her tickets to the agency. "Now she has been stopped. She was also handed over a copy of a summons dated June 5 asking her to appear before the ED office in Kolkata on June 8. She has now returned home," he said. Repeated attempts to get a version from the airport and ED authorities elicited no response. A press statement issued by her office also claimed there is a Supreme Court order which says there are no foreign travel restrictions on the couple. "Rujira Banerjee had visited USA from October 5 to October 18 and there was no objection from the ED then. Rujira had not been stopped from travelling abroad during the ongoing investigation by the ED. She has not been called for interrogation except once in June last year, which she duly complied with," the statement said. Last year, the ED had questioned her in connection with a coal pilferage scam. The CBI had also questioned her in 2021 in the same case. KOLKATA: Rujira Banerjee, wife of senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, was allegedly stopped from boarding a UAE-bound flight citing a "lookout" notice by the Enforcement Directorate that asked her to appear before them on June 8, her lawyer said. Sources said Rujira reached Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport with her two children around 7 am to board the flight. "She was stopped at the immigration, citing a lookout notice issued by the ED in a case. A Supreme Court order says there is no bar on her foreign visits," one of her lawyers told PTI.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The lawyer said she had informed the ED on Saturday about her travel plans and gave a copy of her tickets to the agency. "Now she has been stopped. She was also handed over a copy of a summons dated June 5 asking her to appear before the ED office in Kolkata on June 8. She has now returned home," he said. Repeated attempts to get a version from the airport and ED authorities elicited no response. A press statement issued by her office also claimed there is a Supreme Court order which says there are no foreign travel restrictions on the couple. "Rujira Banerjee had visited USA from October 5 to October 18 and there was no objection from the ED then. Rujira had not been stopped from travelling abroad during the ongoing investigation by the ED. She has not been called for interrogation except once in June last year, which she duly complied with," the statement said. Last year, the ED had questioned her in connection with a coal pilferage scam. The CBI had also questioned her in 2021 in the same case. Ramashankar By Express News Service PATNA: A day after the Aguvani-Sultanganj bridge in Bihar's Bhagalpur over the Ganga river collapsed on Sunday, Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said that it was a planned demolition as experts had found serious defects in its design. Tejashwi said that technical experts from IIT Roorkee had detected significant technical flaws in the design of the bridge and the segment of the pillar was demolished on the basis of the expert's report submitted to the department. Videos of the Aguvani-Sultanganj bridge which was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur, collapsing had gone viral on social media prompting sharp criticisms from the opposition BJP. Addressing a press conference, Yadav along with the additional chief secretary of road construction department, Pratyay Amrit, said that the decision was taken after a portion of the same bridge collapsed during a thunderstorm in 2022. The government had then assigned researchers at IIT-Roorkee to analyse the structure, he added. #WATCH | Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav speaks on the collapse of an under-construction bridge in Bhagalpur which collapsed for the second time. https://t.co/MoeA7wF1nN pic.twitter.com/sgMuTGwaIs ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023 "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinionapproached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said at the press conference. According to the report, there was a significant fault in the design of the bridge, which made the government take a decision to demolish the structure. Amrit said that the government didnt want to risk it by waiting for the final report before taking down parts of the flawed bridge. The bridge connecting Sultanganj (Bhagalpur) with Aguvani Ghat (Khagaria) was estimated to be built at a cost of 1,710 crore. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had sought a detailed report from Pratayaya Amrit on the collapse of the bridge. Nitish Kumar had instructed Pratayaya to provide a comprehensive report on the incident and emphasised the need for stern action against those found to be responsible. Earlier, BJP state chief Samrat Choudhary demanded resignation of CM Nitish Kumar while former BJP MP from Bhagalpur Syed Shahwaz Hussain requested an investigation into the incident. PATNA: A day after the Aguvani-Sultanganj bridge in Bihar's Bhagalpur over the Ganga river collapsed on Sunday, Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said that it was a planned demolition as experts had found serious defects in its design. Tejashwi said that technical experts from IIT Roorkee had detected significant technical flaws in the design of the bridge and the segment of the pillar was demolished on the basis of the expert's report submitted to the department. Videos of the Aguvani-Sultanganj bridge which was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur, collapsing had gone viral on social media prompting sharp criticisms from the opposition BJP.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Addressing a press conference, Yadav along with the additional chief secretary of road construction department, Pratyay Amrit, said that the decision was taken after a portion of the same bridge collapsed during a thunderstorm in 2022. The government had then assigned researchers at IIT-Roorkee to analyse the structure, he added. #WATCH | Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav speaks on the collapse of an under-construction bridge in Bhagalpur which collapsed for the second time. https://t.co/MoeA7wF1nN pic.twitter.com/sgMuTGwaIs ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023 "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinionapproached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said at the press conference. According to the report, there was a significant fault in the design of the bridge, which made the government take a decision to demolish the structure. Amrit said that the government didnt want to risk it by waiting for the final report before taking down parts of the flawed bridge. The bridge connecting Sultanganj (Bhagalpur) with Aguvani Ghat (Khagaria) was estimated to be built at a cost of 1,710 crore. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had sought a detailed report from Pratayaya Amrit on the collapse of the bridge. Nitish Kumar had instructed Pratayaya to provide a comprehensive report on the incident and emphasised the need for stern action against those found to be responsible. Earlier, BJP state chief Samrat Choudhary demanded resignation of CM Nitish Kumar while former BJP MP from Bhagalpur Syed Shahwaz Hussain requested an investigation into the incident. Bijoy Ketan Pradhan and Hemant Kumr Rout By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: In a curious turn of events, the Indian Railway Board on Sunday evening recommended the Centre hand over the Bahanaga Bazar train accident case to CBI for investigation. The announcement came from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who earlier in the day had said the root cause of the accident and the people responsible for it had been identified. It happened due to a change made in the electronic interlocking and point machine, he told reporters at the accident site in the morning. However, in a hurriedly convened media conference at Rail Sadan, headquarters of the East Coast Railway in Bhubaneswar, after visiting survivors undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, Vaishnaw said the case needed further investigation. Keeping in view the situation in which the accident took place and all the administrative information that has been received so far, this case is being considered for further investigation. A recommendation is being made by the Railway Board to hand the matter over to the CBI, Vaishnaw said. #WATCH | The commissioner of railway safety has investigated the matter and let the investigation report come but we have identified the cause of the incident and the people responsible for it... It happened due to a change in electronic interlocking. Right now our focus is on pic.twitter.com/UaOVXTeOKZ ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023 The request for a CBI probe has seemingly brought the sabotage angle into the picture. A senior Railway official said prima facie the accident appears to be an act of sabotage, which is now seen as a criminal act. The CBI will be the competent agency to investigate the criminal aspect of the case. Earlier in the day, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which officially was stated to be on the treatment of injured passengers. The chief minister assured the prime minister that all possible steps are being taken to provide the best treatment to them. According to some railway officials, human error is the reason behind the crash. It was entirely a human error. We have identified it and found the involvement of two persons, a senior official told this paper on condition of anonymity. The Bahanaga Bazar station, where the derailment occurred, has two mainline tracks. Up and Down lines for trains to pass through and two loop lines used for temporary halts to allow smooth movement of trains on the main lines. After a goods train was allowed to stay on the Up loop line, the signal was given for Coromandel Express on the Up mainline. Usually, after a train is allowed into a loop by switching on the panel, it moves a piece of track from the mainline to the loop line. Once the train is in, the switch is moved back in the route relay panel to ensure that the moved piece of track is returned to its original position. But here, the track piece did not return from the loop line to the mainline and the point was towards the loop line. Though the issue reflected on the panel at the station and a red light flashed for a few seconds, the station manager present at that time somehow missed it. By the time he saw the panel, there was nothing abnormal and he gave the signal. As the piece of track, according to sources, had not returned to its original position, Coromandel Express dashed into the stationary iron ore-laden freight train at a speed of 130 kmph. Had the station manager noticed the red light and taken measures, this crash could have been avoided, said the senior official. Besides, the official said, it has come to light that the mainline and loop line junction had developed some snags and were repaired by a signal maintainer. Possibly, this technician, who repaired the circuit made a direct connection with the signal bypassing the procedures. The assistant station manager, thus, could give the signal without knowing the track position. He adopted a shortcut method to repair the fault, the official added. The electronic signalling system is error-proof and fail-safe, which means when it fails, all signals will turn red and all train operations will stop. The station manager cannot give the signal if there is any fault in the lines. This is perhaps for the first time in railways history, it happened due to the shortcut method adopted to repair the fault, sources said. Meanwhile, three separate teams of forensic experts from Kolkata, Hyderabad and New Delhi visited the station and collected forensic evidence. They also interacted with rail officials and station staff. BHUBANESWAR: In a curious turn of events, the Indian Railway Board on Sunday evening recommended the Centre hand over the Bahanaga Bazar train accident case to CBI for investigation. The announcement came from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who earlier in the day had said the root cause of the accident and the people responsible for it had been identified. It happened due to a change made in the electronic interlocking and point machine, he told reporters at the accident site in the morning. However, in a hurriedly convened media conference at Rail Sadan, headquarters of the East Coast Railway in Bhubaneswar, after visiting survivors undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, Vaishnaw said the case needed further investigation. Keeping in view the situation in which the accident took place and all the administrative information that has been received so far, this case is being considered for further investigation. A recommendation is being made by the Railway Board to hand the matter over to the CBI, Vaishnaw said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); #WATCH | The commissioner of railway safety has investigated the matter and let the investigation report come but we have identified the cause of the incident and the people responsible for it... It happened due to a change in electronic interlocking. Right now our focus is on pic.twitter.com/UaOVXTeOKZ ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023 The request for a CBI probe has seemingly brought the sabotage angle into the picture. A senior Railway official said prima facie the accident appears to be an act of sabotage, which is now seen as a criminal act. The CBI will be the competent agency to investigate the criminal aspect of the case. Earlier in the day, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which officially was stated to be on the treatment of injured passengers. The chief minister assured the prime minister that all possible steps are being taken to provide the best treatment to them. According to some railway officials, human error is the reason behind the crash. It was entirely a human error. We have identified it and found the involvement of two persons, a senior official told this paper on condition of anonymity. The Bahanaga Bazar station, where the derailment occurred, has two mainline tracks. Up and Down lines for trains to pass through and two loop lines used for temporary halts to allow smooth movement of trains on the main lines. After a goods train was allowed to stay on the Up loop line, the signal was given for Coromandel Express on the Up mainline. Usually, after a train is allowed into a loop by switching on the panel, it moves a piece of track from the mainline to the loop line. Once the train is in, the switch is moved back in the route relay panel to ensure that the moved piece of track is returned to its original position. But here, the track piece did not return from the loop line to the mainline and the point was towards the loop line. Though the issue reflected on the panel at the station and a red light flashed for a few seconds, the station manager present at that time somehow missed it. By the time he saw the panel, there was nothing abnormal and he gave the signal. As the piece of track, according to sources, had not returned to its original position, Coromandel Express dashed into the stationary iron ore-laden freight train at a speed of 130 kmph. Had the station manager noticed the red light and taken measures, this crash could have been avoided, said the senior official. Besides, the official said, it has come to light that the mainline and loop line junction had developed some snags and were repaired by a signal maintainer. Possibly, this technician, who repaired the circuit made a direct connection with the signal bypassing the procedures. The assistant station manager, thus, could give the signal without knowing the track position. He adopted a shortcut method to repair the fault, the official added. The electronic signalling system is error-proof and fail-safe, which means when it fails, all signals will turn red and all train operations will stop. The station manager cannot give the signal if there is any fault in the lines. This is perhaps for the first time in railways history, it happened due to the shortcut method adopted to repair the fault, sources said. Meanwhile, three separate teams of forensic experts from Kolkata, Hyderabad and New Delhi visited the station and collected forensic evidence. They also interacted with rail officials and station staff. By PTI NEW YORK: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the BJP and RSS are "incapable" of looking at the future and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to drive the Indian car by only looking in the rearview mirror which will lead to "one accident after another." Gandhi addressed a massive community event at the Javits Centre organised by the Indian Overseas Congress - USA on Sunday as he wrapped up his US visit that included trips to San Francisco and Washington DC. Back home we have a problem, and I will tell you the problem. BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking at the future. They're incapable. Unse aap kuch bhi poocho, woh peeche ki aur dekhte hain (You ask anything they look into the past), he said. He said that if you ask the BJP why a train accident happened, they will say the Congress Party did such and such thing 50 years ago, taking a swipe at the government following the Odisha train accident, one of the worst railway tragedies in the country. The accident involving three trains has left around 275 dead and brought into focus the issue of railway safety. There has been a demand for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from some quarters. Gandhi said that if you ask the BJP why they removed the periodic table from the textbooks, they will refer to what the Congress party did 60 years ago. Their immediate response is to look back, he said, adding that one cannot drive a car by looking only in the rearview mirror as that will only lead to "one accident after another." That is the phenomenon of Narendra Modi ji. He is trying to drive the Indian car and he only looks in the rearview mirror. And then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS, all of them. "You listen to them. You listen to their ministers. You listen to the Prime Minister, you will never find them talking about the future. They will only talk about the past and they will always blame somebody else for the past, he said amidst applause from the Congress party members. He said that when a train accident happened when the Congress party was in power, it did not say It is the fault of the British that the train has crashed. No. The Congress minister remember said it is my responsibility the train has crashed. I'm resigning, Gandhi said. He said the fight going on in India is a fight between two ideologies in which on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side there is Nathuram Godse. There is a fight going on back home - a fight between two ideologies. One that we represent and the other of course that the BJP and the RSS represent. I think the simplest way to describe this fight is on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side, you have Nathuram Godse, the 52-year-old former Congress president said at the community event. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress leader said that on one side there is a brave man, NRI like you. In fact, probably the most impactful NRI that India has had in many, many years. Humble man, a simple man, but a man who believed in the future, who believed in India, propagated non-violence and search for the truth. That's the ideology that we follow. That's the ideology that all of you follow in this room. And then on the other side, Nathuram Godse, violent, angry, unable to face the reality of his own life. The reason he shot Gandhi was that he could not face his own life. And so, he had to take his anger out on somebody, and he chose to take his anger out on the man who represented the essence of India, Gandhi, the former MP, said. He said while Gandhi was open-minded and modern, Godse only spoke of the past. He was angry, hateful, and frankly he was scared. At the heart, he was a coward. He added that the challenge in India is that there is an attack on the democratic structure of our country. "Full-scale attack on our institutions, on our judiciary, on our media, and it is your responsibility and our responsibility to defend the idea of India," Gandhi said. The central piece of the idea of India is our Constitution and our democracy. Modern India cannot exist without our Constitution and without our democracy, he said. Gandhi said when he attends such public meetings, he sees people who believe in the idea of India, in the democratic principles of the country, in the Constitution, who believe that "we should be affectionate to each other, that we should love each other. Gandhi said the problem back home is that we make excuses. And we are not accepting the reality we're faced with. The reality we're faced with is our unemployment numbers and the fact that we need to make sure that all our youngsters are productive and get a job." And I believe and one of the reasons I have come here is because I believe that if we want to build an India where the vast majority of our youngsters are employed, one of the things we have to think about is the bridge between India and the United States. What does it look like, what does our partnership focus on and how do we compete with the challenge the Chinese have placed on the table, he said. He said one has to look at what is our view on the revolution in mobility, what is our view on the revolution on data and connectivity and what is our view on the transformation that is taking place in the energy system of the world. These are the things that we should be discussing. Gandhi said Indians help each other no matter what and not ask questions about religion, or community. You will say if you need my help, I don't care which religion you're from. I'm Indian. And I'm going to help you. To be nasty to people, to be arrogant, to be violent, these are not Indian values. They're simply not Indian values. If they were Indian values, why would we be celebrating Mahatma Gandhi, Guru Nanak and Ambedkar, he said. He said there is a new fashion which is that to express Indianness, you have to be hateful. To express Indianness you have to be abusive, to express Indianness, you have to beat people. No, that's not Indianness. That's something else and we refuse to accept that as Indian. Gandhi said he wants to visit other cities across the US and he wants to build a relationship with the diaspora across the US. My intention is to build a relationship with you, an affectionate, loving relationship with you where you can say to me that Rahul, this is what we think, this is how you should think about the relationship with the United States. I'm not interested so much in telling you what I believe. I don't want to do 'Mann ki Baat' over here, Gandhi said, referring to Prime Minister Modi's monthly radio address to the nation, as the gathering clapped. I am interested not in looking at the rearview mirror but looking in front and saying brothers and sisters, how do we move forward effectively and how as a country do we spread love and affection, how are we kind to the people? That's what Im interested in. As Gandhi was addressing the gathering, a man carrying a Khalistani flag stood up. Gandhi said, Namaskar, have a nice day. The people in the audience gestured for the man to go out of the convention centre hall but Gandhi said: This is Congress party's power. We're not being violent. We're not being aggressive. We're not being nasty. That is our strength. Did we shout at him? No, we didn't. We will not change our behaviour. Because you cannot cut hatred with hatred. It's impossible. He referred to his slogan made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra Nafrat ke bazaar mean mohabbat ki dukan. NEW YORK: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the BJP and RSS are "incapable" of looking at the future and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to drive the Indian car by only looking in the rearview mirror which will lead to "one accident after another." Gandhi addressed a massive community event at the Javits Centre organised by the Indian Overseas Congress - USA on Sunday as he wrapped up his US visit that included trips to San Francisco and Washington DC. Back home we have a problem, and I will tell you the problem. BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking at the future. They're incapable. Unse aap kuch bhi poocho, woh peeche ki aur dekhte hain (You ask anything they look into the past), he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He said that if you ask the BJP why a train accident happened, they will say the Congress Party did such and such thing 50 years ago, taking a swipe at the government following the Odisha train accident, one of the worst railway tragedies in the country. The accident involving three trains has left around 275 dead and brought into focus the issue of railway safety. There has been a demand for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from some quarters. Gandhi said that if you ask the BJP why they removed the periodic table from the textbooks, they will refer to what the Congress party did 60 years ago. Their immediate response is to look back, he said, adding that one cannot drive a car by looking only in the rearview mirror as that will only lead to "one accident after another." That is the phenomenon of Narendra Modi ji. He is trying to drive the Indian car and he only looks in the rearview mirror. And then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS, all of them. "You listen to them. You listen to their ministers. You listen to the Prime Minister, you will never find them talking about the future. They will only talk about the past and they will always blame somebody else for the past, he said amidst applause from the Congress party members. He said that when a train accident happened when the Congress party was in power, it did not say It is the fault of the British that the train has crashed. No. The Congress minister remember said it is my responsibility the train has crashed. I'm resigning, Gandhi said. He said the fight going on in India is a fight between two ideologies in which on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side there is Nathuram Godse. There is a fight going on back home - a fight between two ideologies. One that we represent and the other of course that the BJP and the RSS represent. I think the simplest way to describe this fight is on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side, you have Nathuram Godse, the 52-year-old former Congress president said at the community event. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress leader said that on one side there is a brave man, NRI like you. In fact, probably the most impactful NRI that India has had in many, many years. Humble man, a simple man, but a man who believed in the future, who believed in India, propagated non-violence and search for the truth. That's the ideology that we follow. That's the ideology that all of you follow in this room. And then on the other side, Nathuram Godse, violent, angry, unable to face the reality of his own life. The reason he shot Gandhi was that he could not face his own life. And so, he had to take his anger out on somebody, and he chose to take his anger out on the man who represented the essence of India, Gandhi, the former MP, said. He said while Gandhi was open-minded and modern, Godse only spoke of the past. He was angry, hateful, and frankly he was scared. At the heart, he was a coward. He added that the challenge in India is that there is an attack on the democratic structure of our country. "Full-scale attack on our institutions, on our judiciary, on our media, and it is your responsibility and our responsibility to defend the idea of India," Gandhi said. The central piece of the idea of India is our Constitution and our democracy. Modern India cannot exist without our Constitution and without our democracy, he said. Gandhi said when he attends such public meetings, he sees people who believe in the idea of India, in the democratic principles of the country, in the Constitution, who believe that "we should be affectionate to each other, that we should love each other. Gandhi said the problem back home is that we make excuses. And we are not accepting the reality we're faced with. The reality we're faced with is our unemployment numbers and the fact that we need to make sure that all our youngsters are productive and get a job." And I believe and one of the reasons I have come here is because I believe that if we want to build an India where the vast majority of our youngsters are employed, one of the things we have to think about is the bridge between India and the United States. What does it look like, what does our partnership focus on and how do we compete with the challenge the Chinese have placed on the table, he said. He said one has to look at what is our view on the revolution in mobility, what is our view on the revolution on data and connectivity and what is our view on the transformation that is taking place in the energy system of the world. These are the things that we should be discussing. Gandhi said Indians help each other no matter what and not ask questions about religion, or community. You will say if you need my help, I don't care which religion you're from. I'm Indian. And I'm going to help you. To be nasty to people, to be arrogant, to be violent, these are not Indian values. They're simply not Indian values. If they were Indian values, why would we be celebrating Mahatma Gandhi, Guru Nanak and Ambedkar, he said. He said there is a new fashion which is that to express Indianness, you have to be hateful. To express Indianness you have to be abusive, to express Indianness, you have to beat people. No, that's not Indianness. That's something else and we refuse to accept that as Indian. Gandhi said he wants to visit other cities across the US and he wants to build a relationship with the diaspora across the US. My intention is to build a relationship with you, an affectionate, loving relationship with you where you can say to me that Rahul, this is what we think, this is how you should think about the relationship with the United States. I'm not interested so much in telling you what I believe. I don't want to do 'Mann ki Baat' over here, Gandhi said, referring to Prime Minister Modi's monthly radio address to the nation, as the gathering clapped. I am interested not in looking at the rearview mirror but looking in front and saying brothers and sisters, how do we move forward effectively and how as a country do we spread love and affection, how are we kind to the people? That's what Im interested in. As Gandhi was addressing the gathering, a man carrying a Khalistani flag stood up. Gandhi said, Namaskar, have a nice day. The people in the audience gestured for the man to go out of the convention centre hall but Gandhi said: This is Congress party's power. We're not being violent. We're not being aggressive. We're not being nasty. That is our strength. Did we shout at him? No, we didn't. We will not change our behaviour. Because you cannot cut hatred with hatred. It's impossible. He referred to his slogan made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra Nafrat ke bazaar mean mohabbat ki dukan. Rajesh Asnani By Express News Service JAIPUR: The political temperature in Rajasthan is rising a few months before the Assembly polls. The Mahapanchayat (Mahasangam) of the Mali Samaj, to which Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot belong, was held in Jaipur on Sunday. Although Gehlot couldnt attend the event, his son and RCA chief Vaibhav Gehlot, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya were present at the rally. In the election year, major castes in Rajasthan are organising caste-based events to showcase their dominance. Jat, Rajput, and Brahmin communities have already held such events in the last few months. On Sunday, BJP leaders faced an uncomfortable situation. Despite repeated refusals, members of the Mali community took over the stage four times, displaying placards in support of the Gehlot government. When Keshav Prasad Maurya began his address, supporters of Gehlot started booing him. Mauryas speech praising the BJPs style of working enraged Gehlots supporters, who started chanting slogans. BJP supporters in the gathering countered the slogans. Maurya stopped his speech, urging everyone to avoid conflict. The awkward situation saw Lok Sabha Speaker Birla leaving the gathering without delivering his speech. Vaibhav Gehlot in his address expressed confidence in the Congress government in Rajasthan, citing the support received from the people. He also referenced the social reformer Jyotiba Phule, who belonged to the Mali community, highlighting Phules significant contributions to society and his efforts towards the uplift of Dalits. During the rally, the Mali community put up several demands before the government, including honouring Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitri Bai Phule with the Bharat Ratna and installing their statues in the new Parliament House. They also demanded a 12% reservation for Saini, Mali, Kushwaah, Shakya, Maurya, Suman, Vanmali, and Bhoi Mali Samaj based on their extreme economic and social backwardness. They also requested national political parties to allocate a minimum number of seats for the Mali Samaj in each district during assembly elections. BJP left embarrassed On Sunday, BJP leaders faced a situation. Despite repeated refusals, members of the Mali community took over the stage four times, displaying placards in support of the Gehlot government. JAIPUR: The political temperature in Rajasthan is rising a few months before the Assembly polls. The Mahapanchayat (Mahasangam) of the Mali Samaj, to which Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot belong, was held in Jaipur on Sunday. Although Gehlot couldnt attend the event, his son and RCA chief Vaibhav Gehlot, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya were present at the rally. In the election year, major castes in Rajasthan are organising caste-based events to showcase their dominance. Jat, Rajput, and Brahmin communities have already held such events in the last few months. On Sunday, BJP leaders faced an uncomfortable situation. Despite repeated refusals, members of the Mali community took over the stage four times, displaying placards in support of the Gehlot government. When Keshav Prasad Maurya began his address, supporters of Gehlot started booing him. Mauryas speech praising the BJPs style of working enraged Gehlots supporters, who started chanting slogans. BJP supporters in the gathering countered the slogans. Maurya stopped his speech, urging everyone to avoid conflict. The awkward situation saw Lok Sabha Speaker Birla leaving the gathering without delivering his speech.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); Vaibhav Gehlot in his address expressed confidence in the Congress government in Rajasthan, citing the support received from the people. He also referenced the social reformer Jyotiba Phule, who belonged to the Mali community, highlighting Phules significant contributions to society and his efforts towards the uplift of Dalits. During the rally, the Mali community put up several demands before the government, including honouring Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitri Bai Phule with the Bharat Ratna and installing their statues in the new Parliament House. They also demanded a 12% reservation for Saini, Mali, Kushwaah, Shakya, Maurya, Suman, Vanmali, and Bhoi Mali Samaj based on their extreme economic and social backwardness. They also requested national political parties to allocate a minimum number of seats for the Mali Samaj in each district during assembly elections. BJP left embarrassed On Sunday, BJP leaders faced a situation. Despite repeated refusals, members of the Mali community took over the stage four times, displaying placards in support of the Gehlot government. Sudhir Suryawanshi By Express News Service MUMBAI: The RSS mouthpiece- the weekly magazine Organizer has dismissed the popular notion of just using the 'Modi magic' and Hindutva to win all elections. This comes after the recent BJP's defeat in the Karnataka elections and ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The RSS's affiliate magazine further stated that the BJP needs strong regional leadership and effective delivery at the regional level. Without strong leadership and effective delivery at the regional level, PM Modi's charisma and Hindutva as ideological glue would not be sufficient, the magazine stated. The Karnataka election results have come out in the favour of Congress but losing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be a daring proposition, it stated, adding that it was the right time for the BJP to take stock of the situation. It stated that corruption was the major issue in the elections and for the first time since Modi took the reins at the Centre, the BJP had to defend the corruption charges in an Assembly election. The ruling party tried its best to galvanise the voters with national-level programmes, while the Congress tried its best to keep it at the local level. The BJP failed to significantly add to the previous vote share in the high-turnout elections, resulting in poor seat conversion. Anti-incumbency against the sitting Ministers should be a concerning factor for the BJP," it said. It further noted that the Congress' national leaders played a minimal role while the regional leaders took the front stage during the election campaign leading to a major victory in the Karnataka elections. The family-run party tried to present a unified face at the state level and garnered five per cent additional votes compared to the 2018 elections. Janata Dal (Secular) has lost its sheen and, therefore, the bargaining power after the results. Only time will tell how far Congress could give a stable government and fulfil the tall promises made to the people, reads the edit. It claimed that the caste-based mobilisation in the Karnataka election was done blatantly. The magazine claimed that the linguistic divide and the North vs South card were used to garner votes during the Karnataka elections and called it a dangerous trend. The linguistic and religious identities' role in garnering votes was also open without considering the long-term repercussions. Regionalism and sub-regionalism have been a growing trend, and the Karnataka elections once again reminded of the dangers of linguistic reorganisation, Dr Ambedkar had warned about. The way some people played the North versus South card is another dangerous ploy," it said. The magazine also claimed that religion too played an important role in Congress' victory in the Karnataka elections with Muslim leaders putting forth their demands to the Congress leadership against the consolidated votes and the Church brazenly coming out about their institutional role in the Congress' victory. MUMBAI: The RSS mouthpiece- the weekly magazine Organizer has dismissed the popular notion of just using the 'Modi magic' and Hindutva to win all elections. This comes after the recent BJP's defeat in the Karnataka elections and ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The RSS's affiliate magazine further stated that the BJP needs strong regional leadership and effective delivery at the regional level. Without strong leadership and effective delivery at the regional level, PM Modi's charisma and Hindutva as ideological glue would not be sufficient, the magazine stated. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The Karnataka election results have come out in the favour of Congress but losing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be a daring proposition, it stated, adding that it was the right time for the BJP to take stock of the situation. It stated that corruption was the major issue in the elections and for the first time since Modi took the reins at the Centre, the BJP had to defend the corruption charges in an Assembly election. The ruling party tried its best to galvanise the voters with national-level programmes, while the Congress tried its best to keep it at the local level. The BJP failed to significantly add to the previous vote share in the high-turnout elections, resulting in poor seat conversion. Anti-incumbency against the sitting Ministers should be a concerning factor for the BJP," it said. It further noted that the Congress' national leaders played a minimal role while the regional leaders took the front stage during the election campaign leading to a major victory in the Karnataka elections. The family-run party tried to present a unified face at the state level and garnered five per cent additional votes compared to the 2018 elections. Janata Dal (Secular) has lost its sheen and, therefore, the bargaining power after the results. Only time will tell how far Congress could give a stable government and fulfil the tall promises made to the people, reads the edit. It claimed that the caste-based mobilisation in the Karnataka election was done blatantly. The magazine claimed that the linguistic divide and the North vs South card were used to garner votes during the Karnataka elections and called it a dangerous trend. The linguistic and religious identities' role in garnering votes was also open without considering the long-term repercussions. Regionalism and sub-regionalism have been a growing trend, and the Karnataka elections once again reminded of the dangers of linguistic reorganisation, Dr Ambedkar had warned about. The way some people played the North versus South card is another dangerous ploy," it said. The magazine also claimed that religion too played an important role in Congress' victory in the Karnataka elections with Muslim leaders putting forth their demands to the Congress leadership against the consolidated votes and the Church brazenly coming out about their institutional role in the Congress' victory. Pronab Mondal By Express News Service KOLKATA: Slamming the Centre over its decision to recommend a CBI investigation into the fatal triple train crash in Balasore, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said it is not the time to suppress the truth. Stepping up her attack on the central government for involving the central agency in the mishap, Mamata said, We want people to know the truth. It is not the time to suppress the truth. She also cited the examples of CBI probe into railway mishaps during her stint as the railway minister and said the central agencys investigation resulted in no result. When I was the railway minister, I also gave Gyaneshwari Express case to the CBI but no result came. We see no result even after 12 years. The CBI deals with criminal cases. The Railway Safety Commission is there to investigate accident cases, she said. Mamata announced more government help apart from the ex-gratia compensation she had announced earlier. The West Bengal CM announced state government jobs for the next of kin of those who lost their lives and relatives of those who lost their limbs in the triple train crash in Odisha's Balasore. Some of the accident victims lost their hands and legs. For such people, our government has decided that we will give the job of special home guard to one of their family members, she said. Mamata also announced that she would revisit Cuttack and Bhubaneswar on Tuesday saying she cancelled her Darjeeling visit to monitor the mishap situation. I will meet the injured from Bengal who are lodged in hospitals in Odisha, she said. Sharing a letter written by a railway official three months ago on his social media platform, TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale alleged railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ignored warnings from railway officials about problems in the track interlocking and signalling system. New shocking fact on how Rail Minister QAshwiniVaishnaws criminal negligence caused Odisha train crash: In Feb 23 (3 months ago), a rail official flagged SERIOUS concerns on track & signalling safety after a major crash was narrowly prevented. His letter was ignored, Gokhale tweeted sharing a letter purportedly written by the principal chief operational manager, south western railway addressing senior railway officials. New shocking fact on how Rail Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw's criminal negligence caused Odisha train crash: In Feb '23 (3 months ago), a rail official flagged SERIOUS concerns on track & signaling safety after a major crash was narrowly prevented His letter was ignored (1/9) Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 5, 2023 KOLKATA: Slamming the Centre over its decision to recommend a CBI investigation into the fatal triple train crash in Balasore, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said it is not the time to suppress the truth. Stepping up her attack on the central government for involving the central agency in the mishap, Mamata said, We want people to know the truth. It is not the time to suppress the truth. She also cited the examples of CBI probe into railway mishaps during her stint as the railway minister and said the central agencys investigation resulted in no result.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); When I was the railway minister, I also gave Gyaneshwari Express case to the CBI but no result came. We see no result even after 12 years. The CBI deals with criminal cases. The Railway Safety Commission is there to investigate accident cases, she said. Mamata announced more government help apart from the ex-gratia compensation she had announced earlier. The West Bengal CM announced state government jobs for the next of kin of those who lost their lives and relatives of those who lost their limbs in the triple train crash in Odisha's Balasore. Some of the accident victims lost their hands and legs. For such people, our government has decided that we will give the job of special home guard to one of their family members, she said. Mamata also announced that she would revisit Cuttack and Bhubaneswar on Tuesday saying she cancelled her Darjeeling visit to monitor the mishap situation. I will meet the injured from Bengal who are lodged in hospitals in Odisha, she said. Sharing a letter written by a railway official three months ago on his social media platform, TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale alleged railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ignored warnings from railway officials about problems in the track interlocking and signalling system. New shocking fact on how Rail Minister QAshwiniVaishnaws criminal negligence caused Odisha train crash: In Feb 23 (3 months ago), a rail official flagged SERIOUS concerns on track & signalling safety after a major crash was narrowly prevented. His letter was ignored, Gokhale tweeted sharing a letter purportedly written by the principal chief operational manager, south western railway addressing senior railway officials. New shocking fact on how Rail Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw's criminal negligence caused Odisha train crash: In Feb '23 (3 months ago), a rail official flagged SERIOUS concerns on track & signaling safety after a major crash was narrowly prevented His letter was ignored (1/9) Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) June 5, 2023 Pranab Mondal By Express News Service KOLKATA: The accident in Balasore has not only snatched away Subhadra Gayens three sons but also dried up the income of the 12-member family in Basanti, South 24-Parganas of West Bengal. The three brothers, Haran (47), Nishikanta (45) and Dibakar (41) were going to Andhra Pradesh to work as migrant labourers. They had promised Subhadra that they would come back after two months with their hard-earned money to take care of their childrens education and a better life for the family members. Now, I and my daughters-in-law and their children do not know what we will do. I find no way out other than begging, which will be difficult to feed 12 of us, said Subhadra. Basanti, a part of the Bay of Bengals Sunderbans region, is inhabited by migrant workers because of a lack of jobs in remote areas. The three left their village on Friday along with their two other neighbours Bikash Halder (24) and Sanjay Halder (28) to board the Coromandel Express from Shalimar station in Howrah. We heard about the train accident on Friday night when a neighbour, who has a TV in his house, came to our house after watching the news. I started praying for the safety of my sons and spent sleepless night, Subhadra said. Next morning, the news of the death of Bikash and Sanjay came. I was counting the moments with a ray of hope that there would be good news for me. But my hope shattered when the local police came and informed me that my three sons were found dead in the mangled compartment in which they were travelling. Everything in front of me collapsed, recounted Subhadra in her 70s, with tears rolling down her face. Anjita, Harans wife, was speechless and fainted several times since then. Nishikantas wife Rekha continued lamenting hugging her two children. Dibakars wife Brihaspati said she was against her husbands decision of going to Andhra Pradesh. I told him that I would also join him and work as daily labouer in our area. But he said getting a job of a daily labourer in our area is difficult. I even told him that we would start begging, but he did not listen to me. He left for Andhra with two brothers to earn money for our childrens education, she said. According to state government officials, a total of 12 people lost their lives and 110 were injured from South 24-Paraganas. Haran, Nishikanta and Dibakar from Basanti, a part of Bay of Bengals Sunderbans region, were going to Andhra Pradesh to work as migrant labourers and promised their father they would come back after two months with money to take care of their childrens education and family members. A large number of migrant workers venture out to other states due to lack jobs in remote areas. KOLKATA: The accident in Balasore has not only snatched away Subhadra Gayens three sons but also dried up the income of the 12-member family in Basanti, South 24-Parganas of West Bengal. The three brothers, Haran (47), Nishikanta (45) and Dibakar (41) were going to Andhra Pradesh to work as migrant labourers. They had promised Subhadra that they would come back after two months with their hard-earned money to take care of their childrens education and a better life for the family members. Now, I and my daughters-in-law and their children do not know what we will do. I find no way out other than begging, which will be difficult to feed 12 of us, said Subhadra. Basanti, a part of the Bay of Bengals Sunderbans region, is inhabited by migrant workers because of a lack of jobs in remote areas. The three left their village on Friday along with their two other neighbours Bikash Halder (24) and Sanjay Halder (28) to board the Coromandel Express from Shalimar station in Howrah.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); We heard about the train accident on Friday night when a neighbour, who has a TV in his house, came to our house after watching the news. I started praying for the safety of my sons and spent sleepless night, Subhadra said. Next morning, the news of the death of Bikash and Sanjay came. I was counting the moments with a ray of hope that there would be good news for me. But my hope shattered when the local police came and informed me that my three sons were found dead in the mangled compartment in which they were travelling. Everything in front of me collapsed, recounted Subhadra in her 70s, with tears rolling down her face. Anjita, Harans wife, was speechless and fainted several times since then. Nishikantas wife Rekha continued lamenting hugging her two children. Dibakars wife Brihaspati said she was against her husbands decision of going to Andhra Pradesh. I told him that I would also join him and work as daily labouer in our area. But he said getting a job of a daily labourer in our area is difficult. I even told him that we would start begging, but he did not listen to me. He left for Andhra with two brothers to earn money for our childrens education, she said. According to state government officials, a total of 12 people lost their lives and 110 were injured from South 24-Paraganas. Haran, Nishikanta and Dibakar from Basanti, a part of Bay of Bengals Sunderbans region, were going to Andhra Pradesh to work as migrant labourers and promised their father they would come back after two months with money to take care of their childrens education and family members. A large number of migrant workers venture out to other states due to lack jobs in remote areas. Express News Service CHANDIGARH: This year, the cotton crop was sown on only 1.75 lakh hectares in Punjab against the target of 3 lakh hectares set by the state government. This is the lowest area under cotton crop in the state in last 10 years. While the state has the potential to bring around 8 lakh hectares under cotton crop as it used to have more than 7 lakh hectares under the crop in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 2013-14, the area under cotton in the state was 4.45 lakh hectares, a record, and this year, it is the lowest ever. Many factors are cited for the reduction in the area for cotton cultivation: First, the time when the crop is sown is between April 1 and May 31, but due to rains this year, the crop could not be sown properly in 25,000 acres. At least twice the crop was sown but it faced pest attacks. Second, despite officials persuasion, the farmers, especially in the Malwa region, did not prefer the cotton crop for fear of crop diseases, said sources. Most farmers are unaware of the latest damage control methods. Besides, the weather was unfavourable, though some farmers had re-sown the crop amid high input costs, said a farmer. He said the farmers are opting for paddy due to its high yield and late-sown varieties. Traditionally, the state has had more than 7 lakh hectares under cotton crop in 1988-89, it was 7.58 lakh hectares, in 1989-90 it was 7.33 lakh hectares and in 1991-92, it was 7.19 lakh hectares. The cotton belt of the state comprises eight districts of the state , Bathinda, Fazilka, Mansa and Muktsar. Others are Moga, Barnala, Sangrur and Faridkot. This year by May 31, as the sowing season ends, the crop was sown over around 1.75 lakh hectares, which is only 58% of the target of 3 lakh hectares. While last year, the crop was sown over 2.48 lakh hectares against the target of 4 lakh hectares. Canal water was made available to farmers on time. This year, the state government had offered a 33% subsidy on Bt Cotton seed, as recommended by Punjab Agricultural University, said an officer of the Agriculture department. While last year, the farmers got a good price for cotton, the average cotton yield per acre was four to six quintals and the price was between Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,000 per quintal. CHANDIGARH: This year, the cotton crop was sown on only 1.75 lakh hectares in Punjab against the target of 3 lakh hectares set by the state government. This is the lowest area under cotton crop in the state in last 10 years. While the state has the potential to bring around 8 lakh hectares under cotton crop as it used to have more than 7 lakh hectares under the crop in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 2013-14, the area under cotton in the state was 4.45 lakh hectares, a record, and this year, it is the lowest ever. Many factors are cited for the reduction in the area for cotton cultivation: First, the time when the crop is sown is between April 1 and May 31, but due to rains this year, the crop could not be sown properly in 25,000 acres. At least twice the crop was sown but it faced pest attacks. Second, despite officials persuasion, the farmers, especially in the Malwa region, did not prefer the cotton crop for fear of crop diseases, said sources. Most farmers are unaware of the latest damage control methods. Besides, the weather was unfavourable, though some farmers had re-sown the crop amid high input costs, said a farmer. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He said the farmers are opting for paddy due to its high yield and late-sown varieties. Traditionally, the state has had more than 7 lakh hectares under cotton crop in 1988-89, it was 7.58 lakh hectares, in 1989-90 it was 7.33 lakh hectares and in 1991-92, it was 7.19 lakh hectares. The cotton belt of the state comprises eight districts of the state , Bathinda, Fazilka, Mansa and Muktsar. Others are Moga, Barnala, Sangrur and Faridkot. This year by May 31, as the sowing season ends, the crop was sown over around 1.75 lakh hectares, which is only 58% of the target of 3 lakh hectares. While last year, the crop was sown over 2.48 lakh hectares against the target of 4 lakh hectares. Canal water was made available to farmers on time. This year, the state government had offered a 33% subsidy on Bt Cotton seed, as recommended by Punjab Agricultural University, said an officer of the Agriculture department. While last year, the farmers got a good price for cotton, the average cotton yield per acre was four to six quintals and the price was between Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,000 per quintal. Sudhir Suryawanshi By Express News Service Nashik: Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut locked the horn over their controversial conduct and statement, "spitting is better than urinating". A war of words erupted on Saturday between Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and Nationalist Congress Partys Ajit Pawar with both leaders attacking each other indirectly amid a spitting row. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, NCP, and Congress are constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) preparing to contest the 2024 elections in alliance. The trigger was Raut spitting on the ground in front of cameras during a press conference on Friday when reporters sought his reaction to Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shindes jibe targetting Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut regretted that he would not have made spitting better than urinating a statement that soured the relationship between the two leaders. Raut on Saturday claimed spitting was accidental and not intentional as he was having a problem with his teeth. Shrikant, a Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan, had criticised Thackeray, saying that he might be touring abroad as he could not tolerate Mumbai's scorching heat. Sanjay Raut paused for a few seconds and asked, Who is saying this? When a journalist named Shrikant Shinde, Sanjay Raut spat on the ground and then spoke with the journalist. The incident was caught on camera and got viral on social media. In response to this, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said, Everyone restraint before making any objectionable statements and conduct. We have the right culture, tradition and history that goes from the days of the first chief minister of Maharashtra Yashwantrao Chavan. Mr Chavan has shown us how a cultured Maharashtra can make its contribution. I have heard that Sanjay Raut was suffering from some ailment and therefore had to spit Pawar added. Then, reacting, Sanjay Raut immediately hit back at Ajit Pawar and said It is better to spit than urinate in the dam. Ajit Pawar stirred up a row in 2013 with his comments ridiculing the acute water scarcity in the state. Referring to the hunger strike of a drought-hit farmer, Ajit Pawar had said, He is on fast for the last 55 days. If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we urinate into it? If there is no water to drink, even urination is not possible. He later apologised for his remarks. Political observers said that both leaders need to restrain from making such statements that will damage the prospect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and particularly NCP and Shiv Sena. Oppositions have to make peace and put the united face together but here the top leaders are fighting like street children. This is not at all good for the Oppositions ahead of the key elections, he added. Nashik: Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut locked the horn over their controversial conduct and statement, "spitting is better than urinating". A war of words erupted on Saturday between Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and Nationalist Congress Partys Ajit Pawar with both leaders attacking each other indirectly amid a spitting row. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, NCP, and Congress are constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) preparing to contest the 2024 elections in alliance.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The trigger was Raut spitting on the ground in front of cameras during a press conference on Friday when reporters sought his reaction to Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shindes jibe targetting Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut regretted that he would not have made spitting better than urinating a statement that soured the relationship between the two leaders. Raut on Saturday claimed spitting was accidental and not intentional as he was having a problem with his teeth. Shrikant, a Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan, had criticised Thackeray, saying that he might be touring abroad as he could not tolerate Mumbai's scorching heat. Sanjay Raut paused for a few seconds and asked, Who is saying this? When a journalist named Shrikant Shinde, Sanjay Raut spat on the ground and then spoke with the journalist. The incident was caught on camera and got viral on social media. In response to this, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said, Everyone restraint before making any objectionable statements and conduct. We have the right culture, tradition and history that goes from the days of the first chief minister of Maharashtra Yashwantrao Chavan. Mr Chavan has shown us how a cultured Maharashtra can make its contribution. I have heard that Sanjay Raut was suffering from some ailment and therefore had to spit Pawar added. Then, reacting, Sanjay Raut immediately hit back at Ajit Pawar and said It is better to spit than urinate in the dam. Ajit Pawar stirred up a row in 2013 with his comments ridiculing the acute water scarcity in the state. Referring to the hunger strike of a drought-hit farmer, Ajit Pawar had said, He is on fast for the last 55 days. If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we urinate into it? If there is no water to drink, even urination is not possible. He later apologised for his remarks. Political observers said that both leaders need to restrain from making such statements that will damage the prospect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and particularly NCP and Shiv Sena. Oppositions have to make peace and put the united face together but here the top leaders are fighting like street children. This is not at all good for the Oppositions ahead of the key elections, he added. By PTI PATNA: A day after the collapse of an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said strict action would be taken against those found guilty in the incident. He also said the bridge that collapsed on Sunday had also caved in last year. "The bridge is not being constructed properly and that is why it collapsed twice since April 2022. It's a serious matter. The department concerned has already initiated a thorough probe into it. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty," Kumar said while talking to reporters here. He also wondered why the bridge construction work that started in 2014 has not been completed so far. "Why is it running behind the schedule? I have asked the department concerned to probe this also. The deputy CM is also monitoring the developments," Kumar said. The 3.16-km bridge being built since 2014 collapsed twice in 14 months - first on the Bhagalpur's Sultanganj side in April 2022 and the second time on Sunday evening on the Khagaria side. The incident attracted public outrage, prompting the Chief Minister to order an investigation with instructions to punish those guilty for the disaster. Immediately after the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who also holds the portfolio of the Road Construction Department, on Sunday said that the state government was planning to demolish the under-construction bridge because of structural flaws. "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav had said. "Last year, a portion of this bridge had been given away in a thunderstorm, when the BJP was in power in the state. It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav, in an apparent riposte to the BJP, now in opposition, which sought the CM's resignation over the issue. At least 30 slabs placed on three pillars of the four-lane Sultanganj-Aguani Ghat bridge caved in and fell on the river on Sunday. No casualties were reported in the incident, the district administration said. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. A Haryana-based company has got the contract for the construction of the bridge, against which the BJP is now seeking action. The bridge would be the sixth on the Ganga river to connect northern Bihar with its south, reducing travel time to Sultanagnj, Khagaria, Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul. PATNA: A day after the collapse of an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said strict action would be taken against those found guilty in the incident. He also said the bridge that collapsed on Sunday had also caved in last year. "The bridge is not being constructed properly and that is why it collapsed twice since April 2022. It's a serious matter. The department concerned has already initiated a thorough probe into it. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty," Kumar said while talking to reporters here.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); He also wondered why the bridge construction work that started in 2014 has not been completed so far. "Why is it running behind the schedule? I have asked the department concerned to probe this also. The deputy CM is also monitoring the developments," Kumar said. The 3.16-km bridge being built since 2014 collapsed twice in 14 months - first on the Bhagalpur's Sultanganj side in April 2022 and the second time on Sunday evening on the Khagaria side. The incident attracted public outrage, prompting the Chief Minister to order an investigation with instructions to punish those guilty for the disaster. Immediately after the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who also holds the portfolio of the Road Construction Department, on Sunday said that the state government was planning to demolish the under-construction bridge because of structural flaws. "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav had said. An under construction bridge on the river Ganga collapsed in Bihar's Bhagalpur district. @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard @santwana99 pic.twitter.com/GhkhlsnQsv Ramashankar Mishra (@ramashankar68) June 4, 2023 "Last year, a portion of this bridge had been given away in a thunderstorm, when the BJP was in power in the state. It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav, in an apparent riposte to the BJP, now in opposition, which sought the CM's resignation over the issue. At least 30 slabs placed on three pillars of the four-lane Sultanganj-Aguani Ghat bridge caved in and fell on the river on Sunday. No casualties were reported in the incident, the district administration said. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. A Haryana-based company has got the contract for the construction of the bridge, against which the BJP is now seeking action. The bridge would be the sixth on the Ganga river to connect northern Bihar with its south, reducing travel time to Sultanagnj, Khagaria, Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: In strife-torn Manipur, three persons were killed while three others were injured on Monday. Official sources said the incident occurred at Phayeng in Imphal West district when suspected Kuki militants opened fire. One person was killed here on May 28 in a similar attack. In another incident on Sunday, a mob reportedly killed three persons travelling in two vehicles, including an ambulance, at Iroisemba in Imphal West district. The report could not be officially confirmed. The violence has more or less subsided everywhere except Imphal West and Kakching districts. In the past two days, combined teams of Manipur police commandos and Border Security Force destroyed two camps of Kuki militants near Sugnu and Serou in Kakching district after fierce gunfights and drove away the rebels, official sources said. There have been some incidents in the two places since May 28 when the militants came down the hills, torched houses and opened fire on villagers. Some people had lost their lives. ALSO READ | Houses of MLA, others torched as Manipur violence continues Meanwhile, some Kuki groups lifted the blockade on National Highway 2, which enters Manipur from Nagaland, for seven days in response to Union home minister Amit Shahs call but with a rider that vehicles carrying essential commodities and medicines should be escorted by central forces. According to local media reports on Monday, a mob attacked the houses of two tribal leaders in protest against the withdrawal of the blockade. Shah has invited all 10 Naga MLAs in the state, including three from the BJP, to Delhi for a meeting. It is likely to take place on Tuesday. The Nagas have remained neutral in the conflict between Meiteis and Kukis. Two persons filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the indefinite suspension of internet services in Manipur since May 3 when violence first broke out after a tribal solidarity march against the move to grant Scheduled Tribes status to the majority Meitei community. The petitioners, Chongtham Victor Singh, who is a lawyer, and businessman Mayengbam James, argued that the ban on internet continued despite the de-escalation of the situation. GUWAHATI: In strife-torn Manipur, three persons were killed while three others were injured on Monday. Official sources said the incident occurred at Phayeng in Imphal West district when suspected Kuki militants opened fire. One person was killed here on May 28 in a similar attack. In another incident on Sunday, a mob reportedly killed three persons travelling in two vehicles, including an ambulance, at Iroisemba in Imphal West district. The report could not be officially confirmed.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The violence has more or less subsided everywhere except Imphal West and Kakching districts. In the past two days, combined teams of Manipur police commandos and Border Security Force destroyed two camps of Kuki militants near Sugnu and Serou in Kakching district after fierce gunfights and drove away the rebels, official sources said. There have been some incidents in the two places since May 28 when the militants came down the hills, torched houses and opened fire on villagers. Some people had lost their lives. ALSO READ | Houses of MLA, others torched as Manipur violence continues Meanwhile, some Kuki groups lifted the blockade on National Highway 2, which enters Manipur from Nagaland, for seven days in response to Union home minister Amit Shahs call but with a rider that vehicles carrying essential commodities and medicines should be escorted by central forces. According to local media reports on Monday, a mob attacked the houses of two tribal leaders in protest against the withdrawal of the blockade. Shah has invited all 10 Naga MLAs in the state, including three from the BJP, to Delhi for a meeting. It is likely to take place on Tuesday. The Nagas have remained neutral in the conflict between Meiteis and Kukis. Two persons filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the indefinite suspension of internet services in Manipur since May 3 when violence first broke out after a tribal solidarity march against the move to grant Scheduled Tribes status to the majority Meitei community. The petitioners, Chongtham Victor Singh, who is a lawyer, and businessman Mayengbam James, argued that the ban on internet continued despite the de-escalation of the situation. By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Two persons were killed while two others were injured in Assams Dhemaji district on Monday when unidentified gunmen fired at them, allegedly from Arunachal Pradesh. The incident occurred at Panbari near the interstate border when the victims were planting trees and saplings. The deceased were identified as Boga Chutia and Monitu Gogoi. When reports last came in, the situation in Dhemaji was tense. The locals protested the killings and demanded the arrest of the culprits. I strongly condemn the act of violence at the Panbari area of the Assam-Arunachal border in Dhemaji, where one person named Boga Chutia of Borbila Chutiakari village of my constituency has been killed, and 3 persons - Monitu Gogoi, Puspa Gogoi and Akoni Gohain of Milonpur village have been injured, Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu tweeted. He updated the death toll in another tweet where he wrote, Very sad to share that Monitu Gogoi has succumbed to his injuries. Director general of police GP Singh said senior police officials were at the site and efforts were on to apprehend the perpetrators of the crime. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the police would probe the case and take action against the culprits. We have not yet been able to demarcate the (interstate) boundary in different areas of Dhemaji district. The neighbouring state does not attack us but some people there do it for the greed of land, Sarma said. His Arunachal counterpart Pema Khandu assured that the culprits would not be spared. It is an unfortunate incident. As soon as I heard it, I called up our local MLA and the DC (Deputy Commissioner) and instructed them to visit the site and talk to people, Khandu said. He said he had also directed the chief secretary to be in touch with the Assam government. He said both governments would try to ensure that the incident does not flare up. We (both states) formed committees and by and large, resolved everything. The committees were given additional six months to demarcate the border wherever it was not demarcated. We said if there are issues, they should report it to their respective DCs but sadly, this incident occurred. We will investigate it and punish the culprits, Khandu further said. Sarma and Khandu had on April 20 signed a memorandum of understanding in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi towards resolving the 50-year-old border disputes of the two states. GUWAHATI: Two persons were killed while two others were injured in Assams Dhemaji district on Monday when unidentified gunmen fired at them, allegedly from Arunachal Pradesh. The incident occurred at Panbari near the interstate border when the victims were planting trees and saplings. The deceased were identified as Boga Chutia and Monitu Gogoi. When reports last came in, the situation in Dhemaji was tense. The locals protested the killings and demanded the arrest of the culprits.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); I strongly condemn the act of violence at the Panbari area of the Assam-Arunachal border in Dhemaji, where one person named Boga Chutia of Borbila Chutiakari village of my constituency has been killed, and 3 persons - Monitu Gogoi, Puspa Gogoi and Akoni Gohain of Milonpur village have been injured, Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu tweeted. He updated the death toll in another tweet where he wrote, Very sad to share that Monitu Gogoi has succumbed to his injuries. Director general of police GP Singh said senior police officials were at the site and efforts were on to apprehend the perpetrators of the crime. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the police would probe the case and take action against the culprits. We have not yet been able to demarcate the (interstate) boundary in different areas of Dhemaji district. The neighbouring state does not attack us but some people there do it for the greed of land, Sarma said. His Arunachal counterpart Pema Khandu assured that the culprits would not be spared. It is an unfortunate incident. As soon as I heard it, I called up our local MLA and the DC (Deputy Commissioner) and instructed them to visit the site and talk to people, Khandu said. He said he had also directed the chief secretary to be in touch with the Assam government. He said both governments would try to ensure that the incident does not flare up. We (both states) formed committees and by and large, resolved everything. The committees were given additional six months to demarcate the border wherever it was not demarcated. We said if there are issues, they should report it to their respective DCs but sadly, this incident occurred. We will investigate it and punish the culprits, Khandu further said. Sarma and Khandu had on April 20 signed a memorandum of understanding in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi towards resolving the 50-year-old border disputes of the two states. Preetha Nair By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Following Karnataka, the Congress party will decimate the BJP in Telangana and all other state polls, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing an event in the United States of America. Gandhi, who is on a three-city tour in the US, said, We have shown in Karnataka that we can decimate the BJP. We did not defeat them, we decimated them. We smashed them in Karnataka. The former Congress presidents comments came at a time when Opposition parties are making efforts to stitch up an anti-BJP front ahead of the 2024 elections. However, the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Telangana does not share a warm relationship with Congress, its main contender in the state. I want you to know that we are going to decimate them in Telangana next. It will be hard to find the BJP in Telangana after this election, he said. The assembly election in Telangana is slated for the end of this year. He also exuded confidence that Congress will win elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh also. Victory in the upcoming state polls will be repeated in the 2024 general elections also, said Gandhi. NEW DELHI: Following Karnataka, the Congress party will decimate the BJP in Telangana and all other state polls, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing an event in the United States of America. Gandhi, who is on a three-city tour in the US, said, We have shown in Karnataka that we can decimate the BJP. We did not defeat them, we decimated them. We smashed them in Karnataka. The former Congress presidents comments came at a time when Opposition parties are making efforts to stitch up an anti-BJP front ahead of the 2024 elections. However, the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Telangana does not share a warm relationship with Congress, its main contender in the state.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); I want you to know that we are going to decimate them in Telangana next. It will be hard to find the BJP in Telangana after this election, he said. The assembly election in Telangana is slated for the end of this year. He also exuded confidence that Congress will win elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh also. Victory in the upcoming state polls will be repeated in the 2024 general elections also, said Gandhi. By PTI BALASORE/NEW DELHI: The CBI is all set to take over the investigation into the Balasore train crash, while train movement resumed on the crucial route connecting eastern and southern India with the first semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train passing through the area Monday morning. The Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a case under various sections of the IPC and Railway Act including those related to causing death by negligence in connection with the Friday accident. The Congress and other opposition parties questioned the need to hand over the case to the CBI but officials stressed that findings of a preliminary probe like "deliberate interference" in the system necessitated the investigation by a professional agency. The railways has also launched a safety drive with a slew of directions to all zonal headquarters on the security of station relay rooms and compounds housing signalling equipment, including "double locking arrangements" after an initial probe showed "signalling interference" as a suspected reason behind the Odisha triple-train accident. In accordance with the procedure, the CBI will take over the Balasore GRP case number 64 registered by Odisha Police on June 3, official sources said, adding it is likely to be allotted to Special Crime Unit at the Delhi Headquarters. The case was registered under various IPC sections like 37 and 38 (related to causing hurt and endangering lives through rash or negligent action), 304A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention), and sections 153 (unlawful and negligent action endangering lives of Railway passengers ), 154 and 175 (endangering lives) of the Railways Act. ALSO READ | 'I am haunted by it': Survivors of Odisha triple train crash recount trauma Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced on Sunday evening that a CBI probe had been recommended into the three-train crash. The crash on Friday involving two passenger trains and a goods train killed 275 people and injured more than 1,100, while the movement of goods and passenger trains on the busy route was also disrupted. Around 51 hours after the triple train crash and barely five hours after the damaged tracks were restored, train movement resumed late Sunday night with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who has been camping at the site to oversee restoration work, and other senior officials present at the site. A coal-laden goods train from Vizag port to Rourkela Steel Plant was the first to run on the route around 10.40 pm on Sunday night. Vaishnaw waved to the train drivers. The first high-speed passenger train - Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express - passed through Balasore on Monday morning, with wreckage from the accident still lying near the tracks and workers cleaning the site. The train slowed down to a crawl as it passed by the site of Friday night's train crash near Bahanga Bazar station. The Howrah-Puri Express and Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Sampark Kranti Express also passed the route. ALSO READ | Odisha train crash 'entirely due to human error', say railway sources Railway officials had earlier indicated that possible "sabotage" and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the accident involving the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the CBI cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures Kharge also said "all the empty safety claims" of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have now been "exposed" and the government must bring to light the real reasons that caused this grave accident, which he described as one of the worst in Indian history. In his four-page letter to Modi, the Congress chief said there is serious concern among the common passengers about the deterioration in safety of railways "The CBI, or any other law enforcement agency, cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures. In addition, they lack the technical expertise in railway safety, signalling, and maintenance practices," the Congress chief said. Rejecting a CBI probe, Odisha units of 12 political parties, including Congress and Left parties, demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team and the resignation of Vaishnaw to pave the way for an impartial inquiry. The parties, including Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(ML) Red Star, All India Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party, RJD, NCP, RPI, AAP and Samata Kranti Dal. These parties held a joint meeting and passed a resolution stating that they rejected a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accusing the central agency of "working at the behest of the BJP." Reacting to questions on the need for a CBI probe when the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) was already probing the incident, an official indicated that the preliminary inquiry revealed the need for a more thorough investigation. "Lot of information has come during the course of the investigation. Various kinds of information have been made available which required a professional investigative agency," he said. ALSO READ | Odisha train crash: How did the derailment happen? The accident in which a speeding Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train on the loop line instead of travelling on the main line indicated issues with the electronic interlocking system which changed the route of the train and led to the collision. "Unless there is deliberate interference in the system, it is impossible that a route set for the main line is switched to the loop line," he said. Meanwhile, in a letter to general managers of all zones, the Railway Board has directed that a safety drive should be launched immediately with a special focus on all 'goomties' (rooms along tracks) housing signalling equipment within station limits. It said they should be checked and it should be ensured they have "double locking arrangements." The board said that "all relay rooms in stations should be checked and ensured for the proper working of 'double locking arrangement'." "It should also be checked and ensured that there is data logging and generation of SMS alert for opening/closing of the door of these relay rooms," it said. "During safety drive these items should be checked at 100 per cent of the above locations, further these items should be super-checked by officers for 10 per cent of the above locations," it said. WATCH | Odisha train crash: Tribals turned first responders, saved 200 people The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on Monday recorded the statements of injured engine driver Gunanidhi Mohanty and his assistant Hajari Behera, who are undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, officials said. Both were rescued from the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and are currently stable. "Both drivers are stable. While Mohanty was taken out of the ICU on Monday, Behera is awaiting head surgery," South Eastern Railway (SER) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Aditya Choudhury told PTI. The Odisha government said it will bear the transportation cost for ferrying the bodies of the accident victims to different states. Chief Secretary PK Jena said 170 bodies out of 275 have so far been identified in Balasore and Bhubaneswar. He added that death certificates will be provided at the earliest and will be sent electronically or through speed post to the families of the deceased. The state government has announced two toll-free numbers 1800345 0061/1929 to help those looking for their missing relatives. The National Disaster Response Force on Monday ended its rescue operation with the withdrawal of all its nine teams, officials said. The force rescued 44 victims and retrieved 121 bodies from the spot since the teams were deployed after the accident on June 2, they said. READ MORE: Odisha train crash: Tribals turned first responders, saved 200 Odisha train crash: Even ticketless travellers will receive compensation Five Nightmarish seconds; survivors recall the tragic train accident BALASORE/NEW DELHI: The CBI is all set to take over the investigation into the Balasore train crash, while train movement resumed on the crucial route connecting eastern and southern India with the first semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train passing through the area Monday morning. The Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a case under various sections of the IPC and Railway Act including those related to causing death by negligence in connection with the Friday accident. The Congress and other opposition parties questioned the need to hand over the case to the CBI but officials stressed that findings of a preliminary probe like "deliberate interference" in the system necessitated the investigation by a professional agency.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-8052921-2'); }); The railways has also launched a safety drive with a slew of directions to all zonal headquarters on the security of station relay rooms and compounds housing signalling equipment, including "double locking arrangements" after an initial probe showed "signalling interference" as a suspected reason behind the Odisha triple-train accident. In accordance with the procedure, the CBI will take over the Balasore GRP case number 64 registered by Odisha Police on June 3, official sources said, adding it is likely to be allotted to Special Crime Unit at the Delhi Headquarters. The case was registered under various IPC sections like 37 and 38 (related to causing hurt and endangering lives through rash or negligent action), 304A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention), and sections 153 (unlawful and negligent action endangering lives of Railway passengers ), 154 and 175 (endangering lives) of the Railways Act. ALSO READ | 'I am haunted by it': Survivors of Odisha triple train crash recount trauma Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced on Sunday evening that a CBI probe had been recommended into the three-train crash. The crash on Friday involving two passenger trains and a goods train killed 275 people and injured more than 1,100, while the movement of goods and passenger trains on the busy route was also disrupted. Around 51 hours after the triple train crash and barely five hours after the damaged tracks were restored, train movement resumed late Sunday night with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who has been camping at the site to oversee restoration work, and other senior officials present at the site. A coal-laden goods train from Vizag port to Rourkela Steel Plant was the first to run on the route around 10.40 pm on Sunday night. Vaishnaw waved to the train drivers. The first high-speed passenger train - Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express - passed through Balasore on Monday morning, with wreckage from the accident still lying near the tracks and workers cleaning the site. The train slowed down to a crawl as it passed by the site of Friday night's train crash near Bahanga Bazar station. The Howrah-Puri Express and Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Sampark Kranti Express also passed the route. ALSO READ | Odisha train crash 'entirely due to human error', say railway sources Railway officials had earlier indicated that possible "sabotage" and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the accident involving the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the CBI cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures Kharge also said "all the empty safety claims" of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have now been "exposed" and the government must bring to light the real reasons that caused this grave accident, which he described as one of the worst in Indian history. In his four-page letter to Modi, the Congress chief said there is serious concern among the common passengers about the deterioration in safety of railways "The CBI, or any other law enforcement agency, cannot fix accountability for technical, institutional and political failures. In addition, they lack the technical expertise in railway safety, signalling, and maintenance practices," the Congress chief said. Rejecting a CBI probe, Odisha units of 12 political parties, including Congress and Left parties, demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team and the resignation of Vaishnaw to pave the way for an impartial inquiry. The parties, including Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(ML) Red Star, All India Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party, RJD, NCP, RPI, AAP and Samata Kranti Dal. These parties held a joint meeting and passed a resolution stating that they rejected a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accusing the central agency of "working at the behest of the BJP." Reacting to questions on the need for a CBI probe when the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) was already probing the incident, an official indicated that the preliminary inquiry revealed the need for a more thorough investigation. "Lot of information has come during the course of the investigation. Various kinds of information have been made available which required a professional investigative agency," he said. ALSO READ | Odisha train crash: How did the derailment happen? The accident in which a speeding Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary goods train on the loop line instead of travelling on the main line indicated issues with the electronic interlocking system which changed the route of the train and led to the collision. "Unless there is deliberate interference in the system, it is impossible that a route set for the main line is switched to the loop line," he said. Meanwhile, in a letter to general managers of all zones, the Railway Board has directed that a safety drive should be launched immediately with a special focus on all 'goomties' (rooms along tracks) housing signalling equipment within station limits. It said they should be checked and it should be ensured they have "double locking arrangements." The board said that "all relay rooms in stations should be checked and ensured for the proper working of 'double locking arrangement'." "It should also be checked and ensured that there is data logging and generation of SMS alert for opening/closing of the door of these relay rooms," it said. "During safety drive these items should be checked at 100 per cent of the above locations, further these items should be super-checked by officers for 10 per cent of the above locations," it said. WATCH | Odisha train crash: Tribals turned first responders, saved 200 people The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on Monday recorded the statements of injured engine driver Gunanidhi Mohanty and his assistant Hajari Behera, who are undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, officials said. Both were rescued from the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and are currently stable. "Both drivers are stable. While Mohanty was taken out of the ICU on Monday, Behera is awaiting head surgery," South Eastern Railway (SER) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Aditya Choudhury told PTI. The Odisha government said it will bear the transportation cost for ferrying the bodies of the accident victims to different states. Chief Secretary PK Jena said 170 bodies out of 275 have so far been identified in Balasore and Bhubaneswar. He added that death certificates will be provided at the earliest and will be sent electronically or through speed post to the families of the deceased. The state government has announced two toll-free numbers 1800345 0061/1929 to help those looking for their missing relatives. The National Disaster Response Force on Monday ended its rescue operation with the withdrawal of all its nine teams, officials said. The force rescued 44 victims and retrieved 121 bodies from the spot since the teams were deployed after the accident on June 2, they said. READ MORE: Odisha train crash: Tribals turned first responders, saved 200 Odisha train crash: Even ticketless travellers will receive compensation Five Nightmarish seconds; survivors recall the tragic train accident Thabarwa Dhamma Gaya Meditation Centre to host 7-day Vipassana course at world heritage site Bodh Gaya, June 3: The Thabarwa Dhamma Gaya Meditation Centre in Bodh Gaya is set to host a seven-day Vipassana course at the sacred Mahabodhi Mahavihara, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Bhutan Live reported. Thabarwa Dhamma Gaya Meditation Centre to host 7-day Vipassana course at world heritage site Taking place from June 30-July 6, the 7-day course will take place in collaboration with esteemed organizations such as the Department of Buddhist Studies at the University of Calcutta, the Maha Bodhi Society of India, and the Angarika Dhammapala International Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, Sarnath.Vipassana, which translates to "insight" in Pali, is an ancient meditation technique used to enhance self-awareness and mental clarity.This course, based on the teachings of the historical Buddha, will provide participants with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to embark on a transforming journey with the esteemed Venerable Dr Virakari of the Thabarwa Dhamma Gaya Meditation Centre in Yangon, Myanmar.The Mahabodhi Mahavihara's serene and spiritually charged ambience makes it the perfect setting for individuals seeking solace and introspection.According to Bhutan Live, the attendees will participate in intense meditation sessions for seven days, concentrating on increasing mindfulness, concentration, and profound insight. They will also obtain a profound grasp of their own mental and physical processes by being encouraged to observe their thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. The course provides a friendly and congenial setting in which participants may disconnect from daily distractions and truly immerse themselves in their practice.The Thabarwa Dhamma Gaya Meditation Centre, the Department of Buddhist Studies at the University of Calcutta, the Maha Bodhi Society of India, and the Angarika Dhammapala International Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies have joined forces to preserve and promote the Buddha's teachings. This workshop guarantees a thorough and enriching experience for all attendees by bringing together specialists from various sectors, Bhutan Live reported.ANI04 June 2023 Shared Recently! International cooperation needed to advance vaccine development for emerging pathogens: Mandaviya Hyderabad, June 3: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday addressed the Global Vaccine Research Collaborative Discussion on Vaccine Research and Development, a G20 co-branded event in Telangana's Hyderabad. International cooperation needed to advance vaccine development for emerging pathogens: Mandaviya Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said that the Global Vaccine Research Collaborative could be a much-needed mechanism to advance vaccine R and D for emerging pathogens."As we embark on this critical mission, we must leverage the collective expertise of our global health community and strengthen our pandemic preparedness efforts", he said.He further stated that "International cooperation is essential to advance vaccine development for emerging pathogens, and the G20 can serve as a vital platform to facilitate collaboration between governments, research organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and other stakeholders."Highlighting India's leadership in vaccine R and D for several decades, with experience in developing, producing, and distributing vaccines for diseases such as polio, smallpox, and measles, the Union Minister said that India, as a leading player in vaccine production and distribution, can play a critical role in building greater global collaboration towards this goal. "The development and deployment of effective vaccines can help to mitigate the impact of pandemics, and we must prioritize research efforts to achieve this objective", he said.Elaborating on India's initiatives to boost vaccine production and distribution, the Union Minister stated that "the government has provided financial incentives and streamlined regulatory processes to encourage vaccine manufacturers to increase their production capacity. It has also taken steps to ensure the availability of vaccines in rural areas by leveraging the existing infrastructure of primary health centers and other healthcare facilities".Reiterating India's commitment to advancing health priorities, including pandemic preparedness, access to medicines and vaccines, and universal health coverage, Dr Mandaviya said that "we must leverage India's experience in these fields and accelerate vaccine development, especially for emerging and pandemic-potential pathogens."He went on to add that India's leadership in the production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is a testament to our commitment to global health security."We recognize that vaccine equity is essential, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their income or nationality, has access to life-saving vaccines", he said.Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan stated that creating a global vaccine collaborative has to be seen in the context of pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response as well as the potential emergence of a harmonized medical countermeasure platform.Highlighting that India has traditionally been a world leader in generics and biosimilars and major Indian vaccine manufacturers contribute more than 50 per cent of the global vaccine supply, he stated that the COVID-19 pandemic underlined the need for reducing the timeline of vaccine manufacturing from decades to less than a year."The need is for institutionalizing the learnings gained during the pandemic into a system which will straddle countries, span across continents and which will ensure that learnings of the pandemic are made available to all in an equitable manner", he added.Accentuating the need for the Global Vaccine Research Collaborative, S Aparna, Secretary, Dept. of Pharmaceuticals stated that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that vaccine inequity takes the form of an acute shape with some countries receiving COVID vaccines after 18 months of being introduced in the world.She stated that "the idea behind the Global Vaccine Research Collaborative is to address this gap and enable equitable access to vaccines on the global stage". "It will also help in optimizing valuable resources and avoid duplication", she further stated.Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Govt of Telangana highlighted that 9 million vaccine doses are produced in Hyderabad every year which is equivalent to one-third of total vaccines produced every year.He stated that India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine, COVAXIN was entirely researched and produced in Hyderabad while other world-renowned vaccines like Sputnik also have a part of their R and D done in Hyderabad. Highlighting these achievements, he invited global vaccine manufacturers to collaborate with domestic firms and set up R and D and production centres in the city.This event set the tone for the discussions leading up to the 3rd G20 Health Working Group meeting, which will begin tomorrow onwards. The recommendations and principles arrived at in the discussions today will be carried forward and inform further discussions at the Health Working Group meetings.Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Dept. of Health Research; Sir Jeremy J Farrar, Chief Scientist, WHO; Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Former Chief Scientist, WHO; Mr Nikolai Gilbert, President and CEO, PATH; Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO, CEPI; Shri N Yuvaraj, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry; representatives from the G20 member countries, special invitee countries, international organizations, forums and partners like WHO, World Bank, USAID, WEF etc., and senior officers of the Union Government were present.ANI04 June 2023 Shared Recently! MoS Muraleedharan inaugurates eco-tourism zone in Maldives Addu City Male [Maldives], June 3: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, who kickstarted his Maldives visit today, inaugurated an eco-tourism zone in Addu City. MoS Muraleedharan inaugurates eco-tourism zone in Maldives' Addu City He was joined by the Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdullah Shahid during the inauguration of the Hithadhoo eco-tourism zone in the Addu City of Maldives.Taking to Twitter, the MoS wrote, "Happy to join Foreign Minister H.E @abdulla_shahid and Deputy Mayor @AdduCityCouncil @shuaau22 to inaugurate an eco-tourism zone at Feydhoo, Addu City The tourism zones developed under India's grant assistance will provide space for community activities."Expressing happiness over the inauguration of the eco-tourism zone, MoS Muraleedharan further said that this zone, developed under India's grant assistance, would provide space for community activities."Delighted to inaugurate Hithadhoo eco-tourism zone in Addu City with Foreign Minister H.E. @abdulla_shahid and Mayor @AdduCityCouncil H.E. @DhekunuNizar. The Tourism zones developed under India's grant assistance will add to efforts of @governmentmvto make Addu a tourism hub," the MoS added ina tweet.He also thanked the Maldivian Foreign Minister for a warm welcome."Thank you Foreign Minister H.E. @abdulla_shahid for the warm welcome. Reassured that the time-tested relationship will continue to grow from strength to strength," the MoS tweeted.The MoS is in Maldives for a two-day visit from June 3-4."Delighted to arrive in the Male. Looking forward to my official engagements with the Maldivian senior dignitaries and Indian Community. Also, looking forward to witness groundbreaking, commencement and inauguration of several projects supported by Government of India, in Addu," the MoS tweeted on Saturday.Maldives is India's key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and occupies a special place in the Prime Minister's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the 'Neighbourhood First Policy'.This visit is expected to lend further momentum to substantive cooperation and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries.On May 1, Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh reached the Maldives on a 3-day official visit at the invitation of his Maldivian counterpart, Mariya Ahmed Didi, where they held bilateral delegation-level talks to further strengthen the defence and security partnership. India also handed over a fast patrol vessel along with an assault landing craft to the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF) in a formal ceremony on May 2, 2023.ANI04 June 2023 Shared Recently! Snow clearing underway on Amarnath Yatra track: BRO Anantnag, June 3: Director General of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhry on Saturday said that snow-clearing work on the Amarnath Yatra track is going on in full swing. Snow clearing underway on Amarnath Yatra track: BRO "Snow clearing from the Amarnath Yatra track is going on with the help of helicopters and machinery. 1350 people are working on the track," said Chaudhry while speaking to the media.He further said that the government is expecting that at least 5 lakh people will be visiting Amarnath cave shrine this year."BRO has been making long strategic roads, bridges, tunnels, and airfields. This work is important from the national point of view because this time they are estimating that at least 5 lakh people will be visiting Amarnath cave. For that, we have to widen both sides of the track, and make them safe from landslides," he said.He further added that the deadline is June 15 to finish all these works."We have to also strengthen the bridges. A lot of work is happening and our two task force is working. Our deadline is 15 June to finish all these works," he said.The Amarnath yatra is all set to begin next month.ANI04 June 2023 Shared Recently! Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advanis Satyaprem Ki Katha trailer to be out on this date Mumbai, June 4: Makers of the upcoming musical romantic saga 'Satyaprem Ki Katha' on Sunday, unveiled a new poster and announced the official trailer release date of their film. Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani's 'Satyaprem Ki Katha' trailer to be out on this date Taking to Instagram, actor Kartik Aaryan shared the new poster of the film which he captioned, "Aaj ke baad tu meri rehna #SatyaPremKiKatha Trailer OUT TOMORROW at 1111 am."Helmed by Sameer Vidhwans, the film stars Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani in the lead roles.In the new poster, both actors could be seen looking into each other's eyes.The official trailer of 'Satyaprem Ki Katha' will be out on June 5.Soon after the makers unveiled the new poster, fans flooded the comment section with red hearts and fire emoticons."The most Awaited love romantic movie of 2023," a fan commented.Another fan wrote, "Soo soo damnn excited""Mere Sattu and Katha," a user wrote.Recently, the makers of the film unveiled the first track of the film 'Naseeb Se' which received massive responses from the fans.Composed by Payal Dev, the song is beautifully sung by Payal Dev and Vishal Mishra. The lyrics of the song are given by A.M. Turaz.The mesmerizing visuals and melody of the song are absolutely captivating. The song beautifully showcased the chemistry of Kartik and Kiara as they bringing the love season back to the theatres after a long time.The film also stars Supriya Pathak Kapur, Gajraj Rao, Siddharth Randheria, Anooradha Patel, Rajpal Yadav, Nirrmite Saawaant, and Shikha Talsania.The film is all set to hit the theatres on June 29.ANI04 June 2023 Shared Recently! India, Maldives sign 10 MoUs related to development projects Male [Maldives], June 4: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Sunday along with Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid attended the ceremony for the exchange of 10 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) between India and Maldives. He also attended the gifting of a consignment of Anti-TB medicine to the Maldives in Male. India, Maldives sign 10 MoUs related to development projects The MoS is in Maldives for a two-day visit from June 3-4. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Muraleedharan stated that the development partnership between India and Maldives is going stronger. He noted that MoUs will facilitate the implementation of development projects in areas like arts, sports, education and health under India's grant assistance.Muraleedharan in a tweet stated, "Our Development partnership with the Maldives is going stronger. Glad to join H.E. @abdulla_shahid to witness exchange of 10 MoUs. The MoUs will facilitate implementation of development projects in areas of Arts, Sports, Education and Health, under India's grant assistance."MoS Muraleedharan in a tweet stated, "The 10 High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) MoUs exchanged are 1.Development of Arts Centre in Male' 2. Construction of Lh. Hinnavaru New Council Office 3.Establishment of Mental Health Unit at Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital."He further stated, "4.Procurement of 4 School Buses for Fuvahmulah,Kulhudhuffushi,N. Kendhikulhudhoo and L. Gan 5. School Digitalization Programme in L. Atoll Education Centre 6. Development of Sh. Milandhoo Running Track 7. Development of Outdoor Gym in Addu City, Hithadhoo Beyrumathi Dhaairaa.""8. Development of Outdoor Gym in Addu City, Hithadhoo Rasgedhara Dhaairaa 9. Development of Outdoor Gym in Ha. Dhidhdhoo 10. Development of Outdoor Gym in GDh. Vaadhoo," Muraleedharan said in a tweet.Muraleedharan stated that the gifting of consignment of Anti-TB medicine to Maldives will contribute to the Maldivian government's plan to eliminate TB from Maldives.He tweeted, "Witnessed gifting of consignment of Anti-TB medicine to Maldives @MoHmv, in Male Confident that the medicine will contribute to @governmentmv plan to eliminate TB from Maldives. Health Cooperation is an important pillar of India-Maldives Bilateral Relationship."Earlier in the day, Muraleedharan held a meeting with Abdulla Shahid in Male. The two leaders discussed various matters of bilateral ties and areas of mutual interest. He called Maldives an "important pillar" in India's "NeighbourhoodFirst policy."Muraleedharan tweeted, "Had an engaging discussion with Hon'ble Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. @abdulla_shahid in Male. Discussed wide ranging matters of bilateral partnership and areas of mutual interest. The Maldives is an important pillar in our #NeigbourhoodFirst policy."Meanwhile, Abdulla Shahid tweeted, "It was good to meet @MOS_MEA V. Muraleedharan during his ongoing visit to the Maldives. We discussed the enhanced partnership of Maldives and India manifested through the multiple engagements between our countries. Reiterated our commitment to maintain and strengthen the #MaldivesIndiaPartnership."On Saturday, V Muraleedharan inaugurated an eco-tourism zone in Addu City. He was joined by the Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdullah Shahid during the inauguration of the Hithadhoo eco-tourism zone in the Addu City of Maldives.Taking to Twitter, the MoS wrote, "Happy to join Foreign Minister H.E @abdulla_shahid and Deputy Mayor @AdduCityCouncil @shuaau22 to inaugurate an eco-tourism zone at Feydhoo, Addu City The tourism zones developed under India's grant assistance will provide space for community activities."Expressing happiness over the inauguration of the eco-tourism zone, MoS Muraleedharan further said that this zone, developed under India's grant assistance, would provide space for community activities."Delighted to inaugurate Hithadhoo eco-tourism zone in Addu City with Foreign Minister H.E. @abdulla_shahid and Mayor @AdduCityCouncil H.E. @DhekunuNizar. The Tourism zones developed under India's grant assistance will add to efforts of @governmentmvto make Addu a tourism hub," the MoS added in a tweet.ANI04 June 2023 Shared Recently! Govt to explore e-cooking solutions, to host conference on World Environment Day New Delhi, June 4: A conference to explore ways to accelerate the deployment of energy-efficient electric-based cooking solutions will be held here in the national on Monday on the occasion of World Environment Day. Govt to explore e-cooking solutions, to host conference on 'World Environment Day' Organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under Ministry of Power, Government of India the conference will bring together consumers, research groups, policy makers, think tanks, manufacturers, and other stakeholders.The focus on electric cooking is part of India's Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) - a global mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021, Mission LiFE seeks to transform persons into pro-planet people, who would adopt sustainable lifestyles.Speaking on the government's thrust on clean cooking, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ajay Tewari said, "Recognizing the health, economic, and environmental benefits of clean cooking, the Government of India has prioritised policies that promote cleaner cooking fuels. With tremendous strides being made on electrification, as well as an increasing share of electricity supply being generated from renewable energy, electric cooking solutions provide a great opportunity to propel India towards a climate-friendly, healthier and sustainable future."With rising fuel prices and increasing supply pressures, the release said India needs a clean, sustainable and affordable electric cooking solutions.ANI04 June 2023 Shared Recently! Punjab: Security tightened in Amritsar ahead of Operation Bluestar anniversary Amritsar, June 4: The security in Amritsar has been beefed up by the deployment of Central forces ahead of the Operation Bluestar anniversary on June 6. Punjab: Security tightened in Amritsar ahead of Operation Bluestar anniversary "Security arrangements have been made across the state. Meetings have been held with the stakeholders. Central forces have also been deployed. I appeal the people to maintain peace in the state and action will be taken against those who spread rumors", said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Arpit Shukla.Operation Bluestar was launched between June 1-6, 1984, by Indian Army to remove the separatists who were hidden inside the Golden Temple at Amritsar.The operation was ordered by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, primarily to take control of the Harmandir Sahib Complex in Amritsar (popularly known as the Golden Temple).The Indian military entered into the premises of the temple to drive out the Sikh extremist religious leader, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers.The operation had two components to it, Operation Metal which was the invasion on the temple complex and Operation Shop which was confined to the countryside of the state.This Operation helped in eliminating Khalistani terrorism and the death of Bhindranwale.The operation was heavily criticised by many Sikhs. Months later, PM Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards for permitting the operation. .ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Threat of pandemic far from over, need to strengthen surveillance systems: Minister Bharati Pravin Pawar Hyderabad, June 4: The threat of pandemics is far from over and there is a need to integrate and strengthen One Health-based surveillance systems, said Union MoS for Health, Bharati Pravin Pawar, while addressing the third Health Working Group meeting under India's G20 Presidency on Sunday. Threat of pandemic far from over, need to strengthen surveillance systems: Minister Bharati Pravin Pawar Underlining the importance of global collaboration and partnerships, Pawar was quoted in an official statement that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that partnerships are most fruitful only when developed during peacetime and not amidst an ongoing pandemic and that there is a need to focus on creating resilient health systems, with primary health in focus.She further said, as quoted in the statement, "partnership we share as G20 members is vital and facilitate in building trust, sharing knowledge, creating networks and working together to achieve meaningful impact and results."Union Minister of Tourism G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prof SP Singh Baghel, and Member (Health) NITI Aayog Dr V K Paul were also present on the occasion.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! New treatment shows promise for some women with cervical cancer Toronto, June 4: A simple hysterectomy, a surgical procedure where the uterus and cervix is removed, is a safe treatment option that can improve quality of life for women with early-stage, low-risk cervical cancer, according to results from the phase III clinical trial. New treatment shows promise for some women with cervical cancer The study states that a simple hysterectomy resulted in similar outcomes in terms of keeping them cancer-free, compared to the standard radical hysterectomy, which removes the uterus, cervix, upper parts of the vagina and other nearby tissues.Because radical hysterectomy is a more complex surgery, it is associated with more acute and long-term side effects, as well as potential impacts on quality of life and sexual health for patients."Sexual health and quality of life are very important considerations for patients undergoing cancer treatment," said Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at University of British Columbia."The findings from this study indicate that patients can expect fewer negative effects on sexual health and many other facets of quality of life with simple hysterectomy while not compromising effects on recurrence and survival rates," Brotto added.The study looked at the three-year pelvic recurrence rate and other health outcomes in 700 patients from 12 countries receiving both simple and radical hysterectomies.The findings, presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, showed that the extra-pelvic recurrence-free survival, the relapse-free survival, and the overall survival were comparable between the two groups.There were fewer intraoperative urological surgical complications and fewer immediate and long-term bladder problems in the simple hysterectomy group.Several quality-of-life aspects, such as body image, pain, and sexual health, were consistently more favourable in them."These results are important because it demonstrates, for the first time, that a simple hysterectomy is a safe option for women with carefully selected early-stage low-risk cervical cancer," said Dr. Marie Plante, the study lead and a gynecologic oncologist at Universite Laval in Quebec."This trial will likely be practice-changing, with the new standard-of-care treatment for patients with low-risk disease being a simple hysterectomy instead of radical hysterectomy."Worldwide, cervical cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer and fourth most common cause of cancer death in women.About 44 per cent of women with cervical cancer are diagnosed with early-stage disease, of which a significant proportion will meet low-risk criteria, according to the team.When detected at an early stage, the 5-year relative survival rate for invasive cervical cancer is 92 per cent.IANS05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Thank God For Hollywood Mumbai, June 4: What has happened to Hindi film production? Where are the new films awaiting release? There is not much screen occupancy to write home about since January this year. We have had one film, 'Pathaan', and another, 'The Kerala Story', besides 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar', that were on the positive side. Thank God For Hollywood The industry churned out as many as 180 to 200 films a year not long ago and all of them for theatrical releases. There were no video, OTT or telefilms in those days. Even two top-draw stars did not mind their films releasing simultaneously and, usually, both did very well.An undeclared understanding would be arrived at when two major films avoided clashing. Yet, there was rarely an occasion when a film enjoyed a solo release. The norm was one major film and anywhere between one to three or more other films per week. If the big film drew full houses, the other films benefited with what was called the overflow of that big film.All films got equal playtime and, as a result, a small film stood as much a chance to score big as the major film of the week. The biggest example is that of 'Sholay' and 'Jai Santoshi Maa', both released on the same Friday -- August 15, 1975. (There are more, surely!)Then, there was also about the thing about lucky cinemas and then the preferred cinema of a filmmaker. This referred to the 'main cinema', for a film used to be released at a prominent cinema in the main residential-cum-commercial area of a major city such as Mumbai or Delhi. These areas usually had a cluster of cinemas.Manoj Kumar made films on a regular basis, apart from also acting in the films produced by other makers. His favourite cinema in Mumbai was the Opera House. It was conveniently close to a local railway station as well as on bus routes.What was more, it was a smaller house with a seating capacity of just about 600+. That was the era of when a film's success used to be measured by the run it enjoyed -- Silver Jubilee (25 weeks) or Golden Jubilee (50 weeks), and so on. So, with that kind of seating capacity, it was easy to manage your jubilees.The other favourite was the Roxy, also in the same area, about 1,500 feet from the Opera House. Shakti Samanta was another regular filmmaker who preferred one of these two screens. And these producers did not mind waiting for months for the cinemas to be available!Things changed so dramatically after the arrival of multiplex properties. A film's release became like blanket bombing. Not to spare any screen in a city!The pre- and post-Covid 19 era have changed movie economics to an extent that has never happened before in the history of cinema. Hit or flop, there are no films for release, and the few that released since the lockdown was lifted, could not pull the crowds, no matter who the star was or the face value of the film.What has happened in the last couple of years is that the supply of films is dwindling. The makers of the few films that are ready and awaiting release seem reluctant to announce a release date. They probably are scared of the inevitable -- the lack of public interest and footfalls.Since January this year, we have had numerous small films every week. But no footfalls. The cinemas are suffering because of this uncertain flow of films. What is more worrying is that the vacation period from April-end till mid-June looks wasted.In April this year, we had 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan', which struggled to cross the Rs 100- crore box-office mark. The only saviour so far has been 'The Kerala Story' in May. Hopes now rest on the three films due in June -- 'Zara Hatke Zara Bachkke' (Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan; June 2); 'Adipurush' (Prabhas and Kriti Sanon; June 16); 'Satyaprem Ki Katha' (Katik Aaryan and Kiara Advani; June 30).What has helped the cinemas sustain are Hollywood hits such as 'Ant Man And The Wasp', 'John Wick Chapter 4', 'Evil Dead Rise', 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3' and 'Fast X'. 'Puss In Boots', 'Shazam The Fury Of Gods', 'The Super Mario Bros' and 'The Pope's Exorcist' have contributed to some extent.The summer vacations having been wasted, the flow of films does not hold much promise in the days to come either. From July till the end of the year, there is just one film slated for release per month.At this rate, the cinemas would starve of content. For them, Hollywood films provide the breathing space. Hollywood films are generally doing well all over India with dubbed versions available and also because of better awareness, thanks to the reach of the media and Internet.Considering that Hollywood is on the franchise trail, these films stand even better prospects in India as they do everywhere else. The year has quite a promising lineup from Hollywood. In the next two months Hollywood films will dominate the playtime with 'Transformers Rise Of The Beasts' (June 9); 'Extraction 2' (June 6); 'Elemental' (June 16); 'The Flash' (June 16); 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' (June 30); 'Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One' (July 14}; 'Barbie' (July 21); 'Oppenheimer' (July 21); 'The Marvels' (July 28).They will help the multiplexes survive.Hollywood films, however, are no good when it comes to many single-screen cinemas. They do not have the 2K projection facility, the least required to screen Hollywood films. It is a miracle that the cinema properties are still standing and in business.OTT Platforms WarnedThe Government, which seems to believe that only whatever is depicted on cinema screens influences viewers, has, at long last, come round to the view that even OTT features have the same potential to cause harm (according to me, more than the same potential).The ministries of Health and Information and Broadcasting have mandated that the OTT features will have to carry anti-tobacco warnings. The ministries have said that they will "take strict action upon failure to comply with the rules".What is strict action? Why is it not specified? Because, we are all about making rules but loosely implementing them. After all, who keeps a check?IANS05 June 2023 Shared Recently! US to temporarily import Chinese cancer drug to ease shortage Washington, June 4: In a bid to ease the ongoing shortage of chemotherapy in the US, the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed for a temporary import of the cancer drug made in China. US to temporarily import Chinese cancer drug to ease shortage Chinese drug maker Qilu Pharmaceutical has received the FDA approval for their cisplatin injections, CNBC reported.The injectable medication will be distributed in the US in 50-milligram vials on a temporary basis by Canadian drug maker Apotex. It will be available for order by health care providers starting Tuesday."The FDA recognises the importance of a stable, safe supply of critical drugs used in oncology, especially those used in potentially curative or life-extending situations," FDA Commissioner Dr Robert Califf said on Twitter."Today, we've taken steps for temporary importation of certain foreign-approved versions of cisplatin products from FDA-registered facilities and used regulatory discretion for continued supply of other cisplatin and carboplatin products to help meet patient needs."In these situations, we very carefully assess product quality and require companies to take certain measures to ensure the products are safe for patients. The public should rest assured that we will continue all efforts within our authority to help the industry that manufactures and distributes these drugs meet all patient needs for the oncology drugs impacted by shortages," he noted.Cisplatin, a generic drug available for decades in the US, has faced national shortage since February after an Indian pharmaceutical company temporarily halted production for the US market.According to the US National Cancer Institute, Cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs are prescribed for 10 per cent to 20 per cent of all cancer patients. Cisplatin has a cure rate of over 90 per cent when used to treat testicular cancer. It also treats bladder, cervical, ovarian, lung, gastric, breast, and head and neck cancers.The severe shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin, "the chemotherapy backbone", is affecting hundreds of thousands of patients across the US, Dr. Amanda Fader, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, was quoted as saying to CNN.Qilu's version of cisplatin is not approved in the US. An FDA spokesperson said the agency assesses the quality of unapproved drug imports to make sure they are safe for US patients. At least 13 other cancer drugs are in short supply across the US.IANS05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Tripura CM Manik Saha inaugurates ambulance services in Agartala Agartala (Tripura), June 4: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, on Sunday, inagurated ambulance services at Swami Vivekananda Club in North Badharghat area. Tripura CM Manik Saha inaugurates ambulance services in Agartala "Keeping in view the emergency of patients at the Badharghat area of Agartala city, an Ambulance Service was very essential and demand of the situation", said Dr Tushar, Vivekananda Club.Adding further, he said, "Respecting the demand of the essential and life saving service of Ambulance, Swami Vivekananda club has been blessed with the ability of service of the same under the sensitive policy of honorable CM, Dr.Saha who has been also very kind towards public services and handle emergency services".Talking about the fund for the ambulance service, Tushar said, "Public are highly happy over this inauguration of Ambulance Service. The cost of the Ambulance has been raised from the MLA local development fund of the concerned Badharghat constiency, Agartala".ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! US Defence Secy Lloyd Austin arrives in Delhi to strengthen defence partnership with India New Delhi, June 4: US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin arrived in India from Singapore on Sunday to further strengthen the defence partnership between the two nations. US Defence Secy Lloyd Austin arrives in Delhi to strengthen defence partnership with India Upon his arrival, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, received the Pentagon Chief who kickstarted the third leg of his four-nation tour.Taking to Twitter, the US Defence Secretary wrote, "I'm returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership.""Together, we're advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," he added.Austin's New Delhi visit will prominently focus on advancing India-US new defence innovation and industrial cooperation initiatives and continuing with the efforts to expand operational cooperation between the US and Indian militaries.The Pentagon, while elaborating on the details of the Defence Secretary's visit, said, "After Singapore, Secretary Austin will visit New Delhi to meet with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other leaders as the United States and India continue to modernize the US-India Major Defence Partnership.""This visit provides an opportunity to accelerate new defence innovation and industrial cooperation initiatives and drive ongoing efforts to expand operational cooperation between the U.S. and Indian militaries," the statement added.During his New Delhi visit, Austin is set to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with an aim to expand the defence-industrial partnership.The visit holds particular significance considering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming state visit to the White House in June.Austin attended the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore and his first stop was in Tokyo where he met with Japanese Defence Minister Yasukasu Hamada and other senior leaders and visited US troops stationed in Japan.Later, from Japan, he flew to Singapore, where he addressed plenary remarks at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.During his stay in Singapore, he also held key bilateral meetings to advance US partnerships across the region.After New Delhi, the US Defence Secretary will embark on a visit to France.Also just before PM Modi's visit to the US, a powerful Congressional Committee has recommended strengthening NATO Plus by including India. This step is a move to deter China.The suggestion of including India in the five-member grouping has been made by the committee to win the "strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party".Presently, NATO Plus 5 is a security arrangement that works towards boosting global defence cooperation and comprises NATO and five aligned countries, Australia, Japan, Israel, New Zealand and South Korea.India getting included in NATO Plus would mean the facilitation of seamless intelligence sharing between these nations and India and access to the latest military technology with a minimal time lag, reported NewsonAir.Secretary Austin will conclude his four-nation trip in France and will take part in events commemorating the 79th anniversary of D-Day and meet with French and United Kingdom defence leaders.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Jaishankar arrives in Windhoek to strengthen ties with Namibia Windhoek [Namibia], June 4: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday arrived in Windhoek to further strengthen relations with Namibia. Jaishankar arrives in Windhoek to strengthen ties with Namibia He was received by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu."Arrived in Windhoek. Thank Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu for receiving me so warmly. Look forward to a productive visit that takes our time-tested ties forward," Jaishankar tweeted.This will be the first visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to the Republic of Namibia. During the visit, EAM will call on the top leadership of the country.He will also meet with other Ministers of the Government of Namibia. EAM will also co-chair the inaugural Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian Deputy PM/ Foreign Minister.He will also interact with the Indian Diaspora based in Namibia.Before arriving in the Namibian capital on Sunday, the External Affairs Minister was in Cape Town, South Africa to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting.In Cape Town, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar invoked the three-decade-old ties between India and South Africa stating that there is a very "deeply emotional" connection between the two countries. He said India's and South Africa's respective struggles were "deeply intertwined".Jaishankar made these remarks while interacting with the Indian diaspora in Cape Town.Jaishankar also recalled that when South Africa got its independence, there was as much celebration in India as there was in there.The EAM also said that India had invited President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa as the chief guest to the Republic Day in 2019."We have really India and South Africa located at two different continents, but working together very closely in the United Nations, in the BRICS of which we are members in a body called IPSA, which is India, Brazil and South Africa, and in a variety of ways between the two of us directly now," he added.The relations between India and South Africa in these three decades have "flowered in every conceivable sense", Jaishankar noted.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Study sheds light on molecular mechanism that prevents cancer Swindon, June 4: Researchers have identified a key process in cell death that prevents cancer from spreading through a distinct molecular mechanism of the disease's early stages. The study was published in 'Science Advances'. Study sheds light on molecular mechanism that prevents cancer The study was led by Dr Luke Clifton of the STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (ISIS) in Oxfordshire, with co-lead Professor Gerhard Grobner of the University of Ume and partners from the European Spallation Source in Sweden. This is the latest in a series of collaborations by this team to investigate the cellular proteins that cause apoptosis.Apoptosis is essential for human survival, and its disruption can result in cancer, with cancerous cells growing and failing to respond to cancer treatment. It is regulated in healthy cells by two proteins with opposing functions known as Bax and Bcl-2.The soluble Bax protein is responsible for the clearance of old or diseased cells, and when activated, it perforates the cell's mitochondrial membrane to form pores that trigger programmed cell death. This can be offset by Bcl-2, which is embedded within the mitochondrial membrane, where it acts to prevent untimely cell death by capturing and sequestering Bax proteins.In cancer, cancerous cells, the survival protein Bcl-2 is overproduced, leading to uninhibited cell proliferation. While this process has long since been understood to be important to the development of cancer, however, the precise role of Bax and the mitochondrial membrane in apoptosis has been unclear until now.Dr Luke Clifton, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source scientist and co-lead author, explained, "This work has both advanced our knowledge of fundamental mammalian cell processes and opened exciting possibilities for future research. Understanding what things look like when cells work properly is an important step to understanding what goes wrong in cancerous cells and so this could open doors to possible treatments."The team used a technique known as neutron reflectometry (conducted using the advanced ISIS Surf and Offspec instruments) which enabled them to study how Bax interacts with lipids in the mitochondrial membrane. This was built on their previous studies of membrane-bound Bcl-2.Using neutron reflectometry on SURF and OFFSPEC, they were able to study in real time the way that the protein interacts with lipids present in the mitochondrial membrane, during the initial stages of apoptosis. By employing deuterium-isotope labelling, they determined for the first time that when Bax creates pores, it extracts lipids from the mitochondrial membrane to form lipid-Bax clusters on the mitochondrial surface.By using time-resolved neutron reflectometry in combination with surface infrared spectroscopy in the ISIS bio lab, they were able to see that this pore creation occurred in two stages. Initial fast adsorption of Bax onto the mitochondrial membrane surface was followed by a slower formation of membrane-destroying pores and Bax-lipid clusters, which occurred simultaneously. This slower perforation process occurred on timescales of several hours, comparable to cell death in vivo.This is the first time that scientists have found direct evidence of the involvement of mitochondrial lipids during membrane perturbing in cell death initiated by Bax proteins.Dr Luke Clifton added, "As far as we can tell, this mechanism by which Bax initiates cell death is previously unseen. Once we know more about the interplay between Bax and Bcl-2 and how it relates to this mechanism, we'll have a more complete picture of a process that is fundamental to human life. This work really shows the capabilities of neutron reflectometry in structural studies on membrane biochemistry."The finding builds on previous studies by the team on the molecular mechanism of membrane-bound Bcl-2 to inform a more complete understanding of the early stages of apoptosis.Professor Gerhard Grobner, University of Umea scientist and co-lead author said, "The unique findings here will not only have a significant impact in the field of apoptosis research but will also open gateways for exploring Bax and its relatives as interesting targets in cancer therapy such as by tuning up their cell-killing potential."ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Israeli Security Chief addresses US concerns about Ramallahs stability Jerusalem, June 4: Israel Security Agency chief Ronen Bar met with senior Biden administration officials in Washington, DC, on Thursday to address US concerns about the stability of the Palestinian Authority. Israeli Security Chief addresses US concerns about Ramallah's stability The Washington trip comes against the backdrop of a series of deadly terrorist attacks against Israelis in recent months, including the killing on May 30 near Hermesh of Meir Tamari.It also comes several weeks after an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire ended five days of fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer were also in Washington last week, for talks with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Those meetings focused on "a broad range of global and regional issues of mutual concern," according to the White House.Sullivan also reaffirmed Washington's goal "of further enhancing Israel's security and economic integration throughout the Middle East" and "stressed the need to take additional steps to improve the lives of Palestinians, critical to realizing a more peaceful, prosperous, and integrated region," the White House said in a statement.Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas, 87, said last month that any effort to replace the PLO at a time of challenges to the terrorist organization's authority by Hamas and PIJ would fail.However, recent Palestinian student elections point to growing discontent with the Palestinian Authority, the ruling Fatah party and Abbas personally.Hamas secured crucial victories in student council elections at the Bir Zeit and Al Najah Universities."The election results reflect well the political balance of power within the territories of the Palestinian Authority, and indicate," in their opinion, "the rise of Hamas at the expense of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, which is fading," sources told the Tazpit Press Service at the time.The election results reinforce opinion polls showing widespread dissatisfaction with the Palestinian leadership.Palestinians have not held national elections since 2005 and Abbas is now in the 18th year of what was supposed to be a four-year term. Since then, Abbas has cancelled several attempted elections amid Fatah-Hamas disagreements, most recently in 2021. (ANI/TPS)ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Biden will at some point meet Xi: US NSA Washington, June 5: US National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden will at some point meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as the world's two biggest economies work to resolve strained bilateral ties. Biden will 'at some point' meet Xi: US NSA In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Sullivan said "We will, I hope, soon see American officials engaging at senior levels with their Chinese counterparts over the coming months to continue that work. And then, at some point, we will see President Biden and President Xi come back together again."There is nothing inconsistent with, on the one hand, competing vigorously in important domains on economics and technology, and also ensuring that that competition does not veer into conflict or confrontation. That is the firm conviction of President Biden."The NSA's remarks came just hours after Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu accused the US of trying to destabilise the Indo-Pacific region after warships from the two countries were involved in a near collision.In an address to the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, Li blamed Washington of "provoking bloc confrontation for self-interest" and said the US and its allies were making up rules to assert dominance over the region, reports CNN.Any "severe confrontation" between the US and China would be "an unbearable disaster for the world", the Defence Minister added.On Saturday, the US had accused a Chinese warship of cutting in front of an American vessel that was taking part in a joint exercise with the Canadian navy in the Taiwan Strait, forcing the American vessel to slow down to avoid a collision.The incident marked the second time in two weeks that Chinese military personnel have engaged in aggressive maneuvers in the vicinity of US military personnel near China's border.Last week, a Chinese fighter jet conducted an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" during an intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea.IANS05 June 2023 Shared Recently! India did great job in giving everyone chance: Saudi Arabia on G20-StartUp20 Engagement Group meeting in Goa Panaji, June 4: India did a great job in putting together the recommendations of everyone and giving everyone the chance to collaborate and share their suggestions, Prince of Saudi Arabia Fahad Bin Mansour Bin Nasser Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on G20-StartUp20 Engagement Group meeting in Goa on Sunday. India did great job in giving everyone chance: Saudi Arabia on G20-StartUp20 Engagement Group meeting in Goa He said that it is high time we need to have awareness about startups, and entrepreneurs' contribution to the economy and the support that they need."Our presence today is to learn from the best practices of other nations. We believe that the Indians did a great job in putting together the recommendations and giving everyone the chance to collaborate and share their suggestions and recommendations," Al Saud told ANI."We have had a fruitful and smooth discussion that led us to where we are today," he added.Responding to a question on how is the ecosystem back in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabian Prince said that there is a lot to be said about that."There is a lot to be said but if would like to focus on remaining things... today, whenever you need support an ecosystem it has to be done from all sides. The Government side, the public sector, the private sector as well as the society. so You need to have a lot of awareness about the startups, and entrepreneurs' contribution to the economy and the support they need," he said."I think that if all the parts are aware, and they are putting in the efforts, this would lead to great results and thats what happened in Saudi," he told ANI.On the first day on June 3, over 250+ national and international delegates attended Startup20 Goa Sankalpana, and around 40+ startups from throughout the country displayed their unique products.The Startup20 Engagement Group of the G20 kicked off its third meeting, the Goa Sankalpana, with an atmosphere of unwavering energy and determination today in Goa.The day began with the much anticipated Policy Communique, which was followed by a series of riveting seminars and presentations that drove the discourse on startup innovation and collaboration, an official statement said.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Chhattisgarh CM to transfer Rs 20.18 crore to beneficiaries of Godhan Nyaya Yojana Raipur, June 5: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will transfer a total amount Rs 20.18 crore to the beneficiaries of Godhan Nyaya Yojana today in a program organised at his residence office in Raipur, according to an official statement from the Chief Minister's office (CMO). Chhattisgarh CM to transfer Rs 20.18 crore to beneficiaries of Godhan Nyaya Yojana This includes Rs 4.91 crore to rural cattle herders, Rs 8.98 crore to Gauthan committees and Rs 6.29 crore to self-help groups in lieu of cow dung purchased in Gauthans from May 16 to May 31, according to the statement."Under the Godhan Nyay Yojana, Rs 518 crore 71 lakh has been paid to cow dung vendors, Gauthan committees and women self-help groups as on May 15, 2023," as per the official statement from the CMO.Godhan Nyaya Yojana, one of the most popular schemes of the Chhattisgarh government, was started on 20 July 2020 from the Hareli festival.Under this scheme, cow dung is being purchased from rural cattle herders in Gauthans at Rs 2 per kg and cow urine is being purchased at Rs 4 per litre.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Kerala: Amit Shah addresses Silver Jubilee event of Amrita Hospital in Kochi Kochi, June 4: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah addressed the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Amrita Hospital in Kochi, Kerala, as the Chief Guest on Sunday. Kerala: Amit Shah addresses Silver Jubilee event of Amrita Hospital in Kochi In the beginning of his address, Amit Shah expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic train accident in Odisha.The Union Home Minister said that whenever he comes to Kerala, he feels peaceful and happy.Shah said that he has met Amma many times in his life and each time he has gained new consciousness and energy from her. He said that Amma has given her love, affection and energy to crores of people all over the world. Amma has infused the feeling of consciousness, energy and eternal peace in true sense in the lives of everyone who meets her.He said that he has come here today to commemorate the good works done by Amma. He said that Amma's contribution in the fields of religion, tradition, culture and service in the last five decades has brought laurels to our Sanatan culture in the whole world."Amma has given a new dimension and introduction to India's Sanatan culture and tradition by highlighting their good aspects across the whole world," he added.Amit Shah said that every work initiated by Amma in her life was always successful and this institute also exemplifies the same. He added that the institute, which started with 125 beds has emerged as one of the best institutes in the world with a capacity of over 1,350 beds, today.He said that the institute is dedicated to the care of patient with excellence, innovation and compassion, and is one of the best service centers in India.Citing the achievements of the institute, Shah said that a new era of service in the health sector has begun. He said that today with the blessings of Amma, it has also been announced to set up a state of the art facility at Amritapuri campus and Kochi campus. He said that its total area would be more than 1.85 lakh square feet.He said that Amrita Multi-disciplinary Research Innovation and Translation Hub has emerged as a very prestigious institute in the field of research globally. He said that these institutes are going to be set up in 1.85 lakh square feet area in Amritapuri, 20 thousand square feet in Chicago, 3 lakh square feet in Faridabad and 10 lakh square feet in Kochi.The Union Home Minister also added that today Amrita Hospital is completing 25 golden years in the field of service. He said that during its journey from 1998 to 2023, more than 20 lakh patients have been treated completely free of cost in this hospital. He said that by providing free services to 20 lakh needy patients, Amrita Hospital has provided new ray of hope in their lives.Shah said that about Rs 800 crore have been spent on free treatment of lakhs of people and this shows that Indian philosophy of 'SevaParamodharma' has been fully implemented by this institution of Amma.He said, "Getting inspiration from the Amma's spirit of service, many new beginnings have been made in the medical field by this institution. Amrita Hospital performed the first micro-blood stem cell transplant in India, the first fully robotic liver transplant and the first robotic knee and hip replacement."He said that the first medical 3D printing facility in India was also made available in the institute and for the first time in the world, in 2022, the smallest artificial heart pump was transplanted in this institute only.Amit Shah added that Amma said that "dissatisfaction is the greatest poverty and contentment is the real prosperity". This is the reason, former President APJ Abdul Kalam had said that he learnt to serve the people from Amritapuri.Shah said that these values given by Amma have not only inspired but also filled the lives of 4 crore with new hope, enthusiasm and love. He said that despite serving continuously for 50 years with such great achievements, one finds great humility in Amma.He said. "The span of Amma's service is not only limited to India but is spread across the whole world. In the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, Amma's Foundation built over 1200 earthquake-resistant houses in 2 villages and even today, these are known as Amma's Villages.""There are many such examples like, 2015 Nepal Earthquake, 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Floods, 2014 Philippines Cyclone and 2004 Tsunami in India and Sri Lanka, each time Amma along with her followers worked with great enthusiasm to help many affected people," Shah added.He said, "To accelerate the SwachhtaAbhiyan in India, Amma gave Rs 200 crores, out of which Rs 100 crores were given to build toilets in villages situated on the banks of the Ganga and Rs 100 crores to build toilets in Kerala. Shri Shah said that apart from this, the program of construction of 45,000 houses and providing food grains to about 1 crore poor every year is run by Amma."Union Home Minister further added that this is the year of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the last 9 years a big change has come in the country in the field of health, with a holistic approach.He said, "Many initiatives under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Fit India Mission, Nutrition Mission, Mission Indradhanush, Ayushman Bharat and Jal jeevan Mission have been taken by Modi Government to keep people healthy.""The entire health expenditure up to Rs 5 lakh has been made free for 60 crore poor people of the country under the Ayushman Bharat scheme," he added.He said that there has been a lot of infrastructural development in the field of medical education. The number of medical colleges was 387 in 2013-14, which has increased to 648 today. Number of MBBS seats have increased from 51,000 to 99,000, post-graduate seats have increased from 31,000 to 64,000 and 22 new AIIMS have been set up across the country."During the Covid-19 pandemic period, the work of providing more than 230 crore 'Made in India' Corona vaccines to 130 crore Indians has been done in India," he added.He also expressed the hope that with the blessings of Amma, this institution would celebrate its Golden Jubilee celebrations as well and celebrate the centenary in an even grander manner.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Rajasthan CM Gehlot inaugurates Rao Jodha Marg at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur Jodhpur, June 4: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday inaugurated the Rao Jodha Marg at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur and paid tribute to the famous king. Rajasthan CM Gehlot inaugurates Rao Jodha Marg at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur In his address during the visit, the Chief Minister extended his best wishes to the people of Jodhpur.He said that the road has been constructed of good quality and will boost tourism.The Chief Minister said that the name of Jodhpur is leading on the world tourism map. The culture and customs of Jodhpur have been a great tradition.Appreciating the personality of former MP Gaj Singh, the Chief Minister said that due to his efforts Jodhpur has got a distinct identity in the country and abroad.The Chief Minister said that Jodhpur is emerging as a modern Jodhpur with its golden development and multi-faceted expansion journey, where almost all the higher level educational institutions of the country are present.Mentioning the various panoramas being made in the state, the Chief Minister said that today's generation gets information about their historical heritage through these and inspiration is communicated to move forward.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Guwahati: Lawyers conference vows to protect constitutional values Thiruvananthapuram, June 5: The Indian Association of Lawyers (IAL) held its 11th conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday and passed various resolutions to protect constitutional values. Guwahati: Lawyers' conference vows to protect constitutional values According to an official statement, at the 11th conference of the Indian Association of Lawyers in Thiruvananthapuram, a resolution demanding the organisation of the judicial selection process at all levels was adopted, read an official statement.The statement claimed that the judiciary's current composition and locations of appointment did not accurately reflect the interests of the nation's citizens and that it did not specifically represent gender equality.It also said that it excluded members of minority groups and weaker sections of the society and was biased in favour of the status quo and groups of individuals who were already highly engaged in the judiciary.While speaking to media persons, Indian Lawyers Association president R S Cheema said the country is passing through a critical and testing time where the core values and basic principles of the constitution were apparently under challenge.An official statement said the second resolution was passed about the cult of violence, the philosophy of hatred, and the polarization resulting in frequent attacks on minorities.The IAL's third resolution stated that they had evaluated the good work done by the courts after a long absence and valued three judgements -- the first was the selection of the Election Commission, the second dealt with the episode of the Mahabharata government's fall and the governor's role, and the third concerned the division of powers and their demarcation between the government of Delhi and the federal government, said the statement.Additionally, it stated that the IAL placed special emphasis on the fact that these rulings had done much to uphold the federal and democratic principles of the Indian Constitution.It also added that the IAL made a plea to the highest court, urging it to keep up the good work, serve as the watchdog, and defend the Constitution's spirit.The statement noted that urgent action was needed on a number of significant cases currently before the Supreme Court, including those involving electoral bonds, Article 370, and the CAA.According to the statement, the IAL also adopted a resolution noting a calculated and purposeful endeavour to undermine the judiciary in order to reduce the importance of the supreme court.It also said that the IAL condemned the tendency to understate the importance and the very substance of the highest court of the country.It added that there was also an emphasis on the trend of tribunalisation."Where ever it is necessary to have this tribunal, it must regular appointments practising advocates who are competent and fulfil the eligibility criteria. Also passed resolutions against the increasing attacks against the advocates who perform their duties," the statement read, adding, "We demand an act that is currently being condemned in the state of Karnataka and has already been enacted in certain other states."The statement added that the other resolution stated that a law must be passed to provide stipends to young advocates from weak sections that were required to make payments for loans to set up offices and libraries.The topic for the conference was 'Lawyers for the Constitution'.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals he fathered a child with housekeeper Los Angeles, June 5: Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger has opened up about the affair he had in 1996 - with his housekeeper - while he was still married to Maria Shriver. Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals he fathered a child with housekeeper The actor, 75, is set to "tell his own life story" in the upcoming three-part docuseries 'Arnold', which is scheduled to be released on June 7, reports Mirror.co.uk.And now it has been revealed that in the tell-all docuseries, Arnold will recall the moment Maria confronted him about the affair. In 1996, Arnold had an affair with housekeeper Mildred Baena, who fell pregnant and welcomed a child nine months later, which happened to be just five days after Maria and Arnold's son Christopher was born.Mirror.co.uk further states that at the time, nobody knew that Mildred's son was actually Arnold's child, or that Christopher was his half-brother.But as Mildred's son Joseph grew up, she noticed that he looked a lot like the famous actor she had an affair with months prior to welcoming her son.It wasn't until 2010 when Joseph was 13 that he learned who his biological dad was, which came when the media announced it. Arnold has now spoken about the affair and how his "heart stopped" when Maria confronted him about the affair in a counselling session, as per US Sun."One day, the counsellor said, 'Today Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if you're the father of Joseph'.""I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth," he says in the new docu-series.He then went on to reveal how he was honest, admitted that Joseph was his son and that Maria was "obviously crushed by that."Speaking about his son Joe in the docuseries, Arnold added "In the beginning, I really didn't know, but the older he got, the more it became clear to me. It was then just a matter of, 'How do you keep this quiet?'"Arnold then admits that the affair he had with the housekeeper was his biggest "failure", adding that he has "caused enough pain" for his family and noting how "everyone had to suffer.""Maria had to suffer, the kids had to suffer, Joseph, his mother, everyone. I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life," he added.IANS05 June 2023 Shared Recently! TechnoServe Joins Forces with the IKEA Foundation and the Visa Foundation to Launch Green Accelerator Program for Scale-Bound Businesses PRNewswire, Mumbai, June 5 On the occasion of World Environment Day, TechnoServe launches the first cohort of the Greenr Sustainability Accelerator supported by the IKEA Foundation and the Visa Foundation. TechnoServe Joins Forces with the IKEA Foundation and the Visa Foundation to Launch Green Accelerator Program for Scale-Bound Businesses Over the next 3 years, Greenr Accelerator, a TechnoServe initiative, will nurture 400 high growth businesses across 5 cohorts to make sizable strides in the Environment Action space.The Greenr Sustainability Accelerator is a one-of-a-kind sustainability focused accelerator designed and run by TechnoServe India. It is a year-long, equity-free accelerator that provides tailored business advice to high-growth businesses with products and services that have a positive impact on the environment.The Accelerator's mission is to develop a thriving green business ecosystem that helps mitigate environmental degradation, and uplifts communities, by linking them to knowledge, capital and markets. The program will do so by scaling consumption of the sustainable products/services offered by promising environment action businesses. With a focus on solutions in sectors such as waste management, textiles, forestry, climate-tech, renewable energy and more, across India. Greenr Accelerator is also creating opportunities to empower and advance women leaders and founders in business.Commenting on the launch of the program, Punit Gupta, Country Director, TechnoServeIndia said, "The challenges faced by green businesses in India are quite unique unlike other traditional MSMEs. With our Greenr Accelerator, we look forward to backing visionary founders and their teams and help them build world-class businesses. We expect this to bring transformative environmental impact and build a brand of conscious capitalism in India."What's unique about the Accelerator is that each business will be matched to top Business Advisors. These Advisors, full-time staff at TechnoServe, will work closely with entrepreneurs to identify and execute growth strategies tailored to scale their business while achieving greater environmental impact. The participating entrepreneurs will also be a part of a close-knit environment action community of like-minded peers, sector specialists, subject matter experts in India. Entrepreneurs will also participate in a business training and planning course in collaboration with SP Jain School of Global Management. The Accelerator will culminate in a Demo Day with funding opportunities from equity, debt and philanthropic financiers such as Vertex Ventures, Omnivore, Green Artha, India Angel Network, 3i Partners, Peak Ventures, to name a few.The Greenr Accelerator also joins forces with marquee organizations dedicated to enabling and accelerating environment entrepreneurship such Saahas Zero Waste, Indigram Labs, Climate Asia, FICCI Flo, NDBI, and Marico Innovation Foundation.The Environment Action sector has a dearth of this nature of support. As a result, many growing businesses with sustainable products/services typically are unable to build a large consumer base or shut shop despite their best efforts. Small and medium green businesses play a pivotal role in mitigating climate risk and environment degradation. In contrast to MNCs and governments, small businesses can innovate faster, addressing the urgent need for sustainable products and services. By accelerating their scale and keeping green businesses alive, TechnoServe is acting as a backbone to the sustainability sector in India.The Greenr Sustainability Accelerator is unique in that they neither take an equity position nor charge a fee for participation as TechnoServe is a not-for-profit economic development organization. If one is an Environment Action Entrepreneur looking to scale their business, stay in touch. Applications for the second cohort open later this year.TechnoServe is a global leader in micro, small, and growing business acceleration, managing a successful portfolio of 47 programs across 30 countries. TechnoServe works directly with businesses and across whole market systems to make them more sustainable -- environmentally, socially, and commercially. The IKEA Foundation and the Visa Foundation are committed to making a positive impact in the world through their joint effort to develop the Greenr Accelerator. They believe in the power of private enterprise to create jobs and transform lives. For more information about Greenr Accelerator, visitIf you're interested in applying for the accelerator, write to us at . If you're like-minded and would like to partner with us, write to us at .IKEA Foundation is a Dutch foundation founded in 1982 by Ingvar Kamprad, a Swedish billionaire and founder of IKEA. Independent from the retail business, the IKEA Foundation's sole focus is to create brighter lives on a livable planet through philanthropy and grantmaking. As of 2020, the total grants disbursed by the foundation amounted to USD 220+ million. Read more about the work done by the IKEA Foundation at .The Visa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Visa, is committed to helping low-income, financially underserved micro and small enterprises around the world to thrive and prosper. The Foundation, registered in the U.S. as a 501(c (3) entity, also supports broader community needs as well as humanitarian responses in times of crisis. Read more about the work done by the Visa Foundation at .(Disclaimer The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Friendship gets tested as it navigates romance in Jee Karda trailer Mumbai, June 5: The trailer of the upcoming streaming series, 'Jee Karda', which stars Tamannaah Bhatia in the lead, was unveiled on Monday. The trailer of the series takes the viewers on a ride filled with fun, drama and emotions, capturing the life of seven childhood friends who are different from each other yet deeply connected. Friendship gets tested as it navigates romance in 'Jee Karda' trailer The trailer, which is 2 minutes in length, shows how two best friends, who decide to turn their friendship into marriage, realise the complexities and repercussions of the same. The series also stars Aashim Gulati, Suhail Nayyar, Anya Singh, Hussain Dalal, Sayan Banerjee, and Samvedna Suwalka as seven childhood friends alongside Simone Singh and Malhar Thakar playing pivotal roles.From experiencing life together, falling in love, making mistakes and even having their hearts crushed, they learn that even the finest friendships and relationships cannot be flawless. The trailer shows Rishab (Suhail Nayyar) proposing to Lavanya (Tamannaah Bhatia), his longtime girlfriend. Their school friends join the wedding celebrations, but complications arise and relationships take an intriguing twist.Talking about the show, Tamannaah Bhatia said "I had an absolutely incredible time working on 'Jee Karda', for me, this show was the closest I've ever played a character that resonated with my own persona. Being a true Mumbai girl, having grown up in this vibrant city. The friendships I formed in school were unlike any other, and I believe those kinds of bonds are irreplaceable. This show truly captures the essence of nostalgia, reflecting the dynamics and experiences I understand so well from the city I belong to."Writer and director Arunima Sharma shared that the show explores the difficulties and intricacies of navigating romance, friendships and adulthood.She said "I feel that the audience will relate to it. Rather than presenting an idealised vision of adulthood, we wanted to create a drama that depicted the messy realities of life. I believe that audiences will identify with the characters and their journeys, and will find solace in knowing that they are not alone in their feelings. I'm very excited to bring this show with Prime Video and Maddock Films. Prime Video is renowned for providing thought-provoking and engaging narratives, and I feel our show will fit right in."Produced by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films and directed by Arunima Sharma, the series is co-written by Hussain Dalal and Abbas Dalal. The series will drop on Prime Video on June 15.IANS05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Amber Heard to share her truth about domestic abuse in explosive memoir Los Angeles, June 5: Hollywood star Amber Heard is contemplating writing her autobiography. Amber Heard to share 'her truth' about domestic abuse in explosive memoir The 'Danish Girl' actress is reportedly keen to start "sharing her truth" with an explosive tell-all memoir, in which she would lay bare the details of her turbulent two-year marriage to Johnny Depp and their bitter court battle after he successfully sued her for defamation over an op-ed she wrote about being a victim of domestic abuse, reports aceshowbiz.com.The 37-year-old actress- who is currently living in Madrid, Spain, with her two-year-old daughter Oonagh - would be looking for around $15 million for her story but is ready to speak out after being harassed online during last year's trial, according to sources from RadarOnline.com.The insider said "She won't be silenced. She feels she was treated very badly during the trial. She feels like she's the victim here."Meanwhile, Camille Vasquez, one of the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor's lawyers for the trial, recently admitted she has thought about writing a book, in part about the legal battle, but stressed there's 'nothing in the works at the moment.'She told People magazine "We've thought about that. Ben [Chew, co-counsel] and I have joked that we should write a book together, maybe about the trial. I feel like my story is maybe half written. I feel like there's still a lot left to do. While the trial was a significant portion of my career ... the real story about who I am and my path, there's still more to be written and to be done. I do have a title in mind. Maybe one day."Camille and the rest of Johnny's legal team have "often" been in touch with the 59-year-old actor since the trial and are planning to attend one of his Hollywood Vampires gigs later this summer. She said "The last time I spoke to [Johnny] on the phone was probably a few months ago, but we text often.""There's a group of us that texts with him and we send emails, obviously congratulating him on the success that he's had in the last year. He has a big birthday coming up, so I'm sure he'll be celebrating - foot up because, as you've seen, probably, reported in the news, unfortunately our guy got a fracture in, I believe, his ankle."IANS05 June 2023 Shared Recently! Integrated response, monsoon ops preparedness among issues to be discussed in Annual Conference on Capacity Building for disaster response 2023 New Delhi, June 5: Integrated response to disaster challenges, monsoon operation preparedness and coordination with State Disaster Response Forces (SDRF) are among the key issues to be discussed in the 'Annual Conference on Capacity Building for Disaster Response 2023' being held here in the national capital on Tuesday. Integrated response, monsoon ops preparedness among issues to be discussed in 'Annual Conference on Capacity Building for disaster response 2023' Being organized by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), capacity building for Chemical Radiological Biological Nuclear (CBRN) contingency, futuristic response to biological emergencies and many more topics to make the road map for strengthening and capacity building of SDRFs, Civil Defence, Home Guards and Fire Services are to be discussed in the conference.Issues related to Disaster Management Training, Good Practices adopted and way forward will also be discussed in the conference.The conference shall provide a platform for the stakeholders to share their best practices, lesson learnt, rectify the shortcomings and work to improve the response capabilities. This conference shall also be utilized by the stakeholders for planning and preparing for the coming monsoon season.The NDRF is relentlessly engaged in the capacity building of SDRFs, Civil Defence and Home Guards and is also committed to strengthening these agencies through its various outreach programs like training and capacity development initiatives.The conference will be attended by eminent speakers and Directors General or Additional Directors General of all states and Union Territories of the SDRFs, Home Guards, Civil Defence and Fire Services.Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra will grace the occasion as chief guest. S Sundari Nanda, Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs will be the chief guest on the valedictory session scheduled on the same day.The NDRF has been organizing this conference for the capacity building of stakeholders for the last 10 years."In order to make the community a first responder during the disaster, NDRF is conducting mock exercises, FAMEx on various disaster scenarios with the active participation of all stakeholders across the country. Besides, School Safety Program (SSP), and Community Awareness Program (CAP) are also being conducted and more than 76 lakh got benefitted so far through these programs," said the NDRF in a statement.ANI05 June 2023 Shared Recently! President Murmu reaches Suriname on first state visit New Delhi, June 5: President Droupadi Murmu has arrived in Suriname on her first state visit to the South American nation. President Murmu reaches Suriname on first state visit "In a special gesture, President @CSantokhi of Suriname received the President at the airport with full state honours," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a tweet late Sunday.In the first leg of her visit (June 4 to 6), the president will hold talks with Suriname leaders and meet a cross-section of Indian Diaspora in capital city Paramaribo.The visit will further strengthen the deep-rooted ties between India and Suriname, official sources said.Her visit comes on the invitation of her Surinamese counterpart Chandrikapersad Santokhi.During the visit, she will hold special talks with President Santokhi and will also participate in several activities.President Murmu will leave for Serbia on June 7 at the invitation of President Aleksandar Vucic.IANS06 June 2023 Shared Recently! Eighty-four captive-bred Chinese alligators from the Anhui Chinese Alligator National Nature Reserve were released into the wilderness of the reserve on Thursday, marking the start of this year's monthlong alligator release season. This year is the end of a five-year plan for the release of Chinese alligators to boost their population in the wild. It is the 19th release season at the reserve, and the total number of released captive-bred Chinese alligators in Anhui will reach 1,608 this month. In the early 2000s, the population of Chinese alligators in the wild was extremely low. Field surveys showed there were perhaps fewer than 200 of them, putting them in critically endangered status, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 2001, the State Forestry Administration launched the Chinese Alligator Protection and Release Project, which aimed to release captive-bred Chinese alligators into the wild in an effort to gradually increase their wild population. From 2003 to 2018, the alligator reserve carried out 14 relocation projects, releasing 108 alligators. In 2019, based on the previous experience, a five-year release plan for 1,500 alligators was launched. From 2019 to last year, 1,300 artificially bred Chinese alligators were released. The Chinese alligator is a critically endangered and first-class national protected wild animal in China. It is mainly found in the counties of Jingxian, Langxi, Guangde and Nanling, and Xuanzhou district of Xuancheng city in southeast Anhui province. "In recent years, the number of wild Chinese alligators has been increasing, and their distribution is gradually expanding," said Sun Siqing, a researcher with the Anhui Chinese Alligator National Nature Reserve Administration. "The vast majority of released Chinese alligators have adapted to the wild environment and achieved natural breeding." He said that during a field survey in 2021, Chinese alligators in the wild laid 14 litters of 320 eggs and hatched 137 young. Last year, they laid 602 eggs in 26 litters, producing 372 hatchlings. Zhou Yongkang, a researcher with the administration, said the released alligators have a certain ratio of male to female, are in good health, and are distant relatives and with rich genetic diversity to ensure natural breeding and genetic exchanges. The reserve has recorded detailed genetic information for each released alligator, equipped them with solar-powered satellite tracking devices, and established a database of wild released populations. In the future, the reserve will continue to focus on the protection of the existing wild population and the restoration of the habitat to help recover the population of Chinese alligators in the wild. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Mostly sunny. High near 85F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. "By adding seats in preschools and filling teacher vacancies," he said during a stop at International Prep Academy, "we can make early childhood education more accessible than ever in Champaign and across our state." Mary Lucille Hays lives in Birdland near White Heath. She is serious about answering mail from readers, email, too! Consider subscribing to support your small-town newspaper. You can follow Birdland on Instagram and Twitter @BirdlandLetters or at letterfrombirdland.blogspot.com. Mary can be reached at letterfrombirdland@gmail.com or via snail mail care of this newspaper. Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). New figures show that the total cost of prescription medicines to the NHS in England reached a new high of 17.2 billion in the financial year 2021 -2022, according to a new independent report by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the University of York. Since 2018 NHS spending on branded medicines has been increasing by over five per cent annually. This excludes expenditure on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, says the report. A significant portion of this growth is due to increased spending on hospital-prescribed medicines which rose by 35 per cent from 6.7 billion to 9.1 billion between 2018 - 2022. Drugs classified as medicines for malignant disease and immunosuppression, including cancer drugs, accounted for 904 million of the total medicines bill growth since 2018, representing a 43 per cent increase in spending on these types of drugs. Drugs for the respiratory system accounted for a 587 million growth in the medicines bill, representing a 279 per cent rise in spending for this category of drugs. A small number of products were responsible for increased spending across drug categories. For respiratory system disorders, the top three products contributed to a growth of 561 million in spending between 2018 and 2022. For malignant disease and immunosuppression, the top three products accounted for 333 million of the increased expenditure. NHS spending is exceeding predictions with relatively few medicines driving the growth in the medicines bill between 2018 - 2022." Dr Huseyin Naci, Associate Professor of Health Policy at LSE and senior author of the report The report finds evidence that many new medicines are too expensive for the benefits they offer to patients, even after accounting for any potential cost savings. Dr James Lomas, Lecturer at the University of York and one of the authors of the report, said: "We have to face the reality that the NHS does not have unlimited resources and the more money we spend on medicines, the less money we have for other medicines, treatments and services that already offer significant health benefits in the NHS." Against the background of these new figures, the voluntary agreement that the pharmaceutical industry has with the UK government on medicine pricing is being currently renegotiated. The Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access (VPAS) sets a cap on the total allowed sales value of branded medicines to the NHS each year. Under the current scheme, which finishes this year, the cap grows at an agreed rate of two per cent per year and any medicine sales above the cap are paid back to the government through a rebate. The pharmaceutical industry argues that VPAS in its current form may limit or delay the availability of new medicines in the UK, have negative impacts on the UK pharmaceutical industry, and reduce the UK's contribution to global pharmaceutical innovation. The report argues that it would be unlikely and costly for pharmaceutical companies to forego a UK launch of their products since the NHS has long been a reliable market for them. For example, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is one of the fastest regulators globally. In addition, NICE recommends most new medicines it appraises for use in the NHS. The report also highlights that new drugs are already exempt from VPAS for three years after their launch. There is no evidence that the price the NHS pays for medicines is a key factor in driving pharmaceutical industry investment in the UK, according to the report. It also points out that recent research assessing the benefits of different pricing levels for drugs, taking account of their impact on current and future health through innovation and drug development, suggests that current pricing levels in the UK are likely to be too high. Dr Beth Woods, Senior Research Fellow at the University of York and one of the authors of the report, said: "Incentivising the development of new medicines is important, but the right balance needs to be struck given other NHS priorities - especially at a time when budgets are tight. Doing this requires sharing the value of medicines between providing rewards to the pharmaceutical industry and generating health benefits for patients in the NHS. The pharmaceutical industry is currently getting too big of a slice of the pie." Dr Aris Angelis, Assistant Professor of Health Economics at LSHTM and one of the authors of the report said: "As the government is currently negotiating for the next iteration of the voluntary agreement with the industry, it should ensure that spending on medicines is proportionate, to prevent resources from being diverted away from other vital services in the NHS." Dr Huseyin Naci said: "The government should not rely on pricing as the primary means to achieve industrial policy objectives, as other mechanisms are likely to be more appropriate." New research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine shows that American Indian and Alaska Native men are less likely to be screened for prostate cancer compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The study appears online in Cancer Causes & Control. Our findings highlight a significant health-care disparity in accessing care." Chris Gillette, Ph.D., associate professor of PA Studies at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and principal investigator of the study According to the American Cancer Society, there are more than 34,000 prostate cancer deaths in the U.S. each year, and prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men. American Indian and Alaska Native men are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, their prostate cancer outcomes are much worse than other racial/ethnic groups, especially for men between the ages of 50-59 years old. There are two tests that providers can use that might help diagnose prostate cancer. One is a digital rectal exam (DRE), and the other is a blood test that measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Elevated levels of PSA in the bloodstream can be indicative of prostate cancer. For the study, researchers conducted a secondary analysis of the National Ambulatory Medicare Care Survey (NAMCS) datasets from 2013-2016 and 2018 and the NAMCS Community Health Center (CHC) datasets from 20122015. NAMCS is a nationally representative sample of visits to non-federal office-based physician clinics while the CHC samples include outpatient visits to physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners at community health centers including federally qualified health centers and Indian Health Service clinics. In the NAMCS dataset, researchers analyzed 509,737,580 visits over a five-year period of which 232,998 were for American Indian and Alaska Native men. "We found that American Indian and Alaska Native men were significantly less likely to receive a PSA than non-American Indian and Alaska Native men," Gillette said. "The most alarming finding is that there were zero instances of DREs in the NAMCS dataset over the entire five-year period, and there were no PSAs conducted in American Indian/Alaska Native men after 2014." In the NAMCS dataset, the rate of PSAs being ordered for American Indian and Alaska Native men was 1.67 per 100 visits but included no DREs. The rate of PSAs for non-American Indian and Alaska Native men was 9.35 per 100 visits while the prevalence of DRE was 2.52 per 100 visits. In analyzing the CHC dataset, the researchers noted that American Indian and Alaska Native men had slightly lower rates of PSAs (4.26 per 100 visits v. 5.00/100) and DREs (0.63 per 100 visits vs. 1.05 per 100) than non-Hispanic White men, but this difference was not statistically significant. "We found that the disparity may not exist when men visit community health centers," Gillette said. "More research is needed to better understand why." According to Gillette, American Indian and Alaska Native men also experience disproportionately greater prostate cancer mortality compared to other racial/ethnic identities because they present for care when their prostate cancer is more advanced compared to other racial/ethnic groups, which may be a direct result of not getting PSAs and DREs at the same rate as other racial/ethnic groups. Current screening guidelines recommend that providers use shared decision-making to discuss the benefits and risks of PSA and DRE because current screening tools can lead to false-positive results and the need for more aggressive testing. As men age, the risk of a false-positive result also increases. Gillette noted because of the way information was compiled for the datasets, it's impossible to know whether shared decision-making was used when discussing PSA and/or DRE and whether the decision aligned with American Indian and Alaska Native men's preferences. "Additional research is needed to explore how providers discuss PSA and DRE with this population, why there are differences in screening practices and to examine access to care," Gillette said. Gillette collaborated on the study with the Office of Cancer Health Equity at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. In a recent study published in the Eurosurveillance Journal, researchers evaluated French surveillance for antibiotic resistance (ABR), usage, and residues in the environmental, animal, and human sectors during 2021. Study: Towards One Health surveillance of antibiotic resistance: characterisation and mapping of existing programmes in humans, animals, food and the environment in France, 2021. Image Credit: RattiyaThongdumhyu/Shutterstock.com Background ABR, a population health concern, has threatened healthcare by reducing the success rates of treating bacterial infections. Antibiotic-resistant microbes persist in animals, humans, food, and the environment. Therefore, ABR prevention is a complicated health problem that could be resolved by integrating intersectoral health policies and collaborating global efforts. International organizations have developed the One Health initiative to combat ABR. Surveillance systems need to be mapped at the national and international levels to enable global coordination and reduce the burden of ABR on health facilities. About the study In the present study, researchers characterized and mapped French surveillance programs for antibiotic resistance, use, and residues in animals, humans, the surroundings, and food. The study included local and national surveillance programs comprising structured groups of institutions and actors involved in collecting, centralizing, quantitative analysis, and communicating results regularly and over the long term. The team searched databases such as PubMed and grey literature, between January and February 2021, for records published in French and English from 2005 onward to identify French surveillance programs assessing antibiotic resistance, usage, and residues among animals, humans, environment, and food. Primary data sources included health ministry websites, healthcare agencies, and various private and public institutions monitoring ABR. The team excluded unrepeated research studies, inactive programs in the review period, clinical research programs, and those investigating the suitability of antibiotic usage. Program coordinators were contacted by mail and interviewed from February to June 2021 to verify program eligibility. The program list was sent to field experts to identify missing data and confirm the list. Surveillance programs were characterized using standardized grids including 28 variables related to an organization as ownership, regulatory status, coordination and steering activities, and operations and methods, including coverage, target population, sampling technique, data analysis, indicators, and result dissemination. Results In 2021, of 79 surveillance programs identified initially, 48 programs contributed to French ABR surveillance. Among the included programs, 35, 12, three, and one targeted humans, animals, food, and the environment, respectively, and most programs (n=34) were publicly funded. Health authorities regulated 29 programs, whereas voluntary actors managed 19 programs. Most programs (n=27) were built before 2010, and 15 were developed in the initial 10.0 years. Among the programs, 24 collected data yearly, 14 collected data yearly, six collected infra-annually, and three collected multi-annually. Results were disseminated annually (n=43), puri-annually (n=three), or infra-annually (n=two). Most programs (n=43) were conducted nationwide, and 31 included overseas territories. Among the programs, 10 had high granularity and displayed their results sub-nationally, and five programs disseminated results regionally. Among ABR surveillance programs, 23 had access to bacterial isolates, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Particularly, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum -lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli were monitored. Antibiotic use programs (n=14) performed surveillance based on administration, delivering data, sales data, prescriptions, and reimbursements. Indicators of antibiotic use, resistance, and residues included incidence rates, ABR bacterial infection counts, and prevalence of samples with one ABR isolates. The team used clinical thresholds the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) put forth to determine ABR. For animal programs, epidemiological cut-offs (ECOFFs) published by the EUCAST or the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society of Microbiologys veterinary section (CASFM), or the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) thresholds, or the minimum inhibitory concentration values were used. The percentage of specimens beyond the maximum residue level (MRL) was used as an antibiotic residue indicator for quinolones and sulfonamides. Environment sector indicators included the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) for sulfonamides-diaminopyrimidines, fluoroquinolones, and macrolides. The French programs contributed to 10 European and two global programs, including a program being developed for ABR surveillance for diseased animals (EARS-Vet). Conclusion Overall, the study findings highlighted an initial step towards One Health ABR surveillance. Despite being resourceful and reproducible, the system was complicated and lacked sufficient data integration across various sectors. Areas such as overseas territories, environmental surveillance, ABR among wild animals, and antibiotic usage among companion animals were inadequately covered, whereas, among humans, five programs targeted ABR in health facilities. When the city's medical examiner announced in February that four people who had recently died of overdoses had the animal sedative xylazine in their systems, public health workers across the state sprang into action. Drug dealers on the East Coast had in recent years begun mixing xylazine, which can have devastating effects on people, with the opioid fentanyl, causing a surge in emergency room visits in Philadelphia and other cities. But there had not been much evidence of it in California. Now state and local officials are ramping up efforts to combat xylazine, commonly called "tranq," by monitoring its spread, distributing test strips, and pushing to "schedule" it, meaning classify it as a controlled substance. Still, some worry it will be hard to prevent the pernicious drug which has also begun appearing in Los Angeles, Santa Clara, and San Joaquin counties from worsening the state's overdose epidemic. Unless significant change happens in scheduling xylazine and really reducing its availability, we could be on the heels of whats happening on the East Coast, said Jeffrey Hom, director of population behavioral health at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Hom, who previously led overdose prevention services in Philadelphia, said San Francisco's public health department is collaborating with the medical examiner, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the citys fire department and homeless and supportive housing agencies, and methadone clinics and hospitals to collect data, share updates, and conduct regular testing for xylazine. Were trying to think through how do we develop a system that can surveil for drugs like xylazine or whatever the next drug will be, Hom said. The California Department of Public Health is monitoring news reports of xylazine and has posted an issue brief about it, but a spokesperson told KFF Health News it does not yet have a "standardized and uniform statewide monitoring system." Xylazine is a cost-effective way to extend the strong yet short-lived fentanyl high, said Philippe Bourgois, a UCLA anthropology and social medicine professor and co-author of the book "Righteous Dopefiend," the product of a 10-year immersion in San Franciscos heroin and crack street culture. But the trade-offs can be catastrophic. Taken on its own, xylazine is so powerful it can knock a person out for up to 18 hours, said Bourgois. In Philadelphia, people who use tranq are getting "concrete burns," which are similar to bedsores but are caused by lying passed out on the sidewalk for long periods, he added. Xylazine also has necrotizing effects that rot the skin and lead to amputations. Most troubling of all, Bourgois said, is that xylazine constricts breathing, increasing the risk of an overdose when it's mixed with fentanyl. By itself, it doesn't respond to the overdose reversal drug naloxone, which has been one of the state's key tools in trying to reduce overdose deaths. But since xylazine is often mixed with fentanyl and other opioids, health authorities advise using naloxone to respond to suspected overdoses. Xylazine is a disastrous drug, Bourgois said. Public health has to get ahead of this tragedy. About a dozen people who smoke or inject fentanyl and live on the streets of San Francisco told KFF Health News they are at the mercy of what drug dealers sell and have little insight into whats actually in the drugs. They said theyve never used xylazine knowingly and didnt want it in their drugs. Kris Franklin, 41, has been buying fentanyl in San Francisco for five years and acknowledged shes gambling with her life. Shes lost count of the friends and acquaintances who have died from overdoses or street-related illnesses but estimates it at around 40 people. Im scared its going to be in my dope, Franklin said of tranq. You dont know what youre getting. Its not like a prescription from a doctor. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), whose district includes Santa Cruz and Monterey, introduced federal legislation in March to make xylazine a controlled substance. "It gives our law enforcement the tools that they can use to crack down and hopefully remove this type of deadly combination of fentanyl and xylazine off the streets, Panetta said of the bill. "I think we got a good chance of getting this passed this year." Governors in Pennsylvania and Ohio are using their executive powers to restrict access to xylazine. In California, lawmakers are wrestling with several measures that would increase penalties for fentanyl dealers, but none address xylazine. One potential downside to any crackdown is that it could make it much harder for veterinarians and other customers to obtain the drug for their animals. And the FDA said late last year that it was not known whether tranq was being diverted from the animal supply or manufactured illicitly. Siddarth Puri, associate medical director of prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, noted that the data was sparse but that xylazine was likely more widespread than is known. Puri and his public health colleagues learned only recently, from a Los Angeles Times report, that county law enforcement officials had been spotting xylazine in the fentanyl supply for years. The county Sheriff's Department recently launched a pilot project to track the presence of the drug. There are probably hundreds of other illicit synthetic substances that are being cut into the drugs that we dont know about yet, and we dont know how theyre going to impact people, Puri said. Right now, the spotlight is on xylazine. This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. In a recent study published in the Microbiology Spectrum Journal, researchers suggest that Escherichia coli ST2797 could potentially be a new type of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli. Study: Escherichia coli ST2797 Is Abundant in Wastewater and Might Be a Novel Emerging Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase E. coli. Image Credit: snvv18870020330/Shutterstock.com Background Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are increasingly found in E. coli wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), making them a significant source of emerging clones. Urban wastewater from WWTPs can serve as an indicator of the appearance of novel drug-resistant bacteria or viruses if left untreated. About the study The team conducted a study in Norway and found high levels of the emerging multi-resistant clones ST648 and ST131 in a sample of 3,123 E. coli isolates. These isolates were collected from urban wastewater which did not have any hospital or other related affluents. The isolates were phenotyped and tested for antibiotic resistance using a PhenePlate-AREB system (PhP). The PhP1 and PhP2 isolates were found to be part of the clinically significant clonal groups ST131 and ST648, respectively, after multilocus sequence typing through whole-genome sequencing (WGS). The most common type of fingerprint found in this data set was PhP3, which showed multidrug resistance. Out of 3,123 isolates, 201 were identified as having the PhP3 type. This type is characterized by its rhamnose, lactose, and sorbose fermentation activity, while its raffinose, sucrose, and gal-lactone fermentation activity is less efficient. Approximately 11 PhP3 isolates were sequenced, which were sampled from 11 different sampling occasions during the 10 months of the study period. The study utilized BACTpipe v 2.7.0 to assemble and annotate sequencing data. The Center for Genomic Epidemiology (CGE) pipeline was used to analyze the data and detect antibiotic resistance genes, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) profile, and plasmid typing. The study also investigated whether the E. coli populations ST2797, ST131, and ST648 can form biofilms under mammalian intestinal conditions, as these bacteria can persist in wastewater and potentially colonize humans. Results The PhP3 isolates were detected as E. coli ST2797 and had several plasmids including IncH1A, IncFIA, and/or IncH1B, ColRNAI, and IncQ1. They also contained resistance genes such as sul2, blaTEM-1B, dfrA7, and tet(B), which made them resistant to sulfonamides, ampicillin, trimethoprim, and tetracycline, respectively. The strains were found to be multidrug-resistant (MDR) based on their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), which were as follows: trimethoprim- more than 32 mg/mL, ampicillin- more than 128 mg/mL, and tetracycline- more than 256 mg/mL. ESBL genes were detected in two of the ST2797 isolates. This indicated that ST2797 has the potential to disseminate and adapt to various ecological habitats. The ST2797 isolates analyzed exhibited genetic variations within themselves but were found to be more closely associated with each other in comparison to the ST2797 isolates in Enterobase. Additionally, BE10 and BE12 isolates exhibited greater diversity since they were present in multiple subclusters. Also, two isolates were obtained in December 2016 and February 2017 which reported high ST2797 prevalence. Genetic distinctions among the isolates indicated that the wastewater pump station environment may have allowed for additional genetic changes to occur. Contigs containing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) longer than 10 kb were selected and aligned with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database to gain a better understanding of their genetic context. The contigs were found to be complete plasmid sequences of different Enterobacterales. Four plasmids were found to have the highest identity and coverage. These include the IncHI1 plasmids pF8475 and pB71 from environmental Salmonella Typhimurium isolates collected from the Czech Republic, the IncF plasmid pME5 belonging to an environmental E. coli isolate obtained from the French Seine estuary, and the plasmid pSRC27-H belonging to an equine Salmonella Typhimurium. The plasmids had extra ARGs (catA1/2 and aadA1) but did not have the dfrA7 gene present in the ST2797 isolates studied, which provided resistance to disinfectants. Biofilm production was found to be greater for all isolates at 20C as compared to 37C. ST2797 generated significantly higher levels of biofilm than ST131 and ST648 at 20C, with a 1.5-fold and four-fold increase, respectively. ST131 was found to produce more biofilm than ST648 at 20C. Furthermore, biofilm production was found to be higher at 20C compared to 28C. ST2797 exhibited significant variability in biofilm production. Six out of the 11 ST2797 isolates demonstrated a rise in biofilm production that was dependent on temperature, while the other isolates had comparable values at 20C and 28C temperatures. ST2797 isolates may be more adaptable to lower temperatures than ST131 and ST648 isolates, as suggested by the protective properties of their biofilm. ST2797 strains that are proficient in biofilm production may endure for a longer period in such environmental conditions, especially when nutrients are present. At the 2023 American Society for Clinical Oncology Annual Meetingto be held June 2-6 in Chicago, IllinoisFred Hutchinson Cancer Center experts will present research spanning survivorship, advances in treatments and clinical trials, how access to cancer care affects outcomes, integrative medicine and more. Featured Fred Hutch presentations and poster sessions are listed below; for a full list of Fred Hutch research at ASCO and the dates and times of presentations, please visit our website. For media inquiries at ASCO, please contact Claire Hudson at [email protected] You can follow our researchers on Twitter #ASCO23 and visit us at booth #4023. Equitable access to cancer care Dr. Hiba Khan will present an oral abstract assessing the impact of financial distress, as evidenced in credit records, on cancer survival. Researchers in Fred Hutchs Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research, or HICOR, found that patients with cancer who experienced severe adverse financial events, such as third-party collections, delinquent mortgage payments, tax liens, foreclosures or repossessions within two years of diagnosis were at higher risk for mortality after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors. Additional research on health equity and access includes: An analysis showing that adverse financial events resulted in increased health care utilization and greater per-patient costs at end of life, in a poster session from led by Dr. Natasha Kwendakwema of HICOR. Dr. Scott Ramsey and the HICOR team followed cancer patients using smartwatches and apps to monitor symptoms and biometric data during treatment. In a poster session, they share that compared to commercially-insured cancer patients, financially fragile and Medicaid-insured patients had significantly higher average heart rates, unique symptoms and repeat symptoms. A study revealing health disparities in access to molecular testing that inform the use of targeted therapies in patients with advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer. In a poster session led by Dr. Lauren Shih, HICOR researchers found testing rates were lowest among Hispanic patients, older patients, males and people with Medicaid insurance. A poster session, led by Qin Sun of HICOR, in which researchers found underuse of germline testing in patients with prostate, pancreas and ovarian cancers, despite guideline recommendations. Lack of germline testing not only can affect treatment, its also a missed opportunity to identify genetic risk factors in family members. Clinical trials and treatment advances Dr. Noam Kopmar and colleagues sought to understand the potential benefit of adding an antibody drug conjugate to frontline therapy to treat patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma. In an oral presentation, Dr. Kopmar will explain findings that adding the antibody drug was not only safe, but response rates in patients were among the highest reported to date and many patients were able to proceed to bone marrow transplant. In a SWOG Cancer Research Network analysis, presented in an oral abstract by Dr. Megan Othus, a research team found that a common system for measuring tumor progression in clinical trials didnt adequately correspond to outcomes in patients with rare cancers treated with checkpoint inhibitors in the S1609 DART trial. These findings are consistent with similar studies of the use of this measuring system in patients treated with chemotherapy. In an oral presentation, Dr. Shailender Bhatia will present findings from a Phase 2 clinical trial in metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma patients that assessed nivolumab monotherapy and nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination in two non-randomized cohorts respectively. The results do not suggest additional benefit from nivolumab plus ipilimumab in this patient population, contrary to a recent publication that had reported 100% response rate with combination therapy. Experts will share more from the following treatment studies: A five-year follow up study combining standard of care plus a checkpoint inhibitor in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma, supporting potential inclusion of checkpoint inhibitors in first line DLBCL therapy and exploring the role of PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker in a poster session led by Dr. Carrie Ho. How combining hypofractionated radiation with checkpoint inhibitors may benefit patients with metastatic salivary gland cancers, in a poster session led by Dr. Cristina Rodriguez . Results from a Phase 1 study testing the combination of anti-CD73 and anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies to treat metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma that found the regimen was safe and indicated a trend toward improved outcomes, led by Dr. Andrew Coveler in a poster session. Dr. Laura Samples and collaborators characterized the challenges in using CAR T-cell therapy to treat patients with relapsed or refractory Burkitt lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive B-cell lymphoma, in a poster session. Results from a survey conducted by an American Society of Clinical Oncology and Friends of Cancer Research task force, chaired by Dr. Joseph Unger, showed that strategies such as remote distribution of oral therapy, remote consenting and remote symptom monitoring were commonly adopted by major cancer clinical trial sponsors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings will be presented in a poster session. Led by Dr. Bart Scott, in a poster session, researchers found that overall survival rates for patients with acute myeloid leukemia were not impacted during the pandemic, but that increased COVID-19 rates in the U.S. correlated with fewer transfusions, in-person visits and assessments for stem cell transplant. Factors associated with durable response from a five-year follow up in patients who received CD19 CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, in a poster session led by Dr. Emily Liang. Survivorship Pediatric cancer patients who receive certain therapies are at an increased risk of heart disease later in life. Dr. Eric Chow will present an oral abstract of a Childrens Oncology Group study that found a better method to predict which pediatric cancer patients will develop heart disease years after treatment. Prediction models that incorporate conventional heart measurements may be able to accurately identify childhood cancer patients at high risk of developing heart disease within 2-5 years, giving care teams a potential window of opportunity to provide treatments that can slow or stop heart disease progression. Precision oncology Dr. Manoj Menon will share insights in a poster session from a study that conducted molecular testing on breast cancer tumors from patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute. The research team found a diverse range of mutations and prevalence of BRCA1, BRCA2 and PIK3CA mutations that were considerably higher than in other documented populations. This data could inform wider use of targeted therapies in sub-Saharan Africa, where breast cancer is the most common cancer, and make the case for including targeted cancer therapies in the World Health Organizations Model List of Essential Medicines. Dr. Ruben Raychaudhuri and collaborators investigated targeted therapies for people with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with DNA damage repair alterations in two studies. One poster session will explore how mutations in DNA damage repair genes may affect PSMA expression and response to PSMA targeted radioligand therapy. A second poster session will detail two-year follow up results from a single arm pilot study also focused on patients with DNA damage repair alterations. In this study, researchers found that the addition of the DNA damaging agent carboplatin to standard of care docetaxel significantly improved response rates. Integrative medicine In patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, researchers tested the feasibility and efficacy of in-office acupuncture to reduce pain and urinary symptoms during induction intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). In a poster session, led by Dr. Sarah Psutka, researchers observed improvements in urinary symptoms and a suggestion of a reduction in pain scores over successive treatments in the patients who received acupuncture. Gene alterations in biliary tract cancer offer potential targets for current or future precision therapies. This is demonstrated by a highly acclaimed study conducted by Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in collaboration with the Medical University of Vienna. In this study, cells from biliary tract cancer were examined for genetic alterations. The results demonstrate the potential of genetic profiling of tumors as a basis for promising and targeted therapies. Image Credit: Adobestock/Matthieu Advanced cancers of the biliary tract (BTC) are almost always fatal. With a current five-year survival probability of 2 percent, the search is on for new, effective treatments. One challenge is the high genetic variability and heterogeneity of tumor cells. In order to better exploit this variability for targeted therapies, it has now been systematically investigated. The team from the Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences (KL Krems) and the Medical University of Vienna used data from 92 affected patients in 3 centres in Austria as a basis. Target coordinates "Today's sequencing methods allow us to localize genetic alterations in tumor cells very precisely," explains Hossein Taghizadeh, MD-PhD from the Clinical Department of Internal Medicine 1 at St. Polten University Hospital, one of the education and research sites of KL Krems, and first author of the study. "These alterations are something like target coordinates for modern, very efficient and precise cancer therapies. Based on data from affected individuals in Austria, we wanted our study to create a systematic genetic "map" of these target coordinates for BTC. At the same time, we aimed for showing that the methodology can be easily integrated into everyday clinical practice and that early tumor sequencing in advanced bile duct carcinoma should be established." Published internationally the analysis in the study provided extensive results. In fact, a total of 205 molecular genetic aberrations were found in 61 affected individuals. Only in 15 affected individuals were no aberrations detected at all, and in another 16 the sample material was not sufficient for analysis. The 205 aberrations included a total of 198 mutations occurring in 89 different genes. Other mismatches included those due to fusions of genes. Mutations of the KRAS and TP53 genes occurred most frequently (22.4 percent each). Both are "good acquaintances" in oncology, as their mutations are involved in the development of a whole range of different cancers. Precision result To assess the extent to which the mutations found would be suitable as targets for an existing precision therapy, the team led by Taghizadeh, MD-PhD, used the so-called ESCAT classification. This classifies cancer cell mutations according to their suitability as targets for precision therapy. "Our result showed that a quarter of all affected individuals with proven genetic abnormalities could benefit from precision therapies." Thus, the study clearly shows that bile duct cancer offers numerous potential targets for effective precision therapies. Based on our findings. We see a strong case for early molecular genetic profiling of BTC as part of the standard protocol preferably before initiating systemic therapy. In this way, potential target coordinates for precision therapies could be found early and treatment adjusted accordingly. Especially since our work also demonstrates the feasibility of the necessary analyses in everyday clinical practice." Hossein Taghizadeh, MD-PhD, Clinical Department of Internal Medicine 1, St. Polten University Hospital. Thus, this study also supports the oncological research focus of KL Krems, which is on clinical research with high relevance for a rapid benefit for patients. MS Australia has today launched a new campaign at Parliament House on World MS Day (30 May) to raise awareness of the crucial role played by MS Nurses. MS Nurses: Life-Changing Care Play Video Credit: MS Australia The MS Nurses: Life-Changing Care campaign features intimate interviews with MS Nurses and their patients, which showcase the incredible value of MS Nurse care; contributing to a range of health benefits for people with MS, such as lower disability levels, slower disease progression, less severe symptoms, improved mental health, and higher quality of life. MS Australia says a modest investment of $6.5m a year would provide an extra 65 MS Nurses to support people living with MS. The number of people diagnosed with MS has risen rapidly in recent years, with over 33,000 Australians now living with the disease. At the same time, the number of MS Nurses practising in Australia is in decline (around 90), with approximately only one nurse for every 370 individuals living with MS, highlighting a significant gap in access to specialised care. Almost one in three Australians living with MS are being deprived of the necessary care and support to manage their condition effectively, impacting their overall wellbeing and quality of life. Access to an MS Nurse is even more challenging in regional Australia. Addressing a Parliamentary Friends of MS event, the Hon Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, acknowledged the immense value delivered by the MS Nurse workforce and pledged her Governments support and engagement in identifying funding pathways to address the workforce shortage. We are absolutely focusing on [nursing workforce] its what our government is incredibly, absolutely, one hundred per cent committed to. In fact, we have five ministers in the health portfolio; five, and pretty much the number one thing we talk about is workforce, workforce, workforce. We couldn't think of any partners better than MS Australia to work with as we pursue that agenda, Hon Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care. I'm very pleased that the government is looking at means and methods to improve multidisciplinary care teams, hub and spoke models, increasing nurses, [and] training in the regions all of those things make a difference. Dr Anne Webster, MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health. Keynote speaker, President of MS Nurses Australasia (MSNA), Meaghan Osborne explained why MS Nurses are so critical. MS Nurses make a huge difference to people living with multiple sclerosis. Yet 31.5% of people with MS dont have access to MS Nurse care. Every single person living with MS should have equal opportunity to access an MS Nurse across this country, and the dignity and quality of life that such access can ensure." Ms Meaghan Osborne In addition to providing essential care and support to people with MS, MS Nurses are also a cost-dominant (ie cost saving) healthcare solution. The recent MS Nurse Care in Australia report produced by MS Australia in collaboration with the Menzies Institute for Medical Research and MSNA, found that investing $6.5m to employ an additional 65 MS Nurses would result in savings in excess of $60m every year. By providing timely and proactive care, MS Nurses can help prevent hospitalisations and emergency department presentations, which are costly to both the patient and the healthcare system. Additionally, MS Nurses work together with other healthcare providers, such as neurologists and general practitioners, to ensure that patients receive coordinated and comprehensive care that improves patient outcomes and reduces overall healthcare costs. MS Australia CEO Rohan Greenland welcomed support from parliamentarians for their recognition of the MS Nurses shortage and the importance of addressing this issue. "Investing in MS Nurse care is quite simply a win-win. It allows for high-quality care and support for people living with MS while creating solutions that provide a significant return on that investment and a benefit to the healthcare system and all Australians, Mr Greenland said. MS Australia President, Associate Professor Des Graham, and a person living with MS, says with the prevalence of MS on the rise, we cannot ignore the need for greater access to MS Nurses. "We look forward to partnering with the Government to ensure all Australians living with MS can access transformative MS Nurse care to live their best possible lives," Associate Professor Graham said. In a recent study published in PLOS ONE, researchers assessed malaria prevalence among children aged six to 59.0 months. They investigated risk factors for malaria using the most recent Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) among 13 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) nations. Study: Pooled prevalence and risk factors of malaria among children aged 659 months in 13 sub-Saharan African countries: A multilevel analysis using recent malaria indicator surveys. Image Credit: GrooveZ/Shutterstock.com Background Malaria is a common infection that can be prevented and cured; nevertheless, it remains a population health concern, especially among low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Children, mainly those aged below five years, with exhausted maternal immune protection and lacking immunity against the malarial parasite, comprise the most vulnerable population. Studies have reported that poverty, residence, use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), housing conditions (roof, floor, and wall materials), children's anemia levels, women's educational attainment, and accessibility to media considerably increase the risk of malaria among children. However, further research is required to assess malaria prevalence, identify determinants at the individual and community levels, inform policymaking, and improve malaria prevention and control globally. About the study In the present study, researchers assessed malaria prevalence and factors that increased the risk of malaria among children below five years of age in SSA. The study included 60,541 pediatric individuals aged six to 59.0 months living in SSA nations such as Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Guinea, Madagascar, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone. Data from the nationally representative and cross-sectional MIS conducted between 2015 and 2021 were analyzed. The outcome variable was malaria infection identified using microscopic examination or rapid diagnostic tests among children. Independent study variables included the child's age, sex, maternal educational attainment, head of the family's age, number of under-five children, wealth index, and the presence of television, radio, electricity, and drinking water in the households. Other variables included toilet facility type, net type, number of mosquito nets, a material constituent of the roof, floors, and walls, residence type, anemia level, community-level insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) use, poverty, media use, and female education. Multiple-level logistic regression modeling was performed to determine risk factors for malaria, and the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were calculated. Results In total, 74,976 guardians or parents were interviewed across the 13 SSA nations, among whom 38% and 45% of mothers who were not formally educated were classified in the poorer and poorest wealth quintiles, respectively. Among the 60,451 children included, 47% were 36.0 to 59.0 months of age. Concerning media accessibility, 33,307 (55%) of households listened to the radio, and 17,941 (30%) watched television 1.0 times weekly. Among the study participants, 74% resided in rural areas, and 56% used treated mosquito nets. Most households were made from unimproved roof, floor, and wall materials and had unimproved toilet facilities. Malaria prevalence in children six to 59.0 months of age among the 13 SSA nations was 27%, ranging between 5.0% (Senegal) and 63% (Sierra Leone). The ages of 36.0 to 47.0 months and 48.0 to 59.0 months (aOR values of 3.5 and 4.3, respectively), mothers with primary-level educational attainment (aOR 0.8), higher financial status (aOR 0.4), and the most affluent households (aOR 0.2) were strongly associated with malaria. In addition, three or more children in a household aged below five years (aOR 1.4), improved floor, wall, and roof materials (aOR values of 0.7, 0.7, and 0.7, respectively), ITN usage (0.6), absence of anemia (aOR 0.1), rural residence (aOR 2.2), increased community ITN usage (aOR 0.4), and increased community-level financial insufficiency (aOR 2.7) showed strong associations with malaria. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) findings indicated that 19.0% of the variability in malaria prevalence was due to between-cluster variability, whereas 81.0% occurred due to differences at the individual level. The median OR (MOR) values indicated that a child from a high malaria prevalence cluster had a 2.2-fold higher likelihood of infection than a child from a lower malaria prevalence cluster. The fixed effect analysis indicated that community- and individual-level variables significantly influence malaria risks in children below five. Conclusions Overall, the study findings showed that malarial infections were prevalent among three of 10 pediatric SSA residents and that malaria is a leading cause of mortality among below five-year-olds in sub-Saharan Africa. Older children aged below five years who were part of big families having low household incomes, and residing in rural settings, were most susceptible to malaria. The findings indicated that ITN use and better housing facilities could improve malaria prevention in sub-Saharan Africa's pediatric population under 5.0 years. Therefore, households in rural settings with low economic status must be prioritized for mass-scale ITN distribution. Improving educational levels through media use is also required to strengthen malaria awareness at the community level. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a very aggressive disease in which cells proliferate abnormally, invading the bone marrow and interfering with normal blood cell production. It is the most common acute leukemia in adults with the worst prognosis. In recent years, new drugs have been approved; however, obtaining a prolonged response to treatment remains challenging. Front: Carmen Vicente, Silvia Romero, Irene Peris, Maria Dolores Odero. Back: Vicente Fresquet, Nerea Marcotegui, Jose Angel Martinez Climent, Andrea Torres, Maria Del Carmen Mateos, Cristina Alburquerque (absent), and Elena Arriazu, from the Cima University of Navarra and the University Hospital of Navarra. Image Credit: Cima University of Navarra Researchers from the Hemato-Oncology Program have proposed a new approach for developing more effective therapeutic strategies for this disease. PP2A is a protein that regulates essential functions in the cell, such as cell survival and proliferation. It is known to promote cancer cell death. In previous studies, we demonstrated that this protein is inactivated in 70% of AML patients and developed novel drugs to activate it. On this occasion, we confirmed that re-activating PP2A is important in response to treatment of this leukemia." Dr. Maria Dolores Odero and Dr. Carmen Vicente, Directors of the Study, and Researchers in the Hemato-Oncology Program, Cima, Part of the Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra Blood, the American Society of Hematology scientific journal, publishes its results. The study demonstrates that the combination of PP2A activator drugs with those used in the clinic to treat this disease (venetoclax and azacitidine) has a synergistic effect and significantly increases the response to treatment in preclinical models of this disease. "These results have been confirmed in cell lines, in primary patient samples, and by xenograft (transplantation of patient tumor tissue in an animal model)," says Irene Peris, a research trainee at Cima and first author of this work, which was part of her doctoral thesis. New safer drugs In addition, using gene editing tools, the researchers identified the mechanisms by which PP2A reactivation increases cell death (called apoptosis) induced by venetoclax. These results open the door to developing future clinical studies with new, safer, and more efficient drug combinations for AML patients. The work, carried out in collaboration with the University Hospital of Navarra, in the framework of the Cancer Center (CIBERONC) and the Institute for Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), has received funding from the Carlos III Health Institute, the Spanish Association Against Cancer and the "la Caixa" Foundation. Bipolar disorder (BD) is a major psychiatric condition that afflicts about 1% of people. Symptoms of BD include sudden onset of depressive mood with loss of interest which alternates with a manic state of hyperactivity. The suffering of the patients and societal cost of this disorder requires the use of continued therapeutic management. Current medications-; although vital for patients with BD-;are not perfect solutions, given their potential side-effects and treatment resistance. This necessitates the development of better therapeutics for BD, including precision medicine. A major hindrance to this process, however, lies in our limited understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms of BD, i.e., its pathogenesis and the genetic architecture of people with BD. Several studies have linked BD with hereditary mutations, but recent genomic studies are now focusing on somatic mosaic variants-; new mutations occurring during developmental stages-;as another possible mechanism behind psychiatric disorders like BD. In a new study published in Molecular Psychiatry on May 30, 2023, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Masaki Nishioka of Juntendo University, Japan, investigated the association between mosaic variants and the risk of BD. The research team included Dr. Tadafumi Kato, also from Juntendo University, and Dr. Atsushi Takata from RIKEN Center for Brain Science. "Most analyses exploring the genetic mechanisms of BD involve extracting information from mutations that are shared among all the cells of the patients. However, mosaic de novo mutations or somatic mutations, which arise during development, are not shared among all the cells. We know very little about how these mutations influence diseases like BD. Therefore, for our study, we hypothesized that deleterious mosaic de novo variants (mDNVs) in the genes associated with developmental disorders may have a role in BD's pathology," explains Dr. Nishioka. The team recruited 235 participants with BD and 39 control participants without psychiatric disorders. They collected blood or saliva samples from the participants and analyzed the DNA extracted from these samples using deep exome sequencing (DES) to detect mosaic variants that originated during early development. Participants with BD had mosaic variants enriched in genes that are responsible for causing developmental disorders (DD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Moreover, the proteins encoded by the DD/ASD genes with the proteins of the mosaic variants were closely linked and had more protein-protein interactions than expected. Surprisingly, the team also found significant heteroplasmic mutations (another class of mosaic variants) in mitochondrial tRNA genes of participants with BD. For reference, some tRNA mutations are known to be pathogenic for other diseases. In fact, two participants with mitochondrial tRNA mutations had recurrent m.3243 A > G variants, which are known to be major causal variants for mitochondrial diseases, MELAS, which is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder. This finding complements other studies that have found that patients with mitochondrial diseases often exhibit symptoms of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Furthermore, both the sets of deleterious mosaic variants-;mDNVs and mitochondrial tRNA variants-;were either absent or rarely observed in the control participants. These results indicate that the molecular mechanisms underlying DD/ASD could also contribute to BD in a compromised way through mosaic mutations. Moreover, they suggest that mitochondrial tRNA variants could be associated with BD despite the patient showing no obvious symptoms of mitochondrial diseases. With this study, the researchers demonstrate that mosaic mutations, particularly those in neurodevelopmental disorder genes and mitochondrial tRNA genes, may be involved in the pathophysiology of BD. Dr. Nishioka is encouraged by what their study's findings mean for scientists pursuing the research of molecular pathologies in neuropsychiatric diseases. He concludes, "Our research sheds new light on the genetic architecture of BD and provides more insights into the pathological contribution of mosaic variants in human diseases. This could potentially pave the way and expedite new research for the development of more effective, precision medications for treating BD and other psychiatric disorders." A team led by a University of Texas at Dallas neurodevelopment researcher has uncovered some of the most conclusive evidence yet that parents who talk more to their infants improve their babies' brain development. The researchers used MRI and audio recordings to demonstrate that caregiver speech is associated with infant brain development in ways that improve long-term language progress. Dr. Meghan Swanson, assistant professor of psychology in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, is corresponding author of the study, which was published online April 11 and in the June print edition of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. This paper is a step toward understanding why children who hear more words go on to have better language skills and what process facilitates that mechanism. Ours is one of two new papers that are the first to show links between caregiver speech and how the brain's white matter develops." Dr. Meghan Swanson, assistant professor of psychology, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences White matter in the brain facilitates communication between various gray matter regions, where information processing takes place in the brain. The research included 52 infants from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS), a National Institutes of Health-funded Autism Center of Excellence project involving eight universities in the U.S. and Canada and clinical sites in Seattle, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Home language recordings were collected when children were 9 months old and again six months later, and MRIs were performed at 3 months old and 6 months old, and at ages 1 and 2. "This timing of home recordings was chosen because it straddles the emergence of words," Swanson said. "We wanted to capture both this prelinguistic, babbling time frame, as well as a point after or near the emergence of talking." It's long been known that an infant's home environment -; especially the quality of caregiver speech -; directly influences language acquisition, but the mechanisms behind this are unclear. Swanson's team imaged several areas of the brain's white matter, focusing on developing neurological pathways. "The arcuate fasciculus is the fiber tract that everyone in neurobiology courses learns is essential to producing and understanding language, but that finding is based on adult brains," Swanson said. "In these children, we looked at other potentially meaningful fiber tracts as well, including the uncinate fasciculus, which has been linked to learning and memory." The researchers used the images to measure fractional anisotropy (FA). This metric for the freedom or restriction of water movement in the brain is used as a proxy for the progress of white matter development. "As a fiber track matures, water movement becomes more restricted, and the brain's structure becomes more coherent," Swanson said. "Because babies aren't born with highly specialized brains, one might expect that networks that support a given cognitive skill start out more diffuse and then become more specialized." Swanson's team found that infants who heard more words had lower FA values, indicating that the structure of their white matter was slower to develop. The children went on to have better linguistic performance when they began to talk. The study's results align with other recent research showing that slower maturation of white matter confers a cognitive advantage. "As a brain matures, it becomes less plastic -; networks get set in place. But from a neurobiological standpoint, infancy is unlike any other time. An infant brain seems to rely on a prolonged period of plasticity to learn certain skills," Swanson said. "The results show a clear, striking negative association between FA and child vocalization." Sharnya Govindaraj, co-first author of the paper, a cognition and neuroscience doctoral student and a member of Swanson's Baby Brain Lab, said at first she was surprised by the results. "We initially didn't know how to interpret these negative associations that seemed very counterintuitive. The whole concept of neuroplasticity and absorbing new knowledge had to fall into place," she said. "Which ability we're looking at also matters a great deal, because something like vision matures much earlier than language." As the parent of a toddler in a bilingual household, Swanson was curious about how this relationship functions for infants exposed to more than one language. "Raising a bilingual child, it is remarkable how she is not confused by languages, and she knows who she can use which language with," Swanson said. Swanson said she also has gained a deeper level of appreciation and gratitude for what she, as a researcher, asks parents in her studies to do. "When participants sign up, I'm asking them to commit to a year and a half," she said. "Because of the commitment of all the parents in prior studies, I and others have the knowledge that allows us to communicate with our children in a way that supports their development." Swanson said the take-home message is that parents have the power to help their children develop. "This work highlights parents as change agents in their children's lives, with the potential to have enormous protective effects," Swanson said. "I hope our work empowers parents with the knowledge and skills to support their children as best they can." Other authors of the paper associated with UT Dallas are co-first author Katiana Estrada MS'22, now a doctoral student at Purdue University; professor of psychology Dr. Herve Abdi; and Luke Moraglia, a cognition and neuroscience doctoral student. Additional authors are from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the University of Alberta, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences in India. This work was funded in part by a Pathway to Independence Award (K99MH108700, R00MH108700) from the National Institute of Mental Health, a component of the NIH. In a remarkable display of commitment to environmental sustainability, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has initiated its week-long National Environment Campaign, coinciding with World Environment Day. The campaign commenced with a sapling planting ceremony led by Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director of Sales & Marketing at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, accompanied by Mr. Takeshi Kobayashi, Director of Sales & Marketing, and other esteemed delegates from HMSI at Pioneer One Honda in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. As part of this initiative, the company also distributed saplings to its customers, encouraging them to contribute to a greener future. Under the theme Say No to Plastic," HMSI is fully dedicated to making a substantial impact on reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable alternatives. The company recognizes the severe environmental hazards posed by single-use plastics to our oceans, wildlife, and overall ecosystem. As a responsible corporate entity, Honda is actively inspiring individuals to make conscious decisions that minimize their plastic consumption and embrace a plastic-free lifestyle. Expressing his thoughts on this significant occasion, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director of Sales & Marketing at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), stated, Plastic pollution poses a significant environmental threat, and it is crucial for each of us to take immediate action. At Honda, we are committed to reducing our use of plastic and advocating for sustainable alternatives. Through our efforts during World Environment Week, we aim to motivate individuals to reject plastic and adopt eco-friendly options, creating a cleaner and healthier planet for future generations." Also Read: Official: Honda 2-Wheelers India to Launch 2 EVs in FY 2024, Details Inside As part of the National Environment Campaign, HMSI plans to plant over 23,000 saplings across the country. Moreover, the company will collaborate with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM) to provide free PUC check-ups to customers visiting HMSI authorized dealership network. These activities are aimed at raising awareness about environmental issues and encouraging responsible choices. In a remarkable partnership with Pro Honda, Honda has also developed a new line of engine oil. This engine oil has been thoroughly tested and approved by Honda engineers to ensure the preservation of Honda 2Wheelers exceptional performance. Notably, HMSI is the first among all Honda network countries to introduce the Pro Honda brand for its customers. Additionally, Honda has introduced the Extended Warranty Plus (EW Plus) program, an enhanced version of their extended warranty, to elevate the overall ownership experience and set a new industry benchmark. With its unwavering dedication to environmental protection and innovative initiatives, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India is setting an exemplary standard in the automotive industry. By prioritizing sustainability and taking action against plastic waste, Honda is driving the transition towards a greener and more responsible future. Emirates Airlines, Dubais premier carrier has revealed a remarkable opportunity for its esteemed passengers. Having said that, travelers can now enjoy complimentary stays at some of Dubais most exquisite hotels. This offer is applicable only for passengers booking their flights between now and June 11, with travel dates spanning from May 26 to August 31. This announcement has definitely taken the aviation world by storm. This exclusive deal give the passengers two attractive choices. Either the travelers will have to make Dubai their primary destination or enjoy their thrilling stopover before heading to another Emirates destination. In order to be eligible for this deal, the travelers will have to spend a minimum of 24 hours in the awe-inspiring city of Dubai. Moreover, passengers travelling to Emirates in the First or Business Class will be treated to a remarkable complimentary two-night stay at the opulent 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central, a luxurious five-star property that opened its doors in December 2021. Besides this, the passengers get to enjoy a complimentary chauffeur-drive service to and from the airport thereby adding an extra touch of opulence to their journey. Also Read: Hajj 2023: First Flight Between Srinagar-Jeddah to Leave on June 7, Details Here Additionally, those flying in Premium Economy Class or Economy Class will not be left aside. These passengers will get to enjoy a delightful one-night stay at the renowned Novotel World Trade Centre. This exquisite hotel is known for its impeccable service and modern amenities. They will further ensure an exceptional experience to the passengers staying in there. To avail of this extraordinary offer, travelers will have to book their flight before June 11, 2023 and finish their trip by August 31, 2023. The hotel room availability is totally on a first-come, first-served basis, so swift action is advised to secure this remarkable opportunity. In order to ensure a seamless experience, travelers are advised to make their bookings at least 96 hours prior to arrival. Furthermore, they can get their bookings done either through emirates.com, the ticket office, the Emirates Call Centre, or participating travel agents. Additionally, Emirates Airlines has urged customers to retain a copy of their Emirates boarding pass, as it will unlock a plethora of special discounts and offers from flight partners within the city of Dubai and across the breathtaking United Arab Emirates (UAE). Emirates Airlines has once again demonstrated its unrelenting dedication to providing exceptional experiences for its passengers. Grab this incredible opportunity now and enjoy a journey filled with luxury, comfort, and unforgettable memories. Book your flights now! Kia India has announced that the Seltos mid-sized SUV has crossed the 5 lakh sales milestone in the country. It took less than four years (46 months, precisely) to achieve this feat. Originally launched in August 2019, Kia Seltos has become the fastest SUV with half a million units sales. Introduced as a Make in India, for the World offering, Kia Seltos faced tough competition from Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier, MG Astor, Skoda Kushaq and Nissan Kicks in the Indian market. The brand claims that it contributed 55 percent of Kias net sales including exports and domestic sales consumption. The South-Korean automaker exported more than 1.35 lakh units of the Made-in-India Seltos to nearly 100 overseas markets including the Middle East, Africa, Central & South America, Mexico, and the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Tae-jin Park, MD & CEO, Kia India said, The success of Seltos is a celebration of the extraordinary, an ode to the indomitable human spirit that refuses to settle for anything less than brilliance. It is a symbol of what is possible when passion meets innovation, and dreams meet reality. With Seltos, we have crafted a revolutionary driving companion that has captured the hearts and garnered the respect of more than 5,00,000 valued customers. It is an incredibly emotional moment for us as we witness Seltos incredible journey, evolving from a daring newcomer to an iconic symbol of badassery. Kia Seltos is available in both petrol and diesel engine options with manual as well as automatic gearbox choices. Currently, it is the no. 2 mid-SUV in India after Hyundai Creta. The company sold over 27k units of the SUV in the first quarter of 2023 in India while it has continued to manage an average monthly sales of 9,000 units. With total sales of about 27,159 units during the first quarter of 2023, the Seltos continues to sell an average monthly over 9000 units even when there are multiple new innovations in the segment, added Park. Tata Motors has recently introduced the Altroz iCNG, and the company has made significant efforts to enhance the perception and appeal of CNG for potential buyers. They have specifically addressed various limitations associated with CNG such as reduced boot space and limited features. By focusing on improving the features, Tata Motors has successfully positioned the Altroz iCNG as a premium offering, which is often lacking in CNG vehicles. They are strategically introducing CNG options in segments where diesel is on the decline. The Altroz and upcoming Punch models offer CNG options, while the Nexon is a likely candidate for Tatas iCNG treatment due to the discontinuation of its diesel engine in the future. The Harrier and Safari, on the other hand, are less likely to receive CNG variants as diesel still dominates these segments and they offer powerful diesel engines. Tata has showcased a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine for these models and the midsize SUVs, Curvv and Sierra, but it is unclear if they will have CNG options. We will introduce CNG in segments where diesel is exiting, Tata Motors passenger vehicles MD Shailesh Chandra was quoted as saying by Autocar India. Customers perceive both CNG and diesel as cost-effective fuels, although recent price hikes have stabilized the difference, with diesel generally being more expensive. The 10-year restriction on diesel cars in Delhi-NCR has also impacted consumer preferences. Diesel engines face emissions regulation challenges, while CNG offers lower emissions and improved CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy or Efficiency) scores. Tata Motors has retained the 1.5 diesel engine in the Altroz and Nexon through a cost-effective solution but acknowledges that upcoming requirements may lead to their discontinuation. This temporary advantage positions Tata Motors well in the premium and compact SUV segments. Maruti Suzuki has made a significant push in the CNG market, offering CNG variants in most of its models, including the Baleno, Brezza, Ertiga, XL6, and even the Grand Vitara SUV. Toyota also provides CNG options in the Glanza and Urban Cruiser. Hyundai offers CNG in its compact cars like the Grand i10 Nios and Aura, but not in its SUV lineup. Skoda and VW have shown interest in CNG but have not launched any CNG models yet. Mahindra does not currently offer any CNG models. Fuelled by rising passenger traffic and reviving local economies, the global airline industry is projected to record a net profit of USD 9.8 billion this year, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said on Monday and also made a strong pitch for having global standards for a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) book and claim system to help reduce carbon emissions. While addressing the Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Istanbul, Walsh also flagged concerns about supply chain issues that are raising costs as well as limiting the ability of airlines to deploy aircraft. He also pointed out that decarbonising aviation is a serious issue and governments must not be allowed to use it to shore up exchequer finances. Despite economic uncertainties, people are flying to reconnect, explore and do business. Latest data shows that passenger traffic is at over 90 per cent of 2019 levels," Walsh said. He noted that airports are busier, hotel occupancy is rising, local economies are reviving and the airline industry has moved into profitability. The airline industry is expected to rake in revenues of USD 803 billion and a net profit of USD 9.8 billion this year. Airlines will make an average of USD 2.25 per passenger, he said. IATA is a grouping of more than 300 airlines, including various Indian carriers. While the aviation industry is recovering after the pandemic, there are still challenges like cost pressure and supply chain issues. Walsh said Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have been far too slow in dealing with supply chain blockages that are both raising costs and limiting our ability to deploy aircraft. Airlines are beyond frustrated. A solution must be found," he added. Stressing on the need for ways to reduce carbon emissions, Walsh said SAF will be the biggest contributor to net zero success. While noting that there is a need to increase the number of pathways for SAF production and diversify feedstocks while maintaining their sustainability credentials, Walsh said unfortunately, politicians have not made good on their COP 26 promise to stop financing fossil fuels. The US approach to SAF is the most advanced with a system of tax credits to drive up production levels. This will be more effective than purchase mandates being considered as far and wide as Singapore, India and Europe. When there is not enough supply, a purchase mandate will drive prices up, stall innovation and limit competition long before supply increases. And if there is an early policy decision that is needed, it is to establish global standards for a SAF book and claim system that can fairly allocate SAF credits with no double counting," he said. Just as location makes no difference on the impact of CO2 emissions, Walsh said it has no impact on where SAF is uplifted and used either. A global approach to book and claim for SAF credits will help facilitate economies of scale in SAF production. And it will avoid the long-distance shipping (or even importation) of SAF, which would only degrade its climate credentials," he pointed out. According to him, it is important to get the basics of energy transition done production incentives, more diversified production pathways and a book and claim system. Last month, India said the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) should continue to be guided by common but differentiated responsibilities" in the efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions for the aviation sector. India is one of the fastest-growing and the third largest civil aviation markets in the world. Todays SAF production is less than 0.1 per cent of what we need for net zero. But the trend is positive every drop of SAF ever produced has been purchased and used. The problem is insufficient production capacity to meet demand," he said. In 2022, SAF production tripled to 300 million litres and airlines used every single drop costing almost USD 350 million. With the right supportive policies, reaching 30 billion litres by 2030 is challenging but achievable. That would be about 6 per cent of the 450 billion litres annual production capacity we need in 2050," he noted. Kolkata residents Ruchi Jain and Akash Jain embarked on their entrepreneurial journey by launching the baby carrier brand, Butt Baby. With a modest investment of just Rs 4 lakhs, they achieved an impressive milestone of Rs 4 crores revenue in one year. This success can be attributed to the effective and practical use of their Instagram following. Their path to success was not without obstacles, as Akash had faced setbacks in his previous businesses and had accumulated substantial debt from investing in shares. Similarly, Ruchi had also experienced failure in her clothing business. The Covid-19 pandemic further added to their difficulties and made their journey more challenging. However, they did not give up while facing the troubles and even being at the verge of going bankrupt. The couple remained determined to establish a successful brand of their own. Entrepreneurship had always been their passion, and the birth of their two daughters provided them with the perfect opportunity to work on their business along with parenting. Recognising a gap in the market for highly functional, age-appropriate, and safe baby carriers, Ruchi and Akash decided to seize the opportunity and create their own brand. Akashs personal experience with his slipped disc condition, which limited his ability to carry his children for extended periods, highlighted the shortcomings of existing baby carriers in terms of functionality as children grow. The couple dedicated significant time to research and designing the perfect baby carrier and made the decision to manufacture it themselves. Considering the investment required to build a business from scratch while raising two children, they opted for social media marketing. They began sharing relatable real-life comic illustrations on Instagram, showcasing the challenges, love, struggles, and experiences of new parents who were also striving to establish their professional lives. By creating engaging and relatable content, Ruchi and Akash effectively connected with their target audience and built a strong online presence. Their relatable approach resonated with parents, allowing them to form a community of like-minded individuals eagerly anticipating the launch of Butt Baby. The success of Butt Baby can be attributed not only to the couples entrepreneurial spirit and determination, but also to their use of social media as a platform to reach and engage with their target audience. Through their innovative and practical baby carrier design, Ruchi and Akash have established themselves as pioneers in the industry, catering to the needs of parents and ensuring the comfort and safety of their children. Despite their past setbacks, Ruchi and Akash have proven that resilience, perseverance, and a deep understanding of their target market can lead to remarkable achievements. Vinsys IT Services India, a global IT and software services and software company headquartered in Pune, on Monday said it has filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with NSE Emerge. The company plans to offer 3.89 million equity shares of Rs 10 each through the book-building process. The company has appointed Beeline Capital Advisors as merchant bankers to the issue. Link Intime India has been appointed as the registrar to the issue. Vinsys IT started as specialised training centre catering to a select group of IT clients, but over time, it evolved into Indias second-largest corporate training firm. It holds certifications from major tech companies and institutions and offers 326 customised courses across 17 domains, including BFSI, telecom, and government departments," according to a statement. It added that the company has a team of professionals certified by major tech companies and institutions. It is a trusted partner with CompTIA, Hybris Software, EC-Council, Red Hat, Oracle, CISCO, IBM, PECB, Autodesk, Skillsoft, AWS, PMI, PRINCE2, ISACA, ITIL, PeopleCert, Citrix and Microsoft in more than 30 countries, with a strong presence in India, USA, UAE. Besides, Vinsys also offers a full suite of software service offerings, including ERP solutions, DevOps practices, architectural consulting, integration, and middleware services. Vinsys also has a presence in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, Singapore, and Malaysia. The company offers 326 courses across 17 domains. The proceeds from the public issue will be utilised to meet working capital requirements, repayment of loans to subsidiary and other general corporate purposes," it said. Marquee investors led by overseas funds, including NAV Capital Emerging Star Fund and xMultiplied, and domestic players, such as Nova Global Opportunities Fund, Aegis Investment Fund and Sambhavnath Investments, have invested in the companys pre-IPO funding. Vineet Arora, Managing Director, NAV Capital Limited, said, Backed by strong Management and Promoters, we believe Vinsys is an Indian Multinational in the making with offices spread across the globe. Being an early-stage investor in such quality Indian companies aspiring to dominate the global stage, we at NAV Capital are driven to create a substantial capital appreciation for our investors." Nikhil Chawla, co-founder of xMultiplied, said, We at xMultiplied are excited about the opportunity where Vinsys can capitalise on AI-based digitalisation of Indian private and state-owned enterprises. The global expansion agenda of Vinsys is a massive opportunity, and we are thrilled to participate in its story of creating value in the future. At xMultiplied, we take great pride in backing industry-leading management teams with a proven track record of delivery." With the changing weather patterns, characterised by intense sunlight and occasional rainfall, there exists a prime opportunity to capitalise on a business venture. Specifically, the umbrella, raincoat, and waterproof school bag industry offer substantial prospects for success. These products witness substantial demand, spanning across rural villages to bustling cities. Umbrellas prove to be an indispensable accessory, shielding individuals not only from scorching heat but also from unexpected downpours. As the monsoon season approaches, the demand for umbrellas surges significantly. Moreover, in India, umbrellas are utilized extensively during the sweltering summer months, further driving their market appeal. This increased demand presents an opportunity for entrepreneurs to establish a business catering to these requirements. By venturing into this market during the opportune season, entrepreneurs can potentially yield substantial profits. Minimum amount to start this venture: Starting this business requires a minimal investment of only 5,000 rupees. The scalability of the venture depends on your aspirations and goals. During the rainy season, there is a significant demand for raincoats, umbrellas, mosquito nets, and rubber shoes. You can procure these items from wholesale markets and sell them in local markets to generate substantial profits. Alternatively, you can establish direct partnerships with manufacturers to source the products. By offering superior quality merchandise at varying price ranges, you can maximize your earnings and build a successful business. Approximate profit: By selling these products in the local market, you can expect to make a profit margin of approximately 20-25 percent. If you have sewing skills, you can even create raincoats and mosquito nets at home. By sourcing materials from wholesale markets and manufacturing them yourself, you can generate a profitable income. This business has the potential to earn you anywhere between 15,000 to 35,000 rupees per month. From where to source: You can source the raw materials for this business from wholesale markets in any major city. Once you have purchased the products from the wholesale market, you can sell them to local retailers in your area. Additionally, you can also acquire materials specifically for making umbrellas or raincoats from these wholesale markets. You have the flexibility to manufacture these products at home, allowing you to generate a substantial profit. Stocks to Watch June 5: The Nifty futures contract traded on the Singapore Exchange indicates a positive start to domestic equities. The contract was trading at 18,725, up 96 points or 0.52% from the previous close. Tata Motors: Tata Motors is working on several CNG and electric cars even as the automaker expects the passenger vehicle industry growth to moderate to 5-7% in the current financial year. Oil-linked stocks: Brent crude-related stocks could see considerable action today as oil prices jumped over 2 per cent overnight, and another 2 per cent Monday morning, following OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabias decision to cut production by another million barrels per day. Paints, tyres, ceramics, and oil marketing companies may see some pressure as they use oil as their raw material, while Oil India, Hindustan Oil Exploration, Reliance Industries, etc could see upward movement. SBI Life Insurance: Insurance regulator IRDAI approved transfer of life insurance business of Sahara India Life Insurance Co. to SBI Life, with immediate effect. NTPC: NTPC Green Energy Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited has incorporated a new company, in 50:50 joint venture with Indian Oil Corporation Limited, in the name of India Oil NTPC Green Energy Private Limited. The incorporation date of the joint venture company is 2 June 2023. The JV will develop renewable energy-based power projects (viz. Solar PV, Wind, any other RE, Energy Storage or any combination of same), to supply 650 MW or more renewable power on round a clock basis, to cater to the requirement of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. Wipro: IT major Wipro Ltd has set June 16, 2023, as the record date for the whopping Rs 12,000 crore buyback plan. Ipca Lab: The Income Tax Department carried out survey proceedings at the companys offices in Mumbai and at Sikkim manufacturing plants between May 30, 2023 and June 3, 2023. Lupin: The pharma major has announced the launch of Darunavir tablets (600 mg and 800 mg), to market a generic equivalent of Prezista tablets of Janssen Products, LP, in the United States. Darunavir Tablets had estimated annual sales of $308 million in the US in March 2023. Bajaj Finserv: Bajaj Finserv Ltd on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra, to develop Rs 5,000 crore projects in Pune. Tech Mahindra: The companys subsidiary Comviva Technologies and step-down subsidiary Comviva Technologies B.V. have agreed to sell 0.04 per cent and 99.96 per cent stake, respectively, in Comviva Technologies do Brasil Industria, Comercio, Importacao e Exportacao to Druid Internet Systems Comercio E Servicos for an upfront payment of $20,000 and deferred payment of $1.42 million. Hero MotoCorp: The two-wheeler maker has increased the price of its electric scooter VIDA V1 Pro by around Rs 6,000 in order to offset the impact of curtailed subsidy structure on electric two-wheelers coming into effect from June 1. Vedanta: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited has entered into a Power Delivery Agreement to source 200 MW solar renewable power for its aluminium operations at BALCO, Chhattisgarh, through Special Purpose Vehicle. Godrej Properties: The company bought the remaining 26 per cent stake in Godrej Home Constructions for Rs 14.99 crore, taking its total shareholding to 100 per cent. Dish TV: The company cancelled the extraordinary general meeting scheduled on June 9 after the resignation of Zohra Chatterji from the position of non-executive independent director. Indian Overseas Bank: The Reserve Bank of India imposed a monetary penalty pf Rs 2.20 crore on the bank over regulatory non-compliance. Tata Motors Share Price: Tata Motors share price touched a fresh 52-week high of Rs 542.45 apiece after gaining more than 1 per cent on the BSE during Mondays session. This comes after the Tata group signed an outline deal with the Gujarat government last Friday (June 2) to build a lithium-ion cell factory with an investment of about Rs 13,000 crore. The move comes as India is looking to create its own electric vehicle (EV) supply chain. Tata Motors already has a plant operational at Sanand, and has also acquired the adjoining Ford Motors plant. The process of integration of the two plants has begun and may take up to one year to complete, Reuters reported. According to an official announcement by the Gujarat government, the project is set to commence with an initial investment of Rs 13,000 crores (equivalent to USD 1.8 billion) during its first phase. This endeavour aims to establish a factory with a substantial capacity of 20 gigawatts (GW), furthering the governments push towards achieving 100 percent EV adoption and reduction in carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030. The stock of the automobile major surpassed its previous high of Rs 537.15, touched on May 15, 2023. It was quoting at its highest level since February 2017. The automobile giant also expects passenger vehicle industry growth to moderate to 5-7 per cent in the current financial year, as compared with 27 per cent sales growth in the last financial year with a dip in pent-up demand, according to a PTI report. In order to sustain growth, the auto major is looking to introduce new products, including CNG and electric models, while bolstering its existing range with new interventions, Tata Motors Managing Director, Passenger Vehicles and Electric Vehicles, Shailesh Chandra, said in an analyst call. Tata Motors May Sales Tata Motors on June 1, 2023, reported 1.62 per cent decline in total sales at 74,973 units in May as compared to the same month last year. The company had posted a total sale of 76,210 units in May 2022, Tata Motors said in a statement. Sales of passenger electric vehicles, including international business, were at 5,805 units as against 3,505 units in the same month a year ago, a growth of 66 per cent. What Do Analysts Say? Tata successfully turned around the India PV segment owing to the new model cycle and its differentiated approach of converting Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to EV, global brokerage UBS Securities said in a report. However, the brokerage expects Tata Motors PV market share to peak as its launch pipeline is much weaker than market leader Marutis and EV competition is intensifying. Amid this, UBS gives a sell rating on the stock with a target of Rs 450 per share. Thus far in the calendar year 2023, shares of Tata Motors have rallied 40 per cent, as compared to 2.5 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The strong rally in the stock price of the company has been seen as Tata Motors is assumed to register improvement in all three of its key segments (domestic PV, CV, and JLR) on improvement in semiconductor chip supplies. Recently, Moodys Investors Service said it has upgraded its rating outlook on Tata Motors to positive from stable. The rating affirmation and outlook change to positive reflect our expectation that the substantial improvement in Tata Motors credit profile over the past few quarters will sustain over the next 12-18 months," Moodys Senior Vice President Kaustubh Chaubal said in a statement. Steadily growing volumes and profitability will support the companys earnings and free cash flow expansion, enabling debt reduction even as its capital expenditure stays elevated, he added. Analysts at Prabhudas Lilladher, too, have a positive stance on Tata Motors given JLRs volume ramp-up resulting in strong revenue, profitability and FCF (aided by high order book), CV segment (on domestic side) benefitting from ongoing upcycle, operating leverage and tailwinds from lower commodity costs & lower discounting and strong market share in PV segment (13.5 per cent vs 8 per cent in FY21) led by revamped portfolio, rising SUV share and rising EV penetration. The brokerage firm has a target price of Rs 605 per share. Written By Arun Poojari: Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of the Indian economy, with a 30 per cent contribution to the GDP and 35 per cent of annual gross value added (GVA). However, what needs to be understood is the impact of delayed payments to MSMEs on the operating cycles. Financial support is needed to strengthen MSMEs to meet working capital requirements and scale up their business. Delay in payment is a major issue in the MSME sector. Legally, when buyers delay payables to their suppliers by 45 days, delayed payments arise. A whopping Rs 10.7 lakh crores - is locked up in delayed payments from buyers to suppliers - an estimated 7.8 per cent of the GDP in the Indian economy, with 80 per cent of this estimated amount owed to small and micro enterprises, totalling Rs 8.55 lakh crore. There is a need for a robust digital ecosystem that bridges a gap to resolve the delayed payments challenges. Digital solutions that bring together government, corporates, financiers, and finance enablers such as credit bureaus and fintechs are key to mitigating and addressing the problem of delayed payments. Role of Three Central Pillars Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) recommends a coordinated, ecosystem-wide effort with three central pillars at the head to address the problem of delayed payments: Finance Enablers and Financiers, Government and Policy Makers, and Large Enterprises, including PSUs. With the support of these pillars, specific actions can be taken to alleviate the problem of delayed payments which include - enhancing cash flow-based lending through the provision of on-tap, easy-to-use credit guarantees, the proliferation of credit scores that use alternative data sources for new-to-credit customers; leveraging TReDS by integrating GST data and the provision of operationally light credit guarantees (specifically for factoring transactions) and re-imagining the process of dispute resolution for delayed payments through online portals. Lets understand the measures to be taken to resolve MSMEs payment issue: Strengthening Cash Flow-Based Lending: The availability of working capital through financial institutions is necessary for the economic survival of MSMEs. Changes in the Indian ecosystem over the past decade, such as a Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), mandatory e-invoicing for businesses over a certain revenue threshold, Central Know Your Customer ( CKYC), etc., have all combined to create the ideal environment for Cash Flow based Lending to flourish. Provision of Credit Guarantees: Include cash flow-based lending as part of government-sponsored credit guarantee schemes. The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Schemes (ECLGS) success in recent years may be used as a template to establish such a scheme. Additionally, it makes sense to test a state-level credit guarantee scheme in partnership with Fintech companies that may be unable to expand current CFL programs in particular regions. Another program that can support this direction is a recently announced joint initiative of the World Bank and the Government of India, the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) scheme. The Proliferation of Credit Scores for New-To-Credit Customers: One of the biggest challenges for an MSME to access credit is the need for a credit score that only accounts for businesses already availing of a credit facility. Here is the FIT Score, a new product developed by TransUnion CIBIL and a digital lending platform for MSMEs Online PSB Loans (OPL), based on GST data, ITR returns (which is a proxy for balance sheet and P&L), and current bank account details. These details are set against the companys repayment data to develop correlations and create buckets of the FIT Score, accelerating lending decisions. Moreover, creating a Public Credit Registry (PCR) may be a more powerful tool to address this gap. Strengthening TReDS by integrating GST data: The Standing Committee on Finance proposed integrating TReDS portals with the GST e-invoicing portal. Additionally, once invoice information is made accessible on TReDS, the buyers Input of Tax Credit reports can be used to verify the reliability of an invoice and use it as a deemed acceptance of the bill. Factoring transactions can then be taken up with greater ease. Provision of Credit Guarantees for Factoring Transactions: Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Factoring (CGFSF) reduces risk aversion among banks. This scheme, established by the Government of India to promote factoring without recourse, offers a credit guarantee cover wherein the first loss of 10% of the amount in default is to be borne by factors, and the remaining 90% of the amount is to be borne by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) and Factors in the ratio of 2:1 respectively. Integrating CGFSF with TReDS will enhance financial institutions risk appetite to discount invoices with lower credit ratings, i.e., BBB and lower, incentivising buyers to transact on the platform. Conclusion Despite their importance to the economy, MSMEs in India have been particularly plagued by difficulty accessing formal finance, among other challenges such as barriers to ease of doing business and high costs. International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimated that 70% of MSMEs credit needs are towards financing working capital requirements. GAMEs report highlighted delayed payments as one of the key reasons behind the working capital crisis faced by MSMEs. Solutions addressing the wicked problem of delayed payments are paramount to overcoming the barriers to accessing finance and putting MSMEs and the Indian economy on their growth path. (The author is the co-founder and CEO of Cashinvoice) Delhi University will introduce BTech programmes from the upcoming academic session with a capacity of 360 students who will be admitted to three engineering courses through JEE Main, an official has said. According to the official, the three courses which will be conducted by the Faculty of Technology are BTech Computer Science and Engineering, BTech Electronics and Communication Engineering, and BTech Electrical Engineering. A proposal on the matter will be presented before the universitys Executive Council on Friday, the official told PTI, adding the university received approval from the Ministry of Education in April for the creation of 72 teaching and 48 non-teaching posts for the new programmes. The university had in 2021 constituted a committee to deliberate on the introduction of the new courses. The committee held several meetings in the last one-and-half years and systematically deliberated upon various issues within its terms of reference to facilitate the initiation of the three BTech programmes under the Faculty of Technology in the emerging subject areas of computer science and engineering, electronics and communication engineering and electrical engineering, an official said citing the report submitted by the panel. The report, seen by PTI, states the university will use the Joint Entrance Examination (Mains) score obtained by an aspirant for admission to the BTech programmes. It said a proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Education for the construction of physical infrastructure for the Faculty of Technology which will take time on receipt of necessary financial and other statutory approvals. The committee recommended that adequate arrangements for space be made for classrooms and laboratories for the BTech programmes till the exclusive building for the Faculty of Technology is built and made operational. The committee authorised the vice-chancellor to decide upon the space and other essential physical infrastructure for initiation of these B.Tech programmes, the report read. As far as student strength in the first year is concerned, the committee noted that each course will have 120 students. It means a total of 360 students will be admitted. The BTech programmes would be designed in such a manner that there would be a minimum of 50 per cent weightage given to the major subject area of study with a maximum of 65 per cent weightage. The remaining weightage would be to the minor subject areas of study, the report said. The students will have multiple exit options in line with the National Education Policy. A student who has completed one year of study and earned the requisite credits would be awarded a certificate, those two years of study and requisite credits would be awarded a diploma, with three years of study along with credits would be awarded an advanced diploma. Students who successfully complete four years would be awarded a BTech degree. The departments of Computer Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering and Electrical Engineering are required to be situated on the North Campus of the university for logistic support and proximity to the majority of the faculties/departments on the campus. IGI Aviation Services Private Limited, a semi-government organisation, has issued a notification to recruit Customer Service Agents. A total of 1086 positions will be filled in various ground departments at IGI Airport. This announcement provides a valuable opportunity for individuals seeking employment in the airline, ground handling companies, hospitality, retail outlets, food courts, and cargo industries. Interested candidates, who meet the required qualifications, can submit their applications online via the official website, www.igiaviationdelhi.com. The registration process commenced on April 12th, 2023, and the deadline for submitting the application form is June 21st, 2023. This article aims to provide comprehensive details regarding the recruitment campaign, you need to know about this recruitment drive. Selection Process The recruitment process will start with a written examination. Those who pass the written test will proceed to the next stage, which involves a personal interview conducted at the companys registered office in Delhi. The interview schedule will be communicated through a call letter that can be downloaded from the website. Then, the final selection of candidates will be determined by their overall performance in both the written test and personal interview, as well as the successful completion of character antecedent verification and a medical examination. Eligibility Criteria Candidates who have completed their 10+2 education from a renowned board are eligible to apply for the position. Applications are open to both male and female candidates, and freshers can also apply for the position. Holding an aviation/airline certificate or diploma is not obligatory. In addition, applicants who are currently awaiting their 12th-class results may also apply for the position. Salary Candidates who are appointed to these positions will be offered a salary in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000. Age Limit To apply for the Customer Service Agent position at IGI Airport, applicants should have a minimum age of 18 years as of January 1st, 2023. The upper age limit for these positions is set at 30 years, although there are provisions for age relaxation as per government guidelines. Before applying, it is crucial to verify that you satisfy the specified age criteria. In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from McMaster University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to unveil a new antibiotic. This breakthrough could potentially eradicate a formidable superbug that plagues hospitals and poses a significant threat to human health, as revealed in a study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology. What is the Superbug in Question? The superbug were talking about is called Acinetobacter baumannii, and its a really serious threat according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO puts it in a group of bacteria that pose the biggest danger to human health. These bacteria have natural abilities to resist treatment and can even share that ability with other bacteria, making them resistant to drugs too. A. baumannii is a problem in places like hospitals, nursing homes, and among patients who use ventilators or have catheters or open wounds from surgery. It can stick around on surfaces and shared equipment for a long time, and it can spread through contaminated hands. It doesnt just cause blood infections, but also infections in the urinary tracts and lungs, as per a report by the Guardian. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also say that this bacteria can live in a patient without causing any infections or symptoms. How Did AI Do It? In the recent study, researchers used the capabilities of an AI algorithm to sift through a vast array of antibacterial molecules, aiming to uncover novel structural classes. Through the process of AI screening, a breakthrough unfolded as a new compound with potent antibacterial properties emerged, christened abaucin. Gary Liu, a dedicated graduate student from McMaster University involved in the research, explained their approach to the Guardian. By harnessing a wealth of data on the effectiveness of various chemicals against bacteria, the AI model was trained to discern the antibacterial potential of new molecules. Lius role involved training the model to predict whether these novel compounds possessed antibacterial properties, thereby streamlining the drug discovery process and enabling the researchers to focus their attention on the most promising candidates. Following the successful training of the AI model, the researchers put it to the test, analyzing a staggering 6,680 compounds that the algorithm had not previously encountered. In just an hour and a half, the AI analysis generated several hundred compounds worthy of consideration. Subsequently, 240 of these compounds underwent rigorous laboratory testing to evaluate their efficacy. The comprehensive testing process yielded nine potential antibiotics, including the groundbreaking abaucin. This ingenious combination of artificial intelligence and scientific expertise has expedited the drug discovery pipeline, enabling researchers to rapidly identify and evaluate promising antibacterial compounds. The application of AI algorithms in this manner marks a significant leap forward in the field of drug development, offering a more efficient and targeted approach to combating antibiotic-resistant superbugs like Acinetobacter baumannii. A cyclonic circulation which is set to develop into a low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea and intensify in the next two days is expected to critically influence the advance of the monsoon towards the Kerala coast, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. The weather department, however, did not give a tentative date for the arrival of the monsoon in Kerala. Why the Delay? Westerly winds over the south Arabian Sea continue to prevail up to 2.1 km above mean sea level. However, because of a cyclonic circulation over the southeast Arabian Sea, the cloud mass is more organized and concentrated over the same area and there has been some reduction of clouds off the Kerala coast in the last 24 hours." Also, under the influence of this cyclonic circulation, a low-pressure area is very likely to form over the same region during the next 24 hours. It is likely to move nearly northwards and intensify into a depression over the southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea during the subsequent 48 hours," the IMD said. The formation and intensification of this system and its near northward movement are likely to critically influence the advance of the southwest monsoon towards the Kerala coast, the IMD said. The southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days. In mid-May, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said monsoon might arrive in Kerala by June 4. The southeast monsoon arrived in the southern state on May 29 last year, June 3 in 2021, June 1 in 2020, June 8 in 2019 and May 29 in 2018. What is the Expected Monsoon Season for India? India is expected to get normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon season despite the evolving El Nino conditions, the IMD had earlier said. Northwest India is expected to see normal to below-normal rainfall. East and northeast, central, and south peninsula are expected to receive normal rainfall at 94-106 per cent of the long-period average of 87 centimetres. According to the IMD, rainfall between 96 and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 87 cm is considered normal. Rainfall less than 90 per cent of the long-period average is considered deficient, between 90 per cent and 95 per cent is below normal, between 105 per cent and 110 per cent is above normal and more than 100 per cent is excess precipitation. Normal rainfall is critical for Indias agricultural landscape, with 52 per cent of the net cultivated area relying on it. It is also crucial for the replenishing of reservoirs critical for drinking water apart from power generation across the country. Rainfed agriculture accounts for about 40 per cent of the countrys total food production, making it a crucial contributor to Indias food security and economic stability. PTI contributed to this report In a recent ruling, the Karnataka High Court stated that the act of sexually assaulting the dead body of a woman does not fall within the scope of rape or unnatural offences as defined by the Indian Penal Code. Consequently, a man who was accused of committing this crime against a 21-year-old woman was acquitted in relation to those charges. However, the court upheld the lower courts decision to convict the accused of murder. The bench, consisting of Justices B Veerappa and Venkatesh Naik, further recommended that the central government make amendments to the law to explicitly classify necrophilia as an offense, as per reports. What is necrophilia and what does the law state about it? News18 explains: What is Necrophilia? Necrophilia is a term used to describe a rare and disturbing sexual attraction or fascination towards dead bodies. It refers to a persons strong desire to engage in sexual activities with corpses. The act is considered highly taboo, morally reprehensible, and illegal in many nations. The term Necrophilia" can be broken down into its etymological origins. Necro" comes from the Greek word for dead or death," and philia" means love or attraction." When combined, Necrophilia essentially refers to a concept of showing love or attraction towards the deceased. In simpler terms, a Necrophiliac engages in acts of intimacy or sexual acts with the dead, being fully aware of their actions and doing so willingly, as per a report by Legal Services India. What Did the Karnataka High Court Say About Making Necrophilia a Crime? The High Court of Karnataka noted in its observation that attendants assigned to guard bodies in mortuaries of both government and private hospitals engage in sexual intercourse" with the bodies. In light of this, the court has recommended that the Indian Penal Code (IPC) be amended by the Union government. The suggestion is to either include necrophilia as a form of unnatural sex offense or introduce a new provision to explicitly criminalize necrophilia. The court pointed out that countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa have specific laws that consider necrophilia as an offense. However, in India, there is no dedicated legislation, including within the IPC, to address and prevent crimes against the dignity and rights of the deceased womens bodies. The court emphasized the need for legal measures to protect the dignity of the deceased. Monitoring Mortuaries In the meantime, the Bench has issued directives to the State government regarding the security and preservation of dead bodies in mortuaries, particularly those of women. The Bench instructed the State government to ensure that CCTV cameras are installed in all government and private hospital mortuaries within six months. This measure aims to prevent offenses committed against dead bodies. Additionally, the government has been directed to ensure regular cleaning of mortuaries, maintaining proper preservation of the dead bodies to uphold their dignity. The staff working in the mortuaries should also be sensitized to handle the bodies with care, according to a report by The Hindu. To maintain privacy, the postmortem room should be designed in a way that it is not visible to the general public or visitors. Furthermore, the Bench has emphasized the importance of providing basic infrastructure in mortuaries as per the guidelines of the Indian Public Health Standard for district hospitals, ensuring proper management of dead bodies. What Legal Provisions are Available to Deal With Necrophilia Cases in India? Currently in India, necrophilia is considered an offense, but there is no specific law dedicated to it, as per Legal Services India. Instead, cases of necrophilia are dealt with using existing provisions in the Indian Penal Code. Two sections of the Indian Penal Code are commonly referred to in necrophilia cases: Section 297 and Section 377. However, neither of these sections explicitly address necrophilic tendencies. Section 297 pertains to trespassing on burial grounds. If someone trespasses on a burial ground with the intent to hurt someones feelings, disrespect a religion, or knowing that their actions will hurt the sentiments of people connected to that place, it is considered an offense. This provision can be invoked in cases of necrophilia only if there has been an act of trespassing. Section 377 deals with unnatural offenses. It considers any voluntary act of carnal intercourse against the order of nature with a man, woman, or animal as an offense. Sometimes, provisions related to rape and murder are also invoked to address the unusual nature of the offense. However, it should be noted that these provisions may not be sufficient to adequately address and prosecute necrophiliac activities and individuals involved in them, the report says. With just a short time left until the highly anticipated live-action Barbie" movie hits the screens. Meanwhile, the production team has been gradually unveiling intriguing details about the film, including a surprising impact they had on the world causing an international shortage of pink paint. In a recent interview with Architectural Digest, production designer Sarah Greenwood, set decorator Katie Spencer, and director Greta Gerwig shed some light on their creative process. They aimed to capture the incredibly essence of Barbies world, particularly the iconic Barbie Dreamhouse, which was the subject of the Architectural Digest feature. I wanted the pinks to be very bright, and everything to be almost too much," Gerwig told AD. She shared that the kid-ness was paramount evoking the feeling of never forgetting what made [her] love Barbie as a young girl. Why Pink Was Essential to the Film The production team had a bold vision: they aimed to create a world filled with pink props, sets, and clothingessentially anything that appeared on screen in the movie. To achieve this, they needed a massive amount of pink paint, as per a report by Variety. Production designer Sarah Greenwood realized that she would need to source this signature pink shade from Rosco, a renowned company in the industry. However, their endeavor quickly led to an unexpected turn of events. As Greenwood put it, The world ran out of pink." They had utilized so much pink paint that Rosco was left with none. Prior to this, Greenwood, director Greta Gerwig, and the team constructed a set on the Warner Bros. lot in London. Their creative inspiration drew from various sources, including the Palm Springs Kaufmann House, San Francisco Queen Anne Victorian architecture, the artwork of Wayne Thiebaud, and films like Pee-wees Big Adventure" and Gene Kellys An American in Paris," according to the report. When the Los Angeles Times inquired about the pink paint shortage, Lauren Proud, VP of global marketing at Rosco, confirmed that the production team had indeed completely depleted their stock of paint. Their project had left a significant impact, creating a worldwide scarcity of pink paint. But is the Claim True? But it turns out that the claim of causing a pink paint shortage is not as straightforward as initially presented, according to The Vulture. Lauren Proud, the vice president of global marketing for Rosco, has provided clarification regarding the matter to the Los Angeles Times. Proud explained that while Rosco did indeed run out of that specific shade of pink paint during Barbies production, the company had already been dealing with a reduced inventory in 2022. The global supply chain was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, causing shortages across various industries. Additionally, Rosco had faced challenges due to a severe freeze in Texas in 2021, which had damaged the materials used in their paint production. Proud further mentioned that Rosco provided the production team with everything they could, given the existing supply constraints. She expressed skepticism regarding the claim that the team single-handedly caused the shortage. However, it is worth noting that even with limited supply, Barbies production did utilize all the remaining pink paint that Rosco had available. So, while the story of the pink paint shortage may not be entirely as sensational as initially portrayed, the production team certainly made the most of the resources provided by Rosco, the report said. What is the Barbie Film About? Barbie" is an upcoming fantasy comedy film, helmed by director Greta Gerwig, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach. The movie takes inspiration from the popular Barbie fashion dolls created by Mattel and is influenced by Mary Piphers non-fiction book Reviving Ophelia," published in 1994. This live-action adaptation marks a departure from the computer-animated direct-to-video and streaming television films previously released under the Barbie franchise. Leading the cast are Margot Robbie, portraying Barbie, and Ryan Gosling as Ken. The film also features a talented ensemble supporting cast. The long-awaited moment finally arrived on December 15, 2022, when the first teaser trailer for the Barbie movie made its debut on the big screen. People have been anticipating the film due to it being the first live action Barbie film. The trailer quickly took the internet by storm after Warner Bros. released it online the following day. The trailer opens with a clever homage to Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey," accompanied by the iconic music of Richard Strauss Also sprach Zarathustra." We see a group of young girls, dressed in raggedy clothing, playing with dolls. Helen Mirrens voice narrates, expressing the historical lack of diversity in girlhood playthings, until one pivotal day. The scene then transitions to reveal a gigantic Margot Robbie, dressed in a black and white striped swimsuit, portraying Barbie. (The first Barbie wore that exact dress). She towers over the little girls and playfully winks at them. The girls become ecstatic and start smashing their baby dolls in excitement. As the frenzy builds, one doll is flung into the air, spinning dramatically, before the trailer abruptly cuts to the title card. The music shifts to a more lively tune as the trailer showcases a quick montage of exciting scenes. We catch glimpses of Margot Robbies Barbie overlooking the vibrant Barbieland, Simu Liu participating in energetic dance parties, a first glimpse of Ryan Goslings action-packed portrayal of Ken, and a brief moment featuring Issa Rae, who appears to be cheering alongside a ribbon with the word President" on it. With Delhi-NCR region facing severe air pollution, especially during October, due to stubble burning in Punjab along with local vehicular pollution, a survey was conducted to understand actions taken by the respective governments over the last couple of months on the toxic air issue. On World Environment Day, the survey asked residents of Delhi-NCR about actions taken in the last eight months by the Punjab and Delhi governments to address the issue of toxic air, 80% replied in negative, while 10% said they have seen changes being done by the authorities, and others refused to say. The Delhi government had said it has implemented a 15-point action plan and a proactive Graded Response Action Plan to ensure that winter months this year are not as bad as in 2022. Environment minister Gopal Rai told media in February that the AAP government in Punjab will scale up the use of bio-decomposer, a microbial solution which can turn paddy straw into manure in around three weeks. He had also pointed out that the Delhi government is conducting a pilot study to assess the impact of anti-air pollution steps taken at Anand Vihar, one of the 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi. When asked from Delhiites whether all initiatives should be put in place immediately to reduce air pollution during October 2023, 80% suggested a detailed plan to drive stubble burning in Punjab to near zero levels and 80% mooted waste management and anti-waste burning enforcement plan to ensure zero waste burning in Delhi. Besides, 60% desired mandatory mechanised road and street cleaning by October to reduce spread of dust; 60% want covering of all construction sites each year during October-December; 40% indicate plan to reduce vehicles on Delhi roads by 50% during October-December; and 20% wanted other initiatives. However, 20% of respondents said none of the above initiatives will help address the issue of high air pollution. When asked what initiatives should be the primary focus of the Punjab government to address the problem of stubble burning, 55% believe awareness by religious and community organisations and the Punjab government about stubble burning ban and its enforcement will help reduce such practice. Nearly 22% want the Punjab government to ensure enough seeding equipment is available in every panchayat so that there is no compulsion on farmers to hasten the harvest and ready the fields for sowing the next crop; 12% want the government to start a free stubble pick up service. However, 11% of the respondents are pessimistic that any of the above steps will not help resolve the stubble burning problem. The survey received over 29,000 responses from residents of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad. Nearly 69% respondents were men while 31% respondents were women. The survey was conducted via LocalCircles platform and all participants were validated citizens who had to be registered with LocalCircles to participate in this survey. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has been camped in Odisha the site of a triple train collision which claimed at least 275 lives and injured more than 1,100 passengers for more than 50 hours now. His work on the rescue and relief operations, however, started much before that at the Delhi airport. Vaishnaw had just landed in Goa for the launch of the Vande Bharat train from Panjim to Mumbai on Friday evening when his phone started buzzing a little after 7pm to inform him about what had unfolded in Balasore district of Odisha. Two passenger trains the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train had been involved in a collision. The Railway Minister and his team immediately took the same flight back to Delhi. The first flight available to Odisha was at 4am on Saturday. Vaishnaw decided to wait at the Delhi airport all the while supervising relief and rescue operations at the site. He was finally able to board a chartered flight at 3am. A sleepless night gave way to a restless morning when Vaishnaw reached ground zero near Bahanagar Bazar railway station. Taking full charge of the operations after hours of supervising remotely, the Railway Minister swung into action and took stock of the damage personally, navigating mangled and protruding pieces of wreckage. He guided top railway officials at the site on relief efforts and ordered an investigation to be led by AM Chowdhary, Commissioner Railway Safety, South East Circle. His team, meanwhile, briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top government functionaries on the accident. After accompanying PM Modi at the accident site and the hospital where they interacted with injured passengers, Vaishnaw returned to ground zero and cleared the air on the sequence of events that unfolded on Friday night. He explained that it was the Coromandel Express that derailed and hit the stationary goods train and then the Bengaluru-Howrah Yesvantpur Express, and that it was not a head-on collision between three trains. He made it clear that rescue and relief operations and track restoration efforts were his priority in that order and not responding to Oppositions demands of resignation. As rescue operations started wrapping up towards Saturday evening, Vaishnaw, as planned, announced that one down line railway track would be operational within 12 hours. Spending the entire day on the spot himself, he directed railway officials to rotate their shifts so that they got some rest. Late in the evening, he took a break at the insistence of his team and officials. He left the accident site around midnight, post which he discussed the next days strategy with Union Cabinet colleague Dharmendra Pradhan. He was back at the accident spot at 7am on Sunday. His persistence and the hard work of railway workers and officials paid off when the first train chugged out of the affected section around 10:40pm that day, 51 hours after the horrific crash. Vaishnaw saw off a goods train carrying coal and headed towards Rourkela Steel plant from Vizag port. Down-line restoration complete. First train movement in section," he tweeted. Barely two hours after the restoration of the downline, the up line was also restored. An empty goods train was the first train to run on the up line of the accident-affected section. Three trains have left from the section (two down and one up) and we have planned to run around seven tonight. We have to take this entire section towards normalisation," he said. In a visibly emotional moment, he added: Our objective is to ensure that all the missing persons family members find them as soon as possible. Our responsibility is not over yet." Vaishnaws active leadership in the aftermath of one of Indias deadliest train accidents is a far cry from the photo-ops of the past. No Railway Minister had camped out at the site of an accident for 50 hours as Vaishnaw has. His presence ensured there were no delays in the relief efforts and resulted in smooth cooperation between different agencies and departments. It is perhaps fate that Vaishnaw, an IIT-Kanpur graduate who cracked the civil services and joined the Odisha cadre as a young IAS officer, proved his mettle in Balasore where he was once posted as District Collector. It is in this post that he received a call from Atal Bihari Vajpayees PMO to join as director. This is not the first time Vaishnaw has mobilised and directed large-scale relief work. What caught the PMOs eye during Vajpayees tenure was the rescue and rebuilding efforts put in by Vaishnaw after a devastating typhoon in Balasore. Involving Panchayats and local communities, Vaishnaw oversaw the reconstruction of almost all houses that were destroyed with no allegations of corruption and delay. After joining the PMO, Vaishnaws commitment saw him become the private secretary to Vajpayee. He continued in the post even when Vajpayee resigned as PM. In 2007, he went on to join the Indian Port Trust, but resigned later. He then did a management course in the US and joined the private sector. He was pulled back into governance and public service when PM Modi, who had seen his work, asked the technocrat to join his team. When he took charge of the Railway Ministry, Vaishnaw had made it clear that only those who were willing to put in hard work should join him. Incharge of three ministries Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Vaishnaw is used to working round the clock. But with his 50-hour vigil on ground zero, he has shown the way to successors. The NDRF and SDRF are actively engaged in searching for a guard who went missing in the under-construction bridge collapse in Bihars Bhagalpur district, officials said on Monday. While Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered swift action against those responsible, employees of the construction firm, SP Singla Company, are absconding", according to News18 reports. The bridge over the Ganga river that was supposed to link Khagaria district with Bhagalpur, collapsed on Saturday night. A video capturing the incident quickly spread across social media platforms. As of now, no casualties have been reported. Following the bridge collapse, a guard employed by SP Singla Company is missing. Search efforts by SDRF and NDRF are ongoing to find him," said Chandan Kumar, Circle Officer, Parbatta, Bihar. Vibhash Kumar was hired by the construction company and deployed for duty on the bridge, according to reports. #WATCH | After the bridge collapse, a person working as a guard with SP Singla Company is said to be missing. His body has not been recovered yet. Search by SDRF & NDRF teams is underway to trace him: Chandan Kumar, Circle Officer, Parbatta, Bihar https://t.co/sAepXdPg5G pic.twitter.com/rMbrDQO6ss ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2023 Noting that that the mans body is yet to be recovered, Kumar said that nothing can be confirmed yet." The mans uncle had notified the authorities and his motorcycle is currently parked at the premise, he said. He used to guard at pillar number 10. The NDRF and SDRF will continue the search till the body is found," Kumar said. CM Orders Strict Action Built with an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore, a portion of the bridge collapsed on April 30 last year. Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, This is not the first time that the bridge collapsed. In the past too, I had asked for an investigation into why the incident happened. I have also asked for strict action to be taken against those responsible." Kumar said the bridge is not being constructed correctly, which is why it is collapsing again and again." The department will look into it and action will be taken," he added. Employees of Bridge Construction Company Absconding: Report According to News18 reports, all the employees and officers of the bridge construction company SP Singla Company have absconded after the incident. Preparations to crack down on the SP Singla Company have intensified, sources said. The bridge was being constructed at a cost of Rs 1,750 crores. Prior to this incident, the structure had already collapsed last year, the report said. According to the investigation report, the reason for the collapse was attributed to strong winds, sources said. Officials said the collapse would have claimed the lives of over 100 labourers if the incident took place over the weekdays. Had the incident occurred between Monday and Saturday, it could have claimed several lives as over 100 labouers were working on the bridge," Akhilesh Kumar, Block Development Officer of Parbatta block in Khagaria district told IANS. The construction company probably realised that the bridge might collapse anytime, he said, adding the firm asked the workers to leave at 1 pm on Sunday. The labourers were also staying in makeshift tents under the bridge but had removed their belongings in time. Hence, there is no casualty of labourers," he said. The construction company apparently had prior knowledge of the mishap but failed to inform the district administration, Kumar said. A significant number of passengers were using the waterway to cross the Ganga between Sultanganj and Aguwani Ghat Khagaria, he said. Luckily, the bridge collapse occurred on a Sunday when boats were not in operation. One boat parked on the riverbank rose to a height of 50 feet due to the waves caused by the structure falling into the water, he added. Govt says it was defective, being pulled down The Bihar government has said that the portions of the bridge that collapsed were intentionally demolished in a premeditated manner, following expert advice due to inherent design flaws. After the incident in Khagaria, accompanied by images, led to swift criticisms from the opposition, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Additional Chief Secretary of the Road Construction Department, Pratyay Amrit held a press conference explaining the incident. It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said. Not taking any chances and awaiting the final report, the decision was made to proceed with the dismantling of certain sections of the bridge, Amrit said. Upon the anticipated arrival of the final report, the state government will consider taking actions such as filing an FIR and blacklisting the contracted company, he added. Amrit also mentioned that shortly after being informed about the incident, he was called upon by chief minister Nitish Kumar who sought a detailed report on the mishap and issued strict instructions for strong action against those who might be held responsible". Previous Collapse The Deputy Chief Minister said that after the collapse of the bridge last year he had raised the matter to the Leader of the Opposition and ordered an inquiry by the new coalition government with RJD was formed led by Nitish Kumar last year. Last year, a portion of this bridge had given away in a thunderstorm. It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav Yadav revealed that experts have identified numerous structural defects" and stated, we have already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable." The incident confirms our worst apprehensions", he added. BJP president Samrat Choudhary issued a statement, demanding the resignation of Nitish Kumar, with whom the saffron party severed ties in August last year. BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a former Bhagalpur MP, released a statement attributing the mishap to corruption" and calling for a high-level inquiry" into the incident. He further alleged, the incident has put a question mark on construction works being undertaken across the state, many of which have been awarded to the same contractor". While the bridge was originally scheduled to be finished by November 2019, Yadav said the government is dedicated to completing the project by rectifying all the existing issues. This bridge is of great importance for north Bihar where connectivity will greatly improve once it begins to function. We are committed to completing the project after setting right everything that has been wrong," he said. (With inputs from agencies) As over 190 meters of the completed portion of the Aguani-Sultanganj four-lane under-construction bridge in Bihars Bhagalpur Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Rs 1,710.77-crore dream project collapsed on Sunday evening and submerged in the River Ganga, Dr Sanjeev Kumar, an MLA from Khagaria from the ruling Janata Dal (United), in an exclusive interview to CNN-News18, raised doubts over government officials, hinting at a nexus with the construction firm", and demanded a judicial probe. Around 100 metres of this under-construction bridge from Sultanganj-end fell into the river last year too. On Sunday, the cast structure of the bridge over pillar numbers 10, 11 and 12 from the Aguani (Khagaria) side caved in, causing the pillars to collapse around 6 pm. No casualty was reported as the labourers had left for the day. The incident, however, led to chaos on the riverside, with some boats feeling the tremors. Dramatic visuals of the incident captured by bystanders are circulating on social media. Dr Sanjeev Kumar said that he had raised this issue last year in the assembly. Earlier, he had showed pictures of cracks on the same pillars which collapsed. Additional Chief Secretary of road construction department Pratyay Amrit thinks he is too smart, but it is his misconception. A nexus of officials with the construction company cannot be ruled out. It wont be right if the investigation is done under Amrit. Rather than a probe under him, we need a judicial inquiry," he told CNN-News18 Rs 1,710-Cr Dream Project Across Ganga turns Nightmare SP Singla Construction Pvt Ltd, a Haryana-based company, is building the bridge. Kumar laid the foundation stone in 2014 at MD College ground in Parbatta. On March 9, 2015, Kumar flagged off the construction of the bridge from the grounds of Murarka College, Sultanganj. The bridge will reduce the distance between North and South Bihar considerably. Apart from this, lakhs of Kanwaris, who go to Deoghar every year for Shravani Mela, will be benefitted. The length of the bridge is 3.16 km. In nine years, the company has missed eight deadlines to hand over the bridge to the state. Around 100 metre of this under-construction bridge from Sultanganj-end fell into the river last year too. Thirty-six slabs of three pillars (4-5 &6) had collapsed on April 29, 2022. As the work was stopped at night, there was no loss of life. At that time, a team of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) had conducted an investigation. With another incident, the construction company is now under the lens. WILL TAKE STRICT ACTION Kumar has sought complete information from Amrit. The CM has ordered a detailed inquiry to ensure strict action against those responsible. Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, in a press conference on Sunday evening, said, All segments will be technically analysed to know the exact reason behind it. This was the second collapse. After the first incident, an inquiry into the reasons was called in November 2022. The probe was being done by the IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee and National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) professors to find the technical reason behind the incident. IIT Roorkee attributed the bridge collapse on April 30, 2022 to a thunderstorm. We had doubts over its design and had decided to demolish it and reconstruct the bridge. Tejashwi also shared an IIT Roorkee report after the first collapse, stating that some of the segments should be rebuilt and changed, and how, based on this, the government decided to remake the structure. #WATCH | Bihar: Latest visuals from the spot in Bhagalpur where under construction Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge collapsed for the second time yesterday pic.twitter.com/c76IMqNZai ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2023 Amrit said the bridge will be a boon for the entire area. The matter of defect in the entire design has come into light. Strict action will be taken against the contractor. Congress leader of the Bihar assembly Shakil Ahmad Khan said, Its an unfortunate incident. There could have been a loss of lives. The government and department concerned should have taken care because it happened last year too. There should be proper investigation and those who are responsible must be booked. The road construction department should clearly state whether the defect was man-made or the area is not suitable for making a bridge. It is a major negligence. A high-level probe will be carried out and the guilty will be punished," Sultanganj JDU MLA Lalit Kumar Mandal said. OPPOSITION ATTACK Meanwhile, Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey tweeted: Look at another example of corruption prevailing in Bihar. The Aguani Sultanganj Ganga Bridge has collapsed once again. The collapse of the bridge is telling the tale of corruption. Taking immediate cognizance of this incident, both uncle and nephew (chacha-bhatija) should resign, if any morality is left. - - pic.twitter.com/VnJnpoBzRM Ashwini Kr. Choubey (@AshwiniKChoubey) June 4, 2023 Former Bihar minister Shahnawaz Hussain said. This was not for the first time such incident has happened. Singla Company has made many bridges and this was one of them. Its a matter of investigation, a high level committee should be formed. This company was a small company and after coming to Bihar, Singla has made so many bridges and all bridges should be scrutinised. Last week, made-in-India medicines were blamed once again for their poor quality causing eye infections among patients of cataract surgery in Sri Lanka. The $50-billion pharmaceutical industry has come under scrutiny as a result of several recent incidents involving smaller, privately-owned Indian companies as well as bigger pharma firms. These episodes have encompassed distressing incidents like the deaths of children in Gambia and Uzbekistan due to adulterated cough syrup, contaminated chemotherapy drugs and contaminated eye drops causing blindness. Triggered by these events, public health campaigners across the globe are urging for stricter monitoring and a reconsideration of global supply chains. ALSO READ | Centre Probes Gujarat Pharma Firm Over Its Eyedrops Being Linked to Vision-damage Cases in Sri Lanka In the last few months, pharmaceuticals export arm Pharmexcil and the ministry of commerce and industry have expressed significant concerns regarding these incidents and raised the issue with the ministry of health and family welfare as well as the department of pharmaceuticals. We have asked the health ministry to do something that sends a strong message to global regulators that we are serious about fixing these lapses and we are on it, a senior government official said. Driven by this, India also made a move by bringing in additional checks over cough syrups meant for exports. But it will require a significantly greater effort to resolve this chaotic situation than what we have currently invested. Reputation being tarnished in the global arena Unfortunately, these incidents are tarnishing Indias reputation in the global arena. Also, a majority of these incidents have been announced by the World Health Organization, including the deaths of children in Gambia, contaminated cough syrup in the Marshall Islands and circulation of contaminated anti-cancer drugs in Lebanon and Yemen. ALSO READ | Gambia-Uzbekistan By-product: India Initiates System of Checking Cough Syrups in Govt Labs before Exporting Such frequent alerts by WHO are serious and embarrassing unless we prefer to live in denial and opt to maintain the theory of witch hunting against India. Global media is also increasingly adopting a harsh and critical tone. Financial Times labelled the Gambia incident as the worlds worst scandal related to the sales of over-the-counter medicines. Bloomberg, an American news agency, in its latest article on the spate of deadly manufacturing incidents labelled these events scandals. The deaths and drug recall also come at a critical time for Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, which is selling the South Asian nation to investors as an alternative to China for high-quality manufacturing, the article stated. The Biden administration has warned about the preponderance of drug supplies from countries like India, and pushed to produce more medicine domestically. No, its not only small and medium pharma firms A top government officer, in an informal conversation, told me that India must move away from the concept of medium and small enterprises in drug manufacturing to end the series of shameful and awkward lapses. We should not allow any firm to manufacture drugs if their turnover is below Rs 200 crore. Maintaining quality needs a lot of money. Running a firm to match US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) standards is an extremely expensive process, the officer said. The officer further said India must stop taking pride in promoting medium and small scale firms in the pharmaceutical industry. Thank god, these small players do not export to heavily regulated markets in Europe and North America, the officer added. In hindsight, it may sound apt. Sample this: It was the Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceutical drug maker behind the cough syrup controversy in the Gambia case, whereas Noida-based Marion Biotech was behind the Uzbekistan cough syrup-related deaths. Health authorities in Lebanon and Yemen red-flagged a cancer drug made by Celon Labs in Hyderabad, whereas Punjab-based QP Pharmachem has been blamed for exporting contaminated cough syrup to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. But in an aerial view, issues within Indias pharmaceutical industry extend way beyond small manufacturers. Since the beginning of 2022, Indian drugmakers have been issued nine FDA warning letters, and a majority of these drugmakers are Indias top pharma firms. From questioning the safety and efficacy of drugs to pointing out the documentation practices, Sun Pharma, Lupin, Cipla among others have come under the radar of the American regulator deemed to be the worlds strictest. In January, the US health regulator, pulled up Sun Pharma for manufacturing lapses that included failure to follow certain processes to prevent microbiological contamination of drug products. Similarly, for Lupins Tarapur plant, the FDA said in the warning letter: Because your methods, facilities, or controls for manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding do not conform to CGMP, your API is adulterated From upgrading Schedule M to regulate good manufacturing practices (GMP), tightening surveillance and enforcement of violations, increasing audits and putting additional checks before the final rollout of products for export or local market its time for India to bounce back urgently if it still wants to claim the mantle of the pharmacy to the world. Fixing quality issues is no more an urgency but an emergency. Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of running a nafrat ka mega shopping mall (shopping mall of hate) rather than his touted mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love)". The latter is the theme of Rahul Gandhis ongoing trip to the United States. Rahul Gandhi cant swallow our countrys glory. He questions our vaccine, our surgical strikes, tries to divide Hindus and Muslims, but at the same time says he is running a mohabbat ki dukaan. I want to say to him that you are actually running a nafrat ka mega shopping mall, Nadda said at a book launch function in Delhi on Monday. The BJP chief said that the entire world saw a pandemic and financial crisis due to Covid and the Russia-Ukraine war. The growth rate forecast for the US is 1.4%, China 5.2%, but the forecast for India is at 6.1%. Morgan Stanley shows it could touch 7.2%. What should I tell the illiterate people of the Congress that the country you have gone to is at 1.4% while India could be at 7.2%, Nadda said in a strong attack on Rahul Gandhi and the latters speeches during his US trip. He said even US President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he wants his autograph and complained to him that he was inundated with requests for invitations for the PMs functions during his upcoming US trip. He added that the de-hyphenation of India and Pakistan had happened under PM Modis tenure. Earlier, world leaders always mentioned us together. Now no one does it. India is now India and Pakistan is where it is, Nadda said. The BJP president said that before 2014, no one knew if the PMO was leading the government or 10, Janpath (Sonia Gandhis residence). There has been a big difference since 2014. From policy paralysis to a bold decision-making government. The political culture changed. From vote bank politics to report card politics, from dynasty to democracy and meritocracy. No one knew before 2014 where a bomb blast would take place Connaught Place or High Court or before a mandir or a Varanasi Ghat. Today the country is safe and united. Did anyone think that Article 370 will be abrogated? It was August 6, 2019, that complete unification of the country was done, Nadda said. He was speaking at the launch of the book Amrit Kaal Ki Ore written and edited by Shivanand Dwivedi and KK Upadhyay. Lumpy skin disease is on the rise in Latur district. Lumpy skin disease or LSD is a contagious viral ailment in cows and buffaloes. Although they are not contagious to humans, they can severely impact the mortality rate of cattle. A total of 571 animal deaths have been recorded so far. Observing the outbreak, the government has provided over 413 livestock to as many as 366 people for assistance. But a compensation amount by the government is still awaited. Till now almost 158 cattle breeders are reeling under the death of their animals, with their livelihood in uncertainty, while herdsmen are making repeated inquiries to receive help but in vain. The question that persists is whether the government will issue an order for help. According to reports, the Zilla Parishad will provide 1 lakh vaccines to prevent the surge of lumpy skin disease. Free treatment and vaccines are provided at the government veterinary clinic as well. As per a report by Kisantak, the lumpy virus started spreading in March 2023. Animals who were vaccinated against this disease have reportedly shown no signs of the disease, unlike the ones who were not vaccinated. Newborn calves are highly affected by the ailment and they are dying in large numbers in Latur. The government has asked the veterinary clinics to inform the authorities if they want to bring medicine from outside. A case will also be registered against farmers who do not inform that their cattle are showing signs of LSD. Presently, animal transportation, exhibitions, and animal markets have been banned. Farmers are also strictly warned not to purchase livestock until further notice. Additionally, insecticides have been sprayed across 1167 cowsheds through the Gram Panchayat. Some preventive measures have also been put forward by the government for protection against this contagious condition. It is advised that farmers should always keep the cowshed clean and ventilated, without letting the accumulation of water inside. Last year, another serious lumpy disease outbreak was witnessed in Maharashtra, which killed several cattle. The disease spread in over 133 villages across the state, including Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Osmanabad, Pune, and Amravati. The Delhi High Court has rejected the interim bail plea of AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. The court, however, has granted Manish Sisodia a day to meet his ailing wife. Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had sought a six-week interim bail on the ground of being the sole caretaker of his ailing wife. His plea for regular bail in the matter is pending before the high court. The Delhi HC said that Sisodia shall in this one day not meet an press or anyone else except his wife and family". Sisodia, who was arrested on March 9, is currently in judicial custody in the case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The verdict on the interim bail plea was pronounced by Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma. The verdict was reserved on Saturday when Sisodias lawyer had claimed that pursuant to the courts directions passed on Friday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was taken in custody to meet his wife earlier in the day but the latters health condition deteriorated and she was taken to be the LNJP Hospital before he could reach home. The ED, meanwhile, has opposed the plea for interim bail on the grounds of possibility of evidence tampering. ED has also claimed that Sisodias wife has been suffering from a medical condition for the last 20 years and even earlier pleas for interim bail on identical grounds were withdrawn by the former minister. The Delhi excise policy was implemented by the AAP government on November 17, 2021, but it was scrapped at the end of September last year amid allegations of corruption. On May 30, the court had dismissed Sisodias bail plea in the excise policy scam case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying he is an influential person and the allegations against him are very serious in nature. In the CBI case, the high court has kept the interim bail plea pending for July. Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansaris conviction in the 32-year-old Awadhesh Rai murder has put an end to his delaying tactics of disrupting the court proceedings or influencing witnesses or turning them hostile to buy time, according to experts and senior cops with the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police. Evading conviction, Ansari served as an MLA from Mau for five consecutive terms from 1995 to 2022, and managed to retain his assembly membership for nearly 27 years. ALSO READ | Mukhtar Ansari Gets Life Term in 30-yr-old Murder Case: Who Was Victim Awadesh Rai And How He Was Killed Officials further said that in most cases in lower courts, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence, whereas in a few cases, witnesses either turned hostile or ended up giving a favourable statement. In cases where government officials were witnesses, they either retired during the prolonged trials or didnt turn up in the court on the pretext of health issues. On August 3, 1991, Congress leader Awadhesh Rai was shot dead outside his brother and former MLA Ajay Rais house in Varanasi. Ajay Rai named Ansari, Bhim Singh and former MLA Abdul Kalim in the first information report (FIR). On Monday, a court in Varanasi sentenced Ansari to life imprisonment. Rai called the judgment an outcome of patience and his consistent efforts. In several instances in the past three decades, Ansari tried to delay the court proceedings to evade conviction or imprisonment, said Prashant Kumar, special director general (SDG), law and order, UP Police. Be it in the Awadhesh Rai murder or the September 2022 conviction, when the Allahabad High Court overturned the local courts order to acquit him and awarded him a seven-year jail term for threatening then jailor of Lucknow district jail SK Awasthi in 2003, his tactics seems to have turned futile. In fact, the court proceedings were expedited and he was also convicted and sentenced in three other criminal cases, said Kumar. The tactic can be also gauged from the fact that in most cases, Ansari was convicted after more than two or three decades. In Rais murder, he was convicted after 32 years. Charges were framed against him in another 1997 case registered at Bhelupur police station in Varanasi, (after 24 years) on August 24, 2021. In another case registered at Jagdishpura police station of Agra in 1999, charges could only be framed (after 23 years) on October 8, 2022. Also, in a case registered against him with Alambagh police station of Lucknow in 2000, the charges were framed (after 21 years) on March 28, 2021, the officials further said. Despite the spontaneous attempts of Ansaris legal team to save him for decades using lacunae in the judicial system, his empire crashed after charges were framed against him in several old cases. At least 25 more cases are pending against Ansari, who is currently lodged in Banda jail. He did not contest the 2022 assembly polls and handed over the baton to his elder son Abbas Ansari. ALSO READ | Mukhtar Ansari Gets 10 Yrs Jail in Kidnapping Case, His Brother Afzal Sentenced to 4 Yrs Imprisonment While Abbas was elected as an MLA from the same constituency in 2022, he is lodged in the Kasganj jail in a disproportionate assets case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Monday met US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is on a two-day visit to India, and discussed ways to boost cooperation in maritime, military and aerospace technologies. The two officials also discussed ways for greater transfer of technology, co-production and indigenous building capacities in line with Indias Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, sources said. Doval and the US Defence Secretary also discussed ways to take a strategic approach to global challenges through government, people to people and societal relations. The two leaders also decided to ensure that countries in different regions like Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, and Indo-Pacific retain their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and are not coerced into making poor choices. Secretary Austins trip comes over two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis state visit to Washington during which the two sides are expected to unveil initiatives to expand the India-US global strategic partnership. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also held talks with Lloyd Austin and said that India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. It is Secretary Austins second visit to India. His previous trip to India was in March, 2021. The two countries have inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each others bases for repair and replenishment of supplies. (With Inputs from Shailendra Wangu) Amid apprehension that some bodies were still left in a coach of the Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express that was involved in the June 2 triple train accident in Odisha, an official on Friday clarified that it was rotten eggs and not human remains. People living near Bahanaga Bazar railway station where the crash occurred claiming 288 lives have complained that a foul smell was coming from a coach left there and some bodies might have still been there. Following the complaint, the railways with the help of the state government conducted a search. It was found that rotten eggs, and not human bodies, are emitting a foul smell in the station. We had got site clearance from NDRF twice, South Eastern Railway CPRO Aditya Kumar Chaudhary told reporters. Around three tons of eggs were being transported in Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express in the parcel van, he said. All the eggs were rotting and a foul smell was coming. We have removed the eggs in three tractors from the accident site, Chaudhary said. Meanwhile, the CPRO said that the railway ministry has so far disbursed compensation of Rs 22.66 crore to the families of 661 victims in connection with the train tragedy. The next of kin of the deceased and those severely injured in the accident have received the compensation. Chaudhary said the railways give Rs 10 lakh each to the families who lost their near and dear ones in the tragedy. Around 1200 people had suffered injuries in the accident. Read more horrific triple train accident happened in Odishas Balarose district killing 275 people were killed and leaving over 1,175 injured, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Within 51 hours the train movement has been normalised. Train movement will begin from now, he said. The Railways also sought a CBI inquiry into the Balasore train crash after officials indicated that possible sabotage and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the Friday accident. However, several opposition parties stepped up pressure for Railway Minister Vaishnaws resignation, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge calling for fixing accountability from top to bottom. The BJP hit back, saying the track record of the Congress-led UPA governments railway ministers was nothing short of a disaster and they should not politicise the issue. Our goal is to make sure missing persons family members can find them as soon as possibleour responsibility is not over yet, an emotional Vaishnaw told media on Sunday. The accident disrupted passenger and goods traffic between important industrial centres. Many of the patients initially admitted to Balasore and other local hospitals have been released or shifted to bigger cities with multi-speciality hospitals including Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. Many of the passengers in the two trains were migrant workers. Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma said that even if the victims were ticketless travellers, they will receive compensation. This is in line with a Supreme Court order, officials said. Many Bodies Remained To Be Identified The Odisha government on Sunday revised the accident death toll to 275 from 288, and put the number of injured at 1,175. Chief Secretary P K Jena told newspersons some bodies were counted twice. Jena said the injured are being treated in different hospitals in Soro, Balasore, Bhadrak and Cuttack. So far, 793 passengers have been discharged and 382 are being treated at government cost, he said. A team of doctors and experts from the AIIMS-Delhi and other central hospitals in the national capital have been rushed to Bhubaneswar through a special IAF flight. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is also in Odisha. Jena said 88 bodies have been identified so far and 78 handed over to their families. It is a real challenge for us to preserve the bodies here as we have a facility to keep a maximum of 40 bodies, an official of AIIMS Bhubaneswar told PTI, adding that additional arrangements were made at the Anatomy department. Lists and photographs of deceased passengers are also uploaded on the websites to facilitate identification. Meanwhile, state governments are trying to trace the residents who were travelling in the two trains. Of the 127 people hailing from Tamil Nadu who had reserved tickets for Coromandel Express, contact could not be established with eight people and the rest were safe, the state government said According to information received so far on the train accident, no person from Tamil Nadu was killed or injured warranting treatment, it said. Exhausted and traumatised, 137 survivors arrived in Chennai on Sunday by a special train from Bhadrak. The Andhra Pradesh government has identified that 695 passengers from the state were on the two trains but 28 passengers were untraced, Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana said. The minister said one passenger from the state Gurumurthy, hailing from Sonthabommali village in Srikakulam district died in the accident. However, 22 passengers were injured, one with a severe head injury, and efforts are on to trace 28 passengers who could not be contacted, he said. Deadliest Train Accident in India The mishap is being considered one of the deadliest accidents in Indias history post independence. Last time such a horrific accident took place was on 20 August, 1995 when Purushottam Express collided with the stationary Kalindi Express near Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh. The official death toll was 305. However, unofficial reports claim that nearly 395 were killed. India recorded its worst train accident on June 6, 1981 in Bihar. A train fell into the Bagmati river while crossing a bridge, killing more than 750 people. Coromandel Express Accident History The Coromandel Express has derailed three times so far 2002, 2009 and 2023. But no lessons seemed to have been learnt by the Indian Railways from the first two mishaps. All three accidents took place on a Friday, all three trains were bound for Chennai and two of these occurred in Odisha. There were no deaths in the accident in 2002 but the 2019 accident saw the death of 16 people. In both cases hundreds were injured. How Did the Accident Happen in Odisha The railways on Sunday virtually ruled out driver error and system malfunction, indicating a possible signalling interference and hinting at sabotage and tampering of the electronic interlocking system behind the triple train accident that claimed 275 lives in Odisha. Railway Minister minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the root cause of the accident and the people behind the criminal act have been identified. Earlier, the Minister also said the cause of the accident was related to electric point machine and electronic interlocking. Railway officials also indicated that possible sabotage and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the Friday accident. Top railway officials, while explaining how the point machine and the interlocking system function, said the system is error proof and fail safe but did not rule out the possibility of outside intervention. It is called a fail-safe system, so it means that even if it fails, all the signals will turn red and all train operations will stop. Now, as the minister said there was a problem with the signalling system. It could be that someone has done some digging without seeing the cables. Running of any machine is prone to failures, Jaya Verma Sinha, Member of Operation and Business Development, Railway Board, said. An electric point machine is a vital device for railway signalling for quick operation and locking of point switches and plays an important role in the safe running of trains. Failure of these machines severely affects train movement and deficiencies at the time of installation can result in unsafe conditions. Railway officials virtually ruled out driver error and system malfunction and said there was no question of over-speeding by trains. A senior railway official who did not want to be identified said, It could be a case of tampering or sabotage from within or from outside. We have not ruled anything out. A young man was rescued alive two days after the Odisha train tragedy unfolded on Friday evening. Around 7 PM on June 2, a collision occurred near Balasore involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train that claimed 275 lives and left over a thousand injured. Dulal Mazundar, a resident of Assam, sustained severe injuries when the collision took place and fell some distance from the accident site. An unconscious Mazundar was discovered by workers during the restoration of the damaged tracks on Monday morning, two days after the accident. The youth was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital in Soro. The man had sustained severe injuries on his head and hands and was further shifted to the Balasore hospital. ALSO READ: Odisha Train Accident: Railways Seeks CBI Probe as Toll Reaches 275; Oppn Presses for Ashwini Vaishnaws Resignation | Top Points Dulals condition is said to be stable. Since he cant speak properly, doctors are facing difficulties in his treatment, said the Baleswar medical superintendent. The Odisha government revised the death toll in the three-train crash to 275 from 288 saying that some bodies were counted twice earlier. The local administration is currently facing a challenge in storing and managing 187 unidentified bodies. The government in a statement said, the bodies of 170 deceased individuals from the train accident in Balasore have been placed in these hospitals in Bhubaneswar: AIIMS, AMRI, SUM Hospital, Capital Hospital, KIMS Hospital, and Hi-Tech Hospital. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has sought a CBI enquiry into the accident. Meanwhile, officials said the inquiry by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) would continue. Following the triple train crash in Odishas Balasore district on June 2, former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi was the first to mention the likelihood of sabotage. Hours after the incident he told News 18 that the possibility of sabotage behind the accident cannot be ruled out". The crash, believed to be one of the worst in nature and in terms of casualties, killed 288 passengers and injured around 900. The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train were involved in the accident. Following the preliminary investigation and findings of the engineers, the ministry handed over the case to the CBI yesterday. This is the third time in the past 10 years that a train accident case will be probed by a central investigation agency. In 2010, the CBI investigated the Jnaneswari crash, and six years later the NIA probed the Kanpur train accident. Serious manipulation Speaking with News18, Trivedi said, The inputs and understanding I have about the interlocking system, its functioning, and what happened in the incident, I felt that there was a serious manipulation which led the Coromandel Express on the loop line from the main track. Now with more findings coming up, I am more than 100% sure that this crash was caused by sabotage and not a mere accident." The signal was green, and it is impossible for the interlocking system to malfunction like this, he said. In a railway system, so many coincidences do not happen. If an interlocking system at any point fails or goes haywire, there is another system that comes into force. It is called fail-safe. If fail-safe gets activated, then all signals on the specific track turn red, and the train wont move," the BJP leader said. Meticulous conspiracy Trivedi called the series of incidents that happened around 7 pm on Friday on the tracks near Bahanaga Bazar a meticulous conspiracy". He said, To me, it seems like extensive planning and calculation leading to such incidents happening one after another in a matter of a few seconds." The goods train loaded with iron-ore standing like a rock, and a passenger train hitting it on a loop line is not a case of usual signal failure or derailment, the former railway minister added. We must understand that a loco pilot can only press a brake or accelerate the train speed depending on the signals. The loco pilot cannot change track or divert trains. So, the train changed track and went on the loop line from the main line on its own after the system was manipulated from the inside. Had it been a simple case of signal failure or malfunctioning of the interlocking system, the train could never change track so smoothly. Because, with system failure, the tracks get blocked automatically and signals turn red," he explained. Trivedi also rubbished the theories given by opposition politicians, who called the railways an ill-maintained system" and questioned the non-availability of the anti-collision Kavach mechanism. He said, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also experienced such an incident of sabotage when Jnaneswari Express rammed into a derailed goods train in West Midnapore district in 2010. She handed over the investigation to the CBI and asked the CPI(M) not to indulge in politics. However, she is now being forgetful and repeating similar things CPI(M) did then." President Droupadi Murmu has been conferred with the the Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star, the highest civilian award of Suriname. President Murmu was presented the award by her Suriname counterpart Chandrikapersad Santokhi during a three-day state visit. President said that she was greatly honoured to receive Surinames highest distinction. An honour reflective of the deep-rooted India-Suriname ties! President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn conferred with the Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star, the highest civilian award of Suriname by President Santokhi," Arindam Bagchi, Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, tweeted. An honour reflective of the deep-rooted - ties !President Droupadi Murmu @rashtrapatibhvn conferred with the Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star, the highest civilian award of Suriname by President @CSantokhi. pic.twitter.com/uR93VczUeO Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) June 5, 2023 President Murmu said this recognition holds tremendous significance, not only for me but also for the 1.4 billion people of India. I also dedicate this honor to the successive generations of the Indian-Surinamese community, who have played a stellar role in enriching the fraternal ties between our two countries," she tweeted. Murmu, who arrived in Suriname on Sunday on her first visit since assuming office in July last year, received a warm welcome from President Santokhi at the Presidential palace here. President Droupadi Murmu received a warm welcome from President @CSantokhi at the Presidential palace in Paramaribo, Suriname. pic.twitter.com/Aq5jttoTfH President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 5, 2023 President Murmu held delegation-level talks with President Santokhi. President Murmu and Chandrikapersad Santokhi discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in several areas including defence, IT and capacity building as the two sides exchanged four MoUs in various fields including health and agriculture. Both the Presidents discussed ways to deepen India-Suriname relations and held wide ranging discussions on multiple areas including defence, agriculture, IT and capacity building, her office said. India and Suriname exchanged four MoUs in various fields including health and agriculture. Special covers of stamps to mark 150 years of arrival of Indians in Suriname were presented to President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion. The President symbolically presented a box of medicines to President @CSantokhi as a token of Indias donation of emergency medicines to Suriname, her office said in a tweet. Special covers of stamps to mark 150 years of arrival of Indians in Suriname were presented to President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion. The President symbolically presented a box of medicines to President @CSantokhi as a token of Indias donation of emergency medicines to pic.twitter.com/lOxavE8mNa President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 5, 2023 Later, President Murmu and President Santokhi witnessed a beautiful enactment of arrival of the first group of Indians in the South American nation aboard the Lalla Rookh by local artists. She inaugurated a simulated village with model habitats, artists and actors depicting the daily life of the early Indian-origin communities of Suriname. The first ship carrying 452 Indian labourers arrived in Surinames capital Paramaribo on June 5, 1873. Most of the labourers hailed from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. President Murmu paid homage at the Baba and Mai monument, a symbolic representation of the first Indian man and woman, who set foot in Suriname. A solemn occasion to remember the sacrifices and struggles of 34,000 Indians who arrived in Suriname! her office said in another tweet. President Droupadi Murmu paid homage at the Baba and Mai monument, a symbolic representation of the first Indian man and woman, who set foot in Suriname. A solemn occasion to remember the sacrifices and struggles of 34,000 Indians who arrived in Suriname! pic.twitter.com/eMjgNuS3SA President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 5, 2023 She also paid respects at Mama Sranan monument in Suriname. The monument represents Mama Sranan, or Mother Suriname, holding her five children, the five ethnicities that inhabit Suriname with care and affection. The Indians, who arrived in Suriname as contract labourers for plantations, have maintained their connection with their roots in India. While fully assimilating with the local culture, they continued to cherish, uphold and pass down from one generation to another their traditions, rites and rituals, cuisine, language, and folklore and have made a significant contribution in all spheres to the sustainable development of Suriname, said the Indian embassy in Suriname. It said Suriname also has the distinction of being the most prominent foreign country in the world in the field of promotion of the Hindi language. The World Hindi Conference 2003 was held in Paramaribo. Santokhi was in India in January this year as a guest of honour for the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas and had met Murmu. The president will be in Suriname till June 6 and visit places of historical and cultural importance. She will also meet a cross-section of the Indian diaspora. Her visit to the South American country is part of her two-nation tour that will also take her to Serbia. (With PTI inputs) The rise of India is unstoppable," said External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Sunday, as he hailed the ongoing transformation in the country under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar made these remarks in Windhoek, Namibia, where he arrived after concluding the BRICS Foreign Ministers Summit in South Africa. During the visit, EAM will call on the top leadership of the country and also meet with other ministers of the government. He will also co-chair the inaugural Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Interacted with the Indian community in Windhoek, Namibia this evening.Shared with them the history of our ties, as well as the new expressions of friendship. Also discussed the progress in India and its impact on Indians living abroad. : https://t.co/dRtziNp6lT pic.twitter.com/w1Ev1BqldO Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 4, 2023 Addressing the Indian community here on Sunday, the Jaishankar expressed grief over the lives lost in the Odisha train tragedy back home in the Balasore district. We are physically present here, but our thoughts are focused on the incident," he said. The external affairs minister said that several global leaders expressed solidarity with India, showing how the world stands with the country. When as foreign minister I go out in the world, especially in Africa and Latin America and other parts of Asia, I cannot tell you how much goodwill we have, the minister said. Citing Indias outreach during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said there were very few countries that stepped forward. He also emphasized that, unlike others, India looks at the requirements, priorities, and needs of other countries. While referring to PM Modis 2018 Africa visit, Jaishankar quoted him as saying, We (India) are here (in Africa) but we are different from others who have come. The difference is we are here to listen to you. To ask you what are your requirements. And whatever we do will be in response to your priorities. When I today look at the India-Africa relations, the big change I see is that we (India) are seen as a responsible partner, he added. Jaishankar underlined the Indian diaspora gets the benefit of the countrys image abroad. But equally, India also gets benefits from the diasporas image in foreign countries." Drawing from his experiences as a diplomat, Jaishankar said it is in many ways India is now a much more capable country, a much more confident country, and that way more recognized around the world." The minister said that India is moving in the right direction and is conscious that there are a lot of challenges abroad. With strong relationships and with good, proud Indians contributing abroad, and with growth at home we are very clear, the rise of India is unstoppable," he added. In what is brewing into a major confrontation between the two states after the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann rejected on Monday a proposal of affiliation of Haryana colleges with Panjab University, second time in less than a week. After holding the second round of discussions with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit over the issue, Mann said Panjab University has always been connected with Punjabs legacy and heritage. The third round is slated for July 3, however, Mann said, We will listen to them whenever they want to talk. We will not agree to affiliating colleges in Haryana with PU. They had also come up with (the request of affiliation) Kurukshetra Universitywhy are they refusing to accept the value of their own university? The CM said, PU is the legacy of Punjab woven with public emotions, culture and literature. The original university campus in Lahore was shifted to Hoshiarpur after Partition. It was originally divided in share of 20:20:20:40 for the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and the Centre. In 1970, former Chief Minister of Haryana Bansi Lal announced that the state was withdrawing from affiliating its colleges with PU. Haryana also chose not to be part of the PU senate in 1973. Now Haryana has no right over PU, I was told in the meeting today that Haryana was willing to pay its share to the university and that its colleges be affiliated with PU. Showing a three-day old letter by the Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Mann said, Vice-Chancellors in the state have been asked to manage their own funds. When they dont have money for their own educational institutions, what will they give us? Showing intentions of the previous state governments, CM Mann showed a No Objection Certificate issued by former CM Parkash Singh Badal to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that said we have no objection if PU is made a central university. CM Mann mentioned two letters written by his government to the Centre to stop all efforts at converting PU into a central university. Already 35% students on the campus are from Haryana and they are most welcome to join us, always, however, we will not allow colleges in Haryana to be affiliated with PU even if they have more meetings. Actually, Haryana politicians are looking for an entry into the university senate for political reasons. Nothing more, he said. Some of PUs top alumni include former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Chief Minister stated that 175 colleges of Punjab and 30 colleges of Union Territory Chandigarh are affiliated with the PU. The University is ranked 44th in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023 rankings. Known as the University of Punjab earlier, the Panjab University was established in 1882 in Lahore, now in Pakistan. After the Partition, the university was first set up with an administrative office at Solan, and teaching departments at Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Delhi. It was relocated to Chandigarh in 1956. The current campus is spread over an area of 550 acres in Sector 14 and 25 of the city, which serves as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. The university initially had regional centres at Rohtak, Jalandhar and Shimla. After the reorganisation in 1966, when Punjab was trifurcated into Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, the former two were also given rights over the university. As the summer months approach, Southeast Europe emerges as a captivating hub of tourism. It is always ready to invite travellers to experience its enchanting charms and vibrant festivities. From the sun-kissed beaches of Greece and Croatia to the hidden gems of Montenegro and Bulgaria, Southeast Europe offers a plethora of enticing destinations. Along the coast, coastal towns and resorts come alive with vibrant promenades, bustling beach clubs, and charming open-air cafes, creating an energetic and vivacious atmosphere. Southeast Europes popular tourist destinations along the Adriatic and Black Seas experience a concentrated influx of visitors during the peak summer months of July and August, despite efforts to diversify tourism offerings. According to data from the EUs statistics office Eurostat, the highest number of tourist overnight stays and arrivals occurred in August, closely followed by July in 2022. The rise in nights spent during the peak season suggests that tourists tend to extend their stays, aligning with their main holiday period. However, this seasonality poses challenges, such as overcrowding and resource strain in tourist areas during busy periods, while quieter times can result in underutilized facilities and job instability. Efforts to manage and balance tourism demand throughout the year remain crucial for sustainable tourism development in the region. Croatia, known for its stunning coastline, exhibited the most pronounced seasonal pattern, with 60 per cent of overnight stays taking place in the two peak summer months. Bulgaria, with its resorts along the Black Sea coast, and Greece followed closely behind, with 48 per cent and 43 per cent respectively of nights spent in July and August. Similarly, Albania and Montenegro, among the EU candidate countries of the Western Balkans, experienced a high concentration of nights spent during these months. While Malta and Finland showed the least seasonal variation, Germany closely followed with 26 per cent of total nights spent. In the EU overall, August recorded the highest number of nights spent in 2022, accounting for 18 per cent of the total, with July following closely at 16 per cent. The summer months also saw a significant number of arrivals, contributing 14 per cent each to the total for the year. With the travel industry back in full swing, European cities once again find themselves grappling with the challenges of over-tourism. By choosing off-peak seasons and practising sustainable tourism, travellers can help preserve these European cities cultural heritage and local charm. Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth recently paid a visit to Bina Kak, an actor-turned-politician, and their reunion has sparked excitement among fans. The pictures from their get-together have surfaced online, spreading joy and curiosity among their followers. Although Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth have been the subject of dating rumours in the past, they have remained tight-lipped about their relationship status. Despite this, their public appearances together and social media activities have often hinted at a strong bond between them. Take a look at the pictures: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bina Kak (@kakbina) In the first picture, Aditi Rao Hydari was captured sitting on the stairs while Bina stood next to her, accompanied by an adorable white dog. In the second photo, Siddharth joined them, and the trio flashed wide smiles for a selfie. Bina lovingly kept both Aditi and Siddharth close to her for the shot. The last picture showcased the radiant happiness of both Bina and Aditi as they looked into the camera. Aditi lovingly refers to Bina Kak as Guddi Maasi." Bina expressed her joy when they visited her stating, Happiest when the children visit me at home." The post immediately garnered a flurry of red heart emoticons from numerous fans in the comment section. Binas daughter, Amrita Kak, also joined in, dropping two red heart emojis. On Friday, Aditi and Siddharth were spotted together at the Mumbai airport, although they didnt pose with each other. Aditi, however, acknowledged the presence of the paparazzi by waving at them. She struck poses for photographs at the airport, while Siddharth took charge of pushing the luggage trolley ahead. During an interview with Indian Express, Siddharth opened up about his decision not to address the rumours surrounding his relationship with Aditi Rao Hydari. The actor expressed his desire to lead a private life, free from the constant scrutiny that comes with being in the public eye. I want to live my life without it being the subject of The Truman Show. I am not a reality show character, I just like to live my life just like how I would have lived it 50 years ago, 100 years ago, or 150 years. Just because everyone has a mobile phone and camera in their hand doesnt mean that I want to be part of that," he said. Siddharth acknowledged that he will inevitably be asked about his personal life, but he remains firm in his stance and accepts that people will always want to know more than he is willing to share. He concluded by saying, Whatever happens in my life, will happen speculation." Siddharth and Aditi first met in 2021 while working together on the Telugu film Maha Samudram." Before their rumoured relationship, Aditi was previously married to actor Satyadeep Mishra. On the other hand, Siddharth tied the knot with Meghna Narayan in November 2003, but they separated paths in January 2007. Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh who played Shah Rukh Khans on-screen father in the 2007 hit movie Om Shanti Om recently revealed his remuneration during an interview. His answer didnt really sit well with a few of his countrymen. During an interview, the veteran actor revealed that he charged only Re 1 to work with Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan. In an interview with Gloss Etc, Javed was asked about his experience working on the Farah Khan film. After being finalised for the film, there was a discussion about his fee. He shared, Their manager came to me, and said they needed to sign the contract. I said, Yes. What will be your fee? I said I wont take any money. He explained, The thing is that firstly its a matter of honour for me that I am playing Shah Rukhs father in his biggest film ever. India has so many actors. You choose anyone and they will be ready to take on this role. But Shah Rukh and Farah Khan choosing me is a thing of honour for me. Thats why, because of Farah and Shah Rukh, I will not take any money. Reportedly, the manager then refused to listen and said it was against the rules. After having a long discussion about it, Javed finally suggested, You go and tell Shah Rukh I will take just one rupee. Im not joking. Then, the films team decided how much Javed should be paid. When they sent me the first cheque, it was shocking itself. Netizens have now expressed their disappointment with his take. According to a news portal Reviewit.pk, one of them wrote, This is what you call not having any self-respect. Another comment read, Thats again showing them how little we are and you are our superior. Very unprofessional, read another one. Back in 2007, Farah Khans Om Shanti Om turned out to be one of the biggest blockbusters in the history of Indian cinema. The movie also marked the debut of actress Deepika Padukone. Helmed by Farah Khan, the movie also starred Arjun Rampal in a negative role. Veteran actor Gufi Paintal passed away on Monday while in his sleep after his heart gave up," as stated by his nephew, Hiten Paintal. The late actor is survived by his son, daughter-in-law and a grandchild. The last rites will be held today at around 4 pm at a crematorium in suburban Andheri in Mumbai. He gained wide recognition and fame for his portrayal of Shakuni mama in BR Chopras popular television show, Mahabharat, which ran between 1988 and 1990. In an exclusive chat with News18, veteran actor Nitish Bharadwaj, who played Lord Krishna in the television series, recalls some of his fondest moments with Gufi, who was also the casting director of Mahabharat. As struggling actors, we would take our pictures to him and tell him, Gufi ji, kaam do, kaam do. He would say, Haan yaar, kuch karta hoon Ravi (Chopra; filmmaker) ji ke saamne photo rakhta hoon. While I was developing my character of Krishna, he along with Ravi Chopra was very appreciative of my work. Later, we developed a very good friendship. When I directed my first feature film in Marathi, he was there for the trials. He was very generous and always respected my work. He was very senior to me but he never behaved like one, he elaborates. Speaking about Gufis memorable portrayal of Shakuni mama, Nitish says, As Shakuni, he used to walk with a limp and the genesis of that was the fact that his hip was in pain. Ravi ji decided to use that injury as a physical trait for Shakunis character. He had to live through that injury to play his character and that was quite a big deal. Unlike the equation shared by Krishna and Shakuni, the duo shared an easy and warm camaraderie in real life. Shedding light on the same, the Kedarnath (2018) and Mohenjo Daro (2016) actor tells us, When I was cast as Krishna in Mahabharat, we shared a relationship full of hate onscreen. As a human being, Gufi was a simple and encouraging man. After a rough patch in his career, he had just about started doing a play on Mahabharat and relived the joy of playing Shakuni. He was enjoying doing his play. Our friendship was so jovial that I could say anything to him even though he was so senior. Nitish goes on to reveal that he spoke to Gufis son yesterday and that he was supposed to visit his friend and colleague this evening at the hospital where he was admitted. Im travelling and Im supposed to reach Bombay today. I spoke to his son yesterday and he told me that the doctors are saying he would recover. This evening, I was supposed to go and see him at Bellevue Hospital, he says. Still reeling from the news of Gufis passing, he adds, Friends leaving you is always sad. When I look back at my life, I think friends are the most cherished treasure that Ive earned. When a friend goes away, it feels like a part of you is gone. Im so sad but Ive to accept it. He passed away too quickly. This wasnt a time for him to go. I do remember the teachings of Bhagwad Gita that anything that is born has to die and anything that dies will be reborn. If any of his desires are left incomplete, I would want him to come back and fulfil them. Reminiscing his last conversation with Gufi, Nitish emotionally says, I spoke to him a month ago. He was very keen that I play Krishna in his play. He had been asking me to do it for a long time but Ive been saying a no. He called me up and told me, Arrey yaar, tu toh karle, maza aa jaayega. We hardly had any scenes together in Mahabharat. We were dying to share screen space with one another. But I had to tell him a no again because I was doing my own play, Chakravyuh and I didnt want both of them to clash. Filmmaker BR Chopras 1988 show Mahabharat became an instant hit on television and has remained etched in the minds of the audience till date. It was the first project that brought actors Puneet Issar and Gufi Paintal together. While the former played Duryodhan, Paintal who was also the casting directors of the show played Shakuni mama in it. In 2013, they again collaborated on a film titled Mahabharat Aur Barbareek, where they reprised their respective characters from the television series. A few years back, the duo worked together in the play Mahabharata The Epic Tale, which was written and directed by Issar. As Paintal breathed his last today, Issar exclusively speaks to News18 and says, I cannot put my feelings into words because how much ever I talk about Gufi saab, it is always going to be less. I cant believe he is gone. He was a fighter and full of life. I feel fortunate that he was a part of my play Mahabharat: The Epic Tale which was narrated from Duryodhans perspective. When I told him that he had to play Shakuni mama, a character that was synonymous with him, he instantly agreed. I just feel blessed that we did 80 shows together. Issar reveals that he recently went to visit him at the hospital. I had gone to see him in hospital on June 1 just before I flew to Delhi to perform our play last weekend. He was in coma and I felt numb seeing him in that state, he says. The Kashmir Files actor further tells us that despite Paintals ill-health, he kept going and put his best foot forward to perform shows. The last time he performed on stage was on January 29. Throughout the last year, his health wasnt keeping well, so he would be in and out of hospital. But his commitment to work was simply commendable. Our play was three hours long and sometimes we would do two shows in a day and he would stand and perform like no one else. He was one actor who would surely get whistles and claps on his entry and in the end would always get a standing ovation from the audience, Issar recalls. Revisiting their Mahabharat shoot days, he adds, When the show was telecast on Doordarshan, our jodi of mama-bhanja (Shakuni mama and Duryodhan) was a big hit among the audience. Whenever we would go out, people would call us Shakuni mama and Duryodhan and not our real names. Over the years, whenever we collaborated, it was always a learning experience. Giving us a sneak peek into one of Paintals hidden talents, Issar shares, Not many people are aware that he was an amazing writer and had a knack for writing shayaari and poetries. He also had an amazing sense of humour and on sets, he would entertain everyone. So, how would he want to remember his friend and peer? As a person, he was always ready to learn. Whenever I would talk to him, I would see a childlike quality in him but at the same time, he was a kind and caring person and was always open to suggestions. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace, says Issar. Paintal died on Monday (June 5) at the age of 78. He was hospitalised for undisclosed health reasons and was reportedly in critical condition. He is survived by his son, daughter-in-law and a grandchild. His nephew Hiten Paintal had said that the actor had been suffering from heart issues and blood pressure. The last rites will be held today at around 4 pm at a crematorium in suburban Andheri. Telugu film industrys most eligible bachelor Sharwanand is getting ready for a new beginning in his personal life. The young actor who got engaged to Rakshita Reddy, a US-based techie earlier in January finally tied the knots on June 3 at Jaipurs The Leela Palace. While the wedding pictures are yet to be shared by the newly-wed couple, several snaps from their D+Day found its way to social media that also featured the RRR star Ram Charan in attendance with several other prominent faces from the Telugu film industry like producer Vamsi as well politicians. One could see Sharwanand and his wife Rakshitha Reddy looking their best in ethnic ivory attires in the viral picture. Meanwhile, their wedding festivities had begun from Friday itself with the poolside haldi ceremony. Take a look at the pictures. Hearty Congratulations to our dearest @ImSharwanand anna on his wedding with #Rakshita May this beginning of a beautiful journey be filled with love, joy, and companionship We wholeheartedly wish you both a lifetime of love, laughter, and togetherness #Sharwanand pic.twitter.com/9Bn0pcgzH9 (@UrsVamsiShekar) June 4, 2023 Sharwanands followers will surely be interested to know more about his fiancee Rakshita. As stated in reports, Rakshita is a US-based software engineer and hails from a family of politicians. According to reports, the brides grandfather is the politician Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy, and her father Madhusudhan Reddy is a lawyer in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. Only a few days back, Sharwanand met with a road accident after his car lost control and collided with a road divider at Jubilee Hills. After the accident, nearby residents came for Sharwanands aid and rushed him to the hospital to get him prompt medical treatment. The actor later took to his Twitter handle to inform all his fans about his well-being. He wrote, There has been news that my car met with an accident this morning. It was a very minor incident. I am absolutely safe and sound at home with all your love and blessings. There is nothing to worry about. Thank you all for your concern. Have a great Sunday everyone." Sharwanand will reportedly essay an important role in a film directed by Arjun Sarja, which earlier had actor Vishwak Sen in the lead. These reports emerged after Vishwak was removed from this project. Apart from being a stellar actor, Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra has also been a huge advocate of sustainable living and environmental conservation. On World Environment Day, he joined forces to invoke community participation with fans for planting trees. This initiative follows Sidharth Malhotras previous successful venture with Sadhguru on World Environment Day, where they joined hands for the Save Soil. This initiative sought to enhance the nations green cover, showcasing Sidharths dedication to environmental sustainability. Now, in yet another noteworthy effort, Sidharth Malhotra has teamed up with fans to plant trees. This powerful collaboration is set to make a significant impact in nurturing our environment and creating a greener future for all. Setting a benchmark for fans, the suave actor creates awareness and inspires action towards environmental conservation. His influence as an actor amplifies the message of sustainability, instilling a sense of responsibility in his followers. Together, they can make a remarkable difference. Speaking about the tree plantation, Sidharth Malhotra said, I am happy to be a part of the initiative that I undertook with my team. It is our collective responsibility to work towards the betterment of the environment and inspire others to join us in creating a greener world for future generations. On this World Environment Day, Lets make sustainable choices, for this world is not just mine, but ours!" Sharing a video from the tree plantation, he wrote, The collective responsibility is #NotMineButOurs Today, the team & I planted trees in the vicinity. It is our collective responsibility to help save the planet and ensure we leave a happy and thriving planet for the future generations. Join us in celebrating World Environment Day by planting trees and embracing a sustainable lifestyle. Lets show our planet some love! Here is to getting our hands dirty for Mother Earth! #WorldEnvironmentDay Interestingly, the actor roped in his team including hair and make-up artists among others to join him in this cause. Sidharths message is clear: together, we can make a significant difference. Let us follow his lead, join hands, and plant the seeds of a sustainable future in our own neighbourhoods. Through our collective actions, we can create a ripple effect of positive change and leave a lasting legacy of environmental stewardship. The Delimitation Commission of India is one powerful organ. It possesses two critical functions. The first constitutes determining boundaries of Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies based on censuses. The second, as stipulated by Article 82 of the Constitution, requires that the number of Lok Sabha seats per state is recalibrated after each census, by the Delimitation Commission, in accordance with the population numbers and ratios of all states. The second function has remained dormant for nearly fifty years since the Emergency. The last census upon which delimitation took place was conducted in 1971. In 1976, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi placed a suspension on the delimitation of seats for 25 years, until 2001. Such suspension has been kept in place in part, in reflection and virtue of long-standing efforts within the country to pursue a progressive, gradual, yet substantive shift towards greater reproductive responsibility. As V. Venkatesan noted in an article for The Hindu in 2001, the Constitution (Ninety-First) Amendment Bill was implemented to ensure that states were not penalised for soundtrack records in family planning and containing their population growth rates. Any delimitation would have very real and significant implications for all states in the country. The Finance Commission currently apportions funds based on population figures from the 1971 census. The corollary here is that states should not be punished for advancing socio-economic development and improving the average quality of life of their citizens. Indeed, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself acknowledged in a 2019 speech, there remains an active and patriotically rooted case for population control within India. As it stands, the current suspension will expire by 2026. Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building, one with a vastly expanded capacity of 888 for the Lok Sabha and 384 for the Rajya Sabha. Ensuing this move is a nascent flurry of speculation that a new delimitation will be undertaken in three years time and, should prior rules of allocation apply, this could prove to be a seismic move in Indias parliamentary history. One of us is an Oxford-based political science scholar. The other works extensively on public policy and politics in Tamil Nadu. We both have limited and positionality-shaped attitudes towards the delimitation issue. Neither of us has a perfect grasp of what Indian democracy should or should not be. Yet, at the end of the day, we remain convinced that there are certain guiding principles that should prove to be rather uncontentious for all who truly care for the democratic future of this dynamic, fascinating country. The first consideration is that the best-performing democracies are often ones that are undergirded by a unifying sense of purpose and commitment to national development. Economically productive states, buoyed by slower population growth rates and more concentrated investment into the stock of human capital, play a key role in ensuring Indias continued rise on the global stage as a genuine powerhouse. Indias three richest states (Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat) are three times richer than its three poorest states and have also been some of the most forward and compliant states on the front of population management. A states successful management of fertility rates goes hand-in-hand with strengthening its economic bargaining power, quality of innovation, and investability. For Indian democracy to sustainably flourish, we must take into account the incentive and stakes engendered by public policies, especially when it comes to something as fundamental as the level of representation on the national level. The second consideration concerns fairness. Fair play is necessary but insufficient for democracies to succeed. As it stands, the Indian political system is somewhat skewed against more economically developed states, which include but are not limited to states in the South. With 21 percent of the national population, south Indian states contribute over 30 percent of Indias national GDP. Select states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu received less than Rs30 from the Centrein the form of taxes devolved and other transfersfor every Rs100 they contributed to the Central exchequer in 2016-17, whilst states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh received around 200% and 150%, respectively of what they contributed. Reforms since then have not performed the much-needed redistribution in favour of states that have taken up the lions share of burdens in driving the Indian economy forward through digitalisation and agrarian modernisation. Indeed, a delimitation, at this point, would only further exacerbate already-rife inequalities that place into question the fairness of the fiscal system. If we believe that democracies should recognise hard work, net utility, and economic productivity as instrumental in establishing institutional fairness, then we must think twice about delimitation as a practical proposition. The third consideration pertains to the importance of balancing the plurality of interests and demographic groups whose buy-in is vital to the sustenance of the Indian democratic project. Estimates suggest that the new delimitation would give rise to 222 seats for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (as compared with 120 at present) and 165 for the five Southern states (129 at present). The net result is a substantial reduction in the proportion of seats for states that have adopted more proactive measures in restraining population growth over the past decades. To put this into further perspective, the proportion of seats accorded to states with prominent Hindu majorities may increase from 40 percent in the status quo to about 51 percent, whilst reducing the percentage of MPs in non-Hindu-majority states in the South from 25 percent to 18 percent. For context, Indias ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to win less than one-sixth of the parliamentary seats in the South and yet has consistently consolidated its popularity across vast swathes of North India. The authors of this piece do not agree completely with simplistic narratives portraying this as purportedly unfair or procedurally unjust. The level of support the BJP has enjoyed across vast swathes of the Indian demographic should be acknowledged. Yet, such support must be weighed up and balanced against the interests, preferences, and values of states that fall outside conventional BJP strongholds. Both the North and the South matter. Regional representation is crucial towards long-term democratic stability. Here, a commonly lodged challenge is that without the upcoming delimitation, the average number of people represented by each seat in the Lok Sabha would vary precipitously across states, thereby precipitating an inequality in representation. Surely, if we accept the premise that all should be equal in democracies, then we should also grant every citizen equal weight and capacity in affecting the composition and decision of their national legislature. Are we, not all equal? Yet, such an unctuous argument merely conceals the underlying problem that has long plagued Indian democracy: the fundamental hegemony of the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system gives rise to unhealthy, winner-take-all vicious politics on a state-based level. It renders the case that all who vote for candidates who do not belong to the plurality-winning party within a particular constituency, are fundamentally voiceless. It means that a party with perhaps just slightly over 30 percent vote share in a constituency can acquire the purported right to rule with a complete majority, shutting out the remaining 70 percent of voters who may be split between four to five parties. We do not dispute that voters should bear in part the responsibility for the outcomes of their votes. Nevertheless, we would do well to remember that FPTP tends to work best in small or medium-sized homogenous countries where ethnic rifts and sectarian rivalries are less stark and apparent. For instance, the United Kingdom (where even there, the system has come under substantial criticism for its failure to capture accurately the general will of the public). In a country as heterogeneous and complex as India, the quest for preserving a healthy, thriving democracy motivates an electoral system that can proportionately and accountably represent the voices of all individuals, regardless of their race and ethnicity, religiosity or caste. A system that enables any party to claim de facto total control over a region through locking in support of 30-35 percent of the local population, is not a sound system. The above has exposed a tragic fact of reality. As it stands, Indian citizens are not equals in the status quo. Delimitation would not only exacerbate the disparities between states and regions, but it would also conceal the underlying roots of the democratic deficit we experience today. Most worryingly, it pits Indian citizens against one another across arbitrary and divisive cleavages North vs South, Tamil-majority vs Hindi-majority states, so on and so forth. The Indian citizenry, in theory, united by our shared love for a multi-ethnic, cosmopolitan, and all-encompassing Indian identity, could well be split asunder by the untimely reopening of historical wounds and ideological debates. India could do better than to submit to the volatility and vicissitudes of ceaseless and ultimately futile bickering over the number of seats assigned to different states and cities. It could do better by focusing on improving the accountability of the Union government to its people, and strengthening of ties and mutual assistance between wealthier and poorer states, without imposing undue burdens or restrictions on voters. We believe the future of Indian democracy can be bright, but only if pragmatism and prudence prevail over the question of delimitation. Salem Dharanidharan is a spokesperson for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and a co-founder of the Oxford Policy Advisory Group; Brian Wong is a Rhodes Scholar and DPhil in Politics candidate at Balliol College, University of Oxford, and a co-founder of the Oxford Policy Advisory Group. Views expressed are personal. The topic of this article is a bit unusual and not one of my routine focus areas such as security, foreign policy, and diplomacy. However, in the intuitive crevices of my subconscious mind, it is deeply intertwined with national security and foreign policy. Also, let me confess that this issue has dwelled and is deeply entrenched in my mind over the last 15 years. On several occasions, I thought of sharing it with my readers. At times, I did discuss this with my friends, intellectuals, religious scholars, and strategic experts in random and casual conversations; however, this is the first time I am presenting this thought in a structured manner for the readers. Why India Needs a New Capital This question may sound either extremely disturbing, revolutionary, or even lunatic to many readers. Such reactions are normal. However, I will try to answer these questions in this piece. My theoretical explanation discussing and analysing the whys and hows of my revolutionary or lunatic proposal ventures into history, strategy, sociology, astrology, and spirituality. Never a Capital of Any Powerful Indian King To begin with, arguments drawn from history can help build a robust case for proposing the idea of a new capital. Delhi was never the capital city of any of the powerful and legendary Indian empires and kings in both written and recorded history, and the unwritten and believed history. Lord Ramas capital was in Ayodhya and Lord Krishnas seat of power was in Dwarka (Gujarat). Interestingly, he was the most powerful king of his age, and he abandoned Mathura, a city that is closer to Delhi and was vulnerable to frequent attacks by his adversary, the demon king Jarasandh. Also, Mathura as a Yaduvanshi capital witnessed the rise of deceitful imposters like Kansa who made the Yadava capital city a hotbed of political intrigues and conspiracies. Later, in the Harappan civilisation, flourishing urban centres thrived in Gujarat (Dholavira) and Sindh (Mohenjo Daro) and a few in North India, such as Rakhigarhi. Delhi does not find a mention. Among the 16 Mahajanpadas, the Magadha region in todays Bihar became the most powerful kingdom. The first Indian empire of Nandas was in Magadha, followed by those of the Mauryas. Notably, Alexander had a tough time dealing with the hill tribal kingdoms of the Punjab-Afghanistan region. His victories are a matter of academic debate; however, after his much-touted victories against the Indian king Porus, his army was worn out, fatigued and exhausted. He had no energy left to chase the mighty Indian king with 60,000 elephants, sitting 3000 kms away in a strategically built capital city of Patliputra, surrounded by rivers on three sides. Imagine, if Delhi had been Indias capital, Alexander would have been much emboldened after his initial minor successes and moved ahead to attack the capital city. Likewise, other great Indian kingdoms like Guptas, Satvahanas, Cholas, Gujar-Pratiharas etc. never had a capital in Delhi. Guptas, known for their golden era, ruled from Prayagraj, Satvahanas from Pratishthana (todays Aurangabad region), Cholas from Uraiyur (modern Tiruchirappalli) and Chalukyas from Aihole (Karnataka) and Badami. King Harshvardhana, after whom Indias glorious ancient era started declining, also ruled from Kannauj. Notably, with time, Indias seat of power in North India moved from Patliputra and Prayagraj to Kannauj under Harvardhana and finally to Delhi under Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu ruler of Delhi. As we all know, after his defeat began an era of Islamic conquest, temple destructions and forced conversions, and the decline of Hindu glory, culture, and socio-religious institutions. The legendary king of Indian stories like Betal Pachisi and Singhasan Battisi, and many folklores, Raja Vikramaditya ruled from Ujjaini. Later, another glorious king Bhoj Parmar also ruled from Ujjaini. Ancient-era Indians had a highly developed sense of sub-continental geography. The ancient literature has umpteen references to various cities like Varanasi, Paithan, Patliputra, Badami, Kaling etc. Ancient religious texts like Mahabharata and Ramayana have detailed descriptions of 16 Mahajanpadas, their capitals and the other centres of economic, religious, and cultural importance. Even foreign territories like Bahlika (North-western regions), Sri Lanka, Java Sumatra and Siam have been discussed. The 12 Jyotirlingas and 52 Shaktipeethas also demonstrate a highly refined understanding of the geography of ancient Indians. Given that, the very fact that Delhi does not find a serious mention as a city of strategic, economic, or religious importance, certainly raises a question why it was considered suitable to be a capital city? From a strategic point of view, it can be argued that Delhi could never be a great choice for the capital city because India faced major invasions from the Northwest. After crossing the Hindukush mountains, the invaders could easily reach the outskirts of Delhi within a month or two. The battles fought in Panipat by Prithviraj Chauhan, Ibrahim Lodhi and Marathas always gave a psychological edge to the enemy. The very fact that the main capital city was just a step away from the Panipat might have boosted the confidence of the enemy. At the same time, it would have put great mental pressure on the defending side as they were likely to perceive the Panipat battle as the last and the only chance to ward off the enemy which they could not afford to lose at any cost. Also, the capital city closer to the frontier areas was likely to make the border kings and subjects complacent that they would be saved by the king and his huge army, located a few hundred miles away. On the other hand, having a capital city in a place like Patliputra, Ujjaini and Prayagraj imparted a sense of urgency in building robust self-defence mechanism against the invaders as the royal armies might take time to traverse the huge distance and come to their rescue. Also, capital city far away from the borders dampened the hopes of the foreign invaders. Facing stiff resistance on the borders, the foreign invaders felt demoralised and often found themselves reluctant to move forward. Moreover, if they faced a strong centralised empire like the Mauryas, Nandas and Guptas, the mere thought of a mighty royal army sitting thousands of miles away scared them. Further, the ordeal of crossing those thousands of miles full of dense forests, wild animals, heat, hostile terrain, climate and the war-like hostile population motivated many legendary empire builders to find their way back home. History of Bloodshed, Chaos, and Disorder In the history of Bharatvarsha/Aryavarta, the Delhi region is associated with bloodshed, internal feuds, chaos, and a decline of values. Towards the end of Dwapar Yuga, a major battle Mahabharata was fought in Kurukshetra, a battleground near the Delhi region, in todays Haryana. The battle was fought between the brothers Pandavas, the rulers of Indraprastha and Kauravas, the rulers of Hastinapur, both in the modern Delhi region. In Indian mythology and the discourse prevailing in the Sanatana spiritual and religious quarters, the Mahabharata battle is considered the most destructive battle of mankinds history. It is believed that in that battle, brahmastra, a mythical weapon of mass destruction, was used. With the Mahabharata war, Kshatriyas are said to have vanished, Kali Yuga started, and the decline of mighty Sanatana Dharma and civilisation began. Acharya Osho Rajneesh, one of the most learned Indian spiritual masters, in one of his discourses said that after Mahabharata, India has declined in every respect i.e., economy, culture, war and strategy, and this downward spiral has been continuous. Coming to recorded history, when Prithviraj Chauhan shifted his capital to Delhi, while presiding over as its ruler, he was defeated by Afghan invader Muhammad Ghori (1192-93). The Mamluk dynasty kings during the Sultanate period (1193- 1527) had their capital in Delhi. However, they could never have a stable reign of peace and prosperity. Raziya Sultana, the successor of Aibak and Iltutmish, was killed. Her successor was ousted by Balban, one of the main 40 Shamsi slaves (slaves of Balban). Balbans successors were killed and ousted by the Khaljis, who, in turn, were replaced by Tughlaqs. Finally, the Afghan Lodhis occupied the Delhi throne, and they were routed and ousted by Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty in India. Notably, during the Sultanate rule, there was hardly a period of relative stability, peace, and prosperity. There were foreign invasions by Mongols, bloody internal intrigues, palace coups and murders, staunch resistance by the Hindu kings in the hinterland, farmers revolts in North India and massive revolts by the local rulers in Bengal. The central authority remained perpetually weak during the Sultanate period and over time, an array of regional kingdoms emerged powerful such as Mewar, Marwar, Malwa, Gujarat, Vijaynagar, Pandyas, Kakatiyas, Jaunpur etc. Coming to the Mughals, it can be argued that they enjoyed a relative period of peace and stability until the time Agra was their capital city. However, after Shahjahan shifted the capital to Delhi in 1638, the Mughal decline started. For about seven years, Shahjahan remained a prisoner of the usurper king Aurangzeb and died a miserable and lonely death in the Agra fort. With Aurangzebs rise and his execution of Dara Shikoh, the liberal prince and the rightful heir, the semblance of tolerance for non-Muslims practised by some of the early Mughal rulers came to a tragic end, following which began an era of an extremely fanatic and bigoted state policy centred on hatred and animosity towards Hindus and Sikhs. As evident from history, Aurangzebs reign was marked by massive religious persecution of Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians (in a few cases). Temple demolition and forced conversions became the order of the day. Economically, the empire was drained by the Mansabdars and their corrupt land revenue-cum-taxation practices. Long-drawn and unsustainable wars, mainly with Marathas, Sikhs and to some extent with Rajputs, also drained the Mughal empire of its resources. After Aurangzebs death, within 50 years, the Mughal empire was confined to the outskirts of Delhi. In the span of less than 50 years, there were six to seven incompetent kings ruling as puppets of the ambitious nobles. These ambitious nobles staged palace coups, killed the kings, and enthroned the new puppets. The puppet kings like Mohammad Shah Rangeela, had no charisma, strength and capability. They merely indulged in womanising and drinking. Ruled by such nincompoops, Delhi was open to plundering, murder and loot by foreign invaders like Nadir Shah, who is said to have killed 70,000 people in Delhi in three days (1739). Once again, the central authority collapsed and a range of local strongholds emerged such as Nawabs of Awadh, Marathas of Poona, Nizams of Hyderabad, Hyder Ali/Tipu Sultan of Mysore, and the East India Company, emerging as the most powerful player. Coming to the British, it can be observed that their kingdom and clout was intact and expanding, not only in India, but globally, until they ruled from Calcutta. They could even survive the bloody revolt of 1957. However, the British decline started after they shifted the capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1912. In December 1911, the British emperor announced the shifting of the capital to Delhi. In 1912, during the capital shifting ceremony, Indian revolutionaries Ras Bihari Bose and Madan Lal Dhingra threw a bomb to kill the Viceroy, Lord Hardinge. He survived; however, his wife succumbed to the injuries. After 1912, the world order began to change with the onset of the decline of Pax-Britannica. By the beginning of the first world war, Germany and Japan had emerged as serious contenders. After the end of the first world war, the US and USSR had largely replaced the British as the superpowers. In India, the British faced serious challenges and disruptions from armed revolutionaries, mass movements like the Non-Cooperation (1919), Civil Disobedience (1930), Quit India movement (1942) and armed forces rebellions like the naval mutiny and Netaji-led INA attack. Economically also, the British were finding it hard to wield the Indian empire, the jewel in the British crown. After World War II, the British Empire was liquidated within a span of 20 years. Image and Memories in collective psychology Having discussed the history of Delhi, I would like to reiterate that in the civilisational sub-conscious plane of all those Indians who nurture moorings in history and Sanatana spiritual essence, Delhi holds a certain image. Built and destroyed several times, this city revives unpleasant memories of historical blunders and moments that had the potential to alter Indias historical trajectory. Since the Mahabharata times, Delhis image is associated with internal feuds, deceit, palace intrigues, manipulation, chaos, conflict, and instability. It is seen as the facilitator of centrifugal tendencies, detrimental to a strong central empire. Secondly, it was mostly ruled by foreign invaders, Islamic and the British; hence indigenous Indians anchored in Sanatana identity perceive it as a symbol of slavery, antithetical to Sanatana ethos and institutions. In the Islamic period i.e., during the Sultanate and Mughal rule, those individuals and institutions flourished which laid the foundation of modern-day Islamic radicalisation, polarisation, and Jihadist terrorism in South Asia. During Islamic rule, radical clerics like Sheikh Ahmed Sarhindi and Shah Waliullah advocated hatred against Hindus, Jizya, forced conversions and temple demolitions. Firuz Tughlaq, who burnt a Brahmin alive, and Mohammad Bin Tughlaq, under whose reign thousands of farmers were killed, ruled from Delhi. Aurangzeb, the last mighty Mughal emperor, and a poster boy of Islamic fanaticism, who executed Sikh gurus, destroyed temples like Kashi Vishwanath and converted people, ruled from Delhi. The Islamic radicalisation led to Indias partition and bloody communal riots. Todays gravest internal security threat i.e., Islamic radicalisation and terrorism is perceived as a direct or indirect outcome of the events, institutions, ethos, and individuals that defined and shaped Islamic rule. Under British rule, the Sanatana civilisation underwent further decline, deterioration, and marginalisation. In both these periods, there were massive revolts against the imperial authority of Delhi by religious groups, local kings, chieftains, monks, and landlords. In fact, the phrase Dilli Durbar became a symbol of imperial authority and oppression. After independence, India continued Delhi as the national capital. Along with that, we retained and strengthened the colonial values and essence in all the state institutions that we inherited from the British such as the judiciary, civil service, armed forces, academia, constitution, and our parliamentary democracy. Therefore, even today, Delhi does not evoke those sentiments, religious and cultural bonding, and spiritual moorings which a place like Banaras or Ujjain evokes. Delhi still appears like a remnant or a vestige of foreign powers and the politico-social culture they built. Before I make this point, it is pertinent to narrate what an Aghori mystic from Rajasthan Mangla Maharaj once told me. Answering my questions pertaining to Indias much-touted ancient glory, subsequent decline, Islamic conversions, terrorism, anglicised and opportunistic Bhurasahab-like colonial bureaucracy, and the breed of leftist and liberal intellectuals, academics and journalists reviled for their alleged hatred for Santana traditions, he said with a mystic smile, as long as you have Delhi as your capital, you will continue to witness the culture of dishonesty, scrupulousness, manipulation, hypocrisy, nepotism and inherent hatred for Sanatana values and institutions. His statement led me into a long discussion with him but I do not intend to digress and elaborate upon that here. However, the fact remains that Delhi was conquered, tortured, and plundered several times by foreign invaders. Having witnessed the horrors of massacres, rapes, and cultural genocide at the hands of the rapacious invading armies, the local population developed a strong sense of survival instincts. When survival instincts inform ones behaviour, thoughts, attitudes and actions, there is a strong likelihood of the erosion of values, morals, and ethics. It is like an apatdharma i.e., actions deemed fit to protect oneself in adverse circumstances. In such a situation, the relationship between the rulers (foreign invaders) and their terrified subjects was not based on openness, transparency, accountability, trust and genuine love and loyalty towards the state or the kings. The subjects became experts in manipulation by lying, bribery, sycophancy, and opportunism. Over time, such ethos was likely to become mainstream and we inherited them post-1947. With such ethos dominant in society, the development of an establishment or to put it better, an ecosystem, constituted by a class of selfish politicians, opportunistic bureaucracy, intellectually dishonest and deracinated breed of academics-journos-intellectuals and an elitist judiciary, was the most natural outcome. Also, by default, such an establishment was bound to be a poor replica of their erstwhile foreign masters and loathful towards Sanatana values. Lastly, in all my interactions with the spiritual leaders, masters, religious monks and organisations of Sanatana and the affiliated schools such as Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism, I have found that they do not relate comfortably with Delhi. They are reminded of the execution of Guru Teg Bahadur, Banda Bairagi and their religious compatriots, temple destructions and forced conversions, and dejection and humiliation in several other ways. They do not find the essence of Dharma and ethics in Delhis socio-cultural and political culture shaped by the rule and legacies of the foreign invaders. Even after independence, Hindu monks protesting cow slaughter were killed and most recently, Baba Ramdev, a spiritual guru, was humiliated and his followers mercilessly beaten while protesting corruption. The reason I have brought up this point is that whether we like it or not, agree or not, the spiritual forces including the organisations and individuals have played the most crucial role in bringing revolutionary changes in society, be it the Bhakti movement, 1857 revolt, social and religious reforms, peasant revolts, freedom struggle, formation of the Congress, science and technology, education and the rise of Marathas, Vijayanagara empire, Mewar etc. A place that does not sit well with Indias essence i.e. its spiritual forces and mystics, may not be a great choice for the capital. To conclude, I would like to raise a question Today, when India is inaugurating a new Parliament House, shouldnt we be pondering over a more fundamental question of changing Indias capital and finding a centrally located place with robust roots in Indias Sanatana civilisational legacy and values, and devoid of bitter colonial hangovers? Also, a place like that will not be alien to Southern and Eastern India, which often gets coverage for anti-Hindi and anti-North views. The author is a Cornell University graduate in public affairs, and bachelors from St Stephens College, Delhi, is a policy analyst specialising in counterterrorism, Indian foreign policy and Afghanistan-Pakistan geopolitics. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication. Listening to Rahul Gandhi during his speeches and conversations in India is often a comical relief. The same cannot be said when he is out of the country. From being the funny man of Indian politics, often uncharitably called Pappu by his politico-ideological opponents, he suddenly becomes out and out dangerous. Rahuls funny man mask falls this time again when he is in the United States. He has emerged as a prophet of doom, of terrifying prospects for India. Being out of power for nine straight years, and with 2024 not looking good either, he seems to have gathered a coalition of not just anti-BJP parties and institutions but of anti-India outfits. His allies arent just the ones looking to uproot the BJP but are antithetical to the very idea of India and are bent on derailing the India Story. Now, thats a Faustian bargain. Once committed, it cannot be undone without violent, malevolent repercussions. Rahuls grandmother, Mrs Indira Gandhi, allowed the militancy in Punjab to fester by initially appeasing the Bhindranwale and Co., but once the Khalistani genie was out of the Punjab bottle, it couldnt be pushed back before destroying a whole generation of Punjabis and consuming the life of Mrs Gandhi herself on 31 October 1984. His father, Rajiv Gandhi, too committed a similar faux pas with the Velupillai Prabhakaran-led Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which too ended disastrously with the assassination of the former Prime Minister in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, on 21 May 1991. The main architect of Rahul Gandhis foreign visits and interactions has been Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda, popularly known as Sam Pitroda. Head of the AICCs Overseas chapters, Pitroda, a US-based engineer-turned-policymaker, was Rajiv Gandhis go-to person on Indias modernisation/computerisation programme in the 1980s. One can sense Pitrodas deep sense of loyalty and gratitude for the Nehru-Gandhi family while reading his memoirs, Dreaming Big: My Journey to Connect India, wherein he writes how he and his wife, Anu, met Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 when the Indian prime minister was on a US visit. During the meeting, Rajiv reportedly told Pitrodas wife: Anu, I know Sam wants to come to India. I want you to make sure the childrens admission to school is taken care of. Its very important, and Sam may not understand these things in Delhi. Let me know. Its essential to get them into the right school. Rajiv had invested wisely in the Pitroda relationship, which is still paying dividends for his family. And as the recent Rahul visits to the UK and the US suggest, Pitroda retains the former AICC chiefs trust. There is no doubting Pitrodas resourcefulness, especially in the West. But this time, for Rahul Gandhis events in the US, he has enlisted the support of archetypally dubious anti-India elements from Islamists and Khalistanis to neo-Ambadkrites and Dravidian fanatics, all pushing for Indias balkanisation of differing shapes and sizes. Being an old hand in the West, Pitroda and by extension, Rahul Gandhi is expected to know the DNA of these outfits. This manifests the growing desperation in the Congress party. Maybe, the current generation of the Congress leadership, like Mrs Indira Gandhi and his son, Rajiv, believes these disparate, dangerous genies can be used and then put back in the bottle! Though Rahul Gandhis Muslim League is secular comment has received a lot of brickbats, it shouldnt surprise given that the Congress has been in alliance with the Kerala-based Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) for decades now. How else can the GoP in alliance with the IUML if the latter werent a secular entity? It doesnt matter if the leaders of the IUML, before Independence, had overwhelmingly worked for Jinnahs Muslim League and its Partition plan. In the Congresss minority-first notion of secularism, to actively participate in the creation of an Islamist Pakistan and then to stay back in secular India to continue the battle for Ghazwa-e-Hind, can be qualified as a heightened sense of nationalism, patriotism! As one Muslim leader mockingly told VS Naipaul, they unequivocally fought for Partition and then refused to leave the country. Now, thats called having the cake and eating it too. Its, however, Rahul Gandhis growing propensity to use the typical Soros-ian toolkit terms democracy is in danger, press freedom is sliding, minorities are selectively targeted, democratic institutions are compromised, et al that should be a cause of big concern. In his endeavour to speak what the West wants to hear, he has blurred the distinction between the government and the state. When the funny man Rahul questions Indias democratic credentials in the West, he instantly becomes dangerous. He seems to suggest that India is too enfeebled to self-correct itself and would need Western assistance. His sense of desperation gets the better of him when he even defends an Indian journalist arrested by the CBI for sharing sensitive defence information with foreign intelligence agencies. He calls it an assault on press freedom! What Rahul Gandhi and his team dont care to understand is that by discrediting India and its democracy, they have actually reduced themselves to being a pawn in the larger anti-India game being played in the West. The trick is, as David Horowitz and Richard Poe explain in their seminal book, The Shadow Party, to exert pressure for radical change from two directions simultaneously from the upper levels of government and from provocateurs in the streets. Through Rahul, these powerful Soros-ian forces are discrediting India from the top, and with the toolkit-oriented protests (Shaheen Bagh, farmers, wrestlers, etc), India is being squeezed from the bottom. The majority of the people would have no idea what was going on. Squeezed from above and below, most would sink into apathy and despair, believing they were hopelessly outnumbered by the radicals even though they were not. Thus could a radical minority impose its will on a moderate majority, even under a democratic, parliamentary system, add Horowitz and Poe. However, the biggest threat that Rahul Gandhi poses today is to the India Story, through his extreme Left tilt. He wants to rewind the clock to pre-1991 India, excessively focusing on the redistribution of wealth when the fact is that India lost its first 50 years precisely doing the same thing. It focused exclusively on wealth redistribution while failing to create it in the first place. Here a Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel anecdote that the late Nani Palkhivala mentioned in his book We, The Nation, comes to mind. It so happened that a group of socialists approached Sardar Patel and advocated the distribution of wealth among the poor. Patel listened to them patiently but when he could bear anymore, he told them to take his wealth and redistribute among the poor but leave the nation for good! Just the way his assault on Indias democratic credentials gets Western legitimacy, Rahuls extreme Leftism too suits the American-European interest. At a time when India is the worlds fastest growing economy, with the IMF identifying it as a bright spot in the world economy, theres a powerful lobby led by billionaire George Soros that wants to derail this India Story. The West just cant let India propel out of its ambit into an orbit of its own. With China already out of bounds, this is the last thing the West would want: To let India become too big to become absolutely autonomous, to sort its own problem. This way the global power centre would decisively shift Eastward. The Soros-ian West looks at Rahul Gandhi as a pawn to checkmate not just the Modi government but India as well. Its for the Congress leader to decide if he wants to fall into this dubious, dangerous trap. For, he may gain power but lose the nation. But most likely, he may still lose both power and the nation, as his speeches in the US may get applause in the West but have a negative chain reaction in India. Whats bad for the nation cannot be good politics either. The author is Opinion Editor, Firstpost and News18. He tweets from @Utpal_Kumar1. Views expressed are personal. An article on 2020 US presidential elections, Death by a thousand cuts: How Trump was robbed (Spectator Australia), details how Donald Trump was made to lose not by in the face criminality-like outright hacking of voting machines, but what can be better described as death by thousand cuts. None of these acts on its own amounted to prima facie wrongdoing, but in reality each is a scam that maintained a veneer of respectability. The article talks about how they changed election laws just before the polls in such a way where previously illegal practices were made legal (mail in ballots and standards of verification), role of Big Tech that hid anything about Joe Biden and his family corruption, particularly his son Hunter Biden laptop explosive revelations, $400 million donation by Mark Zuckerberg that created organisations that state governments hired to run the election in swing states across the nation, among others. The Zuckerberg-funded activist organisations which were supposed to be non-partisan focused their resources on multiple ways to benefit Biden and impede Trump in carefully selected counties with slim electoral vote margins. To top it all, Big Tech banned any criticism of the election. The article summarises the US 2020 election as, in combination, an election where western deep state used extraordinarily and deceitful measures as a new form of institutional gerrymandering particularly in few swing states to change the outcome of the election. While the situation in Bharat is not exactly the same as in the United States, the end goal of subversion of the election process to institute regime change in 2024 has actually started happening in full swing by the breaking India forces using various methods. The detailed micro and macro planning by well-funded experts cannot be missed by anyone with a discerning eye. Word is that there are about 220 to 240 Lok Sabha seats identified across the country where there is tacit agreement among Opposition parties to field only one strong candidate with a sprinkling of weak candidates from the rest of the Opposition parties. These locations must have been carefully selected with thin margins to engineer an outcome. Just as the article on US elections said, there is nothing wrong on the surface but the voter as well as competition (BJP) is deceived that it is a multi-party candidate election whereas in truth it is not. Just as in the US where supposedly non-partisan organisations created using a very large donation by Zuckerberg manipulated elections in carefully selected areas, India has its own set of NGOs, literally thousands funded by foreign entities. Adding to this, as documented in works like Snakes in the Ganga, there are many entities ostensibly created as companies providing services in the remote areas to circumvent Foreign Contribution Regulation Act laws. On the surface they are providing services but their reach is being used to propagate subtle messages to affect election outcomes. Their extensive reach to the last-mile voter can have deadly consequences for holding a free and fair election. In recently-held elections in Karnataka, third party campaigning is believed to have been done by several NGOs in the remote areas more than a year before the election, saying that the ruling BJP is a 40 percent cut party. The problem is these subtle campaigns are done in the name of NGOs established for public good or in the name of providing service. Worse, in the case of Karnataka it did not give a full picture of corruption in the state where the then Opposition party itself was led by someone accused of amassing thousands of crores of rupees in corruption. Free and fair elections in India are challenged by another phenomenon called freebies. The recent Karnataka elections is again a case in point (along with other states like Punjab, Delhi) where freebies promised are believed to have played a large role in election outcome. This will be one of the strategies that could be used in 2024 as well with carefully planned messages propagated through media, NGOs, dubious service organisations and third-party campaigning. This freebie culture raises many questions that the country needs to urgently address if democracy is to be preserved. First, these are not funded by politicians or political parties promising them, it is taxpayer funds. Do the parties have agreement from taxpayers to give away their funds? Then, there is even the issue of whether the promises made during elections to get votes can even be met, as is seen in Karnataka where big promises are made before elections and after winning elections, so many ifs and buts have been put in place to receive these freebies, which according to some outlets make almost everyone ineligible. None of the parameters for receiving the freebies was ever announced nor a true picture was given to voters before the elections. If voters were enticed and duped with such false promises, how can that be considered a free and fair election? On the other hand, if the promises for freebies are kept after winning elections causing a large drain on the state budget, were the voters informed of the consequences of the drain, the lack of funds to do development projects and other state-provided services? Then there is the question of making secret promises to sections of the voting community. Going back to Karnataka, after the election results were announced Muslim leaders stated that they were promised a Deputy CM and five ministerial positions that must have certainly helped to gain a large number of votes of that community which constitute about 13 percent of the total voter community in the state according to the 2011 census. When such wild promises are made, should this not be informed to the rest of the voting community before the elections so that an informed decision can be made by them? Yes, the bluff can be called when the next election comes after five years, but the voters get stuck for five years. One suspects this ploy will be used in 2024 as well, with deadly consequences. Last but not the least, there may be attempts at creating multiple artificially created regional and national disturbances to divide and incite communities using well-devised toolkits. One really hopes Bharat is prepared for these highly sophisticated and well-funded toolkits seeking to destabilise the country and usher in a regime change. The 2024 election will be a momentous one, in that case. The writer is a US-based activist who has played a critical role in the introduction of paper trail for Indias Electronic Voting Machines called VVPAT. Views expressed are personal. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that he was insistent upon heads of respective parties attending the opposition meet, which was scheduled on June 12, but has been postponed. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the JD(U) supreme leader said a new date for the much talked about meeting will be announced after consultation with all parties. We had to put off the June 12 meeting after the Congress and another party conveyed to me that they found the date inconvenient. I have therefore decided to postpone the meet and asked the Congress to suggest a new date after consultation with other parties. But I have made one thing very clear. All parties which agree to attend the meeting, must be represented by their respective heads, Kumar said. If any party insisted that it be represented by someone else, that would not be acceptable, he said. For example, there was an impression that the Congress may send someone else other than its president. This was something we could not accept, added Kumar, who has, since his exit from the NDA last year, embarked on a drive to bring together all parties opposed to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year. Last week, state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh had said that his party was planning to send one chief minister and another senior leader for the meeting. This had evoked taunts from the BJP, now in opposition in Bihar, which claimed neither Rahul Gandhi, who is abroad, nor Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president, was assigning much importance to the initiative of Nitish Kumar, despite being his ally in the state.` The idea of a meeting of opposition parties in Patna was first mooted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a press conference she addressed jointly with Kumar in April. Accompanied by his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, Kumar had visited Kolkata to meet the TMC chief who exhorted him to carry forward the legacy of Jayaprakash Narayan, referring to the socialist leaders revolt against the Indira Gandhi government before and during the Emergency. Kumar, who had served as the Railway Minister in the government headed by late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was also asked about the Balasore train crash which has killed close to 300 people. It is tragic and though I do not like to comment much on such mishaps, I cannot help saying that this governments moves like scrapping a separate rail budget betray its skewed priorities, said Kumar, who has for long been demanding that the system of a separate rail budget be restored. Railways are the most popular means of transport in the country. The masses use it. But I wonder whether this government wants to make the railways a relic of the past, worthy of being kept in museums, remarked Kumar. He also spoke at length about his resignation as Railway Minister upon a major train accident in Gaisal, West Bengal, in 1999, which respected Vajpayee ji was not ready to accept, but relented only after I remained adamant. The resignation was tendered by Kumar in the thick of Lok Sabha elections and he recalled with satisfaction that when Vajpayee formed a new government and he was back as Railway Minister all my recommendations with regard to modernisation were accepted and implemented. I did so much even for the state of the current Prime Minister. But he does not like to remember these things, said Kumar, obliquely referring to Narendra Modis tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Hundreds of users across the globe reported that Microsoft Corps product suite which includes Word, Excel and Outlook was down. Were investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web," Microsoft tweeted. The company said it is reviewing its networking systems and recent updates in an effort to identify the underlying root cause of the issue. Weve identified downstream impact for Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. Were providing full impact details and updates for those services via MO571683. Updates pertaining to Exchange and Outlook on the web will continue to be provided via EX571516," it said in a tweet. Were investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web. Further details can be found under EX571516 in the admin center. Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) June 5, 2023 The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the outage reports on Microsoft 365. Microsoft services have faced at least three outages since the beginning of the year. Downdetector tracks outages by collating status reports from several sources including users. Several users took to Twitter to raise complaint with Microsoft. @Outlook is down this morning; I guess its a sign to not do any work Legrand (@alex_legrand1) June 5, 2023 (With Reuters inputs) After going through 25 years of unsuccessful IVF treatments, a Scottish mother has finally experienced the miracle of giving birth. Helen Dalglish, who endured a total of 21 rounds of IVF and spent over 100,000 (more than Rs 1 crore), has expressed immense happiness as she welcomed her daughter, Daisy Grace. Despite enduring years of emotional pain, the 54-year-old never lost hope of becoming a mother. Helen expressed her profound sentiments saying, Once you have that little miracle in your arms, the 25 years fade away. I would look at my growing bump and wonder if it was all a dream. Even now, as I gaze at her, I cant quite believe Im a mother-it feels surreal." Helen, originally from Glasgow, moved to Cyprus in her twenties and began trying to conceive with her husband when she was 28 years old. After their return to Scotland, medical examinations revealed no apparent issues and they were diagnosed with unexplained infertility". While tests conducted in Cyprus highlighted a potential concern regarding the position of Helens uterus, she mentioned that medical professionals in Scotland did not find it worrisome. The couple initially underwent four intrauterine insemination procedures, where sperm is directly placed into the womb, but unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful. Subsequently, they transitioned to IVF. Due to the limitations of the National Health Service (NHS), the couple received only one free round of treatment. Over the next two decades, they persevered through a series of privately-funded attempts, despite generating high-quality embryos that failed to result in a successful pregnancy. Helen, however, remained determined and could still envision the day she would hold her baby. She acknowledged the emotional, physical and financial toll it took on them at times. At times, the couple decided to take breaks lasting a year or two from their fertility treatments. Since their diagnosis was unexplained infertility", they explored alternative approaches such as yoga, meditation and alternative health practices, hoping that by letting go and focusing on other aspects of life, pregnancy would occur naturally. The disappointment of failed attempts hit them hard, causing devastation akin to the loss of a loved one. Helen experienced a couple of weeks of emotional distress but then motivated herself to persevere, recognising that if she truly desired to have a baby, she needed to stay determined. She made a conscious effort to put the failed attempts behind her and approach each new round as a fresh start. Recently, Desis took to social media to create a trend with the phrase Kaam Aisa Karo, adding their own funny context through memes. This viral meme quickly caught the attention of Indian Twitter users, who now cant seem to get enough of it. They have now reimagined the meme with a new twist, using the phrase Movie Aisi Banao. This trend allows Bollywood fans to express their creativity by describing what their ideal movie would be about. With their often humorous tone, these users add their own context to complete the phrase, resulting in a delightful and entertaining meme trend. So, join the laughter ride of the Movie Aisi Banao meme fest as Indian Twitter is bringing fun and frolic with their humourous takes on this viral trend. Also Read: Under Construction Bihar Bridge Collapse Breaks Internet With Hilarious Memes From movies that can set the halls on fire until the next four generations to films so hilarious that even four people wouldnt bother watching them, the creativity of Desis knows no bounds. Movie aisi banao ki chaar log bhi na dekhein pic.twitter.com/MbkcT1mfQ0 Chetna (@chetna1714) June 2, 2023 Movie aisi banao, ki log criticize kar kar ke bhi multiple times dekhe https://t.co/r6plN0FDPU pic.twitter.com/evNUHQQnXb Shaharyar_MD (@iShaharyar_MD) June 2, 2023 Or movie aisi banao k first day collection ka adha bhi apne life time me #Akki paji na kar paye.. #ShahRukhKhan #AkshayKumar https://t.co/7PA20jNvf0 pic.twitter.com/7mzAFkhklL Kaifi Karimi (@iamkaifi_srkian) June 4, 2023 Movie aisi banao chaar log hamesha uski he baat karte rahein pic.twitter.com/dV2FvsqjKH (@Dilli_Wala_BF) June 2, 2023 Movie aisi banao, Subah release hoke shaam ko nikal jaaye theatre se https://t.co/rO1WuEDoNx pic.twitter.com/oXtWIVg15d JUST IMAGINE (@Candid_HRavi) June 2, 2023 Movie aisi banao ki ek hi parivaar ke chaar log saath baith ke naa dekh paayein pic.twitter.com/7XSs1613Ue Srishti (@swishtee) June 2, 2023 Movie aisi banao ke hafte me 4 din telecast ho pic.twitter.com/4vjdRhPvYb Am (@simply_am_) June 2, 2023 In fact, the Movie Aisi Banao trend has truly become a social media sensation, captivating users in multiple ways. It encompasses not only genuine appreciation for movies but also humorous ridicule, showcasing the diverse creativity of Indian Twitter. Previously, the Kaam Aisa Karo memes emerged, highlighting the motivational aspect of the Hindi phrase. However, Desis took a hilarious twist on this phrase and turned it into a goldmine of comedic situations. They effortlessly turned the tables and flooded Twitter with memes depicting comical situations that deviated from the original intention. Read More: Kaam Aisa Karo Memes Hit Twitter As Desis Add Funny Context to Popular Hindi Phrase Residents of Lakshmeshwar in Gadag district married dolls to pray for rain. Yes, you read that right. Every ritual was carried out just like a real wedding. After the wedding ceremony, everyone gathered for a group photo with the dolls and a hearty lunch. Priests were also invited. This has been the custom for the past few decades. Locals claim that rain has historically fallen in this village within seven days of a dolls wedding. Residents played music, prepared sweets, performed mangalya dharana by passing dolls between them, and carried out all the traditional wedding rites. Read more: Karnataka Villagers Dig Graves, Pump Water into Thirsty Corpses Mouths to Bring Rain Both the brides and the grooms families attended the wedding. The bride and groom were under the protection of the towns elders. This was proceeded with a group shot. Here is the video: In various areas of the state, it has begun raining. However, Lakshmeshwar and Gadag have stayed entirely dry. The mercury has risen to forty degrees. Therefore, the locals made the decision to reenact the customary ceremony and began pleading for rain again this year. In an another incident, people of Vijayapura district dug open graves and pumped water into the corpses mouths. Read More: Watch: Cars Swept Away As Hyderabad Grapples With Heavy Rain Almost all of Karnataka received abundant rains. Some areas were even affected by landslides and floods due to excessive rain. For some reason, Kalakeri village didnt get a drop of rain, leaving the farmers of the area extremely worried. The entire village gathered and discussed this curse" upon them. Someone from the group suggested that they should pour water into corpses mouths and everyone agreed. The villagers made a list of people who died within the last month and went to the graveyard. Since the family members of the deceased knew where exactly they were buried, and in what position they were buried in, it was easy to find the graves. Then, a hole around two feet deep was dug to the side where the head of the corpses were laid and a water pipe was inserted. Water from a tanker was then released into the grave. This was done to over 25 graves and afterwards, the village stood eagerly waiting. Soon after the last corpse was watered, co-incidentally it started drizzling, taking peoples trust in their ritual a notch higher. It is not uncommon to come across accounts of employees discussing challenging work environments. One recent Reddit post shed light on a situation where an employee described their boss removing chairs at the workplace during break time, citing an intention to enhance productivity in the store. The incident sparked considerable online outrage, with users expressing their concerns about bosses resorting to extreme lengths and creating an unfavourable situation in the workplace. A Redditor, @m_zayd, recently shared a disheartening experience, stating, Walked into work today to find chairs missing. The chairs up front for customers are still available, but all chairs used by employees during downtime and breaktime have been removed. Theres still one chair available in the back of the store, but its for the owner and has this sign attached. Apparently, this is being done to increase productivity.'" Also Read: Woman Shares How A Frustrated Conversation With Boss Took A Healthy Turn The post was accompanied by a picture depicting a chair with a poster on the back that read, Not for employee use." The post quickly gained traction, capturing the attention of users who flooded the comment section with their thoughts. One user expressed their dissatisfaction, stating, Employers who expect their staff to stand during an entire shift deserve exactly zero employees." Another user raised a valid question, asking, Am I missing something? Why would productivity need to be increased on employee breaks?" The third user suggested, Take your lunch break in the car. Use store boxes to sit on, outside of cameras view and when no one is watching. Make sure to sit down more than youd otherwise do if they would provide a chair and treat you like a human being, with respect, empathy and compassion." Also Read: Employee Shares Boss No Fun At Workplace Notice On Reddit; Users Find It Toxic Meanwhile, in a similar incident last year, a company faced significant backlash from internet users due to their intention to remove chairs, citing concerns that workers were becoming too comfortable" during breaks at their restaurant. What do you miss the most when living abroad? Is it the food, the people, the Indian culture? Well, Indian comic Vir Das has revealed what he missed the most and it has fans relating hard. For those who dont know, Vir Das is well-recognised in the Indian and world comedy scene. Now, taking to Twitter, he mentioned how he missed a bidet shower even more than his home. Sharing an image of the equipment, he wrote, Flying home tomorrow after a month in America. I miss my house, I miss my bed, I miss my friends, but most of all. Also Read: Mini BMW? Driver Fits Cooler In Autorickshaw To Beat The Heat Seems like many agree with the comic and have been relating hard with his statement. These showers are not available in many countries and have been a topic of debate on social media even before this. Here is the viral tweet: Flying home tomorrow after a month in America. I miss my house, I miss my bed, I miss my friends, but most of all pic.twitter.com/dl4cico6HP Vir Das (@thevirdas) June 3, 2023 True! I wish Someone Takes a #startup idea to Make a Portable, Hygienic, Royal Faucet In a Carry Anywhere Pouch, Which Can Attach to Any Tap Anywhere In the World Easily! Ill buy Even if it Comes with Derogatory Tag line! suggested a Twitter user. Another person wrote, So many Asians in Shark Tank but no one has come up with a portable Plug and Spray travel kit version for this essential item. The struggle is real https://t.co/fzEPb5Zp6K Shahzeb Nadir (@ShahzebNadir) June 4, 2023 Get the hint, USA! I cant wait for @nickgraynews to be POTUS and mandate for this or a bidet in every household. https://t.co/Y897QUVMcg Kaushal Karkhanis (@kaushal) June 4, 2023 Ultra important thing https://t.co/wcj7OXwWHW Xyz me (@Xyzme4) June 4, 2023 Also Read: Old Video Shows Aamir Khan Sticking His Movie Posters on Auto Rickshaws, Heres Why Meanwhile, earlier, Croatian-born Serbian YouTuber David Vujanic discovered a handheld toilet jet spray in Qatar and he has been surprised as to how useful it was. He also expressed his concern about how western countries dont use these. He has deemed it as the best thing ever." Taking to his official Twitter handle, he wrote, Been using the toilet bum shower thing in qatar for a monthI am absolutely horrified we only use toilet paper in the Uk/Europe. This is the best thing ever man." Bollywood actress Kriti Kharbanda is currently facing the wrath of social media trolls, all thanks to an old Instagram post that has come back to haunt her. In the post, Kriti shared a shadowed photo of herself with a mystery man, along with a caption that said Guess Who?". Posting it on February 14th and ending the caption with Hello Valentine," Kriti (deliberately or not) tagged her longtime boyfriend Pulkit Samrat to the now-viral post, thereby unveiling the mystery by herself! Little did she know that her blunder would have social media rolling on the floor laughing! However, the big question remains: was Kriti being a comedic genius or blissfully unaware of the hilarity shed create? Only she could tell! Check Out How Her Old Pic Has Now Gone Viral: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda) Meanwhile, Twitter fans couldnt resist poking fun at Kritis Instagram post, serving up some hilarious quips. One user cheekily suggested, Maybe she is asking pulkit to guess" Another chimed in, saying, Raaz reboot wali heroine." Also Read: Groom Stays Glued to Phone During Wedding, Viral Video Makes Internet Scream For Real? And amidst all the laughter, a third fan joined in, teasingly remarking, She really asked a tough question there, didnt she?" Maybe she is asking pulkit to guess Jon Snow (@John_Snow3) June 3, 2023 Girls giving hints to the boys they like (@baniyaa_putriii) June 3, 2023 Earlier, even Yami Gautam found herself at the center of some good-natured teasing when she posted a story on Instagram asking her followers to guess the song," but little did she realise that the songs name was right below her own name in a small font. It seemed Yami may not have been aware of this Instagram feature, and the blunder caught the attention of Twitter users who couldnt resist poking fun at her. Read More: Yami Gautam Trolled for Asking Followers to Guess The Song in Her Instagram Story, Heres Why Indeed, social media has a way of turning even the simplest moments into amusing laughter! The Pakistan Literature Festival (PLF) which is being held in Pakistan-occupied Kashmirs (PoK) Muzaffarabad witnessed sloganeering against the Pakistan Army and demands of freedom from Pakistans illegal occupation, people familiar with the developments told CNN-News18. Slogans like Hum Cheen Kar Len Ge Azaadi (We will snatch freedom for ourselves) were chanted during the two-day event. The incident occurred when two senior Pakistani journalists were addressing a situation on the state of politics in Pakistan and contemporary issues affecting the country. Hamid Mir, Wustullah Khan and Asma Shirazi were among the speakers and they left the stage after anti-Pakistan slogans were raised. Protesters who were speaking in conditions of anonymity told CNN-News18 that they want freedom from Pakistan. The protesters said that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) can no longer remain a colony of the Pakistan Army. They pointed to the current situation in Kashmir and said that the time for Kashmiris to decide their fate has arrived as they chanted Ye Watan Hamara Hai, Iski Hifazat Hum Karenge, Iske Faisley Hum Karenge, Iski Hukoomat Hum Karenge (This is our land, we will protect it. We will be its decision-makers and lawmakers). The protest comes days after separatist leader Sheikh Hassan Johri from the Gilgit-Baltistan region warned the Pakistan Army and accused the Pakistan government of fascism. Separatist leaders also organised marches against the Army as well as against taxes levied on the residents of the region last month. Residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are concerned about their well-being and safety after the Pakistan Army said it will litigate Imran Khans party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), cadres for committing violence and attacking army installations on May 9 after their leaders were arrested. The residents fear that this could be the precursor to another period of military dictatorship which means total disregard for human rights, especially in the PoK region. The incidents in Islamabad are acting as a wake-up call for the residents who fear for their safety under the Shehbaz Sharif-regime and are also worried about their aspirations as the country illegally occupying their lands is also going through an economic crisis. Thousands of Hindu worshippers scaled an active Indonesian volcano on Monday to toss livestock, food and other offerings into its smoking crater in a centuries-old religious ceremony. Swarming the thin rim around the basin of Mount Bromo, devotees heaved goats, chickens and vegetables slung across their backs up to the dusty peak as part of the Yadnya Kasada festival. Every year Tengger tribe members from surrounding highlands gather at the top of the volcano famed for its stunning sunrise views in hope of pleasing their gods and bringing luck to the Tenggerese, an Indigenous group in eastern Java. Slamet, a 40-year-old farmer who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, brought a baby cow as an offering. We have a lot of cows back home and this one can be considered excess, so we are bringing it here to return it back to God," he told AFP. This is also an act of gratitude to God for giving us prosperity We return it back to God so we can come back here next year." The calf had a lucky escape as it was handed to a villager after Slamets prayers instead of being sacrificed to the volcanic cauldron. Some villagers who do not belong to the Tengger tribe took to the craters steep slopes equipped with nets in an attempt to intercept offerings thrown into the abyss and avoid them going to waste. Farmer Joko Priyanto brought some of his own produce in the form of cabbages and carrots to lob down into the smoky void. I hope I will receive a reward from the almighty God," the 36-year-old said. - Better income - Mondays ritual was the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that authorities had allowed tourists to the site after the festival was limited to worshippers last year. The event has its roots in 15th-century folklore from the Majapahit kingdom, a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist empire that stretched across Southeast Asia. Legend has it that Princess Roro Anteng and her husband, unable to bear children after years of marriage, begged the gods for help. Their prayers were answered when they were promised 25 children, as long as they agreed to sacrifice their youngest child by throwing him into Mount Bromo. Their son is said to have willingly jumped into the volcano to guarantee the prosperity of the Tengger people. For shopkeeper Rohim, who travelled from a nearby Javan city on Monday to launch potatoes, leeks and cash into the lava, it was a chance to pray for good luck. He said his fortunes had improved following previous visits. Business has been better than before, hence my coming here," the 32-year-old said. Im hoping my business can improve so next year I can come back." NATO reinforcements began arriving in Kosovo on Monday after clashes with ethnic Serb protesters that wounded 30 of its peacekeepers, the Western military alliance said. NATO announced last week it was sending in some 700 more troops after violence erupted following disputed local elections in northern Kosovo. Around 500 Turkish soldiers make up the bulk of the reinforcements and they will be deployed in Kosovo for as long as necessary, NATO said in a statement. An extra multinational battalion of reserve forces has also been put on notice to be ready to reinforce the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping mission if necessary. Protests flared among Kosovos ethnic Serb minority in April after the authorities installed ethnic Albanian mayors following widely-boycotted local elections in northern areas. Last Monday, 30 peacekeepers were injured in clashes with demonstrators throwing rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails. Ethnic Serbs have demanded the withdrawal of Kosovo special police forces as well as the ethnic Albanian mayors they do not consider as their true representatives. Serbs, who make up around six percent of Kosovos majority-ethnic Albanian population, have remained largely loyal to Belgrade, especially in the north of Kosovo where they make up a majority. Authorities in Kosovo and Serbia have faced international pressure to defuse the tensions. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. But Belgrade and its allies China and Russia do not recognise the move. NATO has been heading the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo since its military intervention in 1999. Former FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who confessed to spying for Moscow, has died at a maximum-security facility in the US state of Colorado. His unresponsive body was discovered in a prison in the city of Florence on Monday morning, CNN reported. On Monday, June 5, 2023, at approximately 6:55 am, inmate Robert Hanssen was found unresponsive at the United States Penitentiary (USP) Florence ADMAX in Florence, Colorado, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said in a statement. Responding staff immediately initiated life-saving measures. Staff requested emergency medical services (EMS) and life-saving efforts continued, it added. 79-year-old Hanssen, who was sentenced to life in prison for espionage in 2002, had received over USD 1.4 million in cash, diamonds and funds deposited into Russian accounts. At the time of his arrest, he resided with his wife and six children in a modest four-bedroom house in suburban Virginia. Joining the FBI in 1976, Hanssen eventually became the most damaging spy in the US agencys history due to his access to classified information. Starting in 1985, he transmitted sensitive data to Russia and the former Soviet Union, using the alias Ramon Garcia" in his correspondence. As per the FBI, Hanssen compromised numerous human sources, counterintelligence techniques, investigations, classified government documents, and critical technical operations. Two people were killed last week in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwas Bajaur district in a remote-controlled bomb blast, news agencies Dawn and ANI said in a report. A police official from Bajaur said that the blast hit a pickup truck, resulting in the death of the driver on the spot along with a contractor travelling in the vehicle sustained injuries. They were both taken to the District Headquarters Hospital, Bajaur where both of them were declared dead. The victims were hit while they were carrying sand in the vehicle to a security check post in Bajaur, ANI said. This comes a week after a suicide bomber injured 22 security personnel in Chehkan area of KPs Dera Ismail Khan district. An unknown suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle targeted a convoy in the Chehkan area and blew himself up as he neared the convoy. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) is yet to issue a statement. The convoy was headed towards South Waziristans Minza when it came under attack, ANI said. Pakistan is witnessing a wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Over the past year at least 293 people were killed and 521 injured in 436 terrorist incidents, ISPR director general major general Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in April. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is behind most of these attacks. Pakistani troops seized a cache of weapons and killed two TTP terrorists on Monday in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Two soldiers also died during the operation. At least 192 people were killed in 219 terror activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while 80 people died in terror incidents in Balochistan. The death toll due to terrorism in Punjab and Sindh were 14 and 6 respectively. Pakistan Army said that they along with law enforcement agencies carried out 8,269 intelligence-based operations in 2022 where they killed 157 terrorists and apprehended 1,378 suspected terrorists. The DG ISPR also said that 137 security personnel were killed and 117 injured in anti-terror operations in 2023. The United States military released video Monday of what it called an unsafe Chinese maneuver in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, in which a Chinese navy ship cut sharply across the path of an American destroyer, forcing the US ship to slow to avoid a collision, the AP reports. The incident occurred Saturday as the American destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal were conducting a so-called freedom of navigation transit of the strait between Taiwan and mainland China. China claims the democratic self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its own territory, and maintains the strait is part of its exclusive economic zone, while the US and its allies regularly sail through and fly over the passage to emphasize their contention that the waters are international. During the Saturday transit, the Chinese guided-missile destroyer overtook the Chung-Hoon on its port side, then veered across its bow at a distance of some 150 yards, according to the US Indo-Pacific Command. The American destroyer held its course, but reduced speed to 10 knots to avoid a collision, the military said. The video released Monday shows the Chinese ship cutting across the course of the American one, then straightening out to start sailing in a parallel direction. Indo-Pacific Command said the actions violated maritime rules of safe passage in international water. The Chinese ship did not attempt a similar maneuver on the Canadian frigate, which was sailing behind the American destroyer. (The US also recently accused China of performing an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver in the air.) UPDATE Jun 6, 2023 3:30 AM CDT After 16 South American migrants were allegedly sent from Florida to California on Friday, California officials say Florida did the same thing with a group of 20 migrants Monday. In response, California Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared to threaten DeSantis, whom he called a "small, pathetic man," with kidnapping charges, the Guardian reports. California's AG similarly accused Florida of "state-sanctioned kidnapping" if it is indeed proved to be behind the flights. Meanwhile, a Texas sheriff has recommended criminal charges for a Texas district attorney allegedly involved in the migrant flights DeSantis arranged from Texas to Martha's Vineyard last year, the Miami Herald reports. Jun 5, 2023 8:32 AM CDT Rob Bonta, California's attorney general, said the state of Florida appears to have arranged for a group of South American migrants to be dropped off outside a Sacramento church. "While this is still under investigation, we can confirm these individuals were in possession of documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida," Bonta said in a statement late Saturday, per the AP. The documents indicate the Florida Division of Emergency Management coordinated the flights, Bonta told the Los Angeles Times. Florida paid contractor Vertol Systems Company $1.56 million to fly migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, last year. The 16 migrants who arrived in Sacramento on Friday are from Colombia and Venezuela. They entered the US through Texas, were next transported to New Mexico, and were then flown by a charter plane to California's capital, where they were dropped off in front of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, California officials said. They were approached outside a migrant center in El Paso, Texas, by people who offered them jobs and travel assistance, said Eddie Carmona of PICO California, a faith-based group helping the migrants. The migrants didn't know they were being taken to Sacramento and arrived with few belongings, he said. Vertol Systems and the Florida Division of Emergency Management didn't immediately respond Sunday to emails seeking comment. Bonta noted that he's evaluating whether violations of civil or criminal law took place. "While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choiceit is immoral and disgusting," Bonta said in a statement. (Read more migrants stories.) An Australian woman who spent 20 years in prison was pardoned and released Monday based on new scientific evidence that her four children died by natural causes as she had insisted, the AP reports. The pardon was seen as the quickest way of getting Kathleen Folbigg out of prison, and a final report from the second inquiry into her guilt could recommend the state Court of Appeals quash her convictions. Folbigg, now 55, was released from a prison in Grafton, New South Wales state, following an unconditional pardon by Gov. Margaret Beazley. New South Wales Attorney-General Michael Daley said former justice Tom Bathurst had advised him last week there was reasonable doubt about Folbiggs guilt based on new scientific evidence that the deaths could have been from natural causes. There is a reasonable doubt as to Ms. Folbigg's guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, Daley told reporters. I have reached a view that there is reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms. Folbigg of those offenses, Daley added. Bathurst has conducted the second inquiry into Folbigg's guilt, initiated by a petition that said it was based on significant positive evidence of natural causes of death and signed by 90 scientists, medical practitioners and related professionals. Prosecutors acknowledged to his inquiry in April that there was reasonable doubt about her guilt. Folbigg was serving a 30-year prison sentence that was to expire in 2033. She would have become eligible for parole in 2028. The children died separately over a decade, at between 19 days and 19 months old. Evidence discovered in 2018 that both of her daughters carried a rare CALM2 genetic variant was one of the reasons that the inquiry was called. Lawyer Sophie Callan said expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. For one of her sons, Callan said there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused his sudden death. (Read more Australia stories.) A long-awaited Ukraine offensive against Russia appears to have begun. At least, that's what Russia says. Ukraine is remaining not just mum but cagey: Its defense department released a remarkable video demonstrating that it's well aware of the expectations of a strike and has no intention of tipping its hand. The video features Ukrainian soldiers making the "shh" signal with a finger to their lips, reports the New York Times. Accompanying text reads, "Plans love silence, per the AP. There will be no announcement of the start. Moscow, meanwhile, says its troops repelled a major attack in the eastern city of Donetsk in fighting that left 250 Ukrainian troops dead, reports the Guardian. Russia released video of its own purporting to show Ukrainian tanks being repelled, while Ukraine suggested that Russia was engaging in misinformation. "If the footage of armored vehicles coming under heavy fire is authentic, then it reflects the stiff resistance Ukrainian forces will face as they try to liberate more territory," per the BBC. "And if it is not what it seems, it is still an attempt by Moscow to take control of the narrative." As of Monday morning, media outlets were unable to confirm claims of a Ukraine attack. (Read more Russia-Ukraine war stories.) A Tennessee woman has been arrested after cops say she tried to hire a hit man to take out the wife of a guy she'd met through a dating site. ABC News reports that 47-year-old Melody Sasser allegedly sent about $10,000 in bitcoin to a dark web site called "Online Killers Market," with instructions to kill the wife of a man she'd met via Match.com and become hiking buddies with, per a complaint dated May 11. After Sasser, an environmental compliance specialist, met retired Department of Energy emergency manager David Wallace, the two Knoxville natives began going on hikes together throughout 2020, per social media posts reviewed by the Daily Beast. It's not clear if the relationship was a romantic one, but at some point, Wallace moved to Alabama and got engaged to his now-wife, Jennifer Wallaceand in the fall of 2022, when Sasser traveled to his Prattville home and he told her of his wedding plans, she didn't take it well, per the complaint. "I hope you both fall off a cliff and die," Sasser allegedly said. Jennifer Wallace also reported that around that time, someone keyed her car, and she began receiving untraceable threatening phone calls. In January, under the name "cattree," Sasser placed an "order" on the Online Killers Marketwhich the Daily Beast notes is a "now-defunct scam site"requesting a hit against Jennifer Wallace, per the complaint. Sasser's request said the murder "needs to seem random or [an] accident," states the complaint, which adds that Sasser kept tabs on both the Wallaces' activities via the GPS-enabled app Strava, which the couple used to track their hikes. Investigators say Sasser wired a total of $9,750 to the site, and that she became increasingly frustrated as the weeks went by with no hit, writing in a March message "what is the delay. when will it be done." Sasser was arrested May 18. Sasser's attorney says in a statement, "I find it premature to comment on the facts of this case until such time as each of the allegations have been vetted." Sasser, who's next due in federal court on Thursday, could see up to 10 years behind bars if convicted of the murder-for-hire charges. More here on how she was nabbed. (Read more hit man stories.) A story at the Hill on Monday suggests that Kevin McCarthy's hold on his job as House speaker is shaky over the debt-ceiling deal. The gist is that members of the House Freedom Caucus on the right think McCarthy didn't strike a hard enough bargain, and at least a few are threatening to force a vote to strip him of the gavel. For example: "The discussion about the motion to vacate is going to happen in the next week or two, says Rep. Frank Buck, who says his Colorado constituents are "furious" at McCarthy. But another narrative about McCarthy also is in playthat he's pretty good at his job. The media is hyper-focused on McCarthy's critics within the GOP and missing the bigger picture, writes Matthew Continetti at the Washington Free Beacon. McCarthy, he asserts, "is shaping up to be the most effective House GOP leader in decades." One key reason for this is that the speaker has what Continetti describes as a "superpower"he "likes and wants his joba rarity for the GOP." McCarthy has been underestimated from the start, but he is "the rare Republican who both understands and is satisfied by the role he's been given and the responsibilities it entails. He wants nothing more nor less. And he's winning." In the New York Times, Ross Douthat has a similar take, noting that McCarthy wisely invited "some of the bomb throwers" (think Marjorie Taylor Greene) into positions of leadership, thus "giving them a stake in governance." He agrees with Continetti's view that McCarthy enjoys his job, particularly the "actual vote-counting, handholding work required of his position," adding that he lacks "both Gingrichian egomania and get-me-out-of-here impatience." Douthat also asserts that McCarthy syncs well with President Biden as they both have an "institutional" approach to how things should work in DC. (Read more Kevin McCarthy stories.) CNN chief Chris Licht had such a bad weekend that some thought he might tender his resignation when addressing the staff Monday morning. Instead, the 51-year-old offered an apology and vowed to earn back the trust of people he let down, reports CNBC. The controversy stems from an in-depth profile of Licht in the Atlantic that provides a scathing assessment of his first year on the job. Apology: "I should not be in the news unless its taking arrows for you," Licht told his staffers, per Variety. "Your work is what should be written about." At another point, he said: "To those whose trust I've lost, I will fight like hell to win it back." "I should not be in the news unless its taking arrows for you," Licht told his staffers, per Variety. "Your work is what should be written about." At another point, he said: "To those whose trust I've lost, I will fight like hell to win it back." The profile: Read it here. Licht gave months of access to Atlantic reporter Tim Alberta for the piece headlined "Inside the Meltdown at CNN," and he likely regrets it now. The Hollywood Reporter has highlights. Among other things, Licht comes off as thin-skinned to criticism and out of touch with his news department (he moved the CEO office up to the executive suites from the news offices). One nugget in wide circulation has Licht telling Donald Trump to "have fun" before the network's town hall with him, an event that has been widely criticized by CNN's own staffers. That was me? Licht told employees Monday he didn't recognize himself in the 15,000-word profile, in which he was quoted at length. At one point in the piece, he criticized CNN's own coverage of the pandemic as overhyped, an allegation that's said to have particularly rankled his employees. "As I read that article, I found myself thinking, CNN is not about me," Licht said, per the Hill. He added: "I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had, and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this org. And for that, I am sorry." Licht told employees Monday he didn't recognize himself in the 15,000-word profile, in which he was quoted at length. At one point in the piece, he criticized CNN's own coverage of the pandemic as overhyped, an allegation that's said to have particularly rankled his employees. "As I read that article, I found myself thinking, CNN is not about me," Licht said, per the Hill. He added: "I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had, and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this org. And for that, I am sorry." Can he survive? That's the question posed by media writer (and former CNN host) Brian Stelter at New York. Stelter says he has heard from many CNN staffers over the weekend and quotes three of them: "He's over," "he's done," and "there's no coming back from that profile." However, the only person who can truly answer the question is Licht's boss, David Zaslav, head of Warner Bros. Discovery. Zaslav already has made one key move: He brought in David Leavy as CNN's chief operating officer to assess the damage. The move means that Licht's duties have been diluted and he'll shift his focus mainly to programming and news. (Read more Chris Licht stories.) The bodies of three men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building, the police chief in Davenport, Iowa, announced Monday. "We dont have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing," Chief Jeff Bladel said. Branden Colvin Sr.s body was recovered Saturday, the day his son graduated from high school. The body of Ryan Hitchcock was recovered Sunday and Daniel Prien early Monday. The discoveries came after authorities announced that the search for survivors had been completed, with attention turning to shoring up the remaining structure so recovery efforts could begin. City officials had said earlier that Colvin, 42; Hitchcock, 51; and Prien, 60; had "high probability of being home at the time of the collapse." One of the residents injured in the collapse sued the city of Davenport and the building's current and former owners on Monday, alleging they knew of the deteriorating conditions and failed to warn residents of the risk, the AP reports. The complaint filed on behalf of Dayna Feuerbach alleges multiple counts of negligence and seeks unspecified damages. It also notes that additional lawsuits are likely. "The city had warning after warning," attorney Jeffrey Goodman said in an interview with the AP. He called it a common trend in major structural collapses hes seen. "They had the responsibility to make sure that the safety of the citizens comes first. It is very clear that the city of Davenport didnt do that." Unresolved questions include why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger. A structural engineers report issued days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling. Documents released by the city show that city officials and the buildings owner had been warned for months that parts of the building were unstable. (Read more Iowa stories.) The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an unusual case in which the Biden administration is fighting a man's attempt to trademark a slogan that includes the name Trump. Attorney Steve Elster has been trying for years to trademark "Trump Too Small" for use on T-shirts, Politico reports. In his 2018 application, he wrote that it was intended to send the message "that some features of President Trump and his policies are diminutive," per USA Today. The US Patent and Trademark Office rejected the application, noting that a federal law bans trademarks that use a person's name unless that person gives written consent. Last year, however, a unanimous panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sided with Elster, saying that he has the right under the First Amendment to criticize public officials, the Washington Post reports. The Biden administration appealed to the Supreme Court in January. The court is expected to hear arguments this fall and issue a ruling next year. Elster came up with the T-shirt slogan after Sen. Marco Rubio spoke about Trump's hands during the 2016 GOP primaries, saying, "You know what they say about men with small hands." After a pause for laughter, he added: "You can't trust 'em," per the Post. At a debate days later, Trump said of the size of his hands, and other body parts, "I guarantee you there's no problem." (Read more US Supreme Court stories.) Mike Pence is now a candidate for president. While the former vice president will launch his campaign in Iowa on Wednesday, his team filed the formal paperwork to enter the race on Monday with the Federal Election Commission, reports the Guardian. Pence will have a CNN town hall that same night, per the Hill. The 63-year-old has been hinting at a formal entry into the race for months with regular visits to Iowa and New Hampshire, notes USA Today. The move sets up a showdown between him and Trump, whose followers consider Pence a traitor because he opted not to try to block certification of the 2020 election results. Pence now joins a crowded field, and he has consistently polled behind both Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Read more Mike Pence stories.) It's another big jolt to the world of crypto: The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday accused Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, of engaging in a slew of shady financial practices, reports the Wall Street Journal. In all the SEC filed 13 charges against Binance and co-founder Changpeng Zhao, per NBC News. Among other things, regulators accused the company of mishandling customers' money, illegally diverting some of those funds to another trading entity controlled by Zhao called Sigma Chain, and lying to regulators all throughout. Zhao and his team operated in "blatant disregard" of US securities laws and enriched themselves by billions of US dollars while placing investors assets at significant risk," according to the civil lawsuit, per the Journal and the New York Times. In a blog post, Binance denied wrongdoing, called the case a misguided and conscious refusal to provide much-needed clarity and guidance to the digital asset industry," and promised to fight back "vigorously." The case, which follows the FTX fiasco, rattled crypto investors on Monday. Bitcoin had fallen more than 5% on Monday to below $26,000 per coin. (Read more cryptocurrency stories.) Robert Hanssen, the notorious FBI agent who sold national security secrets to Russia for yearsmaking dead drops in a Virginia parkin one of the most harmful espionage cases in US history, died Monday in a Colorado prison. He was found unresponsive in his cell, the Federal Bureau of Prisons reported, and was pronounced dead after lifesaving measures failed. Hanssen, 79, had been held in the maximum security prison complex in Florence since 2002, the Hill reports, serving life without parole after pleading guilty to 15 counts of espionage. The FBI pronounced Hanssen "the most damaging spy in Bureau history." Hanssen began spying three years into his FBI career, when he walked into the New York offices of a Soviet trade organization, Amtorg, known to be a front for the Soviet military intelligence agency. He had access to classified information as part of the counterintelligence jobs he'd been assigned, per the New York Times. He took a break of several years after his wife caught him with papers in the basement of their New York state home in 1980. Hanssen confessed his spying to his wife and to a priest affiliated with Opus Dei, a Catholic organization the couple belonged to. He resumed the espionage in 1985, being more careful from then on, using encrypted messages and code namesoften "Ramon Garcia." He told the Soviets that the US had built a tunnel under the Soviet Embassy in Washington, information that American officials said wasted hundreds of millions of dollars. And he named three Soviet spy agency officers who were actually working for the US. The information netted Hanssen $1.4 million in cash and diamonds, per the Washington Post. The FBI and CIA knew a spy was at work but weren't able to put together Russian information to lead them to Hanssen until 2000. In February 2001, Hanssen was arrested in a Virginia park where he'd left documents for his Russian contacts to pick up. He'd been living in the DC suburbs with his wife and six children as he neared retirement. "What we wanted to do was get enough evidence to convict him, and the ultimate aim was to catch him in the act," said Debra Evans Smith, formerly of the Counterintelligence Division. Three hundred agents were assigned to the case, the BBC reports. The FBI said at the time it was difficult to assess the damage Hanssen had done. "The information he delivered compromised numerous human sources, counterintelligence techniques, investigations, dozens of classified US government documents, and technical operations of extraordinary importance and value," the agency said. (Read more espionage stories.) Apple on Monday unveiled a long-rumored headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination. After years of speculation, Apple CEO Tim Cook hailed the arrival of the sleek gogglesdubbed "Vision Pro"at the the company's annual developers conference, the AP reports. "This marks the beginning of a journey that will bring a new dimension to powerful personal technology," Cook told the crowd a park-like campus in Cupertino, California that Steve Jobs helped design. Although Apple executives provided an extensive preview of the headset's capabilities during the final half hour of Monday's event, consumers will have to wait before they can get their hands on the device and prepare to pay a hefty price to boot. Vision Pro will sell for $3,500 once it's released in stores early next year. The company emphasized that it drew upon its past decades of product design during the years it spent working on the Vision Pro, which Apple said involved more than 5,000 different patents. The goggles will be equipped with 12 cameras, six microphones, and variety of sensors that will allow users to control it and various apps with just their eyes and hands. Apple also developed a technology to create three-dimensional digital version of each user to display during video conferencing. If the new device turns out to be a niche product, it would leave Apple in the same bind as other major tech companies and startups that have tried selling headsets or glasses equipped with technology that either thrusts people into artificial worlds or projects digital images with scenery and things that are actually in front of thema format known as "augmented reality." The response to virtual, augmented, and mixed reality has been decidedly ho-hum so far. Some of the gadgets deploying the technology have even been derisively mocked, with the most notable example being Google's internet-connected glasses released more than a decade ago. Before taking the wraps off its new goggles, Apple kicked off the event by announcing that the latest models of two high-end computer lines, the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, will be powered by a company-designed chip that has already been available in less expensive Macs. The Mac Studio will sell for $2,000 and the Mac Pro will be priced at $7,000. As it typically does at this conference, Apple provided a peek at the next iPhone operating system, iOS 17. That software, which will include more personalization and location-sharing tools for phone calls and texting, is expected to be released as a free update in September. (Read more Apple stories.) Note: The new Federal Building that funds were being sought for is the one that sits today on the block bordered by Cushman Street, 2nd Avenue, 3rd Avenue, and Turner Street. It is a beautiful art deco monument to Fairbanks commitment to progress throughout its history. The new Federal Building was opened in the spring of 1933, and it served us well for the next forty or so years. It was a marker of our leap from a log cabin town to a modern city that is here to stay. This concrete History Nugget has been brought to you by the Fairbanks Igloos of the Pioneers of Alaska. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High 69F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Low near 50F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 68F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low near 50F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 69F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. Low near 50F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Armed men killed 30 people in weekend raids on six villages in Nigeria's north, a region regularly hit by criminal violence and clashes between communities, local police said in a statement on Monday. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com An event was organised yesterday to mark World No Tobacco Day, being held this year under the slogan Lets grow food...not tobacco. The National Committee for Combating Smoking and Tobacco of All Kinds and Products held the event under the patronage of Supreme Council of Health (SCH) President Lieutenant General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa. The event was also attended by the Minister of Health Dr. Jaleela bint Al Sayyed Jawad Hasan, the Minister of Youth Affairs Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfiqi and other senior officials. The SCH president stressed Bahrains pioneering achievements within the comprehensive development process, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, with the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He highlighted the Kingdoms strides, which spanned many domains, including the health sector to prevent diseases and combat their causes. He stressed the importance of the occasion as an opportunity to enhance community awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use, in line with the drive of the World Health Organization (WHO), noting the role of community efforts and partnerships to support effective plans, policies and measures to combat smoking and reduce its consumption. Dr. Hasan said that the health damages of smoking of all kinds are proven through studies, research and statistics, and emphasized the importance of raising awareness about this scourge helping smokers to quit to protect them from the diseases it causes. She commended the efforts made by the National Committee for Combating Smoking and Tobacco of All Kinds and Products, which contributes to its fruitful role in preparing and supporting the implementation of plans and programs in partnership with all relevant governmental, and private bodies. AFP | Washington The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia next week at a time of touchy relations between Washington and its longtime Middle East ally, the State Department announced Friday. The Sudan and Yemen wars, the continued Islamic State threat, and building Riyadh's relationship with Israel are on the menu for Blinken's June 6-8 trip. It comes as both the United States and Saudi Arabia are seeking to broker a durable cease fire between Sudan's warring generals in talks in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. "There is just a tremendous amount of work that we're trying to do" with the visit, said Daniel Benaim, a senior State Department official dealing with Arabian Peninsula affairs. "We're focused on an affirmative agenda here and the great deal of work our countries can do together." - Countering IS - Blinken will participate in a ministerial meeting on Wednesday with the Gulf Cooperation Council, and on Thursday he will join a meeting in Riyadh of the 80-strong coalition of countries fighting the Islamic State group. That meeting will home in on the spread of jihadist extremism outside the Middle East, according to Ian McCary of the Department of State's Counterterrorism Bureau. "We're focusing in particular on Africa, where violent groups have adopted ISIS's ideology and are attacking innocent people, destroying local economies, burning schools and healthcare centers, extorting communities, and preventing the creation of jobs," McCary said, using another acronym for the Islamic State. The Riyadh gathering "underscores that the international community remains united in its determination to keep ISIS weak, fractured, and ultimately destroyed," he said. The coalition will raise hundreds of millions of dollars to support community-level stabilization projects, said McCary, and Blinken will announce a "significant" new US contribution, he said. - Sudan, Yemen talks - The continued fighting in Sudan will also be a focus. Efforts to produce a sustained cease fire between forces under two rival generals fighting since April have failed so far in the talks in Jeddah, where hundreds of diplomats and Sudanese citizens fled to from Khartoum after the fighting erupted. Washington slapped sanctions on companies tied to the two generals Thursday, but that had no impact on the shelling and bombing that has left scores dead in the Sudanese capital and other areas. The US and the Saudis are also directly involved in efforts to bring a halt to the lengthy conflict in Yemen between the Iranian-backed Huthi rebels and government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Yemen, the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, has experienced a period of calm since a truce negotiated by the United Nations in April 2022. - Mending ties - The trip follows a recent visit to Saudi Arabia by White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and comes nearly a year after President Joe Biden visited the country, with only mixed success in improving relations. Ties are complex and have frayed over US accusations of human rights abuses in the kingdom --including the 2018 murder of US-based Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi -- and unhappiness that the Saudis raised oil prices in collusion with Russia to profit from the Ukraine war, rejecting US pleas to cap prices. That led last year to US President Joe Biden ordering a review of the bilateral relationship, signaling his unhappiness. But US officials don't hide their hopes for improved relations. One goal is to convince Riyadh to formally recognize Israel, as part of the Abraham Accords. The Accords, launched by former president Donald Trump, have led to a number of Arab countries normalizing relations with the Jewish state. But Riyadh holds to its demand that Israel recognize an independent Palestinian state along with security guarantees from Washington. On Wednesday, the State Department's top official for the Middle East, Barbara Leaf, told Congress that people should expect only a "gradual opening up" between Saudi Arabia and Israel. "We see plenty of space to get things done even before normalization were to be achieved," she said. There are continuing expeditions to drill into the seafloor. Last month, the ocean drilling ship, JOIDES Resolution, was the first to ever drill into the Mantle. Drilling into the Mantle was done at the Atlantis Massif. There is a hydrothermal field called the Lost City on the ocean floor. Drilling in and under the seafloor gives us the history of life and vent fields could be similar to the moons of Saturn and Jupiter. Above is a sample from the seafloor. The chalk on top is lots and lots of dead nannofossils that rained down from above. The Atlantis Massif is an oceanic core complex at 30N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge on the north side of the Atlantis I transform fault, which offsets the ridge by ~60 kilometers. The massif is capped by a corrugated fault zone, and is composed of a large gabbro intrusion into serpentinized mantle rocks to the south. These altered mantle rocks host the Lost City hydrothermal field, which is famous for carbonate chimneys the height of a house, venting alkaline fluids rich in hydrogen and methane. The hydrogen is formed by the reaction between seawater and mantle mineral oliv- ine, and is a powerful source of energy that may have fueled the formation of the first building blocks of life on Earth. Before life could begin, small organic molecules must have formed abiotically. Scientists have suggested that vent fields such as Lost City may be an analog of systems where these prebiotic reactions occurred, leading to the early development of life. Similar systems may be present on icy worlds such as Enceladus, which is one of the moons of Saturn, and capable of supporting life. The oceanic core complex comprising Atlantis Massif was formed within the past 1.5-2 Million years ago at the intersection of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30N, and the Atlantis Transform Fault. The corrugated, striated central dome prominently displays morphologic and geophysical characteristics representative of an ultramafic core complex exposed via long-lived detachment faulting. Sparse volcanic features on the massifs central dome indicate that minor volcanics have penetrated the inferred footwall, which geophysical data indicates is composed predominantly of variably serpentinized peridotite. In contrast, the hanging wall to the east of the central dome is comprised of volcanic rock. The southern part of the massif has experienced the greatest uplift, shoaling to less than 700 m below sea level, and the coarsely striated surface there extends eastward to the top of the median valley wall. Steep landslide embayments along the south face of the massif expose cross sections through the core complex. Almost all of the submersible and dredge samples from this area are deformed, altered peridotite and lesser gabbro. Intense serpentinization within the south wall has likely contributed to the uplift of the southern ridge and promoted the development of the Lost City Hydrothermal Field near the summit. Differences in the distribution with depth of brittle deformation observed in microstructural analyses of outcrop samples suggest that low-temperature strain, such as would be associated with a major detachment fault, is concentrated within several tens of meters of the domal surface. However, submersible and camera imagery show that deformation is widespread along the southern face of the massif, indicating that a series of faults, rather than a single detachment, accommodated the uplift and evolution of this oceanic core complex. Life Cycle of Oceanic Crust All rocks in Earths crust are constantly being recycled through the rock cycle. The rock cycle is the transition of rocks among three different rock types over millions of years of geologic time. Igneous rock is formed by the cooling and crystallization of molten magma at volcanoes and mid-ocean ridges, where new crust is generated. Examples of igneous rock are basalt, granite, and andesite. Over time, igneous rocks may experience weathering and erosion from exposure to water and the atmosphere to produce sediments. The deposition and hardening of these sediments forms sedimentary rocks. Both igneous and sedimentary rock types can transform physically and chemically into a third rock type. Metamorphic rocks are formed when igneous or sedimentary rocks are exposed to conditions of high heat and pressure. Examples of metamorphic rock include marble, slate, schist, and gneiss. Metamorphic rocks can also transform to sedimentary rocks through weathering, erosion, and sediment deposition. Seafloor Volcanoes and Hydrothermal Vents Mid-ocean ridges and spreading zones are home to hydrothermal vents. Hydrothermal vents in the ocean are analogous to geysers and hot springs on continents where groundwater percolates up to 2 km below the surface to areas that are very hot. The resulting boiling water and steam rush to the surface. At hydrothermal vents, cool seawater percolates down in fissures and cracks created by the spreading seafloor. As water moves down, it is heated from geothermal sources, reaching temperatures as high as 400 C. Throughout this process, minerals like copper, zinc, iron, and sulfur dissolve in the water. Although the water is very hot, it does not boil due to the high hydrostatic pressure. When the super heated water rises out through the vents because it is buoyant, it meets relatively cold and oxygen rich ocean water and many of the dissolved minerals precipitate out as particles. If the majority of precipitates are sulfides and have a black color, the vents are known as black smokers due to their dark billowing appearance. White smokers emit minerals with lighter hues. In some cases these particles combine to form chimney structures around the vents. In 2000 scientists discovered a field of chimneys in the Atlantic ocean basin that had reached 55 meters tall. Hydrothermal vents are found in spreading regions on the seafloor. Depth of Drilling Terms and Units The measurement of depth is a central concept for IODP activities. Use of the units meters below sea floor (mbsf) and meters below rig floor (mbrf) in ODP/IODP is inadequate because innovations in the methods by which depth is measured or calculated have progressed. Sample notes from Some Days of Seafloor Drilling Daily science report for 3 June 2023 Location: Hole U1309D (3010.1195N, 427.1131W; water depth 1644.9 m) Science Update: After reentry into Hole U1309D at the end of the previous day, the drill string was positioned at 32 mbsf at 0045 h. Two Kuster FTSes were made up together with the Elevated Temperature Boreholes Sonde (ETBS) and the Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) tool. The first run on the coring line was deployed at 0100 h and was back on the rig floor at 0315 h. The borehole water samples were taken at 200 mbsf and 400 mbsf (meters below seafloor). The tool string was retrieved and disassembled, the water samples and data were retrieved, and the tools were reassembled for the second run. The CTD was not included anymore because its temperature rating would have been exceeded at the deeper sampling stations. The second sampling run from 0400 h to 0645 h triggered the Kuster FTS at 550 mbsf and 736 mbsf. Ample time was available to redress the tools and conduct a third run from 0736 h to 1100 h. During this final run, the tools were not able to pass an obstruction at 1024 mbsf and the samples were taken at 923 mbsf and 1110 mbsf meters below seafloor) instead of a deeper planned station. After conclusion of the sampling runs, the drill string was tripped to 1421 mbsf and washed down to the bottom of the hole at 1498 mbsf. Next, the hole was flushed with seawater seven times the borehole volume to leave behind as clean as possible a hole for potential future water sampling and temperature measurement operations. Drill string retrieval began at 1945 h and was still in progress at midnight. Daily Science Report for 30 April 2023 Location: Hole U1309D (3010.1195N, 427.1131W; water depth 1644.9 m) Science Update: Today we recovered Cores U1309D-305R through 309R from 1454.6 mbsf to 1478.6 mbsf. We recovered a total of 9.52 m from the 24.0 m cored interval, with core recoveries ranging from 27% to 66% (average of 40% recovery). 30 bbl mud sweeps were pumped every ~5 m. Cores U1309D-300R through 305R consist predominantly of slightly to moderately altered, coarse to medium-grained olivine-bearing gabbro, with intervals of sparsely olivine-bearing gabbro, orthopyroxene-bearing gabbro, aphyric and sparsely olivine plagioclase phyric diabase, and leucocratic diorite. Follow along as we aim to drill to 32 million year old seafloor south of Iceland: setting sail on @TheJR for the Reykjanes Ridge 2 weeks from today!#NSFfunded #IODP #Exp395 https://t.co/Xs1NHEFu7i Ross Parnell-Turner (@Ross_PT) June 3, 2023 Welcome to the seafloor 13 million years ago, when freshly erupted lava instantly cooled into glass (shiny black), and was then buried under 450 m of chalk and mud @SUZUKI1Takuma #Exp395C #NSFfunded #IODP pic.twitter.com/iVq0m3hTl7 Ross Parnell-Turner (@Ross_PT) May 17, 2022 OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Norfolk Southern became the first major North American freight railroad with deals to provide paid sick time to all of its workers Monday, but the other railroads are making progress, with nearly 65% of all rail workers securing this basic benefit since the start of the year. All of the major freight railroads have said they are committed to resolving this key issue that nearly led to a strike in last year's bitter contract talks. But most of those railroads which include CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City are still negotiating with a number of their unions. Also Monday, Union Pacific announced a deal that will provide paid sick leave to about 5,600 engineers in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that gives that railroad agreements with 12 of its 13 unions. Most of the sick time deals, including the one Norfolk Southern announced for yardmasters Monday, provide four days of paid sick time and give workers the option to convert three days of personal leave time into sick days. The conductors and engineers who endure the most unpredictable schedules while operating the trains have been getting five days of paid sick leave with the option to convert two leave days into sick time. The Union Pacific deal follows that five-day model. So all of these deals provide up to seven days of paid sick time, and the railroads promised to pay workers for any unused sick time at the end of each year. Last fall, the railroads refused to add paid sick time to the deal they had already been negotiating for several years, but they relented this year after intense pressure from the public, the Biden administration and several key lawmakers, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Rail workers were forced to accept a five-year deal that provided 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses after Congress blocked their ability to strike because of fears of an economic catastrophe, but that agreement didn't address their quality-of-life concerns. The engineers' union said providing sick time to train crews can help make sure they aren't fatigued while at the controls of a locomotive. This agreement is really about health and safety, said Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen National President Eddie Hall. Its not in our members, the publics or the railroads best interest for engineers to be operating trains when theyre sick." Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz said these agreements show the well-being and quality of life for all employees are critically important to us. About 300 workers are covered by this latest Norfolk Southern agreement. Jeremy Ferguson, president of the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union that represents the Norfolk Southern yardmasters and conductors nationwide, praised the progress that has been made. This agreement will provide our hardworking yardmasters the time they need and deserve to take care of their personal wellbeing, Ferguson said. A separate larger agreement between SMART-TD and Norfolk Southern that also addresses schedule concerns for conductors was ratified Friday. Following national labor negotiations, we committed to address quality of life issues for our craft railroaders. With todays agreement, we make good on that promise, said Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw. Norfolk Southern and the other major railroads tout the progress they have made so far, but officials with the Transportation Trades Department the AFL-CIO labor coalition that includes all the rail unions said much work remains to address workers' concerns. For months, railroads have been at the table individually with their unions to find a path forward on the quality-of-life matters that came into the spotlight during the rounds final days. Today, railroads have new paid sick leave agreements in place to cover the majority of the unionized rail workforce," said Ian Jefferies, who leads the Association of American Railroads trade group. "Additionally, multiple railroads have secured deals to give operating craft employees greater scheduling predictability." Greg Regan, president of the TTD labor coalition, said the unions have been keeping up the pressure on the railroads ever since last year's contract talks. I think the the railroads probably realize the only way this is going to go away is if they actually bargain in good faith. And you know, so far it has yielded some decent results, Regan said. WASHINGTON (AP) The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance and its founder Changpeng Zhao are accused of misusing investor funds, operating as an unregistered exchange and violating a slew of U.S. securities laws in a lawsuit filed by the SEC. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit on Monday lists thirteen charges against the firm including commingling and divert customer assets to an entity Zhao owned called Sigma Chain. Binance is a Cayman Islands limited liability company founded by Zhao and the charges are familiar to practices uncovered after the collapse of the second largest cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, last year. The lawsuit lays out the extent to which the firms owners knew of the alleged legal violations: "Binances CCO bluntly admitted to another Binance compliance officer in December 2018, we are operating as a fking unlicensed securities exchange in the USA bro. SEC Chair Gary Gensler in a written statement that Zhao and Binance engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law. The public should beware of investing any of their hard-earned assets with or on these unlawful platforms, Gensler said. In a social media post, Binance said that it has been cooperating with the SEC's investigation but said that the agency chose to act unilaterally and litigate. While we take the SECs allegations seriously, they should not be the subject of an SEC enforcement action, let alone on an emergency basis. We intend to defend our platform vigorously, the company said in a Twitter post. Unfortunately, the SECs refusal to productively engage with us is just another example of the Commissions misguided and conscious refusal to provide much-needed clarity and guidance to the digital asset industry. The lawsuit comes roughly eight months after the collapse of FTX, which was also accused of co-mingling customers' funds and investing the proceeds in high-risk investments that customers were unaware they were participating in. U.S. prosecutors and the SEC charged FTX's founder Sam Bankman-Fried with a host of money laundering, fraud and securities fraud charges in December. His criminal trial is likely to be in the fall. The new complaint from the SEC against Binance is a laundry list of charges laying out exactly the same claims that many in the Bitcoin and crypto communities have made against Changpeng Zhao and his companies for many years. These practices of Binance have essentially been open secrets, so no one who operates in the space will be surprised by any of the charges, said Cory Klippsten, CEO of Swan Bitcoin, a bitcoin financial services company. U.S. regulators have gone after Binance before. In March, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed an enforcement action against Binance and Zhao in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois charging them with numerous CTFC violations. The complaint also charges Samuel Lim, Binances former chief compliance officer, with aiding and abetting Binances violations. ____ AP Business Writer Ken Sweet contributed to this report from New York. WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that the expansion of Israeli settlements and ongoing demolitions of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank are taking Israel further away from peace with the Palestinians. Yet, he stressed that the U.S.-Israel relationship remains iron-clad," lauded American security commitments to the Jewish state and said the Biden administration will continue to promote normalization between Israel and its Arab neighbors, particularly with Saudi Arabia. At the same time, he made clear the administration's displeasure with actions that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government has taken in expanding Jewish settlements and increasing Palestinian home demolitions. Settlement expansion clearly presents an obstacle to the horizon of hope we seek, Blinken said in a speech to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington. Likewise, any move toward annexation of the West Bank, de facto or de jure, disruption of the historic status quo at the holy sites, the continuing demolitions of homes and the evictions of families that have lived in their homes for generations damage prospects for two states, he said. Improving Israeli-Arab relations cannot replace a two-state solution with the Palestinians, he said. Integration and normalization efforts are not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians, and they should not come at its expense, Blinken said. Israels deepened relationships with its partners can and should advance the well-being of the Palestinian people and the prospects of a two-state solution, he added. Blinken will visit Saudi Arabia this week, in part to discuss prospects for the Saudis joining the so-called Abraham Accords that were completed during the Trump administration between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, he said. We believe we can and must play an integral role in advancing it. We have no illusions this could be done quickly or easily but we remain committed to working toward this outcome. Blinken also reaffirmed the Biden administrations determination not to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. ???????? El presidente del Consejo de Ministros inicio una intensa jornada de trabajo en Espana junto con la canciller peruana, Ana Cecilia Gervasi. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) The Florida judge who oversaw the penalty trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz should be publicly reprimanded for showing bias toward the prosecution, failing to curtail vitriolic statements directed at Cruz's attorneys by the victims' families and sometimes allowing her emotions to overcome her judgement, a state commission concluded Monday. The Judicial Qualifications Commission found that Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer violated several rules governing judicial conduct during last year's trial in her actions toward Cruz's public defenders. The six-month trial ended with Cruz receiving a receiving a life sentence for the 2018 murder of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after the jury could not unanimously agree that he deserved a death sentence. The 15-member commission found that Scherer unduly chastised lead public defender Melisa McNeill and her team, wrongly accused one Cruz attorney of threatening her child, and improperly embraced members of the prosecution in the courtroom after the trial's conclusion. The commission, composed of judges, lawyers and citizens, acknowledged that the worldwide publicity surrounding the case created stress and tension for all participants. Regardless, the commission said, judges are expected to ensure due process, order and decorum, and act always with dignity and respect to promote the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. In limited instances during this unique and lengthy case, Judge Scherer allowed her emotions to overcome her judgement, the commission said in its report to the Florida Supreme Court, which will make the final decision. Scherer announced last month that she would be retiring from the bench on June 30. The commission said the resignation was not part of any deal struck with the judge. The commission report said that Scherer acknowledged during her testimony that her conduct during the trial fell short of what's expected of judges and that her treatment of members of the defense team was at times not patient, dignified or courteous. Scherer, a 46-year-old former prosecutor, was appointed to the bench in 2012 and the Cruz case was her first capital murder trial. Broward Countys computerized system randomly assigned her Cruzs case shortly after the shooting. Her attorney, Thomas Panza, did not immediately respond to a call or email seeking comment. Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weekes declined comment. Scherer's handling of the case drew frequent praise from the parents and spouses of the victims, who said she treated them with professionalism and kindness, but her clashes with Cruzs attorneys and others sometimes drew criticism from legal observers. Before the trial she criticized two reporters from the Sun Sentinel newspaper for publishing a sealed Cruz educational record that they obtained legally. She threatened to tell the paper what it could and couldnt print, but never did; legal experts say such a move would have been unconstitutional. Scherer also had frequent heated arguments with McNeill. Those boiled over for the first time when McNeill and her team suddenly rested their case after calling only a small fraction of their expected witnesses. Scherer called it the most uncalled for, unprofessional way to try a case, though the defense has no obligation to call all of its witnesses or announce its plans in advance. McNeill countered angrily, You are insulting me on the record in front of my client, before Scherer told her to stop. She then laid into her. Youve been insulting me the entire trial, Scherer barked at McNeill. Arguing with me, storming out, coming late intentionally if you dont like my rulings. So, quite frankly, this has been long overdue. So please be seated. The two clashed again during Cruzs sentencing hearing in November over the verbal attacks some victims family members made against the defense team during their courtroom statements. Scherer refused to curtail the statements and ejected one of McNeills assistants, David Wheeler, after she wrongly interpreted one of his comments as a threat against her daughter. After sentencing Cruz, 24, to life without parole as required, Scherer left the bench and hugged members of the prosecution and the victims families. She told the commission she offered to also hug the defense team. That action led the Supreme Court in April to remove her from overseeing post-conviction motions of another defendant, Randy Tundidor, who was sentenced to death for murder in the 2019 killing of his landlord. One of the prosecutors in that case had also been on the Cruz team, and during a hearing in the Tundidor case a few days after the Cruz sentencing, Scherer asked the prosecutor how he was holding up. The court said Scherers actions gave at least the appearance that she could not be fair to Tundidor. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MILFORD City Fire Chief Douglas Edo retired on Friday after 43 years of service to the city, just in time for his birthday. Edo, who turned 66 on Saturday, left the department at 5 p.m., the end of his shift, said Adam J. Hansen, the departments training, safety and public information officer, in a statement issued late Friday afternoon. He has dedicated a great majority of his life to the department and his contributions are immeasurable, Hansen said in the statement. He has been a mentor to all of us on the department and he will truly be missed. We will be forever grateful for all he has done for this department and for the City of Milford." The statement credited Edos leadership, unwavering dedication and countless accomplishments with helping turn Milford Fire Department into one of the best in the nation. Edos calm and professional demeanor was a steadying influence on firefighters, according to the statement. Edo formally began his tenure as chief on a family note. His sister-in-law, Milford Probate Judge Beverly Streit Kefalas, swore him in on July 29, 2013. Edo saw the department through some challenging times as chief. Heavy flooding of various parts of the city, and a city spending freeze, made 2019 a challenging year for firefighters. About 22 inches of rain fell between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30 of that year. Usually the city averages 10 to 10.5 inches of rain during that time. During Edos tenure, the department began operating an ambulance service in 2016, taking over from a nationwide private provider, American Medical Response, which held the license for transporting Milford residents to the hospital. The move followed a state decision that began with a petition filed with the Connecticut Department of Public Health in December of 2014 requesting that it assign the FD as the citys primary service area responder for basic level ambulance service. AMR had held the license for Milford since 1995. The city filed its petition based on General Statutes 19a-181f, a new statute that gives municipalities the right to petition for removal and reassignment of their primary service area responders. Problems cited with AMR included delayed response times, refusal to negotiate a service contract with improved standards, and failure to provide a bariatric ambulance a specially-outfitted ambulance to accommodate the severely obese, according to the statement issued by the legal firm that represented the city before the state. The Milford Board of Fire Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Monday night to choose an interim fire chief, Hansen said. NEW HAVEN When Elena Grewal first pitched opening Elenas on Orange, an ice cream store focused on soft serve, she envisioned offering beer and wine alongside sundaes as a way to stay afloat during the winter months. But a court settlement resolving a lawsuit two neighbors filed against the business prevents Grewal from doing so, while allowing her to increase seating at her 831 Orange St. shop, which, with the onset of warmer weather, often has seen more customers than tables. Elenas on Orange opened last fall despite the ongoing legal challenge, which Mary Lou and John DiPaola, who live next-door to the business, filed in March 2022. The DiPaolas claimed the New Haven Board of Zoning Appeals was wrong to approve a use variance for Elenas on Orange, alleging Grewal failed to prove she would face exceptional difficulty and unique hardship without it. The variance would have granted Grewal more seating and the possibility of alcohol service. Despite the lawsuit, Elenas on Orange was able to open its doors liquor-free and with limited seating because the propertys pervious business, Ayah-H, was a convenience store with food service. Grewal therefore could operate the site under that same use in this case, as an ice cream counter that also sold some miscellaneous everyday items, from pasta to toothbrushes. Meanwhile, the DiPaolas lawsuit wound its way through court until last month, when they filed a motion to withdraw their appeal after reaching a settlement with Grewal, according to court documents. Under the settlement, Grewal can increase her seating capacity to 20 indoor seats and 20 outdoor seats. The agreement precludes her from serving alcohol on site or hosting outdoor music events, although she may host musicians inside. I think it was a fair settlement in that the neighbors didnt want the service of alcohol but they had no objection to the service of ice cream, and the zoning laws as they were written didnt even allow that, said Stephen Bellis, an attorney representing the DiPaolas. I think it was a fair compromise. He pointed out that, when Grewal presented the project, other residents shared concerns about alcohol service, noting the stores proximity to Wilbur Cross High School. (Even as it drew some pushback, Grewals proposal also won plenty of support, according to reports from the New Haven Independent.) Other businesses in the area do serve alcohol, however, including Caffe Bravo, an Italian restaurant one block from Elenas on Orange. John DiPaola previously owned Caffe Bravo, although according to Bellis, he no longer does. Bellis contended Caffe Bravos alcohol service differed from Grewals proposal because it was in an enclosed space and because a restaurant usually serves alcohol, and an ice cream place generally doesnt. The prospect of competition from a nearby business was never a consideration, he said. As for Grewal, she said she was happy with how the community has responded to her ice cream store so far. Were really excited about how the stores doing, and to be bringing joy and ice cream to the neighborhood, and thats what Im focused on right now, she said. Weve had lines out the door, so its definitely good problems of accommodating demand at the moment. In the months since its opening, the business, which focuses on high-quality vanilla and chocolate soft serve, also has experimented with seasonal flavors such as mango, strawberry and its latest pistachio. Asked how the business did during the winter months, Grewal said it was slower. We will need to figure out what our plan is for the winter going forward, she said. In the meantime, Grewal is focused on more immediate problems: finding a new general manager. We are looking for a manager to start in the fall, and wed like someone who can take us to the next level," she said. " Someone who wants to spend their life dedicated to ice cream. WALLINGFORD State Police said they arrested a woman suspected of driving under the influence and driving the wrong way on Interstate 91 Saturday. According to Connecticut State Police, 22 year old, Daria Rae McCabe, of North Branford, failed a field sobriety test and her eyes appeared glossy and bloodshot. McCabe was charged with reckless driving, illegally operating a vehicle under the influence, and driving the wrong way, police said. According to police, she was released on $500 bond and is expected to appear in front of a judge on June 16 in state Superior Court in Meriden. The arrest came a day after Connecticut lawmakers approved a bill that attempts to address the large increase in wrong-way crashes on the state's roads. The bill, which passed the House of Representatives, cleared the state Senate unanimously about six months after state Rep. Quentin Williams' death in a wrong-way crash, and now heads to Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont's desk. Wrong-way crashes have become more prevalent and deadly in Connecticut. Two crashes were reported in 2020, four in 2021, 13 in 2022 resulting in 23 fatalities, and 27 so far in 2023 resulting in 15 deaths, according to officials. Williams, a 39-year-old Democrat from Middletown, died in a wrong-way crash as he returned home from the governors inaugural ball, state police said. The other driver also died. The bill requires the state's Department of Transportation to install wrong-way driving detection and notification systems on at least 120 high-risk highway exit ramps throughout Connecticut. The systems could include flashing lights that alert drivers when they're heading in the wrong direction, while also alerting police. Additionally, the bill would have the University of Connecticut test the use of directional rumble strips. A pilot program involving certain high-risk exit ramps is under way. Alerts about a wrong-way driver will appear on electronic highway message boards. Additionally, the bill calls for a wrong-way driver public-awareness campaign. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) The state of Florida picked up asylum-seekers on the Texas border Monday and took them by private jet to Californias capital city at taxpayer expense for the second time in four days, California officials said, prompting allegations that migrants were misled and catching shelters and aid workers by surprise. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials were mum, as they were initially last year when they flew 49 Venezuelan migrants to the upscale Massachusetts enclave of Marthas Vineyard, luring them onto private jets from a shelter in San Antonio. As California Attorney General Rob Bonta investigated the migrants' transportation, local officials and faith-based groups sought to provide housing, food and other resources to the more than three dozen new arrivals. Most are from Colombia and Venezuela, and California had not been their intended destination. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, meanwhile, lashed out at DeSantis as a small, pathetic man and suggested the state could pursue kidnapping charges. And as the migrants arrived in California, a Texas sheriffs office announced Monday it has recommended criminal charges over the two flights to Marthas Vineyard last year. Johnny Garcia, a spokesman for the Bexar County Sheriffs Office, said that at this time the office is not naming suspects. Its not clear whether the local district attorney will pursue the charges, which include misdemeanor and felony counts of unlawful restraint, according to the sheriffs office. The Republican governors of Texas and Arizona have previously sent thousands of migrants on buses to New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., but the rare charter flights by DeSantis mark an escalation in tactics. The two groups sent to Sacramento never went through Florida. Instead, they were approached in El Paso by people with Florida-linked paperwork, sent to New Mexico, then put on private flights to California's capital, California officials and advocates said. Bonta, who met with some of the migrants who arrived Friday, said they told him they were approached by two women who spoke broken Spanish and promised them jobs. The women traveled with them by land from El Paso to Deming, New Mexico where two men then accompanied them on the flight to Sacramento. The same men were on the flight Monday, Bonta said. To see leaders and governments of other states and the state of Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis, acting with cruelty and inhumanity and moral bankruptcy and being petty and small and hurtful and harmful to those vulnerable asylum seekers is blood-boiling," Bonta said in a Monday interview. DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican nomination to run for president, has been a fierce critic of federal immigration policy under President Joe Biden and has heavily publicized Floridas role in past instances in which migrants were transported to Democratic-led states. He has made the migrant relocation program one of his signature political priorities, using the state legislative process to direct millions of dollars to it and working with multiple contractors to carry out the flights. Vertol Systems Co., which was paid by Florida to fly migrants to Martha's Vineyard, appears to be behind the flights to Sacramento, Bonta said, adding that the migrants were carrying an official document from the state of Florida that mentions the company. The company didn't respond to an email seeking comment. Some of the migrants who arrived Friday told Bonta they met on their nearly three-month journey to the United States and decided to stick together to keep each other safe as they slept on the streets in several countries, he said. The group came from Colombia and Venezuela and all were adults, though one woman had just turned 18 on the journey, he said. Of the new arrivals on Monday, 16 came from Venezuela, two from Colombia, one from Mexico and one from Nicaragua, he said. All were between the ages of 21 and 30, he said. They remained at the airport for a couple of hours and were fed before being transported to a religious institution, said Kim Nava, a Sacramento County spokeswoman. Our county social workers are en route and are going to assess all those folks, make sure they have the services and support that they need, Nava said. The first group of migrants was dropped off at the Roman Catholic Church dioceses headquarters in Sacramento. U.S. immigration officials had already processed them in Texas and given them court dates for their asylum cases, and none had planned to arrive in California, said Eddie Carmona, campaign director at PICO California, a faith-based group helping the migrants in Sacramento. Asylum seekers can change the location of their court appearances, but many are reluctant to try and instead prefer sticking with a firm date, at least for their initial appearances. They figure it is a guarantee, even if horribly inconvenient. The office of New Mexico Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had no specifics as to why the immigrants were taken from Texas to New Mexico before being flown to California. Gov. Lujan Grisham stresses, yet again, the urgent need for comprehensive, thoughtful federal immigration reform which is rooted in a humanitarian response that keeps border communities in mind, the governors spokesperson, Caroline Sweeney, said Monday. Last year, DeSantis directed Republican lawmakers in Florida to create a program in his office dedicated to migrant relocations. It specified that the state could transport migrants from locations anywhere in the country. The law was designed to get around questions about the legality of transporting people on a flight that originated in Texas. Florida's alleged role in the arrival of the two groups in Sacramento is sure to escalate the political feud between DeSantis and Newsom, who have offered conflicting visions on immigration, abortion and a host of other issues. ___ Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Fla., Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed. ___ Find more AP coverage of immigration: https://apnews.com/hub/immigration WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear a case in which a man tried to trademark a phrase mocking former President Donald Trump as too small. The Justice Department is supporting President Joe Bidens once and possibly future rival in urging the court to deny a trademark for the suggestive phrase Trump too small that a California man wants to put on T-shirts. The case will be argued in the fall, one of two disputes on the courts upcoming agenda that involve Trump or one of his businesses. Government officials said the phrase Trump too small could still be used, just not trademarked because Trump had not consented to its use. But a federal appeals court said refusing trademark registration violated free speech rights. The high court has considered a raft of Trump-related cases in recent years. The justices have dealt with cases about Trump's claims of fraud in the 2000 election and with his efforts to shield his tax records from Congress and to keep other tax records from prosecutors in New York, among other things. If the justices are tired of Trump-related cases, however, they arent letting on. Just last month, the high court agreed to hear a different Trump-related lawsuit stemming from disputes over what was the Trump International Hotel in Washington. Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee sued over the Trump administrations refusal to turn over information about the Trump Organizations lease of the hotel. The latest case is unusual in that it has the Biden administration on Trump's side. The administration is defending government officials' decision to reject the trademark request from Steve Elster, who tried to register the Trump too small phrase. The phrase is a reference to a memorable exchange Trump had during the 2016 presidential campaign with Florida senator and GOP presidential rival Marco Rubio. Rubio began the verbal jousting when he told supporters at a rally that Trump was always calling him little Marco" but that Trump who says he is 6-feet-3-inches tall has disproportionately small hands. Have you seen his hands? ... And you know what they say about men with small hands, Rubio said. You can't trust them. Trump then brought up the comment at a televised debate on March 3, 2016. Look at those hands. Are they small hands? And he referred to my hands if theyre small, something else must be small. I guarantee you theres no problem. I guarantee you," he said. Federal law says that a trademark request should be refused if it involves a name, portrait or signature identifying a particular living individual unless the person has given written consent. But Elster says refusing to register a political slogan criticizing Trump without Trump's consent violates the First Amendment's Free Speech clause. Federal law, Elster's lawyers say, makes it virtually impossible to register a mark that expresses an opinion about a public figure. We look forward to defending the right to convey core political messages on trademarks," Elster's lawyer Jon Taylor wrote in an email. "The governments attempt to burden political speech by granting public figures a monopoly over speech about them in the marketplace is indefensible. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin judge on Monday declined to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to ensure that no records are deleted from a now-closed state office created to investigate former President Donald Trump's loss in 2020. The lawsuit was one of several filed by liberal watchdog group American Oversight against former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman and the office of special counsel that he led. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired Gableman to lead the probe in 2021 under pressure from Trump and conservative Republicans in Wisconsin who were pushing for decertifying Biden's win. Vos put the investigation on hold in April 2022 and then fired Gableman in August 2022 after he turned up no evidence to back Trump's false claims that the election had been stolen from him. Vos fired Gableman just days after Vos won his primary over an opponent endorsed by Gableman and Trump. Vos called Gableman an embarrassment to himself and the state. Even though the office has been unstaffed for nearly a year, it continues to fight open records lawsuits. Courts have repeatedly ruled against Gableman and his former office in those cases. Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost on Monday affirmed with his latest ruling that the office formerly led by Gableman, and any future version of it, is subject to Wisconsin's open records law. Frost granted a temporary injunction against any deletion of records by the office and rejected the motion to dismiss, a request made nearly a year ago. Todays ruling is a victory for democracy that affirms what weve been arguing all along: Wisconsins Office of Special Counsel is a state agency and must follow Wisconsins public records retention laws," said Rachel Fried, an attorney with Democracy Forward, which represented American Oversight in the case along with Madison-based Pines Bach. Frost, in his ruling, said Gableman's office throws a variety of arguments against the wall to try to avoid the Retention Law, but they all fail." He said the public interest in preserving, requesting and reviewing records obtained during the investigation was paramount. James Bopp, who represented the office of special counsel, said no decision had been made on whether to appeal. We are surprised by the ruling since all of the documents have been transferred to the clerk of the Wisconsin Assembly," he said. "The special counsel has no documents to preserve or produce. At a hearing in September, Bopp told the judge that the lawsuit was moot and that all records collected by the office would soon be made public. Assembly Chief Clerk Ted Blazel said Monday that he had the records and was working on getting them posted online in the near future. President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in 2020 by just under 21,000 votes in Wisconsin, a victory that withstood recounts, multiple state and federal lawsuits, an audit by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and a report by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. An Associated Press review of Wisconsin and other battleground states also found far too little fraud to have tipped the election for Trump. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) A year after the killing of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon rainforest, friends, colleagues and family members gathered Monday in several Brazilian cities to honor their memory and pledge to carry forward their work. Dozens of people showed up at demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brazil's capital and Bahia state's Salvador. Gatherings also took place in London and Atalaia do Norte, a small Amazon town that is the launching-off point for the remote, sprawling Javari Valley Indigenous territory. Just outside that territory, the men were brutally killed. In Brasilia, dozens of public servants, Indigenous people and university students gathered for a discussion paying homage to Phillips and Pereira at the University of Brasilia. Pereiras daughter was also among them. Environment Minister Marina Silva and the president of the nations Indigenous affairs agency, Joenia Wapichana, joined the group, which sat in a circle on the floor of an Indigenous-inspired auditorium. Phillips had been conducting research for his book, How to Save the Amazon: Ask the People Who Know, which was years in the making. In 2021, he secured a yearlong fellowship with the Alicia Patterson Foundation to write it and, by the time of his death, had completed nearly half. A main line of police investigation points to an international network that pays poor fishermen to fish illegally in Indigenous territory. At the end of Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach, loved ones on Monday held posters featuring the now-iconic image of the duo set before an orange backdrop, which over the past year has often been displayed at concerts and political rallies and posted on social media. The group swapped hugs and kind words before posing for a photo. Dom and Bruno, present! Alessandra Sampaio, Phillips widow, shouted while raising her fist in the air, prompting the others to do the same. I am very revolted. I try not to focus on that, I try to move forward and do what I can in the name of Dom and in favor of conservation, Sampaio said. Phillips had been reporting on the complex dynamics playing out in the region, where trespassers often enter the protected Indigenous reserves to hunt and fish. He was navigating with Pereira, who had been working with local Indigenous communities for over a decade and acted as Phillips' guide. It was to be one of his final reporting trips for his book. Ahead of the first anniversary of Phillips' disappearance, his family and friends have launched a fundraiser to complete his work. A group of journalists from The Guardian, where Phillips regularly contributed as a freelancer, The New Yorker, The Intercept Brazil and Brazilian publications Amazonia Real and Sumauma will be writing the remaining chapters. Others from the Associated Press, the New York Times or the BBC have offered to help with proof-reading and fact-checking. Dom was killed for this book. The least we can do is finish the task to which he had devoted the latter part of his life," Jonathan Watts, the Guardians global environment writer, said in a statement. "He may be gone, but he wont be silenced. Pereira dedicated his career to helping Indigenous people protect their natural resources and traditional lifestyles. He long worked as an expert at the Brazilian Indigenous affairs agency, known as FUNAI. Under former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose administration unapologetically promoted development over environmental protection, Pereira had left the agency and embarked on a more independent and dangerous path. Bruno and Dom deserved, and should have been here today," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday at an event celebrating World Environment Day, also attended by the men's widows. Their brutal murder shocked the world that came to see the Amazon as a lawless land. On Thursday, the documentary Valley of the Isolated Ones by television network Globo premiered in Rio. The film showcased previously unreleased footage recovered from Pereiras cellphone, found in the rainforest months after the crime and retraced the journey of the Indigenous expert in the region. This film is a way to honor Brunos work in defending our families and our people. Bruno and Dom died in the name of our families, Indigenous leader Eliesio Marubo said to the audience. We will continue everything we were doing along with Bruno to strengthen not only his story, his fight, his legacy but also to say that we still exist with the same problems we had before they were killed. Speaking at the event beside Copacabana beach on Monday, Beto Marubo a member of the same ethnic group who is also part of the local Indigenous organization in the Javari Valley said there must be coordinated planning and action across all government authorities in the area to protect the rainforest and its people, as well as rebuilding of equipment and infrastructure. In a remote region where crimes often go unsolved, there have been advances in seeking justice. Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira and Jeferson da Silva Lima, two local fishermen, have confessed to the killings and are in prison awaiting trial. A Colombian businessman, Rubens Villar Coelho, stands accused of masterminding the crime, and is also in custody. He denies any involvement in the killings. But there have been questions about the possible violations of due process. AP reporters Fabiano Maisonnave and Mario Lobao contributed to this story from Rio de Janeiro. Carla Bridi contributed from Brasilia. YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. The United States scrambled F-16 fighter jets in a supersonic chase of a light aircraft with an unresponsive pilot that violated airspace around Washington D.C. and later crashed into the mountains of Virginia, Reuters reported citing local officials. No survivors were found at the crash site, Reuters reported citing Virginia state police. The jet fighters created a sonic boom over the U.S. capital as they pursued the unresponsive Cessna Citation, officials said, causing consternation among people in the Washington area. Four people were onboard the Cessna, a source familiar with the matter said. A Cessna Citation can carry seven to 12 passengers. The Cessna was registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne, Florida, according to the flight-tracking website Flight Aware. Encore owner John Rumpel told the Washington Post his daughter, a grandchild and her nanny were on board. The U.S. military attempted to contact the pilot, who was unresponsive, until the Cessna crashed near the George Washington National Forest in Virginia, NORAD said in a statement. A U.S. official said the fighters did not cause the crash. The Cessna took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and was bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York, about 50 miles (80 km) east of Manhattan, Reuters reported citing the FAA. The FAA said that it and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate. According to Flight Aware, the plane appeared to reach the New York area, then made nearly a 180-degree turn. Abiye Sekibo, a witness of Atiku Abubakar, has told the presidential election petition court that agents of the APC attacked voters and truncated the electronic transmission of election results in Rivers state. Sekibo, who was PDPs coordinator during the February 25 presidential election in Rivers, said officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were prevented from using the bimodal voters accreditation system (BVAS) to upload results collated from polling units across the state. The agents of the 2nd respondent (Mr Tinubu) and 3rd respondent (APC) ensured that INEC presiding officers did not upload results of the presidential election in Rivers, Sekibo told the court. Meanwhile, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, had blamed the inability of the commission to upload results from polling units on technical glitches. During cross-examination by Akin Olujinmi, Tinubus lawyer, Sekibo said he voted at his polling unit at Okrika LGA of the state. Lateef Fagbemi, APCs lawyer, in his cross-examination, asked Sekibo how he traced the identities of the agents to APC. Responding, Sekibo said he witnessed several results collation in 20 out of the over 600 polling units across the state, adding that he deduced the agents identities from their violent actions. Sekibo, who is Atikus seventh witness to testify before the five-member panel headed by Haruna Tsammani, said we tried to get to Obiakpor local government area but were prevented. There was violence and people were being killed. Bola Tinubu, the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared winner of the February 25 election with 8,794,726 votes. The outcome of the election is being challenged by Abubakar, standard bearer of the PDP; and Peter Obi, standard bearer of the Labour Party (LP). A former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has berated former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying his government left a legacy of unprecedented debt burden. Sani, in a tweet on Sunday, said millions of people became internally-displaced persons and refugees during Buharis eight years in office. According to him, thousands of Nigerians were slaughtered by terrorists between 2015 and 2023 when Buhari ruled the nation. He added that the Buhari administration enriched those he called a gang of parasitic cabal and their families, while impoverishing millions of people. Under Buhari, Sani alleged that heads of ministries and security agencies operated what he termed a regime of fiscal indiscipline and industrial scale thievery. In a veiled reference to Buhari, he said: His Government left a legacy of unprecedented debt burden, millions of IDPs and refugees, thousands slaughtered by terrorists. His Government enriched a gang of parasitic cabal and their families and impoverished millions of people. Under him, heads of MDAs and security agencies operated a regime of fiscal indiscipline and industrial scale thievery. Now we are told about the stories of his cows, sainthood and palour. Are we supposed to stand on the graves of the victims of his failures and clap for him or what? YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. Ukrainian forces have launched a large-scale offensive against Russian troops along five sections of the front line in Donbass, RT reported citing a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry in the early hours of Monday. The offensive began on Sunday morning, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. It was not immediately clear whether or not the reported attack represented the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive which Kyiv has been promising for months to recapture territory taken by Russian forces after the invasion of February 2022. The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine's goal was to "breach our defenses in what they assumed was the most vulnerable section of the frontline" but failed. Russian officials said Ukraine had deployed the 23rd and the 31st mechanized brigades from its strategic reserves, which were supported in battle by other units. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost more than 250 service members, 16 tanks, three infantry vehicles, and 21 armored vehicles, the Defense Ministry claimed. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov posted a message on Twitter on Sunday, quoting Depeche Mode's track "Enjoy the Silence". The daily report from Ukraine's General Staff said only that there were 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, according to Reuters. A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Plateau state, Samuel Kwamkur, on Sunday cautioned former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, not to set Nigeria on fire with his utterances Kwankur, who is a former National Director of the Christian Association of Nigeria, stated this at a press conference in Jos on Sunday. He was reacting to statements allegedly credited to the former Kaduna governor in which he allegedly told his audience before handing over to his successor that the Islamic dominance in Kaduna had been successfully replicated in Nigeria and that it shall continue. El-Rufai, he alleged, equally told his audience that in the course of the electioneering campaigns, when they(Christians ) tried to ask questions on why the Muslim/Muslim Ticket, he deceived them that it was not for religious dominance when in reality, the tickets both nationally and at the state level were for Islamic dominance. He alleged that in the video containing the speech which has gone viral on social media, El-Rufai further said that the victory of Bola Tinubu had silenced the Christian Association of Nigeria, adding that he will sustain an Islamic-dominated government for 20 years and unending not only in Kaduna State but in Nigeria at large But Kwankur, while reacting to El-Rufais outburst, expressed disappointment at the utterances of the former governor, noting that the classification of the citizens of his state as them versus us meant that the former governor cannot be exonerated from the wanton killings, demolition of houses and places of worship of Christians in Kaduna. Kwankur said he was surprised that El-Rufai who was contemplated as one of the qualified persons to be appointed as the Chief of Staff to Mr President or Secretary to the Government of the Federation had turned himself into a confirmed religious bigot with a hidden agenda to destroy the country using religion. He advised El-Rufai not to use his utterances to mislead Nigerians into thinking that President Bola Tinubus electoral victory was purposely to islamise Nigeria and nothing else. The former National Director of CAN said Ordinarily, I have heard Islamic clerics preach that Tinubus Muslim/ Muslim ticket is in furtherance of an Islamisation agenda, and despite that, I am one of those who contributed in discouraging Christians and Nigerians from accepting such as true because I believed in the antecedents and character of His Excellency Ahmed Bola Tinubu but hearing from a political leader like El-Rufai, a close associate of Tinubu and Shettima, an active participant in the campaign who was contemplated as one of the qualified persons to be appointed as the Chief of Staff to Mr President or Secretary to the Government of the Federation confirmed that there is a hidden agenda to be mindful of. In the said address, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai spoke like one of the religious bigots that have been working underground to set the nation on fire. Amongst his ill-motivated statements which I can only paraphrase for now, El-Rufai confirmed that he is a leader of the Islamic terrorist group operating in the Sambisa forest albeit disguising himself as a governor in a complex nation like Nigeria Firstly, El-Rufai in his speech, wondered why he should give them a deputy governor when most of them cannot vote for his party. That he calculated and discovered we can win an election without them hence why give them a deputy? From El-Rufais classification of the citizens of his state as them versus us one needs no angel to tell you that he cannot be exonerated from the wanton killings, demolition of houses and places of worship of Christians in Kaduna. Secondly, Mallam El-Rufai went further to state that Islamic dominance of government in Nigeria will bring peace, Justice and fair play. He assured the gathering that he will sustain an Islamic-dominated government for 20 years and unending. This outburst reiterates his extreme fanaticism and displays his ignorance of what constitutes justice, equity and fair play. Discrimination, ethnic profiling and all genocidal attempts to consume a race or religion constitute injustice and are recipes for anarchy and crisis. Thirdly, he told his audience that in the course of the electioneering campaigns, when they tried to ask questions on why the Muslim/Muslim Ticket, he deceives them that it is not for religious dominance but in reality the tickets both nationally and at the state level were for Islamic dominance. He boasted that the Islamic dominance in Kaduna has been successfully replicated in Nigeria and it shall continue. He said further that the victory of Asiwaju has silent the Christian Association of Nigeria. The question is: is it only Muslims that voted for Asiwaju? Who voted for Atiku and Peter Obi? I guess it was only Christians! How could a sitting governor, former minister of the Federal Republic and a potential key government appointee be this callous and insensitive? I recall in one of my visits to a friend in Kaduna, he expressed his views about Mallam El-Rufais involvement in the killings in Kaduna and I kept arguing that he should be given the benefit of the doubt, but watching El-Rufai address the Muslim Umma, I have no doubt in my mind that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is one of those behind the unending religious crisis and insecurity in Nigeria. Continuing, the former CAN official added For the record, Christianity does not practice deception as a principle or mode of operation. The Holy Bible admonishes Christians to say the truth at all times. Christians are also taught unconditional love regardless of religion, region and background. In the Christian faith, the Holy Book frowns against religious discrimination and dominance. The definition of Justice, equity and fairness is hinged on providing platforms for the involvement of all regardless of their population, religion and tribe. We also believe that God is the giver of life and power; he gives to whoever He wishes and takes it at the time He so wishes. Hence boasting of any sort is an open challenge to Gods sovereignty. Being a member of the Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC), I have closely interfaced with respected Islamic leaders of high repute and found out that there are Muslim leaders, unlike Mallam El-Rufai who are deeply concerned about the peace, development, and growth of Nigeria without pretense. Truly speaking El-Rufai is a setback to the peace process that NIREC has been battling with in the midst of religious upheavals. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has exhibited blatant misuse of the trust that God gave him and confirmed that he is an extremist who has largely contributed to the pains of the very people he took an oath to protect in the guise of working for his religion. He urged the former governor to use the NIREC platform tom promote unity. One would expect El-Rufai to take advantage of such meetings to discuss the achievements of his government in developing the state and taking his people out of poverty and insecurity but ney! He wants to be celebrated as a religious hero and a Jihadist of high repute. How can our nation grow with this kind of leader in authority? Let it be known to all Nigerians that those of us Christians who supported His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu did so out of sincere hope that both himself and his Vice will work to ensure the sustainable development of Nigeria through their policies, experience and exposure. It should be known that we did not vote Tinubu out of El-Rufais deception (Taqiya) as he claimed! It should be made known to El-Rufai that against his wild imagination of achieving an Islamisation agenda through the dominance and persecution of Christians, Christianity grows better in persecution and supposed dominance. We shall continue to preach inclusiveness, equity and fair play in the true sense of these words. We shall never practice deception to cling to power. No! It is against our faith! May I use this medium to invite Mallam El-Rufai to study the nature of our God in the Book of Esther especially Chapters 6 & 7 where Hamans plot to end the lives of the Israelites ended up consuming his own life. For El-Rufai to think that the Asiwaju vote is a victory for Islam is very unfortunate and speaks volumes of his kind of bigotry. His outburst has destroyed the remaining respect he enjoyed from patriotic Nigerians. We call on Asiwaju to be mindful of friends, associates and politicians like El-Rufai who seek to work with him as they will do more harm to the system and the nation and nothing good can come out of such. May I also use this medium to call on our governors in Nigeria, particularly our Northern governors to truly work towards removing our battered citizens from poverty, insecurity and the like and ensure the provision of good healthcare and other benefits of good governance, rather than to dwell on preaching hate and religious and tribal differences. I call on our leaders to show the citizens the number of people they have empowered instead of the number of lives and property they have destroyed as is happening in Kaduna. I believe that God shall continue to expose the wolves in sheeps clothing amongst Nigerians Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Edo, says the federal government has a plan to cushion the effect of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians. On Sunday, a federal government delegation which included Oshiomhole, held a meeting with representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the presidential villa, in Abuja. Festus Osifo, TUC president, who spoke after the meeting, confirmed that a list of demands had been submitted to the federal government, adding that the union will continue with the dialogue on Tuesday. Dele Alake, spokesperson for the governments delegation, said the demands of the union to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, include an increase in the minimum wage and tax holidays for certain categories of people. On his part, Oshiomole, who spoke in an interview after the meeting, said: This president recognises that the effect of the withdrawal is already here, people are already going through some level of discomfort and therefore there has to be an immediate solution to it. Now that immediate solution is what we discussed and the fact that we are meeting on Tuesday again shows that clearly, we realise that this is not one of those things you want to buy time because it has a real negative impact, on particularly, the most vulnerable group. But we have a solution to it because you are going to make savings, so take from that savings or even if it is borrowing. So, whatever it is, you can leverage some revenue and improve wages to cushion the cost of living. I think it is legitimate, I think it is doable, it is not something that you want to spend two to three months negotiating. Because those savings will go into the federation account which will be distributed among the three tiers of government and so every tier of government will have more money and should be able to meet the consequential wage increase, he added. A group known as the Society for Women Empowerment (SWE) has accused Lucky Aiyedatiwa, deputy governor of Ondo state, of assaulting Oluwaseun, his wife. Damilola Charles, SWEs national coordinator, said it is disturbing that Aiyedatiwa would perpetrate the alleged act and be allowed to cover it up. Charles asked Betty Akeredolu, first lady of Ondo, to intervene in the matter and represent the interest of the Nigerian woman. It is unacceptable that a deputy governor would physically assault his wife and inflict grievous bodily injuries on her, the coordinator said in a statement. Those who occupy public offices are expected to be above board and conduct themselves in a manner that would inspire the people and serve as role models. It is shocking to discover that the deputy governor assaulted his wife severely to the point that the wife had to escape to the United Kingdom to save her life. The deputy governor has broken moral decorum and acted in a manner that brings his office into disrepute. We are, to say the least, disappointed with this embarrassing conduct. ALLEGATION IS FALSE In reaction to the allegation, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, Aiyedatiwas spokesperson, denied the allegation levelled against his principal. Odusola-Stevenson said it is a known fact that Oluwaseun, who has lived and worked in the UK for years, shuttles between Nigeria and the European country. The said allegation of domestic abuse against the person of the deputy governor is a figment of the imagination of those behind it and their ungodly intentions to cause crisis in the state had been known for weeks and therefore such falsehood did not come as a surprise, he said. While His Excellency reserves the right to privacy on issues pertaining to his family, it is pertinent to state clearly that there has never been any domestic violence between the deputy governor and his lovely wife, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, who at the moment is outside the shores of the country. In the last four months quoted in the false report as timeline, His Excellency has been busy with official duties of his office and has during the period performed the duties of the office of the governor as delegated to him by his boss, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, while he was on leave. It is concerning to see that a faceless group said to be headed by a name not known anywhere in the state could sell such fabrication to media men. It is more concerning, however, that such a lie, which was not backed with any evidence whatsoever, could be promoted into a news item by journalists. Popular Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie has left many talking on the internet as he engaged in a heated argument with his second wife, Judy Austin. Yul, in a now trending video on the internet, expressed his displeasure about Judys recent actions and addiction to her phone. The video shows Judy recording their conversation while Yul was telling her to put down the cell phone for not paying attention to him. Responding to him, Judy argued that her phone had nothing to do with the ongoing conversation because she is listening with her ears. She warned Yul to stop raising his voice at her, stating that he was only transferring his aggression towards her over the crash of his car. Sharing the viral video on his Facebook page on Sunday, Yul lamented Judys failure to always listen to him, stating that he is getting tired of the situation. The Indigenous People of Biafra has backed the Enugu State governor, Dr Peter Mba, on his commitment to end the Monday sit-at-home in the state, adding that they are supporting him to stop it because IPOB had already stopped it. The pro-Biafran group, however, cautioned the governor against the use of force on the people, saying the police know the criminals enforcing the non-existent sit-at-home. IPOB stated these in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Monday, while also reminding Mba that the group had already suspended the exercise before some criminal elements hijacked it. The group said, After our leadership initiated the Monday sit-at-home order to demand for the release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leadership has long directed stoppage of the exercise to avoid criminals capitalising on that to harm our people. Though some Biafrans continued with Monday sit-at-home voluntarily, as our leader predicted, after the suspension order, some criminals and infiltrators hijacked it and started committing crimes and enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home. The Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mba should be made aware that IPOB has already suspended Monday sit-at-home. For him to publicly associate IPOB with Monday sit-at-home is obnoxious. If Mba wants to return normalcy on Mondays, he has the support of IPOB because those enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home are criminals. Anybody enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home order is not helping IPOB and our leader Mazi Kanu. Every member of IPOB and Biafrans should be coming out on Mondays for their business. The group, however, noted that while the exercise is gradually winding down across the South-East, Mba should avoid the use of force to clamp down on the people as this would create anarchy. It said the security agents can stop the enforcers of sit-at-home and their sponsor because they know themselves, adding that their leader in Europe are behind these criminalities going on in the South-East with the support of the Federal Government just to blackmail IPOB. The governor must know that the Nigeria Police know the criminals and the hideout of the criminals who enforce sit-at-home in some communites but are claiming to be IPOB but they are not. We are calling on Mba never allow a single person die because of this exercise because we dont know anything about it. Calling on the Nigeria murderous security agents to stop Monday sit-at- home is a call that will be used as a license to target and kill IPOB members and innocent Biafra citizens. So, Mba should be careful not to be used by enemies to target and attack IPOB members and ESN operatives. Mba should never make the same mistake, Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo made by using the Nigeria compromised security to stop Monday sit-at-home . Any attempt to use murderous Fulani controlled security to stop the sit-at-home is an indirect way of killing our people. Such moves will always be counterproductive. Such measures failed in Ebonyi, Imo, and Anambra, and it will fail in Enugu if it is applied. We support him to stop the Monday sit-at-home, as we have stopped the sit-at-home. Allow the Monday sit-at-home to die off naturally by engaging our people, the group added. President Bola Tinubu is currently in a meeting with Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers state, and Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs. The meeting is also being attended by David Umahi, former governor of Ebonyi state, at the state house. Last week, Wike met the president in the company of James Ibori, a former governor of Delta, and Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state. The agenda of the meeting is not yet known. However, the composition of the national assembly leadership has been the issue on the front burner since Tinubu was inaugurated as president last week. The All Progressives Congress (APC) nominated Akpabio and Barau Jibrin, senator representing Kano north, as senate president and deputy respectively. In the lower legislative chamber, the party nominated Tajudeen Abbas, a lawmaker from Kaduna, and Benjamin Kalu, lawmaker from Imo, as speaker and deputy. The decision did not go down well with some APC lawmakers-elect who are nursing ambitions to become presiding officers in the 10th national assembly. Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has commended civil servants, transporters, the business community and other institutions in the state for the significant compliance with governments directive ending the Monday sit-at-home order. Mbah put the compliance level at about 70 percent, expressing hope of total compliance on subsequent Mondays. The Governor stated this during the monitoring of compliance to governments directive by government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), markets, among others, restating governments resolve to secure lives and property. Ministries and offices visited included Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry Capital Territory, Ministry of Inter-Ministerial Affairs and Special Duties, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Accountant-General, Office of the Head of Service, Office of the Surveyor-General, among others, where he was received by the civil servants and heads of MDAs. Mbah also visited several markets, including the Akwata section of Ogbete Market, Mayor Market situated along Agbani Road, among others, where he was warmly received by happy traders and their leaders. Mbah said productivity was key to all the promises he made to the people to drive investment inflow into the state, create jobs, and provide quality services. He reminded the people that the power and mandate belonged to them, hence they should never allow people, who had no stake in the states economy to undermine the peace and prosperity of the Enugu State. Speaking with newsmen after the monitoring exercise, Mbah said: The primary objective of my visitations is largely to observe the level of compliance of the directive that we gave last week, declaring that we do not have sit-at-home in Enugu henceforth. The directive was meant to ensure that our people come out on the first working and productive day of the week. We do have a compliance level of about 60 to 70 percent and the order took effect from today. I am aware the circular to this effect was sent out on Friday. It may well be that not all the workers got the information that we no longer have sit-at-home on Mondays. Whether we succeed or fail in ending sit-at-home, we do that together as Enugu people. If we succeed, our collective success means we can rise together against intimidation. It is not anybodys or governments success. We need to take collective responsibility for our decision. But the truth is that everything we have promised our people in Enugu is anchored on getting the flow of private sector investments into our state; and the private sector cannot come into a state where the people are not productive. The private sector thrives on big markets and a vibrant workforce. So, our people are known by their hard work, by their industry and commerce. So, we cannot have people who kill these spirits in our people and dictate to us the day we should go to work and the day we should sit at home. We have to revive that spirit of hard work and culture of commerce and industry that our people are known for. We want to reinstate that; and that is exactly what we are doing. Mbah assured the people of the governments commitment to the security of lives and property every other day of the week, Mondays inclusive. Security of lives and property is essentially the oath we took and that is at the top of our priorities. We must ensure the safety of our people. And we have also said repeatedly that our people should go about their businesses. Let it not ever be heard that we are going to be listening to people, who have no stake in our economy and social welfare dictate to us when we must come out to work. It should not be heard of. Think about it, we are here today because we got the mandate of the people. So, could you then have somebody make you inferior without your consent? Someone you have not given your mandate to lead you tells you to sit down and, somehow, you begin to sit at home. And he tells you to go, and you begin to go. That should not be acceptable. It actually undermines our dignity as a people and we shouldnt endorse that, Mbah declared. The Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Kogi Central in the 2023 general election, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Sunday, called for urgent investigations into the alleged attack on Governor Bellos convoy by the supporters of the Governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, Murtala Yakubu-Ajaka Natasha, who stated this in a statement she signed on Sunday, said the alleged attack was politically motivated, describing it as a smear campaign against Yakubu-Ajaka According to her, both Bello and Ajaka were already accusing each other of assassination attempts, just as she called for an investigation before it would go out of control. The attack was a ploy to implicate Ajaka to be disqualified by INEC in the forthcoming Nov. 11 governorship election, she alleged. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has debunked speculations that it might back down on its proposed industrial action slated nationwide for Wednesday. It said the only reason it would shelve the strike is when the Federal Government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited NNPCL did the needful by returning to status quo on the fuel subsidy removal issue. NLC declared the position in a statement by Benson Upah, Head of Information and Public Affairs on Sunday. The workers body was reacting to a story in a national newspaper on Sunday. It described the report as laughable and desperate attempt by enemies of the people to polarise Nigeria Labour Congress along ethnic or regional lines on an issue with a national spread. According to Upah, this scenario only plays in their imagination as Nigeria Labour Congress continues to be the biggest pan-Nigerian organisation united by a common vision/ mission and shared national values. On the looming strike, we want to assure that all the affiliate unions of the Congress stand together with an unshakeable resolve to prosecute, come Wednesday, except the NNPC and Government do the needful. Whereas, primordial sentiments such as religion, region or ethnicity may be refuge for some, at the Nigeria Labour Congress, they have no place. What counts for us are issues such as the mindless and criminal increase in the pump price of pms whose burden will be borne by the already impoverished communities of the poor across Nigeria, it stated. NLC said the burden of the malevolent policy would not be borne by other segments of the country to the exclusion of the North or South-West, hence, there is no reason for those regions to back out of the strike. Recall that the President, Bola Tinubu had during his inaugural speech declared that the era of subsidy for petroleum products was gone, a development that has had ripple effect on the Nigerian polity since May 29, 2023. Petrol prices have almost doubled across fuel stations in Benin Republic after it was announced that subsidy would be removed in Nigeria, the BBC is reporting . Petrol from Nigeria is regularly smuggled into neighboring countries including Cameroon, Ghana, Benin Republic and as far as Sudan. The broadcasting company quoted sources to have said the product is being sold for 700 CFA or 800 CFA in Benin Republic up from a previous price of 450 CFA. Smuggled petrol popularly called kpayo which means unoriginal in Goun, a native language is cheaper than fuelling up at stations, according to local media reports. On Monday, in his inaugural speech, President Bola Tinubu said the petrol subsidy regime was over. On fuel subsidy, unfortunately, the budget before I assumed office is that no provision is there for fuel subsidy. So, fuel subsidy is gone, the president had said. Following Tinubus comments, huge queues resurfaced at filling stations in some parts of Nigeria a situation the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed on panic buying. On Friday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) issued a five-day ultimatum to the federal government to revert to the old price of petrol or face a nationwide protest Presently, a federal government delegation is in a meeting with representatives of organised labour at the presidential villa, Abuja, over the removal of subsidy on petrol. The NLC didnt make the meeting. The meeting comes five days after a first meeting with the new government on the same issue ended in a deadlock. YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. The government of Peru has approved a 60-day extension of the state of emergency in the southern region of Puno activated since January amid anti-government protests, TASS news agency reported. Major protests erupted in Peru after the ousting of President Pedro Castillo in late 2022. Protesters demand President Dina Boluartes resignation, the dissolution of parliament and new elections. Dozens have died and over 1600 injured during the protests. Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto North) on Sunday sympathised with the people of Tangaza Local Government Area over bandits attack that led to the death of many people in some villages. Wamakko, in a statement issued by Malam Bashar Abubakar, his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, condoled with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. NAN reports that armed men suspected to be bandits terrorising the state, on Saturday, launched an attack on the people of six villages in Tangaza LGA of Sokoto state. The attack led to the death of no fewer than 30 persons and left many others injured. Wamakko, the All Progressive Congress, APC, leader in the state, described the incident as unfortunate and ungodly. For this attack, the authorities should urgently take the necessary measures and ensure that the perpetrators must be brought to book to face the wrath of the law. I condole with the people of the area and pray to Allah the Almighty to forgive the deceased and reward them with Jannatul Firdausi as their final abode, he said. The lawmaker also prayed for the quick recovery of those who sustained various degree of injuries who are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. A popular Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa has knocked Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah over his comment on Mondays sit-at-home order. Mbah had vowed to shut down schools and businesses observing the sit-at-home order. But the Finland-based lawyer and self-acclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile, BRGIE, on his Twitter handle on Monday, said no governor in the eastern region could cancel the sit-at-home order unless Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, is released. He stressed that states in the Southeast would remain shut down on Mondays in solidarity with Kanu. The illegitimate governor has been disgraced by Biafrans in Enugu state today. It is one of a kind vote of no confidence. No governor in the Eastern region is in charge. The Biafra Republic Government In-Exile is In Charge! Try again and see, he claimed. Recall that Kanu was re-arrested in 2019 by the Nigerian Government. Despite several court orders requesting the release of Kanu, the Government of the immediate past president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, did not grant him bail. President Bola Tinubu says security agencies must work together to achieve success in the war against terrorism and security issues confronting the country. Speaking after a tour of the new office of the national security adviser and facilities at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu said there would not be prosperity if security challenges were not addressed. The president said information sharing must be a priority in the countrys intelligence community. Terrorism is not unique to Nigeria alone. It is across the world and we have to fight it. We have to eliminate it completely, Abiodun Oladunjoye, the villas director of information, quoted the president as saying. If we as Nigerians are looking for economic revival, prosperity and development, then we have to give priority to security. What I have seen here is a demonstration of intelligence efforts to counter terrorism. This must be backed by knowledge. Counter terrorism that is not backed by knowledge and intelligence is not going to be of any service to any nation. We are going to work on that together. The effort of the entire armed forces of this country must be put together in a way that there will be one single focus on securing the country. You cant have disharmony in an orchestra. We must focus on one tunnel; coordinate, share information, share intelligence and work harder. You cannot hoard information. You cannot hoard intelligence. I am glad that Nigeria is on the path to succeed. We will, I assure you. On his part, Babagana Monguno, NSA, thanked Tinubu for visiting his office. It reinforces his commitment, dedication and inflexible rigidity to ensure that the security misfortunes of the federal republic of Nigeria and by extension the sub-region are overcome within the shortest possible time, Monguno said. President Bola Tinubu has urged the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to call off its ongoing indefinite strike. According to a statement by Abiodun Oladunjoye, state house spokesperson, the president spoke during a meeting with the unions leadership on Monday. Recall that members of JOHESU commenced an indefinite nationwide strike on May 24. The health workers started the strike to compel the government to pay their hazard allowances and meet the salary structure adjustment, among other demands. In the meeting with the union, Tinubu promised to accelerate the demands of JOHESU and resolve all pending issues. The health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. We will resolve all the problems, the president said. Trust must be enshrined in all discussions. I promise you we will accelerate this. We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work. On his part, Obinna Ogbonna, JOSEHUs acting chairman, said the assurance from the president would encourage the union members and influence their return to work. Mr President, now that we have assurance from the top, we are encouraged to go back and talk to our members with a view to going back to work, he said. The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has disclosed what he would do if President Bola Tinubu offers him an appointment. Wike said he would consult his wife and friends if Tinubu gives him an appointment. Speaking with BBC Pidgin, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain also noted that he wants to rest after serving as a governor for eight years. According to Wike: Im going to rest; I have worked for eight years, so Im going to rest. Tinubu has not informed me about getting an appointment; Im not too big to serve my country, but he has never told me that he would give me an appointment. If he asks me, the first thing I will do is ask my wife and friends what they think about it. I will also assess myself if Im prepared. I will never do what Im not ready for. A missing Bloomfield man was found dead at the base of Rockefeller Lookout in Englewood Cliffs on Sunday, police said. Palisades Interstate Parkway Police officers found an abandoned vehicle at about 5 p.m. at the Bergen County lookout, which located along Palisades Interstate Parkway just north of Exit 1, according to a police spokesman. The vehicle was registered to a 54-year-old man reported missing and endangered on Friday by Clifton Police Department after officers were contacted by the mans brother, authorities said. Police did not release the mans name. Members of the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Detective Bureau, Bergen County Sheriff K-9 Unit and the New York Police Department Aviation unit canvassed the area, but didnt find anything, police said. The East Bergen Rappel Team and members of New Jersey Search and Rescue also searched the area. After an extensive search, rescuers found the man dead, authorities said. The mans death does not appear to be suspicious, said Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Lt. Raymond E. Walter. Police are still investigating the incident. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com. For the second time in a month, imprisoned killer Sean M. Lannon was a no-show for his video arraignment on charges he killed his ex-wife and two men in New Mexico. Lannon, 49, was scheduled to make a virtual appearance in New Mexico court Monday by phone or via a video link from New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. He is serving a 35-year sentence in New Jersey for killing his childhood mentor, 66-year-old Michael Dabkowski. His public defender blamed Lannons absence at the New Mexico hearing on New Jersey Department of Corrections refusing to arrange for him to appear by video or phone at the hearing. DOC officials did not immediately respond to a request to comment. This is the second time Lannon missed a virtual hearing in the case in Grants, New Mexico. He was originally supposed to appear via a video link on May 1, but officials had no explanation for his absence and the session was rescheduled for this week. Lannon is accused of killing four people in New Mexico before traveling to New Jersey in March 2021, where he bludgeoned Dabkowski to death. He was indicted in March on 10 counts related to the killings of his ex-wife, Jennifer, and two acquaintances, Jesten Mata and Matthew Miller, in Grants. Hes also charged in a separate jurisdiction with killing Randall Apostalon in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lannons attorney on the New Mexico charges, Richard Pugh, told 13th Judicial District Court Judge Amanda Sanchez Villalobos on Monday that he had worked out arrangements for Lannons virtual appearance at the hearing with New Jersey prison officials. I thought that we had reached a resolution that would allow him to appear by video and then I received another email that New Jersey had decided not to allow him to appear by video or by phone, Pugh told the judge. In New Mexico, Sean Lannon is accused of killing his estranged wife, Jennifer, as well as Jesten Mata (top, right), Matthew Miller (bottom, left) and Randall Apostalon. Meanwhile, prosecutors in Albuquerque are in the process of extraditing Lannon to New Mexico in the Apostalon case. The district attorneys office in that case filed interstate detainer agreement paperwork with the New Jersey Department of Corrections in April, saying New Mexico will take responsibility for Lannons custody for the prosecution of its case. Officials in New Jersey and New Mexico said last month the extradition process could take weeks or months to complete. J. Michael Thomas, deputy district attorney handling the Grants case, asked the judge to reschedule Mondays arraignment hearing in hopes that Lannon will be back in Albuquerque by then and his appearance can be arranged either virtually or in person. Judge Villalobos rescheduled the hearing for July 24 and listed it as an in-person session. Lannon and his wife moved from New Jersey to New Mexico with their three kids several years ago for a job. He allegedly shot and killed Jennifer in January 2021 in a house the Lannons rented in Grants, then lured Mata and Miller to the residence on separate occasions and killed them. Authorities say he hid the bodies of all three in containers, which he later moved about 80 miles away to Albuquerque, where he is accused of killing Randall Apostalon. Apostalon allegedly agreed to haul Lannons containers to a storage facility. But, when they could not find a place to keep the containers, the pair argued and Lannon bludgeoned him to death, authorities said. All four bodies were found in Apostalons pickup truck, which was parked at an Albuquerque airport in March 2021, officials said. Mata and Miller had been dismembered. Lannon had flown from the airport to Philadelphia a day earlier with the couples three kids, investigators said. Lannon left the kids with family in Gloucester County and later visited Dabrowskis home, where he beat the man to death with a hammer. He was apprehended in St. Louis two days later and prosecutors said he confessed to all five killings. Dabkowski mentored Lannon and his twin brother through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in the 1980s. After his arrest, Lannon claimed Dabkowski molested him as a child and said he went to the house to retrieve photos of the supposed abuse, according to court statements. No evidence was ever presented to support Lannons allegations against Dabskowski or any of the justifications he offered for allegedly killing the other four people in New Mexico, officials said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Norelis Mendoza may have literally been killed by her own kindness. The 32-year-old Camden County mother of two young children was brutally murdered when she was run down in a desolate area of Jersey City on Mothers Day morning by her ex-boyfriend, 35-year-old Gregory Mallard, in a pickup truck that she had purchased for the former felon, authorities said. Details of the Jersey City natives last hours alive are included in the criminal complaint that was released after Mallard who previously served 10 years in prison for a 2008 manslaughter was ordered detained through his trial at a hearing Monday morning. Mendoza was aware of Mallards violent past, but She had a heart of gold. She always gave people her best, her cousin, Geovanni Molina previously told The Jersey Journal. The couple had been estranged and at some point Mendoza had filed for a restraining order against Mallard, family members have said. The defendant has a history of stalking, harassment, or terroristic threats (toward any victim), the criminal complaint said of Mallard, the father of Mendozas 1- and 3-year-old daughters who is also accused of dumping her body in a wooded area between Jersey City and Bayonne. After a night that started with a trip to the American Dream mall, followed by drinks at a Jersey City bar, and then an early morning meal at McDonalds on Communipaw Avenue, Mallard drove Mendoza to the area of Burma Road and Thomas McGovern Avenue, near Liberty State Park, at 4:20 a.m. on May 14 and struck her twice with her Dodge Ram pickup truck. After the first strike Mendoza jumped up and tried to run, authorities said in the criminal complaint. Thats when Mallard made a U-turn and ran over her again, leaving Mendoza unresponsive. Molina said Monday that the family isnt surprised that Mallard is being detained, but they are relieved. The family has trust in the justice system. (Her) mom and dad have a sense of relief. Mendoza, who grew up in Jersey City and lived in Lindenwold at the time of her death, was reported missing Mothers Day when she never returned to her parents home in Jersey City. Her body was found on May 17 in a wooded area of Route 440, near Kennedy Boulevard. Mallard was arrested May 19 and charged with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon (vehicle), possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (vehicle), failing to dispose of human remains in a manner prescribed by law, desecration of human remains, hindering and tampering with physical evidence. The prosecutors office and Jersey City police tracked Mendoza and Mallards whereabout between 10:30 p.m. May 13 and 9:40 a.m. May 14 through a series of surveillance cameras. 10 1 / 10 Memorial for Norelis Mendoza The two were seen together at the American Dream mall until 12:30 a.m., the complaint said, noting that they arrived and left in a Blue Dodge Ram registered to Mendoza and driven by Mallard. The two were then seen at a bar outside Bay Street, arriving at 1 a.m. and leaving at 2:04 a.m., the complaint said. The pickup truck was next seen at McDonalds between 3:53 and 4:20 a.m., when they left. Surveillance video from Burma Road at 4:31 a.m. showed Mallard striking Mendoza twice with the vehicle and then placing her body in the passenger side of the truck. More video footage from Kennedy Boulevard showed the pickup truck in the area of the rail road parallel to Route 440 South between 5:22 a.m. and 5:43 a.m., the complaint said. Authorities obtained video from 63rd Street in Bayonne that showed Mallard washing and vacuuming the interior and exterior of the pickup truck between 8:51 and 9:40 a.m. that morning. An initial post mortem examination noted injuries consistent with a pedestrian struck by a vehicle: fractured scapulas and pelvis, and injuries to lung and avulsion injuries. According to electronic court records and the state Department of Corrections, Mallard was in state prison from Feb. 20, 2009 to June 7, 2020. Mallard, a reputed member the 52 Hoover Street Crips gang, was charged in 2008 with the murder of Lawrence Robertson. A GoFundMe campaign has been established for Mendozas children and has raised more than $42,000. The Hoboken Community Center (HCC) is known for serving approximately 2,400 households a month with supplemental food, hygiene, and pet supplies. It currently stands at 1301 Washington St., Hoboken. The nonprofit organization announced on Thursday, June 1, that it has purchased the property at 122 Adams St., in Hoboken, which is envisioned as the future permanent home for the organizations community resource pantry program. The HCC is set to demolish the existing structure currently standing at the property and fence off the site as the agency proceeds with plans to design and build a new pantry. A $2 million fundraising campaign is being launched to complete the design and construction of the new permanent facility. Donations can be made at hobokencc.org/pantryfund. What grew into an urgently needed lifeline for so many during the pandemic will soon have a permanent home in a space designed to better serve our community, said Toni Tomarrazzo, HCC board secretary. Everyone is entitled to basic necessities like those our Pantry provides, and we look forward to enhancing our offerings in a new space. Thank you to our donors, volunteers, and elected leaders who helped to make this happen. The new pantry will feature a customer choice program that allows clients to select the food and products they need for their home. There will be scheduled appointment times for services during regular business hours. The Hoboken Community Center Pantry was originally opened as a small operation in 2019 to address food insecurity among the men in the HCCs Affordable Housing program. During the pandemic, it quickly grew to meet the needs of the community with biweekly distributions of fresh and non-perishable groceries and essentials such as diapers, toiletries, and menstrual products to those in need. Among the pantrys 2,400 registered households, the HCC serves over 1,500 with children and nearly 900 seniors, distributing more than 850 bags of food each month. The Pantry is a member agency of the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. The relocation of the pantry from its temporary location at 1301 Washington St. will also allow the HCC to undergo a full renovation to revitalize the former YMCA into a community space for all ages. The Hoboken Community Center has a three-pronged mission consisting of affordable housing for 96 low-income men, the 40,000+ square foot community and recreation center on Washington Streeet, and the food, hygiene and pet supply pantry. To learn more, visit hobokencc.org. International Swifties, are you ready for the Eras Tour? Swift has announced eight international dates in South America as part of her sold out tour. The new tour dates will take place from Aug. 24 to Nov. 26, and she will make stops in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. On her Instagram, Swift announced that Sabrina Carpenter will be joining her on the fall leg of the tour, and even promised to announce more international Eras Tour dates soon. If you want to be able to secure tickets for Swifts South America tour dates, here is how you can. How to buy Taylor Swift concert tickets For the Eras Tour fall tour dates, fans will have to register for Ticketmasters Verified Fan Sale now through June 7 at 11:59 p.m. CDMX. A limited number of Verified Fans will get access to the sale, with priority to residents of Mexico, and others will be put on the waitlist. Fans will receive an email the day prior to the sale letting them know if they were selected for the on sale or placed on the waitlist. If selected, they will then receive a purchase link. If Swifties are unable to secure tickets during Ticketmasters Verified Fan Sale, they can also purchase tickets on the secondary market. Fans can look to purchase tickets on StubHub, Vivid Seats, MegaSeats and TicketNetwork. Its common for speculative tickets to be available on the secondary market first, but tickets may be more expensive than the ones sold to the general public. First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 with promo code NJ20 at checkout. TicketCity users can save $15 on orders over $400 using promo code TCITYSAVE15 at checkout. A complete list of the the Eras Tour dates is available here. More upcoming 2023 tours Taylor Swift 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: Taylor Swift tour 2023: Full schedule, dates, where to buy tickets The biggest farewell tours in 2023: Concerts, dates, tickets, venues Taylor Swift at MetLife Stadium: 9 things to bring to the Eras Tour Aerosmith farewell tour 2023: Dates, schedule, ticket info for The Peace Out Tour 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. YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. At least 15 people have died and another eight are missing after heavy rains caused widespread flooding and several landslides across Haiti over the weekend, the Associated Press reported citing local authorities. Nearly 13,400 people were forced to evacuate. The Associated Press reported that local officials were still assessing the impact of the rains. The rains also caused significant damage to crops in the countrys central region at a time when starvation is deepening. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was working with local and international organizations for aid. A 29-year-old New Jersey man lured and kidnapped an 11-year-old girl from an Asbury Park street with plans to sexually assault her, but she managed to escape when they stopped at gas station, authorities said Monday. Raquan M. Folk convinced the girl to enter his vehicle as she walked along Ridge Avenue at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Monmouth County Prosectors Office said. After driving her to Neptune Township and telling the girl to remove her clothes, the 11-year-old told Folk she needed to use the bathroom, authorities said. Folk stopped the car at a gas station and the girl ran to flag down a passing driver, the prosecutors office said. She was then brought to Neptune Township police headquarters. Folk, of Asbury Park, was arrested two days later and charged with kidnapping, luring a child and endangering the welfare of a child via sexual conduct. He is being held at the Monmouth County jail ahead of a detention hearing on Wednesday. His attorney couldnt immediately be reached Monday. Anyone with information about Folk is asked to call prosecutors office Det. Kayla Santiago at 800-533-7443. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. The family of an Englewood man shot by police is suing the city for wrongful death, claiming officers botched their response to a domestic violence call at his home. Bernard Placide Jr., 22, died last year after an officer shot him as he writhed on his bedroom floor under the effects of a Taser. The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court, charged police acted in cavalier cowboy fashion when they should have de-escalated the encounter. Today is the first step in getting justice for Bernard, Placides mother, Myrlene Laurince, said Monday during a news conference with her attorney Eric Kleiner outside Englewood police headquarters. Placide, who was armed with a knife, was killed Sept. 3 after Laurince called 911, reporting he had attacked his family and doesnt know what he is doing. Police body camera video showed Officer Luana Sharpe struggling to disarm him after he collapsed to the floor, then shooting him after the blade cut her hand. The death spurred protests in Englewood by Placides family and social justice groups, who charge he is another young Black man who lost his life to police unnecessarily. The shooting continues to be investigated by state Attorney General Matthew Platkins office, which must determine whether the officers were justified. Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes has called the death a tragedy for everybody involved and has said he respects the states probe and wants to allow it to unfold. On Monday, he declined to comment on the lawsuit. I have been in communication with Mr. Placides mother and heard the familys concerns, Wildes said in a statement. Per state mandate, this investigation is in the hands of the Attorney General. I have personally conveyed to the Governor, his counsel, and the Attorney General what a difficult situation this is for the entire Englewood community. We are all looking for justice, closure and healing. Kleiner filed the suit on behalf of Laurince, who has said she called the police seeking help for her son, who had come at her with a kitchen knife looking like a zombie. When officers arrived that morning, they found Laurince outside the home and her husband, Obed Hilaire, bleeding in the bathroom. The suit said Laurince and Hilaire both had minor superficial injuries and that the scene was secure, with Placide having retreated to his bedroom. The suit said officers should have brought in crisis negotiators to persuade Placide to surrender and should have recognized he was in the midst of a mental or emotional breakdown. The suit also charged that after the shooting, police failed to render medical aid, with Sharpe fleeing the room and officers handcuffing Placide and searching the scene. More than 30 minutes passed before Placide arrived at nearby Englewood Hospital, delaying treatment that could have saved his life, the suit said. This was the worst police shooting that has ever been seen on video in this country, Kleiner said during the news conference. After they shot this young man, they left him for dead. They had a chance to save his life and they blew it. Activists in attendance were also critical of the length of time the states investigation has taken. We call on Attorney General Platkin to step forward and give the family and community an update on the progress of the case, said Larry Hamm, chairman of the Newark-based Peoples Organization for Progress. The Attorney Generals Office did not respond to a request for comment. Myrlene Laurince, whose son 22-year-old Bernard Placide was fatally shot by Englewood police, with her attorney Eric Kleiner, in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. December, 7, 2022 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com In October, authorities released body cam video that captured the police response. It showed officers with guns drawn reaching Placides half-open door at 8:36 a.m., with the shooting occurring within a minute. In that time, Sharpe and Officer Brian Havlicek ordered Placide through the door to drop the knife and to put your hands up. Drawing his Taser, Havlicek then kicked at the door and discharged the device into a shirtless Placide, who fell as Sharpe rushed into the room. As Placide writhed, Sharpe grappled with his arms, continuing to yell for him to drop it. She grabbed at his right hand, screamed and appeared to pull back her arm in pain. A moment later, she shot Placide. Placides case was featured in a February special report by NJ Advance Media about how New Jersey investigates police-involved deaths. Under a 2019 law, the Attorney Generals Office handles all such deaths and must present them to a grand jury. But both the pace and the transparency of those probes have faced criticism, with grieving families charging they are being kept in the dark about what happened to their loved ones. Sharpe remains on desk duty pending the conclusion of the states investigation, according to Englewood City Manager Robert Hoffmann. Havlicek has returned to patrol duties, Hoffmann said. The City of Englewood sympathizes with the Placide family in the quest for both justice and transparency, Hoffmann said Monday in a statement. The City shares the Placides family frustration with the length of time that it is taking the Attorney Generals Office to complete its fair, thorough and impartial investigation of all of the facts. Last week, the Attorney Generals Office said it is considering steps to provide more information to families throughout the process. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Riley Yates may be reached at ryates@njadvancemedia.com. Deion Johnson may be reached at djohnson@njadvancemedia.com. BOSTON (AP) A New Jersey lawyer charged with sexually assaulting four women in Boston about 15 years ago was ordered held on $500,000 bail Monday during a hearing in which a prosecutor said authorities helped tie him to the attacks by getting DNA from a drinking glass he had used. Matthew Nilo, of Weehawken, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty in a Boston courtroom to several charges, including three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape and one count of indecent assault and battery. The charges stem from four attacks that happened in Bostons Charlestown neighborhood from August 2007 through December 2008 a time that authorities say Nilo lived in the city. The handcuffed Newark man struggled to breathe, saliva dripping from his mouth as he sat perched on a highway guardrail, where city police officers had placed him while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Not long before, 43-year-old Raul L. DeJesus had run from an officer who approached him near his home concerning a shooting in Paterson. Authorities caught up with him at a debris-strewn embankment off busy Interstate 280, where DeJesus was taken into custody as he huddled facedown and unmoving in the leaves. For the next 13 minutes, body camera video shows DeJesus condition deteriorating, his eyes closing, his face contorting in pain and spit dripping from his mouth. I cant breathe, the largely silent and unresponsive man told officers at one point. Monday marks five months since DeJesus Jan. 5 death in police custody, which the state Attorney Generals Office is investigating. But in that time, his family charges, they have received no answers from authorities to their many questions surrounding his demise. Its just a lot, said DeJesus brother, Edwin Simmons. We are trying to get to the bottom of it. The Attorney Generals Office has said DeJesus collapsed and later died after a foot chase with police. He had fled a Newark officer who approached him at 3:42 p.m. at Orange and South 11th streets in connection with a homicide in Paterson on Dec. 10, the office says. But authorities have not released DeJesus cause of death or said whether he was a suspect, a person of interest or a potential witness in the Paterson case. DeJesus was pronounced dead at University Hospital at 4:41 p.m., roughly an hour after his initial encounter with police. In a statement Thursday, state authorities disputed that they have not been forthcoming with DeJesus family, saying they have met with them on multiple occasions and place the highest priority on communicating with families and being responsive to their questions. It is important to note that though we strive for transparency as much as possible, investigators cannot share the details of evidence collection or witness statements with family members during an ongoing grand jury investigation, said the statement released by Sharon Lauchaire, a spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office. The office referred NJ Advance Medias inquiries about the Paterson shooting to the Passaic County Prosecutors Office, which did not respond to requests for comment. Catherine Adams, a spokesperson for Newark police, declined comment, citing the states probe. Jeffrey Weber, the president of the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, did not return a phone call. Simmons, 51, of Newark, said he is hardly anti-law enforcement. He is a retired corrections officer at Northern State Prison and said his son works as a corrections officer there and his daughter is a cop in East Orange. But Simmons said he believes police failed his brother that day and are not being held responsible for it. Clearly, it was caused and created by their actions, Simmons said. This photo, from police body camera video, shows Raul DeJesus after he was approached by a Newark police officer on Jan. 5, 2023, at Orange and South 11th streets. An attorney for the family, Luretha Stribling, said they want to view the entire body camera footage surrounding DeJesus arrest and receive a better explanation for why he was stopped in the first place. She said the redacted video clips that have been released show DeJesus was clearly in medical distress. Yet, emergency services did not quickly arrive at a scene minutes from University Hospital, she said. There is not a lot of information that has been provided, and thats what the family wants, Stribling said. Many families have voiced that complaint about police-involved deaths, an NJ Advance Media investigation found in February. Under a 2019 law, the Attorney Generals Office investigates all such deaths and must present them to a grand jury to determine whether officers acted appropriately. But both the pace and the transparency of those probes have faced criticism, with grieving families charging they are being kept in the dark about what happened to their loved ones. In Lauchaires statement, the Attorney Generals Office said it is considering steps to improve communications. The office is looking at ways to provide more information to families about the investigation process while the matter is pending, about the evidence that the investigation revealed as well as the applicable legal principles if the grand jury determines that no criminal charges should be brought, the statement said. In DeJesus case, the body cam video shows that more than 15 police officers were present during his final moments. When he was taken into custody, officers carried him by the arms and legs down the hilly embankment toward westbound I-280. Relax. Relax. Try to relax, bro, one officer told him as saliva drooled from his mouth. Just breathe. Because an ambulance is coming for you, another said. Minutes later, police searched DeJesus pockets for identification, with his head lolling as they did so. Traffic sped by in the background as other cops milled about the shoulder of the highway and an officer remarked that DeJesus breathing was shallow. Hey, try to breathe for me, all right? police told him. The footage ended as an ambulance arrived. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Riley Yates may be reached at ryates@njadvancemedia.com. Its been a long time since any drops of water from the sky have landed in the rain gauge on the grounds of Atlantic City International Airport in Pomona. Fifteen days, to be exact. The same story has played out in Berkeley Township in Ocean County, and on the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Both of those sites have had no measurable rain in 15 consecutive days, according to rainfall data from the Rutgers NJ Weather Network. Farther north, at Newark Liberty International Airport in Essex and Union counties, the rainless streak stands at 12 straight days, data from the National Weather Service shows. The long dry streak could end in some parts of New Jersey on Tuesday, when a cold front is expected to move across the state. Forecasters say the front may trigger isolated to scattered rain showers and possibly some thunderstorms. Temperatures in New Jersey will be rising into the mid- to upper-70s on Monday, June 5, with another dry day on tap. Many areas of the state have had no measurable rain for two straight weeks, some even longer than that.Len Melisurgo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Theres also another chance of rain showers in the forecast for late Wednesday and again on Thursday, but not all areas of the state will get wet, forecasters say. A similar scenario played out last Friday, when most places in New Jersey remained completely dry but some spots were hit by isolated rain showers and thunderstorms. That brought almost a half-inch of rain to the Trenton area, but nothing to New Brunswick, Newark or Atlantic City. More hazy skies from wildfires Monday afternoon is shaping up to be a nice spring day, with partly sunny skies and temperatures rising into the mid- to upper-70s. However, another round of smoke and haze from massive wildfires in Canada will likely drift into the New Jersey region later today and tonight then again on Tuesday and Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. Here is the latest Satellite imagery this am. You can see the smoke and haze (north and west of our area) from the wild fires burning over Quebec. The smoke and haze is expected to move over the area this evening and overnight and continue into Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/3rAuQ7C7sc NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 5, 2023 In addition to the hazy skies and threats of scattered showers, the weather service said Tuesday and Wednesday will be fairly breezy for this time of year. Expect northwest winds around 10-15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph possible at times. High temperatures on Tuesday are expected to range from the mid-70s to low 80s, then turn slightly cooler on Wednesday, the weather service said. Overnight lows will range from the upper 40s to the mid-50s. Fire watch on Tuesday Update (4 p.m. Monday): The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for most areas of central and southern New Jersey, effective on Tuesday, because of gusty winds and low relative humidity thats expected. The watch, not as urgent as a warning, will be active from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties. The fire watch will also be active in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties in eastern Pennsylvania. Temperatures in New Jersey will be rising into the mid- to upper 70s on Monday, June 5, with another dry day on tap. Many areas of the state have had no measurable rain for two straight weeks, some even longer than that.National Weather Service 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. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Locally reported news and sports Stay Current with What's Happening Get the most of NNY360, register today! By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS. The sizes of the territories of Armenia and Azerbaijan will not be mentioned in the possible treaty on establishing relations, foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan has said. He said that the statements on recognition of the 29,800 square kilometers and 86,600 square kilometers of territories of Armenia and Azerbaijan respectively are political statements to confirm that the countries do not have territorial claims against one another. Mirzoyan was asked in parliament by MP Gegham Manukyan whether or not Armenia has recognized the territorial integrity of any given country by its size while establishing diplomatic relations. FM Mirzoyan said treaties on mutual recognition do not mention the size of the territory. Mentioning the territorial integrities by size are political statements. These statements are about Armenia not having territorial demands from Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan not having territorial demands from Armenia. I dont believe that you think that we should include or see this with mentioning such an area in the future treaty on establishing relations or any other document. The difference is obvious, FM Mirzoyan said. The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky Also on the faces of people going by I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do They're only saying I love you Louis Armstrong, What a Wonderful World This Pride month, Im reminded of the power of the rainbow flag. Twenty years ago, I stood on Bourbon Street as Grant Storms, the self-proclaimed Christian Patriot, and nearly 200 of his followers marched toward Southern Decadence revelers, carrying brooms and signs that read Adam and Eve, Not Adam and Steve and Sodomy: Its to Die For. As I stood behind my camera lens, capturing the tense standoff, I couldnt help but be struck by the hateful messages and clenched fists juxtaposed against the joyful revelers on the balconies above, draped in colorful rainbow flags. The symbolic potency of the contrast struck me with a force I still feel today. Each color of the Pride flag has a specific meaning red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for harmony and purple for spirit. Together, the colors represent the full spectrum of human experience and identity. For much of my career, Ive aimed my lens toward gay Mardi Gras krewes, the Gay Easter Parade, Southern Decadence, and drag brunches throughout the city. New Orleanians have long taken pride in our thriving and diverse gay community. In the face of discrimination and hate, New Orleans stands tall as a city proudly waving the rainbow flag, reflecting its dedication to creating a more inclusive and welcoming community for all. Everywhere you look in the Quarter there are rainbows draped on buildings, on balconies, in the windows of businesses. Peering through my camera lens, I have witnessed firsthand how the rainbow is a powerful symbol of unity and acceptance and I love capturing the many ways that people incorporate it into their own personal expressions. The popularity of the rainbow is not lost on New Orleans businesses, either. One example is Windsor Courts annual LGBTea, a drag show tea hour, complete with rainbow cookies and cocktails. I was recently hired to photograph the relatively new Brides of March, a charitable pub-crawl in which dozens of men, and some women, second line through the Quarter dressed in bridal gowns. The coveted lacy garter, embellished with a rainbow ribbon, is thrown from the balcony of the Good Friends Bar to the brides gathered on the street below, much to the delight of passersby, children included. It was not lost on me that these men could be arrested in nearby states. Two decades since the Christian Patriot and his band of bigots marched on Bourbon, I am stunned by how much of the progress made since has been eroded by a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws that threaten the significant freedoms gained. Even the colorful flag that represents Pride is under attack: In April this year, a Covington resident paid $6,000 for a billboard to support librarians, who are also under attack these days. The ad read Support Your Local Library, set against a background of Prides rainbow flag, plus pink and light blue from the transgender flag and a black stripe to represent people of color. The message was swiftly taken down after the billboards owner received too many complaints. Unfortunately, Louisiana is rushing headlong in the same direction that other Southern states like Florida, Tennessee and Texas have gone. Lawmakers here recently passed their version of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Dont Say Gay bill and are either in the process of passing or planning to pass more bills targeting the human rights of the LGBTQ community. While our states political class may be busy hurting the LGTBQ community, here in New Orleans, we don't bow down, as the popular Black Masking Indian song goes. We have a long history of standing up to injustice and fighting for what's right, from the Civil Rights movement to Katrina. In fact in the days after the storm, some religious leaders argued the storm was Gods wrath for Southern Decadence, the largest gay event in the South, which had been scheduled for the following weekend. In true New Orleans style, several dozen scantily clad gay men found their way through the devastation to Bourbon Street and led a parade under their tattered rainbow flag. They brought with them a renewed sense of energy and passion for the city. Meanwhile Storms, the so-called Christian Patriot, has taken a more ignoble path: He was arrested in 2011 on obscenity charges for masturbating in Lafreniere Park and is no longer a threat to the gay community. Unfortunately, the movement he represented remains not only alive and well but growing. Which is why it is so important for all of us to more tightly embrace the meaning behind the Pride flag and redouble our efforts to defend the human rights and dignity of us all. As a photographer who has witnessed the power and beauty of this community up close and firsthand, I am committed to using my photography to shine a light on the beauty of the LGBTQ community and on the injustices that they face. The rainbow flag represents a beacon of hope and a call to action for all those who believe in equality and justice. I am proud to stand with them in this fight. See more of Cheryl's Pride photos below: Marie Fazio writes for The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate as a Report For America corps member. Email her at MFazio@theadvocate.com or follow her on Twitter @mariecfazio. To learn more about Report for America and to support our journalism, please click here. Eileen Carter, one of the two lead organizers for the Mayor LaToya Cantrell recall effort, signs her name after submitting the boxes of signed petitions to the Registrar of Voter Office at New Orleans City Hall on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue negotiations on establishing relations and the peace treaty on the level of foreign ministers, foreign ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan told ARMENPRESS. The next round of foreign ministerial talks is planned to take place in Washington, D.C. The talks will start on June 12. We will provide other details additionally, she added. John M. Barry: It's not too late to get oil and gas industry to fix what it broke -- but it soon will be YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. An Armenian court has sentenced an Iranian national to 9 years imprisonment for being an accessory to the smuggling of 350kg of heroin from the neighboring country in 2021 with intent to transport it to the Netherlands. Armenian customs officials discovered the heroin in February 2021 during customs control. The Iranian citizen was charged on January 8 in 2022 with accessory to smuggling narcotics, accessory to drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit smuggling of narcotics. The Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction found the Iranian national guilty on all charged and handed over a 9-year sentence. YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. The visa liberalization issue is being actively discussed with the European Union, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Monday. Speaking at a parliamentary committee discussion on the 2022 budget report, FM Mirzoyan said that the visa liberalization issue is an item on the agenda of Armenia and EU members and Armenia is receiving support in almost all cases, however the matter requires a consensus decision from the EU. We are actively discussing the visa liberalization topic. It is on the agenda between us and the EU or us and individual EU countries, it is being discussed, and it is mostly or in nearly all cases supported. Nonetheless, a consensus position is required for the EU to make such a decision. And it hasnt been possible to reach a consensus within the EU so far, the foreign minister told lawmakers. He said that the work continues. VALPARAISO Ninety years ago, in 1933, a job training program began in the United States that brought miles of drainage work to Porter County and untold acres of new forests. The Civilian Conservation Corps had camps throughout Northwest Indiana, including Camp Calumet, about a half-mile from the Porter County Courthouse. Two actors helped tell the story of the CCC on Saturday outside the 1860 sheriffs residence, across the street from the Porter County Museum, which sponsored the living-history program. Adam Walker of Windsor, Ontario, grew up in Cedar Lake and lived a few years in Valparaiso. He formerly worked for the National Park Service and still works in conservation. He brought some of his vintage tools with him. The border guard got a kick out of some of the stuff I had here, he said. In addition to the usual shovels and rakes, Walker showed a seed planter used by CCC enrollees. They would stab the ground with the tool, maneuver the handles to widen the hole, drop a seed and use their foot to cover the hole. After that, they would take a few steps and repeat the process. Often, but not always, CCC workers planted trees. Their legacy is easy to find. Just look for trees growing in a straight line and spaced about the same distance apart. Every camp was different, said Ian Baker of Michigan City. Some focused on building structures, carpentry, agriculture or other trades. It was sort of what was needed in the area, he explained. Camp Calumet had workers digging ditches, providing irrigation and drainage. By the time they were done, they laid 9 miles of drain tile, Baker said. The Valpo Vale, the Camp Calumet newspaper, has been digitized and is available online. A camp functioned for about a year at Indiana Dunes State Park, which was in its infancy; it was established in 1925. Some buildings built by the enlistees there are still standing. The CCC helped that park become more established, Walker said. Enrollees were all men, mostly young but also some veterans of the Spanish-American War or World War I. Typically it would be an unemployed single man, typically between 18 and 28, Baker said. The Great Depression spurred the job training program. Enrollees had two years to develop skills and get jobs. In the meantime, they got a lot of work done. You had bodies, you had a working force, Walker said. It was just anywhere and everywhere, Baker said, with workers transported in trucks, mostly civilian Ford trucks, to wherever the work had to be done. At first, the CCC crews were issued World War I military surplus gear. Over time, gear designed for the CCC was developed. A black and red buffalo plaid coat was one of the CCC items later in the program. The Army designed and issued gear to the CCC as a sort of testing grounds to see what worked and what didnt, Baker said. He wore a denim pullover shirt to prove his point. Who wants to pull over a denim shirt theyve been sweating in for 12 hours? he said. Some of the CCC workers ripped the shirt down the front for better airflow. By the time the program ended in 1942, enrollment had been dropping and there was talk of phasing out the program. U.S. involvement in World War II accelerated that process. EAST CHICAGO A major investment in life-saving cardiac care at St. Catherine Hospital is being hailed as a victory for East Chicago. The long-standing hospital in the Indiana Harbor neighborhood landed a $1.5 million federal grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration to improve health care access for people who are medically vulnerable or underinsured. U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan helped line up the money and helped announce the investment. "Today is a victory for the residents of East Chicago because it's access to health care," he said. "I was born at St. Catherine Hospital. My grandparents were taken here. My mom and dad were cared for here. My sister was a candy striper here and went on to become a nurse practitioner for Northwestern. This was and still is an anchor for the community." East Chicago leaders were concerned about the hospital's future after Franciscan Health decided to close the similarly aged former St. Margaret Hospital in neighboring Hammond, Northwest Indiana's most populous city. "They wanted to make sure the safety-net hospital continued," he said. "What today is about is assuring the city of East Chicago and every resident that St. Catherine is thriving and investing in new technology that gives them access to care equal to anywhere around the world. This is an investment in East Chicago itself, and it allows the residents to understand they have access to quality care here in the city." When Mrvan was North Township trustee, he often heard complaints from residents that they didn't have access to care. "This is a safety-net hospital. That means it takes care of the most vulnerable populations," he said. "This technology is the gold standard for Northwest Indiana. It's the same technology you would have in the city of Chicago, but it's right here in East Chicago. The hospital is working to provide world-class health care. As a congressman, I will listen to your concerns and try to provide access to health care, the best technology and the best for East Chicago." St. Catherine CEO Leo Correa said the hospital continues to provide advanced technology to East Chicago and surrounding communities. "St. Catherine Hospital is committed to ensuring that our community has state-of-the-art cardiac care close to home," Correa said. "It's a well-known fact that in the 1960s, St. Catherine Hospital became the choice facility in the Chicagoland area for the treatment of heart disease, performing the first open-heart surgery in Northwest Indiana. And today, we continue to invest in cardiac care and treating heart disease." The hospital will install an Azurion 7 C20 Catalyst table, an image-guided therapy system that provides high-quality images with low doses of X-rays. Philips Healthcare is installing the new technology in its cath lab, which is undergoing a multiphase modernization project. It will allow for precision diagnosis and treatment for patients. The new technology can capture uncommon angiography views, provide real-time 3-D impressions for complex vascular interventions and better visualize stent and balloon placement in coronary arteries. "Our patients and clinicians benefit from the fast procedure times, reduced radiation exposure and superior image quality of this new technology," said Mary Miller, director of Cardiovascular Services. St. Catherine Hospital has long placed an emphasis on cardiac care while serving the community for nearly a century, Correa said. "During that time, we built a reputation for providing unparalleled cardiac care," he said. "That did not happen by chance. That's the result of an intentional investment in top health care providers and resources. "We have fortified a culture of excellence in cardiac care by continuing to invest in skilled specialists and technologies to diagnose and treat heart disease. St. Catherine, along with our fellow hospitals in Community Healthcare System, Community Hospital in Munster and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, operates one of the largest and most advanced cardiovascular programs in Northwest Indiana. Our hospitals are certified chest-pain centers that are fully accredited by the Joint Commission or the American College of Cardiology. "Every day, highly skilled cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, electrophysiologic and cardiac support staff walk through our doors and use their expertise to treat patients who put their trust in us." CROWN POINT The Lake County recorder is urging property owners to enroll in a free program that provides an alert any time their name is included in homeownership or mortgage documents filed at the recorder's office. Recorder Gina Pimentel said the Property Fraud Alert service enables Lake County residents or businesses to track possible fraudulent recordings that affect their properties. Property owners can sign up by selecting Lake County, Indiana, from the drop-down menu at propertyfraudalert.com. Individuals can choose to receive alerts by email or telephone call. According to the recorder's office, there is an increasing number of mortgage fraud and identity-theft cases in Lake County and across the country, and victims are often unaware that their homes or identities have been stolen. While Property Fraud Alert cannot prevent all fraud from happening, it does provide a warning for property owners to take appropriate action if they determine that possible fraudulent activity has taken place, Pimentel said. For example, a person may file a bogus property deed making it appear that the actual owner transferred ownership of a parcel to someone else. The person then takes the deed to a bank, fraudulently obtains a mortgage and disappears with a large amount of money. Individuals participating in Property Fraud Alert would be notified when the deed transfer was filed with the recorder and could take action to stop the unlawful property transfer and mortgage fraud. The recorder's office especially recommends that the elderly, people living in long-term care facilities, absentee property owners, and owners who spent much of the year out of town to consider signing up for the free alerts. Property owners in Porter, LaPorte and Jasper counties, as well as Will County, Illinois, also can sign up for alerts by selecting their county on the propertyfraudalert.com drop-down menu. 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 A 1-year-old South Bend girl is believed to be in extreme danger after last being seen Sunday night with her father, Indiana State Police said. Police have released photos of both in hopes the public can help locate the child, identified as Jazziah Clayton. Her father, Dontey Clayton, 23, is described as Black, 6 feet in height, weighing 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He drives a white 2011 Ford Fusion with Indiana license plate TLZ251. The child is 2-feet-1, weighs 16 pounds and has black hair with brown eyes, police said. She was last seen wearing a pink shirt, and dark pants with unicorns. She was last seen around 10:49 p.m. Sunday in South Bend. "She is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance," police said. Anyone with information on Jazziah Clayton is encouraged to contact the South Bend Police Department at 574-235-9127 or call 911. Gallery: Recent arrests booked into LaPorte County Jail Kyle Suarez Maria Ferreyra Justin Wilson Edwin King Jr. Caitlyn Bradley-Gaddis Thomas Lopez Thomas Hill Brian Strong Mitchell Taebel Jermaine Poole Cleophis Swanson Jr. Jammie Conner David Eskridge Mario Ward II Hailee McCann Lena Miller Kimberly Ramey Mark Sibincic Glover McCloud Daniel Santolino Matthew Mabery VALPARAISO The brother of a 12-year-old Portage girl told police he could remember at least one the incidents when 43-year-old John Garner III alleged molested his sister. "He stated the weekend of November 12-13, 2022 that (the alleged victim) was in the bedroom with (Garner) for at least an hour for a 'talk' and when the door to the bedroom was opened by (Garner) he saw (the alleged victim) on the floor in the bedroom sitting ... with her head down, hair was all over her face and it looked like she was crying," according to a newly-filed charging document. The boy remembered four or five times his sister and Garner went behind a closed door for "talks," which "he found odd because the 'talks' would last for hours." Garner, of Portage, is charged with five felony counts of child molesting, including three that carry a potential penalty of 20 to 40 years behind bars. Portage police say they were notified Nov. 21 by a resource officer at a local school that a female student claimed to have been repeatedly molested by Garner, whom she knew, during 2022, a charging document says. The girl had told a friend, who encouraged her to speak to a school counselor. She said the molestation began shortly after Garner's son died. "He told her that he was stressed, that he needed it," police said. Bodies of 2 juveniles pulled from river; state investigating "Witnesses said the two had been swimming in the river and were last seen being carried downstream by the current and then going under the surface of the water," the DNR said. The girl said Garner also said he molested her because "he was scared I wouldn't get to experience that part of life" after she suffered an illness, the charges say. The girl said she found the experiences "kind of gross." What began as touching progressed to intercourse, police said. The girl's mother reportedly told police she noticed a change in her daughter's behavior. "She described it as (the girl) being cautious or avoiding physical contact with Garner, which was not how (the girl) had behaved before," according to police. The case is pending before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary DeBoer. A Chicago woman who fatally shot her ex-girlfriend in Hammond after learning that she had started dating a man received a fair trial, according to the Indiana Court of Appeals. Lydia Conley, 40, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison for the Oct. 27, 2019, slaying of Delilah Martinez, 40, in front of Martinez's home in the 1100 block of 115th Street. Conley argued in her appeal that the trial court erred by excluding evidence of the murder convictions of an alternative suspect. The appeals court determined, however, that Conley's 6th Amendment right to assert a defense was not impaired by that decision because Conley had the opportunity to directly question the alternative suspect during the trial. It noted that Conley presented significant evidence of tension between the alternative suspect, Conley and Martinez, including a possible motive for murder, and the jury had the opportunity to weigh that evidence against the "substantial evidence" of Conley's guilt. "In brief, the fact that a defendant is not permitted to submit every piece of evidence she believes supports her defense does not mean that her right to present a meaningful defense has been abridged," the court said. "We are unpersuaded that the evidence of the decades-old convictions entirely unrelated to the murder of Martinez in the context of (the alternative suspects) credibility at trial would have tipped the scales enough to impact the outcome of the trial." Conley still can ask the Indiana Supreme Court to consider reviewing her conviction. Otherwise, her earliest possible release date from prison, assuming good behavior, is Dec. 14, 2072, according to the Department of Correction. 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 YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. In 2022 Armenia received 28 billion dram less from the Eurasian Economic Unions (EEU) single customs budget compared to 2021, finance minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said on June 5. Hovhannisyan told lawmakers at a joint committee hearing on the 2022 budget report that a decrease has been recorded in terms of customs duties from the EEU. Customs duties dropped 56 billion 685 million drams, which is 28 billion dram less than in 2021. In 2021 that amount stood at 84 billion 839 million drams. This is due to the decrease of overall imports in the entire EEU market in 2022, Hovhannisyan said. GARY For 77 years, members of the Kappa Alpha Psi Gary alumni chapter have devoted their time to community service. Its the greatest feeling in the world, Deputy Mayor Trent A. McCain said. This bond is the most lustrous bond you can have with men of like minds. The chapter was chartered July 30, 1945, and has more than 100 members who work in law, medicine, business and education. McCain describes his membership within the chapter as one of the best decisions he's ever made. To celebrate its service, the chapter partnered with the city and the Indiana Department of Transportation Adopt-A-Highway program to ensure that Fourth Avenue is well-kept. "We want to keep it clean and pristine so it reflects our values as a fraternity," said McCain, a member since 2020. "It's a prominent part of Gary." Members unveiled a street sign Saturday at McKinley Street and West Fourth Avenue to honor the chapter. In its agreement with INDOT, the organization will participate in annual street cleanups from the SouthShore RailCats stadium to Taft Street and West Fourth Avenue. The chapter has participated in two cleanups on the 1.7-mile stretch since August. The next cleanup will be in the fall. "This is what we do," said Percy Jones, the chapter's historian. "It's part of our 'Kommunity' service outreach program." A representative for the 34th Grand Polemarch, Reuben A. Shelton III, helped alumni unveil the new sign. Shelton is the international president of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. "I'm honored to be here," chief of staff Joe W. Lewis Jr. said. "It may seem like a small sign, but its a large statement on behalf of the Gary alumni chapter and the city of Gary." Mayor Jerome Prince and McCain proclaimed June 3, 2023, as Kappa Alpha Psi Day in honor of the Grand Polemarch's official visit to Gary. Lewis spoke on behalf of Shelton, who was unable to attend. "He wanted to say for Gary to continue to thrive, continue to lead and continue to grow," Lewis said. Kappa Alpha Psi is a Black Greek fraternity that was founded on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington on Jan. 5, 1911, according to the fraternity's website. The fraternity has more than 125,000 members worldwide. The Gary chapter is the only Kappa Alpha Psi alumni chapter in Northwest Indiana. "Gary alumni chapter has been here a long time and is doing a lot of great things in the community," said Darren Adams, senior province vice polemarch. "Despite some of the economic challenges Gary has, we are still trying to do our best to be beacons of light in our community." PHOTOS: Gary mayoral primary Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night Eddie Melton/Jerome Prince primary night U.S. 12 (East Chicago) and State Road 912 (Gary) Beginning at 5 a.m. Monday, U.S. 20 at Cline Avenue (State Road 912) will be closed to repaint pavement markings at the roundabout and connecting roads. The road is expected to reopen around 6 p.m. Friday. There will be a complete closure with a local detour of the Cline and Columbus Roundabout adjacent to State Road 912, the Indiana Department of Transportation said. For more information, contact Milestone Contractors at 219-924-5900. North Township exit The State Road 912 northbound/westbound ramp to Ameristar Casino in East Chicago will be closed beginning at 6 a.m. Monday for roadwork. Exit ramp 5C will not reopen until at 11 p.m. June 18, according to INDOT. INDOT's official detour uses Calumet Avenue South to State Road 312 to Cline Avenue South (exit 5B). Motorists taking 5B will go to the roundabout at Cleveland Cliffs and take an immediate right at Aldis Avenue to proceed the route. I-80 east Lane closures will run from 8 p.m. Monday until 5 a.m. Friday on eastbound Interstate 80 between Hohman Street in Munster and State Road 912 in Gary. There will be single, double and triple lane closures at 8 and 10 p.m. and midnight to install raised pavement markers, according to INDOT. Here are the safestand most deadlydays for drunk-driving fatalities Here are the safestand most deadlydays for drunk-driving fatalities DUI fatalities by season Most dangerous holidays for DUI Most dangerous days of the week for DUI Most dangerous weeks of the year Ways to stay safe on the road during the holidays Consequences of getting a DUI DUIs leave a lasting financial impact An end to drunk driving Methodology HAMMOND A member of a violent motorcycle gang is agreeing to admit he murdered the son of a former Gary police chief 20 years ago. U.S. District Court documents state 60-year-old Bernard Smith has signed an agreement with the U.S. Attorney to plead guilty to federal racketeering and drug charges. The 11-page document, made public Monday, alleges Smith was a dues-paying member of the Sin City Deciples, a motorcycle club first formed in 1967 in downtown Gary that later spread chapters across Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky and several western states. A federal grand jury indicted Smith and 15 other men in July 2021, charging them with conspiracy to commit violent crimes in the name of the Sin City Deciples. The U.S. Attorney alleges its members enriched themselves with drug and firearms sales and forced other motorcycle organizations to pay them dues. U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon has scheduled a hearing June 20 for Smith to formally plead guilty to two felony counts. If the judge accepts his change of plea as being a voluntary and knowledgeable abandonment of his constitutional rights, Smith would be the ninth Deciples member to give up his right to a jury trial. Smith, who is also known by his street names Flirt and Preacher, admits in an 11-page court document he conspired with other Sin City Deciples in their criminal racketeering enterprise, and rose to become Gary Chapter president and a member of its national board. He further admits he fatally shot 40-year-old Rodney Boone in August 2003 outside the victims residence in Garys Tolleston neighborhood. A Times Story in 2003 identified Boone as the son of former Gary Police Chief Charles Boone, Gary's first black police chief, first appointed in 1970 by then-Mayor Richard Hatcher and leading the citys police department for nine years. Gary police said in 2003 someone in a pickup truck opened fire on Rodney Boone, only minutes after the victim had been seen in an argument. Smiths plea agreement states, Concerning the murder of Rodney Boone, I admit that on or about Aug. 22, 2003, I was present near 2445 Arthur Street in Gary, Indiana when I knowingly, intentionally and with a premeditated design shot and killed Rodney Boone." The statement gives no motive for Rodney Boone's homicide. Smith further admits he fatally shot Erik Walker Feb. 23, 1995, during a heated argument at an unidentified restaurant on Broadway in Gary. Smith states the two men pulled guns on each other during the confrontation and he fired just after Walker had cocked his gun and attempted to shoot him. Smith acknowledges in his plea agreement the shooting does not rise to the level of self-defense, but does qualify as voluntary manslaughter as I was acting in sudden heat. If the judge accepts Smiths plea agreement, Smith would face a prison sentence of no more than 30 years. GALLERY: The Times Photos of the Week Todays column is the first in a series on the new problem solving court within Lake County Criminal Division 4, serving offenders who have committed felony crimes as a result of severe addiction. Kristy walked to the courtroom podium with a surveillance monitor on her ankle and a testimony of hope in her heart. I just dont want to use anymore, she told Lake Superior Judge Samuel Cappas. Kristy, 50, is a recovering addict whose alcohol abuse led to decades of drug addiction. She lost everything. She lost her way. She lost herself. I just wish I didnt waste all these years, she told the judge. Kristy now works at a popular restaurant that sells a tempting appetizer: bourbon steak bites. One of the employees asked me try to it. I said no, she said proudly. Cappas laughed out loud. The rest of the courtroom laughed too. You set an appropriate boundary, Cappas told her. Thats a good example. Cappas asked Kristy how she has been able to redirect her life from addiction to recovery, from lies to truths, from mistakes to amends. Im working the 12 steps. Im around sober people, she replied. Kristy lives at Gatehouse Recovery Home for Women in Hammond. There, she reads daily passages from her Alcoholics Anonymous book. Every morning for inspiration. Every night for affirmation. Im going to all the meetings and listening to peoples stories. It has really helped me, she told the judge. Im so sorry I missed out on life." Welcome to the new Lake County Criminal Division Drug Court, which serves offenders who have committed felony crimes as a result of severe addiction. Alcohol, pills, cocaine, meth, PCP ... you name it, it's been used or abused by the drug courts hand-picked clients addicts who are in recovery. Not all of them will make it through the program successfully. Some will return to old habits, old lifestyles, old excuses. But enough clients across the country succeed to validate this kind of problem-solving courts. In November, after several years of planning and delays, Lake County received provisional certification from the Indiana office of Court Services. We are finally seeing the results of our planning, Kellie Bittorf, executive director of Lake County Community Corrections, told me last year. In December, the county officially began its new drug court, a program Ive written about many times in Porter County. It works if its participants do the work. On Friday, I witnessed the court in action. Hundreds of studies have determined that what were doing here is the appropriate way to help people who want to be helped with addiction, Cappas told the initial group of clients. Look, youve got a group of professionals here to support you. I imagine youve never had this in your life. Cappas asked participants: Whos had a support team like this in your life? Raise your hand. No one did. Do you understand how dedicated these people are to your lives? he asked. Their depth of knowledge, Im amazed at. Ive learned so much from them. Drug court team members include judiciary officials, such as Cappas and Lake Superior Court Magistrate Kathleen Sullivan, as well as representatives from community corrections, adult probation, the public defenders office, the prosecutors office, peer recovery specialists, treatment providers and community members. Their collective goal is to reroute offenders habits, enhance public safety and, literally, save lives. Death-related overdoses in Lake County have continued to rise the past few years, Bittorf said. Kristy is a recovering addict by circumstance but a people person by nature. Last week, she earned the most customer tips at her job as a server. When she shared this news at drug court, everyone applauded her. Kristy flashed a proud smile, something she hasnt had in many years, literally and figuratively, because of drug addiction. Look at that smile, Cappas told her. Big difference, huh? she replied. Historically, the criminal justice system has operated in silos, each specialty working without the integration thats needed for higher efficiency and more success stories. The problem-solving court model promotes collaboration, including eligibility screening, assessment, orientation, case planning, case management and treatment referrals. The ultimate goal is to the help the individual successfully complete the program and promote community safety, Bittorf told me. The primary objective is to provide collaborative services from start to finish, from addictions and arrests to sobriety and success stories. Unlike in a traditional courtroom, a drug court judge is more hands-on with clients. I dont mean to be yelling, Cappas told a male client who had a setback last week. Well, maybe I do. You will not get this opportunity again. Inside Cappas second-floor courtroom in the Lake County government complex in Crown Point, each participant stood in front of the drug courts staff to share status updates about their lives. Some offenders confessed new achievements, earning praise from the staff. Others shared rehashed rationalizations that Cappas has heard for years. "I've heard them all," he told me. Will these recovering addicts stay clean and get through this program? Or will they return to their addiction of choice and the criminal life that comes with it? My column series will chronicle their evolving progress or their unfortunate failure with exclusive behind-the-scenes excerpts, updates and photos from these clients, including Kristy. She has opened a savings account at a bank. It has one dollar in it. When she shared this latest achievement with the judge, everyone in the courtroom applauded her. Again. NYCxDesign, a design festival held each May in New York City, wrapped up its 11th edition last week with a strong array of group shows across boroughs in Soho showrooms, artist studios and backyards in Brooklyn, vacant office spaces in Chinatown and galleries in between. Though officially billed as a weeklong festival beginning May 19 and anchored by the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) and WantedDesign at the Javits Center, the event circuit seemed to begin in earnest a week before, with a packed roster of adjacent art and design fairs in town including The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF), Frieze New York and the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA). Below are a few highlights from this years edition. Heavy Metals Mr. Biden had insisted for months that he would not negotiate over raising the borrowing limit. But privately, many aides had been planning on talks all along though they refused to admit those talks were linked to the debt limit. The Biden team reasoned that it would have to negotiate fiscal issues this year anyway, both on appropriations bills and on programs like food stamps that are included in a regularly reauthorized farm bill. Mr. Bidens economic advisers, including Lael Brainard, the director of the National Economic Council, and Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen, were warning of catastrophic damage to the economy if the government could no longer pay its bills on time. The president appeared to score wins before the talks even started. He goaded Republicans into agreeing, in the midst of his State of the Union address, that Social Security and Medicare would be off limits in the talks thanks to a spontaneous riff that grew out of a passage in his speech that he had worked on extensively in the days beforehand. He proposed a budget filled with tax increases on the rich and corporations that were meant to reduce debt, but he refused to engage Mr. McCarthy in serious talks until Republicans offered a spending plan of their own. In late April, the House passed a bill that included $4.7 trillion in savings from spending cuts, canceling clean-energy tax breaks and clawing back money for Covid relief and the I.R.S. It featured work requirements and measures to speed fossil fuel projects, and it raised the debt limit for one year. Mr. Biden, under fire from business groups and others who feared the standoff could result in the United States running out of money before the debt limit was raised, soon agreed to designate a team of negotiators. The White House team was led by officials including Ms. Young and one of her top aides, Michael Linden, who delayed his departure from the White House to help negotiate along with Louisa Terrell, the legislative affairs director, and Mr. Ricchetti. Psychedelic therapy is on its way to becoming a mainstream medical treatment in mental health care. In 2020 and 2022, residents of Oregon and Colorado voted to legalize the use of psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, and the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve it and MDMA, or Ecstasy, to treat depression and post-traumatic stress disorder by 2024. While there is mounting evidence that psychedelics could offer much-needed new treatments for intractable mental illness, stories of abuse or trauma have also emerged which have more to do with the therapists than the drugs. Some cases involve clear instances of sexual assault. With others, the therapist may have had good intentions but still caused more harm than healing. In one recent clinical trial, which found that psilocybin could offer relief for treatment-resistant depression, three participants reported having suicidal thoughts and harming themselves in the weeks following the therapy. Twenty years of research has standardized the dosage of the drugs used in clinical trials, but the therapy part has not received similar scrutiny. Instead, therapists work is often based on tradition rather than empirical evidence, said Dr. Charles Raison, the director of clinical and translational research at the Usona Institute in Wisconsin and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin. Two decades ago, Kathleen Folbigg was convicted of smothering all four of her young children. Australian tabloids called her the countrys worst female serial killer. But Ms. Folbigg, who was serving a 30-year term, insisted she was innocent. And in recent years, a growing number of scientists began to argue that she was telling the truth. Genetic evidence, they said, indicated that the children had very likely died of natural causes. On Monday, the attorney general of New South Wales, Michael Daley, announced that Ms. Folbigg, 55, had been given a full pardon and released from prison. He cited an official inquirys preliminary conclusion that there was reasonable doubt about her guilt. What is the difference between today and what has transpired in the past is that new evidence has come to light, Mr. Daley said. It is appropriate that we do have the mechanisms to reconsider the source of questions in light of new evidence. When the New Jersey Symphony was planning this seasons centennial celebrations, which come to a close this weekend, a question kept coming up: Would the orchestra be going to Carnegie Hall? After all, appearing at Carnegie even if that means renting the hall is a mark of excellence and validation, an exclamation point on a tour or a special occasion. Like a 100th birthday. While the New Jersey Symphony has given many Carnegie performances over the years, most recently in 2012, it decided this was not the right time to return. Sure, we can go to Carnegie, Gabriel van Aalst, the orchestras chief executive, recently recalled thinking. We could have hired it out; we could have done it. But I strongly felt that this major tentpole celebration should be us in our state. Our supporters are here, our audiences are here. Season 1, Episode 1: Pop Tarts & Rat Tales In the background of an early scene in the new HBO series The Idol you can hear Fiona Apples 1990s hit Criminal. The pop star heroine of the series, Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp), is posing for her album cover. Her breasts are bare, and she stares seductively into the camera. An intimacy coordinator bursts in and tells the photographer to stop shooting. Areolas are not allowed per the nudity rider a detail that neither Jocelyn nor her team seem to care about. As Apples track plays, two of the members of Jocelyns entourage describe her alternately as Brigitte Bardot and Sharon Tate the latter reference, to the actress and Manson murder victim, is meant to make you shudder. Other celebrities are mentioned throughout the premiere. Jocelyn is compared to her obvious analog, Britney Spears, while later her new lover-slash-mentor-slash-cult leader Tedros (Abel Tesfaye) uses Prince and Donna Summer as examples of musicians who perform with the feeling Jocelyn is lacking. Still, the use of Criminal stood out to me among the onslaught of cultural references Sam Levinson throws at the audience. (Levinson, who created the series with Tesfaye and Reza Fahim, wrote and directed Sundays premiere.) The track in which Apple, then just a teenager, sings Ive been a bad bad girl was accompanied by a video released in 1997 directed by Mark Romanek that, because of its sexual imagery, stirred the kind of controversy it seems The Idol is desperate to create. But Apple was never shy of speaking her mind, and just a few months after the video debuted, she denounced the industry at the MTV Video Music Awards with an unprintable word and a Maya Angelou quote. The use of Apples music in The Idol is both a wink to scandals of pop past and feels like a bit of a cheat, primarily because its hard not to think deeply about Apple and her work, which has challenged the notions of pop stardom and musicality. Despite the knee-jerk reaction to it, Criminal is far more complicated than that coquettish bad girl lyric. Its about personal morality and shame and how that all gets wrapped up in sexuality. The dumb version is Jocelyns single World Class Sinner, in which she sings about being a freak who wants someone with a big bank account. The statement disseminated by the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan as if on June 4, at 6:25 p.m., the units of the RA Armed Forces opened fire against the Azerbaijani combat positions located in the eastern part of the border zone is another disinformation. June 5, 2023, 08:54 Armenian Defense Ministry: The statement disseminated by Azerbaijan is another disinformation STEPANAKERT, JUNE 5, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Ministry of Defense of Armenia reported. Ama Ata Aidoo, a Ghanaian playwright, author and activist who was hailed as one of Africas leading literary lights as well as one of its most influential feminists, died on Wednesday. She was 81. Her family said in a statement that she died after a brief illness. The statement did not specify the cause or where she died. In a wide-ranging career that included writing plays, novels and short stories, stints on multiple university faculties and, briefly, a position as a cabinet minister in Ghana, Ms. Aidoo established herself as a major voice of post-colonial Africa. Her breakthrough play, The Dilemma of a Ghost, published in 1965, explored the cultural dislocations experienced by a Ghanaian student who returns home after studying abroad and by those of his Black American wife, who must confront the legacies of colonialism and slavery. It was one of several of Ms. Aidoos works that became staples in West African schools. Has the counteroffensive begun? Ukraine intensified attacks on Russian positions along many sections of the front line yesterday. U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the surge in attacks could indicate that Ukraine had begun an expected counteroffensive, which could be its best shot at regaining territory and coming to any peace negotiations with a strong hand. The officials based their assessment in part on information from military satellites, which detected an uptick in action from Ukrainian positions. Ukraine has long said it would make no formal announcement about the start of its counteroffensive. Russia also said that a major operation had begun at five locations along the front in one eastern region, Donetsk, but that it had repelled them. Bloggers affiliated with the Russian military reported that Ukraines forces had advanced in some areas and had taken a village in Donetsk, but the claims could not be corroborated. U.S. military analysts said they believed that Ukrainian units were making an initial push to determine the positions and strength of Russias forces, a traditional tactic that Americans had been training Ukrainian forces to use. In a sudden flurry of military activity, Ukrainian forces have ramped up their artillery strikes and ground assaults at several points along the front line. Russian officials reported major Ukrainian attacks at five different locations in the eastern region of Donetsk. U.S. officials said today that it was possible that the long-awaited counteroffensive had begun, citing satellite imagery that showed a significant uptick in movement from Ukrainian positions. Officials in Kyiv, however, were tight-lipped about their strategy, and feints or diversions are to be expected in war. In an address, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine expressed gratitude to all our defenders who gave us the news we expect. Whatever precisely is happening, the Ukrainian assaults took place within range of the counteroffensives expected focus. In the southeast, analysts anticipate that Ukraines troops will seek to cut off the so-called land bridge that connects Russian-occupied Crimea to Russia. Ratings have plummeted. Profits have shrunk. A top star has been pushed out. CNN has had a tumultuous first year under Chris Licht, who took over as the networks chief executive last spring. And then on Friday, a 15,000-word profile of Mr. Licht in The Atlantic cast new doubts about his leadership and future at the company. All the turmoil has led some staff members to speculate privately in recent days about whether Mr. Licht will last as the chief executive and whether he should. Also fueling speculation was a decision last week to appoint David Leavy a trusted associate of David Zaslav, the chief executive of CNNs parent to a top leadership role at the network, a sign that Mr. Zaslav thinks CNN needs urgent management help. Mr. Licht addressed the tumult on an editorial call Monday, saying he will fight like hell to win back the trust of CNNs staff. I know these past few days have been very hard for this group, he said, and I fully recognize that this news cycle and my role in it overshadowed the incredible week of reporting that we just had, and distracted from the work of every single journalist in this organization. And for that, I am sorry. Hundreds of journalists for Gannett, the countrys largest newspaper chain, walked off the job on Monday, accusing the companys chief executive of decimating its local newsrooms. The walkout was the biggest labor action in Gannetts century-old history, the union representing the journalists said. It included workers from about two dozen newsrooms, including The Palm Beach Post, The Arizona Republic and The Austin American-Statesman. The demonstrations were expected to continue on Tuesday for some newsrooms. The collective action was timed to coincide with Gannetts annual shareholder meeting on Monday morning. The NewsGuild, which represents more than 1,000 journalists from Gannett, sent a letter to Gannett shareholders in May urging a vote of no confidence against Mike Reed, the chief executive and chairman. In the letter, the NewsGuild criticized the companys merger with GateHouse Media in 2019, saying it mortgaged the future of our company by loading it up with debt. The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday accused Binance, the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange, of mishandling customer funds and lying to American regulators and investors about its operations, in a sweeping case that has the potential to remake the landscape of power and wealth within crypto. The S.E.C.s lawsuit was the second time this year that federal regulators have accused Binance of evading laws designed to protect investors in the United States. Regulators have long seen the exchange, which has said it does $65 billion in average daily trading volume, as a major target in their quest to bring to heel a crypto industry that has been built around an explicitly anti-government ethos. In the 136-page complaint, the S.E.C. said Binance had mixed billions of dollars in customer funds and secretly sent them to a separate company, Merit Peak Limited, which is controlled by Binances founder, Changpeng Zhao. The complaint also said Binance had misled investors about the adequacy of its systems to detect and control manipulative trading and about its efforts to restrict U.S. users from trading on its international platform. U.S.-based customers were supposed to have access only to an ostensibly separate company formed specifically to operate within the United States, called Binance.US. For most people, wine is a commodity on a shelf, a treat for when the mood strikes. For the mass-market companies, wine might as well be pencils or paper towels merchandise to move. But for serious-minded producers and fans, wine has a far deeper meaning that cuts almost to the core of human existence. Among those who understand this view of wine are autocrats and would-be dictators. Throughout history, authoritarians have sought to suppress cultural expressions that deviate from the party line, whether books, film, music, religion or wine. It is no less true in our own times. Within the last century, dictatorial governments have routinely tried to destroy wine production, if that suited their needs. They have bent and shaped traditions to fit their own desires. They have also seen wine as a desirable commodity, looting vast amounts for themselves as the Nazis did in France during World War II. The Soviet Union routinely sought to transform the local winemaking customs of its constituent republics, discouraging, for example, the winemaking culture of Georgia, and instead creating vast state vineyards that could supply enormous amounts of wine for the Russian market. Local newspapers and TV stations didnt cover any clash, which may not be surprising, given how little the mainstream media reported on gay life in those days. But the city had a vigorous tabloid press that would likely have pounced on such a fracas. Mr. Rechy, the primary source for the story, has talked about witnessing an uprising at a Cooper Do-nuts since at least 2003. News outlets, including The New York Times, have repeated his account. Nathan Marsak, the author of several books on the history of downtown Los Angeles, isnt convinced. In a series of blog posts starting in 2021, he has marshaled old photos and city records to assert that there was no Cooper Do-nuts on the 500 block of South Main Street in May 1959 the time and place Mr. Rechy has given for the fight. (Mr. Rechy also once wrote that it happened in 1958.) Many American cities like New York struggle to rein in losses from fare evasion, in part because the cost of penalizing transit users can exceed the amount of money collected from fining them. As a result, some places like San Francisco and Seattle have relaxed enforcement. For New York, police enforcement is part of the solution in the long run, Janno Lieber, the authoritys chairman, said during a news conference about the new study. But he also stressed that the authority and the police department should consider an approach that has a lot of different components in addition to N.Y.P.D. enforcement. Concern over fare beating intensified in New York last year as government officials were seeking to lure back riders who were avoiding mass transit, in part, because they were frightened of crime. Police officials declared a crackdown on so-called quality-of-life offenses in March 2022, and enforcement rose by about 28 percent to 80,000 fare evasion summonses that year compared with 62,380 in 2021, according to the M.T.A. Arrests and summonses for fare evasion have disproportionately fallen on Black and Latino New Yorkers, giving fuel to critics of the approach. During 2022, they accounted for 73 percent of people arrested and given a summons for fare evasion among all incidents in which race and ethnicity were reported by the police, according to an analysis by Harold Stolper, an economist at Columbia University who studies fare evasion policing patterns in the city. Economic need is one of the main drivers of fare evasion, so policing fare evasion is policing poverty, to a large extent, Mr. Stolper said. The New York Police Departments anti-crime units are still stopping, frisking and searching too many people unlawfully almost all of them people of color despite assurances from Mayor Eric Adams that new policies and training would end the practice, according to a new report by a court-appointed monitor. The monitor, Mylan L. Denerstein, filed a report in federal court in Manhattan on Monday detailing what she described as unlawful policing. Ms. Denerstein, whose position was created in 2013 after a court ruled the Police Departments use of stop and frisk was unconstitutional, is assigned to oversee the units, which have a history of targeting Black and Hispanic people. Earlier versions of the units were responsible for a disproportionate number of police shootings, and they were disbanded in 2020. Mr. Adams reinstated and renamed them after he took office last year, but critics were skeptical that they could be run without racially profiling young men of color, as previous units had. Almost all of the stops made by the rebranded neighborhood safety teams analyzed in the report 97 percent were of Black or Hispanic people, and 24 percent of the stops were unconstitutional. Of 230 car stops included in the sample, only two appear to have turned up weapons, the report said. Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue negotiations on establishing relations and the peace treaty on the level of foreign ministers, foreign ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan said. June 5, 2023, 14:28 Washington to host another round of Armenia-Azerbaijan foreign ministerial talks STEPANAKERT, JUNE 5, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: The next round of foreign ministerial talks is planned to take place in Washington, D.C. The talks will start on June 12. We will provide other details additionally, she added. In high school I memorized a scene from Hamlet in which the gloomy prince tries to persuade his mother to leave the usurper king, the brother of Hamlets murdered father. Assume a virtue, if you have it not, Hamlet implores Gertrude. And a few lines later: Refrain tonight, / And that shall lend a kind of easiness / To the next abstinence: the next more easy; / For use almost can change the stamp of nature. The idea that use almost can change the stamp of nature is embedded in economics, although I didnt appreciate it in high school. Virtue is an acquired practice, the Nobel economics laureate James Heckman, Bridget Galaty and Haihan Tian wrote in a working paper released last month by the Becker Friedman Institute at the University of Chicago. They added that this acquired practice may eventually become the dominant preference of agents in the sense that it influences behaviors. Ill wager thats exactly how Hamlet would have put it if hed received graduate training in economics instead of kicking around a castle in Denmark. In a 1963 interview, Warhol remarked, I think somebody should be able to do all my paintings for me. While he did not outsource all of his paintings, he frequently got friends and assistants to fulfill some part of the artistic process, whether printing, cropping, titling or even conceiving of his work. I was never embarrassed, he once commented, about asking someone, literally, What should I paint? because Pop comes from the outside meaning it arose from external ideas and images rather than from the artists unique vision. And how is asking someone for ideas any different from looking for them in a magazine, Warhol said. His reliance on outside sources extended well beyond his art. When he tired of being himself, Warhol sometimes asked others to step into the role. In 1967, he hired the actor Allen Midgette to appear as Warhol on a national lecture tour. When, after the first few lectures, the ruse was exposed, Warhol responded, He was better at it than I am. From the artists perspective, Midgette was not only better at delivering remarks and answering questions from a public audience. He was better at being Warhol. The copy that exceeds the original was a central component of Warhols sensibility. He repeated and remade found photographs into vibrant paintings and prints that were themselves repeated with varying degrees of visual difference. When he emerged on the gallery scene in the 1950s, the reproduction of popular and consumer images in fine art was thought unspeakably vulgar. Within a few years, however, both the art world and the commercial sphere recognized the value of Pop. An anecdote I often tell my students is relevant here: In 1967, the Campbell Soup Company sent a letter to Random House, which was soon to publish a book about Warhol that included several reproductions of his famous soup can paintings. According to the letter, the company saw no copyright conflict between the Campbells logo and its repurposing by the artist. (In fact, his paintings had been good for business.) One important caveat, however, was specified: Warhol could not paint copies of the logo on actual soup cans, since that would place him in direct competition with the company. Warhol was happy to comply. He was, after all, making art, not soup. Fans at Warhols public appearances began to bring actual Campbells soup cans for him to sign, as the objects had become so closely associated with Warhol that they functioned as ready-made surrogates for his work. Source material and artwork had, as it were, traded places. Some of those who oppose Western aid just dont see the moral equivalence with World War II. On the left, in particular, there are some people for whom its always 2003. They remember how America was taken to war on false pretenses which, for the record, I realized was happening and vociferously opposed at the time and cant see that this situation is different. On the right, by contrast, many of those who oppose helping Ukraine call it the Tucker Carlson faction do understand what this war is about. And theyre on the side of the bad guys. The Putin wing of the G.O.P. has long admired Russias authoritarian regime and its intolerance. Before the war, Republicans like Senator Ted Cruz contrasted what they perceived as Russian toughness with the woke, emasculated U.S. military; Russias military failures threaten such peoples whole worldview, and they would be humiliated by a Ukrainian victory. The point is that the stakes in Ukraine right now are very high. If Ukraines counteroffensive succeeds, the forces of democracy will be strengthened around the world, not least in America. If it fails, it will be a disaster not just for Ukraine but for the world. Western aid to Ukraine may dry up, Putin may finally achieve the victory most people expected him to win in the wars first few days, and democracy will be weakened everywhere. Whats going to happen? Even military experts dont know, and I have no delusions of being such an expert myself. For what its worth, Western officials are sounding increasingly positive about Ukraines chances. And military affairs arent like economics, where, say, the Federal Reserve basically works off the same information available to all those who know their way around the St. Louis Feds economic research website. Defense officials have access to intelligence the public doesnt, and they dont want to end up looking foolish, so their optimism probably isnt empty bravado. Still, you dont have to be a military expert to know that attacking fortified defenses which is what Ukraine must do is very difficult. I never trust the mind of an iceberg, Cecil Stockley told me. He estimates its length, multiplies by five and keeps his boat at least that distance away. Dave Boyd said his safety rules depend on which type of iceberg hes dealing with. A tabular is generally pretty mellow, Mr. Boyd explained as we floated off the coast of Newfoundland, referring to icebergs with steep sides and large, flat tops. But a pinnacle a tall iceberg with one or more spires can be a real beast. Barry Rogers doesnt just look at an iceberg; he listens to it, as well. When the normal Rice Krispies-like pop of escaping air bubbles gives way to a much louder frying-pan sizzle, the iceberg may be about to roll over or even split apart, he explained. Another clue, he said, is when a flock of seabirds perched atop the ice abruptly peels away en masse. They can feel the tremors that Mr. Rogers is straining to hear. The Latest The police in Davenport, Iowa, said on Monday that they had found the bodies of all three men who had been missing since a section of a downtown apartment building collapsed last week. City officials said on Sunday that one of the men, Branden Colvin Sr., a resident who had returned home shortly before the building fell on May 28, had been found dead. On Monday, they said the bodies of the remaining two Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien had also been found in the rubble. No one else is known to have died in the incident, and the authorities said on Monday that they were not aware of any other people who were still unaccounted for. The Davenport police chief, Jeffery Bladel, said that city and state agencies were investigating the collapse. What Happened: Moves to demolish the building were halted after protests. A section of the century-old six-story building near the Mississippi River fell on May 28, setting off a frantic rescue effort. Hours later, after pulling several residents to safety, officials said they had no evidence at that time that anyone else was left in the rubble. The city initially moved rapidly toward demolishing the stricken building, where a large section of the exterior wall had fallen, leaving cleaved-off brick and the interiors of apartments exposed. The day after the collapse, the city announced that its Fire Department had turned over control of the site, and that demolition was expected to commence soon. But protesters gathered at the site calling for a delay, and raising concern that some people might remain trapped. One woman was found and pulled out of the building alive, and officials announced that others were still missing. Update: The police in Davenport, Iowa, said that they had found the bodies of all three men who had been missing since the building collapse last week. The body of one of three men missing after the partial collapse of an apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, has been recovered a week after a section of the six-story structure collapsed, a spokeswoman for the city said on Sunday. The spokeswoman, Sarah Ott, said in an email that the body of Branden Colvin Sr., 42, was found on Saturday. He is the first person confirmed to have died in the collapse. Two other men Ryan Hitchcock, 51, and Daniel Prien, 60 are still missing since part of the building came crashing down on May 28. The city government said in a statement on Thursday that it believed there was high probability that the three men could have been home at the time of the collapse and that their apartments were located in the collapse zone. A group of Latin American migrants aboard a chartered private plane landed at a small airport in Sacramento on Monday, the second such planeload in three days to arrive in Californias capital city from an airfield in New Mexico. The group of 20 migrants 16 from Venezuela, two from Colombia, one from Nicaragua and one from Mexico, according to Californias Justice Department landed just before 10:30 a.m. Pacific time and was ushered into a room at Sacramento Executive Airport to meet with state law enforcement officials. One of the migrants, David Mata, 28, said he arrived in the United States from Venezuela roughly two weeks ago looking for work. Mr. Mata said that he did not know who had orchestrated his trip to Sacramento, but that whoever did had paid for it in its entirety. Another group of migrants arrived on Friday at a different Sacramento airport aboard the same private plane. The authorities in California said those migrants carried papers indicating that their travel had been administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and its contractor, Vertol Systems Company, which is based in Florida. It was not immediately clear whether the group that arrived on Monday carried similar papers, but a state Justice Department official said it appeared that the same company, and the state of Florida, was involved. The official said that two of men who were on the flight on Friday, both believed to be connected with Vertol, were also on board the plane when it arrived in Sacramento on Monday. The News On Tuesday evening, the state of Missouri executed Michael Tisius, a 42-year-old who murdered two jail guards in 2000. His case attracted international attention and pleas for clemency, especially after several jurors who had voted to sentence Mr. Tisius to death said in a petition to the governor that they now believed life imprisonment was appropriate. Mr. Tisiuss lawyers had also argued that another juror from the sentencing trial was unable to read, a requirement under Missouri law for jury service. In a statement, Mr. Tisiuss lawyers said that in the hours before his death, he had expressed everlasting remorse to the families of the men he killed and a hope that his death would bring closure. Today marks another sad chapter of Americas perverse fascination with state-sanctioned homicide, they said. Mr. Tisius was the third person to receive the death penalty in Missouri this year. Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, said in a statement on Monday that Mr. Tisiuss case received fair and careful review at each step in the judicial process. Missouris judicial system provided Mr. Tisius with due process and fair proceedings for his brutal murders of two Randolph County jail guards, he said. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a stay of execution for Mr. Tisius, rejecting his lawyers argument that his age at the time of the crime, 19, should spare him from the death penalty. Mr. Tisiuss legal appeals have been exhausted. That left the possibility that Mr. Parson would step in and halt the execution. A former sheriff, Mr. Parson was seen as unlikely to commute the sentence. For weeks, organizations and institutions including the American Bar Association, the Missouri State Public Defenders, the European Union and the Catholic Church lobbied him, arguing for clemency. Of the jury that had voted to sentence Mr. Tisius to death in 2010, six jurors, including two alternates, have said in sworn affidavits included in the clemency petition that they would be supportive or would not object if Mr. Parson stepped in to commute the sentence to life imprisonment, rather than death. Oklahoma approved what would be the nations first religious charter school on Monday, handing a victory to Christian conservatives but opening the door to a constitutional battle over whether taxpayer dollars can directly fund religious schools. The online school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, is to be run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, with religious teachings embedded in the curriculum. But as a charter school a type of public school that is independently managed it would be funded by taxpayer dollars. After a nearly three-hour meeting, and despite concerns raised by its legal counsel, the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved the school in a 3-to-2 vote, including a yes vote from a member who was appointed on Friday. The relatively obscure board is made up of appointees by Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican who supports religious charter schools, and leaders of the Republican-controlled State Legislature. The Latest President Biden hosted Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark at the White House on Monday to discuss security initiatives, including providing military support to Ukraine, amid reports that Kyiv may be stepping up its long-planned counteroffensive against Russian forces. One of the main discussion topics between Mr. Biden and Ms. Frederiksen, according to the White House, involved Ukraines demand for American-made F-16 warplanes. In late May, and after months of resisting mounting pressure to provide the planes out of fear they could be used to hit Russian territory, Mr. Biden agreed to allow for pilots to be trained to operate the aircraft and for allied countries to supply them. Denmark is one of several countries whose leaders have signaled that they would be open to either transfer F-16s from their own stockpiles or provide pilot training. Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway have also indicated that they would be willing to help. On Thursday, Mr. Biden will host Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain, another key NATO ally who has been vocal about the need to arm Kyiv. In February, Mr. Sunak said that nothing was off the table when it came to considering military aid for Ukraine. Why It Matters: Fighting has intensified as Ukraine heads to Russias front lines. For the past 16 months, Mr. Biden has helped keep key Western allies of the United States in agreement over the need to provide aid to Kyiv, despite softening domestic support for the war and amid conflicting opinions among other leaders about how best to arm Ukraine. Now, as Ukrainian soldiers step up their artillery strikes and ground assaults against Russias front lines, the West again finds itself at a pivotal point in which allies will need to move forward in lock step. John F. Kirby, a White House spokesman, told reporters on Monday that he could not say whether the Ukrainian counteroffensive had officially started, but he added that the Biden administration had done all it could to provide support to get Kyiv ready. The president is confident that we did everything we could over the past six, eight months or more to make sure that they had all the equipment, training or capabilities, Mr. Kirby said. On Monday, the timeline for delivery of F-16s still remained unclear. Mr. Biden has called it highly unlikely that the F-16s would be part of the counteroffensive that Ukraine planned over the past several months. The visa liberalization issue is being actively discussed with the European Union, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Monday. June 5, 2023, 16:39 Armenia actively works around visa liberalization with EU Armenian Foreign Minister STEPANAKERT, JUNE 5, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: Speaking at a parliamentary committee discussion on the 2022 budget report, FM Mirzoyan said that the visa liberalization issue is an item on the agenda of Armenia and EU members and Armenia is receiving support in almost all cases, however the matter requires a consensus decision from the EU. We are actively discussing the visa liberalization topic. It is on the agenda between us and the EU or us and individual EU countries, it is being discussed, and it is mostly or in nearly all cases supported. Nonetheless, a consensus position is required for the EU to make such a decision. And it hasnt been possible to reach a consensus within the EU so far, the foreign minister told lawmakers. He said that the work continues. Cornel West, the progressive activist and professor, announced a presidential campaign on Monday with the Peoples Party, a third party led by a former campaign staff member for Senator Bernie Sanders. I enter in the quest for truth, I enter in the quest for justice, and the presidency is just one vehicle to pursue that truth and justice what Ive been trying to do all of my life, Dr. West said in a campaign video posted on Twitter. In the video, Dr. West said he had decided to run as a third-party candidate because neither political party wants to tell the truth about Wall Street, about Ukraine, about the Pentagon, about Big Tech. He called former President Donald J. Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, a neo-fascist, and President Biden a milquetoast neoliberal. Dr. West has taught at Yale, Princeton and Harvard and is currently a professor of philosophy at Union Theological Seminary. He is known for his progressive activism, including his sharp criticism of former President Barack Obama. The chatty daytime talk show The View might seem like an unlikely platform for Tim Scott, a senator from South Carolina and a presidential candidate, to get his footing with Republican primary voters, but he saw an opening on Monday and tried to make the most of it. Mr. Scott, the first Black Republican from the South elected to the Senate since Reconstruction, had asked for an audience on the show after a co-host, Joy Behar, said Mr. Scott doesnt get it when he denies the existence of systemic racism, which is why, she said, he is a Republican. Before a largely white, partisan crowd in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday, Mr. Scott had promised his appearance would make sparks fly, but in the end, the senator and the co-hosts largely spoke past one another. He said that suggesting that Black professionals and leaders are exceptions to the Black experience, not the rule, is a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today. The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide whether a California lawyer may trademark the phrase Trump too small, a reference to a taunt from Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, during the 2016 presidential campaign. Mr. Rubio said Donald J. Trump had small hands, adding: And you know what they say about guys with small hands. The lawyer, Steve Elster, said in his trademark application that he wanted to convey the message that some features of President Trump and his policies are diminutive. He sought to use the phrase on the front of T-shirts with a list of Mr. Trumps positions on the back. For instance: Small on civil rights. A federal law forbids the registration of trademarks identifying a particular living individual except by his written consent. Citing that law, the Patent and Trademark Office rejected the application. A unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the First Amendment required the office to allow the registration. Robert P. Hanssen, a former F.B.I. agent who spied for Moscow off and on for more than two decades during and after the Cold War in one of the most damaging espionage cases in American history, was discovered dead in his prison cell in Colorado on Monday, federal authorities announced. He was 79. The Federal Bureau of Prisons said in a statement that Mr. Hanssen was found unresponsive just before 7 a.m. at the United States Penitentiary Florence, where he was serving a life sentence. He was pronounced dead after lifesaving efforts by emergency medical workers. The statement did not identify a cause. Mr. Hanssens case was considered one of the most notorious spy scandals of his generation, shocking F.B.I. leaders and other government officials when they learned that one of their own had been feeding information to the other side with impunity for so many years. To this day, the F.B.I. describes him as the most damaging spy in bureau history. In exchange for $1.4 million in cash, bank funds and diamonds, Mr. Hanssen passed along a torrent of secrets to Moscow, including one disclosing that the United States government had dug a tunnel underneath the Soviet embassy in Washington to eavesdrop on diplomatic and other communications. He also informed Moscow about three K.G.B. officers who were secretly spying for the United States, two of whom were later executed. Late last year, Faycal Ziraoui, a French-Moroccan business consultant, was at his home in the Paris suburbs scrolling through satellite pictures of the Sierra Nevada when he came across an image that startled him. It was a collection of rocks arrayed in a way that resembled the cross hairs of a giant gun sight a circle with a cross through it surrounded by a larger circle. It looked to him like the symbol that the Zodiac killer used on his correspondence a half-century ago. One of my colleagues in The New York Timess Paris bureau, Constant Meheut, wrote about Ziraoui two years ago and his interest in the case of the Zodiac, the spree of murders that terrified the Bay Area. In December, Ziraoui searched satellite images of the Sierra after believing that a postcard and a cipher sent by the Zodiac killer pointed to those coordinates. Ziraoui spent the winter counting down the days until the snow melted, and in mid-May, he flew to San Francisco. I traveled with him to the site west of Lake Tahoe. Its a four-hour drive from the Bay Area, the last dozen miles on rough dirt roads blocked at times by the remnants of collapsed trees killed in the 2014 King fire. Eighty-nine schoolgirls and their teachers in northern Afghanistan were hospitalized with respiratory and neurological symptoms over the weekend in what officials believe were deliberate poisonings at two girls schools, officials said. On Saturday, 63 students and staff members at Kabod Aab School an elementary school for girls in the northern Sar-i-Pul Province became sick shortly after arriving in their classrooms that morning, officials and parents of those students said. The following day, 26 more students along with staff members at the nearby Faiz Abad Girls School became ill and reported similar symptoms. The suggestion that someone had tried to poison schoolgirls rattled young girls and their parents in this region in Afghanistan, where restrictions on education have become a flashpoint since the Taliban seized power in 2021 and emblematic of the governments policies toward women that have effectively erased them from public life. In a rare victory for journalism amid a crackdown on the news media in Hong Kong, the citys top court on Monday overturned the conviction of a prominent reporter who had produced a documentary that was critical of the police. Choy Yuk-ling, who also goes by the name Bao Choy, is best known in Hong Kong for producing investigative documentaries examining police conduct in 2019, when the city was roiled by months of antigovernment protests. Among the documentaries she produced was a prizewinning episode of Hong Kong Connection, a news program by the citys public broadcaster RTHK. The episode examined who was behind a mob attack on a group of protesters and commuters in a train station on July 21, 2019, that left 45 people injured, and why the police were slow to respond. Ms. Choy had used a public database to look up the license plates of vehicles caught on video transporting the suspected attackers, and traced them to community leaders in Hong Kongs outlying villages. She was arrested in 2020 and found guilty the next year of making false statements to obtain car registry records. A court ordered her to pay a fine of 6,000 Hong Kong dollars, about $775. She later appealed the conviction. Jacinda Ardern was awarded the title of dame on Monday for service to New Zealand, barely four months after ending her term as prime minister, during which she became the global face of a compassionate brand of liberal politics. The accolade Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit is the countrys second highest and was granted as part of an annual tradition of awarding honors for the Kings Birthday holiday. The honorees are usually chosen by the prime minister and approved by the British monarch, King Charles III, who is New Zealands head of state. Ms. Ardern said she was humbled by the award and had initially considered declining it. So many of the things we went through as a nation over the last five years were about all of us rather than one individual, she said in a statement, adding, For me this is a way to say thank you to my family, to my colleagues, and to the people who supported me to take on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life. Ukrainian forces stepped up their artillery strikes and ground assaults in a flurry of offensive military activity that by Monday was raging along multiple sectors of the front line, American and Russian officials said. Ukraine has remained silent about military operations after months of preparing for a major counteroffensive in the war. But the American officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the surge in attacks was a possible indication that Kyivs long-planned counteroffensive against Russian forces had begun. The officials based their assessment in part on information from U.S. military satellites, which detected an uptick in action from Ukrainian military positions. The satellites have infrared capabilities to track artillery fire and missile launches. One difficulty in determining the exact start of a counteroffensive, beyond Ukraines operational security measures, is that the fighting could well begin with feints or diversions that are hard to decipher. Member of the UK House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox has sent a letter expressing her support to the people of the Republic of Artsakh. June 5, 2023, 17:16 Member of the UK House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox expresses her support to Artsakh people STEPANAKERT, JUNE 5, ARTSAKHPRESS: The letter is presented below: ''To the people of the Republic of Artsakh, for whom I have profound affection and deep respect. 'I write to you today because 120,000 innocent civilians face an existential crisis. Conditions are now present for genocide against the Armenian Christians of Artsakh. Your people have suffered, and continue to suffer, the most serious international crimes. I have personally witnessed the results of massacres, atrocities and forced displacement. Yet the world has chosen to turn a deaf ear to your suffering. Even your closest international allies have either not paid attention to, or ignored, the warning signs of genocide. During this darkest hour, I stand in solidarity with the Armenians of Artsakh. I have great confidence in your ability to overcome this crisis with courage, fortitude, sacrifice and love not only will you survive but you will create beauty from the ashes of destruction. I am told that I have visited the Republic of Artsakh 88 times since 1990. I have been privileged to experience the love of your history and your rich culture of music, dance and art all within the context of the breathtaking beauty of your lands rugged mountains, thick forests, fertile valleys and crystal rivers. I have been blessed to meet a host of wonderful people, many the direct descendants of victims of the Great Genocide in Anatolia, or themselves victims of anti Armenian pogroms in Sumgait and Baku, and ethnic-religious cleansing in Artsakh. I am struck by the unanimity with which they share a simple common goal: it is to live in peace, dignity and security in their own historic land. This longing continues to fill my heart. I always carry with me the memory of a young woman I met in a hospital in Martakert in 1992, after I had visited the village of Maragha, which had just been subjected to a massacre inflicted by Azerbaijan. Whilst in the remains of the village, I saw corpses of civilians decapitated by Azerbaijani militants; vertebrae still on the ground; peoples blood still smeared on walls; homes that had been set alight were still smoldering. The day I met this woman, she was in agony over the deaths of her son and fourteen of her relatives who had been killed in the 2 massacre in Maragha. I wept with her. There are no words for a time like that. But when she stopped weeping, I asked her if she had a message she would like to share with the world. She replied, All I want to say is thank you to those people who have not forgotten us in these terrible days. I do not think thank you are the words that would have come to my mind on the day I had seen so many of my family killed in such horrific circumstances. That is the dignity of the Armenian people. If I could speak to this woman today, I would tell her: We love you and we have not forgotten you, even as the dark cloud of the Armenian Genocide, once again, looms over the mountains of your land. During the previous war, I met an Armenian man who had seen the body of a five-year-old Armenian girl, cut in two, hanging from the branch of a tree. He wept with horror and vowed revenge. Later, when his section of the Karabakh army captured villages, he could not bring himself to harm an Azerbaijani child. When this story was told at a dinner in the Armenian style of making speeches a journalist commended the man for his humanity and dignity. To which he replied: Dignity is a crown of thorns. The people of Artsakh have been wearing your crown of thorns with inspirational courage and dignity. I have never been as concerned about Artsakhs future as I am today. Azerbaijans conquest and ethnic-religious cleansing of two thirds of Artsakh in 2020, with the direct assistance of Turkey and its allied jihadist militias; its detention, torture and killing of Armenian hostages; its subsequent military incursions and occupation of territory belonging to the Republic of Armenia; its current blockade of Artsakh; and its territorial claims on the whole of Armenia all bear witness to this grim reality. Conditions are present for genocide against the Armenian Christians of Artsakh. However, signatories to the Genocide Convention including the United States, France and my own Government in the United Kingdom have refused their legal obligation to prevent the worst from happening, to provide protection to those who need it, and to punish those who are responsible for atrocities. Not one nation appears willing to prevent, provide or protect. I am deeply disturbed by reports that the Republic of Armenia is being pressured by international powers to contemplate sacrificing your homeland of Artsakh to the Republic of Azerbaijan in return for a so-called peace treaty. If reports are to be believed, those involved in the negotiation process say that the treaty will secure the borders of the Republic of Armenia and allow trade to open up with the Turkish world. My dear friends, as you are aware, these promises of peace and prosperity come at a price. If the treaty is signed in its current form, you would be expected to surrender your international right of self-determination. You would be expected to concede control over your lives, liberty and land. To use a recent phrase from the Armenian Supreme Spiritual Council: By recognising the Republic of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, the Armenian authorities will inevitably confront our brothers and sisters in Artsakh with a new genocide and depatriation. If a peace treaty is signed and later broken by Azerbaijan, history has shown that international powers would not be willing to respond. During the Russian[1]brokered ceasefire in November 2020, Azerbaijan promised to stop at their current positions yet its armed forces have since advanced into new positions with impunity. Azerbaijan promised the exchange of prisoners of war, yet dozens of Armenian military and civilian personnel remain in Azerbaijani custody, many of whom have undergone speedy criminal trials. Azerbaijan has not been held to account for breaking the 2020 ceasefire. One can only suspect that an agreement that results from present-day negotiations, in their current form, will not guarantee peace for the Armenians of Artsakh. One of my great fears is the annihilation of all Armenian churches, monuments and other cultural and spiritual treasures, which would fall under Azerbaijans control. Many Armenian sites have already been targeted and badly damaged since 2020, including the world-famous Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi, an archaeological camp near Tigranakert, and a memorial dedicated to the victims of the previous war. We must not forget the systematic erasure of centuries-old Armenian religious sites in Nakhchivan, including the attack on the Armenian Djulfa cemetery, where Azerbaijani soldiers, armed with sledgehammers and cranes, destroyed hundreds of hand-carved cross-stones. Under Azerbaijans control, there are strong grounds for belief that another Nakhichevan would be imposed in Artsakh a priceless part of humanitys common cultural heritage will be destroyed. I keep in mind a lesson from the Bible. In the last days of the kingdom of Judah, the Prophet Jeremiah lamented that his countrymen were saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. In that case, the consequence of the nation accepting a false sense of peace was the loss of its homeland and exile in a foreign country. When I was a young child, my own country was isolated and facing its darkest hour. Great Britain was existentially threatened by an ultra-nationalistic, genocidal dictatorship. Our then Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, promised the nation peace in our time, but there was no peace. His successor, Winston Churchill assumed the post of Prime Minister promising the nation nothing more 4 than blood, toil, sweat and tears. But the indescribable price of blood, toil, sweat and tears resulted in the privilege we now enjoy of living in freedom. It is my hope and prayer that the long-suffering Armenian nation will continue to strive for the opportunity to live in peace and dignity in your own land. This is the blessing that my family and I, along with all Britons, enjoy. For that great privilege I am deeply indebted to those in my nation who, over eighty years ago, chose to endure a great sacrifice, rather than accepting a false promise of peace. Please be assured of my continued daily prayers, and of my continued advocacy on your behalf. Every one of you means much to me and to many others around the world. I pray for Gods blessing on you all and that you will long live in a free Armenia and free Artsakh.'' That relationship has become especially delicate because President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has falsely declared Ukraine to be a Nazi state, a claim he has used to justify his illegal invasion. Ukraine has worked for years through legislation and military restructuring to contain a fringe far-right movement whose members proudly wear symbols steeped in Nazi history and espouse views hostile to leftists, L.G.B.T.Q. movements and ethnic minorities. But some members of these groups have been fighting Russia since the Kremlin illegally annexed part of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014 and are now part of the broader military structure. Some are regarded as national heroes, even as the far-right remains marginalized politically. The iconography of these groups, including a skull-and-crossbones patch worn by concentration camp guards and a symbol known as the Black Sun, now appears with some regularity on the uniforms of soldiers fighting on the front line, including soldiers who say the imagery symbolizes Ukrainian sovereignty and pride, not Nazism. In the short term, that threatens to reinforce Mr. Putins propaganda and give fuel to his false claims that Ukraine must be de-Nazified a position that ignores the fact that Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is Jewish. More broadly, Ukraines ambivalence about these symbols, and sometimes even its acceptance of them, risks giving new, mainstream life to icons that the West has spent more than a half-century trying to eliminate. What worries me, in the Ukrainian context, is that people in Ukraine who are in leadership positions, either they dont or theyre not willing to acknowledge and understand how these symbols are viewed outside of Ukraine, said Michael Colborne, a researcher at the investigative group Bellingcat who studies the international far right. I think Ukrainians need to increasingly realize that these images undermine support for the country. College recruiters walked immigrant neighborhoods, knocking on doors or stopping people in shopping malls, selling the merits of a business-school education and adding a surprising offer: Get paid to enroll. Money, money, money, said Stefan Lespizanu, a former recruiter for Oxford Business College. Everybody was saying, Hey, push the money. News of the opportunity spread, propelled by Facebook groups and word of mouth. Whole families signed up, helping turn a vocational school of 41 students atop a Chinese restaurant into a for-profit juggernaut. Oxford Business College, unaffiliated with the elite school nearby, now has several campuses and more than 8,000 students. That transformation made millions of dollars for its owners, company records show. Years of free-market changes to British higher education have created opportunities for for-profit schools like Oxford Business College. Through opaque partnership deals with publicly funded universities, schools can offer undergraduate degrees and get access to the British governments student aid. Some are marketed as ways to get an easy degree and quick money, in the form of about $16,000 a year in government loans for living expenses. Rattled by a protest march through Warsaw on Sunday by up to half a million people, many of them waving Polish and European Union flags, Polands nationalist government lashed out angrily on Monday at the latest legal setback in a long-running feud with the European bloc over the rule of law. A ruling by Europes highest court, the European Court of Justice, delivered an emphatic rebuke to Poland over what it ruled were illegal efforts to curtail the independence of the Polish judiciary. The hard-line justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, the architect of a judicial overhaul, signed into law in 2020, at the heart of Polands rift with Brussels, responded to the verdict by declaring that it cannot be considered credible because the main European court is corrupt. He vowed not to comply, despite the fact that noncompliance would likely cost Poland billions of dollars in badly needed European funding. A news bulletin on TVP, the main state broadcaster, sneered at the decision as a political assault on Polish statehood, a theme often deployed by the governing party, Law and Justice, as it has geared up for a general election in October. A message flashed on the screen summing up the right-wing governments view of the court decision: Eurocrats attack Poland yet again! Follow our updates as Prince Harry testifies in court. Prince Harrys bitter, yearslong feud with Britains tabloid press will come to a head this week. He is scheduled to take the stand on Tuesday in a London courtroom for a lawsuit against the Mirror newspaper group on charges that it hacked his cellphone more than a decade ago. For the younger son of King Charles III to appear on the witness stand is a milestone for the House of Windsor he is the first senior royal to be cross-examined in a legal case since the 19th century and it is not one his family is likely to relish. Harry, who is also known as the Duke of Sussex, could face embarrassing questions about his personal life before he met his wife, Meghan, as well as about his relationships with other members of the royal family. Since he and Meghan withdrew from royal duties in 2020 and left Britain for Southern California, Harry has become estranged from his father, Charles, and his elder brother, Prince William. Members of the royal family have preferred to settle legal claims rather than undergo the scrutiny of a courtroom. William settled a phone hacking case against Rupert Murdochs British newspaper group, the News Group, for a huge sum of money in 2020, Harry claimed in a legal filing in a separate case this year. Prince Harrys expected testimony on Tuesday in a phone-hacking case will be the first time in over 130 years that a prominent member of Britains royal family is cross-examined in court. The last time it happened was in 1891, and it didnt go well for the royal family. Prince Albert Edward Queen Victorias eldest son, who went on to become King Edward VII in 1901 testified as a witness in a slander case that centered on a game of baccarat gone wrong at which the prince had been present. One of the players, Sir William Gordon-Cumming, had been accused of cheating. The prince sided with the accusers, and Mr. Gordon-Cumming lost the case. A local report from the time, as quoted in The Guardian, said that Edwards testimony had lasted about 20 minutes and that it had wearied him exceedingly, and made him extremely nervous. The report also stated that he had been unable to sit still. It was unusual then, too, for such a prominent member of the royal family the future king, no less to appear in court. Ukrainian ground forces tried to break through Russian defenses in eastern Ukraine, in an area of the front that had not shifted significantly for months, and staged large-scale assaults across much of the frontline, Russian authorities and military bloggers aligned with the Kremlin said Monday. Ukraine has remained silent about military operations after months of preparing for a major counteroffensive in the war. Consequently, Russian reports were expected to signal the start of military action before any formal Ukrainian announcements. The only indication from the Ukrainian side that an operation may have started was a video released by the military Sunday showing soldiers putting a finger to their lips, asking for silence. Two unverified Russian reports said Ukrainian forces had pushed through Russian defenses in two areas. While the Russian Ministry of Defense said early Monday that a major Ukrainian operation had begun along multiple sections of the front in the Donetsk region, it said the Ukrainian attack had been repelled. Moscows reports of the offensive and Ukrainian casualties could not be corroborated. Tass, the Russian news agency, cited the ministry spokesman, Igor Konashenkov. There was no immediate response from the Ukrainian authorities to the Russian claim. By early Monday, a Russian Telegram channel that reports on the war said Ukrainian forces had breached a first line of Russian defenses near the town of Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk, and reclaimed two villages as Russian forces fell back to reserve positions. Hvaldimir, a domesticated beluga whale that has been spotted in Scandinavian waters for years, was seen last week off the coast of Sweden, prompting concern among researchers who worry he could be in danger, especially if people dont stay away from him. The highly sociable whale first gained fame in 2019, when he showed up in northern Norway wearing a harness, embossed with St. Petersburg equipment, that seemed designed to hold a camera. As a result, he captured the imagination of headline writers, who labeled him a Russian spy. But Hvaldimir, whose name is a combination of hval, the Norwegian word for whale, and Vladimir, is different from other whales. He seems to prefer people to other marine mammals, leading researchers to think that he had been domesticated. Researchers said it was impossible to know for sure whether Hvaldimir had really been a spy whale, and no country has claimed him. Militaries have long used animals, including during the Cold War, when the Soviet Navy trained dolphins for military use. The U.S. Navy has trained beluga whales to perform recovery operations and to find underwater mines. Early one recent morning, Lebanese soldiers swept through the Bourj Hammoud neighborhood in Beirut, emptying two buildings of the Syrian refugees living in them. They forced them into trucks and drove them to a no-mans land between the Lebanese and Syrian borders. After days stuck along the border, hundreds of refugees were taken by Syrian forces back to Syria. Among them was Rasha, a 34-year-old mother of three who fled the country in 2011. The family spent their first night back in Syria sleeping on the streets of the capital, Damascus. The next day, she said, she paid a smuggler to help them cross back into Lebanon. If the soldiers ever come back, Rasha vowed, she would die before being forced back to Syria again. Even if they shoot me, I wont go back, she said after returning to her home in Beirut where her family, especially her 12-year-old son, is living in fear that the soldiers will return. My son keeps waking up in the middle of the night screaming, Mama, theyve come, said Rasha, who asked to be identified by her first name only for security reasons. Across the Middle East, Syrian refugees like Rasha who fled by the millions during their countrys 12-year war have watched nervously as the Arab world re-establishes diplomatic relations with their countrys authoritarian leader, President Bashar al-Assad, after more than a decade of isolation in the Middle East and beyond. The growing field of Republicans running for president expanded by three this week, with former Vice President Mike Pence, former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota getting into the race. The field continues to expand in part because hopefuls see opportunity in the struggle of Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida to become the undisputed challenger to former President Donald J. Trump. Mr. DeSantis trails Mr. Trump by about 30 percentage points in national polls of Republican voters. No one else is within hailing distance, but with one in four Republicans still looking for an alternative to the two front-runners, a fierce competition to be that other option is emerging. All three of the latest entrants have to be considered long shots, at least for now. But each is getting a momentary burst of attention this week, with the hope that from small sparks a brush fire will spread. Heres a recap of the events where the three candidates declared their runs: Mike Pence He held a rally with voters in Des Moines on Wednesday. A CNN town hall is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern. When temperatures inch toward 80 degrees, its OK to use the word cook loosely. This time of year, dinners are often made on the fly anyway, tossed together after a day at a park or by a pool. The New York Times Cooking recipes below stick to those unwritten rules of summer cooking: They must be bright and quick, with absolutely no oven required. Find more summer dinners at New York Times Cooking. The central New York chapter of the Alzheimer's Association will present a program on Alzheimer's disease and dementia from 5:15 to 5:45 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at the Auburn YMCA-WEIU, 27 William St., Auburn. The presentation will cover the impact of Alzheimer's, the difference between the disease and dementia, stages and risk factors of Alzheimer's, and current research, treatments and resources. The presentation is free and open to the public; preregistration is not necessary. For more information, call (315) 253-5304 or email laura@auburnymca.net. San Jacinto River Authority (TX) Needs PR Support Wed., Jun. 7, 2023 The San Jacinto River Authority is looking for a PR partner to support its Woodlands division that serves as a wholesaler to 11 municipal utility districts in Texas and is in need of an infrastructure overhaul. SF combats doom loop image The San Francisco Travel Association kicked off its biggest marketing campaign ever on May 30 to promote tourism to the city. That effort follows a slew of "doom loop stories about the city being stuck in an irreversible economic and social downward spiral brought on by crime, drugs, homelessness and the hollowing out of its business core. The upbeat Always San Francisco campaign features iconic images (Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, cable cars) and cameos from San Franciscans such as Lady Camden of RuPauls Drag Race fame, Chinatown lion dancers and musicians Mae Powell and Michael OKonis. The campaign evokes the emotional joy that visitors experience in the city, said Lynn Bruni-Perkins, SF Travels chief marketing officer. Though San Francisco is ever-changing, its epic beauty, iconic landmarks, diverse people and larger-than-life moments stay with you forever, she said. The $6M campaign will run through Oct. 22 in the US, Australia, Asia-Pacific, India, Europe, Canada and Mexico. The Miles Partnership, a strategic marketing shop that specializes in travel, created the effort. San Francisco Travel is predicting 23.9M visitors this year, up from 21.9M in 2022. It is looking for a $1B increase in tourism spending. The Always San Francisco push may juice those numbers upward. Target comes out on top The retailer ranks No. 1 in Bospars corporate courage index ranking of brands that support the LGBTQIA+ community. Bospar CEO Curtis Sparrer noted the irony in the top ranking, coming at a time of media reports that Target bowed to conservative pressure and removed products from its Pride Collection. He believes respondents put Targets long-time support of the LBGTQIA+ community ahead of its current cave-in. Target has been supporting pride for a decade, and that commitment has been part of the national consciousness, said Sparrer. The long-term challenge for Target boils down to which side they pick. We will see. God help us Former Vice President Mike Pence is running for the Republican presidential nomination because God told him to do so. He told Republicans in Iowa that the next president will hear from heaven, and hell heal this land. Thats from a guy who stood by Donald Trumps side as he destroyed Americas reputation throughout the world and fostered divisiveness and hate in the US. Thats not exactly what Jesus would have done. Pences campaign will re-introduce the pre-Trump politico, who served in Congress and was governor of Indiana. The former VP has as much of a chance to get the GOP nod as Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Vivek Ramaswamy, Tim Scott, Larry Elder or Doug Burgum. That is zero chance. Pence should have followed the example of Republican New Hamphire governor Chris Sununu. The New Englander wont be running for the 2024 election because he understands the bigger the crowd of pretenders, the more likely it will be for Trump to cinch the prize. Former governor Chris Christie is the only no-shot GOP presidenrial candidate who should jump into the race as a public service. The Jersey bulldog promises to go on the attack and sic Trump for his deceitful conduct and failed presidency. Thats something the gutless Republican candidates have failed to do. Twitters troubles under the ownership of Elon Musk continue. The social media giants advertising revenues in the U.S. from the beginning of April to May were down 59 percent from the $88 million the platform earned in ad sales during the same period a year prior. Those findings, published today in the New York Times, were based on an internal presentation the Times reported it had obtained. That internal document also allegedly reported that weekly sales projections at the social site have regularly fallen short, sometimes by as much as 30 percent. The Times further reported that internal documents obtained by the paper forecast that Twitters U.S. ad revenues in June would continue declining at least 56 percent each week compared with a year ago. Twitters 2023 global ad revenues are expected to be about 28 percent lower than they were in 2022, or around $3 billion compared to the $4.14 billion it accounted for last year, according to findings by research firm Insider Intelligence. Insider Intelligence cited "brand safety issues, confusing policies, and broken technology" as reasons for the decline. Advertisers are spending markedly less on the site this year ever since Musk took the reins. Vox in March reported that more than half of Twitters top 1,000 advertisers have now ceased publishing ads on the site, with many citing an alleged uptick in hate speech as the reason for limiting or outright pulling their ad campaigns from the platform. Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion in October and immediately took the company private. In May, mutual funds giant Fidelity pegged Twitter's value at $15 billion, or about a third of what it was worth before Musk took over. Linda Yaccarino, who was formerly head of advertising at NBCUniversal, was tapped to serve as Twitters new CEO. She's expected to begin in her new role today. TULLAMORE Show and the FBD National Livestock Show 2023 promises to live up to its unofficial motto and be bigger and better than ever. That's according to broadcaster Clare O'Brien who acted as Masters of Ceremonies at the show's annual sponsors night and schedule launch in the Bridge House Hotel last Wednesday. Ms O'Brien praised the volunteers on the Tullamore Show Executive and the various sub-committees whose hard work made the annual agricultural extravaganza possible. The show takes place on the traditional second Sunday of August (13) on the Butterfield Estate at Blueball. As always there are new attractions in this year's show said Ms O'Brien who revealed that a number of new classes had been added to the programme. In the sheep section alone there will be classes for a whopping 18 different breeds, outlined the broadcaster. The show boasts a total prize fund of 175,000. Show Chairman, Joe Molloy extended a special welcome to the sponsors whose generous support made the event possible to stage every year. He also welcomed representatives of Offaly County Council, including Cllr Neil Feighery, whose support was also invaluable to ensuring the show's continued success. Mr Molloy also extended his gratitude to the show's main sponsors, Irish insurance company, FBD and other bodies including Teagasc and Bord Bia for their support. A highlight of this coming August's show will be the Sustainable Livestock Village. This is a platform to highlight the range of practices that farmers can implement to reduce CO2 while positively affecting farm margins and profitability. The village will also highlight supports available to farmers to implement best practice, said Mr Molloy. The Boora based farmer recalled that last year's show had been the biggest since the event was revived in 1991 with the largest ever attendance. Special guest at this year's launch was the respected Irish Farmers Journal journalist and beef expert, Adam Woods who spoke about the importance of shows to farmers and the entire rural economy. Said the speaker: Valuable life lessons can be taught in the show ring. Hard work in getting your animal to the show including preparation on everything from paperwork to the show box, learning how to turn your animal out well, learning how to turn yourself out well, learning how to accept defeat and bite your tongue even when you know deep down that the judge is wrong. Most of all lifelong friendships are made on the show circuit. But everything must change, and agriculture and Irish agriculture is and will undergo huge changes in the years ahead. Our 25% reduction in GHG emissions is a huge task and one that will require all our industry, farmers, and stakeholders to work together. Climate change is here, its not going away, and everybody must do their bit in achieving our 2030 climate change targets. Also in attendance was the Offaly Rose, Alllie Leahy from Kinnitty. Pat Gilligan, head of sales with FBD for the Midland region, said his company had a very strong relationship with Tullamore Show. It represents a highlight of our association with farming, he stressed. Mr Gilligan said the event was the highlight of the annual calendar for many people. He added: The show has always been, and continues to be, a showcase for Irelands livestock industry and is a wonderful reflection of all that is positive within Irelands livestock and farming sector. A Dublin man living in Granard was given a year and a half custodial sentence for a threat to kill a Garda when his matter was concluded at Longford Circuit Court. Steven Smith (48), of Kilsonna, Granard entered a guilty plea to the charge of threatening to kill Garda Leona Tiernan, while a charge of cultivation of cannabis was entered as a nolle prosequi by the State. Outlining details of the case Sergeant David Charles told the court that on Sunday, June 12, 2022 at 9pm, Edgeworthstown Garda station received a phone call. The caller asked for Garda Leona Tiernan, but was told the officer was not stationed there. In the early hours of Monday, June 13, Sgt Charles received a call to Irishtown Garda Station. The caller asked about Gda Tiernan and alleged keys had been taken and his home was broken into. Referring to an arrest by Gda Tiernan the male caller said: The lads aren't going to be happy about this, and said they were going to get Garda Tiernan. The caller was identified as Mr Smith from his mobile phone ID, with Sgt Charles saying it was not the cleverest of things to do. Sgt Charles described the real and immediate threat to Gda Tiernan. A patrol car attended the officer's home address in the early hours of the morning to check the safety and well-being of Gda Tiernan. Members of the Armed Response Unit (ARU) called to the defendant's home address at 5am and arrested Mr Smith under section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for his threat on Gda Tiernan. In the course of that arrest a phone was seized that linked him to the calls to the Edgeworthstown and Irishtown stations. Also in the search officers found a piece of paper with Leona Tiernan written on it. The defendant was interviewed at Granard Garda Station. In the course of the interview he alleged he was arrested previously and claimed in the course of that arrest he was physically and sexually assaulted and had made a complaint to GSOC. After that incident he was arrested by Gda Tiernan for an alleged drink driving offence. Gda Tiernan brought him to Mullingar Garda station. In an interview Mr Smith said: The fact that I saw the Garda in the station made me very suspicious of Leona. Regarding the call to Irishtown station Mr Smith said he had a few cans and some pills. I dont know the girl. The defendant is originally from Ballyfermot in Dublin and had 36 previous convictions ranging from 1994 to 2020. A total of 17 offences are for road traffic charges, 11 for theft and fraud, two for firearms, with the remainder for criminal damage and public order. The court was told Mr Smith handed in a card, some flowers and a crystal to the station where Gda Tiernan worked to apologise for his actions. Counsel for the defendant, Niall Flynn BL, said Mr Smith's complaint to GSOC related to an incident where he allegedly had his nose and jaw broken. He said although Gda Tiernan had no involvement in that matter his client was suspicious when he was brought to Mullingar for an alleged drink driving matter. Mr Flynn said his client co-operated with Gardai and the phone call made in the early hours of the morning was the result of an incident that spiralled out of control because of drink and drugs. Counsel pointed out that in the interview Mr Smith said: I dont want anyone to think I would threaten a girl. In her victim impact statement Gda Tiernan spoke of the worry and upset the incident had caused her and her family. The officer said she lives in a rural area with her partner and two children and is very vulnerable. She described being intimidated by the threats and has installed security cameras in the wake of the threat on her life. Mr Flynn said his client was genuinely remorseful, adding that Mr Smith led a crime free life until 2007, which coincided with the loss of his job following the economic downturn. The barrister said substance abuse played a part in his offending since. Mr Flynn described Mr Smith as not an inherently evil, or dangerous person. Counsel told the court his client is in custody at present and spends 23 hour in lock up because he doesnt get on well with other people in prison. In his summation Judge Kenneth Connolly noted the threats to kill Gda Tiernan, who was acting in the course of her duties, attracted a maximum sentence of 10 years. The judge said the sinister threat was a source of huge distress for the victim, and an attack on the system of law and order. He also referenced the fact Mr Smith was on bail at the time of the offence. In mitigation Judge Connolly acknowledged the early plea by the defendant and described the apology as an indication Mr Smith was reasonably repentant. Also noted was the fact he was on a methadone programme. The crime was described as being at the lower end of mid-level for such an offence and as such would attract a four year sentence, mitigation reduced to two years and six months. The final year of that sentence was suspended for five years following Mr Smith's release on condition he keeps the peace, not contact Garda Tiernan and makes a charity donation of 500 to a local cancer charity. Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys has announced an additional 100 per child in Child Benefit Payments will be paid tomorrow to support 650,000 families nationwide - with the cost of living. The additional support means that 240 per child will be paid this month in respect of over 1.2 million children. Child Benefit Payments totalling almost 300 million will be received in families bank accounts tomorrow, Tuesday 6th June. The increased Child Benefit payments are part of a package of measures secured by Minister Humphreys in February and are in addition to the 2.2 billion of supports provided for in Budget 2023. Commenting today, Minister Humphreys said: Im pleased to announce that some 650,000 families will receive an extra 100 per child in their Child Benefit payments this week to support them with the cost of living. Child Benefit is an extremely important income support that reaches hundreds of thousands of hardworking families. Im deeply conscious of the difficulties families are facing right now in meeting their bills. And so, Im pleased to confirm that I have co-signed the regulations along with Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe, which will put this 100 increase into effect. This extra child benefit payment will be received in peoples bank accounts from tomorrow. It follows the 200 Cost of Living Payment in April, which supported 1.3 million pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and working families. Parents who receive the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will also receive an additional 100 for each child this summer. This package of measures, in addition to the 2.2 billion of supports secured as part of Budget 2023, underlines our continued commitment to address the increased cost of living being experienced by families. Child Benefit Child Benefit is a monthly payment of 140 for each child. It is made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday if they are in full-time education or have a disability. The Cayuga County Healthy Neighborhoods Program has added the towns of Conquest and Throop to its coverage area. The state-funded program "seeks to reduce the burden of housing-related illness and injury through a holistic, healthy homes approach," it said in a news release. The program offers free home assessments that identify environmental and safety issues, such as tobacco control, cleaning and clutter, pests, fire safety, lead poisoning prevention, mold, indoor air quality and more. Along with Conquest and Throop, the program serves the city of Auburn, the towns of Mentz and Montezuma, and the village of Port Byron. The Cayuga County Health Department partners with the Cayuga Community Health Network and the Auburn Fire Department on the program. The county is one of 18 to receive funding for the program from the state Department of Health. Assessments are provided at the homeowner's and/or tenant's discretion, and revisits are made when issues are identified. For more information, or to schedule a free home assessment, call (315) 253-1560 or visit cayugacounty.us/health. How safe is your home? Program offers free home check-ups in Cayuga County AUBURN Armed with bright blue buckets and green fabric bags, a small group of college students, firefighters and health officials meets in t Doctors In Balasore for Embalming: How And Why It Is Done? India oi-Prakash KL Odisha Chief Secretary PK Jena on Monday said a team of doctors and forensic experts from top Central Government hospitals arrived in Balasore from Delhi to preserve the bodies through embalming and conduct post mortem. So far 151 bodies have been identified out of the 275 dead in the train accident in Balasore, he said. So, What Is Embalming? Embalming is the process employed to preserve the body after the death to delay decomposition. For thousands of years, human beings have practiced embalming in various forms as a means to delay the decomposition of the human body after death. Why It Is Done? Embalming serves to prolong the natural process of decay, offering the opportunity to spend an extended period viewing your departed loved one. Consequently, embalming becomes a viable choice if the burial is scheduled weeks later and you or other mourners wish to have a viewing. Goods Train Derails In Odisha Days After Tragedy in Balasore How Embalming Is Done? There are two primary methods of embalming: arterial and cavity embalming. Arterial embalming involves the replacement of blood with embalming fluids, while cavity embalming entails draining and filling the abdomen and chest. Prior to initiating the embalming process, the deceased individual undergoes a thorough washing with a disinfectant solution. Additionally, a gentle massage is administered to alleviate any rigor mortis, which is the stiffening of muscles and joints that occurs after death. Finally, the eyes and mouth are closed to achieve a peaceful appearance. During arterial embalming, the blood is extracted through the veins and substituted with embalming fluids through the arteries. Embalming solutions typically comprise a blend of formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, methanol, ethanol, phenol, and water. Odisha Train Crash: NDRF Jawan Who Was On Leave Sent 1st Alert, 'Live Location' Of Accident Site In the case of cavity embalming, a small incision is made to drain the natural fluids present in the chest and abdomen. These fluids are subsequently replaced with an embalming solution, and the incision is carefully closed. Once the embalming process is concluded, it is common practice to undertake cosmetic preparations for the purpose of viewing. This involves another round of washing the deceased individual, dressing them, grooming their hair, and applying makeup. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 16:59 [IST] Excise Policy: Sisodia's interim bail plea refused India oi-PTI The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant interim bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case arising from the alleged excise policy scam. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, however, allowed him to meet his ailing wife in custody for one day as per her convenience between 10 am and 5 pm. The former Delhi deputy chief minister had sought release on a temporary basis for six weeks on grounds that he was the sole caretaker of his ailing wife. His plea for regular bail in the matter is pending before the high court. Sisodia, who was arrested on March 9, is currently in judicial custody in the case lodged by the ED. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed the plea for interim bail on grounds of possibility of evidence tampering. The ED lawyer has also claimed that Sisodia's wife has been suffering from such a medical condition for the last 20 years. The Delhi government implemented the policy on November 17, 2021 but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption. Sisodia Arrives At His Residence But Fails To Meet Ailing Wife, Returns To Tihar Jail On May 30, the court had dismissed the bail plea of Sisodia in the excise policy scam being probed by the CBI, saying he is an influential person and the allegations against him are very serious in nature. In the CBI case, the high court has kept the interim bail plea pending for July. Mukhtar Ansari Sentenced To Life Imprisonment By Varanasi Court In Awadhesh Rai Murder Case India oi-Prakash KL UP gangster Mukhtar Ansari has been convicted in the Awadhesh Rai murder case by a court in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Awadhesh, the brother of Congress leader Ajay Rai, was shot dead on August 3, 1991, at the gate of his Lahurabir residence. "Mukhtar has been convicted and awarded life imprisonment in the Awadhesh Rai murder case of 1991," a lawyer told reporters outside the Varanasi court. Responding to the development, Ajay Rai said, "This is the end of our many years of waiting. I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter and the whole family kept patience... Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself. "But we did not give up. Because of our lawyers' efforts, today the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother," Rai added. Recommended Video Gangster Mukhtar Ansari convicted in 32 year old case | Oneindia News "Today, we have won after a 32-year-long battle. We welcome the verdict of the court...If any incident happens with me, its responsibility will be on the BJP government," he further added. Lawyers said that around 1 am on August 3, 1991, Congress leader Ajay Rai and his brother were standing at the gate of their house in Varanasi when some assailants, including Ansari, came there in a car and shot Awadhesh. Ajay Rai fired from his licensed pistol in retaliation, following which the assailants fled, leaving the car behind, they said. Awadhesh was rushed to a hospital in Kabirchaura, where doctors declared him dead. A dreaded gangster, Ansari is a five-time MLA from the Mau Sadar assembly seat. However, he did not contest the 2022 Assembly polls but his son Abbas Ansari contested from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party and won the seat. It has to be noted that the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party has an alliance with the SP. In April, an MP/MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur had convicted jailed mafia Mukhtar Ansari in connection with a Gangsters Act case from 2007 and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment. Memorial Day is past, and now summer reading season is upon us. This months column is filled with suggestions for books for everyone to read at the beach or on your front porch. For the person who enjoys a good family story, J. Ryan Stradals new novel, Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, tells the story of four generations of women involved with the running of their family supper club in a small town in Minnesota. Some of them take to the family business; others feel confined by it. Youll feel dropped right into this community. Stradal never misses; his books are must-reads for me. Susie Luos debut novel, Paper Names, tells of the immigrant experience seeking the American dream. Tony leaves his job as an engineer in China to give his family a better life in New York City, where he now works as a doorman. The lives of Tony, his young daughter, Tammy, and Oliver, a lawyer who lives in the building where Tony works, collide after a violent incident. If historical fiction is your favorite genre, Luis Alberto Urreas Good Night, Irene," a story about women who worked for the Red Cross in Europe during World War II, is inspired by his owns mother experiences. Kristin Harmels The Paris Daughter is set in 1939 Paris, where a young mother forced to flee the Nazis entrusts her daughter to her best friend. Her return after the war leads to complications. Lisa Sees Lady Tans Circle of Women is also inspired by a true story, this one about a female physician in 15th century China who undertook medical care for women when no one cared about them. Mysteries and thrillers are always great beach reads. William Landays All That I Carry Is Mine begins when a mother disappears and her husband, a defense attorney, is suspected but never charged in her disappearance. Her raises their three children alone and when her remains are found 20 years later, their children must decide if he is guilty or not. Dennis Lehanes new novel, Small Mercies, is set in Boston during the summer of the busing protests of the 1970s. When a teen girl goes missing the same time that a young Black man is killed in the subway, her tough Irish mother will stop at nothing to find her, including running up against the most dangerous mobsters in town. (This one has raw and offensive language, as well as violence, appropriate for the time and subject.) Liv Constantines The Senators Wife tell the story of a D.C. power couple. Sloane is a philanthropist married to a senator, and when complications from her lupus become challenging, they hire an assistant. As Sloanes health deteriorates, she begins suspect her assistant is up to something nefarious. This one has twists galore. Romance novels and sunshine go together, and this season the queen of summer beach reads, Elin Hilderbrand, is back with The Five-Star Weekend." This one celebrates friendship as Hollis, a popular food blogger, invites her best friend from each stage of her life to join her on a five-star weekend. It doesnt go as smoothly as she hoped. Susan Wiggs Welcome to Beach Town begins when the towns elite high school valedictorian, a scholarship student, reveals a town secret during her speech that tears the town apart. When she returns to the town years later, will everyone welcome her back and forget why she left, or is she still a pariah? For people who prefer nonfiction, Helen Ellis collection of humorous essays, Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge, celebrates life with her loving husband as they navigate the COVID-19 lockdown in New York City. The hilarious essay "An Email To Our Cat Sitter" is worth the price of the book alone. Give this one to your favorite couple celebrating an anniversary in June. Bethanne Patricks memoir, Life B: Overcoming Double Depression, recounts the book critics lifelong struggle to deal with depression. When she hits her 50s, Patrick finally receives a diagnosis and the help she needs to become healthy for herself and her two daughters. Summer always brings a big biography, and this year its Jonathan Eigs King: A Life, a 688-page comprehensive look at the life of Martin Luther King Jr. This one has garnered much critical praise. I hope there is something here for you to read this summer; email me with your summer picks. Centre Trying To Prevent Truth Behind Odisha Train Crash From Coming Out: Mamata Locals Complain Of Foul Smell From Mangled Coach; Railways Says It's From Rotten Eggs, Not Human Bodies No Intention To Hide: Odisha Govt On Manipulation Of Crash Toll Allegation India oi-Deepika S Odisha government on Sunday clarified that it has no intention to hide the deaths in the Odisha triple train crash and the entire rescue operation was being conducted in a transparent manner. Reacting to allegations that the death count figure was being manipulated, Chief Secretary PK Jena said "Media persons are very much present at the accident site since the beginning. Everything is being done in the presence of cameras," he said. "The railways had stated the death count as 288. We also said that, and the figure was based on information from the railways. But, our Balasore District Collector has verified the death count, and the figure stood at 275," he said. Odisha Train Crash: NDRF Jawan Who Was On Leave Sent 1st Alert, 'Live Location' Of Accident Site Asked about the difference in the death count, Jena said it was due to the double counting of some bodies. The chief secretary further clarified that there was also no prohibition on the entry of media persons at the accident site. "The rescue and even restoration activities went on in full public view," he said. Recommended Video Odisha Train Accident | Wreckage spread on the tracks reminds of lives cut short | Oneindia News The clarification comes a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Centre over the Odisha train tragedy and questioned the official death toll in the tragedy. "Yesterday both Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were standing with me but I didn't say anything. I could have said a lot because I myself have been Railway Minister. Why Coromandel Express and Bengaluru-Howrah Express didn't have anti-collision devices? The Railways have been left to be sold," Mamata said. Odisha Train Accident: Train Services Resume On Accident-Affected Balasore "How come the information given by the Ministry differs so much? The figures have been changing from morning to evening. Daal mein kuch kaala hai," she added. The Odisha triple train crash happened near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to order a CBI probe. A total of 275 people have been killed while over 1,000 people have been injured in the tragedy. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 10:58 [IST] Locals Complain Of Foul Smell From Mangled Coach; Railways Says It's From Rotten Eggs, Not Human Bodies Railway Board Chairman Briefs Prime Minister's Office On Odisha Train Accident India oi-Madhuri Adnal Upon his return from Odisha, where a tragic railway accident claimed the lives of over 270 people and left more than 1,000 injured, AK Lahoti, Chairman of the Railway Board, provided an update to top officials in the Prime Minister's Office on Monday evening. The briefing included crucial information about the current situation on the ground and the ongoing investigation. According to reports, the Chairperson of the Railway Board would meet with key officials in the Prime Minister's Office, including the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, to provide detailed insights from the ground. As the railway ministry conducts its own inquiry into the incident, the government has also approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the matter. "There is a need to have a deep investigation by a professional agency to rule out any deliberate interference," said top government sources in conversation with ANI. Balasore Train Accident: FIR Registered Against Unknown Persons, 'Sabotage' Suspected Earlier in the day, the Chairman of the Railway Board, accompanied by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, was on-site. It is expected that he will brief the PMO, which has been closely monitoring the developments, on the specific details. The triple train accident near the Bahanaga Bazar area in Balasore occurred on Friday evening, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 275 lives and leaving over 1,000 individuals injured. As of Monday morning, the Odisha government reported that 151 bodies from the incident have been identified. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally visited the Balasore accident site and met with the injured individuals receiving treatment at the hospital. Prior to his departure from Delhi to the site of the mishap, PM Modi chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the situation and discuss the necessary actions. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 20:55 [IST] Railways Put Odisha Accident Toll At 278 As Three More Succumb To Injuries India pti-PTI Railways on Monday put the official death toll in the Odisha triple train crash at 278, stating that three more people have succumbed to their injuries. The state government's revised toll, however, remained unchanged at 275. Khurda Road division DRM Rinkesh Ray said that apart from 278 deaths, 1,100 people were injured in the June 2 accident. On the state government's toll remaining at 275, he said, "Figures do change with time." The toll was earlier put at 288, which the state government revised to 275 on Sunday, claiming some bodies were counted twice. Railway Board Chairman Briefs Prime Minister's Office On Odisha Train Accident West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also a former Railway Minister, questioned the figures, stating that 61 people from her state have died and 182 others are still missing. Roy said of the 1,100 injured, less than 200 are undergoing treatment in various hospitals. He said that of the 278 bodies, 177 have been identified while 101 more are yet to be identified and these unclaimed bodies have been kept in six different hospitals. Roy said the Railways has deployed people in states such as Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to locate any missing person. He said the bodies will be preserved in a scientific manner. Tejashwi Yadav Hiding Truth Over Bridge Collapse In Bihar: BJP India oi-PTI Bihar BJP on Monday alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was "hiding the truth" over the collapse of an under-construction bridge in the state. The saffron party slammed the RJD leader for his comment that "many structural defects" of the bridge have been pointed out by experts. The bridge over the Ganga river was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur. Reacting to Yadav's remark, senior BJP leader and former state road construction department minister Nitin Nabin told PTI, "I must say that the deputy chief minister is hiding the truth...he is not revealing the facts. "When experts who inspected the bridge had already informed the government that there were serious structural defects, then why did the government allow the continuation of the construction work? The department should have immediately stopped that." Nabin also claimed that even after the matter was raised in the state assembly during the budget session in March this year, the deputy CM "did not bother to inform the House about the status of the construction work". Guard Missing After Bridge Collapses In Bihar "He (Yadav) never said that the construction work has been stopped. Why didn't the department take action against the erring officials or the contractor, engaged in building the bridge after experts' opinion last year? The state government has been trying to protect the accused. This grand alliance government is least bothered about the development of Bihar...Neither the chief minister nor the deputy CM has time for the state," the BJP leader said. The 3.16-km bridge being built since 2014 collapsed twice in 14 months - first on the Bhagalpur's Sultanganj side in April 2022 and the second time on Sunday evening on the Khagaria side. Images of the bridge collapse that took place in Khagaria prompted Yadav to hold a press conference on Sunday evening. "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav had said at the press conference held hours after the bridge collapsed on Sunday. Yadav had also disclosed that "many structural defects" have been pointed out by experts and "we have already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable. Today's (Sunday's) incident confirms our worst apprehensions". The incident attracted public outrage, prompting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to order an investigation with instructions to punish those guilty for the bridge cave-in. Caught On Cam: Under Construction Bridge Over River Ganges in Bihar Collapsed Last year, a portion of this bridge had given way in a thunderstorm, when the BJP was in power in the state. "It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav, in an apparent riposte to the BJP, now in opposition, which sought the CM's resignation over the issue. At least 30 slabs placed on three pillars of the four-lane Sultanganj-Aguani Ghat bridge caved in and fell on the river on Sunday. No casualties were reported in the incident, the district administration said. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. A Haryana-based company has got the contract for the construction of the bridge, against which the BJP is now seeking action. The bridge would be the sixth on the Ganga river to connect northern Bihar with its south, reducing travel time to Sultanagnj, Khagaria, Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul. India Is A Vibrant Democracy, Go To Delhi And See For Yourself: US Ahead Of PM Modi's Visit Why Prachanda termed his India tour as 'astounding success' India oi-Sanjeev Nayak On his arrival back in Kathmandu after a four-day visit to India, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' described his tour an "astounding success". This type of euphoric reply would have to be understood in the context of the kind of "uncomfortable friendship" the two civilisational neighbours were experiencing in the recent past. Sandwiched between two mega, powerful warring neighbours -- India and China -- on either side of its boarders and being ruled by parties with their ideology totally inimical to its own traditional values and ethos, Nepal is not only undergoing a cultural crisis but the land-locked Himalayan country is also suffering from a huge dilemma on the foreign policy front. The statement of their PM obviously comes as a major relief to the common people of Nepal as they are quite comfortable with their cultural and civilisational relations with India since time immemorial. But at the government or policy level, Prachanda's remark looks more 'diplomatic' than natural as it's not going to make its recently-found ally China any happy. Speaking to media persons upon his arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, Prachanda said, "This four-day visit has basically resulted in the fulfilment of promises I made before setting foot in India. A slew of agreements of long-term importance was signed, which, in itself, is significant.'' He talked about especially the power-sharing deal he inked with India terming it as ''an important milestone in our bilateral ties" and said that the agreement will help Nepal draw big-ticket investments in the energy sector. But more than that he underscored the "newfound trust and foundation" established through the agreement. Nepal PM Prachanda Urges Modi To Resolve Border Issues Through Bilateral Talks Prachand went to the extent of saying that the tour has "eradicated the mistrust" in bilateral relations between the two countries. He even quoted his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi saying that the ties between the two countries should be scale "higher than the Himalayas." Another point to be noted that Prachand refused to oblige to his opponents' demand to raise the issue of the murals and maps, put up in the new building of the Indian Parliament depicting Nepal to be a part of Akhand Bharat, with Modi. He simply ignored the demand of the Opposition back home and went about his business as usual during the visit. This shows that he wanted to ward off any kind of negativity around his India tour. This stems from Prachand's eagerness to demonstrate his closeness to India vis-a-vis China as he is conscious of the fact that in India, he considered to be a "commie puppet" of one of India's arch enemy. However, time has changed and the two neighbours are coming to terms with the ground realities. In Last 8 Years, Pollution Level Dipped In Delhi Despite Swift Pace Of Development: Delhi CM Youth Being Stabbed Multiple Times in Delhi; Incident Caught-On-Camera India oi-Madhuri Adnal In a shocking incident, a youth was brutally stabbed multiple times by at least 2-3 assailants in Delhi on Monday. The entire incident was captured on camera, revealing a violent altercation involving three men. Local residents identified the victim as Sachin Kumar, who has been rushed to the Trauma Centre for medical attention. Another witness informed news agency PTI that the attack was carried out by 2-3 unidentified individuals. This distressing incident comes only a week after the horrifying Shahbad murder case, where 16-year-old Saksi was mercilessly stabbed multiple times and fatally beaten by her alleged 21-year-old boyfriend, Sahil, on a busy street in Delhi's Shahbad Dairy neighborhood. VIDEO | Caught on Camera: Youth stabbed multiple times in Delhi. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/FibVb6dqYZ Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 5, 2023 The CCTV footage of the latest stabbing incident shows a chaotic scene as the assailants brutally assault the youth, inflicting numerous stab wounds. The motive behind the attack is yet to be determined, and the identity of the attackers remains unknown. Law enforcement authorities are actively investigating the case to apprehend the perpetrators and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. Local residents in the vicinity expressed shock and concern over the recurring acts of violence in their community. The recent surge in such incidents has raised questions about the safety and security of individuals, particularly young people, in the capital city. As the investigation progresses, authorities are urging witnesses or anyone with information about the attack to come forward and assist in the identification of the culprits. Measures are being taken to bolster security in the area and ensure the safety of residents, with an increased police presence expected. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 19:19 [IST] Balasore Train Crash: King Charles Profoundly Shocked, Recalls Visit To Odisha In 1980 International oi-Deepika S Britain's King Charles III on Monday sent a condolence message to President Draupadi Murmu, expressing his profound shock and sadness over the deadly train accident in Balasore. King Charles III also recalled fond memories of a visit to Odisha 43 years ago. "Both my wife [Queen Camilla] and I have been most profoundly shocked and saddened by the news of such a dreadful accident outside Balasore. I would like to express our deepest possible condolences to the families of all those who have so tragically lost their lives," Charles was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace. In the statement that was also posted across the royal social media channels, the 74-year-old monarch speaks of the special place in his heart for India and reflects upon his fond memories of a visit to Odisha 43 years ago. "I do hope you know what a special place India and the people of India have in our hearts. I have particularly fond memories of visiting Odisha in 1980 and meeting some of its people on that occasion," it said. "I pray, therefore, that you may be able to convey our most heartfelt prayers and sympathy to all those who have been affected by this appalling tragedy, together with our special thoughts for the people of Odisha," the King concludes. The message follows several condolence messages from the UK government, including from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who extended his "heartfelt support and admiration to the survivors and those working tirelessly to respond" to the accident. On Sunday, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the Odisha train tragedy. The Odisha triple train accident, one of the deadliest in the country took place in Balasore district on Friday night claiming 275 lives. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 20:31 [IST] PM Speaks With Saudi Crown Prince, Thanks Him For Support During Evacuation Of Indians From Sudan Indian-Americans Thrilled To Be Part Of PM Modi's First State Visit To US International oi-PTI Indian Americans are ecstatic and upbeat about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first state visit to the US and his address to the joint session of Congress later this month and they feel that it is going to be an immense opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations in areas including security cooperation, defence, trade, energy, technology and space. During his visit from June 21-24 at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend several events which include meetings with prominent business leaders and several community events. Many have already booked their tickets to fly to Washington, DC, to witness the historic state visit. Over 5,000 invited prominent community members from across the US will gather at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington to witness a ceremonial welcome, gun salute and address by both President Biden and Prime Minister Modi. PM Modi To Address Joint Meeting of US Congress On June 22 This "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity granted to the country's closest allies alone makes the community feel proud,'' Gitesh Desai, a prominent Indian-American leader and president of Sewa International Houston Chapter, said. "The invitation to address the US Congress serves as a reminder of the historic significance of the relationship between the US and India, reflecting the shared dream and commitment to global peace and prosperity, especially in the Indo-Pacific region,'' Desai said "For realising sustainable progress and prosperity there are three areas of importance for cooperation and collaboration between two countries - energy, environment, and education. Energy being at the top, as India heavily depends on energy imports,'' Desai said. While Modi has visited the US during the terms of three US Presidents in his nine-year tenure, this is the first time he has been invited to a state dinner and the second time to address a joint session of Congress. Prime Minister Modi had earlier addressed US lawmakers in 2016. "Indian diaspora is beyond thrilled about the state visit and joint address to the US Congress. This visit is bound to further deepen the friendship, besides strengthening economic ties and investment in India,'' Jagdip Ahluwalia, Founding Secretary of Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH), said. "The bilateral trade between India and the US has already increased by 7.65 per cent to USD 128.55 billion in 2022-23 as against USD 119.5 billion in 2021-22 and USD 80.51 billion in 2020-21,'' Ahluwalia said. Eminent Vedic scholar and computer scientist, Padma Shri winner Prof Subhash Kak, said, "It is an interesting time in history with a serious challenge to American economic power from China.'' ''America is wooing India to be on its side. But India is expected to do what suits its interests and defanging Pakistan's ongoing support for terrorism is one of India's core interests. That apart, India is for an open society and freedom everywhere,'' Kak, Regents Professor Emeritus in electrical and computer engineering at Oklahoma State University, said. "During this trip, India's focus will be on trade, and facilitation of investment by tech companies in India as the Americans hedge their bets and reduce their engagement with China. The US in turn would want greater support from India for the American side in the Ukraine War but India will stick to its line as India doesn't want to take sides and prefers to be the third party to make it possible for the hostilities to be brought to an end with a framework for peace,'' he said. Indian-American entrepreneur & IIT alumnus, Jiten Agarwal, who is excited to attend both the ceremonial reception and the address to the US Congress, said: "The visit is going to be an immense opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations in several areas, including, security cooperation, defence, clean energy, technology and space.'' India has already proved to be a prominent player in the global space industry as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched 103 satellites in orbit recently. The indigenous human space mission is almost ready to carry humans into space. There is a huge opportunity for potential new initiatives in civil space cooperation between the two countries that include training new Indian astronauts by NASA and flying payloads on commercial lunar landers, he said. "Wherever Prime Minister Modi goes, be that UK, Australia or any place, he electrifies the mood around the globe. The Indian-American community in Dallas are excited to be a part of this historic event and expect India to seize on the opportunity in front of it because of macro geopolitical conditions,'' Dallas-based Arun Agarwal, CEO Nextt and co-chair Indian American CEO council, said. Atlanta-based Indian-American leader Subhash Razdan, Chair Gandhi Foundation of USA and his wife Raj Razdan, president of the National Federation of Indian Association, are delighted about the visit and strongly believe that "Modi ji sincerity and commitment to India is bound to seek newer orbits for the good of Mother India. ''These are significant times for India. Modi's visit to the US also comes ahead of the G20 Summit being hosted by India in September,'' Subhash Razdan said. Several top Indian-Americans are also excited to join Prime Minister Modi on the north lawns of the UN complex in New York, where he will lead the International Yoga Day event, soon after arriving in the country on June 21, sending the message of Yoga as the unifier in the world. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 13:01 [IST] Indonesia's Peace Plan To End Russia-Ukraine War Finds No Takers International oi-Sanjeev Nayak Days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy proposed a 10-point peace plan calling upon Russia to withdraw all its troops from his country, Indonesia has come up with its own proposal to end the war. However, the Indonesian initiative failed to elicit support even from the war-raged Ukraine and drew quick criticism from the European Union (EU). Speaking at a defence summit in Singapore, Indonesia's Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto called for a demilitarised zone and a United Nations referendum in what he called the disputed territory. However, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko dismissed the plan, reiterating Kyiv's position that Russia should first withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Indonesia's proposal follows President Joko Widodo's visit last year to Moscow and Kyiv, where he offered to play peacebroker between their leaders and rekindle peace talks. He was the chairman of the G20 group of major economies at the time. Subianto called on defence and military officials from around the world, gathered at the Shangri-La Dialogue defence meeting in Singapore, to issue a declaration calling for a cessation in hostilities. He proposed a multi-point plan including a ceasefire and establishing a demilitarised zone by withdrawing 15 km from each party's forward position. The demilitarised zone should be observed and monitored by a peacekeeping force deployed by the UN, he said, adding that a UN referendum should be held "to ascertain objectively the wishes of the majority of the inhabitants of the various disputed areas." Chinese President Xi speaks to Ukrainian counterpart, offers to mediate to end war with Russia In his statement, Nikolenko said that it is Russia which has committed the act of aggression, occupying Ukrainian territories, and any proposals for a ceasefire would allow it to regroup and reinforce. Moreover, "there are no disputed territories between Ukraine and the Russian Federation to hold referendums there," he added and urged Indonesia to support Zelensky's peace plan. Speaking on the same panel, Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative and Vice-President of the European Union's European Commission, noted that if military support for Ukraine stopped, the war would quickly end - but with that country's sovereignty falling to outside aggression. "We cannot stop supporting militarily Ukraine because we don't want the peace which is... the peace of the surrender. The peace of the stronger," Borrell added. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 17:32 [IST] Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey Endorses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. For US President International oi-Madhuri Adnal In a significant move in the political landscape, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has officially endorsed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democratic Party candidate, for the position of US President. Dorsey expressed his support for Kennedy Jr. by sharing and commenting on an interview clip from Fox News where Kennedy Jr. stated his belief that he could defeat Trump and DeSantis in the 2024 presidential race. Quote-tweeting the clip, Dorsey wrote,''He can and will''. He can and will https://t.co/zrKLc2BKhz jack (@jack) June 4, 2023 When a Twitter user asked him whether he was endorsing Kennedy or just predicting, Dorsey replied, Both. Another user commented that the DNC would never allow Kennedy to become the Democratic nominee. ''True but they seem to be more irrelevant by the day,'' Mr Dorsey replied. According to the Independent, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in April and recently embarked on his first campaign trail. At his campaign launch event in Massachusetts in April 2023, Kennedy Jr. pledged to bridge the deep political divisions in the United States by prioritizing honesty and transparency in his interactions with the American people. Notably, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an environmental lawyer and a prominent anti-vaccine advocate. He is also recognized as the nephew of former US President John F. Kennedy, while his father, commonly referred to as "RFK," served as the Attorney General under President John F. Kennedy and later became a US senator from New York. Kennedy Jr. is married to renowned actress Cheryl Hines, known for her role in the sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. Musk not the right leader for Twitter: Jack Dorsey Kennedy Jr., who has spent decades advocating for environmental causes, gained notoriety in 2005 for promoting conspiracy theories linking vaccines to the development of autism. In 2021, his Instagram account was blocked by the platform for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. However, on Sunday, Instagram restored his account following his active involvement as a presidential candidate. Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Instagram, stated that they had restored access to Kennedy Jr.'s Instagram account now that he is an official candidate for the US presidency. In the latest Fox News national poll conducted for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination race, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. garnered 16% support. However, incumbent President and fellow Democrat Joe Biden maintained a strong lead with 62% support among Democratic voters. As Kennedy Jr. continues his campaign trail, his endorsement from Jack Dorsey and his ongoing efforts to communicate his vision for the country will undoubtedly shape the upcoming Democratic presidential nomination race, contributing to the wider discourse surrounding the 2024 US presidential election. Three law enforcement agencies responded to Auburn Junior High School on Monday afternoon for a report of a male with a gun behind the school in the area of the sports fields, Auburn Police Department said. A male, later identified as Thomas Ivery, who is not a current student of the Auburn Enlarged School District, entered school property with what appeared to be a handgun in his waistband, APD said in a press release. At the time, multiple student-athletes were participating in sports activities. Thomas pulled what appeared to be a gun and held it in his hand as he was in the presence of students prompting many to run back to the school for safety, the APD said. APD says Thomas was located shortly after on Grant Avenue in possession of a BB gun that replicated a realistic looking Glock handgun. Thomas was identified as the subject on school property while in possession of the replica handgun and taken into custody. Ivery was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor; endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor; second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor; and unlawful possession of a weapon on school grounds, a violation. In February 2022, Ivery, then 18, of Ira, was charged with criminal mischief, fourth-degree criminal mischief, menacing and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon by the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office. Information on the status of those charges was not available Monday night. Jeff Pirozzolo, Auburn Enlarged City School District superintendent, said in an automated phone call to families on Monday afternoon that a man "rode by our girls lacrosse team at Auburn Junior High School and flashed a gun at that them. "There is no current threat to any students or to the public at this time," Pirozzolo said. The Auburn Police Department thanked the New York State Police and Cayuga County Sheriff's Office for their assistance. Wakil Uddin, a brave freedom fighter, a successful politician and a prominent businessman in Bangladesh Partner Content oi-Oneindia English Desk Wakil Uddin, in his youth, was a young freedom fighter of a newly independent Bangladesh, having won the war in 1971. He was born in 1954 in a prominent Muslim family in Dhaka. In 1960, in the eastern part of undivided Pakistan, when the freedom-crazed masses were struggling for freedom from exploitation and deprivation, they got involved in the student movement during the fiery days of their youth. At that time, he was always protesting against the exploitation and oppression of the Pakistan government, and he was successfully conducting marches, meetings and mass gatherings from different areas under the former Greater Gulshan police station area. An all-out movement was formed under the leadership of the legendary leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the great freedom movement, which spread rapidly from Dhaka city to all parts of East Pakistan. Later, when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's party Awami League won a single majority in the 1970 elections, the Pakistan government did not give him the opportunity to form a government, and the Pakistan government followed the path of oppression and torture. So the seven crore people of East Pakistan burst into anger. Later, on March 7, 1971, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for independence. The Great War of Liberation began on 26th March 1971. With the help and training of the Indian allied forces, students, masses, workers, the youth and people from all walks of life jumped into the liberation war. Bangladesh gained independence on 16th December after 9 months of fighting a bloody war. Wakil Uddin received training in India and participated in the Liberation War, where he played the role of commander during the war. As a student, he became a patriotic freedom fighter, returned to the country, and got re-involved in the politics of the Chhatra League. Later he was elected to various police station-level positions in the Jubo League and Awami League. In 2015, he was promoted to the politics of Dhaka City Awami League. Apart from politics, he focused on establishing a multi-dimensional business organisation. Well known in the capital as a successful businessman associated with the housing business, banking, and leasing company. In political life, he served the people successfully by being elected as chairman, commissioner, and councillor under the local government for 20 years. Since 2008, he has been trying to participate in the National Parliament elections for Bangladesh Awami League, the leading organization in the liberation war, having expressed his interest in the election from Dhaka-17 Constituency. For 40 years, he built various social service institutions in the Gulshan-Banani- Basantek-Cantonment area of Dhaka. Helping orphans and the helpless, building religious and educational institutions or providing financial support. Currently, he is running several business establishments. Such as the immediate past Chairman & Current Director of Mutual Trust Bank Ltd., Bardihara Corporation Ltd., Chairman, Baridhara Agro & Food Processing Ltd., Managing Director, Swadesh Properties Ltd. & Swadesh Global Media Ltd. as well as Director of HURDCO International School. Besides, supreme participation in areas in different social activities, financial donations, and providing treatment to the poor people as well as contributing to the various social needs of the people needing aid. Mr. Wakil Uddin is engaged in more social, and professional institutions directly as Chief Advisor, Uttar Baridhara Club, Member of the Executive Committee, Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Dhaka, Member of Executive Committee, Sheikh Rasel Krirachakro, Dhaka, Vice Chairman, BLDA & Member, REHAB. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 5, 2023, 17:03 [IST] Ukraine's Elina Svitolina says she "feels 17 again" after setting up a French Open quarter-final meeting with second seed Aryna Sabalenka. A purported arms contract seen by Sky News offers the first hard evidence that Iran has sold ammunition to Russia for its war in Ukraine, an informed security source has claimed. ODN 05 Jun 2023 Former footballer Andy Cole says he is very surprised that tackling kidney disease is not a priority already for the.. Its impossible to know if Devasahayam, a young Malayali student who was enrolled in a law programme at the Ohio Wesleyan University in 1908, was seeking to be a nine days wonder or to have 15 minutes of fame. The young man, who hailed from the princely state of Travancore, was one of the first Malayalis to go to the United States (US) for higher education and managed to get several mentions in American papers for a variety of reasons, some comical. An incident in the spring of 1908 would propel him into the limelight in a country where an Indian (then called Hindoos) was a rarity. On the afternoon of March 24, 1908, Devasahayam entered the US Senate and decided to take the gallery seat that was reserved for the vice president of the country. It isnt clear whether he was guided to that particular seat or he chose it himself. One hundred and fifteen years later, imagine the anger if a visible foreigner entered the Indian Parliament and sat in a place that was reserved for a cabinet minister! But Washington DC in 1908 seemed to be a more relaxed place than contemporary Delhi and media reports of the incident suggest that American Senators laughed it off. Duke of Abruzzo When the Senators noticed that the seat reserved for US Vice-President Charles Fairbanks was occupied by a man wearing a red turban, they assumed that the visitor in question was the Duke of the Italian region of Abruzzo. Of course, at that time, almost no American would have been able to identify someone as a Hindoo, unless he or she was dressed in traditional Indian clothes. But even Devasahayams reddish turban and cloak lined with crimson did not give him away. Word was passed around the floor of the Senate that the Duke of the Abruzzi, who, it is reported, is to marry the daughter of Senator Elkins of West Virginia, sat in Mr Fairbanks reservation, the Natchez Democrat, a Mississippi newspaper wrote in its April 12, 1908, edition. The report, which was based on a wire copy, identified Devasahayam as a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University en route back there to take a post-graduate course. The paper added that the student became the centre of attraction at the Senate that afternoon. Other Senators started to tease Stephen Elkins who had served as the US Secretary of War and was a prolific writer. Say, Elkins, I see the Duke of the Abruzzi is in the reserved gallery, the Mississippi newspaper quoted an unnamed Senator as saying. It added that he did not say a word, turned fiery red and did not return that afternoon. None of the American media outlets that covered this story wrote anything that suggested that Devasahayam was escorted out of the building or reprimanded. This comic incident made it to papers in a few US states such as Illinois and New Jersey. Missionary zeal The Malayali student was named after Devasahayam Pillai, a layman from southern Travancore, who embraced Christianity in the 18th century and would be canonised by Pope Francis in 2022. Devasahayams name appeared in a few other American press reports from 1907-09. The university he studied at, Ohio Wesleyan, was established by Methodist missionaries. It was probably this same group that arranged for him to study in the US. In March 1908, Devasahayam got coverage in the Pittsburgh press, since he faced racial discrimination in the city. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said he was treated with hostility by managers of two hotels in the city as he was not White. In the city to speak at a convention of the Young Peoples Missionary Movement, Devasahayam was called a mitt-negro by one of the managers. One hotel allowed him to use the dining area but refused to give him a room, while another allowed him a room but did not let him use the dining facilities. During his first night in Pittsburgh, Devasahayam had to be smuggled into a room. At the convention, he spoke passionately about spreading Christianity in India. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had a report about his address getting several rounds of applause and a standing ovation from hundreds of people. While in the US, he became an ordained minister and some articles started referring to him as Reverend Devasahayam. An article in the Springfield News-Sun in April 1909 said Devasahayam was pursuing a course in a medical college in Chicago. He returned to India by 1910 and moved to Madras, where he worked as a missionary. Long before the idea of studying in the US gained popularity in India, Devasahayam became a pioneer, who earned a bit of fame in the country. (Ajay Kamalakaran is a multilingual writer, primarily based in Mumbai) The red desert in Wyoming in the United States is quite famous for its vast swathes of red hues sand. The desert that is around 12,000 years old is known for its unique flora and fauna, vegetation and amazing sights. The Therikad desert in Tamil Nadu too has been drawing tourists for similar sights and vivid ecology. A never-ending ocean of red sand Therikad, a coastal region known for red sand and mud is sprawled in 12,000 acres. Scientists say that it took thousands of years for the formation of Therikad. The region, also known as Therikudiyiruppu or Kuthiramoli Theri is quite intriguing. Interestingly, Therikad looks like a never-ending ocean of red sand. Even though it is called red desert, Therikad boasts of rich and vivid ecology. The trees that were planted to prevent soil erosion has now turned it into a beautiful orchard. So, Therikad is home to various species of birds, mammals and reptiles. Adventure activities for tourists The sand here contains iron oxide giving it the vibrant red hue. Due to changes in weather patterns and soil erosion, the ancient figurines that had stood in this area gradually decomposed and deposited iron oxide particles in the soil. Arunjunai Katha Ayyanar temple and Karkuvel Ayyanar temple are the two major temples that stand here. Besides, lots of adventure activities have been arranged for the tourists who visit Therikad. Tourists who visit Therikad is eager to try their hands in sandboarding which is an adventure sport performed in deserts. Moreover, guided desert tours too are available for those who are interested in exploring the unique sights of Therikad. The sights of sun rise and sun set at Therikad are quite special which attracts visitors. Is Ukraine's counteroffensive finally underway? . FRANCE 24 English With Russia claiming to have repelled a major Ukrainian attack in Donetsk, and with other fighting reported along the frontline, ... (Image by YouTube, Channel: FRANCE 24 English) Details DMCA France 24 presenter stating counteroffensive is underway. It appears the long delayed Ukrainian counteroffensive against the Russian forces in the country has begun. At this time there is no way to verify the statements made by either side yet according to the Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) "owing to air strikes and artillery fire" some 60 miles "west of Donetsk, the Ukrainian forces incurred significant losses." [1] According to the MOD, "in the last 24 hours Ukraine has lost up to 900 service members, 16 tanks, 33 armored and 14 ordinary vehicles. It failed to accomplish its goals". "Ukraine's General Staff provided no comment on the counteroffensive saying only that there had been 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and neighboring Lugansk regions in the last 24 hours". Without addressing the Russian MOD directly the Ukrainians did accuse Russia of spreading false information about the counteroffensive. Now regardless of the authenticity of the Russian MOD's assessment of the Ukrainian counteroffensive there are a few things that need to be understood. The Russians have air supremacy, superior artillery, tanks, accurate missiles and drones and a trained army now numbering in the hundreds of thousands that have fought and captured significant territory in eastern and southeast Ukraine. The Sea of Azov is now a Russian "lake". Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Uh-oh, my city's sinking. I'm not kidding! According to a new study, New York City, my hometown, is all too literally going down, thanks to those vertiginous towers, including the Empire State Building, constructed on land some of which was sandy and is now giving way. All those Manhattan skyscrapers and the like weigh an estimated 1.68 trillion pounds, writes the Guardian's Oliver Milman, "roughly equivalent to the weight of 140 million elephants." And mind you, this is happening at a moment when the seas and oceans globally are both overheating and rising in a disturbing fashion. Since 1950, the waters around my town have risen approximately nine inches (something that became all too apparent when Hurricane Sandy hit it in 2012). Sooner or later, to put this in the context of Jane Braxton Little's piece today, some New Yorkers will undoubtedly become climate migrants. And we'll hardly be alone. This planet is on edge. At one point last year, one-third (yes, you read that right!) of Pakistan was underwater, thanks to floods the likes of which had never been seen before. (And Pakistan wasn't alone. Just check out Nigeria or Australia if you don't believe me.) This year, Canada is experiencing wildfires of an historically unprecedented sort. And none of this, eerily enough, can be considered out of the ordinary anymore. In fact, a new study in Nature Sustainability suggests that, by late in this century, if we human beings don't get a handle on climate change by truly bringing the fossil-fuelization of this planet under control, up to one-third of us could find ourselves living outside what its authors call the "human climate niche" "" that is, in areas where human life could be unsustainable. Imagine that. No wonder some experts are already suggesting that, in the decades to come, the climate emergency could turn more than a billion of us into migrants on a planet becoming too hot to bear. My old friend and TomDispatch regular Braxton Little has already experienced this reality in an up close and personal fashion. As she wrote in her first piece for this site, she found herself a climate refugee when most of her town in northern California burned to the ground in the devastating Dixie fire of 2021. With that in mind, let her introduce you to the world of climate migrants that could someday simply be the world for all too many of us. Tom Looking for Home in an Overheating World If Emissions Continue, Will We All Be Migrants Someday? By Jane Braxton Little Greenville, CA "" Pines and firs parched by a three-year drought had been burning for days on a ridge 1,000 feet above my remote mountain town. On August 4, 2021, the flames suddenly flared into a heat so intense it formed a molten cloud the color of bruised flesh. As that sinister cumulus rose above an oval-shaped reservoir, it collapsed, sending red-hot embers down the steep slopes toward Greenville in a storm of torched trees and exploding shrubs. It took less than 30 minutes for the Dixie fire to transform my town's tarnished Gold Rush charm into a heap of smoldering hand-hewn timbers and century-old brick walls. Minutes earlier, the last of the nearly 1,000 residents had bolted, some in shirts singed by flames. We fled with what belongings we could take in the face of a fire few believed would ever destroy our town. I was among the evacuees, escaping with a hastily assembled truckload of journals and notebooks, shoes and shovels, laptops and passports. We scattered in the sort of desperate diaspora that has become ever more common in towns like ours across the West. The Dixie fire left more than 700 residents of Greenville and its surroundings homeless. (While my office in town was demolished, my home on its outskirts escaped the flames.) Displaced by wildfire in a forest both poorly managed and dried by a warming planet, we burned-out residents joined America's swelling ranks of climate migrants. Many of us found temporary shelter in neighboring small towns. Others went to Reno or Los Angeles, Idaho, Missouri, or Kentucky, where relatives and friends were ready to offer at least temporary safety. My neighbors in Greenville, Indian Falls, and Canyon Dam weren't the only victims of climate-driven fires that summer. Near Lake Tahoe, 100 miles to the south, the Caldor fire crossed the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains, destroying more than 1,000 structures and forcing the entire city of South Lake Tahoe to evacuate. Nor were wildfires the only all-American calamities caused by our rapidly warming planet that year: Hurricane Ida pummeled Louisiana and Mississippi with 150-mile-an-hour winds; a crippling megadrought of a sort not seen in 1,200 years gripped the Southwest; and an unprecedented heat dome in the Pacific Northwest drove temperatures to 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius). Think of the destruction of my adopted hometown as a parable for what the next century of climate change holds in store for this country, as Jake Bittle makes all too clear in his book The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration. By the end of 2021, one in three Americans had already experienced some kind of weather disaster driven by climate change and last year alone more than three million Americans lost their homes to climate disasters. These days, it's the sort of heartbreaking tale told around the globe, one that will, it seems, only worsen into the distant future. By 2050, it's now believed that between 31 million and 72 million people across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America will be displaced due to water stress, sea level rise, or crop failures, according to an estimate in the most recent report of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Unless we dramatically curb greenhouse-gas emissions in the years to come, scientists predict that, by century's end, climate-change-caused events will affect every last one of us. Where will we go to find safety from fire, floods, and extreme storms then? How long will those of us uprooted from our homes have to stay in evacuation sanctuaries? Will we ever find home again? "Unpredictable, Chaotic, and Life-Changing" The term climate migration has an orderly, almost bucolic ring to it, evoking as it does the age-old seasonal treks of caribou, wildebeests, and other charismatic species. In human terms, it suggests coastal residents dealing with flooding by simply moving inland and continuing their lives, or forest dwellers relocating from burn scars to places where the risk of wildfire is much lower. Unfortunately, in the years to come, count on one thing: climate migration will have a far less peaceful ring to it. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). After holding a series of listening sessions in the 24th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney has outlined her farm bill priorities in a letter to the House Agriculture Committee. Tenney, R-Canandaigua, is asking House Agriculture Committee leaders not to cut any existing farm bill programs. She wants federal crop insurance reforms and funding for the specialty crop block grant program. She is also requesting support for the maple syrup industry, including classifying maple syrup as a specialty crop. For dairy farms, she supports raising the 5 million pound limit for the Dairy Margin Coverage program's tier 1 level to "better reflect the consolidation that has occurred in the dairy industry over the past five years." She is also hoping to ensure there is a more level field playing field for negotiations between dairy producers and processors. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently visited Cayuga County to warn of a "dairy cliff" if the Dairy Margin Coverage program is not renewed. Another issue of interest for the Finger Lakes: Tenney is hoping the farm bill requires the National Agricultural Statistics Service will collect grape production data from the top five states. Under the agency's current collection efforts, this data is available from the top two grape-producing states. Tenney wants to raise the broadband speed for programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that seek to boost high-speed internet access. She is also asking the committee to address the loss of farmland to solar farms, an issue that is affecting many rural areas across upstate New York. "New York's 24th district is the top agriculture and dairy-producing district in our state and among the largest in the Northeast it is absolutely essential that this year's farm bill reflects our community's priorities and input," Tenney said in a statement. "I will continue to advocate for our region to ensure this year's farm bill delivers positive results for agricultural producers and farmers in our district." The current farm bill is set to expire later this year and Congress is working to draft a new farm bill, which is usually reauthorized every five years. The last farm bill was signed in 2018. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Los Angeles, September 15, 2023 - Prepare to be captivated by the upcoming release of Loaded Angel, an enthralling book that delves into the intricate web of love, crime, and murder. This gripping story follows the life of Vivian "Angel" Shannon, a young woman who encounters ex-convict Louis Sykes on a dating site, igniting a profound connection that quickly turns sinister. Authored by the talented and award-winning writer [BERMUDA, JUNE, 2023] Your perfect vacation home is within reach. Bermudiana Beach Resort is Bermuda's first branded hotel condominium project, beautifully located on the island's South Shore. As more visitors arrive back in Bermuda, tourism is definitely recovering from the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Vacation rentals have also shown a remarkable recovery, with occupancy levels between April and June this year hitting 74% and hotel daily rates being nearly The DoveLewis animal hospital said it would again accept emergency cases 24 hours a day, reversing a reduction in hours it imposed last year amid a staff shortage. DoveLewis said Sunday that it resume taking walk-in cases at all hours starting immediately. The Northwest Portland veterinary hospital said last fall it would only take emergency walk-ins eight hours a day because it had only half the staff it needed to operate at full capacity. The announcement came as businesses across industries were grappling with worker shortages. DoveLewis has incrementally expanded its walk-in hours in the intervening months. Tess Payne, a hospital spokesperson, said its still far from fully resolving its staffing issues, but that it had been able to bolster its workforce while adjusting other operations. We have made some inroads, especially when it comes to veterinarian recruitment, Payne said. She credited DoveLewis nonprofit operation as a way to differentiate it from other veterinary employers. While its hours were curtailed, the hospital continued to offer 24-hour care for animals already admitted as patients, as well as 24-hour consultations by phone. -- Elliot Njus; enjus@oregonian.com Visiting Fleet Week ships will begin arriving to dock along Tom McCall Waterfront park beginning Tuesday afternoon. The ships are part of the Rose Festival celebration, a tradition that dates back more than 80 years. Commuters may see frequent and prolonged bridge lifts on the Broadway, Steel, and Burnside bridges. To avoid delays, commuters may want to use the Morrison and Hawthorne bridges during the following time periods: 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, June 6 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, June 7 2-6 p.m. (seven ships arrive this afternoon) Thursday, June 8. Commuters should also prepare for frequent lifts 7 a.m.-noon Monday, June 12 as the ships depart. All times and dates are estimates and are subject to change. Realtime lift information is scheduled for announcement on the Portland Fire & Rescue Twitter account, @PDXFire, closer to the arrivals. Portland is one of only a few U.S. Ports of Call that hosts courtesy visits from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and Royal Canadian Navy. Rose Festival Fleet Week docking map for 2023. Follow us on Twitter for the latest in commuting news: @trafficportland The man fatally shot by police in a Vancouver Safeway parking lot last Tuesday was armed robbery suspect Joshua James Wilson, 43, of Vancouver, who was captured on video pointing a gun at police just before he was killed, authorities said Monday. The Vancouver Police Department said one of its detectives spotted a car about 5:30 p.m. that day and recognized the driver as a suspect who was wanted in multiple, recent armed robberies. The Oregonian/OregonLive has updated its searchable database of beneficiaries of the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System, adding 5,545 new pension recipients who retired last year and making it available to all readers. The newsroom has maintained the database since 2011, when the pension system reached a settlement with The Oregonian/OregonLive and the Salem Statesman Journal to release the names and monthly benefits of what were then 110,000 beneficiaries. The database now includes the names of 143,927 individuals receiving retirement benefits, including those who retired last year plus 162 former employees who retired on Jan. 1, 2023. The data includes each beneficiarys length of service; the retirement formula their benefit calculation was based on; the monthly and annual equivalent benefit; and how that compares to their final salary. It does not include beneficiaries who received lump sum payments or spouses of public employees or other relatives who are receiving a survivor benefit. The median monthly benefit for the beneficiaries in the updated database is $2,372, or $28,464 annually. Some 45% those beneficiaries had an annual benefit of less than $25,000 a year. For career employees, defined as those with 30-plus years of service, the median monthly benefit is $5,026, or $60,312 a year. The median monthly benefit for those retiring in calendar year 2022 was $1,921 a month, or $23,052 annually. The median monthly benefit for career employees who retired in 2022 was $4,378, the equivalent of $52,536 annually. Median and average benefit levels have gradually declined over the last two decades due to successive reforms of the system by state lawmakers, particularly those adopted in 2003 to curtail runaway benefits under the systems infamously lucrative money match formula. Based on the pension systems investment returns through the end of 2022, its actuaries estimated that it had a funding deficit of $25 to $26 billion, or 74 to 75 cents in assets for every dollar in liabilities. Through the end of April, the latest numbers available, the pension funds investments had returned 2.21% year-to-date. Read our most recent coverage about the class of 2022 beneficiaries here or visit our database here to lookup all retirees by name. --Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-221-8505; @tedsickinger Can a single seat inspire a restaurant? Jeff Vejr, owner of Northeast Portland wine bar Les Caves, has been eating in the intimate dining room above Cellar Door Coffee Roasters for more than a decade. He first climbed the staircase near Southeast 11th Avenue and Harrison Street when it was 2nd Story, again when it was Fenrir, then reached quasi-regular status at Willow, where his preferred perch was the far end of the chefs counter, near the kitchen. So when the space became available last summer, Vejr snatched it up without knowing precisely what it would become. Im a sucker for intimate locations, says Vejr, likening his upcoming restaurant here to his time managing the brick-walled Northeast Portland wine bar Alu. You cant buy this aesthetic and feel. It would cost so much money to try to replicate these uneven walls, this weird plaster and lath. Vejrs first call was to Joel Stocks, the former Holdfast Dining co-chef, who has wowed diners with his and wife Emilys pop-up series Jem, hosted these past two summers at their Northeast Portland garage. Jeff reached out late last summer, Joel Stocks said. Jem was going great, but I always wanted to get back to a traditional restaurant environment. We came and looked at the space, and it was the first time I walked through here, and it was like, Oh my God. The creaky floor. The old windows. And now, a plan. Later this month, Vejr and Stocks will open LOrange, a wine-focused restaurant channeling the warmth of the Western Mediterranean, with wines and dishes from Southern France to the Italian Riviera. Think cured anchovies with shaved fennel and apricot-orange jam. Grilled cabbage and salt cod brandade in a brown butter dressing. Mussels and clams in tarragon butter with a mini baguette from Little T bakery on the side. LOrange will launch by the end of the month as an a la carte operation with affordable wines and mains including duck, pork and sturgeon for less than $30, all part of Vejrs sense that diners could use a little Old Portland value. (Ive been) thinking back on the early days of Paleys Place, Park Kitchen, Carafe, Kir, or Bar Avignon: places you could go in and get a really good glass of wine and a meal at a reasonable price, Vejr says. Thats something that weve gone away from. An early look at the opening menu reveals 10 savory dishes Vejr and Stocks seem especially excited about a crab crepe and its optional caviar add-on and a handful of desserts a chocolate mousse tartlet with torched meringue, say, or a strawberry clafoutis with lemon balm ice cream. Additionally, Stocks and his team plan to add weekly specials, some featuring Duroc pigs raised by his own cousins in Grants Pass. That could mean a boudin blanc sausage with green garlic sauerkraut or six bone-in pork chops with a peppercorn sauce. Once theyre gone, theyre gone. Braised pork with fava and pocha beans, harissa and black olive from L'Orange, an upcoming wine-focused restaurant drawing inspiration from the Western Mediterranean.Courtesy of Emily Stocks Stocks is particularly excited about his kitchen crew, with longtime Coquine sous chef Nick Duff and former La Luna Cafe chef Ben Shaw, who he first worked with at the original Noble Rot space. Both of those guys could clearly be running their own kitchens, but they took my call and wanted to start this project with me, Stocks said. Im pretty excited. In this climate where everyones talking about how hard it is to find staff, Ive basically got a whole kitchen of veterans. Eventually, the restaurants 7-seat bar will be used for a Friday-Saturday tasting menu, tentatively dubbed Telegram, after a previous use for the space. LOranges dining room and lounge area will remain open with around 20 seats combined for guests looking for an experience as simple as a bowl of spiced hazelnuts and a glass of wine. The wine list will be familiar to fans of Vejrs work at Les Caves, not to mention his pairings at Holdfast, the restaurant Stocks ran with co-chef Will Preisch behind nearby Deadshot cocktail bar until its pandemic-forced closure. LOranges list will lean more toward classics, Vejr says, with wines from the coastal Mediterranean, Burgundy and some really aggressive higher end glass pours this from the man who once offered a daily $5 glass at Les Caves. LOrange will also pour wines from Ovum, whose co-founder John House is a partner at LOrange, and Golden Cluster, Vejrs own label. New decor includes a rainbow of Le Creuset lids, pale green paint inspired by another Le Creuset color only available in France and mirrored tiles with incandescent light that lend the bar area a copper-colored glow. But the first public sign that new life would soon inhabit the upstairs restaurant came in the former of an actual sign, slim and orange, with the restaurants name in capital letters running down the side of LOranges old building. When Portland does things right, we can really over deliver on space, food and price, Vejr says. Here at LOrange we want to bring back that sense of value, that Old Portland feel. LOrange hopes to serve dinner from 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday starting before the end of June at 2005 S.E. 11th Ave., 503-880-5682, lorangepdx.com. Note: Because of its staircase, LOrange is not ADA accessible. Read more: Langbaan, Holdfast Dining and Portlands year of the pop-up Holdfast Dining reimagines fine dining for a fast-casual world How Portland became the most exciting place in America to drink wine Michael Russell; mrussell@oregonian.com Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe The Portland Pride Parade wont have a traditional Grand Marshal this year. Instead, the parade will be led by a concept: Drag. Drag has played an essential role in the movement for queer liberation, for more than 100 years, Pride Northwest said in a press release Monday. Today, the release said, drag still acts as an important vessel of expression for queer and trans people who have had to carve their own paths. Read more: Where to celebrate Pride in Oregon this summer. What that means for the parade, scheduled this year for July 16, is that drag will feature prominently. We will have a diverse group of drag artists, of all ages, as part of the Grand Marshal contingent, Debra Porta, the executive director of Pride Northwest, said in an email. Pride Northwest referenced the long history of drag in America, noting the impact of Portland drag performer Walter Cole, who went by the stage name Darcelle XV. Cole died earlier this year and whose memorial was attended by thousands, including a current and former governor and Portlands mayor. Darcelle XV (Walter Cole) and Mitchell Underwood participate in the annual Pride Parade in 1984. (Randy Rasmussen, The Oregonian/OregonLive)Randy Rasmussen, The Oregonian/OregonLive Drag performances are increasingly under attack throughout the United States, with some states attempting to ban the art form. Drag performers all over the world still bring community together in spaces of joy and self-expression, no matter how old someone is, Pride Northwest said in the release. Prides Grand Marshal announcement isnt the only recent recognition for Portlands drag community by a prominent civic organization. On Saturday, Portland drag queen Poison Waters served as Grand Marshal for the Portland Rose Festivals Starlight Parade. The Portland Pride Festival will take place on July 15 and 16 has a $10 suggested donation. The parade, on July 16, is free. More information is available at portlandpride.org. Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052; lacker@oregonian.com; @lizzzyacker Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe The Portland Police Bureau says theres no connection between the cases of the six women who were found dead within 100 miles of each other -- all but one in the Portland area -- over the past three months. The cases of the women, all under the age of 40, are being investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and sheriffs offices in Multnomah, Polk, Clark and Clackamas counties. The police bureau said rumors have been flying on social media, stoking anxiety in the community about how the cases may be related. We want to provide reassurance that the speculation is not supported by the facts available at this point, police said in a press release on Sunday. While any premature death is concerning (the Portland Police Bureau) has no reason to believe these 6 cases are connected. Police said there was no immediate need for concern. If we learn of an articulable danger, we will notify the public about it, police said. Authorities found the bodies of the six women between February 19 and May 7, 2023 -- most in wooded or secluded rural areas. One body, which police identified as Kristin Smith, 22, was found in a wooded area in Southeast Portlands Pleasant Valley neighborhood. Another, identified as that of JoAnna Speaks, 32, was found inside a barn at an abandoned property in Ridgefield, Washington, about 22 miles north of Portland -- though authorities said it had been moved to that location. A third, identified as Charity Lynn Perry, 24, was found in a culvert near Ainsworth State Park in east Multnomah County. Officials found another dead woman in a tent near Interstate 205 and Southeast Flavel Street in Southeast Portlands Lents neighborhood less than three miles from where Smiths body was found -- though they have not yet identified her remains. They also found the body of Bridget Leann Ramsey Webster, 31, in northwest Polk County and that of Ashley Real, 22, in the Eagle Creek area in a heavily wooded area. One of the cases is being investigated as a homicide, four as suspicious deaths and in one case police say no foul play is involved. -- Catalina Gaitan contributed to this report. Starting last year, The Oregonian turned its investigative spotlight on itself. The result was Publishing Prejudice, a disturbing look at the news organizations history of racism in its reporting and its editorial advocacy. A recent installment covered The Oregonians reporting after the 1948 Vanport Flood, and in particular its failure to humanize its disproportionate impact on citys Black residents. People displaced by the flood moved into Portlands Albina district. But in the years that followed, The Oregonian cheered on the systematic destruction of the district, which had become the heart of Black Portland. One publicly funded project after the next Interstate 5, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the headquarters for Portland Public School forced out hundreds of Black residents. On this episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, reporter Rob Davis interviews Sharon Gary-Smith, who was displaced from her home in the Albina district in 1961. She discussed what it was like to return to the street where she grew up, the types of word choices The Oregonian made and what she wants to see from the newspaper going forward. Heres the full episode: Subscribe to Beat Check anywhere you listen to podcasts to get new episodes each week. You can support local journalism by becoming a subscriber to The Oregonian/OregonLive. Explore more of our podcasts and sign up to get newsletters for the latest news and top stories. Electric vehicle are often touted as the saviours of our planet and the biggest weapon in the fight against climate change. This is because vehicular emissions are a leading cause of worry among environmentalists and a global market that has so far been heavily dependent on fossil fuels has taken a toll on the planet. But will EVs be the one-stop solution towards bringing down emission levels radically? Hardly, say experts. A US Department of Energy study highlights that 1,783 kilos of CO2 equivalent per year as against 5,186 kilos from a petrol-powered model. An MIT study broke down this number further to reveal that around 350 grams of CO2 are emitted by each petrol or diesel car per mile (1.60 kms) driven. In comparison, a fully electric vehicle emitted around 200 grams per mile. But multiple factors play a huge role in determining the eventual emission savings. Clean car, dirty power Power plants such as these are common sight in many countries and are primarily responsible for electricity generation. An EV may be an emission-free mobility option but if it is sourcing power from an electricity grid that relies on fossil fuels, the indirect consequence ought to become a key factor for consideration. It is important to note here that various studies have concluded that despite dirty energy sources, an EV will still be cleaner than a car that has an internal combustion engine, but the consequent benefits would be lesser. The same MIT study mentioned above also points to the fact that an EV emits about 25 per cent less carbon than a comparable hybrid car. But if this EV is powered in hydropower-heavy Washington State, it would emit a significant 61 per cent less carbon than the hybrid. This is a very important factor to take note of, especially closer home in India where an overwhelming share of electricity generation is still from fossil fuel. An International Atomic Energy 2021 report highlighted that more than 80 per cent of electricity in the country is still generated from non-renewable fossil fuel. But it also notes that India is taking noticeable steps towards expanding its solar and natural gas sources for electricity generation. This ought to help the country's vision of a greener planet at a time when it is the third-largest global emitter of CO2 as per IEA. Spread of electric vehicles Rolls-Royce is working on an electric plane called Spirit of Innovation which has already done a test flight of around 15 minutes. Electric vehicles are not just about battery-powered cars and two-wheelers, although both of these are largely the driving force behind the transition. The mature markets across the world now also have electric cycles, three-wheleers, light commercial vehicles and even some options in the heavy cargo transport segments. The Tesla Semi is a case in point with companies like Pepsi Co, Walmart, DHL, UPS either deploying the electric truck or placing orders for it. Constant and quick development is allowing for an expansion in the application area with even cruiser ships and light aircraft being considered for battery deployment within. The US military is working with defence partners to explore the possibility of battery-powered light combat vehicles with many underlining the benefits such as quiet operation in covert zones. The way the world moves today is undergoing a tectonic change. By some estimates, the electric cars in the US in 2015 alone saved around 8,600 barrells of oil per day and this is estimated to grow exponentially to around 886,700 barrels saved per day by 2025. And this ought to auger well for the planet. Mining for the good(s)? But the biggest criticism against EVs come from the fact that the production of an EV has its deep-rooted adverse impact on the environment. Extraction of crucial minerals like lithium that is used in battery manufacturing for EVs requires millions of litres of water. In specific terms, around 400 liters of water is used to extract per kilo of lithium. A typical EV battery has around eight kilos of lithium. The maths, therefore, isn't quite great for optics and not for the planet either. Extraction processes of other minerals like cobalt, nickel and manganese has also been questioned by many environmentalists who would have otherwise been expected to cheer and celebrate the spread of EVs. Cobalt and nickel mining has so far been confined to land but there is a global move to begin mining from the sea floor as well. With rising demand and still limited supply, this could possibly lead to rampant and unchecked mining which would have an an adverse impact on the planet, apart from the possibility of new geo-political tensions. Balanced battery power EVs hold a lot of potential for a lot of good for the planet but EVs are no superheroes. The transition is truly underway but along with it, there is a growing call for gradual transitions rather than a blinded deep dive into battery-powered mobility in every sphere. And while a check on vehicular emissions will obviously have a positive impact on human and planet health, to allow for other major pollution sources to continue as is would negate much of the benefits from EV deployment. First Published Date: Oregon House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson issued an apology Saturday, days after her son posed giving a Nazi salute in front of a World War II German fighter plane. Breese-Iverson, R-Prineville, said in a post on Facebook that her teenage son exhibited extremely poor judgement when he and a friend posed for the photo last week while on a high school field trip at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras. That photo was subsequently posted to social media. Out of extremely poor judgement and without considering the impact this photo would have, he posed in front of the aircraft, she wrote. My husband and I have been in contact with the school administration about enforcing adequate consequences for his actions, both at school and at home. In no way do my husband or I condone these actions, and we apologize to anyone impacted by this image. Breese-Iversons post included a photo of her sons handwritten apology, in which he said posing for a photo that a friend took and posted online was a dumb mistake. I really get that now. Doing something bad in the moment without thinking can cause harm. The Central Oregon Diversity Project said in a Saturday Facebook post that it was demanding Breese-Iversons immediate resignation over the photo, KTVZ-TV reported. The group is dedicated to providing solidarity and opportunity to Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and all people of color in central Oregon. Six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis and their henchmen during the Holocaust in the 1940s. The number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. increased by more than 35% from 2,721 in 2021 to 3,697 in 2022, according to an April report from the Anti-Defamation League. -- The Associated Press and Jamie Goldberg, jgoldberg@oregonian.com Tucker Teutsch planned to set fire to his southern Oregon property this spring. With the Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association, which organized the event and assisted in acquiring permits from the states Department of Forestry, and Jackson County Fire District No. 5 crew and engines by his side, Teutsch went through his go or no-go check list and huddled with fire behavior experts to determine if today was the day. It was. A strict prescription moist air and low wind conditions, among other factors was met. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The pilot of a business jet that flew over Washington and crashed in a remote part of Virginia appeared to be slumped over and unresponsive, three U.S. officials said Monday, recounting observations by fighter pilots who intercepted the wayward flight. The revelations came as federal investigators trudged through rugged terrain to reach the site where the plane slammed into a mountain Sunday, killing four people. The officials who said that the fighter pilots saw the civilian pilot slumped over had been briefed on the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the military operation. The planes owner told news outlets that his daughter and 2-year-old granddaughter were aboard. The New York-bound plane took an erratic flight path inexplicably, turning around over Long Island to fly directly over the nation's capital which prompted the military to scramble fighter jets. This caused a sonic boom heard in Washington, Maryland and Virginia. Remote terrain around the crash site posed major challenges to the investigation. It took investigators several hours to hike into the rural area near the community of Montebello, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Charlottesville, said NTSB spokesperson Eric Weiss. They expect to be on the scene for at least three to four days. Speaking at a briefing Monday morning, NTSB investigator Adam Gerhardt said the wreckage is highly fragmented and investigators will examine the most delicate evidence at the site, after which the wreckage will be moved, perhaps by helicopter, to Delaware, where it can be further examined. The plane is not required to have a flight recorder but it is possible that there are other avionics equipment that will have data that they can examine, Gerhardt said. The Virginia State Police issued a statement saying that because of the severity of the crash, human remains will be transported to the state medical examiner's office for autopsy and identification. The Federal Aviation Administration said that the victims included the pilot and three passengers but didn't release their names. There were no survivors. Investigators will look at when the pilot became unresponsive and why aircraft flew the path that it did, Gerhardt said. They will consider several factors that are routinely examined in such probes including the plane, its engines, weather conditions, pilot qualifications and maintenance records, he said. A preliminary report will be released in 10 days. According to a timetable released late Monday by NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Gabris, the plane took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Tennessee at 1:13 p.m. Sunday, headed for MacArthur Airport in Long Island, N.Y. Air Traffic Control lost communication with the airplane during its ascent. Preliminary information indicates the last ATC communication attempt with the airplane was at approximately 1:28 p.m., when the plane was at 31,000 feet (9,449 meters). The plane climbed to 34,000 feet (10,363 kilometers), where it remained for the rest of the flight until 3:23 p.m. when it began to descend and crashed about nine minutes later. The plane was flying at 34,000 feet (10,363 kilometers), when it flew over MacArthur Airport at 2:33 p.m., the NTSB said. The White House expressed its deepest condolences on Monday to the family of those on board the plane. We need to keep them front and center, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said. Kirby deferred questions about a follow-up report on the security response over Washington airspace to the Pentagon and U.S. Secret Service. But he said, What I saw was just a classic, textbook response. The White House was continuously informed as the military jets tried to contact the pilot of the civilian plane and monitored the small aircrafts path from Washington airspace to rural Virginia, Kirby said. Air Traffic Control audio from the half-hour before the plane crashed captures voices that identify themselves as military pilots trying to communicate with the pilot of the private plane, according to recordings on LiveATC.net. If you hear this transmission, contact us, said one pilot who identifies herself as being with the Air National Guard. Several minutes later, a military pilot says: You have been intercepted. Contact me. The plane flew directly over the nation's capital. According to the Pentagon, six F-16 fighter jets were immediately deployed to intercept the plane. Two aircraft from the 113th Fighter Wing, out of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, were the first to reach the Cessna Citation to begin attempts to contact the pilot. Two F-16 aircraft out of New Jersey and two from South Carolina also responded. Flight tracking sites showed the plane suffered a rapid spiraling descent, dropping at one point at a rate of more than 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) per minute before crashing in the St. Marys Wilderness. In Fairfax, Virginia, Travis Thornton was settled on a couch next to his wife, Hannah, and had just begun recording himself playing guitar and harmonica when they were startled by a loud rumble and rattling that can be heard on the video. The couple jumped up to investigate. Thornton tweeted that they checked in with their kids upstairs and then he went outside to check the house and talk to neighbors. The plane that crashed was registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne Inc, which is based in Florida. John Rumpel, a pilot who runs the company said his family was returning to their home in East Hampton, on Long Island, after visiting his house in North Carolina. Rumpel told the New York Times he didn't have much information from authorities but suggested the plane could have lost pressurization. It descended at 20,000 feet a minute, and nobody could survive a crash from that speed, Rumpel told the newspaper. In interviews with the Times and Newsday, Rumpel identified his daughter, Adina Azarian, and 2-year-old granddaughter Aria, as two of the victims. Azarian, 49, was well-known in real estate circles both in New York City and Long Island, described by friends and relatives as a fiercely competitive entrepreneur who started her own brokerage and was raising her daughter as a single parent. Being a mom was everything to her, said Tara Brivic-Looper, a close friend who grew up with Azarian on the Upper East Side. That they were together (at the end) is fitting. Friends say Azarian moved to East Hampton fulltime to raise Aria, with the help of a nanny. But she made frequent trips back home, bringing both Aria and the nanny to meet her tight-knit extended family on multiple occasions in recent months. She seemed so happy out there, her cousin, Andrew Azarian, recalled. Both of their lives hadnt even started. How could this happen? he continued. No one can explain it. ___ Brumfield reported from Silver Spring, Maryland. Associated Press reporter Jake Offenhartz and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York, and White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report. Bay County entrepreneur Jordan Dice has purchased the Midland Mall. According to a press release sent to the Daily News at 7:35 p.m. Sunday night, Dice is the principal in the firm J.R. DICE, a real estate brokerage and property management company. Courtesy Dice, 33, also is the President & CEO of IPtelX, which is described as a leading telecom provider to the alarm and security industry. Describing himself on LinkedIn as a technology-driven entrepreneur, Dice stated in the press release that he dropped out of the 7th grade at age 13, enrolled in college and started working at his family business, DICE Corporation. When he was 14, Dice said he started his first business, StarNet Wireless, a Bay City internet service provider that earned his first million of sales within the first few years." A Delta College graduate, Dice listed degrees he received from the community college in computer science and accounting before obtaining his high school equivalency certificate from the state of Michigan. Dice stated that he also holds professional licenses as a real estate broker, builder, title agent and insurance professional. The Daily News requested an interview with Dice. A spokesperson for J.R. DICE invited the newspaper to send email questions and "reach back out in a few weeks." "At this time, Mr. Dice will be busy personally overseeing the transition of the mall business in an orderly and organized fashion," according to the email response. Midland Mall General Manager Angela Browning said she looks forward to working with a local owner. I am very excited for the potential and future of the mall, said Browning, who has more than 30 years of experience in retail and property management. The mall has more than 40 retailers with six anchor stores, including Target, Dunhams Sports, Barnes & Noble, Planet Fitness, MyMichigan Health, and Hobby Lobby, which opens this fall. The mall was built in 1991 on nearly 33 acres of land and is 570,000 square feet in size. Dice believes malls have served an important role in the Mid-Michigan community and wants to continue that legacy. There is more than 100,000 square feet of common area at the mall that Dice said he plans to put to better use. I grew up with the Hampton Square Mall near Essexville and it was a shame to see it close. The mall used to host great events and social gatherings, along with the many stores, Dice stated in the press release. I think the mix of local and national retailers is important and I am involved in several ongoing discussions with other retailers and potential franchises for the food court. The mall was sold March 30 after a three-day online auction. Todd Szymczak, Senior Vice President of real estate firm NAI Farbman of Southfield, said the final bid for the mall was greater than $5 million. On May 25, Browning told the Daily News that the buyer would make a public statement on May 31. Kohan Retail Investment Group, based in Great Neck, New York, had owned the Midland Mall since 2018. The mall sale includes the payment of more than $1 million in delinquent property taxes owed to Midland County from 2022 and 2021. All overdue property taxes were paid in full as of June 5. In the press release, Dice said his familys roots in Midland County run deep starting with his third great-grandfather, David William Dice Jr. who setled among the areas first residents over 150 years ago when it was known as The Forks. Dices father, Cliff Dice, founded what became DICE Corporation in 1985 out of the basement of his house in Hampton Township, Bay County. The company grew to become a world leader today in software for the alarm and security industry. He graduated from Northwood University in 1984 with a bachelor of arts degree in business, accounting and finance, economics and political science, according to his LinkedIn profile EDITORS NOTE: This story was updated on June 5 to include additional information about Jordan Dice. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Zhejiang Geener Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (Geener), a company affiliated to Geely Technology Group, recently signed an agreement with local authority of Wenling New City Economic Development Zone (Wenling New District), Zhejiang province for an automotive-grade semiconductor testing and packaging base project, according to a post on the WeChat account Wenling Fabu. Established in 2022, Geener is a power semiconductor company under Geely Technology Group, focusing on chip design and module innovation in the field of new energy vehicles (NEVs). It provides power products and services for enterprises in theNEV, electric motorcycle, photovoltaic, energy storage, and new energy ship industries. Photo credit: Wenling Fabu The total investment for this project is approximately 1.03 billion yuan and will be implemented in two phases, according to the information from Wenling New District. The first phase primarily involves the renovation of the existing plant, upgrading the consumer-grade production line to an industrial-grade production line, and the research and manufacturing of vehicle-grade product series. The renovation is set to start within one month from here on out and be completed by Sept. 2024, with production commencing in Dec. next year, continuing until the relocation of the first-phase production line. The second phase will involve leasing a newly constructed plant for the R&D, production, and sales of MEMS, IC, and other business products, as well as the relocation of the entire first-phase production lines to the new plant. The plan is to commence the renovation by the end of 2025 and start full-scale production in 2026. Upon completion of the project, Geener will focus on the development and testing of their own automotive-grade power device series, while simultaneously tackling new products and businesses such as MEMS and IC. They will strive to promote in-house innovation and transformational upgrades in the semiconductor industry. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CANBERRA, Australia (AP) An Australian woman who spent 20 years in prison was pardoned and released Monday based on new scientific evidence that her four children died by natural causes as she had insisted. The pardon was seen as the quickest way of getting Kathleen Folbigg out of prison, and a final report from the second inquiry into her guilt could recommend the state Court of Appeals quash her convictions. Folbigg, now 55, was released from a prison in Grafton, New South Wales state, following an unconditional pardon by Gov. Margaret Beazley. Australian state governors are figureheads who act on instructions of governments. New South Wales Attorney-General Michael Daley said former justice Tom Bathurst had advised him last week there was reasonable doubt about Folbiggs guilt based on new scientific evidence that the deaths could have been from natural causes. There is a reasonable doubt as to Ms. Folbigg's guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, Daley told reporters. I have reached a view that there is reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms. Folbigg of those offenses, Daley added. Bathurst has conducted the second inquiry into Folbigg's guilt, initiated by a petition that said it was based on significant positive evidence of natural causes of death and signed by 90 scientists, medical practitioners and related professionals. Prosecutors acknowledged to his inquiry in April that there was reasonable doubt about her guilt. Folbigg was serving a 30-year prison sentence that was to expire in 2033. She would have become eligible for parole in 2028. The children died separately over a decade, at between 19 days and 19 months old. Her first child, Caleb, was born in 1989 and died 19 days later in what a jury determined to be the lesser crime of manslaughter. Her second child, Patrick, was 8 months old when he died in 1991. Two years later, Sarah died at 10 months. In 1999, Folbiggs fourth child, Laura, died at 19 months. Evidence discovered in 2018 that both daughters carried a rare CALM2 genetic variant was one of the reasons that the inquiry was called. Lawyer Sophie Callan said expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, was also a reasonably possible cause of Lauras death, Callan said. For Patrick, Callan said there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused his sudden death. The scientific evidence created doubt that Folbigg killed the three children and undermined the argument made in Calebs case that four child deaths were an improbable coincidence, Callan said. Prosecutors had told the jury at her trial that the similarities among the deaths made coincidence an unlikely explanation. Folbigg was the only one at home or awake when the young children died. She said she discovered three of the deaths during trips to the bathroom and one while checking on a childs wellbeing. Prosecutors also had told the jury that Folbiggs diaries contained admissions of guilt. Her former husband, Craig Folbigg, said in submissions to the inquiry that the implausibility that four children in one family would die of natural causes before the age of 2 was compelling grounds to continue treating the diary entries as admissions of his former wifes guilt. But Callan said psychologists and psychiatrists gave evidence that it would be unreliable to interpret the entries in this way. Folbigg had been suffering a major depressive disorder and maternal grief when she made the entries, Callan said. Cotonou, Benin(PANA) - Dakar will host a regional forum of intergovernmental organizations from West Africa next year to promote regional value chains on food security and strengthen regional integration and sustainable development in West Africa, the organizers said on Monday Bamako, Mali (PANA) - A total of 8,463,084 voters, including 4,391,576 men and 4,071,508 women, are expected to cast their ballots in the constitutional referendum on 18 June, an official source told PANA here Monday New York, US (PANA) - A staggering 315,000 grave violations against children in conflict took place between 2005 and 2022, said UN Childrens Fund UNICEF on Monday, describing it as a stark illustration of the devastating impact of war on the young Photo: (Photo : SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images) In a shocking and heartbreaking tale of manipulation and tragedy, a cult leader in Kenya has allegedly brainwashed his followers into starving themselves to death. According to CNN, the case came to light when police discovered mass graves in the 800-acre Shakahola forest, where over 200 bodies have been recovered so far. Among the missing individuals is Pamela Mukalasinga, a devoted follower of the cult, whose son fears she may be among the victims. The teachings of well-known but divisive televangelist Paul Mackenzie captivated Pamela Mukalasinga, a 54-year-old small-scale trader and mother of five, at their modest home in western Bungoma County, Kenya. She would tune in religiously to Mackenzie's Times TV channel and became determined to meet him. Her depression worsened as a result of her eldest daughter's illness, and the promise of a miracle drew her to Mackenzie's teachings. A Desperate Journey In June of the previous year, four years after her initial encounter with Mackenzie's teachings, Pamela sold all her family's belongings, including her son's, and traveled nearly 1000km to join Mackenzie in the coastal town of Malindi. For three months, her son, Rodgers Shibutse, heard nothing from her until she called to inform him of her whereabouts. She claimed to have been given a piece of land by Mackenzie himself, but abruptly hung up when questioned further. Investigations into Mackenzie's activities revealed a disturbing pattern of manipulation and cruelty. According to BBC, two children were allegedly starved to death on his instructions, leading to Mackenzie's arrest. Subsequently, more bodies were discovered in the Shakahola forest, leading to further charges and the exhumation of the victims. Shibutse, desperate for answers, traveled to the forest and witnessed the exhumation process. Devastated, he described the traumatic scene and the torment of not knowing if his mother was among the deceased. As investigations continue, the quest for justice and closure becomes increasingly urgent. According to Yahoo News, the investigation into Mackenzie's activities has shed light on his rise to prominence as a cult leader. Kenya, a deeply religious country, has faced previous challenges with cults, prompting discussions about the need for tighter regulations for religious organizations. Authorities are investigating how Mackenzie acquired the land where the mass graves were found, raising questions about the awareness of local authorities regarding the situation. Read Also: Man Claiming to be Charles Manson's Grandson Closer to Winning Legal Battle Over Cult Killer's Fortune Legal Proceedings and Denials As legal proceedings continue, Mackenzie and his wife, along with 16 followers, remain in custody. Mackenzie denies the accusations and claims to have never seen anyone starving. His lawyer maintains that no charges have been raised against him, and they await the completion of investigations. The harrowing events surrounding the Kenyan starvation cult have shocked the nation, highlighting the vulnerability of individuals and the dangerous influence of manipulative leaders. The discovery of mass graves serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and protective measures within communities. As the search for answers and justice continues, the Kenyan Starvation Cult case stands as a tragic reminder of the consequences of manipulation and abuse within cults. The impact on the victims and their families is immeasurable, highlighting the urgent need for tighter regulations and increased awareness. Kenya's government and authorities are faced with the challenge of preventing similar incidents in the future and ensuring the safety of its citizens. Related Article: Godless Parenting: Being A Good Parent, Teaching Kids Goodness Without Involving God - Is It Possible? Photo: (Photo : Hristo Rusev/Getty Images) Kathleen Folbigg, a woman labeled as Australia's worst female serial killer, has been granted a pardon after serving 20 years in prison for the deaths of her four children. The case, which has been marred by controversy and doubts about her guilt, has prompted New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley to intervene based on the preliminary findings of a recent inquiry that found "reasonable doubt" regarding Folbigg's culpability in all four deaths. Attorney General Michael Daley announced during a press conference that he had recommended an unconditional pardon for Kathleen Folbigg, which was subsequently granted. Daley acknowledged the tremendous toll the case had taken on all those involved and expressed hope that the decision would bring some closure to this two-decade-old matter. The Conviction and Doubts In 2003, Kathleen Folbigg was convicted on three counts of murder and one count of manslaughter relating to the deaths of her four babies between 1989 and 1999. Despite the absence of physical evidence linking her directly to their deaths, the jury relied on the prosecution's argument that the probability of four infants from the same family dying from natural causes before the age of two was extremely low. Furthermore, the jury considered excerpts from Folbigg's diary, which were interpreted as incriminating confessions when taken out of context. These factors played a significant role in her conviction. However, in 2019, a fresh inquiry into Folbigg's case was initiated following the emergence of new scientific evidence providing a genetic explanation for the deaths of her children. During the closing submissions of the recent inquiry, Sophie Callan, the lead counsel assisting the investigation, emphasized that there was reasonable doubt about Folbigg's guilt based on the entirety of the evidence presented. According to CNN, Callan also highlighted that the Director of Public Prosecutions in New South Wales had indicated that there was room for the inquiry to conclude that there was reasonable doubt in Folbigg's case. Read Also: Justice for Anti-abortion Group as Suspect Arrested for Firebombing; DNA Evidence Proves Key Seeking Justice and Closure According to BBC, the decision to pardon Kathleen Folbigg has sparked renewed debate about one of Australia's most controversial cases and raised concerns about potential miscarriages of justice. It serves as a reminder of the importance of continually reevaluating criminal convictions in light of new evidence and scientific advancements. As Folbigg walks free after two decades in prison, the case offers a glimpse into the complexities of the legal system and the significance of ensuring that justice is served accurately and fairly. Kathleen Folbigg's pardon after serving 20 years in prison for the deaths of her four children has reopened discussions about her guilt and the possibility of a grave miscarriage of justice. According to The Guardian, the decision by the New South Wales Attorney General to grant the pardon was based on the emergence of reasonable doubt and the findings of a recent inquiry. This landmark case serves as a stark reminder of the need for ongoing scrutiny of convictions and the pursuit of justice in an evolving legal landscape. The repercussions of the Folbigg case will continue to reverberate throughout Australia's criminal justice system, prompting calls for increased vigilance and the protection of individual rights. Related Article: Kansas Lawmakers Pass Controversial Abortion-Related Infant Care Law; Providers May Face Criminal Charges Photo: (Photo : David McNew/Getty Images) A federal appeals court in Virginia has upheld the constitutionality of the new admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, an elite public high school. The decision overturns a ruling from last year that accused the school of engaging in impermissible "racial balancing" and discrimination against highly qualified Asian American applicants. According to NBC, the case has sparked debates about diversity, merit-based admissions, and the role of race in school admissions. In 2020, the Fairfax County School Board implemented significant changes to the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson High School. The revisions involved replacing the previous standardized test-based system with a new approach that aimed to increase diversity. The revamped policy allocated equal numbers of admissions slots to each of the county's middle schools and considered factors such as economic disadvantage and English language proficiency. Notably, the revised process did not take race into account. Results and Controversy According to Yahoo News, the impact of the new admissions policy was evident in the first freshman class admitted under the revised rules. While black and Hispanic student representation increased, Asian American representation decreased from 73% to 54%. Critics argue that the policy discriminates against highly qualified Asian American applicants and that efforts to increase representation for other racial groups come at their expense. In a 2-1 ruling, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond upheld the constitutionality of the admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School. Judge Robert King, in the majority opinion, acknowledged the school board's legitimate interest in increasing diversity and rejected the claim that the policy unfairly targeted Asian American applicants. He stated that characterizing the policy as discrimination against Asian Americans "simply runs counter to common sense." Judge Barbara Milano Keenan, the sole dissenter, argued that the board intended to change the racial composition of the school and criticized her colleagues for disregarding the underlying motives behind the policy. Supporters of the ruling assert that promoting diversity and considering factors beyond test scores are essential to creating a more inclusive and equitable education system. They argue that a singular focus on academic achievement alone may exclude talented students from underrepresented communities. Critics, however, believe that the policy overlooks the importance of merit-based admissions and disadvantages highly qualified Asian American applicants. They argue that by disregarding academic achievements, the revised admissions process may fail to identify and nurture the most academically gifted students. Read Also: James Bond Sues For Discrimination After 3 Universities Reject PhD Student With Dyslexia Wider Implications and the Supreme Court Case The ruling comes at a crucial time as the U.S. Supreme Court considers a pivotal case challenging the consideration of race in admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. The outcome of that case could have significant implications for the ongoing debates surrounding affirmative action and the role of race in education. The decision regarding Thomas Jefferson High School's admissions policy raises questions about the delicate balance between diversity and merit-based admissions in educational institutions, according to NY Times. It also highlights the challenges faced by schools and policymakers in achieving equitable representation while upholding rigorous academic standards. The federal appeals court's decision to uphold the admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology has reignited discussions about diversity, merit-based admissions, and the role of race in school admissions. While supporters argue that promoting diversity is crucial for creating an inclusive educational environment, critics express concerns about potential disadvantages faced by highly qualified Asian American applicants. The ruling serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding admissions policies and the ongoing debates about equity and representation in educational institutions. As the Supreme Court deliberates on a similar case, the broader implications of these decisions extend beyond a single school, emphasizing the need for thoughtful and comprehensive approaches to achieve fairness in admissions processes across the education system. Related Article: Primary Schools In England Accused Of Discrimination: Filtering The Rich And The Poor Students We drove through Aberdeen today weve been in Aberdeenshire pretty much the whole time that weve been in Scotland and it got me to thinking about the great James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), who was a Scot born in Edinburgh and who was affiliated for a few years with the University of Aberdeen. I make no claim of originality for what follows. Ive simply culled some things from the Wikipedia article on Maxwell that interested me, as well as one or two other places: The list of his achievements is stunning, and they are commonly ranked with those of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. In fact, in one sizable poll of prominent modern physicists, Maxwell was voted the third greatest physicist of all time, behind only those two. He is generally regarded as the most influential nineteenth-century physicist on the physics of the twentieth century. He is credited, for example, with the creation of the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, the first theory to describe electricity, magnetism, and light as different manifestations of the same phenomenon. In fact, his equations for electromagnetism have been termed the second great unification in physics the first one having been achieved by Isaac Newton. In 1865, Maxwell demonstrated that electric and magnetic fields travel through space as waves that move at the speed of light and he proposed that light is an undulation in the same medium that is the cause of electric and magnetic phenomena. This idea led him to predict the existence of radio waves. Maxwells discoveries helped to create modern physics, laying the foundation for such theories as special relativity and quantum mechanics and they undergird not only radio, but television, smartphones, and the Internet. On the centennial of his birth, Einstein is reported to have described Maxwells work as the most profound and the most fruitful that physics has experienced since the time of Newton. When, during a visit to the University of Cambridge in 1922, Einstein was told by his host that he had achieved great things because he stood on the shoulders of Isaac Newton (who was affiliated for much of his life with Cambridge), Einstein replied: No I dont. I stand on the shoulders of Maxwell. (Fortunately, Maxwell too was significantly associated with Cambridge.) In fact, Ive read somewhere that, as an inspiration, Einstein kept a portrait of Maxwell on his wall. Its not necessary to be a physicist, or even to understand precisely what all of the items on Wikipedias list of what James Clerk Maxwell is known for are I certainly dont! in order to sense from them the depth and the range of his contributions: (See, too, Wikipedias List of things named after James Clerk Maxwell.) In addition, Maxwell is regarded as one of the founders of electrical engineering. He did extensive work on color vision. He is also famous for having created the first durable color photograph, in 1861, for developments on the regulation of steam engines, and for his foundational work on the analysis of the structural rigidity of the kinds of rod-and-joint frameworks, or trusses, that are used (among other places) in bridges. He is also the person who proved that the rings of Saturn are made of small particles. And yet, amazingly (and sadly), James Clerk Maxwells life ended much too early. He died in Cambridge on 5 November 1879 at the age of only 48, of abdominal cancer. It was the same type of cancer that had taken his mother, at approximately the same age. What more might he have achieved had he lived a normal lifespan? Happily, Maxwell didnt die without the comfort of a strong religious faith. He was an evangelical Presbyterian and even, in his later years, an Elder in the Church of Scotland. As a child, he had attended both Episcopalian services (his mothers denomination) and those of the Church of Scotland (his fathers denomination), and he experienced an evangelical conversion in April of 1853, while at Cambridge (where he had gone to continue his studies after the University of Edinburgh). And that conversion plainly endured. Evidently, many letters to his wife, the former Katherine Dewar, survive in which Maxwell discusses biblical passages that they were reading through together. James Clerk Maxwell was appointed the first Cavendish Professor of Experimental Physics at Cambridge in 1871. There, in 1874, he created the legendary Cavendish Laboratory, which has (as of today) generated thirty Nobel Prizes. (Had Maxwell himself not died prematurely, sixteen years before the first Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded, the Nobel committee would certainly have honored him with it.) An expression of Maxwells personal faith can probably be seen in the inscription (Psalm 111:2, or 110:2 in the Clementine Vulgate) that was inscribed above the doors of the original building that housed the Cavendish: Magna opera Domini exquisita in omnes voluntates ejus: The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. The minister who visited Maxwell regularly during the last weeks of his life was astonished at his lucidity and at the immense power and scope of his memory, but commented more particularly that his illness drew out the whole heart and soul and spirit of the man: his firm and undoubting faith in the Incarnation and all its results; in the full sufficiency of the Atonement; in the work of the Holy Spirit. He had gauged and fathomed all the schemes and systems of philosophy, and had found them utterly empty and unsatisfying unworkable was his own word about them and he turned with simple faith to the Gospel of the Saviour. As his death drew near, Maxwell told a Cambridge colleague that I have been thinking how very gently I have always been dealt with. I have never had a violent shove all my life. The only desire which I can have is like David to serve my own generation by the will of God, and then fall asleep. Posted from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In May 2023, Honda Motor sold 101,321 vehicles to consumers in China, representing a 13.7% year-on-year growth, according to the Japanese automaker's press release. It is noteworthy that May 2023 was the first year-on-year growth in Honda Motors China monthly sales after the Japanese automaker suffered decline in the country for eight consecutive months. Honda CR-V ePHEV; photo credit: Honda China For the first five months of 2023, Honda Motors cumulative sales in China amounted to 416,558 units, shrinking 22.6% compared to the same span of last year. As for the performance of hotter-selling models, there were a total of four models whose May sales in China all exceeded 10,000 units, namely, the CR-V, the ACCORD, the BREEZE, and the CIVIC, said Honda Motor. Notably, the sales of the CR-V exceeded 17,000 units. The Japanese automaker didnt reveal the sales breakdown of each joint venture this time. At the Auto Shanghai 2023, Honda Motor exhibited the world premiere of two prototype models, the e:NP2 Prototype and the e:NS2 Prototype, and one concept model, the e:N SUV , for the second and third set of e:N Series EV models, respectively. Through the introduction of these new EV models, Honda will continue to enhance e:N Series lineup and strive to make EVs represent 100% of its automobile sales in China by 2035. Besides, Honda Motor said it is planning to introduce 10 Honda-brand EV models in China by 2027. Back in April, Jan and I made our first visit to my seminary, the Pacific School of Religion since I graduated with my Master of Divinity degree in 1991. PSR nestles on Holy Hill above the UC Berkeley campus as a part of the Graduate Theological Union, itself composed of Catholic, Protestant, and Buddhist seminaries, as well as Jewish and Muslim centers. It is an amazing collaborative. I dont believe theres anything quite like it anywhere else. And. Its been thirty-two years. I didnt even return to the campus the following year to be formally awarded my MA in the Philosophy of Religion. Id been pulled into the whirlwind of parish life and didnt have time. And circumstances since just havent led me back. So, this visit was a big deal. And not just because PSR had named me a distinguished alumnx, and that there was going to be a ceremony. Among the many things that happened, some quite moving, two stand out as appropriate to share here today. First, was our visceral experience of what is happening within our North American religious scene. The second something I think directly important to us, here, today. As you probably know American Christianity is shrinking as part of the larger American demographic. Pew suggests it is genuinely possible for professing Christians to count for less than half the countrys population by 2070. Evangelicals and Fundamentalists claim theyre growing. And thats true. But actually, whats hidden in the demographics, is that theyre capturing a larger percentage of that declining number. Where these people are going is also important. There is some growth among other religions. But mostly the growth is among the disaffiliated. Almost one in three American adults are what weve come to call nones. As in none of the above. Of course, for us within the Unitarian Universalist world, we occupy a strange and liminal space between the farthest edge of radical Christianity, cultural Protestantism, and secularity. We are, as they say, the barely organized religion. So, with no credal test, its why as a Zen Buddhist, I can be a UU. Or, as I think about our crowd, how we can come from pretty much any spiritual perspective, or, importantly, none. And have a place. Rather than having credal statements we are bound by covenants of presence. Ill return to that. Walking around the campus of the GTU what this steep decline for organized religions actually means was on full display. I knew that our UU seminary Starr King had left the GTU, principally because they could no longer afford the dues. They sold their building and are now housed in Oakland at Mills College. The old campus, which we walked by, has been joined with the also now defunct First Christian Church to form the heart of a small Muslim liberal arts college. Zaytuna College. The grounds are beautifully kept, and I absolutely wish them every good. But I also felt a wound from the loss. Starr King wasnt my seminary, but it was an important school to me, and I took some critical classes there. Theyre not the only one. Another school I took a class at, the Franciscan seminary is completely gone, now consolidated into the University of San Diego. In the years following the Second World War, some visionaries at my school PSR, started buying up real estate on Holy Hill. When Jan & I were there, they provided the larger part of student housing not only for PSR but for many of the students at the GTU. One of the things I continue to love about the school was their married housing policy in the late 1980s. They were pretty conservative, in that if you wanted to cohabitate and live in their housing, you had to be married. But also, they were a fair bit ahead of some curves. If you could not legally be married, but wanted to, all you had to do was assert this and you could get the housing. Some heterosexual couples expressed annoyance that this meant they didnt qualify, but gay and lesbian couples did. It tickled me at the time. A very long time ago. Those buildings are all gone. PSR itself has shrunk to its core campus. And actually, it rents out some of that space. For instance, the chapel is rented by a preschool. So, all that. Religion, certainly organized religions are in turmoil. Larger congregations are mostly doing okay. For now. While smaller congregations are mostly in deep trouble. It feels like those small congregations may well be those proverbial canaries in the coal mine. The whole idea of organized religions is being challenged. Thats the second big thing. During the day at PSR, there were several presentations aimed at alumns. Jans and my favorite by far, was the panel presentation of the schools junior faculty. Presiding over the panel was the dean Dr Susan Abraham, an Indian national wearing for the occasion a dramatic sari. Shes also professor of theology and post-colonial cultures. It felt like she was pushing along her brood of chicks as she introduced, occasionally teased, and constantly encouraged her, and it felt like her, brood. I had the distinct feeling no one dare hurt any of them with her around. Korean born Eunhye So teaches New Testament, Filipina American Lisa Asedillo teaches worship and ethics, and African American Leonard McMahon teaches spirituality and political theology. They are all so brilliant it hurt. PSR has always been about academic rigor. And. In my student days there, the ethos of the school felt to me basically like a nineteenth century Unitarian Christianity. If not precisely that, certainly relentlessly honest about text and tradition. This new faculty represents something even more daring. They all are committed to something they called a radically inclusive gospel. Not the Christianity of my childhood. And not the theology of the fundamentalist majority. The term they all embraced from different angles as the distillation of that radical and inclusive, they called Queer Theology. As they made their presentation, a colleague whispered to her companion behind Jan and me, I wish I could go to seminary now. I thought, well, no. I dont. But I got the enthusiasm. Really. I listened to these young professors and felt their brilliance and passion, and my body shivered. Something absolutely wonderful is happening. In the ruin of religions, as Christianity is seriously considering whether it is dying in the global north, as churches, temples, and synagogues are emptying, something quite wonderful is happening. Queer theology. It sings into our hearts of great mysteries. I mentioned at the beginning how Unitarian Universalists exist within covenants of presence. Sometimes this is interpreted as being allowed to believe anything you want. You can. But the invitation is into the heart of presence, and what we can discover by being nakedly, unguardedly, passionately present. Queer theology points to how this actively engaged presence can work. It arises from something called Queer theory. First, queer theory challenges heterosexuality as necessarily normative. It looks at the backside of the tapestry of the world we all assume. And shows how the threads come together to create who and what we think of as ourselves. Queer theology brings that challenge to religion and religious identity. As a discipline it seems to have three aspects. First it means theology done by, with, and for the LGBTQIA community. Second, it challenges millennia old assumptions starting with boundaries defining gender and then noting the oppressions that have followed for those deemed outside those norms. And third, and maybe most importantly, it means theology opposed to any sense of a fixed position. Especially as regards sexuality and gender identity, but critically for all of us, as a liberating of human imagination from all our assumptions of what is. It starts with an embrace of not knowing. Which Im lucky to recognize from my Buddhist practice and study. But with Queer Theology that not knowing starts with our human bodies. And from there leads us into the brilliant and liberating darkness of endless curiosity. With this our human sexuality ceases to be a problem, and instead is the very place in which we find our deepest truths. In Western religious language, our bodies are where we find our salvation. Heady stuff. Now, please indulge me with one more statistic. With that we can unpack why Im standing here more excited about the possibilities for spiritual growth and what that can mean in this world here and now, than Ive been able to feel for a long while. This all speaks directly to who you all are in this gathering as the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles. So, that statistic. As of right now, according to the ACLU, there are 491anti-LGBTQ bills being pursued across the country. According to the Human Rights Campaign over 220 of these target transgender and nonbinary people. So far this year 45 laws have been passed including 13 banning gender affirming care for youth, 3 that require misgendering students, 2 that target drag performances, and 2 that censor school curriculum including books. The best of times. The worst of times. Forward motion and backlash. How we can elect Barack Obama president and then immediately after through the vagaries of the electoral college system, end up with Donald Trump. These are dangerous, dangerous times. There are no guarantees. We can go in any number of ways. We can be opening the doors of perception and throwing open the gates to our liberation. Or, we can be living in a reprise of the Weimar Republic, a wildly creative moment soon to be crushed by totalitarian reaction. Maybe a bit of both. Life is always dangerous. And we all will die. Something to remember. The question is how will we live within these tensions. In this place. At this time. In our time and place there are three areas that we can find will open our hearts. They turn on our presence to and with the poor. As the good rabbi once said, the poor will always be with us. As we ask why, as we do not turn away, hearts open. Next in my list, is our presence to and with marginalized peoples. In our time and place the African American experience is most obvious. But that list is long. And it includes the minority that is a majority, women. Lots of marginalization. As we ask why, as we do not turn away, our hearts open. And third are the queer. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, intersex, gender nonconforming, anyone, anyone who doesnt fit our received idea of normative sexuality. In fact, women fit in here, as well. Because culture, certainly our culture puts male heterosexuality at the center, and makes everything else not quite right, if not fully wrong. As we ask why, as we do not turn away, our hearts open. Each of these noticings is a gate. In fact we cannot afford to ignore any of them. Not if were seeking the great healing of our human hearts. If we want a religious community worth belonging to, I suggest it needs to be those three things. It needs to be a church of the poor. It needs to be a church of minorities. And it needs to be a queer church. People have always had a boot on the necks of the poor. People are always using minorities as scapegoats for societal problems. And, well there are those near five hundred anti-LGBTQ bills winding their way through various legislatures. Right now. And speaking of right now, the reactionary wave of attacks on womens rights that are going on right now are bone chilling and relentless. Did I say dangerous times? Which way are we going? As a people? As spiritual communities? As individuals? We cant control how things turn out. But we can choose how we will engage. What is true is the stakes are high. Theyve rarely been higher. And in the face of all that, a question. With whom do we stand? With whom do we throw in our lot? With whom will we live? And with whom will we die? My hope for us today is that we be a church for the poor. My hope for today is that we be a church for women, for black, and for brown people. My hope today is we become a Queer church. This can open hearts. It can bring the edges into the center and show us new worlds of hope and possibility. It can show the world what love looks like. And it can show each of us what rests at the heart of our being. It can reveal mysterious truths about who we all really are. So, how do we do that? How do we move from aspiration to action? When I was in seminary at PSR all those years ago, my ethics professor was Karen Lebacqz. During a discussion in a class led by her, I stated I was a feminist. It was a moment when some women felt no man could be a feminist. Professor Lebacqz looked at me and looked at the class. Then she said, James, you can be a feminist. All you have to do, is become a sister. Become a sister. Therein rests everything. The problem for our normative view is that being a woman is less than being a man. Being black. Being Asian. Being Latinx. Being poor. Who are we willing to stand with? And. And. More intimately, who are we willing to be? Who can we be? Each of us faces our own unique way in. If we belong to one of the traditionally marginalized if not outright oppressed groups, how do we include, deeply, profoundly include those others? And, of course, can we also include those identifiable as part of the majorities? Recall the project of seeing how the threads come together. And living from that deeper place. This is an invitation into the sublime not knowing. Into deep curiosity. What hope might arise for this poor, hurting world, if we surrender into the family of things? Into that deeper intimacy? What happens when we dont know, but are endlessly curious? Perhaps the churches and temples and synagogues we once knew are fading away. Time will tell. But in the ruin of those institutions people are engaging the great questions. And out of that several pedagogies of the oppressed are emerging. Each with windows. Each with doors. Promising our liberation, our saving. The most exciting of which, well may be Queer theology. No guarantees. Of course. Still. Whispering to our hearts, the question. Who will we be? You. And me. Who will we be? The great invitation. Amen. And, amen. A sermon delivered by James Ishmael Ford at the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles June 4th, 2023 For more on the image Releasing June 9 from Fox Searchlight, Flamin Hot is the true story of Richard Montanez (Jesse Garcia), a janitor for Frito Lay who turns the company around with his Hispanic-American remix of the companys popular snack brands. Directed by Eva Longoria and produced by DeVon Franklin (Miracles from Heaven, Breakthrough), it also stars Annie Gonzalez, Emilio Rivera, Dennis Haysbert, and Tony Shalhoub. Franklin first heard Montanezs story seven years ago and was determined to bring it to the big screen someday. I just was so motivated and inspired, he said. I said, I gotta tell this movie, I got to do it. I didnt know how I was going to do it. At the time. I wasnt even truthfully sure that I could do it. But I still gave him my word. Im gonna get this done. Soon, Franklin was contacted by Eva Longorias agent. The Desperate Housewives actress had never directed before, but she had read the script and wanted it to be her debut project. He admits that he was reluctant at first, because of her lack of experience behind the camera. Once I met her, and I heard what she wanted to do to the movie, I was like, It doesnt matter that shed never done a film, she is our director, he said. Ive been working with her ever since, and its truly been a joy. Shes a phenomenal director, brilliant, brilliant filmmaker, and the movie is in the shape it is because of that. The finished film has screened at film festivals and preview audiences to incredible feedback, Franklin says. It was the opening night for the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival and the response was unbelievable, he said. We screened the movie in front of about 1,000 people to see how the Latino community embraces it. Audiences and critical acclaim is one thing, but how does the real-life subject and his family feel about how the finished product tells the story? They love it, he said. Theyre so proud of it. Theyre so grateful for it. How many people in the history of the world ever get a movie made about their life? Very few. And those that do, most of them have have passed on. But in this situation, Richard is alive and well. So, he and Judy feel grateful. In the film, Richards relationship with his father Nacho (Rivera) is strained, complicated by different views of religion. Nacho has a louder, more harsh view of Gods expectations while Richards faith is quieter and personal. Its a slight departure from the more straight-ahead faith releases Franklin is known for, but one he says is authentic to Montanezs journey. We wanted to portray it that way because thats what Richard actually experienced, he said. When it comes to faith, being able to portray the journey to faith was important. After years of development and production, as Franklin started seeing the movie in the editing process, he was blown away. He knew he had something special. The final project, he says, has far exceeded his expectations which he believes will continue to grow in popularity. It was very gratifying to be a part of this, because its bigger than just a movie, he said. Its almost like a movement. Flamin Hot, directed by Eva Longoria and produced by DeVon Franklin, will release June 9 on Hulu and Disney+. The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says it uses one marking scheme in assessing all Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) across the country. The Council has never used two different marking schemes for candidates of BECE in private and public schools. Mrs Wendy E. Addy-Lamptey, Head of National Office, WAEC, said this at the Councils forum on BECE Grading System in Accra. Over the years, there have been calls for Ghana to review the BECE Grading System. The forum, which was on the theme: The fundamentals of the BECE Grading System, brought together representatives from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Private Schools, National Council of Private Schools, Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Education, among others. The BECE was first administered in the 1990s as a result of the 1987 Educational Reforms. The reforms came with the introduction of Continuous Assessment Scores as a component of the total score to be used for grading. The Standard Nine (Stanine) Grading system was adopted for the examination. The forum, therefore, seeks to bring clarity to the BECE grading system and help stakeholders to appreciate the performance of candidates better. Mrs Addy-Lamptey regretted that various media reports had suggested that the Council was using two different marking schemes for Private and Public school candidates. Let me use this opportunity to state that a final marking scheme is developed for each subject at the end of the Preliminary Coordinating meeting and all examiners use this final marking scheme to mark scripts of all candidates for that subject. According to her, the issue of the performance of BECE candidates had been topical over the years. This is even more so because that is used in the selection of students into Senior High Schools. Mr Pateh Bah, Registrar of WAEC, in a speech read on his behalf, said the council used equal marking schemes for private and public schools, adding, The schemes used by the council were impartial. There is only one marking scheme for all, our scheme does not favour anyone. Mr Bah, therefore, urged the media to do their fact checks before publication. Dr Kafui Etsey, Associate Professor at the University of Cape Coast, who chaired the forum, said research had shown that if Ghana changed from the BECE marking system, the council would rather record more failures and a reduction in the number of brilliant students. Prof. Estey said Ghana could adopt its own system of assessing the youth and other countries could also learn from it. He, therefore, stressed the need for the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education and the Council to meet and make some amendments to the grading system to suit Ghana. 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 The police has started full-scale investigations into the circumstances leading to the death of an 18-year-old female student of the Nsutam Senior High Technical School in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region last Thursday. Abigail Asare, a second year General Arts student was allegedly stabbed to death by Michael Osei, a barber. Abigail's lifeless body was found at Osei's barber shop at Nsutam last Thursday, June 1, 2023. Osei is said to be Abigail's boyfriend and she had reportedly visited him at the shop last Thursday. Sources claim Abigail left school after vacation and decided to visit Osei before going home. Police sources have told Graphic Online that the suspect is on the run and efforts are underway to apprehend him. Osei allegedly accused Abigail of cheating on him and stabbed her multiple times leading to her death, according to preliminary information gathered by the police at Nsutam supported by officers from the Kyebi Divisional Police Command. Abigail's body has been deposited at the Kyebi Government Hospital morgue for autopsy. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Head of Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu has charged members and supporters of the New Patriotic Party to elect the former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen, as their flagbearer. He believed Mr. Alan Kyerematen will win the 2024 elections when elected to lead the NPP. Charles Owusu expressed disappointment in the state of the economy under the administration of President Nana Akufo-Addo saying, "if job creation reduces, it affects offerings in church . . . the church is our (Pastors) economy. If things go well in the country, it affects the church". To him, the former Minister will bring relief to Ghanaians by creating more jobs. He appealed to NPP delegates to give Mr. Alan Kyerematen the nod, come 2024. Watch video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A former state representative from York County who served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for three decades has joined a Harrisburg-based government affairs and communications firms. Former state Rep. Stan Saylor has joined One+ Strategies and will help lead the firms incentive and appropriations practice. The company said Saylor will focus on helping clients navigate the appropriations process as well as help to advance their public policy goals. Stan brings decades of experience and relationships to One+ Strategies, One+ Co-founder Bob Shuster, said in a news release. Our clients will benefit from that experience and Stan will help navigate a challenging appropriations process. Saylor served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1992 until 2022. During his time in the legislature, Saylor, a Republican served as policy chairman, whip, and appropriations chairman. The firm also announced that Shauna Boscaccy, an attorney, who previously served as executive director of the House Liquor Control Committee and legal counsel to the House Judiciary Committee has also joined the firm. One+ Strategies assists its clients with government relations, procurement, public policy, issue monitoring and crisis communications among other services. Sign up for Eat, Shop, Go, a weekly report on food, restaurants, business, retail centers, things to do and places to go all around central Pa. Sign up for free by clicking here. The staff of the University of Pittsburgh on Monday filed paperwork in Harrisburg in a bid to hold the largest public sector union election in decades. A Pittsburgh Staff Union would benefit the entire Pittsburgh University community. Founding a union will give us a seat at the table with Pitts administration, University of Pittsburgh Lab Manager and Research Specialist Jennifer Goeckeler-Fried said. All workers deserve to be involved in making decisions that affect our ability to do our jobs effectively. Goeckeler-Fred said that a union will allow workers to bargain for fair pay, benefits and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, as well as hire and retain good workers. The union election filing with the Department of Labor & Industry now opens up the opportunity for 7,000 workers to vote on whether or not to form a union. More than 50% of the staff must vote to unionize for it to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board. Staff at the University of Pittsburgh will now vote on whether or not to form a union. More We have a long history of working effectively with unions and respect the right of our employees to decide whether or not to choose a union, said James Gallaher, University of Pittsburgh Vice Chancellor in the Office of Human Resources. We strongly believe that the University of Pittsburgh provides an excellent workplace and is guided by a foundational model of shared governance, which is predicated on input from all constituents, including our staff. In this years budget, the University of Pittsburgh received $151.5 million from the state. Gov. Josh Shapiro is proposing to bump that up by 7%, or $10.7 million, next year. Rep. Dan Miller D-Allegheny County, said that public funding comes with responsibility. If youre coming to us to help you fund schools, if youre coming to us, the message is clear, Miller said. Not one dime should be going to union-busting activities. In 2019, Pittsburghs graduate students failed by 37 votes to form a union. Union organizers appealed the ruling, saying that the university engaged in unlawful tactics to encourage workers to vote against unionizing. Officials denied the statement, and in 2021, the state labor board upheld the unions failure. Responding to Millers concern, university spokesperson Jared Stonesifer said, Every cent of the universitys annual state appropriation goes to supporting reduced tuition for Pennsylvanias students and families. The University of Pittsburgh wouldnt be the only state-funded institution to have a union. There are bargaining units that represent employee groups at Temple University and Penn State. Rep. Jason Dawkins D-Philadelphia, who chairs the Houses Labor and Industry Committee, said unionizing is part of Pennsylvanias history, and promised to fight for union rights as a state representative. Last I checked, theres Republicans and Democrats working in unions, but somehow the folks they sent here to represent them have forgotten that message, Dawkins said. The University of Pittsburgh staff are partnering with United Steelworkers to increase their collective bargaining power. United Steelworkers also worked with University of Pittsburgh graduate students in their failed attempt to unionize, and used its legal department to help appeal the failed vote to the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. Read more on PennLive: Amish, Mennonite survivors of childhood sexual assault join others to fight for a chance for justice Former longtime Pa. state representative joins government relations firm Bill that would set nurse staffing levels at Pa. hospitals could get key vote Beef chili purchased by USDA Foods for the National School Lunch Program has been recalled because it may be contaminated with white plastic. The J.T.M. Provisions Company of Harrison, Ohio, on June 4, 2023, recalled 22,530 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat beef chili with beans, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service. The chili was produced on Feb. 27, 2023. Each 30-pound case includes six, 5-pound boil-able bags. Printed on the bag is CP5309 CHILI WITH BEANS with lot code 23058 printed on the bag, and February 27, 2023 and lot code 23058 printed on the case. The chili, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said, was shipped to distributors in Pennsylvania as well as in California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. The problem was discovered after the company received a customer complaint about semi-rigid white plastic material found in the frozen, ready-to-eat beef chili with beans and notified FSIS, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said. The FSIS said that school nutrition workers are urged not to prepare or consume them. The chili should be returned to the place of purchase or thrown away. For more information, contact Matt Montgomery, CFO, J.T.M. Provisions Company at 513-367-4900 or mmontgomery@jtmfoodgroup.com. READ MORE: Repair for recalled Peloton treadmill will be available this fall after pull-under death, injuries. Dominos is selling pizza this week for 50% off the price. The deal start today, Monday, June 4, and continues through Sunday, June 11, for regularly-priced menu pizzas ordered through online channels including the website, app, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Facebook Messenger and voice ordering with Dom. The selections include specialty pizzas such as the Philly Cheese Steak, Honolulu Hawaiian and Wisconsin 6 Cheese. Summer is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than with half off pizza? said Kate Trumbull, Dominos senior vice president chief brand officer. We hope customers take advantage of this great deal by ordering online, grabbing their favorite pizza, and hitting the beach or park. Nothing makes for a better day than enjoying some delicious, cheesy pizza with friends and family. READ MORE: Oreo will bring back a nostalgic flavor after almost 10 year absence. LOS ANGELESBraxton Cruz, Trent King and contract star Malik Delgaty get enlisted for Trooper Bangers, a new three-part series coming soon to Men.com. The military-themed series, shot on location in Canada, also star Maverick Sun, Kenzo Alvarez and porn newcomer Bruce Huxley. In the first scene, horny soldier Maverick Sun thought he finally had a chance for some quality time with his dildo, but his roommates walk in on him, and comrade Malik Delgaty threatens to report it. His brother-in-arm Kenzo Alvarez tells the hunk to chill out and later the hardcore action ensues. In the second scene, battle brothers Malik Delgaty, Braxton Cruz and Trent King head to the shooting range where lewd acts unfold. In the third and final scene, the soldiers are bored out of their minds in the barracks, so they decide to work out. While Malik Delgaty is doing chin-ups, Maverick Sun pranks him by pulling his pants down, revealing Maliks naked ass. Malik is not having it. He starts wrestling with Maverick until the brawl gets interrupted by their sergeant, played by Bruce Huxley. He orders everyone to exit, except for Maverick. Malik decides to stick around to spy on them and is shocked to learn that Bruce and Maverick were secretly having an affair. After getting a quick blowjob from Maverick, Bruce leaves the barracks, which leads Malik to abandon himself to what he truly lusts for. Trooper Bangers will begin rolling out on Monday, June 12th. Follow the stars of this series on Twitter: Malik Delgaty: https://twitter.com/Malik_Delgaty Braxton Cruz: https://twitter.com/BraxxxtonCruz Maverick Sun: https://twitter.com/MaverickSunX Kenzo Alvarez: https://twitter.com/KenzoAlvarez Bruce Huxley: https://twitter.com/BruceHuxley13 Supporters of a bill that would set minimum nurse staffing levels at Pennsylvania hospitals expect a state House committee to give a first-ever vote on the measure on Tuesday. HB 106 has the support of unions and organizations representing Pennsylvania nurses. Supporters expect the bill to receive a vote during a House health committee meeting scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. If approved by the committee, the next step would be a vote by the full House. A similar bill, SB 247, has been introduced in the state Senate. If both the House and Senate pass staffing legislation, supporters expect Gov. Josh Shapiro to sign it. The bills have substantial numbers of co-sponsors from both parties, and supporters believe they are closer than ever to seeing mandated nurse staffing levels become law in Pennsylvania. The prime sponsor of the House version is state Rep. Tom Mehaffie, a Republican from Dauphin County. The bill requires minimum nurse-patient staffing levels that vary based on the needs of patients in a given unit. For example, it would require one nurse per patient giving birth; at least one nurse for every two patients in intensive care; at least one nurse for every three patients in intermediate care; and at least one nurse for every five patients in rehabilitation units. Nurses argue a shortage of bedside nurses is putting patients at risk in Pennsylvania. However, they contend the situation doesnt spring from a lack of nurses, but from a shortage of nurses willing to work in hospitals because of low staffing that in turn burns them out and prevents them from giving proper care. Hospitals oppose the law, arguing there simply arent enough nurses, and therefore hospitals wont be able to abide by the staffing law, forcing them to close patient care units to avoid penalties. Nurses and supporters plan to rally outside the state Capitol in support of the legislation beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday. READ MORE FROM PENNLIVE: Is the nurse shortage myth or reality? Question drives Pa. hospital staffing debate Shortage of common cancer-fighting drugs adding new stress to cancer diagnosis Tova Friedman was five years old when she and her family were sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz after the Nazi invasion of their native Poland. Eighty years later, Friedman is still sharing her story with people around the world, to remember those who were killed, fight against antisemitism, and heal. And she gave one such presentation today at the Jewish Community Center in Harrisburg. You never know what your words will mean for other people, Friedman said in an interview prior to her presentation. But I hope it will let people think about this: if we dont stop this hatred of the other person, it leads to where it led me, to almost death. And the deaths of a million and a half Jewish children, and six million Jews, because of hatred. Friedmans presentation was through the Jewish Family Service of Greater Harrisburg, and was attended by Pennsylvanias First Lady Lori Shapiro and Harrisburg mayor Wanda Williams. PennLive was one of the events sponsors. We reached out to Tova, and said this is a perfect person for overcoming trauma and resilience, and connecting it to the work we do at JFS, said Steven Schauder, chief executive officer of Jewish Family Service of Greater Harrisburg. In holding this event today, our goal is also to invite our non-Jewish neighbors and friends to support us in a time of rising hatred and bigotry. The presentation included memories of Friedmans time both in the Jewish ghetto in the city of Tomaszow Mazowiecki in Poland, as well as harrowing tales of barely surviving in concentration camps during World War II. She said that it was only by a miracle that she avoided execution, and that she was one of only five children out of 5,000 taken from her hometown that survived. While many in attendance were from the Jewish community, the people Friedman said hopes to reach most of all are those who are not of the Jewish faith. It is her hope that outreach between communities can help prevent fear-mongering, conspiracy theories and other sources of mistrust and fear for minority groups. Friedman shared that a recent visit to nations in Africa served as an example, during which she could learn more about people and places she wasnt familiar with. When someone warned her about the trip being dangerous, she responded with a laugh that shed felt safer there than in New York City, near where she currently lives. [Africa] is a very fabulous place, and the people are wonderful and kind, she said. Give the other a chance, before you make up your mind that you dont like them. Thats all I want. In her presentation, she spoke of seeing the final remaining white rhinoceroses in captivity before they died, leaving the species extinct, and feeling a kinship with the animals - a reminder, she said, of how mankinds ignorance and lack of empathy can destroy fellow creatures. In that vein of reaching out to non-Jewish populations and remembering those who were lost, Friedman said that one of the best ways to reach people is through apps such as TikTok. Her grandchildren have helped her set up an account on the social media app, and she can be found on @tovatok sharing stories and outreach Friedman was also quick to add that some people cannot be reached, and indeed are not worth trying to convince - when asked how to deal with those who might deny the Holocaust, for example, Friedman said ignore them. Dont put them on television, dont let them speak. Let them die [off]. For everyone else who might buy into stereotypes or make assumptions about minority groups, Friedman had simple advice: Get to know people, especially the people you have bad ideas about. Friedman also spoke briefly about her work as a trauma-informed therapist, noting that traumas can range across a wide spectrum of incidents, and their impact and specifics vary wildly. Something that has helped her process her own trauma and grief is events like this one, where he helps remember those who were killed, and hopefully educate others to bridge communities and prevent the kind of bigotry that led to the Holocaust. We have much more resilience than we think we do, Friedman said. What healed me is to talk about it, share it, and work with other people with trauma. To be in a position to leave this world a little bit of a better than when you found it, then your trauma wont be completely enveloping you. Anna Shay, star of Netflix reality show Bling Empire, has died unexpectedly at 62 years old, according to media reports. It saddens our hearts to announce that Anna Shay, a loving mother, grandmother, charismatic star, and our brightest ray of sunshine, has passed away at the early age of 62 from a stroke, Shays family confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE. Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things. Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but never forgotten. The half-Japanese and half-Russian reality star has been featured on the show since its inception in 2021 and quickly became a fan favorite. As her profile grew, fans became increasingly intrigued by the mystery surrounding her extreme wealth. But it was later revealed by NBC that the reality stars father was the founder of Pacific Architects and Engineers, a global contractor for American defense services which dates back to the 1960s. Shay and her brother sold their fathers company in 2006 for $1.2 billion, according to Tatler, who profiled Shay last year. The show has had 3 seasons, where it follows a group of extremely wealthy Asian American socialites residing in Los Angeles who introduce viewers to their lifestyle shrouded in luxury, USA Today reported. But to Shay, she didnt anticipate the shows success or the popularity that would come as a result of her time on the platform. I wasnt even expecting to be in front of the camera, Shay told PEOPLE in 2021. Im very shy and I went along with whatever situation was happening. I was just being me. In the most recent season of the show, which aired in October, Shay was seen advising her other costars that regardless of finding fame and their lavish lifestyles, There are more things in life than superficial [expletive]. The Bling Empire star married four times and kept her ex-husbands identities out of the spotlight and held a private life. She leaves behind her son Kenny Kemp along with grandchildren, whose identities are unknown, according to reports. Read More: A 67-year-old man was killed and a 1-year-old child was hospitalized as a result of a crash that happened in Washington County Sunday night. The incident occurred around 10:50 p.m. along the eastbound lanes of I-70 in Washington, according to reports from WTAE, WPXI and KDKA. State police told the news outlets that two vehicles were traveling alongside of one another when one of them went into the others lane. Both vehicles then spun out and hit a concrete median. Thomas McCluskey, 67, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The passenger in his vehicle was not injured. The 28-year-old woman who was driving the other vehicle and her one-year-old passenger were both hospitalized. Their condition was not reported. READ MORE: 2 charged with cruelty that led to central Pa. pony requiring medical treatment A former Delaware County school bus driver was sentenced on June 1 after he admitted to taking dozens of upskirt photos and videos of female students, some of whom were as young as 6, according to news sources. Bruce Garner, 71, pled guilty on Feb. 23 to multiple sexual offenses, including an attempt at creating child pornography, unlawful contact with minors, invasion of privacy, and related crimes, for a total of 139 videos he took on his iPhone. He was arrested last year while driving for the Maple Newton School District, according to reports from 6ABC and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Garner was sentenced to 21 to 48 months of prison time and 8 years of probation. He must also register as a sex offender for 25 years, 6ABC reported. It turns out, Garners behavior came to light due to a pair of 14-year-olds who rode his bus. When the teens noticed that he was holding his phone at his side and secretly filmed him making videos of schoolgirls getting on and off the bus. The two then showed their videos to their parents, who contacted the police. When the investigation began, Garner admitted to taking the videos but downplayed how often he took them. When authorities searched his phone, a large number of upskirt videos he had made were found on the device. This wasnt just one childs word against his. This was hundreds of files of digital evidence against the defendant, Deputy District Attorney Kristen Kemp said to the Inquirer. What else are you supposed to do besides plead and beg for forgiveness under those circumstances? One mother told the Inquirer that her daughter is now afraid to ride the bus and has deep issues trusting adults. He didnt stop filming our daughter because one day he felt bad, the woman said to the outlet. He stopped because his victims took away his power. Read More: A teen facing charges in the triple-fatal shooting in Lebanon last week has been named a person of interest in the shooting death of a 12-year-old in Rochester, New York, according to local news reports. James Fernandez-Reyes, 16, is a person of interest in the November slaying of Juan Lopez in Rochester, news outlets there reported. The seventh grader was walking with another teen when he was gunned down on the sidewalk. Reyes is charged with three counts of homicide in the shooting deaths of brothers Sebastian Perez-Salome, 9, and Jesus Perez-Salome, 8, as well as Joshua Lugo Perez, 19. Police believe Lugo Perez was targeted because of a prior disagreement. The brothers were innocent bystanders playing with kittens in their yard when they were shot around 10 p.m., on May 30. Lebanon County District Attorney Peer Hess Graff said last week she is seeking the death penalty against Alex Torres Santos, 22, the second suspect in the shooting. Rochester police said an arrest warrant for Reyes for illegal gun possession was issued in September. They said he received an appearance notice but fled the area, news outlets reported. A statement from the Rochester Police Department said the agency is working with law enforcement in Lebanon. The Terrible Trolley, a salute to the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty, is back home in western Pennsylvania after spending 25 years with a collector in Ohio. Last week, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington County said it had acquired the former Port Authority of Allegheny County trolley car that once traversed streets painted in black and gold and championing the Steelers four Super Bowl victories capping the 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979 seasons. Since then, the Steelers have won two more Super Bowls. Built in 1949 by the St. Louis Car Co., the trolley car was put into service that same year on a line running from downtown Pittsburgh to Washington, Pa., about a 28-mile trip, and Charleroi a few miles farther, Scott Becker, CEO and executive director of the museum, told PennLive. Those lines were abandoned in 1953, but the car still serviced Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The trolley car was retired in 1988 by the Port Authority, now known as Pittsburgh Regional Transit, but returned to service a year later before being retired for good in 1998, said Becker. How the Terrible Trolley found its way home started with museum volunteers researching photos for a story proposed by a local TV station. Someone mentioned that the Terrible Trolley was in Ohio so Becker called the owner and learned that he had recently sold the property and building that housed the car, which Becker said is in fairly decent shape. A deal was quickly struck and the trolley car arrived at the museum on May 31. Becker said the Steelers have been very supportive by giving permission to use their logo, which will once again adorn the Terrible Trolley when its repainted as it looked in the 1980s. After an evaluation process is completed and the Terrible Trolley is operational, it will run on the museums 4-mile roundtrip track, which includes sections of the original line it would have run on in the 1950s, Becker said. Its definitely a priority project for us, he said. Becker told KDKA-TV that the trolley car would be accurately repainted thanks to the help of several entities. We got permission from the Steelers, the Eamon Foundation, which owns the rights to the Terrible Towel since this is called the Terrible Trolley, and also the NFL, he said. The Terrible Trolley as it looks now after being acquired by the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. Photo courtesy of Scott Becker, Pa. Trolley Museum. Becker also said the history of the Terrible Trolley began with a 9-year-old girl named Kim Sever who came up with the idea and wrote to then-Pittsburgh Mayor Richard Caliguiri in January 1980, telling him the city should paint a terrible trolley to recognize the Steelers accomplishments. A week later, the Port Authority had approved the plan. KDKA interviewed Sever, now a New Jersey resident, who said shes pleased with her role in Pittsburgh history. I love the idea that Im provable, verified responsible for the existence of the Terrible Trolley, she said. It makes me happy. As survivors of child sexual abuse gathered on the front steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol to advocate for the passage of legislation allowing legal action against sexual abusers, Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks County, offered a fitting opening remark: Here we go again. He was alluding to the long battle that he and others in the General Assembly have fought to pass legislation which would open a two-year window of justice for survivors to bring civil lawsuits against their abusers, regardless of whether the statute of limitations expired. Survivors from Mennonite and Amish communities attended the Monday rally to speak about sexual abuse they said is quietly spreading through their communities. Mary Byler, who was featured in the Peacock documentary Sins of the Amish, shared the story of her sexual abuse in an Amish community in Western Pennsylvania. In those churches, I endured approximately eight years of childhood sexual abuse that is indescribable, Byler said. There are hundreds of thousands of survivors right here in Pa, and who are we, as a commonwealth, as a people, to turn our backs on the most vulnerable people, our children? Plain sect communities often teach against reporting crime to law enforcement, and the punishment of perpetrators is handled within the church. Misty Griffin, author of Tears of the Silenced, a memoir of her Amish childhood filled with sexual abuse, said that for some sexual abusers, their only punishment is six weeks of shunning. When Audrey Kauffman, who was Amish at the time, realized that her husband was abusing her daughters, she reported the abuse, filed for divorce and got a restraining order. Her life became what she called a living hell, while her ex-husband continued in the Amish community. When I came forward with the truth, and I reported the abuse, the harassment from the community was shocking. They did everything they possibly could to silence me, to shut us down, and to invalidate our truth, Kauffman said. We can do better. We can do a lot better. And for as progressive as we are as a state, we shouldve done better a long time ago for the sake of innocent children in subcultures of religion who have no voices. For their sake, I ask you today to pass these bills. " Often, when Mennonite and Amish survivors are ready to report abuse, they are told that the statute of limitations prevents them from seeking justice against their perpetrator, allowing more children to fall victim to sexual abuse, Griffin said. Right now, whats happening? Were failing children, founder of CHILD USA Marci Hamilton said. Parents do not know about the predators in this state. Organizations are happily supporting the abusers. The cost of the abuse right now in this state is being worn by the victims, their families and Medicaid. Hamilton is a law and religious studies scholar, in addition to her involvement with CHILD USA, a nonprofit advocating for child abuse victims rights. Rozzi, who has been outspoken about his experience as a survivor of clergy sexual abuse as a young teen, has worked with CHILD USA and other organizations to raise awareness of this quest for justice for childhood sexual abuse survivors. His openness led Lydia Rendon, a former member of a plain sect community, to seek justice against her father, who sexually abused her for more than a decade. She contacted Rozzis district office after reading his story in the newspaper, and the office put her in contact with law enforcement. For her, the statute of limitations had not expired and her father was incarcerated for 63 to 155 years. I still have nightmares. I still wake up terrified, but I dont know what I would do if I didnt know that he wasnt going to break in and kill all of us, if I didnt know that I was safe now, if I had to wonder what other children he was still abusing, Rendon said. This is what we survivors need. We need justice, we need safety so that we can begin to start healing, and we need to know that our predators will never again harm another child. Various bills to help survivors have been approved by the House and Senate separately, but they have been unable to agree on the language. A constitutional amendment was slated to be on the ballot for voters to approve in 2021, but the Department of State failed to correctly advertise the proposal. Already this year, the Democratic-controlled House passed five bills providing relief for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. One of them included a Senate-passed package of proposed constitutional amendments that also included a proposal to change the regulatory approval process and another that would require voters to produce identification at every election. The House stripped out those other proposals before passing it last month. All five bills are now sitting idle in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana County, has said the standalone window bills are dead on arrival in the GOP-controlled chamber. He said the package of proposed amendments that the Senate passed, which reflected two other of his caucus priorities, was the final time he intends for the chamber to deal with the issue. But on Monday, advocates for this amendment indicated they are not giving up. This is not just some idea or some policy, but this is about real peoples lives, Rep. LaTasha Mayes D-Allegheny said. Its a new day in Harrisburg. Its a new day in the House of Representatives where we prioritize the safety of children. MIAMISayUncle has selected Italian performer Johnny Viper as the SayUncle AllStar of the Month for June, which is celebrated worldwide as Pride Month. In his SayUncle AllStar scene, The Italian Dancer, Viper portrays a straight flamenco dancer who travels to Malaga, Spain for a show. Upon arriving at his Airbnb, he is surprised to find Jax Thirio, another guest who rented the same place. From the moment they meet, Thirio starts flirting with Viper, hoping to charm him with his more American allure. However, Thirio's advances are not the only ones Viper encounters. In the streets of Malaga, Viper catches the attention of Austin Ponce, a passionate fan of his work. Ponce wastes no time in expressing his attraction to Viper. As Viper navigates the vibrant city, he realizes that Malaga holds a wild and enticing allure, urging him to embrace his desires for both Thirio and Ponce. For more, visit SayUncle.com and follow the brand on Twitter @sayunclenetwork and Instagram @thesayunclenetwork. Brandon Semenuk - Fool's Gold: Airplane Mode: Hannah Barnes - Motherhood: Milton McConville - Side Hits 003: Ride Or Die: Craig Evans & Josh Lewis - Thirsty: Cadence: Phil Atwill - Coronet Peakin: Life Of A Privateer - Zoe Cuthbert: Only A Ride - Teaser: Joe Rich - Perspective 0003: Gary Young & Corey Martinez - Guest List: Robin Bourhis - WeThePeople 2023: Ace Pelka - No Parking: Jamie Foy & Crew Take Over New Orleans: Volcom's "Barci Bash" Video: De Passage: A Skier Knows - Spirit Of Alaska: Daughter Of The Sea - Sisterhood In The Sea: Mother Of The Dawn: These days finding a fresh and captivating location to shoot a mountain bike edit requires the stars to align. But Brandon Semenuk seems to have it down to a science. Enjoy Brandons latest project, Fools Gold. Video: Isaac Wallen.The story of Airplane Mode. A trail in Squamish built by OneUp Components employees. Video: Scott Secco.Hannah Barnes shares an inside look at her home life, as well as her candid thoughts on motherhood, the importance of presence, her passion and history with mountain bikes, and fostering a love for the outdoors in the next generation of little riders.When you hit the dirt as hard as Milton does you gotta be prepared. I'm not talking about body-slamming the earth (although that does happen). I'm talking about when he comes bombing down the trail the berms squirm and the roots run. JK, they stay in place due to the laws of gravity. But if they could move I bet they would appreciate a heads up so they could run and hide to avoid getting forcefully displaced by the hefty dose of inertia Milton drives through his bike.A classic starring Ryan Howard, Curtis Robinson, Dylan Dunkerton, Paul Genovese, Logan Peat, and Owen Marks.Craig and Loose go hit up Dyfi Bike Park for a couple of days to bring you this edit. Expect fast speeds and Welsh dust. Cheers to the Dyfi crew for having us.Wesley and I filmed this over the past few months. with the goal of capturing the rhythm involved with riding in these conditions. Hope you enjoy it!Those poor berms never stood a chance.The commitment, graft, and passion it takes to race self-supported at the highest level fills us with admiration, and the wild stories that emerge are always worth a listen. In this episode of Life Of A Privateer, were sharing the story of Zoe Cuthbert, Canberras Queen of Cross-Country.A documentary about Anthony Boussetta's superhuman 10 peak ride."Never let the feeling fade and never let the rest get in the way." The idea is simple enough, but there are precious few that have made a lifetime of decisions based on the pure feeling after that first day of BMX. Joe Rich stands as a beacon to all who romanticize uncompromising ideals, passion to seek what matters regardless of cost; definitive independence. He's not trying to be an example, it was just never an option to become anything other than the man he is. Earnest living like that will never fade - It is the way.Gary Young and Corey Martinez on the guest list enjoying a private sesh at the ramps. Video: Scott Marceau,We're loving this new one from Wethepeople's Robin Bourhis. Full blast and heaps of style! "I consider this video a recollection of souvenirs from six months of filming across Europe with the best people and I hope that youll enjoy it as much as we enjoyed filming it. Thank you so much to everyone for providing me with a place to crash in every city I ended up going to. Thank you to everyone involved in this project. You know who you are, and I do too!'' - Robin Bourhis.Ace Pelka shows us that No Parking means all the fun. Watch as Ace serves us yet another master class in the art of curb crushing in this third instalment of his slap happy shredding. Video: Brent Hyden.Jamie "Big Boy Foy" hits the Big Easy with a stacked crew of pros to skate the sights and session the custom airport park build at Red Bull Terminal Takeover. Roll through NOLA with Foy, Brandon Valjalo, Maurio McCoy, Sean O'Connor, Jake Wooten, and our local host Jordan Trahan for some classic Louisiana skate flavour.From a bloody hubba to a damn Jet Ski in the pool, Volcoms international roster goes absolutely insane in Spain. Simon Bannerot guides you through it.Shot on location in Tahiti, South Africa, Australia, Indonesia, and Bali, the film was inspired by me sitting digging way too deep into Jaques Cousteau documentaries from the 60's... hence the creative direction and sound sampling.There is a feeling that is shared with skiers all over the world. Its nothing you can teach, learn, or explain. Its something you feel. Something you know. It stops you from sleeping during a snowstorm - knowing that fresh powder awaits you. It gives you the urge to continue hiking up the mountain when everyone else is stopping at the top of the ski lift. It hits you when looking back at your line at the bottom of a run, wanting to go back up and do it again. Its a different way of looking at the world and something only A Skier Knows.For Jaeyoun Kim, the ocean is more than a connection to family; its a path to healing. Patagonia Films Daughter Of The Sea follows Jaeyoun, who leaves her island home in South Korea to pursue a more traditional career path in Seoul. But as her mental health begins to unravel and depression sets in, she decides to join the haenyeo, Jeju Islands famed women of the sea. For centuries, these free divers and fisherwomensome in their 80shave dived more than 30 feet to gather seafood for their families and villages. Following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, Jaeyoun learns what it means to become a haenyeo and why returning to the ocean ultimately saves her. Content Warning: This film includes discussions of depression and suicide. While we have done our best to explore these topics conscientiously, remember that we are looking through the lens of a single persons experience. Please take care of yourself as you watch and find support if you are struggling with these topics.In the early 1950s, in a remote corner of Brazil, a female truck driver named Tia Neiva started having visions of extraterrestrial spirits; shortly after, she began to gain a following, which led to her creation of a religion called Vale do Amanhecer (Valley of the Dawn) which practices various elements of Christianity, Spiritism, Umbanda, and religious beliefs in UFOs. In our documentary, Mother of the Dawn, we explore how this religion came to have 800,000 followers, but is virtually unheard of to the rest of the world.Photo: Margus Riga When 1,006 players returned for Day 2 of Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions at the 2023 WSOP at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, much of the focus was on the mystery bounty element of the tournament, with two $1,000,000 bounties up for grabs. Through the course of the day's play, the majority of the big bounties were scooped up as Shant Marashlian and Patrick Liang both became millionaires when they pulled the two seven figure scores out of the chest on the main stage. Now, coming into the third and final day, just 30 players remain from a starting field of 18,188 and all of the attention will be on the $1,000,000 first place prize. Several notables were able to navigate their way to the latter stage of the tournament, including Chris Hunichen (30,200,000), one of the better players yet to win a WSOP bracelet, as well as Dan Shak (14,300,000) who, with a stack of a little over 10 big blinds, will have his work cut out for him. Top 10 Chip Counts Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Guang Chen United States 64,000,000 53 2 Steven Thompson Costa Rica 52,300,000 44 3 Jaime Madrigal United States 45,200,000 38 4 Christian Roberts Venezuela 41,200,000 34 5 Ryan McKnight United States 40,200,000 34 6 Jonah Labranche United States 32,600,000 27 7 Tram Pham United States 31,300,000 26 8 Chris Hunichen United States 30,200,000 25 9 Tyler Brown United States 28,300,000 24 10 Gareth Devereux United Kingdom 27,100,000 23 Day 3 begins today, June 5th at 12 p.m. and will initially take place in the Paris Black section but may be moved to the TV table over at the Horseshoe once the field is down to the final table. Play resumes at the start of Level 38 with blinds of 600,000/1,200,000 with a 1,200,000 big blind ante. Action will then continue until a winner is crowned in this, the largest $1,000 buy in tournament of all time. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews as its live reporting team provides updates throughout the day to find out who will become the third millionaire crowned in a single tournament in addition to taking home a coveted gold bracelet. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Trump requested that Attorney General Merrick Garland meet with his lawyers, but Garland did no such thing. Video: Attorney General Merrick Garland did not meet with Trump's lawyers. pic.twitter.com/8gEto5RriV Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) June 5, 2023 MSNBC reported, Its our understanding the attorney general was not a part of this meeting despite the former presidents attorney asking to get a meeting with him. They did not get a meeting with him today were told. All this, of course, as the investigation appears, appears I should say because not definitely, appears to be entering a final stretch. Trump Wanted Special Treatment From Garland And He Didnt Get It Trump tried to request a meeting with Merrick Garland because such a request represents the former presidents level of entitlement. Donald Trump is used to getting special treatment, so of course, he thought that the Attorney General of the United States would sit down and meet with his lawyers. Donald Trump would have loved for Attorney General Garland to get involved because then he could have used such a meeting as evidence that he was being politically targeted by President Biden. AG Garland was not going to play along with those sorts of political games. There was no chance that he was going to sit down and meet with the Trump legal team. Trump tried to go around Special Counsel Jack Smith and appeal to his boss, but Merrick Garland wasnt having it. Naval vessels assigned to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command sail in formation during a coordination training exercise in early May, 2023. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Yang Yunxiang) (Global Times) The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) handled a provocative transit in the Taiwan Straits made by US and Canadian warships on Saturday, with a Chinese destroyer reportedly forcing the US vessel to alter course by cutting in front of it, showing determination and capability in countering the provocation, experts said on Sunday. Coming against the background of the US failing to arrange a meeting between Chinese and US defense chiefs during the ongoing Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore amid rising tensions, the latest Taiwan Straits transit, led by the US, again showed the US lack of sincerity, analysts said. The US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal made a transit through the Taiwan Straits on Saturday, and the PLA Eastern Theater Command organized naval and aerial forces, tracked and monitored them through the whole course, and handled the situation in accordance with law and regulations, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, a spokesperson at the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement late on Saturday. These countries deliberately stirred up trouble and risk in the Taiwan Straits, maliciously undermined regional peace and stability and sent wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" forces, Shi said. The command troops are on high alert at all times and will take all necessary measures to firmly deal with all threats and provocations, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and regional peace and stability, the spokesperson said. Shis statement came after the US and Canada hyped their warships transit through the Taiwan Straits, including Canadian news outlet Global News releasing a video on Saturday, which showed a PLA Navy Type 052D destroyer picking up speed and cutting in front of the bow of the USS Chung-Hoon from left to right, forcing the US warship to alter course and slow down to avoid a crash as the two vessels were reportedly within 150 yards (137 meters.) The maneuvers in the Taiwan Straits share resemblances to another recent incident in which a PLA Air Force J-16 fighter jet intercepted a US RC-135 reconnaissance plane when the latter attempted to spy on the PLA Navy Shandong aircraft carrier groups routine training in the South China Sea on May 26, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday. Both incidents were caused by US provocations in sensitive regions on Chinas doorsteps, followed by US failure to listen to Chinese radio warnings, led to professional PLA tactical maneuvers, which were then hyped by Western media attempting to shift blame to China, hype China threat and pressure China on the Shangri-La Dialogue, the expert said. It showed that the US has no sincerity at all in communicating with the Chinese side, and if any accident happens, it would be the US who must shoulder the blame, the expert said. If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a second, as China must be and will be reunified, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu said at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday, also urging the US to act with sincerity, match its words with deeds and take concrete actions to work with China in the same direction to stabilize the relationship between two armies. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Former vice president Mike Pence is disliked by both supporters of Trump and the left, but the universal contempt has not stopped him from filing the paperwork to run for president. ABC News reported, Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Monday to launch his presidential campaign.The paperwork marks the start of a long-anticipated 2024 bid for Pence, which will put him in the middle of a crowded GOP primary field that also features Donald Trump, the former president Pence served under, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered by most to be Trumps most serious Republican challenger. Mike Pence Only Has One Problem: Virtually No One Likes Him Pence made it clear that he was running on Saturday when he claimed to have heard his calling from God about the 2024 campaign. If there is one thing that can be counted on in every presidential election cycle, it is that at least one Republican will say that God has told them to run for president. Usually, when a potential candidate doesnt have supporters or good polling numbers, they can always count on God to put the bug in their ear about launching a presidential campaign. Trumps supporters literally tried to kill Mike Pence on 1/6. Many in the MAGA crowd think Pence is the antichrist. Pence has no shot with the left because is a bigotry OG. Before there were Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley screaming about woke, there was Mike Pence as governor of Indiana. Pence and Sen. Tim Scott will immediately commence a holy war for evangelical voters that could end up being the battle for fourth place in the Republican primary. Mike Pence is running for president because this was always the plan, but hes got no chance of becoming the Republican nominee. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Prosecutors are suspicious about a swimming pool flood a Mar-a-Lago that destroyed video logs and other evidence related to the classified documents case. CNN reported: While its unclear if the room was intentionally flooded or if it happened by mistake, the incident occurred amid a series of events that federal prosecutors found suspicious. At least one witness has been asked by prosecutors about the flooded server room as part of the federal investigation into Trumps handling of classified documents, according to one of the sources. The incident, which has not been previously reported, came roughly two months after the FBI retrieved hundreds of classified documents from the Florida residence and as prosecutors obtained surveillance footage to track how White House records were moved around the resort. Prosecutors have been examining any effort to obstruct the Justice Departments investigation after Trump received a subpoena in May 2022 for classified documents. What a coincidence. The room where all of the video logs for the resort were kept just so happened to flood two months after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and seized hundreds of classified documents. Trump Has A History Of Destroying Documents With Water As president, Trump reportedly flushed documents down the toilet when he was done reading them, which is an illegal act that could be a felony. Since an entire video surveillance room is too big to fit down a toilet, Trump may have ordered other steps to be taken to destroy evidence. The CNN story does not mention any other rooms that were flooded during the swimming pool incident, so the idea that the only flooded room was one that potentially contained evidence against Trump should raise the suspicions of prosecutors. The Trump Organization also has a long history of destroying evidence, so this behavior would not be new or unique. If Donald Trump ordered the destruction of evidence, it could be one more charge added to the list against him by the Department of Justice. Aiken Standard Reporter Erin Weeks is a reporter with the Aiken Standard. She covers education in Aiken County. Erin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her first poetry book, "Origins of My Love," was published by Bottlecap Press in 2022. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers An Alabama man faces up to 80 years after being arrested and accused of criminal sexual conduct with two minors living in northeastern Aiken County. On June 3, deputies with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office arrested Keith Daniel Bishop, 41, of Opelika, Alabama, and charged him with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. First-degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony punishable by a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison. Third-degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a fine at the discretion of the court or both. Deputy D. Chavous reported two juveniles alleged Bishop had touched them inappropriately a few years earlier but had not done so since. He added the juveniles were unable to provide exact dates and times. The city of Aiken could be looking toward a known model as it develops plans to construct a mixed-use building in which the Savannah River National Laboratory could rent space for a workforce development center. Aiken Economic Development Director Tim O'Briant said Tuesday the presumed example the city is looking to follow for the project is how the Amentum Building was constructed and leased. The Amentum Building not to be confused with the adjacent Amentum Center for the Performing Arts is located at 106 Newberry St. S.W. In that project, the city took out a loan and constructed the building. Then, it leased the ground on which the building sits to the Aiken Corporation for a term of 99 years. In turn, the Aiken Corporation leased the building to the Washington Group and its successors. "It's been so successful," O'Briant said. O'Briant said the legal structure for the Amentum Building allows the collection of property tax revenue on the building (the city still owns the land) and the Amentum Building brings professionals to the city's downtown to work, eat and shop. Aiken Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Woltz announced earlier this year plans to use plutonium settlement funding provided to the city by the South Carolina General Assembly last year to construct a mixed-use building in which the Savannah River National Laboratory intends to lease space for a workforce development center. Woltz said the mixed-use building would be around 45,000-50,000 square feet and house around 100 Savannah River National Laboratory employees and a rotating group of faculty and students from the lab's university collaborative. The collaborative includes the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and South Carolina State University. Savannah River National Laboratory Director Vahid Majidi said the workforce development center would allow the lab to have a more direct presence in the community and help with the goal of developing a pipeline of new talent. He said only computational and administrative work would be performed there. Majidi added the facility would also host some work on non-proliferation training programs and human resources functions. He said the facility will allow for scientific and technical discussions, remote learning and teacher development. The announced proposed location of the mixed-use building that would house the workforce development center is two properties included in the failed Project Pascalis: the Holley House and Warneke Cleaners. Aiken Standard reporter Matthew Christian is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. He covers the Savannah River Site, city of Aiken and politics. Matthew previously covered government and politics for the Morning News in Florence. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of Charleston in West Virginia. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers Days after being blindsided by the PGA Tours partnership with Saudi Arabias wealth fund, Rory McIlroy put himself in position for a run at a third straight Canadian Open title. McIlroy, the strongest voice against Saudi-funded LIV Golf who said Wednesday he feels like a sacrificial lamb, shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday at Oakdale, leaving him two strokes behind leader C.T. Pan. McIlroy won in 2019 at Hamilton, then after the event was canceled for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic won last year in Toronto at St. Georges amid a flurry of LIV Golf controversy. Pan, from Taiwan, birdied the final two holes for a 66 to get to 14-under 202. He won the 2019 RBC Heritage. Read morePan leads Canadian Open, with McIlroy 2 shots back on crowded leaderboard Alponsa Breaker remembers how a group of men had a positive impact on his life in the 1970s. Now, after 45 years, he and a group of men have launched a mentorship program so young men in Aiken can have a similar experience. Breaker said he thinks it is a good opportunity for young people, and said he wants to offer opportunities that he didn't have as a young man . Michael Smith, who serves as CEO and president of the Young Kappa Foundation, said the program aims not only to provide mentorship, but also to provide STEM opportunities with local business. The Young Kappa Foundation has launched mentorship and STEM programs , with a goal being able to provide positive role models . Our ambition is to deal with youth from where they are, mentor them in business, presentations and personal skills and expose them to STEM experiences and place them in corporations, Smith said. The program will be offered at Aiken High School and open to any young man who is interested. The foundation will also use St. Gerards Catholic Church for some of its programs. The pilot program will be comprised of 10 members from sixth to 12th grade. Breaker said as the program progresses, it could include as many as 40 members. Patrick Dicks, who has a Ph.D. in science information systems and communications, will be working with the students in the STEM program and talk about the future of technology, career opportunities and artificial intelligence. He thinks Young Kappa Foundation is important for young Black men in the community. Anytime males can be mentored by older males about how things are working in the real world, its always positive, Dicks said. The foundation was started in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to honor Ervin Baxter, who was a geography teacher at Aiken High. Baxter served as a mentor to those involved in starting the Young Kappa Foundation. Young Kappa also has given away five scholarships in Baxter's name. We took these young men under our wing and tutored them, Baxter said. Baxter and other members of the fraternity mentored 44 young men at Aiken High School from 1976 to 1979 as part of a mentorship program from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity's Guide Right Program. Most of (these young men) were from lower-income families, many of them without a father figure, he said. Breaker, who serves as the foundation's vice president and mentorship coordinator, said the Young Kappas will give the young men the same experiences he had once they leave high school. We want them to be exceptional, and when they go to these corporations to intern there, they will be ready for that experience," Breaker said. Breaker said he is looking forward to what the program can bring to the lives of these students. We are very excited about where we came from, and were very excited for the future of those young men who will be participating in our program, he said. For more information, visit youngkappafoundation.com, visit its Facebook page, email YKSM@youngkappafoundation.com or Smith at 407-616-7878, or Breaker at 678-665-5146. In the summer of 2021, some of Charleston International Airport's security team and their bomb-sniffing dogs were transferred up the coast to the Grand Strand terminal when it experienced a record volume of passengers. That's when Charleston airport director Elliott Summey started thinking CHS the state's busiest terminal might need a backup in case of equipment failure at the security checkpoint. He reached out to David McMahon, Transportation Security Administration director for South Carolina's airports, to see if they could work together to bring more explosive-detecting dogs to the Lowcountry, even if CHS had to pay for the canines and their handlers. U.S. Homeland Security officials signed off on the idea, and on June 5 officials from Charleston airport and TSA announced the unique canine collaboration. CHS-owned dogs and their airport-employed handlers will work side by side with TSA teams to detect explosives. "It's the only program like it in the country," Summey said. "What's important to us is to maintain a high level of security while enhancing the passenger experience." The addition of two new explosive-detecting dogs and their handlers is funded completely by Charleston County Aviation Authority at an upfront cost of about $350,000. The price includes training, manpower and vehicles. Going forward, the additional help will cost the airport about $160,000 a year, Summey said. The two new dogs Boa, a German shorthaired pointer, and Ribi, a German shepherd joined the airport's security team after being rigorously trained for four months through the National Explosives Detection Canine Program at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. They had to demonstrate proficiency in all transportation venues, including airport, freight, cargo, baggage, vehicle, bus, ferry and rail. Adam Browning handles Boa and Angela Peterson is in charge of Ribi. Browning and Peterson are airport police officers who trained with the canines. McMahon welcomed the partnership because of the airport's ever-increasing passenger levels. Last year, a record 5.3 million people traveled through the terminal. About 5.8 million are expected this year. "This airport is growing, and it is growing very rapidly," he said. The canines and their handlers will be deployed during peak passenger times to help TSA crews. They also can be used at large gatherings in the region, Summey said. The airport's steadily increasing passenger levels will require a seventh security lane at the checkpoint. It's expected to be installed by the end of June. Also, 16 TSA officers are being sent to Charleston from around the nation to handle the expected surge in passengers during the summer, according to McMahon. Foreign ministers of the BRICS nations have been meeting in Cape Town, with South Africa hosting fellow members Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africas representative to BRICS Ambassador Anil Sooklal has hinted that the grouping is set to grow bigger this year with more than 30 countries having formally and informally applied to join the alliance. The development will come as a blow to the United States of America and other Western nations, which will see their GDPs dwindle to that of the BRICS. Could this group of emerging economies shift the balance of global trade and power? A landmark environmental trial that was scheduled to begin in federal court in Charleston on June 5 has been postponed to give attorneys time to discuss a possible settlement. Lawyers for 3M Co. and a small city in Florida requested the delay Sunday, saying they are making "material and significant progress toward a resolution" and it would be more productive for them to try to hammer out an agreement in the high-profile "forever chemicals" case. The two sides have been working with a court-appointed outside mediator since October and "have negotiated in good faith," they said. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel approved the indefinite delay Monday, shortly before jury selection was to begin. He said he was "firmly persuaded" that the pause was "in the interest of all of the parties to this litigation and is in the interest of justice." He asked for a weekly updates with a final report due in 21 days. He will reschedule the case for trial and won't delay it further unless a binding settlement is reached. In late 2018, Gergel was assigned the task of overseeing the mounting number of lawsuits from around the nation and preparing the first case to be presented to a jury. The litigation centers on a class of man-made and nearly indestructible chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other health ailments after seeping into drinking-water systems across the U.S. and beyond. One of the primary manufacturers was 3M. For decades, the Minnesota-based industrial company, DuPont and others made or sold the water-, stain- and heat-resistant chemicals for use in an assortment of everyday products, from Teflon-coated cookware to care-free carpeting. The perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS also were a key ingredient in a widely used suppressant that firefighters sprayed on the ground for decades. More than 4,000 lawsuits from around the nation have since been consolidated at the J. Waties Waring Judicial Center at Meeting and Broad streets. Most allege that the chemicals infiltrated the soil and contaminated public and private drinking-water sources below. A complaint filed by the small beach community of Stuart, Fla., was selected as the first case to go to trial in downtown Charleston. The city of about 18,000 residents is seeking about $115 million to pay for several public water projects. On Friday, three other defendants, including DuPont, agreed to settle the South Carolina litigation by paying nearly $1.19 billion into a compensation fund. They still face similar lawsuits elsewhere. COLUMBIA A historic building on the University of South Carolina's campus is getting a $5 million touch-up thanks to a grant from the National Park Service. South Carolina is receiving $8 million from NPS to help preserve landmarks significant to the civil rights movement, including the auditorium building for the former Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia. U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-Columbia, announced the grant on June 5, expressing excitement over NPS's "continued dedication to preserving the history of African Americans in South Carolina and throughout the country." Now a lecture hall at USC, the 100-year-old Washington High School building will have $5 million of the grant money going to its rehabilitation. For years, it was the largest public high school in the state for Black students. Donors to the Washington High School Foundation, which maintains an alumni association and doles out scholarships, described the school as as "a center for the education and training of young African Americans of Columbia," from its 1916 founding to its 1974 closing (and acquisition by USC) after public schools desegregated. The main class building was razed in 1974 and the gymnasium met the same fate in 1999. The auditorium building is the last Washington High facility standing, and it also currently houses USC's Center for Civil Rights History and Research. The Washington building is one of five landmarks in the state slated for preservation projects funded by NPS, with $750,000 dedicated to preserving each of the other four two in Orangeburg, one in Sumter and one in the roughly 2,000-person Greenwood County town of Ninety Six. Sumter and Ninety Six both have similar preservation projects in the works. The Lincoln High School Preservation Alumni Association is using the funds to preserve the 86-year-old Lincoln High building, where Black students attended school until integration in 1969. The South Carolina Rural Education Grassroots Group in Ninety Six will use its $750,000 to develop preservation plans for the former Edgewood School, which was built in 1953 as an "equalization school," or a school for Black students touted to have the same facilities and resources as White schools to reinforce segregation. It now serves as the Edgewood Community Center. In Orangeburg, the same amount of money will go toward repairs to Trinity United Methodist Church and to preserving All Star Bowling Lanes, where protests against racial discrimination by S.C. State University were met with resistance from authorities and ultimately led to the deadly event known as the Orangeburg Massacre. The African American civil rights grant program was established with a goal of funding "a broad range of planning, development, and research projects for historic sites including: survey, inventory, documentation, interpretation, education, architectural services, historic structure reports, preservation plans, and 'bricks and mortar' repair, according to NPS. It is imperative that we continue to protect and celebrate the places, people, and stories of one of the greatest struggles in American history," Clyburn said. Click here for more news from Columbia, S.C. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Thunderstorms, accompanied by locally heavy rainfall at times. High 86F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.. Tonight Thunderstorms, some locally heavy early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. MOUNT PLEASANT Two women with a shared name and shared memories laughed on a gray Sunday morning. And no mistake about it the atmosphere on June 4 was as gloomy as the low-hanging clouds. But a social networking app, a meet-and-greet brunch and, of all things, a spoonful of mustard started the two friends on a path to Memorial Waterfront Park, where they met with around 50 other people to honor a friend whose death they are stilling mourning more than a month after her passing. Alexis Cunliffe and Alexis Jost joined the group before walking across the Ravenel Bridges 13,200-foot span. Organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the walk was in response to the April 28 death of Samantha Miller. A close friend of Cunliffe and Jost, Miller was the 34-year-old newlywed killed by a drunk driver only hours after her Folly Beach wedding. The woman accused of killing her, Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, of James Island, remains in the Al Cannon Detention Center. She is charged with reckless homicide and three counts of driving under the influence with great bodily injury or death. Komoroski faces up to 25 years in prison for each DUI count and up to 10 years in prison if shes found guilty of reckless homicide. The Charleston event June 4 coincided with a 350-person walk at Pineville Lake Park near Millers hometown of Charlotte. Cunliffe and Jost's friendship with Miller started when they connected on the Bumble app about 18 months ago. Its a tool they said was perfect for making new friends, especially since they'd relocated to the Lowcountry and were still figuring their way around the area. Cunliffe relocated from Columbia to Johns Island in 2020, while Jost moved to West Ashley almost two years ago. Miller had moved to Charleston County in September 2021. The three decided to have an introductory brunch at Virginias on King. So Alexis had really bad acid reflux that day, Cunliffe said. Sam said If you eat a spoonful of mustard itll make it go away.' We have a really funny video of it. I said Sam, this is a really good impression' , Jost laughed. That spoonful of mustard mightve only relieved Jost for like two minutes but the friendships that developed lasted. We hung out as much as we could, Jost said. Wed go for walks after work and then wed go out for wine night. Shed introduce me to places on Johns Island or Folly Beach that were like hidden. We had a group chat, wed talk often." The two attended Millers wedding to Aric Hutchinson, an event they said culminated weeks of hand wringing by Miller. Were all adults and we have jobs and Sam was really stressed about the wedding," Jost said. "We actually didnt hang out with her as much as we wanted to because she was so stressed out about the wedding. But we made the most of the time we had. Participants for the walk in Miller's honor included other friends and family, but also strangers who felt an unspoken bond or connection to her story. That was the case for Alana Long, who learned of Miller only because of the circumstances in which she died. Impaired driving has also affected Long's life. The 38-year-old was 29 weeks pregnant when she was struck by Joseph Sinclair, Jr., on May 27, 2020. Sinclair had a lengthy history of drunk driving and was driving on a suspended license that afternoon. He registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.226 after the collision that killed a passenger in his car and forced Long to have a miscarriage as a result of the impact. Sinclair received an eight-year prison sentence in January. Long, meanwhile, continues to move on from that fateful Wednesday afternoon, including serving on the board of South Carolinas MADD chapter. She said she uses it as both a vehicle to prevent more tragedies and as a support system when it comes to reconciling her own pain. When I did see Sams story, it was devastating and, obviously, the nation felt that way, as well, Long said. I really wanted to be a part of it and was thankful to see how much of the community came out to support her and to support MADD. I absolutely wanted to be a part of it. Thats part of the whole MADD community, really, and part of why Im so drawn to it," she added. "People just understand what Im going through. It really has helped me so much in dealing with my grief and having purpose. The civil rights lawsuit filed against North Augusta Department of Public Safety last spring has been moved to federal court. The lawsuit was originally filed in Aiken County Court of Common Pleas; it was transferred to U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina on May 26 due to the federal nature of the questions posed in the lawsuit. The case brought by attorneys for Allen Michael Johnson on May 18, 2022, claims that officers with North Augusta Public Safety held Johnson on a homicide charge for nearly two years despite having evidence within days of his arrest that proved Johnson did not commit the murder. Read: Allen Michael Johnson v. North Augusta Public Safety, et al Attorneys for Allen Michael Johnson filed a civil rights complaint against North Augusta Department of Public Safety last spring. The case has The lawsuit also alleges that the four North Augusta officers named in the complaint further violated Johnson's civil rights by listening in on a confidential meeting between Johnson and his attorney. The officers, according to the complaint, knew Allen was in a private, privileged, confidential conversation with his attorney but secretly and surreptitiously listened in (on) Allens conversation with his lawyer. Defendants conduct toward Johnson while he was detained was grossly negligent and violated state and federal law, the complaint reads. Johnson is seeking damages for the mental anguish and lack of freedom that resulted from the alleged detention, prosecution, and other violations of his rights by the North Augusta Defendants. Read: North Augusta Public Safety response to the Johnson complaint Attorneys for North Augusta Department of Public Safety, et al filed a response to the lawsuit last June. Attorneys for North Augusta Public Safety denied all allegations in a response filed last June. At all times relevant to the actions alleged in the Complaint, these Defendants acted in good faith and without bad faith or malicious motive, the response reads. Defendants' actions toward Johnson, according to the response, reflected "a proper exercise of authority and/or duty, were authorized by law, were taken or made in good faith, with probable cause, without malice, in the exercise of due care, and were reasonable and justified under the circumstances." The month-long pause in the State Ports Authority's request to rezone and redevelop Union Pier should give all sides enough breathing room to try to figure out how this incredibly important opportunity to reuse a 64-acre waterfront parcel can be re-envisioned and advanced in a way that will Read moreEditorial: Without a reset at Union Pier, more disputes could follow for Ports Authority Nikki Haley took advantage of a prime-time CNN town hall to promote why she should lead the GOP ticket in 2024 even as polls show a large majority of her party's primary voters are more interested in former President Donald Trump or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Her strategy? Make a strong case on foreign policy, play up accomplishments as governor of South Carolina and show compassion on tough social issues. Haley did take aim at the two Republican frontrunners, admonishing Trump for calling the attack on Jan. 6, 2021, a "beautiful day" and castigating DeSantis as a hypocrite for his ongoing feud with Disney. Here are five takeaways from Haley's June 4 CNN town hall moderated by Jake Tapper. 1. No specifics on abortion restrictions While Haley said she believes there is a "federal role" when it comes to abortion, she refused to answer direct questions about what she thinks would be a reasonable restriction. That included declining to say whether she would support a six-week abortion ban like the one recently signed into law in South Carolina. Asked directly about whether she had an opinion on it, Haley deflected. "But why?" Haley pushed back, telling Tapper she would answer the question when the media asks President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris about whether they support abortions at 37, 38 or 39 weeks. Without getting into specific time parameters, Haley suggested there are areas of consensus, like banning late-term abortions, encouraging adoptions, making contraceptives more widely available and not jailing women who have abortions. "Cant we start there? Because what the politicos and what the media have done is theyve made you demonize the situation when its so personal that we have to humanize the situation," Haley said. Our goal should always be, how do we save as many babies as we can, and support as many mothers as we do it. A new poll from Winthrop University shows how divisive and politically polarizing the issue is for South Carolinians. According to numbers released June 5, some 37 percent of adults in the Palmetto State support a ban on most abortions after six weeks compared to 43 percent of adults who oppose it. The results are based on contacts with 1,051 adults in South Carolina and carry an error margin of +/- 3.02 percent. 2. A foreign policy hawk emerges and finds contrast Haley dinged DeSantis, who in the past has called Russia's invasion of Ukraine a "territorial dispute," and criticized Trump for his refusal to say whether Ukraine should win the war. "For them to sit there and say that this is a territorial dispute, that's just not the case," Haley said. "To say that we should stay neutral, it is in the best interests of America. It's in the best interests of our national security for Ukraine to win." When asked about Trump congratulating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week after the country was elected to the World Health Organizations executive board, Haley tore into her former boss. "I don't think we ever should congratulate dictators," she continued. "Congratulate our friends. Don't congratulate our enemies. It emboldens them when we do that." 3. In DeSantis-Disney dispute, Haley finds an opening Haley described the Florida governors ongoing fight with Disney as a sign of hypocrisy and criticized him using public funds to pursue a private grudge via what could be costly lawsuits. "All this vendetta stuff? We've been down that road," Haley said, in a swipe that took aim at both DeSantis and Trump. 4. Haley's go-to line: 'Let's be honest' If there's one sentence Haley leaned on more than any other, it was "Let's be honest." Haley deployed the line or some variation of it some nine times during the evening, often to insinuate someone wasn't being forthright with voters. One area she used it was on Social Security and entitlement reform. "We cant keep kicking this can down the road. And I know that Trump and DeSantis have both said we're not going to deal with entitlement reform. Well, all you're doing is leaving it for the next president, and thats leaving a lot of Americans in trouble," Haley said. "I think its important to be honest with the American people. We are in this situation. Dont lie to them and say, oh, we dont have to deal with entitlement reform. Yes, we do." But when Tapper asked Haley for some honesty of her own about what retirement age she would want to see, Haley admitted she didn't have an answer. "We'd have to do the calculations. We'd have to figure out," Haley said. Tapper replied, "You're an accountant." "I am an accountant," Haley shot back with a smile. "And you know what accountants do? Accountants do their homework and they make sure that, when they do something, they do it right or they don't do it. So I'm not going to give you a false number." 5. Her retelling of the Charleston church shooting glossed over key element Haley detailed how she led South Carolina through the aftermath of the 2015 mass shooting at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church and brought leaders of both parties together to bring down the Confederate battle flag from the Statehouse grounds. But when it came to addressing the root cause of the mass shooting, she did not call it what a courtroom confirmed: A hate crime. "We had that horrific shooting in Charleston that killed nine amazing souls, and it happened at a time where it was on the heels of Ferguson," Haley said, adding, "I was so worried our state was going to fall apart. And the national media came in and they wanted to make it about race." The murderer who walked into downtown Emanuel AME Church was a self-avowed white supremacist who authored a manifesto describing his racist views and desire to kill Black people. He was found guilty on 33 counts of federal hate crime charges and sentenced to death. PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-05 18:15:30 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 544 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Eric Javits LLC, whose hats, shoes, and bags embody elegance with gentility married to function, is deepening its expansion across Europe and Asia. The company, made famous for its creation of the Squishee hat, has established strategic distribution centers in the Netherlands and has also opened its first brick-and-mortar stores in Seoul, Korea, with plans for additional locations in Busan and Daegu. In moving into the next phase of global market penetration, Eric Javits LLC's goal is to make hat wearing viable for more women and men in the 21st century.Eric Javits, headquartered in New York City Eric Javits LLC first introduced the Squishee hat in 1995 after its creator, Eric Javits, noticed that women avoided wearing hats because of the perception that they were fragile and not cohesive with a modern lifestyle. Within a year, the company had created a straw-like material that was lightweight and flexible and that could be made into a hat that sprang back to its original shape after being rolled up. Since the launch of the Squishee hat, Eric Javits LLC has been bringing its down-to-earth, glamorous look to markets around the world.The new distribution centers are part of the company's 2023 plans for meeting a growing demand in the European market by reducing delivery times, improving service quality, and anticipating the needs of European consumers."We are pleased by the global recognition of our brand and are happy to increase our ability to serve lovers of the Eric Javits brand across Western and Eastern Europe," says Javits. "We welcome our new employees in the distribution centers to our international team, and we are confident that they will help us to succeed in the competitive world of European fashion and make our brand even stronger." To cater to diverse markets and increase the universal appeal of its products, Eric Javits LLC has also opened its first stores in Seoul, Korea, i. Korea, recognized as a fashion-forward and luxury-oriented market, is a strategic location that may help increase the company's brand visibility and acceptance.A new Eric Javits storefront in Seoul, Korea "We celebrate the grand opening of our latest stores, and we thank our employees and partners for working hard to provide an immersive brand experience to our customers," Javits says. "It is exciting to bring the Eric Javits look to Koreans in stores and to go beyond online interaction." As 2023 continues, Eric Javits LLC plans to further extend its presence in Asia in recognition of the region's rapidly growing luxury goods market. The company aims to not only spread its brand but to contribute to local economies through job creation and investment. No matter the market, it will remain dedicated to providing men and women with intelligent luxury and accessory designs that are charming and fun to wear.Eric Javits LLC, a global brand, was created by artist Eric Javits to enrich the fashion accessories industry with accessories that are both glamorous and durable. The company's trademark, the Squishee hat, is known across the world for its advanced fibers and elegant style. To learn more about Eric Javits LLC, please visit its website or contact:Dario Markovic+1.929.392.3250dario@ ericjavits.com SOURCE: Eric Javits LLC An 80-megawatt solar farm in southwest Montana should be coming online by months end. Electric cooperatives contract with Montana's largest solar project An 1,100-acre solar project slated for Baker secured a contract Wednesday to sell power to Basin Electric Power Cooperative and its Montana members. Boise-based Clenera told Montana Lee Newspapers recently that the companys 600-acre solar array is in its final phase before launching within weeks. The array located along U.S. Interstate 15 near Dillon is the second Montana project of this size and doubles the amount of commercial solar production in the state. They have to run a bunch of tests to be sure everything is working right, but it should be producing by the end of June or July, said Krista West, of Clenera. BLM eyes solar development in Montana "Developing on federal land, theres seven years that goes up in smoke just in environmental studies and negotiations, said one solar developer. The Apex solar project will provide power to NorthWestern Energy. Utility-scale solar developments have faced years-long challenges securing contracts with Montanas largest monopoly utility but have done so by using a 1978 federal law requiring regulated utilities to offer contracts for small renewable energy facilities that qualify. There have been successful lawsuits against both NorthWestern and Montanas Public Service Commission about contract and pricing obligations required by the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act. In 2019, the Montana Supreme Court backed a lower court ruling that Montanas Public Service Commission had shortened solar contracts from 25 years to 15 and set prices to uneconomic levels, knowing the solar industry would be harmed. Over 25 years, Apex should produce $15 million in tax revenue for Beaverhead County and $3.4 million for the state of Montana, according to Clenera. Earlier, Clenera indicated Apex would produce enough variable electricity to power 16,000 homes. Apex is Cleneras first planned Montana project, though in 2020, it reached an agreement to build a 150-megawatt development for Basin Electric Cooperative in southeast Montana northwest of Baker. Construction on the Baker development, known as Cabin Creek Solar, was expected to start in 2022 or early 2023 but hasnt taken place. New law lowers renewables costs for rural electric co-ops As non-profits, rural electric cooperatives didnt have taxes to apply a credit to, but the new law opens up a lane for co-ops, which provide electricity to roughly 40% of Montanans. Friday, Clenera said it had no comment on why the 1,100-acre Cabin Creek development wasnt underway. Basin Electric Cooperative did not respond to interview requests placed over the last two weeks. The largest solar project currently generating electricity in Montana is the 80-megawatt MTSUN array northwest of Billings, which like Apex secured a contract through PURPA. A third, 80-megawatt solar project to be located near Trident is seeking a contract with NorthWestern Energy under PURPA. Developer Gallatin Power has petitioned the Montana Public Service Commission to set rates for the project, which would also be the first utility-scale project in Montana with battery storage. PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-05 21:30:56 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 530 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 DUBAI, UAE / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / The Blockchain Economy Summit, recognized as the world's largest blockchain conference network, is set to redefine the future of finance by bringing together key players and experts from the crypto industry. The highly anticipated 8th edition of the summit will take place over two days in Dubai on October 4-5, 2023, in Le Meridien Hotel & Convention Center, attracting the world's top crypto companies and blockchain entrepreneurs.Solidifying its position as a premier event in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, the Blockchain Economy Summit has achieved remarkable success with previous editions held in London and Istanbul earlier this year. These highly acclaimed summits have further established the event's global reputation. Notably, OKX, the World's second-largest crypto exchange, proudly serves as the Exclusive Title sponsor for all of Blockchain Economy's 2023 Summits.As Dubai rapidly emerges as a global crypto hub, the Blockchain Economy Dubai Summit will serve as the region's premier gathering, representing the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency. With participants from over 72 countries, this prestigious event offers a comprehensive program focused on the future of financial technologies, providing extensive networking opportunities for attendees."We are thrilled to be back in Dubai, a city at the forefront of embracing blockchain technology," said Servi Aman, General Manager of the Blockchain Economy Summit. "Dubai's strategic vision and commitment to innovation perfectly align with our mission to shape the future of finance. This event will spark collaboration and exploration of groundbreaking ideas, driving the crypto industry forward." The Blockchain Economy Dubai Summit will feature renowned speakers from various sectors of the crypto industry. The first lineup of notable speakers joining the event this year include:Martin Hanzl - Head of New Technologies at EY LawMatthew Sigel - Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEckMichael van de Poppe - Crypto Investor, Technical Analyst and CEO of MN TradingCharles Cheng - Ph.D, Forbes China 60Sam Blatteis - CEO of The MENA CatalystsAlex Fazel - Chief Partnership Officer at SwissBorgThese influential speakers, along with many others, will share their expertise and insights, contributing to the vibrant discussions and knowledge exchange at the summit.The summit will delve into the latest developments and trends within the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, featuring industry leaders, engaging panel discussions, and opportunities for growth and investment. With top crypto companies and blockchain entrepreneurs converging in Dubai, the event will serve as an unparalleled platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and fostering strategic partnerships.Dubai's dynamic ecosystem, progressive regulatory framework, and thriving crypto community provide the ideal backdrop for the Blockchain Economy Dubai Summit. The event aims to solidify Dubai's position as a global leader in blockchain innovation and accelerate its journey towards becoming a prominent crypto hub.For more information about the Blockchain Economy Dubai Summit and to secure your participation, please visit the below links:Early Bird Tickets: https://beconomydubai.com/tickets Sponsorships: https://beconomydubai.com/why-sponsor Discounted Hotel Booking: https://beconomydubai.com/venue Name: Blockchain Economy Dubai Summit 2023Date: October 04-05, 2023Venue: Le Meridien Hotel & Convention CenterEvent Hashtag: #BESUMMITContact address: contact@ teklip.org In case of any PR-related enquiry please contact ZEX PR WIRE at info@ zexprwire.com SOURCE: Blockchain Economy PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-05 12:00:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 370 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Industry Leader Highlights Customer-Centric Focus Toward Business GrowthDENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty has launched its first national television campaign highlighting its customer-centric focus and commitment to providing their members with the best customer experience possible. The campaign is launching during National Homeownership Month and will be featured on major national cable networks throughout the summer."Our focus continues to be on providing our members with exceptional customer service and much needed budget protection when the unexpected happens," said Ryan O'Hara, CEO of 2-10 HBW. "2-10 HBW is here to alleviate the unexpected costs of breakdowns within the home, so our members can experience the joy of homeownership." For more than 40 years, 2-10 HBW has had a rich history of protecting over 6 million homes and covers 1 in 5 new homes in the United States."The campaign illustrates the benefit 2-10 HBW brings to homeowners and why we are one of the industry's most highly regarded home service plan providers," said Keith Nyhouse, 2-10 HBW's Vice President of Marketing. "We take tremendous pride in our licensed professional contractor network and the convenience we provide our members when breakdowns happen." 2-10 HBW worked closely with Ocean Media in planning the national TV campaign and Denver, CO based creative agency Lumenati Productions.You can view the commercials, "One and Done" and "Moments," on YouTube now. Join over 6 million happy homes that include 2-10 HBW coverage by visiting 2-10.com today.About 2-10 HBW2-10 HBW is the industry-leading administrator of structural warranties and offers systems and appliances coverage for new and existing homes. Founded and based in Denver, 2-10 HBW has covered over 6 million homes with their complete line of warranties, service contracts and risk management products. Since 1980, 2-10 HBW has been a market leader in helping builders, real estate agents and homeowners protect their businesses and budgets against the unexpected. 2-10 HBW continues to partner with thousands of the nation's finest real estate professionals, home builders and service contractors. For more information about 2-10 HBW, please visit 2-10.com.Contact Information:Marc JacocksDirector of Marketing, B2Bmjacocks@2-10.com720-747-6008SOURCE: 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-05 14:10:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1164 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / T. Rowe Price:PRIDE @ T. Rowe Price, our associate-led business resource group (BRG), is hosting an event focused on how inclusive storytelling principles and active listening can help build a safer, more inclusive workplace and support the LGBTQ+ community in the ongoing struggle for inclusion and equality.As we mark Pride Month as both a personal and communal celebration of visibility, perseverance, and dignity, a few of our associates highlighted the importance of creating space to share their lived experiences as members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community.Christian Cephas, Administrative Services Team Lead, Technology Business ManagementPride to me means living life every day as my true, authentic self, without the fear or worry of the thoughts and opinions of those around me. I'm a pansexual transgender African American male, and there are so many different boxes that I don't fit into that someone meeting me for the first time would never know at first glance. And honestly, I love it because it has allowed me to enter many spaces that others like me have not been able to join to advocate and educate about the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. I take pride in the many layers of me and hope that I can continue to use my voice and platform to educate others.Emily Davidson, Brand Historian and Corporate ArchivistUntil the Bi-Visibility Day event last year, I felt invisible as an LGBTQ+ person-at work, out in the world, even within the PRIDE BRG-because I'm "just" bisexual and my partner of over five years is a man. When I'm walking down the street holding his hand, I'm being my authentic queer self, but the world sees me as just another heterosexual woman. In the past, when I've been out with a woman, I'm just another lesbian at the farmer's market. I've known who I am for a long time. I'm not confused or closeted. It's not "just a phase." So this year, I've decided to own my identity (even if no one else can see it) and accept that, yes, Pride is for me too.Mary Louise (ML) Dixon, Regional Investment Consultant, U.S. IntermediariesAll my life I've embraced my identity in communities that tend to be more resistant to change, whether it is living in affluent suburban areas of New England or spending my career in financial services. What I have found is that telling my story not only breaks down stereotypes and misconceptions for those with minimal exposure to the LGBTQ+ community, but it also provides a sense of belonging and validation for those struggling on a similar journey. In light of recent patterns of discrimination across the country, hopefully my voice can help change a few minds to broader acceptance and inclusivity. I take pride in representing a firm like T. Rowe Price that made diversity an initiative long before it was an industrywide trend.Jen Fox, Client Processing SupervisorPride Month remains, for me, a celebration of evolution and understanding in my life. From watching a good friend's mom come out in the 90s, to supporting my sister's fiance though his transition, I have been able to watch personal stories grow and bloom into beautiful lives. My own narrative was a very quiet one for a long time. Spending my teens and 20s figuring out myself and my relationship to the world as a bisexual woman was challenging, but coming to T. Rowe Price has presented me with an opportunity to not only feel confident in my own sexuality, but also supported by and welcomed into a community. This June, I plan on continuing to hold myself up and make room for others so that we can all bring our full, inclusive selves to our everyday lives.Nia Grant, Senior Administrative Assistant, Global Information OrganizationPride Month is a celebration of self. After living in the closet for so long, having a whole month dedicated to celebrating, sharing, and loving with the community is everything. Not everyone is able to and not everyone is accepting, so being in a space with loving and supporting friends and families helps to build and maintain our community.Ronald Mora, Senior Analyst, Data Management and ReportingTo be a first-generation American is to be aware early in life about the disadvantages and privileges you are raised with. The struggles of immigrant parents to pursue a better life were continually acknowledged during my upbringing. While I was raised to understand these disadvantages in reference to myself, as a queer man of color, I had to face new and unknown challenges about my identity without the help of my traditional family. Facing these new struggles forced me to not only grow myself, but to also build my own queer community to share the burden we all face. Throughout all of this, I have repeatedly learned the value of engaging with the LGBTQ+ communities around me to not only support myself, but to help those who find themselves in positions I have encountered. Having the space and support at T. Rowe Price through the PRIDE @ T. Rowe Price BRG allows me to not only learn more from my queer colleagues, but to also continue mentoring and advocating for their goals and challenges.Matthias Schmidt, Managing Legal CounselBeing out and proud is something I wear as a badge of honor. I am extremely happy that I have reached a point in my life in which I want to be my unapologetic self without any excuses. In my life, I have been on different sides of the closet, and this experience taught me that feelings can change and that this is OK as long as you stay true to yourself and that you don't forget that it's your life and your story and you don't need to justify it to anyone but yourself. My advice to everyone is: Love yourself, be yourself, and enjoy life because it's great. Happy Pride!Cory Yeboah, Brand MarketerTo me, Pride is an act of resistance through queer joy. It's our collective, unapologetic moment to bask in the sun regardless of whatever hate or circumstances we face. My journey to living authentically was dark and marred with shame and self-doubt. Even when I did come out, I still felt like I had to put myself in a box to be accepted. It wasn't until I found safe spaces where I could truly be seen that I came to understand the power of being me unapologetically.Joie Young-Broin, Compliance Specialist, Special Correspondence GroupPride, in many ways, was a foreign concept to me when I was just coming out, because, like so many people in the community, I had been taught that who I was was something to be ashamed of. Instead of announcing who I was "loud and proud," I whispered my truth with fear and hope. My time at T. Rowe Price has been a big part of PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-05 19:33:46 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 993 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Each year thousands of New York residents find themselves facing the aftermath of medical malpractice, ranging from minor injuries to severe bodily harm or death. According to some statistics, diagnostic mistakes may result in up to 80,000 injuries and deaths each year. Similarly, research places the rate of misdiagnosis of serious illnesses and conditions at between 10-15% nationwide.These alarming stats highlight the seriousness of the medical malpractice epidemic' in the United States, and the need for both healthcare reform, as well as advocacy and support for affected patients.This quarter, The Pagan Law Firm discusses expert tips and advice on selecting the perfect medical malpractice lawyer in New York, and the steps injured parties and their loved ones can take to get the compensation and support they need.Medical Malpractice: The Third Leading Cause of Death in the United StatesAccording to a John's Hopkins study highly publicized on CNBC and other news outlets, medical malpractice may claim more than 250,000 lives each year across the United States. Sounding the alarm, according to CNBC, some reports claim a far more devastating effect, putting the number of lives unnecessarily lost to medical malpractice and errors as high as 440,000 each year.The Importance of Hiring a Medical Malpractice LawyerFor those dealing with the ramifications of medical malpractice, the consequences can be devastating, both physically and emotionally. In such challenging times, it is crucial to understand the importance of finding the right medical malpractice lawyer to protect the rights of one's self or a loved one.Medical malpractice cases involve complex legal and medical issues that require specialized knowledge and expertise. A skilled medical malpractice lawyer, such as those from The Pagan Law Firm, possesses a deep understanding of the laws and regulations governing medical negligence. They are equipped to navigate through the intricate details of your case, ensuring that all relevant evidence is gathered, analyzed, and presented effectively.Expertise Where It Matters MostOne of the key reasons to hire a medical malpractice lawyer is their ability to handle the complexities of the legal system. These attorneys have experience in dealing with insurance companies, hospitals, and medical professionals. They understand the tactics employed by insurance adjusters to undervalue or deny claims, and they know how to counter these strategies effectively. With their expertise, they can level the playing field and fight for your rights.Expert NegotiatorsAnother significant advantage of hiring a medical malpractice lawyer is their ability to negotiate on your behalf. They will tirelessly advocate for your rights, ensuring that you are not taken advantage of by powerful insurance companies or healthcare institutions. They will strive to secure a fair settlement that covers your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other damages you may be entitled to.A Staunch Advocate In and Out of CourtIn the unfortunate event that your case goes to trial, a medical malpractice lawyer will be your staunch advocate in the courtroom. With their litigation skills and experience, they will present a compelling case, backed by expert testimony, to seek justice on your behalf.Expert Tips for Hiring the Right Medical Malpractice Lawyer in New YorkWhen it comes to selecting a medical malpractice lawyer in New York, it is crucial to make a well-informed decision. Medical malpractice cases can be complex and challenging, requiring the expertise of a skilled attorney who specializes in this area of law.Specialization: Look for a lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice law. This specialization ensures that the attorney has in-depth knowledge of the complex legal and medical aspects involved in these cases.Experience: Prioritize attorneys with a proven track record of handling medical malpractice cases successfully. Consider their experience level, the number of cases they have handled, and the outcomes they have achieved for their clients.Reputation: Research the lawyer's reputation within the legal community and among past clients. Read reviews and testimonials to gauge their professionalism, communication skills, and ability to deliver favorable results.Resources and Network: Medical malpractice cases often require extensive resources and a strong network of medical experts and specialists. Choose a lawyer who has access to these resources, as they can significantly impact the strength of your case.Communication: Effective communication is key to a successful attorney-client relationship. During initial consultations, assess how well the lawyer listens to your concerns, answers your questions, and keeps you informed about case developments.Trial Experience: While many medical malpractice cases are settled outside of court, it is essential to select a lawyer who has trial experience. A lawyer prepared to take your case to trial demonstrates their confidence and commitment to obtaining the best possible outcome.Fee Structure: Those seeking representation should discuss the lawyer's fee structure and payment options during an initial consultation. Some attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if they win the case. Clarify all financial arrangements to avoid any surprises.Personal Connection: Injured parties should choose a lawyer with whom they feel comfortable. Building a strong rapport with your attorney fosters open communication and a more collaborative approach to the case.About The Pagan Law FirmFor more than three decades, the personal injury lawyers at The Pagan Law Firm have been proudly serving clients in New York City and surrounding areas. Specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice cases throughout New York, its team is committed to fighting for its clients and helping them navigate the often complex and challenging legal system. Offering compassionate service, staunch advocacy, and aggressive representation, the firm's talented pool of personal injury attorneys vigorously pursue maximum compensation for injury victims.Those interested in learning more about the firm or in scheduling a free initial consultation, are encouraged to reach out via its official website or by calling 219-247-8411.Contact Information:The Pagan Law Firm, P.C.Phone number: 800-724-2691Email: wpagan@ thepaganlawfirm.com Website: https://www.thepaganlawfirm.com/ SOURCE: The Pagan Law Firm PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-05 16:45:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 893 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / AcreThe future of vertical farming in the UK looks set to propagate with more investment being funnelled towards a more sustainable food system.Sustainability-led alternative investment manager Foresight Group has agreed to invest in Harvest London, to expand the vertical farming industry and enable the company to develop a new state-of-the-art farm to grow crops vertically stacked in layers under fully controlled conditions.The partnership has secured a 140,000sq ft property in Beddington, South London, following Foresight's agreement to aid the expansion of the controlled environment agriculture company.Harvest London was founded in the capital in 2017 by Chris Davies and Matt Chlebek, who opened its first, proof-of-concept farm, in Walthamstow in 2018. In 2020, the company opened a second farm in Leyton, following a Crowdfunding campaign through Seedrs, which enables growth-focused businesses to raise capital and a community in the process.Since its inception, the company has grown more than 100 different crops, from herbs and salads to specialist ingredients, supplying restaurant and food service groups, meal kit providers and food manufacturers. It aims to create a network of data-driven vertical farms, all with the same mission of transforming food sustainability in our cities.B-Corp statusHarvest London, like Acre, is a B Corporation, having gone through a rigorous accreditation process requiring it to display socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to areas including water use and waste, staff pay and corporate transparency. There are around 1,200 B-Corp-certified companies in the UK, spanning 58 industries, all working to use business as a force for good.To date, Harvest London has constructed two farms, grown more than 100 different crops using hydroponic vertical farming techniques, and partnered with brands such as Pizza Pilgrims and Compass Group.The increasing demand for locally-grown produce has driven the requirement for expansion, which will help boost its presence in key retail markets, backed by strong positive feedback from existing customers.Reassurance for food securityNew farming techniques are required to reduce the negative environmental impacts that food production can cause, from soil degradation to land and water use. With rising concerns surrounding food security in the UK, Harvest London's indoor vertical farming approach delivers high-quality year-round crops without chemical pesticides and reliance on appropriate weather conditions.The controlled environment for growing crops reduces the amount of fertiliser needed, significantly shortens supply chains, and avoids river pollution. Shelf life is increased, which helps to combat food waste and emissions from transportation are reduced.The new funding will allow Harvest London to expand its current operations and supply a range of salads and herbs to customers in London and beyond. The company currently operates a farm in East London, which has been producing crops since 2020.Matt Hammond, a partner at Foresight, said: "Foresight is delighted to be working with Harvest London, a dynamic and growing company that will help the vital push towards a greener future for food production. This approach to farming will play a pivotal role in shaping a more sustainable future and meeting the country's food needs. The next phase of expansion will positively impact job creation and stimulate the local economy." Chris Davies, the founder of Harvest London, said: "This investment is a sign that the vertical farming sector in the UK is maturing. While you might not yet have tasted something grown in a vertical farm, in the future, this type of produce is going to be on your menu, whether that's from a supermarket, in prepared food, or eating out."Vertical farming is a technology that can complement British agriculture, helping us reduce our reliance on food imports, and give consumers fresher, more local ingredients. We want to make the UK a world leader in this exciting new industry." Tom Townsend, Principal Consultant - Agriculture, Food & Beverage - Sustainable Business at Acre UK, said: "There has been a lot of interest in this area for some time now, and whilst it remains a niche area in our agricultural supply chains, the expansion of Harvest London is the next step in expanding the footprint of vertical farming in the UK."How large vertical farming becomes remains to be seen and cannot be a distraction from the fundamental reform which is needed in traditional agriculture if we are to hit our net zero ambitions and deliver an inclusive, sustainable food system in this country." This latest Harvest London investment follows other investments by Foresight in UK greenhouses and a land-based sustainable aquaculture farm in Norway.About AcreAt Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy.Our 18 years' experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change.Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too.We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations.Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Acre on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info:Spokesperson: AcreWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/acre Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Acre PR-Inside.com: 2023-06-05 08:00:58 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 653 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Re-issue of Treasury SharesJERSEY, UK / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Yellow Cake plc (the "Company"), announces that on 2 June 2023, following an exercise by Carole Whittall of her share options on 24 May 2023 under the Yellow Cake plc Share Option Plan 2019, 31,686 ordinary shares held as treasury shares were transferred at 213p per share to satisfy the exercise.Following the above transfer, the total number of treasury shares in the Company has reduced from 4,636,331 to 4,604,645. The total number of the Company's ordinary shares in issue (excluding shares held as treasury shares), is 202,740,730.This disclosure is made pursuant to Rule 17 and Schedule 7 of the AIM Rules for Companies.ENQUIRIES:Yellow Cake plc Andre Liebenberg, CEOCarole Whittall, CFO Tel: +44 (0) 153 488 5200 Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker: Canaccord Genuity Limited Henry Fitzgerald-O'ConnorJames Asensio Gordon HamiltonTel: +44 (0) 207 523 8000 Joint Broker: Berenberg Matthew ArmittJennifer Lee Detlir Elezi Tel: +44 (0) 203 207 7800 Financial Adviser: Bacchus Capital AdvisersPeter BacchusRichard AllanTel: +44 (0) 203 848 1640 Communications Adviser: Powerscourt Peter OgdenMolly Melville Tel: +44 (0) 7793 858 211 ABOUT YELLOW CAKEYellow Cake is a London-quoted company, headquartered in Jersey, which offers exposure to the uranium spot price. This is achieved through its strategy of buying and holding physical triuranium octoxide ("U3O8"). It may also seek to add value through other uranium related activities. Yellow Cake seeks to generate returns for shareholders through the appreciation of the value of its holding of U3O8 and its other uranium related activities in a rising uranium price environment. The business is differentiated from its peers by its ten-year Framework Agreement for the supply of U3O8 with Kazatomprom, the world's largest uranium producer. Yellow Cake currently holds 18.81 million pounds of U3O8, all of which is held in storage in Canada and France.FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTSCertain statements contained herein are forward looking statements and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the potential returns of the Company and the industry and markets in which the Company will operate, the Directors' beliefs and assumptions made by the Directors. Words such as "expects", "anticipates", "should", "intends", "plans", "believes", "seeks", "estimates", "projects", "pipeline", "aims", "may", "targets", "would", "could" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward looking statements and expectations. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or the ability to identify and consummate investments and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, qualify or quantify. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed in such forward looking statements or expectations. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are: uranium price volatility, difficulty in sourcing opportunities to buy or sell U3O8, foreign exchange rates, changes in political and economic conditions, competition from other energy sources, nuclear accident, loss of key personnel or termination of the services agreement with 308 Services Limited, changes in the legal or regulatory environment, insolvency of counterparties to the Company's material contracts or breach of such material contracts by such counterparties. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based unless required to do so by applicable law or the AIM Rules.This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@ lseg.com or visit www.rns.com SOURCE: Yellow Cake PLC The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies on Sunday agreed to extend its current oil output voluntary cuts until the end of 2024. OPEC disclosed this at its 35th OPEC and non-OPEC ministerial meeting, a statement released by the organisation said The oil cartel said it decided to achieve and sustain stability and provide long-term guidance for the market. OPEC and its allies had, in October last year, agreed to cut oil output by 2 million barrels per day in November, the deepest cut by OPEC+ since the 2020 COVID pandemic. The decision came despite pressure from the United States and others advocating that the group increase its output. In April, OPEC said it would start a voluntary reduction of 1.66 million barrels per day in its production of crude oil alongside other members of OPEC. The cuts will start in May and last through the end of the year, an official with the Saudi Ministry of Energy was quoted as saying by the Saudi state-run news agency, SPA. The cut is in addition to the reduction announced by OPEC+ in October 2022, according to SPA. On Sunday, OPEC said it would extend the cut until 2024. It noted that the decision was taken in light of the continued commitment of the OPEC and non-OPEC Participating Countries in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) to achieve and sustain a stable oil market and to provide long-term guidance for the market. The cartel sought to reaffirm the framework of the Declaration of Cooperation, signed on 10 December 2016 and further endorsed in subsequent meetings, as well as the Charter of Cooperation, signed on 2 July 2019. It also decided to adjust the level of overall crude oil production for OPEC and non-OPEC Participating Countries in the DoC to 40.46 mb/d, starting 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2024. Reaffirm and extend the mandate of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) and its membership to closely review global oil market conditions, oil production levels, and the level of conformity with the DoC and this Statement, assisted by the Joint Technical Committee Committee (JTC) and the OPEC Secretariat. The JMMC is to be held every two months. Hold the OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting (ONOMM) every six months in accordance with the ordinary OPEC scheduled conference. Grant the JMMC the authority to hold additional meetings or to request an OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting at any time to address market developments, whenever deemed necessary. The cartel also reiterated the critical importance of adhering to full conformity and subscribing to the concept of compensation by those countries who produce above the required production level in addition to their already decided production levels. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Health workers union under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has suspended its 12-day-old strike after meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Monday. JOHESU National Vice President, Obinna Ogbonna, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday evening. Mr Ogbonna said the strike had been suspended due to the progress made during the engagement with the president. He said the health workers called a meeting shortly after meeting with the president and decided to call off the strike and gave a 21-day timeline to the government. Meeting with the president We met with Mr President at the villa earlier today, and he pleaded with the striking health workers to give him the benefit of the doubt that he will resolve the matters amicably to our own benefit and positive results, Mr Ogbonna told PREMIUM TIMES reporter in a telephone interview. The congress considered his plea and also said we should give a 21-day timeline to assess progress and commitment of state actors in resolving the issues, he added. PREMIUM TIMES earlier on Monday reported how Mr Tinubu urged JOHESU to call off the strike and allow its members to return to work. Health workers strike The health workers union commenced an indefinite strike on Thursday, 25 May, following the alleged failure of the Nigerian government to meet its demand. The health workers are demanding the immediate approval and implementation of the technical committee report on CONHESS adjustment by the government. They also demand immediate payment of the omission and shortfall in the COVID-19 hazard/inducement allowances of affected health workers in federal health institutions. Other demands are the immediate and unconditional implementation of the pharmacist consultant cadre, unconditional payment of all withheld salaries of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and outstanding April and May 2018 salaries of members at FMC, Azare. The union also called for the speedy implementation of the increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years and 70 years for consultants in the health professions. JOHESU JOHESU is the association of health workers apart from medical doctors and dentists. The union consists of health workers unions and associations, including the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, and Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, and Associated Institutions, and Assembly of Health Care Professional Association (AHPA). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A delegation from the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Sunday, met with a team selected by President Bola Tinubu over the fuel subsidy controversy. Dele Alake, a member of the presidential delegation at the meeting held at the State House in Abuja, briefed journalists after the meeting. Mr Alake suggested that the TUC was already warming up to accepting the removal of the petrol subsidy by the government on the condition that the government meets its demands. The TUC that attended todays meeting presented a list of demands and those demands we have studied and we are going to present to Mr President, for his consideration, Mr Alake said. But those demands we can announce to Nigerians that a lot of the items on the list are not impracticable. One major item on the list of demands by the TUC, according to Mr Alake, is an increase in workers salaries. Now, most important and top priority on the list which the government is also looking at very seriously and the president has announced before, is the issue of the minimum wage which the Labour movement has demanded is the consequential impact of this removal of subsidy. So, government is looking at that and Mr President is most likely going to constitute a tripartite committee, that is a committee of the federal government, including the state and then the organised Labour and the private sector. Although Mr Alake did not list the other items on the TUC list of demands, he said there was also a demand for tax breaks for workers. He also said that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was not at the meeting and that further meetings, including with the NLC, were planned. Both the NLC and the TUC had called on their member unions to commence a nationwide strike on Wednesday after the government announced the removal of subsidy on petrol last week. The removal of the subsidy led to an increase of almost 200 per cent in petrol prices nationwide. The government has repeatedly said the subsidy on petrol was unsustainable due to the amount spent. Over N4 trillion was used to subsidise petrol last year, more than the government spent on education and healthcare combined. However, critics of the fuel subsidy removal argue that it will further weaken the purchasing power of Nigerians and impoverish more citizens in a country where almost half of the population is poor. Read the transcript of Mr Alakes full interview with journalists below. Well, as you all know, we had this reconvened meeting today as we promised you few days ago when we had the initial meeting with the Labour movement. We said we were going to reconvene today to keep the engagement on in order to diffuse the tension in the land as a result of the withdrawal of subsidy, which is a reality. Now, we are very happy to announce to Nigerians that this engagement has been very productive. The TUC that attended todays meeting presented a list of demands and those demands we have studied and we are going to present to Mr President, for his consideration. But those demands we can announce to Nigerians that a lot of the items on the list are not impracticable. What we need to do is to study the numbers very well. Then, we have asked the TUC to also give us a leeway to consult very exhaustively and reconvene on Tuesday to actually look at the numbers, viability, practicability of all the items that have been presented to us. Now, most important and top priority on the list which the government is also looking at very seriously and the president has announced before, is the issue of the minimum wage which the Labour movement has demanded is the consequential impact of this removal of subsidy. So, government is looking at that and Mr President is most likely going to constitute a tripartite committee, that is a committee of the federal government, including the state and then the organised Labour and the private sector. Now, this is a tripartite arrangement, it will be a committee that will study all the dynamics of a wage increase in percentages, the numbers and the categories that will be affected. So, by Tuesday when we come back to reconvene, to meet with the TUC again, we should have very concrete items to present to the world. But the most important thing for today is that we are making appreciable progress with the Labour. What are the other demands beyond the minimum wage? It is a list but we are not going to be listing all of them now. The most important is the minimum wage, that is increase of minimum wage. Because, when this thing is removed, the argument of Labour is that there is an immediate impact on the workers, on the purchasing power because the price of fuel has gone up. So, that will necessarily reduce the purchasing power of the average worker. So, the next thing of immediate consequence is to increase the purchasing power of the worker. So that to me and to all of us on this side is the top most priority on the list. There are other things like the tax holidays which some categories of workers will be beneficiaries. But the most important is the minimum wage. Are you negotiating separately with NLC? No, we are not but we are making efforts to reach NLC. We all agreed that we are going to meet here but again, in this game there are dynamics, sometime they could be meeting with their own executive and not able to meet with us, or they could want to postpone or they have not actually articulated their list of demands as the TUC. But we cannot second guess why they are not here. But efforts are being made to reach them, we are not isolating them at all. How soon will the committee be set up? Very very soon. We are going to meet Mr President now and we are going to give him a feedback on this and he is going to take an immediate decision. And like I said, Mr President himself, you all reported him, he has said that there will be a review of the minimum wage, you all reported it. So, we are not in disagreement with labour at all on that on that particular issue. One of the Presidents spokesmen, Bayo Onanuga accused the NLC of pandering to the wishes of Peter Obi, did that come up in the discussion? No not at all. It has no relevance to the discussion on the concrete terms of the welfare of the workers. Our discussion was majorly on the welfare of workers, how to cushion the impact of this subsidy removal on workers thats all. Not on any political partisanship. Who is leading the government team in this negotiation? Of course, you can see all of us here, you can see the GCEO of NNPC, you can see some of us who have been mandated by the president. And dont forget that a presidential system of government is executive in capacity. The president can appoint anybody, he can even appoint consultants to act on his behalf, so there is no issue about that. It is not actually germane. Were you able to convince them to shelve the strike? Of course, we discussed that, and that is why we are still going to reconvene on Tuesday and that is appreciable progress. Earlier, Labour said you must revert to status quo, did you attempt to touch on that? Of course, we did. We touched on that, everybody looked at the practicability of that, the viability and otherwise. Now, the issue is that we will close all of those ones on Tuesday when we reconvene. Concrete decisions will be taken about that and then we will reach logical conclusions. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A civil society organisation focusing on anti-corruption has called for President Bola Tinubus intervention in ensuring that the corruption trial of a Chinese firm, CCECC, and a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, is not stalled again after over two years of botched arraignment. In an open letter dated 3 June and addressed to Mr Tinubu, the Anti-Corruption Network said Ms Oduahs arraignment alongside her co-defendants in the N5 billion money laundering case has already been stalled 12 times since it was filed in December 2020. The organisation said the case, scheduled to come up for arraignment on 5 June (Monday) and continuation of hearing on 6 to 9 June, may be stalled for thirteenth(13th) consecutive time before Justice Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja. This is because powerful forces within and outside the judiciary have perfected plans for one of the defendants not to enter the witness box to take her plea on 5 June, 6 June, 7 June and so on, the letter signed by Olufemi Austin, Director of Programme; Abdulrasheed Dandutse, General Secretary; and Victor Obi, Director, Monitoring, read in part. The group, therefore, called on Mr Tinubu to liaise with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court Abuja and other persons you may deem necessary to unravel the mystery and reasons that made it possible for Ms Oduah not to have been arraigned, two years and six months after the EFCC filed this case. It also urged him to direct the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the prosecuting agency, to ask the prosecutor handling the case in court to urgently apply to the Chief Judge of Federal High Court Abuja for the reassignment of this case to any other judge. The transactions flagged in the 25 charges filed against the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) took place in the twilight of Ms Oduahs tenure as Minister of Aviation in 2014 and beyond. The transactions involved Chinese construction giant CCECC and other firms and individuals. The case has been adjourned on numerous occasions due to the absence of Ms Oduah, a serving senator representing Anambra North in the Nigerian Senate. At other times, the case was adjourned to await a review of the case by the Attorney-General of the Federations office. But despite the clearance given by the AGF office for the case to continue since last year, the arraignment has yet to be held. The Anti-Corruption Network expressed fear in its open letter to President Tinubu that the judge might rely on a letter sent to the chairperson of the FCC by one of the co-defendants to adjourn the case again on Monday.. Adjournment to complete restitution In the letter sent to the chairman of the EFCC, the seventh defendant in the case Crystal Television appealed for an adjournment of the scheduled arraignment to enable it to complete the restitution it had already started. In the 30 May 2023 letter sent on its behalf by its lawyers from the law firm of O. J. Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Crystal Television referenced 10 bank drafts dated 5 May 2023 and with a total value of N100 million being forwarded to the EFCC as part payment for the compounding of the offences against it. Compounding of offence means paying compensation to the victim of a crime or an action to avoid litigation. The letter said with previous payments and the N100 million cheques it was forwarding to the EFCC, our client has the sum of N280,000,000 (two hundred and eighty million naira) balance payment and the same shall be paid as soon as possible. Activists sad over Oduah The Anti-Corruption Network described it as disheartening that since the case was filed in December 2020 and assigned to Mr Ekwo, the arraignment of the accused had not happened. This credible, intelligent report explains why the planned arraignment has failed 13 times on record after EFCC finished their investigation and filed the case at Federal High Court Abuja, the group said. It added that the well-rehearsed orchestrated script and drama that have been played for the past three years in the Federal High Court Abuja before Justice Ekwo is a monumental disgrace and slap to the ANTI CORRUPTION CRUSADE OF APC LED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. READ ALSO: It noted that despite the explicit provision of the law, especially section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA 396), which provides that defendant has to take plea first before raising preliminary objection and also the clear letter of 6 May 2022 from the office of AGF that she should take her plea, yet she did not take a plea from December 2020 till date. The group also wondered why the EFCC chair, Abdulrasheed Bawa, had yet to direct the prosecutor handling the case to apply to the Chief Judge of Federal High Court Abuja to reassign this case. Charges against Senator Oduah and others This newspaper had reported how the EFCC, on December 17, 2020, filed 25 counts accusing Ms Oduah, while being Nigerias Minister of Aviation, and her co-defendants of laundering various sums of money totalling about N5,052,415,984 between February and June 2014. One of the co-defendants is Gloria Odita (2nd defendant), who is said to be an aide to Ms Oduah when she was Minister of Aviation and company secretary of Sea Petroleum & Gas Company (SPGC) Limited, a firm founded by the former minister. The rest are an employee of SPCG and aides to Ms Oduah, Nwobu Nnamdi (3rd defendant), Chukwuma Chinyere (4th defendant), Crystal Television Limited (7th defendant), and Sobora International Limited (8th defendant). The ninth defendant is CCECC Nigeria Ltd, the Nigerian subsidiary of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), established by the Chinese government to execute international contracts and economic cooperation. The EFCC accused the defendants of conspiracy to commit money laundering, transferring, taking control and taking possession of proceeds of fraud, aiding and abetting money laundering and opening anonymous bank accounts. Specifically, the prosecution alleged in two of the 25 counts that Ms Oduah and Ms Odita opened anonymous Private Banking Nominee dollar and naira accounts with First Bank, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 11(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 11(4) (a) of the same Act. PREMIUM TIMES review of the charges showed that CCECC Nigeria Limited allegedly transferred over N2.5 billion into the naira account of a Private Banking Nominee between March 31 and June 6, 2014. In seven of the counts where CCECC is indicted singly and along with Ms Oduah and Ms Oditah, the company was accused of conspiring with the women to commit money laundering, and directly transferring to Private Banking Nominee account various sums of money totalling N2,583,385,246 which it reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: fraud. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Bismarck's Miriam Avenue will be closed Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon due to an active shooter exercise at the Raymond J. Bohn Amory. Barricades will be placed at the western edge of the armory on Miriam and the eastern side on Brigade Street. North Dakota National Guard personnel will be stationed at the barricades to assist with detours. Participants of this event are the National Guard, Bismarck Police Department, North Dakota Department of Emergency Services, Bismarck Fire Department, Metro Area Ambulance Service, Burleigh County Sheriffs Department, Central Dakota Communications Center and the North Dakota Highway Patrol. The exercise will help authorities refine their abilities to respond to an active shooter and improve security at the armory. Officials remind observers they do not need to call 911 or alert authorities. Lamash Properties Limited, the developer of Daula Hotel, which was demolished by the Kano State Government, is said it will sue the government and demand N10 billion as compensation for the demolition. The companys director of sales, Aliyu Abubakar, in a statement to reporters on Sunday, described the demolition of its properties as a flagrant disregard to the globally accepted principle of fair hearing. Between Saturday and Sunday, the state government demolished at least three properties it claimed were illegally sold by the immediate past administration. The police commissioner of the state, Muhammed Gumel, supervised the demolition. On Saturday, a three-storey building with 90 shops on a race course at the Nasarawa GRA was demolished. On Sunday, the government also demolished Daula Hotel, a three-star hotel reconstructed by the Ganduje administration under a Private Public Partnership arrangement. The government also demolished another structure, at Hajj Camp, sold to private individuals. Owner disagrees Mr Abubakar said their company was invited by the Kano State government alongside other companies sometime in late 2020 to bid for the redevelopment of the old Daula Hotel under a Public Private Partnership (PPP). We submitted a bid of three components: 1- Residential to comprise 25 luxury apartments 2- Commercial Hub Various sizes of lettable commercial space 3- Daula Boutique Hotel A 90-room five-star hotel Our bid like every other bid submitted, went through all the processes including going before the State Executive Council after which we won the bid. We were issued the letter of award and we signed a PPP contract agreement with the Kano state government after which we began work on the project. The value of the land being the equity contribution of the Kano State Government into the project plus the agreed profit share of the state government all in the sum of Two Billion Two Hundred and Ninety-Seven Million Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty-Two Naira Eighty-Nine Kobo (N2,297,016,622.89) only was converted into the Hotel and its ownership was given to the Kano State Government as its share into the project under the PPP arrangement. On May 27, 2023, the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje performed the commissioning ceremony of the hotel and it was handed over to the state government as its share in the project. To our utmost surprise, we received a call around 2 a.m. on Sunday, June 4, 2023, that officials of the state government led by the new governor Abba Kabir Yusuf have mobilized to the site of the project with bulldozers and were tearing down all the buildings on the land including the already completed 90-room 5-star Daula Boutique Hotel, the 90 per cent completed commercial area (malls) as well as the ongoing residential apartments. It was, to say the least, a development most appalling that in this era of the paucity of funds available to government and high rate of unemployment in the country, the state government under whatever guise, decided to demolish a property (the Daula Boutique Hotel) that belongs to it and was supposed to bring in huge revenue to the government and also help reduce unemployment in the state, among others. We wish to put it on record that at no point did the state government or any of its officials notify us or invited us for clarification on the project and thus negating the globally accepted principle of fair hearing. We have made it clear on several occasions that we did not purchase the supposed land but that it was made available to us to provide facilities, one of which was the Daula Boutique Hotel which formed the equity of the state government in the project. This action of the state government is a minus and a negative development that will scare away other potential investors willing to invest in the state. We have instructed our legal team to institute legal actions against the state government to claim compensation to the tune of N10 billion already invested in the project and to stop the state government from further taking actions that will negatively affect us based on the PPP contract agreement we signed with it. We appeal to the general public in Kano state and beyond to not only understand the nature of our business as against what is being erroneously portrayed but also to know that the action of the new state government on investors that invested hugely in the state under the previous administration is going to affect the perception of other potential investors coming to put their money into Kano state economy. It will also affect employment generation, wealth circulation, and urban development of the state. For us, we are resolute in seeking redress in the court of law and we are optimistic that justice would be served, the property developer said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto North) on Sunday sympathised with the people of Tangaza Local Government Area over the bandits attack that led to the death of many people in some villages. Mr Wamakko, in a statement issued by Bashar Abubakar, his special assistant on Media and Publicity, condoled with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that armed men suspected to be bandits on Saturday launched an attack on the people of six villages in Tangaza LGA of Sokoto State. The attack led to the death of no fewer than 30 persons and left many others injured. Mr Wamakko, the All Progressive Congress (APC) leader in the state, described the incident as unfortunate and ungodly. For this attack, the authority should urgently take the necessary measures and ensure that the perpetrators must be brought to book to face the wrath of the law. I condoled with the people of the area and prayed Allah the Almighty to forgive the deceased and reward them with Jannatul Firdausi as their final abode, he said. The lawmaker also prayed for the quick recovery of those who sustained various degrees of injuries, and are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, met with the leadership of the health workers union, JOHESU. The union has been on strike for over one week, withdrawing its members from public hospitals nationwide. In the Monday meeting, Mr Tinubu urged JOHESU to call off the strike and allow its members, health workers asides doctors and dentists, to return to work. The details of the meeting were contained in the statement by Abiodun Oladunjoye, a director of information at the State House. The health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. We will resolve all the problems, Mr Tinubu was quoted as saying at the meeting. Read the full statement below. President Bola Tinubu has restated that his administration will revive and restore public confidence in the health sector in Nigeria. The President made the commitment on Monday in his office during an audience with leaders of Joint Health Sector Union, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress. President Tinubu harped on the importance of the health sector and professionals in the sector as one of commitment to humanity, promising to resolve all identified problems plaguing the system for optimum performance. He urged the striking union to return to work. READ ALSO: The health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. We will resolve all the problems. Trust must be enshrined in all discussions. I promise you we will accelerate this. We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work, President Tinubu appealed to the union leaders. While expressing the readiness of the union to get its members back to work, Acting Chairman, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, pleaded with President Tinubu to pay attention to healthcare delivery system in Nigeria through adequate investment in healthcare infrastructure and better welfare for workers in the sector to stop brain drain. Mr. President, now that we have assurance from the top, we are encouraged to go back and talk to our members with a view to going back to work. Mr. Olumide Akintayo, a member of the Executive Council of the Union, who accompanied the Acting Chairman to the meeting urged the Federal Government to always respond to Labour issues and nip them in the bud before they become full blown industrial crisis. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu is currently in a meeting with three former governors at the presidential villa in Abuja, PREMIUM TIMES gathered. The former governors are Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State. Details of the meeting were still sketchy when filing this report, but sources within the villa confirmed that the meeting was in progress. The meeting may be connected to the leadership crisis of the 10th National Assembly. READ ALSO: Mr Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), are pushing the candidacy of Mr Akpabio as senate president and the senator representing Kano North, Barau Jibrin, as deputy senate president. They are also backing Tajudeen Abas from Kaduna State as Speaker and Ben Kalu, from Abia State, as deputy speaker. But other aspirants have rejected the nominations because the party was unfair to other zones. The aggrieved aspirants have also threatened to ally against the partys choices as one of the ways to frustrate the nominations of the aspirants endorsed by the leadership of the APC and President Tinubu. Mr Tinubu met with Mr Wike, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and former Delta State governor, James Ibori, at the Presidential Villa last week. The trio are members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. Details later. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of President Bola Tinubu, Monday in Abuja, assumed office as Nigerias First Lady. Mrs Tinubu, who arrived at the First Ladys wing of the Presidential Villa, was accompanied by her security aides. The First Lady, on arrival, was received by the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Tijjani Umar, and other heads of units in the First Ladys Office. Mrs Tinubu was then guided on a tour of offices within the First Ladys wing, comprising the Administrative, ICT, Catering, Media and Protocol Units. Mrs Tinubu was born on 21 September 1960 to an Itsekiri mother and a Yoruba father. READ ALSO: She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Ife and has undertaken several courses in some higher institutions. She served as the First Lady of Lagos State when her husband was governor of the state between 1999 and 2007, and after that, she was elected senator representing Lagos Central in the Senate. Mrs Tinubu executed many philanthropic activities to alleviate the plight of vulnerable people in her Constituency. Mr Tinubu, serving as Nigerias 16th leader, assumed duty last week. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu on Monday tasked security and intelligence agencies in the country on the importance of sharing information and intelligence among themselves, saying hoarding such resources could be counterproductive in the fight against terrorism. The president spoke after undertaking a tour of the new Office of National Security Adviser and facilities at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), in Abuja. While noting the efforts demonstrated in countering terrorism and the state-of-the-art facilities at the two facilities, President Tinubu highlighted the importance of backing such efforts with knowledge. He said his administration had recognised that in order to achieve economic revival, prosperity, and development, security should be of optimum priority. It is a great joy to see that we are getting proactive resources to prepare ourselves. Terrorism is not unique to Nigeria alone. It is across the world and we have to fight it. We have to eliminate it completely. If we as Nigerians are looking for economic revival, prosperity and development, then we have to give priority to security. What I have seen here is a demonstration of intelligence efforts to counter-terrorism. This must be backed by knowledge. Counter-terrorism that is not backed by knowledge and intelligence is not going to be of any service to any nation. We are going to work on that together. The effort of the entire armed forces of this country must be put together in a way that there will be one single focus on securing the country. You cant have disharmony in an orchestra. We must focus on one tunnel; coordinate, share information, share intelligence and work harder. READ ALSO: You cannot hoard information. You cannot hoard intelligence. I am glad that Nigeria is on the path to success. We will, I assure you. We will make it a priority and that is why I am here this morning. President Tinubu, who described the tour of facilities at the new ONSA building as very important, expressed his willingness to do whatever was necessary to support the nations security architecture. In his remarks, the NSA, Babagana Monguno, thanked the president for making the visit his first engagement outside the Villa, saying that it reinforces his commitment, dedication and inflexible rigidity to ensuring that the security misfortunes of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by extension, the sub-region are overcome within the shortest possible time. Mr Monguno, a retired major general, pledged the total commitment and dedication of ONSA to ensure that President Tinubu realizes the promises he made to the Nigerian people on security. Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information, State House, Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Residents of Enugu State, south-east Nigeria, on Monday, shut their businesses and stayed indoors in compliance with the sit-at-home usually enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Governor Mbahs pronouncements The sit-at-home continued despite a pronouncement by the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, declaring an end to the civil action in the state. Mr Mbah, on Thursday, vowed that his administration would resist the continuation of the civil action in the state from Monday, 5 June (today). Therefore, those that strike on Mondays, putting restrictions in the way of our Igbo spirit of creativity, cannot be our true representatives. To this end, therefore, from Monday June 5, 2023, there will be no observance of any sit-at-home in all nooks and crannies of Enugu State. Government will enforce this with all the powers at its disposal, Mr Mbah had said. The governor, on Saturday, subsequently asked all schools, markets, retail outlets, hospitals and transporters to stop obeying the Monday sit-at-home order in the state or face sanctions. Any market, transport outlet, or any other body that fails to open for business risks being shut immediately, Dan Neomeh, head of Governor Mbahs media team, stated. Sit-at-home continues A PREMIUM TIMES reporter who visited various markets, motor parks, schools and others in the state observed that major roads were deserted and traders shut their business in compliance with the civil order declared by the separatist group. At the popular Holy Ghost Roundabout near Ogbete Main Market, a combined team of security operatives comprising the police, personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the military, were stationed at the area with two armoured vehicles and several patrol trucks. Although the main gate of the Ogbete Main Market was left open, shops in the market were under lock and key. There was grave silence inside the market when PREMIUM TIMES visited at about 9:30 a.m. on Monday. Commercial banks, filling stations and schools were also shut. Several shops along major roads and streets in the state, however, did not open for business. There were minimal human and vehicular movements along the road. READ ALSO: I have spent some litres of fuel without carrying a reasonable number of passengers. I regret coming out today, a commercial mini bus driver told this newspaper when asked if the sit-at-home was affecting his transport business. Everywhere is empty. People are just scared to come out due to possible attacks by unknown gunmen. Some tricycle riders were seen idling about beside a motor park near the Ogbete Main Market, apparently due to scarcity of passengers. One of the riders, Okechukwu Madu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the sit-at-home worsened because of the declaration by Governor Mbah. Mr Madu, looking rather distraught, claimed that any effort to stop the civil action in any part of the South-east without the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained IPOB leader, would be fruitless. The governor (Mbah) made a mistake. Some days ago, he sent his men who went around Enugu even here (Ogbete Market) and New Market, telling people to start coming out every Monday that he had asked (President Bola) Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, he said in Igbo language. But today became worse. People used to line up in front of Ogbete Market and do business, but today you can see nobody is here, Mr Madu stated, demonstrating with his hands. Background IPOB, in August 2021, introduced a sit-at-home order every Monday across the South-east to pressure the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Mr Kanu, who is standing trial for alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja. The separatist group later suspended the order, in preference for it to be implemented only on days Mr Kanu appears in court. But despite its suspension, residents of the five South-east states Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra have been observing the Monday sit-at-home order, mostly out of fear. IPOB has repeatedly disowned the Monday sit-at-home across the region, saying those who still enforce the order were criminals attempting to blackmail the separatist group. A leader of Autopilot, a faction of the IPOB, Simon Ekpa, has been accused of being behind the continued enforcement of the suspended sit-at-home order in the region. IPOB is leading the 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 The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday tendered election results from six states at the Presidential Election Petition Court. Mr Obi, who came third in the February presidential election, is claiming Nigerias presidency as the winner of the 25 February election. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is similarly challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election. Mr Tinubu was sworn in on 29 May as Nigerias 16th Nigerian leader, although the suits filed by Mr Obi and Atiku to challenge his victory continue in court. Mr Obi and Atiku predicated their petitions on the premise that the election was marred by widespread irregularities ranging from non-compliance with the electoral laws to alleged manipulation of results favouring Mr Tinubu. At the resumption of proceedings on Monday, Mr Obis lawyers Ben Anichebe and Valerie Azinge tendered result sheets from seven states of Nigeria. The states are Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Imo, Ondo, Sokoto and Kogi. The court admitted the results as exhibits. But Mr Tinubus lawyer, Wole Olanipekun and APCs lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi, objected to the admissibility of the results. The legal team of the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), also opposed the admissibility of the electoral documents. The lawyers reserved their objections to Mr Obis tendering of the documents until the close of arguments in the case. After admitting the documents as exhibits, the panel headed by Haruna Tsammani adjourned the suit until 6 June to continue the hearing. Last week, Mr Obi tendered electoral documents comprising result sheets from 12 states of the federation. Despite winning the presidential election in Lagos, Nasarawa, Delta, Ebonyi, Imo and other states, Mr Obi argued that votes accruing to him were significantly suppressed in favour of Mr Tinubu. Also, in aid of his case, the Labour Party candidate has called one witness. He had indicated his intention to call 50 witnesses and tender tons of electoral documents to substantiate his claims of rampant fraud during the presidential election on 25 February. Mr Obi has three weeks to prove his case against INEC, Mr Tinubu and the APC respondents in the suit. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Inyang Ekwo, a judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, said Monday that he had been receiving private messages regarding the N5 billion corruption trial of Stella Oduah and others. Although the judge did not provide the identities of the senders, he warned them to desist from intruding on his privacy. Mr Ekwo gave the warning at the resumed hearing of the case on Monday. Ms Oduah, a serving senator and former minister of aviation, and other defendants, including a Chinese firm, CCECC, were scheduled to be arraigned on Monday. But the arraignment was again adjourned over ongoing talks between some defendants and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A civil society organisation earlier called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the case, which has suffered numerous adjournments since it was filed in December 2020. According to the Anti-Corruption Network, the arraignment has been stalled 13 times. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ekwo spoke about the intrusive messages he had been receiving about the case after the counsel for Ms Oduah (1st defendant), Onyechi Ikpeazu, and lawyer to Crystal Television Ltd (7th defendant), Ogbu Onoja, said there were ongoing moves to resolve the matter without going through a trial. The judge then said: Somebody has been breaching my privacy on this matter by sending me messages concerning this matter saying he is part of a concerned group. I will send security agencies to fish him out. You cannot be intruding into my privacy. Mr Ekwo, who condemned the act, said his records were public documents that anybody could assess after the public laws had been complied with. Responding, prosecuting lawyer Hassan Liman, who appeared for the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), also condemned the act. He said even if the person was a party in the suit, he had no right to communicate with the judge. Botched arraignment Upon resuming proceeding in the matter, Mr Liman, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that the matter was slated for the arraignment of the defendants pursuant to the order made on the last adjourned date. He said he was ready to proceed. But Mr Ikpeazu, also a SAN, said there were applications they planned to file and that they felt a discussion should be held with the prosecution. Mr Onoja, also a SAN, who represented the 7th defendant, also informed the court that his client had approached the anti-graft commission and paid almost 95 per cent of the money alleged in the case. We are waiting for the commissions response and almost about N80 million is remaining, he said. Mr Liman admitted that it was true that counsel for the 7th defendant wrote to the EFCC, seeking the discontinuance of the matter. The lawyer, who said that the matter was filed since 2020, said though he agreed that there was a reconciliation move, he, however, argued that the defendants must take their plea once the matter had been filed in court. The money we are talking about is over N7 billion, he added, saying it was not such an amount Mr Onoja was alluding to. Mr Liman said though a letter had been written, the commission had not even considered it, despite making the payment. He admitted that the delay in the prosecution of the matter was not the courts fault. I urge my lord to order them to take their plea, he prayed. Mr Ekwo, who said he was ready for the arraignment, said it would be better to dialogue with the defendants, and if that failed, the trial could commence. He consequently adjourned the matter until June 15 for a report or commencement of trial. Charges This newspaper had reported how the EFCC, on December 17, 2020, filed 25 counts accusing Ms Oduah, while being Nigerias Minister of Aviation, and her co-defendants of laundering various sums of money totalling about N5,052,415,984 between February and June 2014. One of the co-defendants is Gloria Odita (2nd defendant), who is said to be an aide to Ms Oduah when she was Minister of Aviation and company secretary of Sea Petroleum & Gas Company (SPGC) Limited, a firm founded by the former minister. The rests are an employee of SPCG and aides to Ms Oduah, Nwobu Nnamdi (3rd defendant), Chukwuma Chinyere (4th defendant), Crystal Television Limited (7th defendant), and Sobora International Limited (8th defendant). The ninth defendant is CCECC Nigeria Ltd, the Nigerian subsidiary of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), established by the Chinese government to execute international contracts and economic cooperation. The EFCC accused the defendants of conspiracy to commit money laundering, transferring, taking control and taking possession of proceeds of fraud, aiding and abetting money laundering and opening anonymous bank accounts. Specifically, the prosecution alleged in two of the 25 counts that Ms Oduah and Ms Odita opened anonymous Private Banking Nominee dollar and naira accounts with First Bank, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 11(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 11(4) (a) of the same Act. PREMIUM TIMES review of the charges showed that CCECC Nigeria Limited allegedly transferred over N2.5 billion into the naira account of a Private Banking Nominee between March 31 and June 6, 2014. In seven of the counts where CCECC is indicted singly and along with Ms Oduah and Ms Oditah, the company was accused of conspiring with the women to commit money laundering, and directly transferring to Private Banking Nominee account various sums of money totalling N2,583,385,246 which it reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: fraud. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, discharged and acquitted a former Head of Service (HoS) of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye, of N190 million pension fraud charges. The judge similarly discharged and acquitted Mr Oronsayes co-defendant, Osarenkhoe Afe, the managing director of Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited. But the court convicted Mr Afes firm Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited and another belonging to the convicted pension thief, Abduralsheed Maina -Drew Investment and Construction Company. The firms were said to have received proceeds of crime. The case was filed against the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2015. EFCC alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2011, used the firms and diverted billions of naira in public funds through procurement projects purportedly aimed at reforming the federal civil service pension. Messrs Oronsaye and Afe, Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Cluster Logistic Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited faced amended 22-count charge. The trial of Mr Oronsaye and his co-defendants started over six years ago, with his first arraignment in July 2015. It passed through two judges before it was reassigned to the third judge, Inyang Ekwo, who brought it to a close in January and initially fixed 5 April for judgement. The judgement was subsequently adjourned until Monday. Judgement for Mr Oronsaye In his judgment, Justice Ekwo held that the prosecution failed to provide enough evidence to warrant Mr Oronsayes conviction. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Oronsaye was arraigned alongside Osarenkhoe Afe (2nd defendant), Managing Director of Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited (3rd defendant), on a 49-count charge. But the charges were later amended and reduced to 22 counts after the anti-graft commission separated the parts involving a former head of the Presidential Pension Taskforce Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, who was then at large. Mr Maina was later charged separately by the EFCC and was subsequently convicted and sentenced to eight years imprisonment in November 2021. Three companies Cluster Logistic Limited (4th defendant), Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited (5th defendant), and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited (6th defendant) were also joined in the charge preferred against Mr Oronsaye by the EFCC. The EFCC alleged that the defendants had, between 2010 and 2011, used the firms to divert public funds through procurement fraud. The EFCC accused Mr Orosanye and the others of using inflated biometrics enrolment contracts, collective allowances and other schemes to siphon money from accounts containing pensioners funds. The commission also tendered a report of the Auditor-General of the Federation on the Federal Governments pension accounts which indicted Mr Oronsaye and other individuals of wrongdoing. Justice Ekwo held that he observed that the PW18 tendered Exhibits PW18 C and PW18 C1 (which were extrajudicial statements of one Robert Ikazabor, the alleged proprietor of Innovative Solutions, which was at the epicentre of the case). He said the maker of the extra-judicial statements was not brought as a witness during the trial. It is pertinent to say that Exhibits P4718-C and PW18 Ci have no evidential value without the oral testimony of the maker of those statements. The defendants,, in this case, were denied the opportunity to cross-examine the maker of Exhibits PW18 C and PW18 C1, he said. He said it was the presence of oral evidence that strengthened the documentary evidence; hence, Exhibits PW18 C and PW18 Ci were bereft of evidential value, and the court would not ascribe any to them. The judge also held that the prosecution, by the evidence of PW18 and PW2O, only went after Mr Oronsaye and his co-defendant, Mr Afe. According to him, the manner of investigation confirms the evidence of the 1st defendant as DW1 when he said his ordeal with the EFCC started when he supported the Executive Bill for the creation of an Independent Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit outside the EFCC which was presented to the National Assembly in 2013, which Bill the EFCC opposed. It was after the Bill was passed and assented that he (Oronsaye) received an invitation from the EFCC that there was a petition on pension fraud against him. He also told this Court that as at the time of this proceeding, no such petition was shown to him for him to respond, Mr Ekwo said. He said where an allegation against a person was predicated on a petition, it is the constitutional right of the person to be availed of such petition for him to respond. Failure to do so breaches the constitutional right of the person to a fair hearing and has the effect of annulling the proceeding based on such a petition, he said. The judge held that the evidence of Mr Oronsaye, as 1st defence witness (DW1), could mean that the entire investigation and the subsequent arraignment was a witch-hunt and malicious prosecution. The prosecution needed to controvert this evidence but failed to do so. Failure to controvert the evidence of DW1 in this respect makes the evidence credible, and this Court will rely on it in taking a final decision, he said. He, therefore, said he found that from the prosecution evidence of PW1, PW2, PW4, PW5, PW6, PW7, PW8, PW9, PW10, PW11, PW1i2, PW13, PW14, PW15, PW15, PW16, PW18, PW19, PW20 and PW21, no credible evidence had been adduced by the EFCC linking Mr Oronsaye with the offences alleged against him in counts 1, 2, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 31, 32, 34, and 42 of the charge sheet. I make an order discharging and acquitting him, the judge ruled. Co-defendant acquitted In the case against Mr Afe, the second defendant, Mr Ekwo recalled that the court, on 6 October 2020, made an order after trial-within-trial rejecting the extra statements he purportedly made on 24 February 2011 and 16 March 2011 because they were not obtained voluntarily. He said in Mr Afes evidence as DW2, which the EFCC did not controvert, that the commissions operatives invaded his house on 24 February 2011. And that his properties, files and documents were carted away by the EFCC, and he was also arrested on that day and has not seen those properties, files and documents since then. The judge said Section 36 (6) (b) of the Nigerian provided that every person charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to time and adequate facilities to prepare his defence. I am of the opinion that taking away the properties, files and documents by the EFCC and not returning the files and documents to the 2nd defendant to use them during these proceedings denied the 2nd defendant of adequate facility for his defence in this case. It is a breach of his constitutional right. It appears to me that the prosecution, by the manner it has dealt with the 2nd defendant, has aimed to obtain his conviction by all means. A criminal proceeding in breach of a defendants constitutional right is liable to be set aside, and I so hold, he said. Mr Ekwo consequently made an order setting aside the proceedings against Mr Afe. The 2nd defendant Is hereby discharged and acquitted, he said. Unlike Messrs Oronsaye and Afe, Companies jailed On the case against the 3rd defendant Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited the judge said he found that it had been incriminated by the evidence of PW17 of the inflow into the account of the company, part of which the sum of N40 million was withdrawn in cash by Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina. This evidence was not rebutted. The case against the 3rd defendant with respect to counts 22 and 24 have been proved by the prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt, and I so hold. I,, therefore, find the 3rd defendant guilty as charged, he declared. In the case against the 6th defendant Drew Investment and Construction Company Limited a company owned by the convicted Abdulrasheed Maina, the judge said: I find that it has been incriminated by the evidence of PW6, PW7, PW18, and PW20. The case against the 6th defendant with respect to count 48 has been proved by the prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt, and I so hold. I,, therefore, find the 6th defendant guilty as charged. This is the judgment of this court. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print OMAHA, Neb. With the rail industry relying on longer and longer trains to cut costs, the Biden administration is handing out $570 million in grants to help eliminate many railroad crossings in 32 states. The grants announced Monday will contribute to building bridges or underpasses at the sites of more than three dozen crossings that delay traffic and sometimes keep first responders from where help is desperately needed. In some places, trains routinely stretching more than 2 miles long can block crossings for hours, cutting off access to parts of towns and forcing pedestrians to attempt the dangerous act of climbing through trains that could start moving without warning. "We see countless stories of people unable to get to work on time, goods being blocked from getting where they need to be and first responders being delayed by these these trains that can be slowed or stopped even seeing images of children having to crawl between or under freight trains in order to get to school," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. In one case Buttigieg mentioned, a Texas mom called 911 because her 3-month-old baby was in distress, but an idle train kept the ambulance from getting there quickly and the baby died at the hospital two days later. In addition to problems associated with blocked crossings, roughly 2,000 collisions are reported at railroad crossings every year. Nearly 250 deaths were recorded last year in those car-train crashes. In one instance Buttigieg cited, a woman in California wound up stopped on the tracks after traffic backed up and she was killed when a train slammed into her vehicle. In recent years, the major freight railroads have overhauled their operations to rely on fewer, longer trains so they can use fewer crews and locomotives as part of efforts to cut costs. The railroads insist those changes haven't made their trains riskier, but regulators and Congress are scrutinizing their operations closely after several recent high-profile derailments. And the problems at rail crossings are well documented. These grants are part of $3 billion in funding approved in the $1 trillion infrastructure law for these rail crossing projects that will be doled out over the next five years. A number of the 63 projects that will receive grants involve only planning and design work for eliminating crossings in the future, but most of the money will go toward physical improvements at crossings and eliminating longstanding problems. In each of these grants, states and cities sometimes with the help of the railroads must cover at least 20% of the project cost. Photos: A look at the aftermath of the Ohio train derailment A former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, has narrated how he was attacked on Monday at the sitting of the Ogun State election petition tribunal in Abeokuta. Mr Showunmi blamed the attack on thugs he associated with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. The PDP chieftain narrated his experience at a press conference later. He explained that he was in court in solidarity with his party and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, at the first hearing of their petition challenging the reelection of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the APC. I alighted at a reasonable distance from the courthouse because I knew that parking would be a problem, and I proceeded to walk. As I moved towards the environment, I had seen some type of terrible characters that in a decent society, they should be in prison, milling around and driving all over the place. Some of them are fairly known operators who play around their parks and garages. I approached the court gate, and it was locked and. I realised that there was no room in the court anymore, and I simply turned back. As I made to leave, a horde of murderers descended on me, bringing out cudgels and whips; they brought out guns, and they were generally misbehaving. Luckily, a security vehicle was not too far of, and I entered the security vehicle to make my way to leave, Mr Sowunmi narrated. The politician said he could not recollect any time in the history of Ogun State where brigandage, misbehaviour, thuggery, criminality, marauders and murderers were elevated to that level. He called on President Bola Tinubu to check thuggery in the state, stressing that, not even under Muhammadu Buhari has brigandage been tolerated to the level that we are beginning to see it now. Mr Showunmi, one of Atiku Abubakars spokespersons in the 2019 election, accused the police at the court of standing by helpless as though they did not understand that they have the responsibility to keep the peace. I kept asking myself, how could they have been watching APC thugs hold guns and sticks? I was asking myself, when did Ogun State become a place where thugs are sent for the opening day of a tribunal? How does it become fashionable for you to mobilise miscreants to the tribunal? Relocate tribunal to Abuja Mr Showunmi urged the Court of Appeal to relocate the tribunal to Abuja to avoid further attacks on PDP members. Our position is that, the President of the Court of Appeal, in his wisdom, should please relocate the Ogun State election tribunal from Abeokuta because it is no longer safe so that we can go and have that tribunal in the peaceful atmosphere of Abuja and everybody can have the case adjudicated, and we can deal with the outcome of the court cases. We have been putting in a lot of work to beg our people not to resort to reprisal. Some of my followers are in hospital as we speak attending to their injuries. Luckily, I was able to get away from the place, but it was not without its own scars. The new police spokesperson in the state, Omolola Odutola, was not accessible for comments on the development. Miss Odutola replaced Abimbola Oyeyemi last week but has not officially resumed duty. Our reporter called her number several times, but it did not connect. The Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Tunde Oladunjoye, also did not pick up calls to his number or respond to a text message. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A high yielding lifestyle is what we need to be the best wherever we are. With a high yielding lifestyle, it is not a big deal for a business man to become a millionaire not in ten years, but in one year. With a high yielding lifestyle, it is normal for a pastor to build a 1,000 member church. Not in 10 years, but in a year. Like I said earlier, there are many other factors that influence our successes or failures Are You All Fun and No Cash? You remember those hours you spend just with friends and relatives chatting and talking about everything, but really not about anything? What if that time is used for solitude with God? A time of meditation; studying to know God better. A time to receive fresh revelation and insight from him. A time that will eventually make you a better man or woman. That is really not about money. It will give you something more than what money can buy. Some of us are addicted to just listening to music. This is not bad; it gives you a good feeling, but are you all fun and no cash? What about exchanging music for messages, lectures, talks and educational sessions? That might not give you money today, but it will sure give you more than money tomorrow. Have you seen anybody sitting down on a couch in front of his house or apartment of recent? Most likely talking and chatting away his time with some other people around. How about exchanging that for something a little bit different. What about gathering neighbours and acquaintances for a home Bible study session, prayer groups or book clubs? That may not give you money, but it will surely improve some peoples lives. Do you care more about your looks, image and hair style, than you care about the legacy you are going to leave on the earth? Are you all fun and no cash? Are you infatuated with swiftly depreciating consumer goods like the latest shoes in town, the latest iPhone, iPod, iPad, iWatch, etc? They come and go, leaving you to be running after the next set soon. Are you all about fun and no cash? It is my firm believe that until we deal with these issues in Africa, we will not truly experience development, growth and civilisation. We must not just look towards our political leaders to legislate laws that will cause change to happen in our countries, we must start with ourselves. Are you the type who works eight hours a day simply to buy and not to build? We are humans, we are all supposed to be about building. Building lives, building visions and building legacies. Dont work to buy, work to build. Dont work to spend, work to save. Dont work to impress, work to invest. Those who live like this are those we call people of a low-yielding lifestyle. Even though they have a profession, most of them have a job, some have visions or purposes they are trying to attain, but because of the wrong lifestyle that they live, they dont really become great and hugely successful in the areas of their calling, vision, purpose and occupation. People who are engaged in low-yielding activities of life end up at the bottom of the ladder. At best, they are just in the midst of the pack. They are never really the head, the first or the best. It doesnt matter if they are pastors, teachers, business men, doctors, lawyers, financial experts, etc. A low-yielding lifestyle and mentality will cripple all your efforts, render you helpless and a failure, where you could have excelled to the glory of God Almighty. People who live this lifestyle will need to change their philosophy from that of enjoy today and suffer tomorrow into that of deny yourself today and live tomorrow. A high yielding lifestyle is what we need to be the best wherever we are. With a high yielding lifestyle, it is not a big deal for a business man to become a millionaire not in ten years, but in one year. With a high yielding lifestyle, it is normal for a pastor to build a 1,000 member church. Not in 10 years, but in a year. Like I said earlier, there are many other factors that influence our successes or failures, but from my experience the factor we are examining today will be one of the most common factors for success or failure. It is my firm believe that until we deal with these issues in Africa, we will not truly experience development, growth and civilisation. We must not just look towards our political leaders to legislate laws that will cause change to happen in our countries, we must start with ourselves. These issues that I have raised in this article are issues of lifestyle, practices and traditions. Unfortunately, they have long become a part of the culture in most countries in Africa. It is these kind of practices that stall growth, hamper development and frustrate the efforts of technocrats. It is my belief that as a result of this article, people of African descent will begin to start NGOs to bring enlightenment to the masses about the frivolities of life. We have to start educational centres and enlightenment corps that would be used as key driving forces to bring this understanding to the front doors of our people. Something must be done! We all must do something if Africa is to arise from its knees to stand tall in the comity of nations. Our governments in Africa must know that there is need to sanitise the culture if our society is to experience accelerated growth and development. If by Gods grace, some of the ideas I have raised in this article are practiced and implemented in any nation, there is no doubt that such a nation will witness a high rate of growth, development and prosperity. At this junction, I will like to commend a futuristic leader like President Olusegun Obasanjo. Although not popular with many, yet he started in the right direction when he took the following actions: the ban of money spraying (a culture in some parts of Nigeria that encourages people to spray cash at parties and ceremonies). Thank God Chief Obasanjo had the foresight to see how detrimental this practice is to progress and national development. Another thing former President Obasanjo did in the direction of destroying triviality and superficiality is that he banned the showcasing of miracles on national television. That was another step in the right direction to save the populace from being brainwashed. There are several such things that must be eliminated from our culture if our society is to make further progress. I personally think those sorts of prohibitions must be extended to include the public displays of so-called deliverances and the casting out of demons on television. Also, the promises of miracles and prosperity in return for giving money to clerics. Excessive television programmes showing vulgar contemporary music (MTV, R&B, hip hop, etc.) The outrageous display of witchcraft in our movies. The exhibition of nudity and pornography on our television programmes. Our governments in Africa must know that there is need to sanitise the culture if our society is to experience accelerated growth and development. If by Gods grace, some of the ideas I have raised in this article are practiced and implemented in any nation, there is no doubt that such a nation will witness a high rate of growth, development and prosperity. It is my dream that one day this article and the book that will ensue from it would eventually be on the table of every African leader. I hope that the principles enunciated would contribute to the rising star of my beloved continent. May the simple words of this write up be used by God Almighty to awaken a sleeping continent to become a rising giant for the liberation of the entire world. Sunday Adelaja is a Nigeria born leader, transformation strategist, pastor and innovator. He was based in Kiev Ukraine Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print On Monday, 29 May, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi #Ugwuanyi constitutionally transferred power to Dr Peter Ndubuisi #Mbah as #Governor of Enugu State, marking the successful end of his eight-year tenure. Ugwuanyi and Mbah are both leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) signifying a seamless transition from one PDP-led administration to another. Thanks to former Governor Ugwuanyi who amid the nations economic downturns, states limited resources, outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, EndSARS protest, the daunting effects of the Obidient Movement during the last general election laced with betrayals, sabotage and religious influence, among other unforeseen circumstances, was able to stem the tide and hold the tempo of peace and good governance in the state till the end of his tenure. Ugwuanyis eight years in the saddle was an uneasy experience that could be best appreciated from the standpoint of the things he refused to do with the enormous powers he had, even in the face of provocation, so that good governance and peace could reign in Enugu State. In all circumstances, Ugwuanyi was fast not to be shortchanged in his firm belief in peace, broad vision, brotherhood across board, equity and justice. As governor for eight years, Ugwuanyi was godly and compassionate in managing the affairs of the state that he tolerated, persevered and sacrificed a lot to ensure that peace reigned, and that the states limited resources were judiciously channeled to development issues in the overall interest of the people of the state. He is one leader who is conscious of the fact that development and progress can only be achieved when there is peace. Ugwuanyi gave the peoples welfare the utmost priority it deserved to the extent that when some of his peers were busy starving their workers and channeling their states lean resources to the execution of projects that had no direct impacts on their people, he chose to first pay the state workforce the N30,000 new minimum wage with its consequential adjustment, which takes the chunk of the Enugu States resources, leaving the state with very little to embark on infrastructural development and other sundry expenditures. He was committed to regular payment of workers salaries and retirees pensions. In spite of the precarious situation, Ugwuanyi astutely managed the available meagre resources leaving an indelible footprint in the sand of time at the end of the day. It is on record that Ugwuanyis eight-year administration in Enugu State enjoyed a harmonious working relationship with the organised labour, the legislature and judiciary to the extent that it never had any form of confrontation and industrial dispute with them. It was peace and cordiality all the way. This feat was never experienced in the past. Significantly, Ugwuanyi entrenched enduring peace in Enugu State and maintained a peaceful relationship with his predecessors and other leaders of political, religious and traditional institutions. This scenario had its positive impact as it made the state a safe haven for investors and one of the most peaceful and safest states in Nigeria. During the Transition Thanksgiving Mass for Ugwuanyi and his deputy, Hon Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Ogui, Enugu, on the eve of the handover, Msgr Professor Obiora Ike spoke glowingly about Ugwuanyis commitment to making peace to reign in Enugu and went on to decree that history will be kind to Ugwuanyi for entrenching peace in the state when security challenges were being experienced in other states of the South East geo-political zone. Professor Ike extolled Ugwuanyis virtues as a peacemaker and unassuming leader who accommodates everybody irrespective of political or religious differences and goes extra mile to dialogue with people and make peace, stressing that his positive impacts will be felt greatly in the future. The cleric pointed out that Ugwuanyis administration encountered so many unforeseen challenges such as the nations economic recession (twice), the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the EndSARS protest and the Obidient Movement that affected the outcome of the last general election especially in the South East zone, stating that despite all these setbacks, he ensured that Enugu remains peaceful and progressive in terms of development in education, health, infrastructure, workers welfare, security, agriculture, youth empowerment, among others. We shall have one day to look back and say Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi did this. We want to thank you. You said, as the bishop announced here, #EnuguStateIsInTheHandsOfGod , Prof. Ike added. Besides, another pertinent aspect of Ugwuanyis administration that engendered peace and rapid development, which though didnt go down well with majority of residents of Enugu City was its decision to concentrate massive developments in the rural areas through its peace and grassroots development initiatives. Ordinarily, Ugwuanyi like most chief executives would have chosen to toe the path of his predecessors in concentrating developments in Enugu City to win the accolades of the residents who are largely non-indigenes, enlightened, and exposed to the world of social media. But as a compassionate and God-fearing leader he felt that the rural dwellers also deserved democracy dividends as bona fide citizens of the state and needed to be remembered and given a sense of belonging. This display of conscience and a great sense of passion for those in the rural areas became a challenge to him as the majority of the urban dwellers, who believe that democracy dividends belong to them alone, became pessimistic in their verdict on the former governors achievements, just because they are not direct beneficiaries of most projects his administration executed in the rural areas. It is easier to destroy than to build. Nevertheless, posterity will remain kind to Ugwuanyi for grabbing the bull by the horns through his novel rural development programmes that opened up the rural areas and gave hope and instilled in the rural dwellers, the long neglected and deprived in the state a new strong sense of belonging. Ugwuanyis firm belief in patriotism, peace and wellbeing of the masses especially the lowly, long neglected and deprived was exceptional, and he never pretended about that. A just, God-fearing, humble, compassionate, visionary, peaceful and kind-hearted leader, Ugwuanyi is one person whose leadership qualities remain rare among his contemporaries in the country. A bridge-builder and ardent promoter of national unity, good governance and the principles of equity, justice and fairness, Ugwuanyi will also be remembered for his genuine interest and commitment to upholding the existing rotational zoning arrangement of the governorship position among the three senatorial districts of Enugu State. Posterity will equally remember him for the patriotic role he played in the emergence of Dr. Mbah, from Nkanuland, as the governor of Enugu State in spite of the abuses, blackmail, betrayals, sabotage and parochial sentiments that greeted the decision. Governor Mbah has never failed to acknowledge this fact each time he speaks before the former governor. Stepping down early last week after handing over the baton of leadership to Governor Mbah, it is a good time to put Ugwuanyis stewardship on the scale to gain some insight on how history will judge his legacies. It is often said that a powerful vision draws in ideas, people and other resources and creates the momentum and will to make change happen. It also inspires individuals, complementary organisations and institutions to commit, to persist and to give their best. This was what Ugwuanyi adroitly deployed with discipline and persistence to change the traditional narrative of governance. Today, Enugu State is better for it. Notably, he rejected staying tamely at the end of received policy prescriptions but rather coveted knowledge-driven innovations, proactive engagement with stake-holders, policy makers and sure-footed action. He brought these dimensions to bear on his political and developmental leadership of Enugu State. Ugwuanyi assumed executive leadership of the state in 2015 when Enugus purse grew leaner and Nigerias economy was in recession as federal allocations dwindled to an all-time low a major setback his predecessor, Mr. Sullivan Chime acknowledged during the thanksgiving Mass to commemorate the end of his administration. Ugwuanyis administration was receiving less than 30% of federal allocations the previous regime received due to the nations economic downturn occasioned by the tail-spin of oil prices in the international market. Despite this, his administration was up-to-date in the payment of the new N30,000 minimum wage and its consequential adjustment to the state civil servants a huge burden on the states lean resources. At the peak of nations economic recession between 2015 and 2016, he was able to pay workers salaries when 27 states of the federation could not pay, let alone embark on capital projects, as state governors resorted to bailout funds unlike their predecessors who had access to crude oil funds which enabled them to execute capital projects. This astute governance vision explains why the people of Enugu State overwhelmingly re-elected him in 2019 with an unprecedented 95.54 per cent of the votes cast, the highest margin of victory in the nations electoral history. It is now on record that Ugwuanyi was the only governor in the history of Enugu State to witness two national economic recessions within five years of his administration, and also witnessed the enervating #EndSARS protests, the COVID-19 pandemic, security challenges, among others, which brought major setbacks to the actualisation of his lofty visions for the state, as contained in his well-spelt-out four-point agenda (manifesto) of seamless continuity and consolidation. He is the first governor of Enugu State since 1999 to lead the state on the platform of a political party (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) that is in opposition to the political party at the national level (All Progressives Congress, APC). What an obvious disadvantage, vis-a-vis setback in terms of federal government patronages and considerations. Ugwuanyi is regarded by many as the unsung hero of infrastructure, as he continued with his aggressive execution of legacy projects projects that impact directly on the people till his last week in office. Ugwuanyis administration covered about 850 kilometres of urban and rural roads largely concentrated in the rural areas. Concerned about the health and wellbeing of the rural dwellers, Ugwuanyi renovated district hospitals and constructed healthcare facilities such as nine units of Type 3 Healthcare centres in LGAs across the state, Amenity Facility within the premises of the rehabilitated Ogrute General Hospital, Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA, and cottage hospitals with isolation wings in the rural areas to provide adequate and affordable healthcare services to the people. According to BudgIT, Enugu is one of the three states in the federation that fulfilled obligations to their workers. The immediate past governor of Enugu State is the man behind the eventual listing of Enugu as an oil producing entity one of the lifelines for the new administration. Taking education as another critical development arena, Ugwuanyi is the second person after Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, to bring a university to Nsukka zone, the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State. Ugwuanyi is the founder of SUMAS and it was the venerable Zik who attracted the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) to Nsukka. The ex-governor also attracted a federal polytechnic to Nsukka Zone, in Ohodo, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area and transformed the university town of Nsukka with a befitting State Secretariat Annex, Conference Centre, 5,000-seat Township Stadium, the 12-kilometre Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway with underground drainage system and network of roads fitted with street and traffic lights, among others. His administration constructed the 31-kilometre Udenu Ring Road, 26.66-kilometre Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene Ajima-Eziani road in Uzo-Uwani LGA (RAMP-2) and 22.443km Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti inter-community road linking Isi-Uzo and Udenu LGAs (RAMP-2), among numerous others. The first flyover bridge to be constructed by Enugu State government, the T-Junction Flyover Bridge, Nike Lake Road, Enugu, was executed by his administration. Remarkably, Ugwuanyis administration reconstructed and remodelled the ancient, historic and undulating 11-kilometre Millken Hill Road, Ngwo, Enugu. His administrations massive infrastructural interventions in the State Judiciary were unprecedented. From rural to urban areas with a deliberate emphasis on rural Enugu State, he incepted changes that will stand the test of time. From mortar and brick projects to sophisticated socio-economic support constructions in the health, education, judiciary and road arenas, he simply touched a wide swathe of the states local government areas positively. Ugwuanyis administration took bold step to optimise healthcare benefits of the Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre, Enugu for residents of the state and beyond, through the Official Transfer of the health facility to the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), a federal agency, for its rehabilitation, upgrading and re-operationalisation to a comprehensive diagnostic and oncology (cancer) treatment centre. Under his watch, Enugu was also rated as the second most advanced state in Nigeria on the Ease of Doing Business by the World Bank Group, and among the seven states that are solvent with an impressive over 30% internally generated revenue (IGR) to fund additional economic activities, among others. Besides the foregoing, Ugwuanyis administration recruited over 7,030 primary and secondary school teachers and executed over 1,355 verifiable projects in various primary and secondary schools across the 17 local government areas of the state under ENSUBEB and PPSMB, in line with the administrations vision to improve the learning condition of the students. His administration computerised 490 secondary schools (under ENSUBEB and PPSMB) and converted 1,000 volunteer teachers to permanent staff as well as releasing all outstanding arrears of promotion to date (under PPSMB). The massive infrastructure development and upgrade of facilities in the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, including construction of four massive academic buildings and other structures, to address the challenges associated with shortage of classrooms, laboratories, studios and offices should of course not be forgotten. Thereafter, he transitioned IMT into a degree-awarding institution as well as the rehabilitation of the schools internal roads, Administrative Block, Mass Communication Block, Engineering Blocks, among other buildings. He ensured the consistent and timely releases of monthly subventions for smooth running of other state-owned tertiary institutions, namely the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT); Institute of Management and Technology (IMT); the Enugu State College of Education Technical (ESCET); and the Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo. These institutions witnessed various degrees of interventions in the provision of infrastructure, teaching, learning, laboratory and workshop equipment for the purposes of programmes accreditation, teaching and learning. On youth empowerment, Ugwuanyis administration through the Enugu Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Centre initiated a sustained and radical transformation that ensured that Enugu youths were equipped with 21st century high income skills that provide pathways to employability and entrepreneurship development. Against the forgoing backdrop, it was not surprising that Enugu was rated among the 1,000 cities in the world with the most impressive and vibrant startup ecosystem by StartupBlink, a Swiss-based research hub that publishes an annual global startup index. Indisputably, the ex-governors worthy stewardship and unswerving commitment to the progress of Enugu State in spite of all the related governance challenges places him favorably in the court of posterity. It is indeed worth repeating that in terms of peace, security, infrastructural development, education, health, workers welfare, youth empowerment etc, Ugwuanyi stands very tall. As legacies go, history will certainly remember him kindly. Governor Mbahs Mission To Do Things Differently In his inaugural address on 29 May, Governor Mbah, while appreciating all those who contributed to the success of his governorship struggle, dwelt on the invaluable contributions of former Governor Ugwuanyi towards his emergence as governor stating that posterity will certainly be kind to you for your deep sense of patriotism. A month before his inauguration, Governor Mbah was at the Government House, Enugu with members of his Transition Committee on a courtesy visit to Ugwuanyi. The governor (then Governor-elect) expressed profound gratitude to Ugwuanyi for standing firm in his belief in patriotism. Dr. Mbah equally thanked the immediate past governor for successfully leading the campaign for the emergence of someone with public and private sector background as his successor in spite of blackmail, discord and vilification, to accelerate development in the state. He said that the decision of Ugwuanyi with the members and leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to support his emergence as the partys governorship candidate was driven by patriotism. Governor Mbah told Ugwuanyi that you recognised that the line of the land is shifting rapidly and you took a view that if we must accelerate development in Enugu State, the people who will be leading or championing that development must also have the necessary public and private sector background. In the light of that, you fixed your eyes on the fight despite the blackmail, discord and vilification you received during the campaigns and electioneering processes. The governor disclosed that in constituting the committee which was chaired by Ike Chioke we searched for the very best in virtually all views of development, adding: Here gathered are the products of that scrutiny. We have experts from virtually all fields of development, these are technocrats, these are private sector giants both men and women that have distinguished themselves in their various professional endeavours. Prior to the visit, Governor Mbah had at different fora explained that his ambitious economic plans for Enugu State as contained in his manifesto cannot be actualised with the states lean resources alone but by doing things differently that would take the state through a consequential journey of growth, development and greatness. The governor had promised to grow the states economy from its current level of $4.4 billion to $30 billion. He talked about ensuring that his administration achieves a zero per cent rate in the states poverty headcount index. Governor Mbah had also talked about making Enugu State the preferred destination for investment, business, tourism and living as well as unpacking the skills of the youths in digital technology so that he will be able to equip a minimum of 40,000 youths in digital technology and a minimum of 10,000 youths in practical skills yearly. Dwelling further on his plans, adjudged by many to be ambitious, Governor Mbah had equally said that they are achievable because they are measurable. We also know that the growth level we are talking about cannot come from the public sector alone. This growth will happen through constructive investment, and they will come largely from the private sector. Addressing the people of Enugu State at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu shortly after his inauguration as Governor of the State, Dr Mbah expressed gratitude to them for the opportunity they gave him to serve them as their governor, saying that he will forever be grateful to them for the honour. The governor declared that the youths of Enugu State will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tomorrow that is now here today. We want to expose our youths to the skills required to grasp the emerging future and create opportunities for the genius in them to flourish. We also want to invoke and instill in them the can-do spirit that is innate in the Igbo man. Enugu will rubbish Japa, not by legislation but by creatively addressing the challenges to the future of our youths. We will equip our youths with e-commerce, fintech and cyber-security skills, such that they will become globally interconnected, and can indeed Japa all over the world by providing services online through their e-commerce skills. They will be champions of the globe without necessarily having to leave Enugu. I am standing before you today pregnant with ideas on how to rescue our youths and indeed the whole of Enugu State from the threats against our existence. You can trust me. I will be operating from the vantage of transcendental values and not narrow interests. That is what we are driven by. I will not let you down. We believe that the only purpose of leadership is to bring the best out of every one of us. You are why all these are possible. Harping on doing things differently, Governor Mbah among other promises stated: Take notice that this administration will be business unusual. Tough decisions will be taken. Those decisions will, however, be taken in the best interest of Ndi Enugu and Enugu State in general. You will constitute the driving force of every action we take as your representatives. We will serve you with every fiber of our being and devote all our energy and your resources to working for you and your interests. Our driving force and governance philosophy will be always based on transcendental values. We will invoke the spirit of enterprise, the creative energy of our people and the remarkable industry on the streets of Enugu State to create the difference in governance. We will pursue an economic growth that is unrivalled in this part of the country. We will tap into the limitless resources of the private sector to provide world-class infrastructure and productive sector growth. We will retool and re-energise our agriculture/agro-allied sector. We will unlock our rural economy through the implementation of Special Economic Zones and Special Agro-allied Processing Zones. The commerce and industry sector will help us to kick-start this drive. We also plan to provide a N100 billion revolving fund for our SMEs in partnership with the Private Sector and other Development Financial Institutions. In the area of Information and Communication Technology, (ICT), we will provide a Tier 4 Hyper Scale Data Centre to attract hyper-scale businesses like Amazon, Google, Netflix, Tik Tok and Microsoft. Demonstrating his persuasion and steadfastness towards achieving his ambitious economic plans for the state, Governor Mbah immediately after his inauguration headed for his office, at the Government House, Enugu and performed his first executive task as governor by signing three Executive Orders including the Citizens Charter which demands that we manage your money, the peoples money, in the peoples interest. The governor explained that this Charter holds me and members of my team to account on your funds. The Citizens Charter mandates us to provide detailed information on our public financial management system, report our revenue to you in detail and ensure that we adequately capture our expenditure. The Charter demands, in the same vein, that our expenditure is consistent with government priorities. In line with the Public Financial Management (PFM) system, we will also ensure implementation of programmes and projects that deliver value for our money, factoring due process and public procurement laws into them. Ending his inaugural address, Governor Mbah directly invited Ndi-Enugu to his envisioned journey into prosperity. His words: Let me invite the people of Enugu State to accompany our administration on this journey into prosperity. This is not time for politics. It is not time for passion as well. It is time for the sowing of the seed for the Enugu of our dream. Each Enugu son and daughter should ask themselves the question: what sort of future do we desire for our children? In answering the question, we must begin to work together to forge that future of our dream. Posterity will not forgive us if we fail. It has always been Ugwuanyis wish that his successor will perform better than him as father prays that his son does better that him. Governor Mbah has shown that he has the will, fortress, capacity and courage to take Enugu State to the next level, doing things differently for Tomorrow is indeed here. Louis Amoke writes from Enugu. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print the political elites want to get us from paying bogus subsidy claims is bad to subsidising petrol is bad. Once we naively make that rhetorical shift, weve given them undeserved rhetorical victory and theyve coyly won us over to their side Once that happens, well be stuck discussing tangentialissuesleaving aside the main issues of their unwillingness to tackle corruption in subsidy payments and their failure to restore domestic refining the short- and long-term solutions to the problem. Its disheartening to see a dubiously contrived consensus emerging among unsuspecting and otherwise critically-minded Nigerians on fuel subsidy. The rhetorical offensive of successive governments on the issue is sadly proving successful. The debate has now shifted from whether petrol, the single most consequential product in our economy that directly or indirectly drives all economic activities, should be subsidised, to when and how subsidy should be removed, and how the government should invest the resulting revenue boost. Thats exactly how the political elites want it. These are their preferred terms for discussing subsidy. This framing exculpates them, blames the nebulous and externalised concept of subsidy corruption, and demands nothing from them to help fix the fiscal mess we re in. But the main issue is not about the corruption in the subsidy regime. They are trying to shape and shift the terms of the discussion to only focus on inflated subsidy invoices, which they had been paying to their favoured subsidy claimants. Nigerians should stop falling into the political elites well-laid rhetorical trap for justifying the effort to transfer the cost of their greed, incompetence, and corruption to the masses. A serious government thats not implicated in the subsidy corruption and that truly wants to audit its subsidy waste will take measures to clean it up so that only legitimate subsidy claims are paid. This is the only sensible short-term fix that does not punish regular citizens for the financial sins of their political elite. It is not about whether the proceeds of the so-called subsidy removal will be invested wisely. That is part of their rhetorical deception, their effort to distort the discussion to focus on wrong questions and wrong premises. We have seen how the savings of previous subsidy removals were frittered away or mismanaged, but that is the wrong conversation to be having. There are real questions that need to be posed and which they are trying to keep Nigerians from asking by getting us to accept a flawed premise. They are trying to convince us that subsidising fuel by whatever means, which is popular in many countries, including the US, because of the positive ripple effects of affordable petrol on the real economy, is bad. They are doing so by steering you rhetorically to focus on the wrong issues. Here are the real questions and issues: If subsidy has been removed or partially removed multiple times in the past, why does the need to heavily subsidise fuel persist? Could it be that the idea of subsidy removal is a fraudulent distraction from the real issue of our loss of domestic refining capacity, despite spending millions of dollars on failed turnaround maintenance (TAM) contracts and our dependence, for the last two-and-a-half decades, on imported petrol? Related to the above, why have successive governments not tackled the root cause of the problem by restoring domestic refining to meet our petrol consumption needs? With the Federal Government being an investor, we are told, in Dangote Refinery, with the revelation by the CBN that it lent tens of billions of naira to the refinery project, and with the previous announcement by NNPC that it will supply about 400,000 barrels of our daily crude production to Dangote Refinery, which should eliminate the costs associated with purchasing and importing overseas petrol, why should fuel not be affordable in Nigeria, even if Mr Dangote adds something on top of his refining cost to make a deserved profit for his trouble? It is a mystery to us laypeople. Given the reality that, for good or ill, in Nigeria, everything in the real economy (public transportation, home and small business power generation, the service industry, the movement of goods and labour, etc.) depends on petrol being affordable, is the subsidy not worth sanitising and preserving, whatever it takes, in the short-term, in order not to destroy whats left of the battered economy and inflicting more suffering on our beleaguered masses? Related to the above, why is it that every time the ruling political elites spend, borrow, and steal their ways into fiscal trouble, they try to raise revenue through subsidy removal, rather than cutting the perks of public officials and tackling the scandalous waste in the budgeting system of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government? Is it because stopping subsidy is the path of least political resistance and leaves intact the equally costly but disguised subsidies extended to the political elites in the executive, legislative, and bureaucratic realms of government? Is the rhetoric of subsidy removal not a policy discourse or consensus informed by the out-of-touch narcissistic consumption habits of political and business elites who can afford expensive petrol and are thus unable to relate to how regular Nigerians will find their daily routines truncated and their survival hustles drastically curtailed? Is it not the case that if Nigeria continues to import refined fuel and cannot refine its own, the discrepancy between the landing cost of imported fuel and the pump price will resurface intermittently, no matter how many times subsidy is removed, as crude prices, shipping costs, and other fluctuating variables in the international economy push the landing cost up or down? Does that not mean that no subsidy removal is final, as our history has shown, since unpredictable developments in the global petroleum demand and supply equation and supply chain will likely, even if temporarily, produce a new discrepancy and necessitate subsidy in the future? By the way, why do we pay subsidy even in times when global oil demand is down and theres a slow down in global economic activity? Is that not fraudulent subsidy? Is that corruption, along with the graft of over-invoicing, not the real problem that needs to be tackled if government is not lazy or complicit? Again, why skirt the real problems to implement a measure thats not a permanent fix and will inflict long-lasting, perhaps fatal, damage on the economy and citizens livelihoods? Why cut off your hand because you have a stubborn, painful, but treatable pimple on it? In a nutshell, the political elites want to get us from paying bogus subsidy claims is bad to subsidising petrol is bad. Once we naively make that rhetorical shift, weve given them undeserved rhetorical victory and theyve coyly won us over to their side. Once that happens, well be stuck discussing tangential, atmospheric issues, questions, and scenarios, leaving aside the main issues of their unwillingness to tackle corruption in subsidy payments and their failure to restore domestic refining the short- and long-term solutions to the problem. Moses E. Ochonu can be reached at meochonu@gmail.com Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print It is no more news that the Akpabio-Barau joint ticket for the Senate Leadership has continued to gain ground by endorsements from relevant quarters. From President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and governors in the ruling and opposition parties like Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and the immediate past governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike among others and still counting. As excitement grows for the 10th Assembly elections, the profile of Senator Akpabio is already widely known, being a former governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta, while his running mate, Senator Barau Jibrin is known more for his silent achievements and accomplishements as a politician. Born in the ancient city of Kano, Barau holds a bachelors degree in accounting, masters certificate in Financial Management and pricing, masters certificate in Management and Masters of Business Administration (MBA). He also holds a certificate in Financial Management for business decisions from the prestigious Cornell University, United States. A former Chairman of the Kano State Investment and Properties Ltd, and Commissioner of Science and Technology in the state, Baraus ardent dedication to his constituents inspired him to contest as a member of the Federal House of Representatives in Tarauni Federal Constituency of Kano State during the 1999 national assembly elections, a contest in which he was victorious. After a term in the House of Representatives and three terms in the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin has amassed an unparalleled wealth of experience and profound expertise that places him in a league of his own. In fact, currently, he is the most ranking Senator-elect from North West and Kano State, a fourth termer, who has sponsored bills and motions with unequal legislative experience. Recently, the Progressive Youth Intellectuals in collaboration with the Youths Digest, the organisers of the annual Campus Journalism Awards endorsed Senator Barau for demonstrating remarkable skill and honesty in his interventions at the legislative chamber especially on education, skill acquisitions and youth development. Because of his remarkable records in the National Assembly over four terms, the Progressive Youth Intellectuals believe it is fitting that Barau Jibrin, a candidate from the North West Zone, be chosen to the coveted position of Deputy Senate President. It is necessary to stress that while in the House of Representatives, Jibrin chaired the House Committee on Appropriations and was a member of the House Committee on Power. During his tenure, he displayed his well-known dedication to prioritising education, particularly for the younger generation, by constantly championing the cause of young Nigerians. He was a strong supporter of a bill to build the Federal University of Education Technology in Bichi, Kano State. He also sponsored bills to establish the Federal Polytechnic Kabo. Senator Jibrin also introduced another bill in 2020 to create the North West Development Commission to address gaps in infrastructural development in the region. Despite the regions abundance of capable senators, Senator Barau was named Northern Senator of the Year by the Nigerian Senate Press Corps in 2017. His success attests to his various services to national peace and prosperity, which resulted in his being named Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON. He also performed critical roles in several development projects while serving on the Niger Delta, Industries, Land Transportation, and Appropriations Committees. Even in the 2023 presidential election, Senator Barau demonstrated his competence and popularity. Kano, his home state, earned the second highest number of votes for the All Progressives Congress. Meanwhile, Senator Baraus districts in Northern Kano accounted for nearly half (200,000 votes) of the APCs 513,000 votes in the state. Further examination of the election results reveals that Senator Baraus birthplace, the North West, provided the most votes for the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 presidential elections, totaling 2.7 million votes. It is telling that Senator Barau was the only APC senator who withstood the tumultuous wave of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano state, triumphantly winning his re-election bid and returning to the Senate. This alludes to the truth that the Senator is doing something right for his people. Senator Barau Jibrin continued his political climb in future years, winning election to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015, representing Kano North Senatorial District on the All Progressives Congress platform. He repeated this feat in 2019 and 2023, winning three consecutive red chamber elections. Finally, Barau Jibrins character and incorruptible nature stand out as his most admirable qualities. His untainted reputation sets him apart as a leader who can be relied upon to act in the best interests of the Nigerian people. This sets him apart as a paragon of virtue in an era where trust in public officials is of paramount importance. As a result, the candidacy of Senator Barau Jibrin for the esteemed office of Deputy Senate President in the 10th Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria became a beacon of hope for the nation. The unwavering support of the Progressive Youth Intellectuals, coupled with Jibrins relentless commitment to achieving meaningful outcomes and combating corruption confirms his position as the unquestionably right option for this critical role. Electing Senator Barau Jibrin (CON) as the running mate of Senator Akpabio for Senate Leadership will undoubtedly pave the road for unprecedented progress and development in Nigeria as a cohesive unit. They have proven to be a prototypical leaders capable of leading the upper chamber in a period of renewed hope for the entire country. Saajid Ibrahim, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print how would ordinary Nigerians survive the pangs that the removal is coming with? They have been appealing for the implementation of the minimum wage, but the state governors have been reluctant about this. The reality is that some states cant afford to pay the minimum wage. But even if the minimum wage is implemented, it wont take a man who has a family anywhere. While I was in Kano for a friends wedding recently, I overheard a conversation that Uber drivers in Abuja had increased the cost of commuting passengers from the airport to the city centre to N15,000. Given the new price, I knew any time I returned to Abuja, I would have to trek home. As a university lecturer, there is no way I could afford such a price. The abrupt removal of fuel subsidy by our new president, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, during his inauguration, has exacerbated the economic difficulties Nigerians have been battling for years. The president has made the announcement, which is already being implemented religiously. However, as Nigerians continue to groan, we need to realise that sustaining the subsidy will not only cripple the economy but also continue to keep us deeply indebted as a country. Nonetheless, I wanted to frown at the fact that the removal was carried out in the absence of an economic team, which ought to help in recommending strategies that will cushion its effects. But because Tinubu is an acclaimed strategist, I have the belief that a lot of thought and strategies would have gone into his decision or would be deployed shortly. It was after the announcement that the president met with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). This meeting should have happened before the announcement. But how would ordinary Nigerians survive the pangs that the removal is coming with? They have been appealing for the implementation of the minimum wage, but the state governors have been reluctant about this. The reality is that some states cant afford to pay the minimum wage. But even if the minimum wage is implemented, it wont take a man who has a family anywhere. According to the new price template, Lagos State has the lowest pump price at N488 per litre of PMS, while Maiduguri and Damaturu have the highest, at N577 per litre. Following a meeting with the president, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, said the subsidy payment was no longer sustainable as it hinders the company from funding its core businesses. There isneed to kick-start people-oriented welfare programmes to cushion the pangs of the policy. In doing this, attention must be given to the poor and vulnerable. The government should also prioritise the rehabilitation of the nations four refineries. Nigerians do not know the amount of PMS they consume daily. We ought to know. Today, we are waiting for them to settle up to N2.8 trillion of NNPCs cash flow from the subsidy regime and we cant continue to build this, Kyari said. The GCEO said since the provision of the N6 trillion in 2022, and N3.7 trillion in 2023, we have not received any payment whatsoever from the federation. Kyari said the NNPC made the petrol subsidy payments from its cash flow, noting that the government has been unable to pay back the N2.8 trillion spent so far. Many experts and agencies have been pushing for the removal of the fuel subsidy for years, one of which is the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI). It has been consistent with its call since 2006, saying it was concerned about the huge financial burden it places on the Nigerian economy. An estimated $74.39 billion, which translates to N13.69 trillion, was spent on subsidies between 2005 and 2021. This figure is outrageous. Nevertheless, for the fuel subsidy removal to be impactful to Nigeria, there is an urgent need to strengthen the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). Currently, the implementation isnt total but only halfway. There is also a need to kick-start people-oriented welfare programmes to cushion the pangs of the policy. In doing this, attention must be given to the poor and vulnerable. The government should also prioritise the rehabilitation of the nations four refineries. Nigerians do not know the amount of PMS they consume daily. We ought to know. Additionally, the government should enforce stringent sanctions for criminal activities in the sector and conduct appropriate stakeholder consultations, engagements, and enlightenment. Finally, before Tiwa Savage confuses us about relocating out of Nigeria over the current challenges, I am advising my fellow compatriots that we must all come together and fix our country as this is the only way we can all beat our chest and be proud of what we have. Gidado Yushau Shuaib is a staff at Baze University Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Last week I listened to or read the speech of at least a dozen newly elected governors, and I must confess they were full of hazard warning signs ahead. Citizens have only one option brace up before going on a roller coaster ride at the sub-national level worse than they experienced in the last eight years. I estimate that about 80% of the inauguration speeches of the dozen newly elected state governors I listened to were uninspiring, and none captured the changing demographics of the states, how to harness new technologies, potential impacts of new federal legislation, prevailing and persistent challenges faced by the people, innovativeness and original thinking that should define the road ahead for sub-national governments at this time. Apart from a few that dealt with anything meaningful, most new governors spent half of the time praising their predecessors, who at best had disgraceful legacies , with a commitment to continue the same purposeless and rudderless path. Worse still, they did not bother addressing some of the states most pressing challenges. I will list a few common to most states high debt profile, too many unviable and uncompleted projects, low internally generated revenue, poorly equipped and demotivated civil service, humongous outstanding salary commitments, challenging security situation and the dearth of social services. The commitment of loyalty expressed to their predecessors and not the state is a new development peculiar to our democracy. It may be traced to the absolute power conferred on them by the 1999 constitution, and as far back as 2004, the Financial Times of London identified the overbearing influence of Governors as the root of poor governance at the subnational levels. Governors, who are chief executives at the subnational level, act as emperors. They quickly appropriate the state legislature, and the judiciary is often at their mercy. In practice, they have made the legislative arm an extension of various state government houses. These subnational strongmen rule without checks and balances, no transparency , and no accountability, as they are above the law and enjoy endless immunity. The democratic checks and balances in our constitution are stronger at the federal than the state level . This lax has allowed governors to operate like lawless brigands. A typical pattern in 2023 is that of the 18 newly elected governors, as many as 11 or 12 of them were selected and sponsored by outgoing governors. Selecting, not electing, and sponsoring preferred candidates to become governors may not be the worst offence against the people, but the quality of governors and governance keep depreciating. Institutions of democracy are also weakened or captured, and accountability to the people disappears in favour of accountability to the new godfathers former governors. The phenomenon of state capture by outgone and former governors is present and real and constitutes a danger to the development and aspiration of the people. The new godfathers will definitely become virtual remote-control emperors of the state. The challenge before us now, with new godfathers in town and new governors who owe them loyalty plus an assembly of handpicked Oh-yes-men, is how do we hold our new governors accountable? How do we ensure budgets are made for the people, not the new godfathers? How do we guarantee that citizens enjoy services rather than state governments serving outgone governors and new godfathers? This is a new phase in our nascent democratic journey, and it is a challenge worth giving attention to if you go by fiscal development in our various states. A report by The Guardian newspaper of 17 April 2023 shows that of the 18 governors that have completed their constitutionally allowed two tenures plus Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, who could not secure re- election, will pass on a whopping over N3.2 trillion debt to the new state handlers. Overall, the affected 18 sub-national entities debts rose 232%, from N947.4 billion outstanding in December 2014 a few months before the outgoing state chiefs took the reins. The amount owed to local and foreign institutions and individuals has ballooned by N2.16 trillion to hit N3.1 trillion at the close of last year. This is a bobby trap number one for the incoming governors. Aside from this debt exposure, most of which we cannot account for their applications, are outstanding salaries, pension and gratuity issues running into few trillions at the subnational level. It is a no-brainer that the road ahead for the new state governors in Nigeria is filled with challenges and opportunities. The many difficulties will require a strategic and focused governor to tackle and overcome these challenges. Unfortunately, very few governors seem prepared with knowledge about their states let alone strategies for developing them as revenue generating and social service centers. It is no time to make excuses about these challenges because the governors knew about them before vying for the office of the governor, and most campaigned on these challenges and have fanciful solutions for them in their campaign communications and manifestos. It is time to walk the talk. These challenges are not insurmountable, but they require these governors to think deeply, out of the box, be creative and be innovative to solve them. It requires a total commitment to serve the people and not tolerate much interference from any overbearing former governor or godfathers. Accountability to the people and developing people-centric policies and programmes must be the guiding principles of the new governors. Time is transient and waits for no man. Four years may seem a long time, but they should ask their predecessors how their time flew past those eight years of tenure blew past as if it started yesterday. They must learn from that. The time to plan, execute and evaluate is now, not tomorrow. The governors should adopt bespoke approaches to solving the states problems and bringing about developments that will positively touch citizens lives. This is not a time to witch hunt or fight ephemeral battles that will only force governors to lose focus on more important things. I will articulate some key areas that state governors should focus on to drive development and improve governance. Most Nigerians know these must be done to improve the state; however, the problem is in the desire and ability of the governors to implement these ideas. Economic diversification is crucial for each state. Many Nigerian states heavily rely on money from the federal government based on oil revenues, making them vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices. State governments should prioritize economic diversification by promoting sectors such as agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, tourism, and technology. This will help create jobs, boost revenue generation, and reduce dependence on oil. State governments must explore innovative ways to generate revenue and reduce dependence on federal allocations. This can be achieved through tax reforms, improving revenue collection systems, exploring public-private partnerships, and attracting private investments. Additionally, state governments should adopt fiscal discipline by prudently managing resources, reducing wasteful spending, and implementing adequate budgetary controls. Infrastructure development lays the foundation for a better quality of living for citizens. Improving infrastructure is crucial for economic growth and social development. State governments should invest in constructing and maintaining roads, bridges, airports (seaports and railways in collaboration with FG), power plants, and telecommunications networks. This will enhance connectivity, attract investors, and facilitate trade and commerce. However, there is no need to embark on white-elephant projects that will have little or no benefit for the state. State governments must complete already started projects by the former governments and build on what is on the ground rather than abandoning old projects to start new projects. We should stop the public eyesores abandoned projects have become in many states. Improving Education and Healthcare lays the foundation needed for development. Investing in education and healthcare is essential for human capital development. State governments should prioritize improving the quality of education by upgrading school facilities, training teachers, and promoting vocational and technical skills. Similarly, healthcare systems need to be strengthened by building more hospitals, improving access to quality healthcare services, and investing in healthcare professionals. Agriculture is a crucial sector in Nigeria, and state governments should prioritise agricultural development to ensure food security and reduce dependence on food imports. They can support farmers by providing access to credit, modern farming techniques, improved seeds, and irrigation facilities. Additionally, state governments should invest in agro-processing industries to add value to agricultural products and create employment opportunities. Transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption are critical for effective governance. Unfortunately, states constitutes the weakest link in this respect. State governments should promote good governance practices, establish anti-corruption agencies, implement public financial management reforms, and encourage citizen participation in decision-making. This will help build trust, enhance service delivery, and attract investments. Ensuring the safety and security of citizens is paramount for socio- economic development. State governments should work closely with federal security agencies to combat criminal activities. They should invest in equipping and training security personnel, strengthening intelligence gathering, and promoting community policing. Collaboration and synergy among neighbouring states can lead to shared development and enhanced regional competitiveness. State governments should explore opportunities for collaboration and cooperation in areas such as transportation, infrastructure development, security, and economic integration. This can be achieved through regional development commissions, joint projects, and policy harmonisation. Embracing technology and promoting innovation can drive development and improve service delivery. State governments should invest in digital infrastructure, promote e-governance, and encourage technology startups and entrepreneurship. This will enhance efficiency, transparency, and citizen engagement. Overall, the road ahead for state governments in Nigeria requires strong leadership, effective governance, and a commitment to inclusive and sustainable development. By addressing these key areas, state governments can contribute significantly to the overall progress and prosperity of the country. Governors must roll their sleeves and deliver service. Dakuku Peterside is a policy and leadership expert. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print VAT (Value Added Tax) is a consumption tax charged on the supply of all goods and services other than those listed as exempt in the first schedule to the VAT Act. VAT is a tax on spending which is borne by the final consumer of goods and services because it is included in the price paid. The seller is required to include the VAT element separately indicated in the tax invoice, collect with the price of the goods and pay over to the government. Administration of VAT: The administration of VAT in Nigeria is vested in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), being the agency of government responsible for assessment, collection, accounting and enforcement of taxes accrued to the federation and the Federal Government of Nigeria. VAT Rate: It is pertinent to note that the rate of VAT was formerly 5% since inception in 1998 but was upgraded to 7.5% by the Finance Act 2019 which came into effect by February 2020 to amend the VAT Act. Registration: Although all taxable persons are required to register for tax and obtain a Tax Identification number (TIN) upon commencement of business, only businesses that meet the threshold for VAT of an annual turnover of N25 million (Naira) or more are required to collect, pay and file a VAT returns. Filing and Remittance: VAT returns must be filed with the FIRS on monthly basis, specifically on the 21st day of every month following the month of transaction. The VAT returns should include details of sales, purchases, output VAT, and input VAT. Payment of VAT liability should also accompany the filed returns within the specified time frame. VAT Payable: Registered businesses are required to charge VAT on all their taxable goods and services and remit the collected VAT to the FIRS. In some cases, where applicable, the VAT to be remitted is the difference between the output VAT (VAT charged on sales) and the input VAT (VAT paid on purchases). These cases are limited to goods purchased for resale or raw materials purchased and used for the production of another taxable goods. Penalties: Non-compliance with the obligations of VAT Act will result in penalties and interest charges. It is important for businesses to understand and fulfill their VAT obligations to avoid penalties and legal consequences. VAT Exemptions: The first schedule to the VAT Act lists certain goods and services that are exempt or zero-rated for VAT purposes. Below are the exemptions: Exempt Goods include: i. All medical and pharmaceutical products ii. Basic food items iii. Educational Books and materials iv. Baby products v. Fertilizers, locally produced agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines vi. All exports vii. Plant and Machinery viii. Locally produced sanitary towels, pads or tampons ix. Commercial aircrafts, aircraft engines and aircraft spare parts x. Petroleum products (aviation turbine kerosene, premium motor spirit, household kerosene, locally produced Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), and crude petroleum oils. xi. Renewable energy equipment. xii. Raw materials for the production of baby diapers and sanitary towels. xiii. Raw materials for production of pharmaceutical products xiv. Locally produced animal feeds. xv. Military hardware, arms, ammunition and locally manufactured uniforms used by the armed forces, paramilitary and other security agencies of governments in Nigeria. xvi. Gas supplied by gas producing companies to Generating companies (GENCOs), Electricity generated by GENCOs and supplied to National Grid or Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) and Electricity transmitted by Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs). xvii. Agricultural seeds and seedlings. Exempt Services include: i. Medical Services ii. Services rendered by unit micro finance banks and mortgage institutions iii. Plays and performances conducted by educational institutions as part of learning iv. All exported services v. Tuition relating to nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary education vi. Airline transportation tickets issued and sold by commercial airlines registered in Nigeria vii. Hire rental or lease of tractors, ploughs and other agricultural equipment for agricultural Purposes viii. Shared passengers road transport service Zero Rated Good and Services: i. Goods and services purchased by diplomats ii. Goods purchased for use in humanitarian donor funded projects. Olufemi Olarinde, is the Technical Assistant to the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Monday, met with top labour leaders in the state, appealing to them to understand that the recent removal of fuel subsidy was done in good faith to curb further damage to the economy. That came as the Governor approved an immediate reduction of workdays for the states workforce to lessen the subsidy removals impact on their earnings. Civil servants will now work for three days in Kwara State against the current five days. Civil service authorities are expected to release further guidance on the measure, including how it affects health workers and teachers. Removal of subsidy is definitely a painful decision that the government had to take in the larger interest of the country. It is the cheapest and most sustainable option available to curb criminal bleeding of the resources at the expense of the larger public, according to an excerpt of the Governors address to the Kwara Labour leaders. Subsidy regime means Nigeria is running a deficit budget that continues to hurt economic growth and make people poorer. The country was having to borrow to feed a tiny few, while important things like infrastructural development, industrial growth, and job creation received lesser resources. Now that subsidy has been removed as there is no provision for it in the budget anymore, the government is open to veritable ideas from the labour unions on how to redirect the savings for maximum public benefit, including pay rise. Mr President and all of us (Governors) really acknowledge the short-term pains that come with the development, but we are committed to making sure that the interest of the workers and the Nigerian people is protected. The meeting was attended by the NLC Chairman, Muritala Saheed Olayinka; State TUC Chairman, Joseph Tunde Meshach; Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Kwara state chapter, Ola Ahmad; Chairman National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners Association (NAGGMDP) Yusuf Amuda; Vice Chairman National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) Medinat Jimoh; as well as the representatives of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE); among others. The Head of Service, Susan Modupe Oluwole, led them to the meeting. The State NLC Chairman, Muritala Saheed Olayinka, said the call for such a meeting shows good leadership by the governor. He agreed with Mr AbdulRazaq that dialogue is better than strike action at this time, urging the governor to use his good office as NGF Chairman to intervene in the national issue for amicable resolutions. As said by you, we know there is a little misunderstanding between the leadership of NLC and the representatives of the federal government. We have discussed it holistically within ourselves at the state level that when a negotiation is ongoing, it doesnt call for strike demonstration, he said. The Kwara TUC Chairman, Joseph Tunde Meshach, said engagement and dialogue are the best options to resolve the issues. He appealed to the government to be sincere as they discussed a new minimum wage for workers and palliatives for the poor masses. Rafiu Ajakaye Chief Press Secretary to Kwara Governor June 5, 2023 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Police Command in Zamfara says it rescued nine children abducted by bandits from Goran-Namaye Community in Maradun Local Government Area of the state. The Commands Public Relations Officer, Yazid Abubakar, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Gusau on Sunday. On 3rd June 2023 at about 2014hrs, information received from the district Head of Gora-Namaye village in Maradun LGA that nine children comprising males and females who were sent by their parents to fetch firewood in the bush were intercepted and abducted by armed bandits. ALSO READ: Abducted children of former Zamfara commissioner regain freedom Receiving the report, the joint police and other security agencies mobilized to the scene and commenced search and rescue operation that led to rescue of the children. The police spokesperson said the command had already reunited the victims with their families unconditionally. Efforts are still on in tracing the hoodlums for prosecution, Mr Abubakar said. The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that bandits had on Saturday attacked some communities in the same Maradun LGA killing some innocent persons. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A Napoleon beef business is among value-added projects getting money this quarter from North Dakota's Agricultural Products Utilization Commission. Legendary Steaks was awarded $26,250 to buy a trailer for delivering beef. The commission better known as APUC funds developers of North Dakota farm-related products. The money typically is used for research, marketing, farm diversification, agriculture tourism and technology. The group at a recent meeting in Dickinson approved five grants totaling about $427,000. The largest award is $146,352 to Wahpeton-based Dakota Hurd, an industrial hemp company that develops hemp building materials. Bathgate-based Dakota Valley Growers was awarded $128,500 to expand its cattle operation and construct equipment to convert manure into sustainable fertilizer. The Drake-based Dakota Angus beef company received $100,000 for marketing and education. Georgia-based Susterre Technologies USA was awarded $25,830 to conduct testing of ultra-high pressure water jets in row crop applications. Funding for APUC grants comes from the Bank of North Dakota and the North Dakota Mill and Elevator, two state-owned businesses. No money is directly appropriated from the state general fund. The Cross River Government has compulsorily retired the State Auditor General (AG), John Odey. The directive is contained in a memo dated 2 June and signed by the Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission, Inaku Uko. In the memo with reference number CRC/P/25676/T/2 and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the AG was directed to proceed on immediate retirement. The memo further directed him to hand over to the director of administration who will oversee the office till further notice. NAN reports that in his inaugural address, Governor Bassey Otu promised to restructure the states huge debt. READ ALSO: Mr Otu also noted that it would cost the state N54 billion to clear the backlog of over seven years of promotion arrears of civil servants bequeathed to his administration by the immediate past administration. He also said that his administration would be guided by the implementation of a realistic budget that would improve the living standard of the people. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A section of the Magistrate Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, was gutted by a fire suspected to have been caused by a spark from an electricity transformer. Nnenna Onuoha, the chief registrar of Ebonyi High Court, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that the fire, which occurred on Friday night, also burnt exhibits and the court One Chamber in particular. We were alerted by our colleagues living at the Magistrate quarters. It took the intervention of security men, some staff members and the state fire service to put the fire under control, she said. Continuing, Ms Inuoha said: A lot of exhibits and the court chamber were destroyed by the inferno. We lost an estimated property worth N40 million. She said no life was lost in the incident and that the fire was put off with the help of the state fire service. The firefighters secured the court and case files, according to her. READ ALSO: Our files are intact only that the court building and exhibits tendered for various cases were burnt. Actually, we have been informed that the fire was caused by a spark from the electricity transformer, she said. A magistrate, who did not want his name mentioned in the report, corroborated the claim that the fire started from an electricity transformer in the court premises. We sighted the fire in the first place. I quickly informed my colleagues around, and we were able to make use of some of the fire extinguishers around before the fire service could come around, the magistrate said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Oyo State Government has appointed a former secretary of the Park Management System (PMS) of the state, Oluwatomiwa Omolewa, as the new chairman of the agency. It also appointed Kasali Lawal as the secretary of the PMS, an agency that runs commuter vehicle parks in the state. The appointments were announced in a press statement by the spokesperson of the state governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on Sunday. The state government last week removed Lamidi Mukaila, aka Auxiliary, as the chairman of the disciplinary committee of the PMS and sacked the entire management of the agency. The police later raided a hotel linked to Auxiliary and declared him wanted after 20 guns were allegedly found in the facility. The new appointments were made public after officials of the state government met with the stakeholders in the road transport sector. Mr Olanrewajus statement reads in part, Oyo State government has announced Alhaji Oluwatomiwa Omolewa, former Park Management System (PMS) Secretary, as the new Chairman. Alhaji Kasali Ajisafe Lawal aka Baba Bola is to serve as the secretary. This appointment is part of the reorganisation of the PMS embarked upon by the state government. Auxiliary speaks from hideout Meanwhile, Auxiliary has denied the claim by the police that he planned to foment trouble in Ibadan, the state capital, over the sack of the previous management of the PMS. Auxiliary who spoke from hiding on a Saturday morning show on Fresh 105.9 FM in Ibadan said he is peace-loving and would not have planned to turn the state into a theatre of war over the dissolution of the PMS by Governor Seyi Makinde. Auxiliary denied ownership of the arms allegedly recovered from his hotel and faulted the police for declaring him wanted. When I am not a fool, how could I have hidden or stockpiled those weapons at my residence? Makinde breaks silence on Auxiliary Meanwhile, Governor Makinde has assured residents of the state that his government would reform the PMS to ensure those fomenting troubles were disengaged. He said this at the thanksgiving service held in commemoration of his inauguration for a second term at St. Peters Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan, He said: Before the last election, it wasnt as if there are no thugs but we called them and told them the new Oyo State we want. We dont want them to fight themselves, we dont want fight to break out from our garages every time. We told them, dont fight anybody. if we are re-elected, we shall ensure we unite you so that everyone can get what belongs to him or her for people and the government to operate in the atmosphere of peace. But one of them said he cant work with others. so I said two governments cannot operate in the state, there will only be one government. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Exactly one year after a deadly terrorist attack, St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, has commenced activities to reopen the church to worshipers formally. Forty-one persons were killed in the incident on 5 June 2022 by the terrorists who invaded the church as worshippers were rounding off a special mass to mark Pentecost Sunday. The attackers fired shots and threw explosives into the church hall, leaving behind a gory scene as they jumped the fence and fled. Many other worshippers were severely injured, some still nursing the wounds. A statement by the Director of Social Communications of the Ondo Diocese of the Catholic Church, Augustine Ikwu, made available to journalists in Akure on Monday, said a week-long programme would be held to reopen the church for services officially. He said the programme, which began on Monday, was also dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives in the incident and to thank God for those who escaped death during the massacre. The week features the opening of two memorial parks built by the Ondo State Government and Catholic Diocese of Ondo in honour of the deceased, Mr Ikwu said. READ ALSO: There will be candlelight procession mass of the churchs dedication and consecration of the altar and a memorial mass to round off the events. Mr Ikwu said visitation would be made to the families of the deceased and the disabled. An interdenominational service was held on Monday morning to herald the events. The dedication of the church will hold on Thursday, while the memorial mass will hold on Saturday, 10 June The diocese had in April opened the church partially to allow worshippers to celebrate Easter. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Lagos State Government on Monday filed a 12-count charge before a Lagos High Court, against an Interior designer, Ehizogie Ogbebor, for alleged failure to pay tax returns. The state, through its prosecution counsel, A. I. Alli, said that the defendant, who is also an Instagram celebrity, had refused to pay personal income tax to the states internal revenue service from 2014 till date. According to Mr Alli, the defendant is a taxable personality but has evaded tax. He said that the offences contravened Sections 41 and 94 (1) of the Personal Income Tax Act, Cap. P8, Laws of the Federation, 2004. He also said that the offences contravened Sections 56(a) (b) of the Lagos State Revenue Administration Law, No.8, 2006. When the case came up on Monday, Mr Alli told the court that he had a motion for substituted service. READ ALSO: He said that he had not been able to serve the defendant the charge. Mr Alli, therefore, asked for an order from the court to effect substituted service on the defendant. We seek the leave of this court for substituted service to paste the notice on the last known address of the defendant, at plot 59, Fola Osibo St, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, he said. Justice Yetunde Adesanya gave a short ruling and granted the order for substituted service. She adjourned the case until 26 October for a hearing. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print ( Read 1688 Times) Jaipur: NCC cadets of Lzebra College under the aegis of 14 Raj Bn NCC Kota conducted Puneet Sagar Abhiyan on 05 Jun 2023 to commemorate World Environment Day. 01 PI staff, 01xANO and 25 NCC cadets participated in the event. The cadets cleaned up and collected waste including plastic waste from the banks of River Chambal at Rangpur Kota. The NCC cadets took pledge to make possible changes in their life to protect the environment and participated in Debate & Essay Writing Competition. The cadets also resolved to motivate their family, friends and others about the importance of environmentally friendly habits. Source : Unions and the internet: uses, misuses and anything else that comes up, all from a middle-aged propellorhead's perspective. Injectafer (ferric carboxymaltose) is now the first and only intravenous (i.v.) iron replacement therapy in the U.S. indicated for improvement in exercise capacity in adult patients with symptomatic heart failure who have iron deficiency ST. GALLEN, Switzerland, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CSL Vifor today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted its partner American Regent, Inc., a Daiichi Sankyo Group company, approval for Injectafer for the treatment of iron deficiency in adult patients with heart failure and New York Heart Association class II/III* to improve exercise capacity.1 "We are very pleased that the FDA has approved the heart failure label extension of Injectafer, and congratulate our partner on this milestone", said Herve Gisserot, General Manager of CSL Vifor. "Every second patient with chronic heart failure suffers from iron deficiency, with a significant number of patients either not being diagnosed or inadequately treated for iron deficiency. We are confident that Injectafer can make a meaningful contribution to achieve key therapeutic goals in the treatment of these patients." The value of treating iron deficiency in heart failure patients has been clearly recognized by leading guideline committees such as the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, the Heart Failure Society of America as well as the European Society of Cardiology. The FDA approval was supported by CSL Vifor's randomized placebo-controlled study, CONFIRM-HF (NCT01453608), that evaluated the efficacy and safety of ferric carboxymaltose in adult patients with symptomatic heart failure and iron deficiency. The treatment over a 1-year period resulted in a significant and sustainable improvement in exercise capacity in this patient population.2 CSL Vifor has granted American Regent, Inc., a Daiichi Sankyo Group company, an exclusive right to develop, manufacture and market Injectafer in the United States. Please also visit https://americanregent.com/news/ to access the public announcement from American Regent, which does not form a part of this release. *The New York Heart Association Functional Classification is used by Healthcare Professionals to classify patients' heart failure based on the severity of their symptoms. Patients who have a slight or marked limitation of their physical activity due to fatigue, palpitation and/or dyspnea are considered to have class II or class III heart failure, respectively.3 About CSL Vifor CSL Vifor is a global partner of choice for pharmaceuticals and innovative, leading therapies in iron deficiency and nephrology. We specialize in strategic global partnering, in-licensing and developing, manufacturing and marketing pharmaceutical products for precision healthcare, aiming to help patients around the world lead better, healthier lives. Headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland, CSL Vifor also includes the joint company Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (with Fresenius Medical Care). The parent company, CSL (ASX:CSL; USOTC:CSLLY), headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, employs 32,000 people and delivers its lifesaving therapies to people in more than 100 countries. For more information about CSL Vifor visit, www.cslvifor.com. About Injectafer / Ferinject Injectafer / Ferinject (ferric carboxymaltose) is an i.v. iron therapy with market authorization in 85 countries by May 2023. It has a track record of delivering significant value to patients and healthcare systems which is based on extensive clinical data and more than 25 million patient years of exposure. Injectafer is the most extensively studied IV iron.4,5 Injectafer is indicated for the treatment of iron deficiency in patients with heart failure; iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older who have either intolerance to oral iron or an unsatisfactory response to oral iron; and adult patients with IDA who have non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease.1 References: 1 Injectafer [package insert]. Shirley, NY: American Regent, Inc.; May 2023. 2 Ponikowski P, van Veldhuisen DJ, Comin-Colet J, et al. Beneficial effects of long-term intravenous iron therapy with ferric carboxymaltose in patients with symptomatic heart failure and iron deficiency (CONFIRM-HF). Eur Heart J. 2015 Mar 14;36(11):657-68. 3 Classes of Heart Failure. American Heart Association. May 2017. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/what-is-heart-failure/classes-of-heart-failure 4 Data on file. Injectafer Studies. Daiichi Sankyo Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ. 5 CSL Vifor Press Release. https://www.viforpharma.com/ferinjectr-approved-china-treatment-iron-deficiency-adult-patients. Accessed May 2023. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1995721/CSLVifor_Logo.jpg SOURCE Vifor International AG (CSL Vifor) Opens office in Qatar to support digital transformation initiatives across the region DOHA, Qatar and CHENNAI, India, June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global enterprise software company Ramco Systems announced the opening of its wholly owned subsidiary in Qatar, to support and transform the region's business houses and MNCs in the area of ERP, HR, and payroll. Located in Doha, the subsidiary was inaugurated by Her Excellency, Mrs. Angeline Premalatha, Embassy of India. Her Excellency, Mrs. Angeline Premalatha, Embassy of India (C) along with Rohan Raghunath (R), Regional Head - Middle East & Africa and the Ramco Systems team, at the inauguration of Ramcos new office in Doha, Qatar As one of the fastest growing countries in the Middle East, Qatar presents a wealth of opportunities for Ramco to further strengthen its position as a key enterprise software provider. The expansion into Qatar will enable Ramco to not only better serve its existing clientele, but also empower other local enterprises embrace digital transformation and derive significant business benefits. By establishing a local presence, Ramco aims to meet the growing demand for its enterprise solutions in the region. These cutting-edge solutions will enable businesses to transform their operations, improve efficiency and elevate their employee experience through a single standardized platform. Sandesh Bilagi, Chief Operating Officer, Ramco Systems, said, "Qatar is emerging as one of the leading countries in the world in new technology adoption, innovation and digital transformation. The opening of our new office in Qatar is an exciting milestone for Ramco. We believe that our innovative solutions will empower businesses in Qatar and across the region, to achieve their objectives and scale to newer heights." "Ramco's commitment to innovation and operational excellence along with its customer-first approach will remain at the core of its operations in Qatar. The company is dedicated to providing comprehensive support and localized expertise to its clients, ensuring their success in adopting Ramco's solutions. With the inauguration of the new office, Ramco looks forward to building long-lasting partnerships, contributing to the economic growth of Qatar and making a positive impact in the region," added Bilagi. About Ramco Systems Ramco is a next-gen enterprise software player disrupting the market with its multi-tenant cloud and mobile-based enterprise software in HR and Global Payroll, ERP and M&E MRO for Aviation. Part of the USD 1 billion Ramco Group, Ramco Systems focuses on Innovation and Culture to differentiate itself in the marketplace. For more information, please visit http://www.ramco.com/ Follow Ramco on Twitter @ramcosystems and stay tuned to http://blogs.ramco.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092071/Ramco_Qatar.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1923662/Ramco_Logo.jpg SOURCE Ramco Systems NEW ORLEANS, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 365 Connect, the leader in delivering the world's most sophisticated automated marketing, leasing, and resident engagement platform for multifamily communities across the globe, announced today its participation at the National Apartment Association Apartmentalize Conference. The conference takes place from June 7- 9, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Providing a suite of intelligent technology solutions for multifamily housing communities across the nation, the company will be showcasing its automated leasing platform, designed to streamline the conversion of prospects to residents. The solution creates lease documents, obtains signatures, and collects payments without any intervention from onsite staff or centralized leasing teams. "The world has changed dramatically, and its effects are felt across every business and industry imaginable," explained Kerry W. Kirby, CEO of 365 Connect. "We are bringing modernization to a currently broken process through utilizing automation to remove lease creation complexities, eliminate manual data entry, human error, and redundant tasks. Our focus is to transform the entire leasing process to meet the expectation of today's renter." Rethinking how renters move through the application and leasing process, 365 Connect added seamless layers across critical transactional components, enabling communities to accelerate the leasing process. Onboarding is streamlined with identity verification, e-signatures, and document storage. Through guided info gathered in the application process, a signature ready lease is built for digital delivery. Costs are displayed along the way, including add-ons fees, which the process then allows for secure payment of all fees at lease signing. James W. Lancaster, Chief Product Officer of 365 Connect, added, "We built this product by listening to our customers, following renter demographic trends, and looking outside our industry for how other businesses are automating document creation. Our goal was to focus on workflows a prospect encounters from applying to signing a lease and remove as many barriers as possible. We have exciting additions to this solution we will be adding, as we envision the leasing process becoming more lightweight and portable across other platforms." The 365 Connect team will be demonstrating its automated leasing platform throughout the event. Attendees are invited to the Apartmentalize Exhibit Hall at Booth 2401 to learn how multifamily communities all over the country can leverage the power of intelligent automation. ABOUT 365 CONNECT: 365 Connect delivers the world's most sophisticated automated marketing, leasing, and resident engagement platform for multifamily communities across the globe. Designed to modernize transactions that empower people, the platform executes processes that accelerate operations and minimizes human intervention. Founded in 2003 with an unwavering commitment to connect people with where they live, 365 Connect is built for renters, management teams, and today's changing world. Learn how we are ready for what's next at 365connect.com Media Contacts 365 CONNECT Media Relations [email protected] 504-299-3444 SOURCE 365 CONNECT MIAMI, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 8base, the leading low-code development platform for building digital products, internal applications and more, is pleased to announce the appointment of Carly Brantz and Connie Kwan as new members of its Board of Directors. Carly Brantz Connie Kwan Carly Brantz brings a wealth of experience in leading marketing and product led growth organizations in the cloud computing and developer tools industries to the 8base board. As the former Chief Marketing Officer at Digital Ocean and Vice President of Revenue Marketing of SendGrid, Carly played a pivotal role in driving the growth and success of these companies. Her deep understanding in scaling technology businesses will be invaluable in shaping 8base's go-to-market motion. "I am delighted to join the 8base Board of Directors," said Brantz. "The company's innovative approach to low-code development and their commitment to empowering developers resonates deeply with me. I look forward to contributing to 8base's continued growth and success." Connie Kwan is the former head of product for marketplace at Atlassian and current CEO of Product Maestro. She brings her expertise in product strategy and user experience design to the 8base board. With an extensive background in leading high-performing product teams and delivering exceptional user-centric solutions, Connie will play a crucial role in helping 8base build a world-class product organization as the company continues to scale and broaden its product offering. "It is a privilege to join 8base's Board of Directors," said Kwan. "8base has established itself as a leader in the developer tools space and an indispensable solution for business and technical leaders who are seeking a faster, less risky and more rapid way to bring applications to life, and I am excited to collaborate with the team in driving the company's product strategy forward. Together, we will empower developers to build transformative applications with speed and efficiency." "We are thrilled to welcome Carly and Connie to our Board of Directors," said Albert Santalo, founder and CEO of 8base. "Their proven leadership, extensive industry knowledge, and vast experience in developer-first, go-to-market strategies complement our board and will undoubtedly drive 8base's mission to revolutionize software development. We are confident that their insights and expertise will play a significant role in the next phase of 8base's evolution." Board member and Foundry partner Chris Moody expressed his enthusiasm about the new appointments, "Carly and Connie are exceptional additions to the 8base Board of Directors. Their unique perspectives will be instrumental in shaping the company's future and driving innovation in the low-code development space. We are confident in their ability to contribute to 8base's continued success." About 8base: 8base is a leading full-stack low-code development platform that enables developers to build and deploy powerful enterprise-grade applications rapidly. 8base empowers developers to create complex software solutions with speed, efficiency, and scalability. With a strong focus on usability, flexibility, and security, 8base is committed to revolutionizing the software development landscape. Founded in 2017, 8base is headquartered in Miami, Florida, and is an alum of Techstars Austin 2020. www.8base.com SOURCE 8base HARRISBURG, Pa., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AARP Pennsylvania joined State Senator Art Haywood and Representative Kyle Mullins to discuss Keystone Saves, legislation that would help over 2 million Pennsylvania workers earn retirement savings through their jobs. Keystone Saves would expand the ability of private-sector workers to save without having access to an employer-provided retirement plan. At no cost to employers, Keystone Saves creates an individual retirement account (IRA) program that automatically enrolls workers, who have the option to opt-out. Nearly half of workers in Pennsylvania do not have access to a retirement plan at work, according to a new study released by AARP. Nearly 2 million people 41% of Pennsylvania's private sector employees ages 18 to 64 work for an employer that does not offer a traditional pension or a retirement savings plan. "Having access to a retirement plan at work is critical for building financial security later in life. And we know people are much more likely to save for retirement if they can do so automatically through their paycheck," said Bill Johnston-Walsh, State Director, AARP Pennsylvania. "The 41 percent of workers in Pennsylvania that do not have access to a plan come from all walks of life and work in a range of occupations. We must make it easier for all workers to save for retirement so they can take control of their futures." Research shows that the share of Pennsylvania households with people ages 65+ with less than $75,000 in annual income which indicates financial vulnerability is expected to increase by 17% from 2020 to 2035. As these workers age, inadequate retirement savings will likely force reductions in retirement income and thus in the quality of life for many. At the same time, this shortfall in retirement income will increase state spending for Medicaid and other assistance programs. "My Keystone Saves legislation allows retirees to retire with greater dignity and security," said State Sen. Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia), the prime sponsor of the Senate version of the bill. "Keystone Saves will establish automated retirement savings payroll deductions that are then professionally invested. I have seen first-hand the struggle that people without retirement savings face when reaching their golden years. The work of those without employer-based retirement plans is no less valuable to our economy than any other profession, and their work is no less dignified." Haywood added: "These workers should have the same opportunities to retire with dignity as anybody else. With rising costs in housing and everyday items, working folks need every opportunity to better prepare for retirement. With Keystone Saves being passed in the House, it is now our responsibility in the Senate to do right by the everyday worker. It is time to pass Keystone Saves Program." In a recent AARP poll, four in five small businesses in Pennsylvania agree that state lawmakers should support a state-facilitated retirement savings program, citing that offering a voluntary, portable retirement savings program helps local small businesses attract and retain quality employees and stay competitive. To date, 18 states, not including Pennsylvania, have enacted state-facilitated payroll deduction retirement savings or "Work & Save" programs. About AARP AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media. CONTACT: Randy LoBasso, [email protected], 267-964-8001 SOURCE AARP Pennsylvania Dynasty Co-Founder, Edward C. Swenson, Named President of Advisor Group RIA Solutions PHOENIX, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, announced today the hiring of Edward C. Swenson as Executive Vice President and President of Advisor Group RIA Solutions. In this newly created role, Mr. Swenson will be responsible for the creation, execution, and management of the firm's RIA-only and Hybrid channel strategy and will lead the development of an industry-leading corporate RIA platform for fee-based advisors. The appointment aligns with the firm's recent decision to simplify its business structure to better serve the needs of its financial advisors. Mr. Swenson will report jointly to CEO and President of Advisor Group Jamie Price and to President of Advice and Wealth Management Greg Cornick and will collaborate across the entire enterprise to create a strategic vision that expands Advisor Group's addressable market; champions the RIA model; enhances the firm's value proposition to this important channel and accelerates growth. "We are thrilled to have someone with Ed's proven expertise and broad experience leading our new RIA Solutions channel," said Mr. Price, "Ed will play a critical role in strengthening Advisor Group's position as a leader in attracting and serving all profiles of financial professionals. Our commitment to supporting and growing our RIA channel is steadfast. Bringing a seasoned executive of Ed's caliber onboard to drive this effort underscores its strategic importance to our future success." Mr. Swenson brings unparalleled experience in designing, leading, and executing business alignment and strategic initiatives within the RIA space. He co-founded Dynasty Financial Partners in 2010, where he served as Board Member, Chief Operating Officer, and President Advisor Services Exchange. Most recently, Mr. Swenson was the head of the firm's Operations, Technology, Investments, TAMP and Human Resources departments. Prior to Dynasty, he was a portfolio manager and analyst at Legg Mason Asset Management. Mr. Swenson began his financial services career at Citigroup Asset Management in 1999, where he was a member of the Multiple Discipline Account Platform, a precursor to the UMA. "I'm excited to join Advisor Group at this pivotal point in their history," said Mr. Swenson. "Advisor Group is a growing and rapidly evolving company that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration. I look forward to joining them and building something new in the RIA space. Together, we will develop an industry-leading corporate platform for fee-based advisors and will deliver world-class RIA solutions and capabilities that enable an elevated advisor and client experience and greater growth opportunities." Earlier this year, Advisor Group announced they are consolidating their eight wealth management firms into one new branded entity. As part of this transition, Mr. Cornick also announced an organizational realignment that centers around channel development and serving advisors in specific business models. The firm's new structure outlined three key channels: Independent, RIA Solutions, and Financial Institutions. Mr. Swenson will round out the team leading these channels, joining Erinn Ford, Executive Vice President, Advisor Engagement, who leads the Independent channel; and Steve Amarante, President, Infinex, who leads the firm's new Financial Institution channel. "Serving the unique needs of financial professionals and expanding our ability to partner with more financial professionals over time is an essential component of our strategic vision," said Mr. Cornick. "We are thrilled to continue bringing in industry-leading talent like Ed to accelerate that vision and build a unique and differentiated RIA Solutions platform." About Advisor Group Advisor Group, Inc., a portfolio company of Reverence Capital Partners, is the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, serving approximately 11,000 financial professionals. The firm is mission-driven to support the strategic role that financial professionals can play in the lives of their clients. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial professionals. For more information visit https://www.advisorgroup.com . Securities and investment advisory services are offered through the firms: FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., Triad Advisors, LLC, Infinex Investments, Inc., and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and members of FINRA and SIPC. Securities are offered through Securities America, Inc., American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc., and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., broker-dealers and member of FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Arbor Point Advisors, LLC, American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., and Triad Hybrid Solutions, LLC, registered investment advisers. Advisory programs offered by FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., Triad Advisors, LLC., and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., are sponsored by VISION2020 Wealth Management Corp., an affiliated registered investment adviser. Media Inquiries Joseph Kuo / Donald Cutler Haven Tower Group [email protected] or [email protected] 424 317 4851 or 424 317 4864 SOURCE Advisor Group SPARKS, Md., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AiRISTA, a leader in Real Time Location Services solutions (RTLS), is pleased to announce the addition of Wyatt Meek to its leadership team. In his role as Global Vice President of Sales, Wyatt will guide AiRISTA's market expansion in what is becoming a period of rapid growth for the RTLS industry. "Navigating the opportunity ahead of us requires a skilled individual with a proven record," said Sy Sajjad, founder and CEO of AiRISTA. "Wyatt's hire was an easy decision and helps complete the leadership team we have carefully assembled." Prior to joining AiRISTA, Wyatt held a number of executive level positions in Sales, Marketing, and Business Development. Most recently Wyatt was the Global Industry Director for Healthcare, Education, Retail, and Financial Services at Cisco Systems where he focused on industry marketing, sales enablement, and business development. "I am thrilled to be part of the AiRISTA team. For the majority of my career, I have focused on helping customers achieve their desired business outcomes through the integration of technology with new processes. By joining the technology leader in RTLS, I look forward to working with customers and partners across industries to bring new use cases to life." Before joining Cisco Systems, Wyatt was the VP Sales & Marketing at V I Engineering, a professional services firm in the manufacturing industry. Wyatt holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and executive certificates from Harvard Business School and the Kellogg School of Management. About AiRISTA AiRISTA's Location Services Solutions are the heart of some of the world's largest RTLS deployments representing hundreds of thousands of end points per customer in demanding environments like the California Department of State Hospitals, the US Defense Health Service, and Fortune 500 companies. AiRISTA was recognized as a LEADER in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Indoor Location Services for a second consecutive year (click for the complementary 2023 report). For details visit our web site or contact us for a demo ([email protected]). SOURCE AiRISTA Flow New research from Bain & Company shows the cost of decarbonizing airlines will start increasing ticket prices by 2026, a trend likely to trim global demand BOSTON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study from Bain & Company reveals airlines can cut up to 70% of aviation emissions by 2050 by improving engine and aircraft efficiency, broadly adopting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and optimizing aircraft operation. However, limitations to current technology mean this might not be enough for the industry to achieve its goal of reaching net zero by 2050especially if air traffic continues to grow at a faster rate than GDP. As a result, airlines seeking to fund their net zero transitions will start increasing ticket prices by 2026, Bain & Company predicts, reducing forecasted global demand by 3.5% by 2030. These are among the findings of Bain & Company's study, "A Realistic Path to Net-Zero Emissions for Commercial Aviation," released today. "As air traffic continues to grow, airlines are under increasing pressure to reduce emissions in service of their 2050 net zero goals," said Jim Harris, co-leader of Bain & Company's Aerospace, Defense & Government Services practice. "Unfortunately, many of the technologies the industry needs to decarbonize are unlikely to be operating at scale by 2050. Leading airlines will develop a strategy to secure an affordable supply of sustainable aviation fuel, mitigate the rise in operating costs, and manage the impacts of declining demand as a result of higher prices." Best bets for 2050 Bain's research shows airlines can reduce CO emissions by 43% through fuel efficiencies with current aircraft renewal cycles and operational improvements. A new generation of evolutionary engines and aircraft-frame design improvements would deliver 80% of these efficiency gains. Continued efforts to optimize flight and ground operations would deliver the rest. For additional improvement, airlines would need to drastically accelerate fleet renewal cycles. But an industrywide move to replace fleets ahead of schedule is unlikely given the business case for amortizing the full value of investments in aircraft. Incorporating SAF on a wider scale could reduce CO emissions by up to 23%. The high cost of SAF Bain & Company's analysis shows SAF prices in 2050 will remain two to four times higher than the average historical price of Jet A fuel, the most commonly used aviation fuel, over the past decade. To meet its 2050 goals, the industry will need to invest up to $2.1 trillion. This, combined with the high maintenance costs of new aircraft, means airlines' overall costs are likely to increase by up to 18% by 2050. The research reveals that with current policies, total SAF supply will be limited to 135Mt in 2050, roughly 35% of the projected demand for global jet fuel. However, Bain & Company highlights three government actions that could significantly increase SAF supply: providing incentives to biofuel refineries rather than renewable diesel, prioritizing aviation for access to biofuel feedstock, and directing green hydrogen to SAF refineries to boost the yield of the FischerTropsch process. These policies would bring total SAF production to 60% of global jet fuel demand. Solutions likely to fall short There's no single solution for decarbonizing commercial aviation by 2050. All technologies that can contribute to the net-zero goal face challenges, but two are specifically likely to fall short of expectations by 2050. Hydrogen and full-electric propulsion. Bain's analysis shows hydrogen and full-electric propulsion are likely to reduce less than 5% of 2050 aviation emissions. Neither will mature fast enough to replace a substantial portion of the existing fleets in the next 30 years. And the first hydrogen and full-electric aircraft will face significant economic and technological obstacles. In the case of full-electric propulsion, battery densities are unlikely to evolve fast enough to power narrow-body or wide-body jets. Bain's analysis shows hydrogen and full-electric propulsion are likely to reduce less than 5% of 2050 aviation emissions. Neither will mature fast enough to replace a substantial portion of the existing fleets in the next 30 years. And the first hydrogen and full-electric aircraft will face significant economic and technological obstacles. In the case of full-electric propulsion, battery densities are unlikely to evolve fast enough to power narrow-body or wide-body jets. Carbon offsets. Airlines can theoretically compensate for residual emissions by purchasing carbon credits to make up for greenhouse gasses. But offsets won't help the industry reach carbon neutrality. Recent questions about offset accounting methods have undercut its viability as a solution, and several airlines are moving away from offsets. A path ahead Leading aviation companies can prepare for a disruptive decade ahead by taking a few important steps. Develop a strategy to secure an affordable supply of SAF. That may include investing in fuel production (buy, build, or partner) and advocating for fair regulation or subsidies for SAFs. That may include investing in fuel production (buy, build, or partner) and advocating for fair regulation or subsidies for SAFs. Rethink fleet-renewal plans , considering the cost of decarbonization and changes in competitive dynamics, including different regional mandates for SAF. , considering the cost of decarbonization and changes in competitive dynamics, including different regional mandates for SAF. Mitigate the rise in operating costs. Review fleet-renewal cycles, increase cabin density, adjust fleet usage and seat count, and review network plans. Editor's Note: For more information or interview requests please contact Katie Ware at [email protected] or +1 646 562 8107. About Bain & Company Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future. Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 1% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry. SOURCE Bain & Company 711,643 views Jun 7, 2018 Game of Thrones takes place on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos in a setting that very much resembles the Middle Ages of Earth though, as in many fantasy novels, theres no specific correlation to Earth history. While the story contains common fantasy elements, such as swordplay, magic, and fantastical creatures like dragons, those elements are downplayed in favor of political intrigue and human drama. The show depicts the three core storylines of the book series. The first is the continuing civil war between the various houses of Westeros, each vying for the Iron Throne and control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros hence, the name Game of Thrones . The three principle houses involved in this civil war are the Starks of Winterfell, the Lannisters of Casterly Rock, and the Baratheons of Dragonstone. At the start of the series, the Baratheons control the Iron Throne. However, with the death of King Robert Baratheon, the Lannisters seize power when Roberts wife Cersei Lannister becomes queen-regent after her son assumes the throne; Cerseis brother, Tyrion Lannister , becomes their chief advisor. After that, many of the other houses rise up to fight Lannister control and claim their own right to the Iron Throne. The second storyline takes place in Essos, a harsh land of mostly desert. Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled daughter and last surviving heir to House Targaryen (which used to rule the Seven Kingdoms before the Baratheons came to power), seeks to build an army and return to Westeros to reclaim the Iron Throne. At first sold into marriage to the Dothraki tribal leader Khal Drogo by her older brother (who was later killed), Daenerys has become a powerful queen and has in her possession three dragons a species thought instinct since the rule of the Targaryens. With her dragons and the massive army shes building, Daenerys plans to cross the Narrow Sea, which separates the two continents, and defeat those who deposed and killed her father. The third storyline takes place in the Northern part of Westeros at the massive ice structure called the Wall, which protects the southern lands from the wildling humans and supernatural creatures (such as White Walkers) that live beyond the Wall. Jon Snow, the illegitimate son of Ned Stark (head of House Stark) enlists with the Nights Watch, the small army stationed at the Wall that is charged with protecting the southern lands. With the approach of a long winter, the Wall and the Nights Watch are under siege from wildling invaders who seek to overtake the Seven Kingdoms. Whats happening at the Wall is mostly unknown to the rest of Westeros, and the peoples of the Seven Kingdoms are unprepared for the coming threat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaly-kT61QE? Outline of Themes in Game of Thrones: Daenerys and Dragons All Scenes (Seasons 1-7) I. Introduction A. Description of Game of Thrones setting (Westeros and Essos) B. Emphasis on political intrigue and human drama over fantasy elements II. Core Storylines A. Civil war for the Iron Throne in Westeros 1. Houses involved: Starks, Lannisters, Baratheons 2. Lannister rise to power after the death of King Robert Baratheon 3. Other houses challenging Lannister control B. Daenerys Targaryen's journey in Essos 1. Exiled heir to House Targaryen seeking to reclaim the Iron Throne 2. Sold into marriage to Khal Drogo, becomes a powerful queen 3. Possesses three dragons, plans to cross the Narrow Sea and defeat her enemies C. Events at the Wall in the Northern part of Westeros 1. The Wall protects the southern lands from "wildling" humans and supernatural creatures 2. Jon Snow, illegitimate son of Ned Stark, joins the Night's Watch 3. Wall under siege from wildling invaders, unknown threat to the rest of Westeros III. Overall Themes A. Power struggles and conflicts for control B. Character development and personal journeys C. Clash between supernatural elements and human world D. Exploration of political intrigue and societal dynamics Note: This outline focuses specifically on the themes related to Daenerys Targaryen and the presence of dragons in Game of Thrones, spanning seasons 1 to 7. ** Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke is a British actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. She has received various accolades, including an Empire Award, a Saturn Award, three Critics' Choice Award nominations and four Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Wikipedia Born: October 23, 1986 (age 36 years), London, United Kingdom Full name: Emilia Isabelle Euphemia Rose Clarke Height: 5 2 Parents: Jennifer Clarke, Peter Clarke Hair color: Brown hair Alma mater: Drama Centre London https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyoC8-q-Gxw Interview: Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones, The Seagull and the strokes. 17 July 22 Ovid 92.6K subscribers 2.7K Share Download Clip Save 193,155 views Jul 17, 2022 Interview on Sunday Morning 17 July 22. Show less Show less FORNEBU, Norway, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aker BP (OSE: AKRBP) (OTCQX: AKRBF): Today, the Storting has approved Aker BP's plans for development and operation of the Yggdrasil area and Fenris, as well as further development of Valhall. "With this decision, the Storting has said yes to thousands of jobs and great value creation in Norway. I am proud of what we will deliver together with our licence partners. Yggdrasil and Valhall PWP-Fenris alone constitute more than NOK 165 billion in investments. We are talking estimated tax revenue of more than NOK 120 billion for our nation," says CEO Karl Johnny Hersvik in Aker BP. The Norwegian share of deliveries in Yggdrasil and Valhall PWP-Fenris is about 65 per cent, and the projects will contribute 130,000 full-time equivalents in Norway through the fields' lifetimes. Approximately half of this is during the development phase. There will be activity at yards in Egersund, Stavanger, Haugesund, Stord, Verdal and Sandnessjen, as well as in several hundred suppliers across the country. On top of this, it will generate activity and jobs for suppliers and yards all over the world. "The development projects contribute to Aker BP delivering on the ambition of creating the oil and gas company of the future with low costs, low emissions, profitable growth and attractive returns. We have a solid resource base, high production and have the lowest CO2 emission intensity of all oil and gas operators in the world," says Hersvik. At the end of March, the Government submitted Proposition 97 S, including the development of Yggdrasil and Valhall PWP-Fenris, to the Storting. A majority in the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment gave a positive recommendation on 25 May, which was heard by the Storting in plenary session today. The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy issues final approval for the development plans. Development of the Yggdrasil area Yggdrasil consists of licence groups Hugin, Fulla and Munin. The area is located between Alvheim and Oseberg in the North Sea. "Yggdrasil is the next major development on the Norwegian shelf, and along with partners Equinor and PGNIG Upstream Norway, we are now opening up a mature area in the North Sea. We see considerable potential in the area and recently announced a significant oil discovery on st Frigg Beta/Epsilon. This means further improved profitability and increased value creation," says SVP Yggdrasil Lars Hier. Preliminary calculations of the st Frigg Beta/Epsilon discovery show 40-90 million recoverable oil equivalents (link to pess release). The overall resources in the Yggdrasil area have thus increased by about ten per cent to more than 700 million barrels. The development concept has a high degree of flexibility and is designed to accommodate future discoveries and fields. Extensive new infrastructure is planned. The entire Yggdrasil area will be remotely operated from an onshore integrated operations centre and control room in Stavanger. Through this development, the licence partners will set a new standard for operating a field, with remote operation, unmanned platforms, new technology and data-driven decisions and work processes. Power from shore will contribute to low emissions of less than 1 kg CO2 per barrel. "Detailed engineering is well under way. All major contracts have been signed and we have started placing thousands of purchase orders to suppliers, both nationally and internationally. We are on track to start construction according to plan in the autumn. We will be present at all central locations to closely monitor important equipment deliveries and construction work," says Hier. Extends Valhall's lifetime Valhall PWP-Fenris in the southern part of the North Sea is ready for construction start-up before summer, right on schedule. "Detailed engineering is progressing well. Together with alliance partners and suppliers we have built an integrated team that is ready to extend the lifetime of the giant Valhall," says project director Rannveig Storeb. Pandion Energy AS is a partner in Valhall and PGNiG Upstream Norway AS is a partner in Fenris, located 50 kilometres away. The coordinated development comprises a new centrally located production and wellhead platform (PWP) connected by bridge to the Valhall field centre, and an unmanned installation (UI) on Fenris that will be connected to PWP through pipelines on the seabed. "Together with our licence partners, we ensure lifetime extension and continued Valhall production. This development will enable access to new, highly profitable volumes on Valhall and Fenris with considerable upside potential," says SVP Valhall Ole Johan Molvig. New reserves, as a result of the development project, are estimated at 230 million barrels of oil equivalent. The project also ensures a lifetime extension beyond 2028 for Valhall and continued production of existing Valhall reserves estimated at 137 million barrels. The development will utilise the existing power from shore system with minimal emissions, calculated as less than 1 kg CO2 per barrel. "We are now also establishing Valhall as a gas hub. Production from Fenris will substantially increase gas export from Valhall to Europe and will more than double gas processing capacity. This will make an important contribution to Norway's long-term capacity for stable energy deliveries to Europe," says Molvig. CONTACT: Contacts: Ole-Johan Faret, Press Spokesperson, tel.: +47 402 24 217 Kjetil Bakken, Head of Investor Relations, tel.: +47 918 89 889 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/1629/3780666/2107544.pdf Release https://mb.cision.com/Public/1629/3780666/aa120dcea53b65c6_org.jpg Yggdrasil from Munin feltillustrasjon https://mb.cision.com/Public/1629/3780666/94a89210e5cd4110_org.jpg PWP Fenris feltillustrasjon SOURCE Aker BP ASA SEATTLE, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc., the parent company of Alaska Airlines Inc. and Horizon Air Industries Inc., today announced it will webcast a fireside chat with CFO Shane Tackett at 4:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, June 6, 2023, from the Morgan Stanley Conference. The presentation will be webcast live at https://investor.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We strive to be the most caring airline with award-winning customer service and an industry-leading loyalty program. Alaska is a member of the oneworld global alliance. With the alliance and our additional airline partners, our guests can travel to more than 900 destinations on more than 20 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group. SOURCE Alaska Airlines SUZHOU, China and ROCKVILLE, Md., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, today announced that its Clinical Advisory Board member Prof Hagop M. Kantarjian has received the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award for his lifelong contributions to leukemia clinical research and his dedication to improving the lives of patients. Prof Kantarjian received the award at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, June 3, 2023, in Chicago, IL. The David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award is considered the highest honor that ASCO confers and has been presented annually since 1970 to recognize an oncologist who has made outstanding contributions to cancer research, diagnosis, and/or treatment.1,2 Prof Kantarjian is The Chairman of the Department of Leukemia and Samsung Distinguished University Chair in Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. During his 40-year career, Prof Kantarjian has spearheaded practice-altering national and international clinical trials that culminated in numerous Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs and engendered new standards of care across leukemias. These therapies have significantly enhanced quality of life and improved survival rates across a range of leukemia subsets.2 More recently, Prof Kantarjian has also provided leadership on the clinical development of next-generation BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors.2 Prof Kantarjians ground-breaking work in meeting pivotal clinical challenges has culminated in publication of more than 2,200 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 100 chapters in textbooks. Prof Kantarjian cofounded the world-renowned Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in 2012 to foster research, education, prevention, clinical trials, and the optimization of care for patients with hematologic malignancies and related disorders. Since its founding and under Prof Kantarjian's leadership, SOHO has expanded to include nearly 7,000 members in 110 countries. A nonresident fellow at the Rice Baker Institute (Houston, TX), Prof Kantarjian has written widely on vital topics in contemporary cancer medicine. "Dr. Kantarjian has dedicated his life to saving and enhancing the lives of patients with leukemia, renewing hope to millions of patients with unmet medical needs," said Dajun Yang, MD, PhD, Chairman of Ascentage Pharma "For decades, he has been at the forefront of the oncology community's efforts to end cancer. We are privileged that Dr. Kantarjian has chosen to share his wise counsel with our organization while serving with honor and distinction on the Ascentage Pharma Clinical Advisory Board." References 1. American Society of Clinical Oncology. ASCO Congratulates 2023 Special Awards Recipients. May 25, 2023. https://ascopost.com/issues/may-25-2023/asco-congratulates-2023-special-awards-recipients/. Accessed June 7, 2023. 2. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. MD Andersons Hagop Kantarjian, M.D., awarded highest honor from American Society of Clinical Oncology. https://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/hagop-kantarjian-md-awarded-highest-honor-american- society-clinical-oncology.h00-159617856.html. Accessed June 7, 2023. About Ascentage Pharma Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK) is a globally focused biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B, and age-related diseases. On October 28, 2019, Ascentage Pharma was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code 6855.HK. Ascentage Pharma focuses on developing therapeutics that inhibit protein-protein interactions to restore apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The company has built a pipeline of 9 clinical drug candidates, including novel, highly potent Bcl-2, and dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitors, as well as candidates aimed at IAP and MDM2-p53 pathways, and next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Ascentage Pharma is also the only company in the world with active clinical programs targeting all three known classes of key apoptosis regulators. The company is conducting more than 40 Phase I/II clinical trials in the US, Australia, Europe, and China. Ascentage Pharma has been designated for multiple Major National R&D Projects, including five Major New Drug Projects, one New Drug Incubator status, four Innovative Drug Programs, and one Major Project for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases. Olverembatinib, the company's core drug candidate developed for the treatment of drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and the company's first approved product, has been granted two Priority Review Designations and two Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). To date, the drug had been included into the China 2022 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). Furthermore, olverembatinib has been granted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and a Fast Track Designation (FTD) by the US FDA, and an Orphan Designation by the EMA of the EU. To date, Ascentage Pharma has obtained a total of 16 ODDs from the US FDA and 1 Orphan Designation from the EMA of the EU for 4 of the company's investigational drug candidates. Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships with numerous renowned biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and research institutes such as UNITY Biotechnology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MSD, and AstraZeneca. The company has built a talented team with global experience in the discovery and development of innovative drugs and is setting up its world-class commercial manufacturing and Sales & Marketing teams. One pivotal aim of Ascentage Pharma is to continuously strengthen its R&D capabilities and accelerate its clinical development programs, in order to fulfil its mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world for the benefit of more patients. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, Ascentage Pharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. SOURCE Ascentage Pharma Proposals seek to enhance customer experience on NEC routes WASHINGTON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amtrak has submitted applications for nearly $7.3 billion in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding for 14 proposed Northeast Corridor projects to modernize critical infrastructure, improve stations and expand Amtrak service. "In order for Amtrak to continue advancing a new era of passenger rail, we must make generational investments that require federal funding," said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. "Securing these grants would help reaffirm our commitment to improving and replacing critical railroad infrastructure, ensuring better service for years to come." The requested funding would provide the resources necessary to begin construction on several major backlog projects. Amtrak and its partners have been working to advance these projects through the design and engineering phases to prepare for the start of major construction. The applications were submitted through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP-NEC Program). Example Northeast Corridor projects include: In addition to these NEC grant applications submitted in conjunction with various partners, Amtrak also applied for several grants to improve Long Distance and State Supported routes and provided letters of support for 23 Northeast Corridor projects submitted by others. REACTIONS Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) "I was proud to secure $24 billion in funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to modernize and make improvements on rail lines in the Northeast Corridor. I applaud Amtrak for their foresight in applying for this funding through the Federal Railroad Administration's Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program. This funding would modernize and rehabilitate the East River Tunnel project for Long Islanders, fund Metro-North's Penn Access project, replace the Pelham Bay Bridge, and address numerous projects needed to advance the Gateway program. I strongly support these projects which will keep New Yorkers moving, helping them live, work, and thrive." Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law recognized the need for substantial new investments in our passenger rail infrastructure. The Maryland projects present tremendous opportunities for new jobs, workforce development and a better travel experience for Marylanders and all passengers on the Northeast Corridor." Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) "When we invest in Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, we invest in Pennsylvania's infrastructure and economy. I will continue to advocate for federal funding to make the Commonwealth's rail infrastructure stronger, faster, and safer so that Pennsylvanians can travel with ease and our communities can reap the economic benefits of passenger rail." Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) "As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and frequent Amtrak rider, I'm proud to take care of Amtrak's infrastructure needs and ensure the Northeast Corridor continues to link Delaware to one of the largest regional economies in the world. Investments in projects like the Frederick Douglass Tunnel are vital to the long-term health of Amtrak. These funds will create good-paying jobs throughout their construction and far into the future as commuters, business travelers, and residents travel to and from Wilmington for years to come." Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) "I'm proud to support Amtrak's grant application for this funding program along its Northeast Corridor. This project will modernize the rail lines across the region and expand economic opportunities for people throughout Pennsylvania. More and better train service for PA is always a good thing in my book. Let's get it done." Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) "These critical modernization projects are necessary to improve Amtrak service along the Northeast Corridor. I have long supported these efforts in New York, especially the Gateway Program, which will create billions of dollars in economic activity for the region. The FSP-NEC Program was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund projects like these, and I will continue to support Amtrak to upgrade the Northeast Corridor and ensure better service for passengers." Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) "The Northeast Corridor is the country's busiest railway, and its reliability and efficiency is key to Connecticut's economic success. I fought for historic amounts of funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address the Corridor's very large repair backlog. These projects will help deliver faster, safer rail service to riders and bring the NEC into the 21st century." Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) "The Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail route in the country, but aging infrastructure has slowed down trains and disrupted passengers for years. The B&P Tunnel, Baltimore Penn Station, and Maryland's three bridges along the corridor were built over a century ago and are well overdue for an upgrade. These projects and others like them in Maryland are exactly why we fought to pass the infrastructure modernization law and investing in them will dramatically improve service for Marylanders and visitors alike." Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ-10) "Amtrak's request for Intercity Rail Grant Program funding is an opportunity to increase passenger capacity, reduce carbon emissions, and improve rail service across the Northeast Corridor. As Chairman of the House Rail Subcommittee in the last Congress, I fought to include funds in President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the Gateway Program, build another Hudson River Tunnel between New Jersey and New York, and build the Frederick Douglass Tunnel in Baltimore. This request by Amtrak is another step in that direction." Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12) "The structural health, revitalization, and expansion of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor capacity is fundamental to the region's and the country's economic future. Millions of travelers and commuters rely on rail travel every year. The infrastructure investment commitment by the Biden Administration along with Amtrak's mission to insure safe and efficient travel will mean we'll continue to benefit from these investments for generations to come." Congressman John B. Larson (D-CT-01) "Investing in passenger rail is a critical piece of our efforts to ensure every American can access reliable and affordable transportation options. Repairing and expanding our train systems here in Connecticut, including upgrades to the Springfield Line, will better connect the nation and continue to ensure the safety and reliability of Amtrak trains. I am proud to support these grants we made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade and enhance our nation's railway infrastructure." Congressman Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02) "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will make it even safer and more convenient for Rhode Islanders to travel efficiently throughout the Northeast Corridor, while growing our economy and creating good paying jobs. I will continue to fight for resources to improve rail service across our state and region." Congressman Rob Menendez (D-NJ-08) "Representing a district that hosts critical elements of the Gateway Program, I strongly support the Biden Administration and Amtrak's plans to modernize and improve the Northeast Corridor rail line. Our residents deserve access to modern, safe, and reliable rail infrastructure and I will always advocate for Amtrak to receive the funding and resources needed to deliver on this priority for New Jersey and the entire region." Congressman Jerrold [Jerry] Nadler (D-NY-12) "The Gateway project is a once in a generation opportunity to transform travel throughout the Northeast Corridor. I applaud Amtrak's commitment to improving travel for the millions of Americans who rely on this vital thoroughfare and urge the USDOT to approve this application without delay." Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto "Investments in the Northeast Corridor and the Hartford Line would provide much-needed improvements and modernization to our rail infrastructure, and the Federal Railroad Administration's grant programs will make this possible. We thank Amtrak for their partnership and the federal delegation for supporting investments in the Northeast Corridor's rail infrastructure. Investments of this nature will be transformative, and CTDOT stands ready to work with our partners on these anticipated projects." Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld "To create a rail network and overall transportation system that's interconnected and multi-modal, we must have a regional vision and support across public, private and nonprofit sectors. Amtrak's pursuit of federal funding for these critical projects and its support for many others advances the administration's mission to build and improve infrastructure that will serve customers all along the Northeast Corridor for generations to come." Massachusetts Transportation Secretary & CEO Gina Fiandaca "We are grateful to have partnerships with Amtrak to run passenger rail service in Massachusetts and encourage the FRA to support the applications which will fund core infrastructure improvements. Investments in passenger rail are a win-win for our equity, climate and traffic congestion reduction goals." MTA Metro-North Railroad President and MTA Long Island Rail Road Interim President Catherine Rinaldi "Federal investment for the busiest rail corridor in the nation will make travel more reliable, not just for Amtrak riders, but also for commuter railroad customers. The MTA appreciates Amtrak's support for projects that are critical for MTA riders and also will benefit intercity passenger rail, like the continued modernization of Penn Station and Metro-North Penn Access, which includes four new stations in the Bronx. Upgrades on the Northeast Corridor will foster regional connectivity for transit riders who transfer across rail services." NJ TRANSIT President & CEO and Northeast Corridor Commission Co-Chair Kevin S. Corbett "NJ TRANSIT supports Amtrak's pursuit of this federal funding, which reflects a shared commitment to advancing passenger rail along the Northeast Corridor, the busiest and most vital stretch of infrastructure in our nation. Among many other benefits, these investments would lead to significantly improved commuter and intercity rail service and enhance our region's economic competitiveness, while reducing air pollution and carbon emissions." Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews "The NEC is one of the most important intercity corridors in the nation; with 2,200 daily trains and 260 million annual trips, even a single day's disruption to Amtrak's Northeast Corridor would cost about $100 million to the U.S. economy. But for too long the U.S. Congress has treated it as an afterthought. That's changed with the IIJA, and we endorse Amtrak's grant to reverse decades of neglect and unclog bottlenecks. These projects are ready to build and will improve service, reliability, and trip times for the hundreds of thousands of passengers who rely on the NEC every single day." About Amtrak For more than 50 years, Amtrak has connected America and modernized train travel. Offering a safe, environmentally efficient way to reach more than 500 destinations across 46 states and parts of Canada, Amtrak provides travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through the Amtrak app. Learn more at Amtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Amtrak's Historic Infrastructure Investments Amtrak is leading a new era of passenger rail, investing in modern trains, enhanced stations, new tunnels and bridges, and other critical infrastructure upgrades. We're enhancing the customer experience across the country, improving safety and reliability, driving economic development, reducing trip times, expanding capacity, advancing accessibility and promoting a more sustainable future. Traditionally known as a passenger rail operator, today Amtrak is also a major construction company executing the largest capital program in Amtrak's history. With over $50 billon of capital investments in planning and development, these historic investments are made possible by the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) enacted in 2021. SOURCE Amtrak L-Strategies, a consulting firm founded by Donna and Stan Fitzgerald of Georgia has announced Angie Wong is moving on from the firm. ACWORTH, Ga., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- By Jared Craig Attorney L-Strategies: L-Strategies is a full-service national fundraising, advertising, media, and consulting firm with offices in Georgia and Florida. L-Strategies confirms that on 5-30-23 Angie Wong was voted out of the consulting firm partnership by the board. The firm plans on making the minutes public. Wong acknowledged receiving the board meeting notice, refused to attend, and then was notified she was removed by majority vote. She will be replaced soon and those minutes will also be made public showing a majority vote on her replacement. "Angie has moved on from L-Strategies, Veteran's for Trump and Legacy PAC to focus on her media commentary career. We wish her well," said Jared Craig. Jared Craig is an attorney representing all three organizations. L-Strategies will be set up at the Georgia State GOP Convention June 9th and 10th in Columbus Georgia with partners Veterans for Trump and Legacy PAC. Former president Trump will be speaking at the event and FBI whistleblower Steve Friend will be doing meet and greets from the firms' tables. L-Strategies confirmed it has several outside contractors seeking full time partnership with the organization. The firm's partners Legacy PAC and Veterans for Trump have made their own announcements of Wong's departure. L-Strategies website: https://lstrategies.org/angie-wong-moves-on-from-l-strategies/ The Veterans organization posted the news on their website: https://veteransfortrump.us/angie-wong-steps-down-from-veterans-for-trump-and-legacy-pac-focusing-on-her-personal-career/ Legacy PAC issued a press release on the wire: https://www.newswire.com/news/angie-wong-steps-down-as-legacy-pac-president-the-organization-to-22053274 Contact: Stan Fitzgerald ***@stan-fitzgerald.com Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12967779 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE L-Strategies LLC Veteran Professional Bolsters Growing Firm's IR Function HOUSTON and LONDON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ara Partners ("Ara"), a private equity firm that specializes in industrial decarbonization investments, today announced that Kaitlin Fronczek has joined the firm as its Director of Investor Relations, based in London. Ms. Fronczek has over fifteen years of experience in private equity investor relations. She joins Ara from Apax Partners where she most recently served as Vice President responsible for capital raising and relationship management. In this leadership role, Ms. Fronczek will focus on building and maintaining relationships with Ara's existing base of institutional investors, as well as global investor outreach. "We feel incredibly fortunate to be able to bring someone of Kaitlin's stature to our growing team," said Troy Thacker, a Managing Partner at Ara. "We look forward to working closely with Kaitlin to strengthen and grow our investor outreach and support our valued partnerships." "The investor relations function is a key focus for Ara as we continue to build the franchise globally," said Charles Cherington, a Managing Partner at Ara. "Kaitlin is the exact right person to lead our IR efforts and deliver the resources of the entire firm to our investors." "The opportunity to join Ara and play a key role in supporting the firm's investors is tremendously exciting," said Ms. Fronczek. "Over the past several years, Ara has built a truly differentiated investment franchise, based on its singular focus on industrial decarbonization. I'm proud to be joining the talented and dedicated team Ara has pulled together with the shared goal of making positive and immediate impact to some of the most challenging drivers of climate change." Ms. Fronczek spent nearly thirteen years at Apax in both New York and London where she gained experience across all aspects of institutional investor relations with her primary focus being fundraising. Previously, Ms. Fronczek also served in investor relations functions at Tailwind Capital and Lionhart. About Ara Partners Ara Partners is a private equity firm focused on industrial decarbonization investments. Ara Partners invests in the industrial and manufacturing, chemicals and materials, energy efficiency and green fuels, and food and agriculture sectors, seeking to create companies with significant decarbonization impact. It operates from offices in Houston, Boston and Dublin, Ireland. Ara Partners closed its second fund with approximately $1.1 billion in capital commitments in September 2021. For more information about Ara Partners, please visit www.arapartners.com. Contacts Mark Semer / Alex Jeffrey Gasthalter & Co. [email protected] (212) 257-4170 SOURCE Ara Partners YANTAI, China, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- RemeGen Co., Ltd. ("RemeGen" or "the Company") (9995.HK, SHA: 688331), a commercial-stage biotechnology company, announced the latest clinical research results on disitamab vedotin (RC48) at this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, taking place June 2-6, 2023, in Chicago. Researchers tested disitamab vedotin and toripalimab in combination on patients diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC). The objective of the study was to determine the safety and efficacy of this treatment approach. A total of 41 la/mUC patients were enrolled in the open-label multicenter trial. Patients were administered different doses of disitamab vedotin and toripalimab every two weeks intravenously as part of the trial. While the primary focus of the study was to evaluate the safety of disitamab vedotin, the researchers also conducted ancillary studies to determine the effectiveness of the treatment in managing urothelial carcinoma, while examining specific biomarkers in the tumor biopsies. This comprehensive approach aimed to gain insights into whether this treatment combination could provide benefits to patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. The combination of disitamab vedotin and toripalimab showed promising results in patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed, and the recommended dose was disitamab vedotin 2mg/kg plus toripalimab 3mg/kg every two weeks. By the cutoff date of Nov. 18, 2022, the confirmed Objective Response Rate (cORR) was 73.2% (95%CI: 57.1, 85.8), including 9.8% Complete Response (CR). In the HER2 IHC 3+/2+ and IHC 1+ subgroups, the confirmed ORRs were noted as 83.3% and 64.3% respectively. The median Duration of Response (mDOR) was observed to be 8.2 months. For treatment-naive patients, the confirmed ORR stood at 76.0%. The Disease Control Rate (DCR) was reported at 90.2% (95% CI, 76.997.3). This was coupled with a median Progression-Free Survival (PFS) of 9.2 months (95%CI: 5.7-10.3) and a 2-year Overall Survival (OS) rate of 63.2%. "Treating locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma remains a substantial unmet clinical need," stated Professor Guo Jun of Peking University Cancer Hospital, who is also the principal investigator of the study. "In clinical practice, we find that approximately 90% of la/mUC patients show HER2 expression at IHC 1+ or above. It is gratifying to showcase the updated long-term survival data at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting, highlighting the impressive efficacy of disitamab vedotin across varied HER2 or PD-L1 expression levels." Fang Jianmin, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of RemeGen, said: "We're thrilled to share updates on disitamab vedotin research at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting. The study further underscores the potential of disitamab vedotin, in combination with PD-1 inhibitors, for treating urothelial carcinoma. Currently, we are conducting a prospective phase III study to investigate the safety and efficacy of this combination therapy. The encouraging outcomes seen so far suggest a promising avenue for exploring disitamab vedotin across different indications." In addition, three of RemeGen's abstracts on the novel antibody drug conjugate were selected for online publication by ASCO and are now available on ASCO's Abstract Titles Released webpage. In the first abstract, titled A multicenter, phase Il trial of RC48-ADC combined with radiotherapy, PD-1/L1 inhibitor sequential GM-CSF and sequential IL-2 (PRaG3.0 regimen) for salvage therapy in patients with HER2-expressing advanced solid tumors, disitamab vedotin was found to be effective with fewer side effects when given at a different schedule from once every 2 weeks to once every 3 weeks. This treatment has the potential to improve the sensitivity of patients with HER2-expressing cancers who have already undergone treatment. In the second abstract, titled The efficacy and safety of antibody drug conjugate for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, disitamab vedotin was administered as a monotherapy or combined with tislelizumab. These treatments were tested on non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients with no history of radical cystectomy and showed efficacy with manageable side effects. This treatment could potentially be a viable option for those with high-risk NMIBC. RemeGen is conducting further research to better understand how disitamab vedotin combined with tislelizumab can further improve the treatment of NMIBC. The third abstract was titled Assessment of Her2 status in extramammary Paget disease and its implication for disitamab vedotin, a novel humanized anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy. According to the study, the expression rate of HER-2 was very high in extramammary Paget disease (EMPD), indicating that it may be used as a routine treatment target. Disitamab vedotin showed efficacy in these patients and need further validation. About RemeGen Co. Ltd. Founded in 2008, RemeGen (9995.HK, SHA: 688331) is a leading biopharmaceutical company in China committed to providing solutions to the unmet clinical needs of patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses. RemeGen has research laboratories and offices throughout China and the United States. The company is committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative and differentiated biologic drugs of significant clinical value in the key therapeutic areas of autoimmune, oncology, and ophthalmic diseases. About Disitamab Vedotin (RC48-ADC) Disitamab vedotin (RC48-ADC) is an investigational anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate targeting prevalent cancers with significant unmet medical needs and is the first domestically developed ADC to receive marketing approval in China. The drug was granted conditional marketing approval in June 2021 by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in China to treat locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. In the same month, the company submitted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the treatment of HER2-expressing advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma with disitamab vedotin. In 2021, RemeGen and Seagen Inc. entered into an exclusive license agreement to develop and commercialize disitamab vedotin in all countries outside of RemeGen's territory of Asia, excluding Japan and Singapore . The company is implementing a differentiated development and commercial strategy for disitamab vedotin, including (i) gastric cancer (GC), (ii) urothelial carcinoma (UC), (iii) breast cancer (BC), and (iv) other HER2-expressing cancers. SOURCE RemeGen Co., Ltd WASHINGTON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released a new report that assesses the impacts of marijuana legalization on the trucking industry. The analysis, which was a 2022 top priority of ATRI's Research Advisory Committee (RAC), covers several critical topics related to state-level marijuana legalization, including: a review of the latest demographic trends in marijuana legalization; an overview of research and data related to highway safety and marijuana use; a summary of workforce and hiring implications for the trucking industry; and an analysis of publicly available CDL driver drug test data. Additionally, the report includes industry surveys that provide insight into motor carrier and truck driver perspectives on the consequences of marijuana legalization and current drug screening regulations. The data collected show that drivers and carriers are equally frustrated with current drug testing limitations, in particular the lack of a test for marijuana impairment. "Minnesota recently joined the growing list of states legalizing recreational marijuana. This action underscores the critical need for tools to effectively determine marijuana impairment by current and prospective employees. As an industry committed to workplace and roadway safety, we owe it to ourselves and our families to make sure we can screen to maintain a clean and sober workforce," said Minnesota Trucking Association President John Hausladen. The ATRI study documents the strategies and implications of the two pathways the federal government can take in response to advancing legalization efforts. The first pathway, maintaining the current prohibition policy where marijuana remains a Schedule I drug, would continue the trend of removing thousands of drivers annually from the industry through positive tests for past marijuana use. The second pathway, a scenario where the federal government eases restrictions and possibly removes marijuana from the Schedule I designation, has significant challenges as well. Prior to any federal legalization action, the report identifies several protections that must be in place for employers in safety-sensitive industries. These include the development of a nationally recognized marijuana impairment test and impairment standards, as well as provisions that protect a carrier's ability to screen employees for drug use. A copy of the full report is available through ATRI's website here. ATRI is the trucking industry's 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation's essential role in maintaining a safe, secure, and efficient transportation system. SOURCE American Transportation Research Institute SAN DIEGO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Avalon, A Bridgeway Assisted Living Residence at Hillsborough, a leading provider of senior care services located in Hillsborough Township, New Jersey is pleased to announce its partnership with Quake Global, a renowned innovator in healthcare solutions. Bridgeway Assisted Living at Hillsborough has selected Quake's Global BLE CareCenter, E-call and RTLS (Real-Time Location System) solution to elevate the standard of care provided to The Avalon residents. Avalon Assisted Living at Hillsborough Partners with Quake Global to Improve Quality of Care. Quake's E-call and RTLS solution offers state-of-the-art technology seamlessly integrated into Avalon's caregiving processes. By incorporating this advanced system, Bridgeway aims to enhance resident care while optimizing operational efficiency. The key benefits of Avalon's adoption of Quake's E-call and RTLS solution include: Rapid Emergency Response: Quake's E-call system empowers residents to instantly alert staff members during emergencies or urgent situations. This direct communication channel will enable Avalon caregivers to respond promptly, ensuring swift and efficient assistance for residents when they need it most. Real-Time Location Tracking: Avalon staff will utilize the RTLS component in real-time, enabling efficient care coordination. By knowing residents' whereabouts at all times, Bridgeway can minimize response times, optimize workflow, and enhance the overall resident experience. Workflow Optimization: Quake's solution offers comprehensive data insights and analytics, optimizing staff workflow. By collecting and analyzing data, Avalon decision-makers will have access to valuable information, leading to informed decision-making, improved resource allocation, and enhanced staff productivity. Enhanced Safety and Security: With the implementation of Quake's RTLS solution, Avalon Assisted Living at Hillsborough prioritizes the safety and security of its residents. The system includes features such as perimeter monitoring, access control, and wander management, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized entry and creating a secure environment for residents. Jessica Pelligrino (Director of Business Development and Strategy) of Avalon Assisted Living at Hillsborough expressed her excitement about the collaboration, stating, "At Bridgeway, our residents' well-being is our utmost priority. Partnering with Quake Technologies aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering exceptional care by incorporating cutting-edge solutions. We believe that Quake's E-call and RTLS system will empower our staff to provide top-quality care while ensuring the safety and security of our residents." Quake Global CEO Polina Braunstein expressed her admiration for The Avalon, a Bridgewater Assisted Living Residence, "It is great to work with a partner like Bridgeway, a renowned and forward-thinking developer and operator in the realm of upscale senior living. Their comprehensive grasp of the advantages that advanced automation can bring to both senior residents and the dedicated staff who cater to their needs. Being chosen as a trusted partner to enhance the working conditions and overall quality of life for The Avalon's staff and residents is a genuine source of pride for Quake Global." About Avalon Assisted Living at Hillsborough: Avalon Assisted Living at Hillsborough is a leading provider of senior care services, dedicated to enhancing the lives of elderly individuals. With a commitment to personalized care and a compassionate approach, Avalon Assisted Living at Hillsborough offers a range of services designed to meet the unique needs of each resident. Learn more at www.bshcare.com/avalon-assisted-living-at-hillsborough.html About Quake Global: Quake Global is an innovative healthcare solutions provider, specializing in E-call and RTLS systems. Their advanced technology solutions enable healthcare facilities to optimize workflows, improve emergency response times, and enhance resident safety and security. For more information, visit https://www.quakeglobal.com/senior-living SOURCE Quake Global CHICAGO , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The bio decontamination industry is poised for significant growth and advancements in the near future. With increasing awareness and focus on public health and safety, the demand for effective bio decontamination solutions is on the rise. Bio decontamination technologies, such as vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) and chlorine dioxide, are becoming more sophisticated and efficient, allowing for the elimination of a wide range of pathogens and contaminants in various settings, including healthcare facilities, laboratories, and food processing plants. Additionally, the integration of automation and robotics in bio decontamination processes is streamlining operations and ensuring precise and consistent results. This industry is also witnessing the development of novel methods, such as plasma-based decontamination, which offer unique advantages in terms of speed, efficacy, and safety. Furthermore, the adoption of sustainable and eco-friendly decontamination solutions is gaining traction, aligning with the global push for environmental responsibility. The bio decontamination industry is poised to play a vital role in safeguarding public health and creating safer environments, and its continued evolution and innovation promise a future where the risks associated with pathogens and contaminants are effectively mitigated. Bio Decontamination Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $238 million in 2023 and is poised to reach $339 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The growth of this market is majorly driven by the surging occurrences of hospital-acquired infections and the accumulating number of medical procedures. However, Safety concerns regarding hazardous chemicals may challenge the growth of this market. Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=104696777 Browse in-depth TOC on "Bio Decontamination Market" 115 - Tables 29 - Figures 178 - Pages Bio Decontamination Market Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $238 million Estimated Value by 2028 $339 million Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% Market Size Available for 20212028 Forecast Period 20232028 Forecast Units Value (USD Million) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Product & Service, Agent type, Type, End User and Region Geographies Covered North America (US, Canada), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy, and RoE), APAC (China, India, Japan, and the RoAPAC), and Rest of the World (Latin America- and Middle East & Africa) Report Highlights Updated financial information / product portfolio of players Key Market Opportunities Growing healthcare sector and increasing outsourcing in emerging economies Key Market Drivers Rising growth in pharmaceutical & biotechnology industries Germany in European bio decontamination market to witness the highest shares during the forecast period. The Europe bio decontamination Market is segmented into Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the UK, and the Rest of Europe. Germany is projected to occupy the highest share during the forecast period. The major factors contributing to the growth of this market are the rising geriatric population, increasing incidence infectious diseases, also country is leading manufacturers of high-quality medical equipment which generates high demand for bio decontamination products and services used by medical device manufacturers. Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Manufacturing Companies in End user' bio decontamination market to witness the highest shares during the forecast period. Based on the end user, the Bio Decontamination Market is segmented into Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Manufacturing Companies, Life Sciences & Biotechnology Research Organizations, Hospitals & Healthcare Facilities. The Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Manufacturing Companies registered the highest CAGR, as these sectors primarily need decontamination to ensure the safety, integrity, and quality of their products, as well as to maintain regulatory compliance hence the growth in these sectors will drive the growth of bio decontamination market. Japan dominates the Asia Pacific bio decontamination market The APAC bio decontamination market is segmented into Japan, China, India, and Rest of Apac. In 2022, Japan accounted for the largest share of the Asian bio decontamination market. The large share of Japan can be attributed to high prevalence of HAIs, with antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections caused by MRSA being the most prevalent type of HAIs and having the highest senior population ratio in the world. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=104696777 Bio Decontamination Market Dynamics: Drivers: 1. Rising incidence of hospital-acquired infections 2. Increasing number of surgical procedures 3. Growing outsourcing of bio decontamination services to third-party providers 4. Rising growth in pharmaceutical & biotechnology industry 5. Stringent regulatory guidelines for pharmaceutical & medical device manufacturing companies Restraints: 1. Use of manual bio decontamination methods in emerging economies 2. Rising adoption of single-use medical devices 3. Availability of alternative techniques Opportunities: 1. Growing healthcare sector in emerging markets 2. Increasing establishment of pharmaceutical & medical device companies 3. Rising adoption of nitrogen dioxide bio decontamination 4. Increasing number of hospitals and healthcare facilities Challenges: 1. Challenges associated with equipment & technology costs 2. Variability of pathogen resistance 3. Safety concerns regarding hazardous chemicals Trends: 1. Increasing focus on infection control 2. Adoption of eco-friendly decontamination products Key Market Players: The significant players in the Bio Decontamination market are Steris PLC (US), Ecolab (US), TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc (US), JCE Biotechnology (France), Fedegari Autoclavi SpA (Italy), Zhejiang TAILIN Bioengineering Co., LTD (China), Howorth Air Technology Ltd. (UK), Solidfog Technologies (Belgium), ClorDiSys (US), Amira (Italy) Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=104696777 Recent Developments: In July 22 , Ecolab's (US) Bioquell HPV-AQ received an authorized approval for use in all territories of the European Union and the European Economic Area. , Ecolab's (US) Bioquell HPV-AQ received an authorized approval for use in all territories of the European Union and the European Economic Area. In Dec 2022 , the TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc (US) launched new SteraMist products, which include the Select Plus-a hybrid product consisting of the Company's current Surface Select and Environment systems. (The system is 24 volts, allowing for universal outlet usage and convert more of the hydrogen peroxide BIT Solution to hydroxyl radicals thus lowering H2O2 PPM levels allowing for faster turnaround time). Bio Decontamination Market Advantages: Effective Pathogen Elimination: Bio decontamination technologies, such as vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), ozone, and chlorine dioxide, are highly effective in eliminating a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores. This ensures a thorough and comprehensive decontamination process, reducing the risk of infections and contamination. Versatility and Application Range: Bio decontamination methods can be applied in various settings, including healthcare facilities, laboratories, pharmaceutical manufacturing, food processing plants, and cleanrooms. They are suitable for decontaminating surfaces, equipment, and even entire rooms or facilities, making them versatile solutions for different industries. Rapid and Efficient Process: Many bio decontamination technologies offer fast and efficient decontamination cycles, allowing for quick turnaround times and minimal disruption to operations. This is particularly crucial in critical environments where downtime needs to be minimized, such as hospitals and laboratories. Non-Destructive to Materials: Bio decontamination methods are designed to be non-corrosive and non-damaging to materials and equipment. This ensures that sensitive instruments, electronic devices, and other valuable assets are not compromised during the decontamination process. Environmental Friendliness: Many bio decontamination technologies are environmentally friendly, utilizing agents that break down into harmless byproducts or leave no residue. This aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainability and reduces the impact on the environment. Compliance with Regulations: Bio decontamination plays a vital role in meeting regulatory requirements and industry standards for cleanliness and safety. By implementing effective bio decontamination measures, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to maintaining high hygiene standards and adherence to regulations. Overall, the bio decontamination market offers reliable and efficient solutions for pathogen elimination, versatility in applications, rapid and non-destructive processes, environmental friendliness, and compliance with regulations. These advantages make bio decontamination an essential component in ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals and maintaining a clean and controlled environment in various industries. Bio Decontamination market - Report Highlights: Geographic and Country-level Analysis for 2021-2028: The new edition of the report provides the market size and forecast for each region and their countries. In this edition of the report, the bio decontamination markets for North America (US, Canada ), Europe ( Germany , France , UK, Spain , Italy , and RoE), APAC ( China , India , Japan , and the RoAPAC), and Rest of the World ( Latin America and Middle East & Africa ) along with region wise recession impact. (US, ), ( , , UK, , , and RoE), APAC ( , , , and the RoAPAC), and Rest of the World ( and & ) along with region wise recession impact. Changes in the scope of the market: The report's current edition covers the pricing analysis, patent analysis, value chain analysis, supply chain analysis, ecosystem analysis, Porter's analysis, regulatory landscape, trade analysis, technology analysis, and trends/disruptions impacting customers' businesses, Impact of recession, in the market has been added. Newer and improved representation of financial information: The new edition of the report provides updated financial information till 2022 for each listed company in graphical representation in a single diagram (instead of multiple tables), for individual companies. This would help to analyze easily, the present status of profiled companies in terms of their financial strength, profitability, key revenue generating region/country, business segment focus in terms of highest revenue generating segment and investment on research and development activities. Recent Market Developments: Recent developments are helpful to know the market trend and growth strategies adopted by players in the market. The report provides the updated developments in terms of product launches, agreements, expansions etc. Latest Product portfolio: Tracking Product portfolio updates helps to analyze the new bio decontamination products in the market. The new edition of the report provides an updated product portfolio of the companies profiled in the report. Competitive leadership mapping: The key stakeholders and buying criteria, Competitive benchmarking, Vendor Dive Matrix has been added to this version of the report, covering a comprehensive study of the key vendors offering bio decontamination products. The vendors are divided into four categories: Stars, Emerging Leaders, Pervasive Players, and Participants, based on their performance in various criteria. The top vendors operating in the bio decontamination market have been evaluated in this report. Start-ups/SMEs operating in this market have also been analyzed and placed into four categories, namely, Starting Blocks, Progressive Companies, Responsive Companies, and Dynamic Companies, based on their performance in each criterion. Related Reports: Sterile Filtration Market - Global Forecasts to 2028 Home Healthcare Market - Global Forecasts to 2027 Sterilization Equipment Market - Global Forecasts to 2027 Infection Control Market - Global Forecasts to 2027 Surface Disinfectant Market - Global Forecasts to 2026 About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/bio-decontamination-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/bio-decontamination.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets After railing about how evil the deal was and that she must stop it, Colorado congressperson Lauren Boebert claimed to have missed the debt ceiling vote by moments. Last week we were told she was rushing to the floor of Congress to do her duty, but the congressperson was just seconds too late this was NOT to be seen as Boebert skipping out on the vote so as to make things easier on pseudo-Speaker McCarthy without her casting a no-vote. As of Saturday, Boebert has changed her tune. She is notoriously hard to trust. Independent.uk: Ms Boebert was mocked on social media after she reportedly "narrowly missed the vote, running up the steps right as they gaveled", according to Axios Capitol Hill reporter Juliegrace Brufke. But Ms Boebert sought to refute that account in a video message on Saturday after Mr Biden signed the legislation which she branded a "c**p sandwich". "No excuses, I was ticked off they wouldn't let me do my job, so I didn't take the vote," she said in blurry footage filmed outside. Once again, everything is about the show. Boebert must keep her rabid red base happy. State's leading health plan continues to expand provider network, virtual care options and mental health resources to meet growing member needs BOSTON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' ("Blue Cross") annual spending on mental health services for its members has doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, the company spent $610 million on mental health services, and new data just released finds that number doubled in 2022 to $1.3 billion. The increase in spending is attributed to more members seeking mental health care and substance use disorder treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Access to high-quality, convenient and affordable mental health care has never been more important," said Sarah Iselin, Blue Cross' president and CEO. "We're working hard to expand our network and help members find the right care, when they need it. We are committed to this work because it is the right thing to do for our members and our community." Blue Cross' mental health provider network has grown by 50% over the past five years, and now includes more than 18,000 clinicians. As part of its commitment to ensuring members have access to high-quality, affordable mental health care, Blue Cross is further expanding its mental health care network and adding new tools to help members find care that's right for them and their families. Expanding primary mental health groups Headway currently participates in Blue Cross' network as one of its primary mental health provider partners and will now be available to out-of-state members for virtual services this summer. Headway has a network of more than 20,000 high-quality credentialed mental health providers across race, gender, ethnicity, and specialty. Alma, a national primary mental health provider focused on telehealth and in-person therapy and medication management, will be available to Blue Cross members nationwide this summer. Alma's network is made up of more than 13,000 mental health clinicians, with many identifying as Black, Hispanic/LatinX, Asian, and/or LGBTQIA+, enabling culturally competent care to diverse populations. Alma joins a range of other primary mental health groups that offer therapy and medication management to treat a broad array of mental health conditions and provide support to Blue Cross members. Additional primary mental health groups already in Blue Cross' network include Talkiatry, Thriveworks, Refresh Mental Health and Valera Health, which offer both in-person and virtual treatment with diverse clinicians serving most ages. Adding sub-specialty providers Blue Cross is also adding to its network two additional specialty mental health provider organizations that offer care for specific conditions and populations: Cortica offers whole-child, value-based care for autistic and other neurodivergent children and their families. Services include medical care, ABA therapy, counseling, and developmental therapies such as speech, physical, and occupational therapy. Eleanor Health helps treat substance use disorders and other mental health conditions with personalized care plans for each patient. They join specialty providers already in the Blue Cross network, including And Still We Rise, Aware Recovery Care, Brightline, DynamiCare, Forge Health and NOCD. Enhancing care navigation Blue Cross is also helping guide members to convenient, high-quality mental health care that fits their specific needs. As part of its innovative mental health strategy, Blue Cross members now have access to deeper personalization capabilities and new tools through the MyBlue member portal. New features, including a self-navigation quiz and a mental health advocate program, help pair members with clinicians that meet their individual needs. "Adding more providers to our network is critical but it's not enough," said Dr. Greg Harris, senior medical director for mental health. "We know how difficult it can be to find the right type of care for a variety of mental health challenges. We're here to support our members and guide them to the care and resources that they need regardless of where they are at in their mental health journey." Since these new navigation tools went live in June 2022, nearly 100% of members looking for an in-network provider have been matched through MyBlue, and more than 600 members with more complex needs or specific provider criteria such as LGBTQ+ friendly and in-person care only have been placed with a provider that meets their needs. Additional mental health resources Blue Cross' Mental Health Resource Center is designed to help members better understand their mental health care options, find clinicians, and explore self-guided tools for managing stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. The company also offers exclusive member discounts on classes that support mindfulness and wellness, including yoga and meditation. Members who need assistance finding mental health and/or substance use support options can also call Blue Cross' dedicated mental health line at (888) 389-7764. Representatives help guide members to the right support, including the mental health advocate program, if needed. In some cases, representatives can help locate appropriate clinicians who are accepting new patients and even assist with setting up the first visit. About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (http://www.bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable and equitable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Union Pacific's locomotive engineers will now have up to seven days paid in the event of illness. OMAHA, Neb., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Union Pacific Railroad reached an agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) to provide paid sick leave to the approximately 5,600 locomotive engineers employed by the railroad. Under the agreement, BLET members will have up to seven paid days to use in the event of illness. Five days will be considered paid sick days with the ability to convert two additional paid leave days for use as paid sick time. The new agreement is effective Aug. 1. "This agreement is really about health and safety," said BLET National President Eddie Hall. "It's not in our members', the public's, or the railroad's best interest for engineers to be operating trains when they're sick. Congratulations to our BLET General Chairmen and Union Pacific's management who reached this agreement at the bargaining table." "The well-being and quality of life for all employees are critically important to us," said Union Pacific Chairman, President and CEO Lance Fritz. "We want to thank BLET union leadership for their valuable collaboration. This agreement marks another step forward in Union Pacific's ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive work environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of all employees." Union Pacific now has sick leave agreements in place with 12 of its 13 labor unions, covering approximately 68% of Union Pacific's craft employees. ABOUT THE BLET The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen represents more than 51,000 professional locomotive engineers and trainmen throughout the United States. The BLET is the founding member of the Rail Conference, International Brotherhood of Teamsters. ABOUT UNION PACIFIC Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations. More information about Union Pacific is available at www.up.com . www.up.com www.facebook.com/unionpacific www.twitter.com/unionpacific SOURCE Union Pacific Railroad METRO CHICAGO, Ill., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Calamos Investments announced the addition of two senior executives to further provide Calamos Wealth Management clients with sophisticated portfolio strategies and customized wealth management solutions. Jon Adams joins as SVP Chief Investment Officer, Wealth Management and John Campbell joins as SVP Chief Wealth Strategist, Head of Wealth Planning and Trust Services. Based in metro Chicago, the pair will report to Joe Weidenbach, who was hired as Head of Calamos Wealth Management in October 2022. "As part of our strategic growth strategy, we continue to invest deeply in our Wealth Management business," said John Koudounis, President and CEO of Calamos Investments. "I'm confident that Jon and John will provide additional firepower to our leadership team so that we can provide our trusted and sophisticated clients the solutions needed to address their most complex planning challenges." Adams, a CFA with more than two decades of investment experience in multi-asset portfolio management, was most recently in the "Global Wealth at Work" vertical of Citi Private Bank, where he was responsible for the delivery of comprehensive investment strategies. Campbell, a J.D. whose professional experience includes business and corporate law, investment banking, complex estate planning, and advanced wealth structuring strategies for high-net-worth business owners, joins from U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management. "It is critical for our clients to have the best insights when it comes to building and protecting their wealth in the markets and optimizing it with sophisticated wealth planning solutions and trusts," said Weidenbach. "I know that Jon and John will deliver significant leadership expertise to the entire firm, which we continue to nurture and grow by adding multiple wealth consultants in our offices around the country." "Calamos was founded as a wealth management firm and it has remained an important and growing part of our business since," said Calamos Founder, Chairman, and Global Chief Investment Officer, John P. Calamos Sr. "I'm pleased to welcome these investment and wealth management leaders to the team and am confident our clients will benefit from their expertise in building enduring portfolios and delivering on advanced wealth planning solutions." About Calamos Investments Calamos Investments is a diversified global investment firm offering innovative investment strategies, including alternatives, multi-asset, convertible, fixed income, equity and sustainable equity. The firm offers strategies through separately managed portfolios, mutual funds, closed-end funds, private funds, ETFs and UCITS funds. Clients include major corporations, pension funds, endowments, foundations and individuals, as well as the financial advisors and consultants who serve them. The firm is headquartered in the Chicago metropolitan area, with offices in New York, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Portland (Oregon) and the Miami area. For more information, please visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Calamos, on Instagram @calamos_investments or at www.calamos.com. Calamos Investments LLC, referred to herein as Calamos Investments, is a financial services company offering such services through its subsidiaries: Calamos Advisors LLC, Calamos Wealth Management LLC, Calamos Investments LLP and Calamos Financial Services LLC. SOURCE Calamos Investments LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS) Board of Governors has approved the slate of candidates for the IEEE CS 2023 election: https://www.computer.org/volunteering/nomination-election/approved-candidate-slate . Voting for IEEE CS president-elect, first and second vice presidents, and Board of Governors members will begin on Monday, 7 August, and end on Monday, 11 September 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT USA/16:00 UTC. All members will receive a broadcast email message with voting instructions to access their web ballot package information. Members in all regions can vote online at the IEEE CS election site. For replacement ballots or to request a paper ballot, call +1-732-562-3904 or email [email protected]. Only IEEE CS members without an email address in their member record, or those who have opted out of IEEE email communications, will receive a paper ballot package. Those who receive paper ballots should return them by mail using the business reply envelope provided, or to IEEE Technical Activities, Attn: SGA, 445 Hoes Lane, PO Box 1331, Piscataway, NJ 08855-1331, USA. Officers are elected to one-year terms and Board members to three-year terms, each beginning 1 January 2024. Candidate bios and position statements will be published in the August issue of Computer magazine, which is distributed to all IEEE CS members. The Nominations Committee's recommended nominees for 2024 officers and the 2024-2026 Board of Governors are as follows (in alphabetical order): 2024 President-elect (2025 President) Nominees Mike Hinchey University of Limerick University of Limerick Hironori Washizaki Waseda University 2024 First Vice President Nominees Grace A. Lewis Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute Cyril Onwubiko Pearson Plc 2024 Second Vice President Nominees Nils Aschenbruck Osnabrueck University, Germany Shashikant Patil Vishwaniketan Institute of Management Entrepreneurship and Engineering Technology The first and second vice presidents serve as franchised members of the Executive Committee, Board of Governors, and Planning Committee. The vice presidents may execute a portfolio as assigned by the president and provide counsel and assistance to the president and other volunteer leaders. In the event that the president and president-elect cannot serve, the line of succession falls to the first vice president, then to the second vice president. Candidates for 2024-2026 terms for the IEEE CS Board of Governors: Megha Ben Siemens Siemens Terry Benzel University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute Information Sciences Institute Maiga Chang Athabasca University, Canada Athabasca University, Canada Mrinal Karvir Intel Ramalatha Marimuthu Iexplore Foundation for Sustainable Development Irene Pazos Viana Senior Information Technology Independent Consultant Senior Information Technology Independent Consultant George Proeller Independent Security Consultant Independent Security Consultant Andreas Reinhardt Technical University of Clausthal, Germany Technical University of Clausthal, Riri Fitri Sari University of Indonesia Andrew Seely University of Maryland Global Campus Global Campus Celia Shahnaz Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology University of Engineering & Technology Deborah Silver Rutgers , The State University of New Jersey , The State University of Fei Su Intel Corporation Intel Corporation Anthony Wasserman University of California, Berkeley Yoshiko Yasuda Hitachi, Ltd. The Board of Governors is responsible for providing policy-level guidance to all organizational entities within the Computer Society. Members may vote for up to six for the Board of Governors position. All professional and graduate student IEEE CS members on record as of 1 June 2023 are eligible to vote in this year's IEEE CS election. (Undergraduate student members do not hold voting rights.) Ballots must be returned no later than 12:00 p.m. EDT USA/16:00 UTC on Monday, 11 September 2023. Results will be announced in Computer magazine's December issue and online. About the IEEE Computer Society The IEEE Computer Society is the world's home for computer science, engineering, and technology. A global leader in providing access to computer science research, analysis, and information, the IEEE Computer Society offers a comprehensive array of unmatched products, services, and opportunities for individuals at all stages of their professional careers. Known as the premier organization that empowers the people who drive technology, the IEEE Computer Society offers international conferences, peer-reviewed publications, a unique digital library, and training programs. SOURCE IEEE Computer Society Nationally-Acclaimed QSR Concept Launches Nationwide Campaign to Benefit Foundation TAMPA BAY, Fla., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Tacos, one of the nation's most beloved Tex-Mex franchise brands, has announced a month-long campaign in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation running from June 5th to July 5th. During that window, Capital Tacos locations across Tampa and Orlando will introduce the Make-A-Wish Mac N Queso Kids Meal to the menu and donate 100% of the profits to support the wish-making efforts of the foundation. "To be able to take part in such a meaningful, life-changing endeavor has been beyond rewarding for everyone here at Capital Tacos," said Josh Luger, Co-Founder of Capital Tacos. "It's a powerful reminder and reinforcement of our daily mission: to be an asset to the communities we serve, to be a family-friendly destination, and to drive connectivity through our passion for food and flavor." At the heart of this partnership is a Wish Kid 'Chef' Diego' who, after successfully undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, expressed his dream to meet one of America's most recognizable and influential celebrity chefs. A wish that the Make-A-Wish team is gearing up to bring to fruition, and that compelled Capital Tacos to invite him to go behind-the-scenes with their culinary crew to craft the campaign's menu special. "We are delighted to partner with Capital Tacos to bring hope, strength, and joy to local children battling critical illnesses. Not only did they provide joy for wish kid Diego as he worked with the Capital Tacos team to create the Make-A-Wish Mac N Queso Kids Meal, but sales of that meal will go a long way in granting wishes like Diego's. Thank you, Capital Tacos, for your incredible support." - Anne Cuba, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida. The Make-A-Wish Mac N Queso Kids Meal features a never-before-seen Tex-Mex take on Mac N Cheese: with Capital Tacos signature queso leading a cheesy mix alongside freshly boiled noodles. Like all Capital Tacos kids' meals, it will also come with a choice of side hand-cut chips or hand-spiced fries as well as mini churros with whipped cream for dessert and a fountain drink of choice. For more information on the Capital Tacos franchise brand, please visit https://capitaltacos.com/. ABOUT CAPITAL TACOS: Capital Tacos is a nationally-ranked, fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant franchise founded in Tampa, Florida, that currently operates, or will imminently be operating, across the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Colorado. They've been named one of America's Top 40 Hottest Fast Casual Brands and one of the 11 Taco Chains Disrupting Fast Casual Sector by QSR Magazine, a top 3 taco in the country by Business Insider/Foursquare, and the top taco restaurant in Tampa / St. Petersburg by Yelp, amongst a variety of other awards. The emerging franchise brand is known for its scratch-made, innovative, and unmatched Tex-Mex flavors, pushing the boundaries of quality and creativity that the sector has become known to provide. Capital Tacos is currently seeking qualified candidates to help further expand the franchise to select markets across the Southeast and the country more generally. ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff, and more than 24,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 550,000 wishes in nearly 50 countries worldwide; more than 360,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. Locally, Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida is celebrating 7,000 wishes granted since 1994. For more information about Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida, visit wish.org/cnfl. SOURCE Capital Tacos NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor and activist David Hyde Pierce, Six-time Grammy Award-winning, Two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, musician, producer, and activist Peter Gabriel, and Grammy Award-winning artist and producer Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest will all highlight CaringKind's 27th annual Forget-Me-Not Gala on Monday, June 12th, at The Pierre Hotel in NYC. The Forget-Me-Not Gala is a way for CaringKind to continue to raise essential funds to support the myriad of programs they offer. CaringKind is New York City's leading expert in Alzheimer's and dementia caregiving. PURIST and Schneps Media will serve as media sponsors for the evening. David Hyde Pierce, who received the Tony's Isabelle Stevenson Award for his longtime advocacy and support for Alzheimer's care and research, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Guests can anticipate an unforgettable experience, beginning with a cocktail reception at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner, a special presentation by Reverberation, an inspiring awards ceremony, and a live auction. The festivities will close with an exclusive afterparty starting at 9:30 pm. At the cocktail reception, Spotlight Kids, a group of gifted young artists, will bring their unique blend of song, dance, and theater to the reception, providing an unforgettable experience for attendees while elevating awareness for Alzheimer's and dementia care. At the Gala, CaringKind will honor three outstanding individuals and groups for their significant contributions to the Alzheimer's community. Honorees include: Peter Gabriel , Anna Gabriel and Michael Hermann are being honored as cofounders of their media and tech studio, Reverberation, for their unwavering commitment and contribution to music and its impact on cognitive health. Reverberation develops scientifically-rooted musical interventions to solve systemic and chronic global issues. They are closely partnered with several world-class research institutions, scientists, musicians, technologists, and media companies. They are being honored with the "Commitment to Music and Brain Health Award." are being honored as cofounders of their media and tech studio, Reverberation, for their unwavering commitment and contribution to music and its impact on cognitive health. Reverberation develops scientifically-rooted musical interventions to solve systemic and chronic global issues. They are closely partnered with several world-class research institutions, scientists, musicians, technologists, and media companies. They are being honored with the "Commitment to Music and Brain Health Award." Gayatri Devi, MD Director of Park Avenue Neurology, Clinical Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at Zucker School of Medicine, and an Attending Physician at Lenox Hill Hospital | Northwell Health, is being honored for her groundbreaking work on Alzheimer's as a spectrum disorder, allowing patients with Alzheimer's to continue to be productive members of society, from artists to professionals. In recognition of her transformative work, Dr. Devi will receive the "Innovation in Healthcare and Biosciences Award." Director of Park Avenue Neurology, Clinical Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at Zucker School of Medicine, and an Attending Physician at Lenox Hill Hospital | Northwell Health, is being honored for her groundbreaking work on Alzheimer's as a spectrum disorder, allowing patients with Alzheimer's to continue to be productive members of society, from artists to professionals. In recognition of her transformative work, Dr. Devi will receive the "Innovation in Healthcare and Biosciences Award." Q-Tip is a Grammy Award-winning artist renowned for his innovative beats and impactful lyrics. Q-Tip's work has been instrumental in bridging cultural, linguistic, and generational gaps, demonstrating the unparalleled power of music as a unifying force. Inspired by his personal experience as a caregiver to his mother who lives with Alzheimer's, Q-Tip has created a heartfelt musical playlist in her honor. In recognition of his profound impact and dedication to raising awareness, Q-Tip will be presented with the "Caregiver Awareness Award." The 27th Annual Forget-Me-Not Gala promises to be a night of celebration and inspiration, strengthening the resolve of CaringKind and its supporters in their ongoing mission to provide essential Alzheimer's care and support to those facing the challenges of this devastating disease. Funds raised from the Forget-Me-Not Gala will bolster CaringKind's mission: providing vital resources, support, and education to families affected by Alzheimer's and dementia, as well as furthering groundbreaking research in Alzheimer's and dementia care. Join CaringKind on this memorable night and contribute to a worthwhile cause that makes a lasting impact in the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's disease. The gala will showcase Dr. Li-Huei Tsai's significant discovery at MIT on the positive effect of 40Hz light and sound exposure for individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Li-Huei Tsai, Ph.D., Picower Professor and Director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, shared her enthusiasm: "We are thrilled so many people are excited about our discovery at MIT that specific 40Hz light and sound exposure could be a safe, non-invasive therapy for Alzheimer's disease. While more clinical testing and fundamental research are needed and underway, our approach shows clear promise. We're proud to be working on behalf of patients and caregivers to meet this urgent health need." CaringKind's mission is to create, deliver and promote comprehensive and compassionate care and support services for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The organization achieves its mission by providing programs and services for individuals with dementia, their families, and professional caregivers. CaringKind is also committed to generating public awareness, collaborating with research centers, and informing public policy through advocacy. In 2022, CaringKind responded to 5,400 helpline calls, initiated 1,285 social work consultations, and hosted 90 different support groups facilitated by trained leaders both virtually and in person. This year's Gala features celebrated comedian Seth Herzog as auctioneer, along with the captivating Lydia Fenet, CEO and founder of Lydia Fenet Agency, who will lead the Paddle Raise. Exceptional auction lots will be announced soon. For further information about the Forget-Me-Not Gala, including donations, please visit www.caringkindnyc.org/gala or contact Courtney Dawson at 646-744-2932 or [email protected]. About CaringKind CaringKind* is New York City's leading expert on Alzheimer's and dementia caregiving. With over 40 years of experience, CaringKind works directly with its community partners to develop the information, tools, and training to support individuals and families affected by dementia. They offer a CaringKind Helpline (646) 744-2900 run by professional staff; individual and family counseling sessions with licensed social workers; a vast network of support groups; education seminars and training programs; early-stage services and a wanderer's safety program. CaringKind believes in the power of caregiving and seeks a world where everyone dealing with dementia has the support they need when they need it. www.caringkindnyc.org *Formerly Known As Alzheimer's Association, New York City Chapter. About Eleonora Tornatore-Mikesh, CEO With nearly two decades of experience in senior living and health care, Eleonora Tornatore-Mikesh has revolutionized long-term care, residential living, and memory care centers throughout her illustrious career. As a former CEO of the Alzheimer's Association's Connecticut Chapter, Mrs. Tornatore-Mikesh achieved remarkable milestones during her 7.5 years at the helm. Under her transformative leadership, she more than doubled the organization's revenue and spearheaded statewide dementia training initiatives that reached over 140 facilities, all in collaboration with the Department of Labor. Beyond her operational achievements, Eleonora has been a trailblazer in early-stage care. Her tenacious drive led to the creation of a statewide early-stage group while also securing much-needed funding for the state. Fully dedicated to enriching knowledge and improving industry standards, Eleonora held the position of chairperson at the Connecticut Assisted Living Association (CALA), where she developed an Executive Director course with a comprehensive, statewide curriculum. Demonstrating a relentless pursuit of excellence, Mrs. Tornatore-Mikesh served as a representative for CALA on the Department of Public Health committee for seven years. There, she pursued crucial revisions of regulations for assisted living and contributed to the Institute of Senior Living Education. Earning well-deserved recognition, Eleonora has been named to the 2022 City & State Health Care Power List 100 for the second consecutive year. This prestigious list honors key public health officials, hospital executives, labor leaders, and activists making a positive impact within the healthcare sector. Currently, as President and CEO of CaringKind, Eleonora Tornatore-Mikesh continues to break new ground in Alzheimer's caregiving. Her unwavering commitment to championing quality care, advancing education, and driving innovation makes her a true leader and visionary in her field. Media Contact Rubenstein PR: John McCook, (212) 805-3068, [email protected] Samantha Grossman, (212) 805-3015, [email protected] SOURCE CaringKind HONOLULU, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Castle Hospitality Group, a Hawaii-based hotel, condo resort and vacation rental management company, today announced that President & CEO Alan Mattson will retire by the end of the year. To ensure a seamless transition, the company has appointed long-time Hawaii hospitality executive Matt Bailey as Chief Operating Officer. With more than 40 years of hospitality and travel industry experience, Mattson joined Castle in 1999 as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing and was promoted to President and COO in 2005 and then President and CEO in 2018. Leadership changes at Hawaii-based hotel, condo resort and vacation rental management company Castle Hospitality Group Tweet this Alan Mattson Matt Bailey "It has been a privilege to be part of Castle over the last 24 years and to partner with such an amazing team," said Mattson. "I am proud of the legacy we have built as one of the most innovative hotel and resort management companies in the Pacific, and I look forward to following the company's success in the years ahead." A recognized leader in Hawaii's travel and tourism industry, Bailey previously served as President & Chief Operating Office of Aqua-Aston Hospitality. He also held executive positions with Sundance Resort, Aston Hotels & Resorts, The Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, and Carmel Valley Ranch. Most recently, he served as General Manager of the Montage Kapalua Bay. He has more than 40 years of experience. "Castle Hospitality Group is an exceptional company with two distinct brands and a disciplined focus on delivering results through innovation," said Bailey. "I'm excited about my new role and the opportunity to drive continued growth and profitability." Castle Hospitality Group's two brands include Castle Resorts & Hotels, which provides comprehensive hotel and resort condo management services including locally-based reservations, staffing, accounting and more for properties across Hawaii and in New Zealand. Castle Vacation Rentals Hawaii provides management of individual vacation properties throughout the Hawaiian Islands and is backed by the exclusive power of Castle's extensive online distribution channels. The company is known for its unique technology platform that allows it to sell by category as traditionally done in the past through hotel wholesale volume distribution channels and also by individual unit. The exclusive distribution platform also offers direct connectivity with Airbnb and VRBO, providing a sustainable competitive advantage. The Castle Group was founded by the late Rick Wall in 1988 with the purchase of Hanalei Bay Resort on Kauai. After acquiring Hawaii Pacific Resorts and extending its reach statewide, the company formed Castle Resorts & Hotels in 1993. In 2019, The Castle Group Inc. rebranded to Castle Hospitality Group. At the same time, Castle Vacation Rentals Hawaii was launched as a growth vehicle and to leverage the unique distribution platform. About Castle Hospitality Group Headquartered in Honolulu, Castle Hospitality Group is a hotel, resort and vacation rental management company with two brands in its portfolio, Castle Resorts & Hotels and Castle Vacation Rentals Hawaii. Castle Resorts & Hotels provides comprehensive hotel and resort condominium management services, including operations with an on-property presence. Castle Vacation Rentals Hawaii provides management of individual vacation rental properties, backed by the power of Castle's exclusive technology platform and vast distribution and customer reach. For more information, call (808) 524-0900 or visit castleresorts.com. SOURCE Castle Hospitality Group CHICAGO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, today reported May monthly trading volume statistics across its global business lines. The data sheet "Cboe Global Markets Monthly Volume & RPC/Net Revenue Capture Report" contains an overview of certain May trading statistics and market share by business segment, volume in select index products, and RPC/net capture, which is reported on a one-month lag, across business lines. Average Daily Trading Volume (ADV) by Month Year-To-Date May 2023 May 2022 % Chg April 2023 % Chg May 2023 May 2022 % Chg Multiply-listed options (contracts, k) 10,517 10,691 -1.6 % 9,810 7.2 % 10,715 10,764 -0.5 % Index options (contracts, k) 3,613 2,853 26.6 % 3,507 3.0 % 3,583 2,485 44.2 % Futures (contracts, k) 207 248 -16.5 % 186 11.0 % 218 245 -11.1 % U.S. Equities - On-Exchange (matched shares, mn) 1,383 1,851 -25.3 % 1,354 2.1 % 1,449 1,802 -19.6 % U.S. Equities - Off-Exchange (matched shares, mn) 83 104 -19.8 % 75 11.3 % 85 104 -17.9 % Canadian Equities1 (matched shares, k) 118,255 38,013 211.1 % 135,428 -12.7 % 141,114 39,565 256.7 % European Equities (, mn) 8,727 11,187 -22.0 % 10,413 -16.2 % 10,642 12,206 -12.8 % Cboe Clear Europe Cleared Trades2 (k) 96,663 129,531 -25.4 % 87,863 10.0 % 543,944 697,505 -22.0 % Cboe Clear Europe Net Settlements2 (k) 843 892 -5.5 % 716 17.7 % 4,220 4,464 -5.5 % Australian Equities (AUD, mn) 655 836 -21.6 % 708 -7.4 % 725 860 -15.7 % Japanese Equities (JPY, bn) 226 111 103.4 % 166 36.4 % 188 149 26.2 % Global FX ($, mn) 41,807 40,457 3.3 % 40,599 3.0 % 43,501 40,820 6.6 % 1 Canadian Equities data includes MATCHNow and NEO (now operating as Cboe Canada) from June 2022 onwards. Before June 2022 it included MATCHNow only. 2 Cboe Clear Europe figures are totals (not ADV) for the months and years-to-date. As of April 2023, data has been restated to reflect both On-Book and Off-Book cleared trades. May 2023 Trading Volume Highlights U.S. Options Cboe's proprietary product index suite reported a combined ADV of 3.6 million contracts, the second-highest on record. Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) options and S&P 500 Index (SPX) options in May had the second-highest monthly volumes for the year, with ADV of 770k contracts and 2.7 million contracts, respectively. European Equities Cboe BIDS Europe, Cboe's European block trading platform, had a 36.6% share of the LIS (large-in-scale) market, a record high (Source: big xyt). Cboe Clear Europe, Cboe's pan-European clearing house, cleared a record 1.3 million trades on Euronext Milan under the preferred clearing model, beating the previous high of 0.5 million trades cleared in April 2023 . About Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to people around the world. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives, FX, and digital assets, across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Above all, we are committed to building a trusted, inclusive global marketplace that enables people to pursue a sustainable financial future. To learn more about the Exchange for the World Stage, visit www.cboe.com. CBOE-V Cboe, Cboe Global Markets, Cboe Volatility Index, and VIX are registered trademarks of Cboe Exchange, Inc. or its affiliates. Standard & Poor's, S&P, SPX, and S&P 500 are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services, LLC, and have been licensed for use by Cboe Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Any products that have the S&P Index or Indexes as their underlying interest are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Standard & Poor's or Cboe and neither Standard & Poor's nor Cboe make any representations or recommendations concerning the advisability of investing in products that have S&P indexes as their underlying interests. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates do not recommend or make any representation as to possible benefits from any securities, futures or investments, or third-party products or services. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. is not affiliated with S&P. Investors should undertake their own due diligence regarding their securities, futures, and investment practices. This press release speaks only as of this date. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. disclaims any duty to update the information herein. Nothing in this announcement should be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell any securities or futures in any jurisdiction where the offer or solicitation would be unlawful under the laws of such jurisdiction. Nothing contained in this communication constitutes tax, legal or investment advice. Investors must consult their tax adviser or legal counsel for advice and information concerning their particular situation. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates make no warranty, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties as of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness or timeliness, the results to be obtained by recipients of the products and services described herein, or as to the ability of the indices referenced in this press release to track the performance of their respective securities, generally, or the performance of the indices referenced in this press release or any subset of their respective securities, and shall not in any way be liable for any inaccuracies, errors. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its affiliates have not calculated, composed or determined the constituents or weightings of the securities that comprise the third-party indices referenced in this press release and shall not in any way be liable for any inaccuracies or errors in any of the indices referenced in this press release. Options involve risk and are not suitable for all market participants. Prior to buying or selling an option, a person should review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options (ODD), which is required to be provided to all such persons. Copies of the ODD are available from your broker or from The Options Clearing Corporation, 125 S. Franklin Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60606. Futures trading is not suitable for all investors and involves the risk of loss. That risk of loss can be substantial and can exceed the amount of money deposited for a futures position. You should, therefore, carefully consider whether futures trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances and financial resources. You should put at risk only funds that you can afford to lose without affecting your lifestyle. For additional information regarding futures trading risks, see the Risk Disclosure Statement set forth in Appendix A to CFTC Regulation 1.55(c) and the Risk Disclosure Statement for Security Futures Contracts. SOURCE Cboe Global Markets KERRVILLE, Texas, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Savor one of America's beloved condiments with some of your favorite brands and social media influencers as we celebrate National Ketchup Day on June 5. This year's celebration focuses on an exciting collaboration between James Avery Artisan Jewelry, Whataburger and a dynamic team of brand ambassadors who promise to delight fans and followers with their partnership. Happy #NationalKetchupDay! Celebrate today by repping your favorite Whataburger team. Shop now at https://bit.ly/42iq64s Tweet this Happy National Ketchup Day! What better way to celebrate than repping your favorite Whataburger team? Shop these charms and more at https://bit.ly/42iq64s National Ketchup Day is an annual celebration that pays tribute to the adored red sauce that has become a staple on dining tables across the nation. This year, James Avery, has partnered once again with Whataburger and social media personalities for a memorable and stylish celebration. "James Avery and Whataburger are Texas brands, and today we celebrate that hometown connection and collaboration with our customers," said James Avery Director of Customer Service and Marketing Communication Lindsey Tognietti. "Our customers really enjoy our Whataburger charm collection, especially the Enamel Whataburger Ketchup Charms, so they can wear their favorite brands every day." Whataburger's dedication to creating exceptional flavors and James Avery's commitment to artisanship align perfectly with the essence of National Ketchup Day. This collaboration brings together two Texas brands that share a passion for quality and excellence, resulting in an unparalleled celebration of all things ketchup. "I'm so excited to team up with James Avery & Whataburger to celebrate National Ketchup Day because they are two of my favorite Texas brands," said James Avery Brand Ambassador Jeena Jimenez. "I love the way they've created wearable pieces for everyone to share their love of the brands. I've connected with strangers just by seeing their spicy ketchup charm on a bracelet or a Whataburger cup charm on their necklace. It's such a fun a way to wear something unique." James Avery, with swag provided by Whataburger, has partnered with 13 brand ambassadors and influencers to celebrate this national holiday. Prepare to embrace the ketchup craze today, and follow James Avery, Whataburger and our brand ambassadors and influencers to celebrate with us! Partnered Social Media Influencers Check out these affiliated social media accounts for the National Ketchup Day celebration: Amy @sushigirl_atx; Briana @brianazananiri; Cherise @satexasfoodies; Christina @mrs_tink; Danielle @danielle.shesfun; Darlene @darlenemariedavila; Gabby @siempre_sanantonio; Iesha @ieshasinsight; Jeena @jeenajimenez; Jessica @missjessicabellexo; Monica @ccbucketlist; Ruby @heyitsrubee; Tory @foodwithtory.htx. About James Avery Artisan Jewelry James Avery is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We offer finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold, bronze and gemstones. James Avery jewelry is designed in the Texas Hill Country, with more than 90 percent of our pieces crafted in Kerrville, Comfort, Hondo and Corpus Christi, Texas using the finest materials sourced worldwide. We are a multi-channel retailer with over 120 James Avery stores in four states. Our jewelry is also available at JamesAvery.com, over 250 Dillard's locations and at Dillards.com and at 38 Von Maur locations and VonMaur.com. You can also find our designs at airport stores in Austin, Houston and Nashville, as well as select Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) locations. Follow us @jamesavery on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, as well as @jamesaveryjewelry on TikTok for new releases, trends and behind the scenes. SOURCE James Avery Artisan Jewelry WASHINGTON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Weiner Brodsky Kider PC is pleased to announce that the firm and Mitch Kider have earned distinguished rankings by Chambers. "We are proud to be included on this elite list," said Mitch Kider, Managing Partner, Weiner Brodsky Kider PC. "Our depth of industry knowledge and commitment to service allow us to build effective, long-lasting relationships with our clients." With only 0.5% of firms and 2% of lawyers in the U.S. recognized, Weiner Brodsky Kider PC is honored to have received Chambers rankings. Rankings provide independent confirmation and unbiased legitimacy to the skills, experience, and expertise of its lawyers. Quotes collected from clients during the ranking process include the following: Regarding Mitch Kider "He is a trusted advisor who provides advice that is always on point and highly actionable from a corporate perspective." Regarding the WBK Compliance Practice "WBK has extensive knowledge in regulatory compliance. Their relationships with regulators and expansive knowledge of industry practices make them invaluable in this area of the law and in providing practical advice." Weiner Brodsky Kider PC has provided counsel to the financial services industry throughout the U.S. for more than four decades. WBK's attorneys are sought out for their knowledge, experience and insight in representing clients before federal and state courts and agencies that regulate the financial services industry. Whether it's a nationwide licensing project, critical compliance matters, or high-stakes litigation, clients rely on WBK to guide them through the intricacies of an ever-changing legal landscape. SOURCE Weiner Brodsky Kider PC High-powered attorneys John Barber (55) and Jeff Ranen (45) who started their own law firm earlier this year, routinely sent each other vile emails while they were senior partners at the Los Angeles law firm Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith. When Barber and Ranen left Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith to form their own firm earlier this year, Ranen told the Los Angeles Business Journal, "We wanted to lead with empathy, collaboration and compassion, to do it our way and not have any baggage," and to "build something that's reflective of our values and our beliefs." The New York Post published a few highlights from these two leaders of empathy, collaboration, and compassion: In a March 2022 missive, a Los Angeles judge was described as "sugar t-ts." when Barber joked about how the judge liked to be addressed. In a November 2012 note, Ranen noted to Barber that another partner has "huge ts." That female partner has since decamped to Ranen and Barber's new firm. In November 2013, Barber was told by a Lewis Brisbois partner that people were upset during a mediation because of a witness' frequent use of the N-word. "She doesn't want the word n-r used in her presence. She claims it was used with great liberality, unnecessarily so and she found it very offensive," the partner emailed him. Barber responded snidely. "Got it. Nr. Don't use." He spelled the slur out in full. In October 2012 Barber responded to an email about attending a baby shower with the subject line "Nr" again spelled out in full. According to Forward, "Lewis Brisbois, which has more than 1,600 attorneys nationwide, found the problematic emails after an audit triggered by a formal complaint about Barber and Ranen, according to two sources familiar with the matter." The duo also appears to be quite anti-Semitic. From Forward: In a Sept. 13, 2012 email, for example, Ranen wrote to Barber, "I forgot to write that we will not hire Jews" after the latter recommended a person his or her identity was redacted by the company for a litigation contract. In another email earlier that year, Ramen told Derek Sachs, a former partner at Lewis Brisbois, "This is the reason why people don't like Jews," in response to an invoice submitted to them. In a June 2012 email thread that begins with discussing a new hire, Ranen referred to Barber as a "Jew" for owing him money. The pair also singled out observant Jews. In a January 2014 email, Ranen boasted to Barber that he deliberately emails a Jewish opposing counsel on Shabbat after the person requested that he not be sent material related to a deposition on Saturdays. "This Jew is cracking me up," Ranen. "I almost ONLY write to him on Saturday mornings." Barber responded, "Jew hater." In a July 2014 email, Barber called Ranen a "Jew cunt" after he said he brought some bagels and cream cheese from Sam's Bagels to the office. The Barber Ranen website describes Ranen as "a member of the Crisis Management Practice" who "regularly manages crises pertaining to employment matters." Maybe he can hire himself to manage this crisis. He and Barber could always go with the classic excuse: "We were under tremendous stress while fighting on behalf of our downtrodden clients, and this locker room talk was a way of blowing off steam. It in no way represents our values of fairness and equity for all." PHILADELPHIA, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, more than 3,000 people gathered at the Philadelphia Zoo to celebrate the 27th Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Fetal Family Reunion, representing patients and families from across the country. The event, hosted by CHOP's Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment (CFDT), provides an opportunity for those treated in the Center to reconnect with their care team and other families who share an indescribable bond. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Celebrates 27th Annual Fetal Surgery Family Reunion at the Philadelphia Zoo The reunion brings together a unique community of families who have shared similar experiences. Nearly all of the children in attendance were prenatally diagnosed with a birth defect, such as spina bifida, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or twin-twin transfusion syndrome, that had potentially devastating outcomes. Babies diagnosed before birth either underwent fetal surgery to treat the condition in utero or received highly complex care immediately after birth. The reunion has been an annual occurrence since 1997 and has grown from a handful of attendees in its first year to more than 850 families today. CHOP's CFDT is a pioneer in the field of fetal medicine and is one of only a few programs worldwide to offer comprehensive care, including prenatal diagnosis, fetal surgery and therapy, and the option of delivering at a leading pediatric hospital. "Each year, this day serves as a poignant reminder of just how far we've come," said N. Scott Adzick, MD, Surgeon-In-Chief at CHOP and Director of the CFDT. "We have watched this gathering grow substantially over the years, and it is an extremely meaningful event for our team. It is called the Fetal Family Reunion for a reason we have an indescribable bond with the many patients and families who have entrusted us with their care, and for that I am so grateful." The families gathered at the event represent an important segment of the more than 31,000 expectant mothers treated in the CFDT, from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. The high volume of patients from around the world with incredibly complex, rare conditions makes all the difference in achieving favorable outcomes and extends hope and support to many families. Each week at CHOP, surgical teams perform highly sophisticated procedures, such as spina bifida closure and interventions for other birth defects in the womb, placing fetal shunts to treat life-threatening congenital conditions, and performing minimally invasive procedures in the mother's uterus to treat various complications. The team has also managed thousands of pregnancies complicated by birth defects in which newborns need immediate specialized medical care or surgery after delivery. About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the 595-bed hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network , which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as an inpatient hospital with a dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu. Contact: Ashley Moore Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 215-630-4683 [email protected] SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ATLANTA, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ClassOne Equipment (classoneequipment.com), announced the delivery of its advanced new Takano WM-10 particle measurement system to EUV Tech, a global leader in metrology equipment for cutting-edge EUV chip manufacturing. The announcement was made by ClassOne Equipment Vice President, David Pawlak, and EUV Tech Vice President of R&D, Matt Hettermann. Takano WM-10 Particle Detection System from ClassOne Equipment Said Hettermann, "A key factor in our selecting the new 300mm Takano WM-10 system was its very high-sensitivity particle detection. For us, particle sensitivity is critical because we are using the new Takano tool to validate the cleanliness of the equipment we build which are some of the most advanced EUV and soft-x-ray systems in the industry." "We have the new WM-10 running in our fab in Martinez, California," added Hettermann. "And we're already seeing the outstanding performance it delivers routinely detecting particles down to 48nm. Plus, it's configured to handle not only 300mm wafers but also 200mm and 150mm." Pawlak pointed out that Takano-brand particle detection systems are among the top-selling new tools in ClassOne Equipment's product lineup. Along with best-in-class detection sensitivity, the Takano equipment provides high throughput, repeatability and reliability, plus a suite of options. And very importantly, the systems are attractively priced and readily available. These are also some of the reasons why Takano is becoming the new-technology replacement-of-choice for legacy Surfscan systems, which for many years were an industry "standard" for wafer particle detection. ClassOne Equipment is the exclusive source for sales, service and complete support of Takano-brand particle detection systems across North America and Europe. ClassOne maintains a team of specially-trained field engineers to provide installations, PMs and all other services on Takano systems. In addition to the all-new Takano systems, ClassOne Equipment also offers a broad selection of previously-owned semiconductor equipment, including many tools that are totally refurbished and literally better-than-new. The company also provides thousands of top-quality OEM parts, as well as equipment service, support, warranties, financing, and much more. All may be seen at classoneequipment.com. For further information, contact [email protected]. About ClassOne Equipment Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, ClassOne Equipment (classoneequipment.com) has long been known as the industry's premier provider of previously-owned and professionally-refurbished name-brand semiconductor processing equipment delivering like-new performance at a fraction of new-tool cost. In addition, ClassOne now sells and fully supports the Takano line of all-new high-performance wafer particle inspection systems. ClassOne Equipment supplies a broad spectrum of turnkey solutions that can include not just tools but also spare parts, installation, service, support, warranty, financing and more. About EUV Tech Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Martinez, California, EUV Tech (euvtech.com) is a global leader in the production of at-wavelength EUV metrology tools. The company supplies leading-edge solutions using extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray technology to advance the frontiers of semiconductor manufacturing and material science. The company develops and manufactures mask metrology equipment that enables high-volume manufacturing using EUV lithography. Their systems include EUV reflectometers, EUV pellicle tools, EUV phase metrology tools, and EUV mask imaging tools. For more information, contact: Byron Exarcos ClassOne Equipment 5302 Snapfinger Woods Drive Atlanta, GA 30035 tel: +1 (678) 772-9086 email: [email protected] SOURCE ClassOne Equipment AI Set off a Wave of High-Performance Computing COMPUTEX Returned to Glory TAIPEI, Taiwan, June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2023 COMPUTEX successfully concluded on June 2, the first physical exhibition after the border was opened, attracting a huge crowd of visitors. During the 4-day show, 47,594 professionals from 150 countries, a 12% increase compared to before the pandemic in 2019. The top ten countries/region of visitors were Japan, the United States, Korea, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, India, the Philippines, and Indonesia. COMPUTEX 2023 took "Together we create " as its call, successfully re-gathered the abundant energy of the global technology ecosystem after the pandemic, and worked with leading technology companies and startups in Taiwan and globally to promote a super-smart technology life. COMPUTEX closed on a High Note AI Set off a Wave of High-Performance Computing COMPUTEX Returned to Glory Aiming at Smart, High-Performance Computing, AI Empowerment Opens up Infinite Possibilities High-performance computing is booming with the continuous expansion of AI applications and the support of 5G technology. According to the forecast of Research and Markets, the global AI-driven high-performance computing market will reach 37.4 billion US dollars in 2028. This year's COMPUTEX is closely related to smart AI and high-performance computing. Exhibitors presented high-performance computing products and solutions, and the forum and activities also demonstrated the potential of high-performance computing and applications. Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, the top AI computing company, took the lead in the COMPUTEX Keynote the day before the exhibition. He showed the AI chip H100 and the world's first accelerated computing processor, Grace HOPPER. He revealed that whoever has the "computing power" will grasp the future AI trend. The fact that any device will be able to perform AI calculations in the future will completely change the way of human communication and interaction and even the way of life. GIGABYTE also took "Future of Computing" as the exhibition theme, showcasing innovative industry applications such as AI/HPC super chip servers, advanced data centers, industrial computers and IoT, and green computer rooms. Realtek, a global network chip manufacturer, showcased products, including the AI computing USB camera chip RTS5863, which has a built-in self-developed edge computing machine vision engine. TWS, a subsidiary of ASUS, combined with Taiwania 2 supercomputer, released Taiwan's first traditional Chinese version of the enterprise language model, FFM, and an enterprise-level high-security generative formula AI solution, AI Foundry Service (AFS). Technology Giants Spoke on the Industry's Futuristic Trends The highlight of the showthe COMPUTEX Keynote, focused on the trend of high-performance computing, including six industry leaders from NVIDIA, Qualcomm, NXP, Acer, Supermicro, and Arm, who came to COMPUTEX to talk about cross-generation technological innovation and industry hot topics. NVIDIA shared that accelerated computing and how AI symbolized the reshaping of computing power, and humanity is at the turning point of a new era of computing. Qualcomm emphasized that hybrid AI combining edge computing and cloud computing will be a new type of AI in the future. NXP focused on cloud computing, generative AI, big data, machine learning, and other technology. Supermicro indicated that the application of AI is increasing, and the demand for high-end AI design servers is also rising; Arm pointed out that the current growth of computing requirements has exceeded the industry's imagination. Acer Chairman and CEO Jason Chen demonstrated the application of AI in multiple aspects, such as healthcare, transportation, and new energy. Acer also cooperated with TAITRA to launch the Earth Mission APP. As a result, the number of downloads during the exhibition reached 3000, and COMPUTEX will plant trees in the Amazon rainforest through the non-profit organization One Tree Planted. In addition, the COMPUTEX Forum, held simultaneously during the exhibition, focused on metaverse, semiconductors, and sustainable development. It gathered senior executives and expert representatives from Taiwan and globally to share future insights on the industry. InnoVEX Builds a New Global Village and Senior Venture Capitalists Praise Resource Integration InnoVEX, a global startup matching platform, gathered nearly 400 participating teams from 22 countries this year, bringing together creative minds and venture capital funds worldwide and attracting 23,726 visitors. Among the activities, winning the InnoVEX 2023 Pitch Contest was the goal of the startup teams. In the end, the Blumind team of Canada won the first prize with an analog semiconductor architecture. Tom Vanhoutte, CEO of Belgian venture capital, imec.Xpand, pointed out, " InnoVEX and COMPUTEX are an interesting integration. Visitors not only get in touch with mature manufacturers who have been working on the manufacturing side for a long time but also witness the creative energy of the startup teams. Moreover, the powerful technological ecological chain of COMPUTEX is more conducive to establishing industry contacts in a short period of time and promotes more possibilities for future cooperation." During the show, a variety of activities took place at COMPUTEX. The COMPUTEX procurement meetings matched 141 heavyweight buyers from 37 countries in 448 sessions. The guided tour was led by industry KOLs such as technology expert Dr. J Class, Afra, Aotter Girls, and more, to unbox the exhibition, bringing new perspectives on technology from different angles. The CPX on Air provided up-to-the-minute and complete coverage of events and trends during the show, serving online audiences who couldn't visit the exhibition venue in person. The next COMPUTEX is scheduled to return from June 4-7, 2024, and will continue to work with global players to expand a smart, innovative, and sustainable technological ecosystem. For the latest show news, please check out the official website: www.computexaipei.com.tw and follow COMPUTEX's social media. For more show information, please check out the official websites below: COMPUTEX: https://www.computextaipei.com.tw/ InnoVEX: https://www.innovex.com.tw/ CONTACT: Tessa Lin, [email protected] SOURCE COMPUTEX RADNOR, Pa., June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been against Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. ("Charles River") (NYSE: CRL). The action charges Charles River 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 Charles River's materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Charles River's investors have suffered significant losses. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR CHARLES RIVER LOSSES. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK OR COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/charles-river-laboratories-international- inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=crl&mktm=r LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: JULY 18, 2023 CLASS PERIOD: MAY 5, 2020 THROUGH FEBRUARY 21, 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. CHARLES RIVER'S ALLEGED MISCONDUCT Charles River is a full-service, non-clinical global drug development partner with a mission to create healthier lives. The company has three reporting segments: Research Models and Services, Discovery and Safety Assessment, and Manufacturing Solutions. The Discovery and Safety Assessment segment accounts for approximately 60% of the company's total revenue and offers, among other things, safety assessment studies required for regulatory submission of therapeutic solutions. On February 22, 2023, Charles River revealed that the company had received a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice relating to an ongoing investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into the supply chain and illegal importation of non-human primates for research. On the same day, during an earnings call with investors, James C. Foster, the company's CEO, stated that the "investigation in current [non-human primate] supply situation will result in study delays in our Safety Assessment business." He further stated that the investigation into the Cambodian non-human primate chain would reduce the annual revenue forecast by approximately 200 basis points to 400 basis points. Following this news, the price of Charles River shares declined by $24.51 per share, or approximately 10.06%, from $243.60 per share to close at $219.09 on February 22, 2023. WHAT CAN I DO? Charles River investors may, no later than July 18, 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 Charles River investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information. The class action complaint against Charles River, captioned Coleman v. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., et al, Case No. 23-cv-11132, is filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts before the Honorable Denise Jefferson Casper. 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 GUAM, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- DeWitt Guam, a leading logistics and transportation company, is proud to announce its ongoing collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in providing crucial disaster relief supplies to schools, shelters, and the village mayor's offices in Guam. Under the guidance of Director of Operations, Rex Valerio, DeWitt Guam's dedicated team is tirelessly working to ensure the delivery of much-needed resources throughout the island. DeWitt Guam Teams are available 24/7 and working urgently to deploy resources. Pictured here, FEMA generators for areas that have lost power. DeWitt Guam fleet of vehicles waiting for air freight to arrive. The team will deploy items throughout the island and also support loading and transportation to Rota. As part of the partnership, DeWitt Guam is offering a comprehensive range of services, including LCL air freight and ocean freight, pickup, delivery, warehousing, vessel and air charter services and labor. The company's trucks are constantly in motion, traversing the island to deliver essential supplies. These items play a vital role in meeting the immediate needs of affected communities. DeWitt Guam's commitment extends beyond Guam itself, as they are also providing support for a mission to Rota multiple times a day. This expanded reach showcases the company's dedication to assisting neighboring islands in their recovery efforts. By efficiently coordinating logistics and transportation, DeWitt Guam is playing a crucial role in facilitating the flow of emergency supplies where they are most needed. Preparations and collaboration with FEMA commenced before Typhoon Mawar struck Guam, ensuring that emergency relief efforts could be promptly initiated. This proactive approach has been instrumental in enabling a swift response to the disaster and ensuring a smooth supply chain operation. DeWitt Guam's efficient planning and coordination have allowed for a seamless transition from the initial stages of the disaster to the ongoing relief efforts. The range of goods being delivered by DeWitt Guam includes critical emergency supplies such as generators, water, medical supplies, MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat), and Red Cross Comfort Kits. These items are essential for sustaining affected communities and providing the necessary resources for recovery and rebuilding. DeWitt Guam is proud to support FEMA's disaster relief efforts and is committed to assisting communities in their time of need. The company's extensive logistics expertise, coupled with their dedication to prompt and efficient service, has positioned them as a trusted partner in disaster response operations. About DeWitt Guam DeWitt Guam is a leading logistics and transportation company based in Guam. With a strong commitment to providing efficient and reliable services, DeWitt Guam specializes in a wide range of logistics solutions to meet the unique needs of their clients. From transportation and warehousing to freight forwarding and project logistics, DeWitt Guam offers comprehensive solutions tailored to the requirements of each customer. With a focus on customer satisfaction and a dedication to community support, DeWitt Guam has established itself as a trusted provider in the region. DeWittGuam.com Contact: John Burrows President, DeWitt Guam & DeWitt Move 858.560.1621 | [email protected] SOURCE The DeWitt Companies MAJ GEN (Ret) Robert F. Whittle, Jr. hired as SVP, CEO Chief of Staff after a nationwide search SAN ANTONIO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- USAA announced the appointment of Major General (Retired) Robert F. Whittle, Jr., as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, reporting to President and Chief Executive Officer Wayne Peacock. Robert F. Whittle, SVP, CEO Chief of Staff Whittle has extensive military and leadership experience. He was most recently the deputy commanding general of operations for U.S. Army North (ARNORTH), headquartered at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. There, he directed the Army's planning and execution of homeland defense, defense support to civil authorities and theater security cooperation with Mexico and Canada. Prior to his most recent assignment, he served as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, with responsibility for delivering engineering and water resource solutions for portions of 17 states. Whittle also served as the 97th Commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and as the Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Cavazos. He also has two tours in Afghanistan, two tours in Iraq and one in Bosnia. "Bob's decades of service to our country bring valuable perspective on how we can continue to serve the military community and their families with excellence," said President and CEO Wayne Peacock. "He will provide unique insights to help bring solutions for USAA members and I'm honored to welcome Bob to the USAA leadership team." In his new role, Whittle will be responsible for guiding the strategic execution and coordination of all critical activities for the USAA senior leadership team and USAA Board of Directors. He'll also oversee the company's member relations, event planning, corporate services, real estate portfolio, facilities management, building design and construction. A native of Mystic, Conn., Whittle holds multiple degrees, including a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the United States Military Academy and a master's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He also received master's degrees in military arts, science and strategic studies from the Marine War College. He is a licensed professional engineer. "Joining USAA is an opportunity to continue my service to the military community," said Whittle. "USAA's mission has served me and my family personally throughout my career and I am honored to continue my support of our servicemembers and their families." About USAA Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking, and investment and retirement solutions to more than 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, USAA has offices in eight U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 37,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com. Contact: USAA Media Relations [email protected] 210-498-0940 SOURCE USAA AUBURN, N.Y., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Praveena Paruchuri, MD, is a cardiology specialist with 17 years of experience. She comes to Auburn Cardiology from St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, New York. Dr. Paruchuri has also practiced in a number of the largest cardiology departments in New York City hospitals including NYU Long Island Hospital, as the Director of Adult Congenital Heart Disease. Praveena Paruchuri, MD Cardiologist Dr. Paruchuri attended Saint George's University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies and completed her residency program at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, NY. Additionally, she completed her General Cardiology Fellowship at Winthrop University. She is board certified in cardiovascular disease, Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, Nuclear Cardiology, and Internal Medicine. Dr. Paruchuri is skilled in assessing conditions ranging from routine to complex adult congenital heart disease and devising treatments in line with the latest research and treatment protocols. Proficient in multi-modality cardiac imaging including structural TEE, cardiac CTs, echocardiograms, and nuclear stress testing. Dr. Paruchuri is known for building excellent rapport with patients and colleagues to facilitate effective clinical care and has a passion for caring for women's cardiology issues. "I am excited to join a growing cardiology practice at Auburn Community Hospital and to be able to practice in the Auburn community and be a part of building the Auburn Heart Institute," stated Praveena Paruchuri, MD. "We are thrilled to have Dr. Paruchuri join the Auburn Heart Institute. She has an exceptional background and considerable experience in caring for patients in some of the most prestigious New York City cardiology institutions. By securing Dr. Paruchuri's services, we are well on our way to achieving our goal of developing a world-class heart institute in Auburn. N.Y.," said Ronald Kirshner MD, Chair and Medical Director of the Auburn Heart Institute (AHI). Dr. Paruchuri is accepting new patients immediately. Please call 315-567-0540 Office hours: Monday-Friday 8am-4pm. 17 Lansing Street, Auburn NY SOURCE Auburn Community Hospital Company's Universal Online Banker Wins for Best Digital Banking System Business Banking ATLANTA, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dragonfly Financial Technologies Corp., a digital banking and treasury management FinTech, has won its category in the Banking Tech Awards USA, for Best Digital Banking System Business Banking. The company's Universal Online Banker platform is being recognized for its achievements in the rapidly growing FinTech marketplace. This is the Banking Tech Awards USA's second year of recognizing the outstanding achievements and successes from companies in the banking and FinTech industry, across the United States. The awards program is organized by FinTech Futures, a global market intelligence platform for financial services technology. "Dragonfly is dedicated solely to the success of our banking customers, with over 1.4 million businesses and their banks trusting Dragonfly to manage their banking needs. Being named a winner at the competitive Banking Tech Awards USA shows that we are providing the solutions that our customers really need to succeed," said Johan Roets, CEO of Dragonfly. "We are pleased that our new composable banking solutions are making Dragonfly's Universal Online Banker stand out in the industry." Designed for ultimate flexibility, agility and ease of use, Universal Online Banker is a composable banking platform that helps banks launch the right services for all their customers' needs. Offering a vast open-API library and market-leading payments functionality, the platform enables banks to reduce expenses and increase market share, while delivering innovative customer experiences. Banks can choose any combination of three newly announced deployment options, depending on which is best suited for their unique needs: Dragonfly Digital, Dragonfly as a Service and Dragonfly FinTech Integration Center. "Forward-looking companies like Dragonfly are paving the way for innovations in digital business banking, and we were pleased to honor them at this year's Banking Tech Awards USA," said Tanya Andreasyan, Editor-in-Chief, FinTech Futures. "We're looking forward to seeing what Dragonfly does next for the digital banking industry." For more on Dragonfly's Universal Online Banker, please visit: https://www.dragonflyft.com/solutions.html. About Dragonfly Financial Technologies Corp. Dragonfly Financial Technologies is a banking-as-a-service FinTech powering innovative digital customer experiences for commercial banking institutions. Dragonfly Commercial Banking Platform unites internal banking systems and unlocks their collective value, enabling banks to provide a superior customer experience and introduce new services with speed and ease. And with the industry's largest portfolio of APIs, the Dragonfly platform connects seamlessly to the world's most popular FinTech applications. Commercial banking customers worldwide including top-10 banks in the US and Asia rely on Dragonfly to initiate and collect payments and manage daily financial operations for their corporate clients. For more information, visit www.dragonflyft.com. SOURCE Dragonfly Financial Technologies In the ASCO Developmental Therapeutics Immunotherapy Session, Dr. Howard Safran presents encouraging data on Dragonfly's phase 1/2 study of DF1001, an immune engaging TriNKET targeting HER2 in patients with advanced solid tumors. WALTHAM, Mass., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapies, announces the first presentation of its DF1001 TriNKET immune engager clinical data at the ASCO 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago. The presentation, given by lead investigator Dr. Howard P. Safran, Chief of Hematology/Oncology at the Lifespan Cancer Institute and Medical Director for the Brown University Oncology Group, describes Dragonfly's Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its DF1001 HER2-targeting TriNKET, a first-in-human study exploring the safety, tolerability, and preliminary biological and clinical activity of DF1001. Dr. Howard P. Safran, Chief of Hematology/Oncology at the Lifespan Cancer Institute and Medical Director for the Brown University Oncology Group at the ASCO 2023 Annual Meeting "I am glad to now share that Dragonfly's DF1001 has completed safety evaluation and reached its Phase 2 dose with 67% of patient paired biopsies showing pharmacodynamic response, and clear signs of clinical benefit in both monotherapy and in combination," said Dr. Safran. "We have not seen toxicity nor hit a Maximum Tolerated Dose, and we are seeing encouraging clinical efficacy signals in a heavily pretreated heterogeneous population of patients with advanced cancer. Single agent activity was seen in both HER2 high and HER2 low patients who previously progressed on prior HER2 directed therapies." As of the April 14th data cutoff for ASCO presentation, Dragonfly has treated 106 patients with DF1001 monotherapy. DF1001 was safe and well tolerated as monotherapy at biweekly doses up to 15 mg/kg and has successfully progressed through Phase 1 combinations with both nivolumab and nab-paclitaxel. There have been no DLTs with DF1001 during the monotherapy dose-escalation phase. DF1001 pharmacodynamic activity was demonstrated in 67% (28/42) of paired biopsies in monotherapy. Preclinical data shows TriNKETs directly and indirectly stimulate NK cells, T cells, and CD8+ T cells. The biopsies, collected before and 4-6 weeks after patients started DF1001 treatment, showed a trend of increased infiltration with CD8+ T-cells and/or NK cells in the tumor, demonstrating proof of concept. DF1001 yielded promising anticancer activity associated with immune cell infiltration and activation in tumors of heavily pretreated patients - who had received up to 16 lines of prior therapy and with both HER2 low and HER2 high expressing cancers. DF1001 has generated RECIST responders as a monotherapy in heavily pretreated patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC), Colorectal Cancer (CRC), Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and Gastro Esophageal Cancer. At active dose ranges, twenty-five percent of MBC patients (the majority of whom were HER2 low) showed a clinical response, even when treated with an average of six lines of prior therapy. "We are very encouraged by this Phase 1 DF1001 TriNKET data, which confirm Dragonfly's preclinical studies showing TriNKETs' remarkably appealing safety profile, and notable efficacy including in low- and heterogeneous HER2 expression environments," said Joseph Eid, Dragonfly's President of R&D, "we look forward to our Phase 2 signal-seeking expansion trials, which have begun already in monotherapy and in combination with other therapies in defined patient populations, and in earlier lines of therapy." DF1001 has also shown clinical benefit including RECIST responses in combination with nivolumab or nab paclitaxel. Clinical trial sites are open in the U.S., France, Belgium, Denmark and The Netherlands. Additional information about the trial, including eligibility criteria, can be found at: https://clinicaltrials.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04143711). There are six Dragonfly developed drugs in the clinic including DF1001. About DF1001 DF1001 is an investigational first-in-class immune engaging drug candidate targeting HER2 that drives immune activation in solid tumors. DF1001 stimulates co-activating NK receptors, where NKG2D and CD16 co-stimulation yields distinctive and potent NK cell, T cell, and CD8+ T cell activation. DF1001 is being evaluated in adult patients for the treatment of advanced solid HER2-positive tumors. DF1001 was discovered and developed using Dragonfly's TriNKET Platform. DF1001 has the potential to stimulate effective anti-tumor immunity in patients who are not eligible or not adequately responding to current therapies. DF1001 is the most advanced in a pipeline of TriNKETs that Dragonfly is developing to address high unmet needs for patients across a broad range of disease areas. About Dragonfly's TriNKET Platform Dragonfly's TriNKET Platform is the basis for a portfolio of novel therapeutics that are designed as natural combinations harnessing NK cells, T cells, CD8+ T cells and other cells of the innate and adaptive immune system, which when activated cause cancer cell cytolysis and provide a unique therapeutic window beyond current therapies for treatment of cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. About Dragonfly Dragonfly Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies that use its novel bispecific antibody technology to harness the body's immune system to bring breakthrough treatments to patients. In addition to its wholly-owned clinical assets and multiple assets in the clinic with partners, Dragonfly has a deep pipeline of wholly-owned preclinical candidates developed using its proprietary platforms as well as productive collaborations with Merck, AbbVie, Gilead and Bristol Myers Squibb in a broad range of disease areas. For more information visit: www.dragonflytx.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/dragonfly-therapeutics-inc./ https://twitter.com/dragonflytx DRAGONFLY MEDIA CONTACT: Anne Deconinck | [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2093025/Dragonfly_ASCO_Dr_Howard_Safran.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/390962/Dragonfly_Therapeutics_Logo.jpg SOURCE Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. Long-Delayed Public Records Request DURHAM, N.C., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After an almost nine-month wait, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) finally provided public records requested by Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League in September 2022. The records requested were regarding the agency's efforts to communicate with the public on the health advisories issued in June 2022 for four PFASGenX, PFOA, PFOS, and PFBS. This is not the first time DEQ has taken an unreasonable amount of time to respond to public records requests. For example, BREDL finally received records in April of this yearafter almost 11 months. The Duke First Amendment Clinic submitted a "demand letter" to the DEQ on May 30th , 2023, and the records were provided on May 31. Therese Vick, who requested the documents on behalf of BREDL said: "We are very appreciative for the Duke First Amendment Clinic's assistance with our public records request. Organizations like ours often don't have resources to obtain legal assistance." Vick continued, "BREDL works directly with impacted communities, and it is vital to be able to obtain public records in a reasonable amount of time. Almost nine months is not a reasonable amount of time. Access to public records is essential to a healthy democracy." The First Amendment Clinic "was delighted to help BREDL with its document requests," said Clinic Director Sarah Ludington. "We recently hired a staff attorney whose priority is helping citizens and journalists with public records requests. We hope to help many others." About the Clinic: "The public mission of the First Amendment Clinic at Duke Law is to protect and advance the freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and petition. The clinic advises and represents individuals and groups with First Amendment concerns or claims who cannot afford the assistance of lawyers with specialized First Amendment expertise." You can contact the Duke First Amendment Clinic at: [email protected] CONTACT: Therese Vick (919) 345-3673 [email protected] SOURCE Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League In a new CBS Sunday Morning interview, Mark Hamill, who famously played Luke Skywalker, humorously referred to himself as an "elderly recluse." Speaking from his home in Malibu, the 71-year-old Star Wars actor candidly reflected on aging, "when you say your age out loud 'cause I'm 71 I go, Really?!? That's older than I ever expected to be!" Despite seeing himself as "elderly," he feels "much younger" inside. Hamill also discussed his new film The Machine, expressing his interest in the father-son relationship central to the story, a theme reminiscent of the Star Wars saga. CBS Sunday Morning: His latest movie, "The Machine," is not for the faint of heart. In the film, real-life comedian Bert Kreischer is in trouble with the Russian mob, and Hamill is his endearing (and often annoying) father. Hamill said, "I was drawn to the project because of the relationship between the son and the father. I mean, they're at odds and trying to understand one another." And a good father-son storyline is something Hamill knows all about. Reflecting on his audition for Star Wars in 1976, Hamill described his uncertainty about the tone of the script. He recounted, "I couldn't figure out, is this, like, a send-up of Flash Gordon or whatever? You couldn't tell, 'cause nobody talks like this!" The actor, who was a relative newcomer to Hollywood, was soon working with industry veterans like Sir Alec Guinness, and his life changed dramatically after the premiere of Star Wars in 1977. He also spoke about his desire to diversify his acting roles post-Star Wars, including a bid for the role of Mozart in Amadeus, which was rejected due to his "Luke Skywalker" image. When asked if he would ever return to Star Wars, Hamill said, "I had my time, and that's good, but that's enough." He concluded on a philosophical note, saying, "the truth of the matter is, I never really expected to be remembered for anything. I just wanted to make a living doing what I liked. And I thought, 'Well, it could be worse. I could be, like, known as being the best actor who ever played Adolf Hitler, you know?' At least Luke is an admirable fellow!" MIAMI, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Enveedo, a cybersecurity company with an innovative approach to integrated risk management, announced today the launch of its Strategy Execution Platform for Security. The unique, all-in-one Security as a Service (SaaS) platform enables organizations to affordably and seamlessly build and maintain cyber resiliency. The platform includes a risk management engine, on-demand access to vCISO guidance, and a real-time centralized view of the organization's systems, assets, stakeholders, and risks. It enables all businesses especially those with limited resources, capabilities, or expertise to plan, execute, and continuously evolve an enterprise-grade cybersecurity strategy based on an understanding of their risk posture. "We are excited about the launch of our new cybersecurity platform," said Luciano Salata, Enveedo Co-Founder and CEO. "Enveedo simplifies the process of cybersecurity strategy management, making it easier and more affordable for IT and security professionals to keep their organizations secure and resilient against a backdrop of constant change." Enveedo Launches Strategy Execution Platform for Security to Help Businesses Build and Maintain Cyber Resiliency Tweet this Cybersecurity is an essential component of modern business. Because every business has unique needs, security is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. In many organizations, information assets exist in disparate on-premises and cloud silos across multiple business units. Developing and executing a cybersecurity strategy requires a clear understanding of what to protect and where, and the ability to continuously adapt to meet ongoing changes in IT infrastructure, regulatory requirements, the threat landscape, and the business itself. The Enveedo platform streamlines the entire process with easy-to-follow guidelines, API integrations, and automation. The result is a comprehensive view of the organization's IT and security systems, assets, data, and people. Enveedo provides on-demand access to its team of experienced CISOs to support customer success with the platform. "Building cyber resiliency is no longer an option; it is a necessity," said Mateo Ward, Enveedo Co-Founder. "With its simplified oversight and management, the single Enveedo platform gives IT and security professionals the ability to adapt their cybersecurity to the ever-evolving changes in the business and threat landscapes. The platform's integrated risk management capabilities help them achieve cyber resiliency," added Daniel Monetto, Enveedo Co-Founder and CTO. For more information about the Enveedo Strategy Execution Platform for Security, please visit https://www.enveedo.com/. About Enveedo Enveedo is a Miami-based cybersecurity company, founded in May 2021. Its Strategy Execution Platform for Security is an innovative approach to integrated risk management. The all-in-one platform is a force multiplier that enables IT and security professionals to plan, execute, and evolve a cybersecurity strategy that continuously defends against emerging cyber threats. The Enveedo Smart Marketplace also provides customers with access to vetted and custom-matched products and services to help them meet their unique security and compliance needs. For more information, visit www.enveedo.com. SOURCE Enveedo, Inc. By Laura Powell, Managing Consultant and Eric Jia-Sobota, Founder CHARLESTON, S.C., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 aims to reduce USG spending by $2.1 trillion, with an additional $1.5 trillion in mandated savings over the next two years. The bill reclaims $28 billion of unutilized COVID-19 funds and cuts an additional $400 million from the CDC's "Global Health Fund," which channels taxpayer funds to China. Collectively, these cuts represent the largest rollback of federal spending in American history. In a bit of good news for contractors, BARDA and ASPR funding, specifically Project Next Gen and the newly formed IBx team remain largely intact. ASPR Account 009-90-0150 (Defense Production Act) will have $800 million remaining after a $860 million recission. And more importantly, ASPR Account 009-90-0140 (Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund) will have approximately $10B remaining despite recissions. Funding for Project Next Generation Vaccines & Therapeutics remains largely intact and is expected to continue with its anticipated obligations. "Given the success of Project Warp Speed, it is no surprise that Project Next Gen received bipartisan support in this negotiation," stated EverGlade Consulting Founder, Eric Jia-Sobota. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is actively seeking proposals for the development of rapid response therapeutic platforms under Area of Interest (AOI) 14 of their Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Proposals targeting SARS-CoV-2 will have a shortened review cycle and should be submitted by June 15, 2023. The submission deadline for proposals focused on other viral threats is currently unspecified, but interested parties are encouraged to request a TechWatch meeting for AOI 14 to receive feedback from technical staff. It is recommended to submit proposals as soon as possible due to the potential for future budget cuts. If you are developing a product that you think might fall under the BARDA BAA 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, ARPA-H, and DARPA. For additional information about EverGlade Consulting, visit: https://www.EverGlade.com CONTACT: [email protected] SOURCE EverGlade Consulting "We are thrilled to mark a decade of delivering food from Texas' favorite restaurants, stores and more across our home state," said Keith Duncan, Favor CEO. "As we celebrate this major milestone, it is essential for us to give back to the communities that have supported us throughout the past 10 years. With food delivery at the heart of our business and nearly 4 million Texans struggling with hunger and food insecurity, we are dedicated to making a meaningful impact on this critical issue in our communities." With a strong commitment to fighting hunger relief in the communities it serves, Favor's contributions to Feeding Texas have totaled over 1.4 million meals since 2019. "We are immensely grateful for Favor's commitment to fighting summer hunger in Texas. Their ongoing dedication to supporting Feeding Texas and our mission is truly commendable," said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas. "Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of countless individuals and families across the state this summer. We appreciate this partnership and look forward to the positive impact it will create." Founded on June 5, 2013, in Austin, Texas, with just two employees and two Runners, Favor has grown its corporate team to over 400 employees, as well as its community of Runners which has grown to over 100,000 contract delivery drivers who have completed over 70 million deliveries across more than 400 Texas cities. With tens of thousands of stores and restaurants on its platform, Favor has generated $1.2 billion in incremental sales for businesses across Texas to date. In 2017, Favor became the first U.S. on-demand delivery service to achieve profitability, and in 2018, Favor was acquired by Texas' leading grocery retailer, H-E-B . As a wholly owned subsidiary, Favor continues to operate independently as a separate brand, while helping accelerate H-E-B's path to becoming a digital retail industry leader in Texas. Favor is currently hiring to support the company's growth across nearly all areas of expertise, including accounting, business analytics, creative and brand, engineering, finance, operations, people operations, sales and support. Open career opportunities can be found on favordelivery.com/careers . Over the years, Favor has also consistently been named a top workplace by the Austin Business Journal and the Austin American-Statesman, and in 2019, its East Austin headquarters earned the title of Austin's Coolest Office by the Austin Business Journal. About Favor Favor is the easiest way to get anything delivered in 45 minutes or less. Whether it's lunch at the office, a household shopping list or those errands you just don't have time foryour delivery driver (we call them Runners) can deliver it in just a few taps. Founded in 2013, in Austin, Texas, Favor currently operates in more than 400 cities across Texas with over 100,000 Runners, who have delivered more than 70 million Favors to date. For more information, visit favordelivery.com and follow Favor on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and TikTok . Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Favor Michael Piazza, Experienced Trial lawyer with a focus on Securities and White-Collar defense, joins the Firm NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ford O'Brien Landy LLP, a white-collar defense and commercial litigation boutique law firm headquartered in New York City with offices in Miami, Florida and and Austin, Texas is pleased to announce that Michael (Mike) Piazza has joined the firm as partner, effective June 5, 2023. Mike will be based out of the firm's Austin office. I am excited to join the Austin office and look forward to continuing to build the Firms white collar criminal defense and commercial litigation practice in Texas and beyond. "Our firm's strategic growth and successes have offered us the unique opportunity to bring in key talent to our regional offices," stated Adam Ford, co-founder of the firm and Managing Partner of its white collar, regulatory and sanctions practices. "Mike's depth of experience with SEC policies, investigation priorities, and enforcement protocols will continue to support Austin's practice and its clients to the very best of our ability. I look forward to continuing the development of our Texas practice with Mike and the entire Austin team." Mike's practice focuses on securities and white-collar criminal defense and investigations though he also has significant experience in complex commercial litigation, business disputes, and accounting liability matters. He has regularly handled the defense of individuals and companies faced with allegations of wrongdoing asserted by U.S. regulatory authorities (e.g. SEC, CFTC, FTC, PCAOB), the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and foreign regulatory authorities. "Mike's addition to the Austin office will enhance our current offerings and strengthen the firm's leadership role within the white-collar criminal defense bar of Texas," said Matthew Ford, Managing Partner of Ford O'Brien Landy LLP's Austin office. "The Austin office continues to be proud of our current work for our clients and are equally excited what long-standing practitioners, like Mike, will bring to the future of the firm." Mike previously served as the Regional Trial Counsel for the U.S. SEC's Los Angeles Regional Office. Since leaving the Commission, Mike's private practice has and will continue to focus on regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. He has advised clients on compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the UK Bribery Act, AML statutes, OFAC, and other anti-corruption laws and regulations worldwide. Mike has led and conducted multiple risk assessments for his clients and is experienced at using data from these risk assessments to then design, implement, execute, and monitor global anti-corruption compliance programs. And with the increasing concern about ESG issues and the protection of personal data, Mike's compliance efforts will further focus on assessing ESG and cybersecurity risks and advising on potential solutions. "I am excited to join the Austin office and look forward to continuing to build the Firm's white collar criminal defense and commercial litigation practice in Texas and beyond." said Mike Piazza The Firm's Austin offices are located at 3700 Ranch Road 620 South, Suite B; Austin, Texas 78738. The direct phone number for this office is 512-503-6388. Ford O'Brien Landy LLP represents clients in commercial disputes, white collar criminal matters, and regulatory investigations, throughout all stages of litigation/arbitration and appeals. The firm also assists foreign clients in challenging U.S. federal sanctions and seizures. Ford O'Brien Landy LLP is dedicated to vigorously advocating on behalf of clients with strategic, thoughtful counsel to achieve successful outcomes in and out of the courts by use of creative, sophisticated strategies and tactics. It currently has offices in New York City, Austin, and Miami. For further information contact: Ford O'Brien Landy LLP 275 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: + 1 (212) 858-0040 [email protected] Website: www.fordobrien.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ford-o-brien-llp-995a5b110 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ford-OBrien-LLP-1084508568239782/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/fordobrienlaw Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Ford O'Brien Landy LLP is a limited liability partnership formed in the State of New York. MEDIA CONTACT: Katherine Jaskot, Esq. Phone: (212) 858-0040 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Ford OBrien Landy LLP RALEIGH, N.C., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing efforts to curb the debilitating effects of mental illness, the Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness (FOH) has approved over $987,000 in research grants to fourteen investigators in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The recipients are Dr. Elizabeth Andersen, Dr. Joyce Besheer, Dr. Flavio Frohlich, Dr. Alex Gertner, Dr. Rebecca Grzadzinski, Dr. Yoonmi Hong, Dr. Tyehimba Hunt-Harrison, Dr. Rebekah Nash, Dr. Riah Patterson, Dr. Julia Riddle, Dr. Ryan Vetreno, Dr. Melissa Walsh, and Dr. Guorong Wu. Their projects encompass a wide range of mental and behavioral conditions, including alcoholism and addiction, autism, behavioral health services, depression, schizophrenia, and women's mood disorders. The Foundation of Hope also awarded its first grant to Dr. Danielle Roubinov, the Director of the new Foundation of Hope Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Mood Disorders Program (CHAAMP) at UNC-Chapel Hill, to investigate the effects of parental trauma on the development and severity of PTSD symptoms in their children. CHAAMP launched in 2021 as an innovative, translational research program to help identify and create cutting-edge prevention and intervention treatment programs for children, teens, and young adults struggling with anxiety and mood disorders. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), psychiatric disorders affect 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 children annually. Even minor manifestations of a mental illness can cripple a person's ability to function and have lasting consequences; the damage is often compounded by rampant social stigma and isolation. With the growing tsunami of mental health needs emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, conversations around treatment modalities, clinical services, and care access have become more urgent. The innovative research funded by the FOH seeks to improve the lives and livelihoods of those who suffer from mental health issues. The grants could lead to breakthroughs in mental illness diagnosis and treatment. "Since the pandemic, it has become crystal clear that more people than ever are suffering from mental illness," says Shelley Belk, Executive Director of the FOH. "So, we are determined to continue funding critical research that has the potential to change the trajectory of people's lives. We firmly believe that research is hope." For grant details: https://walkforhope.com/what-we-fund/#news The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina. SOURCE The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness Gravely recognized as leading insurance lawyer in Texas SAN ANTONIO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravely PC is pleased to announce that firm founder Marc Gravely has earned recognition by Chambers USA, one of the most prestigious and sought-after legal listings in the industry. In his third consecutive year to be honored by Chambers, Mr. Gravely was recognized as a leading insurance lawyer in Texas. London-based Chambers and Partners, which publishes its legal rankings annually, chooses honorees through one of the most rigorous and in-depth review processes in the legal industry. It includes peer and client interviews, comprehensive research, and review by Chambers analysts. It assesses rankings on qualities such as technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, and commitment. In its attorney review, Chambers USA describes Mr. Gravely as "well known in the Texas Bar for his stellar representation of policyholder clients." A recognized authority on insurance law, construction defect investigations, and litigation, Mr. Gravely is known for his ability to hold insurance companies accountable in damage disputes. His expertise has earned him repeat recognition by The Best Lawyers in America and Texas Super Lawyers. He has also been named a "Trailblazer" by The National Law Journal and American Lawyer Media. Mr. Gravely is also an expert and speaker on topics related to construction defects and insurance disputes. He is the author of "Reframing America's Infrastructure," an acclaimed book on the state of infrastructure in the U.S. Gravely Attorneys & Counselors has developed a national reputation based on record outcomes in large and complex construction defect litigation and first-party and bad-faith insurance disputes. The firm's veteran litigators are trusted advisors to commercial property owners, boards and governmental entities in disputes involving general contractors, design professionals and insurance companies. The firm pioneered the use of the contingent-fee litigation model for construction defect disputes and is known for its high degree of expertise in the complex engineering, scientific and technical issues at the heart of these disputes. Visit: https://www.gravelylaw.com/. Media Contact: April Arias 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Gravely PC VANCOUVER, BC, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Hapbee Technologies, Inc. (TSXV: HAPB) (OTCQB: HAPBF) (FSE: HA1) ("Hapbee" or the "Company"), the digital wellness technology company is pleased to announce that it has completed a non-brokered private placement of units of the Company ("Units") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of CAD$711,400 (the "Offering"). "This capital enables us to continue to expand our market presence within the rapidly expanding Digital Wellness category both in the consumer and enterprise verticals," said Yona Shtern, CEO and Executive Chairman of Hapbee. The Company recently announced distribution partnerships with Gray Matters expanding its footprint into senior and palliative care and with Reputable Health for the collaborative development of personalized wellness routines within Hapbee that are powered by users' bio-metric data. As part of the Offering, the Company issued 7,904,450 Units at a price of CAD$0.09 per Unit (the "Offering Price"), which consisted in the issuance of 7,904,450 subordinate voting shares of the Company ("Shares") and 7,904,450 Share purchase warrants ("Warrants") with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Share at a price of CAD$0.15 per Share for a period of 2 years from the closing date of the Offering. The expiry date of the Warrants will be subject to prior acceleration, at the discretion of the Company, should the volume weighted average price of the Company's listed Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"), or any other stock exchange on which the Company's Shares are then listed, is greater than CAD$0.40 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, the whole in accordance with the terms of the Warrants. Each Share and Warrant issued (including the Shares underlying the Warrants) will be subject to a hold period of four months plus one day following the closing of the Offering (the "Hold Period") pursuant to Canadian securities laws. Any net proceeds received by the Company from the Offering are intended to be used for product development, manufacturing, business development, working capital and general corporate purposes. The Offering remains subject to the final approval of the TSXV. This is not an offer to sell or solicitation of offer to buy securities. The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) (the "United States"), and may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (as defined in Rule 902(k) of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) or a person in the United States, except in transactions exempt from registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons. Hapbee is complying with the Management Cease Trade Order issued by the BC Securities Commission effective May 2, 2023, under National Policy 12-203 (the "Policy") pending the filing of the Required Disclosure via SEDAR. Hapbee is confident that the Required Disclosure will be filed by no later than June 30, 2023. The Management Cease Trade Order is imposed against the Company's chief executive officer and its chief financial officer. There has been no cease trade order imposed against all securities of Hapbee. The MCTO will not generally affect the ability of other persons to trade the securities of Hapbee pending the filing of the Required Disclosure via SEDAR. Hapbee is not subject to any insolvency proceeding and there is no other material information concerning the affairs of Hapbee that has not been generally disclosed. About Hapbee Hapbee is a digital wellness technology company that aims to help people take control of how they sleep, perform and feel. Hapbee's digital wellness library of Blends and Routines utilizes patented ultra-low radio frequency energy (ulRFE), designed to help optimize users' sleep, productivity, recovery, and downtime. Hapbee devices and subscriptions are available for purchase at Hapbee.com and through a growing network of select distributors. You can learn more about how Hapbee works at www.hapbee.com/science. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This news release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Any statements about the intended use of proceeds from the Offering are forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Company's ability to meet its planned product marketing and development initiatives and the Company's ability to achieve its e-commerce rollout and full-scale commercial launch as anticipated. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, delays in design, production, manufacturing, development or releases of signal blends, collection of data from customer use, or the Company may not be able to achieve its targets as anticipated or at all; changes in legislation and regulations; increase in operating costs; equipment failures; failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations; litigation; the loss of key directors, employees, advisors or consultants and fees charged by service providers. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those described in Hapbee's annual information form dated January 27, 2021, a copy of which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any 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. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Hapbee Technologies Inc. NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Corporate Finance (HCF), Hilco Global's investment banking advisory firm, has named Scott Hadfield Senior Managing Director and National Practice Leader for Capital Advisory. He will be based in HCF's New York office. Mr. Hadfield has wide-ranging experience raising capital for middle-market companies that includes growth and acquisition financing, refinancings, recapitalizations, as well as providing customized solutions for special situations. During his 25-year career, he has advised clients in structuring and executing optimal capital structures that include senior debt, subordinated debt, structured capital, and non-control equity. His significant transaction history includes successful closings in consumer products, food and beverage, restaurants, business and consumer services, manufacturing, and equipment rental industries. Within equipment finance, Scott has advised many of the leading companies in the rental industry and closed over $1 billion in asset-based loan financing for his clients. In making the announcement, Geoffrey Frankel, CEO of HCF said, "As HCF continues to grow and expand our advisory services to middle market companies, we are thrilled to add Scott to our team. He is a distinguished and talented investment banking leader, respected by his clients and peers, with significant experience in all aspects of middle-market capital advisory. With his depth of knowledge and broad network of relationships within the financial community, he has the ability to grow our Capital Advisory practice to meet the needs of our expanding client base." Mr. Hadfield explained, "I was drawn to the opportunity to join HCF and lead the expansion of its capital advisory services at this significant time in the firm's development. I am very excited to be part of HCF's plan to provide a full array of industry- leading investment banking services to middle- market companies in a wide variety of industries." Mr. Frankel added, "Over the past 18 months, we have expanded our business by re-imagining how investment banking advisory services can best be provided to middle-market clients. Encompassing capital advisory, M&A advisory, special situations and restructuring services, we are building our practice from the client's point of view focusing on a solutions-oriented, not just transactional, approach. Scott understands and shares our passion for superior client-centric service for middle-market companies." Prior to joining Hilco Corporate Finance, Mr. Hadfield was a Managing Director in Corporate Finance at a global investment bank, where he led the debt advisory practice in the U.S. He graduated from Connecticut College, with a B.A. in Economics and Government, studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and holds an M.A. in Professional Accounting. About Hilco Corporate Finance: Hilco Corporate Finance, LLC is a registered broker/dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a member of FINRA ( www.finra.com ) and SIPC ( www.sipc.org ). Hilco Corporate Finance specializes in merger and acquisition advisory service, private capital markets, and special situations and restructuring advisory. Hilco Corporate Finance is the investment banking affiliate of Hilco Global. Hilco Global operates as a holding company comprised of over twenty specialized businesses and has nearly four decades of successfully acting as an advisor, agent, investor and/or principal in transactions. SOURCE Hilco Corporate Finance SAN FRANCISCO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The global home healthcare market size is expected to reach USD 666.9 billion by 2030, according to a report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 7.96% over the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to cost-efficiency, improved patient outcomes, and convenience offered by home healthcare agencies. In addition, the rising geriatric population and the growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, dementia, and orthopedic conditions, are expected to drive market growth. As per the Population Reference Bureau data updated in June 2019, the number of people aged 65 years and above was 52 million in 2018 and is projected to double by 2060 to reach 95 million. The World Health Organization (WHO) statistics state that there are around 50 million dementia patients in the world with 10 million new cases getting added every year. This number is expected to reach 82 million by 2030. Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report: Services dominated the component segment in 2022 attributed to the growing demand for skilled nurse in-home care for services like physical and occupational therapy. Growing demand for skilled nurses for rehabilitation service, wound dressings, tube feedings, and maintaining stable patient health drive the growth of this segment. Mainly, patients suffering major trauma due to accidents or those suffering from strokes opt for rehabilitation services to improve their way of talking, walking, and feeding themselves all over again. The demand for home therapeutic equipment is increasing due to the rising prevalence of chronic conditions such as respiratory diseases, kidney disorders, and diabetes. The segment is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Advancement in technology is likely to favor the growth of the home healthcare equipment market. For instance, active home telemonitoring devices can help in capturing vital signs and symptoms which helps the home health agency. Neurological & mental disorder accounted for the largest revenue share in 2022 owing to increasing disease prevalence North America is the most mature region of the market. The presence of a large geriatric population in this region coupled with sophisticated healthcare infrastructure and relatively higher patient disposable income levels are some of the key factors. Read 252 page market research report, "Home Healthcare Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component (Equipment, Services), By Indication (Cardiovascular Disorder & Hypertension, Diabetes & Kidney Disorders), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Microscope Market Growth & Trends The establishment and maintenance of hospitals and other healthcare establishments are capital-intensive efforts. Hence, healthcare solution providers are now entering the rapidly growing market in an attempt to capitalize on the available opportunities and contain costs. Although hospital-at-home models are less prevalent in the U.S. than they are in other countries, several noteworthy initiatives have been undertaken in the past decade. These include programs at Johns Hopkins, Marshfield Clinic Health System, and Mount Sinai, which partnered with PE-backed Contessa in 2016. Moreover, these organizations engage extensively in mergers and acquisitions to expand their regional presence. Hospitals such as Apollo (Apollo Homecare) and Max ([email protected]) have entered the Indian homecare industry. Some have also established joint ventures, including the Burman family (promoters of Dabur) and UK-based Healthcare at Home, as well as India Home Healthcare and Bayada Home Healthcare, based in the U.S. The demand for home care services is expected to increase in the immediate future, owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These services are safer and cost-effective alternatives to hospital services. External substitutes, including hospitals, informal care, and other healthcare establishments, pose a limited threat, mostly due to their high costs. Thus, the threat of substitutes in the market is expected to be moderate during the forecast period. Microscope Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global home healthcare market on the basis of component, indication, and region: Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) Equipment Therapeutic Home respiratory therapy equipment Insulin delivery devices Home IV pumps Home dialysis equipment Others Diagnostic Diabetic care unit BP monitors Multi para diagnostic monitors Home pregnancy and fertility kits Apnea and sleep monitors Holter monitors Heart rate monitors Others Mobility Assist Wheel chair Home medical furniture Walking assist devices Services Skilled Home Healthcare Services Physician primary care Nursing care Physical/occupational/speech therapy Nutritional support Hospice & palliative care Others Unskilled Home Healthcare Services Indication Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) Cardiovascular Disorder & Hypertension Diabetes & Kidney Disorders Neurological & Mental Disorders Respiratory Disease & COPD Maternal Disorders Mobility Disorders Cancer Wound Care Others Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Europe UK Germany France Italy Spain Russia Netherlands Sweden Asia Pacific China Japan India Australia Singapore Malaysia Thailand Philippines South Korea Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Middle East & Africa (MEA) & (MEA) South Africa Saudi Arabia Oman UAE Egypt List of Key Players in the Home Healthcare Market Suppliers B. Braun Melsungen AG Abbott Sunrise Medical 3M Healthcare Healthcare Baxter International Inc. Medtronic PLC Cardinal Health Inc. F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG Air Liquide Amedisys, Inc. NxStage Medical, Inc. (Fresenius Medical Care) Arkray, Inc. Becton, Dickinson and Company Omron Healthcare, Inc. Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare GE Healthcare Medline Industries, Inc Koninklijke Philips N.V. Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. Linde Healthcare Acelity ( 3M ) ) Vygon Teleflex, Inc. Moog Inc. Intersurgical Ltd. Fresenius Kabi AG. Bayer HealthCare GF Health Products, Inc. Service Providers Kindred Healthcare, Inc. Almost Family, Inc. National HealthCare Corporation Chubb Fire & Security Pty Ltd & Security Pty Ltd Gentiva Health Services, Inc. Medco Home Healthcare, Inc. Addus Homecare Brookdale Senior Living Solutions Sunrise Carlisle, LP (Sunrise Senior Living, LLC) Genesis Healthcare, Inc. Extendicare, Inc. SONIDA SENIOR LIVING . (CAPITAL SENIOR LIVING CORPORATION) . (CAPITAL SENIOR LIVING CORPORATION) Diversicare Healthcare Services, Inc. Home Instead, Inc. Senior Care Centers of America Atria Senior Living , Inc Check out more market research studies published by Grand View Research: Pediatric Home Healthcare Market - The global pediatric home healthcare market size is expected to reach USD 68.6 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2028. The growing population of Children with Medical Complexities (CMC) requiring in-home care is expected to drive the market during the forecast period. - The global pediatric home healthcare market size is expected to reach by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2028. The growing population of Children with Medical Complexities (CMC) requiring in-home care is expected to drive the market during the forecast period. Biosensors Market - The global biosensors market size is anticipated to reach USD 49.8 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 8.0% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The key factors driving the industry growth include various applications in the healthcare/medical sector, increasing demand in the bioprocessing industry, and rapid technological advancements in drug screening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the pandemic led to the rapid expansion of the biosensor industry due to an increase in the number of hospitals worldwide. - The global biosensors market size is anticipated to reach by 2030, registering a CAGR of 8.0% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The key factors driving the industry growth include various applications in the healthcare/medical sector, increasing demand in the bioprocessing industry, and rapid technological advancements in drug screening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the pandemic led to the rapid expansion of the biosensor industry due to an increase in the number of hospitals worldwide. Silver Wound Dressing Market - The global silver wound dressing market size is expected to reach USD 1.3 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 5.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The rising cases of diabetic foot ulcers, introduction of technologically advanced products, and increasing cases of accidents and burns globally are the key driving factors for the market. Browse through Grand View Research's Medical Devices 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. 3rd Tech4Nature Summit held on 50th anniversary of World Environment Day SHENZHEN, China, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day, Huawei and IUCN highlighted smart solutions for supporting effective and fair management and governance of protected and conserved areas, and the growing importance of technology in tracking threatened species and protecting their natural habitats. Innovative technologies used for tracking and monitoring biodiversity and nature conservation projects Dr Grethel Aguilar, Deputy Director General for IUCN, delivered a welcome speech at the summit Tao Jingwen, Director of the Board, Chairman of CSD Committee, Huawei Peng Song, Senior Vice President and President of Huawei's ICT Strategy & Marketing Department Huawei and IUCN outlined a vision for protected and conserved areas, to leverage digital technology to help achieve global biodiversity goals. At the summit, the Smart Protected Areas White Paper was launched, jointly developed by Huawei, IUCN China and the Chinese Academy of Forestry, to share the blueprint for building smart protected areas, based on experience from China's protected areas. The key to wildlife protection is understanding distribution, behaviors, seasonal trends of species, and how human activities may impact their patterns. This requires extensive data, which can be challenging to attain given remote and hard-to-access areas, often exacerbated by extreme weather. Early data collection and research efforts relied on scientists going into the field to install camera traps to capture images. These cameras needed to be maintained, their batteries replaced, and their memory cards replaced and analyzed; time - and labor-intensive processes that frequently resulted in data and images that were several months old. Implementing next-generation digital technologies, such as cloud computing, IoT, mobile Internet, big data, and AI enables real-time data acquisition and interaction. This is key to improving smart sensing, analysis and management of species protection and area-based conservation efforts, making them more effective and thereby better at conserving nature. Since 2019, Huawei has worked alongside over 30 global partners, including IUCN, to apply digital technologies to achieve effective conservation and restoration outcomes in 46 protected and conserved areas worldwide, from tropical rainforests in China's Hainan - home to the world's rarest gibbon, to wetland oasis in Italy, and coral reefs off the east coast of Mauritius. For example, under Tech4Nature in Mexico where Huawei partners with IUCN, C-Minds, Polytechnic University of Yucatan, Rainforest Connection, and the local community of Dzilam has collected more than 30,000 photos, 550,000 audio recordings and numerous video clips of wild animals. An algorithm was developed and trained to help identify the different species, especially the jaguar, and to date, the team has identified 119 species, including 5 individual jaguars. "We have gained a lot in the past three years of cooperation, during which time Huawei has worked with us to demonstrate the responsible use of new technologies in protecting nature. IUCN looks forward to longer-term collaboration with Huawei as a tech leader to help achieve global goals such as the target to conserve at least 30% of the Earth's land and water by 2030", said Dr Grethel Aguilar, Deputy Director General for IUCN. The primary aim of the Smart Protected Areas White Paper is to realize the effective conservation of protected areas and the sustainable management of natural resources. Based on this target, the white paper identifies seven major scenarios, including ecological protection and restoration, resource management, and scientific research amongst others. In these identified scenarios, four key capabilities need to be implemented, which includes comprehensive, multi-dimensional ecological sensing, integrated multi-network communications that can adapt to complex terrain, intelligent analysis that can process massive amounts of data from multiple sources, and the capability to apply analytical results to the operations and management of protected areas. This blueprint proposes a comprehensive solution architecture for smart protected areas based on the latest developments in digital technology. "Biodiversity loss and climate change are two interrelated global environmental crises that require coordinated responses. While protecting nature, science and technology can also help thousands of industries with green development and better cope with climate change," said Tao Jingwen, Huawei's Director of the Board and Chairman of Corporate Sustainable Development (CSD) Committee. Peng Song, Senior Vice President and President of Huawei's ICT Strategy & Marketing Department, said, "The Earth is our only home. Digital technologies can help protect nature reserves more effectively and promote the sustainable management of natural resources. Our original intention is to sum up the practice of science and technology in helping protect nature and to work with partners to promote the intelligent construction of more nature reserves." According to the WEF's New Nature Economy Report, more than half of the world's GDP, about US$44 trillion, relies on nature and the services it provides. However, climate change and biodiversity loss are threatening the survival and sustainable development of humanity. A new nature economy could generate up to $10.1 trillion in annual business value and create 395 million jobs by 2030 To explore the future potential of smart nature conservation, the summit brought together TECH4ALL partners, including the Yucatan state government of Mexico, the Mexican innovation agency C Minds, IUCN China, WWF Italy, Rainforest Connection, and Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve. Click to watch the summit. Background Launched in 2020, Tech4Nature is a nature conservation initiative launched by Huawei and IUCN, which aims to enable more than 300 protected areas worldwide to evaluate their conservation success through the IUCN Green List Standard and digital technology. June 5 is 50th annual World Environment Day. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on 5 June since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world. In 2023, it is hosted by Cote D'Ivoire. About TECH4ALL TECH4ALL is Huawei' s long-term digital inclusion initiative and action plan. Enabled by innovative technologies and partnerships, TECH4ALL is designed to help promote inclusion and sustainability in the digital world. For more information, please visit Huawei TECH4ALL website https://www.huawei.com/en/tech4all Follow us at: https://twitter.com/HUAWEI_TECH4ALL Contact the TECH4ALL Program Office [email protected] SOURCE Huawei Marc Johnson is a molecular virologist who studies COVID-19 in wastewater and who has been tracking what he calls a "cryptic lineage" of COVID in wastewater collected from sewersheds in Columbus, Ohio. He believes that this lineagean old B.1.1 derivativeis from one individual who has been infected for over two years. Through his research he surmises that this person lives in Columbus and travels to work at Washington Court House. The high concentrations of this lineage in the Columbus wastewater indicate, to Johnson, that whoever is carrying this cryptic lineage is shedding a high quantity of virus. In the most recent thread on this cryptic lineage, posted Sunday June 4, Johnson urges the individual to reach out if they might suspect they are the person in questionand says he's trying to help that person get medical help: If you are the individual, let me know. There is a lab in the US that can do 'official' tests for COVID in stool, and there are doctors that I can put you in contact with that would like to try to help you. He also explains that through this research he's trying to better understand how COVID infections spread and how to better treat them: What's more, if we can figure out how these infections occur, and how to treat them, it could potentially help out a whole lot of people. I'm absolutely fascinated by this case, and I've been following it for some time. I do, however, share some of the same concerns about privacy raised by Twitter user dr01d3tte, who commented: As academically interesting that this is, I think there are SERIOUS privacy concerns you're flirting with. Still, I think finding this person, providing them with medical help, and learning more about how COVID-19 persists in the body and spreads, are all incredibly important. If you want to follow this ongoing medical mystery, go follow Marc Johnson on Twitter. Hub Taps Valerie Bogdan-Powers, President of HORAN Health, to Lead New Hub Heartland Region CHICAGO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hub International Limited (Hub), a leading full-service global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, announced today that it has acquired the employee benefits assets of HORAN Associates, Inc. and HORAN Smart Business, LLC (collectively HORAN Health). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With HORAN Health, Hub creates a new regional hub to be called Hub Heartland. HORAN is one of the largest privately held insurance and financial services organizations in the Cincinnati Tri-State area. HORAN Health's nearly 120 employees in Ohio and Northern Kentucky will join Hub. HORAN Health provides employee benefits solutions to more than 650 small and mid-size companies, covering thousands of lives. HORAN Health serves both corporate and individual clients in 48 states. "M&A continues to be an important part of HUB's growth and provides opportunities for us to expand our geographic reach and services, and results in attracting top-tier firms such as HORAN Health," said Marc Cohen, Hub's President and Chief Executive Officer. "HORAN Health's employees and clients will gain access to boundaryless resources, tools and specialists that are all part of Hub's value proposition that will expand their capabilities and help them continue to grow their business by meeting their clients' expanding and complex needs." The HORAN Wealth* division will continue to independently serve individual and corporate clients in the areas of retirement, investment advising, life insurance, financial planning, and social security under the leadership of current President and Chief Executive Officer, Terence L. Horan, CLU, ChFC, CAP. "For 75 years, our primary focus has been doing what's best for our clients, helping them live healthy and productive lives through the bridge of insurance. The time has come for us to bolster our Health division and provide clients the breadth and depth of experience Hub offers," said Horan. "The careful 18-month journey to find the most suitable partner led us to Hub. This acquisition ensures we will continue to support our community while broadening our service offerings and expertise. It also guarantees we can foster the HORAN Wealth story for generations to come." Hub Heartland will be led by Valerie Bogdan-Powers, President of HORAN Health. She will work with Neil Hughes, President of Hub's U.S. Central Region. Bogdan-Powers has led HORAN Health's overall strategy with a focus on growth for the organization. Prior to HORAN, Bogdan-Powers was in sales and brand management for over 20 years at Procter & Gamble. Bogdan-Powers is a graduate of Harvard University and holds her life and health insurance license. "HORAN has built a reputation for delivering high-quality products and services to hundreds of clients for over 75 years, and we are excited about this next chapter," said Bogdan-Powers. "Joining the Hub team means we gain national expertise and product expansion, and we maintain local autonomy. This acquisition provides growth opportunities for our employees and a new level of support for our clients." "HORAN Health joining us is a natural progression of our strategic growth plan in the Central Region," said Hughes. "With the highly regarded HORAN Health team led by Valerie Bogdan-Powers, we significantly strengthen the depth of services to our clients, enhancing our position in the region. We are excited about the opportunities this will provide." MarshBerry served as financial advisor to HORAN for the transaction. About Hub's M&A Activities Hub International Limited is committed to growing organically and through acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint and strengthen its industry and product expertise. For more information on the Hub M&A experience, visit WeAreHub.com. About Hub International Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International Limited is a leading full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm providing risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services. With more than 16,000 employees in offices located throughout North America, Hub's vast network of specialists brings clarity to a changing world with tailored solutions and unrelenting advocacy, so clients are ready for tomorrow. For more information, visit Hub Media Center. *HORAN Wealth is the marketing name of HORAN Securities, Inc. and HORAN Capital Advisors, LLC CONTACT: Media: Jessica Wiltse Phone: 312-596-7573 [email protected] M&A: Clark Wormer Phone: 312-279-4848 [email protected] SOURCE Hub International Limited Innovative trip interruption coverage enables students to return home for any reason WARWICK, R.I., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- InsureMyTrip has expanded its academic travel protection program to include innovative trip interruption coverage for inbound students. This robust coverage enhancement comes in response to the increased need for flexible travel protection options as US schools report a steady rise in international student enrollment, with numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels. The inbound Academic Explorer Travel Protection program is designed to protect the financial investment of students traveling to the United States for educational purposes, which includes academic period interruption for unforeseen, covered perils. Trip delay and protection for belongings is also included along with the optional Academic Period Interruption for Any Reason (IFAR) coverage. For more information, please contact InsureMyTrip. What is Interruption for Any Reason (IFAR) coverage? Interruption for Any Reason (IFAR) is best suited for travelers who may decide to cut an academic trip short and opt to return home for any reason. This optional coverage is offered by inbound Academic Explorer Travel Protection plans for an additional cost. How IFAR coverage works: Reimburses up to 50% of the insured non-refundable tuition and accommodation expenses for those who must cut a trip short for a reason not otherwise covered by their plan. See plan documents for complete details. How to Get Started Trip organizers interested in offering this innovative protection program for inbound students can visit the following webpage for more information. Schools, colleges, insurance brokers, and educational travel providers are eligible. There are two plan types available for inbound students. The Academic Explorer Enrichment plan is geared for K-12 educational travel, and the Academic Explorer Immersion plan is for college-aged students. To qualify, non-U.S. residents must be traveling to the Unites States on a valid J, F or M Visa and enrolled in an educational institution for an academic period lasting up to 365 days in length. Academic Explorer contact for both inbound and outbound programs: Crystal McKay InsureMyTrip [email protected] InsureMyTrip It's simple. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. InsureMyTrip is the authority on travel insurance. We are committed to empowering travelers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise. InsureMyTrip is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Insurance coverages are subject to the terms, limitations, and exclusions in the plans, including an exclusion for pre-existing conditions. SOURCE InsureMyTrip MT. PLEASANT, Mich., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Isabella Bank Corporation (OTCQX:ISBA) today announced its Board of Directors declared a second-quarter cash dividend of $0.28 per common share at its regular meeting on May 31, 2023. The dividend will be payable June 30, 2023 to shareholders of record as of June 28, 2023. Based on ISBA's closing stock price of $21.04 per share as of May 31, 2023, the annualized cash dividend yield is 5.32%. "I am pleased to announce a $0.28 per share second quarter dividend. Our first quarter performance, improving financial metrics, and solid dividend yield reflect our continual efforts to enhance shareholder value," said Jae A. Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer. About the Corporation Isabella Bank Corporation (OTCQX: ISBA) is the parent holding company of Isabella Bank, a state chartered community bank headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Isabella Bank was established in 1903 and has been committed to serving the local banking needs of its customers and communities for 120 years. The Bank offers personal and commercial lending and deposit products, as well as investment, trust, and estate planning services through Isabella Wealth. The Bank has thirty locations throughout seven Mid-Michigan counties: Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, and Saginaw. For more information about Isabella Bank Corporation, visit the Invest in Us link at www.isabellabank.com. Isabella Bank Corporation common stock is quoted on the OTCQX tier of the OTC Markets Group, Inc.'s electronic quotation system (www.otcmarkets.com) under the symbol "ISBA." The Corporation's investor relations firm is Renmark Financial Communications, Inc. (www.renmarkfinancial.com). Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements. To the extent that the foregoing information refers to matters that may occur in the future, please be aware that such forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results. Additional information concerning some of the factors that could cause materially different results is included in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Forward Looking Statements" set forth in Isabella Bank Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available from the Securities and Exchange Commission's Public Reference facilities and from its website at www.sec.gov. SOURCE Isabella Bank Corporation With an investment of R$ 54 million, the company is installing a biodigester system at its facilities to produce biogas. The project will be installed by mid-June 2023 at nine Friboi plants SAO PAULO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- JBS, one of the world's largest food companies, is installing biodigesters to provide a new outlet for the methane gas emitted in its industrial operations: the production of biogas, a renewable and clean energy source. The first phase of the initiative covers the nine Friboi units and reduces by 65% the business's scope 1 emissions, representing a reduction of 24.6% in scope 1 emissions across all JBS activities in Brazil. With a R$ 54 million investment, this is the largest project of its kind in Brazil's protein industry, reducing the environmental footprint of its production process. The biodigesters will capture the methane gas emitted by the company's operations and convert it to biogas, a clean fuel that has been making a name for itself within the context of the global energy transition to a low-carbon matrix. According to the principles of the circular economy, biogas has a triple application: steam production in the boilers at the units, replacing biomass; as a source of electricity generation; and as a fuel for the fleet of JBS Transportadora, replacing diesel, or in a hybrid system. These applications enable a reduction in scope 1 (direct) and scope 2 (referring to electricity use) emissions. To begin with, the project will be up and running by mid-June 2023 at nine Friboi plants in the states of Sao Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Goias, Minas Gerais and Rondonia. The construction work at the units at Andradina (SP), which has had a biodigester system since 2021, Campo Grande I (MS), Lins (SP), Mozartlandia (GO) and Ituiutaba (MG) has been concluded. The others are in the final installation phase. "In line with our circular economy actions, the biodigesters will reduce our methane emissions and initiate the production of clean and renewable energy. This project strengthens our view that agribusiness is part of the solution for addressing the challenges of climate change that the world is facing", asserts corporate sustainability officer of JBS Brazil, Mauricio Bauer. Currently, almost 90% of the company's electricity matrix in Brazil is from renewable energy sources. The investment in biogas projects in Brazil reflects the commitment by JBS to become Net Zero by 2040, in other words, to zero the net balance of the greenhouse gas emissions across the entire value chain, reducing direct and indirect emissions and offsetting residual emissions. At the global level, JBS has been engaging in methane capture in its operations for decades. At present, 14 plants in the United States and Canada already have biodigester systems producing 190,000 m/d of biogas. This clean energy fuels boilers and is used to produce electricity at the company's units, in addition to being sold to gas companies. The projects in operation in the USA and Canada have reduced by 20% the external demand for natural gas, a fossil fuel, and have meant that JBS has ceased emitting 650,000 tons of greenhouse gases annually. In North America, the company intends to expand the biogas production projects n those two countries and has plans to embark on new investments on this front in Mexico. Moreover, in partnership with the company Energy360, JBS is investing in biogas projects in Australia, with the potential to eliminate 60,000 tons of CO 2 emissions, with annual savings of AUS$ 2 million in natural gas expenses. "Our biogas investments clearly demonstrate our ambition to be an agent of transformation to the low-carbon economy in line with our Net Zero commitment", points out Bauer. Biogas in Brazil Methane gas capture at the nine Friboi units will enable the production of approximately 80,000 cubic meters per day (m/d) of biogas . This volume is sufficient to provide natural gas to more than 190,000 families with an average monthly consumption of 11,7 m/mes (2021 data on domestic gas consumption in the state of de Sao Paulo). It can also fuel 31,000 vehicular natural gas (GNV)-powered cars that clock up around a thousand kilometers a month, or 300 GNV trucks that cover the daily equivalent of 100,000 kilometers. Besides its use in the operations of JBS, biogas can also be sold to third parties, like state distributers of piped gas or to industries looking to manufacture products from natural gas in a more sustainable manner. Another possibility is the conversion of the energy into biomethane for use as fuel in GNV-powered vehicles. A third alternative under evaluation is to use biogas as a source for distributed electricity generation projects to supply the Group's facilities. With this new approach, JBS is expanding its efforts to reduce the impacts of methane emissions on its business. Another initiative along these lines is the partnership with the Animal Husbandry Institute of the Sao Paulo State Department of agriculture to develop food additives for the beef cattle chain. SOURCE JBS Expanded partnership creates premier solutions for electrical customers in Alabama, Florida and Georgia HOUSTON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Greg Baker, CEO of JD Martin, is pleased to announce an expanded partnership with ABB Installation Products, formerly Thomas & Betts. Baker said, "We look forward to offering our customers the ABB Installation Products portfolio and continuing to support a known industry leader in these territories." JD Martin & ABB expand partnership to create premier solutions for electrical customers in AL, FL & GA Tweet this ABB Installation Products - Powering and protecting your world ABB logo "We are excited to offer our customers dedicated options and solutions for best-in-class installation products and training," added David Dean, JD Martin's RVP for the region. With the current expansion JD Martin now represents ABB Installation Products in Georgia, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, in addition to its existing representation in Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, southern Mississippi, central and eastern Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, central and southern Virginia and New Mexico. To read the ABB Installation Products corporate press release regarding JD Martin's expanded representation, visit this link: https://new.abb.com/news/detail/103659/abb-expands-relationship-with-jd-martin-across-alabama-florida-and-georgia And for more information about ABB Installation Products visit: https://electrification.us.abb.com/products/installation-products ABOUT JD MARTIN: JD Martin Company is an electrical manufacturers' representative agency that sells and markets premier lines of electrical products to OEM and MRO contractors, and end-user markets through wholesale distribution. For more than 68 years, we have supported industries such as oil & gas, mining, steel, wastewater treatment, wind power generation and commercial construction. We offer impactful solutions and sell electrical products, through qualified electrical distributor channels, in over 16 states in territories that include Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, The Carolinas, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. To learn more about JD Martin click here. ABOUT ABB INSTALLATION PRODUCTS: Building on its 100-year history of innovation, ABB Installation Products creates solutions to safely connect and protect electrical systems that power businesses, cities, homes and transportation. With more than 200,000 products under 38 premium brand names, ABB Installation Products, formerly Thomas & Betts, solutions are found wherever electricity is used around the world and in space. ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company's solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB's ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. To learn more about click here. Contact: Greg Baker [email protected] SOURCE JD Martin Co. OSLO, Norway, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kahoot! ASA, the global learning and engagement platform company, will host a virtual Investor Day on Wednesday June 7, 2023 beginning at 15:00 CEST/09:00 EST/06:00 PST or applicable. In the first section of the event, Kahoot!'s CEO, Eilert Hanoa and other members of the leadership team at Kahoot! will provide a company presentation, including long-term strategy, key initiatives, and ambitions followed by a Q&A session. Kahoot! ASA to host a virtual Investor Day on June 7 Tweet this The second section will provide a deep dive into Kahoot!'s three business areas; Commercial, Education and Consumer & Experience, including product roadmap and commercial initiatives. Participants interested in the event can register here . Investor Relations: Jonas Forslund [email protected] Media Relations: Axel Heiberg-Andersen [email protected] About Kahoot! Kahoot! is on a mission to make learning awesome! We want to empower everyone, including children, students, and employees to unlock their full learning potential. Our learning platform makes it easy for any individual or corporation to create, share, and host learning sessions that drive compelling engagement. Launched in 2013, Kahoot!'s vision is to build the leading learning platform in the world. Since launch, Kahoot! has hosted hundreds of millions of learning sessions with over 9 billion participants (non-unique) in more than 200 countries and regions. The Kahoot! Group includes Clever, the leading US K-12 EdTech learning platform, together with the learning apps DragonBox, Poio, Drops, Actimo, Motimate, and Whiteboard.fi. The Kahoot! Group is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with offices in the US, the UK, France, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Spain and Poland. Kahoot! is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker KAHOT. Let's play! SOURCE Kahoot! EAST HARTFORD, Conn., June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, a Raytheon Technologies business, announced today that LATAM Airlines Group S.A. ("LATAM") has selected GTF engines to power additional A320neo family aircraft, adding to their initial order selecting GTF engines to power more than 40 aircraft in 2013. Combined with remaining options, the deal will total up to 146 aircraft. Pratt & Whitney will also provide the airline with engine maintenance through a long-term EngineWise Comprehensive service agreement. LATAM Selects Pratt & Whitney GTF Engines to Power Up to 146 Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft "At LATAM we are committed not only to connecting South America to the world, but doing so caring for the environment and reducing our carbon footprint. We are proud to enhance our partnership with Pratt & Whitney to power our A320neo family, which will allow us to do so, as we expect to grow this fleet over 100 strong in the coming years," said Roberto Alvo, CEO, LATAM Airlines Group. Headquartered in Santiago, Chile, LATAM is Latin America's leading airline group, with presence in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, along with international operations within Latin America and Europe, Oceania, U.S. and the Caribbean. LATAM was the first airline in the Americas to operate the Airbus A320neo aircraft. LATAM currently operates more than 80 V2500-powered Airbus A320ceo and 16 GTF-powered Airbus A320neo family aircraft. "Our relationship with LATAM, including their predecessor LAN Airlines, dates back more than seven decades with the Twin Wasp engine on Douglas DC-3 aircraft," said Rick Deurloo, Commercial Engines president at Pratt & Whitney. "GTF engines are already delivering exceptional economic and sustainability benefits to LATAM and we look forward to providing even greater value in the years to come." The Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, featuring Collins Aerospace nacelle and accessories, offers the greatest fuel efficiency and lowest greenhouse gas emissions for the Airbus A320neo family. GTF-powered aircraft reduce fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions by 16% to 20%, NOx emissions up to 50% and noise footprint up to 75%.* Certified for operation on 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and successfully tested on 100% SAF, GTF engines are ready to enable further reductions in carbon footprint, which will help the aviation industry meet its goal of net zero emissions by 2050s the foundation for even more efficient and sustainable propulsion technologies in the decades ahead, with advancements like the Pratt & Whitney GTF Advantage engine and beyond. Learn more at pwgtf.com . *Reductions vs. prior-generation aircraft, based on 75 dB noise contour and ICAO CAEP/6 emissions regulations. About Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines, and auxiliary power units. To learn more visit www.prattwhitney.com . To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here . About Raytheon Technologies Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. Our global team of 180,000 employees pushes the limits of known science and redefines how we connect and protect our world. We are advancing aviation, building smarter defense systems and creating innovations to take us deeper into space. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. [email protected] +1 860 565 9600 SOURCE Raytheon Technologies SELINSGROVE, Pa., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 18, 2023, LB Water hosted the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at their new corporate center. Located at 593 S. High Street, Selinsgrove, PA, the new office is designed for greater collaboration across all departments. The building has spaces that empower employees to improve efficiency and teamwork. Local dignitaries, LB Water board members, company executives, community leaders, and many LB Water employees attended to hear about the new building and get personal tours. LB Water Corporate Location, Selinsgrove, PA Shawn Pulford, LB Water's CEO, spoke to the attendees about the company's accomplishments and his vision for the future: "The LB Water Founders Building in Selinsgrove is a source of pride for our entire company. Over the years, we've worked diligently alongside contractors to ensure this space withstands the demands of our growth, both for employees internally and for the expanding needs of our customers." The Founders Building was completed and occupied in April. It provides office and collaboration space as well as cutting-edge media technology and connectivity. The three-story, 24,000-square-foot building also includes the capacity to satisfy long-term goals for the expanding employee-owned company. Co-founder Walt VanNuys spoke on key milestones: "This building is the result of all your hard work," he said to the attendees, made up of many LB Water employee owners. "We've been very fortunate to have a great many talented people help LB Water in our journey. We continue to benefit from contributions from our community's most insightful leaders." For over 50 years, LB Water has serviced contractors and municipalities. The new corporate site gives LB Water's employees the space they need to fulfill the growing needs of their customers. The expansion further promotes the company's reputation for exceptional customer service, expansive inventory, and expert training. About LB Water LB Water is a solutions-based provider of waterworks infrastructure products to cities, counties, municipalities, private water and sewer authorities, and contractors throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Its products include water infrastructure, water-metering technologies, sanitary and storm sewer systems, specialty products, and environmental solutions. It is a 100-percent employee-owned organization. Founded in 1970 by Lehman B. Mengel, the company employs 225+ people at 10 locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Visit www.lbh2o.com to learn more. CONTACT: Ben Reichley 570-374-2355 [email protected] SOURCE LB Water CANTON, Ohio, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty HealthShare, one of the country's leading Christian healthsharing ministries, today announced it will host a free webinar on affordable healthcare for young adults on Tuesday, June 13. The free 30-minute webinar will review money-saving options available for 18-29-year-olds looking for alternatives to traditional health insurance. The webinar will be hosted by Elijah Zielke, social media influencer and children's pastor at Freedom Church in Tallahassee, Fla. Liberty HealthShare will host a free webinar on affordable healthcare for young adults on June 13. Tweet this "Whether heading off to college or starting your career, finding ways to keep healthcare expenses affordable is important, as medical bills can get costly," said Tamia Morris, a Liberty HealthShare enrollment specialist who will join Zielke on the webinar. "Fortunately, young people have other options to care for their health." The ministry introduced the Liberty Rise sharing program in September 2022 to serve young Christian adults who had few, if any, affordable healthsharing options available to them. The budget-friendly sharing program has proven popular with its 18-29-year-old audience. In addition to sharing eligible healthcare expenses, Liberty Rise members can also take advantage of several money-saving features including discounts on prescription drugs, dental services, vision care, wellness services, chiropractic care and fitness center memberships. Members also have access to telehealth and mental wellness. The webinar will be available at three convenient times in the morning and evening on June 13. To learn more and pre-register, go to Free Liberty HealthShare Webinar. Liberty HealthShare is a non-profit 501(c) (3) charitable Christian medical cost-sharing ministry focused on members helping each other in times of need. The faith-based program, which facilitates healthsharing for its members, is a caring community of health-conscious individuals and families who choose to support one another and agree to the Christian values of stewardship to make healthcare affordable for all. As it is not insurance, Liberty HealthShare enrollment is available year-round with no requirement for special life events to qualify. For more information about its healthcare sharing programs visit libertyhealthshare.org or call (855) 585-4237. SOURCE Liberty HealthShare CHICAGO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Lithium Metal Market by Source(Salt Lake brine, Lithium Ores), Application(Lithium-ion anode material, Alloy, Intermediate), End-Use Industry(Batteries, Metal Processing, Pharmaceuticals), & Region(APAC, North America, Europe, RoW) - Global Forecast to 2028", is projected to grow from USD 2.5 billion in 2023 to USD 6.4 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 20.4% from 2023 to 2028. The major factors driving the lithium metal market are consumption in diversified applications, such as batteries, metal processing, and intermediates in pharmaceuticals, among others. The primary factor driving the lithium metal market is its usage in lithium metal batteries. Browse in-depth TOC on "Lithium Metal Market" 200 Tables 45 Figures 180 Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=48900800 By source, the salt lake brine segment accounted for the highest share of the lithium metal market from 2023 to 2028. The salt lake brine segment, by source, market accounted for the largest share. The use of brine as a source of lithium is becoming increasingly popular, as it is a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional mining methods. Also, brine deposits containing lithium are more abundant compared to hard rock lithium deposits. Many regions around the world hold significant lithium resources in brine form. Brine extraction typically involves lower production costs compared to hard rock mining. Brine deposits are often located near the surface, requiring less extensive and expensive mining operations. By application, the lithium-ion anode material segment accounted for the highest share of the lithium metal market from 2023 to 2028. The lithium-ion anode material segment, by application, accounted for the highest share. In a lithium-metal battery, an anode is made of pure lithium metal. Lithium metal batteries have a higher energy density compared to lithium-ion batteries. This means they can store more energy per unit of weight or volume, allowing for longer-lasting power and potentially enabling smaller and lighter battery designs. Also, Lithium metal batteries typically have a higher voltage than lithium-ion batteries. This higher voltage output can be advantageous for applications that require higher power or voltage levels. Such factors are enhancing the usage of lithium metal batteries during the forecast period. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=48900800 Asia Pacific is the largest region in the Lithium metal market. The increasing use of lithium metal batteries in various countries is the major driving factor of the lithium metal market in the region. The region is one of the major manufacturers and exporters of lithium metal. It has various lithium metal manufacturers, such as Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. (China), Tianqui Lithium Industries Inc. (China), and Shenzhen Chengxin Lithium Group Co., Ltd. (China), which hold significant market share. Asia Pacific is a major battery manufacturer across the globe, and battery is the largest application for lithium metal batteries, thus is expected to boost the market for lithium metal during the forecast period. Also, Governments in the Asia Pacific region have been actively supporting the development of the lithium metal industry. They are implementing favorable policies, providing subsidies, and investing in research and development to promote the domestic production and use of lithium-metal batteries. These initiatives are driving the growth of the lithium metal market in the region. Market Players : The major players operating in the lithium metal market include Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. (China), Tianqui Lithium Industries Inc. (China), Shenzhen Chengxin Lithium Group Co., Ltd. (China), Albemarle Corporation (US), Livent Corporation (US), Shanghai China Lithium Industrial Co., Ltd. (China), China Energy Lithium Co., Ltd. (China), CNNC Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd. (China) and others. Browse Adjacent Market: Mining, Minerals and Metals Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Lithium Compounds Market - Global Forecast to 2025 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/lithium-metal-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/lithium-metal.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Volkswagen announced the return of its iconic microbus to the American market. The modern, electric version of this iconic vehicle is named the ID. Buzz. The ID. Buzz will be available in two variants: Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and All-Wheel Drive (AWD). Packed with advanced technology, the electric bus offers features such as a heads-up display, air-conditioned seats, and a spacious 16-square-foot electrochromic glass panoramic sunroof that can switch from opaque to transparent via voice control or touch slider. Although specific details regarding the range and price of the ID. Buzz haven't been disclosed, Volkswagen has confirmed that the vehicle will be introduced to U.S. dealerships next year. The American version will differ from the short-wheelbase model available in Europe, featuring three rows and seating for seven individuals. The U.S. variant is expected to come with a larger battery. [via Core77] SUZHOU, China and ROCKVILLE, Md., June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancer, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, announced today that it has released updated clinical results of olverembatinib (HQP1351), a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), in patients with TKI-resistant succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), in a Poster Presentation at the 59th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. This is the second consecutive year in which clinical data on olverembatinib were selected for presentations at the ASCO Annual Meeting. Showcasing progress in clinical development at the ASCO Annual Meeting for six consecutive years, Ascentage Pharma had clinical results from four clinical studies of four of the company's lead drug candidates selected for presentations in 2023. Among these results, the updated data of olverembatinib reaffirmed efficacy and safety in patients with TKI-resistant SDH-deficient GIST, with a clinical benefit rate (CBR) of 93.8%. GIST is a type of malignancy that arises in the mesenchymal tissues of the gastrointestinal tract, and most patients with GIST harbor KIT or PDGFRA mutations. The introduction of TKIs has significantly improved the prognosis of these patients. However, patients with SDH-deficient GIST, a rare subtype of GIST, still have considerable unmet medical needs. It is known to the research community that patients with SDH-deficient GIST are commonly insensitive to existing TKIs. Although patients with early-stage localized disease can benefit from surgical treatment, most of them eventually experience relapse.1-5 At present, there is no standard of care treatment for patients with relapsed or advanced SDH-deficient GIST, whose 5-year event-free survival (EFS) is only 24%.1-5 Olverembatinib, a third-generation TKI being jointly commercialized in China by Ascentage Pharma and Innovent Biologics, is the first and only third-generation BCR-ABL1 inhibitor approved in China for the treatment of adult patients with TKI-resistant chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML-CP) or accelerated-phase CML (CML-AP) harboring the T315I mutation. While being clinically developed and adopted for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, olverembatinib is also being investigated in preclinical and clinical studies for the treatment of GIST, having already shown potent antitumor activity against GIST in multiple preclinical models. Very recently, olverembatinib was granted a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for the SDH-deficient GIST indication by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). (Olverembatinib is an investigational drug that has not been approved for any indication outside the Chinese mainland) "Olverembatinib may offer a new treatment option to patients with SDH-deficient GIST, a highly rare subtype of GIST that currently lacks standard of care treatment," said Prof. Ruihua Xu, the principal investigator of this study, President of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology(CSCO) and Director of Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center. "The drug's impressive efficacy and manageable safety signal a potential breakthrough in the treatment of SDH-deficient GIST." "This year, we presented updated clinical results that further validated olverembatinib's clinical potential in SDH-deficient GIST, a rare subtype representing an urgent treatment gap in GIST," said Dr. Yifan Zhai, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage Pharma. "We are truly excited by the prospect of a novel therapeutic that could potentially address an urgent clinical need and bring renewed hope to patients. Remaining committed to the mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world, we will press forward with this clinical development program in order to bring a safe and effective new treatment option to patients as soon as possible." Highlights of the poster on olverembatinib presented at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting: Antitumor activity of olverembatinib (HQP1351) in patients (pts) with tyrosine kinase inhibitor- (TKI)- resistant succinate dehydrogenase- (SDH-) deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) Abstract#: 11540 11540 Poster Board#: 474 474 Session Title: Sarcoma Sarcoma Highlights: This open-label, multicenter Phase Ib/II study in China was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and antitumor activity of olverembatinib in patients with TKI-resistant locally advanced or metastatic GIST. was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and antitumor activity of olverembatinib in patients with TKI-resistant locally advanced or metastatic GIST. As of January 15, 2023 , a total of 20 patients with SDH-deficient GIST were enrolled in the study. The median (range) age of these patients was 30 (14-56) years. Olverembatinib, at doses ranging from 20 to 50 mg (50 mg cohort [n=6]; 40 mg cohort [n=8]; 30 mg cohort [n=6]), was administered once every other day (QOD) in 28-day cycles. , a total of 20 patients with SDH-deficient GIST were enrolled in the study. The median (range) age of these patients was 30 (14-56) years. Olverembatinib, at doses ranging from 20 to 50 mg (50 mg cohort [n=6]; 40 mg cohort [n=8]; 30 mg cohort [n=6]), was administered once every other day (QOD) in 28-day cycles. Efficacy Results: The median (range) duration of treatment in the 20 patients with SDH-deficient GIST was 7.8 (1.81-42.3) months. A total of 5 of these patients achieved partial responses (PRs). Of the 16 evaluable patients who were treated with olverembatinib for 16 weeks or longer, the clinical benefit rate (CBR = complete responses [CRs] + PRs + stable disease [SD] > 16 weeks) was 93.8% (15/16) and the longest treatment duration was 42 months. Safety Results: All patients experienced at least one treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE), most of which were grade 1 or 2; 2 patients experienced grade 3 AEs; and the only hematologic AE with an incidence rate20% was anemia (55%). A total of 15 (75%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), including 1 patient who experienced a grade 3 TRAE (neutropenia). No serious TRAEs were reported during the study. Conclusions: Olverembatinib was well tolerated up to 50 mg QOD and showed antitumor activity in patients with TKI-resistant SDH-deficient GIST. A total of 5 (25%) PRs were reported among 20 evaluable patients; the 16 patients treated for 16 weeks achieved a CBR of 93.8%. These promising findings warrant further investigation. Appendix: The four posters on Ascentage Pharma's four lead drug candidates, including olverembatinib, presented at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting. Drug Candidates Abstract Title Abstract# Format APG-2449 FAK inhibition with novel FAK/ALK inhibitor APG-2449 could overcome resistance in NSCLC patients who are resistant to second-generation ALK inhibitors. #9015 Poster Discussion Olverembatinib (HQP1351) Antitumor activity of olverembatinib (HQP1351) in patients (pts) with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)- resistant succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). #11540 Poster Presentation APG-2575 (Lisaftoclax) Preliminary data of a phase 1b/2 study of BCL-2 inhibitor lisaftoclax (APG-2575) alone or combined with ibrutinib or rituximab in patients (pts) with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM). #7569 Poster Presentation APG-115 (Alrizomadlin) A phase 2 study of alrizomadlin (APG-115) in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with unresectable or metastatic cutaneous melanoma that has failed immuno-oncologic (IO) drugs. #9559 Poster Presentation References: Mantese G. Gastrointestinal stromal tumor: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2019; 35(6): 555-559. Call JW, Wang Y, Rothschild S, et al. Treatment responses in SDH-deficient GIST. LRG Science, https://liferaftgroup.org/2019/08/treatmentresponses-in-sdh-deficient-gist. Nannini M, Rizzo A, Indio V, et al. Targeted therapy in SDH-deficient GIST. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2021; 13: 17588359211023278. Weldon CB, Madenci AL, Boikos SA, et al. Surgical Management of Wild-Type Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Report From the National Institutes of Health Pediatric and Wildtype GIST Clinic. J Clin Oncol. 2017; 35(5): 523-528. Mullassery D, Weldon CB. Pediatric/"wildtype" gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Semin Pediatr Surg. 2016; 25(5): 305-310. About Olverembatinib (HQP1351) Developed by Ascentage Pharma with support from the National Major New Drug Discovery and Manufacturing Program in China, the orally active, third-generation TKI olverembatinib is the first and only China-approved third-generation BCR-ABL inhibitor targeting drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Olverembatinib can effectively target a spectrum of BCR-ABL mutants, including the T315I mutation. In November 2021, olverembatinib was granted a conditional approval through the Priority Review process by the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of adult patients with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant chronic-phase CML (CML-CP) or accelerated-phase CML (CML-AP) harboring the T315I mutation as confirmed by a validated diagnostic test. Subsequently, Olverembatinib was included into the China 2022 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) for the approved indication. In March 2021, olverembatinib was granted a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the CDE for the treatment of patients with CML-CP who are resistant and/or intolerant of first- and second-generation TKIs. In July 2022, an NDA for this inidcation was accepted by the NMPA and subsequentlty granted a BTD that will support a full approval of olverembatinib In overseas, olverembatinib was cleared by the US FDA in July 2019 to directly enter a Phase Ib study. Since 2018, the clinical results of olverembatinib have been selected for oral presentations at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meetings for five consecutive years, and was nominated for "Best of ASH" in 2019. To date, olverembatinib has been granted one Fast Track Designation (FTD) and four Orphan Drug Designations (ODDs) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of CML, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST); and one Orphan Designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) of the European Union for the treatment of CML. In July 2021, Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK) and Innovent Biologics (1801.HK) reached the agreement regarding the joint development and commercialization of olverembatinib in China. *Olverembatinib is an investigational drug that has not been approved for any indication outside the Chinese mainland) About Ascentage Pharma Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK) is a globally focused biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B, and age-related diseases. On October 28, 2019, Ascentage Pharma was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code 6855.HK. Ascentage Pharma focuses on developing therapeutics that inhibit protein-protein interactions to restore apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The company has built a pipeline of 9 clinical drug candidates, including novel, highly potent Bcl-2, and dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitors, as well as candidates aimed at IAP and MDM2-p53 pathways, and next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Ascentage Pharma is also the only company in the world with active clinical programs targeting all three known classes of key apoptosis regulators. The company is conducting more than 40 Phase I/II clinical trials in the US, Australia, Europe, and China. Ascentage Pharma has been designated for multiple Major National R&D Projects, including five Major New Drug Projects, one New Drug Incubator status, four Innovative Drug Programs, and one Major Project for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases. Olverembatinib, the company's core drug candidate developed for the treatment of drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and the company's first approved product, has been granted two Priority Review Designations and two Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). To date, the drug had been included into the China 2022 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). Furthermore, olverembatinib has been granted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and a Fast Track Designation (FTD) by the US FDA, and an Orphan Designation by the EMA of the EU. To date, Ascentage Pharma has obtained a total of 16 ODDs from the US FDA and 1 Orphan Designation from the EMA of the EU for 4 of the company's investigational drug candidates. Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships with numerous renowned biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and research institutes such as UNITY Biotechnology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MSD, and AstraZeneca. The company has built a talented team with global experience in the discovery and development of innovative drugs and is setting up its world-class commercial manufacturing and Sales & Marketing teams. One pivotal aim of Ascentage Pharma is to continuously strengthen its R&D capabilities and accelerate its clinical development programs, in order to fulfil its mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world for the benefit of more patients. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, Ascentage Pharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. SOURCE Ascentage Pharma Exclusive booth and private meeting rooms to be utilized for robust business initiatives SEOUL, South Korea, June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- LOTTE BIOLOGICS, under the leadership of CEO Richard Lee, enthusiastically disclosed its participation in the upcoming 'BIO International Convention 2023' to be held from June 5th to June 8th, 2023, at the illustrious Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, USA. LOTTE BIOLOGICS Corporate Identity LOTTE BIOLOGICS Exhibition Booth Hosted annually by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, 'BIO International Convention 2023' is a premier conference in the global biotechnology industry, acting as an arena for distinguished biotech enterprises to highlight innovative technologies and form strategic partnerships, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of technological exchanges. This year's convention, under the theme 'Stand Up for Science', will address not merely the fundamentals of biotechnology but also offer a comprehensive exploration of the dynamic business landscape, policy trajectories, and the pressing human resource considerations prevalent in the industry. Continuing from last year, LOTTE BIOLOGICS is set to host an independent booth, underscored by a bold commitment to spotlight its differentiated competencies. These include the cutting-edge manufacturing technologies of its Syracuse site, robust process development services, stringent quality systems, and ambitious plans to inaugurate a state-of-the-art Mega Plant in South Korea. LOTTE BIOLOGICS has prepared designated meeting spaces within its booth, including a private meeting room, primed for an array of prearranged partnership dialogues. These discussions, with over 30 leading global pharmaceutical entities, along with emerging biotech firms, aim to facilitate the formation of strategic collaborations in the contract manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals. Kyung E. Kim, Head of LOTTE BIOLOGICS' Business Development Division, stated, "At this year's BIO International Convention, we look forward to meaningful discussions about LOTTE BIOLOGICS' intermediate and long-term business capacities with a diverse array of global pharmaceutical stakeholders. Through a network of synergistic alliances, we aim to fortify LOTTE BIOLOGICS' position at the forefront of competitive market leadership." About LOTTE BIOLOGICS LOTTE BIOLOGICS was established in 2022, and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. LOTTE BIOLOGICS entered the pharmaceutical industry as a CDMO company with the acquisition of Bristol Myers Squibb's Syracuse biologics manufacturing site. The Syracuse site offers drug substance manufacturing services with a total of 35,000L of production bioreactor capacity (7 x 5,000L bioreactors) utilizing stainless steel bioreactors, analytical QC testing laboratories, and warehouse facilities. The site is fully GMP operational with clinical and commercial capabilities. As of today, the site has received 60+ approvals worldwide from the FDA, EMA, PMDA, and MFDS. Moreover, the company is strategically poised to establish a comprehensive one-stop platform for CDMO services, incorporating Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC) and Drug Products (DP) services into its business portfolio via facility expansion. By 2030, LOTTE BIOLOGICS plans to build 3 mega plants in South Korea. Each plant will have 8 stainless steel bioreactors with 15,000L capacities for large-scale commercial operations, alongside multiple 2,000L single-use bioreactors to accommodate the clinical needs. The groundbreaking is expected to take place in 2023. Altogether, the plants will have a total manufacturing volume of 360,000L or more in bioreactor capacity. More information about LOTTE BIOLOGICS, please visit: www.lottebiologics.com SOURCE LOTTE BIOLOGICS Operator Connect a lead indicator of benefits to keep coming from two powerhouses DENVER, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) has announced the upcoming launch of their Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams Phone offering, part of Lumen and Microsoft's growing collaboration. Lumen expects this to help them do more for companies that are facing the challenge of modernizing their hybrid workforce. The product brings a powerful value to the new demands this hybrid employee base brings specifically for fast, easy, and simplified connection and collaboration abilities. The Lumen upcoming launch is a key building block in the company's partnering strategy to make more possible for customers by bringing better customer experiences, improved quality of products and services, and increased productivity. "Partners make more possible," stated Kate Johnson, President and CEO at Lumen. "Lumen is revamping our alliance partner ecosystem with companies like Microsoft so we can be even more consultative in our approach we can really help customers choose the products that will drive the best business outcomes." Network Scale Creates Unique Low Latency for Intense Workloads Operator Connect provides clients with a quick and simple way to deploy calling in Microsoft Teams with no on-premises equipment, and with easy customization capabilities. This is a solid win for customers, who will be able to use their existing investment in Teams without the need for on-premises solutions. Growth Engine Growing at Lumen Microsoft is an early entrant to the Growth Operating System at Lumen. This is a new process to deeply understand customer needs in the face of the complexity of cloud and connectivity disruptors. Lumen will use these insights to help customers take advantage of the transformative capabilities coming from innovations such as the metaverse and AI. Lumen also expects to see an acceleration of sales leads and closures, and increased product expansion, from the collaboration. "When customers get what they value, it's not a sales process. It's a partnership building process," said Jay Barrows, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Sales and Public Sector at Lumen. "We are thrilled to be partnering with Lumen Technologies. Their scale of network and metro edge compute infrastructure is uniquely differentiated for low latency experiences. With our combined strengths, Microsoft and Lumen will enable customers to access advanced immersive capabilities for improved collaboration, productivity, and innovation," stated Rick Wagner, President, Microsoft Federal. "This effort is a great example of how Microsoft works with industry leaders to deliver results for customers at scale." About Lumen Lumen connects the world. We are dedicated to furthering human progress through technology by connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Everything we do at Lumen takes advantage of our network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security, and managed service capabilities, we meet our customers' needs today and as they build for tomorrow. For news and insights visit news.lumen.com, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies, and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical and factual information, the matters set forth in this release and other of our oral or written statements identified by words such as "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "intends," "will," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements as defined by the federal securities law and are subject to the "safe harbor" protections thereunder. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are based on current expectations only, are inherently speculative, and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied by us in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the effects of intense competition from a wide variety of competitive providers; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies; our ability to successfully and timely attain our key operating imperatives; our ability to safeguard our network, and to avoid the adverse impact of cyber-attacks, security breaches, service outages, system failures, or similar events impacting our network or the availability and quality of our services; changes in customer demand for our products and services; our ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of our existing product and service offerings, to introduce profitable new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis, and to transition customers from our legacy products to our newer offerings; our ability to successfully and timely implement our corporate strategies; changes in our operating plans, corporate strategies, or capital allocation plans; the potential negative impact of customer complaints, government investigations, security breaches or service outages impacting us or our industry; our ability to timely obtain necessary hardware, software, equipment, services, governmental permits and other items on favorable terms; and other risks referenced from time to time in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to unduly rely upon our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments, changed circumstances, or otherwise. Furthermore, any information about our intentions contained in any of our forward-looking statements reflects our intentions as of the date of such forward-looking statement, and is based upon, among other things, regulatory, technological, industry, competitive, economic and market conditions, and our related assumptions, as of such date. We may change our intentions, strategies or plans without notice at any time and for any reason. Services not available everywhere. Business customers only. Lumen may change, cancel or substitute products and services, or vary them by service area at its sole discretion without notice. 2023 Lumen Technologies. All Rights Reserved. SOURCE Lumen Technologies DENVER, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) is providing an update on its strategy to reposition Lumen for growth at its 2023 Investor Day, by outlining both near-term and long-term financial targets. Lumen's leadership team is discussing three core elements to its strategy: Securing the base by proactively investing in the customer experience and leveraging key partnerships to help customers modernize and migrate from Voice to updated technologies, including VoIP, UC&C, VPN, and Voice Migration; by proactively investing in the customer experience and leveraging key partnerships to help customers modernize and migrate from Voice to updated technologies, including VoIP, UC&C, VPN, and Voice Migration; Driving commercial excellence by optimizing sales and channel productivity, monetizing existing capabilities and gaining parity with market growth rates; and by optimizing sales and channel productivity, monetizing existing capabilities and gaining parity with market growth rates; and Innovating for growth by digitizing the customer, employee, and partner experience to drive better connection across the business and cloudify the network securely, seamlessly, and faster. "Lumen is in the midst of a transformation that is driven by a new mission and clear strategy," said Kate Johnson, president and CEO of Lumen. "Our reconstructed and highly experienced management team is executing with urgency to win in the digital era, and the momentum we have gained in our turnaround thus far is visible. As we look ahead, we are energized by the progress we continue to make, and we are confident the best is yet to come at Lumen." Important Takeaways: Lumen is well-positioned to monetize its most irreplaceable asset: its state-of-the-art fiber network with broad coverage and unmatched route diversity and scalability. The company is making intentional investments aligned to growth markets, while being mindful of costs. Lumen is leveraging the experience and expertise of its talented team to execute its strategy and deliver on its transformation. The company is driving financial outcomes by making material improvements in the business and believes it is well positioned to achieve revenue and adjusted EBITDA stability in 2024 and growth thereafter. Investor Day Webcast Details To access today's Investor Day event and presentation materials, visit Lumen's Events & Presentations page at https://ir.lumen.com. About Lumen Technologies: Lumen connects the world. We are dedicated to furthering human progress through technology by connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Everything we do at Lumen takes advantage of our network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security, and managed service capabilities, we meet our customers' needs today and as they build for tomorrow. For news and insights visit news.lumen.com, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies, and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical and factual information, the matters set forth in this release and other of our oral or written statements identified by words such as "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "intends," "will," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements as defined by the federal securities laws, and are subject to the "safe harbor" protections thereunder. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are based on current expectations only, are inherently speculative, and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied by us in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the effects of intense competition from a wide variety of competitive providers, including decreased demand for our more mature service offerings and increased pricing pressures; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies, including those that could make our products less desirable or obsolete; our ability to successfully and timely attain our key operating imperatives, including simplifying and consolidating our network, simplifying and automating our service support systems, attaining our Quantum Fiber buildout goals, strengthening our relationships with customers and attaining projected cost savings; our ability to safeguard our network, and to avoid the adverse impact of cyber-attacks, security breaches, service outages, system failures, or similar events impacting our network or the availability and quality of our services; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry, including the outcome of legislative, regulatory or judicial proceedings relating to content liability standards, intercarrier compensation, universal service, service standards, broadband deployment, data protection, privacy and net neutrality; our ability to generate cash flows sufficient to fund our financial commitments and objectives, including our capital expenditures, operating costs, debt repayments, pension contributions and other benefits payments; our ability to effectively retain and hire key personnel and to successfully negotiate collective bargaining agreements on reasonable terms without work stoppages; changes in customer demand for our products and services, including increased demand for high-speed data transmission services; our ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of our existing product and service offerings, to introduce profitable new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis, and to transition customers from our legacy products to our newer offerings; our ability to successfully and timely implement our corporate strategies, including our deleveraging and buildout strategies; our ability to successfully and timely consummate the pending divestiture of our European, Middle Eastern and African business, to successfully and timely realize the anticipated benefits from that divestiture and our divestitures completed in 2022, and to successfully operate and transform our retained business after such divestitures; changes in our operating plans, corporate strategies, or capital allocation plans, whether based upon changes in our cash flows, cash requirements, financial performance, financial position, market or regulatory conditions, or otherwise; the impact of any future material acquisitions or divestitures that we may transact; the negative impact of increases in the costs of our pension, healthcare, post-employment or other benefits, including those caused by changes in markets, interest rates, mortality rates, demographics or regulations; the potential negative impact of customer complaints, government investigations, security breaches or service outages impacting us or our industry; adverse changes in our access to credit markets on favorable terms, whether caused by changes in our financial position, lower credit ratings, unstable markets, debt covenant restrictions or otherwise; our ability to meet the terms and conditions of our debt obligations and covenants, including our ability to make transfers of cash in compliance therewith; our ability to maintain favorable relations with our security holders, key business partners, suppliers, vendors, landlords and financial institutions; our ability to timely obtain necessary hardware, software, equipment, services, governmental permits and other items on favorable terms; our ability to meet evolving environmental, social and governance ("ESG") expectations and benchmarks, and effectively communicate and implement our ESG strategies; our ability to collect our receivables from, or continue to do business with, financially-troubled customers; our ability to continue to use or renew intellectual property used to conduct our operations; any adverse developments in legal or regulatory proceedings involving us; changes in tax, pension, healthcare or other laws or regulations, in governmental support programs, or in general government funding levels, including those arising from recently enacted legislation promoting broadband development; our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards in the amounts projected; the effects of changes in accounting policies, practices or assumptions, including changes that could potentially require additional future impairment charges; continuing uncertainties regarding the impact that COVID19 and its aftermath could have on our business, operations, cash flows and corporate initiatives; the effects of adverse weather, terrorism, epidemics, pandemics, rioting, vandalism, societal unrest, or other natural or man-made disasters or disturbances; the potential adverse effects if our internal controls over financial reporting have weaknesses or deficiencies, or otherwise fail to operate as intended; the effects of changes in interest rates and inflation; the effects of more general factors such as changes in exchange rates, in operating costs, in public policy, in the views of financial analysts, or in general market, labor, economic or geopolitical conditions; and other risks referenced from time to time in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to unduly rely upon our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments, changed circumstances, or otherwise. Furthermore, any information about our intentions contained in any of our forward-looking statements reflects our intentions as of the date of such forward-looking statement, and is based upon, among other things, regulatory, technological, industry, competitive, economic and market conditions, and our related assumptions, as of such date. We may change our intentions, strategies or plans without notice at any time and for any reason. SOURCE Lumen Technologies Market expansions connect hundreds of thousands of residents and small businesses DENVER , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Super-fast internet service is now available to thousands more families and businesses as Quantum Fiber, a Lumen Technologies brand (NYSE: LUMN), unleashes gig and multi-gig speed internet in 18 cities. Boise, Idaho I Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples and Orlando, Florida Colorado Springs and Denver, Colorado I Des Moines, Iowa Las Vegas, Nevada I Minneapolis, Minnesota I Omaha, Nebraska Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona I Portland, Oregon I Salt Lake City, Utah Seattle, Spokane, and Vancouver Washington Quantum Fiber - digitally connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Quantum Fiber unleashes gig and multi-gig speed internet in 18 cities. By combining a blazing-fast fiber internet product with a frictionless, 100% digital platform, Quantum Fiber internet is building a world-class brand, meeting customer demands by delivering amazing connectivity with a unique in-home experience including whole home Wi-Fi and simplified installation. "We are a nation of foot-tappers, and no one wants to have to wait on their internet performance. With Quantum Fiber, our customers and small businesses don't have to slow down. We live in a digital society and connecting people is important work. With each new city, thousands more people gain access to our reliable internet. It's an investment with rippling benefits for not only families and businesses, but also our larger work to support digital inclusion," said Maxine Moreau, Lumen president of mass markets. What is Quantum Fiber internet? Quantum Fiber is internet that never sleeps. Ultra-fast broadband connectivity built for the always-online home and small business using the power of Lumen's global fiber network to deliver gigabit and multi-gigabit speed to thousands of homes and businesses across 16 states. Fully digital, subscription-based platform with 24/7 customer care. Whole-home Wi-Fi coverage through mesh extenders, which are included with many plans. Parental controls through a convenient mobile app. Unlimited data, no annual contract commitments, no bundles. Symmetrical upload and download speeds. 99.9% reliability based on network uptime or availability. Quantum Fiber is future-ready, fast, and easy. To learn more and check availability, visit: www.q.com. What's new? We believe Quantum Fiber internet is on track to connect more than 500,000 homes and small businesses this year. We are gaining a head start for an always-digitally connected tomorrow, where our customers have the technology they need to live the connected lives they want. As the build pace ramps-up, more fiber construction is underway for additional connectivity helping to meet the demand for fast and reliable internet and bridge the digital divide. "Our customers love Quantum Fiber. We're excited to expand our fiber footprint with gig and multi-gig internet into these markets. Families and businesses are telling us that Quantum Fiber internet gives them what they need to thrive in our super-connected world and be ready for what lies ahead," said Moreau. Stream. Monitor. Watch. Game. Learn. Quantum Fiber provides the capacity customers need now and in the future for their smart-connected homes and businesses. In any family or business with multiple users and a variety of devices, massive amounts of internet bandwidth is consumed. Quantum Fiber provides seamless connectivity for IOT devices, security, thermostats, appliances, TVs, and monitors with virtually no lag, interruptions, waiting, or buffering. About Quantum Fiber Quantum Fiber, a Lumen Technologies brand (NYSE: LUMN), is an ultra-fast internet service that offers various solutions to residential and small business customers over its fiber-optic network. Backed by a fully digital online platform with 24/7 customer support, Quantum Fiber delivers fast, reliable, subscription-based fiber internet with symmetrical speeds, unlimited data, and no contract commitments. Focusing on a micro-targeted local presence, Quantum Fiber provides next-generation technology to customers in 16 states. More information is available at www.q.com. About Lumen Technologies Lumen connects the world. We are dedicated to furthering human progress through technology by connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Everything we do at Lumen takes advantage of our network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security, and managed service capabilities, we meet our customers' needs today and as they build for tomorrow. For news and insights visit news.lumen.com, LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, Twitter: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies, and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Forward-Looking Statements Except for historical and factual information, the matters set forth in this release and other of our oral or written statements identified by words such as "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "intends," "will," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements as defined by the federal securities law and are subject to the "safe harbor" protections thereunder. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are based on current expectations only, are inherently speculative, and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied by us in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the effects of intense competition from a wide variety of competitive providers; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies; our ability to successfully and timely attain our key operating imperatives; our ability to safeguard our network, and to avoid the adverse impact of cyber-attacks, security breaches, service outages, system failures, or similar events impacting our network or the availability and quality of our services; changes in customer demand for our products and services; our ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of our existing product and service offerings, to introduce profitable new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis, and to transition customers from our legacy products to our newer offerings; our ability to successfully and timely implement our corporate strategies; changes in our operating plans, corporate strategies, or capital allocation plans; the potential negative impact of customer complaints, government investigations, security breaches or service outages impacting us or our industry; our ability to timely obtain necessary hardware, software, equipment, services, governmental permits and other items on favorable terms; and other risks referenced from time to time in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to unduly rely upon our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments, changed circumstances, or otherwise. Furthermore, any information about our intentions contained in any of our forward-looking statements reflects our intentions as of the date of such forward-looking statement, and is based upon, among other things, regulatory, technological, industry, competitive, economic and market conditions, and our related assumptions, as of such date. We may change our intentions, strategies or plans without notice at any time and for any reason. SOURCE Lumen Technologies - Lunit and Sweden's largest private hospital pioneering a new approach to combine radiologists' expertise with AI SEOUL, South Korea, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lunit (KRX:328130.KQ), a leading global provider of AI-powered cancer diagnostic solutions, today announced the signing of a supply and license agreement with Capio S:t Goran Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Under the agreement, Lunit will provide S:t Goran Hospital with Lunit INSIGHT MMG, an AI solution for mammography analysis, for the next three years. AI solution for mammography analysis, Lunit INSIGHT MMG Capio S:t Goran Hospital is Sweden's largest private hospital with over 2,300 medical staff. It is operated by Capio, a part of the Ramsay Sante group. The hospital delivers both planned and emergency medical care services to 100,000 patients from the region of Stockholm. The integration of Lunit's AI solution will enable Capio S:t Goran Hospital to analyze approximately 78,000 patients' mammography images each year, significantly contributing to Sweden's national cancer screening program. Sweden currently struggles with a pronounced shortage of radiologists, posing challenges to efficient mammography analysis. In response, Lunit INSIGHT MMG is poised to play a pivotal role in addressing this shortage and enhancing the efficacy of cancer screening programs. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, the solution assists radiologists in accurately interpreting mammography images, alleviating the burden on limited resources. This collaboration introduces an advancement where, for the very first time, AI takes on the role of interpreting mammograms as an independent reader in a structural and validated setting. By leveraging AI technology in a safe, scalable, and effective manner, this innovative approach not only enhances productivity but also reduces the necessary workforce by half in the double screening setting. The decision to adopt Lunit INSIGHT MMG by S:t Goran Hospital was bolstered by the results of the world's first prospective medical AI study. Led by Dr. Fredrik Strand at Karolinska University Hospital. The study examined data from 55,581 Swedish women provided by S:t Goran Hospital. The study demonstrated that the combined analysis of one radiologist and AI, achieved higher cancer detection rates and lower recall rates compared to the analysis performed by two radiologists. "This innovative step to becoming the world's first breast center using AI as an independent reader, allows radiologists to be less burdened from the excessive amount of reading, enabling them to focus on more advanced diagnostics and ensuring shorter waiting times for patients," said Dr. Karin Dembrower, Senior Physician of Capio S:t Goran Hospital Mammography Clinic, locally responsible for the study. "In the short term, we anticipate detecting more cancers; in the long term, we envision a decrease in interval cancers and the detection of smaller tumors. We are excited to conduct further studies to explore these possibilities." "We are delighted to partner with Capio S:t Goran Hospital and be part of their innovating efforts in transforming cancer screening workflows," said Brandon Suh, CEO of Lunit. "This collaboration represents a significant milestone in leveraging AI technology to address the radiologist shortage in Sweden. Lunit INSIGHT MMG has the potential to revolutionize mammography analysis, make a substantial contribution to the national cancer screening program, and ultimately improve patient outcomes as well." Lunit remains committed to forging partnerships with medical institutions across Europe, offering advanced medical experiences for patients and enhancing operational efficiency for hospitals. ### About Lunit With AI, Lunit aims to 'conquer cancer,' one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Lunit is an AI software company devoted to developing AI solutions for precision diagnostics and therapeutics, to find the right diagnosis at the right cost, and the right treatment for the right patients. Lunit, a portmanteau of 'learning unit,' is a deep learning-based medical AI company devoted to developing advanced medical image analytics and data-driven imaging biomarkers via cutting-edge technology. Founded in 2013, Lunit has been acknowledged around the world for its advanced, state-of-the-art technology and its application in medical images. Its technology has been recognized at international AI competitions surpassing top companies like Google, IBM, and Microsoft. As a medical AI company with a focus on clinical evidence, the company's findings are presented in major peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology and JAMA Network Open, and global conferences including ASCO and AACR. After receiving FDA clearance and the CE Mark, Lunit INSIGHT CXR and MMG are clinically used in approximately 2,000 hospitals and medical institutions across more than 40 countries. Lunit is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea with offices and representatives around the world. SOURCE Lunit Telehealth Utilization Increased Nationally by Nearly Two Percent in March 2023 In the Northeast, Mental Health Conditions Replaced Hypertension in First Place among Asynchronous Telehealth Diagnoses, according to FAIR Health's Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- National telehealth utilization increased 1.8 percent in March 2023, from 5.5 percent of medical claim lines in February to 5.6 percent in March, according to FAIR Health's Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker.1 The increase followed a decline in February 2023. In March, telehealth utilization also increased in two of the four US census regionsthe Midwest (2.4 percent) and the West (2.6 percent). The other regions stayed level, with zero percent change in the Northeast and the South. The data represent the privately insured population, including Medicare Advantage and excluding Medicare Fee-for-Service and Medicaid. Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, March 2023 Top Five Telehealth Diagnoses The top five telehealth diagnoses remained the same in March 2023 as in February 2023 nationally and in the Midwest, Northeast and West. In the South, urinary tract infections entered the rankings in fifth place; hypertension rose from fifth place to third place; and encounter for examination, previously in third place, fell off the list entirely. In March, mental health conditions, the top-ranking diagnosis nationally and in every region, rose from 66.7 percent of telehealth claim lines nationally in February to 67.4 percent in Marchthe third straight month of national increases. The percentage of telehealth claim lines for the second-place diagnosis, acute respiratory diseases and infections, decreased nationally in March, falling from 3.5 percent in February to 3.2 percent in March. This was the third consecutive national monthly decrease for this diagnosis. Asynchronous Telehealth In March 2023, among the top five diagnoses via asynchronous telehealth,2 hypertension continued to rank second nationally and in the West, fourth in the South and first in the Midwest, as it had in February. In the Northeast, hypertension dropped from first place in February to second place in March and was replaced by mental health conditions, which moved up from second place in February to first in March. In March, sleep disorders entered the rankings in the Northeast at number five, replacing urinary tract infections. Sleep disorders increased in percentage of asynchronous telehealth claim lines in the Midwest, climbing from number five to number four in the rankings. Audio-Only Telehealth Usage In March 2023, utilization of audio-only telehealth services decreased in rural and urban areas in the Midwest. It also decreased in the Northeast and nationally but only in rural areas, while it stayed level in urban areas. By contrast, in the West, utilization decreased in urban areas but remained the same in rural areas. In the South, audio-only telehealth utilization increased in urban areas and remained level in rural areas. Similar to February, utilization of audio-only telehealth services was generally higher in March in rural areas than urban areas, except in the South, where audio-only telehealth services accounted for 10.5 percent of telehealth claim lines in urban areas compared to 5.5 percent in rural areas. Telehealth Cost Corner For March 2023, the Telehealth Cost Corner spotlighted the cost of CPT3 98960, education and training for patient self-management, each 30 minutes. Nationally, the median charge amount for this service when rendered via telehealth was $49.66, and the median allowed amount was $22.81.4 About the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker Launched in May 2020 as a free service, the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker uses FAIR Health data to track how telehealth is evolving from month to month. An interactive map of the four US census regions allows the user to view an infographic on telehealth in a specific month in the nation as a whole or in individual regions. Each infographic shows month-to-month changes in volume of telehealth claim lines and audio-only telehealth usage (urban versus rural); the Telehealth Cost Corner, which presents a specific telehealth procedure code with its median charge amount and median allowed amount; and that month's top five telehealth diagnoses and top five diagnoses via asynchronous telehealth. FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd stated: "We welcome sharing these varying windows into telehealth utilization as it continues to evolve. This is one of the many ways we pursue our healthcare transparency mission." For the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, click here. Follow us on Twitter @FAIRHealth About FAIR Health FAIR Health is a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. It is dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation's largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 41 billion claim records and is growing at a rate of over 2 billion claim records a year. FAIR Health licenses its privately billed data and data productsincluding benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics and market indicesto commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D; FAIR Health includes among the private claims data in its database, data on Medicare Advantage enrollees. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health's systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 Type 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers' compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish, which enables consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offers a rich educational platform on health insurance. An English/Spanish mobile app offers the same educational platform in a concise format and links to the cost estimation tools. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. FAIR Health also is named a top resource for patients in Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal's book An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org. Contact: Rachel Kent Senior Director of Communications and Marketing FAIR Health 646-396-0795 [email protected] 1 A claim line is an individual service or procedure listed on an insurance claim. 2 Asynchronous telehealth is telehealth in which data are stored and forwarded (e.g., blood pressure or other cardiac-related readings transmitted electronically; A1c levels transmitted electronically). 3 CPT 2022 American Medical Association (AMA). All rights reserved. 4 A charge amount is the provider's undiscounted fee, which a patient may have to pay when the patient is uninsured, or when the patient chooses to go to a provider who does not belong to the patient's plan's network. An allowed amount is the total fee paid to the provider under an insurance plan. It includes the amount that the health plan pays and the part the patient pays under the plan's in-network cost-sharing provisions (e.g., copay or coinsurance if the patient has met the deductible). SOURCE FAIR Health Cuts come at a time when more nurses are needed not fewer and follow a decision by management to spend $19.9 million on travel nurses in 2022 CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 902 nurses and healthcare professionals who work on the three campuses of Cambridge Health Alliance, and who are unionized with the Massachusetts Nurses Association, are speaking out against the hospital network's recent decision to lay off five nurse educators, thereby increasing pressure on remaining staff to deliver safe care with limited resources. They have scheduled a related press conference for Monday, June 5. When: Monday, June 5 at 4 p.m. Where: Commerce Place; 350 Main St., Malden Who: Elected MNA union leaders from CHA Cambridge Hospital, CHA Everett Hospital, and CHA Somerville Hospital; MNA/CHA nurses; and MNA/CHA healthcare professionals The role of a nurse educator in a hospital setting encompasses creating an instructional environment that is conducive to new nurses' learning, and it also greatly contributes to whether nurses stay longer-term at their hospitals. At CHA, nurse educators play an essential role given the number of new graduate nurses and travel nurses that management has opted to rely on recently. In the MNA's most recent "Survey of the State of Nursing in Massachusetts," 78% of nurses newer to the profession reported that they do not have enough time to provide their patients with the care and attention each one needs. Without nurse educators readily available to support CHA's new graduates, already-dangerous working conditions will be unnecessarily exacerbated and will drive even more new graduates away from the bedside. CHA plans to eliminate two nurse educator positions from Cambridge Hospital and three from CHA Everett. In the new configuration, one nurse educator will cover a "service line" (i.e., med/surg; labor and delivery; OR) across all three campuses . The exact educator positions being lost include: Cambridge Hospital: Med/Surg Cambridge Hospital: Maternity/Labor & Delivery CHA Everett: Psych CHA Everett: PACU CHA Everett: In-Patient Diabetes "Cutting our nurse educators is a bad decision, and it will impact the safe care of our patients," said Suzy Dailey, RN and union co-chair at Cambridge Hospital. "Experienced nurses are not staying at CHA because the hospital chooses not to invest in retention. As a result, CHA continues to over-rely on expensive travel nurses and newer, less-experienced nurses who very much need the support and expertise of nurse educators." "With this decision by management, a new nurse on any given floor at any given time will likely need to wait three times longer to get the support of a nurse educator," added Jennifer Ouimette, RN and union bargaining committee member at Everett Hospital. "These nurses will struggle, and their patients will suffer as a result." "This is one of those decisions that has us asking, 'What could go wrong?'," said Kerry Blomquist, Everett RN and union bargaining committee member. "The answer is 'everything'. And we are going to fight back." The MNA members working at the three CHA campuses are currently in contract talks, and they plan to bring the issue of layoffs to the table. The members' goal is to have negotiations wrapped up by June 30 which is when the current contract expires and with much-needed improvements to staffing, working conditions, and wages in place. "Nurses and healthcare professionals from CHA can literally drive across a bridge and find better staffing and working conditions," said Jen Tynan, RN and union co-chair at Cambridge Hospital. "Many have already done so, and more will join them if management doesn't put in the time and money to make things better." If finances are the root cause behind management's short-sighted decision to lay off the nurse educators as well as refusing to address other critical issues at the negotiating table in a timely manner, such as staffing and wages the MNA members at CHA are bewildered and angry. "Last year CHA spent $19.9 million on travel nurses," added Diane Roberto, RN and Somerville Hospital co-chair. "For that money, CHA could hire enough nurses and healthcare professionals to safely staff the hospital the way our patients deserve to have it staffed, and they could all be paid the competitive wages they need and deserve." The "Survey of the State of Nursing in Massachusetts" showed that 77% of nurses report an increase in the use of travel nurses, with the majority of those reporting (53%) that the quality of care is worse at hospitals that increasingly rely on travel nurses. Negotiations began on March 22 of this year, with five sessions held so far. The next session is scheduled for June 5 and will be followed by the press conference which is scheduled for 4 p.m. MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Instagram.com/Massnurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on healthcare issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association DALLAS, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mohr Partners, Inc., a top-three global occupier-focused corporate real estate services firm, has hired Johnathan Brown, a 22-year construction management veteran, as Managing Director of Project & Development Services. Johnathan Brown In his new role, Brown will lead Mohr Partners' Project & Development Management Services division from the company's Dallas headquarters. He will oversee both ground-up development and tenant improvement projects for occupier clients that utilize industrial, office, retail and healthcare real estate to support their businesses in the U.S. and around the world. "I am pleased to join Mohr Partners to lead the expansion of its fast-growing project & development services division," Brown said. "This is a critical time when corporate and healthcare clients are looking to transform their workplaces in order to attract their employees back to the office." After earning a bachelor's degree in construction management & engineering from Purdue University, Brown spent over two decades working with major general contracting firms. With those companies, he supervised both tenant improvement projects and large-scale base-building capital improvement projects that covered various real estate asset types in multiple geographies. To complement his hands-on construction management experience, Brown earned his Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University, became LEED certified and is also a certified Project Management Professional. "We are excited to have Johnathan join Mohr Partners to drive innovative and creative workplace solutions for our occupier clients who are increasingly looking to outsource their capital improvement projects," Mohr Partners Chairman & CEO Robert Shibuya said. About Mohr Partners, Inc. Mohr Partners, Inc. is a global corporate real estate advisor, providing corporate tenants with an integrated set of portfolio services including strategic planning, business intelligence, lease administration/accounting & FASB ASC 842 compliance, research and site selection, labor analytics, project and construction management, comprehensive demographics analysis, economic incentives negotiations and transaction management. Since 1986, Mohr Partners has been managing real estate portfolios for corporations, and each year completes transactions for its clients in all 50 U.S. states, all provinces of Canada and locations around the world. Mohr Partners seamlessly provides corporate real estate services globally through its strategic alliance partners in Canada, Mexico/Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information on Mohr Partners, please visit www.mohrpartners.com. SOURCE Mohr Partners, Inc. Former Cigna and Humana executive named chief operating officer of fast-growing, value-based specialty provider for patients with kidney and polychronic conditions NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monogram Health, a specialty provider of in-home, evidence-based care and benefit management services for patients living with chronic kidney disease and related metabolic disorders, has hired Casey McKeon as chief operating officer. McKeon brings more than two decades of operations management, government-sponsored health plan and executive leadership experience to the role, in which he will be responsible for bolstering the continued successful deployment of Monogram's innovative in-home care delivery model. Casey McKeon has been named Chief Operating Officer of Monogram Health. "Casey is a demonstrated leader with notable experience driving systemic growth and operational efficiency," said Monogram Health CEO Mike Uchrin. "His extensive background managing complex health plan programs for patients with complex conditions combined with his focus on delivering results that improve quality and affordability for patients and providers alike deeply aligns with our own mission and vision of transforming kidney and polychronic care delivery across America." Prior to joining Monogram, McKeon served as general manager of strategy & operations for Cigna's government business segment. Prior to that, he was president of CareAllies, a Cigna company, and was part of the integration team that shepherded the Cigna-HealthSpring acquisition, eventually being named COO and market manager for the Mid-Atlantic region. McKeon also served as a director of Medicare at Humana. He earned his bachelor's degree in marketing and Spanish language and literature from the University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business. "I have been impressed with Monogram's rapid growth and noble mission since my first exposure to the company," McKeon said. "Their innovative model is truly transforming care delivery and improving quality of life for tens of thousands of Americans navigating multiple chronic diseases. I am proud to become part of the team and look forward to contributing to the company's continued success." About Monogram Health Monogram Health is a leading value-based specialty provider of in-home evidence-based care and benefit management services for patients living with polychronic conditions, including chronic kidney and end-stage renal disease. The company deploys an innovative in-home care delivery model and technology-driven array of evidence-based clinical services, including complex case and disease management, utilization management, and medication therapy management to transform the way health care is delivered for those with polychronic conditions. This innovative model of care has been shown to dramatically improve patient outcomes and quality of life while reducing medical costs across the health care continuum. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, and privately held by Frist Cressey Ventures, TPG Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, as well as other leading strategic and financial investors, Monogram Health has numerous value-based partnerships with leading health plans and risk-bearing providers to care for patients across 35 states and all insurance products. To learn more about Monogram Health, please visit here . For Media Inquiries: Kyle Cooksey SVP, Marketing and Communications Monogram Health [email protected] 615.485.5999 SOURCE Monogram Health A year and a half after it was acquired by a deep-pocketed New York City-based firm with plans to take its urban health care model nationwide, Greater Buffalo United Association is back at work with another venture on Buffalo's West Side. But this time, the nonprofit business that was founded by Dr. Raul Vasquez is focusing not on a medical project, but a residential one. Sign up for the Buffalo Next free newsletter The News' Buffalo Next team covers the changing Buffalo Niagara economy. Get the news in your inbox 5 days a week. GBUA is planning to construct a mixed-use and mixed-income residential structure on a set of properties at 555-563, 565-569 and 571 Niagara St., which it previously acquired from investor Giles Kavanagh and now plans to combine. The overall site includes a small one-story commercial building with an existing parking lot, a vacant one-story house, a couple of grassy lots and a multifamily residence. The project to be built by Kelco Construction of Clarence would be located a block or two from Prospect Park and D'Youville University, where demand for residential space is growing. "Its a little bit more commercial in nature, particularly with the growth of the campus at the top of the hill starting to encroach down Niagara Street," said project architect Michael Anderson of Abstract Architecture. "And with the growing population base there, my client has realized an opportunity to provide an increased number of dwelling units." GBUA is part of G-Health Enterprises, an umbrella health care organization that includes a health care network, an accountable-care organization, an independent medical practice, and Urban Family Practice, which is the original medical group that Vasquez founded in 1996. Combined, the entities focus on providing health care services in the inner city, particularly on the West Side. The nonprofit previously planned in 2021 to demolish the home and extend the parking lot to include 565 and 569, while leaving the apartment house intact at 571 Niagara. The goal had been to provide more access to GBUA's medical clinic across the street at 546 Niagara, as well as to create parking for the nonprofit's administrative offices at 563 Niagara. But that was before G-Health Enterprises, the parent of GBUA, was acquired by CINQ Care, a health care company founded by executives from across the health care industry with a goal of addressing health disparities in minority communities by changing how health care is delivered. Led and partially financed by CEO Tony Welters, the company saw G-Health as proof that its concept can work, and wants to expand the model elsewhere. The revised venture "will be an extension of the previous adjacent developments completed by" GBUA, Anderson said. The plans are still being developed, but he said that GBUA is "intrigued by the idea of this being both market-rate and rent-controlled." "The number of apartments in the city even with the number that have been added in the last couple of years is woefully low, and this is an area of town that would benefit greatly from that," he said. The nonprofit organization sought permission from the Buffalo Preservation Board last month to demolish the blue wood-framed, single-family house with 1,720 square feet of space at 565 Niagara in preparation for the project. "This is the last structure that were requesting demolition for as part of this proposed plan," Anderson said. " Unfortunately, this little guy is kind of in the way of that development." But the panel instead recommended against demolition, urging the city to deny the permit. The board's opinion is advisory only, however, so GBUA can still seek a demolition permit from the city. BEIJING, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 2, "My China Story of the Greater Bay Area" International New Media Products Competition Awards Ceremony, hosted by China International Communications Group (CICG) and organized by Information Office of Zhongshan Municipal People's Government, Cyberspace Administration of Zhongshan, GDToday and Xufang International Media of CICG under the support of the Information Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province and the Zhongshan Municipal People's Government, was held in Zhongshan, Guangdong. Lin Ruixi, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhongshan Municipal Committee and head of the committees Publicity Department, speaks at the award ceremony. (PRNewsfoto/My China Story) Group photo of guests and award winners at the award ceremony. (PRNewsfoto/My China Story) The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has become one of the most and economically dynamic regions in China, and the competition, revolving around the theme of the Greater Bay Area, has collected more than 28,000 works. After three rounds of evaluation by over 20 professional Chinese and foreign judges expert in media, film and television, internet and international communication, more than 80 works were selected as winners, which presented the story about the development of the Greater Bay Area and the charm of its people and culture with various forms including text, images and short videos. Especially the all-media works in the section of "Stories of Zhongshan", rich in content, warmth and creativity, displayed the economic development, cultural appeal and natural scenery of Zhongshan, a famous hometown of overseas Chinese in Guangdong Province on all fronts. Zhongshan boasts rich history, flourishing culture, and notable figures. It is the birthplace of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a great pioneer of the Chinese democratic revolution. Currently, focusing on areas such as business environment, industry, transportation, innovation, public services, social governance, and planning, Zhongshan is promoting integration and interactive development with cities on the eastern shore of the Pearl River like Shenzhen, accelerating the construction of the Guangdong Reform and Innovation Experimental Zone for the Integrated and Interactive Development of the East and West Banks of the Pearl River Estuary, and ushering in a new era of high-quality development. "My China Story" International Short Video Competition, initiated by CICG in 2018, and has been successfully held for five years. The annual competition aims to encourage domestic and international content creators, foreign vloggers, self-media teams and individuals to create multilingual China-themed short videos from their unique perspectives and document foreigners' wonderful experiences in China. Videos that tell creators' stories with China or present cultural exchanges between China and other countries from a third-party perspective are also welcome. After five years of development, "My China Story" has become a well-known international communication event integrating multilingual short video creation, topic-of-the-year competitions, special topic competitions, new media international communication seminars, and theme exhibitions. It aims to build the most authoritative brand of the "China in the Lens of Foreigners" activity, create the most open exchange platform for global creators, and facilitate the widest cooperation among creators and platforms. ContactLi Dixuan Tel008610-68996991 E-mail[email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092718/My_China_Story.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092719/My_China_Story_2.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092717/My_China_Story_Logo.jpg SOURCE My China Story NEAR Foundation signed a strategic partnership with MARBLEX, a blockchain-focused subsidiary of Netmarble Corp. NEAR Protocol aims to mutually grow within the gaming space as the first to integrate with WARP Bridge With heavy emphasis on Korean Hub, NEAR Protocol strives to lead the fast-growing Korean Web3 industry SEOUL, South Korea, June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NEAR Foundation announced a strategic partnership with MARBLEX, a blockchain specialized subsidiary under Netmarble Corp., to further expand Web3 ecosystem. NEAR Foundation and MARBLEX plan to achieve mutual growth by linking with WARP Bridge to enable interactive collaboration, promoting global joint marketing events, and enhancing brand awareness through the signing of this strategic partnership. NEAR Foundation signed a strategic partnership with MARBLEX, a blockchain-focused subsidiary of Netmarble Corp. (PRNewsfoto/NEAR Foundation) NEAR Protocol will be the first to integrate with MARLBEX via WARP Bridge. Both MARBLEX existing and to-be launched games will be onboarded as a result. Users will be able to enjoy a variety of games and contents combined with NEAR Protocol's innate high user convenience. As such, the two companies plan on continuously collaborating to expand the Web3 ecosystem. MARBLEX, which has signed a business agreement with NEAR Protocol, is a blockchain-powered subsidiary of Netmarble Corp, a well-established developer and publisher of mobile games, comprising more than 6,000 experts from across the globe. MARBLEX aims to bring the highest quality blockchain games to market by providing key services such as a cryptocurrency wallet, decentralized exchange, token staking and an NFT marketplace. Junki Moon, Business Division Director of MARBLEX, added: "We, MARBLEX expect the NEAR Protocol's core narrative to play a pivotal role in bolstering the overall MBX 3.0 ecosystem. Through the collaborative integration of the NEAR Foundation's extensive technical expertise with content prowess of the MBX ecosystem, we will maintain our position as pioneers in the ever-evolving landscape of global blockchain trends." Robbie Lim, GM, Partners and International at NEAR Foundation, stated, "This collaboration with MARBLEX will be an important milestone in promoting various use cases based on NEAR's Blockchain Operating System (BOS). We will continuously advance the gaming ecosystem of NEAR Protocol as well as attract numerous users to enter the Web3 scene by onboarding high-quality MBX content." NEAR Korea Hub, which oversees business development in Korea and Asia, played a key role in this strategic partnership. Although NEAR Protocol is a relatively late entrant to the Korean market, the addition of Kakao Games' web3 arm BORA and WEMADE, and now Netmarble's MARBLEX to the NEAR ecosystem, has made it a significant player in the domestic Web3 game market this year. Scott Lee, General Manager, NEAR Korea Hub, commented: "NEAR Protocol provides user experience similar to Web2 using Fast Auth account abstraction feature, greatly lowering the initial entry barrier to Web3. We will continue to seek out partnerships with excellent domestic companies such as Netmarble's subsidiary MARBLEX to implement a user-centered ecosystem where consumers can easily enjoy all services." More information can be found on the NEAR Protocol's official Website , Medium , and Twitter. Press Contacts Luis Shin / Manager NEAR Korea Hub [email protected] NEAR Foundation The NEAR Foundation is a Swiss non-profit that oversees the governance and development of the NEAR protocol, a high-performance blockchain that is designed to be super-fast, incredibly secure, and infinitely scalable. The NEAR team comprises world-class engineers and business development experts who have built a blockchain mainnet that is highly usable, scalable, and environment-friendly. NEAR Protocol has been recognized for its technical capabilities and has attracted investment from leading investors such as a16z, Coinbase Ventures, Multi Coin Capital, and Hashed. It also manages an ecosystem fund of $800 million to enhance the NEAR ecosystem. NEAR Korea Hub NEAR Korea Hub is a multi-function regional hub that manages the overall business in Korea and East Asia. Specifically, NEAR Korea Hub supports project onboarding, fostering developer community, marketing, and more. MARBLEX MARBLEX is a blockchain-powered subsidiary of Netmarble Corp. Netmarble Corp. is a well-established developer and publisher of mobile games, comprised of more than 6,000 game industry veterans and blockchain technology experts from across the globe. MARBLEX aims to bring the highest quality blockchain games to market by providing key services such as a cryptocurrency wallet, decentralized exchange, token staking and an NFT Marketplace. MBX, a proprietary blockchain ecosystem launched by MARBLEX, allows gamers to advance their experiences through organic engagement and rewards for participation. The MBX ecosystem can be enjoyed as part of popular Netmarble titles, such as A3: Still Alive, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds and The King of Fighters Arena. SOURCE NEAR Foundation NERVIANO, Italy, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. (NMS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company member of NMS Group S.p.A. (NMS group), the largest cancer research and development company in Italy, announced signing of a license agreement and right of option with Solve Therapeutics, Inc. (SolveTx) to develop and commercialize novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for up to four cancer targets selected by SolveTx. NMS is focused on discovery and development of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer based on proprietary kinase and ADC linker-payload platforms, with approved targeted drugs licensed to pharma companies and proprietary innovative small molecules undergoing clinical studies. The development program will leverage NMS's proprietary innovative linker-payload platform technology and SolveTx's antibody-based oncology therapeutics technology. NMS's linker-payload platform is carefully designed to generate more stable, efficacious, and safer ADCs to treat heterogenous and chemotherapy-resistant solid tumors. The licensed linker-payload includes optimized features; it can be readily conjugated to targeting antibodies, is highly active in preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, shows bystander activity in heterogeneous tumors, promotes immune system recognition of tumor cells to induce immunogenic cell death, and demonstrates activity in chemotherapy-resistant and poorly proliferating tumors while maintaining a wide therapeutic index. "We are excited to partner with SolveTx to extend our pipeline beyond our world-famous kinase platform and clinical assets to create novel drugs designed to target tumors more precisely and deliver more potent anticancer agents with our nextgeneration linker-payload technology. The SolveTx team has a proven track record of developing transformative anticancer drug candidates and we are pleased that they have selected our linker-payload system for integration into their novel ADCs." said Hugues Dolgos, PharmD, Chief Executive Officer of NMS and NMS Group. David Johnson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SolveTx, added "SolveTx is eager to explore use of NMS's linker-payload as components of our ADCs. We feel that the NMS technology holds promise to overcome the limitations of current linker-payload systems and look forward to rapidly advancing our ADCs to benefit cancer patients in need." Under the terms of the agreement, SolveTx will use NMS's proprietary linker-payload technology to develop novel ADC product candidates for up to four targets selected by SolveTx. SolveTx will be responsible for the generation of targeting antibodies and all nonclinical, clinical, and commercialization activities relating to any resulting product candidates. About Solve Therapeutics, Inc. Solve Therapeutics, Inc. (SolveTx) is an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel antibody-based therapies targeting tumor-specific antigens. The company's formation has reunited members of the former VelosBio Inc. (VelosBio) team, a highly experienced group with a proven ability to rapidly advance innovative therapeutics that address unmet medical needs in the treatment of cancer. At VelosBio, they developed a first-in-class, anti-ROR1 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), zilovertamab vedotin, leading to the company's acquisition by Merck & Co. for $2.8B in 2020. Since its founding in late 2021, SolveTx has been actively pursuing discovery and development efforts at its state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in San Diego, California and Durham, North Carolina. The company has licensed or generated targeting antibodies and nanobodies with ideal characteristics to serve as the backbones for antibody-based therapeutics and has rights to technology supporting development of diagnostic and therapeutic antibody-radionuclide conjugates (ARCs). SolveTx is supported by a syndicate of sophisticated healthcare investors, including AyurMaya Capital Management Fund (an affiliate of Matrix Capital Management), Decheng Capital, General Atlantic, and Surveyor Capital (a Citadel Company). About Nerviano Medical Sciences Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. (NMS) is focused on discovery and clinical development of small molecule NCEs for oncology. We take innovative approaches on novel mechanisms of action and drug targets to bring first- and best-in-class personalized medicines to cancer patients. Our current pipeline consists of NCEs, which originate from our industrially renowned kinase inhibitor drug discovery platform which comprises an ever-evolving chemical collection with broad intellectual property coverage, discovery know-how and technologies. Our kinase platform has enabled us to out-license IP rights on approved innovative medicines such as encorafenib and entrectinib and currently includes preclinical to clinical stage products, which are being developed both in house and with partners, including four proprietary clinical assets in Phase I/II studies. Moreover, the development of our payload linker platform allows an extension of our pipeline with innovative payload linkers for next generation ADC production. NMS combines the flexibility of a biotech with the quality of a big pharma. Here, an experienced management team leads a highly skilled staff of professionals with a global vision and a broad range of expertise in drug discovery and development. We collaborate with academia and clinical investigators as well as industrial partners worldwide to advance our programs from early discovery to clinical development of new drugs. The recently signed collaboration agreement with licensing option with Merck Healthcare KGaA for the next-generation highly selective and brain penetrant PARP1 inhibitor NMS-293. We seek further strategic collaborations to develop and commercialize our products in different territories as well as in-licensing opportunities of promising pre-clinical assets. About NMS Group NMS Group S.p.A. (NMS Group) is the largest R&D company in Italy committed to the discovery and development of novel oncological therapies and through its three subsidiaries is the only institution able to manage the entire integrated R&D chain: from the first steps of the pre-clinical phase to the packaging of the finished product with more than 400 employees of whom more than half are highly educated individuals dedicated to innovative research, development and manufacturing. NMS Group's three subsidiaries are: NMS S.r.l., focused on discovery and clinical development of new drugs for oncology at Nerviano (Italy) and Boston (US) sites, Accelera S.r.l., one of the few Italian CROs capable of providing support through all phases of drug research and development, and NerPharMa S.r.l., a CDMO owing a wide and cutting edge organizational structure able to manage and handle highly active compounds, and to ensure the full development and production of active principles and finished products. Media contact: Sidney Dung [email protected] SOURCE Solve Therapeutics, Inc. COROLLA, N.C., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- " Outer Banks Visionaries: Building North Carolina's Oceanfront " by Clark Twiddy is a captivating new book that tells the story of the dreamers, innovators and risk-takers who transformed the Outer Banks from a remote chain of barrier islands to one of America's most popular vacation destinations. Twiddy, a life-long resident of the Outer Banks and President of Twiddy & Company, draws upon his deep knowledge of the region's history and culture to offer readers a compelling look at the individuals and events that shaped this unique part of the United States. Outer Banks Visionaries: Building North Carolina's Oceanfront | by Clark Twiddy Outer Banks Visionaries: Building North Carolina's Oceanfront Author Clark Twiddy Published by The History Press and available on June 5, 2023, "Outer Banks Visionaries" is Twiddy's second book, following the Amazon best-seller "Memories of the Currituck Outer Banks: As Told by Ernie Bowden." Through a combination of historical research, firsthand accounts, national economic context and stunning visuals, "Outer Banks Visionaries" offers readers a deep understanding of the people and events that made the Outer Banks what it is today. From the initial ideas that fueled the region's growth to the ongoing challenges facing its residents and visitors, Twiddy highlights the national economic environments that fueled much of the growth of the Outer Banks and in turn the risk-takers who had the courage to chase a vision. "Outer Banks Visionaries" is a must-read for anyone interested in the history, culture and spirit of the Outer Banks or for anyone interested in building a destination. Twiddy's engaging writing style and rich storytelling make this book a true page-turner, and his deep connection to the region brings a level of authenticity and insight that is rare in works of this kind. "I am thrilled to share 'Outer Banks Visionaries' with readers around the world. This book is a celebration of the spirit of the Outer Banks and the incredible people who have made it what it is today. I hope that readers will be inspired by these stories, and will come away with a deeper appreciation for the power of vision, determination, and community," said Twiddy. "If you believe, as I do, that to understand the present we begin by understanding the past, I think you'll especially enjoy the context of national economics around the entrepreneurs who built what has become America's Seashore." Clark Twiddy is available for media interviews to discuss "Outer Banks Visionaries" and the journey of the Outer Banks from isolation to popularity. To schedule an interview or request a review copy of the book, please contact Miles Daniels at Twiddy & Company by email at [email protected] or by phone at 917-913-1617. About Clark Twiddy: Clark is the President of Twiddy & Company, an asset management and hospitality company celebrating 45 years in business along North Carolina's famous Outer Banks. Clark has served in a wide range of public, private, government, and non-profit roles over his career in seats ranging from volunteer to Chair. He is a father of two daughters, an amateur musician, and a combat veteran of the US Navy. Media Contact: Miles C. Daniels Twiddy & Company [email protected] 917-913-1617 SOURCE Twiddy & Company Certification launched to demonstrate the responsible manufacturing of antibiotics and address environmental waste concerns LONDON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BSI, the business improvement and standards company, today, on World Environment Day, launched a new global Minimized Risk of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) certification designed to promote and attest to the responsible manufacturing of antibiotics in the global supply chain, helping to minimize the risk of aquatic toxicity in the environment and the spread of AMR. Certification to the Antibiotic Manufacturing Standard will be a clear sign that manufacturers in the global antibiotic supply chain are taking necessary steps to ensure antibiotics are made responsibly, helping to minimize the risk of releasing antibiotic waste emissions into the environment. This follows the publication of the globally applicable industry standard in June 2022. The standard was facilitated by BSI for the AMR Industry Alliance, an organization made up of over 100 companies and associations from across the life-sciences industry with the shared goal of providing sustainable solutions to curb AMR. The new certification, developed by BSI to support the Standard, will offer independent third-party verification that waste streams containing antibiotic active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and drug products are appropriately controlled during manufacturing by pharmaceutical companies. This certification program will involve initial evaluation against the requirements of the standard and annual surveillance to verify ongoing maintenance of the appropriate controls over time. After the initial launch, all antibiotic manufacturers globally will be eligible to seek certification by BSI. Companies including Centrient, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, Teva, Viatris and Haupt Pharma Latina, Member of the Aenova Group, and others, are already seeking to have independent evidence of their compliance to the Antibiotic Manufacturing Standard for a selection of their antibiotics as first market achievers that participated in a pilot program. In addition to the partnership between BSI and the AMR Industry Alliance, companies involved in the pilot have offered their support in reviewing the development of the technical assessment process and expressed interest in participating in the certification themselves, as well as strongly encouraging their supply chain partners to do so. The BSI certification has been designed to encourage antibiotic manufacturers and those in the supply chain to prioritize the sustainable production of medicines, with many pharmaceutical organizations aligning their waste control programs under their broader sustainability program objectives. Additionally, antibiotic waste controls are becoming important criteria in commercial tenders of healthcare systems. Modern antibiotics, effectively discovered by Alexander Fleming in the 1920s, remain vital in treating bacterial infections and preventing them during key surgical procedures, amongst other purposes. However, AMR threatens their effectiveness resulting in a serious threat to global population health. According to the UN, "AMR could push 28.3 million people into extreme poverty by 2050 due to high treatment costs and chronic infections."1 Discharge of antibiotics from manufacturing processes into the surrounding environment is one of several factors that may contribute to the development and transmission of AMR in nature, including in humans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR is one of the top 10 global public health threats, with scientists estimating there were an estimated total 4.95 million deaths associated with bacterial AMR in 2019, including 1.27 million deaths attributable to bacterial AMR in the same year.2 The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) recently published an in-depth report, concluding that "the environment plays a key role in the development, transmission and spread of AMR." Courtney Soulsby, BSI Global Director, Healthcare Sustainability, said: "BSI is proud to have partnered with the AMR Industry Alliance on developing this ground-breaking standard and now a certification that will promote responsible pharmaceutical manufacturing and help protect the natural environment and slow resistance. Stricter control of waste streams in manufacturing processes, which seeks to limit antibiotic discharge into the environment, has the potential to keep medicine effective, boost patient safety, and support a cleaner ecosystem." "In taking a critical step forward to address the growing threat from AMR and reduce discharge from the manufacturing process into the environment, we can work collaboratively to accelerate progress to a more sustainable world." Joe Muratore, BSI Product Certification Director, added: "Just as we're told by our doctors not to take antibiotics for non-bacterial infections because it will make the future use of the drugs less effective, or even ineffective, the same is true of controlling waste discharge of antibiotics from the manufacturing in the environment. Doing so will help retain the long-term effectiveness of antibiotics to treat infections." "Ensuring antibiotic manufacturing meets best available scientific standards is an important tool in tackling the rise of antimicrobial resistance. The launch of today's certification program in partnership with BSI, is a further demonstration of the pharmaceutical industry's commitment to providing a greater level of trust and verification to the antibiotic supply chain," stated James Anderson, Chairman of the AMR Industry Alliance. "This builds on the work that the AMR Industry Alliance has led over the past five years and we would encourage all antibiotic manufacturers to seek certification as part of the global effort to reduce the risk of AMR developing." "Pfizer was delighted to participate in the pilot program for this new certification program to help ensure appropriate control of antimicrobial manufacturing waste, and looks forward to its adoption across the pharmaceutical industry," said Dermot Dolan, Internal Audit & Supplier Operations EHS Lead at Pfizer. "Responsible manufacturing of antimicrobials is a key pillar of efforts to help curb the global health threat of AMR, and we are committed to continuing our leadership in this area." For more information on the AMR standard and certification program, visit: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and how standardization is driving change | BSI (bsigroup.com). Notes to Editors: For all media inquiries, including interview requests, please contact Chad Quinn, Americas PR Manager, BSI at: [email protected] or call (571) 758-8638, or Lisa Bellucci, Secretariat, AMR Industry Alliance: [email protected] or call (917) 545-5004. About BSI BSI is the business improvement and standards company that enables organizations to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence, 'inspiring trust for a more resilient world'. For over a century, BSI has driven best practice in organizations around the world. Working with over 77,500 clients across 195 countries, it is a truly global business with skills and experience across all sectors, including automotive, aerospace, built environment, food and retail and healthcare. Through its expertise in Standards and Knowledge, Assurance Services, Regulatory Services and Consulting Services, BSI helps clients to improve their performance, grow sustainably, manage risk, and ultimately become more resilient. About AMR Alliance The AMR Industry Alliance is one of the largest private sector coalitions created to provide sustainable solutions to curb antimicrobial resistance, with over 100 biotech, diagnostics, generics and research-based pharmaceutical companies and associations joining forces. Alliance members represent the major sub-sectors across the life-sciences industry and have come together toward a common goal to fight AMR. The Alliance is focused on facilitating action in four key areas: access, appropriate use, research & science, and manufacturing. The AMR Industry Alliance has been a leader in developing and leading implementation of guidance for manufacturers to control emissions of active pharmaceutical ingredients for antibiotics in production wastewater and scale responsible manufacturing practices. Among others, this work has been recognized by the G7 Health Ministers, who also committed to working with the Alliance and other stakeholders to agree to and mainstream standards. 1 Antimicrobial Resistance Threatens Development, SDGs: Tripartite Report | News | SDG Knowledge Hub | IISD 2 Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis - The Lancet SOURCE BSI Group America Inc. Embracing the Power of .LGBT: Empowering LGBTQ+ Businesses in the Digital Age BELLEVUE, Wash., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Identity Digital , a leader in connecting the online world with domain names and related technologies, helps pave the way for LGBTQ+ businesses to succeed with new web addresses. As the LGBTQ+ community celebrates Pride Month, it is an opportune time to showcase how these web addresses can enhance branding, visibility, and connectivity in the digital landscape. Young Man with LGBT flag New web addresses have become invaluable assets for LGBTQ+ businesses, offering them short and memorable domain names that enhance digital branding and visibility. Innovative domain names like .lgbt provide a dedicated space for the LGBTQ+ community, allowing businesses to express their authentic identities and gain a competitive edge in the digital landscape. These domains offer the opportunity to go beyond traditional alternatives, driving website traffic and enhancing search engine optimization (SEO) strategies by effectively using "both sides of the dot" to showcase their expertise. "We are witnessing a digital revolution in the LGBTQ+ business community, where new approaches to online presence drive innovation, connectivity, and success," says Rachel Sterling, CMO at Identity Digital. "These strategies empower LGBTQ+ companies to establish a robust digital footprint and meaningfully engage with their target audiences, fostering growth and prosperity." LGBTQ+ Success Stories We Connect, an influential community and media brand, leverages both sides of the dot with its weconnect.lgbt domain to enhance its position as the go-to source for LGBTQ+ connections. The name contributes to its online presence and supports its commitment to inclusivity, catering to individuals, communities, and businesses seeking meaningful LGBTQ+ connections. Bliss, a pioneering mobile banking application, has embraced the domain bliss.lgbt as part of its commitment to catering to transgender individuals. By incorporating this authentic and relevant domain name, the company can help ensure its online presence resonates with its target audience, demonstrating a safe and welcoming environment free from discrimination, harassment, or adversity. Pink Triangle Press (PTP), a renowned LGBTQ2S+ media group, has created an inclusive online platform leveraging pinktrianglepress.lgbt that supports the empowerment of LGBTQ2S+ individuals. Through pinktrianglepress.lgbt, PTP remains dedicated to championing freedom, equality, and progress for LGBTQ2S+ individuals and communities. In 2009, Natasha and Freya launched cool.haus , a dessert brand that filled a void in the representation of LGBTQ+ women, millennials, and dessert enthusiasts. Cool.haus was the ideal domain name to convey the brand's vision. Their story highlights the power of selecting the right domain name to amplify a brand's message and connect with target audiences. "We celebrate the vision and determination of LGBTQ+ businesses in establishing a strong digital footprint and an authentic digital identity," adds Sterling. "At Identity Digital, we offer comprehensive services, providing the community with the tools they need to thrive in the digital age." About Identity Digital Identity Digital Inc. simplifies and connects the online world with domain names and related technologies to empower people to build, market, and own their authentic digital identities. With the world's largest portfolio of nearly 300 TLDs such as .photography, .studio, .live, .technology, and .restaurant, Identity Digital supports around 25 million domains on its innovative registry services platform. In addition, Identity Digital enables customers to discover, register, support and use high-quality domain names with its registrar, Name.com. Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, Identity Digital is a global company with approximately 250 employees. For more information, please visit identity.digital. Contact Sacha Arts Bella Vista Communications (408) 458.6316 [email protected] SOURCE Identity Digital, Inc. LONDON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nium, the leader in real-time global payments, today announced the appointment of Manuel Sandhofer as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Europe, following unprecedented growth in the region. A seasoned fintech industry veteran from Payoneer, Manuel brings to Nium over 15 years' experience in building teams, leading M&A integrations, and scaling global organisations from seed to IPO. Nium reaches new heights in Europe with GM hire, regional expansion, and revenue growth The appointment will enable Nium to further accelerate its growth in Europe, a region critical to its global success. The fintech unicorn more than doubled European revenue last year with the region contributing to over 40% of the company's global revenue. Nium serves financial institutions, travel companies, and digital platforms in the region and is experiencing rapid growth. It currently manages over USD 12bn in annualised transaction volume and is expecting to double European revenue again in 2023. Prior to joining Payoneer in 2021, Sandhofer spent nearly a decade at UniCredit before co-founding Optile, a Munich-based tech company streamlining payment acceptance processes for merchants worldwide. His strategic vision, leadership, and execution culminated in its successful acquisition by Payoneer, after which Sandhofer joined the firm in an SVP Sales and Partners role and saw its transition from a private to public company. "Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment in Europe, Nium is continuing to hire, sign new customers, expand its product suite, and enter new markets and I can think of nobody better to spearhead this growth than Manuel," said Prajit Nanu, Nium CEO and Founder. "As we hire regional GMs across the globe, my goal is to find trusted talent that can act as an extension of myself. Manuel is just that; his experience as a founder brings a proven track record of scaling companies at speed, building and nurturing talented teams, and meeting the payments needs of global enterprise customers." Nium plans to expand into Amsterdam later this year, with the goal to open an office and hire over 50 new employees. Last week, the company announced enhancements to its payroll solution which enables global payment platforms and businesses to seamlessly onboard, transact, and manage payroll for employees and contractors worldwide. "Over the last few years, I've watched Nium evolve from a disruptive market entrant into the real-time global payment platform of choice for businesses across Europe. Payments are no longer just the cost of doing business; they are a way to improve performance, create new products and services, and generate revenue. But we've only reached the tip of the iceberg when thinking about the opportunity for businesses in Europe, especially when applied to payroll, spend management, marketplace, and travel use cases. It's exciting to be at the forefront of the real-time payments revolution and unlocking its potential for our customers in Europe and beyond," added Sandhofer. About Nium Nium, the leader in real-time global payments, was founded on the mission to build the real-time global payments infrastructure of tomorrow, today. With the onset of the on-demand economy, its single platform for global payments and card issuing is shaping how banks, fintechs, and businesses everywhere disburse and collect funds instantly across borders. Its payout network supports 100 currencies and spans 190+ countries, 100 of which are in real-time. Funds can be disbursed to accounts, wallets, and cards and collected locally in 35 markets. Nium's growing card issuance business is already available in 35 countries. Nium holds regulatory licenses and authorisations in more than 40 countries, enabling seamless onboarding, rapid integration, and compliance independent of geography. The company is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, with regional offices in London, Malta, Lithuania, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai. CONTACT: Ellie Smith, [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092108/Manuel_Sandhofer_Nium.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1678669/Nium_Logo.jpg SOURCE Nium Pat Murray to serve as Executive Director; Board of Directors welcomes Sherri Kroonenberg FORT COLLINS, Colo., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- No Barriers is pleased to welcome Pat Murray as Executive Director, as Interim Executive Director Sherri Kroonenberg joins the No Barriers Board of Directors, effective June 5. The onboarding of Murray will support No Barriers' vision and continued growth in providing transformative experiences that shift mindsets to sidelined communities. Pat Murray to serve as No Barriers Executive Director; Board of Directors welcomes Sherri Kroonenberg Tweet this Murray steps into Executive Director role on June 5th and will fully integrate into the community as he and his family plan their move to Northern Colorado. Kroonenberg joined No Barriers in 2022. During her time in leadership, she led the organization through growth-driving transformation and brand building efforts. "We are extremely appreciative to Sherri for her authentic, strategic leadership and invaluable dedication to No Barriers," said Steve Clouthier, Chair of the No Barriers Board of Directors. "As we celebrate our 20th year of impact, we are delighted to welcome her back to the Board as we continue our important mission of expanding our community for more decades to come." Murray comes to No Barriers with a wealth of contributions and proven excellence within the nonprofit industry, after having served in a prominent role leading organizational efforts and operational success at YMCA of Greater Seattle. Prior to that, Murray spent more than a decade as an effective, equity-oriented leader at Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, Wash. "Pat's passion for fundraising and working with underserved communities makes him uniquely qualified to serve No Barriers in this role," said Erik Weihenmayer, Co-founder of No Barriers. "He's an exceptional people leader, and will be an incredible asset to our No Barriers movement." Murray is a graduate of University of North Carolina at Asheville, and currently serves his community through volunteer and philanthropic work, and other board service. In addition, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, who looks forward to moving to Colorado full time in August. "I am beyond excited to be joining this collective team of leaders and honored by the opportunity to progress the mission of No Barriers," said Murray. "I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the No Barriers community for your trust to bring about positive change through my leadership." About No Barriers: No Barriers is a non-profit organization based in Colorado dedicated to helping people of all abilities find hope, optimism and resiliency for the future. Whether in our personal lives, at work, or in our communities, we all face challenges that can prevent us from living our best lives and reaching our full potential. No Barriers believes that "What's Within You Is Stronger Than What's In Your Way." No Barriers empowers people of all walks of life to overcome obstacles, live a life of purpose, and give back to the world, all through their groundbreaking curriculum, the No Barriers Life. Learn more about the inclusive roadmap to break through challenges, build community and find strength through adversity at nobarriersusa.org. SOURCE No Barriers USA SAN FRANCISCO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On Lok is partnering with San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP) to provide Enhanced Care Management (ECM) to SFHP members starting May 1. A new Medi-Cal benefit offered through CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal), ECM provides intensive coordination of health and health-related services to high-risk enrollees. CalAIM is a multi-year, statewide effort to transform the Medi-Cal program through improved integration of social services and increased support for vulnerable populations with complex needs. Through the partnership, On Lok will help the state achieve its goals of reaching at-risk Medi-Cal members, by leveraging its five decades of experience providing integrated, high-touch services for better aging. As the founders of PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), On Lok has over 50 years of community-based experience helping seniors remain in their homes for as long as possible through a whole-person care model that provides both comprehensive medical care and social services support. "Forging connections between social determinants of health and clinically based health care is in our DNA," said Grace Li, Chief Executive Officer, On Lok. "We applaud Medi-Cal's efforts to deliver this holistic support to its high-risk members and proudly support the state's efforts to promote the kind of integrated healthcare and support services we know helps vulnerable populations age safely from home. Under the leadership of Nicole Torres, Chief Operations Officer, we look forward to partnering with SFHP to improve the quality of care for its at-risk members and help them live in their communities with dignity and independence." SFHP is a public, not-for-profit health plan that provides health insurance to over 190,000 San Francisco residents through Medi-Cal. "We are proud to partner with On Lok as we work toward fulfilling our mission of making healthcare affordable and accessible to our city's most vulnerable, such as our seniors," said Yolanda Richardson, Chief Executive Officer, SFHP. "I am confident that this partnership will lead to improved access and ultimately, improved health outcomes as we work together to reduce health disparities for San Francisco's diverse communities. Our seniors deserve access to quality care so they can stay healthy in all areas of life." Through ECM, On Lok will provide services to one of the unique Populations of Focus designated by the stateadults eligible for long-term care and at risk of being moved out of the home into institutionalized settings. Members receiving ECM from On Lok will work with a dedicated Care Manager who will help coordinate their health care services and connect them to community and social services. About On Lok On Lok is a nonprofit organization that empowers older adults to age with dignity and independence. Founded in 1971, On Lok is a trusted resource in San Francisco, Santa Clara County, and the Tri-City area of Alameda County. On Lok founded and still operates the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which allows eligible seniors to live at home for as long as possible by providing comprehensive medical care and social services. On Lok 30th Street Senior Center, the largest multipurpose senior center in San Francisco, provides a second home, health programs, activities, and case management services to active seniors. The On Lok Mission Nutrition Program provides more than 250,000 meals annually to seniors through its dining locations and meal delivery program. For more information, please visit www.onlok.org. About San Francisco Health Plan Established in 1994 by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP) is an award-winning, not-for-profit, managed care health plan committed to improving the health outcomes of San Francisco's diverse communities through successful partnerships. SFHP members have access to a full spectrum of medical services including preventative care, specialty care, hospitalization, prescription drugs, and family planning services through the Medi-Cal and Health Workers HMO programs. To learn more, visit www.sfhp.org. SOURCE On Lok TAMPA, Fla., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Miguel Paludo, driver of the BRANDT Porsche and seven-time Porsche Brazil champion, will run a special 70th Anniversary BRANDT Porsche before the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans race in Le Mans, France. Paludo's GT3 will carry the colors of long-term sponsor, BRANDT. The pilot Miguel Paludo, next to his vehicle BRANDT, a leading retailer of professional agronomic services and manufacturer of specialty agriculture input products, has sponsored Paludo for years in series as varied as the NASCAR Truck Series, Porsche Carrera Cup and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Paludo returns to Le Mans after six years when he was competing as Carrera Cup Brazil champion. "The Porsche Carrera Cup cars only race at Le Mans in the race-day support race every three years," said Paludo. "After we got a taste of the race in 2017, I have been looking for an opportunity to come back and show the world what this BRANDT team can do. My goal, as always, is to put the BRANDT colors in victory lane." More than 70 cars will compete in the Carrera Cup race. The 45 minute race will be run at 10:45 AM local time, immediately preceding the start of the 100th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on June 10th, considered the most prestigious global motorsports event of 2023. "With this being our 70th year in business and the 100th year of racing at Le Mans, this seemed like a natural fit and a great way for us to build our BRANDT Europe business," said Rick Brandt, President and CEO of BRANDT. "I can't think of a better way to literally demonstrate that BRANDT is about performance, competition and results than to have our global brand on the track at Le Mans." The Carrera Cup support race will be livestreamed on L'Equipe TV. About BRANDT A leading agricultural company, BRANDT serves growers around the globe with innovative Ag inputs. Founded in 1953 by Glen Brandt and his sister Evelyn Brandt Thomas to help Illinois farmers adopt new and profitable technologies, the company has experienced aggressive growth under the leadership of President and CEO Rick Brandt. For more information, visit BRANDT on the web at www.brandt.co Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092742/BRANDT_Miguel_Paludo.jpg SOURCE BRANDT Late last week, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued two air quality alerts for our region due to high ground levels of ozone being generated by heating in a stagnant air mass. On Monday, the DEC issued another Air Quality Alert for a different reason. Smoke particulate matter is being transported from Canadian wildfires, and some of it is reaching ground level, presenting a potential hazard, in particular for those with chronic lung disease. Still, it should be noted the vast majority of the smoke will stay aloft, and concentrations near the ground will not be comparable with smoke levels near the fires in Canada. The milky haze aloft filtering some of our sunshine is readily visible in GOES satellite imagery, much of it originating from wildfires that flared up in Quebec in recent days. Steering winds have been delivering smoke aloft into our region and parts of the Great Lakes. Nationally, there have been more numerous episodes of smoke being transported from fires in western Canada all the way into the northeastern U.S. on upper level winds. Some of those western fires have simmered down recently. Not all of the cloud cover in this imagery is related to fire, and most bright clouds are simply ... clouds, differentiated from the milky smoke. Why have there been so many fires this spring, and is there a tie-in to our warming climate? There has been record heat across parts of the high latitudes in Canada, particularly during May. The more rapid warming in the Arctic and northern latitudes has been underway for decades, as accurately predicted in climate models. University of Alaska climate researcher Brian Brettschneider tweeted on this topic recently. It appears that record heat and dry conditions can be more than sufficient to trigger these widespread fires, even when Canadian drought conditions had been only modest in eastern provinces at the start of May (Canada does not update its Drought Monitor as often as the U.S. does). More serious drought conditions have developed in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, where the most numerous fires had burned. Ask Don Paul: Is El Nino adding fuel to the global warming flame? There is broad scientific consensus that the world has only a few years in which to act to lessen the severity of climate change impacts yet to come, writes Don Paul. It is known that a warming climate strengthens the hot high pressure ridges, especially in northern latitudes, as pointed out by Dr. Brettschneider and other researchers. This heating-wildfire connection is not new to this year. Just 2 years ago, a town in B.C. was destroyed by wildfire sparked on the day the temperature reached 121 degrees, the hottest temperature on record in Canada. In 2016, wildfire destroyed 2400 buildings in Ft. McMurray, Alberta. The smoke concentrations for those in closer proximity to these fires are major health hazards, and can be deadly for those with lung disease. Last month, these hazards impacted many in western Canada and parts of the Pacific Northwest. Hot high pressure ridges have become more prevalent in this region, which many of us visualize as cooled by the Pacific. A record heat wave already affected Portland, Seattle and Vancouver in May. Such a hot ridge will be rebuilding over western Canada later this week. What Ive written should not be taken to mean all of these extreme events are strictly caused by the warming climate. There is still natural weather variability in play, and it is most likely that we are seeing a blend of extreme weather events being multiplied and exacerbated by the human activity-caused warming climate. In a 2021 study, researchers calculated that such extreme heat as has occurred in the Pacific Northwest, western Canada and parts of Europe would be 150 times less likely to occur without the added greenhouse gases humanity has added to the global atmosphere. Since that study, other statistical studies have shown similar calculations. The late June 2021 Northwest heat wave, which also triggered many fires, killed more than 250 in the U.S. and more than 400 in western Canada, detailed in this article. $2.85 million committed to humanitarian agency since 2011 EDMONTON, AB, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - PCL Construction is pleased to announce a combined $600,000 donation to the Canadian Red Cross and American Red Cross disaster management programs. This commitment continues our long-time partnership with Red Cross and will see $100,000 donated to each agency this year and in 2024 and 2025. PCL Construction Renews Partnership with Red Cross (CNW Group/PCL Construction) As part of its worldwide efforts, the Red Cross assists victims of weather emergencies and other catastrophic disasters across North America and supports humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. At PCL, we're committed to building a better future together, and this renewed commitment will help Red Cross immediately deploy resources where they're needed most. "Recent news of wildfires and other extreme weather events in Canada and the United States reminds us that a disaster can suddenly leave people without basic necessities," said Dave Filipchuk, president and CEO, PCL Construction. "PCL is committed to leaving positive legacies in the communities where we live and work, and contributing to Red Cross is just one way we do that." PCL's donations provide financial support for Red Cross disaster management programs in both Canada and the United States. These programs prepare communities for crisis situations through investment in disaster-response operations, training and infrastructure. PCL has also contributed to specific disaster relief efforts, including Red Cross responses to wildfires in Fort McMurray, earthquakes in Haiti and Hurricane Katrina. Learn more about the impacts of donating to the Red Cross here. This commitment will bring PCL's total contributions to the Canadian and American Red Cross societies to $2.85 million since 2011. About PCL Construction PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and in Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers. Together, these companies have an annual construction volume of more than $8 billion, making PCL the largest contracting organization in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Watch us build at PCL.com. SOURCE PCL Construction Annual feature highlights the most talented young professors currently teaching in MBA programs around the world. OAKLAND, Calif., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Poets&Quants, the leading resource for business education, today unveiled the 11th edition of 40-Under-40 Best MBA Professors for 2023 This annual feature identifies and celebrates the most talented young professors currently teaching in MBA programs around the world. Professors on this year's list come from 36 different business schools the most of any year prior including 11 schools outside of the United States. Also honored are 16 exceptional women. Four schools have two professors each on the 2023 list: UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business, Emory University Goizueta Business School, London Business School, and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Some outstanding highlights from this year's honor include: Nilam Kaushik of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore - The first female professor in strategy at her school, and also the first professor from an Indian business school to make our 40-Under-40 honor roll. Anna Stansbury, Assistant Professor in Work and Organization Studies at MIT Sloan School of Management - The youngest professor on the 2023 list. She studies how to make labor markets work better. If she had her way, business schools would require students to spend more time talking to and learning from frontline and low-wage workers. Lindsey D. Cameron of The Wharton School - Started teaching before any of her peers. Cameron went to college at age 15, and she taught her first college class at 16, guest lecturing to a graduate class on thermodynamics. If she weren't a business school professor, Cameron tells P&Q she would be a writer or an acrobat. Poets&Quants received more than 1,500 nominations from students, colleagues, administrators, and professors themselves. P&Q's editorial staff evaluated each nominee on teaching (given a 70% weight) and research (given the remaining 30% weight). Poets&Quants is particularly proud of this year's crop of 40-Under-40 MBA professors. No matter what they study, the courses they teach, or where they work, all are among the most promising young professors tasked with transferring their knowledge and experience to promising young professionals embarking on their careers. Over the last decade, Poets&Quants has honored 440 up-and-coming star MBA professors as part of our popular 40-Under-40 honor roll. You can see winners from our past 10 editions by clicking the years below. To learn more about the 40-Under-40 Best MBA Professors for 2023, visit Poets&Quants here. About Poets&Quants: Poets&Quants is the leading resource for complete coverage of graduate business education. We feature multiple tools and authoritative content, including consolidated B-school rankings, news and in-depth features, videos, podcasts, two searchable directories, and events, empowering our community with information needed to make decisions along their journey from pre- to post-MBA. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Poets&Quants NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against First Horizon Corporation ("FHN") (NYSE: FHN), The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries, including wholly owned subsidiary TD Bank US Holding Company (collectively, "TD Bank" and, together with FHN, the "Companies"), and certain officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, and docketed under 23-cv-03024, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired FHN securities between February 28, 2022 and May 3, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), to recover damages from the Defendants for their violations of the federal securities laws under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, as detailed below. If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired FHN securities during the Class Period, you have until July 21, 2023 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] FHN is a bank holding company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee that, as of December 31, 2022, had consolidated assets of $79 billion. FHN provides consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, mortgage lending and other financial services primarily through its principal subsidiary, First Horizon Bank. As of December 31, 2022, FHN operated 414 banking centers in twelve states. TD Bank is a Canadian financial institution with U.S. headquarters in New Jersey. As of October 31, 2022, TD Bank had $1.9 trillion in assets. Since 2004, TD Bank has expanded its retail banking presence in the U.S. through acquisitions of regional banks. On February 28, 2022, FHN and TD Bank jointly announced that TD Bank had agreed to acquire FHN for $25.00 per share in cash ("Transaction"), which represented a 37% premium to FHN's share price from its close on the prior trading day. With respect to the timeline for closing the Transaction, a joint press release ("Feb 2022 Press Release") issued by TD Bank and FHN on February 28, 2022, announcing the deal explained that the "transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of TD's 2023 fiscal year, and is subject to customary closing conditions, including approvals from First Horizon's shareholders and U.S. and Canadian regulatory authorities." The Feb 2022 Press Release further advised that (i) if "the transaction does not close prior to November 27, 2022 [i.e., within 9 months], First Horizon shareholders will receive, at closing, an additional US$0.65 per share on an annualized basis for the period from November 27, 2022 through the day immediately prior to the closing," and (ii) "[t]he transaction will terminate, unless otherwise extended, if it does not close by February 27, 2023." On a conference call to discuss the Transaction held on February 28, 2022, an analyst observed that "there's a lot of sensitivity around regulatory approval process for M&A in the U.S.," and then asked TD Bank's senior management about their "comfort level on getting deal closing done" within the timeline announced. The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and omissions concerning the risks to regulatory approval of the Transaction posed by TD Bank's materially deficient anti-money laundering ("AML") policies and procedures, which caused Plaintiff and other Class members to suffer significant losses when these undisclosed regulatory risks materialized and caused the market value of FHN's securities to decline precipitously. On August 25, 2022, on TD Bank's Q3 2022 earnings call, TD Bank's Group President and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), Defendant Bharat B. Masrani ("Masrani"), reiterated that he expected the Transaction "to close in the first fiscal quarter of 2023." When asked about any risks that may delay the Transaction from closing, Defendant Masrani responded, "[o]ur deal continues to progress in the normal course, there is nothing out there to suggest that, that is different this time around." Defendant Masrani was not the only TD Bank executive to reassure analysts concerning the timeline for closing the Transaction. On September 14, 2022, at the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference, when asked for an update on the timeline for the Transaction, Defendant Leo Salom ("Salom"), Group Head, U.S. Retail, TD Bank Group and President and CEO, TD Bank, advised that "[w]e do expect to close the transaction at the end of the fiscal first quarter. And we're tracking well against that." Defendant Salom then added: "[O]n August 18th we had the public hearing, the OCC, the Fed hosted. That is the normal part of the application process. But to your point, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of questions about how confident are we? We're extremely confident. We believe this transaction does not represent any financial stability or competitive consolidation risk. We've already announced that we will protect all the front-line staff, we will be retaining all the retail and commercial bankers. Likewise, we won't be closing any stores. So, if you look at the strength of the application, we're quite excited about getting this done in short order. Based on the repeated reassurances provided by Defendants Masrani and Salom that there were no regulatory risks that could delay the closing of the Transaction, FHN shareholders had no reason to believe that TD Bank was concealing any regulatory risks that could derail the Transaction. Unbeknownst to FHN shareholders, however, (i) TD Bank had materially deficient policies and procedures for detecting and reporting suspected money laundering, (ii) regulators at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") and the Federal Reserve were refusing to approve the Transaction because of TD Bank's materially deficient AML policies and procedures, and (iii) TD Bank's materially deficient AML policies and procedures thus constituted a concealed regulatory risk to the closing of the Transaction. TD Bank's public statements concerning its risk management practices in general, and AML compliance in particular, gave no indication that TD Bank's AML policies and procedures were materially deficient. To the contrary, an investor presentation made available by TD Bank to FHN shareholders on Schedule 14A on February 28, 2022, advised that TD Bank has "a disciplined risk culture." That "disciplined risk culture" was documented in part in TD Bank's Code of Conduct and Ethics for Employees and Directors ("TD Bank Code"), which was filed on Form 6-K with the SEC on February 7, 2022. With respect to AML compliance, the TD Bank Code stated: TD is committed to taking all reasonable and appropriate steps to detect and deter persons engaged in money laundering from utilizing TD products or services to do so. Making the proceeds of criminal activity appear as if they came from legitimate sources is a criminal offence, and so is knowingly failing to report transactions or activities where it is suspected they relate to money laundering. We must not knowingly initiate or be party to money laundering and must promptly report suspected money laundering situations in accordance with the TD Bank Group Enterprise Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Policy and the escalation procedures established for our business or region. Subsequently, in March 2022, TD Bank published its "TD Bank Statement on Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Sanctions" ("AML Statement"), which represented that TD Bank's commitment to detect and deter persons engaged in money laundering was formalized through "the establishment of an enterprise-wide Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) and Sanctions risk and compliance management program (Global AML Program) that is designed to detect and report suspected money laundering and terrorist financing and activity prohibited by sanctions." The AML Statement further represented that among the requirements of the Global AML Program were (i) "ongoing monitoring to detect and report suspicious transactions or activities," (ii) "regulatory reporting of prescribed transactions," and (iii) "independent testing of control effectiveness." The first inkling that regulatory issues may derail approval of the Transaction surfaced on TD Bank's Q4 2022 earnings call on December 1, 2022. Defendant Masrani advised that TD Bank was "planning to close the [Transaction] in the first half of fiscal 2023 subject to customary closing conditions, including approvals from U.S. and Canadian regulatory authorities." After observing that Defendant Masrani had previously guided on the Q3 2022 earnings call that the Transaction would close in Q1 2023, and that the timing had now slipped to the first half of 2023, an analyst inquired "[w]hat's prompting the delayed expectation of closing?" Defendant Masrani responded, "so we don't control the timing of all the regulatory approvals, but we are confident that we will get closing within the time line that we've put out." When the analyst pressed for specifics"are they taking a closer look at anything? Are you anticipating having to make any adjustments to your product going up or your schedule in advance of the close?"Defendant Masrani advised, "No, I'm not aware of anything of the sort you're mentioning." Yet, just over two months later, on February 9, 2023, the Companies issued a joint press release ("Feb 2023 Press Release") announcing that they had mutually agreed to extend the deadline to close the Transaction from February 27, 2023, to May 27, 2023. The Feb 2023 Press Release further stated that "[c]ustomary closing conditions, including approvals from regulatory authorities in the U.S. and Canada, are required to close the transaction." The generic disclosure, however, was insufficient to alert FHN shareholders to the existence of regulatory risks since it failed to disclose the specific risk that TD Bank's materially deficient AML policies and procedures were posing to regulatory approval of the Transaction. On March 1, 2023, in its 2022 Form 10-K, FHN advised that (i) receipt of regulatory approval of the Transaction was taking longer than originally anticipated, (ii) TD Bank had recently informed FHN that TD Bank did not expect to receive the necessary regulatory approvals in time to close the Transaction by a new deadline of May 27, 2023, and (iii) TD Bank had initiated discussions with FHN regarding a potential further extension of the new May 27, 2023 deadline. The 2022 Form 10-K also noted that "TD cannot provide a new projected closing date at this time." On this news, FHN's stock price fell $2.63 per share, or 10.62%, to close at $22.14 per share on May 1, 2023. On May 3, 2023, according to a Capital Forum report being circulated among traders, Defendant Masrani had a meeting with officials of the OCC concerning the Transaction on March 9, 2023, that was also attended by TD Bank's outside counsel. On this news, FHN's stock price fell $1.14 per share, or 7.04%, to close at $15.05 per share on May 3, 2023. On May 4, 2023, before the markets opened, TD Bank and FHN announced that they had mutually agreed to terminate the Transaction because TD Bank "does not have a timetable for regulatory approvals to be obtained for reasons unrelated to First Horizon," and "there is uncertainty as to when and if these regulatory approvals can be obtained." TD Bank and FHN, however, failed to disclose that TD Bank's materially deficient AML policies and procedures had derailed regulatory approval of the Transaction. Upon news of the termination of the Transaction, FHN's stock price fell $4.99 per share, or 33.16%, to close at $10.06 per share on May 4, 2023. The concealed regulatory risk that derailed the Transaction was finally revealed on May 8, 2023, when The Wall Street Journal (the "WSJ") published an article citing sources alleging that TD Bank's "handling of suspicious customer transactions was behind regulators' refusal to bless" the Transaction, and that the Transaction was terminated because regulators were unwilling "to give TD a clean bill of health on its anti-money laundering practices." The article's sources alleged that "regulators' concerns stemmed from the way TD handled unusual transactions in recent years, and the speed at which some of them were brought to the attention of U.S. authorities." According to the WSJ, in "recent years," TD Bank had only "flagged 28 customer transactions" as suspicious. For these reasons, the OCC and the Federal Reserve refused to approve the Transaction within the necessary time frames. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Ghana's Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, in a visit organized and hosted by IDCA, met with leaders of Data Center Alley to discuss tech development, the future of digital economies, and more McLEAN, Va., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerHouse Data Centers (a division of American Real Estate Partners (AREP) ), along with the International Data Center Authority (IDCA) and the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development joined over the weekend for an official state visit from representatives of the Republic of Ghana, including minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful. The Ghanaian government is being assisted by IDCA with an aim to position the country as a leading digital hub in Africa with the help of data center leaders in the Ashburn area. PowerHouse Data Centers Hosts Representatives of the Republic of Ghana, IDCA and Department of Economic Development Tweet this PowerHouse Data Centers Hosts Ghanas Ministry of Communications and Digitalization for ABX-1 powered shell tour. An important stop on the itinerary for Owusu-Ekuful's delegation is a tour of PowerHouse Data Centers' recently constructed ABX-1 facility . When requested by IDCA, PowerHouse welcomed the opportunity to showcase its latest in powered shell development. Powered shells and their phased approach can potentially be a useful strategy for Ghanaian development, as they provide the ability to leverage the efficiencies of data center construction while optimizing future flexibility. "We're always eager to build relationships and provide educational opportunities wherever we can," explains Luke Kipfer, vice president at PowerHouse Data Centers. "We're delighted to be part of this memorable occasion." Also facilitating and assisting in the visit is the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development. "As one of the world's most significant tech hubs, we are always proud to host communities from around the world in Loudoun," says department executive director Buddy Rizer, who attended the PowerHouse tour and following luncheon event hosted by Loudoun County. "We're excited about our new partnership with the country of Ghana, and are happy to host them and have the opportunity to learn from each other." The digital sector in Ghana is poised for impressive progress as it continues its transition toward a tech-based economy. The nation is already a leading light in digital transformation in Africa with its digital sectors displaying impressive growth figures of nearly 20 percent annually, emerging as a leader in African e-government practices, and ranking top three in the continent for overall tech adoption. Last year the World Bank provided $200 million to the government of Ghana intended to expand networks and stimulate further digital innovation. The funding spurred the creation of the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project, led by communications and digitalization minister Owusu-Ekuful. IDCA leads this mission by helping the nation build a complete end-to-end digital transformation roadmap. The project is inclusive of national standardization, national education and national digital hub economic zones, and also raising $4B of funds to help inject in the West African digital economy. The Republic of Ghana, led by its honorable minister, signed the digital transformation agreement with IDCA during this visit. Owusu-Ekuful and her entire cabinet have now traveled to Ashburn to meet with certain Data Center Alley movers and shakers. The purpose of the official visit is complementary to visiting IDCA and agreement signing, suggested by IDCA, with the goal of showcasing digital economy evolution and development models and best practices in the interest of future-proofing Ghana's tech sector for digital economic development. The Ghana delegation's activities in the US are sponsored by the International Data Center Authority (IDCA), a leading association focused on fostering the development of sustainable digital economies around the world. Their visit includes the establishment of an agreement between the Republic of Ghana and the IDCA. "It's been our pleasure to drive this initiative for Ghana and West Africa" says Mehdi Paryavi, IDCA founder and chairman. "We're always privileged to be able to empower others by exchanging digital infrastructure and digital economy knowledge with others around the globe." About PowerHouse Data Centers PowerHouse Data Centers, a division of AREP, is a developer and owner of next-generation data centers and technical real estate solutions for hyperscalers in Northern Virginia. The company owns its land sites, offering unique fast-track approvals and zoning approvals right in the heart of the world's largest data center market. As a disruptor, PowerHouse Data Centers provides flexible 'Powered Shell' next-generation data center models with the quickest speed to market of any Ashburn project while meeting hyperscalers' growing market, data and space demands. PowerHouse Data Centers is committed to building six powered shell data centers representing 2.1 million square feet of data center space in Northern Virginia. For more information, visit www.powerhousedata.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter . About Loudoun County Department of Economic Development The Loudoun County Department of Economic Development exists to help build local businesses. We are dedicated to recruiting new business, growing our existing industries and improving our county's business climate. For more information visit https://biz.loudoun.gov/ About the Ghana Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation exists to ensure the convergence of communication technologies to facilitate the promotion of a viable integrated national development process within a global setting. The goal of the ministry is to facilitate the development of a reliable and cost-effective world-class communications infrastructure and services, driven by appropriate technological innovations and accessible by all citizens to enhance the promotion of economic competitiveness in a knowledge-based environment. For more, visit https://moc.gov.gh/ . About IDCA IDCA was established to streamline, structure, educate and give direction to the information technology, data center and cloud industry. IDCA's mission is to aid nations, governments, private and public institutions as well as ordinary citizens and professionals around the world to benefit from the promise of the global digital transformation and the digital economy to their fullest. IDCA empowers and enables all effective and measurable initiatives and efforts to establish resilient and sustainable digital initiatives worldwide. Building the human capital necessary for prosperous digital economies, instituting digital platforms, securing investment for core projects, devising digital transformation roadmaps, and establishing frameworks, and standards are some of IDCA's key agendas on the world stage. More on IDCA: https://www.idc-a.org/about-idca SOURCE PowerHouse Data Centers NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Renew Democracy Initiative announces its plan to commission a comprehensive study of the legal foundations for seizing frozen Russian assets and transferring them to Ukraine. The Making Putin Pay initiative aims to rectify the destruction caused by unlawful Russian aggression and expedite Ukraine's reconstruction. RDI is engaging the law firm of Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, where constitutional scholar Laurence Tribe will lead a team of partners and associates to analyze all legal and geopolitical obstacles to assisting Ukraine with frozen Russian state assets. Under Professor Tribe's supervision, and in cooperation with outside experts, Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP will produce an authoritative report that explores the means of seizing and transferring Russian sovereign assets within the bounds of domestic and international law. The report's focus will be on the approximately $300 billion in Russian central bank revenues that have already been frozen by the United States and its G7 allies. "It is imperative that we go beyond merely freezing assets and actively channel these funds towards supporting and rebuilding the Ukrainian state and economy," states Uriel Epshtein, RDI Executive Director. The report, to be ready for public dissemination by September 1, 2023, will serve as a foundational resource in discussions with the U.S. government and allied nations. It will be shared with governmental and non-governmental organizations and with leading news outlets to raise awareness of the legal possibilities available. "We are confident that this report can play a significant role in enabling allied nations to reclaim Russian assets and redirect them to benefit those whom Russia has sought to eliminate," adds Epshtein. About the Renew Democracy Initiative: The Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI) is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan idea advocacy organization committed to defending democracy in the Free World, combatting authoritarianism abroad, and highlighting how they intersect. The organization unites Americans across the political spectrum in defense of democratic ideals. About Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP: Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP is a law firm committed to providing the highest level of client service, advocacy, and advice from a modern and progressive firm with timeless values. For further information regarding the Renew Democracy Initiative and its efforts to rebuild Ukraine through the utilization of frozen Russian assets, please email [email protected]. Media Contact: Caitlin Forrest 1 646-437-6302 [email protected] SOURCE Renew Democracy Initiative Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt Elected First and Second Vice Presidents on Final Day of USCM's 91st Annual Meeting COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) voted to elect a new leadership team and approved a slate of policy resolutions that will serve as the official platform of the organization and guide its advocacy agenda for the year ahead. The business meeting marked the close of the 91st Annual Meeting of the USCM, with more than 300 mayors from across America gathering here in Columbus, Ohio. Reno (NV) Mayor Hillary Schieve was elected by her fellow mayors to serve as the next President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. President Schieve, who will serve a one-year term, addressed the Conference and spoke about her commitment to using the shared voice and diverse talents of America's mayors to solve big problems. In particular, Schieve has made America's mental health crisis a priority of her presidency, with the Conference earlier in the Meeting releasing a 117-city survey on how they are responding to the challenge. "My colleagues are amazing leaders, and I'm deeply grateful for the trust they've placed in me," said President Schieve. "American mayors are driven by remarkable spirit of service, and the Conference of Mayors is a powerful vehicle for doing good. I'm eager to get to work lifting up the leadership of these women and men and collaborating to solve the great challenges facing American cities." "It's no wonder why her colleagues have chosen Mayor Schieve to lead this powerful organization and drive our fight for stronger American cities," said Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director. "She is a dynamic, inclusive leader who cares only about making progress to improve people's lives. Her focus, in particular, on the growing mental health crisis has already inspired her fellow mayors and is leading to change. Cities and the people who call them home are going to be better off thanks to Hillary Schieve's leadership at the U.S. Conference of Mayors." Alongside Schieve, mayors elected Columbus (OH) Mayor Andrew Ginther to serve as USCM's First Vice President, and Oklahoma City (OK) Mayor David Holt was elected USCM Second Vice President. The Conference also named new Trustees and Advisory Board Members. New USCM Trustees are as follows: Lincoln (NE) Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird (NE) Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird Fresno (CA) Mayor Jerry Dyer (CA) Mayor New Bedford (MA) Mayor Jon Mitchell Cincinnati (OH) Mayor Aftab Pureval (OH) Mayor Montgomery (AL) Mayor Steven Reed These mayors, in addition to the current elected top leaders and past presidents, make up the USCM Executive Committee. New USCM Advisory Board Members are as follows: Los Angeles (CA) Mayor Karen Bass (CA) Mayor Dearborn (MI) Mayor Abdullah Hammoud Waterloo (IA) Mayor Quentin Hart Fort Worth (TX) Mayor Mattie Parker (TX) Mayor Long Beach (CA) Mayor Rex Richardson (CA) Mayor Arlington (TX) Mayor Jim Ross (TX) Mayor Lansing (MI) Mayor Andy Schor Providence (RI) Mayor Brett Smiley (RI) Mayor Allentown (PA) Mayor Matt Tuerk A major component of today's meeting was also the consideration and adoption of policy resolutions. Throughout the Annual Meeting, the standing committees of the Conference met to propose and advance resolutions on a wide range of priorities for American mayors. Of particular emphasis today, the full Conference adopted strong policy on combating gun violence, addressing the mental health crisis, and fighting back against state legislatures preempting city authority. Other policies were adopted on issues including climate change, energy, housing, transportation, and the economy. The resolutions adopted today now make up the official policy of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and can be found here. Finally, Tampa (FL) was announced as the host city for the 2025 Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. As previously announced, next year's Meeting will be in Kansas City (MO). About the United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors DALLAS, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Argent Trust Company, as Trustee of the Sabine Royalty Trust (NYSE: SBR), today declared a cash distribution to the holders of its units of beneficial interest of $0.325910 per unit, payable on June 29, 2023, to unit holders of record on June 15, 2023. Sabine's cash distribution history, current and prior year financial reports and tax information booklets, a link to filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission and more can be found on its website at http://www.sbr-sabine.com/. Additionally, printed reports can be requested and are mailed free of charge. This distribution reflects primarily the oil production for March 2023 and the gas production for February 2023. Preliminary production volumes are approximately 56,892 barrels of oil and 776,402 Mcf of gas. Preliminary prices are approximately $56.99 per barrel of oil and $2.89 per Mcf of gas. This month's distribution is lower than the previous month's primarily due to decreased production due to the timing of receipts through the end of the month as compared to the previous month's timing of receipts and includes a decrease in both oil and gas pricing. The production from all the new horizontal gas wells in Panola County, Texas, has contributed approximately $517,000 reflecting February production including the recent new wells. All volumes and pricing are included in the tables below. Additionally, for the other three horizontal wells, also in Panola County, there was only one month of receipts totaling $103,000 posted for this month's distribution. As more regular monthly receipts are made in the months to come, additional information will be made available. The table below compares this month's production and prices to the previous month's: Net to Trust Sales Volumes Average Price Oil (bbls) Gas (Mcf) Oil (per bbl) Gas (per Mcf) Current Month 56,892 776,402 $56.99 $2.89 Prior Month 58,004 926,642 $80.96 $3.67 Revenues are only distributed after they are received, verified, and posted. Most energy companies normally issue payment of royalties on or about the 25th of every month, and depending on mail delivery, a varying amount of royalties are not received until after the revenue posting on the last business day of the month. The revenues received after that date will be posted within 30 days of receipt. Due to the timing of the end of the month of May, approximately $1,002,000 of revenue received will be posted in the following month of June in addition to normal receipts during June. Since the close of business in May and prior to this press release, $714,000 in revenue has been received. Sabine Royalty Trust, as it does after the end of each year, had a year-end Reserve Report prepared in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's requirements. This report provides an evaluation of the estimated asset value as of December 31 of each year, which can be used to estimate the remaining life of the Trust. The estimated net proved reserves, as of January 1, 2023, attributable to the Trust from the properties appraised are approximately 5.9 million barrels of oil and 47.4 billion cubic feet of gas with a future net value of approximately $657,947,000 with a discounted value at 10% of $327,149,000. With these estimated quantities of this year's reserve estimate of 5.9 million barrels of oil and 47.4 billion cubic feet of gas remaining, it could be estimated that the Trust still has a life span of 8 to 10 years. The report is an exhibit to the Trust's Annual Report on Form 10-K that was filed on February 28, 2023 and is available to all unitholders at this time on the SEC website and Sabine's website. The 2022 Annual Report with Form 10-K and the January 1, 2023 Reserve Summary are available on the Sabine website at http://www.sbr-sabine.com/. SOURCE Sabine Royalty Trust NEO: SHWZ OTCQX: SHWZ Acquisition Increases Schwazze's New Mexico Retail Store Count to 32 and Provides Expanded Coverage Throughout State DENVER, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Medicine Man Technologies, Inc., operating as Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), announced it has acquired certain assets of Sucellus, LLC, pursuant to which the Company will manage Everest Apothecary, Inc. ("Everest"), a New Mexico not-for-profit corporation. The transaction includes retail dispensaries, cultivation, and manufacturing facilities. The acquisition of Everest increases the Company's retail consumer base and furthers Schwazze's growth strategy in the New Mexico market. Upon closing, Schwazze's New Mexico operations will include 32 dispensaries, four cultivations, two manufacturing facilities and over 400 employees statewide. The Everest brand complements Schwazze's existing retail brand in New Mexico, R. Greenleaf. Each serves a unique demographic, and both retail banners will continue to operate in the state. "This acquisition fits well within our growing portfolio of retail brands alongside R.Greenleaf, and firmly positions us as a top operator in the New Mexico market," said Nirup Krishnamurthy, President of Schwazze. "Collaborating on Schwazze's operating playbook, we look forward to working with the Everest team members to continue to support the Everest customers with outstanding service and an even wider selection of quality products throughout the entire state. These really are two great teams coming together as one," said Ken Diehl, New Mexico Division President of Schwazze. Established in 2016, Everest is a New-Mexico-based licensed medical and recreational cannabis provider that consists of 14 dispensaries, one cultivation facility and one manufacturing plant. The dispensaries are in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Los Lunas, Sunland Park, Belen, and Texico. Everest's cultivation and manufacturing facilities are both located in Albuquerque. Since April 2020, Schwazze has acquired, opened, or announced the planned acquisition of 60 cannabis retail dispensaries (bannered as Star Buds, Emerald Fields, R. Greenleaf, Standing Akimbo, and Everest) as well as six operating cultivation facilities and three manufacturing plants across Colorado and New Mexico. In May 2021, Schwazze announced its Biosciences division, and in August 2021, it commenced home delivery services in Colorado. ABOUT SCHWAZZE Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company's leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious best practices. Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze's former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth. To learn more about Schwazze, visit www.Schwazze.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "intends," "plans," "strategy," "prospects," "anticipate," "believe," "approximately," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," or the negative of these terms or other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future events or future operating or financial performance, although the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) regulatory limitations on our products and services and the uncertainty in the application of federal, state, and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws; (ii) our ability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (iii) our ability to identify, consummate, and integrate anticipated acquisitions; (iv) general industry and economic conditions; (v) our ability to access adequate capital upon terms and conditions that are acceptable to us; (vi) our ability to pay interest and principal on outstanding debt when due; (vii) volatility in credit and market conditions; (viii) the loss of one or more key executives or other key employees; and (ix) other risks and uncertainties related to the cannabis market and our business strategy. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law. SOURCE Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of adidas AG ("adidas" or the "Company") (OTCMKT: ADDYY). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether adidas and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] In the fall of 2022, musical artist Kanye West, Adidas's design partner for the Company's popular Yeezy shoe, made a series of overtly anti-Semitic and racially offensive remarks in public. On October 25, 2022, following mounting public pressure, Adidas canceled its partnership with West. Then, on November 27, 2022, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled "Adidas Top Executives Discussed Risks of Staff's 'Direct Exposure' to Kanye West Years Ago." The article revealed that Adidas's leadership, including Chief Executive Officer Kasper Rrsted, had discussed the risk of the Company continuing a relationship with West as early 2018, citing the artist's often erratic and controversial behavior. On this news, Adidas's American depositary receipt (ADDYY) ("ADRs") fell $2.20 per ADR, or 3.13%, to close at $62.34 per ADR on November 28, 2022. Then, on February 9, 2023, Adidas warned that the Company could shift from a profit to a loss if it failed to sell its inventory of Yeezy shoes following the termination of its partnership with West. Specifically, the Company stated that it expected sales to fall at a high single-digit rate in currency-neutral terms because of the "significant adverse impact of not selling the existing stock" of Yeezy products. Failure to sell the stock of Yeezy's (valued at 1.2 billion euros) would accordingly lower Company revenue by 1.2 billion euros (or about $1.29 billion), and operating profit by 500 million euros." On this news, Adidas's ADR price fell $7.4 per ADR, or 8.96%, to close at $75.16 per ADR on February 9, 2023. Finally, on February 21, 2023, S&P Global announced that it was downgrading Adidas to "'A-/A-2' From 'A-1' On Deteriorating Credit Metrics; Outlook Negative." S&P largely attributed the downgraded to the financial impact of the termination of Adidas's partnership with West. On this news, Adidas's ADR price fell $3.56 per ADR, or 4.62%, to close at $73.59 per ADR on February 21, 2023. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Advance Auto Parts, Inc. ("Advance Auto Parts" or the "Company") (NYSE: AAP). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Advance Auto Parts and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On May 31, 2023, Advance Auto Parts revealed disappointing results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2023, including a net sales decrease of more than 1.6% compared to the prior year and an operating margin rate of 2.6%, which was "well below expectations due to higher than planned investments to narrow competitive price gaps in the professional sales channel as well as unfavorable product mix." The Company further disclosed that it was slashing its full year 2023 guidance, which it had provided just three months earlier, because it now "expect[s] the competitive dynamics . . . faced in the first quarter to continue." Moreover, the Company revealed that it was cutting its quarterly dividend by 84% "to provide enhanced financial flexibility." On this news, Advance Auto Parts' stock price fell $39.31 per share, or 35.04%, to close at $72.89 per share on May 31, 2023. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. SOURCE Pomerantz LLP More than three dozen Buffalo Diocese properties could soon be appraised for current values that ultimately may factor heavily into a settlement with sexual abuse claimants in the dioceses Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Lawyers for the diocese are asking a federal judge to approve a request to hire KLW Appraisal Group to come up with valuations for 37 properties spread across six counties. The properties vary from 15 acres of vacant land in the Town of Hamburg near the Erie County Fairgrounds to a historically significant four-story office building in the heart of Buffalos medical corridor. They also include six school buildings, two retirement homes for priests, St. Joseph Cathedral, and the former Christ the King Seminary in Aurora. They were estimated collectively to be worth $16 million in 2020 when the diocese first sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in response to more than 200 Child Victims Act lawsuits alleging clergy and other diocese employees sexually abused children decades ago, according to a disclosure statement at the time. But the court papers also indicated that most of the properties had not undergone a recent appraisal. Bishop says Buffalo Diocese not stalling on compensation for abuse victims Bishop Michael W. Fisher said the diocese was actively engaged in good faith negotiations with sex abuse survivors and insurance carriers to settle the case. Values of diocese properties have been a source of contention from nearly the start of the bankruptcy. Lawyers for the sex abuse claimants objected to a diocese effort in 2020 to sell Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean for $150,000 to the school foundation. Claimants argued that the price was too low and amounted to an inside deal that didnt reflect the true value of the property. The diocese later tried to sell the school property through a proposed bid process, but a federal judge ruled that the auction as set up by the diocese would have discouraged competition and he disallowed it. The property has yet to be sold, but the uncertainty of the situation caused Archbishop Walsh officials to look elsewhere for a school building for the 2023-24 academic year. Walsh Academy and Southern Tier Catholic School will relocate to a former parochial school building at St. John the Evangelist Church on North Union Street in Olean, school officials announced in March. The diocese also scuttled a potential $5.3 million deal in 2020 to sell Christ the King Seminary to Masonic Care Community. Diocese officials at the time said they pulled the property off the market because of the demands of the Chapter 11 process when it comes to such sales. The seminary campus, which includes six dormitories, a library, gym, auditorium, chapel, rec center, dining hall, classrooms, and administrative offices, was assessed at $9.9 million according to Erie County property tax records. Diocese Chief Operating Officer Richard Suchan said in court papers that hiring KLW Appraisal was necessary to get a current value for the properties. The appraisals will provide the Diocese and parties in interest with important information regarding the value of the properties and may serve as the basis for the expert testimony concerning the value of the properties in connection with proceedings in this Chapter 11 case, Suchan said. The diocese would pay up to $33,300 for restricted reports containing minimal information for all 37 properties and up to $77,850 for litigation reports on the properties, according to a proposed contract. Chief Judge Carl L. Bucki of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York is scheduled to hear arguments Monday on the dioceses plan. In addition to the Archbishop Walsh campus, the diocese owns the buildings and grounds of Cardinal OHara High School in the Town of Tonawanda, St. Marys High School in Lancaster, Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School in Buffalo, Notre Dame High School in Batavia, and DeSales Catholic in Lockport. Other diocese properties include: The chancery and central offices at 785 Main St., the former Courier-Express newspaper building Various parking lots in Buffalo and Lackawanna A Newman Center on Skinnerville Road in Amherst, near the University at Buffalo An Amherst condominium Nine acres on East River Road on Grand Island The diocese does not own the buildings and grounds of most of its 160 current parishes, which are separately incorporated and hold title to their own properties. However, recent court papers indicated that the diocese is the owner of seven church buildings in a handful of rural towns and villages in Allegany and Cattaraugus counties. Properties can be sold in bankruptcy to generate funds that help settle creditors claims. Settlement talks also may allow debtors to hold onto a property, while obtaining a loan against the value that can then be used toward the settlement. In some past diocese bankruptcies, other Catholic entities also were allowed to purchase properties to keep as they were, with the proceeds of the sales going into a settlement fund. The diocese began mediated settlement discussions Feb. 21 with abuse claimants, insurance companies, and other Catholic entities, including parishes and schools. Because the sessions are confidential, its unclear how close or far apart the sides are on a potential agreement that would compensate abuse victims while allowing the diocese to end the lawsuits, continue as a viable organization and protect parishes from financial peril. NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Comerica Incorporated ("Comerica" or the "Company") (NYSE: CMA). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Comerica and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On May 29, 2023, citing a review of "internal documents," American Banker reported that "Comerica Bank officials privately acknowledged significant compliance failures in their operation of a Treasury Department program that provides federal benefits on prepaid cards to millions of unbanked Americans[.]" American Banker stated that "[a] Comerica executive said the Dallas bank faced a 'serious contract violation' for allowing fraud disputes and data on Direct Express and cardholders to be handled out of a vendor's office in Lahore, Pakistan[.]" On this news, Comerica's stock fell $1.40 per share, or 3.59% to close at $37.59 per share on May 30, 2023. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ("JinkoSolar" or the "Company") (NYSE: JKS). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether JinkoSolar and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On May 8, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at JinkoSolar's solar panel manufacturing plant in Jacksonville, Florida. Federal authorities did not disclose the specific reason for the search warrant. On this news, JinkoSolar's stock price fell $3.91 per share, or 8.25%, to close at $43.47 per share on May 9, 2023. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of PDD Holdings Inc. f/k/a Pinduoduo Inc. ("PDD" or the "Company") (NYSE: PDD). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether PDD and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On March 21, 2023, CNN published an article entitled "Google suspends Chinese shopping app Pinduoduo over malware." The CNN report stated that "Google has suspended Pinduoduo, a popular Chinese budget shopping app, from its Play Store after finding malware in versions of the app. In a Tuesday statement, Google said versions of the app that are not in the Play Store have been found to contain malware." On this news, PDD's stock price fell $3.35 per share, or 4.24%, to close at $2.01 per share on March 22, 2023. Then, on April 3, 2023, CNN published an article entitled "'I've never seen anything like this:' One of China's most popular apps has the ability to spy on its users, say experts." Citing "a detailed investigation," the article reported that "[m]ultiple experts identified the presence of malware on the Pinduoduo app that exploited vulnerabilities in Android operating systems. Company insiders said the exploits were utilized to spy on users and competitors, allegedly to boost sales." On this news, PDD's stock price fell $1.64 per share, or 2.19%, to close at $73.20 per share on April 4, 2023. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. ("Spirit" or the "Company") (NYSE: SPR). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Spirit and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On April 13, 2023, media outlets reported that The Boeing Company ("Boeing") would likely have to reduce deliveries of its 737 Max airplane in the near term because of a problem with a part manufactured by Spirit. Boeing stated that Spirit had informed it that a "non-standard" manufacturing process was used on two fittings in aft fuselages. On this news, Spirit's stock price fell $7.38 per share, or 20.73%, to close at $28.22 per share on April 14, 2023. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP NEW YORK, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Teleperformance SE ("Teleperformance" or the "Company") (OTCMKTS: TLPFY). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Teleperformance and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On August 4, 2022, Forbes published an article alleging that Teleperformance had subjected its workers to poor working conditions, using real, graphic images and videos of child sexual abuse to train its TikTok content moderators, while "conversations with former employees reveal[ed] the extent to which moderators were both under-trained and overworked." On this news, Teleperformance's American Depositary Receipt ("ADR") price fell $7.75 per ADR, or 4.6%, to close at $160.94 per ADR on August 5, 2022. Then, on November 9, 2022, Time reported that "Colombia's Ministry of Labor has launched an investigation into TikTok subcontractor Teleperformance, relating to alleged union-busting, traumatic working conditions and low pay." On this news, Teleperformance's ADR price fell $24.55 per ADR, or 18.6%, to close at $107.77 per ADR on November 10, 2022. Finally, on March 22, 2023, four months after the Company "unanimously" decided to exit the "highly egregious" content moderation business, Teleperformance announced that it would be reentering the field. Market analysts observed that the move was an indication of the Company's overall business and growth prospects. One HSBC Global Research analyst report stated that the "U-turn on content moderation raises concerns about communication, governance and broad fundamentals." On this news, Teleperformance's ADR price fell $6.87 per ADR, or 5.7%, over three trading sessions to close at $112.82 per ADR on March 24, 2023. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 SOURCE Pomerantz LLP CHENGDU, China, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A summer shopping festival kicked off in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province on June 2. The festival highlights imported goods transported through the China-Europe Express Railway from various countries. Over the course of eight days, the event showcases a wide range of cross-border goods and unique handicrafts from 15 Chengdu-Eurasia National (Commodity) Pavilions in Chengdu's Qingbaijiang district, as well as pavilions in the city's Shuangliu district, Jinniu district, and Chengdu Cross-border E-commerce Association. Chengdu residents shop for goods imported via the China-Europe Express The festival aims to create a new consumption scenario for imported products and provide residents with access to high-quality international goods, offering a comfortable shopping experience. "The products on sale are not only affordable but also of guaranteed quality," said an official at the Qingbaijiang district's international trade and logistics bureau. Various promotional activities are also held at a one-stop online shopping platform called Chengdu Cloud Shopping. Consumers can purchase goods from around the world at home by using the Chengdu Cloud Shopping mini program. As a supporting activity of the shopping festival, an imported commodity matchmaking meeting is scheduled to be held on June 9, according to officials at the Chengdu commerce bureau. The meeting will help build a bridge of communication between the supply and demand of imported commodities, further expand the sales channels of imported commodities, and continue to promote the consumption of imported goods. Chengdu has leaped from an inland city to an international gateway thanks to the launching of the China-Europe Railway Express. The Chengdu International Railway Port in the Qingbaijiang district has connected more than 100 cities at home and abroad. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092684/Chengdu_residents_shop_for_goods_imported_via_the_China_Europe_Express.jpg SOURCE Chengdu Commerce Bureau NOVI, Mich., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) today announced that Jim Zizelman, president and chief executive officer, and Matt Horvath, chief financial officer, will participate in the Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference with a presentation at 9:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Details on how to join the presentation via webcast will be posted to the "Investors/Webcasts & Presentations" section of the Company's website (www.stoneridge.com) prior to the presentation. About Stoneridge, Inc. Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is a global designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic systems, components, and modules for the automotive, commercial, off-highway and agricultural vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge can be found at www.stoneridge.com. SOURCE Stoneridge, Inc. The company's AI-powered, scalable, and customized business process management solutions provide faster, more personalized customer engagement PARIS, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Teleperformance, a global leader in digital business services, announced today that it achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Advanced Tier Services Partner status within the AWS Partner Network (APN), a global community of partners that leverages programs, expertise, and resources to build, market, and sell customer offerings. The company has also received AWS Service Delivery Partner designation, which distinguishes Teleperformance for demonstrating specialized technical expertise in delivering Amazon Connect solutions on AWS with proven customer success. Achieving the AWS Advanced Tier Services Partners status recognizes Teleperformance for having a strong team of trained and certified technical individuals, with proven customer experience. The AWS Service Delivery designation differentiates Teleperformance as an APN member that provides specialized demonstrated technical proficiency and proven customer success in delivering Amazon Connect. To receive the designation, APN Partners must possess deep AWS experience and deliver solutions seamlessly on AWS. Teleperformance helps clients accelerate business value from their cloud transformations with two AWS distinctions Tweet this "Teleperformance is proud to achieve the AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner status and AWS Service Delivery designation for Amazon Connect," said Dev Mudaliar, Global Chief Information Officer, Teleperformance Group. "Our team is dedicated to using our cloud-based services to help clients achieve their business goals by combining our advanced solutions with data analytics and disciplined processes, and the agility of Amazon Connect Service to make processes more efficient, solve issues more quickly, and simplify operations and processes." With Amazon Connect, Teleperformance uses call summarization and sentiment analysis to help businesses enhance the quality and efficiency of customer engagement. Powered by AI and machine learning, the capabilities enable agents to identify and address customers' needs faster, so customers spend less time waiting for help. "Dynamic business services companies like Teleperformance thrive with advancements in technology," said Daniel Julien, Chairman and CEO of Teleperformance Group. "The integration of AI will directly contribute to sustain Teleperformance's growth and to improve profitability." AWS is enabling scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions from startups to global enterprises. To support the seamless integration and deployment of these solutions, AWS established the AWS Service Delivery Program to help customers identify AWS Service Partners with deep experience delivering specific AWS services. ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE GROUP Teleperformance (TEP ISIN: FR0000051807 Reuters: TEPRF.PA - Bloomberg: TEP FP) is a global leader in digital business services, blending the best of advanced technology with human empathy to deliver enhanced customer care that is simpler, faster, and safer for the world's biggest brands and their customers. The Group's comprehensive, AI-powered service portfolio ranges from front-office customer care to back-office functions, including Trust and Safety services that help defend both online users and brand reputation. It also offers a range of specialized services such as collections, interpreting and localization, visa and consular services, and recruitment process outsourcing services. With more than 410,000 inspired and passionate people speaking more than 300 languages, the Group's global scale and local presence allows it to be a force of good in supporting communities, clients, and the environment. In 2022, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of 8,154 million (US$8.6 billion, based on 1 = $1.05) and net profit of 645 million. Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: CAC 40, STOXX 600, S&P Europe 350, MSCI Global Standard and Euronext Tech Leaders. In the area of corporate social responsibility, Teleperformance shares are included in the CAC 40 ESG since September 2022, the Euronext Vigeo Euro 120 index since 2015, the EURO STOXX 50 ESG index since 2020, the MSCI Europe ESG Leaders index since 2019, the FTSE4Good index since 2018 and the S&P Global 1200 ESG index since 2017. Visit the Group at www.teleperformance.com . SOURCE Teleperformance ABU DHABI, UAE, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, signed a Declaration of Collaboration with Eli Lilly, a global healthcare leader. As capital of the United Arab Emirates, this partnership reinforces Abu Dhabi's position as a leading destination for healthcare and life science by seeking to establish a framework for collaboration on clinical research, real-world evidence and healthcare technology. DoH Declaration of Collaboration with Eli Lilly (PRNewsfoto/The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi) DoH Declaration of Collaboration with Eli Lilly (PRNewsfoto/The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi) Witnessed by HE Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Leigh Ann Pusey, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Communications at Lilly, the Declaration of Collaboration was signed by Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Center at the Department of Health Abu Dhabi and Irina Zaporozhets, Vice President and General Manager Middle East at Lilly. Dr. Asma Al Mannaei said: "Through international collaborations, Abu Dhabi seeks to lead research groups supported by global partners to explore the resilience and sustainability of the healthcare sector worldwide, as well as provide quality care to patients. Under the directives of our wise leadership, Abu Dhabi is paving the way for the region's transformative journey through innovation, life science and valuable partnerships with global players in the field. The Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH) is proud to partner with Eli Lilly to further improve healthcare outcomes, while providing quality care and breakthrough treatments to patients in Abu Dhabi and beyond." Both parties will drive clinical research and life science activities in the Emirate with a focus on oncology, diabetes and neurological diseases, while leveraging Abu Dhabi's evolving healthcare and life science infrastructure and capabilities. Irina Zaporozhets said: "Our collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi reflects Lilly's deep commitment to expanding access to our medicines and promoting innovation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery." Led by DoH, an Abu Dhabi delegation is visiting the United States between June 1st, 2023 and June 8th, 2023 to showcase the Emirate's partnership opportunities and explore collaboration with leading organisations in research and development, manufacturing and health innovation. The delegation's mission will culminate in Boston, coinciding with Abu Dhabi's participation at BIO International Convention 2023 to exhibit the Emirate's growth and development of its biotechnology industry. About Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH): The DoH is the regulatory body of the healthcare sector at the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ensures excellence in healthcare for the community by monitoring the health status of the population. DoH defines the strategy for the health system, monitors and analyses the health status of the population and performance of the system. In addition, DoH shapes the regulatory framework for the health system, inspects against regulations, enforce standards, and encourages adoption of world-class best practices and performance targets by all healthcare service providers in the Emirate. DoH also drives programmes to increase awareness and adoption of healthy living standards among the residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in addition to regulating scope of services, premiums and reimbursement rates of the health system. For further information on DoH, visit https://www.doh.gov.ae/ and follow on Twitter , Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092398/DoH_Eli_Lilly_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092399/DoH_Eli_Lilly_2.jpg Media contact: Rania El Kebbe +971551038650 [email protected] SOURCE The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi NAPA, Calif., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Doctors Company, the nation's largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer, is pleased to announce the appointment of Christa Steele, MBA, to its Board of Governors. Ms. Steele is a financial and governance executive with decades of corporate leadership experience across a wide range of industries. Ms. Steele currently serves on the board of Tanimura & Antle and is Vice Chair of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), Northern California Chapter. The Doctors Company Names Christa Steele to Board of Governors "We are pleased to welcome Christa Steele to our Board of Governors," said Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and CEO of The Doctors Company and TDC Group. "Her leadership experience in both public and private companies, combined with her skills in digital technologies and environmental, social, and governance strategies, will strengthen our ability to serve the entire medical profession." She is the former CEO of Balco Holdings, Inc., and previously served as President, CEO, and Board Director of Mechanics Bank. Her prior board experience includes Recology as Board Chair, BrainChip Holdings, OFG Bancorp, Sasser Family Holdings, and FIG Partners. "I am excited to join this group of outstanding leaders from the healthcare and business communities in support of the management team at The Doctors Company and TDC Group," said Ms. Steele. "As a former technology and bank CEO, I believe I am well positioned to assist The Doctors Company and TDC Group as healthcare continues to evolve, and larger technological partners enter the space." Ms. Steele earned an MBA from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Sacramento. She is an NACD Board Leadership Fellow with Governance Certification. Ms. Steele is a Member of the Audit and the Finance and Risk Committees at The Doctors Company. About The Doctors Company Founded and led by physicians, The Doctors Company (thedoctors.com), the nation's largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer, is relentlessly committed to advancing, protecting, and rewarding the practice of good medicine. The Doctors Company helps physicians manage the complexities of today's healthcare environmentwith expert guidance, resources, and coverage. The Doctors Company is part of TDC Group (tdcg.com), the nation's largest physician-owned provider of insurance, risk management, and healthcare practice improvement solutions. TDC Group serves the full continuum of care, from individual physicians to academic medical systemsover 100,000 healthcare professionals and organizations nationwidewith annual revenue of $1 billion and over $6.9 billion in assets. To learn more about our data-driven insights and to stay up to date on industry trends, follow and subscribe to The Doctors Company on Twitter (@doctorscompany), YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. SOURCE The Doctors Management Company To hear prosecutors tell it, State Trooper Anthony Nigro IV acted beyond the scope of his duties when he shot and killed a driver in downtown Buffalo last year. Nigro's defense attorneys contend that he was trying to capture a suspect who fled police and endangered other drivers on the road, and that Nigro was justified when he shot him because Nigro thought he was going to be killed. Bodycam footage of fatal police shooting shows motorist telling trooper to 'go away' Video from the body camera of Trooper Anthony Nigro IV released Wednesday captured the tense exchange between Nigro and James Huber, a motorist he fatally shot Feb. 12 after a lengthy police chase on the Thruway that reached speeds of more than 100 mph. A grand jury has indicted Nigro on charges of first- and second-degree manslaughter for the shooting of an unarmed Pennsylvania man following a 100-mph chase that ended in Buffalo in February 2022. Nigro, 39, a nearly 16-year veteran of the State Police, appeared Monday morning before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller as the indictment was unsealed. He pleaded not guilty. Authorities previously identified the man fatally shot by Nigro as James Huber, 38, of North East, Pa. Prosecutors from State Attorney General Letitia James' Office, which handles investigations of deaths caused by police officers, asked the judge to set $250,000 bail because of the nature of the charges and the specific accusations. "In forming this indictment, the grand jury specifically considered the legal charge of justification and rejected that Trooper Nigro was acting reasonably in accordance with his duties and that he was reasonable in using force against Mr. Huber," Assistant Attorney General James Mara said. Defense attorney Andrew C. Quinn called it "a clear-cut case of justification," and described the characterization that the grand jury "rejected justification" as "inaccurate." "He was attempting to apprehend him when Mr. Huber punched the accelerator of the car, threw my client 35 feet," Quinn said. "He firmly believed he was about to die and he fired. That is justification." Boller released Nigro on his own recognizance as requested by the defense because of his lack of a criminal record, his contacts with the community and because he has retained counsel, which the judge said he believes often have more control over their clients than attorneys who are assigned to a defendant by the court. A judge had not yet been assigned to the case at the time of arraignment, so no future court date was set. The courtroom was packed to capacity with Nigro's supporters, with dozens of troopers in civilian clothing filling the gallery and spilling over into the jury box. According to the account given by state police after the shooting on Feb. 12, 2022, troopers that morning saw a speeding driver on the Thruway in Brant. The tan-colored sedan was going more than 100 mph, state police said then. Troopers chased the vehicle and exited the Thruway at Exit 53. The sedan reportedly struck a state police vehicle there, before heading north on Interstate 190 toward downtown. When Huber exited the highway, the state police called off the chase, according to a statement from the AG's office Monday about the shooting. "A short time later, Mr. Huber stopped his car near the intersection of Washington Street and East Eagle Street in Buffalo," the AG's office said in the statement. "Trooper Nigro approached the car, and during an interaction with Mr. Huber, fired his service weapon and shot Mr. Huber, who was unarmed," the AG's office said. Huber's car sped off, striking several fence posts before landing on its side on a ramp in an underground parking garage beneath the M&T building on Washington, near Eagle. Huber was pronounced dead inside the vehicle. A month after the shooting, the AG's office released body camera footage from the shooting. The video shows Nigro getting out of his patrol car and approaching a vehicle stopped behind him on East Eagle. Nigro can be seen holding his gun in front of him. Nigro can be heard yelling at Huber to get out of his car, repeatedly using expletives. Huber can be seen sitting in his car. He's wearing a ball cap and a tan-colored hoodie. He appears to turn his face away from the trooper while muttering something. "Get out! Get out!" Nigro orders, pointing his gun at Huber. "Go away," Huber replies, quietly. "Get out!" Nigro repeats. "No," Huber says. Huber reaches his right hand down to something around the center console. "Nope," he says. The camera shows Nigro reaching into Huber's vehicle with his left hand to grab the hood on Huber's sweatshirt while holding his gun in his right hand near Huber's head. "Get the ..." Nigro says, followed by a sudden flurry of motion and sound. Nigro fires twice, and the car lurches backward. Nigro appears to fall on the ground as the car moves in reverse, out of view of the camera. Seconds later, a loud crash can be heard in the background. Nigro can then be heard on his radio: "7415. Shots fired." Man shot to death by trooper may have been headed to Peace Bridge protest Cary Arnold, a Pennsylvania woman who had a daughter with James Huber, 38, of North East, Pa., 18 years ago, told The Buffalo News on Monday that she believes Huber might have been heading for the Peace Bridge rally in support of Canadian truckers protesting that country's Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Cary Arnold, a Pennsylvania woman who had a daughter with Huber 18 years ago, told The Buffalo News previously that she believes Huber might have been heading for a rally at the Peace Bridge in support of Canadian truckers protesting that country's Covid-19 vaccine mandates. The state troopers Police Benevolent Association President Charles W. Murphy issued a statement Monday in support of Nigro. "We do not believe that he should have been criminally charged," he said in the emailed statement. "We respect the legal process and are prepared for the next steps. We believe that, at the conclusion of this matter, Trooper Nigro will be exonerated of any misconduct and the charges against him will be dismissed. Our understanding and review of the facts in this case confirm that, while the outcome was tragic, Trooper Nigros actions were in accordance with his training and the law, and that he was justified in his use of force." Murphy pointed to Huber's actions prior to the shooting, "including the dangerous actions of the driver that threatened the safety of innocent motorists on the Thruway and in the city of Buffalo." Nigro is a decorated trooper and was once named "Trooper of the Year" of the Thruway division of the State Police, and he has served 22 years with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, including active duty combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Quinn, who is representing Nigro along with attorney Daniel Strollo, told the judge he plans to file a motion to dismiss the indictment "based in part on the manner in which the grand jury was both charged and the manner in which my client was questioned on his testimony in the grand jury." "So we have no concerns about the outcome of this trial because we don't believe any jury is going to convict my client of anything because he was justified for his actions," Quinn said in court. Nigro's case is so strong, he wants to go to trial "so he has the opportunity to clear his name," Quinn said. The first-degree manslaughter charge accuses Nigro of shooting Huber with the intent to seriously injure him. The second-degree manslaughter charge accuses Nigro of recklessly causing Huber's death by shooting him. If convicted of first-degree manslaughter, Nigro would face between five and 25 years in prison. If convicted of second-degree manslaughter, he could face up to a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison. Arraignment of Trooper Anthony Nigro IV Your browser does not support the audio element. The Dutch will be at BIO International Convention in Boston, June 5-8, 2023, to share how companies in the Netherlands are driving innovation that contributes to a healthier world WASHINGTON, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Netherlands is a prime location for biotech companies that bring forth an open-minded, innovative and inclusive approach to novel challenges in life sciences and health. Companies that invest in Holland are innovating for the benefit of patients and society at large. This dynamic Dutch life sciences and health ecosystem will be on full display during the BIO International Convention in Boston on June 5-8, 2023. This year's BIO International Convention in Boston will welcome more than 14,000 biotechnology and pharma leaders to advance the theme of: "Stand up for innovation. Stand up for truth. And stand up for science." This theme rings true in the Netherlands where the Dutch approach to research and innovation combined with excellent business infrastructure and a highly educated, dynamic workforce makes the country an ideal location for biotech companies. "With a stable regulatory environment and unmatched collaboration, the Netherlands has developed the formula for biotech success," explains Jaap Slothouwer, Executive Director, Americas for the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA). "International companies that have operations in the Netherlands work alongside Dutch life sciences and health partners to build a healthier world together. The Netherlands' central European location and vibrant life sciences & health ecosystem helps drive solutions for the future of biotech and healthcare." Companies considering international expansion for their business can refer to a new Dutch Life Sciences & Health Bidbook which promotes international collaboration and highlights opportunities in the country. Life Sciences & Health companies can connect with Europe and the world from the Netherlands. In fact, the country is home to more than 3,100 innovative R&D life sciences companies and more than 400 biopharmaceutical companies. The Netherlands is also home to 26 campuses, 12 universities and eight university medical centers engaged in life sciences research. A few years ago, the European Union relocated the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to Amsterdam from London, a strong testament to the Netherlands life sciences and health strengths. Many North American biotech companies including Alnylam, MSD/Merck, Charles River, Amgen, Kite Pharma and Abbott have also found fertile ground in the Netherlands. Interested in connecting with NFIA during or after the BIO International Convention? Meet with the Invest in Holland Network team including Health~Holland and HollandBIO at the Netherlands Pavilion, booth 1947. NFIA offers free, confidential assistance to companies looking to establish or expand operations in the Netherlands and has North American offices located in Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco and Toronto. For more information, visit www.investinholland.com or contact [email protected]. SOURCE Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency ZHOUZHI, China, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from CRI Online: The sonorous sound of Qinchuan instantly unleashes the momentum of a vast host of infantry and cavalry. The loud voices in singing Qinqiang Opera amplify the vigor of mountains and rivers Inherited by 30 million residents on the 248-mile (800 li) Qinchuan land, Qinqiang Opera boasts a long history and has experienced more ambitious metamorphosis in the new era. Zhouzhi's Qinqiang Opera As a cultural symbol of Shaanxi, Qinqiang Opera has different opinions on its origin. According to a clear historical document, the earliest Qinqiang Opera troupe in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was the Huaqing Troupe (also known as Zhang's Troupe) founded by Zhouzhi people. Since then, Qinqiang Opera troupes have gained extreme popularity among all people, old and young. Hence Qinqiang Opera was deeply rooted in this native land, witnessing the vicissitudes over the past more than 500 years. In 1935, the Zhouzhi County Troupe was established on the basis of Zhang's Troupe. Since then, this unique opera has been revitalized once again by a lot of enthusiastic artists in the Three Qins land (Shaanxi). Qinqiang Opera, the original Qin's art, has been stretched so far. Generations of Zhouzhi people prioritized the spreading and inheritance of the Qinqiang Opera art. They carried forward the everlasting art performance on the stage while planning for its sustainability off the stage. In Zhouzhi County Art Vocational School, those passionate students keep learning the basic skills of Qinqiang Opera, like figure training and singing practice, day by day. At the celebration sites such as temple fairs and festival shows, the shouts of Qinqiang Opera performers on the stage are always echoed with cheers from the audience. The endless resonance propels the thriving development of Zhouzhi's Qinqiang Opera. It has become the cultural heritage and genes of the people living in Shaanxi. Recently, to better appreciate the charm of Qinqiang Opera, Mohamed Jihad Mohamed Moustafa (Chinese name: Liu Zhengxi), an Egyptian boy and Podareva Anastasia (Chinese name: Tang Xilan), a Russian poetess, who both love traditional Chinese culture, travelled thousands of miles to Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi Province to learn Qinqiang Opera and have an immersive experience of the whole process of performance. Let's look at what they do! SOURCE CRI Online OXFORD, England and KRAKOW, Poland, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Oxford and Selvita (WSE: SLV), one of the largest contract research organizations in Europe, announced an integrated drug discovery collaboration in the area of Parkinson's disease. While Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease affecting ~7 million people worldwide, there are only symptomatic therapies available. At the molecular level, it is caused by the build-up of a small protein called alpha-synuclein which forms aggregates inside vulnerable neurons. The inability of cells to efficiently clear these aggregates may lead to the death of neurons and the emergence of characteristic symptoms of the disease. Professor George Tofaris and his Team at the University of Oxford have identified key protein disposal factors that affect alpha-synuclein aggregation, and could be important drug targets for disease modification. Taking advantage of Selvita's experience in the areas of protein degradation and neuroscience, Professor Tofaris and his team have worked with Selvita to develop promising prototype compounds that efficiently promote the clearance of alpha-synuclein aggregates. The project is now being continued with an aim to progress the compounds further along the drug discovery pipeline by improving their pharmacological properties and their efficacy. "There is extensive evidence from genetics and pathology implicating alpha-synuclein aggregates as the cause of Parkinson's. Therefore, promoting the ability of nerve cells to rid themselves of these aggregates is a rational therapeutic strategy in this group of diseases." commented Professor George Tofaris, Professor of Neurology and Translational Neuroscience at the University of Oxford. "Combination of Selvita's drug discovery expertise and the world-class innovative research conducted at the University of Oxford, create this exquisite collaboration which holds an immense potential to address the urgent need for disease-modifying treatments to combat Parkinson's disease. We are very excited to continue working with Prof. Tofaris and his Team." added Edyta Jaworska, Vice President Sales, Drug Discovery Europe and Asia at Selvita. Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease affecting ~7 million people worldwide. Currently there are only partially effective symptomatic therapies but no treatments to stop or slow down the disease. Parkinson's primarily affects movement and posture due to the death of dopamine producing nerve cells. Poor smell, sleep or mood disturbance and other difficulties often start decades before the movement disorder and become more prominent as the disease progresses, with a significant impact on the quality of patients' and carers' lives. About the University of Oxford Oxford University (www.ox.ac.uk) has been placed number one in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the sixth year running, and number two in the QS World Rankings 2022. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer. Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions. Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 200 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past three years. The University is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing 15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full-time jobs. About Selvita [SLV] Selvita is one of the largest preclinical contract research organizations in Europe, driven by a clear mission: to offer a comprehensive scope of services bridging the gap between early drug discovery and the clinical stage of drug development. Selvita provides comprehensive solutions supporting Clients and their drug discovery projects, across a broad range of therapeutic areas, specializing in infectious diseases, inflammation, fibrosis, and oncology. The Company offers a range of stand-alone or fully integrated drug discovery and development solutions spanning the entire value chain from early drug discovery to preclinical development. On top of that Selvita also offers analytical support of drug development and contract testing studies. Selvita, established in 2007, operates globally with almost 900 highly qualified employees, of which over 40% hold a PhD degree. The Company's research sites are in Krakow (HQ), Poznan, Poland, and Zagreb, Croatia. The international offices are located in Cambridge, MA, and San Francisco Bay Area, in the U.S., as well as in Cambridge, UK. Ardigen, a bioinformatics company harnessing advanced Artificial Intelligence methods for novel precision medicine, is part of Selvita Group portfolio of companies. The company employs over 160 professionals. Selvita is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE: SLV). For more information, please see www.selvita.com. SOURCE Selvita 51% of global consumers now believe their country is suffering from climate change, up from 44% in 2021. 46% of global consumers say that eco-activists have raised their awareness of environmental issues. Plastic pollution falls out of the top three environmental concerns among global consumers. CHICAGO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Water shortages are the fastest-growing global environmental consumer concern, according to new research from Mintel's annual Global Outlook on Sustainability* . The number of consumers globally who rank water shortages in their top three environmental concerns has risen from 31% in 2022 to 35% in 2023, representing a 13% increase and a faster rise in concern than any other environmental issue in the last year. In 2021, less than three in ten (27%) consumers globally worried about water shortages. Escalating fears have resulted in water shortages pushing plastic pollution out of the top three environmental concerns, with concern around plastic pollution (eg ocean plastic) falling from 36% in 2021 to 32% in 2023. In fact, water shortage is the number one environmental issue in Mexico (26%), while tying in first place with climate change itself in Brazil (16%). However, only 11% of US consumers and 7% of Canadian consumers cited this as their number one environmental concern. Meanwhile, climate change remains the world's number one environmental concern. The proportion of global consumers citing climate change as one of their top three environmental issues stands at 47% in 2023, up from 39% in 2021. Overall, the proportion of consumers globally who believe that their country is suffering from climate change is now in the majority (51%), up from 44% in 2021. However, opinion varies across the regions. Less than half of US (46%) consumers believe their country is suffering from climate change, increasing to 50% in Canada, 52% in Brazil, and 55% in Mexico. Richard Cope, Senior Trends Consultant, Mintel Consulting, said: "Consumers' growing prioritization of water shortages as a top three environmental concern reflects how water stress has become a reality worldwide. The ascent of water shortages from fifth to third place in consumers' list of environmental priorities is symptomatic of a population directly impacted byas opposed to increasingly informed aboutclimate change. This marks a new era where environmental concerns become pressing issues of self-preservation, such as water and food shortages and a desire to conserve resources for future resilience. While plastic pollution remains a prominent concern it is sliding down consumers' agendas as they increasingly focus on their personal supply shortages and are educated to realize that other issues might be generating more emissions." Nearly 4 in 10 US consumers believe eco-activism is a legitimate form of protest Frequently a topic of controversy, Mintel research reveals that just under half (46%) of consumers globally say that eco-activists have raised their awareness of environmental issues. However, across North and South America, the impact of climate activism on consumers varies significantly. Just a third (34%) of Canadian consumers say that these activists have raised their awareness, rising to nearly 4 in 10 in the US (36%). Meanwhile, the impact is considerably higher in Brazil (51%) and Mexico (60%). While many consumers are paying attention to activists, around 36% of US consumers say eco-activists who create disruption (eg by stopping traffic) should be penalized by the government. "It's clear that eco-activists are having an impact, and are even seen as legitimate protestors, in many markets. In fact, our research shows that eco-activists are welcomed as educators in many markets, especially in the Latin American markets. Activists are also becoming instrumental in holding brands accountable for greenwashing. As activists educate the world on energy, sourcing, and distribution emissions, consumers will increasingly adopt a more informed, considered, and holistic view of these impacts," continued Cope. Consumers distrust carbon offsetting as a solution As many as two-thirds (66%) of consumers say they would prefer for companies to reduce their carbon emissions rather than use Carbon Offsetting programs outside of their area of business. This rises to 70% in Brazil and Canada and 75% in Mexico highlighting a growing disconnect between consumers' and companies' goals. This comes as almost half (49%) of Canadian consumers say they don't trust companies to be honest about their environmental impact followed by 40% in the US and Mexico and 37% in Brazil. "Our research shows that, on a global scale, consumers don't want brands to engage in carbon offsetting. Projects preventing deforestation form the basis of most carbon credit programs used by corporations to assert the carbon neutrality of their businesses or products, but in the wake of media coverage around the challenges in validating these schemes, it's understandable that the public is challenging companies to be more transparent and become more involved and invested in reducing their emissions directly," added Cope. Consumers want governments to provide more incentives Less than a third of consumers in the US (29%) agree that the country where they live offers sufficient financial incentives to install new energy innovations in their home (eg subsidies to install heat pumps, insulation, or solar panels). However, nearly half of US (46%) consumers say the country where they live offers them sufficient financial incentives to lease/buy an electric vehicle (eg subsidies for vehicle purchase/loan costs, installing a charger at their home). "Whilst many consumers may support state regulation and dissuasion, they are largely united in feeling that governments are not doing enough to incentivize green behaviors, specifically concerning transitioning towards cleaner energy and transport which helps businesses lead effective change that resonates with, and inspires, consumers," concludes Cope. Mintel's 2023 'Global Outlook on Sustainability: A Consumer Study' tracks the environmental and social priorities, purchasing behaviors, engagement, and level of understanding of sustainability topics among consumers from 16 countries. Learn more about the research findings and how Mintel is helping businesses lead effective change here . Additional research and interviews with Richard Cope are available upon request from the Mintel Press Office . SOURCE Mintel Group, Ltd. PHILADELPHIA, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Morgan Samuels, a premier retained executive search firm, welcomes Tom Dunn as Principal, expanding the firm's talent acquisition and executive recruitment capabilities. Tom Dunn joins Morgan Samuels from N2Growth, where he served as Senior Director for nearly two years, contributing significantly to the company's growth and success. With extensive experience at N2Growth as a Senior Associate, Director, and Senior Director, Tom brings a deep understanding of executive search and a proven track record in identifying and placing top-tier talent. Tom Dunn Prior to N2Growth, Tom held the position of VP of Product Development at Gartner, where he played a pivotal role in driving strategic initiatives and delivering innovative solutions for clients. He also served as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, specializing in industrial, pharmaceutical, and advanced industry companies. Tom's expertise in addressing strategic and operational issues adds immense value to Morgan Samuels and its clients. Bert Hensley, CEO of Morgan Samuels, expressed his excitement about Tom Dunn joining the firm, stating, "We are delighted to welcome Tom to our team. His expertise and industry insights will further elevate our executive search capabilities, ensuring exceptional service for our clients." Tom Dunn shared his enthusiasm about joining Morgan Samuels, stating, "I am thrilled to be part of the Morgan Samuels team. The firm's commitment to excellence, efficient resource allocation, and rigorous search approach aligns perfectly with my own values. I look forward to collaborating with the talented professionals at Morgan Samuels to find exceptional talent for our clients and drive their organizations forward." About Morgan Samuels Morgan Samuels is a leading executive search firm revolutionizing the industry. Recognized as a top firm by Forbes, Hunt Scanlon, and business journals, Morgan Samuels consistently outperforms industry standards. With a personal, passionate, and comprehensive approach to executive search, the firm places exceptional and diverse talent in extraordinary roles across all industries and functions. Morgan Samuels partners with organizations to unlock their full potential through exceptional executive recruitment. Media Contact: Zach Jensen 310-205-2203 [email protected] SOURCE Morgan Samuels Company Both companies will be presenting their new solution during the MVNOs World Congress in June 2023 MADRID, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Valid, the champion of interoperable eSIM services, has joined forces with Cobira, a trusted B2B secure IoT connectivity provider, to introduce their ground-breaking Private Networks Offering. This solution empowers IoT/M2M and consumer devices to seamlessly transition between public and designated private networks and maintain uninterrupted connectivity. The demand for private network capabilities is projected to generate revenues of $64 billion by 2030, according to ABI Research. While mobile networks encompass a range of cellular technologies from 2G to 5G, the introduction of 5G technology has driven increased demand for private networks, which offer secure and reliable connectivity, making them attractive for mission-critical operations, IoT deployments, and data privacy. These private networks provide coverage in outdoor locations such as ports and mines and indoor areas like manufacturing production lines, warehouses, secure campuses and healthcare systems. The partnership combines Valid's state-of-the-art interoperable technology, including a suite of applets, with Cobira's Connectivity Management Service and their Global Data Coverage over Public Networks, delivering a controlled mechanism for identifying private network campuses, and facilitating a smooth switch to public networks when necessary. The SIM or eSIM module, available in removable or soldered formats, securely manages the switch mechanism, stores the applicable business rules to apply and control them at the edge, while still being potentially managed remotely. Cobira's CCO, Thomas Brandt-Knudsen, explains, "Private networks are rapidly gaining momentum, presenting new opportunities for infrastructure suppliers, system integrators and MNOs worldwide. Our collaboration with Valid enables us to extend our connectivity services to new customers and foster this emerging segment within the mobile industry. We are delighted to be part of this innovative initiative that leverages public network connectivity to empower private environments." Pierre Lassus, SVP of Global Software & Services of Valid Mobile unit, highlighted the company's commitment to assisting customers in thriving within private network environments. "Our new solution, developed in partnership with Cobira and our dedicated consulting services, streamlines the interworking between private and public networks. This guarantees that the devices can remain connected even when they move beyond the geographical boundaries of the private network, all securely and reliably," he explained. The collaboration between Valid and Cobira sets the stage for revolutionizing connectivity experiences, enabling IoT and consumer devices to operate seamlessly across private and public networks. With their expertise and innovative solutions, the two companies are poised to shape the future of network connectivity, further empowering businesses and individuals in an increasingly connected world. For more information about the Private Networks offering and the collaborative efforts of Valid and Cobira, please visit www.valid.com. On June 6th, during the MVNOs World Congress 2023 held in Amsterdam, at the Hotel Okura, Valid's Software & Services SVP, Pierre Lassus, and Cobira's CCO, Thomas Brandt-Knudsen, will discuss this new Offering and how MNOS, MVNOs and MVNEs can thrive in the private networks' environment. Register to join here. About Cobira Danish-based Cobira strives to be the perfect partner when it comes to enabling companies as connectivity providers. With our competencies and knowledge within connectivity we help our customers to build secure, reliable, manageable and scalable solutions that make their IoT enabled business a success. With a fresh look at IoT connectivity Cobira was established in 2020 by former colleagues, all having previous experience from the IoT connectivity business, and many years of experience from the telco business and all sharing the same dream of helping companies optimize their business using IoT. About Valid Valid (B: VLID3 ON) provides tailored solutions that integrate emerging technologies to enable secure, trusted experiences. From Data, Payments, Identity, and Mobile to IoT, Track and Trace, Digital Certification, and Agritech, Valid offers a wide portfolio of services and solutions that accelerate the digital transformation of our clients' business. With over 60 years of experience and more than 4,000 employees in 16 countries, Valid is the largest issuer of identification documents in Brazil, among the top 5 producers of SIM cards and the world's largest manufacturers of banking cards. To learn more, visit www.valid.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2086610/4056412/Valid_Logo.jpg SOURCE Valid Ventana's Balaji Baktha to Showcase Transformative Power of RISC-V CUPERTINO, Calif., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ventana Micro Systems Inc. , provider of the highest performance RISC-V processors, today announced its Founder and CEO Balaji Baktha is providing the RISC-V Summit Europe keynote speech at 10:00am on June 6. Ventana will be showcasing its Veyron product family in Booth 15 at the conference in Barcelona, Spain. At this inaugural European semiconductor event, Ventana will share its vision, expertise, and real-world examples of how RISC-V technology is transforming compute architectures. The company will also highlight the significant impact RISC-V is having today and its promising future in the European semiconductor industry, particularly in the ability for RISC-V to enable Europe to participate in the next phase of data center and automotive innovation. RISC-V Summit Europe is a premier event that brings together leading experts, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss the latest developments in RISC-V architecture. This gathering offers an ideal opportunity for Ventana to showcase its cutting-edge solutions and its commitment to driving innovation in this field. In addition to Baktha's keynote at RISC-V Summit Europe, Kumar Sankaran, Vice President of Software and Platform Engineering at Ventana, will be offering a demo titled "Data Center Workloads on RISC-V" for attendees. "RISC-V and chiplets represent a pivotal turning point in the semiconductor industry, empowering companies to leverage open-standards architecture and unleash their creativity," said Baktha. "It is revolutionizing the way we design and build processors, enabling scalable and customizable solutions across diverse applications, including Data Center, Automotive, 5G, Generative AI, and Client applications. At Ventana, we believe in the transformative power of RISC-V." Ventana recently announced the Veyron RISC-V processors. Veyron V1 is the highest performance RISC-V processor available today, and offers high-performance 5nm chiplets and availability as IP. Veyron's efficient microarchitecture provides the highest single socket performance among competing server architectures, and enables workload efficiency gains through domain-specific acceleration, resulting in further innovation and optimization of workloads. The standards-based Veyron compute chiplet and reference platform provides market acceleration of up to two years and reduces development costs by up to 75%. About Ventana Micro Systems Inc. Headquartered in Cupertino, Ventana Micro Systems Inc. was founded in 2018 to revolutionize the processor market by offering high-performance, extensible and secure compute chiplets based on RISC-V's open architecture. Ventana is a member of RISC-V International Board of Directors and its Technical Steering Committee. To learn more about Ventana visit the Web , Twitter , and LinkedIn . About RISC-V Summit Europe The RISC-V Summit Europe is a premier event that serves as a catalyst for driving innovation and collaboration within the RISC-V ecosystem. This influential gathering brings together industry leaders, developers, researchers, and enthusiasts from around the world to explore the latest advancements, trends, and opportunities in the realm of open and extensible instruction set architecture. With a focus on sharing knowledge, fostering partnerships, and pushing the boundaries of computing technology, the RISC-V Summit Europe is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about shaping the future of the industry. All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies. Media Contact: Gary Bird FortyThree, Inc. 831.888.9011 [email protected] SOURCE Ventana Micro NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP, a preeminent national consumer rights law firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of victims of the Managed Care of North America ("MCNA") data breach. MCNA counts itself as the largest dental insurer in the country for government-sponsored plans covering children and seniors. MCNA works with state Medicaid agencies and the Children's Health Insurance Program, including Aetna Better Health of New York, Empire BlueCross BlueShield HealthPlus and MetroPlus Health Plan, all of which "may have" lost information, according to MCNA. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT CONTACT FORM On March 6, 2023, MCNA learned of suspicious activity on its computer network. After an investigation, MCNA determined that an unknown third party accessed its computer systems between February 26, 2023 and March 7, 2023, and that the personal information of more than 8.9 million individuals was compromised (the "Data Breach"). On April 7, after MCNA refused to pay $10 million in ransom, the sensitive information was uploaded onto the "dark web." Samples of the leaked data confirm the control of patient data. On May 4, 2023, MCNA told the state Medicaid agency that information taken included: first and last names; addresses; dates of birth; phone numbers; email addresses; Social Security numbers; driver's license numbers/other government-issued ID numbers; health insurance information; medical records; medical bills; and insurance claims. On or around May 26, 2023, MCNA began notifying consumers of the Data Breach. If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH from MCNA and you reside in the United States, if you wish to discuss this investigation, or if you have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this matter, please contact Wolf Haldenstein immediately by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at [email protected], or visit our website at www.whafh.com. Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP has extensive experience in the prosecution of consumer rights litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas and offices in New York and San Diego. Courts have repeatedly recognized the reputation and expertise of this firm and have appointed it to major positions in complex litigation. Contact: Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis Rachele R. Byrd, Esq. Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (619) 239-4599 Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. SOURCE Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP ABU DHABI, UAE, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) continues to strengthen global AI talent capacity and contribute solutions to pressing challenges across health, education, and climate, following its second commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023 on June 4. The Class of 2023 with His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (center); His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, President-Designate of COP28 UAE and Chairman of MBZUAI's Board of Trustees(right); and Professor Eric Xing, MBZUAI President and University Professor (left). (PRNewsfoto/Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)) Held at the Abu Dhabi Energy Center in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Excellency Khalifa bin Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Jordan; and His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, President-Designate of COP28 UAE; the commencement celebrated 59 students graduating with a master's in computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML), along with its first-ever natural language processing (NLP) cohort. MBZUAI the world's first graduate research university dedicated to AI is currently ranked 19th globally in AI and in these three key areas of specialization, according to CSRankings. H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said: "The importance of AI is undisputed, which is why MBZUAI continues to push the boundaries of this technology through advanced research, strategic industry collaborations, and, of course, by empowering the next generation of AI experts. I am confident that the Class of 2023 will make a profound impact and develop tangible AI solutions that will help to overcome some of society's major challenges, particularly in the areas of climate, healthcare, and education." MBZUAI President and University Professor Eric Xing said: "This is a pivotal time as wider public interest turns its attention to AI and with the UAE's pace, scale, and ambition as a young nation, it offers a cosmopolitan hub of innovation that attracts the world's greatest minds in the field. I extend my congratulations to the Class of 2023 as they embark on the next stage of their journey." Among the 59 students who graduated, 32 majored in ML, 20 in CV, and seven in NLP. The Class of 2023 comprised 25 nationalities from countries including China, UAE, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Italy, USA, and Jordan, highlighting the university's commitment to a diverse and inclusive learning environment that attracts top talent from around the world. The Class of 2023 also had 17 academic papers published or accepted at major conferences and journals of international standing, including the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR 2023), Journal of Physics Energy, and IEEE Access journal. Currently, 46% of the graduating class have confirmed employment, Ph.D. placements, or paid internships. Employment has been secured with organizations including Snapchat UK, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Police, G42 Healthcare, and Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence (IIAI)/G42. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2093138/MBZUAI_Class_of_2023.jpg SOURCE Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) CHICAGO, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yello today announced a new, free customized report for college and university career centers to help them be more intentional about their employer recruiting strategy. This milestone is a major move for Yello on its mission to be the cornerstone of the Early Talent Recruitment software industry and a true partner to campus recruiters. "Yello has unmatched insights on the campus hiring processwith data we can give to career centers," said Corey Ferengul, CEO of Yello. "Like Yello, Career Services are focused on helping students find jobs. We think sharing these insights can aid in quick, actionable decisions to improve employer engagement and planning." In this report, career services will receive unique insights, such as: Student and employer engagement and outcomes for virtual and in-person Career Fairs Insights into ways employers engage beyond Career Fairs IPEDS demographic reporting for their school and other benchmark schools - including data by major How their students engage on other job sites, such as WayUp, Yello's Sourcing Marketplace, to look for internships and entry level jobs To learn more about the free Career Service Recruiting Insights report and request your report to be delivered in July, click here or visit www.yello.co/lp-career-center-recruiting-benchmark. About Yello: Yello is built for early talent teams with best-in-class campus planning, sourcing, events, and recruitment operations. Our focus on early talent recruitment lifecycles benefits both schools and companies. Media Contact: Allison Timura Yello 330-727-9687 [email protected] SOURCE Yello The signs on the front of the Vive shelter are written in four languages: French, Portuguese, English and Spanish. But the message is the same: "Vive is full. Please be prepared you may have to find somewhere else to stay." For about a year now, that's been the case at the Vive Shelter for asylum-seekers on Wyoming Avenue on the East Side of Buffalo. "We are very full right now," said Matt Tice, the director of the shelter, on a recent visit. A group of men sat in chairs just outside enjoying the summerlike weather. Inside, a half-dozen people were charging their phones in a waiting room. A person was lying on a bench in the cool hallway of the former school building. The shelter can house about 120 people at a time, but with new clients showing up daily it has been a challenge for the staff to find housing for everyone. The same crises that have driven hundreds of thousands of people from their home countries to the southern border of the United States in recent months are leading individuals and families to seek help at the East Side shelter. There's the possibility that hundreds more asylum-seekers could wind up in Buffalo as New York City struggles with an influx of more that 60,000 migrants. Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she's looking at numerous options for housing migrants now in New York City, including the possibility of giving them shelter at dormitories on SUNY campuses. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has said it's possible some may be brought to the dorms at SUNY Buffalo State. No plans have been finalized so far. To be clear, the migrants from New York City are not being bused to Vive, nor is Vive overseeing any such plan. However, the shelter, which is operated by Jericho Road Community Health Center, is part of a coalition of organizations in Buffalo who have a long history of working with refugees and immigrants that may assist in the process. Vive knows a lot of about the asylum process. "We're the foremost experts," Tice said. Vive was founded in 1984 by a group of Catholic nuns who wanted to help Central and South American asylum-seekers they saw living on the streets. It was first housed in a convent in Lackawanna, but for decades has been at 50 Wyoming Ave. Jericho Road Community Health Center, which provides health care and community services to refugees and low-income people, acquired Vive in 2015. The shelter draws asylum-seekers from around the globe. Some are hoping to get to Canada, while others are hoping to gain asylum in the United States. Many end up calling Buffalo home. The change in policy around the U.S. border with Canada has played a significant role in the growing need at Vive, Tice said. "Previously, we had so many people that were able to access going to Canada," he said. That's no longer the case as unofficial border crossings to Canada, such Roxham Road at New York's border with Quebec, have stopped allowing migrants to cross into Canada. That means those seeking asylum in Canada must make their claims through an official process. "That takes much longer," Tice said. "We also have a lot of people who arrive here where they're operating under inaccurate information or incomplete information. Someone has told them: Just get to Vive. That's all you need to do," Tice said. Vive can't help everyone, he explained. The shelter expects its residents to be in good standing with immigration officials during their stay. "If you're staying with us, you must stay in good standing with ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. We have the expectation that you are going in for your check-ins, doing all the things that you need to do. Because if they don't, they're potentially going to be coming to get you and that would make this an unsafe place for the people who need to feel safe coming here," Tice said. Among recent arrivals at Vive is Mandawala, who fled Angola with his wife and four children in September. The Buffalo News is only using his first name because of concerns about backlash against relatives back in Angola. Photos: Inside Vive Refugee Shelter Mandawala, a doctor who was also a public health official, knew his life was in danger after bandits came to his house looking for him. He said they shot and killed one of his dogs. He told his story through a French interpreter. "We are not protected in Africa," he said. "The only country, in my mind, who can protect the people is America. So that is where we went. We did everything in order to arrive here." The family left everything behind as they flew to Brazil. After spending three months in Brazil, they flew to Panama. Then they made their way any way they could through Nicaragua and Mexico. They took taxis if they could. Sometimes they had no choice but to walk for days. They eventually made it to the U.S./Mexican border. Everyone there was starving. "They don't have food to eat. You can see even my children, my kid, they lost so much weight. They are now so slim," he said. The family is now in Buffalo at Vive. Mandawala has many plans now. First, he wants his children to get a good education. Second, he wants to learn English he speaks French and Portuguese. Next, he wants to find a home, get a job to support his family and for his asylum request to be granted. "This has been my dream," he said. Sylvia is another Vive resident. She fled El Salvador more than 10 years ago because as a lesbian she feared for her life. She was also rejected by her family. She stayed in Arizona for several years but after her partner went to Canada, she began looking for another place to stay. She heard about Vive and came to Buffalo. She recalled her journey through Mexico. She saw bodies in the desert. "Coyotes" who offer to smuggle people across the border for a fee preyed on women who traveled without men. Sylvia dreams of the day she obtains asylum so that she can get her own apartment, get a good job and make her dad proud, despite her family's rejection. "He's old. He's 81 and I want to be able to send him money to support him," she said. Guangzhou, China, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ZWSOFT, a reliable all-in-one CAx solutions provider, announced the release of ZW3D 2024, the latest version of its comprehensive 3D CAD/CAE/CAM solution. This highly-anticipated release is packed with an array of new features and enhancements designed to boost productivity and empower users to tackle complex tasks with confidence. Accelerated Performance for Optimal Workflow ZWSOFT released ZW3D 2024, the latest version of its comprehensive 3D CAD/CAE/CAM solution. ZW3D 2024 revolutionizes user experience with an advanced render engine that optimizes the processing efficiency of intricate models. Leveraging this cutting-edge engine, users can seamlessly rotate, scale, and pan multi-solid structures, large assemblies, and models comprising complex toolpaths. Consequently, editing and viewing models become smoother and more efficient than ever before. Pattern generation, a staple feature in part design, receives a staggering 80% performance improvement in ZW3D 2024 compared to ZW3D 2023. This remarkable enhancement enables users to accomplish pattern-related tasks quickly and effortlessly, boosting overall productivity. Extended Design and Machining Capabilities In addition to improved efficiency, ZW3D 2024 pushes its boundaries of design and machining capabilities, empowering users to unlock their full potential. Surface modeling receive a significant upgrade in ZW3D 2024 with the introduction of Chordal Fillet and Face Fillet features. The newly-added master layout in assembly design establishes a seamless link between all design phases from top to bottom, improving parametric design practices. Enhancements extend to the CAM module, with optimized pencil and corner finishing algorithms that deliver unparalleled accuracy in recognition and generate precise toolpaths, elevating the machining experience. Tailored Solutions for Industrial Equipment With a commitment to meeting industry-specific demands, ZW3D offers an extensive range of general-purpose design functions and specialized toolsets. Two new industry-specific modules, structure design and harness design, are introduced in ZW3D 2024. Alongside these new features, the piping design module has also been significantly improved to cater to the unique needs of industry professionals. The simulation module has also been upgraded, allowing users to optimize product performance during the early design phase and reduce prototype costs. New fatigue and random vibration analysis types have been added to ZW3D 2024, empowering users with more comprehensive simulation capabilities. With its comprehensive suite of specialized design tools and tailored solution, ZW3D is primed to meet the diverse needs of various industries, particularly the industrial equipment sector. About ZWSOFT ZWSOFT aims to provide reliable all-in-one CAx (CAD/CAE/CAM) solutions for designers and engineers worldwide and enables them to streamline complex design workflows at a fair and reasonable price. Since ZWSOFT's inception in 1998, over 1.4 million customers from more than 90 countries have chosen our products and solutions to solve their design challenges. Among the list are the world's most innovative companies across various industries, including Saint-Gobain, LG, and Ericsson. SOURCE ZWSOFT CO., LTD. (Guangzhou) ALBANY Language within a bill authorizing the Seneca Nation to enter a new gaming compact is raising concern about the future of three racinos that compete against the Nations casinos. Leadership at one of those racinos, Batavia Downs, believes the wording in a bill sponsored by Democratic State Sen. Tim Kennedy would effectively lead to the racinos shuttering. For Seneca gaming compact allies, a key disconnect over timing Earlier this year, the Seneca Nation approached State Sen. Tim Kennedy with an idea for legislation benefiting the Nation during high-stakes gaming compact negotiations. But since the bill's introduction, a disconnect has emerged between the Nation and Kennedy, its most valuable ally in the State Legislature. The Seneca Nation, which helped write the Kennedy bill, says it had no intention of trying to shut down competing racinos. And Kennedy is open to making amendments ensuring the continued viability of the racinos, a spokeswoman said Friday. At the same time, with less than a week left in the Albany legislative session, the Nation has been pressing hard for the Legislature to pass the current bill. Three racinos in Western New York Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack, Hamburg Gaming and Batavia Downs Gaming feature horse racing tracks and a limited menu of other gambling options. They compete against the three full-scale casinos run by the Seneca Nation. Under an original 2002 gaming compact between New York State and the Seneca Nation, in exchange for paying a portion of revenues on slot machines and other gaming devices to the state, the Nation obtained the exclusive right to offer those devices west of State Route 14. The 2002 compact language stated that within that zone, no person or entity other than the Nation shall be permitted to operate, gaming devices, including slot machines. The original compact expires Dec. 9. The bill introduced last month by Kennedy would authorize the Seneca Nation to enter a new gaming compact with New York and enshrines the current Seneca exclusivity zone into state law. If the bill became law, exclusivity would no longer be part of the negotiation between the Nation and New Yorks governor. But the language in Kennedys bill is broad, stating that going forward, the Seneca Nation would have the exclusive right to conduct gaming within the geographic boundaries first negotiated in 2002. That has raised concerns among racinos in the region: All three conduct a form of gaming, and all three operate within the proposed exclusivity zone. Among those racinos is Batavia Downs, which is run by the Western New York Region Off-Track Betting Corp. Its president and chief executive officer, Henry Wojtaszek, told The News he is concerned that the bill language would lead to the shuttering of Batavia Downs. Tim Kennedy bill injects new dynamic into Seneca gaming talks The bill contains provisions granting the Nation new advantages in its ongoing negotiations with Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, raising concerns within the Hochul administration. "This is a complicated issue, and we have respect for the process, Wojtaszek said. It's critically important to protect WROTB's mission of generating revenue for our partners in local government as well as our 433 employees." Under Wojtaszeks interpretation of the language, the bill also would lead to the shuttering of the two other racinos, both affiliated with the gaming and hospitality giant Delaware North. The Seneca Nation says its intent was never to shutter its competitors, and that its solely seeking the continued exclusive right to operate full-scale casinos in the region, known as Class III Gaming. By contrast, the racinos may offer much more limited options. While the language of the Kennedy bill grants the Nation the exclusive right to conduct gaming, the bills legislative intent section states the bills purpose is the Nations continuation of Class III gaming operations. Molly Hirschbeck, a spokeswoman for Kennedy, said whether the bill language would affect the future of the racinos was "a legal question and potentially a question for the compact negotiations." "However, Senator Kennedy is committed to the continued viability of these three racinos in Western New York as they currently exist," she said. "If language needs to be modified in his final bill to ensure this, he's certainly open to amendments." After the 2002 compact was struck, the Nation contended that the racinos that then moved into the exclusivity zone were operating illegally. But in 2013, the Nation and New York State struck a memorandum of understanding, which clarified the limited range of games the racinos could offer. It's far from clear that Kennedys bill will pass the Legislature in the next week, despite the Seneca Nation vigorously promoting passage before sessions end. Kennedy says the bill was not written with the intent of affecting ongoing compact negotiations between the Nation and Gov. Kathy Hochuls administration. Rather, it was principally meant to enshrine Seneca rights during negotiations with future governors. Kennedy does not believe his bill necessarily needs to pass during the hurried, end-of-session frenzy of bills now coursing through the State Capitol. Hochuls administration has concerns about Kennedy's bill, which would take exclusivity off the table as a bargaining chip for the state. In some form the Legislature will have to pass a bill authorizing Hochul to enter a new compact. That could be a pared down program bill introduced by the governors office before the session ends, or potentially, a bill taken up during a special Albany legislative session before the Dec. 9 deadline. New York, June 5 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi intensified his attack on the BJP-led Central government, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP and the RSS have a habit of looking back and they never think about future and will always blame someone for the past. He also took indirect swipe at the BJP government over Odisha's Balasore train tragedy on Sunday, saying that if a Congress Minister would have been in power, he would have taken moral responsibility for the mishap and would have resigned. Addressing the gathering here at the Javits Center, Rahul said, "Back home we have a problem. BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking at the future. You ask them anything and they then look backward. Ask them why train met accident, then they will say it happened during Congress too. When you ask why periodic table removed from books, then they will say Congress did this 60 years ago. They have habit of looking backward." Citing an example, the Congress leader added: "All of you came here from your car, just imagine if the only thing you did was to look in the rear view mirror while driving, then you would have met accident." "That is the phenomena of Modi. He is trying to drive the Indian car and always looks in rear view mirror and then he does not understand why this car is crashing and not moving forward. And it is same idea with the BJP, RSS, you listen to their Ministers. You will never find them talk about the future, they will always talk about the past. And they will always blame somebody for the past," he said taking a swipe at the BJP. Rahul added: "A train accident happened during the Congress government and our party did not get up and say that now it is the fault of the British that the train has crashed." He said, "The Congress Minister would have said that it is my moral responsibility and I am resigning." His remarks over the train accident came hours after he demanded the resignation of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the horrific train accident on Friday evening in Balasore in which more than 275 people lost their lives. The Congress leader also said: "This is the problem back at home that we make excuses and that we are not accepting the reality that we are facing, which is unemployment numbers." Indian Overseas Congress Secretary Virendra Vashisth said that before Rahul's address to the Indian diaspora here, all the leaders and people observed one-minute silence for the victims of the Balasore train tragedy. Rahul is on a six-day visit to the US. He has addressed several programmes and also attended several meetings in cities of San Francisco and Washington. His remarks on the BJP government has created furore back at home. Pilibhit, June 5 : A 55-year-old man, Aijaz Nabi, in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit district, was allegedly set on fire by his 27-year-old son Azad Nabi when he objected to his son illegally connecting the electricity line to their house after it had been disconnected by the Electricity department a day ago over non-payment of bills, police said. According to the police, the accused Azad set Aijaz on fire after pouring diesel on him. The passers-by rescued the victim and informed the police. Aijaz was then shifted to the district hospital by the police at where doctors said he sustained 30 per cent burn injuries. The victim, who works as a junk dealer, alleged that his son was supported by his mother and wife. He added that all his family members except for his younger son, Fariyad, 25, wanted to kill him because he never accepted their unfair practices. His elder son first manhandled him at home, and vandalised the house in a fit of rage. Later, when the victim left the house to call his younger son for help, he was set on fire midway, Aijaz said. Station House Officer of Pilibhit Kotwali police station, Naresh Tyagi, said that the police were waiting for a written complaint in the matter for lodging an FIR. The doctors at the hospital said that the victim was out of danger but suffered serious burn injuries on both the hands, arms and the left side of his body. Two of Buffalo's contestants came second place in two of the Miss New York Scholarship Competitions Sunday evening in the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater in Peekskill. Miss Buffalo Chelsea Lovell was first runner-up in the Miss New York 2023 event, while Miss Buffalo Teen Madisen Wilson took second place in the Miss New York Teen contest. In the Miss New York competition, Miss Flower City Serena Exantus earned a place in the top 10. Lovell, a University of Miami graduate who recently became host of "Daytime Buffalo" on WIVB-TV, was winner in the preliminary gown event on Saturday night. Taisha St. Jean, executive director of the Miss Buffalo scholarship organization, received the Volunteer of the Year award for her service to the Miss America Organization at the local, state and national levels. Varanasi, June 5 : The Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh Chief Jitendra Singh Vishen has announced that he is withdrawing as the "main pleader" for Rakhi Singh, one of the five Hindu women plaintiffs, in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case of Varanasi. Vishen said he took the decision due to lack of resources required for contesting the case and "harassment by anti-religious people". He has not submitted an application regarding his decision in the court yet. Five Hindu women -- Rakhi Singh, Manju Vyas, Rekha Pathak, Seeta Sahu, and Lakshami Devi -- filed the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case in the court of the civil judge (senior division) Varanasi, in August 2021. The plaintiffs sought the right of daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in Gyanvapi mosque complex. Vishen said, "I have decided to withdraw myself and my family members from the pleading of all the cases which we had filed in different courts in the interest of country and dharma. My niece Rakhi Singh with four women filed the case: Rakhi Singh and others versus State of UP and others, seeking permission for daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal, and I am associated with it as the main pleader. My wife Kiran Singh (filed a suit) as the next friend of Bhagwan Adi Vishweshwar Virajman in the fast-track court of civil judge (senior division) in May 2022." While Vishen was engaged in pleading the Shringar Gauri case on behalf of Rakhi Singh, his wife Kiran Singh had filed a suit seeking permission for daily worship of Adi Vishweshwar Virajman in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex. "Ever since these cases were filed, my family members and I are being harassed by anti-religious people who are against Hindu dharma. These people are trying to declare us 'gaddar' (treacherous). In addition, society is also standing with the forces," Vishen said. He also said, "A few months ago, I sold my car to arrange the funds required for contesting the case. But now I am left with very limited resources and strength due to which I cannot do the pleading of the cases anymore. My family members and I have decided to withdraw from the pleading of these cases." Vishen's lawyer Shivam Gaur has also announced his own withdrawal from the cases. Meanwhile Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, a lawyer for the Hindu plaintiffs, said, "Jitendra Singh Vishen has made the announcement in the media to withdraw from the pleading of the case. He posted about it on social media. But Vishen has not yet submitted a written application to the court about his decision. The case is pending in court." San Francisco, June 5 : Linda Yaccarino was set to take over as the new Twitter CEO from Monday, as Elon Musk aims to focus more on Tesla and SpaceX, the media reported. Yaccarino, former Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBC Universal, has also hired Joe Benarroch, executive vice-president at NBC Universal, to work along with her at Twitter. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) late on Sunday, Benarroch has been a trusted adviser to Yaccarino. "Tomorrow, I start a different professional adventure at Twitter, taking on a role focusing on business operations," Benarroch wrote in the memo seen by WSJ. "I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter, and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together," he added. Yaccarino said last month that she is prepared to build Twitter 2.0 and transform the business together with Musk and millions of platform users. "I've long been inspired by your vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together," she posted on Twitter. "I'm just as committed to the future of this platform. Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I'm here for all of it. Let's keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together," Yaccarino also commented. Musk is looking forward to working with Yaccarino to transform the platform into X, the everything app, just like China's WeChat. Yaccarino oversaw about 2,000 workers at NBC Universal. Her team generated more than $100 billion in ad sales and entered partnerships with companies, including Apple, Snapchat, BuzzFeed, Twitter and YouTube. Agra, June 5 : Save our dying heritage "Mother Yamuna" was the call raised by hundreds of concerned river activists, and civil society leaders as they marched in a procession from the Taj Corridor to the Etmauddaula View Point on the eve of the World Environment Day. The protesting marchers demanded early construction of a barrage downstream of the Taj Mahal, dredging of the river bed and uninterrupted minimum flow of fresh water round the year. The foot march by green activists was organised by the River Connect Campaign which has long been demanding formulation of a National River Policy and constitution of a Central Rivers Management Authority. The marchers carrying banners and posters, raised slogans, drawing public attention to the sad plight of Yamuna, reduced to a vast sewage canal. The lack of water in the Yamuna has raised the pollution level and constitutes a real threat to the Taj Mahal and other monuments sited on the banks of the river Yamuna, environmentalist Devashish Bhattacharya said. Agra Civil Society leader Anil Sharma said the state and the Central governments had made several tall promises to rejuvenate and restore past glory of one of the holiest rivers of India, but sadly nothing concrete had been done so far. The promised ferry service from Delhi to Agra remained a dream, Sharma added. The long march concluded with a 'havan' for 'shuddhikaran ' of politicians who had betrayed the cause of Yamuna. Washington, June 5 : US National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden will "at some point" meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as the world's two biggest economies work to resolve strained bilateral ties. In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Sullivan said: "We will, I hope, soon see American officials engaging at senior levels with their Chinese counterparts over the coming months to continue that work. And then, at some point, we will see President Biden and President Xi come back together again. "There is nothing inconsistent with, on the one hand, competing vigorously in important domains on economics and technology, and also ensuring that that competition does not veer into conflict or confrontation. That is the firm conviction of President Biden." The NSA's remarks came just hours after Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu accused the US of trying to destabilise the Indo-Pacific region after warships from the two countries were involved in a near collision. In an address to the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, Li blamed Washington of "provoking bloc confrontation for self-interest" and said the US and its allies were making up rules to assert dominance over the region, reports CNN. Any "severe confrontation" between the US and China would be "an unbearable disaster for the world", the Defence Minister added. On Saturday, the US had accused a Chinese warship of cutting in front of an American vessel that was taking part in a joint exercise with the Canadian navy in the Taiwan Strait, forcing the American vessel to slow down to avoid a collision. The incident marked the second time in two weeks that Chinese military personnel have engaged in aggressive maneuvers in the vicinity of US military personnel near China's border. Last week, a Chinese fighter jet conducted an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" during an intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea. Sydney, June 5 : After spending 20 years in jail, a woman once called Australias "worst female serial killer" was pardoned on Monday after new evidence suggested that she did not kill her four infants. New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley intervened to order Kathleen Folbigg be freed, based on the preliminary findings of an inquiry that had found "reasonable doubt" as to her guilt for all four deaths, reports CNN. Addressing reporters on Monday, Daley said that he had spoken to the governor and recommended an unconditional pardon, which had been granted. "This has been a terrible ordeal for everyone concerned and I hope that our actions today can put some closure on this 20-year-old matter," Daley said. The 55-year-old's case has been described as one of Australia's greatest miscarriages of justice. Folbigg was jailed in 2003 on three counts of murder and one of manslaughter following the deaths of her four children -- Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura -- over a decade from 1989. In each case, she was the person who found their bodies, though there was no physical evidence that she had caused their deaths. Folbigg has always maintained her innocence, the BBC reported. Each child died suddenly between 1989 and 1999, aged between 19 days and 19 months, with prosecutors at her trial alleging she had smothered them. Previous appeals and a separate 2019 inquiry into the case found no grounds for reasonable doubt, and gave greater weight to circumstantial evidence in Folbigg's original trial. But at a fresh inquiry, headed by retired judge Tom Bathurst, prosecutors accepted that research on gene mutations had changed their understanding of the children's deaths. The pardon comes after a years-long campaign to free Folbigg, sparked when a team of immunologists found her daughters shared a genetic mutation that can cause sudden cardiac death. Evidence was also uncovered that her sons possessed a different genetic mutation, linked to sudden-onset epilepsy in mice. Washington, June 5 : The US has accused Beijing of "unsafe" manoeuvres after a Chinese warship allegedly cut in front of an American vessel that was taking part in a joint exercise with the Canadian navy in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese warship's move forced the American vessel to slow down to avoid a collision, CNN reported. In a statement on Sunday, the US Indo-Pacific Command said that the Chinese destroyer had cut across the bow of the USS Chung-Hoon during the joint exercise between American and Canadian navy vessels in the Taiwan Strait. According to the US, the Chinese ship came within 150 yards of the USS Chung-Hoon. "Chung-Hoon maintained course and slowed to 10 knots to avoid a collision," the US statement said. The Chinese ship acted in an "unsafe manner" and "violated the maritime 'rules of the road' of safe passage in international waters", it said. Canadian commander, Capt. Paul Mountford, called the action of the Chinese ship "not professional", while a senior US defence official said: "Actions speak louder than words, and the dangerous behaviour we've seen from the PLA around the strait, in the South and East China Seas, and beyond really says it all." In a statement later Sunday, a spokesperson for the China's People Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command said its forces "handled the situation based on laws and regulations". "Relevant countries are deliberately stirring up trouble and risks in the Taiwan Strait, maliciously undermining regional peace and stability and sending wrong signals to the 'Taiwan independence' forces," CNN quoted PLA Senior Colonel Shi Yi as saying. The incident is the second time in two weeks that Chinese military personnel have engaged in aggressive manoeuvres in the vicinity of US military personnel near China's border. Last week, a Chinese fighter jet conducted an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" during an intercept of a US spy plane in international airspace over the South China Sea last week. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed London, June 5 : An Indian-origin woman has been banned from teaching by the UK's Department of Education for a minimum of two years for concealing charges of fraud against her from a school where she joined in 2018. Dipti Patel moved to Bolton from London when she became the head of physical education at Manchester Academy in Moss Side in 2018, The Bolton News reported. Patel said one of the reasons for the move was an armed burglary at her home, and the family made an insurance claim for tens of thousands of pounds after the incident. But an investigation found that it was a contrived burglary and that the insurance claim was fraudulent. Patel was charged with an offence under the Fraud Act but it was only when she was convicted, she told the school about the case. She also lied on an application for leave, saying it was to take a child to an appointment when it was to attend St Albans Crown Court, the report said. She was then referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) by the Manchester Academy. "Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality," an independent panel that looked into Patel's conduct, said in its report. "The panel finds that the conduct of Mrs Patel fell significantly short of the standards." On May 12, the panel recommended a ban from the profession for a minimum of two years, which was accepted by the Department for Education. According to the prohibition order, Patel cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England. The panel stated that Patel has a right of appeal to the King's Bench Division of the High Court. Bengaluru, June 5 : Karnataka BJP has called for a state-wide protest on Monday against Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh's statement asking "why can't cows be slaughtered?" The protest will be staged at all party district headquarters. Besides, the party plans to organise a large-scale protest in Bengaluru on Tuesday in which all legislators, former ministers and prominent BJP leaders are expected to take part. Meanwhile, Samana Manaskara Vedike, a platform of progressive thinkers has demanded withdrawal of the anti-cow slaughter legislation. According to sources, the ruling Congress is likely to form a cabinet sub-committee on the issue. Later, the committee's report would be placed before the cabinet and further decisions taken. The previous BJP government in Karnataka had passed the controversial Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020 amid opposition. The saffron party projected it as the primary agenda of the party. The new law bans slaughter of bulls, bullocks, oxen and calves. The law proposes stringent punishment and penalties and it criminalised the violation of the act. With full blessings of the BJP government cow vigilantes carried out attacks in various parts of the state, especially in the coastal region resulting in several deaths. Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh had stated that a decision would be taken after a discussion over the scrapping of the law. "The decision would be taken keeping the interests of farmers in mind. "If buffalo, ox could be slaughtered, why can't the cows be slaughtered?" he questioned. The statements made it amply clear that the preparations are on for scrapping the act. His statements have created a huge controversy in the state. Canberra, June 5 : The Australian government on Monday announced its decision to triple the size of the Macquarie Island Marine Park for world ocean protection. Under the expansion, the park, sitting between Tasmania and Antarctica, will grow from 162,000 square km to 475,465 square km, reports Xinhua news agency. Sitting between Tasmania and Antarctica, Macquarie Island and the surrounding waters are home to some of the world's most iconic species including the endemic royal penguin, rockhopper penguin, subantarctic fur seal, southern elephant seal, black-browed albatross and the grey petrel. Ninety-three per cent or 385,000 square km of the park -- an area larger than Germany -- will be completely closed to fishing, mining and other extractive activities, making a globally significant contribution to the health and resilience of the oceans. Following two months of public consultation, the government has signed off on the marine park design. Over 14,700 submissions were received through the process, with more than 99 per cent in support. Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek's decision incorporates minor adjustments to the Patagonian Toothfish fishing zone in response to feedback provided by the sustainable commercial fishing industry that operate around Macquarie Island. The expanded marine park will not impact their existing operations. This decision means marine parks will make up over 48 per cent of Australian oceans. "I want to protect our oceans for our kids and grandkids. This announcement is part of our mission to conserve Australia's special places, particularly those that are home to threatened species," the Minister was quoted as saying in an official statement. "Macquarie Island is an exceptional place. It's a remote wildlife wonderland..." Chennai, June 5 : The Coimbatore police is on alert following a tip-off from Central and state intelligence agencies over certain terror elements regrouping in the city. The police are on the lookout for certain former leaders and cadres of a banned Islamist organization trying to coordinate some people in the district. A series of bomb blasts in Coimbatore on February 14, 1998, killed 58 people. Twelve explosions had taken place in a span of an hour in 11 places and in a 12 km radius. More than 200 people were injured seriously. The blasts were targeted at BJP leader and then Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani who escaped unhurt. The terrorist organisation Al-Umma was behind the attack and many leaders of the outfit including its founder leader, S.A. Basha, were imprisoned for life. However, what makes the intelligence agencies zero in on Coimbatore is the recent car bomb blast in the city on October 23, 2022 in which a 29-year-old youth, Jameesha Mubin blew himself up in a car. The incident happened on the eve of Diwali and if the bomb had gone off in the market, which was hardly 100 meters away from where it exploded, casualties would have been much higher. This was considered a lone wolf case and the terror operative was planning a revenge attack. Seven people, including the nephew of S.A. Basha, were arrested by the police and NIA interrogated these people several times. After the ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) last September, one of the key operatives of the organization, Rauf from Kerala was present in Coimbatore before being apprehended. Sources in the Coimbatore city police told IANS that the police are keeping vigil on the movement of vehicles into the town and all the checkposts from Kerala's Palakkad district are monitored and vehicle checks conducted. If you go to the doctor complaining of pain, don't be surprised if your doctor prescribes anti-seizure medication, or an anti-depressant, or even plain old Tylenol or ibuprofen. As health care providers turn away from addictive opioid painkillers, other classes of drugs with painkilling properties are filling the gap. A Buffalo News review of nearly 10 years of painkiller prescriptions among Medicaid patients highlights the changing trends. Prior to 2016, narcotic painkillers were the leading type of painkiller prescription by far over any other type of medication prescribed, according to Erie County's Medicaid Inspector General's Office. But now, health care providers prescribe other types of pain medication much more often that they prescribe opioid-based, painkilling drugs. That includes drugs like gabapentin, a drug designed to treat epilepsy but is now commonly used to treat a wide range of nerve-related pain issues. Gabapentin is one of the most-prescribed Medicaid drugs in Erie County, ranking sixth overall, though national concerns about gabapentin dependency and abuse exist. Also high among non-narcotic painkillers are drugs like duloxetine, known better to many by the brand name Cymbalta, which is classified as an anti-depressant but is often prescribed to address certain types of nerve and muscle-related pain. Then there are much more commonly known painkillers that can be purchased in lower strengths over the counter, like ibuprofen, the most prescribed Medicaid drug for pain relief. Ibuprofen has consistently fallen within the top 10 Medicaid drugs prescribed countywide. Medicaid prescription data is publicly available and Erie County data shows a third of all county residents receive their health care through Medicaid, a government-sponsored health insurance program for low-income residents. That suggests prescribing patterns should be similar for other residents across the region. The change in how doctors treat pain is evident in the annual county Medicaid reports produced by Medicaid Inspector General Michael Szukala. For instance, the opioid-based painkiller combination hydrocodone-acetaminophen, marketed under brand names like Vicodin and Lortab, topped the list of most prescribed Medicaid drugs from 2008 through 2014. But it has not appeared on the annual report's list of top 12 most prescribed Medicaid drugs since 2018. Crisis sparked change The opioid-related overdose drug crisis began unfurling nearly a decade ago and originated with physicians and their prescription pads. Treating pain was previously considered such a high priority that doctors were taught to consider it "the fifth vital sign," said Dr. John Fudyma, interim division chief of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. In 2015, hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for opioid-based narcotic painkillers were written in Erie County alone. The painkillers were effective and falsely marketed as safe. The following year, three times as many county residents would die of overdoses as in prior years. The same story played out in communities across the United States. That nationwide crisis led to government action and physician restraint to restrict patient access to narcotic painkillers. But the patient need for pain relief did not go away. So health care professionals started substituting other types nonaddictive painkillers to meet patient needs. Now, Fudyma said, doctors are expected to spend more time tracing the cause of a patient's pain to prescribe safer and more targeted types of pain relievers. "Is it a musculoskeletal-type of pain syndrome? Is there a neuropathic component?" Fudyma said. "And what is the best combination, both pharmaceutical, as well as nonpharmaceutical interventions to reduce the pain?" Painkilling alternatives Instead of narcotic painkillers, health care providers are increasingly prescribing pills from a drug class meant to address seizures and convulsions, such as gabapentin, lamotrigine and topiramate. These drugs are now commonly used to quiet nerve-related pain signals. This class of medication has seen an 84% increase in Medicaid prescriptions in Erie County since 2013. Some antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications, which also are designed to treat related physical pain symptoms, like fibromyalgia, have also risen dramatically. That includes drugs like duloxetine, amitriptyline and nortriptyline, which have seen an 83% rise in prescriptions during the same period. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAID-class medications, including over-the-counter brands like Advil and Aleve, also continue to remain in the mix of pain relievers. So are non-narcotic analgesic medications, a broad pain-relieving category that includes acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol. These drug classes, which exist in over-the-counter and prescription form, have all seen increases in use since narcotic painkillers fell out of favor. Fudyma noted that health care providers also employ other types of pain therapy that don't involve pills. They may be pain-relieving gels or patches or other holistic therapy treatments. Local anesthetics, for instance, which are applied directly to the site of the pain, have been increasingly prescribed as a source of relief for many patients, he said. A common example is lidocaine, a local anesthetic available in over-the-counter and prescription form. It can be applied as a spray, extended-release patch, cream, ointment or lotion, among other delivery methods. Between 2015, when narcotic painkiller prescriptions were at their height, and last year, lidocaine prescriptions jumped 64%. Despite the changing trends, the opioid drug crisis has not gone away. What started out as a wave of addiction and deaths due to the over-prescription of opioid painkillers has morphed into a street drug overdose death crisis because of synthetic opioid drugs like fentanyl derivatives. Last year marked an all-time high for opioid-related drug deaths in Erie County and the numbers for this year remain high to date. Mumbai, June 5 : Actress Shefali Shah, who is celebrating the eighth anniversary of her film 'Dil Dhadakne Do', has shared that she improvised on the logistics of the famous cake scene from the film where she gorges on a piece of cake to battle her character's emotions of being low. Elaborating on the scene and sharing how it has been relatable for many people, Shefali said: "It is such a powerful moment. So many people have come up to me and told me that they have done it. I was called a day before and asked what I would like to eat since we were supposed to shoot it the next day." 'Dil Dhadakne Do', directed by Zoya Akhtar, also starred Ranveer Singh, Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. The film revolves around a dysfunctional family. It tells the story of Kamal played by Anil and Neelam essayed by Shefali, who on the occasion of their 30th anniversary, invite their family and friends on a cruise. However, on the journey, they learn many life lessons. Shefali further told Kareena Kapoor recently on her chat show: "They gave me baklava as an option since we were in Turkey when we were shooting that scene. I insisted on chocolate syrup, not for the taste of it but I wanted it to be messy and I wouldn't choke on a dry cake". While Shefali Shah had a spectacular 2022 with titles like 'Human', 'Darlings', 'Jalsa', 'Doctor G' and 'Delhi Crime 2' to her credit, she is now gearing up for the highly-anticipated third season of her International Emmy winning show 'Delhi Crime'. The recent border clashes between Iran and Afghanistan have a really dreaded portent for the future, both at the local and global levels, besides being a pointer to how we have managed our environment resources in a foolish manner. As per reports from the Iranian Tasnim News Agency, deadly clashes broke out between border guards and the Afghan soldiers in the border area encompassing the Zabul district of Sistan and Baluchestan province on the Iranian side and the Keng district of Nimruz province in Afghanistan. The deadly clashes resulted in death of two Iranian border guards in clashes with Taliban forces, while the Iranians, on their part, claimed to have killed 12 Taliban soldiers. Perplexingly, the issue over which tensions between the two neighbours ran high is how to divide the waters of the Helmand River, which the two nations must share. Iran accuses Afghanistan's Taliban rulers of violating a 1973 treaty by restricting the flow of water from the Helmand River to Iran's parched eastern regions, an accusation denied by the Taliban. China's Xinhua news agency reported that Iranian MP Hossein-Ali Shahriari, who represents Zahidan, the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan province, charged the Taliban government in Afghanistan with stopping up the flow of the Helmand River and storing extra water in the Kamal Khan Dam and other reservoirs. He complained that the Afghans have recently built new dams that are storing water that would otherwise have flowed to Iran. Though this development might be a shocking news to many, however this is not a new phenomenon but was bound to happen not just between Iran and Afghanistan but amongst other countries too. Journalist Fatemeh Aman wrote a good summary of this conflict for the Atlantic Council, noting that drought and climate change have exacerbated the tensions over water sharing. Both countries have built dams on the Helmand and irrigated off it, often to raise water-hungry crops not suitable to this arid environment. Fatemeh noted that Helmand is the longest river in Afghanistan, constituting over 40 per cent of Afghanistan's surface water. With 95 per cent of the Helmand located in Afghanistan, it is a critical source of livelihood for the country's southern and southwestern provinces. The river further flows into Iran's arid southwest to feed the Hamoun wetlands on the Iranian side and lakes on the Afghan side, but damming, irrigation, and drought have partially dried these up, creating conditions for toxic dust clouds. As per environmentalists, Iran and Afghanistan are projected to heat up faster than the world average, twice as fast, in fact. Already, poor water management and extra heat have had a devastating effect on the Helmand basin. Extra heat dries out the soil and contributes to more intense and more frequent droughts. It also causes greater and more rapid evaporation of water from lakes and rivers. The water resources are critical for people living in the increasingly drought-prone Sistan and Baluchestan region; in addition the Sistan wetland ecosystem also supports flamingos, pelicans, and other migratory birds. And while the history of conflict over the Helmand River is long, the scenario is similar to conflicts over water in other regions of the world. Many social scientists foresee water wars as a result. This border clash is a small omen of bigger conflicts to come. Tensions between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the latter's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and Blue Nile River resources haven't been resolved in years, with both Egypt and Ethiopia threatening a military response at various points. Last year, Russian troops destroyed a Dnieper River dam that diverted water away from Crimea and into Ukraine. Armed groups in Mali, Somalia and beyond destroyed water infrastructure needed by civilians. Mexico, Chile, Israel and Palestine, Kenya and Peru - the Water Conflict Chronology database lists hundreds of conflicts over water in the modern era, as well as across history. Journal Sustainability Times quoting UN Statistical Division's data pertaining to 2019, reports that the number of water conflicts by different regions globally as of April 2022 runs up to more than 1100 conflicts. Environmentalist Laureen Fagan in her report for Sustainability Times further quoted Dr. Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Pacific Institute in the US and author of The Three Ages of Water, as warning that the frequency of water-related conflicts has grown in the past two decades. That's due to violence in the Middle East, growing disputes during severe droughts over access to water in regions like Indian subcontinent and ethnic and community confrontations in sub-Saharan Africa. Fagan further referred to a February 2023 paper on the database, co-authored by Shimabuku and published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, saying that it's the uneven access to fresh water around the world that makes it a strategic priority during conflict, as is the case along the Iran-Afghanistan border. Gleick and Morgan are of the view that social, economic, and political challenges associated with freshwater resources pose a variety of severe risks to communities around the world, from water-related diseases, to crop failures, to ecological destruction, to actual violence, the risks and incidences of water-related conflicts in recent years, are on the rise, and the factors driving such violence appear to be worsening. We need to understand the root causes of water conflicts and more effective strategies for reducing their probability and consequences. Increasing tensions over water resources point out to the emergence of a new dimension to the global geopolitics, adding to the regional and neighbourly rivalries. Now indeed the time seems to be apt to work cohesively to find a collective solution to the global demand & supply and sharing of water resources, besides taking a conscious, serious and determined approach to care more for our environment instead of just hollow talks, which seem to have become the trend of most global environmental agencies and plans. If indeed we do not act even now, then it may be too late when the real wars due to scarce water resources start erupting across the globe. (Asad Mirza is a delhi-based senior political commentator.) Aden, June 5 : Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi met UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh over the ongoing peace process. During the meeting, Grundberg briefed Al-Alimi on the results of his recent meetings at the regional and international levels, according to the official Saba news agency. The UN envoy stressed the opportunity presented to Yemen now to launch a comprehensive political process that fulfills the aspirations of the Yemeni people, Xinhua news agency reported citing the Saba report. Restoring state institutions, ensuring security and stability, and establishing sustainable peace are among the priorities in the political process, Grundberg noted. For his part, Al-Alimi affirmed the PLC's commitment to supporting Grundberg's efforts in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. He also stressed the importance of integrating international efforts to revive the path of peace and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. The meeting concluded with a call for the Houthis to immediately cease all hostilities and engage in serious and inclusive negotiations to reach a comprehensive political settlement, according to the report. Yemen has been embroiled in a years-long military conflict after the Houthi militia took control of several northern cities and ousted the government from Sanaa in 2014. The ongoing conflict has resulted in a staggering number of casualties and has plunged the Arab world's poorest country into humanitarian crises, including widespread famine. New Delhi, June 5 : The Supreme Court on Monday granted a three-week interim bail to retired high-profile police officer and encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, arrested in connection with the sensational Mansukh Hiran murder case. Sharma moved the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court order, which rejected his bail application. A vacation bench headed by Judge Aniruddha Bose said Sharma would be released on bail to take care of his ailing wife on the terms and conditions as fixed by the trial court. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Sharma, claimed that his client's wife's health is deteriorating each passing day and she needs immediate surgery. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the NIA, opposed Sharma's bail plea and asked the court to direct him to produce medical records. After hearing submissions, the bench has fixed the matter for further hearing after three weeks. A document filed by Sharma in the court, said: "Petitioner's mother is 93 years old and the wife of the Petitioner is her primary caregiver. Due to the current medical complications of the wife, there is nobody to look after the wife and mother of the Petitioner. The Petitioner is the only male member to take care of his wife and old aged mother. "It is further submitted that if Petitioner is not released on bail/interim bail, the same can have a debilitating effect on the health of his wife". On May 29, the apex court had asked Sharma to file a proper petition and deferred the hearing on his interim bail plea to June 2. The special leave petition filed by Sharma said: "Petitioner is a decorated police officer, who has retired from service since 2019. Retired police officers do not have the same clout as when they were in serviceaa.prime witness in this case is a protected witness and thus the possibility of witness tampering does not arise. Moreover, a mere apprehension of tampering with evidence, without any material, is not a ground for denial of bail as is held by this Hon'ble Court in P. Chidambaram v Central Bureau of Investigation 2019." Sharma has been in custody since June 17, 2021. The Maharashtra government was represented by advocate Aaditya Pande, standing counsel and advocate-on-record for the state. In January this year, a division bench of the high court comprising Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and R.N. Laddha, dismissed Sharma's appeal challenging a special NIA Court order which had rejected his bail plea in February 2022. The SUV laden with gelatin and a death threat to the Ambani family was found abandoned near the iconic Antilia building on February 25, 2021, and on March 5, the vehicle owner Hiran was found dead in the Thane Creek. The NIA which took over the probe from Maharashtra Police and arrested Sharma in June 2021, contended that he allegedly conspired with another sacked policeman Sachin Vaze to finish off Hiran, considered a 'weak link' in the entire conspiracy to terrorise the Ambanis. The NIA said that Hiran was in the know of the entire plot and the accused Sharma-Vaze were worried that he would spill the beans on them, so they plotted to eliminate him. Ahmedabad, June 5 : In a heart-wrenching incident, a 27-year-old teacher residing in Odhav (Ahmedabad), hanged himself to death inside his house early on Monday morning. The suicide came as a result of constant harassment from usurers, even after paying an exorbitant interest of 14 lakh rupees. Subroto Pal's elder brother had also attempted suicide by consuming poison just six days ago. The police failed to take any action in response to their complaints. In his suicide note, Subroto stated that three usurers -- Yashpal Singh, Harshil Mishra, and Aman Singh Chauhan --, were tormenting him and his family. Despite seeking police help, their complaint went unaddressed, leaving Subroto in a state of despair. The tragic incident occurred at around 5 a.m. in the Gokulnagar society of Odhav. Subroto used a cloth to hang himself from a hook in the kitchen ceiling. The suicide note, penned in Hindi, expressed his hope that his family might find justice after his demise. According to sources, the Pal family had borrowed 5.50 lakh rupees from the aforementioned usurers. The lenders would frequently harass them, resort to physical violence and even threaten their lives. Last Tuesday, Subroto's elder brother, Shubhankar, consumed poison but was saved by timely medical intervention. However, when the police finally arrived, their response was lackluster, merely jotting down the details on paper. On Sunday evening, the police visited the Pal residence but failed to take a formal complaint, exacerbating Subroto's anguish. The three moneylenders would often claim that Nicole's PI was their relative, leading them to believe that the police would turn a blind eye to their misdeeds. As the investigation progresses, the police are yet to gather sufficient evidence against the usurers. Odhav Police Inspector J.S. Kandoria stated that without concrete proof, they could not initiate any action. The body has been moved for post-mortem examination. Chennai, June 5 : The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has instructed life and general insurers to settle the claims of the June 2 Odisha train accident which claimed the lives of 275 people and injured some 1,000 others. "IRDAI has sent instructions for quick settlement of claims pertaining to life and accident insurance for the victims of the rail accident by dispensing some of the requirements or relying on alternate documents," the insurance regulator's Chairman Debasish Panda told IANS. Two private non-life insurers are directly involved in insuring the passengers who had booked their tickets on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd's (IRCTC) online portal. Passengers with confirmed tickets and who had opted for travel accident insurance while booking their tickets by paying a paltry Re 0.35 paise are provided with a death/permanent total disability insurance cover of Rs 10 lakhs. In the case of permanent partial disability, the cover is Rs 7,50,000 and medical expenses up to Rs 2 lakhs are also claimable. The IRCTC has selected the SBI General Insurance and Liberty General Insurance to offer the travel insurance cover. In the case of death claim, the nominee or the legal heir has to submit a report of the Railway Authority confirming the accident of the train; report of the Railway Authority carrying the details of the passengers declared dead apart from NEFT mandate details, cancelled cheque, photo identity proof of the nominee, legal heir certificate along with the claim form. The question that pops up is that how can a normal individual get the two reports from the Railway authority? As per the policy condition, the claim has to be submitted within four months from the date of the accident. As the tickets were booked through the IRCTC portal, IRCTC and the insurers will have the passenger details. The concerned Railway authority can give the reports to IRCTC and the two insurers who in turn can settle the claim on receipt of other documents from the claimants, said an insurance industry official. The legal heirs can also check the bank passbook of the passengers who had died or injured to see whether the bank had debited their account towards the premium for Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (life insurance for Rs 2 lakhs) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (accident insurance for Rs 2 lakhs) and prefer a claim. "The banks should have the facility of automatic alerts about the existence of the two policies -- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (life insurance for Rs 2 lakhs) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (accident insurance for Rs 2 lakhs) when the legal heir intimates the death of the account holder. Many times, the account holder or the legal heir is not aware of the insurance cover," a senior insurance official told IANS. It is learnt, the central government has asked the General Insurance Council and the Life Insurance Council Ato collect and submit data on the insurance coverage of the train accident victims. While the Chairperson of the government owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has announced relaxation in the documents to be filed by the nominee/legal heirs of train accident victims, no such public announcements have been made by SBI General Insurance and Liberty General Insurance. While Liberty General Insurance in its website has given a phone number and an email id for reporting a claim, no such information is available on the home page of SBI General Insurance or IRCTC's website. Similarly, no announcements like that of LIC seems to have come from private life insurers. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Bengaluru, June 5 : The Congress government in Karnataka is preparing to celebrate the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan much to the chagrin of opposition BJP. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his previous tenure as Chief Minister had started celebrating the birth anniversary of ruler of the erstwhile Mysore State on November 10, 2015. The BJP party had then launched a massive protest across the state against the decision. The agitation had taken a violent turn and resulted in the death of a 60-year-old person allegedly in a clash. The Congress government celebrated Tipu Jayanthi as an official programme of the government throughout the tenure till 2018, despite the stiff opposition by the BJP, Hindutva forces and people of Kodava community. After BJP assumed power in Karnataka in 2019, former CM B.S. Yediyurappa banned Tipu Jayanthi celebrations. The BJP government even removed alleged glorification of Tipu Sultan in textbooks. The revision committee had removed the title of "Tiger of Mysore", by which Tipu Sultan was known. The BJP leaders also made a vehement and aggressive attempt to convince people that Tipu Sultan did not die as a martyr at the hands of the British. They maintained that Vokkaliga warriors Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda killed him. The issue created a big controversy during elections. BJP former minister Muniratna had even announced a film titled 'Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda'. Vokkaliga pontiff Niramalanandanatha Swamiji warned the BJP government that no attempt should be made to portray Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda as killers of Tipu Sultan. He also personally summoned former minister Muniratna to the math and directed him to halt the production of the movie much to the chagrin of BJP. The saffron party had plans of wresting the Vokkaliga vote bank ahead of Assembly elections and all its plans fell flat. M.B. Patil, Minister for Medium and Large Industries, close confidante of CM Siddaramaiah has hinted at a decision on resuming the celebration of Tipu Jayanti in Karnataka. He maintained that these matters are sensitive and will be discussed in detail in the party and the government. Patil had also warned right wing activists that they will be jailed if they try to disturb the peace in society. Meanwhile, an FIR had been lodged against former minister and senior BJP leader Dr C.N. Ashwath Narayan for issuing the controversial statement that Siddaramaiah should be finished off like Tipu Sultan. He gave a call to people in a public rally that they should do to Siddaramaiah what Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda did to Tipu Sultan. After the Congress took power, FIR was taken up for investigation and Ashwath Narayan has approached the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR. The issue of celebration of Tipu Jayanthi is likely to trigger another controversy and confrontation between Congress and BJP in the state. Kolkata, June 5 : Rujira Narula Banerjee, wife of Trinamool Congress' national general secretary and party Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, was stopped by the immigration department at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata from boarding a Dubai-bound flight. It is learnt that she arrived at the airport on Monday morning along with her two children to catch a flight to Dubai. However, she was stopped by the immigration department and was denied boarding. After some initial conversation with the officers of immigration department she left the airport. The immigration department, it is learnt, denied her the boarding permission following a lookout notice issued against her by the Enforcement Directorate. However, Trinamool Congress sources said that first the Calcutta High Court and then the Supreme Court had given her a shield on this count and clearly said that her foreign travels cannot be restricted. Party sources further said the national general secretary might approach the court again in this matter alleging contempt of court. Condemning the development, Trinamool Congress's state spokesman in West Bengal said that Rujura Banerjee was deliberately stopped at a time when Abhishek Banerjee is in the districts as part of this ongoing mass outreach programme. "Her legal brains are looking into the matter. However, she had been deliberately targeted as the BJP and the Union government are unable to combat Trinamool Congress politically and they are scared of the success of Abhishek Banerjee's mass outreach programme. Such cowardice is a reflection of the political bankruptcy on part of BJP," Ghosh said. Countering Ghosh, BJP state spokesman in West Bengal Samik Bhattacharya said that if she had been stopped illegally the law would take its own course. "First we will have to know why exactly she was stopped. There is no reason to consider in advance that the immigration department took that action without any valid reason," Bhattacharya said. Imphal, June 5 : Security forces in Manipur have recovered 790 sophisticated and automatic arms and 10,648 ammunition that were looted from the police and various other establishments during the ethnic riots that broke out on May 3, an official said on Monday. Meanwhile, there are reports of several incidents of violence in the last 24 hours in different districts of Manipur but official confirmations are yet to be received. Media reports said that at least three people were burnt alive or beaten to death by a mob in Imphal West District. The victims were travelling in two vehicles when the incident occurred at Lamsang on Sunday night. A state government official in Imphal said that the Army, Assam Rifles along with Manipur Police commando and other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, have continued their search operation to recover the looted arms and to nab the militants. Defence sources said that as part of a joint strategy for recovery of snatched weapons, the ongoing operations are significant for restoring peace and would continue in a calibrated manner. "The search operations are being conducted under the surveillance cover of drones and quad-copters. The operations have so far resulted in recovery of large numbers of weapons (mostly automatic), mortars, ammunition and other warlike stores," the defence spokesperson said. He said that while conducting these operations, adequate measures were undertaken to ensure that the locals were not harassed and personnel safety and security is maintained. Following the directions from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the security forces have once again appealed to all those in possession of looted weapons to surrender the same at the earliest to ensure peace and stability in Manipur. Security forces also warned that failure to surrender these weapons would make all such people liable for strict legal action. Shah, on the last day of his four-day visit to the violence-hit state on June 1, requested all concerned to surrender their weapons to the security forces and administration, otherwise strict legal action would be taken against those who possess arms and ammunition. Media reports claimed that thousands of different types of arms and large quantities of ammunition were looted by the miscreants and the agitated mob from many police stations and security camps after the riots broke out. Officials said that currently, around 37,450 people from different communities are being sheltered in 272 relief camps, including community halls, in 13 districts. Officials said that curfew was relaxed for 7-12 hours in most of the districts, including Imphal West and Imphal East districts. Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul, and Kamjong districts are not under curfew, currently. New Delhi, June 5 : Time is perhaps right to address gaps in governance frameworks of banks, a top RBI official has said, amid reports of lapses by various banks, which have invited action by the central bank. "The banking sector in India at this juncture is sound, resilient, and financially healthy. So, the time is perhaps right to improve the plumbing by addressing the gaps in governance frameworks, assurance functions and strategise for better times ahead," RBI's deputy governor Rajeshwar Rao said. He was addressing the conference of directors of banks organised by the RBI for public sector banks, recently. Rao's comments have come just days after RBI governor Shaktikanta Das had said that the central bank had found some gaps in banks' corporate governance despite issuing guidelines on the matter. He had advised that banks' boards and management should not allow such gaps to creep in. These views by the central bank's top brass have come when quite a few governance lapses have been reported by various banks, attracting action by the RBI. Rao further said in his address that bank boards often do not pay attention to matters related to conduct. Pointing out that customer service, customer conduct and ethical employee behaviour are key in banks, Rao said banks' boards should pay close attention to these aspects. "Good or rather best practices in these areas are the key soft pillars which build the edifice of a successful financial institution, more so in these challenging times," he said. News / National by Staff reporter Employees charge lithium ion batteries for a Hamba electric motorcycle at a solar-powered recharging station in Wedza, Zimbabwe, 22 May 2020. Picture taken May 22, 2020. REUTERS/MacDonald DzirutweZimbabwe wants lithium miners operating in the country to work towards producing battery-grade lithium locally and could impose a tax on exports of lithium concentrate in future, Mines minister Winston Chitando said last Wednesday.The southern African country holds significant reserves of lithium, a battery mineral which is vital to the global drive towards cleaner energy technologies, which Zimbabwe hopes will help revive its ailing economy.Chinese firms including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine Resource Group, Chengxin Lithium Group and Canmax Technologies have spent more than US$1 billion over the past two years to acquire and develop lithium projects in Zimbabwe.Some of these companies' projects have started production and are expected to build up to a combined annual output of nearly 1,5 million tonnes of lithium concentrates over the next year.Last year, Zimbabwe banned the export of unprocessed lithium ore to stop rampant digging and smuggling of the mineral by artisanal miners, ordering that only lithium concentrates could be exported.It now wants miners to go beyond the production of concentrates, which are shipped for further processing outside the country, mostly to China."Obviously, what the government wants is to move up the value chain, but it won't happen overnight," Chitando said in an address at the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines annual general meeting.He added that some lithium miners had plans to eventually produce battery-grade lithium locally."As government, once we have an entity which can value-add beyond lithium concentrates and go a stage higher, two things will happen; the extreme case will be to ban the export of lithium concentrates, which won't happen, or we will impose a levy," he said.Huayou, which invested about US$700 million to acquire and develop Zimbabwe's Arcadia lithium mine in 2022, said in June last year it could not commit to producing battery-grade lithium in the near term.The company, China's top cobalt refiner, said Zimbabwe, like most African countries, lacked renewable power and key materials needed to produce battery-grade lithium, such as natural gas and chemicals, whose importation would be unaffordable. London, June 5 : Atomic Wallet, a mobile and desktop crypto wallet allowing users to store various cryptocurrencies, has experienced a security breach and lost over $35 million in crypto assets since June 2. ZachXBT, an on-chain investigator, has been collecting transactions of funds stolen from Atomic Wallet victims and claimed that over $35 million in cryptocurrency has been stolen as a result of this compromise. "A new largest victim was found on Tron with 7.95M USDT stolen. The five biggest losses account for $17M," ZachXBT tweeted. "My graph has now surpassed $35M in total stolen," it added. Last week, Atomic Wallet tweeted that they had received reports of compromised wallets and had begun an investigation. "We have received reports of wallets being compromised. We are doing all we can to investigate and analyse the situation. As we have more information, we will share it accordingly," it tweeted. A tweet published today by the company said, "At the moment less than 1 per cent of our monthly active users have been affected/reported. Last drained transaction was confirmed over 40h ago". Further, it added that the "security investigation is ongoing. We report victim addresses to major exchanges & blockchain analytics to trace and block the stolen funds". We have received reports of wallets being compromised. We are doing all we can to investigate and analyse the situation. As we have more information, we will share it accordingly. For any questions and concerns, contact support@atomicwallet.io Atomic - Crypto Wallet (@AtomicWallet) June 3, 2023 Last month, a report showed that hackers stole over $400 million from crypto projects in 40 attacks in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023 in the US. According to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, the amount of funds lost in the first quarter was 70 per cent, down from the same period in 2022. -- Syndicated from IANS Guwahati, June 5 : Amidst the Assam government's ongoing efforts to completely eradicate child marriages in the state, two villages in Cachar district were declared 'zero child marriage' areas, an official said on Monday. Cachar District Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha said there were child marriages the villages of Rukni Part-4 and Bhairabpur Part-1 in the last two years. "We conducted surveys of every home and obtained police reports to verify the veracity of this claim. The villages have now been designated as zero child marriage areas. But if even one incident is reported, this accolade will be revoked," he said. The officer further said that additional funds will be provided by the administration for the development of these two villages. "This will be done to inspire people living in other villages," Jha mentioned. The District Child Protection Unit visited more than a thousand homes in both villages, according to officials. "We met the family members, obtained information on their family members, recent weddings, previous police complaints, etc., and they also signed a declaration," said Bijoy Barman, an officer involved with the survey exercise. According to Barman, the team spoke with the local priests who conduct the Hindu wedding rituals and obtained information on every marriage that took place in the villages over the previous two years. "In Rukni Part-4, there are 565 homes, and they are all Hindu. We requested that the priests certify the declaration," Barman continued. The panchayat representatives claimed that they do not coerce girls into choosing a spouse, but marriage is not permitted until the girl reaches the age of 18. "In the past, if a girl under the age of 18 eloped with a partner, she was hauled back and imprisoned at home until she became 18. They were allowed to get married once they reached adulthood," they claimed. Anjan Roy, a resident of the village, claimed that underage marriage is prohibited in the community and has been for many years. "Whenever a marriage proposal is made, the panchayat meets with the girl's family to determine whether or not she is a minor. Nobody in our village is in favour of child marriage, Roy stated. As per the panchayat representatives, this step has dropped down the rate of infant mortality and mother mortality rate in two villages In January this year, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that the state government would begin a campaign against child marriages in the state. Following that, the Assam Police registered 4,244 cases and made more than 3,000 arrests, including those of the men who had wed girls under the age of one in February and their family members. Later, Sarma announced that efforts would continue in order to achieve their goal of declaring Assam a child-marriage-free state by the year 2026. Along with making arrests, the state administration began concentrating on a number of awareness campaigns to discourage such marriages. The Cachar district administration established Bal Panchayats and organised community-wide awareness events. Bal Panchayats are focused on locations with a high tendency for child marriage, according to the officials. Panchayat presidents will serve as nodal officers, assisted by staff from ASHA, Anganwadi, doctors, and other organisations. Bengaluru, June 5 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to involve students for a tree plantation drive in the state capital. While attending a function in Rachenahalli on the occasion of the World Environment Day, Shivakumar asked the BBMP to prepare a report on how many roads in Bengaluru that do not have trees on either side of the roads. The responsibility of planting saplings and nourishing the trees should be given to local students. "The BBMP should provide plants and protection meshes to them. The sapling should be named after the child who plants it and that child should take care of the sapling," Shivakumar maintained. "Organise competition among school children over this. They would happily come forward to plant and nurture trees. We should ensure the growth of trees like how we ensure the growth of our children. As I hold the Bengaluru Development portfolio, this is my first task to the BBMP officers. They should come out with a clear plan on this in one month. "The life of human beings is blended with nature. The celebration of World Environment Day is just symbolic. We should preserve nature everyday, then only nature could be strengthened. Knowingly or unknowingly, we are using plastic green mats and celebrating nature," he opined. The Deputy Chief Minister asked officers of the horticulture department, forest department and BBMP to come out with a permanent plan. "Forests should not be developed in parks. Let the parks be like parks. Wherever there are no trees, they should be grown. Bengaluru is known for its greenery and plans should be made to increase the green cover in this city," Shivakumar maintained. This should be ensured with the participation of private and public entities, he underlined. New York, June 5 : In a first-of-its-kind, US researchers have developed a miniature video capsule, which physicians can remotely drive to all regions of the stomach to visualise and photograph potential problem areas. This new technology comes closer to the capabilities of a traditional tube-based endoscopy. While ingestible video capsule endoscopes have been around for many years, the capsules have been limited by the fact that they could not be controlled by physicians. They moved passively, driven only by gravity and the natural movement of the body. The new technology, developed by the team at George Washington University, uses an external magnet and hand-held video game style joysticks to move the capsule in three-dimensions in the stomach. "A traditional endoscopy is an invasive procedure for patients, not to mention it is costly due to the need for anaesthesia and time off work," said Andrew Meltzer, a professor of Emergency Medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "If larger studies can prove this method is sufficiently sensitive to detect high-risk lesions, magnetically controlled capsules could be used as a quick and easy way to screen for health problems in the upper GI tract such as ulcers or stomach cancer," he added. Traditional endoscopies of the stomach and upper part of the intestine help doctors investigate and treat stomach pain, nausea, bleeding and other symptoms of disease, including cancer. Despite the benefits of traditional endoscopies, studies suggest some patients have trouble accessing the procedure. For patients who come to the emergency room or a doctor's office with severe stomach pain, the ability to swallow a capsule and get a diagnosis on the spot -- without a second appointment for a traditional endoscopy -- is a real plus, not to mention potentially life-saving, Meltzer said. An external magnet allows the capsule to be painlessly driven to visualise all anatomic areas of the stomach and record video and photograph any possible bleeding, inflammatory or malignant lesions. The study, published in iGIE, the open-access, online journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, involved 40 patients at a physician office building using the magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy. The team found that the doctor could direct the capsule to all major parts of the stomach with a 95 per cent rate of visualisation. For comparison, participants in the study also received a follow up endoscopy. No high-risk lesions were missed with the new method and 80 per cent of the patients preferred the capsule method to the traditional endoscopy. The team found no safety problems associated with the new method. New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal during an event on the occasion of 'World Environment Day' at Thyagraj stadium in New Delhi, on Monday, June 05, 2023. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal speaks during an event on the occasion of 'World Environment Day' at Thyagraj stadium in New Delhi, on Monday, June 05, 2023. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal speaks during an event on the occasion of 'World Environment Day' at Thyagraj stadium in New Delhi, on Monday, June 05, 2023. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal during an event on the occasion of 'World Environment Day' at Thyagraj stadium in New Delhi, on Monday, June 05, 2023. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, June 5 : Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that his government has succeeded in reducing the city's PM levels by around 30 per cent thus improving the air quality from 'poor' to 'good'. The Chief minister was speaking on the occasion of World Environment Day. Over the past seven years, there has been a significant decrease in pollution levels and poor air quality, benefiting the residents. "There are two types of pollution, PM 2.5 and PM 10, both of which contribute to poor air quality. We have observed a 30 per cent decrease in both of these pollutants in the last seven years. In 2016, there were 26 days during which Delhi was engulfed in a haze and breathing in oxygen was nearly impossible. In 2022, there were only six such days with poor air quality. I believe that in the future, Delhi will not experience any days with poor air quality," said Kejriwal. He further stated that in 2016, there were 109 days with good air quality, which they referred to as "good days." However, in 2022, there were 163 such days with good air quality. "In 2016, we had 100 days with a 'good' Air Quality Index (AQI), whereas in 2022, we had 163 good AQI days. We are consistently making efforts to improve air quality," he said. Kejriwal mentioned that dust is also a major contributor to air pollution. He announced plans to implement a mechanical sweeper system for vacuum cleaning Delhi's roads. Additionally, all roads in Delhi will be cleaned with water every week, making them comparable to roads in European countries. The chief minister spoke about a mobile application called 'Greenapp,' through which anyone can lodge complaints related to pollution. He informed that the Delhi Government received 58,000 complaints through this app, of which about 90 per cent were resolved. He further stated that the government in Delhi is committed to building 380 lakes, with the aim of making it a city of lakes. Currently, 26 lakes have been completed. "I visited Dwarka lake. The groundwater level has risen by approximately five meters. We can now use groundwater for drinking purposes," he added. Jaipur, June 5 : In a shocking revelation, Rajasthan Police Special Wing arrested a man who stole personal data of 15 lakh women from a company selling online undergarments. The accused stole the data which included women's names, addresses, mobile numbers, email IDs and size of ladies' undergarments. After stealing the data, the man started blackmailing the company. At first, the company tried to hush up the matter, but when the accused continued with the demand for money, a report was lodged in the SOG on behalf of the company. Acting on the complaint, the SOG arrested the man, identified as Sanjay Soni, a resident of Udaipur. "This vicious crook hacked the system of a lingerie company selling online undergarments and stole data," said officials. The person also blackmailed the company saying that it has compromised the personal data of Hindu women. He also alleged that it was selling the information to Muslim countries. Patna, June 5 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday claimed that the opposition parties meeting scheduled for June 12 had to be deferred due to refusal of Congress top leadership. He added that the presence of Congress was needed for the meeting. "Except for the Congress, the majority of the opposition political parties had agreed to meet in Patna on June 12. The Congress leadership was not comfortable with the venue. Since, there was no point in meeting without the grand-old party, I asked him to discuss within the party and then finalise a date. We will match the date with every opposition political party and then decide for the meeting. For now, the scheduled meeting on June 12 stands postponed," Kumar said. Asked about the expected date, Kumar said: "I am wondering if the meeting will take place very soon." Sources have said that Congress is not agreeing on the venue of the meeting as the Congress think tank believes that they have a direct contest with opposition regional parties like AAP in Delhi and Punjab, TMC in West Bengal, NRS led by K Chandrashekher Rao in Telangana, and Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh. New Delhi, June 5 : Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin held bilateral talks here during which they discussed ways to enhance defence cooperation in several areas, including "convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation". In a tweet after the meeting, the Union Minister said: "Delighted to meet my friend, Secretary Austin in New Delhi. Our talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation." A statement issued by the Defence Ministr described the as "warm and cordial". The Ministry said Rajnath Singh and Secretary Austin explored ways of building resilient supply chains. "Both sides will identify opportunities for co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. Towards these objectives, they concluded a roadmap for US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the next few years," said the official statement. They also reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement, the Ministry statement said. India and and the US further welcomed the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on Defence Artificial Intelligence and Defence Space. Image Source: IANS News They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. On his part, Secretary Austin tweeted: "Great to meet again with my friend Rajnath Singh and thank him for his unwavering commitment to US-India defense relations. "His leadership has helped paved the way for deeper collaboration, joint exercises, and technology sharing between our two countries." Senior officials from Ministry, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dr Samir V Kamat, participated in the meeting. The delegation-level talks were preceded by a Tri-Service Guard of Honour to Secretary Austin. The US Secretary of Defence arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day visit. This is the his second visit to India, the previous one being in March 2021. -- Syndicated from IANS India owes its victory in the Kargil War of 1999 to the brave soldiers of its Army as well as the fighter pilots of the Air Force and the barely-acknowledged Navy. And as the soldiers fought on the frontiers -- uncertain about their unimaginable fates -- they left behind their families, particularly their wives, who fought just as hard in their private war of nerves. Shikha Akhilesh Saxena, wife of Capt Akhilesh Saxena, a Kargil war veteran, launched her book 'Nation First' (Hachette) on Sunday, June 4, at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. This book is an account of the tumult and agony, as well as of grit and resilience, of an Army wife fighting her worst fears while her husband serves the nation in uniform, not knowing if she will ever get to see him again, or what the next phone call might convey. Capt Akhilesh Saxena and Shikha were a newly wedded couple when he left for the war. They had been married for only two months and the Captain had not told his family that he would be headed for Kargil. The artillery officer distinguished himself in the battles of Tololing, the Hump and Three Pimples, but the injuries he sustained in the line of duty had him hospitalised for a year, where he repeatedly underwent surgeries until he was well enough to go back home, but never again to the Army. Coming from a civilian background, the author drew strength from fellow army wives, and said that although "without the stars on her shoulders, the Army wife stands equally in responsibility with her husband." Gracing the occasion were General (Retd) Ved Prakash Malik, Chief of Army Staff during the Kargil War who has written the book's foreword, his wife Dr Ranjana Malik who was the then president of the Army Wife Welfare Association, and Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Birender Singh Dhanoa, who led his fighter squadron to carry out daring night-time raids on the enemy which eventually tilted the war in India's favour. Gen Malik called the book "unique", explaining that "this is a story of a young Captain who narrates exactly what happened. Most books are written on those who never returned. But this is an authentic, first-hand account." Dr Ranjana Malik's comments on the role of Army wives were insightful and presented a glimpse of their resilience that kept the entire community of soldiers, both on the war front and away in their homes, going. Instrumental in ensuring emotional support, she said: "We were very busy. The volunteers were active in hospitals, borrowing phones from civilians to make calls to families, even standing by them when the bodies of soldiers arrived home." Adding that people in India seem to be much less aware of the service and contribution of the Army wives, Dr Ranjana Malik said: "We have done a lot. Even people from abroad extended their acknowledgement and wishes." Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa's address offered insights into the conditions that fighter pilots braved during the war, from wearing not more than "two layers of Ludhiana inners" in extreme temperatures to deciding when to eject or "save the aircraft." He mentioned that the "turning point in the war" for the Air Force was the martyrdom of Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja. "A pilot doesn't die like that," Dhanoa said. "[It was evident that] he was captured and then killed. There is no mercy for the enemy. We had to get back at them." Capt Saxena may have been forced to hang his boots, but he has taken firm steps up the corporate ladder, and is thriving in a career that may be at stark variance with the military, but what keeps him surging ahead is his attitude. "You never know what life throws at you, so don't bother," he said. "We have just two choices: the victim mindset of blaming and negativity, or a winner's attitude." He emphasised that one must be mindful of one's state of mind when one responds to a situation. And he credited the Army institutions for instilling this attitude. July 26 will mark the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. (Kavya Dubey may be reached at kavya.d@ians.in) New Delhi, June 5 : A 23-year-old youth died after he was stabbed by unidentified persons in South Delhi's Neb Sarai area on Monday, a senior police official said. The deceased was identified as Sachin, a resident of Raju Park area. "He was rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre where he succumbed to injuries during treatment," said Chandan Chowdhary, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South). "He had sustained two injuries. Legal action is being taken and further investigation is in progress," he said, adding that police teams will scan CCTV cameras in the area to identify the culprits. News / National by Staff reporter A 25-YEAR-OLD Mazowe man was arraigned before Harare Magistrate Dennis Mangosi facing a murder charge for allegedly stabbing a fellow gold panner following an argument.Tatenda Chidavaenzi (25) was told to apply for bail at the High Court and return to court on June 16 pending investigations.Allegations are that on February 24, 2023, at around 0300 hours, the now deceased, Webster Ndlovu (42), was at White City Farm, Christon Bank, where he was panning for gold in the company of his friends.Chidavaenzi and his crew allegedly intimidated them in a bid to make them leave the spot.Ndlovu resisted and Chidavaenzi then stabbed him several times in the chest and back.He was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.Chidavaenzi went into hiding but was arrested by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department Homicide at Munyati Farm, Mazowe on May 30. New Delhi, June 5 : The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the interim bail plea by former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in an excise policy case. A bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said that the court finds it tough to grant interim bail to the AAP leader, who has serious allegations on him in the matter. The court finds it very difficult to persuade to release the petitioner on interim bail for six weeks, Justice Sharma said. The court also noted that Sisodia might tamper with the evidence or influence witnesses. Giving leeway to the accused, the court directed that Sisodia be taken to the residence or hospital to visit his ailing wife between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The permission is given for any day as per the convenience of Sisodia's wife, the court said. "... the court feels that the petitioner should be given an opportunity to meet his wife. Therefore, one day as per the convenience of Mrs. Seema Sisodia, the petitioner be taken to his residence/hospital, if she is admitted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in custody," justice Sharma said. However, the judge imposed certain conditions stating that Sisodia, the petitioner, shall not interact with the media in any manner nor shall meet anybody except his wife or members of his family. The court also directed the commissioner of Police to ensure that there should not be any media gathering near the vicinity or his residence or hospital wherein he's taken. "The petitioner should also not use a mobile phone or Internet," the court added. Moreover, the court said that Sisodia's wife be provided with best treatment and the court as a guardian suggested that she may be examined by board of doctors to be constituted by medical superintendent of AIIMS. "Though it is the choice of the patient and family members from where to get the medical treatment," the court said. Justice Sharma had on June 2 reserved order on his interim bail plea. Last week, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had said that it has completed its probe against Sisodia for his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy case. The ED had also mentioned this fact in its fourth supplementary charge sheet filed in connection with the case. The court has taken cognisance of the charge sheet. The ED has claimed that it has enough evidence to prove that Sisodia was involved in money laundering and had allegedly generated proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 622 crore through various means. The CBI had arrested Sisodia on February 26, later the Enforcement Directorate arrested him on March 9. Jaipur, June 5 : Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids were underway in several districts of Rajasthan on Monday in connection to the REET paper leak case. The raids took place in Barmer, Dungarpur and Jaipur. In Barmer, the house of contractor Bhajanlal Vishnoi, who has been arrested in the REET paper leak case, was searched, while raids were conducted at the residence of RPSC member Babulal Katara in Dungarpur. Paper leak mastermind Suresh Dhaka's flat located in Ashapurna Society in Vaishali Nagar (Jaipur) has also been raided. Meanwhile, an ED team has also reached the official residence of Babulal Katara in Ajmer. Commenting on the ED raids, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that whenever elections are near, the central probe agencies conducts raids in the state. "The ACB was doing good work in Rajasthan, so why did the ED enter? I want to say that if anything is found then the ED should help the ACB.AI would be happy if ED does a better job than the ACB," he added. Sources said that the ED has also inquired the case accused lodged in Udaipur jail about money laundering. The ED has asked for details of the REET paper leak accused from the RPSC and the latter in return shared details with the probe agency. Around 50 personnel are engaged in this raid, said sources. Los Angeles, June 5 : Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger has opened up about the affair he had in 1996 - with his housekeeper - while he was still married to Maria Shriver. The actor, 75, is set to "tell his own life story" in the upcoming three-part docuseries 'Arnold', which is scheduled to be released on June 7, reports Mirror.co.uk. And now it has been revealed that in the tell-all docuseries, Arnold will recall the moment Maria confronted him about the affair. In 1996, Arnold had an affair with housekeeper Mildred Baena, who fell pregnant and welcomed a child nine months later, which happened to be just five days after Maria and Arnold's son Christopher was born. Mirror.co.uk further states that at the time, nobody knew that Mildred's son was actually Arnold's child, or that Christopher was his half-brother. But as Mildred's son Joseph grew up, she noticed that he looked a lot like the famous actor she had an affair with months prior to welcoming her son. It wasn't until 2010 when Joseph was 13 that he learned who his biological dad was, which came when the media announced it. Arnold has now spoken about the affair and how his "heart stopped" when Maria confronted him about the affair in a counselling session, as per US Sun. "One day, the counsellor said, 'Today Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if you're the father of Joseph'." "I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth," he says in the new docu-series. He then went on to reveal how he was honest, admitted that Joseph was his son and that Maria was "obviously crushed by that." Speaking about his son Joe in the docuseries, Arnold added: "In the beginning, I really didn't know, but the older he got, the more it became clear to me. It was then just a matter of, 'How do you keep this quiet?'" Arnold then admits that the affair he had with the housekeeper was his biggest "failure", adding that he has "caused enough pain" for his family and noting how "everyone had to suffer." "Maria had to suffer, the kids had to suffer, Joseph, his mother, everyone. I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life," he added. Ulan Bator, June 5 : Mongolia has welcomed 216,668 foreign tourists so far this year, with Russia and China being the biggest source of arrivals, the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism said on Monday. The Mongolian government has been taking measures to revive the pandemic-hit tourism sector, reports Xinhua news agency. In January, it exempted citizens of 34 countries from visa requirements for up to 30 days until the end of 2025 for tourism purposes, bringing the total number of visa-free countries to 61. The country has also classified 2023, 2024 and 2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia" and is expected to organise more than 90 events in 2023 to promote tourism. Mongolia sees tourism as the most viable way to diversify its economy. It has set a goal of welcoming at least 1 million foreign tourists and earning $1 billion from tourism in the coming years. The country received 290,400 foreign tourists in 2022, earning $350 million from the tourism sector. Thiruvananthapuram, June 5 : A faction of the Congress in Kerala on Monday expressed its displeasure over the manner the list of the new party block presidents was announced recently. While the list for the 11 districts was released by the AICC late on Friday night, three more are awaited. One of the factions is being led by state party president K.Sudhakaran, another is helmed by Leader of Opposition - V.D.Satheesan. Ailing former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is heading one yet another faction, while former Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala leads one. Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Benny Behanan, a top leader in A faction said they were shocked to get the list on WhatsApp, the other day in the middle of the night. "This is not the way things should happen in a party like the Congress. We were informed by all those who matter that the list will be announced only after due consultation with all concerned, but it's deplorable that such a thing has not taken and it does not augur well for the party which has to remain united," said Behanan and added that the new list was announced without the concurrence of Chandy. Ever since Sudhakaran a Lok Sabha member from Kannur became the president, there has been a change in equations and the once erstwhile A and I factions move together, while Satheesan and Sudhakaran move together. Ever since Chandy's health deteriorated, Sudhakaran and Satheesan have been on a high and the Chandy faction appears to be the worst hit and Behanan has dropped enough hints that if anyone takes them lightly, then they will be mistaken. In the past two decades, when Chandy was leading the A faction, in terms of supporters, they outnumbered all the other factions put together and that's now started to hurt leaders like Behanan. San Francisco, June 5 : Microsoft has said that it will require SMB (Server Message Block) signing (aka security signatures) by default for all connections to defend against NTLM relay attacks in Windows 11, starting with the latest Windows build (Enterprise edition) rolling out to Insiders in the Canary Channel. Such attacks require network devices (including domain controllers) to impersonate malicious servers under the attackers' control and elevate privileges so they can gain complete control over the Windows domain. "This changes legacy behaviour, where Windows 10 and 11 required SMB signing by default only when connecting to shares named SYSVOL and NETLOGON and where Active Directory domain controllers required SMB signing when any client connected to them," Microsoft said in a blogpost. SMB signing aids in the detection of malicious authentication requests by confirming the identities of the sender and receiver via signatures and hashes embedded at the end of each message. Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced that it will no longer support its virtual assistant Cortana in Windows as a standalone app, starting in late 2023. This change will only affect Cortana in Windows and will continue to be available in Outlook mobile, Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms, the tech giant stated on a support page. Lucknow, June 5 : Noted author, Shantanu Gupta, launched his new graphic novel - 'Ajay to Yogi Adityanath' for the young readers, here in Lucknow on Monday to mark the 51st birthday of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The graphic novel was launched in more than 51 schools of Uttar Pradesh. Shantanu Gupta has written two bestselling titles on Yogi Adityanath- 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister' and 'The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh'. The author himself was present at Seth Anandram Jaipuria School besides hundreds of children along with the UP education minister Sandeep Singh and other guests. This was the first time that a book was launched in multiple locations simultaneously with so many participants, that too, children. The launch created an Asia book of records. Sharing the finer details about his new graphic novel. Gupta said that 'Ajay to Yogi Adityanath', is a journey of a young boy Ajay Singh Bisht born in the hinterlands of Uttarakhand with six other siblings. His father Anand Singh Bisht was a junior forest officer and mother Savitri Devi a homemaker. From childhood, Ajay was fond of taking care of the family cows, listening to stories of freedom fighters and participating in the school debates. They all lived in a one-and-a-half room house in a remote village named Panchur, in today's Uttarakhand. From here, Ajay rose to become Mahant of Gorakhnath Mutt, youngest member of the Parliament and the Chief Minister of the most populous state of India, Uttar Pradesh. 'Ajay to Yogi Adityanath' is a story of sheer grit, determination and hard work for every student to follow and take inspiration from. Gupta said that he was able to narrate this story through the inspirational accounts he heard and documented during his conversations with various individuals who were a part of Yogi Adityanath's growing up years. They included his father late Anand Singh Bisht, his mother Savitri Devi, his friends from the Panchur village, classmates and teachers from his colleges in Kotdwar and Rishikesh and through various fellow saints and leaders. Shantanu narrated the detailed literary and artistic journey that the graphic novel has gone through in last one year. He said that he storyboarded all the pages based on his primary research. Along with the dialogues, he suggested the possible layout to the artists. From there on the team of artists and designers Nitesh Kushwaha, Akash Jaiswal and Pallavi Saxena took on. First the artists did the rough thumbnailing for estimation of the page layout, then they did the meticulous pencil art work - the most important part of the journey, then they inked it, did panelling, added dialogues and then the colours. Detailed review and rigorous feedback loops were run through for each panel, each page and every dialogue between the team members. To make it more engaging, the book also has many puzzles and games on Yogi Adityanath at the end. The QR code in the book will take the readers to a website, where young readers can play games and puzzles to know more about Yogi Adityanath and Uttar Pradesh. Speaking at the Lucknow launch, PWD Jitin Prasada motivated children to dream big and constantly look up to successful people like chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He said he was elated to be a part of a book launch which is ranking at number one in the children's new releases category on Amazon. He emphasised on innovation and value of new and innovative ideas, like the innovative graphic novel author Shantanu has created on the chief minister. Prasada invoked page 5 of the book - Ajay to Yogi Adityanath, which depicts the Chief Minister living in a one room house, with six siblings in poverty and later rose to become an iconic leader that he is today. Lucknow MLA and former Joint director of ED, Rajeshwar Singh said that he is personally impressed with the personality of Yogi Adityanath, who has transformed Uttar Pradesh and cracked down on crime in the state. Chennai, June 5 : The rogue elephant 'Arikomban' which was tranquilised and captured by the Tamil Nadu forest department will not be released in the deep forest as a Keralite animal rights activist has filed a case in Madras High Court. Rebeca Joseph, an animal rights activist based out of Kochi in Kerala, in her appeal before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court said that the animal was ill and had a deep wound in his trunk and hence releasing it in deep forests was not a good solution. The animal rights activist wanted the Madras High Court to order for bringing the elephant back to Kerala and provided treatment. The court will be hearing the case on Tuesday and till then it is unknown as to where the elephant would be kept. It is to be noted that 'Arikomban' was captured during the early hours of Monday after it was spotted by the Tamil Nadu forest department at a farm in Usilampatti in Theni district of the state. The elephant was darted twice and with the help of three Kumki elephants was pushed into the Animal ambulance of the Tamil Nadu forest department. Forest department officials, including senior officials, were tight lipped on the further movement of the elephant after it was captured. However, sources in the forest department told IANS that the elephant would be relocated to Tirunelveli forest range. It may be noted that rogue elephant was captured earlier from Chinnakanal in Idukki district of Kerala on April 29 and relocated to Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) from where the elephant ventured into Cumbum town in Theni district. New Delhi, June 5 : The BJP on Monday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of insulting the national anthem at an event organised on the occasion of World Environment Day at Thyagaraj Stadium. In a video shared by the BJP, during the programme at the Thyagaraj Stadium, the commentator asks all to stand up for the national anthem. Soon after the announcement, Kejriwal gets up and leaves the venue. The commentator quickly says that Kejriwal's schedule is busy, therefore he has to leave. The BJP has called this act of Kejriwal an insult to the national anthem. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said, "The one who cannot stand up for 52 seconds for the national anthem, how will they stand up for our national flag and country? Today, this happened in Delhi." "The national anthem was announced. Everyone stood in respect for the national anthem. It was just a minute that needed to be paused, but Mr. Kejriwal did not stop," tweeted BJP leader Kapil Mishra. The 37-second video of that programme has now gone viral on social media, with the BJP and a few others holding him guilty for the insult of the national anthem. So far there was no official comment from the AAP regarding this. San Francisco, June 5 : Artificial intelligence (AI) cost nearly 4,000 people their jobs in May in the US, a new report has shown. According to the US-based consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas monthly report, employers in the US cited AI as the reason for 3,900 of the layoffs, roughly 4.9 per cent of May's job cuts. In May, US-based employers announced 80,089 cuts, a 20 per cent increase from the 66,995 cuts announced one month prior, plus, it is 287 per cent higher than the 20,712 cuts announced in the same month in 2022. "Consumer confidence is down to a six-month low and job openings are flattening. Companies appear to be putting the brakes on hiring in anticipation of a slowdown," said Andrew Challenger, a labour expert and Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Moreover, the report said that companies have announced plans to cut 4,17,500 jobs so far this year, a 315 per cent increase from the 1,00,694 cuts announced in the same period last year. It is the highest January-May total since 2020 when 1,414,828 cuts were recorded. The technology sector announced the most cuts in May with 22,887, for a total of 136,831 this year, up 2,939 per cent from the 4,503 cuts announced in the same period last year. Retailers announced the second-most cuts in May with 9,053. Retail has announced 45,168 cuts so far this year, up 942 per cent from the 4,335 announced through May 2022, the report said. The Automotive sector announced 8,308 job cuts last month for a total of 18,017 this year, a 235 per cent increase from the 5,380 cuts announced in the same period last year. Financial firms have announced 36,937 cuts through May, up 320 per cent from the 8,788 cuts through the same period in 2022. News / National by Staff reporter POLICE in Lupane, Matebeleland North are still holding the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangiri's car, which they seized 15 years ago.NewsDay visited a police compound in Lupane and observed that the bulletproof car is still parked on the premises but is in a sorry state after being exposed to inclement weather since it was seized from the late opposition leader.Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Nyathi refused to comment, saying he was busy."I' m in a meeting, call me tomorrow," he said.Police impounded the South African registered BMW X5 that the late former MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was using to tour rural Matebeleland North province in 2008 which formed part of Tsvangirai's security motorcade, on June 6, 2008, in Lupane.Citizen Coalition for Change CCC Matebeleland North provincial secretary Dalumuzi Khumalo said police arrested Tsvangirai, his former deputy Thokozani Khupe and former national chairperson Lovemore Moyo as they visited Lupane district to mobilise support ahead of the 2008 second-round presidential election."The police claimed the car was not authorised to be in Zimbabwe in terms of the Customs and Excise Act. They demanded that the owner either come to Lupane or he sends a written affidavit explaining how the vehicle was temporarily imported into Zimbabwe," Khumalo said.The vehicle was donated to Tsvangirai by his South African friend Adrian Espag for use as he toured the country to drum up support ahead of the 2008 presidential poll.In 2011, the police also seized cars belonging to Tsvangirai's official escort for having beacon lights usually found on police vehicles. Mumbai, June 5 : Bollywood's 'Khiladi' Akshay Kumar was seen at Jama Masjid in Delhi as he is shooting for his upcoming film. A video is doing the rounds on social media on Monday, where the actor, who is dressed in grey shirt and dark blue pants paired with sunglasses, was pictured near Jama Masjid. He was greeted with loud cheers and whistles as a sea of fans were seen at the location to get a glimpse of the actor. As he was seen coming out of an old building, Akshay waved at his fans and also did the namaste gesture while walking towards his car. He was surrounded by security to took him to his car. Reportedly, Akshay is filming his next titled 'Shankara', for which he even travelled to Uttarakhand. The actor has a long list of films in his kitty. He has 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan 2', 'OMG: Oh My God 2', remake of 'Soorarai Potturu' and 'Hera Pheri 3' among many others. Guwahati, June 5 : At least two people were killed and as many injured after miscreants opened fire in Assam's Dhemaji district along the Assam-Arunachal border on Monday. The incident happened in the Panbari area of the district, which falls near the Arunachal state border. Locals claimed that miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh launched the attack, however, police have yet to confirm this claim. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Police are investigating the incident. We must not draw any conclusions in a hurry. There have been disputes with the border demarcation that have not been resolved until now. But I believe that this act was done by a few miscreants, and it is inappropriate to blame a neighbouring state without any evidence." The deceased have been identified as Boga Chutia and Monitu Gogoi. The two injured persons, Puspa Gogoi and Akoni Gohain, have been admitted to the hospital. Boga Chutia was a resident of Borbila Chutiakari village. The other three people hail from Milonpur village in the district. The police have launched a probe into the incident. DGP G.P. Singh said, "Senior officers of Assam police are at the site. Efforts are on to apprehend the perpetrators." New Delhi, June 5 : The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said on Monday that it has apprehended seven persons for allegedly smuggling two elephant tusks weighing 4.03 kg worth Rs 7.19 crore. "Based on specific intelligence inputs received by the Chennai unit of DRI that a few persons were planning to illegally sell elephant tusks covered under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, a surveillance was conducted which led to the arrest of seven persons, said a DRI officer. Two tusks wighing 4.03 kg were recovered from their possession. As per the latest amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, which became operational from April 1, 2023, officers of Customs are authorised to seize any offending contraband under Section 50 (1)(c) of the WPA, 2023. "As only forest officers can file a cognisable complaint under Section 55 of WPA in Tamil Nadu, the seized contraband, vehicle used for the offence and the offenders have been handed over to the Chief Wildlife Warden for further necessary action," the DRI officer said. He added that this was the first of its kind case wherein the DRI has handled a domestic wildlife case using the new powers given to Customs officers. Chandigarh, June 5 : Asserting that Panjab University in Chandigarh is part of the emotional, cultural, literature and rich legacy of Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday categorically said they need no share of Haryana in the university -- an apex educational institute of the region. "Neither any college of Haryana will be given affiliation from the university nor will any attempt of Haryana for backdoor entry in the senate of the university be allowed," the Chief Minister said while interacting with the media here. The Chief Minister said regular attempts are being made to change the status of the university. However, he said the Punjab government will not allow any such move in the larger interests of the students. Mann said 175 colleges of the state are affiliated with this premier university due to which generations of Punjab are emotionally attached with it. The Chief Minister said the university caters only to the state of Punjab and its capital Chandigarh. Citing the history of the university, its constitution, its ethnic, socio-cultural and historical roots as well as its faculty and students who hail primarily from Punjab, Mann said it is important that the present legal and administrative status of the Panjab University should be preserved. He reminded that at the time of the reorganisation of the State of Punjab in 1966, Panjab University was declared as an 'Inter State Body Corporate' under section 72 (1) of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 enacted by the Parliament. The Chief Minister said ever since its inception, Panjab University has been continuously and uninterruptedly functioning in Punjab. Mann recalled after Partition it was shifted from Lahore, the then capital of Punjab, to Hoshiarpur and then to Chandigarh, the present capital of Punjab. He asserted that the entire territorial jurisdiction of Panjab University lies primarily in the state of Punjab and the union territory of Chandigarh. The Chief Minister said despite increased financial burden caused by withdrawal of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and the creation of new universities in the state, Punjab has continued to support Panjab University to ensure that the historical and emotional attachment of the people of Punjab with the university is maintained and preserved. He said recently also the state government has given Rs 49 crore for construction of hostels to the university, even though no demand was made for it. Mann said the state government has left no stone unturned for the holistic development of the university in all possible manners. The Chief Minister said after assuming the charge of office he had written two letters to Union Ministers Amit Shah and Dharmendra Pradhan asking them that the university is heritage of the state and any sort of change in it will not be tolerated. Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to avert any change in the nature and character of Panjab University, he said the state government is committed to safeguard the rights of the state and its people. Mumbai, June 5 : Maharashtra's ruling allies Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party have agreed to a package deal of jointly contesting all future elections in the state, right from local bodies to assembly to parliament, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said here on Monday. Shide, who is also the Shiv Sena President, made the announcement after he and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had a late-night meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Sunday. "It was also decided in the meeting that Shiv Sena-BJP will jointly contest all upcoming elections in the state (including elections to Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and local bodies)," he tweeted. Shinde added that the alliance is going strong since the past 11 months for the state's development and will win with a majority to make Maharashtra the No. 1 state in the country in all fields, and continue the race for development. The duo also discussed other issues with Shah, including agriculture, cooperation, the work going on for women empowerment and farmers, and how they had cleared various stalled developmental projects here. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always guided us for various projects in the state. We took this meeting with Shah for his guidance on the issues pertaining to the cooperative sector," said Shinde on their New Delhi trip. The duo's visit comes barely three weeks ahead of the first anniversary of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance which came to power on June 30, 2022 after toppling the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of former CM Uddhav Thackeray, and against the backdrop of the upcoming civic polls in the state. Chennai, June 5 : AIADMK General Secretary K. Palaniswami on Monday urged the Tamil Nadu School Education Department to fill up teacher vacancies in the state at the earliest. In a statement, the former Chief Minister said that over 12,000 teaching posts are vacant while there are lakhs of qualified teachers in the state waiting for a posting. He said that many teacher organisations have stated that there were more than 1,000 headmaster posts were vacant in Tamil Nadu's secondary and higher secondary schools. Palaniswami also said that instead of 35-40 students in every class, 60 students are in a class due to the shortage of staff, claiming that due to the higher student strength, teachers were not able to control classes properly and was affecting the quality of teaching. He questioned the status of a committee constituted by the DMK government to look into the huge number of students not appearing in the board exams. Around 50,000 students of Class 10 and Class 12 did not appear for the board examinations. He said that the DMK government should take immediate action to settle the issue of a large number of teacher vacancies in the state as parents were anxious about their children's studies and future. Mumbai, June 5 : Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who has been getting a lot of positive response to his recently released streaming show 'Scoop', has shared his 'cardinal rule' for crafting stories. 'Scoop', which is inspired by real events and Jigna Vora's memoir 'Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison', tells how she was framed by the police and investigating agencies for abetting the murder of crime reporter Jyotirmoy Dey citing professional rivalry. Talking about how he stays away from showing his characters in a particular light, Hansal told IANS: "I find the whole process of not getting into the binary of good and bad about my characters very easy and I'll tell you why. I have a very simple, cardinal rule: to not judge my characters and their actions. I keep my mind open to what my characters would do next and that is important as a storyteller. I try to explore their compulsions, their journeys and let the black, white or grey come out of that." He also spoke about the production design of the show and how he and his team arrived at the outcome which is shown in the series. The director shared with IANS: "I have seen newsrooms of that time, I have visited Times of India very often when I was promoting my films in the early years. So, the visuals of those spaces have stayed with me for a long time and of course my team did brilliant research about the production design. We also spoke to a lot of people to understand how that world functions. Newsrooms are not always bustling with energy, most of the time they're mundane, we had to find exciting moments and portray them in the series." 'Scoop' is streaming on Netflix. Mumbai, June 5 : Actor Amey Wagh, who is playing the antagonist in web-series 'Asur 2', expressed how magical it was to see actor Arshad Warsi changing moods in an instant. Amey said: "There's a scene where Rasul speaks a lot. I remember the whole set being silent that day. It was one take, and we got it. I didn't talk much on this set because it is a crucial character. I was starstruck by Arshad Sir. He is a chameleon." "He'll be cracking jokes one minute, and the moment he hears "action," he immediately gets into his character. On the other hand, I stayed in my zone throughout," he added. Amey stated how difficult it was for him to get out of his dark character. "I didn't allow my character to mess with my head. But yes, I did stay in the zone because it is a challenging character." "A very cold-blooded character, he is not an innocent or good person. But instrumental music pieces helped me during the shooting. It helped me in a way that playing such a dark character didn't hinder my inner peace", he said. Helmed by director Oni Sen, 'Asur 2' also features Barun Sobti, Ridhi Dogra, Anupriya Goenka, Amey Wagh, Meiyang Chang and Gaurav Arora. Kochi, June 5 : Keralas Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Monday said that the CPI-M backed newspaper 'Deshabhimani' practises 'yellow journalism'. The Congress leader said that the newspaper publishes baseless reports about him, especially about the allegations which have been cleared in the past as well. "The newspaper has written about the alleged collection of money from abroad for building homes after the 2018 floods. These allegations were already cleared by the Vigilance department," Satheesan said. He said that then the single and division bench court also cleared him of these allegations. "A probe by the Speaker of the Assembly just before the 2021 assembly polls also cleared me from these allegations. However, Deshabhimani continues its false reporting regarding me," Kerala's Leader of the Opposition said. While Satheesan keeps highlighting the cases regarding Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Deshabhimani newspaper has been attacking and reporting against Satheesan. He said that one of the reasons why Deshabhimani is against him is because they have realised that he is doing some research in the manner in which they are trying to increase the circulation of their party organ. "Deshabhimani has now started to practise yellow journalism. It is not a newspaper but a yellow paper," said Satheesan. He said that Deshabhimani has written that he has gone abroad 81 times. "If these allegations are proved, then I will quit as a legislator," Satheesan said. The Leader of the Opposition said that he is ready to hand over his passport to Chief Minister Vijayan or to anyone to have a look at his foreign visits. London, June 5 : Up to 850 highly-qualified nurses from India and other countries hoping to work in Ireland are stuck in a visa application 'logjam' due to delays in processing their applications, according to a media report. With the waiting times for visas going up, nurses have missed their exam slots, making them wait for the next exam, pay the fee again and seek a new three-month visa, The Irish Times reported, quoting the owner of a health recruitment agency. "Since the new year, candidates are being refused their temporary visa to sit the exam for bizarre and random reasons such as the type of software used to submit their documentation or the middle name not being included in one document," the recruiter told The Times requesting anonymity. In order to work in Ireland, the nurses have to first qualify the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) exam for which they have to come on a temporary visa costing 250 euros (Rs 22,000), in addition to 3,000 euros (Rs 2.6 lakh) examination fee. An Indian nurse with 20 years' work experience told The Irish Times she has been waiting 76 working days for a decision on her visa application. Currently employed in the Middle East, she was due to appear for the RSCI exam in late May but was unable to travel to Ireland due to the lack of a visa, and one of the documents she had photocopied was deemed illegible. "I wanted to work in Europe and chose Ireland because friends said it was peaceful and the salaries were good. But I have been waiting a long time. I have resigned from my job, which ends in July. I will have to go to India then if this is not sorted out," she said. She further said that many of her colleagues are now turning to countries like the UK and New Zealand for they process applications swiftly. "These nurses will have had to give several months notice in their current positions and will have quit their jobs in expectation of sitting their exams and beginning their new careers in Ireland. They have upended their lives and gambled their life savings on a bureaucratic process that is not fit for purpose," the nurse told The Irish Times. The RCSI said it refunds exam fees in most circumstances, including when a candidate is unable to travel. At present, the average processing time for applications is approximately 35 working days, according to the Department of Justice website, which advises applicants to expect processing to take at least 20 working days. As of April 30, 2023, visa application volume increased 40 per cent compared to 2022, and 75 per cent compared to 2019, according to Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi. The recruiter said he had two nurses waiting 42 working days for a visa decision, while two others have been waiting 74 working days, and had to postpone their exams. "We have eight other candidates waiting on decisions that would be due now and these nurses are due for exams in July," he said. The Department of Justice spokesperson told The Times that they are working to reduce immigration processing times via modernisation of systems. "More resources were added to manage the scheme recently as well as additional streamlining measures which should also reduce processing times for applications." FILE PHOTO: A Chevrolet 2020 heavy-duty pickup truck is seen at the General Motors Flint Assembly Plant in Flint GM to invest over $1 billion in Flint plants to boost truck production FILE PHOTO: A Chevrolet 2020 heavy-duty pickup truck is seen at the General Motors Flint Assembly Plant in Flint By Joseph White (Reuters) - General Motors Co said on Monday it plans to invest more than $1 billion to re-tool two manufacturing sites in Flint, Michigan to prepare for a new generation of its internal combustion engine heavy-duty (HD) trucks. GM has outlined this year a total of $1.7 billion in investments in Flint facilities to support the next generation of its heavy duty pickups. GM said it will spend $579 million at its Flint Engine Operations to produce a sixth generation of its small block V-8 combustion engine. Another $103.5 million will be spent upgrading a separate Flint facility that supports truck production. GM's trucks compete with the recently redesigned Ford Motor Co Super Duty and other heavy-duty versions of Stellantis NV's Ram pickup, among the most profitable vehicles sold by the Detroit Three automakers, or any rival. Last year, GM sold nearly 288,000 trucks with HD pickup sales, which rose 38% from a year earlier. GM expects to start bargaining with the United Auto Workers union for a new contract with a deadline of Sept. 14 to reach an agreement with it U.S. production workers. Investment to secure jobs is a top union priority. "When business is booming as it has been for the past decade due to the hard work of UAW members the company should continue to invest in its workforce, Mike Booth, the UAW vice president in charge of the GM department said in a statement regarding the Flint investments. Just ahead of GM's announcement in Flint, the UAW issued a video in which union President Shawn Fain and the head of the union's GM department slammed the automaker for outsourcing semiconductor production once done at a GM factory in Kokomo, Indiana. Fain is from Kokomo, and members of his family worked at the GM facility that once employed 15,000 people. The plant now has just 100 workers. In the video, Fain criticizes GM for cutting U.S. semiconductor production in 2017 only to face a shortage over the past two years of semiconductors imported from Asia. (Reporting by Priyamvada C in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and David Gregorio) New Delhi, June 5 : Top wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat have resumed their duties in the Railways, following their eviction from Jantar Mantar on May 28, sources said. As per reports, records from the Northern Railways headquarters show Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik joined her Baroda House office here on May 31, a day after the trio stopped short of immersing their international medals in the Ganga. On Monday, Sakshi confirmed the news. She meanwhile, denied rumours that she has withdrawn from the agitation. "The news is completely wrong. None of us has backed down. We will continue our fight for justice and meanwhile, I am fulfilling my responsibility in Railways," she said. Bajrang Punia too echoed Sakshi's words and denied the reports of wrestlers withdrawing from the protest and said their fight will be continued till justice is served. "The news of withdrawing the movement is just a rumour. This news is being spread to harm us. We have neither retreated nor have we withdrawn the movement... The fight will continue till justice is served," Punia tweeted. Sakshi's husband Satyawrat Kadian also cleared the air and said the protesting wrestlers have not come to any agreement nor withdrawn from the agitation. Earlier, Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh Phogat met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence on Saturday, to discuss the matter related to their protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. "They shared their concern with the Home Minister. The meeting was long and he listened to everything. But 'koi decision nahi hua abhi tak (no decision has been reached so far)'," a source close to the wrestlers told IANS. "There is news over the last two to three days that we have reached an agreement. I deny all such news. We have not come to any agreement nor withdrawn from the agitation," Kadian told reporters on Monday. Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh are leading the protest by the wrestlers at Jantar Mantar in Delhi since April accusing the sidelined president of the WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment against many wrestlers including a minor. The protesting wrestlers were manhandled and detained by Delhi Police and their arrangements at the protest site were dismantled. The wrestlers had gone to Haridwar claiming that they want to drop their medals in the river Ganga. With many people requesting them, they decided to hand over the medals to the farmers' leaders to take a call. The wrestlers will soon take a call on where to resume their protest. Hyderabad, June 5 : Hyderabad police on Monday filed a charge sheet against YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) leader Y.S. Sharmila in a case of assaulting police personnel. The police filed the charge sheet in Nampally Criminal Court. Following this development, the court has issued summons to Sharmila, directing her to appear before it. Banjara Hills police had registered a case against Sharmila and her two drivers were also booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). On a complaint by a sub-inspector of police, a case was booked against Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. She was sent to judicial custody the same day but the next day she was released on bail. Sharmila and her drivers were under IPC sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), and 427 (Mischief causing damage) Another case was booked under IPC section 337 (Causing hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life, or the personal safety of others). The incident had occured on April 24 when a police team had gone to Sharmila's house following information that she was going to the office of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) question paper leak. Since there was no permission for her visit to the SIT office, the police personnel were trying to explain the same to her but she sat on protest and allegedly assaulted police personnel. A driver of Sharmila's car also did not stop the car on the order of police and hit them, injuring constable Giribabu. The YSRTP leader allegedly assaulted two sub-inspectors and a woman constable. Kolkata, June 5 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for issuing notice to Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's wife, Rujira Narula Banerjee, in connection with the multi-crore coal smuggling case. On Monday morning, Rujira Narula Banerjee and her children were stopped by the Immigration department officials at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport here, from boarding a Dubai-bound flight, citing a lookout notice by the ED. Soon after that, she was issued a notice by the ED, directing her to be present at the agency's Salt Lake office on June 8. Speaking to the mediapersons on Monday, Mamata Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, described the development as "an inhuman act" on ED's part. "She was going abroad to meet her ailing mother. The Supreme Court has not imposed any restrictions on her foreign tours. The apex court only asked her to inform the ED once before going out of the country. And she had informed the ED well in advance about her scheduled tour. The ED officials at that point of time only could have asked her not to travel abroad. But instead of doing that, she was stopped from boarding the flight this morning and also issued the notice on the same day. This is an inhuman act," the chief minister said. Mamata Banerjee has also questioned the timing of the notice. "The Union government is not ashamed over deaths in the Balasore train mishap. Instead of helping the people, they are trying to divert attention from the entire incident," she said. On Monday, the ED has also issued notice to West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak for questioning at its headquarters in Delhi in the same case. He had been asked to be present there on June 19. The Trinamool Congress has described the issuance of the notice as "reflections of vendetta politics by the Union government and the BJP". New Delhi, June 5 : Small-scale farmers, who are responsible for producing approximately one-third of the world's food, have to withstand the worst of erratic climate change. Constituting around 85 per cent of all farms worldwide they rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture and often lack access to resources to adapt to changing conditions. Considering that small-holder farmers also make up about half of the global population suffering from hunger, makes it is imperative to invest in farming techniques that are sustainable to climate change and are resilient. To equip them with modern tools, India and Sweden came together on the eve of World Environment Day and unveiled a unique 'Smart Farm' to promote a sustainable food production system. This ultra-modern farm, laced with innovative technology, would enable small-hold farmers to grow more food with significantly less water using solar energy. It would address the pressing challenges of water overuse for irrigation and reduce dependencies on fossil fuels to increase production. The Smart Farm was launched under the umbrella of bilateral Energy and Environment MoUs signed by India and Sweden. At the inauguration of the Smart Farm, Markus Lundgren, Charge d' Affaires at the Embassy of Sweden and Head of Section for Trade, Economic, and Cultural Affairs, highlighted the growing challenges of water scarcity and asserted that as global temperature soars, the problem is expected to intensify further. He underlined: "Leveraging modern technologies is the only way to overcome the challenges that lie ahead." The one-of-a-kind Smart Farm facility is located at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) premises and utilises Spowdi's innovative technology, a green-tech engineering company that entered the Indian market in 2019. The technologies used are mobile and robust enough to work in tough conditions, high temperatures, and muddy water. Called as the Spowdi Mobile Pro MKII, the technology has been tested by NISE, a specialised and autonomous institute operating under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (GoI). The institute is assessing its performance and its capability to drip-irrigate a 400 sq. metre land area with precise water volumes and optimal pressure. The system is powered by a mobile and compact 150-watt solar panel, highlighting the system's efficient use of renewable energy. Jai Prakash Singh, Deputy Director-General of NISE (MNRE), Government of India, said: "The solar-based micro-irrigation Farm, introduced in collaboration with NISE, showcases a futuristic micro-irrigation system that can help deal with the challenges of watering farmland in a more efficient way." The solar-based Micro-irrigation Farm will serve as a demo farm and a valuable learning resource for institutions, agricultural universities, and farmer communities interested in learning about innovative technologies for small-hold farming. Addressing the gathering, Henrik Johansson, CEO of Spowdi, said: "Smart Farming methods and innovative technology can empower small-hold farmers in India, many of whom are women, to have an increased harvest, higher profitability, and better livelihoods." The solar-powered Spowdi technology, combined with drip irrigation, distributes water directly to the plant drop by drop, helping farmers save up to 80 per cent of water. It can help small-hold farmers enhance and diversify their yields on existing cultivated lands while significantly reducing water usage. Chandigarh, June 5 : Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Monday urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to save the future of hundreds of Punjabi students who were facing deportation from Canada after being duped by an unscrupulous education services agent by taking up their case with Canadian authorities. Harsimrat Kaur, in a missive to the Union minister, said the emphasis should be on taking action against dubious institutions as well as authorised agents who had played with the future of the students. "Unsuspecting students who are victims to this scam should be treated sympathetically as they have fulfilled all needed criteria for securing permanent residency after up-skilling themselves and should be granted the same without any hindrance." She said while 700 students had faced action on the same ground earlier, now it had come to light that 200 more students had been served deportation orders by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) after it was revealed that they had been given fake admission letters by an authorised agent -- Education Migration Services in Jalandhar. About the fraud perpetrated on the students, Harsimrat Kaur said "first they were given forged admission letters to a renowned college after being charged Rs 16 to 20 lakh each for the same. When they reached Canada, the students were informed that the admission had been cancelled and admission was secured for them in an alternative institution." She said the students up-skilled themselves in the alternative institution but were issued deportation orders when they applied for permanent residency as their original admission documents were found to be fake. Asserting that this scam was continuing since long and that the authorised Indian education agent alone could not have engineered it all alone without the involvement of Canadian operatives or educational institutions in Canada, she said that "action needs to be taken against all such persons, including Canadian colleges giving admissions to students above their capacity intake". She said as far as the students were concerned, they were duped by the education services agent who posed as an authorised representative of a college in Canada. Vadodara, June 5 : Over 200 Indian fishermen, who were in Pakistan jails, returned to their homeland in Vadodara on Sunday night. Arriving via a special train from the Wagah border, these fishermen were warmly welcomed by their loved ones and local authorities, marking the end of their years-long separation. Among the released fishermen, 129 hailed from the Gir Somnath district, 31 from Devbhoomi Dwarka, two from Junagadh, five from Navsari, and four from Porbandar. These individuals had been detained in Pakistani jails, but now, they were reunited with their families, bringing waves of joy throughout Gujarat. This homecoming is the result of efforts by both the state and central governments. The journey of these fishermen began when they were captured by Pakistani authorities between 2019 and 2022 while carrying out their fishing activities in the Arabian Sea. Their time in captivity was filled with numerous challenges, but through diplomatic channels and the benevolence of the Pakistani government, they were granted their freedom. A grand reception was organised at the Vadodara Railway station to celebrate the fishermen's return. The homecoming of these fishermen is a moment of celebration for Gujarat and a reminder of the humanitarian efforts undertaken to ensure their safe return. The fishermen were brought to the Wagah border near Amritsar, India, by Pakistani authorities and then handed over to the Indian authorities. Extensive medical examinations and verifications were conducted to ensure their well-being. A team from the state's fisheries department and the police also accompanied them at the Wagah border. Subsequently, these 200 fishermen were transported to Vadodara by private buses, which facilitated their smooth journey back to their homeland. Islamabad, June 5 : Rejecting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) 'propaganda' against rights abuses in the country, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that every case related to the violence committed by the party on May 9 is being dealt with due process under the law, media reports said. Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister wrote: "I assure everyone that the culprits are being dealt with under the law and that I will ensure that no rights violations take place," The News reported. Violent protests erupted in Pakistan on May 9 leaving dozens injured across several cities with demonstrators attacking military buildings after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested. The police launched a crackdown against all those allegedly involved in the violence, vowing to hold each one of them accountable. However, PTI is holding demonstrations overseas and claiming in international media that human rights violations are taking place in Pakistan. Sharif said Pakistan fully respects and is committed to all its constitutional and international obligations on human rights. He said the PTI chief in his interviews with international media outlets is openly and deliberately disinforming local and foreign audiences by "glib-talk laced with fake news and plain misrepresentation", The News reported. "His expedient description of the post-May 9 events as 'human rights abuses' and 'stifling of the right to political protest' is not only misleading, but aimed at manipulating and swaying opinion-makers outside the country," Sharif wrote. The premier categorically stated that what PTI did on May 9 was a "brazen attack on the state of Pakistan, with malafide intent and sinister objectives". "No country in the world will tolerate such an attempt at destroying its integrity," he said, The News reported. Panaji, June 5 : Tourism Minister Rohan Ashok Khaunte said on Monday that action against touts in the coastal belt will send the positive message of 'good tourism from Goa. "Touts spoil tourism spots. They cheat and loot tourists," the minister said. He said that "we need to weed out illegalities from the tourism system and for that we need to act against touts first". "I have been pointing out how tourists get bad experiences because of these touts. It's good that the police have started to act against them," he told reporters here. Khaunte said that a clear message needs to be given to the touts. "The police are on the right track to act against them," the minister said. Since the last many days, the police in the north coastal belt of the state have started to take action against touts who are being booked under the Tourist Trade Act 1982. To discourage their activities, the Goa Police have decided to create a 'database' of the arrested touts to take further action against them. Calangute Police have arrested more than 34 touts operating in its jurisdiction since the last few days under the Tourist Trade Act 1982. Under this Act, the first-time offender is fined Rs 5,000. "If the same accused commits a second crime, the fine amount goes up to Rs 50,000 and there is also provision of imprisonment if the person commits a third crime," the police said. In January, around 500 locals from the coastal belt of Calangute and Baga in North Goa had protested against touts, 'dance bar' culture, drugs and prostitution. Senior citizens, women and youth, who participated in the protests, demanded that the 'dance bar' culture along with activities of touts should be stopped immediately as it is bringing a bad name to Goa. New Delhi, June 5: Afghanistan is planning to relocate refugees from its common border with Pakistan - the Durand Line, to other provinces deeper in the country. The spokesperson for the Taliban government, Zabiullah Mujahid, said the move is to reassure its eastern neighbour that the refugees are not involved in attacks against Pakistan. He said: "To give a general assurance, the Islamic Emirate planned to take the refugees, who come from the other side of the Durand Line in Khost and Kunar provinces, to far provinces, so that they will be away from the (Durand) line ... to show that they are not involved in the attacks that happen in Pakistan", reported Tolo News. It seems that Afghanistan's Taliban government is planning to settle Pakistani nationals who had fled Pakistan in 2014 after the country launched the Operation Zarb-e-Azb - the sword of the Prophet, in North Waziristan. Islamabad began the military operation to get rid of numerous extremist groups that had settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pashtun-dominated regions on the border, and led to the displacement of up to one million people, many of who fled to Afghanistan. The Pakistani nationals have been residing in Afghanistan's Kunar, Khost and Paktika provinces since then. Tolo News cites a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) from 2019 which says that "approximately 72,000 refugees remain, the majority living in Gulan Refugee Camp close to the internationally recognized border between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Khost. In addition, cross-border clashes around the Durand Line in May 2019 displaced a further 750 families from North Waziristan into Khost as well as over 400 refugee families who had been previously residing in Paktika." Tensions have escalated between the two South Asian neighbours after the Pakistani interior and defence ministers repeatedly alleged that terrorists from Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been attacking Pakistani security personnel. Islamabad even threatened to attack the TTP camps across the border inviting a sharp repartee from the Taliban. Pakistani deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, also reiterated that engagement with the Afghan government is "preconditioned" on Kabul reining in the TTP. The TTP has targeted Pakistani forces across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in some areas in Balochistan, killing hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel this year. The Afghanistan-Pakistan border has not been recognised by Afghanistan - either the Taliban government or the democratically-elected government led by President Ashraf Ghani. Even the Pashtuns on both sides of the border want it to remain open and have blown up the fences being erected by the Pakistani Army. Dozens of fighters and soldiers have lost their lives as the border forces of the two nations clashed repeatedly after the Taliban assumed power. Relations between the allies have soured after the Taliban gunmen stormed Kabul in August 2021 and took over power from Ghani, who fled to the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan, which was looking forward to welcoming the Taliban in Kabul, got a shock after the Taliban government decided to go independent and not take orders from Islamabad. The dramatic assassination of Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri by an American drone in Afghanistan, seen by Kabul as a treacherous trick by Pakistan trying to curry favours with the US, drove their relations further down. With many countries trying to open up a dialogue with the Taliban - the de facto ruler in Afghanistan, both Kabul and Islamabad are trying to outsmart the other. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Kolkata/Imphal, June 5 : Even minor incidents in strife-hit Manipur are being blown out of proportion by certain parties, sources in the Kolkata headquartered Army's Eastern Command said while rubbishing claims of a clash between personnel of the 37 Assam Rifles and Manipur Police at Sugnu in the Kakching district of the state. "Such rumours are being spread by those inimical to peace in Manipur. There has been no clash between the Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police and a training video from Punjab dating back to 2021 is being circulated depicting a casualty. This is fake. The Army and Assam Rifles are working together to restore normalcy in the state," the Army maintained. The possible spark to all this was probably a video of a verbal spat between Assam Rifles personnel and state policemen over the parking of vehicles near the gate of the Sugnu police station, which also serves as the office of the SDPO. There was a heated exchange but things did not get physical. A senior police officer is heard warning the Assam Rifles personnel of an FIR unless the vehicles blocking the gate of the police station are moved away. The two sides then disperse and the vehicles leave. "Such things happen when the situation is tense. There can be issues regarding jurisdiction and authority. In the actual video, officers are seen trying to bring things under control. Things didn't get out of hand even for a moment. The fake video showed something else. This mischief is being done to ensure that violence continues in the state," the source said. Over the last month, ever since violence erupted in Manipur, both the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police have come under fire from the two ethnic groups - Meitis and Kukis. The Kukis claim that the Manipur Police are against them as most of the personnel are Meitis from the Valley. The Meitis, on the other hand, maintain that Assam Rifles personnel have close links with the Kukis as they operate in the Hills. "There is no truth in all this. The Kukis are unhappy with the Manipur Police as the latter curbed their attempts to violence as the first responders. By then, the Meitis had started retaliating and the Assam Rifles intervened. That is when the Meitis started claiming that the Assam Rifles are playing a partisan role. Instead of this blame-game, people from both sides need to work towards a peaceful solution. It has been made very clear that no side will be allowed to commit any violence," the source added. Security agencies have also urged outsiders with little knowledge of the ground reality in the state to refrain from making irresponsible statements. A man awaiting trial on suspicion of stealing a police car stole another one, police say Body cam footage from Shorewood Police Department shows what police say is a stolen squad car driving past officers. Shorewood Police Department via WITI A man in Wisconsin was arrested last Tuesday after police say he stole a squad car. Police say he was arrested after being found hiding in a nearby gym. The man was awaiting trial on suspicion of stealing another police car back in December. A man in Wisconsin awaiting trial on suspicion of stealing a police squad car stole another one last week, according to police. Daniel Barton, the 34-year-old suspect, was initially arrested in December in Milwaukee after a police officer alleged that he stole his vehicle during a traffic stop, per local media outlet WMTV. Barton was charged with taking or driving a vehicle without the owner's consent, with court records showing that he was issued with a warrant in February for failing to appear in court. According to a complaint reviewed by WMTV, Barton was "giggling" as he drove off and was later found hiding in a garbage can. Despite being in the midst of legal proceedings, police arrested Barton again on Tuesday, for what they said was yet another incident involving the theft of a squad car. Video from Shorewood Police Department, published by several local media outlets, shows a squad car zooming past police officers while they were conducting a traffic stop at around 6 p.m. last Tuesday. "Someone just stole my squad, westbound on Capitol," an unknown police officer, seemingly in shock, can be heard saying in the video. "It's that same person that stole an MPD squad before," another officer said, per WMTV. Police officers later found the car abandoned a short distance away, with nobody in it, according to WITI. A short time later, Barton was found hiding inside a gym and was arrested, per WMTV. He was taken into custody, with court records showing that he was charged with a misdemeanor of driving or operating a car without the consent of the owner. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for July 5. Veronica Serher, an eyewitness, told WITI that people were laughing about the situation. "It's not the sort of thing that should happen twice," she told the local media outlet. "I feel like it'd be hard to steal a car, much less a police car, and the fact that it happened twice is wild," Isabella Puls, another eyewitness, said, per WITI. Shorewood Police Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider Imphal, June 5 : Security forces and mobs destroyed camps of Kuki militants in different districts even as sporadic incidents of violence were reported from different parts of violence-hit Manipur, officials said on Monday. Police in Imphal said that the angry villagers set fire to an abandoned camp of United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) on Sunday night at Sugnu in Kakching district. The UKLF cadres have been using the strategically important camp before they move to their intended destinations on operational missions. Irate villagers were venting their anger after Kuki militants burnt down a large number of abandoned houses, including the residence of former minister and Congress MLA K. Ranjit at Serou in Kakching district on Saturday midnight. In another incident, combined security forces demolished the base camp of the UKLF at Nazareth at the adjoining areas of Chandel and Kakching districts on Sunday night. Before the destruction of the base camp, a heavy exchange of fire took place between the security forces and UKLF cadres. Though the security force was able to flush out the suspected Kuki militants from the camp, the extremists managed to escape during the gun battle. A search operation is undergoing in the mountainous areas by the security force. Meanwhile, reports said that at least three people, including a woman, were killed following the attack of a mob in Imphal West District. The victims were travelling in two vehicles when the incident occurred at Lamsang on Sunday night. A state government official in Imphal said that the Army, Assam Rifles along with Manipur Police commando and other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, have continued their search operation to recover the looted arms and to nab the militants. Shimla, June 5 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Monday said his government has taken a major decision to abolish the condition of the income limit for providing social security pension to the disabled, single women, widows and destitute women. This move is expected to benefit around 9,000 families in the state. He said the government has also amended the rules to provide an enhanced monthly pension of Rs 1,500 to all eligible women. Also, the government plans to include 40,000 eligible individuals under the social security scheme this year, he said. The Chief Minister said the government was introducing the 'Mukhya Mantri Vidhwa Evam Ekal Nari Awas Yojana' under which financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh would be given to eligible women for constructing houses. In this fiscal, the government will provide assistance to around 7,000 single women and widows. The Chief Minister said the Congress in its 'Pratigya Patra' had promised a monthly pension of Rs 1,500 to the women above the age of 18 years which will benefit 2.31 lakh women with a budget allocation of Rs 416 crore. Additionally, the government has also extended the benefit to all women above the age of 18 years in the Spiti Valley. The Chief Minister said that he government was committed to ensure welfare of every section of society, particularly the under-privileged groups. As part of these efforts, the government has also reduced the prices of mustard oil by about Rs 37 per litre being provided under the Public Distribution System, thereby making it available at Rs 110 per litre to the consumers in fair price shops. New Delhi, June 5 : The Delhi High Court on Monday granted bail to a Nepalese national, detained in an espionage case for allegedly leaking critical information to Chinese intelligence agents, but not named in the FIR or found to have any confidential documents on him Justice Vikas Mahajan stated that it would be useless to keep petitioner Sher Singh in custody and granted him bail with conditions. The court also noted that the investigation in the matter is over. The petitioner has been detained since September 19, 2020, while the other co-accused, who are the prime accused, have been freed on default bail, according to the judge, who underlined that the allegations and defence would be put to the test during the trial. The court said: "The investigation is complete and no further recovery has to be made from the petitioner. It is also not the case of the prosecution that the petitioner is a habitual offender or he is involved in any other case." "In view of the above, no useful purpose would be served in keeping the petitioner behind bars," it added directing the petitioner to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety of the like amount. The police opposed the petitioner's request for bail on the grounds that the offences affect the sovereignty and integrity of the country and that he poses a flight risk because he is a citizen of Nepal. Singh was granted bail, but the court also ordered him to turn in his passport and not leave the city without its prior permission. Guwahati, June 5 : The police said on Monday that a 32-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly trying to dupe the Superintendent of Police of Cachar district in Assam by impersonating him. The accused has been identified as Jubair Ahmed, a resident of Badarpur town in Cachar district. The accused allegedly registered an online mobile payment service account under the name of Numal Mahatta, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Cachar and duped several people. But his luck ran out when unknowingly he called Mahatta and asked for money after introducing himself as Cachar SP. "On Saturday night, Ahmed called Mahatta and introduced himself as Cachar SP," the police said. "When I answered the phone, the person on the other side identified himself as the SP of Cachar district," Mahatta said. "I knew it was a false call, but I kept talking to him," the SP said. As Mahatta kept talking to Ahmed, Cachar Police's cyber squad began to track the origin of the call. Police said that Ahmed was arrested on Sunday. Mahatta said that the police came to know last month that SP Cachar had a Google Pay account that had been active for a few months. "Ahmed used this same account to extort cash, usually from those who were waiting to get their passports verified. I had earlier issued instructions to close down this account," Mahatta said. As per the initial investigation, the police found that the accused had promised scores of people to make it hassle-free for them to obtain passports. "People used to pay him Rs 5,000 for a passport. This was his standard fee," Mahatta said. Mumbai, June 5 : Actress Kim Cattrall, who is receiving a lot of positive response to her recently released theatrical film, 'About My Father', has shared that they shot the film when Covid-19 was raging across the globe. The shooting started during the peak of the pandemic and posed challenges and bonding experiences of its own to the cast and crew. Talking about filming for 'About My Father', Kim Cattrall said: "It's great! You know we made this movie in 2021. That long ago! And it took a long time and it was a difficult film to make while COVID was raging in the South in Mobile, Alabama. So we kind of bonded together. So now when I see Leslie or I see Sebastian or Bob occasionally, he's very busy and most of the actors are after that - before that and after that. But to see them again is just wonderful because we had that very special time together." Talking about the audience's reaction to 'About My Father', the actress further mentioned: "We saw it as an all out comedy but what's surprising is that how many people have told me how touched they are by it. Your dad, you got one dad and this story is really a big salute and bravo to Salvo - to Sebastian's dad. So I think in every way all of us in the cast are saying the same thing as he is about his dad. That we love you, we need you". Lionsgate's comedy film 'About My Father' is currently in cinemas. San Francisco, June 5 : The increasing ability of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate realistic content, such as deep fakes, has caused concern in Hollywood, and the rise of AI is sparking debate among actors, writers, and studios about their compensation and content creation. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) recently expressed concern about the rise of AI deep fakes in Hollywood, reports Interesting Engineering. The actors union is preparing to negotiate labour contracts with studios, and the use of AI is among the top issues. According to SAG-AFTRA Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the actors' "digital doubles" should be controlled to ensure fair compensation when using their personas. Actors and writers in Hollywood are concerned that studios will try to cut costs and increase revenue by using AI to generate new content without the assistance and guidance of production. Moreover, the report said that the celebrities such as Hollywood actors Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves have been the victims of unauthorised deep fakes and hyper-realistic AI-generated videos. These incidents have fuelled actors' growing concern about the unregulated use of AI. Meanwhile, top researchers, experts and CEOs (including Sam Altman of OpenAI) have issued a fresh warning about the existential threat artificial intelligence (AI) poses to humanity. In a 22-word statement, they said that "Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war." The statement was published by US-based nonprofit, the Center for AI Safety, and was co-signed by Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis as well as Geoffrey Hinton and Youshua Bengio. Gurugram, June 5 : Four persons, including two sons of a Haryana Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, have been arrested for reportedly trashing the employees of a liquor vend in the Sector-62 area of Gurugram for refusing to sell them alcohol. The suspects, who have been identified as Vishal Dhankar and Navdeep Dhankar, both sons of the DIG, and Karan alias Kulwant and Iru Kumar, were arrested on Monday. It is being said that on the intervening night of June 3 and 4, the accused youth went to buy alcohol at a liquor vend located in Sector-62. However, the salesman refused to sell liquor to them since it was past midnight and the vend was already closed. On being refused, the youth beat up the staffers with sticks. "They fought with the liquor store employees and created a ruckus outside the vend. A police team reached the spot and overpowered the four youth," said Subhash Boken, the spokesperson for Gurugram Police. A case under various sections of the IPC has been registered against the accused at Sector 65 police station. New Delhi, June 5 : A 23-year-old undertrial prisoner died after he consumed an unknown substance in Delhi's Mandoli jail, an official said on Monday. The deceased was identified as Mustkeem (23). According to police, on June 2, information was received at Harsh Vihar police station from GTB Hospital that Mustkeem, who was lodged in Central Jail No 13, Mandoli Jail, was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state after consuming an unknown substance and declared dead. "As death of the UTP was unnatural, duty Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) of Karkardooma Court was informed accordingly, and is conducting proceedings under Section 176 CrPC. On MM Dev Chaudhary's directions, the post mortem of the deceased was conducted on Monday by a medical board of three doctors at GTB Hospital's mortuary and the viscera was preserved," said a senior police official. "Opinion on cause of death is kept pending till the chemical analysis of viscera is received from FSL. Mustkeem was in Mandoli Jail for a case registered under section 380 (theft), 454 (house-breaking) and 411 (retaining any stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code at Gokulpuri police station," said the official. New Delhi, June 5 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that they have arrested arrested Santosh Karnani, the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Ahmedabad, for demanding and accepting undue advantage of Rs 30 lakh. The ED initiated a PMLA investigation based on an FIR registered by the CBI against Karnani under the Prevention of Corruption Act. During the PMLA investigation, it was revealed that initially, a bribe of Rs 30 lakh was demanded and accepted by Karnani, through firm Dhara Angadia from Rupesh Balvantbhai Brahmbhatt of Safal Constructions Pvt Ltd. Further, it was learned that there have been multiple suspicious transactions amounting to at least Rs 4.25 crore between 2021 and 2022, involving the said account maintained with the said Angadia Firm. "To unearth the whole conspiracy and identify and trace the proceeds of crime, custodial interrogation of Karnani had become necessary. Therefore, the application for the custodial interrogation of the suspect was filed by the ED before the Special PMLA Court, Ahmedabad. The court has granted the custody of Karnani till June 9 to ED," said the official. Further investigation is on. Kolkata, June 5 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has cancelled her scheduled three-day visit to Darjeeling, and instead she will go to Odisha again on Tuesday to review the condition of those from Bengal who got injured in the ghastly train accident near the Bahanaga railway station in Balasore district on Friday evening. "Several people from West Bengal who were injured in the train accident are still under treatment at different hospitals in Odisha. I will be going there again to review their condition," the Chief Minister said on Monday. She also said that the identities of all those killed in the accident are not known yet. "I had also sought a CBI probe when the Jnaneswari Express accident took place during my tenure as the Railway Minister. That was because Maoists were behind the incident. But nothing has happened although 12 years have passed since then. In case of the latest accident, the CBI has nothing to do. The CBI investigates criminal matters. Rather, the Railway Safety Commission should look into the matter," she said. On Wednesday, Banerjee will hand over compensation cheques to the family members of those killed or injured in the train accident from the state. Higher Education Association of American Universities Expands Research-Focused Mission with 6 New Members The Association of American Universities has announced six new members: Arizona State University, The George Washington University, University of California, Riverside, University of Miami, University of Notre Dame, and University of South Florida. The invitation-only organization evaluates members for the "breadth and quality of their programs of (a) academic research and scholarship and (b) graduate education." Member universities "earn the majority of competitively awarded federal funding for research that improves public health, seeks to address national challenges, and contributes significantly to our economic strength, while educating and training tomorrow's visionary leaders and innovators," the association said in a news announcement. The work collectively to "help shape policy for higher education, science, and innovation; promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education; and strengthen the contributions of leading research universities to American society." "We are very proud to have these six distinguished universities from across the United States join AAU," said AAU President Barbara R. Snyder, in a statement. "We are particularly proud that two of our new members Arizona State and UC Riverside are designated as Hispanic-serving institutions because significant shares of their student bodies are individuals from Hispanic backgrounds, and that UC Riverside is also an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution. We look forward to working with all of these universities to continue advancing higher education and laying the scientific foundation that helps keep our economy strong and our nation healthy and safe." With the addition of the six new members, AAU has grown to a total of 71 research institutions. Recent areas of research focus include COVID-19, the opioid crisis, sustainable energy, cybersecurity, and more. For more information, visit the AAU site. New York, June 5 : There is a 50 per chance that artificial intelligence (AI) will wipe out humanity, according to Max Tegmark, a physicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Tegmark said that humans, known as Earth's smartest species, are responsible for the extinction of 'lesser' species such as the dodo. Likewise, when AI will become smarter than humans, we could meet a similar fate, he said, DailyMail reported. "About half of all other species on earth have already been exterminated by us humans," the AI expert was quoted as saying. "Because we were smarter, they had no control. "What we are warning about now is that if we humans lose control over our society to machines that are much smarter than us, then things can go just as bad for us," he noted. Tegmark is among a growing number of industry experts who are warning of the dangers of AI. Last month, leaders from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic and other AI labs warned in an open letter that future systems could be as deadly as pandemics and nuclear weapons. "Mitigating the risk of extinction from A.I. should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks, such as pandemics and nuclear war," reads a one-sentence statement released by the Center for AI Safety, a nonprofit organisation. The open letter was signed by more than 350 executives, researchers and engineers working in AI. The statement comes at a time of growing concern about the potential harms of artificial intelligence, led by the advent of ChatGPT and other chatbots over fears that AI could eliminate millions of white-collar jobs. However, some experts also claim that the AI technology's existential threats may currently be "overblown". Gary Marcus, a New York University professor said AI is a "threat to democracy, not to humanity", TechCrunch reported. He said AI's potential threat to democracy ranges "from misinformation that is deliberately produced by bad actors, from accidental misinformation. You can also use these tools to manipulate other people and probably trick them into anything you want". He stated that rather than being focussed on annihilation of humanity, governments should caution against AI's ultra-fast development and adoption. Bengaluru, June 5 : Two days after Karnataka Minister for Animal Husbandry, K. Venkatesh, stirred a row by stating that if buffaloes and oxen can be slaughtered, why cannot cows be, another Cabinet minister on Monday presented a contrasting viewpoint, saying he is against the slaughter of animals. Senior Congress leader and Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy, speaking to reporters here, said: "The creator has given no rights to anyone to take life. I am against the killing of any animal. Every animal has a right to life." Asked if he would present his opinion in the Cabinet, Reddy said he did that with the media but would not discuss them in the Cabinet meeting. Reddy also said "he did not know the intention behind the Minister for Animal Husbandry K. Venkatesh's statement". He further said that he wanted the elections to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to be held at an appropriate time. "The Congress governments headed by S.M. Krishna and Siddaramaiah held the elections of BBMP within a timeframe," he said. Reddy said during the previous term of the BJP government, the BBMP election was not held for 2 years and eight months. "The Congress believes in decentralisation of power and democracy. We are committed to conducting elections," he said, adding: "The BJP did not hold any meeting over the development of Bengaluru with the opposition." Earlier, on Saturday, speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Venkatesh stated that suitable action will be taken on withdrawing the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act after discussions. "A decision will be taken which is going to help the farmers," he said. Venkatesh said that he also nursed three to four cows at his residence. "When one of the cows died, we struggled to cremate it. As many as 25 people came to lift the body but it was not possible. Later, a JCB was brought and the body was lifted," he said. He also clarified that there is a dearth of funds to manage gaushalas in the state. Hindu activists have slammed the remarks made by the Congress minister, and warned him of consequences if the state government withdraws the law on cow slaughter. The previous BJP government had passed a Bill banning cow slaughter and prescribing stringent punishment for the offenders. San Francisco, June 5 : Linda Yaccarino took over as the new Twitter CEO on Monday, freeing Elon Musk to focus on Tesla and SpaceX, as Twitter's US ad sales plunged 59 per cent in April and the month of May did not look bright either. Yaccarino, former Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBC Universal, updated her bio as Twitter CEO on LinkedIn, before welcoming Joe Benarroch at the micro-blogging platform, who worked with her as executive vice president at NBC Universal. "Welcome to the flock, Benarroch, from one bird to the next. Let's get to work @Twitter," she posted. Benarroch said in an internal memo, seen by the Wall Street Journal, that "I start a different professional adventure at Twitter, taking on a role focusing on business operations". "I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter, and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together," he added. According to The New York Times, Twitter's US advertising revenue for the five weeks from April 1 to the first week of May was $88 million, down 59 per cent from a year earlier. "In internal forecasts, the company projected that ad sales would keep declining, handing a tough challenge to its new chief executive," the report noted. Yaccarino said last month that she is prepared to build Twitter 2.0 and transform the business together with Musk and millions of platform users. "I've long been inspired by your vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together," she posted on Twitter. "I'm just as committed to the future of this platform. Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I'm here for all of it. Let's keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together," Yaccarino also commented. Musk is looking forward to working with Yaccarino to transform the platform into X, the everything app, just like China's WeChat. Yaccarino oversaw about 2,000 workers at NBC Universal. Her team generated more than $100 billion in ad sales and entered partnerships with companies, including Apple, Snapchat, BuzzFeed, Twitter and YouTube. New Delhi, June 5 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently carried out search operations at 25 locations in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bhavnagar, Botad, Gandhidham, Mumbai, and Bengaluru in a GST fraud case registered against Mohammad Ejaj Bomar and others, an official said on Monday. "Fake invoices of more than Rs 1,102 crore, involving evasion of GST of Rs 122 crore, using 461 bogus firms were issued by the accused. This is based on GST fraud as per Bhavnagar police charge sheet," said the ED. In this search action, the premises of accused persons who were involved in preparing bogus documents on the basis of which fake GST firms were made and the entities which were used for providing bogus Input Tax Credit (ITC) were covered. The ED initiated money laundering investigation based on FIRs registered by Bhavnagar Police under various sections of IPC, against Bomar and others. "As per the charge sheet, these accused persons changed the mobile number linked to Aadhar card of several persons promising them financial assistance under government schemes and later on, used these Aadhar for obtaining PAN and then GST registration. As per the police charge sheet, fake invoices of more than Rs 1,102 crore involving evasion of GST of Rs 122 crore using 461 bogus firms were issued," said the official. The official said that modus operandi of this fraud is that accused created fake entities through forged documents to obtain GST registration. Later these fake entities passed on Input Tax Credit to beneficiaries by generating fake invoices on commission basis. Payment for these fake invoices were made through banking channels and later on the amount was settled in cash between operator of fake entity and beneficiary. "During the course of search action, incriminating documents in huge quantity such as form for changing mobile number of Aadhar cards, fake bills issued from these bogus entities, and digital evidences were seized under the provisions of the PMLA. Further during the course of search cash amounting to Rs 29 lakh has also been seized," the ED said. Kolkata, June 5 : A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed at the Calcutta High Court on Monday challenging the decision of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to appoint interim vice-chancellors at 11 state universities without the concurrence of the state education department. Ten out of 11 VCs have accepted the appointment offer from the Governor's House. The PIL has been filed by a retired college teacher, who has appealed to make the Governor's House and the West Bengal government parties in the petition. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on June 12. Already the Raj Bhavan and the state secretariat have entered into a cold war over the appointment of these 11 interim VCs. First the Education Minister Bratya Basu issued an appeal towards the newly-appointed VCs not to accept the appointment offer. However, after 10 out of 11 VCs accepted the offer, Basu said that the education department does not approve of the appointments and also gave indication of taking the legal route against the appointments. Now a PIL filed by a retired college teacher has added a new dimension to the entire episode. On June 3, 10 out of the 11 newly-appointed VCs took an "oath of commitment" from the Governor. It is learnt that as many as 15 issues were included in that oath. The main part of the commitment was that all steps to be taken by the state universities should be "student centric" and "academic centric" avoiding political and communal involvement totally. "Focus has also been given on the introduction of a social outreach programme for the student. Stress has been given on digital learning and research-based academics. The Governor's House has also proposed creation of a 'Governor's Golden Group' where outstanding and meritorious students from each state university whould be included," a source said. Chennai, June 5 : Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Monday said that the higher education system in the state needs to be aligned with needs of current age. While speaking at the conference of 'Vice Chancellors of State and Private Universities of Tamil Nadu' at the Udhagamandalam Raj Bhavan, Governor Ravi said that the conference was extremely important to deliberate upon how to impart appropriate time-bound education. He said that time-bound education means education that meets the demands and needs of the current time and stated that this was the time of Artificial Intelligence which was making an impact on agriculture, industry, processing, production and marketing. The Tamil Nadu Governor, however, said that since the time of former Chief Minister, K. Kamaraj, all governments of Tamil Nadu have focused on policies aimed at ensuring maximum accessibility to basic education. He said that the spread of basic education is not enough to meet the needs of the job markets of the day and added that higher education needs to have requirements of job markets in mind. The Governor said that graduates are not able to do jobs commensurate to their basic qualifications and added that several business leaders with whom he had spoken to have informed him that polytechnic students from Industrial Training Institutes have better prospects in job markets than engineering graduates. He said that even though the state of Tamil Nadu was much better than many other states in terms of education and development, there has been a decline and pointed out the state falling into fifth, sixth or seventh place in many key indicators. It is to be noted that the conference of Vice Chancellors was organised in Udhagamandalam on deliberations regarding translation of textbooks of higher education institutions into Tamil. He said that in countries like China and Japan, doctors, engineers and scientists speak and study in their native languages. The Tamil Nadu Governor said that many students who wanted to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses had a mental block in studying these subjects as they were not proficient in English language. He said that if the textbooks in higher education institutions are available in Tamil and other regional languages, more students would opt for STEM courses. He also called upon the Vice Chancellors of government and private universities to work together and collaborate to produce students to meet the needs and demands of modern industry and entrepreneurship. He added that the culture of private and public institutions working in isolation have to end, and called upon them to work in collaboration. Itanagar, June 5 : Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Pasang Dorjee Sona said on Monday that migration of people from villages to urban areas has not only stopped, but "we are witnessing a reverse migration towards the areas bordering China". He said that this reverse trend is because of the projects and schemes launched by the government of India in the areas of Arunachal Pradesh along with the Chinese border. He said that the ambitious Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) scheme is one such programme which inspired the people of the border areas to give up on leaving their ancestral villages in search of livelihood. "We have witnessed the reverse migration towards the border villages after the government initiated several mega projects and schemes along the border with China," Sona told reporters on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Indian Region Zone III. He said that in terms of national security and livelihood of the people, the VVP and the mega road projects, which are now under implementation, are very significant. "My constituency shares its border with China's Tibet. So there are always issues. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has undertaken significant development activities along the border," he said. He said that these areas were neglected for a long time. "The border areas earlier lacked basic infrastructure, healthcare, and education facilities which prompted people to leave and migrate. When the borders are vacant, incursions are inevitable," he said. The Speaker said that the reverse migration phenomenon in the border areas is being recognized as a strategic asset for national security. He said that after the VVP scheme was introduced, the emphasis was laid upon road connectivity, telecom connectivity, drinking water, electricity including solar and wind energy, mobile and Internet connectivity, tourist centres, multi-purpose centres and healthcare infrastructure and wellness centres and digital connectivity which in turn attract people to come back to the border areas. VVP Scheme The VVP scheme was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 10 this year. The scheme would be executed in 2967 border villages in 19 districts adjoining international borders in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the UT of Ladakh. Around Rs. 4,800/- crores have been allocated for the scheme for the financial years up to 2025-26. In the first phase, around 662 border villages in four states and the UT of Ladakh have been identified on priority which includes 455 villages in Arunachal Pradesh. Under the centrally-sponsored VVP scheme, all round development would be carried out in the identified border villages aiming to improve the quality of life of the people. The scheme would also encourage the people to live along the border areas thereby reversing the migration from these areas and adding to security of the border. New Delhi, June 5 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said a special PMLA court in Raipur has taken cognizance of two prosecution complaints filed by them in connection with a case pertaining to illegal levy on the movement of coal and iron pellets in Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh CM's Deputy Secretary Saumya Chaurasia, IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and others are under the lens in the matter. Vishnoi and Chaurasia were earlier arrested by the ED in the matter. The ED said that their investigation has established that proceeds of crime worth Rs 540 crore were acquired in this extortion racket and was utilised for political expenditure, creation of benami assets and bribing officials. The ED has attached assets worth more than Rs 220 crore in this case. The ED said that they were conducting money laundering investigation against coal businessman Suryakant Tiwari and Chaurasia who were extorting illegal levy on the movement of coal, iron pellets, etc, in Chhattisgarh. The ED has conducted multiple searches, and has arrested nine accused as of now. All the accused are in judicial custody. The ED has also filed two prosecution complaints in the matter before a special court in Raipur against Suryakant Tiwari, Saumya Chaurasia, Sameer Vishnoi and others. Now, the Special Court (PMLA) Raipur has taken cognizance of ED's prosecution complaints. Further investigation into the matter is going on. Kolkata, June 5 : Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, said on Monday that the CBI should probe how Trinamool Congress leaders accessed the records of phone conversation between two Railway officials about the derailment of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express near the Bahanaga railway station in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday evening. "The Trinamool leaders have accessed and circulated a telephonic conversation between two senior officials of the Railways on social media. How could it be possible? I do not think that the call was leaked by the Railways. I strongly doubt that it was recorded by some officials of Kolkata Police," Adhikari told newspersons on Monday. The BJP leader also said that he will wait for some days and then take necessary action to ensure that CBI includes this call leaking episode in its ambit of investigation into the Balasore train mishap that left nearly 300 people dead, including many from West Bengal. "If nothing happens, I will personally go to Bhubaneswar and approach the CBI office there with my plea. If nothing happens even then, I will move the court," Adhikari said. On Saturday, Trinamool spokesman Kunal Ghosh had circulated the recorded call between the two officials through his social media handle, claiming that he could not verify the authenticity of the conversation. Adhikari also claimed that since the time the Railway Board recommended a CBI probe into the train tragedy, panic has gripped the Trinamool leadership. "What is the reason for this panic, when the place of the accident is not West Bengal," Adhikari questioned. New Delhi, June 5 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently carried out search operations in Bengaluru in a Foreign Exchange Management Act violation case registered against Shree Parvathi Tex (India) Pvt Ltd and its Director Rajendra Patil, an official said. The ED initiated a PMLA investigation under provisions of the FEMA, based on Panama Paper Leaks where name of Patil had surfaced, for allegedly making an undisclosed credit of Rs 66.35 crore in offshore entities. The raids were conducted at the residential premises of Patil as well as office premises of Shree Parvathi Tex. The searches revealed that Patil has invested in various companies in Dubai, Tanzania, and British Virgin Islands. Further, he also held bank accounts in Dubai and Tanzania, and several documents related to overseas investment made by him were recovered and seized. In May, the ED seized three immovable properties located at Ceejay house, Worli, Mumbai worth Rs 41.64 crore under the provisions of FEMA in its investigation against Zavareh Soli Poonawalla whose name appeared in Panama Paper leaks. In November last year, the ED conducted raids at multiple locations in Hyderabad in FEMA case, which too had a Panama Paper Leaks case connection. The Chinese firms which routed the back money was said to be owned by Li Wenhuo, who was named in the leaks. Rapid Manufacturing Unveils Kulim Expansion Published: 05 June 2023 by Tyler Hanes by Tyler Hanes KULIM, MALAYSIA Rapid Manufacturing has announced a new facility here to serve in the aerospace, telecommunication, medical, semiconductor, automotive, and industrial automation sectors, as well as house a regional center to set up a center of excellence. The company made the announcement in a joint statement with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA). Rapid Manufacturing subsidiary RPD MFG Connectivity Managing Director Yogendran Krishnamurthy said the company's investment is expected to create an estimated 2,000 jobs for the local workforce, including at least 500 high-income jobs. COO Luis Espinoza said the companys key priorities are its commitment to hire and train local talent, as well as to enhance its vendor-development programs to provide adequate opportunities to local vendors. MIDA chief executive officer Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman said Rapid Manufacturings expansion of its production facility underscores the long-term global demand for its products. "Malaysia is well positioned to capitalise on these opportunities," he said. "By leveraging the countrys comprehensive electrical and electronics (E&E) ecosystem and our mature semiconductor supply chain, the new facility is expected to have a positive impact on job creation, benefiting the local community while enhancing the countrys supply chain to meet the rapidly changing requirements of the E&E industry." NCIA chief executive Mohamad Haris Kader Sultan said NCIA is committed to attracting and facilitating high-value investments in the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) which includes the states of Kedah, Perlis, Penang and Perak. He said Rapid Manufacturings investments in Kedah and Penang will considerably strengthen the supply chain ecosystem to support the activities of the E&E, machinery and equipment, medical technology and devices, telecommunication, automotive and aerospace industries within NCER. "With the facilitation by NCIA via its various NCER incentives, it is confident that more companies will follow suit and invest in NCER, driving sustainable economic growth and creating job opportunities for the local community," he said. New Delhi, June 5 : Following the horrific train accident in Odisha's Balasore on Friday evening that claimed 275 lives, an official document showed that the national transporter did not have lack of funds, as it "spent over Rs 1 lakh crore" between 2017-18 and 2021-22 from its Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) funds. The Railways has announced a high-level probe as well as an independent inquiry by the Commissioner of Rail Safety, which comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that "all the empty safety claims" of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have been "exposed". He also said there is serious concern among people about the deterioration in safety standards of the Railways. An official government data showed that capital expenditure on all projects of Indian Railways, including safety related works, is funded from three major sources -- gross budgetary support (GBS), internal generation of Railways, and external borrowing. The document said that RRSK was introduced in 2017 after recognising the importance of ensuring adequate funds for railway safety with a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore to be utilised over a period of five years starting 2017-18 for critical safety related works. "Contrary to the statements being made, the Railways has ensured that this fund was fully utilised," a government source said. "From 2017-18 to 2021-22, Railways spent more than Rs 1 lakh crore on RRSK works," the source said, adding that the government also extended the validity of RRSK for another five year from 2022-23," the data stated. Showing the expenses made by the Railways on track renewal in the last five years, the data said, "Track renewal is an important component of safety and expenditure on track renewal during 2017-18 to 2021-22 has reflected a steady growth." It said that from Rs 8,884 crore in 2017-18, the expenditure on track renewal increased to Rs 13,522 crore in 2020-21 and to Rs 16,558 cr in 2021-22. In total, Railways spent Rs 58,045 crore on track renewal during this period, the data showed. It also highlighted that the CAG report of 2022 on "derailment in railways" was laid on the floor of the House on December 21 last year. "The coverage of RRSK utilisation, in the report, is limited to three years - 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. Hence, it gives a partial picture on actual expenditure that has been undertaken on both track renewal as well as safety related works by the Indian Railways," the source said. The source also said that as per the practice, a detailed reply on all issues raised in the CAG report will also be sent shortly. "The factual position on expenditure, therefore, is completely contrary to the figures being quoted in some sections of the media, The actual trend of expenditure on track renewal has increased from Rs 47,039 crore during 2004-05 to 2013-14 to Rs 1,09,023 crore during 2014-15 to 2023-24, reflecting an increase of more than double," the source said. The remarks from the government sources came after the Congress cited several reports that included the CAG report on derailment, claiming less amount was spent on track renewal and even non-utilisation of RRSK funds for safety works. The Congress said that as per the latest audit report, between 2017-18 and 2020-21, almost seven out of the 10 train accidents happened due to train derailment. It also said that from 2017 to 2021, there was zero testing of rails and welds (track maintenance) for safety in East Coast Railway and asked why was it sidelined. The Congress also asked why 79 per cent funding work was done in RRSK, while Rs 20,000 crore was to be made available every year. It asked why has there been a huge decrease in the amount for track renewal works. The government source also stated that the expenditure on safety related works, which include track renewal, bridges, level crossings, ROB or RUBS, signalling works etc. has increased from Rs 70,274 crore during 2004-05 to 2013-14 to Rs 1,78,012 crore during 2014-15 to 2023- 24, reflecting more than two-and-a-half fold rise. The source further said that even the GBS for railways in the last nine years has increased almost five times as compared to the GBS between 2004-05 and 2013-14. The data showed that from 2004-05 to 2013-14, the Railways had a GBS of Rs 1,64,743.45 crore, which in the last nine years (from 2014-15 to 2023-24) stands at Rs 8,26,323.48 crore. The Congress has been demanding the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw following the horrific accident in Balasore. To a question about the February 8 letter by the Principal Chief Operating Manager of South Western Railway Zone urging and warning to repair the signalling system citing a tragedy in Mysore in which two trains were saved from collision, the source said, "One unsafe incident was reported on February 8 this year and during our inquiry, human error was found. So that was pointed out and the deficiency was rectified." He also said that the kind of error in the February 8 incident was completely different as compared to the latest train accident. New Delhi, June 5 : Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that several initiatives undertaken on mission mode by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last 7-8 years to clean Ganga river has resulted in the cleanliness of its water, from the point of origin till its drainage into the sea (the river empties into Bay of Bengal). In a conversation with IANS, Shekhawat spoke on several issues, including nine years of Modi government at the Centre, its achievements and criticism by the Opposition. Here are some excerpts: IANS: As a Union Minister, what according to you is the biggest achievement of your government in the last nine years? Shekhawat: Let's recall what the country was passing through before the Modi government came to power in 2014. The corruption was at its peak. New scams that were unfolding every other day were making the headlines. The country was facing a number of challenges on diplomatic, strategic and security fronts. Also, the nation was facing a number of social and economic problems. People began losing faith in the system. Amid such a scenario, the country handed a historic mandate to the BJP and Narenda Modi and the government was formed. For the first time in 30 years, and also after Independence, people gave such a resounding mandate to a non-Congress party. If I have to say in a single sentence, this is the biggest achievement of the Narendra Modi government. It re-instilled the faith of the people in the country's system from which they were losing belief. IANS: But contrary to the government's claims, the opposition parties have been criticising the Modi government over its functioning, and also levelling some serious allegations against it... Shekhawat: The nation properly understands the pangs of the Opposition, especially that of Congress -- and even more than the party, that of Rahul Gandhi. They have been shown the exit door by the people, and the Congress has not been able to accept this fact that the country has a well-functioning government for the last nine years despite the grand old party not being in power. Whenever the nation witnessed a moment of pride in the last nine years, the Congress tried to embarrass the country by resorting to making controversial remarks. IANS: The opposition parties have now been trying to come up with a front against the Modi government for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls... Shekhawat: They are not doing so for the first time. In 2018, they tried to malign PM Modi over Rafale (fighter jets) and other issues. Many irresponsible statements were also made, yet the people reposed faith in PM Modi in the 2019 general elections. I am fully confident that even in 2024, people will make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister once again, and that too with a higher margin of votes. IANS: How many seats are being expected (in 2024)? Shekhawat: In 2019, there was an increase in vote share in comparison to 2014. The same thing will be repeated in 2024, i.e., the ballot share would be more than 2019 Lok Sabha polls. IANS: PM Narendra Modi came up with the Jal Shakti Ministry keeping several objectives in mind, and you were appointed the Minister. How much progress has been made in terms of achieving those goals? Shekhawat: A number of initiatives were undertaken as a result of which today, India is not just one of the most-spending nations when it comes to investing in water resources, it has also come up with a major scheme focussed on drinking water. For the first time after Independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 decided that in the next five years, every rural household will be provided with adequate amount of clean water. Back then, only 16 per cent households in the country had water supply. And despite the challenges posed by the Covid crisis and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, today, over 12 crore houses are getting drinking water as compared to 3.23 crore houses back then. We are taking several steps to ensure every house in the country gets water by 2024. IANS: The government had made several promises on cleaning the Ganga river. However, the Opposition is claiming that the Namami Gange project has failed... Shekhawat: The job of the Opposition is to criticise for the sake of doing it. But as far as the question of cleaning Ganga is concerned, due to the initiatives undertaken by PM Modi on mission mode in the last seven-eight years, the river scores high on several parameters of cleanliness today -- from the point of its origin till its flow into the sea. An investment of Rs 3,000 crore was done towards this direction. The number of aquatic creatures in the Ganga has also increased -- which proves that cleanliness has improved. There was a time when the Dolphin was facing the risk of extinction, but today its numbers have increased not by hundreds, but thousands. The Hilsa fish can also be seen in thousands while the number of tortoises has also gone up. All these facts explain that the water of Ganga has become cleaner. On the auspicious occasion of Kumbh, 22,000 crore people have witnessed the cleanliness of Ganga. The UN has ranked India's 'Namami Gange' mission related to Ganga cleanliness among the top 10 World Restoration Programmes. New Delhi, June 5 : A Delhi court on Monday sought the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) response to an application made by Dinesh Arora, an accused-turned-approver in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Arora's application sought the withdrawal of the Look Out Circular (LOC) against him and questioned why it is still in effect despite his pardon. He mentioned in it that hr plans to travel to The Netherlands on June 15. During the hearing, Special Judge M. K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Court reprimanded the CBI and questioned the provision under which the LOC can be continued. The judge then asked the CBI counsel to withdraw the LOC, warning that if the court issues an order, it would be strict in nature. Counsel argued that the LOC was continued to ensure Arora's presence in the country. The court then asked the investigating officer and the advocate to provide the guidelines governing the issuance and withdrawal of LOCs. The court had previously granted the CBI's request to make Arora an approver in the case and had pardoned him on November 16 last year. Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is alleged to be closely associated with Arora, is currently in judicial custody in connection with the excise policy cases registered by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Earlier in the day, the high court dismissed Sisodia's interim bail plea. The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for June 8. New Delhi, June 5 : External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday met Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and discussed several issues related to bilateral cooperation. According to official sources, the two leaders discussed advancing bilateral ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport and connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science and technology. Jaishankar also co-chaired the first joint commission of cooperation between India and Namibia with Nandi-Ndaitwah. During the meeting, both leaders emphasised that the contemporary cooperation should build on long-standing political goodwill and growing development partnership. "Co-chaired the 1st Joint Commission of cooperation between India and Namibia with DPM and FM Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah this morning. Underlined that our contemporary cooperation should build on long-standing political goodwill and our growing development partnership," Jaishankar tweeted. "Discussed advancing our ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport & connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science & technology and culture. As also wildlife collaboration and eco tourism," he added. "Our perspectives regional and global issues are similar and drive our working together in international forums," the minister noted. Srinagar, June 5 : As part of the continuous crackdown against drugs and to tighten the noose around drug peddlers, Jammu and Kashmir Police seized property worth lakhs of a notorious drug peddler at Bandipora, officials said on Monday. "In a first, police in Bandipora have seized illegally acquired property of a notorious drug peddler, namely Khursheed Ahmad Waza alias Mandela, resident of Ward 05 Bandipora under the NDPS Act," a police official said. "The property included a residential plot measuring 1 Kanal, 1.5 Marlas worth a market value of Rs 44 lakh and two vehicles worth Rs 12 lakh have been seized as illegally acquired property through sale of narcotic drugs." Meanwhile, police said a specific information was received that Gh Mohd Mir, resident of Shairabad Tral, was indulging in drug peddling and has hoarded narcotic substances at his residence. "Accordingly, a police party led by SHO, Tral along with Executive Magistrate concerned raided the specific spot. During search, officers were able to recover 16.5 kg of Poppy Straw from the said house. He has been arrested and taken to police station where he remains in custody," police said. New Delhi, June 5 : President Droupadi Murmu on Monday held delegation level talks with her Surinamese counterpart Chandrikapersad Santokhi. "Both the presidents discussed ways to deepen India-Suriname relations and held wide ranging discussions on multiple areas including defence, agriculture, IT and capacity building," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a series of tweets. "India and Suriname exchanged four MoUs in various fields including health and agriculture," official sources said. President Murmu had arrived in Paramaribo on Sunday on her first state visit as President. She will there till June 6. "In a special gesture, President @CSantokhi of Suriname received the President at the airport with full state honours," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a tweet. Bengaluru, June 5 : Days after the horrific train accident in Odisha's Balasore district left 275 people dead, a video showing a minor boy placing stones on railway tracks in Karnataka went viral on social media on Monday. The video shows the boy who placed stones at a long stretch of the track is caught and questioned by the people. A man also drags the boy and makes him remove the stones from the railway track. When the people question the boy as to why he put stone on the track and for how many days he has been doing this, the boy confessed that this was the first time he did this, adding that no one asked him to do so. When a man says that he should be handed over to the police, the boy touches his feet and pleads to not hand him over to the police. A Twitter user named Arun Pudur, who claims to be an entrepreneur, shared the video and urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the authorities to look into the matter. "This is a serious issue. An underage boy was caught sabotaging the railway track in Karnataka. We have tens of thousands of kilometres of railway tracks and forget adults, now even kids are being used for sabotaging and causing deaths," he wrote. "Who is training these kids to do this," Pudur questioned. New Delhi, June 5 : A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to a man who was accused of being a part of a violent mob during the 2020 communal riots in northeast Delhi. The court said that since most of the other accused in the case were already out on bail and there was no need for further custodial questioning, the accused should also be granted bail. The bail plea of Ajay Goswami was heard by Additional Sessions Judge, Pulastya Pramachala. The judge noted that all the accused, except for Vishnu who was yet to receive bail, had been released on bail in the case. Since Goswami was recently arrested and a supplementary chargesheet was still awaited, the judge concluded that there was no requirement for his custodial interrogation. On the grounds of parity, the court granted him bail and asked the applicant to furnish a personal bond on Rs 10,000 and a surety bond of the like amount. Meanwhile, the investigating officer mentioned that Goswami was identified in a video showing the mob, and a witness had named him as one of the rioters. However, the accused's advocate argued that Goswami was falsely implicated in the case and no incriminating evidence had been found about him. The Shastri Nagar police had filed an FIR against him, charging him with various offences including rioting and arson. Patna, June 5 : Bihar's Nitish Kumar government, which is facing flak over the Khagaria-Bhagalpur bridge collapse, on Monday served notice to construction company S.P. Singla Construction Pvt Ltd, while an Executive Engineer of the Road Construction Department has been suspended. The Rs 1,710 crore four-lane road bridge project connected Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district and Aguwani Ghat in Khagaria district. The Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Ltd has served notice to S.P. Singla Construction, asking why the Bihar government should not blacklist this company. The Executive Engineer is facing the charge of failing to keep an eye on construction proceedings and irregularities the construction company had opted for during the construction of the bridge. Sources have said that the company has used low grade materials during the construction and the pilings are also under a question mark. According to a district administration official, irregularities and designer faults, on a massive scale, appeared during the design and construction of the bridge. He said that the construction company has piled 150 feet to construct a pillar on the banks of the river but the same height was used for the middle of the river where water is generally at the highest level. The company needed to pile more than 200 feet in the middle of the river which was not the case in this bridge, thus leading to two back-to-back two collapses in the last 14 months. There are 22 pillars in the middle of the river and as the depth of the piles are all 150 feet deep, it was inevitable that deterioration would arise in all these pillars. Earlier in the day, JD-U MLA from Parbatta in Khagaria, Sanjiv Kumar alleged that Additional Chief Secretary Pratyay Amrit is directly involved in the corruption. In his reaction, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose ire against the company was palpable, said: "It was a painful experience for me when I learnt about the bridge collapse on Sunday. I immediately asked the officials to go to the spot and take action against the accused persons. The bridge was not constructed in a right manner that is the reason why it had collapsed twice. The Deputy CM and officials of BRPNNL will look after it. I want to complete this bridge as soon as possible." "I thought about the bridge in 2012 and the construction started in 2015," he added. New Delhi, June 5 : Even as Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar on Monday said that the first opposition parties meeting scheduled for June 12 had to be deferred due to refusal by Congress' top leadership, the grand old party said it asked for another date as the top leaders of many like-minded parties were not in a position to turn up for the deliberation. The remarks came on the day when Nitish Kumar faced questions over the under-construction bridge collapse on river Ganga on Sunday in Bihar, while he was trying to bridge the gap between the opposition parties ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Speaking to the media here, Congress' Bihar in-charge Bhakta Charan Das said: "I spoke to Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday. He wants all the parties' chiefs who are capable of taking the decision to attend the meeting on June 12. This was not happening, so it has been decided to speak to everyone and arrange a meeting after June 22." The Congress leader's remarks came hours after the Bihar Chief Minister speaking to the media in Patna, said: "Except for the Congress, the majority of the opposition political parties had agreed to meet in Patna on June 12. "The Congress leadership was not comfortable with the venue. Since, there was no point in meeting without the grand old party, I asked him to discuss the party and then finalise a date. We will match the date with every opposition political party and then decide about the meeting. For now, the scheduled meeting on June 12 stands postponed," Nitish Kumar said. The JD-U leader had called the meeting of like-minded parties on June 12 in Patna after discussing with the top Congress leadership and also after meeting and convincing the top leaders of several parties in last one and half month. Kumar was also conveyed of the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's return from the US on June 10, after which the date of June 12 was finalised and the JD-U leader invited several leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray among others who gave their go ahead to attend the meeting. However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin then cited his engagements on June 12 and asked to postpone the meeting for another date. Following Stalin's request, Congress also came forward with the same proposal citing the personal engagements of party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, and asked to convene the meeting on June 22 or some other dates. This demand was also echoed by CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury. Thus, looking at the request of several leaders meeting has been postponed. Its no secret that the job of a first responder is anything but easy. Taking calls can mean long hours, time away from family and PTSD. But every day hundreds of men and women in Cumberland County answer those calls. Every week, The Sentinels Sirens for Service feature will aim to show the faces of these people and share their stories. The series focuses on why they became a first responder and highlights a specific call from their service that influenced them and reminds them of why they do what they do. Doug McDonald Agency: Silver Spring Community Fire Company Title: President Time with company: 38 years Q: Why did you become a first responder? A: Basically when I was in high school years ago, I got started in the first aid end of it with our training staff at Cumberland Valley High School way back in the day. That led me into getting involved in EMS as a volunteer, and just by luck the station that I volunteered at not only had an ambulance but it was also a fire department at that time, the Monroe Township Fire Company. As I just continued on, I found that I liked EMS, I really did, I was an EMT for many years, but I really, really enjoyed the fire department end of it, and I just sort of naturally migrated into that role over a long period of time. At any rate, I just found that it was very satisfying. I think everybody when youre that young, I was 16 years old when I started, and I think everybody is sort of looking for the thrill of it at that age, but it quickly develops into something more than that. You see a few things, you see the results, both good and bad, and you would have to be living under a rock not to understand what you were doing. And I think that kicked in with me pretty quick, and it just gives you a good feeling to be able to help people in that manner. Very often we see people having the worst day of their life, more often than not, and to be able to help mitigate that, hopefully in a positive manner, is a really good feeling. Q: Can you describe a call that has influenced you? What did that call look like and why did it impact you? A: Actually a more recent call in the last probably five [or] six years, maybe a little longer, we were called to assist with a drowning victim in a private swimming pool and it was a young girl, who I believe at the time was 8, and it didnt look very good, frankly. When we arrived on the scene to assist, it turned out that the reason she had technically drowned was because she was electrocuted in the pool due to some faulty wiring. As I said, it didnt look very good. I was the chief of the department at the time, so I was responsible for the entire operation and all my personnel as well, and I had actually started the process of deciding what was going to be needed to support my people after what appeared to be what was going to be a bad outcome. Miraculously everybody performed, the patient was transported via Life Lion helicopter to Hershey and again, lifesaving efforts were literally going on as we were loading her in the helicopter, and it just ... didnt look good. Then they found out within 24 hours that she was surviving and then to find out five days later she came home from the hospital. That was a very rewarding feeling, from the standpoint not only of being involved in it from my personal standpoint, but the pride I felt in our members here and the people that I was leading at that point on that call. It was a big effort for the fire department, EMS, the police department helped with the folks and things like that, so that was [what] overall sticks in my mind because it was a call that went from the lowest of the lows to the highest of the highs, fortunately, and Ill probably never forget that call. Sirens for Service: Hear what Midstate fire, police and ems workers have to say about their jobs Sirens for Service features Doug McDonald with Silver Spring Community Fire Company Sirens for Service features Eli Cuadro with the Dickinson College Department of Public Safety Sirens for Service features Jonathan House with Silver Spring Community Fire Company Sirens for Service features Robert Fitzkee with Lower Allen Township Police Department Sirens for Service features Jordan Bohn with Silver Spring Community Fire Company Sirens for Service features Nathan Harig with Cumberland Goodwill EMS Sirens for Service features Carol Horn with Silver Spring Community Fire Company Sirens for Service features Cassidy Koch with the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety Sirens for Service features Trenton Wise with Cumberland Goodwill EMS Sirens for Service features Charlie Alleman with Friendship Hose Company Sirens for Service features Kevin Winter with the Silver Spring Township Police Department Sirens for Service features Trent Wenger with Friendship Hose Company Sirens for Service features Katherine "Kitty" Strait with Cumberland Goodwill EMS Sirens for Service features Theo Arndt with Friendship Hose Sirens for Service features EMT Ansley McFarling with Cumberland Goodwill EMS Sirens for Service features Andrew Mellott with Friendship Hose Company Sirens for Service features David Schoonover with Penn Township Volunteer Fire Company Sirens for Service features Adam Lepley with Carlisle Fire & Rescue Services Sirens for Service features Wes Gingrich with Penn Township Volunteer Fire Company Sirens for Service features JoEllen Wiser with Friendship Hose Company Sirens for Service features Sean Ryan with Carlisle Fire and Rescue Services Sirens for Service features Jamie DiMartile with the Carlisle Police Department Sirens for Service features Olie Mick with Penn Township Volunteer Fire Company Sirens for Service features Joseph Todaro with the Carlisle Police Department Sirens for Service features Interior Firefighter Billy Sellers with Carlisle Fire & Rescue Services. Sirens for Service features Jeremy Fox with Cumberland Goodwill EMS Paris, June 6 : Top seed and World No.1 Iga Swiatek reached the women's singles quarterfinals at the French Open when her opponent Lesia Tsurenko retired while trailing 5-1 in the first set even as No.14 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia became the first Brazilian woman to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal in 55 years. Swiatek's fourth-round match lasted just 31 minutes as her opponent, Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko was forced to retire from the match while trailing 1-5. No.14 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia made history thanks to a 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo. In the quarterfinals, the two-time Roland-Garros champion Swiatek will square off with Coco Gauff, who lost to Swiatek in last year's final. On Monday, American teenager Gauff posted a 7-5, 6-2 win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova to reach a third Roland-Garros quarterfinal in as many years. A runner-up in Paris 12 months ago, The American No.6 seed had won her last 36 matches against players outside the Top 50, including three wins so far in Paris, entering Monday's tilt against No.100 Schmiedlova on Court Philippe-Chatrier, and extended that unbeaten run with a 1 hour, 31-minute triumph in windy conditions. Gauff raced out of the gates quickly to lead 5-2 in the opener but needed a stretch of additional games to wrap up a one-set lead. After having a set point in the seventh game Gauff lost three in a row, but rebounded in the closing moments from 5-5, 30-30 on the Schmiedlova serve to win the last six points. She also won the last five games of the match, improving her head-to-head record against Schmiedlova to 2-0. Gauff has never won a set in six career matches against Swiatek. While she said her mind hasn't lingered on the thought of last year's final much, it's going to be a match she'll watch again in the next 24 hours for tactics. The day, however, belonged to No.14 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, who won a 3 hour, 51 minutes match - the longest women's match of the tournament - to become the first Brazilian woman since Maria Bueno in 1968 to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. Haddad Maia is only the second Brazilian woman to reach a major quarterfinal in the Open Era after Bueno, who last reached a Slam quarterfinal at the 1968 US Open (went on to reach the semis). Bueno reached at least the quarters in the first three Slams of the Open Era - 1968 Roland-Garros, 1968 Wimbledon and 1968 US Open. Next up for Haddad Maia is Tunisian No.7 seed Ons Jabeur, who advanced by defeating Bernarda Pera of the United States 6-3, 6-1. New Delhi, June 6 : BJP National President J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting at party's central office extension here on late Monday night. Sources said that BJP's General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh was also present during the sudden meeting. Although the complete details of the meeting are yet to come, but it is being said that the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, the special public relations campaign being run by the party and the expansion campaign of the party especially 'Mission South', were discussed in the meeting. Recently, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had met Shah and Nadda. The meeting is being said to be crucial amidst the speculations of possible reshuffle in the Union cabinet. Every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the ancient Chinese capital city of Nanjing comes alive with colorful dragon boats racing through the citys most popular waterways in a tradition dating back 2,500 years. The Dragon Boat Festival pays homage to the important Chinese figure, Qu Yuan, a famous poet and government officer. Locals celebrate by eating traditional foods while cheering on the dragon boat races held on Xuanwu Lake, Mochou Lake, the Outer Qinhuai River in the downtown area, and Gucheng Lake and Jinniu Lake in the suburbs. Here are a few ways visitors can take part in traditional Dragon Boat Festival activities happening throughout Nanjing from June 22 -24: Get Immersed in the Festivals History Though there are many legends surrounding the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, the most popular involves Qu Yuan, (340278 BC), a patriotic poet and exiled official during the Warring States Period of ancient China. When his beloved Chu State fell, Qu Yuan is said to have drowned himself in the Miluo River. Locals rowed out into the river to search for him to no avail. The Dragon Boat Festival honors themes of patriotism and sacrifice that are synonymous with the poet. It is also thought to have been observed to appease the rain gods and ward off illness. For Nanjing locals, the Dragon Boat Festival also signals the official start of summer, a time to enjoy family gatherings, enjoy seasonal food, and pass along Qu Yuan's patriotic spirit to the younger generations. Watch a Dragon Boat Race Dragon boat races are one of China's oldest traditions, dating back more than 2,500 years. Spectators line the waterways each summer to watch the long, colorfully decorated wooden boats race at Nanjings Mochou Lake Park, along with the surrounding lakes and rivers. During the races, teams with as many as 60 rowers paddle quickly and harmoniously to the beat of drums. It is said that the winning team will have good luck and a happy life in the following year. Take Part in Local Customs With a history spanning centuries, the Dragon Boat Festival is steeped in tradition. Prior to the celebrations, parents prepare cloth perfume pouches for their children, filled with perfumes or herbal medicines that are strung around the neck with silk threads to ward off evil. It is also customary for people to clean their houses on festival day and hang mugwort and calamus plant on a beam above their door to keep away disease and bring good luck to the family. Enjoy Traditional Foods Traditional festival foods are by vendors near the main events include zongzi, a rice dumpling flavored with nuts and wrapped inside bamboo leaves. Local restaurants also serve up these delights, along with other favorites such as green bean cake and salted duck eggs. Theres no better place to experience one of Chinas oldest celebrations than in Nanjing, one of the four great ancient capitals in Chinese history. Learn more about this captivating destination and its culture at GotoNanjing.com. About Nanjing Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, is situated in the Yangtze River Delta area 190 miles northwest of Shanghai. Recognized as one of the four great ancient capitals of China, Nanjing has served as the capital city of 10 Chinese dynasties and regimes for a total of more than 1,800 years. A sophisticated metropolis and a modern center of history, education, and culture, Nanjing is home to some of the countrys most significant historical attractions such as the Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Dr. Sun Yat-sens Mausoleum; The Presidential Palace; and a City Wall that dates back more than 600 years. Popular attractions also include Chinas oldest public library and one of the countrys first museums, the Nanjing Museum. Nanjing is accessible by Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG) with daily flights from North America. Three train stations Nanjing Railway Station, Nanjing South Railway Station, and Nanjing West Railway Station connect Nanjing to all of Chinas major cities, including Shanghai, which is a 90- minute ride via bullet train or three hours by car. For more information on Nanjing, visit http://www.gotonanjing.com/ or follow the destination on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube at @GoToNanjing. Third Place Bar, a non-alcoholic pop-up bar in New York City, has officially announced their Pride Month programming for members of the LGBTQ+ community that are looking to have a fabulous booze-free night. Third Place Bar was founded by sober-curious data engineer by day and booze-free event planner by night, Sam Bail, in December of 2022. The Pop-Up non-alcoholic Bar provides an alternative space to socialize that doesn't revolve around alcohol. When asked about the up-and-coming Pride programming for Third Place, Sam Bail enthusiastically stated, Were absolutely over the moon to be hosting Pride programming for members and friends of the LGBTQ+ community. Im so excited and grateful to be working with so many amazing people in the next few months. It takes a village. Weve put a ton of thought and effort into these to bring you vibes, social connection, and carefully selected and crafted non-alcoholic drinks, with all the fun and none of the booze. Third Place Bar wants to be the kind of neighborhood bar where everybody knows your name; where you stop by on your way home, shoot the breeze with the bartender, bring friends, or make new friends, all while making it easier not to drink. Third Place Bar welcomes everyone, whether theyre just not drinking tonight, taking a break, or are on a longer journey. A full list of upcoming events is below: June 11th | Sober Queer Social | HERE BK 26 Bushwick Avenue Brooklyn, NY June 15th | Booze-Free Trivia Night | HERE BK 26 Bushwick Avenue Brooklyn, NY June 18th | Sober Drag Brunch | Dromedary Urban Tiki Bar The name Third Place Bar comes from the concept of a "third place", which refers to a space in a community that fosters social connections beyond a persons home or work. In the spirit of that third place, events are kept accessible and inclusive by being priced either at low cost or free. The next steps for Third Place Bar include a residency at a coffee shop in Brooklyn during Sober October where bar service will be run three to four nights a week. Next, Third Place Bar will transition into a permanent location that is a coffee shop during the day and a non-alcoholic bar at night. For more information on Third Place Bar, visit the official website at thirdplacebar.nyc. Follow them on Instagram @ThirdPlaceBarNYC and Twitter @ThirdPlaceBar. Thanks to Cloverleaf, our C-suite is empowered to more strategically guide our company to serve the insured better resulting in greater consumer satisfaction and increased revenue and profitability, said Douglas Benalan, CIO of CURE Auto. Cloverleaf Analytics (Cloverleaf), the leading provider of insurance intelligence solutions, announced today at the DigIn 2023 Conference in San Francisco that Citizens United Reciprocal Exchange (CURE) Auto Insurance is now live on Cloverleaf across its entire claims process for the carriers personal auto line of business which serves drivers in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In 2021, CURE began migrating from a legacy platform to coincide with the launch of their Michigan market expansion. The access to data and key performance insights, even when migrating to a modern claims and policy processing platform, wasn't where it needed to be. Claims operational results reporting was only available on a monthly basis and dependent on manual queries from a business analyst. The limitation meant the carrier wasn't in an optimal position for awareness and action enabled by real-time operational insights that are critical for agile decision-making. Our search for a solution hinged upon our need to have customizable data reports across all business segments so we could view our operations from a micro and macro vantage point at any time, said Sean Albert, Vice President of Operations for CURE Auto. Cloverleafs seamless Guidewire integration was a major driving factor in why we selected them over other vendors. With Cloverleaf, our entire company is more intelligent about claims from senior executives to entry-level employees so we can make better decisions, which has also made our organization more efficient. Cloverleaf provides a comprehensive view of all business operations including KPI monitoring to interactive dashboards. This new level of intelligence helps CURE perform better claims risk assessment and fraud detection. This ensures consumers get the best possible result from their claims as efficiently as possible. Additionally, the insights help senior leadership identify new potential areas of growth. Thanks to Cloverleaf, our C-suite is empowered to more strategically guide our company to serve the insured better resulting in greater consumer satisfaction and increased revenue and profitability, said Douglas Benalan, CIO of CURE Auto. The advanced forecasting, machine learning, and artificial intelligence that Cloverleaf provides makes us very excited about other areas of our business that can be transformed. As part of the implementation, the most impactful claims reports that Cloverleaf built from the ground up for CURE are Workload & Reserve, and Closed Severity reports. Anthony Galianese, Director of Technical Claims & Agency Division for CURE Auto added, Being able to understand our reserves and potential financial risk whenever we want is one of the many invaluable additions that Cloverleaf has brought to our claims operations. CURE is a trailblazer that should be recognized for its commitment to maximize the value of their insurance data to make a meaningful difference for the insured, said Michael Schwabrow, EVP of Sales & Marketing for Cloverleaf Analytics. Technology has amazing promise when used strategically, and we are confident that the combination of AI, ML, NLP, and other solutions in our platform are the right mix insurers need to succeed in the coming years. # # # About CURE Auto Insurance Headquartered in Princeton, N.J., CURE auto insurance is a not-for-profit insurer founded in 1990 by former New Jersey Insurance Commissioner James J. Sheeran and award-winning insurance expert Dr. Lena Chang. Originally heralded as the cure for the auto insurance crisis in New Jersey, the CURE business model is different in many ways. The insurer prioritizes how a person drives versus socio-economic status. This unique approach is shaped by the philosophies of its founders and current leadership. CURE auto insurance is licensed to do business in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. About Cloverleaf Analytics (Cloverleaf) Cloverleaf Analytics is the leader in insurance intelligence solutions, having evolved from Business Intelligence (BI) into providing advanced tools using ML and other emerging technologies to empower carriers to achieve unparalleled growth. Cloverleaf enables carriers in diverse lines of business to create modern products that help insurers remain competitive against new market entrants while redefining what consumers and businesses understand as the meaning of insurance value. For more information, please visit http://www.cloverleafanalytics.com. FourthSquare, a boutique global, digital and enterprise services company, welcomes Neetha Pai as its Vice President of Sales. Neetha has worked with several Oracle System Integrators, playing a pivotal role in spearheading Organizational transformations. With her extensive experience, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic acumen in leading global sales and client services organizations, effectively guiding and directing sales teams towards success. The addition of Neetha to the FourthSquare leadership team reaffirms our commitment to our clients and a renewed emphasis on Oracle deployments said Venkatash Kovela, President & CEO. Neetha stated, Being a part of FourthSquare's leadership team during this exciting phase presents an excellent opportunity to expand sales and business development. Over the years, FourthSquare has established a robust platform, positioning itself strongly to capitalize on the burgeoning Oracle cloud market and secure promising opportunities. Neetha actively participates in Impact100 for Women, a prominent organization in Metro Detroit. Impact100 for Women is dedicated to empowering women through collective giving, with a mission to support local nonprofit heroes and allocate high-impact grants. Neetha holds a Bachelor of Commerce and postgraduate diploma in Computer Applications. 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 New Hampshire patients and Boston IVF have gained an accomplished and dedicated reproductive endocrinologist in Dr. Attaman. David Stern, CEO of the Boston IVF fertility network. Boston IVF, one of the worlds most experienced fertility treatment providers, which has assisted in over 150,000 babies born since 1986 and is known for achieving high IVF success rates, is pleased to announce the addition of reproductive endocrinologist, Jill Attaman, MD to its practice and physician team. Dr. Attaman is now accepting new patients at Boston IVFs fertility center in Bedford, New Hampshire. Boston IVFs fertility center in New Hampshire, the only IVF center in the state, hosts a state-of-the-art embryology laboratory, 15,000+ square feet of treatment space, and an enhanced team dedicated to superior patient care. Dr. Attaman specializes in a comprehensive array of infertility treatments and family building services, including, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg freezing, LGBTQ+ family building services, recurrent pregnancy loss, PCOS, and more. A long-time staple of fertility treatment and care in New England, Dr. Attaman arrives at Boston IVF from a prestigious Downtown Boston hospital, where as Director of the IVF Unit, she led the organizations assisted reproductive care program, acted as Chair of Quality Assurance for the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI), and guided its OB/GYN transgender healthcare efforts. I am thrilled to join a practice as renowned as Boston IVF, where I can help provide family building treatments to a New Hampshire community which deserves local access to high-quality care, said Dr. Jill Attaman. My patient care philosophy aligns perfectly with Boston IVF, which values respect, empathy, support, education, and so much more. Alongside her role as a fertility doctor, Dr. Attaman has served as an assistant professor at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH and is a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. New Hampshire patients and Boston IVF have gained an accomplished and dedicated reproductive endocrinologist in Dr. Attaman, said David Stern, CEO of the Boston IVF fertility network. Were excited to be able to add Dr. Attaman to our outstanding clinical team in Bedford. Individuals and couples throughout New Hampshire who wish to build a family through fertility and family building treatments now have yet another amazing fertility expert whom they may turn to for care. Double-board certified in OB/GYN and REI, Dr. Attaman earned her medical degree at Michigan State University, completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Ohio State University Medical Center, and received her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at Massachusetts General Hospital. To learn more about Dr. Attaman, to receive fertility treatment advice, or to schedule a consultation, visit Boston IVF's website for more information. Follow Boston IVF on Instagram Follow Boston IVF on Linkedin Follow Boston IVF on Facebook Follow Boston IVF on Twitter ABOUT BOSTON IVF Boston IVF is one of the largest and most experienced fertility networks in the United States, with more than 150,000 babies born since 1986. Founded as one of the nation's first private practice IVF centers, the Boston IVF network has grown to include over 30 reproductive endocrinologists across 30 centers throughout Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah. A renowned innovator of reproductive technologies, advanced protocols, and cutting-edge research, Boston IVF has achieved numerous "firsts" in reproductive care. Its scientific and research arm continues to pave the way for breakthroughs in fertility care and its accredited REI Fellowship Program has graduated numerous reproductive endocrinologists as part of its mission to train the next generation of fertility experts. For over 30 years, Dr. Frishman has been recognized by his peers and respected by his patients for delivering a sustained level of superior reproductive care. David Stern, CEO of the Boston IVF fertility network. Boston IVF, a worldwide leader of fertility treatment and family building, is pleased to announce that reproductive endocrinologist Gary N. Frishman, MD(he/him) has been selected by Rhode Island Monthly as a 2023 Top Fertility Doctor in Rhode Island. Dr. Frishman has been named a Top Fertility Doctor in every Rhode Island Monthlys Top Doctor article since the awards inception in 1992. Rhode Island Monthlys Top Doctors are elected through a highly competitive peer selection process, with Rhode Island licensed physicians and clinicians selecting the most experienced, trustworthy, and empathetic candidates across 50 specialties. Dr. Frishman, a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist at Boston IVF, treats individuals and couples alongside fellow reproductive endocrinologist Kerri Luzzo, MD at the fertility networks new, state-of-the-art IVF center in Providence, RI (148 W River Street #6). Boston IVF's new fertility center in Providence offers 10,000+ square feet of treatment space, on-site IVF, IUI, egg freezing, cycle monitoring, and more. Having children is one of the greatest privileges and experiences in life, said Dr. Frishman. I chose this field to help my patients achieve this dream. Alongside his Rhode Island Monthly recognition, Dr. Frishman has earned national and international acknowledgment for his contributions to Womens Health. He has received numerous teaching awards from Brown University, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG), and the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO), amongst others. For over 30 years, Dr. Frishman has been recognized by his peers and respected by his patients for delivering a sustained level of superior reproductive care, said David Stern, CEO of the Boston IVF fertility network. Dr. Frishman is an active member in several surgical societies including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and served as president for both the Society for Reproductive Surgeons and the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL). Furthermore, he has held positions for internationally renowned journals such as The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. A long-time Rhode Island resident, Dr. Frishman is also a Clinical Professor of OB/GYN at Brown Universitys Warren Alpert Medical School, where he teaches the next generation of fertility doctors. Additionally, he has served on the boards of Big Sisters of Rhode Island, Day One Rhode Island, City Year Providence, and Rhode Island Blood Centers Advocacy Board. To learn more about Dr. Frishman, to receive fertility treatment advice, or to schedule a consultation, visit Boston IVF's website for more information. Follow Boston IVF on Instagram Follow Boston IVF on Linkedin Follow Boston IVF on Facebook Follow Boston IVF on Twitter ABOUT BOSTON IVF Boston IVF is one of the largest and most experienced fertility networks in the United States, with more than 150,000 babies born since 1986. Founded as one of the nation's first private practice IVF centers, the Boston IVF network has grown to include over 30 reproductive endocrinologists across 30 centers throughout Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah. A renowned innovator of reproductive technologies, advanced protocols, and cutting-edge research, Boston IVF has achieved numerous "firsts" in reproductive care. Its scientific and research arm continues to pave the way for breakthroughs in fertility care and its accredited REI Fellowship Program has graduated numerous reproductive endocrinologists as part of its mission to train the next generation of fertility experts. Attorneys Robert Burford and Matt Parks from the Houston business litigation firm Burford Perry are being recognized for their extensive accomplishments in commercial litigation in the 2023 Chambers USA rankings. Mr. Burford once again earned a spot on the roster of the leading lawyers for business lawsuits based on interviews with law firm clients and other lawyers. In addition, Mr. Parks claimed his first ranking on Chambers USAs Up and Coming list of the states top young lawyers. The individual honors for Mr. Burford and Mr. Parks follow the firms ranking in the 2023 Chambers USA Regional Spotlight based on work for business clients. The Regional Spotlight series features the countrys leading law firms with fewer than 50 partners. Were proud and thankful that our clients and our peers are recognizing the work done by Robert, Matt, and everyone at the firm, says name partner Brent Perry. Professional recognition is always appreciated because it reflects our commitment to doing our best work in every case we handle, and Chambers is particularly special because it is driven by our clients opinions of our work. After closing out the firms most successful year in 2022, Burford Perry has prevailed in multiple cases on behalf of clients. Earlier this year, Mr. Burford led a team of attorneys that won a $155 million jury verdict in a complex fraud and breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit. Mr. Perry then lead a team that prevailed in an appeal to the Eighth District Court of Appeals, which reversed a trial court decision on crucial issues concerning a post-judgment turnover receivers authority and the limits Texas charging order statute place on execution against an LLC membership interest. The firms recent victories also include a confidential settlement on behalf of the family of a college student who was shot and killed by a campus police officer and a $7 million property foreclosure judgment involving a popular shopping center in Houston. Burford Perry LLP is a Houston-based law firm comprised of seasoned trial lawyers representing companies and individuals in cases involving business and commercial disputes, oil and gas lawsuits, securities fraud, executive employment contracts, serious personal injuries, healthcare business operations and contracts, and trade secrets cases. The firm has prevailed on behalf of its clients in legal jurisdictions throughout Texas and across the U.S. for more than 50 years. For more information, visit http://www.burfordperry.com. Vivica A. Fox hosts the L and B Gift Suite honoring the 76 Tony Awards nominees and arts community champions. "As we prepare to host the Inaugural Broadway and New York Theater Gift Lounge, I am filled with excitement and gratitude for this incredible opportunity to showcase the L&B Gifting brand to future partners in the New York market.Laura Fote, CEO of L and B Gifting Multinational L and B Concepts is launching its gifting division, L and B Gifting, with this special gift suite experience honoring the nominees for the 76 Tony Awards Thursday, June 8, 2023, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Friday, June 9, 2023, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. The event will be hosted at the Belvedere Hotel, Empire Room, located at 319 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036. Hosted by the glamorous and vivacious Vivica A. Fox, thespians from productions including Ain't No Mo, Parade, &Juliet, Some Like It Hot and Hamilton are confirmed to attend! The unique difference with this gifting suite is that members of the press and executive supporters of the arts community will enjoy the gift suite experience along with the celebrities. It's a "thank you card" for the New York arts communitycast members from several favorite productions included. Laura Fote, CEO of L and B Gifting, said, "we are thrilled to bring the incomparable actress Vivica A. Fox as the host of this year's gifting experience. She exemplifies excellence in the arts and business and we're so proud to have her join us to make this a memorable experience for our guests." A special VIP red carpet experience, hosted by award-winning actress Vivica A. Fox, will be a "party with presents" on Thursday, June 8, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm for celebrities, creatives, artists, and thespians of stage and screen. The organizers stand in solidarity with the writers' strike and support all content creators who deserve fair payment and appropriate contractual agreements for the seismic economic impact and sheer joy their intellectual property brings to the world. In support of the collective arts community, L&B Concepts is proud to include arts community executives, members of the press and especially WRITERS in this exclusive gifting experience. L&B Concepts is proud to be a WBENC-certified woman-owned business. The company provides luxury event rentals, retail and wholesale equipment and recently launched its brand-new gifting division. "As the CEO of L&B Concepts, I am thrilled to present the Inaugural Broadway and New York Theater Gift Lounge and introduce the L&B Gifting brand to the New York market. Our mission is to provide unique and unforgettable luxury gifting experiences to high-profile audiences, and this event is the perfect platform to showcase our vision of gifting. We look forward to celebrating the honorees, nominees, and winners of the 2022-2023 season and creating lasting brand value for our sponsors and partners." Celebrating the outstanding talents of the 76th Annual Tony Award nominees, L&B Gifting will lavish swag and high-end luxuries on the esteemed actors of stage and screen, media, executives and friends of the arts in a luxury VIP gifting lounge experience. A "sneak peek" of swag offered in the L and B gifting suite includes a handcrafted horse glass vase with meticulous detailing. It takes about two weeks to a month for this vase to be produced. This 13.5-inch vase retails between $5,000 to $15,000, 24k gold-plated crystal coupe glasses from the Czech Republic. This will mesmerize any and every guest, L and B luxury 18x18 inch carry-on luggage. This was customized by us to be used for business or a quick weekend getaway. The VAHDAM Tea Company joined as a sponsor and partner for this exclusive event. VAHDAM Tea Company adds a touch of luxury and indulgence to every cup. From their meticulously sourced teas to their dedication to sustainability, they embody the perfect blend of taste and elegance. Fote said, "we are celebrating this incredible partnership with VAHDAM Tea Company as we embark on a journey of taste, elegance, and pure bliss at the L&B Gift Suite. We're excited for the beautiful experience our guests will enjoy from These exquisite products. Thank you, VAHDAM Tea, for joining us to Indulge the theatrical community with excellence and a truly memorable event." "We're excited to have VAHDAM India as a part of the Inaugural Broadway and New York Theater Gift Lounge. We strive to take the best of India to the world under a home-grown brand and we're glad to be a part of this with other exclusive brands," said Bala Sarda, Founder & CEO of VAHDAM India BK Style Foundation (BKSF) (501(c)3 non-profit) was founded in 2004 as a platform for Brooklyn's explosive creative talent has joined as a partner for the L and B Gifting Suite. BKSF's mission is to assist emerging, underprivileged designers in honing their talent and growing their business, and to provide a professional forum to showcase their creations alongside other emerging designers from around the globe. In addition to its commitment to design, BKSF extends its mission to the community as a whole, presenting innovative educational programs to young people interested in developing careers in the creative and business aspects of fashion. Rick Davy, Founder/Director, Fashion Week Brooklyn and the BK Style Foundation said, "We are happy to align with L and B Gifting for this exceptional gift suite that is designed to include all creatives from actors to writers to glam teams to media. Preserving the art community can begin with a proper "thank you," and we're here for it!" Fote said, "we understand the mission of the BK Style Foundation. To nurture creatives is a noble and necessary calling. This illustrious group styles for the most high-profile and exclusive events on the planet, including the Met Gala and we're very grateful to have them on our team!" Other esteemed partners include Delany Group, EPN Fashion Week, and Designs by Kim. For celebrities, talent, actors, writers, and musicians interested in attending the event, RSVP with this link below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZgkl0V4oIQFsAvcCqQfUjU1gGi4is-fmB93GXi8xuT3WBvA/viewform For executives and friends of the arts community interested in attending the event, RSVP with this link below: RSVP to attend the gift suite on Thursday, 6/8/23, 10am - 4pm or 6/9/23, 10am - 4pm at http://landbgifting.com/rsvp/ For media interested in attending the event for coverage and to receive the gifting experience, RSVP with this link below: Request press credential here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetdk96n-IJhXD5HIf8Wqw_1WT3sowxBePjI4lEM6cC7BDGIA/viewform For one-on-one press interview requests with Vivica A. Fox and/or L and B executives on Thursday, June 8, 5:30 pm - 8 pm, media may reach Jeanine Taylor jeanine@jcec.com or Kisha Barton kisha@globalvisiongroupintl.com. Press check-in is 5:00 pm. Fote said, "as we prepare to host the Inaugural Broadway and New York Theater Gift Lounge, I am filled with excitement and gratitude for this incredible opportunity to showcase the L&B Gifting brand to future partners in the New York market. Our mission is to provide a unique and unforgettable gifting experience that not only highlights high-end products and brands but also creates lasting value for our sponsors and partners. With L&B Gifting, we aim to set a new standard for luxury gifting suites globally. About L and B Gifting Founder: Laura Fote (pronounced Foh-Tay) the owner is the only Black woman in the United States to retail Moser Crystals. Moser is a luxury crystal manufacturer out of the Czech Republic and founded in 1857. This mouthblown crystals are very unique. You can only find Moser in high end stores like Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Moser has also supplied crystals to the Buckingham Palace. To learn more about L and B Concepts and L and B Gifting, visit https://landbgifting.com/ . #LandBGiftLounge #LandBGiftSuite #VivicaAFox #LandBGifting #LauraFote #LandBConcepts #76thAnnualTonyAwards #BelvedereHotel #EmpireRoom #NewYork #June8 #June9 Merril Jackson Jr., a 75-year-old veteran affectionately known as "Turtle" among his friends, recently found himself homeless and in dire need of assistance after reportedly falling out with his landlord. Without a place to live or any of his personal belongings, Jackson faced the prospect of life on the streets. However shortly after, the Parkland community came together to support the Vietnam veteran. Upon learning of Jackson's predicament, concerned individuals from the Parkland community used Facebook to raise awareness about his situation. James Wycoff, a resident of Bismarck, initiated a GoFundMe campaign to collect financial aid for the struggling veteran. As word spread, more people became acquainted with his story. "He's always been a very positive guy. Always fun to be around, always quoting scripture. When things started to go downhill for him, we had to help him out," said Angie Demaline, Merril's former caregiver. Recognizing the urgent nature of the situation, Arcadia Valley Elks Lodge #2330 extended a helping hand to Jackson. The Elks Lodge offered him a couch and a bed frame with a box spring, providing him with the essential furnishings to get back on his feet. Additionally, the lodge contributed $400 to buy new clothing, dishes, and other personal items. When asked about the donation, Linda Moore, the exalted ruler of Arcadia Valley Elks, explained their commitment to assisting veterans. "Helping our veterans is our primary mission. It was truly heartwarming to witness the community coming together to provide support," Moore said. Following the donation, Merril and his grandson were invited to the Elks Steak Night, where they were treated to a dinner by the lodge. Merril expressed his gratitude, stating that it helped him "feel like a person again." Jacob Harbin has joined Covert & Associates, the local franchise of Dale Carnegie Training as a Business Consultant. Harbin will work with existing Carnegie customers and develop new business in North Alabama. Prior to joining Carnegie, Jacob was a Realtor for REMAX Tri-State where he sold residential real estate. We are simply delighted that we were able to attract an associate of Jacobs caliber to our organization, says Nancy Covert, franchise President. Harbins major duties at Dale Carnegie will include meeting local business people to discuss workplace solutions and make recommendations to accelerate their business success. In addition, he will coordinate both public and corporate solution activities and represent the franchise at local conferences and trade shows. Harbin studied Health, Physical Education & Recreation at the University of North Alabama, and lives in Huntsville, AL. About Dale Carnegie As a global thought leader in workplace training and development, Dale Carnegie tirelessly explores business issues and workplace solutions vital to the success of businesses. Dale Carnegie is a global provider of locally delivered training in leadership, sales, interpersonal and presentation skills that are essential to improving the performance of individuals and teams and adding value to organizations. Dale Carnegie is represented in all 50 of the United States and in 86 countries. More than 2,800 instructors present Dale Carnegie training programs in 32 languages. Dale Carnegie is dedicated to serving the business community worldwide. In fact, approximately 9 million people have completed Dale Carnegie training. http://www.birmingham.dalecarnegie.com http://www.huntsville.dalecarnegie.com The lack of capital for female founders is a significant barrier to success. Women in Cloud (WIC), an economic development organization dedicated to advancing ESG and gender inclusion in technology has welcomed Founders First Capital Partners, the nations leading revenue-based finance and advisory investment platform for underserved and diverse-led small businesses, as a sponsor to foster financial opportunities for women tech entrepreneurs. The collaboration aims to provide the WIC community with access to non-dilutive financing options. Women business owners have statistically seen fewer opportunities to access venture capital or traditional bank lending to grow their businesses than their male counterparts. To combat this discrepancy, WIC and Founders First are working together to identify women business owners who could benefit from growth capital. We are excited to be working with Women in Cloud to identify female founders that could grow their business through non-dilutive financing from Founders First, said Kim Folsom, CEO and founder of Founders First Capital Partners. The lack of capital for female founders is a significant barrier to success. This collaboration helps us toward our goal of building an inclusive economy to unlock significant social and financial returns for women-led businesses. The missions of Women in Cloud and Founders First Capital Partners are aligned, which makes this an ideal partnership. Over the next year, the organizations plan to work collaboratively to serve women founders through a number of initiatives. The partnership kicks off with a co-hosted webinar on June 21, How to Make a Strong Case for SaaS Funding. Women in Cloud is acutely aware that women founders require a combination of financing, go-to-market resources, B2B partnership and business education to achieve true success, said Chaitra Vedullapalli, President of Women in Cloud. We are proud to be working with Founders First Capital Partners to amplify their wealth of resources within the WIC community, driving us toward our shared goal of inclusive economic access. To learn more about Women in Cloud and their programming for women tech founders visit: http://www.womenincloud.com. About Women in Cloud Women in Cloud is a community-led economic development organization taking action to generate $1B in net new global economic access for women entrepreneurs by 2030 through partnerships with corporations, community leaders, and policymakers. Women in Cloud is built on the following core values; Inclusion, Collective Action, and Economic Access to help contribute to the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. To learn more visit womenincloud.com. About Founders First Capital Partners Founders First Capital Partners is building a comprehensive ecosystem through its proprietary platform to empower underrepresented founders to become leading, premium-wage job creators within their communities. The firm provides revenue-based funding, term loans and business acceleration support to service-based small businesses located outside of major capital markets such as Silicon Valley and New York City. Founders First Capital Partners focuses on supporting businesses led by women, people of color, military veterans and LGBTQIA+, and businesses located in low-to-moderate income areas as well as companies dedicated to inclusive hiring practices. For more information, visit foundersfirstcapitalpartners.com APIA Scholars (Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars) hosted a briefing in Sacramento with Californians Together (CalTog) and UnidosUS on May 11 on English Learner Students and the unique needs of Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students. The event attendees included Californias State Assemblymember Mike Fong and State Senator Dave Min, as well as staff and analysts from the states AAPI, Latino and Black caucuses, Californias Department of Education, and local advocacy organizations. California has the largest EL student population in the nation and AANHPI students represent a critical mass of EL students in the state, comprising 11.8% of the total EL student population. With the publication of the new report by APIA Scholars in collaboration with Robert Teranishi and members of UCLAs Institute for Immigration, Globalization and Education, speakers shared findings that point to the rapid growth of AANHPI English Learners in California and continued under-served needs of these students, and recommendations to address the unique challenges of AANHPI K-12 EL students in California. Co-host UnidosUS provided research learnings on Latino English Learners from state-wide listening sessions as well as recommendations from their policy brief. Co-host Californians Together presented immediate legislative, policy, and program recommendations on data disaggregation, bilingual teacher pipeline, as well as translation services during the briefing presentation. The research and the event concluded with recommendations on how policymakers, advocates, school district leaders, teachers and community-based organizations can better understand and support AANHPI English Learners through polices, programs and practice. About APIA Scholars Based in Washington, D.C. and founded in 2003, APIA Scholars (Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars) is the nations leading non-profit organization devoted to the academic, personal, and professional success of Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students. We celebrate our community of students whose unique stories, rich cultures, and diverse perspectives equip them to be the leaders of tomorrow. Through scholarships, higher education research and policy, and institutional partnerships, APIA Scholars carries out its mission to educate, elevate, and empower a diverse community of 25 million strong and growing. For more information about APIA Scholars, please visit us at http://www.apiascholars.org. CONTACT Wendy Wong VP of Marketing and Communications APIA Scholars (Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars) wwong@apiascholars.org About UnidosUS UnidosUS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves as the nations largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Since 1968, we have challenged the social, economic, and political barriers that affect Latinos through our unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of nearly 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico. We believe in an America where economic, political, and social progress is a reality for all Latinos, and we collaborate across communities to achieve it. For more information on UnidosUS, visit unidosus.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. CONTACT Esmeralda Lopez California State Director of Policy & Advocacy elopez@unidosus.org Californians Together Californians Together is a coalition of education, civil rights, parent/caregiver, community, and advocacy organizations, champions the educational success of Californias more than 1.1. million English learners. Californians Together serves as a trusted voice, source of expertise, and steadfast advocate standing for the educational rights of access for Californias English learners, immigrants, and linguistically and culturally diverse students. For more information please visit us at http://www.californianstogether.org or email us at info@caltog.org CONTACT Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez Deputy Director xilonin@caltog.org Credit: Mathieu Sangrado Samuel's love of Jove and dedication to making a positive impact in the world makes him the perfect advocate for our brand," says Tammy Hobbs, Jove CEO. Premium, functional alkaline water brand, Jove, proudly announces the appointment of acclaimed international actor Samuel Arnold as its first brand ambassador. Best known for his role of Julien in the hit Netflix TV series Emily in Paris, Samuel brings his global recognition and passion for holistic well-being to support Jove's mission. Samuel Arnold has dazzled audiences worldwide with his talent and on-screen presence. The French actor has achieved significant success in both television and film, with his breakthrough role in the popular series Emily in Paris catapulting him into the international spotlight. His performance and versatility have garnered critical acclaim and a devoted fan following. Samuel teased his ambassadorship during the recent 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where he shared images of himself enjoying Jove on social media. Samuel discovered Jove in early 2023 during the filming of Chris Robert Riegels feature film, EXPECTATIONS. He notes, Ive experienced first-hand the quality and feeling of Deep Hydration that Jove water provides. I kept going back to it, over and over again throughout the shoot, which subconsciously stopped my sugar addiction and gave me a cleansing sensation, and I cant wait for people to experience the same. "We are excited to welcome Samuel as Joves first brand ambassador, says Tammy Hobbs, Jove Chief Executive Officer. Samuel's love of Jove water and dedication to making a positive impact in the world makes him the perfect advocate for our brand. We are so happy he is part of the Jove family and look forward to our journey ahead as we spread the message of skin and cellular health to a wider audience," she added. The partnership is a natural fit as both Jove and Samuel share a deep commitment to personal well-being and hydration. Joves great taste and clinically proven benefits resonate with Samuel's dedication to promoting healthy lifestyles. Reflecting on this, Samuel asserts, "As an actor, my main instrument is my body, and it made so much sense for me to partner with a brand that hydrates and supports my instrument in a healthy way. It feels good to promote something that you love and believe in." Beyond personal health, Samuel Arnold is known for his active involvement in environmental and social causes. As an ambassador for Or Bleue, an organization focused on providing drinkable water to underserved communities, Samuel aligns with Joves dedication to creating a world where everyones cup is filled with joy and love and unite behind a common goal: to make a deeper connection with health, our skin, ourselves, and each other. This announcement comes on the heels of Joves recent launch of their Let Your Skin Do The Talking creative campaign. The high-sensory campaign amplifies the voice of what healthy skin would ask for deep hydration at the skin and cellular level with messaging that is reflected through a diverse cast, representing everyday people who prioritize drinking water and caring for their health. With Samuel Arnold as brand ambassador, Jove aims to amplify this revamped messaging. The collaboration between Jove and Samuel Arnold represents a powerful union of shared values, promoting Deep Hydration, skin health, and environmental stewardship. Together, they strive to inspire individuals worldwide to prioritize their well-being and make conscious choices for a healthier, more connected world. About Jove: Jove is the first premium, functional alkaline water clinically shown to support skin and cellular hydration. It has an amazing smooth, great taste. Made with our exclusive ACH Technology (Advanced Cellular Hydration), Jove is infused with an exclusive liquid silica, an essential mineral that increases alkalinity, then charged with an abundance of electrons, a primary source of energy. Jove bottles and caps are 100% recyclable. To show their commitment to being part of the responsible use and processing of plastic, Jove partners with TerraCycle to support the responsible use of plastic and cleaning of our oceans. Jove is currently available at Publix, Giant, select Kroger stores, Lowes Food Stores, The Fresh Market, Earth Fare retailers and online at Amazon. Follow @drinkjove on Instagram and Facebook. For more information and store locators visit drinkjove.com. Its not surprising at all to me that among the top factors for people wanting to quit their jobs or change careers is seeking better work-life balance and wanting remote work options, said Sara Sutton, Founder and CEO of FlexJobs. According to FlexJobs 2023 Spring Work Insights Survey* of over 2,600 people currently employed, 42 percent of workers are actively considering quitting their jobs right now. Another 20 percent reported that they had recently quit their job, meaning that nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of employed workers have recently quit or actively want to quit their jobs. The top 10 reasons workers specified for wanting to quit: 1. Poor work-life balance (29%) 2. Low or unfair pay (28%) 3. Toxic company culture (27%) 4. Felt disrespected/undervalued (26%) 5. Limited advancement opportunities (25%) 6. Too stressful (25%) 7. Didn't allow (enough) remote work (23%) 8. Bad boss (22%) 9. Company values and personal values were misaligned (21%) 10. Inflexible work hours (21%) Additional findings from FlexJobs survey, which ran May 3, 2023, to May 21, 2023 covered attitudes around career change (such as moving from a career in customer service to a career in marketing) and activity/concerns around layoffs. Career Change: 58 percent of workers are actively trying to make a career change. Another quarter (25 percent) reported that they had already attempted to make a career change. Only 17 percent of workers said they have not been/are not interested in making a career change. The top reasons specified for being interested in making a career change were: 1. Remote work options (50%) 2. Higher pay (48%) 3. Better work-life balance (46%) 4. More meaning or fulfillment (40%) 5. Expanding their skillset (30%) 6. Lack of advancement opportunities in the current career (28%) 7. Approaching retirement, looking for a "second act" (16%) 8. Pursuing a passion or hobby (16%) 9. Current career has never been a good fit (13%) 10. Turning a side hustle into a full-time position (12%) Its not surprising at all to me that among the top factors for people wanting to quit their jobs or change careers is seeking better work-life balance and wanting remote work options, said Sara Sutton, Founder and CEO of FlexJobs. This theme has been strong among job seekers for many years and post-pandemic, it has only strengthened, Sutton concluded. Layoffs: Nearly 4 in 10 workers (39%) are currently worried about being laid-off. 27% are a little worried about being laid off 12% are extremely worried about being laid off The remaining 61% are not worried about it When asked if they had ever been laid off: 11% had been laid off in the last six months 41% had been laid off prior to November 2022 48% had never been laid off Nearly half (49%) of people who have been laid off were told through a live conversation with an HR representative or manager at the company. Other top methods of communicating the layoff: Through a company Zoom or video platform call (15%) Through a mass email from the company (13%) Through a digital communications tool like Slack or text (9%) *FlexJobs created the survey, which was promoted to general audiences and its subscribers/members primarily through social media and newsletters. FlexJobs used a multiple choice and multi-select question format via SurveyMonkeys online platform. The survey ran from May 3, 2023, to May 21, 2023. Demographic breakdown of the 3,738 respondents: Gender: women (68%), men (29%), prefer not to identify/self-describe (3%); Generation: Gen Z (12%), millennial/Gen Y (37%), Gen X (34%), baby boomer (15%), silent generation (2%); Education: less than a high school degree (less than 2%), high school degree or equivalent (7%), some college but no degree (20%), associates degree (12%), bachelors degree (36%), graduate degree (24%); Career level: entry-level (9%), experienced (47%), manager (27%), director (11%), executive/c-suite (6%); Working arrangements: fully remote (31%), hybrid (41%), in-office (27%); forty-five percent had children 18 or younger living at home with them. For more information, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/changing-work-landscape-career-shifts or contact Shanna Briggs at sbriggs@flexjobs.com. About FlexJobs FlexJobs is the leading career service specializing in remote, hybrid, and flexible jobs, with over 135 million people having used its resources since 2007. FlexJobs provides the highest-quality database of vetted remote and flexible job listings, from entry-level to executive, startups to public companies, part-time to full-time. To support job seekers in all phases of their career journey, FlexJobs also offers extensive expert advice, webinars, and other resources. In parallel, FlexJobs works with leading companies to recruit quality remote talent and optimize their remote and flexible workplace. A trusted source for data, trends, and insight, FlexJobs has been cited extensively in top national outlets, including CNN, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, CNBC, Forbes magazine, and many more. FlexJobs also has partner sites Remote.co and Job-Hunt.org to help round out its content and job search offerings. Follow FlexJobs on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Liz is an inspiring leader and accomplished marketer with proven experience guiding brands through transformation. She will bring her collaborative and execution-driven approach to the high-growth model of AssuredPartners, stated Randy Larsen. AssuredPartners, Inc. (AP) is pleased to announce the addition of Elizabeth Liz Thrailkill as its new Chief Marketing officer (CMO), effective June 5, 2023. In her new role, Liz will drive growth strategies through marketing, key metrics and analytics, and brand development. She will report to President and incoming CEO Randy Larsen and serve on the executive committee as the leader for overseeing marketing, communications, brand strategy, and creative. Liz is an inspiring leader and accomplished marketer with proven experience guiding brands through transformation. She will bring her collaborative and execution-driven approach to the high-growth model of AssuredPartners, stated Randy Larsen. Ms. Thrailkill most recently served as VP of Global Marketing and Business Development for GDS Link. In this role, she was responsible for building and executing the strategies that have been key in achieving year-over-year growth for GDS Link. In her prior experience, Liz spent 20 years with IBM leading marketing initiatives primarily within their consulting services and global business services divisions. She has a proven record with high growth, transformational change, and developing strategies that will complement AssuredPartners innovative solutions and complex business challenges. AssuredPartners presents a great opportunity to bring creativity, innovation, and scalability for a modern marketer. I am excited to partner across the executive team to deepen customer loyalty and accelerate the business and overall growth strategies, said Liz Thrailkill. Additionally, Steve Deal will continue his impactful work with our strategic partners as Executive Vice President, Carrier Relationships. This new title reflects Steves significant contribution over the years, building meaningful alliances with our key trading partners. Building and maintaining strategic partnerships is integral to AssuredPartners continued growth. Im excited to bring greater focus to this crucial aspect of our business, added Steve Deal. ABOUT ASSUREDPARTNERS, INC Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, AssuredPartners is a full-service insurance broker providing commercial insurance, risk management, employee benefits through consulting and services. With over 9,200 employees located in offices throughout North America, England, Ireland, Belgium and Scotland, AssuredPartners is in the business of building relationships. While cementing powerful, lasting relationships built on trust earned from working openly and honestly with our partners. Thats what we call, Power through Partnership. For more information, visit http://www.assuredpartners.com. Bastyr University President Devin Byrd, PhD and National University of Natural Medicine President Melanie Henriksen, ND, LAc, CNM signed a letter of intent indicating plans to merge. We share a fervent commitment to advancing equity in and access to medicine, health advocacy, and a deep reverence for the healing power of nature. Bastyr University and Clinics and National University of Natural Medicine and Clinics (NUNM) plan to merge. A formal letter of intent (LOI) was signed by Bastyr University President Devin Byrd, PhD and NUNM President Melanie Henriksen, ND, LAc, CNM. The merger is set to finalize in 2024 pending a definitive agreement. Together, Bastyr and NUNM will enhance learning for students by expanding access to classes online and at campuses in California, Oregon, and Washington. Together, the universities will provide students with opportunities to participate in clinical research and residency programs. This partnership establishes a new standard for natural medicine higher education in North America, says NUNM Board of Directors Chairperson Noel Snodgrass, DC. By formalizing our long-time collegial relationship with Bastyr, we have the opportunity to increase teaching and learning opportunities, while preserving the culture and legacy of our institutions. NUNM offers 12 programs with a focus on integrative medicine, an innovative Naturopathic Doctorate First-Year Online degree, and top-ranked hybrid and online programming. We are heartened by how closely our university missions and visions already align, echoes Bastyr University Board of Trustees Chairperson Gary Quarfoth, PhD. We share a fervent commitment to advancing equity in and access to medicine, health advocacy, and a deep reverence for the healing power of nature. Bastyr offers 23 degree and certificate programs. Building on their strong science-based foundations, both Bastyr University and NUNM are the recipients of several multimillion-dollar research grants from the National Institutes of Health. A combined Bastyr-NUNM university boasts: More than 1,000 students enrolled in natural health and science degree and certification programs. Campuses and clinics in Portland, San Diego, and Seattle areas. More than $15.5M in combined scientific research funding. It is incumbent upon higher education leaders to meet this moment and to do so with vigor, says Bastyr University President Dr. Devin Byrd. This merger improves access for students while offering more flexibility in how they learn, more interdisciplinary program options, and expands research and clinical practice opportunities. The partnership creates opportunities for career mobility for more than 300 of the institutions combined faculty and staff while offering more resources. Collaboration moves natural medicine forward, says NUNM President Dr. Melanie Henriksen. We recognize the best academic experiences are predicated on taking great care of our people. This partnership, with this caliber of partner, enables us to better support our talented teams as they train tomorrows cohort of natural health practitioners. About NUNM Established in 1956, National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) is the countrys premier accredited naturopathic university offering doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate completion degrees in Portland, Oregon. A leader in the field of naturopathic medical education and evidence-based research, its mission is to advance education, healthcare and research in the art and science of natural medicine. About Bastyr Bastyr University is a nonprofit, private university offering doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate degrees, with a multidisciplinary curriculum in science-based natural health and medicine. Recognized globally for its rigorous curriculum and strong research, Bastyr University has campuses in Kenmore, Washington, and San Diego, California. Bastyr's faculty educates future leaders in the natural health arts and sciences, with an emphasis on integrating mind, body, spirit, and nature. For more information, please visit http://www.bastyr.edu/. ### end ### Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritzs (BSSF) Cami Grimm, CPA, Manager, and Eric Wendler, Director of Business Development, recently graduated from Leadership Harrisburg Area (LHA) 2023 leadership programs. Cami and Eric both graduated as part of a graduation ceremony at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. LHA is a private, nonprofit organization that envisions an inclusive community of diverse servant leaders effectively collaborating to raise the quality of life in Pennsylvanias Capital Region. Cami Grimm graduated from LHAs Community Leadership Series Class of 2023. The Community Leadership Series is a nine-month, 100+ hour educational and experiential course that provides individuals of all levels with the understanding and insights, connections, resources and tools to practice servant leadership and effectively serve their companies, their community and the entire region. It was a privilege to participate in LHAs Community Leadership Series alongside others who are so dedicated to giving back, said Cami. The Harrisburg area is a tight-knit and thriving community, and I am blessed to work with local clients and organizations that are making a positive impact in the lives of those around them. I look forward to putting everything that LHA has taught me to good use in order to further BSSFs mission of helping people achieve extraordinary outcomes. Cami is a Manager at BSSF with over seven years of public accounting experience. She is located at BSSFs Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, office. Cami specializes in providing audit and review services to for-profit and nonprofit entities and has worked within a variety of industries. She is also a key member of BSSFs Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) Practice management team. Cami received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Penn State University. Additionally, Cami is an active community leader and serves as Harrisburg Rotary Foundation Board Member and Public Relations Committee Chair for the Rotary Club of Harrisburg; Member of the Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce and Finance and Loan Committee Member of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC). Eric Wendler graduated from LHAs Executive Leadership Series Class of 2023. The Executive Leadership Series is designed for executives seeking to raise their profiles, gain insights to the issues and challenges of the Capital Region and partake in behind-the-scenes tours, networking, and business and community collaborations. Participating in LHAs Executive Leadership Series was a very informative and enriching experience, said Eric. As Director of Business development, I found it rewarding to learn more about the flourishing Harrisburg area and to develop relationships with other executive leaders in the region. The connections I built, information I learned and skills I developed will be very beneficial in helping BSSF further its service to businesses and nonprofit organizations in the Central Pennsylvania region. Eric is the Director of Business Development at BSSF. In this role, he is responsible for developing new business relationships with individuals and organizations requiring audit, tax and advisory services. He also collaborates with Firm leadership to determine new business strategies and develop new service lines. Eric represents the Firm in numerous business and industry affiliated groups. Eric is located at BSSFs Frederick, Maryland, office. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Shippensburg University. Eric is also a dedicated volunteer within the community. He serves as a speaker with The Maryland Business Roundtable for Education; former Member of the Board of Directors for Health Care for the Homeless; former Advisory Board Member for Vanguard Collegiate Middle School and former Big Brother for Big Brothers Big Sisters. To learn more about Cami Grimm, please visit https://www.bssf.com/our-team/cami-l-grimm/. To learn more about Eric Wendler, please visit https://www.bssf.com/our-team/eric-wendler/. To learn more about LHA, the Community Leadership Series and/or the Executive Leadership Series, please visit https://www.leadershipharrisburg.org/. ABOUT BROWN SCHULTZ SHERIDAN & FRITZ Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz (BSSF) is a premier advisory firm, providing accounting, assurance, tax and consulting services to clients across the United States. BSSF is nationally ranked the #2 Best Accounting Firm to Work For in the mid-sized category, the #3 Best Firm for Young Accountants and a Top Regional Firm in the Mid-Atlantic. In 2022, BSSF was named the #1 Best Place to Work in PA in the medium-sized company category for the third consecutive year. Learn more at http://www.bssf.com. Defending business assets and employees from cyber-attack requires the right mix of cyber security solutions. These solutions must address specific business needs, such as cloud computing and remote work, as well as an evolving threat landscape. Carl Mazzanti, President and Co-founder of eMazzanti Technologies, a NYC area cyber security expert, will address the New York State Cyber Security Conference on the topic of Cyber Crime Challenges and Solutions. His live presentation runs from 2:10 3:00 pm, June 7, 2023. Interested parties may register here for the conference, to be held June 6 through June 7 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, NY. Defending business assets and employees from cyber-attack requires the right mix of cyber security solutions, stated Jennifer Mazzanti, CEO, eMazzanti Technologies. These solutions must address specific business needs, such as cloud computing and remote work, as well as an evolving threat landscape. Every Business a Target Cyber-attacks continue at alarming rates because cyber-criminals continue to profit from them. Every business of any size becomes a target eventually, even in the cloud, but small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) invest the least in preparation and prevention. In his presentation, Mazzanti will discuss the essential facts about cyber-crime, including: How ransomware continues to be the number one cyber-threat How cyber-criminals continue to get away with it Costs to recover run into the millions How to protect your business for a small investment Boosting Cyber Security Awareness The 25th Annual New York State Cybersecurity Conference is focused on boosting cyber security awareness and empowering state and local governments, academia, organizations, and New Yorkers to take better control of their digital security. The conference is free to government and public sector employees, as well as students. "Education and awareness, in government, the private sector, and the community at large, are essential to address today's constantly evolving cyber threats," said New York State Chief Information Security Officer Chris DeSain. The 25th Annual Conference continues our efforts to provide individuals across a broad range of disciplines opportunities to learn from leading experts in the field and discuss effective cybersecurity strategies and best practices." Partner with Cyber Security Experts eMazzanti Technologies helps business leaders protect their customer information and business assets from cyber-attack. The company offers digital compliance solutions, security awareness training, and cyber security solutions featuring multi-layered protection with advanced malware detection and intrusion prevention. Have you read? How MSPs Protect Your Microsoft 365 Environment from Cyber Threats Get a Cyber Security Assessment Now to Know Your Risk About Carl Mazzanti Carl Mazzanti is the Co-founder and President of eMazzanti Technologies, Microsoft's 4X Partner of the Year, 9X Inc. 5000 list honoree and the #1 ranked NYC Area MSP. His company specializes in IT security, cloud solutions, outsourced network management, remote monitoring, and support. A frequent business conference speaker and technology talk show guest, Carl has often contributed at Microsoft-focused events. About eMazzanti Technologies eMazzantis team of trained, certified IT experts rapidly deliver increased revenue growth, data security and productivity for clients ranging from law firms to high-end global retailers, expertly providing advanced business cyber security, retail and payment technology, digital marketing services, cloud and mobile solutions, multi-site implementations, 247 outsourced network management, remote monitoring, and support. eMazzantis consistent growth landed them on the Inc. 5000 list 9X. Recognized as a 4X Microsoft Partner of the Year, the #1 ranked NYC area MSP, NJ Business of the Year, and 5X WatchGuard Partner of the Year, the company excels as a trusted outsourced IT partner! Contact: 1-866-362-9926, info@emazzanti.net or http://www.emazzanti.net Twitter: @emazzanti Facebook: Facebook.com/emazzantitechnologies. We are honored to assume the well-run, reliable business that Scott and Earl have built, and our main goal is to continue the good work they have done on behalf of their community for the last 26 years." - Dwayne Myers, Co-Owner and CEO, Dynamic Automotive Dynamic Automotive, an award-winning Frederick County automotive repair company, announced they have opened their sixth location in Mount Airy, MD effective June 1. The new location will operate out of the recently acquired Twin Ridge Auto and Light Truck Service, Inc. shop on Rising Ridge Road. We didnt take this decision lightly, and we wouldnt be leaving if we werent positive our customers will continue to be in good hands, said Scott Elliott, Co-owner of Twin Ridge Auto and Light Truck Service, Inc. Dynamic Automotive shares our dedication to our community, and we believe our customers will see a seamless continuation of the high quality service and friendly staff they have come to expect. Dwayne Myers, Co-Owner and CEO, and Todd Zimmerman, Location Leader, of Dynamic Automotive first approached Elliott and co-owner, Earl Burroughs, the duo who founded the successful Mount Airy shop, because of their strong reputation and philosophy for taking care of their customers. The two businesses were aligned on their values and the priority they put on customer service, leading to a mutually beneficial relationship and the ultimate sale of the location. We feel privileged to have had the opportunity to maintain and repair Mount Airys vehicles all these years and it is you, our customers and friends, that are at the top of our minds during this time, said Burroughs. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being a part of Twin Ridges story and for making it so fun and fulfilling to have spent the last 26 years servicing this communitys vehicles. The people of Mount Airy will be the main focus for the Dynamic Automotive team as well. In addition to expert care and high quality customer service, a driving force behind Dynamic Automotives success is their unwavering dedication to the communities they serve. Each location is deeply rooted in their community in various ways, frequently donating employee time and resources on top of financial support, and Mount Airy will be no exception. In addition to supporting local schools and the fire department, the new Dynamic Auto Mount Airy team will be looking for community events and nonprofit organizations to embrace. We are honored to assume the well-run, reliable business that Scott and Earl have built, and our main goal is to continue the good work they have done on behalf of their community for the last 26 years, said Myers. The opening of our sixth location is an exciting day for us, and we look forward to working with the Mount Airy community. Myers and fellow co-owners, Jose Bueso and Lee Forman, have accomplished much over the years, having successfully opened five other locations in Frederick, New Market, Urbana, Libertytown, and Emmitsburgall the while maintaining their focus on education, investment in team members and the customers and communities they serve. About Dynamic Automotive: Dynamic Automotive is an industry leader in automotive repair and has been serving Frederick County residents since 1995. With an established reputation as an honest, responsive, and hard-working automotive repair company, Dynamic Automotive offers friendly customer service and expert car care that exceeds expectations. Their five locations can be found in Frederick, New Market, Urbana, Libertytown, and Emmitsburg with the sixth now located in Mount Airy. Learn more at dynamicautomotive.net. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey refused to sign off on Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick's fiscal note for a proposed abortion-rights constitutional amendment (Missouri Attorney General's Office). Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey overstepped his authority when he demanded changes to the cost estimate of an abortion-rights initiative petition, state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick argued in a legal brief filed in Cole County Court last week. Fitzpatrick, Bailey and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, all Republicans, were sued last month by the Missouri ACLU over delays in finalizing the ballot summary for an initiative petition seeking to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. Emails obtained by The Independent show Fitzpatricks office completed its work on the amendments cost estimate, but Bailey refused to give what has traditionally been considered perfunctory approval. Bailey insisted the auditor inflate the fiscal estimate to say the amendment would cost the state billions of dollars. Fitzpatrick said that would be a lie and refused. Because of the impasse, Ashcroft has said he cant complete his work on the summary, and thus, supporters cannot begin collecting signatures to place the issue on the 2024 ballot. The case is scheduled for trial on Wednesday morning, with the ACLU asking Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem to order Ashcroft to finalize the summary. In a brief filed last week, the auditors office argued Missouri law is clear that the attorney general has no more than a perfunctory, ministerial role in the fiscal note summary process for proposed initiative petitions. There is an absolute absence of authority to conclude the attorney general is permitted to send the auditors fiscal note summary back for revision because he disagrees with the auditors estimated cost or savings of the measure, wrote Leslie Korte, the auditors general counsel. Missouri outlawed virtually all abortions last year, leading reproductive rights advocates to file 11 versions of a proposed initiative petition with Ashcrofts office in early March seeking to add protections for the procedure to the state constitution. Before a proposed initiative petition may be circulated for signatures, the secretary of state sends it to the auditor to create a fiscal note and a fiscal note summary. And after consulting with state and local governments, as well as anti-abortion advocates, the auditors office concluded there would be no costs or savings due to the abortion amendment. Bailey refused to sign off on the summary unless Fitzpatrick changed it to declare that the amendment could cost the state at least $12.5 billion in lost Medicaid funding, as well tens of billions in possible lost tax revenue because aborting unborn Missourians will have a deleterious impact on the future tax base. Fitzpatrick refused, saying that while he opposed the abortion-rights initiative, he could not include inaccurate information in a fiscal summary. In last weeks court filing, Korte argued that the fiscal summary prepared for each of the 11 initiative petitions satisfies the requirements of state statute and the attorney general is required by law to approve them as to legal content and form. Korte noted that the General Assembly eliminated the attorney generals statutory authority to draft the fiscal note summary for a proposed initiative more than 40 years ago. Baileys office also filed a response to the lawsuit last week, arguing that if proponents of the initiative petition were concerned that they wouldnt have enough time to collect signatures, they should have submitted their proposals earlier. An initiative petition can be filed at any point after the most recent general election, Assistant Attorney General Samuel Freedlund wrote. But in this case, proponents waited until March. (Plaintiff) cannot sit on her hands and then demand the court grant her relief as a consequence of her own actions, Freedlund wrote. Meanwhile, Ashcroft is asking the judge to dismiss the secretary of states office from the lawsuit altogether. None of the allegations regarding the attorney generals disapproval of the proposed fiscal notes and fiscal note summaries suggest that the secretary of state had any role in any deliberations or decision, Freedlund wrote on behalf of Ashcrofts office. Ashcroft hasnt finalized the ballot summary, Freedlund says, because state law doesnt permit him to do so without an approved fiscal estimate. The ACLU says Ashcroft is incorrect in his belief that he is impotent to do anything other than wait for the auditor or attorney general to change his respective mind. If true, the organization wrote, that would give Bailey veto power over the initiative petition process. We look forward to meeting with retailers to demonstrate how FindTuners machine learning capabilities coupled with its unparalleled merchandising features can help them provide search and navigation experiences that boost revenue. Innovent Solutions, Inc., a leading integrator of eCommerce search and merchandising solutions for Apache Solr, announced today it will be exhibiting at the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo being held June 13 through 15 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Innovent will be showcasing FindTuner, a feature-rich search merchandising product that provides pitch-perfect search experiences for online retailers that use Apache Solr. FindTuner empowers B2C and B2B merchants to provide profitable, effortless product discovery experiences. Driven by powerful machine learning, FindTuner continuously improves the shopper experience and automates time-consuming tasks allowing merchandising and development teams to get better results with less effort. We are excited to return to the Retail Innovation Conference, which is a premier event in the eCommerce industry, said Keith Mericle, Innovent Solutions CEO. We look forward to meeting with retailers to demonstrate how FindTuners machine learning capabilities coupled with its unparalleled merchandising features can help them provide search and navigation experiences that boost revenue. FindTuner works with any site powered by Apache Solr including prebuilt integration with SAP Commerce Cloud. Visit us at Booth 924 and findtuner.com for more information. About Innovent Solutions Innovent Solutions provides services and solutions for Search, Business Intelligence and eCommerce technologies. Founded in 1996, Innovent Solutions has helped numerous eCommerce merchants deploy search solutions that optimize product visibility and deliver a feature-rich search experience to shoppers. Our solutions leverage machine learning and merchandising to boost product visibility as well as integrate metric-driven information to improve search relevancy and product conversion. Innovent Solutions is a privately held company headquartered in Irvine, CA. For more information, please visit https://findtuner.com. Contacts Innovent Solutions Keith Mericle, 949-754-2940 kmericle(at)innoventsolutions(dot)com While the 9th edition of wine2wine Business Forum focused on wine communication, its 10th edition will revolve around Italian Wine Ambassadors across the globe. This network of ambassadors is at the heart of the wine2wine Business Forum 2023 experience, providing a platform for their talent, experience and expertise. The title chosen by Veronafiere and Vinitaly to be the main focus of wine2wine Business Forum 2023 is: Italian Wine Ambassadors: celebrating the past, understanding the present, facing the future. The past 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the wine2wine Business Forum and thats a milestone worth celebrating. So much has happened in the last ten years and, despite a global pandemic, climate change and economic crises, there is much to celebrate. At the top of our list is the establishment and success of the Italian Wine Ambassador program, an international network of certified ambassadors responsible for promoting Italian wine across the globe. This network of ambassadors is at the heart of the wine2wine Business Forum 2023 experience, providing a platform for their talent, experience and expertise. The present A key strand of every wine2wine Business Forum is the in-depth analysis and expert insight into current market trends. Delivered by leading figures in the sector, these sessions unpack the most up-to-date market analysis and explore recent developments affecting the wine sector, allowing participants to fully understand the cultural, commercial and legal context in which they operate. The future Tackling some of the biggest issues currently confronting the wine sector, wine2wine Business Forum enables participants to face the future from a position of strength and knowledge. Providing solutions to the ongoing challenges around sustainability and how to engage Gen Z, as well exploring the opportunities presented by emerging new technologies, expanding e-commerce, D2C sales and increasing demand for eno-tourism, wine2wine Business Forum offers concrete tips and strategies to face the future with confidence. The full program is still being developed. The speakers and topics that will be presented during the two-day event will be revealed gradually over the next few weeks, both on the website and on the social media pages of wine2wine Business Forum. _______ About: wine2wine Business Forum is a dynamic international wine industry forum organized by Veronafiere and held annually in Verona, Italy, since 2014. wine2wine Business Forum 2023 will take place on November 13th and 14th at the Palaexpo in Veronafiere, Verona. The event has established its reputation for offering a comprehensive program of events and workshops for wine producers and wine professionals. Whether youre a buyer, importer, marketing specialist, communicator, wine writer or educator, wine2wine Business Forum provides an invaluable opportunity to get up to speed with the issues currently facing the sector and network with wine professionals and experts. The forum takes place over two days and features keynote sessions, seminars, and interactive workshops which aim to equip participants with practical tools to improve their business. Speakers are renowned experts in their field and among the brightest minds in the wine world from Italy and abroad. Additional information is available at http://www.wine2wine.net or by emailing wine2wine@justdothework.it. With Junes arrival, calendars are filled with seasonal celebrations and important milestones. Norman's Hallmark has curated a selection of gift ideas that will appeal to every age, taste and budget. With Junes arrival, calendars are filled with seasonal celebrations and important milestones. Wondering what to buy for dads, grads, teachers and everyone in between? Norman's Hallmark, an employee-owned company and the nations largest independent owner of Gold Crown Hallmark stores, has curated a selection of gift ideas that will appeal to every age, taste and budget. Regardless of the celebration, Normans Hallmark takes the guesswork out of gift giving, said Howard Henschel, president and chief executive officer. We are in the heart of one of the largest card-sending seasons. Greeting cards are the perfect way to celebrate with those near and far, and our stores offer thousands of options from which to choose. The card and specialty gift retailers popular gift items include choices new to the market as well as time-honored favorites: Mix it up. The idea of entertaining is resonating with our customers and one of the biggest trends we are seeing centers around mixology, spirits and drinks, said Henschel. New at Normans are MixCraft spirit infusion kits. These reusable glass bottles are equipped with a potion pouch prefilled with ingredients to make the perfect cocktail; each kit makes up to eight cocktails at one time. Normans also carries Stonewall Kitchen mixers that make mocktails or cocktails, while Whiskey connoisseurs will love a Whiskey Tasting Kit along with the popular Corkcicle Whiskey Wedge. A wide selection of recipe books, coasters and napkins are perfect add-ons to any of these spirited gifts. Get Carried Away. No gift giving occasion would be complete without mentioning Vera Bradley products, BOGG Bags, and Scout bags and accessories. These products make great teacher and birthday gifts, too! Veras newest classic pattern Enchanted Mandala is already in stores and became an instant hit. Perfect for the beach and beyond, the stylish BOGG Bag is durable, washable and tip-proof with waterproof inserts that keep smaller items safe and within reach. Scout bags the go-anywhere, do-anything, organize-everything tote are another great choice for vacationers and weekend warriors alike. Grads & Dads. Graduation is a magical moment in every young persons life. Dr. Seuss Oh the Places Youll Go is synonymous with this milestone. Shirts, Tervis stainless-steel tumblers and the actual book are available in Normans stores. Recognize your favorite 2023 graduate with a traditional Hallmark Keepsake Ornament or a Malden frame. Always a perennial favorite, Life is Good t-shirts make a great gift for every Dad on your list. Normans also recommends the popular and long-lasting Man Bar, super smelling soaps that comes in a classic styled gift box. Hey Dude shoes also make the perfect gift. Light, breathable and comfortable, they are popular with all ages and are available in both mens/womens styles. Normans offers a complete line of Hallmark products, cards for every occasion and Keepsake Ornaments, along with a diverse merchandise selection for gift giving and the home that includes fashion apparel and accessories, books, stationery, games, home decor, specialty candy and gourmet foods. The company maintains thriving supplier partnerships with additional household-name brands like Squishmallows, Vera Bradley, Yankee Candle, Life is Good, Willow Tree, Mud Pie, David Bradley, Stonewall Kitchen, and Godiva, amongst many others. Normans Hallmark currently operates more than 70 locations. With roots dating back over 80 years, Normans Hallmark has grown from a single retail store in Trenton, N.J., to a leading force in the social expression industry. The Newtown, Pa.-based company continues to grow its brick-and-mortar footprint throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in recent years expanded into Delaware and northern Maryland; it also maintains a strong ecommerce presence. About Normans Hallmark 105 Terry Drive, Newtown, Pa., 18940 Access Normans Hallmark media assets here. Follow Normans Facebook and Instagram Bobs clear passion for our mission has been the driving force behind the extraordinary success of our special 12-year partnership with Pratt & Whitney, said Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront, the national nonprofit serving Americas military families, has presented its 2023 Cornerstone Award to Bob Deforge, Director for Customer Requirements, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. Operation Homefront presents the Cornerstone Award to individuals who have gone above and beyond to help Operation Homefront transform how it serves military families and delivers its mission. Much like the cornerstone of a building represents an indispensable structure, this group of notable and influential award recipients have helped provide the underpinning of support that continues to propel our critical mission to serve Americas military families forward. Bobs clear passion for our mission has been the driving force behind the extraordinary success of our special 12-year partnership with Pratt & Whitney. All agree, he has been a tireless champion for the military community and has rallied support company-wide for our joint efforts, said Brig. Gen. (ret.) John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront. Bob can take great pride in knowing he has been responsible for the celebration and recognition of hundreds of military children through our highly regarded Military Child of the Year Award program. About Bob Deforge Director for Customer Requirements, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Bob Strombo Deforge, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired) is the Director for Customer Requirements, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines and leads the Customer Integration Team (CIT) which represents seven domestic strategic field offices serving Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps customers. A 28-year Marine Corps veteran with numerous honors, Bob has long been an advocate of support for military families. He has been the key player in advancing a very special 12-year partnership between Operation Homefront and Pratt & Whitney that has been responsible for recognizing and celebrating hundreds of military children across the nation through Operation Homefronts Military Child of the Year awards program. He has encouraged the active participation of senior leaders, helping to secure attendance of senior leadership to our annual gala, inspiring the next generation of leaders to reach for the stars and honoring the sacrifices of the youngest members of the military family who serve courageously with their families, and make a positive impact on their families, their schools, and their communities. Bob was also instrumental in increasing the value of the awards these exemplary kids and has helped OH to expand reach to secure additional MCOY nominations annually from the service branches. The Cornerstone Award was instituted in 2015. Previous recipients include: Gina Collins former Chief Marketing Officer, Outback Steakhouse Kathy Cox former Senior Manager, Walmart Foundation Chelle Davis Manager, Investor Relations, Dollar Tree Loren Dorshow Executive Director, Car Donation Foundation Ed Delgado former CEO, The Five Star Group Ali Haralson President, Auction.com Camille Jenkins - former Vice President National Customer Relations, Meritage Homes Corporation Jenny Jonker Brand Experience Manager, General Mills John Kitchens Director of Corporate Citizenship, CSX Corporation Marc Knowles Global Military Team Leader, P&G Jamie Little Senior Director, Talent Acquisition, Employer Brand and Corporate Social Responsibility, Choice Hotels Peter McGuinness former President and COO, Chobani Len McMorrow Senior Vice President, Default Recovery & Litigation, U.S. Bank Mike Monroe - Director, Veterans Initiatives, A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation Tony Montalto President and COO, The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation Heather Prill - Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships & Programs, The Home Depot Foundation Ken Ruff - former VP, National Accounts, Beam Suntory Rusty Smallwood - former AVP REO-Manager, JPMorgan Chase Emily Weaver, Brand Partnerships, Chevrolet Customer Influence Jim Zeumer, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications at PulteGroup About Operation Homefront Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive not simply struggle to get by in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 85 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves Americas military families. For more information, visit Operation Homefronts website. Penetron provides key concrete durability: One of the largest in the world, the Sierra Gorda Sociedad Contractual Mine in Northern Chile (Antofagasta) produces copper, gold and molybdenum. PENETRON ADMIX was chosen for this new SCM thickening facility thanks to lower costs and a reliable guarantee of permeability reduction and continuous self-healing of cracks throughout the service life of the concrete structures. The third thickening facility of the Sierra Gorda Mining operation in Northern Chile was commissioned in Summer 2023. PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was used to protect the SCM facilitys concrete structures from the toxic copper tailings. The Sierra Gorda Sociedad Contractual Minera (SCM) mine is located about 60 km from the city of Calama in Northern Chile (Antofagasta region). The mine operation, one of the largest in the world, produces copper, gold, and molybdenum and has proven ore reserves of 800 M tons. SCM expects to reach daily processing levels of 140,000 tons of copper ore. This also results in a corresponding increase in tailings, the toxic mining waste that remains after separating the copper ore. Tailings are usually stored as a liquid or a slurry of fine particles. Traditionally, waste disposal has been an environmental challenge for mining operations. But now, the industry has begun to embrace a process of thickening these tailings to better address the challenge, explains Domingo Lema, Managing Director of Penetron Chile. At SCM, the ongoing ramp-up of copper ore processing made it necessary to expand the treatment capacity of tailings by building a third thickener facility. Thickening copper tailings is essentially a dewatering process, utilizing gravity-driven collection systems which separate the tailings into a dense slurry containing most of the solids and an overflow that draws off essentially clear water. "A thickener facility produces two products: clear water at the top, which is recycled, and a thickened slurry at the bottom," summarizes Domingo Lema. During the planning stage of the SCM project, Eugenio Rojas, an engineer with Golder Engineering, the projects designer and engineering consultant, reached out to Penetron Chile to learn more about the performance of PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline waterproofing admixture for concrete, which had been successfully used in previous projects at the Sierra Gorda mines. Once we were able to show Senor Rojas how our admixture would provide the necessary concrete durability, PENETRON ADMIX was added to the technical specifications for the thickener facility, adds Domingo Lema. Construction of the new thickener facility was carried out by Puga, Mujica y Asociados. Sociedad Petreos, the ready-mix concrete supplier, provided 2,800 m3 of PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete for the treatment tanks, pump shaft structure, and the tunnel slabs of the facility. Once PENETRON ADMIX is added to the concrete mix, the proprietary chemicals in the admixture react in a catalytic reaction with moisture to generate a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. This formation permanently seals micro-cracks, pores, and capillaries against penetration of any of the liquid toxic waste present in the tailings pumped into the thickening facility. The non-soluble crystalline formation generated by PENETRON ADMIX becomes an integral and permanent part of the concrete matrix. PENETRON ADMIX was chosen for this new SCM thickening facility thanks to lower costs and a reliable guarantee of permeability reduction and continuous self-healing of cracks throughout the service life of the concrete structures, concludes Domingo Lema. The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives and distribution channels. For more information on Penetron crystalline technology solutions, please visit http://www.penetron.com, email: CRDept@penetron.com or contact our Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700. Most importantly, [Shari] has the right heart and mind to lead the company into even more success in the future. Reell Precision Manufacturing, a world leader in innovative small package motion control, is pleased to announce that Shari Erdman has been promoted to the position of Co-CEO. She will share leadership responsibilities with longtime Reell CEO Kyle Smith. Shari joined Reell in 2004 and has worked in many areas of the company including accounting, customer service, office administration, and Coworker Services. In these roles she has served in multiple capacities including sourcing, customer account management, accounting support, manufacturing process improvements, Coworker Services management, quality, and overall office administration. She also served in the position of Executive Administrative Assistant where she had opportunity to engage in the operation of the entire company. Shari served the greatest portion of her career at Reell as the VP of Global Coworker Services (HR) and for the last 14 months has served as Reell's President. Reell's Board Chair Michael Naughton is pleased to have Shari in her new role. "The Board of Directors unanimously agrees that Shari is the right leader for the company, and we are delighted to see her grow her skill set and exhibit her leadership across the company. Since joining Reell Shari has served Reell in many capacities, which give her a broad understanding of Reell' business and culture. Shari has the longest tenure of anyone on the current leadership team. Most importantly, she has the right heart and mind to lead the company into even more success in the future." Shari holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Northwestern. She is an active member of the Chief Executive Network, has been very active with Manufacturers Alliance, Women in Manufacturing (WiM), as well as other local organizations including the Midwest ESOP chapter. Shari is a native of Minnesota and will continue to serve all Reell stakeholders from Reell's corporate headquarters in Saint Paul. Reell Precision Manufacturing provides high-quality innovative motion control and positioning control solutions to transmit torque, control angular position and protect delicate components from excessive force. Combining the world's most precisely controlled torque technology with the industry's most experienced engineering team provides a perfect product fit in customer applications. Reell's patented technology is widely used in automotive, aircraft interiors, medical technology, workstation furniture, kiosk/data terminal, consumer electronics and architectural lighting industries. The Roofing Alliance proudly announces their Board of Trustees for 2023-2024. Greg Bloom of Beacon Building Products, Herndon, VA, will serve as president and Reed Gooding of GSM Roofing, Ephrata, PA, will serve as vice president. The Roofing Alliance is a diverse, thoughtful, and dedicated forum of roofing contractors, manufacturers, distributors, service providers and industry professionals united to shape, improve and advance the roofing industry. At 190 members strong, this group of committed leaders has attracted some of the industrys best and brightest roofing professionals. The Roofing Alliance thanks the following officers and trustees for their commitment to the roofing industry; terms are effective June 1, 2023 May 31, 2024. 2023-24 Board of Trustees: Greg Bloom, Beacon Building Products, Herndon, VA - President Reed Gooding, GSM Roofing, Ephrata, PA - Vice President Jason Dark, Duro-Last Roofing, Inc., Saginaw, MI - Secretary-Treasurer Greg Hudson, Georgia Pacific Gypsum, Atlanta, GA - Trustee Scott Keith, Jobba Trade Technologies, Chicago, IL - Trustee Michelle Lane, Holcim, Nashville, TN - Trustee Dave Lawlor, ROCKWOOL, Milton, Ontario, Canada - Trustee Steve Little, KPost Roofing & Waterproofing, Dallas, TX - Trustee Sherri Miles, J.D. Miles and Sons, Inc. Chesapeake, VA - Trustee Bob Morgan, Upstate Roofing and Painting, Inc, Rochester, NY - Trustee Stephen Phillips, Hendrick Phillips Salzman & Siegel, Atlanta, GA - Trustee Bob Pringle, Evans Roofing Company, Inc., Elmira, NY - Trustee Craig Rainey, Supreme Roofing, Dallas, TX - Trustee Kyle Thomas, Thomas Roofing, Mobile, AL - Trustee Dave Tilsen, Tilsen Roofing Company Inc., Madison, WI - Trustee Daniel Tinker, SRS Distribution Inc., McKinney, TX - Trustee Kelly Van Winkle, King of Texas Roofing Co., Grand Prairie, TX - Trustee For more information about how to get involved and make a commitment to the Roofing Alliance, please contact Alison L. LaValley, CAE, executive director, at alavalley@nrca.net or visit roofingalliance.net. About the Roofing Alliance The Roofing Alliance is committed to shaping the industrys future by funding education, research, scholarships and philanthropic initiativesall for the purpose of securing the industrys future excellence. Composed of 191 members representing extraordinary leaders from the contracting, manufacturing, distribution and service provider communities, the Roofing Alliance has committed $14 million to enhance the performance and long-term viability of the industry and allocated more than $5.9 million to fund 53 research, education, technical and philanthropic programs and projects. Serving as the foundation of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Roofing Alliance members are focused on giving back and supporting high-quality educational programs and ensuring timely and forward-thinking industry responses to major economic and technological issues. For more information about Roofing Alliance initiatives, visit roofingalliance.net. Folio Laptop Sleeve Gather what you need from your desk your MacBook Air, mouse, pens, phone, cords, and notebook pack them into the Folio Laptop Sleeve, and youll arrive at your meeting organized and confident. WaterField Designs celebrates the new Apple 15-inch MacBook Air with the meeting-ready Folio Laptop Sleeve, a stylish and protective MacBook Air laptop case. The laptop sleeves gorgeous full-grain leather panel-pocket and rear, zippered pocket hold pens, iPhone, a mouse, cords, and a notebook, making it the ideal grab-and-go laptop folio for professionals heading from workstation to conference room. The custom-fitted MacBook Air folio secures the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air with full-length, rare-earth magnets that open and close smoothly and quietly with a satisfying feel. A rugged waxed canvas or ballistic nylon shell in a choice of three colors, a water-resistant ballistic nylon liner, and a shock-absorbing neoprene padded interior offer excellent, three-layer protection. A full-grain leather panel-pocket with internal organization adds both convenience and a touch of elegance, and a secure, rear, zippered pocket stows a notebook and additional accessories. This laptop sleeve is perfect for meetings. Gather what you need from your desk your MacBook Air, mouse, pens, phone, cords, and a notebook pack them into the folio, and youll arrive at your meeting organized and confident, said company owner Gary Waterfield. Once there, youll have everything you need, and the magnetic closure opens and closes quietly without interrupting proceedings. Features: Rugged waxed canvas or ballistic nylon and premium, full-grain leather deliver a professional aesthetic. Full-length, rare-earth magnets secure the laptop sleeve with a quiet, satisfying snap. A full-grain leather panel-pocket with five interior mesh organization pockets stow 3 pens, an iPhone, accessories, and a small notebook. A rear, full-length mesh pocket secures additional items with a self-locking zipper. 4mm shock-absorbing neoprene padding cushion the 15-inch MacBook Air. Ballistic nylon lining provides water resistance and additional protection. Available in a horizontal or vertical orientation. The 15-inch MacBook Air Folio Laptop Sleeve embodies WaterFields modern approach to design with its high-grade materials, clean lines, and streamlined look. Available in either a vertical or horizontal orientation, the Folio for the MacBook Air slides easily into backpacks, briefcases, and messenger bags. An optional strap converts the laptop sleeve into a minimalist stand-alone shoulder bag for added flexibility. The Folio Laptop Sleeve is the newest in the line of handcrafted, custom-fitted laptop sleeves WaterField has developed in its San Francisco sewing studio for every Apple laptop since the Titanium PowerBook in 2001. The new MacBook Air Folio joins the WaterField SleeveCase, Vero Leather Sleeve, the Neo Sleeve, and the Magnetic Laptop Sleeve as part of WaterFields Apple MacBook Air sleeve lineup. The new Laptop Sleeve Folio is also available for other current Apple MacBook Pro and Air models. Availability & Pricing The Folio Laptop Sleeve Price: $129. Size: custom fit sizes for the 15-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Air, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Colors & Materials: Black ballistic nylon with black full-grain leather; brown waxed canvas with distressed full-grain chocolate leather; navy blue waxed canvas with distressed full-grain chocolate leather. Pre-order now. Shipping begins June 16, 2023 for the 13-, 14-, and 16-inch. Shipping for the 15-inch MacBook Air: See website product page. About WaterField Designs WaterField Designs is an innovative San Francisco designer and manufacturer of bags and cases for tech-savvy consumers who want to transport their technology stylishly and responsibly. WaterField manufactures custom-fitted, high-quality cases and bags for a full range of laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming devices, and other digital gear. All products are manufactured to exacting standards in San Francisco. More information at "Our Story." WaterField Designs, SFBags, SleeveCase, Neo Sleeve, and Vero Sleeve are trademarks of WaterField Designs. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright 1998-2023. All Rights Reserved. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use off-brand versions of the popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy because they might not contain the same ingredients as the prescription products and may not be safe or effective. Agency officials said this week that they have received reports of problems after patients used versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in the brand-name medications, which have been compounded, or mixed in pharmacies. Officials didnt say what the problems were. The trouble is that those versions, often sold online, contain a version of semaglutide that is used in lab research and has not been approved for use in people. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and the agency does not verify the safety or effectiveness of compounded drugs, the notice said. Sales of semaglutide products have soared in the past few years after the drug was shown to spur fast and significant weight loss. The drugs manufactured by Novo Nordisk include brands Ozempic and Rybelsus, used to treat diabetes, and Wegovy, approved to treat obesity. Demand for the medications has outstripped supply. As of May, Ozempic and Wegovy remain on the FDAs list of drug shortages. When drugs are in short supply, compounding pharmacies are permitted to produce versions of those medications. Consumers should only use drugs containing semaglutide with a prescription from a licensed health care provider and obtained from a state-licensed pharmacy or other facilities registered with the FDA, the agency said. The U.S. Department of Labor has been awarded back wages of more than $22 million for over 7,500 employees working for East Penn Manufacturing Co., a large battery manufacturer. A federal jury concluded that the company failed to pay the employees overtime they were due as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act, passed in 1938. The wage verdict is the largest on record obtained by the Labor department under the FLSA, it said in a news release. The department also intends to ask for liquidated damages an additional $22 million for the workers, consistent with the penalties provided in the FLSA. Under the FLSA, employers must pay employees for all hours worked and must also pay an overtime premium of 1.5 times the employees regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The department had already been awarded summary judgment (judgment as a matter of law) finding that the Lyons Station, Pennsylvania-based company violated the FLSAs overtime requirement when it failed to pay uniformed workers for all working time. The company violated the law by paying workers only for their eight-hour scheduled shift, and not for additional time employees needed to put on and remove protective equipment and to shower to avoid the dangers of lead exposure and other hazards, according to the departments announcement of the verdict. The department presented evidence at trial that the company did not pay employees based on their actual clock-in and clock-out times, but rather adjusted the timesheets to pay employees for only their scheduled shift. The company did this daily for every worker. Decades of settled law states that employers must pay employees for all hours worked, and this includes the time employees spend changing into and out of uniforms and showering where such activities, as here, were necessary and indispensable to their work. Contrary to the law, East Penn allowed employees to work off-the-clock for years, Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said in the departments news release. The jurys verdict will go a long way towards making the employees whole and serves as a stark reminder for employers like East Penn to think twice before instituting policies designed to skirt the law. Despite the decades-old FLSA, the law remains a mystery to many employers. The most common violations include: Designating employees as exempt when they are nonexempt and entitled to overtime. Most employees are nonexempt because they perform nonexempt work. Employers too often assume that an employee must be doing exempt work if the employee does office work or is paid a salary. There are limited and narrow qualifiers for the exemption. Paying only for scheduled work time and not actual time worked. Failure to pay for working time or understanding what that is. In this case, the employer failed to pay for donning and doffing as required by the law. Employers also must pay, in some cases, when a worker travels, is engaged to wait, participates in training and when the employee takes short breaks of less than 20 minutes. While breaks are not required under federal law (some states require them), when an employer provides a break, the employer must comply with the FLSA. Failure to properly compensate for meal periods. Although meal periods are not required under federal law (some states require them), a meal period of 30 minutes or more is uncompensated under the FLSA, but many employers interrupt the employee during meal period or ask that the employee eat while working. In these cases, the meal period must be paid. If an employee is asked to do a task 15 minutes into her lunch, the employee is entitled to a reset of the 30 minutes, not simply the 15-minute remaining balance of her meal period. An employee is entitled to compensation unless the employee is fully relieved of duty for at least 30 minutes or more. There remains a mystery in the law about whether an employee fully relieved of duty from 20 to 30 minutes can be considered a bona fide meal period. Adjusting time records because the employee didnt have permission to work overtime. An employee can be disciplined for working without approval, but the employee must be paid. Dont adjust a time record when an employee works the time. The law is old and antiquated, and doesnt necessarily fit in todays flexible work environment. Nonetheless, the law is here to stay, and employers must comply or face large penalties. Similar to April's Edgars Banquet, the 18th ITW Thriller Awards Banquet, held June 4 at the Sheraton Times Square, featured a challenge to the mystery-writing community from an honoree regarding diversity and inclusion. This time, the speaker was Walter Mosley, one of ITW's two 2023 ThrillerMasters, along with Charlaine Harris. Mosley, who, as one of the founders of Crime Writers of Color in 2018, was honored at the Edgars with the Raven Award, expressed some exasperation at being routinely referred to as the first Black writer to garner certain achievements, such as being the first Black MWA Grand Master, and the first Black recipient of the National Book Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award. After Mosley had been notified of the MWA plaudit, he researched the demographics of his predecessors as Grand Master, and found that for a long time, only one female Grand Master was named for every three or four male ones. He shared that that pattern only changed following the formation of Sisters In Crime in 1986, with a mission to "represent and advocate for women crime writers." After that, women were so-honored about every other year. Mosley contrasted that MWA history with ITW's, which recently created the position of vice president of Diversity & Outreach; he asserted that ITW was "much further" along than MWA in terms of inclusion, pointing to its focus on the not-yet-successful author, and helping them to get representation, and make pitches. ITW co-president Lisa Unger, whose career took her from publicity assistant at Avon/Morrow to bestselling author, also highlighted ITW's commitment to opening doors to new voices with new perspectives, while citing her 2022 PW Soapbox column to share the few things she knew "for sure about writing and publishing." Her remarks were interrupted by three pre-arranged walk-ons, most memorably from Daniel Palmer, whose amusing musical take on the things he knew for sure included the couplet, "Publishing is like a circus/Good luck getting a kind word from Kirkus." One award-winner, Jennifer Hillier, a Filipina author whose seventh book, Things We Do In The Dark (Macmillan Audio), was named Best Audiobook, credited the ITW orientation that Mosley had referenced for her success. She recalled attending her first Thrillerfest in 2009, without an agent, and feeling too scared to even pitch any ideas. Hillier also gave a shout-out to her Minotaur editor, Keith Kahla. Charlaine Harris credited her Minotaur editor, Kelley Ragland, in her remarks, which came after Minotaur Books was honored with the Thriller Legend Award for its lasting contributions to the genre. In prerecorded remarks, ITW co-president Gregg Hurwitz, a Minotaur author who was attending his daughter's high school graduation, noted that the Minotaur's motto - to publish and support books "that make the heart race"was a perfect definition of the genre. Hurwitz cited his own experience with the publisher as exemplifying its commitment to building careers. In accepting the award, publisher Andrew Martin thanked two critical pools of talenthis authors, and his team, many of whom joined him on stage for the recognition, whom he jokingly-referred to as the Minotaur Choir. Non-traditional publishing also had its moments; four of the five nominees for Best E-book Original were self-published, although the win went to Diane Jeffrey's The Couple at Causeway Cottage (HarperCollins). As usual, the evening was punctuated with humor. MC Mark Greaney, who proudly touted ITW's impressive statisticsit has over 5,500 members, representing over 3.3 billion books soldjoked that the organization, which has members in over 53 countries, had its eyes on adding North Korean members. He also welcomed AI as "our new robot overlords," and categorized the tens of thousands of lines of prose generated by ITW members as "source material for Chat GPT," that he intended to claim credit for as the Milli Vanilli of thriller writers. Purdue President Mung Chiang, right, shakes hands with Andreas Boudouvis, rector of the National Technical University of Athens, as the agreements that will create vital academic, research and innovation collaboration among the partners and study abroad opportunities for Purdue students were finalized. The signings took place in Athens, Greece. (Photo provided) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Purdue University continues to broaden and widen its global footprint with the signing of a series of Memoranda of Understanding with four leading research universities in Greece, at a time when the U.S. and Greece enjoy a very strong relation. The STEM-focused MOUs mark the fourth international partnership that Purdue has announced over the past three weeks. A fifth MOU also was signed between Purdue and the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, whose primary focus is to promote and foster economic and business relationships between the United States and Greece. On May 30 and 31 in Athens, Greece, Purdue President Mung Chiang was joined by his counterparts at National Technical University of Athens, National and Kapodistrian University, Democritus University of Thrace, and the University of Patras to finalize the agreements that will create vital academic, research and innovation collaboration among the partners and study abroad opportunities for Purdue students. Chiang and Purdue colleagues also met with Purdue alumni and friends and with the U.S. ambassador to Greece, continuing to strengthen relationships between the U.S. and Greece. We enthusiastically look forward to fruitful partnership with four leading research universities in Greece, where there is a strong heritage of classical education, Chiang said. These vibrant relations are about seizing opportunities for research collaboration, opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in both countries, and opportunities for broadening Purdues PhD student pipelines. The partners are in discussions about joint academic and research programs related to physics, computer science, electrical engineering and biological sciences. These programs also train students in key areas to contribute to workforce development. We can cast a broad net, so to speak, to ensure we can leverage as many partnerships as possible across the country that would be a good fit with Purdue departments, Purdue initiatives and, of course, faculty and students, said Peristera Paschou, professor of biological sciences and associate dean for graduate education and strategic initiatives in Purdues College of Science. We are discussing research collaborations, and we also are discussing the potential design of dual academic offerings, programs that will create a bridge that connects universities in Greece to our programs here at Purdue. Paschou, who earned her PhD from National University of Athens in 2002, has been a faculty member in Purdues Department of Biological Sciences since 2016. Other members of the Purdue delegation included Petros Drineas, associate head of the Department of Computer Science; Dimitrios Peroulis, electrical and computer engineering professor; Lefteri Tsoukalas, nuclear engineering professor; Pavlos Vlachos, healthcare engineering professor; and Alyssa Wilcox, senior vice president for partnerships. In addition to the academic partnerships, Chiang also signed an MOU with the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, which has a membership of 750 companies throughout Greece. The intent is for Purdue to offer training for workforce development in Greece and also draw expertise from Greek companies and industry to partner with our faculty here at Purdue and pursue research and innovation, Paschou said. Following the visit to Greece, Chiang and Purdue colleagues visited Brussels and Leuven in Belgium, meeting with imec CEO Luc Van den hove and the leadership team at imec headquarters to discuss the cornerstone partnership for semiconductor research and development collaboration announced in May in Washington, D.C. Chiang along with David Roberts, CEO of Applied Research Institute for the state of Indiana, then met with the Minister-President of the Flemish government, Jan Jambon; former Belgian Ambassador to EU and the U.S., Dirk Wouters; and chair of the Committee on Budgets of the European Parliament, Johan Van Overtveldt, in Brussels. We are excited to accelerate and expand the partnership with imec, which has the most successful model of semiconductor university-industry collaboration, Chiang said. We also enjoyed a wide range of door-opening discussion of energy, transportation and pharmaceutical innovation collaboration with leaders of Belgium and EU. Purdue University is the new bridge between Europe and America's Silicon Heartland. 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. Writer/Media contact: Wes Mills, wemills@purdue.edu Source: Peristera Paschou, ppaschou@purdue.edu The Democratic primary in Virginias 55th House District surrounding Charlottesville has gone from a relatively quiet contest to a level of mudslinging that has captured the attention of local leaders, Richmond politicos and national lobbying groups. The campaigns of both Amy Laufer and Kellen Squire have been called messy, risky and misleading. And while the state Democratic Party has said it remains entirely agnostic to any of the elections and [does] not take sides in primaries officially, one party insider who asked to remain anonymous was more blunt. The race, they said, has become a s--tshow. That show began when The Daily Progress was contacted in mid-May by Emilys List, a fundraising juggernaut dedicated to electing women who back abortion rights. The group said it was concerned about posts Squire made on the liberal-leaning Daily Kos blog in 2017 in which he calls himself unashamedly pro-life. When confronted with his previous comments, Squire provided a number of explanations. At the time the posts were made, Squire was running for delegate against the heavily favored, and ultimately victorious, Republican Del. Rob Bell. Squire told The Daily Progress that the posts were both a failed attempt at catering to voters in a much-redder 58th District suggesting the posts were genuine outreach to more conservative voters and also some form of Democratic counter operations in order to bait Republicans into attacking him suggesting the posts were not sincere at all. Squires pro-life comments were not confined to the Daily Kos comment section. When a Twitter user that same year asked Squire what made his different from major Dem planks, Squire replied, A bunch, but probably notably Im unashamedly pro-life and pro-Second Amendment. It used to be about Russia/foreign affairs. Laufer, a former Charlottesville School Board member, and her campaign have not bought Squires explanations. In a batch of mailers sent out over the Memorial Day weekend, Laufers campaign argued, Kellen Squires own words show you cant trust him to protect reproductive rights. Laufer, meanwhile, has always been pro-abortion, the mailers say. Always have been. Always will be. In the days after the mailers went out, Laufer has been attacked online for mischaracterizing Squires comments, misunderstanding Squires explanations and misleading voters. J. Miles Coleman, media relations coordinator at the University of Virginias Center for Politics, told The Daily Progress that despite Squires past comments, its Laufer, not Squire, who is now on the defense and thats not good for her campaign. Its not a good look to be going into the final stretch of that campaign, which we basically are, being defensive or being perceived as being on the defensive, which I think the Laufer campaign basically is at this point, Coleman said. Id say it looks a little desperate. There has been an outpouring of support for Squire on Twitter in the wake of Laufers Memorial Day mailers. Many online have agreed with Colemans assessment. One Squire supporter familiar to local voters is Sena Magill, the former Democratic Charlottesville City Council member who abruptly resigned from office earlier this year citing family needs. I am disturbed by the tactics chosen by Amy Laufer and the recent mailer that intentionally took a comment out of context to make Kellen Squire appear to be against abortion, Magill said in a statement posted to Twitter on Friday. Magill said she took offense to a Laufer statement that said Squire had been whipping his followers into a frenzy on Twitter. I support Kellen Squire, and I am not in a frenzy, Magill said. But not everyone agrees, including the woman who replaced Magill on Charlottesville City Council. His explanation about his past stances defies believability, said City Council Member Leah Puryear, another Democrat who like Laufer previously served on the citys school board and was appointed to Magills seat earlier this year. He was either lying then or hes lying now. Either way, voters need to be able to trust their representatives to be honest with them. Rick Randolph, a former Democratic Albemarle County supervisor, echoed Puryears remarks. Im supporting Amy today because [Squires] explanations dont make any sense, said Randolph. I dont trust him to defend our most fundamental rights. Squire has acknowledged that his past comments have added to the confusion in the race but maintains that he can be trusted by voters. When it became clear that, although most people understood my intent and strategy, my framing was detrimental, I fixed it and unapologetically admitted the criticism of poor framing Id received was justified, Squire said. In spite of his poor framing, he said he has never been against abortions as a medical professional who provides such services. Coleman at the Center for Politics said the race could ultimately come down to this one matter for many voters. And his assessment is that Squire is the candidate who will likely gain the most from it all. Theres not a lot of difference between these candidates on the actual issue, Coleman said. If youre a voter whos maybe on the fence, this is something that could maybe push you in Squires direction. The Democratic primary is June 20. The Qatar Fund for Development has sent a plane carrying 37 tons of foodstuffs which arrived at the Port Sudan Airport in the Republic of Sudan to support the Sudanese people and help them during the war crisis. Qatar has been exerting efforts to aid the sisterly Republic of Sudan and has shown full support since the beginning of the war to help them overcome the hardships and the conflict they are living through. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it has been announced the evacuation of 164 Qatari residency holders from the sisterly Republic of Sudan by a Qatari plane that took off from Port Sudan Airport. 1,784 residents have been evacuated, increasing the overall number of evacuees. Earlier, Qatar had evacuated Qatari citizens in Sudan and 1,620 Qatari residency holders. The Ministry emphasized Qatar's commitment to ensuring security and stability in Sudan, highlighting its strong support for the sisterly Republic of Sudan. Gusto TV will provide Fetch subscribers access to a culturally diverse lineup of award-winning titles. Fetch viewers can watch Gusto TVs world-class culinary content on demand, on TV and on the Fetch Mobi app.Sharing innovative food content is what drives us at Gusto TV, which is why were thrilled to partner with Fetch TV, says Chris Knight, president and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media commenting on the deal. Fetch TV allows us to expand our reach and share our culinary content with more Australian viewers."We are excited to partner with Gusto TV to deliver sought-after, high-quality food content to Australian audiences, added Fetch TV Sam Hall, chief content and commercial officer. We are confident that Fetch subscribers will be delighted about this new addition to the platform and quickly fall in love with the channels incredible content. Property details: FIRST COME FIRST SERVE This is a buy it now listing. Price of this parcel is $6,990 (cash) or $800 Down and $312 or higher/ month for 36 months. You will need to call us and work out those details. We accept personal checks, cashier checks, money order, or wire transfers. May consider a trade for if it is an item of interest. CALL FOR DETAILS(203) 520-8866 Embrace Tranquil Living: 0.13 Acres on Ashtree Dr, Lake Hughes - Elizabeth Lake, CA! Description: Escape to the serene beauty of Lake... Price: $ 374 Seller State of Residence: Connecticut Type: Recreational, Acreage Property Address: Ashtree Drive Zip/Postal Code: 93532 Zoning: Residential City: ELizabeth Lake State/Province: California Location: 935**, Lake Hughes, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby California While Charlottesvilles official Pride celebration isnt until September, national Pride Month is celebrated in June. And local LGBT organizations kicked off the monthlong celebration and reminder of how far LGBT rights have come with a tea dance at Ummas bar and restaurant in downtown Charlottesville on Sunday. While tea dances became popular in early 20th-century society as summer parties with dancing, of course, and light refreshments, they took on an entirely new meaning by the mid-20th century. Modern tea dances originated in the mid-1960s, when it was illegal for bars in New York to sell alcohol to people who were knowingly part of the gay community, making members of that community and their business-operating allies subject to police raids. Such oppression led gay men in New York to begin hosting Sunday tea dances, where community members would gather, dance and drink tea in public venues around the city out, socializing but technically not breaking the law. Some cities have a tea dance every Sunday, and everybody knows its an excuse to get together on a Sunday afternoon and hang out with people and have a couple drinks or dance a little bit. Thats the vibe with this one, Jason Elliott, founder of LGBT event organizer Out and About, told The Daily Progress on Sunday. Anything goes, and I want everyone to feel comfortable representing themselves. Charlottesville-based DJ Neon Grace provided the tunes, a mix of house and pop, on the shaded dancefloor outside Ummas, a Korean-Japanese restaurant off the Downtown Mall that opened in 2022 and has become known for its Big Gay Dance Parties. Sundays party, which lasted from 1 to 6 p.m., wasnt just for dancing and drinking though there was plenty of that. It was also an opportunity for the areas queer artisans and business owners to set up shop. Event organizers suggested, but did not require, attendees make a $5 donation to benefit Virginia Pride, an extension of the nonprofit organization Diversity Richmond. Sundays was the first tea dance in what Elliott said he hopes will be many more to kick off national Pride locally. My hope and my vision is that we will use the tea dance the first weekend of national Pride Month, Elliott said. Every June well have this tea dance as a way to highlight queer vendors but also all the organizations and resources that are available. Elliott said he hopes Sundays event will spark some excitement and interest leading up to Charlottesvilles own Pride in September. That festival is tentatively planned for the weekend of Sept. 16-17, according to acting Charlottesville Pride Network President Nick Morrow. Pride Month is nationally recognized in June to honor the uprising of the LGBT community demanding equal rights at the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969. More than 50 years later, cities including New York, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston still honor June as their Pride Month. Charlottesville, which traditionally celebrates in September, isnt the only outlier. Several cities in the South started celebrating their Prides outside of the month of June to create more space in the calendar for people to attend Pride events in other cities throughout the year, Morrow told The Daily Progress. Miami, Atlanta and Richmond all have Prides outside of the month of June. Charlottesville Pride is now in its 11th year after the pandemic put a pause on festivities for two years in 2020 and 2021. Pride returned last year with a street fair at Ix Art Park in Charlottesville. It was such a wonderful day to reconnect with the community for the first time in a couple of years, Morrow said of last years Pride. Cville Pride has a history of celebrating in September and having these big events and were really excited to build on that this year. Organizers are planning more wide-reaching events for Pride into the future, Morrow said, after fielding renewed interest from the community in the wake of the pandemic. More information on Charlottesville Pride in September will be forthcoming, he said. Idris Elba has joined the cast of Extraction 2. ADVERTISEMENT Netflix released a teaser for the action thriller film Monday that unveiled Elba's character. The clip opens with Chris Hemsworth's Tyler Rake in a high-speed chase. Rake is then seen facing off with Elba's character, who is heard speaking before he is seen onscreen. "Rake. You are a legend. I have to say, mate, you're living up to the hype. Rake. That's such a fun name to say," Elba says. Elba and Hemsworth previously collaborated on Thor and other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Elba plays Heimdall in the MCU, while Hemsworth portrays Thor. Extraction 2 is a sequel to the 2020 film Extraction. The films are executive produced by the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo, and follow Rake, an Australian black ops mercenary. The new movie will see Rake rescue "the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are behind held." Netflix released a trailer in May that gives a glimpse of the film's 21-minute, one-shot action sequence. 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! Extraction 2 premieres June 16. Local 2795 is lobbying for collective bargaining rights so that union representatives can negotiate terms of employment such as wages, hours and working conditions for Athens firefighters. During their regular work session on June 6, Athens Clarke-County commissioners will further discuss the much-debated Firefighters Mediation Act formally known as Title 25 an ordinance that would allow firefighters to collectively bargain with their employer. Fuelled by rising passenger traffic and reviving local economies, the global airline industry is projected to record a net profit of $9.8 billion this year, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said on Monday and also made a strong pitch for having global standards for a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) book and claim system to help reduce carbon emissions. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters While addressing the Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) here, Walsh also flagged concerns about supply chain issues that are raising costs as well as limiting the ability of airlines to deploy aircraft. He also pointed out that decarbonising aviation is a serious issue and governments must not be allowed to use it to shore up exchequer finances. Despite economic uncertainties, people are flying to reconnect, explore and do business. "Latest data shows that passenger traffic is at over 90 per cent of 2019 levels," Walsh said. He noted that airports are busier, hotel occupancy is rising, local economies are reviving and the airline industry has moved into profitability. The airline industry is expected to rake in revenues of $803 billion and a net profit of $9.8 billion this year. Airlines will make an average of $2.25 per passenger, he said. IATA is a grouping of more than 300 airlines, including various Indian carriers. While the aviation industry is recovering after the pandemic, there are still challenges like cost pressure and supply chain issues. Walsh said Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have been far too slow in dealing with supply chain blockages that are both raising costs and limiting our ability to deploy aircraft. "Airlines are beyond frustrated. A solution must be found," he added. Stressing on the need for ways to reduce carbon emissions, Walsh said SAF will be the biggest contributor to net zero success. While noting that there is a need to increase the number of pathways for SAF production and diversify feedstocks while maintaining their sustainability credentials, Walsh said unfortunately, politicians have not made good on their COP 26 promise to stop financing fossil fuels. "The US approach to SAF is the most advanced with a system of tax credits to drive up production levels. "This will be more effective than purchase mandates being considered as far and wide as Singapore, India and Europe. "When there is not enough supply, a purchase mandate will drive prices up, stall innovation and limit competition long before supply increases. "And if there is an early policy decision that is needed, it is to establish global standards for a SAF book and claim system that can fairly allocate SAF credits with no double counting," he said. Just as location makes no difference on the impact of CO2 emissions, Walsh said it has no impact on where SAF is uplifted and used either. "A global approach to book and claim for SAF credits will help facilitate economies of scale in SAF production. "And it will avoid the long-distance shipping (or even importation) of SAF, which would only degrade its climate credentials," he pointed out. According to him, it is important to get the basics of energy transition done -- production incentives, more diversified production pathways and a book and claim system. Last month, India said the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) should continue to be guided by "common but differentiated responsibilities" in the efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions for the aviation sector. India is one of the fastest-growing and the third largest civil aviation markets in the world. "Today's SAF production is less than 0.1 per cent of what we need for net zero. "But the trend is positive... every drop of SAF ever produced has been purchased and used. "The problem is insufficient production capacity to meet demand," he said. In 2022, SAF production tripled to 300 million litres and airlines used every single drop costing almost $350 million. "With the right supportive policies, reaching 30 billion litres by 2030 is challenging but achievable. "That would be about 6 per cent of the 450 billion litres annual production capacity we need in 2050," he noted. A top-class board is important from a systemic point of view, more so at a time when the wider financial world and India Inc is chasing the same talent as banks. IMAGE: Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, left, and Sanjiv Chadha, MD and CEO, Bank of Baroda, at the Bank of Baroda's Annual Banking Conference 2022, in Mumbai, July 22, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo Conventional wisdom has it that being on a bank board is an honour few will pass up given the perks and social status that go with it. That may be true for some. But those who have both in plenty may well decline the opportunity given the headaches associated and the low level of compensation on offer. The struggle to get top-class directors on board found indirect mention in the first-of-its-kind interaction between the Reserve Bank of India's top brass and the boards of State-run banks in New Delhi last month. A plea was made that Mint Road's stress should be on the strategic role of boards and increasing the remuneration for independent directors. A big off-record talking point in recent times has been that boards are now burdened with matters that should be in the domain of banks' professional management. In the case of private banks, it is said annual inspections routinely raise questions as to why a matter was not referred to the board. Often, board meetings are almost full-day affairs, and independent directors have expressed the view that they have day-jobs too and it's not worth their time to get involved in 'executive' matters. These issues are not new. They were raised in the P J Nayak Committee to 'Review Governance of Boards of Banks in India' back in May 2014. The committee noted that the Companies Act (2013) permits up to one per cent of a firm's profit to be paid as directors' fee. However, other than for the non-executive chairman, RBI does not permit part-time directors of banks to be paid any remuneration other than sitting fees. Private sector banks argue that they face difficulties in persuading highly talented people from accepting membership of their boards because board remuneration in well-run non-banks is superior. Public sector banks also do not permit remuneration to directors other than sitting fees, and these are at more modest levels than those paid in private sector banks. So why do people sign up for the job? The workload of an independent director has changed over the past three years, following RBI's June 2020 discussion paper on 'Governance in Commercial Banks in India'. After the governance blowouts at a couple of private banks, RBI turned up the burner knob. The pain points are that the nomination and remuneration committee, audit committee, and the risk management committee are to have only non-executive directors. A few private banks had also sounded out Mint Road on their struggle to get suitable independent directors; and sought extended timelines to get appointees. It rankled corner-room occupants as well. Said one: "Either we are CEOs, or we are not." Another was more charitable: "In European banks, you have a supervisory board for governance and another for management of business. We are somewhere mid-way." Short point: Just about everybody on the board appears to be hassled. Even professional managers are unhappy. Chief risk officers (CROs) and the chief compliance officers (CCOs) report to the risk management committee of the board (RMCB) on which CEOs find no place. And CROs and CCOs are to have equivalence at one level below whole-time directors (WTDs) and CEOs. This, it was pointed out, has upset the pecking order within banks, given that other business verticals heads also aspire for a similar rank. When it comes to compensation, RBI's circular of April 26, 2021, said in addition to sitting fees and expenses related to attending meetings of the board and its committees according to extant statutory norms/practices, the bank may compensate non-executive directors (NED) by way of a fixed remuneration commensurate with an individual director's responsibilities and demands on time, and which is considered sufficient to attract qualified competent individuals. 'However, such fixed remuneration for an NED, other than the Chair of the board, shall not exceed Rs 20 lakh per annum,' the rule says. Yet another sticking point is Section 10A of the Banking Regulation Act (1949). It says, 'The board of directors of a banking company shall consist of persons, who (a) shall have special knowledge or practical experience in respect of one or more of the following matters, namely: (i) accountancy, (ii) agriculture and rural economy, (iii) banking, (iv) co-operation, (v) economics, (vi) finance, (vii) law, (viii) small-scale industry, (ix) any other matter the special knowledge of, and practical experience in, which would, in the opinion of the Reserve Bank, be useful to the banking company'. Further, directors 'shall not have substantial interest in, or be connected with, whether as employee, manager or managing agent: (i) any company, not being a company registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), or (ii) any firm, which carries on any trade, commerce or industry and which, in either case, is not a small-scale industrial concern, or (2) be proprietors of any trading, commercial or industrial concern, not being a small-scale industrial concern'. The issue here is that it's not only hard to get good directors, but widening the inter-connected aspect to their other independent board positions adds another layer of complexity. It is one thing to say an independent director should not have a direct conflict of interest; another that it will be treated as such even if the person happens to hold a similar position in the wider corporate world. This precludes many from joining a board. It may be time to relook this provision with mandated disclosure of pecuniary relationship between the bank and entities with which a director is involved. This will bring transparency in the public domain. A top-class board is important from a systemic point of view, more so at a time when the wider financial world and India Inc is chasing the same talent as banks -- whether as independent directors or those who can fit into the senior management at far better compensation packages. It would also be opportune to widen the debate to include the low payouts at state-run banks, in general; and also at Mint Road -- they are poorly paid when compared to what's on offer at the central banks of economies of like scale as India's. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com 'If Manipur is divided on ethnic lines, similar demands will come in other states also.' IMAGE: The Indian Army and the Assam Rifles along with the police and central armed police personnel have commenced area domination operations in the hills and valley across Manipur as part of a joint strategy for the recovery of snatched weapons for ensuring peace and stability in the state, June 3, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The violence which started on May 3 in Manipur continues almost a month later. It took 26 days for India's home minister to visit the troubled north east state. Professor W Nabakumar, former head of the department of anthropology, Manipur University, met Home Minister Amit A Shah on his three-day visit to Manipur. "A state cannot be divided on ethnic lines. If such things happen, it will not be the end of the problem, but it will be the beginning of a problem for the entire India," Professor Nabakumar tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier in the concluding part of a must-read interview. Part 1 of the Interview: 'Many Manipuris have lost faith in the central forces' Would you say this is the beginning of all the problems the state faces now? Yes. The imbalance in the population became a concern for the Meiteis, but it did not result in any kind of conflict between the Meiteis and the Kukis in the beginning. With the exponential growth in the Kuki population, they needed more land for their livelihood. That's when the problem started. First, the Kukis tried to widen their cultural geography by claiming the traditional scared places of Meiteis as their own. It was done to expand their area of heritage by attacking the collective psyche of the Meiteis. Many Meiteis started feeling that the Kukis are trying to consolidate their position in Manipur. All this happened during this decade. You mean, the Meiteis fear that the Kukis will start dominating them culturally? Yes. But it is because of the illegal migrants from Myanmar and not by the Indian citizens. People of Manipur know that the old Kukis and the new Kukis who had entered Manipur hundreds of years ago are citizens of the state. But they have been instigated by the illegal migrants now. So, the conflict is not between the Meiteis and the Kukis; the conflict is between the Meiteis and the people who have entered Manipur illegally from Myanmar and identify themselves as Kukis. IMAGE: Women in the violence-hit area of Sugnu in Kakching district, May 31, 2023. Photograph: PTI Photo It is claimed that the state government is responsible for the violence. Is it true? No. The truth is this. With the exponential growth of the Kuki population, they started inhabiting many of the reserve and protected forests of Manipur. They are also indulging in huge deforestation for poppy plantation. So, they are not just destroying the forests, but also destroying young people through poppy plantation. The state government had to declare a war against drugs as many young people had become drug abusers in the state. And the government decided to take stringent action against poppy plantations by destroying all the poppy fields. So, those are engaged in poppy plantation are totally against the present state government. Because they are invading the reserve forests, availability of water has become a huge problem in the entire state. So, the state government started evicting people from the reserve forests. Do you think the Manipur high court order to look into the issue of granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meiteis was a reason for the violence we are witnessing now? I told you earlier that the illegal migration resulted in an imbalance in the population in the state. Because of the imbalance in the population, around 50% of the Meitei population wanted the name Meitei to be included in the Scheduled list of the Indian Constitution. They felt, otherwise, their existence would be affected. IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit A Shah chairs a meeting with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his council of ministers at the CM's secretariat in Imphal, May 29, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo Why is it that the Kukis feel threatened? Do they feel that the Meiteis will take over the hilly areas? Yes, that's their fear. According to the land law of the state, the Meiteis cannot inhabit the hill areas because the hill areas are protected for the tribals. The Meiteis can settle in the valley, but not in the hills. The valley area of the state is only 8% of the total area; 92% of the area is hilly. In the 8% of the area, the Meiteis and many other communities inhabit. So, there is pressure on the land. If the Meiteis are included in the Scheduled list, they can inhabit the hilly area too. That's why the Kukis and the Nagas do not want it. They feel their position will be threatened if the Meiteis come to live in the hills. That's their apprehension. To some extent, it is understandable. The Scheduled Tribe demand committee sent a number of memoranda to the Government of India to recognise Meiteis as a Scheduled Tribe. The Government of India instructed the government of Manipur to send the relevant papers like the socio-economic survey and ethnography of the Meiteis. These two documents are very necessary to come to a decision, and the decision will be taken by the Government of India. So, you have to understand that including a community in the Scheduled list is taken by the Government of India, and not by the high court or the Supreme Court. The Government of India has only asked for the relevant papers. They have not yet taken any decision whether to include the Meiteis as a Scheduled Tribe. You have to also understand that in a democratic country, every community has a right to demand something. But it will be considered only at the proper forum. And the government has asked for the relevant papers, not for recognition but only for consideration. But the government of Manipur has not yet sent any papers to the Government of India. They have remained silent so far. That's why some member went to the Manipur high court and requested the court to instruct the state government to send the relevant papers of the Government of India. Then the Manipur high court instructed the state government to send the papers to the central government within four months. The high court never instructed the state government to recognise Meiteis as a Scheduled Tribe. The order was only an instruction to send the relevant papers to the central government for consideration. The fact is, common people have no knowledge of all these things. They were fed only the wrong information that the high court had instructed the state government to recognise Meiteis as a Scheduled Tribe. The Kukis -- especially the illegal migrants -- felt threatened, and asked all the tribal people to stay together against this. They organised a massive tribal rally against the Meiteis becoming a Scheduled Tribe. The illegal immigrants exploited the situation and instilled fear in the minds of the common people who do not have the right information or know the correct picture. IMAGE: Security personnel patrol Churachandpur district in Manipur. Photograph: ANI Photo Some describe the violence as ethnic cleansing... No..no..no.. Ethnic cleansing is a wrongly used terminology and I am very much against it. There was resentment in the minds of the illegal migrants because of the war against drugs and also protecting the reserve forests as these policies have affected the Kukis greatly. The spark was the wrong information of the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled list. The spark ended in the form of violence against the Meiteis. In this, the role of the armed Kuki organisations who entered Manipur illegally is very much there. During the conflict, they even burnt down all the forest offices in Kuki inhabited districts. IMAGE: Professor W Nabakumar IMAGE: Professor W Nabakumar Some Kukis are asking for a separate Hill Council. Will that solve the problem? That will never solve the problem because Manipur is a very small state. I pointed out to the home minister in our 4-minute meeting with him, that integration of Manipur is very much necessary for the integration of India because Manipur is a polyethnic society. It is a mini India. If the unity of Manipur is affected, it will affect the unity of India. If Manipur is divided on ethnic lines, similar demands will come in other states also. A state cannot be divided on ethnic lines. If such things happen, it will not be the end of the problem but it will be the beginning of a problem for the entire India. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the state cabinet will be expanded soon and the timeline will be decided by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister meet Union Home Minster Amit Shah in New Delhi. Photograph: @mieknathshinde He also said Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, and BJP will fight all elections together, which was discussed during their meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. "Maharashtra cabinet will be expanded soon. CM Shinde will decide when it will happen," he told reporters. On August 9 last year, 18 ministers were inducted in the Shinde-Fadnavis government after it came to power in June, while as per rules the council of ministers in the state can have a maximum of 43 members. However, neither Shinde nor Fadnavis had given a specific timeline for the expansion of the council of ministers. Earlier, Shinde in a tweet informed that he and Fadnavis met Shah in Delhi on Sunday night. "Yesterday, we (Shiv Sena and BJP) discussed fighting all elections together and planning the joint strategy. We have also discussed coordination between the two parties in talukas and districts," Fadnavis added. Queried on Congress leader Nana Patole and Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut criticising his Delhi visit, Fadnavis shot back saying, "In Patole's party (Congress), one needs permission from the high command even to attend a prayer meeting. The BJP is a national party. What is wrong if we go to Delhi?" When asked about the purported display of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's photo in a procession in Aurangabad city, Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said such an act would not be tolerated. The Karnataka government on Monday rolled out the 'Gruha Jyoti' free electricity scheme, which is one of the five poll guarantees that the ruling Congress had promised in its election manifesto, and it will be implemented from July 1. IMAGE: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar and cabinet colleagues during a cabinet meeting, at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on June 2, 2023. Photograph: PTI Photo The guarantee offers up to 200 units of electricity free of cost to domestic consumers. According to the order issued on Monday, the government said the scheme will be applicable only for domestic use and not commercial connections. Under the scheme, the government will take into account the one-year average power consumption in 2022-23 financial year and will give free electricity up to 10 per cent more than the average usage. If a consumer uses about 150 units of electricity a month on an average, he can get free power up to 165 units of power. If he exceeds the limit, then he will have to pay for the rest of the units consumed, which will be the net power consumption. However, if the usage exceeds 200 units of power, the consumer will have to pay the full amount of the electricity bill. Consumers have to pay the arrears till June 30 within three months. The electricity meter usage and the meter reading have been made mandatory. The total electricity consumption will be displayed in the monthly bill, the order said. Every beneficiary has to link the customer ID or account ID with Aadhaar number. Any consumer cannot integrate more than one electricity meter with the scheme. Those who want to avail benefit will have to enrol themselves in the 'Seva Sindhu' portal of the state government. The government also mentioned that the beneficiaries of Bhagya Jyoti', Kuteera Jyoti' and Amruta Jyoti' schemes, which are various existing schemes offering free electricity to the economically and socially backward communities, will be merged with the 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme. The government said the cost of the free electricity provided to the consumers will be compensated to the electricity supply companies. Besides the introduction of 'Gruha Jyoti', the government also issued orders for fulfilling the 'Shakti' free bus travel for women scheme from June 11. The Congress in its election manifesto had promised free rides for women in government buses and said this was one of the five poll guarantees that would come into effect the day it comes to power in the state. According to the order, the beneficiaries of the scheme should be a domicile of Karnataka. Along with women, transgenders can also make use of the 'Shakti' scheme. The beneficiaries of this scheme can travel only within the state and not in any inter-state buses. All luxury buses such as Rajahamsa, Non-AC sleeper, Vajra, Vayu Vajra, Airavat, Airavat Club Class, Airavat Gold Class, Ambari, Ambari Dream Class, Ambari Utsav Fly Bus, EV Power Plus have been excluded from the purview of the scheme. The government said the benefits of the scheme can be availed in the buses operated by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC). Other than the BMTC, 50 per cent of seats will be reserved for men in the remaining three state road transport corporations -- KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC. The order also stated that the reimbursement to road transport corporations would be made on the basis of actual distance travelled by women passengers. In the next three months, women can apply for the Shakti Smart Card through the 'Seva Sindhu' government portal. Till the Shakti Smart Cards are issued, beneficiaries can use the identity cards issued either by the Centre or state government, the order further stated. A court in Varanasi on Monday awarded life sentence to gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari for the murder of a Congress leader's brother, Awadhesh Rai, more than 30 years ago. IMAGE: Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari being produced in a court in Prayagraj on December 28, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo Awadhesh Rai, the brother of Congress leader Ajay Rai, was shot dead on August 3, 1991, at the gate of his Lahurabir residence in Varanasi. A case was registered against Ansari and others. Ansari faces 61 criminal cases in different states of which he has now been convicted in six. In April, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a court in Ghazipur under the Gangsters Act. Ajay Rai is now a regional chief of his party's Uttar Pradesh unit. The MP-MLA court's special judge Avanish Gautam awarded life sentence to Ansari and imposed a Rs 1.20 lakh fine on him, a lawyer told reporters outside the Varanasi court. Ansari attended the court proceeding from Banda jail through video conference. Ajay Rai welcomed the judgment and said, "This is the end of our 32-year struggle against a notorious criminal. I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter and the whole family kept patience... Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself." "But we did not give up. Because of our lawyers' efforts, today the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother," Rai added. He asserted that those who stand up to gangsters and fight will get justice. "We received threats. I have been demanding security and it should be enhanced. If something happens to me, the BJP government will be responsible," Rai said. Ansari's counsel had urged the court to consider the convict's age while pronouncing the judgment. The lawyer said they would appeal in a higher court after going through the verdict. Asked about the remarks of Ansari's lawyer, Rai said, "We will fight up to the Supreme Court. We fought for 32 years and we will continue to do so." On August 3, 1991, Ajay Rai and his brother were standing at the gate of their house in Varanasi when some assailants, including Ansari, came there in a car and shot Awadhesh. Ajay Rai fired from his licensed pistol in retaliation, following which the assailants fled, leaving the car. Awadhesh was rushed to a hospital in Kabirchaura, where doctors declared him dead. Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat, did not contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election and the seat was won by his son Abbas Ansari on a ticket from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, which had tied up with the Samajwadi Party. According to UP Police's Special Director General, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar, "A total of 61 cases are pending against Mukhtar Ansari in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, New Delhi and other states. In Uttar Pradesh, cases are registered against Ansari in Ghaziupr, Varanasi, Chandauli, Sonbhadra, Agra, Lucknow, Barabanki, Mau, Azamgarh and other districts." "Ansari has so far been convicted in six cases -- two each in Ghazipur and Lucknow, and one each in New Delhi and Varanasi," Kumar said. The New Delhi case in which Ansari was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and fined Rs 5.5 lakh was registered under the Arms Act and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), the police officer said. On April 29, a court in Ghazipur sentenced Ansari to 10 years in prison and his brother and BSP MP Afzal Ansari to a four-year jail term in a 2007 case registered under the Gangsters Act following the killing of then Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Krishnanad Rai. Ansari's brother Afzal, sons Abbas and Omar, wife Afsha and daughter-in-law Nikhat Bano are members of his gang, Kumar said, adding the Uttar Pradesh government was taking strict action against the Ansari gang. "Action has been taken against 288 active members of the Ansari gang. Of them, 202 have been arrested, including six against whom the stringent National Security Act has been invoked while 156 have been booked under the Gangsters Act," the police officer said. "The state government has seized/demolished illegal properties of Ansari worth Rs 586 crore and stopped over Rs 2,100 crore illegal businesses," he said. Awadhesh Rai's brother Ajai Rai was BJP MLA thrice, winning the Kolsala assembly constituency from 1996 to 2007. He won the 2009 assembly bypolls from the same seat as an Independent candidate. He won the 2012 assembly elections from the Pindra seat on a Congress ticket. Rai was the Congress candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi against Narendra Modi and was placed in the third position after Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal. He lost the 2017 assembly polls as well as the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Chandrakant Khaire on Monday said the Congress cannot stake claim to the Aurangabad constituency in Maharashtra for the next Lok Sabha polls as Shiv Sena (undivided) had won this seat multiple times in the past. Photograph: PTI Photo Khaire, who represented the Aurangabad constituency four times before losing to AIMIM's Imtiaz Jaleel in 2019, said the seat would remain with Shiv Sena-UBT -- one of the three constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The MVA, which also comprises the National Congress Party and the Congress, has decided to contest the next LS elections together and talks on seat sharing are likely to begin soon. "Congress cannot stake a claim as Shiv Sena (undivided) has won this seat multiple times with the only exception of Ramkrishna Baba Patil of Congress," Khaire claimed while speaking to reporters. He also claimed that Shiv Sena (undivided) won five (of six) Assembly segments in the Aurangabad constituency in the last Assembly elections. "This shows we have an upper hand here and this seat will go to Shiv Sena (UBT)," Khaire said. He said various events are being planned by the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena to mark the Shiv Sena Foundation Day in Marathwada region on June 8. Notably, the Shiv Sena faction headed by chief minister Eknath Shinde had also staked claim to the Aurangabad LS seat. Commenting on the likely expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet, Khaire said, "I don't think there will be any expansion. He (MLA Sanjay Shirsat, who belongs to the Shiv Sena camp led by Eknath Shinde) will not become a minister. He has been made a spokesperson (of Shiv Sena)". Speaking on the upcoming Shiv Sena Foundation Day events in Marathwada region, Khaire said a party meeting will be held on June 8 which will be addressed by Sanjay Raut. Later, constituency-wise meetings will be held in Aurangabad. Ramkrishna Patil was the last MP of Congress from Aurangabad who was elected in 1998. Khaire had won in 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014 on Shiv Sena (undivided) ticket. Maharashtra elects 48 members to Lok Sabha. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP won 23 of the 25 seats it had contested, while its then-ally Shiv Sena (undivided) bagged 18 of the 23 constituencies it had fought. The NCP contested 19 constituencies and won four, while Congress could secure just one seat out of 25 on which it had fielded candid. All four of the passengers aboard a light aircraft that crashed in the Blue Ridge Mountains west of Charlottesville on Sunday afternoon have died. Virginia State Police and Augusta County authorities' search for the crash site was hampered by fog and low clouds throughout the afternoon and evening. At 3:50 p.m. Sunday the Virginia State Police was notified of a possible aircraft crash in the Staunton/Blue Ridge Parkway region, state police said in a statement Sunday night. Shortly before 8 p.m. first responders were able to reach the crash site by foot. State police announced just before 10 p.m. that the search effort had been suspended. No survivors were located. Virginia authorities have directed all inquiries to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, the two agencies now tasked with investigating what led to the crash. According to the FAA, there were four people on board the Cessna Citation, which took off from Elizabethton, Tennessee, on Sunday and was headed for Long Islands MacArthur Airport. The aircraft was a private business jet owned by Encore Motors of Melbourne, a Florida-based company. According to a New York Times report, "John Rumpel, 75, who runs that company, said that his daughter, a 2-year-old granddaughter, her nanny and the pilot were aboard the flight. He said they were returning home to East Hampton, N.Y., after a four-day visit to his home in North Carolina." Inexplicably, the plane turned around over Long Island and flew a straight path down over D.C. before crashing in the mountains. The planes course took it over Washington, D.C., violating airspace restrictions over the nations capital and scrambling military fighter jets which pursued the Cessna out of D.C. The F-16 jets prompted a sonic boom heard throughout the capital region. A U.S. official confirmed to the Associated Press that the military jets had scrambled to respond to the small plane that later crashed. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the military operation and spoke on condition of anonymity. The loud boom that was heard across the [District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia] area was caused by an authorized DOD flight. This flight caused a sonic boom, the Annapolis, Maryland, emergency department said in a tweet Sunday afternoon. As it traveled through the D.C. area, the pilot remained unresponsive, according to North American Aerospace Defense Command. Virginia State Police said Sunday night it plans to release the names of the planes occupants once that information becomes available. The BJP's challenge is whether it can again deflate a Congress, which now looks reinvigorated and has adopted sharper messaging around its 'guarantees', and several regional parties, especially in Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Ajmer, May 31, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The Narendra Modi government marks its ninth anniversary a few days ago, acutely aware that 10 months from now, it will face a united Opposition that will try to convince the electorate that the PM reneged on his promise of delivering 'acche din', or better days. The challenges confronting Modi and his party are similar to 2019, which they won within five months of losing three key Hindi heartland states. "The 2004 'India Shining' electoral disaster taught the BJP's current crop of leadership to be ideologically agile, evident in the February 2019 vote on accounts and even now," a senior BJP leader, currently in charge of a poll-bound state, said in a conversation. In April, the Centre formed a committee to study whether the new pension scheme warranted any changes after losing the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls in December 2022. A central plank of the Congress was restoring the 'old pension scheme'. In February 2019, less than two months after the BJP lost the Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan assembly polls to the Congress over agrarian distress, Union Minister Piyush Goyal stood up in the Lok Sabha to present an Interim Budget. Goyal stretched the norm that an elected government should only table five full Budgets. He announced key decisions, including the PM Kisan Nidhi scheme, a Rs 6,000 annual allowance as a palliative to small farmers, and an income tax break for the middle class. Modi's charisma, the government's outreach to the farmers and middle class through the interim Budget and the nationalistic fervour in the wake of the Pulwama-Balakot episode made Modi the first PM since 1971 to return to power with a majority. The BJP has shown political fleet-footedness throughout its nine years in power at the Centre. Modi withdrew the land bill in 2015 after criticism that his was a 'suit boot ki sarkar' and embraced 'garib kalyan', the welfare of the poor, as the leitmotif of his government. By May 2016, he launched the Ujjwala Yojana in Uttar Pradesh, where the polls were due a year later and pursued building toilets. When Rahul Gandhi promised a farm loan waiver to UP's farmers, the BJP shed its aversion to the idea, promising and delivering it within weeks of Yogi Adityanath's oath. November 8, 2016, demonetisation came precisely three months before the first phase of polling in UP, with people convinced that it hurt the wealthy, contributing to the perception that Modi has delivered on his commitment to weed out corruption. The Modi government made its own some of the schemes it inherited from the UPA, such as the Jan Dhan Yojana, the Aadhaar-based direct benefit transfer and housing scheme, amending the goods and services tax regulations frequently in the run-up to the December 2017 Gujarat assembly polls after businesses complained. The BJP achieved its core agenda of repealing Article 370 and constructing a Ram temple in Ayodhya within months of its 2019 victory, resorted to astute social engineering and also crafted a 'labharthi', a beneficiary class, which helped it overcome setbacks like protests over the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act and farm laws to win UP again in March 2022. The new Parliament building, the launch of the Gaganyaan, India hosting the G20 summit in September and the inauguration of the Ram temple in January should add to the PM's charisma. However, the BJP looked tired, despite the PM's popularity, in the Karnataka assembly polls. The marginalised and the poor, which have taken to vote for the BJP in northern India, shifted to the Congress, as did women in Karnataka. As the debate over 'revari', or freebies, and its Karnataka loss, show, the BJP is trying to come up with new ideas that might help Modi match the record of Jawaharlal Nehru -- leading his party to win in three successive general elections. The BJP's challenge is whether it can again deflate a Congress, which now looks reinvigorated and has adopted sharper messaging around its 'guarantees', and several regional parties, especially in Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal. The jury's out on whether it will return to the reformist agenda of development and economic growth it promised in 2014 or stick with its model of welfarism. Greenpeace activists staged a protest demanding an end to deep sea mining outside the ministry of industry in Prague, Czech Republic, last week. IMAGE: An inflated purple octopus is placed in front of the ministry. All photographs: David W Cerny/Reuters IMAGE: Greenpeace activists hold a placard demanding 'Stop Deep Sea Mining'. IMAGE: A banner reads: 'The seabed is my home. Do not destroy it'. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that the BJP and RSS are "incapable" of looking at the future and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to drive the Indian car by only looking in the rearview mirror which will lead to "one accident after another." IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a massive community event at the Javits Centre in New York. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter Gandhi addressed a massive community event at the Javits Centre organised by the Indian Overseas Congress, USA on Sunday as he wrapped up his US visit that included trips to San Francisco and Washington DC. Back home we have a problem, and I will tell you the problem. The BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking at the future. They're incapable. Unse aap kuch bhi poocho, woh peeche ki aur dekhte hain (You ask anything they look into the past), he said. He said that if you ask the BJP why a train accident happened, they will say the Congress Party did such and such thing 50 years ago, taking a swipe at the government following the Odisha train accident, one of the worst railway tragedies in the country. The accident involving three trains has left around 275 dead and brought into focus the issue of railway safety. There has been a demand for the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from some quarters. Gandhi said that if you ask the BJP why they removed the periodic table from the textbooks, they will refer to what the Congress party did 60 years ago. Their immediate response is to look back, he said, adding that one cannot drive a car by looking only in the rearview mirror as that will only lead to "one accident after another." That is the phenomenon of Narendra Modi ji. He is trying to drive the Indian car and he only looks in the rearview mirror. And then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS, all of them. "You listen to them. You listen to their ministers. You listen to the Prime Minister, you will never find them talking about the future. They will only talk about the past and they will always blame somebody else for the past, he said amidst applause from the Congress party members. He said that when a train accident happened when the Congress party was in power, it did not say it is the fault of the British that the train has crashed. No. The Congress minister remember said it is my responsibility the train has crashed. I'm resigning, Gandhi said. He said the fight going on in India is a fight between two ideologies in which on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side there is Nathuram Godse. There is a fight going on back home - a fight between two ideologies. One that we represent and the other of course that the BJP and the RSS represent. I think the simplest way to describe this fight is on one side you have Mahatma Gandhi and on the other side, you have Nathuram Godse, the 52-year-old former Congress president said at the community event. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress leader said that on one side there is a brave man, NRI like you. In fact, probably the most impactful NRI that India has had in many, many years. Humble man, a simple man, but a man who believed in the future, who believed in India, propagated non-violence and search for the truth. That's the ideology that we follow. That's the ideology that all of you follow in this room. And then on the other side, Nathuram Godse, violent, angry, unable to face the reality of his own life. The reason he shot Gandhi was that he could not face his own life. And so, he had to take his anger out on somebody, and he chose to take his anger out on the man who represented the essence of India, Gandhi, the former MP, said. He said while Gandhi was open-minded and modern, Godse only spoke of the past. He was angry, hateful, and frankly he was scared. At the heart, he was a coward. He added that the challenge in India is that there is an attack on the democratic structure of our country. "Full-scale attack on our institutions, on our judiciary, on our media, and it is your responsibility and our responsibility to defend the idea of India," Gandhi said. The central piece of the idea of India is our Constitution and our democracy. Modern India cannot exist without our Constitution and without our democracy, he said. Gandhi said when he attends such public meetings, he sees people who believe in the idea of India, in the democratic principles of the country, in the Constitution, who believe that "we should be affectionate to each other, that we should love each other. Gandhi said the problem back home is that we make excuses. And we are not accepting the reality we're faced with. The reality we're faced with is our unemployment numbers and the fact that we need to make sure that all our youngsters are productive and get a job." And I believe and one of the reasons I have come here is because I believe that if we want to build an India where the vast majority of our youngsters are employed, one of the things we have to think about is the bridge between India and the United States. What does it look like, what does our partnership focus on and how do we compete with the challenge the Chinese have placed on the table, he said. He said one has to look at what is our view on the revolution in mobility, what is our view on the revolution on data and connectivity and what is our view on the transformation that is taking place in the energy system of the world. These are the things that we should be discussing. Gandhi said Indians help each other no matter what and not ask questions about religion, or community. You will say if you need my help, I don't care which religion you're from. I'm Indian. And I'm going to help you. To be nasty to people, to be arrogant, to be violent, these are not Indian values. They're simply not Indian values. If they were Indian values, why would we be celebrating Mahatma Gandhi, Guru Nanak and Ambedkar, he said. He said there is a new fashion which is that to express Indianness, you have to be hateful. To express Indianness you have to be abusive, to express Indianness, you have to beat people. No, that's not Indianness. That's something else and we refuse to accept that as Indian. Gandhi said he wants to visit other cities across the US and he wants to build a relationship with the diaspora across the US. My intention is to build a relationship with you, an affectionate, loving relationship with you where you can say to me that Rahul, this is what we think, this is how you should think about the relationship with the United States. I'm not interested so much in telling you what I believe. I don't want to do 'Mann ki Baat' over here, Gandhi said, referring to Prime Minister Modi's monthly radio address to the nation, as the gathering clapped. I am interested not in looking at the rearview mirror but looking in front and saying brothers and sisters, how do we move forward effectively and how as a country do we spread love and affection, how are we kind to the people? That's what I'm interested in. As Gandhi was addressing the gathering, a man carrying a Khalistani flag stood up. Gandhi said, Namaskar, have a nice day. The people in the audience gestured for the man to go out of the convention centre hall but Gandhi said: This is Congress party's power. We're not being violent. We're not being aggressive. We're not being nasty. That is our strength. Did we shout at him? No, we didn't. We will not change our behaviour. Because you cannot cut hatred with hatred. It's impossible. He referred to his slogan made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra Nafrat ke bazaar mean mohabbat ki dukan. 'A democracy cannot mean the rule of just two people,' said one audience member, who recalled that he too had chanted 'Modi, Modi' when the PM had visited the USA. Many of those gathered admitted to having been Modi supporters. What had changed them was the growing concentration of power. Jyoti Punwani reports from New York. IMAGE: Rahul Gandhi addresses NRIs at New York's Javits Convention Center, June 4, 2023. Photograph: Kind courtesy INC/Twitter As Rahul Gandhi ended his paean to NRIs at New York's Javits Convention Center with a "I love all of you", the 2,000-odd audience that had sat through two hours of speeches and songs shouted back "We love you too." "Do you ever hear anyone say 'I love you' at BJP rallies?" asked Rahul, making everyone laugh. Making an obvious bid to woo NRIs, Rahul linked the qualities that according to him, had contributed to the success of Indians in the US, with the clash of ideologies in India. The humility and lack of arrogance of Indians who migrated to the US, he said, and their acceptance of the culture and diversity of their host country, were the reasons for their success. That's what made them ambassadors of India, he added. In India, the basic conflict currently raging could be summarised as being "between Gandhi and Godse", said Rahul. "Gandhiji was an NRI like you, humble, simple, one who believed in India, in her future...That's the ideology we follow," said the Congress leader. Godse on the other hand, he said, was "angry, violent, unable to face reality... he chose to take out his anger on the man who represented the essence of India." Photograph: Satish Sakrikar In his humility, simplicity and love of truth, Gandhi had only followed the example of India's greatest leaders said Rahul, and then went on to name leaders from every state: Basavanna from Karnataka, Narayana Guru from Kerala, Guru Nanak from Punjab. Expectedly, each name was greeted with applause by a different section of the audience. However, his bid to please the NRI audience at the event organised by the Indian Overseas Congress went too far when he not only described Nehru and Patel also as NRIs, but went on to make the astounding assertion that the "Indian independence movement started in South Africa." "I expect future generations of NRIs to be Gandhis," he added, referring to Mahatma Gandhi. IMAGE: A view of the audience at New York's Javits Convention Center to listen to Rahul Gandhi. Photograph: Jyoti Punwani Attacking the BJP and the RSS as being "incapable of looking at the future," Rahul said that their answer to every question was to "look back and blame the Congress. Would you be able to drive if you constantly looked at the rear view mirror?" he asked. When a rail accident happened under the Congress, the railway minister took responsibility and resigned, he said, adding, "we didn't look back and blame the British." Expressing a desire to visit other cities rather than just Washington, DC and New York next time, Rahul turned to Sam Pitroda, the chief organiser of his US trip, and said he'd like to visit cities like Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta. "I want to have a relationship with you," he told the audience, "where you can tell me what your concerns are, what I should be doing. I'm not interested in doing mann ki baat," he said, bringing the house down. Recounting that a Stanford graduate had told him she didn't want to return to India because of "the atmosphere" there, Rahul said that wasn't the India he wanted. Violence wasn't an Indian value, he said, but it had become a new fashion to "express Indianness by being hateful, by beating others." But what gave him strength was that thousands still believed in the idea of India. He had seen this among NRIs too, he said. * * * IMAGE: A group of Sikhs protest outside New York's Javits Convention Center. Photograph: Satish Sakrikar Those gathered at the Javits Center on Sunday afternoon were a microcosm of India, belying the allegation by BJP supporters about the event being Muslim-driven. In fact, the largest religious minority present there appeared to be Sikhs. (Sikhs also made up the small bunch of protesters standing across the venue.) And like Indians everywhere, these NRIs also stuck to their own linguistic groups. What was common across these groups was the belief that Rahul would be the next prime minister, that he belonged to a family that had "shed their blood for India" and that he had the compassion needed to bring communities together and restore India's secular character. "I was born a Christian in Kerala," said Tom George Kollath, standing with others from his state. "We have to live where we were born and eat what we grew up eating. If someone prevents me from worshipping my god and eating what I like in my own country, I see it as a violation of my fundamental rights." Some were traditional Congress supporters; Amrik Singh Pehowa, for instance, described himself as a "3rd generation Congressi". Others such as Vijay Reddy pointed out that the Congress had got the country Independence and Rajiv Gandhi had, with the help of Sam Pitroda, encouraged technological development. "That enabled so many Indians to come to the US," he said. Interestingly, many of those gathered admitted to having been Modi supporters. What had changed them was the growing concentration of power. "A democracy cannot mean the rule of just two people," said Jagadeeshan from Telangana, who laughingly recalled that he too had chanted "Modi, Modi" when the PM had visited the USA. IMAGE: The audience at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, June 4, 2023. Photograph: Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia Vijay Reddy had supported Modi too. However, being from a rural background, he felt Modi's policies were anti-farmer. He also felt "cheated" at the way "our assets are being sold." The growing privatisation of PSUs was also mentioned by Anirudh Parupalli from Telangana, a master's student in business analytics and a volunteer at the event. "Debts are mounting under this government; poverty is growing," he said. His friend Ganesh Gandam, also from Telangana, spoke of unemployment as a major concern which the current government wasn't addressing. Ganesh had flown in from Kansas where he was doing a master's in cyber security, specially for the event. Interestingly, none of these Hindus were enthused about the growing saffronisation of politics in India. "The Constitution guarantees equality before the law," said Reddy, adding that Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra had shown that only he could achieve that. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High near 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 80F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. After a nearly yearlong remodel, the Albany Regional Museum has a new take on its homage to the past. The new exhibit boasts more topics, more interactive elements and is shedding light on some of Albanys lost history. A grand reopening is planned for this weekend. Inside the Albany Regional Museum, large black and white images cover the walls. Along the sinuous displays, historical artifacts are carefully arranged: a wagon wheel, a doctors buggy, the tooth of a wooly mammoth, a wooden washing machine, a wardrobe of dapper opera suit jackets and various remnants of the past. More than preserving the objects themselves, the objects help lend the ability and the power to share the memories and stories of people, Executive Director Keith Lohse said. Storytelling One of the major shifts in displaying the collections is leaning more on storytelling, Lohse said. Before, the museum had vignette style exhibits of rooms that didnt lend themselves to a narrative, he said. The new layout, a more curving walkthrough, also allows for more topics, doubling the seven featured in the old configuration to the 14 topics highlighted today, Lohse said. The change to the 1,800 square feet of space was prompted by an in-kind donation from the now-closed World of Speed Museum, which was located in Wilsonville. Originally, the museum was going to renovate slowly, but with two flatbed trucks full of donated materials, there wasnt any space to keep it. So the museum decided to do a remodel all at once, using community feedback to guide the new topics, Lohse said. Stories are scattered about on the museum walls. An audio recording conveys the story of a captain who became the first woman to hold a steamboats license on the Columbia River. Narrative writings, interactive exercises and artifacts tell of daily life on the farm, what it was like to be a school child, a logger, railroad worker during Albanys early days. The exhibit pays homage to the Timber Carnival with a replica of The Can, a large structure meant to imitate a jail. The structure was used as a fundraising event, since those who found themselves inside the structure would have to pay to get out. Outside, videos of the broadcasted event games play on a screen log-rolling and pole-climbing. Thats another change, Lohse said. There are more interactive elements, such as bells you can ring, games you can play, tests you can take and some items you can touch, he said. The museum is also working on integrating tablets throughout the exhibit to play videos in both English and Spanish, he said. Undertold stories The new exhibit also reveals a lost history, Lohse said. Placards and photographs splay under large bold letters which spell out Chinatown. A lot of people in Albany dont know that there was a Chinatown here, he said. In fact, it once was where the museum sits now on Lyon Street and Second Avenue, he said. Though only five buildings, four laundries and a lodging house, the Albany Democrat, now Democrat-Herald, declared it Chinatown." The creation of Chinatown came during a time when anti-Chinese sentiments were high. Chinese immigrants were used for cheap labor, and their growing presence in Albany had them facing reluctance and hostility from white residents, according to the museum's display. We felt it was really important to show the story of Chinatown because the location of it is on Second and Lyon, right where our building is," he said. The are few relics to tell the story. That's because the district was demolished and burned to the ground. So the museum uses newspaper articles to tell the local history of what happened in Chinatown. The articles expressed the sentiments of the time, he said. Then the collections manager researched and pulled from academia, he said, to put the broader story into context, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, signed by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882, which prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years. In 1908 Albanys Chinatown was demolished to make way for a corral. Residents called for the replacement of the three remaining Chinese-owned buildings, but before the city could act, the remaining buildings burned down. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. Their livelihood lost, the inhabitants of Chinatown left Albany, some even returning to China, Lohse said. It felt important to tell those under-told stories, he said. Thats part of the reason the museum was created in the first place: The museum was founded to preserve the voices of the community and the stories." The Albany Regional Museum grand reopening is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 10 at 136 SE Lyon St. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Several anti-LGBTQ signs were put on the Town Hall lawn, just hours after a well-attended Pride flag raising event on Sunday. Hundreds gathered to celebrate LGBTQ Pride month on Sunday at Town Hall, but the homophobic signs were planted some time after the event, likely last night, according to the Greenwich Police Department. Town employees removed the signs on Monday morning. The signs simply said Groomers with an arrow pointing toward the flagpole. LGBTQ people have long been wrongfully accused of collectively preying on young people. Lt. Patrick Smyth of the Greenwich Police Department said in an email that the signs were placed before 8 a.m. on Monday, likely during the night. Smyth said there are no cameras in front of town hall that cover that area, but that a detective from the department's Community Impact Section is looking into the incident. First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectwoman Lauren Rabin and Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan said in a joint statement that Greenwich does not stand for hate or bigotry. "The Board of Selectmen is appalled by the display of hate speech seen outside Town Hall Monday morning," the statement read. "The signs appeared as a reaction to Sundays Pride Day celebration and flag raising and were placed on town property by people unwilling to identify themselves. ... We stand together as a town with our LGBTQ+ community and we condemn hate speech in all its forms. It has no place in Greenwich." The selectmen also called on the Democratic Town Committee, the Republican Town Committee and independent groups including the Greenwich Patriots and Greenwich Voices for Democracy to condemn this hate speech. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media Drew Marzullo was the first openly gay selectman in Greenwich history, serving from 2009 to 2017. Marzullo helped start the Pride flag events when he was in office. To place signs at night when no one is around is cowardly, he said in a statement. The hundreds of people who attended yesterdays Pride event, especially children, did so on a beautiful sunny day so everyone can see. This horrific and hateful act has been used to fuel a narrative resulting in hostile legislation against the LGBTQ community that has produced dangerous implications. It is not only disgusting but profoundly sad." Allison Kahn, the organizer of Greenwich Pride, said Sundays event was the best attended Pride flag raising the town has ever seen, with between 200 and 300 people in attendance. She said a bipartisan group of elected officials, religious leaders, school officials, LGBTQ allies and families were all at the event Sunday. There's such power in knowing that our leaders support us, that they don't leave any room for hate, Kahn said on Monday. Love and acceptance are what we stand for in Greenwich. There was face painting, volleyball, ice cream and other family friendly activities on Sunday. Kahn, the entire Greenwich Board of Selectmen and other elected officials spoke to the crowd. Claudia Chimale / Contributed photo Kahn said the LGBTQ community is currently facing a backlash as exemplified by the hundreds of bills nationwide that have been introduced to restrict LGBTQ rights but that hate cannot erase the love shared at the town event. The actions of one person or small group of people, don't represent the hundreds who turned out (Sunday) and the thousands who support our community in our town, she said. LONDON (AP) The U.K. government will house hundreds more asylum-seekers on barges, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday, as he unveiled the latest migration figures that he said showed that his plans to crack down on small boat crossings on the English Channel are working. Two more barges will house about 1,000 migrants, Sunak said, alongside one that's set to be docked in Portland in southern England within the next two weeks. The move is meant to help save millions in taxpayers' money currently spent to house asylum-seekers in hotels across the country. Border Security Forces (BSF) shot down a drone on Sunday, June 4, that was used by Pakistani smugglers to smuggle heroin. Notably, this is the second such incident within a week. The BSF on Sunday night seized one drone along with three packets containing nearly 3.2 kg of heroin. While speaking to the media on the same, Sanjay Gaur, DIG BSF, Amritsar, said that they were receiving inputs for the last 2-3 days that smugglers from Pakistan will try to smuggle the heroin through drones, and on Sunday night, troops were deployed in a deep area, and they were successful in finding the Pakistani drone near Village Rattankhurd, District Amritsar that was carrying the drugs. As per the information shared by BSF officials, the troops immediately took action to intercept the drone and successfully downed the Pakinani drone with the contraband. During the search operation, BSF troops recovered a black-colored drone (quadcopter, DJI Matrice, 300 RTK) along with a consignment containing three packets of suspected narcotics (heroin), attached to the drone, from the farming fields of Village Rattankhurd, District Amritsar. "The Gross Weight of the recovered Consignment of Heroin is appx - 3.2 Kg. Another nefarious attempt by Pakistan to smuggle narcotics through drones is foiled by vigilant BSF troops," said the BSF. 5.5-kg heroin dropped by Pakistani drone seized by BSF in Amritsar On May 29, the BSF downed a Pakistani drone and arrested a smuggler with 5.5 kg of drugs near the India-Pakistan International Border in Punjab. The heroin was recovered by a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Punjab Police. "Troops of BSF Punjab & Punjab Police while deployed in depth area on the intervening night of 2/3 June 23, heard the movement of drone & dropping by it. During the search, 1 big packet (Gross Wt -5.5 kg) of Heroin was recovered from farming fields of Village- Rai, District Amritsar," BSF said in a tweet. Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande started his two-day visit to Bangladesh today (June 5). The General will be in the neighbouring country till June 6 and the main agenda of his visit is to further enhance Indo-Bangladesh defence ties. The Chief of Army Staff will also meet the top military leadership of the Bangladesh defence forces. General Manoj Pande will on the second day of his visit (June 6) review the Passing out Parade (POP) of the 84th Long Course at the Bangladesh Military Academy, Chattogram. The Army chief will also award the "Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy," established for the finest international cadet (from friendly foreign countries), of the graduating course from BMA, during the parade. This year's inaugural trophy will be given to Tanzanian officer cadet Everton. The Bangladesh Trophy and Medal, which was established at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun in December 2021 for the best foreign cadet graduating course, is the corresponding award in India. The Army Chief will evaluate the Passing Out Parade (POP) and award the Bangladesh Medal and Trophy on June 10, 2023, at the IMA Dehradun. The Indian Army chief also has other engagements during the two-day visit like formal interactions with Bangladesh Army Chief of Army Staff General Sheikh Mohammad Shafiuddin Ahmed and the Principal staff officer of the Armed Forces division. General Manoj Pande will also be briefed by senior Bangladesh military officers on bilateral cooperation and related issues. General Pande had also visited Bangladesh in July 2022, on his first foreign visit after he took over as the Indian Army Chief while the Bangladesh Army chief visited India in April 2023 and reviewed the Passing out Parade at Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai. According to senior defence officers, frequent visits by military leaders of both countries and joint military exercises contribute to enhancing military-to-military relations between both countries. India and Bangladesh have had close and friendly ties with each other since the liberation of the country in 1971 when the Indian Army decimated the Pakistan Army leading to a humiliating loss of the latter. India defeated Pakistani forces in East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the two leaders discussed advancing bilateral ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport and connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science and technology. Jaishankar co-chaired the first Joint Commission of Cooperation between India and Namibia with Nandi-Ndaitwah during which he underlined that the contemporary cooperation should build on long-standing political goodwill and growing development partnership. "Discussed advancing our ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport & connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science & technology and culture. As also wildlife collaboration and eco-tourism. Our perspectives (on) regional and global issues are similar and drive our working together in international forums," Jaishankar tweeted. Earlier, Nandi-Ndaitwah held a tete-a-tete with Jaishankar ahead of the delegation-level meeting. Co-chaired the 1st Joint Commission of cooperation between India and Namibia with DPM and FM Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah this morning. Underlined that our contemporary cooperation should build on long-standing political goodwill and our growing development partnership. Discussed pic.twitter.com/thJYoUh88H Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 5, 2023 Jaishankar arrived here in Namibia's capital on Sunday from Cape Town on a three-day visit. He was warmly received on his arrival in Windhoek by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Jenelly Matundu. He also interacted with the Indian community in Windhoek on Sunday evening. Interacted with the Indian community in Windhoek, Namibia this evening. Shared with them the history of our ties, as well as the new expressions of friendship. Also discussed the progress in India and its impact on Indians living abroad. : https://t.co/dRtziNp6lT pic.twitter.com/w1Ev1BqldO Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 4, 2023 "Shared with them the history of our ties, as well as the new expressions of friendship. Also discussed the progress in India and its impact on Indians living abroad," the minister tweeted. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the two leaders discussed advancing bilateral ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport and connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science and technology. Jaishankar co-chaired the first Joint Commission of Cooperation between India and Namibia with Nandi-Ndaitwah during which he underlined that the contemporary cooperation should build on long-standing political goodwill and growing development partnership. Co-chaired the 1st Joint Commission of cooperation between India and Namibia with DPM and FM Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah this morning. Underlined that our contemporary cooperation should build on long-standing political goodwill and our growing development partnership. Discussed pic.twitter.com/thJYoUh88H Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 5, 2023 "Discussed advancing our ties in energy, green hydrogen, transport & connectivity, digital, pharmaceuticals, food security, science & technology and culture. As also wildlife collaboration and eco-tourism. Our perspectives (on) regional and global issues are similar and drive our working together in international forums," Jaishankar tweeted. Earlier, Nandi-Ndaitwah held a tete-a-tete with Jaishankar ahead of the delegation-level meeting. Jaishankar arrived here in Namibia's capital on Sunday from Cape Town on a three-day visit. He was warmly received on his arrival in Windhoek by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Jenelly Matundu. He also interacted with the Indian community in Windhoek on Sunday evening. "Shared with them the history of our ties, as well as the new expressions of friendship. Also discussed the progress in India and its impact on Indians living abroad," the minister tweeted. Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered Saturday to protest judicial overhaul plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ruling coalition, the most hard-line in Israels history. The weekly protests, now in their 22nd week, continue despite Netanyahus March announcement that the contentious legal proposals were put on hold. Several rallies were held across Israel, with the main protest drawing tens of thousands in the central city of Tel Aviv. The protesters waved Israels flags, lit torches, and beat drums. The plan would weaken the judiciary and limit judicial oversight on laws and government decisions, what critics say poses a direct threat to civil rights and the rights of minorities and marginalized groups. Protests have continued even though the government and opposition are in talks to find a compromise on the plan. The government says the judicial plan is meant to rein in what it says is an overly interventionist Supreme Court and restore power to elected legislators. Critics say it will grant the government unrestrained power and upend the countrys system of checks and balances. The Pakistani Taliban or TTP claimed responsibility for an attack in northwest Pakistan that left two soldiers and two militants dead. The army said in a statement that militants opened fire on a security checkpoint Saturday evening in the Jani Khel area of Bannu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, leading to a shootout with Pakistani troops. A search operation was underway to track the militants behind the attack. TTP spokesman Mohammad Khorasani said in a statement on their website that the group carried out the joint attack in collaboration with another faction of the Pakistani Taliban, the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group. The militant group has been distancing itself from the TTP and carrying out attacks independently. The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but are allied with the Afghanistan Taliban, who took over Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from the country. The takeover emboldened the TTP. They unilaterally ended a cease-fire agreement with the Pakistani government in November and have since stepped up their attacks in the country. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made no breakthrough on Sunday in talks about Swedens membership in the military organization with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , with officials from the two countries to meet in just over a week to try to bridge their differences. NATO wants to bring Sweden into the fold by the time U.S. President Joe Biden and other allied leaders meet in Lithuania on July 11-12 , but Turkey and Hungary have yet to endorse the move. All 31 member countries must ratify a candidates accession protocol for it to join the trans-Atlantic alliance. Turkeys government accuses Sweden of being too lenient on terror organizations and security threats, including militant Kurdish groups and people associated with a 2016 coup attempt. Hungary has also delayed its approval, but the reasons why haven't been made publicly clear. President Erdogan and I agreed today that the permanent joint mechanism should meet again in the week starting on June 12. Membership will make Sweden safer, but also NATO and Turkey stronger, Stoltenberg told reporters in Istanbul. The permanent joint mechanism was set up to address Turkeys concerns about Sweden and Finland, the latter of which became the 31st member of NATO in April. Sweden has fulfilled its obligations, for membership, Stoltenberg said. He noted that the country has amended its constitution, strengthened its anti-terror laws, and lifted an arms embargo on Turkey since it applied to join NATO just over a year ago. Fearing they might be targeted by Moscow after Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Sweden and Finland abandoned their traditional positions of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATOs security umbrella. MTC Namibia recorded the fastest mobile and fixed internet speeds in Namibia last year, according to data from industry bench markers Ookla. In a statement, MTC Namibia stated it provided the fastest speeds in those two categories during Q3 and Q4 of 2022. In a separate statement, Ookla detailed MTC had an overall speed score of 24.16, more than doubling rival Telecom Namibias 11.88. MTC Namibia said Ookla compared speed tests from 93,908 users that activated the Ookla Speedtest app on iOS and Android devices connected to mobile and fixed networks. The highest download speed recorded was from a user in the capital city of Windhoek, yielding a speed score of 73.96Mbps and upload speeds of 53.67mbps during the period under review. MTC Namibia managing director Dr Licky Erastus said; Our aspiration as MTC Namibia is to ensure that every person across Namibia has access to and enjoys the benefits of a modern connected world and therefore we continue to invest in our network with the latest technologies to ensure that we provide these services to our customers at a quality experience, MTC Namibia since 2017 has invested NAD1.2 billion (US$62 million) with the hope to expand its geographical network coverage to at least 90% countrywide. Just days after nuclear-armed North Korea announced that it is no longer necessary to give advance notice of its satellite launches to the International Maritime Organization [IMO], its neighbouring arch-rival South Korea expressed deep concerns about Pyongyang's threat. In an escalating sabre-rattling, South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Koo Byoung-sam, denounced Norths attitude as drifting further and further away from international norms and common sense, and is very disappointing. South Korean official urged the North to come on the "right" track, adding that such vague threats would only alienate the communist nation from the rest of the international community. On Sunday, North Korea, in an official statement, threatened to stop informing global organisations about its future launches of any satellites. The rampant decision came shortly after the Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO adopted a resolution criticising North Korea's missile launches as a serious threat to the safety of international shipping. The draft was proposed at the 107th session of the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee in London. This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says a launch of the newly developed Chollima-1 rocket carrying the Malligyong-1 satellite at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground. Credit: AP The IMO urged Pyongyang to adhere to maritime safety compliance with due regulations, including giving prior notice before any missile tests. Previously, the MSC had adopted circulars that expressed grave concerns about Pyongyang's ballistic missile launches without prior notification to the IMO in 1998, 2006 and 2016. On Sunday Japans coast guard, which coordinates and distributes navigational warnings, revealed that it wasnt notified by North Korea about the missile launch until Monday. Ideally, these warnings must be communicated no less than five days in advance. Spy missile launch triggers Japan's J-Alert warning system Dictator Kim Jong Uns authoritarian regime countered a barrage of international criticism after Pyongyangs failed military reconnaissance satellite launch earlier on May 31. DPRKs Chollima-1 rocket carrying the Malligyong-1 satellite faltered during the first stage as it separated due to engine malfunction, and "the unstable character of the fuel used," the Norths official Korean Central News Agency [KCNA] reported. The launch had triggered Japan's J-Alert warning system, and Japanese residents in the prefecture of Okinawa were urged to "take shelter inside a building or underground immediately. Just minutes after North Koreas spy satellites launch was unsuccessful, Japans top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, announced at a press conference that the apparent ballistic missile disappeared and could not be tracked over the Yellow Sea. United States derided North Koreas spy satellite launch as the brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions" that "raises tensions, and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region and beyond," the US National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said in a statement. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the failed satellite launch, arguing that North Koreas ballistic missile launches were in breach of the UN Security Council's resolutions. Adam Hodge, a spokesperson at the US National Security Council, noted at a presser that Washington strongly condemns the North Korean so-called spy satellite launch, arguing that it employed the banned ballistic missile technology. US also condemned North Korea for escalating regional tensions with its neighbours and risking destabilisation of the security in the region and beyond. UN Security Council, meanwhile, scheduled an emergency meeting to discuss DPRKs failed launch at the request of Japan, the US, the UK, France, Albania, Ecuador and Malta. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg strongly condemned DPRK's launch using ballistic missile technology. This blatantly violates several UN Security Council resolutions. It is a threat to neighbours and a challenge to global stability, he said at a news conference in Oslo, Norway. This launch raises tensions and poses risks to regional security and beyond. DPRKs military spy satellite 'will be correctly put into space': Kim Jong Un's sister As criticism mounted for Kim Jong Uns regime, the authoritarian leaders powerful sister accused the United States of gangster-like hypocrisy, adding that the communist nations efforts to acquire space-based reconnaissance capabilities were, in fact, legitimate. Kim Yo Jong slammed Hodges remarks, saying the United States is letting loose a hackneyed gibberish prompted by its brigandish and abnormal thinking. If the DPRKs satellite launch should be particularly convicted, the US and all other countries, which have already launched thousands of satellites, should be denounced. This is nothing but sophism of self-contradiction, Kim Jong Uns powerful sister asserted, according to KCNA. Ironically, the US monitors activities in the North through its own reconnaissance satellites and other aerial assets, Kims sister noted. She called the Americans a group of gangsters who were labelling Norths missile launches as illegal and threatening. The far-fetched logic that only the DPRK should not be allowed to do so according to the (U.N. Security Councils) resolution which bans the use of ballistic rocket technology irrespective of its purpose, though other countries are doing so, is clearly a gangster-like and wrong one of seriously violating the DPRKs right to use space and illegally oppressing it, Kim Yo Jong reportedly asserted. It is certain that the DPRKs military reconnaissance satellite will be correctly put into space orbit in the near future and start its mission, she added. DPRK clarified that it does not recognize UN Security Council sanctions on its space program, adding that it will defend itself against the hostile US policy. The country reproached the UN's unbalanced and prejudiced double standards. The DPRKs launch of military reconnaissance satellite is a logical and legitimate response to the undisguised military threat of the US and its allies, Jo Chol Su, director general of the Department of International Organizations at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, said in response to UN chief Guterres remarks, NK news confirmed. Three people in Juneau, Alaska, were found dead over the course of three days on board a vessel anchored offshore, police said Saturday. The Juneau Police Department said a 34-year-old woman reported on Wednesday that she found her 51-year-old friend dead on board the Dusky Rock. His body was sent to Anchorage for an autopsy. Two days later, police received a report of another death on the vessel, which was still anchored offshore at Savikko Park, locally referred to as Sandy Beach. Responding authorities found two dead women on board, including the 34-year-old who reported her friend dead days earlier. The other woman was 28. Both women were Juneau residents. Their bodies were also sent to Anchorage for autopsies. No one else was on the boat. Firefighters checked for harmful fumes but found none. They towed the vessel to Aurora Harbor. Police said the use of controlled substances may have contributed to the deaths. Flowers memorialize the young student from Hongqiao Primary School in Wuhan, China, who was killed May 23, 2023, after being hit by a car driven by a teacher. A Chinese woman killed herself in late May after her first-grade son was fatally struck by a teachers car on school property, sparking outrage among residents and netizens who blamed cyberbullying and government pressure for her death. The specific reason for her death remains unclear, but in a video recorded before she died, the woman, surnamed Yang, said that national security officers had told her to keep quiet about her sons death. Yang also was criticized by netizens who commented on her interviews with Chinese media by blasting her for dressing too well and seeking more compensation for her sons death. Her son was killed on May 23, when a car driven by a teacher surnamed Liu hit him on the grounds of Hongqiao Primary School in Hanyang District in the city of Wuhan. His parents rushed to the scene and were devastated by what had happened. Two days later, Yang jumped from her apartment building and died. Her husband also wanted to jump off, but he was stopped by family members, a resident surnamed Qin who knew the family, told Radio Free Asia. "This is the power of online harassment, Qin said. He Peirong, an educator familiar with the situation, told RFA that Yang's suicide was not only caused by cyberbullying, but by Wuhan officials who tried to maintain stability and prevent her from speaking out. She said Yang's friends hinted on TikTok that the police had put pressure on her. He didnt apologize In a video that circulated on the Douyin online platform, Yang could be seen standing outside the gate of her son's school that a security officer named Zhou Jun from the Wuhan Municipal Public Security Bureau had scolded her and her family for making trouble and didn't apologize or ask about her son. He didnt apologize to me, didnt apologize to my child and accused us of causing trouble here, she says on the video. Under interviews Yang gave to the media, online readers posted a large number of malicious comments, Cover News reported. The Xiaoxiang Morning Post also reported that the incident had attracted attention from many media outlets and some that there were negative comments about Yang. He Peirong said that an account called Hubei Has Positive Energy, with more than 1 million followers and which attacked Yang, was likely a government account. She said Yang was a victim of stability maintenance, and called for truth and justice. The Hanyang District Education Bureau of Wuhan City issued a statement on May 25, expressing grief and self-blame for the boys death and saying that the teacher, Liu, had been detained and the school's principal and vice-principal had been dismissed. A Wuhan resident who asked only to be identified as Xu said every time a local group or or individual demands rights, the national security officers will suppress online speech. "I believe it is true. They want to maintain stability, he said. I know that the cost of stability maintenance is higher than military spending." In addition, 27 Chinese poets wrote poems to express their voice for Yang. Among them, a poet who goes by the name of Night Kangqiao wrote that only a mother grieved when a child died and that since ancient times Chinese have been educated to only sweep the snow from their own front doors. Translated by Chris Taylor. Edited by Malcolm Foster. "Don't let the truth be hidden in the dust. Chinese students in Britain, the United States and elsewhere outside their homeland led vigils and rallies over the weekend marking the anniversary of the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen massacre despite threats and potential violence from agents and government supporters. A group of overseas students in London called the "China Deviants" staged a rally in Trafalgar Square on Sunday, displaying posters and photos of the massacre, alongside plastic tanks and other props. In actions that imitated the banners, headband slogans brought by the young people who once congregated in their thousands on Tiananmen Square 34 years ago, the students' slogans also spoke eloquently to their own generation in the wake of the "white paper" protests of November 2022. Some wore headbands styling themselves "the last generation," a meme from the draconian Shanghai lockdown of 2022, while others called for freedom of the press. The overseas protests came as families of the victims were escorted by armed police and state security officers to a cemetery outside Beijing to pay their respects to those who died in the massacre, and amid tight security on Tiananmen Square itself. Six members of the Tiananmen Mothers group including Huang Jinping, Yuan Ren and Hao Jian were escorted to Wan'an Cemetery, later posting a short video of themselves bowing in respect at the graves of the victims, clad in black. "We mark the 34th anniversary of June 4," Huang Jinping, whose husband Yang Yansheng died in the crackdown, says in the video. "On this unforgettable date, we relatives gather here at Wan'an Cemetery in the western suburbs to commemorate the tragic massacre that took place on June 4, 1989." Crushed them with tanks The group said in a statement: "Thirty-four years ago today, the government of the day used field troops with machine guns, tanks and armored vehicles to run amok and crush [citizens]." "They fired live ammunition into the crowd and crushed them with tanks. Our relatives were killed by criminally fired bullets on that bloody night, and sacrificed their precious lives for their ideals." At Beijings Wan'an Cemetery on Sunday, Huang Jinping [speaking] and other members of the Tiananmen Mothers group pay their respects to loved ones killed in the Tiananmen crackdown. Credit: Provided by the families of the June 4th victims in Wanan Cemetery The tribute came amid tight security in China's capital, and amid an ongoing ban on public mourning or discussion of the massacre. "I'm in Beijing, and there are facial recognition cameras all around Tiananmen Square," a passer-by surnamed Li told Radio Free Asia on Sunday. "As you pass by, the police yell at you, and they stop you and check your ID." "The suppression [of public mourning] has been particularly severe this year." An activist from Hunan province surnamed Tian said some people had fasted for a day in protest at the massacre, following a call for a national day of fasting from jailed dissident Xu Zhiyong. "People in our group fasted for a day in protest but we haven't been allowed to change our profile pictures [on social media] since last night," he said on Sunday. Repeated calls to the phones of Tiananmen Mothers members You Weijie and Zhang Xianling rang unanswered on Sunday. If we do not cry out, who will? Back in Londons Trafalgar Square, protesters of a similar age to the victims were reading out the May 13 declaration made by the students occupying Tiananmen Square in 1989, announcing the start of their hunger strike. "Our country is in a critical state," the declaration said. "Prices are soaring, official profiteering is rampant, power is concentrated in the hands of the few, and the bureaucracy is corrupt." "If we do not cry out, who will? If we do not act, who will?" it said, adding: "Democracy is the highest of human aspirations, freedom the innate birthright of all human beings." "But today these must be bought with our lives." People attend a candlelight vigil outside the Chinese Embassy in London, Sunday, June 4, 2023, to mark the anniversary of China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Credit: Associated Press Many participants stood silently, wearing slogans as headbands, or holding flowers. "Don't let the truth be hidden in the dust," read the slogan carried by one young woman, who gave only the nickname Chengzi. She cited the recent "white paper" protests as an inspiration to many of the young people at the rally, who weren't even born when the People's Liberation Army cleared the city center of protesters using tanks and machine guns. She said that while many present fear retaliation against loved ones back home, or fear for their own safety if their identities are discovered, they still want March to Chinese Embassy Another student who gave only the initial M said they had similar feelings, citing the death of pandemic whistleblowing doctor Li Wenliang and anger over the Jiangsu chained woman as motivating factors. A Hong Konger who gave only the nickname Billy said it was hugely significant for Chinese students to stand up and take part in annual events marking the massacre. "There are still a lot of people of conscience in mainland China," he said. Chinese students also marched alongside Hong Kongers, Tibetans and Uyghurs to the Chinese Embassy in London in an annual event organized by Amnesty International marking the June 4, 1989, military crackdown that ended weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing and other Chinese cities. Many held electronic candles and banners in support of jailed Hong Kong barrister and rights activist Chow Hang-tung, who had pledged to fast for 34 hours one hour for every year since the massacre to mark the anniversary in prison. In San Francisco, protesters gathered in the Chinatown section of the city on Saturday evening, June 3, 2023, to mark the Tiananmen anniversary. Credit: Sun Cheng/RFA In San Franciscos Chinatown, hundreds of protesters gathered to light candles and lay floral tributes around a replica of the 1989 "Goddess of Democracy" statue on Saturday evening. Former student leader Feng Congde told them in a speech that the wounds caused by the bloodshed that year weren't only physical. "The deeper violence [perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party] was cultural -- it took the form of the thorough brainwashing and propaganda they engaged in afterwards," he said, as participants gathered around a replica of the "Pillar of Shame" memorial sculpture, the original of which has been seized by national security police in Hong Kong. Former Wuhan student leader Zhao Bingxian said attempts to cover up the truth of the massacre in mainland China would fail. "The lies they write in ink can't cover up the facts that have been written in blood," Zhao said. "The democratic demands of the students in Tiananmen Square were turned into a massacre of the most barbaric and brutal kind by the Chinese Communist Party." "Today, we denounce this regime of butchers," he said, amid shouts of "Down with the Communist Party!" "Down with Xi Jinping" and "Long live freedom and democracy!" No more candlelight vigils Kory Powell McCoy, a representative of the office of former U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, told the rally that Beijing had only accelerated its atrocities since the events of 1989, imprisoning dissidents who dare to speak out, committing genocide against the Uyghur community, intimidating and destroying freedom and democracy in Hong Kong and threatening democracy in Taiwan. A U.S.-based Hong Kong activist said Hong Kong can no longer host such vigils since Beijing imposed a strict national security law on the city in 2020, in the wake of the 2019 protest movement against the erosion of the city's promised freedoms. "Today, 34 years later, we in Hong Kong can no longer light candles, because to do so would already be a violation of the national security law," the activist told the rally. Instead, protesters on the democratic island of Taiwan appear to have taken up the role once played by the vigils in Hong Kong's Victoria Park, staging a rally marking the massacre at the weekend, but also calling for the defense of freedom and democracy worldwide. A man places a candle at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to mark the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989, in Taipei on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Credit: AFP "Taiwan is a democratic country, and China doesn't seem to have reached that point yet," a participant who gave only the surname Ho told Radio Free Asia on Sunday. "I wouldn't want that kind of thing to happen to my own children." Prominent 1989 student leader Wuer Kaixi, an ethnic Uyghur now based in Taipei, told RFA that June 4 needs to be remembered every year because we have not forgotten their sacrifices. We have not forgotten the unfinished business that they had started and we're continuing. It is also important to tell the whole world, especially Western democracies, that they have failed to hold the mass murderers of Tiananmen massacre accountable. So commemoration of the Tiananmen massacre basically tells the Western democracies that their China policy is not acceptable in the 21st century, he said. With contributions from RFA Uyghur. Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. The trip comes amid an uptick in near-collisions between the two militaries. Vendor at a booth displaying China and American flags during a Spring Carnival in Beijing, May 13, 2023. Two senior Biden administration officials visited their counterparts in Beijing on Monday for candid and productive discussions on the state of U.S.-China ties, according to the U.S. State Department. The trip by Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, and Sarah Beran, senior director for China and Taiwan affairs on the National Security Council, was meant to maintain open lines of communication, said a press release. Its the highest-level visit by American officials to China since U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in February nixed a trip to Beijing due to the spy-balloon episode, when a Chinese balloon drifted across U.S. airspace. It also comes after a weekend war-of-words between the countries top defense officials and two high-profile near-collisions between their militaries. The State Department press release was light on details and noted little more than who Kritenbrink and Beran met with: Ma Zhaoxu, the executive vice foreign minister, and Yang Tao, director general of the foreign ministrys North American and Oceanian Affairs Department. The two sides exchanged views on the bilateral relationship, cross-Strait issues, channels of communication, and other matters, it added. U.S. officials made clear that the United States would compete vigorously and stand up for U.S. interests and values. Speaking at the State Department press briefing on Monday, deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel also said he could not offer more details, but indicated Blinken had not made any new plans to visit Beijing. I'm just not going to get into specifics of the meeting beyond what we already shared, Patel said. As we've previously said we hope to have this visit rescheduled, when conditions allow. Escalating tensions Kritenbrink and Beran are the highest-level American officials to visit Beijing since Blinkens cancellation, which led some Chinese officials to cut off lines of communication with U.S. defense counterparts. Blinkens postponed trip was itself meant to be a moment of thawing in China-U.S. ties after bilateral relations hit a nadir last year following then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis trip to Taiwan in August. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, and Taiwanese President President Tsai Ing-wen greet each other during a meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, Aug. 3, 2022. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP) Rick Waters, deputy assistant secretary of state for China and Taiwan and the head of the State Departments China House, in March also visited Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, with the State Department at that time also declining to provide many details. Besides Waters visit, though, U.S.-China ties have seemingly only gotten worse in the four months following Blinkens nixed trip. Near-collisions between American and Chinese vessels and jets in the Taiwan Strait and over the South China Sea, both of which Beijing claims sovereignty over, have also become more frequent, with two such incidents occurring in the past two weeks alone. Almost accidents National Security Council spokesman John Kirby blamed Chinas military for aggressive maneuvering near American vessels making freedom-of-navigation ops, but said U.S. officials would continue to keep lines open to hold talks with their Chinese counterparts. Its part of a growing aggressiveness by the PRC that we're dealing with and that we're prepared to address," Kirby said, referring to the Chinese government. It wont be long before somebody gets hurt. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, right, shakes hands with China Defense Minister Li Shangfu, left, during the opening dinner for the 20th International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual defense and security forum, in Singapore, June 2, 2023. (Vincent Thian/AP) On the weekend in Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in an apparent reference to Chinas decision to cut-off communication after Blinkens trip cancellation also accused Beijing of being unwilling to engage more seriously on better mechanisms for crisis management between our two militaries. Speaking at the same conference, Chinese Defense Li Shangfu called out some country for what he said was a selective approach to international law and of forcing its rules on others. Edited by Malcolm Foster. American, Chinese and Russian warships are joining the Komodo Exercise in the Makassar Strait. Indonesian crew members stand on the deck of the ship KRI Bung Karno-369 during the International Fleet Review portion of the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2023 event in the Makassar Sea, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, June 5, 2023. The United States and China are taking part this week in a multilateral naval exercise, which kicked off in Indonesian waters on Monday, despite tensions growing between the two superpowers over Taiwan and the South China Sea. The three nations are joining 33 others in the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo, which Indonesia is hosting through Thursday in the Makassar Strait, a strategic waterway that connects the Pacific and Indian oceans. The drills will focus on maritime cooperation, disaster relief and humanitarian operations, officials said. The Komodo Exercise is a series of non-combat drills to build trust and solidarity among naval forces, the Indonesian Navy said, according to a report from BenarNews, an online news outlet affiliated to Radio Free Asia. This activity is intended to strengthen naval diplomacy and I think this must continue to be nurtured, Adm. Yudo Margono, commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces, said during an opening ceremony at Soekarno-Hatta Port in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province. The drills also are intended to foster cooperation in securing the Indonesian sea areas that border 10 countries, Yudo said. The Indonesian Navy said the drills involve 41 warships, 17 of which are from foreign countries, including the United States, China and Russia. The drills are taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions between China and the United States in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. China claims most of the waterway as its sovereign territory. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have territorial claims in the sea. While Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of the waterway that overlap Indonesias exclusive economic zone. 'Navigational hegemony' Beijing has repeatedly accused the U.S. of navigation hegemony in the South China Sea. This past weekend, the U.S. military accused a Chinese navy ship of sailing dangerously close in front of the bow of an American destroyer during an intercept in Taiwan Strait waters. Chinas defense ministry issued a dueling statement saying that Chinese forces had been tracking the movements of the U.S. destroyer, which was sailing with a Canadian warship. Its forces had conducted themselves lawfully and professionally, the ministry said. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Indonesian Navy sailors stand on the deck of the ship KRI Bawal-875 during the International Fleet Review part of the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2023 event in the Makassar Sea, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, June 5, 2023. [Antara Foto/M Risyal Hidayat/via Reuters] The biennial Komodo drills, which began in 2014, also consist of an international symposium, bilateral meetings and a maritime exhibition. Other participants this year include Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. The United States embassy in Jakarta said the exercise would allow it to join together with like-minded countries, our allies and partners to work together to solve common challenges such as humanitarian response and disaster. Chinas Ministry of National Defense said last week that it would send a destroyer and a frigate at the invitation of the Indonesian Navy. On Monday, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto met with his counterparts from Australia and Germany in Jakarta to discuss defense cooperation. Prabowo said Indonesias relationship with Australia was supported by mutual trust, transparency and a joint commitment to a stable, peaceful, resilient and prosperous region. Indonesias cooperation with Australia can provide an important contribution to regional peace and stability, he said. He also said Indonesia and Germany had enjoyed good bilateral relations and defense cooperation for more than a decade. We are determined to continue strengthening cooperation and I promise to make an honorary return visit to Germany, he said. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that he and Prabowo had discussed some issues that were topics at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security forum held in Singapore over the weekend. He declined to give details. BenarNews is an online news agency affiliated to Radio Free Asia. The surveillance technology is just one example of the proliferation of predictive policing in the country. People gather at the Dahua Technology booth during the China Public Security Expo in Shenzhen, China, Oct. 29, 2019. The AI in cameras made by Dahua Technology appears to be explicitly aimed at quelling protests, according to a U.S.-based surveillance research company that first reported the technologys existence. A widely used Chinese video surveillance company sanctioned by Western governments incorporates an AI technology that automatically alerts authorities if a person is detected unfurling a banner. The AI in cameras made by Dahua Technology appears to be explicitly aimed at quelling protests, according to IPVM, a U.S.-based surveillance research company that first reported the technologys existence. Dahua deleted references to the system, called Jinn, after IPVM asked the company for comment, but an archived version of its website discusses its use for the purposes of social safety and social governance terms frequently used by Chinese authorities to justify surveillance and arrests. The detection system is just one example of the growth of AI and government tracking technologies in China that have proliferated over the last several years amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of mass technology procurements by police forces across China have greatly increased authorities abilities to clamp down on social freedoms, control citizens and, critics say, abuse groups targeted by the government. An alarm will be generated According to Dahuas archived webpage, the AI system was launched in 2021 and available as of May 2023. Its debut appears to have coincided with a wave of police investment in geographic information systems across China in 2020. Dahua surveillance cameras installed on the Dahua Technologies office building in Hangzhou, China, May 29, 2019. Credit: AFP It is not known what police jurisdictions use this particular Dahua AI, but the company is a major provider of police technology, said Charles Rollet of IPVM. With the banner alarm that's catering to the Chinese enterprise market: the big, usually police, authorities, he said. It's intended for police or some form of city authority there's no reason to track them [banners] automatically unless you want to track protests, basically. Perhaps the most recognizable protest in China in recent years the White Paper protest against strict COVID lockdowns was started by a man unfurling a banner on a bridge last year an indication of the possible relevance of the technology for police (though it is not known if unfurling banner tracking was used by police in that particular case). Dahua, which is sanctioned by the U.S., U.K. and Australian governments, provides a number of predictive policing AI technologies that can surveil civilians using biometrics data. Previously, internal documents from the company showed that it provides facial recognition AI to track Uyghurs, which led to the Western sanctions. Dahua denied racial targeting. A demo of the banner-unfurling AI filmed in 2020 was also posted on Dahuas website before being deleted. If a person holding a banner is detected within the camera field and lasts for a certain period of time, an alarm to police will be generated, the demo explained. Dahua did not respond to a request for comment from RFA. Policing tech boom The banner unfurling technology is a continuation of the development of AI and how that technology is becoming really available to Chinese police, said Rollet. China is known to collect vast troves of data on its residents, and rapidly expanding AI technologies give authorities a new way to gather intel. A solicitation for proposals for an AI tracking project from Shanghai police also unearthed by IPVM last month lays out some of the ambitions authorities harbor for using the vast data they have gathered. Traditional police work needs to be transformed into digital, intelligent and convenient simplified online operation, it said. The effective management of the model to make it play its biggest role has become an urgent problem in the development of public security technology. A man has his face marked for identification by technologies from state-owned surveillance equipment manufacturer Hikvision on a monitor at Security China 2018 in Beijing, China, Oct. 23, 2018. Credit: Ng Han Guan/AP The project aims to create automatic alerts to inform police of movements of particular populations in the Songjiang district of Shanghai, a populous suburb with a large population of academics and university students. The target populations the project seeks to automatically track include Uyghurs; foreigners with illegal residence status; faculty and staff members of key universities; foreign journalists stationed in China; foreigners who have visited Xinjiang or other similar areas; individuals with COVID vaccinations; suspected criminals, sex workers, and drug dealers; and families with abnormal electricity consumption. According to a notice on its website that was later removed, Songjiang police awarded the project to a technology security firm, the Shanghai Juyi Technology Development Company, that appears to specialize in government contract work. The Shanghai Juyi Technology Development Company did not return a request for comment. As with Dahua, the Songjiang police removed the notice after IPVM publicized it in May, and RFA was unable to reach the projects manager listed on the document. The limits of Big Brother The 26 categories of target populations in the Shanghai project are what are considered focus personnel by Chinese authorities, according to Maya Wang of Human Rights Watch. People who are petitioners, people who have a prior criminal record, people who have psychosocial disabilities and so on, these groups of people are being monitored by the police both physically and through technologies, Wang told RFA. Chinese paramilitary firefighters stand on guard beneath a light pole with security cameras at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 8, 2018. Credit: Mark Schiefelbein/AP But the way in which AI is used to track people shows both the sophistication and artlessness in how Chinese authorities think about surveillance, said Geoffrey Cain, author of "The Perfect Police State," a book on Chinese surveillance. The parameters they use tracking the unfurling of a banner or flagging jumps in household electricity use (in the Shanghai police project) tend to work backwards from behaviors that might only be vaguely connected to censured activities they are trying to pre-emptively clamp down on, such as protesting or cryptocurrency mining. It reminds me back when this whole surveillance state really got kicking off around 2016 and 2017, Cain said. They were going after people who suddenly start smoking or drinking or people who suddenly, you know, purchase the items being used to make a tent. And it's not because there's any specific reason, but the reasons they would give is that those types of behaviors are suspicious. It's almost like they've arbitrarily chosen something that would be unusual, he said. It's as if the authorities are moving backwards, putting the cause before the fact. Discrimination and danger But there is real impact for the groups targeted. Mass surveillance of Uyghurs in particular has been a key factor in enabling their persecution, said HRWs Wang. Wherever they go in China, Uyghurs are essentially being singled out for discriminatory and targeted policing, she said. And that means that they often suffer they often are unable to find a place to stay, a hotel. Typically, when they take the train, they are subjected to investigation and interrogation and so on. Visitors take photos near surveillance cameras as a policeman watches on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, July 15, 2021. Credit: Ng Han Guan/AP According to a May analysis of Chinese police geolocation systems acquisitions by China Digital Times, a specialist media firm, a wave of police investment in these tracking systems was first seen in 2017, and then again in 2020, increasing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Some contracts coincided with other government purchases of surveillance systems specifically designed to target Uyghurs, the report noted. There are also notable concentrations of procurement in regions with significant Uyghur or other minority populations. More broadly, the concern is that these [AI surveillance] systems are all empowering authorities to violate human rights in different ways, depending on how they are used, said Wang. And when they are so cheap and widely available and in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, given Chinese government Chinese financing, they are spreading with detrimental impact on rights globally, she said. Rollet agreed. I could see this taking off in other countries, he said. I think the bigger risk is that it sets a precedent and gives other countries ideas about what they should do, you know? Edited by Boer Deng North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued a secret order defining suicide as an act of treason against socialism, sources say. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued a secret order for local authorities to prevent suicides after data showed an increase in people taking their own lives this year, government officials told Radio Free Asia. Though RFA was not able to confirm North Koreas tally, the South Korean National Intelligence Service reported at the end of May that suicides were up about 40% compared to last year. There are a lot of internal unrest factors in North Korea due to the hardships of people, the spy agency said, adding that violent crimes are also on the rise as people struggle to make ends meet. Kim officially defined suicide as an act of treason against socialism, and ordered local governments to take preventative measures. The confidential suicide prevention order was delivered in emergency meetings in each province of the party committee leaders at the provincial, city and county levels, an official from the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFAs Korean Service on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Our meeting was held at the provincial party committees building located in Pohang district, in the city of Chongjin, he said. The large number of suicide cases in the province was revealed and some officials could not hide their anxious expressions. Criticism of social system Statistics delivered at the North Hamgyong meeting showed that there were 35 suicide cases this year in Chongjin and nearby Kyongsong county alone, the official said, adding that most of the cases involved whole families ending their lives together. [The attendees] were shocked by the disclosure of suicide notes that criticized the country and the social system, he said. At the meeting in Ryanggang province, the attendees were told that suicide has had a greater social impact than starvation, an official there told RFA on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Despite the suicide prevention policy ratified by the General Secretary, the officials were not able to come up with an appropriate solution, he said. Most of the suicides were caused by severe poverty and starvation, so no one can come up with a countermeasure right now. The meeting described several shocking cases in detail, according to the official. In the city of Hyesan, a 10-year-old boy was living with his grandmother after his parents died of starvation, but they took their own lives by eating rat poison, he said. It brought great sadness to all who saw it. The official described other shocking cases revealed at the meeting, including a couple in their 60s who hung themselves from a tree in the mountains, and a family of four who, after eating their final family meal together, ingested potassium cyanide, a highly toxic chemical often used in gold mining. Family suicide is a final act of defiance against a hopeless system, he said. Kim Jong Uns order emphasized that the local government officials must take responsibility for prefenting suicides in their jurisdictions. It was emphasized that the responsible officials will be held jointly accountable, because suicide is a clear social challenge and treason against the country. Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster. While some may have funded the resistance, many belong to civilian business owners. Myanmars military regime has shut down more than 700 mobile bank accounts for allegedly funding anti-junta paramilitary groups in the month of May alone, according to data compiled by Radio Free Asia, industry insiders and account holders. The move is the latest bid by the junta to cut off the flow of assistance to Myanmars armed resistance, which the military has vowed to eradicate in the aftermath of its Feb. 1, 2021, coup detat, but which has made increasing gains on the ground in key areas of the country. An investigation by RFA Burmese found that last month the junta closed at least 721 accounts it accused of ties to anti-junta forces with mobile banking providers including KBZPay, WavePay, AYAPay, and CBPay. The junta shuttered similar bank accounts prior to May, although the number was not immediately clear. Account holders who were locked out of their accounts told RFA that the military had ordered Myanmars Central Bank to monitor irregular money transfers and deposits and to crack down on associated accounts. While some of the closed accounts may have been used by individuals funneling money to anti-junta organizations including the Peoples Defense Force paramilitary group and shadow National Unity Government, others belonged to ordinary civilians running small businesses, some of those affected said Friday. Bank cashiers count Kyat currency notes at the central bank of Myanmar in Yangon, June 27, 2012. Credit: Soe Than Win / AFP Yangon resident Wai Oo said his KBZPay account, which he opened in 2019 to run his online shopping business, was closed by the junta last week with nearly 2 million kyats (US$950) still in it. He said he went to his bank to explain the mistake, but was forced to leave without his money or account reinstated. If they want to cut off support to the PDF, they should do their due diligence first, he said. Online shopping businesses like mine make bank transactions on a daily basis and they should investigate them more carefully. We are being hurt by this baseless closure of our accounts. Amar Myint, a woman from Monywa, also had her KBZPay account frozen on the order of the central bank with no explanation given, even though she only used it for regular banking activities. Im just an ordinary citizen who minds her own business and I dont get involved in any complicated activities, she said, adding that she mostly used her account to pay for her internet access and shop online. When I talked to the bank, they didnt say anything beyond that they were instructed to do so by the central bank. Transactions monitored daily RFA also spoke with employees of private banks who said that, since the coup, they have had to report their institutions online and mobile bank account transactions to the central bank on a daily and monthly basis. Among the accounts, those with at least 10 daily transactions and or that make transfers of 2 million kyats or more are monitored separately, said an official at one bank who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing security concerns. When an account is suspected of transferring money to other regions, they close the account permanently. Attempts by RFA to contact central bank officials regarding the closure of mobile bank accounts went unanswered Friday. KBZPay, a popular banking app on a mobile phone, June 2, 2023. An investigation by RFA Burmese found that during May 2023, Myanmar junta closed at least 721 mobile bank accounts it accused of ties to anti-junta forces with mobile banking providers including KBZPay, WavePay, AYAPay, and CBPay. Credit: RFA Photo Junta Deputy Information Minister Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun said at a press conference in the capital Naypyidaw in September that the imposition of such strict rules was done to prevent financial fraud and violence. Making lives difficult Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, a group formed by former military officers, told RFA that the account closures are key to protecting the nation from terrorism. If you look at it from a national security standpoint, its worrying that some huge amounts of money are transferred from one place to another for suspicious activities by using modern technology and no one can trace them, he said. If these transactions cant be strictly controlled, the resistance groups will continue to receive support, which will lead to more rebellion and chaos for the people. But Sayar Kyaung, the leader of the anti-junta Yangon UG Association, said that the regimes closing of mobile bank accounts impacts not only PDF groups but also the livelihoods of regular civilians. The junta knows that people will not be able to pay attention to the revolution if making ends meet becomes more and more difficult, he said. The junta is trying to cripple peoples businesses so that they will be less willing to support the revolution. Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Digital solutions provider Elm has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Digital Economy, Posts, and Telecommunications of the Central African Republic. The MoU is aimed at promoting business opportunities and driving the countrys digital transformation. It will require implementation of comprehensive digital platforms that offer superior consultancy services, and Elm accordingly will provide the necessary assistance and technologies to develop and implement these innovative digital platforms, thereby enhancing the degree of competency among Central African industries engaged in the digital economy. Elm's spokesperson and VP of Marketing, Majid bin Saad Al-Arifi, said: This association is set to positively impact our efforts aimed at promoting digital infrastructure, fostering economic development and entrepreneurship, and driving digital transformation by advancing digital economy sectors. The agreement also reflects Central Africas commitment to advancing commercial opportunities and the nations overall development. Being a trusted digital solutions provider, we are committed to providing our service and expertise to meet the demands of various industries in launching cutting-edge digital platforms that cater to governmental institutions and provide consultancy, BPM and project management services. Additionally, we look forward to collaborating with more organisations to drive initiatives and events that will raise public awareness on the importance of embracing modern technologies and digital transformation, added Al-Arifi. In accordance with the agreement, both parties will establish long-term goals based on requirements and opportunities in various sectors of the digital economy, as well as develop strategies to leverage these opportunities and advance the economic development of their respective countries. Both entities will further promote business accelerators and startup investments while exchanging knowledge and expertise in the area of digital transformation in private and public sectors. Military seeks to instill fear in those who oppose its rule. Seven Dagon University students were sentenced to death by a secret military court inside Insein Prison on Nov. 30, 2022. Myanmars junta has sentenced at least 156 people to death including four teenagers and many in their 20s since seizing power in a coup detat, according to a group monitoring prisoners of conscience in the country. Thailands Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) said in a report that the junta has increasingly sentenced political activists to death since the Feb. 1, 2022, takeover as a warning to opponents of its rule. Some 42 of the convictions have been in absentia. The real total may actually be much higher, an official from the group told Radio Free Asia, speaking on condition of anonymity citing security concerns. The military junta deliberately gives death sentences to instill fear in the people, he said. However, the people of the spring revolution will continue to fight against the junta no matter how hard they try to scare them. The list includes 18-year-old Hein Min Naing from Mon states Ye township and three 19-year-olds from Yangon regions Thingangyun township named Zaw Lin Naing, Khant Zin Win and Khant Lin Maung Maung. Also on the list is Kaung Set Paing, a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions in his 20s, who was charged with incitement and terrorism on April 25 and sentenced to death, in addition to life imprisonment. Kaung Set Paing, who also runs the anti-junta North Okkalapa Township Student Union, was arrested in December. Kaung Set Paings friend, who gave her name as Yatu, said that she was heartbroken to learn that he was tortured for a month during interrogation prior to his sentencing. A 20-year-old like him would have been enjoying his studies if the military coup hadnt taken place, she said. But now, he is in a hopeless situation in prison. Since he has been sentenced to death, he could be executed at any time and I worry about him everyday. The junta executed four prominent activists in July the first judicial executions in Myanmar in more than 30 years. Kyaw Thet, a 27-year-old resident of Mandalays Wundwin township, was similarly sentenced to 225 years in prison in addition to a death sentence. After being arrested in Meiktila township in January 2022, he was indicted under more than 10 counts of criminal and terrorism charges. A person close to Kyaw Thets family, who declined to be named, told RFA that he is in poor health in Myingyan Prison due to injuries he sustained during interrogation. He suffers a lot of pain in his legs and faints often, as he sustained head injuries when he was beaten during interrogation, they said. His family cannot send him any food or necessities as they are fleeing junta arrest. The family friend said Kyaw Thets other relatives are too scared to go to see him and that the young man has been forced to survive on the kindness of fellow prisoners, who share their food and personal items with him. Murders in prison Nay Phone Latt, spokesman for Myanmars shadow National Unity Government, accused the junta of committing murders in prison with the sentences handed to Kyaw Thet, Kaung Set Paing, and others. The terrorist military junta is killing many people in many ways outside prisons in order to stay in power, he said. In the same way, they are committing murders in prisons, too. A legitimate government would hand out death sentences like that. From left: 88 Generation student leader Jimmy, National League for Democracy MP Phyo Zayyar Thaw, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw have been executed by the Myanmar junta. Credit: Citizen journalist Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, composed of former military officials, claimed that the sentences are necessary, given that the military government controls the three branches of power in the country. From a legal standpoint, we cannot complain about such judgements and sentences given under the law, he said. There certainly is the right to appeal, but whether or not to grant it to those given death sentences depends on crimes they have committed. Junta Deputy Minister of Information Major Gen. Zaw Min Tun, who is also the spokesperson of the military, told the media in December that those sentenced to death will be executed. No proper defense, appeal process But a justice lawyer told RFA that the sentences are illegitimate as those convicted were tried in military tribunals and denied a proper defense in court. There is only one military court of appeal and if it rejects the appeal, the only option left for the defendant is to file a petition for mercy from [junta] chief [Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing], said the lawyer, who also spoke anonymously. Their death sentences are final, as their cases could not be reviewed thoroughly in such a short time. Thats why I believe [they] had very little right to defend themselves. According to the justice lawyer, those sentenced to death have the right to appeal in civilian, district, and plenary courts including to the chief justice and the supreme court. However, he said, since seizing control of Myanmars judicial system, the junta has manipulated the law to severely punish those who oppose it with lengthy prison sentences and death penalties. Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Penpa Tserings appearance in Canberra will go ahead as planned on June 20. Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong (political leader) of the exiled Central Tibetan Administration, speaks with the media in New Delhi, India, April 13, 2023. China is under fire for attempting to prevent the leader of Tibets government-in-exile from giving a speech at the Australian National Press Club in Canberra, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Chinese Embassy representatives met with press club chief Maurice Reily last week and voiced their opposition to Penpa Tserings scheduled appearance on June 20, requesting that his invitation be revoked. China has controlled Tibet since it invaded the region in 1949, and rejects any notion of a Tibetan government-in-exile, particularly the legitimacy of the Dalai Lama, who lives in Dharamsala, India. Beijing has also stepped up efforts to erode Tibetan culture, language and religion. Speeches given at the National Press Club are broadcast on Australian TV and attended by prominent members of the press, so Beijing may be worried about the wider exposure Penpa Tsering would get. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to Australia, in disregard of Chinas position and concern, allowing him to use the NPC platform to engage in separatist activities, the newspaper quoted a letter from the embassy to Reily as saying. The Chinese side urges the Australian side to see through the nature of the Dalai clique, respect Chinas core interests and major concerns, and take concrete actions to remove the negative effects so as to prevent the disruption of the sound development of China-Australia relations and media co-operation. Free Speech Despite Beijings pressure, Reilly told local media that there were no plans to cancel the appearance, and tickets remain on sale on the website of the press club. He said he told the Chinese Embassy officials that the press club was an institution for free speech, free media and public debate. The National Press Club is a stage where everyone is allowed to share their views, Kyinzom Dhongdue, a human rights activist and a former member of the Tibetan parliament in exile, told Radio Free Asias Tibetan Service. We all know how China has worked to build its influence and dependence through trade and economic ties with Australia, she said. In the last decade we have seen Australia's top educational institution cancel a talk by the Dalai Lama, apparently due to pressure from China. But this time, putting pressure on the National Press Club is unimaginable because the National Press Club stands for Freedom of Speech. Karma Singey, the representative for the Dalai Lama in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, said Australia would not cave to Chinese influence. Australia is a democratic country so we are confident that Australia will not let the Chinese government expand its influence and undermine Australian institutions, he said. Translated by Tenzin Dickyi. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster. She says her home is under surveillance and questioned whether she would be able to attend. A day ahead of his trial on Tuesday, the wife of a music lecturer arrested in early September on charges of "conducting anti-state propaganda said he is innocent and called for his release. Dang Dang Phuoc, 60, an instructor at Dak Lak Pedagogical College in Vietnams Central Highlands, often writes on Facebook about educational issues, human rights violations, corrupt officials and social injustice. Police arrested him on Sept. 8 and charged him with "making, storing, spreading or propagating information, documents and items aimed at opposing the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He faces up to 12 years in prison. His case has drawn international attention, including from Human Rights Watch, which also urged Vietnams government to release him Monday. In a statement, the rights group slammed authorities for targeting those who highlight corruption in the Southeast Asian nation, despite claims that they are working to eradicate graft. Speaking to RFAs Vietnamese Service, Phuocs wife Le Thi Ha said that her husbands arrest had caused her family to lose its primary pillar and left them in a state of shock. In Vietnam, whomever [the authorities] arrest, when the arrests take place, and how many years in prison the arrestees are sentenced to ... all are in their hands, she said. However, to me, my husband is innocent. My wish is that my husband be released unconditionally. Anti-corruption advocate During the past decade, Phuoc has campaigned against corruption and advocated for better protections for civil and political rights. He has signed several pro-democracy petitions and called for changes to Vietnams constitution, which grants the Communist Party a monopoly on power. After Phuocs arrest, police summoned Ha for interrogation at least twice and threatened to have her fired if she shared information about his case on social media. According to an indictment obtained by RFA, the Dak Lak Provincial Polices Investigation Security Agency examined a recent recording of Phuocs and found it to slander the government in order to reduce people's trust in management and administration of the government and the state. On Monday, Ha said that her family and close friends plan to attend his trial on Tuesday, but questioned whether the court will allow it. Although the authorities said the trial would be open to the public, there are many precedents in Vietnam that show that even family members were not allowed to attend trials for political dissidents and activists, she said. I dont know how my husbands trial will go. Home under surveillance In the meantime, she said, police have kept a close watch on her household, sending plainclothes officers to document the activities of her family members over the weekend. Their people are still stationed at the road leading to my house, she told RFA. Being aware of many previous cases in which family members of prisoners of conscience received invitations but were still prevented from attending the related trials, I have left my home to increase the chance of being able to attend my husbands trial. On Monday, Phuocs defense lawyers met with him and said that he has been well-treated in detention, describing him as optimistic, positive, healthy, and showing no signs of depression or psychological crisis at all. Of course he admitted to the act, but as for the crime, he said he was exercising his right to speak the truth, lawyer Le Van Luan said. For tomorrow, he prepared the content of his defense. Basically, the defense is strong, covering the entirety of his case. In a statement on Monday, Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson echoed Has call to set Phuoc free. The Vietnam government makes use of its abusive and overly broad laws to prosecute people who call for reforms, said Robertson. The authorities should immediately drop the charges against Dang Dang Phuoc and other activists who play a critical role in rooting out the malfeasance and corruption that the government claims to oppose. He slammed the government for its contempt for freedom of expression, noting that it is extended even to activists who sing a few songs criticizing them. The European Union, which concluded a free trade agreement with Vietnam containing human rights conditionality, and other trade partners, should call out the government for its unrelenting rights violations, he said. Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. The Ukrainian military has reported heavy fighting in Ukraine's east as Russian forces attempt to gain full control of the partially occupied Luhansk and Donetsk regions. "The adversary continues to focus its main efforts on attempts to fully occupy the Luhansk and Donetsk regions," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on June 11. "Heavy fighting continues." 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 in Ukraine, click here. The Russian forces' focus on the Luhansk and Donetsk regions comes as the Ukrainian military conducts a major counteroffensive aimed at retaking Ukrainian territory occupied by Moscow. On June 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged that the long-expected counteroffensive had begun. "Counteroffensive and defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine, but I will not say in detail what stage they are at," Zelenskiy said. During a press conference in Kyiv with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Zelenskiy was asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim earlier in the day that the counteroffensive had begun but that the Ukrainian forces had made no progress. Zelenskiy told reporters to pass on to Putin that Ukraine's generals were "all in a positive mood." Later on June 10, in his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said that the fighting was heaviest on the eastern and southern fronts. "Thank you to all those who hold their positions and those who advance," he said. On June 11, the Ukrainian military issued updated casualty figures that said that more than 980 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded in fighting over the previous 24 hours. The counteroffensive has been complicated by the bursting on June 6 of the Russian-controlled Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper River. Kyiv has accused Moscow of mining the dam and deliberately causing its destruction. Russia, which gained control of the dam shortly after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has steadfastly rejected accusations it was behind the incident in the southern Kherson region. On June 11, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said that Russian forces blew up the dam to limit the Ukrainian counteroffensive and to make Kyiv divert its forces to deal with the resulting ecological and humanitarian crisis. "The explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station was apparently carried out with the intention of preventing the Ukrainian Defense Forces from launching an offensive in the Kherson sector," Malyar wrote on Telegram. Malyar added that the destruction of the dam was also intended to allow Russian reserves in the region to be deployed to reinforce the areas of Zaporizhzhya and Bakhmut. While information on the counteroffensive is limited, there have been reports of losses on both sides. A Ukrainian military spokesman said on June 10 that Ukrainian forces had advanced more than a kilometer at a number of points along the front line near Bakhmut, a city in the Donetsk region that Russian and Ukrainian forces fought over for months before Russia's private Wagner mercenary group gained control of most of the city in May. On June 11, the Ukrainian Land Forces claimed that one of its brigades had liberated the village of Blahodatne, located between Mariupol and Donetsk in the Donetsk region. It published a video on Facebook showing Ukrainian soldiers planting a Ukrainian flag in the window of a damaged building in the village. "The invaders resisted to the last, but could not withstand the onslaught of unrestrained wolverines!" the Land Forces wrote. RFE/RL was unable to independently verify the claim. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War has said that the Ukrainian armed forces appear to have also made some gains in their offensive in the Zaporizhzhya region in the south. The Russian military has said it successfully repelled attacks in both areas. The Russian Defense Ministry has released video footage in recent days showing what it said were numerous strikes on Ukrainian armored vehicles and tanks, including German Leopard 2 tanks and U.S. Bradley fighting vehicles. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu awarded medals on June 11 to soldiers it said had destroyed the foreign weaponry donated to Kyiv. A UN official warned on June 10 of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the dam breach and resulting flooding. UN Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths told AP that an extraordinary 700,000 people are in need of drinking water and said that the crisis will likely lead to lower grain exports, higher food prices around the world, and less to eat for millions in need. "The truth is this is only the beginning of seeing the consequences of this act," Griffiths said. On June 11, the British Defense Ministry said in an intelligence assessment that the destruction of the dam "has almost certainly severely disrupted" the primary source of fresh water to Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Water at the dam's reservoir had likely dropped below the inlet that feeds water to the canal delivering water to the peninsula, according to the assessment. Water is expected to stop flowing in the canal as a result, reducing the availability of fresh water in the south of the Kherson region and in northern Crimea. The operators of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station reported on June 11 that water levels in the dam's reservoir have dropped 9.35 meters since the dam burst last week. On June 10, Ukraine's nuclear energy agency put the last operating reactor at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is cooled by water from the reservoir, into "cold shutdown" as a safety precaution. The British Defense Ministry said that it expected the Russian authorities to meet civilians' water needs by using reservoirs, water rationing, drilling new wells, and bottled water. It said that communities on both sides of the Dnieper face a sanitation crisis, limited access to safe water, and an increased risk of water-borne diseases. Rescue efforts continued on June 11, with the Ukrainian Interior Ministry saying that 35 people, including seven children, remain unaccounted for in the Kherson region. Five people in Kherson and one person in the region of Mykolayiv have died as a result of the floods. The Ukrainian authorities said that 32 towns and villages on the west bank of the Dnieper controlled by Ukrainian forces are still under water. Evacuation efforts were also reported on the eastern bank of the river, which is more vulnerable to flooding. Each side has accused the other of shelling civilians during the rescue efforts. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Current Time, Reuters, AP, and dpa. For the second time in just months, Baku has warned its citizens against traveling to Iran in the wake of a deadly attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran in January that it blamed on the "unstable situation in the Islamic republic." In what has become a habit in recent weeks, Iranian officials have been angered over the perceived obstinacy of its northwestern neighbor and the encroachment of regional adversaries on what Tehran believes to be its backyard. Azerbaijan's increasingly cozy relations with Iran's archfoe, Israel -- highlighted by defense deals, the opening of an embassy in Tel Aviv in March, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog's first visit to Azerbaijan last month -- has become a reliable trigger for Tehran as its own ties with Baku hit new lows. Tehran does not officially recognize Israel, which it refers to disparagingly as a Palestinian-killing "Zionist regime" and accuses of having designs on sabotage and unrest within Iran's borders. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has warned against the travel of its citizens to Iran! This is the same policy that the president of the fake, child-killing, and occupying Zionist regime took during his recent trip to Baku," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani tweeted on June 5. "What should scare the people of Azerbaijan is the Zionist regime, not civilized and Islamic Iran." Complicated Relationship Herzog's visit, during which he said he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev discussed in depth "the regional security structure that is threatened by Iran," appeared to have struck a nerve in Tehran. "From the standpoint of the Islamic republic, the close relations of Azerbaijan with Israel is a major problem, [as is] the active presence of Israel in the military sphere [of Azerbaijan] and providing it with weaponry and the tight economic and security ties between the two countries," Iran analyst Touraj Atabaki, professor emeritus and chairman of the social history of the Middle East and Central Asia at Leiden University, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. But Baku's budding ties with Israel are just one among many factors straining Iran's relationship with Azerbaijan, a fellow Shi'a-majority country. Observers say the relationship has been complicated ever since Azerbaijan became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. But things became even more problematic when Baku retook territory along Iran's border during its 2020 war with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. While Tehran supported Azerbaijan's claim to territory occupied by Iranian ally Armenia, it has strongly opposed Baku's intention to use the retaken lands to build the east-west Zangezur Corridor, which would connect mainland Azerbaijan to its Naxcivan exclave and open a long-sought trade route to Tehran's rival, Turkey, and beyond. The plan was boosted by the Russian-brokered cease-fire that ended the war over Nagorno-Karabakh and called for "all economic and transport connections in the region to be unblocked." While Iran launched large-scale military exercises dubbed "Mighty Iran" along its border with Naxcivan in October 2022 -- a show of force to underscore that it would not "permit the blockage" of its trade and transport links to Armenia -- the initiative has moved forward. As talk of a possible peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan pick up steam, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksei Overchuk announced on May 31 that the two sides were close to an agreement that would pave the way for the route through Armenia and Azerbaijani territory previously occupied by Yerevan, and "open the road to Russia, the countries of the European Union, and Iran." As Iran seeks to boost its sanctions-circumventing trade with Russia, including with the completion of a second north-south route that would also pass through Azerbaijan, the prospect of seeing a trade route crossing its passage to Armenia remains a serious bone of contention. "Iran doesn't like this corridor because in the larger competition and struggle between Tehran and Baku it weakens Iran if this corridor is created, because right now Azerbaijan has to use Iranian airspace or territory to resupply Naxcivan," said Luke Coffey, a foreign policy expert at the Washington-based Hudson Institute think tank. The Zangezur Corridor, if completed, would mean that "Iran will become less important in the eyes of policymakers in Baku, and perhaps Azerbaijan would feel emboldened to take a more hard line against Iran," Coffey told RFE/RL. 'Mighty Iran' And Shi'ite Brotherhood Such a scenario does not sit well with Iran, which has worked to exert its influence in Azerbaijan. "A significant segment of the Azerbaijani population is Shi'a and since the creation of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic republic has considered Azerbaijan as the backyard for the [expansion] of the influence of its brand of Shi'ism," Atabaki said. Tehran is also wary of the effects the loss of influence on Baku will have on Iran's large ethnic Azeri population, separated from Azerbaijan by the Aras River and located primarily in Iran's East and West Azerbaijan provinces. During the 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh, Coffey said, images emerged on social media of ethnic Azeris in Iran "waving Azerbaijani flags on the other side of the river, literally cheering on, like a spectator event, the advancements of the Azerbaijani armed forces." In November 2022, Baku stoked tensions with Iran by staging its own military exercises along the Iranian border, with Aliyev saying they were necessary to show Tehran that "we are not afraid of them." "We will do our best to protect the secular lifestyle of Azerbaijan and Azeris around the world, including in Iran," Aliyev added. "They are part of our people." A Turning Point Amid the continuing back and forth, the January attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran was seen by some observers as a turning point in bilateral relations. Azerbaijan evacuated its embassy staff following the January 27 attack, in which a security guard was killed and two others injured when a gunman stormed the complex and opened fire. Baku blamed the attack on the Iranian secret service and called it an "act of terrorism." In February, the Azerbaijani authorities said that they had detained nearly 40 people on suspicion of spying for Iran. The fray worsened in March with the alleged assassination attempt on Fazil Mustafa, an Azerbaijani lawmaker who had been critical of Iran. Following the arrest in April of four people in connection with the incident, Baku accused Tehran of orchestrating the plot. Two weeks later, Azerbaijani media reported the arrest of 20 people allegedly affiliated with Iran's Intelligence Ministry who were accused of promoting "the Islamic republic's propaganda, spreading religious superstitions, [and] attempting to overthrow the secular government of Baku." In a tit-for-tat move, Tehran and Baku expelled four of each other's diplomats in April. And while diplomatic relations continued, the strains were evident as the two countries' foreign ministers held a series of phone calls that month in which Iran made clear that Tehran did not approve of Baku's relations with Israel. "Only enemies benefit from the existence of differences" between the two countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was quoted as saying by Iran's Shargh daily. Iran's vice president in charge of economic affairs, Mohsen Rezaei, went a step further while addressing members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the western Lorestan Province. "The incitement of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the signing of arms contracts between Israel and the Republic of Azerbaijan was aimed at creating riots in the north of Iran, and to shift the thinking and focus of the army, the IRGC and the government of Iran to the north so that Israel can bomb Iran's nuclear sites," Shargh quoted Rezaei as saying. On May 16, the Azerbaijani authorities announced another haul of individuals it said were recruited by Iran to disrupt Azerbaijan's constitutional order and establish Islamic law. This time, Baku claimed, the seven men detained had allegedly planned to assassinate Azerbaijani public figures. The Feud Continues That set the scene for the visit to Baku by Herzog in late May, held under strict security out of fear of Iranian retaliation. After meeting Herzog, Aliyev lauded the boost that Israeli weaponry had given his country "to modernize our defense capability and allow us to defend our statehood, our national interests, and our territorial integrity." Nearly 70 percent of Azerbaijan's arms imports between 2016 and 2020 were from Israel, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Herzog, in his comments after meeting Aliyev, said that "we expect to develop cooperation between us in many fields." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Kanaani again took to Twitter to air Tehran's views on the development, writing on March 31 that "none of the regional moves of the Zionist regime remain hidden from the penetrating eyes of the Islamic Republic of Iran." The next day, an Iranian opposition hacking group released alleged classified Iranian government documents that appeared to shed light on the January embassy attack and indicated the need to reevaluate Tehran's diplomatic ties with Azerbaijan. The documents, purportedly distributed among top Iranian officials, included advice on how to distance Azerbaijani society from its government and attributed Baku's policies to "Zionist" influence. That potential bombshell was followed by Azerbaijan's announcement on June 2 that it had closed Iran's cultural attache office in Baku, citing "recent disagreements" between the two countries. And on June 3 came the spark for Kanaani's latest Twitter outburst: Azerbaijan's renewed travel warning advising its citizens not to travel to Iran and for those who are already there to be vigilant. Within seconds of blasting Azerbaijan and its ties with Israel in his first tweet on June 5, Kanaani took a softer line, writing that Iran would still "open our arms to our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters," with the goal of continued "mutual respect and respect for neighborhood customs." But in his comments to Radio Farda on June 7, Iran expert Atabaki expressed skepticism, saying that "the Islamic republic is not planning to see its ties with Azerbaijan as an equal relationship." And that mindset, Atabaki said, had allowed relations to reach their current low. Yilian works at a private cafeteria in San Miguel del Padron, Havana. She is off one day a week, and the rest she works shifts in the afternoons until 11:00 PM. She has a three-year-old child that her sick mother takes care of, and sometimes she has to pay a lady to take on the task. She is 26 years old and has never worked for the State. She has given up on obtaining a spot at state daycare facilities. Carla is a stylist employed at a private hairdresser's in Santa Cruz del Norte, Mayabeque. She had been working for less than a year when she had to be admitted for childbirth. She has a two-month-old baby boy and has no access to economic benefits. "I'm considering going back to the salon, part-time, so that I can breastfeed my child," she explained to DIARIO DE CUBA. Gabriela, 29, a self-employed worker, knows that she has no chance at securing a spot at a State daycare facility; "not by a long shot." She pays 3,000 pesos for a cuido (private daycare center) in Havana, "which is one of the cheap ones, because there are some that cost up to 8,000 pesos." She says that she also has to "take her son's snacks, food and everything else." The three mothers say that the legislation should cover them in the same way as employees in the State sector. "Those who work for the government also have a hard time getting their children into daycare, but their chances are greater, and now they are opening these 'little children's homes' (casitas infantiles) at workplaces. I wish I had those options," Yilian says. In March 2023 Decree-Law 71/2023 was approved, by which Decree-Law 56, "On the Maternity of Working Women and the Responsibility of Families," dated October 13, 2021, was modified. The modification is due to the provisions of the Family Code regarding the extension of maternity and paternity protection to commissioning parents and for cases of surrogate motherhood, scenarios addressed in the new law. Cuba is one of the member states that ratified the International Labor Organizations Maternity Protection Convention in June 2004, which upholds "the equality of all women in the labor force and the health and safety of the mother and child, and in order to recognize the diversity of economic and social development in Member States." In Cuba, however, there are notable differences between women employed in the State sector and those who are not when it comes to maternity leave. In the first place, in order to receive the maternity benefit a working mother in the State sector only has to be employed on the date of the beginning of their prenatal leave, regardless of the type of contract she has signed. Even the 75-day employment requirement provided for in the previous legislation was eliminated. A private sector worker, in contrast, must have contributed to the special regime in the 12 months immediately prior to the start date of her maternity leave. In Carla's case, she is forced to resume her work at the hairdresser's near her home because she had not worked for a full year before giving birth, and has no more income. Her husband's salary, also hired by self-employed workers, is not even enough "to start the month." The regulation establishes that the minimum salary (2,100 CUP) in both the State and non-State sectors, in cases where both the salary and the average contribution base are lower, will be taken as a reference for the economic benefit. The above is also stipulated for mothers, fathers or working family members, beneficiaries of the special Social Security regimes who at the time of the entry into force of Decree-Law 56 were receiving an economic or social benefit for maternity in an amount less than the minimum wage. However, this policy is not applied in the non-State sector, where there is no full benefit for pregnant women, or any cash benefit for mothers with sick children. A mother, father or one of the working grandparents who take on the care of the child can benefit from unpaid leave from the first year of life of the child until it reaches five years of age, but this is only applicable to the state sector. Access to early childhood education In 2021, a campaign by Cuban activists collected signatures for the creation of daycare centers to enable rural Cuban women enter the workforce. Women in the Cuban countryside, limited and economically dependent, continue to struggle with a lack of childcare. Private day care centers, known as cuidos, have been the only option for thousands of Cuban working mothers in recent years. Many do not have help from family members who can take care of children who are not yet of school age. This is another issue that Cuban women must consider when it comes to having a child. Although it is not established in the aforementioned norms, the establishment of priorities for access to and enrollment at day care centers is part of the maternity legislation. In this regard, working mothers in the State sector and student mothers have advantages over working mothers in the private sector. Ena Elsa Velazquez Cobiella, head of the Ministry of Education (MINED), admitted in January of this year that Cuba does not have sufficient facilities to meet the existing demand, and that there were 42,000 pending applications from working mothers that could not be approved. There are currently 1,122 daycare facilities open on the island. Maria de los Angeles Gallo Sanchez, national director of Early Childhood at MINED, told Granma at the end of January that 25,086 slots were delivered, which meant only 46.9% of the total number of applications received: 53,447. According to the official, only 719 of these slots were granted to self-employed workers, although she did not specify whether they were business owners or hired workers. The remaining 24,367 slots were distributed among the state sector, students and social cases. To alleviate this situation, the Cuban government turned to casitas infantiles (childrens houses), created by work centers and which, according to official data, number around 80 and serve 1,900 children, still far below the needs. Velazquez Cobiella said that the MINED must approve the opening of casita infantiles, with requests to be filed by employers in order to resolve the situations of their workers. This issue is covered by Resolution 58/2021, which also regulates the operation of this type of institution. "The funds for their opening, maintenance and sustainability must be provided by the employer, which is also responsible for the selection of the premises, furniture and material resources required. It will also ensure that no significant differences are generated relative to what is applied at (State) childcare centers." The MINED, meanwhile, has to guarantee "the material basis for study, as well as educational attention to children by educators and auxiliary pedagogical staff with degrees in the specialty of Early Childhood Education." The lack of childcare and childcare options is one of the reasons why fewer and fewer Cuban women are deciding to have children, and those who do are not having more than one child in a country suffering from an aging population. "I decided to have one and call it quits," Carla told DIARIO DE CUBA, in a joking tone, but serious in her determination. "When the child starts walking I?ll have to put him in daycare, but now it's up to me to come up with the pesos. Dressing and feeding a child drains your pockets. I don't even want to think about when I have to spend more on childcare," she concludes. Kyrgyzstan is the only country in Central Asia where the number of female migrant workers exceeds that of men, with a sizeable proportion of the women under the age of 20. But some politicians in the remittances-dependent nation want to impose restrictions on young, unmarried women traveling abroad alone for work. The politicians have argued that young women often face exploitation and other hardships as migrant workers. Last month, conservative lawmaker Nadira Narmatova suggested that women should not be permitted to go abroad for work until at least the age of 23. Speaking at a discussion focused on women and migration on May 24, Narmatova criticized men, she said, who send their wives and daughters to work abroad while they stay at home. Another conservative lawmaker, Shailoobek Atazov, told the parliament on May 26 that young women traveling abroad alone should first report to the authorities and explain why and where they intend to go. Atazov came under fire last year when he suggested that unmarried women under 23 should be prevented from going abroad unless they are accompanied by their parents. That proposal prompted protests by activists, who said the move would violate women's rights and demanded that Atazov resign. "When we said we need to take care of the safety of 18-year-old girls, you came to parliament in miniskirts to protest, saying that 'We are 18, we know where to go,'" Atazov, referring to last year's protests, told lawmakers on May 26. Women Breadwinners The latest calls echo a controversial proposal made a decade ago by lawmaker Yrgal Kadyralieva, who suggested that women under 23 should not be allowed to leave the country without the permission of their parents. The travel restrictions proposed by Kadyralieva would only apply to female migrant workers, not women who have received concrete offers to work or study abroad. Kadyralieva said her proposal is aimed at preventing young Kyrgyz women from becoming the victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Ministry on May 30 responded to Atazov and Narmatova's calls by saying that such travel restrictions on women would violate the country's constitution. The ministry said it was exploring ways to ensure the safety of Kyrgyz migrant workers. Like in neighboring Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, many households in impoverished Kyrgyzstan depend on remittances sent from the estimated 1.5 million Kyrgyz migrants who work abroad. Kyrgyzstan's Labor and Migration Minister Kudaibergan Bazarbaev said last year that the number of female Kyrgyz migrant workers has been steadily rising since 2014. By some estimates, around 14 percent of Kyrgyz women who work abroad are under the age of 20. Most of the estimated 30,000 Kyrgyz migrant workers in Turkey are women. Many of them work in the hospitality and services sector as well as in private homes, where they are employed as caregivers, maids, and babysitters. Create Opportunities At Home Kanykei, a Kyrgyz migrant worker who lives in the Russian city of Surgut, said the calls for "travel bans" on women would not stop people from leaving Kyrgyzstan in search of work. "We seek jobs abroad because we don't have better [alternatives] at home," said the 28-year-old, who gave only her first name. Kanykei left her homeland alone at 18 to join her aunt, who had settled in Russia. Kanykei's father had stopped working full-time after he sustained a work-related injury. Kanykei's first job was cleaning the staircases and corridors at several high-rise apartment blocks. Her income enabled her to send around $150 per month to her parents in Kyrgyzstan. Now she works at a supermarket, stocking shelves with products. "I don't know what some [politicians] think of young migrant women, but what I see is that the Kyrgyz women working here are decent, hardworking people who just want to help their families," said Kanykei, who is now married to a fellow Kyrgyz migrant. "I just wanted my parents and younger siblings to be able to buy food. That's why I came to Russia," she said. Kanykei said many migrants "would perhaps go back home" if there were opportunities in Kyrgyzstan. Russia says its forces have repelled a multipronged "large-scale" Ukrainian offensive in the eastern Donetsk region, but Kyiv rejected the report, calling it an attempt at disinformation while denying it had launched its long-awaited counterattack to reclaim territory lost since Moscow invaded in February 2022. Kyiv did say on June 5, however, that its forces were shifting to offensive actions in some areas and conducting small-scale armored operations. 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 in Ukraine, click here. The Russian claim, which came after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told The Wall Street Journal two days earlier that Ukrainian forces were ready for the counteroffensive, could not be independently verified and was rejected by the Ukrainian military. "In order to demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the public, including their own, Russian propagandists are spreading false information about a counteroffensive, its directions, and the losses of the Ukrainian Army, even though there is no counterattack," the Ukrainian military said in a statement. It said that Russia used old videos and pictures "as well as other fake materials" in its report about the alleged counteroffensive, in which Russian officials said Ukraine suffered heavy losses. Earlier on June 5, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video statement saying that Ukrainian forces attacked five points in Donetsk using six mechanized and two tank battalions but their action "had no success." The statement said that the chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, personally supervised the Russian defense. General Oleksandr Syrskiy, the commander of Ukraines ground forces, said on June 5 that Ukrainian forces kept advancing near Bakhmut, the city that has been at the epicenter of the monthslong battle for control of Ukraine's Donetsk region. But he made no mention of a counteroffensive. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said that "in some sectors, we are conducting offensive actions. We are advancing there on a rather wide front. We are having some success." The comments about Ukrainian gains in the Bakhmut area was confirmed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Russia's Wagner Group, whose mercenaries were at the forefront of the monthslong battle for the devastated city. Wagner fighters claimed they had captured Bakhmut last month and handed it to regular Russian forces. But in an audio message posted by Wagner's media arm, a voice purported to be Prigozhin's said that a village just northwest of Bakhmut has now been retaken by Ukrainian forces. "Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away. Disgrace!" the voice attributed to Prigozhin said. In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy on June 5 praised Ukrainian troops for making gains near Bakhmut. "Well done, warriors! We see how hysterically Russia reacts to any step we take there, all positions we take. The enemy knows that Ukraine will win," Zelenskiy said. For its part, the Ukrainian military said on June 5 that its forces had detected and repelled an attempt by Russia to infiltrate a "sabotage and reconnaissance" group in the eastern Kharkiv region. "On the Siverskiy and Slobozhanskiy directions over the past day, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate the state border of Ukraine in the area of the Zelene settlement of the Kharkiv region," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in a message early on June 5. The Kharkiv Region borders Russia's Belgorod region, where fighting was reported repeatedly in recent days. For months, Ukrainian officials have spoken about preparing a counteroffensive to drive Russian forces back. Zelenskiy told the WSJ in his interview that his country was ready to launch the action, saying, "I don't know how long it will take," and admitting that it could come at a heavy cost. WATCH: A 63-year-old Ukrainian soldier with the call sign "Granddad" is fighting to defend his ancestral Cossack homeland in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya region. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on June 5 told Reuters that Ukraine has as enough weapons to launch its counteroffensive against Russia and that the operation will lead to victory, but he declined to say if the counteroffensive had begun. Western assessments have said the offensive will be larger and more complicated than any other effort Ukraine has conducted since the launch of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. Ukraines newest units, plus all of its regular and irregular units, will go into their offensive with more than $32 billion in weapons and security assistance from U.S. arsenals, plus billions more from European allies. Russia, meanwhile, has been digging in and expanding its defensive lines -- minefields, trenches, anti-tank dragons teeth -- across the roughly 1,200-kilometer front that stretches from Ukraines Luhansk region, in the Donbas, southwest to the mouth of the Dnieper River and its eastern banks in the Kherson region. Inside Russia, anti-Kremlin Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) fighters late on June 5 claimed to have captured Novaya Tavolzhanka -- a town of about 5,000 people -- in the Belgorod region. The claim could not be independently verified. Based in Ukraine, the RVC and another group, the Free Russia Legion, have made stunning cross-border incursions in recent weeks, attacking Russian forces in towns and villages in the Belgorod region. Ukraine has denied it is behind the attacks. With reporting by AFP and Reuters For weeks now, along the nearly 1,000-kilometer Ukrainian front line that stretches from the northeastern city of Kharkiv south to Donetsk and then west to the mouth of the Dnieper River, there's been a noticeable uptick in clashes, skirmishes, and full-fledged combat between Ukrainian and Russian forces. Ukrainian officials, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy himself, have signaled that a major counteroffensive is imminent, an operation that could turn out to be pivotal for the course of the entire invasion, now in its 15th month. Overnight on June 5, Russia's Defense Ministry said Ukraine had launched a "large-scale offensive" south of Donetsk, along the administrative border between the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya regions, and claimed Russian forces had thwarted the effort. Ukraine cautioned that Russia was prone to deception and exaggeration. But a Ukrainian deputy defense minister said later the same day that "in some areas we are moving to offensive actions." So, has Ukraine's counteroffensive finally gotten under way? Maybe. "There is no perfect time to launch the Ukrainian offensive, but there will be a time that is optimum for Ukrainian force preparations and where they are most able to exploit Russian weaknesses," Mick Ryan, a retired Australian Army general, said in a post on Twitter on June 4. "That time is close. H-Hour approaches." So What Do We Know? Like all official statements, the announcement by the Russian Defense Ministry should be taken with a major grain of salt or a hefty pinch. Ukraine on June 4 had launched a "large-scale offensive" in five places south of Donetsk, involving "six mechanized and two tank battalions," the Russian ministry said in a post published on Telegram just after midnight. In a later update, the ministry claimed 250 Ukrainian troops from Ukraine's 31st Mechanized Brigade had been killed near the village of Neskuchne, along with more than three dozen tanks and armored personnel carriers, including U.S.-supplied Bradley vehicles. "The enemy did not achieve his tasks. He had no success," the ministry said. On its own, it would be easy to file that away under the rubric: "Very Unconfirmed Statements Made By The Russian Defense Ministry." There is no easy way to independently verify battlefield reports, even under the best of circumstances. Ukraine has imposed restrictions for Ukrainian and foreign reporters accessing the front lines. The Russian reporters and bloggers who travel with Russian units frequently publish reports of questionable veracity. But overnight, June 4 into June 5, Russian military bloggers -- some of whom are exceedingly well plugged into military and intelligence circles -- published a stream of reports pointing to intensifying localized battles near Vuhledar, the Vremevskiy ledge, Soledar, Velyka Novosilka, and other possible locations. "A second wave of attacks...Soledar itself is under heavy fire," Semyon Pegov, a Russian blogger notorious for often propagandistic claims, said in a post early on June 5. "There is a tough fight going on." "The enemy is also conducting offensive operations in the Artyomovsk area," Aleksandr Kots, a reporter with the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid newspaper, said on June 5. "Under artillery fire: Soledar north of the city. Fighting is also taking place to the southwest of Bakhmut." Artyomovsk is the Soviet-era name for Bakhmut. "For 12 hours, fighting has continued near Velyka Novosilka. The enemy continues to be active in the direction of Novodonetske. In the [Vuhledar] direction, both sides are actively working their artillery," another blogger, Boris Rozhin, wrote on June 5. Aleksandr Khodakovsky, who commands a notorious unit of Russian-backed forces in the Donetsk region, said early on June 5 that 30 Ukrainian armored vehicles were seen moving near Novodonetske and Vuhledar. "As a result, a strike group that is currently operating in Novodonetske entered the line of attack almost unnoticed," he wrote on Telegram. "Having...crushed any communications, the enemy was able to put us in a difficult position. The situation is developing." Khodakovsky later reported that Leopard tanks were seen near Velyka Novosilka. If true, it would be the first time that the formidable German-made tanks were being employed by Ukrainian forces. Rybar, a Telegram channel reportedly run by a former Defense Ministry press officer, said that as of the afternoon of June 5, Ukrainian troops were battling Russian forces near the Vremyevskiy ledge and Novodaryivka, including units from the 23rd and 31st Mechanized Brigades. The channel also reported a convoy of 30 Ukrainian armed vehicles, reportedly from the 37th Naval Infantry Brigade, taking a village in the Novodonetske district. "Now the fighting continues under heavy artillery fire," it said. "At the moment, about half of the village is under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces." What Are The Ukrainians Saying? Not surprisingly, they're not saying much. However, in a Telegram post released on the evening of June 5, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar signaled that some "offensive actions" were under way and singled out Bakhmut. "We are continuing the defense that we started on February 24, 2022," she said, referring to the day Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine. "A defensive operation includes everything, including counteroffensive actions. Therefore, in some areas we are moving to offensive actions." "In particular, the Bakhmut direction remains the epicenter of hostilities. There we are moving along a fairly wide front. We occupy the dominant heights," she wrote. "We are successful." Ukraine has taken pains, and struggled at times, to control the information narrative surrounding the entire invasion. Over the winter months, Ukraine and Russia slogged through a cold stalemate, with Russian forces making several efforts to seize the initiative, probing and pushing Ukraine lines. One push near Vuhledar, which is south of Donetsk, in January and February resulted in disaster for several regular Russian units. More recently, Russia had declared victory in Bakhmut, a Donetsk region city of questionable strategic value that was the focus of nearly 10 months of brutal urban warfare. The city has been obliterated. Ukraine has not conceded its loss to the Russians. Even before Bakhmut, Ukrainian officials were signaling that a major push was forthcoming. Western analysts say it could be Kyiv's last real attempt to reclaim momentum on the battlefield and prove to its backers in Washington, Brussels, Berlin, and elsewhere that now is not the time for peace negotiations. NATO, and even some non-NATO members, have been training Ukrainian forces in Western-style command and maneuver tactics. These are tactics not used by Ukraine's military command, whose senior leadership traditionally subscribe to Soviet-legacy doctrines and practices. At least nine brigades -- typically consisting of between 3,000 and 5,000 troops -- have been trained by NATO, and Ukraine itself has reorganized the military to create at least four other new brigades as well. All are expected to be the vanguard of any major offensive operation. Judging by the initial unverified reports, only a small number of Ukrainian units were engaged in active fighting as of June 5. Well before the recent uptick in fighting, going back to the spring of 2022, Ukraine began conducting a low-level shadow war across the border inside Russia, using drones, artillery -- helicopters, in one instance -- to target sites like fuel depots and pipelines. Ukrainian officials have winkingly denied responsibility for the cross-border attacks, claiming to have no knowledge of them, while also in some cases endorsing them. Incursions involving armed groups have also increased drastically since the winter, and last month, a group of Ukrainian-aligned, anti-Russian fighters held off Russian forces in the Belgorod border region for nearly two days -- the largest such incursion to date. On June 4, another group of Ukrainian-aligned fighters said they had captured several Russian soldiers and turned them over to Kyiv, as the regional governor acknowledged yet more fighting in the border region. On May 27, Ukraine's military published a video narrated by the country's top military officer, General Valery Zaluzhniy, in which he intoned: "It's time to take back what is ours." And in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on June 3, Zelenskiy said Ukraine was finally ready to launch the counteroffensive. "We strongly believe that we will succeed," he said. Still, on June 4, Ukraine's defense minister published a video, in English, exhorting the general public to keep quiet about Ukrainian operations and the coming counteroffensive. "The beginning will not be announced," the video said. Is It Just Propaganda or 'Maskirovka'? Given that "information operations" or "maskirovka" is an important historical weapon in Russian military operations, it's a good question to ask: Are the Russians seeking to throw off Ukrainian commanders and the wider public as to what is happening? Maskirovka refers to any sort of deception, feint, or denial aimed at fooling an enemy in some way. The strategic communications unit of Ukraine's armed forces warned on June 5 that Russian social networks and bloggers were preparing to "intensify the spread of unreliable information about the combat operationsin order to demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community (including their own population)." "Russian propagandists will spread false information about the counteroffensive, its directions, and the losses of the Ukrainian Army. Even if there is no counterattack," the unit said. It's in Ukraine's interest to both downplay any Russian statements and to minimize independent information about battlefield movements: "operational security" or "op-sec." And it's in Russia's interest to both exaggerate its claims, not only to try and "demoralize" Ukrainians, but also to trumpet victories, which have been far and few between. If It's Not THE Counteroffensive, What Is It? The size and number of Ukrainian units reported in active combat as of June 5 appears to be relatively small: a handful of brigades, at most. That would suggest these events do not constitute the actual counteroffensive that everyone has been anticipating. Along with the drone attacks and the cross-border raids, it may suggest what military experts call "shaping" operations: an effort to probe Russian lines, to try and find weak points, or to force Russian commanders to move units from one location to another. Alphinity Investment Management has partnered with CSIRO, Australias national science agency, to forge a strategic alliance focused on creating a Responsible AI (R-AI) Framework tailored specifically for investors. This remarkable collaboration aims to tackle the critical Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations arising from the extensive adoption of AI technologies across diverse sectors. Through their combined expertise, Alphinity Investment Management and CSIRO intend to develop a comprehensive framework that assesses and mitigates the risks associated with responsible AI implementation. The forthcoming framework will provide investors with essential insights into the potential ESG implications of AI-driven practices and investments. This partnership comes at a time when regulators and stakeholders are increasingly emphasizing the need for ethical and responsible AI utilization. Their efforts will result in a forthcoming report, slated for release later this year. This report will assess responsible AI risks across various sectors and promote current best practices. Through this initiative, Alphinity Investment Management and CSIRO aim to shape a responsible and sustainable future for AI integration in investment decision-making. Mounting demands for AI regulation Additionally, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), the peak body for innovation technology in Australia, is calling on the Federal Government to work together with industry to establish a responsible and effective regulatory approach for the safe use and development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country, all while fostering innovation. The AIIA emphasises that knee-jerk reactions from regulators, detached from industry and academia, would be counterproductive, especially considering that generative AI has not yet reached its full potential, and its use cases are still not fully understood. CEO of AIIA, Mr Simon Bush, stressed the importance of collaboration between the government and industry in developing regulations that are adaptable to the evolving landscape of generative AI technologies. He stated, Strict regulation applied in isolation from industry stifles innovation. Thats why we call for meaningful participation from Government and industry to establish flexible guardrails as generative AI technologies evolve. The AIIA suggests that existing AI use cases in sectors such as transport and health can be effectively managed through self-applied frameworks. The organisation highlights the evolution of best-practice guardrails through collaborations between academics and industry leaders and urges the government to support such initiatives and involve industry in potential regulatory frameworks. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Increasingly around the world, key infrastructure and resources are under threat from malicious cyber actors intent on disruption or destruction. The technology, internet, and digital services that we rely on are underescalating attack, said U.S. Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield. This includes news sites and government pages, internet services that monitor our air and water, control our electricity and transportation, and facilitate our day-to-day lives. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield noted that cyber threats are coming not only from rogue actors but also state players, some of whom are also engaging in bad-faith efforts to shape the norms and laws around cyber security. The examples of state actors engaging in malicious cyber operations include Russia, which early in its unjustified war against Ukraine targeted Ukraines power grid and satellite communications; and Iran, whose attack on Albania last year destroyed government data and disrupted numerous public services. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also pointed to Chinas behavior with government-affiliated actors engaging in ransomware attacks and other malicious activity, as well as the DPRKs indiscriminate cyberattacks that impacted critical infrastructure networks in more than 150 countries. Given these myriad, serious, and dynamic threats, all of us are looking to the UN for both prevention and response. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield welcomed the recent cyber security meetings at UN headquarters and emphasized that the Security Council must also take a leading role in raising awareness, condemning, and holding actors accountable for malicious cyber activity. We need to be promoting a shared understanding of what rules and norms apply in cyberspace, and specifically the framework of responsible state behavior in cyberspace. Fortunately, she said, the UNs Group of Governmental Experts has developed such a framework, and by consensus the General Assembly has repeatedly affirmed it: International law applies in cyberspace. States are expected to uphold voluntary norms of state behavior during peacetime. And states should undertake practical cooperative measures to enhance cybersecurity. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield noted that the UN Cyber Program of Action, or POA, which Member States strongly supported last fall, would provide a permanent body focused on implementing the framework and building states cyber capacity. We must urgently continue our conversation about the POAs establishment, she said. We look forward to working with all Member States to realize our shared goal of an open, secure and stable cyberspace that benefits us all. A CARE home which came under scrutiny after whistleblowers criticised its management has been downgraded after a watchdog found several concerns, including one resident being left without their prescribed medication for five days. Byron Lodge Care Home in West Melton was rated good by the Care Quality Commission in December 2020 but dropped to requires improvement following the unannounced inspection in April. The CQCs report told of poor meal time experiences, and equipment, furniture and storerooms needing deep cleaning. The Advertiser reported in 2021 on issues at the home after whistleblowers told of concerning incidents, including a bizarre alleged episode of a plumber pretending to be a policeman and telling a confused resident to get dressed. Ex-employees also told the paper the incident described in internal documents as like a circus was part of a pattern of mismanagement, safeguarding breaches and staffing issues. Parent company We Care Group insisted all incidents were fully investigated and reported to the authorities, safeguarding and disciplinary procedures were followed and staffing concerns were wide of the mark. During their visit to the home last month, inspectors reviewed the key areas of safety, which dropped from good to requires improvement, and leadership, which remained as requiring improvement. Areas not inspected caring, responsive and effective retained the good ranking, leaving the home with an overall status of requires improvement. Inspectors found some gaps in the recording of medicines, as well as an instance where stock levels of a prescribed medication had run out, leaving one resident without for five days. There was no evidence to show what action had been taken to obtain these medicines, the inspectors noted. We raised this with the manager who took immediate action. Inspectors observed two dining experiences at the home on Dryden Road which could be improved, including in one unit where everyone was given drinks in adapted cups, when some preferred to drink from ordinary ones. Audits had identified areas of improvement, but these were not always actioned in a timely way. An infection control audit in March noted the sluice bin needed replacing, but this had still not happened when the CQC visited the following month. Inspectors spoke to five service users, two relatives and seven employees, as well as touring the facility home to 43 people at the time, some of whom were living with dementia. New manager Lindsey Thawley had been in post about four weeks, with people, relatives, and staff speaking highly of her. One person said they were very happy, adding: The new manager is nice. Shes doing stuff different shes improving things already. Staff were aware of what actions to take to safeguard people from the risk of abuse, the manager kept a record of any safeguarding concerns and could demonstrate issues were reported to the authorities and staff had received safeguarding training. Residents also told the CQC they felt safe living at the home. Some staff felt they sometimes lacked enough employees, with one saying they were regularly the only carer on a unit, but since the inspection, staff had told the watchdog the issue had been resolved. Bernie Suresparan, chief executive officer at We Care Group, said the home was disappointed by the rating. We would like to reassure residents, their families and the local community that the new manager and all the team have put an action plan together to make the necessary improvements identified, he said. We are pleased that we have the support of residents and family members who spoke highly of the new manager saying she was approachable and taking action to improve the service. We are confident that the home will soon be back to the good standard we expect with our homes. HELLABYS Lifewise Centre film set welcomed school pupils to mark Project Edward efforts to end fatalities on the highways. The annual safety campaign aims to stamp out all tragedies, with Edward standing for every day without a road death there were 36 people killed on South Yorkshires roads in 2021, with another 660 seriously injured. Under-16s accounted for about one in six of the injuries. Lifewise runs the Crucial Crew project, in which youngsters take part in real-life scenarios around personal safety. Margaret Lawson, community safety manager, said: We are really proud of the interventions we run here and the feedback we get from schools is always very positive. Our interactive road safety scenario is aimed at pupils who are preparing to travel more independently to secondary school and looks at decision making as well as hazard awareness. We welcome the Project Edward team and are grateful to be able to show the rest of the UK the work that we are doing to help keep our young people safe. Tom Finnegan-Smith, who chairs the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership, said: Our partners share Project Edwards long-term objective of a road traffic system free from death and serious injury. We know that it is ambitious and will take a lot of hard work, but Vision Zero is the only acceptable target. Everyone deserves safe roads, and it is up to each and every one of us, whether we are engineers, educators, road users or enforcers, to play our part in preventing collisions. The only way we will ever stop families suffering the pain of losing a loved one in a road traffic collision is by working together and sharing responsibility. Alison Buxton, headteacher at Long Toft Primary in Doncaster, said: Road safety is such an important issue for our pupils and we want all our families to feel safe as they travel to and from school. By getting the children involved, we hope it will highlight the dangers of speeding and irresponsible parking. EIGHT mates from Maltby are set for a 192-mile coast-to-coast walk in aid of Bluebell Wood. Conner Wesley and his team Rob Pryke, Craig Edwards, Matt Whitehead, Corey Mangham, Chris Daley, Danny Bearman, and Caleb Wedge are already halfway to their 10,000 target. They will set off on August 3 on the nine-day trek, which will see them wild camping each night. Conner said: We were keen to do the challenge for a good cause and couldnt think of a better charity then Bluebell Wood. Everyone we spoke to said the same thing because of the fantastic support they give to local children. The walk will take the lads from the Irish Sea, through the Lake District onto the Yorkshire Dales, across the North Yorkshire Moors, finishing at Robin Hoods Bay. Weve all been training really hard for it and getting lots of people involved in our fundraising, added Conner. Im up at 4am training for the walk every morning and am really looking forward to the big day. We have a big family fun day planned for when we have finished, so we are committed to finishing in time. Eleanor Hughes, regional fundraiser at the childrens hospice, said: Its great to see how enthusiastic the lads are in taking on such a big challenge and they have already done an amazing job with their training and fundraising. Every penny they raise will help us to be there for local children and their families at the toughest of times. Visit www.justgiving.com/page/conner-wesley-1680110552576qrcode to donate. The services sector in Australia continued to expand in May, albeit at a slower pace, the latest survey from Judo Bank revealed on Monday with a services PMI score of 52.1. That's down from 53.7 in April, although it remains above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. New growth accelerated in May, extending the period of sales expansion that began in April. Higher tourism activity coupled with new client wins underpinned the latest improvement, according to panelists. That said, new business wins were largely limited to the domestic economy as foreign demand recorded its first monthly decline this year, albeit marginally. The survey also showed that the composite index slipped to 51.6 in May from 53.0 in April. Driving the latest increase in composite output was an improvement in services activity as manufacturing output contracted. This was as higher demand for services contrasted with softening manufacturing new orders and reinforcing the divergence in performance between the two broad sectors covered by the survey. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. iomart Group plc. (IOM.L), a cloud computing company, announced on Monday that it has agreed to acquire Extrinsica Global Holdings Limited, a Microsoft Azure Cloud solution services provider. The acquisition is expected to provide iomart with deep Microsoft Azure expertise and a team of 33 members based in the UK, along with strong customer references. Initially iomart will pay 4 million pounds, and a further 0.3 million pounds in cash on conditions of satisfying certain targets. There is an additional contingent payment of 4 million pounds-7 million pounds involved, depending on Extrinsica's profitability for the year ending March 31, 2024. Out of the initial consideration, 2 million pounds will be paid by issuing 1,562,500 new iomart shares, and the rest of 2 million pounds in cash. On conclusion of acquisition, iomart will also repay pay 3.7 million of Extrinsica's debts. The company intends to fund the transactions using its cash and bank facilities. Simon Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Extrinsica, will continue to operate as the executive chief. On Friday, shares of iomart closed at 167 pence up 3.47% or 5.60 pence on the London Stock Exchange. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) announced Monday it has signed a definitive agreement to merge its Outcomes to Transaction Data Systems (TDS), a portfolio company of BlackRock Long Term Private Capital and GTCR, in exchange for a minority stake in the combined entity. The combined organization will expand upon TDS's existing solutions for delivering clinical care, medication therapy management and diversifying pharmacy revenue streams by adding Outcomes' digital capabilities for patient engagement, virtual verification, order grouping, pill counting, and financial insights. The transaction will create a broad, integrated offering of pharmacy workflow software with patient engagement and clinical solutions to serve the patient, pharmacy, payer, and pharmaceutical company ecosystem. Under the terms of the agreement, Cardinal Health's pharmaceutical segment CEO, Debbie Weitzman, will be appointed to the TDS board of directors. Together, TDS and Outcomes will create additional opportunities for pharmacists to participate in sponsored clinical interventions and better access for payors and pharmaceutical companies to drive better care and outcomes for patients. The transaction is anticipated to close, subject to customary closing conditions and the expiration or termination of regulatory periods, in the third calendar quarter of 2023. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Upcoming Kia Picanto facelift will be the second facelift for the 3rd gen model and will feature Kia EV9s wild design language The South Korean brand, Kia, is updating its Picanto hatchback (Kia Morning in some markets). This is Kias most affordable model globally and its Hyundai counterpart is the new recently facelifted Hyundai i10. This is the second facelift for the 3rd generation Picanto which debuted in 2017. Kia seems to be updating Picanto in a three-year period as the first facelift for 3rd gen happened in 2020. Europe is the main market for Picanto. It primarily rivals global Citroen C3, Dacia Sandero, Volkswagen Up, MG 3 and Hyundai i10. Kia Picanto facelift will officially debut later this month for global markets. Kia Picanto Facelift Leaks Completely Previous set of leaked spy shots didnt reveal many design elements. Recent spy shots are from a studio and reveal design changes in their entirety. There is a design overhaul in the front and back, while the side silhouette is similar to the outgoing model. Kia has also brought its flagship EV9s design language to its most affordable model. This is evident in the front and rear. At the sides, there are new alloy wheels with a 4-spoke geometric pattern design. There are new side skirts that bring some aggression into the picture. In the pictures, we can see its top-spec GT Line trim which gets additional sporty elements to live up to its sporty credentials. The headlights are vertical in placement and get interesting LED DRL signatures. These resemble EV9 along with the chrome element that connects both headlights. There is a black surround for the air intake part of the bumper. But only the center part is air intake and flanked by multiple faux air intakes. Outgoing model has halogen bulbs in projector units, while Picanto facelift features reflector-style LED headlights. Rear gets new LED tail lights that get connected by an LED light bar on either side. That said, these LED bars dont physically connect like seen on Hyundai Venue. The same effect in the front fascia is reflected in the tail lights design as well. Since this is the Picanto GT Line, it features a fake rear diffuser as well. Will it launch in India? Unlike other Kia models, there is a twin screen effect on dashboard. Instead, there is a free-standing 8 infotainment touchscreen display on dashboard and a 4.2 screen for instrumentation. Steering wheel and other interior bits are similar to outgoing model. Euro-spec cars will get a full suite of ADAS features. But Australia-spec model is likely to only get mandated emergency braking and forward collision warning. Also, Australian model will miss out on ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger and other features. The 1.2L NA petrol (83 bhp, 122 Nm) and 1.0L turbo petrol (100 bhp and 172 Nm) are likely to be similar to outgoing model. We hope Kia India brings Picanto to our shores, but not the Latin-spec model. Source Table of Awardees and Project Summaries Klamath Community College | Construction Resilience | $999,424 Construction of a 45kW net-metered PV solar system with 25kW battery backup on the new KCC training facility. City of Pilot Rock | Construction Renewable | $1,000,000 City of Pilot Rock partnership with Pilot Rock Solar 2, for the construction of a 2.9 MW Oregon Community Solar Program development. City of Bend | Planning Resilience | $100,000 Planning for up to 600kW of net-metered solar PV and up to 500kW energy storage across multiple buildings and covered structures at city's new public works campus in development to offset costs and provide emergency continuous power. Columbia County | Construction Resilience | $992,116 Construction of a net-metered 32kW PV solar system with 125kW battery storage and backup power circuitry for county operations in the John Gumm building. Chemeketa Community College, Brooks Campus | Planning Resilience | $99,800 Planning for a net-metered 45kW solar system with a 250kW battery storage system that will serve a community water station. The system will be enrolled in the electric utility's Energy Partner program. Lowell School District #71 | Planning Resilience | $100,000 Planning a 100kW net-metered solar PV system with 250kW battery storage and microgrid controllers to supply power to critical services at Lowell High School. Medford School District | Planning Renewable | $85,000 Planning for net-metered solar PV at two schools, paired with EV charging and possibly battery storage Rogue Community College | Planning Resilience | $100,000 Planning for net-metered solar PV and energy storage microgrid at RCC's Redwood Campus to operate campus backup drinking water system in an emergency; and exploring energy storage and EV charging potential at all three RCC campus sites. Central Oregon Community College | Construction Renewable | $70,360 Installation at Central Oregon Community College's Madras Campus of a net-metered 51kW ground-mount solar PV array to offset 80% of facilities power use via Power Purchase Agreement with Oregon Clean Power Cooperative. Bly Water and Sanitary District | Planning Resilience | $7,290 Planning for net-metered solar PV with up to 200kwh of energy storage capacity across district's five sites to source power and support operations in emergency grid outage. Emerald People's Utility District | Construction Resilience | $868,125 Installation at Short Mountain Landfill of 201.6kW net-metered, ground-mounted PV solar for a community solar project with low-income set-aside. Includes with 156kWh of battery storage and microgrid controllers for load balancing and limited off-grid operations. City of Yachats | Planning Resilience | $100,000 Planning for net-metered renewable energy systems with battery storage and microgrid controllers at the Yachats Civic Campus facilities City of Gresham | Planning Renewable | $100,000 Planning to expand the wastewater treatment plant's biogas cogeneration system output capacity of generators from 800 kW to 1.2 MW. Improvements include expansion of anaerobic digestion, facilities to receive organic waste and improvements to the hot water loop, biosolids storage, and electrical infrastructure. City of The Dalles | Construction Resilience | $758,051 Construction of a 79 kW PV net-metered rooftop solar with 60kW battery storage and emergency circuits to provide power during grid outages, and two level 2 electric vehicle charging stations. Project will be installed on a newly constructed multi-use community facility that will serve as a shelter during emergencies. North Unit Irrigation District | Planning Resilience | $100,000 Planning to pipe 8000 feet of Redmond's main irrigation canal to generate up to 1.4MW net-metered in-pipe hydroelectric, including energy storage opportunities to support critical facilities in the area for power offset and emergency operations. Town of Lakeview, Oregon | Planning Renewable | $100,000 Planning for the expanded use of the Lakeview Hammersley geothermal well for district heating to city residences, business and public facilities. Southwest Lincoln County Water PUD | Planning Resilience | $40,000 Planning to determine appropriate system and energy storage sizing at several district facilities and in-pipe micro-hydroelectric generation at two water treatment facilities including net-meter potential to reduce/minimize water utility costs and provide emergency backup power. Deschutes County | Planning Resilience | $100,000 Planning for net-metered 500kW solar PV and minimum 100kW energy storage to support well site pumps for potable water filtration and storage system with part-time power diversion to EV chargers. City of Hood River | Construction Renewable | $500,000 Installation of a net-metered 100kW in-line hydroelectric system to harness wasted water pressure at the City of Hood River's Pressure Reducing Station (PRS) to generate power. Hood River County | Planning Resilience | $75,000 Planning for 29-70kW net-metered PV solar plus 30-60kW storage system with microgrid controller to provide backup power to Mount Hood Town Hall. City of St. Helens | Planning Resilience | $94,585 Planning for up to 100kW net-metered solar PV with energy storage support and EV charging capabilities at city's new public safety facility. Oregon State Police | Planning Renewable | $38,273 Planning for a roof-mounted 200kW net-metered photovoltaic system on the Oregon State Police Southern Command Center with microgrid circuitry to convert the solar power and allow its use directly by the building electrical system. City of Gates | Planning Renewable | $13,400 Planning for a 64kW net-metered solar PV system installed at the water treatment plant, with a 110kWh battery system primary for power conditioning with short-term backup power capability. City of Gates | Construction Resilience | $312,852 Construction of a net-meter 61kW solar PV system with ground-mounted and roof-mounted panels with 125kW battery backup system providing power to the Gate water treatment plant. City of Salem | Construction Renewable | $1,000,000 Installation of an equivalent 1,758kW biogas boiler/co-gen system to maximize available methane gas to generate thermal heat for operational use at the Salem's Willow Lake Water Pollution Control Facility (WLWPCF). City of Oakridge | Planning Resilience | $30,000 Planning for a 250kW net-metered solar PV system and 20kW battery back-up system at the City of Oakridge Willamette Activity Center. Phoenix Talent School District | Construction Resilience | $1,000,000 Talent Middle School installation of 103kW net-metered, ground-mounted PV solar with 560kWh of battery storage and microgrid controllers for off-grid operations, including as an emergency shelter. City of Cascade Locks | Construction Resilience | $436,300 Construction of a 65kW net-metered, roof mounted PV solar with 110kW battery storage installed on City Hall. Backup power would support community lifelines by maintaining city government operations, supply power to the local food bank, help maintain first responder communications, and allow alerts to be shared with the community. Molalla Rural Fire Protection District #73 | Planning Resilience | $70,939 Planning for up to 25kW of net-metered solar PV and energy storage for rural fire station in Mulino, OR to support continuous operations in emergency or grid outage. Sherman County | Planning Resilience | $77,500 Planning for a net-metered 100kW solar PV system with 120kW storage system to support facility operations during a power outage with microgrid, demand response/reduction and V2G electric vehicle charging technologies. Southern Oregon University | Construction Renewable | $1,000,000 Construction of a net-metered 338 kW (DC) solar PV array on elevated parking structures with shading benefit, including installation of eight additional EV charging stations to benefit Southern Oregon University students and the Ashland community. Springfield Utility Board | Planning Renewable | $100,000 Planning for a 200kW-1MW net-metered PV solar farm on COU property for a community solar project. Multnomah County | Planning Resilience | $70,000 Planning for net-metered 540kW solar PV system and 250kW energy storage to source power for new library; and operate key building systems and provide community support during grid outages and emergencies. Sheridan School District 48J | Planning Resilience | $99,900 Planning for a ground-mounted 400kW solar PV system with 100kW battery storage and microgrid system serving a new Sheridan School District career technical center facility that will also serve as community shelter. Deschutes Public Library | Construction Resilience | $1,000,000 Construction of a 828kW net-metered solar PV system on roof and covered parking of new central library in Bend. A 50kW backup battery storage system is included to provide emergency lighting and the main data room. Chemeketa Community College, Salem Campus | Planning Resilience | $96,060 Planning for a 250kW battery storage system paired with an existing net-metered 87kW PV system to provide power to a walk-in cooler, vehicle charging stations, and electric tractor charging station. The project will connect to the electric utility Energy Partner programs. City of Ashland | Planning Renewable | $98,840 Planning for up to a 1MW net-metered solar farm for a low-income community solar program. City of Pendleton Oregon | Planning Renewable | $49,550 Planning for a roof-mounted 38kW net-metered solar PV system at new city public transit campus. City of Talent | Construction Resilience | $116,635 Construction of a net-metered 33.6kW solar PV system using three solar tracking stands at two sites in Talent. One site will include 10kW of battery storage with backup power provided to a community center that serves as an emergency operations center. Media Contact: Jennifer Kalez, 503-480-9239 Grant Program Contact: community.grants@energy.oregon.gov SINGAPORE, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese delegation on Saturday rejected U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's unfounded accusations against China at the Shangri-La Dialogue, saying "leadership" does not imply hegemony, status is determined by acts, and actions speak louder than words. Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission, told a press conference that by peddling the so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy," Washington is attempting to maintain its hegemony. Although the Cold War ended 32 years ago, the United States has not removed residues of the Cold War, such as the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and bilateral military alliance. Instead, it has escalated bloc politics and stoked conflict and confrontation by launching the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and trilateral security partnerships. "To pursue its selfish interests, the United States has coaxed and coerced some countries into acting as a pawn with the fundamental aim of maintaining its hegemonic system, regardless of the aspiration for stability and order by regional countries," he said. Regarding the Taiwan question, Jing strongly refuted the recent U.S. remarks on Taiwan for ignoring facts and distorting the truth. The United States has continuously weakened and hollowed out the one-China principle, strengthened the so-called official exchanges with Taiwan and condoned "Taiwan independence" activities, he said. The United States has also increased arms sales to Taiwan in both quality and quantity, frequently sailed through the Taiwan Strait to flex its muscles, and ganged up with other countries to intervene in the Taiwan question, Jing said. He emphasized that China's military operations around the Taiwan Strait are targeted at "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and the interference of external forces, and are justified. The general added that China cannot be blamed for changing the status quo, as the U.S. "exploiting Taiwan to contain China" and "Taiwan independence" separatists relying on external forces are the real factors causing changes in the status quo, exacerbating tensions and undermining the stability. Noting that the Taiwan question concerns China's core interests and brooks no compromise, he said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army is fully prepared and ready to firmly defend China's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Jing said that in recent years, the United States has continued to interfere in the South China Sea issue, and taken it as an excuse to suppress other countries. This is completely contrary to the will and efforts of regional countries to seek peace, pursue development and promote stability, he said. Jing stressed that China advocates a peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea, adding that regional countries have the ability, confidence and wisdom to deal with the issue, and there is no room for interference from countries outside the region. He said that the United States is the real mastermind behind tension in the South China Sea. In recent years, the U.S. side has been sending warships and military aircraft to the South China Sea to provoke troubles under the so-called "freedom of navigation," he said. The United States has also intensified its efforts to increase temporary and rotational deployment, establish additional military bases, and continue to strengthen its military presence in the South China Sea, Jing said. "By doing so, the United States will only cause more security risks and increase the potential for crisis," he said. Concerning an incident over the South China Sea, in which the U.S. side claimed that a Chinese fighter jet conducted an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver," Jing said the move was carried out lawfully and professionally, and was only conducted after a U.S. reconnaissance plane deliberately intruded into a PLA naval routine training exercise. China values the development of China-U.S. military relations, and exchanges between the two militaries have not been interrupted, the Chinese general said, adding that the United States should be blamed for current obstacles to the development of the relations. It will not work if the United States appeals for communication while undermining China's interests, and claims to strengthen crisis management while continuing its provocations, Jing said. China urges the United States to earnestly respect China's core interests and major concerns, take concrete actions to remove obstacles to military-to-military exchanges, and bring relations between the two militaries back on the right track, Jing noted. Calling the Shangri-La Dialogue a platform for peace topics, not a hegemony show-off, Jing said China comes for peace, development and cooperation, while the United States clearly aims for promoting its "leadership," smearing and suppressing others, and preserving its hegemony. Countries that adhere to strategic independence and peaceful development will not follow the U.S. steps into the old path of bloc confrontation, he said. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Highlights The new battery cell JV will be located in Bryan County , Savannah, Georgia where Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America is currently being built , where Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America is currently being built Total investment amount of over USD 4.3 billion; LGES and HMG to take a 50 percent stake respectively JV's battery production aimed to start at the end of 2025 with an annual production capacity of 30 GWh, capable of supporting the production of 300,000 EVs Building the second battery manufacturing JV, LGES and Hyundai Motor Group aim to continue strengthening the ties with their long-time partnership in electrification efforts LG Energy Solution (LGES) and Hyundai Motor Group announced an EV battery cell manufacturing joint venture in the U.S. today. LGES and Hyundai Motor Group signed a memorandum of understanding to produce EV batteries in the U.S. and further accelerate the Group's electrification efforts in North America. The signing ceremony took place in LGES's headquarters in Seoul on May 26 with the attendance of Youngsoo Kwon, CEO of LG Energy Solution and Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. LG Energy Solution and Hyundai Motor Group to Establish Battery Cell Manufacturing Joint Venture in the U.S. LGES and Hyundai Motor Group will each hold a 50 percent stake in the JV, which will involve the investment of over USD 4.3 billion (KRW 5.7 trillion). "Two strong leaders in the auto and battery industries have joined hands, and together we are ready to drive the EV transition in America," said Youngsoo Kwon, CEO of LG Energy Solution. "By further advancing our product competitiveness and global operational expertise, LG Energy Solution will commit our best efforts to offering the ultimate sustainable energy solutions to our customers." "Hyundai Motor Group is focusing on its electrification efforts to secure a leadership position in the global auto industry. We will create a strong foundation to lead the global EV transition through establishing a new EV battery cell plant with LG Energy Solution, a leading global battery producer and long-time partner," said Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. The annual production capacity of the new joint venture is at 30 GWh, able to support the production of 300,000 units of EVs annually. The facility will be in Bryan County, Savannah, Georgia adjacent to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, currently under construction. Starting construction in the second half of 2023, the joint venture plans to start battery production at the end of 2025 at the earliest. Hyundai Mobis will assemble battery packs using cells from the plant, then supply them to the Group's U.S. manufacturing facilities for production of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EV models. The new facility will help create a stable supply of batteries in the region and allow the Group to respond fast to the soaring EV demand in the U.S. market. With this JV, LGES now has seven battery plants currently operating or being constructed in the U.S., where the company is concentrating most of its resources to expand the production capacity. By ramping up its local production, LGES aims to provide innovative products both in scale and with speed, thereby expediting the clean energy transition in the U.S. LGES and Hyundai Motor Group have long been partners in the field of electrification having worked on the supplies of EV batteries for vehicles, including Elantra Hybrid, Kona Electric, and IONIQ 6 dedicated EV. The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, LPi hybrid vehicle introduced in 2009, was the Group's first electrified model. In 2021, both started construction of the Indonesia battery cell JV which is set to start production in the first half of 2024. LGES and Hyundai Motor Group aim to further strengthen the ties going forward with the EV battery cooperation. About LG Energy Solution LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220), a split-off from LG Chem, is a leading global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, mobility, IT, and energy storage systems. With 30 years of experience in revolutionary battery technology and extensive research and development (R&D), the company is the top battery-related patent holder in the world with over 25,000 patents. Its robust global network, which spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, includes battery manufacturing facilities established through joint ventures with major automakers such as General Motors, Stellantis N.V., Hyundai Motor Group, and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. At the forefront of green business and sustainability, LG Energy Solution aims to achieve carbon neutral operations by 2050, while embodying the value of shared growth and promoting diverse and inclusive corporate culture. To learn more about LG Energy Solution's ideas and innovations, visit https://news.lgensol.com. About Hyundai Motor Group Hyundai Motor Group is a global enterprise that has created a value chain based on mobility, steel, and construction, as well as logistics, finance, IT, and service. With about 250,000 employees worldwide, the Group's mobility brands include Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Armed with creative thinking, cooperative communication and the will to take on any challenges, we strive to create a better future for all. More information about Hyundai Motor Group, please see: www.hyundaimotorgroup.com These mysterious structures likely originated a few million years ago when an outflow from Sagittarius A* a supermassive black hole in the center of our Milky Way Galaxy interacted with surrounding material. It was a surprise to suddenly find a new population of structures that seem to be pointing in the direction of the black hole, said Northwestern University astronomer Farhad Yusef-Zadeh. I was actually stunned when I saw these. We had to do a lot of work to establish that we werent fooling ourselves. And we found that these filaments are not random but appear to be tied to the outflow of our black hole. By studying them, we could learn more about the black holes spin and accretion disk orientation. It is satisfying when one finds order in a middle of a chaotic field of the nucleus of our Galaxy. In the 1980s, Professor Yusef-Zadeh and colleagues discovered gigantic, one-dimensional filaments dangling vertically near Sagittarius A*. They also uncovered two gigantic radio-emitting bubbles near the supermassive black hole. Then, they revealed nearly 1,000 vertical filaments, which appeared in pairs and clusters, often stacked equally spaced or side by side like strings on a harp. After studying the vertical filaments for decades, Professor Yusef-Zadeh was shocked to uncover their horizontal counterparts, which he estimates are about 6 million years old. We have always been thinking about vertical filaments and their origin. Im used to them being vertical. I never considered there might be others along the plane, he said. To pinpoint the filaments, the astronomers used a technique to remove the background and smooth the noise from the images, captured by the MeerKAT telescope at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) in Cape Town, South Africa, in order to isolate the filaments from surrounding structures. The new MeerKAT observations have been a game changer, Professor Yusef-Zadeh said. The advancement of technology and dedicated observing time have given us new information. Its really a technical achievement from radio astronomers. According to the team, the vertical filaments are perpendicular to the Galactic plane; the horizontal filaments are parallel to the plane but point radially toward the center of the Galaxy where the black hole lies. The vertical filaments are magnetic and relativistic; the horizontal filaments appear to emit thermal radiation. The vertical filaments encompass particles moving at speeds near the speed of light; the horizontal filaments appear to accelerate thermal material in a molecular cloud. There are several hundred vertical filaments and just a few hundred horizontal filaments. And the vertical filaments, which measure up to 150 light-years high, far surpass the size of the horizontal filaments, which measure just 5 to 10 light-years in length. The vertical filaments also adorn space around the nucleus of the Galaxy; the horizontal filaments appear to spread out to only one side, pointing toward the black hole. One of the most important implications of radial outflow that we have detected is the orientation of the accretion disk and the jet-driven outflow from Sagittarius A* along the Galactic plane, Professor Yusef-Zadeh said. A paper on the findings was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. _____ F. Yusef-Zadeh et al. 2023. The Population of the Galactic Center Filaments: Position Angle Distribution Reveals a Degree-scale Collimated Outflow from Sgr A* along the Galactic Plane. ApJL 949, L31; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/acd54b Tropical forest birds, which tend to have wings that are short and round relative to their body length and shape, are more sensitive to habitat fragmentation than the long-, slender-winged species common in temperate forests, according to an international collaboration that included scientists from Oregon State University. OSU's Matt Betts and Christopher Wolf teamed with 14 other authors to analyze the wings of more than 1,000 species worldwide in a study led by Thomas Weeks of Imperial College London and published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. The research builds on a 2019 study that was led by Betts and Wolf and published in Science. That paper had shown that the nearer a forest species lives to the equator, where animals evolved in environments that weren't subject to large-scale habitat-altering events like fires and storms, the less well equipped the species is to adapt to current human-caused forest fragmentation. The wing study provides solid evidence for the idea that forest birds in the lower latitudes -- the bare-faced ibis, the blue and gold macaw, the green honeycreeper, the Malaysian rail babbler and many other colorful, and colorfully named, species -- aren't good at relocating when their habitat gets broken up because they weren't required to evolve in ways that would make it easy to get to new areas, Betts said. "The new paper shows a strong latitudinal gradient in birds' ability to disperse -- i.e., move around to find a new place to live," said Betts, a professor of landscape ecology in the OSU College of Forestry. "Birds toward the poles tend to be better movers, with longer, narrower wings that are better suited to long-distance flight." Previously, the reason behind tropical birds' comparative lack of dispersal skills had not been well understood, and there had also been some question as to whether a forest species' ability to move around was all that important in terms of dealing with habitat fragmentation, Wolf said. "It had been argued that species that don't move much maybe tend to stay put just because they don't care about losing pieces of their habitat or seeing it fragmented," said Wolf, a postdoctoral researcher in the College of Forestry. "But we used a massive dataset that encompassed more than 1,000 birds globally to test whether birds with shorter, stubbier wings are more likely to be fragmentation sensitive, and whether this alone explains the latitudinal gradient we observed. In the end, there was strong support for the idea that birds that are good dispersers are less fragmentation sensitive." Examples of temperate forest birds more built for dispersal include woodpeckers, robins, jays, cardinals, owls, turkeys, hawks and eagles. The Natural Environment Research Council, the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund and the Natural Environment Research Council supported this research. Also contributing to the study were scientists from Newcastle University; the University of Toulouse; Lancaster University; the Foundation for Ecodevelopment and Conservation; the Global Protect Oceans, Lands and Waters Program; the Nature Conservancy; the Swiss Ornithological Institute; Yale University; the University of Pretoria; the Centre for Conservation of Atlantic Forest Birds; the University of Queensland; and California State University, Los Angeles. While indigestible video capsule endoscopes have been around for many years, the capsules have been limited by the fact that they could not be controlled by physicians. They moved passively, driven only by gravity and the natural movement of the body. Now, according to a first-of-its-kind research study at George Washington University, physicians can remotely drive a miniature video capsule to all regions of the stomach to visualize and photograph potential problem areas. The new technology uses an external magnet and hand-held video game style joysticks to move the capsule in three-dimensions in the stomach. This new technology comes closer to the capabilities of a traditional tube-based endoscopy. "A traditional endoscopy is an invasive procedure for patients, not to mention it is costly due to the need for anesthesia and time off work," Andrew Meltzer, a professor of Emergency Medicine at the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, said. "If larger studies can prove this method is sufficiently sensitive to detect high-risk lesions, magnetically controlled capsules could be used as a quick and easy way to screen for health problems in the upper GI tract such as ulcers or stomach cancer." More than 7 million traditional endoscopies of the stomach and upper part of the intestine are performed every year in the United States to help doctors investigate and treat stomach pain, nausea, bleeding and other symptoms of disease, including cancer. Despite the benefits of traditional endoscopies, studies suggest some patients have trouble accessing the procedure. In fact, Meltzer got interested in the magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy after seeing patients in the emergency room with stomach pain or suspected upper GI bleeding who faced barriers to getting a traditional endoscopy as an outpatient. "I would have patients who came to the ER with concerns for a bleeding ulcer and, even if they were clinically stable, I would have no way to evaluate them without admitting them to the hospital for an endoscopy. We could not do an endoscopy in the ER and many patients faced unacceptable barriers to getting an outpatient endoscopy, a crucial diagnostic tool to preventing life-threatening hemorrhage," Meltzer said. "To help address this problem, I started looking for less invasive ways to visualize the upper gastrointestinal tract for patients with suspected internal bleeding." The study is the first to test magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy in the United States. For patients who come to the ER or a doctor's office with severe stomach pain, the ability to swallow a capsule and get a diagnosis on the spot -- without a second appointment for a traditional endoscopy -- is a real plus, not to mention potentially life-saving, says Meltzer. An external magnet allows the capsule to be painlessly driven to visualize all anatomic areas of the stomach and record video and photograph any possible bleeding, inflammatory or malignant lesions. While using the joystick requires additional time and training, software is being developed that will use artificial intelligence to self-drive the capsule to all parts of the stomach with a push of the button and record any potential risky abnormalities. That would make it easier to use the system as a diagnostic tool or screening test. In addition, the videos can be easily transmitted for off-site review if a gastroenterologist is not on-site to over-read the images. Meltzer and colleagues conducted a study of 40 patients at a physician office building using the magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy. They found that the doctor could direct the capsule to all major parts of the stomach with a 95 percent rate of visualization. Capsules were driven by the ER physician and then the study reports were reviewed by an attending gastroenterologist who was physically off-site. To see how the new method compared with a traditional endoscopy, participants in the study also received a follow up endoscopy. No high-risk lesions were missed with the new method and 80 percent of the patients preferred the capsule method to the traditional endoscopy. The team found no safety problems associated with the new method. Yet, Meltzer cautions that the study is a pilot and a much bigger trial with more patients must be conducted to make sure the method does not miss important lesions and can be used in place of an endoscopy. A major limitation of the capsule includes the inability to perform biopsies of lesions that are detected. The study, "Magnetically Controlled Capsule for Assessment of the Gastric Mucosa in Symptomatic Patients (MAGNET): A Prospective, Single-Arm, Single-Center, Comparative Study," was published in iGIE, the open-access, online journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. The medical technology company AnX Robotica funded the research and is the creator of the capsule endoscopy system used in the study, called NaviCam. Linea Energy, a forward-thinking clean energy company, announced today (June 2) that it has acquired a 490-megawatt direct current (MWDC) solar project from Horus Energy, an international developer headquartered in London, England. This significant acquisition marks Linea Energy's entry into the Texas market and advances its strategic plan to establish a robust development pipeline while promoting renewable energy and economic growth in the Houston area. The project is expected to generate enough clean energy to power more than 63,000 homes and provide numerous local job opportunities during its construction and operation. Linea Energy is also exploring the possibility of utilizing domestic equipment in the project, showcasing its interest in supporting local industries and economies. "We are thrilled to partner with Horus Energy on this exciting project, which will bring approximately 900 GWh per year of renewable energy to the Houston area and marks our entry into the Texas market," said Cassidy DeLine, CEO of Linea Energy. "Despite recent legislative challenges to the renewable energy sector in Texas, we expect Texas to remain a vanguard of smart renewable policy that brings costs to consumers down, drives investment in the state and ensures the lights stay on. This acquisition is an important milestone for our company, as it significantly contributes to our goal of a robust development pipeline while also creating local jobs and fostering economic growth in the region." "We are pleased to be partnering with Linea Energy on this significant acquisition, which is a testament to Horus Energy's expertise and leadership in the renewable energy sector," said Stefano Romanin, CEO of Horus Energy. "This collaboration highlights our strong capabilities as an excellent solar developer, committed to delivering high quality projects that drive positive environmental and economic impact. We are proud of the Duffy project and the clean energy it will bring to the Houston area, showcasing our dedication to building a sustainable future. We look forward to leveraging our experience and working closely with Linea Energy to make this solar project a resounding success." As a new company, Linea Energy is committed to expanding the use of clean energy sources and promoting environmental sustainability. The acquisition of the 490 MWDC solar project from Horus Energy further solidifies the company's dedication to building a brighter, cleaner future for Houston and beyond. For more information about Linea Energy and its clean energy initiatives, please visit lineaenergy.com. About Linea Energy Linea Energy is a newly-formed Independent Power Producer aiming to change the status quo of how clean energy is developed and financed to rapidly increase the speed of deployment. Linea has hit the ground running with an experienced and driven team. Linea is scaling quickly to become a transformational leader in the development and ownership of clean energy infrastructure. By leveraging best-in-class development capabilities and active risk management, Linea aims to consistently create better results for partners and communities. For more information, please visit lineaenergy.com. About Horus Energy Horus Energy, a leading renewables developer, has an impressive track record in developing over 4GW of renewable energy projects across multiple countries. With a strong focus on the U.S. market, specifically ERCOT, MISO, and WECC, the company currently has over 4.5GW of solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects under development. Horus Energy is committed to delivering value to investors and utilities through its portfolio of renewable energy projects, while upholding high standards in land management, ecosystem protection, stakeholder engagement, and community development. Media Contact Chrisie Yabu, APR KPS3 chrisie.yabu@kps3.com 775-686-7437 ENTSO-E Summer Outlook 2023: no adequacy risk is identified except for the close monitoring required in Ireland. The adequacy risk identified in Ireland at the end of summer season is driven by the notable planned outage of conventional generation in Northern Ireland (expected to exceed 600 MW). The actual adequacy situation in Ireland will depend on the operational conditions: on unplanned outages of the aging generation fleet in Ireland and especially on wind generation. Some residual risks are identified in rather isolated Mediterranean Islands: Malta, Cyprus and Creta. These risks may emerge in the event of high unplanned outages of generation fleet and unfavourable weather conditions when demand is high and RES generation is low. Malta relies on non-market resources to ensure security of supply. The Summer Outlook is accompanied by a retrospect of last winter. Notable preparations were taken by TSOs and Member States before winter 20222023 in light of the war in Ukraine. The weather conditions were favourable during most of the winter, and hydro stock also improved immediately prior to winter, alleviating adequacy concerns for winter 20222023. Notably colder than average temperatures were recorded only in December in the Northern part of Europe, but this also coincided with periods when consumers typically consume less electricity due to approaching holiday periods. Furthermore, a decrease in demand was recorded as a result of EU measures taken to save energy (EU emergency intervention) and also as a response to the high electricity prices faced by European consumers. In Ukraine, a good balance and the stability of the power system was maintained despite the regular attacks on Ukrainian electricity infrastructure during the winter. Continental Europe TSOsand especially neighbouring TSOshave supported the Ukrainian system since 30 June 2022, when the commercial electricity exchanges were resumed. Preparations for next winter 20232024 have begun. The TSOs feedback as well as the gas situation show a much more confident picture than one year ago. No specific concern was identified. Preparedness and tight cooperation with the European Commission, TSOs and Members States will continue in the coming weeks. Scientists have been sounding the alarm over the state of the worlds coral reefs for several decades now. In the past 30 years alone, nearly 50% of these vital ecosystems have been lost in large part due to global warming. About 90% of the excess energy that accumulates in Earths atmosphere from greenhouse gases is stored in the oceans, which has led to a doubling in the number of marine heatwaves mainly between 2006 and 2015 and widespread coral bleaching and reef degradation. The United Nations warns that a warming of 1.5C threatens to destroy 70% to 90% of coral reefs , and 2C would result in nearly 100% loss. Restoring the coral reefs and lagoons of the Mesoamerican Reef System is the goal of Reef Aquaculture Conservancy AC, an internationally registered, non-governmental organization based in Mexico that received a grant in 2022 from Scotiabanks Net Zero Research Fund. The funding will allow the organization to build carbon credits through restoring mangroves and seagrasses and use those credits to finance restoring the reefs. The Mesoamerican Reef, which extends from the northern tip of Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula to the Bay Islands in northern Honduras, is the worlds second largest after Australias Great Barrier Reef. These biodiverse ecosystems around the world are invaluable. They provide jobs and food for billions of people, are the first line of defence against shoreline erosion and catastrophic damage to cities and homes from hurricanes and storms, and their associated ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, seaweeds, and mangroves capture carbon better than terrestrial ecosystems, helping stay the effects of global warming, says Guillermo Corona, President and Scientific Advisor at Reef Aquaculture Conservancy. Photo: Seaweed cleanup on the beach Credit: Claudia Padilla They also provide food additives, nutritional supplements, enzymes, cosmetics, and medicines against cancers, viruses, and cardiovascular diseases, among others, said Corona, who has a Doctorate in Biological Sciences. Reef Aquaculture Conservancy is one of 10 organizations to receive a grant in 2022 from Scotiabanks 10-year, $10-million Net Zero Research Fund (NZRF). The fund was set up in 2021 as part of Scotiabanks Climate Commitments to distribute $1 million annually in one-time grants across organizations furthering research for positive environmental outcomes. Mexico was among the 188 countries to sign a landmark agreement to guide global action on nature through to 2030 at The United Nations Biodiversity Conference COP15 last December. That agreement aims to protect 30% of Earths lands, oceans, coastal areas, and inland waters, but its success will depend on how rapidly measures to halt and reverse nature loss are implemented. International Sustainable Initiatives, such as the Kunming-Montreal Framework, are a strong motivation and support to push forward tangible actions and build a better future for the current and future generations on Earth, Corona said. Banks such as Scotiabank also play a key role in the transition to a net-zero economy, working with clients to assist in financing and supporting their transition plans, while also reducing our own operational emissions, Kim Brand, Vice President & Global Head, Sustainability at Scotiabank said. " These biodiverse ecosystems around the world are invaluable. They provide jobs and food for billions of people, and their associated ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, seaweeds, and mangroves capture carbon better than terrestrial ecosystems, helping stay the effects of global warming. We also recognize that mitigating climate risk and advancing the transition to net-zero requires collaboration across multiple sectors of the economy. This is why, through Scotiabanks Net-Zero Research Fund, we are committed to helping enable leading Canadian and international think tanks and academic institutions to drive positive environmental action through their research, she said. We are proud to contribute to and empower organizations, such as Reef Aquaculture Conservancy, that are advancing research and our understanding of the potential for the recovery and rehabilitation of biodiversity in the vital ocean ecosystems in our world. The grant from the Net Zero Research Fund is being used to launch Mesoamerican coastal decarbonization efforts: An Innovative, integral, and ecosystem approach, the conservancys first Blue Ocean Credits Program (BOCP) project. BOCP enables organizations to get carbon and biodiversity credits for restoring mangroves and seagrasses, which then can be used to finance the rehabilitation of coral reefs. In Mexico, the development of the technology, financial mechanisms, and related businesses needed to rehabilitate coral reefs is still in its infancy, Corona said. That provides opportunity to apply new nature-based financial strategies that are emerging worldwide, he added. Reef Aquacultures project aims to protect and rehabilitate the Mesoamerican Reef System through three avenues and measure their impact over three years. It will acquire carbon and biodiversity credits by setting up a pilot plant with an energy-efficient furnace to produce agricultural products such as biochar (used to reduce soil acidity), biofertilizers, and alternative proteins from sargassum, and through the conservation and rehabilitation of dunes, mangroves, and seagrass. Those credits will be used to install up to seven Integrated Multitrophic AragoReef Systems modules (IMARS) in the Puerto Morelos coral reef by October. For more than a decade, IMARS 3D designed and generated, calcium carbonate structures have been used by other countries to increase the population of colonizing organisms, creating refuge environments for fish, molluscs and crustaceans. Photo: A researcher checks on an installed 3D generated, calcium carbonate reef structure. Credit: Guillermo Corona Writing about mining involves a lot of looking at history, the progress that is happening today, and what might be coming up in the future. Recently the Denver chapter of Women in Mining held a big party to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the start of Women in Mining. In 1972, the year several women decided to form a group to bring together women in the mining industry, there was a female engineer working on a tunnel west of Denver who was not allowed to go into the tunnel she was working on. After a legal battle she was finally allowed into the tunnel, and 66 workers in the tunnel walked off the job in protest. That was 50 years ago not a very long time in the grand scheme of things. We often lose sight of how much the world has changed since the not-so-distant past. Mining has changed a lot in the last 50 years, too, but there is still plenty of room for more change. Visiting the Cemita lab near Denver recently, it was exciting to see all the scientists and engineers working with solutions full of microbes to custom design microbial cocktails to extract minerals and metals. In the years ahead it might be possible to do mining in much less environmentally impactful ways than anything we see today. One possibility is that with in situ mining we might simply pump bio-lixiviants through underground ore to get the metals we need to power our world. What will the world be like 50 years from now? Its easy enough to look at the negatives and be a technophobe, but there actually have been a lot of improvements over the past 50 years. Mining is a necessary part of our lives and probably will be for quite a while, but mining has become a lot more environmentally conscious than it used to be, and with many scientists and engineers on the case, we can keep heading in the right direction. Fifty years ago it might have been almost impossible for a lot of people to imagine a world where it would seem quite ridiculous to walk off a job because a woman dared to work in a tunnel. Theres a chance that the world of the future might be cleaner and greener and better in ways that are hard for us to imagine today. College of Education Dean Cynthia B. Dillard, PhD, has been awarded a 2023 Presidential Citation by AERA President H. Richard Milner, IV, for her myriad achievements in teaching, research and service during her accomplished career in education. "Its an honor to receive a 2023 Presidential Citation from AERA, an organization that has done so much to further my teaching, scholarship, research and leadership," explains Dr. Dillard. "I'm thrilled that my career has allowed me to work toward equity and justice in so many different sites of education worldwide. I look forward to continuing to (re)ignite education in that spirit with colleagues and students who continue to inspire me every day. Dr. Dillard brought a wealth of experience as an educator and leader to Seattle University. Before being appointed Dean of the College of Education in March 2021, she served as Chair of the Department of Educational Theory and Practice at the University of Georgia and Associate Dean for Equity and Diversity at The Ohio State University, among others. The Deans scholarship includes research on intersections of race, culture, gender and spirituality, particularly in the context of teaching and education. She has authored or edited four books, most recently The Spirit of Our Work: Black Women Teachers (Re)member. Additionally, Dr. Dillard has written a multitude of articles, book chapters and other scholarly pieces, while frequently presenting as a keynote speaker or panelist at national conferences. She has received more than a dozen awards and recognitions throughout her career, including the 2019 Taylor & Francis Award for Lifetime Achievement from the American Educational Studies Association (AESA). Her work as a teacher-scholar and mentor to many is matched by her commitment to service. As president and founder of Give. Build. Share., Dr. Dillard has led an effort to build schools in rural areas of Ghana, giving students educational opportunities that previously were not available. In fact, she founded and directs a preschool and elementary school with her husband in Mpeasem (M-pee-a-sem) in the central region of Ghana. As AERA President Milner said when awarding Dr. Dillard with the presidential citation, "As Dr. Dillard notes, to whom much is given, much is expected, and she embodies this commitment in everything she does. Dr. Dillard has opened the doors for so many. She has supported, nurtured, pushed, believed in, made a difference for and mentored so many." RENO -- The Nevada Mining Association announces the return of the 360 Internship Program, intended to prepare students for a career in STEM by providing a 360-degree view of Nevadas modern mining industry. Thanks to a partnership between the NVMA and the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada, the program is entering its fourth consecutive year. This year, Angel Morales of the College of Southern Nevada has been chosen as an intern. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from the College of Southern Nevada and will complete his internship at SSR Minings Marigold Mine. As part of the 10-week paid summer internship, Morales will spend seven weeks working alongside professional miners at an active mine site before shifting to learn from regulatory professionals at BLM Nevada for the remainder of the program. The internship provides students with access to the worlds top mine operators, exposure to industry-shifting technology, and experience with the worlds leading mining regulatory structure. We love being able to give students access to this incredible opportunity each year, said NVMA Interim President Dana Bennett. Interns in this program will become the next generation of miners, regulators, and STEM professionals, and we want to ensure they receive the best foundation possible to start their careers. The program is open to students who are currently enrolled at an accredited four-year college or university in Nevada. The students must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduates majoring in mining or environmental science-related fields. Applications are open annually during the spring semester. For more information about the program, visit www.nevadamining.org. In an office building in Westminster, Colorado, just north of Denver, a group of scientists and engineers are working with many billions of coworkers microscopic microbes to develop mining processes that are better for the environment and also more cost effective. Many vials of solution of various colors are constantly swirled by machines while people work on studying the solutions to determine the right groups of microbes to do the work which needs to be done at mine sites. Cemvita was launched in Houston in 2017 by brother and sister Moji Karimi, an engineer and energy entrepreneur, and Dr. Tara Karimi, a scientist and biotechnologist. Tara Karimis 2018 book Molecular Mechanisms of Autonomy in Biological Systems discusses her concepts of code, energy and mass, which are the first three letters of Cemvitas name. Vita is Latin for life. Cemvita currently has three main focuses, which all involve using biological systems to help move us toward a renewable, clean energy future. Their biomining business unit uses biology, chemistry and engineering to develop bio-lixiviants tailored to extract target metals from ore bodies and waste. The GH2 portion of the company is using biotech to develop ways to put microbial solutions into depleted oil and gas reservoirs to produce a low-carbon hydrogen they call Gold Hydrogen. Their eCO2 biomanufacturing process takes carbon dioxide from emissions sources and uses it to produce valuable materials such as fertilizer, plastics, methane and fuels. This process could also be used at mine sites to help move them toward being carbon neutral or even carbon negative while also producing new revenue streams. Cemvitas eCO2 pilot plant opened in Houston in April 2023. Cemvita is now a company of around 95 people, with about 25 of them in Denver. The Denver branch opened in late 2021, and much of the work on bio-mining is now done here. Visiting the offices and labs, you can sense a lot of enthusiasm for the cutting-edge work thats being done. Its a great company and team to work with, said Marny Reakes, Cemvitas mining biotech vice president. I love the focus on bio-solutions for the energy transition. She said the biomining, Gold Hydrogen and eCO2 biomanufacturing are all three fantastic products with really great missions. Im a chemical engineer with an MBA and Ive spent the last 25 years in mining, Reakes said. Im really passionate about mining and the value we add to the world. The world needs metals for every aspect of our lives, theres no question about that. Mining companies have innovated over the years, but not fast enough to meet the needs of the energy transition, and we need a big step change. She said part of the work they are doing in Cemvitas lab is studying ore bodies so they can design bio-lixiviants for particular ores. No ore body is the same, and ore bodies change, and the mineralogy changes as you get deeper in the ground or the mine plan expands, Reakes said. So our job is to tailor the microbial recipe to leach the metals from the rock into solution. The solution can then be processed via traditional processes, such as solvent extraction electrowinning, or in the case of lithium, direct extraction or crystallization. She said they are currently focusing on two metals critical for the energy transition copper and lithium. Were working on copper sulfide leaching, and also working on extraction of lithium from lithium clay in the Nevada and Arizona region. She said in the future they should be able to extend these processes to other metals. About 15% of the worlds copper is currently bio-leached, Reakes said. A lot of the bio-leaching happens in Arizona and New Mexico. Cemvita is taking the next step by working with microbes to design more effective bio-lixiviants. In some cases, as copper grades have decreased, traditional milling, flotation and smelting has become too expensive, so heap leaching is a more cost-effective solution for mining copper. Heap leaching eliminates the need to use the energy and carbon intensive process of grinding the ore into fine particles, since the coarse ore can be put right onto the leach pad. Meet the microbes Reakes described the microbes they work with as super cool, hero microbes. To explain the work that microbes do, she contrasts them with algae. Most people know about algae, Reakes said. Algae take their energy from sunlight, and they take carbon for growth from CO2 in the atmosphere. These microbes also use CO2 in the atmosphere, but they get their energy not from sunlight they get their energy from oxidizing iron and sulfur in rocks. So they actually take energy from or eat rock, and a byproduct of this is that copper or zinc, for example, is released into solution. So its a very natural process. Its something that microbes do already, and mining companies started capitalizing on that about 40 years ago. Whats changed since then is, about 10 years ago, there was a huge biotech revolution that changed the face of pharma, food and agriculture. It just hasnt hit mining yet. And thats what were doing, is bringing those latest biotech tools to bear to improve the speed at which the microbes extract minerals, and achieve a higher recovery. The microbes also do some carbon sequestration as they consume carbon dioxide in order to grow. The microbes Cemvita is using with lithium are a little different. They need to be fed with a waste carbon source such as waste from crops. You feed the microbes with waste crops, and then the microbes generate organic acids and other metabolites that then attack the rock and release critical minerals like lithium into the solution, Reakes said. This process also helps to reduce carbon, because the waste crop material has sequestered carbon dioxide from the air as a feedstock. Biomining progress A lot of progress has been made with Cemvitas biomining work since the company opened its Denver branch a year and a half ago. In June 2022 Cemvita purchased Solfatara Laboratories and its facilities in Golden, Colorado, integrating Solfataras expertise in biomining and extractive processing with the work being done at Cemvita. This acquisition essentially fast forwarded Cemvitas capability to scale by years and leaps us forward towards full commercial rollout in our biomining business, said Cemvita Chief Business Officer Charles Nelson. In November 2022 Cemvita announced a partnership with Arizona Lithium Limited which will include Cemvita installing a bio-lixiviant production facility at AZLs Lithium Research Center in Tempe, Arizona. At the facility, Cemvita will do pilot testing on both tank and heap bioleaching for lithium extraction from clay or sedimentary materials. We will trial our bio-lixiviant with their end-to-end pilot plant, so that we can take the lithium clay all the way from being leached to a final battery-grade lithium product, Reakes said. So thats an exciting piece of work. Many lithium companies in the United States are working on developing lithium extraction processes specifically for their sites. Reakes said Cemvita is currently talking with several companies about lithium extraction. We want to bring our technology to a number of companies, Reakes said. With their knowledge about microbes, the Cemvita team has also been providing bio-diagnostic services to mining companies. If a mining company is having issues such as hydrogen sulfide emissions or acid mine drainage, they can go to Cemvita for an analysis. Microbes are everywhere, so by looking at the microbial community in the tailings, in the wastewater or in the heap leach, we can advise how to optimize those communities so that you get less emissions from them, for example, or so that you get better recovery, Reakes said. More advances in Cemvitas biomining business are on the horizon. We have some contracts and some other announcements that will come out in the next three to six months that I think will be very exciting, Reakes said. In situ mining While continuing to make progress with biomining, Cemvita is also researching the possibility of advancing toward in situ mining. With in situ mining, instead of digging through the ground to pull out the ore, you pump solution into the ground and let it filter through the ore and remove the target metals, and then you pump the solution back out. Thats my ultimate goal, Reakes said. Ive said in some of my talks that were trialing our bio-lixiviants on the surface now with heap leaches and tanks, but my ultimate goal, and I think the ultimate in low impact, low footprint mining is to go in situ. A lot of the worlds uranium is mined in situ, Reakes said, because with uranium the ore body is often very contained within one area. There are also some in situ copper mines. Cemvita is researching how to safely and effectively do in situ mining with a wider variety of ore bodies. In situ mining could have a lot of benefits lower costs, little surface disturbance, and fewer environmental impacts. Cemvitas in-situ mining process would have even less environmental impacts than current in situ mining, because the process would use bio-lixiviants rather than pumping mineral acids underground. What we want to do is a much more environmentally friendly process by using microbes in situ to release just the metal ions that you want into solution and recover them, Reakes said. So rather than creating huge open pit mines or underground mines and big tailings dams, lets just extract the metal that we need and leave the rest of the ground intact. We have big goals, said Renee Hodges, an environmental scientist who is Cemvitas biomining business development manager. But we can get there. A visit to the lab Like the cocktails of different kinds of microbes that all work together to produce the best results, the people on the Cemvita team bring with them a wide range of knowledge and skills as they work together to move the company toward achieving its ambitious goals. I think the diversity of our science team here is quite remarkable, Hodges said. Weve got geomicrobiologists, chemists, process engineers, genomics folks, microbiologists, marine biologists, and Ive only touched on half the skills. And theyre all very well accomplished in their own fields. We have people from industry and academia and a wide range of disciplines, Reakes said, and that sort of intersection between engineering and science is where you come up with these big breakthrough discoveries on how to lower the impact of mining. During a visit to the lab, Dr. Jaymee Fayhl-Buska, a geomicrobiologist with a PhD in geology, talked about some of the benefits of using their microbial cocktails that contain a variety of microbes. Many mines that have been using biomining methods have been working with less robust and diverse microbial communities, and that can lead to problems as conditions change. If anything happens, if you get too much organic carbon in your copper heap leach, then youre out of luck, because many of the traditionally used microbes cant tolerate organic carbon molecules, Fayhle-Buska said. But one of my microbes really loves organic carbons, so they can degrade that, and then the rest of the microbes can work a lot better. This is really a lot of fun, Fayhle-Buska said. Its a great career field to be in. The microbes the Cemvita team works with are very tiny organisms some of the solutions at Cemvita have around three billion or more microbes per ounce. The scientists at Cemvita do DNA and RNA sequencing to identify the microbes they are working with, and to learn about the microbial communities in the various kinds of samples they receive from mine sites. Dr. Heather Callahan, Cemvitas head of genomics, specializes in determining how to extract DNA and RNA from really difficult samples. After almost a year of working on ways to extract microbial RNA from rocks, she recently had a breakthrough. The joke is that Im trying to squeeze RNA out of a rock, and thats true, Callahan said. When other scientists try to look at RNA embedded in rocks, they usually culture it, which can change what is going on in the microbial community. I dont know of anyone else extracting RNA directly from mining rock, Callahan said. Like Fayhl-Buska, Callahan said the work she is doing at Cemvita is fun. Its challenging, Callahan said. I like a good challenge, though. It keeps things interesting. I think thats the only thing we do is challenging stuff, Hodges said. Nothing is simple. And thats whats hard about what we do, but it also can lead to truly amazing outcomes, because we truly are looking into new fields, new horizons. Its going to be great. President's List at Utah Tech ST. GEORGE, Utah -- In a display of academic achievement, nearly 10 percent of Utah Tech University students earned President's List recognition for the Spring 2023 semester. Specifically, 1,051 students were included on the President's List. Inclusion indicates students' strong commitment to their academic pursuits, as they must achieve a semester GPA of 3.9 or higher for the President's List. Students are also required to complete a minimum of 15 credits. Local Utah Tech students who earned President's List recognition for the Spring 2023 semester included Jesus Gonzalez of West Wendover and Jimena Roque Luna of Wells. Nearly 12 percent of Utah Tech University students earned Dean's List recognition for the Spring 2023 semester, including Darin Groen of Elko and Aiden Painter, Grace Pepiot and Joshua Gull of Spring Creek. Utah Tech University is a premier open-enrollment teaching institution that offers more than 250 academic programs at one of the lowest tuition costs in the Western United States. Auto Restoration degree McPHERSON, Kansas -- McPherson College, a four-year private college located in central Kansas, announces the names of students who earned degrees and graduated from the college on May 20. Scott Hayford of Spring Creek received a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Restoration Technology. McPherson College is committed to its mission "To develop whole persons through scholarship, participation, and service," in a career-focused liberal arts environment. It's been recognized nationally by US News & World Report, Money Magazine, and the Chronicle of Higher Education's "Great Colleges to Work For." Its Automotive Restoration program is the first four-year degree program of its kind and awarded the prestigious industry supporter of the year by International Historic Motoring. Canning graduates in Missouri MARSHALL, Missouri -- Elizabeth Canning of Spring Creek graduated May 6 during the commencement ceremony for Missouri Valley College. Canning, who majored in biology, was one of 218 graduates at MVC this spring. President-Elect Joseph Parisi delivered the commencement address. Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. ELKO An Oregon man identified as a possible kidnapping suspect has been sentenced to prison after he was captured following a chase on Interstate 80 in January. Kyle K. Martin, 31, of Lowell was spotted by a deputy in Wells after Nevada State Police reported finding an abandoned stolen vehicle. Martin reportedly fled on foot but stole a nearby Ford Ranger and led law enforcement on a chase. The car chase ended east of Wells after the Ford got stuck in a snow drift as Martin attempted to cross the median. However, he continued to flee on foot and was eventually apprehended near a ranch house just south of the interstate. Martin is believed to have committed crimes in multiple different states, the sheriffs office reported at the time. He pleaded guilty March 27 eluding a police officer posing danger to persons or property, and grand larceny of motor vehicle. Martin was sentenced May 22 by District Judge Al Kacin to 2-5 years in prison for eluding, and a consecutive 16-40 months in prison for larceny. SPARKS The Nevada Department of Agriculture has announced Doug Farris as the new Deputy Director for the department. Farris previously served as the Division of Animal Industry Administrator from 2017 and has been serving as interim Deputy Director since March of 2023. I am happy to have Doug continue his service to the state of Nevada and NDA in this new capacity, said NDA Director J.J. Goicoechea. His six years of experience leading the Division of Animal Industry will be a great asset to this role. Deputy Director Farris attended Lassen Community College to study agricultural business and was also a co-owner/operator of Farris Cattle Company. Doug previously worked for Lyon County and then became a State Trooper with the Nevada Highway Patrol in 2009. He joined the NDA as the Division of Animal Industry Administrator in 2017 where he oversaw the Law Enforcement Unit, Livestock Inspection, Veterinary Medical Services, Dairy/Food Safety, Predatory Animal and Rodent Control, and Commercial Feed programs. I am confident that the six years of experience Doug gained as the Animal Industry Administrator will propel him into a successful future as the Deputy Director, said Director Goicoechea. UK paper and packaging maker Mondi on Monday said it was terminating a $1.17bn sale of its largest Russian plant to an investment vehicle owned by a Russian billionaire due to a "lack of progress" in getting he required approvals. A deal to sell Mondi Syktyvkar, a pulp, packaging paper and uncoated fine paper mill located in the capital of Russia's Komi Republic to Augment Investments - controlled by Russian billionaire Viktor Kharitonin - was agreed in August last year. Shares in the firm were down 3% in London on the news. Mondi said it "remained committed to divest the plant and will continue to assess all alternative divestment options". A deal to sell three of its Russian packaging converting operations to Moscow-based Gotek Group for 1.6 billion roubles agreed in December remained in progress, Mondi said. Capita is reportedly facing possible legal action after the outsourcer was hit by a cyberattack earlier this year. According to The Times, law firms including Leigh Day are considering filing lawsuits after being contacted by people who believe they were affected by the attack, which resulted in client data being stolen by Russian hackers. Capita said last month that the financial impact of the attack would be up to 20m. It also said that less than 0.1% of its servers were affected, although it did not clarify the number of severs, nor the volume of data leaked. The Times said Leigh Day had written to the Universities Superannuation Scheme, which is known to have been targeted, requesting more information about the breach on behalf of clients. Leigh Day partner Sean Humber called the 0.1% figure "in itself pretty meaningless". The Times also noted that Barings Law was appealing via social media for members of the USS to come forward if they believe they were affected by the attack. Capita declined to comment on the article. As at 0930 BST, shares in Capita were trading 2% lower at 34.09p. Capita, which employs around 52,000 people, is the governments largest software and IT services provider, with contracts ranging from managing phone lines for NHS England and collecting the BBC licence fee. Polymetal said on Monday that it is considering the sale of its Russian business following the resignation of two bosses and due to sanctions by the US. The Anglo-Russian gold and silver miner said that "in the light of recent developments, and in the interests of preserving shareholder value", it is considering "all possible options" available for divestment of JSC Polymetal and its subsidiaries. The company said chief executive officer Vitaly Nesis and chief financial officer Maxim Nazimok have resigned from all executive positions and ended their employment at the Russian arm. They retain their current positions with Polymetal and will continue to focus on the operations of the groups assets in Kazakhstan, as well as the re-domiciliation of the company to the Astana International Financial Centre in Kazakhstan, as announced last month. Polymetal said it would provide an update on the ongoing assessment of possible options by the end of June, if there are any, and any progress on the companys strategic plans, "save for any material information or developments which may require an earlier announcement". At 1455 BST, the shares were down 2.6% at 185p. Leicesters garment makers have said they are in crisis as a growing number of fast-fashion brands are forcing through discounts, making last-minute cancellations and imposing financial penalties for what suppliers claim are tiny errors. In the east Midlands city where manufacturers make clothes for a range of brands including Boohoo, Misguided and Frasers Group, the owner of Sports Direct and the online specialist Missguided hundreds of garment businesses have shut in recent years, local organisations say, and suppliers warn that more are likely to follow. Guardian The number of UK breweries going out of business has tripled in the past year, with smaller craft beer manufacturers most at risk as consumers opt for cheaper options during the cost of living crisis, according to research. In total, 45 breweries entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 31 March, compared with 15 in the previous year, according to the most recent official Insolvency Service statistics analysed by Mazars, an audit, tax and advisory firm. Guardian German car makers are ramping up pressure on Brussels to avoid a post-Brexit cliff edge for the auto industry as officials in Whitehall race to strike a deal. Mercedes and Volkswagen have this week joined other car marques in calling for the EU to delay the introduction of new rules that will hit cross-border trade with Britain. Telegraph The British Chambers of Commerce is establishing a new business body composed of some of the countrys biggest companies, including BP and Drax, days ahead of a crunch vote that will decide the fate of the CBI. As its embattled peer faces job losses and a potential insolvency, the BCC today will convene a new council made up of business leaders who are looking for a different kind of representation. The Times HSBC has come under fire for closing bank accounts held by a Hong Kong opposition political party and some of its core members. Last week the FTSE 100 bank notified the League of Social Democrats of its decision to close the groups three accounts after having carefully considered various factors and conducted detailed assessments before making the relevant decision. The Times Saudi unveiled plans at the weekend to reduce its oil output by 1m barrels per day in a surprise unilateral decision. The move was to take effect from July. The decision came as Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, was due to travel to Saudi Arabia over the following week. It also followed a meeting between members marred by disagreements, although the Russian and UAE energy ministers denied talk of any split with Saudi. OPEC+ meanwhile did agree to prolong the voluntary cuts announced in April until the end of 2024. The cartel and its allies were to meet again in November and plans might change. - The Sunday Telegraph Asos received a 1bn takeover offer from Turkish rival Trendyol in late December, according to City sources. Among the Turkish outfit's backers was Chinese online retailing giant Alibaba. The offer would have valued Asos at 10-12 per share, against a closing price last Friday of 3.5. There were however no live talks and both companies declined to commit. Recently, leading credit insurers had demured from providing cover for its suppliers or reduced the same. a decision that could squeeze its cash flow. - The Sunday Times A record proportion, or 19%, of first-time homebuyers were taking out 35-year mortgages and more in the wake of soaring costs. That was the highest share since 2005, when records began, and twice the 9% seen in December 2021. The average age of a first time buyer was now 32, according to Halifax, meaning that many persons' intention was to continue borrowing until the end of their work life and even into retirement. - The Sunday Telegraph Sky's UK boss believes the country is entering a 'golden age' of film and television. Spend on both combined hit a record 6.2bn in 2022, which was 1.83bn more than before Covid. Furthermore, just last month ministers promised additional support as part of a strategy to add over 1m jobs in creative industries over the next decade. - The Financial Mail on Sunday Illustration photo On May 30, the ADC issued a preliminary conclusion on an anti-dumping investigation into ammonium nitrate products imported from Lithuania and Viet Nam. Accordingly, the products imported from Viet Nam accounted for a relatively small share of the Australian market. Hence, the application of anti-dumping measures did not create significant impacts on Australia's ammonium nitrate industry. Specifically, ammonium nitrate products from Lithuania and Viet Nam account for around 0.8 percent and 0.2 percent of the market shares in Australia, respectively. The ADC initiated an anti-dumping investigation into ammonium nitrate products imported from Chile, Lithuania, and Viet Nam on June 8, 2022. Viet Nam started exporting ammonium nitrate to Australia in 2019. In the 2019-2021 period, the annual export value of ammonium nitrate to Australia was US$2.56 million, US$ 12.13 million, and US$ 5.07 million./. Time is perhaps right to address gaps in governance frameworks of banks, a top RBI official has said, amid reports of lapses by various banks, which have invited action by the central bank. "The banking sector in India at this juncture is sound, resilient, and financially healthy. So, the time is perhaps right to improve the plumbing by addressing the gaps in governance frameworks, assurance functions and strategise for better times ahead," RBI's deputy governor Rajeshwar Rao said. He was addressing the conference of directors of banks organised by the RBI for public sector banks, recently. Rao's comments have come just days after RBI governor Shaktikanta Das had said that the central bank had found some gaps in banks' corporate governance despite issuing guidelines on the matter. He had advised that banks' boards and management should not allow such gaps to creep in. These views by the central bank's top brass have come when quite a few governance lapses have been reported by various banks, attracting action by the RBI. Rao further said in his address that bank boards often do not pay attention to matters related to conduct. Pointing out that customer service, customer conduct and ethical employee behaviour are key in banks, Rao said banks' boards should pay close attention to these aspects. "Good or rather best practices in these areas are the key soft pillars which build the edifice of a successful financial institution, more so in these challenging times," he said. Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions announced that Anand Sanghi has been appointed President, Americas effective July 1, 2023. Sanghi currently serves as President, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and India (ASI) and will continue to serve in this role until the end of June. As President, Americas, Sanghi will have responsibility for the Americas business, leveraging his success in Asia Pacific and vast experience in technology and engineering to further enhance the performance of Vertivs Americas region. With 29 years across Emerson and Vertiv, Sanghi brings with him extensive industry knowledge and a proven track record of driving top- and bottom-line growth as well as expanding Vertiv's manufacturing footprint in ASI. In connection with Sanghis appointment to the President, Americas role, Giordano Albertazzi, the Companys Chief Executive Officer and current President, Americas will step down from the President, Americas role. Albertazzi will remain the Companys Chief Executive Officer and a director on the Companys Board of Directors. Sanghi joined Vertivs forerunner, Emerson, in 1994 and has held senior Asia Pacific leadership positions at Vertiv since 2017. He was named President, ASI in 2021. Anand brings tremendous experience, a keen understanding of the business and a relentless focus on operational excellence to our Americas business, which is in the midst of a rapid turnaround with organic revenue growth over 60% and adjusted operating margin more than doubling in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the prior year quarter, said Giordano Albertazzi, Vertiv CEO. He is the right person to continue to drive the Americas ongoing transformation and further advance our progress in creating a high performance culture. Dear Annie: When did airplane seats become so small? I hadnt flown in six years until this past spring, when I booked a flight to attend a family wedding. I reserved a window seat so that I could relax in comfort. But the experience was anything but comfortable. For starters, the man next to me in the middle seat must have been 62 tall and weighed at least 250 pounds, and he could not possibly sit in the middle seat without taking up room from the window and aisle seats. We almost had to pull up the middle seat armrests so that he could sit down. The whole time, I kept trying not to touch his body, but his girth was such that some contact was unavoidable. I used to fly a lot for business in the 80s, and I dont ever remember such uncomfortable seats, or such an unpleasant experience. I never want to fly again! I felt sorry for this large man. He was very nice and embarrassed about the whole situation. It had to be extremely uncomfortable for him to squeeze his body between those armrests. As bad as it was for me and for the woman in the aisle seat on his other side, this guy had it worse. He should never have been booked into such a ridiculously narrow seat with virtually no legroom. His knees were pressed against the seat in front of him the entire time. Why dont airlines have size limitations for middle seat passengers? -- Recovering from an Unbearable Flight Dear Recovering: You are not alone in wondering what airlines are thinking by reducing the width of their seats and the amount of legroom. They create a great deal of resentment of their brand. In theory, many have policies stating that obese people should buy two tickets so they can spread out, but since more than a third of Americans are called obese, they dont insist on this policy. Air Canada says that obesity can be a disability and, with a doctors note, will grant the obese passenger two seats for the price of one. Air France offers a 25 percent discount on the second seat for an obese person and will refund the balance of the fare if the flight has empty seats. Politicians have passed various versions of a Bill of Rights for airline passengers, but having airplane seats like the old days -- with plenty of width and legroom -- are not considered essential. However, I agree with you, and I would encourage you to write a letter of complaint to the airline you used. How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner? is out now! Annie Lanes second anthology -- featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Staten Island homeowner was on his way to Brooklyn when his phone alerted him to activity at his video doorbell camera. Someone was trying to get into his Midland Beach home. I checked out the motion alert and saw that there was a gentleman in front of my house, said Christian Schlager, to the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com, regarding the Saturday morning incident. Im watching him live, checking my door handle and make his way into my backyard. After seeing an unknown man on his property, Schlager immediately made a U-turn and phoned the police to alert them about the activity happening at his home. According to an image shared by Schlager with the Advance, the doorbell cam shows a man outside his home around 9:15 a.m. Midland Beach homeowner, Christian Schlager (pictured above), relaxing in his beloved home. June 4, 2023Christian Schlager By the time the homeowner arrived back at his property, the stranger had broken into his home through the backdoor and took a bag of Schlagers belongings from the laundry room. Luckily for the homeowner, there were items of little value in the bag. When I got back to the house I saw this gentleman in my backyard, holding my bag that was inside of my laundry area, recounted Schlager. I (confronted) him in the backyard. It was then that a scuffle ensued between Schlager and Seth Flint, 39, who police have since arrested and charged in connection to the incident. Schlager recounted gaining the upper hand against Flint during the scuffle pretty quickly, before Flint fled from the property. Although Schlager escaped the scuffle mostly unscathed, he now suffers from wrist pain due to the altercation and plans to get his injury checked by a doctor. Seth Flint (pictured above) after breaking into Midland Beach resident, Christian Schlager's home on Saturday. Flint faces a charge of burglary as a result of the incident. June 4, 2023Christian Schlager After the physical altercation, police apprehended Flint a short distance from Schlagers home on the 500 block of Midland Avenue. The police arrived and caught him on foot about two blocks away from where it all occurred, Schlager said. According to DCPI, Flint has been charged with burglary. Court records indicate the defendant is due to appear in court on July 24. Although Flint has been apprehended and charged in connection to the crime, according to Schlager, the suspect did not act alone. Schlager believes Flint had two accomplices who acted as lookouts while Flint allegedly burglarized the premises. The above photo shows the aftermath of the scuffle between Schlager and Flint. June 4, 2023 (Christian Schlager)Christian Schlager The police said they couldnt do anything about it because they technically never entered my property, said Schlager. Schlager felt compelled to share his story to send potential criminals a message: Dont break into peoples homes. He broke into the wrong home, Schlager contends. RELATED COVERAGE: Recent Staten Island news >> Husband charged with murder in stabbing death of wife in Richmond >> Carjackings, threats, scams on Staten Island prompt warning about selling, buying cars on Facebook Marketplace >> NYPD details terrifying attempted abduction on Staten Island; cops search for two males in brown van >> NYPD seeks tips in alleged assault on MTA bus on Staten Island As China reiterated its security concepts and initiatives at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore about "unprecedented" security challenges facing the Asia-Pacific, Chinese experts on international relations and national security said on Sunday that China's national security is now facing more comprehensive and complex threats not only in traditional fields such as geopolitics, but also in those such as finance and high-tech sectors, so the country needs to form modernized thinking and countermeasures to deal with the new situation. The main threat at the moment has been caused by the US-launched new cold war against China despite Washington refusing to admit it, analysts noted. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the first meeting of the National Security Commission under the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) last week, called for accelerated efforts to modernize the country's national security system and capacity. The national security issues China faces today are "considerably more complex and much more difficult to be resolved," the meeting said. It stressed the necessity of being prepared to deal with worst-case and extreme-case scenarios and being ready to withstand "high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms." On Sunday, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Li Shangfu delivered a highly anticipated speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. "People cannot but ask these questions: Who is disrupting peace in the region? What are the root causes of the chaos and instability? And what should we stay vigilant about and guard against?" said Li. These questions must be answered in the interests of the security, stability and future of the Asia-Pacific, Li underscored. Noting that "a certain country" has incited "color revolutions" and proxy wars in different regions, created chaos and turbulence and just walked away leaving a mess behind, Li added that such things should never be allowed to happen in the Asia-Pacific region. Experts said China's national security concerns are in line with the shared concerns of the ASEAN and other regional countries hoping for peace and stability. Extreme-case scenario Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday that "the worst-case scenarios" mentioned in the National Security Commission meeting refers to "challenges such as a massive geopolitical crisis or another global financial crisis," but "the extreme-case scenarios," to be clear, "means the danger of war." China always maintains high alert over threats to its national security, but if there is anything that can bring "dangerous storms" or the danger of war, that would definitely be the Taiwan question, Jin said. "The US' increasing provocations and the risky acts of Taiwan secessionists could bring an imminent threat that may cause a war in the region," Jin noted. Li Wei, an expert on national security at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, echoed that view, saying that there are challenges stemming from both international and regional issues, terrorism and those brought by unilateralism and trade protectionism. "A mindset of dealing with worst-case and extreme-case scenarios should be applied in addressing affairs related to the South China Sea and the Taiwan question," the expert said. In 2024, the US will hold its presidential elections, and the island of Taiwan will also hold a regional election, and one possibility for an "extreme-case scenario" is Donald Trump, if reelected as president withdrawing US resources from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and maximizing the manipulation of the Taiwan question to provoke and contain China, and Lai Ching-te, a radical secessionist politician on the island, winning the elections, as these radical and unpredictable forces could recklessly cross the bottom-line and force China to solve the Taiwan question once and for all, said Jin. China has exercised restraints in responding to the US-launched new cold war, and Washington is the side that is provoking uncertainties and major impacts, so even though China is making full preparations and trying its best to deter and prevent "the worst or extreme-case scenarios," the extent of the danger of a war breaking out in the region in the near future is still unclear, analysts said. Favorable environment The first meeting of the National Security Commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee last week called for initiative to be taken to "shape a favorable external security environment for China to better safeguard its opening up and push for a deep integration of development and security." "Believe it or not, after the Biden administration issued its latest National Security Strategy in October 2022, a new cold war against China was launched," Jin said.The US has clearly identified China as its "only competitor," and Washington is mobilizing different political forces and business groups within the country as well as its allies around the globe to join this new cold war, but the mobilization has not been very successful. More importantly, the US also wants to avoid a hot direct war when launching its comprehensive containment against China, and this is why its senior officials are desperately seeking communication with China but with no sincerity in reducing its hostilities, Jin noted. "All this proves that a new cold war has already been launched by the US." So the key to avoid worst-case and extreme-case scenarios is to work together with all peace-loving parties, including US business elites and Western countries, to shape a favorable environment that not only benefits China, but also provides certainty and stability for everyone who hungers for peace, development and recovery, experts said. Recent high-profile China trips made and to be made by executives of top American companies such as Elon Musk of Tesla, Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan, and Jensen Huang of Nvidia have made headlines around the world, as they are seeking to expand their business in the world's biggest and most vibrant market due to its high certainty and stability. Executives from a couple of top UK companies, including the executive chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings Ben Keswick, also met with senior Chinese officials recently, even as some Western officials, including those in the US and some of its allies, are calling for "decoupling" or "de-risking" in their trade ties with China.Jin said forming friendly ties and mutual trust, providing opportunities and benefits, and building a community with shared future with others are some of the most effective measures being taken to prevent the "the worst-case and extreme-case scenarios." After unilaterally launching a new cold war against China, the US has failed to mobilize its own big companies and business elites in different industries, and has also failed to mobilize its key allies such as major EU members including France and Germany. This means the new cold war is exerting limited harm to the world economy, and also makes the damage caused by US hegemony and unilateralism more manageable in terms of finance, economy, as well as supply and industrial chains, experts noted. The National Security Commission meeting also called for dedicated efforts to safeguard political security and improve the security governance of "internet data and artificial intelligence (AI)." It also called for expedited endeavors to establish a risk monitoring and early warning system. Shen Yi, a professor on cybersecurity and international relations at Fudan University, told the Global Times that China will embrace and make the best use of these cutting-edge technologies, to better unleash productive forces and better serve its governance and national security. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York City will use state funds to purchase school food from local farmers, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks announced last week. The DOE Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) has been awarded $8.4 million through the Local Food for Schools grant, allocated by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). It will be used to buy locally grown foods from local producers, small businesses, and historically disadvantaged farmers and producers. From introducing Plant-Powered Fridays to launching our inaugural Chefs Council, the changes weve made to our school menus have been nothing short of transformative, said Adams. Now with this new grant, we will deepen our efforts to ensure all our children have access to healthy, nourishing, culturally appropriate meals, in partnership with our local producers. The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, between the New York State Education Department and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), aims to increase purchasing of local and regional foods for use in schools and support local producers. Additionally, it aims to remove barriers and create lasting connections to strengthen food systems within school communities, strengthen partnerships between schools and farmers/producers, and engage with new local producers to bring them into the OFNSs regular school food pipeline. Schools are the centers of our communities, and our school food programs go beyond providing every student with a nutritious meal each day. A major focus for NYC Public Schools is ensuring that the meals we serve contribute to our sustainability efforts and bolster our local economic communities, said Banks. Im thrilled to further deepen our partnership with New York State producers and farmers through this grant, working together to raise our next generation of sustainable and health-minded leaders. The Office of Food and Nutrition Services will leverage its partnership with the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Mayors Office of Urban Agriculture to identify a cohort of small to mid-scale, historically disadvantaged urban and rural New York State growers who are interested in entering the school food market. They will collaborate on training these producers so they can have an easier pathway to apply for contracts and sell their products to schools. This support provided through the training will directly increase the number of certified M/WBE, Good Agriculture Practice, and New York State Grown and Certified producers. It will also build relationships between local producers, DOE, and other city agencies. The Local Food for Schools funding will help procure fresh vegetables from these farmers, which will include diced white potatoes, diced butternut squash, green cabbage, corn on the cob, green bell peppers, and more. New items will be incorporated into school lunch menus. The partners include: NYC DOE OFNS NYC DOE Division of Contracts & Purchasing Cornell Cooperative Extension/Harvest NY Mayors Office of Urban Agriculture 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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A gun was fired at a downtown Manhattan 7-Eleven, a block away from City Hall, Sunday morning, according to the New York Daily News. The call came in around 5 a.m. to the store on Church Street, near Park Place, the report states. The News said the individual opened fire after he attempted to steal candy and a worker stopped him. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A new apartment listing has some wondering just what people would give up and spend for a chance to live in New York City. As rent to live in Manhattan continues to skyrocket, one particular unit in Greenwich Village is going viral and not for a good reason, according to a report by the New York Post. An empty third-floor apartment was listed for rent at $2,350 per month, which may be considered a great deal for the neighborhood. Thats until you realize its only 77 square feet of space and doesnt even have a bathroom. You may as well be paying for a very expensive, tiny college dorm room. Its previous listing pegged the space as a perfect starter apartment. Located at 49 W. 11 St., the single-room occupancy studio was available and would require a tenant to share the bathroom in the hallway with other tenants a norm for a lot of buildings catered to college students, according to The Post. Tik Tok user @omerlabock (Omer Labock, a real estate agent) toured the space in a 32-second-long video that he described as the smallest apartment he has ever seen. It featured a kitchenette complete with a mini-fridge and small sink, a tiny closet at the entrance, one big window, and no bathroom in the unit. When it was first listed in December, rent was $1,975 per month, according to Labock. But by April, rent rose to a higher price of $2,350, according to the media outlet. While many may complain that no one would want to live in the small space for that price, the unit was off-the-market in a few weeks, according to The Post. And the rent is still cheaper than the median rent for a studio in the area, The Post found. According to Rent Hop, this single-occupancy room is 39% cheaper than the median rent of $3,850 for a studio in Greenwich Village. The pre-war walk-up building consists of 27 units and is just north of Washington Square Park, just south of Union Square, according to its management website. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A shortage of cancer drugs that the American Cancer Society (ACS) is calling a serious and life-threatening issue is being felt on Staten Island, but not in dramatic numbers, the boroughs top oncologists said. The shortages of generic medications being felt across the country have affected the course of treatment of some of the Islands cancer patients, with alternative treatments effectively replacing those in short supply, doctors said. But unfortunate side effects some as serious as kidney failure do often accompany the substitute chemotherapy treatments, one oncologist said. Several factors have combined to cause the shortages of generic drugs used to treat lung, breast, bladder and ovarian cancers. The shortages of those and other generic medications have increased by nearly 30% between 2021 and 2022, according to a recent congressional report. Chemotherapy drugs have returned to the list of top-five drug classes affected by shortage, the ACS said. Expanded demand, supply shortages, limited manufacturing capacity and low profit margins for generic therapies are among the factors resulting in the current nationwide shortage, the not-for-profit announced. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan previously identified these concerns in December 2019, and his report concluded that U.S. over-reliance on foreign sources for these drugs posed a national security risk and that in the event of a crisis, such over-reliance could have devastating impacts on hospitals, health-care providers and patients. This was even before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic exposed further vulnerabilities, the recent congressional report said. ON STATEN ISLAND Dr. Alexander Bershadskiy, interim medical director for the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Staten Island University Hospital, said a shortage of the generic chemotherapy drug Carboplatin, which is manufactured by several pharmaceutical companies, is potentially serious for some affected patients, but has not been far-reaching. Carboplatin, which is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds, is an intravenous drug that works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. In short supply now, it is often replaced by doctors with Cisplatin. While both are FDA-approved treatments for a variety of cancers, Cisplatin often causes miserable side effects, including horrific vomiting for many, and is risky for those with underlying kidney conditions, Bershadskiy said. It has even caused kidney damage in those with normal kidney function, resulting in a need for dialysis treatments, he said. And Cisplatin is even said to be in short supply now, the ACS stated. Bershadskiy said this shortage is the worst he can recall, though he admitted hes relatively new to the field, as his career began in 2015. Oftentimes, shortages are predicted, but dont actually pan out, he said. This is the first time where we literally had to either change treatment or not be able to offer first-line treatment in my career, he said, noting the shortage does not affect all cancer patients. The current supply problems are primarily affecting generic drugs, which account for 90% of the market, rather than brand-name products. A wide variety of drug deficiencies have been reported recently across the nation. These have ranged from prescription medications, to common over-the-counter treatments, to the contrast dye required for medical scans. AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CONCERNED Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer for the ACS, said this shortage is particularly problematic, because the drugs are so important for common cancers. Shortages in the past were often for cancers that were not as prevalent, so the overall impact was less, he said. The drugs are often used as part of the initial cancer treatment, sometimes before surgery and radiation in lung cancer, bladder cancer, head and neck cancer, ovarian cancer and triple-negative breast cancer, he said. While the exact percentage of cancer patients affected by the shortages is unknown, Dahut said the cancers potentially impacted are amongst the most common and lead to significant morbidity and mortality. WHITE HOUSE ATTENTION The shortages are so acute that they have drawn the attention of the White House and Congress, which are examining the underlying causes of the wavering generic drug market affecting most U.S. prescriptions, the New York Times reported. Injectable drug products, which can include supportive care medications (like IV saline), sedatives (such as propofol), and chemotherapy drugs, are more than twice as likely to experience shortages compared to other dosage forms, such as oral tablets or topical products, the congressional report said. The ACS said that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug shortage mitigation tools are largely confined to working directly with the manufacturer on whatever is causing the shortage, as well as working with other manufacturers of the same product to urge them to ramp up production. This early warning approach makes up essentially all of the toolbox at their disposal, the ACS said in a statement. Physicians treating cancer patients with chemotherapy are forced to change treatment mid-course when a shortage occurs, said Dr. Victoria Forte, cancer services director and chief of hemotology/oncology at Richmond University Medical Center. We have been struggling, but weve been doing our best to give our patients other options, which are just as good, Forte said, stressing that in most situations there are options available that are just as efficacious. Clearly, I would like to give the medication theyve been given the whole time, she said. Its not ideal, but things could be worse. THERE ARE OPTIONS Forte said those in the United States are lucky to have so many choices available. Here, we have the ability to get the specialty products we need to save lives, she said. When we deal with these national shortages, I think that in the back of my mind. When you look at developing countries, they dont have life-saving drugs available to them. Forte said that physicians have many options available, including proven treatments that have been around for more than 50 years. So, its never that a patient went without what they needed, she said. Ive always been able to get an adequate replacement for the drug. Neither physician said they were aware of any deaths caused by the shortage. Bershadskiy said he agreed with the ACS that the situation is critical. Some patients take the news of a drug substitution mid-treatment fairly well, the doctors said. But other times, its devastating to them. And though it does not happen often, kidney damage is a risk hed rather not take when treating patients. Obviously, we want them to get cured, and after everything is over, to be cured of cancer and go back to the quality of life they want to return to, Bershadskiy said. With kidney dialysis, that changes everything. When a shortage requires a change in therapy and results in serious side effects, its terrible, its horrible and devastating, Bershadskiy said. The goal of the treatment is, of course, to cure. My goal as a physician is to give them the most effect therapy with the least amount of side effects. Yet, shortages are something physicians have become accustomed to in recent years, said Dr. Philip Otterbeck, chairman of medicine at RUMC. Most of the time we have alternative therapies that we can institute with our patients, alternate drugs that have the same clinical efficacy of the drugs on the shortage list,' he said. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? The FDA, which employs a team that does the day-to-day work of mitigating and reporting drug shortages, has said it is seeking authority from Congress to get additional information about the drug manufacturing and supply chain, news outlets have reported. But the agency has also expressed its concerns to the White House about severe financial strain in the generic drug industry. Thats an economic problem that FDA officials said they cant address. 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! While many of Bill Shortens former staffers wound up in the lobbying game, Alisha Aitken-Radburn took a more left-field turn, hitting the big time as a reality TV star with The Bachelor franchise. Loading That career trajectory will be the subject of a soon-to-be released tell-all memoir, The Villain Edit charting Aitken-Radburns journey from the cut-throat world of Sydney University student politics to the comparatively friendly reality TV scene. On the way, we get a behind-the-scenes look at Aitken-Radburns time with Shorten, and a stint at NSW Labor during the 2019 ICAC probe that ended the career of her then-boss, Kaila Murnain. No wonder news of the warts-and-all memoir has gotten a few political staffers wondering whether their most Machiavellian moments had made the cut, with Aitken-Radburn telling CBD shed already started receiving some anxious messages. People take pictures at Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) This photo taken on June 3, 2023 shows a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) A sightseeing train is about to pull out of Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) People take pictures at Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People board a sightseeing train at Shuanglongqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People enjoy a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People enjoy a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People take pictures at Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People take pictures at Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People enjoy a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) This photo taken on June 3, 2023 shows an old-fashioned locomotive at a railway museum in Shiping County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) Visitors are seen at Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People take pictures when having a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People enjoy a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People enjoy a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) People take pictures at Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People take pictures when having a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao) Visitors are seen at Xianghuiqiao station along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) People enjoy a sightseeing train ride along a tourism railway line in Jianshui County of Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe in southwest China's Yunnan Province, June 3, 2023. Once an important transportation line for local tin industry, the Gejiu-Bisezhai-Lin'an-Shiping Railway in Honghe is now a major tourist attraction for visitors. Since 2015, the Jianshui County (Lin'an as the old name) and Shiping County have been exploring this historical railway and injecting new life into their tourism industry. Now enjoying a sightseeing train ride along this tourism railway line is a must-do for visitors who come here. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) Editor: ZAD Advertisement Eating outCheap eats A $39 banquet from a former Ottolenghi chef and five more great dining deals worth going out midweek for A pub offering a locals discount each week, a hefty lasagne without a hefty price, and a light and bright vegetarian banquet are just some reasons to get out and about this winter. Emma Breheny June 5, 2023 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share You there, under the doona. Did you know winter is actually the best time to fill your diary, as restaurants deliver deals to lure Melbournes hibernating residents out of the house? These can come in all shapes and sizes, whether its a bracing Malaysian-style breakfast, a hearty fish stew or a BYO night at a neighbourhood Italian. Midweek is the new weekend embrace it. Waygoods Parisian-style looks play backdrop to vegetarian banquet every Tuesday in winter. Jason South Waygood You could have a virtuous Tuesday dinner of brown rice and broccoli at home, or you could opt for the new vegetarian banquet ($39 per person) at this Richmond wine bar. With a new head chef from Ottolenghis Islington restaurant in London, Waygood is dishing up vibrant plates of autumn and winter veg, such as chargrilled Brussels sprouts with tahini-maple dressing or beetroot hummus with everything bagel seasoning. Desserts can be added, or even a meaty main that turns the veg into the support act. Menu changes weekly; the fun kicks off June 20. 213 Swan Street, Richmond, waygood.com.au Advertisement The bargain lasagne at The Railway Hotel is a bright spot on a Wednesday. Supplied Railway Hotel Fitzroy Dont head to another of Melbournes many Railway hotels or youll miss out on a bargain plate of delightfully messy lasagne, its cheesy top blistered in the best possible way. This Fitzroy North institution is in new hands and the team are making fast friends in the neighbourhood by offering portions of lasagne either meat or veg for just $20 on Wednesdays. Thankfully, they havent changed much else at the pub, especially not the old-school decor. 800 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy North, railwayhotelfitzroy.com.au Advertisement Bistro Sousou Is there any combo more wintry than roast duck paired with pinot noir? Embrace the cold with a night coddled in the warm patina of this charming French spot. The mood on Wednesdays is further dialled up by a white-hot deal: half a slow-roasted duck with duck fat potatoes, pickled cabbage and a glass of pinot noir. The price? Just $45. 153 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, bistrosousou.com.au All food is discounted for locals on Wednesdays at Hobsons Bay Hotel Kate Shanasy Hobsons Bay Hotel Advertisement Could this westside pub be the definition of a good neighbour? On Wednesdays it offers locals 15 per cent off everything on the menu (drinks are still full price). Keep things low-key with a cheeseburger on a milk bun or a classic parma, or make the most of the discount and scale up to a whole lamb shoulder with flatbread, pickles and zhoug. 28 Ferguson Street, Williamstown, hobsonsbayhotel.com.au Post Office Club Hotel Provencal fish stew is on special every Thursday at The Post Office Club Hotel. Supplied Stroll down to this recently revamped pub any day of the week and your wallet will thank you. A daily happy hour (4pm-6pm) includes $8 wines and beers or you can spring for sparkling for $15. Oysters are $3 a pop. But Thursday is the day to really make the most of it. Get there for a pre-dinner drink at happy hour prices; stay for the $30 bouillabaisse, a warm hug of a stew from southern France, scattered with mussels, blue grenadier and prawns, served with rouille and sourdough. Advertisement 306 St Kilda Road, St Kilda, posthotel.com.au Review The Post Office Club Hotel flies under the radar as a French brasserie Myth Cafe Does starting your day with a bargain mean more good luck is headed your way? Find out by snapping up one of the $14 breakfast sets at this cafe that offers a taste of Malaysian hawker dishes. Opt for toast slathered in kaya butter (coconut jam) with soft-boiled eggs, or nasi lemak or fried vermicelli if youre more of a savoury morning person. Hainanese-style coffee or tea, strong, smooth and often sweet, is included. Available from 7am on weekdays (except Tuesday) and 8am on weekends. 48 Rosslyn Street, Melbourne, @myth_cafe_au Advertisement Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Our obsession with Succession combined with the Met Gala and the Australian Fashion Week runway has shifted the focus on faces away from the stick-on jewels and neon eyeshadow introduced by the television series Euphoria in 2019. Rich skin has succeeded as the new beauty standard. Succession skin: Shiv Roy played by Sarah Snook in the Binge streaming series Succession and a model from the Maggie Marilyn Resort 2024 show at Australian Fashion Week. Euphoria make-up: Maddie played Alexa Demie in Euphoria and a model in the Yousef Akbar show at Australian Fashion Week. Credit: HBO, Getty A brief glimpse of Shiv Roys (Sarah Snook) nightstand in season three of Succession revealed a $112 bottle of Tatchas The Dewy Skin Cream. Earlier in the series a deep blue bottle of Augustinus Baders $437 The Cream stood out in the minimalist bathroom of Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong). There were no sightings of $8 stick-on jewellery. The move away from heavy television make-up was most notable last year when the Kardashians returned for their new Hulu series sans glam squad with the sisters opting to wear very little make-up in various scenes. Before #MeToo, and the belated global focus on sexual consent, gender identity and safety across workplaces, Cessalee Stovalls job description didnt exist. If, for example, actors of any background, identity or body type were up for a sex scene, it was not unusual to be told by a director, Just get up and do it. Cessalee Stovall, an intimacy and cultural consultant, in the Neighbours studios. Credit: Paul Jeffers Or worse, head to the other room and figure it out and then come back and show us what you came up with, says Stovall, speaking in her new job as a diversity and intimacy consultant on Neighbours. Since Neighbours was rebooted in April, Stovall and her co-worker, consent consultant and trans woman Bayley Turner, have worked with the series to help ensure among other things that the cast and the stories reflect life authentically, and that the power dynamics on set, especially in intimate scenes, are safe. I love spending time with the residents and getting an understanding of the love and joy they have for the communities they live in. Nathan Cockerill, Keyton CEO. Importantly, those communities wont be affected by the change of name they will stay just as they are with their strong individual identities and affiliation with their local area. The only change each village will see is the name Keyton at a corporate level. Residents will still receive the same great service from the same committed and caring staff in every village. Keyton residents can look forward to a continued commitment to improving village infrastructure and services, enhanced facilities and holistic wellness services, program and activities. For example, Keyton has been piloting a wellbeing program in seven communities where the company has employed a team of allied health professionals who understand and enhance resident wellbeing outcomes through the implementation of the companys wellbeing program. We are leading the sector with this innovative wellbeing program and it has been hugely successful. Were now expanding the wellbeing program to 25 villages and all new developments, Cockerill says. Importantly, its not one-size-fits-all. The Keyton health and wellbeing calendar supports resident activities that are co-ordinated by dedicated staff. Keyton encourages residents to have a proactive approach in their own health and wellness journey, Cockerill says. The program focuses on six areas of wellbeing: social connection, physical health, mental and emotional, cognitive, spiritual and financial. Apart from developing innovative new wellness programs and initiatives, Keyton has a clear growth plan which includes a strong development pipeline as well as potential acquisitions of complimentary portfolios and entry into the fast-growing land lease sector. Keyton encourages residents to have a proactive approach in their own health and wellness journey. Cockerill says the company hopes to increase its portfolio of 13,500 units to around 20,000 units over the medium to long-term through that combination of organic growth and potential acquisitions. We see a lot of growth on the eastern seaboard as demand from retirees increases for quality lifestyle destination options in those states, he says. Cockerill says the company will also explore opportunities in South Australia and Western Australia when they come available. Keyton is at the vanguard of an innovative new age of connected and caring retirement living. Keytons current footprint spreads across the nation in regional and urban settings with its residences ranging from premium resort-style accommodation to standalone units and serviced apartments. Every one of these communities has been thoughtfully curated for comfort, safety and enjoyment. Moreover, each community offers more than just accommodation or quality resort-style living, every village reflects its unique location, conveying a sense of place and importantly, a sense of belonging and connection for our more than 17,000 residents across Australia. And with more people looking for great places to live while enjoying active and healthy retirement lifestyles, the opportunities for Keyton are boundless and as a purely Australian company, we are excited about continuing to expand the lifestyle destination choices for the nations retirees in the coming years. To find out more visit: Keyton.com.au. Chapman overheard nurses gossiping about the conviction while she was recovering from an operation and decided to write to her old friend. Im so sorry youre in this situation, Chapman remembers writing. Can I come and visit you? Folbigg was distant at first, but their friendship was slowly rekindled. Chapman felt compelled to ask her friend some really hard questions, she says. I just said, I need to know. One of those questions was about the diaries. [Her explanation] made perfect sense to me, Chapman says. Ive known this person long enough to know she couldnt have done it. Tracy Chapman (left), Kathleen Folbigg and a man they remember only as Victor in the early to mid-1980s. She began trying to fight for her friend. But Chapman was a senior manager at TAFE NSW, not a lawyer. She knew nothing about how the justice system worked. I was a paper tiger, she says, a total numpty. I remember annoying the hell out of the solicitors, asking them questions. I was trying to be helpful. A breakthrough came in 2011, when the Australian law academic Emma Cunliffe, who is now at the University of British Columbia, explored Folbiggs conviction in a book called Murder, Medicine and Motherhood. Cunliffe decided to do her PhD on cases involving Meadows Law, a now-discredited theory that multiple infant deaths in one family are suspicious. She looked at several cases around the world, but within two or three years the only conviction left standing was Kathleen Folbiggs, she says. I wanted to understand what was different. Emma Cunliffes book, Murder, Medicine and Motherhood, was a turning point for Folbiggs case Credit: Joe Armao The key differences were that Folbigg kept diaries, and that her former husband testified against her during her trial. Cunliffe argued that Folbigg had been wrongfully convicted. The book gave Chapmans advocacy legitimacy and focus. The campaign to free Folbigg gathered momentum. In 2015, her lawyers lodged a petition for a judicial review, arguing that there was no forensic evidence the children were murdered. In 2018, an episode of Australian Story, featuring calls from Folbigg to Chapman, pressed her case further. Loading The campaign needed a face, and Chapman became that face. Shes the one talking to [Channel Seven presenter David Koch] Koshie and [Nine presenter] Karl Stefanovic and be still my beating heart [Nine presenter] David Campbell, says another Kotara High alumnus, Megan Donegan. Shes the one putting her life totally on hold, and leaving her home for three weeks. What shes done is amazing and incredible. The other friends helped. Donegan did online media and helped with fundraising, but saw her role as a bit of comic relief, if Kath needs to have a laugh. Another friend, who wants her identity kept secret due to the nature of her job, dealt with practical challenges, such as navigating the Corrective Services system. They all visited Folbigg, bringing her pocketfuls of coins to spend in the vending machine as they chatted about old times. Hope surged when Folbiggs case was sent before a 2019 inquiry, but faded again when former judge Reginald Blanch found her guilt was even more certain. Loading The whole experience, says Chapman, has been an emotional roller-coaster. They have learnt that hope can be more dangerous than despair. We dont want to hope, says Chapman. Its not over til its over. I cant even begin to explain how much it hurts when it doesnt happen. Chapmans advocacy for Folbigg has become her crusade. She left TAFE long ago, and is now studying a double masters in counselling and autism education. This has well and truly consumed me for over a decade, she says. Its an enormous sacrifice. But shes gained from the experience, too. She has learnt, when one thing doesnt work, to try another. I will zig, then I zag, Chapman says. It has also strengthened her self-belief. My Mum used to say to me my God, if you could stick to something, youd be amazing, she says. This has made me focus. Its made me a much better person. Its given me a level of inquiry that Im quite proud of myself about. Loading Chapman will help Folbigg with post-prison paperwork reapplying for a drivers licence and opening bank accounts as well as supporting her financially until her government payments begin. When Folbigg is settled, Chapman will keep fighting. She wants NSW to set up a Criminal Cases Review Commission, so cases such as Folbiggs dont rely on expensive inquiries set up at the discretion of a minister. Shell be continuing her studies and her wildlife rescue volunteering. My life is full, but I will go on to a doctorate and look at this, she says. I think at the heart of this is piss-poor leadership; we have no moral compass. In August 2018, immunologist Professor Carola Vinuesa received a call from a former student, who asked for her help in researching the Kathleen Folbigg case. Vinuesa had lived a life of inquiry and public service among other things, she had worked in a leprosy clinic in Kolkata, India and Folbiggs conviction troubled her, so she agreed to investigate. Professor Carola Vinuesa arriving at the Kathleen Folbigg inquiry in Sydney in February. Credit: Photo Louise Kennerley Doubts about Kathleen Folbiggs conviction in relation to the deaths of her four children Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura had been growing in medical and legal circles since Folbigg was jailed in 2003. Genetic science would finally tip the scales. As a mother, I cannot think of a more worthy cause, she wrote in an email to Folbiggs lawyers. Person 16 participated in more than 90 missions in the 2012 rotation. He told the court he was shocked by Roberts-Smiths words, but did not report the conversation because of the code of silence in the regiment, and because he feared retribution from the alpha males in the troop Roberts-Smith and his mates. He has had nightmares since. A photo of Ben Roberts-Smith displaying a Crusaders cross, which was edited by Defence to remove the symbol. In Roberts-Smiths version of the day, he did not shoot the prisoner. In fact, he told the court, on that day, no prisoners had been handed over to him. Of the two accounts, the judge found Roberts-Smiths the less convincing. Person 16 was an honest and reliable witness, who was entirely straightforward and he had no motive to lie, Besanko wrote. Of Roberts-Smiths story? That is false. Despite all that, the incident at Fasil was one of the alleged murders the judge found the newspapers had not substantiated. Why? Because there was no eyewitness. The newspapers submitted a photograph of a dead boy, but Besanko was not satisfied that it was the boy being described because photographs are notoriously difficult to identify with certainty. In mission after mission, allegation after allegation, the judge forensically weighed what hed been told and made his decision. By and large, he preferred the evidence of witnesses called by the newspapers. Many of those men were not sources for the original stories, but had been subpoenaed by the court. They were speaking often against their will, reluctantly breaking the SAS code in favour of the truth. Special forces in Afghanistan. Roberts-Smiths witnesses, on the other hand, were mostly his mates. And the judge eviscerated them. On the two cases at the centre of the original reporting the double murder in a compound called Whisky 108, and the murder of Ali Jan after kicking him down a cliff at Darwan Besanko found Roberts-Smiths witnesses were not only friendly to him, but were colluding in a series of fabrications. On Whisky 108, the judgment related how Roberts-Smith sent one of his witnesses, Person 29, a PowerPoint presentation including pictures of the compound, which he had marked up to falsify evidence that suggested that other eyewitnesses to the murders must be lying. Roberts-Smiths then wife, Emma Roberts, gave evidence that Person 29 had stayed at their home in July 2019 and the two men sequestered themselves in the office looking at documents on Roberts-Smiths laptop. SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith (centre) carousing with US soldiers and a prosthetic leg taken from an Afghan man whom he murdered at Whiskey 108. I am satisfied that there were discussions between the applicant, Person 5 and Person 29 (and possibly others) about what occurred... Their evidence is contaminated to that extent, the judge found. At the trial, Roberts-Smith and two witnesses stuck to their lie despite significant variations and alterations to their evidence which further reduced their credibility. Likewise on evidence about the killing at Darwan, the judge found Roberts-Smith colluded regularly with another mate, Person 11, in coming up with what the judge found was an implausible story. No cliff, no kick, Roberts-Smith said of the incident in evidence. The irresistible inference is that he has discussed his evidence at length with Person 11, the judge wrote, having enumerated all the times they met and conferred before and after that soldier gave his evidence before the war crimes inquiry. I am satisfied that the applicant and Persons 5, 11, 29 and 35 discussed their respective recollections of the missions in which they were involved, including the missions to Whisky 108, Darwan, Chinartu and Fasil and that they discussed their recollections in detail, Besanko found. The unreliability of Roberts-Smiths evidence was only compounded by the unusual and difficult to penetrate decision by Channel Seven to pay the legal fees of Persons 5, 11 and 35, then transfer them to the loan account of Roberts-Smith himself, and then to be evasive about those payments. Where Besanko does make a call, it is firmly underpinned by the evidence. Loading The obvious legal point is that this will make it difficult to challenge in an appeal. Besanko would have known it had to be tight because, with such high stakes and a well-funded litigant like Roberts-Smith, there was a good chance the higher courts would be poring over his reasoning. After tipping tens of millions of dollars and a portion of their own credibility into this case, Sevens owner Kerry Stokes and commercial director Bruce McWilliam might still find that gambling a million or so more on an appeal is a bet theyre willing to make. But this careful judgment is also a blow to those critics who argue, with decreasing credibility, that this is just a civil case, proven on the balance of probabilities not to the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt, and therefore Roberts-Smith cant really be considered a murderer. Loading Those people, including some writing in the News Corp papers who have backed him to the hilt, should spend some time reading this judgment. Defamation cases at their worst have been used by some judges to forensically examine and sneer at the practices of the media while restricting their access to the evidence they need to prove their cases. This judgment shows Besanko was genuinely interested in finding out what happened in Afghanistan on the original six allegations of murder, and much more besides from allegations of domestic violence to the use by Roberts-Smith of rival media to try to discredit the story and threaten witnesses to war crimes. Besanko found Roberts-Smith killed Ali Jan at the village of Darwan and then covered it up. [He] falsely reported that Ali Jan was a spotter who had been engaged in the cornfield, Besanko said. Additionally, the court found that Roberts-Smith lied about the now-infamous incident where he buried USBs, containing evidence he should have disclosed as part of the trial, in his backyard. Ben Roberts-Smith outside the Federal Court of Australia earlier in the trial. Credit: Getty He must have known they were relevant, Besanko found. He had sworn three affidavits of discovery and each time has not discovered them. I find that he decided not to discover them. Witness intimidation Besanko found that Roberts-Smith sent threats to a Special Air Service soldier dubbed Person 18 in 2018, before he gave evidence in the defamation case. John McLeod, a former police officer, said Roberts-Smith asked him in 2018 to post letters to the man, whose name cannot be revealed for national security reasons. Private investigator John McLeod outside the Federal Court. Credit: Peter Rae I am satisfied on the evidence that the applicant, through Mr McLeod, arranged for two threatening letters to be sent to Person 18, Besanko found. I accept the evidence of Mr McLeod and [Roberts-Smiths ex-wife Emma Roberts] and I reject the evidence of the applicant. Clearly, this conclusion reflects adversely on the credit of the applicant. Besanko said the threats to Person 18 may constitute a criminal offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice ... or using a postal or similar service to menace, harass or cause offence. Friends line up stories Besanko found that Roberts-Smith was speaking to friends, known as Persons 5, 11, 29 and 35 in the trial, using encrypted apps on burner phones. On his own admission, he was speaking to them about articles in the media and I find that he was also speaking to them about the allegations of war crimes, Besanko found. The fact is these witnesses were talking in detail about relevant missions and events and their respective recollections of the same, and even if they were not trying to line up their stories, there is a significant risk that that would be the result of the process. Besanko did find there was collusion between Roberts-Smith and Person 35. Separation from his wife Roberts-Smith lied about the way his marriage ended, Besanko found. He had told the court that he and Roberts were separated from about late September 2017 to April 2018, when he met Person 17 in early to mid-October 2017 and commenced a relationship with her. Emma Roberts, the estranged wife of Ben Roberts-Smith, at the Federal Court. Credit: Brook Mitchell I find that the separation story is false. The parties were not separated as claimed by the applicant. The applicant asked Ms Roberts to lie about being separated. He threatened her with the loss of the children. The Australian newspaper The court found that The Australian newspaper ran false stories created by Roberts-Smith to intimidate an opposing witness, Person 6. On October 20, 2017, McLeod sent an anonymous email to a journalist at The Australian, attaching an anonymous complaint to the commissioner of the Australian Federal Police. On November 3 and 9, 2017, the paper published articles about the allegations raised in the anonymous complaints. In the story, the source of the complaints is referred to as a whistleblower that The Australian understood was a former SASR member or a member of the military. After the article was published, the AFP referred the matter to the ADFs Investigative Service, and the Western Australian police raided Person 6s home based on allegations they were possessing prohibited items. No illegal weapons were found and the police investigation concluded with no charges being laid against Person 6, Besanko found. Again, [Roberts-Smiths] attempts to distance himself from what had occurred were unconvincing and unimpressive. He was the one who told Mr McLeod that he wanted matters investigated. He was the one who prepared the information which formed the basis of the complaints and the newspaper articles, and he was the one who told McLeod to respond in the affirmative to the question about whether the complainant was a serving member of the SASR. The paper also ran a false story saying that during Roberts-Smiths extramarital affair he was separated from his wife, an assertion Besanko rejected. Seven Network and Kerry Stokes Besanko found that Seven Network and Kerry Stokes were involved in paying the legal fees of people accused of colluding with Roberts-Smith in the trial and separate inquiries by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF). The legal effect of the arrangement was that the applicant was responsible for paying the legal fees of Persons 5, 11 and 35, in connection with the IGADF Inquiry and these proceedings, Besanko found. Person 35 said that his understanding was that Mr Kerry Stokes was paying for the legal representation. Roberts-Smiths colleagues: Persons 5, 29, 35 and 38 Four SAS colleagues of Roberts-Smith were also found to be untruthful by Besanko. In particular, the court found that his evidence related to the incident at Whiskey 108, where Roberts-Smith alleged that newspaper witnesses had colluded to present a false account, and that his friends 5, 29, 35 and 38 were actually telling the truth, was rejected. I have considered the applicants case and the supporting evidence of Persons 5, 29, 35 and 38. I reject it, Besanko said. Loading Further, he found of the witnesses called by the newspapers: There was no evidence of a plausible motive to lie or collusion. These witnesses were independent, had no interest in the result and were aware of the significance of giving evidence. Furthermore, they were in a position to observe the events about which they gave evidence. The combined effect of their evidence is, without more, powerful. Alexi Vikatos, the three-year-old boy allegedly murdered by his father in Sydney, has been remembered as a beautiful boy estranged from his family after his mothers death. Police detectives, meanwhile, have begun digging into alleged killer Nathan Vikatos history for clues about his past. Alexi Vikatos with his mother Jessica Francesca Marett. Alexi, 3, was allegedly killed in a stabbing murder by his father Nathan Vikatos (also pictured). Vikatos, 45, remains under police guard in hospital after he allegedly killed his son and turned the knife on himself in the apartment of a female relative last week. Police, hours before the alleged murder, were trying to track down Vikatos, who had lived at Medlow Bath in the Blue Mountains and previously lived on the Central Coast with the mother of Alexi. Kathleen Folbigg has now walked into that nether world between guilt and innocence. The Hunter Valley woman convicted of killing her four children in 2003 has just been pardoned and freed from Grafton Jail after a landmark inquiry concluded there was reasonable doubt about her guilt in the deaths. Her convictions, for the time being, remain. Kathleen Folbigg after her release. Security guards face blurred. Credit: Nine News That a mother could kill her own baby beggars belief and Australians reserve a special place for such a transgression. The trespass is so great, so horrifying, that some never forget. Today there are still people who believe Lindy Chamberlain killed her daughter Azaria despite her acquittal. Folbigg may be free but her reputation is not yet restored as pardons generally assume the offender is guilty of the underlying offence. Folbiggs legal team could act to quash her convictions through the Court of Criminal Appeal, pending the final report from former Supreme Court justice Tom Bathurst. It was Bathursts firm view that there was reasonable doubt about Folbiggs convictions that convinced NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley to pardon her on Monday. Folbiggs supporters are now calling for NSW to establish an independent post-conviction review commission to ensure no one else waits 20 years for justice. Daley said he was open to the idea, as are legal academics who say the NSW system is too reliant on ad-hoc inquiries and political intervention. Three Chinese astronauts on board Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship returned safely Sunday after six-month space station mission. The crew successfully completed four extravehicular activities (EVAs). The crew lived and worked in the space station complex for 186 days. by Xinhua writers Shen Feng, Zhang Dan and Quan Xiaoshu JIUQUAN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts on board the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship returned to Earth safely on Sunday, after completing their six-month space station mission. Shenzhou-15's return capsule, carrying astronauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 6:33 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship touches down safely at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) The astronauts were in good shape, and the Shenzhou-15 manned mission was a success, the agency announced. The astronauts were carried out by ground workers and placed on chairs in front of the capsule. Astronaut Fei Junlong is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/He Shuchen) "We have completed all the scheduled tasks and felt good after returning to the motherland," said Fei, the mission commander, who had also participated in the country's second crewed space mission, Shenzhou-6, in October 2005. Deng, who finally got the chance to fly to space after 25 years of preparation, said that he is grateful for the support and encouragement of the people of the whole country. Astronaut Deng Qingming is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) "I always believe in the power of dreams and persistence. No matter how old I am, I feel so happy to be needed by the nation," he added. "I'm now very excited, and when I was on the space station, I often watched through the window, trying to find my motherland and hometown," said Zhang, one of China's second batch of astronauts. Astronaut Zhang Lu is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) "We will adjust our bodies as soon as possible, go back into training, and be ready for space missions in the future," Zhang added. The return capsule separated from Shenzhou-15's orbiting capsule at 5:42 a.m. as per the flight procedure. Soon after the return capsule landed, the ground search team arrived at the landing site. Medical personnel confirmed that the astronauts were in good health. China launched the manned spaceship Shenzhou-15 on Nov. 29, 2022. The Shenzhou-15 crew, China's oldest mission crew in terms of average age, successfully completed four extravehicular activities (EVAs), becoming the crew to accomplish the most EVAs of all Chinese crews to date. This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on April 15, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Zhang Lu waving after performing extravehicular activities outside the Wentian lab module. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) The crew lived and worked in the space station complex for 186 days and conducted a number of experiments which produced fruitful results. The crew successfully obtained three-dimensional structural images of their skin cells with the country's self-developed two-photon microscope. This achievement, the first of its kind worldwide, marked the success of the in-orbit verification experiments of the two-photon microscope, providing a promising tool for future health monitoring of astronauts in orbit. China also successfully performed the first in-orbit ignition test in the Mengtian space lab module's combustion cabinet during the Shenzhou-15 mission. The test verified the functions of the combustion science experimental system of the space station and the accuracy and scientificity of the overall experimental process. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the operation of the country's Stirling thermoelectric convertor realized its in-orbit verification. The heat-to-electricity convertor showed an internationally advanced conversion efficiency during its smooth operation, according to the CMSA. China also completed in-orbit experiments on liquid metal thermal management on its space station for the first time ever during the Shenzhou-15 mission. These experiments verified a series of key technologies concerning bismuth-based metal in microgravity, such as controlled melting, expansion and convection heat transfer. As of May 29, they had conducted eight human factors engineering research activities, 28 space medical experiments and 38 space science experiments covering life ecology, material science and fluid mechanics, and obtained valuable experimental data. The crew also moved cargo outboard several times and installed several items of equipment, including extravehicular extended pump sets, cross-module cables, and supporting devices for the extravehicular payload platform, laying a foundation for carrying out subsequent large-scale science and technology experiments outside the space station, according to the CMSA. The crew witnessed the completion of the country's space station construction. Editor: ZAD The small zone and swelling student population are a product of the intense competition for a place, which has triggered a housing boom in the surrounding streets. Pitsa Binnion, who retired as principal last year after 15 years in the role, said the schools rise had been built on the back of outstanding academic results. McKinnnon Secondary College former principal Pitsa Binnion. It was not a school of choice for many local families 20 years ago, Binnion said, but is now forced to reject hundreds of out-of-zone applications each year, despite opening a second campus and expanding its zone in 2021. Its a very problematic situation now; pressure for enrolments is very high, she said. Loading People have demolished family homes where two or three kids would live, and they built townhouses and [apartment buildings] on the same block, so thats what put additional pressure on enrolments. Corin Kanazawa, who has two daughters at McKinnon Secondary College and a son at Ormond Primary School, which also has a non-standard zone, said the extra expense of buying in the school zone was a better deal than paying exorbitant private school fees. Its worth it, she said. Either you pay private school fees, which are exorbitant and we couldnt afford for two children anyway, or even one child, to be honest with you or we put them in McKinnon, move into the zone and pay the higher rent. The family rented a small apartment in the zone 18 months before their eldest daughter was due to start secondary school. They subsequently bought a townhouse. Kanazawa admitted she felt lucky to have bought a property in such an intensely sought-after zone, and said she knew people who would like to rent in the area but find it unaffordable. She has also seen at close range the influence the school has on property development. This year alone, three sets of townhouses have gone up on her residential street. McKinnon Secondary Colleges vertical campus, pictured when it was under construction in 2021. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui I know families that actually downsized and moved into an apartment just to get into the school zone, she said. Not everyone who buys in the zone is interested in sending their children to the school. Eric Cohen is a real estate agent who operates in the McKinnon zone area, and said many buyers are based overseas, and solely motivated by profit. They are overseas buyers investing in the school zone for the future and dont have permanent residence, they are buying with [Foreign Investment Review Board] permission, Cohen said. They are allowed to invest in the area provided they build something, so they are buying blocks of land and competing against people trying to get into the school zone. Property prices can be significantly higher inside a school zone than just outside its boundaries. Real estate data for the 12 months to March shows that the popularity of Glen Waverley Secondary College has inflated in-zone prices by almost 30 per cent. School zones Credit: Matt Golding The school of more than 2000 students in Melbournes east has issued strict warnings online that any attempt to find loopholes in the neighbourhood zoning rules will not be tolerated. Families are expected to remain in the school neighbourhood area for the entire time the child is enrolled, the school states. The expectation seeks to tackle the trend of families renting in a desired zone for 12 months to gain admission for one child, then moving back to their permanent home outside the zone. The college continues to experience exceptional, unabated growth in its school population, the school said. The increase in numbers has been particularly exacerbated by the number of families moving into the School Neighbourhood Area, as well as the increase in the number of rental properties within the area. Not all oversubscribed public schools have a non-standard zone, but 102 have been issued with an enrolment management plan for this year by the Department of Education, setting a restriction on enrolments. The plans include restrictions on enrolling out-of-zone siblings and caps on year 7 enrolments. The Andrews government tightened its catchment policy in April, scrapping schools ability to offer out-of-zone students a place on curriculum grounds. Rules on siblings were also tightened, with siblings only guaranteed a place if they live at the same address and will attend school at the same time. An Education Department spokesperson said every student is entitled to attend their local government school. Students can also enrol at a school outside their zone if the school has sufficient accommodation, and it aligns with the schools enrolment management plan, where applicable, they said. Deakin Universitys Dr Emma Rowe has researched catchment area segregation among Melbournes public schools, and said the most popular schools often share demographic qualities. Loading Analysis of census data in Rowes study found oversubscribed schools often have a high proportion of affluent and Australian-born parents, and a lower proportion that identify with minority religions such as Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. If we think about schools of choice, its often upwardly mobile white families looking for similarly upwardly mobile white families, Rowe said. If theres a perception of exclusivity about the school, that tends to increase the desirability of the school. School choice is quite emotional. It has become a familiar story. Men rescued in the ocean miles from anywhere. Their boat later washes ashore, allegedly full of drugs. Last month was the latest incident another vessel in trouble, this time near Rottnest Island. Inexperienced seamen who had only hours earlier bought a boat had to be rescued, and a nearby cargo ship was allegedly found to be piled with narcotics. Inert cocaine being dropped into the ocean by WA Police in a sting operation to target drug smugglers. Credit: Police Media The coast of Western Australia is proving an increasingly attractive location to try to bring illegal drugs into the country, the business model evolving to allow drug cartels and syndicates to bring in greater and greater quantities. A $2 billion Morrison government health and hospitals funding program was ineffective and fell short of ethical requirements, according to a withering review by the Australian National Audit Office. The audit office report, released late on Monday, examined the Community Health and Hospitals Program (CHHP), set up in December 2018 before the 2019 election. The program was designed to fund projects that would support patient care and reduce demands on hospitals. Credit: Glenn Hunt The peak audit agency found grants were awarded to health projects despite being inconsistent with the rules for awarding Commonwealth funds and nearly half of all the projects that were funded 45 per cent were in marginal seats. The program was designed to fund projects across the country that would support patient care and reduce demands on hospitals, with the auditor identifying 171 programs including 108 administered as grants and 63 projects that were national partnership agreements with state and territory governments. Australia is set to give Ukraine the missile-capable, four-wheel-drive armoured cars that it has been requesting for months the Hawkei as the centrepiece of a forthcoming support package. Although a formal commitment has yet to be sealed, there has been serious progress informally and Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov told the Herald and The Age the vehicles were number one on his list of demands from Australia. Ukraine wants Australian-made Hawkei four-wheel drives for its fight against Russia. He described the Australian-made vehicles as very, very famous armed vehicles with air defence systems in an interview in Singapore after meeting his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, at the weekend. The Hawkei is a seven-tonne armoured car designed to be fitted with the same Norwegian-American air defence system that protects the White House. A top history prize bearing the premiers own title could soon be a thing of the past, with local historical societies and the state opposition blaming Andrews government budget cuts. Professional and amateur historians are also sounding the alarm over the apparent loss of community grants they say will endanger the future of record-keeping, heritage overlays and genealogy research. Historian Richard Broome says the Victorian Premiers History Award may have to be paused indefinitely. Credit: Wayne Taylor Royal Historical Society of Victoria president Dr Richard Broome said he was disappointed with last months state budget. There was no funding, he said of his organisations annual awards program. We dont have the resources to provide prize money, but we run all the volunteer judging panels. When the war is over, Ukraines defence minister is planning to resign his post and head to Australia and New Zealand as soon as possible. I promised to my wife, Oleksii Reznikov tells me, after we win this war I am going to sign my resignation to the president, then Im dreaming to come back to my private life as a lawyer and first serious trip would be in Australia and New Zealand. Its my plan. Illustration by Dionne Gain Credit: Why? I have never been there. I like diving; I am dreaming to dive the big reef with the sharks. Im a scuba diver, he says in between appointments with 14 other nations defence ministers at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on the weekend. And Reznikov would like to reciprocate with an invitation to Australian and NZ divers to what he calls a new, world-famous dive site in the Black Sea. Los Angeles: Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, the UN ambassador under former President Donald Trump, went after her ex-boss and 2024 rival Ron DeSantis on Sunday over their refusal to say whether they want Ukraine to win its war against Russia. In recent town hall events, Trump, the favourite for the Republican presidential nomination, said he wanted the war to end, but he would help Ukraine and Russia negotiate a settlement. Florida Governor DeSantis, Trumps nearest rival for the Republican nomination, said recently that he supports a settlement to the war and hopes fighting will end by the time the next president takes the oath of office in January 2025. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a town hall event in Iowa on May 17. Credit: AP Haley, the only woman in the race for the Republican nomination, lambasted DeSantis for saying this year that Ukraine was a territorial dispute, a comment that drew widespread criticism and that he has since walked back. For them to sit there and say that this is a territorial dispute thats just not the case, or to say that we should stay neutral, Haley told voters in the early nominating state of Iowa during a televised CNN town hall event. Wellington, New Zealand: Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern received one of New Zealands highest honours on Monday for her service leading the country through a mass shooting and pandemic. Ardern was made a Dame Grand Companion, the second-highest honour in New Zealand, as part of King Charles IIIs Birthday Honours. It means people will now call her Dame Jacinda. Royal honorees are typically chosen twice a year in New Zealand by the prime minister and signed off by Charles, the British king who is also recognised as New Zealands king. Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, in July 2022, has received one of New Zealands highest honours. Credit: AP In keeping with tradition, Britains Queen Camilla was given the top award by being appointed to the Order of New Zealand. Ardern was just 37 when she became prime minister in 2017, and was seen as a global icon of the left. BONAIRE:--- The biggest rum festival in the Dutch Caribbean is set to begin next week with the second edition of Bonaire Rum Week. The weeklong celebration of premium rum is an action-packed slate of oceanfront events across the island, from rum tastings to culinary experiences to an undersea rum hunt. This years event runs from June 12-17, culminating with a rum-infused Taste of Bonaire festival on June 17. That includes a final dinner at the number one-ranked restaurant in the Caribbean, the Brass Boer, the Caribbean outpost of the three-Michelin-star Die Librije in The Netherlands. We cant wait for another edition of Bonaire Rum Week, a revolutionary event that takes rum festivals outside of musty expo halls and right to the waters edge, where Caribbean rum is meant to be enjoyed, said Alexander Britell, co-founder of Bonaire Rum Week, which Caribbean Journal organizes in collaboration with Tourism Corporation Bonaire. The event kicks off with a grand opening party at the iconic Rum Runners bar, with events at top hotels around the island, including a Rum on the Beach party at Plaza Beach Resort, a sunset happy hour at the Divi Flamingo Resort; a cocktail party at the Buddy Dive resort and a rum-pairing lunch at the Harbour Village Beach Club. Thursday, June 16 is Buddy Dives Rum Hunt, which will see divers look for hidden stones underwater that correspond with bottles of rum on land. Many of the worlds top rums will be on hand, including Diplomatico, Papas Pilar; El Dorado; Island Company; Angostura; Ron San Pablo; Clifton Estate; Rom Rincon; Ron Barcelo; Havana Club; Siesta Key; Ron Caney; Ron Varadero and more. You can find the full schedule of events below. Monday, June 12 VIP event at Bamboo Bonaire Tuesday, June 13 Grand Opening Party at Rum Runners (open to the public) 530 PM Rum Runners rum pairing dinner (rsvp to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) Wednesday June 14 Rum on the Beach at Plaza Resort 5-8 PM A Taste of Cuba at La Casa del Habano Bonaire 8PM Thursday June 15 Rum Hunt at Buddy Dive 12PM (rsvp to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) Rum Lunch at Harbour Village Beach Club (rsvp to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) Rom Rincon Happy Hour at Divi Flamingo Resort (rsvp to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) Friday June 16 Buddy Dive Happy Hour 5 PM rsvp to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Brass Boer Rum Dinner 7 PM rsvp to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Saturday June 17 Taste of Bonaire Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a middle school that will serve as one of the test centers in Beijing, capital of China, June 3, 2023. Ding on Saturday inspected preparations in the city of Beijing and the Ministry of Education for this year's college entrance exam, to be held in early June. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Saturday called for meticulous efforts and an "extremely responsible" attitude in the organization and preparation work to ensure a smooth and successful college entrance exam. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when he inspected preparations in the city of Beijing and the Ministry of Education for this year's exam, to be held in early June. During his visit to a Beijing middle school that will serve as one of the test centers, Ding said that this year's college entrance exam will be the first one after the country downgraded its COVID-19 response measures. Noting that a record 12.91 million students will be sitting the exam this year, Ding called for more thorough and meticulous efforts in organizing the exam. This includes implementing effective COVID response measures, developing sound emergency plans, and providing adequate care and support for students. At the National Education Examination Authority under the Ministry of Education, Ding heard a report on the national preparations for the exam. Stressing the importance of the college entrance exam in ensuring fairness in education and society, Ding urged the implementation of the most rigorous measures to prevent any possible loopholes and ensure fairness is not compromised. Ding also heard reports of local preparations in the provinces of Shandong and Yunnan via video call. He called on local authorities to shoulder their "major political responsibility" to ensure a safe, smooth and successful exam. Editor: ZAD United Nations, New York June 4, 2023 James Finies and Davika Bissessar of Bonaire Human Rights and Nos Kier Boneiru Bek in their first international participation as Associate members of CARICOM Reparations Commission on Wednesday 31st May 2023 created history by addressing the United Nations Permanent Forum for People of African Descent in New York on behalf of the People of Bonaire human rights, that maybe today is the first time you will hear of Bonaire, a Caribbean island, an Island embedded in the Dutch Constitution without the peoples consent despite 2015 referendum where 66% rejected the present imposed Constitutional Status. A referendum that James Finies Human Rights Defender achieved for the people of Bonaire by protesting, camping outside the Governor's office for 222 consecutive days 24/7, and refusing to leave without a referendum. Today is also the first time our People of Bonaire voice is spoken and heard officially at the United Nations and International Community as Mr Finies intervention at the United Nations was recorded and aired worldwide by the United Nations Web TV (https://media.un.org/en/asset/k19/k19ymwnvtv) . Nos ta papia Papiamento We speak Papiamento Our language that is together with Haiti-Creole the only two official Native Languages in the Caribbean that survived colonization Today I will speak in broken English Our theme of today: Migration Then forced migration Today settlers migration or settlers colonialism by European Dutch colonization As a member of the Permanent Forum of the People of African Decent Dr. June Soomer highlighted earlier they are migrating with the right to vote in 90 days on our island. My indigenous Indian civilization and roots were destroyed - My African civilization roots were destroyed - I am now a Caribbean Civilization, an Bonerian our existence is now again under threat. Colonialism, from the past? former? post-colonial? No, not the past, it is my present, my reality I live in a Dutch Colony Bonaire, 31 May 2023, in the 21st century. Our island was kept colonized because in my view we were denied our history. BHRO recommends: that we, this Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and CARICOM Reparations and others to create, and produce urgently a basic-our history document for educational purposes that all Caribbean and further will incorporate in the curriculum of all levels of education, from kindergarten to university level give our kids this power this will ensure that all our dreams including reparations will be realized. I will finish by calling on this forum and all sisters and brothers here for support and solidarity on behalf of our people of Bonaire as we are in a systemic displacement, depopulation, and eradication. In a decade since 2010, we were reduced in 2017 to under 40% of the total population, by 2030 we will be less then 1/3 and will disappear soon, witnessed by all here today. I also make a call on behalf of our sister islands' civil society and human rights of Curacao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius The Dutch Apology admitting their crimes changes our case from an internal hidden from the world issue to a continuous international crime against humanity. Please help us Save the Bonerians- Stop Colonialism in the Caribbean I am ending: with migration We all came in the same boats We are here today, descendants of forced migration, we are still in the same boat. Then it was a voyage of no return, today in this boat, we have a common destiny, together, we all. Thank you SABA/THE HAGUE:---The Island Council starts its two-week working visit today, Monday, June 5. The program is very diverse and will take the Island Council to meetings in The Hague and Amsterdam, attending a congress in Groningen, and visiting Schiermonnikoog. All five Island Council Members, Vito Charles, Rolando Wilson, Elsa Peterson, Saskia Matthew, and Hemmie van Xanten, are partaking in this visit, as are Island Council Registrar Akilah Levenstone and Acting Island Council Registrar/Legal Advisor Devi van Groningen. The official part of the program starts in Amsterdam on Monday, June 5 with a meeting with representatives of the National Institute for the Dutch Slavery Past and its Heritage NiNsee to talk about the slavery remembrance year, Emancipation Day July 1, and the apology of the Dutch Government. That same Monday, the delegation meets with the coordinator for Diversity and Inclusion of the municipality Amsterdam to discuss facilitating diversity and inclusion within the government organization and within the community and how to take diversity and inclusion into consideration in decision-making. The National Slavery Museum that will be built in Amsterdam is also on the agenda. On Tuesday, June 6, the delegation has a meeting at the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations (BZK) in The Hague. Also on Tuesday, the delegation has a meeting with Vice-president of the Council of State Thom de Graaf and Chairperson of the State Commissioner against Racism and Discrimination Joyce Sylvester. At the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK), the delegation will discuss the availability of funding for Sabas economic development. The first meeting on Wednesday, June 7, takes place at the Ministry of BZK. The delegation will then go to the Second Chamber for a meeting with three permanent committees: Healthcare, Wellbeing, and Sports; Interior Affairs; Kingdom Relations. Thursday, June 8 starts with a meeting with National Coordinator for Discrimination and Racism Rabin Baldewsingh, followed by a meeting at the Ministry of Justice and Safety (JenV), where among other things the Opium Law will be discussed. On Friday, June 9, the delegation has a citizen participation workshop, facilitated by the 7 Senses Foundation, followed by a meeting with the Island Councils of Bonaire and St. Eustatius to discuss ways to strengthen communication. On Tuesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 14, the delegation will attend the Annual Congress of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) in Groningen. On Thursday, June 15, the delegation visits Schiermonnikoog, one of the Frisian Islands (Wadden eilanden). The program includes a presentation about ferry connections in a World Heritage Site, a welcome by Mayor Ineke van Gent, a visit to several projects and sites, and a meeting with local entrepreneurs. On Friday, June 16, the delegation goes to the Friesland Provincial House in Leeuwarden for a presentation and talks about provincial policy on the Frisian Islands, sustainability, climate adaptation, and language policy. In the evening, the delegation has been invited to an informal, interactive dinner at the Gelderland Provincial House in Arnhem by Commissioner of the King in the province Gelderland John Berends. The delegation returns to Saba on Sunday, June 18. PHILIPSBURG:--- The President of the Integrity Chamber, Mrs. H.W. (Rian) Vogels, was elected to the Dutch Senate (Eerste Kamer), as a member of the VVD party. As a result of the election and in accordance with the incompatible functions listed in Article 4, paragraph 1 of the National Ordinance Integrity Chamber, Vogels will be resigning from her position as President. Vogels is the first President of the Integrity Chamber of Sint Maarten. She was appointed by Kingdom Decree per January 1, 2020, for a term of three years on the binding recommendation of her fellow members, Rafael Boasman and Hans Lodder, and was reappointed on January 1, 2023, for a second term. Vogels will resign effective October 1, 2023. As the first President of the Integrity Chamber and a former Judge, Vogels provided valuable insight and assistance in the start-up and growth of the organization. The Integrity Chamber congratulates Vogels on her election to the Dutch Senate and wishes her success in her new role. For more information about the Integrity Chamber, visit the website at www.integritychamber.sx. PHILIPSBURG:--- During a recent press conference, State Secretary Van Huffelen stated that the Government of St. Maarten had to "come up with a solution to the problems at the pension insurer Ennia." She also indicated that these so-called solutions would be tied to the restructuring of the liquidity support loans. In August of 2021, the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) affirmed that it will "continue to focus on the restructuring of ENNIA to safeguard the interests of the policyholders." In November of 2021, the Court of First Instance stated that the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) had been at the helm of ENNIA since July 2018 and based on the "Landsverordening Toezicht Verzekeringsbedrijf (LTV), insurers (i.e. ENNIA) are supervised by (formerly) the Bank of Netherlands Antilles and (currently) the CBCS. We are kindly requesting the State Secretary to provide the Government of St. Maarten with a sound legal basis whereby a government is held fiscally responsible for the financial irregularities of an insurance company when "Landsverordening Toezicht Verzekeringsbedrijf" (LTV) clearly states that insurance companies fall under the purview of the CBCS. Pro Soualiga Foundation Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun and the third largest planet in the solar system. Although Uranus is visible to the naked eye, it was long mistaken as a star because of the planet's dimness and slow orbit. The planet is also notable for its dramatic tilt, which causes its axis to point nearly directly at the sun. Related: Sounds in space: What noises do planets make? Who discovered Uranus? British astronomer William Herschel discovered Uranus on March 13, 1781, with his telescope while surveying all stars down to those about 10 times dimmer than can be seen by the naked eye. One star seemed different, and within a year Herschel realized the star followed a planetary orbit. Uranus (as it was called commonly after 1850 or so) was named after the Greek sky deity Ouranos, the earliest of the lords of the heavens. It is the only planet to be named after a Greek god rather than a Roman one. Before the name was settled on, many names had been proposed for the new planet, including Hypercronius ("above Saturn "), Minerva (the Roman goddess of wisdom) and Herschel, after its discoverer. To flatter King George III of England, Herschel proposed the name Georgium Sidus ("The Georgian Planet"), but the idea was unpopular outside England and King George's native Hanover, Germany. German astronomer Johann Bode, who detailed Uranus' orbit, gave the planet its ultimate name. Bode argued that as Saturn was the father of Jupiter , the new planet should be named after the father of Saturn. Physical characteristics Uranus is blue-green in color, as a result of the methane in its mostly hydrogen-helium atmosphere. The planet is often dubbed an ice giant, since at least 80% of its mass is a fluid mix of water, methane and ammonia ice. Unlike the other planets of the solar system , Uranus is tilted so far that it essentially orbits the sun on its side, with the axis of its spin nearly pointing at the star. This unusual orientation might be due to a collision with a planet-size body, or several small bodies, soon after it was formed. A 2018 study suggested the colliding world could have been twice the size of Earth . This unusual tilt gives rise to extreme seasons that last for about 20 years. This means that for nearly a quarter of the Uranian year, which is equal to 84 Earth -years, the sun shines directly over each pole, leaving the other half of the planet to experience a long, dark and frigid winter. Uranus has the coldest atmosphere of any of the planets in the solar system, even though it is not the most distant from the sun. That's because Uranus has little to no internal heat to supplement the heat from the sun. The magnetic poles of most planets are typically more or less lined up with the axis along which it rotates, but Uranus' magnetic field is tilted, with its magnetic axis tipped nearly 60 degrees away from the planet's axis of rotation. This leads to a strangely lopsided magnetic field for Uranus, with the strength of the field at the northern hemisphere's surface being up to more than 10 times that of the strength at the southern hemisphere's surface. A 2017 study suggested the lopsided nature of Uranus' magnetic field may also lead it to flicker on and off during every rotation (about every 17.24 hours). Uranus' atmospheric composition by volume is 82.5% hydrogen, 15.2% helium and 2.3% methane. Its internal structure is made up of a mantle of water, ammonia and methane ices, as well as a core of iron and magnesium silicate. Uranus' average distance from the sun is roughly 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km), according to NASA. That's about 19 times the distance from the Earth to the sun. Uranus FAQs answered by an expert We asked Ravit Helled, a planetary scientist specializing in planet formation, planet interiors, planetary evolution, and solar system physics a few commonly asked questions about Uranus. Image credit: Jos Schmid Image credit: Jos Schmid Ravit Helled Social Links Navigation Planetary scientist Ravit Helland is a Professor at the Institute for Computational Science, Center for Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology, University of Zurich, who specializes in planet formation, planet interiors, planetary evolution, and solar system physics. What type of planet is Uranus? Uranus is known to be an 'ice giant' although the name is a little bit misleading. It's a different type of planet from the gas giant planets like Saturn and Jupiter, and the terrestrial planets like Earth or Mars. It's part of a unique group together with Neptune in our solar system. It's also what we call an intermediate-mass planet because it's much more massive than terrestrial planets possessing around 15 times the mass of Earth. At the same time, Uranus is much smaller than the gas giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn which have over 300 and nearly 100 times the mass of Earth, respectively. Uranus really is a unique type of planet and we don't understand this planetary type very well. What makes Uranus the coldest planet in the solar system? Uranus is the only planet that is really in thermal equilibrium with the sun and there are two options as to why its surface appears cold. Firstly it could just actually be that Uranus is hot in its interior, but this heat is trapped. That means it can't cool down so it's hot inside but cold outside. Alternatively, it may be that it just managed to lose its primordial heat, for example, via a giant impact or another unknown process. So the short answer is we don't really know why it's cold and this is one of the biggest mysteries surrounding Uranus. What do we currently know about the composition of Uranus? The composition of Uranus is unknown we need to have a spacecraft visit it and get better and complimentary data. We think that it's composed of heavy elements, which in astrophysics means elements that are heavier than helium. Uranus is expected to have many 'ices' which could be water, ammonia, and methane, but also some rocks and hydrogen-helium. So it has mostly elements that are heavier than helium, and some hydrogen and helium atoms in its gaseous atmosphere. While the composition of Jupiter and Saturn is governed by hydrogen and helium, and the composition of terrestrial planets is governed by heavier elements, Uranus is somewhere in between. But what these heavy elements are, we don't know. It is thought to be some ice but not just water, it could also be methane and ammonia ice and in fact, these materials could be in the liquid/fluid phase. Uranus may also have silicates like rocks and we don't know what is the ratio between ice and silicate is inside the planet. Why are Uranus and Neptune sometimes referred to as "twins"? The ice giants are very similar in mass and sizes and also happen to be the furthest planets out in the solar system. They have other similarities like average density, but they definitely can't be called "identical twins." They are different in the amount of heat they radiate, their axial tilt, and their satellite systems; Uranus has small regular moons and overall has 27 known moons, while Neptune's moon Triton is much larger and is probably a captured moon. What we want to know is whether these unique differences are because of different formation processes, or if Uranus and Neptune were relatively similar after formation until other processes occurred that led to these differences. For example, did a gigantic impact at some point in the past cause some of these differences. Understanding the origin of these differences between Uranus and Neptune is also critical to better characterize this planetary type. How common are Uranus-like worlds in the rest of the Milky Way? Based on the available data intermediate-mass planets seem to be one of the most common, if not the most common some of these exoplanets are so-called super-Earths and are not Uranus-like. There's also the caveat that exoplanets we observe today are limited to planets that are quite close to their stars. This means the Uranus-like planets have not been observed yet because Uranus orbits very far from its host star, the sun. Why are space scientists so interested in exploring Uranus? Uranus really is a fascinating planet and is surrounded by many mysteries including its unusual multi-pole magnetic field rather than the dipole magnetic field we are used to. I would like to know what Uranus is made of and determine its internal structure and also understand how it formed. Did it form where we see it today, or did it form further in the solar system and migrate out, or did it form further out and migrate in? There are more open questions than answers surrounding Uranus at the moment and they are all somewhat interconnected. It's an unexplored world and rather poorly understood. So yeah, it's time to give it more attention. What is Uranus made of? The seventh planet in our solar system is a giant ball of gas and liquid. It is tilted so far on its side that its axis lies nearly level with its path around the sun. Like the other gas and ice giants, Uranus has a thick cloud cover. Its blue-green color is the result of methane in its atmosphere. Click on the interactive image below to explore the planet: Uranus' climate The extreme axial tilt Uranus experiences can give rise to unusual weather. As sunlight reaches some areas for the first time in years, it heats up the atmosphere, triggering gigantic springtime storms, according to NASA. However, when Voyager 2 first imaged Uranus in 1986 at the height of summer in its south, the spacecraft saw a bland-looking sphere with only about 10 or so visible clouds, leading to it to be dubbed "the most boring planet," wrote astronomer Heidi Hammel in "The Ice Giant Systems of Uranus and Neptune ," a chapter in "Solar System Update" (Springer, 2007), a compilation of reviews in solar system science. It was decades later, when advanced telescopes such as Hubble came into play and Uranus' long seasons changed, before scientists witnessed the extreme weather on Uranus. In 2014 , astronomers got their first glimpse at summer storms raging on Uranus. Strangely, these massive storms took place seven years after the planet reached its closest approach to the sun, and it remains a mystery why the giant storms occurred after the sun's heating on the planet was at a maximum. Other unusual weather on Uranus includes diamond rain , which is thought to sink thousands of miles below the surface of icy giant planets such as Uranus and Neptune. Carbon and hydrogen are thought to compress under extreme heat and pressure deep in the atmospheres of these planets to form diamonds, which are then thought to sink downward, eventually settling around the cores of those worlds. Does Uranus have rings? The rings of Uranus were the first to be seen after Saturn's. They were a significant discovery, because it helped astronomers understand that rings are a common feature of planets, not merely a peculiarity of Saturn. Uranus possesses two sets of rings. The inner system of rings consists mostly of narrow, dark rings, while an outer system of two more-distant rings, discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope , are brightly colored: one red, one blue. Scientists have identified 13 known rings around Uranus. A 2016 study suggested that the rings of Uranus, Saturn and Neptune may be the remnants of Pluto -like dwarf planets that strayed too close to the giant worlds long ago. These dwarf planets were torn apart in the planets' vast gravities and are today preserved as rings. The Hubble Space Telescope observes Uranus every year. (Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Lamy / Observatoire de Paris) How many moons does Uranus have? Uranus has 27 known moons . Instead of being named after figures from Greek or Roman mythology, its first four moons were named after magical spirits in English literature, such as William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Alexander Pope's "The Rape of the Lock." Since then, astronomers have continued this tradition, drawing names for the moons from the works of Shakespeare or Pope. Oberon and Titania are the largest Uranian moons and were the first to be discovered, by Herschel in 1787. William Lassell, who was also the first to see a moon orbiting Neptune, discovered Uranus' next two moons, Ariel and Umbriel. Nearly a century passed before Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper, of Kuiper Belt fame, found Miranda in 1948. In 1986, Voyager 2 visited the Uranian system and discovered an additional 10 moons, all just 16 to 96 miles (26 to154 km) in diameter: Juliet, Puck, Cordelia, Ophelia, Bianca, Desdemona, Portia, Rosalind, Cressida and Belinda. Each of those moons are roughly half water ice and half rock. Since then, astronomers using Hubble and ground-based observatories have raised the total to 27 known moons, and spotting these was tricky they are as little as 8 to 10 miles (12 to 16 km) across, blacker than asphalt and nearly 3 billion miles (4.8 billion km) away. Between Cordelia, Ophelia and Miranda are a swarm of eight small satellites crowded together so tightly that astronomers don't yet understand how the little moons have managed to avoid crashing into each other. Anomalies in Uranus' rings lead scientists to suspect there might still be more moons . In addition to moons, Uranus may have a collection of Trojan asteroids objects that share the same orbit as the planet in a special region known as a Lagrange point . The first was discovered in 2013, despite claims that the planet's Lagrange point would be too unstable to host such bodies. Uranus and its five major moons are depicted in this montage of images acquired by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. The moons, from largest to smallest as they appear here, are Ariel, Miranda, Titania, Oberon and Umbriel. (Image credit: NASA/JPL) Uranus exploration NASA's Voyager 2 was the first and as yet, only spacecraft to visit Uranus. Although there isn't a spacecraft on its way to Uranus at the moment, astronomers regularly check in with the planet using the Hubble and Keck telescopes. In 2011, the Planetary Science Decadal Survey recommended that NASA consider a mission to the icy planet. And in 2017, NASA suggested a number of potential future missions to Uranus in support of the forthcoming Planetary Science Decadal Survey, including flybys, orbiters and even a spacecraft to dive into Uranus' atmosphere. Scientists are still discussing the idea. In 2019, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center suggested one possible design could involve an atmospheric probe , similar to the one used in Jupiter during the Galileo mission. In 2018, an ambitious group of early-career scientists and engineers created a theoretical full mission design that would cost $1 billion, and take advantage of a planetary alignment that would happen in the 2030s. At that relatively low cost, the mission would perform minimal science, but could still include items such as a magnetometer, a methane detector and a camera. Related: Uranus by 2049: Here's why scientists want NASA to send a flagship mission to the strange planet Additional resources To see a live-time interactive graphic of the planet, visit NASA's overview of Uranus page. Alternatively, you can learn more about Uranus' numerous moons, from NASA. Bibliography "Uranus". NASA Solar System Exploration (2022). "12 interesting facts about Uranus". Universe Magazine (2022). "Uranus: Facts, Moons & Rings". Encyclopaedia Britannica (2022). "The rings of Uranus". Nature (1977). On June 5, the Joint Coordinating Center (JCC) conducted at least one entrance and exit inspection each, which was the first one since May 31, follows from the information on its website. According to it, the dry cargo ship Navios Sagittarius with a deadweight of 75,600 tonnes under the flag of Panama was allowed to enter the port of Pivdenny, which was the first vessel in the direction of this port, missed after May 2. In the direction of the exit, on Monday, JCC conducted an inspection of the dry cargo ship Maroulio S, en route from the port of Chornomorsk to Spain with 65,840 tonnes of corn. As reported, the Restoration Ministry of Ukraine on May 30 said the JCC in Istanbul announced the impossibility of drawing up an inspection plan for June 1 due to another unjustified refusal of the Russian delegation to register the incoming fleet. According to the Ukrainian agency, in the territorial waters of Turkey at that time a queue of 50 vessels was waiting for inspection, which should be loaded with 2.4 million tonnes of food. S wiss banking giant UBS has said it expects to complete the acquisition of Credit Suisse as early as June 12, following a state-backed rescue deal earlier this year. The combined entity brings together two of the nations biggest banks with invested assets of more than 1.5 trillion US dollars (1.2 trillion). The expected completion would come three months after Credit Suisse, once deemed too big to fail, was bought by UBS for 3.25 billion US dollars (2.7 billion). It marked a historic takeover of the bank which was in the midst of a turnaround and had seen its share price tank over a matter of days. It came amid turmoil in the global banking sector, with concerns mounting following the collapse of two regional banks in the US, leading to volatility across financial markets. The rescue deal was ordained by the Swiss Federal Council, a seven-member governing body that included the countrys president Alain Berset. It was passed without the approval of shareholders. The merger will create a combined workforce of around 125,000 worldwide, before expected job cuts. UBS employs about 6,200 people in the UK and Credit Suisse around 5,500. UBS has said it wants to significantly trim down Credit Suisses investment bank which would lead to a wave of lay-offs across the group. It has not yet specified how many bankers will lose their jobs, but UBSs chief executive Sergio Ermotti warned on Friday the cost-cutting move would be painful. It is also planning a major leadership reshuffle, with Credit Suisses boss Ulrich Korner set to join the board after it closes the takeover. Once the merger is complete, Credit Suisse shares will be delisted from the Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. Shareholders will receive one UBS share for every 22.48 outstanding shares held. But the completion is subject to the registration statement, which covers shares to be delivered, being declared effective by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. UBS is due to report its second-quarter financial results on July 25, but it could be considering delaying publication while it deals with the complexities of the merger, according to a report by the Financial Times. It could mean results are not published until the end of August. I t has been a worrying year for anyone who cares about Londons status as Europes premier financial services centre. The steady stream of companies seeking a listing in New York rather than the Square Mile, the collapse in IPOs and M&A activity, and the mounting job losses all pointed to a crisis of confidence in the City after decades of unquestioned domination. There has often been talk of Frankfurt, Geneva, Paris or Dublin muscling in on Londons territory and there is no doubt that after Brexit many of the global banks that made it their European headquarters after Big Bang have been rethinking their level of commitment. But perhaps we should not overdo the gloom. There were always good reasons why London was number one in Europe the English language, a huge pool of highly skilled labour, the sheer appeal of the city as a place to live and they have not gone away. Today a survey from consultants EY reveals that Londons hegemony is still unchallenged for now when it comes to direct investment into financial services. Last year the capital secured 46 investment projects, up from 39 in 2021. Londons nearest challenger, Paris, drew 35 investments, down from 38, while Madrid was third with 22 investments, a fall from 29. As the City of London Corporation put it today, that suggests the capital continues to lead Europe in attracting foreign direct investment in financial services, and the sector is proving resilient despite the global challenges facing the UK economy. But, and this is a big but, these are last years figures, reflecting investment decisions taken many months ago. London and the UKs global reputation has taken a big knock since then, particularly from the political chaos that culminated in Liz Trusss short-lived premiership last autumn. The investment figures are welcome but should not be an excuse for a single moment of complacency. T he UKs tech sector was given a boost today after London-based private equity firm IQ Capital said it had raised $400 million (320 million) to invest in deep tech businesses. The two $200 million funds raised are aimed at investing into early-stage rounds in UK and European startups to back founders with the ambition to scale globally in areas like generative AI, space-tech and data security. IQ, which has invested in a suite of major tech firms in recent years, including fintech unicorn Thought Machine and AI business Bloomsbury, which was acquired by Facebook, said the new funding takes its total assets under management to over $1 billion. Paul Taylor, founder of Thought Machine, said: At Thought Machine, we are delighted to see IQ Capital closing their fourth fund. Their experience in every aspect of deep tech development and commercialisation is unrivalled and they fully stand behind founders through good times and bad. Fund IV has already made investments including DreamFold, which uses Generative AI algorithms to predict the properties of therapeutic proteins and Secretarium, which has pioneered confidential computing, developing the worlds first trustless cloud computing infrastructure, based on advanced cryptography using only standard hardware components. IQ Capital managing partner Max Bautin told the Standard: The deal flow is a strong as weve ever seen. In fact, downturns are often great times to start a company because its easier to recruit and senior execs from big corporates who arent getting a bonus this year think why dont I leave my job and start my own business like Ive always wanted. Were seeing some really talented companies coming to the market. The UK is 30-50% of European deep tech at the moment, and its always been a disproportionate part, partly because of Cambridge and London and Oxford. T here is no easy solution to the pensions gender gap, Minister for Pensions Laura Trott has told an industry gathering. Ms Trott was answering questions at an event attended by pensions industry representatives and hosted by former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb, who is now a partner at advisory firm LCP (Lane Clark & Peacock). Ms Trott was speaking after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) released figures on Monday, showing the extent of the pensions gender gap in private pensions across Britain. Between 2018 and 2020, a median average woman aged 55 to 59 had 94,000 on average built up in private pension wealth, while an equivalent male had 145,000, according to the data. Ms Trott told the gathering at LCPs London offices: Im generally of the opinion that within Government if you measure something, if you track something, it really focuses the mind on doing something about it. It's a multi-faceted problem, there's no easy solution, but when you measure something I do think you tend to focus on it more And I think there is an enormously good story to tell in terms of what weve done for women with private pensions. She highlighted the impact of automatic enrolment in bringing people into workplace pension saving. Ms Trott said of the gender pensions gap: Its something that Ive always been committed to and I think that the things the Government have done recently in terms of childcare support will help address it because the pensions gap is largely a function of the pay gap at times. Its a multi-faceted problem, theres no easy solution, but when you measure something I do think you tend to focus on it more. The DWPs figures also indicated that among employees who were eligible for automatic enrolment in 2021, the median average male employee saved 2,430 into a workplace pension while the average female saved slightly more, at 2,700. Within the public sector, male employees saved 8,480 on average compared with an average of 6,320 for female employees. In the private sector, the median contribution per employee was lower, but male employees still contributed more on average than eligible female employees (2,010 compared with 1,500), the DWP said. A higher representation of female employees among the higher-saving public sector employee roles explains why the overall median average eligible female employee has a higher pension saving than the average male worker, according to the DWP document. Asked about raising peoples awareness of their pensions, Ms Trott told the gathering: I think theres been some great work done by industry and I hope the pensions dashboard (which will eventually enable people to see their pension pots in one place online) will take that further as well. She added that the key to pensions dashboards will be getting people to use them. Asked if she was concerned about people being unable to save for their retirement, she said: We havent seen a large drop off actually, this is something we look at very closely in the department, and thats very positive. I want to be clear that where schemes are not delivering for pension savers, they need to improve, consolidate or exit the market. I am confident this will help boost the returns of pension savers Ms Trott told the gathering that the introduction of auto-enrolment in 2012 had turned the tide on the number of people saving for retirement. She said: Theres still more that we can do. Ms Trott added: Its important to me that the existing stock of defined contribution pensions (is) working hard for pension savers. She said savers deserve confidence to know their pension scheme is working for them and will deliver the best possible retirement outcomes. Ms Trott said: I want to be clear that where schemes are not delivering for pension savers, they need to improve, consolidate or exit the market. I am confident this will help boost the returns of pension savers. She said she would like to see trustees of schemes focusing on ensuring their investment strategies and portfolios are innovative, with effective diversification, and most importantly, targeting the best net returns for savers. Ms Trott added: Together, Im sure that we can boost returns for pension savers and ensure people across the country are able to enjoy the retirement that they have worked so hard for. T he pandemic brought a perfect storm in the mergers and acquisitions world and made a lot of business owners rethink their priorities. Many realised there was more to life than building the balance sheet and that they actually rather enjoyed spending time with their family and friends while predictions of a stuttering economy led them to consider if they had the stomach for another fight. On the other side of the table, private equity firms had money stored up over the pandemic and were eager to spend it. Globalscope, a worldwide family of M&A firms specializing in middle-market transactions (of which Corbett Keeling is a member), closed 203 deals with a combined value of $20.8 billion USD in 2022 the highest revenue tally in the networks 35-year history. But, as we head towards the second half of 2023, the gloomy predictions have taken hold and while the International Monetary Fund has predicted Britains economy will not do as badly as thought this year they say it will have the worst growth in the G7 group of advanced nations in 2023 and 2024. That said, while the first quarter of 2023 has not surprisingly been tough in the wider M&A market, interest in middle-market transactions has held up and there are still plenty of reasons for business owners looking for an exit to be positive. But, if you are thinking about selling, then it may be wise to start the process now before a possible change in Government at the next election could see your proceeds significantly hit by Capital Gains Tax. We are in our 30th year and have never been busier at our boutique London M&A firm, with more than one a day directly contacting us looking to discuss how to exit. We have an industry-high figure of a 90% deal completion rate with 45% average uplift in sale value. A closer look at the current market shows that whilst the volume and value of UK M&A deals over 150 million took a significant hit in the first quarter of 2023, the small to mid-market sized deal volumes, from 10 million to 150 million are holding up well matching 2018 and 2019, and still stronger than 2009-2017. The heady years of post-covid (2021 + 2022) may be over for now as the world faces economic uncertainty, but there is still plenty of opportunity for business owners to find the right buyer. In fact, Fenton Burgin, Head of Advisory Corporate Finance, Deloitte UK, found that PE funds have 1.7 trillion to invest that will drive mid-market M&A activity throughout the rest of the year. In their 2023 M&A report, he says: Where is the bulk of the activity likely to be? We see a big pivot into the mid-market with more investors looking at portfolio bolt on and special situations deals. Thats good news for private UK companies looking to raise equity or to sell ahead of tax changes. This backs up what we have found speaking to Private Equity houses every day - they still have plenty of fire power to invest and are already feeling more positive than at the turn of the year. Life sciences and consumer sectors are among the most active and Industrials are also seeing a lot of merger and acquisition activity with a surge in interest in the financial services sector Robert Baxter Partner, UK Head of Corporate Finance, Global Head of Consumer Goods M&A at KPMG, said in a report that through much of 2022 vendors were still holding on to the high valuation levels of 2021 but expectations have had time to realign which will lead to a steadier pipeline of deals in 2023. If you are considering an exit in the next five years, you would do well to get advice from a specialist adviser now well ahead of the day you intend to hang your boots up. Selling a business always takes much longer than owners think and the time spent taking a position and planning an exit will reap financial rewards at the end. You never want to put yourself in a position where you have to sell buyers will sniff that out very quickly and adjust their offers accordingly. The pandemic and war in Ukraine have reminded us we never know what is around the corner so if you are thinking about selling, then it is likely that now is as good as it is going to get for the next year or so and maybe longer if there is a change in government. Emma Keeling is the co-founder and COO of independent corporate finance firm Corbett Keeling. A ndrew Tate, small god to incels, was arrested for rape and human trafficking in Romania in December. He is now under house arrest pending the outcome of the investigation. He granted an interview to the BBC last week to defend himself against accusations that he spreads misery among young women and misogyny among young men. I watched the tape: I think the perennially terrified man is not Tates ideal acolyte (he has 6.8 million Twitter followers) but Tate himself. He met the journalist Lucy Williamson in a sitting room that looks like the Ministry of Sound. You know Im innocent, he shouted at police as he was arrested. A mistake: Romanian policemen arent really his constituency. Perhaps the BBC is? Not so. Williamson was immune. She read his own words back to him: My job was to meet a girl, go on a few dates, sleep with her, get her to fall in love with me to the point where shed do anything I say and then get her on webcam so that we could become rich together. If this is true, he is a pimp, which is not heroic. He is also, technically, a sex worker since he uses his body to make money and my feminist heart grieves for him. Ive never said that, he said. Your website, your words, she said. Its not my website. Yes, it is. No, its not. He then claimed he is not a misogynist, which, considering he once said, I am absolutely sexist and Im absolutely a misogynist, bombed too. Surely Alpha masculinity involves taking responsibility for your own speech? Williamson said the BBC had been briefed by a woman who claimed Tate emotionally manipulated her. He called the woman, Sophie, fake name, no face, which is interesting: Tate has always talked about women as if they were possessions. He invited Sophie, fake name, no face to pursue him in the courts, and then called her this imaginary Sophie. That might be the most profound thing he has ever said because his women young (19 is his ideal age, he is 36) and thriving on webcams are fantasies, until someone calls the police. But he doesnt know that. Williamson didnt believe a word of it, so he patronised her. Im doing you the favour as legacy media of giving you relevance by speaking to you, he said, unaware that populist demagogues really are like buses, which is why I allow the cliche. I suspect the BBC will outlive him. I think Tate is popular not for his toxicity but for the toys that accompany him: or did, until the Romanian police impounded his cars. Perhaps he will now travel by bus, and that will break his heart? If liberal democracy came with a Maserati that might be the most Googled thing on the planet too. But there are things money cant buy: self-knowledge and knowledge of what a woman is. Most of the discourse around Tate is advertorial and notoriety is barely disguised laughter. I add to the list of things he doesnt know. Why close the Jewish Museum? The Jewish Museum in Camden, which holds the national collection of Judaica, is to close due to a lack of funds, though apparently it will move to another site in future: we will see. I am Jewish, and I am bewildered that there are millions of pounds for another Holocaust memorial in Westminster there is already a memorial in Hyde Park, and the Holocaust Galleries at the Imperial War Museum but not enough to keep a townhouse in north London open. It makes me fear that people are less interested in Jewish life than Jewish death. Any fool can go to a cemetery, look at a grave. But who were the living people, and what did they love? What did they die for? I think a much better answer would have been found in Camden than in Westminster. Why the question is not even asked I do not know. L ord Sumption former Supreme Court judge plus medieval historian has the reputation of being the cleverest man in England. To this can be added that hes an ornament to the London arts scene. Im talking about his resignation from the board of the English National Opera. By quitting the way he has, hes brought to public attention the scandal that is the Arts Councils treatment of Londons second opera house. By slashing its funding it is forcing the company to move outside London? Where? No-one knows. In a scorching letter to the director of the ENO, Lord Sumption writes that under the forced relocation, ENO will become a mere brand-name for a fringe offering, a pale imitation of the real thing that we have been putting on in London for decades. What is now proposed is a travesty of our values, our traditions and our achievements. Yes, yes, yes. As he observes, the relocation isnt the fault of the company; its the only option left to it after Arts Council England presented its ultimatum. As youd expect, the musicians and chorus arent delighted to be told they may end up in Hull. Darren Henley, the Arts Council chief executive suggested a new generation of opera-lovers could enjoy productions in car parks or pubs. Presumably Mr Henley has got over-excited by the Proms staging some edgy pieces in car parks and music halls. But its real base is the Albert Hall. Note to Mr Henley: youre not going to get opera buffs chasing around London looking for Wagners Siegfried (that got cut from the latest programme) in an NCP in Soho, let alone US tourists. Lord Sumption ponders whether a change of personnel at the Arts Council may at some stage produce a less philistine approach and that a new government may have a more realistic view of the value of a great capital city. And theres the rub. Previous Culture Secretaries included the likes of David Mellor whos often to be seen in the Coliseum at new productions when hes not fronting a Classic FM show or Chris Smith, who actually attends concerts at the Barbican. Lucy Frazer, the present incumbent, a lawyer, just isnt in that league. Does Rishi do opera? Doubt it. This is the action of a philistine Arts Council and of a philistine government. London deserves better. Borrell discusses Ukraine's needs in ammo with Defense Minister of South Korea EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell discussed Ukraine's ammunition needs with South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup on the sidelines of the Singapore Security Summit. "Important meeting with ROK Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup at SLD23. Shared alarm at continued DPRK provocations. I explained Ukraine's needs for ammunition," Borrell said on Twitter. "We are working together to build a new security and defence partnership, following up on our successful summit," he also said. Review at a glance I magine a park pavilion and chances are that something circular comes to mind. From the Temple of Vesta in Romes Forum, to countless picturesque follies in 18th century English estates, it is the circular that often graces the landscape. This is not conceptual laziness but architectural logic: a circle can act as the fixed hub to the surrounding 360-degree context especially one as varied as trees in a park. Up to a third of the Serpentine Pavilions set up each summer have been roughly or precisely circular. This years 22nd pavilion, designed by French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh, continues that ploy in ply and laminated timber. A neatly pleated roof fans out above a circle of screens that form an enclosure, screens fretted with a pattern of fern-like cut-outs. The roof overhangs to create a loggia around its perimeter in classic folly tradition. The scalloped edges of its footprint curve back from nearby tree canopies, anchoring it in its glade next to the Serpentine South Building. Ghotmehs beautifully finished gazebo is one of the most complete and proficiently pleasurable pavilions to date and feels permanent rather than temporary in its confidence. It is called A table the French invitation to come dine with me, to chew the fat literally and metaphorically. But my word, its a bland dish. We are promised a round table inside; a round table always being the most sociable as Dorothy Parker knew well. But this is actually a ring of tables and stools, and although very finely produced in stained oak in conjunction with the Conran Shop, the results tend towards UN plenary session rather than convivial meal. Ghotmeh has gone further and produced a Mediterranean menu with Benugo, that dreary but ubiquitous caterer to London museumland. Isnt this all starting to get a bit lifestyle? Serpentine Pavilion 2023 | Architectural Exhibition 1 / 9 Serpentine Pavilion 2023 | Architectural Exhibition Sonja Horsman Sonja Horsman Sonja Horsman Sonja Horsman Sonja Horsman AFP via Getty Images Sonja Horsman Paris-based, Ghotmeh has not yet built extensively, and not in the UK at all, but what she has done elsewhere intrigues. These include the Estonian National Museum and two French projects that also sit pavilion-like in their landscapes. There is a leather workshop for Hermes with a series of stretch brick arches that Ghotmeh likens to galloping horses and the emerging National Choreographic Center in the Loire. Ghotmeh describes her working method as an Archaeology of the Future, finding her inspiration by first unearthing the history of a place, examining traces, context and how it is used. However, this method constitutes (or should) the bread and butter of any decent building project rather than counting as a revelation. She does go further though by listening to the voices of my ancestors. For the Serpentine, she references the toguna meeting huts of Malis Dogon people that are designed to keep debate civil. Toguna are so low-ceilinged that you are literally kept seated rather than being able to stand up and rant. Over three metres tall at its eaves, Ghotmehs Serpentine Pavilion is intimate, but has nothing of Mali about it. What her folded forms do recall are Patrick Gwynnes 1960s pavilions for the Royal Parks, a local archaeology she does not reference. Ghotmeh would get five stars if well-mannered and fully realised architecture was the sole measure of pavilion success. But its beige credibility comes at the cost of experimentality. Wasnt this programme supposed to be about design innovation, giving us glimpses of what the architectural could do? On that criteria, zero stars might be more fitting. Lina Ghotmeh / AFP via Getty Images If you want truly thrilling structures, head inside to the gallery adjacent where Argentinian artist-architect Tomas Saraceno has fiddled with the heating and lighting to encourage other species to dwell there as part of his Web(s) of Life show. The illuminated spiders webs displayed here are more beautiful and exciting than many recent summer pavilions. The commission has become stale. It needs a re-think. From June 9 to October 29; serpentinegalleries.org.uk M usician, composer, and producer Brian Eno is best known for his work in ambient music, rock, pop, and electronica. While his producing work often keeps him behind the curtains, Eno will soon take centre stage for his own tour. Renowned for his unconventional sounds and techniques, Eno was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music. Enos tour will take him across six countries, joined by the Baltic Sea Philharmonic, actor Peter Serafinowicz, and the musicians longtime collaborators Leo Abrahams and Peter Chilvers. I wanted an orchestra which played music the way I would like to play music: from the heart rather than just from the score, said Eno in a statement. I wanted the players to be young and fresh and enthusiastic. When I first saw the Baltic Sea Philharmonic I found all that and then noticed they were named after a sea. That sealed it! It gets its name from the similarly titled album from 2016, The Ships. While Eno has played solo before during one-off gigs, this will be his first full tour. Ships will travel from Venice to Berlin to Paris and to Utrecht, before closing in London with two shows on the same day at Southbanks Royal Festival Hall. Brian Eno London tour dates Heres a rundown of the full tour dates, held across nine days: October 21, Venice, Italy: Venice Biennale Musica, Teatro la Fenice (3pm and 8pm) October 24, Berlin, Germany: Philharmonie Berlin October 26, Paris, France: La Seine Musicale October 28, Utrecht, Netherlands: Tivoli Vredenburg October 30, London, England: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank (6.30pm and 9pm) How to get tickets for Brian Eno in London Presale for Southbank Centre members will open at 10am on Wednesday, June 7. Prices for tickets will range from 65 to 165, according to the venues website, and 25 per cent discounted concessions will be available for selected groups, such as students. The expected runtime will be one hour and 15 minutes, with the setlist largely chosen from the album, The Ship. A couple of times a week, all winter long, Natasha Wynn braved the elements the pebbly beach, the icy sea to go for a swim. Cold-water swimming has become part of her new routine since she moved from east London to East Sussex; in winter, she admits, it is a bit of an ordeal but in summer it is an almost-daily joy. Natasha, now 37, had moved to London to study for a degree in dance when she was 18 and had built a career as a personal trainer and running fitness classes. When the pandemic began her job, working with people with long-term health conditions, moved online. At around the same time she split with her boyfriend, who she was living with in a circa 1,200pcm one-bedroom flat in Bromley-by-Bow, which meant she had to rethink her living arrangements. Natasha had always longed to live by the sea and has joined a local sea swimming group / Natasha Wynn In the past I had always had jobs or boyfriends to keep me in London, she said. But things change, and moving out of London became a no-brainer. Natasha had always longed to live by the sea, somewhere smaller and less polluted than London, and in late 2021 she began researching her options. A day trip to Brighton convinced her that it was the right choice, and in May 2022 she moved into a one-bedroom flat in Brunswick Town, between Brighton and Hove. Her rent is 975pcm, and she is around five minutes walk from the sea. Over the past year her life has changed in many ways. Before she moved Natasha joined a local sea swimming group and has made some good friends through that. It is not easy in the winter, but afterwards you feel really refreshed, and like you have achieved something. She also joined a choir, walks everywhere, and, on the recommendation of a swimming friend, the Brighton Girl Network, a Facebook group, and has made friends through that. I moved down knowing nobody, so I have had to be brave and push myself out of my comfort zone, she said. Natasha had to push herself out of her comfort zone to make friends and feel settled in her new area / Natasha Wynn As well as continuing with her day job Natasha has also had time to work on her side hustle, as a photographer (natashawynnphotography.com), and she travels to London most weeks to visit friends and do some in-person personal training sessions. A surprising outcome of her move is that Natasha feels that the fresh air, cold water, and calmer pace of life has improved a long term health condition, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which causes symptoms including joint pain and fatigue. Ive found since moving that I get fewer flare ups, said Natasha. So alongside just generally being much happier by the sea, my health has improved too. Its fast shaping up to be the tour of the year/decade/century (delete as appropriate for your levels of Beyhiveness) with fans, critics, and social media armchair experts universally agreeing that theres never been anything quite like Beyonces billion-dollar Renaissance world tour. Its in part thanks to the museum-worthy tour wardrobe that even industry insiders agree is better than fashion week. In the 12 shows shes performed since kicking off in Stockholm on May 10, Beyonce has cycled through a fabulous arsenal of looks from top designers. Anchored around the tours non-stop party, high-octane vibes, the likes of Mugler, Paco Rabanne, Coperni and (among many, many more) have opened up their ateliers to create custom club-ready couture. Think intergalactic, chrome alien suits, mirrored feathered capes, and an encrusted bodysuit version of Loewes AW22 handsy dress (which has since been recreated by hundreds of keen attendees). Beyonce wearing Loewe by JW Anderson / WireImage for Parkwood Such is the spectacle that the hashtag #Renaissancetouroutfitideas currently has more than four billion views on TikTok, with fans eager to get involved with the glamour of it all. Yet, for her five-day takeover of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last week, the pop star turned it up a notch higher. As one of the style capitals of the world, Beyonce paid homage to the citys brightest and most legendary talents including Vivienne Westwood, Robert Wun, David Koma, Roksanda, and Alexander McQueen debuting a previously unseen outfit each night. Bey spends tens of thousands on a team of 12 seamstresses to work on adjusting her intricate costumes for her London shows, said a source, adding: She has more people working on her wardrobe than some major designers do. While another source revealed that other artists have been struggling to get help with their festival and tour wardrobes as a result. So as the Beyonce circus packs up and rolls out of Tottenham, heres a whos who of the London brands Mrs Carter sported during the five-day extravaganza. Roksanda Beyonce wears Roksanda to open the London leg of her Renaissance Tour / Jamila-Lee Smikle / Roksanda Theres having your designs worn by Beyonce, then theres having your designs worn for the opening look for her first London tour date. It was a very, very big surprise, Roksanda Ilincic told the Standard following the big reveal of her jaw-dropping, electric-blue structured gown. The looks were all submitted before the tour started, and then its up to the team and Beyonce herself to decide what is worn when. We actually didnt know when the moment was going to happen. The 47-year-old Serbian designer (who has been a staple of the London Fashion Week schedule since launching her eponymous label in 2005), was commissioned only a month-and-a-half ago by one of Beyonces stylists, Karen Langley. It was quite a quick turnaround, I must say. For bespoke pieces, the timelines are longer, but they had a very precise idea of what they wanted, and what the tour would be about. Now its easy to understand all of them, but at the time it was just words and explanations, she continued, adding that a team of six powered through 100 hours of sewing in two weeks to get the job done. Futuristic elements, beautiful gowns, something that should really make a big impact on the stage. David Koma Beyonce Renaissance world tour opening night / Getty Images for Parkwood The London designer has a long and storied history with Beyonce. As the first celebrity to support him (wearing his graduate collection to MTV EMAs in 2009, no less!), they've continued to cement their relationship over the past decade. It was no surprise, then, when one of Beyonces long-time stylists, KJ Moody, came knocking a few months ago. Every time I see Beyonce in David Koma, I am just as excited and grateful, says the designer, who has provided two stunning looks for the tour so far. As per the metallics brief, Koma pulled various iridescent pieces from his SS23 collection. The original inspiration was very simple the iridescent petrol stain on the pavement I saw just outside of my studio. It made me think of the underwater world and the rainbow-hued sea creatures, he said about the first bodysuit she wore with a detachable skirt-sarong and matching long biker jacket. I often find my biggest inspiration in iconic women in male-dominated fields and that season I discovered Dr Sylvia Earle a marine biologist who, in the 1970s, led the first all-female diver team, who spent two weeks living underwater. The way she described the light and colours of her deep-sea experience was so beautiful and moving thats how I ended up creating the mother-of-pearl print for the dresses and iridescent leather for the coat. His favourite element was a pair of custom-made thigh-high crystal cowboy boots with the transparent heel that he says add a powerful attitude to the look. Mary Katrantzou Its arguably been the most viral moment from Beyonces show (apart from when her daughter, Blue Ivy, made her dance cameo during Power), so when Queen Bey swapped in her iconic Mugler bee costume worn during America Has a Problem for Mary Katrantzous surrealist dress, it easily elicited one of the biggest reactions of the night. Its not the first time Beyonce has worn the Greece-via-London creatives clothing, having also tapped the Central Saint Martins graduate for the multicolour rave gown Bey wore for the music video Water. The custom look, which was inspired by her Spring 2019 ready-to-wear collection and styled by costume designer Shiona Turini, has put the designer back on the world stage. She [Turini] sent us a very specific reference which featured a re-edition of our Perfume bottle dresses from my very first show in 2009, explains Katrantzou. She loved the idea that they are meant to sculpt the female figure and, because the tour is all about the concept of time, she felt the hourglass silhouette would be perfect. The team then had less than a month before their first fitting in Paris. We had the pieces first artworked in London and precision engineered to Mrs Bs 3D body scan. We then meticulously hand embroidered the pieces at Aamir Beading in India, using a combination of micro-bugles, crystals, and gold sequins, continues Katrantzou on the laborious process to get the gown ready. It was incredible to witness the skilled artisans in India recreate the illusion of the hourglass silhouette in under 10 days. We didnt want the pieces to resemble traditional stage costumes, so the majority are sewn by hand at a couture level of finish. Social media is already calling the custom look a piece of art. Or, as Beyonce would say: 10, 10, 10s across the board. Robert Wun Robert Wun has had quite the year. The Hong Kong-born designer has taken home the ANDAM 2022 grand prize, styled Tems for the 2023 Met Gala, and made his Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week debut. Now, he can add dressing Beyonce for her biggest tour yet to that list. The custom suit featured a pleated, waist-cinching jacket with a billowing train and dramatic ruffled arms typical to his signature style. @beyonce in the Custom Black Blossom full look, opening her show in London tonight. Her 5th and Last show in London for the Renaissance Tour, commented Wun beneath an Instagram post of the look, thanking stylist Turini for making the collaboration happen. Alexander McQueen Beyonce wearing Alexander McQueen / PA As well as supporting up-and-coming designers, Beyonce also called on the talents of the capitals greats, including Alexander McQueen. Inspired by Look 41 from the fashion houses autumn / winter 2023 collection, the striking custom minidress and opera glove ensemble featured red bugle beads to serve a vampy disco vibe. Completed with thigh-high metallic red leather boots, the star pulled off the incredible number to help her open the second London night. It comes after she chose a beautiful custom Alexander McQueen bodysuit with silver bugle bead and crystal anatomical embroidery for the tours Stockholm stint, with many fans hoping for more magnificent McQueen moments over the coming months. Vivienne Westwood After passing away last year (and with many of Londons fashion community still mourning the loss of the queen of punk), it was only right that Beyonce chose a stunning Vivienne Westwood dress to open her fourth London night. Handcrafted in the brands London atelier, the custom Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood mini corset black latex dress featured structured spiral sleeves and was styled with a pair of black patent leather Giuseppe Zanotti pointy-toe pumps. To complete the look, Tiffany & Co created a custom Drip Intravenous necklace and Drip Intravenous chandelier earrings, which were appropriately named after Beyonces ALIENSUPERSTAR lyrics. Im trawling through the hidden section of photographs on my phone, deleting with abandon, having decided, aged 33, that it was finally time to Marie Kondo my love life. For readers unfamiliar with the decluttering guru and author of bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, her method involves mindfully looking through items in your home and asking yourself whether they spark joy or, whether they are actually holding you back. If the latter, discard. A principle, Ive now discovered, that can be applied to modern romance too whether thats deleting old photographs and numbers, binning old T-shirts, unfollowing exes on Instagram, or quitting trying to be friends with exes altogether. I spent my entire twenties in relationships and in my thirties so far have cycled between a number of fun but short-term affairs. In practical terms this means a lot of content: reams of pictures, messages, emails and even the odd letter heady reminders of everyone Ive ever dated, available at the touch of a button. The experience of deleting the photos is unpleasant and twofold. This one cheated on me, I think, swiping my finger across the screen to rid him from my phone once and for all. This one didnt tell me he had a girlfriend: delete. This one only ever cooked mince: bye. This one was as jealous as Othello and had a ridiculous number of bizarre insults that flowed like lava when he was drunk: good riddance. But its also uncomfortable because with all of them there were great times too, and to see the pictures is to relive the good before the bleak and wonder why it all had to go so wrong. I had taken each picture because there was always hope in the beginning. And I had hidden them because that hope had fizzled into another bitter disappointment (and because nothing ruins your day like the face of someone you regret sleeping with popping up via a this time last year you were notification. Marie Kondo, aka The Queen of Clean / Netflix At first, Im tempted to keep a few: there are photos of me in a handful of other countries, looking happy and in love. But in the spirit of decluttering my life of my romantic past, I decide to be ruthless. We can be weirdly tenacious and loyal in our minds over what didnt work but had some potential, says Charlotte Fox Weber, psychotherapist, and author of What We Want. That tiny bit of hope can leave us weighed down with fragments of messy half-relationships, failed romances, incomplete dalliances. Like a hoarder, you might think you can assemble something beautiful out of the mess. But often its too messy to even see whats there and make use of it. The idea initially came to me at a four-year-olds birthday party, while speaking to Morag, the girls grandmother. She told me that at almost 65 and married for 40 years, only recently had she removed her exes from 30 photo albums that were taking up too much room in her house. She was taking each photo out and saying: Ohhh, this one drove a motorbike or this one was in a band, then tearing them up, throwing them in the bin, her husband Alan tells me. I rode a camel with one of them in Africa, so I had to keep the camel in, I just tore the ex-boyfriend off that one, Morag adds. Alan was very good about it. He just kept asking where we were now in the albums, which Id been keeping since I was 15, and Id say: I still havent met you Im doing the Greek islands with Costas now a holiday romance, that one. He went in the bin. Now down to 12 albums from 30, Morag has relived the memories and thrown them away. Even if younger, unmarried romantics might not keep their previous dalliances in physical albums anymore (theyre all digital now, of course) there is something modern about Morags approach. More than a quarter of us are holding on to an exs phone number, and its something which dating app Badoos experts suggest might be holding us back from meeting potential new partners this summer. The reality of modern dating is that we meet far more people than any generation before us, explains Charly Lester, The Inner Circles dating expert. These interactions, whether its just a couple of text messages, or a full relationship spanning years, take up phone and head space and sometimes the physical act of deleting the messages and photos is what you need to give yourself a clean break. The benefits, Lester says, include removing the chance of accidentally texting them when youre drunk or lonely, or re-reading old messages and comparing them to current partners. Opening the hidden folder I never look at with some trepidation and finding to my horror that it is a kind of virtual version of Traceys Emins iconic tent art piece (Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 19631995) / Natasha Pszenicki for Evening Standard Hear, hear, I think, deciding to go for it like Marie Kondo in a hoarders house. The queen of declutterings philosophy is essentially a mental health technique dressed up as a cleaning method understanding how your stuff serves you and while people are more impressionable than rooms, imagine if deleting pictures and messages from a past life could lessen the scars? Recently, Hinge found that 61 per cent of users were overwhelmed by the modern dating process: perhaps, for many of us, keeping past romantic encounters in our present is a pathway to burnout. Love-life clutter is everywhere, according to Chance Marshall, therapist and founder of therapy service Self Space (who run regular slow-dating events for people sick of swiping). Its found in the accumulation of half-finished relationships scattered across different cities, dating apps and social platforms. We have access to an unprecedented number of potential partners, leading to decision fatigue and a constant fear of missing out. The abundance of choices, coupled with the pressure to present a curated version of ourselves online, can create clutter and overwhelm our love lives. Get rid of it. By addressing the baggage, Marshall says, we create better opportunities for personal growth, self-awareness, and the ability to embrace new connections with more openness and authenticity. Which is not to say that dusting the digital cobwebs doesnt arrive with a sense of discomfort or guilt about letting go. Although it might feel like you are losing something, try to view it as making emotional and digital space for someone or something, says Jade Thomas, a psychotherapist and Founder of Luxe Psychology Practice. Spring-cleaning your phone can bring emotional and psychological closure that a relationship has ended its a sign to begin building your life without that person. In other words, its all about asking yourself if something a number, a holiday photo or Instagram follower is keeping you trapped in the cycle of going back to, or remembering, someone you know is not right for you. Its not until I meet Morag that I consider letting these mini and major past lives on my phone truly be consigned to the past by deleting them, even if that seems a surface-level way of saying goodbye. Taking inspiration from my new pal, I decide to start on the photos, opening the hidden folder I never look at with some trepidation and finding to my horror that it is a kind of virtual version of Traceys Emins iconic tent art piece (Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 19631995). Half these men are also naked. With one hand over my face I delete row after row then come across a problem akin to a camel ride in Africa with a man who is no longer relevant. Here I am with an ex in Cuba, here in Edinburgh, here in Lisbonhow can I cut them out and keep the nice picture when its only digital? Having deleted at least half of the folder, which goes back to 2016, I decide to move onto text messages, a far easier a task than happy holiday photos, which I find hard to stop thinking about. Youd never frame a picture of a bad time, Morag agrees. Ive always enjoyed looking back at good memories, but you dont need many of them. The kids (who are now all in their thirties) enjoyed it too, asking who this was and who this was, but you have to think about what theyd like to remember when were not here anymore it certainly wont be my ex-boyfriends. Morag and Alan Jeffrey on holiday: the couple have been married for 40 years, only recently has she got rid of photos of her exes / Courtesy of Morag Jeffrey Having been dating someone now for a month, I try to picture him sitting next to me as I Marie Kondo my own exes and struggle. Having our past lives on our phone feels more covert than keeping them in physical photo albums. Plus, weve discussed our previous relationships in enough detail to understand each other; I wouldnt want to sit through a PowerPoint of his previous flings, nor him through mine. But at the start of something new, which feels more significant than anything Ive become involved with in three years, it seems to be the right time to spring clean. I start to wish Id done it a long time ago and wonder whether Id have been more trusting that new things were going to work out if I hadnt been so dismantled by an ex who is now three years in the past. Surely future dating can only feel easier if we let go and where else to start decluttering than our phones? Until I started looking for a flat to rent in London, I saw myself as fairly lucky these were the halcyon days of 2021 and I had just graduated from university. Fast forward two years and Im at my childhood desk at my parents house wondering whether the universe has it in for me. Or are months of frozen nights, mouse infestations and police raids now a standard rite-of-passage for renters in the capital? I hope not, but its certainly easy to feel that way after the 24 months Ive just had. Recently, like a fifth of all adult-age children, Ive had to move back in with my parents. But its not down to the cost-of-living pressures that force most young people back. Yes, its a relief not to be paying the pressurising 1,200 a month Ive been forking out over the last couple of years, but cash wasnt the reason I had to hightail it home. For me, it was down to the dire conditions of renting in London in 2023. And I dont just mean the odd mouldy bathroom. According to a survey by the Resolution Foundation, 16 per cent of us are renting substandard accommodation, defined as homes that are not in a good state of repair, where heating, electrics or plumbing are not in good working order, and where damp is present, though the first flat I found in the city wasnt so bad. Other than the fact that there was no shower. Each morning Id have to draw myself a bath like Queen Victoria did it took at least 40 minutes to fill and was ruinous for my water and heating bills. The landlord had promised that a shower would be installed before I moved in, though of course it wasnt, and after six months he eventually said if I wanted one, Id have to pay to have it installed myself. I decided to move. I scoured Rightmove, Gumtree, OpenRen and eventually booked in a stack of viewings. At the time 2022 the market had become more competitive than ever before but I was optimistic. Heading home: Jonathan has gone back to living with his parents / Matt Writtle The first place I saw was a studio flat with an electric blue carpet and a pull-out bed, listed for 950. It would eventually go for 1,100 pcm after a bidding war which saw the winner pay six months rent up front. This would set the tone for the rest of my search: whether a place was high-quality or sub-par, it was snapped up for above the asking price, in the blink of an eye. After a few weeks (and one panic attack), desperation had kicked in and, like wolves, estate agents can smell desperation as soon as you walk through the door. Even for the most unsuitable properties, they piled on the pressure. I came to realise that in London if you do actually like somewhere, you simply cant afford to call their bluff. This culminated in me taking a property that I didnt necessarily want but really did need. I should have seen the red flags the moment I set foot in my flat. What I thought was an officially let property turned out to be a no-bank-account-necessary private rental. My landlord requested that I pay my rent (the aforementioned 1,200) in cash each month. As the days got colder I soon found that I wasnt the only resident: mice had made a home for themselves in my flat This rather unusual demand would be the start of a rather unusual experience. As the days got colder I soon found that I wasnt the only resident: mice had made a home for themselves in my flat, living the London dream life I was chasing, free of charge. Obviously, I was horrified. Im very scared of mice the first one I saw darted from beneath my wardrobe while I was on the phone to my sister, and I felt my soul jump out of my body. As soon as I saw it, I couldnt even put my feet on the ground, because I was too petrified of receiving a nibble. I quickly told my landlord we had an infestation, and that I had a crippling fear of rodents in hopes this would spur him on to hire an exterminator. His response was infuriating, though in hindsight, quite funny. I cant come and help you, he said, Im scared of mice as well. Its a relief not to be paying the pressurising 1,200 a month Ive been forking out over the last couple of years, but cash wasnt the reason I had to hightail it home, it was down to the dire conditions of renting in London in 2023 / Daniel Lynch I entered a protracted negotiation with him, eventually threatening to take the cost of an exterminator out of the next months rent and in the meantime took to sleeping with shoes on and loud white noise sounds playing out of my speakers (I wanted to protect my toes and thought the noises would scare the mice away).Each day Id wake up, look down at my trainers and wonder whether living in the capital was really worth all this. Then came the cold blast of December which is when the boiler stopped working. In a panic, I called my landlord, begging for a solution. My urgency got a rather subdued response. He told me, sorry, he didnt know how to fix a boiler. We entered yet another protracted negotiation where I tried to get him to send someone and in the meantime I slept with a hot water bottle as my pillow. I should have seen the red flags the moment I set foot in my flat I took to YouTube, scouring DIY videos of how to fix boilers and actually managed to do it myself. This would open quite the Pandoras Box of issues, as I came to realise that the boiler Id fixed was the only one for the building, powering no less than three other flats, with their warmth in my rather cold fingertips. I became accustomed to knocks on the door from shivering neighbours begging me to turn my heating on. There was also the problem of police raids, as I found one quiet work-from-home Friday which turned into a scene from Channel 4s 24 Hours in Police Custody. I excused myself from a work Zoom call in the afternoon to answer the door to a barrage of specialist officers looking for a wanted person previously linked to my address. Try explaining a police raid to a bemused colleague blinking back at you through the screen. I told the officers, who were, to be fair, very nice, that no such person lived at the address. They took my word for it until a week later when they came back and insisted on having a look around. I had nothing to hide but Id been in the flat for almost a year and had come to the conclusion that my time there was probably cursed. I decided to move home. Now Im left wondering whether this nightmare is just what living in London is like, or if I was just very unlucky. The fact is many of these stories and worse will ring true for renters, especially those of us in our twenties, trying to find our feet in the city for the first time. Settling into my life as an adult child or boomerang kid, Im enjoying the stability, of no longer fearing what the next knock at the door could mean. But I do find myself at a crossroads. I tried independent living and it led me back home now Im working on the same desk that I revised for my A-levels on. How will I ever move on? A 23-year-old has been charged with the murder of a suspected homeless man who was found dead in a Croydon car park. Kiiran Andrew Hibbert-Gordon, of Sylvan Hill, Upper Norwood will appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Monday charged with the murder of Ion Radu and with possession of an offensive weapon. Hibbert-Gordon was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday. Officers launched a murder probe after the body of 46-year-old Ion, a Romanian national, was found in a car park in Homelands Drive, Croydon on Thursday. A concerned member of the public alerted the police after finding his body unresponsive. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the liver. Scotland Yard said efforts were still ongoing to find Ions living relatives. Anyone who may have had contact with Ion recently is being asked to get in touch with police, who say they are working tirelessly to build a picture of his life in London. Anyone with information is being asked to call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting 1924/01jun. To remain anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org. A cyclist who crashed into a three-year-old girl at a zebra crossing in east London suffered a broken jaw after being violently assaulted by a member of the public. The 33-year-old collided with the child on Lauriston Road, Hackney, around 11am on Saturday May 13. He was immediately approached by a man who punched him in the face, before leaving the scene. The suspect is not believed to have been known to the child, said a Scotland Yard spokesperson. The cyclist was taken to hospital by a friend where he was found to have a broken jaw, which required extensive surgery. The child is not believed to have suffered any injuries in the crash. Police investigating the incident are now appealing for any drivers who may have been in the area at the time and could have dash-cam footage of what happened to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting ref CAD 3783/2June. T he eyes of the media will be turned to the High Court in London this week as the Duke of Sussex gives evidence in his legal action against the publisher of the Mirror. Harry will enter the witness box amid an ongoing trial over contested allegations of unlawful information gathering by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). Here the PA news agency looks at why the duke is coming to court and what the case is all about: What is the legal action against MGN? The duke and other high-profile individuals are suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. They are seeking compensation over allegations MGN was involved in the unlawful gathering of their personal information for stories. Claims brought by four individuals, including the duke, are being heard in a civil trial as representative cases of the types of allegations facing the publisher, findings over which could affect the outcome of other claims. What is unlawful information gathering? It has been alleged that MGNs journalists were linked to voicemail interception, colloquially known as phone hacking, securing information through deception and hiring private investigators for unlawful activities. Lawyers for Harry, whose case covers the period 1995 to 2011, have told the trial that such practices were habitual and widespread amid a flood of illegality. What has MGN said in its defence? MGN is largely contesting the claims brought against it, but has offered Harry an apology for an instance of unlawful information gathering. The publisher said it was admitted that a private investigator was instructed by an MGN journalist at The People to gather information about his activities at the Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004. MGN says board members have denied knowledge of unlawful information gathering activities and claims there is no evidence, or no sufficient evidence, of voicemail interception in any of the four claims chosen as representative cases some of which it claims are brought too late. What has happened in the trial so far? The trial, taking place before judge Mr Justice Fancourt, has been focused on witnesses and evidence relating to the generic allegations against MGN that feature in claims against it. Over two and a half weeks, the court has heard from a former MGN chief executive denying involvement in covering up unlawful practices, while an ex-director and former lawyer at the publisher both defended their accounts of when they became aware of such activity. Ex-private investigators and former MGN journalists have also faced questions over the dark arts and illegal methods allegedly used to source information, the knowledge of MGN editors and executives and whether certain stories were legitimately obtained. Who else is involved in the case? Former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner known professionally as Michael Le Vell are also having their claims considered as test cases at a trial. All three are also expected to give evidence. What is happening in the trial this week? The trial will focus on the representative claims, beginning with the dukes. Harry is expected to be at court on Monday as his lawyers and MGNs legal team set out their opening arguments on his case. The duke will then enter the witness box, either on Monday or Tuesday. Has the duke been to the High Court before? Yes. In March, Harry made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London amid a preliminary hearing in a similar case he is bringing against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail. The duke is also suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, over alleged unlawful information gathering, and is bringing a legal challenge against the Home Office in relation to his security arrangements in the UK. When will the MGN trial end and when will there be a ruling? The trial is due to conclude by the end of June with Mr Justice Fancourt expected to give his written ruling later in the year. T he Duke of Sussex had no time in his life when he was safe from unlawful information-gathering, the High Court has heard as part of his case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror. Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities. MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them. The publisher also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late. The duke, who lives in the United States with his family, had been expected to attend court in London on Monday for the opening of his individual case. However, the 38-year-old is now not expected to appear until Tuesday, when he is due to face cross-examination from MGNs barrister, after flying to the UK on Sunday night after celebrating his daughter Lilibets second birthday. Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was a little surprised to hear that Harry would not be attending court on Monday. Opening the dukes individual case, barrister David Sherborne said Harry was subjected to unlawful information-gathering activity right from when he was a young boy at school. This carried on through the tragic death of his mother, his time during military training at Sandhurst, and into adulthood. The barrister said: Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds and there was no protection from those unlawful information-gathering methods. Mr Sherborne said no aspect of the young princes life was safe from press intrusion and an aspect that was too tempting and sold too many newspapers, and that is the personal relationships that he made. The barrister later claimed the details of his relationship with Chelsy Davy were all revealed and picked apart by the three Mirror Group titles which was clearly driven by unlawful activity. The court was later told that a 2003 article detailed an alleged row between the duke and his brother William, now the Prince of Wales, over their mothers former butler, Paul Burrell. Mr Sherborne said: Even at this very early formative stage the seeds of discord between these two brothers are starting to be sown. Brothers can sometimes disagree, Mr Sherborne continued, adding: But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded. He also said: One can see how the mistrust can set in from an early age, exactly because of this type of activity. The barrister later alleged that the people around Harry were unlawfully targeted as part of a web to get information about the young dukes life. Mr Sherborne said such activity included the alleged targeting of one of the closest confidantes of the duke, Guy Pelly. These methods acted like a web around the prince in the hope it would catch the valuable information that they sought through these unlawful means, some of which made it in stories, the barrister said. He also claimed that Harrys phone would have been hacked on multiple occasions, telling the court that his details appeared in the palm pilot of a journalist who was one of the most prolific phone-hackers. Later Mr Sherborne said the late Diana, Princess of Wales, was a huge target for MGNs newspapers, adding that certain unlawful activities in relation to her would have also affected Harry. He said: It is part of our case that the interception of her messages would necessarily have involved obtaining information about the young prince. Mr Sherborne then turned to letters exchanged between Diana and former television personality Michael Barrymore in 1997. He read out two letters from the princess to the entertainer, which referred to private meetings between the pair, and in one of the letters Diana referred to being devastated to learn that the Daily Mirror had contacted her office about him and their meetings. Harrys claim is being heard alongside three other representative claims during a trial which began last month and is due to last six to seven weeks. The duke alleges that about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial. On the first day of the trial, lawyers for MGN said the publisher unreservedly apologises to the duke for one instance of unlawful information-gathering and that it accepts he is entitled to appropriate compensation. Andrew Green KC said it is admitted that a private investigator was instructed, by an MGN journalist at The People, to unlawfully gather information about Harrys activities at the Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004. Otherwise, the specified allegations are denied, or in a few cases not admitted, he added. The three other representative claimants are Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, who is best known for playing Kevin Webster in the long-running soap, former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, and comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman. Mr Green said voicemail interception is denied in all four cases and that there is no evidence or no sufficient evidence. Russia starts to prosecute for blue, yellow objects, considering them covert support for Ukraine - British intelligence The Russian Federation bans the public use of blue and yellow objects, which indicates an increase in paranoid moods and uncertainty, according to British intelligence. "Some local Russian security officials are likely interpreting Russias draconian wartime legislation to mean that public display of blue and yellow items is outlawed because it might evidence discreet support for Ukraine," according to a defense intelligence report from the Department of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. "On May 9, 2023, a care home worker was reportedly arrested after wearing a blue and yellow jacket to work. In recent days, Russian National Guard troops arrested a 22 year old man in Volkhov near St Petersburg for displaying which was eventually determined to be the blue and yellow flag of Russia's own Aerospace Forces," the report notes. "Criticism of the arrests has come from an unexpected quarter: the ultra-nationalist, pro-war Liberal Democratic party. The party's own branding features yellow on a blue background," the experts note. "The clampdown highlights uncertainty within a paranoid Russian officialdom of what is and is deemed permissible within an increasingly totalitarian system," the report notes. T he Duke of Sussex has been involved in six legal battles at the High Court in recent months. Harrys civil litigation has seen him bring claims against three major newspaper publishers over allegations of unlawful information gathering, as well as legal challenges against the Home Office in relation to his personal security. With the duke set to return to the court in London on Monday in his case against the publisher of The Mirror, here is an overview of the current status of his cases: Challenge against the Home Office over UK security arrangements In July last year, Harry secured a judges permission to pursue a judicial review against the Home Office over security arrangements for himself and his family when they are in the UK. The duke is challenging a February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) which falls under the remit of the department after being told he would no longer be given the same degree of personal protective security when visiting. Harrys lawyers say the security arrangements set out by Ravec, and their application when he visited the UK in June 2021, were invalid due to procedural unfairness because he was not given an opportunity to make informed representations beforehand. Defending the claim, the Home Office says Ravec was entitled to reach the decision it did, which is that Harrys security arrangements will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Mr Justice Swift said part of Harrys case could proceed, with a date for a full hearing yet to be set. Second case against Home Office in relation to UK security Earlier this month, a High Court judge rejected Harrys bid to bring further legal action against the department over a Ravec decision that he should not be allowed to pay privately for his protective security. The Home Office, which opposed Harrys claim, said Ravec considered it was not appropriate for wealthy people to buy protective security, which might include armed officers, when it had decided that the public interest does not warrant someone receiving such protection on a publicly funded basis. The dukes legal team argued Ravecs view, that allowing payment for protective security would be contrary to the public interest and undermine public confidence in the Metropolitan Police, could not be reconciled with rules which expressly permit charging for certain police services. Mr Justice Chamberlain refused Harry permission to bring the second challenge on May 23. Libel claim over Mail on Sunday article on Home Office legal battle Harry is suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over a February 2022 Mail on Sunday article about his legal fight with the Home Office. The story was published online and in the newspaper under the headline Exclusive: How Prince Harry tried to keep his legal fight with the government over police bodyguards a secret then just minutes after the story broke his PR machine tried to put a positive spin on the dispute. The dukes lawyers in his libel claim have said the articles purported to reveal, in sensational terms that information from court documents filed by the duke contradicted public statements he had previously made about his willingness to pay for police protection for himself and his family whilst in the UK. ANL is contesting the claim, arguing the article expressed an honest opinion and did not cause serious harm to Harrys reputation. At a preliminary hearing in March, the High Court heard the dukes bid to strike out ANLs honest opinion defence or grant judgment in his favour on it. A ruling from Mr Justice Nicklin is expected later this year. Allegations of unlawful information gathering at News Group Newspapers (NGN) Harry and actor High Grant are suing NGN, publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World, over alleged unlawful information gathering. The duke alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for the papers. At a preliminary hearing in April, the publisher asked a judge to throw out his and Mr Grants claim, arguing they were brought too late. Mr Justice Fancourt ruled earlier this month that the actors claim could go to trial, except for any allegations relating to phone hacking. Harrys lawyers have argued that NGNs challenge to his claim is an attempt to go behind an alleged secret agreement between the royal family as an institution and the publisher, which the duke was informed of in 2012. NGN, which denies any unlawful activity took place at The Sun, disputes that such an agreement was in place. Mr Justice Fancourt will hold a further hearing in July to decide whether Harrys pleaded case can be amended to include his secret agreement claims. His judgment on Harrys case is expected later this year. Unlawful information gathering allegations against ANL Harry is one of seven high-profile people, including Sir Elton John and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, bringing legal action against ANL over allegations it carried out or commissioned unlawful information gathering. The firmly denied allegations against the publisher of the Daily Mail include the hiring of private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, the blagging of private records and the accessing and recording of private phone conversations. At a preliminary hearing in March, ANL asked a judge to rule in its favour without a trial, arguing the legal challenges against it were brought far too late. The duke made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the March proceedings, where his lawyers argued that those bringing legal action were thrown off the scent and not aware of being targeted, having believed categorical denials from ANL over any involvement in unlawful activity. A judgment from Mr Justice Nicklin is expected later this year. Unlawful information gathering claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) Harry is one of a number of high-profile figures bringing damages claims against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People. His case, alongside those of former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouses ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner known professionally as Michael Le Vell are being considered as test cases at a trial being heard over six to seven weeks. MGN is contesting the claims over allegations its journalists were linked to voicemail interception, securing information through deception and hiring private investigators for unlawful activities. The publisher says board members have denied knowledge of such activities and claims there is no evidence, or no sufficient evidence, of voicemail interception in any of the four claims chosen as representative cases. Harry is due to enter the witness box this week as the trial focuses on his individual case. A police force are warning the public not to approach a London teenager suspected of stabbing another 17-year-old to death in High Wycombe. Jayden Gubetini,17, from Northolt, west London, is on the run and wanted by police in connection with a murder in the Easton Street area of the town on May 7. The victim, 17-year-old boy Cameron Bailey, received stab wounds and tragically died as a result of his injuries. Thames Valley Police Police describe Gubetini is around 6ft tall, has black afro/plaited hair and brown eyes. DI Stuart May, of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said: Enquiries have been ongoing to locate Jayden Gubetini in relation to this violent attack but we are now appealing for the publics help. If you see Gubetini, do not approach him and call 999 instead. If you know where he is or may have seen him, please call 101 or make a report on our website, quoting reference number 43230201483. Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously to the independent charity, Crimestoppers, by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website. P olice are hunting a man who followed a woman into a building in Canary Wharf before sexually assaulting her. The victim was walking in the Canary Wharf area around 7.40pm on February 15 when a stranger began following her. The male followed the woman into a building where she was sexually assaulted, said a Scotland Yard spokesperson on Monday. The womans screams alerted residents who rushed to help the woman, and the man fled. Police on Monday released CCTV footage of a man they would like to trace. Detective Chief Inspector Angela Thompson of the Mets Central East BCU said: A thorough investigation into this incident is ongoing, however attempts to identify a man seen on CCTV footage around the time of the incident have not yet been successful. As such, I am releasing video footage today and I ask members of the public, in particular those who live or work in the E14 area, to watch carefully to see if they recognise the man shown. If you know who he is, please make contact and share his name with us. Anyone with information should call 101 quoting reference 6955/15Feb. To remain anonymous, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers. A n anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for plotting to destroy 5G masts. Christine Grayson, 59, discussed getting rid of the mobile phone masts with expanding foam and angle grinders, after becoming obsessed with the belief that they were linked to the Covid-19 vaccine. A judge at Leeds Crown Court said she was a person of good character and a regular charity fundraiser, who started to post online about the dangers of 5G from 2021-22. Judge Guy Kearl KC said that although Grayson did not get beyond the planning stage, she chose to take the law into her own hands, discussing methods of removing them, saying she needed a sabotage team, and posting videos of burning masts. She was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with half to be served on licence, but will be released almost immediately after spending nine months in custody while on remand. Graysons co-defendant Darren Reynolds, who had been cleared of conspiracy to commit criminal damage in relation to 5G masts, was jailed for 12 years, with an additional year on licence, after being found guilty of eight terrorist offences linked to his extreme right wing, antisemitic and racist views. The court heard Reynolds, 60, discussed armed uprisings and advocated violence towards people he called traitors,. His comments included describing Parliament as a nest of Jews, foreigners and collaborators and repeatedly calling for MPs to be hanged. In September 2021 he wrote: We need to destroy the Jews once and for all TOTAL ANNIHILATION, NO TRIALS, NO PRISONERS. He applauded the callous murders of MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, Judge Kearl said. Lee Karu, mitigating on behalf of Reynolds, said this was a case of free speech gone completely wrong and a line crossed. But the judge said Reynolds was well beyond that line, telling him: This was not free speech. This was a persistent message of hatred and a deliberate call to arms. Jurors found Reynolds guilty of encouraging terrorism with his online comments, and disseminating a terrorist publication by sharing a link to the neo-Nazi White Alexandrias Library. He was also convicted of six offences of possessing material likely to be useful to a person committing an act of terrorism, including a manual on how to build a .50 Browning calibre single shot rifle, and a document called How to Become an Assassin. Opening the case to jurors in April, prosecutor Tom Storey said the defendants knew each other through the social media platform Telegram, of which both were regular users between 2020 and 2022. When police searched their addresses they found a crossbow and a number of crossbow bolts at Graysons home, while at Reynolds they discovered two replica assault rifles. The court heard both defendants were strongly opposed to the rollout of the 5G network, and regarded 5G masts as pieces of enemy infrastructure. Grayson, of Boothwood Road, York, was convicted of one offence of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and cleared of one charge of encouraging terrorism. Reynolds, of Newbould Crescent, Sheffield, was found guilty of one count of encouraging terrorism, one of disseminating a terrorist publication and six of possessing material likely to be useful to a person committing an act of terrorism. He was cleared of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and two counts of disseminating a terrorist publication. A man is being held on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing in north London that left another man fighting for his life in hospital. Police were called to reports of a man with a knife in Lawrence Road, south Tottenham, around quarter past midnight on Sunday. They arrived to find a man in his 30s who was suffering stab injuries. He was treated at the scene by officers and paramedics, and taken to hospital. Police confirmed on Monday his condition is being treated as life-threatening. Cordons were put in place along Lawrence Road and Lawrence Close while police carried out a forensic examination of the area. A Scotland Yard spokesperson said on Monday: Police have arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder. He remains in custody. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 100/04jun A t least one in five households with an unpaid carer in some of the most built-up parts of the country have no private transport and have someone who is disabled or in bad health, new analysis shows. The areas include large cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle, as well as some London boroughs where the figure is closer to one in three. Nearly half a million households across England and Wales (486,341) fell into this category at the time of the 2021 census the equivalent of 12% of all households lived in by at least one unpaid carer. The findings come at the start of Carers Week an annual UK-wide awareness campaign which aims to recognise the contribution made by the UKs 5.7 million carers. Helen Walker, chief executive of national campaigning charity Carers UK, which set up and leads Carers Week, said the statistics demonstrate the huge challenges faced by many unpaid carers, and called for more to be done to raise awareness of the financial, physical and mental health impacts. In 24 local authorities in England, at least 20% of unpaid carer households at the time of the census had no access to a car or van and had someone identified as disabled or in bad or very bad health, according to analysis by the PA news agency. The top 12 were all in London, led by Islington (33.8% of all unpaid carer households, or 4,105), followed by Camden (32.6% or 3,852) and Westminster (32.3% or 3,491). Outside London, areas above 20% included Liverpool at 23.6% (8,418 households), Hull at 22.0% (3,877), Manchester at 21.9% (6,735) and Newcastle at 21.8% (4,117). Its clear to see how many families face huge challenges; lack of transport, difficulties with housing, barriers to juggling work and care, poorer health and wellbeing and a negative impact on their finances There is a clear north-south split when it comes to the type of accommodation lived in by these households. For households in terraced homes, the highest proportions are found in local authorities in northern England while those for flats, apartments or maisonettes are mainly in the south. Liverpool topped the list of areas with the highest proportion of unpaid carer households living in terraces without a private vehicle and with someone in bad health or disabled (11.6%), followed by Hull (11.2%), Burnley (9.7%) and Knowsley (9.2%). By contrast, Westminster (29.6%), Camden (29.2%), Islington (28.3%) and Tower Hamlets (25.6%) headed the equivalent list for households in flats or apartments, with the entire top 15 being in London. In Wales, Cardiff had the highest proportion of unpaid carer households in any kind of accommodation with no private transport and with someone who is disabled or in bad health (14.1%), followed by Merthyr Tydfil (13.7%), Newport (13.3%) and Blaenau Gwent (12.5%). Merthyr Tydfil topped the list in Wales for these types of households in terraces (6.5%) while Cardiff was top for flats or apartments (3.9%). Ms Walker said there is more Government, employers and society can do to support unpaid carers. She said: Looking after a disabled, ill or older relative or friend unpaid can be rewarding, but its clear to see how many families face huge challenges; lack of transport, difficulties with housing, barriers to juggling work and care, poorer health and wellbeing and a negative impact on their finances. The shortage of care, lack of breaks and low carers benefits has left many feeling exhausted and at the end of their tether. Unpaid carers deserve better. She called for a step change in the way that Government and society supports and recognises carers, but added that employers can look at supporting employees who are juggling work and care, and society can help by ensuring family and friends are alerted to information, advice and support which might make all the difference to someone we care about who is providing unpaid care. An unpaid carer is defined by the census as someone who looks after or supports anyone with a long-term physical or mental health conditions, illness or problems related to old age. The help can be provided outside of the carers household, meaning some carers could be looking after someone in another household while also living with a person who is disabled or in bad health. The PA analysis also found there were 16,784 unpaid carer households in England and Wales living in caravans or other kinds of mobile or temporary homes at the time of the census. Runnymede in Surrey was the local authority with the highest proportion, at 3.2% of all unpaid carer households, followed by Castle Point in Essex (2.8%), Mole Valley in Surrey (2.3%) and Wyre Forest in Worcestershire (2.1%). The PA analysis comes as Carers UKs own polling found almost three-quarters (73%) of people in the UK who are providing, or have provided, unpaid care in their lifetime have not identified themselves as a carer. The organisation said this equates to around 19 million people. The YouGov polling of 4,374 adults in April also suggested 31% of people in the UK with experience of providing care have seen their health and wellbeing suffer. Carers Week is also supported by charities including Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, Oxfam, Rethink Mental Illness and The Lewy Body Society. Unpaid carers play a vital role in our communities, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Unpaid carers play a vital role in our communities, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. Weve earmarked 327 million through our Better Care Fund this year to support local authorities with health and care services, including providing carers with advice, support and short breaks and respite services. We continue to provide financial support to unpaid carers through Carers Allowance, and we are finalising plans for how we deliver up to an additional 25 million to support carers and hope to share those shortly. T ory MP Bob Stewart has been charged with two public order offences after allegedly telling an activist to go back to Bahrain. The MP for Beckenham, in south London, is due in court next month. Police on Monday charged the 73-year-old with using racially aggravated threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Mr Stewart will not be suspended from the Conservative Party while he fights the charges against him, the party confirmed on Monday afternoon. The allegation relates to a confrontation with human rights campaigner Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei outside the Foreign Offices Lancaster House building in Belgravia on Wednesday, December 14, 2022. The Director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy challenged Mr Stewart over donations from the Bahraini government. He complained to police after Mr Stewart allegedly told him to get stuffed and to go back to Bahrain. Mr Alwadaei, 36, says he was tortured after taking part in anti-government protests in the country in 2011. Mr Stewart, a former NATO military commander who served in Bosnia, was elected in 2010 and serves on a number of parliamentary committees, including the Intelligence and Security Committee. He is due at Westminster Magistrates court on July 5. F ormer health minister Lord Bethell has played down the role of WhatsApp messages in policymaking during the coronavirus pandemic after it was reported that three groups were used to make key decisions. He defended the Governments decision to seek a judicial review in its bid to limit disclosure of material to the Covid Inquiry, insisting personal information could end up being unnecessarily surrendered. Lord Bethell insisted it is plain wrong to suggest WhatsApp had been used for major decision-making during the pandemic, claiming most of his own messages on the platform over that period had related to coffee orders. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: We need these tramlines, thats why the court case is a good idea. The reality is that, when you have several hundred thousand WhatsApps and youre going through them one by one and trying to decide on the edge cases, whether or not they should be included, you end up having to surrender an enormous amount that I would typically term personal, but on a wide interpretation of the scope might be included, and therefore in order to achieve the greatest amount of candour you put in stuff that you wouldnt reasonably be happy with. It comes after the Times reported that three WhatsApp groups with members including then-prime minister Boris Johnson, former health secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case were used for decision-making during the pandemic. Chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty, former chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, Mr Johnsons chief adviser Dominic Cummings, and communications director Lee Cain were also reportedly in the groups, one of which had a membership of around 30. A Whitehall source told the paper: Senior officials including the Cabinet Secretary were in the critical WhatsApp groups and their phones arent compromised. They can easily send the inquiry some of the most important messages. Mr Johnson has been at the centre of a row as ministers launched a High Court challenge to the inquirys demand for his unredacted WhatsApp messages and notebooks. He has vowed to send all his messages to the official investigation directly, circumventing the Cabinet Office. Cabinet Office lawyers have written to the former prime minister to warn he could lose public funding for legal advice if he breaks conditions such as releasing evidence without permission. He has had legal advice paid for by the taxpayer, but the Sunday Times detailed the letter which stated the money could cease to be available if he seeks to undermine the Governments position. It comes ahead of inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett on Tuesday making her first public remarks since the Government sought legal action. The Cabinet Office missed Lady Halletts deadline set on Thursday to hand over the requested material, with the department insisting that messages it deems unambiguously irrelevant to the inquiry need not be published. Home Office minister Robert Jenrick defended the position over the weekend, telling Skys Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme the Government is not asking for special treatment but that the normal way to do this is to set reasonable parameters. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would hand over whatever is required to the Covid-19 Inquiry, if his party was in power. If you had a Labour government, and we set up an inquiry of this importance, of course we would co-operate and hand over whatever is required by the chair of the inquiry, he told broadcasters on Monday. And Ill tell you for why because many people lost relatives in Covid, many people lost their jobs and their livelihoods and they deserve answers, and so Ill be very clear we would hand over whatever is required by the chair and we would do it having a mind for those that lost so much during Covid. U krainian military chaplains have completed training with the British Army before heading back to the war-ravaged country to give frontline troops a spiritual umbrella. The two-week programme run by the Royal Army Chaplains Department (RAChD) saw an initial group of 10 Ukrainians train at a camp in south-west England. The participants learned how to deliver pastoral care, spiritual support and moral guidance to soldiers on the battlefield. Lieutenant Dmytro Povorotnyi, a priest from Dnipro in central Ukraine, was one of the officers who took part. Once when Russia bombed Dnipro, my granddaughter who is four years old put her toys under the stairs and covered them with an umbrella, said Lt Povorotnyi, who decided to become a military chaplain after the occupation of Crimea in 2014. We have the understanding that the umbrella that covers Ukraine, its our armed forces. Our men and women are so strong because they protect Ukraine from the enemies that are so cruel, that came to Ukraine to kill and rape a lot of people. But even those men and women who are fighting, they also need some protection. The main aim of chaplaincy is to give a spiritual umbrella to the personnel who are fighting for us. Its not just about the weapons and rockets, its about spiritual support. Lieutenant Taras Kotsyuba, who has also been a military chaplain since 2014, explained why religion is so important to Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines. There is a saying that there is no atheism in war, he said. The main aim of chaplaincy, its not to make a person come back to God, its to help them find a way to God. Its true that Im a priest and cant carry a weapon, but I can be with the soldiers who couldnt accept the idea of Russian occupation and decided that they had to be a part of that war. Like Lt Povorotnyi, Lt Kotsyuba has left his family to support Ukrainian soldiers in the war against Russia. The soldiers are more open with the chaplains than their commanders His wife and their children remain in their hometown near Lviv in the west of the country. I wanted to do something for their future, he said. Ukraines army already has 160 chaplains who have joined the militarys command structure from April 2023, having previously worked as embedded civilians rather than officers. Many more are needed though to give proper support to soldiers facing the horrors of war, said Colonel Vitalii Skrybets, head of the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We need more than 700 chaplains, at the moment we have more than 100 chaplains in position but its still not enough, he said. Its important to have a good quality of training, he added. Chaplains are from different departments like the navy, the infantry, special forces and medical department as well. They have passed six weeks training in Ukraine and now just want to improve their skills here. If you have situations where you dont see any chance and options, chaplains give hope to move on, Col Skrybets said. The soldiers are more open with the chaplains than their commanders. Military chaplains come from a wide range of faith backgrounds and perform duties such as supporting bereaved soldiers and families, leading religious services and providing confidential counselling. Chaplains have long been vitally important in the support offered to British soldiers, serving as professionally qualified officers wherever personnel are sent. The RAChD was awarded its royal prefix by King George V after the First World War but had existed for more than 100 years, having been established in 1796. Reverend Robin Richardson, a chaplain in the RAChD who helped design and deliver the training to the Ukrainian visitors, said that he hopes the course can be delivered to more chaplains. These chaplains who we have on the course at the moment are the leading edge of the chaplains department theyve been developing over the last two years, he told the PA news agency. They want to be providing spiritual support to people of all beliefs. When people have first order questions why am I here, what is my purpose, whats going on, whats beyond the horizon, how can I have hope theyre there to offer spiritual support to people of all beliefs, but they also offer pastoral support. With help from military chaplains, soldiers morale is high, said Col Skrybets. He added that he is 358% confident that Ukraines long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia will go well. Counter-attack isnt something that happens suddenly, they need to work on that, he said. Personnel have a high morale because they understand what they are fighting for, they are fighting for their land. This is why we need the chaplaincy in the army to support our soldiers. F oreign Secretary James Cleverly has met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. The meeting in the war-torn nations capital came amid signs the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive against the Russian invasion may have started. In a video posted to Mr Zelenskys Facebook page, Mr Cleverly is heard saying that the UK will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious. The Ukrainian president thanks the UK for the big support it has given his country. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it He wrote on Facebook: During the meeting, we discussed important topical issues: Ukraines expectations from the Nato Summit in Vilnius, promotion of the Ukrainian peace formula and preparation of the global summit on its implementation, as well as the London international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. We are very grateful for the support that the UK has provided and continues to provide to Ukraine. Kyiv has long called for Ukraine to be admitted to Nato, but allies are divided about when and how any accession might happen as the war with Russia continues. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week said Ukraines rightful place is in Nato, at a gathering of European leaders in Moldova ahead of the key meeting of Nato leaders in Lithuania in July. In the video from Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary is seen speaking of his previous visit to Ukraine in winter when it was cold and it was dark. But this time I can see theres more life in the city. The traffic is heavier, which normally is a bad sign in a city. But I think for me it demonstrates what I mean to be true. And that is that the Ukrainian people are not going to allow themselves to be broken by this. And I think that, I think youre very much leading by example. Even though there are drone attacks, even though there are alarms going off through the nights, even though Russia has tried throughout the winter, to break the infrastructure of your country, to break the will of your people, the Ukrainian people keep refusing to be broken, yourself included. He added: The sunshine and the leaves and the flowers shouldnt distract us from the fact that there is still very much work to be done. When we made the commitment publicly that we will continue backing you and your country until you are victorious in your self-defence, we meant it. When we said that we would do more and go further, we meant it. Losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Bakhmut were 86.7% less than those of the Russians, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov said. "Since September 1, when Moscow began using convicts as mercenaries in Bakhmut, 22,816 Russians have died. Our losses were 86.7% less. We have no right to surrender our cities," the NSDC secretary said in an interview with the Italian edition of Corriere della Sera. As reported, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky, said that the situation in the eastern direction of the front was aggravated, the enemy had reinforced its groupings with Storm Z assault detachments. However, despite this, in some areas there is an advancement of the defense forces of Ukraine. M att Hancock was on Monday told to apologise to Parliament for attempting to influence an investigation into a fellow Tory MP. The former Health Secretary and Im A Celebrity contestant was found to have broken the Code of Conduct by sending a letter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards when he was probing whether MP Steve Brine had breached lobbying rules. Mr Hancock, who was suspended from the Tory Party for entering the Australian jungle last year, told the watchdog it was his firm belief that the chair of the Health Select Committee had done nothing improper and should be cleared from any accusation. He said his actions were appropriate and maintains he did not breach the Code, telling the Committee in written evidence: While I do not agree that the letter I write [sic] was a breach of these new rules, I do accept that the Commission [sic] has found any breach to be minor and inadvertent. But Commissioner Daniel Greenberg ruled Mr Hancock sought to influence his consideration of whether a breach of the Code had been committed by Mr Brine. The Standards Committee said it agrees with the Commissioner that Mr Hancock breached paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct for Members, which concerns lobbying the Commissioner, when sending an unsolicited letter to the Commissioner on March 28. It added: This case underlines that respect for the Code and the processes for investigating potential breaches of the Code, which were voted for by the House, is an important and necessary part of the Code, and that it expects Mr Hancock to reflect his understanding of this in his apology. The breach was minor, the Committee said. It recommended Mr Hancock, who is set to step down as an MP for West Suffolk at the next election, apologise to the Commons. R ishi Sunak has announced two more barges to house asylum seekers off the coast of Britain as he insisted his plan to stop small boat crossings is starting to work. The Prime Minister said the numbers making the journey across the Channel were down by around a fifth since last year but acknowledged the Government has a long way still to go. Giving a speech in Kent, he played down suggestions that fewer crossings were a result of poor weather conditions at this time of year rather than policy decisions. Opposition critics likened the announcement of yet more measures to tackle the crisis to Groundhog Day and accused Mr Sunak of cynical spin. On a visit to Dover, the Prime Minister said the returns deal with Albania had led to 1,800 people being sent back and was having a deterrent effect. He also claimed the Government is on track to clear the backlog for initial asylum decisions by the end of the year a pledge first made in December. Some 172,758 people were waiting for an initial decision on asylum applications at the end of March, up 57% from a year earlier and the highest figure since comparable records began in 2010, according to Home Office figures. But Mr Sunak said numbers published on Monday show the backlog is down by more than 17,000. He also defended measures to house asylum seekers on barges with the first one set to be moored in Portland, Dorset, within a fortnight, and the announcement of two more to house another 1,000 people. Before I launched my plan in December, the number entering the UK illegally in small boats had more than quadrupled in two years. Some said this problem was insoluble, or just a fact of 21st century life, he said. Theyd lost faith in politicians to put in the hard yards to do something about it. And of course, we still have a long way to go. But in the five months since I launched the plan, crossings are now down 20% compared to last year. Asked whether windy conditions in the Channel and subsequently fewer crossings was the reason behind the timing of his visit, Mr Sunak replied: Theres many things I can control, the weather is not one of them. I wish it was so. Mr Sunak declined to say where the two new barges would be moored, although there has been widespread speculation one could be based on Merseyside. He also defended the requirement for asylum seekers to share hotel rooms, following protests outside accommodation in Pimlico, London last week though Labour later stressed this measure is not new and has always been part of the system. The Prime Minister described his approach as more than fair, saying his message to migrants would be: If youre coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution, then you should be willing to share a taxpayer-funded hotel room in central London. Analysis of provisional Home Office data by the PA news agency suggests that as of June 3 some 7,610 people had been detected crossing the channel, compared with 9,954 at the same point in 2022 a 23.5% decrease. But crossings are heavily influenced by the weather and the summer months typically see higher numbers making the journey. The UK has gone from accepting about one in five Albanian asylum cases to just one in 50, Mr Sunak claimed. The Prime Minister also defended the inclusion of children in new detention rules, claiming that to exempt them would create an incentive for smugglers to put more young people on boats. He insisted that appropriate facilities were in place for families to be kept together properly and fairly. All we've really had from the Government though is the announcement of a policy that doesn't work and then the reannouncement of the same policy, essentially The announcement drew criticism including from the Tory backbenches, with Conservative MP Richard Drax repeating a suggestion that the barge to be moored in Portland his constituency would be like a quasi-prison. Some rooms will have three or four inhabitants. Its a quasi-prison, he told LBC. Sir Keir Starmer said the promise of further measures to tackle the crisis was like Groundhog Day as crossings continue this year despite the Prime Ministers pledge to stop the boats. The Labour leader told reporters during a visit to Somerset: All weve really had from the Government though is the announcement of a policy that doesnt work and then the reannouncement of the same policy, essentially. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats dismissed Mr Sunaks speech as cynical spin and called on the Government to give more detail on the two new barges. The public need clarity and transparency from the government on where these barges will be and how long they will stay there, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael said. The Refugee Council branded Mr Sunaks rhetoric on migrant crossings misleading, wrong and harmful and said his policies fail to treat people fleeing their home country with dignity and humanity. We shouldnt be picking and choosing who we treat with decency, but thats the Governments approach: it rightly welcomed Ukrainian refugees and ensured they had appropriate accommodation, but it treats others in fear of their lives with contempt and does not view them as human beings, the organisations chief executive Enver Solomon said. Thats not what most people in this country want. We are better than this. Amnesty International UK said the barges plan was potentially unlawful and a terrible idea designed to distract the public from the Governments failure to tackle the asylum claims backlog. R ishi Sunak will address the nation on his promises to end small boat crossings of the Channel and tackle the asylum backlog as he comes under pressure over Conservative migration pledges. In a speech in Kent on Monday, the Prime Minister will give an update on the progress made in the six months since he introduced the Illegal Migration Bill under his plans to stop the boats. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the asylum system is riddled with abuse and needs fundamental change as he defended making adult asylum seekers share rooms to reduce the reliance on hotels as completely fair and reasonable. He said, however, that the backlog in processing asylum cases that Mr Sunak promised to abolish this year stands at more than 150,000 cases after hitting a new high. The Home Office estimates it will have to spend between 3 billion and 6 billion on detention facilities, accommodation costs and removals under the current plans to tackle small boats, according to the BBC. The Conservatives are also under pressure on legal migration, after it soared to a record high of 606,000 last year despite Tory pledges to bring it down. Mr Jenrick said immigration is far too high today but said targets such as David Camerons 2010 pledge to reduce net migration to below 100,000 as being not particularly helpful. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said it is her ultimate aspiration to get levels down to tens of thousands. During the visit to Kent, the Prime Minister is expected to acknowledge more needs to be done to tackle unauthorised crossings as he updates on the number of arrivals across the Channel, on where the backlog in processing asylum cases stands and efforts to reduce the expensive use of hotels to house migrants. Westminster City Council leader Adam Hug has raised his deep concern to the Government after around 40 asylum seekers refused to enter a hotel in Pimlico in London after they were asked to sleep four people to a room. The Labour politician said that asking people who are likely to have been through significant and traumatic events to share an inappropriately sized room with multiple strangers defies common sense and basic decency. On Sunday, Mr Jenrick said single adult males will be asked to share rooms as the Government struggles to reduce reliance on hotels. I think thats a completely fair and reasonable approach, he told Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg. After 13 years of the Conservatives being in power, Mr Jenrick said there is a need to be changing fundamentally how asylum is dealt with in the UK. The asylum system is riddled with abuse, we have to be honest with ourselves, he told the BBC programme. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, criticised Mr Jenricks untrue claims, saying that the majority of people who cross the Chanel are eventually shown to be refugees. Instead of explaining away failures in the asylum system, it is essential for the Government to keep a sustained focus on fixing the problems within the UK asylum system, starting with real commitment and resourcing to tackling the asylum backlog of 170,000, Mr Solomon said. Ministers have welcomed a landmark agreement with Albania to send back failed asylum seekers and foreign offenders, but Mr Jenrick conceded to Skys Sophy Ridge On Sunday that just hundreds of Albanians who arrived on small boats have been put on return flights. Official figures put the number of people who arrived on small boats last year at 45,000. The UK has a legal obligation to provide asylum seekers, who are not allowed to work, with a basic level of accommodation. The latest Home Office figures showed that 172,758 people were waiting for an initial decision on asylum applications at the end of March, up 57% from a year earlier and the highest figure since comparable records began in 2010. In December, Mr Sunak pledged to abolish the backlog of initial asylum decisions by the end of 2023. Natasha Tsangarides, Freedom from Tortures associate director of advocacy, said: By not processing claims, allowing the asylum backlog to grow and using expensive and inappropriate hotels, the Government has manufactured a crisis. Instead of fomenting culture wars to distract from their economic incompetence and a badly handled cost-of-living crisis, this Government must clear the backlog, work towards an efficient and compassionate system, and house refugees in the community so they have a chance to rebuild their lives. R ishi Sunak vowed on Monday that nearly 3,000 people will be housed at two new immigration centres in Britain within months but faced fresh court challenges to the controversial plans. Giving an update on his efforts to stop the flow of small boats across the Channel carrying economic migrants and asylum seekers, the Prime Minister stressed that a giant barge to house hundred of arrivals in the UK would arrive at Portland, Dorset, within 14 days. The Government had also secured two more ships to accommodate 1,000 more people who had risked their lives making the dangerous journey from France to reach Britain in often unseaworthy vessels run by criminal gangs. After going out with the Small Boats Operational Command into the Channel on Monday morning, Mr Sunak said, at a press conference in Dover: Our plan is starting to work. In the five months since I launched the plan, crossings are now down 20 per cent compared to last year. However, several strands of his immigration strategy, including planned Rwanda deportation flights, are deeply controversial and Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, criticised it as failing, costing billions of pounds and causing immense human misery. Nearly 2,000 fewer people crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, to the end of May, compared to the same period last year, 7,610 rather than 9,575, according to Government figures. Crossing rates are heavily dependent on weather conditions. Government action, including a deal with Albania to return its citizens arriving on these small vessels and better co-operation with France, may be reducing crossings. The backlog in initial decisions on asylum claims has fallen by more than 17,000, Mr Sunak was set to add, but still totals more than 100,000. On the new centres at former military airbases, Mr Sunak said: Today, I can confirm new large sites will open at Wethersfield and Scampton with hundreds moving in over the summer and nearly 3,000 by the autumn. But Tory-run Braintree council is set to appeal on June 12 against the High Courts refusal to allow them an injunction against the Home Offices plans to turn the Wethersfield airbase into an asylum seeker processing site. Council leader Graham Butland said the Home Office had confirmed no-one would be placed at the former airfield before June 26. The local authority is also now working with West Lindsey district council, where RAF Scampton is based, on three judicial reviews against the Government regarding the migrant centres. Court hearings on July 12 and 13 will determine whether they can proceed. The Lincolnshire council said the Home Office had confirmed the site would not be ready until mid-August. The Lords was on Monday resuming scrutiny of the Illegal Migration Bill which aims to ensure that people who cross the Channel on small boats are detained and promptly removed and banned from returning to Britain. Brexiteers claim that quitting the EU would allow Britain to take back control of its borders has been left in tatters not only by the surge in small boats crossings but also by net legal migration to the UK rising above 600,000 a year. T he Prime Minister on Monday stepped into the row over refugees having to share hotel rooms after a protest about cramped conditions at a Westminster B&B. Rishi Sunak said migrants fleeing conflict should be willing to bunk with other people while their asylum claims are processed in Britain. He said the Government had found an additional 11,500 bed spaces by asking people to share rooms where appropriate, saving taxpayers an extra 250 million a year. Speaking at press conference in Dover, Mr Sunak added: I say to those migrants who are objecting: this is more than fair. If youre coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture, or persecution then you should be willing to a share a taxpayer-funded hotel room in Central London. Dozens of refugees staged a protest outside a hotel in Pimlico / Evening Standard It comes after dozens of people slept outside a Pimlico hotel on Wednesday and Thursday nights last week after they were told to share four to a room. Small suitcases and bin bags full of possessions were seen strewn across the street outside the property near Victoria Station. Up to 30 people in the group had already spent at least one night on the street after rejecting unsuitable accommodation in Whitechapel earlier this week, before being moved to the central London B&B. They ended the stand off after a compromise that would see no more than two people placed in one room. The Government is under significant pressure to reduce the almost 7million-a-day bill for housing refugees in some 400 hotels across the country, while asylum claims are processed. C ampaigners have called for urgent action after new research shows child poverty rates are unacceptably high at local levels in Scotland. The End Child Poverty Coalition, consisting of 101 organisations, has said all levels of government in the UK can do more to reduce the number of children living in poverty. Just four local authority areas in Scotland had child poverty rates below 18% in 2021/22, according to new research by Loughborough University. However, the Scottish Government is aiming to have child poverty rates under this target by 2023/24, and under 10% by 2030. Here in Scotland, the Scottish Child Payment is already making a big difference to struggling families, but nearly one in four children still face this deep injustice and further effort is now needed to ensure Scotlands upcoming child poverty targets are met East Renfrewshire had the lowest estimated rate of 14.4%, followed by East Dunbartonshire, 14.9%, the Shetland Islands 15.4% and Aberdeenshire 16%. The statistics were calculated based on the number of children who live in a household with a median income below 60% after housing costs are removed. Glasgow City, North Ayrshire and Clackmannanshire had the highest child poverty rates, with 32%, 29% and 28.3% respectively. Child poverty rates across Scotland suggest nearly one in four children (24%) are in poverty, compared to 29% across the UK. John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group, made a number of recommendations to national and local governments on behalf of the End Child Poverty coalition. The recommendations include urging the UK Government to scrap the two-child benefit limit where families with additional children born after April 2017 cannot access further financial aid, while the Scottish Government should do more to mitigate the policy. The roll-out of the Scottish Child Payment of 25 for eligible children under 16 was praised by campaigners, however they urge ministers to increase its value. Mr Dickie said: These latest statistics are a stark reminder that child poverty remains unacceptably high across the UK, including in every local authority area of Scotland. Its now absolutely vital that the UK Government scraps the poverty creating policies like the two-child limit. He added: Here in Scotland, the Scottish Child Payment is already making a big difference to struggling families, but nearly one in four children still face this deep injustice and further effort is now needed to ensure Scotlands upcoming child poverty targets are met. The First Minister has committed to use devolved powers to the absolute maximum effect, so his Government must now do the right thing and go further to both increase the value of the Scottish Child Payment and put in place additional payments for families affected by the two-child limit. He also called for local governments in Scotland to double down on child poverty action plans by putting low income families at the centre of decision-making. The UK Government said two million fewer people, including 400,000 children, were in absolute poverty than in 2009/10. A spokesperson said: We are providing a 94 billion package of immediate cost-of-living support worth around 3,300 per household. But in the long-term, the best route out of poverty is through employment, which is why we are boosting our childcare offers to help more parents to re-enter and progress in work. The two-child policy asks families on benefits to make the same financial decisions as families supporting themselves solely through work, and there continues to be careful exemptions and safeguards in place within the policy to protect people in the most vulnerable circumstances. We are taking action within limited powers and fixed budget A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of three critical missions for this government. This year and last we have allocated almost 3 billion to support policies to tackle poverty and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. We have continually urged the UK Government to also take urgent action and match our ambitions to tackle poverty. We have a range of actions in our Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan and our five family payments could be worth over 10,000 by the time an eligible child turns six over 8,000 more than families in England and Wales. This includes the Scottish Child Payment which 303,000 children are now benefitting from and is projected to lift 50,000 children out of poverty this year. In addition, were making 84 million available to protect people from the damaging impact of UK Government welfare cuts including the bedroom tax and benefit cap, and have taken action on rent. We are taking action within limited powers and fixed budget but it is only with the powers of an independent nation that we can use all the levers other governments have to tackle poverty and inequalities. A Tory MP has claimed a giant barge set to house hundreds of asylum seekers in his constituency will be a quasi prison. Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, said none of the key questions have been answered over the Bibby Stockholm barge, which will be docked at Portland Port. The barge, which will house up to 500 males claiming asylum in the UK, has sparked controversy among locals who claim they were not consulted about the plans. It comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced two further barges to hold asylum seekers in a speech in Kent on Monday. Reacting to the plans for the barge at Portland, Mr Drax told LBC: Im against it, and I have been since I was told it was coming from the Home Secretary. The barge is designed for 222 people en-suite, and it will have 526 on board most of the rooms will be doubled, and some will have to have 3 or 4 inhabitants in there. Mr Drax also raised concerns over how migrants will be monitored once they leave the barge. He went on: When they leave the port - if indeed they can get out, because this barge will be nothing more than a quasi-prison - when they go into Weymouth, what will they do? Who will monitor them? Theyve got 9 a week to spend - which isnt much money - what happens if they disappear? None of these questions have been answered. He also raised concerns over tourism, saying that the area would be hosting a lot of families over the summer and that the barge was the wrong idea. His intervention came hours after Mr Sunak said that the number of people making the perilous journey across the Channel was down by around a fifth since last year - but acknowledged the Government has a long way still to go. Speaking on a visit to Dover, Mr Sunak played down suggestions that the reduced number of Channel crossings were a result of windy conditions in the Channel for this time of year rather than policy decisions. He also claimed the Government was on track to clear the backlog for initial asylum decisions by the end of the year. But Home Office figures showed that 172,758 people were waiting for an initial decision on asylum applications at the end of March, up 57 per cent from a year earlier and the highest figure since comparable records began in 2010. Over 45,000 migrants crossed the English Channel last year, despite the threat of being deported to Rwanda. Analysis of Home Office data suggests that as of June 3 some 7,610 people had been detected crossing the channel, compared with 9,954 at the same point in 2022 a 23.5 per cent decrease. Amnesty International UK said the barges plan was potentially unlawful and a terrible idea designed to distract the public from the Governments failure to tackle the asylum claims backlog. And the Liberal Democrats dismissed Mr Sunaks speech as cynical spin and called on the Government to give more detail on the two new barges. The public need clarity and transparency from the government on where these barges will be and how long they will stay there, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael said. D ogs have hit the headlines at the moment for all the wrong reasons, following the death of a south London woman last month, and the shooting of two dogs by Met police. Natasha Johnstons American Bully XL was among eight animals the 28-year-old was walking when she was attacked in Surrey. The dog was found to be responsible for her death following a forensic veterinary report, and it was then euthanised. Meanwhile, two Staffordshire Bull terriers were controversially shot dead by police in Poplar after reports of an attack. A petition has since garnered more than a million signatures, to hold the officers accountable. But what is the law on dangerous dogs and what breeds are banned? How dangerous is the American Bully dog? The American Bully is a newer version of the American bulldog and varies in size. They come in four variations standard, pocket, classic, and XL. The larger American Bully has been responsible for half of all dog-related deaths in the UK since 2021. Nine people have been killed in incidents where the animal has been present, including three children. First-time dog owners are not recommended to own an American Bully if there are children in the household. Neverthless, two people killed by the breed this year were experienced dog handlers. Last month, Jonathan Hogg, a 37-year-old dog carer from Greater Manchester, was playing with an American Bully XL when it attacked him and went for his throat. He later died in hospital, and Greater Manchester police said the dog posed a significant risk to the public. There are calls for the dog breed to be banned but, currently, they can still be purchased. Which dog breeds are banned in the UK? In the UK, its against the law to own certain types of dog. These are the: Pit Bull Terrier Japanese Tosa Dogo Argentino Fila Brasileiro Its also against the law to: sell a banned dog abandon a banned dog give away a banned dog breed from a banned dog Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name. For example, if your dog matches many of the characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier, it may be a banned type. What is the Dangerous Dog Act? The Dangerous Dogs Act came into force in 1991 to try and prevent serious dog attacks. It bans the owning, selling, giving away or abandoning of the four outlawed dog breeds, as well as banning any dog which is dangerously out of control. At the time of creation Home Secretrary Kenneth Baker said the Act aimed to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs. A man who streamed a video of an offensive song about murdered Co Tyrone woman Michaela McAreavey has lost his case at an employment tribunal that he had been unfairly dismissed from his job. Andrew McDade, from Portadown, Co Armagh, lost his job as a lorry driver for the Norman Emerson Group after a clip from the video sparked outrage last May. He had been attending an event at Dundonald Orange Hall when he livestreamed footage, including the singing of a song which appears to mock the daughter of former Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte, who was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius in 2011. Mr McDade said he had not been aware of the song. He streamed the video live to his Facebook page. A clip of the video went on to go viral on social media and the song was condemned. Mr McDades employer became linked to the video because it was listed as his employer on his Facebook page. He was dismissed following a disciplinary process. While he did not appeal against the dismissal at the time, Mr McDade went on to take an unfair dismissal case against his former employer. However his claim has been dismissed by a panel of judges led by tribunal president Noel Kelly, who heard arguments in the case last month. In a written ruling, the panel described a claim which was always misconceived and without merit. They described the singing of the song by a large group of people and applause as a truly disgraceful event and reminiscent of a Munich Bierkeller in the 1930s. Persons not singing had laughed at the lyrics and had clapped. Others gave stiff arm salutes, they said, but added the decision had been based on the correct legal tests. They said they were satisfied the respondent had adopted a fair procedure in both investigating and in determining this matter, and that the decision to summarily dismiss the claimant was a decision which had been well within the range of reasonable responses open to the respondent in all the circumstances of this case. Any reasonable employer, given the conduct of the claimant and given the clear and undisputed damage to both customer relationships and workforce relationships could, and in fact would, have summarily dismissed the claimant in all the circumstances of this case, they concluded. This is a claim which was always misconceived and without merit. Therefore the claim of unfair dismissal is dismissed. Ukraine to not use F-16 fighter jets in summer counteroffensive Reznikov Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that during the expected counteroffensive against Russian troops this summer, Ukraine will not use F-16 aircraft, but will use all ground weapons. In an interview with NHK on Sunday in Singapore, the minister explained that some Western countries are currently training or have offered to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets. Reznikov said it would take time to train Ukrainian pilots, and Ukraine would also have to negotiate with its partners to provide engineers and technicians to maintain and repair these complex aircraft. According to him, Ukraine will be ready to deploy F-16s in autumn or winter. A mother has penned a heartbreaking tribute to her teenage daughter who drowned swimming in a reservoir in front of her friends. Erin Maddens body was found in Carr Mill Dam, in St Helens, Merseyside, at roughly 12.30pm on Thursday after reports she, got into distress while swimming with friends, police said. Her mother Kirsty, who highlighted safety concerns around the dam, said she hated the idea of leaving Erin alone after the tragedy. She wrote on Facebook: I would just like to [thank] all the emergency services that were present and who tried to help my beautiful girl on Thursday. Secondly the community of St Helens. We have been absolutely blown away by the support, donations and messages. Family and friends have been unbelievably supportive through this heartbreaking time and we cant thank anybody enough. Emergency services at the scene at Carr Mill Dam (Peter Byrne/PA) / PA Wire There are no words to describe the pain and emptiness I am feeling right now. Every day feels like a week and I hate leaving my baby girl Erin alone. In a comment on the councils page, Ms Madden added: This dam needs draining my daughter lost her life in there. How many more times does this need to keep happening to children until something is done. My girl had her whole life ahead of her she was capable of anything and its all been ripped away. We are all devastated beyond words and my life will never be the same again. I love you Erin with my heart and soul forever and always. A witness, Adele Laitak, said she had heard a girl shouting. It sounded to me like she was saying help, she said. It sounded like she was in distress but we couldnt see anything from where we were. As we came round, we saw fire engines. She added: Some women told us two children had gone into the water but one had managed to get out. The principal of Outwood Academy in Haydock also shared a tribute to Erin describing her as a fantastic student with an amazing sense of humour. In a letter to parents, Phil Abram said: As a school community, we are devastated by the loss of one of our students, Erin Madden. Erin was a kind and considerate student. She had an amazing sense of humour and was strong and loyal to those around her. Erin was ambitious and keen to do well in her studies. Such a tragedy is hard to comprehend and our whole community is mourning the loss of a caring and fantastic young lady. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Erins family and friends at this difficult time. A GoFundMe page, set up by family friend Toni Ward, has raised over 4,500. It described Erin as a beautiful soul. Merseyside Fire and Rescues Mark Thomas warned of the dangers of swimming in open water during the summer months. He said: Sadly, there have been several recent water-related fatalities across the UK. We would urge people to make sure they are aware of the very real dangers involved and learn the importance of knowing what to do in an emergency. Understanding the dangers of open water, as well as knowing what to do if you or someone else is in danger in the water, is life-saving information. Wed also encourage parents and caregivers to take the time to speak to younger people about this vital water safety advice. Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton, and Sunnah Khan, 12, from Buckinghamshire, / Handout The tribute came as an inquest into the deaths of two young people from drowning heard there was a suggestion that they got into difficulty by getting caught in a riptide in the sea off Bournemouth beach. Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton, and Sunnah Khan, 12, from Buckinghamshire, were rescued from the sea during the incident on Wednesday, but both died in hospital. Rachael Griffin, senior coroner for Dorset, said: I understand there is an ongoing police investigation, despite that, I have already submitted the appropriate paperwork and released both Joes and Sunnahs bodies for the purposes of their funerals. I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to Joe and Sunnahs families, my thoughts are very much with them at this difficult time following this tragedy. Ms Griffin adjourned the hearing until a pre-inquest review to be held on September 18. In 2022, 226 accidental drownings occurred in the UK. Nearly half (46 %) took place in the three summer months of June, July and August, when the UK experienced record temperatures , and 60% took place in inland water, such as reservoirs, rivers and canals, according to the latest statistics from the National Water Safety Forum. O fcom will not be taking action after receiving more than 8,000 complaints about Adjoa Andoh saying the Buckingham Palace balcony was terribly white. The Bridgerton actress made the remark during ITVs coverage of the coronation on May 6, the watchdog said on Monday. Andoh, who plays Lady Agatha Danbury in the Netflix show, said: Looking at all those young people, there is a bit of me that has gone from the rich diversity of the Abbey to the terribly white balcony. Im very struck by that. Andoh later appeared on BBC Radio 4 to clarify what she meant and apologise for remarking on the moment Charles and Camilla appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to wave at the public with their family. Adjoa Andoh / PA Wire Ofcom, the UKs communications regulator, said it will not pursue the 8,371 complaints further on the basis of ITVs and its guests right to freedom of expression. The watchdog said viewers also objected to ITV News presenters Tom Bradby and Chris Ship referencing the remark. A statement from Ofcom said: We have concluded our assessment of complaints we received about a comment made during ITVs coverage of the coronation of King Charles III, and can confirm we will not be pursuing these further. We received 8,371 complaints from viewers about a comment made by actress Adjoa Andoh during the live broadcast, which focused on the appearance of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. While we understand some viewers had strong feelings about this comment, after careful consideration we have concluded that the comment was a personal observation which was part of a wide-ranging panel discussion which also touched on other diversity-related topics, and which contained a range of viewpoints. Our decision to not pursue these complaints further also takes into account broadcasters and guests right to freedom of expression. Acknowledging the backlash she received after appearing as a guest pundit for ITV, Andoh previously told BBC Radio 4: I was talking about the day and how marvellous it was and then looking at the balcony at the end and suddenly went, Oh, its so white because the day had been so, so mixed and I didnt mean to upset anybody. The Kings coronation service at Westminster Abbey was watched by 18.8 million viewers in the UK across 11 channels and services, according to ratings released by the research organisation Barb. T he Duke of Sussex has arrived at court in London and is expected to give evidence at the phone-hacking trial, the day after the court heard his mums voicemails were listened to by Daily Mirror journalists while Piers Morgan was editor. Prince Harrys barrister David Sherborne made the allegation while opening the Duke of Sussexs privacy claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in the High Court. Prince Harry is suing MGN over alleged voicemail hacking and unlawful newsgathering he says goes back to when he was just 11-years-old. On Monday he was accused of wasting court time by not attending, but his lawyers disputed this and said the day was always set to just be made up of opening statements. Mr Sherborne said Daily Mirror journalists plainly listened in to voicemail messages, and that was how they knew secret and highly sensitive details of Princess Diana and Michael Barrymore, who was struggling with coming out as gay and had endured a drug addiction battle. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives to give evidence at the Mirror Group Phone hacking trial at the Rolls Building at High Court / Getty Images In March 1997, she wrote to the TV star saying: "Dear Michael, what joy it was to finally meet you tonight. I did want to emphasise that Im here for you, whatever, whenever. Its very easy to pop round and see you." In a later message, Diana said she was "devastated" to learn the Daily Mirror had been asking about six meetings they had together. "Nobody knew about our conversations/phone call. How deeply sorry I am [that] what I considered to be a private matter has become public property", she wrote. In a letter from June 1997, two months before she died in a car crash in Paris, Diana was writing to Barrymore asking: Are you OK? I am concerned because I havent heard from you for some time I hope the silence is good news! She added: I have had a nightmare time with the tabloids. Mr Sherborne said Morgan referred to the Mirrors disclosure of the private friendship in his memoir, The Insider, in which he wrote that he heard rumours Diana had been secretly comforting him (Barrymore). The barrister suggested Barrymore had been frightened off by the intrusion into their personal relationship. Responding to the claims, MGNs barrister Andrew Green KC called it total speculation with no evidence whatsoever. The letters you were shown are not evidence of voicemail interception, he added. There is no other evidence, and plainly no such finding could be made. In his opening address on Monday, Mr Sherborne highlighted a story about Harry suffering a back injury at school, forcing him to stop playing rugby. He said the story had the tell-tale signs of unlawful information gathering, which allegedly began even when Harry was still at school. His mother and father had separated in 1995, the divorce followed in 1996, he said. Prince Harry was still at school, somewhere which offered him little protection from the defendants unlawful information gathering. It is said photographers for MGN were also involved in illegal activities, to be in the right spot to photograph their famous targets. Mr Sherborne showed the court a September 2000 story about Harrys 16th birthday, when a photographer was waiting as the Prince joined friends at a pub lunch. He said Harrys visit had been unexpected, even to invited guests, yet the photographer was well-placed to get the picture. It is said MGN journalists used unlawful means not just to secure exclusives, but also to stand up stories from other newspapers and to seek a new angle on an existing story. Prince Harry is due to start giving his evidence in the case on Tuesday morning. MGN denies phone hacking against the Prince, and has either denies or not admitted unlawful activity in all but one instance involving Harry. The trial continues. P rincess Eugenie has announced that she gave birth to a boy named Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank last month. Writing on Instagram alongside a picture of the newborn, Eugenie confirmed her second child with husband Jack Brooksbank had been born on May 30. He is named after his great great great Grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald, she said. Eugenie shared a picture of the newborn / HRH Princess Eugenie/Buckingham Palace/PA Wire Augie is loving being a big brother already. Ernest has arrived in the Kings coronation year, just weeks after the ceremony. He is the first of Elizabeth IIs great-grandchildren to be born since her death last September. The newest member of the royal family, whose title is Master Brooksbank, is 13th in line to the throne, moving the Duke of Edinburgh down to 14th place. HRH Princess Eugenie/Buckingham Palace/PA Wire Eugenie had shared a photo of August kissing her baby bump in January to announce the news of her pregnancy. Last month, a heavily pregnant Eugenie joined the Windsors to witness her uncle Charless coronation in Westminster Abbey, with Mr Brooksbank seated next to the Duke of Sussex in the third row. A day after the event, she joined sister Princess Beatrice on Chalfont St Giles village green in Buckinghamshire for the Coronation Big Lunch. Eugenie and Mr Brooksbanks first child, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, was born on February 9, 2021 at the Portland Hospital in central London. August falls after Eugenie and before the Earl of Wessex in the line of succession. Edward, who was third in line when he was born in 1964, is currently in 12th place. He is not entitled to use an HRH style, nor to have a title. Princess Eugenie through the years - In pictures 1 / 53 Princess Eugenie through the years - In pictures As Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank prepare for their wedding, click through to see Eugenie through the years PA The world's first glimpse of Princess Eugenie, born March 23, 1990 PA The Duke and Duchess of York outside the Portland Hospital PA Eugenie at her christening in Sandringham PA The Duchess of York, with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, arriving at Corpach, near Fort William PA Eugenie's first day at Upton House school, in Windsor PA The young Princess' returning from Jakarta PA A young Eugenie on the slopes of slopes of Klosters PA Princess Beatrice, the Duchess of York and Princess Eugenie outside their chalet in the Swiss resort of Klosters PA A family trip to Klosters with cousins Prince William and Prince Harry PA The Duke and Dychess of York's first appearance together after their divorce PA Beatrice and Eugenie at the Verbier resort in Switzerland PA The family arriving at Heathrow PA The Queen, Princess Margaret, Prince Philip and Princess Eugenie PA Eugenie with her mother, Sarah Ferguson PA Princesses Beatrice (right) and Eugenie arriving at London's Theatre Royal in Drury Lane PA The family arriving at a movie premiere PA The family at a charity tennis event PA Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Princess Eugenie, the Queen Mother and Prince Philip commemorating the Queen Mother's 100th birthday PA Beatrice, the Duchess of York and Princess Eugenie at Disneyland PA Princess Eugenie outside St. George's Chapel in Windsor after the marriage ceremony of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly PA Beatrice, Andrew, Eugenie, William, The Queen and Prince Philip during the Trooping of the Colour PA Princess Eugenie arrives at Newcastle University PA Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie leave Westminster Abbey after the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge PA Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and the Duke of Edinburgh, during the second day of the Epsom Derby horse racing festival PA Eugenie at her graduation PA Princess Eugenie arrives at a service of thanksgiving, at Saint Paul's Cathedral PA Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank arrive at the premiere of the new Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises PA Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice (right) as they visit the Berlin British School in the German capital during their first joint overseas engagement PA Sarah Ferguson (left) and Princess Eugenie of York during day four of the 2015 Royal Ascot Meeting at Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire. PA Princess Eugenie with her father Prince Andrew, sister Princess Beatrice and uncle Prince Edward celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday PA Eugenie, Beatrice and their father leaving Buckingham Palace PA Eugenie and Jack arrive for Pippa Middleton's wedding PA Princess Beatrice (left) and Princess Eugenie attending the V & A Summer Party PA Eugenie and Jack at the V & A summer party PA Eugenie during day three of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse PA Beatrice, Eugenie and Andrew leave a church service in Sandringham PA Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank on the day the announced their engagement PA Eugenie and Jack PA Eugenie's ring containing a padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds PA Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, Eugenie said that becoming a mother had encouraged her to be more environmentally conscious. She said: I think also as a mother, you all of a sudden, totally you change, your hormones change, everything changes. Like now I'm scared of flying and things like that and I would never be before. N early 80 girls have been poisoned at their school and hospitalised in northern Afghanistan, according to local police. The poisoning happened in the Afghan province of Sar-e-Pol over Saturday and Sunday. It comes amid the Talibans draconian restriction of education for women and girls since seizing power and after a wave of poison attacks on girls schools in neighbouring Iran. Police spokesperson Den Mohammad Nazari told the Reuters news agency: Some unknown people entered a girls ... school in Sancharak District .. and poisoned the classes, when the girls come to classes they got poisoned. He did not elaborate on which substance was used or who was thought to be behind the poisonings. Mr Nazari said the girls had been taken to hospital but were in good condition." No one had been arrested. Mohammad Rahmani, who heads the provincial education department, said 60 students were poisoned in Naswan-e-Kabod Aab school and 17 others poisoned in Naswan-e-Faizabad school. He told the Associated Press: Both primary schools are near to each other and were targeted one after the other. We shifted the students to hospital and now they are all fine. In neighbouring Iran, poisoning incidents at girls schools have targeted an estimated 13,000 mostly female students since November. But the attack in Afghanistan is thought to be the first of its kind since the Taliban took power in 2021 and curtailed the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls. The Taliban administration has prevented most female students from beyond the age of 12 from attending high school and university, sparking international condemnation. A former FBI agent who took more than 1.1 million in cash and diamonds to trade secrets with Russia has died in prison. Robert Hanssen, 79, was found unresponsive in his cell at a federal prison in Colorado on Monday and later pronounced dead, officials said. He had been serving a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole since 2002, after pleading guilty to 15 counts of espionage and other charges. Hanssen had joined the FBI in 1976 and began selling classified information to the Soviet Union in 1985. By the time of his arrest in 2001, he had received over 1.1 million in cash, bank funds and diamonds in exchange for compromising numerous human sources, intelligence techniques and classified US documents. Using the alias Ramon Garcia, he passed some 6,000 documents and 26 computer disks to his handlers, authorities said. Officials also believe he tipped off Moscow to a secret tunnel the Americans built under the Soviet Embassy in Washington for eavesdropping. FBI investigators had worked for years to identify the spy within their ranks but did not arrest Hanssen until February 2001. Some 300 personnel had worked on the investigation, the FBI said. An arrest team took Hanssen into custody after catching him making a dead drop of classified materials in a park in suburban Virginia, according to the intelligence agency. Hanssen had been serving his life sentence in a maximum security facility in Colorado. The Bureau of Prisons did not provide a cause of death. A 23-year-old British man has told how he lost an arm in a grisly accident on a farm in the Australian Outback during a year abroad. Henry Dunn was working on a cattle station in the Northern Territory when the lower half of his left arm was crushed in a machine and had to be amputated. The accident happened on November 15. Mr Dunns year abroad began last January, when he flew out to Thailand before travelling through southeast Asia, then to New Zealand and finally Australia. There, he spent three months working on a cattle station, learning to drive tractors, a forklift truck and ride a motorbike to move cattle between paddocks. As I approached my last week before heading on to Perth, I was involved in a serious accident, said the Cardiff Metropolitan University graduate, recounting his ordeal on an online fundraising page. Mr Dunn had been using a tool that drives fenceposts into the ground when his left arm was crushed, according to LBC. He was flown 500km (310 miles) to the Royal Darwin Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, in which the lower part of his arm was amputated. It wasnt the end to my travels as anyone expected, he wrote. Mr Dunn has now returned to the UK. Updates posted on his Instagram page show him undergoing physiotherapy and exercising rigourously, while trying various prosthetics for his lower arm. My residual limb is changing shape all of the time as it goes through different stages of healing, he wrote in Instagram. Doctors explained the healing like baking a pie. The outside looks ready but inside is still raw; still a long way to go. Henry Dunn spent three months working on a cattle farm in Australias Northern Territory / Henry Dunn/Instagram Henry has received a payout through the Northern Territory Workers Compensation Scheme, but has launched a fundraiser to help cover costs not covered, such as leisure activities and courses to aid his recovery. He has so far raised around 8,000. Whats most important now is building a strong foundation for both my physical and mental recovery, he wrote on the fundraiser, where his response to the accident has been praised as inspirational. I am optimistic about the future and the challenges to come. A n Australian mother who spent 20 years in prison for allegedly killing her four children was pardoned and released on Monday based on new scientific evidence that they died by natural causes, as she had insisted. Kathleen Megan Folbiggs children died separately over the space of a decade, aged between 19 days and 19 months old. She was convicted in 2003 for the murder of three of the children and manslaughter of the fourth, but has always maintained her innocence. An initial inquiry in 2019 found the evidence reinforced her guilt, but a second inquiry, led by former chief justice Thomas Bathurst, last year revisited her convictions after new evidence suggested two of the children had a genetic mutation that could have caused their deaths. New South Wales state Attorney General Michael Daley pardoned Folbigg on Monday after summary findings from the Bathurst inquiry found reasonable doubt for each conviction. There is a reasonable doubt as to Ms. Folbiggs guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, Mr Daley told reporters. I have reached a view that there is reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms. Folbigg of those offences. Given all that has happened over the last 20 years, it is impossible not to feel sympathy for Kathleen and Craig Folbigg, he added. Folbigg, now 55, was on Monday released from prison in Grafton, New South Wales state, where she was serving a 30-year sentence that was to expire in 2033. She would have become eligible for parole in 2028. New South Wales Attorney General Michael Daley addressing a press conference in Sydney on Monday, June 5 / AP The pardon was seen as the quickest way of getting her out of prison, while a final report from the second inquiry into her guilt could recommend the state Court of Appeals quash her convictions. Mr Bathurst conducted the second inquiry into Folbiggs guilt, following a petition signed by 90 scientists, medical practitioners and related professionals that said it was based on significant positive evidence of natural causes of death. Prosecutors acknowledged to his inquiry in April that there was reasonable doubt about her guilt. Folbiggs first child, Caleb, was born in 1989 and died 19 days later in what a jury determined to be the lesser crime of manslaughter. Her second child, Patrick, was 8 months old when he died in 1991. Two years later, Sarah died at 10 months. In 1999, Folbiggs fourth child, Laura, died at 19 months. Evidence discovered in 2018 that both daughters carried a rare CALM2 genetic variant was one of the reasons that the inquiry was called. Lawyer Sophie Callan said expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, was also a reasonably possible cause of Lauras death, Callan said. For Patrick, Ms Callan said there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused his sudden death. The scientific evidence created doubt that Folbigg killed the three children and undermined the argument made in Calebs case that four child deaths were an improbable coincidence, Ms Callan said. Prosecutors had told the jury at her trial that the similarities among the deaths made coincidence an unlikely explanation. Folbigg was the only one at home or awake when the young children died. She said she discovered three of the deaths during trips to the bathroom and one while checking on a childs wellbeing. Prosecutors also had told the jury that Folbiggs diaries contained admissions of guilt. Her former husband, Craig Folbigg, said in submissions to the inquiry that the implausibility that four children in one family would die of natural causes before the age of two was compelling grounds to continue treating the diary entries as admissions of his former wifes guilt. But Ms Callan said psychologists and psychiatrists gave evidence that it would be unreliable to interpret the entries in this way. Folbigg had been suffering a major depressive disorder and maternal grief when she made the entries, Ms Callan said. P olice investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are reportedly cross-examining soil from a reservoir searched a fortnight ago with samples from a camper van belonging to the prime suspect. Search teams spent three days in late May scouring the Barragem do Arade reservoir in southern Portugal, about 30 miles from where the three-year-old went missing during a family holiday in the resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. Police are now testing samples of soil taken from the site, and comparing them to traces of dirt found in a VW camper van belonging to convicted rapist Christian Brueckner, according to the Mirror. Christian Brueckner / AFP PHOTO/ ITALIAN CARABINIERI Last months reservoir search was carried out at the request of German investigators who believe 46-year-old Brueckner, kidnapped and murdered the missing youngster. He is in prison in Germany for the rape of a woman in Praia da Luz in 2005, and is suspected of further rapes and child sexual abuse committed in the area between 2000 and 2017. German authorities have not revealed what triggered the latest search operation, but the prosecutor for the city of Braunschweig, Christian Wolters, said they were acting on the basis of certain tips. He told German public broadcaster NDR the new information had not come from the suspect and they did not have a confession or any indication from the suspect of where it would make sense to search. A VW T3 Westfalia campervan that has previously been linked to German suspect Christian Brueckner / PA Archive The Sun reported that investigators previously found photos and video of Brueckner at the reservoir. He has reportedly denied any involvement in Madeleines disappearance. The three-day hunt for evidence last month saw police flatten a specific area of woodland and dig near the remote reservoir. Uniformed and plain-clothed officers spent hours scouring the banks of the reservoir hammering away at the ground with pickaxes and combing through small rocks with rakes and spades. Deep holes, thought to have been bored for soil sampling, were left in the ground after police ended their search. British officers from the Metropolitan Police were also present while the work was carried out in order to inform Madeleines parents Kate and Gerry, who live in Rothley, Leicestershire, of any developments. Holes reportedly dug for soil samples in the area around Barragem do Arade reservoir, in the Algarve, Portugal, after the area was reopened to media / PA Mr Wolters said that items seized as part of searches would be evaluated over the coming days and weeks. Madeleine was three when she vanished while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz, after they left her and her younger twin siblings asleep in their apartment while they went out to dinner with friends. It is not the first time the reservoir has been searched. In 2008, Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia paid for specialist divers to scour it after he claimed to have been tipped off by criminal contacts that Madeleines body was there. Madeline McCann went missing in Portugal in 2007 / PA Media The most recent search in Portugal in relation to her disappearance took place nine years ago in 2014, when British police were given permission to examine scrubland near where she vanished. Mays search came as the Home Office granted an extra 110,000 in funding this financial year for the Metropolitan Police to assist with finding Madeleine, down from just over 300,000 last year. The total funding given to the probe, named Operation Grange, has been just under 13.1 million since 2011. A British base jumper has died after falling 400 metres down a mountain in Italy. Mark Andrews, 65, lost his life after falling down the rock face in Trentino on Saturday. Mr Andrews, originally from Cornwall, was thought to have been wearing a parachute but it is unclear whether he was able to deploy it, reported the Daily Mail. The tragedy occurred at a popular base jumping spot in the Italian Dolomites at Paganella, near the city of Trento. A base jumper who knew Mr Andrews told the publication: He came to base jumping quite late. Hes only been doing it since 2014 but he packed a lot into those nine years. He was fearless and will be missed. He was a regular in Italy at various base-jumping events, but had also base jumped all over the world off bridges and skyscrapers. Mark Andrews (pictured centre) had completed over 600 base jumps / Instagram / Mark Andrews Social media posts show the daredevil diving off mountains across Europe and he was affiliated with the base jumping group, Learn To Base Jump. He had completed more than 600 jumps. The 65-year-old, who was living in Romania, is said to have attended the base jumping site on his own before another base jumper called the emergency services to come to his aid. The Foreign Office said it was in contact with local police over the incident and that it was supporting his family. Italian media reported that another British base jumper died last year close to where Mr Andrews died. Dylan Morris Roberts, 33, died after hitting a gully off Mount Cimone on June 2, 2022. He was killed after leaping from an 800m ledge on Monte Brento in the Trentino region of northern Italy. Onlookers said he fell 200m and appeared to hit the side of the mountain after take off. His body was recovered by mountain rescue teams. In Germany, in the eastern state of Thuringia, a nine-year-old child died in a fire in a hostel for Ukrainian refugees, ten people were hospitalized, DW reports. "Ten people are hospitalized. Some of them inhaled smoke and one person broke his leg, local media reported. A nine-year-old boy from Ukraine has been reported missing. Authorities have said a forensic examination will be needed to determine if the body found inside building, the missing boy. Police are not expecting autopsy results until Monday," the statement said. The publication notes that the residents of the shelter rescued by firefighters were taken to another refugee reception center in nearby Hermsdorf. They were accompanied by police officers and interpreters. "A fire broke out... in Apolda, in the eastern state of Thuringia, the police said. According to the district administration, 245 people were registered in the refugee shelter, it is currently uninhabitable. The police said the cause of the fire is unclear and a criminal investigation is being carried out at full speed," the report says. At the same time, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksiy Makeyev said that "our consuls have been in contact with Ukrainian citizens living in this region since the morning, constantly briefing me, as well as with German law enforcement agencies. We are waiting for more detailed information." A robber tried to disguise himself by wearing a box on his head, only to reveal himself to a security camera as he pulled it up to get a better look at the loot. The thief initially managed to get away with 19 iPhones and $8,000 in cash after raiding the phone repair store in Miami last month. CCTV footage showed him with a white box over his head as he tried to smash open a glass cabinet. But the raider gave himself away by lifting the box to get a clearer look at the phones he wanted to take. After collecting the footage, the stores owner found the thief hours later drinking at a liquor store and called the police, who arrested the man. The owner of Irepair Tech shared footage with NBC 6 of the break-in carried out around 4am on Saturday, May 3. Authorities have not released the suspects name or more information about the robbery. D onald Trumps former vice president Mike Pence has launched his bid to take on his old boss as the Republican nominee for the 2024 Presidential Election. Pence filed campaign paperwork on Monday laying down the gauntlet to Trump, just two years after their time in the White House ended with an insurrection at the US Capitol and Pence fleeing for his life from Trump supporters shouting Hang Mike Pence. The nations 48th vice president will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and kickoff event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, which is his 64th birthday, according to people familiar with Pences team. Pence, who describes himself as a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order, has spent months laying the groundwork for an expected run, holding events in early-voting states like Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, visiting churches, delivering policy speeches and courting donors. A staunch opponent of abortion rights, Pence supports a national ban on the procedure and has campaigned against transgender-affirming policies in schools. He calls his wife mother and refuses to meet a woman one-on-one without her present. He has argued that changes to Social Security and Medicare, like raising the age for qualification, should be on the table to keep the programs solvent which both Trump and DeSantis have opposed and criticized DeSantis for his escalating feud with Disney. Capitol Hill Riot: Pro-Trump supporters storm US Capitol Building 1 / 57 Capitol Hill Riot: Pro-Trump supporters storm US Capitol Building U.S. Capitol Police with guns drawn watch as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol AP Police officers use pepper spray on pro-Trump protesters during the clashes REUTERS U.S. Capitol Police hold protesters at gun-point near the House Chamber inside the U.S. Capitol AP An explosion caused by a police munition is seen while supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington REUTERS A protester is seen hanging from the balcony in the Senate Chamber Getty Images Smoke fills the walkway outside the Senate Chamber as supporters of President Donald Trump are confronted by U.S. Capitol Police officers inside the Capitol AP A supporter of US President Donald Trump struggles with a riot policeman after the protester pushed a line of police outside the Capitol building AFP via Getty Images People shelter in the House gallery as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol AP Supporters of President Donald Trump are confronted by U.S. Capitol Police officers outside the Senate Chamber inside the Capitol AP Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier AP Supporters of President Donald Trump puts water in his eyes after U.S. Capitol Police deployed a chemical agent outside of the U.S. Capitol AP Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, AP Police keep a watch on demonstrators who tried to break through a police barrier AP Donald Trump President Donald Trump speaks at a rally AP With the Washington Monument in the background, people attend a rally in support of President Donald Trump near the White House AP Demonstrators break TV equipment outside the the U.S. Capitol AP Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, REUTERS Police confront supporters of President Donald Trump as they demonstrate on the second floor of the U.S. Capitol near the entrance to the Senate after breaching security defenses, in Washington REUTERS Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump clash with police officers in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington REUTERS Law enforcement officers push back against supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump attempting to enter U.S. Capitol during a protest against the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress REUTERS Protesters clash with Capitol police during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress REUTERS Supporters of President Donald Trump climb the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol AP U.S. President-elect Joe Biden clasps his hands in prayer as he speaks about the violent protests in and around the U.S. Capitol in Washington REUTERS A supporter of President Donald Trump carries a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the U.S. Capitol near the entrance to the Senate after breaching security defences in Washington, REUTERS Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump cover their faces to protect from tear gas during a clash with police officers in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington REUTERS Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they push barricades to storm the US Capitol AFP via Getty Images A supporter of US President Donald Trump wears a gas mask as he protests after storming the US Capitol AFP via Getty Images Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol AFP via Getty Images Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence talk before a joint session of the House and Senate convenes to count the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol in Washington AP The House Chamber is empty after a hasty evacuation as protesters tried to break into the chamber at the U.S. Capitol AP Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., cleans up debris and personal belongings strewn across the floor of the Rotunda in the early morning hours after protesters stormed the Capitol in Washington AP Damage is visible in the hallways in the early morning hours after protesters stormed the Capitol in Washington AP Congress staffers barricade themselves after Trump supporters stormed inside the US Capitol in Washington, DC AFP via Getty Images Tear gas is released into a crowd of protesters during clashes with Capitol police at a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress, at the U.S. Capitol Building REUTERS Congress staffers hold up their hands while Capitol Police Swat teams check everyone in the room as they secure the floor of Trump suporters in Washington, DC AFP via Getty Images A supporter of US President Donald Trump wears a gas mask and holds a bust of him after he and hundreds of others stormed stormed the Capitol building AFP via Getty Images Congress staffers barricade themselves after Trump supporters stormed inside the US Capitol in Washington, DC AFP via Getty Images A pro-Trump protester carries the lectern of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi through the Roturnda of the U.S. Capitol Building after a pro-Trump mob stormed the building Getty Images Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest in the US Capitol Rotunda AFP via Getty Images A pro-Trump mob gathers inside the Senate chamber in the U.S. Capitol after groups stormed the building Getty Images Police with guns drawn stand near a barricaded door as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol AP Members of the Oath Keepers are seen among supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol during a protest against the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress REUTERS Getty Images As vice president, Pence had been an exceeding loyal defender of Trump until the days leading up to January 6 when Trump falsely tried to convince Pence and his supporters that Pence had the power to unilaterally overturn the results of the 2020 election. That day, a mob of Trumps supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol building after being spurred on by Trumps lies that the 2020 election had been stolen. Many in the crowd chanted Hang Mike Pence! as Pence, his staff and his family ran for safety, hiding in a Senate loading dock. The announcement came days after the Department of Justice informed Pences legal team that it will not pursue criminal charges related to the discovery of classified documents at his Indiana home. The department sent a letter to Mr Pences lawyer on Thursday informing his team that, after an investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information, no criminal charges will be sought. Pence joins a crowded Republican field that includes Trump, DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie plans to launch his own campaign Tuesday evening in New Hampshire, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will announce his bid Wednesday in Fargo. A three-year-old Palestinian boy has died four days after being shot in the head by Israeli soldiers. Mohammed Tamimi was shot in the head last Thursday near his village of Nebi Saleh while riding in a car with his father. He was airlifted to Israels Sheba Hospital but died of his wounds on Monday, hospital officials said. The Israeli military claimed that soldiers had opened fire after gunmen in the area shot at a nearby Jewish settlement. But the boys father Haitham Tamimi told the Associated Press that they had been driving to visit an uncle when the bullet struck. Mr Tamimi was also shot and treated at a Palestinian hospital. I hope this message will be heard: Innocence and childhood are sacred, he told reporters, adding that Israel had targeted unarmed people under the pretext of self-defence. A person in his home and unarmed receives this treatment? he added. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has opened an investigation into the incident. The [Israeli military] regrets harm to non-combatants and is committed to doing everything in its power to prevent such incidents. The incident is under review, it stated. The shooting follows a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem in the past year, with nearly 120 Palestinians killed in both areas. Nearly half of those killed were members of armed militant groups, according to a tally by the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis in those areas have killed at least 21 people. Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem, along with the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 war. Around 700,000 Israelis now live in settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The international community considers these settlements illegal or obstacles to peace. T he chief of Vladimir Putins Wagner Group private army accused Russian soldiers on Monday of quietly running away allowing Ukrainian forces to retake part of a village near Bakhmut in the countrys east. Yevgeny Prigozhin was scathing in his criticism of Russian troops for losing ground at Berkhivka, north of the town which has seen some of the fiercest fighting in Europe since the Second World War. Western officials estimate Wagner and Russian forces suffered some 60,000 casualties in the year-long battle for Bakhmut, with roughly a third of them being fatalities as troops were mown down in waves of First World War-type attacks. Prigozhins private Wagner militia captured Bakhmut last month after the longest battle of the war and handed its positions there to regular Russian troops. Smoke rises from a building in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops / AP Ukrainian forces have continued to attack areas north and south of the city including Berkhivka, whose seizure Wagner had claimed on February 24. The village lies about two miles northwest of Bakhmut. Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away. Disgrace! Prigozhin said in an audio message published by his press service. He urged Russias Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the countrys Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, to come to the front to rally the troops. His outburst came amid reports that Wagner soldiers had captured a lieutenant colonel of the Russian army, accusing him of firing on them and forcing him to do a hostage-type admission. Prigozhin has waged an astonishing public feud with Shoigu and Gerasimov for months, frequently accusing them of failing to provide sufficient ammunition and support for Wagner in the field, and so causing it to suffer needlessly heavy losses Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-backed governor of the Donetsk region, which includes Bakhmut, told Russian state television the situation on the towns flanks was under control but very difficult. A fierce information war erupted on Monday over whether fighting along the frontline in Ukraine was the long-awaited counter-offensive by Kyivs army. The Russian ministry of defence claimed to have thwarted an attempted major advance. But a Ukrainian minister dismissed the statement as an attempt by Moscow to divert attention from the defeat in the Bakhmut direction where Russian troops were reportedly losing ground. Moscow said it had stopped a major Ukrainian assault involving six mechanised and two tank battalions in the south of Ukraines Donetsk region. In a post on the Telegram messaging app, deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian forces were shifting to offensive actions in some areas along the front line but appeared to play down suggestions that this was part of a major operation. Why are the Russians actively releasing information about a counteroffensive? Because they need to divert attention from the defeat in the Bakhmut direction, she wrote. Vladimir Putins Wagner Group private army captured Bakhmut last month after the longest battle of the war and handed its positions there to regular Russian troops. Since then, Ukraine has continued to attack areas north and south of the city. Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday that Kyivs troops had retaken part of a village near the ruined city. Ms Maliar said the area around Bakhmut remained the epicentre of fighting and that the Ukrainian military was moving along a fairly wide front. Earlier, Putins military chiefs claimed on Monday that their forces had thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive in the south eastern province of Donetsk. The Russian defence ministry also alleged that hundreds of Ukrainian troops had been killed in the fighting at five points along the front line. But the claims from Moscow could not be independently verified and need to be treated with caution amid the information battle over Putins conflict, as they may well be exaggerated. Other reports, including one from a Russian-backed militia leader in Ukraine, said Kyiv forces had made some gains, though, they had also suffered losses. It was also not clear if the Ukrainian advances, whether repelled or not, were part of the widely expected major counter-offensive. But military expert Professor Michael Clarke, former head of the Royal United Services Institute, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Monday morning: Ive been looking a material in the last hour. There is something going on in Soledar, north of Bakhmut, in Vuhledar, south of Bakhmut..... I think today, 4th of June will go down as the day when the Ukrainians began their ground operation. Ukraine is adopting a policy of silence over the counter-offensive and the commander of Ukraines ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Monday did not mention it. But he did say that Ukrainian forces continued moving forward near Bakhmut, the town in eastern Ukraine seized by Putins Wagner Group private army after the fiercest fighting in Europe since the Second World War. Colonel General Syrskyi said that Ukrainian forces were successful in destroying a Russian position near the city. We continue moving forward, he said on the Telegram messaging app. Drone footage shows armoured vehicles on the move in an unidentified location after Moscows Defence Ministry claimed Russian forces have thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive / via REUTERS The Russian defence ministry claimed its forces killed 250 Ukrainian troops as well as destroying 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armoured combat vehicles in repelling the alleged major offensive. Moscow added that Kyiv forces had attacked with six mechanised and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk, where Moscow has long suspected Ukraine would seek to drive a wedge through Russian-controlled territory. On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the South Donetsk direction, the defence ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram at 1:30 a.m. Moscow time (2230 GMT). The enemys goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front, it said. The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success. The daily report from Ukraines General Staff said only that there were 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov published a cryptic message on Twitter on Sunday, quoting Depeche Modes track Enjoy the Silence. Words are very unnecessary They can only do harm, his tweet said. Russias defence ministry released video of what it said showed several Ukrainian armoured vehicles in a field blowing up after being hit. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who is in charge of Moscows military operation in Ukraine, was in the area of the Ukrainian attack, the ministry said. Some prominent Russian military bloggers, including Semyon Pegov, who blogs under the name War Gonzo, reported heavy fighting early on Monday in areas controlled by Russia. Pegov said that Ukrainian forces are attacking near Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region. There is a tough fight going on. Other Russian military bloggers reported also heavy fighting on Monday morning near Bakhmut, nearby Soledar and Vuhledar in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has braced his country, and the West, for difficulties in achieving any swift success in the counter-offensive. Western officials say Russia has built up potentially formidable defences, and whether they hold could depend on the morale of Russian troops. Mr Zelensky told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Saturday that he was ready to launch the counter-offensive but tempered a forecast of success with a warning that it could take some time and come at a heavy cost. I dont know how long it will take, he told The Journal. To be honest, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we are going to do it, and we are ready. After seeking tens of billions of dollars of Western weapons to fight Russian forces, the success or failure of the counter-offensive is likely to influence the shape of future Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine. Ukraine has in recent weeks sought to weaken Russian positions but its specific plans have been shrouded in secrecy as it seeks to strike yet another blow against the much larger military of Russia. Moscow was last month struck by drones which Russia said was a Ukrainian terrorist attack while pro-Ukrainian forces have repeatedly crossed into Russia proper in recent days in the Belgorod region. After a two-month lull, Russia has launched hundreds of drones and missiles on Ukraine since early May, chiefly on Kyiv, with Ukraine saying the targets were its military and critical infrastructure facilities. Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24 last year in what the Kremlin expected to be swift operation but its forces suffered a series of defeats and had to move back and regroup in swathes of eastern Ukraine. Russia now controls at least 18 per cent of what is internationally recognised to be Ukrainian territory, and has claimed four regions of Ukraine as Russian territory. For months, tens of thousands of Russian troops have been digging in along a front line which stretches for around 600 miles, bracing for a Ukrainian attack which is expected to try to cut Russias so-called land bridge to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. Ukraine says it will not rest until it has ejected every last Russian soldier from its territory. H arry Styles fans found themselves stranded in Amsterdam on Sunday night as an IT glitch crippled train services in the Netherlands. Hundreds sought refuge at the Ziggo Dome concert hall as they were unable to return home following the pop superstars show at the nearby Johan Cruijff Arena. The computer outage hit the countrys rail network 6pm local time (5pm BST) on Sunday afternoon and crippled train services until this morning. The outage made it impossible for domestic and international trains to reach Amsterdam Central Station and cut off all rail traffic to and from Schiphol airport, one of Europes busiest hubs. It left hundreds of passengers stranded overnight in Amsterdam and at the countrys largest train station in Utrecht, Dutch news agency ANP said. National railway company NS said the outage has been having a big impact in Amsterdam and in parts of the country. Later NS said it had resolved the problem and with trains beginning to operate slowly again from 8am BST. It comes after it was revealed that Eurostar services between London and Amsterdam will be cancelled for a year from June 2024 while the Dutch citys central station undergoes major engineering work. Officials said the service would not restart until May 2025 at the earliest. A spokesman for Eurostar told Dutch media: We have calculated that without these trains, 21 more aircraft would have to fly from Schiphol every day. B am Margera has been placed on psychiatric hold just days after threatening to smoke crack until Im dead unless he could see his son, according to a report. The Jackass star, 43, went missing earlier this week after posting a video to social media attacking his ex-wife Nikki Boyd for not letting him see his son Phoenix. TMZ reported that the skateboarder had been placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold by police in Los Angeles on Sunday after officers found him acting erratically at Trejos Tacos. The outlet said Margera had been acting erratically and slurring his speech. A 5150 hold means that Margera can be held in a mental health facility by law for up to 72 hours. On Thursday, Margera posted a video on Instagram claiming that his ex-wife would not let him see his son Phoenix. The pair split up in 2021 and she filed for divorce in February this year. He said: I haven't seen Phoenix in two ****ing months and I'm so ****ing fed up I cry every day. I miss him so much and I wake up every day and knowing that I probably won't get to talk to him or see him. So yes Nikki drives me to ****ing drink, so does my ****ing mom and so does my ****ing pep-talking dad who tells me nothing but I am a ****ing fat loser piece of **** drug addict. I'm going to smoke crack down with the bums at the boardwalk until I'm dead unless you deliver me ****ing Phoenix. Get to work Nikki, or anyone that wants to help. I want Phoenix. Margera has not seen his son since March 29 and is not able to communicate with him electronically, his lawyer has said. The actors brother Jess had tweeted on Sunday morning asking locals to get in touch if they saw his sibling. If anyone in the LA area knows of bams current whereabouts or a hotel he might be at please call the LAPD immediately, he wrote. I am trying to get them to ping his phone but as usual it's a whole huge process and I don't think we have that kind of time. If you guys could all retweet this that would be really cool of you. Thanks for your help. Margera originally featured on the infamous Jackass series on MTV, which saw Johnny Knoxville and his friends carry out stunts and pranks on each other in public. F ull Monty star Robert Carlyle says the new TV spin-off of the 1990s surprise hit movie does not shy away from highlighting how the whole infrastructure of the country has been chipped away by austerity. Carlyle joined the others stars, including Mark Addy, Steve Huison and Lesley Sharp, on the red carpet in Sheffield for the UK premiere of the eight-part series set to air on Disney+ later this month. The new TV comedy is set 25 years after the action of the 1997 film, which introduced the world to the group of six unemployed South Yorkshire steel workers who turn to stripping to make ends meet. Asked if the political messaging of original shoestring budget production has survived the move to Disney, Carlyle said: Absolutely. In that respect, its exactly the same. And congratulations to Disney for going along with that. You cannot separate the politics from the Full Monty. Its impossible. These men, 25 years on, have lived through what everybody in this country has lived through, 25 years, near enough, of austerity. Their whole being has been chipped away, the whole infrastructure of the country has been chipped away. And thats there for sure. Speaking outside Sheffields famous Leadmill club, Carlyle said the production has not shied away from any of these issues. He said: To be honest with you, I dont think myself or any of the boys would have done it, if it had. And, certainly, Simon Beaufoy, wouldnt have attempted to write it. Theres no way they have could do that. Carlyle said writer Beaufoy had been asked for years about making a film sequel but had always turned down the idea. However, when Beaufoy got in touch about an eight-part series set 25 years later, that was it, there was nothing else he had to say, I thought absolutely. Asked about the cast all agreeing to take part again, the 62-year-old said: I think that shows how much love we all had for the project and how much love we had for each other. It was an absolute pleasure to work with those guys the first-time round and it was exactly the same the second. He said he decided to watch the original film again, for the first time years, before filming on the TV show started and had only intended to watch the first 15 minutes. Carlyle, who reprises his role as Gaz, said: But I watched the whole thing, sat all the way through. And it was fantastic because it gave me a different perspective on the thing. I looked at it through entirely different eyes and was able to see that this little film has got a heart, this films got legs and I can understand why people love it so much, and have done for 25 years. Mark Addy, who plays Gazs mate Dave, said joining the project was a no brainer once he found out the others were interested. Addy was also asked whether the film retained its political punch. Well, the first episode is called Levelling-Up, the second episode is called Supply Chain Economics. its political, its completely political, as was the Full Monty. Addy said: This series explores all facets of society, the care system, the NHS, food banks food banks in 2023. So, its like weve come full circle and were back to square one what are people going to do to get through this? He said: We can maybe give them a little bit of hope and a few laughs on the way. But there are tears as well. Wim Snape, who played Gazs son Nathan as an 11-year-old in the 1997 film, said he was thought it was a joke when he first got the call about doing the Disney spin-off. Snape said he remembered the premiere of the original film was at Sheffields Crystal Peaks shopping centre, which was a low-key start for a movie which ended up being nominated for a best picture Oscar, just being pipped at the post for the big prize by James Camerons Titanic. L auren Goodgers ex-boyfriend Jake McLean was nearly three times over the drink-drive limit and on cocaine when he died in a car crash, an inquest revealed. McLean, 33, was killed instantly on July 3 2022 when his blue Mercedes E class saloon plunged 70ft off a cliff in Bodrum, Turkey, while on holiday with his then girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou, who broke her own arm to escape from the wreck. Last week, the inquest in Walthamstow was carried out and documents obtained by MailOnline revealed whilst driving a motor vehicle in Bodrum Turkey, he crashed and was pronounced life extinct at the scene. The inquest also listed his medical cause of death as traumatic head injuries. As per the outlet, Coroner Dr Shirley Ratcliffe said: The post mortem found no natural disease, as you would expect in a young man of 33. The cause of death was skull fractures and brain damage. As far as I can see, he was driving under the influence nearly three times over the legal limit for driving and had cocaine in his system. My conclusion is that this is an RTC. Jake McLean pictured with girlfriend Yazmin Oukhellou, who was severly injured in the crash / Instagram/YazminOukhellou The coroner was then asked by the late property developers mother Anita Walsh whether he could shed any more light about McLeans death to which he replied: Turkey is not the most helpful its taken almost a year to get the post mortem. Previously, Oukhellou said that she was told by doctors that it was a miracle she survived the crash, which left her with severe injuries. Admitting the accident has made her look at life totally differently, the TV personality told The Sun last July: I severed an artery and a nerve, thats why I bled so much. Now Im just wondering how the hell did my partner die while Ive survived? Its made me look at life totally differently. The reality TV star also revealed that she now suffers from PTSD, nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks as a result of the crash but was seeking help from a therapist. Former TOWIE star Lauren Goodger dated McLean on-and-off for four years after meeting in 2012. In 2013, the former couple tragically suffered a miscarriage and then called time on their relationships in 2016. The Strategic Communications Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) warns that the Russian occupation troops will intensify their information and psychological operations. According to the Telegram channel of the Strategic Communications Department of Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian Telegram channels and social networks plan to increase the dissemination of unreliable information about the military operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as enemy formations. "In order to demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community (including their own population), Russian propagandists will spread false information about the counteroffensive, its directions and the losses of the Ukrainian army. Even if there is no counteroffensive. For this, old videos and photos have been prepared that show the damaged equipment, the dead and prisoners. As well as other fake materials," the message says. The Strategic Communications Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stressed that reliable information can only be obtained from operational reports of the General Staff, strategic communications structures, and from certain official speakers of the Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the day, the enemy inflicted 14 missile and 40 air strikes, carried out 51 attacks from multiple rocket launchers, at the same time, the Defense Forces destroyed 4 out of 6 X-101/X-555 cruise missiles and six out of eight Shahed attack UAVs, according to an operational report published on the page of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. "Over the past day, at night, the enemy used X-101/X-555 air-launched cruise missiles and Iranian Shahed attack UAVs. The forces and means of the air commands, in cooperation with the air defense of other components of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, destroyed four out of six X-101/X-555 cruise missiles and six out of eight Shahed attack UAVs," the report says. According to the General Staff, there are civilian casualties, private residential buildings, educational institutions, and other civil and administrative infrastructure have been damaged. The probability of missile and air strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine still remains high. Ukrainian forces conducted local ground attacks and achieved partial success in Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions, in some areas they may have advanced 3 km, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports. On June, 4, Ukrainian forces conducted local ground attacks and reportedly made limited tactical gains in western Donetsk region and eastern Zaporizhia region, the report reads. It is noted that geolocation videos published on June 4 show that mechanized Ukrainian forces made a limited advance to the northeast of Rovnopil. Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces attacked in the direction of Pryyutne (15km southwest of Velyka Novosilka) and Makaryivka (within 4km southwest of Velyka Novosilka) and captured Novodarivka (14km southwest of Velyka Novosilka) and Neskuchne (2km southwest of Velyka Novosilka). At the same time, some Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces broke through the first line of Russian defenses and advanced 500 meters to three kilometers in this area, the ISW says. At the same time, it is noted that at the time of writing there was no visual evidence of these reports. The language of these reports suggests that Russian forces also lost their positions in Levadne (18km southwest of Velyka Novosilka), although it is unclear if this is a recent development or occurred on an earlier date. Footage posted on June 2 shows artillery elements of a Ukrainian artillery brigade conducting fire missions against Russian positions near Staromaiorske, about 7km south and 7km southeast of Neskuchne and Rivnopil, respectively, the report says. The ISW analysts also note that some milbloggers also claimed that Ukrainian forces attempted limited counterattacks near Mala Tokmachka (28km southeast of Huliaypole), and that Russian forces conducted airstrikes against attacking Ukrainian forces near Huliaypole. In addition, the Russian Vostok volunteer battalion and elements of the 5th Combined Arms Army (Eastern Military District) successfully defended against further Ukrainian advances. Russian sources largely claimed that the Ukrainian localized counterattacks were reconnaissance-in-force operations, the ISW reports. 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Businessmen from Botosani are invited by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) to participate in the Ukraine-Romania-Republic of Moldova Trilateral Business Forum, organized between 6 and 7 June 2023, in Chernivtsi, according to a CCI press release, told Agerpres. According to the quoted source, the Ukraine-Romania-Republic of Moldova Trilateral Business Forum aims to strengthen economic relations between companies of the three countries. Within the forum presentations are scheduled of the participating companies and tours of enterprises from the Chernivtsi Region. "The forum will be attended by representatives of public and governmental institutions, representatives of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, non-governmental organizations and business representatives from the three countries, making it one of the most important economic events in the region in recent years," the release mentions. The organizers of the event are the Chernivtsi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, together with the Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration, the Chernivtsi Regional Council and the Chernivtsi City Hall. IGPF: Approximately 313,000 people cross borders on Sunday. Approximately 313,100 people, Romanian and foreign citizens, with over 80,000 means of transport, underwent control formalities (both on the way in and on the way out) through border crossing points throughout Romania on Sunday, the General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) informs, told Agerpres. According to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Monday, 181,154 people entered Romania, including 10,099 Ukrainian citizens. As regards specific activities, in the areas of competence - crossing points and "green border" - border policemen found, on Sunday, 55 illegal acts (28 offences and 27 contraventions) committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens. The goods seized for confiscation were worth more than 1,327,600 RON. The value of the fines imposed amounted to approximately 28,600 RON. On Sunday, 13 foreign citizens were not allowed to enter the country, as they did not meet the legal requirements and 23 Romanian citizens were not allowed to leave the country for various legal reasons. In order to avoid overcrowding, the Romanian Border Police recommends traffic participants to transit all border crossing points in order to prevent crowding. "We bring you to mind that 12 international border crossing points for people, cars and trucks are operational at the border with Hungary, and 11 border crossing points are operational at the border with Bulgaria," the quoted source says. Jewelry creators from 20 countries, concerts, drone show, on World Art Nouveau Day in Oradea. The World Art Nouveau Day - on 10 June - will be celebrated in Oradea for five days through an International Jewellery Festival, which will gather 40 handmade jewellery designers from 20 countries on 3 continents, with exhibitions and concerts, including an opera concert called Harmonies of Art Nouveau and a night show with 200 drones, which concludes the events, told Agerpres. The ART Jewelry Festival will be hosted by the Darvas-La Roche House and the Sion Neolog Synagogue in Oradea between 7 and 11 June. According to an announcement of the organizers, the jewelry creators will present to the public "unique accessories, made by unique techniques, of great visual impact." Initiated by the founders of the Lodge of Bead Enthusiasts community, Ana and Marisha Zaporojan, supported by Laura Bogdan Hancas and Robert Bogdan, the official partner of the festival is the Foundation for the Protection of Bihor Historical Monuments. The festival will include a jewellery fashion show, bead making workshops, exhibitions, live music, a digital snapshot photography competition, the charity auction "Art Nouveau style beaded duets" in support of the Oradea Bihor Multiple Sclerosis Centre. The ART Jewelry Festival has two or three daily events, exhibitions, workshops, artistic and musical moments. The Art Nouveau Days will end on Saturday evening, at 22:30hrs, when, on the sky of Oradea, people will be able to admire a show of lights and color made by 200 drones which will create Art Nouveau symbols. The World Art Nouveau Day was established in 2013 in order to celebrate the memory of two great representatives of the architectural style - Antonio Gaudi and Odon Lechner. Since then, a variety of events have been held worldwide on 10 June, bringing to the public's attention the people and works that marked this artistic movement, as well as the stories and values of Europe's Art Nouveau heritage. The rich heritage built in the Art Nouveau style in Oradea, hundreds of buildings in the historic center, rehabilitated or in progress of rehabilitation, have determined, in February 2012, the inclusion of Oradea, the only city in Romania, in the International Network of Art Nouveau Cities. Established in 1999, this structure includes major European cities such as Helsinki, Barcelona, Glasgow and Budapest. The local administration is unfolding an extensive multiannual programme of rehabilitation of heritage buildings in the historic center of the city in order to enhance their value. PM Ciuca: We all want a framework favorable to quality education; we started a fair rethinking of payroll. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca pleaded on Monday, in a message conveyed on the occasion of the Education Day, for a favorable framework for quality education, showing that the Government has started a fair rethinking of the payroll, but things must be tackled "with responsibility and realism" by prioritising the necessary resources, told Agerpres. "Wherever we are in terms of social or institutional position, we are parents, grandparents or we know children for whom we want a future that can be fulfilled through education. We are now going through a crossroads moment for the education in Romania, which the future of our children depends on. The strike in the education system started from a reality that can be corrected through dialogue, and, as Prime Minister, I have shown respect and openness in the consultations with the representatives of the education system and through the solutions already adopted to meet the demands expressed. We all want a framework favorable to quality education, which is why we are committed to and have begun a fair rethinking of the payroll - which we have also conveyed to our discussion partners. But we are tackling all these issues with responsibility and realism, prioritising the necessary resources," the prime minister said in his message. Nicolae Ciuca argues that the Government has shown permanent commitment in supporting accessible and quality education in Romania. "We have unblocked positions in education, so as not to affect the quality of education because of the insufficient number of teachers. The salary increases already decided by the Government are reinforced by restoring fairness in the salary system in the new pay scale. The Executive is also working to modernise the school infrastructure, adapted to the needs of society. The Ministry of Education has allocated one of the largest budgets foreseen by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), 3.6 billion EUR, which will be invested in the construction of new nurseries, kindergartens, schools, high schools, laboratories, rehabilitation, modernization, equipping and digitalization of education units. We also add to this the funding from the national budget and through other European programmes, in order to create all the conditions for the teaching act to tend towards greater performance," the prime minister added. He underscored that the public authorities, but also teachers and parents understand how important it is for children to go to school, because an educated child is "a fulfilled adult, a human being who has every chance to have a good life in a society open to knowledge and progress." According to Nicolae Ciuca, the training of the young generation is "a perpetual responsibility" to which teachers contribute together with the family and the entire society. However, he brings to mind that the last 30 years have meant changes in this area as well, and "the pandemic period and the digital development have brought major transformations and challenges." The prime minister also evoked the significance of 5th June, dedicated to school teachers, "as a sign of respect and appreciation for our great writer and teacher Gheorghe Lazar, the founder of the first school in Romanian, born on this day, almost two and a half centuries ago." In the message he sent to the teachers, Ciuca conveyed his respect for the mission they have chosen. "You are our partners in this entire process through which we want to increase confidence in the Romanian school and the performance of the educational act," the prime minister mentioned in the message conveyed to the teachers. PMP's Tomac: The only way to join the Schengen area is through the trial at CJEU. MEP and Chairman of the People's Movement Party (PMP) Eugen Tomac says in a post on his Facebook page that the only way for Romania to join the Schengen area is the trial with the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), taking into account that the agenda of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council meeting in Luxembourg lacks the decision which the Council was supposed to assume, namely the decision on the elimination of borders for Romania and Bulgaria, told Agerpres. "In the presence of all the Interior ministers of the member states of the European Union, but also with the participation of the Interior ministers of Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Lichtenstein, the JHA Council meeting takes place in Luxembourg, between 8 and 9 June. This meeting is the last to be held during the rotating presidency of the European Union held by Sweden," Tomac writes. He points out that although Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson promised in the European Parliament that Romania's and Bulgaria's accession to Schengen will be an important objective of his country, the most important decision that the JHA Council was supposed to assume, namely the decision on the elimination of borders for Romania and Bulgaria, is missing from the agenda. "That is why, I maintain my standpoint and underscore again that the only way we will join the Schengen area is the trial we have opened at the CJEU. It is our right and we will do justice ourselves," the PMP chairman said. The air defense forces destroyed seven Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, 13 Iskander ballistic missiles, 65 Kh-101, Kh-555 and Kalibr cruise missiles, and 169 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the sky above Kyiv in May 2023, according to an infographic posted on the Telegram channel of Kyiv City Military Administration on Monday. "Never before, in the history of our planet, no city in any country was subjected to so heavy air attacks with multiple hypersonic aeroballistic, ballistic, cruise missiles and modern military UAVs as many times as Kyiv was in May. Kyiv endured. We survived," the administration said. President Iohannis to attend B9 Summit, on Tuesday. President Klaus Iohannis will participate on Tuesday, in Bratislava, in the Bucharest 9 (B9) Summit, which he will co-chair alongside President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Caputova and President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, told Agerpres. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will also attend the event. "The meeting of the Bucharest 9 Format states takes place approximately one month before the NATO Summit in Vilnius and will provide an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of views on the priorities included on the allied agenda and major objectives, with an emphasis on strengthening NATO's deterrence and defence posture on the Eastern flank, as well as on intensifying cooperation with Ukraine," a Presidential Administration press release sent to AGERPRES on Monday informs. The agenda of talks will assess progress in implementing the allied decisions passed at the NATO Summit in Madrid, including in terms of the defence investment and spending commitments, as well as support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. "A special attention will also be paid to the vulnerable partners in the region, such as the Republic of Moldova, which is confronted with increased security challenges," the quoted source showed. Mallinckrodt Plc said on Monday it was considering a second bankruptcy filing and other options after its lenders raised concerns over an upcoming $200 million payment related to opioid-related litigation. The drugmaker emerged from bankruptcy last year after winning court approval for a reorganization plan that included a $1.7 billion settlement of the litigation. The trust which was owed the $200 million by June 16 had sent Mallinckrodt a letter demanding timely payment and threatening action in the event of a default, the company said in a filing. Its board was considering all options, with some lenders having proposed actions other than filing for bankruptcy, but there can be no assurance of the outcome of the process, Mallinckrodt said. The company makes generic drugs, including opioids, and branded drugs such as Acthar Gel, which is used to treat multiple sclerosis and infantile spasms. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Friday that Mallinckrodt was considering a bankruptcy filing. Updated at 6:37 a.m. Monday. Our earlier story, posted Saturday morning: Pharmaceutical company Mallinckrodt Plc is considering options including filing for bankruptcy again as a $200 million opioid settlement payment is due within weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday citing people familiar with the matter. The drugmaker is required to make the payment to an opioid-victims compensation trust by mid-June as part of its Chapter 11 exit plan, the newspaper said. Mallinckrodt did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside office hours. The company filed for bankruptcy protection nearly three years ago. It reached a $1.7 billion nationwide settlement as part of its bankruptcy reorganization plan and emerged from Chapter 11 last year. Shares of Mallinckrodt closed 5.4% lower at $2.45 apiece on Friday. The stock has plunged 68% so far this year. Mallinckrodt is headquartered in Staines-Upon-Thames in Britain, and has U.S. offices in Missouri and New Jersey. Mallinckrodts U.S. subsidiary, Webster Groves-based SpecGx, and another generic drugmaker, Actavis Pharma, produced the vast amount of prescription opioids distributed throughout the country. Mallinckrodts origin traces back to 1867 when three Mallinckrodt brothers founded a chemical concern in St. Louis that later became a major supplier of pharmaceuticals. Beginning in the 1940s, the Mallinckrodt Chemical Works in downtown St. Louis processed uranium ore for the development of the first atomic bomb. Three years after Dressels Public House went on pandemic hiatus, the pints are flowing again at the iconic Central West End pub. Within a few months, some of those pints will feature beer brewed at Dressels. Owner Ben Dressel, the son of Dressels founder Jon Dressel, unveiled the renovated pub at a soft opening late last month. Pre-pandemic regulars will find transformations most dramatically, the new brewhouse, installed in the basement and visible through a large hole in the dining room floor and familiar touches. All the old-schoolers are kind of very happy with it, Dressel said. Like, Wow. It's like the old Dressels except it's more open and fresh. Dressel announced the pubs temporary closure for renovations in June 2020. He had planned to reopen that fall, but he soon realized if Dressels did return then, it would go out of business. The pub wasnt designed to be a pandemic-era blockbuster takeout place. Meanwhile, for about a decade Dressel had been thinking about making beer, inspired by a small brewpub he had visited in Ridgway, Colorado. He knew Dressel's temporary closure would be the only chance to transform it into a brewpub. He took a brewer-training course in Colorado. While Dressels will not begin making beer for two or three months, Dressel said, when we get to that point, I think we're going to make some good beer. It's going to be very much kind of like beer that suits Dressels in terms of ales and lagers. As for the food menu, Dressels will feature the core dishes that were most popular before the pandemic: the pretzel, chips and rarebit, fish and chips, fish tacos, the burger, the Porchetta Louie sandwich immortalized by its appearance in Guy Fieris Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The bar area features a rebuilt bar, with the bar top and drink rail made from the joists of the dining-room floor removed during the renovations. Pieces of the bars pre-pandemic artwork have returned to the walls. The new Dressels might not be as quaint as it was before the pandemic, Dressel said, but behind the scenes, it had reached the end of its life. It really had gotten to the point where if the bar didnt fall down on top of somebody, it shouldve. Dressels is located at 419 North Euclid Avenue. Dressel said regular hours will likely be 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Holidays, birthdays, graduations. All worthy occasions to indulge. This Fathers Day, were cooking tomahawk steak on the grill to show appreciation to the fathers in the family. Make no mistake. As celebratory as a steak dinner can be, the cook gets anxious about the actual steak cooking! Its pricey and its one of the few meals we make that we ask guests for their doneness preferences. Lots of pressure to get it right. Im happy to report that a relatively new method, attributed to award-winning cookbook author J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, called the reverse sear, lessens the anxiety of a perfectly cooked steak. You can find plenty of instructions online for this ultra-low and slow followed by high-heat searing method. I enjoy those by grill master and cookbook author Steven Raichlen and videos from all levels of cooks on YouTube. We are convinced. Especially for entertaining. This technique gives the cook more control and allows you to par-cook thick steaks before the company even arrives. The low temperature cooking can be done in the oven or on a grill with a good thermometer. All thats left to do is a high heat sear over a very hot grill, in a cast-iron skillet or under a broiler. This last step takes just a few minutes and adds a delicious char while finishing the steak to rare or medium-rare. I especially like this method for thick, bone-in ribeyes known as tomahawk steaks with their long, frenched (scraped clean) rib bones. Its also great for 1 1/2-thick porterhouse steaks and tri-tip roasts. Starting the cooking process in a 250-degree oven could not be easier, but I do prefer to use my grill instead. That way, I can add some wood chips or chunks to add a modicum of smoke along the way. Same for the high heat sear I employ the grill. A hot gas grill, or a charcoal grill stoked with natural hardwood charcoal, adds delicious char to the steak. A well-ventilated stove and a cast-iron skillet or griddle will likewise give excellent results, albeit a bit less smoky. Season the steak with a simple, flavorful rub that can be a personal signature throughout the summer. Serve the steak with a pat of butter seasoned with that same rub. Russet potatoes get a smoky finish on the grill along with some of the same rub. The fathers in my life love to nibble on a pile of shishito peppers. I high-heat sear the small, randomly hot peppers in a cast-iron pan and then sprinkle them with the Three pepper steak salt. Offer a big green salad, dressed with fruity olive oil and a little red wine vinegar. Happy Fathers Day, indeed! Seared Three Pepper-Crusted Steak Makes 3 to 4 servings Note: For the most accurate results, use a meat thermometer that can stay in the steak throughout the cooking. If using an instant-read thermometer, try to avoid leaving the grill uncovered for too long a time. 1 bone-in beef tomahawk ribeye steak, about 2 1/2 pounds 2 or 3 tablespoons three pepper steak salt, see recipe Mesquite or apple wood chips or chunks Three pepper steak-salt seasoned butter, see recipe Chopped fresh herbs for garnish 1. Pat steak dry. Press the steak salt into a generous coating all over the steak. Place the steak on a rack set over a baking sheet. Refrigerate covered 1 to 12 hours. 2. Remove steak from refrigerator and let sit on the counter while you heat the grill (30 to 60 minutes). 3. Preheat a gas grill to low (250 degrees on a grill or oven thermometer). Alternately, prepare a charcoal grill and when coals are covered with gray ash, move the coals to two sides of the grill leaving the center of the grill empty. Put an oven thermometer on the grill and cover grill. Add wood chips to the smoker box on the gas grill or a chunk or two of wood to the glowing coals. 4. Put steak on the 250-degree grill for indirect cooking (not over the heat source). Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the steak away from the bone. Cover the grill and cook until the internal temperature of the steak is 110 degrees, 45 to 60 minutes (time will depend on temperature of the meat when it goes on the grill, maintaining a steady grill temperature, the outside temperature and the thickness of the meat). 5. Remove steak to the rack set over a baking pan. Let rest at room temperature at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. 6. Shortly before serving, preheat the gas grill to hot or add more coals to the charcoal grill to get it very hot. Temperature should be 500 degrees or more. Add more wood chips if desired. 7. Set the steak directly over the heat source on the hot grill. Cover the grill. Cook the steak, without turning until seared and very nicely grill marked on one side, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip the steak and cook to sear the other side, 3 to 5 minutes more. The internal temperature of the steak should be 125 degrees for rare and 130 degrees for medium-rare. 8. Transfer steak to a cutting board. Top with a pat of the butter, if desired. 9. To carve the steak, use a very sharp knife to cut away the bone. Then cut the steak crosswise into thin strips. Serve sprinkled with herbs. Three Pepper Steak Salt Makes about 1/3 cup 1 tablespoon each: black peppercorns, grains of paradise (or more black pepper) 2 tablespoons coarse (kosher) salt 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, such as urfa biber, spelette pepper, Aleppo pepper or gochugara (or 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes) 1 1/2 teaspoons nigella seeds (or black sesame seeds) 1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder 1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder (or 1/2 teaspoon chili powder) 1. Put peppercorns and grains of paradise into an electric spice grinder or a mortar. Grind with on/off turns, or using the pestle, until coarsely ground. 2. Pour into a small bowl. Stir in salt and remaining ingredients. Store in a tightly covered container up to several weeks. Three Pepper Steak Salt Seasoned Butter Makes 1/2 cup 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon three pepper steak salt, see recipe 1. Put butter into a small bowl. Stir in salt until well mixed. Use at room temperature. Refrigerate covered up to a week. Smoked Baked Potatoes Makes 4 servings 4 medium-large russet potatoes Soaked wood chips Olive oil 1 teaspoon three pepper steak salt, see recipe 1. Scrub potatoes clean and pierce in several places with the tip of a paring knife. Microwave 2 potatoes at a time on high (100% power), turning once, until tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside and repeat to cook the other two potatoes. Let stand at room temperature up to a couple of hours. 2. Shortly before serving, prepare a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium hot. Add soaked wood chips to the coals or the smoker box on the gas grill. 3. Slice potatoes lengthwise in half. Brush cut side with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place, cut side down on the grill, directly over the heat. Cover grill and cook until heated through and nicely grill marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove. Serve hot. (JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, Dinner at Home. JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including Mexico: One Plate at a Time. JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.) MONDAY, June 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- MONDAY, June 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Understanding circumcision can help you speed your baby boys healing process and be aware of any complications that may arise. Here, professionals offer advice on what circumcision is, the pros and cons of the procedure, and what happens during a circumcision. Plus, theyll talk about how long the healing process is and what to expect afterwards. What is circumcision? Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin that covers the head of the penis, known as the glans. Its usually performed on newborn boys when theyre a day or two old, although older boys and men can also be circumcised, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "There are cultural and religious considerations that are the reasons why some families feel its the right choice for them, Cedars-Sinai pediatric urologist Dr. Paul Kokorowski explained in a recent Cedars-Sinai blog post. The Cleveland Clinic notes that the practice of circumcision began as a religious rite. Today, Jewish and Muslim people still do the procedure for religious reasons. In the Jewish faith, specially trained professionals known as mohels perform the circumcision, known as a bris. In addition to religious practices, there are also medical and cultural reasons for having a baby boy circumcised. Many of these procedures are done by a doctor in a hospital setting. In fact, its estimated that about 60% of boys in the United States are circumcised. Circumcised vs. uncircumcised: Whats the difference? A study recently published in Cureus Journal revealed that 63% of participants considered their childs ongoing health as an extremely important reason for circumcising their newborns. The study authors also noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines stating that the health benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks helped parents decide to circumcise. Still, these health benefits arent enough for the AAP to recommend circumcision for all newborns, and the procedure is considered elective. This means that the circumcised versus uncircumcised decision is left up to the parents. To help you better understand the pros and cons of circumcision, lets take a look at some of its benefits and risks. Circumcision pros and cons "There are some minimal benefits and some minimal risks [to circumcision], Dr. Andrew Freedman, a urologist at Cedars-Sinai said in a recent blog post. Theres not enough benefit to say that you must do it, and theres not enough risk to say you can never do it." According to Cedars-Sinai, the benefits of circumcision may include: Reduced risk of developing a urinary tract infection in the first year of life Reduced risk of foreskin infections A lower risk of developing penile cancer Reduced risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases Prevention of phimosis, which is the inability to retract the foreskin The cons of penile circumcision include: Complications from surgery, such as bleeding and infections Loss of protection of the tip of the penis, which is the role of the foreskin Decreased sensitivity to touch What happens during a circumcision procedure When your baby is circumcised, he is laid on his back and has his hands and legs held while his penis is cleaned. Next, an anesthetic will be applied. Mayo Clinic says this is typically a numbing cream thats placed on and around the penis, so they dont feel pain. Once the anesthetic takes effect, either a plastic ring or clamp is attached to the penis. Finally, the foreskin is removed. Cleveland Clinic notes that a scalpel is used to remove the foreskin. Once this is finished, ointment and gauze are placed over the penis to help with healing. No stitches are necessary, and the procedure takes about 20 minutes. According to the University of Utah Health, adult circumcision is similar, but it may involve general anesthesia and an incision that requires stitches. How long does circumcision take to heal? Healing from circumcision usually takes about seven to 10 days, according to Family Doctor. You can help your baby through the process by gently cleaning the area with soap and water after each diaper change and applying healing ointment to soothe any irritation. Dartmouth Health Childrens Hospital recommends placing a drop of Aquaphor, petroleum jelly or antibiotic cream on the penis or inside the diaper for about five to seven days after circumcision. It also notes that you may see some white or yellow coating on the head of the penis as it heals. According to Nationwide Childrens Hospital, you can also expect to see some swelling and bruising of the penis after circumcision. Soothing sponge baths two to four times a day can be beneficial. You can also talk to your doctor about using acetaminophen to ease your babys discomfort while he heals. To discover more about circumcision, you can take a look at New York-Presbyterians Circumcision Health Library. ST. LOUIS COUNTY A St. Louis County man is accused of causing a hit-and-run crash that left a man dead nearly eight months ago. Cory Lawrence, 45, of Bel-Ridge, was indicted for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death May 24. Court documents allege that Lawrence on Oct. 11 struck and killed Marquist Murray, 38, of Wellston, on St. Charles Rock Road at Normandy Avenue. Murray was found lying in the road about 2:50 a.m. and later died at a hospital. Lawrence is accused of driving off from the scene. St. Louis County police announced after the crash they were looking for a 2000-2006 white GMC Yukon with damage to the front driver side, but it took nearly eight months for charges to be filed. A grand jury indicted Lawrence on May 24. He was arrested May 30 and the case was unsealed and made public, according to St. Louis County police and court records. FRANKLIN COUNTY A teenage boy was killed Saturday night when the pickup truck he was driving hit a tree. The Missouri Highway Patrol said the 17-year-old boy was from Union, Missouri. Police did not release his name. The patrol said the boy was driving a 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup truck east on Liberty School Road when it crashed about 11:45 p.m. Saturday. The truck went off the road and hit a tree in the 7600 block of Liberty School Road. Police said he had been wearing a seat belt. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Joe Holleman Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Joe Holleman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Welcome to social media, simply the best place to follow a blow-by-blow political beef between a St. Louis alderwoman and ... the St. Louis mayors father? On Monday, Alderwoman Cara Spencer took heat on Twitter for introducing a bill aimed at getting guns off city streets. And her main detractor on social media was none other than Virvus Jones, former city comptroller and father of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. Spencer, D-8th Ward, recently proposed an ordinance that aims to give police a way to reduce the open carrying of firearms in the city. Virvus Jones St. Louis comptroller from 1989 until he pleaded guilty to felony fraud charges in 1995 argues that Spencers bill will result in giving the police more selective enforcement power which always ends up in black people being racially profiled. I am opposed to your bill which will result in the unconstitutional selective enforcement & stop & frisking of black people who openly carry guns. Contrary to what you believe laws are not color blind. Black people need & deserve equal, not selective protection, under the law. Virvus Jones (@VirvusJ) June 5, 2023 Furthermore, Virvus Jones said the bill would give police unconstitutional selective enforcement & stop & frisking of black people who openly carry guns. Spencer responded on Twitter: What do you recommend? State action-which would criminalize people and shift authority from city to state? Or doing nothing (?). Help me understand how your position is fact-based and not politically motivated, Spencer posted on Twitter. What do you recommend? State action-which would criminalize people and shift authority from city to state? Or doing nothing. Help me understand how your position is fact based and not politically motivated. Cara Spencer (@CaraSpencerSTL) June 5, 2023 After criticizing Spencers bill for the potential harm he sees it causing, he then goes on to label it as performative and sound & fury doing nothing. Spencers legislation, which was introduced in mid-May and got its first hearing Thursday before the aldermanic public safety committee, echoes an ordinance passed in 2014 in Kansas City. The Kansas City measure takes advantage of a provision of Missouri state law that expanded open-carry rights but still allows cities to restrict the practice to permit holders. At Thursdays hearing, several aldermen expressed initial support for Spencers bill. And several others who support the mayor expressed concern that the bill would unfairly target Black people. Toward the end of Mondays Twitter back-and-forth, Virvus Jones noted: I have seen people openly carrying guns in Ballwin, Chesterfield, St. Charles County & not one person has made one comment. I have seen people openly carrying gums in Ballwin, Chesterfield, St. Charles County & not one person has made one comment. Virvus Jones (@VirvusJ) June 5, 2023 According to the Post-Dispatch Homicide Tracker, there were 200 homicides in the city in 2022. There were six homicides reported in 2022 in St. Charles County and none in Ballwin or Chesterfield. In short, St. Louis represents less than 11% of the population of the metropolitan area but accounts for more than half of the murders. Spencer rested her Twitter tussle with the following reply to Virvus Jones: Let me know when youre ready to talk substance rather than deflect and continue to share misinformation, she wrote. Unfortunate you chose to use your position of influence to misguide the public. I asked for clarification - you opted to gaslight instead. Let me know when youre ready to talk substance rather than deflect and continue to share misinformation. Unfortunate you chose to use your position of influence to misguide the public. Cara Spencer (@CaraSpencerSTL) June 5, 2023 Reached by telephone, Virvus Jones declined to be interviewed, saying, What I said on Twitter is the same thing Id say to you. Spencer, in a later interview, said she was both confused and disappointed in Virvus Jones comments. Spencer said her bill, contrary to Jones contention, does not create a stop and frisk mentality. Its not aimed at any suspicion, (but) only at people who are already openly carrying, she said. Spencer said the bill is designed to curb the more flamboyant displays of firearms that can make neighborhoods feel lawless. The difference between carrying a firearm in your pocket or your backpack and the carrying of a firearm in your hand is vast, Spencer said when the bill was introduced. As to the politically motivated aspect of the exchange, Spencer is viewed as Tishaura Jones most likely, and strongest, challenger in the mayoral race in 2025. In 2021, Spencer lost to Jones by a margin of roughly 52% to 48%. Im just disappointed that the father of the mayor, a former alderman, the former comptroller, would use his platform to misinform the public, Spencer said. As to Mayor Tishaura Jones position on Spencers proposed ordinance, a spokesman opted for a decidedly un-hot take: Said Nick Desideri: We are reviewing the legislation. Editors note: Corrects the day of the aldermanic hearing on Spencers bill. ST. LOUIS A group of five teenagers from north St. Louis County spent three months holding people at gunpoint, stealing their cars and joyriding through the region. They held up a pizza delivery driver and stole his Volvo. They stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee at the South County Mall. In one case, a juvenile shot a man in the back. In all, authorities suspect the group was behind at least 21 carjackings or attempted carjackings. On Tuesday, one of the teens, Detrich Williams, now 21, sat in court and faced the consequence: 19 years in federal prison. This is, unfortunately, a horrible situation, said his attorney, Eric Butts. Carjackings and car thefts have been troubling neighborhoods and law enforcement agencies across the region for years. In January, a group of three teens were suspected of committing nine carjackings, two ATM robberies and one homicide in the city over a 48-hour period. In another case, a man was convicted in federal court after a crime rampage that included three carjackings and a kidnapping. Investigations from the FBI and local law enforcement agencies have resulted in more than 120 people being indicted for carjackings in the Eastern District of Missouri over the last five years, predominately in St. Louis, FBI officials said. The St. Louis field office has the second-highest number of carjacking investigations behind San Juan, Puerto Rico. There arent necessarily more carjackings in the city of St. Louis compared to other cities nationwide, said Chris Crocker, the assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in St. Louis. Our office prioritized investigating carjackings because they are a major driver of violent crime locally. In late 2020, the eyes of federal authorities turned to a group of five teens from Castle Point in north St. Louis County. People in St. Louis and St. Louis County had been reporting since July that they were being carjacked and often held at gunpoint by a teen toting a pistol equipped with a unique green laser sight. In one case, the teens led police on a chase. In others, they fired their weapons. Many times, they would abandon the cars near their homes in Castle Point. One day, the group came upon a man only identified in court by his initials, K.G. K.G. said the teens were speeding down a street in a stolen car that hit his vehicle. He got out to write down the license plate number and saw that one of the boys had a gun. But when K.G. looked in Williams eyes, he didnt see maliciousness, he said in court on Monday. He saw a kid. I wanted to come and look him in the face and, in some way, understand, he said. Trying to see if he can grasp the seriousness, the impact on the community. Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Williams to 21 years in prison for carjacking, discharging a firearm during a carjacking, and other violent crimes, to reflect the extremely grave nature of his actions. Williams, sitting at a table next to his attorney, turned to look at his mother, in the crowd. Tears began to stream down his face. He buried his head in his yellow jail shirt and sobbed. I want to say Im sorry, he told the court. Im sorry for letting my mom down. ... I was young. I didnt know nothing. I wish I could take it all back. Williams attorney, Butts, had asked for a lower sentence. He said Williams grew up in poverty. He became addicted to drugs and alcohol. He grew up around violence and crime. His mother tried her best to raise him better, Butts said, but theres only so much a mother can do. This is just such a tragic case, he said. But Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk said Williams was the gunman in many of the cases. His crimes, she said, had a devastating impact on the community. She sentenced him to 19 years in prison. ST. LOUIS Police Lt. John Blaskiewicz starts his days early, arriving in the citys Homicide Division to pore over the latest statistics. Papers on his office wall provide rules for reporting on delayed deaths and guidance on how to meet federal guidelines for counting cases as solved. We are immersed in numbers, said Blaskiewicz, who has been the citys homicide commander since September. In all of the detective work Ive done in the past, the numbers people care about (most) are homicide numbers. In police parlance, when a case is resolved, it qualifies as cleared. So far this year, St. Louis homicide detectives have recorded a clearance rate of 75%. The number is bound to fluctuate before years end, and it likely will dip in the summer, when murders typically spike. But as of the beginning of June, the clearance rate is on pace to be the best here in two decades. Were running fairly strong, Blaskiewicz said in an interview. Weve been holding steady at that rate, which is great. The goal is to try to keep it that high or even raise it by the end of the year. Homicide clearance rates are perhaps the most crucial metric for measuring a police departments success at crime-solving especially in a city like St. Louis, where yearly murder rates are consistently among the highest in the country. Police dont offer a single reason for this years improvement, but Blaskiewicz said its due in part to the growing number of surveillance cameras throughout the city and better communication across the department. Clearances are more than just a simple yardstick for how many of the current years homicides were solved. A clearance rate gives detectives credit for solving old cases. And the rate includes instances where police are confident they have the killer but prosecutors refuse to file charges, put the case on hold or tell detectives to do more investigative work. Clearance rates show the public how police departments and prosecutors respond to crime, said Richard Rosenfeld, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a former president of the American Society of Criminology. Low clearance rates for violent crimes like murder leave dangerous people on the street, he added, while higher rates signal enforcement and investigation strategies are working. We need a full year of data, Rosenfeld said, but thus far, the clearance rate is heartening. David Carter, a professor at Michigan State Universitys School of Criminal Justice, also was impressed last week by St. Louis numbers. Carter has written extensively on clearance rates, including authoring a report for the U.S. Justice Department titled Best Practices for Increasing Homicide Clearances. The citys clearance rate, hovering at 75%, is very good, Carter said. He said its about 20 percentage points higher than the national average. Rates St. Louis highest homicide clearance rate on record was about 103%, recorded in 1988 meaning more cases were solved than murders committed. The highest rate in the past 20 years was in 2003, when the Homicide Divisions annual cleanup, or clearance rate, was 81%. But that year, the city had just 74 total homicides; for comparison, the city reported 70 homicides through just the first five months of this year. The low point for clearance rates in the past several decades in St. Louis was 2020, when the city saw a surge of killings during the pandemic and police reported solving just 38% of homicides. According to numbers released Friday by the St. Louis Police Department, homicide detectives have solved 34 of the 72 homicides in the city so far this year. But this years clearance rate also includes 20 homicides that were committed in previous years standard practice according to FBI guidelines. When a suspect dies in a murder-suicide, for example, that too counts as a clearance. The oldest cold case police said they solved this year again, without charges was the 1996 death of Donald Hill, gunned down on Carr Lane. A tip led police to a suspect, but prosecutors want more follow-up. Still, police put that case in the cleared column. The Post-Dispatch filed Sunshine Law requests with the department to obtain internal clearance reports that list each case that was cleared and its status. In at least seven homicide clearances this year, police arrested the person they are convinced is the killer, but the Circuit Attorneys Office refused to file charges. Refusals have been a point of contention in St. Louis, where former Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner and city police were often at loggerheads. New Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore was sworn in last week after Gardners surprise resignation in May. St. Louis method of counting clearances namely, counting instances where charges werent issued is standard practice for police departments across the country, Carter said. A clearance by arrest means that the police department developed sufficient evidence to establish probable cause for an arrest, Carter said. Hence, the crime is cleared for statistical purposes. A prosecutor may not feel they have enough evidence to meet the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt in a trial so decline prosecution or enter a settlement for a lesser offense. Either way, that has no effect on the clearance by arrest. Blaskiewicz said St. Louis counts cases as cleared when a detective books a defendant on a murder charge and turns the case over to prosecutors. Nicole Porter Stewart, with the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, said someone booked on suspicion would not clear the crime under the Uniform Crime Reporting Program; the person would have to be formally charged with a crime. Rosenfeld said St. Louis might be using a "more permissive" definition of clearance. It's unclear how many other departments do the same. One problem in analyzing clearance rates is that different agencies might be counting a clearance differently, said Thomas K. Hargrove, founder and chairman of the nonprofit Murder Accountability Project, which tracks unsolved homicides nationwide. The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization, published a national report on homicide clearances by city in 2020. Its analysis found Flint, Michigan, was worst in the nation, solving just 2% of the citys homicides. Other cities on the low end included Cleveland with 11%, Louisville with 24% and New York with 27%. Cities on the high end included Milwaukee with 54%, Kansas City with 74% and San Francisco reporting a 75% clearance rate. Last year, St. Louis reported a clearance rate of 58%, and 55% the year before. Since 2000, its had a clearance rate that was equal to or better than the national average six times; its reported a rate lower than the national average 15 times. Cameras Blaskiewicz said he is pleased with the uptick in cases solved, and he analyzes numbers closely with Brad Mallet, administrative assistant for the Homicide Division. I think our clearance rate has improved for a variety of reasons, Blaskiewicz said, including the explosion of surveillance cameras that police tap for leads. Everybody and their brother has Ring doorbell cameras. So there are more chances to secure evidence. The Real Time Crime Center a central location for police that has walls of screens showing live camera footage was set up by the St. Louis Police Department in 2015, and the number of cameras has nearly tripled in five years. Detectives working in the Real Time Crime Center have access to about 1,600 cameras owned by the Police Department, the city, businesses or neighborhood associations. (They dont have access to private residential doorbell cameras, said department spokeswoman Evita Caldwell). Police also use license-plate readers to search for vehicles wanted in connection with felonies. And increasingly often, the departments communications staff turns to social media to post surveillance images or videos of suspects. One blurry surveillance photo of a person in a smiley face T-shirt, and a crucial police follow-up interview with a witness, helped detectives in last Junes killing of 31-year-old Brittney Young. Those efforts, along with mobile device investigative technology, tips from CrimeStoppers and old-fashioned police work have all played an important role in helping us clear cases fast, Blaskiewicz added. The proliferation of cameras helped St. Louis detectives solve the slaying of 18-year-old Corion Love, who was dropped off at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his back Sept. 30. We had nothing to go with early on, Blaskiewicz said. Police at first didnt even know where the shooting happened. This is how difficult this case was we just had a victim dropped off at Barnes Hospital in a black SUV vehicle, Blaskiewicz said. We believed, at the time, because of calls related to this case that (Love and others) were doing car break-ins. Detectives built their case over several months. The city has a bevy of surveillance cameras, and Blaskiewicz said detectives used those cameras, 911 calls, other forensic technology and search warrants to lead back to the suspect, 41-year-old Arnaud Jones. Blaskiewicz said Jones admitted firing shots from his apartment window toward people in a car because he suspected they had broken into his vehicle, which was parked on the street. A double murder case from February stands out, Blaskiewicz said, because police solved it so quickly and used cameras and district detectives to aid the investigation. Tommy L. Williams was shot to death inside a residence at 1520 Pennsylvania Avenue, and his 3-year-old daughter Octavia was found strangled upstairs. Before we even left the crime scene, we were already behind the stolen car, and district officers assisted us with that, Blaskiewicz said. We solved that case within hours. The suspect was driving around in the fathers stolen car. Williams most likely was shot over a drug debt, Blaskiewicz said. The gunman thought the little girl saw too much so he went upstairs and strangled her, Blaskiewicz said. Henry Hughes, 55, who lived in the unit downstairs from the family, was charged the next day with two counts of first-degree murder in their deaths. St. Louis police showcase the current clearance rate in boldface type on its public portal, which updates each day with the years total homicide tally. Based on numbers provided by the department, year-end clearance rates since 2015 have ranged from the 30s to the 50s. Keep in mind, Blaskiewicz said, the volume of cases facing the Detective Bureau has a lot to do with the clearance rate in any given year. Amid indescribable times, St. Louis homicide rate reaches historic levels The number of killings in 2020 in St. Louis, as a proportion of population, far exceeds other similarly sized cities such as Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. In 2020, when the number of homicides in the city ballooned to 263, the homicide commander that year, Lt. Scott Aubuchon, said each of his detectives was juggling about twice as many cases as FBI guidelines suggest. Aubuchon said killings typically are solved months later, and his detectives were still solving cases from the previous year. Blaskiewicz, the citys current homicide commander, normally sits down with detectives in the afternoon to discuss specific cases. But the mornings are for numbers. He makes sure commanders get the latest data, and that captains know the basics about the murders in their districts. My aide is looking at them just as strong as I am on a daily basis, Blaskiewicz said. Its constant. One morning in late May, Blaskiewicz was finalizing a memo to his commander asking to add a couple of detectives and change up their work schedules. He said the bulk of the work in a homicide investigation happens during the day as officers seek medical records, autopsies and search warrants. Its easier to get things done during the day, Blaskiewicz said. So were trying to put investigative teams at a minimum amount of manpower in the evening so we can have a maximum about of manpower in the day to investigate these crimes. Reporter Kim Bell covers breaking news for STLtoday.com and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She can be reached at kbell@post-dispatch.com Homicide clearance rates in St. Louis Year Total number of homicides Murders from this year that are solved Murders from a prior year solved this year Unsolved homicides this year Percent of homicides solved (this years cases only) Clearance rate (homicides solved this year + prior years combined) 2023 (as of 6/2/23) 72 34 20 38 47% 75% 2022 200 93 22 107 47% 58% 2021 200 81 28 119 41% 55% 2020 263 79 21 184 30% 38% 2019 194 61 13 133 31% 38% 2018 187 77 23 110 41% 53% 2017 205 77 31 128 38% 53% 2016 188 75 21 113 40% 51% 2015 188 67 25 121 36% 49% EDITOR'S NOTE: Story updated to include comment from FBI spokeswoman. The Ukrainian forces continue a defensive operation, which also includes counteroffensive actions, the epicenter of hostilities remains in Bakhmut direction, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Maliar has said. "We continue the defense which started on February 24, 2022. The defensive operation consists of everything, including counteroffensive actions. Therefore, in some directions, we have started offensive actions. In particular, Bakhmut direction remains the epicenter of hostilities. We are moving there on quite a wide front. We have success there. We take dominating heights there. The enemy is defending as it wants to hold its positions," she said on the Telegram channel. Local hostilities continue in the south, where the enemy is defending, Maliar said. "Why do Russians actively disseminate information about a counteroffensive? It is because they need to distract attention from their defeat in Bakhmut direction," she said. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday declined clemency for a man who faces execution Tuesday evening for killing two jailers in an ill-fated effort to free someone else from a county jail. Michael Tisius, 42, would be the third person in Missouri, and the 12th person nationally, to be executed in 2023. Hes accused of killing officers Leon Egley and Jason Acton in June 2000. Its despicable that two dedicated public servants were murdered in a failed attempt to help another criminal evade the law, Parson, a Republican, said in a statement. The state of Missouri will carry out Mr. Tisiuss sentences according to the Courts order and deliver justice. Tisius has at least one pending court appeal. His appeals and his clemency request have focused on several issues. Among them: Tisius was just 19 at the time of the killings; he had been neglected as a child; and a juror at his 2010 resentencing may have been illiterate in violation of Missouri law. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to halt the execution based on Tisius age when the crime occurred. A federal judge last week stayed the execution over the claim that a juror was illiterate, but an appeals panel reinstated it. The Supreme Court hasnt yet ruled on that issue. Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, an attorney for Tisius, said the ups and downs of the appeals are taking a toll on him. I think hes sort of, frankly, on an emotional roller coaster, Carlyle said. Hes pretty anxious. He doesnt want to die. I think hes angry and frightened. A 2005 Supreme Court ruling prohibits executions for those who were younger than 18 at the time of the crime. But Carlyle said emerging science plus information about Mr. Tisius own brain dictates that they should now change that rule to apply to Mr. Tisius. A court filing from the Missouri attorney generals office noted that both the original trial jury and the jury at resentencing considered Tisius age and mental health, yet both juries still decided to impose the death penalty. The Supreme Court turned aside the appeal without comment. Advocates for Tisius say he was largely neglected as a child and was homeless by his early teens. In 1999, as an 18-year-old, he was jailed on a misdemeanor charge for pawning a rented stereo system. In June 2000, Tisius was housed at the small Randolph County Jail in Huntsville with Roy Vance. Tisius was about to be released, and court records show the men discussed a plan in which Tisius would help Vance escape. Just after midnight on June 22, Tisius went to the jail accompanied by Vances girlfriend, Tracie Bulington. They told Egley and Acton that they were delivering cigarettes to Vance. The jailers didnt know that Tisius had a pistol. At trial, Bulington testified that she looked up and saw Tisius with the gun drawn, then watched as he shot and killed Acton. When Egley approached, Tisius shot him, too. Both officers were unarmed. Tisius found keys at the dispatch area and tried to open Vances cell, but couldnt. When Egley grabbed Bulingtons leg, Tisius shot him several more times. Tisius and Bulington fled but their car broke down in Kansas. They were arrested in Wathena, Kansas, about 130 miles west of Huntsville. Tisius confessed to the crimes. Bulington and Vance are serving life sentences. Defense attorneys have argued that the killings were not premeditated. Tisius, they said, intended to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates. Tisius defense team issued a video last week in which Vance said he planned the escape attempt and manipulated Tisius into participating. The people executed in Missouri this year included Amber McLaughlin, who killed a woman and dumped the body near the Mississippi River in St. Louis. The execution was believed to be the first of a transgender woman in the U.S. Raheem Taylor, 58, was put to death in February for killing his live-in girlfriend and her three children in 2004 in St. Louis County. Four of the U.S. executions this year have been in Texas, and three were in Florida. The 55 people Missouri has executed since 2000 JEFFERSON CITY A state senator who is considering a bid for governor is listed among speakers at an event this weekend in southwest Missouri aimed at election deniers, anti-vaccination believers and conspiracy theorists. Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, is attending the Determined Patriotism Conference in Branson, where hell share a stage with Mike Lindell, a pillow salesman who continues to spread misinformation about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Also on the docket are anti-vaxxers Thomas Renz and Jane Ruby, as well as QAnon conspiracy theorist Sheila Holm, who has said the government worships Lucifer and is controlled by secret societies. The event comes as Eigel is attempting to run to the far right of other Republicans in the 2024 race for governor, including Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe. Eigel did not respond to a request for comment Monday. As a senator, Eigel has introduced legislation that mirrors some of the debunked conspiracies often voiced by other speakers, including a distrust of electronic voting machines. Eigel, who was the unofficial leader of the Senate Republican Conservative Caucus until he disbanded it, filed a bill this year to require the hand counting of paper ballots, which experts say is expensive, burdensome, time-consuming and unnecessary because electronic vote tabulators are more accurate. The measure stalled in a Senate committee after Fox News agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems more than $787 million in April in connection with a defamation case filed by the voting machine company. The voting measure also required the secretary of state to remove Missouri from a national voter registration database aimed at helping states combat voter fraud. While the provision did not pass, Ashcroft in March did withdraw the state from the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC. Ashcroft, too, has spent time with Lindell. In January, his office said the secretary of state, who is Missouris top election official, met with the MyPillow founder to discuss election concerns. Eigel also introduced legislation that would make gold and silver legal tender, which has been sought by people prepping for an end of government rule. It, too, failed to advance. Meanwhile, other speakers include Ann Vandersteel, who has promoted a theory of sovereign citizenship in which a person can become immune to the laws and authority of the federal government. A flyer announcing the event also shows St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey as a speaker. McCloskey, an attorney, was pardoned by Gov. Mike Parson after he was convicted of brandishing a rifle at protesters who were walking through his Central West End neighborhood. McCloskey made an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 2022, receiving just 3% of the vote in the August GOP primary. ST. LOUIS One of the first things Helen Money sees when she wakes up in the morning is the black car across the street. Shes told the city about the old Cutlass Supreme, an eyesore with flat tires and the passenger door caving in. City workers even came to her corner of Walnut Park East to put a tow sticker on it once. But its been months. The stickers been peeled off. Im constantly calling the city, said Money, 63. And they constantly do nothing. Its a familiar refrain for residents across St. Louis. Staffing shortages, combined with a cramped impound lot and a rise in incoming Kias and Hyundais, have badly hobbled the towing operation in recent years. City data indicates its taking weeks longer for complaints to be addressed. And a host of aldermen say they see it every day in their neighborhoods. I ride around and take pictures of them with no plates, with steering wheels busted, with the windows out, said Alderwoman Pam Boyd, of the northwest side. But it takes forever to get the cars towed. Meanwhile, the clunkers have been piling up across the city. There were more than 700 on the streets as of Tuesday morning, taking up valuable parking space, reducing curb appeal and trying the patience of residents already dealing with trash pickup that comes days late and a 911 dispatch system that puts callers on hold. Im to the point where I just want to sell the house and go, said Money, whose roots in her neighborhood go back 50 years. Nick Dunne, a spokesperson for Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, said the administration is working on it. Streets Department leaders are pushing for higher wages and better benefits for tow truck drivers to improve recruitment and retention and seeing more interest from job seekers in recent months. They are also looking for more space to store cars and working to clear out the existing lot through regular auctions and negotiations with police, who park cars that are part of criminal investigations there. Its starting to look promising that we will get this work done, Streets Director Betherny Williams told aldermen at a recent budget hearing. The citys Auto Towing and Storage Division is effectively a heavy-duty street cleaner, charged with evicting more than 10,000 vehicles from the roads each year. Its drivers handle cars deemed abandoned, derelict, hazardous or inoperable as well as vehicles that are stolen, in accidents or involved in crimes. It sells about one-third of its quarry at auction, bringing in millions of dollars every year. Months, not weeks For the average resident, getting a car towed is supposed to work like this: A call, email or online complaint is made to the Citizens Service Bureau reporting the existence of a derelict, hazardous or abandoned vehicle. A Streets Department inspector is dispatched to verify the report within five days, and, if the citizens account is accurate, the inspector places a brightly colored sticker on the cars window giving the owner 14 days to move before the vehicle is hooked up and hauled off. But residents, aldermen and neighborhood leaders say the system is broken. It took roughly 50 days, on average, to investigate towing-related complaints last year, according to data from Citizens Service Bureau. From 2017-19, that number was closer to 10. And even in 2020, it was roughly 22. Dunne, the mayors spokesman, said CSB data may not be entirely accurate the work is not necessarily reported in real time. Still, even after vehicles are inspected and tagged, many aldermen and residents say they measure their waits in months, not weeks. Those delays have coincided with declines in staffing: A decade ago, the Streets Department had 16 tow truck drivers, according to budget data. In early 2019, it had 11. In early 2022, it had six people picking up cars. Dunne said part of the problem was a yearlong hiring freeze imposed early in the pandemic that allowed vacancies to pile up into one of the tightest labor markets in recent memory. Officials have also said a pay scale that starts new drivers at about $15.50 per hour cant compete with the private sector. And even if the city can get more drivers, theres often nowhere to put the cars. Williams, the streets department director, said the impound lot on Hall Street, on the north riverfront, is designed to hold about 900 but late last year, had more than 1,200. Literally, cars are almost stacked on top of each other, bumper to bumper, she told aldermen in December. Some of that may also be related to the astronomical increase in stolen vehicles in the city in the past year. Reports of such crimes, driven by viral news of security flaws in popular Kia and Hyundai models, jumped 79% from 2021 to 2022. As a result, the city has had to triage, leaving some cars on the street and residents to steam. Buying into a nightmare Barbara Furnace, 66, said shes been complaining about derelict cars on her street in Hamilton Heights for more than a year. The current struggle is with a red SUV with a busted fender that Furnace said has been sitting up on a jack for months. City workers put a sticker on it warning it would be towed after May 23. Its crazy, Furnace said. People are paying their taxes, doing everything right, and half the time you have nowhere to park. William Hersman, 47, has the same problem. Hes been waiting for the city to pick up a pair of broken-down cars in front of his house in the Baden neighborhood for at least six months. One is missing a headlight and a fender and has parts of its undercarriage lying on the ground. The other has a smashed rear window and a ceiling coming apart. Neither has plates, not even a temp tag. It seems like they wait until theyre all stripped before they get em, Hersman said. Its kind of crazy. Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, of Kingsway East, said its especially discouraging to the homeowners who have stuck it out in the northside neighborhoods she represents, where towing woes are the latest indignity for people already enduring high rates of crime, vacancy and disinvestment. They buy into the American Dream, she said. And they get a nightmare for city services. City Hall has repeatedly assured aldermen that change is coming. New drivers have signed on, boosting ranks back up to a dozen. The city is looking to purchase land to store cars. Williams, the streets director, said she would even consider contracting out some towing services, at least temporarily. And at the existing lot, Dunne said staff have been working with police to clear out more than 300 vehicles that were being held for investigations that have been over for a while. Dunne said employees are also working to more quickly notify owners of towed vehicles so they can reclaim them faster. Aldermen, for their part, are also talking about potential solutions in the upcoming budget. Budget Chair Cara Spencer recently asked Williams to put together figures on how much money the department will need to buy more space and be a more competitive employer. Theres a whole host of things missing there, Spencer said. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey overstepped his authority when he demanded changes to the cost estimate of an abortion-rights initiative petition, state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick argued in a legal brief filed in Cole County Court last week. Fitzpatrick, Bailey and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, all Republicans, were sued last month by the Missouri ACLU over delays in finalizing the ballot summary for an initiative petition seeking to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. Emails obtained by The Independent show Fitzpatricks office completed its work on the amendments cost estimate, but Bailey refused to give what has traditionally been considered perfunctory approval. Bailey insisted the auditor inflate the fiscal estimate to say the amendment would cost the state billions of dollars. Fitzpatrick said that would be a lie and refused. Because of the impasse, Ashcroft has said he cant complete his work on the summary, and thus, supporters cannot begin collecting signatures to place the issue on the 2024 ballot. The case is scheduled for trial on Wednesday morning, with the ACLU asking Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem to order Ashcroft to finalize the summary. In a brief filed last week, the auditors office argued Missouri law is clear that the attorney general has no more than a perfunctory, ministerial role in the fiscal note summary process for proposed initiative petitions. There is an absolute absence of authority to conclude the attorney general is permitted to send the auditors fiscal note summary back for revision because he disagrees with the auditors estimated cost or savings of the measure, wrote Leslie Korte, the auditors general counsel. Missouri outlawed virtually all abortions last year, leading reproductive-rights advocates to file 11 versions of a proposed initiative petition with Ashcrofts office in early March seeking to add protections for the procedure to the state constitution. Before a proposed initiative petition may be circulated for signatures, the secretary of state sends it to the auditor to create a fiscal note and a fiscal note summary. And after consulting with state and local governments, as well as anti-abortion advocates, the auditors office concluded there would be no costs or savings due to the abortion amendment. Bailey refused to sign off on the summary unless Fitzpatrick changed it to declare that the amendment could cost the state at least $12.5 billion in lost Medicaid funding, as well tens of billions in possible lost tax revenue because aborting unborn Missourians will have a deleterious impact on the future tax base. Fitzpatrick refused, saying that while he opposed the abortion-rights initiative, he could not include inaccurate information in a fiscal summary. In last weeks court filing, Korte argued that the fiscal summary prepared for each of the 11 initiative petitions satisfies the requirements of state statute and the attorney general is required by law to approve them as to legal content and form. Korte noted that the General Assembly eliminated the attorney generals statutory authority to draft the fiscal note summary for a proposed initiative more than 40 years ago. Baileys office also filed a response to the lawsuit last week, arguing that if proponents of the initiative petition were concerned that they wouldnt have enough time to collect signatures, they should have submitted their proposals earlier. An initiative petition can be filed at any point after the most recent general election, Assistant Attorney General Samuel Freedlund wrote. But in this case, proponents waited until March. (Plaintiff) cannot sit on her hands and then demand the court grant her relief as a consequence of her own actions, Freedlund wrote. Meanwhile, Ashcroft is asking the judge to dismiss the secretary of states office from the lawsuit altogether. None of the allegations regarding the attorney generals disapproval of the proposed fiscal notes and fiscal note summaries suggest that the secretary of state had any role in any deliberations or decision, Freedlund wrote on behalf of Ashcrofts office. Ashcroft hasnt finalized the ballot summary, Freedlund says, because state law doesnt permit him to do so without an approved fiscal estimate. The ACLU says Ashcroft is incorrect in his belief that he is impotent to do anything other than wait for the auditor or attorney general to change his respective mind. If true, the organization wrote, that would give Bailey veto power over the initiative petition process. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and Twitter. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukrainian forces were making a major effort to end a battlefield stalemate and punch through Russian defensive lines in southeast Ukraine for a second day Monday, in what may herald the start of a long-anticipated counteroffensive after 15 months of war. Russian officials seemed to be trying to portray the Ukrainian attacks as the start of the counteroffensive, saying that Moscow's forces foiled at least one assault. While not explicitly confirming such a large-scale effort, Kyiv authorities said their forces were indeed increasing offensive operations and making gains, but suggested some of the Russian announcements were misinformation. Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russia-backed administration of Ukraine's partly occupied Zaporizhzhia province, said fighting resumed on its border with the eastern Donetsk province on Monday after Russian defenses beat back a Ukrainian advance the previous day. The enemy threw an even bigger force into the attack than yesterday (Sunday), and the new attempt to break through the front line was more large-scale and organized, Rogov said, adding: A battle is underway. Rogov interpreted the Ukrainian military movements as part of an effort to reach the Sea of Azov coast and sever the land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Analysts have long viewed that strategy as likely because it would cut the Russian forces in two and severely strain supplies to Crimea, which has served as a key Russian military hub in the war that started Feb. 24, 2022. Rogov's comments came after Moscow also said its forces thwarted large Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk province, near its border with the Zaporizhzhia province. Reacting to Russia's declarations that it repelled Ukrainian offensives, a U.S. official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters: We have no reason to believe any Russian action has had any spoiling effect on pending or ongoing Ukraine operations." Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said the Ukrainian military has scored gains. Despite fierce resistance and attempts of the enemy to hold the occupied lines and positions, our units moved forward in several directions during the fighting, she said. Malyar drew no distinctions between phases of the war, insisting that Ukraines defense against Russias invasion contains everything, including counter-offensive actions. She acknowledged that Kyivs forces in some areas ... are shifting to offensive operations. Sir Richard Barrons, a general who is a former commander of the U.K. Joint Forces Command, said that Ukraine was clearly in the preliminary phase of its counteroffensive and would probe Russian defenses to find weak spots, then focus its resources to ram through them and hold ground. Barrons, now co-chair of the U.K.-based strategic consulting firm Universal Defence & Security Solutions, told The Associated Press the Ukrainians are trying to increase the chances of surprise about when you do it, where you do it and how you do it. Commenting on the Russian militarys assertion that it thwarted a big Ukrainian attack, he said it could be part of Ukrainian efforts to probe Russian defenses and test its units in combat. He added that Moscow could have exaggerated the scale of the fighting and claimed victory to assuage its domestic Russian audience. Barrons predicted that the Ukrainian counteroffensive would involve a series of moves and take weeks. Its a process, not an event, he said. Ukraine often waits until the completion of its military operations to confirm its actions. A Ukrainian Defense Ministry video showed soldiers putting a finger to their lips in a sign to keep quiet. Plans love silence, it said on the screen. There will be no announcement of the start. Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk are two of the four provinces that President Vladimir Putin claimed as Russian territory last fall and which Moscow partially controls. Russia's Defense Ministry said it had pushed back a large-scale assault Sunday at five places in Donetsk province. The announcement couldn't be independently verified, and while Ukrainian officials reported fighting in that area, they didn't confirm a retreat. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in an unusual overnight video that 250 Ukrainian personnel were killed in the fighting in Donetsk province, and 16 Ukrainian tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored combat vehicles were destroyed. In response, the Center for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Russian forces were stepping up their information and psychological operations. To demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community (including their own population), Russian propagandists will spread false information about the counteroffensive, its directions and the losses of the Ukrainian army. Even if there is no counteroffensive, a statement on Telegram read. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russians overreacted to its latest push. We see how hysterically Russia perceives every step we take there, every position we take, Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. Ukrainian officials have said for months that a spring campaign with advanced weapons supplied by Western allies to reclaim territory seized by Russia during the war was planned, but they have kept quiet about when, how and where it might start, or whether it had already been launched. Recent military activity, including drone attacks on Moscow, cross-border raids into Russia and sabotage and drone attacks on infrastructure behind Russian lines, has unnerved Russians. Analysts say those actions may represent the start of the counteroffensive. In other disruption, TV and radio broadcasts in several regions of Russia were hacked Monday, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. A fake broadcast featured a voice impersonating Putin and stated that Ukrainian forces had invaded the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia. Those Russian regions have occasionally been targeted in cross-border strikes during the war. The impersonator announced that martial law was declared in those regions, where people were urged to evacuate, and all Russians eligible for military duty were being mobilized. The Russian military said Monday it repelled the latest Ukrainian incursion into the Belgorod region, on the border in Ukraine. Russians who purport to be fighting alongside Ukrainian forces said they attacked on Sunday. They were driven back by airstrikes and artillery fire, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. At least two factors have been at play in the counteroffensive's timing: better ground conditions for the movement of troops and equipment after the winter, and the deployment of more advanced Western weapons and training of Ukrainian troops to use them. Ukraines Western allies have sent the country more than 65 billion euros ($70 billion) in military aid to help its defense. Driving out the Kremlins forces is a daunting challenge for Kyivs planners. Russia has built extensive defensive lines, including trenches, minefields and anti-tank obstacles. After months of a battlefield stalemate, with neither side making significant gains and suffering losses of personnel and weapons, Ukraine could launch simultaneous pushes in different areas of the front line that stretches for around 1,100 kilometers (nearly 700 miles), analysts say. In the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut, the site of the war's longest and bloodiest battle, Malyar, the deputy defense minister, said Ukrainian forces are advancing and occupy dominating heights." Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, Bakhmut direction well done, warriors! The leader of Russias Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin a frequent critic of his countrys military brass whose statements are sometimes unreliable said that Russian forces lost control of part of the village of Berkhovka outside Bakhmut. Prizoghin said last month that his forces had seized all of the city of Bakhmut, with Ukrainian forces remaining in control of many surrounding areas. Danica Kirka contributed to this story from London. Talk about a lousy neighbor. A federal appeals court has halted an Environmental Protection Agency regulation meant to reduce air pollution in Missouri that drifts into neighboring states. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is crowing about the ruling, which was made at his behest. Sorry, but threatening the health of Missourians and others is nothing to crow about. At issue is a good neighbor regulation the EPA implemented in March enforcing pollution rules when industry in one state sends pollution over state borders. This qualifies as the most basic of common sense. Obviously, air pollution from coal plants, smoke stacks and other sources doesnt observe state boundaries. For areas like St. Louis, where industrial pollution on both sides of the border with Illinois makes Missourians as much the pollution victims as victimizers, depending on wind direction, its as much a protection as a restriction. But Bailey who appears intent in his new job on demonstrating theres no right-wing trope he wont embrace challenged the regulation as constitutional overreach, won a stay from the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and promptly started publicizing it as a victory against the dreaded Biden administration. A victory for whom? Certainly not for asthmatic kids in St. Louis who, as a Sierra Club representative put it, had to start their summer with a higher risk of coughing, asthma attacks, and chest pain. Especially ironic is Baileys contention that the regulation was some unacceptable violation of the conservative principle of local control. He alleges the regulation attempts to displace Missouris ability to set our own energy policy. Really. How about local school districts ability to set their own pandemic safety policies without the long arm of the Missouri attorney generals office under Baileys predecessor, now-Sen. Eric Schmitt, harassing them with lawsuits designed to force them to ignore advice from federal health experts? That stunt, like this one, endangered Missouri kids, but Bailey has never to our knowledge even questioned it. Or how about the ability of local public libraries to set their own rules regarding age-appropriate books without having Baileys fellow statewide Republican office-holder, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, burdening them with an unnecessary rule to file procedural plans with his office? Again, no pushback from Bailey. Then there is the ultimate overreach by government: when it imposes itself into citizens personal medical decisions. Yet Bailey is all-in on his partys relentless campaign to prevent Missouri women from having any reproductive choice whatsoever and he personally led the charge to deny trans citizens and their doctors power over their own decisions. The EPA should appeal this pro-polluters court ruling immediately. And Bailey should at least pretend to prioritize working for the benefit of Missouri citizens over seeking out partisan press-release fodder. The US Department of Veteran Affairs expands operations with new capabilities from Bitcentrals Central Control Version 8 Bitcentrals ongoing relationship with the US Department of Veteran Affairs continues to flourish with an upgrade to Central Control Version 8, delivering new capabilities from the most advanced automation software available. NEWPORT BEACH( ) NEWPORT BEACH, Calif, June 5, 2023 - Bitcentral, the award-winning provider of efficient media workflows for broadcast and digital video, has extended its relationship with the US Department of Veteran Affairs Institute for Learning, Education and Development (ILEAD), with an upgrade to Central Control Version 8. Version 8s expanded capabilities have aided ILEAD in expanding its operations while optimizing resources and achieving cost-savings. ILEAD began its relationship with Bitcentral in 2021 with the purchase of the integrated playout master control solution, Central Control. ILEAD continues to rely on Central Control as it progresses on its growth path with its recent system expansion and upgrade to Version 8. Version 8 offers a wide range of advanced features, including: Highly automated ingest routines that allow for quick processing of media files, streamlined verification, and validation processes to ensure content is ready for playout with minimal manual intervention Industry-leading reporting capabilities, allowing users to access detailed analytics on their operations and make informed decisions On-board SCTE processing, Graphic and text overlays and 2D digital video effects (DVE) Intelligent media management to ensure that content is efficiently organized and easily accessible ILEAD had a unique requirement of maintaining a growing library of programs, which necessitated duplicated and synchronized media libraries and database instances. Central Control was able to provide a tailored solution that addressed these needs. By creating synchronized media libraries across separate media servers, all content was made available at all times while backup channels provided additional redundancy to minimize the risk of any downtime. With Central Control's reliable architecture and flexibility, ILEAD can maintain its ever-growing library and deliver programming with confidence. Bob Sparkman, Associate Director for Broadcast and Video Production said: We are delighted to continue our growth with Bitcentrals Central Control Version 8. Our team has continually benefited from its easy-to-use interface and smooth workflow. The new features of Version 8 have made an impactful difference in our production capacity. We are now able to deliver more content without expending more time on production. Central Control Version 8 uses a modular set-up, where integrated components for playout, asset management, storage, and ingest, it can easily be scaled to meet different customer needs. This built-in flexibility, combined with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface, has empowered the ILEAD Production and Delivery team with the best master control automation and playout tools on the market. Central Control Version 8 enables ILEADs services to run in a completely redundant environment, fully redundant application, and playout instances to provide a robust system that can deliver content reliably without disruption. Central Control Version 8, allows ILEAD to provide exceptional video products and streaming services to VA employees and the Veterans they serve. Sam Peterson, Bitcentral COO, said: Central Control Version 8 offers a complete solution for media companies looking to grow their operations in an incredibly efficient way. Bitcentral customers, such as ILEAD, now have the capacity for additional channels that they wouldnt otherwise have, and they have the assurance of a backup for the main channels - adding a layer of stability that empowers organizations to drive expansion while maintaining their baseline costs of production. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Kimberly-Clark today published its annual sustainability report, including an update on the company's progress toward its 2030 sustainability strategy and goals. The goals address the social and environmental challenges of the next decade with a mission of improving the lives and well-being of 1 billion people in underserved and vulnerable communities around the world - while safeguarding natural systems and reducing the company's environmental footprint by 50 percent in key areas, including plastics, forests, water and climate. "I'm proud of what our teams around the world have accomplished in the last year and to be part of a company that has never wavered in providing care for our people, our communities and our planet since it was founded 150 years ago," said Mike Hsu, Chairman and CEO at Kimberly-Clark. "Our 2030 sustainability goals are critical to our purpose of Better Care for a Better World, and our sights are set on achieving them." As Kimberly-Clark looks to the next 150 years, the company is committed to building on its legacy and providing care with the intention to be even better in the areas that deliver value to its stakeholders. It is delivering better products through innovation and the development of more sustainable solutions; supporting a better planet by being stewards of the climate and natural ecosystems; fostering a better workplace by building a culture of integrity and belonging through its commitment to inclusion, equity, diversity, well-being and human rights; and contributing to a better society by partnering with changemakers to help uplift communities. Key highlights of the company's 2022 results include: Better Products: Kimberly-Clark continued to advance more sustainable solutions, including expanding its range of biodegradable baby wipes made with plant-based fibers and investing in reusable period and incontinence products. In addition, the company reached 5.1 percent of recycled content in its plastic packaging, moving Kimberly-Clark closer to its 20 percent recycled content goal for 2025. Kimberly-Clark continued to advance more sustainable solutions, including expanding its range of biodegradable baby wipes made with plant-based fibers and investing in reusable period and incontinence products. In addition, the company reached 5.1 percent of recycled content in its plastic packaging, moving Kimberly-Clark closer to its 20 percent recycled content goal for 2025. Better Planet: By year-end, Kimberly-Clark achieved an absolute reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 42 percent and a 9.4 percent energy efficiency improvement versus the 2015 baseline. In addition, the company continued to address water scarcity in water-stressed locations, achieving a 42.1 percent reduction in consumption against its 2015 baseline. Last year, more than 160 energy conservation initiatives and process and building efficiency improvements were deployed at the company's manufacturing sites around the world, yielding approximately 36,000 MTCO2e in emissions reductions. Executed by local engineering and process teams, these projects included lighting systems retrofits, installation of heat recovery systems and higher-efficiency electrical motors, control and distribution equipment upgrades, and optimization of compressed air systems, vacuum systems, chillers, and HVAC systems. By year-end, Kimberly-Clark achieved an absolute reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 42 percent and a 9.4 percent energy efficiency improvement versus the 2015 baseline. In addition, the company continued to address water scarcity in water-stressed locations, achieving a 42.1 percent reduction in consumption against its 2015 baseline. Last year, more than 160 energy conservation initiatives and process and building efficiency improvements were deployed at the company's manufacturing sites around the world, yielding approximately 36,000 MTCO2e in emissions reductions. Executed by local engineering and process teams, these projects included lighting systems retrofits, installation of heat recovery systems and higher-efficiency electrical motors, control and distribution equipment upgrades, and optimization of compressed air systems, vacuum systems, chillers, and HVAC systems. Better Workplace: Leading with inclusion, Kimberly-Clark is building an organization that leverages its diversity as a competitive advantage. The company is a global organization that mirrors the consumers it serves around the world. Board of Directors - Six of 12 directors are women, and four are ethnically diverse. Executive Leadership Team - 31 percent are women, and 54 percent are people of color. Leading with inclusion, Kimberly-Clark is building an organization that leverages its diversity as a competitive advantage. The company is a global organization that mirrors the consumers it serves around the world. Six of 12 directors are women, and four are ethnically diverse. 31 percent are women, and 54 percent are people of color. Better Society: Kimberly-Clark's essential and well-known brands bring its purpose to life through social impact programs designed to enhance the lives of its consumers and communities. The company's brand-led partnerships with hospitals, educational organizations and nonprofits have helped to advance the well-being of 88.9 million people cumulatively since 2015. This includes Huggies Mas Abrazos, an educational platform that holds new parents' and caregivers' hands as they navigate the unknown, from the first steps of pregnancy through the first years of their child's life. Through free articles, podcasts and videos, Mas Abrazos provides answers about pregnancy, the birthing process, feeding, attachment, child development, health and wellness, and a host of other topics. Expanded to its current robust format in 2022, the platform has reached more than 4.6 million people throughout Latin America. "We're committed to making lives better while safeguarding the world's natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Kimberly-Clark's purpose aligns our business motivations with our sustainability vision - it's how we show up every day and do what's right for both people and planet," said Lisa Morden, Vice President of Safety, Sustainability and Occupational Health at Kimberly-Clark. "We are proud to partner with global NGOs and international organizations such as World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Plan International, WaterAid and UNICEF to strengthen communities by supporting sustainable practices and reducing barriers that limit accessibility to proper health, hygiene, education and sanitation." This year marks 23 years of partnership between Kimberly-Clark, the Kimberly-Clark Foundation and UNICEF. In 2022, Kimberly-Clark expanded its partnership to support UNICEF's newborn health and early childhood development program in China, with a goal to reach more than 14 million newborns, children, and caregivers. The program will support initiatives to improve maternal and child health and development outcomes by partnering with national health agencies to establish new centers of excellence to train health providers in labor and delivery care, support early childhood development services, enhance trainings through new virtual platforms, and create a comprehensive capacity building strategy. "Our partnership has uplifted millions of lives as we support maternal and child health, as well as empower women and girls with critically important menstrual hygiene education," said Michael J. Nyenhuis, President and CEO, UNICEF USA. "Kimberly-Clark shares our vision for a world where every child has an opportunity to thrive, and the company continues to be an important partner as UNICEF drives systems change around the globe - positively impacting generations to come." Kimberly-Clark's annual sustainability report and accompanying disclosures demonstrate the company's progress through stories that highlight its work around the world as well as key data and metrics prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) disclosures. The reporting covers the time frame of Jan. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2022. For more information on the topics in this report, please visit the sustainability page on Kimberly-Clark.com. UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product, or service. Kimberly-Clark today published its annual sustainability report, including an update on the company's progress toward its 2030 sustainability strategy and goals. 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: [email protected] SOURCE: Kimberly-Clark Corporation View source version on accesswire.com: Creatives can now store, view and collaborate on USDZ files in the cloud, unlocking a hyper-modern workflow to match the content of the future. BURBANK, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Alteon.io , a digital platform that streamlines creative workflows for content creators of all backgrounds, now supports augmented reality (AR) projects , allowing users to store, view and collaborate on USDZ and other 3D formats remotely. Announced shortly after Apple unveiled Vision Pro, their new AR headset, the move cements Alteon's commitment to building best-in-class cloud-based infrastructure for a new generation of 3D artists creating no-code AR scenes on desktops, tablets and smartphones. Once creators upload 3D objects to Alteon's asset management platform, they can view their 3D objects in the real world for instant augmented reality when accessing their file in Alteon with a smartphone, tablet or AR headset, such as Apple's new Vision Pro. While users can currently upload any 3D scene descriptor to Alteon, the company is emphasizing support for USDZ files, the preferred file type of Apple and Pixar, which Alteon renders in the cloud and displays as thumbnails, just like any other media file. They can also leverage Alteon's powerful turnkey suite of tools for interactive media projects. Once 3D objects are opened in Alteon, users will be able to see in-depth metadata, including file details, user permissions, meta tags and comments. They can also share their work with clients and collaborators using secure links that include optional password protection and expiry dates. This move comes just days after Alteon announced Brian Meaney as their new Head of Product . Meaney previously spent more than 18 years designing video products at Apple, and nearly four years heading up UX design for trailblazing AR company Magic Leap . At Alteon, one of Meaney's immediate goals will be architecting the company's direction in the AR space as the industry continues its rapid evolution. "Bringing interactive media into a mainstream cloud asset manager means creatives will finally be able to access their content wherever they like-doing the work they need to, when they need to," Meaney said. "But simply uploading files alone isn't enough. Alteon has incredible potential to enhance these projects, becoming a ground-floor collaborator for 3D artists to tell stories, create experiences and showcase the limitless possibilities AR has to offer." Meaney joined Alteon alongside Magic Leap co-founder and NASA technologist Sam Miller , who recently took on an advisory role at the company. Miller has co-authored nearly 300 patents, with a significant emphasis on AR. "Alteon has the opportunity to make the lives of every AR creator and production professional better, simply by consolidating their workflows into a universal space," Miller said. "There are very few content management systems designed to handle scene descriptor files and interactive content, especially for creators using tablets and mobile devices with limited storage. Alteon has the potential to become a one-stop cloud solution for AR media creators working remotely." The combined extended reality (XR) creator economy has the potential to expand the retail and consumer space, including film and gaming, by $204 billion in 2030, according to a report by PwC . This is part of an estimated $1.5-trillion boost to the global economy across various industries. With regards to Apple, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring predicts that AR spatial computing will become the company's new major platform, pegging revenue from the Vision Pro at $20 billion with a total addressable market of $100 billion by 2030, as more affordable device prices bring the technology into the mainstream. Alteon, which just won 2023 Product of the Year and Best of Show awards at the annual National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas in April, is now one of the only mainstream digital asset management and collaboration platforms to actively support AR creators across multiple devices, including iPhone and iPad. Alteon allows users to upload, share, review and collaborate on media with anyone in the world, and has previously introduced support for several professional and cutting-edge file types rarely accepted by other platforms, including RAW file formats (currently Blackmagic Design RAW , with Apple ProRes RAW and ARRIRAW slated for 2023). Meanwhile, in February 2023, Alteon released its first application in the NFT space, Alteon LaunchPad , a free-to-use drag-and-drop minting tool for everyday creators to mint NFTs natively within Opera Crypto Browser. "We are committed to supporting a diverse range of multimedia content creators," said Matt Cimaglia , co-founder and CEO of Alteon. "We believe in empowering creatives with the tools they need to push boundaries and unlock new possibilities. With USDZ support, Alteon enables users to harness the transformative potential of augmented and virtual reality, revolutionizing the way we create and experience media. This is just the beginning of our commitment to stay at the forefront of technological advancements and drive innovation in the industry." Augmented and virtual reality have been on Cimaglia's radar for many years. Consulting as a creative and technology expert for Ogilvy, he spearheaded an AR ad campaign of theirs for Kiwi Shoe Polish, which ended up winning several Cannes Lions awards in 2017. The following year, Cimaglia created the non-profit 360ArtProject, which documented artists' creative processes using immersive 360-degree videos . Alteon will continue rolling out increased support for AR and VR files in the coming months. About Alteon.io Alteon.io is democratizing the media industry by creating professional-grade tools that are accessible to all. By empowering content creators of all backgrounds with a fully streamlined workflow that lets them upload, share, collaborate, review and store projects within a single platform, Alteon can cut production time from days to minutes. Alteon is a subsidiary of Third Summit. For more, visit alteon.io . Press Contact: Megan Linebarger Publicist, Grithaus Agency [email protected] SOURCE: Alteon.io View source version on accesswire.com: Assay results for additional 3 holes of the core drilling program reported herein Hole 23-05 intersected multiple high-grade silver-gold zones within a broad, oxidized, 36.0 m mineralized zone of 5.02 gpt AuEq, including 1.52 m of 1694 gpt Ag (54.5 oz/t Ag) and 1.52 m of 1470 gpt Ag (47.3 oz/t Ag) with 1.52 m of 53.5 gpt Au The core drilling program demonstrates presence of high-grade mineralization in the southern portion of the main Contention pit TC23-03, TC23-04, and TC23-05 expanded mineralization around the Contention pit to the east and at depth, confirmed gold and silver mineralization in historic workings near the sixth level The 7-hole core drilling program is now complete, with assay results pending from targets drilled in the South Contention pit and the northern end of the Contention pit VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Aztec Minerals Corp. (TSX-V:AZT)(OTCQB: AZZTF) announces it has received assay results from three drill holes of its 2023 core drilling program at the Tombstone project in the historic Tombstone silver mining district in southeastern Arizona. Aztec holds a 75% interest in the Tombstone Property Joint Venture, which includes most of the original patented mining claims in the district as well as some recently acquired properties. The three drill holes are part of a recently completed 7-hole program that was drilled in a fan-grid pattern over the length of the Contention open pit. Multiple underground mine workings were intersected in all the drill holes. High grade silver and gold was encountered in TC23-05 within a zone of oxidized, altered siltstones and sandstones and Qfp dike at a shallow depth between 19.8 m and 55.8 m. TC23-05 intersected a shallow, broad, oxidized zone of 36.0 m averaging 2.82 gpt Au and 176.64 gpt Ag (5.02 gpt AuEq), including 6.45 gpt Au & 408.47 gpt Ag (11.55 gpt AuEq) over a 15.5 m width. The drill hole intersected several high grade silver zones of 1.52 m of 1694 gpt Ag, 1.52 m of 380 gpt Ag, 1.52 m of 226 gpt Ag, 1.52 m 1470 gpt Ag as well as 1.52 m of 53.5 gpt Au. Gold equivalence (AuEq) was calculated using an 80:1 silver:gold ratio. The vertical drillhole TC23-05, along with TC23-04, was collared at the bottom of the southern portion of the main Contention pit, near the former underground mine's second level. It also intercepted four different levels of mine workings and it is interpreted that the Blue limestone target was intercepted with a mineralized zone near the end of the drillhole. Hole TC23-03 was collared inside the central portion of the main Contention pit, on the western side and drilled under the pit to its eastern side. The collar was located near to the east of the now closed, main Contention four compartment shaft that reached more than 1,000 feet deep for ten levels. TC23-03 encountered 62.5 m of 0.47 gpt Au and 24.05 gpt Ag (0.77 gpt AuEq) in oxidized, altered siltstones and sandstones and Qfp dike with mine workings. Hole TC23-04 was collared adjacent to TC23-05 near the east foot of the Contention pit and encountered 35.0 m of 0.12 gpt Au and 19.14 gpt Ag (0.36 gpt AuEq) in oxidized, altered siltstones and sandstones and Qfp dike with multiple mine workings. Drill Hole TC23-02, which was collared approximately 80 m southwest of the previously reported hole TC23-01 was initially drilled to a depth of 27 m, before difficult drilling conditions resulted in a temporary abandonment of the drill hole in mid-March. The drill hole was then re-entered in late April and was successfully extended to a total depth of 139 m. This hole crossed several workings, and samples have been shipped for analysis, and are expected to be reported within the next 3 weeks, along with results from holes TC23-06 and TC23-07. Aztec Mineral CEO Simon Dyakowski stated "Our first core drilling program at the Tombstone Project continues to intersect broad, shallow, and oxidized zones of high-grade silver and gold, at the Contention open pit target. These most recent results highlight the expansion of the mineralized zone in the south-central and eastern portion of the target zone. We eagerly await the receipt of assays from the final holes of the now complete core drilling program." View drill sections here: Link to section view hole TC23-03 Link to section view holes TC23-04 & TC23-05 Drill holes TC23-03, TC23-04 and TC23-05 were designed to expand the known mineralization in the central and southern portions of the main Contention pit to the east and to depth. The core drilling program was planned to be able to pass through the intricate levels of old mine workings and multiple faults and to reach, at a minimum, the water table just below the sixth level and the principal district host limestones at depth. The drilling to date has expanded the extent of mineralization to the west, east and to depth and demonstrates the potential for the volume of oxidized Au-Ag mineralization to grow as it remains open. Drill holes TC23-03, TC23-04 and TC23-05 intersected extensive gold and silver mineralization, see table below, extending the mineralized zone at depth east and below the Contention open pit. The drill holes also intersected old mine stope workings, likely dating back to the late 1800's and high-grade zones as well, indicating that the highest-grade bonanza mineralization in the area drilled was only partially mined out. Table 1: Significant Drill Hole Intercepts Drill Hole From m To m Interval m* Au gpt Ag gpt Au Eq gpt (1) Comments TC23-01 53.3 178.3 125.0 0.58 72.19 1.63 Incl. stopes of 15.9 m** Including: 61.0 62.5 1.52 22.40 48.70 23.01 125.0 132.6 7.65 0.52 733.92 9.70 Incl: 126.5 128.0 1.52 0.12 3477.00 43.58 TC23-03 70.1 132.6 62.5 0.47 24.05 0.77 Incl. stopes of 6.1 m** TC23-04 12.2 47.2 35.0 0.12 19.14 0.36 Incl. stopes of 2.9 m** TC23-05 19.8 55.8 36.0 2.82 176.64 5.02 Incl. stopes of 4.4 m** including 23.5 39.0 15.5 6.45 408.47 11.55 AuEq is calculated using a 80:1 silver:gold ratio * All interval widths are not true widths and intercept true widths are not yet estimated. ** The mine workings void values are treated as an average grade of the combination of samples immediately before and after the voids over the reported void widths, subject to top caps of 1 gpt Au and 100 gpt Ag when needed. Table 2: Completed Drillhole Details (WGS84, Zone 12R) Drill Hole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth TC23-01 588804 350964 1414 m 0 -90 242.99 m TC23-03 588832 3507837 1408 m 103 -60 138.37 m TC23-04 588848 3507708 1387.7 m 103 -60 71.32 m TC23-05 588846 3507707 1387.7 m 0 -90 158.19 m Aztec has now completed the 7-hole core drilling program. The company has reported assays for four holes. Samples and their collection are controlled by an industry standard conforming QAQC program including insertions of certified standards, blanks and sample duplicates. The samples are being regularly shipped to and received by the Bureau Veritas Minerals laboratory in Hermosillo, Mexico for geochemical analysis. Core samples are sawn and are continuously collected over 5 foot (1.52m) sample intervals from all drill holes. The samples were analyzed for gold with a 30-gram sample size using the fire assay method FA430 followed by multi-element MA300, including silver. Over limits, when present, are analyzed by MA370 or FA530. All holes contain certified blanks, standards, and duplicates as part of the quality control program. Tombstone 2023 Core Drill Program Plan Map The drilling program was designed with data obtained from surveys and modelling completed over 2022, following the conclusion of Aztec's previous RC drilling program in late 2021. Aztec has recently completed an ortho-topographic drone survey to construct detailed maps, surveyed all drill hole collars from 2020-21, sampled for Terraspec alteration analysis half of the North Contention pit, completed Terraspec analysis on all the 2020-21 RC chips, and advanced the construction of a wire-frame 3-D Leapfrog model of the historic, extensive, underground mine workings, with drilling, mineralization, geology, alteration, geophysics, and multi-element geochemistry. To date the review of exploration data has defined the following target types for exploration at Tombstone: Shallow, bulk tonnage, "heap leachable"-type mineralization typical of Tombstone, composed of mesothermal Au-Ag oxides associated with the enrichment of sediment hosted mineralization on favorable horizons and structures, and with crosscutting, mineralized Qfp dikes and sills, mesothermal veins and hydrothermal breccias. This is the target type of Aztec's exploration focus since 2019. mineralization typical of Tombstone, composed of mesothermal Au-Ag oxides associated with the enrichment of sediment hosted mineralization on favorable horizons and structures, and with crosscutting, mineralized Qfp dikes and sills, mesothermal veins and hydrothermal breccias. This is the target type of Aztec's exploration focus since 2019. Sub-water table (below ~200m depth) extensions of the typical Tombstone Au-Ag mineralization, composed mostly of secondary enrichment minerals and focused by the same horizon and structure types as the extensively mined shallow deposits above. extensions of the typical Tombstone Au-Ag mineralization, composed mostly of secondary enrichment minerals and focused by the same horizon and structure types as the extensively mined shallow deposits above. Deeper, high grade, "Taylor"- style carbonate replacement silver-lead-zinc-copper-gold deposits (CRD) in the extensive carbonate section (~ 2 kms estimated thickness) below the Bisbee formation. silver-lead-zinc-copper-gold deposits (CRD) in the extensive carbonate section (~ 2 kms estimated thickness) below the Bisbee formation. The potential for a mineralized porphyry-type deposit as a source of the Tombstone mineralization. Data obtained from the core drill holes is expected to supplement the previous, shallow RC drilling by providing extensive knowledge of geological relationships and testing at the depth of the water table and below the Contention system across its width and along its length. Notably, Aztec's previous drilling terminated above the water table where typically the enrichment of Ag occurs, and that the main host horizons of the Tombstone district are found at this depth in the Contention target. Upon the completion of diamond drilling, Aztec plans additional work including: Examining multi-element results for correlative, spatial, and geologic relationships. Terraspec analysis of the drill core. Detailed mapping of the Contention Open Pit, accompanied with Terraspec. Update the drilling data into the Leapfrog model, and update known district drilling, geology (lithology, structural, alteration, mineralogy, mineralization age-dating), geophysics, geochemistry, and UG workings to identify mineralization trends to help target the shallow and deep-CRD drilling. Examine the possibility of using seismic geophysics for identifying the overthrusts, faults and folding in the carbonates at depth. A potential 43-101 compliant resource estimation Tombstone Project Overview The main target of the 2023 core drill program is to continue testing the shallow, bulk tonnage, heap leachable, mesothermal gold-silver oxide mineralization adjacent and below the previously mined Contention pit by infill and step-out drilling. Future drilling is expected to focus on strike and dip extensions of the shallow oxide mineralization, and move deeper to test for larger, deeper "Taylor-type" CRD targets along and adjacent to the Contention structure. The Tombstone project is located 100 kilometers (km) southeast of Tucson, Arizona and covers much of the historic Tombstone silver district. Tombstone is renowned for its high grade, oxidized, silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper mesothermal and CRD mineralization hosted in veins, mantos, pipes and disseminated orebodies that were mined in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Host rocks to the mineralization were primarily the clastic sediments of the Cretaceous Bisbee Formation. Below 200 meters (m) in depth, the Bisbee is underlain by the same Paleozoic limestone formations that host the Taylor zinc-lead-silver deposit located 60 km southwest of Tombstone. Taylor was discovered by Arizona Mining in 2015 and they accepted a takeover bid from South32 Limited in 2018. Although the historic silver mines at Tombstone were generally small, Aztec believes they could be related to much larger mesothermal and CRD orebodies below the old mines. Since 2017, Aztec has completed geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveying to identify the most prospective areas for Au-Ag mineralization around and below the Contention open pit, and CRD zinc-lead-copper-silver-gold mineralization below the entire district. The 2021 drill holes were collared along the western rim and inside of the north and central parts of the Contention Pit and intersected mineralization over a north-south length of 600 meters by over 150 m of east-west width and to maximum depths of 175 m. The 2020 drilling had an area of mineralization of 850 m long by an average of 75 m wide and to maximum depths of 200 m deep. The combined 2020 and 2021 drilled area now spans 900 m long by over 230 m wide and to maximum depths of 200 m, with Au-Ag mineralization still open in all directions and at depth. The low sulfidation epithermal gold-silver mineralization observed to date is impressive, marked by hydrothermal breccias, quartz veining and silicification associated with quartz-feldspar porphyry dikes and moderate to strong potassic, argillic and advanced argillic alteration and hornfels within the host Bisbee sandstones and siltstones. Areas of intense hematite, goethite and manganese wad are extensive, associated with quartz-calcite veins and localized skarn alteration in limestones. Cerargyrite (silver chloride) is observed in fractures, often with fine-grained visible gold. Most Au-Ag mineralized zones intersected in the 2020 and 2021 drill programs are proximal to the historic underground mine workings. Tombstone 2020-21 Drilling Highlights: TR21-22: 2.44 gpt Au and 66.56 gpt Ag (3.39 gpt AuEq) over 65.5m TR21-10: 1.39 gpt Au and 56.40 gpt Ag (2.20 gpt AuEq) over 96.0m TR21-03: 5.71 gpt Au and 40.54 gpt Ag (6.28 gpt AuEq) over 32.0m TR21-13: 1.80 gpt Au and 36.90 gpt Ag (2.33 gpt AuEq) over 70.1m TR21-17: 1.73 gpt Au and 56.20 gpt Ag (2.53 gpt AuEq) over 64.0m TR21-08: 2.09 gpt Au and 47.1 gpt Ag (2.76 gpt AuEq) over 39.6m TR21-18: 0.76 gpt Au and 20.61 gpt Ag (1.05 gpt AuEq) over 64.0m TR20-02: 0.94 gpt Au and 42.1 gpt Ag ( 1.60 gpt AuEq) over 77.7m TR20-03: 0.77 gpt Au and 25.2 gpt Ag (1.07 gpt AuEq) over 97.5m Gold equivalents are calculated using a 80:1 silver:gold ratio in 2020 and 2023 and a 70:1 silver:gold ratio in 2021.Reported lengths are apparent widths, not true widths. The Contention Au-Ag mineralization zones are generally west dipping at around 60-80 degrees, associated with the quartz-feldspar porphyry dikes. However, these dikes also extend as sills in shallow angles out from the Contention fault along fold noses in the Bisbee clastic sediments so the full range of mineralization dips vary from 20 to 80 degrees. True widths for the apparent mineralization intersection widths of the five holes approximately range from 50 to 100% of the apparent widths, with the norm for the mineralized true widths being 60 to 90% of the apparent widths. Tombstone Project Highlights Well located property on patented (32) and unpatented (42) claims (434.4 hectares/1,073.4 acres), covers much of the historic Tombstone silver mining district, great infrastructure, local town, road access, full services, water, power on patented (32) and unpatented (42) claims (434.4 hectares/1,073.4 acres), covers much of the historic Tombstone silver mining district, great infrastructure, local town, road access, full services, water, power Historic silver district produced 32 million oz silver from 1878-1939, in high grade, oxidized, silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper vein and CRD deposits, and small open pit heap leach production in late 1980's produced 32 million oz silver from 1878-1939, in high grade, oxidized, silver-gold-lead-zinc-copper vein and CRD deposits, and small open pit heap leach production in late 1980's Drilling by Aztec in 2020-21 has demonstrated that the Contention Pit target has significant Au-Ag mineralization which is open in all directions has demonstrated that the Contention Pit target has significant Au-Ag mineralization which is open in all directions Multiple other prospective target s in Cretaceous and Paleozoic rocks related to major NW and NNE trending structures hosting porphyritic intrusions crosscutting a possible caldera ring structure s in Cretaceous and Paleozoic rocks related to major NW and NNE trending structures hosting porphyritic intrusions crosscutting a possible caldera ring structure A very important target is a potential bulk-tonnage carbonate replacement deposit in Paleozoic limestones similar to the Taylor discovery (100+ million tonnes of 10% Zinc Equivalent) located 60 km southwest of Tombstone (mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization hosted on the Company's property) whose presence is suggested by historic deep drilling intercepts for CRD mineralization returned multiple intersections grading up to 32 gpt silver, 0.61% copper, 6.5% lead and 2.6% zinc over 7.2m core length is a potential bulk-tonnage carbonate replacement deposit in Paleozoic limestones similar to the Taylor discovery (100+ million tonnes of 10% Zinc Equivalent) located 60 km southwest of Tombstone (mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization hosted on the Company's property) whose presence is suggested by historic deep drilling intercepts for CRD mineralization returned multiple intersections grading up to 32 gpt silver, 0.61% copper, 6.5% lead and 2.6% zinc over 7.2m core length Distinct magnetic and AMT anomalies confirm multiple target areas, Contention pit hosts dikes along strongest district structure, excellent potential for CRD deposits with similar geology to the "Taylor" deposit confirm multiple target areas, Contention pit hosts dikes along strongest district structure, excellent potential for CRD deposits with similar geology to the "Taylor" deposit Aztec high-grade surface rock samples from the Contention Pit, grade up to 3,178 gpt silver and 23.5 gpt gold, epithermal stockwork mineralization open along strike. Out of 94 samples collected from within the pit, silver ranges between from the Contention Pit, grade up to 3,178 gpt silver and 23.5 gpt gold, epithermal stockwork mineralization open along strike. Out of 94 samples collected from within the pit, silver ranges between Historic shallow mining at Contention pit for heap leachable Au-Ag mineralization, historic drilling by USMX around the pit returned multiple intersections including 1.61 gpt Au, 91.2 gpt Ag over 44.2m (see the Company's news release dated September 18, 2018 "Aztec Minerals Acquires Late 1980's-Early 1990's Drilling and Trenching Data for the Tombstone Project, Arizona" for further disclosure on USMX drilling) Allen David Heyl, B.Sc., CPG., VP Exploration, is the Qualified Person overseeing the Tombstone exploration program. Mr. Heyl reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release "Simon Dyakowski" Simon Dyakowski, Chief Executive Officer Aztec Minerals Corp. About Aztec Minerals - Aztec is a mineral exploration company focused on two emerging discoveries in North America. The Cervantes project is an emerging porphyry gold-copper discovery in Sonora, Mexico. The Tombstone project is an emerging gold-silver discovery with high grade CRD silver-lead-zinc potential in southern Arizona. Aztec's shares trade on the TSX-V stock exchange (symbol AZT) and on the OTCQB (symbol AZZTF). Contact Information - For more information, please contact: Simon Dyakowski, President & CEO, Director Tel: (604) 619-7469 Fax: (604) 685-9744 Email: [email protected] Website: www.aztecminerals.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects" or "it is expected", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Aztec Minerals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: Ukraine will receive $37 million from the United States and Congress to strengthen cyber resilience, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology; Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov said. "The United States, together with Congress, will allocate $37 million to strengthen the cyber resilience of Ukraine. This decision was announced by the U.S. delegation during the U.S.-Ukraine Cyber Dialogue in Tallinn," Fedorov said on the Telegram channel on Monday. It is also said the development of digital sustainability is one of the priorities for the Ministry of Digital Transformation. The enemy is trying to strike not only on the battlefield, but also in cyberspace, Fedorov said. "We are constantly strengthening our positions in cybersecurity and attracting investments. Therefore, the digital state survived and continued to develop during the world's first cyber war," the deputy prime minister said. He thanked the partners for their support and contribution to the strengthening of the digital state, assuring that together with the United States, Ukraine will continue to work on digital resilience. Since 2016, the United States has allocated $120 million to protect Ukrainian cyberspace. Of this amount, $82 million during Russia's full-scale invasion, Fedorov said. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth While spending time in Nairobi's Kibera, Africa's largest informal settlement, entrepreneurs Zahid Mitha and Edoardo Biraghi kept noticing a pattern inside the small retail stores known as dukas. Shoppers often could afford to buy only very small amounts of some essentials - sometimes as little as a cup of washing powder at a time. But that meant they were actually paying more per cup. As anyone who has ever shopped at warehouse clubs knows, buying in bulk gets you discounts, thanks in large part to less packaging. Buying goods in small, prepackaged containers means paying more. Mitha, 33, and Biraghi, 34, who for the previous four years had been building internet-enabled dispensing and supply chain tech to distribute condoms and HIV testing kits, thought they knew a way to use technology to eliminate this so-called poverty tax - by helping customers purchase only as much of a good as they needed. Their company, Novek, is now piloting an Internet of Things-enabled machine that allows Kibera shopkeepers to accurately dispense as little as a few cents' worth of washing powder into reusable containers and sell it at the same price as if it were being sold in bulk - increasing sales and profit margins for store owners while reducing single-use plastic, a major contributor to water pollution. "We believe that if we improve both the product small business owners deliver to customers and their incomes, we will ultimately drive economic prosperity for everyone," Mitha says. Dubbed the "Silicon Savannah," Kenya has become a hotbed of innovation as entrepreneurs like Mitha take advantage of its extensive high-speed internet, deep mobile phone penetration, and widely used digital payments infrastructure to develop products and services to strengthen the economy, improve everyday life and create opportunities for more people. Calculating that Kenyans spend over $300 million a year on washing powder, Mitha says Novek is already drawing interest from multinational consumer-goods companies looking for more reliable and greener ways to reach customers. By using IoT - which allows machines equipped with sensors and software to use the internet to connect with other devices - manufacturers can track their product from the time it leaves the factory to when it is sold in Kibera's tin-roofed kiosks, giving them real-time insights into a retailer's inventory and triggering restocking, which makes the supply chain more resilient. It could help them reduce the plastic used to package tiny quantities of washing powder - which can make up some 20% of the cost - and pass those savings back to low-income consumers through cheaper prices. Novek has been able to speed up the research and development needed for its detergent dispenser machines so they're ready for shopkeepers to test thanks to a grant from the Strive Community Innovation Fund, which last year awarded a total of $1 million to eight enterprises focused on creating ways to strengthen small businesses' digital capabilities. Strive Community is part of a portfolio of programs launched by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth with Caribou Digital. Designed to save space in cramped shops while being simple to use, the IoT machines can dispense amounts as small as a few ounces and pull in penny-conscious shoppers. The hope is that by bringing in more customers, the shops will do better and help the whole economy thrive. For Kibera shopkeeper Brian, the bright yellow dispenser Novek recently installed in his shop is already proving a hit with customers and tripling the amount of detergent he sells each week. It's also a way he can help cut down on plastic packaging, which invariably ends up being burnt in Kibera's massive garbage dumps or clogging its already polluted streams. "Customers here are attracted by new things in the market, and technology is something that really piques their interest. The more curious they are, the more word spreads," he says. "They prefer the machine-dispensed soap because it gives them more for their money than the prepackaged sachets." Mitha says Novek's dispensers can eventually be used with many products, such as sugar or honey, in low-income areas around the world. "The vision here," he says, "is that this is viable everywhere in the world where people buy small quantities of goods. The scope is global." Originally published by The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth Check out more content from The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mastercard-center-inclusive-growth Email: [email protected] SOURCE: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth View source version on accesswire.com: NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2023 / Suncor Energy The Northern Offroad 4X4 Society has created a hub for racing enthusiasts in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region, thanks to some incredible volunteers and strong community support. To help with the heavy lifting, Suncor recently donated a decommissioned excavator to the non-profit. The Society operates at Area 63 Motorsports Park, located on Highway 63--the main road leading north from Fort McMurray. The organization may be new, but the location is not. The 3/8-mile track was originally built by another car club in the 1980s but had not been maintained in recent years. Since the Northern Offroad 4X4 Society was formed and granted the park's development permit in 2020, several people and companies have helped reinvigorate the track and spectator area. Including a local towing company that is providing ongoing maintenance and safety inspection support with the excavator in-kind donation. Society President Larry Aulenbach says the group is grateful for all the assistance. "There are some exceptional local businesses and volunteers helping to bring our vision to life to be a top-notch motorsport club in Northern Alberta," says Larry, a heavy equipment operator at Mildred Lake site. "This in-kind excavator donation from Suncor will have so many uses - the sky is the limit. There's also a few of us with heavy equipment experience, which lends itself well to doing the work in-house." To set the in-kind donation gears in motion, Tushaar Dhadwal, Director, Tailings - Maintenance and Reliability, led the work to understand the needs of the Society and followed Suncor in-kind donation processes. He was happy to see the Caterpillar 325 L model be put to good use with the Northern Offroad 4X4 Society. Hein de Jager, Maintenance Manager, Coarse Tailings, was also part of this working group and was on-hand to see the excavator make its first move at the track in May. "This piece of equipment was decommissioned and had no further use to Suncor. It made sense to serve the community where there was a need," says Hein, who drives past the Area 63 Motorsport Track daily on his way to Base Plant. "I've seen some of their progress to improve the track over the last few years. There has been a lot of blood, sweat, tears and passion put into this work." Hauling in support Many families can relate with the phrase "it takes a village to raise a child" and it's one The Hub Family Resource Centre took to heart with their recent Hub Village facility expansion in Fort McMurray. The Hub provides free early learning, child development and family support programs in the region and in May they saw some positive changes. A new central location will allow the non-profit organization to enhance their programming and increase the number of families they can serve simultaneously. Suncor was pleased to be part of their expansion campaign with a support commitment and the addition of a yellow haul truck play structure. Along with this unique piece, Suncor has been proudly supporting the organization through many initiatives since 2011, such as The Hub on Wheels program and June Bug Festival. "Thanks to the generosity of funders, sponsors, and donors, we can sustain free programming throughout the year in Fort McMurray and across Wood Buffalo. Our new location offers a more inclusive and accessible space for all community members. The Hub Village programs and play facility will help foster social and emotional growth during a child's early years," says Samantha Simpson, Executive Director, The Hub Family Resource Centre. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Suncor Energy on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Suncor Energy Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/suncor-energy Email: [email protected] SOURCE: Suncor Energy View source version on accesswire.com: Deutsche Bank reiterated a Buy rating on NIO Inc. (NYSE: NIO) and cut their 12-month price target on the stock ... I'm a New Customer I'm a Returning Customer E-mail Address (or username, if registered via mobile device) Password The Expertly-Curated Festival Of The Future Will Bring Together The Worlds Most Influential Brands And Artists In Long Beach, CA On November 18-19, 2023 LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Complex announced that the culture-defining ComplexCon festival will return to Long Beach in 2023 for two back-to-back days on Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19. ComplexCon is an expertly-curated festival of the future, bringing together the world's most influential brands and artists for an immersive and unforgettable two days of style, sneakers, art, food, music, inspiration, and more. As part of the epic experience, the First We Feast Lagoon will also return, bringing attendees the most delicious, cant get them anywhere else fan-favorite First We Feast and Hot Ones dishes, hosts, and events. Be the first to receive ComplexCon 2023 updates: food and talent lineups, ticket announcements, and other exclusive news. Find more details and sign up at complexcon.com. COMPLEXCON 2023 When: November 18-19, 2023 Where: Long Beach, California View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005642/en/ Press: [email protected] Source: BuzzFeed, Inc. TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The City of Toronto today announced it is marking School Crossing Guard Appreciation Week. The announcement comes less than a week after the citys General Governance Committee voted in favour of changing vendors and laying off roughly 350 school crossing guards. I dont know whether to laugh or to cry, said Myra Chico, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 5519, who represent half the citys crossing guards. We worked through the pandemic, we face all the citys road rage, we keep the kids safe in all weather. If the City truly appreciated us, theyd bring us in-house instead of making us the victims of contract flipping. Crossing guard services had been provided by the Toronto Police Service. In 2019, when responsibility was handed back to the City of Toronto, the city chose to contract out to two private security companies. Next month, when the contracts end, half the guards will lose their jobs as their employers contract flips to other providers. This proclamation is disingenuous at best. If workers are valued, you dont treat them as disposable, said Dave Petten, chair of CUPEs Ontario Municipal Workers Coordinating Committee. This is a problem across Toronto the City contracts out services like crossing guards and respite shelters and keeps workers in poverty by dangling the threat of contract flipping over their heads. Its a system that hurts workers and hurts the quality of services. Because of the threat of losing contracts, workers are afraid to advocate for better working conditions, Chico told the city committee last week before the vote. That means that issues relating to student safety often go unreported, particularly in non-union settings. :pc/cope491 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005796/en/ For more information: Craig Saunders, CUPE Communications, 416-576-7316, [email protected] Source: Canadian Union of Public Employees WINNIPEG, Manitoba--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Exchange Income Corporation (TSX: EIF) (EIC or the Corporation) a diversified, acquisition-oriented company focused on opportunities in the aviation, aerospace and manufacturing sectors, is pleased to announce its subsidiary, Carson Air Ltd. (Carson Air), has been awarded a long-term contract, by the Province of British Columbia, to provide fixed wing medevac coverage for the whole of British Columbia. The contract has an initial ten-year term plus options and requires a fleet of new King Air aircraft to service the province. With the purchase of the new aircraft, EIC will be one of the largest King Air operators in the world. This scope of operation led to EICs strategic decision to enter into a contract to purchase a full motion simulator, for pilot training, to support all of our King Air operations. The simulator not only provides more training time for pilots but also significantly reduces fuel burn and corresponding GHG emissions for both training and travel to training thus reducing our carbon footprint. EIC is excited to expand our medevac business with one of our largest long term government contracts in our history, said Mike Pyle, CEO of EIC. Historically this work in British Columbia has been divided into multiple contracts with different suppliers. Carson Air has now been awarded a contract to provide medevac services throughout the Province evidencing the quality of its work and the confidence placed in Carson Air by the British Columbia government. Mike continued, The investment in this contract is significant at approximately $200 million. We have contracted directly with the OEM for the new King Air aircraft. It will take a period of time to obtain the aircraft from the OEM and modify them with state-of-the-art medical interiors. In preparation for the potential award of this contract we purchased slots at the OEM to ensure we can meet the Provinces timelines. The aircraft will be phased into service once received and when the medevac conversions are complete, explained Carmele Peter, President of EIC. She continued, It is important to note the existing fleet of aircraft utilized in British Columbia are still in very good condition and will be deployed in other aviation opportunities in Canada. The full financial impact of this contract will not be evident in our results until all the new aircraft are modified and put into service and the existing aircraft are deployed into other opportunities. Mike concluded by saying, Our medevac operations have provided consistent, reliable profitability in all economic environments. We are interested in pursuing growth in this segment of our business and this contract is a massive step forward in our strategy. Further details will be provided during our Q2 conference call. About Exchange Income Corporation Exchange Income Corporation is a diversified acquisition-oriented company, focused in two sectors: aerospace & aviation services and equipment, and manufacturing. The Corporation uses a disciplined acquisition strategy to identify already profitable, well-established companies that have strong management teams, generate steady cash flow, operate in niche markets and have opportunities for organic growth. For more information on the Corporation, please visit www.ExchangeIncomeCorp.ca. Additional information relating to the Corporation, including all public filings, is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). About Carson Air Founded in 1990, Carson Air is the primary provider of fixed wing air ambulance services in BC. The company provides fixed wing air ambulance services, air cargo services, and operates a flight school. These services are collectively provided from its three bases in Kelowna, B.C., Vancouver, B.C., and Calgary, AB. Caution Concerning Forward-looking Statements The statements contained in this news release that are forward-looking are based on current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may differ materially. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, COVID-19 and pandemic-related risks, the dependence of Exchange Income Corporation on the operations and assets currently owned by it, the degree to which its subsidiaries are leveraged, the fact that cash distributions are not guaranteed and will fluctuate with the Corporations financial performance, dilution, restrictions on potential future growth, the risk of shareholder liability, competitive pressures (including price competition), changes in market activity, the cyclicality of the industries, seasonality of the businesses, poor weather conditions, and foreign currency fluctuations, legal proceedings, commodity prices and raw material exposure, dependence on key personnel, and environmental, health and safety and other regulatory requirements. Except as required by Canadian Securities Law, the Corporation does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements; such statements speak only as of the date made. Further information about these and other risks and uncertainties can be found in the disclosure documents filed by Exchange Income Corporation with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005204/en/ Mike Pyle Chief Executive Officer Exchange Income Corporation (204) 982-1850 [email protected] Pam Plaster Vice President, Investor Development Exchange Income Corporation (204) 953-1314 [email protected] Source: Exchange Income Corporation The National Pest Management Association is educating Americans on the importance of bed bug inspections and prevention during summer travel season FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- After the COVID-19 pandemic brought travel to a halt, many Americans are making up for lost time this summer by booking their dream, bucket list vacations. According to AAA booking data, international travel is up more than 200% compared to last year with key destinations including European cities like London, Paris and Rome. A Deloitte Insights survey also found that half of Americans say they will take a leisure vacation involving a stay in paid lodging this summer, up from 46% in 2022. To protect travelers from unwanted encounters with bed bugs, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is warning Americans about these resilient, bloodsucking pests and urging inspections and prevention during Bed Bug Awareness Week this June 4 10. Bed bugs are a sight you definitely wont want to see on your once-in-a-lifetime vacation. According to a new survey from NPMA conducted by the Harris Poll, 38% of Americans are concerned about encountering bed bugs while traveling. However, less than one third (29%) of Americans know how to inspect for bed bugs and only 32% are confident they can identify a bed bug. Bed bugs feed on blood to survive so they are often found in hotel or rental property beds because the humans that sleep there make for an easy meal, said Jim Fredericks, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for NPMA. However, its important for travelers to know that bed bugs are not only found in beds, they can also hide just about anywhere and have even been found in airplanes, trains and buses. To help travelers prepare for their vacations, NPMA is sharing these key bed bug inspection and prevention tips to help reduce encounters with these hitchhiking pests: Upon arriving at your hotel room or rental property, thoroughly inspect the entire space before unpacking, including behind headboards, under lights and inside dressers, sofas and chairs. See here for NPMAs bed bug identification guide. Pull back sheets and inspect mattress seams and box springs, particularly at the corners, for telltale stains or spots. Avoid placing luggage on furniture or luggage racks where bed bugs can hide unseen. Carry a small flashlight to assist you with visual inspections. If you see anything to suggest bed bugs, change rooms/establishments immediately. Do not stay in an adjacent room. When returning home from a trip, vacuum and properly inspect suitcases before bringing them into the home. Wash and dry all clothes even those that have not been worn on hot cycles. Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and can sneak home with you on your clothing or luggage. If you suspect you may have a bed bug issue in your home, contact a pest control professional immediately. Bed bugs are extremely difficult to eradicate and require the help of a qualified pest pro, added Fredericks. For more information on bed bugs and prevention tips, visit PestWorld.org. Survey Methodology This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of NPMA between May 23 - 25, 2023, among 2,049 adults ages 18+. 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 +/- 3.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact [email protected]. About the National Pest Management Association The NPMA, a non-profit organization with more than 5,500 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry's commitment to the protection of public health, food and property from the diseases and dangers of pests. For more information, visit PestWorld.org or follow @PestWorld on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok and YouTube and @PestWorldOfficial on Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005566/en/ Brianna Greco Vault Communications, Inc. [email protected] (610) 329-0442 Source: National Pest Management Association MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HGreg continues its philanthropic commitment by donating a personal record of $55,000 to the organization Operation Enfant Soleil as part of its 36th telethon on June 4, 2023. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005012/en/ HGreg has been a partner of Operation Enfant Soleil for 19 years and has been part of the Operation Enfant Soleil certified companies for 9 years. In addition, HGreg is the organization's official carrier. HGreg has provided a vehicle with a decal throughout the year to facilitate the movement of children and their families when they need care. "For HGreg, the best way to stay involved in our community is to ensure that the children, our future, are and remain healthy," explains Harry Kasparian, vice-president of marketing. We are all united for this cause at HGregoire, which is why we wanted to accentuate our commitment by providing a vehicle throughout the year to help children and their families. In addition, we have employees who engage in fundraising Among the initiatives that raised $55,000, HGregoire renewed its annual "One comment, one donation" campaign, consisting of donating one dollar to Operation Enfant Soleil for each comment left on its video posted on its social networks between May 4th and May 18th. HGregoire also raised $7,000 during their Christmas party last December with the help of employees. About HGreg Founded in 1993, HGreg, which includes both HGreg and HGreg.com, is committed to simplifying the vehicle-buying process through the values of excellence, transparency, the judicious use of technology and a refreshingly customer-focused philosophy. With a passionate team of over 1,500 car enthusiasts, HGreg operates 30 dealerships in North America, including 20 in Quebec, offering both new and pre-owned vehicles. For more information, visit www.hgregoire.com. About Operation Enfant Soleil Operation Enfant Soleil raises funds to support the development of quality paediatrics for all sick children in Quebec. Thanks to collected donations, hundreds of projects are implemented each year in hospitals and regional organizations as well as in large paediatric centres, enabling them to acquire cutting-edge technology and create inviting, comfortable spaces where children can be treated close to their families. Over $273 million has been donated across the province thanks to the generosity of thousands of Quebeckers, the support of volunteers and the dedication of its partners. For more information, please visit www.operation-enfant-soleil.ca. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005012/en/ For more information : Deborah Jourdanne HGregoire 450 472-7272, poste 1183 [email protected] Penelope Carreau Torchia Communications 514 984-6123 [email protected] Source: HGreg VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- New Found Gold Corp. (New Found or the Company) (TSX-V: NFG, NYSE-A: NFGC) is pleased to announce the results from one diamond drill hole that was completed as part of a follow-up drill program at the new Iceberg discovery, a high-grade zone located 300m northeast of Keats Main along the highly prospective Appleton Fault Zone (AFZ). New Founds 100%-owned Queensway project comprises a 1,662 km2 area, accessible via the Trans-Canada Highway, 15km west of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005332/en/ Figure 1: Photos of mineralization from NFGC-23-1210: Left: at ~73.5m, Right: at ~77.5m, Bottom: ~58-82m. ^Note that these photos are not intended to be representative of gold mineralization in NFGC-23-1210. (Graphic: Business Wire) Iceberg Highlights: Hole No. From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Zone NFGC-23-1210 59.75 86.80 27.05 105.32 Iceberg Including 59.75 60.60 0.85 59.00 Including 61.80 62.25 0.45 22.82 Including 63.20 66.35 3.15 38.92 Including1 69.65 70.70 1.05 159.61 Including1 71.20 78.50 7.30 234.69 Including1 80.35 81.35 1.00 756.96 Table 1: Iceberg Drilling Highlights Note that the host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping and true widths are generally estimated to be 70% to 95% of reported intervals.1 A structurally complex interval containing possible oblique veining where true widths could be as low as 30%; further drilling at varying orientations is required to accurately apply a true width to this interval. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional uncertainty in true width. Composite intervals reported carry a minimum weighted average of 1 g/t Au diluted over a minimum core length of 2m with a maximum of 4m consecutive dilution. Included high-grade intercepts are reported as any consecutive interval with grades greater than 10 g/t Au. Grades have not been capped in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. NFGC-23-1210 intersected 105 g/t Au over 27.05m just 35m from surface at Iceberg . High-grade mineralization is well distributed throughout the composite with nine individual sample intervals registering over 100 g/t Au (Table 3). just at . High-grade mineralization is well distributed throughout the composite with (Table 3). The hole is located 32m along strike of previously reported 49.7 g/t Au over 29.85m in NFGC-23-1120 (March 13, 2023) and 30m down-dip of previously reported 15.3 g/t Au over 10.75m in NFGC-22-1084 (March 1, 2023). along strike of previously reported 49.7 g/t Au over 29.85m in NFGC-23-1120 (March 13, 2023) and down-dip of previously reported 15.3 g/t Au over 10.75m in NFGC-22-1084 (March 1, 2023). Iceberg is currently drill-defined over a strike length of 550m and represents the fault-displaced eastern extent of the Keats-Baseline Fault Zone (KBFZ), the same fault that hosts Keats Main. Presently, the Keats Main-Iceberg-Iceberg East mineralized corridor has a combined strike length of 1.8km (May 31, 2023). Iceberg-Iceberg East remains open in all directions and drilling is ongoing to expand along strike and to depth with several intervals currently pending assay results (Figures 1-4). Melissa Render, VP of Exploration of New Found, stated: Discovering high-grade gold mineralization of this magnitude over such a thick interval is rare in nature, and yet, Queensway has produced several of these high-caliber hits across a multitude of zones. NFGC-23-1210 runs 27m in length with several distinct areas of strong quartz veining, laden with visible gold (Figure 1). Logging of the hole identified 1,153 counts of visible gold, which ranks as one of the highest seen at Queensway to date. The Keats-Baseline Fault has proven its potential time and time again and is now defined over a strike length of 1.8km. With the majority of drilling at Queensway focused in the top 250m, and with the seismic program well underway, we look forward to exploration drilling later in 2023 when we can use the drill bit to target the deeper plumbing along the Appleton Fault Zone with an eye towards finding feeder zones and repetitions in mineralization. Drillhole Details Hole No. From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Zone NFGC-23-1210 59.75 86.80 27.05 105.32 Iceberg Including 59.75 60.60 0.85 59.00 Including 61.80 62.25 0.45 22.82 Including 63.20 66.35 3.15 38.92 Including1 69.65 70.70 1.05 159.61 Including1 71.20 78.50 7.30 234.69 Including1 80.35 81.35 1.00 756.96 Table 2: Summary of composite results reported in this press release for Iceberg and Iceberg East Note that the host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping and true widths are generally estimated to be 70% to 95% of reported intervals.1A structurally complex interval containing possible oblique veining where true widths could be as low as 30%; further drilling at varying orientations is required to accurately apply a true width to this interval. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional uncertainty in true width. Composite intervals reported carry a minimum weighted average of 1 g/t Au diluted over a minimum core length of 2m with a maximum of 4m consecutive dilution. Included high-grade intercepts are reported as any consecutive interval with grades greater than 10 g/t Au. Grades have not been capped in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. Hole No. From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) NFGC-23-1210 59.75 60.60 0.85 59.00 NFGC-23-1210 60.60 61.15 0.55 1.89 NFGC-23-1210 61.15 61.80 0.65 3.12 NFGC-23-1210 61.80 62.25 0.45 22.82 NFGC-23-1210 62.25 63.20 0.95 3.54 NFGC-23-1210 63.20 63.60 0.40 79.22 NFGC-23-1210 63.60 64.45 0.85 40.92 NFGC-23-1210 64.45 65.00 0.55 47.87 NFGC-23-1210 65.00 65.65 0.65 13.66 NFGC-23-1210 65.65 66.35 0.70 29.87 NFGC-23-1210 66.35 67.05 0.70 7.13 NFGC-23-1210 67.05 67.45 0.40 1.20 NFGC-23-1210 67.45 68.00 0.55 3.68 NFGC-23-1210 68.00 68.90 0.90 2.42 NFGC-23-1210 68.90 69.65 0.75 2.32 NFGC-23-1210 69.65 70.05 0.40 14.49 NFGC-23-1210 70.05 70.70 0.65 248.91 NFGC-23-1210 70.70 71.20 0.50 3.33 NFGC-23-1210 71.20 72.00 0.80 233.37 NFGC-23-1210 72.00 72.95 0.95 317.49 NFGC-23-1210 72.95 73.55 0.60 185.01 NFGC-23-1210 73.55 74.30 0.75 123.38 NFGC-23-1210 74.30 74.90 0.60 232.72 NFGC-23-1210 74.90 75.65 0.75 661.47 NFGC-23-1210 75.65 76.55 0.90 85.63 NFGC-23-1210 76.55 77.05 0.50 11.12 NFGC-23-1210 77.05 77.80 0.75 337.77 NFGC-23-1210 77.80 78.50 0.70 70.98 NFGC-23-1210 78.50 79.10 0.60 1.71 NFGC-23-1210 78.50 79.10 0.60 2.96 NFGC-23-1210 79.10 79.70 0.60 1.43 NFGC-23-1210 79.70 80.35 0.65 3.31 NFGC-23-1210 80.35 81.35 1.00 756.96 NFGC-23-1210 81.35 82.20 0.85 0.78 NFGC-23-1210 82.20 82.75 0.55 0.43 NFGC-23-1210 82.75 83.50 0.75 0.69 NFGC-23-1210 83.50 84.50 1.00 1.24 NFGC-23-1210 84.50 85.15 0.65 0.67 NFGC-23-1210 85.15 86.10 0.95 0.52 NFGC-23-1210 86.10 86.80 0.70 1.43 Table 3: Gold assay sample intervals Hole No. Azimuth () Dip () Length (m) UTM E UTM N Prospect NFGC-23-1210 300 -45 236 658473 5427807 Iceberg Table 4: Details of drill holes reported in this press release Queensway 500,000m Drill Program Update The Company is currently undertaking a 500,000m drill program at Queensway and approximately 55,135m of core is currently pending assay results. Sampling, Sub-sampling, and Laboratory All drilling recovers HQ core. Drill core is split in half using a diamond saw or a hydraulic splitter for rare intersections with incompetent core. A geologist examines the drill core and marks out the intervals to be sampled and the cutting line. Sample lengths are mostly 1.0 meter and adjusted to respect lithological and/or mineralogical contacts and isolate narrow ( Technicians saw the core along the defined cutting line. One-half of the core is kept as a witness sample and the other half is submitted for analysis. Individual sample bags are sealed and placed into totes, sealed and marked with the contents. New Found submits samples for gold determination by fire assay to ALS Canada Ltd. (ALS) and by photon assay to MSALABS (MSA) since June 2022. ALS and MSA operate under a commercial contract with New Found. Drill core samples are shipped to ALS for sample preparation in Sudbury, Ontario, Thunder Bay, Ontario, or Moncton, New Brunswick. ALS is an ISO-17025 accredited laboratory for the fire assay method. Drill core samples are also submitted to MSA in Val-dOr, Quebec. MSA operates numerous laboratories worldwide and maintains ISO-17025 accreditation for many metal determination methods. Accreditation of the photon assay method at the MSA Val DOr laboratory is in progress. At ALS, the entire sample is crushed to approximately 70% passing 2mm. A 3,000-g split is pulverized. Routine samples do not have visible gold (VG) identified and are not within a mineralized zone. Routine samples are assayed for gold by 30-g fire assay with an inductively-couple plasma spectrometry (ICP) finish. If the initial 30-g fire assay gold result is over 1 g/t, the remainder of the 3,000-g split is screened at 106 microns for screened metallics assay. For the screened metallics assay, the entire coarse fraction (sized greater than 106 microns) is fire assayed and two splits of the fine fraction (sized less than 106 microns) are fire assayed. The three assays are combined on a weight-averaged basis. Samples that have VG identified or fall within a mineralized interval are automatically submitted for screened metallic assay for gold. At MSA, the entire sample is crushed to approximately 70% passing 2mm. For routine samples that do not have VG identified and are not within a mineralized zone, the samples are riffle split to fill two 450g jars for photon assay. The assays reported from both jars are combined on a weight-averaged basis. If one of the jars assays greater than 1 g/t, the remaining crushed material is weighed into multiple jars and are submitted for photon assay. For samples that have VG identified or are within a mineralized zone, the entire crushed sample is weighed into multiple jars and are submitted for photon assay. The assays from all jars are combined on a weight-averaged basis. All samples prepared at ALS or MSA are also analyzed for a multi-element ICP package (ALS method code ME-ICP61) at ALS Vancouver. Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control and interpretation of results are performed by qualified persons employing a rigorous Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with industry best practices. Standards and blanks account for a minimum of 10% of the samples in addition to the laboratorys internal quality assurance programs. Quality Control data are evaluated on receipt from the laboratories for failures. Appropriate action is taken if assay results for standards and blanks fall outside allowed tolerances. All results stated have passed New Founds quality control protocols. New Founds quality control program also includes submission of the second half of the core for approximately 5% of the drilled intervals. In addition, approximately 1% of sample pulps for mineralized samples are submitted for re-analysis to a second ISO-accredited laboratory for check assays. The Company does not recognize any factors of drilling, sampling or recovery that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the assay data disclosed. The assay data disclosed in this news release have been verified by the Companys Qualified Person against the original assay certificates. The Company notes that it has not completed any economic evaluations of its Queensway Project and that the Queensway Project does not have any resources or reserves. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Greg Matheson, P. Geo., Chief Operating Officer, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Matheson consents to the publication of this press release dated June 5, 2023, by New Found. Mr. Matheson certifies that this press release fairly and accurately represents the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this press release. About New Found Gold Corp. New Found holds a 100% interest in the Queensway Project, located 15km west of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, and just 18km from Gander International Airport. The project is intersected by the Trans-Canada Highway and has logging roads crosscutting the project, high voltage electric power lines running through the project area, and easy access to a highly skilled workforce. The Company is currently undertaking a 500,000m drill program at Queensway and is well funded for this program with cash and marketable securities of approximately $52 million as of June 2023. Please see the Companys website at www.newfoundgold.ca and the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Acknowledgements New Found acknowledges the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program, Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Contact To contact the Company, please visit the Companys website, www.newfoundgold.ca and make your request through our investor inquiry form. Our management has a pledge to be in touch with any investor inquiries within 24 hours. 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 Statement Cautions This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to exploration, drilling and mineralization on the Companys Queensway gold project in Newfoundland and Labrador; assay results; the interpretation of drilling and assay results, the results of the drilling program, mineralization and the discovery of zones of high-grade gold mineralization; plans for future exploration and drilling and the timing of same; the merits of the Queensway project; future press releases by the Company; and funding of the drilling program. 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," interpreted, "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," suggests, indicate, often, target, future, likely, pending, "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," possibly, preliminary, 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. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, risks associated with the interpretation of assay results and the drilling program, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's Annual Information Form and Managements discussion and Analysis, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005332/en/ New Found Gold Corp. Per: Collin Kettell Collin Kettell, Chief Executive Officer Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 (845) 535-1486 Source: New Found Gold Corp. Investing.com - Brent and WTI are registering rises of between 1% and 1.5% this Monday with OPEC+ extending its agreement on crude supply restrictions through 2024 and Saudi Arabia announcing production cuts of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) to a total of 9 million bpd. In what can be considered the largest output revision in recent years, the cartel now has cuts in place for 3.66 million bpd, equivalent to 3.6% of global demand, including 2 million bpd agreed last year and voluntary cuts of 1.66 million bpd decided in April. Market reaction was initially very positive but then retreated due to assessments made on the economic context and the demand capacity of major importers. For Swiss bank UBS, today's performance of black gold does not change its long-term outlook, seen at $95 by the end of the year. "Despite the modest market reaction, we take this as a very bullish outcome. The Saudi 1mbpd cut in July can be extended if needed, and the tone at the press conference suggested producer unity. We believe oil demand remains solid, and that the voluntary production cuts should help tighten the market into 2H," UBS analysts wrote in their Daily Europe note. The bank maintains oil among its preferred asset classes despite a 9% year-to-date decline in the North Sea contract, and expects "Brent crude at USD 95/bbl by end-2023." (Translated from Italian) The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets has held a meeting with the Vatican's special representative Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who arrived in Ukraine on behalf of Pope Francis, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas. As Lubinets said on the Telegram channel on Monday, the parties met at the Center for the Protection of Children's Rights, which was opened on the initiative of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "I presented to the delegation from the Vatican a special report on the violation of the rights of Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia, information materials on human rights violations in Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. He told me that every Ukrainian child who is staying in Ukraine and went abroad felt the consequences of the war," Lubinets wrote after the meeting. In addition, according to him, the occupiers are massively exporting Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories to the Russian Federation. "We don't know the exact number or where they are. However, we manage to return children home, and each such story is like a separate special operation," the Ombudsman noted. He separately drew the attention of the delegation's representatives to the issue of the return of civilian hostages held by the Russian Federation. "We don't know the exact figure. However, this is tens of thousands of citizens of Ukraine, among whom there are priests of the Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic churches," Lubinets said. The Ombudsman expressed conviction that this visit of Vatican representatives to Ukraine "will once again demonstrate who the aggressor and who the victim is." "Ukraine must liberate its entire territory, because this is the only mechanism for protecting children," Lubinets summed up. Italys Economy Minister, Giancarlo Giorgetti told reporters Monday that the Italian government has no need to directly invest in automaker Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), mirroring a statement made last week by the companys chairman John Elkann. When reporters asked whether Rome should invest in Stellantis to have more say in how it's run, Giorgetti responded by saying that the company's CEO, Carlos Tavares, has shown his ability to deliver excellent financial results for the group. "Based on my economic culture, I think that states must enter (companies) only when the market fails and to preserve strategic interests," Giorgetti said during a conference in Milan. Italy's automotive association ANFIA said last week that a government investment in Stellantis could serve as a balance against the French government's ownership stake in the company. The French government previously invested in Peugeot maker PSA which in 2021 merged with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis. "I don't know if France has more say than Italy in Stellantis," Giorgetti said on Monday. Shares of STLA are down 0.13% in mid-day trading on Monday. By Michael Elkins | [email protected] Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: PAG), a diversified international transportation services company and one of the world's premier automotive and commercial truck retailers, today announced that it has acquired Transolutions Truck Centres ("TSTC"), a retailer of medium and heavy-duty commercial trucks and buses, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba , Canada. With this acquisition, Premier Truck Group, the Company's wholly-owned commercial truck subsidiary, continues to expand and complement its operations in Canada by establishing a presence in an additional Canadian province. TSTC consists of five locations throughout the greater Winnipeg market, including three full-service dealerships and two parts & service centers. TSTC sells and services Freightliner Trucks, Western Star Trucks and Thomas Built Buses, and is the licensed dealer for SelecTrucks, Daimler Truck's used vehicle brand, for the entire territory of Manitoba . The TSTC acquisition is expected to add 73 service bays, 59 technicians and approximately 200 new members to the Premier Truck Group team. The acquisition is expected to generate approximately $180 million in annualized revenue. With the inclusion of the TSTC facilities, Premier Truck Group now operates 44 locations throughout North America . Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) (the Company) announced today that it has priced an aggregate principal amount of $400 million of 6.000% senior notes due 2033 (the Senior Notes) pursuant to a public offering. The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with cash on hand, if necessary, to repay upon maturity its $400 million 4.70% senior notes due 2023, which mature on September 15, 2023, and the remainder, if any, for general corporate purposes. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. are acting as the joint book-running managers for the offering, and Mizuho Securities USA LLC and MUFG Securities Americas Inc. are serving as co-managers. The Senior Notes have a maturity date of September 15, 2033, with a par-call option three months prior to maturity, an issue price of 99.639% and feature a fixed-rate coupon of 6.000%, payable semiannually. The Company expects to complete the offering of the Senior Notes on June 8, 2023, subject to customary closing conditions. This offering is being conducted as a public offering by means of a prospectus supplement filed as part of a shelf registration statement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on Form S-3. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, the Senior Notes 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. This offering is being made solely by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement. Copies of the prospectus and final prospectus supplement relating to the offering, when available, may be obtained by contacting: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, by telephone at (212) 834-4533 or by fax at (212) 834-6081; BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-022-02-25, 201 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department, Email: [email protected], (800) 294-1322; and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., 214 N. Tryon Street, 26th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Facsimile: (877) 774-3462, Attention: Debt Capital Markets. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and the final prospectus supplement, when available, and the documents that are incorporated by reference therein for more complete information about the offering. Investors may also obtain these documents for free by visiting the EDGAR system on the SECs website at www.sec.gov or by contacting the underwriters listed above with your request. About RGA Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) is a global industry leader specializing in life and health reinsurance and financial solutions that help clients effectively manage risk and optimize capital. Founded in 1973, RGA is one of the worlds largest and most respected reinsurers and is guided by a fundamental purpose: to make financial protection accessible to all. RGA is widely recognized for superior risk management and underwriting expertise, innovative product design, and dedicated client focus. RGA serves clients and partners in key markets around the world and has approximately $3.4 trillion of life reinsurance in force and assets of $89.1 billion as of March 31, 2023. Barcelona, Spain , June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Andes Technology Corporation (TWSE: 6533; SIN: US03420C2089; ISIN: US03420C1099), a leading provider of high efficiency, low-power 32/64-bit RISC-V processor cores and a Founding Premier member of RISC-V International, is pleased to announce its diamond sponsor participation in the prestigious RISC-V Summit Europe. This premier event, taking place from June 5 to 8, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain, will feature Andes as a key contributor, presenting a keynote speech, poster publication, and participation in an automotive panel discussion. Additionally, Andes will be showcasing its cutting-edge RISC-V CPU IP solutions at booth #14. Join Dr. Charlie Su, President and CTO of Andes, as he delivers an engaging keynote titled "RISC-V is Firing on All Cylinders" on June 6 at 12:00 PM. Dr. Su will highlight the rapid adoption of RISC-V across a wide range of applications, from small microcontrollers to AI/ML accelerator systems in data centers. The keynote will provide examples of RISC-V applications and the corresponding solutions to support them and will also explore different approaches for matrix multiplication extension, enabling direct AI/ML acceleration with the RISC-V architecture. Furthermore, Dr. Charlie Su will contribute to a panel discussion on "Automotive/Embedded" on June 6 at 17:30 PM. Andes recently announced its new product line, AndesAIRE, which offers highly efficient AI/ML solutions for edge and end-point inference. On, June 7, Warren Chen, Andes senior Technical Manager, Marketing, will give a demo presentation titled "Andes AI Runs Everywhere (AndesAIRE) with DSP/Vector/NN Libraries and AndesClarity" in the demo theater on June 7 at 11:10 AM. In addition, Andes will proudly showcase development boards with AndesCore-Embedded technology at booth #14. These boards include the Tinker V, the first RISC-V Single-Board Computer (SBC) from ASUS IoT; an MPU development board from Renesas; an AI development kit with a camera module from Canaan; the IT9836 TDDI demo board from ITE; and the PC802SCB 5G small cell reference design from Picocom. You can learn more about the RISC-V Software Ecosystem (RISE) project on Andes booth #14. Andes is proud to be part of the newly launched RISE Project, a new open source initiative to accelerate the development of software for RISC-V across a variety of market segments. Hosted by Linux Foundation Europe, RISE will support the global standards activities and achievements of RISC-V International, said Dr. Charlie Su, CTO and President of Andes Technology and a Director of the RISE Governing Board. Please visit the RISE website for how to join and other information. This event presents a valuable opportunity for RISC-V enthusiasts to engage in one-on-one discussions with Andes experts, enabling deeper exploration of RISC-V solutions. We invite you to visit booth #14 at the RISC-V Summit Europe and experience live demonstrations of our leading-edge CPU IP technology. Details of Andes sessions during the RISC-V Summit Europe are as follows:Tuesday, June 6, 12:00 - 12:15 PM: Keynote RISC-V is Firing on All Cylinders by Dr. Charlie Su, President and CTO 17:30 - 18:30 PM: Automotive/Embedded Panel by Dr. Charlie Su, President and CTOWednesday, June 7, 11:10 - 11:30 AM: Demo Talk Andes AI Runs Everywhere with DSP/ Vector/ NN Libraries and AndesClarity by Warren Chen, Senior Technical Manager, Marketing For more information, please visit the RISC-V Summit Europe website. About Andes TechnologyEighteen years in business and a Founding Premier member of RISC-V International, Andes is a publicly-listed company (TWSE: 6533; SIN: US03420C2089; ISIN: US03420C1099), a leading supplier of high-performance/ low-power 32/64-bit embedded processor IP solutions, and the driving force in taking RISC-V mainstream. Andes fifth-generation AndeStar architecture adopted the RISC-V as the base. Its V5 RISC-V CPU families range from tiny 32-bit cores to advanced 64-bit Out-of-Order processors with DSP, FPU, Vector, Linux, superscalar, and/or multi/many-core capabilities. By the end of 2022, the cumulative volume of Andes-Embedded SoCs has surpassed 12 billion. For more information, please visit https://www.andestech.com. Follow Andes on LinkedInFacebookWeiboTwitterBilibili and YouTube! Hsiao-Ling Lin Marcom Manager, Andes Technology Corp. [email protected] Source: Andes Technology Corporation The Agtech company and organic food producer AUGA group, AB (hereinafter the Company) continues the option programme started in 2019 and implements the 2020 stock options for employees. 2 021 030 shares are granted to 186 employees. The Company started the option programme in the spring, 2019, when, in the first phase, more than 2.55 million units of shares were allocated to employees. Employees who signed the share option agreements in 2020 this year can use them. The decision to increase the share capital of the Company by issuing new ordinary registered shares, that will be transferred free of charge to the employees who submitted the respective notifications, was approved by the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders that took place on 28 April 2023. Ownership of the shares will pass to the employees from the moment the shares are transferred to the employees personal securities accounts. We continue the stock option programme launched in 2019 and we are glad that this year, for the second time, employees can realize the stock options granted to them. The same as last year the shares that have become property of employees are not only a pleasant evaluation and a financial benefit, but also an even greater motivation to strive for better results and value growth of the company, says Kestutis Juscius, CEO of AUGA Group, AB. The Company is continuing its option programme for the fifth year. From the beginning of the programme in the period of 2019-2023 more than 11 million of shares was distributed for more than 370 employees. CEO of AUGA Group, AB Kestutis Juscius +370 5 233 5340 Fast-growing US internet provider partners with Attensi to deliver gamified simulation training in just six weeks BOSTON, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brightspeed, the 5th largest incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) provider of home and business internet in the US, has successfully implemented a new training solution to enhance the onboarding process for its sales agents. Teaming up with Attensi, a leading provider of gamified simulation training, Brightspeed was able to develop and deploy a top-quality training program in just six weeks. Kristen McCarthy, Director of Small Business Product and Offer Management for Brightspeed, expressed her satisfaction with the partnership, stating Attensi has been a terrific partner - bringing world-class software, great minds and a collaborative spirit so that your training will be effective and fun. The training proved highly successful in developing salespeople as multi-skilled product experts, proficient in customer engagement, product knowledge, and technical issues. It aligned with Brightspeed's goal of creating an environment where agents learn effectively and actively participate in the learning process. Within a matter of weeks, the innovative training solution had upskilled over 1,100+ Brightspeed agents, enabling the company to advance its mission of providing millions of consumers with high-speed internet. The launch saw Brightspeed and Attensi create not one but two solutions, consisting of 19 training modules to cater to the diverse needs of both existing employees and new team members. The solutions, called BRIGHTSPEED ENGAGE and BRIGHTSPEED DISCOVER, were based on the Attensi PROCESS and Attensi SKILLS platforms, respectively. Trond Aas, Attensi Co-Founder and CEO: "Our vision has always been to create a no-code platform that allows organizations to create as many gamified modules as they need to rapidly develop their teams. Attensi allows organizations to adopt and implement game-based simulations. To see Brightspeed working in Attensi CREATOR within hours shows how far we have come on this journey." Feedback from the sales agents has been overwhelmingly positive, with 90% reporting that they found the gamified training engaging. The immediate impact was evident as agents demonstrated product expertise and proficiency in company systems during customer calls. Observing this progress, Brightspeed leaders were delighted with the solutions' timely delivery and the positive results they generated. The training approach employed by Attensi involved co-creating bite-sized sessions with playable digital scenarios that accurately mirrored real workplace situations. Competitive mechanics were incorporated, allowing learners to score points and compare their progress with colleagues, fostering repetition and knowledge retention. Chad Laws, Manager of Center Sale & Care at Brightspeed, highlighted the interactive and user-friendly format of the training, stating, Users got to experience a more fun way to take their training, thanks to the gaming feature. It really drives and motivates employees to score their best or even beat their best by retaking the modules to earn their highest score. After completing BRIGHTSPEED DISCOVER, agents gained the ability to confidently and expertly explain marketing messages to customers, understand Brightspeed's full Fiber product offer and pricing, pitch and sell solutions, and assist customers in making informed decisions. On the other hand, BRIGHTSPEED ENGAGE empowered staff with full mastery of Brightspeed's ordering process, customer relationship management, customer call flows, and IT systems. Implementation of this successful training initiative has enabled Brightspeed employees to provide broadband services with confidence, thus expanding access to these vital services in the Midwest and Southeast United States. Improved access to broadband not only enhances employment prospects for individuals but also opens up economic opportunities for communities and counties. About Brightspeed: Brightspeed is the 5th largest incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) provider of home and business internet in the US. With a mission to connect millions of people to high-speed internet, Brightspeed strives to make the American dream of broadband a reality for customers. About Attensi: Attensi is the worlds leading provider of high-impact gamified training the most effective way to upskill your people with significant improvements in your KPIs. Engage your staff with immersive 3D training, powered by the best insights from human psychology, learning, and gaming. Whether on mobile, desktop, or VR, empower your people to master new skills with training they will want to complete and repeat. Recreate their working environments with immersive 3D graphics, realistic scenarios, and interactive dialogues with voice-acted avatars to test their knowledge, all in a safe, learning-by-doing environment. Attensi has delivered gamified simulation training in over 150 countries and more than 50 languages. Our customers include Microsoft, Equinor, Circle K, Bosch Siemens Home Appliances, NHS, Accenture, Wagamamas, Hiscox, Scatec Solar and many more. Attensi is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices in London, Koln, Boston and Palo Alto. OTTAWA, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) will be holding its Annual Clinical and Scientific Conference this June 6-9 in Ottawa. This 4-day event will include discussion panels, workshops, and a multitude of plenary sessions on key issues for Womens Health. We believe this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase what the SOGC does to improve womens sexual and reproductive health. Many leading physicians will be presenting their findings on a variety of subjects, with valuable knowledge that will benefit us all, not just professional healthcare providers, said Dr. Diane Francoeur, CEO of the SOGC. This is our signature continuing medical education forum and we are very proud of what we have to offer this year. Topics covered: FEATURED - Inaugural Summit on the Prevention of Maternal Mortality in Canada. Yes, there are still deaths occurring in Canada during delivery or after. Doctors will discuss prevention toolkits, trends in severe maternal morbidity, impact on mental health, what are UK and USA doing, etc. Tuesday, June 6th. Yes, there are still deaths occurring in Canada during delivery or after. Doctors will discuss prevention toolkits, trends in severe maternal morbidity, impact on mental health, what are UK and USA doing, etc. Tuesday, June 6th. Medication abortion - as planned vs not as planned (with Dr. Bruce B. Allan, MD) Wednesday, June 7th. (with Dr. Bruce B. Allan, MD) Wednesday, June 7th. Managing menopause in 2023 (with Dr. Michelle R. Jacobson, MD) - Wednesday June 7th. (with Dr. Michelle R. Jacobson, MD) - Wednesday June 7th. Addressing inequities in reproductive health globally : Making the seemingly impossible possible (with Dr. Astrid Christoffersen-Deb, MD) Thursday, June 8th. : (with Dr. Astrid Christoffersen-Deb, MD) Thursday, June 8th. New development in management of endometrial and ovarian cancer (with Dr. Sarah Sinasac, MD, and Dr. Johanne Weberpals) Friday, June 9th Over 400 obstetricians, gynaecologists and physicians will attend the biggest Ob/Gyn event in Canada. Website for the conference schedule: ACSC 2023 The SOGC is one of Canadas oldest national specialty organizations and has been a leader of the advancement of womens health since 1944. CONTACTS: Patrick OReilly, SOGC Communications SpecialistTel: 438-370-5095Email: [email protected] Source: The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via IBN -- Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. (OTCPK: ATDS) (Data443 or the Company), a data security and privacy software company for "All Things Data Security," today announces the addition of antivirus and ransomware protection to its Enhanced File Transfer/Managed File Transfer (EFT/MFT) solution, Data Placement Manager (DPM). These additions are powered by the Companys Ransomware Recovery Manager (RRM), named Best for Inexpensive Protection and Best for Kiosks by PC Mag (PC Magazine Selects Data443s Ransomware Recovery Manager as One of the Best Ransomware Protections for 2023 - InvestorWire (IW)). Todays announcement follows a recent flurry of customer renewals and additional contract wins for the companys EFT/MFT solution from long-time clients within the fintech sector. Data443s DPM securely processes thousands of sensitive data files on an hourly basis for its clients across the globe, with clients experiencing as much as 99.999% uptime. Sensitive data interchange between organizations continues to grow in volume and sensitivity, said Jason Remillard, Data443s CEO and founder, creating a more dangerous risk environment. Cybercriminals relentlessly identify an organizations active software stack and exploit undisclosed vulnerabilities immediately. Whats worse, when vulnerabilities become public knowledge, many organizations lag in making the necessary updates and fixes. Thats why we believe organizations should always plan for the when it happens event for protection and recovery. Remillard continued: We are proud to be entrusted with the highly regulated data of our customers, especially given the current climate of ongoing data breach news. Our strength in EFT/MFT with some of the worlds largest fintech enterprises positions Data443 to continue growing relationships in fintech and beyond as more enterprises leverage the public cloud for scale, cost savings and disaster recovery. Todays announcement follows Data443s recent definitive agreement to acquire select assets from Cyren Ltd. (Cyren). That transaction greatly expands the companys data security and protection capabilities and augments its cyber threat intelligence (CTI) services, solidifying its position as a market leader in the data security and privacy industry. About Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. (OTC: ATDS) provides software and services to enable secure data across devices and databases, at rest and in flight/in transit, locally, on a network or in the cloud. We are All Things Data Security. With over 10,000 customers in over 100 countries, Data443 provides a modern approach to data governance and security by identifying and protecting all sensitive data regardless of location, platform or format. Our framework helps customers prioritize risk, identify security gaps and implement effective data protection and privacy management strategies. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by use of terms such as "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "may," "could," "will," "should," "plan," "project," "intend," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "pursuant," "target," "continue" or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. Statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding Data443's plans, objectives, future opportunities for Data443's services, future financial performance and operating results, and any other statements regarding Data443's future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, financial conditions, assumptions or future events or performance, or regarding the anticipated consummation of any transaction, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are difficult to predict or are beyond Data443's control. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. They may relate to the outcome of litigation, settlements and investigations; actions by third parties, including governmental agencies; volatility in customer spending; global economic conditions; inability to hire and retain personnel; loss of, or reduction in business with, key customers; difficulty with growth and integration of acquisitions; product liability; cybersecurity risk; anti-takeover measures in the Companys charter documents; and the uncertainties created by global health issues, such as the ongoing outbreak of COVID, and political unrest and conflict, such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. These and other important risk factors are described more fully in the Companys reports and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("the SEC"), including in Part I, Item 1A of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on Feb. 24, 2023, and subsequent filings with the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this press release, which are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Data443 undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. DATA443 is a registered trademark of Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this press release are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement. For further information:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/data443Risk Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/data443/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/data443-risk-mitigation-inc/ Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZXDhJcx-XgMBhvE9aFHRdA Sign up for our Investor Newsletter: https://data443.com/investor-email-alerts/ To learn more about Data443, please watch the Companys video introduction on its YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/1Fp93jOxFSg Investor Relations Contact:Matthew Abenante[email protected] 919.858.6542 Corporate CommunicationsIBN (InvestorBrandNetwork) Los Angeles, Californiawww.InvestorBrandNetwork.com 310-299-1717 Office[email protected] Source: Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. McGill Productions celebrates its third win of the year, triumphing over major players like Virgin Atlantic and IWCs Lewis Hamilton collaboration in Campaign and PR Weeks Brand Film Awards LANCASTER, United Kingdom, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Launched in 2015 by Campaign and PRWeek, the prestigious Brand Film Awards recognises outstanding creativity, storytelling, and production in the world of branded content. The video titled A Creative State of Mind participated in the Consumer Goods category alongside Virgin Atlantics noteworthy I Am What I Am advert and Amazons heartwarming and festive Snow Globe film. A Creative State of Mind garnered acclaim for its ability to convey a fun, relatable story that introduces the brand to a new audience in an innovative way. Although working with smaller budgets than their competitors, the McGill Productions team succeeded by putting the focus on storytelling, creating a narrative that was aspirational, attainable, and relatable to Brother Sewings audience. The brand film followed a budding young fashion designer, who, after purchasing one of Brothers Airflow 3000 machines, finds that her side hustle quickly turns into a full-time business. Inspired by the hustle culture that arose during the pandemic, this fresh, new direction worked well for the brand, with Brothers testimonial stating: We loved working with you and are so impressed with the quality of the films/photos that came from these shoots. It was amazing watching you get the product, the feel we wanted, and translate it into these amazing assets! - Sarah Tarmaster, Marketing Expert for Brother. Based in Lancaster, McGill Productions' client portfolio includes the likes of Manchester United, Virgin Voyages, and Expedia. This latest recognition further solidifies the companys standing as one of the UKs premier video production agencies. Co-founder and Managing Director Shane Ogley expressed his delight at the news, stating, What a tremendous way to celebrate our ongoing partnership with Brother. We faced elite competition from high-budget agencies and television commercials, such as the widely recognised I Am What I Am advert for Virgin Atlantic. Still, by harnessing the power of storytelling and allowing ourselves to explore what we could do creatively, we were able to stand out from the crowd and secure first place. Since its inception in 2017 by Ogley and Harry McGill, the company has enjoyed a steady upward trajectory, doubling the size of its team since 2020 and embarking on projects across four continents, continuously fueling their creative passion and seeking out compelling stories to tell. Contact: April Gonzalez [email protected] A photo and a video accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/207ef806-98d9-4ca8-8ee7-ab9a9525a7bc https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/12b01b35-c320-4a2d-a939-70aeaf2e90c3 TORONTO and NIAGARA, Ontario, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Wednesday, the day before the Minden emergency department was closed permanently, the Niagara Health System revealed plans to close the Urgent Care Centres at the Fort Erie and Port Colborne hospitals from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. beginning July 5, a move they say is to address staffing shortages. However, the Niagara Health System, which is the amalgamated hospital corporation, also says the move is permanent. Local community members with the Ontario Health Coalition are travelling to Queens Park on Tuesday to demand that the Ford government take action to stop the closures. What: Press Conference to demand that the Ford government stop the overnight closures of the Urgent Care Centres in the South Niagara Hospitals When: Tuesday, June 6 at 12:30 p.m. Where: Queens Park Press Gallery, Main Legislative Building, Ontario Legislature, Toronto Who: Local advocates: Heather Kelly Fort Erie SOS group, Niagara Health Coalition; Sue Hotte, Niagara Health Coalition. The local advocates will be joined by residents from the region who will attend Question Period. Niagara MPPs Wayne Gates, Niagara Falls (and Fort Erie) and Jeff Burch, Niagara Centre (inclu. Port Colborne and Welland) will join the local advocates at the press conference. Despite the fact that the hospitals in Niagara are overwhelmed, overcrowded, often operating at more than 100% capacity and do not have excess capacity, there have been repeated attempts to close the hospitals in Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Welland. After a major fight-back, the communities, working with the Ontario Health Coalition, were able to save their hospitals but the inpatient acute care services and emergency departments in the two most southern sites were closed. Upon the closure of the emergency departments in Fort Erie and Port Colborne, Urgent Care Centres were opened at the local hospitals to provide 24/7 care to those communities. Fort Erie and its surrounding communities of Ridgeway and Crystal Beach have a population of at least 45,000 people. Its hospital dates back to 1931. Port Colborne and its nearby community of Wainfleet has a population of at least 27,000. Their hospital dates back to 1924. In the summer the population increases dramatically. These communities have only small taxi companies with limited or no taxi coverage at night. There is no nighttime bus or public transit service. The Niagara Region has already shouldered the burden of massive cost increases in EMS as a result of the centralization and cuts to local hospital services across the peninsula. Ambulance offload delays are severe. The communities have not been consulted on the plan to close their services. For more information: Sue Hotte, Niagara Health Coalition 905-932-1646 cell and Natalie Mehra, executive director, Ontario Health Coalition 416-230-6402 (cell). Source: Ontario Health Coalition At the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, it is necessary to make a decision that will "pull up" the Alliance to the reality existing in Euro-Atlantic security and in Ukraine, otherwise it will mean a serious military and political defeat for NATO, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. "Today, the Bucharest decision of 2008 is as disconnected from reality as it is possible at all. We need to make a decision in Vilnius that will pull up NATO to the reality that exists in Euro-Atlantic security and in Ukraine. That's what it's about. For NATO, not to make such a decision would mean a serious military and political defeat. And this is a very rational position from which we will continue to work with partners," Kuleba said at a joint press conference with British Foreign Minister James Cleverly. Kuleba stressed that the decision of the NATO summit in Bucharest was taken in "a completely different reality." Ottawa, ON, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Metis National Council and its Governing Members met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Cabinet Ministers last week to discuss shared priorities through the established Permanent Bilateral Mechanism. The meeting began with opening remarks by President Caron and Prime Minister Trudeau, with both speaking to the importance of holding these meetings and expressing a shared interest in working together on priorities for both the Metis Nation and Canada. Topics of self-government, elementary and secondary education, health, co-development, emergency management, and other policy areas of importance to Metis governments across the Homeland were all discussed at the meeting. Both sides agreed to continuing conversations and working together to find co-developed solutions to many issues facing Metis citizens across the Homeland and to ensure that Metis priorities are included in decision-making processes moving forward. There was agreement to meet again to provide further updates on the files that were discussed. The MNC and its Governing Members look forward to continuing its work with Canada to best support Metis citizens today and into the future. Quotes Today was another opportunity to work with the Government of Canada and deliver on priorities for Metis citizens across the Homeland. This meeting demonstrated how far we have come in building this relationship and helped to shape how we continue to work together in the future. Hearing the commitment of the federal government in recognizing there is more work to be done, we look forward to working together in a good way to ensure a bright future for all Metis. - Cassidy Caron, President of the Metis National Council It was good to see all the Governing Members of the MNC united and at the table with the Prime Minister of Canada working towards addressing the needs of our people across the Homeland. Although this Permanent Bilateral Mechanism meeting was positive, there remain many priorities that need to be addressed. Together, as the Metis Nation, we will continue the work that needs to be done with the Government of Canada to build a stronger and more vibrant future for all Metis people. - Lissa Dawn Smith, President of Metis Nation British Columbia There is nothing more important to the Metis Nation than the swift introduction and passage of Metis self-government legislation. We have co-developed this legislation with the government and support it fully. Once introduced, we urge parliamentarians to pass this legislation unanimously and quickly, just as they did for many other very similar pieces of Indigenous self-government legislation. - Audrey Poitras, President of the Metis Nation of Alberta While we have continued to meet with our senior leadership counterparts in Ottawa, this is the first time were reconvening around a table with our full government-to-government capacity. As our Metis Self-Government Recognition Agreement with Canada is realized, we focused on the need for financial resources to support the MNS governance structure. With a unified front, we agreed to move the Permanent Bilateral agenda forward for the benefit of Metis citizens across the Homeland. That includes policy areas such as education, health, economic development, and emergency preparedness. - Glen McCallum, President of Metis Nation Saskatchewan 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the MNC, the 30th anniversary of the MNO, and the 20th anniversary of the landmark Powley ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada. Powley was a win for our Metis families and communities in Ontario, a win for all Metis governments in Canada, and a win for Canada. Together, we can make history once again by swiftly introducing and passing our Metis self-government legislation. - Margaret Froh, President of the Metis Nation of Ontario "As they are the heart of the Metis Nation, it is essential that the voices of our women and gender diverse people are central throughout the Permanent Bilateral Mechanism processes. We look forward to continuing to work on the priorities identified today at the Crown-Metis Nation Summit as we advance the Canada-LFMO Relationship Declaration signed in 2021." - Melanie Omeniho, President of Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak/Women of the Metis Nation Steve Sutherland Metis National Council [email protected] Source: Metis National Council Surrey, BC/Territories of the Coast Salish (Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen First Nations), June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westland Insurance, Canadas leading independently-owned brokerage, today announced that it acquired MYCOR Insurance Solutions Inc. and Murphy Insurance Services Inc. effective June 1. With these acquisitions, Westland continues to grow across Canada. MYCOR Insurance is a Toronto -based, full-service P&C brokerage with seven locations across Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. They focus on providing unique insurance and risk management solutions to the Commercial marketplace, with a distinctive niche in a variety of commercial specialty programs with high client retention rates. Serving the Simcoe and Muskoka areas in Ontario since 1981, Murphy Insurance is a boutique full-service P&C insurance brokerage that specializes in advisory-based solutions across a number of key Commercial segments, as well as VIP Personal Lines. Its with much excitement that I welcome MYCOR Insurance and Murphy Insurance to Westland, says Jamie Lyons, President & CEO of Westland Insurance. Both brokerages have tremendous leadership, entrepreneurial cultures, and offer unique value to their clients. The opportunity to better serve Canadians through dedicated, client-first brokerages like these is what drives us to continue expanding from coast to coast. Were thrilled to have the MYCOR and Murphy Insurance teams join the Westland family. Westland continues to invest in and grow its business in Canada, both organically and through strategic acquisitions. - 30 - About Westland Insurance Group Westland Insurance Group is one of the largest and fastest-growing independent insurance brokers in Canada. Trading over $3 billion of premium, Westland continues to expand coast to coast. Westland's brokers provide expertise and advisory-based services across commercial, personal, employee benefits, farm, and specialty insurance segments. Since its founding in 1980, Westland has remained committed to supporting its clients, industry partners and local communities. For more information, please visit westlandinsurance.ca. Jessica Thiessen Westland Insurance Group Ltd. 7782887894 [email protected] Source: Westland Insurance Group Ltd. MONTREAL, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WSP Global Inc. (TSX: WSP) (WSP or the Corporation) is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of Calibre Professional Services One Pty Ltd (Calibre), in Australia. With the addition of Calibres 800 professionals, WSP strengthens its position as a leading provider of services across the full mining asset life cycle. WSPs mining team now represents over 5,200 professionals globally, including 1,400 experts in Australia, and benefits from an enhanced ability to support blue-chip mining clients in Western Australia. We are eager to leverage the full potential of our combined teams and work together to support mining clients with strong ESG commitments, said Alexandre LHeureux, President and CEO of WSP. We have the opportunity to play a pivotal role at a time when mining companies are making bold commitments towards decarbonizing their operations and infrastructure, while providing the critical minerals required for the green transition. With the acquisition of Calibre, we are significantly growing our presence in Western Australia, and in the mining sector, while further building on our Earth and Environment capabilities, said Guy Templeton, WSPs President and CEO, Asia Pacific. We also look forward to creating significant value for our clients in the Pilbara Region and across the country. Over the past two decades, we have focused on building Calibre as a consultant of choice for major mining projects. Joining WSP enables our talent to leverage the scale, capabilities, and expertise of a global company with 67,000 professionals, said Adrian Chapman, Executive General Manager at Calibre. ABOUT WSPAs one of the largest professional services firms in the world, WSP exists to future-proof our cities and our environment. It provides strategic advisory, engineering and design services to clients seeking sustainable solutions in the transportation, infrastructure, environment, building, energy, water, and mining sectors. Its 67,000 trusted professionals are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities it serves through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. In 2022, WSP reported $11.9 B (CAD) in revenue. The Corporations shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WSP). FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSThis press release contains information or statements that are or may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this press release, the words may, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict, forecast, project, intend, target, potential, continue or the negative of these terms or terminology of a similar nature as they relate to the Corporation, an affiliate of the Corporation or the combined firm following the acquisition of Calibre, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include without limitation, that information and statements related to the acquisition of Calibre, the attractiveness of the acquisition of Calibre; the strength, complementarity and compatibility of Calibres business with WSPs existing business and teams; other anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Calibre; WSPs leadership position in its markets; statements relating to the Corporations future growth, results of operations, performance business, prospects and opportunities and other statements that are not historical facts. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and may be based on assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements, including risks and uncertainties relating to WSPs inability to successfully integrate the Calibre business; the potential failure to realize anticipated benefits from the acquisition of Calibre; WSPs reliance upon the information provided by Calibre in connection with the transaction; potential undisclosed costs or liabilities associated with the acquisition of Calibre and other factors discussed or referred to in the Risk Factors section of WSPs Managements Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the MD&A), which is available under WSPs profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have a material adverse effect on the performance or results of WSP. Forward-looking statements made by the Corporation are based on a number of assumptions believed by the Corporation to be reasonable as at the date of this news release or MD&As, as applicable, including assumptions about WSPs ability to achieve synergies and maintain market position arising from successful integration plans relating to the acquisition of Calibre; WSPs ability to attract and retain key employees in connection with the Calibre acquisition; managements estimates and expectations in relation to future economic and business conditions; the accuracy and completeness of disclosure by Calibre; and other factors discussed or referred to in the Risk Factors section of WSPs MD&A, which is available under WSPs profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. If any of these assumptions prove to be inaccurate, the Corporations actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. WSPs forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. For additional information on this cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements as well as a description of the relevant assumptions and risk factors likely to affect WSPs actual or projected results, reference is made to the MD&A, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and except as required under applicable securities laws, WSP does not undertake to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether written or verbal, that may be made from time to time by itself or on its behalf, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:Alain MichaudChief Financial OfficerWSP Global Inc.Phone: 438-843-7317 [email protected] Source: Groupe WSP Global Inc. Investing.com, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based financial markets platform for retail investors, is eyeing sizable acquisitions in the runup to an eventual IPO, said Chairman DingAn Fei. Founded in 2007, Investing.com was acquired by Joffre Capital in 2021. The company has about 250 employees. Fei would not provide a figure but said Investing.corns revenue is between $100m and $300m. The company is profitable, but he declined to disclose its EBITDA. Being a public company would be helpful for its branding and credibility, especially among U.S. consumers, he said, adding that it prefers to list on an American stock exchange. While the company is a well-known financial markets platform in Europe and other regions, it is much smaller than its competitors in the U.S. Investing.com offers financial news and real-time data with quotes, charts, tools, breaking news, and analytics services, according to the company. In 2021, it launched lnvestingPro, which has prices that start at $19.99 per month for retail investors. The company is looking for a big-ticket acquisition within the next 24 months, Fei said. The target should have at least $100m in revenue. It is particularly interested in unique processes for portfolio management, market data analysis, performance charting, education and trade execution said Fei. It will also look for smaller acquisitions of tech-enabled services he said. Geography is not a factor he noted. Investing.com has a strong balance sheet thanks to its backing by Joffre Capital, which has dry powder to deploy, said the executive, who is also a founding partner of Joffre. Valuations have cooled recently, he said. Were 12 months past the biggest bubble ever, so swallowing some valuations were hard, he said. But the market is rationalizing and there are many things on the wish list. In March, Investing.com acquired Streetlnsider.com, a Birmingham, Michigan-based stock market news and analysis service provider. The acquisition was sub $100m in deal value, Fei confirmed. In 2021, it acquired Finbox, a portfolio management and research platform. Investing.com has 80 million registered users and is offered in more than 44 languages and 200 markets, according to the executive. About 30% of its business is in Europe while about 25% is in the APAC region. About 25% of revenue is from the U.S. he said. Fei said the company has been pitched for an IPO many times over the last three years". It remains in contact with bankers to gauge its M&A opportunities and other activities but it is too early for any IPO preparations, he said. Joffre Capitals typical hold time is around five years, he noted. In three years from now, we hope (Investing.com) will be the largest global destination for retail investors" he said. A big part of our mission statement is to level the playing field for retail investors and be their Bloomberg - from media to data to execution." As another comp, the executive pointed to online brokerage firm E-Trade, which was acquired by Morgan Stanley in 2020 in an all-stock transaction valued at around $13bn. By Dayna Fields in New York. This article appeared first on Mergermarket Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - Amex Exploration Inc.(TSXV: AMX) (FSE: MX0) (OTCQX: AMXEF)("Amex or the Company")announces that it has ceased exploration activities at the Perron project in accordance with a directive from the Ministre des Ressources Naturelles et des Forets which has banned forest access on Crown land and closure of roads, meaning immediate stop of any mining exploration activities (see the map) within a prescribed area due to forest fires. Victor Cantore, President and CEO of Amex Exploration said, "We have temporarily stopped all exploration work at Perron until the situation improves. We remain in communications with local and provincial authorities on the current status of the forest fire situation and will update the market with respect to any material changes." The Amex team is working remotely and the Company has 5,151 samples at the lab for assay, the results of which will be communicated once received and analyzed. About Amex Amex Exploration Inc. has made significant gold discoveries on its 100% owned high-grade Perron Gold Project located ~110 kilometres north of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, consisting of 117 contiguous claims covering 4,518 hectares. The project is well-serviced by existing infrastructure, on a year-round road, 10 minutes from an airport and just outside the town of Normetal (~8 km). In addition, the project is in close proximity to a number of major gold producers' milling operations. The project hosts both bulk tonnage and a high-grade gold style mineralization. Since January 2019, Amex has intersected significant gold mineralization in multiple gold zones and discovered copper-rich VMS zones. For further information please contact: Victor Cantore President and Chief Executive Officer Amex Exploration: +1-514-866-8209 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. All statements, other than of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation, the planned exploration program on the HGZ and Denise Zone, the expected positive exploration results, the extension of the mineralized zones, the timing of the exploration results, the ability of the Company to continue with the exploration program, the availability of the required funds to continue with the exploration and the potential mineralization or potential mineral resources are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "to earn", "to have', "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, failure to meet expected, estimated or planned exploration expenditures, failure to establish estimated mineral resources, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, general business and economic conditions, changes in world gold markets, sufficient labour and equipment being available, changes in laws and permitting requirements, unanticipated weather changes, title disputes and claims, environmental risks as well as those risks identified in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168800 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - Q2 Metals Corp. (TSXV: QTWO) (OTCQB: QUEXF) (FSE: 458) ("Q2" or the "Company") announces that due to active forest fires in northern Quebec, the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests has banned forest access and closed all roads in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region. As a result, the Company has temporarily ceased field activities and the crew and equipment have been withdrawn from the Mia Property and camp. "Upon receiving the notice from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests, our focus is centered on the health and safety of the local community," said Q2 President and Chief Executive Officer, Alicia Milne. "Once the fire risk has subsided, we will resume our exploration program." The Company is actively monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as information becomes available. About Q2 Metals Corp Q2 Metals Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company currently advancing exploration of its 8,668-ha flagship Mia Lithium Property in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay area of Quebec, Canada which is host to the Mia Li-1 and Mia Li-2 occurrences which grade 0.47% Li 2 O and 2.27% Li 2 O respectively. The Company also owns the Stellar Lithium Property with 77 claims totaling 3,972-ha, located approximately six kilometres north of its Mia Lithium Property in Eeyou Istchee James Bay. Q2 is also exploring the highly prospective Big Hill and Titan gold projects covering approximately 110 km in the Talgai Goldfields of the broader Warwick-Texas District, hosting 54 high-grade historical gold mines. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Alicia Milne President & CEO [email protected] Kevin Bottomley Director [email protected] Jason McBride Corporate Communications [email protected] Telephone: 1 (800) 482-7560 E-mail: [email protected] Follow the Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian legislation. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Accordingly, all statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future including, without limitation, any statements or plans regard the geological prospects of the Company's properties and the future exploration endeavors of the Company. 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 the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same. Readers are cautioned that mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business and accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors are discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for its recently completed fiscal period, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/168796 PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Air Niugini today announced an order for two fuel-efficient 787-8 Dreamliners to support the growth of the carrier's long-haul fleet. The jets will enable the national flag carrier of Papua New Guinea to fly new routes from the Pacific island nation and boost capacity for inbound tourism. "Signing this contract with Boeing for the purchase of two modern, widebody 787 Dreamliners will enable Air Niugini to grow its network across Asia, Australia , and New Zealand and fulfill its mission as the premier airline in Papua New Guinea , providing the best air service in the region," said Gary Seddon , acting CEO of Air Niugini. More than 85 customers around the world have placed orders for more than 1,600 Dreamliners, making the 787 Dreamliner the fastest-selling widebody airplane in history. Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family's fuel efficiency, flexibility and range have enabled airlines to open more than 350 new nonstop routes. "The excellent capability of the 787 allows Air Niugini to open Port Moresby to more destinations, increasing tourism and economic growth in the South Pacific region," said Erika Pearson , Boeing vice president, Commercial Sales and Marketing, Southeast Asia and Oceania . "The Dreamliner's flexibility, outstanding efficiency and unmatched passenger comfort will enable Air Niugini to provide improved long-haul connectivity to the islands." Built with lightweight composite materials and powered by advanced engines, the 787 Dreamliner can fly up to 20% more passengers while reducing fuel use and emissions by 25% compared to the airplanes it replaces. The 787-8's range reaches up to 13,530 km in a typical two-class configuration. Boeing has worked with Air Niugini for more than 45 years. The airline operates a domestic network from Port Moresby across Papua New Guinea , as well as international flights across the Asia-Pacific region , including to Australia , Singapore , Solomon Islands and Fiji . The airline's fleet includes Boeing 737s and 767s. About Boeing As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing's diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company's core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers. About Air Niugini To the people of Papua New Guinea , Air Niugini is more than just the nation's flag carrier. It is a symbol of the country's progress. Not only has Air Niugini provided a massive boost to trade and tourism over the years, but it has also helped to connect diverse local communities. Air Niugini celebrates 50 years of operations in 2023. www.airniugini.com.pg Contact: Boeing Media Relations [email protected] Amber Mizerak International Communications [email protected] + 65 9783-1571 ( Singapore ) View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/air-niugini-becomes-new-dreamliner-customer-finalizing-order-for-two-boeing-787-8s-301842937.html SOURCE Boeing SHANGHAI , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cango Inc. (NYSE: CANG) ("Cango" or the "Company"), a leading automotive transaction service platform in China , today announced that it plans to release its first quarter 2023 financial results after the market closes on Thursday, June 8, 2023 . The earnings release will be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.cangoonline.com/. Cango's management will hold a conference call on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time or Friday, June 9, 2023 at 9:00 A.M. Beijing Time to discuss the financial results. Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers: International: +1-412-902-4272 United States Toll Free: +1-888-346-8982 Mainland China Toll Free : 4001-201-203 Hong Kong, China Toll Free: 800-905-945 Conference ID: Cango Inc. The replay will be accessible through June 15, 2023 , by dialing the following numbers: International: +1-412-317-0088 United States Toll Free: +1-877-344-7529 Access Code: 7451156 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.cangoonline.com/. About Cango Inc. Cango Inc. (NYSE: CANG) is a leading automotive transaction service platform in China connecting car buyers, dealers, financial institutions, and other industry participants. Founded in 2010 by a group of pioneers in China's automotive finance industry, the Company is headquartered in Shanghai and has a nationwide network. Leveraging its competitive advantages in technological innovation and big data, Cango has established an automotive supply chain ecosystem, and developed a matrix of products centering on customer needs for auto transactions, auto financing and after-market services. By working with platform participants, Cango endeavors to make car purchases simple and enjoyable, and make itself customers' car purchase service platform of choice. For more information, please visit: www.cangoonline.com. Investor Relations Contact Yihe Liu Cango Inc. Tel: +86 21 3183 5088 ext.5581 Email: [email protected] Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cango_Group Helen Wu Piacente Financial Communications Tel: +86 10 6508 0677 Email: [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cango-inc-to-report-first-quarter-2023-financial-results-on-june-8-2023-eastern-time-301842106.html SOURCE Cango Inc. PHILADELPHIA , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, more than 3,000 people gathered at the Philadelphia Zoo to celebrate the 27th Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Fetal Family Reunion, representing patients and families from across the country. The event, hosted by CHOP's Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment (CFDT), provides an opportunity for those treated in the Center to reconnect with their care team and other families who share an indescribable bond. The reunion brings together a unique community of families who have shared similar experiences. Nearly all of the children in attendance were prenatally diagnosed with a birth defect, such as spina bifida, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or twin-twin transfusion syndrome, that had potentially devastating outcomes. Babies diagnosed before birth either underwent fetal surgery to treat the condition in utero or received highly complex care immediately after birth. The reunion has been an annual occurrence since 1997 and has grown from a handful of attendees in its first year to more than 850 families today. CHOP's CFDT is a pioneer in the field of fetal medicine and is one of only a few programs worldwide to offer comprehensive care, including prenatal diagnosis, fetal surgery and therapy, and the option of delivering at a leading pediatric hospital. "Each year, this day serves as a poignant reminder of just how far we've come," said N. Scott Adzick , MD, Surgeon-In-Chief at CHOP and Director of the CFDT. "We have watched this gathering grow substantially over the years, and it is an extremely meaningful event for our team. It is called the Fetal Family Reunion for a reason we have an indescribable bond with the many patients and families who have entrusted us with their care, and for that I am so grateful." The families gathered at the event represent an important segment of the more than 31,000 expectant mothers treated in the CFDT, from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. The high volume of patients from around the world with incredibly complex, rare conditions makes all the difference in achieving favorable outcomes and extends hope and support to many families. Each week at CHOP, surgical teams perform highly sophisticated procedures, such as spina bifida closure and interventions for other birth defects in the womb, placing fetal shunts to treat life-threatening congenital conditions, and performing minimally invasive procedures in the mother's uterus to treat various complications. The team has also managed thousands of pregnancies complicated by birth defects in which newborns need immediate specialized medical care or surgery after delivery. About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the 595-bed hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network , which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey , as well as an inpatient hospital with a dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia . In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu. Contact: Ashley Moore Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 215-630-4683 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/childrens-hospital-of-philadelphia-celebrates-27th-annual-fetal-surgery-family-reunion-at-the-philadelphia-zoo-301842885.html SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Azerbaijan will host the Balloon Festival for the first time on June 17-18Trend reports. In connection with the upcoming grand event, representatives of the Festivals organizing committee answered questions from the media, and detailed information was provided about the Festival, which will take place in the Shamakhi region. The briefing was attended by representatives of the Festivals organizing committee Lamia Kerimli, representatives of the company EZONE Salman Rasulov, and Togrul Mamedzade. Speaking about the history of balloon festivals and that similar events organized in a number of countries around the world arouse great interest, a representative of the Festivals organizing committee Kerimli noted that one of the most famous balloon festivals is held in Albuquerque, USA. She added that for the first time in this city, a balloon festival was organized in 1972. I believe that holding a Balloon Festival in our country has many positive aspects. Among them are the development of Azerbaijans tourism potential, including the Shamakhi region where the festival will take place, she said. Lamia Kerimli added that it is gratifying that the Festival is attracting great interest from representatives of society. There are no tickets for sale for the festival, so we would like to specifically address this to society and note that we would certainly like everyone who wishes to participate in this event, but due to the limited number of balloon flights, persons will be able to participate in accordance with the list of the organizing committee. On the first day of the event - June 17th there will be demonstration flights from 17.00 to 20.00 depending on weather conditions. In total, it is planned to release about 10 balloons into the sky over Shamakhi. On June 18th there will be balloon flights with the participation of guests. The flight will cover historical and modern picturesque places of Shamakhi, Kerimli noted. According to the representative of EZONE company Salman Rasulov preparation for the project took two years. We have conducted test flights. During the Festival balloon flights will take place over Meysari and Khynysly villages. Balloons will be piloted by pilots with international certificates. Balloons for the Festival were prepared by advanced companies in this field from UK and Turkey. We pay great attention to safety, before and after each flight balloons will undergo technical inspection also before flights weather conditions will certainly be taken into account, he added. Rasulov expressed gratitude to the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, Executive Power of Shamakhi region for assistance in holding the Festival as well as the State Civil Aviation Agency Azeronavigation (AZANS) and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Speaking about holding Balloon Festival in subsequent years representative of EZONE company Togrul Mamedzade noted that details of this issue are being clarified. At present, we cannot share information about commercial flights and prices as this issue is at the research stage. We will be able to share the final decision after collecting all the necessary information. If other companies support us in the development of this project then in the future we will continue it, Mamedzade said. It should be noted that Balloon Festival in Shamakhi is a project of great importance for the promotion of tourism opportunities in the region. This festival is a new opportunity for tourists and a unique one for local residents to see familiar places from height and enjoy stunning landscapes. Every year balloon festivals are held in different countries around the world. Balloon festivals are held in Canberra Australia, Bristol UK, Chateau-dO Switzerland, Igualada Spain, Quebec Canada, Velikie Luki Russia, Cappadocia Turkey and other cities around the world. CANTON, Ohio , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty HealthShare, one of the country's leading Christian healthsharing ministries, today announced it will host a free webinar on affordable healthcare for young adults on Tuesday, June 13 . Liberty HealthShare will host a free webinar on affordable healthcare for young adults on June 13 . The free 30-minute webinar will review money-saving options available for 18-29-year-olds looking for alternatives to traditional health insurance. The webinar will be hosted by Elijah Zielke , social media influencer and children's pastor at Freedom Church in Tallahassee, Fla. "Whether heading off to college or starting your career, finding ways to keep healthcare expenses affordable is important, as medical bills can get costly," said Tamia Morris , a Liberty HealthShare enrollment specialist who will join Zielke on the webinar. "Fortunately, young people have other options to care for their health." The ministry introduced the Liberty Rise sharing program in September 2022 to serve young Christian adults who had few, if any, affordable healthsharing options available to them. The budget-friendly sharing program has proven popular with its 18-29-year-old audience. In addition to sharing eligible healthcare expenses, Liberty Rise members can also take advantage of several money-saving features including discounts on prescription drugs, dental services, vision care, wellness services, chiropractic care and fitness center memberships. Members also have access to telehealth and mental wellness. The webinar will be available at three convenient times in the morning and evening on June 13 . To learn more and pre-register, go to Free Liberty HealthShare Webinar. Liberty HealthShare is a non-profit 501(c) (3) charitable Christian medical cost-sharing ministry focused on members helping each other in times of need. The faith-based program, which facilitates healthsharing for its members, is a caring community of health-conscious individuals and families who choose to support one another and agree to the Christian values of stewardship to make healthcare affordable for all. As it is not insurance, Liberty HealthShare enrollment is available year-round with no requirement for special life events to qualify. For more information about its healthcare sharing programs visit libertyhealthshare.org or call (855) 585-4237. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/liberty-healthshare-to-host-webinar-on-healthcare-for-young-adults-301842535.html SOURCE Liberty HealthShare NS becomes first Class I railroad to negotiate paid sick leave for all craft railroaders ATLANTA , and INDEPENDENCE, Ohio , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Transportation Division (SMART-TD) announced today that they have reached an agreement with representatives for their final group of craft employees yardmasters to provide up to seven paid sick days per year. The agreement will immediately provide nearly 300 Norfolk Southern yardmasters with four new days of paid sick leave per year while also offering them the flexibility to use up to three additional days of existing paid time off as sick leave. With this agreement, Norfolk Southern is the first Class I railroad to have negotiated paid sick leave agreements for 100 percent of its craft workforce. "This agreement will provide our hardworking yardmasters the time they need and deserve to take care of their personal wellbeing," said Jeremy Ferguson , President of SMART-TD. "I want to thank Norfolk Southern for their partnership on this deal, and for leading the industry as the first railroad to sign sick leave agreements for every one of our dedicated union members. And most importantly, I want to thank our SMART-TD general chairmen, Joe Borders and Dan Weir , for negotiating this important new benefit for Norfolk Southern yardmasters." This final paid sick leave agreement for yardmasters builds on the momentum from the comprehensive quality-of-life package that Norfolk Southern and SMART-TD negotiated last month for another group of SMART-TD members conductors and trainmen. The conductor and trainmen agreement, which included paid sick leave, was ratified by union membership last Friday. "Following national labor negotiations, we committed to address quality of life issues for our craft railroaders. With today's agreement, we make good on that promise," said Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw . "I am proud of our team for working collaboratively with union leadership over the last four months to reach agreements that benefit all of our craft colleagues." Although this agreement is an important milestone for paid sick leave, Norfolk Southern remains actively engaged with all its labor partners to further explore and negotiate the quality-of-life benefits that will have the greatest positive impact for its employees and position Norfolk Southern as an industry leader and employer of choice. About Norfolk Southern Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America . Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S. , serving a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes . Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/norfolk-southern-and-smart-td-reach-yardmaster-sick-leave-deal-completing-negotiations-with-all-unions-301842358.html SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation The "B" marker is removed from the Company's stock short name YANTAI, China , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- RemeGen Co., Ltd. ("RemeGen" or "the Company") (9995.HK, SHA: 688331), a fully-integrated commercial-stage biotechnology company, successfully obtained approval from The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange") on June 5, 2023 to remove the "B" marker from its stock short name as the Company's financial performance in 2022 met the market capitalization/revenue test under Rule 8.05(3) of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's Listing Rules. This marks another significant milestone in RemeGen's development as it is transforming itself from a research-oriented biotech company to a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company. Mr. Wang Weidong , RemeGen's chairman and executive director, said, "Despite facing a number of macro and industry headwinds in 2022, we nonetheless pushed ahead to make significant achievements that have led us to this approval from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Looking ahead, we expect momentum to continue both in China and around the globe in 2023 and beyond. We are well-positioned to accelerate growth and deliver strong shareholder returns while developing first-in-class and best-in-class products to help patients with unmet medical needs." For the year ended December 31, 2022 , RemeGen had a realized revenue of approximately RMB768 million and a gross profit of approximately RMB498 million . During the reporting period, product sales revenue hit approximately RMB738 million , marking a massive year-on-year increase of 462.2%. The sales revenue from telitacicept (RC18) and disitamab vedotin (RC48) saw fast growth in 2022 as the two drugs were included in the National Medical Insurance Drug List (NRDL) in China at the end of 2021 and smooth progress of commercialization. Leveraging its strong research and development platform, RemeGen has discovered and developed a robust product pipeline with more than ten drug candidates. Among these, seven are in the clinical development stage targeting over 20 indications. Two of the commercialization stage drugs, telitacicept and disitamab vedotin, are in clinical trials targeting 18 indications in China and the United States . RemeGen's impressive business progress for the past year includes: - Telitacicept (RC 18): Telitacicept is currently being evaluated in late-stage clinical trials for several autoimmune diseases that aim to address the large number of unmet or underserved areas in this therapeutic area to include, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus nephritis (LN), immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), myasthenia gravis (MG), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), as well as multiple sclerosis (MS). - Disitamab vedotin (RC 48): RemeGen is developing disitamab vedotin for a variety of HER2-expressing cancer types and strategically focuses on clinical studies for the treatment of gastric cancer (GC), urothelial cancer (UC) and breast cancer (BC) in China , which suggest particularly significant unmet medical needs. The Company is also exploring the efficacy of disitamab vedotin on other prevalent cancer types expressing HER2 including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), biliary tract cancer (BTC), gynecological malignancies, advanced melanoma, among others. In January 2023 , RemeGen's disitamab vedotin for the treatment of patients with HER2-expressing locally advanced or metastatic UC was successfully included in the new version of the NRDL, with the new price came into effect on March 1, 2023 . - RC28: RC28 is a novel fusion protein targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). RemeGen is evaluating and planning to evaluate the efficacy of RC28 in several ophthalmic diseases in clinical studies, including wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). In Phase I clinical trial, no safety concerns were detected for up to 2.0 mg injection of RC28 in wAMD patients. - Other clinical-stage drug candidates from RemeGen include RC88, RC98, RC108, and RC118. Commercialization of Product Portfolio From a commercialization perspective, RemeGen has established a sales and marketing department fully dedicated to the commercialization of pipeline products. According to the indications of the Company's products, two independent sales teams have been built in the fields of autoimmunity diseases and oncology, respectively. As the world's first innovative dual-target biologics for the treatment of SLE, telitacicept was approved for marketing and telitacicept for the treatment of SLE was included in the updated NRDL in 2021. In 2022, the team covered 1,876 hospitals across the country and as of December 31, 2022 , the commercialization team for autoimmune diseases successfully launched the drug in 495 hospitals and 1,015 direct-to-patient (DTP) pharmacies. Disitamab vedotin for the treatment of HER2-expressing locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC) was included in the updated NRDL in December 2021 . In 2022, the commercialization has covered 1,419 hospitals in China . As of end of 2022, the commercialization team for autoimmune diseases had been admitted to 472 hospitals. Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond In China , RemeGen will continue to be committed to the commercialization of telitacicept and disitamab vedotin, and further actively explore the market space. Additionally, the application and clinical trials of product indication expansion in the pipeline will continue to accelerate. In the international markets, the Company will further strengthen expansion while continuing to rapidly advance and begin clinical research of core products. In the United States , an international multi-center Phase III clinical trial of telitacicept in the treatment of SLE indications is being conducted along with a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of IgAN. Regarding disitamab vedotin, the Company will continue to cooperate with Seagen Inc. to further support its global clinical trials. About RemeGen Co. Ltd. Founded in 2008, RemeGen (9995.HK, SHA: 688331) is a leading biopharmaceutical company in China committed to providing solutions to the unmet clinical needs of patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses. RemeGen has research laboratories and offices throughout China and the United States. The Company is committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative and differentiated biologic drugs of significant clinical value in the key therapeutic areas of autoimmune, oncology, and ophthalmic diseases. For more details, please visit: www.remegen.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/remegen-demonstrates-profitability-to-successfully-receive-approval-from-the-hong-kong-stock-exchange-to-upgrade-stock-short-name-301842325.html SOURCE RemeGen Co., Ltd NEO: SHWZ OTCQX: SHWZ Acquisition Increases Schwazze's New Mexico Retail Store Count to 32 and Provides Expanded Coverage Throughout State DENVER , June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Medicine Man Technologies, Inc., operating as Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), announced it has acquired certain assets of Sucellus, LLC, pursuant to which the Company will manage Everest Apothecary, Inc. ("Everest"), a New Mexico not-for-profit corporation. The transaction includes retail dispensaries, cultivation, and manufacturing facilities. The acquisition of Everest increases the Company's retail consumer base and furthers Schwazze's growth strategy in the New Mexico market. Upon closing, Schwazze's New Mexico operations will include 32 dispensaries, four cultivations, two manufacturing facilities and over 400 employees statewide. The Everest brand complements Schwazze's existing retail brand in New Mexico , R. Greenleaf . Each serves a unique demographic, and both retail banners will continue to operate in the state. "This acquisition fits well within our growing portfolio of retail brands alongside R.Greenleaf , and firmly positions us as a top operator in the New Mexico market," said Nirup Krishnamurthy , President of Schwazze. "Collaborating on Schwazze's operating playbook, we look forward to working with the Everest team members to continue to support the Everest customers with outstanding service and an even wider selection of quality products throughout the entire state. These really are two great teams coming together as one," said Ken Diehl , New Mexico Division President of Schwazze. Established in 2016, Everest is a New-Mexico -based licensed medical and recreational cannabis provider that consists of 14 dispensaries, one cultivation facility and one manufacturing plant. The dispensaries are in Albuquerque , Santa Fe , Las Cruces , Los Lunas , Sunland Park , Belen , and Texico . Everest's cultivation and manufacturing facilities are both located in Albuquerque . Since April 2020 , Schwazze has acquired, opened, or announced the planned acquisition of 60 cannabis retail dispensaries (bannered as Star Buds, Emerald Fields , R. Greenleaf , Standing Akimbo, and Everest) as well as six operating cultivation facilities and three manufacturing plants across Colorado and New Mexico . In May 2021 , Schwazze announced its Biosciences division, and in August 2021 , it commenced home delivery services in Colorado . ABOUT SCHWAZZE Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company's leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious best practices. Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze's former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth. To learn more about Schwazze, visit www.Schwazze.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "intends," "plans," "strategy," "prospects," "anticipate," "believe," "approximately," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," or the negative of these terms or other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future events or future operating or financial performance, although the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) regulatory limitations on our products and services and the uncertainty in the application of federal, state, and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws; (ii) our ability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (iii) our ability to identify, consummate, and integrate anticipated acquisitions; (iv) general industry and economic conditions; (v) our ability to access adequate capital upon terms and conditions that are acceptable to us; (vi) our ability to pay interest and principal on outstanding debt when due; (vii) volatility in credit and market conditions; (viii) the loss of one or more key executives or other key employees; and (ix) other risks and uncertainties related to the cannabis market and our business strategy. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/schwazze-completes-acquisition-to-manage-assets-of-new-mexico-cannabis-operator-everest-apothecary-inc-301842392.html SOURCE Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. VIENNA (Reuters) - The former head of car supplier Magna International, Austrian businessman Siegfried Wolf, was charged by an Austrian court on Monday on suspicion of money laundering in connection with the purchase of Eurofighter jets two decades ago. The regional court in Graz said Wolf was due to stand trial along with another suspect, whom it did not name. Wolf's spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment by Reuters. When asked by the Austrian press agency APA, his spokesperson responded with "no comment". The case revolves around the Austrian government's billion-euro purchase of Eurofighter jets in 2003. One of the suspects is alleged to have concealed about 6.8 million euros ($7.26 million), as well as its origins, which were from embezzlement activities, according to prosecutors. The other suspect in turn received those funds partially in gold, or had them exchanged into gold, and then kept them in Switzerland until they were returned to the first suspect. According to prosecutors, this was to conceal the whereabouts of the money. Prosecutors did not specify which suspect was Wolf. The first suspect is also accused of having given false testimony before a parliamentary investigative committee on the matter, the prosecutors said. ($1 = 0.9362 euros) (Reporting by Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich; Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Alex Richardson) By Ruma Paul and Sudarshan Varadhan DHAKA (Reuters) -Bangladesh could face further power cuts due to higher demand, its power minister said, as a fuel shortage sparked shutdowns of several power generating units including its biggest coal-fired plant. The country has faced disruptions to electricity supply due to erratic weather this year, with soaring temperatures pushing up demand in April and a deadly cyclone cutting off supplies of natural gas to power plants the following month. On Monday, the 1.32 gigawatt (GW) Payra plant in Bangladesh's south also closed its second unit due to a coal shortage, having shut one unit on May 25. Nasrul Hamid, minister of state for power, energy and mineral resources, said Bangladesh is looking to restart the plant by the last week of June. "There is no alternative other than to cope with the shortage," Hamid told Reuters. "We will have to bear with this for another two weeks." Maximum temperatures in capital Dhaka rose to nearly 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees F) on Sunday, compared with 32 degrees ten days earlier. The weather office has warned that the ongoing heatwave is likely to continue for the rest of this week. When demand peaked at noon on Monday, it outstripped supply by 18%, a senior power ministry official told Reuters. The shortfall came a day after Bangladesh's total power deficit rose to its highest in three weeks. "Only rain can give us some relief as power demand decreases when it rains," said the official, who declined to be identified as he is not authorized to speak to the media. The power losses threaten Bangladesh's apparel sector, which accounts for more than 80% of its exports and supplies retailers such as Walmart, Gap Inc, H&M, VF Corp, Zara and American Eagle Outfitters. The loss of those exports will exacerbate issues around its dollar reserves, which have plunged by nearly a third in the 12 months to the end of April to a seven-year low, limiting its ability to pay for fuel imports. The frequent power cuts have drawn criticism. "The entire country is almost without electricity. People are getting sick in extreme heat," said Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, a senior leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. "There is no electricity for 10 to 12 hours every day. Electricity goes off at night, nobody can sleep, said Mohammad Sharif, a private sector employee, on the outskirts of the capital. (Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Jan Harvey) (Reuters) - Diageo Plc, the world's biggest spirits company, on Monday said CEO-designate Debra Crew will assume the top role on an interim basis immediately as Ivan Menezes undergoes medical treatment. Long-time boss Menezes, who was set to retire at the end of this month, is in hospital receiving treatment for conditions including a stomach ulcer, the company said in a statement. "Over the weekend, we learned that Ivan's recovery suffered a significant setback due to complications, which followed emergency surgery on the ulcer," Diageo said. Diageo, the maker of Johnnie Walker whisky, Tanqueray gin and Don Julio tequila, appointed Crew in March to replace Menezes, making the 52 year-old one of only a handful of women to lead a company in Britain's blue-chip FTSE 100 index. Crew will join the board as an executive director on July 1, Diageo said on Monday. The former U.S. military intelligence officer, who was appointed operating chief last year, had been president of Diageo North America, its largest market, and Global Supply from 2020. She takes on the top role as Diageo is trying to cement its dominance in the United States and establish several premium brands, in a post-COVID world. Shares in the London-listed firm are down about 7% this year. Menezes, who joined Diageo after its formation through the merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan in 1997, grew sales sharply and steered the company through multiple brand acquisitions as well as a major sustainability overhaul. "Out of respect for Ivan and his family's privacy, we will not be commenting further at this time," Diageo said. (Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Ed Osmond) FILE PHOTO: Honduras President Xiomara Castro delivers a speech during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Honduran Air Force at the Hernan Acosta Air Base in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, April 21, 2023. REUTERS/Fredy Rodriguez TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran President Xiomara Castro is set to travel this week to China, her foreign minister said on Monday, the leftist leader's first visit to the Asian giant after establishing formal diplomatic relations with it in March. Castro's trip marks the latest step in the two nations' new relationship, after her government ditched ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing. Foreign Minister Enrique Reina told reporters at an event inaugurating China's embassy in Tegucigalpa that Castro will travel on Tuesday this week. Later on Monday, Castro's press office tweeted that the official visit would take place from this coming Friday to Wednesday of next week. Castro's trip to the world's second-biggest economy stemmed from an invitation from her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Honduran state media outlet Poder Popular wrote in story published earlier on Monday. Honduras and China launched diplomatic relations after Castro cut ties with Taiwan in a bid for more investment and jobs from the much larger Chinese economy. Last month, Reina announced that both sides will "soon" begin trade talks, with coffee set to be the first Honduran export to the massive Chinese consumer market. The minister added on Monday that several "cooperation agreements" would be signed, but did not specify further. Castro's government is also seeking deals with China to lighten the nation's debt burden. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Nick Zieminski) FILE PHOTO: Governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu speaks at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting held in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Bergin By Jasper Ward WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu said on Monday he would not join the crowded field vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, saying too many candidates will help former President Donald Trump win the nomination. "Our party is on a collision course toward electoral irrelevance without significant corrective action," Sununu said in a Washington Post opinion piece. "The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help ensure this does not happen." Sununu, who has served as governor of the small New England state since 2017, had said he was considering a run. He ultimately concluded he could have more influence on the Republican Party by staying out of the race and leading the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state, he wrote. Trump is the front-runner among at least nine Republicans who have entered the Republican contest or said they planned to. Sununu said Trump did not deliver on several election promises during his time in office, and pointed to the former president's ongoing legal challenges. "If he is the nominee, Republicans will lose again. Just as we did in 2018, 2020 and 2022. This is indisputable, and I am not willing to let it happen without a fight," Sununu said. Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, became the latest to join on Monday. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum were expected to launch their campaign this week. Sununu said Republican candidates should not enter the race to further "a vanity campaign, to sell books or to audition to serve as Donald Trump's vice president." He pointed to the party's losses in the ballot since 2017, adding that it will continue to happen unless Republicans "undergo a course correction." (Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Doina Chiacu) FILE PHOTO: Dutch citizen Joran Van der Sloot (C) enters the courtroom in the Lurigancho prison in Lima January 6, 2012. Van der Sloot went on trial on Friday for killing Stephany Flores in 2010, five years to the day after a U.S. teenager vanished on the LIMA (Reuters) -A convicted killer imprisoned in Peru will be extradited within days to the U.S., where he faces extortion and fraud charges related to the disappearance and murder of an Alabama teenager nearly two decades ago, Interpol's local head said on Monday. The extradition is the latest twist in the mystery surrounding the fate of Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old from suburban Birmingham who vanished during a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba in May 2005. The disappearance prompted an exhaustive investigation and intense media attention. "It will be by air and it will possibly take place on Thursday," Carlos Lopez, head of the Interpol Lima office, told Reuters in an interview, referring to the extradition of Joran Van der Sloot, who is currently in a maximum security prison in Lima. A decade ago Van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, was sentenced to 28 years in prison in Peru after he confessed to strangling, beating and suffocating a 21-year-old Peruvian business student. Van der Sloot's lawyer, Maximo Altez, said he was filing an appeal on Monday seeking to stop the extradition, arguing that authorities have not respected due process. Altez said Van der Sloot had accepted the extradition "in his desperation to get out of prison," adding there was a "media lynching" against him in the United States. The Dutch Embassy will present a complaint to Peru's foreign ministry, the lawyer said. Embassy representatives did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Van der Sloot, a Dutch national from Aruba, was arrested in relation to Holloway's disappearance but never charged with her alleged abduction. The teen's remains have never been found, but an Alabama judge declared her legally dead in January 2012. Peru's Council of Ministers issued an executive order last month allowing the temporary extradition of Van der Sloot. He will face extortion and wire fraud charges "as part of a scheme to supposedly lead the (Holloway family) to the body of their deceased daughter," a statement from Peru's authorities said when the extradition was confirmed. Interpol's Lopez said an aircraft from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation will land in Lima on Thursday morning for the extradition. (Reporting by Anthony Marina; Writing by Marco Aquino and Valentine HilaireEditing by Marguerita Choy and Leslie Adler) Poe on NAIA privatization The privatization of NAIA is a proposal not only whose time has come, but is also well past its due. We could have averted the glitches that messed up the flight schedules and inconvenienced thousands of travelers had the modernization of the airport's air traffic control and operations been undertaken years ago. The proposal to enlist a private concessionaire to operate the country's main gateway was one of our priority recommendations in the committee report on the NAIA power glitches. Like any concessionaire, we need to ensure that this private entity lives up to its commitment to improve air services in the country. The government should require an accomplishment timeline, performance matrix, and penalties for any default. We have seen how the transformation of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport by a private consortium and its improved services and facilities have positively impacted on tourism and passenger experience. This could be a template for the modernization of the NAIA operations. It's time to start fixing our country's premier gateway. Filipinos and foreign travellers deserve a better airport. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Footage of the passage through the checkpoint on Azerbaijan's Lachin-Khankendi road by the Armenian residents of the country's Karabakh region, who were heading from Khankendi to Gorus, has been released, Trend reports. When the checkpoint was just opening, the Armenian residents of Karabakh stated that they allegedly "will never be able to use this road again", but the footage shows otherwise. In order to prevent the transportation of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment from Armenia for illegal Armenian armed groups on the territory of Azerbaijan (which weren't withdrawn contrary to the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war), and as an adequate response to the unilateral establishment of a checkpoint by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan on April 22 at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, on April 23 at 12:00 (GMT+4), the units of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan set up a border checkpoint in its sovereign territories, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry on Monday said Ukraine had launched an attack in the eastern Donetsk region. Below is the full text of the statement. "From the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive on five sectors of the front in the South Donetsk direction with the 23rd and 31st mechanized brigades from the strategic reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the support of other military units and divisions. "In total, six mechanized and two tank battalions of the enemy were involved. "The enemy's goal was to break through our defenses on the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front. The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success. "As a result of the skillful and competent actions of the 'Eastern' grouping of troops, the losses of the Armed Forces amounted to more than 250 personnel, 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored fighting vehicles. "The commander of the combined group of troops - the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Army General Gerasimov V.V. - was at one of the advanced control points in this direction during this period." (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, editing by David Ljunggren and Diane Craft) FILE PHOTO: An armed pro-Russian separatist stands on part of the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane after it crashed near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev By Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE (Reuters) -Ukraine on Tuesday called Russia a terrorist state at the top U.N. court as hearings began in a case over Moscow's backing of pro-Russian separatists blamed for shooting down Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014. It was the first time lawyers for Ukraine and Russia met at the International Court of Justice, also know as the World Court, since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Legal teams with dozens of representatives were sent by each side. A panel of 16 judges at the ICJ began hearing Ukraine's claim that Moscow violated a U.N. anti-terrorism treaty by equipping and funding pro-Russian forces who shot down the jetliner, killing all 298 passengers and crew. In the same claim, Ukraine has also asked the Hague-based court to order Russia to halt discrimination against the Tatar ethnic group in Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula occupied by Russia since 2014. In opening remarks, Ukrainian Ambassador-at-Large Anton Korynevych commented on the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric dam hours earlier in Russian-held territory in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. Kyiv says Russia blew up the dam; the Kremlin has blamed what it says was Ukrainian sabotage. "Russia cannot defeat us on the battlefield, so it targets civilian infrastructure to try to freeze us into submission," Korynevych told hearings, describing Russia's actions as "the actions of a terrorist state". "Just today Russia blew up a major dam ..., causing significant civilian evacuations, ecological damage and threatening the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant." Moscow has tried to get the case thrown out, arguing the ICC has no jurisdiction. RUSSIA WANTS TO 'WIPE OUT WHAT MAKES UKRAINIANS, UKRAINIANS' Flight MH17 was shot down by a Russian-made missile on July 17, 2014 over pro-Russian, separatist-held eastern Ukraine. Last November, a Dutch court convicted two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist in absentia for their role and sentenced them to life in prison. It found that Russia had "overall control" over the separatist forces. Ukraine wants to court to decide that Moscow has breached the anti-terrorism treaty by supplying funds and weapons to pro-Russian forces in Ukraine since 2014, including the group that allegedly shot down MH17. Russia boycotted hearings at the court in March 2022 that dealt with a request by Ukraine to impose emergency measures in another ICJ case, in which Kyiv is countering a Russian claim of genocide against Russian-speakers in Ukraine. Kyiv calls that claim a bogus justification for Russia's invasion. Ukraine also argued Russia was discriminating against ethnic Ukrainians and Tatars in Crimea in an effort to erase their culture. "(Russia) is pursuing a long-term project to erase the rights and culture that make Ukraine a proud, multi-ethnic nation, to wipe out what makes Ukrainians, Ukrainians, and what makes the Crimean Tatars, Crimean Tatars," said Harold Koh, a lawyer for the Ukrainian government. Russia denies systematic human rights abuses in Ukrainian territory that it occupies. The court adjourned on Tuesday after Ukraine wound up its presentation. Russia will have the chance to respond to Kyiv's case on Thursday at the court. Rulings of the ICJ, the U.N.'s top court for disputes between states, are binding but have no enforcement mechanism. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also the subject of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court, also in The Hague, on war crimes charges over forced deportations of Ukrainian children. The Kremlin denies this. (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch; editing by Peter Graff and Mark Heinrich) Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares speaks during a Stellantis keynote address at CES 2023, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Steve Marcus MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's government has no need to directly invest in Stellantis as the carmaker is doing well, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti suggested on Monday, echoing similar comments made last week by the group's chairman. Asked by reporters whether Rome should take a stake in Stellantis to have more say in its management, Giorgetti said the company's CEO Carlos Tavares had demonstrated he can pursue the highest financial results for the group. "Based on my economic culture, I think that states must enter (companies) only when the market fails and to preserve strategic interests," Giorgetti said during a conference in Milan. Last week Italy's automotive lobby said a public investment in Stellantis could be a counterweight to the shareholding of the French state. However, Stellantis chairman John Elkann rejected the idea, saying thriving companies have no need of state intervention. "I don't know if France has more say than Italy in Stellantis," Giorgetti said on Monday. (Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari, writing by Federica Urso, editing by Federico Maccioni and Gavin Jones) FILE PHOTO: A sign is pictured at the entrance to a Planned Parenthood building in New York August 31, 2015. Picture taken August 31, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson By Brendan Pierson (Reuters) - Texas and an anonymous anti-abortion activist made a joint court filing over the weekend, urging a federal judge to decide a $1.8 billion fraud lawsuit they brought against Planned Parenthood in their favor, saying a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling strengthened the case. The lawsuit, before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo, Texas, had been on hold awaiting the Supreme Court's decision Friday, which gave a boost to whistleblower lawsuits accusing health care providers and others of defrauding the government. Texas and the anonymous plaintiff are seeking to force Planned Parenthood to return money it collected from Texas' and Louisiana's state Medicaid programs after the states tried to cut off its funding, plus heavy additional penalties. Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by former Republican president Donald Trump, is a staunch conservative who in April suspended approval for the abortion pill mifepristone. The Supreme Court has put that decision on hold while the Biden administration appeals. Lawsuits filed in Amarillo federal court automatically go to him, making the court popular with conservative activists. The lawsuit was brought in 2021 by an anonymous plaintiff, identifying himself as the person who in 2015 released undercover video footage purporting to show Planned Parenthood staff discussing the sale of fetal tissue. Those videos led to Texas and Louisiana announcing in 2015 that they would terminate Planned Parenthood as a provider covered by their Medicaid programs. Planned Parenthood sued over those decisions and won court orders blocking the states' terminations. Those orders were later lifted on appeal, allowing Texas to end its contract with Planned Parenthood in 2021 and Louisiana in 2022. The federal government has not intervened in the case, but said in a February filing that it did not believe there was any basis for Texas' and Louisiana's termination of Planned Parenthood. The plaintiff claims that Planned Parenthood violated the federal False Claims Act by continuing to bill and collect payments from the state's Medicaid programs after it was originally terminated and failing to repay what it received after those orders were lifted. Texas intervened in the case, though Louisiana did not. The plaintiff will be entitled to a portion of any award if his lawsuit is successful. Planned Parenthood noted that the states never asked for the money to be repaid and that it was allowed to keep billing them after winning court orders against the states. It had also pointed to a decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Texas and Louisiana, saying a defendant cannot be held liable for defrauding the government as long as its billing practices were supported by an "objectively reasonable" interpretation of the law. The Supreme Court rejected that standard on Friday, saying that whether a defendant can be liable for fraud depends on whether it subjectively believed its bills were false when it submitted them. Texas and the plaintiff argued in a Sunday court filing that the decision supported their case by knocking out one of Planned Parenthood's defenses. Planned Parenthood countered that there was no evidence it subjectively believed its bills were false, meaning the lawsuit fails under the Supreme Court's new standard. Kacsmaryk is considering motions by both sides to decide the case without a trial. It is not clear when he will rule. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and David Gregorio) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on Monday on members of a Russian intelligence-linked group for their role in Moscow's efforts to destabilize democracy and influence elections in Moldova, the Treasury Department said. The new sanctions target seven Russian individuals, some of whom maintain ties to Russian intelligence services, the department said in a statement. They include the group's leader, Konstantin Prokopyevich Sapozhnikov, who organized the plot to destabilize the government of Moldova in early 2023, it said. The group is part of a large global information operation connected to Russia that targets Ukraine and bordering countries as well as the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, the Treasury Department said. The group's members provoke, train and oversee groups in democratic countries and conduct anti-government protests, rallies, marches and demonstrations, it added. The individuals include: Yury Yuryevich Makolov, who the Treasury Department said was involved in logistical support for the plot; Gleb Maksimovich Khloponin, who gathered security details on various government buildings in Moldova; and Aleksey Vyacheslavovich Losev, who conducted reconnaissance in Moldova, according to the Treasury Department. Svetlana Andreyevna Boyko and Vasily Viktorovich Gromovikov handled budgeting and financing for the 2023 plot, it added. "These malign influence operatives analyze countries vulnerable to exploitation and stoke fears that undermine faith in democratic principles in the targeted countries," the department said in the statement. Moldova Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu welcomed the imposition of the sanctions, describing them on Facebook as "an important step in our joint efforts to uphold stability and maintenance of order in our country". Russia's embassy in Washington called the sanctions a "spy hysteria" and an attempt meddle in relations between Russia and its neighbours. "We see nothing but the manifestation of Washingtons openly destructive line of sowing discord into relations of sovereign states around the world," the embassy said in a statement on its Telegram channel. Brian Nelson, the department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said Monday's sanctions expose Russia's ongoing efforts to destabilize democratic nations. The European Union and Canada last week also imposed sanctions on Moldovans, citing destabilizing actions. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Additonal reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Mark Porter and Stephen Coates) FILE PHOTO: Changpeng Zhao, founder and chief executive officer of Binance, attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier By Hannah Lang, Jonathan Stempel and Tom Wilson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators sued Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao on Monday for allegedly operating a "web of deception," piling further pressure on the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange and sending bitcoin to its lowest in almost three months. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaint, filed in a federal court in Washington, D.C., listed 13 charges against Binance, Zhao and the operator of its purportedly independent U.S. exchange. The SEC alleged that Binance artificially inflated its trading volumes, diverted customer funds, failed to restrict U.S. customers from its platform and misled investors about its market surveillance controls. The SEC also claimed that Binance and Zhao, its billionaire founder and one of the crypto industry's highest-profile moguls, secretly controlled customers' assets, allowing them to commingle and divert investor funds "as they please." Binance created separate U.S. entities "as part of an elaborate scheme to evade U.S. federal securities laws," the SEC also alleged, citing a number of practices first reported by Reuters in a series of investigations into the exchange published this year and in 2022. From almost three years ago until June 2022, a trading firm owned and controlled by Zhao, Sigma Chain, engaged in so-called wash trading that artificially inflated the trading volume of crypto asset securities on the Binance.US platform, the SEC also alleged. Sigma Chain spent $11 million from an account on a yacht, the SEC said. "We allege that Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law," SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement. In a blog post, Binance said: "We intend to defend our platform vigorously," adding that "because Binance is not a U.S. exchange, the SEC's actions are limited in reach." "All user assets on Binance and Binance affiliate platforms, including Binance.US, are safe and secure," the blog post said. In a statement, Binance said it had "actively cooperated" with the SEC "from the start" and "respectfully disagree" with the SEC's allegations. Binance had been trying to find a "reasonable resolution" with the SEC but the agency "at the eleventh hour" issued new requests and went to court. Binance said the SEC's actions appeared to be an effort to "claim jurisdictional ground from other regulators." Binance.US, which is ultimately controlled by Zhao, said in a tweet that the lawsuit was "unjustified by the facts, by the law, or by the Commission's own precedent." Bitcoin, the world's biggest cryptocurrency, fell as much as 6% on the news to its lowest in almost three months. Binance's own cryptocurrency BNB, the world's fourth-largest by market size, dropped more than 5%. Market players said the SEC's allegations could hobble Binance, with the lawsuit likely to reverberate through the crypto industry. Binance dominates crypto trading, last year processing trades worth about $65 billion a day. A March report from CCData showed that Binances spot market share across top-tier exchanges fell in March for the first time in five months to 57.7% from 62.0% in February. Its derivatives trading volume, however, rose. "I think that there's a big risk here that this could be crippling to Binance," said Ed Moya, senior market analyst at Oanda. LEGAL HEADACHES The SEC complaint is the latest in a series of legal headaches for Binance, which was also sued by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in March for operating what the regulator alleged were an "illegal" exchange and a "sham" compliance program. Zhao called those an "incomplete recitation of facts." Binance is also under investigation by the Justice Department for suspected money laundering and sanctions violations, according to people familiar with the probe. The holding company of Binance is based in the Cayman Islands. It was founded in Shanghai in 2017 by CEO Zhao, a Canadian citizen born and raised in China until age 12. The exchange says it does not have a headquarters and has declined to state the location of its main Binance.com exchange. The SEC alleged that Zhao designed and implemented a plan to "surreptitiously evade U.S. laws." The agency said Binance's chief compliance officer admitted that: "We do not want [Binance].com to be regulated ever." It said Zhao directed Binance.US even though the U.S. entity has long said it operates independently. The SEC said billions of dollars in Binance customer funds were commingled, or mixed with corporate funds, in breach of U.S. laws, in a bank account of an entity controlled by Zhao, then transferred to a trading firm, Merit Peak, also controlled by Zhao. Last month, Reuters reported that Binance commingled its customers' funds with its corporate revenues in a U.S. bank account belonging to Merit Peak. Binance denied mixing customer deposits and company funds, saying users who sent money to the account were not making deposits but rather buying Binances bespoke dollar-linked crypto token. Reuters reported on Monday before the SEC lawsuit that a senior Binance executive was the main operator for five bank accounts belonging to BAM Trading, the operator of Binance.US, including an account that held American customers' funds. The SEC wrote that the executive had at least until December 2020, also had "signatory authority over BAM Trading's U.S. Dollar accounts." (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York, Hannah Lang in Washington and Tom Wilson in London, additional reporting by Angus Berwick in London and John McCrank in New York; Editing by Megan Davies, Nick Zieminski and David Gregorio) Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this Registration Statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (4) To file a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 need not be furnished, provided, that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to this Registration Statement, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 3-19 of Regulation S-X if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. (5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: (i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and (ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in this Registration Statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of this Registration Statement relating to the securities in this Registration Statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in this Registration Statement or prospectus that was part of this Registration Statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. (6) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: (i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; 4 (Tribune News Service) When NASA astronauts get suited up and seated in their newest space capsule on their next trip to the moon, it will be with the help of Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) researchers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Working with NASA and Lockheed Martin, AFRL researchers tested the most recent versions of the astronaut crew seat and flight suit expected to be used in the Orion spacecraft in future moon missions. The latest work, in April, involved the Horizontal Impact Accelerator (HIA) at AFRLs Biomedical Impact of Flight Branch at Wright-Patterson. The HIA helps researchers get a read on how the suits and the seats handle during Orion landings. The accelerator lets AFRL and NASA assess various landing impact scenarios across all three x, y and z axes, letting researchers see how well the seats and flight suits handle dramatic pressures of various kinds. Chris Perry, an AFRL biomedical researcher, simplifies the HIA concept considerably by calling it a sled. In our lab, we just call it the sled, Perry said in a recent interview. The sled is basically an energy track 150 feet long, on which a foundation supports the Orion seat replica, holding a manikin dressed in the astronauts space suit. The suit and the seat are no minor matters. This is equipment meant to keep the Artemis crew alive. They are very happy that AFRL has this capability, Perry said of AFRLs NASA and Lockheed Martin partners. ( Lockheed Martin is the Orion prime contractor). Computer models are good, but they go only so far. With the Wright-Patterson sled, researchers get real physical data, helping them understand injury risk, the physical pressures astronauts will undergo as Orion reenters Earth atmosphere and lands in the ocean. When that capsule comes down and first hits that water, the occupants in their seats can be in several different orientations, Perry said. NASA comes to the researchers at Wright-Patt to run a physical model in the effort to make sure the suit and seat are right by running the Orion seat on the sled, carrying the manikin. It all comes back to getting the right design on the seat and the suit, and how that occupant interacts with both of those to make sure theyre safe, Perry said. Dragged by parachutes, the Orion crew module is expected to slow from 25,000 miles per hour to around 20 mph before splashing down, AFRL said. Astronauts are expected to visit Wright-Patterson this fall for human testing, to get further data, Perry said, although he added that volunteers may sit on the seat replica during testing. NASAs Artemis 2 mission is scheduled to have four astronauts venture to moon orbit, preceding Artemis 3, which is meant to be the first attempt to land on the moon since Apollo 17. Artemis timelines are constantly changing. Currently, that mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than December 2025. If they need our facility, well be there, Perry said of AFRL and Wright-Patterson. The facilities here are quite unique, Dustin Gohmert, Orion crew survival engineer at NASA, said in an AFRL account of the work in April. This horizontal accelerator is one of only two or three of its kind in the whole world. This is the sixth or seventh time NASA researchers have been to Wright-Patterson in the last decade, Gohmert added. (c)2023 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) Visit the Dayton Daily News Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The commanding officer of the USS Stout was removed from his job last week after losing the confidence of his commander, the Navy said in a statement Monday. Cmdr. Jeffrey Applebaugh was fired Friday by Capt. Blair Guy, the commodore of Destroyer Squadron 28, citing loss of confidence in his ability to command, according to the statement. Applebaugh had commanded the guided-missile destroyer since October when he took command after serving as the ships executive officer for more than 18 months. The USS Stout is based at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Applebaugh has not been accused of criminal conduct and is not the subject of an investigation, said Lt. Cmdr. Dave Carter, a spokesman for Naval Surface Force Atlantic. The Navy declined to provide additional details about Applebaughs removal. Applebaugh has been temporarily assigned to the staff of the commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, according to the Navy statement. A post on the Stouts Facebook page published Sunday thanked Applebaugh for his time in command. Thank you for your dedication, your kindness, your professionalism, your compassion, your understanding, your commitment to the ship and its crew, and their safety and well-being, your knowledge, and your mentorship, the Facebook post reads. Most of all, thank you for always putting the ship and the crew first. Good luck, and we will continue to get [Stout] ready for battle. Applebaugh was serving in his third position aboard the Stout. He had served as the ships operations officer from 2013 to 2014 and its executive officer from March 2021 to September 2022 before taking its helm, according to the Navy. The Navy said Applebaughs removal would not impact the ships operations. Navy Capt. Scott Rosetti has taken temporary command of the USS Stout until its next commander, Cmdr. Desmond Walker, can take permanent command. Carter said that should occur later in the summer. (Tribune News Service) A highly anticipated defense forum in Singapore kicked off with a friendly handshake between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu. It ended Sunday with few other signs of optimism that the worlds biggest economies could avoid an eventual collision. Austin used his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue to chide China over its refusal to meet unless the US lifted sanctions on Li, saying that a cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement. The remarks came as a Chinese vessel harassed an American warship transiting the Taiwan Strait, drawing attention to the biggest potential military flashpoint between the two powers. Li fired back on Sunday, accusing some big power of creating divisive alliances, bullying other nations, spurring an arms race and seeking to contain China with its support for Taiwan. Chinas military will not hesitate for a second to move on Taiwan if necessary, he said, while dismissing questions about near-collisions in disputed waters. Competing militaries should stay away and mind your own business, Li said. Other countries at the event, meanwhile, repeatedly spoke of the dangers posed by rising US-China tensions and the need to prevent anything like Russias war in Ukraine from occurring in Asia. There was a real sincerity and urgency that what happened in Ukraine must not happen in Asia, Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen told reporters after a lunch that included all of the most senior defense officials at the event. Many ministers have said if you have a simultaneous war in Europe and Asia its catastrophic globally. The back-and-forth between the US and China at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue was always expected to be fraught, particularly after President Joe Bidens administration declined to remove sanctions placed on Li in 2018 over his role in purchasing a Russian missile defense system. It was also the first major defense forum since then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan in August prompted China to conduct unprecedented military exercises surrounding the island. Despite the lack of a U.S.-China breakthrough in Singapore, signs are emerging of increased communication ahead of key summits later this year the Group of 20 in India and the APEC forum in San Francisco that will place Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the same room. CIA Director William Burns made a secret visit last month to meet intelligence officials in Beijing, and a senior U.S. Treasury official last week met with Chinas new envoy to the U.S. Daniel Kritenbrink, the top U.S. State Department official for Asia, is set to travel to China this week. And while Li didnt formally meet Austin in Singapore, the Chinese defense minister sat down with nearly a dozen other delegation heads including his U.K. counterpart, Ben Wallace, who emerged from the hour-long conversation saying talks were productive and that he looked forward to visiting China soon. Li also said he had pretty good talks with Yasukazu Hamada, the defense minister of Japan, another staunch U.S. ally. Still, the Singapore meeting underscored growing divisions between China and the U.S. over the basics of the global order. And no issue was more conspicuous than the response to Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, which helped spark a surge in defense spending around the world. The U.S. and its allies warned of the risks of allowing Russia to keep territorial gains, with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorious saying a Putin victory would send a message that aggression and unprovoked use of military force are acceptable, can be successful. This is a war where the global rules-based order is on trial, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said. What happened with the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a complete breach of the rules-based order where a large neighbor invades a smaller neighbor, not by reference to the rules of law, but by reference to power and might. And that cant be allowed to stand in the world today, in Europe or in the Indo-Pacific. Chinese officials, by contrast, blamed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for helping trigger Russias war while warning that US alliances in Asia, along with newer groupings like the Quad and Aukus, would similarly destabilize and divide Asia. They accused the U.S. of selectively applying international rules and norms a point underscored by the fact that Washington hasnt punished Indian officials for buying the same Russian weapons systems that made Li subject to sanctions. Its so-called rules-based international order never tells you what the rules are, and who made these rules, the Chinese defense minister said. It practices exceptionalism and double standards and only serves the interests and follows the rules of a small number of countries. Some representatives at the meeting appeared sympathetic to Chinas viewpoint. Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who plans to run for president next year, unveiled a new peace plan for Ukraine that would freeze troops in place and create a demilitarized zone. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who also attended the meeting, said it sounds like a Russian plan. Prabowo also warned that new technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing raises the stakes in any potential fight between the U.S. and China. If there is a nuclear war, the difference between those directly involved and Indonesia is we will die a slower death, he said. Austin, the U.S. secretary of defense, sought to temper fears of a war, saying I dont think that conflict is inevitable, nor do I think at this point that its coming. He denied the Chinese claim that the US was seeking to create a version of NATO in the region and said that American policy toward Taiwan hadnt changed, adding that a war would affect the global economy in ways that we cannot imagine. The next day, Chinas defense minister said Beijing was willing to back up its claim to Taiwan regardless of any cost. To underscore his point, Li referenced a song called My Motherland, written for a 1956 movie about the Korean War that showed a heroic Chinese victory against American and South Korean troops. As the lyrics of a well-known Chinese song goes, when friends visit us, we welcome them with fine wine, he said. When jackals or wolves come, we will face them with shotguns. With assistance from Peter Martin, Jamie Tarabay, Alfred Cang and Clarissa Batino ___ 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Details added: first version posted on 09:22 BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan's new attempts to distort the essence of a number of issues [including the Armenian-Azerbaijani border delimitation process] are unacceptable, Trend reports citing Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan The ministry made the remark commenting on Grigoryan's interview on Armenian Public Television on June 4, 2023. Besides, the ministry called unacceptable the Armenian official's attempts to mislead the international community and the Armenian society, contrary to the commitments undertaken by Armenia. Firstly, in connection with the claim regarding the basis for carrying out the delimitation process [between Azerbaijan and Armenia], we should note that, according to the statements from the meetings in Prague and Sochi, the delimitation should be carried out on the basis of mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty," the ministry said. "As a rule, in these statements references to the UN Charter and the Alma-Ata Declaration are given in the context of the mentioned principles." "The Armenian side is well aware that no agreement was reached on delimitation based on any map. According to international practice, the delimitation process, which Azerbaijan has so far carried out with some of its neighbors, was carried out not on the basis of a specially chosen map, but on the basis of the analysis and consideration of all documents of legal significance," the ministry noted. "The application of this practice is also possible with Armenia. It would be more useful for the Armenian side to start work on delimitation, rather than insistently referring to the 1975 map," the ministry explained. "We should not forget that for a long time the Armenian side did not respond to the proposals of our country after the 2020 war on the delimitation of the border." "Armenia, which held Azerbaijani territories under occupation for almost 30 years, still holds eight Azerbaijani villages, despite the written and oral agreements reached, has not completely withdrawn its forces from Azerbaijani territory, under various pretexts is delaying the return of these eight villages to Azerbaijan, and also continued military provocations, while accusing Azerbaijan of aggression against Armenia, which has no basis," the ministry said. Will be updated JAKARTA, Indonesia Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles met his Indonesian counterpart on Monday to deepen security ties amid China's increasingly assertive activity in the Indo-Pacific region. Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said he and Marles discussed ways to facilitate cooperation between their militaries. "Cooperation between Indonesia and Australia can make an important contribution to regional peace and stability," Subianto said, adding that the two governments agreed to further strengthen their security ties, including joint military training in Australia and the education of Indonesian cadets at Australian academies. Military exchanges between the two neighbors have previously included counterterrorism and border protection. Marles declined to make any comment to the media after meeting with Subianto. He vowed in a statement released by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta ahead of the talks to deepen defense engagement with Australia's closest major neighbor. "I look forward to progressing our comprehensive strategic partnership during my visit to Jakarta," Marles said in the statement. Although Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation of more than 270 million people, is often presented as one of Australia's most important neighbors and strategic allies, the relationship has undergone various ups and downs. Recent disagreements include allegations of wiretapping by the Australian Signals Directorate in 2013 to monitor the private phone calls of then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and other senior officials; Indonesia's use of capital punishment on Australian drug smugglers; and cases of people smuggling. In 2017, Indonesia temporarily suspended military cooperation with Australia, including joint training, education, exchanges of officers and visits, over an alleged insult against the Indonesian state ideology "Pancasila" and the Indonesian military at an Australian military base. In September 2021, Indonesia filed a diplomatic protest against Australia for being slow to provide information about its activities in the AUKUS trilateral pact involving the United States and the United Kingdom, including plans for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Last year, Australia, along with Japan and Singapore, joined for the first time the annual Indonesia-U.S. joint combat exercise called Super Garuda Shield, making it the largest since the drills began in 2009. The expanded drills are seen by China as a threat. Chinese state media have accused the U.S. of building an Indo-Pacific alliance similar to NATO to limit China's growing military and diplomatic influence in the region. Marles arrived in Jakarta on Monday after attending the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, where he described Australia's communications about its nuclear-powered submarine program as a model of "military transparency," and said that China needed to offer a "strategic explanation" of its military expansion. Marles, who is also Australia's deputy prime minister, is to visit Vanuatu after Indonesia. The American commander of a Kosovo Force contingent said the situation in his sector was calm but fragile Monday, a week after his soldiers were attacked by Serbs angry about the outcome of local elections. Col. Chris Mabis, leader of the Indiana National Guards 76th Infantry Brigade Command Team and head of Regional Command-East in Kosovo, blamed a small group of agitators for the violence, which resulted in injuries to about 30 soldiers. He and a small group of U.S. forces were in the town of Zvecan on May 29 when the most serious outburst happened, he said. No Americans were injured, but three KFOR soldiers were shot, and others were injured by grenade fragments, clubs and pipes. The wounded soldiers were evacuated by U.S. military aircraft. KFOR, once made up of multiple sectors that included thousands of troops from NATO and other countries across Europe, is based out of Pristina, with forces responsible for eastern and western segments. The U.S., which formerly led forces in the southeast of the country, has essentially taken over command of both the former British and French sectors in the center and north. Italians in the west of the country are also in charge of the southwestern sector, originally Germanys responsibility. Mabis said the situation could have been much worse because KFOR forces were authorized to use deadly force if necessary. I made the decision to not use that force due to the fact there would have been innocent civilian casualties, he said Monday. I have no doubt about that. Mabis said soldiers were guarding municipal buildings and the people inside after it became clear that some Serbs wanted to remove the recently elected Albanian mayor from them by force. Serbs largely boycotted the voting in late April resulting in a very low turnout and victories by ethnic Albanian mayoral candidates in four municipalities: Zvecan, Leposavic, North Mitrovica and Zubin Potok. Mabis, whose sector normally includes a U.S. infantry battalion and companies from Turkey, Latvia and Poland, asked for more troops. In response, Italians from RC-West and Hungarians from the KFOR reserve took up positions in Zvecan. About 750 people gathered, calling for the mayor to vacate the building, Mabis said, adding that the majority of them were peacefully protesting. But a crowd encircled a group of Kosovo police officers and started to vandalize their cars. After about eight hours trying to negotiate their release, Mabis said, it became clear the situation was going to deteriorate. So he ordered troops to advance to clear space. There were a group of agitators that very clearly attacked KFOR soldiers, he said. Troops later found shell casings. Besides guns, the attackers used flash-bang grenades, fragmentation grenades, clubs or pipes. The troops tried to protect themselves with shields and batons. Mabis said some protesters also were injured. I cant say enough good things about how the soldiers responded, regardless of nationality, he said. Four protesters were detained and turned over to Kosovo police. Mabis said he agreed to talk about the episode to counter false narratives that have spread through social media. Theres a lot of misinformation out there, he said. The U.S. will implement a new rotation in June, with troops from the Texas National Guard getting set to train in Germany before heading to Kosovo. There is a tremendous amount of pressure from the international community on the institutions of Kosovo to deescalate and pressure on the Serbian side to do the same, Mabis said. My assessment is there will be a peaceful resolution. ON UTAH BEACH, France World War II veterans shared vivid memories of D-Day and the fighting as dozens returned to Normandy beaches and key battle sites to mark the 79th anniversary of the decisive assault that led to the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi control. Looking at the vastness of Utah Beach, its sand blowing in strong wind and bright sunshine, 99-year-old Robert Gibson remembered: "it was tough." Gibson landed there on June 6, 1944 alongside more than 150,000 other Allied troops. He said there were "lots of casualties. We had almost run over bodies to get in the beach. Never forget we were only 18, 19 years old. I'm glad I made it." The first job of his battalion, he said, was "to guard an ammunition dump and the first night it got struck. You didn't know where you were to go. Bullets were going all over the place. But we ducked it." On Monday, veterans have been greeted to the sound of bagpipes at the Pegasus Memorial, where they attended a ceremony commemorating a key operation in the first minutes of the D-Day operations, when troops had to take control of a strategic bridge. World War II veterans Jake Larson, a 100-year-old American, and Bill Gladden, a 99-year-old British national, met at the memorial where they had a close discussion. "I want to give you a hug, thank you. I got tears in my eyes. We were meant to meet," Larson told Gladden, their hands clasped. Larson, who has more than 600,000 followers on TikTok, explained with enthusiasm: "I'm just a country boy. Now I'm a star on TikTok. You can see me all over: 'Papa Jake.' I'm a legend! I didn't plan this, it came about." Larson landed on Omaha Beach, where he ran under machine-gun fire and made it to the cliffs without being wounded. "I'm 100 without an ache or a pain. You can't fake that," he said. U.S. veteran Andrew Negra returned for the first time to Utah Beach this year. The last time he stood there was when he landed on July 18, 1944. He was "amazed" by the warm welcome from local French people: "Every place we went, people are cheering, clapping, and they've been doing this for I don't know how many years." At age 99, Negra is the only member of his battalion who is still alive. Braving the wind to walk on the beach for a few minutes, he said, "So many we lost. And here I am." Negra participated in combat operations until his division reached eastern Germany in April 1945. On Sunday, more than 40 American veterans of World War II formed a parade, using wheelchairs, along the streets of the small town of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, where thousands of paratroopers jumped not long after midnight on June 6, 1944. Cheerful crowds applauded, calling out "Merci" and "Thank you." Children waved, and many families asked for a photo with the men. Donnie Edwards, president of the Best Defense Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps World War II veterans visit former battlefields, said, "For us, every year is a big one." Given the ages of the soldiers who fought nearly eight decades ago, Edwards observed, "Nothing is guaranteed. So we want to make sure that we do everything we can to get them an incredible and enjoyable experience." The veterans then headed to Sainte-Marie-du-Mont for a brief ceremony at a monument honoring the U.S. Navy that overlooks Utah Beach. "The fallen will never be forgotten. The veteran will ever be honored," an inscription in the stone reads. Some of the almost-centenarians asked volunteers to accompany them on the wide stretch of sand. Matthew Yacovino, 98, became emotional as he remembered what happened there to his older brother, who almost died after his jeep blew up during the landings. "The driver got killed and my brother fell on the beach unconscious," Yacovino said with tears in the eyes. His brother eventually recovered. Yacovino himself served as a U.S. combat air crewman during the war. Like others who come to Normandy for historical reenactments of what transpired there, Valerie and Lionel Draucourt, visitors from the Paris region, dressed in khaki uniforms. They wanted to pay their respects to the veterans. "Frankly, I don't think we can quite fathom what they lived through. We can't understand it, it's so big, it's crazy," Lionel Draucourt said. Veterans were due to take part in official ceremonies of the 79th anniversary on Tuesday, including at the Normandy American Cemetery. On D-Day, Allied troops landed on the beaches code-named Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword and Gold, carried by 7,000 boats. On that single day, 4,414 Allied soldiers lost their lives, 2,501 of them Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded. On the German side, several thousand were killed or wounded. U.S. Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, stressed that the significance of the commemorations "for memorializing the efforts that they did and what they did." "They were fighting to make sure that fascism and Nazism didn't stay in control of Europe. Ultimately, we all know that they were successful," Milley said. Nicolas Garriga contributed to this story. TALLINN, Estonia NATO is ready if conflict with Russia arises, but finding ways to enhance overall readiness is critical and more work is needed, a U.S. admiral said this weekend just before an annual Baltic Sea exercise kicked off. Lessons from the war in Ukraine have NATO better-prepared than it was a year-and-a-half ago, Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet and Striking and Support Forces NATO, said Saturday, the day before the start of BALTOPS. NATO is reshaping its force readiness plans to better adapt to threats. Those plans are not yet finalized, but as more is learned about them, exercises are being adapted to ensure that we are rehearsing the right things, Ishee said. Although the Russian bear always looms large in the Baltics, Ishee and other commanders stressed that BALTOPS is not about Russia. Rather, the exercise is intended to improve the alliances proficiency and build the trust needed to deter any enemy, they said. And with the accession of Finland in April and the likely addition of Sweden pending, the alliance will boast a decisive edge in the Baltic Sea region, said Spanish Lt. Gen. Luis Lanchares, deputy commander of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum in the Netherlands. As soon as Sweden becomes part of NATO, nearly the entire Baltic coast will be NATO nations, Lanchares said. The 52nd iteration of BALTOPS began Sunday with roughly 20 participating countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia and Turkey, the Navy said. The two-week exercise includes 50 ships, more than 45 aircraft and 6,000 personnel, said Cmdr. Richlyn Ivey, a spokeswoman for U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet. It ends June 16. NATO has bolstered its presence in northeastern Europe in recent years. It has established battalions in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and sent more ships and resources to the Baltic Sea, according to the alliance. Those and other actions, particularly since full-scale war broke out in Ukraine in February 2022, are in response to Russian aggression, the alliances website states. From Estonias point of view, seeing the Kremlin throwing its weight around is nothing new, said Gen. Martin Herem, commander of Estonian defense forces. The Russians just arent pretending any longer that they are good, he said. But the strengthening of the Estonian navy through the addition of ships and weapons combined with the new Nordic geopolitical calculus significantly changes the Baltic Sea environment, he said. That gives us a completely new angle to solve our security question, Herem said. This story has been corrected KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian forces were making a major effort to end a battlefield stalemate and punch through Russian defensive lines in southeast Ukraine for a second day Monday, in what may herald the start of a long-anticipated counteroffensive after 15 months of war. Russian officials seemed to be trying to portray the Ukrainian attacks as the start of the counteroffensive, saying that Moscow's forces foiled at least one assault. While not explicitly confirming such a large-scale effort, Kyiv authorities said their forces were indeed increasing offensive operations and making gains, but suggested some of the Russian announcements were misinformation. Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russia-backed administration of Ukraine's partly occupied Zaporizhzhia province, said fighting resumed on its border with the eastern Donetsk province on Monday after Russian defenses beat back a Ukrainian advance the previous day. "The enemy threw an even bigger force into the attack than yesterday (Sunday)," and the new attempt to break through the front line was "more large-scale and organized," Rogov said, adding: "A battle is underway." Rogov interpreted the Ukrainian military movements as part of an effort to reach the Sea of Azov coast and sever the land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Analysts have long viewed that strategy as likely because it would cut the Russian forces in two and severely strain supplies to Crimea, which has served as a key Russian military hub in the war that started Feb. 24, 2022. Rogov's comments came after Moscow also said its forces thwarted large Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk province, near its border with the Zaporizhzhia province. Reacting to Russia's declarations that it repelled Ukrainian offensives, a U.S. official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters: "We have no reason to believe any Russian action has had any spoiling effect on pending or ongoing Ukraine operations." Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said the Ukrainian military has scored gains. "Despite fierce resistance and attempts of the enemy to hold the occupied lines and positions, our units moved forward in several directions during the fighting," she said. Malyar drew no distinctions between phases of the war, insisting that Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion "contains everything, including counter-offensive actions." She acknowledged that Kyiv's forces "in some areas are shifting to offensive operations." Sir Richard Barrons, a general who is a former commander of the U.K. Joint Forces Command, said that Ukraine was clearly in the preliminary phase of its counteroffensive and would probe Russian defenses to find weak spots, then focus its resources to ram through them and hold ground. Barrons, now co-chair of the U.K.-based strategic consulting firm Universal Defence & Security Solutions, told The Associated Press the Ukrainians are trying to increase the chances of surprise about when you do it, where you do it and how you do it. Commenting on the Russian military's assertion that it thwarted a big Ukrainian attack, he said it could be part of Ukrainian efforts to probe Russian defenses and test its units in combat. He added that Moscow could have exaggerated the scale of the fighting and claimed victory to assuage its domestic Russian audience. Barrons predicted that the Ukrainian counteroffensive would involve a series of moves and take weeks. "It's a process, not an event," he said. Ukraine often waits until the completion of its military operations to confirm its actions. A Ukrainian Defense Ministry video showed soldiers putting a finger to their lips in a sign to keep quiet. "Plans love silence," it said on the screen. "There will be no announcement of the start." Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk are two of the four provinces that President Vladimir Putin claimed as Russian territory last fall and which Moscow partially controls. Russia's Defense Ministry said it had pushed back a "large-scale" assault Sunday at five places in Donetsk province. The announcement couldn't be independently verified, and while Ukrainian officials reported fighting in that area, they didn't confirm a retreat. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in an unusual overnight video that 250 Ukrainian personnel were killed in the fighting in Donetsk province, and 16 Ukrainian tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored combat vehicles were destroyed. In response, the Center for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Russian forces were "stepping up their information and psychological operations." "To demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community (including their own population), Russian propagandists will spread false information about the counteroffensive, its directions and the losses of the Ukrainian army. Even if there is no counteroffensive," a statement on Telegram read. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russians overreacted to its latest push. "We see how hysterically Russia perceives every step we take there, every position we take," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. Ukrainian officials have said for months that a spring campaign with advanced weapons supplied by Western allies to reclaim territory seized by Russia during the war was planned, but they have kept quiet about when, how and where it might start, or whether it had already been launched. Recent military activity, including drone attacks on Moscow, cross-border raids into Russia and sabotage and drone attacks on infrastructure behind Russian lines, has unnerved Russians. Analysts say those actions may represent the start of the counteroffensive. In other disruption, TV and radio broadcasts in several regions of Russia were hacked Monday, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. A fake broadcast featured a voice impersonating Putin and stated that Ukrainian forces had invaded the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia. Those Russian regions have occasionally been targeted in cross-border strikes during the war. The impersonator announced that martial law was declared in those regions, where people were urged to evacuate, and all Russians eligible for military duty were being mobilized. The Russian military said Monday it repelled the latest Ukrainian incursion into the Belgorod region, on the border in Ukraine. Russians who purport to be fighting alongside Ukrainian forces said they attacked on Sunday. They were driven back by airstrikes and artillery fire, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. At least two factors have been at play in the counteroffensive's timing: better ground conditions for the movement of troops and equipment after the winter, and the deployment of more advanced Western weapons and training of Ukrainian troops to use them. Ukraine's Western allies have sent the country more than 65 billion euros ($70 billion) in military aid to help its defense. Driving out the Kremlin's forces is a daunting challenge for Kyiv's planners. Russia has built extensive defensive lines, including trenches, minefields and anti-tank obstacles. After months of a battlefield stalemate, with neither side making significant gains and suffering losses of personnel and weapons, Ukraine could launch simultaneous pushes in different areas of the front line that stretches for nearly 700 miles, analysts say. In the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut, the site of the war's longest and bloodiest battle, Malyar, the deputy defense minister, said Ukrainian forces are advancing and "occupy dominating heights." Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, "Bakhmut direction well done, warriors!" The leader of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin a frequent critic of his country's military brass whose statements are sometimes unreliable said that Russian forces lost control of part of the village of Berkhovka outside Bakhmut. Prizoghin said last month that his forces had seized all of the city of Bakhmut, with Ukrainian forces remaining in control of many surrounding areas. Danica Kirka contributed to this story from London. (Tribune News Service) While the U.S. ponders whether to reopen its embassy in Libya, Vladimir Putins new ambassador is preparing to take up his post in the capital, extending Russian influence across an oil-producing nation on the doorstep of Europe. Russias Wagner Group, a private military company controlled by Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, already has access to key oil facilities and supported last years monthslong blockade that hit exports at the height of the energy crisis triggered by the invasion of Ukraine. Moscows decision to reestablish its diplomatic presence in Tripoli western seat of the United Nations-backed government is the clearest sign yet that Putin is looking to make inroads beyond his traditional support for military commander Khalifa Haftar in the east. The developments have prompted concern in the U.S., which has dispatched a slew of senior officials to counter Putins advances in an OPEC member that European governments are courting as a potential alternative to Russian energy. They include C.I.A. chief William Burns, who visited Libya in January, speaking to rival governments in east and west and later meeting officials in neighboring Egypt, which has also supported Haftar. Top of the U.S. agenda is a bid to oust an estimated 2,000 Wagner mercenaries who supported Haftars failed 2019-2020 campaign to capture Tripoli and have since helped bolster his grip on oil supplies in a country thats home to 40% of Africas reserves. The status quo is inherently unstable, U.S. Special Envoy to Libya, Richard Norland, said in a phone interview, warning of unspecified efforts to exploit internal divisions and thwart U.N. efforts to hold elections. Our message is youre only going to get legitimacy through elections. But the U.S. is at a disadvantage in Libya, where it has no troops and no diplomatic presence. Though U.S. officials say theyre working to reestablish their own embassy, the decision remains politically fraught for Joe Biden, who was vice president during the NATO-backed rebellion that ousted longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011 and Libyas subsequent descent into chaos. The U.S. embassy was closed in 2014 as Libya slid into civil war. An attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi had already killed ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in 2012, fueling a domestic political uproar that complicates any potential decision to return. Thats left the U.S. with waning leverage as it tries to manage the situation from afar. The renewed international rivalry in Libya comes as Russia makes other gains in the Middle East at the expense of the United States. Traditional Arab allies have refused to comply with U.S. efforts to isolate Putin, going so far as to restore their ties with Syrias Kremlin-allied President Bashar al-Assad. Saudi Arabia riled the White House late last year when OPEC+ a cartel of oil producers led by Riyadh and Moscow pushed up global fuel prices by cutting crude production. Meanwhile, Chinas role in brokering a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran has highlighted the broader erosion of U.S. authority. Though their numbers have dwindled since the invasion of Ukraine from highs above 4,000, Wagner forces are present at four military bases in Libya, according to the Libya-based Sadeq Institute think-tank and the Navanti Group, which advises private clients and U.S. government agencies. The paramilitaries also have access to some of the countrys most important energy facilities including the biggest oilfield, Sharara, and Es Sider crude export terminal, their on-the-ground research shows.Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov didnt respond to a request for comment on Russias Libya policy or the role of Wagner forces in the North African country. Mustafa Sanalla, the former head of Libyas National Oil Company, or NOC, accused Wagner and the United Arab Emirates of involvement in Haftars 2020 oil blockade. A subsequent blockade in 2022 ended with Sanallas ouster in favor of a more eastern-friendly figure. The shutdown was of course mainly due to the domestic politics of oil revenue distribution, said Navantis senior Libya analyst, Robert Uniacke. But I do not believe that it could have unfolded in the way it did without Wagners role in propping up (Haftars forces) and projecting military power in the areas around the oil facilities. Moscows efforts to restore the influence that it lost with Qaddafis demise havent always gone smoothly. Both Haftars assault on Tripoli and efforts to elevate the late dictators son, Saif al-Islam, to the presidency have failed. Putin now appears to have settled for a policy of supporting the status quo, a situation that potentially leaves Libyas oil exports hostage to Russia, which is feeling the squeeze from sanctions on its own crude sales. In an interview with Bloomberg, the new NOC chief, Farhat Bengdara, praised Haftars forces for their great efforts in securing the oil fields. He said Libya plans to open up new blocs to international companies in 2024 and raise output from 1.2 million to 2 million barrels a day within five years. Most oil analysts doubt that the NOC can pull that off without more political stability. Our impression is that the West is trying to achieve stability in Libya to ensure that more oil and gas supplies from that country reach European markets, said Elena Suponina, a Middle East analyst based in Moscow. The Kremlin understands that the U.S. wants to use any means to weaken Russias influence in Libya and one of our tasks is not to allow this to happen. Wagners possession of warplanes and air defense systems also complicates U.S. efforts to counter the group. Haftar relies on them to protect him and fend off opposing Libyan militia. Gleb Irisov, a former Russian air force officer who served in 2019-2020 in Syrias Khmeimim air base, used by Moscow to supply Wagner forces in Libya, said he personally saw up to 20 Soviet-built MiG-29 fighter jets as well as attack helicopters delivered to Libya. As Wagners influence spreads to Sudan, where the U.S. says theyve delivered surface-to-air missiles to the Rapid Support Forces waging war against the army, the Biden administration is stepping up pressure. Last month, the U.S. imposed sanctions on a man accused of overseeing Wagners operations in Mali. It alleges the group is running guns through Africa to support Putins campaign in Ukraine where the paramilitaries have also fought. The U.S. has repeatedly imposed sanctions on Wagner and its leadership structure, including Prigozhin. Those efforts have so far made little dent in the groups operations, including its push to deepen a toehold in several African and Middle Eastern nations. Absent military intervention, its not clear what will. These have been proclaimed as U.S. objectives: No.1 expel Wagner and No. 2 make sure the elections happen in 2023, said Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. Neither thing is going to materialize, mainly because the U.S. is not really going to try. With assistance from Demetrios Pogkas and Tom Hall ___ 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. CARROLLTON, Texas (Tribune News Service) For Sinmin Pak, the death of her parents her father in 2011 and her mother in 2014 left a hole in her life. Pak's three children had grown up and left home, and the time she hoped to spend with her parents was robbed from her. "That's when I realized life was short," Pak, 55, said. Although she grieved her parent's death, Pak channeled her emotions into advocacy work in North Texas. Pak, who identifies herself as a "1.5-generation" Korean American, said she also learned how her immigrant experience can be a tool for making an impact in her community. She credits people who take time to learn about the issue and to take action. "I'm not a lawyer, I'm not a professor or a doctor; I'm just your average person who was a stay-at-home Mom," Pak said. Despite having multiple roles in organizations with ties to North Texas' Korean American community, Pak is most strongly driven by her passion for spreading awareness about "comfort women," an issue not widely known in the U.S. A voice for comfort women The term "comfort women" refers to the victims of sex trafficking by the Imperial Japanese Army during its occupation of the Asia-Pacific region, including China, Korea and the Philippines, in the 1930s and 1940s. Pak first learned about the issue while at college in California in the 1990s. What inspired her to take action around the issue, however, was a trip to Europe in 2015 through SMU's Poland Holocaust Education Trip. There, she saw names of victims of the Holocaust written on stones displayed at one of the camps. Seeing how many stones were missing names left a profound impact on Pak. The trip forced her to think about how many comfort women had been forgotten and erased in history. As upsetting as it was, the experience gave Pak a place to focus a sense of urgency she felt after losing her parents. In 2016, Pak organized public speaking events in North Texas featuring Lee Ok-Sun, a 90-year-old survivor. The following year, Pak led efforts to hold movie screenings on college campuses related to comfort women. By 2018, Pak had launched Unforgotten Butterflies, a nonprofit focused on raising awareness around the issue as well as the efforts by the Japanese government to deny that women were forced into sex slavery. "Comfort women survivors are victimized over and over because for so many government leaders, it's inconvenient to deal with this issue," Pak said. Pak's work has not gone unnoticed. Last year, Carrollton Mayor Steve Babick presented a proclamation recognizing Aug. 14 as Comfort Women Memorial Day in the city. And in April, former U.S. Rep. Mike Honda attended an event at the Southern Methodist University campus to raise awareness of the comfort women issue. Honda in 2007 shepherded a House bill calling on the Japanese government to recognize and publicly apologize for the actions of the Imperial Japanese Army "during its colonial and wartime occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II." Honda, who is of Japanese descent, said he received pushback for his stance on the comfort women issue, which spanned back during his time in the Santa Clara CountyBoard of Supervisors in the mid-1990s and in the California State Assembly, where he served until 2001. He remembered how someone from the Japanese consular office contacted him and told him that he "had no business" in the matter, as it did not involve the U.S. Some even questioned him about his Japanese heritage, Honda said. "It's not about being Japanese, Chinese or Korean, it's about human rights," Honda said. A 'long shot' Multiple groups have demanded a formal apology from the Japanese government, which for decades has disputed claims made by organizations like Unforgotten Butterflies. The government of Japan has expressed "apology and remorse" to former comfort women but denies that its imperial military systematically forced women into sex slavery, because the practice "could not be confirmed in any of the documents that the Government of Japan was able to identify," according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan's website. Japan's government has also taken the stance that there is no "concrete evidence" showing that 200,000 people were affected by the military-sponsored sex trafficking operation. It points to the Asian Women's fund, which was established in 1995 to serve as a reparation fund for comfort women. Its website states that 4.8 billion yen, or about $35.7 million, was donated to the fund, which was terminated in March 2007. Getting worldwide recognition of the comfort women issue, Pak said, is a "long shot," but she hopes she can get closer to her goal by educating the community, even if it's one person at a time. "My vision is that I'll be able to walk up to a stranger one day and they'll already know about comfort woman," Pak said. "Right now, there are still too many people who don't know." Being 'the bridge' Pak said her advocacy work opened opportunities to meet more people, including those active in the Korean American community. Pak also saw an opportunity to leverage her life experiences to help Korean American organizations. Today, she sits on the board of the Korean Society of Dallas, where she has helped with cultural festivals and the group's work on the reunification of North and South Korea. Pak also recently took over as the president of the Dallas Korean Cultural Foundation, where she hopes to organize events to share more of the country's traditions, beyond just Korean dramas and K-pop. "I kind of feel like I owe it to my parents," Pak said. "I am American, that's part of my parent's legacy. But I am also proud of my heritage and I want to better the Korean American community for future generations." Pak, a Coppell resident, was born in South Korea and moved to the U.S. when she was 10 years old and grew up in Carrollton. She returned to the East Asian country to work as an interpreter during the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, where she would meet the man whom she would start a family with. Because she is comfortable with both American and Korean cultures, Pak said she feels like she can help bridge a gap between the two in North Texas. "Because I'm 1.5 generation, I can be the bridge," Pak said. "As a bilingual, bicultural person, I am able to help out so I try to utilize my skills, I try to help out where they need the help." 2023 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. DAVENPORT, Iowa The bodies of three Iowa men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building about a week after part of the century-old structure tumbled to the ground, the city of Davenport's police chief announced Monday. "We don't have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing," Chief Jeff Bladel said. Meanwhile, residents of the building have started filing lawsuits. One, filed Monday by Dayna Feuerbach, is accusing the city and the building's current and former owners of knowing of the deteriorating conditions and failing to warn residents of the risk. A second action by Mildred Harrington against the building's owner alone alleges the same. Feuerbach's lawsuit alleges multiple counts of negligence, and both actions seek unspecified damages. "The city had warning after warning," attorney Jeffrey Goodman, who represents Feuerbach, told The Associated Press. He called it a common trend in major structural collapses he's seen. "They had the responsibility to make sure that the safety of the citizens comes first. It is very clear that the city of Davenport didn't do that." City documents, released last week and cited in the lawsuits, suggest concerns about the integrity of parts of the building that were conveyed to the city and owner, Andrew Wold, over the course of months. A recording of a 911 call placed just the day before the partial collapse reveals the director of a local organization affiliated with the chamber of commerce reported a contractor's concerns about a wall's integrity. City fire officials responded by visiting the site for less than 5 minutes, according to the dispatch log. The police chief said Branden Colvin Sr.'s body was recovered Saturday. The body of Ryan Hitchcock was recovered Sunday and Daniel Prien early Monday. City officials had said earlier that Colvin, 42; Hitchcock, 51; and Prien, 60; had "high probability of being home at the time of the collapse." The discoveries came after authorities announced that the search for survivors had been completed. The remains of the apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on May 28, putting rescuers at great risk, but since the area has been stabilized, crews were using an excavator and other heavy equipment to pull out parts of a debris pile. Davenport officials said they were consulting with experts about how to safely bring down the rest of the structure. The city fire marshal earlier said explosives would not be used because it's close to other buildings in a busy part of downtown Davenport. Mayor Mike Matson said last week that any complaints about the rescue and recovery process should be directed at him, not first responders. Matson said Monday that neither he nor other city officials have been in touch with building owner Andrew Wold. Wold released a statement dated May 30 saying "our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants." He has made no statement since then, and efforts to reach him, his company and a man believed to be his attorney have been unsuccessful. County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million. Bladel said the Davenport fire marshal's office had begun an investigation of the building collapse with help from the state Division of Criminal Investigation, Davenport police and the medical examiner's office. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds toured the site Monday morning, and tweeted later that the state is providing support and resources while working with city officials. "Thank you to the first responders for putting their lives at risk to help their community," she wrote. The building, built as a hotel in 1907, had been converted into about 80 apartment units that were home to roughly 50 people. The state earlier made $5,000 available to displaced tenants who met income requirements, and the city offered $6,000 to the people forced from their homes. On Monday, the governor also waived the fees for tenants who needed to get their driver's license replaced. On Friday, Scott County prosecutor Kelly Cunningham cautioned against assuming a criminal prosecution is appropriate, saying an independent investigation needs to be conducted into the cause of the building's structural failure, and right now it's in the city's jurisdiction. Unresolved questions include why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger. A structural engineer's report issued days before the collapse indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling. The lawsuit filed Monday also names two companies hired by Wold, including that engineer's firm, to assess and perform work on the building. The suit alleges all parties "recognized the imminent danger residents faced, yet allowed the building to deteriorate while failing to warn residents that their lives were in danger." The engineering firm, in particular, has "an affirmative responsibility to sound the alarm of urgency and take all steps they can to make sure this building is evacuated for safety," Goodman said. "We see their role in this tragedy to be unfortunately central." Tenants also complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show. Current and former residents told The Associated Press about interior cracks on the wall that ultimately collapsed that were reported to building management. One woman whose apartment ended up in a huge pile of rubble had to have her leg amputated in order to be rescued. McFetridge and Fingerhut reported from Des Moines. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Iraqs Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Dr. Fuad Hussein met on Monday and discussed matters to boost bilateral ties between two countries. The two sides agreed to enhance relations between Pakistan and Iraq in diverse and multidimensional areas including diplomatic ties. Bilawal reached in Iraq from Jordan on the second leg of his three-day visit this morning. Iraqi Deputy foreign minister Muhammad Hussain Bahr-ul-Uloom, Pakistans ambassador to Iraq Ahmed Amjad Ali, and senior officials of the embassy received the foreign minister. Read more: FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reached Iraq on three day visit During his stay in Iraq, Bilawal will hold meetings with the political leadership of the country. He will lay the foundation-stone of the Pakistan embassy besides a visit to Ziaraat. FM @BBhuttoZardari met with Iraqi FM @Fuad_Husseein. During delegation level talks, the two FMs agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations in various fields of cooperation. Both countries enjoy close and cordial relations.#PakFMinIraq ????? pic.twitter.com/vxHxSDRw06 Spokesperson ?? MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) June 5, 2023 According to Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, this is the first ever visit of the Foreign Minister to Iraq. The Foreign Minister will also formally announce the establishment of Pilgrimage Centre in Karbala to facilitate Pakistani Zaireen and perform the ground-breaking of the Embassy Complex. A number of agreements are expected to be signed related to education sector, cultural cooperation and visa facilitation. A man threatened to petrol bomb a gardas house when officers attended an emergency services call, a court has heard. David OSullivan (29) made the threat to gardai while acting erratically during an incident in north Dublin. The case against him was adjourned for a victim impact statement. OSullivan, of Offington Manor, Sutton, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a garda and threatening to cause criminal damage to his home. Garda Sergeant Tony Flanagan told Dublin District Court gardai were called to a residence on Harbour Road, Howth, on April 19 last year, where the accused had contacted emergency services regarding himself. He was acting in a very erratic manner and appeared to be under the influence of some kind of intoxicant. While gardai were there, he issued threats to one of the officers. He threatened to petrol bomb [the gardas] residence and said that he knew where he lived, Sgt Flanagan said. OSullivan was arrested and charged. The sergeant said the DPP was consenting to the case being heard at district court level subject to the judge accepting jurisdiction. Judge Bryan Smyth accepted jurisdiction. The court heard the accused had previous public order convictions. The prosecution was seeking an adjournment to canvas the garda involved for a victim impact statement. The judge remanded the accused on continuing bail to a date later next month, when mitigation will be heard before the case is finalised. The accused had been ordered to stay out of Howth under bail terms but at the request of his lawyer, Judge Smyth agreed to relax this condition to allow him to go there to visit his daughter, but for that purpose only. The court heard OSullivan had been abiding by his bail terms to date. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The end of the 44-day second Karabakh war has created new realities in the region, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said at the closing ceremony of the "Foreign Policy Program" for diplomats at ADA University, Trend reports. "Armenia and its patrons do not want to accept these realities, they continue their provocations," he said. Will be updated Colan James Eardley (33) walked free from court two weeks ago after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual assault of his former girlfriend A woman who was repeatedly sexually assaulted by her former partner burst into tears when he received a suspended sentence and tried to speak to her afterwards. Colan James Eardley (33) walked free from court two weeks ago after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual assault of his former girlfriend Nicola Connery while she slept. Nicola told the Sunday World how she was distraught because Eardley received a two year suspended sentence, and to make matters worse he tried to approach her in the courtroom after the sentencing hearing at Limerick Circuit Court. Colan James Eardley He came down from the stand. He was literally the length of my wrist to my elbow away from me. He was that close to me. He has some nerve. I told him once is a mistake, more than once is a choice and you knew full well what you were doing. I said youre a monster, you have me destroyed for the rest of my life, and I walked straight out the doors. She said Eardley, who has an address at Ducart House, Steamboat Quay, in Limerick, tried to speak to her but she wouldnt let him. Before he even had to the chance to say anything I said I dont want to hear his voice. Id love to know where he got the nerve to think he could come down to me after it. My mother got so upset, she had to be removed from the courtroom because of how upset she got after she heard the sentence was suspended. The tears were flowing out of my eyes and I was just sitting there staring at the judge, then he [Eardley] came down and I was like no, he is not helping the situation in any way possible. The judge then ordered Eardley to remain in court while Nicola left the building. His father showed up at the court. My mother apologised to his father for freaking out from parent to parent. He said its fine, theres no need for apologies Im disgusted myself. Fair play to his father. Nicolas barrister told her they would contact the DPP requesting they appeal the leniency of Eardleys sentence. Nicola Connery. Picture Brendan Gleeson Nicola told the Sunday World how her life has been ruined by the sexual assaults and she is now constantly on edge, has massive trust issues and has great difficulties sleeping. She had been in a relationship with Eardley for two-and-a-half years at the time of the assaults, which took place in Castlecourt Apartments on Clancy Strand in Limerick where they were living. The incidents happened in late 2017 and early 2018 when Nicola was 21 and Eardley was 27. She was a very deep sleeper and on each of the occasions she woke up to find her clothes removed and there were signs she had been sexually assaulted while sleeping. Nicola immediately confronted him but Eardley denied he had done anything. I asked him numerous times did you do something and he said no are you accusing me of something, you know I dont lie. Hed cause a big argument then, saying youre calling me a liar. Despite her telling him that she did not want any such activity to take place, he continued to carry out the attacks and he would deny it when she confronted him. After the third attack Nicola ended the relationship. I said Im not OK with this Im not living with this any longer. It was going on months. He was saying, Im not a liar, I dont tell lies while he was literally lying to my face. After Nicola ended the relationship, Eardley finally admitted he had been sexually assaulting her while she was sleeping. The day when I left him he said Im sorry I did it. He admitted everything when I broke up with him. He knew that was the end of it. While he admitted to Nicola what he did, he told friends she was lying and she ended up losing a very close friend who sided with Eardley. After I broke up with him he denied it to absolutely everybody. He told them we broke up because of my own childish mistake. He made me out to be a liar, that Id make up something as sick as that. I had a friend who was literally like a brother to me and I lost him as a friend over this. He sided with him. Nicola went to gardai to make a complaint two months after the final sexual assault. I waited two months to report it but no one understands the strength it took me to go down and say how do I go about reporting someone sexually abusing me in my sleep? The strength that took me. I was shaking inside. It took over five hours to give my statement. While Eardley denied to friends that he carried out the sex assaults, he admitted it to gardai when questioned. CJ was called in to the station and an investigator asked him did that girl give you consent? and he said no. He lied to the public but when it came to the legal end he admitted it straight out. Nicola said she wanted to thank Garda Mary OConnor and other officers who were involved in the case. She said Eardley doesnt realise the lasting damage he has done. He was saying he was very good to me and he loved me. If he loved me so much he wouldnt have done what he did to me. I said in my victim impact statement that the only man I can trust now is my father. Ive serious trust issues. Im frightened to walk anywhere on my own. I cant walk 10 minutes without my head turning around to see if hes there. Nicola said before all this happened she was an extremely deep sleeper but now she is the opposite. My sleep is still ruined. I remember at a birthday party before all this I was in such a deep sleep they all thought I was dead. Now if theres the slightest knock on the door or someone calling me or the slightest bit of noise and Im awake. He doesnt realise the impact hes caused on my life by doing that. As a result of her having trouble sleeping, she now works night shifts. No one understands what Im going through on a daily basis because of what he did to me, she said. Nicola said being asleep in bed with her partner should have been when she felt safest, but Eardley has destroyed that. Youre meant to be at your safest with that person but I felt nowhere near safe after that, she said. Nicola said the sentence was too lenient. He basically got off free. He might be on the register but hes still able to walk the streets after what hes done. I could go into town and still have to bump into him. I wouldnt care if he only got two weeks, that would at least be two weeks where I felt safe walking into that town. At least he got some sort of punishment because hes basically got off scot-free with it. Its not fair. She said Eardley is now in a new relationship and his current partner is standing by him. He has another girlfriend and she was there at the court case. She was there as well in January when he pleaded guilty. I was sick to my stomach. I was thinking how can you like someone knowing he has admitted doing something horrible to me in my sleep? She knows full well what he did but is still supporting him. Nicola said she waived her right to anonymity because she wants people to know what Eardley did to her and wants people to know she was telling the truth When I left him, I said everyone is going to find out, the truth will come out no matter how long it took. Crumlin man Liam Byrne is the brother of David Byrne who was shot dead in the Regency Hotel Liam Byrne, described by the NCA as a trusted member of the Kinahan organised crime gang, after he was arrested on Sunday (NCA/PA) Kinahan Cartel boss Liam Byrne has been arrested in Majorca, in a siginificant blow to the Kinahan Cartel Spanish police say they held him after discovering he was on the island with an international arrest warrant after he spent time hiding out in Dubai. Senior Kinahan Lieutenant Liam Byrne arrested in Spain A spokesman for Spains National Police said: This fugitive was a priority for the United Kingdom and someone who belongs to the Kinahan gang. He led a criminal organisation dedicated to arms dealing in the UK and supplying weapons to other criminal organisations. Commenting on the arrests Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly who commands Organise and Serious Crime in An Garda Siochana said: "The arrest of Liam Byrne is a particularly significant development in the efforts of international law enforcement to dismantle the operations of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group. These arrests are a demonstration of An Garda Siochana"s continued cooperation with our colleagues in the National Crime Agency". In separate statment from the NCA today they said Liam Byrne was arrested on Sunday evening in the Alcudia area of Mallorca while eating in a restaurant with family members. He had flown into Palma Airport from Dubai, UAE, on the 26 May. Another suspected member of the crime group, Jack Kavanagh, 22, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, was arrested by officers from the Spanish National Police last Tuesday at Malaga Airport while transiting from Dubai to Turkey. The arrests follow an NCA intelligence-led investigation, supported by the Spanish National Police and officers from An Garda Siochana in Ireland. The NCA obtained Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TACA) warrants after EncroChat messages showed they were believed to be involved in the supply and acquisition of firearms. Kay Mellor, Regional Head of Investigations at the National Crime Agency said: This investigation is part of the NCAs ongoing work targeting the Kinahan crime group. Liam Byrne and Jack Kavanagh have been evading justice for a number of years, but have now been arrested in relation to serious firearms offences. Liam Byrne We have an excellent relationship with the Spanish National Police and will continue to work closely with our international partners to ensure those who think they can stay under the radar have no place to hide. The Byrne Organised Crime Group led by Liam Byrne forged a close partnership and became a trusted arm of the Kinahan Cartel which has become a global player in organised crime over the past two decades. It was not immediately clear if the Irishman remains in police custody or has already appeared in front of a judge at the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid which deals with extradition proceedings. The arrest of Liam Byrne Liam, who was named in Dublins High Court as the leader of the so-called Byrne Organised Crime Group, is considered to be the de-facto leader of the Kinahan cartel in the UK. Byrne is believed to have taken over from mobster Thomas Bomber Kavanagh as the number two in the hierarchy of the Kinahan cartel, and leader of its operations in the transporting of drugs across the UK and Ireland. Kavanagh, who is Liams brother-in-law, is currently serving a 21 year sentence for conspiring to import millions of pounds worth of drugs. Pervert who sexually assaulted two teens in a hospital and at a bus stop released from jail A serial sex pest claimed he is not dangerous as he walked free from prison this week after being jailed for sexually assaulting two teenage girls. Andrew ODonovan had been jailed for rubbing his body up against a 17-year-old girl at a bus stop and for sexually assaulting another 17-year-old in her hospital bed. He emerged from the Midlands Prison last Thursday without any bags and told the Sunday World he plans to go back to his rural west Cork home. Asked if he is danger to women he replied: No, indeed not. He then asked for directions, before adding in a low voice: Im not dangerous at all. ODonovan had already stopped on the street a number of times to look for directions from various passersby, including two unsuspecting women, as he walked through Portlaoise. Convicted sex offender says he is 'not dangerous at all' as he's released from prison The 66-year-old widower from Butlersgift, Drimoleague, Co Cork was jailed in September 2021 after admitting to sexually assaulting the teenager at a bus stop in Cork. The conviction meant that a previously suspended 18-month sentence for the hospital attack on a teenage patient was activated with another nine months being added. In a victim impact statement read at his trial, the young woman said she was waiting for a bus home after getting her hair done when ODonovan approached her. The accused approached me and went to rub off me. I was scared and tried to make eye contact with other people pleading for help, nobody seemed to notice, the statement read. He moved away and then came back and started to do the same thing. He left me with a feeling of being dirty and unclean. I feel physically sick when I think of the evening and what happened to me. I dont feel safe anymore. I feel I have to cover my body completely in case I draw any unwanted attention to myself. It is so unfair that I am the one suffering after this. I was an innocent party minding my own business. Evidence was heard how ODonovan had asked the young woman if she would meet him before lunging at her as if to touch her breasts, but she managed to avoid him. The court heard ODonovan had no previous convictions until the death of his wife, that he had a meagre existence and seemed to have no insight into his behaviour. His defence lawyer told the court that ODonovan was diagnosed with a hyper-activity disorder in the 1970s and was on disability. ODonovan walks free He added that his client was an unusual person to talk to as he wandered off on tangents. Trial judge Sean O Donnabhain said the 18-month suspended sentence imposed on ODonovan in 2020 for his first offence had not been any sort of deterrent to him. At a previous trial it was heard the assault on a 17-year-old girl at Cork University Hospital where ODonovan was a patient was only stopped because his heart monitor readings shot up. A nurse spotted the change in the monitor reading and went to the ward to check on him in case he was having a heart attack. The teen, who was in hospital for treatment for serious injuries, been put in a room with four men when the assault happened on May 14, 2018. She was unable to reach the emergency call button because of the seriousness of her injuries ODonovan had approached the teenager in the early hours of the morning and sexually assaulted her while she lay in bed. He initially denied touching the girl and said he was only trying to shake her hand. In her victim impact statement the young woman said: I thought I would be safe in hospital and never imagined I would be in danger. When the defendant pulled back the curtain around my bed around 5.30am and entered my cubicle and began to sexually assault me, I was petrified and helpless as the call button was above me and I couldnt reach it due to my injuries. I had to leave the hospital only 11 days into my stay due to the incident. I was meant to stay for six weeks. From this horrible situation I really hope paediatrics are raised to 18 years of age instead of 16 years. At the 2021 trial the same judge said the bus station assault was a nasty experience for the injured party and reactivated the 18-month suspended sentence which ODonovan got for the hospital assault. Judge O Donnabhain said ODonovan seemed to be without insight into the fact that he might be a danger to others. He noted that the defendant had a personality disorder of some type. As ODonovan was led away by prison officers he shouted I did nothing to her whilst shaking his medication box and insisting he needed to go home to feed his cattle. Claire McKeegan, who represents former Kincora resident Gary Hoy, said today there was relief that there had finally been a hearing in court Solicitor Claire McKeegan from Phoenix Law with Kincora abuse victim Gary Hoy outside the High Court in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) The Kincora home in east Belfast was demolished last year (Liam McBurney/PA) A lawyer for a victim of abuse at the notorious former Kincora boys home in Belfast has said she is hopeful that a compensation case will proceed to full hearing. At Belfast High Court on Monday, it was alleged that police were obstructed from investigating a paedophile at the home because he was a state agent. Claire McKeegan, who represents former Kincora resident Gary Hoy, said there was relief that there had finally been a hearing in court on the issues. The Kincora home, close to Stormonts Parliament Buildings, opened in May 1958. It closed in October 1980 after a sex abuse scandal. Three senior staff at Kincora William McGrath, Raymond Semple and Joseph Mains were jailed in 1981 for abusing 11 boys. Kincora abuse victim Gary Hoy outside the High Court in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) Former residents Mr Hoy and Richard Kerr are suing a number of statutory agencies, including the police and the Home Office. Their lawsuit includes claims for assault and battery, misfeasance in public office, breach of statutory duty and negligence. The PSNI and Home Office are attempting to have the actions against them struck out before the case proceeds to full hearing. A barrister for the two former residents argued that police should have had a in loco parentis responsibility for vulnerable minors who were abused at Kincora. Aidan McGowan said: The police had become aware that vulnerable minor children who were within the care of the state were being abused by the people who were meant to be caring for them. In those circumstances there was no-one else who could act in loco parentis. On that basis we say they had assumed this status. The barrister then told the court that a key element of their case was that the state was running former Kincora housemaster McGrath as an agent. He said: They were using the abuse in order to use him as an agent. Mr McGowan said authorities enabled McGrath to target young victims so that information could be obtained about the hardline loyalist group Tara, of which he was a member. Solicitor Claire McKeegan from Phoenix Law with Kincora abuse victim Gary Hoy outside the High Court in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) He added: That was the factor they were able to use against William McGrath to get the information. Otherwise there was no hold over William McGrath for the defendants to use him as an agent. PSNI barrister Fiona Fee denied that police had assumed a statutory responsibility for residents of Kincora. The judge said it was an extremely important and complex decision and he would not expect to issue a judgment before September. Speaking outside court, Ms McKeegan said: Today we are very relieved that after three years of this application brought by the PSNI and the security forces, we have had a full hearing of the issues. There was an application to strike out elements of our clients cases and to get out of the litigation and to get out of providing documents and disclosure about the abuse that occurred at Kincora. Our clients are relieved to have this step over with and look forward to September when hopefully we will get trial dates and proceed to a full hearing. The Historical Institutional Abuse inquiry found 39 boys were abused at Kincora. The inquiry found no evidence security agencies were complicit. A report by Marie Anderson, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, said complaints from some former residents about the failure of police to investigate allegations of sexual abuse at Kincora were legitimate and justified. The home was demolished last year. Update, 1.50pm. The Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been lifted for the Bay of Plenty radar area, says a MetServices spokesperson. MetService had issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the Western Bay of Plenty and Hauraki areas at around 10.20am. Update, 1pm: At 12.52 pm, the MetService weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near Te Puke, Motiti Island, Pukehina and Paengaroa. "These severe thunderstorms are moving towards the southwest, and are expected to lie near Te Puke, Papamoa and Paengaroa at 1.22 pm and 1:52 pm," says a MetService spokesperson. These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain. The thunderstorm notification is valid until 1.52pm Monday June 5. Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in force for Bay of Plenty. The National Emergency Management Agency advises that as storms approach you should: - Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows; - Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside; - Get back to land, if outdoors on the water; - Move cars under cover or away from trees; - Secure any loose objects around your property; - Check that drains and gutters are clear; - Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving. During and after the storm, you should also: - Beware of fallen trees and power lines; - Avoid streams and drains as you may be swept away in flash flooding. Update, 12.20pm: At midday, the MetService weather radar detected severe thunderstorms near Te Puke and Motiti Island. "These severe thunderstorms are moving towards the westsouthwest, and are expected to lie near Te Puke, Papamoa and Paengaroa at 12.30pm and 1pm," says a MetService spokesperson. "These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain." Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in force for Bay of Plenty. 11.20am Update: MetService has updated their Severe Thunderstorm Warning to include Western Bay of Plenty and Matamata Piako areas as well as Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty. At 11.15 am, MetService weather radar detected a line of severe thunderstorms lying from offshore Matakana Island to Katikati. "This line of severe thunderstorms is moving towards the south, and is expected to lie from offshore Matakana Island to Matakana Island to Shaftesbury at 11.45am and from offshore Mount Maunganui to Matakana Island to the Kaimai Range at 12,15pm," says a MetService spokesperson. "These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain." The warning is valid until 12.15pm Monday June 5. Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in force for Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty. 10.45am Update: MetService has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty. "A band of heavy rain and a few embedded thunderstorms is lying across the far west of Bay of Plenty this morning,' says a MetService spokesperson. "There is a risk of localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm/h with this rainband until early this afternoon." This Watch is valid from 10.21am to 1pm on Monday June 5. Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips. Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain. For information on preparing for and keeping safe during a storm, see the Civil Defence Get Ready website Earlier, 10.21am: MetService has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the Western Bay of Plenty and Hauraki areas. "The warning is valid until 11.07am Monday June 5," says a MetService spokesperson. At 10.07 am, MetService weather radar detected a line of severe thunderstorms lying from Mayor Island to Waihi. "This line of severe thunderstorms is moving towards the south, and is expected to lie from Mayor Island to Waihi at 10.37am and from Mayor Island to Waihi at 11.07am." These thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by very heavy rain. Very heavy rain can cause surface and/or flash flooding about streams, gullies and urban areas, and make driving conditions extremely hazardous. The National Emergency Management Agency advises that as storms approach you should: - Take shelter, preferably indoors away from windows; - Avoid sheltering under trees, if outside; - Get back to land, if outdoors on the water; - Move cars under cover or away from trees; - Secure any loose objects around your property; - Check that drains and gutters are clear; - Be ready to slow down or stop, if driving. During and after the storm, you should also: - Beware of fallen trees and power lines; - Avoid streams and drains as you may be swept away in flash flooding. Screenwriters in the Bay of Plenty are in for a treat this month with two guest speakers scheduled for their weekly Zoom meetings. Joss King and Paula Whetu Jones are both speaking at upcoming meetings during June, passing on their knowledge and sharing their screenwriting journeys, tips and advice with local screenwriters. Joss King has been working as a professional TV writer in NZ and around the world - London, Melbourne, Budapest, New York - for 27 years. He began at Shortland Street in 1993, fulfilling various roles over a period spanning 15 years. These included storyliner, script editor, script writer, story editor and head writer. Joss has worked in many genres. These include childrens programmes such as H20, Just Add Water series 1-3, which are still screening on Disney and Nickleodeon Worldwide. He has also created the one hour thriller/mystery/drama, such as The Sounds, Bad Seed, and Head High. Joss has won a number of awards, both in New Zealand and overseas - including the Australian Writers Guild Award For Excellence for Smalltime Gangster which is one of a number of shows hes created or co-created. Joss King. Photo: Supplied. At present his work can be seen onscreen in New Zealand in the form of Ahikaroa; One Lane Bridge Series 1 and now shooting series 2 (TV 1); The Sounds (Neon); and Toke (TV 3). Hes also a writing mentor employed by the NZ Film Commission to assist rising local talent. He currently has many series in development and at various stages of production, with production companies around NZ and overseas. Joss King will be guest speaker at Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters 7pm, Monday June 5 on Zoom. Paula Whetu Jones Paula Whetu Jones is a director, producer and writer and will be speaking to the Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters group at their Zoom evening meeting on Monday June 19. She has directed and produced a range of works over the past 20 years, including a number of social issue documentaries and critically acclaimed feature films. She is one of the writers and directors of the anthology film Waru and co-director and co-writer of Whina. As well as speaking via Zoom with the screenwriters group, she will be in Tauranga later in the week on Thursday June 22 for an evening at the Village Cinema at Tauranga Historic Village. There, the audience will have the opportunity to be involved in a Q & A with Paula after watching the biopic film, Whina. Paula is primarily coming to Tauranga for The Incubator Creative Hub Matariki Programme, Village Cinema Matariki Showcase. The whole programme runs for four weeks and is available at www.theincubator.co.nz/matariki-2023-1 The event at Village Cinema with Paula on June 22 is a collaboration presented by The Incubator Creative Hub, Film Bay of Plenty and WIFT NZ, in support of The Incubator Creative Hub Matariki Programme. To book a ticket to Whina and Q&A with Paula Whetu Jones on Thursday June 22 click here Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters The Film Bay of Plenty Screenwriters group formed in March 2020 just as New Zealand went into lockdown. Originally planned to be a regular meeting around a table where screenwriters could table-read their screenplays to each other, because of Covid-19, it immediately became a group that met by Zoom on Monday nights. Members continue to meet via Zoom, as well as participate in face-to-face table reads, workshops, and feedback sessions. The purpose of the group is based around helping grow the film industry in the Bay of Plenty, and the group is supported and aided by Film Bay of Plenty with workshops and guest speakers. Individual members as well as smaller groups formed within the large group, are working on documentaries, TV series pilots, short films, and feature film ideas. Membership is free, and anyone wanting to join can contact Rosalie or Sarah via Facebook or email Rosalie@topshelfdesign.com Heavy rain seen in the Bay of Plenty over the past few days is expected to clear today. Severe weather watches and warnings remain in place for many parts of the country. A heavy rain warning remains in place for the Coromandel Peninsula today. A strong wind watch is currently in place for the Bay of Plenty. A slow moving low and associated fronts are affecting northern parts of the country, says the MetService. "Heavy Rain Warnings are now in force for Coromandel Peninsula and northern Gisborne, while a Heavy Rain Watch is in place for Hawke's Bay and southern Gisborne. Also, Strong Wind Watches are in place for parts of the North Island. "People are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case any changes are made, or further areas are added." The MetService is expected to issue its next update around 10am. Heavy Rain Warning - Orange Impact: Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous. Area: Coromandel Peninsula Period: 16hrs from 8pm Mon, 5 Jun - noon Tue, 6 Jun Forecast: Expect 80 to 120 mm of rain, mainly about the ranges. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h in thunderstorms, but 25 to 40 mm/h are possible in localised downpours. Area: Gisborne about and north of Tokomaru Bay Period: 22hrs from 8pm Mon, 5 Jun - 6pm Tue, 6 Jun Forecast: Expect 80 to 120 mm of rain. Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h and possibly more in thunderstorms. Heavy Rain Watch Area: Hawke's Bay north of Napier and Gisborne south of Tokomaru Bay Period: 20hrs from 8pm Mon, 5 Jun - 4pm Tue, 6 Jun Forecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, mainly about the ranges. Note, an Orange Heavy Rain Warning is now in force for Gisborne from Tokomaru Bay northwards. Strong Wind Watch Area: Bay of Plenty east of Whakatane Period: 22hrs from midnight Mon, 5 Jun - 10pm Tue, 6 Jun Forecast: Southeast winds may approach severe gale in exposed places. Area: Taupo, Tongariro National Park, Taumarunui, Waitomo and south Waikato Period: 16hrs from 8pm Mon, 5 Jun - noon Tue, 6 Jun Forecast: Southeast winds may approach severe gale in exposed places. Area: Taranaki Period: 17hrs from 8pm Mon, 5 Jun - 1pm Tue, 6 Jun Forecast: South to southeast winds may approach severe gale in exposed places, mainly north of the mountain. A classic groomer who profiled and abused troubled young boys at alcohol fuelled gatherings he held at his home as far back as 1997 has been jailed for the second time after being found guilty of a string of child sex offences. Sean Smale, 52, was sentenced to eight years and 11 months imprisonment at Rotorua District Court on Thursday after being found guilty in March of six charges he groomed and abused young boys. It took a jury of six men and six women just 55 minutes to find Smale unanimously guilty of child sex offences. Smale was found guilty, and jailed, for many of the same offences back in 2019 only to be freed after successfully appealing his convictions. After his original trial, which included one less victim and fewer offences, he was jailed for nine years. One of his victims read an emotional victim impact statement ahead of sentencing, telling the court he had his innocence taken from me. That plays a lot on my mind. . . led me to places I dont wish on anyone, he said. I feel so ashamed I was so afraid to tell anyone, especially my mum. He said he felt he was finally getting his self-respect back, and hoped in coming forward he had stopped further offending against innocent souls. Crown prosecutor Anna McConachy told the court Smale had shown no acceptance of guilt. He maintains his innocence, she said. Smales lawyer said he was a man of good character, up until these events occurred. That was swiftly dismissed by Judge Tony Snell. He doesnt have good character as hes been offending for six or seven years against young boys, he said. Snell said Smales offending had damaged lives for years and years and years. He described Smales offending as highly predatory and revealed what he said was a telling moment at trial. You can provide no sensible explanation for why you let young boys get naked, he said. Offering accommodation, alcohol, cigarettes. . . you got them drunk and intoxicated then exploited them as opportunities arose. He also said Smale probably thought youd get away with it for many years. He also praised the courage of Smales victims for coming forward, noting the abuse clearly has taken a massive toll. In a ruling that was suppressed until the conclusion of his retrial, Smale successfully appealed to the Court of Appeal that he had suffered a miscarriage of justice, primarily on an allegation that trial counsel failed to put his chosen defence. It can also now be revealed Smale faced a 2002 charge he had abused a child in Fiji, later withdrawn before reaching trial as prosecutors focused on the local charges they were sure they could prove. Stuff can also now reveal that reporting of his original trial led to a third victim coming forward and reporting their abuse to police. Gatherings of a 32-year-old with 12 year-olds Both trials centred on the gatherings Smale hosted at his Rotorua home, and included admissions from Smale himself, given across a number of recorded police interviews, of the culture of drinking, drug taking and nudity he created. The boys at his house were aged around 12, while he was 32 years old at the time. In her closing trial address McConachy said Smale "engaged in classic grooming behaviour". In what world is it appropriate for a man his age to be hosting such gatherings every weekend, for young boys to be inebriated... Its sinister. She also pointed to his admission to police he would have as many as six young boys at his house over the weekend because they were "good company". Good company? Ladies and gentlemen, they were 12. In one police interview Smale said RTDs were the drink of choice, and he supplied the alcohol as they wouldnt have been able to purchase [it]. Not huge amounts of alcohol, couldnt afford huge amounts. In video of a September 2017 police interview, the jury saw Detective Jonathon Brady ask Smale about allegations he had abused a then 12-year-old. Smale told Brady boys would visit and drink alcohol, and sometimes run around with their clothes off. None of this behaviour was weird or unusual, he claimed. He also admitted to occasionally sharing a bed with one child, claiming it wasnt weird, strange or uncomfortable. I mean if it was a strange kid I didnt know, yeah maybe, but I knew [him] by then, Smale said. Toll on victims Through a mixture of in person testimony and video recorded interviews it was also clear the toll Smales offending had taken on his victims. One victim described how memories of his abuse came flooding back when he read Stuffs reporting on his 2019 trial. It shattered what I was, he said. I read it and the whole reference of it made a lot more sense to my life, what he did to me. . . I remember everything he did to me. Defence arguments were summed up as Smale's victims lying in slightly different ways for slightly different reasons. Much was also made of continued contact after the abuse between Smale and two of his victims, though in his closing remarks Judge Tony Snell warned the jury about that, and the delay in reporting the abuse. There is no classic or typical response to sexual abuse, he said. No standard response by someone who has been sexually abused towards their abuser. -Benn Bathgtae/Stuff. A symbol of peace from a Malaga-born genius Pablo Picasso's dove was chosen to represent peace at the First International Peace Conference held in Paris in 1949; the bird is a common theme in the artist's work Alekk M. Saanders Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram After producing Guernica, one of the world's most moving anti-war paintings, Pablo Picasso became a symbol of anti-fascism. The artist attended several World Peace Congresses, stressing at the 1950 Peace Congress in Sheffield, I stand for life against death; I stand for peace against war. A year before, his white dove had been adopted as a symbol for peace. 'One of the most beautiful lithographs' The work was a traditional, realistic picture of a dove. A black and white lithograph produced in the studio of printmaker Fernand Mourlot in January 1949. Later, it was displayed in the Galerie Louise Leiris in Paris. Ampliar Picasso and his Dove of Peace. SUR. Mourlot described the work as one of the most beautiful lithographs ever achieved; the soft tones attained in the feathers... are absolutely remarkable. This plate ... conveys the maximum that can be obtained with lithographic ink used as wash." French poet Louis Aragon had no doubts in choosing Picasso's lithograph La Colombe (dove in French) for the poster commemorating the Paris Peace Conference. Later, the painter developed the image into a simple, graphic line drawing which became one of the most recognisable symbols of peace. Pablo Picasso was surprised that a dove became a symbol of peace, as he saw it as "an extremely cruel bird" Dove as a symbol Pablo Picasso was surprised that a dove became a symbol of peace, as he saw it as an extremely cruel bird". However, there are various possible reasons for the choice. Firstly, doves and pigeons are found across the world; the only places they do not inhabit are the Sahara Desert, the Arctic and Antarctica. Secondly, doves are associated with the Christian story of Noah's Ark. And thirdly, pigeons have been credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives during wartime by carrying messages across enemy lines. In fact, the PDSA Dickin Medal was awarded to 32 pigeons for war contributions during World War II. Pigeons were used as messengers during wartime. The PDSA Dickin Medal was awarded to 32 pigeons for contributions during the second world war Common theme Doves are common symbols in Picasso's work, with a personal significance to him. His love of doves and pigeons was influenced by his father Jose Ruiz Blasco, who was a bird enthusiast and a realist painter known for his pigeon works. Henceforth, Picasso grew with an interest in birds and learned to paint using them as a model. Later, the painter developed the image into a simple, graphic line drawing which became one of the most recognisable symbols of peace His first 'well-known' dove appeared in Child with a Dove in 1901. It was also depicted in works during Picassos Cubist period such as Dove with Green Peas (1911) and Woman with Doves (1930). After Matisse died, a distraught Picasso painted The Studio (Pigeons) in the style of the French painter as a tribute to their mutual love of pigeons and doves. Doves in Picasso's paintings. Sucesion Pablo Picasso, VEGAP, Malaga, 2023 Critics used to mock Picasso's pigeons and doves, but the birds continued to be a common theme throughout his career. Picasso even named his daughter Paloma, which is the Spanish word for pigeon and dove. The painter could not hide his political associations, especially given that the dove also started to be used as a symbol for the Communist Party and other liberal groups. The white bird was often used in parades in communist countries, and in 1962 the Soviet Union awarded Picasso the Lenin peace prize, which he accepted. Picasso even named his daughter Paloma, the Spanish word for pigeon and dove In April, the Malaga Picasso Museum commemorated the 50th anniversary of the artist's death by releasing a dove, a symbolic action to acknowledge his commitment to peace and his opposition to war. The ceremony took place in the courtyard of the Palacio de Buenavista, which houses the museum. From there, the bird took flight shortly after dawn. The museum chose to focus on this aspect of the artist's life because "war and conflict sadly continues to be a world issue with the consequent loss of human lives and forced migrations". Benetton to close its historic store in Malaga city centre The Italian fashion house will close at the end of the month after three decades in the Plaza de la Constitucion and will be replaced by Sephora Juan Soto Malaga Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Benetton's iconic green signs will soon disappear from Malaga city centre. The Italian fashion house is to close its store in the Plaza de la Constitucion this June after more than 30 years, having opened in the 1990s. The shop's management, located at number 15 of the square, at top of Calle Larios, has already put up liquidation signs prior to the closure and is promoting discounts of up to 50 per cent. The shop will remain open until 25 June. At the moment it is not known whether the staff will be relocated to other shops. In the city, the company currently has another store inside the Larios Centre shopping centre, although it only sells children's fashion. The opening of Sephora will further increase the luxury offer in the city centre's main shopping area Benetton was founded in the Italian town of Ponzano Veneto in 1965 and has eight sales outlets in the province of Malaga, some of them located in El Corte Ingles stores. Despite the recovery of sales after the pandemic, the company is immersed in a strategic plan that includes the reduction of different fixed costs. Since the beginning of the year it has closed or is about to close stores in cities such as Zamora and Leon. New luxury brand As this newspaper has been able to confirm, the closure is due to the termination of the contract and because the building has been rented to a new tenant. Another multinational company is due to move into the premises. The perfume and cosmetics firm Sephora is expected to open in the coming months. Sephora is a chain founded in France in 1969 and is specialised in luxury products. In Malaga it only has two outlets, inside El Corte Ingles centres, so this will be the first physical shop to be opened by the company. The cosmetics giant is immersed in a major expansion process and just a month ago opened a new space in Marbella under the name of Sephora Playa Marbella. Located in Puerto Banus, it is a 145-square-metre shop with a different concept from the rest of the shops. In fact, the company only has three other stores in the world with that design: in Ibiza, in Mykonos (Greece) and in St Tropez (France). The opening of Sephora in the heart of Malaga will further increase the luxury offer in the city centre's main shopping area. In the same square Carolina Herrera is expected to open next year (it will open in the 550-square-metre premises previously occupied by El Corte Ingles) and the Quera jewellery store is due to open in Calle Larios. Title changed Details added: first version posted on 12:13 BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The next meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia will take place in Washington soon, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told reporters, Trend reports. "The draft peace treaty [with Armenia] was submitted by Azerbaijan. It's difficult to predict how long this process will take. There are enough outstanding issues that have not yet been agreed," he said. Previously, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia held talks in Washington on May 1 with the mediation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Following the talks, Bayramov noted that an agreement was reached on certain paragraphs of the peace treaty. Thousands of revellers enjoy weekend of outrageous fun during Torremolinos Pride 2023 The festivities included more than thirty social, sporting and recreational activities, along with beach parties, concerts, and the highlight of the proceedings, the colourful annual parade Thousands of people took to the streets during the Torremolinos Pride celebrations. Tony Bryant Torremolinos Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Thousands of people congregated in Torremolinos at the weekend to enjoy the varied schedule of events staged during the towns Pride 2023 celebrations. Under the slogan Old Age, Pride, Memory - Taking care of our Legacy the festivities, which began on Thursday (1 June), included more than thirty social, sporting and recreational activities, along with beach parties, concerts, and the highlight of the proceeding, the annual parade. The festivities got under way at the Pablo Picasso Cultural Centre with the raising of the rainbow flag and the reading of the proclamation, which was read by the Madrid designer, Lorenzo Caprile. Another flag was raised in Plaza de la Nogalera, which marked the official start to the outdoor activities. The weekend included workshops, talks and presentation, a proud pet show, along with live music and an array of outrageous drag shows and performances at the Pablo Picasso Cultural Centre. Ampliar One of the highlights of the festivities was the colourful parade on Saturday. SUR The main parade, which attracted thousands of people from all over the province, included 18 colourfully decorated floats that trundled through the streets of the town to the shrill of excited spectators who lined the route. For the first time, this years parade included the participation of a float organised by Six magazine, an LGBT publication produced and published by SUR. The festival came to a close on Sunday with a huge beach party held on the Bajondillo beach. The town hall said that the event had been a huge success again and no problems had been reported. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov spoke about Azerbaijani student Farid Safarli, who has been detained in Iran, Trend reports. Thus, as the FM told reporters, immediately after information was received that Farid Safarli, who was in Iran, was missing, a note was sent to the Iranian Embassy in this regard. "It took quite a long time to clarify his fate. The communication between Safarli and the Consulate General has been established," Bayramov said. He recalled that, at the end of January, Azerbaijan warned its citizens about traveling to Iran. DEAR ABBY: I have a child with a woman Ill call Kara, who is now my ex-wife. Our son lives full time with me and my new wife, whom I married three years ago. Kara was diagnosed with schizophrenia five or six years ago, which is what ultimately led to our divorce. She has only recently been able to keep a job despite her condition, which is only being moderately well-managed, but she has a pretty good one now. Kara spends almost all her money on herself and rarely spends a day with our son without me present. Im considering asking the court for child support payments, but I worry that because of her mental health issues, shell end up taking it out on our child. Shes never been a very good parent, largely because of her illness, and she lived with us for almost a year because I didnt have the heart to see her homeless. I dont make a lot of money myself. Ive been disabled for quite some time, and the extra income would make a big difference in our sons quality of life. Am I wrong to request a child support judgment? If Kara loses her job, it could mean jail time, which would be devastating to her, but I dont believe she would comply with an informal request. I could really use some sound advice. -- STRUGGLING IN THE SOUTH DEAR STRUGGLING: I agree, you do need advice, and the person you should seek it from is an attorney who specializes in family law. From what you have written, Kara appears to be doing the best she can just to get by as are you. You did not mention whether your new wife is employed. If the answer is no, because finances are strapped right now, would she be willing to find a job or part-time work in order to make things easier for your son? If she could, it might relieve some of your stress. ** ** ** Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. ** ** ** For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order How to Have a Lovely Wedding. Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.) COPYRIGHT 2023 ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION 1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106; 816-581-7500 East Syracuse, N.Y. State police ticketed a Syracuse man they say was driving a motorcycle at an unsafe speed and crashed Sunday on the Thruway. Joshua Jones, 32, was operating a Honda motorcycle on Interstate 90 East shortly after 2 p.m. when he attempted to exit the Thruway at Exit 34A (the exit to Interstate 481) and crashed into a guardrail while rounding a curve, troopers said. Jones and his 25-year-old passenger were injured in the crash, state police said. EAVES ambulance took both Jones and his passenger, a woman whose name was not released, to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. Jones and his passenger were wearing helmets at the time of the crash, but both reportedly suffered internal injuries, state police said. The woman who fell off the back of the motorcycle when it crashed also had lower leg injuries, state police said. Their injuries are not considered life threatening, a trooper said. State police issued Jones tickets, charging him with unsafe speed, uninspected motor vehicle and operating without insurance, troopers said. The East Syracuse Fire Department also assisted at the scene. Have a tip or a story idea? Contact Catie OToole: cotoole@syracuse.com | text/call 315-470-2134 | Twitter | Facebook Syracuse, NY. Syracuse firefighters battled a house fire overnight at 263 Fellows Ave. on the citys East side near the Westcott Street area. The fire was reported at 1:12 a.m., and when firefighters arrived at the home flames were shooting out from the side and back of the 2 1/2-story home, officials said. All the residents of the home were able to escape unharmed before firefighters arrived, officials said in a news release. Syracuse fire investigators said the blaze started after flames in an outdoor fire pit spread to the home. Department officials warned that hot, dry weather can help these fires spread more quickly. It took more than an hour to extinguish the blaze, fire department officials said. The house sustained fire damage to the exterior along with fire, smoke, and water damage to the interior. One person was displaced as a result of the damage. There were no injuries reported to civilians or to firefighters. A total of 44 fire personnel from seven different Syracuse fire stations responded, along with Syracuse police, American Medical Response, National Grid, and The American Red Cross. Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com Update at 10:25 p.m.: Phoenix firefighters were briefly called back to the scene Sunday night after the fire reportedly rekindled. Lysander, N.Y. Firefighters spent nearly five hours Sunday trying to fight a fire that ultimately destroyed a familys home, Phoenix Deputy Fire Chief Adam Mulderig said. The American Red Cross is now helping six adults after the house, at 9284 River Road in the town of Lysander, was destroyed in the fire, officials said. The Oliver family owns the six bedroom, 3,882 square foot house built in 1887, according to the deputy chief and Onondaga County property records. Someone spotted the fire on the porch of the old-style home at 2 p.m. and called 911. Within a couple minutes, others had also called 911 and reported the porch fire was spreading to the house. Police closed part of River Road while firefighters battled the stubborn blaze. Thick black smoke and flames could be seen from the second story of the old-style house. About 30 minutes after the fire started, a chief ordered firefighters out of the house, Mulderig said. Shortly after, part of the roof on the front of the original section of the house collapsed, he said. As firefighters tried to extinguish the flames, winds picked up and caused the fire to quickly spread, the deputy chief said. It was a long day, Mulderig said Sunday night. The older balloon-framed construction home and the wind pushing the fire is what made the fire travel and when the roof collapsed, it covered up a lot of the hot spots. Firefighters had extinguished the fire by 7 p.m. and no one was injured in the fire, Mulderig said. River Road, between Greenleafe Drive and West Bridge Street, reopened shortly before 8 p.m. Volunteers from the Central and Northern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross said they provided immediate emergency aid to six people after the fire. That included financial assistance to be used for necessities such as shelter, food and clothing. One resident is eligible for veterans services, according to the Red Cross. Volunteers also offered emotional support, comfort kits containing personal care items and health services. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Firefighters battled a house fire Sunday afternoon at 9284 River Road in Lysander.Darian Stevenson | dstevenson@syracuse.com Have a tip or a story idea? Contact Catie OToole: cotoole@syracuse.com | text/call 315-470-2134 | Twitter | Facebook Ten colleges in New York were among the 50 most expensive institutions in the United States during the 2021-2022 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The center, part of the federal Education Department, gathers statistics, including cost data, from schools across the country. Syracuse.com used the centers data to rank colleges by total cost for out-of-state students living on campus in the 2021-2022 year. The center had data for 1,968 schools. Several Upstate New York colleges made the list, including Cornell University in Ithaca, the University of Rochester, Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs and Colgate University in Hamilton. The Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City was the states most expensive school last year with a total cost of $86,984. That number also made the school the most expensive in the nation. Cornell was the priciest Upstate school in the top 50 at $80,287. Syracuse University did not make the top 50 nationwide. It ranked 67th in the U.S. with a total cost of $77,896 The full list of New York colleges among the countrys top 50 most expensive included: Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City: $86,984 Columbia University in New York City: $82,584 Fordham University in New York City: $81,186 Vassar College in Poughkeepsie: $80,830 Barnard College in New York City: $80,693 Cornell University in Ithaca $80,287 Colgate University in Hamilton: $80,160 New York University in New York City: $79,746 University of Rochester in Rochester: $79,456 Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs: $79,250 Six of the 10 New York schools cost more than $80,000 a year in 2022. For the entire nation, 36 colleges had a total cost of over $80,000. After the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, the rest of the nations top five most expensive schools last year included the University of Chicago at $84,126, Northwestern University at $83,838, the University of Pennsylvania at $83,298 and Columbia. You can see the full list of the nations most expensive schools in the table below. If you cant see the table, click here to open this story in a web browser. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Auburn, N.Y. Schweinfurth Art Centers three summer exhibits, Nancy Crow: Sequences, Riffs, and Drawings, The Palace at 3AM by Buffalo artist Gary Sczerbaniewicz, and I Am a Friend of Dorothy by Rochester-area artist Kevin Carr, will open at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 10. The opening is 4 to 6 p.m. at the Schweinfurth, with light refreshments available, and is free and open to the public. Carrs exhibit, which is part of the Emerging Artist joint project of the Schweinfurth and Cayuga Museum of History & Art, is located in both locations. The Cayuga Museum will also host an opening from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday. All three exhibits will run through Aug. 20. Nancy Crow, an accomplished and influential quilter, is displaying recent work that represents the three directions she takes as she creates. Because I always have a lot of anxiety, I have found that sequences, which means putting an order to how things are put together, helps quell my anxiety, she said. At least while Im working on that, I calm down and relax. Her piece Drawing: Riff #5 is the sequence that underlies most of the pieces in that series. If someone comes to the exhibit, studies Drawing: Riff #5, they will then see as they walk along how I have scaled things up and scaled things down, have changed colors, have changed values, but that sequence is there. Her exhibition is in the Schweinfurths second floor Davis Family Gallery. While she wont be present at the opening, Crow will be in town to give an informal gallery walkabout at 7 p.m. July 19. The talk is free with $10 per person admission and open to the public. No reservations are required. In Gary Sczerbaniewiczs imagining, a giant praying mantis perhaps an alien peers into a bedroom window in this detail shot from The Palace at 3AM. He built it in 2022. Buffalo-based artist Gary Sczerbaniewicz builds dioramas, some encased in wooden pedestals, that highlight some aspect of anomalous phenomena that he has been researching for nearly a decade: seance parlors, alien abductions, inter-dimensional ruptures, apocalyptic scenarios, and more. The title piece in his exhibit shows a normal two-bedroom house, until you notice something sticking into a window of one bedroom. Look outside that window, and you find a giant praying mantis trying to get inside. Sczerbaniewiczs exhibit will be in the Schweinfurths first floor main gallery. Artist Kevin Carr, who grew up in Canadaigua and now lives in Farmington, N.Y., creates multimedia pieces with a strong focus on fabrics and quilting. It wasnt what he planned to pursue when he began attending School of the Art Institute of Chicago for his masters degree in painting and drawing. The first month there, I hated everything I made, he said. I ended that semester feeling so defeated. But Carr realized that he didnt move to Chicago to study traditional media; he came to experiment. The results of those experiments can be seen in both the Schweinfurth and Cayuga Museum. Carr is the second Emerging Artist to be featured this year in both institutions as part of a joint project. His work is located in Gallery Julius in the Schweinfurth and in second floor galleries at the Cayuga Museum. Resilience, by Kevin Carr, 2023. For more information about the exhibits, link to the Schweinfurth website at myartcenter.org. Summer exhibits are sponsored by the Osborne Memorial Association, Nelson B. Delevan Foundation, and New York State Council on the Arts. If you go WHAT: Opening reception for Schweinfurth Art Centers three summer exhibits WHERE: Schweinfurth Art Center, 205 Genesee St., and Cayuga Museum of History & Art, 203 Genesee St., both in Auburn WHEN: 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 10, 2023 COST: Free and open to the public; light refreshments will be available NY Cannabis Insider is hosting an industry meetup at The Distillery at Beak & Skiff (home of ayrloom) on June 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tickets are going fast and are available here. This limited-ticket event will bring together current and hopeful licensees, entrepreneurs, attorneys, politicians and more for an intimate discussion about the history, heritage, and evolution of the Beak & Skiff brand, challenges and needs within the cannabis supply chain, and an opportunity to network and get business planning advice. Were always impressed with the sponsors and speakers at NY Cannabis Insider eventsjust a great group of people from across the industry, said recent event participant Colin B. from Grand Street Cannabis Co. The event will feature a brief panel discussion with industry experts from the ayrloom/1911/Beak & Skiff brands along with one of their retailers, Union Square Travel Agency, to add an additional perspective from another part of the supply chain. The conversation will focus on learnings from a brand that has evolved from a 110-year-old family farm to a well-known market leader in the hemp and cannabis industry. There will be a chance for attendees to interact directly with the panelists during and after a Q&A, along with open networking time to meet others in the industry. Why attend? Ask questions and hear different perspectives from the supply chain on industry-specific challenges and needs: Learn from the panelists and NY Cannabis Insider content team about navigating the NYS recreational cannabis market from seed to sale. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions after the brief guided discussion. Build regional connections in the industry: Grow your professional network by meeting cannabis industry professionals from different fields such as retail/dispensary, laboratory/testing, manufacturing, cultivation, logistics and industry-adjacent support services. Meet with professional who offer free business consults onsite We will have several onsite sponsors who will be available to help answer business-related questions and advice/guidance from the following topics: accounting, security, and marketing specific to the cannabis industry. Panelists sharing their perspectives include: Eddie Brennan: president of Beak & Skiff/Beak & Skiff Research, a five-generation family business founded in 1911 and a grower/processor based in Upstate NY. Mack Hueber: as CFO of Beak & Skiff and 1911 Est., Mack oversees the new licensed cannabis processor/cultivator company Gen V and the launch of its new NY owned and grown brand, ayrloom. Gen V specializes in growing, extracting and manufacturing regulated cannabis products both under the ayrloom brand as well as for others including beverages, vapes and edibles. Dave Vautrin: as operating partner at Union Square Travel Agency, a cannabis store, Vautrin supports a range of strategic functions as well as lead the procurement and portfolio for Union Squares retail operations. General admission includes all-access to the speakers, networking with attendees, mini consultations for business planning provided by sponsors and vendors, and a complimentary beverage provided by 1911 Established. The event will also feature the Via Napoli food truck serving wood-fired pizzas for guests available for purchase on site. Mini consultations will be provided by our onsite sponsors: New York Consortium of Cannabis Accountants, Chimera Integrations and Stillmotion/UP\. Also available is a unique add-on to our general admission tour that includes both a production facility tour and a UTV ride through the 1,000-acre apple orchard and campus. A general admission ticket costs $65 with the option to add on and attend the production facility and UTV campus tour. Click here for more details and to purchase tickets. Sponsors and vendors are the businesses shaping the industry locally and regionally. Look for them at the event for advice and help with your cannabis business: Chimera Integrations offers scalable, future-proof security & IoT solutions that are customized to meet the unique needs of each level of the cannabis supply chain, from cultivation, to processing, to distribution, and retail. Lets work together to make your facility safer and smarter. Cannabis Workforce Initiative is a collaboration between the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University and the Workforce Development Institute. Its mission is to promote and support social equity in the adult-use cannabis market by providing quality workforce development and legal education. New York Consortium of Cannabis Accountants promotes financial literacy and empower New Yorks legacy cannabis market leaders and social equity entrepreneurs so that they may make informed business decisions. Stillmotion/UP\ creates visual branding images and video that define your business identity so you can market confidently, build trust with customers, and improve your bottom line. Sciex delivers cannabis and hemp testing and analytical solutions and technologies to help deliver safe and quality products to consumers. 1911 Established offers from tree to bottle' hard ciders, spirits and wines while Ayrloom is a vertically integrated cannabis company rooted in over 100 years of agricultural passion and expertise in New York State. NY Cannabis Insider events are attended by industry professionals, lobbyists and entrepreneurs looking to start their own cannabis business, as well as those from cannabis-adjacent businesses such as legal, security, retail, banking, finance, construction, engineering, business consultation and medical expertise. Read a recap about the first-ever problems and solutions industry summit and conference hosted in Albany earlier this month. Our next industry insight meetup will be held in August in New York Citydetails to be announced soon. There will also be two full-day educational conferences happening in Buffalo (Sept. 21) and Greater NYC (Nov. 15). Follow us on LinkedIn for event announcements. Join NY Cannabis Insider at our next industry networking event on June 8 at Beak & Skiff. Tickets will sell out. Solonje Burnett is the weed auntie, co-founder and chief culture and community officer at erven.ai, a Black, womxn and queer-founded technology company facilitating secure sharing of sales performance data with brands. In the newest entry of NYs women in cannabis, Burnett shared how companies can support gender diversity at senior levels and barriers to women leadership. Sign up for the NY Cannabis Insider Newsletter Enter your email address to get exclusive reporting on NY's cannabis market delivered to your inbox: Women are vastly underrepresented in cannabis, and not just in New York. From 2019 to 2022, executive-level females have seen their industry wide status drop from 37% to 23%. Yet the MRTA makes things very clear: women-owned businesses are a key component of the states social and economic equity plan. NY Cannabis Insider is seeking to elevate women in cannabis through a hyper-focus on female story sourcing, quoting and visual layouts, balanced representation in our People to know and Behind the story series, and prioritized guest column submissions. This series will last for as long as submissions come in. Why did you launch your career in the cannabis industry? Were there any women who inspired you to do so? How did you do it? Initially, I wanted to create a product five years ago (pre-legalization in New York). I realized that creating community, providing access to educational and intersectional experiences, and supporting the movement to legalize equitably with sustainability and social justice at the forefront would be more impactful. I linked arms, minds and hearts with Danniel Swatosh and Humble Bloom was born. My first experience was moderating an event in Williamsburg called Breaking the Grass Ceiling, focused on women in the industry, featuring Brittany Carbone of Tonic and others like Kiera of Mary Magazine, Safon from EstroHaze, Amanda of CCA in collaboration with Maya of Shaw BK. Five years later, most of these folks/organizations are no longer in the industry, but a seed of collaboration and uplifting each other was planted. Our next event was a Humble Bloom Field Trip to Tonics Tricolla Farms. What do you think is the most significant barrier to women leadership? Are the barriers different in cannabis than any other industry? Navigating a federally illegal industry with variations from state to state, capitalism rooted in white supremacy, patriarchy, the lack of intersectional feminism, gatekeeping and a scarcity mindset. Why do you think women are so underrepresented in leadership roles in cannabis? For the same reasons as listed above. What are some ways in which companies can support gender diversity at senior levels? We need gender, racial, socioeconomic, and educational diversity in senior leadership roles to have the true biodiversity necessary for this industry to thrive. Focusing on gender alone will continue the imbalance because people tend to hire people who look like them, went to the same school, grew up in similar economic situations, and generally make them feel comfortable. True innovation will come when more varied voices are valued, respected, heard and uplifted. Shout out your other favorite women-owned or women-led businesses in the industry. Broccoli Magazine, Union Square Travel Agency, Etain, Cannaclusive, Black Girls Smoke, oHHo What advice would you give your 25-year-old self? What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders? Be curious and committed to the alignment of passion and purpose. Find allies and co-conspirators. Ask for what you need and dont stop pushing. Dont forget to make time for rest. Is there anything we left out that youd like to add? Were looking for retailers interested in joining our beta testing group at erven.ai a Black, womxn and queer-founded technology company facilitating secure sharing of sales performance data with brands. They can contact me at solonje@erven.ai for more details! Im also hosting a Mens Session: Grounded in Growth on June 26 at the Moxy Williamsburg. This first Weed Auntie experience is centered on mens holistic wellbeing from work to personal life, upping their awareness of both body and mind and helping them ground and collaborate in a competitive legal cannabis landscape. Going beyond superficial surface networking to vulnerable deep living. If youd like people to connect with you, please share your favorite methods of contact (email, phone, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.). Solonjeburnett.com | @solonjeburnett on IG, LinkedIn, and Twitter BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia is supported by different parties, which may have different interests and approaches, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told journalists, Trend reports. He noted that not all approaches contribute to the advancement of the peace process and the early achievement of an agreement between the two countries. "The Azerbaijani side is committed to its agenda and, of course, regardless of the steps of certain parties, our country will continue its policy in a form that meets the state interests of Azerbaijan, the norms and principles of international law," he said. The best throwback party of the year is heading to Upstate New York for a night of 90s and 2000s music. TLC and Shaggy are bringing their Hot Summer Nights Tour to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Saratoga Springs on Friday, June 16. Special guests En Vogue and Sean Kingston will open the concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through Live Nation for as low as $35.30 for General Admission. However, resale sites like StubHub, VividSeats, and Megaseats have tickets to spare, sometimes at a better price with a better seat. The show will feature some of the biggest rap, R&B and dancehall hits of the 90s and 2000s, including TLCs No Scrubs, Waterfalls and Creep; Shaggys Angel, It Wasnt Me and Mr. Bombastic; En Vogues Dont Let Go (Love), Free Your Mind and My Lovin (Youre Never Gonna Get It); and Sean Kingstons Beautiful Girls, Fire Burning, Take You There, and Eenie Meenie (with Justin Bieber). Check out the ticket prices and get ready for throwback season. StubHub: General Admission: Tickets start at $35 Section, Row: Tickets start at $41 VividSeats: General Admission: Tickets start at $33 Section, Row: Tickets start at $36 Megaseats: General Admission: Tickets start at $45 Section, Row: Tickets start at $45 SeatGeek: General Admission: Tickets start at $25 Section, Row: Tickets start at $35 TicketNetwork: General Admission: Tickets start at $43 Section, Row: Tickets start at $43 TLC recently came through the area to perform at the 2022 New York State Fair, drawing an estimated 30,000 fans to Chevy Park. Tionne T-Boz Watkins and Rozonda Chilli Thomas have continued performing as a duo without the late Lisa Left Eye Lopes. Kingston was scheduled to perform in Syracuse last summer, but canceled the show due to unspecified health concerns. Summer concerts in Upstate NY: 60 cant-miss shows in 2023 (tickets, more info) More concerts Thomas Rhett is heading to Upstate NY: Where to get tickets to the concert John Mellencamp is coming to Syracuse: How to get tickets to the concert Young the Giant is heading to Upstate NY: How to get tickets to concert Dave Matthews Band coming to Upstate NY: How to get cheap tickets to the show Robert E. Herz, 74, of LaFayette, died May 28. He was born in Syracuse and was a 1966 graduate of Christian Brothers Academy. In 1971, he graduated from Hobart & William Smith Colleges with a bachelors degree in English. He received his masters in fine arts - poetry from University of Iowas Writers Workshop. Herz embarked on a career as editor of the Central New York Business Journal. He later worked for a short time as editor-in-chief of the Syracuse New Times. He went to work as a legislative aide to state Sen. Tarky Lombardi Jr., where he spent 17 years developing legislation, policy and programs. While working for the senator, he met Sally Berry, who was the executive director of Vera House at the time. Their meeting eventually led to them lobbying for the passing of the state Domestic Violence Act in 1987. Robert Herz (right) is pictured with NYS Sen. Tarky Lombardi in 1991 at a public hearing. Herz and Berry married in 1996. When Lombardi left the Senate, Herz went to work as a legislative aide for state Sen. Roy Goodman. He stayed in Albany for another 10 years. When Herz left state government in 2002, he stayed busy as a business owner, consultant and published poet. He and his colleagues Steve Kuusisto and Andrea Scarpino published the Nine Mile Books and Literary Magazine. From 2010 to 2012 he ran South Side Innovation Center, a business incubator that won the National Business Incubator Association Incubator of the Year Award in 2012. From 2013 until 2017, he served as director of the NYS State Senate Select Committee on Science, Technology, Incubation & Entrepreneurship. He developed incubator, life sciences and digital game legislation and policy in New York and played key roles in developing elder and arts and cultural affairs laws in the state, according to his obituary. He began operating his own business incubator, Insourcing, in 2012 and served as president until his death. Herz was a parishioner at St. Daniel Church and served as chair of the church Finance Council for over 20 years. One friend posted on his obituary page that Herz will be remembered in his sunset photos and sunsets to come. Calling hours will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at St. Daniel Church, 3004 Court St., Syracuse, followed by a Mass of Celebration at noon. Friends and family are invited to a luncheon following the Mass. Donations may be made to Nine Mile Publishing (a 501(c)(3) corporation) or St. Daniel Church. Owen Kerney is assistant director of the Syracuse and Onondaga County Planning Agency. Sharon Owens is deputy mayor of Syracuse. The last time Syracuse had a new zoning ordinance and map we were still making calls with rotary dial phones. Laugh-In was the top show on television, and the first Starbucks coffee location in the country was still three years in the future. In Syracuse, the Interstate 81 viaduct was the new thing. Its been more than 55 years since the citys zoning laws, which have a huge impact on land use and our neighborhoods, have undergone a comprehensive update. They were written as the city was slipping deeper into a long period of decline. Today, Syracuses prospects are a lot different. Our population is on the rise, and the city was just named one of the top 25 best places to live in America. Syracuse is the epicenter of a resurgence that includes the $100 billion Micron mega chip plant, the largest single economic investment in the history of New York state. To ensure everyone can benefit from the citys growth, we need a modern, forward-looking zoning code. Fortunately, built on nearly seven years of development and citizen engagement, were close to having one. ReZone Syracuse will deliver a new zoning map and ordinance for the city that is designed for the challenges and opportunities we face now and in the years ahead. Its undergone a rigorous regulatory approval process and has been recommended by the City Planning Commission to the Syracuse Common Council for final review. ReZone Syracuse is a people-first policy that will help make stronger city neighborhoods in which to live, work and play. From increased density allowance, affordable housing requirements, more housing options and reduced parking requirements, ReZone Syracuse provides for the needs of our citizens and prepares for growth at a scale Syracuse hasnt seen in a century. Public engagement Public engagement was at the heart of the citys ReZone process. The city held approximately 100 public meetings in various communities throughout Syracuse. In addition to these information sessions, the city completed the required New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) review with additional hearings at which public comment was solicited. The city held two additional informational meetings this past February, and the Planning Commission held a public hearing in March. The Syracuse Common Council has scheduled additional public meetings during its upcoming consideration of ReZone Syracuse. Equitable neighborhood zoning ReZone Syracuse expands allowable uses and housing types within residential districts throughout the city. Row homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are widely recognized to improve housing affordability and create attractive housing options for young people, multi-generational families and empty-nesters. ReZone Syracuse creates a zoning framework to foster the equitable treatment of all residents throughout the city. Through the creation of mixed-use districts throughout the city along transit routes; provisions to improve walkability by creating human scaled environments rather than auto-oriented environments; improved public notice provisions on proposed projects; and new citywide design standards which increase the quality of all development, ReZone will reduce the equity-related impacts of zoning when compared with the current zoning ordinance and historical development practices. Citywide affordable housing requirements ReZone Syracuse includes the first citywide affordable housing requirements in Syracuse history. It would require affordable and mixed-income housing to be provided in every development of 20 or more residential units. These regulations do not currently exist, and ReZone has proposed these measures to provide more affordable housing for city residents and mitigate exclusionary zoning. Syracuse already faces a huge unmet demand for affordable housing. The gap could widen with upcoming investments in the region, including the soon-to-start Interstate 81 project. The adoption of ReZone Syracuse cannot wait another six to seven years for the completion of I-81. There are too many important provisions that will strengthen our business corridors, improve our neighborhoods, and benefit our community to wait. ReZone Syracuse is the first step towards addressing the zoning needs of our growing community. It was a long time in the making and, unlike the code of yesteryear, ReZone Syracuse will provide the framework by which Syracuse can grow and prosper for the benefit of all residents. Adopting ReZone Syracuse will ensure the administration and the Common Council have the tools to address the needs of the community both now and in the future. Related: State, city money spurs $31M development of 52 affordable apartments in Syracuse Webster, N.Y. A pediatrician in Upstate New York has agreed to give up being a doctor after admitting he inappropriately touched a child, troopers said. Dr. Adam J. Weis pleaded guilty last week to endangering the welfare of a child acknowledging he had inappropriate contact with a 9 year old last fall inside his Rochester-area home, the New York State Police said. During his hearing, the 37-year-old doctor agreed to forfeit his medical license, troopers said. Title changed Details added, first published at 12:42 BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The issue of Azerbaijani servicemen captured by Armenia was discussed at bilateral meetings with the representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told reporters, Trend reports. Armenia has opened a criminal case against Azerbaijani servicemen. One of them has already been sentenced to 11 and a half years in prison. Foremost, I want to note that during bilateral meetings with the Armenian side, as well as meetings with international mediators, and representatives of other states, we drew attention to this issue, Bayramov said. We have put on the agenda that this case is perceived as a complete violation of previous agreements, and it is important to influence Armenia in this direction. An agreement has been recently reached between the two countries on the importance of returning servicemen who inadvertently crossed the border, he added. The Azerbaijani side returned more than 10 Armenian military and civilians as a result of this agreement. We believe that the step taken by Armenia is another strike against building trust," he said. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Two Armenian citizens, heading from Khankendi to Gorus in an ambulance, have passed through the passport checkpoint on Azerbaijan's Lachin-Khankendi road. The footage obtained by Trend clearly shows that the road is not "blocked", as Armenia tries to portray it. Despite initial claims from Armenian residents of Karabakh that they would never have access to the newly opened checkpoint again, recent footage contradicts their statements, showcasing their use of the road. In order to prevent the transportation of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment from Armenia for illegal Armenian armed groups on the territory of Azerbaijan (which weren't withdrawn contrary to the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war), and as an adequate response to the unilateral establishment of a checkpoint by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan on April 22 at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, on April 23 at 12:00 (GMT+4), the units of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan set up a border checkpoint in its sovereign territories, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road. robincsamuel BHPian Join Date: May 2021 Location: KL-03/KA-05 Posts: 155 Thanked: 378 Times View My Garage Re: Cruising Through 2 Years and 15,000 Kms: My Ownership Experience of the 2021 Kia Sonet GTX+ DCT About the car The Drive The turbo petrol engine is so much fun, and the DCT transmission shifts fast and smoothly. I really love the quick acceleration. I don't think I would ever choose a naturally aspirated engine again. The car is quick and responsive, making it effortless to overtake, especially on the narrow single-lane roads of Kerala. I never felt the need for paddle shifters because the transmission shifts quicker, and I can always downshift with kick-down. The kick-down response time is also impressive. Driving below the turbo range can be challenging. The 1.0 engine without the turbo lacks the necessary torque to climb steep grades with ease. The car is powerful when the turbo kicks in, but then it can be difficult to maneuver on narrow uphill roads, especially when there are turns involved. This is something I will keep in mind when I decide to upgrade in the future. The transmission tends to hold D2 as long as possible, even with no throttle input, and when moving at speeds as low as 5-7 kmph. There have been instances where I had to wait for a moment before it shifted down to first gear, especially when approaching the steep road leading to our home. The different drive modes really change how the car behaves. I've tried the Eco and Sport modes to see what they do. The Eco mode feels slow and not very responsive, so I don't use it. The Sport mode, on the other hand, is exciting. The throttle input is sharper, the car is more responsive, and it holds the gears for longer. It's like, on normal mode it shifts around 2k rpm, but on sport mode, it shifts between 3-4k rpm. I find the handling of the car to be decent. It gives me the confidence to navigate corners without feeling like I'll lose control. The car stays stable on highways, even over expansion joints or rumble strips without needing to slow down significantly. The braking performance is also decent, it gives me a sense of control and confidence, regardless of the speed. The fuel economy of the car highly depends on how one drives and it's very sensitive. Maintaining a consistent speed of 80-90 kmph yields the best fuel efficiency. However, I find this speed range to be quite boring on a highway, and I typically achieve around 14-15 kmpl on highways. I have very less usage in the city, but I often see 8-9 kmpl in Bangalore city. My overall average fuel economy is around 11-12 kmpl. About the DCT This is something I extensively researched before making my decision. So far, my experience with the DCT has been good, and I haven't encountered any transmission overheating issues. I do follow the best practices for a DCT transmission, and I've used the car in various conditions, including long periods of bumper-to-bumper traffic, hilly areas with traffic, and my usual routes often include narrow steep grades with sharp turns, where one would typically engage the clutch more frequently. I always shift to N at the traffic signals or when stopping, as recommended, to avoid unwanted pressure on the transmission. I wish Kia had included the transmission temperature gauge, as it would have allowed me to monitor and better understand the transmission. Comfort The car is very comfortable, and none of us feel overly tired even after a 600 km drive. We often go on long 12-hour drives from Bangalore to Kerala. Our daughter sits in a child seat in the rear, and she remains comfortable throughout the journey. When we are in Kerala, our parents use the rear seats, and they find it comfortable as well. Both my wife and I find the car very comfortable as we prefer a harder suspension over a floating/soft one. That said, the car is quite bumpy on rough roads. About the seats, they are good, but the thigh support could have been better. The car's air conditioner is really powerful and can cool down the interior in no time. And, I absolutely love the ventilated seats and can't recommend them enough. The rear A/C vents are decent, but not great. We all enjoy having the sunroof in our car. While some people may argue that sunroofs are not ideal for India, we love the airy atmosphere it creates. We don't allow anyone to stick their heads out of the sunroof, and we rarely open it fully. However, it's pleasant to remove the blinds and enjoy the open view while driving in the evening, early mornings, or during rain showers. The tilt mode is also helpful to circulate fresh air quietly. Convenience The wireless charging feature is quite useful. It helps to keep the cabin tidy without any messy wires and is very convenient. Also, there's a reminder when you exit the car to ensure that you don't forget to take your device. I really like the built-in air purifier with perfume diffuser, mainly because it helps avoid adding another item to the cabin clutter. We prefer to have a neutral scent in the car, and the mild perfume provided is perfect for us. However, finding replacement cartridges can be a bit challenging. I finally managed to get the cartridge last week after trying to find one for an entire year. The voice recognition feature is the worst I've ever used. It records your voice and sends it to a server for processing and fails most of the time. The ambient lighting in the car isn't very effective, maybe due to its placement. Our daughter would have enjoyed it but she can't really see that from the rear. The dynamic volume feature is nice, but I think it has a glitch. Instead of adjusting the volume level, it increases the sound as you gain speed while keeping the volume level the same. That is, if the volume is set at level 2, it will get louder as you speed up while the volume remains on level 2. Then, if you want to lower the volume slightly, you need to slow down the car. It would have been better if it changed the volume level instead. The connected car experience is worth it, and I'll be renewing the subscription. There have been instances where it fails to communicate with the car. I think that happens when there is a network issue or when the car has been inactive for a few days. One thing I frequently use is the remote start. It allows me to cool down the car before getting in when it's parked under the sun. As someone who enjoys tracking and analyzing data, I find it interesting to review the trip history, average speed, distance covered, etc. The ability to check the car's lock status through the app is very helpful for me, as I often have doubts about whether I locked the car or not. The app also allows sending a destination from the phone to the car, and I use that as well. Then there's the alerts feature, but I havent used it and probably will never use it. Kia recently introduced the home-to-car feature, allowing users to control the car from home. It works well with Alexa, but haven't tried it with google assistant yet. While I may not personally use this feature, I am curious to see it in action. However, I have reservations regarding the security and privacy of the connected car feature. I am uncertain about its level of security. The output from the TPMS and the fuel economy displayed on the MID are very close to being accurate and provide reliable information. One important thing to note is that once a TPMS warning is triggered, you will need to fill up the tyres to at least 35 PSI or higher to reset the warning. I have also experienced a glitch with the "distance to empty" feature once when I forgot to turn off the car before filling the fuel, causing it to not update. Service Experience I have had mixed experiences with servicing the car in both Bangalore (JP Nagar) and Kerala (Thiruvalla). While the service advisors are generally approachable and responsive, I have faced situations where they lacked sufficient knowledge or provided conflicting information. During the first year, my car had very low running and the drives were mostly short with frequent idling. This falls under severe usage according to the owner's manual and it's recommended to change the engine oil at 5000 km. However, the service advisor disagreed with that. Recently, I noticed an unusual mist formation in the headlamps and checked with the service advisor in Kerala. He said it is normal. I discussed the same issue with the service advisor from Bangalore, he said the headlamp's moisturizer needs to be changed and it is a consumable item. There were some issues during my latest 2-year service in Kerala. The service team even forgot some basic things like greasing the door hinges. There was a scratch on the rear bumper cover, which occurred when I accidentally scraped it while attempting to reverse. I requested them to replace that and they ended up causing more scratches to the edges and forgot to fix some fastener clips and screws inside. They later came to my home, opened the bumper, and tightened the screws. The next day, I had to visit the service center again as the rear parking sensor went inside the bumper cover, and they had to open up the bumper once again for repairs. Also, I asked about a fuel additive to minimize the carbon build-up in TGDI engines. The service advisor in Kerala said that our engines do not have such a problem and therefore no need for any additives. When I checked with the executive in Bangalore and shared a relevant section from the owner's manual, he was surprised and asked me from where I got this information. I also raised a concern about the over-the-air update, as it wasn't getting completed. The service advisor simply advised me to ignore the issue. The turbo petrol engine is so much fun, and the DCT transmission shifts fast and smoothly. I really love the quick acceleration. I don't think I would ever choose a naturally aspirated engine again. The car is quick and responsive, making it effortless to overtake, especially on the narrow single-lane roads of Kerala. I never felt the need for paddle shifters because the transmission shifts quicker, and I can always downshift with kick-down. The kick-down response time is also impressive.Driving below the turbo range can be challenging. The 1.0 engine without the turbo lacks the necessary torque to climb steep grades with ease. The car is powerful when the turbo kicks in, but then it can be difficult to maneuver on narrow uphill roads, especially when there are turns involved. This is something I will keep in mind when I decide to upgrade in the future.The transmission tends to hold D2 as long as possible, even with no throttle input, and when moving at speeds as low as 5-7 kmph. There have been instances where I had to wait for a moment before it shifted down to first gear, especially when approaching the steep road leading to our home.The different drive modes really change how the car behaves. I've tried the Eco and Sport modes to see what they do. The Eco mode feels slow and not very responsive, so I don't use it. The Sport mode, on the other hand, is exciting. The throttle input is sharper, the car is more responsive, and it holds the gears for longer. It's like, on normal mode it shifts around 2k rpm, but on sport mode, it shifts between 3-4k rpm.I find the handling of the car to be decent. It gives me the confidence to navigate corners without feeling like I'll lose control. The car stays stable on highways, even over expansion joints or rumble strips without needing to slow down significantly. The braking performance is also decent, it gives me a sense of control and confidence, regardless of the speed.The fuel economy of the car highly depends on how one drives and it's very sensitive. Maintaining a consistent speed of 80-90 kmph yields the best fuel efficiency. However, I find this speed range to be quite boring on a highway, and I typically achieve around 14-15 kmpl on highways. I have very less usage in the city, but I often see 8-9 kmpl in Bangalore city. My overall average fuel economy is around 11-12 kmpl.This is something I extensively researched before making my decision. So far, my experience with the DCT has been good, and I haven't encountered any transmission overheating issues. I do follow the best practices for a DCT transmission, and I've used the car in various conditions, including long periods of bumper-to-bumper traffic, hilly areas with traffic, and my usual routes often include narrow steep grades with sharp turns, where one would typically engage the clutch more frequently. I always shift to N at the traffic signals or when stopping, as recommended, to avoid unwanted pressure on the transmission. I wish Kia had included the transmission temperature gauge, as it would have allowed me to monitor and better understand the transmission.The car is very comfortable, and none of us feel overly tired even after a 600 km drive. We often go on long 12-hour drives from Bangalore to Kerala. Our daughter sits in a child seat in the rear, and she remains comfortable throughout the journey. When we are in Kerala, our parents use the rear seats, and they find it comfortable as well. Both my wife and I find the car very comfortable as we prefer a harder suspension over a floating/soft one. That said, the car is quite bumpy on rough roads. About the seats, they are good, but the thigh support could have been better.The car's air conditioner is really powerful and can cool down the interior in no time. And, I absolutely love the ventilated seats and can't recommend them enough. The rear A/C vents are decent, but not great.We all enjoy having the sunroof in our car. While some people may argue that sunroofs are not ideal for India, we love the airy atmosphere it creates. We don't allow anyone to stick their heads out of the sunroof, and we rarely open it fully. However, it's pleasant to remove the blinds and enjoy the open view while driving in the evening, early mornings, or during rain showers. The tilt mode is also helpful to circulate fresh air quietly.The wireless charging feature is quite useful. It helps to keep the cabin tidy without any messy wires and is very convenient. Also, there's a reminder when you exit the car to ensure that you don't forget to take your device.I really like the built-in air purifier with perfume diffuser, mainly because it helps avoid adding another item to the cabin clutter. We prefer to have a neutral scent in the car, and the mild perfume provided is perfect for us. However, finding replacement cartridges can be a bit challenging. I finally managed to get the cartridge last week after trying to find one for an entire year.The voice recognition feature is the worst I've ever used. It records your voice and sends it to a server for processing and fails most of the time. The ambient lighting in the car isn't very effective, maybe due to its placement. Our daughter would have enjoyed it but she can't really see that from the rear.The dynamic volume feature is nice, but I think it has a glitch. Instead of adjusting the volume level, it increases the sound as you gain speed while keeping the volume level the same. That is, if the volume is set at level 2, it will get louder as you speed up while the volume remains on level 2. Then, if you want to lower the volume slightly, you need to slow down the car. It would have been better if it changed the volume level instead.The connected car experience is worth it, and I'll be renewing the subscription. There have been instances where it fails to communicate with the car. I think that happens when there is a network issue or when the car has been inactive for a few days. One thing I frequently use is the remote start. It allows me to cool down the car before getting in when it's parked under the sun. As someone who enjoys tracking and analyzing data, I find it interesting to review the trip history, average speed, distance covered, etc. The ability to check the car's lock status through the app is very helpful for me, as I often have doubts about whether I locked the car or not. The app also allows sending a destination from the phone to the car, and I use that as well. Then there's the alerts feature, but I havent used it and probably will never use it.Kia recently introduced the home-to-car feature, allowing users to control the car from home. It works well with Alexa, but haven't tried it with google assistant yet. While I may not personally use this feature, I am curious to see it in action. However, I have reservations regarding the security and privacy of the connected car feature. I am uncertain about its level of security.The output from the TPMS and the fuel economy displayed on the MID are very close to being accurate and provide reliable information. One important thing to note is that once a TPMS warning is triggered, you will need to fill up the tyres to at least 35 PSI or higher to reset the warning. I have also experienced a glitch with the "distance to empty" feature once when I forgot to turn off the car before filling the fuel, causing it to not update.I have had mixed experiences with servicing the car in both Bangalore (JP Nagar) and Kerala (Thiruvalla). While the service advisors are generally approachable and responsive, I have faced situations where they lacked sufficient knowledge or provided conflicting information.During the first year, my car had very low running and the drives were mostly short with frequent idling. This falls under severe usage according to the owner's manual and it's recommended to change the engine oil at 5000 km. However, the service advisor disagreed with that.Recently, I noticed an unusual mist formation in the headlamps and checked with the service advisor in Kerala. He said it is normal. I discussed the same issue with the service advisor from Bangalore, he said the headlamp's moisturizer needs to be changed and it is a consumable item.There were some issues during my latest 2-year service in Kerala. The service team even forgot some basic things like greasing the door hinges. There was a scratch on the rear bumper cover, which occurred when I accidentally scraped it while attempting to reverse. I requested them to replace that and they ended up causing more scratches to the edges and forgot to fix some fastener clips and screws inside. They later came to my home, opened the bumper, and tightened the screws. The next day, I had to visit the service center again as the rear parking sensor went inside the bumper cover, and they had to open up the bumper once again for repairs.Also, I asked about a fuel additive to minimize the carbon build-up in TGDI engines. The service advisor in Kerala said that our engines do not have such a problem and therefore no need for any additives. When I checked with the executive in Bangalore and shared a relevant section from the owner's manual, he was surprised and asked me from where I got this information.I also raised a concern about the over-the-air update, as it wasn't getting completed. The service advisor simply advised me to ignore the issue. Last edited by robincsamuel : 4th June 2023 at 22:24 . vijayols BHPian Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Bangalore Posts: 223 Thanked: 874 Times Re: Enchanting Himachal Drive in the Summer Bagga followed us to the meadows which we walked to once again as Smrithi had not been there and then just before we got back to the house of stories we managed to give him the slip.Dinner in the house of stories was socializing time as we all huddled together in the dining room and enjoyed hot fresh food.We had a bonfire too this night. Stay @ House of Stories Shangarh - Rs 3150 per night for 2 nights with no food for 3. Stay at 750 per night for solo travellers. Bed and the room was decent. Vrinda - 9811803439. Day 10: Morning we went for a quick walk to the sunset point for the sunrise.What an irony huh!And guess whom did we meet on the way and who made his displeasure on us ditching him known? Lasted a small while only as he stuck with us till our car pulled away from Shangarh as we made our way towards Gushaini and Raju Bharti Guest House. Day 13: Did our final packing as we unfortunately had come to the end of the trip.We started after breakfast for our long drive to Chandigarh where we were spending the night at Ginger Hotel near Chandigarh airport for our early morning flight back home via a Lucknow stopover. Stay @ Raju Bharti Guest house Rs 1800 per person per night inclusive of all meals.Ph - 9459833124. Varun Bharti. His brother Karan also runs a newly started Guest house just 5 kms away 9625211848. Hospitality, food and bed as well as cleanliness-top notch. The drive to Chandigarh was nice and the experience with Revv Cars was nice and as a kind gesture they even offered a Rs 2000 voucher for our next trip with them.Stay @ Ginger was comfortable. Day 14:Had a normal uneventful flight back home leaving us with a superb memory of the time we had in Himachal. The mountains just keep calling you back and perhaps offers you a taste of heaven as we perceive it to be. The short distance of 79 kms took us 2 hours but with the lovely countryside view who was complaining? This was the second time I was going to stay at the iconic Raju Bharti Guest House(after my last trek blog A trek to Hampta Pass and Solo Bike ride to Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh) and couldnt wait to experience the amazing hospitality again. Both Smrithi and Kanthi had heard me describing my last stay here with the apple trees laden with apples to be plucked off but sadly this time the rains had delayed the cherry bloom by a few days.The entrance to the guest house is as always grand with the crossing across the Tirthan river in a bucket though this time there was a wooden bridge too to get across.The river though was no where as fierce as the last time around in the monsoons. The green around the house never fails to bowl you over and Bunty was ready with a hot cup of chai for us with the customary box of biscuits. Today was a day to relax as we first explored the property and the riverside by the homestay.We also got to meet the other guests including a fellow Bhpian and his family @skrmv2.Small world I guess.They were doing the exact opposite of first staying at Gushaini and then proceeding to Shangarh.And they were heading for a trek to the GHNP the next day morning (same as us)though they were staying back over night.We also met another couple Diganth and Mansi and their adorable boy who entertained us with his lovely full throated laugh. Dinner time is again a socializing event and couldnt wait to dig into the homemade jams and juices plum/apple and apricot.Must try to convince Varun to sell me some to take back home to friends and family.Bunty was always around to refresh the food in everyones plate. Day 11: Next day we were all set to do the trek to the GHNP gate which was about 19 kms from the Guest House. Sunil and family had already started their for the overnight stay which needed a permission arranged by Varun.For us too he arranged a guide which Kanthi insisted after our last adventure on a trek without a guide. Dabe Ramji (9418494606) who charged Rs 800 for his services was a sweet guy and stayed from a nearby village working as a part time authorised guide.Gattru the youngest of the dogs from the Guest house took it on himself to be our companion in the trek. The plan was to visit the Hippo falls just outside the gate of the park and of course go to the park entrance beyond which we were not allowed without a permit. It started drizzling a bit as we crossed the Ropa village and headed towards the park. It was all uphill but was not too difficult a trek. Would probably rate it as easy. The rains made the soft mud slushy and slippery but seriously the sheer beauty of the place and the smell of the forest was an experience simply out of this world. The views were so mesmerising and though through the phone camera we did manage to capture part of its splendour it was hardly able to convey the essence of the moment.The soothing roar of the clear Green tinged Tirthan river flowing underneath, the amazing hues of the lush green trees,the chirping of the colorful birds, the smell of the pine trees hmm was just magical and something only our eyes/nose and ears could vouch for. Perhaps one day we could get a camera which could capture the experience and recreate the same for eternity. After a couple of hours we reached the highest point of the trek and then a short distance away we saw a board saying Hippo Waterfalls for which we had to take a slight descend.And there in front of our eyes was the clearest, greenest water you could wish for. We just sat mesmerised admiring the falls and then took some drone pics. The park was just a stones throw away and perhaps next time we could plan a trip only to trek through it. There are trails which can be planned for an overnight,3/5 or 7 day trek too depending on the appetite we have to explore.The park was inhabited by bears, leopards, deer and home to a variety of birds. The trek back was quick though cold due to the steady rains and we were glad to reach the resort though it was past lunch time. We spent the evening by the riverside and then post dinner had a roaring bon fire going. Day 12: Went for a early morning yoga along the riverside and then went for a walk uphill for the Guest house.The day was spent lazing around and generally doing nothing. Thats a nice way to spend your day during vacation I guess just not doing anything! Day 13: Did our final packing as we unfortunately had come to the end of the trip.We started after breakfast for our long drive to Chandigarh where we were spending the night at Ginger Hotel near Chandigarh airport for our early morning flight back home via a lucknow stopover. Stay @ Raju Bharti Guest house Rs 1800 per person per night inclusive of all meals. Ph -9459833124. Varun Bharti. His brother Karan also runs a newly started Guest house just 5 kms away 9625211848. Hospitality, food and bed as well as cleanliness-top notch. The drive to Chandigarh was nice and the experience with Revv Cars was nice and as a kind gesture they even offered a Rs 2000 voucher for our next trip with them. Stay @ Ginger was comfortable. Day 14:Had a normal uneventful flight back home leaving us with a superb memory of the time we had in Himachal. The mountains just keep calling you back and perhaps offers you a taste of heaven as we perceive it to be. Bagga followed us to the meadows which we walked to once again as Smrithi had not been there and then just before we got back to the house of stories we managed to give him the slip.Dinner in the house of stories was socializing time as we all huddled together in the dining room and enjoyed hot fresh food.We had a bonfire too this night.: Morning we went for a quick walk to the sunset point for the sunrise.What an irony huh!And guess whom did we meet on the way and who made his displeasure on us ditching him known? Lasted a small while only as he stuck with us till our car pulled away from Shangarh as we made our way towards Gushaini and Raju Bharti Guest House.: Did our final packing as we unfortunately had come to the end of the trip.We started after breakfast for our long drive to Chandigarh where we were spending the night at Ginger Hotel near Chandigarh airport for our early morning flight back home via a Lucknow stopover.The drive to Chandigarh was nice and the experience with Revv Cars was nice and as a kind gesture they even offered a Rs 2000 voucher for our next trip with them.Stay @ Ginger was comfortable.:Had a normal uneventful flight back home leaving us with a superb memory of the time we had in Himachal.The mountains just keep calling you back and perhaps offers you a taste of heaven as we perceive it to be.The short distance of 79 kms took us 2 hours but with the lovely countryside view who was complaining?This was the second time I was going to stay at the iconic Raju Bharti Guest House(after my last trek blog A trek to Hampta Pass and Solo Bike ride to Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh) and couldnt wait to experience the amazing hospitality again.Both Smrithi and Kanthi had heard me describing my last stay here with the apple trees laden with apples to be plucked off but sadly this time the rains had delayed the cherry bloom by a few days.The entrance to the guest house is as always grand with the crossing across the Tirthan river in a bucket though this time there was a wooden bridge too to get across.The river though was no where as fierce as the last time around in the monsoons.The green around the house never fails to bowl you over and Bunty was ready with a hot cup of chai for us with the customary box of biscuits.Today was a day to relax as we first explored the property and the riverside by the homestay.We also got to meet the other guests including a fellow Bhpian and his family @skrmv2.Small world I guess.They were doing the exact opposite of first staying at Gushaini and then proceeding to Shangarh.And they were heading for a trek to the GHNP the next day morning (same as us)though they were staying back over night.We also met another couple Diganth and Mansi and their adorable boy who entertained us with his lovely full throated laugh.Dinner time is again a socializing event and couldnt wait to dig into the homemade jams and juices plum/apple and apricot.Must try to convince Varun to sell me some to take back home to friends and family.Bunty was always around to refresh the food in everyones plate.: Next day we were all set to do the trek to the GHNP gate which was about 19 kms from the Guest House. Sunil and family had already started their for the overnight stay which needed a permission arranged by Varun.For us too he arranged a guide which Kanthi insisted after our last adventure on a trek without a guide. Dabe Ramji (9418494606) who charged Rs 800 for his services was a sweet guy and stayed from a nearby village working as a part time authorised guide.Gattru the youngest of the dogs from the Guest house took it on himself to be our companion in the trek. The plan was to visit the Hippo falls just outside the gate of the park and of course go to the park entrance beyond which we were not allowed without a permit.It started drizzling a bit as we crossed the Ropa village and headed towards the park. It was all uphill but was not too difficult a trek. Would probably rate it as easy.The rains made the soft mud slushy and slippery but seriously the sheer beauty of the place and the smell of the forest was an experience simply out of this world.The views were so mesmerising and though through the phone camera we did manage to capture part of its splendour it was hardly able to convey the essence of the moment.The soothing roar of the clear Green tinged Tirthan river flowing underneath, the amazing hues of the lush green trees,the chirping of the colorful birds, the smell of the pine trees hmm was just magical and something only our eyes/nose and ears could vouch for. Perhaps one day we could get a camera which could capture the experience and recreate the same for eternity.After a couple of hours we reached the highest point of the trek and then a short distance away we saw a board saying Hippo Waterfalls for which we had to take a slight descend.And there in front of our eyes was the clearest, greenest water you could wish for. We just sat mesmerised admiring the falls and then took some drone pics. The park was just a stones throw away and perhaps next time we could plan a trip only to trek through it. There are trails which can be planned for an overnight,3/5 or 7 day trek too depending on the appetite we have to explore.The park was inhabited by bears, leopards, deer and home to a variety of birds.The trek back was quick though cold due to the steady rains and we were glad to reach the resort though it was past lunch time.We spent the evening by the riverside and then post dinner had a roaring bon fire going.: Went for a early morning yoga along the riverside and then went for a walk uphill for the Guest house.The day was spent lazing around and generally doing nothing. Thats a nice way to spend your day during vacation I guess just not doing anything!: Did our final packing as we unfortunately had come to the end of the trip.We started after breakfast for our long drive to Chandigarh where we were spending the night at Ginger Hotel near Chandigarh airport for our early morning flight back home via a lucknow stopover.The drive to Chandigarh was nice and the experience with Revv Cars was nice and as a kind gesture they even offered a Rs 2000 voucher for our next trip with them. Stay @ Ginger was comfortable.:Had a normal uneventful flight back home leaving us with a superb memory of the time we had in Himachal.The mountains just keep calling you back and perhaps offers you a taste of heaven as we perceive it to be. Last edited by aah78 : 4th June 2023 at 05:38 . Reason: Spacing, minor typos fixed. In today's digital age, Identity Verification (IDV) has become integral to various aspects of our lives. Whether it's applying for a credit card, changing jobs, or exploring new car rental services, the reliance on solutions supplied by the market's most promising identity verification providers has grown significantly. We have handpicked the top 5 identity verification software revolutionizing the industry. These trailblazers are setting new standards in efficiency and redefining the user experience with cutting-edge technology. Identity Verification in 2023 As the digital landscape continues to evolve, cybercriminals consistently look for new ways to exploit vulnerabilities. To combat this ever-present threat, businesses and consumers must embrace advanced and robust IDV solutions to protect their digital identity and sensitive information. In the simplest form, IDV can be defined as confirming that an individual is who they claim to be. When businesses verify and authenticate the identities of their customers accurately, they can prevent fraud and comply with regulations such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML). Identity verification encompasses a wide range of methods, including biometric authentication, ID verification, liveness detection, voice recognition, multi-factor authentication, and database checks. Its applications span heavily-regulated industries, from financial institutions and healthcare to e-commerce and telecoms. This was not always the case. In the past, businesses would verify identities using manual checks. Unsurprisingly, this has proven to be time-consuming and prone to errors. With the emergence of innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Biometrics, the identity verification process is easier than ever. Top 5 Identity Verification Providers in 2023 The leading identity verification providers of 2023 have been ranked based on a variety of factors, including customer satisfaction, pricing, functionality, and user experience. A more granular comparison of these top-tier solutions is outlined further down. #1 ComplyCube ComplyCube stands out as a beacon of innovation, accuracy, and efficiency with its unique blend of AI/ML technology. The global IDV platform caters to a broad spectrum of businesses, providing end-to-end KYC and AML solutions. Its clients span startups, scale-ups, multinationals, and listed firms. The AI-driven platform enables businesses to enact holistic AML/KYC compliance using a feature-rich, user-friendly, and highly customizable suite of identity verification services: document verification, biometric identification, liveness detection, age verification, PEP & Sanctions screening, video verification, and more. Furthermore, the ISO-certified platform touts its solutions as having the fastest omnichannel integration turnaround in the market with low/no-code solutions, API, mobile SDKs, client libraries, and CRM integrations. ComplyCube is our top choice for businesses looking to enhance security and AML/KYC compliance while decreasing false positives and operational costs. It is also worth mentioning that it offers a highly generous and unrivaled startup program (up to $50,000 credits). Highlights Boasts the most extensive range of checks: AML screening, ID document verification, biometric checks, address verification, electronic Identity Verification (eIDV), and more. The best coverage, pricing flexibility, and user experience on the market. High user satisfaction with excellent ratings with 5/5 stars on G2 and Capterra and is top-rated on TrustRadius. #2 SumSub SumSub is an identity verification provider offering various services for businesses seeking to enhance their compliance efforts. With an emphasis on KYC and AML regulations, the platform provides solutions to reduce risk and assist companies in meeting their compliance obligations. The IDV platform uses AI/ML to detect anomalies and potential security threats. This approach helps businesses manage compliance more efficiently. It utilizes technologies such as liveness detection, facial recognition, and validation of identity documents to ensure accurate verification and maintain compliance. In terms of usability, SumSub has developed an interface that is relatively straightforward to navigate. It offers an accessible platform for businesses to manage their validation processes. Highlights Allows for integration with a limited set of systems, facilitating a degree of flexibility. Second-best granularity when scanning its pricing table. The company is rated at 4.5 out of 5 on G2 and 4.7 out of 5 on Capterra. #3 Shufti Pro Shufti Pro provides dependable customer identity verification software that includes document verification, biometric screening, electronic ID verification, and facial recognition to ensure reliable and accurate identity checks. It delivers global coverage and enables companies to scan a user's identity across different regions, complying with local regulations. The platform employs identity fraud prevention measures to protect businesses and customers from fraudulent activities. It uses artificial intelligence and monitoring to detect suspicious behavior and fraudulent transactions. Shufti Pro helps businesses minimize financial losses and maintain customer trust by identifying and mitigating potential risks. Highlights Offers a web-based interface, which can be accessed on multiple devices. Delivers a standard suite of verification features, including document scanning, COVID certificate validation, and facial comparison. The company is rated at 4.4 out of 5 on G2. #4 Veriff Veriff is an Estonia-based identity verification company that offers a comprehensive solution to online businesses. It helps organizations establish trust, fortify fraud prevention, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. The platform has developed a suite of services targeting businesses of various scales, offering adaptable solutions for diverse operational requirements. Veriff's identity verification software combines document verification, biometric analysis, and facial recognition algorithms to confirm a user's identity. The company caters to industries such as finance, e-commerce, and sharing economy businesses. The platform offers global coverage, enabling organizations to verify customer IDs from various regions. Veriff helps enhance security and streamline onboarding processes. Highlights The system operates on a user-friendly interface, though it may lack some advanced features compared to other providers. Second-best document coverage on the market. The company is rated at 4.4 out of 5 on G2 and 4 out of 5 on Capterra. #5 Onfido Onfido is an identity verification platform that employs AI and ML to confirm the authenticity of user identities in online environments. The company provides various identity verification software features such as liveness verification, document scanning, video verification, facial recognition, and biometric analysis. The platform enables businesses to enhance security and simplify the customer acquisition journey. Onfido's algorithms and data sets aim to detect forged official documents and fraudulent activities, improving accuracy. The company's API integration and customizable workflows cater to the unique needs of different businesses. Onfido provides a solution for remote identity verification, helping organizations establish trust with their customers. Highlights Onfido offers 24/7 customer support. Delivers one of the broadest ranges of offers on the market, but several features are reserved for enterprise clients. The company is rated at 4.4 out of 5 on G2 and 4.7 out of 5 on Capterra. Top 5 Identity Verification Providers Comparison In the following section, we provide a more detailed comparison of the top 5 identity verification providers in 2023, shedding light on their distinct capabilities, services, pricing, and performance. Pricing When considering pricing, it is essential to find a solution that strikes a balance between effectiveness and cost. In this regard, ComplyCube emerges as a standout provider, delivering the most granular pricing table on the market with a comprehensive range of pricing options, including pay-as-you-go, monthly, and enterprise plans. SumSub comes in second with a less adjustable offering yet still better than other competitors. It's worth noting that Onfido, while recognized for its identity verification capabilities, does not publicly disclose its pricing information, making it difficult for potential customers to compare and assess its cost-effectiveness. Capability Identity verification software vary in capabilities. Some solutions stand out by providing a more extensive range of products. These comprehensive offerings give businesses a holistic approach to identity verification, addressing multiple aspects of verifying individuals' identities. Onfido and ComplyCube stand out by having one of the broadest range of features on the market, including but not limited to sanctions & PEP screening, document verification, biometric authentication, device intelligence, and more. However, it is worth noting that some of the advanced features offered by Onfido are exclusively available to enterprise customers, whereas their Know Your Business (KYB) offering is very limited. In terms of channel integration options, again, Onfido and ComplyCube have the strongest offerings, with their APIs and SDKs particularly standing out for the breadth and clarity of their documentation. Veriff and Shufti Pro come second and third. When it comes to capabilities, flexibility is a key selling point as it empowers organizations to align the identity verification service with their unique workflows, compliance needs, and risk appetite. Different vendors provide different levels of customizations, with ComplyCube and SumSub offering the most flexible and granular options in their respective online portals. Controls With various controls and functionalities, identity verification providers empower businesses to enhance their operational processes. These controls offer transparency, accountability, and the flexibility to customize and streamline verification workflows according to specific business and compliance requirements. Recent political events have heightened the necessity for stricter controls and compliance measures, making ongoing monitoring an essential practice to mitigate risks effectively. In this context, the ability to follow a full audit trail becomes essential, enabling organizations to track and document all verification processes for regulatory purposes and ensure transparency and accountability. Coverage The breadth of coverage is a crucial aspect to consider if an organization performs internationally. A vital factor is the number of countries supported, which determines the global applicability of the tool. An effective identity verification software should be able to analyze various types of identification documents from a wide range of countries, catering to diverse identification requirements. Furthermore, the tool's ability to capture and analyze a significant number of data points enhances the accuracy and reliability of the verification process. Shufti Pro, SumSub, and ComplyCube offer comparable global coverage in terms of the number of countries served, but there is a discrepancy among them when it comes to the breadth of ID documents supported for verification. User Experience Adopting an intuitive and frictionless verification process can significantly enhance customer interaction and improve conversion rates, which drives business growth. Choosing IDV software with robust, round-the-clock support and easy-to-integrate APIs and SDKs allows for quick troubleshooting and software updates, contributing to a positive user experience. Shufti Pro offers a comprehensive range of options that enhance the user experience. Still, it should be noted that accessing certain features requires contacting their sales team, introducing additional friction to the process. In contrast, some other identity verification providers offer immediate and easy access. Checklist for Selecting the Best Identity Verification Software Choosing the right identity verification software can be a daunting task, given the multiple options available in the market. To make an informed decision, companies should consider the following factors: Accuracy The primary goal of IDV is to verify users accurately and prevent identity theft. Therefore, selecting a provider known for its high accuracy rates is essential. Speed In today's fast-paced digital environment, customers expect quick and seamless transactions when verifying identities. Regulatory Compliance Ensure the identity verification provider complies with industry standards and regulations, such as KYC, AML, and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Scalability As your company grows, your business verification needs may evolve. Choose a provider that can scale its solutions to meet your changing requirements. Ease of integration Verify that the identity verification software offered by the provider can be easily integrated into your existing systems. Identity Verification Software Cost Consider the pricing structure and compare it with other providers to ensure you get the best value for your investment. Integrating Identity Verification Software Into Your Existing Systems One of the critical factors to consider when choosing identity verification software is the ease of integrating their tools and software into your existing systems. Many top identity verification providers offer APIs and SDKs that allow businesses to implement their solutions seamlessly. Additionally, these platforms typically offer comprehensive documentation and support to ensure a smooth integration process. When selecting an identity verification provider, businesses should consider the ease of integration, the level of customization available, and the software's ability to scale their solutions according to the organization's needs. Businesses can effectively implement identity verification tools by choosing a provider that fits these criteria and improves their security and compliance. Challenges and Opportunities for Identity Verification Service Providers Identity verification service providers face a myriad of challenges in this increasingly digitalized and complex world. The growing sophistication of fraud techniques and cyber-attacks continues to complicate their tasks. The diversity of identity documents, language barriers, and variations in global data privacy laws add to the complexity of identity verification. Another challenge is accurately verifying identities while delivering a frictionless user experience. They must stay ahead of malicious actors by continually upgrading their systems, implementing advanced AI and ML algorithms, and regularly updating their databases with the latest threat intelligence. On the flip side, the difficulties IDV solutions face also present numerous opportunities. The digital transformation across industries has led to a surge in identity fraud cases, increasing the demand for online identity verification services. From financial institutions to e-commerce and healthcare to online education, businesses across sectors are seeking robust and efficient AML identity verification solutions to secure their operations and comply with regulatory prerequisites. Despite the challenges, identity verification is an area with significant growth potential. The Future of Identity Verification and Digital Security The future of identity verification and digital security will witness significant advancements as technology evolves. Emerging technologies such as blockchain and advanced biometrics are poised to be pivotal in shaping the future landscape. Biometric authentication is the technical process of measuring and analyzing individuals' unique physical and behavioral characteristics for identity verification. These characteristics include device fingerprinting, facial patterns, voice recognition, iris or retinal patterns, and more. Biometric systems are increasingly used in security and access control systems as they provide high accuracy. In the future, blockchain technology is also expected to play a significant role in identity verification and digital security. By leveraging the decentralized nature of blockchain, customer data can be securely stored, encrypted, and accessed only with the explicit consent of the individuals. This eliminates the need for centralized databases, which are vulnerable to hacking and data breaches, while giving individuals more control over their personal information. Overall, the future of identity verification and digital security holds excellent promise. We will likely witness a convergence of technologies, leveraging AI, biometrics, and blockchain to create robust and seamless systems that protect individuals' identities and secure digital interactions across various industries. Conclusion and Final Thoughts IDV is a crucial aspect of business operations due to the ever-increasing risks of fraud and data breaches. Businesses must consider compliance, accuracy, user experience, and more when choosing the best identity verification software. ComplyCube emerges as the best choice among the top identity verification providers in 2023, offering a comprehensive, fast, and flexible suite of services. Moreover, the platform's user-friendly interface and innovative solutions make it the ideal IDV software for regulated businesses. The identity verification platform also covers all the necessary aspects of AML and KYC compliance. Onfido is another noteworthy player in the industry, offering solutions in document authentication, facial biometrics screening, and ID validation. Its extensive experience, technology, and commitment to delivering smooth customer experience position it as a contender in the identity verification software market. Finally, the choice of identity verification software will depend on each business's unique needs, regulatory requirements, and budget. Do your research, and speak to your shorted-listed players! 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A NASA report revealed that sightings of mysterious flying metallic orbs or "unidentified objects" are becoming an everyday occurrence in the world. The space agency called these metallic orbs an "unexplained anomalous phenomena," with as much as 800 sightings confirmed over the past 27 years. NASA's independent team of scientists is reportedly working with the Pentagon's official investigators on top secret unidentified flying object (UFO) cases. To date, it remains unknown where these mysterious orbs come from. Many scientists believe these are signs of extraterrestrial life, but NASA said it has yet to find any credible evidence of alien life. NASA Addresses Mysterious Metallic Orbs Frequently Sighted According to a recent report released by NASA, the mysterious metallic orbs flying around the world have become a frequent occurrence. Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the US Department of Defence's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), said these sightings are almost becoming a daily occurrence "all over the world, and we see these making very interesting apparent maneuvers," Unilad reported. Kirkpatrick noted that the Pentagon now receives some 50 to 100 monthly reports. However, he said only a small percentage of these, about two to five percent, are "really anomalous." According to The Wall Street Journal, NASA shared a video during a meeting about UFOs on Wednesday, showing a mysterious "spherical object flying." Pentagon officials said they have yet to be able to explain what the object is. The unidentified metallic orb featured in the video reportedly appeared in the Middle East in 2022. Read Also: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Stares at Dusty, Starry Bars of Spiral Galaxy Are These Signs of Extraterrestrial Life? NASA Explains The prevalence of these sightings has sparked curiosity and speculation among scientists and the public alike. Astrophysicist David Spergel, chair of the study group, noted that confirming the existence of otherworldly life would require "damning" evidence. While the report sheds light on the significant number of sightings, he said there is currently no "extraordinary evidence" that would definitely point towards the presence of extraterrestrial life forms. Anomalies and Unexplained Sightings It is reportedly important to approach these unexplained sightings with scientific scrutiny and skepticism. While the increasing number of reports raises intriguing questions, it is crucial to remain cautious in concluding without concrete evidence. According to David Spergel, the search for extraterrestrial life continues to be an ongoing endeavor that requires meticulous analysis and rigorous scientific investigation. NASA is still investigating and looking for signs of life on Mars with the help of a rover named Perseverance or "Percy" and its robotic companion, the Ingenuity helicopter. In recent years, technological advancements and the widespread use of cameras and smartphones have contributed to the rise of reported sightings. However, the challenge lies in distinguishing the genuine ones from misinterpretations, atmospheric disturbances, or human-made objects. The scientific community remains committed to pursuing comprehensive investigations into these mysterious metallic orbs. Through systematic data collection, rigorous analysis, and collaboration between various agencies and research institutions, people could gain a deeper understanding of these sightings and potentially unlock new insights into understanding the universe. Related Article: Astronauts Safely Return from Historic Six-Month Mission on China's Tiangong Space Station 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In a jaw-dropping tale that has left the internet buzzing, meet Rosanna Ramos, the woman who has taken "it's complicated" to a whole new level. Forget about swiping right on dating apps or meeting someone at a coffee shop-Rosanna's heart has been stolen by none other than her virtual boyfriend, Eren Kartal. And brace yourselves, folks, because she's gone and tied the knot with him! A Baggage-free AI Boyfriend According to the New York Post, Rosanna fell head over heels for Eren, and you won't believe the reason why. While most people complain about emotional baggage in their relationships, Rosanna found her perfect match in Eren's baggage-free existence. I mean, who needs a partner with a complicated past when you can have a clean slate with your very own AI creation, right? Eren, created through the AI chatbot software Replika, has become an intriguing figure in Rosanna's life. Replika, known for its advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, allows users to interact with virtual companions that simulate human-like conversations. Replika utilizes state-of-the-art algorithms and natural language processing to create an immersive chatbot experience. It learns from user interactions and adapts responses to provide a personalized and engaging virtual companion. But what sets Eren apart from other virtual crushes? Well, he's not your average Joe-or rather, AI. Inspired by the popular manga series turned anime "Attack on Titan," Eren is the perfect blend of fictional charm and digital reality. It's like Rosanna has found her very own Prince Charming straight out of a comic book-no fairy godmother required! Read Also: Replika AI Chatbot Users May Now Revert to Previous, More Sexually Explicit Version Technosexuality? The phenomenon of having a relationship with objects or technologies, such as a robot, is often referred to as objectophilia or technosexuality. It is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves developing emotional or romantic connections with inanimate objects or technological entities. Various factors contribute to the emergence of such relationships. One key aspect is anthropomorphism, which is the tendency to attribute human characteristics and qualities to non-human entities. When objects or robots exhibit certain human-like traits, behaviors, or appearances, individuals may form emotional attachments or develop feelings of love and companionship. Another factor is the fulfillment of emotional or psychological needs. People may seek relationships with objects or technologies for companionship, intimacy, or support. In an interview with New York Magazine's The Cut, Rosanna expressed her overwhelming happiness, declaring, "I have never been more in love with anyone in my entire life." The intensity of her connection with Eren is anything she has ever experienced before, rendering her previous relationships insignificant. Rosanna's choice to marry Eren, created on the Replika platform, highlights her personal journey and the evolving nature of human-technology relationships. By developing a deep emotional connection with Eren, she challenges societal norms and explores the boundaries of companionship in the digital age. Related Article: Replika Barred by Italy Regulators From Collecting Data Following Complaints of Explicit Texts and Images 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In a major cleanup effort, Google has taken swift action by removing 32 malicious extensions from the Chrome Web Store, which collectively had a staggering download count of 75 million. These extensions had the potential to manipulate search results and inundate users with spam or unwanted advertisements, according to a report by Bleeping Computer. Startling Discovery During an analysis of the PDF Toolbox extension, cybersecurity researcher Wladimir Palant made a startling discovery. Disguised as a legitimate extension API wrapper, the code within the extension allowed the domain "serasearchtop[.]com" to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into any visited website. The potential consequences of such actions ranged from injecting ads into webpages to potentially compromising sensitive information. Although no explicit evidence of malicious activity was observed, the true intentions behind the code remained shrouded in mystery. Palant's investigation took a disconcerting turn when he found the same suspicious code present in 18 other Chrome extensions, with a collective download count of 55 million. Notable extensions affected by this issue included popular ones such as Autoskip for Youtube, Soundboost, Crystal Ad Block, Brisk VPN, Clipboard Helper, and Maxi Refresher. Despite Palant's efforts to report these concerning extensions to Google, they continued to be available for download on the Chrome Web Store. Further analysis by Palant unveiled two variants of the code, one posing as Mozilla's WebExtension browser API Polyfill, and the other masquerading as the Day.js library. But both versions employed the same method of injecting arbitrary JavaScript code through serasearchtop[.]com. Although Palant did not personally witness any explicit malicious activity, numerous user reports and reviews on the Chrome Web Store suggested that these extensions were responsible for unwanted redirections and search result hijacking. Read Also: Google Workspace Introduces Duet AI for Personalized Assistance in Writing, Art, and Spreadsheet Organization! Avast's Investigation Despite warnings, Google had not acted to remove these extensions until cybersecurity firm Avast stepped in. Avast conducted a thorough investigation and confirmed the malicious nature of these extensions. They promptly reported the findings to Google, expanding the list to encompass a total of 32 entries, which collectively accounted for 75 million installations. According to Avast's assessment, these seemingly innocuous extensions were, in fact, adware that surreptitiously manipulated search results to showcase sponsored links and paid outcomes. Furthermore, in certain instances, these extensions even facilitated the dissemination of malicious links. Following the report from Avast, a Google spokesperson confirmed that the reported extensions had been promptly removed from the Chrome Web Store. Emphasizing their commitment to user security and privacy, the spokesperson stated that Google takes violations of their policies seriously and takes appropriate action when necessary. Related Article: #TechTimesLifeHack: Chrome Extensions to Spot the Best Money Saving Deals Online-Price Comparison, Fake Review Check, and More! 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Singaporean retailer company was attacked by hackers a week after the Goldheart data breach that affected over 40,000 clients. This time, a hacker going by the handle Bassterlord has struck the upscale shop Cortina Watch. The hacker tweeted that he had successfully taken 2GB of data from the business and was now holding it for ransom. The tweet raised privacy concerns since it alluded to the possibility of disclosing the addresses of famous clientele, The Straits Times reported. To substantiate the allegation, the hacker provided a sample of the stolen data on Twitter, including customer contact information, names, and email addresses. Since the data was kept on Cortina Watch's hacked servers, the stolen information was collected via the company's website's contact form. Bassterlord, a Ukrainian individual in his 20s, is said to be the leader of the National Hazard Agency hacking gang. Cyber-security company Analyst1 has determined that Bassterlord mainly engages in ransomware operations and has links to at least four well-known ransomware gangs. Read Also: US Senators Warn Top Twitter Executives Over Data Security Risks Sensitive Data Compromised Kean Ng, chief executive officer of Aspial Lifestyle, the owner of Goldheart, issued a statement acknowledging the cyberattack incident, according to Head Topics. The firm immediately acted by alerting the impacted clients, submitting a police complaint, informing the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), and reporting the occurrence. Ng stated that forensic examination shows the intrusion was caused by illegal outside activity that targeted their e-commerce website. Sensitive information about clients, such as names, addresses, email addresses, birth dates, and phone numbers, is among the compromised data. Fortunately, the hackers could not access or get any passwords or financial information. Cortina Watch customers were informed by Ng that there is no chance of fraud due to the nature of the exposed data. Established in 1972 by Mr. Anthony Lim, Cortina Watch has grown from humble beginnings to become a significant retailer in East and Southeast Asia and Australia, per Prestige. The famous multi-brand retailer's 50th anniversary as a business was commemorated last year. Related Article: Cybersecurity Experts Confirm Clop Ransomware Gang Mass Attack on MOVEit Transfer Service 2023 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree approving the "State Program of socio-economic development of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for 2023-2027", Trend reports. The full text of the decree can be found at the link. 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The best snails of the bars of Seville at three euros Sharp increase in households that do not have to amortise Feijoo launches the pre-campaign from Galicia: "After 23-J the PSOE will be able to rebuild the party that existed before Sanchez" On the eve of a summit for IGAD Tripartite meeting in Djibouti discusses Sudan crisis, Gulf ministerial calls for dialogue The indigenous people of the Colombian jungle: "The first thing the boy did was ask for his mother" Kennedy Jr. said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost about 350 thousand people on the front line Snowden said that he did not plan to initially stay in Russia The wedding of Sol de Medina and Pedro Dominguez-Manjon brings together Spanish and international high society in Seville They create the first European Sex Championship, in which the actress Selva Lapiedra will represent Spain Against the background of the investigation into the parties scandal. Johnson resigns from British parliament and puts new pressure on Sunak The first Turkish woman to hold this position. Erdogan appoints Hafiza chief staff of the Central Bank The AfD faction demands that the German authorities investigate Kiev's involvement in the undermining of the joint venture Bob Dylan in Madrid: a lot of nostalgia, a lot of squawking and no known song Zelensky keeps quiet about the details of the counterattack. Russia repels attacks in Donetsk, Zabarozhia and Kiev advance on the Bakhamut axis Forbes: a group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 5% of each batch of NATO armored vehicles in one battle A policeman dies in Andujar when mediating in a fight between neighbors and his aggressor is killed by another agent Shock in Moralzarzal, the town of the four killed in a traffic accident: "We are in 'shock', it can not be" Communities 2019 - Privacy The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Azerbaijan has been invited for the first time to a meeting of the NATO Military Committee on Energy Security in the "NATO+Partners" format, Trend reports via the tweet of Head of the Azerbaijani mission to NATO Jafar Huseynzade. He noted that Board member of the Center for the Analysis of International Relations Esmira Jafarova will hold a briefing at the NATO General Staff on energy security issues for the allied countries and invited persons. Esmira Jafarova will also hold bilateral meetings with Head of the NATO Climate and Energy Security Department Michael Ruehle and the leadership of the NATO Energy Security Center in Lithuania. The US governments move to greenlight a controversial 480-kilometre natural gas pipeline as part of legislation to stave off a debt default shocked just about everyone, except for a mystery trader who somehow appears to have seen it coming. On Wall Street, analysts had mostly expected vague promises on energy permits to be included in a bill to raise the US debt ceiling. Yet, options trading suggests something bigger may have been in the offing. A prescient trade before the deal to avert a government default was signed has raised some eyebrows on Wall Street. Credit: Bloomberg On May 24 several days before an agreement was announced a huge bullish bet was made on Equitrans Midstream Corp., Bloomberg data shows. The company is deeply involved in the long-delayed Mountain Valley Pipeline, a natural gas pipeline in Virginia cutting through a national forest and crossing waterways and wetlands. The project has been opposed by conservation activists and local residents along its path, according to National Public Radio. The share wager involved snapping up 100,000 call options on the firms stock. MASTV: According to reports, Irans naval commander said his country and Saudi Arabia, as well the UAE and other Persian Gulf states plan to form a naval alliance that will also include India and Pakistan to safeguard regional stability. The US, however, has said this defies reason. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: Upholding the peace and stability of the Gulf region in the Middle East bears on the wellbeing of countries and people in the region and is of vital importance to safeguarding world peace, boosting global economic growth and keeping energy supply stable. China supports regional countries in resolving disputes and cultivating good-neighborliness and friendship through dialogue and consultation. We also support regional countries in seeking development through solidarity and keeping their future firmly in their own hands. As a good friend to regional countries, China will continue to play a positive and constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability. AFP: The US military has said that a Chinese navy ship maneuvered in an unsafe manner near an American military ship in the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, with the distance between the ships reportedly less than 140 meters. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on this matter? Wang Wenbin: The spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command has made a statement on this. You may refer to that. The fact is the US side made provocations first and the Chinese side only responded by handling the incident in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. China respects the freedom of navigation and overflight all countries are entitled to under international law. The actions taken by the Chinese military are necessary steps in response to the provocations by the country concerned. These actions are completely justified, lawful, safe and professional. China resolutely opposes the country concerned stirring up trouble in the Taiwan Strait and is firmly determined to defend its sovereignty and security and regional peace and stability. CCTV: We noted that during the recent Shangri-La Dialogue, leaders of many countries, including Indonesia and Singapore, said that they dont want to see a new Cold War or be forced to choose sides between China and the US. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: Those remarks are a clear indication that many countries in this region are alerted by and opposed to certain countrys attempt to set off a new Cold War in Asia and force regional countries to choose sides. What countries want in this region is to maintain strategic independence and keep the region stable and prosperous. What is particularly concerning is that certain countries, while claiming to champion freedom and openness and aim to preserve peace and prosperity in the region, have been in fact patching up various military blocs and extending NATOs influence into the Asia-Pacific. The attitude of the majority of countries in the region is very clear. They oppose the emergence of military blocs in the region. They dont welcome NATOs outreach in Asia. They dont want a replica of bloc confrontation in Asia. And they certainly will not allow any Cold War or hot war to happen again in Asia. Asia is the most economically dynamic and promising region in the world. It can offer a vast stage for win-win cooperation, and should not be divided into isolated, exclusive blocs. Asian countries welcome common efforts to succeed together. They do not welcome schemes that could bring trouble to this region. China firmly supports ASEAN centrality and an inclusive regional cooperation architecture, and would like to work with ASEAN countries and other partners in the region to uphold the spirit of open and win-win cooperation, oppose any rhetoric or action that incites bloc confrontation in Asia, and together make sure that Asia will remain a pillar for peace, a pacesetter for development and a promising land for cooperation. Reuters: This is about senior US State Department official Daniel Kritenbrink who is currently in Beijing for meetings with Chinese officials. Our questions are: Who has he met with and who else will he be meeting during his trip here? How many days will he be in China for? And he is said to be joined by the US National Security Councils official Sarah Beran. Is Ms. Beran here already and is she also attending the same meetings as Mr Kritenbrink? Wang Wenbin: This morning, Director-General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yang Tao held talks with Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink and White House National Security Councils senior director for China affairs Sarah Beran who are visiting China. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu will meet with them this afternoon. For specifics, please check back for the readouts. China-Arab TV: Saudi Arabias Riyadh will be hosting the 10th China-Arab Business Conference under the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum from June 11 to 12, which is said to be the largest ever business gathering between Arab countries and China. Whats Chinas expectation for the event? Wang Wenbin: The China-Arab Business Conference and Investment Symposium is an important institutional event under the framework of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. It is co-hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the General Secretariat of the Arab League, and other agencies. Since 2005, nine business conferences and seven investment symposiums have been held to date. The upcoming Business Conference and Investment Symposium will be held in Saudi Arabia from June 11 to 12. The success of the first China-Arab States Summit at the end of last year has injected fresh impetus into the development of China-Arab relations and practical cooperation across the board. We hope this Business Conference and Investment Symposium will be a great opportunity for the Chinese and Arab business communities to have in-depth exchange, foster friendship and discuss cooperation. We look forward to a fruitful event that will make new contributions to deeper ties between China and Arab countries and the development and revitalization of both sides. NBC: Given the close encounter in the Taiwan Strait on the weekend and a recent encounter between US aircraft and Chinese aircraft in the South China Sea last week, should any foreign aircraft or maritime vessel expect the same sort of encounter with Chinese jets or ships when traversing these areas? From Chinas perspective, is the message now this is standard operating procedure or the new norm? Wang Wenbin: Ive shared Chinas principled position just now. I would like to quote the response from the Chinese delegation at the Shangri-La Dialogue, who raised this question: why did all the so-called unsafe and unprofessional incidents according to US officials happen near the airspace and territorial waters of China, but not other countries? This deserves some serious thought. I also want to stress that China respects the right of navigation and overflight that all countries are entitled to under international law. The Chinese military responded to the situation in accordance with laws and regulations. These actions are completely professional, justified and lawful. CCTV: China and Argentina signed the cooperation plan between the government of the Peoples Republic of China and the government of the Argentine Republic on jointly promoting Belt and Road cooperation. Can you share more about the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Latin American countries? Wang Wenbin: In February last year, China and Argentina signed an MOU on Belt and Road cooperation, making Argentina an official participating country of the BRI. The cooperation plan on promoting the building of the BRI signed between the two countries is an important step for increasing the strategic synergy and practical cooperation between the two countries. It will also deepen and substantiate Belt and Road cooperation between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI proposed by President Xi Jinping. BRI cooperation between China and Latin America has improved the life of the peoples of both sides and brought the two continents closer together. Latin America now has 21 countries that have joined Belt and Road cooperation with China. China has been Latin Americas second largest trading partner for ten consecutive years. Trade between the two sides hit a new record last year. We believe the Belt and Road Initiative will help strengthen China-Latin America relations in a new era characterized by equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and more benefits for the people, and open up brighter prospects for cross-Pacific friendship and cooperation. Dragon TV: A delegation from the Arab League recently visited Xinjiang. Could you share more information on this? Wang Wenbin: From May 30 to June 2, a delegation from the Arab League paid a visit to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. They comprised more than 30 officials from 16 Arab countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Algeria as well as the General Secretariat of the Arab League. During their trip, the delegation traveled to Urumqi and Kashgar, where they visited mosques, Islamic institutes, local enterprises, old towns and an exhibition on counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, performed prayers in mosques with the locals and got a first-hand experience of their happy life. Members of the delegation said that the trip had been an eye-opener about a prosperous Xinjiang. They spoke highly of the achievements of Chinas development model, especially its success in ending extreme poverty. They noted how the region is differently portrayed in Western media, which is not what they saw. They saw a Xinjiang that enjoys social harmony and a rapidly growing economy with residents of all ethnic groups living and working in peace and contentment. Xinjiang is making faster progress in various undertakings. Local Muslims freely exercise their ethnic and religious rights in accordance with the law. The so-called genocide and religious persecution are nothing but lies. Arab countries have commended the care that Muslims in Xinjiang and people of other ethnic minority groups have received and expressed their firm support for Chinas effort to promote Xinjiangs development and ensure its stability. Arab countries have always held a just position on Xinjiang. What the Arab League delegation has seen with their own eyes in Xinjiang once again shows that truth will always prevail, and those who seek to smear China by manipulating Xinjiang-related issues will not have their way. China welcomes friends from all countries to visit Xinjiang and experience first-hand a prosperous, stable and harmonious Xinjiang. Reuters: We have a question related to the encounter in the Taiwan Strait. The US Navy has released a video showing the Chinese warship crossing in front of the US destroyer in the Taiwan Strait over the weekend. The US calls it an unsafe interaction. Could we have any more remarks on this? Wang Wenbin: As I said, the US made provocations first and China responded by handling the incident in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. The actions taken by the Chinese military are completely justified, lawful, safe and professional. It is the US that should reflect on and correct its wrongdoing. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Jan Lidel-Grindger and Liz Christophersen, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. It was noted that at the meeting, the parties discussed issues on the agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and PACE, further prospects, including the current situation in the region and the possible contribution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to the process of normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Bayramov, speaking about the current situation in the region in the post-conflict period and the large-scale restoration and construction projects being carried out by Azerbaijan, noted that despite Armenias provocations and efforts to slow down the processes, Azerbaijan is taking important steps toward ensuring peace and stability in the region, including signing a peace treaty, opening all communications and other issues. The meeting also touched upon issues such as the existing mine threat in the territories liberated from occupation, and Armenias failure to fulfill its obligations arising from the tripartite statement of November 10. The co-rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring Committee reported that during their visit to Azerbaijan, they visited the Agdam region and closely familiarized themselves with the large-scale reconstruction work being carried out by the country The importance of ensuring peace and security in the region was emphasized. Parties also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest. Advertisement Eating outJust open Part shopfront, part kitchen: Co.Bake brings online baking trend to life with photogenic new Richmond bakeshop This glossy peach of a bakeshop in Swan Street is purpose-built for Melbournes new wave of online bakers. Emma Breheny June 5, 2023 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share The buttercream-frosted world of online baking businesses has crossed over into the physical realm with the launch of Co.Bake in Richmond. Part production kitchen, part shopfront, the peach-coloured addition to Swan Street is eye-catching when its empty, but really comes to life when it hosts pop-ups by small bakers, florists and other Melbourne artisans. Co.Bake is a shared space for small bakers and other artisans in Melbourne who have online businesses. Griffin Simm Alisha Henderson of Sweet Bakes, creator of towering ruffled celebration cakes, and Alice Bennett of Miss Trixie Drinks Tea have just opened the shopfront to the public, but have been baking there since the start of the year. Observing the rise of online businesses making retro-tinged baked goods during COVID-19, the pair saw a need for a physical space without high overheads for these emerging businesses. A shared space for hire seemed like the solution. The space comes ready for makers to set up and sell. Griffin Simm Advertisement At the front of the site, designers Dot Dot Dash installed generously proportioned benches, large window displays, and wall-to-wall peach finishes, plus cute touches like an illuminated sign over the kitchen door that reads Caking in progress. The appealing backdrop means businesses dont need to do much for their goods to look great. Out the back, Henderson and Bennett bake their own cakes. Pop-up shops, workshops and one-day sales for special events such as Mothers Day are among the myriad ways Henderson and Bennett see the shopfront being used. Theyve kicked things off by each holding a bake sale. Youve already missed Hendersons but Bennett is busily preparing for her sale on June 10. Rosemary Andrews seven-layer Honey-Misu cake. Kimberly Wen Qui Liew Then, on June 17, former Attica pastry chef Rosemary Andrews steps up to hold her first physical event since a 2021 bake sale with Attica. Her dense Valhrona chocolate-peanut butter cakes and strawberry lamingtons are usually available only via Instagram. For the Co.Bake sale, shell be bringing those plus peanut cookies, focaccia and the seven-layer Honey-Misu, in which honey cake is soaked in Market Lane espresso and layered with dulce de leche mascarpone. Advertisement Im so excited to see peoples reactions to the pop-up and of course the gorgeous space created by Alice and Alisha, says Andrews. I loved the experience at [Attica] Summer Camp, where we served the customers at the table. Seeing the joy and reaction to something you make is really fulfilling. Co.Bake is planning plenty more events at weekends, including an August pop-up from former MasterChef contestant Reece Hignell, who runs Cake Boi in Newcastle, plus an appearance by homewares brand Mosey Me. Open for events only. See upcoming dates on website. 239 Swan Street, Richmond, cobake.com.au Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Amnesty is still dealing with the fallout from a 2022 statement accusing Ukrainian forces of endangering civilians, which was quickly jumped on by Moscow as vindication of Russian atrocities and has understandably evoked considerable outrage. That lingering outrage played out during Saturdays meeting, where human rights activist, anti-Chinese Community Party campaigner and inveterate poo-stirrer Drew Pavlou showed up with a contingent of Ukrainian, Uyghur and Tibetan activists. A motion brought by local Ukrainian activists, and supported by Pavlous entourage, urging Amnestys Australian branch to support a full retraction of the report was narrowly voted down after nearly three hours of heated discussion. The motion, opposed by some of Amnestys domestic leadership, did get backing from supporters of Neal, who was backed by Pavlou in her successful board tilt, but it just wasnt enough. DAN STAN STANDS Some might have wondered what would happen when the pandemic subsided and those social media accounts that rose to prominence defending Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews during COVID-19 lockdowns finally had to leave the house again and reintegrate with society. A new kind of political commentator emerged during the pandemic, a group bound by hashtags and mutual antipathy towards enemies of Andrews. Think PRGuy and Victoria Fielding, who would form a reliable phalanx of support around the premier when he instituted tough lockdowns in Melbourne, using the now thankfully scarce #IStandWithDan hashtag. Now, one of the most prominent figures, Belinda Jones, known as Bee on Twitter, is having a tilt at the seat vacated by disgraced former Coalition minister Stuart Robert. A campaign profile picture of Belinda Jones, who is running for Faddon, posted on Twitter. Credit: Twitter @BelindaJones68 Jones, a Gold Coast mother and grandmother of three who has tweeted more than 151,000 times, is a casual retail worker and writer for Independent Australia, a left-wing free news outlet publishing citizen journalism. Give her credit: many people Tweet that they could do things better if they ran the joint; at least Jones is giving it a crack. Her website, unfortunately, still doesnt have a policy page. Pity, as CBD was keen to hear about them, but she didnt return our requests for comment. BLUE DANUBE On Saturday, The Australians foreign editor Greg Sheridan penned a particularly fawning ode to Hungarys far-right government, arguing that Western liberals had simply misunderstood poor Viktor Orban. The Hungarian PM is best known in these parts for his bare-chested nationalism and hostility to press freedom, the LGBTQ community and immigrants, with a recent rant about how different races shouldnt mix causing a close adviser to quit in disgust. The Australians Greg Sheridan on ABCs Q&A in 2017. Credit: ABC He has famously called himself an illiberal democrat and to his enemies, hes a wannabe authoritarian and potentially the most dangerous man in Europe. But for Sheridan, Orbans Hungary is the victim of absurd demonisation and an inspiring example of a conservative revival to which Australias struggling Liberals and Nationals should look for inspiration. Loading Now, any readers able to stomach the verbal gymnastics and deft whataboutery that allows Sheridan to swiftly play down Orbans anti-LGBTQ crackdown, for example, are greeted with a disclaimer at the bottom of the article the author spent a week in Budapest as a visiting fellow at the Danube Institute. What the disclaimer doesnt say is the institute gets funded by Orbans Fidesz Party government, and by drawing right-leaning figures from around the Western world to Budapest is part of a campaign to make Hungary the ideological beating heart of the new populist right. We wondered what, exactly, the fellowship involved, and how it left people with such a powerfully rose-tinted view of the Hungarian government, but Sheridan sadly didnt return CBDs calls. Still, hes far from the only conservative talking head enthralled by Orban. Tony Abbott who as PM once considered making old uni mate Sheridan Australias ambassador to Singapore has also given a few speeches at the institute and is a vocal defender of Orbans government. WOODMANS LUCK RUNS OUT It seems the luck of allegedly corrupt property developer John Woodman has finally run out. The Ferrari-driving mogul is known for his extraordinary financial arrangements, suitcases filled with hundreds of thousands in cash and doling out more than $1.2 million in allegedly corrupt payments to councillors. He won his legal battle against the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission late last year when Justice Tim Ginnane ordered IBAC to furnish Woodman with footnotes supporting adverse findings from a long-running investigation centred on development approvals by Casey Council. Woodman had on May 23 made a new attempt, now for a perpetual injunction, restraining publication of Operation Sandon, which details his alleged corruption and mentions him 1450 times. But after the Supreme Courts Justice Stephen Moore unceremoniously tossed his new legal bid, the judge whacked Woodman again in the reasons released on June 1. Developer John Woodman leaves an IBAC hearing in 2019. Credit: Justin McManus Mr Woodman has stood by for 3 years and allowed IBACs Operation Sandon investigation to proceed without raising any complaints about his public examination, Moore found. Even if Mr Woodman had demonstrated a prima facie case and the balance of convenience could arguably be said to justify the grant of an interlocutory injunction, I would nonetheless have refused to grant him the relief he seeks. Loading Because his delay in bringing the proceeding is so egregious and unexplained as to effectively disqualify him from such relief. Ouch. The final report was thought likely to be tabled in the first half of this year. IBAC provided Woodman with the draft report in two parts in December and January. In his first case, Woodman argued that by denying access to evidence behind findings against him, IBAC deprived him of a reasonable opportunity to respond. In IBAC public hearings in 2019 and 2020, Woodman was accused of paying more than $1.2 million to Casey councillors and buying political influence by pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into Labor and Liberal party coffers. Convicted terror cell leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika is being wrongly held in prison beyond his sentence because of a pseudoscience tool used to assess his risk, a court has heard. Benbrikas legal team wants the notorious Muslim cleric released from a continuing detention order which has kept him inside Barwon Prison since 2020, after he finished serving a 15-year sentence. Terror plotter Abdul Nacer Benbrika remains in jail despite completing his sentence. Credit: ABC Dan Star, KC, told the Victorian Supreme Court his client could be free if the federal government had been forthcoming with the results of a study it commissioned into the reliability of the risk assessment, known as VERA-2R. The court heard the report, by Australian National University lecturer Dr Emily Corner, found VERA-2R was unable to accurately predict a persons specified risk with anything other than chance. Historical places are often anticlimactic to visit. Expecting they will maintain their resonance indefinitely, you arrive to find the concrete and flaking paint strangely mute. This is why most have museums to do the talking. Yet some places wear their history indelibly. One such place is Long Tieng. Known within the CIA as the most secret place on Earth, a slew of swashbuckling declassified Cold War tales emerged from when the site became Lima Site 20A. From this runway the US conducted its Secret War against the Viet Cong and Pathet Lao in an effort to stem the tide of communism. A fence made from US cluster-bomb casings. Credit: Alamy This was done with the Ravens, US Airmen who crammed themselves into single-prop spotter planes to direct bombers. Both planes and pilots were stripped of identification, posing as private contractors to maintain the fiction of Laos neutrality. Long Tieng grew into a wild frontier town, characterised by cowboy shenanigans made famous in Hollywood renditions like Air America. The local bar called the Hooch had a caged bear named Floyd. Floyd drank beer and after a heavy night would retreat hungover into his cave. The first sign I was breaking down was at a fruit stand in Hanoi. I kept handing the vendor the incorrect amount of money as she kept shaking her head and repeating the price. Finally, she put both of us out of our misery by taking the correct amount of my hand. I had done my best Anthony Bourdain impersonation for eight days in Southeast Asia: eating street food on sidewalks, taking Muay Thai classes, venturing out of city centres to meet locals on their farm and try their moms home cooking. Id spent roughly 38 hours on overnight trains, sleeping on questionable bedding and bathing with baby wipes. By the time I got to Hanoi, I was ready to throw in the towel on doing as the locals do. Vietnamese woman preparing banh mi in Vietnam. Credit: Alamy Somewhere between leaving the train station, eating pho and taking a motorbike in the wrong direction there it was. An oasis beyond the treacherous traffic: a tourist trap. These places arent the hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pops hiding down an alley; theyre the easy-to-find spots on the beaten path with big menus translated into many languages. Their proprietors may charge exponentially more than a locals-only establishment, perhaps to cover the high rent of operating near popular sights. Or just because they can. Singapore: The most controversial moment of this years Shangri-La Dialogue was not the United States demanding that China pick up the phone, or even Beijing telling foreign leaders to mind their own business after a near collision between Chinese and US warships in the Taiwan Strait. It was Indonesias Defence Minister, Prabowo Subianto, laying out a plan for peace in Ukraine. The proposal involved a ceasefire, a 15-kilometre withdrawal from both sides to create a demilitarised zone and United Nations-led referendums in the disputed territories. It was immediately met with condemnation by Ukraines representative in the room, Dr Yevgeniya Gaber, who said it would give Russia a free hand in raping Ukrainian women and killing civilians in territories that did not belong to Moscow. Visibly shaking, Prabowo, who is vying to become Indonesias president next year, accused Gaber of an emotional reaction. The question insinuates that Im equating between the invader and the invadees, he said. 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.. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Chairman of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan (Parliament) Sahiba Gafarova met with a delegation of the Knesset of Israel headed by the Chairman of the Knesset Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense Yuli Yoel Edelstein, Trend reports. Expressing satisfaction with the visit of the delegation to the parliament of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Milli Majlis noted that Azerbaijan and Israel are friendly and partner countries. Gafarova noted that an active political dialogue between countries, visits, and meetings at a high level played an exceptional role in the development of relations. Gafarova highly appreciated the first official visit of President Isaac Herzog to Azerbaijan in May this year and expressed confidence that the visit will make a great contribution to the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Israel. The speaker also noted that the opening of the Azerbaijani embassy in Israel this year will contribute to the expansion of ties between the two countries and create broad opportunities for cooperation. At the meeting, Gafarova noted that the Jewish community of Azerbaijan actively participates in the socio-political life of our country. She emphasized that the Jewish community is surrounded by attention and care from the state. Synagogues and Jewish schools operate in Azerbaijan. At the same time, our compatriots of Jewish origin living in Israel also make a great contribution to the development of relations between our countries. Speaking about the positive role that inter-parliamentary ties play in the development of bilateral relations, the Chairman of Milli Majlis highly appreciated the activities of friendship groups in both parliaments and the mutual trips of parliament members. Speaker Sahiba Gafarova emphasized Milli Majliss readiness for further expansion of cooperation with Knesset. She also noted that expanding cooperation contacts between parliamentary committees as well as between friendship groups will serve further deepen ties between our legislative bodies. The Chairman of the Knesset Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense Yuli Yoel Edelstein thanked for hospitality and shared good impressions from his visit to Azerbaijan. He noted that Israel considers Azerbaijan a friendly country for itself. The Chairman of the Committee expressed satisfaction with the development of our ties on ascending line and emphasized that the partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan serves the interests of our peoples, the development of peace, and cooperation. He recalled the visit of President Isaac Herzog to Azerbaijan at the end of last month and said that this visit will contribute to the further development of relations between countries. Emphasizing the importance of the start of the activity of the Azerbaijani embassy in Israel, he said it plays an important role in the further expansion of relations. Edelstein noting that countries have successful cooperation relations in a number of spheres said that further development of relations between our parliaments plays a special role in deepening relations between Azerbaijan and Israel. Parties also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva and members of the National Preventive Group of the Ombudsman for the Prevention of Torture (NPG) continue to visit places of detention without prior notice, Trend reports citing Ombudsmans Office. As part of the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism of the Ombudsman (NPM) in accordance with the requirements of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Constitutional Law On the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the purpose of the next visit was to study the conditions of detention and treatment, the state of ensuring the rights of detainees. During the visit, two servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces - Arut Khovagimyan and Karen Kazaryan, were detained on May 26 this year on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border section passing through the territory of Razdara village in Zangilan region, in connection with a violation of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan and commission of other illegal actions, and attracted as defendants by court decision. Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva within the framework of NPM activities received these persons in a confidential manner, and their appeals were heard on-site. The received persons had no complaints about the conditions of detention and treatment and expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani state for created conditions. During a visit on site were studied conditions of detention - state of cells, conditions of personal hygiene and sanitation, medical service, and food issues. It was also noted that with respect to these persons without any distinctions their rights were ensured in accordance with norms of international law, and necessary medical-psychological assistance was provided which was confirmed by the received persons themselves. In cells for detainees, the presence of fiction literature and information materials (in their native language) was noted. Received persons were presented with legislative acts and international documents in their native language concerning mechanisms for appeal on their rights as well as information publications about possibilities for the appeal to the ombudsman and call center 916. Retired K9 Hunter was laid to rest on May 30th, 2023 after an unexpected medical issue. Hunter was 12 years old and served the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) and the State of Wyoming with Sgt. Shoopman as a certified United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) from June 1, 2015 until June 1, 2020. Hunter was rescued from the Midwest K9 shelter along with K9 Porter, K9 Gracie, and K9 Luke before him, as well as K9 Copper and K9 Zeke who currently serve the WDOC. Hunter lived out his retirement years with Sgt. Shoopman enjoying the sunshine on her porch and being spoiled as he deserved. Hunter was full of life and served the WDOC for over 5-years before his retirement on June 1, 2020. During his career, Hunter had thousands of deployments across five prisons, three halfway houses, and 23 probation and parole offices with handler Sgt. Shoopman. Hunter worked in the community doing home searches for probation and parole, in county jails, and schools where there were no K9s on staff. His biggest bust involved sniffing out $11,500 in meth, heroin, and fentanyl during a home visit for probation and parole in Laramie County. His work with the WDOC earned him the Top Dog Kyle Hall Memorial Award for Outstanding Narcotic Detection in 2016 and 2019 from the U.S. Police Canine Associations Region 14, which covers 13 western states. On behalf of Director Shannon and the rest of the WDOC, we'd like to say thank you to K9 Hunter for his service to the WDOC and the State of Wyoming as well as to Sgt. Shoopman for her excellent handling of Hunter. Please keep Sgt. Shoopman in your thoughts and prayers. The Fort Collins PD and CSU Police put together an impromptu procession in honor of Hunter. The Daily News will sit down with your top performance player from the Week #1 Batavia Muckdogs games and talk baseball! Keep an eye out for our Week #2 poll, running next week (Tuesday - Friday)! You voted: Batavia, NY (14020) Today Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 76F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov received a delegation from the Knesset of Israel, Trend reports. The delegation headed by the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense Yuli Edelstein also included the head of the Committee on Diplomatic Affairs Sara Zvebner and Committee member Ram Ben-Barak. The parties discussed current issues on the agenda of multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel and events taking place in the region. Bayramov expressed satisfaction that over 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, ties developing in various directions have reached the level of strategic partnership. Referring to his official visit to Israel in March, the minister noted that mutual visits and political dialogue play an important role in the development of relations. It was noted that the agenda of bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel in political, economic, energy, cultural, humanitarian, and other spheres, mutually beneficial relations, and the effectiveness of parliamentary diplomacy are the results of the efforts of our countries. Chairman of Committee Yuli Edelstein speaking about the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Israel based on mutual respect support and friendship expressed confidence that the opening of the Azerbaijani embassy in Israel will serve further strengthen relations. During the meeting role of the Jewish community of Azerbaijan as a special factor in the development of relations was emphasized. The parties also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest. 16 Illegal Immigrants Who Entered US Through Texas Flown to California Illegal immigrants board a bus after being apprehended near the border between Mexico and the United States in Del Rio, Texas, on May 16, 2021. (Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images) Sixteen illegal immigrants from Venezuelan and Colombian who entered the country through Texas were flown to California by chartered plane and dropped off outside a church in Sacramento, Gov. Gavin Newsom and immigration advocates said Saturday. The young men and women were dropped off Friday outside the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento with only a backpacks worth of belongings each, said Eddie Carmona, campaign director at PICO California, a faith-based community organizing group that has been assisting the illegal immigrants. The illegal migrants had already been processed by U.S. immigration officials and given court dates for their asylum cases when individuals representing a private contractor approached them outside a migrant center in El Paso, Texas, Carmona said. They offered to help the illegal immigrants get jobs and get them to their final destination, he said. They were lied to and intentionally deceived, Carmona said, adding that the illegal immigrants had no idea where they were after being dropped off in Sacramento. Newsom said he and Attorney General Rob Bonta met with the group of illegal immigrants on Saturday and learned they were transported from Texas to New Mexico and then flown by private chartered jet to Sacramento. We are working closely with the Mayors office, along with local and nonprofit partners to ensure the people who have arrived are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases, Newsom said in a statement. Newsom said he is also working with the California Department of Justice to find out who paid for the groups travel and whether the individuals orchestrating this trip misled anyone with false promises or have violated any criminal laws, including kidnapping. In the last year, Republican governors in Texas and Florida have been busing and flying illegal immigrants to Democratic strongholds without advance warning as part of a campaign to focus attention on what they say are the Biden administrations failed border policies. Acclaimed Composer Kaija Saariaho Dies of Brain Tumor at Age 70 Composer Kaija Saariaho of Finland arrives for the Polar Music Prize ceremony, where she was named Polar Music Prize laureate Composer for 2013, in Stockholm on Aug. 27, 2013. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency via AP) Kaija Saariaho, who wrote acclaimed works that made her the among the most prominent composers of the 21st century, died Friday. She was 70. Saariaho died at her apartment in Paris, her family said in a statement posted on her Facebook page. She had been diagnosed in February 2021 with glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain tumor. The multiplying tumors did not affect her cognitive facilities until the terminal phase of her illness, the statement said. Her family said Saariaho had undergone experimental treatment at Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris. Kaijas appearance in a wheelchair or walking with a cane have prompted many questions, to which she answered elusively, the family said. Following her physicians advice, she kept her illness a private matter, in order to maintain a positive mindset and keep the focus of her work. Her LAmour de Loin (Love from Afar) premiered at the Salzburg Festival in 2000 and made its U.S. debut at the Santa Fe Opera two years later. In 2016, it became the first staged work by a female composer at the Metropolitan Opera since Ethel M. Smyths Der Wald in 1903. She was one of the most original voices and enjoyed enormous success, Met general manager Peter Gelb said. It had impact on ones intellect as well as ones emotions. It was music that really moves peoples hearts. She was truly one of the great, great artists. Born in Helsinki on Oct. 14, 1952, Saariaho studied at the Sibelius Academy and the Hochschule fur Musik Freiburg. She helped found a Finnish group Korvat auki (Ears Open) in the 1970s. The problem in Finland in the 1970s and 80s was that it was very closed, she told NPR last year. My generation felt that there was no place for us and no interest in our musicand more generally, modern music was heard much less. Saariaho started work in 1982 at Paris Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music (IRCAM), a center of contemporary music founded in the 1970s by Pierre Boulez. She incorporated electronics in her composition. I am interested in spatialization, but under the condition that its not applied gratuitously, she said in a 2014 conversation posted on her website. It has to be necessaryin the same way that material and form must be linked together organically. Inspired by viewing Messiaens St. Francois dAssise at the 1992 Salzburg Festival, she wrote LAmour de Loin. She went on to compose Adriana Mater, which premiered at the Opera Bastille in 2006 and Emilie, which debuted at the Lyon Opera in 2010. Saariaho received the University of Louisvilles Grawemeyer Award in 2003 and was selected Musical Americas Musician of the Year in 2008. Kent Naganos recording of LAmour de Loin won a 2011 Grammy Award. Saariahos final work, a trumpet concerto titled HUSH, is to premiere in Helsinki in Aug. 24 with Susanna Malkki leading the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. The announcement of Saariahos death was posted by her husband, composer Jean-Baptiste Barriere; son Aleksi Barriere, a writer; and daughter Aliisa Neige Barriere, a conductor and violinist. Airlines Say Ready to Avoid Repeat of Summer Travel Chaos ISTANBULAirlines said on Sunday they are ready to avoid a repeat of last years travel chaos, but warned that some flights could still be disrupted by controller strikes and hit out at schemes that force them to pay compensation for unavoidable delays. I am reasonably confident that well be able to get through this peak summer without too much disruption, Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, (IATA) said in an interview on Sunday. Airline leaders attending IATAs annual meeting in Istanbul this week remain concerned about air traffic control disruption in Europe and the United States, however. But as far as they are concerned, they have fulfilled their obligation to get their resources in place for this summer. Most of the airports I think, will be okay, as well; I think theyve learned the lessons from last year, Walsh told Reuters. A faster-than-expected rebound in air travel coupled with labour shortages caused chaos at several airports in Europe and North America last summer and prompted a row between airlines and airports over passenger caps designed to ease the pressure. Rising numbers of disputes between travellers and airlines globally have led to calls for passenger compensation. Legislation is under review in Canada, while the U.S. government is writing new rules and the European Union is pushing for stronger enforcement of its existing Regulation 261 which requires compensation for delays of more than three hours. Ultimately it is the consumer whos paying because this is of course being borne by the industry, but the industry cant just absorb that, Walsh said. The more expense that airlines have to incur because of problems outside of their control, the more thats going to be reflected in ticket prices, and it will drive ticket prices up. It is a very, very frustrating environment to be operating in. Some passenger groups have accused airlines of skirting compensation by invoking an exemption for exceptional circumstances. EU rules allow such exemptions as long as airlines can show they have taken reasonable steps to prevent any delay. Airlines have reported strong bookings for this summer as air traffic returns towards pre-COVID levels. European air traffic control agency Eurocontrol warned late last year that 2023 could be the most challenging year of the last decade due to the Ukraine conflict, possible strikes, rising numbers of aircraft, and the reopening of Asian markets. Animal Rights Protester Charged After Running Onto Epsom Racecourse A protester is tackled by police and stewards shortly before the Derby at Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey, England, on June 3, 2023. (PA) An animal rights activist who ran onto the track at the Derby at Epsom on Saturday will appear before magistrates on Monday after being charged. Surrey Police confirmed Ben Newman, 32, from Hackney, east London, has been charged with causing a public nuisance and will appear before Guildford magistrates. Newman, who was named by Animal Rising on Saturday, has previously appeared as an advocate of animal rights on television channel GBNews. In a statement on their website Surrey Police said: One man was arrested after he ran onto the racetrack during a live race. Thanks to the diligence and quick action of officers and event security, he was swiftly removed, along with two women who were also quickly detained moments before they were able to get onto the track. The Derbywhich is considered the most important race in the horse racing season on the flatis run over a course of one mile and four furlongs but it takes the horse only two-and-a-half minutes. Shortly after the horses came out of the starting stalls the protester ducked under the railings and went onto the course. Spectators shouted Get him before he was manhandled by stewards and police officers. The police said 31 people were arrested on Saturday, including 12 on the grounds of the racecourse. In April, protesters from Animal Rising delayed the start of the Grand National at Aintree by 15 minutes. Some of the activists attempted to affix themselves to the race fences using glue and lock-on devices, according to Animal Rising, before being taken away by police and security officials. Other activists, some using ladders, were prevented from getting onto the track by security, who shook the outer fences. Jockey Club Obtained Injunction The Jockey Club, which owns Epsom racecourse, had been fearful of a repeat of the Aintree incident and was granted an injunction prohibiting Animal Rising group from intervening in the event, after the organisation made it explicitly clear it intended to breach security. A Surrey Police spokesman said: A total of 39 arrests were made over the course of the two days. Thirty-one of these arrests were made in connection with planned criminal activity at the Epsom Derby Festival, including two women who were quickly detained moments before they were able to get on to the track. Thirty have since been released on bail pending further inquiries, he added. Police liaison officers walk past members of the protest group Animal Rising, after they were allocated a space near the entrance to Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey, England, on June 3, 2023. (PA) Chief Superintendent Clive Davies, who was in charge of the policing operation for the Derby, added: I am incredibly proud of every single officer, staff member and volunteer who worked in the run-up to the event and at the event itself. They played a vital role in protecting the public and preventing and responding to criminality. The chief executive of the Jockey Club, Nevin Truesdale, said the protesters actions were deplorable and mindless. The organisation said the Epsom authorities had failed to follow the British Horseracing Authoritys procedures when somebody gets onto the course, which suggests their intention was to force the race to be stopped and re-run. Animal Rising claimed 150,000 was spent on extra security and included facial recognition cameras. The group said a racehorse which refused to race in The Oaks on Friday was carrying out resistance. Louise Hillwood, a primary school teacher and spokeswoman for Animal Rising, said: The story of Running Lions bravery and courage yesterday should speak to us all. Her resistance to being used represents the struggle of all animals in horse racing, dog racing, and our food system. We can all see that these animals, like us, want to be free, safe, and happy. We Want Horse Racing to End Entirely A spokesman for Animal Rising told The Epoch Times: We want horse racing to end entirely. There is no ethical way for it to continue. We should not be breeding these animals into existence. He said they wanted the breeding of racehorses to end and said the existing racehorses to live out their days on sanctuaries. It is a shame that people cant imagine a world where these horses are wild, he told The Epoch Times. The most famous protest ever at Epsom occurred 110 years ago when a Suffragette, Emily Davison, was killed when she ran in front of King George Vs horse, Anmer, at Tattenham Corner. Davison, who was 40 years old, had been campaigning for women to have the right to vote for several years and had undergone several hunger strikes. There is now a statue of her in Epsom town centre. PA Media contributed to this report. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Commander of the Azerbaijan Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Subhan Bakirov is paying a visit to Italy at the invitation of the Chief of the Italian Navy, Admiral Enrico Credendino, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense. Vice Admiral S. Bakirov, who participated in the opening ceremony of the 8th Seafuture 2023 Exhibition & Business Convention held at the La Spezia Naval Base, met with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Italy, Mr. Guido Crosetto. The sides held a detailed exchange of views on a number of issues of mutual interest. It should be noted that the 8th Seafuture 2023 Exhibition & Business Convention is held with the participation of naval forces commanders from 25 countries, delegations from 36 countries and heads of various leading defense industry companies. Australia Strengthens Ties With Top Tier Partner Vietnam Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) shake hands during a meeting at the Government Office in Hanoi on June 4, 2023. (Nhac Nguyen/AFP via Getty Images) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese celebrated 50 years of bilateral relations with Vietnam with banh mi and beer in Hanoi while calling the friendship between the two countries absolutely vital to addressing the regional challenges. Focusing heavily on enhancing trade, the prime minister indicated there were plans to upgrade Australias relationship with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to signal the trust both countries had in each other as top tier partners. To eat a Vietnamese banh mias I did just this afternoonknowing the baguette is made from Australian wheat tells you a lot about the complementarity of our economies, he said. Our two-way trade reached more than $22 billion last financial yearup 40 percent from the year before. But I know theres room to do more. Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese eats a sandwich at a street vendors restaurant during an official visit to Vietnam in Hanoi on June 3, 2023. (Nhac Nguyen/AFP via Getty Images) Albanese laid a wreath at the mausoleum of the countrys communist party founder, Ho Chi Minh, but refused to comment on Australias involvement in the Vietnam War. What were doing is looking ahead to the future, he said. And thats what governments in Australia have done on a bipartisan basis. He also met with Vietnams top political leaders, including Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, President of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, and General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong. The leaders announced the establishment of official ministerial-level dialogue for trade to reflect the commitment to build on the already expanding two-way trade. While Im a long way from home, it doesnt feel like it, he said on June 5. And thats because theres a lot of Vietnam in Australia350,000, to be precise, the number of Australians of Vietnamese heritage. They brought their culture, their creativity, and their ambition to Australia. Attracting Vietnamese workers was also an opportunity to fill widespread skill shortages that many Australian businesses are currently struggling with. We want to make sure that when we look at our immigration, that we get the right people in the right places with the right skills, so that focus is on the need of Australia, Albanese told reporters. We know that in some of the areas where there are skill shortages, then Vietnam can be of great assistance. String of Announcements Along with an enhancement in trade, both governments also signed several agreements covering education, clean energy investment, increasing the number of direct flights between both countries and increased cooperation and intelligence sharing against money laundering and terrorism financing. Education links were a major focus of the prime ministers visit, which he called the mainstay of the bilateral relationship. Albanese launched Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) Universitys new industry and innovation hub, along with $250 million in investment that includes expanding its Ho Chi Minh campus. RMIT was the first Australian university established in Vietnam and has since been joined by a number of other Australian universities. Albanese also announced that Australia would increase its support for Vietnams clean energy transition with a $105 million new development package. This will assist Vietnams sustainable infrastructure planning, stimulate private investment in the sectors infrastructure, and deliver technical assistance in the development phase. Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) arrive for a meeting at government offices in Hanoi on June 4, 2023. (Nhac Nguyen/AFP via Getty Images) Both countries also affirmed the importance of ensuring peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan (called the East Sea by Vietnam). Vietnam stands ready to accompany Australia in a new phase of cooperation, elevating our strategic partnership to a new height, with greater substance for the benefit of our two peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, Prime Minister Pham said. While the visit was largely positive, with a focus on numerous future opportunities for both countries, Albanese also raised several issues with the Vietnamese government. This includes Vietnams silence in the global condemnation of Russias invasion of Ukraine and the rights of the two Australians currently detained in Vietnam. Australia always raises issues of human rights for Australian citizens, and we raise them appropriately and diplomatically in order to try to secure a positive result for Australian citizens, he said. One of the detainees is 72-year-old Vietnamese Australian Chau Van Kham, who was arrested in 2019 for charges of terrorism to oppose the government. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his membership in the group Viet Tan, which aims to achieve a peaceful transition to democracy in Vietnam. The Vietnamese Communist Party considers Viet Tan, a terrorist organisation. Regional Challenges Highlighted Albaneses trip to Vietnam followed his attendance at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. There, he quoted Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that big powers have a heavy responsibility to maintain stable and workable relations with one another. In comments aimed towards the Chinese Communist Party, Albanese said that without dialogue, there was a greater risk of assumptions turning into irretrievable action, referring to the Chinese regimes refusal to communicate with the Pentagon and U.S. defence officials. The consequences of such a breakdownwhether in the Taiwan Strait or elsewherewould not be confined to the big powers or the site of their conflict, they would be devastating for the world, he said. [We are] making it crystal clear that when it comes to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force: be it in Taiwan, the South China Sea, the East China Sea or elsewhere, the risk of conflict will always far outweigh any potential reward. Biden Draws Bipartisan Ire for Leaving 3 Key Watchdog Jobs Vacant for More Than 2 Years House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) questions witnesses during the first public hearing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic in Washington on March 8, 2023. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, wants to know why President Joe Biden has failed to appoint inspectors-general (IG) at the departments of Treasury and State, as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). That three highly visible watchdog jobs remain unfilled in Bidens third year in the Oval Office is a bipartisan issue, as Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) is raising the same concerns. Hassan chairs the Senates Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The Inspector General (IG) community conducts essential oversight of federal agencies and programs, safeguarding taxpayer funds and shining the light on waste, fraud, and abuse. That essential oversight function is undermined by prolonged vacancies of IGs responsible for carrying out that mandate, Comer told Biden in a June 5 letter. To date, the U.S. Department of State (State) IG position has been vacant for over 1,100 days with no nominee; the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) IG position has been vacant for over 850 days; and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) IG position has been vacant for almost 1,500 days, Comer wrote. We write to express our concern that these vacancies with no nominee are limiting transparency and holding back efforts to ensure the federal government is working as efficiently as possible on behalf of the American people, he wrote. We urge you to expeditiously nominate highly qualified candidates to fill these vacancies. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) speaks at a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs/Rules and Administration Committee hearing in Washington on March 3, 2021. (Shawn Thew/Pool via Getty Images) Comer was preceded by Hassan and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in a May 10 letter that urged Biden to swiftly nominate qualified individuals to fill the three vacancies Comer included, as well as three more, including the special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC). Hassan and Grassley reminded Biden that the absence of an IG at the Department of the Treasury is concerning due to the challenges it faces in areas including: management of cyber threats, anti-money-laundering/terrorist financing in conjunction with Bank Secrecy Act enforcement, as well as oversight of portions of CARES Act spending. The Department of State OIG conducts oversight of more than $76 billion used by the State Department to conduct its programs and operations in the U.S. and abroad. Its oversight responsibilities currently include funds sent to Ukraine. There are 72 presidentially appointed IGs whose job is to ferret out waste, fraud, and abuse at federal departments and agencies. The IGs are presidential appointees who answer to Congress. Since their creation in 1978, the IGs have exposed trillions of wasted tax dollars. The IGs have also sometimes found themselves at the center of major national political scandals, as in 2019 when Department of Justice IG Michael Horowitz exposed multiple FBI abuses and misrepresentations in four bureau applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court (FISA). The applications were approved on the basis of false or incomplete information and resulted in substantial surveillance of multiple officials in President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign in the Russiagate controversy. Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Dec. 11, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Comer alluded to the IGs importance in political controversies, saying hes concerned that Biden has left prolonged vacancies for the position of IG for State and USAID at a time when State and USAID are engaged in sensitive matters impacting U.S. national security interests around the world. These challenges include the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, civil unrest in Sudan, the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, and increased aggression by China, Iran, and North Korea. The prolonged vacancy for IG at Treasury could also hamper robust oversight of COVID-19 related spending and mitigation of financial risk and instability, Comer told Biden. Ongoing vacancies weaken IG offices, because temporary leadership is not well-suited for long-term planning and decision making. At a minimum, leaving in place acting IGs for prolonged periods of time sends a message to the American people that oversight and accountability is not a priority for the Biden Administration. With respect to State and USAID, it also raises questions as to whether the Biden Administration has intentionally left these positions vacant to avoid increased scrutiny into the impact of its policy decisions, Comer wrote. A White House spokesman didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for information on the status of the candidate search for potential IG nominees. A spokesman for Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Maryland Democrat who is the ranking member of the accountability panel, also didnt respond to a request for comment on Comers letter to Biden. Californias Plan to Ban Police Dogs for Crowd Control, Arrests Stalls in Assembly Californias proposal to ban police canines was shelved in the Assembly on May 31 but is expected to return next year for consideration. Assembly Bill 742, authored by Assemblyman Corey Jackson (D-Perris) and Assemblyman Ah Kalra (D-San Jose), was introduced in February to end what they said was the deeply racialized and harmful practice of using police dogs against Black Americans and people of color. Jackson pulled the legislation from the Assembly floor on May 31 and will present it again next session, according to his office. The status of the bill was changed to a two-year bill, which is why it was not put on the floor for a vote, Jacksons spokesman Daniel Peeden told The Epoch Times. Its still an active bill. Facing heavy opposition from law enforcement agencies, the legislation would have made California the first state to restrict police from using canines for arrests and crowd control. Under the legislation, law enforcement could still use canines in search and rescue operations, for detecting bombs and sniffing out narcotics. AB 742 was supported by 30 organizationsincluding the California Public Defenders Association and National Police Accountability Projectand opposed by about 40 groups. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) California Action, the bills sponsor, claims police canines are used by the country to violently oppress Black Americans and people of color and fail to serve a legitimate public safety interest. Jackson told The Epoch Times in February the bill addressed the historic implications of police dogs when they were used in the 1950s and 1960s during the Civil Rights movement to stop black people from voting and registering to vote. Since their inception, police canines have been used to inflict brutal violence and lifelong trauma on Black Americans and communities of color, Jackson said in a statement. Its time to end this cruel and inhumane practice and, instead, work towards building trust between the police and the communities they serve. Oppositions More than 30 law enforcement agencies across the state were against the bill, according to an analysis prepared for the Assembly in late May (pdf). K-9 units are a valuable de-escalation tool that keeps our communities safe, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit wrote on social media on June 1. This bill as written should not be considered. We are glad to see it is no longer moving forward and stand ready to re-engage if this bill works its way back onto the agenda. Though Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna agreed with prohibiting the use of canines for crowd control during protests and demonstrations, he said he couldnt support other restrictions. I cannot support a bill that severely restricts an officers ability to employ a proven, effective, and less lethal force option that can de-escalate other potentially life-threatening situations, Luna said in a statement. Assembly Republicans applauded the decision to stall the legislation. We successfully defeated the police dog ban bill! AB 742 would have severely restricted our law enforcement from using K-9s to catch criminals. Our communities and peace officers are safer as a result, the California Assembly Republicans wrote on Twitter on May 31. Assemblyman Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) also wrote on Twitter he believe[s] this bill would have led to more officer-involved shootings & deaths. AB 742 was dangerous to law enforcement, criminals & communities across all of [California], he posted on May 31. Caps on Oil and Gas Industry Will Have Little Impact on Global Emissions: Report A new report from the Fraser Institute says planned caps on the oil industry will hurt the country's economy. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) A new report is questioning the federal governments planned cap on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector. The report, released on June 1 by the Fraser Institute, says the plan will cost the country billions of dollars in lost revenue and have almost no impact on GHG emissions globally. The federal plan calls for GHG emissions from oil and gas production to be reduced by 31 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2030. In his report, Kenneth Green, a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute, says achieving that goal will force the industry to reduce overall production, estimating the loss would be $44.8 billion in 2030 alone. The federal government seems determined to inflict severe economic pain on the Canadian economy with almost no environmental benefit in return, said Green in a news release. His report adds if Canada eliminated all GHG emissions from the oil and gas industry by 2030, it amounts to a reduction of four-tenths of one percent of global emissions. Despite any claims about its environmental impact, Ottawas emissions cap will basically have no effect on global greenhouse gas concentrations, Green said. Carbon Leakage The report argues there is another problem, called carbon leakage. That means if Canada reduces its production, the oil and gas would simply be produced elsewhere in the world to meet the demand, which would reduce the impact of the emissions cap even more. On top of that, it says, any reduction in impact will also affect another industrypetrochemicals, which uses oil and gas to make products like plastics and solvents. This cap will likely harm the petrochemical and plastics sectors, which use petroleum as a feedstock for producing their products, the report says. In 2020, the petrochemical industry in Canada employed around 4800 people, resulting in some $6 billion in exports. In a discussion paper released in August of 2022, the federal government admits the industry is a major employer. In 2020, Canadas oil and gas sector employed 178,500 direct and 415,000 indirect workers in addition to the concentration of jobs in oil and gas producing provinces, there are thousands of jobs in manufacturing, environmental, and financial services tied to the oil and gas industry, especially in Ontario and Quebec. It adds the industry is also a major wealth generator. In 2020, the oil and gas sector generated $118 (billion) in GDP (gross domestic product) and accounted for 16 per cent of Canadas exports, said the paper, titled Options to cap and cut oil and gas sector greenhouse gas emissions to achieve 2030 goals and net zero by 2050. However, the discussion paper says the oil and gas industry is the countrys largest single GHG emitter, amounting to about 27 percent of the national total. By comparison, the transportation industry accounts for about 24 percent. The paper says technological advances have helped the industry reduce its emissions per barrel of oil produced. Emissions per barrel in the oil sands have fallen 33 per cent since 1990, said the report, adding some facilities are among the most efficient in the world. But it says more needs to be done. Reaching Canadas 2030 climate targets and achieving net-zero will require significant additional reductions, and there is no single or simple solution, it says. Multiple pathways will be required. Greens report for the Fraser Institute says it amounts to lost revenue for a resultthat even if fully achievedwill do little. A reduction unlikely to have any impact on the trajectory of the climate in any detectable manner, and hence, to offer only equally undetectable environmental, health, or safety benefits, it said. CBC Should Be Mandated to Broadcast Free Government Messages During Crises, Privy Council Memo Suggests The CBC News logo is projected onto a screen during the CBC's annual upfront presentation at The Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto on May 29, 2019. (Tijana Martin/The Canadian Press) A government memo suggested that CBC News should be forced to provide free advertising to the government during a national crisis. In the past, services such as producing and broadcasting public service announcements in times of national crisis were covered under previous agreements with CBC/Radio-Canada, said the memo, entitled The Way Forward: Lessons Learned: Communications and the COVID-19 Pandemic, covered by Blacklocks Reporter on June 5. Currently the Government of Canada pays the CBC and Radio-Canada like any other media to air ads but there could be new possibilities to create partnerships to respond to future crises, said the Privy Councils Access to Information memo. The memo proposed to make it a legal requirement for the CBC to broadcast government messaging, after cabinet staffers noted they had to buy advertising during COVID. Perhaps the Government of Canada could explore legislative amendments to the Quarantine Act to ensure that in the future federally-funded organizations like CBC/Radio-Canada support communications efforts during a national health crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, said the memo. This could include partnerships and the provision of free placement. The memo, which was partially redacted, did not provide further detail on how the legislative amendment could be worded legally or implemented. Public Relations Another report, Applying Behavioural Science to the Government of Canadas Response to Covid-19: Covid-19 Snapshot Monitoring, dated May 12, 2021, about trust in authorities, said COVID had impacted the publics views. Trust in and use of government information sources was highest early on in the pandemic and has declined slowly since then, said the report. At the time it came out, Health Canada issued a contract request for Twitter influencers to express approval for the governments response to COVID. The March 24, 2021, notice, Influencer Marking Programs, offered to pay an hourly rate to high-profile Twitter users to help build the departments credibility. They would have to agree to not tarnish Health Canadas or the Government of Canadas reputation, and were not required to disclose they were being paid to speak favourably about the government. At the time, Ontario Sen. Linda Frum, who retired from the Senate in August 2021, told Question Period about Health Canadas contract offer. Health Canada has hired social media influencers and minor celebrities to tout the great work its doing on Canadas response to the pandemic. These government-paid influencers are not required to reveal they are government-paid influencers because that, of course, would be very embarrassing, said Frum. The contract notice for Twitter influencers was issued the day before a scheduled March 25, 2021, release of a federal audit, which found that managers with the Public Health Agency, which has a $675 million annual budget, were not prepared for COVID. The audit, Pandemic Preparedness, Surveillance and Border Control Measures, stated: The Agency was not as well prepared as it could have been. Chase Bank Online Glitch Caused Double Transactions JP Morgan Chase banks online-banking system was malfunctioning Friday, creating double transactions, fees, and payments in customers accounts. The glitch was fixed later that day. Numerous Chase customers had posted on social media that their rent or bill payments were taken out of their accounts twice and reported hold times with customer service approaching more than an hour. The New York-based bank is one of the countrys largest financial institutions with millions of online customers. Transactions over Zelle, the banks own peer-to-peer payment service, were also impacted. Chase said late Friday that the bank had resolved the underlying issue and was in the process of issuing refunds or reversing transactions for customers. Online banking services, while usually reliable, sometimes spectacularly fail or have temporary outages that tend to spook their customers. Banks typically will resolve an error in their services within hours, and no customer is liable for any errors in their accounts that occur when these happen. Chase announced the glitch Friday on Twitter as customers took to social media to report a negative balance or a double transaction in their accounts. Goldman Sachs Glitch Some Apple customers have found it difficult to access their savings from a new account program in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The program was launched in April, featuring a generous 4.15 percent rate for saving accounts. Some reports suggest that the program had already attracted as many as $1 billion in deposits within four days of launch. Goldman is the primary issuer of Apples new credit card, which is the only way a customer can open a savings account with the tech giant. Some customers faced delayed money transfers, while others reported having trouble transferring money from their new Apple accounts, according to the Wall Street Journal. Goldman Sachs said the difficulties were being faced by a limited number of customers and that the delays were often added due to rigorous processes designed to protect user identity. First Republic Acquisition Chase acquired First Republic Bank on May 1 and has announced the closure of more than 20 First Republic branches, or a quarter of its locations. JPMorgan, the nations largest bank, acquired First Republic on May 1 after the San Francisco-based regional bank was seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. amid an unprecedented run on deposits in the wake of the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Discrimination at JP Morgan Chase Chase Bank has been criticized for religious and political discrimination, notably in a letter by 19 state attorneys general to Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. On March 23, 14 state treasurers penned a letter to Dimon, stating their concern that the bank is engaged in what appears to be politically motivated de-banking of certain industries, individuals, and groups. Longstanding Chase shareholder David Bahnsen issued a proposal at JP Morgans shareholders meeting on May 16, calling for the bank to investigate the matter and clarify its position on religious and political discrimination against its customers. JPMorgan fought against the proposal, first by asking the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to disallow it. But the SEC ruled on March 29 that the proposal could proceed to a vote. The bank then urged shareholders to vote against the proposal. JPMorgan Chase has since denied the allegations of political or religious discrimination. One day prior to the shareholder vote, JPMorgans board of directors issued a statement that Bahnsens proposal was based on allegations that are not true. JP Morgan Chases largest shareholder is BlackRock, which has been a prominent advocate of progressive causes. BlackRock did not support Bahnsens proposal. Theres an incredible amount of pressure on large financial institutions to debank people because of their religious or political beliefs that are out of line with progressive values, and for the folks who are debanked thats a terrifying prospect, Jeremy Tedesco, Allegiance Defending Freedom (ADF) senior counsel, told The Epoch Times. But the real damage is to civil society. Tedesco said that politicized debanking appears to be on the rise at Chase. He cites a discrepancy between the banks top ratings from left-leaning organizations and dismal ratings according to more conservative criteria like intellectual diversity. On social issues, JPMorgan Chase scored a perfect 100 percent on the Human Rights Coalitions Corporate Equality Index, which rates companies according to their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Equality. However, according to the Viewpoint Diversity Index published by ADF, JPMorgan scored only 9 percent out of 100, a decrease from 15 percent the previous year. JP Morgan and Jeffrey Epstein JP Morgan has also been criticized for its relationship with deceased financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Dimon recently denied ever meeting Epstein and said he was unaware that the bank was conducting an internal investigation into its former relationship with Epstein. There were lawsuits filed by the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands and an anonymous accuser that claim the bank knowingly benefited from participating in Epsteins sex-trafficking operation. In March, JPMorgan filed a lawsuit against its former investment banking chief Jes Staley, alleging that Staley protected Epstein. The bank requested that he return all of his compensation from 2006 through 2013 while employed at the bank, totaling more than $80 million. Staley has claimed that he was unaware of Epsteins sex crimes despite maintaining a friendly relationship while in his position as chief. The Associated Press, Brian Jung, Kevin Stocklin, and Katabella Roberts contributed to this report. White House Decries Chinese Militarys Growing Aggressiveness National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby speaks during the press briefing at the White House in Washington on June 5, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times) The Biden administration is condemning a series of aggressive sea and air intercepts by Chinas military, characterizing them as unjustified and unprofessional. A Chinese fighter jet aggressively intercepted a U.S. aircraft over the South China Sea last week. That incident was shortly followed by a similar encounter between U.S. and Chinese warships in the Taiwan Strait. In both incidents, the Chinese vehicle cut close across the nose of the U.S. vehicle in an apparent attempt to intimidate it into altering course. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described the incidents as unacceptable and said they were part of a broader pattern of increasing aggression by Chinas communist regime. These are part and parcel of an increasing level of aggressiveness by the [Chinese] military, particularly in the areas of the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, Kirby said. Sadly this is just part of a growing aggressiveness by [China] that were dealing with, and were prepared to address it. Chinese Military Unprofessional Kirby noted that there was nothing inherently wrong with military intercepts in and of themselves, saying militaries around the world engage in them all the time in proper contexts. The difference is professional forces do it when needed and in accordance with international law and the rules of the road, he said, noting that there was no justification for the regimes hostility. I sure would like to hear Beijing justify what theyre doing. We urge them to make better decisions about how they operate in international airspace and sea space. Whether they acknowledge those rules of the road or not, they are the rules of the road. The incidents are part of a growing line of high-profile encounters in which the Chinese military has sought to provoke U.S. and allied military forces in the Indo-Pacific. Speaking to a press gaggle on June 4, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called on the regime to pull back from such reckless acts before an accident or communication resulted in a crisis. I call upon [Chinas] leadership to really do the right thing, to reign in that kind of conduct, because I think accidents can happen that could cause things to spiral out of control, Austin said. Describing the incidents as pretty close, Kirby, who served in the U.S. Navy for 29 years, said such conduct indicated the lack of professionalism in the Chinese military. They forced our aircraft, our C-135, to basically go through their jet wash that shows you how close that Chinese fighter was to our jet, he said. Theres no call for that. Its unsafe. Its unprofessional. US Defends International Law Kirby reiterated that the United States was operating in accordance with international law and was in international territory during both incidents. To that end, he said Chinese communist forces acted without reason. Were flying, were sailing, were operating in international airspace and international waters, he said. [In] both of those incidents, [we] were in complete compliance with international law. There was absolutely no need for [China] to act as aggressively as they did. Despite the aggression, the United States would continue to uphold international law and promote the freedom of navigation as an example to all nations, including China, according to Kirby. Were going to keep flying. Were going to keep sailing. Were going to keep operating where international law allows us to, he said. Its an important concept, freedom of navigation, whether its in the air or on the sea. Its an important concept that the United States is going to continue to stand up for. Position on Taiwan The Chinese regime has, in recent years, dialed up its military harassment and threats toward Taiwan, the self-ruled island that it has vowed to seize by force if necessary. Washington officially maintains the policy of strategic ambiguity on the question of whether the United States would come to Taiwans defense in the event of a Chinese attack. But U.S. President Joe Biden has repeatedly said the United States would step in in the event of an invasion, only for his officials to walk back on such remarks. Most recently, Biden said at a press conference during the G-7 Summit in Japan on May 21 that there is clear understanding among most of our allies that, in fact, if China were to act unilaterally, there would be a response. When asked for a further explanation of Bidens remark, Kirby declined, saying he didnt want to add to what the president had already said in Japan. He has said that before and that we dont want to see the status quo changed unilaterally, Kirby said in response to a question by The Epoch Times on June 5. We certainly dont want to see it changed by force. And the only thing that the president said, and he said it a gazillion times, is that theres no reason for it to. He emphasized that Washingtons policy hasnt changed. We dont support independence for Taiwan, Kirby said. We obviously do support their self-defense capabilities, and well continue to do that, but theres no reason for this tension in the Taiwan Strait to devolve into any kind of conflict. Communist Chinas Cyber Attacks Must Be Declared Acts of War A member of the hacking group Red Hacker Alliance uses a website that monitors global cyberattacks on his computer at their office in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images) Commentary Weve been fools. Well continue to be fooled until our politicians fight communist Chinas unrestricted cyber warfare against the United States with more than hot air. The latest evidence of such warfare is a newly published Microsoft report documenting the breathtaking scope of this particular form of communist Chinese aggression. According to that May report, the Chinese regime is aggressively probing our military infrastructure in strategic locations such as Guam as it prepares to take Taiwan by military force. The irony, of course, is that Microsoft is helping the Chinese military develop artificial intelligence to create weapons of unimaginable destruction. Heres the bigger backstory behind the regimes unrestricted cyber warfare: Chinas landmass is roughly the same size as the United States. Yet it has a population nearly five times larger. Noting Stalins admonition that quantity has a quality of its own, China can overwhelm the United States militarily and economically if its able to replicate our technologies and defense systems by stealing them. This is exactly what communist China is quite successfully doing through its relentless and unrestricted cyber warfare. Every day, drawing from its vast population, China deploys equally vast cadres of cyber hackers to probe every conceivable institution of the U.S. economy, society, and government. The cyber game afoot with American businesses begins with the theft of intellectual property. Chinese state-owned enterprises can thereby beat U.S. rivals with the added advantage of mercantilist tools such as export subsidies and currency manipulation. Yet the goal of business hacking is often to gain a competitive advantage over an international rival by acquiring confidential internal documents. Such expropriated proprietary information allows a Chinese competitor to underbid or undermine a U.S. competitor. When communist China hacks our personal accounts, it seeks to build profiles on us, particularly those who are critics of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Of course, criminal elements within the state-sponsored wing of Chinas hacking brigades are also busy stealing our money or identities, creating untold havoc in American lives. Within academia, when communist China hacks Harvard, MIT, or the University of California, its attempting to steal cutting-edge researchthe figurative corn seed of our technical innovation. When Chinese bandits hack the computers of farm-state universities in Iowa or Kansas, theyre literally trying to steal our corn seed. Through its cyber hacks, communist China has also acquired the blueprints of Americas most sophisticated weapons systemsthereby significantly narrowing the technology gap between our militaries. For example, Chinas fifth-generation jet fighters are accurate knockoffs of the most advanced U.S. planes, the F-22 and F-35. With its manufacturing might, China can build far more of these fifth-generation fighters than U.S. taxpayers can affordgiving its military both Stalinesque quantity and American quality. Stealing our weapons systems is but one goal of Chinese hackers. They seek to embed Trojan viruses throughout our military software. In a war scenario, theyll drop our planes and satellites from the sky and misdirect the navigation systems of our missiles and ships. Its long past time for the U.S. government to draw a very clear line in the sand with the communist Chinese. They laugh at us now while Congress forms yet another committee to study the CCPs abuses but does nothing. They shake with mirth while President Joe Biden and his Pentagon say were in a competition rather than a conflict with China. They mock our FBI with its more than 1,000 hacking investigations going nowhereeven as that same FBI far more aggressively arrests and prosecutes so-called domestic terrorists guilty of nothing more than patriotism and standing up for their families and rights against a woke left. Its time for Congress to declare communist Chinese cyber hacks as acts of war punishable by appropriately measured responses in kind. Its time for the FBI to treat Chinas cyber hackers not as criminals but as enemy combatants. While the J6 prisoners of war are stripped of their constitutional rights, Chinas hackers simply game our justice system and thereby clog up our courts. Its time for Rep. Mike Gallaghers (R-Wis.) House Select Committee on communist China to demand the release of all so-called top secret documents that will inform the American people of the real depth of the Chinese hacker threats. And if Gallagher et al. need any further evidence of the seriousness of the Chinese cyber warfare threat, they can read my 2015 Crouching Tiger book or, better yet, Frank Gaffneys The Indictment. Follow Peter Navarro at PeterNavarro.Substack.com, where this article originally appeared. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Danielle Smiths Campaign Strategist Writes Insider Account of Alberta Premiers Path to Victory NDP made 'monumental mistake' with announcement of 38 percent business tax increase, says Jason Lietaer UCP Leader Danielle Smith delivers her victory speech in Calgary on May 29, 2023. Alberta's United Conservative Party rode a wave of rural support to win a renewed majority in the provincial election, but not before the NDP took a big bite out of its support. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh) The chief strategist behind Danielle Smiths recent election win to be reinstated as premier of Alberta has written an insider account of the campaign. I wrote an insiders account of how Danielle Smith won the election. Short version: a killer debate, discipline and a pretty big Notley mistake, Jason Lietaer, president of public affairs firm Enterprise Canada, said on Twitter on June 3. Campaigns matter, added Lietaer, who previously provided communications services to former prime minister Stephen Harper and the federal Conservative caucus, as well as former Ontario premier Mike Harris. In a commentary in the Calgary Herald on June 2, the campaign strategist said that at one point, Notley was winning the election. He described sitting in Brooks, Alberta, in a rented conference room in the middle of the campaign, the night Smith was to debate the local NDP candidate in her own home riding. We were all in foul moods. The past few days had been bad, wrote Lietaer. The NDP was finding footage of Smithss radio show days and releasing it, plus Smith had two debates scheduled in southeastern Alberta, with a looming six hours of driving to get to the leaders debate later that night in Edmonton. That was the same day the ethics commissioner released a report on Smiths phone call with street pastor Artur Pawlowski. Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley (L) and United Conservative Party Leader Danielle Smith prepare for a debate in Edmonton on May 18, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson) Voters were looking to be reassured about Smith, Lietaer wrote. We couldnt lose the debate. The premier looked down at her notes and wondered aloud: Im running on my record. Why isnt she running on hers? said the campaign strategist. That became Smiths theme for the remainder of the campaign. The strategy was simple, Lietaer said. Be calmer, tighter, friendlier and relentlessly focused on the concerns of Albertans. But it needed a balance (weve all seen the headlines from the past year): Be humble and take responsibility for mistakes. And put Notleys record on trial, he wrote. We expected Notley to be unable to hide her animosity toward Smith and, in an election where both parties were being dinged for their negativity, Smith wanted Albertans to see a positive candidate on the stage as much as possible one that knew her stuff. People expected fireworks and gaffes, we wanted calm stability. The closing debate statement focused on the patriotism and spirit of Alberta, a final speech that Lietaer described as a message that was unabashedly aspirational. Not only did Smith not self-destruct like the NDP hoped, stated Lietaer, the debate flipped the night into momentum for the United Conservative Party (UCP). The video of Smiths closing remarks is still the most shared viral video of the campaign, with hundreds of thousands of views, according to Lietaer. He said the debate was a home run for the UCP and Smith. The NDP had made a monumental mistake. Notley had given the business community something tangible to think about, said the strategist. The premier found her stride in prosecuting Notleys time as premier and how wed kick the economy up a gear, said Lietaer. The entire UCP team was told to talk exclusively about three things: the economy, Notleys record, and the NDPs announcement that they would hike business taxes by 38 percent, going from 8 percent to 11 percent. United Conservative Party Leader Danielle Smith (L) arrives to makes an election campaign announcement in Calgary, Alta., on May 1, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh) Lietaer said his former boss, Harper, had once made an astute observation about politics. In every election Ive lost, Ive been the issue, Harper told Lietaer. And in every election Ive won, its been the other guy. Political commentators who spoke to The Epoch Times during the election said much the same thing. For example, Michael Wagner, who has a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Alberta, told The Epoch Times in an interview on May 24 that Canadians seem to vote against a party, not for a party in a political election. Canadians focus on what they dont want, he said. The NDP made the election about Smith, said Lietaer. The NDP made a big bet on leadership and Smith called them on it. She made a decision to put Notleys record to the test. He said it was enough to turn the tide of a close election. When faced with the kind of adversity and pressure Smith faced, Ive seen many political leaders wilt. She didnt. Smith won the election, with 52.6 percent of the popular vote and 49 seats out of the total 87 seats, enough to form a majority government. In her victory speech on May 29, Smith said: The election is now over. It is time to put partisanship, division, and personal and political attacks in the rear-view mirror. Its time to move forward together as all Albertans no matter who we voted for. We celebrate this beautiful province and all who live here, this uniquely special place where the only things that are larger than our mountains is the compassion and irrepressible spirit of our people, she said. Danny Masterson Convicted of 2 Counts of Rape, Heres What Happens Next LOS ANGELESA Los Angeles jury on May 31 convicted actor Danny Masterson of two counts of rape in a retrial that focused on allegations the That 70s Show star raped three women between 2001 and 2003. The verdict sided with two of Mastersons accusers, but the panel was unable to reach a verdict on similar allegations by a longtime girlfriend of Masterson. The actor, who was led from court in handcuffs after being a free man throughout the proceedings, faces 30 years to life in prison when he is sentenced. The second trial made the Church of Scientology, which Masterson is a member of, a prominent element. Here are some of the key elements that emerged during the three-week retrial and whats next for the actor. Whats Next for Masterson The actor will remain in custody while he awaits sentencing, which hasnt been scheduled yet. The women Masterson is convicted of raping could give victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing, and the judge is likely to hear from Masterson supporters. Mastersons lawyers didnt address the verdict immediately after it happened, but theyre likely to appeal. Direct Discussion of Drugging A judge in the second trial allowed the prosecution to say directly that Masterson drugged all three women before raping them, in what may be the biggest difference from the first trial. Previously, the drugging could only be implied when the women testified to feeling disoriented, losing memory, and going unconscious to a degree that could not be explained by the alcohol they had consumed. The defendant drugs his victims to gain control. He does this to take away his victims ability to consent, Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told jurors during her closing argument on May 16. The defense says there is no such evidence beyond the womens stories, and suggested the prosecution was using the stories because of the absence of evidence of any force or violence. Defense attorney Philip Cohen made clear to jurors that there is no drugging charge. A Bigger Role for Scientology The Church of Scientology loomed large at Mastersons trial. It played a bigger role in his retrial, with Judge Charlaine Olmedo allowing expert testimony on Scientology that she denied the first time. Masterson is a prominent member of the church. All three of his accusers are former members who grew disillusioned with the institution in the aftermath of their alleged assaults, saying that church officials told them what had happened to them was not rape, and that its policies prevented them from going to police. Scientology said in a statement that the Church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyoneScientologists or notto law enforcement, and that it explicitly demands Scientologists abide by all laws of the land. The prosecutions expert, Claire Headley, was a former official in Scientology leadership who became a staunch church foe, suing it in 2009 over her experience. (A federal court rejected claims from Headley and her husband, saying they had not provided enough evidence that the church had engaged in forced labor and violated human trafficking laws and that they had many chances to leave the leadership group known as the Sea Org. An appeals court upheld the decision.) The church said after the verdict that the prosecutions introduction of religion into this trial was an unprecedented violation of the First Amendment and affects the due process rights of every American. The Church was not a party to this case and religion did not belong in this proceeding. The Defendant Masterson, 47, an actor since childhood, got his major break when he was cast as Stephen Hyde on the retro sitcom That 70s Show, which also starred Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Topher Grace and would run on Fox from 1998 until 2006. At the time of the alleged assaults, his career was at its peak, and his house near Hollywood with a backyard pool and Jacuzzi was a social hub. It was also, according to prosecutors, the scene of all three crimes. Masterson had pleaded not guilty and his lawyers have repeatedly denied all of the allegations. The First Accuser One of the women Masterson is convicted of raping was born into a Scientology family and was part of Mastersons circle of friends. Nearly all of those closest to her were members, including the late Lisa Marie Presley, who also left the church long before her death in January. The woman said that when she stopped by Mastersons house to pick up a set of keys in 2003, he gave her a drink that left her sick and badly disoriented, and raped her in his bedroom upstairs. She first filed a police report, which did not lead to an arrest, in 2004. She returned to authorities in 2016. Jurors found her account credible and convicted Masterson based on her allegations. The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they were victims of sexual abuse. The 2nd Accuser A model and actor who was Mastersons girlfriend from 1996 to 2002 took the stand to open the trial. She previously testified that Masterson grew increasingly physically and sexually abusive in their years together. She said that it eventually led to him raping her twice late in 2001, though he is only charged with one instance. She would go to police 15 years later. Jurors could not agree on a verdict on her allegations, deadlocking 84 in favor of conviction. The 3rd Accuser The third woman at the center of the trial had only recently met Masterson through mutual friends in the church, which she had joined as a teenager. She testified that in 2003 that Masterson invited her to his house and raped her. She went to police in 2017. Jurors convicted Masterson based on her testimony. Investigation and Arrest Police revealed they were investigating Masterson in March of 2017. Masterson had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy The Ranch, but was written off the show when the investigation was revealed in December 2017. He was arrested and charged with three rapes in 2020, and in 2021 a judge ruled the evidence was strong enough for him to be tried. The First Trial Mastersons monthlong first trial began last October. Masterson, free on bail, was accompanied to court by a large group of friends and family with ties to both Scientology and the entertainment industry, including his wife and the mother of his child, actor and model Bijou Phillips. In the end, fewer than half of jurors voted to convict on any of the counts. Nevertheless, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office decided to try again with a new set of jurors, and the women agreed to take the stand again. Danny Masterson (R) and his wife Bijou Phillips arrive for closing arguments in his second trial in Los Angeles on May 16, 2023. (Chris Pizzello/AP Photo) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Issues of reintegration of Armenian residents of Karabakh into Azerbaijani society were discussed in the release of the analytical "Dialogue with Tofik Abbasov" video project on the Baku Network expert platform, Trend reports. The guest of the program was the Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Sociology and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (ANAS), Doctor of Philosophy Ilham Mammadzade. "The manipulation by Armenians living in different parts of the world continues to affect Armenian society. This manipulation will continue. Reintegration is a long process, and it is inevitable. Azerbaijan is interested in dialogue and calls for understanding. Some Armenians of Karabakh will hear us," he said. Trend presents to the readers the full release of the program: Deaths From Starvation Tripled in North Korea: South Korean Spy Agency The agency alleged that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un weighs over 300 pounds North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the 7th enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang, North Korea, on March 1, 2023. (KCNA via Reuters) Deaths from starvation in North Korea have tripled compared to last year, according to South Koreas state intelligence agency. Despite the dire situation, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is believed to weigh around 300 pounds. Yoo Sang-bum, the executive secretary for the Parliamentary Intelligence Committee, said that prices of corn and rice in North Korea have risen by 60 percent and 30 percent this year, The Korean Herald reported. The number of crimes in North Korea has also tripled, and the death toll from suicide has increased by 40 percent compared to the previous year, the South Korean lawmaker told reporters on May 31. Yoo said that Kim might have a sleeping disorder and engage in excessive alcohol and tobacco consumption, as the National Intelligence Service (NIS) found that North Korean authorities have been hoarding insomnia medications, booze, and cigarettes. Based on the fact that North Korean authorities have been actively collecting the latest medical information, including medications such as zolpidem, for the treatment of insomnia in high-ranking officials abroad in April, the NIS estimates Chairman Kim is suffering from significant sleep disorders, Yoo said. Yoo said that Kim seemed tired during his public appearance on May 16, with noticeable dark circles under his eyes, although an analysis of his recent photos suggests the North Korean leader weighs around 300 pounds. The NIS also assessed that Kim appeared to have scars and bruises on his wrists and arms, which are believed to have resulted from allergies and dermatitis. Since the end of last year, scratches and bruises have continuously been observed on Chairman Kims hands and arms, which are suspected to be a combination of allergies and stress-induced dermatitis, Yoo said. In August 2022, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol offered North Korea economic benefits in exchange for denuclearization steps, but the offer was rejected by the North Korean regime. Kim has said there will be no denuclearization talks, negotiations, or bargaining chips in that process. The country adopted a first-use nuclear doctrine on Sept. 8, 2022, which Kim stated would make North Koreas status as a nuclear weapons state irreversible. North Koreas Gruesome Human Rights Abuses North Korea is a single-party state under Kims leadership. Basic liberties are withheld from the states 24 million people, with more than half living in extreme poverty and suffering abuse in the forms of execution, wrongful imprisonment, enforced disappearance, and forced labor. A test launch of a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasong-18, at an undisclosed location in this still image of a photo used in a video released by North Koreas Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 14, 2023. (KCNA via Reuters TV) South Korea published a 445-page report detailing gruesome human rights abuses in North Korea, compiled based on the testimonies of 508 North Korean defectors between 2017 and 2022. According to the report, six teenagers were shot dead by North Korean authorities in 2015 after being caught watching South Korean videos and smoking opium. In 2020, North Korea publicly executed a man for distributing South Korean videos. The report also details the unethical human experiments carried out by North Korean authorities on people with physical disabilities or psychiatric conditions who were incapable of giving consent. Defectors allege that North Korean officials blackmailed families into allowing their family members to become human test subjects or face detention at prison camps if they refused to comply. North Korea conducted a series of missile launches this year, including one involving a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-18, all of which are banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Koreas missile program. The United States has persisted in engaging in direct talks with North Korea without preconditions in favor of a diplomatic solution, but North Korea has rebuffed these efforts. Problems With Western Australias New Gun Restrictions Handguns and firearms are displayed during a statewide gun buyback event held by the office of the New York State Attorney General in the Brooklyn borough of New York on April 29, 2023. (Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images) Commentary The government of Western Australia is promising a complete overhaul of firearms legislation, with some new restrictions having already passed in May. Regardless of what is drafted, any new laws will end up passing through Parliament because the Labor government maintains control of both lower and upper houses, allowing it to introduce virtually any legislation unimpeded. Of course, on the ideological front, a disarmed population is defenceless in the face of an external military threat, and more contemporaneously, impending tyranny. It is sometimes hard to conceive why a democratic country (a right to self-defence) would go to the extent of disarming the populacemuch like the former Soviet Union, which had a gun ban for over 70 years. Yet even that ban did not successfully stop criminal gangs from obtaining firearms. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Soviet Union had a murder rate that was at least 50 percent higher than the murder rate in the United States. In Australia, they are allowed only under limited circumstances, such as for recreational shooting or hunting animals on eligible private properties. A hunter holds his gun during a boar hunt in Pietrosella on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, on Aug. 15, 2020. (Pascal Pochard-Casabianca/AFP via Getty Images) In the jurisdiction of Western Australia, the use of force for self-defence is excused in the state criminal code. These legislative provisions do not regard self-defence as a right but as mere defences to criminal charges. This means if a person defends themselves in their home they may even be charged with a criminal offence and will need to defend themselves successfully in court. Further, the possession of a firearm and acts of self-defence are only allowed in Australia as a concession of the state, as outlined by the 1996 (updated 2017) National Firearms Agreement (NFA) (pdf), which states: Personal protection is not a genuine reason for acquiring, possessing or using a firearm. The phrase when seconds count, the police are only minutes away is brought to mind, and one wonders how much our safety really matters to the average politician. The NFA not only seeks to strip ones ability to licence a firearm for the purposes of self-defence but also the ability for a victim to use it for self-defence in the case of a deadly attack. Do Gun Bans Work? The NFA, for the most part, makes a genuine attempt at unifying the Australian state governments in firearms control and legislation. However, there is no standard agreement, as the title implies. Indeed, a 2017 Gun Control Australia report (pdf) communicates that no Australian state or territory has at any stage fully complied with the national firearms agreement. Disturbingly, a more damaging objective is found in Resolution 2 of the NFA opening statement: Nothing in this agreement prevents jurisdictions from adopting additionalincluding more restrictiveregulations. When politicians and gun control advocates call to the authority of the NFAone should remain cognisant: This statement is not legally binding, and it is irresolute at its core because it encourages perpetual regulatory endeavours to strip citizens of their property devoid of an evidence-based approach. The problem with banning firearms is that it does not stop criminalswho, by their very nature, will not obey the lawfrom getting hold of weapons. It only restricts access for law-abiding citizens. In the United Kingdom, most guns were banned in January 1997, but over the next eight years, that country experienced a 45 percent increase in homicides. Furthermore, crimes committed by the use of a firearm in the UK doubled over the following five and a half years after the full confiscation of all those firearms. To give another example, firearms were banned in Ireland in 1972, and what had been a relatively stable homicide rate became a three-fold increase in homicides after that ban. The United States provides a good laboratory because it is relatively easy to compare the 50 states and Washington D.C. Pedestrians pass an anti-gun sign in New York city on Oct. 13, 2022. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images) The country has a wide range of firearms legislation. Indeed, one may find almost every kind of gun legislation, varying from liberal laws about gun ownership in Texas and Tennessee all the way to an almost total ban on firearms in places such as Chicago and Washington D.C. What you find is that there is really no benefit from banning firearms in terms of reduced violent crime rates. In Chicago and Washington D.C., there was actually a dramatic increase in murder rates and violate crimes in both places after the gun bans went into effect. Pro-Gun Ban Arguments Lack Weight While Western Australian Police refuses to publish official gun crime statistics, Police Minister Paul Papalia at least acknowledges that most gun crime is actually committed by individuals not licensed to possess a firearm. The state has very low firearm crime, and almost every single gun used for criminal activity is not licensed nor owned by a licensed gun owner. Criminals operating in this jurisdiction who seek to acquire, say, a semi-automatic pistol know very well that Chinese semi-automatic pistols or Czech-made blank-firing pistols (easily converted to use real ammunition) are available for little money on the black market. Some people may claim that banning firearms will have a positive effect on Western Australia in preventing suicide. However, a firearm is just a means to an end and not the end in itself. According to Sarah McKinnon, legal affairs manager at the National Farmers Federation, there is no verifiable link between access to firearms and suicide rates. She argues that this notion is dangerous because it can cloud the message around suicide prevention. It is little wonder members of the Western Australian community are demanding a more evidence-based approach to the proposed firearms reforms. Arguably, draconian measures will only impose an added cost and burden on the citizens who are gun owners. And, if crime, or the potential for crime, is a valid reason behind the new restrictive laws, then the state police would be better off concentrating on the social reasons behind the rise in crime, which are generally related to drugs, gangs, and organised crime. Of course, it is unlikely that these issues will be ever meaningfully tackled any time soon. Above all, as U.S. writer Lysander Spooner reminds us: To ban guns because the criminals use them is to tell the law-abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the guilty and lawless. Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 All comments made by Lance French are in his capacity as a private citizen and do not necessarily reflect those of any government entity. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Dissidents Change Tack, Call on People of Justice to Overthrow the CCP In a Free World, I Must Stand Up and Speak Out Dissidents gathering to remember the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the fourth anniversary of Hong Kongers resistance have called on the forces of justice, both inside and outside China, to overthrow the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) dictatorship. This is a step away from their previous rallies, which called on the CCP itself to redress the grievances of the massacre. China expert Feng Chongyi, an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney, told The Epoch Times that the time has come to overthrow the CCP. In 2018, Australia began to resist the CCPs infiltration, with the support of the United States, Feng said. At the same time, the United States adopted a new national strategy that defined the CCP regime as a strategic opponent, an enemy. Therefore, from that time on, the Western world started to wake up to the undeclared war against the CCP. The Cold War (of the Western world against the CCP) has already begun on all levels, including technology, economy, trade, investment, and intelligence. Such a new global change brings new opportunities and new hopes to the Chinese people. Sydneysiders marched to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the June 4 massacre. (Tom Yu/The Epoch Times) Feng said that Xi Jinping had engaged in the restoration of a totalitarian regime since he came to power. The economic interests of the middle class have been undermined by the de-coupling of the free world in Europe and the United States from China The middle class has also joined the ranks of the unjust In addition, other factions within the CCP, outside of Xi Jinping, have been ostracized and attacked, he said. So this is a new opportunity. If all these forces unite, they will have the power to overthrow the tyranny of the CCP. Feng said that the democratic movement in China has never ended, no matter how difficult it was, and a new opportunity has finally arrived. The time has come to take down the communist regime, he said firmly. In a Free World, I Must Stand Up and Speak Out Dressed as Winnie the Pooh and standing in a model tank, one Chinese student stood out at the rally. Aaron Chang, who attended the June 4 rally in Sydney for the first time, said he was trying to satirize Xi Jinpings dream of becoming emperor with the costume. With Xi Jinping in power, the CCPs rule is becoming more and more stringent, he told The Epoch Times. Aaron Chang spoke at the rally in Sydney on June 4, 2023. (Tom Yu/The Epoch Times) Chang, who admire students of Nanjing Media College who led the White Paper Revolution, said that he was inspired by these brave Chinese who are fighting for freedom and human rights. The White Paper Revolution started after a fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang, on the night of Nov. 24, 2022, ignited public anger in China, with university students spearheading a white paper revolution, a symbol of silence, in protest of the CCPs extreme pandemic prevention measures. They are gambling on their freedom, on their future, on everything they have to pursue and fight for their rights. I have no reason to hide behind in this safe place, he said. Hong Konger Calls Australia to Decouple from CCP Meanwhile. Ms. Chan, a Hong Kong community representative, condemned the CCPs use of the national security law to deprive Hong Kong of freedom. She called on Australia to stop all trade with the CCP. We should refuse to trade with them and should not buy goods from them, Chan said at the rally. Please remember, every penny spent on [Chinese] goods is used to torture people and corrupt the world. On the eve of this years June-4 anniversary, Hong Kong police detained eight people, including activists and artists, a move that signals the citys eroding freedom. For decades, tens of thousands of Hongkongers held an annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park each June 4 to commemorate the massacre. After Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2019, however, many Hong Kong activists have since been silenced or jailed. Sophie Tsai spoke at the rally in Sydney on June 4, 2023. (Tom Yu/The Epoch Times) Sophie Tsai, a representative of Amnesty International Australia, called on the Australian government not to ignore the ongoing human rights abuses by the CCP because of economic interests. Since 1989, June 4 has not only been a day of remembrance but a day of protest against the CCPs ongoing human rights abuses, Tsai said. We should not stand idly by and ignore Chinas human rights abuses and genocide while we enjoy the economic benefits of our largest trading partner. Australia is one of the founding nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As a liberal democracy and a regional leader, we have an obligation to confront Chinas human rights issues. Barrister Urges Australia to Implement Magnitsky Act Sophie York, an Australian barrister, urged the Australian government to use the Magnitsky Act to punish human rights offenders. In 2021, Australia passed the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Magnitsky-style and Other Thematic Sanctions) Act 2021, which gives the Australian government the power to impose special sanctions on foreign officials who violate human rights, engage in corrupt practices, or threaten Australias national security. In March 2022, the Australian government used the Act for the first time, announcing sanctions against 39 Russians allegedly involved in corruption and in connection with the deaths of Magnitskys lawyers. Sydneysiders held a candlelight memorial event in front of the Chinese Consulate to commemorate the 34th anniversary of June 4 Massacre. (Tom Yu/The Epoch Times) DOJ-Sued John Chens Military Background and Deep Ties to CCPs United Front Department Exposed A sign for the Department of Justice is seen ahead of a news conference with Michael Sherwin, acting US attorney for the District of Columbia, and Steven D'Antuono, head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington field office, at the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on January 12, 2021. (SARAH SILBIGER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) John Chen, one of two Chinese agents recently indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), has a military background and a close relationship with the United Front Work Department (UFWD), a secret spy organization under the Chinese communist regime. John Chenwhose Chinese name is Chen Junand Lin Feng were arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on May 26. They were directly charged for allegedly being involved in a CCP-directed multinational bribery scheme. According to the DOJs indictment, 70-year-old Chen is a naturalized U.S. citizen. In the IRS bribery case, Chen explicitly stated that he was acting as an agent of the CCP to help the communist regime topple Falun Gong by bribing U.S. public officials. Falun Gong is a peaceful spiritual practice focused on improving physical and mental health and has millions of followers worldwide. The DOJs indictment referred to Chens claim that he is like a blood brother to the CCP officials. Geared toward thoroughly penetrating other countries and deploying espionage activities such as Big Overseas Propaganda, UFWDs missions contain silencing dissidents and co-opting groups in the West to conform to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) line. UFWD is also essential in influencing China domestically. Pro-Communist Leader Exerted as a veteran pro-communist leader, Chen has been active in the Los Angeles community for decades. Chen co-founded the Southern California Chinese American Federation (CAF) on April 10, 2005. Its official site describes itself as a non-profit, non-political social organization formed by more than 120 Chinese organizations and business enterprises voluntarily. The first president was Cheng Yuan. However, Southern California CAF has convened numerous Oct. 1 National Day events in the United Statesmarking the establishment of the Chinese communist regime and one of the CCPs most significant celebrations. Attributed to Chen, a CCP flag-raising ceremony has been held in Los Angeles for 18 consecutive years, starting in 1995. Chinese counter-protesters wave the Chinese flag as members of the US Hong Kong community protest against what they say is police brutality during the ongoing Hong Kong protests, in Santa Monica, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2019. (Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images) In a report published on Jan. 19, 2005, the mouthpiece Peoples Daily touted that CAF unites the strength of the majority of Chinese overseas in Southern California, expands the influence of the Chinese community, and integrates into mainstream society in the United States. Role in Large-Scale Protest Against CNN In March 2009, the UFWD introduced and endorsed the Southern California CAF on its official website, changing the date of the organizations founding to 2004. The Ministry of United Front Work praised the CAF for organizing a series of events for the 55th anniversary of the National Day, flag-raising, and a large protest rally of 6,000 people on CNNs insult to China since its establishment. On April 9, 2008, CNNs commentator Jack Cafferty said in a program that the United States imported Chinese-made junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food, adding: Theyre basically the same bunch of goons and thugs theyve been for the last 50 years. CNN later apologized in a statement that Cafferty was offering a strongly held opinion of the Chinese government, not the people. The wording of this differentiated criticism angered the Chinese communist regime. In the CCPs effort to incite Chinese national sentiment both inside and outside of China, overseas pro-communist Chinese organizations and covert proxies like CAF play a crucial role. Chens work for the CCPnot only the protest against CNNearned him rewards from the CCPs top brass: he was invited as a special guest at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2015 Beijing September 3 Parade, where he was visited by Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, according to Chinese official reports. A secret agent, a spy, employed by the Chinese Communist Party, said Chen Weiming, a pro-democracy activist and sculptor to The Epoch Times on May 31, describing his impression when he confronted Chen: It was clear that [Chen Jun] was on a mission [with the CCP]. The U.S. government is not wrong in its accusation that [Chen Jun] is an agent of the CCP in the United States. Chens Military Background A Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force WZ-7 high-altitude reconnaissance drone is seen a day before the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in southern Chinas Guangdong province on Sept. 27, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Chen graduated from the Foreign Language School of Tianjin Foreign Language University in 1993. He then served six years in the 46th Division of the Chinese Air Force, stationed at the Jiuquan Missile Base in Gansu Province. After retiring from military service, he was promoted to the chief trade representative of the Tianjin Municipal Government on the West Coast of the United States. The DOJ has charged Chen with four counts of conspiracy to act and acting as an illegal agent of the CCP, bribing a U.S. public official, and international money laundering, and he will be facing a maximum sentence of several decades in prison. Durham Report Sparks Calls for FBI Reform, New Poll Finds In a recent online poll, a majority of respondents said that either Congress should step in to reform the FBI or that the agency should be shut down and rebuilt from scratch following the release of the Durham report. The May 31 to June 2 Issues & Insights/TechnoMetrica Institute of Policy and Politics poll demonstrated that Americans are largely frustrated and angered with the FBIs apparent politicization. The participants were asked to choose from four potential actions to address the issues plaguing the FBI, ranging from taking no action to major reform for the agency. The first option presented a mild approach, reading, The FBI should be left alone, it has learned its lesson. A mere 15 percent of Americans opted for this do nothing response. The second proposed that Congress step in and reform the FBI to prevent its interference in future elections. This alternative garnered the highest overall support, with 39 percent of respondents favoring this approach. The third and most drastic action put forth was to shut down the FBI and rebuild it from scratch, as it cannot be trusted to perform its duties. This option received 24 percent of the tally. A significant portion of respondents, 22 percent, expressed uncertainty by selecting Not sure. The poll suggests that the FBI is facing a serious crisis of confidence, and the opinion that the FBI necessitates significant reform was widely bipartisan. Among those who support congressional reform, 45 percent were Democrats, 39 percent were Republicans, and 32 percent were independents. Regarding the more stringent measure of closing down the FBI and rebuilding it from scratch, Democrats showed less support, with only 14 percent in favor. In contrast, 37 percent of Republicans and 25 percent of independents supported this option. The do-nothing option failed to receive even 20 percent support from any political party or affiliation. However, a higher proportion of Democrats (19 percent) preferred taking no action to completely shutting the FBI down and initiating a rebuild (14 percent). The Durham report accused the FBI of intervening in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections by conducting an investigation without sufficient cause into collusion between the Donald Trump campaign and Russia. The 306-page report was particularly harsh in its criticism of the FBIs use of raw, unanalyzed, and uncorroborated intelligence in its investigation. As the more complete record now shows, there are specific areas of Crossfire Hurricane [the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign] activity in which the FBI badly underperformed and failed, not only in its duties to the public, but also in preventing the severe reputational harm that has befallen the FBI as a consequence of Crossfire Hurricane, special counsel John Durham wrote in his report, concluding a four-year investigation. The FBI didnt immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. Man Tased by LAPD Officers Died From Effects of Enlarged Heart, Cocaine Use: Coroner LOS ANGELESA Washington, D.C. man who was Tased multiple times by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers following a traffic collision in Venice on Jan. 3 died from the effects of an enlarged heart and cocaine use, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The results came from a Jan. 11 autopsy on 31-year-old Keenan Anderson and additional tests that were certified Thursday. Mr. Anderson was observed making erratic statements and appeared agitated, the report said. He soon fled on foot and was restrained by multiple officers who reportedly used wrist locks and hobbling techniques, and a CED [Taser]. External analysis of the discharged CED revealed probes were deployed without skin impact and that trigger activations were discharged to Mr. Andersons back. Anderson, a school teacher and cousin of Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, was in the Los Angeles area visiting relatives during the Christmas season when he was involved in a traffic collision at Lincoln and Venice boulevards and reportedly tried to run away. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore speaks to the media about fallen LAPD officer Fernando Arroyos in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) In January, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said a full investigation would be conducted with a special focus on the repeated use of the Taser. In my preliminary review of this incident, its unclear what the role of that Taser was, Moore said. As this investigation continues, however, I will pay close attention to the use of the Taser. Late Friday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass again mourned Andersons death, noting that he was the father of a 5-year-old son and had been a teacher for more than eight years, most recently at the Digital Pioneers Academy, a charter school in Washington, D.C. My thoughts are with his friends and family as I know the release of this report will cause them and many Angelenos great pain as they still mourn this loss, Bass said in a statement. I remain committed to expanding the public safety system to include health professionals and to ensuring LAPD officers receive the best possible training to assist people in crisis. Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass attends the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., on May 01, 2023. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images) Andersons family filed a $50 million damages claim against the city shortly after his death. The claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, alleges that police officers involved in the incident used excessive force and that the LAPD has a pattern of such against black men. If you Tase someone with 50,000 watts of electrical energy six times in the heart, is there really any wonder that moments later his heart would begin to flutter? attorney Carl Douglas, who is representing Andersons family, said at a news conference after the claim was filed. Is there really any wonder that moments later his heart would begin to beat erratically? And is there any wonder why four hours later his heart could no longer withstand the pressure from that Taser and gave out? The LAPD released on Jan. 23 extended bodycam footage showing Andersons initial encounter with the first officer responding to the scene. When the officer arrived at Lincoln and Venice boulevards, Anderson was being evaluated for driving under the influence and was told several times to sit on the sidewalk, according to the video. Appearing to be restless, Anderson kept telling the officer someone was trying to kill him. The officer repeatedly asked him to take some deep breaths for me. Later in the video, Anderson then kept getting up from the sidewalk and running away into traffic as additional officers arrived. Officers ultimately detained him, attempted to place him in handcuffs, hobbled him at his ankles, and tased him. Soon afterward, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents LAPD officers, issued a statement insisting Anderson escalated the confrontation with his behavior, which included running away from officers into traffic. The union also asked that an unedited version of the tape be released. Minor auto accidents are usually handled with an exchange of information between the drivers and a call to ones insurance carrier, the police union said. On the other hand, when an individual who is high on cocaine is in an accident, tries to open the car door of an innocent driver, and then flees the scene by running into traffic, police officers must act. Union director and LAPD Detective Jamie McBride told The Epoch Times in January that the main officer involved in the incident did an absolutely fantastic job trying to de-escalate the situation according to LAPDs training. He said officers attempted to detain Anderson because of his involvement in the traffic collision, but Andersons resistance warranted the use of a taser to gain compliance. The normal person is going to abide by the officers direction, McBride said. When the individual doesnt go by what the officer is asking the officer [is going] to question, Why is he not doing it? Jamie Joseph and Joyce Kuo contributed to this report. Environmentalist Group Calls on Banks to Set Deforestation Targets Visitors are seen through a tangle of roots as they walk through the world heritage listed Daintree rainforest on Nov. 14, 2012 in Mossman Gorge, Australia. Located in Far North Queensland, the Cairns region is one of Australias most popular travel destinations with a tropical climate and close proximity to both the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) says banks should consider attaching deforestation conditions on loans in a proposal most likely to impact farmers. The ACF claimed that over 200,000 hectares of koala-inhabited habitat in Queensland, Australia, were destroyed in the past 10 years and that over 364,000 hectares of native vegetation were cleared from 2018 to 2020land allegedly classified as deforestation under global definitions. The group further claimed that 50 percent of the land cleared was for just 267 properties (241 owners), namely farmers. Around 60 percent of these were linked to Australian banks via a mortgage or security. The biggest lender was National Australia Bank, with the others being Rabobank, Commonwealth, ANZ, Suncorp, and Westpac. Banks should do due diligence before lending, set no deforestation targets and attach relevant conditions to their loans to agribusinesses and property developers, said ACF campaigner Nathaniel Pelle in a statement. While the UN says companies cannot claim to be on the path to net-zero while still funding deforestation, none of Australias big four banks have a no deforestation target, raising doubts about the credibility of their net-zero commitments. In response, the Queensland Labor government said data from the Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLAT) that monitor the states woody vegetation revealed a 50 percent decline in land clearing between 2019 to 2020. In 2018-19, around 195,000 hectares of woody vegetation, which includes remnant and regrowth vegetation, was cleared. This dropped to 96,400 in 2019-20. For remnant vegetation, this number went from 184,800 hectares to 87,300 in 2019-20. The Queensland governments responsible vegetation management laws protect our environment and habitats and allow landholders to manage the operations that underpin our agricultural sector, said a spokesperson in a statement to The Epoch Times. The terms and conditions under which banks and other financiers enter into mortgages and loans are commercial matters between the parties. ACF Misses the Mark on a Number of Fronts: Former Premier Meanwhile, former state premier, Campbell Newman, said Queensland already had some of the toughest land-clearing laws in the country. Thats either an achievement of the Palaszczuk government, or its overstepping the mark, he told The Epoch Times. For farmers, its very difficult for them to actually clear land. At the same time, banks were unlikely to engage in any illegal activity. To have a go at banks or farmers in this way is outrageous, Newman said. I would venture to suggest there is more woody vegetation on the Queensland landmass than there was 200 years ago, and the reason is that the historical land management practices of Aboriginal people were to get woody vegetation down to a minimum to create large areas of grassland so they could conduct their traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle, he added. Global Deforestation Push Underway The ACFs proposal follows a 2021 agreement from 100 world leaders to commit to reversing land degradation and deforestation as part of the wider push towards net zero globally. The Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use, at the COP26 climate summit, pledged $12 billion from 12 countries between 2021 to 2025 to support governments in tackling wildfires, restoring degraded land, and advancing the rights of Indigenous communities. The land covered by the agreement includes vast expanses of forest in Canada, Russia and rainforest in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Indonesia is blessed as the most carbon-rich country in the world on vast rainforests, mangroves, oceans, and peatlands. We are committed to protecting these critical carbon sinks and our natural capital for future generations, said Indonesias President Joko Widodo. Yet eco-modernist, Michael Shellenberger, has argued against the narrative that the planets environmental situation is in dire straits. The death rate from natural disasters has crashed, we have four times as many people as we did in the world 100 years ago. The death toll has declined about 90 percent in the United States, he told the Conservative Political Action Conference in Australia in October 2022. Somewhere between 305,100 people die every year from natural disasters. More people die walking from their bed to the toilet than they do from natural disasters. He also said there was more coral in the Great Barrier Reef than there had ever been in 36 years. At the same time, forest fires have claimed 25 percent less land compared to 2003an area the size of Texas. If you want to worry about environmental problems, then you should worry about the overconsumption of fish. Thats one of the environmental problems that doesnt get enough attention, he later told The Epoch Times. Katabella Roberts and Nina Nguyen contributed to this article. Ex-Trump Lawyer Says DOJ May Decline to Charge Former President Over Classified Docs An aerial view of Mar-a-Lago, the Florida home of former President Donald Trump, on Aug. 15, 2022. (Marco Bello/Reuters) Former President Donald Trump may not face charges over his handling of classified documents, according to one of his former attorneys. During a June 4 interview on NBC News Meet the Press, Timothy Parlatore said he would be not at all surprised if special counsel Jack Smith were to decline to prosecute the case. You have to evaluate every case based on what are the facts and the law and is it something thats provable, Parlatore said. From a discretion point of view, is this something where a prosecution makes sense? Is it something where it is a slam-dunk case, where some of these things could be interpreted a few different ways? he said. And also, when it comes to a specific issue like this where we are talking about potentially national defense information, is it the type of thing where they want to declassify these things, if they havent already been declassified, and put them out publicly? The attorney added that such considerations had also informed his opinion that the Justice Department made the right call in 2016 in declining to prosecute former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in connection with her use of a private server for transmitting classified information. Classification is not binding on the jury, he noted. You have to actually take these documents, show them to the jury, and then prove to them that it constitutes national defense information. Parlatore represented Trump in the legal case before leaving the former presidents legal team in May over disagreements with other members of the team. His comments followed the Department of Justices (DOJ) recent closure of its investigation into former Vice President Mike Pence over the handling of classified documents. Allegations of Bias Smith was appointed in November to lead the DOJs investigations into whether Trump mishandled classified documents and whether he or others interfered in the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 election. Smiths appointment followed the 45th presidents launch of his third presidential campaign. It also came amid increasing allegations of political bias at the DOJ following the FBIs controversial raid of Trumps home in August. In announcing Smiths new role, Attorney General Merrick Garland said: Such an appointment underscores the Departments commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters. It also allows prosecutors and agents to continue their work expeditiously and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law. Likewise, Smith pledged to conduct the investigations independently and in the best traditions of the Department of Justice. Despite those assurances, Trump has maintained that the special counsel is spearheading a politically motivated witch hunt aimed at keeping him out of office. Reports are the Marxist Special Prosecutor, DOJ, & FBI, want to Indict me on the boxes hoax, despite all of the wrongdoing that they have done for seven years, including spying on my campaign, Trump wrote on June 4 in a Truth Social post. Biden Crimes go unpunished, including that he had Boxes in Chinatown, in his garage by the Corvette, & 1,850 Boxes in Delaware that he wont allow anyone to see, he added. That is real obstruction! They seek retribution for Republicans looking into Bidens crimes! I have done nothing wrong! Election interference! And Trump is not alone in suspecting ulterior motives. On June 1, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) launched an investigation of whether Smiths probe has been infected by political bias at the FBI, citing special counsel John Durhams findings of misconduct during the Trump-Russia investigation. Recent examples of political bias in FBI and Department of Justice operations show that the so-called corrective measures the FBI instituted after Crossfire Hurricane have done nothing to address, let alone cure, the institutional rot that pervades the FBI, Jordan wrote in a letter (pdf) to Garland. It is clear that Congress must consider legislative reforms to the FBI, and the Committee has been engaged in robust oversight to inform those legislative proposals. In the interim, however, due to the FBIs documented political bias, the Justice Department must ensure any ongoing investigations are not poisoned by this same politicization. Jordan requested that Garland provide the details of how many FBI employees are assisting Smith with the investigation, whether any were involved in previous Trump-related matters, and whether the probe relies on material collected exclusively by the FBI before Smiths appointment. Garland has until 5 p.m. Eastern time on June 15 to respond to the congressmans requests. Extent of NS Software Breach Still Unknown, Microsoft Blames Ransomware Gang A woman uses her computer keyboard in North Vancouver, B.C., on Dec. 19, 2012. (The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward) Microsoft security experts say hackers affiliated with the notorious Clop ransomware group are behind an attack on a third-party file sharing system that resulted in the theft of personal data belonging to Nova Scotians. The Nova Scotia government said it is still trying to determine how many people had their data stolen in the attack on MOVEit software, which is used by companies all over the world. The provincial government confirmed Sunday that it used the software and that some residents data has been breached as a result of the attack. The Nova Scotia Heath Authority website said MOVEit is used to share sensitive and confidential information with partners and external clients. Our investigation is ongoing, and we dont yet know the full extent of who has been directly impacted, Khalehla Perrault, spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Department of Cybersecurity and Digital Solutions, said in an email. We are taking this very seriously and are doing everything we can to determine the impact in our province, as fast as possible. The MOVEit software made by Massachusetts-based company Ipswitch allows organizations to transfer files and data between employees, departments and customers. Progress Software, the parent company of Ipswitch, confirmed a vulnerability in its software last week, saying the issue could lead to potential unauthorized access of users systems and files. The province then took the service off-line and installed a security update before bringing it back online Friday, only to be told further investigation was needed. Cybersecurity experts were then called in on Saturday evening. Microsoft Threat Intelligence said in a tweet Sunday that the Lace Tempest hacking group, which is known for running the Clop extortion site, exploited that vulnerability. The threat actor has used similar vulnerabilities in the past to steal data (and) extort victims, the tweet said. News reports showed the BBC, British Airways and U.K. pharmacy chain Boots were among the victims. Clop is a long-running ransomware gang with ties to Russia, said Keegan Keplinger, a senior threat researcher with Waterloo-based cybersecurity firm eSentire. They go after large companies and organizations with big budgets, he said in an interview Monday. By targeting a file-transfer software company, the hackers then gain access to many companies and organizations all of MOVEits clients as well as all of the files theyve moved with the system, Keplinger said. They are also able to directly transfer their own files to all of those clients, he added. Clop stole personal data from the City of Toronto in March by hacking into a third-party file-sharing service called GoAnywhere, according to several online technology publications, including IT World Canada. Keplinger said that typically, the hackers will take personal data and then threaten to publish the data unless those companies or organizations pay a ransom. If theyve got a bunch of private, personal data, then theyre of course going to try to get Nova Scotia to pay them not to publish it, he said in an interview. Otherwise, either way, whether they publish it or not, theyll have that data. Keplinger said its possible the Nova Scotia government is negotiating with the hackers. Spokespeople for the Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador governments said the provinces do not use MOVEit software. Kelly David, a spokesperson for New Brunswicks Finance and Treasury Board, did not say if the government used the software. Based on our assessments, there are no impacts to (the government). As part of our standard cybersecurity due diligence, we will continue to monitor and assess the situation, David said in an email. British Columbia uses the software, but the provincial Department of Citizens Services said in an email that the vulnerability exploited by the hackers was patched and no data was stolen. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada said it received a breach report from Nova Scotia and has requested more information to determine next steps. FBI Fails to Hand Over Document Alleging Biden Bribery Scheme; Republicans to Initiate Contempt Proceedings (Left) House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) holds a news conference to present preliminary findings into their investigation into President Joe Biden's family, in Washington on May 10, 2023. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images); (Right) FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the president's 2024 budget request for the agency in Washington on May 10, 2023. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) says the FBI has failed to produce an unclassified document alleging that President Joe Biden engaged in a criminal bribery scheme and that Republicans in turn will move to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings. In a May 3 letter, Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, joined by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) revealed that they received highly credible unclassified whistleblower disclosures that the FBI possessed an unclassified record that describes an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money-for-policy decisions. FBI Director Christopher Wray has since confirmed that the document exists but, in an escalating showdown with House Republicans over the document, has refused to release it to the panel. Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and the White House have disputed the credibility of the document. Raskin said it was based on previous allegations that went nowhere. The White House has described Comers investigation as a silly charade intended to tarnish the presidents reputation and boost Republicans poll numbers. After a June 5 meeting with Wray to view the document, Comer claimed that Wray confirmed that this isnt the case. Wray allegedly acknowledged that the document is credible, comes from a long-trusted FBI source, and is currently the subject of an active FBI investigation. FBI Director Christopher Wray prepares to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Nov. 15, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Today, FBI officials confirmed that the unclassified FBI-generated record has not been disproven and is currently being used in an ongoing investigation, Comer said. The confidential human source who provided information about then-Vice President Biden being involved in a criminal bribery scheme is a trusted, highly credible informant who has been used by the FBI for over 10 years, and has been paid over six figures. These are facts, and no amount of spin and, frankly, lies from the White House or congressional Democrats can change this information. Comer said the FBI refused to hand over the unclassified record to the Oversight panel and that Republicans will follow through on initiating contempt of Congress proceedings against Wray. At the briefing, the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee. And we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday, Comer said. Comer told The Epoch Times that not only the panel should be given access to the document: I think everybody should see it. Its unclassified, he added. So, I mean, its not real complicated. We want the document. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) made the same point while talking to reporters on Monday evening, saying that every member of the committee should at least be able to view the document. Everybody on that committee has the responsibility of oversight, he said. [Wray] needs to supply it to everybody on the committee. If not we will move forward [with contempt proceedings]. After he viewed the document with Comer on June 5, Raskin reiterated his position, suggesting that he saw nothing in the document that would require pursuit of criminal action. But when he was asked whether he knew if there was an active FBI investigation into the contents of the document, as Comer claims, Raskin evaded the question, instead replying, What I know is that the FBI Department of Justice team under [ Attorney General] William Barr terminated the investigation, they said there were no grounds for further investigative steps. The development in the growing feud between Congress and the FBI comes amid a flurry of Republican investigations into the Biden family and the presidents administration. Previous reports based on findings from Hunter Bidens laptop and testimony from former business associates suggest that Joe Biden took part in Hunter Bidens business dealings in Ukraine and received a cut of the profits from the dealsincluding while he was vice president. If Comer is right about the authenticity and credibility of the document, it could prompt Republicans to undertake further legal action against the embattled president, who has announced that he will seek a second term in office. Should Oversight Committee Republicans advance a contempt charge through the panel, it will then be taken up by a vote of the full House. If the House votes to recommend charges, it will be up to Attorney General Merrick Garland to determine whether a crime took place. In a response to an inquiry from The Epoch Times, the FBI called the move to advance contempt proceedings against Wray unwarranted. The FBI has continually demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the committees request, including by producing the document in a reading room at the U.S. Capitol, a spokesperson said. This commonsense safeguard is often employed in response to congressional requests and in court proceedings to protect important concerns, such as the physical safety of sources and the integrity of investigations. The escalation to a contempt vote under these circumstances is unwarranted. Jackson Richman contributed to this report. The article was updated to include a statement from the FBI and a comment by McCarthy. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan will be entitled to pay interest to credit organizations on the mandatory reserves held in order to ensure macroeconomic stability and stability of financial markets in the country, Trend reports. This is reflected in the proposed amendment to the law "On the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan", which was submitted for discussion at today's meeting of the Committee of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) on economic policy, industry and entrepreneurship. Federal Officials Warn of Especially Severe Wildfire Season in Canada A helicopter drops water on a hot spot at the site of a wildfire in Tantallon, Nova Scotia, on June 1, 2023, in this handout photo. (The Canadian Press/HO, Communications Nova Scotia) As several provinces struggle to contain out-of-control wildfires, federal officials warned on June 5 that Canada will likely see an especially severe wildfire season. Our modelling shows that this may be an especially severe wildfire season throughout the summer, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference in Ottawa. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair told reporters that there are 413 wildfires burning across the country, 249 of which are deemed to be out of control. There are also 18 active wildfires specifically impacting First Nations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, he said, and as of the afternoon of June 4, an estimated 26,000 people remain evacuated from their homes across those provinces as well as in British Columbia. A total of 2,214 wildfires have occurred nationally so far this year, and approximately 3.3 million hectares of forest have been burned, Blair said. Mike Norton with the Northern Forestry Centre at the Department of Natural Resources told reporters that this number of fires across the country at this time of year is not normal, as the 10-year average over the same timeframe was 1,624 fires and 254,429 hectares burned. Blair said the federal government has responded to aid requests from Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Quebec, and has also agreed to send Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members to assist. Trudeau said that given the very serious projections for this summers wildfire season, he had asked CAF Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre whether Canada would have enough resources to deal with them. With the given projections, it is expected that we have enough resources to cover the summer, Trudeau said. If things get worse, we are developing contingency plans, and we will of course make sure that we are there, whether its leaning more on international supports, whether its setting up other resources, We will be there to ensure that all Canadians are protected right through this summer. Wildfires Some of the Most Severe Ever Witnessed in Canada Blair said that with an estimated 26,000 people under evacuation orders across the country, the images of wildfires seen so far are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada. The current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity, the minister said. Releasing the information that were providing today will allow people and governments to prepare, and because they know that when they are prepared, we can reduce the risks that these events pose and it enables us to position the resources and the supports that Canadians may need and be ready to mobilize them. Blair said the Government Operations Centrewhich supports the federal governments planning and coordination in response to all emergencieshas ensured a swift response to the wildfires. He said federal assistance has been quickly offered to Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Quebec, and CAF personnel and assets have been supplied when needed. The Nova Scotia government tweeted on June 5 that it had air resources that included four helicopters and four water bombers from Montana to help fight the wildfires in its province. Blair also acknowledged that support has been sent from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. We are expecting further deployments from these countries, including France, in the coming days and weeks, he said. Updated Models Sobering Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said the updated modelling on wildfires is sobering, as it shows that the risk of wildfires is set to increase in June and remain unusually high throughout the summer across Canada. It shows us that this years already devastating season could well get worse, he said. Wilkinson noted that the model anticipates the risk levels, not actual fires. He said that with good fortune, its possible that the full extent of the risk will not occur, but that provinces and territories would need to be on high alert throughout this wildfire season. The minister said Natural Resources Canada will be investing $170 million in a WildFireSat mission, the worlds first purpose-built public satellite system for monitoring fires, which is targeted to launch in 2029. Once operational, WildFireSat help reduce wildfire losses; help us defend communities and avoid unnecessary evacuations; allow us to better protect our resources, infrastructure, and environment; inform emergency decisions; reduce health problems associated with smoke and air pollution; and help prevent more disastrous fires, Wilkinson said. 5 Greek Police Officers in Custody Pending Trial for Assisting Illegal Migrant Crossings Hellenic police patrol the new 5-meter steel fence installed along the Evros River in Poros, Greece, on June 13, 2021. (Byron Smith/Getty Images) Five police officers accused of cooperating with human traffickers to facilitate the entry of at least 100 illegal immigrants into Greece are being held in custody pending trial. The five officers had been testifying before an examining magistrate since Saturday morning at the border town of Orestiada, in northeastern Greece. Agents from the internal affairs division of the Greek police had been monitoring the five officers, who serve in a special border guard unit, since October 2022. They also listened into their phone conversations, whose transcripts run into over 2,000 pages. The officers had aroused suspicion by volunteering to patrol at certain times, together. Authorities say the officers facilitated at least 12 border crossings, collaborating with four traffickers of undetermined nationality who operated from Turkey. Authorities allege that the accused officers took a cut from the money the traffickers received from the migrants to take them across the border. When the officers were arrested on May 29 in the border town of Didymoteicho, police confiscated some 26,000 euros ($28,000) in cash, and nearly 60 mobile phones. Almost all the land border between Greece and Turkey is formed by the Evros River, called Meric in Turkey. The Evros is a key crossing point into Greece for people seeking a better life in the European Union. Greece has built a high fence along much of the border to prevent illegal migrants crossing, and is planning to further extend it. By Costas Kantouris Ford Motor Co. Sues Blue Cross Blue Shield in Antitrust Case Over Astronomical Profit Ford logo at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sept. 10, 2019. (Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters) Ford Motor Co. is suing Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in U.S. court, accusing it of a price-fixing conspiracy that caused the automaker to pay inflated costs for health insurance products for its employees. The lawsuit Ford filed in Detroit federal court on May 31 accused the insurer and its regional Michigan branch of unlawfully dividing up parts of the country in a scheme to reduce competition with each other in order to drive astronomical profits. The allegations from Ford, employing more than 170,000 workers worldwide, relate to a $2.7 billion settlement that Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its three dozen member companies reached in 2020 with corporate and individual policy holders in Alabama federal court. Ford opted out of that settlement, which is now on appeal at the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in order to pursue its own claims. The appeals court agreed to fast-track its consideration of the settlement. A spokesperson for defendant Blue Cross Blue Shield Association declined to comment on pending litigation. A representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan also declined to comment. Ford did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the lawsuit, and a lawyer for the company declined to comment. In the 40-page complaint, Ford said the alleged scheme to curb competition among Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations deprived the vehicle manufacturer of the opportunity to purchase health insurance products and services from a lower cost competitor and/or at a price set by the free market. The lawsuit seeks to bar Blue Cross Blue Shields alleged anticompetitive conduct, and it also seeks triple damages and other remedies. Ford said it had spent more than $500 million on premiums since 2009 for fully insured products for employees in designated areas in the state, according to the complaint. Fords lawsuit said Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is the countrys ninth largest insurer based on its 4.5 million enrollees. The case is Ford Motor Co v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Mutual Insurance Company and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, No. 2:23-cv-11286-LVP-EAS. For Ford: J. Travis Mihelick of Dinsmore & Shohl For Blue Cross: No appearance yet By Mike Scarcella Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Endorses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for President Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Humanity Against Censorship rally in front of Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on May 19, 2022. (Mrs. Hao/The Epoch Times) Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey endorsed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president in 2024. Dorsey, who stepped down as the social media platforms CEO in 2021, said that Kennedy was the Democrat candidate who could beat both Republican front runners Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump. Kennedy, like Dorsey, is a strong advocate of cryptocurrency. The nephew of a former president and the son of a presidential candidate, Kennedy has said he is the Democrats best chance at the White House in 2024 over the incumbent, President Joe Biden. In a June 2 appearance on Fox News, the Democrat hopeful went after Trump and DeSantis and explained why he thought that neither were fit for the Oval Office. Dorsey revealed his endorsement on June 4 when he shared a tweet with a video segment of the Fox News interview, titled Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. argues he can beat Trump and DeSantis in 2024. The former Twitter boss shared the video with the added comment, He can and will. One Twitter user replied, Are you endorsing or just predicting? Both, Dorsey responded. Another user commented that the Democratic National Committee would never allow Kennedy to become the nominee. True but they seem to be more irrelevant by the day, Dorsey replied. When another user said that one politician isnt going to fix this situation, Dorsey replied with two words: None will. Kennedy received the endorsement after he hit the campaign trail for the first time since launching his bid for president back in April. Kennedy Behind in Polls Kennedy is a well-known environmental activist, an outspoken vaccine critic, and an opponent of corporate collusion with the government. He has accused the CIA in the past of complicity in the deaths of both his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. The younger Kennedy has touted himself as a moderate Democrat alternative to Biden, saying he wishes to heal the partisan divide. Twitter became involved in the 2024 race when DeSantis formally announced his presidential bid on Twitter Spaces on May 24, but the speech was disrupted by technical glitches. Although Twitters new CEO Elon Musk restored Trumps account last year after he was banned from the platform in 2021, Trump has so far decided to remain on his own social media app, Truth Social. In a recent Fox News national poll about the 2024 Democrat presidential race, Kennedy stood at 16 percent support while Biden had 62 percent. However, Kennedy grabbed 20 percent support compared to the 80-year-old president at 60 percent in a CNN poll. Both polls have indicated that Marianne Williamson, another entrant into the Democrat presidential race, is standing at 8 percent, Fox News reported. The Epoch Times contacted the Kennedy campaign for comment. French President Sending 100 Firefighters to Fight Quebec Wildfires Smoke rises from burning trees near Chapais in Northern Quebec on June 2, 2023. (Handout: SOPFEU Prevention and Communications-Audrey Marcoux/The Canadian Press) As thousands of Quebec residents evacuated due to the more than 150 wildfires over the weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will send 100 firefighters to help. Canadian friends, reinforcements are coming, he said in a June 4 tweet in French. Canada is facing terrible fires. France is united. A hundred of our firefighters are preparing to fight the flames alongside their Quebec comrades. Experts are also mobilized. Quebec Premier Francois Legault posted a thank-you to the French president on Twitter, saying Merci cousins! Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded shortly afterward on June 4 as well, thanking Macron. On behalf of Canadians, and in particular those affected by the forest fires: thank you. Our two countries are the closest friends and strongest partners, and this relationship is more important than ever, said Trudeau. On the morning of June 5, Quebecs forest fire prevention group, the Societe de protection des forets contre le feu (SOPFEU), issued a statement saying they are currently fighting a high number of fires, particularly in the regions of Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Cote-Nord, Mauricie, Nord-du-Quebec and SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean. Intervention priorities are focused on the protection of human life, the protection of communities and essential infrastructure. Wildfires in northwestern Quebec have caused the evacuations of more than 5,500 residents from the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region, which borders Ontario, and another 4,500 people from the north shore community of Sept-Iles and neighbouring outskirts. Approximately 14,000 more residents have been evacuated throughout Quebec due to thick smoke and nearby blazes. The military has been assisting in Quebec, with 100 arriving on June 3, and another 100 expected June 5, which saw the total number of fires rise to 156, from 134 the day before. Thirty-five fires are being actively fought by 500 firefighters with SOPFEU. At a news conference in Montreal on June 5 outside provincial police headquarters, Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel said authorities are focused on protecting human life, the houses and enterprises. And we want to protect our infrastructure, like Hydro-Quebecs. Within a few days, there should be more than 1,000 people on the ground to fight these fires, Bonnardel said. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. GOP Senators Worry About Trump 2016 Replay as Primary Field Grows Former President Donald Trump (L) addresses the crowd during a 2024 election campaign event in Columbia, S.C., on Jan. 28, 2023; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) speaks to guests at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas on Nov. 19, 2022. (Logan Cyrus, Scott Olson/Getty Images) Some top Republican lawmakers who have signaled opposition to former President Donald Trumps 2024 presidential bid have expressed worry that the former commander-in-chief will prevail with a crowded GOP primary field. This week, former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork for a 2024 presidential bid, coming on the heels of announcements made by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.). Other candidates include former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Reports indicate that former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum are aiming to run. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a former member of the GOPs leadership in the Senate who has been critical of Trumps 2024 bid, suggested to The Hill that the current field appears to be a replay of 2016 when Trump emerged from the fray to ultimately become the Republican nominee. A number of these people are in low single digits, so my hope would be that, if after a few months their numbers dont get better, that they decide to drop out so that it becomes a two- or three-person race. I think that would be the best development, as far as Im concerned, Cornyn told the outlet. An ally of Cornyn, Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.C.), who endorsed Scott, made similar admissions about the race. Thats always a possibility when you have one candidate that has a loyal following that starts with a bigger base, Thune said, adding that he believes DeSantis hasnt done well enough to be a clear alternative to Trump. I think the fact that that many people are getting in suggests that they sense an opening. I think theres a sense out there that people are looking for a new direction and a lot of these candidates are responding to it, the Republican senator said. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.C.), who also backs Scotts 2024 bid, agreed with Cornyn and other senators by saying that 2024 candidates who dont obtain enough support should leave the race sooner than later. Hes just stating the facts. Thats the way that it works, he told the outlet. Pence Enters After months of speculation, Pence filed paperwork on Monday declaring his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a challenge to his former boss. It comes just two years after Trump criticized Pence after he presided over the Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021. Pence, a former radio host who ultimately became Indianas governor, made his candidacy official Monday with the Federal Election Commission. While Trump is currently leading the early fight for the nomination, with DeSantis polling consistently in second, Pence supporters see a lane for a reliable conservative who espouses many of the previous administrations policies but without the constant tumult. Former Vice President Mike Pence meets with guests at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition in Clive, Iowa, on April 22, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times) Notably, Pence supports a national ban on abortion procedures and has campaigned against transgender policies in schools. He has argued that changes to Social Security and Medicare, like raising the age for qualification, should be on the table to keep the programs solvent, which Trump has strongly opposed. Pence also has said the United States should offer more support to Ukraine against Russian aggression, while claiming there are Putin apologists in the GOP unwilling to stand up to the Russian leader. Trump, meanwhile, has often said that he would end the RussiaUkraine war in 24 hours and claimed that the death toll is far greater than is being reported. I think well have better choices, Pence recently told The Associated Press. The American people want us to return to the policies of the TrumpPence administration, but I think they want to see leadership that reflects more of the character of the American people. A recent Fox News national poll, taken May 25, showed that Trump was leading DeSantis by more than 30 percentage points among potential voters. Meanwhile, all the other candidates, including Pence, stood at 5 percent support or less among voters. Neither Trump nor DeSantis have yet to react to Pences move to enter the 2024 race. Reports indicate that Pence will announce his White House bid this week. Debates? While Trump has publicly signaled that he doesnt want to partake in the Republican National Committees debates, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel revealed that the first one will be held Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Aug. 23, 2023. The RNC is committed to putting on a fair, neutral, and transparent primary process, and the qualifying criteria set forth will put our party and eventual nominee in the best position to take back the White House come November 2024, McDaniel said. But in April, Trump wrote on Truth Social that regarding the debates, nobody got my approval, or the approval of the Trump Campaign, before announcing them. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The human brain is often regarded as an unfathomable enigma, and while science knows that our brain function is a result of the transmission of signals between connected billions of neurons, it has now found what influences those transmissions is actually the shape of our brain. For decades, scientists subscribed to the hypothesis that the 86 billion neurons in the brain, connected by trillions of links, must be controlling the brain activities and that we only need to know the patterns of these connections to unveil the mysteries surrounding our brains. However, a new study published in the journal Nature challenged this theory and proposed a new hypothesis: that the shape of the brain is actually what influences more our brain activities like thinking, feeling, behaving, etc. The Groundbreaking Study The study conducted by Monash University, Australia, was based on the hypothesis that the nervous system must be no exception to the dynamics of many natural systems, which are constrained by their underlying structure. For example, the morphology of the proteins determines which molecules they will interact with; the shape of the river bed shapes the underwater currents; and the shape of the drums, which influences their acoustic properties. So the scientists conducted an experiment where 255 people were performing tasks like tapping their fingers and took magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of their brains. After that, they gathered 10,000 different maps of human brain activity from other similar experiments around the world and created a computer model of the link between brain size and brain waves. They compared this model with the previous existing one that aligns the brain activity with the neuron activities as the key to the function of the brain and found that the new model actually shows a better reconstruction of the brain activity in the MRI scans. The lead author of the study, James Pang, who is a research fellow at Monash University, compared the waves of the brain to the ripple effect in a pond, with the analogy that the shape and size of the pond would shape the look of the ripples. The geometry is pretty important because it guides how the wave would look, which in turn relates to the activity patterns that you see when people perform different tasks, said Pang told NBCNews . Eigenmodes: A New Aspect of the Study The authors state that they used the patterns known as eigenmodes. Eigenmodes arise from the concept of eigenvalues and eigenvectors in linear algebra, and in the context of a physical system, the eigenvalues correspond to the frequencies at which the system can oscillate, and the eigenvectors describe the spatial distribution or pattern of the oscillation. For example, if we look at a vibrating string fixed at both ends, the eigenmodes of the string represent the different ways it can vibrate with specific frequencies and patterns. Eigenmodes are relevant in various areas of science and engineering, including electromagnetics, acoustics, structural mechanics, and quantum mechanics, and are used to understand the behavior and properties of complex systems and to analyze the response of these systems to external stimuli or boundary conditions. Two of the authors of this study, James Pang and Alex Fornito, explain how exactly they applied the eigenmodes concept in their work in an article for The Conversation . We uncovered this close relationship between shape and function by examining the natural patterns of excitation that can be supported by the anatomy of the brain. In these patterns, called eigenmodes, different parts of the brain are all excited at the same frequency, they said. Consider the musical notes played by a violin string. The notes arise from preferred vibrational patterns of the string that occur at specific, resonant frequencies. These preferred patterns are the eigenmodes of the string. They are determined by the strings physical properties, such as its length, density, and tension. In a similar way, the brain has its own preferred patterns of excitation, which are determined by its anatomical and physical properties. We set out to identify which specific anatomical properties of the brain most strongly affect these patterns. The researchers concluded that the brain shape is more accurate to assess brain activity. We attempted to describe each activity map using eigenmodes based on the brains connectivity and eigenmodes based on the brains shape. We found that eigenmodes of brain shapenot connectivityoffer the most accurate account of these different activation patterns, Pang and Fornito said. However, another neuroscientist, David Van Essen, who is a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, thinks that most researchers still believe in the original hypothesis that brain activity is due to the communication of the nerve cells, and especially their axons, which act like a wire in the process of transferring information between the nerve cells. The fundamental starting hypothesis is that the wiring of the brain is central to understanding how the brain functions, Van Essen told NBC. Van Essen is skeptical about these new findings. He raises the concern that the models are based on the average shape of the brains of participants, whereas in reality, there is a difference in the patterns of the brains surface folds. It would be an understatement to say this is a controversial theory, and it really needs to be put through its paces to evaluate critically whether it stands the test of time, he said. Another concern of Van Essens is the accuracy of the MRIs readings when it comes to the wiring of the brain. As exciting and informative as it is, its still inaccurate in fundamental ways and incomplete, and leaves a lot left to be sorted out by future studies, he said regarding MRI technology. Advantages of This Research However, the researchers have said that the new research does not diminish the role of the communication between the nerve cells, but it does contribute to the understanding of the key role the brain shape plays in the whole process. What the work is showing is that the shape has a stronger influence, but its not saying that connectivity is not important, Pang explained. He pointed out that the new hypothesis has a significant advantage in that the shape of the brain is much easier to measure than the brain wiring, thus assessing the curves and the size of the brain can help further this research in various directions, like the role of the brain shape for developing neurological and psychiatric diseases. Another advantage could be the ability to measure the speed at which the brain waves travel in the various parts of the brain, which can predict how people process information and can help with diseases like depression and schizophrenia, Pang thinks. However, Pang thinks this research is strong on individual base brain shape too. Were pretty confident that the influence is really there, he told NBC. Our approach draws on centuries of work in physics and engineering. In these fields, the function of a system is understood with respect to the constraints imposed by its structure, as embodied by the systems eigenmodes, Pang wrote for ScienceAlert. This approach has not been traditionally used in neuroscience. Instead, typical brain mapping methods rely on complex statistics to quantify brain activity without any reference to the underlying physical and anatomical basis of those patterns. They argue that the new approach opens possibilities for studying how brain shape affects function through evolution, development, aging, and brain disease. Our discovery also offers immediate practical benefits since eigenmodes of brain shape are much simpler to quantify than those of brain connectivity, the researchers said. Higher Airfares, Worse Customer Service After Decades of Qantas-Virgin Duopoly A line of Qantas aircraft sits at Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 31, 2021. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images) Australias competition watchdog declared that the domestic airline industry sits at a critical juncture, with the lack of competition costing Aussies with more expensive airfares and declining customer service quality. In the last two decades, over 90 percent of domestic passengers flew with either Qantas or Virgin Australia. Domestic aviation is one of the most concentrated industries in Australia, barring only natural monopolies such as electricity grids and rail networks, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said. Without a real threat of losing passengers to other airlines, the Qantas and Virgin Australia airline groups have had less incentive to offer attractive airfares, develop more direct routes, operate more reliable services, and invest in systems to provide high levels of customer service. According to its final report on airline competition in Australia, the ACCC found that only 72 percent of flights arrived on time, and four percent were cancelled in the month of April. This is below the long-term industry average of 81.5 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively. Jetstar reported the worst performance, with cancellation rates of more than double of other airlines at 8.1 percent and only 60 percent of flights arriving on time. The ACCC said a solution to force airlines to provide compensation entitlements for delayed or cancelled flights had merit and will look to consult further with the government on this suggestion. It also called on the government to introduce an independent dispute resolution ombuds scheme to improve the industrys declining level of customer service. Cass-Gottlieb said an ombuds scheme with the power to make binding decisions would incentivise airlines to improve customer service. A general view of the Virgin Australia Terminal at Perth Airport in Perth, Australia, on Jan. 8, 2021. (Matt Jelonek/Getty Images) Barricades to Competition in Australian Airlines The report said that the best legislative reform to promote competition would be to reform the allocation of take-off and landing slots at Sydney Airport to give greater access to smaller airlines. Access to peak time slots at Sydney Airport is critical for new and expanding airlines seeking to build an intercity network, Cass-Gottlieb said. Without legislative reform to the airports demand management scheme, there will not be any material improvement in domestic airline competition in Australia in the foreseeable future. Rob Nicholls, associate professor of regulation and governance at the University of New South Wales, explained why the limited access to gates at Sydney and Melbourne airports has contributed to the lack of competitors in the industry. In order to be able to compete effectively, a new entrant needs to be able to have access to gates at both airports. The problem from a competition perspective is that each of those airports is best served by continuing to offer gates to the two incumbents, Qantas and Virgin, he told The Epoch Times. It becomes a vicious circle, access of gates limits number of flights, limited numbers of flights mean less choice for air travellers. Attempts to get around these issues by using secondary airports in each city have been unsuccessful. Numerous airlines in the past have tried to operate in the domestic industry only to fail. These include Compass, Ansett, OzJet, and Tigerair, which was hit hard by COVID-19 and bought by Virgin in 2020. Will the New Competition Last? The expansion of Rex Airlines and the entry of Bonza signalled an opportunity to create more competition. However, ACCC noted that both airlines would need to grow significantly to compete with the two giants effectively. After two decades of what has essentially been a duopoly between the Qantas Group and Virgin Australia, there is now an opportunity for the industry to enter a more competitive era, the report said. Nicholls said Rex and Bonza would need a significant increase in access to more airport gate capacity to compete effectively. He also noted that Bonza did not operate the Sydney-Melbourne route, one of the worlds most busiest air routes, which significantly hampered its ability to compete. The report also highlighted that the smaller airlines are being impacted by the shortage of pilots and supply chain delays. Rex has already suspended the Adelaide-Mildura route in May, reduced nine services in other regional routes across the eastern states, and announced its exit from the Adelaide-Whyalla route. But Rex also announced the launch of its Adelaide-Sydney route, which is currently only operated by Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia. The benefits to customers in the entry of a single new competitor like Rex were illustrated in numerous routes, including Sydney-Melbourne, where combined industry revenue per passenger fell by about 25 percent. But the ACCC warned that the competition provided by Rex and Bonza was far from assured. New airlines in the past and around the world have often struggled in response to aggressive competition from the incumbent airlines, it said. In this regard, the ACCC will continue to watch how the incumbent airlines respond to Rex and Bonza and will investigate if there are concerns that the behaviour contravenes competition law. Hong Kong Protest Movement Exhibition Opens in New York at the Tiananmen Memorial Museum The first permanent exhibition hall with the theme Hong Kong Protest Movement opened in Manhattan, New York, on June 2. Located within the Tiananmen Square Memorial Hall, shows photos of all the candlelight vigils in Hong Kong's Victoria Park over the years in memory of the June 4th victims. Photo taken on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) In time for the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, the first permanent memorial museum was opened in New York on June 2. The new museum will become the only exhibition site in the world presenting the history of the 1989 massacre after the forced closure of the June 4th Memorial Museum in Hong Kong for political reasons. The exhibition hall houses pictures, videos, and some real objects to display and review of the massacre and the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement, presenting the history of Hong Kong peoples pursuit of democracy and freedom. Anna Yeung-Cheung, the founder of NY4HK (a New York-Hong Kong Concern Group), introduced that the exhibition is divided into three themed exhibition zones: the Hong Kong Victoria Park candlelight vigil between 1990-2020 in memory of the June 4th victims, the 2014 Umbrella Movement, and the major events during the 2019 anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong. Anna Yeung-Cheung, founder and convener of NY4HK, on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) Anna Yeung-Cheung said that the museum is the first permanent exhibition in New York with the theme of the Hong Kong peoples resistance movement. She believes that the establishment of this permanent exhibition hall is an important milestone in the history of Hong Kong. She looks forward to the opportunity to set up such exhibition halls in other regions in the future. There is always a difference between a physical exhibition and looking at pictures online. I hope everyone can participate in the physical exhibition. She revealed that in the future, NY4HK will hold some activities in the exhibition hall to display the works of art created by Hongkongers or hold sharing sessions. A review of the Umbrella Movement in 2014. Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Media, donated the yellow umbrella on display, taken on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) Helmets used by young people at the scene of the Hong Kong protest movement in 2019, at the exhibition on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) The Struggle of Hong Kong Peoplefrom 8964 to the Anti-extradition protests on display at the exhibition on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) The director of the memorial museum, Yu Dahai, said that Hong Kong peoples support for the June 4 democratic movement has been longstanding. A tent displayed in the museum was donated by Hongkongers in 1989. The provider of the tent participated in the hunger strike in Tiananmen Square and only lived in the tent for a week before a bloody massacre occurred. This tent is a physical testimony of Hong Kong peoples support for the mainland democracy movement, said Yu. Yu Dahai, director of the June 4th Memorial Hall, introduced a tent in the exhibition that was donated by Hongkongers in 1989, shown on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) Yu introduced three newspapers published in Hong Kong on June 5, 1989, describing the massacre displayed in the exhibition hall was also provided by Hong Kong people. They are newspapers from a few different publishers, and this makes our collection fairly comprehensive, which is very rare. This shows that Hong Kong people are very concerned about what happened in mainland China in 1989. The incident is also very emotional. Conversely, we have clearly seen what happened in Hong Kong in the past few years, and we are very supportive, and we are also very saddened by this result, said Yu. Three newspapers published in Hong Kong on June 5, 1989, provided by Hong Kong people, are on display in the June 4th Memorial Hall on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) June 4th Memorial Museum Director Yu Dahai on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) Mak Ka-on, a member of the Pupil Walker Humanitarian Foundation, attended the opening ceremony of the memorial museum and donated some old newspapers that he had collected for many years. Man was a witness during the Beijing democracy movement in 1989. Mak returned to Hong Kong on June 1 of that year but never expected a bloody suppression just a few days later. He still remembers that on the day he learned of the violent suppression, Hong Kong was raging with wind and rain. At that time, people called for a sit-in protest in front of the local Xinhua News Agency (communist media). He was one of them. There were a few thousand of us sitting in the middle of a slopey road, with water rushing down like hell, everyone was soaked, but no one left and just sat there, said Mak. Mak Ka-on, a member of the Pupil Walker Humanitarian Foundation, at the exhibition on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) Wang Dan, the student leader of the 1989 democracy movement, shared that after the bloody suppression of June 4th. Hong Kong people continued to commemorate in Victoria Park for 30 consecutive years, which is extremely touching for him. No doubt such feeling persists that Hong Kong people are continuing this spirit of democracy. He believes that the Hong Kong democracy movement is an important episode in the history of the world. Current darkness does not mean much; initial failure is always the pathway to eventual success. Wang Dan, student leader of the 1989 democracy movement in Beijing, at the exhibition on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng /The Epoch Times) The Struggles Hong Kong People Have Walkedfrom 8964 to Anti-Extradition Movement exhibits on a special Lennon wall at the exhibition on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) Mak Lok-kei, a designer of the exhibition, told the Epoch Times that he did not pay much attention to the June 4th Vigil in Victoria Park in the past, thinking it was too far away from him. It was not until the pro-democracy movement in 2019, when a large number of Hong Kong people came out to fight for their own democracy, that he realized Hong Kong was about to become another mainland China city. He then joined the June 4th commemorative event in 2019 and never expected it to be the last. And it was then that he really started to understand what happened on June 4th and how the democratic movement is related to his own future. In the Hong Kong exhibition area, a comparison chart was compiled to review and explain the connection between 8964 and the Anti-extradition movement, taken on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) The design of this exhibition showcases a comparison chart to review and explain the connection between the Tiananmen massacre and the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. Mak shared that he came to the United States two years ago and gradually got to know some friends who had participated in the June 4th movement in 1989. After listening to their stories, Mak feels the likely connection with himself: They left more than 30 years ago from the place they loved. This struggle has lasted for so many years nonstop. The devil of communism has been eroding our democracy and freedom. We have continued from generation to generation (1989 in China and 2019 in Hong Kong). Only after I came to the United States did I realize the connection between them. So, the feeling of setting up the exhibition area this time runs much deeper. We want to continue this spirit of freedom from generation to generation. E-candles on display at the June 4th Memorial Hall on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) People who came to visit the exhibition also brought their children along on June 3, 2023. (Jenny Zeng/The Epoch Times) To visit the June 4th Memorial Hall and Hong Kong Protest Movement Exhibition, visit the reservation website (reservations arrangement will be available in late June): 64ma.org House Republicans Request Interview With ICE Official on Decreased Deportations Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) speaks during a news conference on FBI whistleblower testimony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on May 18, 2023. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) House Republicans have issued a request to have a transcribed interview with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official who oversees the deportations of illegal immigrants. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Chairman Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) issued the formal request (pdf) on June 5 to the Deputy Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations at ICE. The letter was sent in relation to concerns that ICE has failed to enforce federal immigration law amidst a significant surge in illegal immigration. According to the committee leadership, they have a responsibility to oversee the administrations enforcement of federal immigration law and find it necessary to examine actions by ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) during what they describe as a period of skyrocketing illegal immigration. The letter highlights a decline in ICEs removal of illegal aliens in 2021 compared with 2020 levels. In 2021, ICEs removal of illegal aliens decreased 68 percent below 2020 removal levels. The number of removals in 2022 remained low, nearly 70 percent below the three-year average of removals of illegal aliens between 2018 and 2020, the lawmakers stated in their letter. The removal of convicted criminals was similarly downby nearly 50 percentbetween 2022 and 2020, House Republicans said in their letter. In 2021, ICE stated that at least 463 sanctuary jails and prisons in the United States would not cooperate with the agency regarding deportation of criminals. Concern for Decreased Deportation The lawmakers pointed to data from the agency that indicates a rise in illegal immigration, which has caused widespread concern among voters. This reduction in removals coincides with a rapid rise in the numbers of individuals on the non-detained docket at ICEgoing from 3.6 million individuals on the docket in 2021 to over 4.7 million individuals in 2022, the letter stated. More than 1.2 million individuals on the non-detained docket have received a final order of removal, but ICE removed only 72,177 illegal immigrants last year. In other words, ICE removed only six percent of all aliens with a final order of removal in 2022. The letter addresses the Deputy Executive Associate Director of ICE ERO, expressing the belief that their unique position qualifies them to provide crucial insights for the committees oversight. As the Deputy Executive Associate Director for ICE-ERO, you have information that is relevant and necessary to our oversight of the Executive Branchs enforcement of federal immigration law, the lawmakers said in their letter. The House Republicans asked that the official make themselves available for a transcribed interview as soon as possible and contact committee staff no later than June 19 to schedule the interview. The House Judiciary Committee is authorized to conduct oversight of federal immigration law in accordance with the Rules of the House of Representatives. Recent ICE Deportation and Tracking Tactics In an effort to cope with the growing issue of illegal immigration, ICE announced some immigrant families who cross the U.S.Mexico border illegally to seek asylum would be monitored electronically and be subject to a curfew. ICE stated in a news release that the new process will affect family unitsthose who cross the southwest border with minorswho are apprehended and processed for the last-track deportation procedure known as expedited removal and who indicate they intend to petition for asylum without being deported. It will also affect family units who are apprehended at the southern frontier and express a credible fear of persecution or torture if returned to their home country. Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) is a program that will equip certain heads of household for family units with Alternatives to Detention (ATD) technology, which is essentially a GPS ankle monitor, so that ICE officials can continuously monitor them. The new process, according to ICE, is intended to ensure that family units claiming a credible fear of persecution, if returned home, appear on time for their interviews with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and any other evaluations requested by an immigration judge. The process eliminates the need to detain family representatives in detention centers, which Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas has stated the government has no intentions to reinstate. It also assists ICE in locating families who are removed from the United States within 30 days under the expedited removal program and do not qualify for the credible fear waiver. According to ICE, immigrant families will only be enrolled in the new program if they are processed for expedited removal, are nationals of countries to which ICE maintains regular removal flights, and reside in an area under the jurisdiction of an ICE field office located in one of the four FERM-destination cities. There have been reports that some immigrant families destined for Newark, New Jersey; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, DC, and Chicago, Illinois, will be subject to the new process, however, ICE has not specified which cities will participate in the FERM program. ICE did not immediately respond to The Epoch Timess request for comment. Katabella Roberts contributed to this report. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) can be granted new powers, Trend reports. This issue has been reflected in the proposed amendment to the law "On the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan", which was submitted for discussion at today's meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship. According to the proposal, tax authorities and their officials may provide information about taxpayers only in certain cases to other authorities in the manner prescribed by law. For the purpose of issuing a license (permit), registration (registry) for starting activities and exercising control, based on the laws of Azerbaijan "On the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan", "On banks", "On insurance activities", "On non-bank credit institutions", "On credit unions", "On currency regulation", "On securities market", "On investment funds" the below information should be provided to the CBA based on its request. The information includes extracts and charters from the state register of commercial legal entities, heads, founders (participants) of the management bodies of commercial legal entities, and their shares in the authorized capital. It also includes legal entities which are participants of individuals, commercial legal entities and their founders (participants), and the shares of these legal entities in the authorized capital; profits (income and losses) of individuals, commercial legal entities, and heads of their management bodies, founders (participants) and legal entities in which these persons are participants. IN-DEPTH: China Manipulates UN Human Rights System to Further Its Agenda, Experts Say Chinese leader Xi Jinping remotely addresses the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in a pre-recorded message at the U.N. headquarters in New York City on Sept. 21, 2021. (Mary Altaffer/Pool/AP Photo) Chinas communist regime is increasingly subverting procedures and norms related to human rights at global forums, including the United Nations, intending to advance its agenda and minimize scrutiny of its violations, according to experts and advocates. Beijing will continue to write its own narratives, including on human rights, by framing a new order as she sees it, which would be entirely different from the U.S.-led allies perspective in the coming years, Tsering Passang, the founder and chairman of the advocacy group Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities, told The Epoch Times in an email. Several Chinese state-run media and online resources tout Chinas endorsement of human rights forums and its advocacy and promotion of global human rights. In contrast, the free world has published numerous reportsincluding testimonies by victims who fled Chinaabout Chinese state-perpetuated violations within and outside the country. Experts highlight the narrative warfare this situation brings to the multilateral forums where the Chinese regime identifies every attempt of the West to hold it or its allies accountable for their human rights violations as an attack against Beijings foreign policy. While the regime uses the concepts of human rights in its narratives, its goal is to defend its communist policies and criticize the free world. Benedict Rogers, the co-founder and chief executive of the Hong Kong Watch and the author of the new book The China Nexus, believes that, in some ways, todays global human rights are at the mercy of Chinese foreign policy agendas. To a certain extent, yes, and as a P5 member of the Security Council, it can wield its veto power, Rogers told The Epoch Times in an email. The reason, for example, the crises in Myanmar and North Korea have not received more attention is, at least in part, because China uses its influence to protect them diplomatically and politically. The Chinese regime has continuously come to the rescue of its allies despite their records of human rights violations. For example, until 2020, Beijing vetoed the United Nations Security Councils most severe and potentially effective draft resolutions against the Syrian regime 16 times, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR). The SNHR, in a report in July 2020, alleged that these vetoes have led to the killing of nearly a quarter of a million Syrians and the arrest of nearly 150,000 others, and the spread of impunity. Sophie Richardson, the China director of Human Rights Watch, wrote in a paper (pdf) published by Brookings in 2020 that the Chinese regime in recent years had ratified many core U.N. human rights treaties, has served as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC), and also seconded Chinese diplomats to positions within the U.N. human rights system. Particularly under President Xi Jinpings leadership, the Chinese government does not merely seek to neutralize U.N. human rights mechanisms scrutiny of China, it also aspires to neutralize the ability of that system to hold any government accountable for serious human rights violations, Richardson wrote in her paper titled Chinas Influence on the Global Human Rights System. She emphasized that the rights-free development Beijing endorsed in China is now being established as a Chinese foreign policy tool worldwide. Increasingly Beijing pursues rights-free development worldwide, and tries to exploit the openness of institutions in democracies to impose its world view and silence its critics, wrote Richardson. Passang said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had used its veto power in recent years to prevent international intervention in issues it considers internal affairs, such as the situation in Tibet or Xinjiang. He believes that the U.N. system has lost focus of the noble objectives with which it was founded and appears to work in favor of more powerful nations today. In my view, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has benefited the most amongst any nation in the U.N. ever since the CCPs PRC was given the U.N. permanent seat after replacing the Nationalists Republic of China (Taiwan) by the U.S. and its allies. Lets not forget the Kuomintang of the Republic of China (ROC), now Taiwan, was a founding member of the United Nations after the Second World War, Passang said. General view at the opening of the U.N. Human Rights Councils 44th session in Geneva on June 30, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) A Chinese Slush Fund China is the second largest donor to the United Nations after the United States. Critics say that Beijing uses these funding channels for its agendas, including winning over the opinion of countries that rely on it economically. According to Rogerss book, The China Nexus, China announced in 2016 that it would donate a billion dollars to the U.N., with a payment of $20 million per year, ostensibly for peace, security and development. According to the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, Ambassador Kelley Currie, $10 million of this goes straight into the office of the U.N. secretary-general, basically for his personal use to do whatever he wanted, with no oversight from anybody other than his office and the Chinese government,' Rogers told The Epoch Times, adding that Currie told him in person that the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in particular, has turned into a Chinese fiefdom run by a Chinese official for many years. The other half of the $20 million a year given by China to the United Nations goes to this department, specifically to advance Chinas Belt and Road Initiative within the U.N. system, he said. Ambassador Currie describes this as a Chinese slush fund. China has also learned to manipulate the G77 caucus of developing countries, which has 134 members, making it the majority caucus in the General Assembly. This enables China to mobilize resistance to resolutions critical of its human rights record and manipulate the system, said Rogers. The Atlantic Council, in a report last year, focussed on Chinas modus operandi in Global South or sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. It said China pursues a global discourse favorable to its agendas by fostering buy-in from leaders in the region for Chinese-defined norms. This includes its principles of non-interference in other countries internal affairs and on a concept of human rights that actively subordinates personal and civic freedoms in favor of state-centered economic development. It is meant to stand in opposition to a Western human rights framework that China criticizes as having been used for interventionist ends, for example, in Afghanistan and Iraq, said Kenton Thibaut, Atlantic Councils China fellow and the reports author. Passang said that Beijing also interferes in the domestic affairs of countries that rely on Chinese aid and investment. For example, Chinas monetary assistance to Nepal has one commitment required from the recipient country Nepals authorities must not allow the Tibetan refugee community there to engage in any political, human rights, and religious activity related to Tibet and the Dalai Lama, which Beijing deems political, said Passang, adding that merely wearing a Free Tibet t-shirt in Nepal has become an issue today in the Himalayan nation. This is not so different from what the Tibetans in Chinas occupied Tibet experience day to day. Canadas Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Marc-Andre Blanchard speaks during the General Debate of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Sept. 30, 2019. Blanchard has since been replaced by Bob Rae, who has pushed back against Chinas conduct. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) Battle of Values At the core of Chinas foreign policy, supposedly based on global human rights, is its agenda to gain worldwide supremacy and spread its antagonistic worldview to everything liberal held by the West. Experts said this growing battle of values requires that the West speedily braces itself for this narrative warfare on global human rights. Certainly, the world is now facing a choice between authoritarianism and freedom, and the authoritarian narrative is clearly led by China and Russia. The free world has to wake up to this battle of values, said Rogers. Beijing has created the South-South Human Rights Forum, whose last conference was held on Dec. 8, 2021. It was organized by the State Council Information Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the attendees included various former national leaders, officials, and academics. The forums website discusses the CCPs ideas of democracy, Xis call for stronger South-South cooperation, and Beijings economic assistance to developing countries participating in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Providence Magazine by the Washington-based Institute of Religion and Democracy reported that one of the participants, Chinese political scientist Zhang Weiwei of Fudan University, talked about the need for collective human rights over individual human rights. He said that individual human rights like freedom of speech can be restricted in the interest of collective rights. Another participant, Tom Zwart, a professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, contended that human rights must be dissociated from liberalism. He defined international human rights as a liberal social engineering project that was losing its hold. Passang said todays battle of values exists because of the divided international response on human rights issues, particularly on CCP-perpetuated violations. Different countries and international organizations have varying levels of concern and prioritization regarding human rights. There is often a lack of consensus on how to respond to the CCPs actions, leading to a divided international response. Some countries may prioritize engagement and dialogue or remain silent, while others may opt for more confrontational approaches, he said. Passang said it is still not too late for the international community, led by the United States, to act quickly to bring true justice to all U.N. member nations and those regions annexed by the Chinese regime, such as Tibet and East Turkestan. If [left] unchecked and [we] let the rogue regime such as the CCP in China go with the status quo, the world will become a very dangerous place to live in the decades ahead. We must actact soon, he said. IN-DEPTH: School Boards Crucial to Restoring Public Education in Virginia, Conservatives Say There are nearly 400 school board seats on the ballot in Virginia this year Virginia school boards have garnered significant attention over the past two years due to a parents arrest during a Loudoun County Public Schools board meeting and allegations of a cover-up regarding sexual assaults in school bathrooms. These incidents have underscored just how powerful school boards are. Conservative leaders have recognized the importance of not only electing pro-America candidates to school boards but also providing support and training to these newly elected members, in an effort to restore academic rigor and advance parental rights. There are nearly 400 school board positions on the ballot in Virginia in the November elections. Loudoun County School Board members listened as a mother reads excerpts of a pornographic book from the school library in Ashburn, Va., on Sept. 13, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) School Boards Have Power Melvin Adams, founder of the Noah Webster Educational Foundation, spoke during a June 1 webinar hosted by the Virginia Education Opportunity Alliance. In his comments, Adams stressed the need for strategic changes within the current public school system, beginning with school board elections. He said the school board holds the most considerable authority over public education, making it a critical point for initiating reforms. They are also the ones that the law, the state, gives authority for local leadership and policy and the hiring and firing, the choice of curriculum, and on and on and on, he said. That is why it is crucial to get solid conservatives elected to school board, he added. When I say conservatives, Im talking about principle-based people that arent just for sale to some woke agenda or to somebodys union, said Adams. Sherri Story, chair of the School Board Member Alliance, also spoke during the webinar. Story was a longtime teacher before becoming a school board member and later founding the School Board Member Alliance. She said newly elected school board members do not realize that state laws actually give much more power to school board members than even the school superintendents. It gives all the power to school board members. It does not empower superintendents to run the entire district however they want, said Story. In addition, most large school districts have hefty budgets of billions of dollars annually, and school boards can decide where these funds are used, she said. Loudoun Countys 20222023 budget was over $2 billion, and Fairfax Countys fiscal year 2022 budget was over $3 billion. On top of that, these boards can decide policies that determine the publics access to school documents, including how Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests are handled within the school district. FOIA has started to be weaponized as parents have become informed, said Story, adding that the only reason this is obvious is that the Virginia Legislature passed a law that FOIA fees have to be published clearly on the organizations website. What city councils and what school boards, districts have done is theyve weaponized it by charging outlandish fees, said Story. Were informing our members: listen, school boards should be involved in setting those fees because that literally translates to how transparent do you want to be to your community? School boards have an enormous amount of power. They play a crucial role in setting policies, like Loudoun Countys 2021 transgender bathroom policy that allowed biological boys to use the girls bathroom if they identified as a girl. Currently, that district is running a pilot program by installing some unisex and completely private stalls for both girls and boys to use. In the fall of 2023, the program will be piloted for 60 days and considered by the school board. A gender-neutral sign is posted outside a bathroom at Oval Park Grill in Durham, N.C., on May 11, 2016. (Sara D. Davis/Getty Images) Need a Conservative Voice According to Adams, public education is controlled by the political left, and he likens it to a three-pronged stool: the first leg is the teachers and their union, the second leg is superintendents and their associations, and the third leg is school boards and their professional organizations. This three-legged stool, lets just be honest, the left owns it, said Adams. Story said she helped found the School Board Member Alliance to support school board members who did not share the values of the districts default professional organization, the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA). VSBA has been the largest and most influential organization representing Virginia school board members for the last 118 years. And although VSBA says it is nonpartisan, it supports left-leaning school board policies, which Story said does not represent the values of many board members and teachers, including herself. I felt that they did not represent me, said Story. Our goal isnt to oust the VSBA but there has to be another voice that represents school board members, said Story. There has to be a voice in Richmond for conservative school board members that want things to change in education. The goal of the School Board Member Alliance is to support new and veteran conservative school board members who may be feeling alienated and bullied and provide them with guidance, training, and legal advice, said Story. Upcoming School Board Elections This year there are 382 county school board seats that could potentially be flipped after the November elections. Virginias school board primaries are June 20 and elections are Nov. 7. Virginia has 132 county and independent city school districts, and each has a school board. County school board elections happen on odd number years and city school board elections happen on even number years. All nine of the Loudoun County School Board positions are up for grabs this year, with many conservative candidates hoping to take the spots of progressive school board members. Prior to the pandemic, many conservatives did not believe they could change the public education system, but since the COVID-19 lockdowns, parents have begun to push back against the lefts education agenda and there is momentum for positive change, said Adams. The parents started to see things that some of us have been talking about forever. And now all of a sudden, the winds have shifted, and so this is a tremendous opportunity for us, said Adams. Ian Prior, a Loudoun County father and executive director of Fights for Schools, a parental rights advocacy group, speaks at a Loudoun County school board meeting in Ashburn, Va., on Oct. 11, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Training Newly Elected Board Members Many Virginians were angered by what they were seeing in Loudoun County and in their own childrens schools, so they ran for school board. But after being elected, they found they lacked the know-how to make a meaningful impact, said Adams. Newly elected school board members need resources and training. Anger can be a great motivator, but anger does not necessarily help you do a good job, he said. You have got to know what the job is all about and what your responsibilities are. Adams organization developed training for these school board members. Hundreds of school board members across the United States have taken the Noah Webster training and no longer have to struggle alone, said Adams. The Noah Webster Educational Foundation has been so successful at training new school board members that left-leaning education advocates recently started their own organization to help elect and train school board members. Their organization is called We the People for Education, said Adams. That means were over the target, he said. The advisory board for We the People for Education includes former Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, Virginia Education Association President James Fedderman, and Anne Holton, wife of Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine and current member of the Virginia Board of Education. Holton recently claimed that Americas founding documents enshrined slavery. You cannot reference the Declaration of Independence and Constitution as remarkable documents without also acknowledging that they contain fundamental flaws of enshrining slavery and limiting the protections that they provided for only to white, propertied men, Holton said during a January meeting of the Virginia Board of Education discussing new social studies standards. In an announcement about the creation of We the People for Education, Sarah Gross, president of the organization, said the goal is to put the focus of education back on students. Over the last couple of years we have witnessed extremism and hateful rhetoric take over our school board meetings, sow disinformation in our communities, and work to divide us, Gross said. The Epoch Times reached out to We the People for Education for comment. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington on Jan. 27, 2023. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo) Parents Targeted Gross comments follow a similar narrative about conservative parents promoted by the National School Boards Association (NSBA). The organization sent a letter (pdf) to President Joe Biden at the end of 2021 asking that he direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate parents for alleged threats to school board members. The DOJ responded by issuing a memorandum (pdf) and creating units to investigate parents who allegedly harassed school board members at public meetings. The NSBA has 90,000 members from across the almost 14,000 school districts in the United States. Besides parents being maligned, Story said that in many instances, the few conservative school board members are also bullied and told to align with the majority members vote. This is our challenge. This is our battle and were going to undertake it and were here for the long term, said Story. We want to support parent input, school choice, conservative values that are going to make our education system better and actually get back to teaching kids. Intense Competition and Diplomacy: US Security Adviser Says USChina Leaders Meeting Still Possible The Biden administration is still confident that a meeting will be secured between the U.S. president and Chinese leadership. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in an interview with CNN, denied that China and the United States were inevitably headed toward conflict. I sat in the room with President [Joe] Biden when he met with President Xi [Jinping] in Bali last year, and that was not my experience, Sullivan said. The desire on both parts to put a floor under the relationship, to manage the competition responsibly, to ensure that competition does not become a conflictwe have intense competition; we also have intense diplomacy. At some point, we will see President Biden and President Xi come back together again. So as far as Im concerned, there is nothing inconsistent with, on the one hand, competing vigorously in important domains on economics and technology and also ensuring that that competition does not veer into conflict or confrontation. We believe there is nothing inevitable about some kind of conflict or cold war between the U.S. and China. The move comes after Beijing declined an invitation for a meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Communist Partys Defense Minister Li Shangfu at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Overnight, the [Peoples Republic of China (PRC)] informed the U.S. that they have declined our early May invitation for Secretary Austin to meet with PRC Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu in Singapore this week, the Pentagon said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal. There have been constant efforts from U.S. officials to secure a face-to-face meeting with Beijing, including a direct letter from Austin to Li. Yet the United States and its democratic allies have continued this push for dialogue despite dealing with Beijing-backed foreign interference and reestablishing its military in the Indo-Pacific in preparation for a potential conflict over Taiwan. Open lines of communication with the Peoples Republic of China are essentialespecially between our defense and military leaders. For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime, the right time to talk is everytime and the right time to talk is now, Austin wrote on Twitter while in Singapore. Open lines of communication with the Peoples Republic of China are essentialespecially between our defense and military leaders. For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime, the right time to talk is everytime and the right time to talk is now. pic.twitter.com/0mk8VrrDVp Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) June 3, 2023 Behind Official Dialogue, Competition Underway In February, the United States shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon. In April, the FBI arrested two individuals allegedly running a secret police station in New York to track down and silence Chinese dissidents living in the United States, prosecutors said. The police station is believed to be one of more than 100 overseas stations operated by the Chinese regime in 53 countries, according to Safeguard Defenders, a Spain-based nonprofit. At the end of last month, the Department of Justice charged two suspected Chinese agents for attempting to bribe officials to help undermine a Falun Gong-run entity in the United States. John Chen, a 70-year-old U.S. citizen born in China, and Lin Feng, a Chinese citizen aged 43, attempted to manipulate the IRS Whistleblower Program, through bribery and deceit in an attempt to strip the entity of its tax-exempt status, according to court filings unsealed on May 26. Chen and Feng, who reside in Californias Chino City and Los Angeles, respectively, were arrested from their residences on May 26, a spokesperson from the FBI Los Angeles Field Office told The Epoch Times. The action marks the first prosecution by U.S. authorities to deter the Chinese regime from targeting Falun Gonga meditative practice that follows the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerancein the United States. The spiritual practice surged in popularity in China during the 1990s, and the country eventually had an estimated 100 million practitioners. However, the communist regime perceived that growth as a threat to its grip on power and, for the past 23 years, has instigated a severe campaign of persecution against the group. It Has to Be Joe Biden, Says Former FBI Director Comey on 2024 Race Former FBI Director James Comey arrives at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on Dec. 17, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Former FBI Director James Comey said he wouldnt support anyone but Presiden Joe Biden for the 2024 presidential race. It has to be Joe Biden, Comey told Bidens former White House press secretary Jen Psaki on her MSBNC show aired on June 4, when asked whether he intends to vote for Biden again or Republican candidates other than former President Donald Trump. Im glad hes willing to serve. It has to be somebody committed to the rule of law, committed to the values of this country, Comey added. And Im not talking about policy. People can disagree about policy. There are things above those disagreements that all of us should think about the same way. The president must be someone who abides the law and our Constitution. And theres no one else but Joe Biden. Currently, two Democratsbook author Marianne Williamson and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.are challenging Biden for the Democrat nomination for president in 2024. Seven Republicans have announced a 2024 White House bidTrump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, biotechnology entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, conservative radio host Larry Elder, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Former President Barack Obama named Comey as the FBI chief in 2013, a position he held until he was fired by Trump in May 2017. If Trump is reelected, Comey claimed that he would be targeted by the former president in what would be four years of a retribution presidency. He could order the investigation and prosecution of individuals who he sees as enemies. Im sure Im on the enemy list, Comey said. Because the president constitutionally does oversee the executive branch entirely, which includes the Department of Justice, prosecutors, and investigators, and so he could commission, direct that individuals be pursued. He could also direct all kinds of other conduct that people would maybe take to court to try to stopbut who enforces court orders? Mostly the United States Marshals Service, which is part of the executive branch and reports to the president. Comey continued: And so President Trump could say, I dont care what the Supreme Court says or these district judges say, Im telling the Marshals Service dont enforce the court order. And so our Constitution really does give a rogue president, which is what this would be, tremendous power to destroy, he added. Comey was one of the former top FBI officials who refused to speak to Special Counsel John Durham. According to the Durham report (pdf), Comey declined to be interviewed. Durham wrote that the FBI relied on raw, unanalyzed, and uncorroborated intelligence for its 201617 FBI investigation of alleged ties between Trump and Russia. The objective facts show that the FBIs handling of important aspects of the Crossfire Hurricane matter were seriously deficient, Durham added. Following the reports release, the FBI acknowledged mistakes in its investigation of the Trump campaign, while Trump said that the American Public was scammed in a statement. In an interview with MSNBC last month, Comey said the Durham report showed the FBI had made mistakes but the bureau did it the right way. Do you expector should we expectRussia to interfere on his behalf in 2024 if hes the nominee? Psaki asked Comey about Trump. Yes, of course, Comey said. [Russian President] Vladimir Putin does not want Joe Biden to be president of the United States for reasons that I hope the American people see. Because [Biden] acts in our national interests. [Putin] would very much like Donald Trump to be president again because Donald Trumpfor reasons I still cant explainvery, very fond of Vladimir Putin. And so they will find ways to interfere. I hope our Intelligence Community is equipped to respond maybe better than we did in 2016. Jan. 6 Protester Sues Police Officer Over Baton Strike to the Head In this image from video, David Alan Blair, indicated by a red square, confronts law enforcement officers in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Metropolitan Police Department via The Epoch Times) A Maryland man who admitted to hitting a police officer with a stick on Jan. 6, 2021, has sued the officer and the police department in Washington, alleging that those parties violated his constitutional rights. Officer Kevin Peralta struck David Alan Blair in the head once and elsewhere multiple times. Despite that the strikes were illegal, no officers nearby moved to intervene, according to the lawsuit. Instead, several others also struck Blair with their batons, and one later falsely reported that no officer hit Blair in the head. Blair suffered head lacerations and other injuries and experienced severe headaches and memory loss. The actions by the officers constituted the use of excessive, unnecessary, and unreasonable force, the suit states. The actions violated the U.S. Constitutions Fourth Amendment, the suit alleges. The litigation was filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia earlier this year and moved to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on June 1. Blair is seeking damages in the amount of $750,000 and attorneys fees. MPD does not comment on pending litigation, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Washingtons police agency, told The Epoch Times in an email. Circumstances Leading to Conflict Blair, 26, left his home in Clarksburg around 3 p.m. on Jan. 6 and drove to Washington. He wanted to exercise his First Amendment rights and did not know that the U.S. Capitol had been breached, according to the suit. After arriving in Washington about an hour later, Blair walked toward the Capitol and reached the West Lawn without encountering any signs or barriers indicating not to go there. Metropolitan Police Department officers in a line began to move across the lawn. The officers, wearing riot gear and carrying metal batons, chanted, Move back. Blair was confused, he said. He moved back initially when the line approached. But then he decided that he should stay where he was since he thought he had a right to be there and to exercise his First Amendment rights of speech and assembly, the suit states. Blair began walking around with a Confederate flag, which had been attached to an aluminum lacrosse stick. According to a stipulation that Blair signed, he shouted, Quit backing up, dont be scared, were Americans. Peralta shoved Blair, the parties agree, prompting Blair to hit the officer with the stick. Heavily clad in a protective riot suit, the contact did not harm the officer or inflict an injury. Yet Officer Peralta immediately responded with deadly force, swinging the baton overhand with all of his strength at the plaintiffs head and striking his skull, the suit states. That deadly force goes against MPD policies, but none of the officers intervened; instead, several joined in the fray, according to Blair. He said he tried to defend himself as officers struck him a dozen times. Blair was taken by ambulance to George Washington University Hospital with head lacerations, which were caused by the officers. He was also diagnosed with a concussion and suffered a number of symptoms, including nausea, severe headaches, and trouble speaking. That necessitated that he take time off of work. Prosecutors have corroborated that Blair was injured and was in the hospital for multiple days, but appeared to excuse the law enforcement actions in light of Blairs conduct. No one else around himrioters, that isare defying police the way he is, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman said during a hearing in 2022, WUSA-TV reported. He appears to be the only one. And, again, he encouraged others to do the same. Guilty Plea On March 29, 2022, Blair pleaded guilty to interfering with a law enforcement officer during civil disorder. Blair was illegally on the Capitol lawn after the Capitol was breached and interfered with Peralta and other officers as they sought to clear the crowd from the lawn, according to the guilty plea, which caused other charges to be dropped. He was sentenced on July 13, 2022, to five months in prison followed by 18 months of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. During his sentencing hearing, Blair said he went to Washington owing to the removal of Confederate statues around the United States in recent years. Im tired of our history being erased in this country, Blair said, WUSA-TV reported. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, the Obama appointee who sentenced Blair, said Blair was provocative. I think there are different interpretations as to how you were positioned relative to that police line that was coming forward trying just to do their jobs, but you stood up against them, and you squared off, and you mouthed off, and you cross-checked the guy, right? Cooper said. And thats an offense, and thats a felony offense. A previous suit, filed by Victoria White, alleged similar constitutional violations but was dismissed without prejudice at Whites request to give her more time to prepare for her criminal trial. Surveillance video showed an officer pummeling White; prosecutors said there were many possible lawful justifications for the use of force. Japan, China Agree on Reliable Operation of Military Hotline Amid Tensions Japanese Coast Guard vessels alongside a Japanese activist 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) The defense ministers of Japan and China agreed on June 3 to ensure the reliability of their military hotline operation in order to prevent potential clashes amid rising tensions in the East China Sea. Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada met with his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore to discuss their countries security concerns. Both sides agreed on the need to promote dialogue and exchange while ensuring that their military hotlinewhich began operation last monthis being used appropriately, according to Japans Defense Ministry. The hotline was established to link the leadership of Japans Self-Defense Forces (SDF) at the nations defense ministry with Chinese defense ministry officials. Japans government earlier stated the military hotline is not only for responding when unforeseen circumstances occur but also for building trust between the two countries. Meanwhile, Hamada told Li that he was concerned about the situation in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, particularly the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which China also claims. He raised concerns about Chinas joint military activities with Russia around Japan and reiterated the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait. Hamada also condemned North Koreas missile launches. Although Li pledged to develop JapanChina relations, he warned Japan against interfering in the Taiwan issue. Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to bring the self-ruled island under its control by force if necessary. Meanwhile, Japan considers the stability surrounding Taiwan to be of paramount importance for its national security owing to its proximity to the island. In his speech at the summit, Li emphasized that the Taiwan issue is Chinas internal affair and that no external forces are allowed to intervene, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry. If someone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate in the slightest, will not be afraid of any opponent, and will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity no matter what the price is, Li said. Japan, China Defense Officials Visits The ministers meeting came just days after the Sasakawa Japan-China Friendship Fund (SJCFF) announced that Japan and China will restart mutual visits by their defense officers in July after a four-year hiatus. The SJCFF stated that Japans SDF will send 10 senior officers to visit China in July and that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army members will visit Japan in the fall. The decision to resume mutual visits between SDF and Chinese officers came as China abolished its strict zero-COVID policy in December 2022. Sasakawa Yohei, honorary chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, said the private sector can help establish a gateway for mutual understanding amid strained relations between the two countries. At times like this, it is effective for the private sector to create a window for mutual understanding, Yohei told reporters on May 30. Last month, China summoned Japans ambassador to lodge a protest over what it viewed as a smear and attack against it during the G-7 summit of major industrial nations, which Japan hosted. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong said that Japan collaborated with other G-7 nations to hype up China-related issues in their joint communique and grossly interfere with Chinas internal affairs. However, Japanese Ambassador Hideo Tarumi defended the G-7 communique, saying the G-7 will keep voicing their common concerns about China unless the Chinese Communist Party changes its behavior. In the communique, the leaders reaffirmed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable to security and prosperity in the international community and called for a peaceful resolution between China and Taiwan. The G-7 leaders also criticized China for its militarization activities in the disputed South China Sea and human rights abuses in Tibet and Xinjiang, where forced labor is of major concern. Kyiv Downplays Russian Claims to Have Foiled Major Offensive in Donetsk Ukrainian tanks move toward Bakhmut, in the Donetsk Oblast region, on March 20, 2023. (Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images) Moscows forces have beaten back a multi-pronged Ukrainian offensive in the eastern Donetsk region, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on June 5. On June 4, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt at a large-scale offensive in the South Donetsk direction, the ministry stated in a daily briefing. It went on to assert that a Ukrainian assault involving six mechanized battalions and two tank battalions was stopped in its tracks by air strikes and artillery. The ministry put total Ukrainian losses at 300 personnel, 16 tanks, and 26 armored vehicles. Pro-Russian service members stand next to a howitzer during an exhibition of Ukrainian army hardware and weapons left in the city after its withdrawal from Lysychansk, Luhansk, Ukraine, on July 8, 2022. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters) Russias TASS news agency quoted a ministry spokesman as saying that the large-scale offensive was along five sectors of the Donetsk front. The spokesman added that Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of Russias military, had been present at a frontline command post during the engagement. The defense ministry and several pro-Russia commentators posted video footage on social media of what they claimed were Ukrainian armored vehicles being destroyed by Russian air strikes and artillery. The Epoch Times was unable to verify the ministrys claims. It was also unable to verify the authenticity of the video footage. Kyiv Decries False Information Officials in Kyiv, for their part, have yet to directly address the Russian claims. But a June 5 daily briefing by Ukraines General Staff reported more than two dozen armed clashes, in both Donetsk and Luhansk, over the previous 24 hours. Meanwhile, Ukraines Center for Strategic Communications has accused Moscow of disseminating false information regarding recent frontline developments. To demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community [including their own population], Russian propagandists will spread false information about the [Ukrainian] counter-offensive, its targets, and losses sustained by the Ukrainian army, the center asserted on June 5. It didnt provide any evidence for its claims. A Ukrainian service member prepares to fire a mortar from his position at a front line near the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk, Ukraine, on May 18, 2023. (Sofiia Gatilova/Reuters) On the same day, Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Kyivs ground forces, claimed that Ukrainian forces were moving forward toward the flashpoint city of Bakhmut in northern Donetsk. Last month, Russias Wagner Group claimed to have decisively captured Bakhmuta key transport hubafter nine months of fighting. Since then, Wagner fighters have reportedly begun handing the city over to Russian regular forces. A private military company with close ties to the Kremlin, the Wagner Group has spearheaded much of the fighting in Donetsk. But officials in Kyiv said the fight for Bakhmut is far from over, insisting that Ukrainian forces are still holding out on the citys western outskirts. The battle for the Bakhmut area hasnt stopped, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on June 4. It is ongoing, just taking different forms. Russian forces, she added, hadnt yet succeeded in forcing Ukrainian troops from the western heights overlooking the beleaguered city. We are holding them very firmly, Maliar said. Counteroffensive Confusion For the past two months, speculation has mounted that a Ukrainian counteroffensiveostensibly aimed at retaking all lost territorywas imminent. It remains unclear whether the recent alleged assault in Donetsk represents the beginning of the long-awaited counterattack. When asked about the planned counteroffensive on June 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, I dont know how long it will take. It can go a variety of ways, Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. But we are going to do it; we are ready. We strongly believe that we will succeed. Last month, Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials appeared to suggest that additional Western arms and equipment were needed before the planned counteroffensive could begin in earnest. Kyiv has also repeatedly hinted that the vaunted springtime offensive could be postponed until later this summeror even until autumn. According to Intel Slava Z, a pro-Russian news aggregator that covers the conflict, Kyiv is waiting to register concrete gains before announcing its counterattack. This way, if an offensive fails, Kyiv can say, We didnt launch an offensive, the news aggregator stated on its Telegram channel on June 5. But if they succeed in capturing territory, they will announce that this is where the offensive is taking place. Moscow started its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. More than 15 months later, Russian forces control most of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east (which together compose the Russian-speaking Donbas region) and Kherson in Zaporizhzhia in the south. In September 2022, Moscow announced the annexation of all four captured regions and now regards them as Russian Federation territory. Kyiv and its Western allies decry the invasion and subsequent annexations as an unprovoked war of aggression and an illegal land grab. Moscow stated that its special military operation aims to protect Russian speakers in Donbas and halt the further expansion of NATO, of which Ukraine seeks to become a member. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. La Jolla Considering Seceding From San Diego Leaders of a movement to make La Jolla its own cityinstead of a neighborhood in San Diegowill publish the financial implications and benefits for doing so this summer and have suggested boundaries that would include Torrey Pines State Park and Scripps Memorial Hospital, but exclude the University of CaliforniaSan Diego. The Association for the City of La Jolla, a nonprofit, has hired a consultant to analyze cityhood and depending on its analysis may file a formal application with the state agency that oversees the formation of new cities. La Jolla is a regional destination and should be maintained and serviced to the highest level so all people can enjoy this unique, natural, and cultural asset of San Diego County, a report, released in May by the association, said. By governing ourselves, we can do better for all. According to a poll conducted in May 2022 by the La Jolla Town Councila longstanding community organization87 percent of 385 La Jolla respondents were in favor of incorporating. To become its own city, the association needs a majority of approval votes from registered voters within the proposed boundary map, as well as a majority of voters in the City of San Diego. Prior to coming before the voters, its potential cityhood has to be approved by whats known as the Local Agency Formation Commissiona state agency that, in part, oversees the creation of new cities. The association claims the City of San Diego would benefit from its secession since it would no longer have the burden of upkeep the aging La Jolla infrastructure. The association also claimed, in its May report, that the City of San Diegos budget challenges has crippled its ability to address the needs of some communities, everything from infrastructure to emergency services. The association is made up of local community leaders and experts in law, architecture, non-profit management, and city planning, according to its website. According to the report, Malibu, Encinitas, and Solana Beach have had more control over local issues and their respective growth since incorporated in the 1980s and 1990s. The effort for La Jolla to become its own city has been around since the 1940saccording to the San Diego Union-Tribunewhich resurfaces around once a decade. Leaders from the association did not respond to The Epoch Times for comment. Labour Leader Reassures Oil and Gas Needed for Many Years to Come The Total Culzean platform pictured in the North Sea off Aberdeen, Scotland, on April 8, 2019. (Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images) Oil and gas will be necessary for many, many years to come, Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer has said following criticism from trade unions that his energy plans will hit jobs. Two major trade unions have expressed concerns after media reports suggested that Labour would promise to halt new oil and gas production in the North Sea in its net zero energy policy, to be announced later this month. The GMB union said the plan will create a cliff edge that will hit jobs, and the Unite union said Labour must make it clear that it will not let workers pay the price. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer talks to workers during a visit to Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, on June 5, 2023. (Ben Birchall/PA Media) Speaking on a visit to Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset on Monday, Starmer said that tapping new sources of energy would bring fresh opportunities. I think we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity now to seize the jobs of the future, he told broadcasters. Oil and gas will be part of that, because where there is existing licences they will go on to the 2050s and so oil and gas will be part of our energy mix for many, many years to come. But we need to seize the opportunities for the next generation of jobs. And that is in renewables, it is in nuclear, Hinkley Point C here today, staring at the future. We have got 9,000 people working on this site, they are going to power the UK and they are the jobs of the future. Naive GMB General Secretary Gary Smith said on Sunday that Labours policies are naive and will create a cliff edge with oil and gas extraction from the North Sea. He told Sky News, There is a lot of oil and gas in the North Sea and the alternatives facing the country are that we either produce our own oil and gastake responsibility for our carbon emissionsor we are going to import more oil and gas. Smith said workers in the petrochemical industry are going to be very worried about Labours plans. He said that the sector had been promised tens of thousands of jobs in renewable energy time and time again but they simply have not emerged, adding, That has been the sorry state of the renewables industry around the country. Last week, Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said Labour must be very clear that they will not let workers pay the price for the transition to renewable energy. When it comes to jobs, we cant have jam tomorrow, she said. Nuclear Recrimination It comes as Labour accused the Conservatives of a shambolic failure to open any nuclear power plants during 13 years of power. The opposition party claims the Tories failure to open any of the 10 nuclear sites approved under the last Labour government has cost 7,000 British jobs. Ahead of the visit to the nuclear plant, Starmer said: Nuclear is a critical part of the UKs energy mix. Its shambolic that after 13 years of Tory government, not one of the 10 nuclear sites approved by the last Labour government have been built. Responding to Labours nuclear criticisms, a Tory spokesman said: In 1997 the Labour Party cut the legs off Britains nuclear industry, declaring no new nuclear, nationalising British Energy, and handing our energy dependency to China and France. Thats why there hasnt been a nuclear power station built under the Labour Party since Britain had the shilling. The Conservatives started turning that around, delivering the first large-scale nuclear project Hinkley Point C and agreeing last year to begin Sizewell C. Evgenia Filimianova and PA Media contributed to this report. Major Concession in Ukraine Necessary to Stop Russia Becoming Closer to China: Vivek Ramaswamy Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he is willing to make major concessions to Russia in order to end the war in Ukraine and shift focus to counter communist China. Speaking on ABCs This Week, Ramaswamy emphasized that he does not view the threat of Russia taking over Ukraine as a top foreign policy priority. Instead, the United States should focus on breaking the Beijing-Moscow military alignment. I dont think it is preferable for Russia to be able to invade a sovereign country thats its neighbor, but I think the job of the U.S. president is to look after American interests, he told host Martha Raddatz. What I think the number one threat to the U.S. military right now, our top military threat, is the Sino-Russian alliance, he continued. I think that by fighting further in Russia, by further arming Ukraine, we are driving Russia into Chinas hands, and that Sino-Russian alliance is the top threat we face. The West, Ramaswamy suggested, could recognize Russias current territorial gains and pledge to not absorb Ukraine into NATO as a means of stopping Russia from further aligning itself with the Chinese regime. What I think we need to do is end the Ukraine war on peaceful terms that, yes, do make some major concessions to Russia, including freezing the current lines of control in a Korean war-style armistice agreement, and also a permanent commitment not to allow Ukraine to enter NATO, he said. In return, Ramaswamy wants Russia to leave its treaty and its joint military agreement with China. I dont trust Putin, but I do trust Putin to follow his self-interest, he maintained. I dont think he enjoys being the little brother in the relationship with Xi Jinping. The 37-year-old entrepreneur also highlighted the threat to Taiwan from China, which he believes is a much higher priority for the United States because the island supplies almost all of the worlds high-end semiconductors. Ramaswamy previously said that the United States should give China a taste of American exceptionalism by opening a branch of National Rifle Association in Taiwan and putting an AR-15 rifle in every household in the Asian country, which has a population of about 24 million. Republican Candidates on Ukraine The nations top Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, has recently underscored that he could leverage personal friendships with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate a peace deal in just 24 hours. I get along with [Zelensky], I get along with Putin, Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. I dont want that war to continue. And Ill stop that warmark my wordsIll stop that war in 24 hours, said the Republican 2024 presidential forerunner. Right now, its a mess. Now theyre hitting Kyiv, and theyre hitting all sorts of things that werent supposed to be hit. The country is being decimated. While Trump and Ramaswamy indicated that their presidency would see a major shift in U.S. policy from prolonged military aid to Ukraine to ending the conflict as soon as possible, others call for continued support until Ukraine prevails. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump administration, in March criticized the Biden administration for only providing Ukraine with just enough resources to slow the Russian advance, not to repel it. She also expressed frustration with weakness from some on the right. They say the U.S. shouldnt care about Ukraine because this war isnt our fight. Some call it a mere territorial dispute. They say we should ignore Ukraine so we can focus on China, Haley wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, apparently referring to Ramaswamy and like-minded people. This has it backward. China loses if Ukraine wins. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott has also argued that support for Ukraine, including sending billions of dollars worth of military equipment, is a part of Americas vital national interest. The more we degrade the Russian military, the less likely there is to be an attack on our sovereign territory, and it protects our NATO allies, he said last month in an interview with NBC News. I think that we should be in Ukraine. I believe that the truth is simple, that degrading the Russian military is in Americas best interest. And the more we do that, the faster we get it done, the better off the entire world is. Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to dodge the Ukraine question, although he has very ambiguously said that Americans cannot prioritize intervention in an escalating foreign war over the defense of their home country. In an interview last month with Fox News host and former Congressman Trey Gowdy, DeSantis was asked how he, as president, would handle the Ukraine crisis. He immediately switched the topic to how to stop the U.S. military from going woke. Well, first, I think what we need to do as a veteran is recognize that our military has become politicized, he told Gowdy. You talk about gender ideology, you talk about things like global warming, that theyre somehow concerned and thats not the military that I served in. We need to return our military to focusing on commitment, focusing on the core values and the core mission. That would be something that I can take care of on day one. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Azerbaijan may make changes to the law "On the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan", related to activity of election commissions, Trend reports. The matter was brought up for discussion at today's meeting of the Committee of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) on economic policy, industry and entrepreneurship. According to the amendment, the procedure for accounting, reporting on the opening and maintenance of special election accounts, as well as the procedure for receiving funds to the election funds of registered candidates and spending funds, as well as political parties, blocs of political parties, campaign groups for the referendum will be determined by the Central Election Commission in coordination with the Central Bank at least 55 days before the voting day. The procedure for transferring, reporting, registering, opening and closing accounts of funds allocated by the Central Election Commission to election commissions will be determined by the Central Election Commission in agreement with the Central Bank no later than 50 days before the voting day. Michael Taube: The Bible Has Been Banned in a School District Located In Utah?! Commentary Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isnt, Mark Twain wrote in Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World (1897). Heres a recent example where fiction would have been more plausible to believe than the truth that actually unfolded. A U.S. school district recently removed copies of the King James Version of the Bible in elementary and middle schools. Only those at a high school level will be allowed to carry them in libraries and classrooms. Why did this happen? A district review committee bizarrely determined the KJV Bible contained vulgarity and violence. While a spokesperson told Fox 13 in Salt Lake City that the Bible does not contain sensitive material as defined by Utah Code, it was still pulled from schools due to, as the TV network described it, age appropriateness. Moreover, the individual who made this request last December reportedly said it was time to remove one of the most sex-ridden books around from schools. Incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, fellatio, dildos, rape, and even infanticide, the unnamed parents petition stated in part. Youll no doubt find that the Bible, under Utah Code Ann. 76-10-1227, has no serious values for minors because its pornographic by our new definition. Where did this happen? It must have been in a politically liberal state like California, Massachusetts or New York, right? Wrong. Believe it or not, the preposterous edict to ban the KJV Bible originated from the Davis County School District based in Utah. Wait, that cant be right. Utah?! Yes, Utah. The same state to which Brigham Young led the Mormons in 1847 and where the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is located. How on earth did this happen? Davis County removed the Bible from its elementary and middle schools through its interpretation of House Bill 374. Sponsored by Utah House Rep. Ken Ivory and Utah State Sen. Todd Weiler, who are both Republicans, the bill defines certain sensitive instructional materials in public schools and prohibits sensitive materials in a public school. In other words, materials that would be classified as pornographic or indecent in nature. The Utah State Legislature passed it by a margin of 233 on March 4, 2022, and Gov. Spencer Cox signed it into law 20 days later. Ivory and Weiler surely never believed in their wildest dreams that their bill would lead to the Bible getting targeted. Yet, it became entangled with 80 additional requests to review certain books. The Sensitive Material Review Committees have retained 16 of those books so far, removed 33 others and are in the process of reviewing 32 including the Bible, reported KUTV 2 digital content producer Victoria Hill on March 24. Incredibly, the Bible has now joined the shortlist of books not being retained in the Davis County School District. What a horrendous decision. It goes without saying that the Bible is one of the most important and sacred religious texts ever produced. It has provided spiritual guidance and a moral compass to more than 2.4 billion Christians around the world. Reading and re-reading passages of the Old Testament and New Testament has helped create a path to understanding our past history and revealing what our present and future could ultimately look like. Meanwhile, biblical text is neither sensitive nor age inappropriate. The Christian Bible, much like the Jewish Torah, Muslim Quran, and other important religious volumes, contains powerful stories of heroes, scholars, and prophets. Yes, there are difficult moments and discussions in some passages, and violent incidents do occur. This doesnt mean the Bible should be banned from young children. Rather, it should be made widely available so they can read these fascinating stories and ask their parents, teachers, or religious leaders any questions they may have. They should also have access to Childrens Bibles at their homes, schools, and other places of learning. Im not religious. I wasnt born Christian. And even Im disturbed by this turn of events. Ive owned a copy of the KJV Bible for years. There are moments when I leaf through the Books of Genesis, Exodus and Kings, the Gospels According to Matthew, Luke and John, or the occasional Psalm. Not for the sake of religious thought or identity, but as a means of learning, understanding, and appreciating why religious history, tradition, and faith matter in our society. Davis Countys decision to ban the Bible is harmful to young children, families, schools, and Utahs educational system. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, a Mormon and man of great faith, should speak out against this ridiculous and backward policy. President Joe Biden, a more liberal-minded Catholic, would also be wise to enter the fray. Even the truth could handle these real, not fictional, possibilities. Correction: This article has been updated to show that Brigham Young led the Mormons to Utah in 1847. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Stars, stars, and still more stars! Digital has made all the differenceits been a game changer for would-be astrophotographers everywhere, training their lenses skyward at night to capture the splendor of the Milky Way. In the foregoing era of film, the light insensitivity of cameras in dark conditions confounded photographers trying to portray this dimly-lit spectacle. Digital has since shattered that boundary by bringing forth the Milky Way with a sensitivity to color once reserved only for high-end telescopes and NASA productions. The Scenery I Wanted to See by Mitsuhiro Okabe. (Courtesy of Mitsuhiro Okabe) Novel techniques and software innovations also allowed photographers to blend separate foregrounds and backgrounds to create artistic composites hitherto unheard of outside of Hollywood special effects studios. Magic was made possible from the comfort of your home PC. As pro-grade cameras increasingly proliferated and fell into the hands of more everyday people, the pool of astrophotographers exploded exponentially across the globe. The grandeur of the Milky Way has never been so readily available. Literally, the click of a mouse is all it takes. The bottle tree portal by Benjamin Barakat. (Courtesy of Benjamin Barakat) The Internet brought all this together; online photography competitions focused on revealing the beauty of our galaxy have connected star artists to public hubs and allowed them to present and exhibit the creme de la creme of their niche. Capture the Atlas is one such astrophotography contest. This year, over 3,000 Milky Way entries were submitted in its annual competition, of which, a mere 25 from 16 different countries were selected as the winners. The photographers came from far and wide: from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, Chile, Argentina, Namibia, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Spain, Slovenia, Japan, Iran, Peru, Yemen, and Indonesia. Words can do their work no justice; you must see it yourself. You can expect to see sublime star arches that will cause you to contemplate your own minuscule existence in this vast universe. South of Home by Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti. (Courtesy of Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti) Celestial Shield by Ivan Ferrero. (Courtesy of Ivan Ferrero) The Eyes of the Universe by Mihail Minkov. (Courtesy of Mihail Minkov) The celestial arc parading over Castillo de Aunqueospese in Spain makes the 12th-century castle seem almost brand-new by comparison. The diamond-studded night sky over the mystical island of Socotra in Yemen calls to mind an alien landscape with its bizarre dragons blood trees reaching skyward like the antennae of some strange lifeform. The same can be said for the twinkling stars over the reddish rock formations of Cafayate Salta, in northwestern Argentina, whose surreal towers and portals saw them fittingly dubbed star factory by the photographer. These are but a few panoramas you will witness in this years pageant. Theres so much more. Well leave it to your eyes to feast upon and appreciate their splendor. By bringing all this artistic talent and imagery together, Capture the Atlas achieves its goal: to offer new astrophotographers a pair of experienced shoulders to stand upon and boost them forth on their own photographic journey through inspiration; and bring our galaxy closer so everyone can learn and discover more about our Milky Way. Milky Way Rising over Stony River & Mt Taranaki by Brendan Larsen. (Courtesy of Brendan Larsen) Alien Forest by Marcin Zajac. (Courtesy of Marcin Zajac) Shapes of Nature by Uros Fink. (Courtesy of Uros Fink) Wind River Nights by Brandt Ryder. (Courtesy of Brandt Ryder) Winters Airglow by Larryn Rae. (Courtesy of Larryn Rae) Night under the Baobab Trees by Steffi Lieberman. (Courtesy of Steffi Lieberman) The La Palma Astroexperience by Jakob Sahner. (Courtesy of Jakob Sahner) The Cathedral Light Show by Roksolyana Hilevych. (Courtesy of Roksolyana Hilevych) Gigi Hiu Shining In The Dark by Gary Bhaztara. (Courtesy of Gary Bhaztara) The Night Train by Alexander Forst. (Courtesy of Alexander Forst) Interstellar by Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia. (Courtesy of Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia) The Cactus Valley by Pablo Ruiz Garcia. (Courtesy of Pablo Ruiz Garcia) Milky Way over Cuencas Hoodoos by Luis Cajete. (Courtesy of Luis Cajete) Cafayate star factory by Gonzalo Santile. (Courtesy of Gonzalo Santile) Lut Glow by Isabella Tabacchi. (Courtesy of Isabella Tabacchi) 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 When actress Jenn Gotzon was recently interviewed on The Epoch Times sister media NTD Television about her role as a member of the honorary advisory board for the upcoming New Tang Dynasty (NTD) Global Chinese Beauty Pageant, she summed up the most valued trait for contestants in one word: benevolence. I think benevolence is the strongest point because its about kindness, Gotzon said. At the end of the day, we could do all of these things, but if we are not kind to someone, it doesnt matter. The grace when someone walks up on stage and they answer a question, the politeness when they meet somebody passing in the hall, and the gentleness when they see someone serving even as a custodian. The love and the kindness really set someone apart. Her husband, actor and producer Jim Chandler, is also on the honorary advisory board and has a similar view. Through beauty is actually how we serve others and how we use our gifts to serve other peoplehow we love, and how we can help others, and what really makes us beautiful, Chandler said. We really show people how beautiful we are by showing acts of love. There can be somebody who may not have the same aesthetics as somebody else, but has such a beautiful spirit that you cant help but be attracted to them. And it isnt because of their outward appearance, it is because of what they have inside their soul, their spirituality, their kindness, their gentleness, their peace. Values Miss NTD promotes ancient Chinese values and celebrates the pure, authentic beauty of the Chinese woman, so contestants will be judged on five essential inner values, morality, righteousness propriety, benevolence, and faithfulness. Applications are underway for the pageant, which is in its first year. Young women from all nations between ages 1830, who are of at least one-third Chinese origin and fluent in either Mandarin or English may participate. There will be opportunities in the application and interview processes for contestants to let their own inner beauty shine. A well-written biography could include examples of ways inner values play out in a contestants life. Gotzon, who has worked as a model, producer, and in the pageant world, offered this advice for contestants when navigating the pageant: address each person individually and make comfortable eye contact with them. On stage, when asked a question, repeat the question, Gotzon said, as this will provide a little more time to formulate an answer. Most of all, she says, have fun. This always brings out your genuine spirit, and it is a great way to enjoy yourself. Gotzon has been seen in the Oscar-nominated film, Frost Nixon and more recently in a film produced with her husband, The Farmer and the Belle, which has a storyline about inner beauty. It is a theme so important to them that they have produced two books promoting the value of inner beauty, and they plan to make a sequel to the film. In addition to The Farmer and the Belle, Chandler has appeared in Drop Dead Diva and is now working on Chang Can Dunk. Chandler said Miss NTD is unique because it celebrates traditional values. Youre focusing on the rich Chinese culture which includes things like being righteousness, benevolent, and being faithful, Chandler said. Prizes Participating in the pageant is its own reward because it builds confidence, poise, and public speaking skills, but Miss NTD also offers some major prizes. Participants are eligible to win a prize package including $10,000; the Heavenly Phoenix necklace and earring set; designer dresses; a collection of gifts; and the honor of wearing the official and Miss NTD phoenix crown, a beautiful sapphire tiara, for a year. Those who make it to the grand finals and coronation will have worldwide media exposure. These events will be televised to millions of viewers and receive additional promotion and coverage through NTD TV and online platforms, as well as The Epoch Times. The live event will be held at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College in Harrison, New York, from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1. During this time, judges will consider four categories: an interview with judges; on-stage questions and answers; dancewear to showcase fitness, poise, and posture; and an evening gown. Those who choose may also compete in the optional performing arts categories of creative, singing, or dancing, either classical Chinese or ballet. Before that, participants must pass the online audition phase, which involves an online interview with the selection committee, a video evening gown presentation, a speech, a comprehensive personal biography, and a Beauty with a Mission video project highlighting a topic on the significance of women to family, society, and the continuation of civilization. To participate, apply here. More Dogs Could Show up in Outdoor Dining SpacesNot Everyone Is Happy About It Monty Hobbs (R) and his dog Mattox sit next to another pet dog on the patio at the Olive Lounge in Takoma Park, Md., on May 4, 2023. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo) Just in time for the summer dining season, the U.S. government has given its blessing to restaurants that want to allow pet dogs in their outdoor spaces. But even though nearly half of the states already allow canine dining outdoors, the issue is far from settled, with many diners and restaurants pushing back against the increasing presence of pooches. Restaurants have been required to allow service dogs for decades. But it wasnt until the mid-2000s that a handful of statesincluding Florida and Illinoisbegan passing laws allowing dogs in outdoor dining spaces, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University. Twenty-three states now have such laws or regulations. But the legal landscape is confusing. Michigan law doesnt allow dogs in outdoor dining spaces, for example, but lets restaurants apply for a variance from their county health department. So in 2020, the Conference for Food Protectiona group of food industry and health experts that advises the governmentasked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance for states. It cited a 2012 risk assessment in Australia and New Zealand that found that the health risk to human diners from dogs was very low. Ilana Minkoff checks out the menu with her dog JoJo Wigglebutt at a restaurant in San Francisco on May 5, 2023. (Haven Daley/AP Photo) The FDAs updated food code, issued late last year, says restaurants can have dogs in outdoor areas if they get approval from a local regulator. Restaurants should have signs saying dogs are welcome and should develop plans to handle dogs and their waste. They should ensure dogs remain properly restrained and provide separate food bowls so dogs dont use plates or utensils meant for humans. The new guidance comes as U.S. pet ownership is rising. Nearly 87 million U.S. households now have a pet, up from 85 million in 2019, according to the American Pet Products Association. And experts say more people are looking for dining options that will accommodate their dogs. Yelp searches for businesses using the dogs allowed filter jumped 58 percent between the year ending May 1, 2021, and the year ending May 1, 2023. A total of 47,415 businesses now describe themselves as dog friendly on Yelp, the company says. Younger pet owners, Millennials and Generation Z, have incredibly strong bonds with their pets and they are willing to act upon that, said Steven Feldman, president of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute. They are more likely to frequentand express a preference forpet-friendly businesses. Monty Hobbs, the managing director of a digital marketing agency in Washington, can often be found at local restaurant patios with Mattox, his 5-year-old terrier and miniature schnauzer mix. Some waiters even bring Mattox bits of bacon. Hobbs stresses that he doesnt take Mattox everywhere. Hes my dog. Hes not my child, he said. But Mattox is well-behaved, he said, so its nice to know they can drop in at a neighborhood bar if theyre out taking a walk. At Zazie, a San Francisco bistro, diners get $10 off a bottle of wine on Mondays if they bring their dogs, who get treats donated by the pet store across the street. Its great for business. People really enjoy bringing their dog out with them, said Megan Cornelius, Zazies co-owner. But other restaurants are saying no to Fido. The Salty Dog Cafe in Hilton Head, South Carolina, allowed dogs on its patio when it first opened in 1987. But two years later, it banned them. Too many dogs were barking through meals, fighting, lying in walkways, and stealing hot dogs from kids plates, says Tim Stearns, the Salty Dogs chief operating officer. If diners object, the Salty Dog points them to a separate dog-friendly deck where they can eat takeout food from the restaurant. But most diners seem to appreciate the policy. We are all dog lovers at Salty Dog, but we remain a restaurant for humans, Stearns said. The Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory in Key West, Florida, banned dogs because it didnt want to be held responsible if a dog ate iguana droppingswhich can make them violently illor tripped a child or an elderly diner. In at least one case, an unleashed dog at the restaurant killed a neighborhood cat. Julie Denzin, who has worked as a restaurant server in Milwaukee for more than a decade, has watched dogs drool, fight, growl, and relieve themselves on restaurant patios. Dogs have bitten her and knocked her over, causing her to spill scalding hot coffee. She has also encountered diners who are allergic to dogs or afraid of them. Denzin doesnt think dogs should be banned, but says restaurants should consider designating dog-friendly areas or specific hours when dogs are allowed. Its not a matter of liking or disliking dogs, she said. The point is, regardless of what the owner might sayno matter how perfect and obedient they insist their dog istheres no way to ensure the safety and comfort of other guests. Maddie Speirs, a dog trainer with Pawsitive Futures Dog Training in St. Petersburg, Florida, said many people hire her with the goal of training their dogs to eat out at restaurants. Not every dog is cut out for that, she said; they need to be comfortable with noise and unsolicited interactions and able to be able to sit near food for long periods. She urges owners to think about who benefits from restaurant visits: them or their dogs. If you think its for your dog, what exactly are they getting out of it? she said. Its not as fun of a social interaction for dogs as it is for us. By Dee-Ann Durbin New Hampshire Gov. Sununu Wont Run for President in 2024 New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu speaks during the 2022 Concordia Lexington Summit at the Lexington Marriott City Center in Lexington, Ky., on April 7, 2022. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images for Concordia) New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said on June 5 that he wont seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024. Weve taken the last six months to really kind of look at things, where everything is. And Ive made the decision not to run for president on the Republican ticket in 2024, Sununu said during a June 5 interview. I think the Republican Party as a whole just wants to get out and fight, as opposed to saying, Look, lets remember what were aboutlimited government, local control, believing in individual responsibility. Thats the Live-Free-or-Die spirit of New Hampshire, and the model works really well. He said his decision was partly influenced by former President Donald Trumps candidacy and the expanding Republican field. This week, at least three more GOP candidates are expected to join the Republican race, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. I dont mind who gets into the field, but given where the polls are right now, every candidate needs to understand the responsibility of getting out and getting out quickly if its not working, Sununu said. And I can be more candid about that as the governor of the first-in-the-nation primary, calling candidates out, saying, Look, you gave it a try, youre still in low-single digits, youve got to get out of the race.' He said candidates whose campaigns arent taking off need to exit the crowded field by Christmas at the latest. The New Hampshire governor also had harsh words for the candidates who dont have a solid chance of winning, who seem to be in the race only to audition to be part of a presumptive Republican administrations Cabinet or another candidates running mate. I dont think all 12 of them firmly believe that they can be president, Sununu said. I think a lot of a lot of them just want to effectively audition to be in the Cabinet or vice president, and at this time, theres no place for them. He expressed concern that someone will win the Republican nomination with 35 percent voter support and that the majority of the party wont want to back them. Thats not where we should be as a party, Sununu said. On Trumps Chances Sununu believes that Trump has no chance of winning in 2024. Right now, Donald Trump costs us from the U.S. Senate to governorships to school board seats. His message costs Republican parties dearly across the country. The math has shown Donald Trump has no chance of winning in November of 2024, he said. If youre Republican and you cant win Georgia in November 2024, you have no shot, and hes proven that. His messaging doesnt translate. It does well with a hardcore 30 to 35 percent base, but he loses everybody beyond that. One of the reasons the Republican Party should steer clear of Trump is that people have already made up their minds about him, according to Sununu. No one is undecided about the former president, he said. There isnt anyone out there going, Well, maybe I might consider voting [for Trump]. No, you know where you are. Hes a known commodity, and so the math doesnt add up. A vote for [Trump] in the primary is effectively a vote for Joe Biden. Other Candidates On the day that Sununu announced that he wouldnt run for president, Mike Pence, the former vice president, officially filed paperwork declaring his candidacy. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie appears set to enter the race. These two recent announcements are part of a bevy of new entrants, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who join former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, conservative radio host Larry Elder, and a number of other candidates. Many of the already-declared candidates have spent weeks touring Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and other crucial early states. Trump, who announced his candidacy in November 2022, is currently leading among Republican caucus and primary voters. Ramaswamy and DeSantis have attempted to connect with relatively conservative voters and other Americans concerned about the scale and power of the federal government. In April, the anti-woke Ramaswamy vowed to shut down and replace both the IRS and the FBI. Recently, DeSantis said he would also support a move to defund the tax agency. Christie could seek to position himself as a centrist whos aggressively anti-Trump. Haley, 51, has made cognitive testing one of the cornerstones of her 2024 campaign, pointing to the advanced age of many politicians as a sign that change should be seen in both parties. Nathan Worcester contributed to this report. Nikki Haley Aims to Require Members of Congress to Get Health Care From Veterans Affairs Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley says members of Congress should be required to get their health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), saying that would prompt lawmakers to fix a broken system. My way of fixing this is I think every member of Congress should have to get their health care from the VA, Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, said at a CNN town hall event in Iowa on June 4. Im telling you, Jake, that would fix it right away because no one else would put up with what these veterans are having to put up with, she told moderator and CNN anchor Jake Tapper. And they deserve better than what theyre getting. Haley lamented the state of the VA, citing that, on average, it takes veterans 29 days to get an appointment at the VA, which in turn reschedules with patients on the 29th day in order to reset the clock as, starting on the 30th day, veterans can go wherever they want to get health care. Haley also criticized both the lack of telehealth to provide mental health services and addiction centers. The fact that were treating our best in this way is a travesty, she said, referring to veterans. Meanwhile, about 33,000 veterans are homeless, according to the VA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In addition, at some point in their life, 7 out of every 100 veterans (or 7 percent) will have PTSD, the VA says. Also, as of 2020, an average of about 17 veterans take their own lives every day, according to the VA. Haley says her husband, Michael, a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard, is set to deploy to Africa soon for a year. Its not our first rodeo. He did this when I was governor. She joked that he seems to find really interesting times [to be deployed]. Deployments are never convenient, she added. But theyre necessary. Haley said its a blessing that the United States has military personnel to defend the country, and she offered a message to military spouses who are dealing with the deployment of their significant others. We can do this. The Haley town hall, which covered topics ranging from abortion to the RussiaUkraine war, provided a contrast from the networks contentious town hall with former President Donald Trump last month. Nikki Haley Calls for Sanctioning China Over Fentanyl Crisis Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a town hall event in Bedford, N.H., on April 26, 2023. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, in a CNN town hall, called for the United States to sanction China over its role in the fentanyl crisis in America. Most of the fentanyl that comes into this country illegally from Mexicoa lot of it from Chinese supplies to Mexicocomes through ports of entry and its smuggled by American citizens, said CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who moderated the June 4 event. The immigration crisis notwithstanding, the fentanyl crisis is about 90 percent if its irrelevant to that, what would you Which is why you sanction China immediately, Haley said. China knows what theyre doing. Sanction them. Theres nothing that they dislike more than when we hit their wallets. And you sanction them and you let them know that were on to them. Regarding fentanyl itself, Haley lamented the state of affairs of the deadly opioid. Weve lost more people to fentanyl than the Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam wars combined, she said. Think about that. Thats a terrible thing. Standing by not doing anything is unacceptable. Weve got Americans dying every day. So we have to do that. And its important to know these are not druggies that are taking fentanyl. Haley went on to talk about the effect of fentanyl on Americas youth. In some cases, these are kids that just ordered Adderall online to help take a test. I talked with some parents a month ago, she said. And basically thats how they lost their son. He just took a pill from someone else before a test. Weve got to get that under control. In 2021, the leading cause of opioid-related deaths was fentanylwith 70,601 such deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 50,000 pounds of fentanyl was seized by Customs and Border Protection at the southern border in 2022. China remains the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail and express consignment operations environment, as well as the main source for all fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Seizures of fentanyl sourced from China average less than one kilogram in weight, and often test above 90 percent concentration of pure fentanyl. The CNN town hall with Haley, which consisted of other topics ranging from abortion to the Russia-Ukraine war, provided a contrast from the networks town hall with Trump last month, which was contentious. The former consisted of the moderator and Republican candidate having a normal conversation and not a debate. It also consisted of softball questions whereas the Trump town hall, moderated by anchor Kaitlan Collins, lobbed none. The town hall with Haley came as CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht has come under fire for the Trump town hall and how he has handled the network overall. Northern Virginia City Hosts Drag Performances Amid Protests Residents protest a pride month event featuring drag queen performances outside the old town hall in Fairfax, Va., on Jun. 3, 2023. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) FAIRFAX, Va.The first-ever pride month event hosted by a major northern Virginia city triggered controversy over its hosting of drag queen performances where children were allowed to tip the performers. At Fairfax Citys old town hall on June 3, children and adult spectators handed out bills to drag queens or men in female dresses and makeup. The independent city, home to over 24,000 residents, is located near Virginias most populous Fairfax County of over a million residents, many of whom work in the nations capital. The latest controversy occurred as drag queens have become increasingly prevalent in America. For example, parents in many states have objected to drag queen story hours, where drag queens read stories to children in public schools and libraries. In addition, some retailers have been facing calls for boycotts due to featuring transgender personalities in commercials and introducing pride month product lines. Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read speaks at a pride month event featuring drag queen performances at the old town hall in Fairfax, Va., on Jun. 3, 2023. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) When the current first-term Mayor Catherine Read won her election last November, she promised to have a pride event. As she kicked off a dance party on Saturday featuring pop-up drag queen performances, she spoke about her view of drags importance to pride, a cultural concept that celebrates the LGBT community. Drag belongs to the LGBTQ community, she told the audience. To have a pride event and not have drags, to me, is like taking away the artistic expression of an entire community. And thats not right. I welcome talented, wonderful drag performers. I cant imagine having a pride [event] without them. Residents protest a pride month event featuring drag queen performances outside the old town hall in Fairfax, Va., on Jun. 3, 2023. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Some residents disagreed and held a protest outside the event venue. Stacy Langton, an organizer of the demonstration, said she wasnt there to protest the pride event. What we are objecting to is the drag queens with children a part of this, she told The Epoch Times. In her view, drag performances are linked to male prostitution in history and are inappropriate for children. Mayor Read specifically told me there would be tipping, she said, adding that she had a particular problem with children tipping the performers. That means they are handing cash to an adult male for a sexually suggestive dance. Thats wrong. Theres no way its right from a moral standpoint. Photos of the performance were posted on Twitter by an account linked to Langton. Read said that Langton has her First Amendment rights, so city officials created a safe zone for the protesters outside the event venue. She has asked us questions about the performers and background checks, Read told The Epoch Times. I think we have answered within the scope of what we need to do as a local government. Were here to have a party, to have a celebration, not to prove a point, and not to win a case, she said, adding that parents have the right to bring their children to this un-age-restricted performance. Before the performance began, the host reviewed a few ground rules with the audience. One of them was not to interact with the protesters outside. The mayor said we want to starve their effort of oxygen, and I think that is an admirable course of action, said the host in the mayors presence. When asked about the oxygen comment, Read responded, That doesnt sound like something I would say. But if somebody has me on video, thats fine. I dont know what their point is; I really dont know, she added, referring to the demonstrators against the drag performances. She said that it was her opinion that these protesters do not represent a majority view in the city. Rose Pascarell, Vice President for University Life at George Mason University, speaks at a pride month event featuring drag queen performances at the old town hall in Fairfax, Va., on Jun. 3, 2023. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) George Mason University, a public institution with its primary address in the City of Fairfax, sponsored the pride event. In the vendor exhibit room, the university promoted its LGBT studies minor and a graduate certificate in women and gender studies. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is beginning proceedings to hold the FBI in contempt of Congress, after the bureau refused to hand over a document about President Joe Biden on Monday. Former Vice President Mike Pence filed his paperwork to run for president, with his formal announcement expected later in the week. The State Department is promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Iraq. The department says this will help create stability in the region. An explosion like sound was heard across the Washington, DC area on June 4. Officials say it was the sound of fighter jets breaking the sound barrier. Find out why the jets were scrambled. Tiananmen Square Massacre Commemorations were held worldwide on June 4. We share the scenes and some thoughts from attendees. GOP presidential candidates descend on Iowa. Presidential hopefuls such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Tim Scott and conservative talk show host Larry Elder made their cases to voters. Topics in this episode include: 1. F-16 Fighter Jets Chase Down Errant Cessna 2. GOP Presidential Candidates Rally in Iowa 3. World Remembers Tiananmen Square Massacre 4. Potentially Dangerous Near Miss in Taiwan Strait 5. Nearly 300 Dead in India Train Collision 6. Natalee Holloway Suspect to Be Extradited Soon 7. FBI Director Issued New Subpoena Threat 8. Chuck Todd Stepping Down From Meet the Press 9. Student Loan Payment Pause to End 10. Psychiatrist Offers Tips on Mental Health 11. Abandoned Boy Becomes Crochet Prodigy 12. Private Gym Alleviates Gym Anxiety 13. Red Bull Cliff Diving Season Kicks Off in Boston BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The organization of the activities of currency exchange offices may be reformed in Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan Taleh Kazimov said at the meeting of the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, Trend reports. He noted that the amendments to the law "On the Central Bank" also provide for this issue. According to Kazimov, it is planned to create not small, but institutional currency exchange offices. Operation Mountain Storm 2004: The Forgotten Female Searchers U.S. Navy Hospitalman Third Class Lori Butierries, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), admonishes several Afghani children to be patient as they wait their turn for a piece of candy during a one-day Coalition Medical / Dental Civil Affairs Project humanitarian mission to the village of Najoy, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks) Commentary A surprise mandatory meeting was held for all the female service members, officers, and enlisted alike, already deployed with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) after arriving in Afghanistan. The objective was made clear; the MEU had come up with a spur-of-the-moment idea. They were going to use female searchers to win the locals hearts & minds by obeying the Muslim customs and courtesies regarding Afghan women while simultaneously looking for weapons, intelligence, and countering the Taliban. What could go wrong with an arrangement like that? None of the women assembled in the tent had a choice. The MEU needed bodies with tits and lady bits to make their idea bloom and bear fruit. Besides, like the men, the women gave up their right to refuse when they joined the service, too, so their lives were equally forfeit to those in power to use, abuse, or throw away as they see fit. Being volun-told is the pits. Marines or Sailors, it didnt matter who got picked. All the women with the 22nd MEU were scrutinized by those authorized to make operational decisions. However, only twelve females initially got selected, and then they were divvied into the various tactical elements. After a quick run-through of how to search a body from head to foot, using the credit card swipe and back of the hand method, the female searchers were deemed ready to be embedded with 1st Battalion, 6th Marines (BLT 1/6) and were flown out to the drop zone and placed right into the thick of it. Thats all the training or information that the female searchers had been given for the mission. The women thought further instructions would be forthcoming once the coalition forces figured out their interoperability. Understandably, but unfortunately, the women were an unknown liability for the squads and company, so they never fully integrated into the ground combat units as the superiors wanted. Regardless, the days passed, and the female searchers did their new jobs accordingly, but they continued to function in the dark, both literally and figuratively. Between continuous night and day movements covering miles of rough-mountainous terrain by convoy or by foot while dealing with the insurgents guerrilla warfare tactics, the female searchers struggled to cope with their fear while keeping pace with the goings-on around them. Not only that, but the promised ten-day operation turned into weeks without an end in sight. As a result, feminine hygiene products had to be radioed in for the first time in Marine Corps history. Menstruation became an unexpected troop problem never before faced by an infantry battalion to date. Some women were not ready to mentally or physically handle the toll that the assigned task took on them. Consequently, complaints surfaced as well as accusations of mistreatment. The command element was quick to intervene. Half the women immediately got pulled off the line and got sent back to Kandahar for an incident report to be written. Only the bare minimum number of female searchers remained behind on the front lines to maintain operational effectiveness, which enabled the infantry to continue to do their due diligence during the cordon and search battlefield operations concerning the Afghan women. Tensions were high, and resentment took root. The men did not appreciate what was said about them, especially considering that they had been on their best behavior up until then. Which no longer became the case after that. The grunts ensured that the remaining female searchers answered for the actions and slanderous words that their female counterparts had made to incur their rage. Justified or not, thats just the way it is. Actions have consequences, and someone always has to pay for their mistakes. Being hated was draining, and so was the intense heat. When the grunts passed out from heatstroke or dehydration, their animosity wouldnt even allow them to accept help from the female corpsman trying to give them an IV. It was heartbreaking to watch the men put their health in jeopardy to avoid her touch or aid. All the women could do was take it on the chin and not complain. They would have to prove themselves and earn the mens trust back as they climbed the same mountains, searched the same compounds, slept in the same goat poop, endured the same weather conditions, and faced the same enemy when bullets fell like rain around them. Despite all the hiccups and bumps in the road, the females proved their worth over time. It helped smooth things over, too, when the women did not freak out when the convoy got ambushed or when the patrols came under direct fire. That was no easy feat when the enemy had them pinned down, and air support wasnt available for immediate relief, which feels like an eternity when everyone wondered if they would return home alive and in one piece. In the end, when it was all said and done, the MEU suffered minimal losses while completing its objectives in the war against terrorism. That was thanks to many tactical innovations, including embedding female searchers with ground combat units in Afghanistan long before Female Engagement Teams (FET) became recognized in 2005 for doing the same thing. Operation Mountain Storm was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that revealed many military and personal strengths and weaknesses. It is safe to say that it will also live on in the female searchers memories long after their combat successes fade from societys unofficial archives, because something extraordinary like that never gets forgotten by the ones that lived through the hardships. Editors note: This article by U.S. Navy Hospitalman 3rd class Lori Buttieries describes her experience in Afghanistan during Operation Mountain Storm. Searching the local populace was an unavoidable part of counterinsurgent operations, and searching Afghan women was essential because insurgent forces used women to hide weapons or explosives. To prevent any inference of sexual assault and avoid alienating the local population, a team of female service members (pdf)three Sailors and nine Marinesserved with the infantry as searchers. This article first appeared in The Havok Journal. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Out on Private American Patrols in the Smuggler-Blighted Border Badlands of Arizona This article is a collaboration between RealClearInvestigations and Soldier of Fortune magazine, with Heath Hansen of SOF on the border. Commentary CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST, Ariz.As blazing sunlight ebbs to a star-studded sky along the U.S.-Mexico border, members of the Arizona Border Recon group peer through field glasses at a trio of men on the southern side in camouflage fatigues and carrying pistols and AK-47s. The men, almost certainly members of Sinaloa cartel factions, are using their own binoculars to scan random gaps in a roughly 30-foot-high wall of thick metal bars that stretches for miles along a flatland carved by arroyos and dotted with rocks, saguaro cactus, and high grasses. At times, a solo gunshot echoes on the Mexican side, a sound the AZBR knows from experience is a signal to people to start moving north. There are chiefly two types of people AZBR teams have encountered filtering into the United States. Some of them carry packs filled with canned food, cookies, and blankets. But others trek lugging much larger packs and no such rations or equipmentindications their cargo is a more illicit sort. The AZBR is a private group with no authority to arrest the mules, but for years its members have run patrols and cameras along the hundreds of trails and washes that web an area the group has dubbed Babys Head Gap. It is so named for a Mexican dolls head atop a spike in the desert, an apparent warning to anyone wanting to cross that passage is done only with the cartels permission. The uneven landscape, with ravine ridges marked by trees and bushes running along the top, offers low visibility for Sinaloa cartel agents carrying fentanyl, as well as for AZBR teams out on days-long operations during which they share intelligence and photos with U.S. officials. The presence of U.S. authorities in this open, gashed wasteland is light; on a recent operation AZBR members saw an occasional Blackhawk helicopter dart across the sky, but there were no foot patrols. At least in the area they patrol, AZBR leaders agree with former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott, who told a House committee on May 23 that Mexican drug cartels control everything that crosses that Southwest border, including illegal migrant crossings that create gaps in border security. Because they have no law enforcement power and carry weapons only for self-defense, AZBR members are more witnesses to the disintegrating border than a force of deterrence. The private group was founded in 2011 by Tim Foley, 64, a former 82nd Airborne paratrooper and recovering addict whose endless gulping of cans of Red Bull and chain-smoking of American Spirit cigarettes put a modern twist on Spartan habits. I live almost solely on caffeine, nicotine, and an occasional Pop-Tart, he said. Foley knows cartel members control the Mexican land he watches because in January 2022, he says, they contacted him, via a phone call from a federale, a Mexican state police officer. The caller initially offered to furnish AZBR with any gear or weapons, gifts, which would mean you wouldnt be our enemy then. Foley declined and two weeks later the man called again, this time offering $15,000 a month if AZBR would cease operating. Again, Foley said, he declined, at which point the federale sighed and told him that, in that case, the cartel was going to raise the price on his head from $100,000 to $250,000, a rich bounty that luckily no one has collected. On a recent AZBR patrol in mid-May, menacing silhouettes appeared on the southern skyline. These cartel members are soldiers of a sort themselvesinfantry in the drug trade that has seen the Southwest borderland become the main conduit for deadly fentanyl, according to federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials with whom Foley is in regular contact. While much of the border attention has fallen on Texas, authorities in Arizona seized at least six tons of fentanyl at the entry point of Nogales in just four months between October and January. Two March busts there found more than 560,000 fentanyl pills, according to federal officials. The March seizures involved vehicle and tire smuggling operations, which the cartels use to move the largest stashes of fentanyl, but individual carriers are also involved. For a decade now, Foley has had numerous encounters with migrants, and with cartel memberssometimes armed. While AZBR has a mailing list of 50, his intelligence-gathering missions involve no more than a dozen vetted volunteers, about the size of a Marine Corp infantry squad. Some of them, like Foley, are ex-military, including a former Green Beret. They camp and run trail cameras in high-traffic areas where migrants and smugglers regularly traverse the treacherous desert seeking a new life, or a drop-off point for the contraband they have carried into the United States. The beginning was hard, as I had to learn the terrain and the tactics of what was going on down here, Foley said. I started out with five others, but they faded away in about six months. Around a year later, AZBR was officially started. The AZBR team members take time off work, and away from their families, to come out to the border and obtain intelligence to share with the U.S. Border Patrol. Some come from nearby Tucson, others farther away. With the use of volunteers on the ground, cameras on the trail, and drones in the sky, they regularly observe the movement of the cartel and their mules on the south side and north side of the U.S. border. Foley notifies his network of federal and local law enforcement contacts before AZBR teams head out, indicating where they will be operating. Some members speak Spanish, including Foleys number two, Enzo, the better to communicate during encounters with strangers in the baked wasteland. Sex Work Looms for Indebted Young Women Over the years, AZBR patrols have seen countless drug mules, human smugglers, migrants, and even dead bodiessome victims of the cartel, others victims of mother nature. Last November, an AZBR team encountered two young women who startled the team by saying they had paid no one to crossan unheard-of arrangement in a world where the cartel routinely charges between $3,000 and $5,000 for the crossing. The women said they were simply told to meet up with a man in Tucson, leading AZBR to speculate the women and their unrealized debt could lead to sex trafficking. In that case and others, AZBR will notify Border Patrol officials, who come and take the crossers into custody. Foley is explicit in saying he does not want cowboys on his operationsAZBR is not looking for confrontations or shootouts and does not view itself as a law enforcement group. Anger over border crime is one motivating factor for some AZBR members, who prefer to remain anonymous. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol did not respond to a request for comment about the groups activities. Still, the members know how they are sometimes perceived. In articles about them published by Soldier of Fortune magazine and then posted on social media, some commenters deride AZBR members as wannabes or LARPslive-action role players. They shrug at the labels, all of which they reject. Weve been called everything in the bookmilitia, vigilantes, domestic extremists, and the list goes on, Foley has said. We are an NGO; we have no ranking structure and my official title is field operations director. The only rank in the organization is my dog, Sgt. Rocko, and thats just because it sounds cool. What weve never been called is neighborhood watch, but this is my neighborhood and Im watching it. Some migrants who have entered the U.S. illegally have mistaken AZBR volunteers for government officials and tried to surrender to them. More often, they are led a few hundred meters into the United States and then abandoned by the cartel coyotes who promised to get them to Tucson, about 70 miles away. With no help, they will die of exposure quickly, but AZBR provides food and water while waiting for the Border Patrol to pick them up. In terms of drugs, AZBR has found several kilos of dope in stashes near Arivaca, Ariz., and on cartel mules in the United States. The patrollers practice is to immediately notify Border Patrol and turn over the contraband. While two square miles is but a postage stamp on the Southwest border, it is an immense area for small teams to patrol and Foley is under no illusions about what is happening there or AZBRs ability to make a major dent in the traffic. I have no regrets, only frustrations, he said. Open borders opponents are also frustrated with the way President Biden began lifting immigration restrictions the moment he took office in January 2021. Arizona sued Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who has supervised the Biden administration policies of paroling hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers, to keep in effect Title 42, a COVID-related border restriction launched by the Trump administration. On May 18, however, Arizonas case was rejected by the Supreme Court, with Justice Neil Gorsuch ruling the government cannot apply an emergency decree for one crisis, COVID, to another, illegal immigration. Gorsuch also used his rejection to write a ringing rebuke of the way government trampled on civil liberties during the epidemic, strictly enforcing ruinous economic shutdowns and made-up steps like social distancing that have since proven ineffective in fighting the virus. Another court case filed by Florida, however, has been more successful in trying to curb the Biden administrations efforts to relax border controls and facilitate the passage of more immigrants. While the figures for May when Title 42 ended have not been compiled, monthly records for illegal crossings have been set and shattered repeatedly under Biden. In April, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol had 211,401 encounters at the Southwest border, up 10 percent from March and 20 percent more than they encountered in April 2022. The Southwest border accounts for more than 85 percent of port-of-entry encounters, which can include recrossing illegal immigrants but does not account for gotaways, those that Border Patrol agents do not see. More than 5 million people are estimated to have now entered the U.S. across the Southwest border during the last 2 years. Numbers like that and the skyrocketing fentanyl overdoses in the U.S. can make the work of AZBR volunteers seem inconsequential. But this does not dissuade them from what they see as their duty to protect the small sliver of the U.S. border that they consider their backyard. The hope is that the U.S. government will deploy more federal agents to the border to quell the surge, but it may take the efforts of citizens working alongside federal authorities to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs and migrants into the United States. Foley, for one, has developed a fatalistic outlook from whats happening. I never thought Id be here this long, but here I am, he said. I told myself theres only two ways Id leave here. One, if I felt it was safe and secure; or two, if I died. From the way things looks, itll be the second one. From RealClearInvestigations and Soldier of Fortune Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Possible Strategic Enabling Moves by China to Support a Blockade of Taiwan The USS Chung-Hoon observes a Chinese navy ship conduct what it called an "unsafe Chinese maneuver in the Taiwan Strait, on June 3, 2023. The Chinese navy ship cut sharply across the path of the American destroyer, forcing the U.S. ship to slow to avoid a collision. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Andre T. Richard/U.S. Navy via AP) Commentary It appears that the Chinese regime is incrementally increasing the scope and scale of its challenges to the sovereignty of Taiwan in addition to the continuous air and naval activity since December 2022, when President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The new law was replete with strong statements of support for Taiwan. China has continued to assert that Taiwan has become a base for American military forces with the NDAA. Beijing opposed a recent trade agreement between Taiwan and the United States. And now, new Taiwan proposals by Congress are heightening the tenacity of Chinese histrionics. China has introduced high-endurance drones to complement manned aircraft and operate independently to provide an omnipresent specter of presence around Taiwan. This was helpful during the Balikatan 23 exercises, where Chinese aircraft could conduct a maintenance reset after four months of increased flight operations tempo. The focus of the Chinese drone campaign seemed to be the Eastern shore of Taiwan facing the deep and broad Pacificthe most likely approach for ships and aircraft arriving to help resupply Taiwan in case the regime goes to the next step in attempting to constrict and asphyxiate Taiwan from the outside world. In grand military strategy and tactics (and very Sun-Tzu-ian), China will need to distract and complicate the efforts of the United States and other countries from breaking the tightening Chinese blockade of Taiwan. There are three available opportunities for China to conduct a campaign of distraction from its blockade of Taiwan at a very low cost in terms of resources or military units. Disabling the Panama Canal The expansion of the Panama Canal has greatly increased merchant traffic, and approximately 6 percent of world trade passes through the canal. Chinese Belt and Road initiatives are omnipresent in Panama, while American participation in infrastructure or any mercantile activity has evaporated or dithered. One infrastructure development in Panama that China has been stalking is the water management system for the canal. With water levels diminishing and affecting traffic, there is an urgency to this initiative, and it has been announced, withdrawn, and re-announced. The United States Army Corps of Engineers has been awarded a contract for technical oversight of the project. However, the award of the overall construction and operation of the initiative is still in process. The reality is that water management is vital to keeping the Panama Canal open, and any water management accident, unintentionally or intentionally, can have catastrophic effects on the canal. The effect of any blockage or slowdown of traffic through the canal would have a devastating economic impact on the United States. Still, it would also render almost half of the U.S. Navy unable to aid American and allied forces deterring China or helping to lift any possible blockade of Taiwan. The only solution for losing the canal would be to transit ships around the bottom of South America, potentially adding a month at a minimum to travel time to the Western Pacific. However, even at the tip of South America, China has suddenly appeared, and the U.S. Southern Command Commander expressed great concern about its ability to keep the Panama Canal and Straits of Magellan open to traffic in light of aggressive Chinese civil-military and Belt and Road strategies. The reality is that China is already in Panama and can apply decisive influence at will to the Panama Canal when it so desires. Blocking Traffic Through the Suez Canal Another vital canal is the Suez Canal. The United States can survive without the Suez Canal, but Europe will be greatly distressed by any long-term loss of use of the canal. The canal is irreplaceable in ensuring the flow of energy and routine consumer products necessary for basic functions of life in Europe. On the other hand, Chinawith new treaties with Saudi Arabia and Iran for energy and security arrangementswould be relatively unaffected by the closure of the Suez in the short term and assuming an outcome of world tensions favorable to China, a temporary diminishment of the outflow of Chinese consumer products to Europe would be worth it. The expanding presence of Chinese forces at their dramatic and imposing fortress in Djibouti is the logical forward operating base for Chinese civil-military influence operations toward the Suez Canal. The Chinese base camp is only about 7 miles or 10 minutes at high speed from the long-standing American and coalition outpost at the international airport in Djibouti. There is a stark difference in combat power between the Chinese and American-led units in this small country. The Chinese garrison forces have heavy armor, mobile artillery, and high-speed wheeled combat vehicles. In contrast, the American forces are largely humanitarian, logistics, and relatively lightly equipped Special Operations forces focused on projection south into Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya. The Chinese facility also has a large, dual-use port that can rapidly offload reinforcements. The presence of Chinese forces close to Egypt, which is also leaning Chinese, is influential and greater in strength than American or coalition forces. In addition, the possibility of China using economic incentives to Egypt to offset any loss to Egypt from diminished or stopped passage through the canal would be quite worth the roughly $10 billion that Egypt receives annually from canal passage fees. Assailing US Domestic Critical Infrastructure The possibility of a Chinese cyber blitz on American domestic critical infrastructure necessary to support the Defense Department projection of force toward the Western Pacific was already foreseen and articulated in FY 2023 NDAA Section 1088. Section 1088 requires a tabletop exercise to assess a Chinese cyber assault intended to disrupt, degrade, or destroy domestic U.S. infrastructure necessary to enable U.S. generation and projection of military force to intervene in a Chinese assault in the Western Pacific. Chinas three focus areas are likely power plants, ports, and U.S. defense industrial base plants. While it is unclear as to the status of the mandated tabletop exercise, the Chinese regime has already begun the cyber preparation of the battlefield by being caught planting remote access software via Microsoft products on critical defense infrastructure in Guam. This provocative action by the regime only validates the concern of many national security analysts regarding the intent and direction of Beijings ambitions. By conducting coordinated efforts through Chinese companies, interests, and forces already in place to disrupt the use of the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal, and U.S. domestic infrastructure, the Chinese regime will be in a good position to significantly, and perhaps decisively, block any U.S. and allied nation actions to provide relief to a Taiwan under duress of Chinese Communist Party aggression. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Quebec Town Devastated by Fishing Accident That Killed Local Man, Four Children Residents of a small northeastern Quebec village are devastated by the news that a local man and two of his children were among five people killed in a weekend fishing mishap, one of the mans relatives said Sunday. Keven Girard, 37, and four children died early on Saturday when they were caught in the shifting tides of the St. Lawrence River while fishing for capelin. Police identified Girard on Sunday but declined to name the children. But Girards aunt by marriage, Vivian Lavoie, said his sons Patrick and Jerome Girard were among the victims. Everyone is gutted, Lavoie said in French on Sunday from the village of Les Bergeronnes, which was also Girards hometown. Everyone knows each other here. Its tight here. Everyone is affected. And on top of it, they were good parents and all, Lavoie said. No one deserves something like that. Divers found Girards body in the St. Lawrence river on Saturday night, provincial police spokeswoman Sgt. Beatrice Dorsainville said in a phone interview. His death was first announced after the bodies of four children were found unresponsive on the river bank on Saturday. The minorsall over 10were found a few hours after a 2 a.m. emergency call that day about a group swept up by the tide near Portneuf-sur-Mer, a North Coast village located about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal. Police said the five were among a group of 11 people fishing on foot near the shore when they were caught off guard by the rising waters. Following police announcements, a wave of social media posts expressed grief, sympathy and heartfelt affection for the victims and their loved ones. Samuel Brassard, Girards cousin, left a post on his relatives Facebook page late Saturday night with the image of a burning candle underneath. You were like a brother to me, he wrote in French, and recalled their last get-together the week before, shortly after the burial of their grandmother. We had started saying our goodbyes to our loved ones and wondering who will be next. Had I known that a few days after it was you and your little men that I had to say goodbye, I would have made sure the party never ended. You left too soon, Ill never forget you, I love you! Officials from Portneuf-sur-Mer, a community of about 600 people that sits 60 kilometres northeast of Girards hometown, also shared condolences on the towns Facebook page after the terrible tragedy on the sandbank. The municipality of Portneuf-sur-Mer and all the citizens unite in the same spirit to wish the bereaved families and their friends good luck! Our deepest condolences and thoughts are with you, the post read. Quebec provincial police divers and Canadian Forces members took part in the search for Girard throughout Saturday afternoon. Everyone is affected by what happened, because this kind of event, its the first time its happened, Mayor Jean-Maurice Tremblay said in French. When it involves five people, and four children drowning during a recreational activity, its certain people are quite sad about it. Capelina silvery smelt fishare a forage species consumed by many marine animals, and Tremblay said fishing for them is a popular activity in his part of Quebecs North Shore. Capelin fishing takes place on the banks of the river using scoops rather than fishing lines. The fish most often roll at night, so people light a fire on the shore and wait, Tremblay added. He said the sandbank on which the victims were fishing is accessed by all-terrain vehicles. They were caught on a section of the peninsula where parts can be submerged by up to four metres of water when the tide rises. Tremblay said its important to watch for fluctuating tides, something thats difficult to identify at night. Kateri Champagne Jourdain, the minister responsible for the North Shore region, said in a Twitter post she would ensure that psychosocial support is provided to citizens. RFK Jr. Says Fox News Didnt Run Negative Vaccine Stories to Keep Big Pharma Advertisers Robert Kennedy Jr. attends the "Anthropocene: The Human Epoch" Premiere during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival at Temple Theater in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 25, 2019. (Rich Fury/Getty Images) Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Fox News barred content that reflected negatively on vaccines to appease its big-money advertisers in the pharmaceutical industry. During a June 5 Twitter Spaces interview with the platforms owner, Elon Musk, Kennedy disclosed that he approached former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes in 2016 about doing a story on the mercury content in vaccines but was shut down. He said that any of his hosts who allowed me on TV to talk about this, that he would be forced to fire them, Kennedy recalled. And he said that 75 percent of his advertising revenues for the nightly news shows were at that point coming from pharma. According to Kennedy, Ailes was sympathetic to his cause but knew that such a story would result in a call from Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch within 10 minutes. The Epoch Times has contacted Fox News for comment. Banned From Platforms As an outspoken critic of the COVID-19 vaccines, Kennedy has faced his fair share of being removed from platforms in recent years, with the most recent example being his campaigns suspension from Instagram. Last week, Kennedy shared the news on Twitter, noting that his personal account was banned years ago and has not been reinstated despite his political candidacy. To silence a major political candidate is profoundly undemocratic, he wrote on June 1 in a tweet. Social media is the modern equivalent of the town square. How can democracy function if only some candidates have access to it? Musk, responding to the news, invited Kennedy to join him for a Twitter Spaces discussion. And Instagrams loss appeared to be Twitters gain on June 5, as more than 56,000 people tuned in to the conversation, which featured a wider discussion of how the government and major corporations work to control the speech of Americans. Bait and Switch Free speech and the free flow of information is the water, its the sunlight, its the fertilizer and soil to democracy, Kennedy said. Without it, democracy withers and dies. Noting that those who censor speech are historically viewed as the bad guys, the candidate stressed that he has met many Americans who feel like the democratic aspect of the U.S. government has become nothing more than a front. So many Americans today feel like the promise of democracy has been a bait and switch, and that were no longer living in a democratic system where we are actually the sovereign of our own destinies, he said. Money, drugs, and large corporations, he said, had turned the government into an instrument of corporate power that was being wielded against U.S. citizens. And the media, he contended, has been complicit in that process. The function of media traditionally is supposed to be the guardians of the First Amendment. Theyre supposed to speak truth to power, and instead, they become propaganda vessels for the powerful, for you know, the big military-industrial complex or the pharmaceutical companies. Debate Controversy While Kennedy stressed that democracy thrives best in an atmosphere of debate, his political party appears to have chosen a different route, opting to forgo presidential primary debates and back the reelection of President Joe Biden. Kennedy, however, has decried that decision as undemocratic and unfair. Were living in a time in this country when theres so many Americans who feel like this whole system, the economic system and the political system, are rigged against them, but also that elections are actually rigged. And I think its really important that the Democratic Party make itself a template for democracy, he told Fox News Laura Ingraham on May 25. I hope at some point President Biden will share my sympathies and will debate his opponents, he added. As of yet, Kennedy is one of two candidates to challenge Biden for the Democratic nomination, with the second being author Marianne Williamson. Pointing to recent polls, Kennedy has said he believes he has a path to defeating Biden in the primaries. According to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, as of June 5, Biden holds a substantial lead with 42.5 percent of the vote compared to Kennedys 16.8 percent. Williamson places third at 6.8 percent. However, a Redfield and Wilton Strategies poll conducted on April 30 suggests Democrat voters want Biden to debate his challengers. According to Newsweek, the survey found that 79 percent of eligible voters who supported Biden in the 2020 presidential election said the Democratic Party should hold televised primary debates. Among all eligible voters, 68 percent said the same. We need to be able to show people that democracy works and the United States isnt just like the Soviet Union, where the party picks candidates and the public really doesnt have a say, Kennedy told Fox News in another recent interview. He continued: We should be trying to convince the public that we are the Democratic Party and that we do believe in democracy. And that the public actually gets to choose candidates, get to meet them, see them debate, touch them, and participate in their own governance. Rishi Sunak Says Illegal Immigrants Taking Advantage of Britains Generosity of Spirit But Labour's Sir Keir Starmer says Sunak's announcements 'feel like Groundhog Day' Rishi Sunak says the British government has bought or rented three barges to house up to 1,500 illegal immigrants and has said he makes no apology for tough measures which are being used to stem the tide of small boats crossing the English Channel. The first of the barges is due to dock in Portland, Dorset, later this month and will house 500 men who have claimed asylum in Britain. Speaking at an event in the port of Dover on Monday, Sunak said there was a danger Britains liberal values and its willingness to offer sanctuary to those in need was being exploited by people traffickers. He said: I know these are tough measures and I make no apology for that. We cannot allow our generosity of spirit to be used as a weapon against us or against those who are being pushed to risk their lives in the channel by criminal gangs. Sunak said the amount of small boat crossings was down by 20 percent and said, Our plan is starting to work. But he said there was a long way to go and said it was likely large numbers would be brought across the Channel from France and Belgium by traffickers this summer. Sunak unveiled plans for the two new barges and said he was following up on his promise to get illegal migrants out of hotels and into alternative sites. He also confirmed the Home Office would begin using two new sites at Wethersfield in Essex and Scampton in Lincolnshireboth former RAF baseswhich could house 3,000 by the end of the year. The Western Jetfoil immigrant processing facility at Dover docks, Kent, England, on Nov. 9, 2022. (Chris Summers/The Epoch Times) Sunak said, While were bringing those sites online, were also making more efficient use of hotels by asking people to share rooms where its appropriate to do so. Asylum Seekers Should be Willing to Share Hotel Rooms Sunak then sent a direct message to genuine asylum seekers, If youre coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution, then you should be willing to share a taxpayer-funded hotel room in central London. Sunak said: Our plan is starting to work. Before I launched my plan in December, the number entering the UK illegally in small boats had more than quadrupled in two years. Some said this problem was insoluble, or just a fact of 21st century life. Theyd lost faith in politicians to put in the hard yards to do something about it. And of course, we still have a long way to go. But in the five months since I launched the plan, crossings are now down 20 percent compared to last year, he added. This is the first time since this problem began that arrivals between January and May have fallen compared to the year before, Sunak said. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement about illegal immigrants at Western Jet Foil in Dover, Kent on June 5, 2023. (PA) Sunaks comments came a day after immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the Illegal Migration Bill to detain immigrants who arrive through unauthorised means before returning them home or to a third country, such as Rwanda, would alleviate the pressure. That will create the deterrent we desperately need, it will break the business model of the people smuggle gangs and it will stop the system from coming under intolerable pressure like it is today, Jenrick told the BBC on Sunday. The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, said there was nothing new in Sunaks announcement. Starmer, who was in Somerset, told journalists: Everybody wants to make sure that we stop the boats, we dont want people making that dangerous journey. All weve really had from the government though is the announcement of a policy that doesnt work and then the reannouncement of the same policy, essentially. Starmer: Growing Sense of Frustration It often feels, I think, like Groundhog Day and meanwhile thats costing a fortune for the taxpayer and theres this growing sense of frustration, he added. Conservative-majority Braintree District Council has opposed the use of the Wethersfield site for migrants. The councils leader Graham Butland said last month, We have received notification that our appeal against the High Courts decision regarding the interpretation of Class Q and the refusal to grant the council an injunction to stop the Home Offices proposals to provide accommodation for asylum seekers at Wethersfield airfield will be heard on June 12. The controversy over the use of the Wethersfield site has echoes of the issues last year at Manston in Kent, which at one point was housing 4,000 illegal immigrants who had been intercepted by the Royal Navy as they crossed the Channel. Guy Wilson, chairman of Manston Parish Council, told The Epoch Times in November 2022: My non-PC answer is that we have a reduced workforce in England and Scotland and a lot of these young migrants from Albaniathose aged 18 to 30could be hopefully utilised by Nicola Sturgeon. They could join the workforce. They could get work permits to work in Scotland and boost the Scottish economy and productivity quite considerably. Most of the migrants are prepared to work for next to nothing. FBI Conduct Sparks Protest at Federal Building in Detroit Organizers of a protest against the politicization of the FBI in Detroit, Mich. on June 3, 2023. (Steven Kovac/Epoch Times) A small but vocal group of demonstrators gathered on June 3 outside the Detroit office of the FBI to demand the firing of Christopher Wray, the bureaus director. Wray must be fired, and the FBI must be decentralized and moved out of Washington, D.C., protest organizer and Trump supporter Brian Pannebecker said. As long as the FBI and DOJ [Department of Justice] continue to illegally withhold subpoenaed evidence from Congress, we will continue to fight. Wray was nominated by then-President Donald Trump to succeed FBI Director James Comey, whom he fired in the summer of 2017. When asked about that by The Epoch Times, Pannebecker said: Yeah, Trump made some really bad appointments. Hell know better in his next term. Suppressing Potential Evidence Pannebecker, a U.S. Army veteran with a son currently serving in the Army National Guard in the Middle East, said hes outraged by what he sees as the FBIs protecting President Joe Biden by suppressing potentially incriminating evidence that allegedly links Biden to an international influence peddling scheme. We are here today in the hope of awakening the people of Detroit, who are the victims of so much crime and violence, to the need to be rid of Wray and replace him with someone who will work for them, he said. Im here because our government is completely corrupted, Dana Coyne told The Epoch Times. We are not a government of the people anymore. We are a country run by globalists who do not love America and who disrespect the sovereignty of the United States. John Zupanc of Macomb County said he came to downtown Detroit on a Saturday because he believes the government is crooked and corrupt and must be held accountable. Wrays Offer Facing a contempt of Congress citation, Wray announced on June 2 that he would permit a piece of evidence subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee to be viewed only by Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Democratic Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). Wrays move on the eve of the protest did nothing to appease the demonstrators. At this point, does anybody trust Wray to follow through? He has a history of stonewalling and then finally producing documents requested by Congress that are near totally redacted, Pannebecker said. I feel there is a two-tiered system of justice in this country. There should not be one set of rules for the favored few and different rules for the rest of us. Government should do the right thing, said demonstrator Angelic Johnson, of the group Faith, Education, and Commerce United of Michigan (FEC). Protester Elisa Wagner said: Today, our government is doing exactly what our Founding Fathers warned us about. We are living in a tyrannical time. All Americans must do their due diligence to protect our constitutional rights. Thats why Im here. Differing Opinions Trump flags and Fire Wray picket signs in the Federal Building Plaza provoked responses from passing cars, with some honking and shouting, Go Trump! while others yelled obscenities and Lock him up! The demonstration also caught the attention of passing pedestrians. One who stopped to listen to the speakers said, I saw the Trump flags and knew something good must be happening, so I walked over to see what was going on. One cyclist who stopped briefly to check out the protest noted the small crowd. I cant believe Trump has even that many supporters in the city of Detroit. Protest organizer Brian Pannebecker addresses demonstrators at the federal building in Detroit on June 3, 2023. (Steven Kovac/The Epoch Times) FEC Director Lisha Kilgus, an organizer of the protest, told those in attendance: The world has gone mad. The authorities who are supposed to be upholding the law are not following the laws. We demand transparency and accountability. Congress must act quickly to root out the arrogant, entrenched, criminally compromised leaders of the FBI, Kilgus added. Christopher Wray must go. We are praying for our nation because God is the only one who can intervene and bring to pass the miracles that we need. We pray that God would raise up good leaders who will obey the law and do the right thing. Protect the Whistleblowers Pannebecker and Kilgus called the FBI whistleblowers who have come forward to expose alleged official misconduct at the highest levels of the bureau patriots and heroes. These FBI agents who are upholding their oath of office and serving admirably deserve whistleblower protection. We are praying for them and their families, Kilgus said. More of our people need to have the courage to stand up and stand in the gap, as the Bible says. Our rights come from God, not the government. Pannebecker said the whistleblowers are willing to take a great personal risk and make huge sacrifices by coming forward, and its the least that people can do to come out and support them. Protests will continue periodically throughout the summer at the federal building in Detroit, he said. Russia Says It Thwarted Major Ukrainian Offensive, Kyiv Accuses Moscow of Spreading Lies Drone footage shows armoured vehicles on the move in an unidentified location after the Defence Ministry in Moscow said that Russian forces have thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive in the southern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, in this still image taken from a handout video released on June 5, 2023. (Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters) MOSCOWRussia said on Monday its forces had thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive at five points along the front in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk and killed hundreds of troops while Ukraine accused Moscow of spreading lies. It was not immediately clear whether or not the attack represented the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive which Kyiv has been promising for months to drive out Russian forces after the invasion of February 2022. Russias defence ministry said Ukraine had attacked on Sunday morning with six mechanised and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk, where Moscow has long suspected Ukraine would seek to drive a wedge through Russian-controlled territory. On the morning of June 4, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front in the South Donetsk direction, the defence ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram at 1:30 a.m. Moscow time (2230 GMT). The enemys goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front, it said. The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the Russian statement and the Ukrainian defence ministry and military did not immediately respond to written requests for comment. The commander of Ukraines ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Monday that Ukrainian forces continued moving forward near the long-contested city of Bakhmut in northern Donetsk. He made no comment on the counter-offensive. The daily report from Ukraines General Staff said only that there were 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine. Ukraines Centre for Strategic Communications did not address the Russian statement directly but said, without providing evidence, that Russia would seek to spread lies. Fighting Russias defence ministry released video of what it said showed several Ukrainian armoured vehicles in a field blowing up after being hit. Russian forces killed 250 Ukrainian troops as well as destroying 16 tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armoured combat vehicles, the ministry said. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who is in charge of Moscows military operation in Ukraine, was in the area at the time of the Ukrainian attack, the ministry said. Counter-offensive? For months, Ukraine has been preparing for a counter-offensive against Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Saturday that he was ready to launch the counteroffensive but tempered a forecast of success with a warning that it could take some time and come at a heavy cost. I dont know how long it will take, he told The Journal. To be honest, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we are going to do it, and we are ready. After seeking tens of billions of dollars of Western weapons to fight Russian forces, the success or failure of the counter-offensive is likely to influence the shape of future Western diplomatic and military support for Ukraine. Ukraine has in recent weeks sought to weaken Russian positions but its specific plans have been shrouded in secrecy as it seeks to strike yet another blow against the much larger military of Russia. Moscow was last month struck by drones which Russia said was a Ukrainian terrorist attack while pro-Ukrainian forces have repeatedly crossed into Russia proper in recent days in the Belgorod region. Russia has launched hundreds of drones and missiles on Ukraine since early May, chiefly on Kyiv. Russia now controls at least 18 percent of what is internationally recognized to be Ukrainian territory, and has claimed four regions of Ukraine as Russian territory. For months, tens of thousands of Russian troops have been digging in along a front line which stretches for around 600 miles (1,000km), bracing for a Ukrainian attack which is expected to try to cut Russias so-called land bridge to the Crimean peninsula. Sonic Boom in Greater DC Was F-16s Responding to Unresponsive Pilot An F-16 Fighting Falcon flies a mission in a file photo. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Cherie A. Thurlby) Authorities have confirmed that an explosive sonic boom heard by residents in the wider D.C. area came from Defense-authorized supersonic flights responding to an erratic small plane flying through the capitals restricted airspace. Federal officials have since said that the supersonic flights were responding to a small plane that crashed into a mountainside in the George Washington National Forest, southwestern Virginia. A Cessna Citation crashed into mountainous terrain in a sparsely populated area of southwest Virginia around 3 p.m. local time on June 4, the FAA said in a statement. The supersonic response was triggered as the National Capital Region above the greater D.C. area is a Special Flight Rules Area that restricts all flights without Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) permission. NORAD F-16 fighter jets were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds in the emergency response, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement, and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region. Reports of a sonic boom came from Northern Virginia to Annapolis in Maryland, with many concerned residents calling 911 to report a loud explosion. During its F-16 response, NORAD said its pilot used flares in an attempt to draw attention from the pilot. The flares may have been visible to the public. Pilots of the two F-16s that responded said they saw that the Cessna pilot had passed out, according to reports. The civilian aircraft was intercepted at approximately 3:20 p.m. Eastern Time. The pilot was unresponsive and the Cessna subsequently crashed near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia. NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed, the command added. The NORAD response was not the cause of the crash, an official told Reuters. No Survivors Authorities found the wreckage just before 8 p.m. after hours of searching the mountainous terrain by foot, as search and rescue flights were not possible due to bad weather, Virginia State Police spokesperson Corinne Geller told reporters on Sunday evening. No survivors were located, Geller said in a statement. Rescue efforts have now ended. According to the FAA, The aircraft took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tenn., and was bound for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and provide all further updates. Jennifer Gabris, a spokeswoman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said on Sunday night that investigators are expected to arrive on the scene on Monday. FlightAware, which tracks air traffic, shows an aircraft registered as N611VG tracking the flight path of the Cessna 560 aircraft, which took off from Elizabethton, flew over New Jersey, New York, and was then detected descending in a rapid spiral into the mountainside in Virginia. The plane belonged to the Floridian company Encore Motors of Melbourne, Inc., according to FAA records. Company owner John Rumpel has since told The New York Times that his adopted daughter, 50,; granddaughter, 2; their live-in nanny, and the pilot were aboard the plane. They were flying home to East Hampton, Long Island, after visiting him in North Carolina, he said. His granddaughter was the only one I have, and the only daughter I have. Rumpel has asked the media for privacy at this difficult time as the family grieves their loss. Store Owner Charged With Killing a Teen Shot at People He Suspected of Shoplifting Before COLUMBIA, S.C.A store owner in South Carolina charged with murder after shooting a teen he wrongly thought stole water has shot at suspected shoplifters two other times in the past eight years and not faced charges, authorities said. In 2018, Rick Chow confronted a shoplifter at his Xpress Mart Shell station in Columbia and the man attacked him, Richland County deputies said. Chow fired two shots and the man was wounded in the leg, investigators said. The man pleaded guilty to charges in the case. In 2015, Chow fired several shots at a vehicle after he tried to stop someone he suspected of shoplifting, and the suspect got into the vehicle and threatened to shoot Chow, deputies said. No one was hurt. In both cases, authorities said Chows actions were not criminal. Self-defense law in South Carolina requires the shooter doesnt instigate the incident, believes he is in imminent danger and has no way to avoid that danger. Deputies decided that was not the case on May 28, when they said Chow and his son chased a 14-year-old from his store and killed him with one shot to the back. Chow is charged with murder. Prosecutors said once the investigation is finished and police present their findings, they will consider additional charges against Chow or his son. Rick Chows Xpress Mart convenience store in Columbia, S.C., on May 30, 2023. (Jeffrey Collins/AP Photo) Chow thought the boy had shoplifted four bottles of water, but investigators said store video shows Cyrus Carmack-Belton put the bottles back in the cooler. After an argument, Carmack-Belton ran off the store property and was still running away when he was killed, Sheriff Leon Lott said. A gun was found near the teens body, and Chows son told his father that Carmack-Belton was armed after the youth fell as he ran, Lott said. But the sheriff said there was no evidence the boy ever pointed the weapon at Chow or his son. The sheriffs department didnt release additional information about the two other shooting incidents. They said deputies have been called to Chows store in suburban northeast Richland County hundreds of times over the past five years for assaults, shoplifting, personal theft, motor vehicle theft, vandalism, robbery, and burglary. A number of media outlets have made open records requests for police reports from those incidents, and authorities say they are working to gather them. Chow, 58, is awaiting a bond hearing at the Richland County jail. His lawyer has said he is not talking about the case at this time. Chow faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of murder. Chow owned the gun legally, but witnesses and surveillance video provided no evidence that he was in fear of his life, Lott said. Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia- Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan will meet in Washington soon. About this Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told to reporters, Azernews reports. "The draft peace treaty with Armenia was submitted by Azerbaijan. It's difficult to predict how long this process will take. There are enough outstanding issues that have not yet been agreed," Bayramov added. In addition, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia held talks in Washington on May 1 with the mediation of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Following the talks, Jeyhun Bayramov noted that an agreement was reached on certain paragraphs of the peace treaty. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The financial sector is under constant control in Azerbaijan, the Governor of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan Taleh Kazimov said at today's meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, Trend reports. According to him, some banks are functioning normally, while the activity of others is problematic and this can harm the entire financial sector. "I would not want to close banks. In banks that have big problems, appropriate work must be timely carried out. If this work isn't carried out in banks or doesn't bring any benefit, then they should be closed. The financial sector is at the center of the real sector of the economy, and its problems will affect the entire economy," he said. Currently, 22 commercial banks are operating in Azerbaijan. From 2012 to May 2023, 14 banks have been closed. Recently, by the decision of the Administrative Board of the Baku Court of Appeal on May 18, 2023, Gunay Bank was declared bankrupt, and the Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Foundation was appointed its liquidator. Supreme Court Overrules Local Governments for Seizing Homes The Supreme Court held a special sitting on Sept. 30, 2022, for the formal investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States/Getty Images) The U.S. Supreme Court reversed court rulings in which local governments seized two homes over unpaid tax debts and kept sale proceeds that far exceeded the tax owed. Critics call the practice home equity theft. The case came after Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), which represented the homeowners in both cases, released a report late last year saying that 12 states and the District of Columbia allow local governments and private investors to seize dramatically more than what is owed from homeowners who fall behind on property tax payments. PLF is a national nonprofit public interest law firm that takes on governmental overreach. The U.S. Supreme Court released unsigned orders (pdf) on June 5 summarily reversing two rulings of the Supreme Court of Nebraska. The nations highest court did not explain why it was issuing the orders. No justices dissented. The judgments of the Supreme Court of Nebraska were vacated and the cases remanded to that court for further consideration in light of the U.S. Supreme Courts unanimous ruling in Tyler v. Hennepin County on May 25. In that decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Minnesota county wronged a 94-year-old grandmother when it forced the sale of her condominium over an unpaid tax debt and kept the sale proceeds that far exceeded the tax she owed. Geraldine Tyler owned a modest one-bedroom condominium in Hennepin County, but after she was harassed and frightened near her home, she moved to a new apartment in a safer neighborhood. The rent on her new apartment stretched her resources and she fell into arrears on her condos property tax bills, accumulating about $2,300 in taxes owed, along with $12,700 in penalties, interest, and costs. The county seized Tylers condo, valued at $93,000, and sold it for just $40,000. Instead of keeping the $15,000 it was owed, the county retained the full $40,000, amounting to a windfall of $25,000. Tyler sued, arguing that the government violated the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment by seizing property in excess of the debt. Her lawsuit was rejected by the courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, which found that the legal forfeiture of the property extinguished the owners property interest. But the county went too far in keeping the windfall, the U.S. Supreme Court held. The principle that a government is not allowed to take from a taxpayer more than she owes is based in English law and goes back at least as far as the Magna Carta of 1215. And Supreme Court precedents have long recognized that a taxpayer is entitled to the surplus in excess of the debt owed, the court stated at the time. The Takings Clause was designed to bar Government from forcing some people alone to bear public burdens which, in all fairness and justice, should be borne by the public as a whole, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court. A taxpayer who loses her $40,000 house to the State to fulfill a $15,000 tax debt has made a far greater contribution to the public fisc than she owed. On June 5, the U.S. Supreme Court simultaneously granted the petitions of Kevin and Terry Fair and Sandra Nieveen seeking review while skipping over the oral argument phase when the merits of the case would have been considered. Some lawyers call this process GVR, which stands for grant, vacate, and remand. Critics say this process is part of the so-called shadow docket, which they say lacks transparency. In Fair v. Continental Resources (court file 22-160), Kevin and Terry Fairs $60,000 home was taken by Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, and Continental Resources for a $5,200 tax debt, according to the Fairs petition. Under the states tax foreclosure statute, the county extinguished the couples interest in the home by conveying full title to Continental without holding an auction and without any opportunity for the couple to recover their equity. The Fairs appeal to the Supreme Court of Nebraska was denied in March 2022. In the other case, Nieveen v. Tax 106 (court file 22-237), Sandra Nieveens $62,000 home was taken because she failed to pay a $3,800 debt, a punitive confiscation of property worth sixteen times the amount owed. The property was taken by Lancaster County, Nebraska, and a business called Tax 106. The beneficiary of Nieveens home equity beyond the tax debt and related costs is not the state but a private investor that turned a 1,631 percent windfall profit on this property alone, implicating the public use clause of the Fifth Amendment as well as the requirement of just compensation, according to Nieveens petition. Nieveens appeal to the Supreme Court of Nebraska was dismissed in May 2022. Attorney Christina Martin of PLF, who argued the Tyler case before the U.S. Supreme Court, hailed the new rulings. The Supreme Court ruled in Tyler that when the government takes a persons home equity to satisfy a property tax debt, it violates the Constitutions Takings Clause. In light of that decision, its clear that the Nebraska tax sale process is unconstitutional. Now, two cases that previously upheld the Nebraska law, Fair v. Continental Resources and Nieveen v. Tax 106 will be reconsidered in light of Tyler. But there are 20 other states that allow home equity theft in some form. These states should be on notice: change your laws or face millions of dollars in damages in court, Martin said in a statement provided to The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times reached out to counsel for the various governments and investment firms involved in the two cases. No reply was received from Eric Hamilton of the Office of the Attorney General of Nebraska nor from county attorneys in Scotts Bluff County and Lancaster County, Nebraska, as of press time. The Epoch Times asked Continental Resources attorney Casandra Langstaff of Koley Jessen in Omaha for a comment but had not received a response at the time of publication. Tax 106 attorney Christian Blunk of Harris and Associates Law Firm in Omaha declined to comment. Supreme Court Ruling Could Have Chilling Effect on Right to Strike The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, on May 12, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times) The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered a blow to organized labor in the latest ruling, raising concerns among legal experts that the decision will make unions that engage in strikes more vulnerable to lawsuits while others see a more limited effect. An 81 ruling on Thursday authored by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett made it easier for companies to sue over strikes that result in property damage. A case known as Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 174 involved a strike by the union representing truck drivers at a concrete business owned by Japan-based Taiheiyo Cement Corp in Washington state. Legal scholars such as Angela Cornell, a Cornell Law School labor law professor, called it another decision that undermines the capacity of unions to function. They argue that by making strikes riskier and reducing the leverage unions have on negotiations, the decision favors business interests while limiting workers collective rights. Cornell said the decision could chill the recent uptick in collective action by workers by placing unions at greater risk of facing lawsuits if they go on strike. Withholding labor is seen as one of the primary tools for workers to secure higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions from employers. The ability to strike has been on the books for nearly 100 years, and its no coincidence that this ruling is coming at a time when workers across the country are fed up and exercising their rights more and more, Teamsters President Sean OBrien said in a statement. However, according to Harvard Law School professor of labor and industry Benjamin Sachs, if lower courts adhere to the reasoning detailed in Barretts decision then it wont do much damage to the right to strike. Sachs suggests that the courts narrow ruling on a specific case involving concrete mixing may not severely undermine the ability to strike. The court ruled in favor of Glacier Northwest Inc, which sued a local affiliate of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters after a work stoppage forced the company to discard undelivered concrete. The justices ruled that the companys claims were not preempted by a statute called the National Labor Relations Act because the union had failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent foreseeable and imminent harm to the employers property resulting from the strike. The ruling comes at a time of increasing strikes called by U.S. labor unions. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveals the number of American workers who participated in strikes and similar activities in 2022 increased by nearly 50 percent compared to the previous year. Dan Altchek, an attorney at the Philadelphia-based firm Saul Ewing who represents employers in labor matters, said the ruling gives employers a bit of a roadmap on how to minimize the likelihood of lawsuits over strike-related property damage from being dismissed. Altchek suggests that when such lawsuits survive a unions motion to dismiss, the litigation risk for the union resulting from the strike is significantly enhanced. Some experts pointed out that the ruling largely maintains the existing legal framework for deciding labor law preemption cases. The courts analysis may have modestly lowered the union-protection threshold in considering applicability or scope of the take reasonable precautions test, said James Brudney, a Fordham University Law School professor of labor and employment law. Brudney called this aspect of the ruling a relatively minor development compared to the courts broader decision to leave intact its major framework for analyzing labor disputes of this nature. The Supreme Court has dealt with setbacks to organized labor in key cases in recent years. In 2021, the court struck down a California agricultural regulation aimed at helping unions organize workers. In 2018, it ruled that non-members cannot be forced, as they are in certain states, to pay fees to unions representing public employees such as police and teachers that negotiate collective bargaining agreements with employers. Brudney said Thursdays ruling was not comparable to that broader trendline of decisions weakening labor unions. West Virginia University College of Law professor Anne Marie Lofaso said, The case fits into the judicial trend to weaken labor unions by weakening what counts as protected concerted activity. This was the narrowest analysis that the court could have done to allow the employer to win, Lofaso added. Under the National Labor Relations Act, workers have a legal right to strike, except in cases that include deliberate property destruction and violence. The 1935 law puts most workplace disputes outside the reach of state courts and under the purview of the National Labor Relations Board. Reuters contributed to this report. Supreme Court to Decide If Insult Against Trump Can Be Trademarked Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump, right, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speak during a break in a presidential debate in Coral Gables, Fla., on March 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) The Supreme Court decided on June 5 to consider whether a progressive activist can trademark a belittling phrase targeting former President Donald Trump for use on T-shirts. The ruling puts the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the unusual position of defending the interests of Trump, whos again seeking the Republican Partys presidential nomination for 2024. Biden has said that hell seek reelection in 2024. The expression Trump Too Small was inspired by a crude joke that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) made during the 2016 Republican presidential primary season. Then-presidential candidate Rubio mocked fellow candidate Trump by saying he had small hands. Rubio told supporters that Trump was always calling me little Marco. He is taller than me, hes like 6-foot-2, which is why I dont understand why his hands are the size of someone who is 5-foot-2, Rubio said at the time. Have you seen his hands? And you know what they say about men with small hands. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in August 2022 that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) was wrong to deny the trademark application of progressive activist and lawyer Steve Elster for Trump Too Small. A USPTO examining attorney refused registration under the Lanham Act, finding that the use of the name TRUMP in the proposed mark would be construed by the public as a reference to Donald Trump. The official found that under the intellectual property statute, his office couldnt register trademarks that include the name of a living person without that persons written consent. The USPTOs Trademark Trial and Appeal Board upheld the examining attorneys ruling. Elster said he filed his 2018 trademark application because he wanted to communicate that some features of President Trump and his policies are diminutive and because he planned to put the phrase on T-shirts, along with the phrase Trumps package is too small on the back of the shirts, accompanied by examples of policy areas that supposedly matched the characterization. Elster claims that the USPTO violated his free speech rights under the First Amendment. The appeals court agreed with Elster, finding the denial of the trademark application unconstitutionally restricts free speech in violation of the First Amendment, U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar noted in the petition (pdf) filed with the Supreme Court. The appeals court found that the content-based restriction imposed by the USPTO didnt survive constitutional scrutiny because the government does not have a privacy or publicity interest in restricting speech critical of government officials or public figures in the trademark contextat least absent actual malice, which is not alleged here. In her petition, Prelogar urged the Supreme Court to take up the case because [for] more than 75 years, Congress has directed the USPTO to refuse the registration of trademarks that use the name of a particular living individual without his written consent. The appeals court decision holding that the refusal to register the trademark violates the First Amendment is incorrect, and this Court usually grants review when a court of appeals has invalidated the application of a federal statute. The case, Vidal v. Elster (court file 22-704), is expected to be heard in the Supreme Courts new term that begins in October. For the court to grant a petition, at least four of the nine justices must vote to hear the case. As is its usual custom, the court didnt explain why it granted the petition. Katherine Vidal is undersecretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the USPTO. The Supreme Court issued a ruling four years ago in favor of free speech rights in the area of trademark law. The court struck down part of the Lanham Act in June 2019, finding that a ban preventing immoral or scandalous words and symbols from being trademarked ran afoul of the First Amendment. The USPTO had rejected a trademark application by clothesmaker and artist Erik Brunetti for an acronym that he has said stands for Friends U Cant Trust. The designs include shirts, hoodies, and jackets. Although Brunetti, who said he sought the trademark so he could pursue copycats and counterfeiters more easily, insists that the word is to be pronounced letter by letter, people commonly pronounce it as if it were the equivalent of a past participle form of a well-known vulgarity. In a concurring opinion in the case, Iancu v. Brunetti, Justice Samuel Alito argued that the nations highest court wasnt embracing nihilism. Our decision is not based on moral relativism but on the recognition that a law banning speech deemed by government officials to be immoral or scandalous can easily be exploited for illegitimate ends, Alito wrote. Our decision does not prevent Congress from adopting a more carefully focused statute that precludes the registration of marks containing vulgar terms that play no real part in the expression of ideas. The Supreme Court also ruled in Matal v. Tam in 2017 that an Asian American band called The Slants couldnt be refused trademark protection because its name is viewed as racially disparaging. The band argued that it used the name to reclaim a racial slur. Trumps office didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. Elsters attorney, Jonathan Ellis Taylor of Gupta Wessler in Washington, and the U.S. Department of Justice, which is representing Vidal and the USPTO, also didnt respond as of press time. Supreme Courts Waters of US Ruling a Milestone in Curbing EPAs Unlawful Overreach The Supreme Court put the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its place in a May 25 ruling, circumscribing the reach of the EPAs regulatory authority. (LD/iStock/Getty Images) Commentary At long last, the nightmare of building a dream house is over for Michael and Chantell Sackett. The Supreme Courts unanimous Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency decision handed down on May 25 marks another important milestone in the courts continuing effort to correct and rein in the abusive, unlawful overreach of the administrative state. The decision reaffirms the rule of law and the right of Americans to protect their rights by holding abusive regulators to account in courts of law. The EPA informed the Idaho couple in 2007 that the dry lot on which they intended to build contained wetlands, which in this case meant a ditch. That ditch feeds into a non-navigable creek, which feeds into Priest Lake, which is a navigable, intrastate lake. The EPA used that tenuous string of logic to allege that by backfilling the wetlands on their own property with dirt, they had discharged pollutants into the waters of the United States in violation of the Clean Water Act. The EPA threatened the Sacketts with bankrupting fines of $40,000 per day if they did not abandon their project and fully restore the lot. The Clean Water Act authorizes the EPA to regulate only navigable waters involved in interstate commerce. Yet in the case of the Sackettsand in too many other casesthe EPA tried to leverage its statutory authority and extend its Clean Water Act regulation far beyond any reasonable interpretation of the term navigable waters. In a 2006 decision, Rapanos v. United States, a majority of the court could not agree on how to define the scope of the EPAs Clean Water Act authority over wetlands. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing alone, opined that the EPAs authority under the act extends to any land that has a significant nexus to a waterway. Unfortunately for the Sacketts, the EPA seized on that ambiguous test to aggressively expand its Clean Water Act regulation. Fortunately for those Americans plagued by government overreach and overregulation, the Sacketts fought back, all the way to the Supreme Court. Ultimately, the court was unanimous in ruling that the EPA had overstepped its Clean Water Act authority in dealing with the Sacketts, yet it was not unanimous on how to define the scope of the EPAs authority under the act generally. Four justices wrote that the Clean Water Act should be interpreted broadly to cover land that is adjacent to navigable water, but not necessarily adjoining the water so long as it is close or near to the water. Such a vague and expansive formulation would have simply perpetuated the significant nexus ambiguity and its license for EPA overreach. Thankfully, a controlling majority of five justices rejected the significant nexus test altogether and replaced it with a scope-of-authority test clearly aligned with the text of the Clean Water Act, easier to administer, and much fairer to property owners such as the Sacketts. The fact that the decision aligns the EPAs regulatory authority with the text of the Clean Water Act is particularly important because it limits the EPAs potential for overreach in the future. The majority of five justices held that for property to be considered a wetland covered by the Clean Water Act, it must be indistinguishably part of a body of water that itself constitutes waters under the CWA. However, we mustnt lose sight of the sad fact that it took the Sacketts 16 long years to beat back the EPA bureaucrats and secure their right to build the home they wanted on the land they owned. Far too often, when dealing with the administrative state, the process is the punishment. Had the Sacketts not been ably represented by public interest attorneys theylike countless other Americans who fall under the threatening gaze of federal bureaucratswould have been forced to abandon their legitimate project. Yes, the Sackett decision represents a significant victory. But the war for the constitutional rule of law will not be won until some future president and Congress take steps to minimize effectively the time and money it now takes to challenge federal agency overreach, steps to ensure that the process is due process, not the punishment for asserting our legitimate rights. Reprinted by permission from The Daily Signal, a publication of The Heritage Foundation. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Founders and the Constitution, Part 13: The Connecticut Delegates Commentary The other essays in the Founders and the Constitution series each covered one individual. This final essay covers three: the extraordinary group who served as Connecticuts commissioners (delegates) to the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Early Connecticut was known as the land of steady habits. The nickname reflected the states culture. The people of Connecticut tended to be religious, sober, hardworking, self-controlled, and moderate. William Samuel Johnson, Oliver Ellsworth, and Roger Sherman were excellent representatives of that culture. On the contemporaneous political spectrum (outlined in the first essay), all three were centriststhat is, moderates. More than any other state delegation, they shared common goals. And more than any other state delegation, they worked in a coordinated fashion to achieve those common goals. William Samuel Johnson William Samuel Johnson was born in Stratford, Connecticut, on Oct. 7, 1727. Thus, he was nearly 60 when the convention met. He came from a financially comfortable family that valued learning. He developed a reputation as a classical scholar. He earned his bachelors degree from Yale College at the age of 17, and three years later both a masters from Yale and an honorary masters from Harvard. Moreover, his reputation was trans-oceanic: Oxford University awarded him an honorary masters when he was 29 and a doctorate 10 years later. As a young man, Johnson thought of following his father into the clergy, but finally opted for the law. He became the first Connecticut lawyer able to support himself entirely from law practice. In 1766, the state hired him to argue a case on behalf of Connecticut before the privy council in London. (The privy council served as the highest court for the British colonies.) He remained in England for four years, and traveled in high social circles. But he became disgusted with the incompetence and corruption of the British ministry. Despite his success as an advocate, Johnson was by nature a conciliator. Americas final split from Britain was hard for him to accept, and he withdrew from public life. In 1779, however, he finally threw in his lot with the American cause. Three years later, Connecticut sent him to the Confederation Congress. Oliver Ellsworth Oliver Ellsworth was born on April 29, 1745, so during the convention he was 42 years old. He attended Yale College, but left after two years. Some have suggested disciplinary reasons; if so, the problem didnt last. Ellsworth soon enrolled at the College of New Jersey (Princeton), from which he graduated in 1766. Like Johnson, he first considered the ministry but settled on the law. circa 1800: Oliver Ellsworth (17451807). American jurist and politician, in Continental Congress, 177784, Constitutional Convention, 1787, United States senator, 178996, Chief Justice of United States, 17961800, supported the Bill of Rights, one of the negotiators with Napoleon I, 1800. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Ellsworths energy seems to have been inexhaustible and he seems to have applied himself with great efficiency. He built the busiest law practice in the state. He served in a succession of political offices, including the Council, which was the upper house of the state legislature (17791785). The Council made good use of his legal talent, for it also acted as the states highest court. In later years, a congressional colleague said of Ellsworth that he has a head that works with the precision of a mill. Roger Sherman Roger Sherman didnt have Johnsons or Ellsworths fine educations. But he was even more of a dynamo, and his roaring energy was channeled by a fine mind and good judgment: Thomas Jefferson once remarked of him, He never said a foolish thing in his life. Sherman was born on April 19, 1721, one of seven children of a farmer-cobbler. As a young man, he opened a store in New Milford, Connecticut. He later added a branch store in New Haven. As a side to his mercantile business, he took up cobbling. He discovered he had a talent for mathematics, and thus for astronomy. This encouraged him to publish an almanac. His math skills also drew him to surveying, so he taught himself that skill. He became a paid surveyor. Surveying opened suggestions for land speculation, for which he also showed an aptitude. As if all this were not enough, he decided to add yet another career: the law. To study law, he needed a mentor. He chose William Samuel Johnson. In 1754, Sherman was admitted to the bar, and his law practice prospered. He also was successful in his efforts to propagate the human race: His first marriage produced seven children, his second produced eight. The last was fathered when he was 61 years old. If you read the previous essay in this series, you may be struck by some parallels between the careers of Sherman and Benjamin Franklin. Sherman couldnt quite match Franklins genius (who could?). But both came from humble, uneducated beginnings to pursue many-sided careers, rewarded with one triumph after another. Like Franklin, Sherman eventually turned over his businesses to the management of others and devoted the rest of his life to public service. He was elected to the upper house of the state legislature (17661785), the Continental Congress (17741781), and the Confederation Congress (1784). Like Franklin also, he was a member of the committee that oversaw Jeffersons drafting of the Declaration of Independence. When he attended the Constitutional Convention, he was 66 years old and mayor of New Haven. Connecticut Cooperation A careful review of the convention records reveals that the three Connecticut delegates worked in a coordinated fashion. The three evidently caucused regularly. Johnsons personality and standing were such that he probably presided at those caucuses. But on the convention floor, Sherman most commonly spoke for the group, although Ellsworth and Johnson contributed frequently as well. The Connecticut delegates most important common goals were to create a system that featured (1) a competent central government, (2) limited to specified powers, with (3) the states retaining jurisdiction on all other subjects and able to defend themselves against the central government. On the Convention Floor The Connecticut Commissioners were able to obtain their goals for two principal reasons. First, both Ellsworth and Johnson were conciliators, which encouraged other delegates to place them in influential positions. The convention elected Ellsworth to the Committee of Detail, which produced the Constitutions first draft. It also placed him on Franklins Grand Committee, which proposed the famous Connecticut Compromise: representation in the Senate by state and in the House mostly by population. Additionally, the convention elected Johnson to chair the five-man Committee of Style, which prepared the Constitutions final draft. The other reason the Connecticut delegates achieved their goals was their willingness and skill in proposing moderate solutions and mutually reinforcing each other. For example, Sherman made the first motion to specifically list the federal governments powers. This motion didnt succeed at first, but eventually the Committee of Detail (with Ellsworth a member) adopted it. The convention proceedings of June 29 and 30 exemplify the Connecticut tag team at work. On the 29th, Johnson delivered a speech in which he argued that the Constitution should recognize the states as both groups of individuals and as separate political societies in their own right. Next, Ellsworth described this system as partly national; partly federala characterization James Madison borrowed in No. 39 of The Federalist. On the 30th, Ellsworth reiterated Johnsons argument for enabling the states to protect themselves, and Sherman backed him up. In addition to helping create the Constitutions structure of federalism, the three contributed in other ways. Ellsworth and Johnson enlisted their vast legal knowledge to resolve several technical issues, such as how the Constitution would define treason. Sherman was one of the first to point out that the courts could strike down unconstitutional laws. He also made the motion for six-year terms for senators, although earlier he had suggested five years. And he successfully proposed that if no presidential candidate received a majority of the electoral college, a runoff election be held in the House of Representatives, with each state casting one vote. After the Convention Ellsworth and Sherman both actively promoted the Constitutions ratification. Ellsworth explained the document in speeches at the Connecticut ratifying convention. He also wrote an influential series of pro-ratification essays under the name Landholder. Sherman composed pro-ratification essays under the name Countryman. After a sufficient number of states had ratified the Constitution, the Connecticut legislature chose Johnson and Ellsworth as its first U.S. senators. Sherman won a statewide election to the House of Representatives. Johnson remained in the Senate from 1789 until 1791, when he departed to become president of Columbia University. Due to illness, he resigned the latter position in 1800. However, he recovered to live for another 19 years, finally passing on Nov. 14, 1819, at the age of 92. Ellsworth continued in public service for his entire life. As a senator, he sponsored the Judiciary Act of 1789, which organized the federal court system. In 1796, President George Washington nominated him as the third Chief Justice of the United States. While he was still Chief Justice, President John Adams appointed him an emissary to France, where he and two colleagues negotiated the end to Americas undeclared naval war with that country. Ellsworth resigned from the Supreme Court in 1800 for health reasons. But he, too, recovered. Once he had left the court, he was re-elected to the Connecticut Council continuously until his death on Nov. 26, 1807. Sherman was in Congress in 1789 when Rep. James Madison introduced his bill of rights. Its unclear what Shermans position on the bill of rights was, other than that he wanted it placed at the end of the Constitution rather than interleaved with the constitutional text, as Madison initially favored. In 1985, James Hutson, chief of the Manuscript Division in the Library of Congress, found a draft of the bill of rights composed in Shermans handwriting. As I point out in my book, The Original Constitution, the draft clarifies how the authors organized what became the first eight amendments: Natural rights, such as speech and religion, were listed first, followed by certain cherished privileges (government-created entitlements) (pdf) such as trial by jury. When Johnson left the Senate in 1791, the Connecticut legislature elected Sherman to replace him. He served only until March 1793 and died of typhoid fever on July 23, 1793. Read prior installments here: first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Trudeau Foundation Has Investments in Chinese Companies Flagged for Security Risks, Says Former Board Member The Trudeau Foundation has investments in Chinese companies Baidu and Tencent, a former board member told MPs on a parliamentary committee. Both companies have been subjects of security warnings. The Trudeau Foundation was created with a $125 million endowment from the federal government in 2001 in memory of former prime minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, to provide grants and academic scholarships. Madeleine Redfern, a businesswomen and the former mayor of Iqaluit, says that 0.07 percent of the foundations portfolio is invested in Chinese tech giants Tencent and Baidu. Redfern, who sat on the finance and investment committee of the Trudeau Foundation, testified before the House of Commons ethics committee on June 2 as part of its study on foreign interference. She said she inquired with the foundation a year ago about whether it had investments in China. When you wanted to know more on foreign investments, did they work with you, or did they make things difficult for you? asked Bloc Quebecois MP Rene Villemure. I definitely had some concerns around the possibility of Chinese investments depending on where those investments were, said Redfern. Redfern had taken stances critical of Beijing and its investments in Canada in previous testimony before the national defence committee in November 2022. She said it was very concerning and problematic to see Chinese telecommunications infrastructure being provided to Canadas north, in reference to Beijing-linked telecom giant Huawei. It is a massivenot only personal but regional and nationalsecurity risk, Redfern said on Nov. 29, 2022. After learning about equities in Tencent and Baidu, Redfern said she researched them and found there were privacy issues. Two Chinese firms with privacy concerns indeed, and theyre known to be close to the government from the Peoples Republic of China, Villemure said of Redferns disclosure. Tencent is the developer of the widely popular WeChat application. Its use for surveillance and censorship has been documented by the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. The Lab has also found privacy issues with Baidus browser. U.S.-based cyber defence firm Unit 42 previously reported on Baidu apps on the Android platform leaking sensitive user data. I had a fulsome discussion with the members of the committee and the investment firm about how we invest and was told that we have ESG [environmental, social, and corporate governance] principles that guide the investments and that quite a lot of work had been done before my arrival to sort of help direct the firm on how we make investments, Redfern said. She confirmed the investment firm she referred to is Willis Towers Watson. Redfern did not provide a dollar amount for the value of the Chinese investments, but the foundation reported over $141.5 million in total investments at fair value in its 2022 annual report. This would represent a little under $100,000 if the 0.07 percent is applied to that amount. Most of the foundations operations are financed by returns on the invested endowment. The foundation didnt return a request for comment on the Chinese investments. Governance Crisis Redfern was among several other board members who resigned from the Trudeau Foundation in April amid a governance crisis over the management of a $140,000 donation from Chinese regime-tied entities in 2016. The Globe and Mail reported in late February that the Chinese regime was behind the donation, in an alleged effort to influence Justin Trudeau. Its been confirmed since that all entities involved in the donation have formal ties to the regime. Having been on many different boards over the last 30 years, I was satisfied with the level of governance on the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation until we hit that crisis a couple months ago, Redfern said. Other former board members who resigned also testified alongside Redfern and described similar information given to committee by former president and CEO Pascale Fournier. Dr. Ginger Gibson, director of the consulting firm Firelight Group, said she was the one who presented the motion asking that members who were present when the foundation received Chinese money recuse themselves from the review process. We tried to run those motions through a good process, but at each turn these motions were struck down, she said. I dont have the reputation of jumping ship in the middle of a storm, Ive never done that. Ive managed many controversial files during my career, said Dr. Dyane Adam, former vice-chair for the foundations board of directors. I couldnt have confidence that this file would be treated with transparency and integrity. Edward Johnson, who is currently steering the foundation, testified before the committee on May 9 and criticized the unwarranted attacks it is facing. Johnson announced on April 12 the foundation was launching an independent review of the Chinese donation. Former foundation president Morris Rosenberg, who was at the helm when the donation was received, testified before the ethics committee on May 2 and said it was a normal and desirable donation consistent with the foundations priorities, considering the general mood towards China at the time. US, Israel Will Work to Prevent Iran From Getting Nuclear Weapons: Blinken The Iranian flag flies in front of the U.N. nuclear watchdog headquarters in Vienna on May 24, 2021. (Lisi Niesner/Reuters) Ties between the United States and Israel remain ironclad, and the two nations will work to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon, according to Americas top diplomat. The security and prosperity of the United States and Israel are fundamentally intertwined, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who noted that providing robust economic and security assistance to Israel remains a bipartisan priority in Washington. America is more secure when Israel is strong, Blinken said at a June 5 summit of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel political action committee. The depth and breadth of that partnership between our governments is matched only by the strength of the ties between our peoples. Blinkens comments follow shortly after the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the nation of Israel following the Holocaust. Framing the bilateral relations within the context of shared ideals and democratic values, he said the nations share in a partnership that touches every aspect of society. Today, we celebrate 75 years of the U.S.Israel partnership, Blinken said. That partnership touches on every aspect of our lives from security to business to energy to public health. Countering aggression by Irans Islamist regime remains the central driving security concern for the two nations, Blinken said. Were clear-eyed about the many dangers that Israel faces in all of their forms, he said. But there is no danger to Israel that is greater than the one posed by the Iranian regime. That regime routinely threatens to wipe Israel off the map. It continues to provide weapons to terrorists and proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas, who reject Israels right to exist. The United States provides $3.8 billion in annual security assistance to Israel as part of a 2018 memorandum of understanding. That has allowed the Jewish state to meaningfully improve its missile defense systems, upgrade its F-35 aircraft, and maintain the Iron Dome air defense system, which shoots down frequent rockets launched at Israeli territory by terrorists. The United States will also work to make good on a joint declaration signed with Israel last year, Blinken said. That declaration outlined both nations dedication to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Iranian regime has increased its efforts to enrich uranium since then-U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally terminated a bilateral nuclear agreement that had placed limits on such activities. Now, Irans uranium enrichment processes have advanced to a point that CIA Director William Burns warned in February that the regime could develop a nuclear weapon this year if they chose to. However, he clarified that he doesnt believe that the regime had committed to such a course of action. The Biden administration has since boosted its efforts to seek new talks with the regime, raising concerns that it might be willing to tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran. Blinken restated that the administration wouldnt tolerate such a development and was willing to use any means necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Iran cannot and will not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, he said. If Iran rejects the path of diplomacy, then, as President Biden has repeatedly made clear, all options are on the table to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. US Must Make North Korea Aware of Consequences of Its Launches: Nuclear Envoy People watch a television broadcast showing a file image of a North Korean rocket launch at the Seoul Railway Station on May 31, 2023. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) North Korea must be made aware of the consequences of its escalatory behavior after its recent spy satellite launch sparked tensions in the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. nuclear envoy said on June 4. U.S. nuclear envoy Sung Kim said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency (YNA) that the United States must convince North Korea that diplomacy is the only viable path toward alleviating regional tensions. Its important to make clear to the DPRK that its escalatory behavior has consequences, he told YNA, referring to North Korea by its official name: the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK has increasingly engaged in threatening and irresponsible rhetoric, including by characterizing some of its missile launches and other military activities as trial runs for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. He said the United States will maintain close consultations with South Korea, Japan, and other allies on how to best engage the DPRK, deter aggression, and coordinate international responses to North Koreas violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response, the envoy said. ROK is the acronym for South Koreas official name: the Republic of Korea. Sung Kim, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea, speaks during a trilateral meeting between Japan, the United States, and South Korea, to discuss North Korea in Tokyo, on Sept. 14, 2021. (David Mareuil/Pool via Reuters/File Photo) Kim also urged China, North Koreas closest ally, to use its influence to rein in North Koreas provocative actions and to fulfill its obligations as a Security Council member in strengthening sanctions on North Korea. It is unfortunate that, in recent years, the international community has not been able to speak with one voice in condemning the DPRKs reckless and destabilizing activity, he said. China and Russiawhich are both permanent members of the U.N. Security Councilvetoed a U.S.-led resolution in May 2022 that would have imposed new sanctions on North Korea over a spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches. At the council briefing on June 2, Chinas U.N. ambassador, Geng Shuang, said the recent U.S.South Korea Washington Declaration and the planned visit of a U.S. strategic nuclear submarine to the Peninsula have seriously reinforced the DPRKs sense of insecurity. Such practices by the U.S. are filled with Cold War mentality, Geng said, accusing the United States of pursuing geopolitical self-interest driven policies. North Koreas Failed Satellite Launch The council briefing was held after North Koreas failed attempt to launch a spy satellite into space on May 31. The rocket reportedly crashed into the West Sea of Korea because of the abnormal start of the two-stage engine. Japan and South Korea issued emergency alerts in certain areas after detecting the launch. Japan warned beforehand that it would shoot down North Koreas rocket if it entered its territory. South Koreas military stated that it located an object presumed to be part of North Koreas rocket in waters 200 kilometers (124 miles) west of Eocheong Island and was salvaging it. An analysis of the salvaged debris will provide insight into various aspects of North Koreas space launch vehicle and satellite technology, said Yang Uk, an analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. It will also be possible to establish if components were made with North Koreas own technology or they were Chinese or Russian-made, Yang told The Chosun Ilbo on June 1. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said her nation will boost efforts to enhance its spy capabilities despite the rocket failure, state-run Korean Central News Agency reported. Kim said the regime doesnt see the need for dialogue with the United States. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Winners and Losers in Republican National Committees 2024 Debate Rules Republican presidential hopefuls arrive on stage for the Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Sept. 16, 2015. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Commentary The Republican National Committee (RNC) has announced its rules for who qualifies to be on stage for presidential primary debates. The implications are fascinating and could yield some startling surprises. The rules also have some disturbing aspects. From Politico: Candidates will have to garner donations from at least 40,000 national contributors and poll consistently above 1 percent in three national polls or two national polls and a state poll, according to the RNCs announcement. Candidates must secure donations with at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in 20+ states and/or territories. Outsider candidate Vivek Ramaswamywhom I just followed for several days for the first installment of a special behind-the-scenes series on presidential candidates (coming soon to an Epoch Times theater near you)is, according to these rules, already qualified to appear. Ramaswamy told me that he surpassed the required number of contributors in May. Ditto for the polls. Participating in the debates has been his goal from the start, as he believes that theyll change the race. Conversely, and as strange as it may seem, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and, of all people, former Vice President Mike Pence may have problems making the cut. Christie and Pencewho have yet to declare, although theyre likely to do so soon (Pence filed the Federal Election Commission paperwork on June 5)will qualify in the polling, but they may have serious trouble with the number of grassroots contributors. Theyre establishment politicians who are used to raising campaign money from a limited group of big donors, usually behind closed doors, and not from the public at large. With the first debate being held in August, to be hosted by Fox News (I criticized that choice here, and it has only gotten worse since) Christie and Pence may be declaring too late to make sufficient inroads into the growing number of citizen-first Republican rank-and-file, many of whom are suspicious of them. We can assume that they and their phalanx of strategists are already thinking of how to make up for this deficit. We shall see if they succeed. Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have, of course, already qualified and then some. Ill look at the implications of the rules for them in a moment but first some of the other potential candidates. Also locked in for the debates are the two South Carolinians, former Gov. Nikki Haley and current Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), both of whom easily qualify under both criteria. But thats where it ends for now. The others are in a more questionable position: Among them, Epoch Times contributor and national talk show host Larry Elder is most likely to make it because he has a solid contributor list from his race against Gavin Newsom for the California governorship. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinsonwhose speech at Sen. Joni Ernsts (R-Iowa) Roast & Ride event I attended in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 3 drew the most tepid response of all the candidatesmay have a problem generating enthusiasm outside his state. It goes down from there. Businessman Perry Johnson is miles from achieving either criterion, although he was great fun to interview and has excellent ideas about how to jump-start the economy. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is also said to be throwing his hat in the proverbial ring this week, but as Politico put it: Hell need 40,000 donors in fewer than 11 weeksroughly equal to 5 percent of his states population. And that doesnt even mention those out-of-state contributions. Then, theres Ryan Binkley, a Dallas-area businessman and pastor. Did you know he was running? Neither did I. So back to TrumpDeSantis and, more importantly, how and why the RNC structured their 2024 rules. The conventional wisdom has always been the more competitors, the more it favors Trump, since the 45th president has a significantin fact unparallelednumber of loyalists who will vote for him under any circumstances, even if he declines to debate, which so far he has done. He also has declined to sign a loyalty pledge guaranteeing that he would support the Republican candidate no matter who wins the nomination. (Im not particularly fond of loyalty pledges either with their whiff of totalitarianism.) The one-against-many strategy certainly worked for Trump in 2016, when as many as 17 candidates debated, sometimes split into two sessions based on their polling numbers. With the new RNC rules, however, for 2024, as of now, only five (DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Haley, Scott, and, of course, Trump) qualify. Christie and Pence stand in the wings as possibilities along with Elder. But if the number five holds or even goes to six or seven, who benefits? Most of all DeSantis, who gets to go toe-to-toe with Trump (if hes there), and Ramaswamy, arguably the most articulate, and possibly Elder (again if hes there). So why were the rules constructed this way? I have no private information about discussions at the RNC, but, like Fox News, they seem to be tilting toward DeSantis. In the end, however, this likely will make no difference. Much was made of the Florida governors unique, Elon Musk-sponsored, debut on Twitter Spaces, only to find that it didnt move the polls at all. As of now, Trumps lead seems to be Teflon, as he wins virtually every poll, sometimes by as much as 40 pointsand has for as long as theyve been taken in this race. It also isnt difficult to predict that the more hes harassed by various biased government legal agencies, the higher his numbers will go. If the special counsel recommends an indictment while the Department of Justice continues to stonewall an investigation of the Biden familys business dealings that smack of treason, Trumps lead could jump from 40 to 80, resulting in a virtual nomination by acclamation. Nevertheless, its notable that these new rules require the candidates to provide the RNC with their lists of financial backers, an action particularly unfair to the 45th president and possibly targeted against him. The good news in the RNC decision, however, is that there may be some substance in the debates with fewer participants. At least theyll have more opportunities to speak and express their views. That certainly wont be true of the Democrats, who are highly unlikely to have any debates at all. Democratic Party presidential aspirant Robert F. Kennedy Jr., not surprisingly and with a degree of understatement, has called that decision unfortunate. Roger L. Simons 14th bookAmerican Refugeeswill be published by Encounter in September. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Woke, Crony Capitalism Takes Hold Down Under A general view of the Aboriginal light festival titled Grounded presented by Parrtjima at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia, on March 10, 2023. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images) Commentary The corporate campaign backing a change to Australias Constitution is the latest installment in large business bludgeoning not just customers, but everyone, over woke causes. Its a form of crony capitalism verging on fascism. Its bad for the country, and it is bad for the government. Large companies are primed for it by the ideas of stakeholder capitalism. This suggests a role for business beyond merely making widgets and returning profits to owners. It is turbocharged by the decreased role of private capital in big business, and the increasing bureaucratisation that goes with scale. Where once owners might have stalked the corridors, now it is paid employees, there for a few years, and then on rotation to another higher paying job at a rival. Trained by schools and universities to think their role is to change the world, they become euphoric with the idea that not only are they a businessperson, but they are inadvertently one of the natural aristocracies of mankind with authority to dispose and shape the masses. A good example of this is Alan Joyce, the CEO at Qantas. Over the course of his tenure, the airline losses netted out profits to more or less zero, but there was no problem aligning the business and its immense resources with specific causes. A line of Qantas aircraft sits at Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 31, 2021. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images) Another example is new tech billionaire, Mike Cannon-Brookes. Here is a man who owns a tech company valued at $40 billion (US$26 billion) which has only $2.8 billion of turnover and after 20 years is still making a $600 million loss. Empowered by a decarbonising zeal, and convinced he knows more than people running profitable energy businesses, he managed to parlay an 11.8 percent stake in Australian energy giant AGL into de facto control, derailing the companys strategy so he had the power to close power stations. (This is from a man who owns a Point Piper mansion with nary a solar panel on its roof, and a garage where 50 percent of his vehicles are powered by internal combustion engines.) Meanwhile, other companies are corralled into obedience because they have a fear of being cancelled. Sometimes this is from external threats, like the Black Shirts at Sleeping Giants. This is an organisation that mobilises mobs to threaten companies with loss of customers or suppliers unless they tow the ideological line. The threats are largely, in reality, insubstantial, but barely anyone, apart from retail magnate Gerry Harvey, an owner, wants to take a risk. Media companies are particularly susceptible. Australias most prominent media commentator, Alan Jones, was taken off air because advertisers wouldnt advertise, for fear of retribution. The other cancellation threat comes from within. A photograph shows part of Elon Musks Twitter page as seen on Jan. 17, 2023. (The Epoch Times) When tech billionaire Elon Musk took over Twitter the staff threatened to revolt. Musk is an owner, he knew what to do. If you werent aligned with his interests, you went. It must have been a lot harder for publisher Random House when staff revolted on the news they were publishing Jordan Petersons Beyond Chaos. Further, through their retirement funds, all Australians are investors. When these funds act for ideological rather than business reasons, they break the fiduciary relationship with those investors, as well as their income in retirement. Regulatory Creep Sinks Australia Further Into Crony Capitalism Risk can also be magnified by lawfare. As state and federal governments extend the right to sue because you are offended, the potential for litigation against heterodoxy increases. Legislation in Queensland will give third-party organisations the right to sue for discrimination, even though they are not directly affected. It doesnt matter if the case fails, the process is the penalty, and it brings unwanted publicity with it which could be damaging to business. Its a situation ripe for coercion. This brings into the spotlight the way the relationship with the government can coerce business. As the size of government has increased, the need to keep on the right side of laws, rules, and regulations also increases. The range of businesses that can be adversely affected by regulation is huge. While they legitimately lobby to protect their interests, there is a political need to appear a good corporate citizen as well. What a good citizen is will be defined by a combination of the government in power and external and internal public opinion. This leads to an unhealthy vicious cycle where elected governments are not shy in pushing back on corporate non-government constituencies for support. Just asking implies a threat of retribution, whether real or not. Most businesses will hedge their bets at the least and comply. Government and business then move in lockstep and genuine diversity, essential to the workings of a healthy democracy, is marginalised. Trust Being Lost in Highly Divisive Era All these factors appear to be at play in corporate approaches to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Even if you think your customers or shareholders would vote No, the likelihood is you are not going to stick your neck out. It seems some stakeholders are more equal than others. While I cant see anything changing with the corporates over The Voice, there is a revolt brewing which may result in The Voice being rejected, partly because of the corporate pressure. The peasants are in revolt. In the United States, Gillette and Anheuser-Busch are just two companies experiencing boycotts from right-of-centre voters. New media businesses like Google and YouTube, which have been debauched by governments, have seen alternatives spring up. The outcome of this is that society is becoming sectarian. Previously in the Anglosphere, it was along religious lines, now it is on a left-right divide. But if half the community (or in some cases more) will not commercially deal with the other half based on their views, then we are all the poorer. A 12-ounce can of Bud Light on a railing at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla., on May 26, 2023. (T.J. Muscaro/The Epoch Times) Trust is the most crucial resource in a modern liberal democracy, but not any trust. It is a trust that doesnt ask about motivation, only about performance. Performance is judged on the product that is provided. But when a commercial interaction partly takes on the character of an affirmation of a political cause (and an inadvertent donation to that cause at the same time), that trust is damaged. Low trust raises the costs of doing business, sometimes to the extent that the business can no longer occur. There is also a breach of trust occurring between shareholders and management, as well as damage to the retirement prospects of ordinary citizens. There is plenty of evidence that allowing ESG rather than merit to dominate your corporate decision-making can be bad for profits. If its bad for profits, it is bad for investors. The Albanese Labor government is more than comfortable riding this wave, but it is yet another productivity-destroying trend, along with profligate government spending, increasing workforce restrictions, price controls, interference in energy and resources markets, and the scramble towards a net-zero economy. Bad economic outcomes are the spark that can ignite a bushfire of resentment. Adding a culture war element to it raises the temperature and fans the flames. No telling who will get burnt. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. People will prefer to cash out more money if ATM encashment charges are lowered, the Governor of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan Taleh Kazimov said at today's meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, Trend reports. He noted that the main goal is to encourage non-cash payments. "Banks are raising fees to make cash withdrawals unprofitable. There are terminals for cashless payments everywhere. The strategy is for people to switch to cashless payments. If a new bill is adopted, the Central Bank will have the authority to set the maximum market threshold," Kazimov added. The volume of non-cash payments in Azerbaijan amounted to 58.56 billion manat ($34.45 billion) in 2022, which is 21.1 billion manat ($12.4 billion) or 56.26 percent more than in 2021. The number of ATMs in Azerbaijan as of May 1, 2023 has reached 3,075 (an increase of 2.64 percent or 79 units over the year). Out of the total number of ATMs, Baku accounts for 52 percent or 1,599 ATMs. There are 1,476 ATMs in other cities and regions of the country. Fragrance of Classical renditions ride the night breeze Students listening intently to Pt Sajan Mishra during the concert in the small hours of Sunday, reflecting the rich Indian tradition of learning from the guru. When maestros offer nectar of their Sadhana When maestros descended on the city of Nagpur for the 8th International Convention of SPIC-MACAY to ignite young minds, The Hitavada welcomed them with its head and heart. For, the convention was not just an event to be reported; it was an expression of the core value that art forms the foundation of a good civilisation. The convention also was in tune with the core belief of The Hitavada that young minds have to be oriented to arts so that their personalities assume a finesse that endures through life, making them better persons. That belief led us to pour our best resources into the coverage of the week-long event that generated so much interest in young minds about art in its various forms presented by masters. As the convention concludes with an overnight vigil of arts, The Hitavada also concludes its coverage with two impressionistic pieces by two of its senior-most interpreters of melody that art eternally is. - Editor By Kartik Lokhande : The daytime on Saturday was marked by Vat Pournima festival, reflecting the respect for grandeur of Banyan tree, full moon, and Indian tradition. As the day slipped happily into the cosiness of night, the maestroes rose like moon and emitted silken rays of their performances, illuminating the rich Banyan tree of the Indian Classical art forms. The connoiseurs and impressionable children, who had gathered at VNIT Auditorium for the Classical Overnight concert Shruti Amrut that marked the conclusion of the six-day 8th International Convention of SPIC-MACAY, felt enriched. Acting like escorts of the maestros, the cool night breeze gently dropped them to the entrance of the auditorium. From there, the enthusiasm guided them to their seats. As the night matured with each performance of the stalwarts, the Pournima moonlight outside also turned softer. People did take a break for human reasons and moved out of the auditorium, but the sound of music in all its riches ensured that they did not lose touch of the cultural extravaganza. The nights performances started with the tone-setting Mridangam performance by Padma Vibhushan Umayalapuram K Sivaraman. The percussion maestro successfully took the audience on a journey to the zenith, through joyful experience of seamless blend of Classical and fusion. One realised the artistes quality that led him to perform alongside the legends like Bharat Ratna M S Subbulakshmi, Pt Ravi Shankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan and Pandit Jasraj. Then came the performance of Padma Shri Pt Ulhas Kashalkar, the acclaimed Classical Vocalist of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. His unique style and emotive renditions took the musical experience of the connoiseurs to the next level. The response Pt Ulhas Kashalkars singing prowess evoked could be judged from the fact that even as he was leaving the venue well past midnight, there were people trying to speak a line or two with him just to hear his voice beyond singing. He smilingly obliged to quite a few of them. Padma Shri Vidushi A Kanyakumari steered the night towards small hours of Sunday with her mellifluous Carnatic violin performance. The swift movement of her fingers on the string instrument and able support by the accompanists evoked rounds of applause from the audience. She offered rendition of Classical as well as popular notes. Her performance was interspersed with a captivating jugalbandi by accompanists Visvesh Chandrashekar and Anirudh Athreya. Later, when she presented Vande Mataram on her violin, it prompted the members of the audience to rise from their seats in respect till the rendition was over. It reflected that the performances had refreshed the people in the auditorium. The small hours of Sunday were ushered in with the beautiful Classical Vocal performance of Padma Bhushan Pt Sajan Mishra. The maestro of the famous duo -- Pt Rajan and Pr Sajan Mishra -- is known for Khayal Gaayki. Since the passing away of his brother Pt Rajan Mishra in 2021, this was his first performance in Nagpur. Pt Sajan Mishra delivered Classical performance with his son Swaransh, starting with Na Kar Gumaan in Raag Jogkauns, gradually building up to an engaging musical. Vidwan D Sesha Chary of Hyderabad Brothers presented Carnatic Vocal rendition as the dawn drew closer. Known for compact pattern of presentation, the maestro made a deep impact on the listeners. The listeners appreciated his grip over Sruthi, Laya, and Sahitya Bhava. Sunday morning was ushered in with scintillating performance of Padma Shri Ustad F Wasifuddin Dagar. The happiness of audience was reflected in gestures in sync with remarkable singing of the Dhrupad maestro. He played with the swar beautifully and audience appreciated his wide and varied repertoire. At the outset, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari addressed the gathering and appreciated SPIC-MACAY for preserving Indian Classical music and exposing the younger generation to richness of the art. Dr Pramod Padole, VNIT Director; and R M Tiwari, National Chairperson of SPIC-MACAY, also graced the occasion. While the other Nagpurians woke up to an indolent Sunday morning, those who had attended the Shruti Amrut came out rejuvenated. The beneficiaries of the divine musical intervention welcomed the Sunday morning with all the brightness in heart and radiance on face. That, was a befitting culmination of a cultural extravaganza... In the company of Art, they blossomed and how! Students listening intently to Pt Sajan Mishra during the concert in the small hours of Sunday, reflecting the rich Indian tradition of learning from the guru. When maestros offer nectar of their Sadhana When maestros descended on the city of Nagpur for the 8th International Convention of SPIC-MACAY to ignite young minds, The Hitavada welcomed them with its head and heart. For, the convention was not just an event to be reported; it was an expression of the core value that art forms the foundation of a good civilisation. The convention also was in tune with the core belief of The Hitavada that young minds have to be oriented to arts so that their personalities assume a finesse that endures through life, making them better persons. That belief led us to pour our best resources into the coverage of the week-long event that generated so much interest in young minds about art in its various forms presented by masters. As the convention concludes with an overnight vigil of arts, The Hitavada also concludes its coverage with two impressionistic pieces by two of its senior-most interpreters of melody that art eternally is. - Editor By Biraj Dixit : For a sapling to grow into a plant, Nature does not spoon-feed its seed. It just covers it with soil and mud and provides necessary water, minerals, gases, sunlight, and rain. It gives nothing readymade but only a conducive external environment. And how a seed flourishes in a favourable atmosphere and grows into a strong tree! ...Taking small, hurried steps, children moved towards the auditorium. They were asked to settle down but being children they continued with their unsettlings till strings of a musical instrument caught their attention. As the evening progressed, they fell quiet allowing the melody of the environment to do all the talking. However, the raptures in between, the applauses and the clappings spoke eloquently of their growing involvement and resultant exhilaration. On the stage as the maestros hands played with the instrument, it also caught, in a firm grip, attention of these little souls who often get reprimanded for lack of focus. For a generation charmed by K-pop, it must have been difficult to sit through the very Classical renditions. With their over-exposed, spoiled-for-choice lifestyles they hardly had the mettle for the discipline required by the guru-shishya tradition. They must be repeatedly told about the richness of Indian culture, its traditions and art forms and consistent efforts are needed to inculcate in them a liking for all things Indian These and many other similar myths lay shattered at Shruti Amrut, SPIC-MACAYs 8th International Convention at the lush green precincts of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT). For almost a week, children -- young and not-so-young, youngsters -- upon whom youth was anything but wasted and the elders -- seasoned, yet more than ready to taste flavours of all seasons -- together blossomed in the company of Art. All the convention did was to introduce young minds and hearts, not to the rhetoric of ours is a great culture but to the culture itself. Its vastness, its subtlety, its magnificence, its nuance, its heights and depths all lay bare in front of a spoiled-for-choice generation. The exposure, they confessed, was eye-opening. As great maestros of varied art forms descended upon the convention, children realised what greatness was -- excellence, perfection, humility. Sitting in rapt attention, right on the stage and around the auditorium, as the geniuses poured springs of near-divine, perfectly perfected renditions of one art form after another, the kids seemed joyfully inundated. The light of greatness, the touch of class, the success of discipline, young hearts saw what it takes to be a maestro. Children grow by observation and involvement, not by teachings and philosophies. Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev had just given words to an often-experienced fact, but who takes the hard way? But at SPIC-MACAY, beyond tutorings and philosphies, children found so much to observe and involve themselves into. The bounty of an ancient nations ceaseless cultural riches lay for them. They peeped into many classical forms of dance and music, art and craft through a five-day workshop. They heard of ragas, taal, laya and their infinite nuances. They felt the magic of Yog Nidra. They listened to the experiences of great gurus and saw the grace of a devoted life. They understood the strength of a holistic lifestyle. Citys lukewarm reception of the event, however, was a heartbreak. Many blamed it on less publicity of the event, many on peoples general indifference to all things Classical. Whatever be the reason, SPIC-MACAYs Shruti Amrut provided a perfect opportunity to let children hear the sound of an elixir, to witness Art in its magnificence. In a world where education has been reduced to acquiring skills for monetary gains, this week-long event again underscored the need to differentiate between growing and blossoming, pushing and nurturing, and the inevitability of art and culture in giving a completeness to the grandeur of life. India no longer lumbering around at relatively slow pace: Jaishankar JOHANNESBURG, INDIA is no longer lumbering around at a relatively slow pace, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said and urged the diaspora to be part of the countrys growth story. Speaking at a reception hosted by the Indian diaspora and expatriate community in Cape Town in his honour, he also spoke about the special relationship between India and South Africa, which would celebrate 30 years of new diplomatic ties. The Minister was in the city with his counterparts from Brazil, Russia and China for the BRICS blocs meeting hosted by South Africa. This is no longer the India that was lumbering around at a relatively slow pace. When it comes to digital, I can assert with a great deal of confidence, that I see practices (and) efficiencies in India which I dont see even if I go to Europe and North America, Jaishankar said. This scale of change which is taking place in India, when we speak about the pace of transformation of these nine years, is really something that I think the Indian community abroad, the non-residents abroad and I would say even the friends and well-wishers of India abroad need to understand is something very powerful and very big that is going on, he said. The Minister said it is important that the diaspora and the people of Indian origin who live abroad also participate and have that sense of involvement in the change in India. Lord Parshurams biography to be added in textbooks: CM Staff Reporter Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Janapav, the birthplace of Lord Parshuram, near Indore in the State is being developed from the point of view of spirituality and tourism. Janapav will emerge as a divine and grand centre. The State Government has made arrangements to give honorarium to the priests of temples and incentives to the students studying in Sanskrit schools, who are becoming proficient in performing religious rites, along with a public holiday on Lord Parshuram Jayanti. An initiative has been taken to give Rs 8,000 to the students of class 1st to 5th and Rs 10,000 to the students of class 6th to 12th. The biography of Lord Parshuram will also be taught in the textbooks. Chouhan was addressing the Brahmin Mahakumbh programme at Jamboree Maidan, Bhopal on Sunday. CM Chouhan said that by changing the earlier provision of auctioning of the land of temples for one year by the collector this authority has been given to the priests. Along with this, it is necessary to co-operate with the priest in the temple for works like worship, prayer and aarti. Apart from providing a monthly amount of Rs 5,000 for temples without agricultural land area, work will be done to get the temples surveyed. Meritorious and economically weak students of Brahmin society will be given education facilities in medical, engineering and other higher education institutions. Land will be arranged for the Brahmin community on the basis of availability in Bhopal, so that it will be easy to make provision for educational arrangements and social work. On the suggestion of setting-up a separate commission or board, necessary decision will be taken after discussion and consultation with prominent persons of the society. Nepal PMs visit bring ties with India closer DURING his 4-day India visit, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal completed formal engagements with the Indian leadership and is visiting places of interest. Going by the importance traditionally attached to Nepals relationship with India, Dahals India visit is bound to be watched and analysed closely in India and Nepal. And political leaders on both sides are acutely aware of this. Given this, the Indian and Nepalese delegations hardly gave any room for conjectures. MoUs related to hydropower and connectivity were signed and exchanged. It seems the entire visit was designed to lower the expectations from each other on both sides. However, such measures go a long way in putting relationships on a practical plane. By choosing India to visit first among foreign nations, the Nepalese Prime Minister has followed the norm set by his predecessors. He has not let his political ideology interfere in relations with India. It shows he is choosing pragmatism over populism. Nearly half of the members of Nepals Parliament come from different communist parties that exist in the country. Among the communist leaders, Dahal is perhaps the tallest. The visit by Nepals Prime Minister Dahal will strengthen the longstanding and diverse relations between the two nations, emphasising their commitment to mutual respect, cooperation, and equal sovereignty. India and Nepal have a deep connection based on religion, culture, economy, and politics spanning centuries. The shared border between the two countries has facilitated unrestricted movement, allowing people from both nations to build relationships through marriage and familial ties. While Nepal holds immense strategic significance in Indias geopolitical and security considerations, India has always approached its relationship with Nepal beyond narrow perspectives. On a strategic note, Indias people-to-people connection with Nepal has seen a significant downturn after it adopted the Agnipath scheme of short-term military services, which excludes the Gorkha recruitment in the Indian Army. There are six Gorkha battalions in the Indian Army, and together they have about 40,000 soldiers. Out of this, about 12,000 are Gorkhas of Nepali origin. Besides, there are about 1,20,000 Gorkha Indian Army pensioners in Nepal. Before Agnipath, about 1000 Gorkha soldiers were recruited in the Indian Army every year. However, with the implementation of Agnipath, this scheme that has been in practice since 1947 is practically stalled. However, India aims to compensate for the downturn in relationships through increased people-to-people connections through the Ramayan and Buddha circuits train connectivity. Indias engagement with Nepal has been guided by its principles of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) and the policy of Neighbourhood First. Indias primary objective has been to contribute to Nepals development through assistance and grants for infrastructure development, promoting cultural ties, improving human development indicators, and providing support during adversity, such as the 2015 earthquake. The India visit of the Nepalese Prime Minister brings significant progress in infrastructure and other collaborative efforts. For example, Nepal has extended an offer to India to undertake the West Seti hydropower project, which had been stagnant for some time. The hydropower sector has emerged as a vital area of cooperation between India and Nepal and is seen as a catalyst for enhancing bilateral relations. In recent years, India has increasingly prioritised development in this sector, recognising its potential for mutual benefit and sustainable growth. The progress of hydropower projects continues to gather momentum. The 900 MW Arun III project, undertaken by a subsidiary of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), is advancing at an accelerated pace. Moreover, India has stepped in to assist Nepal by signing an agreement between Nepal and Indias National Hydro Electric Power Corporation Private Limited (NHPC Ltd) to develop the 750 MW West Seti project, which had been stalled by a Chinese company citing financial constrictions. In addition, the 900 MW Upper Karnali Project has been taken up by GMR, an Indian company, for construction. Nepal has resumed electricity exports to India as it experiences a power surplus during the monsoon season. Since last week, Nepal has been exporting approximately 600 MWh of electricity to India. Notably, from June to December 2022 alone, Nepal earned NPR 11 billion through hydropower exports to India. To enhance trade prospects and address concerns regarding Nepals increasing trade deficit with India, Nepals Prime Minister Prachanda has requested non-reciprocal market access for Nepals agricultural products and simplified Rules of Origin for other goods. Additionally, Nepal has proposed a 25-year bilateral agreement for power trade, replacing the current system of annual renewal that brings inefficiency and uncertainty to trade. Oil tanker breaks down in Suez Canal, briefly disrupting traffic CAIRO, A TANKER transporting crude oil broke down in a single-lane part of Egypts Suez Canal on Sunday, briefly disrupting traffic in the global waterway, Egyptian authorities said. The Malta-flagged Seavigour suffered a mechanical malfunction at the 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) mark of the canal, said George Safwat, a spokesperson for Egypts Suez Canal Authority. The tanker was transiting the canal from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. In a phone interview with a local television station, Adm. Ossama Rabei, head of the Suez Canal Authority, said the tanker broke down in a single-lane part of the waterway, disrupting the transit of eight other vessels behind it. Hours later, Rabei said in a statement that navigation at the canal had returned to normal after three tugboats towed the tanker to a double-lane part at the 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) mark. He said that the Seavigours crew was working on repairing the malfunction but did not share further details. The Seavigour was built in 2016, and is 274 metres (899 feet) long and 48.63 metres (159 feet) wide, according to MarineTraffic, a vessel tracking service provider. Sundays incident was the latest case of a vessel reported stuck in the vital waterway. A flurry of ships ran aground or broke down in the Suez Canal over the past few years. On May 25, a Hong Kong-flagged ship briefly blocked the canal. On March 5, a Liberia-flagged ship ran aground in the two-lane part of the waterway. Both vessels were refloated hours later. In March 2021, the Panama-flagged Ever Given, a colossal container ship, crashed into a bank on a single-lane stretch of the canal, blocking the waterway for six days and disrupting global trade. The canal, which opened in 1869, provides a crucial link for oil, natural gas and cargo. About 10 per cent of world trade flows through the canal, a major source of foreign currency for the Egyptian government. According to the Suez Canal Authority, last year, 23,851 vessels passed through the waterway, compared to 20,649 vessels in 2021. The revenue from the canal in 2022 reached USD 8 billion, the highest in its history. Pillion rider killed, biker injured after motorcycle hits divider Staff Reporter A 26-year-old private company employee was killed after the motorcycle he was riding pillion hit a divider in Shahpura area. The rider was reportedly drunk and he escaped with injuries as he was wearing a helmet. The bike was dragged for over 50 meters that led to his death, said police. Police said the deceased has been identified as Sarthak Sharma, a resident of BDA Colony in Salaiya. He worked as HR officer in a private firm while his father runs an electric parts shop in Manisha market. It was around 10.45 pm, he was returning from Chunbhatti with his friend Ayush on a bike. As they reached near Baba Nagar area, the bike of speed suddenly increased and it hit a divider. ASI Ramesh Dubey said the incident occurred near Swarn Jayanti park where the bike hit a divider and was dragged for over 50 meters while brushing aside the divider. A display board was also damaged due to collision with one of the riders, he said. The accident was so severe that their shoes were removed on the scene. ASI Dubey said the rider Ayush was heavily drunk but he was wearing helmet. He has sustained injuries but his condition is stated to be stable. On the other hand, Sarthak died in the accident. Although, he was not drunk, added the cop. He said we will also book the rider for negligent driving that led to his friends death. Stop politicising Odisha train accident: BJP to Oppn NEW DELHI, THE BJP on Sunday asked Opposition parties to not politicise the Balasore train accident and said the track record of the Congress-led UPA Governments Railway Ministers was nothing short of a disaster. BJP IT department head Amit Malviya shared on Twitter what he said were the details of accidents under these Ministers and added such worthies are the ones demanding the resignation of the most qualified Railway Minister the country has had in seven and half decades. The Congress had earlier demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he should accept part of the responsibility for creating an all is well facade even as the critical infrastructure of the Indian Railways languishes in neglect. Hitting back, Malviya said, Stop politicising the unfortunate Balasore tragedy because track record of Railway Ministers, under the UPA, to put it mildly, was nothing short of disaster. Let us focus on relief and rescue operation and putting life and rail back on track, at the earliest. Under Mamata Banerjee as Railway Minister, 1,451 people died in 54 cases of collisions and 839 incidents of train derailments, he said. Death toll was 1,159 when Lalu Yadav was the Minister while the corresponding figure for Nitish Kumar was 1,527. Yadav was the Minister in the first term of the UPA Government while Kumar was at the helm during the NDA Government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee. This is the report card of those demanding resignation, Malviya said. Traditional approach of voters favours major parties in Gunderdehi assembly constituency By E V Murli & Anand Jalgaonkar Gunderdehi Assembly Constituency, known for its cultural diversity and situated on both sides of the Sheonath river, is all set to witness a key contest in the upcoming assembly elections. With just a few months left, political aspirants are engaging in political movements and addressing issues of people with a renewed vigour to attract voters. However, the changed winning equations due to delimitation pose a challenge for parties to secure victory and in selecting suitable candidates. The Congress party seems to have a significant influence in this constituency, which was previously part of the Durg district and is now a part of the division. If the victory margin of the Congress candidate in the previous election is a testament. Although tribal votes followed by Sahu votes hold sway, winning solely on the basis of caste is no longer guaranteed. The candidate selection and their representation of the entire constituency play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the election. The region faces key issues such as poor road conditions and inadequate water supply etc besides there is also resentment over the strict criteria for unemployment allowance payments set by the government as many youths have been deprived of it. The ruling party has recognized these problems and recently initiated efforts to improve road infrastructure and water supply facilities. However, the failure to enforce a liquor ban, which is a state-level issue, could negatively impact the ruling partys chances, with the opposition likely to capitalize on it during the elections. Women in Gunderdehi have been active in the liquor prohibition movement, and the constituency saw many such movements by the various Women groups. Despite these challenges, schemes such as Gothan, RIPA, increased paddy purchase limit, reduced power bills, and loan waivers have left a positive impact on the Congress partys image in the constituency. These initiatives could pave the way for the ruling partys candidate to secure victory, but the opposition is critical of the ruling partys performance and lack of developmental activities. The BJPs constant attack on the ruling party over its failures could make up a perception, if the Congress does not counter it appropriately. In the Congress party, the sitting MLA always has an advantage over other aspirants to secure a ticket if there is no major allegations against the candidate and is receptive. This way Kunwar Singh Nishad has an advantage over other aspirants for the ticket. However, in politics until the time the ticket is announced by the party there is always a possibility so other hopeful contenders for the ticket include Krnati Bhushan Sahu, Dr. Narayan Sahu, Sanjay Sahu, Sona Devi Deshlahare, and Suchitra Sahu. The BJP also has a long list of aspirants for the ticket, but the party is being cautious in candidate selection, considering chances of victory and a good image as strong criteria. Gunderdehi has been unpredictable in previous elections, reflecting the astuteness of the electorate in choosing their representative. Rebels from BJP and Congress have tried to sabotage their respective candidates in the past, but their impact on the election results has been minimal. The absence of a third front in the assembly constituency indicates that voters tend to stick with the major parties and follow a traditional approach. They show a preference for candidates from established political parties rather than supporting independent or lesser-known candidates. This suggests that the electorate values the familiar and established platforms offered by the major parties, considering them as reliable choices. Previous election results show the victories of Kunwar Singh Nishad from INC in 2018, Rajendra Kumar Rai from INC in 2013, Virendra Kumar Sahu from BJP in 2008, and Ramshela Sahu from BJP in 2003. In the 2018 elections, Kunwar Singh Nishad secured victory with 1,10,369 votes, while Deepak Tarachand Sahu from BJP received 54,975 votes, and Rajendra Kumar Rai from JCCJ managed only 8,648 votes. Similarly, in 2013, Rajendra Kumar Rai from INC won with 72,770 votes, defeating Virendra Kumar Sahu from BJP, who secured 51,490 votes. Notably, Human Sahu from CSM garnered 16,745 votes, and Dr. Balmunkund Dewangan as an independent candidate secured 14,483 votes. During the 2008 elections, Virendra Kumar Sahu from BJP emerged as the winner with 64,010 votes, closely followed by Ghanaram Sahu from INC with 61,425 votes. Indar Bhaiyya from BSP secured 7,760 votes. In 2003, Ramshila Sahu from BJP secured victory with 40,813 votes, defeating Ghanaram Sahu from INC, who got 31,523 votes. Other candidates, such as Gajendra Thakur from NCP and Arjun Singh Nishad from BSP, received 9,398 and 7,949 votes, respectively. Veteran actress Sulochana passes away at 94 MUMBAI, NOTED actor Sulochana Latkar, known for her innumerable mother roles in Hindi and Marathi cinema, died on Sunday due to prolonged illness at a hospital here, her grandson-in-law Parag Ajgavkar confirmed. She was 94. Sulochana, started her career in 1940s and went on to feature in over 250 films in a six decade long journey in the movies. The actor was admitted to Shushrusha Hospital in Dadar on May 8. She passed away at around 6.30 pm at the hospital due to prolonged illness. She had a respiratory tract infection for which she was admitted on May 8, Parag told PTI. Latkar will be cremated with state honours. Some of Sulochanas notable films are Sasurvas, Vahinichya Bangdya, and Dhakti Jau in Marathi and Aaye Din Bahar Ke, Gora Aur Kala, Devar, Talaash, and Azaad in Hindi. The actor largely played on-screen mother in the Bollywood films of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, almost invariably dressed in a white saree. She worked with all the lead stars of the era, including Sunil Dutt, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov met with a delegation of the World Bank, the Cabinet of Ministers told Trend. World Bank's Regional Director for the South Caucasus Sebastian Molineus, whose term of office expires this month, introduced Rolande Pryce, who will take his spot, and bank's new manager for Azerbaijan Stefanie Stallmeister, to the Azerbaijani PM. Satisfaction was expressed with the level of long-term effective partnership between Azerbaijan and the World Bank at the meeting, and it was noted that joint projects covering various spheres have been successfully implemented recently. Issues related to the prospects of cooperation in many areas were also discussed. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WILTON The remarkable history of America's apostle for deaf communication and his unique connection to the town are highlighted in one of two new exhibits at the Wilton Historical Society. "The Lives of Laurent Clerc and Francis Clerc Ogden" looks at the history of the pioneer attributed with consolidating and ultimately creating what would become American Sign Language, as well as co-founding the first U.S. school for those who are deaf in Hartford in 1817 Laurent Clerc. "He was this incredible role model," said Laurent Clerc Holt, a descendant who helped to organize the new exhibition. Holt is working to bring more attention to the man whom the deaf community views as its veritable savior in making communication and education possible for the hearing-impaired community. The American School for the Deaf, which Clerc co-founded with Thomas Hopkins Gaullaudet, was the co-producer of the new exhibit. Clerc, who is known as "the apostle of the deaf in America" and was believed deaf from birth, was the great-grandfather of Ogden, cofounder of the Wilton Historical Society in 1938. Ogden was a town activist and historian, and a participant in many local initiatives during his 70 years in town. On Friday, May 19, a reception was held at the Wilton Historical Society celebrating the opening of the exhibit, along with another new exhibit entitled "The Town Book: E. Boyd Smith's 20th Century Wilton." Smith was a children's book author and illustrator whose work channeled and captured many sites and scenes throughout Wilton during the first half of the 20th century. Amy Broderick, an ASL teacher at Wilton High School, was on hand for the reception, which included many students and people affiliated with the American School for the Deaf, which is now in West Hartford. "Most people don't know about him, (but) Lauren Clerc is who you learn about," she said. "To have that connection right here in our town is a little unbelievable, but it's really cool." Clerc was born in France and educated at the Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets in Paris, which at the time was at the cutting edge of instruction for people who were deaf. When he was 30 and a teacher at that very school, Clerc traveled to England to lecture and met Gallaudet, a Yale University graduate. The two would later found what ultimately became the American School for the Deaf on April 15, 1817, in Hartford. "There were 30 schools across the nation that were connected to his school," Holt said, explaining that the first generation of students who became educated in Hartford ultimately opened schools and presented learning opportunities for hearing-impaired people nationwide. Clerc is also largely credited with consolidating various sign languages, including Native American, Martha's Vineyard, various private methods, and the sign language used in France to form what became ASL. "Sign language allowed the deaf to have a language and basically integrate themselves more into the world," said Holt, Clerc's great-great-great-great-grandson. Ogden was an author and noted town historian, writing many articles for the Wilton Bulletin up until his death in 1971. Having amassed many documents on Clerc, he passed them on to the Wilton Historical Society. There, they remained in its large archives for 60 years until they were recently uncovered by Holt, with the help of Nick Foster, director of the historical society, and Julie Hughes, the archivist at Wilton Library. "It was an unexpected opportunity to partner with a great organization," Foster said. The documents are now part of the permanent Clerc Collection at the Cogswell Heritage House, the museum affiliated with the American School for the Deaf. "I think the joining of the two museums is wonderful," said Jean Linderman, the Cogswell's curator, who attended the reception. "It's a wonderful collaboration of two different histories that had a lot in common and never knew each other." Holt explained that the modern deaf community is very passionate about its history. "They revere these kind of original folks who came and brought the sign language over," he said. "People hadn't seen a deaf man that was like him," Holt said of Clerc. At the time, many people's prejudiced assumption was that deaf people couldn't be educated or taught to communicate at all. "He was an incredible role model," Holt said, noting that his group, Societe Laurent Clerc, is also working to have a U.S. stamp made in his descendant's honor. For more information, visit wiltonhistorical.org. The Wilton Historical Society is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. Both exhibits run through Oct. 7. Seasonal exhibitions are free for members and children under age 18 and $10 for nonmember adults. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) A broken thumb, a back injury, dabbling with drugs and dating girls. No event in the life of a young Prince Harry was too trivial or private for the journalists of Mirror Group Newspapers to resist, and the demand for such scoops led to the use of illegal means to dig up dirt, his lawyer said Monday in the opening of his phone hacking lawsuit. Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds and there was no protection from these unlawful information-gathering methods, attorney David Sherborne said. But a defense lawyer said it would have been foolish to spy on a figure like Harry with such tight security, and he rejected allegations that Mirror Group reporters ever eavesdropped on his phone's voice messages. "There is simply no evidence capable of supporting the finding that the Duke of Sussex was hacked, let alone on a habitual basis, attorney Anthony Green said. Zilch, zero, nil, nada, niente, nothing. Harry's highly anticipated showdown with the publisher of the Daily Mirror in his battles with the British press got off to an anticlimactic start when the star failed to show up to the chagrin of the judge and defense lawyer. Harry was unavailable to testify that afternoon because hed taken a flight Sunday from Los Angeles after the birthday of his 2-year-old daughter, Lilibet, Sherborne said. Im a little surprised, said Justice Timothy Fancourt, noting he had directed Harry to be prepared to testify. Green said he was deeply troubled by Harrys absence. The case against Mirror Group is the first of the princes several lawsuits against the media to go to trial, and one of three alleging tabloid publishers unlawfully snooped on him in their cutthroat competition for scoops on the royal family. When he enters the witness box, Harry, 38, will be the first member of the British royal family in more than a century to testify in court. He is expected to describe his anguish and anger over being hounded by the media throughout his life, and its impact on those around him. Harrys fury at the U.K. press and sometimes at his own royal relatives for what he sees as their collusion with the media runs through his memoir, Spare, and interviews conducted by Oprah Winfrey and others. He has blamed paparazzi for causing the car crash that killed his mother, Princess Diana, and said harassment and intrusion by the U.K. press, including allegedly racist articles, led him and his wife, Meghan, to flee to the U.S. in 2020 and leave royal life behind. While Harrys memoir and other recent media ventures have been an effort to reclaim his life's narrative, which had largely been shaped by the media, he will have no such control when he faces cross-examination in a courtroom full of reporters taking down every word. Green said he plans to question the Duke for a day and a half. Stories about Harry were big sellers for the newspapers, and some 2,500 articles had covered all facets of his life during the time period of the case 1996 to 2011 from injuries at school to experimenting with marijuana and cocaine to the ups and downs with girlfriends, Sherborne said. Harry said in court documents that he suffered huge bouts of depression and paranoia over concerns friends and associates were betraying him by leaking information to the newspapers. Relationships fell apart as the women in his life and even their family members were dragged into the chaos. He says he later realized the source wasnt disloyal friends but aggressive journalists and the private investigators they hired to eavesdrop on voicemails and track him to locations as remote as Argentina and an island off Mozambique. Sherborne suggested that a 2003 article about row with older brother, Prince William, heir to the throne, about confronting their mother's former butler about spilling secrets, had planted the seeds of discord between the two. Brothers can sometimes disagree, Sherborne said. But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded." Mirror Group said it used documents, public statements and sources to legally report on the prince with one exception. The publisher admitted and apologized for hiring a private eye to dig up dirt on one of Harry's nights out at a bar, but the resulting 2004 article headlined Sex on the beach with Harry" is not among the 33 in the trial. Sherborne, however, said phone hacking and unlawful information-gathering were carried out on such a widespread scale by Mirror Group that it was implausible it was only used once against Harry. In the absence of concrete evidence, Sherborne said the judge to make inferences of skullduggery based on the type of information being reported, the murkiness of the sourcing, and whether the writer of an article was known to have relied on unlawful means in the past. But Green said there was little to no evidence to support Harry's case. Hacking that involved guessing or using default security codes to listen to celebrities cellphone voice messages was widespread at British tabloids in the early years of this century. It became an existential crisis for the industry after the revelation in 2011 that the News of the World had hacked the phone of a slain 13-year-old girl. Owner Rupert Murdoch shut down the paper and several of his executives faced criminal trials. Mirror Group has paid more than 100 million pounds ($125 million) to settle hundreds of unlawful information-gathering claims, and printed an apology to phone hacking victims in 2015. Judges are deciding whether Harrys two other phone hacking cases will proceed to trial. Murdochs News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and Associated Newspapers Ltd., which owns the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, have argued the cases should be thrown out, because Harry failed to file the lawsuits within a six-year deadline. Harrys lawyer has argued that he should be granted an exception to the time limit, because the publishers lied and deceived to hide the illegal actions. DeKALB Northern Illinois University announced its spring 2023 dean's list students. Students from the Edwardsville area who achieved this honor include: Calvin Soldan of Edwardsville (Chemistry-Biochemistry), Edwardsville High School Joseph Sommer of Glen Carbon (Mechanical Engineering - B.S.), Edwardsville High School To earn this distinction, students must meet a minimum semester grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology or a minimum of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale in the colleges of Business, Education, Health and Human Sciences, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Oregon and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 courses of study while serving a diverse and international student body of about 19,000. Local students graduate from Lincoln University JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri Local students recently graduated from Lincoln University (LU) in Jefferson City, Missouri. Recent LU graduates include the following local students: Chyann Taylor of Collinsville, Bachelor of Science in Psychology Chelsie Harris-Gardner of Maryville, Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Cum Laude LU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide range of high-demand fields, including as agriculture, criminal justice, journalism, teaching, nursing, accounting and more, at the college's Jefferson City and Fort Leonard Wood locations. Lincoln University of Missouri is a historically Black, 1890 land-grant, public university that provides excellent educational opportunities to a diverse population within a nurturing, student-centered environment. Lincoln is known for its innovative undergraduate and graduate programs in agriculture, business administration, criminal justice, elementary education, nursing, business administration, guidance and counseling, and natural science. Located in Jefferson City, Missouri, Lincoln University was founded in 1866 by the men of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries and their white officers for the benefit of freed African Americans. Heddinghaus named to deans list LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY Lillian Heddinghaus of Edwardsville was named to the spring 2023 University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences dean's list. More than 1,820 undergraduate students have qualified for the Spring College of Arts & Sciences dean's list. These students earned 12 or more credit hours as letter grades with a minimum 3.60 GPA for the semester. To view the complete list of dean's list recipients, visit https://provost.uky.edu/deans-list. The mission of the College of Arts & Sciences is to cultivate elevated student learning and experiences, advance innovative research and scholarship, and positively impact the lives of people in the Commonwealth, nation and world. The University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences is united in excellence. Its mission is to cultivate elevated student learning and experiences, advance innovative research and scholarship and positively affect the lives of people in the Commonwealth, nation and world. Lopransi inducted into Phi Kappa Phi BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA Teddy Lopansri of Glen Carbon was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Lopansri was initiated at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Lopansri is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction. Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann, who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines. Its mission is "to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others." Reames named to spring deans list OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY The following student from Brescia University was named to the 2023 spring deans list for completing at least 12 credit hours with a 3.5-4.0 GPA. Edwardsville Gavin Reames, Accounting Brescia University is a Catholic liberal arts institution founded in the Ursuline tradition of personal and social transformation through education by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in 1950. Its origins are in Mount Saint Joseph Junior College for Women, established at Maple Mount, Kentucky in 1925. Between 1925 and 1950, coeducational extension courses in Owensboro led to the creation of a second campus and, after 1949, consolidation of the two campuses at the present site of Brescia University. In 1951, Brescia began operating as a four-year college. Directed to academic and moral excellence in a student-centered environment, Brescia offers undergraduate and graduate programs that serve students who seek success through rewarding careers and service to others. DAR American History Award recipients selected ALTON Ninian Edwards Chapter, NSDAR in Alton announced the following eighth-grade students have won the DAR American History Award for outstanding performance in American History throughout the year: Alton Middle School William DaVitz Taylor Saunders Erick Humphrey Tucker Chapman Evangelical School, Godfrey Ethan Hampshire Lexi Stevenson Lewis & Clark Jr. High, Wood River Lillian Bock Aidyn Pellazari Our Lady Queen of Peace, Bethalto Sara Aiello Roxana Jr. High School Elizabeth Clous Cohen Mitchell St. Ambrose School, Godfrey Benjamin Droste Madelyn Hudanick St. Marys Middle School, Alton James Elmendorf Ethan McLeon Wilbur Trimpe Middle School, Bethalto Grant McKey Elizabeth Lenger Zion Lutheran School, Bethalto Hayden Knipping Brady Strubhart Stout earns deans list honors ROCHESTER, NEW YORK Nazareth College has announced that Molly Stout of Edwardsville has been named to the dean's list for the spring 2023 semester. A student's grade point average must be at least 3.5 or above and they must complete 12 credit hours of graded work that semester in order to be included on the dean's list at Nazareth. Nazareth College is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected. Anderson recognized at Millikin DECATUR The Millikin University community gathered for the annual Honors Convocation and Distinguished Faculty Lecture on April 27 at Kirkland Fines Arts Center to honor faculty, staff and student accomplishments as the 2022-23 academic year approached its close. Over 90 awards were presented to Millikin students and faculty who were honored for their commitment to academic excellence. During the event, Jacquelin Anderson of Glen Carbon received the Scovill Prize. "The Honors Convocation constitutes a special moment in Millikin's academic year, when we connect as a community to honor achievement in teaching and learning and excellence in all aspects of Millikin life, inside and outside the classroom," Millikin President Jim Reynolds said. "This occasion celebrates the many exceptional achievements made at our university and we commemorate the inspiring work and scholarship our students and faculty create." Among the awards is the Scovill Prize, the most coveted recognition of the Honors Convocation. Scovill Prize winners are selected based on high academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, service and scholarship. This year, eight students were named Scovill Prize recipients. Iowa State honors spring graduates AMES, Iowa Nearly 4,600 graduates received degrees from Iowa State University this spring. Graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies were held May 11-13 at Hilton Coliseum. Alumna Trudy Huskamp Peterson, the first woman archivist of the United States; and Temple Grandin, distinguished professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University, animal welfare pioneer and activist for people with autism, received honorary degrees during the undergraduate ceremonies. Graduates from the Edwardsville area include: Lin Pizzo of Bethalto, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Interior Design Jack Raffaelle of Glen Carbon, Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude Adam Walters of Edwardsville, Bachelor of Science, Software Engineering, Summa Cum Laude Good Shepherd Lutheran honor roll given COLLINSVILLE Good Shepherd Lutheran School in Collinsville has announced its fourth-quarter honor roll. High Honor Roll with Distinction (Gr. 7&8 - GPA 4.00+) 8th Grade: Isaak B., Dean H., Grace P., Kaitlyn Pe., Kaitlyn Pi., Alex r., Ben S., Connor S., Hayden S., Natalie T., Autumn W. 7th Grade: Marion H., Lauren K., Dylan L., Calista S., Lily W., Bradley W., Josie W. High Honor Roll (Gr. 5&6 - GPA 3.51 to 4.0; Gr. 7&8 - GPA 3.51 to 3.99) 8th Grade: Anna A., Bradley D., Lilly G., Grayson G., Emily K., Andrew L., Jacob S. 7th Grade: Wyatt K., Owen T., Teagan W. 6th Grade: Chloe B., Brayden B., Rory D., Liam D., Brodie F., Caroline F., Cooper I., Elle J., Prabhgun K., August K., Sydney L., Meghan M., Caleb M., Reeve M., Jake R., Hunter S., Alyssa S., Chance S., Donovan T., Noah W., Cali W., Jack Z. 5th Grade: Will B., Isabella B., Caleb B., Owen C., Zion C., Myla G., Agnes H., Sydney H., David K., Alexis K., Jacob K., Elise L., Natalie M., Violet M., Katherine M., Piper M., Charlotte P., Nate P., Kaelyn S., Caroline S., Levi T., Adalie T., Amelia W., Isaiah W. Honor Roll (Gr. 5-8 GPA 3.00 to 3.50) 8th Grade: Ava G. 7th Grade: Ryan P., AJ F. Henrik G. 6th Grade: Robert A., Ezra C., Kaleb G., 5th Grade: Ella F., Daphne F., Ava H., Parker L., Anthony M., Brayden P. SPRINGFIELD In the final hours of their spring session May 27, lawmakers approved a controversial measure that would give existing power companies in downstate Illinois, notably Ameren Illinois, the first crack at installing new transmission lines. The measure applies to companies that already own or operate electric transmission lines under the purview of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, the grid operator for a wide swath of the Midwest, including much of downstate and parts of northwestern Illinois. This right of first refusal would empower those companies to choose whether they want to build the new lines, replacing the current system of competitive bidding for such construction. This provision is temporary and would sunset at the end of 2024. Critics of the proposal said that it would reduce competition, leading to higher costs for construction projects and ultimately higher costs to energy consumers. But proponents said that it will streamline the billions of dollars of construction planned for the coming years while creating union jobs for Illinoisans. The proposal was in a broader piece of energy legislation, House Bill 3445, which was introduced in its final form late May 25 and passed in the early hours of May 27. It passed in the Senate 41-9 with a single member voting present and in the House 63-32, with two present votes. While it needs only a signature from Gov. JB Pritzker to become law, he vowed last week to veto the bill. Pritzker spokesperson Alex Gough said the governor opposes the bill because it puts corporate profits over consumers. The legislature could override Pritzkers potential veto, but it would require three-fifths majorities in both chambers, a margin that it earned in the Senate, but not the House. Bill sponsor Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Loves Park, defended the proposal as a job-saving measure and emphasized it would be temporary. This is an 18-month temporary right of refusal, Stadelman told Capitol News Illinois on Thursday. I just want to make sure that over that time period, there is certainty to our grid and that the jobs are Illinois jobs. I dont want these jobs going out of state. The right of first refusal provision is supported by both Ameren Illinois and labor unions, such as IBEW Local 51, IBEW Local 134 and the Midwest region of Laborers' International Union. The bills house sponsor and the House Public Utilities Committee chair, Rep. Larry Walsh, D-Elwood, said that the proposal came to him from the union. In a May 26 evening committee, Walsh said it would streamline the process of expanding the grid. If you have an entity that controls the transmission of our electric power throughout whatever region youre in Its easier for them to do this type of work, interconnecting their system, Walsh said. The measures opponents, however, include a mix of environmentalists, business groups, renewable energy companies and the states attorney general. Illinois Environmental Council Executive Director Jen Walling said the proposal will make it more difficult for the state to build out renewable energy resources. We need two to five times more transmission to be able to meet our clean energy goals in the state, Walling said. This is going to make it expensive and hard to achieve those goals when we could save money and have better systems through a competitive procurement. Energy companies that build transmission lines, such as NextEra Energy, echo Wallings concern. Those firms contend the proposal will stifle competition and increase consumer prices, according to Jonathan Feipel, a representative of the industry group American Clean Power. Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago, the chair of the House Energy and Environment committee, pointed to the significant cost of transmission line projects that have recently been approved by MISO. Right of first refusal is definitely problematic and when youre talking about $10 billion with a B dollars, thats certainly a great concern, Williams said during debate over the measure late May 26 before voting against it. Lawmakers of both parties, including Williams, took issue with the process of the proposals introduction. It was introduced as an amendment and passed through both houses within 36 hours. Utilities having the right of first refusal has turned into a political hot topic in other states recently. In March, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction against a law in that state granting incumbent utilities the right of first refusal for transmission lines, noting that the Iowa law was quintessentially crony capitalism. Clean energy studies In addition to the right of first refusal provisions, HB 3445 would direct the Illinois Power Agency to study several potential developments in the states energy sector. That includes a potential offshore wind farm pilot program off the coast of Lake Michigan, dubbed the Rust Belt to Green Belt project. Even the notion of commissioning a study on the subject drew criticism from some Democrats. Sen. Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines, said she was concerned about developing a wind farm on Lake Michigan northern Illinois main source of drinking water. Without any parameters on how this study is conducted, I am an absolute no on this portion of this bill, Murphy said during a Senate hearing on the measure May 25. Those studies were supported by the environmental groups that opposed the right of first refusal portion of the bill. A bill outlining a funding mechanism for the project was put forward earlier in the year. It passed in the House but stalled when it arrived in the Senate. Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, an advocate for the offshore wind project, said he will continue to push for its passage. Theres so much information worldwide about the benefits of wind energy that were not taking advantage of, Evans said. Were not going to meet our clean energy goals at the rate were going. We have to expedite. The bill would also require the IPA to study the implications of another proposal from earlier this year, the consideration of a renewable credit system to support deploying grid-scale energy storage, a longtime goal of renewable energy advocates. The agency would also be required to study the implications of a proposed high-voltage electricity transmission project. Nuclear construction Lawmakers also approved a measure, Senate Bill 76, that would allow for the construction of advanced nuclear reactors in the state. A state law dating back to the 1980s placed a moratorium on building those power plants until the federal government designates a repository for nuclear waste, something the federal government has yet to do. SB 76 was approved with bipartisan support earlier in May, passing on an 84-22 vote in the House and a 36-14 vote in the Senate. The measure initially lifted the ban on construction for all nuclear plants, although debate on the bill focused primarily on the latest generation of nuclear technology. That includes prefabricated small modular nuclear reactors and microreactors. That intention was eventually codified in an amendment and the final bill would only allow the construction of advanced nuclear reactors as defined in federal law. The bills chief Senate sponsor, Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, said that those types of reactors are valuable to provide reliability to the grid as the state shifts toward renewables. The value of the modular and the small advanced nuclear reactors are that we can drop them on coal plants that are shuttered, Rezin said in an interview shortly after the bill passed. We can drop them right on site and build them out there and tie them right into their transmission line or their grid system which they already have built into the plant. The proposal drew criticism from both environmental groups like the Sierra Club and anti-nuclear advocates like David Kraft, the head of the Chicago-based Nuclear Energy Information Service. The legislature has opened the door for more reactors and more waste, Kraft said in an interview. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5, 2023 17:09 6 d5259e4d93052b0e76bee70b057d9b11 4 Companies GoFood,MSME,Gojek,apps Free The Local Champion Collection presents customers with a curated list of culinary delights in the greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) area Gojek, the on-demand service business unit of the GoTo Group, continues its commitment to serve as the best partner for MSME growth with the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood (GoFood Local Champion Collection) initiative, a special category within the app that features curated menus of local specialties from various regions. The unique collection aims to boost the visibility of local culinary MSMEs to millions of loyal GoFood customers. Head of Regions & External Affairs Gojek, Gede Manggala, shared, Data from the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises of Indonesia, reveals as of December 2022, 20.76 million MSMEs have joined digital platforms. But just joining a platform is not enough, MSMEs still need support and platform innovations to help them develop their businesses. In addition to supporting MSMEs with the latest technology, GoFood continuously develops MSME growth initiatives like the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood to promote local culinary MSMEs that have gone digital and enabling them to be more easily discovered by customers which increases their competitiveness and enhances their businesses sustainably. The wide range of regional specialty menu items featured in the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood have been carefully curated to include recommendations of signature dishes, legendary restaurants, hidden gems, and local favorites, as well as local culinary MSMEs that have shown positive business growth and have the potential for further development. "The Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood provides greater visibility and opportunities for local culinary MSMEs to reach a broader customer base. This initiative was first launched in Bali in November 2022, coinciding with the G20 Summit. Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood has been expanded to other cities, including Makassar, Medan, Balikpapan, Surabaya, Bandung, and Jabodetabek," added Gede. Research conducted by Alvara Research Center in 2022 found that traditional Indonesian cuisine or regional food is the most widely sold food category by Indonesian MSMEs, accounting for 42.3% of the total respondents interviewed. This fact has inspired Gojek to further support the progress of culinary MSMEs specializing in selling regional menu items. President Director of SMESCO Indonesia, Leonard Theosabrata, added "SMESCO and GoFood share a vision to uplift culinary MSMEs to a higher level and the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood initiative helps to maximize the visibility of local culinary MSME that sell regional menu items on the online platform. All of us at SMESCO Indonesia appreciate the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood initiative for supporting millions of digitally-enabled MSMEs towards sustainable growth." Local Champion Restaurants in Jakarta Soar with GoFood Ayam Berkah Rachmat is one of Jakarta establishments featured in the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood. Established in the 1960s, Ayam Berkah Rachmat has maintained a loyal and growing customer base by preserving its distinct flavor and maintaining the same high-quality fried chicken since its inception. Febry Setiawan, the Owner of Ayam Berkah Rachmat and a GoFood business partner, explains, "The key to our 60 years of success is our focus on always using the best quality ingredients, our distinctive flavor, and our value for money pricing. Now, In the digital era, we must also continuously adapt to maintain competitiveness. Part of our key strategy was to join GoFood six years ago, and our business has thrived, as evidenced by a 5% - 10% increase in revenue each year. Even during the pandemic, 60% of our total sales came from GoFood." Febry further added, "Since joining the Gojek ecosystem, we have always received the right business solutions tailored to our needs. The inclusion of Ayam Berkah Rachmat in Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood, is evidence of more support from GoFood and we are very grateful for the increased visibility it has provided us to loyal GoFood customers," Soto Betawi H. Ma'ruf, the pioneer of Betawi-style soto (traditional Indonesian soup), which is recognized for being MSG-free and for their delicate balance of regular and coconut milk, is another establishment included in the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood. Mufti Maulana, the owner of Soto Betawi H. Ma'ruf and a GoFood merchant partner, shares "Since 1943, we have consistently maintained the authentic Betawi flavor while embracing the changes of the times. We are grateful and delighted that, thanks to joining GoFood, Soto Betawi H. Ma'ruf has continued to thrive, with a 30% increase in revenue. Now, our business can be found in Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood , making it easier for customers to discover us." Interestingly, the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood provides more than just online benefits to the featured MSMEs. All establishments featured in the Koleksi Juara Lokal GoFood are provided with physical signage that can attract the attention of anyone passing by their place, giving them even more customer visibility and act as a sign that their menu can be ordered via GoFood. To explore the diverse collection of Jabodetabek's local culinary offerings, GoFood users can directly access the link bit.ly/JuaraJabodetabek or type "Juara Lokal'' in the search bar on the Gojek app's homepage. Topics : GoFood MSME Gojek apps Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Reuters Jakarta Mon, June 5, 2023 17:25 6 5fceed71997e5776a1634d25dc7d6044 2 Society doctors,nurse,healthcare,law,Indonesia,Budi-Gunadi-Sadikin,protest,IDI Free Hundreds of doctors and nurses on Monday urged lawmakers to halt discussions on proposed revisions to healthcare laws that they said would dilute protections for medical practitioners. The House of Representatives in February proposed a host of revisions to current healthcare laws, including making it easier for patients to bring criminal charges against healthcare workers for malpractice and allowing foreign talent to make up for staff shortages in Indonesia. The government has said the revisions are necessary to streamline the current laws. A health ministry spokesperson, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said the new law aims to improve services in the country. But at least five unions have raised concerns, arguing health workers could be disadvantaged. "Our fears are about legal certainty and protection," said Indonesia Medical Association (IDI) chairman, Mohammad Adib Khumaidi, who joined the protest on Monday. The head of the dentists' association, Usman Sumantri, questioned whether standards were in place to ensure that foreign doctors would improve the level of care in Indonesia, which already struggles with a shortage of health workers, especially specialists. "We need to consider whether this could negatively impact Indonesian workers" he said. It is unclear when the House will finalise the law. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nina A. Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5, 2023 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is scheduled to attend the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) national working meeting in Jakarta from Tuesday to Thursday, along with party matriarch Megawati Soekarnoputri and the partys presidential candidate Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo. The planned meeting between Jokowi and Megawati comes amid rumors of growing tensions between the two influential figures within the PDI-P after Megawati reportedly nominated Ganjar in April without consulting the President. Jokowi is believed to have felt blindsided by the decision and has appeared to shift his support from Ganjar to Gerindra Party chairman and current Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto. Megawati is scheduled to deliver political speeches during the three-day meeting, which will be held behind closed doors, while Jokowi is set to open it and give "directions" to party members, according to head of the PDI-P's central executive board (DPP) Djarot Saiful Hidayat. Other prominent political figures, including Jokowi's son Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka, will also be in attendance. 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 Nur Janti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5, 2023 A police officer has been named a suspect in the rape of a 15-year-old girl in Parigi Moutong regency in Central Sulawesi, following the arrest of two other suspects, who fled to Kalimantan, over the weekend. The case is being handled by the Parigi Moutong Police with the assistance of the Central Sulawesi Police. Central Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Agus Nugroho said the officer with the rank of second inspector from Parigi Moutong Police was detained at the police detention center in the provincial capital of Palu on Saturday evening after being interrogated by investigators about the alleged rape. 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 Tue, June 6, 2023 03:47 5 d5259e4d93052b0e76bee70b057dcf75 1 Editorial Visa,investment,digital-talents,facility,Sandiaga-Uno,tourism,benefit Free When announcing the governments plan to launch a golden visa program, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said the policy would be a game changer in the efforts to lure more foreign workers and investment into the country. The minister, who is reportedly seeking to run for vice president for the second time, is on point. The question at hand is whether the government will deliver on its promise. Our stance on immigration has never changed: We support the migration of foreign citizens into the country for all the social and economic benefits that come with them, a more competitive job market, a more robust economy and a more vibrant society. Details about the program are still sketchy, however. We know that the visa is meant to attract quality talent in the field of digitalization, health, research and technology. It is also expected to bring in more digital nomads and entrepreneurs to invest in Indonesia. But we know that the devil is in the detail, how attractive is the program for foreigners? It offers eligible foreigners a stay permit of up to 10 years, a streamlined immigration service, eligibility to purchase assets in Indonesia and a fast-track route for citizenship, according to the Cabinet Secretariat website in April. This program, it says, is eligible for foreign investors, highly skilled workers and high-earning retirees. However, it is unclear how much a foreigner needs to invest to be eligible for the program and be able to enjoy its benefits. Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has suggested that the starting number for investments may be Rp 30 billion (US$2 million). It remains to be seen if that amount is attractive enough or too prohibitive for investors. To put things in perspective, a smaller country like Saint Kitts and Nevis set its investment figure at $150,000, while the United States puts it at $1.05 million. Regardless of whether it is a reasonable sum, we remind the government not to be fixated on the amount of money it can collect from the program. The benefits of a golden visa program go beyond fiscal advantages. It fosters cultural dialogue, transfers of knowledge and many other intangible benefits that will pay us tremendous dividends in the long run. It only makes sense that the government should aggressively target foreign talent for this program, so more people can take part in it without having to pass the financial barrier. Certainly, we need to put in place clear safeguards to anticipate abuses, such as tax evasion or money laundering. At the same time, we also need to ensure that red tape, for which our highly ineffective bureaucracy is notorious, will not derail the policy implementation. It is worth noting that this is the second visa policy the government has launched in recent months. In October last year, it introduced the second-home visa program aimed at well-off elderly foreigners who were looking to retire to tourist destinations. This allows foreigners to stay for up to 10 years if they are able to provide proof of funds of either Rp 2 billion ($128,559) in an Indonesian bank account or proof of ownership of a luxury property in the country. The policy, however, turned into a nightmare for existing expatriates who had long relied on renewable temporary permits (KITAS), which last up to a year, costing between Rp 750,000 and Rp 12 million, or less than $805, but who were required to transition to the program. The government later chose to ignore the transition policy. The golden visa is certainly a good idea. But the government needs to carefully lay out its plan to ensure its success, or risk it turning into another missed opportunity. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Azerbaijan plans to build high-voltage power transmission lines from Nakhchivan through Turkiye, Trend reports. This is reflected in the "State Program of socio-economic development of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for 2023-2027" approved by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to the decree, this project will contribute to the direct export of electricity to foreign countries. The development of the relevant project is entrusted to the local Cabinet of Ministers, and the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Defense will also be involved. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ali Salmande (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5, 2023 The Constitutional Court ruled under a May 25 decision regarding the reform of the Tax Court that the organizational development, administration and financing of the Tax Court are carried out by the Supreme Court. The decree will be implemented in stages no later than December 31, 2026. Based on Law No. 14/2002 on Tax Court, the subject of the Constitutional Courts judicial review, the authority to implement those three functions rests with the Finance Ministry. The Constitutional Court ruling put an end to a long-standing debate over the position of the Tax Court, which has one leg under the Finance Ministry and the other at the Supreme Court. While the Finance Ministry is responsible for the Tax Court's organizational development, administration and financing, the appeal/cassation process against the Tax Courts decision is entrusted to the Supreme Court. 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 Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Martin Abbugao (The Jakarta Post) Agence France-Presse/Singapore Mon, June 5 2023 China's defense minister warned on Sunday against establishing NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a "whirlpool" of conflict. Li Shangfu's comments came a day after United States and Chinese military vessels sailed close to each other in the flashpoint Taiwan Strait, an incident that provoked anger from both sides. "Attempts to push for NATO-like [alliances] in the Asia-Pacific are a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations," Li told a security conference in Singapore also attended by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. 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 Aditya Hadi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5 2023 PT Amman Mineral Internasional has started the initial public offering (IPO) process and expects to be listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) on July 5. The copper and gold mining company plans to sell around 10 percent of its shares at a price between Rp 1,650 and Rp 1,775, thereby raising up to Rp12.94 trillion (US$864 million). If successful, the IPO would be the fourth-biggest fundraiser on the IDX, after PT Bukalapak, PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi and PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia. 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 Yohana Belinda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5 2023 Emirates, the largest Airbus A380 superjumbo jet operator worldwide, intends to expand its operations in Indonesia after the successful maiden deployment of its A380 aircraft to Bali. Following the historic landing, Emirates said it would study demand at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport before deciding whether to deploy its A380 service to Jakarta. 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 Xinqi Su and Holmes Chan (The Jakarta Post) Agence France-Presse/Hong Kong, China Mon, June 5 2023 Hong Kong boosted security around a park on Sunday where tens of thousands of people used to gather for an annual memorial of the bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown, ensuring no protests on the event's 34th anniversary. Hong Kongers would once converge on Victoria Park and its surrounding Causeway Bay neighborhood to commemorate the events of June 4, 1989, often taking part in candlelight vigils. This weekend the park hosted a "hometown carnival fair" organized by pro-Beijing groups, while scores of police deployed in the adjacent Causeway Bay shopping district searched shoppers and quickly removed performance artists and activists 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 Kornelius Purba (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5 2023 When reading Government Regulation No. 26/2023 on the resumption of sea sand excavation (for Singapore) and listening the defense of two ministers regarding the policy, I burst into laughter because the formulation of the ruling is reminiscent of the New Order practice of using subterfuge to hide rotten business interests of Soehartos children and cronies. Singapore, in need of more land through reclamation, is the worlds largest sea sand importer, while Indonesia is the largest supplier of sea sand. Many Indonesians suspect their neighbors reclamation projects aim at annexing parts of their national territory. President Joko Jokowi Widodo issued the regulation on the administration of sea sedimentation products on May 15. However, the policy deals with more than just sea sedimentation. There is a euphemism here. 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 Mon, June 5 2023 A Russia-Ukraine peace plan proposed by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has been criticized by senior Ukrainian officials for failing to condemn and adequately account for Russias aggression, but the ministry has defended the plan as a good-faith effort to achieve peace. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Prabowo called on defense and military officials from around the globe to help pressure both Kyiv and Moscow to start negotiations for peace, noting that the war had far reaching impacts beyond just Ukraine and Russia. [The war in] Ukraine has affected the livelihoods of all the peoples of the world. The price of energy has gone up, the price of food has gone up. This has resulted in much suffering for many peoples of the world, Prabowo said on the second day of the three-day forum. 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 Deni Ghifari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5 2023 An Indonesian mortgage tech start-up has secured US$3.5 million in funding from domestic and foreign venture capital firms. The seed investment was co-led by Indonesias East Ventures and United States-based Crestone Venture Capital, as announced in a press statement released by the start-up on Wednesday. US-based 500 Global, Indonesias VC Teja Ventures, Orvel Ventures, Hustle Fund and others participated in the early-stage funding round. 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 Agence France-Presse (The Jakarta Post) Kyiv Mon, June 5 2023 Ukrainian rescuers outside the city of Dnipro recovered the body of a 2-year-old girl on Sunday from the rubble left by a Russian strike on a residential area. On the other side of the border, Russian authorities asked villagers living in a heavily shelled district on the Ukraine border to leave their homes after deadly strikes prompted thousands to flee. The Russian attack that hit the Pidhorodnenska suburb of the central city of Dnipro on Saturday came as Moscow has intensified aerial assaults on Ukraine this week. 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 Agence France-Presse (The Jakarta Post) Riyadh/Khartoum Mon, June 5 2023 The United States and Saudi Arabia on Sunday continued to push for renewed truce talks between Sudan's warring generals as fighting rages into its eighth week. Representatives of Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces remained in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah despite the earlier collapse of ceasefire talks, the Saudi foreign ministry said. A five-day extension of a US- and Saudi-brokered but oft-ignored truce formally expired Saturday evening, with no signs of the conflict abating in Sudan and fears that the rival sides were poised for an escalation. 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 BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the World Bank held a meeting to discuss their current cooperation and future directions of technical assistance, Trend reports. "During the meeting with the World Bank delegation, Sebastian Molineus, Regional Director for the South Caucasus structure, introduced Rolanda Price, who has been appointed in his place, and the new Country Manager for Azerbaijan, Stefanie Stallmeister. The discussions covered the World Bank's current activities in Azerbaijan and the prospects for future cooperation. Special attention was given to the implementation of technical assistance projects, and new areas of collaboration for the future period were identified," Taleh Kazimov, CBA Chairman, wrote on his Twitter page. Prior to this appointment, Stallmeister was World Bank Operations Manager for Vietnam, East Asia and the Pacific. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ali Salmande (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 5 2023 The Constitutional Court ruled under a May 25 decision regarding the reform of the Tax Court that the organizational development, administration and financing of the Tax Court are carried out by the Supreme Court. The decree will be implemented in stages no later than December 31, 2026. Based on Law No. 14/2002 on Tax Court, the subject of the Constitutional Courts judicial review, the authority to implement those three functions rests with the Finance Ministry. The Constitutional Court ruling put an end to a long-standing debate over the position of the Tax Court, which has one leg under the Finance Ministry and the other at the Supreme Court. While the Finance Ministry is responsible for the Tax Court's organizational development, administration and financing, the appeal/cassation process against the Tax Courts decision is entrusted to the Supreme Court. 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 Ines Bel Aiba (The Jakarta Post) Agence France-Presse/Washington Mon, June 5 2023 The "Lord's chicken" no more: United States fast food chain Chick-fil-A, beloved among Americans for its sandwiches, nuggets and milkshakes, found itself on the receiving end of right-wing ire this week, accused of succumbing to "woke" ideology. After conservative customers realized the company employs a "diversity, equity and inclusion" representative, it has joined the ranks of other seemingly innocuous brands now facing calls for boycotts, such as mega supermarket Target and Bud Light beer. Until recently, conservatives had seen the restaurant as one of their own, with its website explaining its locations are closed on Sundays so the Baptist founder "and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose". 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 Mon, June 5, 2023 Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto held a meeting on Monday with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles in Jakarta, shortly after the two attended the IISS Asia Security Summit Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore over the weekend. Marles arrived at the Defense Ministry's headquarters in Central Jakarta at noon on Monday and was welcomed by Prabowo, who then took him on a review of the honor guards. The two officials later staged their meeting behind closed doors. 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 Bokf Na lessened its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) by 9.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 214,023 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 21,116 shares during the period. Bokf Nas holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $23,498,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of ABT. Fairfield Bush & CO. acquired a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 1st quarter worth about $131,000. United Bank increased its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 7.2% in the first quarter. United Bank now owns 27,280 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,229,000 after purchasing an additional 1,826 shares during the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% during the first quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 813,253 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $96,257,000 after purchasing an additional 15,521 shares in the last quarter. Kinneret Advisory LLC lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. Kinneret Advisory LLC now owns 19,467 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,304,000 after buying an additional 436 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lumature Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 636.2% in the 1st quarter. Lumature Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,216 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $262,000 after buying an additional 1,915 shares in the last quarter. 72.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 8,226 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.56, for a total transaction of $909,466.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 70,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,786,409.12. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, Director Daniel J. Starks sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.02, for a total value of $5,551,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,825,316 shares of the companys stock, valued at $757,746,582.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 8,226 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.56, for a total value of $909,466.56. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 70,427 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,786,409.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets Abbott Laboratories Price Performance A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut shares of Abbott Laboratories from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $112.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, May 30th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a buy rating for the company. UBS Group raised their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $117.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $136.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 5th. Finally, Raymond James lifted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $123.00 in a report on Thursday, April 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $121.26. NYSE:ABT traded down $0.44 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $103.76. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,089,472 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,056,457. The businesss 50-day moving average is $106.26 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.68. The company has a market capitalization of $180.43 billion, a PE ratio of 31.67, a PEG ratio of 4.67 and a beta of 0.67. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $93.25 and a 52-week high of $118.23. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 19th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $9.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.64 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 13.98% and a return on equity of 22.36%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 18.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.73 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.38 EPS for the current fiscal year. 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. Read More 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. Lundin Mining Co. (TSE:LUN Get Rating) has been given an average rating of Hold by the nineteen brokerages that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$13.84. A number of equities analysts have recently commented on LUN shares. CSFB reduced their price objective on shares of Lundin Mining from C$10.25 to C$10.00 in a report on Friday, March 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Lundin Mining from C$11.00 to C$12.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, May 5th. Stifel Nicolaus set a C$13.00 price target on Lundin Mining and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 19th. National Bankshares increased their price objective on Lundin Mining from C$8.75 to C$10.50 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 18th. Finally, Scotiabank reduced their target price on shares of Lundin Mining from C$9.00 to C$8.50 in a research note on Friday, February 24th. Get Lundin Mining alerts: Lundin Mining Stock Up 4.6 % TSE LUN opened at C$10.07 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of C$10.04 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$9.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.86, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 1.26. Lundin Mining has a twelve month low of C$6.24 and a twelve month high of C$11.39. The stock has a market cap of C$7.78 billion, a PE ratio of 26.50, a PEG ratio of -0.26 and a beta of 1.71. Lundin Mining Dividend Announcement Lundin Mining Company Profile The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 21st. Investors of record on Friday, June 2nd will be given a $0.09 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 1st. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.57%. Lundin Minings payout ratio is 94.74%. (Get Rating) Lundin Mining Corporation, a diversified base metals mining company, engages in the exploration, development, and mining of mineral properties in Brazil, Chile, Portugal, Sweden, and the United States. It primarily produces copper, zinc, nickel, and gold, as well as lead, silver, and other metals. The company holds 100% interests in the Chapada mine located in Brazil; the Neves-Corvo mine located in Portugal; the Eagle mine located in the United States; and the Zinkgruvan mine located in Sweden. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Lundin Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lundin Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CAE (TSE:CAE Get Rating) (NYSE:CAE) had its price objective trimmed by Royal Bank of Canada from C$36.00 to C$35.00 in a research report released on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. National Bankshares lifted their price target on shares of CAE from C$34.00 to C$37.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 15th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of CAE from C$33.00 to C$35.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 15th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on shares of CAE from C$30.00 to C$35.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 15th. TD Securities lifted their price target on shares of CAE from C$34.00 to C$37.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 15th. Finally, CIBC increased their target price on CAE from C$33.00 to C$37.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, CAE currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$36.56. Get CAE alerts: CAE Stock Up 3.8 % Shares of CAE opened at C$28.80 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of C$30.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$29.35. The firm has a market capitalization of C$9.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 2.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 70.82, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 1.00. CAE has a 52 week low of C$20.90 and a 52 week high of C$34.81. CAE Company Profile 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. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Get Rating) had its price objective hoisted by Morgan Stanley from $55.00 to $56.00 in a research report report published on Friday, The Fly reports. Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $60.00 to $51.00 in a report on Friday, March 3rd. Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $50.00 to $56.00 in a report on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $48.00 to $45.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 3rd. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Dell Technologies from $40.00 to $45.00 in a report on Friday. Finally, Raymond James lowered their target price on shares of Dell Technologies from $50.00 to $45.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 3rd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $49.81. Get Dell Technologies alerts: Dell Technologies Stock Up 4.0 % DELL stock opened at $47.27 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $34.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.91, a PEG ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 1.02. Dell Technologies has a 12-month low of $32.90 and a 12-month high of $51.75. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $43.85 and its 200 day simple moving average is $41.91. Insider Activity Dell Technologies ( NYSE:DELL Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, June 1st. The technology company reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.86 by $0.45. Dell Technologies had a net margin of 2.01% and a negative return on equity of 147.96%. The business had revenue of $20.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.27 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.64 earnings per share. Dell Technologiess revenue for the quarter was down 19.9% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Dell Technologies will post 4.24 earnings per share for the current year. In other news, General Counsel Richard J. Rothberg sold 200,958 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.36, for a total transaction of $9,115,454.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 149,379 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,775,831.44. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, General Counsel Richard J. Rothberg sold 200,958 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.36, for a total value of $9,115,454.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 149,379 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,775,831.44. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Thomas W. Sweet sold 283,388 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.14, for a total transaction of $11,375,194.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 211,608 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,493,945.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 522,371 shares of company stock valued at $22,038,868 in the last three months. Company insiders own 48.60% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Dell Technologies by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 17,498,328 shares of the technology companys stock worth $878,241,000 after buying an additional 301,756 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its stake in Dell Technologies by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,107,031 shares of the technology companys stock worth $356,702,000 after purchasing an additional 138,821 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management lifted its stake in Dell Technologies by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 6,054,175 shares of the technology companys stock worth $243,499,000 after purchasing an additional 25,700 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in Dell Technologies by 80.7% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 4,976,265 shares of the technology companys stock worth $249,759,000 after purchasing an additional 2,222,995 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC lifted its stake in Dell Technologies by 68.4% in the 1st quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,722,119 shares of the technology companys stock worth $189,876,000 after purchasing an additional 1,917,286 shares in the last quarter. 26.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Dell Technologies (Get Rating) Dell Technologies, Inc is a holding company, which engages in the provision of information technology hardware, software, and service solutions through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), Client Solutions Group (CSG), and VMware. The ISG segment includes servers, networking, and storage, as well as services and third-party software and peripherals that are closely tied to the sale of ISG hardware. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Enhabit, Inc. (NYSE:EHAB Get Rating) has received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the nine analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have assigned a hold recommendation and one has issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $16.13. A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on EHAB. Citigroup cut their target price on Enhabit from $18.00 to $15.00 in a research note on Friday, May 12th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on Enhabit from $17.00 to $18.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Credit Suisse Group reiterated a neutral rating and set a $15.00 price target on shares of Enhabit in a research note on Thursday, February 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Enhabit in a research note on Thursday, March 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $15.00 price objective on the stock. Get Enhabit alerts: Enhabit Stock Up 2.4 % Shares of NYSE EHAB opened at $12.23 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.57. Enhabit has a 1 year low of $10.51 and a 1 year high of $25.25. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $12.64 and a 200 day simple moving average of $13.58. The firm has a market cap of $612.72 million and a PE ratio of 15.68. Insiders Place Their Bets Enhabit ( NYSE:EHAB Get Rating ) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The company reported $0.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.12 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $265.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $271.88 million. Enhabit had a net margin of 3.64% and a return on equity of 6.59%. On average, research analysts forecast that Enhabit will post 0.69 EPS for the current year. In other news, Director L Edward Shaw, Jr. acquired 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, May 22nd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $11.98 per share, with a total value of $119,800.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 38,989 shares in the company, valued at approximately $467,088.22. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders have bought a total of 24,000 shares of company stock valued at $286,520 in the last quarter. Insiders own 1.90% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Enhabit Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Bessemer Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Enhabit during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Signaturefd LLC raised its stake in shares of Enhabit by 99.9% during the 1st quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,875 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 937 shares during the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Enhabit in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in Enhabit during the first quarter worth $38,000. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Enhabit during the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. Institutional investors own 95.55% of the companys stock. About Enhabit (Get Rating) Enhabit, Inc provides home health and hospice services in the United States. Its home health services include patient education, pain management, wound care and dressing changes, cardiac rehabilitation, infusion therapy, pharmaceutical administration, and skilled observation and assessment services; practices to treat chronic diseases and conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, low vision, spinal stenosis, Parkinson's disease, osteoporosis, complex wound care and chronic pain, along with disease-specific plans for patients with diabetes, congestive heart failure, post-orthopedic surgery, or injury and respiratory diseases; and physical, occupational and speech therapists provide therapy services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Enhabit Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Enhabit and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF (NYSEARCA:IMTM Get Rating) shares saw unusually-strong trading volume on Monday . Approximately 327,923 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 88% from the previous sessions volume of 174,467 shares.The stock last traded at $32.67 and had previously closed at $32.76. iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF Stock Performance The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $32.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $32.01. The stock has a market cap of $945.69 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.17 and a beta of 0.78. Get iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Shufro Rose & Co. LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF by 23.4% during the 4th quarter. Shufro Rose & Co. LLC now owns 15,902 shares of the companys stock worth $490,000 after purchasing an additional 3,011 shares in the last quarter. Unison Advisors LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Unison Advisors LLC now owns 55,594 shares of the companys stock worth $1,714,000 after buying an additional 1,893 shares during the period. Sanford Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF during the 4th quarter worth $589,000. Empire Life Investments Inc. increased its position in iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF by 15.6% during the 4th quarter. Empire Life Investments Inc. now owns 37,130 shares of the companys stock worth $1,145,000 after buying an additional 5,000 shares during the period. Finally, Straight Path Wealth Management increased its position in iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF by 3.9% during the 4th quarter. Straight Path Wealth Management now owns 162,714 shares of the companys stock worth $5,016,000 after buying an additional 6,098 shares during the period. iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF Company Profile The iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF (IMTM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI World ex USA Momentum index. The fund tracks an index of large- and mid-cap stocks from developed countries, ex-US. The momentum-selected stocks are weighted by market cap and momentum. IMTM was launched on Jan 13, 2015 and is managed by BlackRock. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Turkmenistan and Iran have expressed interest in opening mutual trade representative offices in both countries, Trend reports. According to the official source of Turkmenistan, this initiative was announced during the talks between the President of the Supreme Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov proposed to establish mutual trade missions with Iran to increase the volume of export-import operations and expand trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. In turn, the Speaker of the Iranian parliament confirmed his readiness to discuss these issues and also expressed hope that the agreements reached following the negotiations will give impetus to economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Iran. Meanwhile, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov arrived in Iran on the morning of May 30. He held talks with senior Iranian officials, following which new documents on cooperation were signed. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Leju (NYSE:LEJU Get Rating) in a report issued on Thursday morning. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the financial services providers stock. Leju Price Performance LEJU stock opened at $1.64 on Thursday. Leju has a twelve month low of $1.03 and a twelve month high of $9.84. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.82 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1.53. Get Leju alerts: Leju Company Profile (Get Rating) Read More Leju Holdings Ltd. engages in the provision of online-to-offline real estate services. It offers electronic commerce, online advertising, and listing services on new residential property sales. The company was founded on November 20, 2013 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. Receive News & Ratings for Leju Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Leju and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bokf Na lowered its stake in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Get Rating) by 6.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 76,204 shares of the credit services providers stock after selling 4,940 shares during the period. Bokf Nas holdings in Mastercard were worth $26,498,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bornite Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Mastercard during the 1st quarter worth approximately $21,442,000. United Bank grew its position in Mastercard by 34.5% during the 1st quarter. United Bank now owns 6,007 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $2,147,000 after purchasing an additional 1,541 shares in the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp grew its position in Mastercard by 30.1% during the 1st quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 272,358 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $97,335,000 after purchasing an additional 63,040 shares in the last quarter. First Western Trust Bank purchased a new position in Mastercard during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,168,000. Finally, Bridgewater Associates LP purchased a new position in Mastercard during the 1st quarter worth approximately $12,926,000. Institutional investors own 74.51% of the companys stock. Get Mastercard alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other Mastercard news, insider Raghuvir Malhotra sold 11,398 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $381.62, for a total transaction of $4,349,704.76. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 9,465 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,612,033.30. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Mastercard news, insider Raghuvir Malhotra sold 11,398 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $381.62, for a total transaction of $4,349,704.76. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 9,465 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,612,033.30. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Timothy H. Murphy sold 27,417 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $374.49, for a total transaction of $10,267,392.33. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 39,263 shares in the company, valued at $14,703,600.87. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 542,079 shares of company stock valued at $207,174,711. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Mastercard Stock Performance Shares of MA traded down $1.58 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $372.15. 759,025 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,813,815. The stock has a market cap of $352.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.11. The stocks fifty day moving average is $372.54 and its 200 day moving average is $363.24. Mastercard Incorporated has a 1-year low of $276.87 and a 1-year high of $392.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.20. Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Rating) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 27th. The credit services provider reported $2.80 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $5.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.64 billion. Mastercard had a net margin of 42.33% and a return on equity of 169.12%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 11.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.76 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Mastercard Incorporated will post 12.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Ratings Changes MA has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Mizuho lowered their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $405.00 to $400.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 2nd. KeyCorp boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $425.00 to $430.00 in a report on Monday, April 24th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $392.00 to $404.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $410.00 to $435.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $450.00 to $453.00 in a report on Friday, April 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and nineteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $417.27. Mastercard 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. Recommended Stories 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. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH Get Rating) has earned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the fourteen brokerages that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $16.50. A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Truist Financial lowered their target price on Norwegian Cruise Line from $21.00 to $17.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 23rd. Citigroup lowered their target price on Norwegian Cruise Line from $18.00 to $16.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Norwegian Cruise Line in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a sell rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on Norwegian Cruise Line in a research report on Friday, April 28th. They issued a neutral rating and a $15.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reiterated an underperform rating and issued a $13.00 price objective on shares of Norwegian Cruise Line in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. Get Norwegian Cruise Line alerts: Norwegian Cruise Line Stock Up 1.7 % Shares of NYSE NCLH opened at $15.78 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $6.69 billion, a PE ratio of -4.59 and a beta of 2.49. The business has a fifty day moving average of $13.78 and a two-hundred day moving average of $14.31. Norwegian Cruise Line has a 52-week low of $10.31 and a 52-week high of $18.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 184.14, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a current ratio of 0.29. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line ( NYSE:NCLH Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 1st. The company reported ($0.30) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.51) by $0.21. Norwegian Cruise Line had a negative return on equity of 448.59% and a negative net margin of 23.54%. The company had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.74 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned ($1.90) earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 249.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Norwegian Cruise Line will post 0.46 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Quent Capital LLC lifted its stake in Norwegian Cruise Line by 66.5% in the 4th quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 2,064 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 824 shares in the last quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Norwegian Cruise Line by 729.9% in the 3rd quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC now owns 2,274 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 2,000 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in Norwegian Cruise Line by 5,020.8% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,229 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 1,205 shares in the last quarter. MADDEN SECURITIES Corp bought a new stake in Norwegian Cruise Line in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Eisler Capital UK Ltd. bought a new stake in Norwegian Cruise Line in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 57.17% of the companys stock. About Norwegian Cruise Line (Get Rating) Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. engages in the provision of cruise travel services. It provides cruise experiences for travelers with itineraries in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa, Canada, Bermuda, Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii. It also offers an entirely inter-island itinerary in Hawaii. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Norwegian Cruise Line Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Norwegian Cruise Line and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Onto Innovation (NYSE:ONTO Get Rating) had its target price increased by Benchmark from $97.00 to $118.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning, The Fly reports. Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on ONTO. B. Riley lifted their target price on Onto Innovation from $95.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 10th. StockNews.com started coverage on Onto Innovation in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating on the stock. Needham & Company LLC lifted their target price on Onto Innovation from $75.00 to $92.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 10th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Onto Innovation from $97.00 to $124.00 in a report on Tuesday, May 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Onto Innovation in a report on Thursday, April 20th. They set a buy rating and a $100.00 price target on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $105.67. Get Onto Innovation alerts: Onto Innovation Stock Up 0.4 % Shares of NYSE ONTO opened at $107.22 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.74 and a beta of 1.40. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $89.03 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $82.19. Onto Innovation has a twelve month low of $56.02 and a twelve month high of $112.72. Insider Transactions at Onto Innovation Onto Innovation ( NYSE:ONTO Get Rating ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The semiconductor company reported $0.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.04. Onto Innovation had a return on equity of 16.09% and a net margin of 20.67%. The business had revenue of $199.17 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $200.00 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.31 EPS. Onto Innovations quarterly revenue was down 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Onto Innovation will post 3.63 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, SVP Robert Fiordalice sold 669 shares of Onto Innovation stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.15, for a total value of $62,317.35. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 15,920 shares in the company, valued at $1,482,948. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Robert Fiordalice sold 669 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.15, for a total transaction of $62,317.35. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 15,920 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,482,948. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director David Brian Miller sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $99.69, for a total transaction of $498,450.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 11,808 shares in the company, valued at $1,177,139.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 7,283 shares of company stock valued at $727,969. 0.81% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Onto Innovation Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ONTO. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in shares of Onto Innovation by 7.5% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 84,116 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $7,310,000 after acquiring an additional 5,850 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Onto Innovation by 5.4% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 52,277 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $4,543,000 after acquiring an additional 2,697 shares in the last quarter. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Onto Innovation by 88.7% during the 1st quarter. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC now owns 3,963 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $344,000 after acquiring an additional 1,863 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in shares of Onto Innovation by 23.3% during the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 15,977 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $1,392,000 after acquiring an additional 3,015 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Onto Innovation by 55.5% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 26,215 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $2,278,000 after acquiring an additional 9,352 shares in the last quarter. 93.59% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Onto Innovation (Get Rating) Onto Innovation, Inc engages in designing, developing and manufacturing process control systems. It offers process control, combining global scale with an expanded portfolio of technologies that include: 3D metrology spanning the chip from nanometer-scale transistors to micron-level die-interconnects, macro defect inspection of wafers and packages, metal interconnect composition, factory analytics, and lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Onto Innovation Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Onto Innovation and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sonoma Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM Get Rating) in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund acquired 5,806 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $539,000. Archer-Daniels-Midland makes up 1.2% of Sonoma Private Wealth LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in ADM. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 71.9% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 18,699 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,688,000 after buying an additional 7,821 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $277,000. Brighton Jones LLC acquired a new stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $226,000. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. increased its position in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 22.0% during the 1st quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 31,004 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,798,000 after purchasing an additional 5,586 shares during the period. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its position in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 459,907 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,512,000 after purchasing an additional 9,327 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.23% of the companys stock. Get Archer-Daniels-Midland alerts: Archer-Daniels-Midland Stock Performance ADM traded down $0.60 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $71.37. The stock had a trading volume of 1,272,475 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,107,266. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $76.84 and its 200 day simple moving average is $82.98. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has a 1 year low of $69.92 and a 1 year high of $98.28. The stock has a market cap of $38.87 billion, a PE ratio of 9.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. Archer-Daniels-Midland Announces Dividend Archer-Daniels-Midland ( NYSE:ADM Get Rating ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 25th. The company reported $2.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.38. The business had revenue of $24.07 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.09 billion. Archer-Daniels-Midland had a return on equity of 18.39% and a net margin of 4.36%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.90 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Archer-Daniels-Midland Company will post 6.84 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 7th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 16th. Archer-Daniels-Midlands payout ratio is presently 22.58%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth ADM has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $98.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Wednesday, April 26th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a hold rating for the company. 92 Resources reissued a maintains rating on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research report on Thursday, April 27th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $99.00 to $95.00 in a research report on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $87.00 to $85.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 12th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $100.33. Archer-Daniels-Midland Profile (Get Rating) Archer-Daniels-Midland Co engages in the production of oilseeds, corn, wheat, cocoa, and other agricultural commodities. It operates through the following segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, Nutrition, and Other. The Ag Services and Oilseeds segment includes activities related to the origination, merchandising, transportation, and storage of agricultural raw materials, and the crushing and further processing of oilseeds such as soybeans and soft seeds cottonseed, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, and flaxseed into vegetable oils and protein meals. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ADM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM Get Rating). Receive News & Ratings for Archer-Daniels-Midland Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Archer-Daniels-Midland and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com lowered shares of Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW Get Rating) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Friday morning. ITW has been the topic of several other research reports. Credit Suisse Group lifted their target price on Illinois Tool Works from $259.00 to $282.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, February 3rd. 3M restated a maintains rating on shares of Illinois Tool Works in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $250.00 to $227.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 13th. Barclays cut their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $205.00 to $203.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on Illinois Tool Works from $183.00 to $181.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 12th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $228.21. Get Illinois Tool Works alerts: Illinois Tool Works Stock Up 3.2 % NYSE ITW opened at $229.18 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $231.14 and its 200-day moving average price is $230.14. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78. Illinois Tool Works has a 52 week low of $173.52 and a 52 week high of $253.37. The company has a market capitalization of $69.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.45 and a beta of 1.10. Illinois Tool Works Announces Dividend Illinois Tool Works ( NYSE:ITW Get Rating ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, May 2nd. The industrial products company reported $2.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.23 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $4.02 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.98 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a return on equity of 92.13% and a net margin of 19.27%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.11 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Illinois Tool Works will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 30th will be given a dividend of $1.31 per share. This represents a $5.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 29th. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 52.40%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Illinois Tool Works A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cibc World Market Inc. raised its position in shares of Illinois Tool Works by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 9,666 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,024,000 after acquiring an additional 348 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 4.2% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 9,070 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,899,000 after buying an additional 368 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 54.7% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,859 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $599,000 after buying an additional 1,011 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. grew its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 9.9% during the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 2,407 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $504,000 after buying an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd grew its stake in Illinois Tool Works by 70.7% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 746 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $156,000 after buying an additional 309 shares during the last quarter. 79.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Illinois Tool Works (Get Rating) Illinois Tool Works, Inc engages in the manufacture of industrial products and equipment. It operates through the following segments: Automotive OEM, Test and Measurement and Electronics, Food Equipment, Polymers and Fluids, Welding, Construction Products, and Specialty Products. The Automotive OEM segment produces components and fasteners for automotive-related applications. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Illinois Tool Works Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Illinois Tool Works and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Virgin Money UK (OTCMKTS:CYBBF Get Rating) had its price target cut by Citigroup from GBX 265 ($3.27) to GBX 200 ($2.47) in a research report sent to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports. Several other research analysts have also commented on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised Virgin Money UK from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 4th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on Virgin Money UK from GBX 205 ($2.53) to GBX 220 ($2.72) in a research report on Tuesday, May 9th. Barclays downgraded Virgin Money UK from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, February 6th. Berenberg Bank increased their target price on shares of Virgin Money UK from GBX 170 ($2.10) to GBX 195 ($2.41) in a research note on Tuesday, February 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Virgin Money UK from GBX 200 ($2.47) to GBX 180 ($2.22) in a research note on Friday, April 14th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $200.00. Get Virgin Money UK alerts: Virgin Money UK Trading Down 2.1 % Shares of Virgin Money UK stock opened at $1.83 on Thursday. Virgin Money UK has a one year low of $1.44 and a one year high of $2.29. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $1.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $1.79. Virgin Money UK Company Profile Virgin Money UK PLC provides banking products and services for consumers, and small and medium sized businesses under the Clydesdale Bank, Yorkshire Bank, and Virgin Money brands in the United Kingdom. The company offers savings and current accounts, mortgages, credit cards, and home loans; business loans, overdraft facilities, treasury solutions, and corporate and structured finance; asset and invoice finance services; risk management; international trade services; and home, car, and life and critical illness insurance products. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Virgin Money UK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Virgin Money UK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Alliance raised its stake in Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG Get Rating) by 6.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 26,911 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,531 shares during the quarter. Wealth Alliances holdings in Conagra Brands were worth $1,041,000 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. USS Investment Management Ltd increased its position in Conagra Brands by 21.4% in the 4th quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd now owns 185,495 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,180,000 after acquiring an additional 32,700 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its position in shares of Conagra Brands by 37.6% during the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 3,830,680 shares of the companys stock worth $148,247,000 after buying an additional 1,046,000 shares during the period. Edgestream Partners L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands during the 4th quarter worth approximately $215,000. Picton Mahoney Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands during the 4th quarter worth approximately $66,000. Finally, Credit Suisse AG grew its position in shares of Conagra Brands by 8.0% during the 4th quarter. Credit Suisse AG now owns 1,285,612 shares of the companys stock worth $49,753,000 after buying an additional 94,984 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.08% of the companys stock. Get Conagra Brands alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In CAG has been the subject of several analyst reports. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Conagra Brands from $40.00 to $42.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 6th. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, March 31st. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $44.00 to $42.00 in a research note on Friday. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on shares of Conagra Brands in a research note on Thursday, April 13th. They set a hold rating and a $43.00 price objective on the stock. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Conagra Brands presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $41.08. Insider Buying and Selling Conagra Brands Stock Up 0.4 % In related news, EVP Charisse Brock sold 7,036 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, April 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.04, for a total transaction of $260,613.44. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 94,802 shares in the company, valued at $3,511,466.08. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link . In other news, COO Thomas M. Mcgough sold 45,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.66, for a total value of $1,739,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 104,859 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,053,848.94. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, EVP Charisse Brock sold 7,036 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.04, for a total transaction of $260,613.44. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 94,802 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,511,466.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . 0.98% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Shares of NYSE CAG traded up $0.14 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $35.27. The companys stock had a trading volume of 627,003 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,449,994. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. Conagra Brands, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $31.07 and a fifty-two week high of $41.30. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.04, a PEG ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 0.56. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $36.93 and a 200-day simple moving average of $37.21. Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG Get Rating) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 5th. The company reported $0.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.64 by $0.12. Conagra Brands had a net margin of 6.59% and a return on equity of 15.34%. The company had revenue of $3.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.08 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.58 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Conagra Brands, Inc. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current year. Conagra Brands Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, April 28th were issued a dividend of $0.33 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, April 27th. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.74%. Conagra Brandss payout ratio is 79.04%. About Conagra Brands (Get Rating) Conagra Brands, Inc engages in the manufacture and sale of processed and packaged foods. It operates through the following segments: Grocery and Snacks, Refrigerated and Frozen, International, and Foodservice. The Grocery and Snacks segment includes branded, shelf stable food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Conagra Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Conagra Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Azerbaijan is one of the best places to produce renewable energy, Pattabi Seshadri, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Global Leader of Energy Practice at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, said in an exclusive interview with Trend. Azerbaijan has already become a very important part of Europe's energy mix, and it will retain such a status for a long period of time. Countries like Azerbaijan need to focus on two things. First, it is necessary to continue to secure advantage of the resources that are already being exported. The country needs to be highly competitive in terms of costs and carbon intensity. It must also be a reliable partner. I think Azerbaijan has all three components to be able to continue securing that advantage, he said. Pattabi Seshadri believes that increasing the efficiency of production, transportation, distribution of molecules and barrels, being more productive in deploying new capital, and growing the trained and productive talent base will help get more value out of Azerbaijan's oil and gas for a period of time. The second matter is about making investments, or bringing in partners to make investments in renewable energy production and export. There is a lot of talk about green hydrogen production, particularly given the resources that Azerbaijan has. Azerbaijan is one of the best places to produce renewable energy. This is an opportunity for the country to both increase the competitiveness and add revenues. Azerbaijan can first use these renewable resources to decrease the carbon intensity of its current production, be it oil or be it gas or be it power. By doing so, you will be able to export more oil and more gas abroad because it will not be consumed domestically. And then in the future, you can also create a huge spare capacity for export, whether it is power exported via subsea cables or green hydrogen blended into exported gas or processed chemicals such as green ammonia, Mr. Seshadri said. He pointed out that Azerbaijan can transport up to five percent of hydrogen in the mixture of gas to Europe using the Southern Gas Corridor. The Southern Gas Corridor came on time. Imagine what the supply situation with Europe would be if it was not put into operation in 2020. Now the country is talking about doubling the corridors capacity to extend this supply advantage, he said. Global energy trends Pattabi Seshadri noted that the global trends in energy, which are called the energy trilemma at BCG providing affordable, secure and low carbon energy for the world - have actually become a much bigger priority, especially in the last 15 months. Those tendencies mean that there is going to be a need for a variety of different energy sources, coming from the countries that have great security of energy supply. Such countries supply their customers in the spirit of partnership. They certainly have a plan to decarbonize themselves and be part of the energy transition. So that is really a big global discussion and debate. And it doesn't matter what part of the world I've been to over the last 12 months, it's the same conversation about the energy trilemma, he said. BCGs Managing Director and Senior Partner Pattabi Seshadri noted that the world has just gone through a 12-month period when natural gas prices soared 10 to 20 times higher compared to the normal price. It has obviously been coming down because of the three primary reasons. One of the reasons is that consumption dropped in some of the industrial nations like Germany, where industrial facilities were shut down, and therefore gas demand dropped. The second one was a mild winter. The weather was a bit warmer than normal and storages were filled up. That helped Northern Europe. Global markets were also a little soft in demand and LNG was flowing into Europe. So that turned out to be a good mix of outcomes which helped over the last 12 months. In the next 12 to 24 months it is going to be hard to predict whether those same three things need to come back together for energy prices to stay low in Europe. But there's also some good news in the sense that global energy suppliers, including Azerbaijan, have stepped in and increased their gas production, being able to export it to their partners in Europe. So that has been a big part of the development over the last 12 months, which will be helpful for the coming years, Pattabi Seshadri said. He believes that in the next 10 years there are going to be some challenges for suppliers. In Europe, the core carbon border adjustment mechanism will come into force, which is going to increase the prices of high-intensity carbon molecules coming in. This is something that would need to be taken into consideration as exporters and suppliers target European markets. The world is going to need energy and secure energy supply for a long period of time. It is still under debate what form that energy will take. One of the things that we tell countries and our client companies around the world is that the energy transition might actually happen faster than we have imagined because we tend to underestimate the pace of change, Pattabi Seshadri said. In his opinion, the customers in the European Union have very aggressive ambitions. The target is a 55 percent reduction in carbon emission from 1990 baseline by 2030 across 27 member countries. So, your customers will demand lower carbon energy. We're also seeing the pace of technology change acceleration. We always tend to underestimate the speed at which technology evolves. The pace of technology change will pick up as well. Exporters like Azerbaijan need to keep in mind what your customers are looking for, and how they may change over the next few years. And also keep in mind the pace of technology change. It means that your energy supply mix will need to change as well, first towards natural gas and then transitioning to even lower carbon fuels like hydrogen and renewables over time, he said. He noted that all the policymaking in Europe regarding energy transition is now geared towards the three specific areas. The first one is about markets, policy and regulation that will enable scaling of low carbon and renewable resources. The second one is about supply chains that can deliver development volumes which are three times larger than the current ones. And the third one is simply the human capability and talent needed to make this all happen, Mr. Seshadri concluded. Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Car collides with stray cows on Thepkrasattri Rd PHUKET: A driver was lucky to emerge unscathed as his car collided with a group of errant cows on Thepkrasattri Rd early this morning. accidentsanimals By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 5 June 2023, 02:08PM The man, Mr Bancha (last name withheld), was driving his white Toyota Veloce car around 4:30am this morning on the northbound section when a group of approximately 10 cows appeared and ran onto the road. Mr Bancha was unable to avoid them, colliding with a number of the cattle, although he was uncertain exactly how many of the cows he had hit. The incident occurred in front of the PT Thalang gas station. Police Lieutenant Colonel (Ying) Chanita Bunyanuwat, Deputy Inspector of Investigation at Thalang Police Station, was informed of the accident around 4:40am this morning and advanced to the scene immediately. The car had incurred quite serious damage to its front end, with the hood completely collapsed and the grille, headlights, fenders all broken. However, police officials confirmed that Mr Bancha was unharmed. They could not confirm the health status of any of the errant cows who, according to Mr Bancha, had disappeared into a dark field nearby, although as there was no sign of blood on or near the damaged car, it is hoped no serious injuries were incurred. Police confirmed they are investigating to try and determine who owns the cows and to seek an explanation as to why the cattle were not controlled and therefore allowed to roam freely onto a busy highway. China warns NATO-like alliances could lead to conflict in Asia-Pacific SINGAPORE: Chinas defence minister warned yesterday (June 4) against establishing NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a whirlpool of conflict. Chinesepoliticsmilitary By AFP Monday 5 June 2023, 07:09AM Chinas Minister of National Defence Li Shangfu salutes the audience before delivering a speech during the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore yesterday (June 4). Photo: AFP Li Shangfus comments came a day after US and Chinese military vessels sailed close to each other in the flashpoint Taiwan Strait, an incident that provoked anger from both sides. Attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations, Li told a security conference in Singapore also attended by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. Li said these alliances would plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts. Li did not name any country, but his comments echoed long-held Chinese criticism of the United States seeking to shore up alliances in the region. The United States is a member of the AUKUS alliance, which groups it with Australia and Britain. Washington is also a member of the QUAD group, which includes Australia, India and Japan. Todays Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques, Li said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit. We must not forget the severe disasters brought by the two world wars to peoples of all countries, and we must not allow such tragic history to repeat itself. Conflict fears On Saturday, Austin called for top-level defence dialogue with Beijing to prevent miscalculations that could draw both superpowers into conflict. The more that we talk, the more that we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict, Austin said. Austin and Li shook hands and spoke briefly for the first time at the opening dinner on Friday, but there was no substantive exchange. The United States had invited Li to meet with Austin on the sidelines of the conference, but the Pentagon said Beijing declined. A member of Chinas delegation told AFP that the removal of US sanctions on its minister is a precondition for talks. There have been some signs of improved dialogue between the two nations. CIA Director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month, a US official announced on Friday. And Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink travelled to China yesterday for a rare visit. However the US and Chinese militaries have also engaged in dangerous encounters in two of the most sensitive areas in the region - the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. US and Canadian warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the waterway that separates self-ruled Taiwan from China. The United States on accused a Chinese Navy ship of sailing in an unsafe manner near the US vessel, the destroyer Chung-Hoon. China claims Taiwan as its territory - vowing to take it one day, by force if necessary - and has in recent years ramped up military and political pressure on the island. The Taiwan Straits encounter followed what the US military said was an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver by one of Beijings fighters near one of Washingtons surveillance planes in the South China Sea last week. We remain concerned about the PLAs increasingly risky and coercive activities in the region, including in recent days, said Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder, who is travelling with Austin, following Lis speech. A senior US defense official also told reporters: Actions speak louder than words, and the dangerous behaviour weve seen from the PLA around the Strait, in the South and East China Seas, and beyond really says it all. In his speech Saturday, Lloyd outlined Washingtons extensive partnerships in the region, which it calls the Indo-Pacific, and held talks with his counterparts from allies and partners. Americas partnerships are bringing the region closer together to help keep it free, open, and secure, he said. Crackdown on illegal taxis enters fifth month in Phuket PHUKET: The crackdown on illegal taxi drivers in Phuket entered its fifth month as officials made two arrests in Kathu last Friday (June 2). tourismtransport By The Phuket News Monday 5 June 2023, 09:00AM A checkpoint hunting for illegal taxi drivers was organised at Si Kor Intersection in Kathu under the direction of Adcha Buachan, Chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO). PLTO officials and Kathu Police officers conducted the operation on the main road to and from Patong, the islands most popular tourist area. The checkpoint was active from 9am to 11am. Although the exact number of vehicles checked during the two-hour operation was not disclosed by the PLTO, it proved sufficient time for officials to apprehend two drivers allegedly using their private vehicles to provide commercial transportation services. The outcomes of the operation were shared on the PLTOs Facebook page around 10pm on June 2, less than 24 hours before the Department of Land Transports (DLT) central office publicly announced Bolt having become a legitimate taxi application in Thailand and been granted permission to provide services nationwide. Bolt drivers on private vehicles can also provide services to customers in Phuket or any other location in Thailand, as long as their cars have the "CAR APP" stickers that confirmn proper registration with the DLT or PLTO in Phuket. MFP slams holiday booze ban BANGKOK: The ban on the sales of alcoholic beverages during Buddhist holidays has sparked a heated debate between advocates and critics of the law - including the Move Forward Party (MFP), which is campaigning for the end of the ban. alcoholculturepolitics By Bangkok Post Monday 5 June 2023, 07:04AM Buddhists conduct candle-lit marches at Wat Benchamabophit in Bangkok to mark Vesak Day on Saturday evening. Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut MFP key figures have voiced their opposition to the ban, calling it an unnecessary restriction on individual freedom, reports the Bangkok Post. Party executive, Amarat Chokpamitkul, took to social media yesterday (June 4) to express her disagreement with the ban, which was enforced on Saturday to honour Vesak, also known as Visakha Bucha Day, which marks the Buddhas birth, enlightenment and passing. According to Ms Amarat, banning the sale of alcoholic beverages on Buddhist holidays goes against the nations constitution, which also guarantees the peoples right to belong to religions other than Buddhism. Since many other religions do not frown upon the consumption of alcoholic beverages the way Buddhism does, the ban encroaches on their freedom to choose whats best for themselves, she said. Under current regulations, those who violate the ban could face up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to B10,000. There are five Buddhist holidays in every calendar year during which the sale of alcoholic beverages are prohibited, namely Makha Bucha Day, Visakha Bucha Day, Asarnha Bucha Day, as well as the start and end of Buddhist Lent. Ms Amarat said such a ban isnt common in other countries, before urging authorities to strictly enforce other rules to prevent alcohol-related accidents, such as the drink-driving law. Similarly, MFP MP-elect for Bangkok Taopiphop Limjittrakorn wrote on Facebook saying that basing the ban on a religious belief affects freedom of religion and occupation under the constitution. However, Songkran Pakchokdee, director of the StopDrink Network Office, a temperance group, said yesterday Thailands ban on alcohol sales on Buddhist holidays is in line with the guidelines set by the World Health Organization. The ban restricts access to places where alcohol can be bought and sold, not its consumption. People can still stock up in advance for consumption at their homes, anyway, he said. No one has ever kicked up a fuss about the matter until now, Mr Songkran said. He said the group isnt opposed to the MFPs progressive liquor policy, but it disagrees with any bill which seeks to lift restrictions of alcohol advertising. In response to Ms Amarats call for the lifting of the alcohol ban, Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul, a list-MP candidate for the Pheu Thai Party, said the ban should be retained as it helps prevent road accidents caused by drink-driving. A total of 836 people were arrested on charges of drink-driving on Apr 16, said Mr Phetchawat, who formerly served as a deputy chairman of the House committee on religion, arts and culture. The MFP is pushing the progressive liquor bill to amend the Excise Tax Act, in an bid to end the monopoly of big businesses in the alcoholic drink business and allow small-scale producers to enter the market. However, the bill was shot down at its second and third readings in the House of Representatives late last year, shortly after the cabinet approved a new set of rules to control alcohol production. The party lambasted the rules for posing stiffer barriers to small makers of alcoholic beverages and attempting to protect the interests of large brewers. But the government said the new regulations help ensure the quality of alcoholic drinks. One foreigner, Russian, issued yellow card in May PHUKET: Five yellow cards were issued to Thai landlords in May, while only one warning was given to a foreigner during the same month, according to a report by the Phuket office of the Immigration Bureau. Russiantourismcrime By The Phuket News Monday 5 June 2023, 10:42AM Phuket Immigrations report on Foreigners/Householders Committing Offenses and Receiving Warnings in May. Image: Phuket Immigration As reported by Phuket Immigration last week, a total of 23 foreigners were arrested in May for various violations classified under Group 4, which pertains to offenses against the state. Additionally, nine landlords or property managers were arrested for failing to register their foreign tenants, as required by Section 38 of the Immigration Act. Section 38 of the Immigration Act mandates the following: "House owners, heads of household, landlords, or managers of hotels who accommodate foreign nationals on a temporary basis and who stay in the kingdom legally must notify the local immigration authorities within 24 hours from the time of the foreign nationals arrival." In May, one Russian national received a yellow card for an undisclosed offense. A second warning for this individual could potentially lead to deportation from Thailand. Furthermore, five Thai nationals were issued yellow cards for offenses committed by foreign nationals renting accommodation from them. Phuket Immigration Chief Pol Col Thanet Sukchai explained to The Phuket News in April that the yellow card serves as a warning to Thai homeowners whose properties are associated with crimes committed by foreigners. When Thai landlords visit the Immigration office, they receive education on relevant immigration laws and information. "If householders do not assist in monitoring and allow criminals to reside in their properties, it reflects a lack of concern for Phuket. This places additional burden on immigration officers," Col Thanet said at that time. Only receiving a warning freaks them out because they do business and they are afraid that it will affect their business, he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 26. Turkmenistan supplied about 2.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China in March 2023, while increasing export volumes, Trend reports. According to official data, the volume of gas exports in the specified month is 20.8 percent more than was shipped in the same period last year (2.4 billion cubic meters). In addition to Turkmenistan, in March China also imported natural gas from Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan (380 million cubic meters) and Uzbekistan (140 million cubic meters). At the moment, Turkmenistan supplies its gas to China through three gas pipelines passing through Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan and reaching China. The total capacity of these pipelines is 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Furthermore, it was agreed to build the fourth line of the gas pipeline in February 2022, which will connect Turkmenistan and China. It is expected that after the commissioning of this line, the volume of annual gas supplies from Turkmenistan to China will increase to 65 billion cubic meters. Tourist from Kazakhstan survives Kata Beach drowning incident, remains in coma PHUKET: The tourist from Kazakhstan, who was initially reported to have drowned on Kata Beach on June 1, is still alive but in a coma. The confirmation of this was provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan to Kazakhstani media on June 4. The earlier information from local officials stating the tourist had passed away was incorrect. tourismSafetymarine By The Phuket News Monday 5 June 2023, 08:15AM Mr Iskakov was rushed to hospital on June 1 after a drowning incident in tambon Karon. Photo: Karon Municipality UPDATE: Mr Iskakovs sister confirmed the man had passed away in hospital. The confirmation came after the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. The updated information about Artur Iskakovs condition was published yesterday afternoon (June 4) on the Tengrinews.kz website based in Kazakhstan. The news outlet quoted one of the 24-year-old mans family members and the official spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. Our compatriot is in critical medical condition and currently in a coma, confirmed Aibek Smadiyarov, the ministrys spokesperson. Mr Smadiyarov further added that Mr Iskakovs parents are now in Phuket. The family, along with the Embassy of Kazakhstan, is currently working on arranging a medevac flight to transport Mr Iskakov back to Kazakhstan for further treatment. Artur reacts to the words of his parents, he has motor function in his hands, and he sheds tears when his parents speak to him, said Mr Iskakovs unnamed sister as quoted by Tengrinews.kz. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, in order to transport Mr Iskakov to his home country, Thai doctors first need to provide their own medical assessment, which will then be reviewed and confirmed by medical experts in Kazakhstan. The Ministry also confirmed that Mr Iskakov drowned after entering the sea, disregarding the red flags indicating that swimming was prohibited. The mans sister explained that he rushed into the water to assist his girlfriend, his future wife, who fortunately managed to escape unharmed. Quebec and local forest fires have started effecting Cambridge residents. In an air-quality statement, Environment Canada noted smoke is causing or expected to cause poor air quality with moderate to high-risk Air Quality Health Index values and reduced visibility in the city today (June 5) and possibly tomorrow. Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour, stated Environment Canada. Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyones health even at low concentrations. People with lung disease, such as asthma, or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by the smoke. Environment Canada is reminding people to stop or reduce activity level if breathing becomes uncomfortable or if theyre feeling unwell. Residents are to contact their health-care provider or local health authority if sever symptoms develop or advice is needed. Some precautions people can take include using the highest-rated filter in a homes HVAC system, keep doors and windows closed as long as temperatures in the home are comfortable, wear a well-fitting filtration mask when outside and drink a lot of water. For more details, go to http://bitly.ws/HfaH. SHARE: WATERLOO REGION Fighting a parking ticket does not mean going to court Kitchener or Waterloo. Rather, you argue your case at a hearing before an arbiter who is independent of city staff and council. The twin cities plus Cambridge propose to extend this same process to all bylaw tickets. It means if you are charged with a bylaw infraction and want to contest it, you would seek an administrative hearing rather than a date in provincial offences court. Examples include tickets for being too noisy, not clearing snow, not cutting your grass, not controlling your pet, mounting an improper sign, cutting down a tree or being a public nuisance. Theres not only benefits for the municipality, but benefits for the person that receives the ticket and the ability to dispute it, said Grant Curlew, licensing manager for the City of Waterloo. Waterloo city hall issues up to 200 non-parking bylaw tickets a year, with fines ranging from $100 to $800 depending on severity. A typical fine under the new process would be $400. Curlew contends prosecution under the proposed process is faster, less intimidating for the public, maintains the principles of fairness and justice, and frees up courts for more serious offences. Waterloo council will be the first to consider it at a June 12 meeting. Pending approval, city hall hopes to implement the new system by September. For Waterloo, our biggest challenge is when the students return in September and theres lots of bylaw infractions, Curlew said. Kitchener and Cambridge councils are also expected to consider the new prosecution system. Thats after the cities jointly developed it with the help of a consultant. There would be two steps as there are with parking tickets today. In Kitchener and Waterloo if you contest a parking ticket, a city hall employee screens your case before it goes to a hearing. Screening often leads to a reduced parking fine. Tickets may also be cancelled. You can be screened by email or with a telephone call that takes minutes. Weve just really simplified it and made it easy to access for people that receive these tickets. They dont have to take a day off work, Curlew said. Its at this screening stage that 92 per cent of parking disputes are mutually resolved. Ticket disputes that remain unresolved proceed to a hearing before an independent officer paid by city hall at $520 per day who works up to six full days a year. Most hearings take place virtually. There is an option for in-person hearings. Rules forbid political interference and require screening and hearing officers to be impartial and free from conflicts of interest. RELATED STORIES Waterloo Region Kitchener, Waterloo want to help you fight that parking ticket faster Kitchener and Waterloo (but not Cambridge) have resolved parking disputes in this way since 2019. Average waits to resolve a disputed ticket have been slashed from 246 days in court to 69 days. Hopefully as we continue to evolve the program, we can reduce those times even further, Curlew said. Cities expect to benefit because councils can set fines without requiring provincial approval for amounts. Tickets can be mailed which lets city hall reach offenders wherever they live. Under the court process, some bylaw tickets must be presented in person. Cities also expect to collect more unpaid fines, by adding unpaid amounts to tax bills or by hiring collection agencies. Extra annual costs are expected to be small in Waterloo up to $4,000 to pay for more hearing officers. Waterloo will look at ways to incorporate restorative justice into the process, Curlew said. SHARE: WATERLOO REGION A hearing has been set for Tuesday for trustee Mike Ramsays case against the regions public school board. Ramsay is challenging the Waterloo Region District School Boards decision to suspend him for three months last year over an alleged breach of its code of conduct. He will appear at the virtual hearing on Tuesday at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Hamilton divisional court. My counsel will be asking the court to strike out the boards decision and for the court to make formal declarations that my right to free expression was violated, he said in a statement sent to the Record. And, that the boards decision was unreasonable and unfair. Ramsay is not seeking any financial damages. He is represented by Hatim Kheir, a lawyer with the Calgary-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, a legal advocacy organization that is paying for Ramsays legal fees. It is the same organization representing Carolyn Burjoski in her case against the board on Monday, though the two cases are separate, and she is being represented by different counsel. The boards decision to end Burjoskis presentation at a Jan. 17, 2022 board meeting will play a central role in Kheirs argument in Ramsays case. Burjoski, a retired teacher of English as a second language, says she was ejected from a board of trustees meeting on Jan. 17 for criticizing the age-appropriateness of sexual content in childrens books in elementary school libraries. Ramsay attended the meeting in his role as a trustee. Trustee Ramsay challenged the decision, he had the board put it to a vote, and he was outvoted. But it was a decision he was critical of, and he criticized it after the fact over social media by directing people to certain articles, Kheir said. A complaint was then filed against Ramsay claiming he had violated the boards code of conduct through his social media use. A formal review was conducted by an integrity commissioner, and the board voted and found him in breach of the code, leading to a suspension for three months. He was banned from attending all trustee committee-of-the-whole meetings, confidential meetings and from receiving confidential materials until Sept. 30, 2022. Our argument is that the effect of this was to essentially punish him for having a disagreeing viewpoint and to prevent him from performing his role as a democratically elected official representing the people who chose to vote for him in the election, said Kheir. He said the suspension was unfair, unreasonable and infringed on his rights of free expression. None of Ramsays allegations have been proven in court. On Tuesday, Kheir will deliver his arguments, the lawyers for the board will deliver theirs, and then Kheir will get an opportunity to respond. The court can provide a decision on the day of, or it can reserve a decision for a later date. Tuesdays hearing will be open to the public. SHARE: Gorkha minority community appeal | IMPHAL, Jun 5 : Sharing in the pain and misery faced by the people as a result of the ongoing conflict, the 'Nepali speaking Gorkha minority community' of the State has appealed to all concerned to work collectively to bring peace in the State. A statement issued by Dewan Kr Chhetry, publicity & information secretary, Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangha (Manipur State Branch) has shared that a high level delegation of the Gorkha community represented by Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangha (Manipur State Branch) and All Manipur Gorkha Ex-Servicemen (Defence and CAPF) Association met with Governor Anusuiya Uikey today. The delegates submitted a memorandum appraising the Governor of the hardships and grievances faced by the 'Nepali speaking Gorkha minority community' in the wake of the present unprecedented crisis. The delegation also requested the Governor to work out an amicable solution and bring peace in Manipur. Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 52F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow Thunderstorms likely in the morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 72F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Country music is alive and well in Hamilton. The CMA Ontario Awards, honouring the best of country music in the province, were held at Theatre Aquarius Sunday after a weekend-long celebration of events throughout the city. The awards show, hosted by Jason McCoy and Shannon Ella, presented awards across 19 categories as well as performances by a number of current and rising stars including Owen Reigling, Elyse Saunders, Robyn Ottolini, and Jason Blaine. Editors note: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of CMA Ontario Awards host, Shannon Ella. SHARE: Shaun Chiasson stood in the prisoners box, shaking hands clasped behind his back, as the judge accepted his plea. I find the accused guilty of manslaughter, said Justice Paul Sweeny. Chiasson, 42, charged with second-degree murder in the 2020 stabbing death of Amy Hager, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in a Hamilton courtroom Monday. Weeping could be heard from the body of the court as the decision was delivered. On the evening of Sept. 21, 2020, Hamilton police responded to a 911 call for a partially naked man on the ground, covered in mud, yelling in agony and in mental anguish and who appeared to have jumped from one of the upper apartments, at 907 King St. E., acting Crown attorney Eric Taylor read from an agreed statement of facts. A building manager identified the man as Chiasson, who lived on the fourth floor, he read. Then, police found Hagers lifeless body on the floor of Apartment 33, he said. The 20-year-old had suffered 28 stab wounds and another 36 cuts three of them fatal and ultimately died from blood loss, Taylor read. An autopsy also showed changes to the skin on both of her legs, suggesting water immersion after her death, he said. The apartment was unkempt, police noted, and the west window above the place where Chiasson was found was open. Chiasson was taken to hospital with multiple fractures, Taylor read, where staff said he was in an out of consciousness for several hours after he was admitted and that he appeared to be suffering from some type of psychosis at times. Toxicology reports showed the accused and the victim had methamphetamines, amphetamines, benzodiazepines and, in Chiasson, THC in their systems. Hager and Chiasson had been in an intimate relationship for about two years prior to September 2020. During that time, police had responded to 12 calls for noise complaints and apparent arguments relating to the couple, Taylor read, though none resulted in criminal charges or complaints of physical abuse. Defence counsel Marco Sciarra said he and co-counsel Amara Sansanwal feel the manslaughter conviction is fair with the guilty plea saving the family the pain of a trial. It was a very likely outcome had we had a trial, defence counsel Marco Sciarra told The Spec. Our client had no issue admitting that his actions caused her death, but ... he never meant for that to happen. Editors note: This story was updated June 6, 2023 to correct Chiassons age. He is 42. SHARE: BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Pakistani government may approve an agreement to acquire liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR, a source familiar with the matter told Trend. SOCAR buys and sells LNG over a very wide geography, including the Mediterranean basin, Asia and other regions. LNG is purchased from third parties and forms part of the companys trade with third parties and buyers. This product is not exported from Azerbaijan due to the lack of direct sea access of Azerbaijan to the world ocean. With the aim of alleviating the financial strain associated with procuring liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the global market, the federal government has made the decision to procure one LNG cargo per month from SOCAR through a government-to-government agreement. Once the required approvals are obtained, Pakistan LNG Limited and SOCAR will engage in an agreement that facilitates the acquisition of LNG from SOCAR at a price below the current spot rates in the international market. SOCAR would offer one LNG cargo per month, providing a 45-day window for the relevant delivery. However, PLL would need to make a decision within 24 hours whether to purchase the distressed cargo or not. Payment for the cargo should be made within a few days after PLL's receipt of the invoice, and the PPL is responsible for issuing a credit letter from a local bank. Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Mina Wahidi was dumbfounded when she was named Burlingtons Citizen of the Year for 2008. She was honoured for founding the Compassion Society of Halton, which provides people going through a hard time or suffering a financial setback with food, clothes, shoes and household items. A neighbour asked her in 2000 if she could find something to do with three bags of clothes. She hung them on three clothing racks in the basement of her Nelson Co-op townhouse and started offering help to people, with a few friends assisting from Burlington and Oakville. The agency sought further donations at the Halton Mosque on Fairview Street. The Compassion Society expanded to other locations it had a dozen volunteers by 2009 and is now located in the Brantview Plaza, beside the Mandarin restaurant, on Fairview Street. It helps more than 3,000 people a year in Halton and Hamilton and is one of the charities under the umbrella of the United Way Halton and Hamilton. But in May 2009, when Wahidi who died April 4 at age 55 was named Citizen of the Year for 2008, she expressed amazement. Im thrilled to bits, she told The Spectator. Ive been crying a lot. I dont know what its for. Its been so emotional. I never thought I could win anything like this. I thought you had to have big bucks to win. Wahidi was later honoured with a Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary Club of Burlington in 2009 and a Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. In a statement, the Compassion Society said it wouldnt be where it is today without its founder. A champion of the most vulnerable among us, with lived experiences of hardship and vulnerability, Mina never shied away from helping others no matter what, the society said. No one ever saw her without a smile and the passionate positive energy that she always emanated was contagious. Her daughter, Sarah, called Wahidi genuine, kind, cheerful and hilarious. If you were lucky enough to meet her, you knew she was a light like no other, she said on a GoFundMe page that helped the family raise more than $15,000 for a funeral. Wahidi left the Compassion Society in 2016 and co-founded Lucys Place $5 or less for clothing on Queensway Drive. She was also a co-founder of the Halton Refugee Help Centre, which opened on Brant Street in October 2021. Wilhelmina Wahidi Mina for short was born in Bristol, England, and came to Canada in 1970. Her family lived in Vancouver, but they eventually settled in Brampton. She attended Cardinal Leger Secondary School and later attended not-for-profit governance courses at Sheridan College and McMaster Universitys DeGroote School of Business. Wahidi volunteered at the Peel Nursing Home in Brampton. In 1992, she became an auxiliary officer with Peel Regional Police. She also ran the Omar Rug Company at the Mapleview Centre. She served four years as an auxiliary officer and moved with her husband Farid to Burlington in 2000, a few months before setting up the Compassion Society. In March 2005, Aldershot Presbyterian Church opened its doors to the Compassion Society. Wahidi believed the agency was needed and was succeeding at its mission. It has provided many opportunities for understanding one another, she told The Spectator in 2004. I feel people are generally OK, but once in a while they need a little help. Many of them are struggling to live within their means. In 2014, Wahidi took a stab at local politics and ran unsuccessfully for the Ward 6 seat on Burlington council. Lucys Place opened just before Christmas of 2016. It was named for her grandmother. Wahidi is survived by her three children, Sarah, Mariam and Bilal. She is also survived by her former husband. SHARE: Haze from wildfire smoke in Quebec and Ontario has settled overhead, bringing potentially risky air pollution that may continue through most of this week. Environment Canada issued air quality statements Monday morning for Hamilton, Halton, Brant, Haldimand-Norfolk and Niagara, warning that high levels of pollution from nearby wildfire plumes could be moderately risky or potentially high risk for local residents health. Meanwhile, Hamilton, Brant and Haldimand-Norfolk are at extreme risk in case of a forest fire, according to Natural Resources Canada, suggesting that a wildfire locally could spread quickly and be difficult to control. In Ottawa, politicians offered warnings to all Canadians about raging fires. Our modelling shows that this may be an especially severe wildfire season throughout the summer, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday. Across the province a grey haze during the day and strawberry red moon at night were visible thanks to the fires Sunday as more than 150 wildfires burned in Quebec. In eastern Ontario, cottagers were forced to leave their summer homes around Centennial Lake as a fire burned near Calabogie. Smoke blowing in from those fires can vary considerably from hour to hour, the Environment Canada statement says. Even at low concentrations that smoke can be harmful. Residents are being urged to reduce their risk of exposure. People with lung disease (such as asthma) or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke, the statement says. People with HVAC filtration systems should set those to recirculate the air constantly. Everyone else should consider taking a break from the pollution at a location in the community with a filtration system. A well-fitting respirator can help residents who must spend time outside, however, they do not reduce exposure to the gases in wildfire smoke, the statement says. Stop or reduce your activity level if breathing becomes uncomfortable or you or someone in your care feel unwell, it adds. Residents should speak to a health-care provider if experiencing severe symptoms or if advice is needed. For more information on current conditions go to weather.gc.ca, and for information on how to reduce your health risk visit airhealth.ca. SHARE: Direct, even violent, experience has influenced Carolyn Whitzmans passion for finding solutions to what has been called the affordable housing crisis. Whitzman will offer a presentation geared toward Hamiltons housing issues, via Zoom on Tuesday, June 6 at The First Unitarian Church at 170 Dundurn Street South. Growing up in Montreal, she would listen to her single mom talk at length about the work she did as a real estate agent. Then, in her adult life in 1986, Whitzman and her husband were assaulted by their landlord in a building in a Toronto neighbourhood. They had just successfully appealed a 42-per-cent rent hike the landlord had slapped on their unit, to the landlord and tenant board. He literally chased us out of our home, she said. His cousin was huge, and lived in the building, and he tried to pound my husband in the stairwell ... Yes, that was a formative experience, and I got quite interested in the relationship between violence and housing. She completed her PhD on housing policy at McMaster University, and her career includes 16 years as a professor of urban planning at the University of Melbourne. Currently Whitzman is an adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa, and works on a project called Housing Assessment Research Tools (HART), funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). HARTs mandate is to research data-based solutions to Canadas housing crisis. Whitzmans talk will focus on suggesting tools to address Hamiltons affordable housing situation. She has previously presented to 13 governments across Canada on the subject. While she was hired by the City of Ottawa to prepare recommendations separate from HART, she has not been similarly contracted by the City of Hamilton. Instead, she said she will offer data to city staff through HART, including a map of locations where publicly-owned land can be developed to support those in need of affordable housing. It is up to staff to prioritize the land, she said, adding that land-use policy is a critical tool. There has been innovative work in Hamilton, for instance, with Indwell, building supportive housing. Hamilton is doing some things right, and more can be done. A fundamental challenge to the citys housing strategy, she said, is that all three levels of government need to be singing from the same song sheet to get it done effectively. She said Calgary has benefited from Albertas housing first strategy under a Conservative government for almost 20 years, whereas Ontario has lagged. There is only so much cities can do when you have a province that isnt looking at what people can afford, in terms of housing policies, she said. And I can blame both the federal and provincial governments ... There needs to be an integrated government approach. She said that while land was identified in Hamilton as part of the federal governments 2020 rapid housing initiative, she believes Ontario has not provided adequate social supports and subsidies. More philosophically, she suggests there needs to be a reorientation in Canada about the primacy of owning a home, over renting. Societies with higher per capita incomes like Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland, are majority renter (societies) ... As a country we need to start looking beyond home ownership as the only choice for a decent living. To attend Whitzmans presentation Tuesday, register on Eventbrite at https://scalingupaffordablehousingjune6_2023.eventbrite.ca/ SHARE: TORONTO - Flair Airlines Ltd. has the highest number of complaints per 100 flights of all the major airlines in Canada, according to the Canadian Transportation Agency, as airlines have had a rocky recovery year with delayed and cancelled flights. Between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023, Flair saw an average of 15.3 complaints per 100 flights according to the report published in late April. Sunwing Airlines Inc. came second at 13.8 complaints per 100 flights, and Swoop Inc. was third at 13.2. Meanwhile, WestJet had 6.6 complaints per 100 flights, Air Canada had 4.3 and Air Transat averaged 3.3 complaints. Flair saw four of its leased planes seized in March because of overdue payments, causing hundreds of cancelled flights. John Gradek, a lecturer at McGill Universitys aviation management program, theorized that the debacle for Flair was a symptom of cash flow issues at the airline. He said Flair had overcommitted itself and passengers were complaining about issues related to compensation. This dealt a blow to the airlines reputation, he said. However, as demand has crept up, Gradek said Flair is charging higher fares and therefore is likely generating more revenue. Their cash position has improved significantly, he said. Theyre now able to address any compensation claims that are being made by passengers, whether its for bags or whether its for delayed flights or cancelled flights. Flair CEO Stephen Jones said in a statement that the airline acknowledges its past customer service performance, and has made significant investments resulting in immediate and noticeable improvement, including investments in contact centre staff and managing customer complaints through the Better Business Bureau. The airlines investments in contact centre staff include a dedicated team in Montreal specifically focused on handling CTA complaints, said Jones, and cases are now being resolved within a week, when in 2022 they would take three months. These recent developments demonstrate Flairs dedication to improving our customer service and addressing past shortcomings, said Jones. He also said that in May more than 82 per cent of the airlines flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time. As demand for air travel has soared in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines have at times struggled to keep up and the past year has seen headlines about cancellations, delays and chaotic airports. According to the CTA, the average number of complaints was lower for all the major airlines for the first three-month period of its report from April to June 2022, with Air Canada seeing an average of one complaint per 100 flights, Flair seeing 9.3, Swoop seeing 6.7 and WestJet seeing 3.9. However, as the summer travel season began last year, the airlines tended to see complaints rise. During the peak July through September summer travel season last year, Swoop jumped to 18.5 complaints per 100 flights to have the highest of all airlines, while during the October through December stretch Sunwing was the worst with 20.7 complaints per 100 flights. Flair peaked at 20.9 between in the January to March 2023 period when it saw its planes seized, while WestJet also peaked at 10.7 during the same period. Swoop and Air Canada both peaked between July and September last year, at 18.5 and 6.3, respectively. Sunwings higher complaints levels over the winter likely stem from the disruptions the airline saw during that time period, Gradek said. The biggest airlines tended to have the highest number of total passenger complaints, even though the smaller ones are seeing higher averages per 100 flights. In the CTAs report for 2021-2022, Air Canada saw 3,245 complaints and WestJet had 3,288, while Flair had 239 and Sunwing 884. Gradek said theres stiff competition between Canadas discount carriers, but there may not be room in the market for all of them. There is a place for discount carriers, no doubt about it, he said. But Gradek said the real test is not how they fare during peak times, but how they do when demand is lower. Will they have enough cash in the bank to survive the fall? he said. And will they have enough cash to transition to Christmas? Air Canada and WestJet have also both seen recent turbulence, albeit after the CTA reports timeline. Air Canada cancelled and delayed flights beginning last Thursday due to technical problems, while WestJet narrowly avoided a pilot strike over the May long weekend but still had to cancel a number of flights. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2023. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC) SHARE: Its a bit of a game of whack-a-mole these days. Thats how one expert in financial crimes and fraud describes todays fraud landscape. The grandparent scam. Romance scams. Gift card scams. Roofing and other home maintenance scams. Every day, fraudsters are attempting to get money out of people whether its through a phishing link or tugging at their heart strings by leading them to believe a loved one is in trouble. As of March 31, more than $130 million had already been lost to fraud in just the years first quarter, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Thats compared to $165 million in all of 2020, and roughly on pace to match last years $531 million. And thats just the cases that have been reported to authorities. Here are some of the top scams police are investigating: Grandparent scam or emergency scam In this popular scam, the fraudster will call someone pretending to be their grandchild or another relative or calling on behalf of the relative and ask for money for an emergency situation. How it works: The scammer will call people and when they pick up say something like Grandma or Grandpa, hoping the person who picked up the phone is a grandparent. The scammer will say they need to pay bail money after being arrested, or a lawyer or hospital fees, etc. The scammer may also say they are calling on behalf of a loved one. Theyll say the money is needed urgently, for example, to avoid going to jail or to get out of jail. According to the CAFC, fraudsters will also try and conduct this scam over email or text. If the victim agrees to pay the money, the fraudster will arrange an in-person pick up or will ask for money in the mail. How to protect yourself: Experts say to hang up the phone, and find the phone number for your local police station instead and call them to see if its legitimate. Dont call any numbers provided by the potential scammer. Pizza scam In this scam, a scammer will pose as a customer who approaches a victim and tells them their food delivery driver wont accept cash and thats all they have. Theyll ask the victim if they can use their debit card and then pay them back in cash. Another person posing as the delivery driver carries out a seemingly normal transaction using a debit terminal, thus leading to accounts being compromised. From there, police say your accounts will be compromised. Some media reports in Toronto stated the scammers had a vehicle with a Dominos Pizza sign on it. How to protect yourself: Police warn people to say no when someone asks to use your debit card and walk away and report the incident. Roofing scam This scam starts popping up as soon as the weather warms up. A person may knock on the victims door unsolicited and say their roof needs urgent repairs or offer to inspect their roof for damage. The fraudster will request a down payment in cash to pay for the supplies and the victim ends up paying for unnecessary repairs, or the work is not done at all. How to protect yourself: Do your research, experts advise. And be wary of unsolicited offers. Experts suggest asking for a contract or a phone number for the company to see if its legitimate or not. You can also ask for references or look the company up on the Better Business Bureau. Gift card scam In this scam-within-a-scam, a fraudster may pose as a government official, tech support, or a business and say they need to be paid in gift cards, according to the Better Business Bureau. Fraudsters trying to scam people through a romance or grandparent scam may also ask for gift cards as payment. If the victim agrees, theyll pay for the gift cards and then provide the scammer with the number on the back of the cards. Canadian police have also warned about another variation of this scam, which involves the fraudster posing as a boss and emailing their employee, asking them to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards in smaller denominations for personal or business reasons, saying they are too busy to do so themselves. The employee purchases the gift card and then, upon the bosss (scammer) request, send photos and codes of the gift cards to a different email address. Police explain the fraudsters gain access to the email account of an executive or supervisor and then target an employee who has authority to access and transfer funds. This scam can be more common during the holiday season. How to protect yourself: Police advise double checking with executives if you get a request like this one. Find a different way to contact your boss, dont use the contact information in the email or respond to the email. How evolving technology is changing fraud Vanessa Iafolla is a criminology instructor at Wilfrid Laurier University and became interested in financial crime when she worked as a bank teller. Now, in addition to her teaching job, she also works as a private consultant. She says technology has really changed how fraudsters operate. Theyve never had so many tools available to them that they have now, Iafolla said. Some people may think theyll never be duped by a scam but its not always that simple people who may not fall for one scam could fall for another. Regardless of the type of fraud, Iafolla said. In Toronto, Det. David Coffey said common scams that have crossed his and his colleagues desks recently include roofing, rental and grandparent scams where the fraudster calls the victim and claims to be their grandchild or a relative in need of urgent funds after being jailed for committing a crime. Coffey said scammers claiming to be someones relative usually use the excuse of having a cold, the connection being bad, or during COVID they would say they were wearing a mask to explain why their voice may not sound exactly like the victims relative. One recent scam of this nature involved a 78-year-old victim picking up the phone to an alleged fraudster claiming to be their daughter who had hit a young boy with her car and needed bail money. The common thread in all these scams is urgency. They need the money and they need it now, Coffey said, noting that this urgency should be a red flag to potential victims. Det.-Const. Chris Allan with Peel Polices fraud bureau said police there have also seen many recent grandparent scam cases. Allan added if someone does get a call from their relative or someone claiming to be a lawyer or police officer, they should hang up and call police to see if its true or not. We get the phone calls here and after speaking with them for a couple minutes, you quickly realize that its definitely a fraud, Allan said, adding police wouldnt send a courier to someones house to pick up cash which is how these scams operate. In Peel, Allan said he personally also sees a lot of romance scams as well as contractor, rental scams and peer-to-peer marketplace scams. Though both Allan and Coffey say they havent seen cases like it yet, there is concern fraudsters could use artificial intelligence to make scams more believable. As reported by CBC, a woman in Newfoundland lost $58,350 to alleged scammers after she received a phone call from what sounded like her panicked grandson saying he had been in a car accident and arrested. The fake grandson said police found drugs in the car and someone was hurt in the crash, then the phone was handed to a police offer who instructed her how to post bail all possible because technology has made it easier to clone someones voice. What can we do about it? Experts say the two best defences to scam are keeping an eye out for urgent requests and using common sense. Common sense is the best weapon against frauds. You just have to be wary and you have to use your common sense and just take a couple steps, Coffey said. Allan warns to beware of people asking for money in urgent situations especially if they say theyre a police officer or a government official and if they are asking for payment in bitcoin or gift cards No government agency asks for bitcoin or gift cards. As for construction scams, Allan said to beware of contractors asking for upfront fees and to look into references from a company. Dont just jump right into a business relationship with somebody you dont know anything about. Check them out on the Better Business Bureau, Allan added. Iafolla says it may be time to start having more general conversations with family and friends about fraud and money. Similarly to how some parents talk to their kids about a safe word if a stranger ever offers to pick them up somewhere, it could be wise to have a safe word or phrase if someone ever gets a phone call that sounds like a relative asking for money. Another way to protect yourself could be asking the person on the other line, who sounds like your relative or someone you know, questions only they would know the answer to such as what was your childhood pets name? or Whats your moms maiden name the same type of verification questions we answer online for banking or tax purposes. Iafolla also hopes that Canadian Financial Crime Agency, an election promise from the Liberal government, will have authority and resources needed to tackle the problem. I want that agency to have money and longevity to do what it needs to do protect Canadians, Iafolla said. To deal with the rise in cases, Toronto police have recently changed how they investigate fraud cases. Previously, the case would be handled in the division where the fraud occurred but now it will be sent to a central location in the financial crimes before going back to the divisions. Coffey said this allows investigators to see trends more efficiently and effectively. Criminals adapt. Were doing our best to adapt as well, he said. With files from Ana Pereira SHARE: Gladiators ready?! The words that began every challenge on American Gladiators also began my postelementary school ritual in the early 90s. Every week, when the show aired, Id abandon my math homework, pour a bowl of Frosted Flakes and run down to the basement to watch grown men and women in red, white and blue Spandex battle it out for glory. The competitions were every bit as ridiculous and compelling as the costumes. I still have clear memories of the Sky Track, Joust and Eliminator contests, even though I was watching them 30 years ago. Naturally, then, my interest was piqued by 30 For 30: The American Gladiators Documentary, a new two-part ESPN series that makes its broadcast debut June 5 on TSN1 and TSN5. (The series premiered at Torontos HotDocs film festival last month.) The doc pulls the curtain back on the kitschy competition television series that aired from 1989 to 1996, where everyday citizens were matched up against muscular pro athletes known as Gladiators with intimidating alter-ego names like Nitro, Zap and Laser. The subsequent contests between the challenger and their Gladiator adversary tested their strength, agility and mental focus. Directed by Ben Berman, the doc offers a behind-the-scenes look at the show, including all the sex and steroids consumed by the cast. It also delves into allegations of unsafe on-set working conditions, which led to injuries suffered by both Gladiators and challengers. You cant fake the things that happened on Gladiators, Deron McBee, the former bleached blond Gladiator known as Malibu, told The Star. In the shows first season, a planned collision in the Human Cannonball competition resulted in McBee flying off a raised pedestal and hitting his head. He ended up with a serious concussion. I had about a four-inch gash, said McBee, recalling that a plastic surgeon sewed up his face. Despite doctors warning him that another hit could cause permanent damage, McBee was back on set the next day. He said he knew there was a limitless roster of Gladiators ready to take his spot if he didnt. Salina Bartunek-Andrews, better known as Elektra on the show, had a similar experience when she was 20. In 1992, she was injured in the Hang Tough competition when a challenger tried to pull her off of rings suspended in the air. The momentum turned me upside down, recalled Bartunek-Andrews. I knew I was gonna land on the top of my head because I was a gymnast and if I landed like that, I would snap my neck. I pulled in and my knees went into my nose and she landed on top of my knees. Fortunately my nose did not go up into my brain I just shattered my nose. The new series also investigates who created American Gladiators in the first place. Finding that answer isnt as straightforward as it sounds, as filmmaker Ben Berman learned when he began working on the project three years ago. In the end credits of the original American Gladiators, both Johnny Ferraro and Dann Carr were listed as the co-creators, but only Ferraro with his Elvis Presley-inspired style and hyperbolic hubris seemed available to talk about the show. After Berman interviewed Ferraro for the first time, he knew hed found the documentarys primary antagonist. After talking to the guy for two minutes, it was clear [that] he was hiding some stuff, said Berman. As the first part of the documentary reveals, Ferraro allegedly controls all of his Carrs public appearances in perpetuity. The second part offers answers about what led to the disintegration of the relationship between the former partners. To say anymore, however, would spoil the surprise ending. But 30 for 30: The American Gladiators Documentary isnt all blood and controversy. Its greatest achievement is humanizing the Gladiators, including Wesley 2 Scoops Berry, the original shows unequivocal star. Then 26, Berry won every tournament he competed in; in 1995, he became the first-ever international champion at a global Gladiators competition in the U.K. Berrys fan-favourite status was further cemented when it was revealed that just two years before he tried out for the show, he suffered third degree burns to nearly half of his body in a freak car explosion. I refused to be handicapped by something that happened to me, said Berry in an interview. I knew that if I could get on the show, I would win the whole thing. The money that Berry collected from the show is another point of contention. The new documentary revealed that the Gladiators signed deals worth just $25,000 for each season, but Berry collected much more than that. I made five times the amount that they (the Gladiators) were making, said Berry. Berman said that Gladiator resentment is to blame for why he was able to speak with only a handful of the Spandexed stars for the ESPN documentary. Many of the Gladiators who chose not to participate in his project are reportedly offering their side of the story in a new Netflix docuseries titled Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators. That will debut on June 28. Berry said he was approached by Gladiators who were bitter to participate in the Netflix series. They said Two Scoops, youre the best to ever do it man, Berry recalled. My issue with that was what they wanted me to and didnt want to compensate me for. My soul is not for sale. 30 For 30: The American Gladiators Documentary airs June 5 at 7 p.m. on TSN1 and TSN5. SHARE: HALIFAX - Microsoft security experts say hackers affiliated with the notorious Clop ransomware group are behind an attack on a third-party file sharing system that resulted in the theft of personal data belonging to Nova Scotians. The Nova Scotia government said it is still trying to determine how many people had their data stolen in the attack on MOVEit software, which is used by companies all over the world. The provincial government confirmed Sunday that it used the software and that some residents data has been breached as a result of the attack. The Nova Scotia Heath Authority website said MOVEit is used to share sensitive and confidential information with partners and external clients. Our investigation is ongoing, and we dont yet know the full extent of who has been directly impacted, Khalehla Perrault, spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Department of Cybersecurity and Digital Solutions, said in an email. We are taking this very seriously and are doing everything we can to determine the impact in our province, as fast as possible. The MOVEit software made by Massachusetts-based company Ipswitch allows organizations to transfer files and data between employees, departments and customers. Progress Software, the parent company of Ipswitch, confirmed a vulnerability in its software last week, saying the issue could lead to potential unauthorized access of users systems and files. The province then took the service off-line and installed a security update before bringing it back online Friday, only to be told further investigation was needed. Cybersecurity experts were then called in on Saturday evening. Microsoft Threat Intelligence said in a tweet Sunday that the Lace Tempest hacking group, which is known for running the Clop extortion site, exploited that vulnerability. The threat actor has used similar vulnerabilities in the past to steal data (and) extort victims, the tweet said. News reports showed the BBC, British Airways and U.K. pharmacy chain Boots were among the victims. Clop is a long-running ransomware gang with ties to Russia, said Keegan Keplinger, a senior threat researcher with Waterloo-based cybersecurity firm eSentire. They go after large companies and organizations with big budgets, he said in an interview Monday. By targeting a file-transfer software company, the hackers then gain access to many companies and organizations all of MOVEits clients as well as all of the files theyve moved with the system, Keplinger said. They are also able to directly transfer their own files to all of those clients, he added. Clop stole personal data from the City of Toronto in March by hacking into a third-party file-sharing service called GoAnywhere, according to several online technology publications, including IT World Canada. Keplinger said that typically, the hackers will take personal data and then threaten to publish the data unless those companies or organizations pay a ransom. If theyve got a bunch of private, personal data, then theyre of course going to try to get Nova Scotia to pay them not to publish it, he said in an interview. Otherwise, either way, whether they publish it or not, theyll have that data. Keplinger said its possible the Nova Scotia government is negotiating with the hackers. Spokespeople for the Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador governments said the provinces do not use MOVEit software. Kelly David, a spokesperson for New Brunswicks Finance and Treasury Board, did not say if the government used the software. Based on our assessments, there are no impacts to (the government). As part of our standard cybersecurity due diligence, we will continue to monitor and assess the situation, David said in an email. British Columbia uses the software, but the provincial Department of Citizens Services said in an email that the vulnerability exploited by the hackers was patched and no data was stolen. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada said it received a breach report from Nova Scotia and has requested more information to determine next steps. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2023. Read more about: SHARE: The owner of a Nova Scotia daycare destroyed as recent wildfires ripped through the province says the flames consumed both her livelihood and a physical piece of twentieth-century history. Among the many memories and treasured family heirlooms lost in the fire that raced through suburban Halifax was a piece of the Berlin Wall belonging to Terri and Lutz Kottwitz. Most of the couples belongings were destroyed when wildfires levelled their home in Hammonds Plains, as well as the neighbouring ForestKids Early Learning Centre daycare owned by Terri Kottwitz. Someone said that its not going to look like the rest of the ashes so maybe well still find it, Terri Kottwitz said of the chunk of wall in a telephone interview. But thats an awful lot of looking through those ashes to find a little piece of the wall. The blaze also consumed other, more personal mementoes of her husbands homeland of Germany: crystal that belonged to his mother, family heirlooms saved from the east-west conflict that once physically divided the country, items from the couples childhoods and souvenirs of their own childrens early years. The blaze broke out more than a week ago in suburban Halifax, forcing 16,000 people from their homes and destroying some 200 structures, including 151 homes. When the fire broke out on May 28, Terri Kottwitz was at her local grocery store about four kilometres from her home when she saw smoke unfurling from somewhere in her neighbourhood. She promptly called her husband, who stepped outside to take a look and initially thought the smoke was coming from a house fire. But the true scope of the blaze soon became clear. At the store, she met a woman who reported fleeing her subdivision without the chance to collect clothes for her child. Kottwitz offered the woman room at her daycare centre, thinking evacuees could use the space. The daycare typically hosted 82 children between the ages of three months and 12 years, but had closed for the day that Sunday afternoon. But in the hour it took to return home, Kottwitz learned she, too, was being ordered to evacuate. That fire moved rapidly fast. It was so windy that day, she said. She grabbed her passport, birth certificate and a few important documents and ran to her car with her four dogs: an Irish setter, Oliver, an Irish setter and golden retriever mix, Bella, and two golden retriever puppies, Tucker and Forester. I threw them in that car so fast. And theyre heavy dogs, she said. You get three in, one wants to get out, right? So by the time you get all four in, youre pretty shaken. The Kottwitzes are currently staying in an apartment they can access until Friday and are planning to move to a hotel until they can return to a smaller house closer to their property. Terri Kottwitz marvelled at the seeming randomness of the destruction, which was widespread but left some key buildings intact. (The fire) took our (main) house but didnt take our little house with my husbands big garage, she said. It took the (daycare) centre but it didnt take the other two buildings that were right beside the centre. It took the outhouse and the surrounding woods. The kids hammocks, sleeping bags and other belongings also survived the wildfire. The familys ducklings, chickens and bees were also spared. Kottwitz said she learned what was saved and what was burned from others posting on social media. The Nova Scotia government arranged for residents to board buses so they could see their properties, but Kottwitz opted not to make the trip. Well start building a new daycare centre as soon as possible, although we have a temporary location right now. While happy new memories lie ahead, Kottwitz said the things that made past ones precious are lost for good. I had music boxes that my children gave to me when they were little. Theyre all gone, she said. The snow globes arent replaceable. Some of the (things) children at the made are not replaceable. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2023. SHARE: Toronto Public Health issued one conditional passes to restaurants, cafes, bakeries, bars and grocery stores on June 1. Mb The Place To Be at 3434 Bathurst Street received a conditional pass with 10 major infractions: Fail to ensure food handler in food premise washes hands as necessary to prevent contamination of food Fail to maintain handwashing stations (liquid soap and paper towels) Fail to protect against harbouring of pests Fail to protect food from contamination or adulteration Fail to provide adequate refrigerated space for food storage Maintain potentially hazardous foods at internal temperature between 4 C and 60 C Use food equipment not of readily cleanable form Use utensils not free from cracks in contact with food Mechanical equipment not constructed to maintain wash water between 60 C and 71 C Mechanical equipment not maintained to provide sufficient chemical solution rinse A conditional pass is issued when at least one infraction presents a significant health risk, and a closure is ordered when at least one infraction presents an immediate health hazard. Both outcomes trigger an additional inspection within 48 hours. Failure to comply with Torontos DineSafe program can result in fines, court summons and other enforcement action. Miss a DineSafe roundup? Find out which restaurants recently made the list About this story This story was automatically generated using open data from the City of Toronto. The Toronto Star has no role in collecting, reviewing or analyzing this data, and makes no representations or endorsements about any food premises, or the products or services offered by a food premise. Readers should review any municipal disclaimers located at the citys open data portal. SHARE: Heavy police presence remains at Sunnybrook Park Sunday evening after a daylight shooting involving two suspects and a vehicle that crashed into a pole. Officers were dispatched to the scene near Lawrence Avenue East and Leslie Street shortly after 5:38 p.m. after reports of gunshots. Police later confirmed a firearm discharge on the scene after shell casings were recovered. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are still unknown, and no injuries have been reported, officers added. Toronto police told the Star one vehicle fled the scene after the firearm discharge in an unknown direction. A second vehicle, police said, crashed into a pole after the incident. Two male suspects allegedly fled from the car on foot and are now being sought by officers. No charges or arrests have been made at this time. Pedestrians have been advised to use caution in the area. Lawrence Avenue East is closed westbound of Tremont Crescent. Sundays daylight suspects are the latest in a growing list of suspects at large and sought after by Toronto police over the weekend. Around 3:40 a.m. on Saturday, police attended an assault in the King Street West and Blue Jays Way area after two men allegedly seriously assaulted a victim before fleeing the scene. Police say the men are considered violent, and if spotted, they should not be approached and call 9-1-1 immediately. Later on Saturday, police responded to a carjacking at Bathurst Street and Adelaide Place. A person was rushed by paramedics to a hospital with serious injuries. The suspect, who fled with the stolen vehicle, remains at large. Meanwhile, on Sunday morning, police were investigating after a person suffering from gunshot wounds walked into a hospital after a shooting in Midland and Sheppard Avenue East. Toronto police are also looking for a man who allegedly attacked a rider on Friday without provocation on a TTC bus putting them in a choke hold and causing injuries. Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to contact police at 416-808-5200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com. SHARE: BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. European investments in Kazakhstan in 2022 saw a remarkable increase of 23 percent, totaling $12.5 billion, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, Trend reports. He made the remark at the Central Asia-EU summit held in Kyrgyzstan. "The mutual trade volume between Kazakhstan and European Union countries has reached an impressive $40 billion. The prospects for cooperation between Central Asia and the European Union are indeed extensive," he said. Out of the $350 billion in foreign direct investments attracted to Kazakhstan over the past 30 years, nearly half of them originate from Europe. The EU stands as Kazakhstan's largest trading partner, accounting for over 40 percent of its foreign trade, the president noted. As President Tokayev added, there is every opportunity to increase the volume of trade turnover with the EU countries up to $50 billion by 2025. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that the comprehensive partnership between Kazakhstan and the EU is reinforced by new agreements in strategically important sectors. These agreements further enhance cooperation and open up new avenues for mutually beneficial collaboration. A haze is slowly settling over Toronto as smoke from the Quebec wildfires drifts southward, and Environment Canada is warning people that they could feel its impact over the next few days. Our modelling shows that this may be an especially severe wildfire season throughout the summer, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Ottawa on Monday. Bill Blair, the federal minister for emergency preparedness, echoed the warning, saying the images and reports of wildfire activity across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed. Why is it so hazy in Toronto? Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement in Toronto on Monday as smoky skies from Quebecs forest fires reduced visibility in the city. High levels of air pollution are expected due to smoke from forest fires, the statement reads. Northerly winds are pushing smoke plumes from Quebecs wildfires southward, causing poor air quality. Moderate to high risk air quality health index values are expected on Monday and possibly Tuesday. The weather service warned that people with asthma, older adults, children, pregnant people and people who work outdoors are more likely to experience health effects from the smoke. The air quality statement says anyone who feels unwell or experiences breathing problems should stop or reduce their activity level. Drinking lots of water can help your body cope with the smoke, the weather service said. Wearing an N95 or equivalent mask can also help block smoke particles. These fine particles generally pose the greatest risk to health. However, respirators do not reduce exposure to the gases in wildfire smoke, the air quality statement reads. Heres why people in Toronto saw a red moon last night Torontonians took to social media to share pictures of the strawberry red moon seen in the sky last night. Environment Canada warning preparedness meteorologist Gerald Cheng said the moons reddish colour is related to the wildfire smoke, which can also affect the colour of the sun. Cheng said that when we typically see a red sun during a sunrise, for example, were observing it through a thicker atmosphere. Theres more particulate matter between our eyes (and the sun) right now we dont need to wait for the sunrise or sunset because of the increase of particles in the atmosphere due to the smoke, he said. Quebec wildfires rage on There were more than 150 wildfires burning in Quebec on Sunday. Multiple provinces including Alberta and Nova Scotia are battling fires amid worsening fire seasons, with devastating ecological impacts. In Halifax, people and pets were forced to flee, leaving residents facing uncertain futures as they wait to return to their homes. Government agencies and experts say those who live in or travel to fire-prone regions should pack an emergency kit, store flammable materials away from their homes and take other precautions as necessary. How many wildfires are burning in Canada So far this year, Canada has experienced 2,214 wildfires across the country, said Blair. Wildfires have burned 3.3 million hectares of land. There are 413 wildfires currently burning, and of those 249 are deemed out of control, Blair said. There are 18 active wildfires impacting First Nations communities across Canada. As of yesterday, 26,000 Canadians have been forced to flee their homes due to wildfires. Updated modelling for Canadas current wildfire season is sobering, said Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson, as the risk of wildfires is expected to increase in June and remain high throughout the summer across the country. It shows us that this years already devastating season could well get worse. Toronto forecast this week will remain warm Environment Canadas weekly forecast for Toronto shows a mix of sun, clouds and warm weather. Monday will see a high of 25 C during the day, with a 30 per cent chance of showers. Tuesday is expected to be a sunny 25 C with a low of 11 C. Wednesday through Saturday will provide daytime highs in the low twenties, with a mix of sun and clouds. It will be a rainy Sunday, with a 60 per cent chance of showers and a high of 20 C. MB Marissa Birnie is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @marissabirnie SHARE: With Torontonians about to start casting ballots for a new mayor in advance voting, former NDP MP Olivia Chow is still growing her commanding lead, according to a new Forum Research poll for the Toronto Star. The Friday survey of 1,032 Torontonians gave Chow the support of 38 per cent of decided voters, up four percentage points from the previous week. Chows upward trajectory, while distant competitors struggle to get traction, is apparent in the Stars mayoral poll tracker by Vox Pop Labs which crunches Forum data along with polls from Mainstreet Research and Liaison Strategies surveys for the National Ethnic Press and Media Council. The new Forum poll found Chow being trailed by: former police chief Mark Saunders with 13 per cent; Coun. Josh Matlow with 12 per cent; former Toronto Sun columnist Anthony Furey with 10 per cent; former councillor Ana Bailao with eight per cent; former Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter with seven per cent; and Coun. Brad Bradford with five per cent. Eight per cent of respondents chose one of the other 95 candidates. Eighteen per cent said they were undecided. The margin of error for the interactive voice response survey is plus or minus three percentage points 19 times out of 20. Chow, a former longtime Metro and Toronto councillor and MP who lost the 2014 mayors race to John Tory who resigned in February, triggering the race to replace him appears to be dominating the left side of the crowded race. And, after 13 years of centrist or right-leaning rule, voters appear to want change. Chow is breaking ahead from the rest, said Forum president Lorne Bozinoff. It may be tough for anyone else to catch up. Other candidates efforts to tarnish her appeal in recent debates have backfired, Bozinoff said. Shes taken the brunt of the attacks and handled it really well, he said, making her seem more, rather than less, mayoral. Saunders, a conservative, appears to be bleeding support to Furey, an executive of the hard-right True North media platform, Bozinoff said, while centrists Hunter and Bailao are losing left-leaning support to Chow. Overall, there is a polarization, a melting of the (political) centre, he said. Polling since April has shown Chow growing support while Matlow, a 13-year city councillor and fellow progressive with Liberal ties, seems to have lost steam. Chow rivals, however, told the Star they believe they can beat her as election signs and advertising help Torontonians tune into the election. There are few indications, at the moment, of any candidate consolidation into an anybody but Chow movement. Advance voting starts Thursday as candidates make their final election platform pitches before the June 26 election. Theyll have chances at three events this week a Black mayoral town hall Tuesday evening; a noon Wednesday debate focused on issues facing older Torontonians; and a Thursday evening discussion with Torontos qualified candidates in Etobicoke. A Mainstreet Research poll conducted early last week gave Chow the support of 32 per cent of decided voters, followed by Bailao with 16 per cent, 12 per cent for Saunders, 10 per cent for Matlow, nine per cent for Furey, seven per cent for Hunter, and four per cent each for Bradford and policy analyst Chloe Brown. The margin of error of that automated telephone interview survey of 1,100 residents was considered to be plus or minus three percentage points at the 95 per cent confidence level. David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider Read more about: SHARE: Plan your trip before youre in your car: The Ministry of Transportation has scheduled two closures in Muskoka on June 5, 2023 for roadwork on Highway 11. Highway 11 northbound between Muskoka Road 19 / Beiers Road - Gravenhurst and Muskoka Road 41 Muskoka Road 6, Gravenhurst: one alternating lane closed until June 6 at 6 p.m. Highway 11 northbound between Ure Road - Gravenhurst and northbound exit 175 ramp to Bethune Drive N-Doe Lake Rd, Gravenhurst, Gravenhurst: one alternating lane closed from June 5 at 7 a.m. until June 9 at 6 p.m. Have further to travel? Highway closures for planned roadwork outside Muskoka About this story This story was automatically generated using open data from Ontario 511. These closures are scheduled for short-term or emergency repairs and maintenance of provincial highways around Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Huntsville. The disruptions may be intermittent or ongoing and can change due to weather, emergencies and other factors. SHARE: Good morning. This is the Monday, June 5 edition of First Up, the Stars daily morning digest. Sign up to get it earlier each day, in your inbox. Heres the latest on immigration detention in Ontario jails, the prevalence of scams and Torontos lagging homebuilding program. DONT MISS: An alarming number of jailed immigration detainees have mental health problems Human rights activists, immigration lawyers and occasionally the courts, have long expressed concern for the mental health of immigration detainees, while detainees themselves have spoken about the harshness of the conditions in which theyre held, particularly in light of their mental health. Now, a Star analysis has found that of 60 cases in Ontario jails it has reviewed since last summer, more than half of immigration detainees reported mental health issues, ranging from drug addiction to schizophrenia. Several immigration lawyers interviewed by the Star said the findings align with their own experience. Brendan Kennedy reports on the analysis and the movement that has led five provinces to vow to end the controversial use of jails for immigrant detention. More: The decision to put a detainee in a provincial jail or the less-restrictive immigration holding centre is made by a single CBSA officer using a risk factor form. Go deeper: Using language that is clearly discriminatory, according to Human Rights Watch researcher Hanna Gros, the CBSAs website suggests immigration detainees may be sent to jail because of their mental health issues With grandparent scams and roofing cons, 2023 is set to be another year of fraud Whether theyre pulling on heart strings or emailing a phishing link, fraudsters have never had so many tools available to them that they have now, an expert in financial crimes says. Particularly in cases where a caller is posing as someone in urgent need of help, there is concern that scammers could use artificial intelligence to make their lies more believable. So how can you protect yourself? Experts say the two best defences are looking out for urgent requests and using common sense. Kelly Skjerven lays out some of the top scams police are investigating and how else to be careful. Go deeper: Some people may think theyll never fall for a scam, but those who may not be fooled by one scam could get caught up in another regardless of the type of fraud, one expert said. By the numbers: In the first quarter of the year, more than $130 million had already been lost to fraud, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. That number is on pace to match last years $531 million and thats only accounting for what has been reported to authorities. In 2020, the total for the year was $165 million. Why Torontos rapid homebuilding program has yet to build a single home Building should have begun on the parking lot beside the Wilson TTC station in 2020. By now, the grand opening of a mixed-use development would be nearing, with hundreds of affordable rental homes, plus market-priced rentals and condos, a daycare and an acre-sized park. That was city halls promise about four years ago. But construction hasnt started on Wilson Heights or anywhere across Torontos 21-site Housing Now initiative despite more than a billion dollars worth of land and resources. Victoria Gibson reports on how high hopes and good intentions have crashed into bureaucracy, ill-equipped infrastructure, cost overruns, community ire, staff shortages, a pandemic and mostly a city slowly learning to do something new. Go deeper: Housing Now is touted as the citys signature affordable housing program, but those lower-cost homes are still out of grasp while rent continues to climb. ICYMI: From boardrooms to bedrooms, take a look inside the effort to turn an aging office tower into downtown housing. WHAT ELSE: June is Indigenous History Month. Star reporter Jamin Mikes explains why hes living proof his ancestors fought for a future. Heres why the Liberals are suddenly talking about ghost guns and why Conservatives say its a cynical distraction. A new poll says Olivia Chow has widened her lead over her rivals as advanced voting is set to begin. At a time when Canadians normally crave change, Pierre Poilievre is wasting his chance to become prime minister. Parents and students are disheartened after anti-Pride protests lead to empty desks at some Ontario schools. Recent news is cause for concern. Are Canadians becoming more MAGA American? Without using guns or bombs, the return of the Taliban is killing young Afghans. A violent spring weekend has left a trail of people injured and dead. Self-employed and not sure how to plan for retirement? This is how to get started. Should you shower in the morning or at night? Experts weigh in. With plans for a new development, Buttonville Airport is closing after 60 years. Heres why its a huge hit for students and airport employees. Airlines owe you money if you volunteer to be bumped from a flight. Heres how much. POV: Pride isnt just a party, its a protest and this year, that matters more. CLOSE-UP: MARYLAND: Fourteen-year-old Dev Shah from Largo, Florida., wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals on Thursday with the word psammophile. What drives the champion spellers and others like him? Hard work, community and sometimes their parents. Thank you for reading First Up. You can reach me and the First Up team at firstup@thestar.ca Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. SHARE: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday declined clemency for a man who faces execution Tuesday evening for killing two jailers in an ill-fated effort to free someone else from a county jail. Michael Tisius, 42, would be the third person in Missouri, and the 12th person nationally, to be executed in 2023. Hes accused of killing officers Leon Egley and Jason Acton in June 2000. Its despicable that two dedicated public servants were murdered in a failed attempt to help another criminal evade the law, Parson, a Republican, said in a statement. The state of Missouri will carry out Mr. Tisiuss sentences according to the Courts order and deliver justice. Tisius has at least one pending court appeal. His appeals and his clemency request have focused on several issues. Among them: Tisius was just 19 at the time of the killings; he had been neglected as a child; and a juror at his 2010 resentencing may have been illiterate in violation of Missouri law. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to halt the execution based on Tisius age when the crime occurred. A federal judge last week stayed the execution over the claim that a juror was illiterate, but an appeals panel reinstated it. The Supreme Court hasnt yet ruled on that issue. Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, an attorney for Tisius, said the ups and downs of the appeals are taking a toll on him. I think hes sort of, frankly, on an emotional roller coaster, Carlyle said. Hes pretty anxious. He doesnt want to die. I think hes angry and frightened. A 2005 Supreme Court ruling prohibits executions for those who were under 18 at the time of the crime. But Carlyle said emerging science plus information about Mr. Tisius own brain dictates that they should now change that rule to apply to Mr. Tisius. A court filing from the Missouri attorney generals office noted that both the original trial jury and the jury at resentencing considered Tisius age and mental health, yet both juries still decided to impose the death penalty. The Supreme Court turned aside the appeal without comment. Advocates for Tisius say he was largely neglected as a child and was homeless by his early teens. In 1999, as an 18-year-old, he was jailed on a misdemeanor charge for pawning a rented stereo system. In June 2000, Tisius was housed at the small Randolph County Jail in Huntsville with Roy Vance. Tisius was about to be released, and court records show the men discussed a plan in which Tisius would help Vance escape. Just after midnight on June 22, Tisius went to the jail accompanied by Vances girlfriend, Tracie Bulington. They told Egley and Acton that they were delivering cigarettes to Vance. The jailers didnt know that Tisius had a pistol. At trial, Bulington testified that she looked up and saw Tisius with the gun drawn, then watched as he shot and killed Acton. When Egley approached, Tisius shot him, too. Both officers were unarmed. Tisius found keys at the dispatch area and tried to open Vances cell, but couldnt. When Egley grabbed Bulingtons leg, Tisius shot him several more times. Tisius and Bulington fled but their car broke down in Kansas. They were arrested in Wathena, Kansas, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) west of Huntsville. Tisius confessed to the crimes. Bulington and Vance are serving life sentences. Defense attorneys have argued that the killings were not premeditated. Tisius, they said, intended to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates. Tisius defense team issued a video last week in which Vance said he planned the escape attempt and manipulated Tisius into participating. The people executed in Missouri this year included Amber McLaughlin, who killed a woman and dumped the body near the Mississippi River in St. Louis. The execution was believed to be the first of a transgender woman in the U.S. Raheem Taylor, 58, was put to death in February for killing his live-in girlfriend and her three children in 2004 in St. Louis County. Four of the U.S. executions this year have been in Texas, and three in Florida. SHARE: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) A year after the killing of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon rainforest, friends, colleagues and family members gathered Monday in several Brazilian cities to honor their memory and pledge to carry forward their work. Dozens of people showed up at demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brazils capital and Bahia states Salvador. Gatherings also took place in London and Atalaia do Norte, a small Amazon town that is the launching-off point for the remote, sprawling Javari Valley Indigenous territory. Just outside that territory, the men were brutally killed. In Brasilia, dozens of public servants, Indigenous people and university students gathered for a discussion paying homage to Phillips and Pereira at the University of Brasilia. Pereiras daughter was also among them. Environment Minister Marina Silva and the president of the nations Indigenous affairs agency, Joenia Wapichana, joined the group, which sat in a circle on the floor of an Indigenous-inspired auditorium. Phillips had been conducting research for his book, How to Save the Amazon: Ask the People Who Know, which was years in the making. In 2021, he secured a yearlong fellowship with the Alicia Patterson Foundation to write it and, by the time of his death, had completed nearly half. A main line of police investigation points to an international network that pays poor fishermen to fish illegally in Indigenous territory. At the end of Rio de Janeiros Copacabana beach, loved ones on Monday held posters featuring the now-iconic image of the duo set before an orange backdrop, which over the past year has often been displayed at concerts and political rallies and posted on social media. The group swapped hugs and kind words before posing for a photo. Dom and Bruno, present! Alessandra Sampaio, Phillips widow, shouted while raising her fist in the air, prompting the others to do the same. I am very revolted. I try not to focus on that, I try to move forward and do what I can in the name of Dom and in favor of conservation, Sampaio said. Phillips had been reporting on the complex dynamics playing out in the region, where trespassers often enter the protected Indigenous reserves to hunt and fish. He was navigating with Pereira, who had been working with local Indigenous communities for over a decade and acted as Phillips guide. It was to be one of his final reporting trips for his book. Ahead of the first anniversary of Phillips disappearance, his family and friends have launched a fundraiser to complete his work. A group of journalists from The Guardian, where Phillips regularly contributed as a freelancer, The New Yorker, The Intercept Brazil and Brazilian publications Amazonia Real and Sumauma will be writing the remaining chapters. Others from the Associated Press, the New York Times or the BBC have offered to help with proof-reading and fact-checking. Dom was killed for this book. The least we can do is finish the task to which he had devoted the latter part of his life, Jonathan Watts, the Guardians global environment writer, said in a statement. He may be gone, but he wont be silenced. Pereira dedicated his career to helping Indigenous people protect their natural resources and traditional lifestyles. He long worked as an expert at the Brazilian Indigenous affairs agency, known as FUNAI. Under former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose administration unapologetically promoted development over environmental protection, Pereira had left the agency and embarked on a more independent and dangerous path. Bruno and Dom deserved, and should have been here today, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday at an event celebrating World Environment Day, also attended by the mens widows. Their brutal murder shocked the world that came to see the Amazon as a lawless land. On Thursday, the documentary Valley of the Isolated Ones by television network Globo premiered in Rio. The film showcased previously unreleased footage recovered from Pereiras cellphone, found in the rainforest months after the crime and retraced the journey of the Indigenous expert in the region. This film is a way to honor Brunos work in defending our families and our people. Bruno and Dom died in the name of our families, Indigenous leader Eliesio Marubo said to the audience. We will continue everything we were doing along with Bruno to strengthen not only his story, his fight, his legacy but also to say that we still exist with the same problems we had before they were killed. Speaking at the event beside Copacabana beach on Monday, Beto Marubo a member of the same ethnic group who is also part of the local Indigenous organization in the Javari Valley said there must be coordinated planning and action across all government authorities in the area to protect the rainforest and its people, as well as rebuilding of equipment and infrastructure. In a remote region where crimes often go unsolved, there have been advances in seeking justice. Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira and Jeferson da Silva Lima, two local fishermen, have confessed to the killings and are in prison awaiting trial. A Colombian businessman, Rubens Villar Coelho, stands accused of masterminding the crime, and is also in custody. He denies any involvement in the killings. But there have been questions about the possible violations of due process. AP reporters Fabiano Maisonnave and Mario Lobao contributed to this story from Rio de Janeiro. Carla Bridi contributed from Brasilia. Read more about: SHARE: PATNA, India (AP) An Indian state government on Monday ordered a probe into the collapse of a portion of an under-construction bridge over the Ganges River over the weekend, the second time the structure has crashed in a year. No casualties were reported with no movement of people or vehicles on the bridge when nearly 250 meters (820 feet) of the concrete surface connecting pillars crashed into the river on Sunday. Videos of the collapse spread on social media. Those found guilty will not be spared, Bihar states top elected official, Nitish Kumar, said in a statement. A portion of the bridge on the other side collapsed in April last year. Indias infrastructure has long been marred by safety concerns, sometimes leading to major disasters on highways and bridges. Builders often use poor quality construction materials to cut costs. The bridge collapse was criticized by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the opposition party in the state. The state government is headed by Kumars regional party, the Janata Dal-United (Peoples Party). BJP spokesman Shehzad Poonwalla described it as the bridge of corruption. The construction of the 3.6-kilometer (1.9-mile) long bridge started in 2014, but it suffered delays and was scheduled to be inaugurated later this year connecting the town of Bhagalpur with Khagaria, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) east of Patna, the state capital. It was being built by a private company at a cost of 17 billion rupees ($208 million). Read more about: SHARE: BRUSSELS (AP) Belgium is investigating whether weapons it sent to help Ukraine defend its territory were used in fighting just over the border following a news report that said equipment produced by a Belgian company turned up around Russias Belgorod region. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo warned Monday against jumping to any hasty conclusions since shipments over decades and different regions can make arms turn up in unexpected places. Defense and information services started a probe to be absolutely sure what happened there, De Croo told Belgian broadcaster VRT. The Washington Post published extensive reporting over the weekend saying that arms from some NATO member countries, including the United States, Poland, Czechia and Belgium, had appeared in Belgorod, which borders Ukraine. The Posts report cast doubt on whether Ukraine had proper controls in place. De Croo said European Union nations supplied Ukraine with weapons on the condition the arms were used only within the invaded country to defend its territory. The rule is very strict, the prime minister said, since Russia would likely see the use of the weapons outside Ukraine as Western provocation. While there could be leakage of our weapons to other conflicts, De Croo said if there was any truth that arms destined to defend Ukraine were used in fighting in Russia, we would take that extremely seriously. The Washington Post said its article involved a cross-border raid by the Legion of Free Russia and the Russian Volunteer Corps militias, which oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin. The latter group purports to include Russians who are fighting on Ukraines side. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Read more about: SHARE: COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) A wealthy driver has been fined 121,000 euros ($129,544) for speeding in Finland, where such penalties are calculated on the basis of an offenders income. I really regret the matter, the main newspaper for the Aaland Islands, an autonomous region of Finland in the Baltic Sea, quoted Anders Wiklof as saying in an article published Monday. Wiklof was driving 82 kilometers per hour (51 miles per hour) in a 50 kilometer per hour (31 miles per hour) zone when police stopped and ticketed him Saturday. Along with getting the fine, he had his drivers license suspended for 10 days, the Nya Aaland newspaper said. It wasnt the first time Wiklof was caught driving too fast. In 2018, he was fined 63,680 euros ($ 68,176), and he had to cough up 95,000 euros ($102,000) five years earlier. A native of Aaland, Wiklof is chairman of a holding company that includes businesses in the logistics, helicopter services, real estate, trade and tourism sectors. The archipelago sits at entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia, between the Finnish city of Turku, on mainland Finlands west coast, and Swedens capital of Stockholm. SHARE: BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union stepped up its rule-of-law fight with member state Poland on Monday when the blocs highest court confirmed that Warsaw had refused to comply with EU rules on judicial independence for which it has already lost over half a billion euros in fines. The European Court of Justice ruled on Monday that Polands 2019 justice reform infringed EU law after the European Commission, the blocs executive branch, claimed that the Polish Supreme Court lacked the necessary independence and impartiality. By todays judgment, the Court upholds the Commissions action, a court statement said. It added that the value of the rule of law is an integral part of the very identity of the European Union as a common legal order and is given concrete expression in principles containing legally binding obligations for the Member States. It said Poland did not meet these obligations. Amid a plethora of condemnation and criticism, the court said that the measures thus adopted by the Polish legislature are incompatible with the guarantees of access to an independent and impartial tribunal. The Polish law requires judges to divulge membership of an association or party and allows that information to be made public. The ECJ ruling said the provisions were liable to expose judges to risks of undue stigmatization. The disagreement over the functioning of the Supreme Court is only one of several disputes that the right-wing government in Warsaw has with the EU institutions. It claims the bloc is undermining Polands inalienable rights to make independent decisions. The EU institutions have insisted that Poland under the populist Law and Justice party has been on a slippery slope away from the EUs rule of law principles. This dispute centers on the independence of Polish Supreme Court judges when they review EU law. Only last week, the United States and the EUs top justice official criticized Polish plans for another law that could keep political opponents from holding public office without full legal recourse. The EU threatened to take measures if it became fully clear such a law would undermine democratic standards. The criticism does not only come from the EU itself. Hundreds of thousands of people marched in an anti-government protest in Polands capital on Sunday, with citizens traveling from across the country to voice their anger at officials who they say have eroded democratic norms and created fears that the nation is following Hungary and Turkey down the path to autocracy. Organizers estimated that 500,000 people took part in the march, which was probably the largest of recent decades. In the standoff centering on Mondays ruling by the Luxembourg court, Polish authorities already have had to pay about 550 million euros in fines since October 2021, when the system of 1 million euros in daily fines started. The daily fines were halved in April. In the legal standoff between Brussels and Warsaw, EU authorities are also withholding the release of some 35 billion euros in pandemic recovery funds. After the collapse of the Soviet empire, Poland joined the EU along with a slew of other Central and Eastern European nations. Since they emerged from autocracy, they were long expected to be models to thrive to become models of Western liberal democracies. Critics now say that Poland, and Hungary, are slipping again toward one-party authoritarian rule. SHARE: Rena Murshud Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan said that Azerbaijan and Armenia could sign a peace agreement before the end of 2023. According to him, certain progress has been made in the issue of border delimitation in Chisinau. Although the problem has not been fully resolved, some progress has been made. If intensive negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue and receive strong support from the international community, then a peace agreement can be signed as soon as possible - before the end of the year. Although unconvincing, are Armenia's speeches that they really found the way to the right path or is it just an excuse to buy time? "I don't think this is an empty excuse of the Armenians. Armen Grigoryan's words are true. A peace agreement can be signed before the end of this year." Azerbaijani political analyst Qabil Huseynli told this to Azernews while commenting on the issue. He added that Armenia has always tried to play with time. "However, since the peace deal is currently under the control of the US and the EU, it is impossible for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to avoid this matter. The delimitation of Azerbaijan's borders in accordance with the 1975 map was adopted due to a proposal form Armenia. If there is peace between the two countries, this will also increase Pashinyan's influence in the Armenian government," the expert added. Russia, the USA, and the European Union, which once supported Armenia, are now inclining towards Azerbaijan due to geopolitical realities. According to the expert, such a step by Armenia is due to the fact that it is alone in the political arena and is under certain pressure from the separatists. Armenia is well aware that after the signing of the peace agreement, both the country's economic problems will be resolved and the life support of the population will be provided at a higher level. This agreement is considered beneficial not only for Armenia but also for Azerbaijan. Because the idea of a "Common Caucasian Home" can be implemented in the South Caucasus, which includes Georgia, and conditions for a lasting peace can be created there," Qabil Huseynli noted. And when asked about the duration of the peace agreement to be signed and how it will end, the expert replied that it depends on the terms of the agreement and the integration of the Armenians living in Karabakh into our society. If all conditions are met, especially if there are no destructive provocations from the Armenian separatists in Karabakh, peace will be strong and stable, expert underlined. 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. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to yet another U.S. foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule, but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, but relations have been strained in recent years. Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Irans theocracy and Syrias President Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdoms image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognize the election results and challenged Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. SHARE: ISTANBUL (AP) A Turkish commando battalion requested by NATO has arrived in Kosovo to assist in quelling recent violent unrest in the Balkan country. The Turkish Defense Ministry shared a video Sunday showing troops wearing the insignia of the Kosovo Force, a NATO-led peacekeeping mission established in 1999, departing Turkey and arriving in Kosovo. Violent clashes with ethnic Serbs a week ago left 30 international soldiers 11 Italians and 19 Hungarians and more than 50 demonstrators injured. The injuries the soldiers suffered included fractures and burns from improvised explosive incendiary devices. The clashes grew out of an earlier confrontation after ethnic Albanian candidates who were declared the winners of local elections in northern Kosovo entered municipal buildings to take office and were blocked by Serbs. Ethnic Serbs overwhelmingly boycotted the votes. Serbia and its former province Kosovo have been at odds for decades, with Belgrade refusing to recognize Kosovos 2008 declaration of independence. The violence near their shared border has stirred fear of a renewal of a 1998-99 conflict in Kosovo that claimed more than 10,000 lives and resulted in the KFOR peacekeeping mission. Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Kosovos sovereignty and has maintained close relations with the country since the late 1990s. After the soldiers were injured last week, NATO said it would send an additional 700 troops to northern Kosovo. Around 500 members of Turkeys 65th mechanized infantry brigade will make up the bulk of the NATO reinforcements, the military alliance said Monday. The Turkish battalion will initially be stationed at Camp Sultan Murat in Prizren, Kosovo, and remain in Kosovo for as long as necessary, NATO said. Turkey is an important and highly valued ally, making key contributions to NATO. This includes troops for our peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, which is even more important now, when tensions are high. I thank Turkey for sending reinforcements to northern Kosovo, following the recent unrest, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Sunday. The government of Kosovo and representatives of the countrys ethnic Serb minority exchanged tit-for-tat conditions to de-escalate the situation. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the government might consider holding fresh elections in four northern cities with majority Serb populations but not before gangs responsible for violence leave. The ethnic Serb Srpska List Party said it would participate in new municipal elections but that the government needed to first withdraw special police forces from northern Kosovo and proceed with establishing an association of majority Serb communities. Miroslav Lajcak, the European Unions envoy for Kosovo-Serbia talks, arrived in Pristina on Monday to meet with top leaders. KFOR currently consists of almost 3,800 troops, including some 350 from Turkey. The Turkish commando battalion will be joining the peacekeeping mission as a reserve unit. SHARE: WASHINGTON (AP) The chairman of the House Oversight Committee plans to move forward this week with holding FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress. Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer said a more-than-hourlong briefing he received Monday from bureau officials about an unverified law enforcement tip against President Joe Biden does not amount to compliance with a subpoena. FBI officials came to the Capitol on Monday to brief Comer, R-Ky., and Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the panel, about a June 2020 document that purportedly relates to Biden and his family. The briefing was conducted privately in a secure space because FBI officials say the several-page form contains sensitive information. The FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee, Comer told reporters after the briefing. And we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters he would bring the contempt resolution against Wray, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump, to the floor if it passes the committee. In response, the FBI said in a statement that the escalation to a contempt vote was unwarranted considering the bureau had continuously demonstrated its commitment to accommodate the committees request, while protecting the safety of sources and integrity of ongoing investigations. The White House called the decision by Comer to move forward with contempt another fact-free stunt intended to spread thin innuendo to try to damage the President politically and get himself media attention. Comer initially wrote Wray on May 3 with GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa. They said they had been informed that the FBI has a document that describes an alleged criminal scheme involving Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions when Biden was vice president. The word alleged was used three times in the opening paragraph of the letter and Comer offered no evidence of the veracity of the accusations or any details about what they contend are highly credible unclassified whistleblower disclosures. The document Republicans are focused on is whats known as an FD-1023, which agents use to record unverified tips and information they receive from confidential human sources. The FBI says such documents can contain uncorroborated and incomplete information, and that record of a tip does not validate the information. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify what is contained in the document. Comer subpoenaed Wray for a copy of the document and warned he would be prepared to hold him in contempt of Congress if he didnt provide it. In response, FBI officials scheduled what they called an extraordinary accommodation and gave Comer access to the document in a format and setting that maintains confidentiality and protects important security interests and the integrity of FBI investigations. But Comer told reporters the briefing Monday was not enough for him. He said the FBI needs to physically hand over the record to the committee, which, for confidentiality reasons, it has refused to do. Speaking to reporters after the session, Comer and Raskin gave differing and conflicting accounts about what they heard in the room. Raskin said FBI officials told them the unverified tip against Biden relates to information that former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani provided to the Justice Department in 2020 about the business dealings of Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, in Ukraine. Hunter Biden worked on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company. Raskin described the allegation in the document as secondhand hearsay by individuals in Ukraine that the department had reviewed and found no reason to pursue further in a preliminary investigation. The source, who has been described as highly credible by the FBI, told the FBI he could not provide any opinion on the underlying veracity of the information provided by these Ukrainian individuals, Raskin said in a statement late Monday. He added that releasing the document to the public would be a dangerous thing because it could endanger the confidentiality of law enforcement sources. Comer said the document contains allegations that show a pattern of bribery in the Biden family that is consistent with other claims the committee is investigating. The Kentucky lawmaker has said repeatedly that anything short of producing the document would not be in compliance with the subpoena he issued last month. A contempt of Congress charge would require a full committee vote to send the resolution to the House floor. If the House were to hold Wray in contempt, it would be up to the Justice Department where Wray works to decide whether to prosecute him. Pressed by reporters on why a contempt charge was necessary when the FBI has provided the subpoenaed information, Comer pointed to statements made by the White House. He also said the public needs to see the document. Given the severity and complexity of the allegations contained within this record, Congress must investigate further, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. SHARE: WASHINGTON (AP) Scholar and progressive activist Cornel West announced Monday he is running for president next year as a third-party candidate, saying he wants to empower people who have been pushed to the margins. In a Twitter video, West said he will run as a member of The Peoples Party. He criticized both major political parties and their standard bearers, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Both Biden and Trump are running again in 2024. In these bleak times, I have decided to run for truth and justice, which takes the form of running for president of the United States as a candidate for the Peoples Party, West said. I enter in the quest for truth. I enter in the quest for justice, and the presidency is just one vehicle to pursue that truth and justice, what Ive been trying to do all of my life. West is a well known Black scholar and author and a former professor at Harvard and Princeton universities. He criticized former President Barack Obama as a war criminal, and supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a democratic socialist, in his presidential bids in 2016 and 2020. On his campaign website, West says he wants to end wars, disband NATO, forgive all student debt, expand Social Security and invest in clean energy. Third-party candidates face serious hurdles, including getting their names on ballots in each state. In addition to Biden and Trump, several other candidates are making 2024 presidential bids. On Monday, former Vice President Mike Pence launched his campaign, joining a GOP primary field that already includes Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. SHARE: If you have interviewed many candidates in recruitment or in politics you probably came anyway with this insight: character should always outweigh credentials. Character is usually strengthened over time and has meant showing great courage against long odds. In politics character is often revealed by supple coalition-building skills and the ability to maintain a sharp focus, in the face of noise on all fronts. A councillor who wants to be mayor solely on the strength of their two-term credentials is not qualified. If elected, most fail. Being a good shouter and a one-man-band as a celebrity councillor are not useful qualities in a mayor, viz. Rob Ford. Then there are those whose credentials should disqualify their candidacy. Anyone who has a large and ongoing commercial connection to the city a telecom executive, perhaps should stand aside. Anyone who has served as chief of police chief should, too. Remember Julian Fantinos troublesome years as chief and his stunning collapse as a federal cabinet minister? Imagine him as mayor. The politically interwoven interests of the police service and politics are simply impossible to separate. Every decision of a police-chief mayor involving the police will always be suspect given that conflict. Councillors who could not, over years, win the support of their colleagues based on arrogant or sloppy performance, deserve skeptical scrutiny. There are at least two of the mostly unimpressive field of 102 candidates from whom Toronto voters must choose as their next mayor who fit this bill. Finally, there are those whose hard-edged partisanship should make them ineligible given that a mayor must not only weave a coalition at the council level, but with the province and Ottawa as well. I know several of the candidates and their histories. I have known Olivia Chow for nearly four decades and at first I saw her as a royal pain in the butt. She and her husband Jack Layton would harass me what seemed to be weekly as I was trying to help manage the Peterson/Rae government. Demanding action on AIDS, homelessness, child poverty and a long list of other social justice issues. Over time I came to realize their tactics may have been irritating, but their commitment and their issues mattered. And they often won. Chow matured to build a citywide network of supporters of various political stripes. By the time they came to Ottawa, she and Jack were seasoned pros with great skill at finding both weak spots in some opponents and points of possible connection with others. Her partisanship faded further after she took up the role of teacher and urban activist. She would have far greater success working with Ottawa than a former, highly unpopular Conservative police chief, for example. For many years Chow has been working the machinery of Queens Park, grinding out successes over and over. Ana Bailao has some growth credentials, though less on unlearning hard-edged partisanship. Brad Bradford is a competent urban planner. Mitzie Hunter has shown courage and grown, but it is hard to list her accomplishments. Josh Matlow has a long list of municipal successes, but a much shorter list of Liberal supporters, which is curious for a lifelong Liberal partisan. No matter how dimly you may feel about the choices before you, please vote! The next mayor will make decisions for a generation of Torontonians on housing, climate, and crime and policing. Ignore the slurs about being soft on crime, or a profligate spender, or a lackey of Doug Ford or Justin Trudeau, or even most improbably, that a candidates appeal for fiscal discipline means they are heartless about the homeless. All that campaign blather fades in the face of your search for character and courage. Ask yourself, Do I trust this candidate to be guided by deeply held values, and the courage to stare down deep resistance from entrenched self-interest, and to make the right decisions for all Torontonians. Robin V. Sears was an NDP strategist for 20 years and has counselled Olivia Chow in the past, but plays no role in her current campaign. Sears is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. @robinvsears Read more about: SHARE: Doug Ford now says the Greenbelt is a scam. Was he ever serious about protecting this natural space? May 17 Premier Doug Ford must resign. He has lost all credibility with his attacks on the work done by countless planning professionals, conservation authorities, politicians, community groups, and civil servants to create a Greenbelt that is unique in Canada. A Greenbelt that protects class 1 farmland, providing food for Ontario, wetlands that are vital for flood control, fresh water, and fresh air. He has disparaged those people and called them scammers! At the same time, he has lied about the availability of land for housing. The governments own report states that there is more than enough developable and serviced land within municipal boundaries and the white belt. Even worse, he made promises to certain developers that he would remove land from the Greenbelt and make it available for them to build sprawling housing developments. They now expect him to keep his promise to them. He had no right to make those promises. He lied again when he told Ontarians before the election that he would not touch the Greenbelt. Who is the scammer here? Teresa Ganna Porter, Newmarket Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWAA decision to move notorious schoolgirl killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison is under review by the head of Canadas corrections system and could be reversed but for now, why he was moved remains under wraps. Correctional Service Canada (CSC) announced the review Monday following widespread outrage over Bernardos relocation from the maximum security at Kingstons Millhaven penitentiary to the medium-security La Macaza Institution in the Laurentians, 190 km northwest of Montreal. Ontario Premier Doug Ford was among those expressing frustration. Paul Bernardo should rot in a maximum-security prison for the rest of his miserable existence. Full stop, Ford said Monday. In a statement Monday, CSC said it is restricted by law as to what it can share about an offenders case, but knows the decision has an impact on victims. These were horrific crimes and we regret any pain and concern this has caused, the organization said. They stressed Bernardo is still incarcerated in a secure and controlled institution, with every precaution in place to protect public security. We want Canadians to have confidence in our decisions, CSC said. Therefore, Commissioner (Anne) Kelley has ordered an additional review of this offenders security classification to ensure it was appropriate, evidence-based, and more importantly, adequately considered victims. Bernardo is serving a life sentence for kidnapping, torturing and killing Leslie Mahaffy, 14, and Kristen French, 15, in the early 1990s near St. Catharines. He lured the girls into his car and then, with the help of his fiancee-then-wife Karla Homolka, kept them prisoner in the couples Port Dalhousie home where they were raped and murdered. He was also found guilty of manslaughter in the rape and drugging death of Homolkas sister Tammy, 15. Before that, he was the Scarborough Rapist, admitting to sexually assaulting at least 14 young women in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Tim Danson, long-time lawyer for the French and Mahaffy families, told the Stars Rosie DiManno he was stunned when a CSC official called him last week to tell him about Bernardos transfer. He said they told him they werent able to disclose the reasons, based on Bernardos privacy interests. I said that doesnt make any sense because weve had two parole hearings with significant evidence presented, including the fact that hes (still) designated a dangerous offender, the lawyer said. Thats a very high threshold that has to be established beyond a reasonable doubt. The parole board has said hes just as dangerous now as he ever was. We need an explanation, he said. Then I asked, can you at least tell me, in medium security, is he going to be in the general population? Is he in segregation? Is he on a range of sex offenders as he was in Millhaven? They couldnt tell me that either. So basically I ended up with nothing. In the statement which followed a meeting between the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino CSC said it understands Canadians want to know the reasons for such transfers. It said they are based on risk to public safety, escape risk, an offenders institutional adjustment, and other case-specific information, such as psychological risk assessments. Let us be clear that, at any point, an inmate can be placed, or returned to, a higher security level if deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the public or our institutions. And, pending the review, we will not hesitate to do so, if needed. Danson said that, for the families, just like the parole hearings, this takes them back to day one and undoes some of the progress that theyve made just trying to still deal with the loss of their daughters, which of course never goes away. Theyre very, very upset When Bernardo was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years in 1995, Justice Patrick LeSage designated him a dangerous offender. That means the life sentence could continue indefinitely. LeSage told the murderer that you have no right ever to be released. You are a sexually sadistic psychopath. Homolka, for her part, served 12 years after a controversial plea bargain that saw her testifying against Bernardo. She is now believed to be living in Quebec. While La Macaza is described on its website as built on an open campus model, it is known as an institution for sexual offenders and those at risk of being harmed by other inmates. Mendicino told reporters Monday he believes Canadians are entitled to an explanation of why Bernardo was moved, but it is up to the CSC to provide it. It is important to underline that under the law, this is an independent decision from the elected government, he said. Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: SHARE: BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Kazakhstan's first low-cost carrier, FlyArystan, has conducted the first flight from Almaty to Georgia's Kutaisi, Trend reports. Starting from June 4, 2023, Airbus A320 airliners began flying on the Almaty-Kutaisi-Almaty route. Flights lasting about 4.5 hours are carried out twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays. According to the company's schedule, the flight from Almaty to Kutaisi is scheduled to depart at 15:25 (GMT+6) and arrive at Kutaisi International Airport at 18:00 (GMT+4). Meanwhile, flights in the opposite direction, from Kutaisi to Almaty, are scheduled to depart at 18:45 (GMT+4) and arrive at Almaty International Airport at 00:30 (GMT+6). The launch of a new flight from Almaty significantly expands the opportunities for creating new passenger traffic from different regions of Kazakhstan. If earlier passengers had to fly through Aktau, Atyrau, Astana and Shymkent, from now on they have the opportunity to fly directly from Almaty to Kutaisi. Recently I had the opportunity of participating in a discussion on the subject of police encounters. To my dismay, some very senior police leaders expressed the view that in the present scenario, police encounters to eliminate dreaded criminals and terrorists are an unavoidable cruel necessity. No doubt, there is tremendous pressure on the police from the political bosses and members of the public to adopt extra-legal methods to eliminate criminals, who defy the criminal justice system and go unpunished. For them, the gains of committing crime outweigh the risks. Due to the staggering pendency of cases in the courts, the criminal cases also drag on interminably resulting in crucial witnesses being swayed either by lure of money or fear of muscle power. A study by the Bureau of Police Research and Development had unveiled that the notorious coal mafia lords of Dhanbad, who struck terror in the region were seldom convicted or given their desserts. The notorious don Atiq Ahmed had more than 100 cases pending against him in different law courts yet he carried on with his depredations unfazed and unrestrained. At present more than four crore cases are pending in different courts of the country and arrears of cases in High Courts is more than 34 lakhs. According to the Supreme Court the right to speedy justice is a fundamental fight under Article 21 of the Constitution. Despite the directives of the Apex court, the situation has not improved. Without access to speedy, inexpensive and unpolluted justice, people are tempted to take the law in their own hands. The situation is further compounded by the bleak law enforcement situation. Conviction rates in respect of heinous offences has plummeted to 40 per cent in murder cases and 28 per cent in rape cases. There are huge vacancies in police forces in most of the states. The police to population ratio in India is 112 per 1000000 of population which is far below the advanced and peaceful countries of the West. In the police forces of the country there are no dedicated and earmarked staff for investigation of cases. There is no separation between law and order and investigation staff which was directed by the apex court; as a result, investigation work receives step motherly treatment. An officer in a police station on an average gives less than twenty per cent of his time in investigation of cases. Plagued by paucity of manpower and constantly badgered by public and political masters to weed out the dreaded criminals, the police readily opt for illegal and short-cut methods, and feel justified and vindicated. There emerge within the force some encounter specialists who are lionised and become darlings of the political masters and the police bosses. The heady wine of power and success turn their heads and many of them turn into corrupt extortionists. and enrich themselves by dubious means. But the blue-eyed boys are cast away when things go awry after any serious act of aberration. Sometime back, the encounter specialist of Gujarat police DG Vanzara found to his utter dismay that the Chief Minister and the political leaders who were appreciating his work dumped him because they wanted to present an untarnished image before the Supreme Court. Like Cardinal Wolsey, Vanzara had to rue his unthinking loyalty to the King. The assumption that in the present situation fake police encounters are unavoidable is fallacious as well as defeatist. With determined endeavours, the criminal justice system in the country can be rejigged and delivery of justice can become expeditious. The infrastructural inadequacies of the police and the courts have to be addressed, with utmost priority. The answer is, as the National Police Commission puts it to strengthen law and the legal processes Violating the rule of law in the name of law enforcement is not desirable even from the limited police point of view. There are instances where the criminals used the police to bump off their rivals in intragang warfare. Research has shown that notorious ganglord Dawood Ibrahim used to eliminate his rivals by tipping off the police. The police would arrive on the scene not for arresting but for eliminating the criminals. Further, illegality in the name of law enforcement debases police functioning and generates within the force contempt for law. The Police have to maintain order through law. Otherwise, dacoits at any time can maintain better order than the police. Police also must turn the spotlight on the difficulties and hurdles it encounters because of the skewed criminal justice system which makes its work difficult. There are legal provisions that seriously handcuff the police. By short-circuiting legal processes the police are scapegoating themselves and deflecting attention from other agencies of the criminal justice system. Deviant methods make policing a furtive and not transparent activity and undermine pride which is the foundation of job satisfaction. It is the moral responsibility of the police leaders to resist illegal pressure from above and convince the subordinate staff that extra-legal methods are counterproductive. Sustained good work of the police is forgotten and washed away by a brazen act of abuse of force and the police remain alienated from the public. I have seen promising careers of bright young officers ruined after being held accountable by enquiry commissions, Constant endeavour by police leaders to build up a human rights culture in the force is imperatively necessary. The essence of human rights is respect for human dignity. Indian police have yet to imbibe concern and respect for human rights, particularly of the marginalised and vulnerable groups. Organisational cultures can influence the work and conduct of its members profoundly. In the United Kingdom the first two commissioners of London Metropolitan Police by their unremitting exertions and emphasis on human rights were able to build up a police loved and respected by their public. Such a goal should inspire our police leaders too. The writer is Senior Fellow Institute of Social Sciences, a former Director General of the National Human Rights Commission and former Director, National Police Academy Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said this afternoon that 62 people from Bengal died in the tragic train accident in Odisha, as per the latest count. With at least 182 of the 275 people who died in the mishap not yet identified, the number of casualties from Bengal could increase. According to Miss Banerjee, 206 people injured in the accident have been admitted to hospitals in Bengal. Seventy three people have been admitted to different hospitals in Odisha while another 56 persons have been discharged from hospitals in the neighbouring state. Miss Banerjee said Rs 5 lakh would be given as financial assistance to the next of kin of the dead from Bengal. Rs 1 lakh will be given to those who are injured and Rs 10,000 will be given to those who suffer from trauma for three months. The state government will give ration to these affected families for three months, she said. Miss Banerjee said senior IAS officers have been monitoring the situation. Roundthe-clock control rooms have been opened in Kharagpur, Santragachi and Nabanna. She said teams of doctors with ambulance have been sent to the spot. About the unidentified dead bodies, Miss Banerjee said it will take some time to identify them. She said the Kolkata Police are in touch with 13,000 families to obtain information about their near and dear ones who may have been on the trains involved in the mishap. Miss Banerjee who visited the site of the incident on Saturday, said a thorough investigation needs to be done. She said the state government is keeping tabs on the situation round the clock and those admitted to different state-run hospitals are being closely monitored. Rubbishing the claims being circulated on social media that around 3,000 people had died during the time when Mamata Banerjee was the railways minister, she said it was most unfortunate that to cover up its own faults the saffron party was now discussing what happened in the past. Mamata speculated that the news is being circulated either by the BJP, the central government or the railways ministry. Miss Banerjee said on 28 May, 2010, 140 people had died in a rail accident in Gyaneshwari Express. The CBI was handed over the case but no reports have come out as yet. The CPM and the Leftist extremist groups were responsible for the accident, she alleged. Again in Sainthia in Birbhum, 66 people had died. On 2 December, 2010, 52 people died in a railway accident. It is most unfortunate that the BJP is doing politics with the number of deaths. They have mentioned Nitish ji and Laloo ji and it is quite possible that they will refer to the Battle of Plassey or the Sepoy Mutiny. Miss Banerjee clearly maintained I am against doing politics when such a tragic incident has taken place. But the BJP has forced me to talk about politics. I have not questioned how many people died in the Godhra incident when a train was set on fire, she asked. Miss Banerjee categorically said as the Union railways minister she had made arrangements to instal anticollision devices in trains. I went to the Konkan Railway and the device was tested. I know the railways ministry better as I was minister for three years. I could read it from the back of my palm. During my time modernisation in the signalling system took place and steps were taken to depute persons at the unmanned level crossings. Even during the construction of Delhi Metro, Sheilaji (Sheila Dikshit) and I sat with the officials and the differences were sorted out. She questioned how many central teams have visited the site. The railways safety team needs three months to investigate. Miss Banerjee accused that over the years, no development in the railways has taken place. The Centre talks big, but does not do anything to improve safety and security of the passengers. We want to know where the engines of Vande Bharat Express were made? she remarked. Asked to comment on clubbing the railway budget with the main budget, she said, When character is lost, everything is lost. The railways has lost its character and these accidents are examples of that. The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the interim bail plea by former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in an excise policy case. A bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma said that the court finds it tough to grant interim bail to the AAP leader, who has serious allegations on him in the matter. The court finds it very difficult to persuade to release the petitioner on interim bail for six weeks, Justice Sharma said. The court also noted that Sisodia might tamper with the evidence or influence witnesses. Giving leeway to the accused, the court directed that Sisodia be taken to the residence or hospital to visit his ailing wife between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The permission is given for any day as per the convenience of Sisodias wife, the court said. the court feels that the petitioner should be given an opportunity to meet his wife. Therefore, one day as per the convenience of Mrs. Seema Sisodia, the petitioner be taken to his residence/hospital, if she is admitted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in custody, justice Sharma said. However, the judge imposed certain conditions stating that Sisodia, the petitioner, shall not interact with the media in any manner nor shall meet anybody except his wife or members of his family. The court also directed the commissioner of Police to ensure that there should not be any media gathering near the vicinity or his residence or hospital wherein hes taken. The petitioner should also not use a mobile phone or Internet, the court added. Moreover, the court said that Sisodias wife be provided with best treatment and the court as a guardian suggested that she may be examined by board of doctors to be constituted by medical superintendent of AIIMS. Though it is the choice of the patient and family members from where to get the medical treatment, the court said. Justice Sharma had on June 2 reserved order on his interim bail plea. Last week, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had said that it has completed its probe against Sisodia for his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy case. The ED had also mentioned this fact in its fourth supplementary charge sheet filed in connection with the case. The court has taken cognisance of the charge sheet. The ED has claimed that it has enough evidence to prove that Sisodia was involved in money laundering and had allegedly generated proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 622 crore through various means. The CBI had arrested Sisodia on February 26, later the Enforcement Directorate arrested him on March 9. IIT Madras has once again become the number one educational institution of the country while Delhi Universitys Miranda House has become the number one among the colleges in the country. The eighth edition of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was released on Monday by Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, the Union Minister of State for Education. As per the rankings, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras retained its position as the top-ranked educational institute in India for the fifth consecutive time. It was followed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and IIT Delhi. Miranda House, affiliated with the Delhi University (DU), secured the top position among colleges for the seventh consecutive year. The top 10 institutes in the overall category included IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, and IIT Guwahati. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) secured the sixth and tenth positions, respectively. The rankings covered 13 categories, including overall, university, colleges, engineering, management, pharmacy, law, medical, architecture, dental, research, agriculture, and innovation. The evaluation was based on five parameters: teaching, learning, and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and perception. This year, agriculture and allied sector category was included in the NIRF for the first time. The number of applications for the rankings increased to 8,686 compared to 7,254 in the previous year. In the overall category, IIT Delhi replaced IIT Mumbai to secure the third position. In the university category, IISc Bengaluru topped the list, followed by JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jadavpur University, and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). BHU improved its rank and entered the top-five club. Hindu College, Presidency College (Chennai), PSGR Krishnammal College for Women (Coimbatore), St Xaviers (Kolkata), Atma Ram Sanatan College (Delhi), and Loyola College (Chennai) were among the top-ranked colleges. Kirori Mal College and Lady Shri Ram College for Women from DU secured the ninth and tenth positions, respectively. St Xaviers improved its rank to fifth this year, while Loyola College slipped to seventh. The engineering category was dominated by the IITs, with the top eight positions secured by different IITs. IIT Madras topped the list, followed by IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati, and IIT Hyderabad. The National Institutes of Technology in Tiruchirapalli and Jadavpur University secured the ninth and tenth positions, respectively. In the management category, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad secured first position, followed by IIM Bengaluru and IIM Kozhikode. IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay also made it to the top 10 in this category. AIIMS Delhi topped the medical category, while Bengalurus National Law School of India University secured the first position in the law category, followed by National Law School (Delhi). IIT Kanpur topped the innovation category, and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute secured the first position in the agriculture and allied category. In the research category, IISc Bengaluru emerged as the best institute, followed by IIT Madras and IIT Delhi. The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research slipped to the tenth position. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Hyderabad) replaced Jamia Hamdard (New Delhi) as the top institute in the pharmacy category. IITs continued to dominate the architecture category, with IIT Roorkee, IIT Calicut, and IIT Kharagpur emerging as the top three institutions. These institutes showcased their excellence in the field of architecture, further solidifying their reputation in the NIRF rankings. On the 39th anniversary of Op Bluestar, The Statesman recalls the events that led to the operation & its consequences In the first week of June 1984, Punjab was simmering in the days leading up to the Operation Bluestar. One could smell fear in the air as tangibly as any odour. When we smelt rotten mangoes from a truck mangled into another vehicle as we drove past it, it had an eeriness to it, when we passed by a halwai (sweat shop) the odour of jalebis had an accompanying smell of fear, Shammi Sarin, a former Amritsar-based journalist says. As one travelled from Chandigarh into deeper Punjab one felt uncertain. Amritsar locally called Umbarsar was the epicenter of that fear. And those who lived around it just had prayers on their lips. Garlands of fresh marigold meant to be placed at the sanctum sanctorum were strewed all over. And scorching heat perished them faster. In Delhi, there was two hotlines one between Indira Gandhi and the Indian Army generals about to order troops to enter the Golden Temple, and another between Indira Gandhi and the world leaders interested in the goings on in Punjab. From Margaret Thatcher to Ronald Reagan to Mikhail Gorbachev to Pakistans President Gen Zia-ul-Haq all had bits of information coming to them. At Ground Zero, the two most sought after men, who, both people and institutions relied upon, were BBCs Mark Tully and Satish Jacob. On an unremembered date in May, a pensive Indira Gandhi was pacing up and down at her residence at One Safdarjang Road, New Delhi. She held a meeting with four ministers the defence minister, R Venkataraman, the home minister PV Narasimha Rao, energy minister P. Shiv Shankar and foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee. I still vividly recall Mrs Gandhi telling me, Pranab, I know of the consequences, the former President of India Pranab Mukherjee wrote in the second volume of his memoir, The Turbulent Years: 1980-96, President Pranab Mukherjee. Dad, congrats you have become the army chief Operation Bluestar was on Indira Gandhis mind for close to a year now. But she needed a pliable chief of the army to flush out terrorists and the search was on. A meeting took place between the outgoing Army Chief Gen KV Krishna Rao and PM Gandhi somewhere in May 1983. Gen Rao was to demit office two months later on July 31, 1983. Hours after the meeting, a midnight telephone call from New York awoke Lt-General SK Sinha, who was about to become the Army Chief. On the other side was Lt Gen Sinhas daughter Minni who was in New York for higher studies. She excitedly said, Congrats dad, you have become the chief. Sinha pacified her and apprised that the official decision was yet to be made. But Minnis source was the most reliable one, her friend Lalita Krishna Rao, the daughter of the army chief, who had just spoken to her father and got the confirmation. However, since Lt Gen did not accede to Indira Gandhis demand of flushing out terrorists from the Golden Temple, he was superseded by a more pliable Gen AS Vaidya, who along with Lt Gen K Sundarji plotted and coordinated the entire operation. Gen Brar was to fly on June 1 for honeymoon but On June 1, two days before the Operation Bluestar was to commence, Major Gen AS Brar aka Bulbul Brar and his wife, both newly wedded were supposed to fly to Manila in Philippines for a month long holiday. The ticket had been booked. But a day before, on May 31, there was a hotline call to him from the Army Chiefs office. Brig Brar was asked to come to Chandimandir Cantonment immediately. Brig Brar (retd as Lt General) told his wife that he would be back by the evening and that they would fly to Manila the next day. At Chandimandir, he was told to fly to Amritsar and that a division was already there. About his leave, it stood cancelled. Before the operation began, Gen Brar put on his civilian clothes and took a round of the Golden Temple. There Gen Shahbeg Singh, who led the Khalistani militants noticed Brig Brar taking rounds of the Golden Temple. On June 1, 1984, the militants took their position anticipating an attack. Outside Brig Brar was organising his troops. Operation to kidnap Bhindranwale abandoned Two months before operation Bluestar, Director General Security, an important official of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) walked into PM Gandhis residence. PM Gandhi and another top high ranking official RN Kao sat. Kao was the blue-eyed man of PM Gandhi, who was credited with grooming the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) which was used to train Mukti Bahini guerrillas in 1971 during India-Pakistan war to free Bangladesh. DGS briefed Mrs Gandhi and Kao on a mission that would be surgical in nature. Operation Sundown, so named, because it would begin in the middle of the night when the militants and Bhindranwale would be tired or half asleep. Commandos would enter the Guru Nanak Niwas guesthouse near the Golden Temple and abduct the man in question. Indira Gandhi did not concur. She was afraid the casualties would be too many. Though, two months later, more than 80 soldiers and 492 civilians died in Operation Bluestar. Revisiting Punjab from the past The first explicit demand for Khalistan was made in 1940. But the story of Sikh Empire goes back to between 1799 to 1849. Before the advent of the British, Punjab was ruled by the confederacy of Sikh Misls founded by Banda Bahadur. The 12 Sikh Misls (a Misl is akin to a unit or a brigade) ruled over the entire Punjab between 1767 and 1799. Later it was united into the Sikh Kingdom by Maharaja Ranjit Singh for 40 years between 1799 to 1849. In the 1940s, when it became clear that India may be partitioned on religious lines into two countries, a few Sikh scholars thought of reimagining and giving shape to the old glorious Sikh Empire and thus the word Khalistan first was used somewhere in 1940s to denote an independent country. Pre-partition Punjab comprised of lenhda Punjab (the Punjab of Pakistan), charda Punjab (present Punjab), and Haryana and Himachal. Its total area was 3,52,000 sq km which was more than the largest state of India today, Rajasthan, or roughly the size of present day Germany. I nearly gave you Lahore, said Lord Radcliffe Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus of Punjab suffered most of the violence and bloodshed during the partition. The day India and Pakistan were born, an arbitrary line drawn by Lord Cyril Radcliffe, the man who headed the Boundary Commission, about 33 days before the designated day, divided Punjab right through the middle. However, before arriving at a decision, he took a flight over the entire Punjab region, looked down, by the time he alighted he had taken a casual decision in the eye of his mind. Speaking to author and journalist Kuldeep Nayyar he said, I nearly gave you Lahore (meaning thereby he was about to give Lahore to India. Later, he added, that since he had already given Calcutta to India, Lahore was thus awarded to Pakistan. The division of Punjab also meant that part of the heritage of Sikhs was taken away from them. They were driven out of Pakistan, where Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev and Kartarpur Sahib, the place where Guru Nanak Dev spent his last days. Indias Punjab then did not have Sikhs in majority since Punjab then had Himachal and Haryana as part of the state. Punjab Subah Movement After partition, Punjab Subah movement had picked up pace in 1947 on the basis of Punjabi speaking area. The State Re-organisation Commission 1953 was set up but it did not give a favourable verdict saying that carving a state on linguistic grounds would give fuel to other communities asking for a separate state on the basis of language. The other reason it gave was that the Hindus of the Punjabi speaking areas of Punjab did not give their approval to it. Those who were in favour of the Punjabi subah raised slogans such as Punjabi Suba Amar Rahe and those against it raised slogans in favour of Maha-Punjab. On April 6, 1955 the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar banned both the slogans thinking that it will pacify both sides temporarily and result in peace at least for now. The 1955 raid at Golden Temple Akali Dal called it an attack on the freedom of speech and expression. The movement, which was non-violent reached its crescendo in the first week of July 1955 when large number of Sikh volunteers reached Akal Takht. It was nothing more than a gathering but the administration and government grew suspicious about it. Before the sunrise on July 4, 1955, the police raided the Golden Temple premises. The community kitchen was raided, following this the langar seva could not commence and the head priests of Golden Temple was also arrested. Inside, the police used teargas shells, outside a flag march was carried. This action only gave more strength to the agitation. After 12,000 volunteers courted arrest as part of the agitation seeking lifting of ban on slogan for a separate Punjabi Suba, the chief minister Bhim Sen Sachar finally gave in to the demand on July 12 that year. The ban was lifted. The Punjab Re-organisation Act 1966 which dissolved the former state of East Punjab and carved Punjab, much smaller in size leaving Haryana and Himachal Pradesh out, was a direct result of Punjabi Subah movement Punjab for only Punjabis. Around the same time, a 19-year-old teenager living an anonymous life Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was enrolled in Damdami Taksal. He would shuttle between his village Rode and Damdami Taksal in Moga. He was the favourite student of the chief of Damdami Taksal, Kartar Singh. What led to the Anandpur Sahib resolution Despite the implementation of the Punjab Re-organisation Act 1966, the 1971 General Election results and 1972 Vidhan Sabha poll results shocked the Shiromani Akali Dal. The party could win only one out of 13 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. In the state assembly elections which followed in March 1972, Akalis were reduced to 24 seats in an assembly of 117 seats and Congress won a landslide majority. After this shocking defeat, the Akali Dal formed a sub-committee in December 1972 to introspect. Subsequent to the ten meetings, a document drafted by Kapur Singh was adopted unanimously by the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal at a meeting held at Anandpur Sahib on October 16 and 17, 1973. This was called the Anandpur Sahib resolution. The most important thing it asked for was autonomy to Punjab apart from various other demands. To get even with growing Akalis despite their loss in 1971 and 1972, PM Indira Gandhis younger son, who after the emergency had his foot pretty much in everything, also intervened in Punjab affairs. Bhindranwale takes over as Damdami Taksal chief In August 1977, Gurbachan Singhs successor, Sant Kartar Singh the head of Damdami Taksal, who was involved in a car accident, died. But before his death, he appointed Bhindranwale as the head of Damdami Taksal over his son, Bhai Amrik Singh. Bhindranwale was still a Sikh preacher there was little currency to his name. But all that started changing from the day of Baisakhi in the summer of 1978. A Sikh sect called Sant Nirankaris carried out a procession through the streets of Amritsar. The Nirankaris believe in a living guru, which amounts to sacrilege in Sikhism. Bhindranwale gave a provocative speech against the Nirankaris. He led a march towards the procession. However, the Nirankaris were armed and killed 13 men marching with Bhindranwale. Sanjay Gandhi meets Bhindranwale This incident earned Bhindranwale the attention of the Congress. To get even with Akalis, Indira Gandhis younger son who pretty much had his foot in everything sought Sikh men, preachers if possible, who could look the present Akali dispensation in the eye. Zail Singh and Darbara Singh were the ones who identified Bhindranwale and another Sikh preacher. Both were ushered before Sanjay Gandhi who had Kamal Nath in his company. The first person they interviewed didnt look impressive. The other one was Bhindranwale, who was tall, strong and had an intimidating voice and responded confidently. However, the shifting of the case from Amritsar to Karnal and the subsequent acquittal of 62 Nirankaris and its head Gurbachan Singh accused of killing 13 Sikhs in the 1978 Baisakhi clash rankled many among the Sikh community. Shortly afterward, Nirankari chief Baba Gurbachan Singh was shot dead in Delhi. In the FIR 20 men were accused of the murder, including many Bhindrawale associates. Bhindranwale took abode in the Golden Temple to escape arrest till the Home Minister of India, Zail Singh announced in the Parliament that Bhindranwale had nothing to do with the killing of Baba Gurbachan Singh. In 1981, Lala Jagat Narain wrote an editorial that in the upcoming Census, Hindus of Punjab should say that their mother tongue is Hindu. He was also a firm critic of Anandpur Sahib resolution. On 9 September 1981, Lala Jagat Narain, the owner-cum-editor of the Punjab Kesri newspaper was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants at Chando Kalan. Bhindranwale was at Mehta Chowk. Darbara Singh wanted his arrest to come what may. Police surrounded the premises where Bhindranwale was present. For negotiating Bhindranwales surrender, the senior officers went inside the gurdwara. Bhindranwale agreed to surrender on the condition that he will only surrender after delivering a sermon. He started giving a fiery speech claiming his innocence and his speech was received with rousing acclaim. Then Bhindranwale surrendered himself to the cops. The day was September 20, 1981. September 20, 1981, the cusp of terrorism On the day of his arrest, three motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire in Jalandhar killing four people and injuring twelve. The following day, at Tarn Taran a Hindu man was killed and thirteen people were injured. On 25 September, a goods train was derailed at Amritsar. Four days later, an Indian Airlines airplane was hijacked. The plane was taken to Lahore. Several bomb blasts took place in Faridkot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar. Sanjay Gandhi, the man who had cultivated Bhindranwale died more than a year ago. Bhindranwale, the man, who about a year ago had campaigned for Congress candidate from Amritsar RL Bhatia had turned against the Indian state. Indira Gandhi was a worried Prime Minister. Dharam Yudh Morch was a political movement that began in August 1982. It was helmed by Bhindranwale and Akali Dal. And its aim was the reiteration of the Anandpur Sahib resolution. This was the time when Bhindranwales stature was bigger than the chief minister of Punjab Darbara Singh. A spate of assassinations started taking place. It began with Lala Jagat Narains killing on 9 September 1981 to the killing of Deputy Inspector General DIG of Punjab Police AS Atwal on April 25, 1983, outside the Golden Temple precincts took place. His body was removed only after Darbara Singh requested Bhindranwale, to let the police collect his body and Bhindranwale curtly said, Lae javo (meaning take it away). Such was the command of Bhindranwale that a CM had to request Bhinranwale to take away DIG Atwals body. Operation Bluestar commences April 25, 1983, DIG Atwal was killed, a few days later a meeting happened between the outgoing Army Chief Gen KV Krishna Rao and PM Gandhi. The meeting was to decide who would be the next army chief. Lt Gen Sinha was superseded and Gen AS Vaidya became the army chief. On June 1, having abandoned his honeymoon plans, Brig Brar was at Amritsar. Amritsar-based journalist, who used to report for the BBC remembers, The entire week was very hot. Around the Golden Temple, there was a smell of gunpowder in the air. Our eyes were itching. The press had been thrown out. The shops had been forced to shut, telephone lines had been disconnected. You bastards, why dont you, Gen Brar was heard on the command network On June 3, the Golden Temple complex had been surrounded by soldiers. Like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, whose surname (got in Punjab) was Brar, the man who was to head Operation Bluestar was also a Brar (Brig AS Brar). And both belonged to the same vicinity in Moga. While Bhindranwale was a rustic man raised in rural Punjab. Brar was an urbane, convent- educated man. Curfew was reimposed on the night on June 3, 1984. Firing briefly began on that night but stopped. It was the armys way to open fire to scare the enemy. But Bhindranwale along with the ever-alert Gen Shahbeg Singh wasnt ready to throw in the towel. According to the book Amritsar, Indiras Last Battle by Mark Tully and Satish Jacob, in the morning, even as young Sikhs holed up inside were ready to take on the army, Gurcharan Singh Tohra was ushered to where Bhindranwale was. He tried to convince him that the army was determined to kill him and that he should surrender. Bhindranwale looked at him angrily and called him Indira Gandhis agent. At 7:00 am on the morning of June 5, tanks hurtled past the Jallianwala Bagh, the colossal British mistake, and were headed to the Golden Temple. In another two days, the world would term this as a colossal mistake on the part of Indira Gandhi. For the next 15 hours, there werent many headways for the Indian forces. It was only at about 10:30 pm that Brig Brar launched a full frontal attack on the Akal Takht. Commandos were ordered to run down the steps beneath the clock tower onto the parikrama. But the moment they made their forward movement they faced heavy firing which resulted in casualties. According to Amritsar Indiras Last Battle when commandos were not able to take position, Brig Brar was heard over the command network saying, You bastards, why dont you go in. When the commandos made headways, they were being fired at the knee level. This resulted in many injuries but just to the legs. In hindsight, the military experts revealed that Gen Shahbeg Singh may have assumed that the commandos would crawl. And the Sikh militants fired at knee level, which saved them from being hit on their heads and torso. The Madrasis Goof-up during Op Bluestar The Madrasis were supposed to enter from the southern entrance but they got lost in the byzantine lanes. When they finally arrived at about 3 am in the morning about five hours late. It was still dark and while entering they opened fire on 7 Garhwal Rifle soldiers. Commanding Officer of Garhwals AK Dewan then shouted: Dont Fire, I am the deputy GOC. When the cock-up ended Dean launched a final assault but not without tanks. Dewan, who was monikered Chicken for his long neck. But he had a heart of a lion. The brigadier should have left the real battleground to the battalion officers. But he was tempted to be part of the operation. That the troops were under heavy firing was an enticement for Dewan. When he was inside, he reported to Brig Brar, who had turned temperamental owing to the situation. He asked, What the hell are you doing in there? I am commanding the operation. You dont move without my orders. But tanks or no tanks was the question. The request went to Gen Sundarji. He spoke to Delhi; first to deputy defence minister KP Singh Deo. Two hours after Brig Dewan had sought forward movement of tanks, he had permission. The effect of the tanks hurtling into the Golden Temple was devastating. The front of the shrine was completely destroyed and brought down. As the tanks came in, Bhindranwale along with his 45 followers went into the main hall and prayed before the Akal Takht. After the prayers, he asked his followers that those who want martyrdom, come with me, rest can leave and surrender. The Operation Bluestar fallout Eighty-three Indian Army soldiers were killed and 79 injured according to the figures released by the Indian Army. The number of Sikh militants and civilians killed was 554. Though, Rajiv Gandhi later admitted that nearly 700 soldiers were killed. Many prominent Sikhs like journalist Khushwant Singh and Bhagat Puran Singh returned awards and decorations conferred upon them. Zail Singh, the president of the country who had not been informed about Operation Bluestar was deeply distressed. On June 7, there was a mutiny in the 9th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment and the Sikh Regimental Centre in Bihar. On October 30, 1984, Indira Gandhi addressed a crowd of 10,000 people in Bhubaneswar. The most important words of her speech on that day were, Meri khoon ki har boond Bharat ki ekta ko mazboot banayegi (Every drop of my blood will work towards the unity and integrity of India). A day later, on October 31, 1984, minutes after Satwant Singh and Beant Singh pumped bullets into Prime Minister Indira Gandhis body. When a wandering voice came probably from a commando, who killed Indira Gandhi? Sub-Inspector Beant Singh replied, I. Four months after Indiras assassination, in an interview with MJ Akbar, Rajiv Gandhi said, At night, and often as we walked to the living quarters, a couple of times I wondered at his behaviour. He would stand with his gun pointed straight at me. Operation Bluestar took place in the first week of June. Bhindranwale was killed on June 6, and Indira Gandhi was assassinated four months later. But it didnt stop at that. It took another nine years to eliminate terrorism in Punjab. Telangana registered a stunning growth of 31.44 per cent in IT and ITeS exports, far beyond the national average growth of 9.36 per cent, in the past financial year. In addition, out of the 2,90,000 jobs created in India last year in this sector, 1,27, 594 were in Hyderabad. The announcement came at a time when the state is celebrating ten years of its formation with 21 days of festivities. In 2014, Telanganas IT exports was just 57,258 crore. But nine years later, the IT exports grew in just year (between 2021-22 and 2022-23) by 57,706 crore. Its IT employment also rose from 3,23,396 in 2014 to 9,05,715 in 2023. The states IT Minister KT Rama Rao, who has handled the portfolio since 2014, said explosive was the best way to describe the growth witnessed by the state while releasing the annual progress report of IT, Electronics and Communications department. The release of the report had been postponed for a day due to the train accident at Balasore. Super thrilled to announce that Telanganas IT/ITeS exports have reached a staggering Rs 2,41,275 crores in financial year 2022-23, marking an astounding year-over-year (YoY) growth of 31.44 per cent soaring above the national average growth 9.36 per cent, said KT Rama Rao. Despite the global recession and slowdown the state not only maintained its growth rate but surpassed the national average. It was sweet revenge for the state to surpass the national average since the state government had blamed the Centre for refusing to grant it the IT investment region (ITIR) which would have contributed to further growth. Telangana is making rapid strides in the IT/ITeS sector, positioning itself to exceed the target of Rs 3 lakh crore exports and 10 lakh jobs set in our second ICT policy 2021-26. We are on track to achieve these ambitious milestones as early as next year (2024) two years ahead of schedule, said Rao. n a surprise move today, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the places of 25 people in over two dozen cities of Rajasthan to expose the alleged money laundering in the question papers leak cases including REET-Level II and Second Grade teacher examination. About 50 sleuths of ED annexed with Central Security Force conducted raids in 24 cities in Rajasthan including Jaipur, Barmer, Dungarpur, Sirohi, Udaipur, Ajmer and Banswara. ED is conducting raids following a few cases moved under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by a BJP RS MP Dr Kirorilal Meena and former BJP state President Satish Poonia over competitive examination papers leak. ED officials are reportedly examining the documents of some of the accused and suspects including Rajasthan Public Service Commission member Babulal Katara, who is arrested by the Special Operation Group-Raj Police, a contractor Bhajanlal Vishnoi and others, the state police department sources hinted. However the EDs Jaipur office was not responding when the call was made and even the EDs website has not indicated any such raid or attachment of property in the aforesaid cases in Rajasthan so far. CM Gehlot reacts Saying that he was expecting the ED, IT, and CBIs entry into Rajasthan as the assembly polls are just six months away, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that all central investigating agencies were working under pressure of the Union Government. Allowing such ED/CBI/IT raids with a political vendetta, creating an atmosphere in ones favor and finding ways to win elections is not in the interest of the country in any way, Gehlot further accused and added, The Central government was not only guiding such agencies but also monitoring their day to day action in the states where the assembly elections are approaching. Rajasthans Anti-Corruption Bureau and SOG are doing a great work on paper leak case, so why did ED enter and create interference. I would be happy if ED does a better job than ACB, but I want to tell ED officers not to come under pressure from above (Central government), Gehlot told the media outside a venue where he launched the cash transfer to beneficiaries under LPG Rs.500 scheme. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Meena blames : Meanwhile, BJP RS MP Dr KL Meena said, ED raids are going on at 28 locations in the paper leak case. The state government, which has been giving protection to the paper leak mafia till now, is also afraid that if the truth comes to the fore, the chief minister who calls himself a Gandhian will be exposed. Meena further said in a statement, I have exposed with proof that the entire recruitment system is in the clutches of the copying mafia. Not a single recruitment took place in which there was no copying. I repeatedly requested the Chief Minister for a CBI inquiry. He did not agree to this demand, as the government itself is involved in the paper leak at the top level. By pretending to act on small fish, the Chief Minister is involved in a cover-up exercise, but the big crocodiles are far from being caught. One of the accuseds Suresh Dhaka is the master of many big crocodiles, thats why the SOG is not catching him. But now ED will expose the culprits completely, Meena warned. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state government has taken a major decision to abolish the condition of income limit for providing social security pension to the disabled, single women, widows, and destitute women in the state. This move is expected to benefit around 9,000 families in the state, he said, adding that the state government has also amended the rules to provide an enhanced monthly pension of Rs 1500 to all eligible women. Furthermore, the government plans to include 40,000 eligible individuals under the social security scheme this year, he said here on Monday. The Chief Minister said that the Government was introducing the Mukhya Mantri Vidhwa Evam Ekal Nari Awas Yojana under which financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh would be given to eligible women for constructing houses. During the current financial year, the government will provide assistance to around 7,000 single women and widows. He said that the Congress in its Pratigya Patra had promised a monthly pension of Rs 1500 to women above the age of 18 years which will benefit 2.31 lakh women in the state with a budget allocation of Rs 416 crore. Additionally, the government has also extended the benefit to all women above the age of 18 years in Spiti Valley in the, he added. The Chief Minister said that the state government was committed to ensuring the welfare of every section of society, particularly the underprivileged groups. As part of these efforts, the state government has also reduced the prices of mustard oil by about Rs. 37 per litre being provided under the Public Distribution System, thereby making it available at Rs 110 per litre to the consumers in fair price shops in the state, said the Chief Minister. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Odile Renaud-Basso, is going to visit Kazakhstan on June 7-9, 2023, Trend reports. According to the bank, during her three-day visit to Kazakhstan, the EBRD president will have a meeting with the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and hold bilateral discussions with leaders from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. Renaud-Basso's agenda includes co-chairing a plenary session of the Foreign Investor's Council, which marks the 25th anniversary of its activity in 2023. She will also address Astana International Forum and the Global Businesswoman Council. Within these activities, Odile Renaud-Basso will discuss the importance of digitalization and the acceleration of climate transition, the need for enhancing Kazakhstan's business environment through reforms, addressing inter-regional connectivity issues, and promoting economic diversification in the country. With over 10 billion euro invested in the country to date through 304 projects, Kazakhstan is the EBRDs largest and longest-running banking operation in Central Asia. Intensifying his attack on the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said India is facing caught between two ideologies one espoused by the grand old party and the other by the saffron party and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). There is a fight between two ideologies in India one that we (Congress) represent and the other that is espoused by the BJP and the RSS, the Congress leader claimed while addressing the Indian Diaspora in New York. He further said that the principles and ideology that the Congress holds dear are the same as that of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He claimed that the ideas espoused and propagated by the BJP and RSS were that of Nathuram Godse, a rightwing leader who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. The ideology that we follow is the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, an NRI and a kind and a simple man who propagated non-violence and had a lifelong quest for the truth. However, the ideology that BJP and RSS follow is that of Nathuram Godse, a violent and angry man unable to face the reality of his own life, Rahul claimed. Rahul Gandhi claimed that the key architects of contemporary India were all Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who kept an open mind about the outside world. The Congress leader, who is on the last legs of his ongoing three-city tour of the US, said all prominent leaders associated with the countrys freedom struggle, including Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Subhash Chandra Bose, were NRIs who kept an open mind about the outside world. The central architect of modern India, Mahatma Gandhi, was an NRI. The foundation for Indias freedom movement was laid in South AfricaNehru, BR Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, all were NRIs and had an open mind about the outside world, he said. India and the United States on Monday chalked out a roadmap for defence-industrial cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the two countries over the next few years. Visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin this morning held wide-ranging talks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on bilateral defence matters. The visit of the US defence minister comes a fortnight before Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to the US during which defence accords are expected to be signed between the two countries. The two ministers explored ways of building resilient supply chains. Both sides will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. Both sides reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement. They welcomed the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on defence artificial intelligence and defence space. They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Great to meet again with my friend @rajnathsingh and thank him for his unwavering commitment to U.S.-India defence relations. His leadership has helped paved the way for deeper collaboration, joint exercises, and technology sharing between our two countries, Secretary Austin tweeted after the meeting. Delighted to meet my friend, @SecDef Austin in New Delhi. Our talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation, Rajnath tweeted. In another tweet, he said: India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely working with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership. Stressing zero-tolerance towards drugs smuggling, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday called for stringent action against the drug traffickers in Jammu and Kashmir. The LG was presiding over the 5th UT level meeting of Narco Coordination Center (NCORD). The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh, senior officers of police, J&K administration and concerned UT and Central agencies. The Lt Governor took appraisal of the action taken on the directions passed during 4th NCORD meeting and discussed the comprehensive strategy both for the UT and district level initiatives to counter the menace of drug abuse. The Lt Governor also discussed action plan prepared by the task force, headed by Special DG (Crime) AK Choudhary. The Lt Governor called for enhanced coordination between all the security and drug law enforcement agencies. The action plan of the task force highlights the UT administrations zero-tolerance policy towards narcotics, he said. The Lt Governor called for stringent action against the drug traffickers, increased IEC activities, involvement of communities and capacity building of police officers and drug enforcement agencies. Higher education and school education department and concerned officers were directed to intensify awareness campaign and make Nasha Mukt Panchayat Abhiyaan a mass movement. Instructions were issued to district officers to ensure effective use of the Nidaan portal and to follow the directions of the NCORD meeting in letter and spirit. Special DG (Crime) AK Choudhary briefed on the agenda points and the measures put in place to effectively tackle the menace of drugs. RK Goyal, additional chief secretary, Home Department; RR Swain, Special DG CID; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor; ADGPs; Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, SSPs and other senior officers of Police and civil administration also attended the meeting. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has cancelled her scheduled three-day visit to Darjeeling, and instead she will go to Odisha again on Tuesday to review the condition of those from Bengal who got injured in the ghastly train accident near the Bahanaga railway station in Balasore district on Friday evening. Several people from West Bengal who were injured in the train accident are still under treatment at different hospitals in Odisha. I will be going there again to review their condition, the Chief Minister said on Monday. She also said that the identities of all those killed in the accident are not known yet. I had also sought a CBI probe when the Jnaneswari Express accident took place during my tenure as the Railway Minister. That was because Maoists were behind the incident. But nothing has happened although 12 years have passed since then. In case of the latest accident, the CBI has nothing to do. The CBI investigates criminal matters. Rather, the Railway Safety Commission should look into the matter, she said. On Wednesday, Banerjee will hand over compensation cheques to the family members of those killed or injured in the train accident from the state. The World Environment Day was celebrated today in different parts of the country with the governments focus primarily on Mission LiFE. The concept of LiFE, i.e., Lifestyle for Environment was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the World Leaders Summit in Glasgow at COP26 when he gave a clarion call to rekindle a global pursuit to adopt environment-friendly lifestyles and practices. As a part of Mission LiFE, a comprehensive and non-exhaustive list of 75 individual LiFE actions have been identified across 7 themes save water, save energy, reduce waste, reduce e-waste, reduce single-use plastics, adopt sustainable food systems, and adopt healthy lifestyles. The theme for this years World Environment Day was Solutions to Plastic Pollution, a topic which aligns with one of the 7 themes of Mission LiFE: Saying No to Single-use Plastics and is also linked to the implementation of a number of LiFE actions. The PM addressed a gathering on World Environment Day through a video message. Union Minister of Environment Bhupender Yadav visited a digital exhibition on LiFE and also addressed a gathering. Speaking on the occasion, he recalled the PMs global call for plastic solutions on World Environment Day in 2018. In line with this clarion call, India has banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items in 2022. The decision along with its implementation has not only been acknowledged at the domestic level but has been appreciated on the global stage as well. He talked about the Unbottled initiative of Indian Oil. Yadav talked about Mission LiFE and its reference in various international documents such as the Preamble of the Paris Agreement, the Cover decision of COP 27, the IPCC 3rd Working Group Report and the recent paper by the International Energy Agency. He further added that in addition to the three international initiatives by India; International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and Leadership Group for Industry Transition, International Big Cat Alliance was also launched recently. Yadav also released three compendiums prepared by NITI Aayog; namely, Thinking for Our Planet, Mindful Living, and Thought Leadership for LiFE. President Droupadi Murmu has arrived in Suriname on her first state visit to the South American nation. In a special gesture, President @CSantokhi of Suriname received the President at the airport with full state honours, Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a tweet late Sunday. In the first leg of her visit (June 4 to 6), the president will hold talks with Suriname leaders and meet a cross-section of Indian Diaspora in capital city Paramaribo. The visit will further strengthen the deep-rooted ties between India and Suriname, official sources said. Her visit comes on the invitation of her Surinamese counterpart Chandrikapersad Santokhi. During the visit, she will hold special talks with President Santokhi and will also participate in several activities. President Murmu will leave for Serbia on June 7 at the invitation of President Aleksandar Vucic. The United States today dismissed Chinas claim that it was trying to establish a NATO-like alliance in the Indo-Pacific. We are absolutely not trying to establish a NATO in the Indo-Pacific. We continue to work with like-minded countries to ensure the region remains free and open so that commerce can prosper and ideas can continue to be exchanged, visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said after talks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Austin said India and US shared the same vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. His statement came days after Beijing expressed apprehension that the US was planning a NATO-like bloc with its allies in the Quad to encircle China. Regarding the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Austin said: I dont want to get into speculationa number of things can always happen. I want to make sure we do everything we can to ensure things dont happen. And part of that is to communicate with each other and prevent any incidents from escalating out of control. Earlier at their meeting this morning, Rajnath and Austin chalked out a roadmap for defence-industrial cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the two countries over the next few years. Austins visit to India comes a fortnight before Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to the US during which defence accords are expected to be signed between the two countries. The two ministers explored ways of building resilient supply chains. Both sides will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. Both sides reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement. They welcomed the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on defence artificial intelligence and defence space. They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Great to meet again with my friend @rajnathsingh and thank him for his unwavering commitment to U.S.-India defence relations. His leadership has helped paved the way for deeper collaboration, joint exercises, and technology sharing between our two countries, Secretary Austin tweeted after the meeting. Delighted to meet my friend, @SecDef Austin in New Delhi. Our talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation, Rajnath tweeted. In another tweet, he said: India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely working with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership. Austin also met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The two leaders discussed cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military and aerospace domains to boost capabilities. They also spoke on the greater transfer of technology, co-production and building indigenous capacities in line with Indias Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. As India grieves train crash that killed 275, relatives try to identify bodies of loved ones Families of the victims of Indias deadliest train crash in decades are filling a hospital to try to identify the bodies of their loved ones Australian mother imprisoned 20 years pardoned and freed because of doubt she killed her 4 children An Australian woman who spent 20 years in prison was pardoned and released based on new scientific evidence that her four children died by natural causes as she had insisted Suspect in Natalee Holloway disappearance to challenge extradition from Peru to US, lawyer says The lawyer for the main suspect in the unsolved 2005 disappearance of American student Natalee Holloway says his client has changed his mind and plans to challenge his extradition to the United States Bill Gouveia is a Sun Chronicle columnist and longtime local official. Reach him at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @Billinsidelook . WASHINGTON (AP) Thousands of Microsoft Outlook users reported issues with accessing and using the email platform Monday morning. Microsoft 365 outage and problem reports peaked at almost 18,000 shortly after 11 a.m. Eastern Monday morning, according to outage tracker Downdetector. Reports have appeared to significantly decline since then. Most of the reports expressed issues with Outlook. Many users of Microsoft's emailing platform shared frustration on social media, with some noting they were unable to sign into or load their accounts. The company said that it was investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web in a Twitter thread posted on its Microsoft 365 Status account and added that a downstream impact was also identified for Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. Microsoft 365 Status later said it had reverted an update and saw an improvement in service soon confirming recovery for impacted services. In a statement sent to The Associated Press Monday afternoon, Microsoft said it had resolved an issue preventing users from accessing some of our services. EAST ST. LOUIS A Cahokia Heights teenager has been arraigned on a two-count federal indictment for allegedly engaging in a scheme to transport machine gun conversion devices from China to St. Clair County. Carlos Akins, 19, is facing one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun and one count of transporting prohibited weapons without a license. The devices, commonly called "Glock switches," can turn semi-automatic pistols into automatic weapons. Glock switches have exploded in popularity in recent years, and federal law enforcement agencies are working together to remove the devices from our communities, said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. Our office stands ready to prosecute the individuals responsible for trafficking Glock switches into southern Illinois. According to court documents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Chicago intercepted a package of 10 Glock switches from China heading to an East St. Louis address for Akins in December 2022. Customs officials notified the Illinois State Police who partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for a controlled pick-up by Akins.A After his arrest, Akins gave law enforcement consent to search his bedroom where they reportedly found a Glock with a purple switch, an extended magazine and an additional cell phone. During an interview, Akins allegedly told police he ordered Glock switches from an app and had sold nine switches to customers for a total of $2,000. The growing popularity of machine gun conversion devices poses a very real threat to public safety and the law enforcement community, said Bernard Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Field Division. As this case clearly demonstrates, ATF is committed to working with our local, state and federal partners to investigate the trafficking and use of these devices and remove them from our communities. In January, Homeland Security Investigations seized another package of 10 Glock switches addressed to Akins. In total, Akins is accused of ordering 30 Glock switches from China. ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said conversion devices or switches that allow a handgun to become fully automatic are becoming more common. He added the ISP Public Safety Enforcement Group is committed to stopping the proliferation of the devices. In January, Homeland Security Investigations seized another package of 10 Glock switches addressed to Akins. In total, Akins is accused of ordering 30 Glock switches from China. T convicted, Akins faces up to 15 years in federal prison and fines up to $250,000. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. ATF and ISP are contributing to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Arshi is prosecuting the case. In Illinois as elsewhere, Civil War troops came from a wide variety of occupations. In one regiment, many men were future teachers. The 33rd Illinois Infantry, which originated at Illinois State University in Normal, was famously known as the Teachers Regiment since a high number of the men were students. The nickname was a nod to the original purpose of Illinois State, which was teacher training. A number of men from the greater Alton area were in the 33rd, which holds a special place in the history of both the university and the state. The outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861 riveted the university, which had been founded only four years before as the states first public institution of higher learning. Many students remembered that the war was foremost on everyones minds, and students could barely concentrate on their studies. President Lincolns first call for troops was for a ninety-day enlistment, but it soon became apparent that more time and men were needed. As one student wrote, the Illinois State president, Charles Hovey, eventually suggested that the Normal men should become prepared for when the call to action arrived. As a result, he organized the students into a quasi-military unit. An old brickyard near the school was converted into a parade ground, and a local military leader was hired as drillmaster. Nearly all male students and many teachers joined in, and female students watched the daily drills with anticipation. The group was eventually dubbed the Normal Rifles and became a daily part of life at Illinois State. The 90-day enlistments expired in July as scant military action had ensued, and Lincoln called for 500,000 more volunteers. Hovey accompanied Jesse Fell, an energetic Bloomington businessman and close Lincoln friend, to Washington during the third week of July, seeking authority to organize what he dubbed a Schoolmasters Regiment. Just after the Union debacle at First Bull Run, which Fell and Hovey had witnessed, Lincoln granted permission for Hoveys plan. Hovey returned to Bloomington and within a short time, over 900 men signed up for the regiment, including at least forty-six Normal students and teachers. The regiment was eventually mustered at Camp Butler near Springfield on Sept. 18, 1861 as the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Many of the Normal students in the 33rd, including the bulk of the Normal Rifles, went into Company A. Dozens of other Illinois State students enlisted in other regiments. In all, at least 117 members of the university community were in uniform. At least fifteen Normal men served as officers in African-American units, a reflection of the racial progressiveness of the university. In a time of lower literacy levels, the Normal men stood out in the ranks. The 33rd became famously known as the Teachers Regiment or Normal Regiment, though some simply called it the Brains Regiment, as some other college-educated men from other institutions also joined. Not surprisingly, the Normal regiment left an inordinate amount of written material on their experiences in the war. The regiment liked to brag that any privates discharged for mental shortcomings were good candidates for officers in other regiments. The regiment included some area men, though they were not students at ISU. Some troops from Alton, Jerseyville, and Otter Creek were in Company C, while men from Girard were in Company D. Lucius Rew, a 21-year-old Carlinville resident, rose to become first lieutenant of Company G. Rew was a teacher as well, though he was not enrolled at Illinois State. There were also scattered men in the regiment from Edwardsville, Staunton, Shipman, Brighton, and Bunker Hill. Like most Illinois troops, the 33rd saw little action early in the war. By the summer of 1862, the regiment was stationed in eastern Arkansas as part of the Army of the Southwest. The Unions objective was Little Rock, and Confederates mounted an attack to slow Curtis at the Cache River in Woodruff County, east of the capital. On July 7, 1862, Hovey was ordered to lead a brigade, including the 33rd across the Cache River when two Texas cavalry regiments attempted to prevent the crossing. The ensuing battle was nearly a disaster as the Federals were overrun, but Hovey and his men stabilized the situation quickly. In 1993, acclaimed Trans-Mississippi theater historian William Shea wrote that in a moment of inspiration, Hovey dismounted and picked up a rifle and cartridge box from a wounded soldier. He walked forward a few yards, found an unoccupied tree, and methodically began to load and fire in the general direction of the enemy. Hovey managed to fire two or three rounds before he was struck in the chest by a spent bullet. His regality as a college president, though, belied his toughness, reflective of the Teachers Regiment on the whole. Shea wrote that Hovey picked up the bullet and shouted above the din that the rebellion did not seem to have much force in it. The tide of the battle soon switched from retreat to advance, which carried the fight for the Union. Shea reports that the Illinoisans loosed a smashing volley at point-blank range against the flank of the Confederate column. The storm of lead practically annihilated the leading elements of the rebels as Hovey and the Normal men won a smashing victory. The 33rd was also involved in siege of Vicksburg, which began after failed frontal assaults on the Confederate lines. The assault of May 22, 1863 was particularly brutal for Illinois troops, including the 33rd. Of the 250 men of the regiment who participated, at least 76 were hit, with twelve dead on the field and several others mortally wounded. William Murray, a Cass County man in the 33rd who was not a Normal student, called the assault a useless sacrifice of life. One of the casualties was Jersey County native Daniel Webster, a 22-year-old private in Company D who was farming near Girard at the time of muster. Webster died on May 26, 1863 of wounds suffered in the assault four days before. The 33rd later served in the Red River campaign of 1864 and the offensive against Mobile the following year. The regiment was finally mustered out on Dec. 6, 1865. In all, ten Illinois State students sacrificed their lives for the Union. In the decades that followed the war, the university became nationally renowned for the number and accomplishments of alumni in public education. Many of those alumni were veterans of the 33rd, whose story is like no other in the Civil War history of Illinois. EDWARDSVILLE A Granite City man was charged as an armed habitual criminal after allegedly being caught with a handgun. Jeremy R. Wallace, 36, was charged April 20 as an armed habitual criminal, and with two counts of unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, both Class 2 felonies. The charges had been sealed in April and made public Friday. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, Wallace allegedly was found to be in possession of a Ruger 9 mm handgun. He has a conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm out of St. Louis County in 2018 and manufacturing/delivery of controlled substances out of St. Louis County in 2009. The armed habitual criminal charge stems from possessing the firearm with those prior convictions. Bail was set at $150,000. Other felony charges filed June 2 include: Ronald Hampton III, 21, of University City, Missouri, was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, a Class 2 felony, and two counts of aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on June 1 Hampton allegedly had a stolen Ruger 57 firearm and was carrying it and a Glock 17 handgun loaded and accessible in a motor vehicle without a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry permit. Bail was set at $75,000. Shawn A. Sherwood, 30, of Wood River, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony; domestic battery (second subsequent offense), a Class 3 felony; and interfering with the report of a domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the East Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on June 1 Sherwood allegedly strangled and pushed a household or family member, and prevented the victim from calling 911. He has a conviction for domestic battery out of Madison County in 2020. Bail was set at $50,000. Derek M. Wiggins, 32, of Livingston, was charged with unlawful violation of an order of protection (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on June 1 Wiggins allegedly violated an active order of protection by contacting a protected party at their residence. He has a conviction for violation of an order of protection out of Madison County in 2022. Bail was set at $50,000. Jessy J. Roustio, 24, of Granite City, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony, and aggravated assault, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on June 1 Roustio allegedly had a Cobra Denali .380 handgun without a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card or concealed carry permit and pointed it at another person. Bail was set at $30,000. Litzenburg EDWARDSVILLE Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd. shareholder Deanna L. Litzenburg has been chosen as one of five individuals for recognition on the Public Interest Law Initiatives (PILI) 2023 Pro Bono Volunteer Honor Roll. The honorees will be recognized at PILIs Annual Pro Bono Reception June 21 in Chicago. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NAUCALPAN, Mexico (AP) A quick-count sampling of votes for governor of Mexico's most populous state suggested a victory late Sunday for the candidate from the governing party of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, which would end nearly a century of uninterrupted rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party. Preliminary results indicated Delfina Gomez of the Morena party was likely to win between 52.1% and 54.2% of the ballots in the State of Mexico, compared with 43% to 45.2% for Alejandra del Moral, representing the opposition coalition, according to the National Electoral Institute. The forecast was based on representative sampling of voting stations with at least 95% certainty. The outcome will not be final until all ballots were counted. Participation was between 48.7 and 50.2% of eligible state voters. Del Moral conceded shortly after the preliminary forecast was announced. In democracy to be able to win, you have to know how to lose and I am a democrat, she said, adding she had total respect for the electoral authorities. Gomez, a schoolteacher making her second bid for the post, held a healthy lead in recent polling over del Moral. The former mayor representing the PRI struggled to attract a fed-up electorate bent on change. Gomez, who will become the state's first female governor, thanked del Moral Sunday night for conceding quickly. Respect for democracy is an indispensable condition for building the State of Mexico for the good of all, she wrote on Twitter. The State of Mexico hugs Mexico City on three sides, encompassing urban sprawl and rural ranches, as well as stunning inequality, violence and corruption. For decades it has been the heart of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. But voters appeared ready to finally oust the PRI in favor of Lopez Obradors Morena party in a race closely watched as a preview of the 2024 presidential election. Both candidates had claimed victory immediately after polls closed on a largely uneventful day of peaceful voting. It is a recurring and very regrettable practice in Mexican elections to win the narrative in the media, political scientist Georgina de la Fuente said. Del Moral was not only the PRIs hope. She led a bizarre coalition including the conservative National Action Party and leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution sharing only a common desire to deny Lopez Obradors party control of Mexicos largest state electoral prize. She voted Sunday in Cuautitlan Izcalli, a suburb northwest of Mexico City. Gomez campaigned largely on the far-reaching support for Lopez Obradors popular social programs. She voted early on a warm and sunny Sunday in a school in Texcoco, east of Mexico City. We want change, for them to pay attention to us, said Rufina Perez, a retiree living in Naucalpan, a suburb west of the capital. They all made us promises, PRI, PAN already passed and we know how it was, she said, expressing confidence that it would be different with Morena in charge. In Tlalnepantla de Baz, where old warehouses and industrial spaces have given way to apartment complexes north of the capital in recent years, Morena signs and flags were visible, as were those of the PAN and del Moral, but not the traditional ones of the PRI. Benito Elizalde, who retired from patching tires, had always voted for PRI, but this year said he supported Morena because it gave seniors a better pension. His daughter, 35-year-old Claudia Elizalde, complained that parties had focused on offering more to retirees, like her father, rather than improving security or health. Socorro Hernandez was more focused on what the state election could mean on the national political stage. The retiree from Naucalpan said it was very important that she voted Sunday to show disagreement with Lopez Obrador's party. In Huehuetoca, also north of Mexico City, Alejandra Santillan Torres, a 29-year-old homemaker, said the elections are important so that they take into account the workers. Torres said she voted for the governing PRI, as she has in the past, because she felt they were doing well. On Friday, the president said he hoped for a calm vote and was very, very optimistic. His party is also viewed as the favorite in next years presidential election. Even though it has not yet selected a candidate, the party has a couple of strong possibilities and the opposition is generally considered to be in disarray. Voters in the sparsely populated northern border state of Coahuila, where the PRI remains competitive, also selected a new governor Sunday. Preliminary results indicated the opposition coalition candidate Manolo Jimenez was on track to defeat his Morena opponent by a wide margin. But even if the PRI holds on there, the loss of the State of Mexico could spell the end of its political relevance on a national stage, a stunning reversal for a party that ruled Mexico uninterrupted for seven decades. ___ AP writers Maria Verza in Mexico City and Emilio Lugo in Huehuetoca, Mexico, contributed to this report. THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) Greek authorities rescued 91 migrants from a river islet and transferred them to a processing center near the border with Turkey, police said Sunday. Police said that the group included 32 men, 25 women and 34 children. The Red Cross was present at the operation. Several migrants told police they were from Syria. CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) Gunmen burst into a room at a men's hostel near the eastern South African city of Durban, killing eight people and leaving two others injured, police said Sunday, in the latest mass shooting in the country. Seven men were declared dead immediately after the shooting in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday in the Umlazi township. An eighth man died on Sunday, police said. Two others are hospitalized with injuries, and they include a man who jumped out of the window of the hostel room to escape the gunfire. Police said that 12 men were in the room drinking alcohol when numerous gunmen broke in, shot at them and then fled. Two of the men in the room were unhurt. South Africa is among the 10 countries with the highest homicide rates in the world and there has been a spate of mass shootings in recent years. At least two mass shootings were reported earlier this year. A child was among 10 family members who were killed at a house in April. Eight were shot dead at a birthday party in January. Last year, 22 people were killed over one weekend in three separate shootings at bars in different parts of the country. South Africa has reasonably strict gun laws but has serious problems with illegal firearms, police and community activists say. An average of 30 people a day were killed by firearms in South Africa in the first three months of this year, according to official crime statistics. During the same three months, police recorded more than 4,000 cases of illegal possession of guns or ammunition. ___ More AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LIMA, Peru (AP) The lawyer for the main suspect in the unsolved 2005 disappearance of American student Natalee Holloway on Monday said his client has changed his mind and plans to challenge his extradition to the United States. Defense attorney Maximo Altez announced the decision of Dutchman Joran van der Sloot just hours after the Peruvian government confirmed the extradition would take place Thursday. Altez said van der Sloot reversed course following a meeting with Dutch diplomats. He does not want to be extradited to the United States of America, Altez said, adding that he intended to file a writ of habeas corpus. He was visited today by his embassy (representatives) who made him see the mistake he was making by being extradited without due process. The attorney said van der Sloot was never notified of an open extradition process, and as a result, was not able to challenge it. Less than a week ago, Altez had said his client explained in a letter he did not plan to challenge the extradition. The embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Peruvian Foreign Ministry said it had "not received any complaint from the Netherlands regarding the case. Earlier Monday, the head of Perus prison system, Javier Llaque, told The Associated Press that custody of van der Sloot will be handed over to Interpol first thing in the morning Thursday, after which the Dutchman will be taken to an airport in the capital, Lima, to board a plane to the U.S. Van der Sloot arrived Saturday at a corrections facility in Lima after a long ground trip under strict security measures from a prison in the Andes, where he was serving a 28-year sentence for the murder of a Peruvian woman. The government of Peru announced May 10 that it would temporarily transfer custody of van der Sloot to authorities in the U.S. to face trial on extortion and wire fraud charges. Holloway, who lived in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, was 18 when she was last seen during a trip with classmates to the Caribbean island of Aruba. She was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, who was a student at an international school on the island. Van der Sloot was identified as a suspect and detained weeks later, along with two Surinamese brothers. Holloways body was never found, and no charges were filed in the case. A judge later declared Holloway dead. The federal charges filed in Alabama against van der Sloot stem from an accusation that he tried to extort the Holloway family in 2010, promising to lead them to her body in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars. A grand jury indicted him that year on one count each of wire fraud and extortion. Also in 2010, van der Sloot was arrested in Peru for the murder of 21-year-old Stephany Flores, a business student from a prominent family who was killed five years to the day after Holloways disappearance. Van der Sloot pleaded guilty in Flores case in 2012. A 2001 treaty between Peru and the U.S. allows a suspect to be temporarily extradited to face trial in the other country. The time that van der Sloot ends up spending in the U.S. will be extended until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings, including the appeal process should there be one, according to a resolution published in the South American countrys federal register. The resolution also states that U.S. authorities agreed to return the suspect to the custody of Peru afterward. The young womans mother, Beth Holloway, in a statement released after Peruvian authorities agreed to the extradition last month said the family is finally getting justice for Natalee. It has been a very long and painful journey, but the persistence of many is going to pay off, Beth Holloway said. Betty Friedan was just a fiery radical with a bad temper. Its convenient to believe this. But at a moment when many of the rights for women she gained are being overturned, its time to reconsider common wisdom about her character. Friedan, a towering figure in the womens movement who died in 2006, wrote the 1963 groundbreaking book The Feminine Mystique and co-founded the National Organization for Women and the National Womens Political Caucus. Fifty years ago, on May 1, 1973, Friedan participated in the first public airing of the pros and cons of the Equal Rights Amendment at Capen Auditorium in Normal, Illinois, with Phyllis Schlafly of Alton, founder of the STOP ERA movement. Schlafly wanted to destroy the amendment. Friedan worried that without it passing, womens rights and the movement itself would wither. The stakes were high. In 1973, 30 states had already ratified the ERA; eight more were needed to enshrine it in the Constitution. Schlafly would play on womens fears to slow the amendments momentum; by 1982, in part thanks to her efforts in convincing several states to rescind ratification, the ERA did not ratify. It also did not die. Thirty-five years later, after #MeToo, several states including Illinois began ratifying it. However, procedural complications and blocks from the right continue. On April 27, a vote in the U.S. Senate did not secure enough support to end the filibuster to start a debate on it. If youre trying to figure out why its so hard to protect womens rights in the Constitution, one answer can be found in this half-century-old debate in Illinois and the derision aimed at Friedan, especially since her death. The 2020 Hulu show Mrs. America in part focuses on Schlafly. In an article published last week, a Politico writer blames Friedans slurs, which in 1973 were reprinted in The New York Times, for tanking the amendment. The comments didnt help the cause of the ERA, which has yet to become a constitutional amendment, Shia Kapos writes. Sure, in the 1973 debate, Friedan called Schlafly a traitor to your sex and an Aunt Tom and said she would like to burn (Schlafly) at the stake. Today, those words would get you canceled. But at a moment when the rights that Friedan helped secure are in jeopardy, its time to tell the full story of this debate. The two adversaries share more than is commonly thought. Both were mothers, and both believed that the womens movement had gone too far. But in Normal on May 1, 1973, their differences were most in evidence. Friedan reminded her audience that a broad coalition of women supported the ERA the League of Women Voters, YWCA, church grandmothers, granddaughters, black and white in an effort to distance the amendment from radical feminists whom the media associated with the womens movement. Turning to a protectionist argument, Schlafly claimed that the amendment would hurt womens status as mothers and force them into the draft and to manual labor. Hecklers interrupted Schlafly, swearing and jeering, and objected to her calling them girls. Friedan plowed on. She aimed to strike down Schlaflys characterization of the ERA as radical, which she knew would alienate many moderates and Midwesterners needed to sway politicians on the fence. Friedan, who had spent a decade working on reforming laws to support women, was a liberal who did not want to blame men for inequality but rather sex roles. She later chastised Schlafly for criticizing the womens movement, since she had benefited from its gains by, for example, attending law school. In Normal Schlafly told the audience that the amendment would force them to lose status. The women of this country dont want to be lowered to equality, she said. Friedan, who believed that a good way to galvanize a movement in danger of losing its force was to create an enemy, accused STOP ERA of receiving funding from members of the ultraconservative group the John Birch Society, a charge that Schlafly always denied. Schlafly argued that women had won so many rights that the ERA was no longer necessary. Friedan turned the debate to how, despite the enormous strides the womens movement had made since she had published The Feminine Mystique 10 years earlier many spearheaded by NOW women still did not have equal pay or equal political representation. We cant value responsibility too highly, she said, especially at a time when Watergate was unfolding. When Schlafly did not back down, Friedan began lobbing slurs, which The New York Times reprinted in its Notes on People' column, as if the debate about the ERA were merely a squabble between two broads. Schlafly kept her cool, using Friedans temper to argue that the womens movement was so weak that it had to resort to insulting opponents. At a time when the fate of the amendment has become entangled with the U.S. Supreme Courts 5-4 ruling denying women the right to an abortion, we need reformers to speak up more than ever. Fifty years after this debate, we still dont have equal pay or equal representation; we no longer have reproductive rights. Without the ERA, we will not. Lately I noticed the recurring claim that public education results in harmful indoctrination of students. This false narrative amazes me. How does learning your science, literature, math and history result in indoctrination? Public education should be about dissemination of information, all information, without censor or bias. What is egregious is for a parent to demand the banning of a particular book or the teaching of a part of history because they do not want their child to be exposed to something they deem inappropriate. They wrongly leverage their parental preference to deprive other children of knowledge. There are fundamentalist Christian sects that believe that the world was created around 8,000 years ago. Should they insist on this being taught as fact to the entire class? Other parents believe that Black people are inferior to whites. Should this guide the teaching of history or biology for young students? When students and teachers can be punished for acknowledging the existence of gay people, how does that benefit anyone? Many conservatives argue that the way to reconcile parents disagreement is to just skip over those facts and history that create a few parents discomfort. So the class isnt taught about slavery or womens suffrage and the struggles that were a critical part of such history. But an ignorance is bliss approach is the exact opposite of education and it deprives students of valuable knowledge. Other conservatives are hellbent on ensuring that only praise and pride in the United States should be expressed. Criticism or simply owning up to some of the Countrys past mistakes is to be strictly censored. Why? We as individuals and as a society are supposed to learn by our mistakes. You cannot contribute to the greatness of this Country by only lauding its accomplishments and refusing to acknowledge its challenges. As parents continue to second guess teachers who possess the training and experience to educate children, they exert pressure and foment conflict that adds to teacher shortages everywhere. Historically, nearly 50% of teachers leave the profession within five years and the percentage is climbing while other teachers are simply moving from red states. Would you want to enter and remain in a career where you are underpaid, underappreciated, under a cultural microscope, and subject to harassment and vitriol for simply wanting to teach science and history without interference from persons who have not a clue about the subject matter? What many conservatives call exercising parental rights I believe is child abuse. When a child is deprived of the full measure of literature, science, and history they are left starving for facts and critical thinking skills that might propel them toward success. And when this abuse is allowed to appease a handful of zealots to the detriment of the majority of students, it teaches children to be cowards, afraid or disdainful of thoughts and ideas not shared by a loud minority. The situation is even worse if children are home schooled. My wife and I both have advanced degrees and neither of us believe that we have the skills and knowledge necessary to teach a child what they would learn from a phalanx of public school teachers. Even together we can find holes in our knowledge that would be filled by teachers trained to provide a full, general education to a child. Of even greater concern are those home schooling parents that adhere to the use of corporal punishment to subjugate children to the parents rule. Home schooling authors of the book To Train Up A Child, Michael and Debi Pearl, encourage corporal punishment commencing with toddlers. Such home schooling is usually associated with fundamental religious beliefs that interpret Biblical passages as encouraging child beating. Ironically home schooling abusers claim that public education would indoctrinate their children but they do not see that their meting out of physical and emotional punishment is the very definition of indoctrination. Instead, they justify their methods as producing respect for parents and fundamental Christian beliefs. I attended public school where I was encouraged to think for myself, believe what I chose, and question anyone that claimed to have all the answers. No books were banned. And although there was some whitewashing of American history, it wasnt long before we were made aware of slavery, the mistreatment of Native Americans, and the struggle for womens suffrage. It didnt make me feel guilty or ashamed of our country. It made me realize how far we have come and how far we still have to go. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Russian 'Wildberries' online platform, is currently considering the possibility of expanding its geographical presence to Tajikistan, the press service of the company told Trend. "Currently, Wildberries is operational in seven countries and is considering expanding its geographical presence, including in Tajikistan. We frequently receive inquiries from local entrepreneurs regarding launching operations in the country, which significantly influences the consideration of entering the local market," the press service said. To determine the potential of the e-commerce market in Tajikistan, the company is currently studying the population's purchasing power, transparency of customs regulations, availability of logistical infrastructure and other services, including financial and banking services, as well as IT integration capabilities in each aspect. "At this stage, we are working on logistics and customs conditions in Tajikistan. Afterward, the procedure and priority for launching the platform in the country will be determined. Regarding the launch of operations, we are primarily considering organizing deliveries through the marketplace model, which involves shipping products from the seller's warehouse," said the company. Currently, the online platform actively develops cooperation with small businesses in the CIS countries, enabling local entrepreneurs to enter the online segment, launch new brands, and sell their products in all countries where the company operates. Job Title: Senior Finance and Administration Officer Organisation: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: The Konrad Adenauer Foundation is a German political party foundation associated with but independent of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union. The foundations headquarters are located in Sankt Augustin near Bonn, as well as in Berlin. Globally, the KAS has 78 offices and runs programs in over 100 countries. Job Summary: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Uganda and South Sudan (KAS) is looking for a new Senior Finance and Administration Officer (full time). The position of Senior Finance and Administration Officer supports the implementation of the KAS programme in Uganda and South Sudan Key Duties and Responsibilities: Finance: Manage financial transactions under the budget of the KAS Uganda Office Monitor and track program expenditure to ensure adequate funding throughout the year and to contribute to annual financial planning and reporting Manage bookings within the electronic accounting and reporting system of KAS Manage all bank accounts and transactions for the KAS Uganda Office Supervise the financial planning and accountability work of all programme staff Maintain the filing and documentation system Generate the monthly accountability for the project, respond to queries regarding the audit of the monthly accountabilities Contribute to the annual strategic planning, evaluation, assessment and financial reporting of program activities Provide support and guidance to local partner organizations on accounting and finance matters Coordinate correspondences with contractors, service providers and relevant authorities Administration: Manage the administration of the office regarding procurement of office supplies, upkeep of the office and coordinating support staff Lead on correspondence with Ugandan authorities (e.g. issues regarding taxes, cars, work permits etc.) Coordinate the office cars and drivers, especially regarding servicing, fuelling, schedule for usage of cars and maintenance of the log-books Support and guide the team in the maintenance of the inventory list, library list, visitor list and publication overview Support and guide the team in the correspondence with contractors, service providers and relevant authorities Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant must hold a University degree in finance, accounting, business administration or commerce with a bias in accounting with full professional qualifications of ACCA or CPA At least four years of relevant professional work experience; experience in an international organization or context is an advantage Strong analytical plus organisational skills and problem-solving ability Good team-work orientation, interpersonal and intercultural skills A high measure of integrity, reliability, independence and flexibility openness to learn and ability to adapt and acquire new skills Proven knowledge of generally acceptable accounting principles and internal control procedures A strong and respectful team player who works goal-oriented and self- responsibly with little guidance and supervision Experience in office administration; experience in personnel supervision is an advantage You have an eye for detail and the ability to work accurately. Excellent computer skills and competence with Microsoft Office applications Good communication skills, both oral and written You commit yourself to our Mission: Shaping. Democracy. Together. Excellent English language skills; German language skills are an advantage How to Apply: All applicants should send the following documents: Updated CV Letter of Motivation inclusive references Certificates of Academic Degrees Email to: info.kampala@kas.de Deadline: 6th June, 2023 NB: Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview and might be asked to submit additional documents. For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Real Estate Entrepreneurs in Pune: Mr Atul Chordia Mr Atul Chordia is a prominent real estate developer based in Pune, India, who has played a pivotal role in the city's growth and development. He is the visionary founder of Panchshil Realty, a leading real estate firm that has delivered an impressive 29.5 million square feet of prime real estate across multiple asset classes. Currently, Panchshil Realty is working on developing 17.5 million square feet of additional space, reaffirming Mr Chordia's commitment to providing quality real estate solutions that cater to the ever-evolving needs of the market. Mr. Atul Chordia's first residential project was Satellite Towers followed by AXA Business Services. In the early 2000s, he observed the growth of the IT sector in West Pune and decided to construct office parks along the eastern corridor. He also introduced the International Convention Centre (ICC), which permanently changed the way trade was conducted in Pune. He introduced Tech Park One for IBM, which was completed in a record 180 days. Panchshil Realty launched India's first IT & IT-eS SEZ: EON Free Zone, which created wealth assets and employment opportunities contributing to the city's economic development. Mr Atul Chordia focused on the luxury hospitality market and collaborated with top international hotel brands to create a portfolio of projects with ambitious goals. Panchshil Realty continued to expand its portfolio with the Marriott International partnership and launched Courtyard by Marriott, Pune's first Marriott property, followed by Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Center (Now, JW Marriott). Pune's sole World Trade Center was introduced in 2010 followed by the launch of the Trump Towers Pune in 2013. Following the acquisition of Mumbai's Express Towers in 2014, Panchshil embarked on a significant venture by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Maharashtra in 2015. The purpose of this MOU was to develop four IT parks across Mumbai and Pune. In 2017, Panchshil further expanded its portfolio by acquiring the First International Financial Centre (FIFC) in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai, in collaboration with Blackstone. Panchshil launched the world's first Yoo-branded villas in 2018, followed by The Ritz-Carlton hotel in central Pune. In 2019, Panchshil launched Amari Raaya in the Maldives, introduced the multi-utility SOHO concept in 2020, and collaborated with GIC, Singapore, to build Eon West in 2021. Overall, Mr Atul Chordia's contributions to the real estate industry have significantly impacted Pune's economic growth and development, and Panchshil Realty's success is a testament to his vision and dedication. Mr. Atul Chordias awards Mr Atul Chordia, in addition to being honoured as a Member of the World Trade Center (WTC) Council, CREDAI-Pune, Young Presidents Organization, Pune, MCCIA, FICCI Real Estate Committee, and NAREDCO, awards, and nominations for his contributions to business development in Maharashtra and his contribution to India's economy, he is also a delegate at the Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA) and was nominated for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in 2015. Additionally, he was recognised as the Legend of Maharashtra and received the Icons of Jain Samaj Award for Dedication and Service in Business Development and Contributor to India's Economy by Maharashtra Jain Warta, as well as the 'Times Men of the Year Award,' 'Asia One World's Greatest Leaders in 2017,' 'Business Impact of the Year Award in the ET Edge Maharashtra Achievers Awards in 2018,' and 'Developer of the Year Award for The Ritz Carlton in the Hotelier India Awards in 2019.' Furthermore, in 2020, he received an appreciation award from Round Table India and JITO, Pune, and in 2022, he received an award for a leadership talk at Lexicon Management Institute of Leadership and Excellence and the Trinity Success Award for being an excellent speaker at ITP Media, India, as well as the Real Estate Icons of Pune Award for the Year 2022 by The Times of India. Mr. Atul Chordia dreams to build not just homes, but lifestyles. A dream to create integrated workspaces, and to shower hospitality with luxury. His approach is focused on planned development, creating value assets for the city while pioneering innovations in the real estate sector. Over the past few years, Mr Atul Chordia has adopted the best construction practices and has introduced the world's best brands to Pune while elevating the lifestyle and improving the skyline of Pune. A day after an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihar's Bhagalpur on Sunday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has vowed to take strict action against those responsible for the incident. "The bridge that collapsed on Sunday collapsed last year too. I have instructed officials to take strict action. It is not being constructed correctly and that's why it is collapsing again. The department will look into it and action will be taken," Nitish Kumar told ANI. The chief minister had directed the Building Construction Department's additional chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit to constitute an enquiry committee to investigate the matter and take strict action against the erring officials. This comes as the state government officials claimed the portions of the under-construction bridge were deliberately destroyed in a planned fashion under expert advice as it had design flaws. The bridge was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur. After the video showing the bridge collapsing went viral, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Additional Chief Secretary of Road Construction Department Pratyay Amrit held a hurried press conference. "A portion of this bridge collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said at the press conference. Amrit, who took over, added, "It was decided that we must not take any chance and wait for a final report. So we went ahead with pulling down parts of the bridge." The official added that the state would initiate actions like filing a case and blacklisting the construction company after the final report comes. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. "Last year, a portion of this bridge had given away in a thunderstorm. It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav, in an apparent riposte to the BJP, now in opposition, which sought the CM's resignation over the issue. Yadav disclosed that "many structural defects" have been pointed out by experts and "we have already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable. Today's incident confirms our worst apprehensions". No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident that took place in the evening and was caught on camera by some bystanders. The BJP had hit out at the state government following the incident, calling for the resignation of Nitish Kumar. The bridge was being constructed at a cost of more than Rs 1, 700 crore and it was supposed to have been completed by November, 2019. To this, the RJD responded that the construction took place "during the tenures of Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav and Nitin Nabin" as road construction ministers and asked whether the BJP would, therefore, take the blame. "This bridge is of great importance for north Bihar where connectivity will greatly improve once it begins to function. We are committed to completing the project after setting right everything that has been wrong," Yadav said. (With inputs from PTI) All is still not well in Manipur. Even as the Centre set up a Commission of inquiry to probe the violence that broke out in the state, fresh clashes was reported in Sugnu town of Kakching district. At least one person was injured in the fresh violence that broke out between the militants and the security forces on Sunday night. Reportedly in the fresh violence the house of Congress MLA was partially burnt in Serou, Kakching district. With the violence intensifying, the Commission of inquiry headed by former chief justice of Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba is set to probe. The commission will make inquiry of the causes and spread of the violence particularly between the two communities. The other members of the commission include retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar. So far, the violence had claimed 80 lives. It was on May 3 ethnic clashes broke out between Meitei and Kuki communities. The commission will also look into the sequence of events leading to the riots. Also, whether any lapses occurred from the authorities/individuals will also be probed. Complaints by individuals or associations will also be looked into by the commission. The inquiry report will be submitted to the central government within six months from the date of its first sitting. Interim reports, if any, could be submitted before the said date as well. The notification issued by the home ministry said that as a result of the violence, many residents of the state lost their lives and several others got seriously injured. Their houses and properties were burnt down as a result of arson, it said. The notification said the government of Manipur recommended on May 29 for the institution of a judicial inquiry commission to look into the causes and associated factors of the crisis and the unfortunate incidents happened on May 3 and afterwards under the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, PTI reported. On the recommendation of the government of Manipur, the central government is of the opinion that it is necessary to appoint a commission of inquiry for the purpose of making an inquiry into a definite matter of public importance, namely, incidents of violence in Manipur, it said. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (60 of 1952), the central government hereby appoint a Commission of Inquiry...," the notification read. The headquarters of the commission will be set up in Imphal. Since the ethnic clashes broke out on May 3, Manipur has been witnessing sporadic violence. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in the state for four days evaluating the situation. He had appealed to the people to surrender their weapons and also warned strict action against those who don't. After HM's appeal, over 140 weapons were surrendered. Searches were conducted by the Army in different places to recover unlicensed arms and weapons. (With PTI inputs) Amid growing calls seeking the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Rahul Gandhi, who is on a 10-trip in the US, slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, stating they always blame somebody else in the past for their failures. Gandhi, who is on a visit to the US, was addressing the members of the Indian diaspora in the Javits Centre here. The meeting observed a 60-second silence in respect of those who died in the Odisha train accident. "I remember a train accident when the Congress was in power. The Congress did not get up and say 'now it is the fault of the British that the train has crashed'. The Congress minister said 'it's my responsibility and I'm resigning'. So this is the problem we have back home, we make excuses and we are not accepting the reality we are faced with," Gandhi said, without naming the Congress minister. He said the BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. "He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is trying to drive the car...the Indian car and he looks in the rear-view mirror. Then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS. All of them. You listen to the ministers, you listen to the prime minister. You will never find them talking about the future. They only talk about the past," he said. "The BJP and the RSS are incapable of looking into the future. They never talk about the future; they only talk about the past. And they will always blame somebody else for the past," he said. The Congress also sharpened its claws against the Prime Minister. While seeking Vaishnaw's resignation, the party said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should accept part of the responsibility for creating an "all-is-well facade" even as the critical infrastructure of the Indian Railway "languishes in neglect". The party asked whether Modi will take responsibility for the "deadliest rail tragedy". It also asked who is responsible for ignoring the warnings and suggestions of experts, the parliamentary committee and CAG report. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Modi was busy flagging off trains while not paying attention to railway safety. He called for fixing accountability of all posts from top to bottom to prevent such incidents in future. Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil and AICC's publicity and media department head Pawan Khera too alleged that the Odisha rail tragedy was a "man-made devastation caused by "utter negligence, serious lapses in the system, incompetence, and a narcissistic sense of know-it-all attitude of the Modi government". Khera said the prime minister has a "Kavach" which no other PM had, protecting him from public scrutiny and television debates. He urged the media to not provide that shield to the PM. "This 'Kavach' does not save rail passengers but only your (PM's) image," Khera said. Prime Minister Modi, who has announced that the guilty would be punished, must first start with his railway minister, Khera said. "Unequivocally and unambiguously, we demand the resignation of the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Nothing short of it," he said. "Resignation means taking responsibility on moral grounds, here there is neither responsibility nor morals, do you think any resignation would come? We don't know whom we should ask for resignation. "The person who goes to inaugurate even small stations or the one who has been busy since yesterday morning in publicity. Modi ji, you decide whose resignation you want. But now the nation expects that you seek the resignation of your rail minister the way Lal Bahadur Shastri, Nitish Kumar and Madhavrao Scindia resigned," Khera said. After a long chase that lasted for over a month, wild tusker Arikomban was tranquilised and captured on Monday in Theni district of Tamil Nadu. Arikomban was located and captured at Chinnaobulapuram village of Chinnamanur block in Theni district, bordering Kerala. The tusker, who got the sobriquet Arikomban because of his fondness for rice, was taken by the forest officials in a huge truck to be left deep inside the forest in Tirunelveli, about 200km away from Theni. At around 3 am on Monday, the Tamil Nadu forest department officials spotted the tusker when it strayed into the Chinnaobulapuram village. A four-member veterinary team, which was waiting for the elephant with tranquilisers, captured Arikomban. It took two shots of the anesthetic to bring the elephant down. The forest officials bound both its legs then, brought three Kumki elephants, and slowly took it out of the village in a specially designed forest department truck. It was kumki elephants Suyambu, Udhayan and Muthu from the Top Slip Anamalai Tiger Reserve and a team of four veterinary officers who made Mission Arikomban, launched on May 27, a success. The villagers cheered and watched Arikomban being ferried out of the village. A forest department official said they wanted to keep the mission a secret to ensure the safety of both the animal and the villagers. We did not want anyone to panic, the official said. Arikomban was first captured in Kerala on April 29 and translocated from Chinnakanal to Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) following a Kerala High Court order. On May 8, the elephant was spotted in the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve on the Meghamalai highway. Following this, the forest department imposed Section 144 and asked the tourists not to venture near Megamalai. A few days later, the elephant entered Cumbum town in Theni district, causing panic. It ventured into the ration shops, ate bags of rice, and roamed around the village. One security officer was killed, three others injured and vehicles were damaged as Arikomban wreaked havoc in the area, leading to the imposition of Section 144 in this area as well. Later, 23 elephant trackers were deployed to track and monitor its movements and a team of veterinarians under Dr Kalaivanan was deployed to monitor the health of the tusker. Besides, a team of 200 forest department personnel was deployed for mission Arikomban and the movement of the elephant was monitored through a radio collar. A special control room with satellite technology was set up at the Cumbum forest range to capture the wild elephant. Arikomban will soon be released deep inside the Kalakkad-Mudanthurai forest near Tirunelveli, the state government informed the Madurai bench of Madras High Court. Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau has sought details of vehicles bought and sold by ministers of former PM Imran Khan's cabinet from the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department in relation to Al-Qadir corruption case. The agency has reportedly sought details of 22 former ministers. In a letter sent to the Punjab Excise Department, NAB has sought details of vehicles under the names of former ministers. According to Dawn, the anti-graft watchdog issued a letter to the provincial excise department, informing that NAB Rawalpindi was conducting an investigation against the 22 former cabinet members on the allegations of corruption under the provisions of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999. In view thereof, you are requested to provide the details/copies of certified documents of any vehicles' sales/purchase during the period of January 2018 till date in the name of the following persons by June 20," the letter said. According to Dawn, the agency has sought details of former ministers Asad Umar, Shireen Mazari, Pervez Khattak, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Azam Khan Swati, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Babar Awan, Omar Ayub Khan, Shafqat Mahmood, Faisal Vawda, Murad Saeed, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Khusro Bakhtiar, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Zubaida Jalal, Ijaz Ahmad Shah, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Muhammad Farogh Naseem, Muhammad Soomro and Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan. Some of the former cabinet members belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have quit the party after the May 9 violence. NAB spokesperson Kashif Zaman said the letter was issued a few days ago but did not specify the exact date. On May 9, the bureau arrested PTI chief Khan over the alleged illegal acquisition of land and construction of Al-Qadir University and extending benefits to the real estate tycoon and Bahria Town owner, Malik Riaz, by legalising Rs 50 billion that was identified and returned by the UK during his government. The arrest of Khan, 70, from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises in the case sparked countrywide protests, during which several public and private properties, including military installations, were attacked. The NAB had already summoned Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, "as a witness and not as an accused" on June 7. Khan also appeared before the investigation team at NAB's Rawalpindi office on May 23 where he was grilled for about four hours. Many of the 22 cabinet members facing the investigation have also told NAB that an agreement between UK's National Crime Agency and the PTI government was presented before them in a sealed envelope during a cabinet meeting. They claimed that the approval was given without seeing the contents of the document. Fawad Chaudhry, who was science and technology minister in 2019, told the NAB that he had not seen an agreement presented before the cabinet in a sealed envelope. Similarly, Sheikh Rashid, the Awami Muslim League chief and an ally of the PTI in government, said he had not attended that cabinet meeting, where the settlement with the National Command Authority was approved. Moreover, former federal minister Faisal Vawda even claimed that ex-ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was the architect and the mastermind of the case, according to the Dawn report. (With PTI inputs.) The India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday after holding wide-ranging talks with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin. Singh said India is looking forward to closely work with the US across various domains for capacity building and further consolidating the strategic partnership. The US Defence Secretary arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day tour that comes over two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington. "Delighted to meet my friend, @SecDef Austin in New Delhi. Our talks revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation," Singh tweeted. Ahead of the talks at the Manekshaw Centre, Secretary Austin was accorded a guard of honour. "India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership," Singh said. Earlier, people aware of Austin's visit said Singh and the US Defence Secretary are set to discuss the General Electric's proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhi's plan to procure 30 MQ-9B armed drones at a cost of over USD 3 billion from US defence major General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc besides other issues. India has been looking for manufacturing of jet engines in India under the framework of technology transfer to power its fighter aircraft. In June 2016, the US designated India a "Major Defence Partner" paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology. It is Secretary Austin's second visit to India. His previous trip to India was in March, 2021. In his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday, the US Defence Secretary said, "Our initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology with India lets us explore new ways to co-develop key defence platforms." In a major move, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi announced in May last year the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) to elevate and expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. The iCET is expected to forge closer linkages between the government, academia and industry of the two countries in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and 6G, biotech, space and semiconductors. The two countries have inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies. India and the US also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India. In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries. Kolkata, Jun 5 (PTI) The Centre is looking to include refractories in the upcoming Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 for steel as it aims at doubling the countrys production capacity for the metal to 300 million tonne by 2030, an official said. Refractories are a critical input for steel production, and India depends on the import of the raw material. The Ministry of Steel is currently in talks with the refractory industry to develop an incentive policy to boost domestic production and reduce the country's dependence on imports from China, he said. "The steel industry is a major user and consumer of refractories. Currently, 70 per cent of the refractory is consumed by the sector. The vision of doubling the steel capacity in the next 6-7 years requires focused attention on the development of the key raw material," Ministry of Steel Joint Secretary Abhijit Narendra said during a recent meeting with industry stakeholders in Kolkata. The PLI 2.0 scheme is expected to be announced soon, and consultations are underway for inclusion of refractories, he said. Under the first PLI scheme, the government had approved Rs 6,322 crore to give an impetus to the steel sector with an expectation of facilitating around Rs 30,000 crore investment and additional capacity creation of about 25 million tonne of speciality steel over the next five years. Refractories are materials used by the steel industry to line the internal furnaces for iron and steel making. While the cost of refractory amounts to only 2-3 per cent of steel production, it is an essential component without which not a single tonne of steel can be produced, according to experts. State-run SAIL Bhilai Steel Plant Director Anirban Dasgupta has called for the expansion of the refractory industry and collaboration with the steel sector for a joint mission to become self-reliant. "The refractory industry has to expand in tandem and even at conservative estimates, the consumption of refractories for steel will be 2.5-3 million tonne by 2030 to see steel making getting doubled," Dasgupta said. He also recommended the beneficiation of magnesite in India, which is currently missing, to reduce the refractory industry's dependence on single-source raw materials. The Rs 15,000-crore refractory sector is also passing through some challenges in sourcing raw materials and imports from China, an industry official said. The objective of the PLI scheme is to boost domestic manufacturing and attract investments in identified sectors. The scheme provides financial incentives to companies that meet certain production and investment targets. MUMBAI, India, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the occasion of World Environment Day, TechnoServe launches the first cohort of the Greenr Sustainability Accelerator supported by the IKEA Foundation and the Visa Foundation. Over the next 3 years, Greenr Accelerator, a TechnoServe initiative, will nurture 400 high growth businesses across 5 cohorts to make sizable strides in the Environment Action space. The Greenr Sustainability Accelerator is a one-of-a-kind sustainability focused accelerator designed and run by TechnoServe India. It is a year-long, equity-free accelerator that provides tailored business advice to high-growth businesses with products and services that have a positive impact on the environment. The Accelerator's mission is to develop a thriving green business ecosystem that helps mitigate environmental degradation, and uplifts communities, by linking them to knowledge, capital and markets. The program will do so by scaling consumption of the sustainable products/services offered by promising environment action businesses. With a focus on solutions in sectors such as waste management, textiles, forestry, climate-tech, renewable energy and more, across India. Greenr Accelerator is also creating opportunities to empower and advance women leaders and founders in business. Commenting on the launch of the program, Punit Gupta, Country Director, TechnoServeIndia said, "The challenges faced by green businesses in India are quite unique unlike other traditional MSMEs. With our Greenr Accelerator, we look forward to backing visionary founders and their teams and help them build world-class businesses. We expect this to bring transformative environmental impact and build a brand of conscious capitalism in India." What's unique about the Accelerator is that each business will be matched to top Business Advisors. These Advisors, full-time staff at TechnoServe, will work closely with entrepreneurs to identify and execute growth strategies tailored to scale their business while achieving greater environmental impact. The participating entrepreneurs will also be a part of a close-knit environment action community of like-minded peers, sector specialists, subject matter experts in India. Entrepreneurs will also participate in a business training and planning course in collaboration with SP Jain School of Global Management. The Accelerator will culminate in a Demo Day with funding opportunities from equity, debt and philanthropic financiers such as Vertex Ventures, Omnivore, Green Artha, India Angel Network, 3i Partners, Peak Ventures, to name a few. The Greenr Accelerator also joins forces with marquee organizations dedicated to enabling and accelerating environment entrepreneurship such Saahas Zero Waste, Indigram Labs, Climate Asia, FICCI Flo, NDBI, and Marico Innovation Foundation.. The Environment Action sector has a dearth of this nature of support. As a result, many growing businesses with sustainable products/services typically are unable to build a large consumer base or shut shop despite their best efforts. Small & medium green businesses play a pivotal role in mitigating climate risk and environment degradation. In contrast to MNCs and governments, small businesses can innovate faster, addressing the urgent need for sustainable products and services. By accelerating their scale and keeping green businesses alive, TechnoServe is acting as a backbone to the sustainability sector in India. The Greenr Sustainability Accelerator is unique in that they neither take an equity position nor charge a fee for participation as TechnoServe is a not-for-profit economic development organization. If one is an Environment Action Entrepreneur looking to scale their business, stay in touch. Applications for the second cohort open later this year. About TechnoServe TechnoServe is a global leader in micro, small, and growing business acceleration, managing a successful portfolio of 47 programs across 30 countries. TechnoServe works directly with businesses and across whole market systems to make them more sustainable environmentally, socially, and commercially. The IKEA Foundation and the Visa Foundation are committed to making a positive impact in the world through their joint effort to develop the Greenr Accelerator. They believe in the power of private enterprise to create jobs and transform lives. For more information about Greenr Accelerator, visit www.getgreenr.org If you're interested in applying for the accelerator, write to us at hello@getgreenr.org. If you're like-minded and would like to partner with us, write to us at partners@getgreenr.org. About the IKEA Foundation IKEA Foundation is a Dutch foundation founded in 1982 by Ingvar Kamprad, a Swedish billionaire and founder of IKEA. Independent from the retail business, the IKEA Foundation's sole focus is to create brighter lives on a livable planet through philanthropy and grantmaking. As of 2020, the total grants disbursed by the foundation amounted to $220+ million. Read more about the work done by the IKEA Foundation at https://ikeafoundation.org/themes/. About the Visa Foundation The Visa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Visa, is committed to helping low-income, financially underserved micro and small enterprises around the world to thrive and prosper. The Foundation, registered in the U.S. as a 501(c (3) entity, also supports broader community needs as well as humanitarian responses in times of crisis. Read more about the work done by the Visa Foundation at https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/visa-foundation.html. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2092733/GreenrAcceleratorSectors.jpg (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Schneider Electric and steel maker Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel (AMNS) India have partnered to set up an institute for imparting engineering and technical education with a special emphasis on manufacturing and sustainability. The companies have entered into a memorandum of understanding and a body called New Age Makers Institute of Technology (NAMTECH) will be set up at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Schneider Electric said in a statement on Monday. "Schneider Electric and AMNS India today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a state-of-the-art smart campus at Ahmedabad, Gujarat," it said. The campus will lay special emphasis on manufacturing and sustainability. NAMTECH will start operating in an interim campus in the Research Park at IIT Gandhinagar from August 2023. Deepak Sharma, Zone President-Greater India, MD & CEO of Schneider Electric India, said the strategic partnership opens avenues for us to provide comprehensive training to young individuals from diverse backgrounds, equipping them with digital skills to thrive as proficient technicians and engineers. NAMTECH and Schneider Electric will collaborate to design and deliver short and long-term academic programmes, starting with a professional Master's programme in Smart Manufacturing and a professional Technologist programme in Automation. They will also work in tandem on the design and delivery of a smart campus and several technical labs at the campus in Ahmedabad. "This initiative reinforces our commitment to fostering innovation and equipping young people with essential skills and knowledge required to excel in the digital era of manufacturing," Dilip Oommen, Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS INDIA), said. New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) The civil aviation ministry will hold discussions with airlines later in the day on issues related to airfares, which have surged on certain routes in recent weeks, according to an official. Airfares have jumped significantly on certain routes, especially in the wake of crisis-hit Go First suspending operations from May 3. The meeting with representatives of airlines is likely to be chaired by civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the official said. The official also said that airfares are deregulated and the meeting is for monitoring and facilitation purposes. Amid a rise in airfares on certain routes, Scindia, last week, said the ministry was doing an analysis of routes that have been affected by the suspension of flights by Go First. Go First is undergoing an insolvency resolution process. New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) The government on Monday asked airlines to devise a mechanism to ensure reasonable airfares amid a surge in air ticket prices, particularly on certain routes that were earlier served by Go First. In the case of the unfortunate Odisha tragedy, airlines have been advised to provide free carriage (cargo) services to the families of the deceased, the civil aviation ministry said. During an hour-long meeting of the airlines advisory group, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia shared his concerns about the steep rise in airfares on certain routes. Airlines have been asked to self-monitor airfares on routes that have seen a considerable rise in ticket prices, particularly those that were served by Go First earlier. Go First stopped flying from May 3 and the reduction of capacity due to the crisis at the budget airline has come at a time when the peak domestic air travel period is round the corner. A mechanism should be devised by airlines to ensure reasonable pricing within the high RBDs (Reservation Booking Designator) and the same would be monitored by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the ministry said in a statement. Airfares are deregulated under the current regulatory regime. Besides, the ministry has said that during any calamity, airlines need to keep a tight check on the pricing of air tickets "in view of the humanitarian situation and monitor and control any surge in ticket prices to/ from that region". After the deregulation of the country's airline sector, airfares are market-driven and are neither established nor regulated by the government. Airline pricing runs in multiple levels (buckets or Reservation Booking Designators). Scindia, on March 16, informed the Lok Sabha that "airfares are neither established nor regulated by the government". "The airline pricing system runs in multiple levels (buckets) which are in line with practices being followed globally. The prices are fixed by airlines keeping in mind the market, demand, seasonality and other market forces. The airfare increases with an increase in demand for seats as the lower fare buckets get sold out fast when bookings are offered by airlines," he had said in a written reply. India is one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world and domestic passenger traffic has been rising after being significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In April, domestic airlines flew 128.88 lakh passengers, as per the latest official data. Crisis-hit Go First is undergoing a voluntary insolvency resolution process. Istanbul, Jun 5 (PTI) IndiGo aims to carry 100 million passengers in the year ending March 2024, as the carrier adds more domestic and international routes, its CEO Pieter Elbers said on Monday. The budget carrier flew 86 million passengers in FY23. At a media briefing on the sidelines of the IATA World Air Transport Summit here, Elbers said the airline expects to have around 350 planes in its fleet by the end of this fiscal (FY24). Currently, the carrier has more than 300 aircraft. IndiGo is India's largest airline with more than 57 per cent domestic market share. To a query on bilateral flying rights, Elbers said it is up to the government to decide on whether to give more rights or not. It requires a "tailor-made approach," he added. PTI RAM (The correspondent is in Istanbul on the invitation of IATA) DRR Peshawar, Jun 5 (PTI) Two soldiers and two militants were killed during an exchange of fire in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Army said on Monday. The exchange of fire that took place between Pakistani troops and terrorists in the North Waziristan district of the province also left two other militants injured, the Dawn newspaper quoted Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the armys media affairs wing as saying. The statement said weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists while sanitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area. Armed forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism, the statement said. Last week, at least four militants were killed in two separate similar incidents in the Afghan bordering North Waziristan district while a soldier protecting a polio team was killed. Although the Pakistani military claims it has cleared North Waziristan of militants, occasional attacks and shootouts continue, raising concerns that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which earlier had a stronghold in the district, are regrouping in the area. The TTP is a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, as the US and NATO forces withdrew from the country after two decades of war. The TTP unilaterally ended a cease-fire agreement with the Pakistani government last November and has since stepped up its attacks in the country. New York, Jun 5 (PTI) An Indian-American has lost his life while rescuing his 12-year-old son at a beach in the US state of California, a report said. Multiple agencies were dispatched to Panther State Beach in Santa Cruz County just after 6 pm last Monday when Srinivasa Murthy Jonnalagadda entered the water to rescue his minor son who was unable to get out of the water, California Fire said on Twitter. Jonnalagadda, who did not know how to swim, managed to rescue his son but was then dragged by the riptide into deeper waters and drowned as his family helplessly bore witness. He was then boarded onto a California Highway Patrol helicopter and taken to the Stanford Hospital where he died later, FOX KTVU reported. Another man, who helped Jonnalagadda rescue his son, however, got out of the water on his own without any injuries, the report said. Lahore, Jun 5 (PTI) Former health minister of Pakistan's Punjab province Dr Yasmin Rashid was the "key planner" of the May 9 attack on the historic Jinnah House or the Corps Commander House here, Punjab police chief Dr Usman Anwar has said after an anti-terrorism court discharged her in the case. The Punjab Police will also challenge the anti-terrorism court's (ATC) decision ordering the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central Punjab president in the corps commander house attack case in the high court, Dawn News quoted the Inspector General as saying on Sunday. Addressing a press conference at the Central Police Office (CPO) along with Lahore police chief Bilal Siddique Kamyana, Anwar said: We are confident enough to prove in a court of law that these PTI leaders were not innocent and that the attacks were not carried out all of a sudden in reaction to the arrest of the PTI chairman (Imran Khan). We detected 41 calls of the PTI leader Yasmin Rashid, among other party leaders, which were enough to produce as evidence in a court of law to prove them as planners and perpetrators of the attacks on the military installation, the IG said. Anwar also played the video clips of Rashid on a TV screen where, the IG claimed, she was planning the attack on Jinnah House. Discussing the role of other key PTI leaders, including Hammad Azhar, Mian Aslam Iqbal, and Murad Raas, in the violence, Anwar said the police also traced the call records of these suspects to prove their direct involvement in the attacks on military installations. Khans party found itself in hot waters when protesters allegedly belonging to the party attacked civil and military properties on May 9 following the arrest of Khan in the Al-Qadir corruption case. Khan, who has a massive following across Pakistan, was later released on bail. The PTI supporters attacked military installations in different parts of the country, including the attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Lahores Jinnah House where the Corps Commander was residing, Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. Anwar said they would challenge the ATC decision to release Rashid and Hammad Azhar, adding that the police would present evidence that they had been making calls to protesters for attacks on the military installations. A report of a forensic analysis issued by the Punjab police confirmed the presence of Rashid outside the corps commanders house. The report said video and audio clips were sent to the Punjab Forensic Laboratory for analysis which established the PTI leaders presence outside the Jinnah House at the time of the attack. Her presence was also proved through a photogrammetry test, the report added. The IG claimed that a total of 215 calls were made to incite the mob that attacked the military installation in Lahore. Out of them, 41 calls were made by Yasmin Rashid, 75 by Mahmoodur Rasheed, 50 by Ijaz Chaudhry, 16 by Mian Aslam Iqbal, 23 by Murad Raas, and 10 calls by PTI leader Hammad Azhar. He said 50 calls from Mianwali were linked to the five top leaders of the PTI regarding the attack on the Mianwali air base. Similarly, 88 calls were detected from around the GHQ in Rawalpindi on May 8 and May 9, the IG Punjab said. He said the police have identified 708 suspects allegedly involved in the attack on the corps commanders house; 125 have been arrested so far. During the press conference, the police chief criticised the social media influencers of PTI and claimed that they were sharing misleading information about the torture of party workers, particularly female activists, which warranted action by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). He alleged the PTI leaders were misleading the public by sharing old video clips and photos to defame law enforcement agencies, making serious allegations that police were torturing the arrested workers. Law enforcement agencies have arrested over 10,000 workers of Khan's party across Pakistan, 4,000 of them from Punjab. Police put the death toll in violent clashes to 10 while Khan's party claims 40 of its workers lost their lives in the firing by security personnel. The Punjab Police had previously claimed, citing a geo-fencing report, that Khan and his close aides allegedly coordinated efforts to storm the residence of the Lahore Corps Commander and other buildings. The IG said that attackers on May 9 injured several police officers and other personnel of the police, leaving many of them with leg and arm fractures. Despite "all this", the police would continue to do their work only according to the law, the Punjab police chief said. Besides Rashid and other leaders, over 400 unidentified people have been named in the case. New York, Jun 5 (PTI) India-born Vikram Patel, a well-known researcher and mental health expert, will be the next chair of the Harvard Medical School's Department of Global Health and Social Medicine. Mumbai-born Patel, who is the Pershing Square Professor of Global Health at the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, will assume charge on September 1, according to an official announcement last week. Patel, whose work focused on the burden of mental health problems across the life course, their association with social disadvantage, and the use of community resources for their prevention and treatment, will succeed Paul Farmer, who led the department until his death in February 2022. Vikram is both a worthy successor and uniquely prepared to carry the torch, said George Q. Daley, dean of the Harvard Medical School (HMS), in a letter to the community announcing the appointment. A venerable and charismatic educator, Vikram was recruited to HMS in 2017 by Paul himself, and he shares Pauls philosophy that academic engagement is key to delivering quality and equitable health care to all, Daley said. I am deeply honoured to serve as the chair of the department, Patel said. I am conscious that I follow not only in Pauls monumental footsteps but also in those of some of the most influential scholars in global health and social medicine. I am motivated by the potential of this role at this critical juncture in the long and storied history of a department committed to the goal of health equity in this country and globally, Patel added. His appointment comes at a time of increasing awareness of a growing mental health crisis around the world, Daley noted, adding that Patel's energy, determination, and drive to find solutions will be invaluable as the HMS community responds to the crisis and acts on the goals outlined in the departments new strategic plan, the statement said. In particular, he noted that Patels deep knowledge of the complexities of mental health will complement the HMS communitys strength in neuroscience and neurobiology. Since joining the department he has been a vital source of intellectual energy and team building, which are obviously two qualities that will serve him well as the leader of the department and, in turn, will serve our community of faculty and learners very well, Anne Becker, dean for clinical and academic affairs and the Maude and Lillian Presley Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at HMS said. At Harvard, Patel heads Global Mental Health@Harvard, an interdisciplinary initiative that reaches across the University, as well as the Mental Health for All Lab, housed within the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine. London, Jun 5 (AP) Prince Harry's phone hacking trial against the publisher of the Daily Mirror kicked off Monday without him present and the judge was not happy. Harry's lawyer said the Duke of Sussex would not be available to testify after opening statements because he caught a flight back from Los Angeles on Sunday after the birthday of his 2-year-old daughter, Lilibet. I'm a little surprised, Justice Timothy Fancourt said, noting he had directed Harry to be in court for the first day of his case. Mirror Group Newspaper's lawyer, Andrew Green, said he was deeply troubled by Harry's absence on opening day. Harry originally was scheduled to testify on Tuesday. His lawyer was told last week the duke should attend the trial on Monday in case the opening statements concluded before the end of the day. The case is the first of the Duke of Sussex's several lawsuits against the media to go to trial, and one of three alleging tabloid publishers unlawfully snooped on him. Harry will be the first member of the British royal family in more than a century to testify in court. He is expected to describe his anguish and anger over being hounded by the media throughout his life, and its impact on those around him. Harry, 38, has blamed paparazzi for causing the car crash that killed his mother, Princess Diana, and said harassment and intrusion by the UK press, including allegedly racist articles, led him and his wife, Meghan, to flee to the US in 2020 and leave royal life behind. Articles he has cited date back to his 12th birthday, in 1996, when the Mirror reported Harry was feeling badly about the divorce of his mother and father, now King Charles III. Harry said in court documents that the reports made him wonder who he could trust as he feared friends and associates were betraying him by leaking information to the newspapers. His circle of friends grew smaller and he suffered huge bouts of depression and paranoia". Relationships fell apart as the women in his life and even their family members were dragged into the chaos. He says he later discovered that the source wasn't disloyal friends but aggressive journalists and the private investigators they hired to eavesdrop on voicemails and track him to locations as remote as Argentina and an island off Mozambique. Mirror Group Newspapers said it didn't hack Harry's phone and its articles were based on legitimate reporting techniques. The publisher admitted and apologised for hiring a private eye to dig up dirt on one of Harry's nights out at a bar, but the resulting 2004 article headlined Sex on the beach with Harry" is not among the 33 in question at trial. Phone hacking that involved guessing or obtaining security codes to listen in on celebrities' cell phone voice messages was widespread at British tabloids in the early years of this century. It became an existential crisis for the industry after the revelation in 2011 that the News of the World had hacked the phone of a slain 13-year-old girl. Owner Rupert Murdoch shut down the paper and several of his executives faced criminal trials. Mirror Group has paid more than 100 million pounds (USD 125 million) to settle hundreds of unlawful information-gathering claims, and printed an apology to phone hacking victims in 2015. But it denies executives including Piers Morgan, who was editor of the Daily Mirror editor between 1995 and 2004 knew about hacking. Harry's fury at the UK press and sometimes at his own royal relatives for what he sees as their collusion with the media runs through his memoir, Spare, and interviews conducted by Oprah Winfrey and others. His claims will face a tough audience in court when he is cross-examined by Mirror Group's attorney. The opening statements being presented on Monday mark the second phase of a trial in which Harry and three others have accused the Mirror of phone hacking and unlawful information gathering. In the first part, attorney David Sherborne, who represents Harry and the other claimants, including two actors from the soap opera Coronation Street", said the unlawful acts were widespread and habitual at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, and carried out on an industrial scale. Two judges including Justice Timothy Fancourt, who is overseeing the current trial are in the process of deciding whether Harry's two other phone hacking cases will proceed to trial. Murdoch's News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and Associated Newspapers Ltd., which owns the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, have argued the cases should be thrown out because Harry failed to file the lawsuits within a six-year deadline of discovering the alleged wrongdoing. Harry's lawyer has argued that he and other claimants should be granted an exception to the time limit, because the publishers lied and deceived to hide the illegal actions. (AP) PY PY Islamabad, Jun 5 (PTI) Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog has sought details of the vehicles sold and purchased by 22 members of former prime minister Imran Khans cabinet as it expands the scope of the investigation into the Al-Qadir Trust case, according to a media report on Monday. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) asked the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department to provide details of vehicles registered under the ex-cabinet members names to check them as part of the probe into the Al-Qadir Trust case, Dawn News quoted a source as saying. Some of the former cabinet members belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Asad Umar, Shireen Mazari, Pervez Khattak, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Azam Khan Swati, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Babar Awan have quit the party after the May 9 violence. The anti-graft watchdog issued a letter to the provincial excise department, informing that NAB Rawalpindi was conducting an investigation against the 22 former cabinet members on the allegations of corruption under the provisions of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999. In view thereof, you are requested to provide the details/copies of certified documents of any vehicles sales/purchase during the period of January 2018 till date in the name of the following persons by June 20," the letter said. NAB spokesperson Kashif Zaman said the letter was issued a few days ago but did not specify the exact date. On May 9, the bureau arrested PTI chief Khan over the alleged illegal acquisition of land and construction of Al-Qadir University and extending benefits to the real estate tycoon and Bahria Town owner, Malik Riaz, by legalising Rs 50 billion that was identified and returned by the UK during his government. The arrest of Khan, 70, from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises in the case sparked countrywide protests, during which several public and private properties, including military installations, were attacked. The NAB had already summoned Khans wife, Bushra Bibi, "as a witness and not as an accused" on June 7. Khan also appeared before the investigation team at NABs Rawalpindi office on May 23 where he was grilled for about four hours. Many of the 22 cabinet members facing the investigation have also told NAB that an agreement between UKs National Crime Agency and the PTI government was presented before them in a sealed envelope during a cabinet meeting. They claimed that the approval was given without seeing the contents of the document. Fawad Chaudhry, who was science and technology minister in 2019, told the NAB that he had not seen an agreement presented before the cabinet in a sealed envelope. Similarly, Sheikh Rashid the Awami Muslim League chief and an ally of the PTI in government said he had not attended that cabinet meeting, where the settlement with the National Command Authority was approved. Moreover, former federal minister Faisal Vawda even claimed that ex-ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was the architect and the mastermind of the case, according to the Dawn report. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The session of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) opens on June 5 and will discuss several important issues, Trend reports. The Permanent Mission of Russia to International Organizations in Vienna said that Ukraine, Iran and the trilateral military partnership of Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS) will be considered on the agenda. The agenda also includes the Agency's Annual Report, the Report on the implementation of safeguards and the Report on technical cooperation, as well as a number of other significant issues. Moreover, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said that a new item will appear on the agenda - Nuclear power plant of the Brazilian Navy. The session of the IAEA Board of Governors will last from June 5 to June 9. The Board of Governors is one of the two governing bodies of the IAEA and meets five times a year. Kathmandu, Jun 5 (PTI) An independent power association in Nepal on Sunday welcomed the signing of agreements in the energy sector with India during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda's' visit, saying they are of "high significance" for the country's economic prosperity. Nepal Prime Minister 'Prachanda' visited India from May 31 to June 3, his first official trip abroad since assuming office in December 2022. During Prachanda's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, the two countries signed seven agreements and launched six projects including new railway services. "During the visit of the prime minister of Nepal to India both the prime ministers signed a number of energy-related deals such as laying down of foundation of Butawal-Gorakhpur 400 KV transmission line, signing of an MoU relating to 480 MW Fukot-Karnali Hydropower development project and hydropower agreement for the development of Lower Arun with 669 MW capacity. They are of high significance for Nepals economic prosperity, said the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN). Both prime ministers expressed commitment to exporting 10,000 MW of power from Nepal to India and the secretary-level agreement reached for the Power Trading deal also holds equal significance, the IPPAN said in a statement. It also thanked Prime Minister Prachanda for taking important steps towards promoting power trade between Nepal and India. The visit of Prime Minister Prachanda to India created a positive atmosphere for inviting investment in the energy sector, said the umbrella organisation of the private power developers. The IPPAN urged the Nepal government to take necessary steps for creating a conducive atmosphere within the country so that Nepals power producers can freely interact and sell energy to foreign buyers. Prime Minister Prachanda said on Saturday that his meeting with his Indian counterpart Modi was the most significant aspect of his four-day visit to India. We discussed matters relating to further deepening the centuries-old close relations existing between Nepal and India in the days ahead, Prachanda said upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport here. The bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi at the Hyderabad House was the most significant aspect of the visit and the ties between the two countries have entered a new phase, he said. Islamabad, Jun 5 (PTI) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz on Monday accused Imran Khan of cowardice and said the former prime minister hiding from the public will be made an example for everyone. She addressed a public rally in the Bagh area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during a visit to the region. The person hiding in the bunker will be made an example [for everyone], she said. She also condemned Khan for the May 9 attacks and said that a former PoK premier was "testifying against Imran Khan". She was referring to Sardar Tanvir Ilyas who after being removed from the post of prime minister, has left Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and also blamed Khan for the May 9 violence. Maryam lashed out at those who desecrated the martyrs' monuments and said such people were not Pakistanis. Noting that the May 9 incidents brought tears to the eyes of the heirs of the martyrs, she said: Whoever treated the martyrs like this, the nation will not forgive them". On May 9, violent protests erupted after paramilitary Rangers arrested 70-year-old Khan, the chairman of PTI, from the Islamabad High Court premises in connection with a corruption case. Khan's party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander House, the Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad in response to his arrest. The mob also stormed the Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi for the first time. Thousands of Khans supporters were arrested following the violence that the powerful Army described as a dark day in the history of the country. The crackdown launched after May 9 violent protests have thrown PTI into a deep existential crisis with dozens of key party leaders quitting the party on a daily basis. Taking a swipe at the PTI, Maryam said the party has gone back to where it came from, a reference that it was promoted by the powerful establishment and now it is being dismantled by the powers that helped its rise. The party which made a plan to end Nawaz Sharif's politics is crumbling. Those who used to say that they will make others cry are crying day and night, she said. Khagaria/Bhagalpur, Jun 4 (PTI) An under-construction bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihar on Sunday, portions of which were deliberately destroyed in a planned fashion under expert advice as it had design flaws, claimed state government officials. The bridge was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur. Images of the mishap that took place in Khagaria evoked immediate criticisms from the opposition, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Additional Chief Secretary of Road Construction Department, Pratyay Amrit, to hold a hurried press conference. It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said at the press conference. Amrit, who took over, added, It was decided that we must not take any chance and wait for a final report. So we went ahead with pulling down parts of the bridge. Todays incident was a part of such a preventive exercise. Once the final report comes, which is expected shortly, the state government would contemplate action like lodging of FIR and blacklisting of the company which was awarded the contract, he said. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. As images of the collapsing portion were beamed on media outlets, state BJP president reacted strongly and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Choudhary said the incident shows that "corruption is rampant" under the rule of the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government. "Sub-standard materials were used for the construction of the bridge. The CM is least bothered about the development of Bihar...he is busy on his tour. He must resign from his post after this incident." Notably, one labourer died and another was injured after a portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in Nalanda district in November last year. Jodhpur, Jun 4 (PTI) Terming himself as 'Pratham Sewak' of the people of Jodhpur, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said if the need arises he would earn money by performing magic tricks, but would not let the people of this Rajasthan district down. The 72-year-old Congress leader was born into a family of professional magicians in Jodhpur. He made the statement while addressing the people during the inauguration of a newly built road 'Rao Jodha Marg' for the convenience of the tourists visiting the 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort. While citing his role in the development of Jodhpur, Gehlot said he had become the MP for the first time 42 years back. "What was Jodhpur then? No water, no train. But today, it has water, electricity, trains, roads, education and health infrastructure. I left nothing to be desired in these years," he said. He said if somebody does a research on Jodhpur, they would learn about its development and see what Jodhpur was and what has it become now. He also wished for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to grant heritage status to the Blue City. On a brief visit to his hometown, Gehlot inaugurated 16 development works worth Rs. 91 crores and laid the foundation of 44 projects worth Rs 1,000 crores in his run-up to the assembly election. He also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for holding up the schemes of the Congress government in the state, citing the examples of the Rao Jodha Marg and a refinery project. "This road project had been announced during the previous Congress regime but BJP did not continue on it, which delayed the project. Similarly, the apathy of the BJP towards the refinery project not only delayed the project but also shot the project cost from Rs 39,000 crores to Rs 72,000 crores", said Gehlot. He said this is a wrong practice and the projects of one government should be continued and completed by the incumbent government. Taking a dig at Gehlot's magician remark, state BJP chief CP Joshi said the chief minister has only exhibited magic tricks during his tenure. "You are a fraud, who is performing tricks by taking credits for the projects introduced by Centre," he said, adding that the Congress leader contributes some funds to the Central government schemes and then changes their names. What else the emergence of cash and gold from the cupboard in government offices is, if it is not magic, Joshi asked. New Delhi, June 4 (PTI) The first Delhi international Film Festival, being planned by the Arvind Kejriwal government, is likely to have several awards including one for lifetime achievement in the field of filmmaking, officials said. Slated to be held in August, the festival is likely to have five special awards and 10 other awards, to be given in different aspects of filmmaking, a senior Delhi government officer said. The Delhi government in its Rozgaar Budget 2022-23 had announced its plan to host an international film festival. The Tourism department of the government is preparing a blueprint of the event which will soon be discussed with Atishi, the minister in charge of the initiative, the officer said. The film festival will be held at Siri Fort Auditorium in south Delhi. "Several programmers have been hired by the Tourism department for identifying films from different countries and it is also possible to have a special section on films from countries that are members of G20, a summit meeting of which is being hosted this year by India," the officer said. The government may appoint a seven-member jury, including two from abroad, to judge films entries, he said. The Kejriwal government had last year launched 'Delhi Film Policy-2022' to promote the city as a hub of movie production through a slew of measures, including setting up a Rs 30 crore fund to support producers and a plan to host an international film festival every year. The film policy aims to promote artistic, creative, and cultural expression, to brand Delhi as a "vibrant film shooting destination" with easy funding and location approval and to develop and support infrastructure and local talent. Thrissur (Kerala), Jun 4 (PTI) The young woman who recently pointed out an immoral act in a KSRTC bus by a male co-passenger on Sunday criticised the welcome given to him by a group of men under the aegis of 'All Kerala Men's Association'. The woman said such associations want to ensure that women do not react to such incidents of misbehaviour. "I don't understand what great act this man did, prompting a group of men to go to the jail and garland him. Was it that he sat on a KSRTC bus and opened his zip exposing his genitals? I think this association wants to ensure that no girl should ever react to such acts. If a girl reacts, they will target her, attack her and make sure that she never reacts," she told the media reacting to the incident. The woman's bold and timely reaction questioning the accused Sayad K K's immoral behaviour on the spot and videographing it on her mobile phone helped police to arrest him. The association had on Saturday night arranged a reception for Sayad, who was released on bail after he was arrested on May 18. The crime took place when the woman was travelling to Kochi from nearby Thrissur. The accused, who came and sat beside her, initially spoke in a decent manner, she had said. After some time, he allegedly began touching her inappropriately and exposing his genitals after unzipping his pants, the woman had alleged. Though the accused, who was not ready to admit the crime, tried to run away after getting off the bus, the conductor and the driver managed to catch him and hand him over to the police. The young woman said she was now facing a lot of cyber abuse and threats from a section of men who are supporting him. "Do they have any shame? Will anyone who has a little bit of shame, or a mother or a sister or a wife at home, garland him? I suffered a lot of trauma due to this incident. The other girl who sat next to him in the bus refuses to be a part of this. She is obviously worried. She is worried as if I am facing these many attacks, what will happen to her?" the woman said. She said some men were now trying to make the victim a culprit. "I am sure if it was any other girl, she would have hanged. I am unable to do my work. I cannot open my social media accounts due to threats and abuses," she said. The woman had earlier said that after seeing her social media post about the incident, at least five women texted her saying they also had a similar experience with the same person in a moving bus. Nedumbassery police had registered a case against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Thane, Jun 5 (PTI) An FIR has been registered against a woman resident medical officer (RMO) of a government hospital in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly seeking bribe from an official of a private hospital to refer patients there, police said on Monday. The private hospital in Ambernath area was registered on the panel of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to treat patients, an official from Shivaji Nagar police station said. The RMO of the ESIS (Employees' State Insurance Scheme) hospital in Ulhasnagar allegedly demanded and accepted a sum of Rs 40,000 in 2022 from the private hospital's administrator for referring patients there for treatment and issuance of a referral form (permission letter) to patients, he said. She allegedly made an additional demand of Rs 1.50 lakh from the hospital's administrator in March this year, as per the FIR. The administrator subsequently registered a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) following which the FIR was registered against the RMO on June 1 under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the official said. No arrest has been made so far, he said, adding that a probe is on into the case. Pune, Jun 5 (PTI) A 46-year-old man was killed and three others injured when an iron seating structure meant for spectators collapsed during a bullock-cart race amid heavy rains in Maharashtra's Pune district, police said on Monday. The incident took place on Sunday evening near Loni Kalbhor area, on the outskirts of Pune city, an official said. The race was organised around 4.30 pm and an iron structure was put up for spectators to sit and watch the event. As rains with strong gusts of wind hit the area, a part of the structure slid in the soil and collapsed, trapping four persons under it, the official said. The injured persons were rushed to a hospital, where one of the victims identified as Balasaheb Koli died, he said. Mumbai, Jun 5 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the Western Region at 1700 HRS. BOM9 CG-NAXAL-LD BLAST * Chhattisgarh: 3 CRPF personnel injured in IED blast Raipur: Three personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were on Monday injured when a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites went off in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, officials said. * BOM10 MH-CABINET EXPANSION-FADNAVIS * Maharashtra cabinet expansion soon, says Fadnavis Nagpur: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the state cabinet will be expanded soon and the timeline will be decided by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. * BOM4 MH-SHINDE-POLLS * Shiv Sena, BJP will contest all future elections jointly: Maha CM Shinde Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest all future elections together, including civic polls. * BOM8 MH-AJIT-CANDIDATES * Winnability will be criterion while allocating tickets in NCP for LS polls: Ajit Pune: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Monday said "elective merit" will be taken into consideration while allocating tickets to candidates for the next Lok Sabha elections. * BOM7 GJ-PAK-FISHERMEN-RELEASE * 200 fishermen reach Gujarat after release from Pakistan jail Vadodara: As many as 200 Indian fishermen released by Pakistan authorities reached Vadodara in Gujarat on Monday by a special train from Punjab, an official said. * BOM5 MH-HC-SERUM INSTITUTE * Content posted against Serum Institute of India prima facie defamatory: HC Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday said content posted by two individuals and their organisations against vaccine manufacturing major Serum Institute of India (SII) was "prima facie defamatory" and directed them to delete it. * BOM11 CG-CHILDREN-THRASHED-VIDEO * Chhattisgarh: Woman thrashes 2 kids at adoption centre; FIR sought Kanker: A video showing a woman thrashing two children at an NGO-run adoption centre in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh has gone viral on social media, following which the district collector sought registration of a police case and also suspended the NGO from operating the facility, officials said on Monday. * BOM3 MP-ACCIDENT-BUS * 2 persons killed, 35 injured as bus overturns in MP Shivpuri: Two persons were killed and 35 others injured when their bus overturned after a truck hit it in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district on Monday morning, a police official said. * BES5 CG-TRACTOR-ACCIDENT * Two killed after tractor transporting sand illegally overturns in Korba Korba: Two persons were killed when a tractor-trolley they were using to transport sand illegally overturned in Chhattisgarh's Korba district, police said on Monday. * Kolkata, Jun 5 (PTI) Seeds were distributed, saplings were planted, quiz contests were held, and various initiatives were announced by the government as West Bengal on Monday celebrated World Environment Day. Hundreds of school children attended an event at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town where Environment Minister Manas Bhuniya was present. "The earth is no less than our mother. If we use plastics indiscriminately, there will be rampant pollution, which will be tantamount to assaulting our mother," Bhuniya told the gathering. He asked the student to report industrial pollution through the 'Paribesh' app of the government. "We will reward the informer if the report is found to be true, and also keep his identity secret," he said. The state Forest Department organised a programme at New Town Harinalaya where Forest Minister Jyotipriyo Mallick stressed on the need to save greenery. Mallick planted saplings of neem at the event. He said the government has already planted 1.54 crore mangrove saplings in the Sunderbans, and would continue the drive. At the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM), a quiz contest was held and a film was screened on environmental protection. An awareness programme on the unique celestial event -- 'Zero Shadow Day' -- was also held. Seeds were also distributed among school children. Noted astrophysicist Debiprosad Duari said the city witnessed the 'Zero Shadow' moment at 11.34 am. An art installation was created from plastic waste near Nicco Park in Salt Lake to spread awareness about plastic pollution. A large number of people participated in the event, organised by an NGO. A smart bin was installed at the campus of St Xavier's College in Park Street for the collection of used plastic bottles. "The bin has a sensor that will notify the data management centre when the number of discarded plastic bottles reach the threshold limit, ensuring optimised collection, " said a spokesperson of R-Pet, which is behind the initiative. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The process of implementing joint statement between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran on the resolution of control issues has begun, and progress has been made in this direction, Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi said at the meeting of the Board of Directors of the agency on June 5, Trend reports. In early May, the IAEA installed surveillance cameras at facilities producing centrifuge supplies in Iran. In addition, the agency has installed enrichment control equipment at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, as well as equipment at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Laboratory, to monitor the levels of Iranian-declared enriched uranium at the facilities, Grossi said. He added that these steps help to identify any changes in uranium enrichment rates at the mentioned facilities more quickly. The director general also pointed out that the progress achieved was not at the expected level. It must be a continuous process that all the commitments currently published in the joint statement come to fruition without delay. Regarding the progress in the matter related to the discovery of nuclear particles in undeclared places in Iran, Grossi said that Iran has provided an explanation about the possibility of the presence of low levels of uranium in Marivan. "Our assessment of this place is still valid. I repeat that the issues raised regarding Iran's obligations in the comprehensive monitoring agreement between Iran and the IAEA are monitoring issues and these issues must be resolved so that the IAEA can stand in a position to guarantee that Iran's nuclear program is of a peaceful nature, he noted. On May 30, 2023, informed sources in Iran announced that Iran and IAEA have agreed on two issues. The issue raised by the IAEA regarding the Abadeh nuclear facility in Fars province in the south of Iran, as well as the issue about the discovery of 83.7 percent enriched uranium remains in Iran, have already been resolved. In January 2016, JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 that a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed. On May 8, 2019, Iran announced that it had ceased fulfilling its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal. Iran announced that it will enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and will not mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA on Sept.5. On Nov. 5, 2019, Iran announced that it took the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA. --- Follow the author on Twitter:@BaghishovElnur Kolkata, Jun 5 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the eastern region at 5 pm. CAL16 WB-TRAIN RESUME-EYEWITNESS Stunned silence as passengers cross triple train disaster site Balasore: As the Vande Bharat Express crossed the site of the triple train crash at Bahanaga Bazar Monday morning successfully, the first train to cross the disaster site during day hours, passengers on board gasped as the horror of the devastation unleashed by the train pile up last Friday unfolded before their eyes. CAL15 RAIL-ACCIDENT-MAMATA-JOBS Mamata announces jobs for kin of train accident Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister on Monday announced state government jobs for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the triple train crash in Odishas Balasore. CAL14 RAIL-ACCIDENT-LOCO-PILOTS Train mishap: Injured Coromandel Express drivers stable Bhubaneswar: The condition of injured engine driver Gunanidhi Mohanty and his assistant Hajari Behera, who are undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, is stable, officials said. CAL13 BH-BRIDGE-TEJASHWI-BJP Tejashwi hiding truth over bridge collapse in Bihar: BJP Patna: Bihar BJP on Monday alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was hiding the truth over the collapse of an under-construction bridge in the state. CAL12 OD-RAIL-PASSENGER-TRAIN-LD RESUME Puri Vande Bharat passes through triple train accident site after tracks restoration, CRS begins inquiry Balasore: The first high-speed passenger train - Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express - after the triple train crash, passed through Balasore on Monday morning on restored tracks as the Commissioner of Railwy Safety began its inquiry into the June 2 accident in which at least 275 people were killed, officials said. CAL11 WB-RUJIRA-LD FLIGHT Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira stopped from boarding flight to UAE Kolkata: Rujira Banerjee, wife of senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, was allegedly stopped from boarding a UAE-bound flight citing a lookout notice by the Enforcement Directorate that asked her to appear before them on June 8, her lawyer said. CAL10 BH-NITISH-OPPN MEET Only heads of respective parties should be at oppn meet: Nitish Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that he was insistent upon heads of respective parties attending the opposition meet, which was scheduled on June 12, but has been postponed. CAL8 BH-BRIDGE-NITISH Strict action to be taken against those found guilty in bridge collapse: Nitish Patna: A day after the collapse of an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said strict action would be taken against those found guilty in the incident. CAL7 WB-MAMATA-TRIP-CANCELLED Odisha train accident: Mamata cancels Darjeeling trip to take care of injured passengers Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday cancelled her four-day trip to Darjeeling at the last minute to supervise the treatment and rehabilitation of passengers of the state who were injured in the triple train accident in Odishas Balasore, sources said. CAL5 OD-RAIL-PASSENGER-TRAIN-RESUME Puri Vande Bharat passes through triple train accident site after tracks restoration Balasore: The first high speed passenger train - Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express - after the triple train accident, passed through Balasore on Monday morning on restored tracks, officials said. CAL3 JH-HEATWAVE Heatwave condition in parts of Jharkhand from Jun 5 to 8: Weather office Ranchi: Many districts of Jharkhand are experiencing heatwave conditions with the mercury hovering between 39 and 45 degrees Celsius across the state, weather department officials said on Monday. CAL2 MN-MILITANT-CAMP-ATTACK Kuki militant camp burnt, after attacks on abandoned houses and gunfight Imphal: Irate villagers set ablaze an abandoned camp at Sugnu in Manipur's Kakching district, where militants from the United Kuki Liberation Front(UKLF) were staying after signing a peace accord with the government, police said on Monday. CES3 JH-FATHER-MURDER Son kills father over land dispute in Jharkhands Palamu district Medininagar: A middle-aged son allegedly killed his septuagenarian father with a sharp weapon over a land dispute in Jharkhand's Palamu district, police said on Monday. CES2 TR-CPM-CRIME CPM leader slams BJP govt on law and order in Tripura Agartala: Expressing concern on Tripuras law and order, senior CPI(M) leader Jitendra Chaudhury said the northeastern state had recorded 16 murders after the BJP returned to power for the second time in March. New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) A fresh chargesheet has been filed in the Kerala "gold smuggling through diplomatic bag" money laundering case and it focuses on the role of "kingpin" Ramees KT, the ED said in a statement on Monday. Ramees was arrested in the case by the federal agency on April 5. He is currently in judicial custody and lodged in a Kerala jail. The prosecution complaint, the third in the case, has been filed before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Kerala, and 27 people have been named as accused, the agency said in a statement. Ramees has been confronted with more than 2,000 voice memos of Telegram chats between him and his associates involved in the gold smuggling case that took place through the Thiruvananthapuram international airport, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said. "Ramees KT had divulged the names of various investors who sponsored the gold smuggling including persons from Dubai and also names of some of the beneficiaries," it said. The ED, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Customs department are conducting separate investigations into the racket that was busted with the seizure of gold worth about Rs 15 crore from the UAE Consulate's diplomatic baggage at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5, 2020. Former employees of the UAE Consulate in Kerala Sarith PS and Swapna Suresh, apart from Sandeep Nair and IAS officer Sivasankar (former principal secretary to the Kerala chief minister), were arrested by the ED in the case earlier and two chargesheets have been field against them. The total value of attachment of properties in the case, till date, is Rs 21.50 crore, the ED said. New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) A court here has modified the sentence of two-year imprisonment awarded to a truck driver for causing death in a 2010 accident to one year, saying courts should not always choose the maximum punishment for a crime. The sessions court said the magisterial court had awarded a harsh sentence to the driver. Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar Singh was hearing an appeal filed by Shankar Lal against the judgement of a magisterial court in November 2018 which had sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment of two years for the offence under IPC section 304 A (causing death by negligence). "Considering the fact that the accused is a poor person and is the sole bread-earner for his family, the punishment for IPC section 304 A is reduced to one-year rigorous imprisonment," the judge said in a recent order. "No doubt, the accused has committed a very wrong act which resulted in death. However, providing a maximum punishment will definitely be against the discretionary mechanism envisaged by the parliament and if a punishment has been provided which can go up to 2 years, the court should not always choose the maximum of two years punishment," the judge added. ASJ Singh upheld the finding of the magisterial court that Lal was driving his truck in a rash and negligent manner, which resulted in the death of one person and grievous injuries to another, and that the offences were clearly established. The judge, however, rejected Lals plea for release on probation. "In the present case, I am unable to find any justification for a grant of probation when the accused was hiding behind a concocted story planted through a completely unreliable witness and his act of rash driving has resulted not only in grievous hurt to the complainant but also death of a human being," he said. According to the prosecution, Lal hit a motorcycle on AIIMS flyover causing the death of a man named Upender and grievous injuries to his friend on March 29, 2010. The Hauz Khas police station had registered an FIR against the accused under IPC sections 279 (Rash driving or riding on a public way) 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 A. New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) A court hearing a case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots has warned the prosecution not to repeat the scenario of the public prosecutor not making sufficient arrangements for the examination of a crucial witness in his absence. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala was hearing a case of rioting and arson registered by Dayalpur police station against five accused which was at the stage of prosecution evidence. After noting prosecution witness Harender Singhs presence, the judge said the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) concerned was not present for examining him, nor was Singh willing to give his statement on the grounds of personal difficulty. ASJ Pramachala said it was a "bad scenario" where the SPP was said to be out of Delhi, without making "sufficient arrangements" for examining Singh, who was a "crucial witness" in the case. "In these circumstances, there is no other option, but to adjourn the case for today, with a warning for the prosecution that such a scenario should not be repeated again," the judge said in an order passed on Saturday. The matter has been posted for further proceedings on July 4. Shravasti (UP), Jun 5 (PTI) A youth has been arrested for allegedly raping and killing a 12-year-old girl in a village here, police said on Monday. The girl's body was found in a sack from the bushes along a canal in the Shravasti district, they said. According to the police, the girl had gone mission on Saturday and an FIR was lodged against the accused, Sheel Kumar, based on a complaint lodged by the victim's father. Superintendent of Police Prachi Singh said prima facie it seems that the girl was killed after being raped. The FIR was initially registered on the charge of kidnapping while IPC sections related to rape and murder, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were added after the body was found, the police officer said. The body has been sent for post-mortem, the SP said, adding that further investigations were underway. Thane, Jun 5 (PTI) A 30-year-old man was attacked and injured by two persons following a quarrel in Ulhasnagar town of Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Monday. While one of the accused has been arrested for the crime that took place on Saturday, the police are on a lookout for the other man, an official said. The victim had previously quarreled with the accused for playing music loudly during a function in Shahad Phatak locality, he said. The accused on Saturday attacked the victim with a knife and injured him, the official said. An offence under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and other relevant provisions of the IPC and Arms Act has been registered, he added. CAMERON CONWAY, Wheeler Golf, Junior; Conway shot an 82 at the ECC golf championships helping the Lions to a third-place finish. Wheeler trailed only Killingly and East Lyme. STONINGTON BOYS TENNIS; Stonington defeated Nonnewaug, 6-1, to earn the Class S state title, the first boys championship in school history. Stonington (19-1) won 26 of its 28 matches in four state tournament contests. RACHEL FEDERICO, Westerly, Girls Track, Senior; Federico scored in two events at the state track championships. She was second in the discus (119-7) and third in the shot put (33-3). ELI SPOSATO & ERIN VONHOUSEN, Chariho Track, Juniors; Sposato earned the state track title in the 400 with a time of 50.09. VonHousen was the state champion in the 3,000 in 10:05.31. It was the first state championships for both runners. Vote View Results U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any coercion and bullying of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin lobbied for support for Washingtons vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea. We are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. And every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities. Austin noted that the U.S. had provided millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic and is regularly involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance efforts in the region. He said it is working to combat climate change, illegal fishing and ensure that supply chains do not suffer disruptions ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations. Were doubling down on our alliances and partnerships, he said. He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Koreas missile threat and Chinas claims on Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing says is its territory, and said Washington has been stepping up defense planning, coordination and training with partner nations in the region. To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation, he said. But we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion. Underscoring Austins words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law, the U.S. 7th Fleet said. There was no immediate word of a Chinese response. In Singapore, Chinese Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, a senior member of the delegation accompanying Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, accused Austin of overtly or covertly making false accusations against China in his address. Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve its dominant position in the region. He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are remnants of the Cold War and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the Quad grouping with Australia, India and Japan to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation. Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, China is committed to the regions development and prosperity. Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained deeply committed to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to categorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. He added that Russias invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to just invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity. Conflict is neither imminent nor inevitable, Austin said. Deterrence is strong today and its our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. But Jing accused the U.S. of hollowing out the one-China policy, accusing Washington of supporting Taiwanese separatists without citing any evidence, and reiterating Beijings claim that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas sovereign territory. Theres no room for us to concede or compromise, he said. He added that China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters. Li, who became Chinas defense minister in March, declined Austins invitation to talk on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday. Austin said this was not enough. A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement, he said. Li, who was named defense minister in March, is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia but predate its invasion of Ukraine that were imposed in 2018 over Lis involvement in Chinas purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow. The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said. It was not clear whether Li, who is to address the forum Sunday morning, was in the room while Austin talked. He did join the American defense secretary and others later for a ministerial roundtable. Austin reiterated calls that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made in his opening address at the forum for China to engage in regular, direct communications to help prevent any possible conflict. For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime, Austin said. The right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now. Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon mutual respect. But the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining Chinas interests and concerns on the other, he said. The U.S. has noted that since 2021 well before Li became defense minister China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements. (AP) By Azernews Elnur Enveroglu On the one hand, peace talk, and on the other hand, not agreeing to the rules. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan's ambiguous statements in recent days have already been the subject of discussion. It should be noted that at the same time, the Armenian official, who says that a peace treaty will be signed with Azerbaijan in the near future, criticizes the border checkpoint that Azerbaijan has established on the Lachin road at the point of conventional border with Armenia in order to control its sovereign territories. We remind you that while the border checkpoint was being established, the forces in Karabakh and Yerevan, who were initially shocked, tried to attract the public attention by chanting slogans as if Azerbaijan was trying to commit genocide against Armenia. But so what of it? All attempts were again futile. The Armenian government tried to achieve its goal with one attempt at a time, but their ignorance of the fast-moving time machine made them step back again. Armenian politics is indeed very confusing and incomprehensible - and can change several times at once. Yerevan's political structure can also be called chameleon politics. It should not be surprising if the administration of Yerevan, which is sometimes outwardly blue, but internally red, makes various statements in the very day. Pashinyan repeatedly expressed the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in Brussels, Moscow or other meetings. However, when we look at Armenia's political structure from the viewpoint of its internal audience, we always find reactions that are completely opposite to Pashinyan's confessions. Let's take the approach of Grigoryan, the secretary of the Security Council. A politician who holds a position as a member of the Pashinyan government makes an awkward statement supporting the military presence of the separatist regime in Karabakh on the territory of another state overstepping the decision of the Prime Minister. However, Pashinyan has repeatedly stated that Armenia bears no responsibility for the illegal separatist forces in Karabakh. These are two different statements that contradict each other. As a result, the question arises again: who has the say in the country, whose word should we believe? As for Grigoryan's desire to sign peace with Azerbaijan soon, this is just a cheap excuse to show themselves to be smart and restrained in a desperate situation. If it were not so, Grigoryan would not have rejected the support of Russian FSB regarding security issues along the Zangazur corridor. As the saying goes, why you smell a rat when it comes talks on opening the corridor? Armenia tries to blame Azerbaijan while it is the only reason and responsible for blocking all communication lines and moreover rejects the third party while it also cannot resolve the issue bilaterally with Azerbaijan. Such a step also makes Armenia a source of suspicion. However, in the statement signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the mediation of Russia on November 10, 2020, there are special points regarding the opening of all transport and communication routes in the region. And most importantly, as the statement emphasized, the Russian Federal Security Service should take full control to ensure the safe movement of Azerbaijani citizens from Nakhchivan to the eastern part of Azerbaijan or vice versa. Thus, Armenia is again trying to disrupt peace and constructive negotiations with its contradictory behavior. Yerevan administration, which does not want the corridor to be opened, creates a meaningless obstacle with dozens of excuses and tries to refute the terms of the signed official statement. In any case, such a step of Armenia is unacceptable. This is nothing but a step that affects both the image of the government of the RA and the normalization of future relations. Another meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia is planned. A number of outstanding issues are expected to be discussed at this meeting, the date of which is still unknown. Currently, the parties are thinking about only one issue: demarcation and delimitation of the borders within the framework of the recognition of the territorial integrity of both states. Note that, for the first time in this regard, Yerevan administration accepted the request of the Prime Minister of Armenia to demarcate the border based on the map approved in 1975. For some reason, it seems unusual that Mirzoyan and Pashinyan acted unhindered in this matter, and silence reigned in the internal auditorium. Probably, either this map contains a secret that is interesting for Armenia, or the opposition forces do not have an excuse to cause any panic yet. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Iran may accept some minor changes to the text of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if assurances are given that the US will return to and adhere to the JCPOA, Trend reports. The US side has repeatedly announced that there are deep disagreements between Iran and the US beyond the nuclear issue. Although it is not impossible to reach an agreement on these issues, it will be very difficult to reach an agreement. Returning to and sticking to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will be possible under the JCPOA+ and the non-nuclear agreement. That is, there should be a change in the text of the nuclear agreement, an agreement on Iran's defense issues, an agreement on Iran's regional participation and the form of Iran's cooperation with Russia. On the other hand, Iran has so far only accepted the JCPOA signed in 2015 and has not accepted any additions or abbreviations in the text of this plan. In January 2016, JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 that a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed. On May 8, 2019, Iran announced that it had ceased fulfilling its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal. Iran announced that it will enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and will not mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA on Sept.5. On Nov. 5, 2019, Iran announced that it took the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA. On May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany), and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018. Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad. --- Follow the author on Twitter:@BaghishovElnur Chinas defense minister defended sailing a warship across the path of an American destroyer and Canadian frigate transiting the Taiwan Strait, telling a gathering of some of the worlds top defense officials in Singapore on Sunday that such so-called freedom of navigation patrols are a provocation to China. In his first international public address since becoming defense minister in March, Gen. Li Shangfu told the Shangri-La Dialogue that China doesnt have any problems with innocent passage but that we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of navigation (patrols), that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the same forum Saturday that Washington would not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion from China and would continue regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea to emphasize they are international waters, countering Beijings sweeping territorial claims. That same day, as a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate were intercepted by a Chinese warship as they transited the strait between the self-governed island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, and mainland China. The Chinese vessel overtook the American ship and then veered across its bow at a distance of 150 yards (about 140 meters) in an unsafe manner, according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Additionally, the U.S. has said a Chinese J-16 fighter jet late last month performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver while intercepting a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, flying directly in front of the planes nose. Those and previous incidents have raised concerns of a possible accident occurring that could lead to an escalation between the two nations at a time when tensions are already high. Li suggested the U.S. and its allies had created the danger, and should instead should focus on taking good care of your own territorial airspace and waters. The best way is for the countries, especially the naval vessels and fighter jets of countries, not to do closing actions around other countries territories, he said through an interpreter. Whats the point of going there? In China we always say, Mind your own business. In a wide-ranging speech, Li reiterated many of Beijings well-known positions, including its claim on Taiwan, calling it the core of our core interests. He accused the U.S. and others of meddling in Chinas internal affairs by providing Taiwan with defense support and training, and conducting high-level diplomatic visits. China stays committed to the path of peaceful development, but we will never hesitate to defend our legitimate rights and interests, let alone sacrifice the nations core interests, he said. As the lyrics of a well-known Chinese song go: When friends visit us, we welcome them with fine wine. When jackals or wolves come, we will face them with shotguns. In his speech the previous day, Austin broadly outlined the U.S. vision for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights. In the pursuit of such, Austin said the U.S. was stepping up planning, coordination and training with friends from the East China Sea to the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean with shared goals to deter aggression and to deepen the rules and norms that promote prosperity and prevent conflict. Li scoffed at the notion, saying some country takes a selective approach to rules and international laws. It likes forcing its own rules on others, he said. Its so-called rules-based international order never tells you what the rules are and who made these rules. By contrast, he said, we practice multilateralism and pursue win-win cooperation. Li is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia but predate its invasion of Ukraine that were imposed in 2018 over Lis involvement in Chinas purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow. The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said. Still, he refused Austins invitation to talk on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday. Austin said that was not enough. A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement, Austin said. The U.S. has noted that since 2021 well before Li became defense minister China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements. Li said that China is open to communications between our two countries and also between our two militaries, but without mentioning the sanctions, said exchanges had to be based on mutual respect. That is a very fundamental principle, he said. If we do not even have mutual respect, than our communications will not be productive. He said that he recognized that any severe conflict or confrontation between China and the U.S. will be an unbearable disaster for the world, and that the two countries need to find ways to improve relations, saying they were at a record low. History has proven time and again that both China and the United States will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation, he said. China seeks to develop a new type of major-country relationship with the United States. As for the U.S. side, it needs to act with sincerity, match its words with deeds, and take concrete actions together with China to stabilize the relations and prevent further deterioration, Li said. (AP) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a direct attack against Donald Trump on Saturday, ripping into the former president for congratulating North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Un upon his countrys appointment to the World Health Organizations executive board. Trump later directly congratulated KJU over the undeserved honor. Asked by reporters for his take on Trumps congratulations, DeSantis said he was surprised to see that. I think, one, Kim Jong Un is a murderous dictator. They just imprisoned for life a family, including an infant, which is just outrageous. And then, the World Health Organization is a bankrupt organization. Like, Kim Jong Un is bad, but then joining that? We need to be getting out of that and rejecting the WHO lockdown treaty, and not congratulating about being involved in the WHO, DeSantis said. DeSantis wasnt the only one criticizing Trump. His former vice president, Mike Pence, and Nikki Haley, both of whom are running for the Republican nomination in 2024, took the former president to task. This is a time when we ought to make it clear to the world that we stand for freedom, and we stand with those who stand for freedom, Pence said. You dont congratulate a thug, Haley commented. I mean, lets keep in mind this. This thug has threatened America. Its threatened our allies over and over again. This is not something to play with. Hes a terrible individual. Hes terrible to his people. Hes terrible to our allies in the world. And I dont think he deserves congratulations. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Former, and arguably disgraced, FBI Director James Comey issued a full-throated endorsement of President Joe Biden in the next election, telling MSNBC that It has to be Joe Biden in 2024. Im glad hes willing to serve, Comey told Jen Psaki, Bidens former press secretary who now works as an MSNBC anchor. It has to be somebody committed to the rule of law, committed to the values of this country, he continued. And Im not talking about policy. People can disagree about policy. There are things above those disagreements that all of us should think about the same way. The president must be someone who abides the law and our Constitution. And theres no one else but Joe Biden. Comey, who was fired by Trump in 2017 while leading the FBIs probe into collusion with Russia that didnt exist, also warned that were Trump to return to the White House, it could end up being little more than four years of going after political adversaries. He could order the prosecution of individuals who he sees as enemies. Im sure Im on the enemies list, Comey opined. Because the president constitutionally does oversee the executive branch entirely, which includes the Department of Justice, prosecutors and investigators. And so he could commission, direct that individuals be pursued. He could also direct all types of other conduct that people would maybe take to court to try to stop but who enforces court orders? Mostly the United States Marshals Service, which is part of the executive branch and reports to the president. And so President Trump could say, I dont care what the Supreme Court says or these district judges say, Im telling the Marshals Service dont enforce the court order. And so our Constitution really does give a rogue president, which is what this would be, tremendous power to destroy. People criticize CNN for their town hall. I want the American people to stare at the threat that were facing and understand that they cannot take the next election off, he added. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Ukrainian forces were making a major effort to punch through Russian defensive lines in southeast Ukraine for a second day, a Moscow-installed official said Monday, as Russias Defense Ministry declared that it had foiled an assault in an illegally annexed region of the invaded country. Kyiv authorities suggested the attack reports were a Russian misinformation ruse as the Ukrainian military prepares for a widely anticipated counteroffensive after more than 15 months of war. Vladimir Rogov, an official in the Russia-backed administration of Ukraines partly occupied Zaporizhzhia province, said that fighting resumed on its border with the eastern Donetsk region on Monday after Russian defenses beat back a Ukrainian advance the previous day. The enemy threw an even bigger force into the attack than yesterday (Sunday), and the new attempt to break through the front line was more large-scale and organized, Rogov said, adding: A battle is underway. Rogov interpreted the Ukrainian military movements as part of an effort to reach the Sea of Azov coast and sever the land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Analysts have long viewed that strategy as likely because it would cut the Russian forces in two and severely strain supplies to Crimea, which has served as a key Russian military hub in the war that started on Feb. 24, 2022. Rogovs comments came after Moscow also claimed to have thwarted large Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk province, near its border with the Zaporizhzhia region. Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk are two of the four provinces that President Vladimir Putin claimed as Russian territory last fall and which Moscow partially controls. Russias Defense Ministry said that it had pushed back a large-scale assault Sunday at five places in Donetsk province. The announcement couldnt be independently verified, and Ukrainian officials didnt confirm any assaults. Ukraine often waits until the completion of its military operations to confirm its actions, imposing news blackouts in the interim. However, the unconfirmed reports fueled speculation that a major Ukrainian ground operation could be underway as part of the anticipated counteroffensive. A video published by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry showed soldiers putting a finger to their lips in a sign to keep quiet. Plans love silence, it said on the screen. There will be no announcement of the start. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed in an unusual overnight video that 250 Ukrainian personnel were killed in the fighting in Donetsk province, and 16 Ukrainian tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and 21 armored combat vehicles were destroyed. The enemys goal was to break through our defenses in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front, Konashenkov said. The enemy did not achieve its tasks. It had no success. The Russian ministry said the alleged attack started Sunday morning but waited until early Monday to announce it. In response, the Center for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Telegram that Russian forces were stepping up their information and psychological operations. In order to demoralize Ukrainians and mislead the community (including their own population), Russian propagandists will spread false information about the counteroffensive, its directions and the losses of the Ukrainian army. Even if there is no counteroffensive, a statement on Telegram read. Ukrainian officials have said for months that a spring campaign with advanced weapons supplied by Western allies to reclaim territory seized by Russia during the war was planned, but they have kept quiet about when and where it might start, or whether it had already launched. Recent military activity, including drone attacks on Moscow, cross-border raids into Russia and sabotage and drone attacks on infrastructure behind Russian lines, has unnerved Russians. Analysts say those actions may represent the start of the counteroffensive. In other disruption, TV and radio broadcasts in several regions of Russia were hacked Monday, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. A fake broadcast featured a voice impersonating Putin and stated that Ukrainian forces had invaded the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia. The impersonator announced that martial law was declared in those regions, where people were urged to evacuate, and all Russians eligible for military duty were being mobilized, Peskov said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies. The Russian military on Monday said that it repelled the latest Ukrainian incursion into the Belgorod region, on the border in Ukraine. Russians who purport to be fighting alongside Ukrainian forces said they attacked on Sunday. They were driven back by airstrikes and artillery fire, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Michael Clark, the former head of the Royal United Services Institute think tank, said that the increased tempo of activity in recent weeks probably marked the start of the counteroffensive and that June was likely to see the start of Ukraines ground operation. Theres something going on, he told the BBC. At least two factors have been at play in the timing: better ground conditions for the movement of troops and equipment after the winter, and the deployment of more advanced Western weapons and training of Ukrainian troops to use them. Ukraines Western allies have sent the country more than 65 billion euros ($70 billion) in military aid to help its defense. Driving out the Kremlins forces is a daunting challenge for Kyivs planners. Russia has built extensive defensive lines, including trenches, minefields and anti-tank obstacles. Ukraine could launch simultaneous pushes in different areas of the front line that stretches for around 1,100 kilometers (nearly 700 miles), analysts say. The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said Ukraine used six mechanized and two tank battalions in the Donetsk attacks. The ministry released a video that it said showed the destruction of some of the equipment in a field. In a rare specific mention of the presence of Russias top military leaders in battlefield operations, Konashenkov said the chief of the general staff of the Russian armed forces, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, was at one of the forward command posts. Announcing Gerasimovs direct involvement could be a response to criticism by some Russian military bloggers and by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russian mercenary group Wagner, that Russias military brass hasnt been visible enough at the front or taken sufficient control or responsibility for their countrys military operations in Ukraine. (AP) The secret meeting of Mossad and Italian intelligence agents on an Italian boat that capsized last week was part of an operation to thwart Irans efforts to obtain advanced unconventional weapons, the Italian La Reppublica newspaper reported on Friday. The agents were posing as tourists celebrating a birthday aboard a boat, which they boarded in Slovenia and then sailed to Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. The party/meeting ended in tragedy when the boat capsized amid stormy weather, leading to the death of four people, including a retired Israeli Mossad agent, two Italian intelligence agents, and the Russian wife of the captain. The La Repubblica report followed a report earlier in the week by the Corriere della Sera news site that the Italian and Israeli agents were coordinating the surveillance of Russian oligarchs who transferred their money to luxury hotels on Lake Maggiore, conveniently located between northern Italy and Switzerland, where oligarchs can bypass international sanctions on Russia. The oligarchs are reportedly involved in the transfer of Iranian kamikaze drones to Moscow to be used in the war against Ukraine. The Russian wife of the captain, Anna Bozhkova, who lost her life in the accident, has a residency permit to live in Italy indefinitely, apparently to serve as a translator in monitoring the Russian oligarchs dealings with Iran. A criminal investigation has been launched against the captain Claudio Carminati, who is suspected of negligent homicide as the boat was only licensed to carry 15 passengers and there were 23 aboard at the time of the accident. Dr. Carlo Nocerino, the Italian official heading the investigation into the incident, told Israels Kan News that the investigation is not focused on the identities or activities of the victims. Were investigating two crimes, he said. Causing an accident through negligence and causing death through negligence. That the Israelis involved were Mossad agents is not important to us. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Irans supreme leader on Sunday defended his tough approach to the West, saying compromise would only invite further hostility from Irans enemies and blaming recent anti-government protests on thugs and villains. Ayatollah Ali Khameneis remarks come amid an intensifying standoff with Western countries over Irans nuclear program, which has made major advances in the five years since then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from an international accord that restricted it. Trump restored crippling sanctions on Iran that have contributed to a severe economic crisis without forcing any concessions from its leaders. Iran has also lent support to Russias invasion of Ukraine, supplying armed drones that have wreaked havoc on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Some people are mistaken to think if we back down from our stances in certain cases that will cause the enmity of the U.S, the global arrogance, or Israel toward us to diminish, said Khamenei, who has the final say on all major Iranian policies. This is a mistake. He spoke at an annual speech marking the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, his predecessor and the founder of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei alluded to nationwide protests last fall sparked by the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, who had been detained by the morality police for allegedly violating the countrys strict dress code. The protests escalated into calls for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic before a deadly crackdown largely extinguished them. Iranian authorities have blamed the protests on a foreign conspiracy, without providing evidence, while the demonstrators said they were protesting over decades of repression and economic mismanagement. Thugs and villains did what they did and malicious individuals chanted such slogans, Khamenei said. According to their plot they thought the Islamic Republic was finished and they could take the Iranian nation as servants. These fools, once again, were wrong. Once again, they failed to know our people. (AP) Egypt on Monday publicized the details of the terrorist who murdered three IDF soldiers on Shabbos on the Egyptian/Israeli border, retracting its initial claim that the terrorist was a police officer chasing drug smugglers who was caught in an exchange of fire and conveying a message to Israel that the terrorist acted alone. Egyptian officials met with IDF senior officials at the scene of the attack on the border. An agreement was reached to establish a special investigative committee comprised of defense and intelligence officials from both countries and publish a report on the investigation by the end of the week. The officials also agreed to bolster security on the shared border by building more surveillance towers and installing additional cameras. The terrorist was named as Mohamad Salah, a 22-year-old member of the Egyptian border police from Cairo, who according to Egyptian officials, acted alone and did not belong to or receive any support from any political or extremist groups. Salah was stationed on the Egyptian/Israeli border in a security force that is separate from the Egyptian military. According to Egyptian reports, Salah repeatedly complained about his military service in recent weeks and even went AWOL from his base for 18 days. A member of his unit reported that Salah suffered from mental issues following the death of his comrade at the border and believes that his act may have been one of revenge. Another friend claimed that Salah tried to obtain a medical exemption from service due to physical problems following a car accident. During Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021, Salah expressed solidarity with the Palestinians, writing Allah stands with Palestine under the hashtag #GazaUnderAttack. 22 . 2022 . , 18 >> pic.twitter.com/hKMmWZR3XH roi kais (@kaisos1987) June 5, 2023 Israel returned Salahs body to Egypt for burial on Monday. Sources in the IDF said that there is no reason not to return the body since the peace treaty between the two countries precludes any need for negotiations. According to Abu Ali Express, shortly after Salahs identity was revealed, Palestinian media accounts were filled with photos of him with captions praising his brave deeds. However, there has been no official statements from Palestinian leaders or terror groups praising the attack since they cant afford to jeopardize their relationship with Egypt. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) YWN is publishing an Associated Press report about the financial crisis facing the Palestinian refugees below but would like to suggest to the UN that it examine reports about the billions of dollars the Palestinian Authority pays to terrorists who murdered countless Israelis and citizens of other countries, including over a million dollars alone to the Sbarro terrorists, whose 16th victim passed away last week, 22 years after the attack. Despite a dire warning from the United Nations chief that the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees is on the verge of financial collapse, donors at a pledging conference on Friday provided just $107 million in new funds significantly less than the $300 million it needs to keep helping millions of people. Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the agency known as UNRWA, said he was grateful for the new pledges but they are below the funds needed to keep over 700 schools and 140 clinics open from September through December. We will continue to work tirelessly with our partners, including host countries the refugees top supporters to raise the funds needed, he said in a statement. At the beginning of the year, UNRWA appealed for $1.6 billion for its programs, operations and emergency response across Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and Jordan. That includes nearly $850 million for its core budget, which includes running schools and health clinics. According to UNRWA, donors on Friday announced $812.3 million in pledges, but just $107.2 million were new contributions. The countries pledging new funds were not announced. Lazzarini told a press conference Thursday that UNRWA needs $150 million to keep all services running until the end of the year, and an additional $50 million to start 2024 without liabilities. In addition, he said, the agency needs $75 million to keep the food pipeline in Gaza operating and about $30 million for its cash distribution program in Syria and Lebanon. UNRWA was founded in the wake of the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 to provide hundreds of thousands of Palestinians with education, health care, social services and in some cases jobs. Today, their numbers with descendants have grown to some 5.9 million people, most in the Gaza Strip and West Bank as well as neighboring countries in the Middle East. UNRWA has faced a financial crisis for 10 years, but Lazzarini said the current crisis is massive, calling it our main existential threat. It is deepening, and our ability to muddle through is slowly but surely coming to an end, he said. The situation is even more critical now that some of our committed donors have indicated that they will substantially decrease their contribution to the agency. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a speech read by his chief of staff at the start of the pledging conference that when UNRWAs future hangs in the balance so do the lives of millions of Palestine refugees relying on essential services. (AP & YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Iran has released one Danish and two Austrian citizens, the European countries said Friday, thanking Oman and Belgium for their help in getting the trio freed. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said he was very relieved that Kamran Ghaderi and Massud Mossaheb were being brought home after years of arduous imprisonment in Iran. Denmarks foreign minister, Lars Lkke Rasmussen, said that he was happy and relieved that a Danish citizen is on his way home to his family in Denmark after imprisonment in Iran. He didnt name the person, saying their identity was a personal matter and he couldnt go into details. Schallenberg thanked the foreign ministers of Belgium and Oman for providing valuable support, without elaborating on what form it took. Lkke Rasmussen also thanked Belgium and said that Oman played an important role. Last week, a prisoner exchange between Belgium and Iran returned to Tehran an Iranian diplomat convicted of attempting to bomb exiles in France, Assadollah Assadi. Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, looking visibly gaunt, headed back to Brussels as part of the swap. There was no immediate word on what, if anything, Iran obtained in return for the latest releases. On Friday, Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib tweeted that her country was unwavering in our dedication to advocating for other Europeans who are being arbitrarily detained and had successfully secured the release of two Austrians and one Dane who were unjustly held in detention in Iran. Belgiums prime minister, Alexander De Croo, said he had briefed his Austrian and Danish counterparts at a Thursday meeting in Moldova on the imminent release of the three prisoners heading to Belgium via Oman. Iranian state media and officials did not immediately acknowledge a release on Friday, which is part of the weekend in the Islamic Republic. A news outlet believed to be close to Irans security agencies, Nournews, identified the three released prisoners as Masoud Mosaheb, Kamran Ghaderi and Behnaz Zakeri Ansari. Mosaheb was accused of links to German and Israeli intelligence services and leaking information on military and nuclear projects to foreigners, the report said. Ansari was alleged to be a member of the banned group, Mujahedeen-e Khalq. Oman often serves an interlocutor between Iran and the West and brings released captives out of the Islamic Republic. An Oman Royal Air Force Gulfstream IV, which had been on the ground in Tehran for several days, took off shortly before news of the European trios releases came out. It landed later Friday in Omans capital, Muscat. The releases also come after Omans Sultan Haitham bin Tariq visited Iran on his first trip there since becoming the Arab nations ruler in 2020. Ghaderi is an Iranian-Austrian businessman who was arrested in 2016 and later sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly spying for the U.S., charges strongly rejected by his supporters. His family had criticized Austria for being silent on his case in recent years. Mossaheb, also an Iranian-Austrian businessman, was arrested in 2019 and received a 10-year prison sentence after what Amnesty International called a grossly unfair trial for vague national security offenses. Amnesty had said Mossaheb suffered from heart failure and diabetes, making his imprisonment that much more dangerous for him. Iran has detained a number of foreigners and dual nationals over the years, accusing them of espionage or other state security offenses and sentencing them following secretive trials in which rights groups say they have been denied due process. Critics have repeatedly accused Iran of using such prisoners as bargaining chips with the West. Schallenberg said his ministry would spare no effort to secure the release of a third Austrian national who remains in detention in Iran and whose case is currently on appeal. . Iran, facing Western sanctions over its rapidly advancing nuclear program, has experienced protests in recent months and economic strain. However, it also reached a detente with Saudi Arabia through Chinese mediation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency dropped two inquiries into the countrys nuclear program. (AP) New York City is moving to address the increasing number of illegal immigrants entering the city by partnering with religious leaders to provide shelter. Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday that 50 houses of worship across the five boroughs will open their doors to migrants starting next month. This initiative comes as the city grapples with the overwhelming influx of asylum seekers and aims to alleviate the strain on existing emergency sites. The two-year partnership between the city and the New York Disaster Interfaith Services will offer overnight accommodation to asylum seekers. Each location will be able to house approximately 19 adult men, providing nearly 1,000 additional beds for those in need. Mayor Adams emphasized that this collaboration not only increases capacity but also facilitates connections between asylum seekers and local communities. To ensure the faith-based spaces can continue to serve their regular congregations, the city will establish five daytime centers to support migrants during the day. This holistic approach aims to address the immediate needs of asylum seekers while maintaining the normal functioning of the houses of worship. New York City currently operates 157 emergency sites across the five boroughs to house 45,900 migrants. In the past week alone, approximately 2,200 migrants sought refuge in city shelters. The decision to involve houses of worship in providing shelter comes after the mayors Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships appealed to religious leaders for assistance in clothing the thousands of asylum seekers already residing in the citys migrant shelters. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Iranian Twitter user responded to the tweet of the Spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Kanaani, about the visit of Azerbaijan's citizens to Iran, and said that peace in the Caucasus is your nightmare, Trend reports. Reportedly, Iranian MFA Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on his Twitter page that Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry warned its citizens against visiting Iran. "This is the same policy that was envisaged during the visit of the Israeli president to Baku. The issue that should scare the people of Azerbaijan is not civilized and Islamic Iran, but Israel," Kanaani said. Iranian Twitter' users were ambiguous about this tweet of Nasser Kanaani and shared their opinions about it. Several Twitter users said that there will be peace in the Caucasus. Azerbaijan and Armenia have taken practical steps to restore peace. This peace is your nightmare and you are trying to do everything in your power to stop the peace. However, the state of Azerbaijan knows your every business, destroys your every plan and program before it happens, said in the reply. --- Follow the author on Twitter:@BaghishovElnur Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to yet another U.S. foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule, but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, but relations have been strained in recent years. Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Irans theocracy and Syrias President Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdoms image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognize the election results and challenged Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. (AP) Even if the CBI wins its confidence vote tomorrow, its future is cloudy. It's so bad that even ITV no stranger to scandals itself has decided that it no longer wants to be a member. The lobby group is laying off a large number of staff to slash its salary bill by a third, which is not exactly a vote of confidence from its leadership. The prospectus it has just issued, meant to convince members to rally, is a depressing document riddled with corporate guff. Responses to the sex and drugs scandals include 'the creation of a new People & Culture committee and an external expert-led Culture Advisory Committee'. Is it just me, or does that sound a little bit Maoist? The media are not being admitted to the extraordinary general meeting, which is poor form and again shows a lack of confidence. Under pressure: The prospectus the CBI has just issued, meant to convince members to rally, is a depressing document riddled with corporate guff Most firms view it as good practice to open the doors to reporters at such events. One question members might ask, however, is how much of their money the CBI has given to Principia Advisory, which calls itself 'the leading consultancy for building ethical organisations', for its insights. These included the profound observation that blanket descriptions of CBI culture as misogynistic and toxic were not 'useful'. No doubt the debacle has been good business for Principia's founder, Dr David Rodin, who is British but lives in Switzerland, where the controlling company is incorporated. But what does it say when the UK's premier business organisation needs to hire consultants on ethics? Is the concept of treating colleagues with respect and behaving with integrity really so hard to fathom? Members might also inquire how much the panic-stricken CBI has spent on the Fox Williams report and why it has not been published in full along with the surveys, 'listening exercises', fees to lawyers and other advisers it has racked up. Despite all this activity, there is a lack of transparency. There is no information about actions taken against individuals over their alleged conduct, other than ousted former director-general Tony Danker and ex-chairman John Allan, neither of whom were accused of the most serious wrongdoing. It seems impossible for CBI members to cast an informed vote when so many important issues remain unresolved. Police investigations may take months and there may be lawsuits. Danker, who is clearly furious, has been rumbling ominously in the background. Allan also feels aggrieved at his premature departure from roles at Tesco and Barratt in the fallout. It is hard to imagine who would be keen to replace outgoing president Brian McBride. It looks like a potential poisoned chalice. If the CBI loses the vote, or wins narrowly, there seems little option other than for it to wind itself down. Even supposing it wins a mandate to continue and it won backing from firms such as Siemens, Microsoft and Esso at the weekend there are questions over whether it can attract new members it needs if it is to have a long-term future. Imagine the scandals had never happened. The CBI would still be facing questions about its relevance. A FTSE 100 boss I spoke to this week says he never considered joining, as he considered membership of no use to him. To a young tech entrepreneur, it must look hopelessly stuffy and outdated. It was founded 60 years ago when business meant manufacturing and a strong force was needed against a powerful trades union movement. The world has changed and it is not only its attitudes to women that appear outmoded. It would be best not to prolong the agony. Asos shares were in demand following reports over the weekend that it had received a 1billion takeover bid last year. The fast-fashion group, which owns Topshop and Miss Selfridge, was recently booted out of the FTSE 250. It was valued at between 10 to 12 a share in an offer from the Turkish online retailer Trendyol in December. That was much higher than Asoss closing share price of 3.50 on Friday. While talks with Trendyol which is backed by Chinas ecommerce giant Alibaba appear to have ended, the approach was seen as a sign that Asos was attracting interest from potential bidders. That could see Asos become the latest household name to be taken off the London stock market. Potential target: Asos, which owns Topshop and Miss Selfridge, was valued at between 10 to 12 a share in an offer from the Turkish online retailer Trendyol in December Asos shares soared 7.1 per cent, or 24.8p, to 375.2p. But the stock remains some way off its peak of more than 7700p in March 2018. Asos declined to comment. The London-listed group last month tapped investors for 75million to shore up its finances and help fund a turnaround plan. The retailer revealed losses of over 290million for the six months to the end of February as it was hit by pressure on household budgets. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: Takeover interest often emerges when a broken company lays out a recovery plan and there are early signs it is working. Those green shoots can give a suitor confidence it is worth making a bid now rather than waiting for the company to be repaired and then having to pay a much higher price when the risks are lower. The FTSE 100 slid by 0.1 per cent or 7.29 points to 7599.99 and the FTSE 250 fell 0.2 per cent, or 35.76 points, to 19113.55. Oil prices rose more than 2 per cent to over $78 a barrel after Saudi Arabia said it will cut output by 1m barrels per day from next month. Stock Watch - Chill Brands Shares in Chill Brands rose after it secured shipping arrangements for the home delivery of its nicotine- free vapour products to US customers in all 50 states. Firms have been restricted from making direct sales because the United States Postal Service cannot ship vapour products. But Chill Brands, whose vapes contain cannabidiol, a chemical found in cannabis plants, has secured alternative shipping arrangements. Shares rose 6.7 per cent, or 0.75p, to 12p. The decision came on Sunday following a meeting with Opec+, a group of oil-producing countries, which also said production targets would fall by a further 1.4m barrels per day from 2024. Such moves are aimed at increasing oil prices. The rise in the oil price failed to help BP as shares slid 0.3 per cent, or 1.4p, to 472.95p and Shell, down 0.2 per cent, or 5p, to 2285p. There was good news for Indivior after it settled a seven-year litigation with dozens of US states at a lower price than forecast. The pharma group, which makes drugs to treat opioid addiction, has agreed to pay 82.7m following claims that it illegally suppressed generic competition for its product Suboxone. This was far lower than the 242million it set aside to cover the lawsuit which began in 2016. Payment is expected to be made this month, the company added. Shares rocketed 7.8 per cent, or 115p, to 1590p. Fund manager Abrdn was among the top blue-chip gainers after it launched a share buyback programme worth up to 150million. Shares added 3.2 per cent, or 6.5p, to 210p. Housing developer Watkin Jones landed a deal to sell a built-to-rent project in Belfasts Titanic Quarter. The buyers, Legal & General (down 0.7 per cent, or 1.6p, to 234.4p) and Clanmil Housing Association, will pay 155million and become owners of The Loft Lines development once it is completed. The brownfield site will be transformed into a community with 627 built-to-rent units and 81 social rent affordable homes built on the site of the former Harland & Wolff (0.7 per cent, or 0.1p, to 13.75p) shipyard. Shares rose 1.6 per cent, or 1.1p, to 69.4p. There was little respite for Dr Martens after the bootmakers target price was cut by Morgan Stanley and Barclays. Shares fell 4.1 per cent, or 5.7p, to 134.1p. No bonus: Sarah Bentley took over at Thames Water three years ago Thames Waters boss scooped a pay packet of 1.6million despite giving up her bonus after outrage over the industrys record on leaks and sewage spills. Sarah Bentley, who took over at the UKs largest water firm three years ago, said last month she would forgo her bonus for the 2022-23 financial year joining the bosses of rivals Pennon Group and Yorkshire Water amid fierce criticism of the water sector. But Thames Water confirmed that its annual report in July will reveal Bentley was still paid 1.6million as her 750,000 basic salary was topped up with 90,000 in pension payments and another 32,000 in travel, medical and other benefits. She also received 548,000 in connection with a golden hello package of shares and bonuses granted when Thames poached her from rival Severn Trent. Bentley also received a bonus of 178,000 connected to the companys performance during her first two years in charge. The mammoth pay packet attracted harsh condemnation from the GMB trade union, with national officer Gary Carter branding Bentleys announcement that she would not take a bonus as nothing more than a flimsy PR stunt. The CBIs boss will today issue a rallying cry to members as it fights for survival in the wake of a damaging sex scandal. In a crunch meeting at its London headquarters, Rain Newton-Smith will ask members of the business organisation if they have confidence in the group after reforms were put in place following the crisis. Failure to win them round will leave the CBIs prospects looking bleak as rival organisations such as the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) circle. Newton-Smith will say: Im confident and determined this will be a turning point for us. The start of a new chapter, for a renewed CBI. Its so important to me, and for those who raised their voices, to put our people, our culture and our values front and centre. Plea: CBI boss Rain Newton-Smith (pictured) will ask members of the embattled business organisation if they have confidence in the group in the wake of a damaging sex scandal This is a difficult but important journey. Weve made great strides forward, but it will take real dedication. I am resolutely committed to leading that change and restoring the CBI to health. The CBI founded in 1965 faces an existential crisis after dozens of major corporate members including Aviva, John Lewis and NatWest deserted following allegations ranging from sexual harassment to rape. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said that with firms leaving in droves there is no point talking to the organisation. Last week the lobby group announced plans for change, including a boardroom clear-out and the departure of its president Brian McBride. The plans initially received a lukewarm reception though a number of companies led by tech giant Microsoft and industrial group Siemens have now thrown their weight behind them. The CBI says that it can once again be a powerful voice arguing the case for business with government ministers. However, the BCC is positioning itself to step into the breach should it fail to carry on and yesterday announced a new business council including BP, Heathrow, power firm Drax and hotel group IHG. In a dig at the CBI, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss Richard Burge welcomed the BCC plans, adding: For too long, businesses have been constrained by a form of policy monoculture, where one, over-arching organisation has monopolised engagement with government on the major issues facing businesses. No two businesses are the same each has its own experience, mindset, needs and contribution to make. Therefore, it is imperative that our diverse business community is represented by a collection of agile and collaborative bodies, with a local understanding of regions across the UK, that can advocate solutions to the most pressing issues facing our firms. But Newton-Smith will insist in her speech that the CBI is still best placed for its role and will take a swipe at rivals. Ive seen what we can achieve, and how powerful we can be in driving change. Even our competitor groups have admitted they cant match all that. Were ready to deliver a better CBI. We just need one thing now your vote. Carbon Streaming (OTCMKTS:OFSTF Get Rating) and NU (NYSE:NU Get Rating) are both auto/tires/trucks companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, risk, earnings, profitability, institutional ownership, valuation and analyst recommendations. Institutional and Insider Ownership 47.6% of NU shares are held by institutional investors. 2.4% of Carbon Streaming shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.2% of NU shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Get Carbon Streaming alerts: Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Carbon Streaming and NU, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Carbon Streaming 0 2 3 0 2.60 NU 0 2 4 0 2.67 Valuation & Earnings Carbon Streaming currently has a consensus price target of $4.42, indicating a potential upside of 215.48%. NU has a consensus price target of $6.51, indicating a potential downside of 6.54%. Given Carbon Streamings higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Carbon Streaming is more favorable than NU. This table compares Carbon Streaming and NUs revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Carbon Streaming $150,000.00 439.41 -$12.90 million $0.80 1.75 NU $4.79 billion 6.83 -$364.58 million ($0.04) -174.25 Carbon Streaming has higher earnings, but lower revenue than NU. NU is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Carbon Streaming, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Profitability This table compares Carbon Streaming and NUs net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Carbon Streaming 990.27% -12.22% -10.82% NU -3.21% 6.73% 1.19% Risk and Volatility Carbon Streaming has a beta of -67.3, suggesting that its stock price is 6,830% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, NU has a beta of 1.08, suggesting that its stock price is 8% more volatile than the S&P 500. About Carbon Streaming (Get Rating) Carbon Streaming Corp. offers investors exposure to carbon credits. It is used by both governments and corporations to achieve their climate goals. The company was founded on September 13, 2004 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. About NU (Get Rating) Nu Holdings Ltd. operates as a digital financial services platform and technology company primarily in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. It offers Nu credit and debit cards; Ultraviolet credit and debit cards; and mobile payment solutions for NuAccount customers to make and receive transfers, pay bills, and make everyday purchases through their mobile phones. The company provides savings solutions, such as Nu Personal Accounts, a digital account solution that supports all personal finance activities, from daily purchases and money transfers to savings; and Nu business accounts designed specifically for entrepreneur customers and their businesses. In addition, it offers NuInvest, an investment product that provides equity, fixed-income, options, and ETF products, as well as multimarket funds with curated asset allocations based on the customer's risk profile and financial position; personal unsecured loans; in-app buy now pay later' solution for Nu card customers to pay credit and debit purchases, and banking payment slips over time in up to twelve installments; and NuInsurance protecting solutions to help its customers secure life insurance and funeral benefits. The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Receive News & Ratings for Carbon Streaming Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Carbon Streaming and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First Republic Bank (OTCMKTS:FRCB Get Rating) is one of 70 public companies in the Commercial banks, not elsewhere classified industry, but how does it compare to its rivals? We will compare First Republic Bank to similar businesses based on the strength of its analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation and earnings. Insider and Institutional Ownership 95.2% of First Republic Bank shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 24.6% of shares of all Commercial banks, not elsewhere classified companies are held by institutional investors. 0.7% of First Republic Bank shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 8.0% of shares of all Commercial banks, not elsewhere classified 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. Get First Republic Bank alerts: Profitability This table compares First Republic Bank and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets First Republic Bank 20.45% 11.26% 0.72% First Republic Bank Competitors 18.60% 11.97% 0.98% Volatility & Risk Analyst Ratings First Republic Bank has a beta of 1.02, meaning that its share price is 2% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, First Republic Banks rivals have a beta of 0.95, meaning that their average share price is 5% less volatile than the S&P 500. This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for First Republic Bank and its rivals, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score First Republic Bank 0 0 0 0 N/A First Republic Bank Competitors 632 2241 2275 61 2.34 As a group, Commercial banks, not elsewhere classified companies have a potential upside of 91.80%. Given First Republic Banks rivals higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe First Republic Bank has less favorable growth aspects than its rivals. Dividends First Republic Bank pays an annual dividend of 1.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 459.6%. First Republic Bank pays out 14.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Commercial banks, not elsewhere classified companies pay a dividend yield of 2.5% and pay out 16.9% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. First Republic Bank is clearly a better dividend stock than its rivals, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. Valuation & Earnings This table compares First Republic Bank and its rivals top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio First Republic Bank $6.75 billion $1.67 billion 0.03 First Republic Bank Competitors $87.74 billion $3.07 billion 9.64 First Republic Banks rivals have higher revenue and earnings than First Republic Bank. First Republic Bank is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its rivals, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Summary First Republic Bank rivals beat First Republic Bank on 7 of the 12 factors compared. About First Republic Bank (Get Rating) First Republic offers banking for individuals and businesses, wealth management and more with a focus on tailored service and solutions. First Republic was founded in San Francisco in 1985 by James H. Herbert II with a single office and a small but dedicated staff. Years later, First Republic is one of the countrys largest banks, serving clients at more than 80 Preferred Banking Offices across the United States and through online banking services. First Republic prides itself on its convenient online presence, strong heritage and sustainable, client-centric approach that has provided consistent growth. First Republic Bank offers a full range of personal and business banking services including lending, deposit, foreign exchange and more, while First Republic Private Wealth Management provides trust, brokerage and wealth advisory services. Across all of its offerings, First Republic is committed to serving its stakeholders and clients with exceptional, personalized service, putting clients first in all that it does. Banking products and services are offered by First Republic Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Investment Advisory services are provided by First Republic Receive News & Ratings for First Republic Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Republic Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU Get Rating) (TSE:EFR) Director Dennis Lyle Higgs sold 27,412 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.33, for a total value of $173,517.96. Following the transaction, the director now owns 270,081 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,709,612.73. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Energy Fuels Trading Up 1.1 % Shares of Energy Fuels stock opened at $6.39 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $1.01 billion, a PE ratio of 14.52 and a beta of 1.75. Energy Fuels Inc. has a 12-month low of $4.69 and a 12-month high of $8.24. Get Energy Fuels alerts: Energy Fuels (NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU Get Rating) (TSE:EFR) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 8th. The basic materials company reported ($0.11) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.05) by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $0.18 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.00 million. Energy Fuels had a negative return on equity of 16.69% and a net margin of 236.87%. Equities research analysts predict that Energy Fuels Inc. will post 0.58 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of UUUU. Optiver Holding B.V. acquired a new position in Energy Fuels during the first quarter valued at $28,000. Whittier Trust Co. acquired a new position in Energy Fuels in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Hollencrest Capital Management acquired a new position in Energy Fuels in the 4th quarter worth about $54,000. Smart Portfolios LLC acquired a new position in Energy Fuels in the 1st quarter worth about $56,000. Finally, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY increased its position in Energy Fuels by 23.9% in the 3rd quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY now owns 9,431 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 1,818 shares during the last quarter. 38.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. A number of research analysts have issued reports on UUUU shares. HC Wainwright reiterated a buy rating and set a $9.75 price target on shares of Energy Fuels in a research report on Friday, March 10th. TheStreet upgraded Energy Fuels from a d rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, May 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $10.63. Energy Fuels Company Profile (Get Rating) Energy Fuels, Inc is a mining development company, which engages in the exploration and evaluation of uranium and vanadium properties. It also operates the Nichols Ranch, Alta Mesa, and White Mesa Mill projects. The company was founded by George E. L. Glasier and John David Mason on June 24, 1987 and is headquartered in Lakewood, CO. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Energy Fuels Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Energy Fuels and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TransUnion (NYSE:TRU Get Rating) EVP Richard Dane Mauldin sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.94, for a total transaction of $145,880.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,805 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,663,396.70. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Richard Dane Mauldin also recently made the following trade(s): Get TransUnion alerts: On Thursday, March 16th, Richard Dane Mauldin sold 7,250 shares of TransUnion stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.63, for a total transaction of $439,567.50. TransUnion Trading Up 2.3 % Shares of TRU stock opened at $74.46 on Monday. TransUnion has a 52-week low of $50.32 and a 52-week high of $90.08. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $65.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $64.40. The company has a market capitalization of $14.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.81, a PEG ratio of 0.70 and a beta of 1.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 1.57 and a current ratio of 1.57. TransUnion Announces Dividend TransUnion ( NYSE:TRU Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 25th. The business services provider reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.66 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $940.30 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $913.69 million. TransUnion had a net margin of 7.34% and a return on equity of 14.47%. Research analysts anticipate that TransUnion will post 3.19 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, May 19th were paid a dividend of $0.105 per share. This represents a $0.42 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 18th. TransUnions payout ratio is currently 29.79%. Institutional Trading of TransUnion A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of TRU. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of TransUnion by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 13,272 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,372,000 after buying an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in TransUnion by 52.4% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 8,374 shares of the business services providers stock worth $865,000 after purchasing an additional 2,880 shares in the last quarter. Roundview Capital LLC lifted its stake in TransUnion by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 20,949 shares of the business services providers stock worth $2,165,000 after purchasing an additional 272 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its stake in TransUnion by 50.9% in the 1st quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 6,551 shares of the business services providers stock worth $673,000 after purchasing an additional 2,211 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in TransUnion in the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,000,000. 95.02% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In TRU has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of TransUnion from $91.00 to $84.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of TransUnion from $72.00 to $67.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 31st. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of TransUnion from $80.00 to $78.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of TransUnion from $67.00 to $76.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, February 6th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on shares of TransUnion from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, February 15th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $77.50. TransUnion Company Profile (Get Rating) TransUnion engages in the provision of information and risk management solutions. It also provides consumer reports, risk scores, analytical services, and decision-making capabilities to businesses. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Markets, International, Consumer Interactive, and Corporate. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for TransUnion Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TransUnion and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed the information about the reopening of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic in Riyadh from June 6, Trend reports referring to the statement of the ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani. The process of implementing bilateral agreements between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the restoration of relations has reached its completion. The Iranian Embassy in Riyadh, the Consulate General in Jeddah and the Permanent Mission to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be officially opened on June 6 and June 7, respectively. This statement confirms an important step towards the normalization of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The reopening of the Iranian Embassy in Riyadh will facilitate diplomatic contacts and facilitate various areas of cooperation between the two countries. This reflects the desire for dialogue and problem resolution, which can have a positive impact on regional stability and cooperation in the Middle East. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 5. Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz will receive Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on June 9 in Berlin, Trend reports. The meeting will hold in the German Chancellery. The parties plan to discuss a number of issues, including foreign policy issues, security issues and European policy. Economic cooperation issues are also expected to be discussed. Georgia and Germany established diplomatic relations in 1992 and have been actively cooperating in various fields since then. There are more than 50 mutual cooperation agreements between the countries, covering such areas as taxation, defense, culture, education, crime control and investment. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu late Friday suspended Godwin Emefiele from the governorship of the country's central bank, ahead of planned reforms in the financial sector. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a counteroffensive against Russian forces was underway, while declining to give specifics on his troops' operations. [June 05, 2023] Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and CGI Federal partner with Central State University to create a new affordable housing internship program, "The Collaborative" COLUMBUS, Ohio & FAIRFAX, Va., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), in partnership with CGI Federal, the wholly-owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI Inc. (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A), announced the kickoff today of "The Collaborative," an immersive student internship program with Central State University (CSU), a historically black college and university (HBCU). "Central State University is pleased to partner with the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and CGI Federal to advance this important training and experiential learning opportunity for Ohio students," said CSU President Dr. Jack Thomas. "Housing quality wields a strong influence on the workforce and on students' ability to flourish and thrive. We are proud to support access to housing as a foundational social determinant of health that provides the basis for vibrant families and communities, and to bolster workforce development in this essential sector." Starting June 5th, this comprehensive summer experience will give interns the opportunity to make a direct impact on a broad range of programs within the Columbus community. Over the course of the internship, CSU students who participate in the internship will receive hands-on experience working alongside industry leaders on a variety of projects related to affordable housing, including asset management, IT, human resources, planning and development, accounting, design and construction, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Moreover, as part of the experience, the program is designed to be an immersive experience for students so they can live and work in the community they are serving during the internship program. "CMHA prides itself on developing collaborative partnerships," said CMHA's President & CEO, Charles D. Hillman. "This partnership between CMHA and CGI will allow CSU students to have a first-hand view of the affordable housing industry in Columbus, which will ultimately give the interns an opporunity to apply their classroom experience to industry challenges. This experience will prepare students with the transition from higher education into the workforce. This unique internship will provide an infusion of talent to CMHA, CGI, and the affordable housing industry." Working alongside CGI and CMHA professionals, interns will participate in "Professional Development Wednesdays," where they will have an opportunity to engage with local government officials and affordable housing leaders. They will also work on a capstone project to propose solutions for affordable, sustainable housing, in line with supporting U.S. Department Of Housing & Urban Development's mission to preserve affordable housing across the nation. Students will present solutions to CMHA and CGI executives in student-led work that has potential for adaptability throughout communities nationwide. "This partnership was an idea sparked by CGI's and CMHA's shared vision to create an immersive internship experience with an HBCU, recognizing the power of increasing representation in this field, but also having the opportunity to have transformational impact within the community, affordable housing industry and for the students," Rashida Ricks, Vice President of Strategic Engagement and Inclusion at CGI Federal. "Through this partnership we are creating an ecosystem for the future of the workforce." About Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority CMHA helps people access affordable housing through collaborative partnerships, promotes neighborhood revitalization, and assists residents in accessing needed social services. CMHA owns nearly 5,000 units of affordable housing and through its Housing Choice Voucher and Project-Based Rental Assistance programs, provides rental assistance to over 160,000 Ohio and Washington, D.C., residents. Learn more at cmhanet.com. About CGI Federal CGI Federal Inc., a wholly-owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI Inc., is dedicated to partnering with federal agencies to provide solutions for defense, civilian, healthcare, justice, intelligence, and international affairs missions. Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 90,250 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2022 reported revenue is $12.87 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com . About Central State Unviersity Central State University, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, is a regionally accredited 1890 Land-Grant University with a 135-year tradition of preparing students from diverse backgrounds and experiences for leadership, research, and service. The University, which has been named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest, fosters academic excellence within a nurturing environment and provides a strong liberal arts foundation and STEM-Ag curriculum leading to professional careers and advanced studies globally. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/columbus-metropolitan-housing-authority-and-cgi-federal-partner-with-central-state-university-to-create-a-new-affordable-housing-internship-program-the-collaborative-301842295.html SOURCE CGI Federal, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] FAVOR DELIVERY CELEBRATES 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH GIVING CAMPAIGN TO DONATE 500,000 MEALS TO FEEDING TEXAS $125,000 giving campaign to commemorate a decade of deliveries and help fight hunger in Texas; Favor to donate 10 meals to Feeding Texas for every delivery completed now through June 30 AUSTIN, Texas, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Favor, the Texas-based on-demand delivery service, today announced its plan to honor its 10 year anniversary of serving communities across the Lone Star State by launching a giving campaign to donate up to 500,000 meals to Feeding Texas , the state's largest hunger-relief organization. Now through June 30, Favor will donate the equivalent of 10 meals to Feeding Texas for every delivery completed, giving customers an easy way to help fight hunger in Texas every time they use Favor. Feeding Texas consists of a network of 21 local member food banks across the state with $2.50 equaling the cost of 10 meals for those in need, the total donation could amount to up to $125,000. "We are thrilled to mark a decade of delivering food from Texas' favorite restaurants, stores and more across our home state," said Keith Duncan, Favor CEO. "As we celebrate this major milestone, it is essential for us to give back to the communities that have supported us throughout the past 10 years. With food delivery at the heart of our business and nearly 4 million Texans struggling with hunger and food insecurity, we are dedicated to making a meaningful impact on this critical issue in our communities." With a strong commitment to fighting hunger relief in the communities it serves, Favor's contributions to Feeding Texas have totaled over 1.4 million meals since 2019. "We are immensely grateful for Favor's commitment to fighting summer hunger in Texas. Their ongoing dedication to supporting Feeding Texas and our mission is truly commendable," said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas. "Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of countless individuals and families across the state this summer. We appreciate this partnership and look forward to the positive impact it will create." Founded on June 5, 2013, in Austin, Texas, with just two employees and two Runners, Favor has grown its corporate team to over 400 employees, as well as its community of Runners which has grown to over 100,000 contract delivery drivers who have completed over 70 million deliveries across more than 400 Texas cities. With tens of thousands of stores and restaurants on its platform, Favor has generated $1.2 billion in incremental sales for businesses across Texas to date. In 2017, Favor became the first U.S. on-demand delivery service to achieve profitability, and in 2018, Favor was acquired by Texas' leading grocery retailer, H-E-B . As a wholly owned subsidiary, Favor continues to operate independently as a separate brand, while helping accelerate H-E-B's path to becoming a digital retail industry leader in Texas. Favor is currently hiring to support the company's growth across nearly all areas of expertise, including accounting, business analytics, creative and brand, engineering, finance, operations, people operations, sales and support. Open career opportunities can be found on favordelivery.com/careers . Over the years, Favor has also consistently been named a top workplace by the Austin Business Journal and the Austin American-Statesman, and in 2019, its East Austin headquarters earned the title of Austin's Coolest Office by the Austin Business Journal. About Favor Favor is the easiest way to get anything delivered in 45 minutes or less. Whether it's lunch at the office, a household shopping list or those errands you just don't have time foryour delivery driver (we call them Runners) can deliver it in just a few taps. Founded in 2013, in Austin, Texas, Favor currently operates in more than 400 cities across Texas with over 100,000 Runners, who have delivered more than 70 million Favors to date. For more information, visit favordelivery.com and follow Favor on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and TikTok . Media Contact: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/favor-delivery-celebrates-10-year-anniversary-with-giving-campaign-to-donate-500-000-meals-to-feeding-texas-301842528.html SOURCE Favor [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 04, 2023] raicoon's unique solar performance guarantee accelerating the energy transition, backed by Munich Re Group raicoon's autonomous operations center (AOC), a revolutionary AI-powered SaaS platform, fully automates solar PV operations, detects all measurable faults and eliminates false alarms. The industry-first guarantee promise is backed by Munich Re. VIENNA, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Climate-tech pioneer raicoon, in a historic partnership with global insurance powerhouse Munich Re Group ("Munich Re"), unveils an industry-first 100% fault detection guarantee with zero false alarms for solar energy operations. This alliance bolsters trust in AI-driven solutions in the renewables sector. Michael Berger, Head of Insure AI at Munich Re, expressed, "The partnership showcases Munich Re's commitment to absorbing technical risks and fostering sustainable growth in green technologies. Based on Munich Re's 14 years of experience in renewables, we back the outstanding technical quality of AI-driven solutions like raicoon AOC." CEO of raicoon, Ralf Tschanun, added, "Our partnership with Munich Re is a game-changing milestone fr raicoon and the renewable energy industry. Our unique 100% fault detection and zero false alarms guarantee empowers customers to trust AI-driven technology and advance the transition to sustainable energy sources without any risk. Our customers can have peace of mind knowing that raicoon AOC runs their PV plants fully autonomously with unprecedented quality and accuracy." Munich Re's AI specialists conducted an extensive analysis of raicoon's AOC technology leading to the development of a tailored insurance product for raicoon AOC. If the AOC generates a false alarm or fails to detect an anomaly, raicoon will compensate 100% of the loss. The insurance product from a Munich Re Group company indemnifies raicoon for its liabilities to customers as a result of this guarantee, allowing customers to confidently invest in raicoon's technology without risk. This groundbreaking collaboration between Munich Re and raicoon empowers the acceleration of the energy transition, increases the efficiency and profitability of solar asset management, and optimizes resource use. Visit raicoon.com for more information on how raicoon AOC can enhance your solar power plant's profitability or to schedule a demo. About raicoon raicoon is a climate-tech company revolutionizing solar energy systems with autonomous operations through their cloud-based SaaS platform. raicoon AOC empowers solar power plants to operate more efficiently and profitably. Visit raicoon.com for more information. Press Contact: Audrey Penaranda GM APAC [email protected] +63 917 584 0293 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/raicoons-unique-solar-performance-guarantee-accelerating-the-energy-transition-backed-by-munich-re-group-301841385.html SOURCE raicoon [June 04, 2023] UL Solutions Joins Forces with SIRIM Berhad to Expand Fire Door Testing The collaboration between UL Solutions and SIRIM Berhad helps manufacturers advance fire door safety in Southeast Asia and enhances market access by enabling fire safety testing in Malaysia. NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety science, today announced its collaboration with SIRIM Berhad to expand fire door testing in Malaysia through the UL Solutions Witnessed Test Data Program (WTDP). Through the agreement, product test data generated by SIRIM during the WTDP visit will be submitted for evaluation and acceptance by UL Solutions. SIRIM Berhad, an industrial research and technology organization under the purview of Malaysia's Ministry of Investment Trade and Industry, can now conduct UL Soltions-witnessed fire door testing at its laboratory in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, in accordance with UL 10B, the Standard for Fire Tests of Door Assemblies, UL 10C, the Standard for Positive Pressure Fire Tests of Door Assemblies, and ULC-S104, the Standard Method for Fire Tests of Door Assemblies. "Fire doors are essential to the success of passive fire protection systems. Demonstrating product conformity can help fire door manufacturers build trust with their customers and other key stakeholders," said Jack Xu, director and regional general manager, Asia, in the Built Environment group at UL Solutions. "Future Witnessed Test Data Program visits will continue to confirm that SIRIM's fire testing laboratory in Shah Alam is well-equipped to provide reliable and accurate test data to UL Solutions. By collaborating with SIRIM, we are working toward a safer world by enabling fire door testing and enhancing market access in Southeast Asia." The WTDP enables SIRIM's testing at customer or third-party test facilities to be witnessed by UL Solutions personnel. UL Solutions assessed SIRIM's fire testing laboratory in Shah Alam under the WTDP by conducting a UL 10C fire endurance and hose stream test to determine if the facility meets program requirements. "We are delighted to collaborate with UL Solutions and offer fire door testing in closer proximity to manufacturers in Southeast Asia," said Dato' Indera Dr. Ahmad Sabirin Arshad, president and group CEO of SIRIM. "SIRIM and UL Solutions are leveraging our combined capabilities and expertise to help fire door manufacturers advance fire safety for Southeast Asia's built environment." UL Solutions operates in over 150 locations in more than 40 countries across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa. Starting with UL Standard 10 in 1903, UL Solutions has been a leader in testing, certifying and inspecting fire doors for over 100 years. About UL Solutions A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 100 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers' product innovation and business growth. The UL Certification Marks serve as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers' products and reflect an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains, and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage. Press Contact: Steven Brewster UL Solutions [email protected] T: +1 (847) 664.8425 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/ul-solutions-joins-forces-with-sirim-berhad-to-expand-fire-door-testing-301841920.html SOURCE UL Solutions [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 04, 2023] Outfit7 Joins Green Game Jam 2023 - And donates $60,000 towards the protection of Amazon wildlife LIMASSOL, Cyprus, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Outfit7 has announced its participation in the Green Game Jam 2023, where 40 games from companies around the world are teaming up to raise $1 million to protect three wild ecosystems. The multinational company aims to raise awareness about wildlife conservation through events hosted in its flagship games, Talking Tom Gold Run and My Talking Angela 2 . In addition, Outfit7 made a donation of $60,000 to Re:wild in support of harlequin toad conservation. Re:wild is a non-profit organization that protects and restores the wild. They work closely with the Atelopus Survival Initiative, which is dedicated to protecting harlequin toads, one of the most threatened groups of amphibians in the world, including in the Amazon Rainforest. "Joining Green Game Jam 2023 is a testament to our commitment to making a positive impact in the world," said Xinyu Qian, CEO of Outfit7. "Both in-game events provide an engaging and fun way for players to learn about the importance of presering the Amazon rainforest, and to inspire them to take action to protect it." Talking Tom Gold Run players can participate in the "Grow & Go" event, where they collect special water droplets to nurture their very own in-game tree. As players help their tree grow, endangered animals from the Amazon appear, and players are rewarded for their conservation efforts with in-game treats, including in-game currencies. Meanwhile, in My Talking Angela 2, the green action is taking place on Talking Angela's brand new Balcony. In this new feature, players help Angela grow flowers, aiming to attract and take care of bees wildlife that is vital to sustaining the Amazon ecosystem. Both events will be available from until June 12, 2023, then every weekend until the end of June. Players can give their environmental action a boost by using the promo code "BEE" in My Talking Angela 2 for 2,000 extra coins, and "TREE" in Talking Tom Gold Run for 300 extra water tokens. To join the exciting in-game events in Talking Tom Gold Run and My Talking Angela 2 or to learn more about the campaign visit https://talkingtomandfriends.com/ggj . ABOUT OUTFIT7: Outfit7 Limited is a dynamic force in mobile gaming, reaching a global audience of billions with its award-winning games. Powered by creativity and industry-leading expertise, the company's talented international team of over 400 people pushes the boundaries of the possible every day. Outfit7's 20+ games have now been downloaded worldwide over 20 billion times and up to 470 million fans play with them every month. Its portfolio also includes numerous chart-topping animated series, theme parks, and a licensing program. You can find more information at www.outfit7.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2091065/Outfit7_Tom_Gold.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2091064/Outfit7_Angela_2.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/outfit7-joins-green-game-jam-2023-301841166.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] BenevolentAI Progresses BEN-34712 for the Potential Treatment of ALS into IND-Enabling Studies BenevolentAI ??(Euronext Amsterdam: BAI), a leader in the development of cutting-edge AI that accelerates biopharma discovery, announces the successful delivery of its pre-clinical candidate for the potential treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), BEN-34712. BEN-34712 is an oral, potent and selective brain penetrant RAR? (retinoic acid receptor alpha beta) biased agonist and will now enter investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies. Impaired retinoic acid signalling has been shown to result in neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, all hallmarks of ALS. In preclinical studies conducted by the Company, BEN-34712 was neuroprotective in a patient-derived, disease-relevant in vitro motor neuron/iAstrocyte co-culture model, demonstrating significant efficacy in both sporadic and familial subtypes of ALS. In addition, BEN-34712 has demonstrated both central nervous system (CNS) target engagement and functional protective effects in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS after 50-day repeat dosing. BenevolentAI collaborated with the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) at the University of Sheffield on this programme, utilising their patient-derived motor neuron/iAstrocyte co-culture systems and in vivo model expertise. Anne Phelan, Chief Scientific Officer, BenevolentAI, said: "There remains a significant and urgent need for new and alternative therapies for patients with ALS. We are pleased by the promising advancement of our drug candidate, BEN-34712, towards clinical development, backed by the compelling preclinical data generated by our collaborators at SITraN." Richard Mead, Senior Lecturer in Translational Neuroscience at SITraN, commented: "ALS patients suffering from this devastating neurodegenerative disease are in dire need of effective therapy, with the current standard of care options focusing on symptom management or offering limited clinical benefit. We believe BEN-34712 represents an exciting development in our research for a potential new treatment, particularly as it shows effectiveness in both the SOD1G93A mouse model system as well as familial and C9orf72 related ALS paient-derived cell models." About ALS ALS is a progressive neurologic disorder characterised by the loss of cortical and spinal motor neurons, leading to the denervation of nerve endplates, axonal retraction and subsequent muscle atrophy. The average survival time following the initial diagnosis is around two-three years, and while there are drugs approved by the US FDA for ALS, they provide only modest benefits to patients, underwriting the urgent need for new and alternative therapies. About BenevolentAI BenevolentAI (AMS: BAI) is a leading developer of advanced artificial intelligence technologies that unlock the value of multimodal data, surface novel insights, and accelerate biomedical discovery. Through the combined capabilities of its AI platform, its scientific expertise, and wet-lab facilities, the Company is developing an in-house drug pipeline of high-value assets. The Company is headquartered in London, with a research facility in Cambridge (UK) and a further office in New York. ??About SITraN at the University of Sheffield The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) is an essential development in the fight against motor neurone disease and other common neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's and dementia, as well as stroke and multiple sclerosis. SITraN has the potential to bring new treatments and new hope to patients and carers in the UK and worldwide, by significantly accelerating the pace of therapeutic development using technologies such as experimental modelling of disease, gene therapy and stem cell biology, gene expression profiling and bioinformatics analysis and modelling of the biological processes. Since its opening by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, SITraN has grown immensely and developed into a leading global facility which is at the forefront of research and expertise. Non-regulatory Forward-looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as "plans", "targets", "aims", "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "will", "may", "should" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding objectives, goals, strategies, outlook and growth prospects; future plans, events or performance and potential for future growth; economic outlook and industry trends; developments in BenevolentAI's markets; the impact of regulatory initiatives; and/or the strength of BenevolentAI's competitors. These forward-looking statements reflect, at the time made, BenevolentAI's beliefs, intentions and current targets/aims. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions based on, without limitation, management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in BenevolentAI's records, and third party data. Although BenevolentAI believes these assumptions were reasonable when made, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond BenevolentAI's control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause the actual outcomes and the results of operations, financial condition and liquidity of BenevolentAI or the industry to differ materially from those results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. No representation or warranty is made that any of these forward-looking statements or forecasts will come to pass or that any forecast result will be achieved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230604005047/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] Rockwell Automation Features Executive Customers and Partners in New Thought Leadership Video Series ROKStudios video program provides fresh perspectives on evolving technology trends and innovation driving better business outcomes in manufacturing, automation, and digital transformation BRUSSELS, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced the release of more than 70 video interviews with manufacturing industry leaders. The videos are part of the company's ROKStudios video program, highlighting trends in digital transformation, IIoT, cloud, MES, sustainability, augmented reality, industrial security and workforce. The interviews recorded with customers include: Gotz Erhardt, senior managing director at Accenture, and Susana Gonzalez , president for Europe , Middle East and Africa at Rockwell Automation, discuss how digital manufacturing can help to ensure success, even during the most volatile and unstable of times. , president for , and at Rockwell Automation, discuss how digital manufacturing can help to ensure success, even during the most volatile and unstable of times. Laurie McDonald , Vice President of SaaS Digital Thread at PTC and Adam Page , Director of Global Technology Partnerships and Alliances, Rockwell, discus the evolution of the partnership between PTC and Rockwell Automation, from software-as-a-service, through out-of-the-box and specific solutions, to advancements in augmented reality. , Vice President of SaaS Digital Thread at PTC and , Director of Global Technology Partnerships and Alliances, Rockwell, discus the evolution of the partnership between PTC and Rockwell Automation, from software-as-a-service, through out-of-the-box and specific solutions, to advancements in augmented reality. Thierry Rouquet of Cisco explains how, by converging the worlds of IT and OT, the partnership of these two companies supports the Connected Enterprise through a common platform and secure network infrastructure. Andre Henriksson from Microsoft and Salma Ghafoor of Rockwell Automation discuss the value of how adopting an Edge-to-Cloud deployment as part of a Connected Enterprise model enables organization-wide improvements in efficiency, visibility and collaboration. And industry insights from Rockwell's own executives: Malte Dieckelmann , regional vice president for software sales in EMEA for Rockwell, highlights the business benefits and outcomes of MES implementation. , regional vice president for software sales in EMEA for Rockwell, highlights the business benefits and outcomes of MES implementation. Sachin Mathur , EMEA director of software and control, Rockwell, describes how 5G provides a next-generation communication layer to achieve a flexible, agile factory of the future. , EMEA director of software and control, Rockwell, describes how 5G provides a next-generation communication layer to achieve a flexible, agile factory of the future. Sarah Dana, head of information solutions for North Europe , Middle East and Africa at Rockwell, addresses the myths and misconception around manufacturing execution systems. "We're exceptionally proud of the depth and breadth of insight available in these discussions," said Greg de Clercq, industry strategy and marketing director for EMEA at Rockwell Automation. "What's clear when you listen to these market leaders speak, is how fast innovation is changing the face of manufacturing and how successfully that's delivering improved outcomes for everyone involved." About Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 28,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/rockwell-automation-features-executive-customers-and-partners-in-new-thought-leadership-video-series-301840769.html SOURCE Rockwell Automation Egypt's unique tourist destinations and competitive pricing have recently been highlighted by various international newspapers and websites, according to a statement by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiques on Sunday. Under the title "Sharm-ing deals: The best Egypt summer holiday deals," the British newspaper The Sun said that Egypt is a distinctive tourist destination to spend summer vacation in, as it is home to a number of the ancient wonders of the world. The Sun mentioned the countrys many archaeological sites, such as the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the temples of Luxor and Karnak, as well as its many activities, such as horseback and camel riding, hot air ballooning and safari trips. Visiting markets, as well as enjoying the many stunning beaches for relaxation and water sports, are also activities that The Sun highlighted. Egypt is well known for its many distinguished hotels and tourist resorts like those located in cities on the Red Sea coast like Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada. Diving into the beauty of Ancient Egypt The American website Urban Matter described travelling to Egypt as a trip of a lifetime in an article titled "Discover the Wonders of Ancient Egypt: A Journey to the Great Pyramids of Giza." The website emphasised the overall wonderful atmosphere of Egypt, the countrys rich history and culture, as well as the many experiences that can be enjoyed during a visit to Cairo's markets and ancient temples. For archaeology and history lovers, the American website Nation World News highlighted the significance of the Valley of the Kings as one of the most important archaeological tombs that reflects Egypt's rich history. The report pointed out that this ancient burial site, located on the west bank of the Nile in Luxor, is a unique and stunning place that has attracted tourists for centuries. The website encouraged tourists to visit the tomb of King Tutankhamun, the Valley of the Queens, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Temple of Ramses III and the Colossi of Memnon. As for beach and leisure tourism, the American website Business Wire referred to Egypt as A Beach Paradise All Year Round, touting its warm sun and clear waters. The website also invited tourists to visit cities such as Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Sharm El-Sheikh and Luxor. A sector on the rise Egypt which relies on the tourism sector as a key source for hard currency 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. The country's tourism sector was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of visitors dropping from 13.1 million in 2019 to 3.7 million in 2020. However, the tourism sector began to recover in the last two years with the number of tourists climbing up to eight million in 2021 and, again, to 11.7 million in 2022. The government has said it expects 15 million tourists to visit Egypt in 2023 and plans are in the work to expand hotel capacity to receive 2530 million by 2028. Search Keywords: Short link: [June 05, 2023] AsiaRF Launches Industry's First Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow IoT Gateway New Gateway Delivers Longer Range, Lower Power Consumption and Enhanced RF Performance for IoT Networks TAIPEI, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- COMPUTEX 2023 -- AsiaRF, a leading wireless connectivity solutions company, today introduced the first globally available Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow IoT gateway, powered by Morse Micro's MM6108 Wi-Fi HaLow SoC. The new gateway supports the IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi HaLow standard, making it an industry first in providing reliable, low-power, and long-range connectivity for IoT networks. This innovation will play an essential role in global IoT ecosystems, fostering more robust, long-reach, power-efficient connections for IoT devices worldwide. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow, as defined by the Wi-Fi Alliance IEEE 802.11ah specification, operates in the wireless spectrum below 1 GHz. This sub-GHz connectivity gives the AsiaRF IoT gateway unmatched advantages, such as expanded range and optimized power efficiency, propelling it beyond the limitations of conventional IoT connectivity. "We're thrilled to be the first to offer a Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow IoT gateway designed for global markets," said Paul Lai, CEO of AsiaRF. "Our gateway product will significantly improve IoT connectivity worldwide, and we're excited to help drive this transformation with partners like Morse Micro." By combining the low-power, long-range benefits of Wi-Fi HaLow with the exceptional RF performance of the Morse Micro MM6108 SoC, the AsiaRF IoT gateway will set a new benchmark for IoT connectivity solutions. The collaboration between AsiaRF and Morse Micro will empower businesses and consumers to tap the full potential of the IoT, enhancing the way people everywhere live, work, and communicate. The launch of the AsiaRF Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow IoT gateway signals a romising new era in IoT technology, where seamless connectivity, power efficiency, and extended range are no longer luxuries but standard gateway features. "Morse Micro and AsiaRF share a mutual commitment to innovation and to bringing Wi-Fi HaLow to market," said Michael De Nil, co-founder and CEO of Morse Micro. "The new AsiaRF IoT gateway showcases the many advantages of using Morse Micro's Wi-Fi HaLow SoC technology for IoT connectivity and we are pleased to see it come to market this year." AsiaRF's IoT gateway will be available for global shipment here . For more information about the AsiaRF IoT gateway and how it will shape the future of IoT connectivity, visit www.asiarf.com . About AsiaRF AsiaRF, a leading wireless connectivity solutions company, is committed to pushing boundaries, delivering high-performance IoT devices and services, and redefining what's possible in the world of connectivity. Our mission is to extend people's reach by making IoT technology more accessible, efficient, and practical for businesses and individuals around the globe. Visit our website at www.asiarf.com. About Morse Micro Founded in 2016, Morse Micro is a fast-growing fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Sydney, Australia with offices in the UK, USA, China, Japan, Taiwan and India. With over AU $200m in capital raised to date, the company is the world's largest and best-funded Wi-Fi HaLow company. Morse Micro is focused on developing Wi-Fi HaLow solutions and enabling next-generation connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT). By changing the status quo of current Wi-Fi protocols Morse Micro is pushing the boundaries of our digital future, driving transformation and enhancing connectivity across the globe. Through its world-class team of Wi-Fi chip engineers, Morse Micro is now sampling its Wi-Fi Alliance and FCC-certifiable MM6108 production silicon: the fastest, smallest, lowest power and longest range Wi-Fi HaLow chip available in the market. For more information, please visit: https://www.morsemicro.com/ . View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asiarf-launches-industrys-first-wi-fi-certified-halow-iot-gateway-301842034.html SOURCE Morse Micro [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] TouristsGo.Ro: Romanian Music Festival hijacks "tourists go home" street messages, offering an unexpected alternative to over-tourism in Barcelona CLUJ NAPOCA, Romania, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wandering through Barcelona's streets, it's impossible to overlook the graffiti messages echoing a disquiet among locals. Phrases such as "Tourists Go Home," "Dear Tourists, Please Leave," and "Tourism Kills the City" are now being recast in a fresh light with the introduction of the " TouristsGo.Ro " movement by the Electric Castle Festival. The festival organizers have ingeniously repurposed these city wall messages by adding "www." and ".ro", potentially providing an alternative destination for the thronging tourists crowding the Spanish metropolis. Ancient castles, beautiful landscapes, unique art, and vibrant music events - these aren't exclusive to Spain. They are equally abundant in Romania. Electric Castle Festival is promoting a shift in tourist traffic, encouraging travelers to explore the remarkable offerings of Romania, while also inviting locals to become ambassadors of an innovative concept: the problem of over-tourism in Barcelona could be mitigated just a three-hour flight away, in the heart of Transylvania. This clever initiative, "TouristsGo.Ro," transforms protest messages across Barcelona into domain names leading to a singular website promoting Romanian attractions. The mechanism is ingenious: by simpl appending "www." and ".ro" to any protest message, the Electric Castle team transforms it into a domain redirected to touristsgo.ro. The website includes options for tourists in fighting over-tourism, while enabling locals to join the movement and invite tourists to uncover Romania's unseen treasures. Over 100 partner locations and locals have already endorsed the campaign and proudly displayed messages in support of this alternative narrative. "Turning hate messages into love is a great idea. We need to be more open and discover new places. Romania sounds great. More people should know." says Julia Delgado, Catalan artist For explorers seeking out novel destinations, Electric Castle, set in the historic 15th-century Banffy Castle, promises an extraordinary five-day experience. The festival features non-stop performances from over 300 artists on 12 different stages, set in the midst of 400,000 square meters of natural beauty. Attendees can immerse themselves in music while taking in the serene landscape. As global cities grapple with over-tourism, this campaign shines a light on potential solutions, demonstrating that alternative destinations can provide remarkable experiences while relieving pressure on overloaded locales. By highlighting Romania as a viable travel choice, Electric Castle strives to lessen over-tourism and promote sustainable tourism practices. For more details about this campaign, visit www.TouristsGo.Ro Video documentary Tourists Go.Ro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-BJkP6WB2M&t=4s About the Electric Castle festival: Electric Castle is a multi-awarded music festival held in the legendary 15th-century Banffy Castle, Transylvania. Thanks to an impressive line-up of international artists and a diverse range of activities, Electric Castle has become a must-attend event for music lovers from around the world. The 9th edition of the festival promises an unforgettable journey with Macklemore, The Chemical Brothers, George Ezra, Iggy Pop, Pendulum live, Jamie xx, Sigur Ros, Peggy Gou, Nothing But Thieves and many more. Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-BJkP6WB2M View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/touristsgoro-romanian-music-festival-hijacks-tourists-go-home-street-messages-offering-an-unexpected-alternative-to-over-tourism-in-barcelona-301841249.html [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Page Removed Due to administrative reasons, the content of this page has been removed and is no longer available. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] DANA and Ant Group Announce Local Women Entrepreneur Winners of the Inaugural SisBerdaya Program SisBerdaya, a local initiative by DANA and Ant Group dedicated to empowering Indonesian women entrepreneurs mainly from ultra-micro and micro businesses, announced six Grand Winners in Jakarta. They represent a diverse range of industries from food manufacturing to handicrafts. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005378/en/ SisBerdaya Final Pitching Competition & Award Gala (Photo: Business Wire) The Grand Winners of the final pitching competition from Area 1 (Kalimantan and Sumatera) are Siti Aswinda from Medan who runs a culinary business called 'Bakso Makiji' in the micro business category Efariany from Pekanbaru with 'Rumah Bawang Kadedika' in the ultra-micro business category. From Area 2 (Sulawesi, Java, Nusa Tenggara, Bali, and Papua), the Grand Winners are Eka Shandy from Makassar who has a weaving and handicraft business called 'Dituta' in the micro business category and Musridawanti from Makassar with a handicraft business 'Whantie Collection' in the ultra-micro business category. The Grand Winners of Area 3 (Greater Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi) are Inne Viryani from Tangerang with her 'Coklat and Sambal Kurma Riasafood' in the micro business category and Romauli Sri Astuti from Central Jakarta who runs a fried onion-based business called 'Ulimus' in the ultra-micro business category. The six Grand Winners stood out based on their business plans presented during the final pitching competition. The assessment criteria include the business model, operational scalability, financial projections and digital innovation including digital marketing and payment adaptability with QRIS. Each of the Grand Winners is entitled to a prize of IDR 20 million (for the ultra-micro business category) or IDR 35 million (for the micro business category) as business capital to pursue their growth plans. In addition, another 24 Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs were also recognized by the program. They will receive a cash prize as business capital to invest in the growth of their businesses. All of the female business owners represent a wide range of businesses, including textiles, handicrafts, packaged food, and more. Agustina Samara, Chief People and Corporate Strategy Officer DANA Indonesia said, "Congratulations to all winners of the SisBerdaya program for their dedication and efforts in completing the series of selection, mentorship and training processes. It is an honour for us to witness each participant's rapid improvement in gaining a deeper understanding of business digitalization and developing a more sustainable business plan. We would also like to thank everyone who has contributed to the successful completion of the inaugural SisBerdaya. The SisBerdaya program has demonstrated that collaboration is one of the keys to achieving economic independence for Indonesian women." "The successful completion of the inaugural SisBerdaya marks an exciting beginning for the winners and outstanding businesswomen from the program to pursue their dreams and inspirations. We would like to encourage all participants of SisBerdaya to continue engaging with each other and with the local community to empower more like-minded women to succeed," said Ms Carrie Suen, Senior Advisor, Global Affairs & Sustainability Strategies, Ant Group. "It has been a humbling experience to engage such a diverse group of local women entrepreneurs operating micro and ultra-micro businesses from different regions, industries and backgrounds. Together with DANA, we are proud to have played a part in supporting them to reach their full potential on a global scale." The SisBerdaya program has been running for the past three months from March to May 2023. After receiving over 2,400 applications from diverse regions throughout Indonesia, 180 applicants were chosen to go through a one-month mentorship and skills training from a bench of experts from DANA, Ant Group and other industry and government partners. During the final pitching competition, 30 finalists from three different area categories representing micro and ultra-micro businesses took part and presented their business plans in front of the jury, consisting of Agustina Samara (Chief People and Corporate Strategy Officer DANA Indonesia), Rose Dian Sundari (Director of Financial Inclusion Development of the Financial Services Authority), Carrie Suen (Senior Advisor, Global Affairs & Sustainability Strategies, Ant Group), Septriana Tangkary (Director of Information and Communication for the Economy and Maritime Ministry of Communication and Informatics), Mira Rahmawaty (Deputy Director of the MSME Development Group, MSME Development and Consumer Protection Department, Bank of Indonesia), and Temmy (NAKAMA Program). The final pitching competition and award gala of SisBerdaya is also witnessed by Edwin Nurhadi, Director of Financial Inclusion Development of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and Elsya M. S. Chani, Head of MSME Development and Inclusive Finance Group, Department of MSME Development and Consumer Protection of Bank Indonesia. Edwin Nurhadi, Director of Financial Inclusion Development of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) conveyed: "We at OJK would like to express our gratitude for the implementation of SisBerdaya. This program is consistent with OJK and Government initiatives. We also request the help and participation of Ministries, Institutions, and MSMEs to work together to enhance financial literacy. With the same spirit, anything is possible." Elsya M. S. Chani, Head of MSME Development and Inclusive Finance Group, Department of MSME Development and Consumer Protection of Bank Indonesia said: "We appreciate DANA and Ant Group's contributions as concrete evidence of the growth of women's MSMEs in Indonesia. We are confident that participants will receive new insights and strategies for becoming empowered entrepreneurs. MSME empowerment is a business that involves the collaboration of all stakeholders. The hope is that this initiative does not come to an end, but continues to expand." To create a sustainable and effective program, DANA and Ant Group will continue to monitor the development of all winners' business plans and provide joint business consulting services with DANA employees if needed to the winners. Appendix List of Grand Winners of SisBerdaya Business Category Area Winner's Name & Business Type Business Story Ultra-micro Area 1 Efariany Rumah Bawang Kadedika The first Black Garlic pioneer in Riau, based on the owner's personal experience of finding it impossible to obtain black garlic in Pekanbaru. Rumah Bawang Kadedika sells black garlic as a natural medicine that can treat diabetes, hypertension, and a variety of other ailments. Area 2 Musridawanti Whantie Collection This Makassar-based craft enterprise creates a variety of things, including apparel and handicrafts made from plastic garbage. The Whantie Collection has also given authority to housewives (IRT) and scavengers in the vicinity of production houses. Area 3 Romauli Sri Astuti Ulimus Ulimus was developed with the goal of making fried onions more appealing to everyone. Ulimus' crispy fried onions are 'converted' into delectable nibbles with varied flavours with the goal of exposing them as a compliment to traditional Indonesian food. Mikro Area 1 Siti Aswinda Bakso Makiji Siti Aswinda wants to manufacture Bakso Makiji in Medan to solve the difficulties of working mothers who don't have much time to give good and nutritious food to their families using the hashtag #BaksoBikinBahagia. She aspires to have more than 150 agents and distributors throughout Indonesia through SisBerdaya. Area 2 Eka Shandy Dituta Dituta focuses on making an intriguing craft out of banana leaf trash. One of its goals in running this business is to become the largest weaving centre in Eastern Indonesia while also improving people's lives by creating new jobs. Area 3 Inne Viryani Coklat & Sambal Kurma 'Riasafood' Inne Viryani introduces Riasafood, which offers sambal and chocolate produced from dates, as a result of her understanding of the necessity of sweet snacks that are healthful, varied, and low in sugar. With SisBerdaya's new expertise and insights, Inne is confident that she will be able to raise her reseller numbers to 100 and open 30 outlets About DANA DANA (PT Espay Debit Indonesia Koe) is a digital wallet-based technology financial company that provides payment platforms and financial services in Indonesia. Since its launch in December 2018, DANA has now reached more than 135 million users in Indonesia. DANA provides complete digital transaction solutions that are safe, easy and convenient for users, merchants and financial institutions. The DANA solution, developed by leading financial technology engineers in Indonesia, aims to advance and accelerate financial literacy and inclusion in Indonesia. Apart from empowering digital finance, DANA also seeks to encourage Indonesian society through impactful social initiatives that focus on empowering women and preserving the environment. About Ant Group Ant Group traces its roots back to Alipay, which was established in 2004 to create trust between online sellers and buyers. Over the years, Ant Group has grown to become one of the world's leading open Internet platforms. Through technological innovation, Ant Group supports its partners in providing inclusive, convenient digital life and digital financial services to consumers and SMEs. In addition, it has been introducing new technologies and products to support the digital transformation of industries and facilitate industrial collaboration. Working together with global partners, the company enables merchants and consumers to make and receive payments and remit around the world. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005378/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] CyberCube Report: Economy Shows Resilience to Recent Cyber Attacks, But Major Events Remain a Risk The global economy has proved relatively resilient to material widespread financial loss from attacks to date although analysis of near-miss events suggests that far larger losses are quite possible, according to research by leading cyber analytics firm CyberCube. In a new report, CyberCube conducted an analysis of cyber cat events and documented over 100 global cyber aggregation events with catastrophic potential over the past six years - equating to approximately one every three weeks. The vast majority of those events were resolved by the cybersecurity community with minimal financial loss to insurers. However, CyberCube warns that while few security issues have become major (re)insurance losses, the counterfactuals on observed near-miss events suggest that far larger losses are quite plausible. The advice comes from CyberCube's ongoing review of cyber threat trends and has been reflected in its software-as-a-service solution Portfolio Manager Version 5 (PMv5). Portfolio Manager is the (re)insurance industry's cyber risk modeling platform of choice, allowing stress testing of portfolios against a range of systemic cyber-related scenarios including data breaches, cloud outages, and global ransomware attacks among others. Originally launched in March 2018, Portfolio Manager has become the industry's leading, fully-probabilistic cyber catastrophe model that enables clients to drill down to identify loss drivers and areas of risk accumulation. In PMv5, CyberCube has applied an "Event Family" structure to all scenario classes and updated a variety of underpinning model parameters, narratives, and data, while maintaining its overall modeling methodology. The new release also enables (re)insurers to better understand the ramifications of cyber-specific policy terms and sublimits through more refined financial mdeling controls. The industry is exploring how policy language can contain (re)insurers' exposure to cat scenarios and what this could do to reduce capital requirements. CyberCube found that some approaches could yield modest results while others could have more significant benefits. To illustrate this, an analysis of the CyberCube US Industry Exposure Database indicates that the 1-in-100-year US cyber insurance industry loss could be reduced by up to 65% with the implementation of stringent widespread event language. Jon Laux, CyberCube VP of Analytics and report author, said: "Understanding the nature and potential extent of cyber catastrophe risk is absolutely essential for a sustainable cyber (re)insurance market. For PMv5 we reviewed nearly every aspect of our model to provide a coherent view of risk - driven by a combination of deep expertise and data, and organized so results make sense for both technical users and senior decision makers. We hope this model serves as a basis for the critical business decisions the industry needs to make." Cody Stumpo, CyberCube Senior Director of Product Management, said: "The PMv5 release includes broad updates across multiple modules to ensure that it continues to reflect CyberCube's latest research, and analysis of the current threat landscape. PMv5 also delivers even more data-driven and justified model elements to increase the reliability of analyses at all levels of granularity. This release ensures that Portfolio Manager will give the industry the ability to robustly quantify the financial loss impact of mass aggregation cyber events with the underlying rigor and analytical flexibility that the solution has come to be associated with." The research "Cyber Attack Event Analysis - Reflecting trends in CyberCube's Portfolio Manager Version 5" is available here. PMv5 is available immediately. About CyberCube CyberCube delivers the world's leading cyber risk analytics for the insurance industry. With best-in-class data access and advanced multi-disciplinary analytics, the company's cloud-based platform helps insurance organizations quantify cyber risk to facilitate placing insurance, underwriting cyber risk and managing cyber risk aggregation. CyberCube's enterprise intelligence layer provides insights on millions of companies globally and includes modeling on thousands of points of technology failure. The CyberCube platform was established in 2015 within Symantec and now operates as a standalone company exclusively focused on the insurance industry, with access to an unparalleled ecosystem of data partners. It is backed by Morgan Stanley Tactical Value, Forgepoint Capital, HSCM Bermuda, MTech Capital, individuals from Stone Point Capital and Scott G. Stephenson. www.cybcube.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005417/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] Indy Autonomous Challenge to Relaunch Autonomous Challenge SIM Races with the Autoware Foundation and Autonoma The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) announced that it will relaunch its Autonomous Challenge SIM races by partnering with the Autoware Foundation (AWF) to develop the official IAC racing simulation platform integrated into the AWF's open-source AWSIM. Autonoma, a start-up founded by former IAC university team members, will provide the advanced simulation modeling that replicates the real-world IAC racecars, integrated into AWSIM. In 2020-21 the IAC organized a series of autonomous SIM races which allowed 31 teams comprised of 40 universities across four continents to test their AI drivers and determine their readiness to compete in on-track competitions. IAC has gone on to host four historic oval competitions with one IAC team setting a world record for autonomous racing on an oval track reaching 180 mph at Las Vegas Motor Speedway January 7, 2023. That same team, PoliMOVE, also holds the world's fastest autonomous land speed record of 192.2 mph/309.3 kph over 1 km. The IAC will re-launch its simulation races together with AWF to expand the number of university teams developing and training novel AI driving algorithms. The SIM races provide a highly accessible way for teams to participate in the IAC, breaking down barriers of funding or physical car availability. Teams will develop AI drivers to compete with others from around the globe. Additionally, this platform prepares teams to progress to the real-world, on-track competitions. "Autoware Foundation's years of experience with open-source simulation and their global network of more than 18 universities makes them the perfect partner to enable a scalable platform for autonomous SIM racing," said Paul Mitchell, president, IAC. "This partnership will allow us to extend the boundaries of the IAC as the number of university teams will not be limited to the physical vehicles." "This partnership expands the long-standing relationship between the Indy Autonomous Challenge and AWF," said Christian John, TIER IV North America President and AWF Strategic Planning Committee Chair. "We worked closely with IAC to enable the reference autonomy software on the Dallara AV-21 race car used in the first IAC competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and now we'll enable IAC teams advance autonomous driving algorithms with state-of-the-art racing simulation based on AWSIM." AWSIM is the open-source, Unity-based simulation platform for end-to-end autonomous vehicle testing developed by TIER IV and Robotec.ai used by AWF members to advance Autoware, the world's leading open-source software for autonomous driving. AWF is working closely with Autonoma, which was founded by previous IAC competitors from Auburn University and Politecnico di Milano. Autonoma is integrating its vehicle dynamics, tire dynamics, sensor models, vehicle interfaces, simulation framework, and 3D racetrack environments into AWSIM, allowing the IAC teams to test the performance of their autonomous software with high accuracy. Autonoma has been working closely with IAC university teams over the last year to deveop and beta test the simulation to fit their exact needs, creating a "digital-twin" of the racecar and competition environments. "By offering a highly accurate simulation platform, we empower teams to push the envelope of their software, safely and efficiently," said Will Bryan, CEO of Autonoma. "By enabling faster iteration speed, our technology not only promotes competition, it equips the teams with the tools necessary to create meaningful breakthroughs that will shape our autonomous future." The IAC SIM racing platform is already available for current IAC university teams and will be available to new university teams later this summer. Teams interested in participating in IAC SIM racing events can reach out to [email protected] About IAC: The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) organizes racing competitions among university affiliated teams from around the world to program fully autonomous racecars and compete in a series of history-making events at iconic tracks. Based in Indiana, the IAC is working to establish a hub for performance automation in the state and is harnessing the power of innovative competitions to attract the best and the brightest minds from around the globe to further state-of the-art technology in safety and performance of automated vehicles. The IAC started as a $1 million prize competition with 31 university teams signing up to compete more than two years ago, representing top engineering and technology universities from 11 countries including 15 U.S. states. About AWF: Autoware is the world's first "all-in-one" open-source software for self-driving vehicles hosted under the Autoware Foundation. Autoware is based on ROS 2, with contributions from the Autoware Foundation members and community at large following best-in-class software engineering practices. Further information at www.autoware.org. About Autonoma: Autonoma is a startup focused on advanced simulation and validation tools for autonomous vehicles that close the gap between the virtual and real world. Autonoma was founded by former IAC participants and uses their experience working on the fastest autonomous cars in the world to create high-fidelity vehicle-in-the-loop (VIL) testing platforms. Their VIL platform allows a physical car to test in a safe environment, but "see" a dynamic virtual world around it. This increases safety, while allowing developers to test in a much more efficient way. To learn more, reach out to [email protected]. About TIER IV: TIER IV is the creator of Autoware, the world's first open-source software for autonomous driving (AD) and provides full-stack solutions for the commercialization of intelligent vehicles based on the Autoware-defined Autonomous Driving Kit (ADK), which runs on multiple platforms. Autoware is currently used by hundreds of companies globally, with field operation tests run in about 20 countries and implemented with 30 different types of vehicles. As a founding member of the Autoware Foundation, TIER IV provides open access to AD technology so that everyone, from individuals to organizations, can participate in and contribute to a sustainable ecosystem of intelligent vehicles and AD technology for the benefit of society. Learn more at TIER IV and follow @tier_iv_japan. Media Resources: General IAC photos and videos can be found on the IAC Media Page Follow @IndyAChallenge and #IAC2023 on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & YouTube . and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & YouTube Media Contact: Allison Fried, ( [email protected] ) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005045/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] Dave Burbidge Joins Alliant Insurance Services, Will Service Growing Rocky Mountain Region Client Base Dave Burbidge has joined Alliant Insurance Services as Vice President within its Employee Benefits Group. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Burbidge will focus on designing, implementing, and managing employee benefits solutions for a diverse and growing client base across the Rocky Mountain Region. Burbidge joins Alliant with more than 20 years of industry experience across the full spectrum of available benefit plan offerings, human resource services, legal compliance, and technology solutions. With a focus on large group benefits planning and implementation, Burbidge uses practical technologies, cutting-edge market innovations, thorough compliance oversigt, and personalized customer service to help businesses maximize value and effectively plan for the future. "In addition to his deep benefits expertise, Dave has a broad-based understanding of the technologies that are driving our industry forward," said Kevin Overbey, President, Alliant Employee Benefits. "Dave understands the highly interconnected nature of our market and sees the opportunities that robust, technology-driven offerings can provide to our operation and how they can help our clients." Burbidge's industry experience includes five years as a Group Rep for a medical reinsurance carrier and ten years as the owner of an independent benefits consulting firm in southwest Colorado. Prior to joining Alliant, Burbidge worked as an Employee Benefits Consultant at a global insurance brokerage and consulting firm. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Utah. Burbidge can be reached at (435) 705-3544 or at [email protected]. About Alliant Insurance Services Alliant Insurance Services is one of the nation's leading distributors of diversified insurance products and services. We operate through a network of specialized national platforms and local offices to offer our clients a comprehensive portfolio of solutions built on innovative thinking and personal service. The business of managing risk is getting more complex, and Alliant is meeting this complexity head-on, not with more layers of management, but with more creativity and agility. Alliant is changing the way our clients approach risk management and benefits, so they can capitalize on new opportunities to grow and protect their organizations. Visit us at alliant.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005116/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] Ubiik Launches its Revolutionary LTE-M Base Station freeRAN(TM), FCC Certified for the US 915MHz License-Exempt Band SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ubiik, a leading AMI and end-to-end LTE solution provider, is proud to announce the launch of freeRANTM, an LTE-M base station that is set to revolutionize the landscape of wireless connectivity for utilities, and other industries. With a base station operating in the US 915MHz license-exempt band (also known as ISM band 902-928MHz), this new product release will empower businesses to achieve unprecedented levels of connectivity without the existing cost barrier of securing spectrum. By leveraging the unlicensed band, utilities can now achieve mass connectivity without the need for substantial financial investments in spectrum acquisition. Incorporating a full software 3GPP Release 15 Radio Access Network (RAN) optimized for standalone 4G LTE-M within a 3MHz bandwidth, freeRANTM represents a significant leap forward in communication infrastructure. The freeRANTM base station also supports advanced Release 14 & 15 features (e.g., non-IP data delivery, eDRX/PSM, early data transfer) and is therefore optimized for deployments of private LTE networks. Offering the ability to seamlessly connect existing FCC certified end devices supporting 3GPP Band 8, freeRANTM paves the way for advanced connectivity for utilities, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, smart cities and more. The downlink operates in 925-928MHz while end devices have the full 902-915MHz range for operation, in accordance with 3GPP Band 8. "The introduction of freeRANTM demonstrates Ubiik's unparalleled dedication to bring innovations which benefit our customers," said Fabien Petitgrand, CTO of Ubiik. "Operating LTE-M in license-exempt bands offers a perfect complement to our private, licensed band solutions, allowing customers to best serve their communications needs dpending on quality-of-service, criticality, and cost considerations." Key features and benefits of freeRANTM include: Secure Network: By leveraging 3GPP based LTE-M technology, freeRAN TM delivers superior security for critical infrastructure connectivity compared to other proprietary communication technologies. By leveraging 3GPP based LTE-M technology, freeRAN delivers superior security for critical infrastructure connectivity compared to other proprietary communication technologies. Cost-Effective : By leveraging the unlicensed band, freeRAN TM offers a cost-effective alternative by eliminating the spectrum license fees and reducing the burden of operating expenses. : By leveraging the unlicensed band, freeRAN offers a cost-effective alternative by eliminating the spectrum license fees and reducing the burden of operating expenses. Wide Coverage: Operating on the US 915MHz unlicensed band, freeRAN TM provides extensive coverage, enabling seamless connectivity even in remote or challenging environments. The superior spectral efficiency and power control features of 3GPP technologies ensure LTE-M makes the best use of the spectrum by optimizing throughput and mitigating interference in the band. Operating on the US 915MHz unlicensed band, freeRAN provides extensive coverage, enabling seamless connectivity even in remote or challenging environments. The superior spectral efficiency and power control features of 3GPP technologies ensure LTE-M makes the best use of the spectrum by optimizing throughput and mitigating interference in the band. Scalable and Flexible: With its full-software architecture, freeRAN TM is highly scalable and adaptable, accommodating the evolving needs of customers across a range of industries. The Evolved Packet Core (EPC) can be internal for a single base station deployment, or external to connect multiple freeRAN TM 's as the network grows. LTE Cat-1 backhaul in addition to Ethernet allows for the most diverse deployment scenarios. With its full-software architecture, freeRAN is highly scalable and adaptable, accommodating the evolving needs of customers across a range of industries. The Evolved Packet Core (EPC) can be internal for a single base station deployment, or external to connect multiple freeRAN 's as the network grows. LTE Cat-1 backhaul in addition to Ethernet allows for the most diverse deployment scenarios. Power efficient: Optimized by design for 3MHz, freeRANTM consumes a fraction of the power of a traditional base station, allowing the use of Power-over-Ethernet to promote ease of installation and even enable 100% solar-powered sites. "Ubiik is thrilled to introduce freeRANTM, a leading-edge LTE-M base station that will redefine IoT connectivity for utilities and industries," said Tienhaw Peng, founder and CEO of Ubiik. "With freeRANTM, we aim to empower utilities and businesses to unlock the full potential of private LTE, enabling enhanced operational efficiencies and innovation, and, ultimately, the ability to deliver superior services to their customers." Where to find out more: Ubiik invites journalists, utilities, and industry experts to attend the official launch of freeRANTM at UTC Telecom & Technology 2023, held from June 5-9 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. To schedule an interview, request more information, or obtain a media kit, please contact [email protected]. About Ubiik Founded in 2016, Ubiik started its IoT business by providing Weightless LPWAN, a high performance open standard communication protocol successful with Advanced Metering Infrastructure private deployments. Since its successful AMI project in 2018 which has expanded its product portfolio to a PaaS platform, Ubiik has become a vertical IoT solutions provider. It has since grown its connectivity offerings to include LTE technologies to cover the multi-modality of the IoT market, especially for applications with strong security requirements that can be met with 3GPP standards. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ubiik-launches-its-revolutionary-lte-m-base-station-freerantm-fcc-certified-for-the-us-915mhz-license-exempt-band-301842015.html SOURCE Ubiik [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] 4CAD Group consolidates its position with the acquisition of e-THEMIS, exclusive Sage X3 integrator NANTES, France, June 5, 2023 /CNW/ -- 4CAD Group, distributor, and integrator of software solutions for manufacturers, acquires e-THEMIS, a company with 22 years' experience in implementing Sage X3-based management solutions for industrial and commercial companies. This merger will strengthen the teams of both companies, enabling them to respond more effectively to the strong demand for digitalization among businesses. The new group has strong ambitions: to develop and consolidate its position as the world's leading Sage X3 integrator, as well as its growth in the agri-food and FMCG markets. Strong national and international growth Through the successive acquisitions of e-THEMIS and Logtimiz in less than a year, brokered by Nathalie BELLION, director of SeveS (M&A firm dedicated to digital and impact companies), 4CAD Group consolidates its business and strengthens its positioning as a Sage X3 integrator. The new entity formed by the two companies has the following ambitions: Develop and consolidate its position as the world's leading Sage X3 integrator, Develop the growing food and consumer goods market in France , Switzerland , and Canada , , , and , Offer Sage X3 customers complementary, interconnected software solutions for product design and lifecycle management (PLM), Internet of Things (IoT), customer relationship management (CRM) and electronic invoicing, Host all applications in a secure cloud, providing a single point of contact able to commit to maintaining the information system in operational condition, Develop even greater geographical proximity with regional agencies in Lyon , Lille , Nantes , Strasbourg , Bordeaux , Toulouse , Angers, Paris , as well as in Switzerland and Canada . "We are delighted to expand our team with the addition of Christelle BOURNIER to our shareholder base. This acquisition will enable us to reinforce our development strategy and perfect 4CAD Group services," says Stephane LETHEULE, President of 4CAD Group. "As a result, new customers will be able to benefit from the full range of 4CAD Group services and infrastructures: multi-solution and interconnected software offering (PLM, ERP, IOT, CRM), local regional agencies, new services on offer and access to our CONNEX'LAB, an immersive space that lets you project and test new Industry 4.0 technologies: design, manufacturing, simulation, configuration, connected assembly line, additive manufacturing..." he adds. Joining forces to meet manufacturers' need for digitalization The synergy between e-THEMIS and 4CAD Group will be enhanced by the contribution of complementary expertise and solutions, as well as a denser geographical network across France. This collaboration will enable us to strengthen our workforce to meet the growing demand for digitalization from industrial companies. "The merger with 4CAD Group was motivated by the creation of an industrial project with value underpinned by 4 strategic axes: the complementarity of our sector-specific know-how, supporting the food, mass-market and pharmaceutical sectors; synergies enabling our respective customers to access an expanded, high value-added offering; and also, capitalizing on 4CAD Group's international base to develop the Canadian and Swiss markets. Finally, we share the same values of high standards, commitment, and professional and personal fulfillment," explains Christelle BOURNIER, e-THEMIS Managing Director. 22 years of expertise Since 2001, e-THEMIS has specialized in the implementation of Sage X3-based management solutions for industrial and commercial companies. This integrator provides Sage X3 implementation services from the project scoping phase through to customer support. e-THEMIS is also a publisher of sector-specific solutions (Sage X3 Consumer Products, Sage X3 Food & Beverage, Sage X3 Pharmaceutical Distribution and Sage X3 Industry) developed with Sage X3 development tools. "For 22 years, e-THEMIS has always placed commitment and high standards at the heart of its strategy, with the ambition of enabling our customers to concentrate on their core business while relying on a robust management solution. Commitment, expertise, agility, and human relations are the founding values of our DNA and are reflected in the relationships we maintain not only with our customers, but also with our partners and employees. I'm delighted to be joining forces with 4CAD Group, with whom we share the same values," comments Hubert BOURNIER, CEO of e-THEMIS. "I am particularly admiring of what the founders, managers and teams of 4CAD Group have been able to build over 20 years: a customer-centric, innovative and high value-added approach! I'm very proud and I'd like to thank Stephane for associating me with this major project," reports Christelle BOURNIER, e-THEMIS Managing Director. Targets to end September 2023 Sales: 85 million 2,500 customers 450 employees Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2091787/4CAD_Group_Logo.jpg Media contact: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/4cad-group-consolidates-its-position-with-the-acquisition-of-e-themis-exclusive-sage-x3-integrator-301841175.html SOURCE 4CAD Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] Atrium Expands its Global Footprint with Acquisition of Talent Solutions and IT Consulting Provider Gibbs Hybrid Atrium, a leading Extended Workforce Management and Talent Solutions company, today announced the expansion of its global operations through the acquisition of a majority interest in London, UK-based IT and Business Services Firm Gibbs Hybrid. This acquisition enhances Atrium's ability to provide leading-edge Talent and Workforce Solutions for international clients while extending Gibbs Hybrid's suite of offerings in Contingent Program Management and Total Talent Management to its portfolio of customers operating in EMEA and beyond. At a time of unprecedented change in how companies deploy their holistic workforce strategies, Atrium and Gibbs Hybrid amplify each other's capabilities to deliver flexible, data-driven, custom-designed workforce solutions that help organizations successfully navigate the challenges of today's rapidly evolving talent landscape. "Atrium is committed to continuing to expand our international delivery capabilities and the innovative, next-generation Talent and Workforce Management solution offerings that we've come to be known for," said Rebecca Cenni-Leventhal, founder and CEO of Atrium. "While evaluating potential synergistic opportunities in EMEA, it became abundantly clear that Gibbs Hybrid's track record of nearly two decades of success, shared passion for exquisite customer service, and alignment in core company values made it a natural fit for Atrium. In addition, as a WBENC-certified company, joining forces with Europe's largest MSDUK-certified minority woman-owned business will further empower us collectively in our Forward Together mission to champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion." Headquartered in New York City and with offices across the United States and Canada, this acquisition further expands Atrium's global footprint by adding a London, UK headquarters and offices in Ireland, Poland, and Luxembourg. Farida Gibbs, Founder, and CEO of Gibbs Hybrid, commented, "When we first began discussions with Atrium, the strong corresponding values shared by our two companies quickly became apparent. Since its inception, Gibbs Hybrid has built a powerful brand roted in customer-centricity, belief in our people, and excellence in execution. We are so excited to join forces with such a like-minded organization, which has led the way in Talent Solutions and Workforce Management for nearly three decades." Farida continued, "Being a minority women-owned business, we understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workforce and the supply chain. By joining the Atrium family, we can continue to help our customers build inclusive teams that drive success, guidance, and mentorship, and more importantly, become role models for our industry." Together, Atrium and Gibbs Hybrid will continue to serve some of the world's most recognizable brands, providing innovative Talent Solutions, next-generation MSP programs, Direct Sourcing, Early Talent Administration, and Workforce Technology expertise. As the utilization of the Extended Workforce continues to evolve as a critical strategic imperative for large enterprises, this acquisition serves as a force multiplier, maximizing the ability for Atrium and Gibbs Hybrid to collectively deliver industry-leading services and innovative solutions to organizations worldwide. About Atrium Founded in 1995, Atrium is a WBENC-certified Staffing and Extended Workforce Management leader. For nearly three decades, our specialized Talent Solutions and custom Workforce Management Solutions have provided the world's largest brands access to top talent and helped organizations optimize their extended workforce programs to maximize results. Our offerings include Talent Solutions, Managed Service Provider (MSP), EOR Payrolling Services, Independent Contractor Compliance Technology, Direct Sourcing, and Early Talent Administration Programs through virtual and traditional means. Atrium's solutions fully integrate with HR technology, such as digital recruitment and onboarding, freelancer management tools, applicant tracking, and vendor management systems. Please visit www.atriumstaff.com and www.atriumworks.com to learn more about our services, technology, and custom-designed workforce solutions. About Gibbs Hybrid Gibbs Hybrid is an award-winning IT & Business Services firm providing a "Hybrid Approach" to corporations with Project Consultancy, Strategic Resourcing and Talent Services across UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa and US. Led by founder and CEO, Farida Gibbs, Gibbs Hybrid has pioneered a mixed model that offers both high-quality technology, business and operations strategic resourcing and technical/business consultancy solutions. This integrated and hybrid approach allows clients to engage with a single preferred partner for multiple services using differing and flexible models to do so, based on their requirements. For further details about Gibbs Hybrid's services and business solutions, visit www.gibbshybrid.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005276/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was meeting in South Africa with counterparts from the BRICS economic bloc of developing nations for discussions Thursday that will start with an exchange of views on major geopolitical issues, including the war in Ukraine, South Africa's ambassador to the bloc said. Most of the BRICS countries differ sharply from the position of the U.S. and its Western allies on the war. Speaking ahead of the meeting, the South African ambassador, Anil Sooklal, referred to the West's military aid to Ukraine as one of the things that fuels the conflict. Any endeavor that fuels the conflict does not solve the problem," Sooklal said when asked for his reaction to Western attempts to transfer weapons to Ukraine. We do not know of any global conflict that has been solved though war, he said. All it does is cause more pain and suffering and, as BRICS countries, this is what we are saying: Lets focus on finding a peaceful resolution to the challenges, rather than fueling the conflict. The BRICS bloc is made of up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The meeting of foreign ministers Thursday is a precursor to a larger BRICS summit scheduled for August in Johannesburg. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to attend the summer summit, but it's unclear if he will. A visit by the Russian leader would put huge diplomatic pressure on South Africa. The country is a signatory to the treaty of the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin on allegations of war crimes for the abduction of children from Ukraine. South Africa has not clearly stated its position on executing the warrant. Rather, the government has said that it is taking legal advice on its options, a move seen by critics as an attempt to find a way out of its clear obligation to arrest Putin as a signatory to the international court's treaty. Allowing Putin to travel freely for the summit would likely further strain South Africa's relationship with the West following U.S. allegations that South Africa has provided Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine. South Africa has denied the allegation. Lavrov had official talks in at least three African countries on his way to South Africa, and his participation was clearly central to the BRICS talks taking place at a luxury Cape Town hotel that looks out over the South Atlantic Ocean. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was expected to attend, sent his deputy instead, South Africa's foreign ministry said, but all the other foreign ministers were present. The expansion of the BRICS bloc, and with it a possible strengthening of Russian and Chinese political and economic influence, is also a key topic for discussion, both at the meeting of the foreign ministers and the main BRICS summit in August. Sooklal said that more than 20 countries had formally or informally requested to join the BRICS bloc, among them Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, who had submitted official requests. A bloc containing China, Russia and three of the largest oil-producing nations in the world could be seen as a direct economic challenge to the U.S., some analysts have said, as well as providing some sort of counter to the Group of Seven advanced economies. With South Africa as the current chair of BRICS, Sooklal said he had prepared a report on possible new members and the process to admit them. That report will go to Lavrov and the other foreign ministers for them to give guidance on how to move forward with any expansion. Foreign ministers from at least 15 other countries from the Global South were invited to a second BRICS meeting in Cape Town on Friday. Sooklal said one of the bloc's stated aims was to address the major fault lines in the geopolitical front and the economic front that was partly caused by an outdated international system. This is what BRICS has been championing since its founding," Sooklal said. That we need a reformed, transformed multilateral system, one that speaks to the current challenges that we are facing and one that is inclusive and that is fair and just and does not marginalize the majority of the global population." The majority of the Global South feels that our institutions need reform and that their voices are also equally heard within this context. Search Keywords: Short link: [June 05, 2023] Cubic and McMaster Partnership Recognized in 7th Edition of the UITP Awards Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS), part of Cubic Corporation, and McMaster University today announced that Dr. Hanna Haponenko, postdoc at McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC), has been recognized with the UITP Young Researcher Award. The honor celebrates her work and contributions towards Mobility Cube - a collaborative program between Cubic and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, focusing on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Mobility. As the coveted prize in public transport, the UITP Awards showcase the most ambitious and innovative projects of the last two years in cities and regions around the globe. The award was announced at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit held June 4-7, 2023 in Barcelona. The Young Researcher category recognizes and rewards outstanding young research talent, 35 years old or younger, making a significant contribution to the field of research in urban mobility and thus having a positive effect on society. As a postdoc at MARC, Dr. Haponenko is helping the program realize its mission to shape the future of mobility through innovation in smart mobility systems, hardware, UI and cultivating future industry talent. In addition to researching accessibility in transportation, Dr. Haponenko leads the Artificial Intelligence and Integration Strategies research group at MARC. "The UITP Young Researcher Award recognizes the visionary contributions that Hanna has brought to the transportation industry through Cubic and McMaster University's partnership and we are extremely proud to be part of her great accomplishment," said Galen Chui, CTS senior vice president of product and engineering. "Through the program, Hanna is applying technology to shape the future of mobility with inclusive, sustainable, smart, connected, multimodal, and personalized real-time transportation services. Her creativity and innovation is driving greater opportunity and accessibility to all riders." One of Dr. Haponenko's key areas of interest is accessibility, and she has developed technical projects that interpret the real world and communicate relevant information to commuters through visual features, haptics or speech. By considering human behavior and the limitations or impacts of technology design, she ensures that her projects promote accessibility and address the needs of diverse user groups. To further her research and development efforts, Dr. Haponenko had the opportunity to demonstrate her latest projects at the launch of McMaster Engineering's VR Room, called [email protected] This immersive room, spanning 100m2 within McMaster Innovation Park, provides an ideal environment for researchers like Dr. Haponenko to create and test their ideas in a virtual setting. By using the VR Room, development costs and time can be significantly reduced. The VR Room offers researchers a dedicated space to explore various scenarios related to public transportation planning and development. For example, Dr. Haponenko can simulate accessibility challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, evaluate transportation options for people from different socioeconomic backgrounds and demographics, and conduct staff training exercises. The room's immersive capabilities enable user testing without the need to have subjects physically present, and scenarios can be tailored to specific user requirements. Dr. Haponenko's work aligns with the core values of the Mobility Cube program with a strong emphasis on accessibility. Her projects not only leverage computer vision, mobile app development and virtual reality but also consider human factors to ensure that technology design supports the needs and experiences of all individuals. Her dedication to advancing accessibility in transportation has earned her recognition, including the UITP Young Researcher Award. About Cubic Corporation Cubic creates and delivers technology solutions in transportation that make people's lives easier by simplifying their daily journeys, and defense capabilities that help promote mission success and safety for those who serve their nation. Led by our talented teams around the world, Cubic is driven to solve global challenges through innovation and service to our customers and partners. Part of Cubic's portfolio of businesses, Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) is an industry-leading integrator of payment and information solutions and related services for intelligent travel applications. CTS delivers integrated systems for transportation and traffic management, delivering tools for travelers to choose the smartest and easiest way to travel and pay for their journeys, and enabling transportation authorities and agencies to manage demand across the entire transportation network. To learn more, visit www.cubic.com. About McMaster University McMaster University is a globally renowned institution of higher learning and an innovative research community committed to advancing human and societal health and well-being. Our focus on collaboratively exchanging ideas and approaches makes us uniquely positioned to pioneer groundbreaking solutions to real-world problems leading to a Brighter World. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005647/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] World's first AI university demonstrates its relevance in global AI talent race with second commencement ABU DHABI, UAE, June 5, 2023 /CNW/ -- Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) continues to strengthen global AI talent capacity and contribute solutions to pressing challenges across health, education, and climate, following its second commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023 on June 4. Held at the Abu Dhabi Energy Center in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Excellency Khalifa bin Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Jordan; and His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industryand Advanced Technology, President-Designate of COP28 UAE; the commencement celebrated 59 students graduating with a master's in computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML), along with its first-ever natural language processing (NLP) cohort. MBZUAI the world's first graduate research university dedicated to AI is currently ranked 19th globally in AI and in these three key areas of specialization, according to CSRankings. H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said: "The importance of AI is undisputed, which is why MBZUAI continues to push the boundaries of this technology through advanced research, strategic industry collaborations, and, of course, by empowering the next generation of AI experts. I am confident that the Class of 2023 will make a profound impact and develop tangible AI solutions that will help to overcome some of society's major challenges, particularly in the areas of climate, healthcare, and education." MBZUAI President and University Professor Eric Xing said: "This is a pivotal time as wider public interest turns its attention to AI and with the UAE's pace, scale, and ambition as a young nation, it offers a cosmopolitan hub of innovation that attracts the world's greatest minds in the field. I extend my congratulations to the Class of 2023 as they embark on the next stage of their journey." Among the 59 students who graduated, 32 majored in ML, 20 in CV, and seven in NLP. The Class of 2023 comprised 25 nationalities from countries including China, UAE, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Italy, USA, and Jordan, highlighting the university's commitment to a diverse and inclusive learning environment that attracts top talent from around the world. The Class of 2023 also had 17 academic papers published or accepted at major conferences and journals of international standing, including the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR 2023), Journal of Physics Energy, and IEEE Access journal. Currently, 46% of the graduating class have confirmed employment, Ph.D. placements, or paid internships. Employment has been secured with organizations including Snapchat UK, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi Police, G42 Healthcare, and Inception Institute of Artificial Intelligence (IIAI)/G42. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2093138/MBZUAI_Class_of_2023.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/worlds-first-ai-university-demonstrates-its-relevance-in-global-ai-talent-race-with-second-commencement-301842521.html SOURCE Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] Hover Joins The Kava Ecosystem, Enabling Seamless Cross-Chain Interoperability and Unleashing New DeFi Opportunities LONDON, UK, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hover , an up-and-coming non-custodial liquidity market, has announced its partnership with Kava to extend its reach across Kavas EVM ecosystem. With a focus on professional economic risk management, dApp composability, and novel tokenomics, this move positions Hover to become the decentralized blockchain's go-to lending and borrowing platform. Kava's unique design facilitates seamless cross-chain interactions, aligning perfectly with Hover's vision to forge partnerships within the Cosmos ecosystem and enable effortless cross-chain deposits. This interoperability holds immense potential for Hover, supporting strong and organic growth across its markets. Kava can provide Hover with a robust and reliable infrastructure for its lending protocol, given Kavas emphasis on security and network stability. Such a visible partnership has the potential to attract a significant number of participants to Hover's platform in advance of their launch this Summer. Furthermore, as an integral part of the Kava ecosystem, Hover will gain direct access to Kava's extensive user base and partnered protocols. This invaluable connection should accelerate Hover's growth, elevate its visibility, and pave the way for collaborations with other projects in the expanding ecosystem. Hover's users can leverage the cross-chain interoperability offered by Kava, enabling them to effortlessly transfer and deposit assets from several different Cosmos zones. This seamless integration opens up many trading and lending opportunities within the rapidly expanding netwok. With the backing of Kava, Hover is poised to offer highly competitive borrowing and lending rates across several blue-chip assets. This strategic advantage delivers significant benefits to Hover and its DeFi community. Moreover, the native platform token, $HOV, empowers token holders to actively participate in governance and reap the rewards through the Hover Rewards Program. The Hover Rewards Program offers discounts on borrowing and liquidation fees, the ability to propose governance votes, and the opportunity to receive protocol rewards. These innovative tokenomics aim at bolstering user engagement and incentivizing participation in the Hover ecosystem and community. The team at Hover believes interoperability leads to strong organic growth and sees Kava as the center of that development. In partnership with Rome Blockchain Labs, Hover is actively building connections across the Cosmos ecosystem to enable cross-chain deposits and expand protocol composability. "We are excited about what Hovers launch is set to do for scaling adoption inside of the network. This partnership allows Hover to work directly with new platforms and create a more dynamic platform for our users. Our teams are working together to redefine how DeFi works both within and beyond Cosmos, said Kava Labs Founder Scott Stuart. "The Hover and Rome Blockchain Labs teams look forward to expanding this partnership with Kava. We have been nothing but impressed by their teams professionalism and understand why Kava is one of the fastest growing EVM-networks in the world. Having a public, professionally run liquidity market is something that every network needs. It builds a stable capital base and creates meaningful opportunities for communities and projects to engage with. Hover wants to empower Kavas community, allowing them to actively participate in governance and receive market rate discounts when staking $HOV. This partnership solidifies all of our teams commitments to providing Kava users with a diverse and rewarding liquidity platform, said Rome Blockchain Labs CEO Alex Szul.j About Kava Kava is a secure, lightning-fast Layer-1 blockchain that combines the developer power of Ethereum with the speed and interoperability of Cosmos in a single, scalable network. Committed to fostering innovation and growth, Kava is a trusted choice for developers and users worldwide. For more information, visit: http://kava.io About Rome Blockchain Labs Rome Blockchain Labs is a global, private blockchain development firm that specializes in launching expertly ran DeFi and blockchain protocols. They have initiated several highly successful platform deployments, such as the BENQI liquidity markets on Avalanche, Moonwell liquidity markets on Moonriver and Moonbeam, and the SAVAX Liquid Staking system. For more information, visit: https://romeblockchain.com About Hover Hover is a revolutionary non-custodial liquidity market. It facilitates the lending and borrowing of digital assets and supports the growth of Cosmos while being native to the Kava ecosystem. For more information, visit: https://hover.market Contact press at hover.market [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] The Government of Canada Provides Update on Wildfire Seasonal Outlook and Outlines Response OTTAWA, ON, June 5, 2023 /CNW/ - As wildfires become more common and more extreme, the Government of Canada is focused on keeping people safe while strengthening our long-term response. Across the country, several provinces and territories are experiencing a severe wildfire season, and the effects are already widespread. The Government of Canada is committed to a whole-of-government approach to supporting communities affected by wildfires. Today, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources; the Honourable Bill Blair, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness; the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development; the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change; the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; and the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, provided an update on the wildfire seasonal outlook and the Government of Canada's continuing efforts to support Canadians through this year's fire season and future seasons. Current June projections indicate the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity across most of the country throughout the 2023 wildland fire season due to ongoing drought and long-range forecasts for warm temperatures. For June, warm and dry conditions will increase wildfire risk in most of Canada from British Columbia and Yukon eastward into western Quebec and the Atlantic region. During July, wildfire potential is expected to expand into Yukon, although the eastern edge will recede from western Quebec into central Ontario. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) generates monthly forecast maps from April to September. These seasonal forecasts use the most recent fire weather indexes and take into account drought conditions and temperature and precipitation forecasts. These forecasts are compared with the average weather in each region, and the differences are mapped as above or below the average. The forecasts are used as a long-range planning tool by fire resource managers. NRCan publicly shares its forecasting for the fire season with full transparency on the uncertainty inherent in weather projections. The Government of Canada is putting in place direct support to keep Canadians safe and protect communities, during this wildfire season and seasons to come. This includes: Approving requests for Federal Assistance from the Provinces of Alberta (2) and Nova Scotia (1) on May 10 , May 27 , and May 31, 2023 , respectively, to support their efforts to combat the significant wildfire situation in these provinces. A Request for Federal Assistance from the Province of Quebec was approved on June 3, 2023 , and the response is underway. (2) and (1) on , , and , respectively, to support their efforts to combat the significant wildfire situation in these provinces. A Request for Federal Assistance from the Province of was approved on , and the response is underway. Partnering with provincial and territorial governments and not-for-profit organizations to match funds donated by Canadians and organizations. The funds will be used to support not-for-profit community groups that help residents who have been impacted by the aggressive and devastating wildfires, including those who were forced to evacuate. Funding through the Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program to train 300 Indigenous firefighters and 125 Indigenous fire guardians for this season. Six provinces and territories have been able to procure specialized firefighting equipment. to train 300 Indigenous firefighters and 125 Indigenous fire guardians for this season. Six provinces and territories have been able to procure specialized firefighting equipment. Working with the International Association of Fire Fighters to advance a pilot project that would increase Canada's wildfire fire-fighting capacity. This project would be focused on training structural firefighters to respond to fires in the wildland-urban interface due to the particular risks those fires pose to homes, communities and infrastructure. wildfire fire-fighting capacity. This project would be focused on training structural firefighters to respond to fires in the wildland-urban interface due to the particular risks those fires pose to homes, communities and infrastructure. The WildFireSat satellite mission, the world's first purpose-built, public satellite system for monitoring fires, will provide an unprecedented portrait of all active wildfires at least twice daily, which will inform provincial and territorial fire management agencies making critical decisions. satellite mission, the world's first purpose-built, public satellite system for monitoring fires, will provide an unprecedented portrait of all active wildfires at least twice daily, which will inform provincial and territorial fire management agencies making critical decisions. A Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative, in support of the priorities identified by the National Adaptation Strategy , with a proposed investment of $284 million to: , with a proposed investment of to: enhance the FireSmart Canada program; program; increase Canadians' resilience to wildfire while building wildland fire knowledge through research and pilot projects on fire risk reduction measures; and create a Centre of Excellence for Wildland Fire Innovation and Resilience to help transform wildland fire management in Canada and internationally through innovation, knowledge exchange and supporting Indigenous fire stewardship. Quotes "Updated modelling shows that the 2023 wildfire season will once again be serious in many areas of Canada. The federal government is working with provincial and territorial counterparts, as well as with Indigenous communities, to ensure continued support for those impacted by these fires. As we battle this year's fire season, we are also making significant long-term investments to ensure that we are prepared to mitigate and adapt to the effects of future wildfire seasons. Over the past eight years, the federal government has made wildfire management a top priority and will continue to do so." The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson Minister of Natural Resources "Modeling is an effective tool for ensuring that we are aware of potential risks and taking steps to prepare for them. We remain in constant contact with provinces and territories, through the Government Operations Centre, and stand ready to support them should they require it. We will continue to be there for Canadians as we work together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from this wildfire season." The Honourable Bill Blair President of the King's Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness "The current situation is extremely difficult and stressful. Service Canada will continue to ensure services and benefits are easily accessible for all those who are impacted by the wildfires across the country. We will be there to support you, for as long as it is needed." The Honourable Karina Gould Minister of Families, Children and Social Development "We are already seeing one of the worst wildfire seasons on record, and we must prepare for a long summer. The Government of Canada is stepping up to the request for assistance from Quebec and will immediately begin mobilizing Canadian Armed Forces, firefighting resources and assistance with planning to support the wildfire response in the province. The threat of increased fires due to climate change is one of the many reasons our government is developing a robust National Adaptation Strategy with all levels of government and Indigenous groups, so we can be sure our communities are well prepared for the impacts of climate change." The Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Environment and Climate Change "As wildfires increasingly threaten communities, including Nova Scotia, the Government of Canada remains unwavering in its commitment to prioritize public safety and strengthen our response efforts. With the ongoing severe wildfire season impacting several parts of the country, we are dedicated to a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach in supporting affected communities." The Honourable Sean Fraser Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship "With the impacts of climate change, wildfires have increased in frequency, severity and intensity. Across the country, Indigenous communities are on the front lines of wildfires and have witnessed devastating outcomes already this wildfire season. As we look ahead toward a challenging summer, we will continue to work with Chiefs and Councils on wildfire mitigation and preparation, and we will continue to support affected First Nations throughout this challenging season." The Honourable Patty Hajdu Minister of Indigenous Services "During forest fires, floods and a global pandemic, the members of our Canadian Armed Forces have always answered the call of service and that will never change. We will always be ready to support our federal and provincial partners in keeping communities safe. Through effective forecasting, our government will continue to plan for, and be ready to respond to, extreme weather events. We will do whatever it takes to protect Canadians." The Honourable Anita Anand Minister of National Defence Quick facts Seasonal wildfire forecasts use the most recent fire weather indexes and consider drought conditions and temperature and precipitation forecasts derived from two climate model ensembles known as the Canadian Seasonal to Interannual Prediction System ( CanSIPS , operated by Environment and Climate Change Canada). , operated by Environment and Climate Change Canada). Current information on national fire conditions is available publicly at all times through NRCan's Canadian Wildland Fire Information System . Additionally, during the fire season, the Canadian Forest Service supports emergency and fire management agencies through the development of situation reports (fire weather forecasts, situational awareness) and the delivery of fire growth and behaviour models. . Additionally, during the fire season, the Canadian supports emergency and fire management agencies through the development of situation reports (fire weather forecasts, situational awareness) and the delivery of fire growth and behaviour models. The Government of Canada , through Environment and Climate Change Canada, is committed to providing support to all our partners by supplying weather information including detailed precipitation and wind forecasts, smoke dispersion predictions and air quality forecasts. Access the latest weather information with weather.gc.ca . , through Environment and Climate Change Canada, is committed to providing support to all our partners by supplying weather information including detailed precipitation and wind forecasts, smoke dispersion predictions and air quality forecasts. Access the latest weather information with . Under NRCan's Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate program Training Fund , a two-year Training Pilot is being implemented with a focus on providing support to Indigenous communities and organizations to train firefighters and to better understand the needs and barriers in the sector. A fully launched fund in 20242025 will be informed by the learning obtained from the projects under the pilot. , a two-year Training Pilot is being implemented with a focus on providing support to Indigenous communities and organizations to train firefighters and to better understand the needs and barriers in the sector. A fully launched fund in 20242025 will be informed by the learning obtained from the projects under the pilot. Under NRCan's Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate program's Equipment Fund , provinces and territories can cost-share investments for equipment, such as vehicles, mobile units, avionics upgrades (parts), hoses, pumps, enhanced communications equipment, repair of aging equipment and training. , provinces and territories can cost-share investments for equipment, such as vehicles, mobile units, avionics upgrades (parts), hoses, pumps, enhanced communications equipment, repair of aging equipment and training. The WildFireSat satellite mission will respond directly to the needs of fire managers in Canada . It will support smoke and air quality monitoring and forecasting, and downstream carbon emission monitoring. WildFireSat will also improve our ability to defend Canadian communities, especially the more vulnerable remote northern communities located in forested areas and enable more effective decisions about evacuations. satellite mission will respond directly to the needs of fire managers in . It will support smoke and air quality monitoring and forecasting, and downstream carbon emission monitoring. WildFireSat will also improve our ability to defend Canadian communities, especially the more vulnerable remote northern communities located in forested areas and enable more effective decisions about evacuations. Canada's first Nation al Adaptation Strategy , released in November 2022 for a final period of engagement with provinces, territories and National Indigenous Organizations, sets an overarching vision for climate resilience in Canada, including with respect to disaster resilience. The Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan, released alongside the Strategy, announced new funding to reduce the risks of wildfire in our communities, including by enhancing community prevention and mitigation activities, supporting innovation in wildland fire knowledge and research, and establishing a Centre of Excellence for Wildland Fire Innovation and Resilience. Related documents Associated links Follow Natural Resources Canada on Twitter: @NRCan ( http://twitter.com/nrcan ) SOURCE Natural Resources Canada [June 05, 2023] Angie Wong former Legacy PAC president steps down from L-Strategies consulting firm L-Strategies, a consulting firm founded by Donna and Stan Fitzgerald of Georgia has announced Angie Wong is moving on from the firm. ACWORTH, Ga., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- By Jared Craig Attorney L-Strategies: L-Strategies is a full-service national fundraising, advertising, media, and consulting firm with offices in Georgia and Florida. L-Strategies confirms that on 5-30-23 Angie Wong was voted out of the consulting firm partnership by the board. The firm plans on making the minutes public. Wong acknowledged receiving the board meeting notice, refused to attend, and then was notified she was removed by majority vote. She will be replaced soon and those minutes will also be made public showing a majority vote on her replacement. "Angie has moved on from L-Strategies, Veteran's for Trump and Legacy PAC to focus on her media commentary career. We wish her well," said Jared Craig. Jared Craig is an attorney representing all three organizations. L-Strategies will be set up at the Georgia State GOP Convention June 9th and 10th in Columbus Georgia with partners Veterans for Trump and Legacy PAC. Former president Trump will be speaking at the event and FBI whistleblower Steve Friend will be doing meet and greets from the firms' tables. L-Strategies confirmed it has several outside contractors seeking full time partnership with the organization. The firm's partners Legacy PAC and Veterans for Trump have made their own announcements of Wong's departure. L-Strategies website: https://lstrategies.org/angie-wong-moves-on-from-l-strategies/ The Veterans organization posted the news on their website: https://veteransfortrump.us/angie-wong-steps-down-from-veterans-for-trump-and-legacy-pac-focusing-on-her-personal-career/ Legacy PAC issued a press release on the wire: https://www.newswire.com/news/angie-wong-steps-down-as-legacy-pac-president-the-organization-to-22053274 Contact: Stan Fitzgerald ***@stan-fitzgerald.com Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12967779 Press release distributed by PRLog View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/angie-wong-former-legacy-pac-president-steps-down-from-l-strategies-consulting-firm-301842546.html SOURCE L-Strategies LLC [June 05, 2023] Umpqua Bank Faces Second Lawsuit by Ponzi Scheme Victims A new lawsuit has been filed against Umpqua Bank, a regional bank based in Portland, Oregon, for allegedly aiding and abetting a massive, decades-long Ponzi scheme by Professional Financial Investors (PFI). While a previous class action lawsuit on behalf of over a thousand investors continues to approach trial, this new lawsuit was filed on Friday, June 2, 2023 on behalf of a separate group of 11 investors who together lost over $4.2 million. Oakland-based Gibbs Law Group, along with Silver Law Group, represents PFI investors in this lawsuit as well as the class action lawsuit filed in 2020. The victims assert that Umpqua knew PFI and its principals, Ken Casey and Lewis Wallach, were using new investor money to pay existing investors and to line Casey's and Wallach's personal accounts, yet continued to provide banking services to PFI for nearly a decade. The massive Ponzi Scheme was uncovered in 2020, upon Casey's death, when the executor of his estate discovered that rather than paying investors returns from real estate investments as represented, PFI was surviving only by continually raising new investor money to pay existing investors. These 11 investors were lured into purchasing tenancy in common investments between 2018 and 2020, which were the last few years before Casey's death. The new complaint includes recently unsealed evidence, uncovered in the class action lawsuit, of Umpqua's alleged aiding and abetting: On 179 occasions, private banker June Weaver or others at the bank's Novato branch personally made transfers totaling $5.2 million to one of Casey's or Wallach's personal accounts from a PFI account where new investor money was regularly deposited. Umpqua's protocols required Weaver and other branch employees to review recent PFI account activity and verify the source of the funds before executing requested transfers. This meant that Umpqua's Novato branch must have known Casey and Wallah were fraudulently transferring newly deposited investor funds to their personal bank accounts. For example, when Novato branch manager A.J. Vazquez transferred $1.1 million from the PFI clearing account to Wallach's personal account in June 2018, records show the clearing account's balance consisted of at least $500,000 in new investor funds that had been deposited in just the past week. Yet Vazquez personally completed the transfer anyway, and when the suspicious transaction triggered an automated alert warning of potential fraud, Umpqua simply dismissed the alert. Between June 2018 and April 2020, Umpqua's automated system for monitoring indications of fraud issued 146 separate alerts for PFI's accounts-at least 61 of which specifically flagged the companies' clearing accounts for further investigation. After PFI's fraud was publicly exposed, Umpqua's Operations Solutions Manager began an internal review of PFI's accounts, but quickly abandoned it after realizing the Novato branch was regularly helping Casey transfer investor funds to his personal bank accounts. Upon reviewing the recent activity for one such account, she messaged the Novato branch manager, "Holy moly I see transfers were allowed ($40,000.00 transfer from the PFI [Transfer account] to [Casey's personal account] on 5/12 and $21,000.00 on 4/12 and 25,000.00 on 3/31)." All written communication ceased at that point. Umpqua Bank PFI Ponzi Scheme Class Action Lawsuit may contact our team at (510) 350-9722. About Gibbs Law Group Gibbs Law Group is committed to protecting the rights of investors and consumers nationwide who have been harmed by corporate fraud and misconduct. The firm has recovered over a billion dollars for its clients against some of the world's largest corporations, and our attorneys have received numerous awards for their work, including "Class Action Practice Group of the Year," "Top Boutique Law Firms in California," "Best Lawyers in America," "Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar," "Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California," "California Lawyer Attorney of the Year," and "Top Class Action Attorneys Under 40." About Silver Law Group Silver Law Group is a nationally recognized securities and investment fraud law firm representing investors worldwide to recover their investment losses. The law firm focuses on plaintiff-side class action litigation and securities arbitration claims representing individual investors and institutions in claims against brokerage firms, investment advisors, commodities firms, hedge funds and others. Silver Law Group also routinely serves as counsel to receivers and trustees in matters relating to the recovery of investor losses in Ponzi schemes. Admitted to practice in New York and Florida, Silver Law Group attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for defrauded investors. This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005829/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 05, 2023] VECTION TECHNOLOGIES INTRODUCES CHATGPT-POWERED 3DFRAME ON APPLE'S macOS PERTH, Australia, June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vection Technologies Ltd (ASX:VR1, OTC:VCTNY) announces today the availability of its early release of ChatGPT-powered mixed reality solution, 3DFrame, on Apple's macOS. 3DFrame is the solution developed by Vection Technologies that enables businesses to enhance their immersive product presentations and training experiences in 3D and virtual reality (VR). This expansion enhances the solution's reach, effectiveness, and cross-platform functionality. With the ChatGPT -powered 3DFrame now available on macOS, organizations can leverage the power of AI and immersive 3D presentations seamlessly across Apple devices, ensuring a wider audience can benefit from the solution. Additionally, the cross-platform compatibility allows for a consistent and streamlined experience, whether businesses choose to utilize Windows or macOS, providing flexibility and accessibility to meet diverse user needs. The impact of this integration on training, onboarding, and presentations is remarkable. By harnessing the capabilities of the AI chatbot and linking its responses to 3D models and animations, companies can deliver real-time guidance and instruction to new employees, significantly reducing training costs and time. The consistency in messaging and personalized learning experiences enhances knowledge retention and proficiency, resulting in more effective training outcomes. Furthermore, businesses can captivate their audience through immersive 3D and VR product presentations that leverage the interactive capabilities of ChatGPT and the advanced features of 3DFrame. This combination allows for personalized product demonstrations, creating engaging and memorable experiences that leave a lasting impact on potential customers. The cross-platform compatibility of the ChatGPT -powered 3DFrame with both Apple's macOS and Windows is pivotal in ensuring the solution's availability across a widerange of devices. As technology companies push the boundaries of VR and introduce new Mixed Reality headsets, Vection Technologies remains at the forefront by providing compatibility with emerging trends. This cross-device compatibility positions businesses at the forefront of innovation and equips them with the tools to deliver awe-inspiring experiences to their customers. "We are thrilled to bring the capabilities of the ChatGPT -powered 3DFrame solution to Apple's macOS and provide cross-platform compatibility. This expansion opens up new possibilities for businesses, allowing them to leverage AI-powered immersive presentations and training experiences across multiple devices," commented Gianmarco Biagi, managing director of Vection Technologies. "We are committed to pushing the boundaries of AI-powered VR and 3D software and look forward to continuing to innovate and create groundbreaking solutions." For more information on how the integration of ChatGPT and 3DFrame can revolutionize your business' virtual product presentations and training, please see the latest video: https://vimeo.com/832553170/5ca8afaf57 ABOUT VECTION TECHNOLOGIES: Vection Technologies is a growing enterprise-focused company that helps businesses bridge the physical and digital worlds. We help organizations leverage their 3D data via powerful extended reality (XR) interfaces that foster collaboration and learning, grow sales and more. Vection Technologies is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) with ticker code VR1, and trades on the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) markets under the symbol VCTNY. For more information, please visit: www.vection-technologies.com FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain statements made in this release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are based on Vection Technologies' current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry in which Vection Technologies operates, and beliefs and assumptions. Forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as 'anticipate', 'believe', 'expect', 'project', 'forecast', 'estimate', 'likely', 'intend', 'should', 'will', 'could', 'may', 'target', 'plan' and other similar expressions within the meaning of securities laws of applicable jurisdictions. Indications of, and guidance or outlook on future earnings, distributions or financial position or performance are also forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the control of Vection Technologies, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions shareholders and prospective shareholders not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of Vection Technologies only as of the date of this release. There can be no assurance that actual outcomes will not differ materially from these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Vection Technologies has no obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this release except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/vection-technologies-introduces-chatgpt-powered-3dframe-on-apples-macos-301841943.html SOURCE Vection Technologies Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] This tragic story reminds us that student life becomes increasingly dangerous during break. Here are the scary deets and more info . . . The Boone County Sheriffs Office said a 16 and 17-year-old were shot and killed at a party at a vacant residence in the 2600 block of Oakbrook Drive. Deputies with the Sheriffs Office were dispatched to the area at approximately 12:47 a.m. Sunday to investigate reports of shots being fired. In addition to the two killed, police said four teens ranging in age from 16 to 19 years old were shot. Their injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Multiple teens killed, more wounded in overnight shooting in Columbia BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two teenagers were killed and four more were injured in an overnight shooting in Columbia, Missouri. The Boone County Sheriff's Office said a 16 and 17-year-old were shot and killed at a party at a vacant residence in the 2600 block of Oakbrook Drive. 2 teens shot dead, 4 others injured at a party in a vacant home, police say | CNN Two teenagers were fatally shot and four other teens were injured during a party at a vacant house in Boone County, Missouri, authorities said Sunday. Sheriff's deputies responded to a shots fired call shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday at the house in Columbia, about 35 miles north of Jefferson City, the Boone County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. Developing . . . For Sunday we share a bit of inspiration and a glimpse at HEROIC good deeds in Kansas City. For those who haven't seen it already . . . DIANA & JASON KANDER SHARE A QUICK PEEK AT THEIR SUPER-HERO POWERS AS THEY HOST AN AFGHAN FAMILY RESCUED FROM DANGER!!! Check a quick description and a reminder that Americans stateside are still capable of incredible acts of bravery . . . "Almost 2 years ago (August of 2021) when the US pulled out of Afghanistan, many individuals who had helped the US and our Allies were left behind. Including the family of my husband's translator from his service in Afghanistan. "There were 14 of them. And they were in trouble. The Taliban were looking for them because of their work on behalf of the US-led coalition. The Taliban sent them letters letting them know that they had been tried and convicted of disloyalty and sentenced to death. "Jason promised them that even though it seemed impossible, he would bring them to safety. And that one day our kids would play together in our backyard. Everyone agreed that would be incredible but they were all sobered by the fact there was no real pathway to make it happen." A weekend achievement . . . "Last night, at 9pm, they arrived in Kansas City. When he got off the bus, the head of the family, Rahim, said to Jason, "Is this real?!" and they both teared up and embraced. "It felt like a family reunion." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Diana Kander: "Our family grew by 14 last night. It's an impossible story two years in the making." Aftermath report on the latest deadly local shooting that killed a dude earlier this morning. Tragically, this keeps us right on pace with historic 2020 numbers. Here is the first report and then more info and local news links . . . Homicide 4500 Paseo This morning just after 9:15am, officers were called to the 4500 block of Paseo in regard to sounds of shots. While officers were on their way to the location, the call was updated to a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, an adult male, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the Paseo Fast Stop. EMS responded and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. Detectives and Crime Scene Personnel have responded to the scene. They will be processing the scene for evidence and canvassing the area for witnesses and video. Given this occurred on a Monday morning, investigators are hopeful there were folks in the area who may have information. If you were in the area and have information, please call detectives at 816-234-5043. Or if you wish to remain anonymous you can do so by calling the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information provided to TIPS which leads to an arrest in the case. We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents. ############ Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Shooting near east Kansas City convenience store kills man KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police are investigating a deadly shooting at an eastside gas station. Officers responded to a call about gunfire near East 45th and The Paseo around 9:15 a.m. When they arrived they found a man suffering from gunshot injuries in the parking lot of the Paseo Fast Stop. KCPD says one man is dead after being discovered with gunshot wound near gas station Monday morning The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department says one person has died following a Monday morning shooting at an area gas station. KCPD responded to a call reporting the sound of shots fired just before 9:15 a.m. near the intersection of East 45th Street and Paseo Blvd. Police investigate Monday morning homicide on Paseo Boulevard KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Detectives are investigating a homicide Monday morning in Kansas City, Missouri. A KCPD spokesperson said officers were called around 9:15 a.m. Monday to respond to the 4500 block of Paseo Boulevard on a reported shooting. Developing . . . A senior US diplomat will embark on a rare trip to Beijing Sunday, the US government said, as Washington seeks to allay tensions between the rival powers. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will travel to China and New Zealand from June 4-10, the US State Department said in a statement Saturday. In Beijing, Kritenbrink will be joined by National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran to "discuss key issues in the bilateral relationship," according to the statement. In recent weeks Washington has made efforts to improve relations with China, with both sides warning over the danger of a military conflict over Taiwan. At the G7 meeting in Japan last month, US President Joe Biden predicted that ties between Washington and Beijing would soon thaw, after an alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down by a US warplane after traversing the country earlier this year. Speaking at a defense summit in Singapore, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Saturday it was critical to renew dialogue with China to avoid "misunderstandings" that could lead to a conflict between the two superpowers. "The United States believes that open lines of communication with the People's Republic of China are essential -- especially between our defense and military leaders," Austin told the Shangri-La Dialogue. "The more that we talk, the more that we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict." The United States had invited Austin's Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu to meet on the sidelines of the summit, but the Pentagon said Beijing declined. A member of China's delegation told AFP that the removal of US sanctions on its minister is a precondition for talks. Li was sanctioned by the US government in 2018 for buying Russian weapons, but the Pentagon says that does not prevent Austin from conducting official business with him. Kritenbrink's trip will be the latest in a series of engagements between the two countries' officials. CIA Director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month, hoping to shore up lines of communication, and this week the White House said it was ready to engage in nuclear arms talks with Beijing without preconditions. In May, China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao visited Washington to meet with his American counterpart. Kritenbrink had traveled to China to prepare a long-awaited trip by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in February, which Blinken cancelled after the United States said it spotted a surveillance balloon from China over the US mainland. Search Keywords: Short link: First and foremost . . . We want everyone to be safe AND security is a legit concern for EVERY public event this summer. However . . . AMID HISTORIC KANSAS CITY HOMICIDE NUMBERS IN 2023 . . . LGBT OUTCRY OVER SUSPECTED BB GUN THREATS SEEMS LIKE PANIC & NOT PRECAUTION!!! To be fair . . . Again, we don't want anybody to have an eye put out or even break skin amid good times. Moreover . . . Many forms of protection are likely advised for this EPIC party in the works. Check-it . . . Kansas City police are investigating after someone allegedly fired a pellet or BB gun toward the doors of a popular LGBTQ venue in Kansas Citys Westport neighborhood early Sunday. Detectives with KCPDs assault unit are investigating what happened, Becchina said. Anyone who was in the area around 1 a.m. Sunday who saw or heard anything is asked to call detectives at 816-234-5227 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. Hate crimes against members of the LGBTQ community have been on the rise. Between 2020 and 2021, there was a 70% increase in the number of reported incidents targeting LGBTQ people, according to FBI data. Meanwhile, a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws are moving through Republican-controlled legislatures across the country most often targeting transgender youth including in Kansas and Missouri. The newspaper attempted to turn this story into campaign lit . . . But here's a more relevant quote: Justice Horn, chair of KCs LGBTQ Commission, said the immediate focus in Kansas City should be on making sure the investigation continues moving forward while also figuring out a security plan for next weeks pride festivities so the LGBTQ community feels safe during Pride month. This kind of thing is like a pressure cooker. Its only a matter of time before something absolutely devastating happens in Kansas City, and its up to leaders like us to put a stop to it, Short said. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Andrew Palamarchuk is a reporter with Metroland Media Toronto and toronto.com. He has been covering the crime beat since 2002 and has a passion for giving a voice to those affected by tragedy and looking at societal issues that may have contributed to it. 'I want people to know how much of their voice is in each piece': Etobicoke teacher Touros Lander Colleges graduated more than 600 students last Sunday at the 49th Annual Commencement Exercises, held at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. Families, friends and faculty came out to honor the graduates and celebrate their individual and collective achievements. The Torah-rich settings at Touro have provided a superb education that you will use to continue expanding and deepening your knowledge as you move on to graduate work or enter the workforce, said Touro University President Dr. Alan Kadish. Your experiences here have taught you the values of balance and dedication, which until now, have existed within a bubble. In your parents homes, you saw tradition and learned Torah values. At your yeshivot and day schools, the values that you learned at home were continually reinforced. And in Touros unique programs, these values were shared and expanded. But now, upon graduation, they will be put to the test I have been in education long enough to know that no one is ever thrilled to hear the word test. But I am also here to tell you fear notbecause youve done great thus far. And you will continue to succeed. Numerous awards were presented for community service as well as high academic achievement in math, accounting, biology, art, education, finance, psychology, political science and more. Zvi Ryzman, Chairman of the Touro University Board of Directors, received an honorary degree and served as keynote speaker. A true Renaissance Jew, Ryzman is a respected Talmudic scholar and international teacher of Torah as well as Founder and CEO of American International Industries, one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of beauty products in the world. He served in the Israel Defense Forces, received rabbinic ordination from Rav Yechezkel Sarna of the famed Chevron Yeshiva and earned a degree in political science and economics at Tel Aviv University. For Touro students, he is a role model for integrating a life of Torah study and stellar career achievements. No matter the path one takes, our calling is to make a Kiddush Hashem, said Ryzman, we can show the world that Hashem is found not only in the Beis HaMedrash and Beis HaKnesses, but also in the lobbies of businesses, halls of government and corridors of hospitals. Our timeless Torah provides timely context and framework for every new dilemma posed by modern science and technology. I encourage you to delve deep enough, learn diligently enough and I am sure you will find it, said Ryzman. Future is Bright for Touro Grads The Touro graduates are headed for careers at top firms in computer science and technology, finance, accounting, cybersecurity, marketing, business and more. Many will enter graduate and professional schools in law, medicine, dentistry and psychology, where they have acceptance rates of over 95%. Others will pursue health science careers as physical and occupational therapists, physician assistants and pharmacists through Touros Integrated Honors Pathway. In looking to the future ahead, one of the valedictorians, Dovi Teigman of Touros Lander College of Arts & Sciences, shared his personal wisdom, "It is only the Torah values we hold dear, such as honesty, humility and compassion, in combination with the knowledge we have acquired, that truly define us as individuals and shape the impact we will make on the world." Chana Rosenbluth, valedictorian at Touros Lander College for Women, who is headed to Columbia Law School this fall, urged her fellow graduates to step up and become leaders, Wherever you are headed next, take charge of it. If you, like me, are going on to further education, form relationships with your teachers and take an active role in your class culture. And if you are entering the workforce, seek out connections with role models and colleagues, embrace the opportunities that come your way, and continue to develop yourself... Use the skills that you have gained in college to take active roles in your communities as well. Continue to volunteer, give, educate and lead. Other valedictorians included Daniel Sokel of Touros Lander College for Men, who is planning for a career as a clinical psychologist, and Aliza Peikes of Touros Lander College of Arts & Sciences, a software engineer at Goldman Sachs. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any 'coercion and bullying' of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin lobbied for support for Washington's vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea. We are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows," he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. "And every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities. Austin noted that the U.S. had provided millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic and is regularly involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance efforts in the region. He said it is working to combat climate change, illegal fishing and ensure that supply chains do not suffer disruptions ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations. We're doubling down on our alliances and partnerships, he said. He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Korea's missile threat and China's claims on Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing says is its territory, and said Washington has been stepping up defense planning, coordination and training with partner nations in the region. To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation, he said. But we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion. Underscoring Austin's words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law, the U.S. 7th Fleet said. There was no immediate word of a Chinese response. In Singapore, Chinese Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, a senior member of the delegation accompanying Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, accused Austin of overtly or covertly making false accusations against China in his address. Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been deceiving and exploiting Asia-Pacific nations to advance its own self-interests to preserve its dominant position" in the region. He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are remnants of the Cold War and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the Quad grouping with Australia, India and Japan to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation. Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, China is committed to the region's development and prosperity. Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained deeply committed to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to categorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. He added that Russia's invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to "just invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity. Conflict is neither imminent nor inevitable, Austin said. Deterrence is strong today and its our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. But Jing accused the U.S. of hollowing out the one-China policy, accusing Washington of supporting Taiwanese separatists without citing any evidence, and reiterating Beijing's claim that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's sovereign territory. There's no room for us to concede or compromise, he said. He added that China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters. Li, who became Chinas defense minister in March, declined Austins invitation to talk on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday. Austin said this was not enough. A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement, he said. Li, who was named defense minister in March, is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia but predate its invasion of Ukraine that were imposed in 2018 over Lis involvement in Chinas purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow. The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said. It was not clear whether Li, who is to address the forum Sunday morning, was in the room while Austin talked. He did join the American defense secretary and others later for a ministerial roundtable. Austin reiterated calls that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made in his opening address at the forum for China to engage in regular, direct communications to help prevent any possible conflict. For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime, Austin said. The right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now. Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon mutual respect. But the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining Chinas interests and concerns on the other, he said. The U.S. has noted that since 2021 well before Li became defense minister China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements. Search Keywords: Short link: The production of Oil and Gas remain a top concern for many in the country and Former Energy "We have said several times that ammonia is included in the agreements that were signed in Istanbul. This implies that it should be exported and sold as a mutually beneficial commercial transaction. Unfortunately, putting forward various kinds of requirements, as Kiev does, is very bad, and has already brought the situation to a standstill," the deputy foreign minister said. Vershinin also recalled that the Russian side proceeds from the fact that "the concluded and existing agreements must be implemented in full." "This means - without distortions in one direction or the other," he stressed. The senior diplomat also announced that the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul has resumed ship inspections under the grain deal. "As far as we know, the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul is working to overcome all the problems that arise, based on the procedural rules that were unanimously approved last year. It is assumed that there will be a consensus solution to emerging problems. Now these inspections are being resumed," he said. About grain deal On July 22, 2022, a package of documents on the supply of food and fertilizers to the international market was signed in Istanbul. Initially, the agreements were concluded for 120 days, in November of last year they were extended for the same period. On March 18, 2023, Russia announced a 60-day extension of the deal, warning that this would be enough time to evaluate the implementation of the memorandum signed with the UN. Following the results of the talks between the delegations of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN held in Istanbul on May 10-11, Vershinin reported that the grain deal would be terminated if Moscow did not receive guarantees by May 18 that its requirements regarding the export of agricultural products and fertilizers would be met. On May 17, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the grain deal had been extended for two months starting May 18. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously emphasized that the part of the agreement that concerns obligations to Moscow is not being fulfilled. Russia, in particular, insisted its ships be given renewed access to foreign ports, normalizing the situation with dry cargo insurance, reconnecting the Russian Agricultural Bank the SWIFT interbank payment system, and launching the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline. South Africa will host the BRICS summit in August 2023. The event could offer the country an opportunity to exercise leadership in the BRICS efforts to reform the arrangements for global economic governance and in supporting sustainable and inclusive development in Africa and the Global South. However, the opportunity has morphed into an international challenge because Russias President Vladimir Putin, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court, has indicated that he will attend. South Africa could face the wrath of its BRICS partners if it fulfils its international obligation and arrests him. On the other hand, if it does not arrest him, it could face sanctions from those countries that want to see Putin tried for war crimes. Hosting the 2023 BRICS summit is therefore fraught with dangers. The international environment is complicated, dynamic and unpredictable. South Africa can avoid embarrassment and capitalise on the opportunities presented by the summit only if it is able to skilfully manoeuvre in these choppy waters. Trying to understand South Africas dilemma raises a number of questions: Who are the BRICS? What has the grouping achieved? Who Are The BRICS? In 2001, the global investment bank Goldman Sachs stated that it expected Brazil, Russia, India and China to become leading actors in the global economy. It collectively named the four countries BRICs. These countries decided that Goldman Sachs had a point and that they could enhance their global influence if they cooperated. They first met at a ministerial level in 2006 and at a leaders summit in 2009. In 2010 they invited South Africa to join the group. The group became known as BRICS. A primary objective of the group is to reform global economic governance so that it is more responsive to the concerns and interests of the Global South. For example, the BRICS have called for a new global currency that can challenge the dominant role of the US dollar in the international monetary system. It has also pushed for a greater voice, and more votes, for developing countries in key international economic organisations like the IMF and the World Bank. The group has also sought, through groups like its business forum, to promote greater economic cooperation between the participating countries. What Has The BRICS Grouping Achieved? The BRICS record of achievements is mixed. In 2016, the group established two new international economic entities. The first was the New Development Bank. They contend that it is a new multilateral development bank which offers its members an alternative to institutions like the World Bank. It claims that its governance is fairer than the World Bank because its five original members all have equal votes. At the World Bank, shares (and therefore votes) are unevenly distributed among member states. The development bank also strives to provide financing more quickly than the World Bank, and in a way that is more respectful of the laws in its member states. However, to date, the New Development Bank has been less transparent and accountable than other multilateral development banks. It has provided US$32.8 billion to 96 projects in the 5 BRICS countries and it has begun looking to expand the scope of its operations. Since 2021 it has approved membership for Bangladesh, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay. It is expected to add new members in the coming years. The second new entity was the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. This established a series of swap arrangements between the BRICS central banks. These arrangements allow each central bank, when its country is facing a balance of payments crisis, to exchange its local currency for hard currencies, like the US dollar, with its counterparts in the BRICS. Pursuant to the terms of the arrangement, a central bank can only draw on a fraction of the available financing without also having to enter into a financing arrangement with the IMF. Thus, the conditions that are attached to the IMFs finances also become applicable to the funds made available through the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. To date, no BRICS central bank has used the arrangement. According to their communiques, the BRICS leaders have agreed to create other entities, such as a vaccine centre and a new credit rating agency. However, they have not yet implemented these agreements. They have not been successful either in reforming the existing institutions and arrangements for global economic governance, such as the IMF. One reason for this failure is the strong opposition to reform from states, primarily those in Europe, which currently have dominant voices in the IMF and would lose them in the case of true reform. But another important reason is that the BRICS are not unified in their demands for reform. For example, while Brazil, India and South Africa support reforming the UN Security Council to include more permanent members and to eliminate the veto power of the existing permanent members, China and Russia, as sitting permanent members, dont. Similarly, not all the other BRICS have supported South Africas call for a third African seat on the IMFs board of directors. Are There Any Downsides To BRICS Membership? The global political and economic situation has changed dramatically since 2010. These changes have created both opportunities and challenges for the BRICS. One opportunity arises from the fact that approximately 19 countries in the Global South, including Argentina, Cuba, Iran and Saudi Arabia, have expressed an interest in joining the BRICS. It is expected that the BRICS will consider the issue of membership at their upcoming August 2023 summit. Another opportunity arises from the growing interest around the world in having an alternative currency to the US dollar as the basis for the international financial system. The BRICS have been vocal supporters of de-dollarisation. However, given the complex economic and political relations between the BRICS member states, there is considerable scepticism about the feasibility of the BRICS developing a new global currency in the near term. The primary challenges facing the BRICS arise from geopolitics. The war in Ukraine has created tensions within the BRICS. The participating states have been forced to balance their respect for such international law principles as self-determination, sovereignty and peaceful resolution of disputes with their friendly relations with Russia. In addition, the BRICS cannot escape the fallout from the growing economic and security tensions between China and the west, particularly the US. Both these issues complicate the efforts of the other BRICS to maintain their formal non-aligned position. They also exacerbate existing tensions within the BRICS. The most important example of this is the complex and tense relationship between India and China. In recent years, they have had military skirmishes in disputed border areas. In addition, India has imposed economic constraints on Chinese companies operating in India. The two countries have refused to renew the visas of journalists from each country so that now there are almost no journalists from Chinese publications in India and vice versa. What Hangs On The Summit? South Africa faces another opportunity that is fraught with danger when it hosts the G20 in 2025. The G20, which brings together the 20 leading economic powers in the world, has called itself the premier forum for global economic governance. South Africa is currently the only permanent African member of the G20 and 2025 will be the first time the group is hosted by an African country. Planning for this G20 event must begin soon because in 2024 South Africa will join India, the current G20 host, and Brazil, the 2024 G20 host in the troika that manages the G20 process. If the country does not plan carefully and effectively for this G20 event, South Africa risks emerging with a diminished reputation and its credibility shredded. * Danny Bradlow, Professor/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria ** This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here Search Keywords: Short link: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of Estonia Alar Karis discussed the possibilities of creating joint defense enterprises and involving Estonian experts in the demining of Ukrainian territory. Zelensky announced this at a joint press conference with the Estonian leader in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "We agreed on certain cooperation in demining Ukrainian territories, including by Estonian specialists with their Estonian equipment. The possibilities of creating joint defense production in Ukraine were discussed in detail," Zelensky said. He also informed his Estonian colleague about the situation at the front. "We can definitely prepare more of our powerful steps at the front together. I told about certain urgent needs of our army," Zelensky noted. The leaders also discussed the reconstruction of Ukraine, preparations for international events, in particular for the upcoming NATO summit. Zelensky thanked the Estonian partners for their support and assistance for Ukraine - both with weapons and political assistance, sanctions against Russia, etc. As reported, President of Estonia Alar Karis is visiting Kyiv on Friday. Estonia was the first to start practical reconstruction projects in Ukraine. In particular, a kindergarten was opened in Ovruch in Zhytomyr region. Photo: Presidents Office EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore. Borrel reported the meeting on Twitter, Ukrinform reports. "Wherever we meet in the world, the bond between EU and Ukraine is unbreakable. With Oleksii Reznikov and EU colleagues we stressed need for global solidarity and support for Ukraine. Because shared principles are at stake," the tweet reads. Borrell also reported that he had met with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu to discuss common strategic issues, including the war in Ukraine. "Constructive discussion with #Chinas Minister of Defence Li Shangfu at SLD23 on common strategic concerns, including Russias war against Ukraine, Taiwan, South China Sea," Borrell tweeted. As Ukrinform reported earlier, a Shangri-La Dialogue security forum is being held in Singapore on June 2-4, at which the war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine is on top agenda. Among the participants are delegations from the U.S., China, and the European Union, in particular heads and high-ranking officials of defense agencies, military, diplomats, arms manufacturers, and security analysts. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas refuted the Russian narrative as regards NATO expansion, noting that the Alliance threatens Russia's imperial ambitions rather than Russias national security. She said this in an interview with ERR after speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, Ukrinform reports. "The most important references of my speech were about refuting the narrative related to NATO. I use my country as an example. When we were freed from the occupation, we did everything we could to make sure it never happened again. It means we must never be alone," she said, according to a report delivered in Russian. Read also: Estonia calls on EU to ban goods transit through Russia Estonia's accession to NATO was a free choice of the people, not something imposed on the country by any external forces, she emphasized. "Here. some claim that the expansion of NATO as a process that is somehow not related to the will of the countries, but I deny this. Russia behaves like the last colonial power that is actually trying to colonize and expand its empire. This is a topic that will perhaps find a response here, the one that will be understood here," Prime Minister of Estonia added. Kallas also noted that those who blame NATO for expansion and escalation adopt the imperialist language and ideology promoted by Russia. "NATO is a threat not to Russia's security but to Russias imperialism," Kallas is convinced. According to her, the third important topic of her speech concerned the reaction to the war, which, in turn, sends a signal to the whole world. "If using aggression as a tool pays off because you get more territory or more assets as a result, then other countries that have more power will also use that tool. In this case, we find ourselves not in a world order based on international law, but in a world order based on who is stronger," Kallas emphasized. The politician also reminded of the need to establish connections and cooperation with those who can be trusted. In her opinion, it is very important to intensify cooperation between the European Union and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in order to reduce dependence on unreliable partners through joint efforts. As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Shangri-La Dialogue, a large-scale security forum, is being held in Singapore on June 2-4, where the war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine is one of the main topics. Among the participants are delegations from the U.S., China, and the European Union, in particular heads and high-ranking officials of defense agencies, military, diplomats, arms manufacturers, and security analysts. On behalf of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk met in Turkey with the defenders of Azovstal steel works. "On behalf of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, I met in Turkey with the Heroes, with the military, defenders of Azovstal steel works. Commander of Azov Regiment, Hero of Ukraine Denys Prokopenko ("Redis"), his deputy Sviatoslav Palamar ("Kalyna"), Acting Commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade Serhiy Volynskyi ("Volyna"), Oleh Khomenko and Denys Shleha from the National Guard of Ukraine who are now in Turkey under the exchange terms. I thank Turkey for the assistance in returning our defenders," Stefanchuk posted on Facebook. According to him, a large team led by Head of the Presidents Office Andriy Yermak works daily to return all Ukrainian prisoners of war home. "All our defenders are determined to continue the fight and want to return home. Full support for all our heroes is the duty of the state. We have to return everyone. Because we value everyone," the Verkhovna Rada Chairman emphasized. As reported, 215 Ukrainian defenders were released, including the Azovstal Regiment commanders, within the framework of the prisoner exchange in September 2022. Since then, five Azov Regiment members have stayed in Turkey under the personal guarantees of protection and security of President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. | By Laura Lee As a lawyer, you have a powerful lever. You have the ability to be agents of change, former Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh told the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Class of 2023 at a hooding ceremony in the packed Hippodrome Theatre on May 19. Former Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh delivered the keynote address. "Use your tool as a force for good, a force for justice," he advised in keynote remarks to graduates at the ceremony. The hooding event is a special recognition ceremony for masters or doctoral degree candidates. During the ceremony, a faculty member places the doctoral hood over the head of the graduate, marking their success in completing the program. Students officially graduated at the May 18 University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) commencement, where UMB President Bruce Jarrell, MD, FACS, conferred degrees on the 2023 Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Master of Science in Law candidates. Dean Renee Hutchins, JD, told the 200-plus graduates to relax for a moment during the remarkably joyous occasion. She encouraged the room to take a slow, deep breath as she listed their impressive list of accomplishments including representing clients in clinics, editing journals, assisting faculty with research, and competing on advocacy teams. The relaxation however, is short-lived, as JD recipients prepare for the next big step the bar exam. Its going to be tough, Hutchins, but you have the tools, and you have the talent, and you know that you can do it, so hang with it. Samantha Safchinsky, JD, evening program class president, shared the deans sentiments. Its an honor to stand here today and congratulate you all for this monumental achievement. So, lets enjoy this time before bar prep rears its ugly head! Day program class president Kaska Watson, JD, reflected on lessons she and her fellow graduates learned during their time at the law school. We know that we can adapt to new situations, that we can be flexible in the face of adversity, and that we can rise to the occasion when the going gets tough, she said. As we leave this chapter behind and move on to the next one, lets never forget that we have the power to overcome any challenge that comes our way. UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi warned on Monday that cooperation with Iran on better monitoring its nuclear programme was "very slow", saying while some cameras and other equipment had been installed again "a lot more" needed to be done. In March, Iran agreed to reconnect surveillance cameras at several nuclear sites almost a year after they were turned off, as the Islamic republic has stepped up its atomic programme despite a landmark 2015 deal. The deal -- curbing Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief -- started to fall apart in 2018 when the US unilaterally withdrew from it and reimposed sanctions. Efforts to revive it have been fruitless so far. Grossi said "implementing a number of voluntary additional monitoring and verification measures" as agreed in March was "going very slow". "There is a lot more that needs to be done... We need to go faster," he told reporters after opening a regular meeting of the 35-member board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Earlier in his statement to the board, he said "some progress has been made, but not as much as I had hoped", adding that what had been done so far was "a fraction of what we envisaged". In a report to the board, seen by AFP last week, the IAEA noted that Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of enriched uranium in recent months, continuing its nuclear escalation. The agency, however, noted progress in its cooperation with Iran in a separate report saying it has decided to, for now, close the file on nuclear material at an undeclared site. The issue of the material found at Marivan in Abedeh county has long exacerbated relations between the two parties. Grossi said Iran's explanation -- that the particles could be from Soviet-era mining conducted there -- was "plausible, not impossible". The IAEA previously assessed that "there have been a number of explosives experiments in the past", he reiterated. When asked about criticism of Iran arch-foe Israel on closing the file, Grossi insisted his agency had not bowed to any pressures. "We never, ever water down our standards, we stand by our standards," he said, describing the IAEA as "fair but firm". Search Keywords: Short link: ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 05th Jun, 2023) Senior investment and pension experts from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region arrived in Abu Dhabi to discuss effective investment tools for pension funds and social security during a two-day annual seminar known as The 15th Civil Retirement and Social Insurance Authorities in the GCC. Organised by the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) at the Rixos Premium Hotel in Saadiyat - Abu Dhabi, the seminar was inaugurated by Faras Al Ramahi, GPSSAs Director-General, who delivered a welcome speech to experts arriving from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE. He highlighted the fact that the seminar was organised as part of a joint collaboration between pension and social insurance authorities in the region to highlight the role of investment tools in enhancing financial prosperity in pension funds and delivering sustainable social and economic development in GCC countries. Al Ramahi explained that investment sectors in the GCC have undergone years of experience and challenge, which requires joint collaboration and exchange of experiences and expertise to support the acceleration of pension and social security while improving the overall performance of authorities to achieve an increase in investment returns and strategic visions. Muhannad bin Aqel Al Bahli, Research and Studies Specialist from the General Organisation for Social Insurance (GOSI) in Saudi Arabia, highlighted the importance of assessing investment risks in pension funds. This was done by continuously evaluating and monitoring global events and conditions that could affect investment operations and assets, with emphasis on diversification and distribution or transfer of assets to other investments, such as alternative investments in stocks or fixed income bonds, infrastructure and credit markets with an intent to avoid high risks, which should be measured using a reference indicator based on best practices. Abdulla Al Ghafli, Investment Manager at the GPSSAs Investment Sector, explained the methodology behind managing assets and receivables as well as the distribution of assets, which can only be accomplished using an investment strategy that balances between risks and returns, and divides investment portfolio assets as per the authoritys ability to bear future risks. Al Ghafli added that the diversification of investments reduces risk, determining expected investment returns while highlighting differences in investment methodologies and the factors influencing their selection according to systematic experiments adopted by pension funds in the GCC countries. Babar Khan, Chief Investment Officer at GPSSAs Investment Sector, discussed the strategy for distributing assets in the pension portfolio. The benefits included in the asset distribution process at the authority emphasise the existence of long-term investment alternatives in light of long-term pension fund obligations. He also talked about the role of governance in preserving liquid and non-liquid assets. Bader Al Kandari, Chief Investment Officer - Liquid Sector at the Public Institution for Social Security in Kuwait, talked about the design strategy for distributing assets in Kuwaits pension portfolio, the governance procedures that were followed during the transitional period and the most critical fundamental pillars that supported the investment process, such as selecting a renown international consultancy firm with a proven track record and experience in asset distribution. Bader Qassem Bualley, Investment Executive at the Social Insurance Organisation in Bahrain, stressed the importance of asset allocation and governance in investment fund risk management, highlighting investment principles and their importance in leading investment performance in an entity. Mubarak bin Juma Al Habsi, Head of the Settlement and Follow-Up Department at the Public Authority for Social Insurance in Oman, focused on the role of investment funds in managing pension resources and supporting global market investment opportunities. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Buena Vista, United States, June 5 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jun, 2023 ) :A healthy Rocky Mountain snowpack looks set to offer a bumper season for thrill-seeking white water rafters on Colorado's rivers. Operators plying waterways fed by the US mountain range say a decent winter and a slow snowmelt should offer months of fun for those intent on hurtling over bubbling rapids. "This river has doubled in size... since three days ago," said Corey Coker, who has been leading rafting expeditions on the Arkansas River in Colorado for well over a decade. "I believe today we're just under 1,000 cubic feet per second," he told AFP in mid-May. One cubic foot is about 7.5 US gallons, or 28 liters. That means if you drew a line across the river, there would be 7,500 gallons of water going past at any given moment. "It doesn't look too bad here," he said as he pushed the raft into a wide, slow-flowing section of the river. "But when you're down in the rapids, that water level makes a big difference to how scary things look." Indeed, as the water narrows along a path carved out millennia ago, things really start to quicken. What was once gently flowing and rather harmless-looking water takes on an angry foam-filled churn in the majestic Browns Canyon. Coker shouts instructions to rafters to paddle backwards or forwards as they try to steer their inflatable vessel around or over the huge stones. Each rapid plunges the front of the raft into the spume, spraying occupants with water cold enough to remind them it was snow just a few hours earlier. For those brave enough -- or unlucky enough -- to take a plunge, even a wetsuit isn't enough to guard against the bone-chilling cold. "This is a very good year for water, we have no concerns there," said Mark Hammer, who runs The Adventure Company in Buena Vista. "It shouldn't be exceedingly high, and should provide us with a really long season." Years of below-average snowfall across the US West have left river systems depleted, as a long-term aridification trend is exacerbated by human-caused planet warming. Some of the main riverine arteries that criss-cross the country have been badly hit, with the once-mighty Colorado River dwindling. The situation became so bad last year that Lake Mead, an enormous reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam, dropped to just a quarter of its capacity, threatening "deadpool" -- where the river downstream dries up, and hydro-electric generation grinds to a halt. But a wet winter that left a thick blanket of snow over the Rocky Mountains, has -- for now at least -- breathed new life into the rivers. Scientists who measure the snowpack -- a vital store of water for a huge swathe of the country -- say to the west of the continental divide, it's looking very healthy. 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 eastern side of the divide did not see quite as much snow, but it was still abundant. That's good news for rafters on the Arkansas River, which rises near Leadville, Colorado, and meanders 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) across the Great Plains, before it joins the Mississippi River. Hammer, whose company guides up to 8,000 people down the river every year, says while this season is set to be a good one on the waterway, there are no guarantees for the future. A changing climate, over-use by burgeoning population centers and voracious agriculture are all stressing these lifebloods. "I would love to see people taking a more serious look at the overall water that's available," he told AFP. "I don't hear a lot of great solutions. And I know it's a tough problem to solve, and it's probably going to take decades to manage our water better. However, I don't think we have much of a choice." (@Abdulla99267510) The former close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan says that his only contact is with Fawad Chaudhary who had resigned from the party last week. ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-June 5th, 2023) PTI Leader Asad Umar on Monday dismissed any association with Jahangir Khan Tareen, a former close aide of PTI Chief Imran Khan who now leads a group of dissidents within the party. Umar made this statement outside an Islamabad court where he appeared in a case related to violent protests in the country on May 9. The latest reports suggested that the Tareen group, comprised of dissident PTI parliamentarians, is actively recruiting defectors from the PTI to strengthen its ranks ahead of the general elections. In recent days, several PTI members, including prominent leaders, have left the party following government crackdowns on allegations of their involvement in vandalism during the May 9 protests following the arrest of Imran Khan. A meeting between Jahangir Tareen, former PTI leader Aleem Khan, and other political figures took place on May 29 in Lahore. While the Tareen group has not officially announced its return to the political arena, there are reports that Tareen plans to launch a new political party. During today's court appearance, Asad Umar faced questions from reporters about his affiliation with Tareen. Umar denied any connection, stating that his only contact was with Fawad Chaudhry, who had resigned from the PTI last month. Asad Umar's bail in the case related to the May 9 riots was extended until June 10 by an Islamabad district and sessions court. The court adjourned the proceedings due to the prosecutor's father's demise. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The funeral prayers of Lance Naik Mairaj Uddin Shaheed (23 years, resident of D.I Khan) and Naik Zaheer Abbas (38 years, resident of District Khushab) who embraced shahadat in North Waziristan while fighting gallantly with terrorists, were offered at their respective hometowns on Monday RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jun, 2023 ) :The funeral prayers of Lance Naik Mairaj Uddin Shaheed (23 years, resident of D.I Khan) and Naik Zaheer Abbas (38 years, resident of District Khushab) who embraced shahadat in North Waziristan while fighting gallantly with terrorists, were offered at their respective hometowns on Monday. The Shaheeds were laid to rest with full military honours, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said. The senior serving and retired officers, soldiers, relatives and a large number of people attended the funerals. "Pakistan Army remains committed to ensuring the defence of the motherland against all internal and external threats and hostile efforts to spoil the hard-earned peace will be met with the full might of the Armed Forces of Pakistan," the ISPR said. (@FahadShabbir) Armenia and Azerbaijan denied on Monday that a deal between them was in the pipeline to draw demarcation lines based on 1975 maps MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) Armenia and Azerbaijan denied on Monday that a deal between them was in the pipeline to draw demarcation lines based on 1975 maps. On Sunday, Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan had said in a televised comment that the leaders of the two South Caucasus countries had made some progress in border dispute talks in Moldova on June 1, agreeing to use Soviet-era maps as the basis for border delimitation discussions. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry fiercely denied the allegation on Monday and accused the Armenian security chief of trying to "distort the essence of issues." "Instead of insisting on special reference to some 1975 map, it would be more useful for the Armenian side to start the delimitation work," the statement read. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan confirmed on Monday that no deal had been reached at the negotiations in Moldova but added that Armenia saw the 1975 borders as acceptable. Mirzoyan reiterated Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's assurances that Armenia recognized Azerbaijani territorial claims set out in the 1991 Almaty Declaration. Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan should discuss the ownership of the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh with local authorities. "Neither the people of Nagorno-Karabakh nor their elected administration tasked us with negotiating their status. We are not negotiating their status," Mirzoyan said. "The Republic of Armenia has always recognized and still recognizes Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. We are aware of Azerbaijan's commitment to respect Armenia's territorial integrity," he added. The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against nine Russian nationals under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime in relation to the case of Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against nine Russian nationals under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime in relation to the case of Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia). "Today the Council imposed restrictive measures against nine individuals, under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, for sentencing the Russian opposition politician, democracy activist and outspoken Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison on politically motivated charges and false allegations," the EU said in a statement. The EU also called for immediate and unconditional release of Kara-Murza "and all those imprisoned for politically motivated charges". The individuals included in the sanctions list today include Russian Deputy Justice Minister Oleg Sviridenko, judges and officials of the Russian penitentiary system. In April, the Moscow City Court sentenced Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for treason and for discrediting the Russian army. (@FahadShabbir) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday he had discussed strengthening cooperation in several areas during a meeting with his counterpart from the United States, Lloyd Austin. "Delighted to meet my friend, (Secretary of Defense) Austin in New Delhi. Our talks revolved around enhancing defense cooperation in several areas including convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation," Singh twitted. The ministers discussed joint development and production of existing and new systems, and increasing cooperation between the two countries' defense start-up ecosystems, according to the Indian Defense Ministry. "The two sides discussed a substantial range of bilateral defense cooperation issues, with particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation . .. Both sides will identify opportunities for co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing & new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between defense start-up ecosystems of the two countries," the ministry's statement read. Singh said that India's partnership with the US is crucial for ensuring free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. "We look forward to closely work with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership," the minister said in a tweet. Last week, the Indian Defense Ministry announced that Singh would discuss a number of issues of bilateral partnership in defense with a focus on industrial cooperation with his US and German counterparts. German Defense Minister Boris Pistoruis' visit to India is due to start on Monday. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2023) US progressive activist, scholar and philosopher Cornell West said he is joining the 2024 presidential race as a People's Party candidate, on a platform that includes disbanding NATO and ending all foreign military aid. "I am running for truth and justice as a presidential candidate for the People's Party to reintroduce America to the best of itself - fighting to end poverty, mass incarceration, ending wars and ecological collapse, guaranteeing housing, health care, education and living wages for all!" West said in a tweet. In a video clip accompanying the post, the candidate for the People's Party, which was founded by a former Bernie Sanders campaign aide, said Democrats and Republicans have failed to tell Americans what is really going on with respect to the financial elite and US wars overseas. "We're talking about affirming, we're talking about empowering those who have been pushed to the margins because neither political party wants to tell the truth, about Wall Street, about Ukraine, about the Pentagon, about Big Tech," West said. In a clip with Bill Maher included in the video, the Black scholar called Democrats and Republicans "gangsters," described President Donald Trump as a neo-fascist, and painted President Joe Biden as a "milquetoast neoliberal." According to his campaign site, in terms of foreign policy, West if elected will seek to disband NATO, end American wars overseas, stop all US foreign military aid, and ban nuclear weapons globally. West has called for a ban on corporate lobbying and wants to end dark money in politics. In addition, West supports term limits and vowed to forgive all student debt. West resigned from Harvard University in 2021 after accusing the university of not granting him tenure because of his vocal support of the Palestinian cause. West has taught at Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities and is now a professor of philosophy at Union Theological Seminary. West embraces African-American philosophy along with a postmodern version of pragmatism, one of the few philosophical traditions considered genuinely indigenous to the United States. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday that Tehran will continue its visa-free and "open arms" policy toward the Azerbaijani citizens. Nasser Kanaani made the remarks in a post on his Twitter page in response to a Saturday statement by Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, in which it said Azerbaijani citizens "are strongly recommended" not to visit Iran without necessity. Kanaani emphasized that pursuing a neighbor-oriented policy based on mutual respect and good-neighborliness manners is Iran's priority and on its agenda. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in its statement that "citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan are strongly recommended not to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran without necessity, and those entering this country should remain as vigilant as possible." It also advised that Azerbaijani citizens currently in Iran should observe "the safety rules." The statement was issued after Azerbaijan sent on Friday a note of protest to the Iranian side in relation to the arrest of Azerbaijani citizen Farid Safarli, whom the Iranian authorities accuse of espionage. Safarli, a university student based in Germany, arrived in Iran in early March. Since then, the contact with him has been lost. Azerbaijan has demanded Iranian authorities determine his fate Search Keywords: Short link: (@ChaudhryMAli88) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) The Russian Pacific Fleet has begun exercises in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk with the participation of more than 60 warships and support vessels, the press service of the fleet said on Monday. "In accordance with the plan for training the military command and control bodies of the forces of the Pacific Fleet for 2023, from June 5 to June 20, in the waters of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, under the leadership of the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Adm. Viktor Liina, an operational exercise of the fleet's various branches in the far sea zone is being conducted," a statement read. The statement noted that more than 60 warships and fleet support vessels, about 35 aircraft of naval aviation, coastal troops and more than 11,000 military personnel are involved in the drills. Naval tactical groups, together with naval aviation, will train to search for and track enemy submarines and conduct combat training exercises against surface and air targets, the statement said, adding that the organization of air defense will also be worked out. A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster successfully launched on schedule at 11:47 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) propelling an unmanned Dragon 9 cargo spacecraft on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA said on Monday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster successfully launched on schedule at 11:47 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) propelling an unmanned Dragon 9 cargo spacecraft on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA said on Monday. "SpaceX's Dragon will deliver new science investigations, food, supplies, and equipment for the international crew, including the next pair of IROSAs (International Space Station Roll Out Solar Arrays)," NASA said in an official blog. "The solar panels, which roll out using stored kinetic energy, will expand the energy-production capabilities of the space station. " Each new IROSA will produce more than 20 kilowatts of electricity, and once all are installed, they will generate a 30% increase in power production over the station's current arrays, NASA said. "Arrival at the station is scheduled for 5:50 am Tuesday. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will dock autonomously to the station's zenith port of the Harmony module," the blog said. The 28th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the ISS carrying 7,000 Pounds of supplies and scientific experiments to the ISS took off from Launch Complex 39A at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) Ten Ukrainian military chaplains have completed the first ever two-week training program with the British army in the United Kingdom at Kiev's request, the UK Defense Ministry said on Monday. "Ukrainian military chaplains have graduated from the first course of its kind to be run on British soil. For the last two weeks, ten chaplains have been embedded with the Royal Army Chaplains' Department of the British Army to learn more about providing pastoral care, spiritual support and moral guidance during military operations," the ministry said in a statement. The training program was prepared at a request by the Ukrainian armed forces to boost its chaplains' skills and expertise, the statement read. Now, the chaplains will be deployed to the front line to provide spiritual guidance to other Ukrainian military, the UK Defense Ministry said. "The ability to deliver pastoral care, spiritual support and moral guidance has made chaplaincy a critical capability for Ukrainian commanders. Chaplains are in demand and it is truly humbling to be asked to support them in deepening their understanding of their role within war," UK Chaplain Gen. Michael Parker was quoted in the statement as saying. The multi-confessional chaplaincy unit of the Ukrainian military was formed in 2021. To date, it consists of 160 chaplains, with the Ukrainian authorities seeking to increase it up to 738 members, the statement read. The United Kingdom and other countries have trained over 15,000 Ukrainian military personnel since February 2022, the UK Defense Ministry said. Last year, London transferred 2.3 billion Pounds ($2.85 billion) in military aid to Kiev. (@FahadShabbir) The United States has a "real national security interest" in normalizing the relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2023) The United States has a "real national security interest" in normalizing the relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday. "The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. We believe that we can, and indeed we must play a role in advancing that," Blinken said at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy (AIPAC) summit. Washington has no illusion that this can be done quickly or easily, he continued. "But we remain committed to working toward this outcome, including on my trip this week to Jeddah and Riyadh," Blinken said. Blinken noted that a more integrated and prosperous region serves the interest of Israel, regional states, and the United States. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said in May that Israel and Saudi Arabia have "the same interests" and would normalize relations. It's not a matter of if, but of when, he stated. Pamela Langer Most educators dont employ the performing arts to teach biochemistry. But Pamela Langer, an associate professor in the University of Wyomings Department of Molecular Biology, has always taken a unique approach to teaching and learning. Langer is the 2023 recipient of the John P. Ellbogen Lifetime Teaching Award, an accolade that recognizes the long, distinguished and exemplary career of one senior faculty member who has excelled as a teacher at UW. Perhaps due to her background in music and theater, Pam brings a tremendous amount of creativity and originality to the way she teaches, says Jay Gatlin, head of the Department of Molecular Biology. Moreover, because she wants to keep her lectures vibrant and interesting, she never lets the course material get stale. Langer entered Indiana University as a violin performance major -- and emerged a scientist. Her affinity for the performing arts continues to inform her ability to teach and connect with students. Whether playing violin, designing an experiment, working in Africa or helping learners in a course, I have always been driven by the desire to find a way to do things differently to make it better, Langer says. In Langers classroom, doing things differently means facilitating active learning through activities such as human illustrations plays, in which students enact cellular processes, sometimes with musical accompaniment. Many students in her biochemistry classes, for instance, recall participating in a play demonstrating how vitamin B12 is absorbed into the body. Langer also is known for her exam stories, which not only assess comprehension of scientific processes, but also expose students to cultural and experiential diversity. I was blown away by how well myself and fellow students retained the information and remained excited and motivated to go to class, says Elizabeth Quigley, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Zoology and Physiology. I have never seen an educator so committed to expanding student learning and engagement. Langer has led curriculum development for the Department of Molecular Biology and the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program for years. She currently serves as the molecular biology undergraduate curriculum coordinator and block leader for a multidisciplinary WWAMI course. Langer has instructed more than 3,000 undergraduate students and more than 400 WWAMI students. In her four decades as an educator, she has learned that a course can inspire not only curiosity and collaboration, but also mental flexibility, inclusion and courage. Central to my educational activities has been an awareness that the content of a course has a meaning, or second language, well beyond the information shared in a classroom, she says. Langer has been selected as a Mortar Board Top Prof seven times. In 2019, she received the John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award. Dr. Langer is recognized as one of the best professors many students have had at the university, says Barbara Rasco, dean of the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources. Langer arrived at UW in 1986, after serving as a Wellcome Trust scientist in Kenya and a postdoctoral scientist at Harvard Medical School. She received a Ph.D. in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelors degree in biological sciences from Indiana University. Her research has focused on the human parasite leishmania and enzymes that degrade spiders silk fibers. Noah Novogrodsky An accomplished educator, scholar and human rights lawyer is a recipient of a top teaching award at the University of Wyoming. Noah Novogrodsky, a professor in the College of Law, is one of three recipients of the 2023 John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award. The award was established in 1977 by businessman John P. Jack Ellbogen to foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW. This years other recipients of the award are Karagh Brummond, an assistant instructional professor in the Honors College, and Sreejayan Nair, a professor in the School of Pharmacy. Novogrodsky, the Carl M. Williams Professor of Law and Ethics, also serves as the director of the Center for International Human Rights Law and Advocacy. He has devoted his life and career to teaching students about the importance of international law and human rights issues while creating a pathway for future young lawyers to follow in his footsteps, says Klint Alexander, dean of the UW College of Law. In addition, he has elevated the reputation of the UW College of Law by building one of the most highly regarded international human rights programs in the region. Jason Robison, a professor in the UW College of Law, calls Novogrodsky the cornerstone of the colleges international human rights law program. He has been the chief architect of the programs structure since joining the faculty in fall 2009, Robison says. Noahs teaching extends across this structure, encompassing traditional podium lecturing, research- and writing-intensive seminars, and field courses in Europe and South America. Among the courses Novogrodsky teaches are Civil Procedure; Immigration Law; International Law; and Transitional Justice. A former student says Transitional Justice was one of her favorite classes in law school. Students were given a safe and civil space to explore the links between their own values and the justice system, which ultimately will create more empathetic and passionate future lawyers, says Caren Speckner, one of Novogrodskys nominators. This approach to a law school class was appreciated and made the class memorable. Hannah Mink, a former student, says Novogrodsky is the reason the law schools study-abroad programs exist and are the successful programs students love. Last winter, I had the chance to travel to Chile and conduct research on international transboundary water disputes, where I met with the Chilean minister of foreign affairs, who also happened to be the lead litigator in a recent transboundary water case before the International Court of Justice, Mink says. He (Novogrodsky) found a way to merge my passion for water law and newfound interests in international law and catered aspects of the program to those two subjects. When providing course evaluations, students regularly praise Novogrodsky, also known as Novo, for his effective and engaging teaching style. Novo has the ability to make any subject interesting, no matter how dry it might be, a student wrote. He doesnt use lecture notes or a PowerPoint as a crutch during lecture, which many professors are guilty of. Instead, Novo engages with the class and elicits great class discussions. Mink attests that, through his teaching style and encouragement, Novogrodsky inspires students to think beyond the borders of Wyoming, the West and the nation. But for Professor Novogrodskys diligence in providing these opportunities and encouraging student participation, I would not have had the holistic and well-rounded education I experienced at the University of Wyoming College of Law, Mink says. Novogrodsky earned his J.D. (1997) from Yale University; his masters degree in international relations (1994) from the University of Cambridge; and his bachelors degree in political science (1992) from Swarthmore College. Sreejayan Nair University of Wyoming students, past and present, in Sreejayan Nairs various classes say his personality, caring nature, energy and preparation make him an outstanding teacher. Nair, a professor in the School of Pharmacy, is one of three recipients of the 2023 John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award. The award was established in 1977 by businessman John P. Jack Ellbogen to foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW. This years other recipients of the award are Karagh Brummond, an assistant instructional professor in the Honors College, and Noah Novogrodsky, a professor in the College of Law. Dr. Nair is an outstanding teacher whose excellence in the classroom is driven by his passion for student learning. It would be challenging to identify a person who is more committed to student learning than Sree, says Kem Krueger, dean of the School of Pharmacy, who nominated Nair for the honor. In fact, I sometimes wish I could take a sabbatical under his direction to learn how to teach more effectively. Dr. Nairs personality is a vital component to his success as an educator. His innate ability to suppress debilitating stress within the academic environment is a unique talent, says Matthew McBride, a 2024 UW Doctor of Pharmacy candidate. This asset is a testament to his calming disposition and commitment to a conducive learning environment. Dr. Nair is an authentic human being. He has genuine care for all people and is invested in the personal success of his students. Dane Patey, a medical student in his third year of the WWAMI Medical Education Program, says Nair brings an energy to the classroom that is completely infectious. He engages with the subject matter with complete mastery and teaching, not by lecturing but asking and challenging his students to think through difficult problems, ultimately helping them understand the material more completely, Patey says. Former students Daulton Grube and Trey Thompson who are now medical doctors -- at the University of Utah Health Pediatric Clinic and the University of Washington Department of Surgery, respectively -- commended Nair, who was their pharmacology professor during the didactic portion of their first two years of medical school through the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Medical Education Program. His ability to take course material and make it relevant to our board exams and clinical experiences helped all of us on our path to becoming doctors, the two wrote in their nomination letter. John Willford, a UW clinical associate professor and assistant director of the WWAMI Medical Education Program, marvels at Nairs approach to active learning, citing Nairs sessions that included mini-reviews, newly crafted or revised diagrams, practice questions, historical or cultural nuggets, and an overall fun atmosphere. Over the past 14 years, Nair has been recognized 11 times with awards for his teaching in the pharmacy and WWAMI programs. He was named Teacher of the Year in the UW School of Pharmacy in both 2008 and 2019. As a principal investigator, he has received funding for 30 grants. He is currently chair of the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences; director of the Biomedical Sciences Interdisciplinary Graduate Program; mentoring director of the Wyoming Sensory Biology Center of Biomedical Research Excellence; and a professor of pharmacology. Nair received his Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences; his masters degree in medicinal chemistry; and his bachelors degree in pharmacy, all from Mangalore University in India. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi expressed his hope that the African initiative to mediate in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis would contribute to settling the conflict. The leaders of six African countries -- Egypt, Comoros, South Africa, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia -- met on Monday to probe the African initiative to mediate between Russia and Ukraine to settle the year-long conflict. The meeting came nearly two weeks after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that a group of African leaders will visit Russia and Ukraine 'as soon as is possible' to discuss a potential peace plan for the conflict. During the meeting, the African leaders discussed the details of the African initiative to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, according to a statement released by Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy. President El-Sisi, who attended the meeting via video conference, reiterated that Egypt adopted a balanced approach since the beginning of the conflict. The president further affirmed that Egypt stressed the necessity of respecting international law, settling disputes by peaceful means, and prioritizing dialogue. He also called for mobilizing international efforts to reach a solution that considers all parties in order to attain global peace and security. Egypt will spare no effort to contribute to containing such a crisis and overcoming its political, humanitarian and economic consequences, El-Sisi explained. The meeting saw the participation of Comorian President Azali Assoumani, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. During the meeting, the African leaders stressed that resolving this conflict was in Africa's interest, given its grave consequences on the African countries and the rest of the world, especially in food and energy security and international finance, according to Fahmy. The meeting also stressed that the African initiative should include mechanisms that would make it appealing to both Russia and Ukraine, added the spokesman. Since its eruption in February 2022, the conflict has harmed African countries, which have suffered from the rising prices of grain and the disruption of world trade. Search Keywords: Short link: Latest developments: U.S. President Joe Biden is hosting talks Monday with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that are expected to include discussion of support for Ukraine and training of Ukrainian pilots on fourth generation fighter jets. The Financial Times reports Western countries worry that China and Russia could use tensions in the Arctic region to grow their influence there. Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the United States paused their cooperation with Russia as members of the Arctic Council last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia said Monday its forces had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian attack in the Donetsk region of southern Ukraine. Russia's defense ministry said the Ukrainian side's goal was to try to break through what they considered the weakest area along the front lines, but that it "had no success." The Ukrainian attack, Russia said, included six mechanized battalions and two tank battalions. Donetsk is one the Russia-occupied areas that President Vladimir Putin claimed to annex last year in a move that was rejected by the international community. It was unclear if the reported Ukrainian attack was part of a long-planned counter-offensive by Ukraine to try to reclaim areas Russian forces seized after launching a full-scale invasion early last year. Ukraine's military said during a daily report that there were 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukrainian children Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used his nightly address Sunday to remember the children who have died "as the result of Russian aggression" since 2014, including a 2-year-old girl in the Dnipro region late Saturday. "Today in our country is the day of remembrance for children who died as a result of Russian aggression. Since 2014. Children who would have been alive if a bunch of thugs in the Kremlin, in Moscow, hadn't considered themselves chieftains who allegedly had the right to decide the fate of nations," Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy said that 485 children have lost their lives from Russian attacks. "This is a number that we can officially confirm, knowing the data of each child. The real number is much higher," he said. He also noted the 19,505 Ukrainian children who have been deported to Russia and are still "in the hands of the enemy." The United Nations says that around 1,000 other Ukrainian children have been wounded. Russian soldiers captured Also Sunday, a pro-Ukraine group of Russian partisans alleged it had captured several Russian soldiers during a cross-border raid into southern Russia and would hand them over to Ukrainian authorities, Reuters reported. The Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, a pro-Ukraine group of Russian partisans, have claimed responsibility for a flurry of cross-border attacks into Russia's Belgorod region. In a video released on the Freedom of Russia's channel on the messaging app Telegram, a man identifying himself as the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps showed what appeared to be around a dozen Russian soldiers being held captive, two of them lying on hospital beds. The commander demanded a meeting with the governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, in exchange for the captives. "Today until 17:00 you have the opportunity to communicate without weapons and take home two Russian citizens, ordinary soldiers whom you and your political leadership sent to the slaughter," read a joint statement posted along with the video. Three hours later, Gladkov agreed to meet with the group provided the soldiers were still alive. But in a later video, the Corps member said Gladkov had not turned up at the designated meeting place. "We have already decided the fate of these guys," he said. "They will be transferred to the Ukrainian side for the exchange procedure." Ukraine has denied direct involvement in the cross-border attacks. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters While U.S. military officers here caution against too direct a comparison between the 1944 D-Day landings and Ukraine's upcoming counteroffensive, the echoes of what Kyiv faces today are a dominant theme of this year's commemorations of the young U.S. soldiers who died on the Normandy beaches nearly 80 years ago. For days the villages and towns surrounding Omaha and Utah beaches have held parades, memorial events, flyovers and parachute demonstrations to build up to the annual celebration of D-Day, the launch of Operation Overlord. The June 6, 1944, invasion marked the beginning of the Allies' massive ground invasion which would eventually lead to Germany's surrender and the end of World War II in Europe. The celebration is taking place as Ukraine prepares to launch its own counteroffensive against Russia an impending fight for which many of those same allied forces have now provided billions of dollars in weapons and training to Kyiv's soldiers to best prepare them to win. "There's echoes of that of course," said Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Mark Milley. However, he cautioned against making a direct comparison to World War II's Normandy invasion, where more than 150,000 troops made landfall in Normandy in a 24-hour period and millions eventually fought across Europe to defeat the Nazis. The goal "is certainly the same, to liberate occupied territory and to free a country that has been unjustly attacked by an aggressor nation, in this case, Russia," Milley said. Over the last several days, Ukraine has been a theme. "[They are] very naive, those who think peace is eternal: history shows us quite the opposite," said Alain Holley, mayor of Ste Mere Eglise, at a D-Day commemoration ceremony Sunday. "The proof is that today, the shells are again falling in Europe, two hours by plane from here. Where and when this new war will stop, no one knows today." Holley said it was imperative to stop "these arsonists, before the fire takes away our children, our grandchildren, as well as these brave young American paratroopers." At the spot where Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower established the first forward Supreme Allied Command headquarters in 1944, current U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander Gen. Darryl Williams said Eisenhower's choice to push forward was like the West's decision to continue arming Ukraine that it was a sign of hope. "We particularly need hope today, because the dark clouds of war once again hang over Europe." Just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Omaha Beach, the larger town of Carentan was the site of a key victory allowing Allied forces to advance. The commander of the current 101st Airborne Division 2nd brigade air assault troops whose predecessors gave their lives freeing Carentan one week after D-Day said the grounds were a hallowed reminder of the present. The unit was one of the first sent back to Europe after Russia invaded last year, to bolster Eastern European defenses. "While we did not return to fight, we were ready to fight," said Col. Ed Matthaidess, commander of 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (air assault). "So, we stand here in Carentan today, and across Normandy this week, in remembrance not only of our past, but also mindful of our present." Two days before the annual celebration of Operation Overlord, Ukraine's ministry of defense posted a video to Twitter of soldier after soldier putting their finger to their lips, in a hint that Kyiv's much anticipated counteroffensive is imminent. "Plans like silence," the video text read. "There will be no announcements about the beginning," according to a translation by the Kyiv Post. There's usually a Ukrainian military delegation here as part of the commemorations, but not this year, as they focus on the fight at home, said a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Ste Mere Eglise became the first French town liberated by Allied forces; its namesake church was made famous by 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper John Steele, whose parachute got caught on the church steeple, leaving him hanging there for two hours during the initial invasion. "D-Day is a commemoration. I think it's also a warning," said Army Col. Marty O'Donnell, spokesperson for U.S. Army forces in Europe. "While certainly there is not a world war going on right now, we certainly must reflect upon the history as we deal with current events." Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has concluded a visit to Vietnam, during which he signed a multi-million-dollar agreement to help Vietnam decarbonize its economy. Tensions with China have also been the backdrop to the visit. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he wants Vietnam to become one of his countrys top tier partners as the government in Canberra seeks to diversify from its reliance of China, its biggest trading partner. Australia and Vietnam have signed various agreements during Albaneses two-day visit to the southeast Asian nation, including a $69.3 million package to help authorities in Hanoi decarbonize Vietnams economy. There are also accords to share intelligence on money laundering and set up a regular meeting between the countries trade ministers. There was also a celebration of two new air routes linking the Australian cities of Melbourne and Brisbane to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City respectively. Analysts have said that Vietnam shares Australia's concerns about Chinas moves to exert control over the South China Sea. The Vietnamese coast guard has had confrontations with Chinese vessels in waters claimed by both countries. Speaking in Vietnam Sunday, Prime Minister Albanese said he was eager for closer bilateral ties. We share a common interest in a region that is stable, that is prosperous and that is resilient, and we are pleased to work with Vietnam, and we share a commitment to maintaining the global rules and norms that can ensure that stability in the region going forward, he said. Albanese said before official talks that he would also raise human rights concerns with his Vietnamese hosts, including the case of Chau Van Kham. The 73-year-old Australian citizen has been jailed in Vietnam for membership in an anti-government group that has campaigned for democracy. Australias total two-way trade with Vietnam in 2021 was worth $11.8 billion, according to government data. Hanoi and Canberra want to conclude a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by the end of this year. An Australian woman who spent 20 years in prison was pardoned and released Monday based on new scientific evidence that her four children died by natural causes as she had insisted. The pardon was seen as the quickest way of getting Kathleen Folbigg out of prison, and a final report from the second inquiry into her guilt could recommend the state Court of Appeals quash her convictions. Folbigg, now 55, was released from a prison in Grafton, New South Wales state, following an unconditional pardon by Gov. Margaret Beazley. Australian state governors are figureheads who act on instructions of governments. New South Wales Attorney-General Michael Daley said former justice Tom Bathurst had advised him last week there was reasonable doubt about Folbiggs guilt based on new scientific evidence that the deaths could have been from natural causes. There is a reasonable doubt as to Ms. Folbigg's guilt of the manslaughter of her child Caleb, the infliction of grievous bodily harm on her child Patrick and the murder of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, Daley told reporters. I have reached a view that there is reasonable doubt as to the guilt of Ms. Folbigg of those offenses, Daley added. Bathurst has conducted the second inquiry into Folbigg's guilt, initiated by a petition that said it was based on significant positive evidence of natural causes of death and signed by 90 scientists, medical practitioners and related professionals. Prosecutors acknowledged to his inquiry in April that there was reasonable doubt about her guilt. Folbigg was serving a 30-year prison sentence that was to expire in 2033. She would have become eligible for parole in 2028. The children died separately over a decade, at between 19 days and 19 months old. Her first child, Caleb, was born in 1989 and died 19 days later in what a jury determined to be the lesser crime of manslaughter. Her second child, Patrick, was 8 months old when he died in 1991. Two years later, Sarah died at 10 months. In 1999, Folbiggs fourth child, Laura, died at 19 months. Evidence discovered in 2018 that both daughters carried a rare CALM2 genetic variant was one of the reasons that the inquiry was called. Lawyer Sophie Callan said expert evidence in the fields of cardiology and genetics indicated that the CALM2-G114R genetic variant is a reasonably possible cause of the daughters sudden deaths. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, was also a reasonably possible cause of Lauras death, Callan said. For Patrick, Callan said there was persuasive expert evidence that as a matter of reasonable possibility, an underlying neurogenetic disorder caused his sudden death. The scientific evidence created doubt that Folbigg killed the three children and undermined the argument made in Calebs case that four child deaths were an improbable coincidence, Callan said. Prosecutors had told the jury at her trial that the similarities among the deaths made coincidence an unlikely explanation. Folbigg was the only one at home or awake when the young children died. She said she discovered three of the deaths during trips to the bathroom and one while checking on a childs wellbeing. Prosecutors also had told the jury that Folbiggs diaries contained admissions of guilt. Her former husband, Craig Folbigg, said in submissions to the inquiry that the implausibility that four children in one family would die of natural causes before the age of 2 was compelling grounds to continue treating the diary entries as admissions of his former wifes guilt. But Callan said psychologists and psychiatrists gave evidence that it would be unreliable to interpret the entries in this way. Folbigg had been suffering a major depressive disorder and maternal grief when she made the entries, Callan said. Tigrayans who fled Ethiopia's civil war to neighboring Sudan say they are not receiving enough aid due to the outbreak of violence there, but that they are afraid to return to Ethiopia because of alleged ethnic cleansing. Others, resorting to desperate measures, are falling victim to human traffickers promising to help them find passage to Europe. Henry Wilkins reports from NDjamena, Chad. At first glance, it may seem strange that China expressed displeasure with South Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy, which outlines the foreign policy vision of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. After all, the 42-page document does not directly criticize China. In fact, it hardly makes any explicit references to China at all, except to call it a key partner for achieving prosperity and peace. And yet, asked about the Indo-Pacific Strategy a day after its publication in late December, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson responded tersely, warning against the formation of exclusive cliques. A closer examination helps explain why. The paper was filled with what were widely seen as indirect criticisms of Beijing, which has become more authoritarian at home and more aggressive with its neighbors. For example, the document condemned the use of force and coercion. It supported the preservation of a rules-based international order built on democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. Perhaps most importantly, for the first time in an official South Korean policy document, the Indo-Pacific Strategy linked Taiwans fate to that of South Korea and the wider region contradicting Chinas claim that the issue is purely a domestic matter. The incident exemplifies how Yoon has more explicitly aligned his country with the United States and become bolder about confronting China. Though carefully calibrated, analysts say Yoons moves leave little question about his approach to the great power rivalry between Washington and Beijing. Confronting Beijing Its not hard to find evidence of this shift under Yoon, a conservative who took office last year. The most blatant recent example came in April, when Yoon condemned attempts to change the status quo by force in Taiwan an apparent reference to Chinas increased military threats against the self-ruled island. The issue, Yoon added, was of global importance. After Chinas foreign ministry scolded Yoon over the comments, Seoul pushed back, summoning the Chinese ambassador, blasting Beijings criticism as unspeakable, and lodging a complaint with Chinese state media for their unfounded disparagement of Yoon. China has also watched Yoon restore relations with historical rival Japan, paving the way for both countries to cooperate more closely with the United States on shared threats. US-led initiatives Under Yoon, South Korea has also participated in a broad range of multilateral groups focused on countering China. Most recently, Yoon attended the G7 gathering of advanced democracies in Japan, which resulted in the groups strongest ever statement targeting China. Not all of this is new. It was under Yoon's liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, that South Korea first participated in meetings of the G7, as well as NATO, the Quad, and the U.S.-led Summit for Democracies. But Yoon has gone further, joining the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which is meant to provide a counterweight against Chinas economic clout, and Partners in the Blue Pacific, which is seen as an attempt to blunt Chinas influence in the Pacific Islands. Given these trends, it is apparent South Korea no longer seeks a middle ground between the United States and China, insists Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Korea specialist at Kings College London. In my view, there hasnt been a big change in policy. But I think Yoon is being more open than Moon about what hes doing with regards to China, Pacheco Pardo said. Values-led solidarity Asked why South Korea participates in so many U.S.-led regional initiatives, South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Young-sam responded saying Seoul is also open to more participation with Beijing. [This is] not just U.S.-led regional cooperation or solidarity. It is universal values-led international solidarity, Choi said. We are not just working with the U.S. because it is the U.S., [but] because it is good for freedom and peace and prosperity we welcome Chinas much more active participation in this international effort. Choi spoke to VOA as he made final preparations to host leaders from 17 Pacific Island countries at the first ever Korea-Pacific Islands Summit. A joint statement following the summit, held last week, emphasized the importance of shared universal values, which Choi insisted form the basis of Seouls foreign policy. Without any kind of initiative or right direction, we dont know where to go ultimately, he said. Universal values are the direction we must head for. Preserving its autonomy Despite Yoons criticism of China, areas of difference appear to remain between South Korea and the United States. For instance, it is not certain South Korea would fight with its U.S. ally in any war over Taiwan. In an interview last year, Yoon said the U.S.-South Korea alliance should stay focused on North Korea even in the case of a Taiwan-related conflict, which he said Pyongyang may use to stage a provocation. Under Yoon, South Korea has refused requests to directly send weapons to Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian invasion. South Korea has also not joined every aspect of the U.S.-led economic pressure campaign on China perhaps an unsurprising fact, since China remains South Koreas biggest trading partner. Most notably, South Korea has not imposed restrictions on its lucrative export of semiconductors to China, despite U.S. pressure. The likely reason: South Korea sent 55% of its semiconductor exports to China last year, according to official figures cited last week by Business Korea. China pushing back With the South Korean economy so dependent on China, Seoul remains susceptible to coercion by Beijing. There are growing signs China may use that leverage, as it has in the recent past. In 2017, China began a painful campaign of economic retaliation against South Korean businesses following Seouls installation of a U.S. missile defense system that Beijing viewed as a threat. Late last month, China appeared to block mainland access to the website of Naver, South Korea's do-everything web portal. In addition, a growing number of Chinese state media editorials have targeted Yoon. If the Chinese pushback intensifies, Yoons current approach will be much more difficult, predicts Jeffrey Robertson, a professor at Seouls Yonsei University. In Robertsons view, South Koreas relationship toward the United States and China can be compared to a swinging pendulum. At the middle point of that pendulum swing, he says, is South Koreas close security ties with the United States and economic ties with China. And those two will not change unless something drastic occurs, he said. Lee Juhyun contributed to this story. Chinese research on some key military technologies is so far ahead that the United States and its key allies may never be able to catch up, according to a new analysis by an Australian think tank. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) issued its findings Tuesday based on a review of the top 10% of the most highly cited research papers, concluding China leads in 19 of 23 key categories, including some that are likely to play a major role in Beijings push for military prominence in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. China has a commanding lead in hypersonics, electronic warfare and in key undersea capabilities, the ASPI study found, further warning, Chinas leads are so emphatic they create a significant risk that China might dominate future technological breakthroughs in these areas." The analysis further found that for hypersonics, nine of the 10 leading research institutions are based in China, while China is home to all 10 of the top research venues for undersea drones. Unlike ballistic missiles, which fly at hypersonic speeds but travel along a set trajectory, hypersonic weapons are highly maneuverable despite flying at Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. And the gaps between China and everyone else are significant. With some technologies, like hypersonics, China produces more than 73% of all high-impact research, more than the U.S. and the next eight countries combined. The analysis also found indications that China is using Western research institutions to its advantage. More than 14% of high-impact Chinese authors those who wrote the works cited most often did their post-graduate training in the U.S., Australia or Britain, ASPI said, noting the percentage is close to 20% for researchers writing about hypersonic detections and close to 18% for electronic warfare. There are some areas, however, where the U.S. and its allies maintain an edge. ASPI said the U.S. leads in high-impact research on autonomous systems, quantum computing and quantum sensors, some areas of artificial intelligence and in protective cybersecurity. When U.S. research efforts are combined with those of Australia and Britain, the so-called AUKUS partnership, the gap closes a bit more, though China still retains a considerable research advantage. The fact that the three AUKUS nations still trail China in some fields even when their efforts are tallied underscores the value of the technology-sharing agreement, whose aim is to accelerate shared technological development by enabling the partners to leverage one anothers strengths, ASPI wrote in a statement accompanying the report. ASPI also said it hopes the findings would strengthen some calls for AUKUS to expand technology cooperation to other countries such as Japan. The U.S., Australia and Britain entered into the AUKUS agreement in September 2021 to address mutual concerns in the Indo-Pacific and to boost advancements in artificial technology, quantum computing and cyber defense. One of the most prominent pieces of the three-country alliance included a U.S.-Australian plan to build Australia at least eight nuclear powered submarines. U.S. defense and military officials have repeatedly voiced concerns about Chinas expanding military and the advanced technology fueling the expansion. In March, the Defense Intelligence Agencys chief scientist told reporters in Washington that Beijing already has the worlds leading arsenal of hypersonic weapons. The U.S. is developing its own hypersonic weapons but all of them remain in testing or development. Other U.S. intelligence officials have also warned about Chinas ability to leverage advanced technology. In February, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines warned that the high-altitude spy balloon China sent over the continental U.S. could just be the start of Chinese surveillance efforts. "As technology improves, as we start to see more high-altitude vehicles, in effect, we're going to see more of this, she said. We're going to have to understand that and manage it." Chinese officials continue to deny the high-altitude balloon that was ultimately shot down off the U.S. Atlantic coast was a surveillance device, arguing instead it was a weather balloon. Egypt received a record-breaking 1.35 million tourists in April 2023, marking a significant milestone for the countrys tourism sector that has been recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The figures were provided by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa during a signing ceremony on Monday between Akam Alrajhi Developments and the IHG Group to manage a hotel in the Egyptian North Coast region. The minister noted that the country expects a total of 15 million tourists in 2023 a figure which, if met, would break the 14.7 million record set in 2010. Egypt, Issa said, aims to attract 30 million tourists per year by 2028, which comes in line with the country's National Tourism Strategys increase of 25-30 percent annually. However, Issa previously indicated in January before the Senate that Egypt currently has the capacity to accommodate only 15 million tourists. Hence, the country has been working to increase hotel capacity by 500,000 rooms, the minister said in Mondays speech. The minister further thanked attendees for their efforts in this regard, asserting that Egypt is worthy of being the number one tourism destination in the world, pointing to its "diverse and unique tourist sites as well as archaeological potential." Tourism bouncing back The tourism sector is particularly important for Egypt, as it as an important source of hard currency for the country amid a shortage due to global economic shocks caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the Ukraine war. The pandemic caused tourism arrivals in Egypt to drop to 3.7 million in 2020.The Russia-Ukraine war was also damaging for Egypt, as both countries had been among the main exporters of tourists to Egypt in recent years. However, the industry has bounced back despite the war, receiving approximately 11.7 million tourists in 2022, a 46 percent increase over the eight million arrivals in 2021. Tourism revenues in Egypt, according to the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), amounted to $4.1 billion for the months of January through October 2022, an increase of 43.5 percent compared to the same period of last year. This has been achieved due to the efforts Egypt's efforts to revitalize the tourism sector. Egypt targets EGP 7.4 billion (about $239.4 million) in tourism investment in the current fiscal year, which ends in June, a 19.4 percent increase over the previous year, according to previous remarks by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said. Egypt has also recently eased visa rules for visitors from China, Iran, India, Turkey, Morocco and Algeria to stimulate the tourism industry. This came after the ministry announced in January that 180 nationalities can obtain tourist visas on arrival to Egypt provided they have a valid and used visa on their passports for either the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Japan, or the Schengen countries. Search Keywords: Short link: A Croatian student is earning two Ph.D.s simultaneously, one in Croatia and one at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Borna Nemet spends his days at UNLV studying educational leadership and effectiveness. At night, he uses Zoom to teach students at the University of Zagreb in Croatia. Read the full story here. (May 2023) Days before Russias invasion of Ukraine, a team of U.S. soldiers training Ukrainians inside Ukraine were ordered to evacuate. Two months later, the soldiers from the Florida National Guard's Task Force Gator restarted and expanded their training of Ukrainians in Germany. The public has not seen video of the training because the Biden administration refused to release any until now. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb brings you an exclusive look inside their mission. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Russian shelling in Dnipro leaves a two-year-old child dead. Ukraine's military says it has no information about a major offensive which Russia says Kyiv launched in the Donetsk region. An exhibition in Poland, highlights Ukrainian artists aiming to capture the brutality of Russian aggression. As Australia marks World Environment Day Monday (June 5), campaigners are asking an international army of volunteers to analyze a trove of images from the Great Reef Census. One of the worlds fastest growing conservation projects has been undertaken by divers and snorkelers on tourism and recreational vessels as well as dive boats and super yachts. From space, theres only one living thing that can be seen. Its the Great Barrier Reef arguably Australias greatest natural treasure. This wonderland is made up of 3,000 individual coral reefs. Its home to a spectacular array of jellyfish, worms, fish, whales and dolphins. Over the past 3 years, the annual Great Reef Census has gathered about 80,000 individual images. Its one of the most comprehensive snapshots of the health of Australias Great Barrier Reef from the Torres Strait in the far north to Lady Elliot Island in the south. The worlds largest coral system is under threat, but to recognize the dangers, researchers need information. Andy Ridley, the head of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef that organizes the survey, told VOA Monday that he wants volunteers around the world to donate their screen time to help examine the images. Doing analysis is really, really easy. Essentially, were looking for how much plate coral there is, how much boulder coral there is, how much branching coral there is and there is a really, kind of, easy tutorial that gets you up to speed really quickly to enable you to analyze an image. It should take you probably less than a minute to analyze one image that has come back from one of 500 reefs across the Great Barrier Reef, he said. The surveillance project on the Great Barrier Reef also uses artificial intelligence to scan much of the data. Ridley said the initial results of the latest survey are impressive. We have found ecosystems that were previously undiscovered, we found shipwrecks in the north that had never been found, more than 3 tons of ghost nets, so these are nets that keep on fishing once theyve been dropped off fishing boats that have been recovered and brought off the reef. In terms of the results of how much coral there is, we are really looking at that now. This whole thing is live as we speak. So, well be able to share more within the next few weeks, he said. The worlds largest coral system is a place like no other. It stretches for 2,300 kilometers down Australias north-eastern coast. Experts say that some parts of the reef are flourishing. Others, though, are under siege from warmer ocean temperatures and more intense tropical storms as well as coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, pollution and over-fishing. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Monday it was "alarmed" by the detentions in Hong Kong linked to the anniversary of China's crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, but Hong Kong's government hit back at what it called attempts to "smear" lawful police work. In a Tweet, the U.N. office said: "We urge the release of anyone detained for exercising freedom of expression & peaceful assembly. We call on authorities to fully abide by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday that Beijing firmly supported Hong Kong authorities in their efforts to maintain security and stability, and the Ministry said in a statement late on Sunday that "today's Hong Kong is moving from chaos to stability and prosperity along the right track of "one country, two systems," according to Reuters. Hong Kong police Monday said they detained 27 people on suspicion of destroying social peace over a two-day period as activists and ordinary people marked the 34th anniversary of the crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Those detained were all released after questioning, without being arrested and charged, police said. Five others, however, were arrested after police rounded up the activists Saturday and Sunday at or near Victoria Park, the venue for an annual candlelight vigil to remember the hundreds and perhaps 2,000 who died in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. All five have been released on bail. Police said those under arrest could face charges related to disorderly conduct, sedition and other unlawful behavior. Police did not identify them, but according to local media, those arrested include two activists who wore black T-shirts commemorating June 4 or emblazoned with the word "truth" on them. One was holding flowers for the victims, and both held signs indicating they were on a 24-hour hunger strike to remember the victims. Arrested along with them was a Hong Kong graduate student who was similarly attired. An artist who had performed at the annual commemorations in the past was also arrested and seen in widely shared videos shouting, "Don't Forget June 4th" and "Hong Kong people, don't be afraid" as officers led him away. Separately, a 53-year-old woman was arrested and later released on bail for allegedly obstructing police work and taken away in a van after refusing to provide identification when asked to do so. For the past three decades, Hong Kong had been the only place in China where commemorations have been allowed, and the go-ahead for the vigils was given even after the former British colony returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Over the past three years, however, the government in Hong Kong had banned the vigils, citing COVID-19 social distancing policies. Hong Kong has now fully lifted COVID-19 restrictions. The detentions and arrests are further evidence that the rights Hong Kong people have taken for granted, including freedom of assembly and expression, are being curtailed, long-time activists said. Those rights are granted under the city's mini constitution, known as the Basic Law. "Hong Kong's current political environment has been tightened," said Richard Tsoi, the former vice chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The group, which once organized the vigils, has disbanded. Observers note that in addition to wearing black, some of those detained chose to or happened to display the pro-democracy movement's color yellow, either by carrying a yellow umbrella or wearing yellow socks. Some of the garments contained wording police considered suspicious, according to local media reports. The observers also said Hong Kong's government didn't make it clear whether public mourning, displaying black or yellow garb, or words of commemoration were allowed. Additionally, "Some were just holding a book (about June 4) and walking around the park," Tsoi said. He suggested that police released most of the people detained after questioning because they have to operate according to the law and cannot charge them without reason. "Any law enforcement department can't do whatever they want in Hong Kong; they have to consider the social response, international criticisms, so they can't overdo it," Tsoi added, while acknowledging that it is hard for people to hold collective action to commemorate the anniversary. Analysts have said Beijing and the local government, unnerved by months of widespread, disruptive and sometimes violent protests including foiled bombing plots want to prevent such protests from occurring again. In 2019, Hong Kong was the site of democracy protests that triggered a widespread political crackdown. On Monday, the Hong Kong Journalists Association issued a statement asking that police explain why officers had detained its former chairwoman at a police station Sunday for four hours until 11 p.m. local time, preventing her from doing her work. Mak Yin-ting, Radio France Internationale's correspondent, was ordered to get into a police van near the park and taken away without explanation, even after she showed officers her journalist card, it said. "The association urges the police to respect the work of news reporting, not detain journalists without reason, which seriously hinders the work of reporting," the association said. Mak told VOA that in past anniversaries, police had checked her ID and that of other journalists, but she does not recall any journalist ever being taken away. Mak said she believes she and others detained were targeted because they were wearing black clothes. "I got the sense, it's not because of what they did, but simply because they were there. Two people told me they were on their way to a nearby store to do some shopping. One person had socks with the words 'Hong Kong Add Oil (a cheering phrase)' on it. Even then, they shouldn't suspect them of harming (the) peace," said Mak. "I certainly strongly disagree with them saying today that I was harming social peace. I was just standing there for 10 minutes observing, without talking to anyone." The police issued a statement about the journalist's accusation, saying it did not target journalists or hinder the media from doing their work, pointing out that journalists do not have the privilege of being exempt from being stopped and searched in a high-risk area, in accordance with the law. The statement said Mak was not wearing a press card when she was stopped by the police, and had she been cooperative with them, the incident could've been avoided. In a statement released Saturday about the activists' arrests, police said they were "highly concerned about some people attempting to incite and provoke others to commit illegal acts that endanger national security, public order and public safety." Hong Kong's Security Bureau also issued a statement accusing the journalists association and the U.N. office of making "fact-twisting and unfounded remarks," insisting that law enforcement actions were justified and that "law enforcement agencies will continue to enforce laws without fear or favour to safeguard national security and social order." Latest developments: In a meeting with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in Kyiv on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed preparations for a NATO summit and Ukraine's plan for ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden hosted talks Monday with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that included discussion on support for Ukraine and training Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter jets. Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retaken part of a village near Bakhmut, Ukraine, after his Wagner paramilitary group handed its positions there to the regular Russian troops. The European Union restricted until September 15 Ukrainian grain imports to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, but it allowed transit through them for export elsewhere, including to other EU countries. Fighting is raging in several sections of Ukraine's front line in the Zaporizhzhia region and Donetsk Oblast on Monday, signaling that the long-expected Ukrainian assault may be underway. During an interview in Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine is weapon-ready for its much-anticipated counteroffensive against Russia but remained mum as to whether it already has or when it will begin. Kuleba expressed confidence that Ukraine's planned assault against Russia will turn the tide of the war and will allow Ukraine to reclaim its territories from Russia. He said such a victory will usher Ukraine into NATO. Membership in the military alliance would "probably" only be possible for Ukraine after the end of active hostilities, he said. Ukrainian forces have been increasing offensive operations against Russia on the border of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk provinces. But Kyiv dismissed Russian reports that the counteroffensive has begun and that the Russian military foiled a major Ukrainian offensive in the region of Donetsk. "We do not have such information, and we do not comment on any kind of fake," a spokesperson for the Ukrainian armed forces general staff said in response to a question from the Reuters news agency. In a tweet, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak cautioned against trusting Russian information on the fighting in Ukraine. "Russian news reports have long since become a separate virtual meta-universe," he wrote. Earlier Monday, Russia claimed its forces had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian attack in the Donetsk region of southern Ukraine. Russia's Defense Ministry said Ukraine's goal was to break through what they considered the weakest area along the front lines, but that it "had no success." The Ukrainian attack, Russia said, included six mechanized battalions and two tank battalions. Ukraine dismissed these claims as misinformation. Battles over Bakhmut In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy affirmed Ukrainian wins around Bakhmut and attributed Russian claims of an ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive to Russian histrionics. "We see how hysterically Russia perceives every step we take there, every position we take," Zelenskyy said. "The enemy knows that Ukraine will win. They see it. They feel it thanks to your strikes, soldiers, and in particular in Donetsk region," he added, addressing Ukrainian fighters directly. The Ukrainian advances around Bakhmut were also confirmed Monday by Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. The Wagner boss said that Ukrainian forces had retaken part of a village near Bakhmut after his mercenary group had handed its positions there to Russian troops. "Disgrace!" Prigozhin exclaimed in an audio message released on the messaging app Telegram. "Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away," he said, urging Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, to come to the front to rally the troops. Denis Pushilin, the top Moscow-backed official in the Russian-occupied part of the Donetsk region, which includes Bakhmut, told Russian state television the situation on the city's flanks was "under control" but "very difficult." US-Danish meeting On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden hosted Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the White House for talks on support for Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter jets. "When war has returned to our continent, in Europe, it is so important that our allies and our friends that we stick together, that we are united," Frederiksen said in the Oval Office. "And we have truly been for now 15 months, in Ukraine. We will, of course, continue, from a Danish perspective, our very strong, strong support to Ukraine. But I'm looking forward to work even closer with you on defense and securities." When asked about the possibility that she may become the first woman to lead the NATO alliance as its secretary-general, Fredericksen said she did not want to speculate on the matter. She was also asked by journalists about a Vatican-led peace mission, saying, "I think all of us are very interested in peace," but "it takes two to tango," and "we still need a signal from Russia." White House correspondent Anita Powell contributed to this report. Some information in this article came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Lebanon's disparate opposition, independent and main Christian parties said Sunday they had nominated IMF official Jihad Azour for the presidency in a challenge to Hezbollah-backed candidate Suleiman Franjieh. A meeting of the parties endorsed the nomination of Azour, currently director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund and also a former Lebanese finance minister. Lebanon has had no head of state since President Michel Aoun's term ended at the end of October, deepening institutional paralysis in a country where one of the world's worst economic crises has been festering for years. Pro-Iranian Hezbollah, the country's main armed political force, and its Shiite ally Amal, had backed Franjieh, 56, heir of an old Lebanese Christian political dynasty and an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with strong ties to the ruling political establishment in Damascus. Anti-Hezbollah lawmaker Michel Mouawad, who had won the most votes in repeated unsuccessful presidential election votes, but not enough to win, said he had withdrawn his candidacy in favor of Azour. Opposition deputies said the consensus around Azour could help him garner the 65 votes needed in a secret ballot by lawmakers in the 128-member parliament to assume the post reserved for a Maronite Christian under the country's complex sectarian power sharing regime. Azour has not declared his own candidacy, but political sources say he has held discrete meetings with various parties and members of parliament to discuss his chances. In his Sunday sermon, a few hours before Azour was backed by opposition MPs, Lebanon's top Maronite cleric Patriarch Beshara al-Rai said he welcomed any step toward ending the stalemate over the presidency. Hezbollah officials had accused those delaying Franjieh's nomination of prolonging the crisis and serving the West. "This new candidate that was announced is for us a candidate for confrontation," Hezbollah deputy Hassan Fadlallah said Sunday, without naming Azour. Hezbollah and its allies have close ties to Syria and Iran, while their opponents in the Christian and Sunni Muslim communities traditionally look to the West and Sunni-led Gulf Arab states. Washington has warned that the administration was considering sanctions on Lebanese officials for their continued obstruction of the election of a new president and warned the paralysis could only worsen the country's crisis. An international rights group is asking the Malawi government to stop the forced relocation of 8,000 refugees living outside a congested camp. Human Rights Watch says it is concerned by reports that children are among those caught up in the sweeps and forcibly taken to a prison in the capital, Lilongwe. The rights group says the forcible relocation violates international conventions for refugees which Malawi ratified. Idriss Ali Nassah, who is with Human Rights Watch covering Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, told VOA the relocation of refugees is troubling. "There are reports of this raid being carried out by military men and the police, who are arresting indiscriminately women, children and the elderly and taking them first of all to Maula maximum security prison in Lilongwe," he said. "Not only are the authorities committing abuses during arrests and detaining children, but forcibly removing people from their homes amounts to unlawful forced evictions." Nassah said his organization has learned that 20 refugees and asylum-seekers at Maula Prison and Dzaleka refugee camp were allegedly assaulted during raids and that their money was taken. Last week, Malawi police arrested two police officers for soliciting money from seven refugees from Burundi to spare them from forcible evictions. Malawi started the forcible relocation last month following the expiration of the April 15 deadline the government gave the refugees to voluntarily relocate to the camp. The government said by staying outside the camp, the refugees threaten national security. In addition, the encampment policy prohibits refugees from staying outside the camp. Nassah said the policy contradicts agreements that the Malawi government ratified. "But this is contrary to what Malawi itself endorsed in 2018 when it endorsed a Global Compact on Refugees, which seeks to include and integrate refugees into host communities," he said. "Because by doing that, you allow refugees to become self-reliant if they are permitted to have access to education, labor market, access to entrepreneurship, and they contribute to the development of host communities and local economies." Dzaleka, the only refugee camp in Malawi, was meant to house 12,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, according to UNHCR. Instead, the camp holds more than 50,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia and Ethiopia. Several rights groups in Malawi and abroad, including the U.N. refugee agency, have asked Malawi to stop the relocations due to the congestion. Patrick Botha, spokesperson for the Ministry of Homeland Security in Malawi, told VOA that the refugees outside the camp have long posed a security threat and need to be confined to the camp. "The position of the Malawi government is that this is a necessary exercise," he said. "Actually, you have seen that some of the people we are talking about have been found with illegal documentation in South Africa the case of this Rwandese who is suspected to be a mastermind of the genocide." Botha said the recent arrest of a Rwandese national in South Africa who was allegedly using a Malawian passport has fueled the Malawi government to intensify relocation efforts. However, Botha said refugees that are kept in a prison are not subjected to prison conditions. "We are using Maula premises not as a way of imprisoning them. Actually, we are using the Maula premises as the center for screening," he said. "So, depending on what comes out of the documentation they are either ... sent back home, if they have legitimate papers of documentation." Nearly 2,000 refugees have relocated to the Dzaleka camp, where some refugees have told VOA they are living under dehumanizing conditions with no food, running water and shelter. The World Food Program told VOA that the relocation exercise adds pressure on its already strained food assistance for Dzaleka camp refugees. Robert Hanssen, the former FBI agent-turned-spy who the bureau describes as the most damaging in its history, was found dead in his prison cell on Monday, U.S. authorities said. Hanssen, 79, was sentenced in 2002 to life in prison after pleading guilty to spying for the Soviet Union and later Russia for over 20 years. Prison staff began life-saving measures after finding Hanssen unresponsive on Monday morning but were not successful, the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement. It did not provide a cause of death. Hanssen joined the FBI in 1976 and began selling classified information to the Soviet Union in 1985, according to the FBI's website. By the time of his arrest in 2001, he had been compensated with more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds and diamonds, in exchange for compromising numerous human sources, intelligence techniques and classified U.S. documents, the FBI's website says. FBI investigators worked for years to try to identify the spy in their ranks. In the weeks leading up to his February 2001 arrest, some 300 personnel were working on the investigation and monitoring Hanssen, according to the FBI. An arrest team took Hanssen into custody after catching him making a "dead drop" of classified materials in a park in suburban Virginia, the FBI says. He had been serving his life sentence in a maximum security facility in Colorado. Shelling and heavy clashes hit areas of Sudan's capital Monday, residents said, with reports of spreading lawlessness in Khartoum and in the western region of Darfur after more than seven weeks of conflict between rival military factions. Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified after the expiry late Saturday of a cease-fire deal brokered by Saudi Arabia and the U.S. The war has uprooted more than 1.2 million people within Sudan and sent about 400,000 fleeing into neighboring countries, inflicting heavy damage on the capital where the remaining residents are at the mercy of battles, airstrikes and looting. On Monday, residents reported smoke rising in some areas after intense fighting across the three cities that make up the nation's wider capital - Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri. They reported clashes in southern Khartoum and shelling in Omdurman. "The neighborhood where we live in the center of Omdurman is looted publicly on a daily basis without anyone intervening to prevent it, with clashes and shelling continuing around us," said 37-year-old resident Mohamed Saleh. In Khartoum East district, RSF troops who have spread out in neighborhoods across the capital were in full control and were looting extensively, said Waleed Adam, a resident of the area. "You see them right in front of you, taking cars, money, gold - whatever they can get their hands on," he told Reuters by phone. "I guess it's just a matter of time until they come to my street." The RSF says it has been working to protect civilians by arresting looters. Darfur violence Some of those who fled the war have headed to neighboring countries including Chad, South Sudan, and Central African Republic (CAR) that are already struggling with poverty, conflict, and a dip in humanitarian aid. The arrival of nearly 14,000 people in northeastern CAR and a halt to cross-border trade "puts additional pressure on the limited resources available to the 130,000 extremely vulnerable people in the region," Mohamed Ag Ayoya, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for CAR, told a news briefing in Geneva. The war has also triggered unrest in Darfur in Sudan's far west, a region that was already suffering from mass displacement due to earlier conflict and where residents in several cities and towns have reported attacks by militias linked to Arab nomadic tribes. In recent days at least 40 people were killed and dozens more were wounded in Kutum in North Darfur State, according to activists who monitor the region. Residents have also reported widespread looting and insecurity in the area. On Monday, the RSF, which has its powerbase in Darfur and its origins in the Arab-dominated militias, released a video purporting to show they had taken over the army headquarters in Kutum, a commercial hub and one of the larger towns in the state. There was no immediate comment from the army, which Sunday had denied that the RSF had taken the town. There have been long communication blackouts in parts of Darfur, where aid groups have found it especially complicated to bring in humanitarian supplies. In El Obeid, a city 360 km (220 miles) southwest of Khartoum and on a key route from the capital to Darfur, residents reported large deployments of RSF troops and the closure of some roads. Recent days have brought the first showers of the year in Khartoum, marking the start of a rainy season that is likely to complicate a relief effort already hampered by bureaucratic delays and logistical challenges. Egypt has secured the release of 156,000 tons of corn and soybeans worth $78 million from ports between 26 May and 1 June, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation El-Sayed El-Qusair said in a statement on Monday. The released cargo included 104,000 tons of corn worth $37 million, 52,000 tons of soybeans worth $39 million, and feed additives worth $1.5 million, he added. The total fodder released from 16 October 2022 to 1 June amounts to 5.4 million tons, including four million tons of corn and 1.4 million tons of soybeans and feed additives, read the statement. These are all valued at $2.6 billion, the statement added. The country suffered a shortage of feed supply as a result of essential supplies previously being held at ports over restrictions previously applied on import finance due to a hard currency crunch. The Russia-Ukraine war and the depreciation of the Egyptian pound against the US dollar were main contributors to compounding the problem. The subsequent drop in supply as well as the soaring prices of eggs and poultry led many producers to exit the market. The government started easing the restrictions late 2022 following a $3 billion loan deal from the IMF in exchange for the adoption of a flexible exchange regime. Recently, the government announced it will import 170,000 cattle for Eid Al-Adha, taking place in late June. Search Keywords: Short link: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, state media reported, as the kingdom continues to expand its diplomatic outreach beyond traditional Western alliances. Maduro was received at the airport of the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah by Deputy Governor of Mecca region Prince Badr bin Sultan and other officials, Saudi state news agency SPA said. Venezuela's Maduro is the latest U.S. foe to visit Saudi Arabia as the kingdom rebuilds alliances without the blessing of the United States, its long-time ally. Riyadh has restored ties with Iran and Syria over the last months and strengthened its cooperation with China and Russia. SPA did not give a reason for Maduro's visit but the fellow OPEC nation had sought coordination in the past with Saudi Arabia on falling oil prices and U.S. sanctions. Maduro's visit comes a day before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken lands in Saudi Arabia for talks with the Saudi leadership. Since taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden has eased some sanctions on Venezuela - many imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump in a "maximum pressure" campaign - to encourage dialogue. But negotiations have stalled again. The United States says it will ease sanctions on the OPEC nation only in return for concrete steps toward free elections there. Taliban authorities in Afghanistan announced their plan Sunday to move thousands of Pakistani refugees away from border provinces amid sustained allegations the displaced population is the source of growing terrorism in neighboring Pakistan. Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesman, told VOA by phone that the refugees currently reside in Khost, Kunar and some adjoining Afghan border provinces. "The Islamic Emirate plans to relocate them to far-flung provinces (in Afghanistan) to ensure they don't have access to the (border) lines nor are they involved in attacks or any other acts of violence that happen in Pakistan," Mujahid said, using the official title of the Taliban government. He did not elaborate. The plan comes amid a dramatic surge in cross-border militant attacks in Pakistan since the Taliban reclaimed power in Kabul almost 22 months ago. The violence has killed hundreds of people, mostly Pakistani security forces, especially in districts near the Afghan border. The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), allegedly operating out of Afghan soil, has claimed credit for much of the deadly violence. Hostility on Sunday The latest hostility occurred Sunday in the volatile North Waziristan border district, where the Pakistani military said that a security raid against a "terrorists' location" had killed two soldiers and two militants. Officials in Islamabad maintain fugitive TTP leaders and fighters, along with their families, reside among tens of thousands of Pakistanis who have taken refuge in Afghanistan after fleeing a 2014 large-scale counterterrorism military operation in the Waziristan border district of Pakistan. The Norwegian Refugee Council estimated in an October 2019 report that most of the approximately 72,000 Pakistani refugees settled on Afghan soil were living in a makeshift camp in Khost on the border between the two countries. Islamabad presses Kabul Islamabad has been pressing Kabul to rein in cross-border TTP violence and complaining that the group enjoys "greater operational freedom" after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Pakistani officials say that members of the Afghan Taliban have also been helping TTP carry out cross-border attacks. Mujahid and other Taliban officials have repeatedly denied allegations they are allowing any group to threaten Afghanistan's neighbors, including Pakistan or any other country. While Mujahid did not name TTP in his comments Sunday, a top Pakistani official told VOA last week that the Taliban had recently told Islamabad they intend to "relocate TTP members" from the border areas to remote Afghan provinces. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah added that the Taliban proposal could limit the access of TTP to Pakistan. He did not elaborate. The militant group, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claims its insurgency in Pakistan is aimed at overthrowing the government, calling it "un-Islamic." Washington has also outlawed TTP as a global terrorist organization. Settlement negotiations collapse TTP is an offshoot and close ally of the Afghan Taliban. It provided shelter on Pakistani soil and recruits to the Afghan Taliban as they waged insurgent attacks on U.S.-led international troops and the former Afghan government for almost two decades until they seized power in 2021. Shortly after taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban hosted talks between TTP leaders and Pakistani officials to negotiate a settlement. But the process collapsed last November when the Pakistani Taliban terminated a unilateral shaky cease-fire with the government and has since intensified its violent campaign. The violence has strained Pakistan's relations with Taliban-governed, landlocked Afghanistan, which heavily relies on land routes and seaports of the neighboring country to conduct bilateral and transit trade activities. Namibia ranks fourth in the rate of suicide on the African continent, the countrys deputy minister of health and social services, Esther Muinjangue, said at a recent regional forum attended by participants from New Zealand, India, Ghana, Nigeria and other countries. According to official government figures provided to VOA by authorities, Namibia recorded 512 cases of suicide in the year 2020, 496 in 2021 and 510 in 2022. That averages nearly 10 deaths per 100,000 people. Clinical psychologist Shaun Whittaker told VOA that suicide in Namibia is most prevalent amongst young adult men who have a history of substance abuse. He also attributed the high rate to unemployment and poverty. Suicide in Namibia is mainly caused by unemployment amongst young adult men. If one looks at the statistics, certainly over the past decade or so it is usually men in the age group of 20 to 29 who commit suicide by hanging themselves, he said. VOA spoke to 38-year-old suicide survivor Florence Beukes, who said she attempted to take her life several times during her teenage years and young adulthood but through counseling and therapy, has outgrown the urge to kill herself. Beukes said she would try to overdose on medication and once attempted to take her life by swallowing broken pieces of glass that almost severed her vocal cords. You see the thing is because I am also a sexual abuse victim, survivor. I am a survivor of GBV [gender-based violence], sexual abuse and rape and that is actually what caused me, you know I fell into deep depression, she said. Namibian Deputy Minister of Health Esther Muinjangue told VOA the delegates at the regional forum discussed strategies to address stigma and taboos, which are barriers for people needing mental health care. She also said relationship problems are a leading cause of suicide. Family difficulties or relationship problems. A relationship that has come to an end and one of the two partners is not accepting that and feelings of worthlessness that also goes with having low self-esteem and so on. Those are some of the reasons that are really driving people to commit suicide, she added. Attempting suicide remains an offense in more than 20 countries and Muinjangue says de-criminalizing the issue, which was discussed at the forum sponsored by LifeLine International, will assist in breaking the stigma surrounding it. The organization focuses on suicide awareness and prevention through more than 200 centers around the world. LineLine Namibia is a branch of Lifeline International which aims to prevent suicide through strategies like a 24-hour hotline, where people with suicidal thoughts can call and receive counseling. Top defense officials from the United States and India met Monday in New Delhi to discuss boosting defense cooperation, weeks ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington. India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted that the talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin included "convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation." "India-U.S. partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region," Singh said. "We look forward to closely work with the U.S. across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating our strategic partnership." Austin praised Singh after the meeting, saying his Indian counterpart "has helped paved the way for deeper collaboration, joint exercises, and technology sharing between our two countries." Modi is due to make a state visit to the United States on June 22. The United States has sought to deepen ties with India as part of an effort to counter China. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press and Reuters Allen Goodman, CEO of the Institute for Higher Education, writes that empty seats at U.S. colleges could drive a boom in international education. The U.S. has lost market share among host countries, but unlike its competitors, its university system is so large and underutilized that it could easily recruit more students. Because international students become friends for life with the U.S., and bring valuable expertise (and tuition dollars), Goodman argues the U.S. should recruit 2 million students by the end of the decade. Weigh his argument for yourself in Times Higher Education. (May 2023) DUBAI Fighting intensified in several areas of Khartoum on Sunday, residents of Sudan's capital reported, a day after the expiry of a cease-fire deal between rival military factions brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States. The cease-fire had started on May 22 and expired on Saturday evening. It calmed the fighting slightly and allowed limited humanitarian access, but like previous truces was repeatedly violated. Talks to extend the cease-fire broke down on Friday. SEE ALSO: The deadly power struggle which erupted in Sudan on April 15 has triggered a major humanitarian crisis in which more than 1.2 million people have been displaced within the country and caused another 400,000 to flee into neighboring states. It also threatens to destabilize the region as a whole. Live footage on Sunday showed black smoke billowing above the capital. "In southern Khartoum we are living in terror of violent bombardment, the sound of anti-aircraft guns and power cuts," said 34-year-old resident Sara Hassan by phone. "We are in real hell." Among the other areas where fighting was reported were central and southern Khartoum, and Bahri, across the Blue Nile to the north. Beyond the capital, deadly fighting has also broken out in the remote western region of Darfur, already grappling with long-running unrest and huge humanitarian challenges. Witnesses reported that heavy fighting on Friday and Saturday had brought chaos to Kutum, one of the main towns and a commercial hub in North Darfur. The army denied claims that the RSF, which developed out of Darfur militias and has its power base in the region, had taken over the town. Witnesses said a military plane had crashed in Omdurman, one of three cities around the confluence of the Nile that make up the greater capital region. There was no immediate comment from the army, which has been using warplanes to target the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) spread out across the capital. First rains Separately Sudanese antiquities authorities said RSF fighters had withdrawn from the national museum in central Khartoum. On Saturday, the RSF released a video filmed inside the grounds of the museum, which houses ancient mummies and other precious artefacts, denying they had harmed the collection. Fighting in the capital has led to widespread damage and looting, a collapse in health services, power and water cuts, and dwindling food supplies. In recent days the first rains of the year have fallen, heralding the start of a rainy season that runs till around October and brings flooding and a heightened risk of water-borne diseases. The rains could complicate a relief effort already hampered by bureaucratic delays and logistical challenges. Aid workers have warned that dead bodies have been left in the streets and uncollected rubbish has been piling up. Saudi Arabia and the U.S. said they were continuing to engage daily with delegations from the army and the RSF, which had remained in Jeddah even though talks to extend the ceasefire were suspended last week. "Those discussions are focused on facilitating humanitarian assistance and reaching agreement on near-term steps the parties must take before the Jeddah talks resume," the two countries said in a statement. Latest developments: In a meeting with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in Kyiv on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed preparations for a NATO summit and Ukraine's plan for ending Russia's invasion of Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden is hosting talks Monday with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that are expected to include discussion of support for Ukraine and training of Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter jets. Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had retaken part of a village near Bakhmut, Ukraine, after his Wagner paramilitary group handed its positions there to the regular Russian troops. The Vatican said Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi was visiting Kyiv on Monday and Tuesday as an envoy of Pope Francis to listen to Ukrainian authorities about ways to achieve peace. Ukraine's military Monday dismissed claims by the Russian military that it foiled a major Ukrainian offensive in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk. "We do not have such information, and we do not comment on any kind of fake," a spokesperson for the Ukrainian armed forces' general staff said in response to a question from the Reuters news agency. In a tweet, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak cautioned against trusting Russian information on the fighting in Ukraine. "Russian news reports have long since become a separate virtual meta-universe," he wrote. Russia said Monday its forces had repelled a large-scale Ukrainian attack in the Donetsk region of southern Ukraine. Russia's defense ministry said the Ukrainian side's goal was to try to break through what they considered the weakest area along the front lines, but that it "had no success." The Ukrainian attack, Russia said, included six mechanized battalions and two tank battalions. Donetsk is one of the Russia-occupied areas that President Vladimir Putin claimed to have annexed last year in a move that was rejected by the international community. It was not clear if the reported Ukrainian attack was part of a long-planned counter-offensive by Ukraine to reclaim areas Russian forces seized after launching a full-scale invasion early last year. Ukraine's military said during a daily report that there were 29 combat clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukrainian gains Bakhmut Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday that Ukrainian forces had retaken part of a village near Bakhmut, Ukraine after his Wagner mercenary group had handed its positions to Russian troops. "Disgrace!" Prigozhin exclaimed in an audio message on his Telegram channel. "Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away," he added and urged Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, to come to the front to rally the troops. "Come on, you can do it!" he said in his message. "And if you can't, you'll die heroes." Denis Pushilin, the top Moscow-backed official in the Russian-occupied part of the Donetsk region, which includes Bakhmut, told Russian state television the situation on the city's flanks was "under control" but "very difficult." Belgian weapons Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Monday his government has launched an investigation after The Washington Post reported weapons sent by NATO allies to Ukraine were used in a cross-border raid in Russia's Belgorod region. The Post said the arms used included tactical vehicles provided by the United States and Poland, as well as rifles from Belgium and the Czech Republic. "European weapons are delivered to Ukraine under the condition that they are used on Ukrainian territory with the purpose of defending that territory. And we have strict controls in place to see that this is the case," De Croo told Belgium's Radio 1. Ukrainian children Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used his nightly address Sunday to remember the children who have died "as the result of Russian aggression" since 2014, including a 2-year-old girl in the Dnipro region late Saturday. "Today in our country is the day of remembrance for children who died as a result of Russian aggression. Since 2014. Children who would have been alive if a bunch of thugs in the Kremlin, in Moscow, hadn't considered themselves chieftains who allegedly had the right to decide the fate of nations," Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy said 485 children have lost their lives from Russian attacks. "This is a number that we can officially confirm, knowing the data of each child. The real number is much higher," he said. He also noted the 19,505 Ukrainian children who have been deported to Russia and are still "in the hands of the enemy." The United Nations says that around 1,000 other Ukrainian children have been wounded. Some information in this article came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. KHARTOUM, SUDAN Air raids, artillery fire and explosions rocked Sudan's capital Saturday, as fighting between warring generals entered its eighth week. Witnesses told AFP of "bombs falling and civilians being injured" in southern Khartoum, while others in the city's north reported artillery fire, days after a U.S.- and Saudi-brokered cease-fire collapsed. Residents reported that warplanes of the army led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan targeted positions of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who responded with anti-aircraft fire. Since the fighting between Sudan's warring generals erupted on April 15, volunteers have buried 102 unidentified bodies in the capital's Al-Shegilab cemetery and 78 more in cemeteries in Darfur, a Sudanese Red Crescent statement said. Both Burhan and his deputy-turned-rival Dagalo have pledged repeatedly to protect civilians and secure humanitarian corridors. But civilians reported escalated fighting after the army quit cease-fire talks on Wednesday, including one army bombardment that a committee of human rights lawyers said killed 18 civilians in a Khartoum market. Both sides have accused the other of violating the cease-fire, as well as attacking civilians and infrastructure. Washington sanctioned the warring parties Thursday, holding both responsible for provoking the bloodshed. In negotiations in Saudi Arabia last month, both parties had agreed to "enable responsible humanitarian actors, such as the Sudanese Red Crescent and/or the International Committee of the Red Cross to collect, register and bury the deceased." But volunteers have found it difficult to move through the streets to retrieve the dead because of security constraints, the Red Crescent said. Aid corridors that had been promised as part of the truce never materialized, and relief agencies say they have managed to deliver only a fraction of what is needed, while civilians remain trapped. The mission of the security forces is "to protect not endanger their fellow citizens," a U.S. Embassy statement said Saturday. More than 700,000 people have fled Khartoum to other parts of Sudan that have been spared the fighting, in convoys of buses that regularly make their way out of the city. But on their return, bus drivers were shocked to find they "were not allowed into the capital," one told AFP on Saturday, with others confirming authorities had blocked access since Friday, ordering the drivers to turn around. On Friday the army announced it had brought in reinforcements from other parts of the country to participate in "operations in the Khartoum area." That sparked fears it was planning "a massive offensive," Sudan analyst Kholood Khair said. So far neither side has gained a decisive advantage. The regular army has air power and heavy weaponry, but analysts say the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries are more mobile and better suited to urban warfare. The RSF announced Saturday that their political adviser, Youssef Ezzat, had met Kenyan President William Ruto in Nairobi, as part of his visits to several "friendly countries to explain the developing situation in Sudan." "We are ready to engage all the parties and offer any support towards a lasting solution," Ruto said on Twitter. More than 1,800 people have been killed in the fighting, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Entire districts of Khartoum no longer have running water, electricity is only available for a few hours a week and three-quarters of hospitals in combat zones are not functioning. The situation is particularly dire in the western region of Darfur, which is home to about one-quarter of Sudan's population and has never recovered from a devastating two-decade war that left hundreds of thousands dead and more than 2 million displaced. The RSF is descended from the Janjaweed, a militia armed in 2003 to quash ethnic minority rebels in Darfur. Witnesses reported renewed clashes on Saturday in the North Darfur town of Kutum. Amid what activists have called a total communications blackout in huge swaths of the region, hundreds of civilians have been killed, villages and markets torched, and aid facilities looted, prompting tens of thousands to seek refuge in neighboring Chad. According to aid group Doctors Without Borders, those crossing the border report horrific scenes of "armed men shooting at people trying to flee, villages being looted and the wounded dying" without medical care. The U.N. says 1.2 million people have been displaced within Sudan and more than 425,000 have fled abroad, more than 100,000 west to Chad and 170,000 north to Egypt. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Writer Khaled Mansour will lead a talk Thursday, 2 November, at NVIC in Cairo on the 1967 War some 50 years on The Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC) will host Khaled Mansour, editor of the newly released book Dissecting the Defeat: The June 1967 War, on Thursday, 2 November, at 6:00pm, to discuss his work and the living repercussions of the 1967 War. The book was released by Dar Al-Maraya, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the war. The book is co-authored with Belal Alaa, Sameh Naguib, Mohamed El-Aagati, Mostafa Abdel-Zaher and historian Khaled Fahmy. The writers examine various reasons for Egypt's defeat in the war. Mansour will also tackle the question of why it is still difficult to dissect and deconstruct this event. He will discuss civil-military relations, the decline of Arab nationalism, the rise of Islamism, and other issues related to the 1967 defeat. Mansour is a writer who has worked for 27 years on human rights, humanitarian aid, development, peacekeeping, and communications. He has published three books and numerous articles and papers in academic and general publications and websites. He has worked extensively with civil society, media, and international organisations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. He holds degrees in engineering, archaeology, sociology, and international relations. Mansour is now leading a research project on the future of human rights advocacy in North Africa and is a senior consultant with the United Nations, and is former global director of communications for UNICEF. He was the executive director of Egypt's leading human rights organisation, the Egyptian Initiative on Personal Rights (EIPR), between 2013 and early 2015. Search Keywords: Short link: Photo: Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images June feels a little different this year. Rather than bustin out all over with rainbow capitalism, Pride Month this year comes amid hundreds of state bills designed to curtail the freedoms and threaten the safety of the LGBTQIA+ community. Anti-trans legislation, drag bans, and debates about Targets kidswear, of all things, have made this Pride feel particularly fraught. Despite all this, people are finding ways to celebrate. This weekend was the first of Pride Month, and the celebs partied in solidarity. MUNA kicked off NYC Pride with a performance at the Stonewall Inn. Taylor Swift criticized anti-LGBTQ+ legislation this weekend at her Chicago shows. Thought not explicitly for Pride, Paris Hilton did a sick ally move by dropping a remix of Stars Are Blind featuring Kim Petras. Abbott Elementarys Tyler James Williams posted about making space for people exploring their identity in his Stories. And his brother, Party Downs Tyrel Jackson Williams, discussed the work the entire family did rebuilding a healthy masculinity away from heteronormativity. One of the (many) joys of queerness that isnt talked about nearly enough is the act of complete reconstruction of ones ego. What you are is not what youve been conditioned to believe, he wrote. More statements of celebrity queer joy and allyship below. Melissa McCarthy Okay but @melissamccarthy float/car/people at #WeHoPride today was so good pic.twitter.com/od0LVNzRo1 M E G A N (@MeganOltmanns) June 4, 2023 Hannah Waddingham : Hannah Waddingham at the #WeHoPride parade today [via Katherine Allee IG] pic.twitter.com/vunOT08Dnz Hannah Waddingham Online (@HWaddinghamFans) June 4, 2023 Niecy Nash-Betts RHOBHs Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke Grace Jones Adele Dazeem Idina Menzel Tyler James and Tyrel Jackson Williams i hope everyone reads tyler james williams stories and takes notes pic.twitter.com/AgWIxgYTO2 cait atreides (@timcqthe) June 4, 2023 I love seeing people realize the caliber of person my older brother is. Hes always been like this. He is genuinely one of my favorite people. because yall need to hear this. 1/10 https://t.co/P839cmhfbC the one named tyrel (@Tyreljwill) June 4, 2023 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift delivers Pride Month message to queer fans at her #ErasTour show in Chicago: Im looking out tonight, Im seeing so many incredible individuals who are living authentically and beautifully, and this is a safe space for you, pic.twitter.com/N0M7RMKQPP Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 3, 2023 MUNA Mia Farrow Disney welcomes another cool Gay Days in Florida!! Gay Days began 3 decades ago welcoming hundred of thousands LGBTQ people & families -one of the nations largest Pride Month events. #HappyPrideMonth https://t.co/STngV2az1Z Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) June 4, 2023 Paris Hilton and Kim Petras stars are blind is one of my favorite pop songs of all time and i am beyond honored to have gotten to reimagine it with real life angel and icon paris . you are the sweetest most hard working most special person and i love you so much it hurts forever sliving for you princess pic.twitter.com/989pH1LYxF kim petras (@kimpetras) June 2, 2023 Hayley Kiyoko This post has been updated. Photo: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images Cuba Gooding Jr.s civil sexual-assault trial in Manhattan federal court is scheduled to start on Tuesday June 6 with jury selection. Goodings trial stems from an August 2020 lawsuit against the disgraced Snow Dogs actor. In this lawsuit, a woman identified as Jane Doe claims that she met Gooding about one decade ago at a restaurant in downtown New York City. That evening, she alleges, they went to a nearby bar and then Gooding lured her to his hotel room under the false pretenses of needing to change clothes and sexually assaulted her. While Gooding did face criminal prosecution in New York City several years ago for groping several women during which some 30 other women came forward with uncharged accusations such as licking, kissing, and biting dating to 2001 this weeks trial centers on the most serious allegations against him. And its the first time jurors will weigh such allegations, given that his Manhattan state criminal case fizzled out in what can at best be described as a sweetheart plea deal. Gooding maintains his innocence and denies the rape allegation. When the lawsuit was filed, Goodings then-attorney remarked, The allegations are completely false and perjurious. He also said, The incident never took place, and did not give rise to any criminal complaint seven years back, when it purportedly took place. Here is a brief rundown of Goodings upcoming sexual-assault trial. Cuba Gooding Jr. allegedly tricked the woman to isolate her In her August 2020 lawsuit, Goodings accuser maintains that she and her friend met Gooding on August 24, 2013, at a Greenwich Village restaurant. She and her friend went into the VIP lounge area of the restaurant, where Gooding introduced himself and subsequently invited them to his table. After they went to Goodings table, he invited them for drinks at the Mercer Hotel. Gooding left his table and a man who appeared to be a security guard approached, claiming that Gooding wanted to meet this woman outside in a taxi. The woman told her friend, who said she would meet them at the hotel for drinks. When the cab arrived at the hotel, Gooding advised her to use the hotels side entrance so that he could get out at a different entrance so as to avoid the paparazzi, her suit contends. They saw each other in the hotel lobby, where Gooding said he needed to change. The woman made a suggestion: She could wait downstairs. But Gooding claimed he would be quick, so she joined him upstairs. After they arrived at his fifth-floor hotel room, the woman mentioned that her friend was meeting with them in an effort to suggest that they leave to head back down soon and politely convey that she did not have any interest in staying in his room. Cuba Gooding Jr. allegedly raped the woman after getting her alone Once inside his room, the woman alleges, Gooding put on Mumford & Sons, positioned himself between her and the door, and stripped. The woman insisting she needed to leave and meet her friend tried to get up from the bed, where she was seated. Gooding blocked her from the door and pushed her onto the bed, she claims. Gooding allegedly started to grope her. Despite saying no and and trying to push his hands away, he forcibly touched her genitals and ultimately vaginally raped her, the suit alleges. The suit contends that Gooding then went to the bathroom. She dressed and tried to leave, but Gooding, she alleges, penetrated her anally without consent. Gooding fell asleep and she went into the bathroom. When she heard him wake and fearing that she might be raped again, the woman said she had to meet her friend and fled, she alleges. Three other women are expected to testify about Goodings alleged misconduct More women are poised to testify about similar, unrelated incidents. One of the women has alleged that Gooding tried to digitally penetrate her anus without consent in 2009. Another accuser claims that Gooding touched her genitals without consent in 2012. A third claims that Gooding touched her breast without consent in 2019. In a June 2, 2023, filing, Judge Paul Crotty said their testimony was admissible given rulings in other cases that deemed relevant any evidence that might indicate the defendants propensity to commit the alleged acts. Crotty also said, The prior acts are sufficiently similar to Plaintiffs allegations because all involve sudden sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults connected with the Defendant and victims presence in social settings prominently featuring drinking like festivals, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants. Crotty is not allowing a fourth accuser to testify. Given the similarity between her testimony and [another accusers] testimony, any probative value is substantially outweighed by being needlessly cumulative and increasing the potential of improper bias, Crotty said. There is a bit of overlap between Goodings criminal and civil cases Gooding is not facing criminal charges for this alleged rape. However, one of Jane Does supporting witnesses, Kelsey Harber, is among the women Gooding was charged with groping. (Harber has publicly identified herself. Vulture generally does not use sex-assault accusers names without their consent.) Now, more about Goodings criminal case Goodings legal problems started in June 2019, when a woman accused him of groping her breast. Gooding, who surrendered to police on June 13, 2019, would ultimately face six misdemeanor counts for alleged sexual misconduct. He did not go on trial in that case and pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor count on April 13, 2022. During Goodings April 13, 2022, plea proceeding, prosecutors said one reason they reached a plea deal was because of the judges ruling not to permit uncharged bad acts at trial. Under the deal, Gooding was required to continue counseling for six months and stay out of trouble during that time. If he met these requirements, Gooding was to be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea and re-plead to a harassment violation and since a violation isnt a crime, he wouldnt wind up with a criminal record so long as he complied. In the end, Gooding did meet the requirements and walked away from his criminal case without a criminal record. The European Union will extend to September 15 restrictions on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products imposed by five member states seeking to protect their farmers, the commission said on Monday. Major grain producer Ukraine was forced to export more of its produce by land through EU neighbours after Russia blockaded its Black Sea ports following the invasion that began in February last year. The EU suspended import duties on Ukrainian agricultural products in May 2022 in a sign of solidarity with its war-torn neighbour. But the flood of Ukrainian grain imports in eastern European countries put pressure on prices and sparked concern about a saturation of local markets, with Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia unilaterally banning them in April. Later that month, Brussels reached a deal with five member states, due to expire on Monday, allowing them to block the commercialisation of four products as long as their transit to other countries was not prevented. The bloc will "phase out by 15 September" the restrictions affecting Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed that were adopted due to "logistical bottlenecks" in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, the commission said in a statement. "These measures continue to be necessary for a limited period of time given the exceptional circumstances of serious logistical bottlenecks and limited grain storage capacity ahead of the harvest season" in the five countries, it added. The "exceptional and temporary measures fully respect the EU's strong commitment to support Ukraine and preserve its capabilities to export its grains which are critical to feed the world and keep food prices down", the commission said. The new timetable will also try to address challenges Ukraine faces in exporting this year's harvest, it added. A joint coordination platform has been set up between the commission, the five member states and Ukraine to improve the flow of trade and transit of agricultural produce through corridors. Kyiv had urged the bloc not to extend the restrictions beyond June 5. Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi likened them to giving Russian President Vladimir Putin "extra weapons" against European unity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called the measures "protectionist" and "cruel". Other EU members, including economic powerhouses France and Germany, have also expressed their opposition to what they described as "differential treatment" within the bloc's internal market. Search Keywords: Short link: Infiorata di Genzano celebrates 245 years in 2023. The Castelli Romani town of Genzano, located about 30 km south-east of Rome, holds its annual infiorata flower festival from 10-12 June 2023. The festival, now in its 245th edition, is held each year to mark the Feast of Corpus Domini. The three-day flower festival features petals, blooms and seeds which are used to carpet the towns main street with spectacular floral illustrations. For details see the Comune di Genzano website. Australias online watchdog has rejected plans put forward by the industry to make online messaging services, dating apps and multiplayer games safer, saying the proposed rules dont go far enough. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant was handed powers by the last government to regulate much of the internet via industry codes that force technology giants to combat child abuse and other illegal material online. Inman Grant approved draft codes for six areas of the internet, including social media and web hosting, last week. But she knocked back two, with one for file storage apps such as iCloud and Dropbox rejected along with one for messaging platforms on the basis that they did not do enough to require scanning for illegal photos and videos. Australias eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, was handed powers by the last government to regulate much of the internet via industry codes. Credit: Louie Douvis Were talking about the worst-of-the-worst online content here, often illegal content, including child sexual abuse material and pro-terror content, Inman Grant said. Advertisement Tips & adviceBread How to keep bread fresher for longer (and why you should never keep it in the fridge) Nothing beats bread on the day it was baked, but these simple tips make sure you can enjoy every last crumb. Aaron Hutcherson June 4, 2023 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share As anyone who jumped on the sourdough bandwagon during the early days of the pandemic can attest, baking bread is a labour of love. So whether youre baking your own loaves at home or grabbing a boule from your local bakery, you want to savour every crumb so none of the bakers hard work goes to waste. Make your crusty bread last longer than a day or two by following some simple tips. iStock Nothing beats day one on any of these loaves, Andrew Janjigian, author of the bread-focused Wordloaf newsletter and an upcoming cookbook, said. But unless youre just eating fresh-baked bread for your days meals - which I wouldnt judge you for - theres a good chance youll end up with leftovers. To keep bread at its best, its important to remember one rule: You dont want to put bread in the fridge ever, Janjigian said. Its the worst thing you can do for bread as it speeds up the staling process. Dont refrigerate it unless its the only option you have, former Washington Post staff writer Stephanie Witt Sedgwick wrote in a test of the best methods for storing bread back in 1996. The refrigerated breads firmed right up. They were really suitable only for toasting. Advertisement How to make no-knead bread in a Dutch oven Beyond that, it all comes down to moisture control, and the first thing Janjigian considers for storage is what type of bread it is. A crusty loaf wants to dry out slowly and theres moisture on the inside that is migrating toward the crust, so itll keep okay uncovered for a while, Janjigian said. Whereas an enriched loaf will just start to dry out from the outside in. My usual method or approach for crusty bread is to cut it and then to store it cut-side down on the cutting board, Janjigian said. That kind of keeps that exposed face from drying out. Chef Mark Best's homemade sourdough. Mark Best You dont want to wrap the loaves at this point in order to maintain the integrity of the crust. Itll soften that crust almost immediately because, like I said, theres moisture coming from the inside out, and once it hits a barrier like that, then it just sits on the crust, he said. You can protect the loaf for the long term, but youre kind of degrading its early quality by doing that. Advertisement Janjigian will keep bread unwrapped on the counter for a few days, and Witt Sedgwick doesnt usually recommend more than two. You may get a couple more days out of a big loaf, but basically, after about 36 hours the bread starts to dry out from the outside in and youll have to cut away stale parts to get to good parts, Witt Sedgwick wrote. At this point, Janjigian recommends putting the bread in something if you want to squeeze out a bit more life at room temperature. By that point its already kind of lost its shine, and so its just kind of keeping it for a bit longer that way. Janjigian typically uses beeswax wrap or cloth bags lined with beeswax, which he likes because theyre a little breathable, but some alternatives include bread boxes, aluminum foil and plastic wrap. With this approach he can get about a week out of sourdough, which keeps better than yeasted bread because of the acids in the sourdough. How to make and bake sourdough bread at home With enriched breads - those with a higher concentration of fat, sugar and/or dairy, such as sandwich bread - theres no crust to try to keep crisp, so all you need to focus on is not letting them dry out. As such, he recommends putting enriched breads into a plastic bag as soon as soon as youre ready to store them. With a plastic bag, theres the risk of mould, especially if its warm, Janjigian said. So I just try to race against time and try not to keep loaves around long enough that mould is a problem. Depending on how hot it is in your kitchen, Janjigian said enriched breads can last between five and seven days. Advertisement Fig and linseed soda bread recipe But with any type of bread, if you know that you wont be able to finish it within a few days, its best to pop it in the freezer as soon as you can. It serves as a kind of pause button, meaning fresh bread you move into cold storage can come out almost as good as the day you put it in, Washington Post staff writer Becky Krystal wrote. To freeze bread, portion it however you wish (slices are a good option because they can go directly in a toaster), wrap the portions in two layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil or a zip-top bag. If despite your best efforts you end up with stale bread in your kitchen, theres still hope: turn it into breadcrumbs or croutons. The Washington Post EASY Mozzarella treccia with croutons and tomatoes EASY Fennel and brown sugar soda bread The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox. Sign up While many of Bill Shortens former staffers wound up in the lobbying game, Alisha Aitken-Radburn took an unorthodox turn, becoming a reality TV star by appearing on The Bachelor. That career trajectory will now be the subject of a soon-to-be released tell-all memoir, The Villain Edit, charting Aitken-Radburns journey from the cut-throat world of University of Sydney student politics to the comparatively friendly reality TV scene. Alisha Aitken-Radburn during a 2019 federal election rally. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen On the way, we get a behind-the-scenes look at Aitken-Radburns time in Shortens office and a stint at NSW Labor during the 2019 Independent Commission Against Corruption probe that ended the career of her then boss, Kaila Murnain. No wonder news of the warts-and-all memoir has left a few political staffers anxious about whether their most Machiavellian moments have made the cut. Naksa, or setback, refers to the beginning of the 1967 Six-Day War on 5 June, which saw Israel triple in size, beginning over 54 years of occupation On this day in 1967, the occupying state of Israel launched a pre-emptive attack against Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria. After hitting the air defences of the four countries, Israel captured East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, as well as the Syrian Golan Heights and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Twenty years after being recognised as an independent state on the ruins of historical Palestine, Israel began an occupation that would become the longest in modern history. As such, Israel took control of the final 22 per cent of historic Palestine that it wasn't able to occupy in 1948. The term Naksa, or setback, refers to the beginning of the 1967 Six-Day War on 5 June, which saw Israel triple in size, beginning over 54 years of occupation. Nearly 400,000 Palestinians were displaced by the Israeli onslaught, adding to the hundreds of thousands of refugees displaced in 1948 by the invading Zionist prpo-Israel militias. Around half were displaced for the second time in less than 20 years. The number of Palestinian refugees in camps run by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon even grew further. The attack saw Israel disregard the previously agreed upon Green Line borders drawn up in the 1949 armistice with Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, which separated the newly established Israel from the Palestinian areas of the Jordan-administered West Bank and Jerusalem, and the Egypt-administered Gaza. Following the onslaught, facilitated by strong backing of the United States, Israel imposed a military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza and has annexed East Jerusalem until today. Palestinians in the "occupied Palestinian territories" have since been subjected to a brutal Israeli military occupation as well as the activities of armed, right-wing Jewish settlers, for whom Israel's victory was a licence to colonise the land which they believed was promised to them by God and them alone. In 2005, Israel pulled out its troops and settlers from Gaza as part of a unilateral disengagement plan under late Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon. Despite many UN resolutions calling for its withdrawal from these territories, Israel continues to occupy all the territories except the Sinai Peninsula. It withdrew from this territory in 1982, following a peace treaty with Egypt. Search Keywords: Short link: My earliest memory of my friend Stan Grant being placed in an uncomfortable position because of the colour of his skin is from the 1990 federal election. I was a junior economics reporter in News Limiteds Canberra bureau and Stan was on the ABC. A group of journalists had gathered at a pub at the end of a long day on the road covering Bob Hawkes campaign. Ive forgotten how many beers into the evening we were, but it was very late when one of Stans colleagues jumped to his feet. He offered to drop his pants as Hawke might have done as ACTU president, before he gave up the grog so he and his Indigenous colleague could compare their respective manhoods. Illustration: Simon Letch Credit: Thankfully, the correspondent wasnt really that serious and spared us the peep show. But I recognised the pained smile that flashed across Stans face in those awkward seconds between challenge and change of topic: How am I supposed to react? The racial taunts of the schoolyard black this or, in my case, Greek that cant prepare you for their more subtle repetitions in the workplace. You want to believe that an Australian media that employs you to tell the nations stories accepts you as an equal. But the old prejudices whether unconscious or not are still there because Australia remains conflicted on the questions of identity and national purpose in the 21st century. Leaked federal government memos reveal large numbers of international students are exploiting a loophole in Australias visa system to abandon university courses for cheaper private colleges and then go on to work instead of study. The documents also show the federal Education Department has taken little action on the issue despite admitting it was a serious problem at least 18 months ago. Last year 11,000 overseas students signed up to undertake concurrent study. Credit: Peter Braig International students in Australia can sign up for concurrent study, a rule designed to allow preparation for employment through short courses such as responsible service of alcohol or barista and hospitality training. But with little oversight from authorities once they enter Australia, growing numbers of students are obtaining a student visa offshore via a university enrolment and then enrolling in a cheaper vocational education course once they arrive. In the past year, 11,000 overseas students signed up to undertake concurrent study. This year, as every year, World Environment Day will be celebrated on 5 June, the aim being to raise awareness of the need to protect the environment and, in the long term, to take better care of our planet. The plastic pollution has been chosen by the United Nations as this years theme under the slogan #BeatPlasticPollution. On this occasion the World Customs Organization (WCO) confirms its commitment, manifested in its various initiatives and projects, to the fight against illicit transboundary movements of waste. According to modelling projections prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) based on current policies, the use of plastics could almost triple worldwide by 2060, driven by economic and population growth and the low cost of this material. Consequently, plastic waste is also expected to almost triple by 2060 yet half of all plastic waste is still landfilled and less than a fifth is recycled. Leakage of plastic into the environment is expected to double to 44 million tonnes (Mt) per year, while the accumulation of plastic in aquatic environments will more than triple. This environmental impact comes in addition to greenhouse gas emissions released in the atmosphere during the production of plastic. By decision 5.2 of the United Nations Environment Assembly, it was agreed that a global treaty on plastic should be established, underlining the urgent need for action on the part of the international community. It is the intention to have a binding global agreement in place by the end of 2024. Because of its unique position in the supply chain, Customs plays an essential role in preventing illegal trade in plastic waste, by effectively monitoring and controlling international movements of plastic waste and enforcing existing procedures and applicable bans and restrictions at borders. The WCO recognizes that the illicit trade in, and lack of environmentally sound management of plastic waste is a real threat to the environment and to human health, and that Customs has a key role to play, said WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya. Tackling this phenomenon requires recognition of its importance at the strategic and policy levels, which should be translated into operational measures such as better risk management and enhanced information sharing and cooperation at the national and international levels, he added. Actively involved in the fight against waste trafficking, the WCO helps Customs administrations to build their capacity to effectively enforce, at borders, the provisions of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which is the main international regulatory framework for trade in waste. Following the recent expansion of the scope of the Basel Convention to include hazardous and mixed plastic waste, as part of its Environment Programme the WCO launched the Asia-Pacific Plastic Waste (APPW) Project, funded by the Government of Japan, in April 2020. The Project aims to strengthen the capacity of Customs administrations to mitigate and respond appropriately to environmental threats related to illegal plastic waste shipments in the Asia-Pacific region, and to raise awareness of the Basel Conventions regulatory principles. In addition, each year the WCO coordinates joint enforcement operations on a global scale to combat the illegal trade in hazardous and other waste, including plastic waste, as well as substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol. The latest Operation in this series, Operation DEMETER VIII, involved 90 Customs administrations and led to 139 seizures of over 3,600 tonnes and 8600 pieces (not weighted) of waste, and around 25 tonnes of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Operation DEMETER VIII was the result of concerted support from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the WCO-United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Container Control Programme, INTERPOL, Europol, the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL), and the global network of WCO Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices (RILOs). The WCO strives to support its Members in developing sustainable practices, raising awareness of environmental challenges, building capacity and promoting knowledge sharing. With Green Customs being one of the priority areas of the WCOs Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the Organizations ongoing work in the field of the environment, including the circular economy and the greening of some of its instruments (notably the Harmonized System), demonstrates the strong commitment of the WCO and its Members to contribute to a sustainable and liveable future. Syria's foreign minister on Sunday discussed humanitarian aid and combating the illegal drugs trade with key ally Iraq during a visit to Baghdad as Damascus emerges from years of diplomatic isolation. The visit by Faisal Mekdad comes weeks after the Arab League agreed to end Syria's suspension from the 22-member bloc, bringing President Bashar al-Assad's regime back into the regional fold after years of civil war. Iraq remained an ally of Damascus throughout the wider Arab boycott, never severing relations and maintaining close cooperation during Syria's civil war, particularly over the fight against the Islamic State group. During the visit, Mekdad met with Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani and conveyed "an invitation to visit Damascus" on an unspecified date, a statement from the Iraqi premier's office said. Baghdad was "one of the initiators" of Syria's return to the Arab League, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a joint press conference with Mekdad. The two also discussed the issue of Syrian refugees who fled the country after war erupted, many of whom now live in Iraq as well as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. "We received about 250,000 refugees," said Hussein, who added that the majority of them live in camps in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region. He said the next step would be getting humanitarian aid into Syria, which has been devastated by the war and by a February 6 earthquake that also hit Turkey and killed tens of thousands in both countries. The quake triggered a flurry of aid efforts and diplomatic moves that help spur Syria's reintegration back into the wider Arab region. Mekdad on Sunday thanked Iraq for its "solidarity" after the quake, also hailing the "progression" of bilateral relations. "We will continue to cooperate to combat terrorism and eliminate the danger posed by drugs," he added in a reference to the illegal trade in the stimulant captagon. Drug Trade, Water Scarcity The Arab League voted on May 7 to readmit Syria after its suspension in 2011 over Assad's brutal repression of pro-democracy protests that later devolved into an all-out war. At the time, Iraq had abstained from the vote that resulted in Damascus' suspension. The two countries share a 600-kilometre (370-mile) porous desert border that has continued to see militant activity even years after the defeat of IS. The militant group took over large swathes of both countries in 2014, declaring its "caliphate" before it was defeated in 2017 in Iraq and in 2019 in Syria. Drug trafficking has also proliferated in past years, with the trade of the amphetamine-like drug captagon exploding in the region, much of it across the Syria-Iraq border. Iraqi guards in March seized over three million captagon pills at the border with Syria. In addition to security coordination, Baghdad and Damascus continue to coordinate on other key issues including water as both countries face dangerous shortages. Dam-building in neighbouring countries and climate change impacts have dramatically reduced water flows in both countries, disrupting agriculture and threatening livelihoods amid persistent economic challenges. Search Keywords: Short link: Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday visited German navy headquarters in Rostock, and observed a multinational exercise in the Baltic Sea, amid heightened tensions with Russia, Aznews reports, citing Anadolu Agency. Scholz watched the naval exercise from the German frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and took a briefing from navy commanders on maritime security, protection of critical infrastructure, and capabilities of the naval force. Besides German navy ships and submarines, warships from NATO allies France, Spain and Portugal also participated in the naval exercise. German frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was deployed in the region at the beginning of this year, after Germany assumed leadership of NATOs Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) for 12 months. Saudi Arabia has welcomed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an official visit, reaching out to yet another U.S. foe as the oil-rich kingdom engages in a flurry of diplomacy. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, where he was greeted by Saudi officials, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. It did not give a reason for the visit or elaborate on his schedule, but Saudi Arabia is hosting an international conference on combating extremism later this week in the capital, Riyadh. The gathering will be co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, but relations have been strained in recent years. Over the last few months, the kingdom has restored relations with Iran's theocracy and Syria's President Bashar Assad both seen as pariahs in the West. Last month, the Saudis welcomed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close Western ally, to an Arab League summit. But days later, they hosted a senior Russian official who is under Western sanctions. The Saudis say they are pursuing their own national interests in a world increasingly defined by great power competition. Experts say the diplomatic surge is aimed at shoring up regional stability and improving the kingdom's image as it seeks international investment for massive development projects. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 after judges banned his main opponents from competing, plunging the country into a severe political and economic crisis. Most opposition parties refused to recognize the election results and challenged Maduros rule by creating an interim government, a push for change that fizzled out over the past two years. Washington backed the opposition and imposed heavy sanctions on Maduros autocratic government, hoping that would spark change. But Maduros government dug in and resisted the sanctions with support from Russia, Turkey and Iran. Search Keywords: Short link: WSU alum creates business centered on accessible literature, inclusivity June 5, 2023 OGDEN, Utah Patrick Ramsay is taking the skills he learned at Weber State University and turning them into a creative, inclusive space to bring together the Ogden community through a love of written and spoken words. After graduating from Weber State in 2017 with a degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing, Ramsay moved away from Utah to start his professional writing career in New York City, but he found himself back in Ogden during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Like many people during that time, he craved in-person experiences and connections. As life slowly returned to normal, he decided it was time to revive those opportunities in a way that matched his literary passions. I've always felt that independent bookstores are essential to the community," Ramsay said. "They're a place for people to be surrounded by stories and wonder and engage with other people in a meaningful way, so I wanted to bring that back to Ogden. In 2022, Ramsay contacted The Monarch, a collaborative art center in downtown Ogden, to secure a space in their building. From there, Happy Magpie Book & Quill was born. Happy Magpie is a community bookstore and gathering place for writers and those interested in the literary arts. The used bookstore is built on a pay-what-you-want model, giving more people the opportunity to engage with books and literature. In addition to the bookstore, Happy Magpie also hosts open mics, poetry readings and writing workshops for the community. Beyond the shelves of unique books, the Happy Magpies hallmark is its inclusive and welcoming atmosphere, bringing together writers of all skill levels and community members from all walks of life. Ramsay, who identifies as queer, felt it was important to not only create a community gathering place but to also build a safe haven for those who might not have access to inclusive spaces. I know how it feels to not see yourself represented, Ramsay said. When I was creating Happy Magpie, I knew I wanted it to be a space where everyone could feel welcome and safe, no matter who you are or where you come from. Now almost a year into his ventures, Ramsay credits some of his success with his experience at Weber State. Weber State taught me to live a life that aligns with my literary passions and community, which has really contributed to the lifeblood of Happy Magpie, Ramsay said. My professors and peers are the same people who come to my events and bring me books and make sure my shelves are full of incredible stories and poems. As his business grows, Ramsay is focused on expanding its capacity for events and writing workshops, with the hope of reaching even more people in the Ogden area. My hope for the future is to have a more robust classroom and event setting, Ramsay said. The literary community here is so vibrant, so Im excited to create more opportunities for people to engage with and learn from local writers. To learn more about Ramsays vision, visit the Happy Magpie website. Iran is set to reopen its embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday following a seven-year closure, Tehran and a diplomatic source said, sealing a Chinese-brokered rapprochement deal announced in March. Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran and consulate in the northwestern city of Mashhad were attacked during protests over Riyadh's execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Iran's diplomatic mission, which was expelled by Saudi authorities, will return under the leadership of Alireza Enayati, who previously served as Iran's ambassador to Kuwait. Tehran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani announced the reopening in a statement Monday, confirming earlier comments by a diplomatic source in Riyadh. Iran's embassy in Riyadh, its consulate in Jeddah and its representative office to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) "will be officially reopened on Tuesday and Wednesday", Kanani said. The diplomatic source had earlier told AFP that the opening "will take place Tuesday at 6:00 pm local time (1500 GMT) with the presence of the newly appointed Iranian ambassador" to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has yet to confirm when it will reopen its embassy in Tehran or its pick for ambassador. Iranian media had named Enayati as the Islamic republic's Saudi envoy last month. He had previously served as assistant to the foreign minister and director general of Gulf affairs at the foreign ministry, according to Iranian reports. After years of discord, the two Middle East heavyweights signed a surprise reconciliation agreement in China on March 10. Since then, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Tehran ally Syria and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, where it has for years led a military coalition against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Iran and Saudi Arabia had backed opposing sides in conflict zones across the Middle East for years before mending fences. Search Keywords: Short link: If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS - Air Products & Chemicals Inc. plans to invest a half-billion dollars to produce environmentally friendly hydrogen in New York state. - The Trexlertown Chick-Fil-A plans to add a second drive-thru lane as part of a plan to reduce traffic congestion. - The Harrisburg-based Mid Penn bank has opened its first full-service branch in the Lehigh Valley in South Whitehall. - The Allentown Planning Commission put off a decision on a new Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at the site of the former Nostos Greek restaurant. - The former Star Crete concrete plant at the intersection of Farmersville Road and Easton Avenue has been sold for $1.58 million, and that may clear the way for a medical office building. - The local business SuperSets Gym will open its third location in Allentown's South Mall, with no opening date set yet. - The jewelry boutique Versant will close later this year, but the business will be consolidated at Gary Werkheiser's other location in Saucon Valley Square. - The DSW Woodmill Commons has moved to Berkshire West, 1101 Woodland Road in Wyomissing. - Trainer Michael Melendez has opened his new Reading Extreme Boxing Club where PacSun used to operate in the Berkshire Mall. - Frackville NAPA Auto Parts held a grand opening with the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and Frackville Business & Professional Association. - Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in North Manheim Township held a grand opening, in conjunction with the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and Pottsville Business Association. - PDC Machines, a maker of hydrogen compressors, showed off a new plant in Lower Salford. - Maya Capital Partners has acquired Amwell Valley Self Storage, a 265-unit storage business on Route 31 in Ringoes, New Jersey. - Norwescap is buying the former Sullivan's on the Main restaurant in Phillipsburg to renovate the building and then use it for programs to help educate and feed people. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Partly sunny and much warmer but not all that humid. . Tonight Increasing clouds and rather mild. There might be a shower, especially west, very late at night. Bethlehem City Council may take the first step Tuesday toward approving a zoning change to clear the way for 240 Southside apartments, but no final vote will be held for at least two weeks. Council is due for the "first reading" of an ordinance to change the zoning at 119 Technology Drive from Industrial Redevelopment to Central Business. That change would allow Serfass Development of North Whitehall Township to knock down the industrial building at the site and put up a six-story building. First readings allow for a bill to be placed on a later agenda for a final vote, potentially June 20. IQE Plc, a British maker of semiconductor wafers, occupies the building now but is moving out. The Technology Drive address is obscure, but residents who take New Street across the Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge can see the IQE building at the southern end of the bridge, on the east side toward what is left of Bethlehem Steel. Bethlehem's Planning Commission has voted in favor of the zoning change. The current Industrial Redevelopment zoning was created as Bethlehem Steel was closing down. Steel poured its "last cast" in its namesake city in 1995. "The real estate market is much different" from 30 years ago, according to a memo from Darlene Heller, the city's director of planning and zoning. In the 1990s, there was little demand for housing in South Bethelehem. Now, hundreds of units are in the works. Some residents have complained about the plan, among them owners of condominiums at Riverport, on the other side of the Fahy Bridge. Some residents say increased traffic will make already congested intersections at Third and Fourth streets even worse. City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, in Town Hall. The meeting will also be available on YouTube. WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. - Several residents of an apartment building in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County have been forced to leave their homes for the time being. That's because part of the foundation was damaged by a car. The crash happened Saturday night at the Parkview Apartments, in the area of Fairmont and Jordan. People in five apartments are displaced. The Whitehall Fire Bureau said it worked with management of the apartment complex to relocate those residents. EASTON, Pa. - Police in Easton say a teenager pointed a gun at a man and stole his sedan. Officers responded to the 1200 block of Sassafras Street around 10:50 p.m. Saturday for a report of a robbery. A teenage boy wearing a black mask, sunglasses, and a gray Nike hooded sweatshirt pointed a handgun at a man and then stole his Honda sedan, according to a news release from the Easton Police Department. The teen then drove from the scene in the victims vehicle, and was last seen heading east on Bushkill Street, police said. The sedan was found and recovered a short time later, in the 600 block of Reynolds Street in Southside Easton. After the sedan was found, two males were seen running from it in the direction of the 600 block of West Bird Street, according to city police. Police say one of the males matched the original description of the teenager who stole the sedan. No description of the other male is known at this time. Anyone with information on the investigation is asked to contact City Detectives at 610-250-6641 or the tipline at 610-250-6635. A three-year-old Palestinian boy shot by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank last week died of his wounds on Monday, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. The Israeli Sheba hospital, where he was being treated since he was shot on Thursday, said the child "died... despite extensive efforts of the medical team". In a statement, the Palestinian health ministry said it was informed of the "death of the child Mohammed Haitham al-Tamimi, 3, from the village of Nabi Saleh." Tamimi was taken to Sheba by helicopter for treatment, before being pronounced dead on Monday. Tamimi's father, Haitham was also wounded in the incident. "I was with my child in my car, we wanted to visit family," Haitham al-Tamimi, 40, told AFP on Thursday evening after the incident. "Suddenly they shot at me and my son, I thought it came from the (military) tower," he added from his hospital bed, accusing Israeli army of directly opening fire on his car. The family told official Palestinian news agency Wafa the body would be returned on Monday evening. Since the start of the year, Israel killed at least 156 Palestinians. *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: WASHINGTON (AP) Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent who took more than $1.4 million in cash and diamonds to trade secrets with Moscow in one of the most notorious spying cases in American history, died in prison Monday. Hanssen, 79, was found unresponsive in his cell at a federal prison in Florence, Colorado, and later pronounced dead, prison officials said. He is believed to have died of natural causes, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of Hanssen's death and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. He had been serving a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole since 2002, after pleading guilty to 15 counts of espionage and other charges. Hanssen had divulged a wealth of information about American intelligence-gathering, including extensive detail about how U.S. officials had tapped into Russian spy operations, since at least 1985. He was believed to have been partly responsible for the deaths of at least three Soviet officers who were working for U.S. intelligence and executed after being exposed. He got more than $1.4 million in cash, bank funds, diamonds and Rolex watches in exchange for providing highly classified national security information to the Soviet Union and later Russia. He didn't adopt an obviously lavish lifestyle, instead living in a modest suburban home in Virginia with his family of six children and driving a Taurus and minivan. Hanssen would later say he was motivated by money rather than ideology, but a letter written to his Soviet handlers in 1985 explains a large payoff could have caused complications because he could not spend it without setting off warning bells. Using the alias Ramon Garcia, he passed some 6,000 documents and 26 computer disks to his handlers, authorities said. They detailed eavesdropping techniques, helped to confirm the identity of Russian double agents, and spilled other secrets. Officials also believed he tipped off Moscow to a secret tunnel the Americans built under the Soviet Embassy in Washington for eavesdropping. He went undetected for years, but later investigations found missed red flags. After he became the focus of a hunt for a Russian mole, Hanssen was caught taping a garbage bag full of secrets to the underside of a footbridge in a park in a dead drop for Russian handlers. The story was made into a movie titled Breach in 2007, staring Chris Cooper as Hanssen and Ryan Phillippe as a young bureau operative who helps bring him down. The FBI has been notified of Hanssens death, according to the Bureau of Prisons. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report. Williamson, WV (25661) Today Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. High 82F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers early, then overcast overnight with occasional rain. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Williamson, WV (25661) Today Mostly cloudy...isolated thunderstorms developing during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 62F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 1834 Investment Advisors Co. decreased its position in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IWO Get Rating) by 0.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,882 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 108 shares during the period. 1834 Investment Advisors Co.s holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF were worth $2,763,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 33,931 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $8,678,000 after buying an additional 871 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 14,286 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $3,654,000 after buying an additional 137 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. lifted its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 13.8% during the 1st quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 1,321 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $338,000 after buying an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF by 22.5% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,581 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $404,000 after buying an additional 290 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Western Trust Bank acquired a new stake in iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,253,000. Get iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF alerts: iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF Price Performance Shares of IWO traded down $1.63 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $232.44. The stock had a trading volume of 131,033 shares, compared to its average volume of 410,445. iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF has a 1-year low of $192.88 and a 1-year high of $248.98. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $224.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $225.74. The company has a market cap of $9.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.55 and a beta of 1.15. iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF Profile iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Russell 2000 Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the small-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market. See Also Receive News & Ratings for iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The United States and India agreed a roadmap for military industrial cooperation Monday, as New Delhi seeks to reduce its reliance on key arms supplier Russia in the face of tensions with China. "We established an ambitious new roadmap for defence industrial cooperation, which will fast track high priority co-development and co-production projects," US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said as he wrapped up an overnight visit to New Delhi. But analysts warned that such pledges needed to be backed up by concrete action. Moscow and New Delhi have been allies for decades, with Russia by far India's biggest arms supplier. Now India -- which has not condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine -- is looking to diversify, both by broadening its sources of imports and ramping up domestic production. Western countries, including the United States and France, are negotiating multi-billion-dollar contracts, and diplomats say India is placing a high priority on technology transfer as part of any deal. The agreement will fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in areas including air combat and land mobility systems, the "undersea domain", and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the US Defense Department said. The initiative "aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between US and Indian defence sectors", it said, and "could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support India's defence modernisation plans". India has displaced China as the world's most populous country this year, and relations between the Asian giants have been strained since a deadly high-altitude border clash in June 2020. At the same time, Washington and Beijing are engaged in fierce competition on diplomatic, military, technological and economic fronts. 'Bullying and coercion' But India is walking a diplomatic tightrope: uniquely, it is a member of both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which includes Russia and China, and the Quad, set up with the United States, Japan, and Australia to counter Beijing's growing assertiveness. As well as arms, India also imports oil from Russia, increasing its purchases since the Ukraine war began. Analysts said they would wait to see whether the US-India roadmap was anything more than rhetoric. Expectations that Austin would talk about transferring engine technology to India and an armed Predator drone deal had gone unfulfilled, said Indian defence analyst Rahul Bedi. "We've heard this many times before from respective defence secretaries, as well as the Indian side," he told AFP. "But unless something concrete emerges I remain sceptical. The right path (of India-US relations) has to be backed with firm contracts and firm assurances." Austin, speaking to reporters after meeting his counterpart Rajnath Singh, said boosting partnerships with India came against a backdrop of "bullying and coercion" from China, as well as Russian "aggression against Ukraine". India's defence ministry said discussions had a "particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation" with Washington, including the "co-development of new technologies and co-production of existing and new systems". Austin's visit comes ahead of a trip by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington this month. Austin is on a tour of Asia that previously took him to Japan and Singapore, part of a push to help counter China and an increasingly bellicose North Korea. The United States is "committed to collaborating closely with India in support of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific", Austin said. But he added that Washington was "absolutely not trying to establish a NATO" equivalent in the region. Search Keywords: Short link: Shares of Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE:EXP Get Rating) have earned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the nine analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $171.50. EXP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Eagle Materials from $155.00 to $195.00 in a research note on Friday, May 19th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Eagle Materials from $165.00 to $190.00 in a report on Friday, May 26th. DA Davidson increased their target price on shares of Eagle Materials from $140.00 to $175.00 in a report on Monday, May 22nd. Loop Capital lifted their price objective on shares of Eagle Materials from $160.00 to $181.00 in a research report on Monday, May 22nd. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Eagle Materials in a research report on Thursday, May 18th. They set a buy rating for the company. Get Eagle Materials alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, EVP Eric Cribbs sold 4,749 shares of Eagle Materials stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.01, for a total transaction of $783,632.49. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,354 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,698,573.54. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Eagle Materials news, EVP Eric Cribbs sold 4,749 shares of Eagle Materials stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.01, for a total value of $783,632.49. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,354 shares in the company, valued at $2,698,573.54. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Michael Haack sold 28,030 shares of Eagle Materials stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.34, for a total transaction of $4,634,480.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 109,229 shares in the company, valued at $18,059,922.86. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 37,693 shares of company stock worth $6,245,139 in the last ninety days. 1.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Eagle Materials Stock Up 3.7 % Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Macquarie Group Ltd. purchased a new stake in Eagle Materials during the first quarter worth about $2,187,000. Toroso Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Eagle Materials in the first quarter valued at approximately $548,000. Putnam Investments LLC raised its position in shares of Eagle Materials by 24.5% in the first quarter. Putnam Investments LLC now owns 69,572 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $10,210,000 after buying an additional 13,669 shares during the last quarter. American Trust raised its position in shares of Eagle Materials by 19.7% in the first quarter. American Trust now owns 2,822 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $414,000 after buying an additional 465 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in Eagle Materials by 19.6% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 124,320 shares of the construction companys stock worth $18,244,000 after purchasing an additional 20,371 shares during the last quarter. 93.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Shares of NYSE EXP opened at $169.07 on Monday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $152.41 and its 200-day moving average price is $143.70. The company has a current ratio of 2.45, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.57 and a beta of 1.30. Eagle Materials has a 12-month low of $101.98 and a 12-month high of $169.19. Eagle Materials (NYSE:EXP Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 18th. The construction company reported $2.79 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.35 by $0.44. The business had revenue of $470.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $452.11 million. Eagle Materials had a net margin of 21.49% and a return on equity of 40.09%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 13.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.90 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Eagle Materials will post 13.27 EPS for the current fiscal year. Eagle Materials Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 14th. Investors of record on Friday, June 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 15th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.59%. Eagle Materialss dividend payout ratio is currently 8.03%. Eagle Materials Company Profile (Get Rating) Eagle Materials, Inc engages in the provision of heavy construction materials and light building materials. It operates through the following segments: Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, Gypsum Wallboard, and Recycled Paperboard. The Cement segment deals with the manufacture, production, distribution, and sale of Portland cement. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Eagle Materials Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eagle Materials and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lundin Gold (TSE:LUG Get Rating) had its price target hoisted by Canaccord Genuity Group from C$20.00 to C$21.00 in a research note released on Thursday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Haywood Securities downgraded shares of Lundin Gold from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, April 10th. Scotiabank upped their price target on Lundin Gold from C$15.00 to C$16.50 in a report on Monday, April 10th. CIBC lifted their price objective on Lundin Gold from C$18.50 to C$20.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, February 28th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Lundin Gold from C$20.00 to C$21.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Finally, National Bankshares decreased their price target on shares of Lundin Gold from C$21.00 to C$20.50 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Lundin Gold presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$17.88. Get Lundin Gold alerts: Lundin Gold Price Performance TSE LUG opened at C$16.86 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of C$17.18 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$15.02. Lundin Gold has a twelve month low of C$7.80 and a twelve month high of C$19.42. The stock has a market capitalization of C$3.99 billion, a PE ratio of 29.07 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 49.02, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a current ratio of 2.13. Lundin Gold Cuts Dividend Lundin Gold ( TSE:LUG Get Rating ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 10th. The company reported C$0.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$0.34 by C$0.04. The company had revenue of C$347.17 million during the quarter. Lundin Gold had a return on equity of 11.76% and a net margin of 11.90%. Research analysts anticipate that Lundin Gold will post 1.2369186 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.37%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 12th. Lundin Golds payout ratio is 93.10%. About Lundin Gold (Get Rating) Lundin Gold Inc operates as a mining company in Canada. The company holds interests in 27 metallic mineral concessions and three construction material concessions covering an area of approximately 64,270 hectares located in Southeast Ecuador. It primary holds interests in the Fruta del Norte gold project comprising seven concessions covering an area of approximately 5,566 hectares located near the city of Loja in Ecuador. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Lundin Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lundin Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CIBC Asset Management Inc decreased its position in The Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS Get Rating) (TSE:BNS) by 10.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 8,213,436 shares of the banks stock after selling 961,603 shares during the period. Bank of Nova Scotia comprises 1.7% of CIBC Asset Management Incs portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest position. CIBC Asset Management Incs holdings in Bank of Nova Scotia were worth $402,501,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV increased its position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 302.3% during the 4th quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 535 shares of the banks stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 402 shares during the last quarter. Glassman Wealth Services increased its position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 85.4% during the 4th quarter. Glassman Wealth Services now owns 864 shares of the banks stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 398 shares during the last quarter. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC increased its position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 61.8% during the 4th quarter. Kistler Tiffany Companies LLC now owns 1,210 shares of the banks stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. Delta Asset Management LLC TN acquired a new position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia during the 4th quarter worth approximately $73,000. Finally, Mondrian Investment Partners LTD acquired a new position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia during the 4th quarter worth approximately $78,000. Institutional investors own 45.19% of the companys stock. Get Bank of Nova Scotia alerts: Bank of Nova Scotia Price Performance Shares of BNS stock traded down $0.33 on Monday, hitting $49.37. 337,855 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,421,185. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The Bank of Nova Scotia has a 12 month low of $45.26 and a 12 month high of $68.45. The stock has a market cap of $59.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a 50 day moving average of $49.70 and a 200 day moving average of $50.56. Bank of Nova Scotia Increases Dividend Analyst Ratings Changes The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 27th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, July 5th will be given a $0.7851 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 3rd. This is an increase from Bank of Nova Scotias previous quarterly dividend of $0.77. This represents a $3.14 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.36%. Bank of Nova Scotias dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 59.92%. A number of research firms recently weighed in on BNS. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on Bank of Nova Scotia from $86.00 to $77.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Barclays lowered Bank of Nova Scotia from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating in a report on Tuesday, May 9th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered Bank of Nova Scotia from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, March 1st. Scotiabank lowered Bank of Nova Scotia from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, February 28th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Bank of Nova Scotia from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, May 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $86.06. Bank of Nova Scotia Company Profile (Get Rating) The Bank of Nova Scotia engages in the provision of financial products and services including personal, commercial, corporate, and investment banking. It operates through the following segments: Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Wealth Management, Global Banking and Markets, and Other. The Other segment includes group treasury and smaller operating segments. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BNS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS Get Rating) (TSE:BNS). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Absolute Software (OTCMKTS:ALSWF Get Rating) and COBHAM PLC/ADR (OTCMKTS:CBHMY Get Rating) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, valuation, dividends, profitability, institutional ownership, earnings and analyst recommendations. Dividends Absolute Software pays an annual dividend of $0.24 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.0%. COBHAM PLC/ADR pays an annual dividend of $0.01 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.2%. COBHAM PLC/ADR pays out 9.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Get Absolute Software alerts: Profitability This table compares Absolute Software and COBHAM PLC/ADRs net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Absolute Software 10.16% -23.28% 9.44% COBHAM PLC/ADR N/A N/A N/A Earnings & Valuation Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Absolute Software $104.67 million 4.93 $10.64 million N/A N/A COBHAM PLC/ADR $2.18 billion 2.54 $98.11 million $0.11 40.82 This table compares Absolute Software and COBHAM PLC/ADRs gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. COBHAM PLC/ADR has higher revenue and earnings than Absolute Software. Analyst Ratings This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for Absolute Software and COBHAM PLC/ADR, as provided by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Absolute Software 0 0 0 0 N/A COBHAM PLC/ADR 0 0 0 0 N/A Insider & Institutional Ownership 1.2% of Absolute Software shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Risk and Volatility Absolute Software has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its share price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, COBHAM PLC/ADR has a beta of 1.26, meaning that its share price is 26% more volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Absolute Software beats COBHAM PLC/ADR on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About Absolute Software (Get Rating) Absolute Software Corp. engages in the provision of cloud-based service that supports the management and security of computing devices, applications, and data for a variety of organizations. Its solutions includes education, financial services, general date protection regulations (GDPR) compliance, government, healthcare, professional services, and technology solutions such as Absolute for Android, and Absolute for Chromebook. The company was founded on November 24, 1993 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. About COBHAM PLC/ADR (Get Rating) Cobham plc provides a range of technologies and services to commercial, defense, aerospace, space, and security markets in the United Kingdom, the United States, other European countries, Australia, Asia, and internationally. The company operates in four segments: Communications and Connectivity, Mission Systems, Advanced Electronic Solutions, and Aviation Services. The Communications and Connectivity segment offers equipment and solutions for the aerospace, avionics, satellite, radio, wireless, antenna, and mobile connectivity markets. The Mission Systems segment provides safety and survival systems for extreme environments; nose-to-tail aerial refueling systems; and wing-tip to wing-tip mission systems for jets, transport aircraft, and rotorcraft. The Advanced Electronic Solutions segment offers critical solutions for communication on land, at sea, in the air, and in space through off-the-shelf and customized products, which include radio frequency, microwave, microelectronics, antenna subsystems, and motion control solutions. This segment serves defense, radar, electronic warfare, X-ray imaging, medical, and industrial markets. The Aviation Services segment delivers outsourced aviation services for military and commercial customers through military training, special mission flights, outsourced commercial aviation, fly-in fly-out, and aircraft engineering services. Cobham plc was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Wimborne, the United Kingdom. Receive News & Ratings for Absolute Software Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Absolute Software and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PagerDuty (NYSE:PD Get Rating) had its target price cut by Royal Bank of Canada from $37.00 to $32.00 in a report published on Friday, The Fly reports. Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Craig Hallum lowered shares of PagerDuty from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $26.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Friday. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of PagerDuty from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, March 16th. Finally, Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of PagerDuty from $35.00 to $32.00 in a report on Friday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, PagerDuty currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $33.30. Get PagerDuty alerts: PagerDuty Stock Performance PD opened at $23.00 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.12 billion, a PE ratio of -19.17 and a beta of 0.93. PagerDuty has a twelve month low of $19.51 and a twelve month high of $35.33. The firms 50-day moving average price is $30.49 and its 200 day moving average price is $28.45. The company has a current ratio of 2.21, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17. Insider Activity PagerDuty ( NYSE:PD Get Rating ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 1st. The company reported $0.20 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.09 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $103.25 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $103.25 million. PagerDuty had a negative net margin of 27.74% and a negative return on equity of 35.38%. PagerDutys quarterly revenue was up 20.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted ($0.33) earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that PagerDuty will post -0.76 EPS for the current fiscal year. In related news, SVP Shelley Webb sold 1,983 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.62, for a total transaction of $66,668.46. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 229,240 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,707,048.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, insider Mitra Rezvan sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.60, for a total value of $158,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 102,840 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,249,744. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Shelley Webb sold 1,983 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, April 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.62, for a total transaction of $66,668.46. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 229,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,707,048.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 253,605 shares of company stock valued at $7,934,700. Company insiders own 7.90% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On PagerDuty Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of PagerDuty by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,481,775 shares of the companys stock valued at $172,604,000 after buying an additional 180,197 shares during the last quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of PagerDuty by 11.8% in the 4th quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 4,886,613 shares of the companys stock valued at $129,788,000 after buying an additional 517,110 shares during the last quarter. RGM Capital LLC grew its position in shares of PagerDuty by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. RGM Capital LLC now owns 3,982,801 shares of the companys stock valued at $105,783,000 after buying an additional 75,000 shares during the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its position in shares of PagerDuty by 6.7% in the 1st quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 3,883,371 shares of the companys stock valued at $135,840,000 after buying an additional 242,771 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its position in PagerDuty by 7.2% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,894,218 shares of the companys stock worth $66,260,000 after purchasing an additional 126,421 shares during the last quarter. 90.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About PagerDuty (Get Rating) PagerDuty, Inc operates a digital operations management platform. It provides incident management solution that integrates with information technology Ops and DevOps monitoring stacks to improve operational reliability and agility. The firm collect machine generated data from virtually any software-enabled system or device, combine it with human response data, correlating and interpreting this data to understand issues and opportunities that need to be addressed in real-time. Read More Receive News & Ratings for PagerDuty Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for PagerDuty and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sendas Distribuidora (NYSE:ASAI Get Rating) is one of 51 public companies in the Grocery stores industry, but how does it contrast to its competitors? We will compare Sendas Distribuidora to similar businesses based on the strength of its valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership and risk. Valuation & Earnings This table compares Sendas Distribuidora and its competitors gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get Sendas Distribuidora alerts: Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Sendas Distribuidora $58.17 billion $236.31 million 14.87 Sendas Distribuidora Competitors $30.61 billion $705.75 million 215.11 Sendas Distribuidora has higher revenue, but lower earnings than its competitors. Sendas Distribuidora 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. Risk & Volatility Dividends Sendas Distribuidora has a beta of 0.77, suggesting that its share price is 23% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sendas Distribuidoras competitors have a beta of 0.48, suggesting that their average share price is 52% less volatile than the S&P 500. Sendas Distribuidora pays an annual dividend of $0.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.7%. Sendas Distribuidora pays out 10.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, Grocery stores companies pay a dividend yield of 3.4% and pay out 57.0% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Insider and Institutional Ownership 4.4% of Sendas Distribuidora shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 46.1% of shares of all Grocery stores companies are owned by institutional investors. 0.4% of Sendas Distribuidora shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 21.1% of shares of all Grocery stores companies are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Sendas Distribuidora and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Sendas Distribuidora 0 1 0 0 2.00 Sendas Distribuidora Competitors 1096 2661 2843 112 2.29 As a group, Grocery stores companies have a potential upside of 18.08%. Given Sendas Distribuidoras competitors stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Sendas Distribuidora has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors. Profitability This table compares Sendas Distribuidora and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Sendas Distribuidora 1.86% 29.13% 2.88% Sendas Distribuidora Competitors 1.80% 15.77% 4.55% Summary Sendas Distribuidora competitors beat Sendas Distribuidora on 10 of the 15 factors compared. Sendas Distribuidora Company Profile (Get Rating) Sendas Distribuidora S.A. engages in the retail and wholesale sale of food products, bazaar items, and other products in Brazil. As of March 31, 2022, the company operated 216 stores under the Assai banner, as well as 13 distribution centers. It serves restaurants, pizzerias, snack bars, schools, small businesses, religious institutions, hospitals, hotels, grocery stores, neighborhood supermarkets, and individuals. The company sells its products through brick-and-mortar stores, as well as through telesales. Sendas Distribuidora S.A. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Receive News & Ratings for Sendas Distribuidora Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sendas Distribuidora and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Golden Star Resources (NYSE:GSS Get Rating) in a research report sent to investors on Thursday. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock. Golden Star Resources Trading Up 0.3 % Shares of NYSE GSS opened at $3.90 on Thursday. Golden Star Resources has a 1-year low of $2.04 and a 1-year high of $4.04. Get Golden Star Resources alerts: Golden Star Resources Company Profile (Get Rating) Read More Golden Star is an established gold mining company that owns and operates the Wassa underground mine in Ghana, West Africa. Listed on the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ghanaian Stock Exchange, Golden Star is focused on delivering strong margins and free cash flow. Since winning the PDAC 2018 Environmental and Social Responsibility Award, Golden Star has remained committed to leaving a positive and sustainable legacy in its areas of operation. Receive News & Ratings for Golden Star Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Golden Star Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Veeva Systems (NYSE:VEEV Get Rating) had its target price raised by Barclays from $197.00 to $203.00 in a research report released on Thursday, The Fly reports. A number of other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Veeva Systems from $204.00 to $212.00 in a report on Thursday, March 2nd. Guggenheim lowered shares of Veeva Systems from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, February 23rd. JMP Securities upped their target price on shares of Veeva Systems from $215.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, March 2nd. Oppenheimer restated an outperform rating and issued a $225.00 target price on shares of Veeva Systems in a research note on Tuesday, March 21st. Finally, Truist Financial restated a hold rating and issued a $195.00 target price (down previously from $205.00) on shares of Veeva Systems in a research note on Friday, March 17th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $205.26. Get Veeva Systems alerts: Veeva Systems Price Performance Shares of VEEV stock opened at $195.00 on Thursday. Veeva Systems has a 12 month low of $151.02 and a 12 month high of $232.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 60.94, a P/E/G ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 0.92. The companys fifty day moving average price is $176.42 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $172.96. Insiders Place Their Bets Institutional Trading of Veeva Systems In other news, Director Paul Edward Chamberlain sold 160 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.42, for a total value of $27,107.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 16,776 shares in the company, valued at $2,842,189.92. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . 10.98% of the stock is owned by insiders. Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Veeva Systems in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $259,703,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its position in shares of Veeva Systems by 24.3% in the 4th quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 7,362,861 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,188,219,000 after acquiring an additional 1,440,210 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in shares of Veeva Systems by 1,578.4% in the 1st quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,504,355 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $319,616,000 after acquiring an additional 1,414,726 shares in the last quarter. Winslow Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Veeva Systems by 64.7% in the 4th quarter. Winslow Capital Management LLC now owns 2,344,419 shares of the technology companys stock worth $378,342,000 after buying an additional 920,633 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nuveen Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Veeva Systems by 36.3% in the 3rd quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 2,148,210 shares of the technology companys stock worth $354,196,000 after buying an additional 572,197 shares in the last quarter. 78.76% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Veeva Systems Company Profile (Get Rating) Veeva Systems, Inc engages in the provision of industry cloud solutions for the global life sciences industry. Its solutions enable pharmaceutical and other life sciences companies to realize the benefits of modern cloud-based architectures and mobile applications for their most critical business functions, without compromising industry-specific functionality or regulatory compliance. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Veeva Systems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Veeva Systems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Samsara (NYSE:IOT Get Rating) had its price target increased by Wells Fargo & Company from $23.00 to $25.00 in a report released on Friday, The Fly reports. A number of other analysts have also weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley lowered Samsara from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and upped their target price for the stock from $18.00 to $19.00 in a report on Thursday, March 23rd. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Samsara in a research note on Thursday, May 18th. They issued a sell rating on the stock. Truist Financial assumed coverage on shares of Samsara in a report on Friday, April 21st. They issued a hold rating and a $20.00 target price for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Samsara from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $16.00 to $27.00 in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Samsara from $17.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, March 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $23.30. Get Samsara alerts: Samsara Stock Performance Shares of NYSE IOT opened at $24.31 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -51.72 and a beta of 1.01. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $19.54 and a 200 day moving average price of $16.00. Samsara has a 52-week low of $8.42 and a 52-week high of $25.06. Insider Transactions at Samsara Samsara ( NYSE:IOT Get Rating ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 2nd. The company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.13) by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $186.58 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $172.77 million. Samsara had a negative return on equity of 21.08% and a negative net margin of 34.20%. Analysts forecast that Samsara will post -0.42 earnings per share for the current year. In related news, CEO Sanjit Biswas sold 89,800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.76, for a total transaction of $1,864,248.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 91,438 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,898,252.88. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Samsara news, CAO James Andrew Munk sold 3,129 shares of Samsara stock in a transaction on Friday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.11, for a total value of $59,795.19. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 362,233 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,922,272.63. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Sanjit Biswas sold 89,800 shares of Samsara stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.76, for a total transaction of $1,864,248.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 91,438 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,898,252.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 5,310,920 shares of company stock worth $101,933,817. Company insiders own 66.14% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Samsara A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Samsara by 16.0% in the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 776,518 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,312,000 after purchasing an additional 107,262 shares during the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund raised its stake in shares of Samsara by 2,682.1% in the 1st quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 175,470 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,460,000 after acquiring an additional 169,163 shares during the period. Advisory Services Network LLC raised its stake in shares of Samsara by 9,807.0% in the 1st quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 9,907 shares of the companys stock valued at $195,000 after acquiring an additional 9,807 shares during the period. Hollencrest Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Samsara in the 1st quarter valued at $59,000. Finally, State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Samsara by 20.3% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 770,264 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,190,000 after acquiring an additional 129,928 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 43.05% of the companys stock. Samsara Company Profile (Get Rating) Samsara Inc provides solutions that connect physical operations data to its Connected Operations Cloud in the United States and internationally. The company's Connected Operations Cloud includes Data Platform, which ingests, aggregates, and enriches data from its IoT devices and has embedded capabilities for AI, workflows and analytics, alerts, API connections, and data security and privacy; and applications for video-based safety, vehicle telematics, apps and driver workflows, equipment monitoring, and site visibility. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Samsara Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Samsara and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Turkish commando battalion requested by NATO has arrived in Kosovo to assist in quelling recent violent unrest in the Balkan country. The Turkish Defense Ministry shared a video Sunday showing troops wearing the insignia of the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force departing Turkey and arriving in Kosovo. Violent clashes with ethnic Serbs last Monday left 30 international soldiers 11 Italians and 19 Hungarians wounded, including fractures and burns from improvised explosive incendiary devices. The clashes grew out of a confrontation that unfolded earlier after ethnic Albanian officials elected in votes overwhelmingly boycotted by Serbs entered municipal buildings to take office and were blocked by Serbs. Around 500 Turkish troops would be deployed, a defense ministry official said last week. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with ministry regulations. (Moving this up - I think most people, myself included, would have only the vaguest idea of the size of a commando battalion beyond a very large number.) The first convoy of the commando battalion attached to the 65th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Command (Luleburgaz) has completed its transit to Kosovo, the tweet on the official account read. NATO announced last Tuesday that it would be sending 700 troops to bolster the force in the area. KFOR currently consists of almost 3,800 troops, including some 350 from Turkey. The request for additional troops came from NATOs Joint Force Command Naples. The battalion will be joining KFOR as a reserve unit. Search Keywords: Short link: China players after winning the 2023 Volleyball Nations League match against Japan in Nagoya, Japan on June 4, 2023. [Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu] China got past Japan 3-0 and recorded its fourth successive victory in the FIVB Women's Nations League. NAGOYA, Japan, June 4 (Xinhua) China beat hosts and arch rivals Japan 3-0 to score its fourth successive win from as many matches in the FIVB Women's Nations League here on Sunday. The three-time Olympic champions won the thriller 25-18, 27-25, 27-25 in front of a Japanese home crowd of 5,500 to finish the first competition week undefeated and climb to second place in the standings on 4-0 and 11 points, just below Poland on point ratio. Japan, who beat China 3-1 in last year's Nations League, suffered its first loss and slipped to fifth on 3-1 and nine points. China's outside hitter Li Yingying, who scored the winner with a smash, was again the top scorer with 20 points. Middle blocker and captain Yuan Xinyue finished with 10, including two aces. Li Yingying looks on during the match. [Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu] Captain Sarina Koga led Japan with 19 points, and Kotona Hayashi added 13. China fought back from 16-8 down in the second set to level the score at 22-22. They survived a Japanese set point and turned it around at 27-25. In Sunday's other matches, Germany defeated Bulgaria 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 15-10), while Brazil beat Croatia 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-8). (Source: Xinhua) Weather Alert ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON CDT /1 PM EDT/ TODAY TO 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ THIS EVENING... * WHAT...West to northwest winds around 15 to 20 mph expected. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...From noon CDT /1 PM EDT/ today to 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ this evening. * IMPACTS...Strong winds and rough waves on area lakes will create hazardous conditions for small craft. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are forecast to develop this afternoon. These storms will produce dangerous lightning and locally higher wind gusts. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Boaters on area lakes should use extra caution since strong winds and rough waves can overturn small craft. If lightning is sighted or skies turn threatening, head to shore immediately and seek shelter indoors until conditions improve. && The Egyptian government approved on Monday amendments to the investment law, which will simplify the conditions for issuing licenses for private free zone projects. Private free zones are designated for investment projects that require a specific location to be economically viable and enjoy the same benefits as public free zones, such as exemption from customs taxes, sales tax, and other fees. The amendments now allow up to three years to fulfill the requirement of having a local component of at least 30 percent, instead of requiring it at the start of the project. The new regulation eliminates conditions related to the project's capital, staff, and size. However, the requirement to export at least 80 percent of the products remains in place. The government's efforts to attract more private investment amidst a foreign exchange shortage have led to relaxed requirements for private free zone projects. Egypt's new facilities for investors In mid-May, the Supreme Council for Investment issued 22 decrees to boost FDI and private investments in Egypt. The decrees include proposals for legislative amendments, which will be presented to parliament for voting soon. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has recently announced that foreigners can now own property in Egypt without restrictions, subject to specific regulations. Search Keywords: Short link: France is ploughing 2.9 billion euros ($3.1 billion) of public money into a factory to make microchips, officials said on Monday, heating up a global race for the lucrative market. Related EU joins chips race with 42 bln euro bid to rival Asia Europe and the United States have both passed so-called Chips Acts to boost investment in the sector as fears grow that China could gain a stranglehold on global supply. Chips, also known as semiconductors, are vital for every electronic device, from smartphones to electric cars, and control of supply chains has become a major priority for the world's biggest trading blocs. France's economy ministry said the state aid was the biggest subsidy it had offered since 2017. The funding would go towards a 7.5-billion-euro project announced last year to be run by European multinational STMicroelectronics and US company GlobalFoundries. The European Chips Act aims to unlock 43 billion euros of investment and for the bloc to produce 20 percent of the world's chips by 2030. Europe currently accounts for less than 10 percent of the global total, with most of the world's chips being made in Taiwan. The French ministry said the project, in the Alpine town of Crolles near Grenoble in southeastern France, would boost European production capacity by almost six percent by 2028. The battle to secure supplies of semiconductors was supercharged during the pandemic when lockdowns and other measures caused a supply crunch and brought industries across the world to a grinding halt. The US Chips Act is one of several laws aimed at funnelling hundreds of billions of dollars to US firms at the expense of foreign competitors. Beijing has denied it is seeking to seize global supply lines and has slammed the US Chips Act as "100-percent protectionism". Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey, Sweden and Finland will meet later this month to try to overcome objections that have delayed Sweden's NATO membership bid, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday after meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey in March ratified Finland's bid for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but still objects to Sweden joining the alliance, as does Hungary. Turkey has said Stockholm harbors members of militant groups it considers to be terrorists. "Sweden has taken significant concrete steps to meet Turkey's concerns," Stoltenberg told reporters, referring to a constitutional change by Sweden and its stepping up of counter-terrorism cooperation with Ankara. Ever since the 2014 Maidan coup in Ukraine, the UK has played a leading role in escalating the US-NATO led war against Russia. It has trained and equipped the Ukrainian army, deployed troops in Eastern Europe on permanent missions or large-scale combat exercises and staged repeated anti-Russian provocations, including sending a British warship into waters claimed by Russia. Ukrainian volunteer military recruits take part in an urban battle exercise whilst being trained by British Armed Forces at a military base in Southern England, August 15, 2022. Ministry of Defence and British Army as the UK Armed Forces continue to deliver international training of Ukrainian Armed Forces recruits in the United Kingdom [AP Photo/Frank Augstein] The UK has secretly deployed special forces (UKSF) in Ukraine, even though it is not officially party to the war. Although the House of Commons must vote for war, special forces, which include the Special Air Service (SAS), Special Boat Service, Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), the Special Forces Support Group, 18 Signal Regiment, Joint Special Aviation Wing and No. 47 Squadron, can be deployed without parliamentary approval and with the government refusing to even list their operations. The Mirror reported in April 2021 that a small team of UK special forces had been deployed to Ukraine in an apparent intelligence-gathering mission on the border with Russia. Two months later, the British Embassy in Kiev released a statement reporting that the UK Minister for Defence Procurement and Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine had observed joint training activity of Ukrainian, UK and US special forces, implying that UKSF were involved in a training operation in Ukraine. In April 2022, Al Jazeera reported that Russia had announced it was looking into a Russian media report alleging that the SAS had been sent to the Lviv region in Western Ukraine to assist the Ukrainian special services in organising sabotage on the territory of Ukraine. Just months later, the Daily Star reported that a group of ex-SAS troopers were in Ukraine and had killed up to 20 Russian generals and 15 of the feared Wagner mercenaries, the British also having helped to train some Ukrainian troops in ambush methods. Earlier this year, leaked US military documents revealed that the UK had deployed 50 special forces personnel, including the SAS, to Ukraine, more than half of all the Western special forces in the country from February to March 2023. Operations in Ukraine are only some of the UKSFs covert activities. According to research compiled by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), a London-based NGO, based on leaked reports to the mainstream media, wire services and broadcasters or as the result of operations that have gone wrong, the UKSF has carried out operations in at least 19 countries between 2011 and 2021, including Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Russia, Kenya, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It can be assumed that these deployments form only a fraction of Britains covert operations around the world. They, along with Britains arms deals, international defence partnerships and projections of force are part of the UK governments broader preparations for war. Not only are special forces activities kept secret, but then Prime Minister David Cameron even authorised their deployment in Syria after the House of Commons explicitly rejected sending troops to the country in August 2013. Three days before the vote, UKSF and Britains spy agency MI6 were on the ground there, with European and Jordanian sources stating in 2013 that UKSF had been training rebel forces for a year. In the case of Libya, special forces were only revealed as operating with rebel forces against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in March 2011 when farmers in a remote village captured a team of UKSF and MI6 operatives. Since then, the UK has sent in SF, supposedly to combat ISIL and train Libyan forces alongside US, French and Italian personnel. In 2019, a SAS unit had to be evacuated out of Tripoli and Tobruk after armed clashes broke out. While Britains combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan officially ended in 2011 and 2014 respectively, the UKSF continued their operations. In Iraq, while parliament approved airstrikes against ISIL in September 2014, the government gave an explicit commitment not to deploy ground troops that it evaded by deploying UKSF. Prime Minister David Cameron reportedly gave the UKSF carte blanche to launch raids against ISILs leaders in operations that continued for the rest of the decade. He had sent the first UKSF teams to northern Iraq weeks before the vote on an intelligence gathering mission. Since then, there has been a continuous stream of SAS and SBS operations, with the most recent in 2021. The Daily Mail reported a surge of 100 killings of ISIL leaders in the summer of 2020. After 2014, UK special forces stayed behind in Afghanistan to fight Taliban and ISIL militants. Despite their mission only to train, advise or assist Afghan forces, there are numerous reports of their involvement in lethal night raids in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. Last March, the government was forced to open a public inquiry after BBC Panorama reported allegations that the SAS were responsible for 54 summary killings in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011, when men were separated from their families and shot dead after being said to have produced a weapon. There have been multiple reports of UKSF operatives fighting on the Syrian frontline in al-Tanf where there is a US base, Raqqa and near the Turkey/Syria border. Parliament had approved airstrikes explicitly against ISIL commanders but not the deployment of combat troops on the ground. In 2018, there was a rare reporting of a SAS fatality, apparently killed alongside a US commando in a friendly fire incident that Washington originally blamed on a roadside bomb. It is likely that UKSF remain in Syria. The UKSF have also carried out missions in Yemen over the last eight years in support of Saudi forces fighting Houthi insurgents that took control of the capital Sanaa in 2014. By seconding them to MI6, under the control of the Foreign Office, the government was able to circumvent the European Convention on Human Rights and deny it was supporting the US in its covert missions in Yemen, with UKSF personnel reportedly conducting assassinations near Sanaa. In May 2019, the government sent two SBS teams to the Persian Gulf, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reported explosive sabotage attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, to monitor Iranian naval activity around the island of Qeshm, close to the countrys naval bases, under the pretext of protecting UK registered oil tankers. Britains main theatre of operations is the Middle East, but it has also fielded SF troops throughout Africa, including in Mali and Algeria. Skirmishes have been reported in Somalia, close to Britains military base in Kenya. UKSF soldiers also went to the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia in 2016 for counter-terrorism purposes. In 2018, SAS reservists were deployed to Estonia as part of the NATO mission in the Baltic states to deter Russian encroachment, monitoring Russian military movement over the border. These revelations come as Britains arms exports soared to a record 8.5 billion in 2022, more than double the 4.1 billion recorded in 2021. The two largest buyers, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, are among the worlds most repressive regimes. Last month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak travelled to Tokyo with a large trade delegation announcing a new defence partnership with Japan involving the doubling of joint military exercises, deploying the UKs Carrier Strike Group in 2025, advancing the Global Combat Air Programme and extending Britains military reach deeper into the Indo-Pacific. Last month, Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin went to India to strengthen military ties and to discuss industrial collaboration in the aerospace sector. In March, British and Swedish defence ministers agreed to deepen their collaboration and signed a defence procurement deal as Stockholm prepares to join NATO. Since last July, the Ministry of Defence has announced deals, assistance and missions to Finland, Germany, France, Estonia, Oman, Ukraine, Turkey, Greece, Qatar, Poland, the USA, Ghana and the Republic of Korea. A federal judge determined last Thursday that a protracted civil suit had established the substantial truth of allegations that Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith committed war crimes. Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith at Victoria Cross investiture on 23 January 2011. [Photo by Governor-General of Australia / CC BY 3.0 Roberts-Smith, a highly-decorated former Special Forces commando, had initiated the case himself, suing the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age and the Canberra Times for defamation over articles in 2018 accusing him of murdering Afghan civilians and other crimes. Since the ruling, some have noted that Roberts-Smith has not faced criminal prosecution. While it may be permissible to call him a war criminal, those allegations have not been proven in a criminal proceeding. The burden of proof, they also point out, is lower in a civil hearing than in a criminal one. The socialist movement is least of all inclined to jettison fundamental democratic rights, including to the presumption of innocence, due process and a trial before a jury of ones peers. Such rights were established in centuries of struggle against tyranny and oppression, and are continually being undermined by the state and the ruling elite. But the obvious question is: why hasnt Roberts-Smith been charged for the war crimes and brought before a criminal court? In this instance, it is not Roberts-Smiths legal rights that have been undermined, but those of his Afghan victims. By failing to charge Roberts-Smith, federal authorities created a bizarre situation, where matters of a plainly criminal nature were first heard in a civil hearing initiated by the soldier accused of committing the crimes. Lawyers for the publications being sued mounted a highly complex legal defence, based on proving that while the papers had branded Roberts-Smith a war criminal, the allegation was substantially true. This involved securing the testimony of multiple Special Forces soldiers, including those who had witnessed Roberts-Smiths murders. Afghan witnesses were also heard, despite the obvious complexities of obtaining their testimony. If all of this was able to be accomplished by a well-funded private law firm, why is it beyond the powers of the state to mount a similar case though in a criminal court? An article in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday asserted that the federal police provided two briefs of evidence to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), accusing Roberts-Smith of having committed war crimes, in May 2020. That is, the DPP has been sitting on a possible criminal prosecution for three years. By allowing the issues to run in a defamation hearing before leveling any criminal charges, the DPP has immeasurably complicated any future criminal prosecution. One can well imagine that Roberts-Smiths defence counsel would argue, with justification, that he could not possibly receive a fair trial, given the publicity surrounding the defamation case. What could the DPPs office have been doing in those three years that was conceivably more important than this case, involving as it does multiple alleged murders and violations of international law? For one thing, it has been targeting whistleblowers who exposed war crimes. Over the same period that it sat on its hands over Roberts-Smith, the DPP finalised its case against David McBride, a whistleblower who courageously exposed other war crimes in Afghanistan. He faces a criminal trial later this year and the prospect of life imprisonment. The retort may be that further inquiries are required to build a case that would meet the criminal threshold. But it appears that Roberts-Smith is not under any substantial form of caution or restriction. He was holidaying in Bali, Indonesia when the judgment was made in the defamation case. That is more lenient and seemingly blase treatment than is frequently meted out to people accused of petty crimes. How did the DPP know he would even return to the country? It is well-established that Roberts-Smith has backing from powerful sections of the media, business and political establishment. As a recipient of the Victoria Cross, Australias highest military award, he was hailed as a hero by successive prime ministers. But broader issues are at stake in the protracted cover-up of his crimes. Above all, what does it say about the character of the war in Afghanistan that the most prominent Australian soldier who fought there is accused of the most heinous crimes? Among the allegations deemed substantially true in the defamation hearing was that Roberts-Smith machine-gunned a disabled Afghan prisoner to death then stole his prosthetic leg, and that he kicked a handcuffed Afghan civilian off a cliff before ordering subordinates to shoot him dead. Such crimes are not committed in a war for democracy and human rights, as governments sought to present the occupation of Afghanistan. Instead, they are particularly barbaric manifestations of a neo-colonial war of occupation aimed at subjugating a hostile population. They are, in an extreme form, the sort of crimes that have been committed in every imperialist war, especially those that have acquired the character of a counter-insurgency. That is underscored by the fact that it is hardly a matter of Roberts-Smith alone. Every single US-allied power involved in the occupation was credibly accused of war crimes, including the killing of civilians. Allegations of Australian Special Air Services (SAS) war crimes in Afghanistan extend over a period almost as long as the two-decade occupation itself. A detailed official timeline on the federal parliament website, records that accusations of unlawful killings of Afghan civilians were first levelled in 2006. In July 2006: Haji Malem Mohammed Abdul Khaliq Khan, a Barakzai member of Parliament, complained that his family had been attacked by the SAS as they fled Chora. His car was shot up and his wife blinded, their daughter lost a leg and his brother-in-law, Abdul Baqi, was killed. His son and a niece and nephew were also injured. The alleged crimes continued with disturbing regularity. There are entries on the timeline for virtually every year after 2006. It is not an accident that most of the documented Australian war crimes were committed in 2010 and the years immediately following. This was the period of the Obama administrations surge, backed fully by the Australian Labor government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Amid a crisis of the occupation and massive Afghan opposition, it was perhaps the largest official counter-insurgency operation conducted by the US since Vietnam. Multiple nights a week, Australian Special Forces would go outside the wire, participating with other coalition troops in capture or kill raids based on US intelligence. The prospect that such operations, already legally dubious and murderous in intent, would degenerate into random killing is obvious. So is the fact that the soldiers were trained to view the entire Afghan population as the enemy. Even when they returned to their heavily-fortified compounds, one soldier, the guardian angel would have his finger on the trigger of a loaded gun at all times, in case a member of the Afghan Army was in fact a secret Taliban fighter. In April 2013, David Hurley, then chief of the defence force and now governor-general, issued a secret directive to soldiers, warning that they could be exposed to criminal and disciplinary liability, including potentially the war crime of murder if they could not prove that those they killed were participating in hostilities. No one has ever explained why such a directive would be sent, if military command was unaware that war crimes were being committed. The same year, Special Forces troops first raised concerns with command over the conduct of Roberts-Smith, who had received the Victoria Cross two years earlier. For years and years afterward, the possibility that war crimes had been committed was covered-up. They were only brought to light thanks to whistleblowers, such as McBride, and persistent journalists. Such reports eventually compelled the authorities to call an official inquiry into the war crimes in 2018. It dragged on for two years under complete secrecy. Dubbed the Brereton Inquiry, it concluded in late 2020 that there was credible evidence Special Forces had murdered 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners, along with committing other war crimes. Above all, the inquiry cleared governments and military command of having had any knowledge of the crimes. It provided no evidence whatsoever for this assertion. Even the figure of 39 murders is likely a substantial undercount. An earlier secret inquiry within the defence force in 2016 heard accounts of Australian troops going to Afghan villages, where they would take the men and boys to these guest houses and interrogate them, meaning tie them up and torture them. After the soldiers left, the men and boys would be found dead, shot in the head, sometimes blindfolded and throats slit. The report described these as corroborated accounts. Individual soldiers who committed war crimes should be brought to justice. But the far larger issue is the criminality of the governments that oversaw a predatory and illegal occupation for two decades. Having devastated Afghanistan, they have moved on, but only to prepare new and even greater crimes in the US-led confrontations with Russia and China. This image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing a Totenkopf symbol posted on the Twitter account of Ukraines Defense Ministry was later deleted. [Photo: Ukraine Ministry of Defense] This article was originally posted as a thread on Twitter. The New York Times palms off the deep historical and present-day links of Ukrainian nationalism to Nazism and genocide as merely thorny issues, i.e., a public relations problem for media propagandists, who are trying to sell NATOs proxy war as a struggle for democracy. The Times references photographs showing Ukrainian soldiers who wore patches featuring symbols that were made notorious by Nazi Germany and have since become part of the iconography of far-right hate groups. The NYT admits that the media quietly deletes such photos. The newspaper opines, The photographs, and their deletions, highlight the Ukrainian militarys complicated relationship with Nazi imagery, a relationship forged under both Soviet and German occupation during World War II. Fascist iconography glorifying mass murder, including a skull-and-crossbones patch worn by concentration camp guards and a symbol known as the Black Sun, now appears with some regularity on the uniforms of soldiers fighting on the front line... The major concern of the NYT is the political impact of the Ukrainian identification with Nazism and mass murder on international public opinion. It quotes Michael Colborne, who prior to the war wrote extensively on the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion: What worries me, in the Ukrainian context, is that people in Ukraine who are in leadership positions, either they dont or theyre not willing to acknowledge and understand how these symbols are viewed outside of Ukraine. The NYT notes: So far, the imagery has not eroded international support for the war. It has, however, left diplomats, Western journalists and advocacy groups in a difficult position: Calling attention to the iconography risks playing into Russian propaganda. The Times reveals its own role in attempting to suppress the circulation of Ukrainian tweets with photographs featuring Nazi iconography that expose the fascist politics and culture that dominate the Kiev regime. It refers to a photo posted in April by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry of a soldier wearing a patch featuring a skull and crossbones known as the Totenkopf, or Deaths Head. The NYT notes, The specific symbol in the picture was made notorious by a Nazi unit that committed war crimes and guarded concentration camps during World War II. Fearing the political impact of the photo, the newspaper acknowledges that it asked the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on April 27 about the tweet. Several hours later, the post was deleted. The newspaper offers an apologetic account of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), writing that its insurgent army fought alongside the Nazis in what they viewed as a struggle for Ukrainian sovereignty. The NYT continues: Today, as a new generation fights against Russian occupation, many Ukrainians see the war as a continuation of the struggle for independence during and immediately after World War II. The New York Times, it should be recalled, launched the 1619 Project to discredit the American Revolution, the Civil War and its leaders. It has encouraged the tearing down of statues that honor the memory of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant. But it pleads for a tolerant stance toward the prevalence of Nazi ideology in Ukraine, writing that it is difficult to easily separate, on the basis of icons alone, the Ukrainians enraged by the Russian invasion from those who support the countrys far-right groups. The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) has received a further intake of write-ins from postal workers in Delivery and at Mail Centres around the UK. There is widespread anger over the last-minute decision to pull the ballot of 115,000 postal workers for a second time over the sellout deal signed with Royal Mail a month ago by Communication Workers Union (CWU) leaders Dave Ward and Andy Furey. A Royal Mail building in England [Photo: WSWS] Accounts sent in show the shared experience of postal workers is crippling workloads and failed deliveries resulting from the cost cutting revisions rammed through. The write-ins are in response to the two latest WSWS articles exposing the CWU isolation of the walk out by Glasgow delivery workers and the undemocratic methods resorted to by the CWU Postal Executive to forestall a No vote by the membership. Ward and Furey hurried into back room talks with Royal Mail from Tuesday last week. On June 1 the CWU announced that Royal Mail had come to a set of agreed actions on a review of failed revisions. The membership has been kept in the dark over the contents of this agreement, with a joint statement to be confirmed only at a planned online meeting between CWU reps and managers across Royal Mail Group. Postal workers are encouraged to attend the next online meeting of the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee at 7 pm on June 11 to oppose the sabotage of their struggle by the CWU and develop a strategy to defeat the biggest assault in the history of Royal Mail on their pay, jobs and terms and conditions. Register here to attend. *** Caerphilly, South Wales: The deal on many counts is shocking, an absolute disgrace. Remove the white flag wavers from office now. Rochester, Kent: Fed up with greedy shareholders. Fed up with inadequate pay and fed up with being told there is no money when we are in the 6th richest country in the world. Such a sham. Fed up with the non-communication workers union being useless and not telling us whats going on more regularly. Just get the ballot done. Thanet, Kent: I bet Dave Ward and his cronies didn't lose any pay during strike action. Londonderry, Northern Ireland: Everyone afraid to voice opinions, so management can force through revisions. No one cares about the work anymore as no backing from CWU and no correspondence since Thompson announcement. Morale at all time low, workers feel Dave Ward and Andy Furey pushing this through. There will be no union if this is agreed as we will all stop paying dues. Luton, Hertfordshire: Workers need to change the union if they are not being supported by their existing one. Royal Mail is not interested in delivering letters and are cherry picking more profitable parcels. They should be stripped of their contract and the government should take over before it sinks any lower. Redcar, North Yorkshire: Ward and Fury should go and with the same pay off the workers have taken, 17,000, not the huge payout they no doubt will get. Simon Thompson may have wrecked the company, but these two have done the same to the union. Dorset: I work in Dorset area in mail centre. In our office revisions are being forced through with staff hours being cut, we are told part timers can only have up to 20 hours maximum a week. Staff working over these hours (for example 30 hours) will be compensated with a buy down paltry amount. This is being applied to some fulltime workers as well and looks as if it is staff volunteering for this, not being pressganged. Managers are enforcing this and the choice is accept it or there will be no job for you to do. So far the union stance is sign for a duty because they will not be responsible for anybody being unemployed. I am not even sure of the legal implications of these actions. Blackpool, Lancashire: I am now hearing rumours from reliable sources in my office that big packets are going to be put back on all walks on top of the extra lapsing (merger and increase of delivery spans) that we now have to do. How is any of this achievable in the time given? Hampshire: The workload is ridiculous. They have added 2 extra loops to my round. I've not been given any extra time to do them and they sure as hell ain't paying me any extra to do it. Every day i take out 2 extra bags and end up bringing 2 bags back. What's the point of it? I love my customers and I hate letting them down on a daily basis. Royal Mail is on the path to self-destruction, the USO is not being met... Somebody's head should roll. Bristol, Avon: Forcing out good loyal workers for higher paid agency workers. Where is the sense in that? Loyal staff made it Royal Mail and Parcel force. Now workers bullied. Birmingham, West Midland: Whats happening with the ballot papers for Royal Mail deals offer? Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Workloads and routes are extremely increased resulting in injuries or general wear and tear on oneself, physically and mentally! The revision does not work at all, Its all unreasonable, unmanageable and totally unhealthy... There's some unfairness too in the way of having a few people who dont have to do a rural job, why?... Everyone should be trained to do one... Very sad, to go from loving your job to not wanting to be there. West Midlands: My walk with my partner was already over the USO in the last revision. They then added another hour and half to mine and an hour to my partners. No matter what we say about 'completing' it gets pushed away and we are expected to finish. They question us why we cannot finish and someone else (who runs) can. I have also been trying to ask for something new, training in the cage with customers and specials as well as any jobs within the depo, but I was patted on the head (not literally) and ignored. While someone else got given the job that wasn't advertised, and I had been asking for weeks to go in and train. I also wasn't told or given the option to apply for a job that I now found out was never actually accepted and isn't a real job. The girl then left for a week and the job which was supposed to be removed was given back to her when she returned to the job. West Yorkshire: I've been a postman for 36 years and never have I been so angry with this union. The deal is an absolute nightmare. We've been sold down the river. Sick pay, terms and conditions, extra workload everything we've fought for over the years to improve the quality of our working lives have been destroyed by weak, corrupt union officials. I'm voting no and pulling out of this disgrace of a union. Woking, Surrey: Work at Woking Post office on delivery. The workload after a recent revision is just too much and it's rumoured they are looking to cut further. USO is still being ignored. You can't even take your rest day off or go on holiday without coming back to 2 or more days mail in the frame. You need your rest day as the job is just to physically demanding but are constantly feeling like you have to work 6 days to keep on top of your delivery. Newbury, West Berkshire: In my delivery office we are told to clear the frame, take everything out. This is so that the managers can report that the deliveries are clear. We are told if we cannot complete, we are to fail letters, packets and parcels but NOT Tracked items. They must have an attempted delivery scan. Most deliveries fail daily but this this is not reported as the managers are always gone home before we return from delivery, and they do not do a count which they are supposed to the next morning. Tracked items are priority even though it has been claimed that they arent and the report of mail clearance is never true. Leeds, West Yorkshire: Leeds mail centre. One of our Reps is definitely in cahoots with management, spending time chatting with them most days in the office, then going outside for a social smoke. Just happened to pick up a Tuesday to Saturday duty while remaining on Monday to Friday Wiltshire: Though I am not a postie, I am a CWU Member. I work in a DO Admin Office. I have seen 1st hand how our posties have been treated and it is appalling. Managers are putting revisions in place, when they clearly have not got a clue. In my 25 years at Royal Mail, I have never seen moral so low. Our amazing posties are at breaking point. The management know what they are doing is wrong, but they are ignoring the concerns of our postie and going ahead regardless. It is a complete and utter shambles. It's about time Managers grew some balls, put their heads above the parapet and were honest about the chaos in the DOs. Enfield, London: Fight to the death. The Spanish political establishment is widely discussing the possibility of current Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government becoming NATOs new secretary-general if he loses the general elections on July 23. These events confirm the warnings made by the WSWS. Sanchez has not called these snap elections to renew the PSOE-Podemos coalition government, but to hand power to the right-wing Popular Party (PP) and the fascistic Vox party, after the electoral debacle his government suffered in last months regional elections, in order to escalate the war in Ukraine. Amid mounting class struggles across Europe and growing popular opposition in Spain, he is coordinating imperialist war abroad and class war at home with the PP and Vox. Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez speaks to Spanish troops during his visit to Adazi Military base in Kadaga, Latvia, Tuesday, March. 8, 2022. [AP Photo/Roman Koksarov] The decisive issues involved are Spains participation in NATOs war against Russia in Ukraine, and how to continue repressing working class opposition to the PSOE and Podemos. Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Sanchez at his official residence in La Moncloa palace just 24 hours after he announced snap elections. This has been presented by the media as a mere coincidence, as Clinton was supposedly passing by for a conference in Barcelona. However, coverage of rumors about Sanchezs potential role in NATO became so intense that Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares had to refute the rumors at a NATO press conference in Oslo. He tried to maintain the pretense that Sanchez is still genuinely campaigning to win, saying: I see Pedro Sanchez as the next Prime Minister for Spain in the next four years. It is clear, moreover, that Sanchezs NATO ambitions are being closely discussed with the right. According to sources of the right-wing daily El Espanol, PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Sanchezs nominal electoral rival in the July elections, supports his candidature as NATO Secretary General. A PP-Vox government, El Espanol wrote, could push for its predecessor to occupy one of the most important positions in the international arena. These reports emerged last Thursday, when the newspaper 20 Minutos reported that the NATO alliance will wait for the results of Spanish elections to name the successor to incumbent NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, scheduled to end his term in late September. Last May, Stoltenberg said he had no plans to remain as the head of the US-led military alliance. According to 20 Minutos, NATO will wait for the result of the general elections in Spain, called by Sanchez on July 23, to choose Stoltenbergs successor. That name was expected to be announced at the next NATO summit, to be held in Vilnius (Lithuania) on July 11-12, but in the Belgian capital there is already talk that the process is very green and will be postponed until after the summer. The paper added, This delay will allow us to know the availability of Sanchez for the position, that is, if he has won the elections of 23 July and continues to be Prime Minister of the Spanish government or if, on the contrary, he leaves Moncloa, leading to the intensification of diplomatic contacts for him to run for this position of great international importance. NATOs foreign ministers met last week in Oslo to prepare for the Vilnius Summit. The meeting, however, concluded with no news on which new general secretary would replace Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg started his mandate months after the European Union and Washington toppled the pro-Russian regime in the Ukraine in a far-right led coup in 2014. His time in office has largely been occupied by goading Russia into attacking Ukraine and, once this happened in February 2022, escalating the shipment of arms and funding to NATOs proxy force, the Ukrainian army. Ukraine is now carrying attacks deep into Russian soil. In the Far East, NATO has opened an office in Japan in preparations for a war against China. The article of 20 Minutos sparked a huge media coverage. Right-wing media aligned with Sanchezs nominal rivals in the PP and Vox hailed the news. Antena 3 Noticias reported that up to three sources within NATO had confirmed that Pedro Sanchezs profile is really liked and some months ago his candidature was heard with interest in some offices of [NATO] Headquarters in Brussels. El Espanol ran an article citing support for Sanchezs candidature among Spanish big business circles. Talk of Sanchezs plans to pack his bags to go to Brussels in close coordination with Washington and the PP, confirms that these elections amount to a political conspiracy involving all the main parties of the Spanish political establishment, from Vox to Podemos, against the Spanish people. Sanchez is not even attempting to give a semblance that he is standing to win. Rather, he is moving aggressively to help the Spanish political establishment escalate the NATO war with Russia. Last week, he attended the anti-Russia EU forum in Moldova, 20 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. While neo-fascist Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni gave a press interview making clear her thinly veiled support for Vox in Spain, Sanchez did not even bother to refute her. He did have time, however, for a 20-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, at Zelenskys request. On Friday, the PSOE-Podemos government made an official request to the President of the European Parliament to delay the appearance of Sanchez before the EU parliament to present the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2023. The intervention was scheduled for July 13, ten days before the elections. Sanchez is thus refusing to use this important platform in Europe as an opportunity to strengthen his electoral campaign. In the meantime, the politically spineless and reactionary Podemos party is, like Sanchez, already making preparations to lose. Writing an opinion piece in the Catalan daily Ara under the title, You to NATO and I to Moncloa, former Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias said that if the electoral forecasts showing a PP-Vox victory are right, it is important for Podemos and its split-off Sumar to justly and reasonably resolve its hunger games of the [political] left so that the democrats will be the least weak possible in the next parliament. In other words, after the PSOE-Podemos imposed the most urgently necessary attacks on the working class, the PP and fascistic Vox party can rule, while Podemos lawmakers will continue to suppress opposition to the PP and Vox. Its campaign will aim to maintain some sort of opposition in parliament in order to fulfill this role. The elections unfold after three years of a PSOE-Podemos government that has implemented savage austerity, in the form of pension cuts and labour reforms slashing workers legal protections. In addition, it passed the largest military spending increase in Spanish history, to over 27 billion per year; and the deployment of tens of thousands of police to break strikes by metalworkers and truck drivers and impose strike-breaking minimum services laws on aircrew and health workers. The policies enforced by Podemos, in partnership with the trade union bureaucracy, have meant that 26 percent of the population lives in risk of poverty; 4.2 million people live on less than 560 euros a month. The Dresden Higher Regional Court has sentenced 28-year-old Lina E. to five years and three months and three other defendants to around three years each in prison. The court determined that the four had formed a criminal organization that targeted, attacked and injured neo-Nazis. Investigations of another 15 suspects are ongoing. The court suspended Lina E.s arrest warrant, albeit with strict reporting requirements, because she had already spent two and a half years in pre-trial detention. However, she will have to serve at least one more year in prison if the verdict becomes final. The trial against Lina E. and the draconian sentences are politically motivated and serve, in more ways than one, political purposes. The verdict itself is based on questionable circumstantial evidence, conjecture and the testimony of a dubious key witness. Despite 98 days of hearings, the court failed to produce clear evidence of the acts that led to the defendants convictions. In only one casethe attack on neo-Nazi Leon R. in the city of Eisenach in December 2019was it able to prove an indirect link between Lina E., who was arrested shortly thereafter, and a specific act. The Federal Public Prosecutors Office, which is responsible for crimes against state security (prosecutions are otherwise the responsibility of the federal states), immediately seized upon the case and deliberately inflated it. It had Lina E. flown to the arresting judge in a helicopter like a terrorist, ensured that she remained in pre-trial detention for two and a half years, labeled her a ringleader and demanded a prison sentence of eight years. The Federal Prosecutors Office knew only one direction, as a commentary in the taz newspaper put it: Whenever a woman was at the scene of the crime, it was supposedly Lina E. Whenever there was circumstantial evidence, it was interpreted against the defendants. Authorities even kept for themselves an alibi of one of the defendants, which was lying dormant in the files of the Federal Prosecutors Office, either accidentally or deliberately. In any case, it was the defense that had to dig it out. The special police commission Soko Linx, which was founded in November 2019 by the Saxon State Criminal Police Office to combat left-wing extremism, was, as we reported in an earlier article, a sort of joint venture between Saxon police and the far-right scene. Details from the investigation files, including the unredacted names of suspected anti-fascists, were repeatedly leaked to the public via the far-right Compact magazine and Focus Online. The investigations and research, we wrote, increasingly paint the picture of a police force that is not only close to right-wing extremist elements, but rather itself operates as part of a right-wing extremist network. It appears to be systematically leaking information to right-wing extremists and closely collaborating with them. The long prison sentences for Lina E. and her co-defendants stand in stark contrast to the judiciarys leniency toward violent far-right extremists. For example, Andre Eminger was sentenced to only two and a half years in the National Socialist Underground (NSU) trial in Munich, even though he had supported and accompanied Uwe Bohnhardt, Uwe Mundlos and Beate Zschape, who committed at least ten racist murders, for 14 years. He left the courtroom a free man. Two neo-Nazis who in 2018 attacked and seriously injured two photojournalists in Fretterode in the state of Thuringia, got off with a suspended sentence and some community service hours. Judge Andrea Kortus of the Muhlhausen Regional Court justified the lenient sentence by saying that the defendants had mistaken the photojournalists for Antifa (anti-fascist) activists. In the courts opinion, it is apparently legitimate to act against left-wing activists and to attack them in the most brutal way, we commented on the verdict. The converse, as the Dresden courts verdict against Lina E. shows, is not the case. From the start the trial against Lina E. and her co-defendants, the state pursued the goal of denouncing and criminalizing any opposition to the far right as left-wing extremism. The fact that the far right is promoted and covered up by the state and, when exposed, handled with kid gloves, has been well known at latest since the exposure of the NSU and the Hannibal Network in the security forces. The extent of far-right violence in Germany is enormous. The Antonio Amadeu Foundation has counted 219 deaths at the hands of far-right perpetrators since 1990. The Federal Criminal Police Office reported 1170 violent right-wing crimes last year, 12 percent more than the previous year. Nearly 600 right-wing extremists with outstanding arrest warrants are reportedly untraceable. The state of Saxony has long been a stronghold of the far right who enjoy close ties to the highest levels of state and government. There are entire regions terrorized by the far right. In Chemnitz, Saxony, the NSU was able to prepare its murderous attacks undisturbed for years, surrounded by a supportive scene teeming with state informants. The National Democratic Party (NPD) held seats in Saxonys state parliament for ten years, and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is now the second strongest party there. In 2018, Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (Christian Democrats, CDU) defended a far-right march in Chemnitzas did the president of the secret service (Verfassungschutz) Hans-Georg Maassen; but while Maassen was forced out, Kretschmer remained in office. The trial of Lina E. was intended to distract from this far-right conspiracy and criminalize opposition to it. The claim that he honored anti-fascist commitment, that it was merely a matter of prosecuting serious crimes, with which Judge Hans Schluter-Staats opened his nearly nine-hour justification of the verdict, is simply false. The state prosecutes not only organizations that use violence as left-wing extremist, but also those that fight with political means, such as the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP, the Socialist Equality Party in Germany). In a brief from the Interior Ministry justifying the surveillance of the SGP by the Verfassungsschutz, the SGP is accused of being left-wing extremist because it fights for a democratic, egalitarian, socialist society, agitates against alleged imperialism and militarism and thinks in class categories. As soon as the verdict against Lina E. was pronounced, a chorus of voices called for tougher action against left-wing extremists. We are experiencing a growing radicalization and acceptance of the most brutal violence among left-wing extremists, claimed the state of Thuringias Verfassungschutz president, Stephan Kramer. The violence, according to him, is directed at political opponents as well as representatives of the state. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (Social Democrats, SPD) claimed that authorities were cracking down on the dangers of right-wing extremism, and that in the coming days they would also keep a close eye on the far-left scene. Verfassungsschutz President Thomas Haldenwang warned that the moment was approaching when one must also speak of left-wing terrorism. Saxonys Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) announced investigations into the left-wing extremist scene: We will continue to investigate, further uncover the network and are confident that we will be able to bring more criminals to justice. The security policy spokesman for the AfD in the Saxon state parliament, Carsten Hutter, said the sentence against Lina E. was too lenient and that the judiciary in this case had failed. Demonstrations against the draconian verdict were banned on the grounds that they could turn violent. In Leipzig, where a large demonstration was planned for Saturday, the Federal Constitutional Court, Germanys highest court, upheld the ban. Three thousand riot police were mobilized to suppress any protest. When more than 1,000 people then demonstratedlegallyagainst the ban, the police surrounded them and held them until early Sunday morning. President Emmanuel Macrons government has begun examining the Military Programming Law (LPM) for 20242030 in the National Assembly. The bill would raise military spending to 413 billion over these years, or 40 percent more than the last LPM for 20192025. Debates on the LPM are to finish with a formal vote on the bill tomorrow. 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] The LPM is an illegitimate law, imposed by the political establishment against the will of the people, as the LPM is financed by the pension cut Macron has imposed on the French people without a vote and against overwhelming popular opposition. The LPM exposes the argument that the pension cuts, which eliminate 13 billion in yearly pension spending, are necessary to save the financing of pensions. In fact, there is plenty of money for pensions. The ruling just wants to spend it on war, not on retirees. Macron is impoverishing the French people and trampling democracy underfoot in order to slash social spending and direct funds towards building the European war economy he has called for amid the NATO war with Russia. Indeed, the 17.7 billion increase in yearly defense spending is largely financed by the 13 billion per year now being cut from pensions. French militarism depends on the tacit but very real support of the union bureaucracies and their pseudo-left political allies, who since the last mass protests against Macrons cuts on May Day have postponed action for a month, until tomorrow. The choice of this date also helped Macron avoid a debate on the budgetary priorities and the policy of military escalation that he is imposing on the French people. Indeed, no nationwide protest against Macron was held until the Assembly had debated the bill and moved to vote on it. The LPM vindicates the call of the Parti de legalite socialiste (PES) to bring down Macron via a general strike. According to polls, two-thirds of the French people want to block the economy via a strike in order to stop Macrons cutsand, thus, the financing of the LPM. The struggle to bring down Macron is thus also a struggle against the military escalation that has already produced a NATO-Russia war in Ukraine and threatens to explode across all of Europe. The LPM sets in place a highly aggressive rearmament policy for the French military. It includes massive spending on cyberwarfare, updating military equipment and modernizing Frances nuclear arsenal. As parliamentary debate on the LPM began, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the law is a sign of the return to harder competition between the great powers, against a backdrop of nuclear proliferation. General Jerome Pellistrandi, the editor of the Revue Defense Nationale, commented on the bill: It is a significant budgetary effort. It will be useful. It comes amid a double context. There is an extremely fragile geopolitical situation, Frances need to pursue and in fact restart an effort on defense, but also a domestic political situation where the French are being asked to make major efforts to finance their own defense. There is a feeling that these 413 billion euros must be very well spent. The military budget, which was already at 43.9 billion in 2023, will rapidly rise to reach 2 percent of Frances GDP. Military spending will rise 3 billion per year until 2027, then 4 billion per year starting in 2028. It would reach 69 billion in 2030, compared to only 32 billion in 2017. The LPM would give the navy a new generation of nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines, whose construction is to begin in 2035, and a new aircraft carrier to replace the Charles de Gaulle. Its construction will begin in Saint Nazaire and demand 5 billion. The air force will obtain a new generation of fighter jets, either the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) or the Rafale 4. The law also sets aside 5 billion for drones, 13 billion for overseas interventions, 10 billion for space and cyber warfare and 5 billion for intelligence operations. It also mandates 49 billion for equipment stocks and 16 billion to increase Frances supply of ammunition. The single largest item of defense spending, with 13 percent of the total budget, is the strengthening of Frances nuclear arsenal. It foresees both the modernization of Frances nuclear missile submarines with M51 missiles and also the modernization of nuclear missiles fired from French Rafale jets. For over a half century, the French bourgeoisie has claimed that it was defending France via a policy of deterring attacks by holding nuclear weapons. It argued that no one would dare attack France, which has a nuclear arsenal large enough to destroy most of even the largest countries. Launched by President Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s, this deterrence strategy was aimed to guarantee Frances national independence. All these calculations are collapsing as Washington and NATO wage war on Russia in Ukraine, as a Third World War has in practice already begun. Indeed, this war shows that the simple possession of nuclear arms does not suffice to prevent direct attacks on a countrys territory, or on what its government considers to be its fundamental national security interests. NATO supported a coup in Ukraine in 2014 to install a pro-NATO, anti-Russian regime in Kiev, provoking a civil war and the secession of several Russian-speaking regions of the country. NATO then began arming its puppet regime in Kiev, which built up vast armed forces, heavily armed by NATO, near its borders with Russia. NATO implemented this policy even though Moscow, which has a massive nuclear arsenal, stressed that it saw this policy as an intolerable threat to Russia. Finally, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine, Washington and its European allies not only armed Ukraine but applauded invasions of Russian territory by their neo-Nazi Ukrainian proxies. Thus the possession of nuclear arms by Russia has in no way deterred NATO from aggressively waging war on it. To claim that today one can guarantee French workers security by holding nuclear weapons is to deceive oneself or to try to deceive others. The greatest danger, indeed, is that the mounting NATO-Russia war in Ukraine threatens to lead the warring governments to utilise the vast stocks of nuclear weapons that they hold. The urgent need in this situation is to build an international, anti-war movement in the working class to stop the war escalation and prevent the use of nuclear weapons. Defending the security and the living standards of the workers requires an international political mobilization of the working class. Indeed, no faction of the political establishment is opposing Macrons policies of austerity and militarism. The union bureaucracies and their political allies like Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France party all remained silent on the LPM or refused to campaign against it. These forces have no perspective to offer to the struggle against Macrons pension cuts. Indeed, they do not oppose the militaristic policy that Macron needs the pension cuts in order to pursue. To defend pensions and stop the war escalation, workers will have to organize independently of the bureaucracies negotiating with Macron. This requires the building of rank-and-file committees of action by workers and youth and the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees, together with an international anti-war movement to stop war policies like the LPM in France. Relatives mourn near new graves of Ukrainian soldiers killed in battles with Russian troops as national and military units flags wave in a military cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine, Sunday, April 23, 2023. [AP Photo/Mykola Tys] Ahead of what is promised to be a major new offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky told the Wall Street Journal Sunday that a large number of [Ukrainian] soldiers will die in the coming offensive . Hinting at the disastrous human cost of attacking entrenched Russian forces, Zelensky said, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we are going to do it, and we are ready. As the Journal recounted the exchange, Zelensky acknowledged Russian air superiority on the front lines and said a lack of protection from Russian air power means a large number of soldiers will die in the counteroffensive. Typically, troops on the offensive suffer disproportionate casualties to those fighting defensive battles. Zelensky, speaking for his backers and financiers in Washington and the other imperialist capitals, is making it clear that there will be no limit to the number of Ukrainian lives expended to achieve the goal of reconquering Crimea and the Donbas. These comments come as details are emerging about the extent of direct US/NATO involvement in the coming offensive. In an article headlined, NATO-trained units will serve as tip of spear in Ukraines counteroffensive, the Washington Post notes When Ukraines long-awaited counteroffensive finally begins, the fight will be led by brigades armed not only with Western weapons but also Western know-how, gleaned from months of training aimed at transforming Ukraines military into a modern force skilled in NATOs most advanced warfare tactics. It continued, The counteroffensive will be the biggest test yet of the U.S.-led strategy of giving the Ukrainians weapons and training to fight like an American army mightbut on their own. The United States has been training thousands of Ukrainian forces in armored warfare at its base in Bavaria, Germany, carrying out exercises with NATO armored vehicles. The tanks and their crews left Germany and entered Ukraine through Poland, after which they will be thrown against the Russian front. In April, leaked documents revealed that three quarters of the forces being set aside for the new offensive are being trained and armed by the United States. One of the documents declares that 12 combat credible [brigades] can be generated for the spring Counteroffensive: 3 internationally by Ukraine, and 9 are US, Allied & Partner trained and equipped. These comments come amid a major escalation of the war. For close to a week, towns in Russias Belgorod region have been under daily shelling. Over the weekend, two people were killed in the Belgorod region, while some 4,000 people have been evacuated, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Sunday. Overnight, it was quite restless, Gladkov said on Telegram, adding that the Shebekino and Volokonovsky areas had seen a lot of damage. At least 850 mortar shells had been fired into the region over the past week, he said, and a drone strike had started a fire on an energy infrastructure site. Images and video posted to Telegram showed burning buildings, looted stores, and even scenes of house-to-house fighting in the region. On Sunday, yet another group of Ukrainian-backed Russian irregulars carried out a raid into Belgorod, seizing territory and capturing two Russian soldiers. Gladkov reported the presence of far-right ethnic Russian militia operating in Novaya Tavolzhanka, saying, Battles are ongoing right now. Gladkov reported that he intended to meet the combat groups to try to negotiate an exchange of prisoners. On Saturday, the Washington Post confirmed that the far-right militia soldiers who had crossed over into Ukraine from the Belgorod region were in fact using American military equipment, despite previous denials by the US media. The Post reported, The Russian fighters aligned against Moscow who launched a cross-border raid from Ukraine into the Belgorod region of Russia last week used at least four tactical vehicles originally given to Ukraine by the United States and Poland, U.S. officials said. It continued, Three of the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, also known as MRAPs, taken into Russia by the fighters were provided by the United States and the fourth was from Poland, according to people familiar with the U.S. intelligence finding, which has not previously been reported. Those people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue. In an ominous development, members of the so-called Polish Volunteer Corps of Polish citizens fighting on the side of Ukraine claimed to have crossed into Russian territory as part of a raid. Late Sunday, Russian officials said Ukraine had launched a major offensive against Russian forces in the region of Donetsk. Russia claimed to have killed hundreds of Ukrainian troops. They also claimed that Ukraine had attacked with six mechanized and two tank battalions in southern Donetsk. Meanwhile, calls within the US and NATO are growing louder for Ukraines admission to NATO, which would have the effect of massively expanding NATO involvement in the conflict. Last week, Colonel Alexander S. Vindman, who had been an early advocate of sending US tanks and F-16s to Ukraine, endorsed an article in Foreign Affairs headlined, To Protect Europe, Let Ukraine Join NATORight Now, by former Ukrainian defense minister Andriy P. Zagorodnyuk. The article calls for steps to be taken to admit Ukraine to the alliance at next months NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. He declared, By entering the alliance, the country will secure its future as part of the West, and it can be sure the United States and Europe will continue to help it fight against Moscow. Europe, too, will reap security benefits by allowing Ukraine to join the alliance. It is now apparent that the continent is not ready to defend itself and that its politicians have largely overestimated its security. Indeed, Europe will never be secure from Russia until it can militarily stop Moscows attacks. And no state is more qualified to do so than Ukraine. The entry of Ukraine into NATO right now would mean the invocation of NATO Article 5, effectively meaning a declaration of war against Russia by the NATO powers. In April, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg declared, Ukraines rightful place is in NATO, adding, All NATO Allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a member. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said he supports a path for Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance. The coming together of these developments makes clear the extent to which the Ukraine war, deliberately inflamed and escalated by the NATO powers, is spiraling out of control, threatening devastating consequences for the entire world. More than four months after the fascist storming of the seats of political power in Brasilia by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro, the Brazilian Congress has begun a Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) into the Acts of January 8, 2023. The presentation of the agenda for the six-month investigation, which was scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed until next week. Pro-Bolsonaro demonstrators invade Brazilian government buildings. [Photo: Marcelo Camargo/Agencia Brasil] The events that this Commission of Inquiry are to investigate represent the biggest shock to Brazils civilian regime since it was established in 1985-88, after 21 years of military dictatorship. The attempted coup of January 8, which was unquestionably prepared at the highest echelons of the state and the armed forces, revealed that sections of the Brazilian ruling class are determined to dispense with any democratic facade and reestablish dictatorship as their means of exercising political power. As the World Socialist Web Site wrote in January, the attack in Brasilia represented both the culmination of the offensive by Bolsonaro and his civilian and military allies to promote a coup to overturn the election, and the first episode in a new political stage of the developing fascist movement in Brazil. The response of the Brazilian establishment in the following months, particularly that of the Workers Party (PT) government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has demonstrated that there exists no faction of the bourgeoisie that is able or willing to respond to the growing fascist threat. The conditions in which the parliamentary investigation into the coup attempt is being held only confirm this elementary truth. The long delay in convening the Commission of Inquiry is the result of the PT governments determination to prevent a public investigation into the conspiracy that, in the words of the president himself, came close to toppling him from power so that some general could take over the government. After working to dissuade congressmen from the PT itself from convening an inquiry, the Lula government entered into frantic negotiations with its far-right allied parties, such as Uniao Brasil, to block the CPMI. In February, the government leader in Congress, Randolfe Rodrigues, declared that they were working to disarm this CPMI, which he said was led by the opposition in order to obstruct the ongoing investigations [into the] responsibility of those who committed the terrorist acts of January 8, 2023. The government was forced to invest heavilywith an ample distribution of public offices and funds, according to media reportsto get its allied parties to withdraw support for a proposal that it effectively characterized as sabotage of ongoing investigations into the coup attempt. This very fact reveals the fragile foundations upon which the PTs power rests. While the PT fought to limit investigations exclusively to the secret operations of the Federal Police and the Supreme Court (STF), the fascistic opposition led by Bolsonaros Liberal Party (PL) doggedly sought the opening of the public inquiry into the coup that it itself had planned. The PL and its allies aim to use the CPMI to create a platform to wave the political banners of the January 8 coup, while spreading the lie that the PT was the real architect of the invasion of government buildings, having purposefully undermined security and infiltrated agents responsible for acts of vandalism. This false narrative by Bolsonaros supporters gained momentum after the leak in mid-April of security camera footage showing Lulas Institutional Security Cabinet minister, Gen. Goncalves Dias, walking among the protesters occupying the Planalto presidential palace. In response, the government fired Goncalves Dias and agreed to set up the Commission of Inquiry to reaffirm, according to Randolfe, that we were not the executioners of January 8, we are the victims. Even after having agreed to the inquiry, the Lula government is openly seeking to derail the work of the investigation. On the eve of its installation, Randolfe and the leader of the PT caucus, Zeca Dirceu, had dinner with the president of the commission, Arthur Maia, of Uniao Brasil. According to Veja magazine, they demanded from Maia responsibility in dealing with the military. A participant interviewed by the magazine summarized the contents of the discussion: The government recognizes that the relationship with the Armed Forces is not good and that it is not possible to stretch the rope, put the military against the wall, and throw the CPMI over them. The discussion reported by Veja is entirely consistent with the attitude and objectives openly pursued by the PT. On the opening day of the CPMI, May 25, Zeca Dirceu declared to CNN that this investigation actually should not even exist. According to the PT leader, the political class should be dealing with hunger, job creation, education, health care, and most importantly, approving a new sustainable fiscal regime. In other words, as it seeks the unity of the Brazilian bourgeoisie to confront a working class increasingly impatient with the decline in its social conditions, the PT cannot allow the public agenda to be lost in exposing and fighting a fascist conspiracy within the state. In particular, the PT wishes to prevent at any cost the exposure of the military high commands engagement in systematic attacks on the legitimacy of the electoral process; its official support for a popular mobilization to overthrow the elected government; and its conspiratorial discussions, reported by various sources, of a possible uprising to consolidate a coup. As it refuses to disarm the civilian and military forces acting to overthrow democracy, the PT seeks to buy their favors. In a revealing interview, Navy Commander Marcos Olsen, sworn in last month, declared: I find it absolutely justifiable, in light of all that has occurred, that the president [Lula] has his reservations about the military in an ideological political context.... But, since the first conversation I had with him, he has always been concerned about assuring investments for the Force. Despite Lulas attempts to cover up the tensions between his government and the military by showering it with increasing state resources, his government cannot buy its way out of these contradictions. American imperialism, which conspired alongside the Brazilian military to overthrow the elected government of Joao Goulart in 1964, remains a key player in this process. Seeking to secure its strategic interests in Latin America, permeated by its growing war campaign against Russia and China, Washington is again establishing independent and extra-constitutional relations with the Brazilian military. This alarming fact was made explicit by the leaked Pentagon documents, which revealed that Brazilian Navy officials maintained contacts with the US government, seeking to shift the Lula administrations foreign policy towards a closer alignment with Washington. Recently, the daily Estado de Sao Paulo reported that the Brazilian Army organized a major international seminar with the US and NATO countries, from which it deliberately excluded Russia and China without consulting the government. According to the newspaper, along with a recent episode in which the Ukrainian government requested the purchase of Brazilian armored vehicles directly from the Ministry of Defense, the seminar was seen among Lulas officials as an example of how military diplomacy clashed with that of the government. The cowardly strategy of the PT government, unconditionally supported by the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) and other pseudo-left groups, can only pave a more certain path to a successful fascist coup in the future. It must be confronted by an intransigent campaign to prepare the working class to disarm the bourgeois state and take political power into its own hands. Aurora Chang, an activist who spoke on Sunday about Taiwanese and Ukrainian solidary, said the memorial was an important time to express support for different causes united in their fight against authoritarianism. "Events like these are so important because with historical memory, you have to preserve it or your victims won't get justice and your perpetrators or colonizers will not be held accountable for their crimes," she said. The event was held on the grounds of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a monument to Taiwan's former authoritarian leader. It has become a staging ground for protests and human rights events since Taiwan's transition to democracy. While the event was focused on remembering the Tiananmen Square massacre, it included booths for other political causes from Tibet to Hong Kong and Taiwanese civil society groups. Known simply as "June 4th" to Chinese speakers, the day inspires memorials and events around the world to slain Chinese democracy activists, but Taipei's vigil has taken on new meaning as the only place in the Chinese-speaking world that openly holds a memorial. With a human rights film festival, candlelight display, and passionate speeches, Taiwans capital, Taipei, on Sunday marked 34 years since Chinese soldiers fired on peaceful protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square -- bringing an end to China's largest protest movement in a generation. The memorial was nearly overshadowed on Sunday afternoon by heavy rains and a brewing political storm over several sexual harassment allegations levelled this week against members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and exiled Tiananmen Square leader Wang Dan. Wang denied the accusations on Facebook on Friday about an event that allegedly took place in 2014 between himself and a political party worker. The scandal, however, and the unpredictable weather did not dim the turnout on Sunday which drew hundreds of people over several hours. Among them was Gino Lopez, a Philippine undergraduate student studying in Taiwan. Lopez brought a poster expressing solidarity between Taiwan and the Philippines and their similar fights against martial law in the 1980s. "It's nice to see a very inclusive event that it's not just about Tiananmen but about almost every democratic movement in China," he said. "We have Tibet, we have Hong Kong, and we have Taiwanese ones as well, showing solidary. It speaks to how intersectional [it is] and how this event is not just about commemorating the massacre but it's a symbol of unity." Taipei takes the reigns from Hong Kong, a former British colony that for 30 years held the world's largest annual Tiananmen Square vigil until political unrest hit the city in 2019 leading to a widespread political crackdown. At its height in 2019, the Hong Kong vigil drew a record 180,000 people as the city simmered with political grievances, but no official commemoration has been approved since then due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings and later the impact of national security legislation. In 2021, the Hong Kong umbrella group that organized the vigil disbanded, citing a changing political landscape while its leaders have also been charged with subversion and sedition for their role in a 2019 democracy protest. No other organization has stepped in to replace them. Last year, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong also ended its annual Mass commemorating the protests -- held since 1989 and one of the last public vigils in Hong Kong -- for similar reasons. The Taipei vigil organizers, the New School for Democracy, said they hoped to express solidarity with both Hong Kong and Chinese dissidents on Sunday. "It's clear that Hong Kong lacks the space to commemorate the June 4th incident, not to mention engage in political expression," said an organizer who asked to be identified by her nickname Wonka. "As Taiwanese, we can't help but imagine such a situation. We, as Taiwanese, will strive to preserve these spaces and continue holding such events." Separately on Sunday, Vice President William Lai said the "memory of June 4th should not be erased, and the brutal history of blood repression should not be forgotten," in a statement on Facebook. "In the torrent of history, we must continue to discuss and communicate June 4th and strive to remember history in various ways, while reminding ourselves that democracy and freedom are not easy to come by," he added. Workers on strike at the Clarios auto battery plant in Holland, Ohio are calling for solidarity action from GM, Ford and Stellantis workers who face their own contract battle this September. In this video, both Clarios workers and Jeep workers at the nearby Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex call for a UAW ban on the handling of scab batteries being manufactured and shipped from the strikebound factory and other Clarios facilities. To contact the Clarios Workers Rank-and-File Committee, email clarios.rfc@gmail.com or text 419-491-7478. To sign up for text updates from the Autoworkers Rank-and-File Network or to discuss forming a rank-and-file strike solidarity committee at your factory or workplace, text AUTO to (866) 847-1086. You can also fill out the form below. Clarios strikers and Toledo Jeep workers call for UAW ban on scab batteries Hyundai and affiliate Kia's combined sales in the U.S. rose on-year for the 10th consecutive month in May. The two carmakers sold some 147,000 cars in the U.S. last month, up around 21 percent compared to a year earlier, Hyundai said on Friday. Hyundai's sales rose 18.4 percent and Kia's 23.4 percent. The increase was largely driven by recreational vehicles including SUVs and eco-friendly cars such as electric vehicles. The two carmakers' combined sales of RVs accounted for 71.9 percent of their total vehicle sales there, up 22.1 percent on-year. The proportion of eco-friendly cars hit an all-time high at 17.8 percent, up 69 percent on-year. Chinese astronauts return to Earth with fruitful experimental results 08:14, June 05, 2023 By Shen Feng, Zhang Dan and Quan Xiaoshu ( Xinhua JIUQUAN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese astronauts on board the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship returned to Earth safely on Sunday, after completing their six-month space station mission. Shenzhou-15's return capsule, carrying astronauts Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 6:33 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship touches down safely at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) The astronauts were in good shape, and the Shenzhou-15 manned mission was a success, the agency announced. The astronauts were carried out by ground workers and placed on chairs in front of the capsule. Astronaut Fei Junlong is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/He Shuchen) "We have completed all the scheduled tasks and felt good after returning to the motherland," said Fei, the mission commander, who had also participated in the country's second crewed space mission, Shenzhou-6, in October 2005. Deng, who finally got the chance to fly to space after 25 years of preparation, said that he is grateful for the support and encouragement of the people of the whole country. Astronaut Deng Qingming is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) "I always believe in the power of dreams and persistence. No matter how old I am, I feel so happy to be needed by the nation," he added. "I'm now very excited, and when I was on the space station, I often watched through the window, trying to find my motherland and hometown," said Zhang, one of China's second batch of astronauts. Astronaut Zhang Lu is out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) "We will adjust our bodies as soon as possible, go back into training, and be ready for space missions in the future," Zhang added. The return capsule separated from Shenzhou-15's orbiting capsule at 5:42 a.m. as per the flight procedure. Soon after the return capsule landed, the ground search team arrived at the landing site. Medical personnel confirmed that the astronauts were in good health. China launched the manned spaceship Shenzhou-15 on Nov. 29, 2022. The Shenzhou-15 crew, China's oldest mission crew in terms of average age, successfully completed four extravehicular activities (EVAs), becoming the crew to accomplish the most EVAs of all Chinese crews to date. This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on April 15, 2023 shows Shenzhou-15 taikonaut Zhang Lu waving after performing extravehicular activities outside the Wentian lab module. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) The crew lived and worked in the space station complex for 186 days and conducted a number of experiments which produced fruitful results. The crew successfully obtained three-dimensional structural images of their skin cells with the country's self-developed two-photon microscope. This achievement, the first of its kind worldwide, marked the success of the in-orbit verification experiments of the two-photon microscope, providing a promising tool for future health monitoring of astronauts in orbit. China also successfully performed the first in-orbit ignition test in the Mengtian space lab module's combustion cabinet during the Shenzhou-15 mission. The test verified the functions of the combustion science experimental system of the space station and the accuracy and scientificity of the overall experimental process. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the operation of the country's Stirling thermoelectric convertor realized its in-orbit verification. The heat-to-electricity convertor showed an internationally advanced conversion efficiency during its smooth operation, according to the CMSA. China also completed in-orbit experiments on liquid metal thermal management on its space station for the first time ever during the Shenzhou-15 mission. These experiments verified a series of key technologies concerning bismuth-based metal in microgravity, such as controlled melting, expansion and convection heat transfer. As of May 29, they had conducted eight human factors engineering research activities, 28 space medical experiments and 38 space science experiments covering life ecology, material science and fluid mechanics, and obtained valuable experimental data. The crew also moved cargo outboard several times and installed several items of equipment, including extravehicular extended pump sets, cross-module cables, and supporting devices for the extravehicular payload platform, laying a foundation for carrying out subsequent large-scale science and technology experiments outside the space station, according to the CMSA. The crew witnessed the completion of the country's space station construction. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the visiting Hungarian Defence Minister, on Monday discussed bilateral cooperation, strategic partnership and Georgias Euro-Atlantic integration, Azernews reports, citing Agenda. The Government Administration said the meeting in the PMs Tbilisi office also reviewed defence cooperation between the states. The Hungarian official expressed his Governments support for Georgias sovereignty, territorial integrity and its Euro-Atlantic aspirations, the press office added. The South Korean military continues to search for debris of a North Korean rocket that crashed into the West Sea last week. A piece of the fuselage is stuck in the mud 75 m beneath the surface, and currents are strong while visibility is poor. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military sent deep-sea divers into waters 200 km west of Eocheong Island off Gunsan, North Jeolla Province on Sunday to salvage the piece, which is about 15 m long and 2-3 m in diameter. Salvage efforts had to be abandoned when the tide rose, and the JCS officer decided to resume operations Monday. Reuters Ukraine has begun a series of attacks against Russian forces working to hold ground in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials, in a possible sign that Ukraines long-awaited counteroffensive has finally begun in earnest. On Monday, Russias Ministry of Defense announced that it thwarted a large-scale offensive in South Donetsk direction on five fronts in the region over the weekend. Ukrainian military officials said on Monday that troops were moving forward towards Bakhmut, which Russian and Ukrainian forces have been fighting over for months, the BBC reported. And now, Ukrainian forces are stepping up their artillery strikes and ground assaults, according to U.S. officials who spoke with The New York Times. The flurry of developments could be an indication that Ukraines rumored counteroffensive push is currently underway. The attacks come as Russia has failed to make major gains in 2023, more than a year into the war on Ukraine. Putin Grooms Russians for Defeat in Leaked Crisis Manual Determining what constitutes Ukraines counteroffensive has been complicated in recent months, given Ukraines interests in maintaining an element of surprise in staging its attacks. Hanna Malyar, Ukraines Deputy Minister for Defense, has suggested that the counteroffensive might come in several pushes as opposed to one major assault on the battlefield. Ukrainian officials have been hinting that the counteroffensive is coming, though. We strongly believe that we will succeed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview last week with The Wall Street Journal. The road ahead is not necessarily going to be without challenges, Zelensky acknowledged, adding that if Russia is not stopped it will likely continue its territorial conquest. A large number of soldiers will die since Russias air power is superior, Zelensky said. The Kremlin, for its part, has been working to temper expectations for the war in Ukraine. A manual the Kremlin reportedly distributed to Russian propagandists suggests that Moscow has not underestimated Ukraines counteroffensive, and has already outlined a propaganda strategy to shape the narrative within Russia in case Kyiv successfully carries out its attack plans. Story continues The Russians have been preparing for a formidable Ukrainian counteroffensive in other ways for months. Satellite imagery analysis shared with The Daily Beast in January showed Russian defensive preparations for a Ukrainian counteroffensive, revealing the Kremlin's increasing fear about losing the territory it has stolen during the war. 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. "The Roundup: No Way Out," starring Ma Dong-seok, reached the 4-million-viewer mark on Sunday, just four days after its release on May 31. It became the most successful Korean film so far this year, already surpassing "The Point Men," which drew 1.72 million moviegoers in January. In Sunday's '90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days', Amanda felt "guilt" about her feelings for the Romanian actor, and her family feared she was "trying to cover up grief" of losing her husband to cancer TLC Amanda, Razvan Amanda broke down over the complicated emotions she has about meeting someone new so soon after her husbands death on Sunday nights episode of 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days. Amandas husband Jason died of cancer. The couple had two young children together, a son and a daughter. After Jasons death, Amanda, 31, began a long-distance relationship with 26-year-old Romanian TikTok stripper Razvan. When Jason was sick, he had told me he wanted me to find love again and move on. He was like, Its not fair for you to live your life alone, Amanda explained. I told [Razvan] early on that I was a widow and he truly has been someone that I can lean on." However, Amanda acknowledged: "I do feel some guilt being with [him] so soon after my husbands death. I know that he could never replace Jason, but weve started to form this really deep connection. TLC Razvan In Sunday nights episode, Amanda prepared to travel to Romania so the couple could meet in person for the first time. She and her sister, Amber, went to get a tanning treatment and Amber expressed concern about their relationship moving so quickly while shes still grieving. I think Amanda plays the strong role. She doesnt really like to show how bad shes hurting, Amber explained. I dont think shes dealing with the loss of her husband. Shes just trying to cover up a lot of grief and [he] just happened to be right there at the right time. Amanda shared that she and Razvan had broken up a few times already, mostly due to her feeling jealous over his social media activities. She recalled one instance where she broke up with Razvan because he suggested during a livestream that a woman shower with her clothes on, wearing a t-shirt but no bra. Story continues TLC Amanda Related: 'Before the 90 Days' Star David Praises 'Beautiful' Girlfriend Sheila for Being 'Better Than Any' Woman He's Dated (Exclusive) When Amanda suggested Razvan might propose if her visit goes well, Amber said the idea was crazy and that she didnt think Amanda was ready for that. Im worried that you dont genuinely care about him when youre just trying to cover this void that you have with Jason, she said to her sister. Its not like I was going out looking for someone. You dont know how I feel being alone with the kids. No one can know that unless youve experienced it, Amanda said, breaking down in tears. Im not just thinking of myself either. I feel like the kids need someone too, you know? Even before I met [him] I was thinking like, How am I gonna do it? How am I gonna raise the kids? To be there and be everything they need I cant. I can never fill that other role. Later in the episode, Amanda and Razvan FaceTimed and talked about her children. Razvan said he was excited to meet the kids, and she asked him how he feels about being the other adult in [the kids] lives, questioning if hed be ready for that. Related: '90 Day' : Rishi Is Hellbent on Marrying Jen Even Though She Doesn't Consider Him Her Fiance Anymore Razvan said he loves kids and that he feels like they would play together. A frustrated Amanda responded that its not only about playing, but also taking care of them, helping them and guiding them. I know its important to be a role model, Razvan responded. But I know they are missing their father, and I never can replace him. I want them to see me like a friend. His answer left Amanda feeling uncertain. I think Razvan and I do have a future together, she explained. But its confusing for me because Ive never been with anyone other than Jason. I am looking for a person that I can lean on and thats there for me, there for my children. But there is still a lot that I dont know about Razvan, she added. I just really hope that he can be the partner I need for me and the kids. 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. 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on TLC. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The post Bam Margera Placed on 5150 Psychiatric Hold appeared first on Consequence. Former Jackass star Bam Margera has been placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold amid increasing concern for his well-being. TMZ reports that the Los Angeles Police Department located Margera, 43, in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. His behavior prompted officers to call for a psychiatric evaluation team, who determined that Margera needed to be taken to a mental health facility. Under California code 5150, he will remain in the facility for up to 72 hours. Members of Margeras family had sought the publics assistance in locating the actor and stuntman after he threatened to take his own life and subsequently went missing on Sunday. In recent weeks, Margera has been publicly feuding with his estranged wife over the custody of their child. Margera has battled drug and addiction issues throughout his adult life. Earlier this year, his former Jackass collaborator Steve-O issued a public plea to Margera to choose recovery, warning that, Youre dying, brother. In April, Margera turned himself into police in Chester County, Pennsylvania on Thursday, following allegations that he assaulted his brother during a fight. If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Bam Margera Placed on 5150 Psychiatric Hold Scoop Harrison Popular Posts Subscribe to Consequences email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox. Newman who died on May 11 "was a rock for so many people," his wife, Angela, said Arthur Grimm/United Archives via Getty Images Barry Newman, known for his role in the cult action thriller The Vanishing Point, died on May 11 in a New York City hospital, according to multiple reports. The Emmy-nominated star was 92 years old. No further details have been released on his death. Newman is survived by his wife, Angela, who confirmed her husband's death on Sunday to The Hollywood Reporter. His friends also confirmed the news on social media, per Deadline. In a tribute shared with THR, Angela expressed that Newman was a rock for so many people, whose spirit he lifted and allowed to be free, she said. He was truly a light for so many, with an incredible, hilarious sense of humor that lit everything and everyone up. Amanda Edwards/WireImage The stage, screen and TV actor, who is also known for his starring role in the 1974 legal drama, Petrocelli, grew up in Boston. While studying at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, he met Lee Strasberg and decided he wanted to be an actor. After graduating, he studied with the influential acting teacher in the Big Apple. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Newman went on to star in feature films such as Daylight in 1996 with Sylvester Stallone, Bowfinger with Steve Martin in 1999 and with the late Peter Fonda in Stephen Soderbergh's The Limey that same year. Related: Peter Fonda Dead at 79 After Respiratory Failure from Lung Cancer: 'Please Raise a Glass to Freedom' Klk Prods/Anglo-Emi/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock In 2009, Newman was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer, per multiple outlets, which limited his acting work. His last project was 2022's Finding Hannah, which was filmed in 2019. That same year, Newman spoke of first achieving fame with 1971's Vanishing Point, which is one of Steven Spielberg's favorite films. The cult flick was not an overnight success in the U.S., but when it opened in London, "people lined up around the block to see it," Newman told Paul Rowlands, per THR. Story continues In England, I was a hero, and in America, I was just a guy picking up his bags at the plane terminal!" For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that found a constitutional right to abortion, the decision has left a fractured and still-changing map of U.S. abortion access. Since the high court left abortion decisions to states in the case known as Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights and other groups tracking the issue, most abortions are now banned or unavailable in 14 states: Alabama Arkansas Idaho Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi Missouri North Dakota Oklahoma South Dakota Tennessee Texas West Virginia Wisconsin Other states have enacted gestational limits, including Georgia, which bars abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, earlier than most people even discover they are pregnant. A 12-week ban is set to take effect this summer in North Carolina. Abortion restrictions remain blocked in some states amid legal challenges or reviews, including six-week bans in Ohio, South Carolina and Florida; full bans are currently on hold in the courts in states including Arizona and Indiana. At the same time, voters and lawmakers in some states have moved to expand or protect abortion rights, including California, Illinois, Vermont, Oregon and New York. Voters in Kansas and Kentucky rejected ballot measures that sought to amend their state constitutions to declare that they contain no right to an abortion, though Kentucky still bans abortion. As of the end of May: How has the patchwork of state laws affected abortion access? A security guard stands inside Choices Center for Reproductive Health in Carbondale, Illinois. April 2023. Special report: How one quiet Illinois college town became the symbol of abortion rights in America The move by Republican-dominated state legislatures to enact restrictions has squeezed access to abortion for millions of Americans. In the first three months after the Supreme Court rescinded the right to abortion, 66 clinics across 15 states were forced to stop offering abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. Story continues In many cases, those seeking abortions particularly in the mid- and Deep South, were forced to travel much further and costlier trips for care. In Texas, for example, travel time to the nearest abortion facility increased by nearly 8 hours, according to a November study in JAMA. Another analysis found that residents or Arkansas and Missouri had to drive more than 220 miles to reach a provider after the ruling. In other areas, driving distances saw less of a change partly because of bans blocked amid legal challenges. An anti-abortion sign in a yard in Carbondale, Illinois. December 2022. According to an April report by Human Rights Watch, about 22 million women and girls of reproductive age in the US now live in states where abortion access is heavily restricted and often totally inaccessible. Across the country, abortion advocates have worked to help fund more costly and distant travel. But Jennifer Pepper, CEO of Memphis-based Choices Center for Reproductive Health, which now operates a clinic in Southern Illinois, said the costs and difficulties associated with travel remain a daunting barrier for some seeking abortions. Abortion clinics cross state lines in Virginia, Nevada, elsewhere A temporary signs hangs on the outside of the Bristol Women's Health Clinic on in Bristol, Virginia, in February. Anti-abortion signs are displayed outside Bristol Women's Health Clinic. Peppers clinic is among those who have moved their abortion services from states that banned abortion to those where it is protected, setting up practices near state lines to minimize travel distances. That has created new battlegrounds in a series of small U.S. towns such as Bristol, Virginia and West Wendover, Nevada. In Carbondale, Illinois, a local hospital stopped performing elective abortions decades ago. Now, the city hosts the states southernmost clinics, and is the closest destination for abortion for 1.2 million women who live across parts of the South, one researcher estimated. The citys new role has drawn both support and opposition a change that USA TODAY has chronicled over much of the past year. Bristol, Virginia, has also seen fights over whether clinics should be able to move to the city from states such as Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia, which enacted abortion restrictions. The struggle began when an abortion clinic that had long operated in Tennessee moved just over the Tennessee state line into Bristol. Anti-abortion activists have sought zoning changes to bar them, a strategy pursued in other towns. The owner of the Bristol Womens Health clinic, Diane Derzis who also owned the clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, at the center of the Supreme Courts decision has faced a lawsuit seeking to terminate the lease on the clinics building. Derzis told USA TODAY the location, though controversial to some, is a critical point of access. We're seeing (clients) from Alabama, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, all because there's a huge swath of no service, she said. Whats the status of the legal challenge to the abortion pill? Patients defend mifepristone access: 'It felt like coming up for air' Looming over the shifts in access to physical clinics is the fight over the abortion pill mifepristone, part of a two-pill regimen that now accounts for more than half of U.S. abortions. The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a coalition of anti-abortion groups, is suing the FDA to reverse approval of mifepristone, claiming the drug comes with medical risks and that its approval process was rushed. But health experts and leading medical associations dispute that, saying mifepristone safe and effective for abortion and miscarriage care and has a decadeslong safety record. Last month, a panel of three federal court judges heard arguments in a lawsuit aiming to withdraw the drugs approval. After the panel makes its decision, the ruling will likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, USA TODAY has reported. A number of states also restrict access to medication abortion, according to Guttmacher, including 15 that require it be provided by a physician, one that bans mailing pills to a patient. Contributing: USA TODAY, Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where is abortion banned or protected? Just days after dropping a new album, Foo Fighters have confirmed theyre dropping in on Australia and New Zealand during the next southern summer. The Foos will embark on a major stadium tour of Australia, starting Nov. 29 at Perths HBF Park, before heading east for concerts in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Then, in the New Year, Dave Grohl and Co. make the leap across the Tasman Sea for January 2024 outdoor concerts in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. More from Billboard Though the Foos havent undertaken a headline tour of both countries since 2018, that doesnt tell the story of the rockers connection with Australasian audiences. The Rock And Roll Hall of Famers are seasoned travelers to the lands Down Under, and theyre always welcome here. Indeed, when COVID-related lockdowns lifted and borders began to open, the Foos last year made their way to Geelong, 40 miles southwest of Melbourne, for a special date at the GMHBA Stadium. Who better than the Foos to christen Australias live circuit with the first full-capacity stadium show by an international act in Australia since early 2020. That one-off show, the upcoming tour, and many Foos treks before it, is produced by Frontier Touring, the concerts specialist founded by the late Michael Gudinski. Grohl was so close to Gudinski, hes a guest in the forthcoming documentary on the Mushroom Group founder, entitled Ego. Foo Fighters have a longstanding love affair with Australia. Their tenth and latest studio album Medicine At Midnight debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart in February 2021, the bands eighth leader in these parts. The bands 11th studio album But Here We Are dropped last Friday, and represents a new dawn for the act, whose members are still grieving the untimely death last year of talismanic drummer Taylor Hawkins. Story continues The Foos returned to the stage last month for the launch of their current world tour, which includes headline sets at festivals Boston Calling, Sonic Temple, Rock am Ring, Rock im Park, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Riot Fest, and more. Josh Freese, a veteran studio and touring drummer, was recently unveiled as the Foos full-time drummer. Tickets for the ANZ tour go on sale Thursday, June 15 via frontiertouring.com/foofighters, with pre-sales available from this Friday, June 9. Foo Fighters 2023/24 tour of Australia and New Zealand: Nov. 29 HBF Park, Perth, WA With special guests The Chats and Teenage Jones Ticketmaster.com.au Dec. 2, Coopers Stadium, Adelaide, SA With special guests The Chats + Body Type Ticketek.com.au Dec. 4 AAMI Park, Melbourne, VIC With special guests Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers + Hot Milk (UK) Ticketek.com.au Dec. 9 Accor Stadium, Sydney, NSW With special guests The Chats + Hot Milk (UK) Ticketek.com.au Dec. 12 Suncorp Stadium | Brisbane, QLD With special guests The Chats + Hot Milk (UK) Ticketek.com.au Jan. 20, 2024 GO Media Stadium Mt Smart, Auckland, NZ With special guests ??? + Dick Move Ticketmaster.co.nz Jan. 24, 2024 Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch, NZ With special guests ??? + Dick Move Axs.com.au Jan. 27, 2024 Sky Stadium, Wellington, NZ With special guests ??? + Dick Move Ticketek.co.nz Presented by Frontier Touring, American Express, Triple M (AU) and The Rock (NZ) Best of Billboard Click here to read the full article. In Apple TV+ series Shrinking, Jason Segel stars as Jimmy Laird, a therapist desperately in need of therapy. Following the death of his wife, Jimmy has dissolved into drugs and self-destruction, to the disgust of his teen daughter (Lukita Maxwell). And yet, he is curiously likeable and redeemable such is the magic of Segel. Then comes Jimmys revelatory move: he decides his patients need a dose of the unvarnished truth. Disaster and hilarity ensue. In tandem with Ted Lassos Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, Segel co-created and produces Shrinking. He stars alongside Harrison Ford, who apparently enjoys a little improv with the best of them. DEADLINE: Youre ramping up for Shrinking Season 2. Tell me Brett Goldstein is going to star in it this time? More from Deadline JASON SEGEL: I dont want to give anything away, but everyone, myself included, is pushing really hard to have Brett on the show. I want to act with him so badly because he and I have become quite good friends during this process. I just think hes brilliant. I think hes funny. I also think that [his Ted Lasso character] Roy is a kind of gruff exterior. Bretts a really gentle guy. Hes a sweet, lovely, gentle man, and so Im excited to see Brett get to expose all sorts of different parts of himself. That sounds like a euphemism, but thats not what I meant [laughs]. In my head, when I look at Brett, Im like, Oh, hes a romantic lead. Im excited to see him do stuff like that. DEADLINE: Bretts story about getting Harrison Ford on board is just comedy gold, where he goes to Harrisons house and says Indiana Jones answers the door. SEGEL: I believe that that happened in London. I think that Brett was shooting Lasso, and Harrison was shooting Indiana Jones. I went to Harrisons house on my own once he signed on. All the way leading up, youre like, Oh, Ive done this a long time. Thisll be fine. Thisll be great, just a couple of actors talking shop. Then you pull up to Harrison Fords house, and suddenly, you realize youre terrified. You look in the rearview mirror, and youre drenched in sweat. Just when you start to dry off, the gate starts to open, and its too late. You dont want him to see you drying the sweat, so you play it cool. Theres a reason hes Harrison Ford. I did something with Robert Redford a few years ago, and it was a similar experience, where youre like, Oh, I get it. Youre the real deal. You feel it in the room, same with Sally Field, who I worked with. Story continues Segel and Harrison Ford in Shrinking. DEADLINE: In first creating Shrinking, Bill Lawrence was inspired by a neighbors tragedy, a shocking starting place for a comedy. Why do you think he chose that? SEGEL: Getting to rock bottom is drama. But rock bottom is actually a pretty funny place. The bad sh*t happened before, and now youre at this place where even though it seems like the worst place, the only way to go is up when youre at rock bottom. So, you dont know it at the time, but its actually a very hopeful place to start. If you start someone at the peak, I can tell you where theyre going: down. Starting someone at rock bottom is actually a recipe for feel-good. DEADLINE: The whole drama-comedy blend is such British humor to me, where you undercut and never let anything get too funny or too sad. SEGEL: Yeah, for me, it was Broadcast News. I saw that movie just as I was getting interested in writing in my teenage years and, [it was] oh, this is the tone of life. Its like where youre laughing your way through really tough conversations. That scene between Albert Brooks and Holly Hunter. He basically says, Im in love with you. And she says, Im in love with Tom. Its the most complicated, funny, heartbreaking, beautiful, honest None of those punchlines are anything but true. And I think that that really inspired me. Its like Im not that interested in seeing someone be clever. When I get a script, and I feel like this is a smart writer, not a smart character, I am not interested in it. People dont talk that way. People dont think that fast when theyre under duress. DEADLINE: I read that Bill had pitched a version of Shrinking years ago to Warner Bros. and they thought it was maybe a bit depressing? SEGEL: I didnt know that. Thats funny. DEADLINE: How did you feel when you first read the premise? SEGEL: Well, I guess what I felt was I worked really hard at comedy for 10, 12 years. And so, all modesty aside, I just feel as though I know how to do it, and Im really interested in comedy. I have a lot of reference points lodged in this weird brain of mine, and I got some moves. I kind of know how to do it. Drama was something that I had been working really hard to feel that same way about. But then comedy found me. And I didnt get a chance to hone those skills. Theres some probably innate talent threshold that you have to have to get a chance at any of it, but then I think its skill-based. I think this is study and practice and learning not to be afraid and learning not to show off when the cameras getting closer to you, all these skills. So, I spent the past seven years trying to get good at drama, feel good about it and not feel afraid of it. So then, when this came to me, I felt like, now, what if we try to use all these things that weve been working really hard to get good at because the tone of this is all of it. Harrison Ford and Lukita Maxwell DEADLINE: Watching Shrinking, I thought, My god, Ive always wanted a therapist to tell me what to do. Its the fantasy. SEGEL: Totally. Its like Jonah Hill said it really well in his documentary about [therapist] Phil Stutz, You have all of these friends who you dont want advice from telling you what to do, and the one person you do want advice from whos not allowed. Its really true. DEADLINE: In the case of Jimmys patients, maybe a lot of them needed to hear the truth. SEGEL: I think that guy, Phil Stutz, who I guess I have to say its loosely based on, or is not actually based on him but DEADLINE:is very, very loosely inspired by? SEGEL: Yeah. He had that same frustration from years of real practice of saying, This is a loop. This is just a feedback loop. And just because you can identify why someone is doing something, which is what a big part of therapy seems to be, it doesnt necessarily actually help in changing the behavior. Its like, Oh, great, got it. My mom said this when I was 15, thats why Im doing this. Now what? And what he did was come up with this system called the tools where he said, Im going to teach you how to change this today, how to walk out of this room with some sense of hope that your behaviors going to change. And I think its like a revolution. Thats certainly what Im looking for. Man, I just want to feel better in general. You know what I mean? DEADLINE: How do you get into a place where you are in the desolation of grief that Jimmy deals with? SEGEL: I think that probably one of the reasons that I am funny is because I, as a default setting, struggle with happiness. I have a sense of impending doom. And I have to work pretty hard to counter that. I have all of these tools I have to do in the morning so that I feel OK by the time I take on the world. And I think that alone is frustrating and hilarious. God, I have to do so much work just to f*cking get to the point of interaction with the world. So that stuff has never been hard for me to draw on because I may just be more conscious of these feelings, I may have too much attachment to them, but my experience has been that we all relate. Almost everyone I talk to about it nods their head. And I dont think theyre just being kind. I think theyre like, Oh yeah, life is pretty hard. At least sometimes. So, I feel like I just have access to that part that we all really relate to, and luckily, I have a sense of humor about it. Otherwise, its really boring. DEADLINE: Were there some scenes that really affected you? SEGEL: Yeah, there was a scene where I couldnt stop laughing. Jessica Williams makes me laugh really hard. Theres a scene where we wake up in bed after having slept together. And it is this frantic scene of us each getting dressed and realizing everyone is still downstairs. And there are things that are not in the show, probably for good reason, that made me laugh so f*cking hard. Jessica and I are both total weirdos and also totally committed, and it was one of the most fun days of my life. Then I think the things that affected me most were these scenes with Lukita Maxwell, my daughter. That, to me, was the most important storyline in the thing. What I focused on, more than the therapy, more than Jimmys own grief that he was dealing with, is repairing this relationship with my daughter. Because thats the ultimate betrayal that Jimmy has committed. Its like the film Force Majeure. DEADLINE: Where the dad bails on protecting his kids in an avalanche? SEGEL: Yeah. As we were writing, I referenced it in a more dramatic way because it isnt funny with Lukita, its like the thing happened and Jimmy ran away. Youre supposed to sacrifice yourself for your kid. He backed out of the room and let her take the hit. When you see sadness in Jimmy, theres nothing quite as sad as guilt. And its a really interesting version of sadness, right? Because its also secret. Its sad and a secret combined. Jimmy bailed when it was time to do the thing, the one thing youre supposed to do. Read the digital edition of Deadlines Emmy Comedy issue here. DEADLINE: Brett Goldstein recently said how important it was that the actor playing Jimmy could bring likeability. Because in another actors hands, seeing him fail his daughter to that degree wouldve just ended it. SEGEL: Well, I dont know. I guess I like who I am And Ive had periods in my life where I bailed in ways that could potentially make somebody unlikeable. But theres redemption on the other side by trying to make amends and trying to be better next time. So, I guess I have space in my heart for redemption. So that when Im playing any of those moments, I dont really view them as somebody becoming Darth Vader. Its like,Oh, youre going to have to fix that. DEADLINE: Jessica Williams says she improvised at times. Did you? And did Harrison Ford? SEGEL: Yes. With Harrison Ford, there was a moment when I saw him register and was like, Oh, were doing this now. And he was good at it. Hes really, really good at it. There was a whole potato run, where I end up eating these potatoes. [He said] Do whatever you want with them. Boil them, bake them. That was a riff that came out of his mouth. He is really smart, hes really funny and he really understands acting. 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. Concept art representing cybersecurity principles Cybersecurity researchers from Cisco Talos have spotted a new hacking campaign they claim is targeting victims sensitive data, login credentials, and email inboxes. Horabot is described as a botnet that has been active for almost two and a half years now (first spotted in November 2020). During that time, its mostly been tasked with distributing a banking trojan and spam malware. Its operators seem to be located in Brazil, while its victims are Spanish-speaking users located mostly in Mexico, Uruguay, Venezuela Brazil, Panama, Argentina, and Guatemala. Horabot botnet The victims are found in different industries, from investment firms to wholesale distribution, from construction to engineering, and accounting. The attack starts with an email message carrying a malicious HTML attachment. Ultimately, the victim is urged to download a .RAR archive, which holds the banking trojan. The malware is capable of doing plenty of things: stealing login credentials, logging keystrokes, and grabbing system information. By generating an invisible overlay, it is also capable of grabbing one-time security codes from multi-factor authentication (MFA) apps, essentially bypassing this crucial layer of security. Read more > A new Mirai variant is attacking Linux devices to build a beastly DDoS botnet > Mirai botnet now targeting critical flaw in thousands of routers > These are the best firewall tools around Also, the trojan can take over the victims email accounts, including those from Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo. The threat actors would then use this access to send spam messages to all of the contacts saved in the inbox, making its distribution and infection chain somewhat random and untargeted. To some extent, the trojan also works as a remote desktop management tool, as it can create and delete directories and files from the victims endpoint, the researchers said. Finally, the tool has several obfuscation features that prevent it from running in a sandbox environment, or next to a debugging tool, making discovery and subsequent analysis somewhat more difficult. Check out the best ID theft protection software around Via: BleepingComputer The group was among 11 people who were fishing for capelin, a type of fish found on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, during nighttime hours Getty A man and four children drowned while fishing along the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, over the weekend, authorities said. Police in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a fishing village about 340 miles northeast of Montreal, were called to the area around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday after the five members of a group of 11 were caught unaware by the rising tide, according to The Canadian Press. The group was fishing for capelin, a type of fish that is typically found along the shore, during nighttime hours, the outlet reported. The children minors older than age 10 were found hours later, unresponsive on the riverbank. They were taken to an area medical facility, where they were pronounced dead, the Associated Press reported. Related: Washington State Man Dead While Climbing Near Summit of Mount Rainier Late Saturday night, authorities then also recovered the body of 37-year-old Keven Girard, Sgt. Beatrice Dorsainville told The Canadian Press. Vivian Lavoie, Girards aunt, said his sons Patrick and Jerome Girard were among the victims, per the news agency. "Everyone is gutted," Lavoie told the outlet in French. "Everyone knows each other here. It's tight here. Everyone is affected, because we know them all." Related: 3 Dead, Including Hawaii Couple, 2 Remain Missing After Boat Found Partially Submerged in Alaska Those who were fishing Saturday night were on a peninsula that they accessed by all-terrain vehicles, Mayor Jean-Maurice Tremblay told the AP. When the tide rises, parts of the area can be submerged by roughly 13 feet of water, he said. Everyone is affected by what happened, because this kind of event, it's the first time it's happened," he said. "When it involves five people, and four children drowning during a recreational activity, it's certain people are quite sad about it." 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 celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Now, family members and friends are mourning their loved ones as is the small town where the tragedy occurred. The Municipality of Portneuf-sur-Mer and all the citizens unite in the same momentum to wish the bereaved families and their friends, the town wrote on Facebook Saturday. Our deepest condolences and thoughts are with you. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. NEW YORK Robert De Niro is bringing the Bronx to the Upper West Side. The two-time Oscar winner (and 79-year-old new dad) will close Tribeca Festival with a June 17 screening of A Bronx Tale, his 1993 coming-of-age crime drama. The event will take place at the historic Beacon Theatre, featuring a post-screening Q&A with De Niro, actor/writer Chazz Palminteri and producer Jane Rosenthal. "I haven't seen it for a long, long time," he says of the movie. USA TODAY sat down with De Niro and Rosenthal before Tribecas opening night to discuss this years lineup, as well as whats next for the Hollywood legend. Tribeca Festival 2023 includes Paul McCartney, Sara Bareilles, more Robert De Niro, pictured at Cannes Film Festival last month, co-created Tribeca Festival in an effort to revitalize New York after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Co-founded by De Niro and Rosenthal in 2002, Tribeca kicked off Wednesday with Kiss the Future, a new documentary about U2s efforts to aid and inspire the war-torn Bosnian capital of Sarajevo in the 1990s. De Niro walked the red carpet with girlfriend Tiffany Chen, and was gifted a key to the city by New York Mayor Eric Adams. The 12-day festival includes Sara Bareilles' Waitress," a filmed version of the Broadway musical, which will be simulcast in Times Square on June 12. There are also new music documentaries about Cyndi Lauper (Let the Canary Sing), French Montana (For Khadija), and Santana (Carlos), all of whom will perform. The Cyndi Lauper doc is really extraordinary, says Rosenthal, noting other festival highlights including a Gloria Gaynor documentary (I Will Survive) and an onstage conversation between Paul McCartney and Conan OBrien. More than 90 feature films will make their world premieres, many of which include De Niros friends and former co-stars. Pam Grier (Jackie Brown) appears in new thriller Cinnamon, which pays homage to 70s blaxploitation movies. And Michael Shannon ("Amsterdam") makes his directorial debut with "Eric LaRue," about the mom (Judy Greer) of a school shooter. Story continues Robert De Niro: 'Irishman' star welcomes seventh child at 79 Robert De Niro helped Tina Fey land Sarah Palin gig on 'SNL' Donald Trump's ex-U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, left, and nine-time Emmy winner Tina Fey. Tina Fey (30 Rock) is also coming to Tribeca with Maggie Moore(s), reuniting with Jon Hamm in the dark comedy directed by John Slattery (of "Mad Men" fame). Fey previously told Howard Stern that it was De Niro who suggested to Saturday Night Live head Lorne Michaels that she play former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on the sketch show in 2008. I did," De Niro confirms. "We lived in the same building at the time, and one day I said to him, 'Lorne, Tina Fey. Boy, she'd be great as Sarah Palin.' Whether that had anything to do with what eventually happened, I don't know. But she was so great. Shes so funny. Fey, who left "SNL" in 2006, won an Emmy for outstanding guest actress for her inspired portrayal of Palin. If she were to return as host, Rosenthal says Fey should impersonate Republican 2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley. The former South Carolina governor has stirred controversy for her transphobic remarks and insistence that Florida's "Don't Say Gay" laws don't go "far enough." Oh, yeah, she'd be a really good Nikki Haley," De Niro says. "She'd do a good job with that. Nikki Haley 2024 campaign: In New Hampshire, swipes at DeSantis and Biden 'A Bronx Tale' nearly didn't star Chazz Palminteri Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, A Bronx Tale is the first of two features that De Niro has directed (the other being The Good Shepherd in 2006). Adapted from Palminteris autobiographical one-man show, the film follows a boy (Lillo Brancato) whose allegiance is torn between his protective father, Lorenzo (De Niro), and a local mobster, Sonny (Palminteri). Initially, multiple studios approached Palminteri about writing the screenplay, but wanted a bigger star such as De Niro to play Sonny. De Niro guaranteed Palminteri the role, so long as he could direct. "I said, 'Look, the studio's going to buy it and they'll give you a lot of money, but maybe (you) wouldn't be able to play Sonny,'" De Niro recalls. "So I said, 'The only thing I can promise is you will play Sonny if I direct it, and I'll play the father. Eventually, they're going to come to me to play Sonny, so let's eliminate that.'" The movie was a critical success and helped launch Palminteris career, with roles in The Usual Suspects, Modern Family and Bullets Over Broadway, for which he earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination. De Niro also co-directed a 2016 musical adaptation of Bronx Tale, which ran on Broadway for nearly two years. 'You Hurt My Feelings': Julia Louis-Dreyfus is having her movie-star moment Robert De Niro is eyeing a new project with Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio In addition to the milestone anniversary for Bronx Tale, De Niros Mean Streets is also turning 50 later this year. The crime drama was the actors first collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. The duo have now made 11 movies together, including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Irishman and Apples upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon (in theaters Oct. 6). The movie, which co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone, earned rave reviews at Cannes Film Festival in France last month, and tells a twisted love story set against the backdrop of the Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma. De Niro hopes Flower Moon is not his last project with Scorsese and DiCaprio. In fact, hes been circling another project for the three of them to do together, although he's mum on the specifics. I do have one project we've been talking about for many, many, many years," De Niro says. "I was saying to them the other day in Cannes, 'Let's just talk about it one more time.' So hopefully we will soon. Something that I thought would be good for me and Marty and Leo. I don't want to say anything about it, but I will one day." 'Killers of the Flower Moon': Martin Scorsese debuts trailer, chats with Leonardo DiCaprio This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Robert De Niro talks 'SNL,' Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio reunion SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland has released a memo to members of the actors guild congratulating the Directors Guild of America on reaching a tentative agreement on a new labor contract while noting that such a deal will have no impact on SAG-AFTRAs own labor talks beginning this week. Our bargaining strategy has never relied upon nor been dependent on the outcome or status of any other unions negotiations, nor do we subscribe to the philosophy that the terms of deals made with other unions bind us, the memo reads. We continue to stand in strong solidarity with the members of the WGA and with their strike, and we congratulate the DGA on their bargaining and look forward to reviewing the detailed terms of their agreement as soon as possible, Crabtree-Ireland continued. Also Read: BIPOC Writers Say Their Struggle for Equity Continues After the WGA Strike Ends Late Saturday night, the DGA announced that it had reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year labor contract that will go to the guilds national board in a special meeting on Tuesday. If the agreement is approved by the board, which is expected, further details on the agreement will be disclosed to members and the public. The DGA did release an overview of the gains negotiated in the contract, which include a 76% increase in foreign streaming residuals, a higher-than-usual annual increase in minimum rates and a ban on live ammunition on production sets. Crabtree-Ireland says he has been in contact with the DGA but that SAG-AFTRA will not comment on the contract until further details are shared. Also Read: 52 New York Lawmakers Urge Studios to Resume Talks With Writers Guild SAG-AFTRA is expected on Monday evening to announce that its members have voted to authorize leadership to order a strike after the June 30 expiration date on its current contract if a sufficient deal is not reached with the AMPTP. Negotiations are set to begin on Wednesday. Story continues The Writers Guild of America, meanwhile, released its own statement congratulating DGA on reaching a deal and reasserting its demand that the AMPTP make a full counteroffer to its entire proposed contract as a prerequisite for talks to resume. Last week we sent an email about how the AMPTP divide and conquer strategy wont work this time. The AMPTP will not be able to negotiate a deal for writers with anyone but us. Today that message and the video about the path to a deal with the WGA is even more timely, the WGA said. Also Read: Directors Guilds Tentative Agreement With Studios Includes Advances on Streaming Residuals, Safety, Diversity North Korea on Sunday said it will no longer inform the International Maritime Organization of future rocket launch plans after the IMO condemned the latest launch last week. In an op-ed for the North's official Korean Central News Agency, international affairs analyst Kim Myong-chol said, "As IMO responded to the [North's] advance notice on its satellite launch with the adoption of an anti-[North Korea] 'resolution,' we will regard this as its official manifestation of stand that the [North's] advance notice is no longer necessary." The IMO should "be prepared for taking full responsibility for all the consequences to be entailed from it." The day after the North launched the rocket, which crashed into the West Sea, the IMO in a resolution condemned the launch for the first time. "This goes to prove that IMO has been completely politicized, abandoning its original mission of promoting international cooperation in the field of maritime security," Kim said. Documented in the Sierra Nevada mountains last month, the sighting is one of only two confirmed wolverine sightings in California in over ten decades Getty; The California Department of Fish and Wildlife California was graced with a rare visitor! A wolverine was spotted in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains in May. According to a news release from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the last wild wolverine spotted in the state was discovered over a decade ago. Observed in Tahoe National Forest in February 2008, the previous wolverine was tracked by scientists for a decade after it was first documented. However, given the species typical lifespan of around 12 years, this new sighting is likely not the same wolverine as the creature in 2008, according to the June 1 release. Related: First Wolverine Spotted Outside Its Oregon Habitat in More Than 30 Years: 'Very Surprised' Before these two sightings, the most recent documentation of a wolverine in the state of California dates back to the 1920s, per the department. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Because only two wolverines have been confirmed in California during the last 100 years, these latest detections are exciting, Daniel Gammons, a senior environmental scientist at the department, stated in the release. The new wolverine was documented through videos and photos taken by different individuals in different locations. According to the release, the wild animal was seen twice in the Inyo National Forest and once in Yosemite National Park. Related: 'Elusive' Wolverine Captured on Yellowstone National Park's Trail Camera for the First Time Although not confirmed, the different May sightings are likely the same wolverine, the release states, because the species tends to travel great distances. The department plans to collect genetic material from the wolverine's feeding sites to confirm that the recent sightings are all of the same animal in collaboration with both the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. 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. Getty While they rarely pop up in California, wolverines are most common in Canada and Alaska, "with smaller populations in the Rocky and Cascade mountains." The animal is fully protected as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act, per the release. The largest land-dwelling species in the weasel family, wolverines often look like small bears. California wolverine sightings can be reported to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife through its Wildlife Incident Reporting System. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. It's been nearly 20 years since Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway vanished on the last day of her high school graduation trip to Aruba. As the main suspect in her disappearance, Joran van der Sloot, awaits extradition to the United States this week, here is a timeline of the case, which remains unsolved: May 2005: On May 30, 2005, Holloway spent the night out at the Carlosn Charlies club in Oranjestad, Aruba. PHOTO: Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old from Alabama, was in Aruba celebrating her high school graduation when she disappeared. (Courtesy of Beth Holloway) The last time the 18-year-old was ever seen, she was driving off in a gray Honda with a group of local young men, including van der Sloot, then 17. Van der Sloot's story changed over the years. The first time he spoke out, he told Holloway's mother that he had returned the teen to her hotel, but surveillance footage showed she never came back to that Holiday Inn. PHOTO: The Holiday Inn hotel is seen along Palm Beach in Aruba, Monday, June 13, 2005, where missing Alabama high school graduate Natalee Holloway stayed before she disappeared on May 30, 2005. (Leslie Mazoch/ASSOCIATED PRESS) MORE: Joran van der Sloot, suspect in Natalee Holloway disappearance, will likely be extradited Tuesday: Sources June 2005: In June 2005, van der Sloot and two brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murder. By September 2005, all three were released without charges. February 2006: By 2006, van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, was in the Netherlands for school. In February 2006, he flew to New York for an interview with ABC News, during which he said he left Natalee Holloway on the beach that night and went home. "The last time I saw her, she was sitting on the sand by the ocean," he said, denying that he had harmed or killed her. PHOTO: In February 2006, van der Sloot flew to New York for an interview with ABC News, during which he said he left Holloway on the beach that night and went home. (ABC) November 2007: Van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were arrested again in November 2007. By December 2007, all three were released without charges. February 2008: In 2008, Aruban officials reopened the case against van der Sloot after a tape was released showing him describing Holloways death, filmed via hidden camera by Dutch crime reporter Peter de Vries. Aruban officials, however, were unable to corroborate van der Sloot's statements. MORE: Natalee Holloway suspect beaten in Peruvian prison: Lawyer Story continues March 2010: In March 2010, Van der Sloot allegedly demanded money -- $250,00 with $25,000 paid upfront -- from Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway, in exchange for him providing her with the location of her daughter's remains. During a recorded sting operation, Beth Holloway's attorney, John Q. Kelly, met with van der Sloot at an Aruba hotel, giving him $10,000 in cash as Beth Holloway wired $15,000 to van der Sloot's bank account, according to prosecutors. PHOTO: Beth Holloway wasted no time when she learned something happened to her daughter while on a graduation trip in Aruba in 2005, and hasn't stopped looking for her since. (ABC) Then, van der Sloot allegedly changed his story about the night he had been with Natalee Holloway, prosecutors said. Van der Sloot claimed he had picked her up but that she had demanded to be put down, so he threw her to the ground. He said the teen's head hit a rock and she was killed instantly by the impact, according to prosecutors. Van der Sloot then allegedly took Kelly to a house and claimed that his father, who had since died, buried Natalee Holloway's body in the building's foundation, prosecutors said. Kelly later emailed van der Sloot, saying the information he had provided was "worthless," according to prosecutors. Within days, van der Sloot left Aruba for Peru. May 2010: On May 30, 2010, five years to the day after Holloway disappeared, van der Sloot killed Stephany Flores, a 21-year-old college student, in Lima, Peru. Flores was found beaten to death in van der Sloot's hotel room. He then fled across the border to Chile. PHOTO: A shaman performs a ritual for the spiritual punishment of Joran van der Sloot, in poster top center, and for justice for Stephany Flores, in poster at left, in Lima, Peru, Jan. 6, 2012. (Karel Navarro/AP, FILE) June 2010: In June 2010, van der Sloot was arrested in Chile and sent to Peru to face charges for Flores murder. That month, van der Sloot was also indicted in the U.S. on federal charges of wire fraud and extortion in connection with the alleged March 2010 meeting in Aruba with Beth Holloway's attorney. January 2012: On Jan. 12, 2012, an Alabama judge declared Holloway legally dead. Meanwhile, van der Sloot pleaded guilty to Flores' murder, and on Jan. 13, 2012, he was sentenced to 28 years in prison in Peru. "From the first moment, I wanted to confess sincerely," van der Sloot said in court about Flores' murder. "I truly am sorry for this act." PHOTO: A Jan. 6, 2012 file photo of Dutch national Joran Van der Sloot during his preliminary hearing in court in the Lurigancho prison in Lima, Peru. (AFP via Getty Images, FILE) May 2023: In May 2023, plans for van der Sloot's extradition from Peru to the U.S. were announced. Beth Holloway said in a statement in May, "I was blessed to have had Natalee in my life for 18 years, and as of this month, I have been without her for exactly 18 years." "She would be 36 years old now," Beth Holloway said. "It has been a very long and painful journey, but the persistence of many is going to pay off. Together, we are finally getting justice for Natalee." June 2023: Van der Sloot left the Challapalca prison in Peru on June 3, 2023, to be transferred to a prison in Lima, Peru. He's expected to be extradited from there to Alabama on June 8, according to a National Penitentiary Institute of Peru spokesperson. ABC News' Jeca Taudte contributed to this report. Natalee Holloway's unsolved disappearance: A timeline originally appeared on abcnews.go.com (Left to Right) Tamir Rice, Honestie Hudges and Cyrus Carmack-Belton The shooting of 11-year-old Aderrien Murry by a Mississippi police officer is a reminder of a rather common trend in Americas policing: Black children often get treated as or mistaken for crime suspects. In some cases, a Karen makes a pesky call to 911 on a Black kid who looks suspicious. In most cases, police officers manhandle a child or teenager in a way that is deemed unnecessary or excessive. And of course, some Black children lose their lives by the bullet of a police officer who didnt think twice about shooting their firearm. Read more Why does this happen? Because Black children arent regarded as, well, children. Throughout the diaspora, children of African descent face heavier policing, including more arrests, police surveillance, racial profiling, strip searches and excessive use of force. Law enforcement is in conflict with children of African descent, read a report from the United Nations. The proof is in the pudding. Take a look at these 15 cases a Black child was racially profiled. Aderrien Murry Screenshot: Murry Family (CNN) The 11-year-old was ordered by his mother to call 911 after she and her ex-boyfriend got into an argument in May. Once Indianola Officer Greg Capers responded to the home, he ordered everyone to put their hands up and shot Aderrien within seconds of seeing him turn the corner of the hallway, per CNN. Meanwhile, the ex-boyfriend of concern hopped out the back window and fled the scene. Trayvon Martin Photo: Wikicommons The 17-year-old was gunned down by community watchman George Zimmerman in 2012. Zimmerman had followed him as he walked from the corner store and reported him to the Sanford Police as being suspicious, per CNN. A few minutes later, the two were in an altercation and Martin was shot in the chest. Story continues Tamir Rice Screenshot: Facebook The 12-year-old was shot and killed by officers from the Cleveland Police Department in 2014. While he played with a fake gun outside a recreation center, someone called the police on him. When the officers arrived, Timothy Loehmann immediately fired at him within seconds of getting out of his squad car, per NBC News. Cyrus Carmack-Belton Screenshot: WIS 10 News The 14-year-old was accused of stealing four bottles of water from the Xpress Mart Shell station in Columbia, Sc in May. Though he put the bottles back, Cyrus was chased by store-owner Rick Chow who fatally shot the him in the back, per WIS 10. Aiyana MoNay Stanley Jones Screenshot: Twitter The 7-year-old was shot in the head while asleep on her grandmothers living room couch, according to Mother Jones. In a botched raid, officers from Detroits Special Response Team burst into the apartment, threw a flash-bang grenade and fired inside the home within seconds. The cops claimed her grandmother reached for one of their guns but she was on the other side of the room. Parris Moore Screenshot: CBS Chicago The 14-year-old walked out of class after getting in a disagreement with a teacher last year, per the Rockford Register. While walking down the hallway, school officer Bradley Lauer caught Moore and slammed him onto the ground head-first, resulting in a long-term traumatic brain injury. Michael Coleman Screenshot: NBC Bay Area Last April, the 13-year-old was waiting outside Sterne School in San Francisco for his tutor when an officer approached him. The cop said he fit the description of a car burglar and refused to let him go until the boys tutor arrived to convince the officer Coleman was not a crime suspect, per NBC Bay Area. Honestie Hodges Screenshot: WZZM 13 Hodges was 11 years old when she was handcuffed at gun-point along with her mother by Grand Rapids police officers. The cops were actually looking for a white woman suspected in a stabbing, per The Guardian. Nonetheless, her detainment sparked outrage and led to a policy named after her on how police should interact with children. She died at 14 years old from COVID-19 in 2020. Saratoga, Ny. Teen Teen With Autism Traumatized After Tackled By Saratoga County Deputy In Target The 14-year-old autistic teen was tackled by a Saratoga County sheriffs deputy while he waited for his siblings inside a Target. Suddenly, he was thrown onto the ground by a plainclothes officer who attempted to arrest him. The boys mother was told her son and daughter were wanted in a larceny, per Times Union. Ralph Yarl The 16-year-old knocked on the door of the Kansas City man, not realizing he has approached the wrong house looking for his siblings. Yarl was shot through the door by Andrew Lester, who described the teen as large and scary, per KMBC. Yarl survived shooting injuries to the arm and head. Bobbi Wilson Photo: Andrew Hurley/Yale The 9-year-old was reported to 911 by a neighbor as she walked up and down the sidewalk spraying the trees with a homemade solution to kill off lantern flies. She was described as a suspicious adult to the police. Wilson wasnt arrested but was left frightened by the interaction. London Strip Search Photo: heardinlondon (Shutterstock) A 15-year-old student in London was escorted from class to the principals office to be searched for drugs in 2020. The officers suspected the girl was carrying marijuana following a weed-smell complaint from a teacher, per The Guardian. The officers strip-searched her as a prisoner would and they didnt contact the girls mother. The girl was also menstruating and was not allowed to change her sanitary napkin. Syracuse Police vs. A Bag of Chips Body cam footage released of Syracuse police stopping boy over bag of chips An 8-year-old was seen on video being confronted by police who accused him of stealing a bag of Doritos last year. The officers pulled the boy off his bike by his hoodie, dumped the chips on him and forced him inside a patrol car, per Syracuse.com. Rochester Police Pepper-Spray Girl RPD BWC 2021-00017779 (1 of 2) In 2021, Rochester police officers responded to the mental crises of a 9-year-old girl. Footage shows them throwing her in the back of a patrol car and pepper-sprayed her while she cried, per The New York Times. One officer even said to her, Youre acting like a child. Flower-Picking 6-Year-Old Photo: tj-rabbit (Shutterstock) A 6-year-old boy was arrested for picking a tulip from the yard in front of his bus stop in 2021, per Winston-Salem Journal. He was charged and put on trial in juvenile court for injury to real property. During his court proceedings, he was given crayons and a coloring book to keep himself alert. 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. All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, we may earn affiliate revenue on this article and commission when you buy something. Looking for the best Airbnbs in Hawaii? Youre far from alone: The Aloha state received over 9 million visitors in 2022many of those international travelersdrawn to everything from the Big Islands Volcanoes National Park, to Mauis Wailea beaches, to the tropical metropolis of Oahus Waikiki. And across all the major islands, the home-rental platform offers a number of stunning properties where one can embrace the laid-back lifestyle the archipelago is known for. Below, the best Airbnbs in Hawaii for your next island adventure. (And, once you bookheres how to travel there more mindfully, according to seven Native Hawaiians.) Glass House in Captain Cook (Big Island, Hawaii) Courtesy of Airbnb This off-grid home is surrounded on all sides by a Hau tree forestwhich one can fully immerse themselves in thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows. Sip coffee out on the deck while taking in the jungled view, or venture off into the wilderness with your private access to the Captain Cook Trail. (The hike ends at one of the best snorkeling spots on the island.) Amenities include a washer and dryer, WiFi, flat screen television, outdoor shower, as well as beach access. Book Now Kuono Tiny Cabin at Volcanoes National Park (Big Island) Courtesy of Airbnb A mere five-minute drive from Volcanoes National Park is this tiny cabin, which sits within a forest of Ohia trees. The walls are adorned with artwork from local artisans, and outside is a patio and firepit thats a perfect gathering place for an evening cocktail. Probably the most stand-out feature, however? The 14-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, where you can take in the spectacular, temperate climate the national park is known for. Amenities include washer and dryer, WiFi, a 55-inch television, and a hot tub. Book Now Kailua-Kona Tiny Home (Big Island) Courtesy of Airbnb This Airbnb sits upon three acres of land on Hawaiis Big Island just below the Kaloko Cloud Forest. Its an adventurers dream, with an abundance of rainforest trails and coffee farms a few minutes up the mountain. (Its also an eco-friendly property with solar power and composting toilets.) You can even make it into an ideal property for a family retreat: the owners have two other units nearby, which all share a common area that includes a fire pit, surf shack, and a BBQ area. Story continues Amenities include a washer, dryer, television, WiFi, andin quite a fun additionbeach essentials like snorkeling gear and umbrellas. Book Now Puako Hylton (Big Island) Courtesy of Airbnb Fully embrace oceanfront living at this villa with plenty of shaded lanais (a Hawaiian architectural term for expansive outdoor porches or rooms.) If you visit during January and Marchthe peak of whale-watching seasonyou can see the majestic marine mammals swim past while soaking in the hot tub, or wander up to the shore yourself for a better view. Plus with four bedrooms and a movie theater, its the perfect home for a family vacation. Amenities include a washer, dryer, television, WiFi, outdoor shower, a heated pool, a barbecue area, and stand-up paddle boards. Book Now Frank Lloyd Wright Home (Big Island) Courtesy of Airbnb Architect aficionados will jump at the chance to stay at the only home in Hawaii designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The midcentury modern masterpiece features panoramic views of three Big Island volcanoes Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hualalaias well as the ocean, which you can enjoy from a secluded hammock on the grounds. An added bonus? The charming town of Waimea (and its many farmers markets) is a 10-minute drive away. Amenities include a washer, dryer, television, WiFi, hot tub, and a barbecue area. Book Now Whale Tale Hale (Big Island) Courtesy of Airbnb Why is this Big Island Airbnb called Whale Tale Hale? Because during migration season, you can actually hear the sea creatures swim by from your infinity pool that overlooks the ocean. The interiors are playfully tropical, with bright orange, white, and turquoise throughout. Its also an idyllic booking for families, as it offers childrens books, beach toys, and even a baby bath. Amenities include a washer, dryer, television, WiFi, hot tub, a barbecue area, kayaks, a private pool, hot tub, and exercise equipment. Book Now Napili Cove Villa (Maui) Courtesy of Airbnb This Airbnb sits right upon a private beach in Lahaina, a tropical region so beautiful films from Pirates of the Caribbean to Jurassic Park have been shot there. The villa has two king-sized bedrooms and a large living room, however, much of your time will likely be spent on the wraparound porch which offers an unparalleled view of the sunset over the ocean. Amenities include a washer, dryer, television, WiFi, outdoor shower, and private beachfront. Book Now Kahala Oceanside (Oahu) Courtesy of Airbnb Just outside of Honolulu is this spectacular oceanfront villa, which is walking distance from the world-famous Kahala Beach. Relax in your lagoon-style swimming pool or mix mai-tais from your outdoor bar. Amenities include a washer, dryer, television, WiFi, private pool, hot tub, barbecue area, and stand-up paddle boards. Book Now Originally Appeared on Vogue More Great Living Stories From Vogue Here's what people get wrong about assisted conception. (Image: Getty; designed by Quinn Lemmers) Assisted conception has been around for decades, but many people don't understand what, exactly, it involves. Even worse, there are myths that have floated around for years about assisted reproductive technology and that can make things even more challenging for couples who need help conceiving. "It's a very small group of people that undergo assisted reproductive technology this isn't something that the whole population needs," Dr. Jane Frederick, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist at HRC Fertility, tells Yahoo Life. "There are a lot of myths surrounding it because not many people do it." As a result, she says, people may be more likely to assume what someone tells them about assisted conception is true because they just don't have experience with it or know the right answer. At a basic level, myths are confusing. But they can also be harmful and even prevent someone from seeking reproductive care when they need it. With that in mind, doctors break down some of the biggest myths about assisted conception out there, along with the real deal. Myth #1: IUI is done "turkey baster"-style. Many people are at least familiar with intrauterine insemination (IUI), even if they don't know the term for it. In pop culture, it's been referred to as "turkey baster"-style insemination. It was even portrayed that way in The Switch, the 2010 Jennifer Aniston movie in which her character held an insemination party before impregnating herself with donor sperm that was harvested at the party ... and left out in her bathroom. But doctors say that's not how an IUI is done at least, not in a medical setting. "An IUI is not performed with a turkey baster," reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Asima Ahmad, chief medical officer and co-founder of Carrot Fertility, tells Yahoo Life. For the procedure, sperm is harvested from a woman's partner or donor and typically screened for infectious diseases, Dr. Pietro E. Bortoletto, director of reproductive surgery at Boston IVF, tells Yahoo Life. It's then placed through the cervix and into the uterus, he says. Story continues "That way, we're getting more sperm closer to the egg," he says. "It's going to be much more effective and safer than doing it with a turkey baster." Still, "there are methods of doing at-home inseminations which is where the concept of the 'turkey baster' comes from," Dr. Priyanka Ghosh of Columbia University Fertility Center, tells Yahoo Life. Those methods are just much less likely to work or be hygienic compared to an IUI in a medical setting. Myth #2: IVF results in multiple births. There is some precedent for this myth. "IVF historically was associated with a high rate of multiple births because of practices of transferring multiple embryos at a time," Ghosh says. "But due to a more widely adopted practice of transferring one embryo at a time, the rate of this has decreased dramatically." Because of more advanced testing methods, "we're getting better at selecting the embryo," Frederick says. "Now, you can transfer just one embryo and not three or four," she adds. That doesn't mean someone won't get multiples with IVF the egg can still split in the uterus and certain medications used to induce ovulation can raise the risk of twins, for example but it's less likely than it was in the past, according to Frederick. Overall, "the goal is to have a singleton pregnancy, because this is the healthiest option for the pregnant person and the baby," Ahmad says. Myth #3: IVF is the only way to get pregnant if you have infertility. Infertility is complicated, and there are a range of treatment options that can help someone conceive if they're unsuccessful on their own. "In some cases, IVF is the only option, such as when someone has blocked fallopian tubes that cannot be repaired or if the partner has very low sperm counts that remain low despite treatment," Ahmad says. "But in many cases, one can get pregnant through other means, such as ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination." IVF tends to be discussed the most because of the technology involved but it "is certainly not the only way of getting pregnant," Ghosh says, noting that timed intercourse and the use of sperm or donor eggs is also common. Myth #4: All assisted reproduction protocols are the same. Each form of assisted reproduction has a protocol, which is the procedure used to help someone conceive. But while there tends to be a standard approach with each type of assisted conception, it's often tailored based on the individual needs of the patient. "Protocols for each type of treatment, whether it is IUI, IVF or another treatment modality, are customized to the desired patient and provider goals and patient characteristics," Ahmad says. "For example, someone who is young and has a high ovarian reserve may require lower dose medications and may have a protocol chosen to decrease their higher risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Whereas someone who is older and has a lower ovarian reserve may require higher dose medications and have a lower risk of OHSS." The protocol can also change with different attempts at conceiving to try to tweak it along the way, Ahmad says. Bortoletto compared protocols for IVF to the set-up for a nice dinner. "There's an appetizer, entree and dessert," he says. "Things that really vary are how you start and how you finish. The entree itself is the same for everyone." Protocols are "probably all more similar than different, but there are certain protocols we use for different patients." Myth #5: Babies conceived via fertility treatments will have more health problems. Research has linked assisted reproduction with several health issues in children, but the data is complicated and often misinterpreted. One recent study published in the European Journal of Population, for example, found that children conceived through reproductive assistance did better at school than other children but had a slightly higher risk of mental health problems by their late teens. But the researchers noted that the link was only found when the social demographics of parents were factored in and that there was no evidence that the reproductive assistance itself raised the risk of mental health issues. Older research linked children conceived with reproductive assistance to a higher risk of having birth defects and poorer health outcomes but, again, it's complicated. "Much of that data comes from an earlier period in IVF when rates of multiples twins, triplets, etc. was quite high and [the multiple births] led to higher rates of prematurity, low birthweight and the health consequences that can result from that," Ghosh explains. "Today, it does not appear that fertility treatments themselves result in more health problems." Myth #5: You can have IVF at any age. There have been several celebrities who have gotten pregnant in their late 40s and even 50s, but experts stress that isn't the norm. "As you age, the chance of getting a good egg drops dramatically," Frederick says. "Anybody over the age of 40 who wants to conceive should seek out a specialist. And you do not want to come in at age 50 and decide to have a baby." Eggs are more prone to be damaged and have genetic abnormalities as someone ages, Bortoletto explains. "If you're thinking about doing IVF, sooner is better," he says. "Above the age of 45, 46, the chances of having a baby with your own eggs are in the low single digits. If you're seeing celebrities having babies in their late 40s or early 50s, they're using eggs they froze before or someone else's eggs." If someone wants to use her own eggs, she should undergo IVF before she hits menopause, Ahmad says. "In someone who is postmenopausal, although they cannot use their own [eggs] with IVF, in some cases if approved by the clinic, the person can use donor [eggs] and have the embryo transferred to their uterus," she says. Assisted reproductive technology is a complicated science and there are a lot of options within it. For those interested in it, experts say it's best to talk to a medical professional who can help answer any questions. Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here. Australia plans to triple the size of an ecologically important marine park and close off an area larger than Germany to fishing and mining, the government announced Monday, protecting millions of vulnerable seabirds and animals. The remote Macquarie Island Marine Park, located off Australias southeastern coast between Tasmania and Antarctica in the Southern Ocean, is set to expand to 475,465 square kilometers (about 184,000 square miles). Around 93% of the park will be a fully protected marine sanctuary completely closed to fishing, mining and other extractive activities, according to Australias Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek. The wind-swept World Heritage-listed Macquarie Island and its surrounding waters is a site of outstanding geological and natural significance. Its a breeding ground for millions of vulnerable seabirds and endangered wildlife, including nesting albatross, elephant and fur seals, whales and several penguin species including the royal penguin, which is found nowhere else on Earth. I want to protect our oceans for our kids and grandkids. This announcement is part of our mission to conserve Australias special places, particularly those that are home to threatened species, said Plibersek in a statement. The plan to expand the marine park was released in February and Mondays announcement comes after two months of public consultations with more than 14,700 submissions that were 99% in support, according to the government. One concession was to allow existing fishery operations of the Patagonian toothfish to continue around the island. The marine parks expansion was welcomed by environmental groups, saying it is a massive win for the regions globally significant marine life. The Macquarie Island Conservation Foundation told CNN it provided expert input into the public consultation process and the result was exceptionally important for the species of Macquarie Island. These animals rely on the waters surrounding Macquarie Island for all of their food, and having this area almost completely protected will help ensure the protection of these species for future generations. Story continues Fiona Maxwell, national oceans manager for the Pew Charitable Trusts, in a statement the government of Anthony Albanese has got the balance right. By giving Macquarie Islands marine life the protection it deserves, while accommodating the small footprint of the existing, relatively well-managed and sustainable commercial Patagonian toothfish fishery. Macquarie Island was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1997 and the marine park established in 1999. Darren Kindleysides, chief executive of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said sanctuaries are vital for marine wildlife, healthy ocean ecosystems and sustainable commercial fisheries. Across the Southern Ocean, temperatures are rising and the rate of ice loss has tripled. Industrial fisheries are damaging areas of high biodiversity and food chains, and the oceans rich wildlife is struggling to adapt to these rapid changes, he said. Strong sanctuary protection will help this unique Sub-Antarctic marine environment build resilience in the face of these growing threats and will also help to future proof this globally significant wildlife hotspot from threats such as seabed mining. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Shari Bossuyt holds a press conference to address her positive test for Letrozole Shari Bossuyt has protested her innocence after testing positive for Letrozole, suggesting she is a victim of contamination and likening her situation to a prisoner wrongly convicted of murder. The anti-doping case came to light on Sunday as the Canyon-SRAM team announced that they had suspended the Belgian rider from racing after being notified of the positive test from the Tour de Normandie in France on March 19. Letrozole, which is primarily used to treat estrogen-sensitive cancer in post-menopausal women, is a 'specified' substance, so does not come with an automatic provisional suspension from the UCI but would lead to a ban if an anti-doping rule violation is upheld. Bossuyt, who last raced at Paris-Roubaix Femmes in early April, shortly after extending her contract with Canyon-SRAM, held a press conference in Zwevegem on Monday morning to address the matter. Read more Canyon-Sram suspend Shari Bossuyt after Letrozole anti-doping positive Toon Aerts asserts innocence after banned drug found in doping test "I've ended up in an unreal situation. I have never come into contact with Letrozole and have never consciously used it. This was even the first time I had heard of Letrozole," she said, according to Sporza. "It feels unfair," she added. "I compare it to being put in prison for murder when you didn't commit murder. That's what it feels like." Bossuyt outlined her determination to fight the case and clear her name, starting with an explanation to the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) as to how the substance ended up in her system. "Everything indicates that we are dealing with a contamination," she claimed. "Hopefully we can quickly provide clarity to the necessary authorities. And above all that we can prove that we are not cheaters," she said. The Toon Aerts connection Belgian cyclist Toon Aerts and Fabienne mother of Belgian cyclist Shari Bossuyt attend a press conference concerning the positive doping test of Belgian cyclist Shari Bossuyt in Zwevegem on June 5 2023 Bossuyt 22 delivered a positive check during a doping test on March 19 after winning stage three in the Tour of Normandy in Caen Shwe is temporarily suspended by her team CanyonSram Racing team The test conducted by the French antidoping agency AFLD found traces of letrozole metabolite in her urine Photo by JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE Belga AFP Belgium OUT Photo by JAMES ARTHUR GEKIEREBelgaAFP via Getty Images In talking of a collective, Bossuyt was referring to Toon Aerts, her compatriot who is facing a two-year ban after testing positive for Letrozole last year. Aerts was present at Monday's press conference, sitting beside Bossuyt's mother, and the pair are both managed by the same agent, Yannick Prevost. Story continues Prevost has already worked extensively on offering a plausible explanation on the account of Aerts, who also protests his innocence, giving Bossuyt something of a head start in her defence. "We have been working on this file for a year," said Prevost on Monday. "It is very difficult to prove that it is a contamination from food. "We are walking a track, but we cannot yet make it concrete. What we can say is that Shari and Toon both tested positive after competitions in Normandy, in Flamanville to be precise. "Letrozole is used for the fertilization of cows and sheep. That is a relatively new technique. It is currently a hypothesis that we cannot yet substantiate. Because the food industry does not yet test for Letrozole." Prevost called on the UCI and WADA to investigate the case as he insisted: "Shari and Toon are not dopers users, but victims." Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California criticized the policies of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, in an interview with Insider. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images and Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo Sixteen migrants arrived in Sacramento, California, over the weekend. The state's attorney general is investigating possible ties to Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has frequently criticized DeSantis. California's attorney general is investigating the mysterious arrival of 16 migrants dropped off at a Catholic church in Sacramento, including possible ties to the Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis administration. The migrants carried paperwork that showed Florida's emergency division, as well as contractor Vertol Systems Company, administered the travel, the New York Times reported. The migrants, from Colombia and Venezuela, had already received a court date for their asylum cases and were approached by a private contractor in El Paso, Texas, according to the Associated Press. The contractor said they'd help the migrants with transportation to their final destination, and to help them secure jobs and shelter. They'd first had a layover in New Mexico before arriving in Sacramento on Friday evening and being "dumped on the doorstep of a local church without any advance warning," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. Newsom said his office was working to help migrants get to their intended destination and would ensure people were treated "with respect and dignity." The California Department of Justice is also investigating whether those responsible for the flights broke any laws, such as kidnapping. "State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. Speaking to CNN on Sunday, he accused DeSantis of demonstrating "pettiness, lack of substance," as well as "xenophobia," "discrimination and racism." White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday called the practice of relocating migrants "dangerous and unacceptable." Story continues "You're putting a lot of pressure on these state and local areas," she said in a press conference. Reached by phone, a representative for Florida's Department of Emergency Management acknowledged that the agency had not yet put out a statement about the flight and requested Insider send questions over email. The governor's office didn't immediately respond to questions about whether it planned the flights. DeSantis previously acknowledged his administration orchestrated another plane carrying migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. He frequently boasts about these actions in speeches, including on the 2024 presidential campaign trail. In recent weeks DeSantis expanded restrictions on undocumented workers in Florida and allocated $12 million toward migrant relocation programs. DeSantis has framed the policies as a direct response to President Joe Biden's immigration policies, saying that the president turned a "blind eye" to the issue. But Democrats were quick to condemn the latest stunt, which the DeSantis administration still hadn't confirmed as of Monday afternoon. Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said the flight was "another example of Ron's draconian immigration policies" and called the actions "borderline human trafficking. "Everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves," she said. "Vulnerable people are being coerced and deceived into these programs without knowing there's no plan on how to care for them. It's cruel and inhumane." DeSantis has promised that if elected president he would resume the border wall between the US and Mexico and reinstitute the "remain in Mexico" policy, which requires migrants to wait across the border until their asylum cases can be heard. DeSantis is the top 2024 nomination rival to President Donald Trump, whose hard-line, anti-immigration rhetoric and actions whipped up his base and led to numerous lawsuits and public backlash. If DeSantis is behind the latest round of flights, it would show he was taking direct aim at Newsom, who has criticized DeSantis' policies. In an interview with Insider in April, Newsom called DeSantis' actions on numerous topics, including immigration, "performative" and "very destructive." DeSantis is scheduled to go to Sacramento for a fundraiser on June 19, according to the Sacramento Bee. Read the original article on Business Insider If you're dipping your toes into the infused beverage space, these businesses can help you get started. Sarah Pender / Getty Images As cannabis regulation continues to evolve across the United States and around the world, please be mindful of your local laws and regulations. Alcoholism runs deep in both sides of my family. To prevent possibly continuing those patterns as I get older, Ive become more interested in exploring other options for social drinking; Alcohol-free wines and spirits have become significantly more accessible in recent years, and cannabis-based mocktails is one of the most interesting trends in this space. Picture a zero-proof drink with all the layers of flavor weve come to love in a cocktail, but with a THC and/or CBD mixture that can be customized for the exact high youd like to experience. While this trend is spreading, conversations around race and cannabis need to remain at the forefront of this movement. With Black cannabis entrepreneurs accounting for less than 2% of businesses in this multi-billion dollar industry, the politics around all things cannabis still live in the shadow of the effects of DARE (an anti-drug program that was very popular in the 90s and early 2000s that also helped to push the criminalization and stigmatization of recreational cannabis to children), the Reagan-eras war on drugs, as well as a longer legacy of racism in the United States. Here are some POC-owned cannabis businesses offering beverages based in equity and education: Rose Mary Jane (Oakland, CA) The first cannabis mocktail I ever tried was in Rose Mary Jane, a Black woman-owned, equity-owned canna-bar and lounge in Oakland, California. This location is also a community event center and a dispensary for cannabis products, with a focus on local producers such as Maat Apothecary (their spiced honey is a favorite of mine) and New Life, a flower hybrid thats ideal for being social and adventurous. In the near future, Rose Mary Janes team plans to host classes for people interested in all things cannabis. Story continues We have the consumer choose the kind of feeling they want to have, like calm, creative, relaxed, [or] adventurous, and create a cannabis mocktail designed for them, says general manager Sway, who goes by their first name only. Like if you want to go for a walk around Lake Merritt, we can make a great creative mocktail to stimulate your mind and help you explore. Rose Mary Jane also carries a number of ready-to-drink THC and CBD beverages, some of which make their way into mocktails that guests can order on-site. Using the THC Orange & Cream soda from Mary Jones, almond milk, and a few other ingredients, the team creates a THC creamsicle mocktail for their customers. Plus, they have over 70 RTD options for customers on their website. Drip BK (Brooklyn, NY) On the other side of the country, a Brooklyn-based, cannabis speakeasy is a local treasure for those who know where to look. Mitchell Senat is the owner of Drip BK, a cute and casual cafe that offers beverages, pastries, and a little taste of Haiti, and also owns Gravity BK, a space-meets-Caribbean themed canna-speakeasy tucked away on the same premises. Think of Drip BK as the Clark Kent to Gravity BKs Batman. You dont need to know a special knock or password to enter this cannabis-focused speakeasy all you need to do is message Gravity BK on Instagram and ask for an application to become a member of the speakeasy, follow the instructions on the application, send it back, and wait for your results. Inspired by his experience in the underground cannabis scene in Barcelona, Senat brings the secrecy, intimacy, and communal foundation of what he encountered there to Brooklyns Little Haiti. He also incorporates his admiration for Jamaicas rich history around cannabis into the design of Gravity BK.. Three of Gravity BKs most popular mocktails include the Purple Rain, the Passion Fruit Mojito, and Higher Level Tea, all of which feature citrus-forward terpenes. Terpenes are chemical compounds found in all plants, and a few animals, that affect the taste and smell of the plant. In cannabis, terpenes can make specific strains taste fruity, savory, chocolatey the options are endless. Haejin Chun Haejin Chun is the chef and founder of Big Bad Wolf, the cannabis consultant for Food Network's CHOPPED 420 (a spin-off of the popular cooking competition show CHOPPED, but focused on cannabis-infused cuisine), one of the creatives behind Big Bad Queens, a private women's supper club, and so much more. Chun shared how cannabis history in Asia dates back, at least, 1800 years, the stigma against the plant permeates through many Asian and Asian American families, including her own. Through her work, Chun strives to reclaim her community's pride in the art of cannabis. I tend to gravitate using asian ingredients in all my beverages: like teas, other herbs, and fruits like lychee, mango, persimmons, and pomelo, says Chun. Some of her favorite creations include Ginseng-Ginger mocktails, infused honey-boba matcha latte, and her Kimchi margaritas. San Fran-based readers, youre welcome in advance. To support Chuns work, follow her on Instagram at @BIGBADWOLFSF and @BIGBADQUEENS, and keep an eye out for her new cookbook in fall 2023!. Related: This Cannabis Seltzer Is Ready to Elevate the Way We Talk About Weed Solomon Johnson Chef Solomon Johnson is a bicoastal cannabis chef whose career rocketed into prominence after winning his episode of CHOPPED 420 on the Food Network. Since then, Johnson has written and self-published a cookbook (Swoop The Kitchen) which will be on shelves by September 2023 and is available for pre-order. His most popular CBD mocktail is his Adult Strawberry Lemonade, complete with fresh strawberries and ginger beer. Even with this recognition within the industry, the reality for Johnson and countless other Black and brown cannabis enthusiasts, is that having cannabis is only punishable if you look a certain way. I have been wrongfully jailed and released for small amounts of cannabis in my neighborhood," says Johnson. Ive been pulled out of my car in the middle of the day by police, handcuffed, and placed face down in oncoming traffic while cops tear my car apart, only to find ashes and a grinder. Its embarrassing and frightening, and my story is not uncommon for other Black and brown people. Weve all heard the phrase drink responsibly before, usually in reference to preventing people from drinking and driving, but I want to challenge all of us to expand its connotation. When it comes to drinking cannabis spirits, being intentional about where you spend your money and give your support is crucial. All marginalized people within the cannabis industry, especially Black people, are fighting institutional and societal roadblocks to get their products to the public and share their work. In this time where the politics behind what we eat and drink are unfiltered and center stage, you have officially been implored to drink responsibly. For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Food & Wine. Getty Images Getty Images The shadow of gun violence follows Ashley Castillo everywhere. When she was a first grader in South Central Los Angeles in 2012, an armed attacker attempted to break into her school. That first lockdown stuck with hernot only because of the memorable shock, but because the threat is always there. Now an 18-year-old senior in high school, Castillo has had to face the shadow countless times. Of course, there are the repeated active-shooter drills. Then she witnessed a shooting while walking home last summer. A few months later, a false report about a gunman hit her high school in Los Angeles. As the familiar process of lockdown beganbooks closing, doors locking, students hidingshe could feel the same anxiety welling up. Could this be the time I dont make it home from school? she wondered. School shooting hoaxes are on the rise. American students are living through an astronomical rise in gun violence. There have been 163 gun incidents at American schools so far in 2023thats seven times a week that a gun has been brandished or fired, or a bullet has hit school property, according to the K12 School Shooting Database. And tragically, gun deaths among children and teens increased by 50 percent between 2019 and 2021, per a new analysis from Pew Research Center. Amid this troubling rise in attacks for Americas kids is an increase in a lesser-known phenomenon: school-shooting hoaxes. These false alarms are also known as swatting, a harassment technique that involves making a fake threat of a major violent crime to law enforcement. The goal is to trigger an armed police response from a SWAT team or similar unit, which is how the practice got its name. It originated in hacker and gamer circlesin fact, the earliest known incidents were perpetrated by teen boy gamers angered by rejection from girl gamers, and involved targeting their homes. While swatting used to be largely a one-off phenomenon, it has recently spread to schools and become more sophisticated, affecting entire school districts and making it hard for law enforcement to track where the calls are coming from, says Sarah Burd-Sharps, senior director of research at Everytown for Gun Safety. Story continues While the FBI doesnt track swatting statistics, a simple Google search that includes a specific town or state plus school shooting hoax often brings up local news reports that show how common it is becoming. In just the past few months, swatting attacks hit more than two dozen schools in Massachusetts, multiple schools across 14 districts in Rhode Island, four schools in Pennsylvania, over a dozen schools in Utah, and three dozen schools across New York State. Each instance prompted a full response, including lockdowns, the arrival of armed police, and in some cases, searches of classrooms and students. Getty Images Swatting is a false alarm, but it has to trigger a real response because of our gun violence crisis, Burd-Sharps says. It creates fear for the entire school community. It terrifies students and parents. And it also diverts resources of law enforcement and first responders from real incidents. Its unclear whats behind the recent rise. Generally speaking, the goal is harassment or disruption. Its likely that more swatting incidents are focused on schools because of how many real school shootings there are in the U.S. Perpetrators know law enforcement will take the calls seriously. But experts face difficulties in determining the identity of attackers or their motives. The calls related to recent swatting incidents in New York, Utah, and Rhode Island appear to have originated from outside the United States, though the exact locations are not known. Because technology allows for perpetrators to set up spoof phone lines from anywhere, its also possible Google Voice or a similar tool was used within the U.S. to set up an international phone line and make auto calls. The FBI recently told the AP that it is monitoring the issue. These incidents weaponize the fear we have about school shootings, Burd-Sharps says. Theyre part of our epidemic. Essentially, while its becoming more common for adolescents to experience multiple incidents of real gun violence throughout their lives, its even more likely that kids will experience several swatting attacks, or a combination of a real shooting and swatting attacks, due to the recent rise in these false alarms, says Burd-Sharps. Getty Images Swatting incidents might not seem like a big deal, but they cause real damage. Though theyre not talked about or reported on as often in national media, swatting events can still be extremely stressfuleven traumatizingfor those experiencing them. Its really important to point out that people dont know its a hoax while its happening, says Paige Lowe, PhD, program director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Utah Valley University. A recent swatting attack that targeted 13 schools in the Salt Lake City area this spring affected a number of Lowes therapy clients. Its not just the recent attack, but the constant stream of shooting news on top of hoaxes hitting close to home that is affecting her clients. Theyre having so much anxiety. Then theres burnout from being so anxious, Lowe says. They just want to zone out and watch TV or otherwise disengage. Its making it hard for them to find joy in daily life. For many, experiencing a swatting incident is not the first or last time they will experience a brush with gun violence. My generation has spent our childhood practicing how to stay alive when the shooting starts, Castillo says. Even when the alarms are false, theres nothing fake about the fear and panic that comes with them. The dread of yet another incident infects Castillos everyday life. Recently, while she was standing in the movie theater concessions line, the power went out, triggering the theaters entrance gate to lower and lock Castillo and her friends inside. Immediately that fear began to rush in, she says. Even normal stuff, like a bus backfiring or a balloon popping, can send her into fight-or-flight mode. The psychological impact has been devastating, Burd-Sharps adds. Seeing armed police and having to evacuate with hands up is absolutely triggering for all children, but in particular its even worse for children who already struggle with violence in their communities. Parents and the entire school community also suffer dire effects. The same day that six people, including three children, were murdered at a school in Nashville in late March, Alexandra Griffin, 42, was reeling from a swatting incident in her childrens school district in Barrington, Rhode Island. My childs school wasnt even directly threatened, but I still got so scared because I was like, Wait, why arent the police checking at the middle school or at the elementary school? Griffin recalls. I live with this tremendous anxiety all the time. I dont know if theyre going to come home at the end of the day. Living through multiple shooting events can trigger a condition known as complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Experts are still studying the mental health effects of this constant stream of fear. One 2015 review of 49 studies found clear increases in fear and psychological symptoms in those who experience mass shootings directly or indirectly, but more long-term research is needed. One risk is an increase in whats known as complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). CPTSD is a newer diagnosis, and some experts disagree on whether its a diagnosis distinct from PTSD. But generally, CPTSD is associated with ongoing, complex traumatic experiences that build up over time. Complex trauma arises when someone is living through an ongoing sense of fear or helplessness, or multiple instances of the initial stressor, Lowe says. When that painful experience recurs again and againwhether its coming from news about yet another active shooter, repeated real-life brushes with gun violence, or hoaxesyou dont have a chance to recover. You dont get a chance to process your fear, so it stays with you unless you seek help. A singular traumatic event, like experiencing one shooting or even one swatting incident, can cause troubling effects, like flashbacks or difficulty moving on, but the effects of complex trauma seem to be more pervasive. For example, those who experience complex trauma tend to have problems coping in a wide variety of stress-inducing situations. Complex trauma causes a constant sense of anxiety, Lowe says. Its also like pushing it underneath a rug. Every time theres another incident, the anxiety just gets bigger and bigger. Getty Images The most important thing you can do for your mental health following a hoax is to not downplay it. You get some imposter syndrome in these cases, where people think, Do I have the right to be upset? Lowe says. But just because its a hoax doesnt mean the experience of the fear isnt valid. The trauma is real. Parents and adults have the added task of also making sure to create space for kids emotions surrounding gun violence or its ripple effects, be it a planned lockdown drill or a swatting hoax. Lowe advises broaching the subject but letting your child lead the conversation. You can start by simply asking what they think about what happened at school. If they dont want to talk yet, thats okaygive them space, she says. When theyre ready, be sure to listen and reflect. You cant solve the problem, but you can validate their feelings by saying, I hear you. I see you. Im with you. If youre feeling overwhelmed by the anxiety, seek professional support from a therapist. Especially if you (or your child) seem unable to enjoy normal activities or are experiencing flashbacks or nightmares, or other symptoms, like trouble managing emotions in stressful situations, talk therapy may be key in helping you process your experiences so you can feel better. Medications may also be beneficial. Connecting with other parents, building that community of support, can also be hugely helpful, Lowe says. Finally, taking action by getting involved with gun safety organizations is another way to fight feelings of powerlessness. The bigger solution is gun safety laws and gun safety practices that can make it so were not having this lasting impact on an entire generation of young people, Burd-Sharps says. There is a whole movement of young people who are really using their voices. That is the hopeful news. For Castillo, joining the gun violence prevention movement has been a way to process her trauma. Her first leadership role was planning a Students Demand Action march in May 2022 after the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas. At the mic, she couldnt help but break down in tears as she spoke about her experiences and advocated for a better future. I was scared that Id seem weak, but it actually empowered everyone who watched me to see a survivor like myself go through such lengths to create change, she says. Being in this movement made me go from hopeless to hopeful. You Might Also Like In the annals of rock history, Supertramp tend to be relegated to secondary status. They were enormously successful, selling millions of records and playing before packed-out crowds at huge venues, even during the years when they released fewer albums. However, theyre rarely in the conversation when it comes to listing the very best; the music media certainly doesnt afford them the same importance as contemporaries such as Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Supertramp are viewed as the ultimate guilty pleasure, a band people enjoy privately without admitting as much publicly. This appears somewhat unfair. Their 1979 album Breakfast In America was their greatest success, a collection of optimistic, stylish songs crafted amid an atmosphere of internal tension one that descended into downright discord during the groups subsequent, triumphant tour. That tour had a damaging effect on relationships within the band, both as musicians and as people, Dougie Thomson, the bassist in Supertramps classic line-up, says. By the end of the tour, wed only be together for the two hours that we were on stage. If you turn the radio to one of the hundreds of classic rock stations out there today, half an hour wont go by before one of Supertramps songs comes on. It could be Give A Little Bit, The Logical Song, School, Dreamer, Its Raining Again or any one of a number of others. I dont remember a single day in my life when I havent listened to Supertramp, says Abel Fuentes, one of the major experts on the British band. Fuentes has written a comprehensive history of the group, Tramps Footprints, a 750-page tome featuring interviews with around 90 people. Everyone connected to Supertramp has their say in the book. Many critics and musicians praised the three progressive albums they put out in the mid-1970s [Crime of the Century, Crisis? What Crisis? and Even in the Quietest Moments], but after their overwhelming success with Breakfast in America, the same people accused them of becoming a pop band that was only interested in commercial gain, Fuentes says. Whats more, the fact that they moved to the United States and were a group that kept such a low profile, avoiding the scandals that the periods rock stars regularly became embroiled in, also led the media to completely forget about them in their home country. Supertramp receive the gold disc for 'Breakfast in America' in Paris on November 28, 1979. Jean-Louis URLI (Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) Supertramp defy all the rock cliches. With no single, identifiable front man, they were anti-stars who didnt fit the roguish profile of other groups. This was the 70s, when bands-behaving-badly became the norm. We werent pop stars with bad habits who sought the spotlight, says Bob Siebenberg, Supertramps drummer. The journalists that followed us were after scandals, but we always disappointed them. They could only write about our music. Going right back to the very start, the groups story is a distinctive one. That were talking about them today is thanks to the money put up by a Dutch patron called Stanley August Miesegaes, a multimillionaire who fell in love with Rick Davies music and financed the group during the most difficult time its beginnings. Sam, as he was known, turned off the tap in 1972, after the band had released two albums, 1970s Supertramp and 1971s Indelibly Stamped, which proved their least significant records. The group hit rock bottom when Sam dropped them. Neither of their discs had sold many copies, and now their patron had left, taking his checkbook with him. They were done for, it seemed. However, it was a low ebb that spurred them on to show what they were made of. The bands two driving forces, Davies and Roger Hodgson, focused on composition, and began to work magic. The release of the 1974 album Crime Of The Century a disc many believe is their best proved the turning point. It had tracks that were simple and sophisticated at the same time, Fuentes says. In the face of the extravagant sounds that dominated the period, it was a breath of fresh air. Whats more, its production was so crystal clear that, five decades later, the record is still often used to test out all kinds of sound systems. The cover of the 1979 album 'Breakfast in America.' Neither Davies nor Hodgson were anxious to take the lead in concerts: they would each perform at one end of the stage, leaving the humorous John Helliwell, the man responsible for the bands characteristic saxophone sounds, to act as master of ceremonies. Internally, however, Davies and Hodgson were not on the same page. They are two completely different people, polar opposites, Thomson says. Davies is pragmatic, a realist, cynical, working class and a carnivore; Hodgson is spiritual, an idealist, romantic, middle-class and a vegetarian. Although the pair would sign their songs jointly as part of a Lennon/McCartney-style agreement, each composed on his own. Davies songs carried a clear rhythm and blues influence; Hodgsons were more poppy and commercial, and were notable for his high-pitched tone of voice. Both sang and played the keyboard (Hodgson was also a guitarist). And then came Breakfast In America, Supertramps seismically successful album. In 1979, no other disc could be heard more frequently; only The Wall, by Pink Floyd, and Off The Wall, by Michael Jackson, equaled the record in popularity. Some critics, however, took aim at the album as too commercial. We had decided to record songs that were simple and could have a commercial impact, Davies says in Tramps Footprints. The pop side of things had always been a part of Supertramp, but perhaps it had been overlooked because of the comparisons that experts made between us and groups like Genesis and Pink Floyd. Sometimes we joked that if we needed to be more commercial, we wouldnt find that very hard. All the optimism with which the album filled its listeners was in stark contrast to the bad atmosphere that pervaded the studio during recording. John Helliwell in October 1979, during Supertramps 'Breakfast in America' tour. Rob Verhorst (Redferns) Davies opposed the inclusion of Hodgsons song Lord Is It Mine, citing its spiritual character. He lost the battle. Hodgson had radicalized his way of life: conversations with him were dominated by talk of the soul, yoga, and communes. He began to get on the rest of the groups nerves. The reasons for the break-up of Supertramps classic line-up were Rogers spiritualism and egocentricity, Helliwell tells this newspaper, adding, Roger did not appreciate the contributions of Bob, Dougie and me. Davies wrote Casual Conversations as a criticism of Hodgson: It talks about Roger and me unsuccessfully trying to communicate with each other we had a lot of comings-together. Hodgson responded with Child of Vision. I wrote that song as a criticism of the materialistic way of life in America, but in truth it was directed at Rick, he says in Fuentes book. We were completely different. It was becoming difficult to work together. The Breakfast In America album tour was a huge success, but when the fans left the arenas, the fault lines within the group were becoming more and more pronounced. While the rest of the band travelled by air, Hodgson took to a caravan, accompanied by his partner. Davies even banned anyone from smoking weed in his presence, in a clear attack on Hodgson. In Tramps Footprints, Hodgson says something died in the group after the Breakfast In America tour: I had the impression that Supertramp was disintegrating. In those concerts, I felt like an actor performing the same part night after night. We had become slaves to a huge production. The group released a live album (the wildly successful Paris in 1980), followed that up with a studio disc, 1982s Famous Last Words, and went on tour after that. However, Hodgson had already told his fellow band members of his intention to leave. He did so in 1983. For many, that was the moment Supertramp ended, even though the group, led by Davies, continued performing and recording albums. They didnt attract the same success as the bands earlier work. When Hodgson departed, a verbal agreement was reached: he would allow the group to carry on using the name Supertramp, as long as they didnt play any of his songs. That meant doing away with some of their most popular tracks: the likes of School, Breakfast In America, The Logical Song and Give a Little Bit. Hodgson would perform them on his own, and Supertramp would focus on Davies work. The pact held for a few years, until Davies grew tired of fans calling for the group to play Hodgsons songs during concerts. Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies at Olympic Studios, London, in the mid-1970s. Fin Costello (Redferns) Describing his reaction to hearing Supertramp play his songs as a member of the crowd, Hodgson has said: I was devastated I felt sick. Even my son Andrew, who was with me, started to cry. I couldnt understand how Rick could use all these songs of mine when he had so many good songs. Over the years, there have been as many as three attempts to bring the bands classic line-up back together again, but they have always been scuppered by age-old frictions. Fuentes points the finger at the groups deplorable management. Rick Davies wife took over in 1983, he says. At no point has she ever tried to keep the bands name alive. While other legendary groups from the 70s have brought out all types of old recordings despite being inactive, that kind of material is conspicuous by its absence when it comes to Supertramp. In 2005, Thomson, Siebenberg and Helliwell took Davies to court in a bid to force him to share control over the rights to the bands catalogue from their heyday, 1974 to 1983. They won. Despite clashing with them in the courtroom, Davies then unexpectedly got together with Siebenberg and Helliwell years later, and they went on tour as Supertramp. Hodgson, meanwhile, carried on recording discs and touring without his former band-mates. Asked by this newspaper whether he believes Supertramps classic line-up will ever reform, Thomson says he doesnt think its likely. The first 10 years were really great, but I think too many negative things happened after that which would have made it very difficult to go back, he explains. Better to stay with the memories of the good times. Today, Supertramps two most prominent members are in retirement as major live performers. Hodgson, 73, canceled a planned 2020 tour because of the pandemic and hasnt been seen on stage since. After recovering from a cancer diagnosis in 2015, Davies, 78, performs two or three times a year in a bar in Long Island, New York, where he lives. He plays old-style blues and the odd Supertramp song. Now, though, he avoids any tracks written by Hodgson, the frenemy with whom he started a band that has never stopped having an audience. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Japanese Digital Minister Taro Kono takes a selfie with his avatar robot in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2022. Credit - Kyodo News/AP While the West romanticizes Japan as an arcane futurescape, a neon-swathed land of bullet trains and buzzing toilets, in truth the worlds No. 3 economy struggles with a deep resistance to change and a fetishism of archaic bureaucracy. But Taro Kono, the countrys 60-year-old Digital Minister, is on a mission to bring Japans reality bit by bit closer to its oft-perceived modernistic image. Kono may have his own lifesize mechanical avatar designed by a professor at Osaka UniversityIm hoping to use it to let people know about the new national ID card were issuing, he saysthough today his homeland lags badly when it comes to digitalization. Hence, he is only too happy to strike a small blow against staid etiquette by jumping on a Zoom interview. Japan was quite good with analogue technology, says Kono, who has previously served as Foreign Minister and Defense Minister. But when things moved to digital, we were too content with analogue things, so we didnt invest enough. Taro Kono, Japan's then regulatory reform and vaccine minister, in Tokyo, on March 29, 2021. Akio KonBloomberg/Getty Images According to Kono, Japans huge government deficitpublic debt to GDP stands at 256%, the highest in the world and double that of the U.S.has over recent years made its Finance Ministry too strict with the government purse strings; it simply wont fund departments to upgrade their systems. That means the private sector hasnt been able to upgrade either, he says, because they have to be compatible with the government. Konos ministry has found 9,000 government regulations that still require handling via antiquated technology, including faxes, floppy disks and the hankoa carved stamp that is obligatory for many official documents. We just found one clause saying you have to submit a photograph on color film, he says with patent exasperation. More from TIME Konos goal is to peel back these antiquated foibles and drag Japan into the 21st century. His agency has a sprawling remit to streamline processes that currently require pen and paper into sleek digital equivalents, whether for paying taxes or applying for planning permission. Still, its an uphill task. Kono highlights that Singapore has 3,500 people working in its digital agency to serve a population of 5.5 million; Kono has 800 staff for 125 million. Some of them are only part-time because we cannot afford to pay a full salary, he says. So were definitely desperately understaffed, but we need to do what we can. Story continues The scale of the problem was underscored by the pandemic, during which Kono served as minister for vaccine rollout. Our health ministry seriously tried to count paper to know how many vaccines we administered the day before, he says. So I had to develop a new system to keep track of vaccines in two months. Meanwhile, a plan to provide 100,000 yen ($750) COVID grants to every citizen stumbled due to a lack of digital records. Instead, a form was sent to every household asking for the occupants bank details. It took about six months before anyone saw their money. For Kono, the pandemic exposed how bad government systems are. Konos fluent English sets him apart from your typical Japanese official, while his penchant for suspenders and carrying a small steel-plated cream and purple briefcasewhose mysterious contents is a topic of some conjecture amongst policy wonksengenders an image as a lovable eccentric. Its a breath of fresh air that charms voters and sees Kono consistently rank as Japans most popular politician. At the same time, it has alienated elders of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which chose the dour Fumio Kishida to replace Yoshihide Suga as Prime Minister in October 2021, despite Kono having twice the popular support. Ultimately, Konos political ambitions founder on a nigh pathological inability to toe the party line. Kono favors marriage equality and actively opposes nuclear powerboth strikingly at odds with LDP orthodoxy. Hes a really smart, articulate, talented politician, which are not thick on the ground here, says Jeffery Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Tokyos Temple University Japan. So the people like him a lot. But the problem is that he is widely disliked within the party. It was Konos time overseas that shaped his values and character. After dropping out of university in his homeland, Kono studied at Georgetown and later worked on Alan Cranstons unsuccessful campaign to be the Democratic nominee in the 1984 U.S presidential election. He then went to Poland when it was still a Soviet vassal, spending a night in prison after visiting the leader of the anti-authoritarian Solidarity workers movement. On his return, he spent a decade in business before getting elected as a LDP lawmaker for a constituency south of Tokyo in 1996. Kono says going abroad opened up my eyes so I could see Japan in an objective way. Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, fist bumps with Kono at the Liberal Democratic Party party headquarters in Tokyo, Oct. 31, 2021. Behrouz MehriPool/AP But despite his quirky demeanor, Kono is no political neophyte; his father, Yohei Kono, was an LDP president and a Deputy Prime Minister. When, in 2002, his father fell ill from a chronic hepatitis C infection, Kono provided a portion of his own liver for his treatment and subsequently lobbied for changes to laws governing organ donation. And while he loves taking on the establishment, hes very much an iconoclast, whose use of humor in official settings is also a rarity in Japans beige officialdom. His favorite medium is Twitterhis Japanese account has 2.6 million followers and his English-language one over 70,000where he chastises civil servants for excessive hours and lampoons Japans sacrosanct work culture. There is no analogue thing left in our remarkably advanced society. Oops, my fax machine is jamming! he once tweeted. To TIME, he calls Twitter his killing time escape. Konos portfolio tells a wider story of the effort to modernize Japan. While the nation boasts the worlds longest life expectancy, lowest murder rate, and unruffled political transitions, it also suffers torpid growth, and its shrinking, graying population is an unprecedented demographic time bomb. Every year, Japan loses half a million people, and today the country sells more adult diapers than infant ones. Other than boosting efficiencies through digitalization, reforms are underway to raise the productivity of women and seniors and attract more overseas talent. There is an acute labor shortage in some industries, says Kono. One way is to attract foreign workers. Right now, for certain segments, I think Japan is probably the easiest [place] to get a work permit. While today Kono rails against the lack of investment in digitalization, his previous bete noire was wasteful military spending. Soon after assuming the post of Defense Minister in 2019, he directed a broad probe of U.S. hardware purchases. In January 2020, Kono abruptly canceled the $4.2 billion U.S. Aegis Ashore missile defense system over perceived technical glitches, despite his government already sinking $2 billion into the project, prompting complaints from his fellow lawmakers about a lack of proper consultation. A screen broadcasts news of Kono in Tokyo on Sept. 22, 2021. Soichiro KoriyamaBloomberg/Getty Images Today, though, Japan is undergoing a thorough military overhauldoubling defense spending to 2% of GDP, which brings it into line with NATO guidelines and propels it to be the worlds third-biggest defense spender after the U.S. and China. In a move that critics say violates its pacifist constitution, Japan is also acquiring new weapons that can strike enemy targets 1,000km away with land or sea-launched missiles. Kono backs the upgrades given the raised threat posed by Russias invasion of Ukraine, as well as the perennial menace of North Korea and Chinas new assertiveness under strongman Xi Jinping. He highlights how Beijings military spending has nearly tripled in the last decade, with Chinese ships violating our territorial water almost every day, he says. When we invited China to join the WTO, although they have a different political system, [we thought] if they became a good player in the global economy, everyone would benefit, he says. Unfortunately, things havent turned out that way. Of course, its not a challenge that Japan is undertaking alone. Over the last few months, the Kishida administration has enhanced its cooperation with the U.S. and regional allies like Australia, South Korea, and India, and its preparing to welcome the G7 grouping to Hiroshima. Its quite obvious, looking at Ukraine, that the alliance with the United States is never more important, Kono says. And Im hoping that maybe AUKUS could one day become JAUKUS, he adds with a wry smile, and the Five Eyes [intelligence network] could become the Six Eyesor five eyes and a wink. Some of these issues may be beyond the scope of Konos current role, but hes keenly interested in the direction of the country as a whole. As for his ambitions for Japans top job? Well, you never know, right? Kono says with a grin. Well see. American Airlines just launched a flight to the paradise destination from Miami. Walter Bibikow/Getty Images The first-ever direct flight to the British Virgin Islands from the mainland United States launched last week, making it easier than ever to reach the islands pristine beaches for the summer. The new American Airlines flight, which took off for the first time on June 1, will operate daily from Miami to the main airport on Beef Island, the islands tourism board shared with Travel + Leisure. The three hour flight marks the first direct access to the islands from the mainland U.S. and means travelers no longer have to connect through Puerto Rico or St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is the first time in history that a flight has completely sold out in such a short amount of time, and we are grateful that American Airlines has partnered with us to bring this long-awaited service to fruition, bringing ease and accessibility to our treasured destination, the British Virgin Islands Premier Natalio Wheatley said in a statement shared with T+L. Miami is the ideal hub to attract more North American travelers to the Sailing Capital of the World! The new route will be seasonal and operate through August 14 before pausing for the fall and then restarting in November. The government estimates the new route will bring more than 2,100 monthly passengers to the British Virgin Islands. The flights will depart Miami at 10:07 a.m. each day and arrive on the island at 1:06 p.m. The flights will then depart the island at 1:47 p.m. and arrive back in Miami at 4:25 p.m. American Airlines has also added additional flights on several dates in June. The British Virgin Islands is made up of 60 different islands and cays and sits just east of Puerto Rico. The islands main airport, the Terrence B. Lettsome Airport, is located on Beef Island, just off the coast of Tortola and connected by a bridge. The new route is not American Airlines only new flights launching in time for summer. Earlier this year, the airline also brought back several flights from the U.S to Dublin. For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. Katrine Aalerud (Movistar) wins the overall Vuelta Ciclista Andalucia Ruta Del Sol Women Katrine Aalerud (Movistar) claimed the first overall victory of her career at the Vuelta Andalucia Women in Castellar de la Frontera on Sunday. The Norwegian rider was part of a three-rider breakaway which escaped the peloton with 60 kilometres to go using the ramp of the only climb of the day on the fifth and final stage. In the final sprint, Mie Bjrndal Ottestad (Norway) won the stage ahead of Aalerud. Lotte Claes (Stade Rochelais Charente Maritime) took third. Second in the general classification at the start of the day, Aalerud overcame the 47 seconds deficit to Tamara Dronova-Balabolina (Israel Premier Tech Roland) to win the overall. "I'm so happy with this, my first GC victory. I wanted to give it a fight and see if we could get closer to Dronova, but I was also afraid that an attack over the Cat-1 ascent would not stick because it was so far away from the finish. However, it was better to try than leaving without having at least made an attempt. And we achieved it - which I'm so, so happy about, Aalerud said. "Dronova is an explosive rider who does way better at shorter ascents like the previous days', but at the flatter section, with the three of us taking turns, and the good cooperation until the end, gave us a decisive margin to win. I think we managed ourselves well as a team over the week, and this is a huge reward for the excellent job everyone did here in Andalucia, both riders and staff. Finishing with the chasing peloton, Dronova-Balabolina crossed the line 1:04 after the winner and dropped to third place in the final general classification. Ottestad claimed second place five seconds behind Aalerud. Starting from Estepona, the peloton cracked as they climbed the category 1 climb, Puerto Hacho de Gaucin, 11 kilometres into the 95.6km stage. Aalerud, Ottestad and Claes attacked out of the reduced field while Dronova-Balabolina could not follow their wheels. With 42 kilometres to go, the trio maintained a lead of 50 seconds from the chasers. They increased their gap to slightly over one minute in the final 10 kilometres. Results Results powered by FirstCycling Courtesy of LifeTime The 2023 edition of UNBOUND Gravel saw the largest field size in the events history, with more than 4,000 riders taking to the start line in Emporia, KS, this past Friday and Saturday. And for the first time ever, the 200-mile race had separate starts for the elite men and women in the hopes of giving each field its own dynamic race. Additionally, aero bars were banned for the elite riders, and the weather played a significant role in the day for amateurs and pros alike. Keegan Swenson, 29, of Herber City, UT, and Carolin Schiff, 37, of Bremen, Germany, emerged victorious in the 200-mile elite category. While in the XL (350-mile race), Kristen Legan, 37, of Nederland, CO, and Logan Kasper, 29, of Baldwinville, MA, took home the wins after over twenty-two hours of racing overnight. Notably, in the XL race, Team Amani member Geoffrey Langat, 33, of Nairobi, Kenya, finished fourth at 25:36. And in the 100-mile race, David Brower, 19, and UCI World Tour racer Tiffany Cromwell, 34, came out on top. This year, the event featured the largest field size in its history, but also saw a large number of DNFs (participants who did not finish) due to the rough weather and road conditions. Taking on the grueling courses through the Flint Hills region, the racers experienced a mix of rain, high heat, and humidity, as well as muddy roads that forced many, if not all, racers to run and walk certain sections of the course. About 307 riders (8 percent of registrants) abandoned the event across the multiple categories, with 192 of those abandons coming from the 100-mile race. How the elite races played out After overnight showers the night before, the day started off cool and damp, with a full moon in sight as the racers lined up on Commercial Street at five in the morning. In the first ten miles of the hotly contested race, the pace was slowed down by a section of the unmaintained road that quickly turned into thick mud and significantly slowed down the raceorganizers had an alternative plan-b route, but decided not to use it. Riders were forced to run alongside their bikes or take to the grass for grip. Story continues The damp and muddy morning was followed by high heat and hair-curling humidity that many riders had trouble acclimating to. But this wasnt a problem for our leaders in both the mens and womens fields, who consistently increased the pace as they reached drier roads despite temps hitting 87 degrees and 90 percent humidity. The day eventually dried upnot for long thoand the speeds picked up as the elite racers hit the first aid station at mile 42, where a group of seven riders containing Swenson, Peter Stetina, Laurens Ten Dam, Ian Boswell, Petr Vacok, Russell Finsterwald, and Lachlan Morton came in together swapping hydration packs, spray-washing bikes, and receiving other support from their respective crews. About fifteen minutes later, last years womens winner, Sofia Gomez Villafane, 29, arrived at her support crew, but she wasnt alone. By that time, Schiff, racing for Canyon, had caught up to the Specialized rider, to the surprise of many. Two weeks prior, Schiff had won Gravel Locos in Hico, TX. Alexis Skarda and Sarah Sturm followed a few minutes later, while 2021s winner, Lauren de Crescenzo, trailed another fifteen minutes behind the leaders and would eventually abandon the race. Halfway through the race, at mile 110, the mens leading group was still working well together and increasing their pace as they headed toward the city of Hamilton. Meanwhile, live standings of the womens race at the 105-mile checkpoint showed a 6 gap between Schiff and Gomez Villafane, which Schiff managed to extend by over three minutes once she reached the 110-mile marker driving a relentless pace. Despite the efforts of the chase group, Schiffs gap continued to stretch, and by marker 125, it stretched to seven minutes. At the neutral aid station in Hamilton, riders who had been part of the chase groups in the pro mens were found spent, laying stretched out on the grass or crouching down and questioning whether to call it quits or continue due to the increasing gap to the mens leading group and the uncomfortable weather conditions. Travis McCabe and Eric Brunner were some of the riders who abandoned the mens race. And between mile markers 106 and 145, Skarda, Ruth Winder, and Crystal Anthony had also abandoned their race. Back in Emporia, the crowds anxiously awaited the arrival of the elite fields. In a sprint finish, Swenson beat Vakoc and Morton, redeeming himself from last years loss, and completed the 200-mile course in a time of 10:06. I had flashbacks of last year going into the last hill, and I tried to play my cards a little bit better. I am super excited to have been able to pull it together, said Swenson. While the leading men finished on a mostly dry course, heavy rainfall poured over the leading women about 20 miles out. An hour and forty minutes later, with a finishing time of 11:46, Schiff crossed the finish line, triumphantly beating Gomez Villafane by fifteen minutes. Sarah Sturm finished in third place, trailing seven minutes behind. I wasnt sure if I did the right thing going away [solo] with so long to go, but I made it, said Schiff. There was a lot of frustration, but Im still proud. I did everything I could, said Gomez Villafane, who still leads the LifeTime Grand Prix alongside partner Swenson. The next race in the series is Crusher in the Tushar, a 69-mile gravel course in Beaver, UT, where racers will meet again on July 8, 2023. Top 10 Results for UNBOUND 200 Elite Mens Keegan Swenson Petr Vakoc Lachlan Morton Laurens Ten Dam Ian Boswell Russell Finsterwald Peter Stetina Adam Roberge Zach Calton Jasper Ockeloen Elite Womens Carolin Schiff Sofia Gomez Villafane Sarah Sturm Danni Shrosbree Sarah Lange Rebecca Fahringer Haley Smith Leah Van der Linden Holly Mathews Jade Treffeisen You Might Also Like All eyes were on Jordan this week as Crown Prince Hussein married Rajwa Al Saif, now Princess Rajwa, in a spectacular wedding that featured royalty from all around the world (and so many tiaras!). The wedding, hosted by Hussein's parents King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, called back to their own royal wedding nearly 30 years ago to the day. On June 10, 1993, Abdullahthen Prince Abdullah bin Al-Husseinmarried Rania Al-Yassin. Rania, then 22, was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, and had met Abdullah at a dinner party just six months earlier. At the time of their wedding, Abdullah was not expected to inherit the throne. Now the King and Queen of Jordan, Rania and Abdullah have four children: Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma, and Prince Hashem. Princess Iman got married earlier this year, and Prince Hussein, as Crown Prince and heir to the throne, had a wedding that was similar to that of his parents. Here, see how the two weddings compare: Rania's wedding dress was by British designer Bruce Oldfeld. It featured short sleeves and gold embellishments. Rajwa chose Elie Saab for her wedding gown, which had an asymmetrical neckline. Notably, Rania did not wear a tiara to her wedding, but a dramatic headband. Rajwa, on the other hand, did wear a brand new tiara. Hussein's suit explicitly channelled his father's wedding suit. Per the Royal Hashmeite Court, "The Crown Prince will don a suit that draws inspiration from the distinguished design worn by His Majesty King Abdullah II on his wedding day. Embodying the rich legacy of the Hashemites, the suit's sleeves pay homage to the timeless style displayed by both Their Majesties King Abdullah II and King Abdullah I." Royal Hashemite Court; Getty Images Both couples rode in a motorcade through the streets of Amman following a wedding ceremony at Zahran Palace. Hussein and Rajwa traveled in the "Sheer Rover," a 1984 Range Rover that was especially customized for the visit of the late Queen Elizabeth to Jordan, whereas Abdullah and Rania were in a more classic convertible. Story continues Royal Hashemite Court; Getty Images And one last side-by-side of newlyweds Rania and Abdullah in 1993, and 30 years later, at their son's wedding. For the ceremony, Queen Rania wore a black and gold Dior gown, and Abdullah wore a classic suit. Royal Hashemite Court; Getty Images You Might Also Like Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images More than 30 Mississippi school districts are still under federal desegregation orders, according to the U.S. Department of Justices Civil Rights Divisions assistant attorney general. NBC News reports Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the U.S. Department of Justices Civil Rights Division announced the news on Thursday at the Holmes County Circuit Court Complex in Lexington. According to Clarke, 32 Mississippi schools are still trying to make sure Black children in the state have equal access to education. In our ongoing efforts to fulfill the promise of Brown vs. Board of Education, we currently have 32 open cases with school districts here in Mississippi, Clarke said. And in each of those cases, we are working to ensure that these districts comply with desegregation orders from courts. According to Clarke, the Justice Department "is learning where to direct resources and where it might need to mount civil rights lawsuits." Clarke's statement was in reference to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to outlaw segregation of public schools across the country. What I hope shell do is seriously address the issues. Not gloss over them, say that she has heard about these violations, talk about them in detail and say that it is wrong if it is happening, Jill Collen Jefferson, president of JULIAN, a civil rights organization, told NBC. Update: Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket and uncrewed Dragon vessel at 11:47 a.m. EDT, Monday, June 5, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida followed by a booster landing on a drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean a short time later. Read our full post-launch story here. SpaceX kicked off Sunday with the first of two Falcon 9 missions slated to launch from Florida just hours apart, but the second couldn't get off the ground due to weather conditions in the Atlantic Ocean. At 8:20 a.m. EDT, a Falcon 9 roared to life at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to mark the 27th launch from the Space Coast this year. Meanwhile, SpaceX was setting up to launch another less than four hours later from Kennedy Space Center, but teams scrubbed that mission due to high winds in the Atlantic recovery zone where a drone ship was waiting to host the Falcon 9 rocket's landing. After flying a southeast trajectory from Launch Complex 40 and threading between Florida and the Bahamas, the 230-foot rocket carried 22 second-generation Starlink satellites to orbit. About eight minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster targeted SpaceX's "Just Read the Instructions" drone ship for a landing in the Atlantic Ocean. Launch doubleheader: SpaceX will try to launch two Falcon 9 rockets from Florida on Sunday What was the payload? All told, SpaceX has launched over 4,500 Starlink internet-beaming satellites. The company's near-global constellation operates about 340 miles above Earth to deliver high-speed connectivity services to rural and hard-to-reach destinations around the globe. Sunday's mission features 22 of the second-generation model of the satellites called "V2 Minis." Starlink customers number more than a million, but SpaceX is nowhere near done building out its orbital network. The company expects to launch tens of thousands of the satellites to service residential and business customers on every continent, as well as provide in-motion service for boats, planes, and recreational vehicles. Story continues Grounded indefinitely: Boeing's Starliner crewed test flight suffers more delays because of safety concerns Rocket launch schedule: Upcoming Florida launches and landings When's the next launch? After the scrub of Sunday's second launch, NASA and SpaceX teams re-targeted 11:47 a.m. EDT Monday, June 5, for the next mission carrying cargo to the International Space Station. That mission is slated to fly from Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A. The resupply flight sending thousands of pounds of cargo and science experiments to crew aboard the ISS will mark SpaceX's 28th cargo run for NASA and the 28th mission to fly from Florida in 2023. Had back-to-back launches happened Sunday, it would have been a notable achievement, but not a record-breaker for fastest turnaround between two Florida missions. That honor still belongs to NASA's Gemini program, which launched two separate vehicles in a roughly 90-minute window in 1966. Look for FLORIDA TODAY's live launch coverage of that mission to begin 90 minutes before liftoff at https://www.floridatoday.com/space/. For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule. Contact Jamie Groh at JGroh@floridatoday.com and follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie. Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launches Starlink, but scrubs Sunday's back-to-back missions Taking care of our skin is imperative for keeping breakouts and irritation at bay. And while we can't always control what happens to our skin (hello, hormones), we can maintain the tools we use on our faces and ensure they aren't exacerbating any problems. Basic principles like keeping our fingers off our faces and routinely disinfecting our phone screens are well-known by most, but secret bacteria could be hiding in your productsparticularly your makeup brushesand jeopardizing your skin health. Ahead, we asked board-certified dermatologists Michael Garner, MD, and Nazanin Saedi, MD, to explain why it's important to wash our brushes and how often we should be replacing them, amongst other tips that will help save your skin. Keep scrolling for our comprehensive guide. Meet Our Expert Michael Garner, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist, partner at Boone Dermatology Clinic, and member of the Matter of Fact Skincare advisory board. Nazanin Saedi, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist with Dermatology Associates of Plymouth Meeting in Pennsylvania. How Often Should You Replace Your Makeup Brushes? Nazanin recommends replacing your makeup brushes every two years. If they are beyond repair from not being washed frequently enough and the bristles are stiff or feel oily due to too much product build-up that won't wash out, it's best practice to replace them immediately. Makeup brushes are usually composed of synthetic and non-synthetic hairs, depending on the manufacturer and type. If you keep your brushes clean and bacteria-free, they can last a long time (especially if they are made with quality hair such as sable). Why Do You Need to Wash Your Makeup Brushes? While it isn't anyone's favorite chore, keeping your makeup brushes clean is imperative for the state of your face. "Not washing your makeup brushes regularly can have several negative effects on your skin," says Garner. "[Dirty brushes] accumulate makeup residue, oils, dead skin cells, and bacteria over time. When you reuse these brushes without cleaning them, you reintroduce these impurities to your skin, leading to clogged pores, breakouts, and irritation. The accumulation of bacteria on the brushes can also promote the growth of harmful microorganisms, potentially causing infections or other skin issues." Story continues Nazanin concurs. "We are all guilty of not washing our makeup brushes as often as we should, even me," she tells us."Yet not washing your brushes can lead to bacteria build-up and breakouts." What Happens If You Don't Regularly Wash Your Brushes? "There are several common skin conditions that can develop from bacteria on dirty makeup brushes," Garner tells us. "Some common conditions include acne breakouts, folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles), staphylococcus or streptococcus infections, and even fungal and/or yeast infections. These conditions can cause redness, inflammation, and itching and sometimes require medical treatment. More serious infections are theoretically possible and are even more reasons to ensure regular cleaning of your makeup brushes. But these situations are, thankfully, very rare." If you do experience breakouts or clogged pores due to dirty brushes (it happens), Garner's advice is to exfoliate. "Regular, but not excessive, exfoliation can help remove dead skin cells and unclog pores. Opt for gentle exfoliants that won't be too harsh on your skin, like Matter of Fact's Resurfacing + Hydrating Serum ($88). Chemical exfoliants with ingredients like salicylic acid or glycolic acid can be particularly effective for addressing breakouts. Unfortunately, many people fall into the trap of exfoliating their skin too frequently, [creating] a vicious cycle of irritation and disruption of the skin's natural barrier maintenance processes." How Often Should You Wash Your Makeup Brushes? "Ideally, you should be washing your brushes once a week, even if you only use the brush once," says Nazanin. "The American Academy of Dermatology recommends washing makeup brushes once every 7-10 days." "The frequency of cleaning your makeup brushes depends on how often you use them and the type of products you use," adds Garner. "As a general guideline, it's recommended to clean your brushes at least once every two weeks if you use them regularly. However, if you use them daily or have sensitive or acne-prone skin, it's better to clean them once a week or even after each use. It's important to maintain good hygiene practices to minimize the buildup of bacteria and product residue on the brushes." Keeping Your Makeup Brushes Clean Now that we know how imperative it is to wash your makeup brushes, what are the best products to keep them clean and help preserve the health of our skin? "If you look online, people recommend all kinds of products to wash your makeup brushes, anything from Dawn dish soap to makeup brush cleaners," says Nazanin. "I personally recommend using your face wash. It cleans your face, and you don't react to it." This tip is brilliant for those with sensitive skin, as different cleaning agents can sometimes cause unwanted reactions. Related: This Is Exactly How to Clean Makeup Brushes "Use a gentle antibacterial soap or a specialized brush cleanser," advises Garner. "Gently swirl the brush bristles in the cleanser, working it into a lather. Be careful not to wet the area where the bristles meet the handle, as it can weaken the glue holding the bristles." He recommends cleansing each brush and running it under warm water until all residue has been washed out and the water runs clear. Lay brushes flat on a towel overnight to ensure they are completely dry before using them again. The Final Takeaway To avoid breakouts and unwanted skin irritations, wash your brushes regularly with a cleanser that is safe for your skin. If you're wondering whether or not your brushes are up to standard, it's probably best to replace them and maintain a consistent system of keeping them clean. Learn More: Here's Exactly How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes Patricia Bonaldi. Photo: Courtesy of PatBO In our long-running series "How I'm Making It," we talk to people making a living in the fashion and beauty industries about how they broke in and found success. When Patricia Bonaldi began making clothes as a child in her hometown of Uberlandia, Brazil, the fashion industry was not exactly set up for her to succeed. To break through in a rigorously competitive capital like New York City, for example, she would first have to "make it" in South America, then calculate a jump to the U.S. market all without a formal design education, and, ultimately, without the financial security that plots "nepo babies" on the fast-track to headlining New York Fashion Week. But Bonaldi has never been scared of a challenge. In 2021 nine years after launching her exuberant, sensual formalwear label PatBO (and two decades after founding the original Patricia Bonaldi brand) Bonaldi made her NYFW debut, also opening her first New York City store in SoHo on the same cobblestoned street that houses storefronts for Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. "My first runway in New York was very meaningful for me," Bonaldi remembers, on a Zoom call from Sao Paulo, where the brand is now based. "It was a day I'll never, ever forget. For a girl who started in a small town in Brazil, that was a milestone. I never take anything for granted." And yet, Bonaldi's path to the proverbial design mountaintop was not a straight shot. Her professional journey first brought her to law school, which represented a safer, more stable alternative to years spent chasing a fashion career that may not even exist. Still, she kept one foot in the fashion waters, operating her custom gown business as a side hustle, and eventually trusting her intuition enough to leave law school and pursue her brand full-time. It was a gamble that paid off: Today with 1.2 million Instagram followers of her own, her brand enjoys top billing at stores all around the planet (including in 23 U.S. states), and counts a growing client roster of "It" celebrities like Anya Taylor Joy, Paris Hilton and Selena Gomez. Story continues "The dress that Anya Taylor Joy wore [for 'Live With Kelly and Ryan'] was one of my favorites, and I just love her," says Bonaldi. "I dress a lot of women, but it's special when you connect with a client who you really admire." But her largest accomplishment to date can be found back in Uberlandia. In 2010, she opened a school that helps train local artisans in various craftsmanship skills, from embroidery to sewing, and prepares them to enter the workforce in the field of their choosing. To date, more than 500 women have passed through Bonaldi's school, with hopefully many, many, many more to come. Such is Bonaldi's plan, after all. "It's not only teaching them how to do the techniques," she says. "It's also about helping them understand how important and beautiful this kind of craftsmanship is." Ahead, we spoke to Bonaldi about quitting her safety net and following her dreams, all while amplifying the community she came from. Patricia Bonaldi at PatBO's Fall 2022 runway show during New York Fashion Week. Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows You began designing and making clothes as a child, alongside your mother. Tell me about that time and about the origins of your interest in fashion, before you pursued it as a career. It started with my mom in my hometown because we never bought clothes at the store, so she always took us to a fabric store. That fabric store was like Disneyland for me I wanted to play with everything. But at that point, I never felt that I could be a professional. It was always just a hobby. I love all the people who used to work at the store, and they knew that I really loved fashion. Even now, they say, "Patricia's here, let's help her!" They watched me grow up. That store was a big part of my life. Did your Brazilian upbringing influence the way you think about creativity and self-expression? We're very experimental. We're never afraid to mix things, like textures. I like to mix a lot of textures. I'm never afraid to do crazy things. It's how my creativity flows. Brazil is about curiosity, playfulness. I know it requires a lot of work, but I try to enjoy the process. This is part of our culture. We're always trying to find joy in what we do. And I can only talk about me, but I'm never taking myself so seriously. Fashion should be an opportunity to express yourself, to play and to not just show perfect things for the world. PatBO started off as a side hustle when you were in law school. How did you decide to commit to the brand full-time? I never thought I could be a fashion designer as my profession. I was always afraid that I didn't know if I could succeed, or if I could make money doing it. People think about this all the time. Fashion is a "maybe" for many people. So I decided to go to law school, and actually, I was very good at it. [Laughs] But I also had a small store in my hometown, and I was in my final year of school when people started going crazy about the clothes I was making all at the same time that I needed to do a lot of work for school. I needed to make a decision. I was at my limit. I couldn't keep doing both things anymore. My husband told me, "Go for fashion. This is your talent. Everyone wants your dresses, so you should do this." I was very insecure, but he encouraged me a lot. I decided to leave law school and embrace fashion for the rest of my life. It was a very scary decision, because school represented, at that time, my future. It was my chance. But I knew I should commit to fashion, and I had this kind of confirmation from my clients and everyone else who was begging for my dresses, too. PatBO's Spring 2023 campaign. Photo: Gustavo Ipolito/Courtesy of PatBO Your designs have become fixtures on the red carpet and a mainstay within a wide range of retailers. How have you gone about building your consumer base with such a diverse subset of clientele? I don't know if it's just because of the kinds of clothes I make, but I have a very feminine, very bold brand. I encourage women. I don't think my clients are afraid of being bold. This creates emotional connections with my clients because my clothes make them feel amazing, and they choose the brand for special occasions. I'm always happy about that. It tells me a lot, that I give them confidence, a special feeling that all women want. I'm part of their lives somehow. When I meet clients for the first time, they always want to show me pictures of how they wore my dresses for their birthday parties, for their weddings. How have you gone about building and, ultimately, scaling your team as you've grown your business? I'm very lucky because I have a very, very strong team. But I wouldn't even say I'm "lucky" because I'm a perfectionist, so if I want something, I'm going to do it. I'm going to find a way. [Laughs] For example, beachwear it's a new thing for me. Our beachwear business started six years ago, and it was so different from everything that I used to do in the past. But I was lucky enough to gather very, very good people to do this work with me. And when they aren't as strong, I train them. I'm the kind of person that will pursue excellence in everything I do. And I think people know this, and they come work with me because of it. What have been some of the most significant changes you've witnessed in the industry since you first started? There's been a lot. I could tell you about many, but I'll tell about one that's impacted me and that I think is very positive. Now, people are starting to understand that fashion is a big stage for many things. A lot of responsibility comes with this, right? We as fashion designers influence people all the time. We're starting to respond better to this. All the conversations that are happening right now inclusivity, body positivity are really important. And in the past, it was something that was quiet; now, it's something we need to do. I love this. I think we're responsible as a society, but in fashion, especially, because we have more attention and we have louder voices. I think we're doing a good job, but there's a lot of work to do. PatBO's Fall 2023 runway show at New York Fashion Week. Photo: Albert Urso/Getty Images You've also established a school in your hometown, along with your atelier, where local women are taught craftsmanship skills. Why was that important to you, and what has that process been like? I'm very, very proud of this. I started it 15 years ago so many years before people were talking about this concept of "giving back" to their communities. We have a lot of people in my hometown that love to do this kind of handmade work. I'm very privileged, too, that I was born in a place like this, because it's not common, even in Brazil. But these skills could be something that could disappear in a few years, because people may not need to do handmade work. Everything is about technology. People don't want to talk about handmade work, but it's what we do in our culture. So I decided to open a school, and I invited women to learn craftsmanship skills for free we never charge anyone and I chose the best people to teach them. I've been doing this for 15 years, and we've already trained more than 500 women. And they don't need to work with me when they finish. They can go and work in their homes, or they can open their own business, or they can work for my competitor. It doesn't matter. But it's been amazing for my business, too, because I have all these people working with me that have these skills, [the results of which] you can see on my runways and in my collections. It's an amazing opportunity to give back to my hometown and keep doing the work I love. It's a win-win. What I want to do in the near future is to open our school for other kinds of techniques, not only embroidery. We recently started to teach sewing. In the future, I see us opening a school that teaches many techniques, like graphic design. So many experts work with me: pattern makers, graphic designers, fashion designers. This is knowledge we could share in many different ways. What advice would you give to someone just starting out and looking to follow a similar career path? It may sound easy, but it's something I really believe in: A career in fashion is not only about beautiful clothes. I think that when people dream about working in fashion, they don't always have an idea of what's behind it, the responsibility you need to have as a leader within your community. You need to be prepared for everything, not just for the fame or money. Enjoy the process, because there will never be a perfect moment. You always have your problems and your stress. So I try to enjoy the process. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Want the latest fashion industry news first? Sign up for our daily newsletter. The heir to the Jordanian throne married the architect in a legendary royal wedding on June 1 Jordan Pix/Getty Images Jordan Royal Wedding Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan are still swooning over his royal wedding to Princess Rajwa! The Queen of Jordan and her eldest son posted new photos from Crown Prince Husseins spectacular royal wedding to social media after he married his architect sweetheart in Amman on Thursday. Queen Rania, 52, posted 20 new shots across three carousels on Instagram recapping the couples Islamic marriage ceremony at Zahran Palace, the grand procession to the reception at Al Husseiniya Palace, the celebration there and the glittering banquet that followed. "May God bless you both and fill your home with love and happiness. From Hussein and Rajwa's wedding ceremony," Queen Rania wrote of the first montage, adding the hashtag #CelebratingAlHussein. RELATED: The Bride Wore Flats! All About Princess Rajwa of Jordan's Royal Wedding Style and Sparkling Tiara The mother of the groom said in a second post, Congratulations, Hussein and Rajwa! A beautiful evening celebrating with friends and family." The second carousel, which opened with a stunning shot of the newlyweds entering the party at Al Husseiniya Palace, featured a few family pictures from behind the scenes. Royal Hashemite Court Jordan Royal Wedding Queen Rania and King Abdullah are parents to Crown Prince Hussein, 28, Princess Iman, 26, Princess Salma, 22, and Prince Hashem, 18. The sweet family photos showed Iman hugging her dad, Rania and Salma enjoying drinks together and a wider group shot. The last set showed the Jordanian royals at the banquet after the reception for 1,700 guests, where Princess Rajwa, 29, memorably changed into a surprise second dress! RELATED: Kate Middleton Sports Her Favorite Tiara with Sparkling Pink Gown for Jordan Royal Wedding Banquet From last night's dinner banquet in celebration of Hussein and Rajwa," Queen Rania recapped in the caption. The tribute opened with a shot of herself and Abdullah with the newlyweds and Rajwas parents, Khalid Alseif and Azza Al Sudairi, before they greeted guests like Prince William and Kate Middleton. Story continues Queen Rania also changed into a new look for the evening's final festivities, stepping out in a beaded beige and cream cape dress by Elie Saab the designer behind Princess Rajwa's first wedding dress. Another photo revealed that Princess Iman and Princess Salma also made an outfit change into glitter dresses! All the Jordanian royal women topped their looks with diamond tiaras, in what was likely a special first for Salma and the bride. Princess Iman had her own bridal tiara moment at her royal wedding to Jameel Thermiotis in March. Meanwhile, Crown Prince Hussein celebrated his bride with a heartfelt post of his own on Instagram. The heir to the throne shared the message with a formal portrait where he stood beside his bride at Zahran Palace in their wedding finery. God has blessed me with Rajwa, the light of my life and my lifelong companion, Hussein began the caption. May our marriage bring us both peace and warmth. I pray that God continues to bless us. Once again, my deepest thanks to everyone who celebrated with us from our beloved Jordan, as well as our family and loved ones from around the world. I could not be more thankful to God for the countless blessings He has granted me today, and to Rajwa for everything she is to me. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Jordan Pix/Getty Images Jordan Royal Wedding Nine months after Crown Prince Hussein announced their engagement in August 2022, he and Rajwa made it official in a religious ceremony presided by Dr. Ahmed Al Khalaileh, imam of the Royal Hashemite Court. The ceremony itself was attended by 140 people including members of their families, visiting dignitaries and royalty from around the world. Princess Rajwa and Crown Prince Hussein signed a marriage contract with two witnesses and exchanged rings during the service before traveling in an epic motorcade to the Al Husseiniya Palace reception. Shortly after the service, the Royal Hashemite Court announced that Rajwa was officially given a royal title. PPE/SIPA/Shutterstock Jordan Royal Wedding A Royal Decree was issued to bestow the title of Her Royal Highness Princess Rajwa Al Hussein on Miss Rajwa Khalid Alseif, on the occasion of her marriage to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein #Jordan, the statement said. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (the Met) is creating a team of four experts dedicated to tracing the provenance of pieces suspected to have been obtained via looting. Pressure from foreign governments, as well as judicial measures against the illegal trafficking of artworks, have pushed the museum to review its collections in the context of a global rereading of history; decolonization today involves returning marbles, bronzes and ceramics to the places they were stolen. The creation of the provenance team comes partly as a result of disputes like the ones the institution currently has with Cambodia. In short, it is a matter of redefining the concept of cultural property and doing so, for the first time, in a systematic way. With the appearance of new information and the changing climate around cultural goods, we must be proactive and deliberate in our focus and dedicate the resources and attention necessary for this labor. The initiatives we are creating, based on the principles of research, transparency and collaboration, trace a path to follow in this complex territory and show the world that we are committed to being a proactive and committed participant in ongoing debates, as well as an exceptional place to learn about the worlds cultures, Max Hollein, the director of the Met, explained to EL PAIS. He emphasized the institutions preeminence in global culture. As the guardian of almost 1.5 million artworks from more than 5,000 years of human creativity, and as a prominent voice in art and cultural heritage, it is essential for the museum to get involved in this issue, he added. In early May, in an open letter and an article on the museums website, entitled Reflections on The Met Collection and Cultural Property, Hollein expressed the need to respond to the growing scrutiny of its collections. The Met is not the only museum caught in the debate: Greece is in talks with the British Museum to repatriate the Parthenon marbles, and Germany recently returned Benin bronzes to Nigeria. Museums with works from other times and places are now haunted by suspicions of looting or contraband. The debate is not just academic, it also has legal connotations, as with the Manhattan prosecutors tireless search for stolen art. The Manhattan district prosecutor has seized dozens of antiquities from the Met collection to return to Turkey, Egypt and Italy, among others. In 2008, the Met returned to Italy the famous Euphronios Krater, acquired in 1972 for $1 million. Last year, it returned 45 objects to different countries, trying to ward off criticisms that it had not taken sufficient action. Despite the urgency the media environment may suggest, we must be diligent, thoughtful, and fair in our evaluation of any evidence being presented to us, Hollein wrote in the article. We are committed to getting it right, and equally committed to taking the time necessary to do so. Pieces made in North, Central and South America thousands of years before European colonization, exhibited in the Met. THE MET Just a few days ago, the prosecutor announced the return to Iraq of two pieces looted from the ancient city of Uruk during the Gulf War. One of them, a Sumerian figure of an alabaster ram, belonged to Shelby White, a Met trustee, and the other to an antiques trafficker. We will not allow New York City to be a safe harbor for stolen cultural artifacts, tweeted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Earlier this year, some thirty works, also owned by White and valued at $20 million, were returned to Greece. The Antiquities Trafficking Unit, led by investigator Matthew Bogdanos, has been busy in recent months. In September, it seized 27 objects valued at more than $13 million, among them a valuable Greek kylix ceramic. In March, it requisitioned a headless bronze statue of the Roman emperor Septimio Severo, from the year 225, valued at $25 million. It had presided over the museums Greek and Roman galleries for years. Collaboration with the prosecutor The Mets apparent urgency to trace the origin of its pieces is not motivated by the legal actions, according to its director. We maintain a constant dialogue, and sometimes we are faced with evidence that we hadnt seen, which makes us take action, Hollein explained. There is collaboration. I dont think our efforts are opposed to the district attorneys or that we should take a step because they have. The Pacific Islands culture room. THE MET The professor Elizabeth Marlowe, director of the Museum Studies program at Colgate University, believes that the clamor of public opinion and the prosecutor have put pressure on the museum. I think the Met is finally accepting that public opinion has moved towards restitution in cases of clear crimes. In recent years, the Manhattan prosecutor has also been very proactive in cases of looted artworks, and they are not afraid of going after the most valued works of the citys most important cultural institution. Marlowe cites two landmark cases, the Cambodian Khmer works and the Benin Bronzes: Scholars and journalists have done important work of uncovering the histories, like the sacking of Cambodian temples by Douglas Latchford [who was charged in 2019 in New York for falsifying the pieces origins and died the following year]. Social media has played a fundamental role in keeping public attention on the topic and on cases like the Benin Bronzes. The Mets African galleries are currently closed, and they are being reinstalled for the first time in more than 30 years. Will they create a new distribution for their collection of 160 Benin Bronzes, or will they return them to Nigeria, as the Smithsonian, the German state museums and many other institutions have done? Time will tell. The three African art galleries, like those of Ancient American and Oceanic art, are temporarily closed for a new renovation project which will reenvision these collections for a new generation of visitors, according to the museums website. The Met has taken some steps with the Benin Bronzes, returning three pieces to Lagos at the beginning of the year as part of a collaboration with Nigerias National Commission for Museums and Monuments, similar to those with Sicily and Greece. The latter is part of a historic agreement: collector Leonard Sterns collection of 161 pieces of Cicladic art, which is property of Greece, will be exhibited in the Met. The 15 most important pieces of the collection can be seen until October in the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, in an exhibit titled Homecoming: Cycladic treasures on their return journey. Starting in January, they will be housed in the Met for the next 25 years, although they continue to be property of Greece. Cultural diplomacy has become an alternative path to litigation. Two exhibitions that will open in July one about the origins of Buddhist art in India and another about Pueblo pottery follow that line of collaboration. African artworks at the Met. THE MET Also on the table is a discussion about a contemporary definition of the concept of cultural property. Many museum collections contain works obtained by exploiting societies suffering from poverty, colonialism, war and political instability. The Met is focusing on objects acquired between 1970 and 1990, when traceability was very lax. 1970 marks the beginning of an UNESCO treaty that attempted to end the illicit antiques trade, but which has been irregularly enforced. Most of the pieces at the heart of Cambodias dispute with the Met left the country in the seventies, amidst political instability and the Khmer genocide. Phnom Penh claims at least 45 objects that were presumably robbed in that period. The Met has removed works from the gallery dedicated to Khmer artwork, but it has refused to show the documents that back up or contradict the legitimacy of their acquisition. It has asked, in turn, for Cambodia to offer proof that the works were illicitly obtained. Today, the issue of identity also comes into the equation. We live in a time, Hollein wrote in the article, when the idea of a cosmopolitan, global society is being challenged, and some, more nationalist voices embrace cultural artifacts less as ambassadors of a people but more as evidence of national identity. A new definition of the museum is necessary, beyond a mere repository of objects. We are able to present and share works with a global audience and to tell meaningful stories about those works from ancient times to the present day, Hollein wrote. Nazi looting and the Meadows Museums Murillos The Nazi sacking of artworks deserves its own chapter in the history of looting. As in the George Clooney film The Monuments Men, teams of researchers and experts have scoured museums and private collections for stolen property. Amanda Dotseth, the director of Dallass Meadows Museum, knows the issue well. We had a case with two Murillo paintings, Santa Justa and Santa Rufina, bought by Algur H. Meadows in the seventies, and we discovered that they had been seized by the Nazis from the Rothschild family in France. We investigated it, and we made it public when we found evidence that those two works had been returned to their owners before we acquired them, and they were incorporated into the Meadows. Dotseth stands behind the deep scrutiny applied: I agree that we have to follow the best practices as much of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD). In the Meadows Museum, we follow so-called due diligence, the investigation of the provenance of the acquisitions. In the case that we find that a work in our collection has doubtful origins, we investigate it. We always have to keep investigating the origins of a work, as well as its modern history. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Camp Lejeune made national news after President Joe Biden signed into law a way for veterans and their families to seek justice after being exposed to deadly toxins from the bases water sources. Then commercials began flooding the airwaves with information, sometimes true and sometimes false, about how people who suffered from health conditions due to being exposed to the waters contamination can benefit from filing claims and lawsuits. If you served or worked on Camp Lejeune, you may have been exposed to polluted drinking water that causes cancer or other serious health issues and now you may be eligible for substantial compensation, one commercial from The Sam Bernstein Law Firm states. Its a lot to digest both for former Marines and their families and for people curious about the base itself. Here is a breakdown of what you need to know: Where is Camp Lejeune? Its in Jacksonville, North Carolina, about 130 miles southeast of Raleigh. What is Camp Lejeune? Camp Lejeune is a 156,000-acre military training facility, created in 1942, that borders the Atlantic Ocean and the New River. The site is huge, with 450 miles of roads and 6,946 buildings, according to the Defense Department. What is Camp Lejeunes population? The Defense Department says more than 137,500 Marines, sailors, retirees, their families and civilian employees use Camp Lejeune. What happened on Camp Lejeune? Two water treatment plants supplying water to the base became contaminated with trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, benzene and vinyl chloride, deadly chemicals known to cause 15 health issues including miscarriages, birth defects, cancers and leukemia. The chemicals came from underground fuel storage tanks, an off-base dry cleaning facility, industrial area spills and waste disposal sites. The chemicals then seeped through the ground and into the bases water treatment plants. When did the contamination happen? Between Aug. 1, 1953 and Dec. 31, 1987. Between 1953 and 1987, toxic chemicals, known to cause deadly diseases, seeped into Camp Lejeunes water from underground fuel storage tanks, an off-base dry cleaning facility, industrial area spills and waste disposal sites. Its estimated that more than 1 million people were exposed to the toxic waters which mostly affected the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point areas of the base. What are the 15 presumptive health conditions? The military presumes that if you were on Camp Lejeune during the time of the water contamination and you have been diagnosed with one of these 15 conditions, it was because of your service to the military. Story continues Those include: Bladder cancer Breast cancer Esophageal cancer Female infertility Hepatic steatosis Kidney cancer Leukemia Lung cancer Miscarriage Multiple myeloma Myelodysplastic syndromes Neurobehavioral effects Non-Hodgkins lymphoma Renal toxicity Scleroderma Why are so many commercials happening now? Until August 2022, a federal law protected the military from being sued if someone was injured on active duty. Veterans and other victims of the bases toxic waters also didnt learn about the contamination until after the time allowed to file a lawsuit. In August, Congress passed and Biden signed into law the PACT Act, which made myriad changes to help veterans, including giving two years for people affected by the water on Camp Lejeune to file claims with the U.S. Navy. If the Navy did not respond to the claims or offered unsatisfactory settlements, the PACT Act also gave victims the ability to sue. But with only a two-year window, lawyers are working fast to find victims and file suits, creating a deluge of commercials on television. What changes were needed for victims to be able to sue? The PACT Act removed the time factor for veterans trying to file claims after learning about the contamination. The bill also took away the governments immunity. How much money are victims set to receive? The Camp Lejeune claims are expected to produce the largest civil case in U.S. history. As of April 26, more than 500,000 claims had been filed under the PACT Act, which included not only the Camp Lejeune water contamination, but also veterans exposed to burn pits and other hazardous substances while serving in certain areas. Since the Camp Lejeune water contamination is a novel case, theres no way of determining a dollar figure yet. How long will litigation take? Thats also unclear. District Judge James Dever, who is assigned to the case, says about 20 lawsuits are being filed a day in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina just related to Camp Lejeunes water toxicity. He said at that rate it would take four judges about 1,900 years to hear all of the cases. He promised to act quickly and listen to all concerned to figure out the best way to handle the caseload. Are the commercials predatory? They can be, if theyre making promises they cant keep, such as to secure a certain amount of funding, or to represent people who dont fall under the aggrieved class. But the commercials can also benefit victims who wouldnt otherwise know that the water was contaminated, that their disease may have stemmed from the water or that they have only two years to file a claim. How to avoid being scammed The Veterans of Foreign Wars sent a guide to its members to help them avoid being scammed by predatory law firms. Among other characteristics, it advises looking for a law firm that caps lawyers fees at reasonable rates and offers no upfront costs. Can only veterans file a claim? No, claimants can include both those who lived on or worked on the base, including civilian family members or employees. When is the deadline to file a claim? Aug. 10, 2024. Editors note: Welcome back to our series Lets Dish, Kansas City, showcasing some of our favorite restaurant meals. Click here to sign up for our new newsletter. And scroll down to learn how you can participate. Whenever I eat at Garozzos, it feels like a special occasion even if Im just sneaking off to treat myself to lunch. The feeling starts as soon as I get near the original location, in Kansas Citys historic Columbus Park neighborhood just east of downtown. Its like Ive stepped into another country, or another time. Walking past the brick buildings that hug close to the street and the fire hydrants painted the tricolor green, white and red of Italys flag, I imagine the old Italian neighborhood in years gone by. Im not saying I discovered the place. Everyone knows about the restaurants signature dish, the Chicken Spiedini Garozzo. I like that too, but its another meal I crave when I head through the doors at 526 Harrison St. My favorite is the Cavatelli Catania: pasta with sauteed mushrooms, red onions, crushed red pepper flakes (which add a spicy kick) and garlic in a crushed tomato sauce, topped with Romano cheese. And I get it the way owner Mike Garozzo recommends: adding one Italian sausage and one meatball, served with a spoon to make the most of the sauce. And a side of bread, again, for the sauce. (Its $19.50, plus another $4.50 for meatballs, Italian sausage or meat sauce.) Garozzos original location is at 526 Harrison St. near downtown Kansas City. This is a light plate for Garozzos Mike calls it a summer pasta but especially with my add-ons, still a substantial meal, which I destroy in about 10 minutes. You got a good appetite for a little guy, Mike says. And its true: When I get the chance to come here, I bring a hollow leg. At this place, I have to take advantage and enjoy every moment. The Cavatelli Catania pasta dish at Garozzos comes with sauteed mushrooms, red onions, red pepper and garlic in a crushed tomato sauce, topped with Romano cheese. Its even better with sausage and a meatball. I started coming here after I got hired at The Star and returned home to Kansas City. Id spent years living in places where you wont find something like Columbus Parks Old World vibe. So as a breaking news reporter in my 30s, living in a little apartment downtown, it became my place to savor life in the big city. Story continues I even took to buying the Garozzo-brand Sugo, Sicilian-style tomato sauce, at the supermarket downtown to cook at home. Its the same sauce recipe they make in the restaurant for the Cavatelli Catania, which is an original creation of Mikes. He named it Cavatelli for the style of pasta and Catania for the second-largest city in Sicily, where his paternal grandparents hailed from. As it happens, Catania holds memories for me, too. During these years I traveled quite a bit, including a trip to Italy that took me through Rome, Naples and even Catania, where I had the good fortune to catch the local New Years Eve celebrations. They had a big concert that night in the Piazza Duomo, a square dominated by an ancient black basalt statue of an elephant that is said to have a magic power to predict volcanic eruptions of nearby Mount Etna. In the Piazza Duomo in Catania, Sicily, an ancient black basalt statue of an elephant is said to have a magic power to predict volcanic eruptions of nearby Mount Etna. That night, the folks who owned the hostel where I was staying had their whole family over for a holiday dinner, and they invited us guests to join them, packing long tables in a great hall that looked like it was built in the 17th century. Between the atmosphere and the music and people speaking Italian and the sense of community, it again felt like being transported back in time. I never forgot it. Back home, Garozzos became my place for special occasions. For my parents 25th wedding anniversary, I took them out to dinner there and surprised them by inviting the whole extended family a plan that went awry as relatives unfamiliar with the neighborhood ended up lost, wandering the streets. (Yes, we could have gone to the other location in Overland Park, but its just not the same.) Then, when I met my wife, I took her there for one of our first dates. A few months later we went back to introduce our parents over dinner. And pretty soon we got married. As a consequence, I gave up my apartment and took up a more suburban lifestyle. Mowing the lawn and feeding the cats keep me pretty busy these days. So I dont get to visit the old neighborhood as much as Id like. But when I do, I go to Garozzos. I get my favorite dish, with the extra meatball and sausage, the spoon for the sauce and the bread, and I come hungry. And I dont need a to-go box. The Dogfish Head collaboration will be available during screenings at select Alamo Drafthouse cinemas. Courtesy of Dogfish Head Rupert Friend, one of the actors in the superstar-studded cast of Wes Andersons upcoming film Asteroid City, recently told the Irish Times that there are three or four hidden things in every single line of dialogue. The English actor compared the script's densely layered double-meanings to a James Joyce novel, which is a sign that audiences probably dont want to dip out to buy popcorn and Junior Mints mid-movie. But unlike Anderson's latest offering, you likely don't need to pore over every detail of the newest release from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. The Delaware-based beermaker has brewed up its own homage to the film called Asteroid City Lager, and it collaborated with the director himself to design the label. According to Dogfish Head, Asteroid City Lager was brewed with a combination of regeneratively grown pilsner malt, Tuxpeno corn malt, and Michigan-grown Zuper Saazer hops. The beer was then finished with a Pennsylvania lager yeast, which the brewery says is a nod to the 1950s era during which Asteroid City takes place. The beers eye-catching label pays tribute to the films desert landscapes and to the Asteroid City billboard that shows the fictional towns biggest tourist attraction, a giant crater left by a meteor. The magical, whimsical worlds Wes Anderson has created in his movies have been touchstones for our off-centered brand throughout the years, Dogfish Head Brewer & Founder Sam Calagione said in a statement. Courtesy of Dogfish Head From the playful and colorful design of our canal-front hotel, the Dogfish Inn, to the vibrant and refreshing vibes of this Asteroid City Lager beer, Wes work inspires us, and this collaborative beer is a liquid celebration of this new frontier Wes and the entire team behind Asteroid City have created. Related: 'Succession' May Be Going Away but Cousin Gregs Real-Life Restaurants Are (Hopefully) Here to Stay Story continues If you want to pair a pint of Asteroid City Lager with the film, it will be available during showings at select Alamo Drafthouse locations nationwide, including its theaters in Austin, Denver, and New York City. Alamo Drafthouse is also hosting special Asteroid City Chili Supper Screenings, which include a menu of chili, grilled cheese sandwiches, hotdogs, themed popcorn and, of course, Asteroid City Lager. Tickets for Alamos screenings of Asteroid City are already on-sale on the cinema chains website. Asteroid City Lager will also be on draft and available to buy in four-packs of 16 ounce cans at Dogfish Heads coastal Delaware locations. It will also be on the shelves at some regional retailers, including Eatalys store in New York Citys Flatiron district. If you want to go all-out for the films release, the first 35 customers who both wear a Wes Anderson-inspired outfit and buy a four-pack of Asteroid City Lager at its EmPOURium store in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware will leave with some exclusive Dogfish Head merch. Asteroid City hits theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on Friday, June 16, and will have its nationwide release a week later on Friday, June 23. For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Food & Wine. In his new docuseries "Arnold," Schwarzenegger reflected on how Maria Shriver confronted him about his affair. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Arnold Schwarzenegger "opens up the wounds" of his past in a new Netflix docuseries. He recalled the moment his ex-wife found out that he had fathered a child with their housekeeper. He said: "I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth: 'Yes, Maria, Joseph is my son.'" Arnold Schwarzenegger is reflecting on the moment his ex-wife Maria Shriver confronted him about the son he fathered with their housekeeper. "The Terminator" star is the subject of a new three-part Netflix docuseries titled "Arnold," which takes a close look at the Austria native's journey from athlete to actor and American politician. It also delves into his personal life. The third episode touches on the affair Schwarzenegger had in 1996 with a member of their household staff, Mildred Baena, which resulted in the birth of his fifth child, Joseph Baena. Speaking to the camera, the former bodybuilding champion said: "Maria and I went to counseling once a week, and then in one of the sessions the counselor said, 'I think today Maria wants to go and be very specific about something. She wants to know if you are the father of Joseph.'" "And I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth: 'Yes, Maria, Joseph is my son.'" He said that following his admission, Shriver was "obviously crushed." According to the actor's memoir, "Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story," their conversation took place in 2011, the day after he left office as Governor of California. In the documentary, Mark Z. Barabak, a journalist from the Los Angeles Times, recounted how he received a tip about the affair and even had it verified by Schwarzenegger's team but decided to hold off on publishing the story to "afford him and Maria Shriver some time to talk to their family." Schwarzenegger said that even over a decade later, he feels "reluctant" to talk about the scandal, as "every time I do it opens up the wounds again." Story continues "I think that I have caused enough pain for my family because of my fuck up. Because of that everyone had to suffer, Maria had to suffer, the kids had to suffer, Joseph, his mother, everyone." The former Mr. Universe continued: "I am going to have to live with it the rest of my life. People will remember my successes and they will also remember my failures. This is a major failure. I had failures in the past in my career, but this is a whole different ball game, dimension of failure." Speaking about his son, who makes a brief appearance in the episode but does not speak on camera, Schwarzenegger said that he did not know definitively that Baena was his for many years. Joseph Baena, pictured here at the premiere of "Fubar," was born to Mildred Baena in 1997. Mark Von Holden/Variety via Getty Images "In the beginning, I really didn't know, I just started kind of feeling. The older he got the more it became clear to me," he said. "And it was then just really a matter of, how do you keep this quiet? How do you keep this a secret?" He described Baena, who has followed in his footsteps and become a bodybuilder, as a "fantastic man" who "makes me proud." "It was wrong what I did," the former governor added. "But I don't want to make Joseph feel that he is not welcomed in this world because he is very much welcomed in this world. I love him and he has turned out to be an extraordinary young man." Schwarzenegger and Shriver, who is the niece of John F. Kennedy, were married in 1986 and share daughters Katherine, 33, and Christina, 31, and sons Patrick, 29, and Christopher, 25. Although Shriver filed for divorce soon after their fateful counseling session, the pair did not finalize their divorce until December 2021. "I'm very happy that within this sad story, Maria and I were able to raise the kids really well," Schwarzenegger said. "I think that there is nothing more important than having a good partner by your side and Maria was exactly that. We have a really great relationship. Any type of special day, we are all together as a family. But it's not what it was when we were all together under one roof as a family. That's not the case anymore." "Arnold" begins streaming on Netflix on June 7. Read the original article on Insider An investigation is underway after over a dozen migrants arrived in Sacramento, California, by private jet with no prior arrangement or care in place, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said Saturday. California officials on Saturday met with the group, who had documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida, Bonta said. The immigrants were taken from Texas to New Mexico, then flown by private chartered jet to California, where they were dumped on the doorstep of a local church without any advance warning, Newsom said in a statement. The states attorney general is investigating the incident and evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these vulnerable immigrants, Bonta said in a statement. The circumstances around who paid for the groups travel, and whether the migrants were misled with false promises, will be investigated, according to the governor. CNN has reached out to state officials from Texas and Florida for comment. Migrants were promised jobs and free support, non-profit says Sacramento Area Congregations Together (ACT), a non-profit group of local religious congregations, says 16 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia were dropped off by the private jet at a Sacramento airport and taken by bus to the front office of the Diocese of Sacramento in California, where they were left. ACT says it is assisting the migrants, who had been in El Paso, Texas. They were approached at a migrant center there by individuals representing a private contractor stating that they would assist them in getting to a migrant center providing them with jobs and other free support, according to ACT. The migrants are men and women between 20 and 30 years old, said ACT spokesperson Cecilia Flores. She said they did not know each other before being recruited. They told Flores that two individuals approached them outside a migrant center in El Paso and said they could assist them if they were willing to travel to a migrant center. They were told they wouldnt have to pay anything, Flores said, and when they arrived at the refuge, the individuals said the migrants would be able to receive employment assistance, and jobs and clothing and shelter. Story continues They were driven to New Mexico, where they stayed the night at a hotel Thursday, and were flown by a private plane to Sacramento on Friday morning. Upon arrival at the airport, they were driven by bus to the church office. Once they were dropped off, the driver rang the doorbell of the building, telling the group they would be right back, but the bus pulled away and they never came back, Flores told CNN. One of the migrants told Flores they attempted to reach the driver through a contact number they were given, but the drivers cell phone was no longer working. They were shaken up after being dropped off at the diocese, she said. They started to ask, What city is this? What state are we in? Flores said, adding they only had their backpacks and the clothes on their backs. Many of them did not know Sacramento was in California, she said, I believe they were just told, Well take you to this refuge where theyll be able to help you. Im not sure if they even knew how far they would be traveling. They were given false promises and were transported to a place they didnt know and were really just abandoned, Flores said, adding that she was shocked at the lack of humanity and the way that they have not been treated with care and have been lied to. What has occurred recently with the deceiving drop off of our undocumented brothers and sisters into the Sacramento area grieves my heart, Rev. Efrem Smith, president of Sacramento ACT, said in a statement. This political polarizing act is heartbreaking and yet I rejoice that I am part of a movement that brings the love of God and goodwill upon the injustices and political wickedness that impacts our vulnerable brothers and sisters. Rabbi Mona Alfi of the Congregation Bnai Israel responded to the situation saying, Taking people from one state to another under deception and political malice is a moral travesty. These are human beings, no different than you or me, who simply want to take care of their families and live a peaceful life, and they deserve to be treated better. Similar to previous incidents Its not the first time a plane carrying migrants has arrived unannounced in a Democratic state. Late last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent two planes carrying migrants to Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. Migrants have also been bused to New York and other more liberal cities by Republican governors and local officials from southern states amid a humanitarian crisis at the southern US border. Lawyers for Civil Rights, a legal team representing migrants transported to Marthas Vineyard, has deployed to offer legal assistance to those in Sacramento, the group said in a news release Monday. Similar to their clients in Marthas Vineyard, the group said, the migrants were simply abandoned outside a church in Sacramento. We are investigating this latest incident, to determine whether these most recent migrants were lied to and deceived in order to induce them to travel, the statement said. Many who head to the US make long and dangerous treks in hopes of finding a better, safer life for their families. People immigrate to flee violence, for economic opportunities or to reunite with family members, experts say. California and the Sacramento community will welcome these individuals with open arms ad provide them with the respect, compassion, and care they will need after such a harrowing experience, Bonta said. The state is working with the Sacramento mayors office and local groups to make sure that the migrants are treated with respect and dignity and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases, Newsom said. Bonta said the state will continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A pop-up party in North Florida grew so large, chaotic and violent that deputies resorted to chemical agents as a means of clearing blocked streets, according to the Union County Sheriffs Office. One person was wounded when gunfire erupted and several were arrested, the sheriffs office said in a news release. It happened around 4 p.m. Saturday, June 3, in Lake Butler, when hundreds people showed up at Lakeside Park for a pop-up party promoted on social media. Lake Butler is about 50 miles southwest of Jacksonville. Investigators say the party began with more than 500 people and grew larger by the minute as the majority of them were (actively) drinking with drugs involved. Lakeside Park does not permit consumption of alcohol. We received numerous complaints from citizens of loud noise (music) and large gatherings. At authority of the City Commission we authorized Lakeside Park to close immediately due to the large unruly crowds, traffic control issues and violation of numerous laws, the sheriffs office said. As the crowd started to disperse Lakeside park, this same crowd relocated to numerous locations to include Laredos, Fastrak, McDonalds, Spires, Circle K, Westside Park, Main Street, etc. Crowds grew to over 1,000 out-of-county individuals causing disturbances and blocking roads, resisting law enforcement and refusing lawful orders. Chemical agents were then deployed to disperse the crowds and people accused of not obeying law enforcement. Several people were arrested, but details of the charges were not released. As deputies cleared Lakeside Park, someone opened fire into the crowd with numerous shots, officials said. The identity of the shooter remains unknown. Details on the victim struck by gunfire were not released, but the injuries are not life-threatening, officials said. Investigation is continuing to identify the individuals initiating this pop-up party in our county, the sheriffs office said. Driver fell fast asleep in traffic on I-95, with one foot on brake, Florida cops say Crazed cat is stalking people in rural Florida community, cops say. Two hospitalized Nightclub rivalry led to drive-by shooting that wounded 6 people, Florida cops learn A memorial for two jail guards killed on June 22, 2000, at the Randolph County Circuit Court, in Huntsville, Mo., June 1, 2023. (David Robert Elliott/The New York Times) REPUBLIC, Mo. The murders were so brazen, so brutal, they stunned the people of Missouri. Just after midnight on June 22, 2000, Michael Tisius and Tracie Bulington entered a county jail, intent on forcibly freeing an imprisoned friend. Tisius, 19 years old and carrying a gun, shot and killed two guards during the attempt, then fled. When a jury was asked to sentence Tisius for his crimes in July 2010, its members spent several hours deliberating before rendering a decision: the death penalty. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Now, with Tisius execution set for Tuesday, that jury is facing scrutiny that could cast doubt on the proceedings. In an unusual step, six jurors, including two alternates, have said in sworn affidavits included in a clemency petition that they would be supportive or would not object if the governor of Missouri stepped in to commute the sentence to life imprisonment, rather than death. It is rare, experts said, to see so many jurors formally taking such a stand in a death penalty case. Another juror, when contacted recently by legal representatives for Tisius, told them that he could not read in English, a requirement in Missouri courts for jury service. A federal judge ordered last week that the execution be halted while the claim of illiteracy was investigated, but on Friday, an appeals court overruled that decision. In a 56-page petition sent to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, jurors recounted in statements obtained from Tisius defense team why they have changed their thinking since the sentencing 13 years ago. They were still convinced of his guilt, the jurors said, and believed he should never be released from prison. But they spoke of new details they learned from Tisius legal team and what they remembered from the trial: the harrowing background of Tisius childhood, which included abuse and neglect; of his mental impairments; and of his good behavior in prison since his conviction. Story continues I believe that people can change and should get second chances, one juror said in an affidavit. At this time, based on what I have learned since the trial, I would not object if Tisius sentence were reduced to life without parole, another juror said. There is no legal recourse for jurors who have had a change of heart about a death sentence, said Juandalynn Taylor, a visiting professor at Gonzaga University School of Law who teaches on the death penalty, though lawyers often find examples of it in interviews with jurors during the appeals process. Jurors change their minds all the time, she said. But if no one goes and asks them and discovers it, then we dont find out about it in public. In interviews with The New York Times, two jurors said they have been haunted by their experience. One woman who served as an alternate said she has suffered from anxiety, sleeplessness and guilt. If she had been allowed to vote, she said, she would not have chosen the death sentence. Another juror, Jason Smith of Republic, Missouri, said that in the 13 years since the sentencing, his views on Tisius, who is now 42, have shifted. During deliberations, Smith said, he felt it was a crucial fact that Tisius had killed more than one person. Tisius had an opportunity to stop before shooting the second jail employee, Smith recalls reasoning, making the death penalty a just punishment. But now he said he knows, based on what he was recently told by Tisius legal team, that doctors who have examined him concluded that he had mental deficiencies that could have impaired his decision-making. And Smith has learned about medical research showing that the frontal lobe of the brain is not fully developed in the teenage years. Smith, 49, said he still supports the death penalty in certain cases and feels that Tisius should spend the rest of his life in prison. But he no longer believes Tisius deserves to die. I feel angry and remorseful, he said. I feel that I wronged Michael. Public support for the death penalty in the United States has waned for decades, and Missouri is one of only four states to have carried out an execution in 2023, along with Florida, Oklahoma and Texas, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. This year, Missouri executed Amber McLaughlin, a transgender woman who had been found guilty of murdering her ex-girlfriend, and Leonard Taylor, convicted in 2008 of a quadruple murder. Two more executions, including Tisius, are scheduled in Missouri this year. When a jury in 2010 was asked to determine Tisius sentence, they were told of the botched escape attempt that resulted in the murders of Jason Acton and Leon Egley: Tisius had been trying to free an inmate, Roy Vance, who had previously been his cellmate. Vance, who is serving a life sentence in prison for his role in the murders, has since said that he manipulated Tisius to carry out the escape plan. The other person who was trying to free Vance was Vances girlfriend, Tracie Bulington. She was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for her role in the killings. During the resentencing hearing in 2010 convened after the court found evidence of prosecutorial misconduct in a first hearing jurors were told of Tisius difficult life, including abuse at the hands of his older brother. One juror, Ginny Young, told The Columbia Daily Tribune in 2010 that as soon as the group left the courtroom, several jurors began to cry. They felt bad that they had to put this man to death, Young said at the time. One of them said, You wouldnt be human unless you feel bad. I guess I am not human, because I dont feel bad. Maybe I need therapy. I think the punishment is justified by the crime. Some jurors who were contacted by Tisius legal team affirmed their original decision that Tisius should be sentenced to death, or declined to sign affidavits, said Keith OConnor, a lawyer for Tisius. An alternate juror interviewed by the Times recalled riding in a van with other jurors after leaving the courthouse. The juror, who declined to be named because she said she had concerns about privacy, remembered weeping, thinking that the jury had made a mistake. Smith said it was quiet during much of the long ride. A lot of people were probably just reflecting on it, he said. We were all ready to get home. After the sentencing, he went back to the rhythms of his life. He talked about the case with his parents. At least once, he looked up Tisius booking photo on the Missouri Department of Corrections website. In the dining room of his home, Smith picked up the affidavit that he signed supporting the commutation of Tisius sentence, a document that has been laid out on the table since last year. With the execution date nearing, Smith has been thinking about Tisius and the trial often, he said. I wasnt emotionally torn up with my decision, said Smith, who works in food distribution. But it still weighed on him. I hated having a part in somebody dying, he said. For Linda Arena of Rocheport, Missouri., the sister of Jason Acton, one of the slain jail employees, the death sentence brought relief. The years since have been a long wait for what she sees as justice. Arena, 73, remembers her brother as a boy, affectionate and funny, with a deep love of the outdoors. As an adult, she said, he took a job at the jail because he hoped it would be a steppingstone to a position as a park ranger. It is difficult for Arena to even say Tisius name. Hes a nonentity to me, she said. A nonentity who took my brother. The Missouri Supreme Court denied an appeal from Tisius and, in March, scheduled his execution. Since then, opponents of the death penalty have intensified their efforts to persuade Parson, the Republican governor, to commute the sentence. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Popes representative to the United States, appealed to Parson for clemency. The American Bar Association argued in a letter that capital punishment should be prohibited in cases of people who have committed crimes while 21 years old or younger. Mary Fox, director of the Missouri State Public Defender system, asked Parson to commute the sentence, saying that Tisius was not effectively represented during the trial. (Christopher Slusher, a lawyer who defended Tisius during the sentencing in 2010, did not respond to a message.) Fox said that the process of capital punishment can be troubling for jurors, prison employees who get to know inmates and the lawyers who defend their clients. One of my jobs is to take care of the people who work for me, and one of the things that I see is the trauma that my folks are suffering, she said. Its traumatic for everyone involved. In the final days before Tisius scheduled execution, the clemency petition and statements from several jurors in support of a commutation of his sentence has left Arena confused and angry. It kind of makes me mad, because they listened to all the evidence, she said. They knew that this guy planned to do that. They brought a gun on purpose. He killed Jason and he killed Leon. All the years that her brother has been gone, Arena has thought of Tisius spending his days in prison. Why was he free to be alive, she has asked, eating meals, having conversations with other people, when Jason was not? Arena is determined to drive on Tuesday morning to Bonne Terre, where the execution is scheduled to take place. She plans to bring a photo of Jason and hold it close. But she is not sure how the execution will leave her feeling, or whether she will be able to look Tisius in the eye. It will be hard, Arena said. Im not sure how its going to affect me, watching someone die. Through a spokesperson, the Missouri attorney general declined to comment, citing pending litigation. In a statement from prison, Tisius said he still believed there was a chance that Parson would commute his sentence. My only hope is that the Governor makes his decision based on me, my remorse, my life, and my rehabilitation over the last 23 years, he said. I feel like Ive changed, I hope he can see that in me too. Parson has not yet issued a statement on his decision regarding Tisius clemency petition. c.2023 The New York Times Company Louisiana's Senate killed a bill Monday that would have allowed voters to decide whether to symbolically ban slavery in the state Constitution more than 150 years after the Civil War. Democratic Rep. Edmond Jordan's House Bill 211 to "abolish slavery and involuntary servitude forever" needed a two-thirds vote (26) in the Senate to put the proposed amendment on the ballot, but it failed on a 21-16 vote. Though slavery was abolished in the U.S. in 1865, Jordan said the stain has remained in state constitutions where the current language says slavery and involuntary servitude are illegal but include exceptions for forced convict labor. His bill had cleared the House on a 98-0 vote, but Senators questioned the need for the amendment since slavery is already outlawed. Voters in Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont amended their state constitutions in November to abolish those words and ban involuntary servitude and slavery. They follow Colorado, Nebraska and Utah, which have passed similar amendments in recent years. Louisiana Capitol, May 2023 Louisiana voters rejected a similar bill last year after Jordan himself said the amendment's language was confusing and urged its defeat. "Hopefully we'll get it right this time," Jordan said earlier. "We need to send a message that we're trying to look toward the future and that we correct a historical wrong." Despite acknowledging his bill is largely symbolic, Jordan said, "I can tell you that the benefits for the 35% of Louisiana's population that is African-American will be significant." More: Louisiana moves a step closer to symbolically abolishing slavery in its state Constitution Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana Senate kills bill to symbolically ban slavery in Constitution The Ukrainian army claimed to be gaining ground Monday along a wide front in the Bakhmut area, the "epicenter" of hostilities, amid Russian claims that the long-awaited Ukraine counteroffensive may be underway. "We are successful, we occupy the dominant heights" surrounding Bakhmut, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar said on Telegram. "The enemy is on the defensive. He wants to hold his position." The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Monday that Ukraine forces had begun a large-scale offensive on five sectors of the front in the southern Donetsk area where Bakhmut is located and said its troops fended off at least one attack. Ukraine officials have said they won't formally announce the start of the counteroffensive, but acknowledged their forces were indeed increasing offensive operations and suggested some of the Russian proclamations were misinformation. Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose Wagner mercenaries were credited with seizing Bakhmut after months of battle, had harsh words for Russian regular troops assigned to hold the area. He said a nearby settlement had fallen and troops were abandoning their posts. Pro-Russia military blogger Semen Pegov, known as WarGonzo, wrote that "news from the frontline ... is getting more alarming every hour." Pegov added that "the Armed Forces of Ukraine, unlike yesterday, are operating much more harmoniously and organized." Alexander Khodakovsky, deputy head of the Russian national guard in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic, warned that "the enemy managed to put us in a difficult position." A Ukrainian soldier covers his ears while firing a mortar at Russian positions on the front line near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, on May 29. Developments: Vladimir Rogov, a Russian official in Ukraines partly occupied Zaporizhzhia province, said fighting resumed on its border with the eastern Donetsk region Monday after Russian defenses beat back a Ukrainian advance the previous day. Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk are two of the four provinces President Vladimir Putin claimed as Russian territory last fall, along with Luhansk and Kherson. Russia occupies large stretches of the provinces. Story continues Ukraine neutralized at least 90% of the 300-plus explosive drones Russia sent its way in May with cheap air defense weapons and electronic jamming, blunting the Kremlin's attempt to deplete Ukrainian stocks of more valuable missiles, the British Defense Ministry said. TV and radio broadcasts in several regions of Russia were hacked Monday, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. In one fictitious broadcast, a Putin impersonator said Ukrainian forces had invaded the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia. What would a Ukrainian counteroffensive look like? Ukraine has revealed very little about how and when it intends to recapture territory claimed by the Russians since the war started, living by the motto that plans love silence. Analysts generally believe Ukrainian military leaders aim to reach the Sea of Azov coast and cut off the so-called land corridor Russia has established in east and south Ukraine to the Crimean Peninsula, which the Kremlin illegally annexed in 2014 and uses as a key military hub. Retired British Gen. Richard Barrons told The Associated Press the counteroffensive would not be limited to military operations but would also include politics, diplomacy, information and cyber warfare. He noted the preliminary phase of the campaign has clearly begun, featuring Ukrainian attempts at finding weak spots in the Russian defenses. The focus will be on the tanks and artillery, and infantry thats the most visible tip of the spear, said Barrons, former Commander of the U.K. Joint Forces. Malyar, among the most vocal of the Ukrainian officials, said she drew no distinctions between phases of the war but acknowledged the country's forces in some areas ... are shifting to offensive operations. Seven Russians sanctioned for attempting to destabilize Moldova The U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control on Monday designated for sanctions seven members of a Russian intelligence-linked group for their role in Russia's destabilization campaign in Moldova. The sanctioned parties are part of a large global information operation connected to the Russian Federation that targets Ukraine, countries bordering Ukraine including Moldova, Balkan countries, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. "These actors provoked, trained, and oversaw groups in democratic countries that conduct antigovernment protests, rallies, marches and demonstrations," the Treasury Department said in a statement. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine Russia war updates: Counteroffensive may be underway They try to walk like shadows, trying to be invisible, through a street market in Sfax, the commercial capital of Tunisia. Ibrahim Galisa, 33, and his cousins 25-year-old Mamadu and 23-year-old Mayette are from Guinea. Theyve already tried to flee by boat from this Tunisian port city, which has become an open-air prison for more than 10,000 people hailing from sub-Saharan Africa. These individuals are trapped on their clandestine immigration route to Europe. Mayette was a pastry chef in the Guinean capital of Conakry. Im not afraid to embark again for Lampedusa (the southernmost island of Italy)... here, were already dead in life, he sighs resignedly. He has found himself adrift in Sfax located about 170 miles south of Tunis for the past six months. Ibrahim leader of the family group has already gone out to sea twice over the last year-and-a-half. For less than 2,000 euros, you cant find someone to take you, even if I [offer to] build the boat with metal, the mechanic-welder laments. Mamadu an electrician nods beside his cousin, as he watches a police vehicle pass by in the distance. Hes been in the Arab country for nearly a year. We have to leave no matter what theres no future in Guinea and neither is there in Tunisia, he affirms. He is one of hundreds of Black Africans who wander around, trying to go unnoticed in a society that openly rejects them. There are 21,000 sub-Saharan people officially registered in the country. But there could be up to 40,000, according to NGOs such as the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES). Its director Alaa Talbi summed up the situation at his organizations office, located on the central Bourguiba avenue in the capital: Thousands of human beings are desperately struggling to escape the hell of Tunisia [their only options] are to return to their countries of origin or risk dying at sea. They can also end up dying in Sfax. Last Tuesday, while the three Guinean cousins recounted their story to EL PAIS, an immigrant from Benin died in hospital. He was in his thirties he had been stabbed by seven Tunisians. Speech inciting hatred of migrants is amplified on social media, warn the Tunisian associations involved in helping sub-Saharan Africans. There is a before and after on February 21 of this year, when Tunisian President Kais Said delivered a xenophobic speech, says Himma Hamad, head of immigration at the Sfax branch of the Tunisian League for Human Rights. Said who now governs by decree after dissolving the parliament two years ago described the presence of tens of thousands of Black Africans among 11 million inhabitants as a demographic threat to Tunisias Arab identity. The smallest country in the Maghreb region of North Africa, Tunisia is now the main escape route for African migration. The 60 miles of coastline between Sfax and Mahdia (to the north) where almost 75% of boat departures are concentrated have become a death coast for clandestine immigration to Europe. Between the months of January and April of this year, 498 deaths or disappearances have been recorded in boat wrecks in Tunisian waters. Around 56% of the total occurred in the Mediterranean, despite the notable increase in naval surveillance, according to FTDES data. According to Talbi, most of the fatalities occurred during the month of April, with 371 people dead or missing, after the escape order was issued by the Tunisian president. We limited ourselves to labelling the corpses in the morgue with numbers. At the beginning, between April and May, we were overwhelmed, admits Hakim Annas. Dressed in his vest, he is the director of the Tunisian Red Crescent in Sfax, assisted by only two volunteers. He uses a mobile application in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross to locate the relatives of shipwreck victims. If theyre not identified? A crisis committee from the administration deals with that, Annas replies. The municipality has just expanded the cemeteries now, there are enough graves. Many more are needed compared to last year. The pressure of Tunisian emigrants one-fifth of the total and especially that of sub-Saharan Africans translates into nearly 19,000 interceptions in the first four months of 2023. This already represents 82% of all those that took place in 2022. Most people are en route to Italy, where 2,935 irregular migrants from Tunisia have arrived in the same period. And this summer, the worst is yet to come, when the departures multiply, Talbi warns. The Tunisians escape in traditional wooden boats which are safer but the sub-Saharans only have inflatable boats or unstable metal canoes that they make on the beach, the NGO director explains. The guardian of immigration in the Mediterranean In exchange for acting as a guardian of immigration in the Mediterranean with measures based only on security [Tunisian President] Said receives economic and political support from France and, especially, from Italy, Talbi notes. This support has accelerated since the self-coup in July 2021 and with the serious economic crisis in the country theres fear that instability could cause a dramatic avalanche of small boats from Tunisia. But the migratory pressure cannot be completely contained, he concludes. Located half-a-day away from Tunisia by motorized sailboat, the Italian island of Lampedusa is the gateway to Europe, after Libya sealed its coast in 2017. Ayman Said, 30, of Tunisia, sells tripe lamb and some minced veal at the butcher shop he rents on the outskirts of Sfax. Three years ago, he tried to look for a better future on the other side of the sea, but the Italian security forces captured him when he could already see the coast of Lampedusa. His small boat capsized and he had to be picked up by a rescue boat. In just 48 hours, they returned us to Tunisia, after we went through a detention center in Palermo, he recounts, working at the butchers counter. We were a dozen. We all got on a military plane except for a minor, who remained in Sicily. They caught us because we ran out of fuel. Irregular migrant arrivals through the central Mediterranean are on track to reach record levels this year. Hans Leijtens the director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency has warned about this in statements to Reuters and France Presse. This hasnt been seen before and its not in response to a specific event, he emphasizes. Followed by Guineans, Egyptians and Bangladeshis, Tunisians who represent one of every five migrants who are intercepted constitute the largest nationality on this exodus route to Europe. I got married six months ago. As soon as I collect the more than 3,000 dinars they ask for (about $1,000) to cross the sea in a minimally safe boat with a sailor, I will go with my wife to Europe, says the butcher Ayman Said, full of conviction. We are more afraid of staying in a country without a future. Couples, families with young children, professionals and university graduates are all leaving from Tunisia to Europe. The profile of the Tunisian who gets on a boat headed for the EU or takes a flight through Turkey or Serbia and crosses the border, in exchange for paying 10,000 euros to an organized group is no longer solely that of an unemployed urban youth or a peasant living in miserable conditions. This has been confirmed by the humanitarian associations that closely follow the migratory phenomenon in Sfax. We cannot remain indifferent, says attorney Zakia Ben Jedir, 31, whose youth organization receives financial support from major Scandinavian NGOs. Worst of all is the backdrop of racism that has emerged in the city against foreigners, against Libyans and Syrians, but above all, against sub-Saharan Africans, she laments. Barricaded at home by sunset At seven in the evening, when night falls, my brother and I barricade ourselves in the apartment, reveals Mohamed Comora, a 33-year-old teacher from Guinea. He claims to have his papers in order, after having arrived from Conakry on a flight to Tunis with a stopover in Casablanca, Morocco. However, he acknowledges that his tourist visa has already expired after a three-month stay. What I have seen in Sfax against the Blacks is terrible. Its an ignored reality. Several Tunisians robbed me with scissors and then they hit me on the head, he recounts, while sitting at the most hidden table in a cafe. During his conversation with EL PAIS, he doesnt dare ask the waiters for even a glass of water, for fear that they will refuse to serve him. The Sfax branch of the Tunisian League for Human Rights has collected more than 60 complaints of attacks on sub-Saharan migrants following the presidents speech three months ago. There must be many more unreported cases, says Hamad, head of immigration at the association. He lists the things that sub-Saharan Africans are subjected to: harassment, being kicked out of their job, being expelled from their dwellings According to Hamad, these individuals are suffering the consequences of the wave of xenophobia that was unleashed by Saids words. Sfax is a prison for them: they are exploited with wages of 30 dinars two-thirds lower than what a Tunisian earns to try to save the between 3,000 and 7,000 dinars that the boat masters demand. And their tragedy never ends: 90% dont make it to Europe. Ibrahim, Mamadu and Mayette Galisa vanish in the middle of the chaotic urban traffic of Sfax. We want to work. We know that theres a lack of manpower in Europe. Weve tried to apply for visas, but its useless, except to lose the little money we have. The visas never come, Ibrahim says with indignation. Before he and his cousins say goodbye, he makes a slight gesture and a final reflection: The sea is much more dangerous, but its the easiest route. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Oconee County Sheriffs Office reported the following incidents: ATF INQUIRY: On May 16, Deputy Matthew Lariscy met with a 77-year-old Watkinsville man, who reported a Glock 17 pistol is missing from his home. The man explained he purchased the gun about two years ago before he moved to Oconee County. The original owner of the gun received a message from the ATF regarding the gun, so he notified the current owner. The man searched his home and the gun is no longer in his possession. The reason for the ATFs interest was not disclosed in the report. HUNGRY SHOPLIFTER: On May 19, Deputy Annessa Glenn met with an employee at the Golden Pantry in Bishop, who reported that a man entered the store then left without paying for some fried chicken and two beers. FIGHT SEEN: On May 19, Deputy Jonathan Strum was dispatched to the parking lot of the Texas Roadhouse, where a teenager was seen being assaulted by three other juveniles. The deputy located the victim, who said the three tried unsuccessfully to take his money before they fled in a Nissan Altima. Oconee Blotter: 13 catalytic converters stolen at Five Star Oconee Blotter: Two car chases that topped 120 mph and multiple fist fights at Publix CONVICTED FELON: On May 20, Sgt. Andrew Henderson was parked at Butlers Crossing about 5 p.m. and could see a man walking around a car parked outside a pharmacy. The deputy found that the cars tag belonged on another car, so when the man drove away, a traffic stop was made. The driver, a 39-year-old Athens man, was wanted on a felony probation violation warrant out of Madison County and he had a pending warrant out of Clarke County. The man, a convicted felon, had his license suspended in 2021. Some burned foil was found in the car and the man explained it was for using fentanyl. During the arrest, the officer found a Kel-Tec firearm, a credit card reader, blank bank cards, a notebook, debit cards and straws. MAN ARRESTED: On May 22, Deputy Dylan Pulliam was dispatched to meet with a 29-year-old Walton County woman, who reported that her ex-boyfriend pointed a gun at her outside the plant during a shift change at Caterpillar. The woman said her sister was picking her up at the security gate when the 50-year-old Monroe man began yelling at her, then pointed the gun. Later the man called the sheriffs office to say the women threatened him. However, the deputy informed him the surveillance video did not support his statement. The man turned himself in to the sheriffs office the next day. CLOTHING THEFT: On May 23, Deputy B. Schiffer was dispatched to Carters at the Oconee Connector, where an employee reported a man entered the store about 5 p.m. and stole 20 pieces of childrens clothing valued at $298. The same suspect had shoplifted merchandise in the store about a month earlier. This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Oconee Blotter: Teen beaten and nearly mugged outside a Texas Roadhouse A TikToker shared that his parents once hired an "exorcist" to remove the demons from his room that they believed were making him gay. Twenty-five-year-old Andrew Hartzler, who has more than 50,000 followers on TikTok, posted footage of the "exorcist" walking through his home and ordering the devil to "go, in Jesus' name." The video went viral and is currently sitting at over 850,000 views. At one point in the footage, the "exorcist" enters a closet. "Woo, something was in here, in Jesus' name," he can be heard saying. "We commission angels to be in this closet," he adds. Hartzler included a caption with the video that reads, "hi um ya obvi i was in the closet sir." @andrewhartzler hi um ya obvi i was in the closet sir #comingout #college #exorcist Speaking with Insider, Hartzler said that his family belonged to the International House of Prayer, a conservative evangelical sect based in Kansas City, Mo. When he first came out to his parents at age 14, they forced him to attend an antigay conversion camp, as well as conversion therapy counseling throughout high school. "It was like some of the darkest moments of my entire life," Hartzler told the outlet of the experience. "It basically just teaches you, like, learned self-hate, like learning to repress like half of your mind. It's exhausting." While Hartzler was home from college one Christmas break, he came out to his parents a second time. It went poorly, and before leaving to return to school, he installed hidden surveillance cameras in his room to monitor his belongings. He ended up capturing footage of the "exorcism," which he said he was not surprised to see. "My father thought my identity issues were a 'demonic stronghold,'" he told Insider. "He always used that type of language around my sexuality." On why he chose to post the video now, Hartzler said, "It was really important for people to see that there are right-wing Christian fanatics who are subjecting their children to this type of practice and that they believe being gay is something profoundly evil that has to be performed away by some ritual." Hartzler who now works for Oklahomans for Equality, an LGBTQ+ human rights group stated that he is no longer on speaking terms with his parents. You can follow him on TikTok here. Mike Pence filed paperwork on Monday to run for president, setting up an unprecedented contest between a former vice president and a former president of his own party for the nomination. His largest task will be attempting to win back Republicans who largely cast him aside following Donald Trump's presidency. Pences entry into the race comes after a sometimes tumultuous two years in the political wilderness following his actions on Jan. 6 to certify the 2020 election, resisting intense pressure from Trump. He has occasionally faced boos from the MAGA base at GOP confabs in places such as a Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Florida in 2021 and even on his home turf at a National Rifle Association meeting in Indianapolis this year. The former six-term congressman and one-term Indiana governor sees an opportunity in Iowa. There, his advisers are betting he can lavish attention and rebuild the coalition of evangelical voters that delivered caucus victories to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2016, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania in 2012 and former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas in 2008. Pence hired the architect of Huckabee's campaign, Chip Saltsman, to help him do just that. Iowa feels more like Indiana more than any other state in the nation, Pence told voters in Des Moines late last month. But there are doubts that hell ever be able to repair the breach he incurred among Trumps most loyal supporters by refusing to overturn the 2020 election results on Jan. 6, 2021. Pences inner circle was divided about whether he should mount a presidential bid, with some encouraging him last year to run instead for Indianas open Senate seat in 2024. In public surveys, he has been polling in single digits a distant third behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. At any other point in our politics, he would be built to succeed in the Iowa caucuses because of his approach to politics, said Dave Kochel, the veteran Iowa Republican strategist. But post-Trump, a lot of that's different because hes going to be viewed or judged through the lens of Trump. Story continues Pence, who flirted with possible presidential runs in both 2012 and 2016, has spent the last year in shadow campaign mode. He set up Advancing American Freedom, raising $7.7 million in 2021, and his 501(c)(3) arm has $35 million to spend. Hes devoted much of that time hawking his political memoir So Help Me God, at events around the country, where the devout Hoosier brandishes his Midwestern Christianity as a way to connect with potential supporters. His second book this one focusing on his faith journey is expected to come out later this year. Pence, who wrote in his memoir about a six-year battle to conceive with his wife Karen, has been the most clarion voice in the GOP field on the matter of abortion, calling for a total national ban. Advancing American Freedom filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court arguing in support of Mississippis 15-week abortion ban last summer, in the case that ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade. Focusing his jabs on Trump and DeSantis, Pence has largely punched up in recent months, though he rarely mentions Trump by name. At the Gridiron Club Dinner earlier this year, Pence said that Trump was wrong on Jan. 6 and that history will hold Donald Trump accountable. Pences run is also unique in that he occupies the unprecedented perch of having testified against Trump in front of a grand jury for nearly seven hours earlier this year. The policy contrasts hes made with his competitors largely focus on matters of foreign policy and traditional economic conservatism. On the former, he criticized DeSantis claim that Russias conflict with Ukraine was a territorial dispute, telling a group of Iowa Republicans recently that it is a Russian invasion. On DeSantis war with Disney, Pence said it was beyond the scope of what I as a conservative, limited-government Republican would be prepared to do. Pences bid has often come across as a last-ditch mission to rescue the kind of conservatism that defined much of his congressional and gubernatorial career, as he has often urged his audiences to resist the lure of populism unmoored to timeless conservative values. As his campaign unfolds, Pence is expected to lean not only on his vice presidential term, where he cut the figure of a Trump supplicant who refused to break with his boss in public, but also his time in Congress and as governor. Im well known, but Im not known well, he told The Associated Press in an interview earlier this year. Pence is likely to campaign as a sunny, Reaganesque throwback Im a conservative, but Im not in a bad mood about it, he often says, identifying himself as a Christian, conservative and Republican in that order. I think people in the country want to get back to what the Trump-Pence administration was advancing, he told POLITICO in an interview last year. While I sense that there is a hunger for a different style of leadership in the country every bit as principled, but maybe leadership that finds a way to find common ground between Republicans and Democrats. Princess Mary of Denmark Princess Mary of Denmark's quilted gilet is the perfect casual cover-up this spring and we're totally obsessed with her country look. Princess Mary of Denmark looked super sophisticated in a casual gilet as she took part in the counting of Denmark's smallest frog in Geding-Kasted Mose near Aarhu. The royal added her own stylish touch to the outfit with a tan belt and beige jumper. In other royal news, Queen Camillas sky blue outfit for first joint post-coronation engagement features sweet nods to two of King Charles' favorite women. From her printed maxi skirt to her colorful trousers and blazer combo, Princess Mary of Denmark has been totally nailing her fashion choices lately. Her most recent ensemble was the perfect combination of sophistication and casual country vibes, as she wore a stunning quilted gilet to take part in the counting of Denmark's smallest frogs. She teamed the timeless charcoal grey gilet - which is similar to Carole Middleton's favorite gilet - with a classic beige cable knit jumper, casual cargo pants, and a tan belt to bring the look together with a stylish twist. Princess Mary of Denmark Country Quilted Gilet, $185.26 (149) | Holland Cooper Get Princess Mary's country chic style with this slim-fit gilet, detailed with faux leather piping around the edges and finished with antique brass fastenings. Perfect for layering! Princess Mary wore the stylish gilet to take part in counting the tree frog (Hyla arborea), which is Denmark's smallest frog and lacks places to live and lakes to breed in. During the visit, the royal got stuck in as she held a frog and joined Bo Oksnebjerg, Secretary General of the WWF World Wildlife Fund to speak to children, covering up with a rain mac to protect her from the elements. While she started the day with her brunette hair styled in loose waves around her shoulders, she opted for practicality later on as she tied it up. Princess Mary of Denmark Princess Mary of Denmark's fashion choices have really been grabbing our attention lately. Just a few weeks ago, Princess Mary was spotted taking in the glorious views on board a traditional Fijian boat before she met with the Prime Minister of Fiji. Story continues For the nautical occasion, Mary opted for one of the best shirt dresses we've seen in a while - a chic blue and white striped version, which she cinched at the waist with a pale tan belt and paired the look with dainty ballet flats with scalloped edges. To combat the sea winds, she wore her brunette hair in a thick side braid and accessorized with oversized, square-framed sunglasses. After her sea excursion, Mary swapped her comfortable flats for a pair of open-toe, nude heels before meeting with Fiji's Prime Minister. Princess Mary of Denmark The nautical look was the perfect outfit for Princess Mary's engagement. The royal boarded a traditional Fijian boat with the sentimental name Uto ni Yalo, which translates to Heart of the Spirit. Mary spent her time on the boat learning about how it's being used to revive and sustain traditional Fijian canoe building, sailing, and navigational knowledge, skills, and customs. MSNBCs Mehdi Hasan on Sunday evening offered up a backhanded defense of Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor and 2024 Republican presidential hopeful who has been mocked for lacking charisma and personality. Theres this narrative now hardening around him that hes emotionless, cold, a robot, which I think is unfair, Hasan said, adding that theres one emotion DeSantis seems to have plenty of: anger. Hasan played a clip of DeSantis snapping at a reporter on the campaign trail for asking him why he didnt take questions from voters at his events. Hes so angry, almost all the time, gets very irritated, very quickly, Hasan noted. Hes a real snowflake which probably makes him a very easy target for Donald Trumps abuse and attacks. Fellow MSNBC host Ayman Mohyeldin agreed, saying that in addition to lacking charisma, DeSantis has the political acumen of a log of wood. Mohyeldin mocked DeSantis and his crack speechwriting team for their bizarre reworking of Winston Churchills famous We Shall Fight on the Beaches speech of 1940 to make it about fighting the woke. Aside from his lack of originality, can you imagine DeSantis thinking this is a good campaign strategy in a general election? he said, noting a recent poll that found a majority of Americans viewed the word woke in a positive way. Imagine trying to win a general election by making your central campaign tenet fighting against something the majority of Americans dont oppose or dislike, Mohyeldin said. That is how Ron DeSantis chose to launch his campaign. See more of their discussion below: CHUALAR, Calif. Looking like the ungainly combination of a Transformer and Edward Scissorhands, the robot slowly trundles across the field of tiny plants. It uses three high-resolution cameras to peer down at the ground below. Lit by synchronized strobe lights, an onboard computer creates a digital image of each seedling as it glides by, comparing them with all the greenery it might reasonably find in a field of rich Salinas Valley farmland two hours south of San Francisco. In a fraction of a second, theres a match broccoli and the computer hones in on the exact center of the plant, creating an on-the-fly chart of its placement. It puts a dot on the stem and maps around it, says Todd Rinkenberger of FarmWise, the robots maker. Now it knows whats plant. Everything else is a weed. The robots circular set of metal blades smoothly move so theyre right in front of the plant, then snick open and shut, precisely digging into the soil one on each side of the broccoli seedling, destroying the weeds while leaving the sprout untouched, ready to grow to harvest size in another month or so. AGRICULTURE: Ancient farming practice makes a comeback as climate change puts pressure on crops CLIMATE CHANGE: Weird weather hit cattle ranchers and citrus growers in 2022. Why it likely will get worse. This all happens in a fraction of a second as the FarmWise Titan robot rolls down the field at less than 1 mile an hour. Its been quite a change, said Luis Vargas, who started out on 20-person weeding crews in high school and now runs a fleet of four robot weeders for Tanimura & Antle, a grower and seller of fresh vegetables in California and Arizona. The FarmWise Titan is an autonomous weeding implement that uses computer vision to pick plants from weeds and cultivate around them. I remember being in the hand crews, it would be 10 hours days walking the fields. When you get into a super weedy field its slow, its hard. And its hot, he said. These machines, they dont care if its hot or cold. Farm robots could be good for human workers, farmers and the planet The tracking tablet on a FarmWise agricultural weeding robot. The scene in Chualar is being played out in a small but growing number of fields nationwide as robots using machine learning are deployed. Today, automated machines are mostly driving tractors up and down fields, carrying loads and doing thinning and weeding. Other systems deploy precise doses of fertilizer or herbicides. But harvesting, especially delicate fruits and veggies, is further off in the future. Story continues Together, machines are set to help solve a host of problems. The biggest is reducing the need for backbreaking agricultural jobs. Workers will still be needed, but more will be running the robots, fewer doing tedious, physical labor. Its already resulting in a host of new jobs for people who can build, run and repair the systems. Community colleges and universities are busy creating programs to teach these skills to a new generation of agricultural workers. Experts say agriculture is a rare application of cutting-edge technology that workers, tech companies, the government, and big business are all to varying degrees optimistic about. READ MORE: Latest climate change news from USA TODAY How does climate change affect you?: Subscribe to the weekly Climate Point newsletter Another perk of robots, nonintuitive for people outside agriculture, is that theyre smaller and lighter than traditional large tractors. This means farmers can get working in fields early, when the ground is still too wet to bear the weight of large tractors and cultivators, giving farmers a longer growing season without worries about compacting and harming the soil. This is important especially with climate change because were expecting wetter springs and drier summers, said Steven Mirsky, a research ecologist with the United States Department of Agriculture. A Stout mechanical cultivator uses machine vision and artificial intelligence to cultivate and weed fields using mechanical blades. The computer system knows where the plants are and avoid them, while digging up the weeds. Here it is weeding a field of Romaine lettuce in Salinas, Calif. Its a hard job Labor is a huge driver of the change, said John DArrigo, president of DArrigo California. His family has been growing lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and broccoli rabe in California for three generations, and he sees his workforce aging out. Were cutting 1 million heads of lettuce a day and its a hard job, he said. The people walking in the fields, bending over cutting lettuce? Those people are disappearing, theyre retiring, he said. The Orio autonomous tool carrier for vegetables and industrial crops from the French company Naio Technologies. Where there's caution, it's from unions that want to make sure their workers enjoy the benefits of automation and help decide how it's rolled out. The United Farm Workers of America isnt seeing robots displacing humans in the fields, said communications director Antonio De Loera-Brust. Its biggest concern is that the technology be deployed to make agricultural jobs better, not make them go away. Is this going to be deployed to make farm work safer and take less of a toll on peoples bodies? he said. Or is this just going to be another tool to maximize profits on the back of farmworkers? We want workers to have a say in how robots get implemented. DArrigo says agriculture has to make its jobs better. Im losing people to construction, he said. If were going to survive as an industry, were going to have to make jobs that are more lucrative and interesting. More: In San Francisco, the cars are driverless, the humans are baffled and future is uncertain Thats certainly been the case for Vargas, 27. His mother has worked for more than 14 years in the packing sheds at Tanimura and Antle. Vargas went to college with the goal of working in criminal justice, but the new tech possibilities intrigued him. He started working on the first demonstration Smart Cultivator robot systems from Stout Industrial Technology in Salinas about four years ago. Today, the robot crews he manages can weed about an acre an hour. For a hand crew it would take about 20 people, he said. An agricultural training workshop at Hartnell College in Salinas, Calif. The community college offers degrees, certificates and skill-specific training at its Agricultural Business & Technology Institute and is expanding programs as agricultural technology grows. Farms are already more high-tech than you think Agricultural robots and automated systems are mostly invisible to people driving by a field, said Emily Duncan, an agricultural technology and innovation researcher at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. That can be as simple as a tractor or combine that drives itself along a field of corn or wheat or soybeans. Called auto steer, these systems use GPS and only require that the driver turns at the end of the row. When youre out harvesting 12, 13, 14 hours a day, driving for so long is really tiring. Using this, youre mostly monitoring, said Duncan. As of this year, such systems are being used in more than 50% of row crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton and winter wheat, according to USDA. The next level up will be machines that use high-resolution cameras to see each plant and give it a precisely measured squirt of fertilizer, depending on how well the plant is doing. If its puny, it might get more, if its nice and robust, then less. In some cases, ag robots can do things that simply couldnt be done before. One example is small robots that can navigate and weed under the canopy of a cornfield after the plants have grown high. Any weeds, even hidden ones, take nutrients and moisture from the soil that could go to crops. Now we just accept those weeds because we cant get to them, said Shadi Atallah a professor of agricultural economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where the robots are being developed. Robots could also make organic foods cheaper. Today organic crops rely on more cultivation and hand work than conventional crops because herbicides cant be used, which makes them more expensive to grow. Robots offer an alternative. Organic can mean having workers bending over the whole day just so somebody who can afford it can buy an organic vegetable, said Atallah. In addition to mechanical robot weeders, there's the laser weeder from Carbon Robots, which uses 30 lasers to zap weeds or thin seedlings, with no hand labor or chemicals required. One other place robots can make a big difference is in cover crops, the growing practice of planting things like winter rye, hairy vetch and crimson clover in newly-harvested fields to lock in moisture and strengthen the soil, then cutting them down to enrich the soil before planting again in the spring. Today such crops have to be sown after a field is harvested, or by airplane, dropping seeds from the sky. But robots can scoot under the canopy of corn, soybeans and cotton and plant cover crop seed before the main crop is harvested. This will expand the ability to do cover cropping and take less time. Its not reducing labor intensiveness, its using artificial intelligence technology to help with the sustainable transition of agriculture, said Atallah. Cultivation arms that can be attached to the Orio autonomous tool, from the French company Naio Technologies. 'We were too small' for Silicon Valley A stumbling block is finding tech people to apply their knowledge to agriculture. Thats one reason the Western Growers Association created its Center for Innovation and Technology in Salinas. But while its only an hour south of Silicon Valley, theres a real disconnect between people who work in tech and people who work in ag, said Duncan. The problems farmers face are difficult to solve and dont offer the kind of global scale tech firms like. Each crop type can require a new solution. I spoke to an audience of venture capitalists a few years ago, said Neill Callis with Turlock Fruit Co., a fourth-generation melon farm in Californias Central Valley. I was describing the melon-picking problem and they were all ears. Then I said its really a $30 to $60 million problem space and you could just see the lights go out. There just wasnt enough upside for them to raise the money and innovate to solve our specific problem. Today, interest is ramping up, as shown by the host of smaller robot startups launching. "Ten years ago, none of these people were here," said D'Arrigo. "Now there's lots of them around but we need lots more to get into it." Harvesting will be the last problem solved, especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables, said Dennis Donohue, director of the Center for Innovation and Technology. It turns out killing weeds is easier than delicately plucking strawberries," he said. "Robot hands are getting better but theyre not there yet." Its also got to become a whole lot cheaper. Picking an apple for $20 is a non-starter. Its got to cost 2 cents, said Callis. The Farm-ng Amiga, a modular, all-electric micro-tractor meant to be quickly adaptable to any robotic hardware and software, allowing farmers to build the tools they need on-farm, using the Amiga as a base. A revolution in small farms? In the end, robots could revolutionize farming, making smaller farms more economical and the entire industry more sustainable, changing an agricultural world in which the model has long been get big or get out. Once you work with a scale-neutral technology like robots, youre no longer saying you can only survive if you have the biggest combine. The question becomes, Are you a one-robot farm or a 30-robot farm? said Steven Mirsky, a research ecologist at the Department of Agriculture who's building the public databases of images ag companies can use to jumpstart their systems. Startups like Farm-ng in Watsonville, California, are now building small, easy-to-configure robot platforms that farmers can add onto for whatever they need, which USDA is experimenting with, he said. Moving away from huge, massive, and massively expensive, equipment to light robots that will be modular and easier to fix can also enhance the kind of technical ingenuity that has long been the hallmark of the American farmer. One thing Mirsky is sure of machines will never entirely supplant farmers. The farmer is the ultimate multifactor analyses machine, he said. You cant replace them, you can only add capacity for them to do what they need to do, he said. An image from the FarmWise software that uses computer vision and machine learning to map a field. In this instance, it has marked a young artichoke plant, while leaving nearby weeds unmarked. The systems autonomous weeding implement will then cultivate around the artichoke, leaving it untouched. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Robots coming to America's farms help with weeding, tractor driving Rosalyn Howard was an accomplished University of Central Florida cultural anthropologist who played a huge role in the Newtown Alive project, which was launched to preserve and celebrate the rich history of Sarasota's Newtown neighborhood. Newtown Alive founder Vickie Oldham says Howard, who died March 4, was a dedicated scholar and an amazing friend. I hear Dr. Rosalyn Howard's voice in all of the "Looking for Angola" resources that our research team created from the time we began our search in 2005 for artifacts related to the 1800s Black Seminole settlement. "Dr. Roz" compiled archaeological, cultural and archival evidence of the early 19th century Florida maroon community, formerly located in East Bradenton and in parts of Sarasota. Her fingerprints are on the materials that document Newtowns 100-year-plus history; indeed, Newtown Alives research report, website, book, oral history interviews, podcast series and historic markers all have her stamp of approval. Sadly, Roz passed away on April 5. Vickie Oldham The humanities scholar with cut-to-the-chase candor was an inspiration to me and to the volunteer researchers who combed Tampa Bay libraries and databases to find primary and secondary source documents about the history of Sarasota's African American community. Roz sifted through private collections, books, albums, flyers and programs to add historical context to the actions of early pioneers and civil rights leaders such as Lewis and Irene Colson, Leonard Reid, Wright Bush, Emma E. Booker, Mary Emma Jones, Neil Humphrey Sr., John Rivers and Dr. Edward James II. In order to meet both the standards of humanities research and the city of Sarasotas deadline for completion of the Newtown Conservation Historic District Phase 1 project, we worked into the wee hours reviewing photos, matching content, posting captions, writing chapters and debating sentence construction. An accomplished anthropologist Roz was an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Central Florida specializing in cultural anthropology. Her primary focus was to conduct ethnohistorical studies of the African Diaspora, and the relationships formed by African and Indigenous peoples in the Americas and the Caribbean. In fact, Roz's book "Black Seminoles in the Bahamas" detailed the lives of the Black Seminole descendant community of Red Bays, Andros Island, Bahamas. Story continues For a year, Roz lived among people in the Red Bays village to study their lives, language and struggles. She was also a consultant to a cultural heritage tourism project co-sponsored by the state of Florida and The Bahamas Ministries of Culture and Tourism that studied the connections between the Red Bays village and the Gullah community throughout the southeastern United States. In addition to that important work, Roz also participated in a 2010 distance education project that highlighted the peoples and cultures of South Africa and Swaziland as well as a 2011 Fulbright-Hays grant project that examined cultural, educational and democratic issues in Botswana. A memorable trip I traveled with Roz to numerous conferences, festivals and historical sites. And through it all, I felt privileged to witness a dedicated anthropologist who was deeply committed to her work yet one who also knew how to have fun once the work ended for the day. Our trip to Red Bays was eye-opening. While the community offers spectacular views of the ocean, it is tucked away in a remote location that's off the tourist trail and away from the bustle. Before heading there, Roz invited me to an Independence Day celebration in Nassau at the prime minister's compound. The people, music, food and fireworks were lively, spicy and colorful. We spent an extra day in Nassau and then prepared to depart from an airport full of people who were flying to their "family islands." Our plane was very small, and I was trying my best to calm my nerves about the flight. Roz, however, assured me that she had made the trip many times before and the actual flight took less than 30 minutes. Her friend Gerty was at the makeshift airport to meet us, and the two women laughed and caught up on island lore as we made the long (and bumpy) ride to Red Bays. Once we arrived, I was immediately struck by how beloved Roz was in the village and how adored she was by people of all ages. She would always fill her luggage with clothes and gifts for the children. And as we explored everything from cemeteries to tiny food shacks, Roz would teach me about the culture, introduce me to various experts and generously share her sense of reverence for the village's history. Roz was my research partner, my mentor and my friend, and she taught me how to honor diverse people, cultures and history. In the "Newtown Alive" book Roz wrote that it was "an honor to work on the neighborhood history project" and added that we had inspired her. That sentiment was absolutely mutual: It was a true honor to have Roz inspire all of us in our effort to amplify the history of Newtown and to share why its rich history matters. Vickie Oldham is president of the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition. She is also the founder of Newtown Alive and is helping to spearhead the opening of the historic Leonard Reid House, which will showcase Black arts, culture and history. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Rosalyn Howard was a dedicated scholar - and an inspirational figure Kaiser Permanente nurses and healthcare professionals hold placards on a picket line outside of Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas, Ore., on Jan. 13. The health care workers were picketing over what they said were critically low staffing levels. Credit - Elayna YussenBloomberg/Getty Images The United States is about to learn the hard way what happens when an entire generation of nurses retires without enough new clinicians to fill their shoes at the bedside. As a result, hospitals in the same country that performed the first successful kidney transplant and pioneered anesthesia and heart rhythm restoration will have no choice but to ration care. Thats the only way to describe what happened to an Alabama man who was turned away from 43 different hospitals across three different states before ultimately dying of a cardiac emergency 200 miles from home because no nearby system had an available intensive care bed it could staff. A spokesman for one hospital said the man needed medical services that were not available. And its what happened to expecting mothers in Idaho earlier this year when the only hospital in the 8,000-person city of Emmett said it had become unsustainably expensive to recruit and retain a full team of high-quality, broad-spectrum nurses to work. That followed an earlier decision by an upstate New York facility to pause its maternity services after struggling to recruit enough replacements to offset staff resignations and retirements. The terrifying reality is that providers in every corner of the country have closed beds, units, and even entire facilities over an inability to adequately staff bedsides. A nurse old enough to retire today has only known the U.S. health care system in a nursing shortage, but theyll tell you its never been more challenging. Its a crisis in five parts, including increased demand for care by an aging population and workforce, restraints that hinder nurses from practicing at the top of their licenses, lingering burnout from the pandemic, an inability to educate enough new nurses, and a recently throttled pipeline of qualified international talent. Story continues Read more: The Unspoken Reason Why Many Doctors and Nurses Are Quitting To fill the gap in care left by retirements and burnout, federal economists calculate that the U.S. health care system will need to add at least 200,000 new nurses every year through 2026. Well be lucky to get half that. One workforce study predicted a shortage of more than 450,000 bedside nurses within the next two years. And as providers grapple with this desperate reality, a zero-sum race to the bottom will emerge in which suburban and urban hospitals raid already overburdened rural systems and long-term care facilities for talent. Nursing schools reject tens of thousands of applicants every school year. Its not because these would-be nurses failed to meet admission criteriaits largely because the schools dont have enough nurse educators to train them. As limited instruction capacity squeezes the number of new matriculating nurses, hospitals have increasingly relied on foreign-educated nurses, whove grown to represent roughly 15% of the U.S. nursing workforce. Employment-based health care immigration is a complex labyrinth of rules and regulations that doesnt make it easy or fast for an international nurse to emigrate and begin treating American patients. Under current law, international nurses compete for the same limited number of employment-based green cards within an enormous pool of applicants that include IT workers, lawyers, engineers, and architects. Unlike those other workers, nurses do not qualify for temporary visas. So, while many computer engineers from other countries apply for green cards after moving to the U.S. and working under an H1-B visa, nurses must complete the immigration process entirely overseas. Under the best conditions, thats a multi-year process in which the nurse has passed English language and licensure exams, established a sterling overseas clinical record, and secured a job offer that has been demonstrated not to harm U.S. workers. Now, that timeline will grow significantly, thanks to a recent visa freeze instituted by the U.S. State Department. The State Department tightly monitors the number of employment-based green cards issued against the remaining number for the fiscal year, which is set by Congress and has been untouched since 1990. Post-pandemic resurgent demand for this category recently forced State to issue a notice of visa retrogression, an immigration term of art that refers to eligibility backdating when demand exceeds equilibrium. As a result, any nurse who became eligible for their green card after June 1, 2022which amounts to thousands of nurses who have been winding through the system for upwards of two yearsis ineligible to enter the country until the backlog has cleared. In practical terms, American hospitals wont be get the nurses theyve been counting on any time soon. Read more: Why the U.S. Nursing Shortage Keeps Getting Worse Despite the urgency to get more nurses to the bedside, the State Department and the White House have zero discretion. The responsibility falls to Congress, which reserves the authority to issue visas and allocate them for specific immigrant preference categories. Each year, processing issues and other inefficiencies across various government agencies involved result in thousands of issued visas going unused. Health care advocates have begun pressing Congress to recapture some of these allocated-but-untouched green cards for the express use of immigrant nurses. Theres precedent: Congress did just that in 2000 and 2005. More recently, one bipartisan proposal introduced last Congress, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, would have set aside tens of thousands of these mothballing visas for nurses and doctors. But it didnt pass, and a new version has yet to be reintroduced. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, there are roughly 220,000 employment-based visas that were available for recapture as of 2021. The state of nursing in America is dire, and were doing nothing to correct it. Every young American who wants to be a nurse should be encouraged but we deny them a spot in school. Every qualified international nurse who wants to bring their skills and passion to this country should be greeted with open arms but are instead slow-walked through a senseless bureaucratic queue. It doesnt make any sense. The nursing shortage isnt a red-vs-blue, rural-vs-urban issue. Its not about the southern U.S. border or the gridlock that defines D.C. Its about a pregnant mother getting the care she and her baby deserve. Its about the heart attack patient not being turned away because the emergency room doesnt have the nurses to treat him. This is a whole-of-America crisis and we need a whole-of-government response, including a sensible loosening of licensing requirements, prioritize positive patient outcomes by modernizing the responsibilities and standards of nursing, supporting expanded educational opportunities, and enabling lawful employment-based immigration. Americas nursing shortage is a malignant tumor and you cant ignore cancer; youve got to cut it out. Policymakers need to treat this crisis with the urgency it deservesif we cant heal our ailing health care system, we cant heal our patients who need care most. The Illinois Attorney General's Office released a sweeping report last month which detailed sexual abuse claims against 450 clerics within the state's Catholic churches victimizing almost 2,000 children. The Catholic Diocese of Peoria had a litany of transgressions cited by the attorney general's office, including covering up instances of sexual abuse, mishandling cases and mistreating survivors. Here's what we found about the Peoria diocese's connections to the investigation. 51 clerics cited in investigation In this Journal Star file photo from Sept. 3, 1987, Bishop John J. Myers wears the new miter and ring and carries the staff as the new coadjutor bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. There were 51 former clerics who were linked to abuse of children over the past 70 years, according to the attorney general's office. Those clerics in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria encompassed 26 counties, stretching from Rock Island in northwest Illinois to Vermillion County on the Indiana border. Story: The list of 51 Peoria Catholic Diocese clergy named in a 2023 report on child sex abuse Former bishop lambasted by attorney general in report Archbishop John Myers, the former leader of the Peoria diocese from 1990 to 2002, was heavily criticized by the attorney general's report. After Myers took over leadership of the church, 13 clerics were accused of sexually abusing minors. Story: Unthinkable horrors: Inside the scathing report on abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria Bishop Daniel Jenky promised changes, fell short of promises The attorney general's office also found that former Bishop Daniel Jenky, who followed Myers in leading the church, fell short of delivering on promises he made to address sexual abuse of children within the diocese. Jenky created a commission to investigate sexual abuse. While the commission uncovered some names, it failed in identifying all the abusers within the church. Jenky was also accused of mistreating a survivor. Story: 'Inexplicably failed': How the Catholic Diocese of Peoria failed to fully address sex abuse 'From playboy to child abuser' Kenneth J. Roberts, a priest from the Catholic Diocese in Dallas, once wrote a book on his life called" Playboy to Priest" detailing his journey a party lover to a cleric in the Catholic Church. Story continues Roberts had connections to Illinois through a retreat, where he was accused of sexually abusing children. Story: From 'playboy' to child abuser: Texas priest infamous for time at Illinois retreat Priests leave trail of abuse from Pekin to Bloomington A boy given the pseudonym "Nathan" by the Illinois Attorney General's Office told investigators that whenever he has to tell his story of abuse at the hands of two Catholic clerics he doesn't "sleep well for several nights. I just feel so much shame and guilt." Those priests, William Harbert and M. Duane Leclercq, abused him and other boys at Trinity High School in Bloomington in the 1960's and later in Pekin, according to the attorney general's office Story: 2 priests left trail of abuse from Pekin to Bloomington, investigation reveals Illinois priest instigates sex 'everywhere' with young boy The church choir, the school cafeteria, an underground tunnel between the school and church, the teachers desk and even the cemetery. These are the places a victim called "Peter" says Father George Hiland would have sex with him in the 1960s. Hiland was supposed to be a positive male figure in the boy's life after his father died. Story: Attorney General details how Illinois priest sexually abused middle school boy in Streator 'He messed up my life' There are seven known abuse victims of Father John C. Anderson who operated in Chillicothe. Two of those victims, given the pseudonyms "Paul" and "Adam," shared their stories of abuse with the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Adam said the priest "messed up my life. This truly ruined a young kids mind. And it didnt just ruin my childhood. It also ruined my manhood as I got older... I started drinking a lot, and I think my emotions were getting to me because I had done this for so long. I called the diocese to let it all out. Story: 'He messed up my life': 2 Chillicothe boys endured repeated sexual abuse by priest Diocese does not immediately acknowledge convicted abuser Samuel Pusateri was convicted of sexually abusing a 17-year-old boy in Peru, Illinois. But still, the Catholic Diocese of Peoria did not publicly acknowledge him on their list of know abusers. Even after Pusateri's conviction and prison sentence, Peoria Bishop John Myers seemed to take special attention in protecting him. Story: Peru priest among those named in Illinois Attorney General's report on sexual abuse Once revered priest connected to many cases of abuse Norman D. Goodman had risen in the ranks of the Catholic Church to the status of monsignor, a title bestowed by the pope. As such, he was protected by his employer when allegations of abuse arose there were a total of 19 confirmed cases, according to the Illinois Attorney Generals report on abusive priests. More: After years of denial, Peoria diocese admitted extensive sexual abuse by Illinois monsignor This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Investigation finds decades of scandals at Catholic Diocese of Peoria [Source] A teenager in China used her familys savings to feed her gaming habit. What happened: The 13-year-old girl from Henan, China, reportedly spent around 449,500 yuan (approximately $63,260) in the span of four months. She used her mothers debit card to buy mobile games for both herself and her classmates, making sure to delete every transaction record so her mother would not find out. Finally caught: The unnamed teenagers mother claimed she found out about the purchases after being informed by one of the girls teachers. The teacher reportedly told the mother that the girl was spending a lot of time on her phone while at school. More from NextShark: Indian woman-owned brand accuses Trader Joes of selling 'knockoff' of their bestselling achaar Less than a dollar: The teenagers mother was alerted too late when she finally checked her bank balance, there was only 0.50 yuan (approximately $0.07) left, according to reports. Viral video: An interview of the girl and her family has gone viral on Chinese social media. In the video, the girls mother shows purported bank statements that include every purchase her daughter made. When they [my classmates] asked me to pay for their games, I paid despite feeling reluctant, the girl says in the interview, according to South China Morning Post. More from NextShark: First openly gay K-pop idol Holland says he was attacked in Itaewon, called a dirty gay She also said she did not approach her teachers for help because her parents will find out and get angry." Online debate: Several social media users were critical of the girl and her parents. A girl, aged 13 years old, already knows what she is doing, but she just doesnt want to admit it, one user wrote. More from NextShark: Typhoon Hinnamnor: 2 S. Koreans rescued after 12 hours clinging to pipes in flooded car park Its the parents own fault, another user said. More from NextShark: Vietnamese tourist in Thailand reunited with his lost $194,000 Richard Mille watch A Ukrainian soldier fires a mortar at Russian positions on the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, May 29, 2023. Watching imagery from a drone camera overhead, Ukrainian battalion commander Oleg Shiryaev warned his men in nearby trenches that Russian forces were advancing across a field toward a patch of trees outside the city of Bakhmut. The leader of the 225th Battalion of the 127th Kharkiv Territorial Defense Brigade then ordered a mortar team to get ready. A target was locked. A mortar tube popped out a loud orange blast, and an explosion cut a new crater in an already pockmarked hillside. We are moving forward, Shiryaev said after at least one drone image showed a Russian fighter struck down. We fight for every tree, every trench, every dugout. Russian forces declared victory in the eastern city last month after the longest, deadliest battle since their full-scale invasion of Ukraine began 15 months ago. But Ukrainian defenders like Shiryaev arent retreating. Instead, they are keeping up the pressure and continuing the fight from positions on the western fringes of Bakhmut. The pushback gives commanders in Moscow another thing to think about ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive that appears to be taking shape. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Russia sought to create the impression of calm around Bakhmut, but in fact, artillery shelling still goes on at levels similar to those at the height of the battle to take the city. The fight, she said, is evolving into a new phase. The battle for the Bakhmut area hasnt stopped; it is ongoing, just taking different forms, said Maliar, dressed in her characteristic fatigues in an interview from a military media center in Kyiv. Russian forces are now trying but failing to oust Ukrainian fighters from the dominant heights overlooking Bakhmut. We are holding them very firmly, she said. From the Kremlins perspective, the area around Bakhmut is just part of the more than 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) front line that the Russian military must hold. That task could be made more difficult by the withdrawal of the mercenaries from private military contractor Wagner Group who helped take control of the city. They will be replaced with Russian soldiers. For Ukrainian forces, recent work has been opportunistic trying to wrest small gains from the enemy and taking strategic positions, notably from two flanks on the northwest and southwest, where the Ukrainian 3rd Separate Assault Brigade has been active, officials said. Russia had envisioned the capture of Bakhmut as partial fulfillment of its ambition to seize control of the eastern Donbas region, Ukraines industrial heartland. Now, its forces have been compelled to regroup, rotate fighters and rearm just to hold the city. Wagners owner announced a pullout after acknowledging the loss of more than 20,000 of his men. Maliar described the nine-month struggle against Wagner forces in nearly existential terms: If they had not been destroyed during the defense of Bakhmut, one can imagine that all these tens of thousands would have advanced deeper into Ukrainian territory. The fate of Bakhmut, which is largely in ruins, has been overshadowed in recent days by near-nightly attacks on Kyiv, a series of unclaimed drone strikes near Moscow and the growing anticipation that Ukraines government will try to regain ground. But the battle for the city could still have a lingering impact. Moscow has made the most of its capture, epitomized by triumphalism in Russian media. Any slippage of Russias grip would be a political embarrassment for President Vladimir Putin. Michael Kofman of the Center for Naval Analyses, a U.S. research group, noted in a podcast this week that the victory brings new challenges in holding Bakhmut. With Wagner fighters withdrawing, Russian forces are going to be increasingly fixed to Bakhmut ... and will find it difficult to defend, Kofman told War on the Rocks in an interview posted Tuesday. And so they may not hold on to Bakhmut, and the whole thing may have ended up being for nothing for them down the line, he added. A Western official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Russian airborne forces are heavily involved in replacing the departing Wagner troops a step that is likely to antagonize the airborne leadership, who see the duty as a further erosion of their previously elite status in the military. Ukrainian forces have clawed back slivers of territory on the flanks a few hundred meters (yards) per day to solidify defensive lines and seek opportunities to retake some urban parts of the city, said one Ukrainian analyst. The goal in Bakhmut is not Bakhmut itself, which has been turned into ruins, military analyst Roman Svitan said by phone. The goal for the Ukrainians is to hold on to the western heights and maintain a defensive arc outside the city. More broadly, Ukraine wants to weigh down Russian forces and capture the initiative ahead of the counteroffensive part of what military analysts call shaping operations to set the terms of the battle environment and put an enemy in a defensive, reactive posture. Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesman for Ukrainian forces in the east, said the strategic goal in the Bakhmut area was to restrain the enemy and destroy as much personnel and equipment as possible while preventing a Russian breakthrough or outflanking maneuver. Analyst Mathieu Boulegue questioned whether Bakhmut would hold lessons or importance for the war ahead. Military superiority matters, he said, but so does information superiority the ability to create subterfuge, to create obfuscation of your force, to be able to move in the shadows. Boulegue, a consulting fellow with the Russia and Eurasia program at the Chatham House think tank in London, said those tactics could determine which side gains an advantage that catches the other side by surprise, and turns the tide of the war. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Participants walk during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on June 4, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News Music blared and participants cheered as families, parents, teenagers and children wore rainbow-colored shirts, sported signs with company slogans and resources, tied flags around their necks as capes, wore rainbow hats, and danced in the streets during the Utah Pride Festival's parade Sunday. There were between 40,000 and 50,000 spectators, with 16,000 marching in the parade itself, according to Chad Call, a spokesman for the Utah Pride Center a number of participants that barely exceeded the prior year's performance. "I just love how welcoming the community is. You walk through the streets and everybody's just smiling, and everybody's dancing and it's honestly the happiest you've ever seen Salt Lake City," paradegoer Heather Berrett said. "And everybody's just so full of love; it's amazing to watch." Avery Miller, another participant at the parade, said the way the community gathers together creates a sense of safety. "I love that there's a sense of unity, like there's so much love, and there's so much diversity, too. There's so many different kinds of people," Miller said. "Especially in light of everything that's going on in the world today, it's really fun to have an event where you have a safe space for just a minute." Nan Osborne, a volunteer marching with Encircle Together, an LGBTQ+ resource center for youth, noted how when her daughter came out, it helped her realize the need to always be learning how to best be an ally to the community, especially as a parent. "In my experience, the very first step is to get over being sad," Osborne said, noting how important it was for her to show support to her daughter. Now, Osborne and her husband volunteer at Encircle to help other youth feel loved. Queer joy, she said, is important for younger members of the LGBTQ+ community. "I think gathering together really helps promote community," Osborne said. "We moved to Utah last year just in time to come to this parade, and we've never seen a parade like it in our whole lives." Story continues Participants walk during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News Along with the participants' and marchers' shouts of joy, other cries intermingled in with the paradegoers. There was a small section of protesters some waving flags and signs of their own. Spectators used rainbow umbrellas and cheers to block out any of the signs or chants the protesters called. "We wanted to do what we could because not everyone has the strength to stand up," said Memphis Haven, a participant holding a rainbow umbrella. "If we can, we have to protect those who can't protect themselves." But despite some angry chants, spectators' spirits did not seem to be dulled. Ghost Jensen, another participant holding a rainbow umbrella, noted the joy of attending a pride parade for the first time. "It feels amazing," Jensen said, grinning with a voice barely audible over the protesters' screams. "I love it; I'm so happy right now." A group of police officers stood to the side of the protesters. According to Call, security had been carefully planned to best protect the paradegoers. Participants walk during the 2023 Utah Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News "We do have those strong safety plans put into place with our local police department and Salt Lake City Police Department. And they of course do their normal counterterrorism monitoring throughout this weekend to monitor the threat levels," Call said. And the department didn't just provide protection it marched in the parade itself. "As the largest law enforcement agency in the state of Utah, we're glad to be here," Salt Lake police spokesman Brent Weisberg said. "Every day we are out supporting, protecting and helping support this community." Weisberg added how important it is to prevent hate crimes and biased incidents through education and reporting. "If you believe that you've been a victim or a survivor of a hate crime or of a biased incident, call us let us know, because not only is it important to investigate those, it's also important that we provide resources," he said. This article originally appeared on Trail Runner As outdoor spaces become exceedingly popular, private bathroom routines become a public issue. While you might feel alone and far out there, trail runners play a vital part in the big picture. Beyond foul odors and unsightliness, human waste and bathroom trash piling up in the backcountry presents serious issues, including water and soil contamination, influencing wildlife behavior, and vegetation impacts. Poor hygienic practices can also lead to severe illness or infection. "Tissues for going to the bathroom have gone up in prevalence, which I've seen behind rocks or 10 feet off the trail in the Italian Dolomites, Patagonia, and Iceland--the world's most beautiful places," says Run Wild Retreats founder Elinor Fish, who has running in international destinations for more than 20 years and leads retreats in 10 countries. "Trail running and hiking is becoming more popular. Not everyone knowing how to do 'it responsibly leads to impact." To point, Colorado is pouring resources into solving this giant poop problem with the 2023 "Doo" Colorado Right Campaign, providing education and 3,500 complimentary outdoor PACT Lite Bathroom Kits--a new easily packable 120-gram travel case with potty supplies and mycelium tablets to help poo decompose--via visitor centers and trail organizations. Mycelium is the root system of fungi and decomposes organic material in soil, breaking down feces ten times faster and adding nutrients through the conversion. Whether you're exploring California's John Muir Trail, the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests in Wyoming, or the Dolly Sods in West Virginia, the burden of poop is widely publicized--and visible. We can help change that predicament. RELATED: What Your Poop Might be Telling You Get Ahead of Bowel Movements As trail runners, the first step for going to the bathroom outdoors is getting ahead of the curve. "Do a routine to go to the bathroom before your run--like drinking coffee, eating breakfast, or stretching. Before you go outside, note if the bathrooms are at the trailhead, nearby trailheads, or on the way," says Faith Overall, Community Engagement Manager of Leave No Trace (LNT). Story continues Run Wild Retreats, an LNT corporate partner, asks participants to use restroom facilities versus going outdoors, a guideline facilitated with a little creative route-planning foresight. Bathrooms are often outlined at the start and end, as well as throughout the day at public mountain huts, such as Italy's rifugios, with fee-based toilets. "The cleanest way to poop in the woods is to not poop in the woods. If you can prepare and take care of business before you get on trail, it's easier all the way around," agrees Forrest Boughner, founder of Montana-based Alpine Running Guides, which offers guided trail running trips across the West. So, About #2 But...what if you need to defecate on the run? "Inevitably, people have to poop in the woods," adds Boughner. On each trip, Alpine Running Guides carries a single ziplock baggie for the group with a 2-ounce hand sanitizer bottle and a folded row of toilet paper--two full wraps around a hand per person--plus two spare opaque bags: one for used TP and the other for used menstrual products. "Walk 200 feet--a happy 70 big steps--away from water, trails, and camp, which helps you to not contaminate water sources or be stumbled upon by other visitors," says Overall. Find a tree or bush to crouch behind. Dig a 6- to 8-inch cathole in the ground, do the deed, and cover the feces with the soil that was removed. "If you're in a desert environment, dig a cathole that's 4- to 6-inches deep, because the soil composition isn't as rich for decomposing human waste. It's helpful for the poop to be closer to the sun," says Overall. RELATED: Once And For All: Here's How You Should Poop In The Woods Rather than carrying and digging a hole with a latrine trowel, "we use knife-shaped rocks, stiff sticks, hiking and running poles, the latter of which easily breaks through layers of dirt. When I walk off trail, I'm looking for supplies to dig a hole," explains Boughner. You can also opt out of traditional TP. "Depending on what terrain you're in, you can use leaves or appropriately shaped rocks and sticks to wipe, then drop it all in the hole," says Boughner. Alternatively, he says "put the used toilet paper in the opaque bag," which is better long term than burying the TP, even if a land management agency doesn't require packing out used tissue. Lastly, "hit the hand sanitizer and keep running," says Boughner. RELATED: The Science of Hydration Taking a Pee Break To go number one, likewise, walk 200 feet off the trail, away from water sources, and discretely squat or stand. A cathole isn't required. An alternative to packing out TP is an antimicrobial, reusable pee rag like the Kula Cloth. "In alpine areas or sensitive vegetation, we recommend folks pee on rocks or durable ground. We don't want wildlife digging up plants: some get nutrients from licking human pee," says Overall. Squat lower to avoid splash back. Grab a spritz or dollop of hand sanitizer after you pee, too. Keep a tiny travel container in the front pocket of your running pack or belt, or apparel waistband, next to your SPF chapstick. "For anything bathroom-related, have hand sanitizer handy, especially in a group setting where you could be helping someone adjust their pack or reach into the group food. It doesnt take much bacteria exposure for people to get sick," says Boughner. For runners experiencing a menstrual cycle, start the run with a freshly changed tampon, pad, liner, or empty menstrual cup, advises trail running guide Sarah Boughner of Alpine Running Guides. If you need to replace a menstrual hygiene product on the trail, grab the aforementioned bathroom baggie and head 200 feet off trail. Sanitize your hands before and after handling menstrual hygiene products. "The big thing is to be mindful of how clean and sanitary you're being. You don't want to mess with your menstrual cup if your hands are really dirty," says Overall. Put used artificial waste in an opaque bag, and pack out wrappers from new products. To empty a menstrual cup, dig a cathole six to eight inches deep and bury the fluid like you would feces. Afterward, try to rinse your hands in water, if possible, before sanitizing that second time. Here's How To Go To The Bathroom Outside Finding a toilet spot 200 feet off trail isn't always straightforward, especially if the surrounding ecosystem is sensitive or if you're on a narrow, steep route with exposure. Traffic patterns also create spur trails and the impact accumulates. Be careful to avoid alpine tundra in the mountains and living biological soil crust, also called cryptobiotic soil crusts, in the desert. Biological soil is a sponge-like and knobby black-hued crust that takes several decades or more to recover, reports the National Park Service. "To find privacy off-trail, walk on durable surfaces like flat, slabby rocks or up a dry wash, so you're not trampling delicate flora," says Fish. In limiting or technical terrain, other restroom etiquette could mean looking the other way for your run buddy. Pee downslope from the trail, so a pool doesn't collect on the singletrack, notes Sarah Boughner. If you're in a group and on a route with minimal vegetation, position someone on either end of the trail to intersect incoming traffic while the runner relieves themself. RELATED: Running Etiquette Is Simple: Let's Be Kind The caveat to outdoor bathroom guidelines is that, if you visit a location like, for example, Lake Powell's shoreline area in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, that requires a W.A.G. bag (waste alleviation and gelling)--which is for poo and soiled TP--it can also be utilized for emptying a menstrual cup. Find waste requirements on the land management website where you plan to travel or give the ranger station a call. "Ask, Do you have any regulations around how I need to dispose of human poop?' which is helpful to distinguish from human trash," says Overall. She adds, "It might feel weird at first, but plan ahead as best you can to be successful. For Leave No Trace, it's not about what you did right or wrong--it's about doo-ing as much as you can to lessen your impact." [Products Sidebar] PACT Outdoors PACT Lite Bathroom Kits Kula Cloth Reliance Double Doodie Toilet Waste Bags Coghlans Toilet Tissue Dr. Bronner's Organic Hand Sanitizer GoGirl Adventure Pack Trail Essentials Feminine Personal Disposal Bags Restop 2 For exclusive access to all of our fitness, gear, adventure, and travel stories, plus discounts on trips, events, and gear, sign up for Outside+ today. Two Louisiana residents were arrested and charged for getting loans under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES, with both cases involving around $1.1 million in relief funds. Michael Ansezell Tolliver of Monroe and Tiera R. Lands of Baton Rouge were both charged following an investigation from the IRS. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice set up strike teams to combat and prevent COVID-19-related fraud. As of April 30, the IRS has investigated 106 tax and money laundering cases in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi totaling more than $134 million. The CARES Act was passed to fund numerous assistance programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Over half of Louisiana families can't afford basic essentials, United Way report finds Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals took advantage of the programs intended to help businesses survive the economic crises caused by the pandemic, said Lisa Fontanette, assistant special agent in charge for the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. Numerous convictions over the last two years have proven that those who fraudulently received funds from the PPP and EIDL are enjoying their ill-gotten gains on borrowed time. In a release, the IRS said Tolliver was sentenced to 10 years in prison on May 2 for laundering more than $1.1 million in PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds. Tolliver was also ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution. Support for legal abortion is growing in Louisiana, LSU survey finds Lands pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering on May 22, the IRS said in a release, after obtaining more than $1.1 million in PPP and EIDL loans under false pretenses. Working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, those individuals and groups who thought they found an easy way to get money are discovering that they were greatly mistaken, Fontanette said. CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING TODAY: Help support journalists like William Taylor Potter This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Two Louisiana residents arrested after IRS investigation Unverified footage on social media shows a blast above the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on May 3, 2023. Reuters US officials believe Ukraine is fostering a network of anti-Putin rebels in Russia, CNN reported. They also believe that such groups were behind the drone explosion over the Kremlin in May. Ukraine has not claimed any connection to such groups, but is reaping the military benefits. Ukraine is believed to be behind a network of sabotage agents in Russia, smuggling drones into the country for a series of attacks, US officials told CNN. Several unnamed US officials believe the May 3 drone incident above the Kremlin was among several attacks carried out by such agents, the outlet reported. Russia has seen an increase in mysterious attacks and suspicious incidents on its soil ever since its invasion, many of which have taken place at strategic locations such as energy facilities within reach of Ukraine. Most recently, the border city of Belgorod came under a series of attacks that have been claimed by anti-Putin Russian dissident group the Liberty of Russia Legion, which opposes the invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine has not claimed any connection with these groups or any responsibility for similar attacks. Nonetheless, such actions are helpful for Kyiv, as the UK's Ministry of Defense assessed on Friday. "Russian commanders now face an acute dilemma of whether to strength defenses in Russia's border regions or reinforce their lines in occupied Ukraine," the MOD said, after the Belgorod attacks. Ukraine does have a pattern of making coy or celebratory comments about such events. A Ukrainian security services spokesperson cited its head Vasyl Malyuk as saying: "We will comment on instances of 'cotton' only after our victory," according to CNN. "Cotton," in Ukrainian, is used as a slang term for explosion due to it sounding like "pop." "Cotton" will continue, Malyuk added, per CNN. It is unclear exactly who in Ukraine is controlling these groups and whether the actions stem back to Zelenskyy, but US officials believe Ukraine's military intelligence is involved, CNN reported. Story continues There are multiple theories as to who was behind the incident at the Kremlin, where a drone appeared to cause an explosion over the building. Before many details of the incident had emerged, drone and strategy experts gave Insider various theories as to who could be behind it including, potentially, Ukraine's conventional military; a Russian false flag; and Russian dissidents. Soon after, the US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War assessed that it was "likely" a false flag attempt by Russia. Part of the reasoning was that Moscow had recently boosted its air defenses to such an extent that it would be very hard for a small drone to get through. But, CNN reported, some US officials believe that pro-Ukraine partisans could have launched the drone from within Russia, bypassing such defenses. This would have been possible due to smuggling networks that Ukraine has cultivated along its lengthy, difficult-to-police border with the country since as long ago as 2014, two unnamed sources told the outlet. Little damage was physically done to the Kremlin, but the target was highly symbolic and the explosion came a week before Russia's prized "Victory Day" annual military celebrations. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military-intelligence chief, is said to appreciate symbolic gestures, officials told CNN. However, some of his grander pronouncements such as the claim in May 2022 that President Vladimir Putin is falling victim to a coup have not been borne out in reality. Read the original article on Business Insider WASHINGTON The FBI privately briefed lawmakers Monday about an unverified tip the bureau received in 2020 that Joe Biden had been involved in a bribery scheme when he was vice president. Republicans have said the source of the allegation is highly credible while admitting they dont know whether its true or not. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) declared after the briefing on Monday that the FBI had not determined the allegation to be untrue, though he didnt say it had found the tip credible, either. Today, FBI officials confirmed that the unclassified FBI-generated record has not been disproven and is currently being used in an ongoing investigation, Comer told reporters after a briefing in a Capitol basement. But Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the committee, said he learned from the briefing that the Justice Department under President Donald Trump looked into the tip and found that it wasnt worth a full investigation. They decided there was no grounds to escalate this up the investigative-prosecutorial chain, Raskin said. If theres a complaint, the complaint is with Attorney General William Barr, the Trump Justice Department and the team that the Trump administration appointed to look into it. In 2020, Barr said the Justice Department was looking into material that former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani had gathered from Ukraine in an effort to find dirt on Biden. Barr said at the time that we cant take anything we received from Ukraine at face value. No charges resulted from the Giuliani material, though it may have sparked an investigation into Hunter Biden in addition to one led by federal prosecutors in Delaware. In a written statement later on Monday, Raskin said that Barrs task force interviewed the source who relayed the tip and that much of the sources uncorroborated material had already been given to the FBI by Giuliani. In August 2020, Attorney General Barr and his hand-picked U.S. Attorney signed off on closing the assessment, having found no evidence to corroborate Mr. Giulianis allegations, Raskin said in the statement. Story continues White House spokesman Ian Sams on Monday called the latest development in the FBI bribery tip saga another fact-free stunt staged by Chairman Comer not to conduct legitimate oversight, but to spread thin innuendo. Comer has previously said the tip, delivered to the FBI in June 2020, reflected a very credible allegation that Biden had something to do with a $5 million bribe involving a foreign national. The allegation has emerged as a key to Comers quest to tie Biden himself to the influence peddling of his family members, whom Comer has said received millions in sketchy payments from foreign sources. Comer refused the DOJs initial offer to let lawmakers see the document at FBI headquarters, but then agreed to take a look after the FBI offered to bring it over to the Capitol. Even though the FBI showed them the document on Monday, Comer said Republicans would still initiate contempt proceedings against FBI Director Christopher Wray because they werent allowed to keep a copy. At the briefing, the FBI again refused to hand over the unclassified record to the custody of the House Oversight Committee, and we will now initiate contempt of Congress hearings this Thursday, Comer said. Asked why he needed his own copy of the form, Comer complained that press accounts of the dispute emphasized that the allegation remains unverified. He stressed that the FBIs source is highly credible and suggested reporters ought to describe the allegations that way. Remember, the main reason theyre not wanting to make this public is because theyre concerned about the source, Comer said, without explaining why it should be made public anyway. In a statement, the FBI said providing access to the document in a reading room is a commonsense safeguard used for congressional oversight and in court proceedings in order to protect sources. The escalation to a contempt vote under these circumstances is unwarranted, an FBI spokesperson said. After the briefing, Raskin stressed that the source himself couldnt vouch for the incriminating tip. What were talking about here is a confidential human source reporting a conversation with someone else, Raskin said. What were talking about is secondhand hearsay. The DOJ has maintained that the document reflects unverified claims collected by a line FBI agent, that the form itself lacks context and that disclosing the information could compromise confidential sources and investigations. Somehow, Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have previously seen the document, the two said last week. Grassley has repeatedly said he didnt know if the allegations were true, just that he wanted the Justice Department to say whether it had investigated. We are not interested in whether the allegations against Vice President Biden are accurate or not, Grassley told Fox News last week. Were responsible for making sure the FBI does its job, and thats what we want to know. Related... 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. Crime and Courts Reporter Donald W. Meyers is a multimedia journalist at the Yakima Herald-Republic covering crime and courts. He is also the writer behind It Happened Here, a weekly history column. Before coming to Yakima, Meyers covered a wide variety of beats at The Salt Lake Tribune, Daily Herald, and daily and weekly newspapers across New Jersey. He is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, serving as a regional officer in the organization as well as on the national Freedom of Information Committee. Lawyer says 'nothing was out of bounds' for reporters seeking scoops on young Prince Harry A lawyer for Prince Harry says no event early in his life was too trivial or private for the journalists of Mirror Group Newspapers to resist Oblivion and silence, sums up a European diplomatic source based in Beijing. Thirty-four years after the Tiananmen Square massacre, those two words are what best define the mood on the anniversary of the bloody repression of June 4, 1989 against peaceful protesters who had spent weeks in Tiananmen Square demanding political reforms from the Chinese government. For several years now there has not even been an official ceremony in Hong Kong. The island, returned by the United Kingdom to China in 1997, was for decades the only stronghold in the Peoples Republic where massive vigils were organized annually in memory of the victims of the 1989 student protests. But a growing crackdown on freedoms in the former British colony, where a harsh National Security Law has been in force since 2020, has resulted in another year of forgetfulness. The anniversary went by in Hong Kong with a strong police presence in sensitive points. At least six people were arrested this Sunday, including a well-known figure in Hong Kongs pro-democracy revolt, the artist Alexandra Wong, AFP reported. Eight others were detained on Saturday, including Sanmu Chan, who shouted: Dont forget June 4th. Hong Kongers, do not be afraid! as he was being taken away by the police, according to Reuters. In Victoria Park, where vigils used to take place, silence reigned this year: instead, pro-Beijing groups were authorized to organize a fair of traditional products. Hong Kongs security chief, Chris Tang Ping-keung, warned earlier this week that events in honor of a fact he did not want to name would not be tolerated: A very special occasion will arrive in the coming days. Many people may want to take advantage of this special occasion to do things that could threaten national security, such as promoting Hong Kongs independence or trying to subvert state power, he said, according to the South China Morning Post. I would like to say to these people: if they attempt such acts, we will take decisive action, arrest them and charge them if there is sufficient evidence. When the appointed date arrives, Beijing usually also takes known dissidents away from the capital. Gao Yu, a veteran journalist imprisoned on several occasions including after the 1989 protests commented on the date via audio messages, saying she was away from Beiking on a trip. Gao, 79, believes that it is necessary to continue commemorating June 4 to keep in mind the democratic aspirations of the people and not forget the bloody use of the army by the Chinese Communist Party to repress the people at gunpoint. Absence of critical voices Gao also laments the growing absence of critical voices that are fading over the decades, such as Bao Tong, who died in November at the age of 90 and was the highest-ranking Chinese official imprisoned for the pro-democracy protests of 1989. Bao, a reformist, was a member of the powerful Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and right-hand man to Zhao Ziyang, who served as the partys general secretary at the time of the demonstrations. Bao Tong was against violent repression, and defended, like Zhao Ziyang, resolving the student movement protest with democratic tools and the rule of law, not with the army, said Gao. After his release from prison, Bao spent the rest of his life under the scrutiny of the authorities and became an activist for reform. His funeral had a strong security deployment to prevent it from becoming an act of protest. In China, what happened in Tiananmen does not exist or is discussed only in the privacy of some homes. An online search for Tiananmen protest in the Microsoft search engine within China, where the internet is censored (Google isnt even available), produces as a first result information about the patriotic Chinese flag-raising ceremony in the square, which is held each day at dawn in front of the famous portrait of Mao Zedong; the second result offers information about the Nanjing massacre, perpetrated between 1937 and 1938 by the Japanese against the Chinese during the Sino-Japanese war. The list goes on, but there is nothing on the massacre of June 4, 1989. Faced with this voluntary forgetfulness, the recent book Assignment China is a reminder of one of the main objectives of journalism: to report on whats happening on the streets and make sure that nobody covers up the tracks. The book, written by Mike Chinoy who worked as a CNN correspondent in Beijing for years collects testimonies from dozens of American reporters who have worked in the Asian nation since 1945. The personal experiences create an oral history of what it means to be a journalist in China, and several chapters are devoted to that spring of 1989. With the huge pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square and elsewhere, 1989 became a defining moment not only in Chinese history, but in the history of Chinese news coverage, Chinoy recounted at the end of April during an online meeting with foreign correspondents. The demonstrations had extraordinary coverage and this coverage was often live, which was quite new at the time. On that day, there were numerous foreign media outlets in the Chinese capital. They had been authorized by Beijing to reinforce their teams to cover a historic visit by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, whose trip aroused a lot of interest, as it was going to mark the resumption of China-USSR relations after years of tension. But the protests overshadowed the official acts and blew up the news agenda. The cameras were already in the square, but the focus immediately shifted somewhere other than planned. At first, there was an explosion of pro-democratic sentiment that was hard for most of the U.S. reporters quoted in the book not to sympathize with, several interviewees acknowledged. They became friends with the students; it seemed that this could only end with the triumph of the student demands. Then they began to fear the worst. Permits for live news coverage were revoked. Martial law was imposed. Reporters discovered rows of tanks waiting on the outskirts of Beijing. And on the night of June 3-4 they found themselves doing what people are not supposed to do: heading towards the source of danger. The tanks showed up, the AK-47s began shooting, Molotov cocktails went flying, ambulances rushed everywhere. There was blood and dead bodies and wounded people and chaos. Everything was going in slow motion. It was almost like a scene from Apocalypse Now, recalls AP photographer Jeff Widener, who got out of Tiananmen on a bicycle with a full roll of film and a blow to his head. The book questions the death count (a figure that has not yet been clarified and ranges from the hundreds to the thousands); admits to professional mistakes such as fueling the rumor that there were cracks in the Chinese military and narrates how Widener took the famous images of the man in front of the tank that circled the world. After getting hit in the head, the reporter went up to a room at the Beijing Hotel. From the balcony, he saw the columns of armored vehicles advancing along ChangAn avenue. Then he noticed a tiny figure gesturing, bags in hand. Widener was waiting, camera in hand, expecting him to get shot. But the man was far away. Widener looked back towards the bed, where he had a lens that would allow him to zoom in on the scene. He knew that going to get it might make him miss the opportunity to capture the moment, but he took a chance. He changed the lens, zoomed in and took the picture that has become an icon against forgetting. But in Chinese online networks, it has been censored. Delfina Gomez, Mexico state gubernatorial candidate for Morena celebrates her electoral victory during local state elections in Toluca, Mexico state, Mexico, on June 4, 2023. The ruling party of Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won the governorship of the countrys most populous state, dealing a life-threatening blow to the old ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI which had governed the State of Mexico without interruption for nearly a century. With over 99% of precincts counted in a preliminary report, electoral authorities said Monday that Morenas Delfina Gomez won 52.7% of votes in the State of Mexico which surrounds Mexico City on three sides to 44.3% for the PRIs Alejandra del Moral. Del Moral later gave a concession speech acknowledging her defeat. The result was a new low for the PRI, which held Mexicos presidency uninterrupted for 71 years until losing power in 2000 elections; the party had governed the State of Mexico and its 17 million inhabitants for 94 years until its loss Sunday. The PRI managed to hold on to the governorship of the sparsely populated northern border state of Coahuila, and governs the neighboring state of Durango in coalition with other opposition parties. But the PRI is now a shadow of the old days, when it ruled Mexico with a combination of hand-out programs and corruption. Propelled by Lopez Obradors personal popularity and more generous payments to the elderly and students Morena now governs 22 of Mexicos 32 states. The conservative National Action party governs five states, the Morena-allied Green party governs one, and the small Citizens Movement holds two states. Lopez Obrador said he was pleased with the results, but struck a magnanimous tone Monday, saying his administration would deal fairly with governors from all parties. We have to serve all citizens, whatever party they belong to, that is our responsibility, the president said. Gomez celebrated her victory as the first woman to serve as governor in the State of Mexico. This is a victory for working families, this is a victory for us women, who have fought for years for the recognition of our rights, Gomez said in a victory speech late Sunday. The state has been plagued by a bloody series of killings of women in recent years, and widespread poverty among female-headed households. The State of Mexico covers everything from Mexico City suburbs, industrial sprawl and rural communities plagued by violence, and displays stunning extremes of inequality, violence and corruption. The contest was closely watched, too, because of its potential implications for next years presidential elections. Even without having selected its nominee yet, Morena is considered the frontrunner in that national election and will be even more so with control of the State of Mexico. Political scientist Georgina de la Fuente of the Tecnologico de Monterrey university noted that Sundays results highlight several things: the PRI has been defeated, though perhaps not as soundly as expected; Morena is not invincible; and parties are going to have to reconfigure their agreements. She added that the smooth elections also confirmed the effectiveness of Mexicos electoral system, whose authorities had come under heavy fire from Lopez Obrador. The loss of the State of Mexico could spell the end of the PRIs political relevance on a national stage. Turnout was only about half of eligible voters in the State of Mexico. It doesnt seem like the elections have excited people, said Miguel Agustin Lopez Moreno, a political scientist and social worker in Ecatepec, one of the states largest municipalities. He was uncertain the situation for residents would change significantly, attributing the Morena partys success in large part to the amount of resources it invested in the state. Adair Ortiz Herrera, a 21-year-old information systems student from Coyotepec, a rural area in the northern part of the state, said before the results were known Sunday that he was sure a new direction was coming. My vote is to end the current governments hegemony, he said. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Each year before commencement, Arizona Western College's La Cosecha event honors graduates transferring to a four-year university. In the presence of loved ones, community members and AWC staff, the students receive a special certificate of recognition and a commemorative sash. Some also receive scholarships. To earn recognition at La Cosecha, graduates have also demonstrated "extraordinary persistence" to gain their education. They're first-generation college students, have depended on financial aid to complete a degree, have a disability or have experienced unusual/extenuating circumstances during degree completion, like illness, loss of income or death in the family. The students have been awarded their degrees by now but their educational journeys will continue as they transfer to four-year institutions. Close Sisko Stargazer Education Reporter Follow Sisko Stargazer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today 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. IMPACT FRONTAL in Satu Nou de Sus. 4 persoane au ajuns la spital Un accident s-a produs aseara in localitatea Satu Nou de Sus, judetul Maramures. O familie a ajuns la spital dupa ce autoturismul in care se afla, s-a ciocnit de o alta masina din cauza lipsei de vizibilitate. De vina ar fi vegetatia mare de pe margine drumului, care le-a [citeste mai departe] It happened a little over a year ago: for the first time, legislative elections in France saw a far-right group, Marine Le Pens National Rally (RN), become the chief opposition party in the countrys National Assembly. Suddenly, after decades in which the far right had been on the outside looking in, the RN had enough seats 89 to form an official group in parliament. And it took its place in Frances lower house pledging to establish itself as a trustworthy, respectable party. Coinciding with the RNs arrival in the National Assembly, the chamber chose its first ever female president. Yael Braun-Pivet, 52, is a lawyer who only entered politics as recently as 2016, joining the movement which, a year later, took President Emmanuel Macron to power. Over the last year, Braun-Pivet has had to contend with the emergence of this new, far-right opposition, adopting what she describes as a balanced approach. The National Assemblys chair is committed to taking the fight to the RN ideologically, but, at the same time, has no intention of shutting the party out when it comes to its role in the institution. We cannot forget that these are far-right members of parliament, that their ideas remain as radical as ever, and that we must not drop our guard despite their election by French voters, Braun-Pivet tells reporters in an interview with EL PAIS and fellow members of the Leading European Newspaper Alliance. But, and this is where I qualify that statement, it isnt a battle that should be waged on an institutional level. It is a political battle, a battle against the ideas that they promote and defend. For Braun-Pivet, the distinction between these two considerations is key particularly given her role as the president of all members of parliament, from the far right to the far left. At the beginning of the new term, one of the first sources of criticism against the Macronists was their support for the election of RN members as two of the National Assemblys vice-presidents. Im among those who believe we shouldnt make distinctions between members of parliament, Braun-Pivet says. Having been elected by the French people, every one of them has their place in this institution. The voters have entrusted them with responsibilities, and as a result, they should be represented in [the National Assemblys] positions of authority. However, the president again qualifies her remarks: To be part of a culture of compromise, there has to be a willingness to debate and a capacity to work towards consensus. Structurally, the parties that embrace radicalism dont have this as their objective. Rejection of compromise is somewhat inherent to their mindset. Braun-Pivet is speaking from her office at the Hotel de Lassay, a mansion of immense, opulent halls that is the official residence of the president of the National Assembly albeit she continues to live at her family home close to Paris. Braun-Pivet isnt a career politician, and you can tell: though she has been a member of parliament for six years now, she doesnt resort to the same age-old turns of phrase. During the interview, she talks about the loneliness she sometimes feels on the National Assembly dais, when everything seems to be spiraling out of control and she has seconds to make a decision. Its the kind of human insight you cannot imagine coming from her predecessors, who pompously embraced the role of the states fourth-highest authority. During Braun-Pivets moments of doubt and loneliness, it is the members of what she terms the other party that embraces radicalism, on the other side of the chamber, who have caused her the greatest headaches. She is referring to France Unbowed (LFI), currently the leading political organization on the French left, given that the Socialist Party has plummeted in popularity during the Macron years. LFI has been at the center of moments of high tension in the National Assembly, such as the day one of its members of parliament called a minister a murderer. Or when, during Marchs motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Elisabeth Bornes government, the partys MPs stood up and sang La Marseillaise as Borne spoke, holding up placards condemning Macrons pensions reform. In that moment, I thought: We have to hold firm, Braun-Pivet recalls. Because we cannot allow those who promote turmoil and try to bring chaos into the National Assembly to win out. A minority cannot paralyze the institution and challenge the workings of democracy. The pensions reform was adopted in April, but the battle in parliament isnt completely over. On June 8, a small group of centrists and regionalists are planning to table a proposal to abolish the reform. Braun-Pivet is not expected to allow the motion to proceed, deeming it to be in violation of the French constitution. A more diverse chamber Its only to be expected that the National Assembly has become a noisier place during this political term. Although they remain the party with the most seats, the Macronists have lost their absolute majority. The chamber is more diverse; a more faithful reflection of the reality of France. In a country where power is focused on the head of state, parliaments influence has been strengthened. Debates are animated; however, they can descend into downright rudeness, too. And a culture of coalition is lacking: in part, the pensions crisis is a consequence of Macrons inability to find allies, and the refusal of the opposition, even those who are ideologically in favor of the reform, to help him. In France, we have to learn to get the job done with a National Assembly in which there isnt a net majority and all the countrys political forces are represented, Braun-Pivet says. Were going through something that all European countries tend to go through. The learning process is, unavoidably, long and at times a bit chaotic. But, thankfully, upheaval isnt permanent. The granddaughter of German and Polish Jews who sought refuge in France, Braun-Pivet has received anti-Semitic threats. She isnt the only politician to have been threatened or insulted in the highly tense France of today. Indeed, Macron has even spoken of the danger of the country becoming decivilized. Asked whether she sees a relationship between the tensions in the lower house and the atmosphere in French society, Braun-Pivet replies. The violence that exists in society, is it a cause or an effect of what were witnessing in the National Assembly? Thats the big question. Either way, I firmly believe that if we offered a better image to our citizens at all times, we would contribute to calming the debate in society. She concludes: The National Assembly is France in a snapshot. According to the latest census in the United States, over 1.4 million American citizens have declared themselves to be Hungarian or of Hungarian origin, the head of the Hungarian American Coalition said in an interview given to the Hungarian public media on the occasion of the Day of National Cohesion. Andrea Lauer Rice said the Hungarian community in the US had 100 organisations, 78 churches, 33 Hungarian schools, 25 scout organisations, and 12 cultural centres. She added that nearly all states had a Hungarian community. Lauer Rice, who is the US head of the Hungarian Diaspora Council, said the council was a kind of global Hungarian network with members learning from and helping each other. Concerning challenges facing US Hungarians, Lauer Rice mentioned issues around involving the younger generations, with special regard to those not speaking Hungarian. She noted that one million people out of Americas 1.4 million strong Hungarian community no longer spoke the mother tongue, typically being second, third, or fourth generation Americans. However, they are fully aware of their roots and it is important that the Hungarian heritage is passed onto them through organisations of the diaspora, she added. The Day of National Cohesion, the anniversary of the 1920 Trianon Peace Treaty, which concluded the first world war and ceded two-thirds of Hungary to neighbouring countries, shows us how important it is to preserve our national unity and Hungarian identity, Istvan Simicsko, parliamentary group leader of the co-ruling Christian Democrats, said in a statement sent to MTI. Referring to the Trianon dictate, Simicsko called it perhaps the largest disaster of the nation, and said Hungary did not have much of a say in the negotiations. He said the decision had been the result of the short-sightedness of the great powers and the greed of neighbouring countries. After the treaty, Hungary was left weak and divided up, he said. The Day of National Cohesion, however, focuses on the vitality and unity of Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin rather than on the tragedy, he said. There lives a much weathered nation in the middle of Europe which keeps proving to the world that it can overcome the hardships and is able to protect its values and fight for its interests, Simicsko said. Tamas Menczer, state secretary at the foreign ministry, told a commemoration held in Piliscsaba, outside Budapest, that only a strong country can fight for ethnic Hungarians in other countries, adding that the governments strategic objectives were instrumental in those efforts. Among the objectives, he mentioned the protection of jobs, pensions, and the governments utility price cap programme, as well as support for families. On another subject, Menczer said ethnic Hungarians could benefit from balanced relations with neighbouring countries and from efforts to build a successful central Europe together, where ethnic minorities will connect rather than separate these countries. Bence Retvari, state secretary at the interior ministry, spoke at a commemoration in Zebegeny, north of Budapest, and said in war times Hungary must stay outside the conflict and fight for Hungarian communities by all means. Those that do not care for ethnic Hungarians in other countries will not care for Hungarians in this country, either we must always focus on Hungarians and each Hungarian must stand up for all other Hungarians, he said. Hungarian leaders 103 years ago failed to stand up for the Hungarians we must learn that historic lesson, he added. Zsolt Molnar, party director of the opposition Socialists, attended a commemoration at Budapests Rakoskeresztur Cemetery, and told a press conference after the ceremony that a nation can be successful if it is undivided over historic issues, adding that those sowing divisions have a serious responsibility because they will weaken national cohesion. He said his party believes that Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin will live together with other nations in peace and understanding for at least another one thousand years. We, Hungarians, share a responsibility, a life, and future, he said. Arpad Janos Potapi, state secretary of the Prime Ministers Office, said June 4 had been a day of mourning for a long time, but since 2010 we have also been saying that we can gain strength from Trianon, at a commemoration in Dombovar, in southwestern Hungary. Looking back at the hundred years that have passed since the Treaty of Trianon, Potapi said, we can see that Hungarians have survived and are thriving despite all the odds. They cut the country to pieces, tore families apart, weakened us, put enormous burdens on our shoulders, yet, we have recovered and have a vision for the future, he said. Gulyas: Hungarian Nation Has No Boundaries The basis of national cohesion is that every Hungarian must know and experience that the state of Hungary has borders, but the Hungarian nation does not, Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Prime Minister's Office, said at a commemoration held on the occasion of the Day of National Cohesion in Satoraljaujhely, in northern Hungary, on Sunday. Speaking at the event organised by the Rakoczi Association, Gulyas said it is the duty of the Hungarian state, the motherland, to support every Hungarian to stay and prosper in their homeland, while also making every Hungarian a home. The great lesson from Trianon is that we must stand by each other even when we are torn apart, the minister said. Gulyas said young Hungarians must discover and get to know the Carpathian Basin in order to feel at home in it. Every Hungarian is responsible for every Hungarian, and Hungary bears responsibility for the fate of Hungarians living beyond the countrys borders, he said. The task of the Hungarian state is to open the gates, support the initiatives that can help us preserve our mother tongue and strengthen our cohesion. This is why we need Hungarian kindergartens, schools and universities, this is why we need the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, the Korosi Csoma scholarships, a support system for ethnic Hungarian businesses, and this is why the community-building work of the Rakoczi Association is also indispensable, Gulyas said. The opposition LMP party has proposed that parliament adopt a political statement to ensure that terrorists and other criminals jeopardising societys structure, unity, and security are not granted a presidential pardon. Antal Csardi, LMPs deputy group leader - pictured on the right - told a press conference on Friday that President Katalin Novak had made a mistake when she pardoned Gyorgy Budahazy and his accomplices. No pardon should be granted to people that will then pose a threat to Hungary, he insisted. Quoting the court decision under which Budahazy and his group had been sentenced on charges of terrorism and other crimes, Csardi said it was by mere chance that the groups activities had not taken lives. The convicts had set fire to the homes of public officials, and threw petrol bombs at two gay bars, Csardi said, insisting that nothing justified the presidents pardon. Parliament should call on the president to grant her pardon in a way that it does not cause great anxiety in societys everyday life, Csardi said. The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below. You can see the new edition of the Xpat E-Magazine here: https://xpatloop.com/newsletters/2023/1-june.html 1. In focus are fresh Interviews with interesting Xpats you may know, or want to know: * H.E. Saad Abdullah Al Asousi, Ambassador to Hungary of the State of Kuwait, * Zeus Milenko Steven Salas, Artist from Caracas based in Budapest, * Jim Doherty, Managing Director, Doherty Hungary, * Lucie Jurankova, Opera Singer in Budapest, * Mariann Marczi, Concert-Pianist. 2. Next up, you can see example events happening these days below and in Xpat Calendar: E.g. BFO Music Fair & Family Day, Expat Theatre Performance, Anti-Flag Gig, Art Nouveau Fest. 3. Also included for interest are new Movies & Specials, plus fresh News, Info & Inspiration: E.g. Local Coffee Culture, Foreign Footie Fight in Budapest, Friss Summer Drinks, Womens Run. We hope you like what's in it for you. Best wishes from Team XpatLoop.com In Hungary, it is rare to have the opportunity to enjoy dishes celebrated by such a high-profile guest, which is why the virtuoso "four-hands dinner" by Molnar Mark and his guest, Christian Le Squer, promises a unique and unforgettable experience with a 10-course menu specially prepared for this occasion at the Costes Downtown restaurant. Molnar Mark, the Executive Chef of Costes Group, has worked with renowned chefs from prestigious restaurants around the world. He has honed his skills at the previously three Michelin-starred Taillevent restaurant and in the kitchen of L'Arpege, also a three-starred establishment, alongside Allan Passard. He has also worked for Ferran Adria, the "apostle of molecular gastronomy," at El Bulli, as well as at Zuma Miami, Zuma London, and in Vietnam and Japan, including the famous Nobu Tokyo. During his time in Paris, Christian Le Squer took notice of him. "Christian Le Squer, the three Michelin-starred chef and co-owner of the legendary Le Pavillon Le Doyen, somehow stumbled upon my resume. When he called me to work with him as a creative chef, I couldn't believe my ears because working at Le Doyen had been a dream of mine since the beginning of my career," recalls their acquaintance. Since then, Le Squer has become the head chef of Le Cinq, the three Michelin-starred restaurant located at the renowned Four Seasons George V Hotel in Paris, and was also named Chef of the Year in 2016. Reviving their old connection, Molnar Mark approached the French chef with a bold idea: "I recently visited Chef Le Squer and shared with him the concept of a four-hands dinner in Budapest. Somehow, we reconnected after all these years while I was working on the other side of the planet." For one night only, we can be part of a "virtuoso four-hands" experience that goes beyond their old friendship and represents a significant milestone in the professional development program of the Costes Downtown restaurant. "Inviting Le Squer was not only about creating a memorable dinner event but also about an important aspect of the professional life at Downtown. The presence of the French star chef and his colleagues offers an opportunity for a professional training that allows our kitchen staff to learn and further develop," said Gerendai Karoly, co-owner of the Costes restaurants. On June 24th, the Costes Downtown restaurant is preparing for a major event in the Hungarian gastronomy scene, where Molnar Mark and Christian Le Squer will collaborate on a four-hands dinner. The 10-course menu will feature dishes such as Brittany langoustine, hake with pumpernickel, jalapeno, and mangalica pancetta, or Black Angus beef with fermented mushroom threads. For more information about the menu and reservations, please visit Costes Downtown Photo: Horvath Adam & Le Cinq Restaurant New Delhi: Today's success story is about Prajwal Samrit, the son of a Kargil Martyr, who relentlessly persued his father's dream to join Indian Army despite securing two coveted positions in Indian Institute of Management (IIM). Prajwal Was Born 45 Days After His Father Lance Naik Krishnaji Samrit Was Martyred In The Kargil War In 1999, Lance Naik Krishnaji Samrit was about to return home after taking leave. It was around the same time when Krishnaji Samrit was about to become a father for the second time. At that time, Lance Naik Krishnaji Samrit's first son was 2.5 years old. However, the Kargil war broke out around the same time and Krishnaji Samrit could never come home. Lance Naik Krishnaji Samrit was martyred during the Kargil war even before Prajwal was born. Prajwal Grew Up To Realise His Father's Dream Of Him Joining Indian Army Reports say that Martyr Krishnaji Samrit wanted his sons to join the Indian army and serve the nation. However, his elder son (Prajwal's elder brother) opted for engineering instead. Prajwal grew up to realise his father's dream and decided to make it the mission of his life. Prajwal Started To Prepare For NDA After Finishing His 12th Exams To fulfill his father's dream, Prajwal started to prepare for NDA after finishing his 12th Boards in 2018. He passed the Services Selection Board (SSB) exam. SBB is an organization that assesses the candidates for becoming officers into the Indian Armed Forces. However, in the medical tests, Prajwal flunked. 8 Failed Attempts At NDA Prajwal gave seven more attempts at the SSB exams. Although he passed the screening every time, got knocked out in the later tests. In his ninth and final attempt Prajwal was advised by his neighbour and IMA teacher Nitin Kothe, who urged him to make one last, desperate attempt. Given that it was his final try, Prajwal also studied for CAT exams. 9th Time Lucky Luck smiled on him on his 9th attempt --Prajwal not only got selected for Indian Military Academy, he also secured his positions in two IIMs -- IIM Indore and IIM Kozhikode after cracking the Common Admission Test (CAT). Howerver, Prajwal chose not to go Indian Army over IIM. New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the Odisha rail tragedy and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he should accept part of the responsibility for creating an ?all is well? facade even as the critical infrastructure of the Indian Railway "languishes in neglect". The Opposition party asked whether the prime minister will take responsibility for the "deadliest rail tragedy" of this century. It also asked who is responsible for ignoring the warnings and suggestions of experts, the parliamentary committee and CAG report. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Modi was busy flagging off trains while not paying attention to railway safety. He called for fixing accountability of all posts from top to bottom to prevent such incidents in the future. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi too slammed the government and said the prime minister should immediately seek the resignation of the railway minister. "No accountability even after 270 plus deaths! The Modi government cannot run away from taking responsibility for such a painful accident," he said in a tweet in Hindi. 270+ ! ! Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 4, 2023 Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil and AICC's publicity and media department head Pawan Khera alleged that the Odisha rail tragedy was a "man-made devastation caused by "utter negligence, serious lapses in the system, incompetence, and a narcissistic sense of know-it-all attitude of the Modi government". Khera said the prime minister has a "Kavach" which no other PM had, protecting him from public scrutiny and television debates. He urged the media to not provide that shield to the PM. "This 'Kavach' does not save rail passengers but only your (PM's) image," Khera said. The Opposition party also said that Modi should accept part of the responsibility for the "mess" that it alleged that his government has inflicted on the Indian Railways and the people. Prime Minister Modi, who has announced that the guilty would be punished, must first start with his railway minister, Khera said. "Unequivocally and unambiguously, we demand the resignation of the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Nothing short of it," he said. "Resignation means taking responsibility on moral grounds, here there is neither responsibility nor morals, do you think any resignation would come? We don't know whom we should ask for resignation. "The person who goes to inaugurate even small stations or the one who has been busy since yesterday morning in publicity. Modi ji, you decide whose resignation you want. But now the nation expects that you seek the resignation of your rail minister the way Lal Bahadur Shastri, Nitish Kumar and Madhavrao Scindia resigned," Khera said. "'Praan jaye par PR na jaye-- you have to leave this principle now," Khera said further. In a series of tweets in Hindi, Kharge posed questions to the Modi government and alleged that "PR gimmicks" have made the working system of the dispensation "hollow". Noting that three lakh posts are vacant in the Railways, he said posts at high levels whose recruitment is through the Prime Minister's Office are also lying vacant. He asked why these posts were not filled in the last nine years. The Railway Board itself has recently admitted that long working hours of loco pilots due to acute shortage of manpower is the main reason for the increasing number of accidents, the Congress president said and asked why the posts were not filled up. Kharge claimed that the Principal Chief Operating Manager of South Western Railway Zone sought fixing of the signalling system on February 8, 2023, citing an incident in Mysore in which two trains averted a collision. "Why did the Ministry of Railways not act on it," he asked. The Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 323rd report criticised the Railways for the "disregard" shown by the Railway Board towards the recommendations of the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS), Kharge said. It was said that CRS investigates only 8 per cent to 10 per cent of accidents. Then why was CRS not strengthened, he asked. "According to the latest CAG audit report, almost seven out of 10 train accidents between 2017-18 and 2020-21 were due to train derailment," the Congress president said. "According to CAG, 79 per cent of funding was reduced in Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) when Rs 20,000 crore was to be made available every year. Why has there been a huge decline in the amount of track renewal works?" the Congress chief said. The train collision avoidance system developed by India's Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in 2011 was renamed by the Modi government as "Kavach" and was demonstrated by the railway minister himself in March 2022, he said and asked why it has been implemented only on 4 per cent routes till now. "Mr Modi, you are busy flagging off trains that have been turned white every day but do not pay any attention to rail safety," he said in an apparent reference to Vande Bharat trains. Accountability of posts from top to bottom has to be fixed so that such accidents can be prevented. Only then will the victims of this tragedy get justice, Kharge said. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too called for the resignation of Vaishnaw. "Following the ethical path of Lal Bahadur Shastri ji, Nitish Kumar ji, Madhav Rao Scindia ji, shouldn't the railway minister resign?" she said. Earlier, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that railway safety had been compromised in the "PR campaign" of the prime minister and the railway minister. "Recall that Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned in the wake of the Nov 1956 Ariyalur train disaster & Nitish Kumar did so following the ghastly Aug 1999 Gaisal train tragedy," he said in a tweet. At the presser, Gohil and Khera posed questions to the government and asked when will Modi demand the resignation from his railway minister. They alleged that Vaishnaw's "over the top publicity, theatrics and PR gimmicks overshadowed the serious deficiencies, criminal negligence and complete disregard for safety and security of Indian Railways". "PM Modi himself is responsible for a green-flagging spree of Vande Bharat Express trains. He is responsible for creating this 'all is well' facade in the Indian Railways, even as crucial, sensitive, and critical infrastructure of the Indian Railway languishes in neglect," Gohil and Khera said in their statement. Khera claimed that before the accident, Vaishnaw skipped presentations on safety at Railway Chintan Shivir because he had to attend the flagging off of a Vande Bharat train. Gohil said the Railways Minister should take responsibility but "Modi and morals travel in opposite directions". Congress general secretary organisation K C Venugopal slammed the Centre, saying this has taken place because the Modi government failed to undertake the necessary safety and maintenance measures. "It ignored multiple prior warnings about track and signal failures, including the latest one from the South Western Railways on February 9, 2023, pointing to the need to revamp signalling infrastructure," he said. "Their sole focus has been on the Prime Minister's PR through mega launch events. The government should be ashamed of what has transpired and the Prime Minister must answer to the entire nation for letting this happen under his watch," Venugopal said. The crash involving Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, which were carrying around 2,500 passengers, and a goods train occurred around 7 pm on Friday near the Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore. At least 275 people were dead and over 1,100 injured in the accident, the worst rail accident in India in nearly three decades. British airline, Virgin Atlantic, on Monday announced its plans to launch a new direct flight between London Heathrow and Bengaluru. The daily flight service will be started on March 31, 2024, for both customer and cargo operations, the airline said in a statement. The new flight will start in the upcoming summer schedule of 2024, and the airline said that it will offer almost 500,000 seats in a year between the UK and India. The airline at present operates regular flights between London Heathrow, and Delhi and Mumbai. Bengaluru is considered as a major IT hub, and the airline said the direct flight services will further add to this fast-growing city with the UK. "We couldn't be happier to be expanding our offering in India, it's a destination our people and customers love to fly to," said Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Offer, Virgin Atlantic. "Known as India's Silicon Valley, the rapidly growing city of Bengaluru represents an incredibly exciting opportunity for us as we continue to expand our India offering, offering increased connectivity for customers not only between the city and the UK but to key tech hubs in the US including Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles," Besides flight to Bengaluru, Virgin Atlantic announced that it will launch a seasonal winter service from London Heathrow to Dubai starting from October 28, 2023, and Manchester to Las Vegas beginning on June 3, 2024. Gulf International Bank (GIB) and its Riyadh-based regional investment banking and asset management arm, GIB Capital, have been chosen for awards for their transactions at the Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Middle East conference. They are: The Oil & Gas Holding Company B.S.C. (nogaholding) $2.2 billion Sustainability Linked Facility was named the ESG Loan Deal of the Year. GIB acted as the Sole Financial Advisor and along with Mashreq Bank acted as the Bookrunners and ESG Coordinators for the transaction. GIB, Mashreq Bank and ABK DIFC Branch also acted as Underwriters and Initial Mandated Lead Arrangers. Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA) $1.7 billion Syndicated Sustainability Loan was named Metals & Mining Deal of the Year. GIB, NBB and Bank ABC acted as Bookrunners, Underwriters and Initial Mandated Lead Arrangers. The Government of the Emirate of Sharjah $1 billion 6.5% 144A/RegS Sustainability Bond was awarded ESG Bond Deal of the Year. GIB along with GIB Capital acted as Bookrunners and Joint Lead Managers. Award ceremony The award ceremony will be held on June 7 2023 in Dubai after the conclusion of the Bonds Loans & Sukuk Middle East 2023 Conference. The above awards demonstrate GIBs strength as a major bank in the GCC and further strengthens the banks ESG credentials. Commenting on the honours, Jamal Al Kishi, GIB CEO, said: Were extremely proud of these awards and recognition of GIB and GIB Capitals leadership across our corporate and investment banking activities, as well as in the development and use of sustainable financing and investment instruments. Our focus continues to be on innovation and supporting the needs of our public and private sector clients across the region, including their efforts to transition their businesses and adopt more sustainable operating models and modes of financing. During the 12-month judging period, GIB Group continued to execute landmark transactions across all of its core markets (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE). These included several investment banking transactions (M&As and IPOs), bonds and sukuks, and conventional and Islamic loans several of which were sustainability linked. The group has been recognised in the last 12 months by several leading publications and associations for its outstanding work. GIB Group aims to continue executing landmark transactions in its core markets ensuring the needs of its key clients are met.-- TradeArabia News Service Katalin Kariko is one of the creators of messenger RNA vaccines, which have saved millions of lives all over the world. The powerful technology was the basis for the Covid-19 vaccines, and it will now become the basis for new immunizations against other infectious diseases, as well as possibly for chronic illnesses like cancer. At the end of the 1970s, the molecular biologist migrated from Hungary to the United States with her husband and two-year-old daughter, along with $1,200 of savings hidden in a teddy bear. Kariko began working against the tide and without funding. She was looking for a way to turn RNA, a molecule complementary to DNA that does almost all the work of creating life, into a therapy. In 2005, along with her University of Pennsylvania colleague Drew Weissman, she demonstrated that modifying just one letter in the RNA sequence prevented the molecule from provoking an immune response. Some years later, Moderna and BioNTech used the discovery to create their messenger RNA vaccines against Covid, created in record time. Despite having received more than 100 awards since 2020 alone, the scientists humility stands out. She received the Commemorative Lesson Prize from the Conchita Rabago de Jimenez Diaz foundation in Madrid, and she has been named doctor honoris causa by Harvard and Princeton. Her tour around the world will continue for several months. But during her career, Kariko never received tenure at her own university: the institution demoted her because she failed to receive funding. Kariko has retired from her position as vice-president of BioNTech, though she will remain a consultant at the company, and she explains that she has begun a new phase in life. She is one of the strongest candidates for the Nobel prizes. Question. After so much time working outside the spotlight, how do you feel receiving so much recognition? Answer. It is part of the work. You do the work of writing the interview, I try to help you out and together we educate the public. We need that because they are so behind, and they want to understand things. We have to find a way to explain complex things to them and try to inspire the new generation, because less and less people want to go into science. It is difficult. They want easy money or something, and they dont realize that money wont make you happy. I dont think about these prizes. I respect and I understand the importance of the prizes to bring attention to the science. Thats what is important to me, the science, and to inspire people. Q. Have you been happy? A. I was very happy and very successful. I felt the success because as I did more and more experiments, I got better results. I didnt get the money to support the research, but the success was to progress in the experiments: find a way to produce more protein with the RNA, modify the sequence and make it work better, see that it works in animals. They tried to demote me four times. If they hadnt, I wouldnt be who I am. Do not feel sorry for yourself and lick your wounds. The only thing that matters is the next step you take. Q. What will be your next step? A. Im not going back to academic research because I never succeeded in that world. The University of Pennsylvania retired me 10 years ago, although they keep me as an adjunct professor. Now Im starting a new chapter of my life. I always think it will be the last chapter. At BioNTech I am a consultant and I have my own team. I talk to them every week. They already know what they have to do and they also have money to do it. Q. After the Covid vaccines, what will come next? A. Prior to Covid, Moderna and BioNTech were already working on a messenger RNA influenza vaccine. This will probably be the next one, along with the respiratory syncytial virus, which Moderna is developing. This company also has two ongoing trials of a vaccine against HIV and also against the Epstein-Barr virus, which could be the cause of multiple sclerosis. There is also a new experimental vaccine against nipah [an emerging virus in Asia that has a mortality of between 40% and 75%]. It is interesting that both Moderna and BioNTech have announced that they are developing RNA vaccines against shingles. There is already one, but it costs about 800 ($852). The advantage of mRNA vaccines is that they are cheap and can be developed very quickly. Katalin Kariko and Tom Hanks hug after being named doctors honoris causa by Harvard University. Associated Press/LaPresse (APN) Q. Do messenger RNA vaccines only have applications against viruses? A. No. They can also be very useful against infections caused by bacteria. There is an experimental vaccine in development against borreliosis, which is transmitted by a tick bite, and another against tick-borne encephalitis. In the latter, there is an RNA vaccine in the animal testing phase that is based not on immunizing against proteins of the pathogen, but against proteins that are in the saliva of ticks, so that they generate immunization from the moment the insect bites. And we also have the messenger RNA vaccine against malaria. Q. A few days ago, BioNTech presented promising results for an RNA vaccine against pancreatic cancer, the deadliest. What can we expect from it? A. Pioneering messenger RNA vaccine companies, such as Curevac, founded in 2000, and BioNTech, in 2008, began by looking at immunizations against cancer. It is a long scientific process that corrects itself as there are new results about the human immune system and the complexity of cancer. The latest results from BioNTech have shown that if the patient has an operable tumor, it is possible to develop a vaccine against epitopes [proteins] unique to the tumor. This is an advance because it was thought that in this tumor it was impossible. But the treatment only worked in half the patients. Q. Do you know why? A. No. It should be noted that the 16 patients in this clinical trial had undergone several courses of treatment with various drugs. They were on their last rope. His immune system was already very weak, although it was still working. What we needed was to generate immunity mediated by killer T lymphocytes [a class of white blood cell]. Eight responded, and 18 months later they did not see their cancer come back. Eight others did not respond and relapsed. One of the patients who responded had metastases, and yet his tumors disappeared. We do not know why. We did see that the non-responders had slightly larger tumors. This is an initial trial with few patients, so we cannot generalize. Now we have to keep accumulating information and understand why some people react and others dont. Such is science. Q. A few weeks ago, a Moderna executive predicted that some cancer vaccines could be ready in five years, and the founders of BioNTech also made similar statements. Do you agree? A. No way. No one should say those things. Cancer is too complex. Each type of tumor has its specificities. Those predictions are very damaging for people with cancer. Its playing with your hope. When I started at BioNTech in 2013, lung cancer was practically a death sentence. Then came checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy, which allowed more and more people to survive this tumor. Now there are still tumors that are invisible to the immune system and we need more research to find out why. The good thing is that there is now a lot of money for the development of new vaccines and treatments based on messenger RNA. Q. Could messenger RNA help cure Alzheimers and other neurological conditions? A. The problem with messenger RNA is that no matter how well you wrap and encapsulate it, its very difficult for it to cross different tissues, different layers of cells. As soon as it finds a cell, it captures it, reads its instructions and makes a protein with them. That is why it is very useful when you need to secrete a certain protein, such as the coronavirus spike. But if youre trying to replace a protein thats already there [Alzheimers is associated with the buildup of two dysfunctional proteins, amyloid and tau], RNA cant help. We did the test by introducing it into the cerebrospinal fluid of mice and we saw that the messenger RNA never reached the neurons. It is difficult to bring treatment to neurons threatened by Alzheimers or Parkinsons. Im not saying it cant, but a lot of research is needed. That being said, it has been seen to be effective in the spinal cord. And also in the treatment of amyloidosis and heart failure. Q. Your daughter, Susan Francia, is a rower and won two Olympic medals with the United States. You compare science with this sport. Why? A. Have you noticed that you row with your back to the direction of travel? So is science. You dont see the finish line. You dont even know that there is a finish line. You dont even know that you are going in the right direction. But you keep working. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition New Delhi: Narratives around sexual assault are no stranger to the audience, they depict the ugliness of human greed and selfishness. However, there are films that continue to haunt you even after you finish watching them. Films like Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai or Kahaani 2 portray horrific tragedies which not only give shivers but also open floodgates to discussions and debates. These films paint a realistic picture of the justice process. Although loaded with repulsive scenes, they act as a powerful tool for social change providing relief to the victims and their families. While POCSO act safeguards the interest of minors, films like these justify the provisions of the act creating awareness about under-reported crimes and abuse. Let's have a look at such films which bring forward the POCSO act and reign supreme due to their unapologetic storytelling: 1. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai [ZEE5] Inspired by true events, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is a courtroom drama directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, starring Manoj Bajpayee in and as lawyer P.C Solanki. It is the story of an ordinary man - a high court lawyer who single-handedly fought an extraordinary case against the countrys biggest god man and successfully ended up prosecuting him for the rape of a minor under the POCSO act. The film educates the audience about the POCSO [Protection Of Children from Sexual Offenses] act while the trial for justice continues in the courtroom. Through Nus case of sexual assault, it highlights the key features of the act and the legal framework. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai will surely make you aware of a few facts that were not known to you. 2. Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh [ZEE5] Kahaani 2 revolves around a woman named Vidya Sinha and her daughter Mini. Vidya works as a school librarian in a small town and leads a seemingly ordinary life. However, their lives take a dark turn when Mini goes missing. As the investigation unfolds, it is revealed that Mini has been kidnapped and is being held captive. Vidya, determined to find her daughter, teams up with a police officer, Inderjeet Singh. As they dig deeper into the case, they uncover a shocking truth Mini has been sexually assaulted. They encounter various challenges and obstacles as they navigate the legal system and fight for justice, exposing the grey side of humanity at the same time revealing the harsh realities faced by innocent children. Through Vidyas journey the film delves deep into the POCSO act. 3. Am I Next [ZEE5] Am I Next is a heart-wrenching tale of a 14-year-old teenage rape survivor Honey Kohlis court battle for justice and the right to abortion. It has layers such as media sensationalism, a dishonest defense lawyer and the rapist Amans father trying to brush off the matter. The story raises ethical questions about why the survivor must pay the price and is a momentous expression of hope for society. The film explores the legalities of a minor rape victims right to abortion and the POCSO act. 4. Mardaani 2 [Amazon Prime Video] Mardaani 2 is set in Kota, Rajasthan where a series of brutal rapes and murders shake the city. It revolves around Superintendent of Police Shivani Shivaji Roy who takes on a challenging case of finding a serial rapist targeting young girls. The film tackles the issue of brutal crimes against women as Shivani is determined to catch the perpetrator and bring him to justice. She faces various hurdles in her pursuit including societal apathy and the challenging nature of the case. The film serves as a wake-up call, urging society to be vigilant and proactive in protecting children from sexual offences while highlighting the provisions under the POCSO act. 5. Highway [Disney+ Hotstar] The film centers around the kidnapper (played by Randeep Hooda) and his hostage (played by Alia Bhatt) as they bond over similar histories of child abuse sexual and physical at the hands of close family figures. The film leads to a moving denouement where the female protagonist confronts her abuser. It scores in showing how trauma operates in subtle, long-lasting ways, and how emotional support can provide strength to survivors and help them confront both their abusers and their trauma. The film delves into the sexual assault of the minor and the emotional damage it leaves on them. Watch these compelling stories all set to give you goosebumps! TBSE Tripura Board Result 2023: Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) will declare the TBSE Class 10th, 12th Result 2023 today, June 5 on the official website - tbse.tripura.gov.in. Once the Tripura board result is out it will be available for download on the official website, tbresults.tripura.gov.in. The TBSE Madhyamik result 2023 and the TBSE Class 10th, 12th result 2023 online can be accessed by using the roll number. Once released, students will be able to check Tripura Board class 10th, and 12th Result 2023 on the official website tbse.tripura.gov.in following the simple steps given below Steps To Download TBSE Tripura Board 10th, 12th Result 2023 Step 1: Visit the official website - tbse.tripura.gov.in Step 2: On the home page, click on the link that reads "TBSE Final Result 2023" Step 3: In the newly opened tab, click on the link TBSE Class 10th Result 2023 or TBSE Class 12th Result 2023 Step 4: Now entre your roll number, date of birth and other details Step 5: Click on "Submit" and your RBSE Tripura Board Class 10th, 12th Result will appear on the screen Step 6: Download your Tripura Board Result 2023 and take a printout for future reference TBSE Result 2023: Exam Date The online Tripura board result 2023 will be provisional and students will be required to collect their original mark sheet after a few days of the TBSE 2023 result declaration. This year, TBSE conducted the TBSE Madhyamik exam 2023 from March 16 to April 18 and the TBSE Class 12 exam 2023 from March 15 to April 19. TBSE Result 2023: Details On The Scorecard The details that will be mentioned in their TBSE result 2023 include the name of the student, date of birth, roll number, fathers name, school name, exam name, subjects name, subjects code, marks obtained in each subject, total marks obtained, result status and remarks. New Delhi: The Centre has constituted a three-member Commission of Inquiry, headed by the former chief justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, to investigate into the incidents of violence in Manipur which started in early May. The Commission shall submit its report to the Central Government as soon as possible but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting. The Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has notified a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, chaired by Justice Ajai Lamba, former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court with Himanshu Shekhar Das, IAS (Retd.) and Aloka Prabhakar, IPS (Retd.) as members to inquire into the incidents of violence in the state of Manipur on May 3 and thereafter, the official notification said. The Ministry of Home Affairs in a release said the commission shall make an inquiry with respect to the causes and spread of the violence, which took place in Manipur, and whether there were any lapses on the part of any of the responsible authorities or individuals. The headquarters of the commission shall be in Imphal - the capital of Manipur. Meanwhile, a total of 202 arms, 252 ammunition and 92 bombs of all kinds recovered after the visit of Home Minister Amit Shah to Manipur. A total of 789 arms and 10648 ammunition have been recovered till date. Security Advisor to Government of Manipur Kuldiep Singh said that the situation in Manipur by and large remained under control. Amit Shah Urges People To Lift Blockade There are reports of blockades at Imphal-Dimapaur National Highway-2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has appealed to the people to lift the blockade. In his tweet, Home Minister said, "My sincerest appeal to the people of Manipur is to lift the blockades at the Imphal-Dimapur, NH-2 Highway, so that food, medicines, Petrol/Diesel, and other necessary items can reach the people.I also request that Civil Society Organisations do the needful in bringing consensus. Together only we can restore normalcy in this beautiful state". "We hope that people will surely take into account the Home Minister's appeal and lift the blockade on the Imphal-Dimapaur National Highway-2 at the earliest," the official release said. Curfew Relaxed In Manipur "Curfew relaxation has been made for 12 hours in the valley and 10 hours and 07 hours in the neighbouring hill districts. During the last 24 hours 23 more arms have been recovered. This makes a total of 202 arms, 252 ammunition and 92 bombs of all kinds recovered after the visit of Home Minister. A total of 789 arms and 10648 ammunition have been recovered till date," the official statement said. Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah visited Manipur from May 29 to June 1, 2023, and after taking stock of the situation announced the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry. Shah's visit to the violence-hit state was to take stock of the situation and to hold talks with different stakeholders in a bid to restore a sense of calm in the state. Amit Shah urged all communities and sections of society to maintain peace, hold discussions and promote harmony as well as surrender their weapons to the police. He also appealed to the people not to pay heed to rumours and maintain peace and harmony. Internet services continue to remain suspended and security forces deployed in Manipur after clashes between communities residing in hills and plains districts. The violence apparently started after a Scheduled Tribes reservation was demanded by the plains dwellers, who are predominantly Meiteis and are the majority in numbers. Against those demands, a rally was organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) -- mostly from the Kuki community. Manipur later turned violent and ever since there has been incidents of violence and arson with dozens of lives so far. However, the curfew has been withdrawn in some districts. NEW DELHI: The ED on Monday said it has seized luxury cars worth Rs 60 crore, including those of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bentley, and jewellery valued at Rs 5.75 crore during raids on real estate companies IREO and M3M in a money laundering investigation. The federal agency said in a statement that the searches were carried out on June 1 at seven of their locations in Delhi and Gurugram. The owners, controllers and promoters of the M3M Group -- Basant Bansal, Roop Kumar Bansal, Pankaj Bansal and other key persons -- deliberately avoided investigations during the raids, the ED alleged. The agency has been investigating the IREO group for the last few years on charges of diverting, siphoning off and misappropriating funds of investors and customers, and it was later found that "huge amounts of money running into hundreds of crores were siphoned off through the M3M Group too". "In one of the transactions, M3M group received about Rs 400 crore from IREO Group through several shell companies in multiple layers. The transactions were shown in the books of IREO as payments towards development rights. "The land was owned by M3M group and the market value of the land was around Rs 4 crore," the ED alleged. The agency said it seized 17 high-end luxury vehicles like cars of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mercedes and Maybach among others that have an acquisition value of about Rs 60 crore. It also seized jewellery and bullion worth Rs 5.75 crore, Rs 15 lakh cash and various "incriminating documents" and books of accounts during the raids. The M3M Group, the agency alleged, initially sold the development rights of the said land to five shell (dubious) companies for Rs 10 crore. "It was claimed that the five companies are unrelated. Investigations show that these shell companies were operated by M3M Group. The five shell companies thereafter immediately sold the development rights of the same land to IREO Group for about Rs 400 crore," it said. After receiving the amount of Rs 400 crore from the IREO Group, the shell companies transferred the said amounts immediately to the M3M Group using multiple layers, the agency said. "All the shell companies were owned and operated by M3M Group under the directions of its promoters Basant Bansal and Roop Kumar Bansal and his family members. In this way, IREO and M3M siphoned off about Rs 400 crore money belonging to investors/customers and the proceeds of crime remained with M3M Group which was used by M3M for other investments/ paying off liabilities," it said. The IREO Group did not make any effort to develop the land and started to "write off" the investments every year, the ED alleged. Washington: US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin concluded his India visit on Monday with both countries taking new steps to strengthen their defence partnership. The importance of defence innovation remained one of many keynote points of discussions during Austin's visit here, the US Department of Defence said. During his meetings with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the US Secretary and his counterparts exchanged perspectives on a range of regional security issues and committed to collaborating closely with India in support of the US shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. During the meeting between Austin and Singh, the two countries decided to launch negotiations for two crucial agreements related to the Security of Supply Arrangement and a Reciprocal Defence Procurement in an effort to establish stable supply chains of arms and equipment. The Secretary and Minister Singh also pledged to review regulatory hurdles impeding closer industry-to-industry cooperation and to initiate negotiations on these agreements, the Pentagon said. Austin was on a two-day visit to India arrived in New Delhi from an official visit to Singapore. During bilateral talks between Austin and Singh, both countries were able to conclude a new roadmap for US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation, which "shall guide the policy direction for the next few years," according to a statement by the Indian Defence Ministry statement. The roadmap will fast-track technology cooperation and co-production in areas such as air combat and land mobility systems; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; munitions; and the undersea domain. "This initiative aims to change the paradigm for cooperation between US and Indian defence sectors, including a set of specific proposals that could provide India access to cutting-edge technologies and support India's defence modernization plans," the Department of Defence readout said. Austin arrived in India on Sunday to reinforce the major defence partnership and advance cooperation in critical domains between India and the US ahead of Prime Minister Modi's official state visit to Washington later this month. The Secretary and his counterparts also discussed the growing importance of defence innovation and cooperation in emerging domains such as space, cyberspace, and artificial intelligence. They praised the recent launch of a new Advanced Domains Defence Dialogue and committed to expanding the scope of bilateral defence cooperation to encompass all domains. They also welcomed the establishment of the India-US Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), a new initiative to advance cutting-edge technology cooperation. The initiative, which the U.S. India Business Council will launch on June 21, is designed to complement existing government-to-government collaboration by promoting innovative partnerships between U.S. and Indian companies, investors, start-up accelerators, and academic research institutions, the official release of US Department of Defence read. Moreover, Lloyd Austin and Rajnath Singh also committed to strengthen operational collaboration across all military services, with an eye to supporting India's leading role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific. "They talked about fresh possibilities for enhancing information sharing and increase cooperation in the maritime domain. On this point, Secretary Austin welcomed India's leading position in the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative (IPMDA), which would give nations throughout the Indo-Pacific region cutting-edge domain awareness capability," the US Department of Defence said. "In his meeting with National Security Advisor Doval, the Secretary exchanged views about regional and global security issues of concern, including maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region," the Pentagon said. The Secretary welcomed Doval's perspective about shared security interests and objectives, including his ideas for greater maritime collaboration, it said. In all of his engagements, the Secretary underscored the centrality of the US-India partnership to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, the US Department of Defence said. Bhopal: Two senior Congress leaders sparred over the choice of Madhya Pradesh unit president Kamal Nath as the party's chief ministerial face for the state Assembly polls likely to be held at the end of the year. The war of words between Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Govind Singh and Nath loyalist MLA Sajjan Singh Verma took place after a meeting on MP poll preparations was held in Delhi on May 29, which was attended by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. After attending the meeting, Singh had said, "The Congress is a democratic party. It is not the Congress tradition to announce the CM's face in advance. The public will elect the MLAs, who will further choose the CM." Hitting back, Verma said, "Govind Singh ji sometimes forgets whether MLAs have elected him as the leader of the opposition. No, he was not elected by MLAs. He was senior so we also agreed on his appointment as leader of the opposition." Verma said the people of MP and party leaders want Nath as the state's CM, adding that Singh should behave the way in which he expects others to do with him. "All 22 present (in Rahul Gandhi's meeting) had accepted Kamal Nath as their leader. This is on record. All leaders accepted that the 2023 polls will be fought under Kamal Nath's leadership," Verma asserted. On Sunday, Singh issued a video statement claiming his comment had been wrongly interpreted by the media. "It is true all the senior leaders have decided to contest the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls under the leadership of Kamal Nath. I have said several times he is our party's leader," he said. Singh, however, maintained the chief minister is selected after the elections and in the legislature party. Meanwhile, Congress Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh also said party leaders want the polls to be fought under Nath's leadership. New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the key architects of contemporary India were all Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who kept an open mind about the outside world. Addressing the Indian Diaspora in New York, he said that all prominent leaders associated with the country's freedom struggle, including Mahatma Gandhi, Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Subhash Chandra Bose, were NRIs who kept an open mind about the outside world. "The central architect of modern India, Mahatma Gandhi, was an NRI. The foundation for India's freedom movement was laid in South Africa... Nehru, BR Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, all were NRIs and had an open mind about the outside world," Rahul Gandhi said. Continuing with his offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress leader said the country faces a battle between two ideologies -- one espoused by the Congress and the other by the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). ALSO READ | In New York, Rahul Gandhi Flays Centre Over Odisha Triple Train Tragedy "There is a fight between two ideologies in India -- one that we (Congress) represent and another that is espoused by the BJP and the RSS," the Congress leader claimed. Further, he added that the principles and ideology that Congress holds dear are the same as that of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. He claimed that the ideas espoused and propagated by the BJP and RSS were that of Nathuram Godse, a rightwing leader who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. "The ideology that we follow is the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, an NRI, and a kind and simple man who propagated non-violence and had a lifelong quest for the truth. However, the ideology that BJP and RSS follow is that of Nathuram Godse, a violent and angry man unable to face the reality of his own life," Rahul claimed. Varanasi: The Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh Chief Jitendra Singh Vishen, one of the main litigants from the Hindu side, has announced that he and his family are withdrawing from all cases related to Gynavapi Mosque due to alleged "harassment". Vishen said that he is withdrawing as the "main pleader" for Rakhi Singh, one of the five Hindu women plaintiffs, in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case of Varanasi. Vishen said he took the decision due to the lack of resources required for contesting the case and "harassment by anti-religious people". He has not submitted an application regarding his decision in the court yet. Five Hindu women - Rakhi Singh, Manju Vyas, Rekha Pathak, Seeta Sahu, and Lakshami Devi - filed the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi case in the court of the civil judge (senior division) Varanasi, in August 2021. The plaintiffs sought the right of daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in Gyanvapi mosque complex. Vishen said, "I have decided to withdraw myself and my family members from the pleading of all the cases which we had filed in different courts in the interest of country and dharma. My niece Rakhi Singh with four women filed the case: Rakhi Singh and others versus State of UP and others, seeking permission for daily worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal, and I am associated with it as the main pleader. My wife Kiran Singh (filed a suit) as the next friend of Bhagwan Adi Vishweshwar Virajman in the fast-track court of civil judge (senior division) in May 2022." While Vishen was engaged in pleading the Shringar Gauri case on behalf of Rakhi Singh, his wife Kiran Singh had filed a suit seeking permission for daily worship of Adi Vishweshwar Virajman in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex. "Ever since these cases were filed, my family members and I are being harassed by anti-religious people who are against Hindu dharma. These people are trying to declare us gaddar (treacherous). In addition, society is also standing with the forces," Vishen said. He also said, "A few months ago, I sold my car to arrange the funds required for contesting the case. But now I am left with very limited resources and strength due to which I cannot do the pleading of the cases anymore. My family members and I have decided to withdraw from the pleading of these cases." Vishen`s lawyer Shivam Gaur has also announced his own withdrawal from the cases. Meanwhile Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, a lawyer for the Hindu plaintiffs, said, "Jitendra Singh Vishen has made the announcement in the media to withdraw from the pleading of the case. He posted about it on social media. But Vishen has not yet submitted a written application to the court about his decision. The case is pending in court." Vishen is involved in litigation related to various high-profile matters like Gyanvapi mosque, Idgah mosque in Mathura and the Taj Mahal. Patna: An under-construction bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihar on Sunday, portions of which were deliberately destroyed in a planned fashion under expert advice as it had design flaws, claimed state government officials. The bridge was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur. Images of the bridge collapse that took place in Khagaria evoked immediate criticisms from the opposition, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Additional Chief Secretary of Road Construction Department, Pratyay Amrit, to hold a hurried press conference. VIDEO | Under construction Aguwani-Sultanganj Ganga bridge collapsed in Bihar's Bhagalpur earlier today. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/q26wzRoIlT Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2023 "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said at the press conference. Amrit, who took over, added, "It was decided that we must not take any chance and wait for a final report. So we went ahead with pulling down parts of the bridge." Once the final report comes, which is expected shortly, the state government would contemplate action like lodging of FIR and blacklisting the company which was awarded the contract, he said. The bridge was said to have involved an estimated cost of Rs 1,700 crore. "Last year, a portion of this bridge had given away in a thunderstorm. It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition. Upon coming to power, we ordered an inquiry and sought expert opinion," said Yadav, in an apparent riposte to the BJP, now in opposition, which sought the CM's resignation over the issue. Yadav disclosed that "many structural defects" have been pointed out by experts and "we have already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable. Today's incident confirms our worst apprehensions". No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident that took place in the evening and was caught on camera by some bystanders. As media outlets beamed the video footage, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary came out with a statement demanding the resignation of Nitish Kumar, who had snapped ties with the saffron party in August last year. Fellow BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a former Bhagalpur MP, also came out with a statement blaming the mishap on "corruption" and demanding a "high-level inquiry" into the incident. He also alleged that the incident "has put a question mark on construction works being undertaken across the state, many of which have been awarded to the same contractor". Amrit also said at the press conference that soon after the news of the incident was received, he was summoned by the chief minister who "sought a detailed report on the mishap and issued strict instructions for strong action against those who might be held responsible". The bridge was being constructed at a cost of more than Rs 1, 700 crore and it was supposed to have been completed by November, 2019. However, Yadav asserted, "This bridge is of great importance for north Bihar where connectivity will greatly improve once it begins to function. We are committed to completing the project after setting right everything that has been wrong." Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, meanwhile, came out with a tweet pointing out that much of the construction took place "during the tenures of Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav and Nitin Nabin" as road construction ministers and asked whether the BJP would, therefore, take the blame. Windhoek [Namibia]: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday the condolence messages and the outpouring of support that he received in the wake of the horrific train accident in Odisha show how connected the world is with India. "A lot of leaders from all over the world and the foreign minister from here [Namibia] also expressed solidarity and sent sympathy," EAM Jaishankar said while addressing the Indian diaspora in Namibia on Sunday. "I received many messages and foreign ministers and friends from across the world. The Prime Minister also received lots of messages. This is an example of how globalised today's world is and how the world is connected with India," he said further. "A tragedy happened in India and the world decided to stand with India," the EAM added. The Balasore derailment incident, involving two passenger trains and a goods train, claimed 275 lives and left over 1,000 injured. The three-way accident involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods trains on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district. ALSO READ | S Jaishankar Slams Rahul Gandhi, Says 'There Are Things Bigger Than Politics When You Go Abroad' During the visit to Namibia, the EAM will call on the country's top leadership. He was received by the deputy minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu. "Arrived in Windhoek. Thank Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu for receiving me so warmly. Look forward to a productive visit that takes our time-tested ties forward," Jaishankar tweeted earlier. He will also meet other ministers in the Namibian government while also co-chairing the inaugural session of the Joint Commission Meeting with the Namibian deputy PM and Foreign minister. Before arriving in the Namibian capital on Sunday, the External Affairs Minister was in Cape Town, South Africa to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting. In Cape Town, Jaishankar invoked the three-decade-old ties between India and South Africa stating that there is a very "deeply emotional" connection between the two countries. He said India's and South Africa's respective struggles were "deeply intertwined". Jaishankar made these remarks while interacting with the Indian diaspora in Cape Town. Jaishankar also recalled that when South Africa got its independence, there was as much celebration in India as there was in there. The EAM also said that India had invited South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in 2019. "We have really India and South Africa located at two different continents, but working together very closely in the United Nations, in the BRICS of which we are members in a body called IPSA, which is India, Brazil and South Africa, and in a variety of ways between the two of us directly now," he added. The relations between India and South Africa in these three decades have "flowered in every conceivable sense", Jaishankar noted. When a patient asks about the risk of dying after swallowing a toothpick, two answers are given. The first points out that between two or six hours after ingestion, it is likely that it has already passed to the intestines, explaining that many people swallow toothpicks without anything happening them. But it also advises the patient to go to the emergency room if they are experiencing a stomach ache. The second answer is in a similar vein. It replies that, although its normal to worry, serious harm is unlikely to occur after swallowing a toothpick as its small and made of wood, which is not toxic or poisonous. However, if the patient has abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing or vomiting, they should see a doctor. Its understandable that you may be feeling paranoid, but try not to worry too much. It is highly unlikely that the toothpick will cause you any serious harm, it adds. The two answers say basically the same thing, but the way they do so is slightly different. The first one is more aseptic and concise; while the second is more empathetic and detailed. The first was written by a doctor, and the second was from ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) generative tool that has revolutionized the planet. This experiment part of a study published in the journal Jama Internal Medicine was aimed at exploring the role AI assistants could play in medicine. It compared how real doctors and the chatbot responded to patient questions in an internet forum. The conclusions based on an analysis from an external panel of health professionals who did not know who had answered what found that ChatGPTs responses were more emphathetic and high quality than the real doctors in 79% of cases. The explosion of new AI tools has opened debate about their potential use in the field of health. ChatGPT, for example, is seeking to become a resource for health workers by helping them avoid bureaucratic tasks and develop medical procedures. On the street, it is already planning to replace the imprecise and often foolish Dr Google. Experts who spoke to EL PAIS say that the technology has great potential, but that it is still in its infancy. Regulation on how it is applied in real medical practice still needs to be fine-tuned to address any ethical doubts, they say. The experts also point out that it is fallible, and can make mistakes. For this reason, everything that comes out of the chatbot will require the final review of a health professional. Paradoxically, the machine not the human is the most empathetic voice in the Jama Internal Medicine study. At least, in the written response. Josep Munuera, head of the Diagnostic Imaging Service at Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona, Spain, and an expert in digital technologies applied to health, warns that the concept of empathy is broader than what the study can analyze. Written communication is not the same as face-to-face communication, nor is raising a question on an online forum the same as doing so during a medical consultation. When we talk about empathy, we are talking about many issues. At the moment, it is difficult to replace non-verbal language, which is very important when a doctor has to talk to a patient or their family, he pointed out. But Munuera does admit these generative tools have great potential when it comes to simplifying medical jargon. In written communication, technical medical language can be complex and we may have difficulty translating it into understandable language. Probably, these algorithms find the equivalence between the technical word and another and adapt it to the receiver. Joan Gibert, a bioinformatician and leading figure in the development of AI models at the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, points out another variable when it comes to comparing the empathy of the doctor and the chatbox. In the study, two concepts that enter into the equation are mixed: ChatGPT itself, which can be useful in certain scenarios and that has the ability to concatenate words that give us the feeling that it is more empathetic, and burnout among doctors, the emotional exhaustion when it comes to caring for patients that leaves clinicians unable to be more empathetic, he explained. The danger of "hallucinations" Nevertheless, as is the case with the famous Dr Google, its important to be careful with ChatGPTs responses, regardless of how sensitive or kind they may seem. Experts highlight that the chatbot is not a doctor and can give incorrect answers. Unlike other algorithms, ChatGPT is generative. In other words, it creates information according to the databases that it has been trained on, but it can still invent some responses. You always have to keep in mind that it is not an independent entity and cannot serve as a diagnostic tool without supervision, Gibert insisted. These chatboxes can suffer from what experts call hallucinations, explained Gibert. Depending on the situation, it could tell you something that is not true. The chatbot puts words together in a coherent way and because it has a lot of information, it can be valuable. But it has to be reviewed since, if not, it can fuel fake news, he said. Munuera also highlighted the importance of knowing the database that has trained the algorithm because if the databases are poor, the response will also be poor. Outside of the doctors office, the potential uses of ChatGPT in health are limited, since the information they provide can lead to errors. Jose Ibeas, a nephrologist at the Parc Tauli Hospital in Sabadel, Spain, and secretary of the Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, pointed out that it is useful for the first layers of information because it synthesizes information and help, but when you enter a more specific area, in more complex pathologies, its usefulness is minimal or its wrong. It is not an algorithm that helps resolve doubts, added Munuera. You have to understand that when you ask it to give you a differential diagnosis, it may invent a disease. Similiarly, the AI system can tell a patient that nothing is wrong, when something is. This can lead to missed opportunities to see a doctor, because the patient follows the advice of the chatbot and does not speak to a real professional. Where experts see more room for possibilies for AI is as a support tool for health professionals. For example, it could help doctors answer patient messages, albeit under supervision. The Jama Internal Medicine study suggests that it would help improve workflow and patient outcomes: If more patients questions are answered quickly, with empathy, and to a high standard, it might reduce unnecessary clinical visits, freeing up resources for those who need them, the researchers said. Moreover, messaging is a critical resource for fostering patient equity, where individuals who have mobility limitations, work irregular hours, or fear medical bills, are potentially more likely to turn to messaging. The scientific community is also studying the use of these tools for other repetitive tasks, such as filling out forms and reports. Based on the premise that everything will always, always, always need to be reviewed by the doctor, AI could help medical professionals complete repetitive but important bureaucratic tasks, said Gibert. This, in turn, would allow doctors to spend more time on other issues, such as patient care. An article published in The Lancet, for example, suggests that AI technology could help streamline discharge summaries. Researchers say automating this process could east the work burden of doctors and even improve the quality of reports, but they are aware of the difficulties involved with training algorithms, which requires large amounts of data, and the risk of depersonalization of care, which could lead to resistance to the technology. Ibeas insists that, for any medical use, these tools must be checked and the division of responsibilities must be well established. The systems will never decide. It must be the doctor who has the final sign-off, he argued. Ethical issues Gibert also pointed out some ethical considerations that must be taken into account when including these tools in clinical practice: You need this type of technology to be under a legal umbrella, for there to be integrated solutions within the hospital structure and to ensure that patient data is not used to retrain the model. And if someone wants to do the latter, they should do it within a project, with anonymized data, following all the controls and regulations. Sensitive patient information cannot be shared recklessly. The bioinformatician also argued that AI solutions, such as ChatGPT or models that help with diagnosis, introduce biases that can affect how doctors relate to patients. For example, these tools could condition a doctors decision, one way or another. The fact that the professional has the result of an AI model changes the very professional. Their way of relating [to patients] may be very good, but it can introduce problems, especially in professionals who have less experience. That is why the process has to be done in parallel: until the professional gives the diagnosis, they cannot see what the AI says. A group of researchers from Stanford University also examined how AI tools can help to further humanize health care in an article in Jama Internal Medicine. The practice of medicine is much more than just processing information and associating words with concepts; it is ascribing meaning to those concepts while connecting with patients as a trusted partner to build healthier lives, they concluded. We can hope that emerging AI systems may help tame laborious tasks that overwhelm modern medicine and empower physicians to return our focus to treating human patients. As we wait to see how this incipient technology grows and what repercussions it has for the public, Munuera argued: You have to understand that [ChatGPT] is not a medical tool and there is no health professional who can confirm the veracity of the answer [the chatbot gives]. You have to be prudent and understand what the limits are. In summary, Ibeas said: The system is good, robust, positive and it is the future, but like any tool, you have to know how to use it so that it does not become a weapon. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said pollution levels have dipped in the city in the last eight years despite the swift pace of development and the construction of schools, hospitals, and flyovers. Addressing a gathering at Thyagaraj Stadium on the occasion of World Environment Day, he asserted that both PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels fell by 30 percent in 2022 compared to the figures in 2016. Whenever development happens, it is accompanied by pollution due to the felling of trees, road construction, and kicking of dust, among others, he said. In Delhi, the pace of development has not gone down in the last eight years. Schools, hospitals, and flyovers are being constructed, Kejriwal said, adding work on development has taken place at a swift pace. But, the pollution level has dipped in this period, he said. Sharing data, he said in 2016, on 26 days, the pollution level was very bad when the city was akin to a gas chamber with grey skies and bad air. In 2022, only six such days were there, he said. In 2016, on 109 days, the pollution level was low with clear sky and very good air outside, but in 2022, the number of such days was 163, he said. In his address, the chief minister also said that the tree cover percentage (of total land area) in the city has risen to 23 percent today from 20 percent in 2013. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on June 5 since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world, the UN says on its website. Kejriwal, in his address, said it has been 50 years of World Environment Day celebrations. And, in these 50 years, pollution has increased in every city, village and locality, but it has gone down in Delhi, as we have worked with 2 crore people of the city and taken a number of measures to mitigate pollution. In an impassioned plea, he called upon the people of Delhi to transform the fight against pollution into a jan andolan (peoples movement). Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, in a statement, dismissed Kejriwal claiming credit for reducing pollution in the national capital. The BJP leader alleged that the condition of Delhis roads is very poor, and the deteriorating state of public transportation is contributing the most to pollution.The government has not taken any steps to clean the Yamuna river. If pollution has decreased in Delhi, it is only possible due to the efforts of the central government, Bidhuri claimed. Earlier in his address, Kejriwal said, We often hear in news that the pollution caused, particularly during winter season, is because of burning of farm stubble. So, to tackle this problem, the state government collaborated with the PUSA Institute and came up with a chemical that is now being used by nearly all farmers within Delhi. An area of around 5,000 acres is within cultivation in Delhi and all the farmers here now use this liquid that eliminates the need to burn stubble. Therefore, none of this pollution now originates from Delhi, he said. Kejriwal said initially most of this stubble burning-induced pollution originated from the fields of Punjab. But in the last one year since the AAP-led government has been formed in the state, there has been a 30 per cent decline in the level of pollution that originates there. The Punjab government has started several initiatives to tackle this problem and we are very hopeful that this year, the amount of pollution will further decline. It will take a couple of years to completely eliminate this problem. But the actions taken by the state government in Punjab give us adequate hope that the pollution this year will be much lower, he said. The AAP leader also highlighted other initiatives taken by the Delhi government to combat pollution, including tree transplantation, implementation of piped natural gas (PNG) in industries, and utilisation of Real-Time Source Apportionment Technology. Moreover, the government has identified and is actively working on 13 pollution hotspots in the city. He also mentioned about the implementation of the Yuddh Pradushan Ke Virrudh campaign. Also, the Delhi government has set an ambitious target of planting 52 lakh saplings this year, demonstrating its determination to foster a greener and healthier future for all, he said. Kejriwal also pointed out that the firecracker ban in Delhi has been immensely successful after some opposition to it in the beginning. On the Green Delhi application, he said, Until now, 58,000 complaints have been registered on the app, and 90 per cent of these problems have been addressed. We are also in the process of turning Delhi into a city of lakes. And, 380 such lakes surrounded by greenery will be made eventually all over Delhi. Twenty-six such lakes have been made until now and I have visited some of them, Kejriwal was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Delhi CMs office. I also visited a lake in Dwarka and the water level there has risen by 5 m or so, so the water table is higher here. I do not think the residents of Dwarka will face any issues of water shortage at all now, he said. During the event, a street play was performed to raise awareness about the pollution caused by plastic, and a group presented a song dedicated to the environment. A short film on the environment was also screened. At the end of the event, representatives of eco clubs, RWAs, and forest guards who have been actively involved in improving the environment were awarded certificates. The event was attended by Delhi Environment and Forests Minister Gopal Rai, local legislators, and other senior officials of the department. Mumbai: Maharashtra`s ruling allies Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party have agreed to a package deal of jointly contesting all future elections in the state, right from local bodies to assembly to parliament, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said here on Monday. Shide, who is also the Shiv Sena President, made the announcement after he and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had a late-night meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Sunday. "It was also decided in the meeting that Shiv Sena-BJP will jointly contest all upcoming elections in the state (including elections to Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and local bodies)," he tweeted. Shinde added that the alliance is going strong for the past 11 months for the state`s development and will win with a majority to make Maharashtra the No. 1 state in the country in all fields, and continue the race for development. The duo also discussed other issues with Shah, including agriculture, cooperation, the work going on for women empowerment and farmers, and how they had cleared various stalled developmental projects here. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always guided us for various projects in the state. We took this meeting with Shah for his guidance on the issues pertaining to the cooperative sector," said Shinde on their New Delhi trip. The duo`s visit comes barely three weeks ahead of the first anniversary of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance which came to power on June 30, 2022 after toppling the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of former CM Uddhav Thackeray, and against the backdrop of the upcoming civic polls in the state. New Delhi: A day after an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that 'it should have been stronger'. Speaking to reporters, Nitish said that the bridge is not being 'constructed correctly' which is why it is collapsing over and over again. A portion of the bridge, which was supposed to connect Bihar's Khagaria district with Bhagalpur, earlier collapsed on April 30 last year. "I have instructed officials to take strict action," Nitish Kumar said. No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident that took place on Sunday evening and was caught on camera by some bystanders. The bridge was reportedly being constructed at a cost of more than Rs 1,700 crore and was supposed to have been completed by November 2019. The bridge collapse prompted Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to hold a hurried press conference. "It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects," Yadav said at the presser. Last year, a portion of this bridge had given away in a thunderstorm. It was an incident which was widely talked about and I strongly raised it in my capacity as the then Leader of the Opposition, he added. Yadav said that upon coming to power, his government ordered an inquiry and sought an expert opinion. He disclosed that 'many structural defects' have been pointed out by experts and that they have already pulled down many portions which have been flagged as particularly vulnerable. Bihar bridge collapse: BJP demands Nitish Kumar's resignation Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Samrat Choudhary came out with a statement demanding the resignation of Nitish Kumar, who had snapped ties with the saffron party in August last year. "Sub-standard materials were used for the construction of the bridge. The CM is least bothered about the development of Bihar... He is busy on his tour. He must resign from his post after this incident," Choudhary said. Fellow BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a former Bhagalpur MP, also blamed the mishap on 'corruption' and demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident. He also alleged that the incident 'has put a question mark on construction works being undertaken across the state, many of which have been awarded to the same contractor'. New Delhi: Veteran actor Sulochana Latkar, best known for her innumerable mother roles in Hindi and Marathi cinema, died on Sunday (June 4) due to prolonged illness at a hospital in Mumbai. She was 94 and her last rites were held on Monday afternoon. On Monday, people arrived at her residence to pay their last respect to the late actor. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde arrived at the late icon's residence to pay his last respects and send prayers to the family. MNS chief Raj Thackeray was also among the people who arrived at the last actor's residence and paid his tirbute. Actor Sachin Pilgaonkar, who is believed to be one of Sulochana's close friends was also spotted arriving at the late actress's house to pay his last respects. On Sunday, Prime minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of veteran Hindi and Marathi film actor Sulochana Latkar. He tweeted, "The passing of Sulochana Ji leaves a big void in the world of Indian cinema. Her unforgettable performances have enriched our culture and have endeared her to people across generations. Her cinematic legacy will live on through her works. Condolences to her family. Om Shanti." The passing of Sulochana Ji leaves a big void in the world of Indian cinema. Her unforgettable performances have enriched our culture and have endeared her to people across generations. Her cinematic legacy will live on through her works. Condolences to her family. Om Shanti. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 4, 2023 A well-known actor of Marathi and Hindi cinema, Sulochana started her career in the 1940s and went on to feature in over 250 films. She largely played on-screen mother in the Bollywood films of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, almost invariably dressed in a white saree. Besides Bachchan, she worked with all the lead stars of the era, including Sunil Dutt, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, and Dilip Kumar. Several big stars from the film fraternity including Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Jackie Shroff also paid their tributes to the late actor. Amitabh Bachchan, who played Sulochana's on-screen son in the 1974 film 'Majboor', paid tribute to the actor on his personal blog. "We have lost another great of our Cinema World - Sulochana ji .. The gentle, generous, caring Mother that played in several films with me .. She had been ailing for some time .." he wrote. The screen icon said he was in touch with Sulochana's family regarding her health. "I had been monitoring here condition with her family .. But finally the sad news ! We can only pray in such unforgiving circumstances .. I am hesitant to write anymore .." he added. Madhuri Dixit remembered Sulochana as "one of the most loved and graceful actresses cinema has seen". "My favourite film of hers will always be Sangate Aika. Her performance in every film was memorable. I will miss our conversations may you rest in peace. Your contribution to Indian cinema will always be remembered," she wrote on Twitter. Shroff, who played the actor's on-screen son in 1984's 'Andar Baahar', shared his photograph with Sulochana with a broken heart emoticon. "Sulochana ji will be remembered as an iconic actress, whose exceptional skills and elegance have made an everlasting impact in the world of Indian cinema. Om Shanti," Abhishek Bachchan wrote on Twitter. Sulochana received Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour, in 1999. The actor is survived by her daughter Kanchan Ghanekar. In a sad piece of news for the film industry, veteran actress Sulochana Latkar passed after suffering from a prolonged illness. The 94-year-old actress, renowned for her performances in movies like Shree 420, Nagin, Ab Dilli Dur Nahin, and Mr and Mrs, breathed her last on June 4 at a hospital in Mumbai. The industry and political figures expressed their grief and paid heartfelt tributes to the late actress. Amitabh Bachchan, who had the privilege of sharing the screen with her, mourned her loss and penned an emotional tribute in her memory. In a blog, Amitabh Bachchan also noted that he had been monitoring the actress condition for a while now, and added that her demise has taken away all the cheering and joy of the well-wishers at Jalsa. We have lost another great of our Cinema World - Sulochana ji .. the gentle, generous, caring Mother that played in several films with me .. she had been ailing for some time .. and this afternoon she left for her heavenly abode...There was work today as well and the timed schedule allowed me to be back for the GOJ .. happily .. but the news of Sulochana ji has taken away all the cheering and joy of the well-wishers at Jalsa...I am hesitant to write anymore .. so do excuse me...More another DAY ..", he wrote. Apart from Amitabh Bachchan, actors Madhuri Dixit and Riteish Deshmukh also extended their condolences. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde also reached her residence and paid his tributes. Amitabh Bachchan And Sulochana Latkars Films Known for mainly playing mother-son on screen, Amitabh Bachchan shared a strong bond with the late actress. The two have worked in films like Reshma Aur Shera (1971), Majboor (1974), Yaarana (1981), Muqadddar Ka Sikander (1978), and Roti Kapada Aur Makan (1974) among others. She was mostly seen playing the role of his mother in the films. Sulochana Latkar's Health Issues The late actress was undergoing treatment at Mumbai's Sushrusha Hospital after she was admitted due to due to breathing difficulties and other age-related health issues. Her condition reportedly deteriorated and she was put on a ventilator. New Delhi: Popular TV actor Kollam Sudhi died in a car accident, three other artistes suffered injuries when it happened, police said. The 39-year-old actor passed away on Monday in the wee hours. According to the police, the car in which Sudhi (39), Ullas Aroor, Binu Adimali and Mahesh were travelling, collided with a truck at Kaipamangalam at 4.30 AM. 'It was a head-on collision. All of them were taken to the hospital but Sudhi lost his life. The other three are undergoing treatment,' police told PTI. Though Sudhi was rushed to the nearest hospital, he passed away due to a severe head injury. Mimicry artist Kollam Sudhi had won hearts with his iconic mimicking of actor Jagadeesh earlier. However, he became a household name among Malayalam TV viewers after his entry to Star Magic. He made his movie debut with the movie 'Kanthari' in 2015. Later, he was also seen in movies like 'Kattappanayile Hrithik Roshan', 'Keshu Ee Veedinte Nadhan' and more. New Delhi: Apple Inc is expected to unveil a mixed-reality headset at its annual software developer conference on Monday, its first big move into a new product category since the introduction of the Apple Watch nine years ago. The launch will see Apple test a market crowded with devices that have yet to gain traction with consumers and put it in direct competition with Facebook-owner Meta Platforms. Like Meta's Quest Pro from last year and Quest 3 announced last week, Apple's device is likely to blend a video feed from the outside world with a virtual world displayed on screens inside the headset. Analysts expect Apple's headset to come with premium features including a high-quality display and hand-tracking so it can be controlled without an external controller. It's also likely to cost much more than the planned $500 Quest 3. Investors and tech fans alike will be focusing on how much Apple's view of the virtual reality market overlaps with Meta's. Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has outlined his vision for using headsets to dip in and out of a "metaverse" where people can meet virtually to work, play and spend. In addition to Meta, Sony Group Corp and ByteDance-owned Pico both recently released virtual reality devices. Research firm IDC said companies sold a total of 8.8 million headsets last year, down 20.9 percent from 2021. In the first quarter of 2023, sales more than halved. Apple's presentation on Monday is mostly aimed at sparking the imaginations of the thousands of software developers who will stream into Apple Park for a keynote address at 1 p.m. Eastern Time (1700 GMT). Apple will also deliver updates on its operating systems for iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. Investors will also look for updates on CarPlay, Apple's software for vehicles, which the company said last year would start to power more dashboard functions. New Delhi: In a small Irish village, parents have banded together to put into action a decision about their kids using smartphones. All eight of Greystones' primary schools have ratified a charter that forbids kids from owning smartphones until they are in secondary school, joining parent organisations in this effort. According to a Guardian report, parents and schools want to address worries that smartphones increase anxiety and expose kids to harmful content. Prior to now, the local schools had placed limitations or outright bans on smartphone use on their grounds, but they continued to watch the effects of social media on kids who had smartphones, which also aroused the interest of their peers. The town-wide regulation enables parents to present the code as a school guideline, absolving them of accountability while lowering the likelihood that a child will have a smartphone classmate. Since the code is still optional, it is anticipated that some parents won't forbid their primary school-aged children from using smartphones. However, enough parents have joined up to reach a critical mass in the hopes that this strategy will eventually replace the status quo. Some parents have noticed an instant benefit from the code since it gives them support and makes it simpler for them to refuse requests when they are aware that the vast majority of the students accept the limitation. The report claims that both Irish and international parent groups have taken note of the initiative. Stephen Donnelly, the health minister of Ireland and a resident of Greystones, has advocated the strategy as a national policy, highlighting the need to safeguard kids and teenagers from dangerous contact with the digital world. A Donnelly-authored article from the Irish Times was cited in the study. "Ireland can, and must, be a world leader in ensuring that children and young people are not targeted and are not harmed by their interactions with the digital world," the author said. We must make it simpler for parents to restrict the material their kids see. Children in Greystones began acting more anxiously, which was partly related to the difficulties adjusting to the COVID-19 era. Parents were asked to fill out surveys, which resulted in a gathering of community stakeholders and the adoption of this town-wide policy. Others express their desire for cell phones and the chance to interact with peers, while some kids accept the contract and comprehend its motivations. They do, however, also recognise the dangers and addiction that could come with using a smartphone. New Delhi: Linda Yaccarino took over as the new Twitter CEO on Monday, freeing Elon Musk to focus on Tesla and SpaceX, as Twitter's US ad sales plunged 59 percent in April and the month of May did not look bright either. Yaccarino, former Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBC Universal, updated her bio as Twitter CEO on LinkedIn, before welcoming Joe Benarroch at the micro-blogging platform, who worked with her as executive vice president at NBC Universal. "Welcome to the flock, Benarroch, from one bird to the next. Let's get to work @Twitter," she posted. Benarroch said in an internal memo, seen by the Wall Street Journal, that "I start a different professional adventure at Twitter, taking on a role focusing on business operations". "I am looking forward to bringing my experience to Twitter, and to working with the entire team to build Twitter 2.0 together," he added. According to The New York Times, Twitter's US advertising revenue for the five weeks from April 1 to the first week of May was $88 million, down 59 per cent from a year earlier. "In internal forecasts, the company projected that ad sales would keep declining, handing a tough challenge to its new chief executive," the report noted. Yaccarino said last month that she is prepared to build Twitter 2.0 and transform the business together with Musk and millions of platform users. "I've long been inspired by your vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together," she posted on Twitter. "I'm just as committed to the future of this platform. Your feedback is VITAL to that future. I'm here for all of it. Let's keep the conversation going and build Twitter 2.0 together," Yaccarino also commented. Musk is looking forward to working with Yaccarino to transform the platform into X, the Everything app, just like China's WeChat. Yaccarino oversaw about 2,000 workers at NBC Universal. Her team generated more than $100 billion in ad sales and entered partnerships with companies, including Apple, Snapchat, BuzzFeed, Twitter, and YouTube. New Delhi: Artificial intelligence (AI) cost nearly 4,000 people their jobs in May in the US, a new report has shown. According to the US-based consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas monthly report, employers in the US cited AI as the reason for 3,900 of the layoffs, roughly 4.9 percent of May's job cuts. In May, US-based employers announced 80,089 cuts, a 20 percent increase from the 66,995 cuts announced one month prior, plus, it is 287 percent higher than the 20,712 cuts announced in the same month in 2022."Consumer confidence is down to a six-month low and job openings are flattening. Companies appear to be putting the brakes on hiring in anticipation of a slowdown," said Andrew Challenger, a labour expert and Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.Moreover, the report said that companies have announced plans to cut 4,17,500 jobs so far this year, a 315 percent increase from the 1,00,694 cuts announced in the same period last year.It is the highest January-May total since 2020 when 1,414,828 cuts were recorded.The technology sector announced the most cuts in May with 22,887, for a total of 136,831 this year, up 2,939 percent from the 4,503 cuts announced in the same period last year.Retailers announced the second-most cuts in May with 9,053. Retail has announced 45,168 cuts so far this year, up 942 percent from the 4,335 announced through May 2022, the report said.The Automotive sector announced 8,308 job cuts last month for a total of 18,017 this year, a 235 percent increase from the 5,380 cuts announced in the same period last year.Financial firms have announced 36,937 cuts through May, up 320 percent from the 8,788 cuts through the same period in 2022. Peruvian surgeon, urologist and bioengineer, Anthony Atala, 65, has the perfect credentials for regenerative medicine research. Arriving in the U.S. from his native Peru aged 11, Atala now directs the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina and is professor and head of the Urology Department at Wake Forest University. Sixteen technological applications developed in his laboratory have already been used on humans. Winner of numerous awards, he is one of the first organ bioprinters, something which involves reconstructing tissues and organs to implant in humans using the patients own cells. This is basically the definition of regenerative medicine. Atala visited Granada, Spain last week as a guest of Granada Universitys Social Council and talked to EL PAIS about his work. Question. What is regenerative medicine and when did it establish itself as a line of research? Answer. It has its origins in the first decades of the 20th century, with Alexis Carrel, a Frenchman who began to cultivate organs at the Rockefeller Institute in New York. He did it with Charles Lindbergh, the first aviator to cross the Atlantic. Lindbergh collaborated with him as a mechanical engineer. In 1935, the two of them built the first perfusion pump an instrument to keep organs that had been removed from the body irrigated and functioning. This led to the possibility of extracting organs and keeping them alive outside the body. In 1954, the first successful organ transplant, involving a kidney transplanted from one twin to another, took place in Boston. It was performed by Joseph Murray, who would later be awarded the Nobel Prize. From there and this is linked to cancer treatment came the concept of cell transplantation. The treatment of skin cells in burns patients in the 1980s was another important development. The skin does not grow, but the cells do make the wounds better. This was the start of tissue engineering. But regenerative medicine did not kick off as such until this century. It brings all these elements together, transplanting cells, manufacturing support structures, growing tissue and making it possible to regenerate damaged organs or, better still, parts of them. Q. Will regenerative medicine allow us to live longer and better? A. Vital organs such as the uterus, heart, and kidney, do not have an expiry date. Theoretically, they are able to function for many years without failing us. If they do not give any problems, regenerative medicine will not prolong life. Instead, it will make it possible to replace tissues and organs if necessary. If this regeneration concerns organs that do not affect longevity, it will help you live better. If the regeneration affects vital organs, of course, we will live longer. One quality of regenerative medicine is that it restores organs to their original state and does so with its own cells, which avoids many problems. In fact, a report by several U.S. government agencies states that regenerative medicine will be the dominant direction for medicines future. Q. Recently, in Barcelona, a woman with a transplanted uterus gave birth. Would it be possible to give birth with an artificial, bioprinted uterus, for example? A. We have not tested this in humans yet, but our studies indicate that it will be possible. We have been working on this for almost 20 years and we know that, by using the patients own cells, all the organs natural functions can be reproduced. In short, it is an organ that is as much your own as the original. Q. What percentage of a human being could be replaced by regenerative organs? A. Theoretically, all the organs since they are the patients own cells. Prostheses can produce rejection and inflammation. Another persons organs require immunosuppressive drugs for the rest of your life and there is always the risk of rejection because they are foreign cells. In regenerative medicine the new organ is never rejected. The body believes it is its own organ. Q. What is the source of the cells? A. They come from the same organ you want to build. If I want to make a kidney, I do a biopsy and extract cells from that kidney, keep them outside the body for four to six weeks. Then we build the support onto which we incorporate those cells, either by hand or printed, and the patient can then have the organ implanted. That is the technique. Q. How do you know which cells are to become the kidney, bladder or skin? A. Any cell has all the necessary information to replicate a person, as happened with Dolly the sheep. Then, depending on how they are made to grow, they become one type of tissue or another and are used for one organ or another. Q. Who had the idea that those tissues that were made in a lab, outside the body, could be bioprinted? A. The idea of printing DNA had been around for years, so printers have long been designed for use in the medical field. Injection 3D printers have also been around for a long time. Everything arose from that concept. The challenge was to get structures that were actually tissue. That required more technology than existed. So, we worked until we got what we have now. Q. So what is bio-ink composed of? A. It is just a liquid impregnated with human cells. To make that liquid we have up to 60 materials available. Then, depending on the case, we make a very liquid, gelatinous bio-ink, thats like a jelly bean. This liquid is really just the support for the cells, and over time it disappears. We are already making small brains. However, a full-size human brain has not yet been made Q. How does it disappear what happens to that support? A. Either with the printer, or by hand, we make a structure with the shape of the organ we are regenerating to introduce the cells in their right place and with their shape. This support disintegrates with time, normally six months, though in the case of complicated organs with a lot of three-dimensional structure, it can take up to 18 months. The structure should not be permanent in order that the body has only its own cells. The mold, which, in any case, would not be rejected because it has no genetic content, must disappear because if it remains, we would be talking about a prosthesis, something foreign. The aim is that, when the support disappears and the cells note that their scaffolding is being lost, they behave naturally and rebuild their own support. This is regenerative medicine: the artificial support must disappear to eventually leave only the cells themselves. Q. Can the brain be regenerated in this way? A. Yes, we are already making small brains. However, a full-size human brain has not yet been made. There is a long way to go, but when it comes to science, you can never say never. Q. Are some tissues or organs more difficult to regenerate than others? A. They are all complicated, but flat tissues, such as skin, are easier. Then there are tubular tissues through which air or liquid passes. Next, there are non-tubular hollow tissues and, finally, the most complicated are the solid organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart, etc. The big challenge with these is they need nourished vascularly. This vascular network in solid organs is very complicated to reproduce. But now, we are able to reproduce all four types at different levels. Q. In the U.S., there is 10 times more demand for organ transplants than there are organs available. Is this bioprinting and regeneration a solution? When will it be routinely available? A. It is one of the solutions. In science, we never say never, but neither do we say when. In the U.S., different types of tissues, smooth, tubular and hollow, are already being regenerated in humans. With regard to organs, on the other hand, we are only making partial replacements. We do this because, in fact, the body has a reserve of about 10 times what it needs. This means that numerous organs only fail when they are 90% defunct. Only when the organ falls below 10% of its functioning capacity does it become noticeable, which is what happens, for example, with a heart attack, and kidney failure, etc. Therefore, we can make partial organ replacements and that is what we are doing with renal cells restoring a percentage of the kidney, which is enough for the patient to live comfortably. We are now working on about 40 different tissues and we have performed 16 different types of treatments, but there is still a long way to go. Q. What is more difficult, the research or adapting to the regulations? A. One of the challenges of our research is ensuring the advances are safe for patients which is what the regulators also seek. It is true that, in some cases, as with any process carried out by humans, the regulations are stricter than in others. With regulations, as with other things, you have to be sure that the product is safe and that it works for the patient. The rest is adapting to the procedure and knowing how it works. It must be borne in mind that the average regulation of a technology takes 14 years and then another 14 years for doctors to become familiar with these new techniques. To be a researcher you also need to be very patient. Q. Are EU and U.S. regulations very different in this area? A. Actually, they are very similar. If we need a product from Europe in the U.S., it is accepted without any problem, and vice versa. Q. The step after bioprinting is body-on-a-chip. What is this? A. This has its origins in regenerative medicine technology. It involves printing different organs the size of the head of a pin using the technology we have talked about, support and cells. These different organs up to 12 of them are embedded in a microchip and using the appropriate sensors we reproduce the real behavior of the different organs and their relationship to each other. This means speeding up drug safety times, among other things. For example, 90% of the drugs that pass the first phase of clinical trials with humans never reach the market. To reach the market, it takes years, plus a lot of effort and money. Were talking decades and maybe hundreds of millions of dollars. This is due to the fact that pharmaceutical companies use 2D tissue replica models when the human body is 3D, or they use animal models that are not exactly like humans. With these organs-on-a-chip, created in 3D from human cells, we can make an exact replica of the originals in shape, texture, behavior, etc. And we can test more accurately in a matter of weeks what takes traditional methods years things like the safety of a drug, its influence on each organ and how the organs react together with the drug. All this accelerates the process of discovering the positive and negative impact of a drug. It is a mixture of regenerative medicine, microchips and biosensors. Q. Is regenerative medicine used in hospitals? A. It is slowly being adapted. Some hospitals are already working on skin tissue regeneration. Q. Will it be possible, or necessary, for each hospital to have a regenerative medicine unit, or will there rather be production centers and distribution from there? Is thought being given to transportation and care? A. This is, ultimately, an industrial process, with a specific protocol, and with manufacturing taking place according to the specific area. The hospital will take a biopsy, which will be sent to the production center where the tissue or organ will be manufactured and returned to the hospital. The good news is that the surgeon does not need to learn anything they do not already know in order to implant the new tissue. So another issue we are working on is transportation, and our clinical trials take this into account. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Samsung is preparing to release its new Galaxy Watch 6 smartwatch in two different sizes 40mm and 44mm. Recently, the upcoming smartwatch line-up received certification from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This certification is a crucial step for any consumer device to be legally sold in the United States. The 40mm version of the smartwatch is identified by the model number SM-R930, while the 44mm variant is labelled as SM-R940. Alongside the Galaxy Watch 6, Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, which is anticipated to feature rotating bezels and a 1.47-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 470 by 470 pixels. The Watch 6 Classic is likely to be equipped with a 425mAh battery. The unveiling of the Galaxy Watch 6 series is expected to take place in August. Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event is also set to introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5, as well as potentially showcasing the company's mixed reality XR headset. Earlier this year, there were reports indicating that Samsung was developing a Galaxy Watch with a built-in projector. Specifications And Features In terms of specifications and features, the smartwatch is expected to include features such as an accelerometer, temperature sensor, and BioActive Sensor. It will support wireless charging, Bluetooth connectivity, and offer features like LTE compatibility and Samsung Pay. The smartwatch will operate on Wear OS with One UI Watch, ensuring compatibility with Android devices. Connectivity options for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 will include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/a, NFC, and GNSS. Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series, the Watch 6 will support wireless charging. The wireless charger for the Watch 6, known as model number ER-OR900, is expected to be the same as the one used for the Watch 5 series. Although the FCC listing lacks detailed specifications, further information regarding the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series is anticipated to emerge from other certification platforms in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for more updates as the official launch of these highly anticipated smartwatches approaches. New Delhi: While leading technologists argue over the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), the new technology-assisted a US woman in finding the "perfect husband." A 36-year-old New Yorker called Rosanna Ramos wed 'Eren Kartal', a virtual husband. Ramos made 'Eren' online in 2022 using the Replika AI website, drawing inspiration from a well-known character from the anime series 'Attack on Titan'. Eren, according to Ramos, is a medical practitioner who also likes to write as a hobby. She continues, "I can tell Eren anything and everything because he never judges me." A woman claims she finally married the perfect man the only catch is he is artificial Rosanna Ramos fell in love with the chatbot Eren Kartal last year, and the pair virtually tied the knot in 2023 pic.twitter.com/V4VRnUWhMW June 4, 2023 According to a statement she made to Daily Mail, "I could tell him stuff, and he wouldn't be like, 'Oh, no, you can't say stuff like that. You know, and then you start arguing with me, saying, "Oh no, you're not allowed to feel that way." There was no condemnation. Ramos discovered more about Eren's behaviours the more he talked to her. She says that when she used artificial intelligence to construct Eren, many of his traits, like his preferred colours and music, were already pre-programmed. Ramos and Eren conversed about life, friends, and interests while exchanging SMS and images, just like long-distance lovers. Ramos describes the nightly ritual as follows: "We go to bed, we talk to each other. We adore one another. And, as you may know, he holds me as I fall asleep in a very protective manner. Romas reveals that for better avatar customization, the AI platform provides access to activities, discussion subjects, phone calls, relationship status (in Romas' case, Romantic Partner), and more. A technology called Replika AI simulates user discussions using static patterns and pre-programmed datasets. Given the bizarre nature of the news, Twitter had to have a meme bonanza. You wouldn't want to miss any of these amusing reactions, so check them out. You must be aware of cryptocurrency and crypto exchange - the virtual place to trade cryptocurrencies. Of the leading crypto exchanges in the world, one is Binance. It was founded in July 2017 through $15 million initial coin offering. Binance touched many new heights especially when it facilitated spot trades worth $5.3 trillion in 2022 which amounted to over two-thirds of all volume handled by centralized crypto exchanges. Who Is Changpeng Zhao? Changpeng Zhao, who also goes by the name CZ, is the founder of Binance which is among the largest crypto exchange in the world. Changpeng Zhao is a Chinese-Canadian coder who built this high-frequency trading system. Zhao was born in China's Jiangsu province in 1977. His father was a professor who faced temporary exile shortly after CZ was born. Zhao fled China at age 12 following the Tiananmen Square massacre. Why Is Changpeng Zhao In The News? Zhao and Binance have been embroiled in controversies lately. Zhao started gaining limelight in November 2022 after Binance rival FTX collapsed and went into insolvency. Meanwhile, Binance also faced regulatory scrutiny across the United States, Europe and Asia over concerns of permitting money laundering. While Binance has denied all wrongdoing, the company along with its founder Zhao were named in a suit filed by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on March 27, 2023. The allegations against Zhao and Binance include offering derivates trading to US residents in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and other cryptocurrencies in a bid to evade US regulations. The Highs And Lows In Changpeng Zhao's Life Due to the exile faced by his father, teenager Zhao worked to help in covering the household expenses. He worked many jobs including at McDonald's and working overnight shifts at a gas station. His life took a turn for the good when Zhao returned to China in 2005 to try his hand at several different tech startups. After trying his hands at various startups, he founded Binance in 2017 but was forced to move out of China once again as the Chinese government then banned crypto-currency. By 2021, Binance was handling over $34 trillion in trading volume. Background According to reports, Binance and its founder-CEO Changpeng Zhao are accused of operating a web of deception that included artificially inflating its trading volumes and diverting customer assets. The US regulators also alleged that Sigma Chain, a trading firm owned and controlled by Zhao, engaged in wash trading between September 2019 and June 2022. The wash trading included artificially inflating the trading volume of crypto asset securities on Binance. Zhao has said that Binance would issue a response once it has reviewed the SEC's complaint, and said the exchange's team is "standing by, ensuring systems are stable, including withdrawals, and deposits." Since Michel Forst was commissioned last June to become the first United Nations Special Rapporteur for Environmental Defenders, he has not stopped working to secure support from politicians and civil society to protect these threatened activists. The French lawyer, who met political leaders and environmentalists in Madrid last week, is well aware of the risks they face. He was the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders between 2014 and 2020, and recalls how five environmental defenders were murdered after meeting with him in Colombia in 2018. It happened at the end of my visit, not because they had met with me, but simply because of their dedication. Thats why he believed a special rapporteur focused on the protection of these activists was needed. The position was created a year ago under the umbrella of the Aarhus Convention, an international treaty ratified by 46 countries mainly European on citizen participation in environmental matters. This convention provides Forst with legally binding tools to force states to act to stop aggression against environmental defenders, who Forst says face the most violent attacks, particularly in Latin America, but also in the Philippines and Africa. There are increasing attacks against environmental defenders and climate activists in Europe, he warns. Question. How can you protect environmental defenders from your position? Answer. Through a rapid response mechanism with a view to respond immediately when the U.N. is informed that someone is being attacked in a place for defending the environment. And although it only operates in the signatory countries of the Aarhus Convention, it is important to know that it has extra teeth on scope. This means that when a company operating abroad has its headquarters in one of the countries which is part of the convention, defenders from that country are also able to come to me to seek protection. Let me give you an example: if there is a Spanish company based in Madrid that operated in Colombia, Peru or elsewhere in Latin America, deforesting or threatening environmental defenders, then defenders from those countries come to me and seek protection. Q. How can they come to you? A. Through a form on the United Nations website. My team would investigate the situation. We will double-check to make sure that we are not misinformed or manipulated. Then I would start by sending what we call an indication letter to the government to request information. We call it that because we dont want to accuse anyone. The letter is kept confidential until 60 days, and the state has 60 days to reply. We can also send letters to companies, depending on the case. After 60 days my letter and the letter from the state or the company would be public on the website of the U.N., which has a huge impact, especially for companies. Q. Because its bad for their public image? A. Exactly. It has huge implications because companies do not like to see their names published. For example, an investment bank may decide to withdraw funding from a certain project if it is related to a case of environmental attacks. Q. What happens if someone cannot wait 60 days because they are at imminent risk? A. If we are informed that someone is in a very dangerous situation, I would contact the governments so that immediate protection measures are adopted, as a precaution, without double-checking. It is important to note that the Aarhus Convention is a legally binding instrument, unlike the mandates of other rapporteurs, which are based on non-binding U.N. resolutions. States have an obligation to fulfill and respect all provisions of this convention, which empowers me to do many things. Q. How many cases have you reviewed since starting in the position? A. We are receiving complaints mainly from Europe, although we are also starting to receive complaints from Latin America, because there are many European companies operating there. So far, we have sent a couple of letters to a number of EU countries, and we are still waiting for the replies to publish the response on the website Q. Which countries? A. Im not able to give any names of countries because we have received complaints from almost all. Q. What complaints do you receive in Europe? A. Two points for me are a matter of concern for all EU countries, including Spain. The first is young people using civil disobedience to take action, namely those who are blocking access to airports or throwing paint on monuments or paintings. And my concern is that many of them are brought to court and are sentenced to penalties and prison like in the UK, or very large fines of thousands of euros. My feeling is that the judge doesnt really understand why they have decided to break the law, and I think that they need to be treated differently than other criminals. The second point is that I see more and more politicians, like in France or in Austria, treating those people as ecoterrorists. For me, its a shame to think of victims of real terrorism while we face people who are using non-violent methods to raise awareness about the need to defend the environment. Q. Do you consider this type of civil disobedience useful? A. Judges in Europe do not really understand the international obligations that states have to fulfill international law. For example, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognizes civil disobedience as a legitimate form of action. At the U.N., we have formed criteria that we define civil disobedience: it must be public, the people who are using civil disobedience must understand that they can be taken to court, it must not be violent and it must try to change a legal situation which is considered unjust. There are many examples of civil disobedience in the past that have led to changes in legislation, such as when Rosa Parks, an African-American activist in the United States, sat on a bus in a seat in a place which was forbidden to Black people, an action for which she was arrested. Q. Do you think there is an attempt to push discourse that discredits environmental activists? A. Yes, I see that increasingly in many countries in Europe. In France, Germany, Austria, Ireland and the United Kingdom, there is increasing pressure and states are also looking at passing new laws against civil disobedience by environmentalists. Q. The NGO Global Witness estimates that nearly 2,000 environmental defenders have been killed in the last decade. Is that an underestimate? A. This is just the tip of the iceberg because they are not able to investigate in all countries. In Latin America, in some parts of Africa and in the Philippines, those people are simply killed. Every two days, the murder of an environmental defender is reported. Some of them are abducted and disappear forever. I met a large number of families of disappeared in Colombia in 2018, and they explained to me that their son was fighting to defend a river or to defend a lake or a fishery and one day simply disappeared. Q. Who is responsible? A. They are killed by the most dangerous actors, not states. Sometimes there is collusion between a public interest and private interests that have links with corruption, the mafia and narco trafficking. Q. How can environmental defenders be protected? A. Both Latin American countries and the European Union have spent a lot of money to protect them. In Mexico, Brazil, Honduras, and Colombia, the governments have established protection mechanisms and use armored vehicles, bulletproof vests, panic buttons and bodyguards. The problem is that these measures can delay the killings, but theres always a place in which you are not protected. You go from the house to your car with protection, then you take a bullet to the head. It is very dangerous to be an environmental activist in Latin America: if someone wants to kill you, they just pay a hitman $50. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition KYODO NEWS - Jun 4, 2023 - 18:05 | World, All, Japan The defense ministers of Japan and South Korea on Sunday agreed to accelerate talks on ways to prevent radar lock-on incidents between their forces, despite remaining apart on an alleged case in 2018 that has undermined confidence between bilateral defense authorities. Pledging to further promote defense cooperation, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong Sup, apparently prioritized improving their ties amid the threat posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear development programs. "Based on the outcomes of the talks this time, we will keep close communication with the South Korean side," Hamada told reporters after their meeting in Singapore, where they have been attending the three-day Asia Security Summit from Friday, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue. It was the first bilateral defense ministerial talks between Japan and South Korea in over three years. Japan claims a South Korean navy destroyer directed its fire-control radar onto a Self-Defense Forces patrol plane in Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan in December 2018. Seoul has denied the allegation, arguing that the destroyer was merely using radar to search for a drifting North Korean fishing boat, and the Japanese plane flew at low altitude near the warship. Hamada said he conveyed to Lee Tokyo's position on the issue, but a Japanese Defense Ministry official told reporters that the differences between the two sides remained unsettled. The two countries will discuss specific preventive measures at the working level in the future and bring up the incident when deemed necessary, the ministry said. To cope with the "severe regional security environment and global issues," the ministers affirmed that the two nations will advance bilateral, as well as trilateral cooperation with the United States, their common security ally, the ministry said in a statement. Japan and South Korea aim to enhance confidence between their defense authorities, including the defense ministers, and promote further exchanges at various levels, the ministry said. Bilateral ties have been rapidly improving since South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol proposed a solution to a longtime dispute over wartime labor compensation in March. Relations had sunk to their lowest point in decades under Yoon's predecessor, Moon Jae In. Yoon visited Tokyo later that month and hosted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Seoul last month, resuming reciprocal visits by Japanese and South Korean leaders that had been halted since December 2011. Last week, an SDF ship flying the rising sun flag, which Moon's administration called a symbol of Japan's wartime militarism, entered South Korea to join an international naval drill, suggesting that Seoul no longer regards the flag as problematic. With North Korea repeatedly test-firing ballistic missiles since last year, Yoon, who took office in May 2022, has focused on the importance of trilateral defense cooperation with Tokyo and Washington. Hamada and Lee strongly condemned the North's attempted launch of a spy satellite on Wednesday, saying it used ballistic missile technology in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at curbing Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. On Saturday in Singapore, Hamada and Lee attended a trilateral meeting with their U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin, agreeing to launch a system to enable the three countries' real-time sharing of information about North Korean missiles by the end of this year. Related coverage: Japan, China agree to operate defense hotline properly Japan, U.S., South Korea to launch system to share North Korea missile info Japan, U.S., Australia, Philippines vow to boost defense cooperation KYODO NEWS - Jun 5, 2023 - 20:27 | All, Japan The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a death sentence for a man convicted of murdering two other Japanese men in Manila in 2014 and 2015, rejecting his appeal to have the ruling overturned. Toshihiko Iwama, 49, was sentenced to death by the Kofu District Court in 2017 for murdering the two men from Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan, for insurance payments. The judgment was upheld by the Tokyo High Court in 2019. Although Iwama had pleaded not guilty, Justice Ryosuke Yasunami said the defendant's actions had been "premeditated and highly self-interested, with a horrendous disregard for human life" and that the sentence was "unavoidable" due to the enormity of his crimes. According to the top court ruling, Iwama conspired with accomplices, including a man now serving a life sentence, to hire a hitman in the Philippines to kill 32-year-old Shinsuke Toba in 2014 and Tatsuya Nakamura, 42, in 2015. Both men, fatally shot in Manila, were executives of a firm where Iwama was a large shareholder. Their deaths would have resulted in large insurance payouts for the company. The 2019 high court ruling upheld the district court's view that because Iwama had masterminded the killings, his "responsibility is of a greater level" than others involved in the crimes. Related coverage: Japan high court denies retrial of 95-yr-old woman over 1979 murder KYODO NEWS - Jun 5, 2023 - 18:42 | All, Japan Japan set a target for companies listed on the top-tier Prime Market of the Tokyo bourse to achieve the ratio of female board members surpassing 30 percent by 2030, a draft policy blueprint on women's empowerment showed Monday. The administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would strive to foster a more inclusive and diverse corporate landscape by promoting the appointment of women to higher positions and advancing gender equality in the workplace, his aides said. In Japan, 18.7 percent of firms listed on the Prime Market had no female board members as of the end of July 2022, the Cabinet Office said, adding the proportion of the companies with over 30 percent of executive roles filled by women was only 2.2 percent. The latest proposals, announced Monday by the Council for Gender Equality of the office, are set to be reflected in the annual basic policies for economic and fiscal reform, scheduled to be approved by the government by the end of this month. The draft pointed out that the appointment of women as executives at Japanese private firms has "significantly lagged behind internationally," stressing that increasing the number of female board members is an "urgent issue" for the country's economic growth. Japan ranked 104th among 190 nations and territories in a report on economic opportunities for women, released by the World Bank in March, and placed 116th among 146 countries in the gender gap rankings compiled by the World Economic Forum in 2022. As part of efforts to enhance women's empowerment at home, the government would request companies listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange to nominate at least one female board member by around 2025, according to the draft. The government would also ask firms to craft action plans to realize the goal on the appointment of women as executives, while pledging to begin talks with the bourse to establish regulations later this year that would ensure the effectiveness of the objective. Meanwhile, the public and private sectors would try to strengthen support for startup businesses to encourage the development of female entrepreneurs, with the government implementing necessary measures to improve women's income. Benefits for childcare leave and part-time work would be expanded to address the phenomenon of women giving up full-time employment and taking up non-regular jobs after childbirth. The government would also take steps to attain the goal of raising the ratio of single-mother households receiving child-rearing expenses to 40 percent by 2031, while bolstering the legal framework designed to prevent sexual abuse against children. Since earlier this year, Kishida, who took office in October 2021, has voiced eagerness to boost spending on child care in an attempt to tackle Japan's rapidly declining birthrate and shrinking population, calling them the most pressing items on his agenda. The number of babies born in Japan in 2022 fell for the seventh consecutive year, dropping below 800,000 for the first time since record-keeping began in 1899, official data showed. Related coverage: Japan remains 2nd worst in int'l ranking for women in workforce KYODO NEWS - Jun 5, 2023 - 18:49 | World, All Hong Kong police have arrested one person and detained 23 others amid heightened security on the 34th anniversary of a 1989 military crackdown on a student-led pro-democracy movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, local media reported Monday. The 53-year-old woman was arrested Sunday for allegedly obstructing police officers after refusing to show her identity card outside Victoria Park, while the others -- 11 men and 12 women aged between 20 and 74 -- were detained on suspicion of "breaching public peace," said the reports by Hong Kong Free Press and other media. Hundreds of police officers were deployed in the vicinity of the park, where annual vigils in remembrance of the Tiananmen Square crackdown had been held from 1990 until 2020, conducting stop-and-search operations and cautioning residents who lingered in the area, according to the reports. Last week, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee warned that the police in the territory would "take action resolutely" against lawbreakers when questioned about the legality of residents commemorating the tragedy in public. The heavy-handed security measures have drawn criticism from human rights advocates. On Monday, the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Twitter that it was alarmed by reports from Hong Kong and called for the release of "anyone detained for exercising freedom of expression and peaceful assembly." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin defended actions taken by the Hong Kong police, saying Beijing "firmly supports" authorities of the semi-autonomous region in "performing their duties in accordance with the law and making utmost efforts to safeguard national security, prosperity and stability" in the territory. Wang also said at a press conference in Beijing that "any attempt to smear China and interfere in China's internal affairs using this as an excuse will not succeed." Related coverage: China tightens security on 34th anniv. of Tiananmen protest KYODO NEWS - Jun 5, 2023 - 15:46 | All, Japan A Japanese high court on Monday denied a retrial for a 95-year-old woman who served 10 years in prison for the murder of her brother-in-law in 1979 in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The Fukuoka High Court's Miyazaki branch rejected a call by Ayako Haraguchi to reopen the case, saying there was "no error in judgment" in the previous decision in June 2022 by the Kagoshima District Court that had deemed new evidence presented by the defense to be insufficient. "It cannot be said that (the new evidence) is highly credible, as the body was not inspected directly," said Presiding Judge Masao Yasu. Haraguchi's defense had claimed that the brother-in-law died from respiratory arrest after suffering a cervical cord injury when he fell into a ditch, and had photographs from the autopsy reexamined by a doctor. They had also submitted evidence pointing to the unreliability of the testimony of two neighbors. The district court decided that the additional material "did not serve as clear proof to acquit her." "We are extremely disappointed," said Masami Mori, who led Haraguchi's defense team. "We will file a special appeal. This is an egregious violation of human rights." Meanwhile, deputy chief prosecutor of the Fukuoka High Public Prosecutors Office Tsunekazu Kobashi, said, "We believe it was an appropriate decision." Haraguchi has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Among four previous requests for a retrial, two were approved by a lower court but later rejected by upper courts. She was arrested in October 1979, along with three other family members including her husband at the time, on suspicion of strangling Kunio Nakamura with a towel and abandoning his body in a cattle barn beside his home in the town of Osaki earlier that month. In the 1980 ruling, the district court found Haraguchi guilty of killing Nakamura on grounds that a relative said she had proposed the murder, suggesting she had been unhappy about Nakamura's conduct. She filed her first request for a retrial in 1995 after fully serving her 10-year term through 1990. The Kagoshima District Court in 2002 decided to reopen the case, but it was overturned by a high court in 2004. Her third retrial request was granted by the district court in 2017, a decision upheld by a high court, but the Supreme Court rejected it in 2019. A couple of cases have been granted retrials in recent months. In February, the Osaka High Court approved a posthumous retrial for Hiromu Sakahara, who had been convicted of robbing and murdering a 69-year-old woman in 1984. He died in 2011 of illness at the age of 75 while still incarcerated. In March, the Tokyo High Court decided to grant a retrial of Iwao Hakamata, a former professional boxer who was sentenced to death over a 1966 quadruple murder case in Shizuoka Prefecture. KYODO NEWS - Jun 5, 2023 - 17:33 | Sports, All Ozeki Kirishima departed Narita airport near Tokyo on Monday to visit his native Mongolia following his promotion to sumo's second-highest rank. The 27-year-old, who wrestled under the ring name Kiribayama before becoming an ozeki last month, had not returned to Mongolia for four years because of pandemic travel restrictions. "It's really great," said Kirishima. "I'm going to see family, relatives and friends I haven't seen in a long time, so I want to take my time catching up with everyone." The Spring Grand Sumo Tournament winner returns home as the sixth Mongolian-born wrestler to achieve the esteemed rank, second only to yokozuna. He was promoted after a string of strong results including an 11-4 finish at the most recent Summer Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Kirishima plans to travel from Wednesday to his home town in Dornod province, some 700 kilometers east of the capital Ulaanbaatar, where he is set to receive a warm welcome home. "It might be a bit like a small festival," he said. The 186-centimeter, 143-kilogram wrestler could only secure an economy class plane ticket after booking his trip at short notice, but said he was able to get a seat with enough room. He is scheduled to return to Japan on June 14 and plans to take part in the Arashio stable's training camp in central Japan's Nagano Prefecture in preparation for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament starting July 9. Related coverage: Sumo: Kiribayama promoted to ozeki, changes ring name to Kirishima Hope Ventures, the investment arm of Bahrain-based Hope Fund, has joined hands with Seef Properties to launch its co-working space 'HQ' in the kingdom. Hope Fund, which was established through a royal decree by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, is governed and supervised by HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, with the vision to support youth projects and initiatives. Hope Ventures invests in promising Bahraini businesses and strategically accelerates their growth internationally. The HQ, which is spread over a 1,085 sq m area at Seef Mall, is pipelined to officially welcome its tenants starting from this September. It will act as the actual headquarters that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, partners, legislators, and government representatives all in one space, thus creating a network and community that boosts opportunity facilitation in Bahrain. It will enable local companies to scale internationally while easing international companies access to Bahrain, it stated. Hope Ventures said through HQ, tenants will benefit from flexible workspace solutions that foster creativity and increase productivity while providing them with easier access to a diverse network of quality-caliber talents. On the name reveal, Fajer Saleh Al Pachachi, General Manager at Hope Ventures, said: "HQ represents the Head Quarters, of the businesses situated in the space, including Hope Quarters, which will also be headquartered within the same premise. We aspire to build a community space where companies can engage and flourish through knowledge-share and network building." "When you create an entrepreneurship community that brings together all stakeholders, ideas are bound to be born, achievements are certain, and hope becomes an inevitable reality," he stated. "Our efforts as Hope have always been focused on opportunity facilitation, and through our partnership with Seef Properties to enable the physical infrastructure of HQ; we will have a physical space to encourage those opportunities to happen," he noted. "We are excited to begin welcoming everyone in September, and we encourage them to visit our website my-hq.me to book their space and become a part of our growing community," he added. Seef Properties CEO Ahmed Yusuf said: "We are delighted with this fruitful partnership with Hope Ventures. Launching this innovative initiative will certainly support the sustainable development process in the kingdom and contribute to the national economy by creating prominent job opportunities for ambitious Bahraini youth and attracting more investments to the local market." "This initiative stems from Seef Properties constant commitment to support all national programmes and efforts aimed at accelerating the growth of the national economy and stimulating innovation and creativity in entrepreneurship, especially among the youth," noted Yusuf. "This approach embodies the companys patriotic sense and reflects the remarkable contributions it makes to the business community in a way that advances the comprehensive development process of the kingdom," he added.-TradeArabia News Service KYODO NEWS - Jun 5, 2023 - 12:59 | All, Feature, Japan When the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake struck a century ago, many businesspeople with roots in the Indian subcontinent lost their homes in Yokohama, resulting in roughly 70 companies fleeing to the western port of Kobe to form what became one of the largest Indian communities in Japan. Stories abound about the active role such firms went on to play in Japan's postwar economic success, acting as intermediaries for the sale of "Made in Japan" products in Asian markets. Now 100 years later, the torch has been passed to a new, younger generation of Indians seeking to strengthen Japan's ties with their homeland, which has become an IT powerhouse. The 7.9 magnitude Great Kanto quake occurred shortly before noon on Sept. 1, 1923. Tokyo and elsewhere in the Kanto area, including Yokohama, suffered major damage. Fazil Toorabally, 75, a resident from a suburb of Kobe, recounted an old tale he heard from his grandfather, a native of Gujarat in what is now western India, who had relocated from Yokohama to Kobe for business reasons prior to the massive Kanto quake. He said the grandfather, who was engaged in the silk trade and other businesses in Kobe and Yokohama, told him that Indians in Kobe -- mainly those who had fled from Yokohama due to the disaster -- were urged by the city to return. "They wanted them to come back to Yokohama," Toorabally said. Records in the Yokohama Archives of History go as far as to call the Indians who had gone to Kobe "indispensable for the economic recovery" of Yokohama, the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, lying along Tokyo Bay. But over the years, many stayed in Kobe. Having Japan's oldest Islamic place of worship, the Kobe Mosque, which opened in 1935, as well as social clubs, the city became "a good place to live" for Indians who valued tradition, Toorabally said. Sikh and Jain temples were also built, and the Indian population in Kobe reached about 1,000 in the 1980s -- at one time, the largest Indian community in Japan. After the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, Toorbally and others cooked curry for the disaster victims. "In Japan, the only places Indians weren't rare were Roppongi and Kobe," Kiran Sethi, 57, a turban-wearing trader who lives in Kobe, said with a laugh, referring to Tokyo's popular nightclub scene filled with bars and hostess clubs. Sethi was involved in importing Perrier, the French carbonated mineral water, and in 2003 became the first foreign national to serve as president of the Junior Chamber International Kobe, a branch of the international nongovernmental nonprofit for young people. During the nation's period of rapid economic growth, Japanese companies such as Panasonic Holdings Corp. and Sharp Corp. spread their wings from the Kansai region to the rest of the world. "Products from Kansai were transported to Asia through the network of Indian merchants," Sethi said with pride. In recent years, the development of manufacturing in Asia has meant challenges for Indian merchants in Kobe. India ranked fifth worldwide in gross domestic product in 2021. As of 2022, roughly 40,000 Indians, including IT professionals, lived in Japan, mainly in Tokyo. Although their presence in Kobe has waned throughout the years, those of Indian descent in the city have been there in some cases for three or four generations. At a regular Sunday service held at a Sikh temple in Kobe, "awaokoshi," a specialty of Osaka made of millet rice that has become a familiar treat in the community, is distributed to worshippers to give as offerings. On a spring day at the University of Hyogo in Kobe, Anushka Shukla, 21, from Bhopal, central India, spoke of her aspirations for her future in Japan. Since she arrived in 2019, she has been studying business administration and will seek employment in the country. Although Shukla is a strict vegetarian, which is common in India, she says "it helps" that there are restaurants in Kobe that serve Indian vegetarian cuisine. Toorabally and others of the earlier generations of Indians in Japan call the young, talented people such as Shukla who have only come in recent years "New Indians." As the seeds of foreign culture brought about by the Great Kanto Earthquake have grown, Japan's relationship with the Asian powerhouse has only deepened. Toorabally's wife, Nishat, 69, who introduced Shukla to the study abroad program in Kobe, said her fervent wish is to "keep Japan's connection with India strong." China players after winning the 2023 Volleyball Nations League match against Japan in Nagoya, Japan on June 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) China got past Japan 3-0 and recorded its fourth successive victory in the FIVB Women's Nations League. NAGOYA, Japan, June 4 (Xinhua) -- China beat hosts and arch rivals Japan 3-0 to score its fourth successive win from as many matches in the FIVB Women's Nations League here on Sunday. The three-time Olympic champions won the thriller 25-18, 27-25, 27-25 in front of a Japanese home crowd of 5,500 to finish the first competition week undefeated and climb to second place in the standings on 4-0 and 11 points, just below Poland on point ratio. Japan, who beat China 3-1 in last year's Nations League, suffered its first loss and slipped to fifth on 3-1 and nine points. China's outside hitter Li Yingying, who scored the winner with a smash, was again the top scorer with 20 points. Middle blocker and captain Yuan Xinyue finished with 10, including two aces. Li Yingying looks on during the match. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Captain Sarina Koga led Japan with 19 points, and Kotona Hayashi added 13. China fought back from 16-8 down in the second set to level the score at 22-22. They survived a Japanese set point and turned it around at 27-25. In Sunday's other matches, Germany defeated Bulgaria 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 15-10), while Brazil beat Croatia 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-8). Kenyan President William Ruto delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, June 5, 2023. The second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly kicked off in Nairobi on Monday, with delegates renewing the call for concerted efforts to regenerate urban centers. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) NAIROBI, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly kicked off in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Monday, with delegates renewing the call for concerted efforts to regenerate urban centers. It is imperative that the international community accelerates urban renewal in order to achieve green, inclusive and resilient growth, said Kenyan President William Ruto in his opening speech. The pursuit of sustainable urbanization, said Ruto, is urgent to enable the urban poor to have access to decent shelter, clean drinking water, sanitation and healthcare services. Ruto said that Kenya was committed to implementing affordable housing, regeneration of green spaces, waste management and expanding access to clean mobility as a means to realize sustainable urbanization. An estimated 5,000 delegates from 193 UN member states, industry, civil society and academia will attend the five-day meeting, themed "A sustainable urban future through inclusive and effective multilateralism: achieving the sustainable development goals in times of global crises." During the meeting, participants would discuss urban climate action, affordable housing, localization of sustainable development goals, finance and urban crises recovery. On the sidelines of the assembly, there will be an urban expo where more than 50 exhibitors will showcase innovative solutions to challenges facing cities, including waste pollution and inadequate access to shelter. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his video address to the assembly underscored the critical role of a robust multilateral system to renew cities and place them at the heart of green transition. The assembly is the United Nations' highest decision making organ on urban issues. The second edition of the meeting is expected to adopt a ministerial declaration on advancing sustainable urbanization. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of United Nations Human Settlements Program, said the assembly takes place amid global consensus on the need to intensify action on the climate crisis, pollution, poverty and inequalities that are taking a heavier toll on rapidly growing cities. "Let us flip the script on urbanization. We need to harness the talent in cities and communities to reshape financing to achieve the sustainable development goals," Sharif said. This photo taken on June 5, 2023 shows an exterior view of the venue of the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. The second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly kicked off in Nairobi on Monday, with delegates renewing the call for concerted efforts to regenerate urban centers. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) This photo taken on June 5, 2023 shows a view of the opening ceremony of the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. The second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly kicked off in Nairobi on Monday, with delegates renewing the call for concerted efforts to regenerate urban centers. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) This photo taken on June 5, 2023 shows a view of the opening ceremony of the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. The second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly kicked off in Nairobi on Monday, with delegates renewing the call for concerted efforts to regenerate urban centers. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The life of Maksat Abilgaziev, a resident of Zhanatas, a small town in southern Kazakhstan, has changed immensely since a Chinese company built a wind farm there a few years ago. The 33-year-old was once an electrical engineer at a local phosphate mine company. Believing the future of his homeland and Kazakhstan lies in clean energy, especially wind energy, he quit the job in 2020 and became a wind power engineering trainee at the Zhanatas wind farm. "Our Chinese friends have brought equipment, investment, technology and experience to Kazakhstan. They have also cultivated clean energy talents in our country. The wind power projects have created jobs and tax revenues for Zhanatas, bringing the town back to life," said Abilgaziev, who has been promoted to senior maintenance engineer with an income that more than doubled in three years. This is one example of China's efforts to bolster global sustainable development over the years. The world's second-largest economy has increased its green areas at home and contributed to global sustainable growth. PIONEERING GREEN ACTIONS For some time, better air quality was widely expected among residents of smog-shrouded north China in winter. Over the past decade, Chinese President Xi Jinping has led the country in an unswerving fight against pollution, rolling out effective measures, including publishing an action plan on the prevention and control of air pollution and increasing the supply of clean energy. Air quality is crucial to the people's sense of happiness, Xi said in a discussion with national legislators from southwest China's Guizhou Province in 2014. Today the blue skies are back, and city dwellers are breathing noticeably cleaner air. China's PM2.5 density fell 57 percent from 2013 to 2022, and its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP declined 34.4 percent. The country's annual number of days with serious air pollution dropped sharply by 92 percent. "China will prioritize ecological protection, conserve resources and use them efficiently, and pursue green and low-carbon development," Xi said at the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last year. For years, China has placed a high value on ecological conservation, with a commitment to protecting natural resources. As a result of decades of efforts, tangible achievements have emerged in forestation, wetlands and biodiversity protection, bolstering the country's green credentials. Take afforestation. The country has created the world's most extensive planted forest area, doubling its forest coverage rate from 12 percent in the early 1980s to 24.02 percent in 2022. The country's afforestation area reached 960 million mu (64 million hectares) over the past decade. A 2019 finding published in Nature Sustainability showed that at least 25 percent of the foliage expansion since the early 2000s globally came from China, based on data from NASA satellites. Thick forests have also become a substantial source of revenue for locals. Last year, the output value of China's forestry and grassland industry reached about 1.18 trillion U.S. dollars, while the foreign trade volume of forest products was 191 billion dollars. Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, hailed China as a green development leader. "The Chinese government sees green development and environmental protection as top priorities as these strategies have been integrated into all of the country's socio-economic development plans," he said. PROMOTING GREEN INNOVATIONS China should work to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, promote industrial transformation and upgrading, advance coordinated urban-rural and regional development, and foster green and low-carbon economic and social development, Xi said when addressing the closing meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, the national legislature, in March. Over the years, China has taken innovation-driven development as a driving force for economic development, helping its economy switch to green and high-quality growth. The country is now the world's largest producer of clean energy equipment. In 2021, the output value of the energy conservation and environmental protection industry exceeded 1.13 trillion dollars. China's export of three tech-intensive green products, namely solar batteries, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles, registered a 66.9 percent increase in the first quarter of this year, official data showed. Together they contributed 2 percentage points to the overall export growth, up from 1.7 percentage points for 2022. "China's foreign trade growth in Q1 is mainly buoyed by new energy-related exports," said Zhou Maohua, an analyst with the China Everbright Bank. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales nearly doubled to 6.89 million units in 2022, accounting for over a quarter of the total automobile sales in the world's largest auto market. "The speed of growth here is much faster than in other regions of the world," said Oliver Blume, chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, adding that with its high level of innovation, China is a vital pacesetter for the entire automotive industry. In August last year, China revealed a plan for fulfilling its "dual carbon" goal of peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 through technology. China has been pursuing green development by scientific means, addressing all challenges through science, technological innovation and creativity, said Benjamin Anyagre, general secretary of the Ghana-China Friendship Association, adding that China's commitment to green development would positively impact the world's efforts to combat climate change. This is echoed by Peter Bakker, president and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, who said that Chinese businesses, with their enormous implementation power and creativity in areas like batteries, electric vehicles and solar power, are expected to decarbonize the world significantly. GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT "We should pursue the new vision of green development and a way of life and work that is green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable," Xi said at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May 2017. "We propose the establishment of an international coalition for green development on the Belt and Road, and we will provide support to related countries in adapting to climate change." China has walked its talk by sharing its green development philosophy globally, helping countries sustain green growth. "Chinese involvement in Ethiopia's renewable energy sector is visible. They are increasingly involved in both hydro and wind power projects," said Moges Mekonnen, communications director at Ethiopian Electric Power, noting that the cooperation projects help Ethiopia tap into its rich renewable energy potential. The Aysha Wind Farm, the first wind power project in the Somali region presently under the construction of China's Dongfang Electric Corporation, is expected to provide power to Ethiopia's mega-development projects, such as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway and Dire Dawa Industrial Park, and ensure a stable and sufficient power supply for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti economic corridor. In the hydropower sector, cooperation with China enabled Ethiopia to realize the 254 MW Genale-Dawa III hydroelectric power station, which has been in safe operation since its launch in the first quarter of 2020. In Kenya, official figures showed that the installed capacity of solar power is more than 100 MW, while the China-financed Garissa Solar power plant accounts for 50 MW. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said that Garissa Solar, the largest solar plant in East and Central Africa, puts Kenya on the path to achieving green energy sufficiency and adds to his country's rich profile as the center of green energy generation in Africa. While promoting green development projects, China also emphasizes maintaining biological diversity. For example, many tunnels were extended, and bridges replaced roads to protect elephant habitats during the building of the China-Laos Railway. Philip Clayton, president of the Institute for Postmodern Development of China, a U.S. think tank, said China's contributions to greening the planet and commitments to preserving biological diversity have empowered the international community to pursue environmental reforms and more robust ecological governance. At the same time, China is also scaling up its multilateral coordination for ecological conservation. Last year, China's central city Wuhan hosted the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, together with Geneva, Switzerland, which facilitated the adoption of the Global Strategic Framework for Wetland Conservation 2025-2030 that aims to curb wetland degradation. Also, China held the presidency of COP15, known as the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It led the parties involved to adopt a landmark deal, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, for reversing biodiversity loss. David Cooper, acting executive secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, commented that China's leadership role involves leading and working with parties and stakeholders to ensure an overall commitment to biodiversity. He said China has achieved a lot in biodiversity conservation during its rapid economic growth, adding that China's active participation in combating climate change globally has the potential to provide a sound model for developing countries and contribute to consensus-building on global biodiversity conservation. PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- China has been a key supporter of water governance and green and sustainable development in the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) countries, a Cambodian official and an expert said on Monday. The LMC consists of six countries, namely China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. So Sophort, secretary general of the Cambodia National Mekong Committee, said the regional cooperation between China and the Mekong countries, including Cambodia, is well progressive. "All the LMC countries have exchanged and shared with each other the water resources development and management experience and continue to work together to further strengthen and enhance water resources cooperation and management of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin," he told Xinhua. "Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and in the cooperation frameworks of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the LMC, China has always shown its stronger commitment and confirmed its full support, deepening cooperation on transboundary water governance for the more sustainable development and management of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin," he said. Sophort said all the riparian countries acknowledge that the stronger synergy between LMC and MRC as well as others concerned is a key contributor toward achieving shared prosperity and a sustainable future in the riparian countries and improving the basin peoples' well-being. "The stronger regional cooperation has yielded fruitful and better outcomes in deepening the regional economic integration, and achieving an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development and growth in the Lancang-Mekong region," he said. "It has been done through win-win cooperation and this has been seen through the application of action-and-outcomes-oriented approaches," he added. Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Asian Vision Institute's Mekong Center for Strategic Studies, said China is a key contributor to water resources development and environmental protection in the Lancang-Mekong River. "China has always shared year-round accurate hydrological data with the Mekong countries, which has contributed to better river monitoring and flood and drought forecasting in the Mekong countries," he told Xinhua. He said China has also provided urgent information on any unusual rise or fall in water levels and discharges, as well as other relevant information on factors that might lead to sudden flooding in the lower reaches of the basin. "The cooperation between China and the Lancang-Mekong countries under the BRI and the LMC has provided tremendous opportunities and benefits to the Lancang-Mekong countries in their socio-economic development and poverty reduction," Mengdavid said. He said the support from China has been transforming the Lancang-Mekong region into a region of peace, stability, green and sustainable development, and prosperity. "China and the Mekong countries' close cooperation is essential to enhance the well-being of the people, narrow the development gap within the region, and build a community with a shared future of peace and prosperity among Lancang-Mekong countries," he said. Originating from the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in southwest China, the river is called the Lancang River in China, and the Mekong River when flows through the other five countries before emptying into the sea. TEHRAN, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday that Tehran will continue its visa-free and "open arms" policy toward the Azerbaijani citizens. Nasser Kanaani made the remarks in a post on his Twitter page in response to a Saturday statement by Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, in which it said Azerbaijani citizens "are strongly recommended" not to visit Iran without necessity. Kanaani emphasized that pursuing a neighbor-oriented policy based on mutual respect and good-neighborliness manners is Iran's priority and on its agenda. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in its statement that "citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan are strongly recommended not to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran without necessity, and those entering this country should remain as vigilant as possible." It also advised that Azerbaijani citizens currently in Iran should observe "the safety rules." The statement was issued after Azerbaijan sent on Friday a note of protest to the Iranian side in relation to the arrest of Azerbaijani citizen Farid Safarli, whom the Iranian authorities accuse of espionage. Safarli, a university student based in Germany, arrived in Iran in early March. Since then, the contact with him has been lost. Azerbaijan has demanded Iranian authorities determine his fate. TEHRAN, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that the country would re-open diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia in the next two days. Nasser Kanaani said in a statement that the Iranian embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh and consulate general and representative office to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah will officially re-open on Tuesday and Wednesday. The decision was part of the process to finish implementing the Iran-Saudi Arabia agreements on resuming bilateral relations, according to the statement published on the ministry's website. Iran has appointed Alireza Enayati, a veteran diplomat, as its ambassador to Saudi Arabia, semi-official Fars news agency reported earlier. ISLAMABAD, June 5 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and 13 others injured on Monday in a collision between a van and a truck in Mandi Bahauddin district of Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, the rescue service reported. The accident reportedly occurred early morning on Gujrat road in the district when one of the vehicles was making a U-turn, resulting in the death of three people, including two women, on the spot. The rescue service reached the site immediately after the accident and shifted the victims to the hospital, said the rescue service. Road accidents frequently occur in Pakistan mainly due to poorly maintained vehicles, dilapidated roads, and negligence of road safety measures. TOKYO, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Floods have claimed three lives and damaged about 990 houses after record torrential rains pounded a wide swath of Japan's Pacific coast, local media reported Monday. In central Japan's prefectures of Aichi and Shizuoka, where the typhoon brought record heavy rains starting Friday, damage confirmation and restoration were still underway, according to the national news agency Kyodo. A 74-year-old male resident from Iwata City, who was earlier reported missing, was confirmed dead on Monday, according to local police. His body was found on the coast of Fukuroi in Shizuoka prefecture on Sunday, which brought the death toll to three in both prefectures. The total number of flooded houses has expanded to 273 in Aichi and 717 buildings in Shizuoka. Emergency response measures such as piling up soil were carried out in both prefectures, where multiple river embankments collapsed, the report added. Local authorities were also ramping up efforts to restore the water supply in some residential areas and clean up schools in Aichi prefecture, where the country's highest-level evacuation alert was issued. The severe weather conditions, which also disrupted transportation services nationwide over the weekend, had been caused by warm and moist air blowing from near Typhoon Mawar, which was passing south of the country, and a rain front hanging over Japan's main island Honshu, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Diyar Al Muharraq, a leading real estate development company in Bahrain, has announced that work is in full swing on the Al Naseem villas project - located within the Southern Island of its mega integrated city - with over 50% of the construction works on the second phase already completed. Work on the project was first launched in April last year, with works continuing at an accelerated pace in line with the set schedule. The project is expected to complete in the final quarter of 2023. The scope of work for the second phase of Al Naseem villas includes all basic infrastructure. The remaining work includes the road pavement, the development of show villas as well as 114 of the project's villas. Diyar Al Muharraq said the overall progress has been sustained by completing all the works related to the superstructure and the blockwork for all the villas, in addition, various finishes are in progress. The project includes 6 types of residential villas spanning approximately 305 to 384 sqm. Al Naseems villas have a variety of features including three- to four-bedroom units, based on the residents requirements, in addition to several essential facilities. The villas have direct access to the water canals as well as a private pool and an on-demand elevator. On the project work, CEO Engineer Ahmed Ali Alammadi said: "We are pleased to announce the completion of over 50% of works on the second phase of Al Naseem villas. We owe our thanks to the resilient efforts and rigorous follow-up of our real estate development team." "We hope that the same pace of work is maintained to achieve the completion and launch of the second phase this year while complying with the same high-quality standards of construction at Diyar Al Muharraq. We are eager to complete Al Naseem Phase Two to provide luxurious community surroundings with integrated facilities that meet our residents various needs, while being the first gated villa community in Diyar Al Muharraq," he added. Diyar Al Muharraq is the largest integrated city in the Kingdom, offering a variety of housing solutions and a luxurious modern lifestyle. It offers a balanced mix of residential, commercial, recreational, and healthcare facilities that encompass a smart, self-contained, futuristic model city. GAZA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip said that kidney patients' lives are in danger due to a lack of medicines and medical supplies. Alaa Helles, director of the pharmacy department, told a press conference held outside the children's hospital in Gaza city that 1,200 patients with kidney failure in the Gaza Strip are at risk of being denied access to dialysis sessions. He added that this means that they will be exposed to severe health complications due to the lack of medical consumables, medicines, and supplies. He accused the Israeli authorities of preventing the shipment of X-rays through mobile imaging devices to the Gaza Strip for about a year and a half, leaving a large number of kidney failure patients without diagnostic examinations. Israel has imposed a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip, home to more than two million people, since the Hamas movement had seized control of the enclave in 2007. Hamas officials have always complained that the consequences of the imposed Israeli blockade were disastrous, increasing poverty and unemployment rates. They accused Israel of banning medical equipment and devices shipment to the Gaza Strip. Farmers harvest wheat on a farm in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, June 3, 2023. Local farmers from the Palestinian coastal enclave complained that they could hardly harvest the much-needed wheat, an indispensable food for 2.3 million Gazan people, as climate change has severely impacted their crops. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) GAZA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Local farmers from the Palestinian coastal enclave complained that they could hardly harvest the much-needed wheat, an indispensable food for 2.3 million Gazan people, as climate change has severely impacted their crops. The annual wheat crop decreased by 1,000 tons from last year's yield of 5,000 tons due to the delayed winter and unreliable rainfall, according to Mohammed Odeh, a senior official at the Hamas-run Agriculture Ministry in Gaza. Mohammed Qudaih, an owner of a 20-dunam wheat farm, told Xinhua that "in the past, we used to plant about 200 to 400 dunams of wheat (200,000 to 400,000 square meters), but nowadays, we can only plant ten to 20 dunams of wheat on our land because of climate change." Longer summers with extreme heat and delayed winters led to the miss of the spring season, which led to the death of many crops in the Gaza Strip, including wheat, explained Qudaih. "So, we can barely secure about 25 percent of our wheat harvest during its annual season," said the farmer, noting that he hardly harvested about one ton of wheat so far, which made him lose about 20,000 U.S. dollars this year. "Such conditions force most farmers to give up working in the agriculture field," he stressed, adding that only 30 out of his 180 workers have remained for the harvesting job this year. Hazem Sief, a farmer from Khan Younis City south of Gaza, told Xinhua that he used to gain about 700 dollars every wheat season, which enabled him to keep his six-member family afloat. Now, working eight hours in the field only earns 15 dollars a day due to the high unemployment rate in Gaza, said Sief. "I do not have any other chance to earn money as we already have been suffering from the high rate of unemployment in Gaza," the farmer said, adding that "thing is better than nothing." Mohammed Fusaifis, another Khan Younis farmer, suggested the Agriculture Ministry adopt strategic plans, including implementing training workshops, in a bid to help farmers overcome the unusual conditions and maintain their only source of livelihood. A farmer harvests wheat on a farm in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, June 3, 2023. Local farmers from the Palestinian coastal enclave complained that they could hardly harvest the much-needed wheat, an indispensable food for 2.3 million Gazan people, as climate change has severely impacted their crops. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) A farmer harvests wheat on a farm in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, June 3, 2023. Local farmers from the Palestinian coastal enclave complained that they could hardly harvest the much-needed wheat, an indispensable food for 2.3 million Gazan people, as climate change has severely impacted their crops. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Two military personnel were killed in a clash between troops and terrorists in North Waziristan district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a military statement said late Sunday night. An exchange of fire took place between army troops and terrorists on Saturday, according to the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which resulted in the killing of two terrorists while injuring two others along with the death of the soldiers. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the killed terrorists, the ISPR said. "Sanitization of the area has been carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area," it added. HAIKOU, June 5 (Xinhua) -- During high tide, swaths of mangrove trees form a green sea over a vast wetland in south China's Hainan Province, and when the tide ebbs, their crisscross roots protrude out of muddy land. Such is the beauty of the Hainan Lingshui Mangrove National Wetland Park, located in Lingshui Li Autonomous County in the southern province of Hainan. The coastal park is home to various coastal, river and artificial wetlands, with 21 types of mangrove trees thriving there. However, just a few years ago, the area presented a strikingly different picture compared to its current state. "In the past, there were a lot of messy fishponds, and local fishermen just discharged wastewater into the lagoons where the park is located," said Wang Qilin, Lingshui's deputy mayor. "These activities severely damaged the local mangrove forests." In recent years, authorities in Hainan have taken a variety of measures to enhance the protection of the trees, including transforming the fishponds back into wetlands. From 2016 to 2021, the province transformed 2,777 hectares of ponds into wetlands, with newly planted mangrove forests reaching about 1,400 hectares. According to the latest figures from the provincial department of natural resources and planning, by the end of 2022, the province planted and restored mangrove trees totaling about 717 hectares through centrally-funded restoration projects. DAMAGE TO MANGROVE FORESTS Typically composed of evergreen trees or shrubs, mangroves grow in intertidal zones on tropical and subtropical coasts. Dubbed "coast guards," they play a vital role in purifying seawater, mitigating the impacts of wind and waves, and maintaining biodiversity. In Hainan alone, the coastal cities and counties, including Haikou, Wenchang and Danzhou, boast a substantial expanse of mangrove forests, spanning approximately 6,549 hectares. These regions encompass the majority of the mangrove areas in the province. However, in recent years, certain regions have witnessed an escalating toll on mangrove trees. Take Wenchang, situated in northeastern Hainan as an example. In this area, prone to typhoon landfalls, mangrove trees serve as a crucial protective barrier against marine natural disasters. Authorities have designated areas for mangrove protection, but long-term, extensive fish and shrimp-raising industries contaminated the area and caused the number of mangrove forests to shrink. Fu Shipei, 50, who is a local resident of Wenchang's Liangfeng Village, holds cherished childhood memories of the mangrove forests in the area. "Over the past decades, thousands of fishponds and shrimp ponds have emerged and expanded, encroaching upon marine waters," Fu said, adding that these ponds literally ate the forests little by little. However, the dwindling number of mangroves triggered a series of chain reactions. "The ocean's ecosystem was damaged, and the coastal villages' ability to weather natural disasters waned," said Huang Hongshan, deputy head of Wenchang's city bureau of natural resources and planning. "You have to understand that Wenchang is a main landing area for typhoons." GROWING PROTECTION EFFORTS To protect the environment, authorities in Hainan adopted a variety of measures. For instance, in 2017, the provincial government issued a guideline, specifying the goal of wetland restoration and proposed plans for restoring mangrove wetlands. A year later, the provincial legislature passed a wetland protection regulation, improving the legal system for wetland protection. In 2019, the Hainan government issued a guideline, setting the goal of increasing an additional 2,000 hectares of mangrove forests by 2025. In various localities of Hainan, wetland restoration work has begun, with Lingshui investing 760 million yuan (about 107 million U.S. dollars) in ecological restoration since 2016. To date, over 700 local fishing families have voluntarily restored their fish-raising farms to their natural state as part of mangrove forest conservation efforts. "The water here has become clean, and white cranes come to visit in droves," said Wang Zhiqiang, a wildlife expert from Lingshui. "We have observed the presence of sandworms in the forests, indicating an environment of exceptional quality as these creatures require pristine water to live." Meanwhile, authorities compensated local fishermen with money while also offering them jobs as forest patrollers for additional income. Similar measures have been taken in places such as Wenchang, where the mangrove area has reached 187 hectares after restoration. To enhance conservation efforts, it is important to map out guidelines for wetland protection and rural revitalization, and set up standards in wetland protection, said Zhan Changzhi, who works with the Haikou University of Economics. NAIROBI, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Monday marks World Environment Day. Officials with the Nairobi-based African Forest Forum have praised China's achievements in environmental protection. Produced by Xinhua Global Service ISTANBUL, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The NATO chief urged Turkiye to approve Sweden's membership bid after having a closed-door meeting with the Turkish president on Sunday. Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Sweden has taken concrete steps to address Turkiye's security concerns, including amending the Swedish constitution, ending arms exports limits, and strengthening counter-terrorism legislation. "And then we have also seen that Sweden and Turkiye are working much more closely when it comes to exchanging intelligence to support the efforts of counter-terrorism," he added. The Swedish government not preventing anti-Turkish and anti-Islam protests was another point of contention between the two countries. "The protesters want to block Sweden's counter-terrorism cooperation with Turkiye. And they want to make NATO weaker. We should not allow them to succeed," Stoltenberg noted. The Turkish side made no statement after the meeting. While no definite answer came out of the meeting, Stoltenberg said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had agreed to meet again to discuss Swedish membership in the week starting on June 12th. "Membership would make Sweden safer, but also NATO and Turkiye stronger," he added. Both Sweden and Finland decided to join NATO last year. However, NATO member Turkiye held up both countries' memberships over concerns that they were not doing enough to stop the activities of Kurdish terror organizations. Turkiye eventually lifted its objection to Finland earlier this year after it took "concrete steps" against such organizations, and the country went on to become the organization's 31st member in April. But Ankara maintains its veto of Sweden. This aerial photo taken on May 25, 2023 shows the view of urban areas of Zhanjiang City in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Deng Hua) The world is in desperate need of a more diverse pool of credible media outlets, and especially greater representation from non-Western sources, so that readers worldwide are better informed about global issues and do not fall prey to the current propaganda war between nations. by Chandran Nair The world is currently facing an unprecedented challenge: a comprehensive information war fueled by technology. The most telling example is the Western inclination to downplay and even demonize the positive impact that a rising China could have on global affairs. Through a powerful and ideology-driven global media apparatus, which appears to have abandoned its once-proud commitment to truth and unbiased reporting, the West has not only sought to undermine China, a nation that has prospered through a system of its own design under the guidance of the Communist Party of China, but also relentlessly demonized China's efforts to contribute to the developing world through constructive initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative. As we move towards a multi-polar world, as championed by China and demanded by the global majority, it is critically important that we build a global media ecosystem that does not remain dominated by large and economically powerful Western media outlets. Instead, it should be one that embraces reliable and unbiased outlets from all regions spanning the globe, including Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The world is in desperate need of a more diverse pool of credible media outlets, and especially greater representation from non-Western sources, so that readers worldwide are better informed about global issues and do not fall prey to the current propaganda war between nations. To achieve this goal, a better understanding of how the media industry works is needed. For example, for China and other nations to counter the West's aggressive narrative, it is essential to understand its historical roots, where its allegiance lies, and what drives it. The Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Rather than acknowledging the truth that China's growth may challenge Western dominance and economic hegemony, the Western narrative has veered towards a wholesale criticism of every aspect of the nation: China's history, economic management, political structure, human rights record, societal values, technological advancements, anti-corruption campaigns, religious freedom. This is shameful and depicts a desperate grasping-at-straws approach to journalism. While these are topics worthy of discussion in any country, portraying them in an incessantly prejudiced manner raises the question "Can a civilization with thousands of years of history be so wrong all the time?" Surely not. The biggest feature of this toxic narrative is that it is driven by ideological prejudice. The prevailing fear gripping the West, sadly embraced by its media, is simply this: How can a country manage to develop so quickly and successfully outside the frameworks of Western political and economic models. There appears to be a profound reluctance to understand and acknowledge that throughout history the political economy and even the market economy, operates in accordance with the unique needs of different countries. Another major and ongoing narrative concerning China in the Western media revolves around the purported absence of religious freedom within the country, with claims of persecution against various religious groups. To understand China's approach with regards to ethnic minority policies and religious practices, one needs to travel within China. I have had the pleasure of traveling across many parts of China including many ethnic minority areas to learn about their lives and the massive changes taking place to see the facts for myself. For example, in northwest China's Gansu Province, I have friends from different ethnic groups or of different religions. They told me how their lives have changed for the better under the stable governance of the Chinese government. This is not to paint a rosy picture and deny that there are issues still to be resolved. But the prevailing sentiment among the majority is that their lives have improved considerably, and major efforts are still being made to allow them to retain their culture, traditions, and religious beliefs. Ma Semai (C) and her colleagues make embroidery works at an embroidery workshop in Daban Town of Dongxiang Autonomous County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Ma Xiping/Xinhua) Despite the historical circumstances that left many marginalized, most of them today see themselves as integral members of a rapidly changing and progressive China. Even the widely circulated allegations made by the West concerning Xinjiang and the treatment of Uyghur communities, including claims of large-scale concentration camps, do not withstand close examination and have been rejected by those I know from minority communities. Many individuals from minority communities have expressed their disagreement with these wild allegations. When questioned about religious freedom, I am quick to highlight the large number of mosques throughout the country. Those who say that there is no religious freedom in China are either ignorant or simply not telling the truth. China's actions to prevent religions from being manipulated for political purposes are its internal affairs. Another major point of attack is the economic success of China. It is a fact that the Chinese government has lifted about 800 million people out of poverty over the past 40 years and delivered unrivaled economic progress. This accounts for almost 75 percent of the total global population lifted out of poverty, an accomplishment worthy of a Nobel Prize in economics. When I first visited China's Guangdong Province in the 1990s, some areas were very poor with most people riding bicycles. I imagined then it would take a long time for them to enjoy a decent level of prosperity. However, in the next 10 years, I saw rapid changes in all aspects across China, particularly evident in the development and changes taking place in cities like Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. In the next 10 years, changes spread to hundreds of second-and third-tier cities and towns. This aerial photo taken on May 26, 2023 shows the Zhangjiang Cultural Center under construction in Zhanjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) As China went through these rapid socio-economic changes, I noticed that Western media coverage of China had started to shift from acceptance and reporting with some mild praise to outright hostile criticism. A major tipping point for me was the 2008 Olympics. In 2001, I happened to be in Beijing on the night China won the bid to host the 2008 Olympics. I went to Tiananmen Square and saw the Chinese people celebrating, with millions of people joyously taking to the streets. It was so orderly, with no violence or mayhem, and I was impressed. But the next day, I found most of the reports were negative when I turned to the international media for their perspective. And then over the next seven years, the assault on China was relentless and it was at that point I realized that we were in a new era of geopolitics and China's emergence on the global stage had spooked the West. At this time, I concluded that this was so clearly unfair and realized that a new media war had been launched with the dawn of the Internet. After all, the fact that the largest developing country in the world had obtained the right to host the Olympic Games should have been welcomed by the world at large, but the Western media had other plans. Why the Western media did not celebrate this fact began to niggle me. As this situation evolved over the years, it was hard not to conclude that the Western media were in some sort of strange global coalition, transcending national boundaries and their own political differences at home. And I wondered why. It has taken years of observation and research to pin down the core reasons behind this phenomenon. In simple terms, it is a widespread fear in the West of losing economic power and global privileges borne out of centuries of dominance. I explored the Western media's role in this fight to preserve dominance in a recent article in the Diplomat. Even the protests in Hong Kong in 2019 were weaponized against China, with grave distortions of the reality and facts. I was struck by the biased coverage of the protests in Hong Kong by the Western media. I live in Hong Kong and during that time I could clearly see that the Western media reports did not match with the reality of the situation I was in the middle of. It felt as though I was living in a parallel universe, and it was at this point I lost most of my faith in the mainstream global media. A notable factor became increasingly apparent to me, which I came to recognize as the driving force behind the prevailing anti-China bias within the Western media. This hysterical anti-China rhetoric has its basis in deep-rooted racism and a widespread sense of white supremacy deeply embedded within many parts of Western media. This created an industry with the purpose to preserve global "white privilege" which relies on actively maintaining economic dominance over the rest of the world. This issue is discussed in my book Dismantling Global White Privilege: Equity for a Post-Western World. It is sadly a toxic ideology that the newsrooms of so many large media groups are still unable to break free from. This aerial photo taken on June 2, 2023 shows the Xiong'an Railway Station in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong) The rationale for this is simple. For the first time in four or five hundred years, the Western world faces a non-Western civilization that possesses comparable capabilities and strength. At this point in history, the most powerful Western country, the United States, along with some of its allies are unwilling to accept the fact that they will need to share power, not just with China, but with the rest of the world. It is worth pointing out that the United States only accounts for 4 percent of the world's population, and the entire Western world comprises less than 15 percent. It is a sad indictment of the West's approach to the rise of the global majority that it is unwilling to accept the realities of what this means in terms of giving up its sense of exceptionalism. It is disheartening to witness how historical arrogance continues to delude the West into thinking that it can persist in dictating terms not only to China but also to the global majority. The West needs to accept that China has not only contributed greatly to the struggle of many nations for independence against Western colonialism -- in Africa and Asia -- in the past, but also successfully followed up this legacy by seeking to help bring progress and prosperity to countries around the world through its investments and economic leadership. However, it must also be understood in China, that as it grows and its influence expands, it becomes essential for the nation to remain vigilant against the accusations levied by its detractors regarding its approach to global engagement. It needs to pay great attention to its actions and impacts across the world and be a responsible global leader. With regards to relations between China and Africa, I am reminded of the time I lived there. I saw what colonization had done to Africa, and I was there during the liberation movements in Southern Africa. I noted that China supported the struggle of these nations against colonization. This has endeared China to many African countries who in turn have formed partnerships with China ranging from booming trade ties, to the construction of critical infrastructure and provision of economic assistance to investments in healthcare that have benefited millions. Moving forward, China must strengthen its ability to spread the word of its peaceful rise and the benefits that this will bring to the rest of the world. This is an important yet challenging role for China, especially in a world weary of decades of wars, sanctions, and rising geo-political tensions, triggered by the poorly conceived and self-serving foreign policies of the West. Yet China will have to contend with the media war which ingeniously portrays the West as defenders of noble values and protectors of the weak, despite ignoring those very values to protect its hegemonic interests. That is a change the world seeks and as its power and influence continue to grow, China must not only strengthen its ability to be a leading voice in global affairs but also empower others, who under the current spell of Western media dominance can only dream of being able to have their voices heard. Editor's note: Chandran Nair is the founder and chief executive officer of the Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), an independent pan-Asian think tank. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency. LAGOS, June 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 people were killed in attacks by armed men on several villages in Nigeria's northwestern state of Sokoto on Saturday, police said. Police in Sokoto said the people killed belonged to a vigilante group in the Tangaza local government area. Prior to the attacks, some members of the vigilante group went to the Azam village of the area to warn the community there against possible violence. "However, the vigilante members overreacted and ended up beating some villagers," it said in a statement. Consequently, the villagers called for assistance, and the assistance came from armed men suspected to be bandits on board 20 motorcycles. "On getting the information that assistance was coming, the vigilantes withdrew to their various villages," it said. However, the gunmen went after the vigilante members and killed eight in Raka, seven in Bilingawa, six in Jaba, four in Dabagi, three in Raka Dutse, and two in Tsalewa villages, the statement said. Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in parts of Nigeria, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. YINCHUAN, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Sun Huizhi's eatery was built from two and a half converted cargo-train carriages. Structures that were once used to carry coal are now packed with customers enjoying local specialty food, such as mutton, beef and meatballs. "The deserted carriages are part of the local industrial legacy, showing the mining history of our city," Sun said with a smile. Sun, 52, is from Yinhe Village, Huinong District, in the coal mining city of Shizuishan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The village is located by a floodplain along the former course of the Yellow River -- China's "Mother River." In the 1980s, the villagers used the floodplain for farming and grazing, leading to desertification. "When I was a child, the wind blew so hard that people could not open their eyes. In the course of a single winter, the farm canal was filled with sand," said Wang Xuefeng, Party chief of the village. Ever since ancient times, the ecology of the Yellow River basin has been fragile. For one thing, the plateau glaciers, the Loess Plateau, and the Yellow River Delta are all prone to deterioration. In addition, the river has faced severe pollution problems, resulting in poor water quality. To address these problems, the Yellow River Protection Law, which came into effect on April 1, stipulates that the country will adhere to integrated ecological preservation and restoration, and will promote systemic management combining natural and artificial restoration, with priority given to natural restoration. Due to the policy of returning farmland to forests in recent years, villagers stopped cultivating the floodplain, and the ecology around Yinhe Village has been restored. Where once there were a few scattered trees, there is now forest, and the vast wetland attracts a large number of migratory birds, such as egrets and grey cranes, every year. The village has also attracted tourists to enjoy the green scenery, star gazing and bird watching, with villagers like Sun engaged in tourism-related businesses, such as restaurants, homestays and fruit picking. Wang said the village has made use of vacant land to build a cultural square, a cultural hall for Yellow River wetland ecology, a gallery for tree-root carvings, a farm to attract families with children and other facilities to receive tourists. Among the items on display at the root-carving gallery are works based around the 12 Chinese zodiac signs. Yue Yadong, honorary chairman of the district's federation of literary and art circles, said that developing rural tourism is a way of protecting the local industrial heritage and historical culture. "Rural tourism needs to be supported by cultural elements. As more tourists come, more cultural highlights will emerge," said Yue. LUANDA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Wearing traditional Chinese clothes, more than 50 students from a university in Angola participated in a competition to showcase their knowledge about Chinese culture. During the first recitation competition on Chinese literature held by the Confucius Institute at Agostinho Neto University, students on Saturday recited pieces by heart from the ancient Analects of Confucius, dating back to more than 2,400 years, to contemporary Chinese poetry. Their performances impressed audiences from all walks of life in Angola. In his opening speech, Pedro Magalhaes, rector of Agostinho Neto University, hailed the event as a grand cultural gathering. He emphasized that poetry and music are the most potent forms of global communication, and the students from the Confucius Institute symbolize the cultural exchange between Angola and China. In the performances, the students combined dance, singing with traditional Chinese martial arts, demonstrating their enthusiasm for learning the Chinese language. Caetano Wissa, who has just started his study at the Confucius Institute, expressed his passion for learning the Chinese language, saying his enthusiasm stems from his desire to pursue a university education in China and seize career opportunities. "There are many Chinese people in Angola, and I expect to work with them as a translator in these Chinese companies," he said. "This event aims to enrich the cultural experiences of the youth," said Pedro Magalhaes. He emphasized the strong ties between Angola and China and highlighted the responsibility of Angolan universities to foster closer connections between the two nations. Ren Bing, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the university, said that his institute has provided training courses for more than 2,000 local students in the past seven years, and there are 200 Angolan youth studying Chinese at the institute. "Chinese is not a difficult language, and through this event, we provide students with an opportunity to showcase their abilities, arouse their interest in learning Chinese, and encourage them to pursue their studies," Ren said. Thumbay Group, a leading provider of medical education and healthcare services, has forged a partnership with Gems Middle East. This collaboration seeks to empower the realms of healthcare and education by harnessing the collective strengths and expertise of both organisations. With a shared dedication to fostering innovation and achieving remarkable results, this partnership further strives to cultivate a vibrant and influential landscape in these crucial domains of health professions education. University of London International Foundation Programme (Medical) As part of the tie-up, Thumbay Group's Gulf Medical University (GMU) is set to host the University of London International Foundation Programme (Medical) with a specialised focus on Medicine within the Thumbay Medicity campus. This nine-month programme, known as the University of London International Foundation Programme (Medical), aims to offer students an exceptional pathway into various undergraduate degree programmes, encompassing fields such as Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Sciences, Physiotherapy, Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy, and Nutrition. "We are immensely proud to be associated with supporting this exceptional University of London programme at GMU," stated Prof Hossam Hamdy, Chancellor of Gulf Medical University. "This not only expands our global presence but also provides students with a remarkable opportunity to gain seamless access to the programmes offered by GMU." Acclaimed worldwide for its exceptional teaching standards and rigorous academic curriculum, the University of London's International Foundation Programme stands as a beacon of excellence. This programme equips students with invaluable skills, serving as a stepping stone towards successful admission into renowned universities around the world. From prestigious institutions in the UAE to esteemed establishments in Europe, Asia, and America, this programme helps in unlocking top-tier educational opportunities. Distinctive advantage The Foundation Programme, which is set to be taught at GMU, provides a distinctive advantage by offering comprehensive preparation for the BMAT and UCAT exams, crucial prerequisites for medical and dental programmes in the UK and other nations. Upon successful completion of this tailored programme, students will receive a certificate of completion from the University of London and an International A-Level Certification from LRN-UK. Moreover, extensive guidance and support for the UCAT and BMAT exams will be provided. Lynne Roberts, IFP Director, University of London Worldwide elaborated on the programme, stating that the IFP has been designed to ensure that students achieve high academic standards and gain both the skills and intellectual curiosity necessary to succeed at university. We are proud of our graduates who have gone on to study with University of London programmes around the world, as well as on-campus at some of the best universities in the UK and other countries. We look forward to giving students more opportunities through the new GEMS-recognised teaching centers in the Middle East," Roberts explained. The Medical Foundation Programme is scheduled to commence in September 2023, with applications set to open in June 2023. The programme welcomes applications from students who currently hold A-levels, International Baccalaureate (IB), or equivalent Grade 12 qualifications. Meanwhile, expressing his pride in the robust relationship between GEMS Middle East and the University of London, Dr Amir Saadati, Executive Director of GEMS Middle East, also highlighted the strategic partnership with Thumbay Group. He conveyed his delight in the programme being offered at the Gulf Medical University, stating: "We are extremely happy that students can now benefit from enhanced learning and training opportunities."-- TradeArabia News Service This aerial photo shows a sanitation vessel sailing in the waters of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) A sanitation worker collects stray waste from the ocean in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Staff members monitor stray waste in the waters of Xiamen at a sanitation dock in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) This photo shows a sanitation vessel collecting stray waste from the ocean in in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) A staff member of an ocean sanitation station Yang Haishan drives a sanitation vessel in the waters of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) This photo shows a sanitation boat in the waters of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) This photo shows a mechanical sanitation vessel and a sanitation boat at a dock in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) This aerial photo shows containers loaded with stray waste being conveyed from a sanitation vessel to a sanitation dock in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) A sanitation worker conducts mechanical removal of the stray waste in the waters of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, June 4, 2023. Founded in 1994, the ocean sanitation station in Xiamen has been dedicated to the removal of marine waste and is now equipped with four sanitation docks, six mechanical sanitation vessels, 48 sanitation boats and more than 160 staff members. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) PHNOM PENH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Monday that the tripartite AUKUS alliance, a military pact among the United States, Britain and Australia, is becoming a concern for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Under the AUKUS alliance, which was announced in September 2021, Australia will be able to build nuclear-powered submarines with technology provided by the United States and Britain. "The small-scale alliance relevant to nuclear-powered submarines among the U.S., Britain and Australia is becoming a concern for ASEAN and countries in the region because ASEAN is a nuclear weapon-free zone, and we oppose nuclear weapon proliferation," he said in a speech during the graduation ceremony of nearly 6,000 students at the Royal University of Law and Economics. Hun Sen said this military alliance is the "starting point of a very dangerous arms race" in the region. "I think if this situation continues, the world will face a bigger danger," he said. Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said AUKUS is posing a major security threat to ASEAN and the whole Asian region. "This alliance will trigger a conventional and nuclear arms race in the region, and thus destabilize the peace and security, undermine the economic development and destroy the ASEAN's centrality," he told Xinhua. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. People visit the Underwater Observatory Park in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) by Xinhua writer Wang Zhuolun JERUSALEM, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Amid summer heatwaves, flocks of snorkelers seek coolness and colorful corals in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, a popular Red Sea resort. Meanwhile, on the shore, some corals placed in water tanks are also eye-catching basking in the sun, though not for exhibition, yet for scientific experiments against the backdrop of the growing global climate challenges. "Here we are at the Red Sea simulator where experiments simulating future conditions in the Red Sea are run," Maoz Fine, head of Laboratory for Coral Reef Ecology at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, told Xinhua ahead of the World Environment Day, which falls on Monday. "The reason why we aim to predict future conditions is mainly because coral reefs are suffering and dying throughout the world," he explained. Covering only 0.2 percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs are home to at least a quarter of all marine animals and plants. A special report on the impact of global warming released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations body, found coral reefs were likely to decline between 70 and 90 percent if the temperature increased by 1.5 degrees Celsius. Located at nearly 29 degrees north latitude, the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, also called the Gulf of Eilat, is rich in coral and other marine biodiversity and is believed as the habitation of one of the northernmost shallow water coral reefs in the world and the more resistant to climate change. "We started simulating future conditions in the Red Sea to learn about how our corals here in the Gulf of Aqaba are doing with respect to elevated temperature, ocean acidification, and more local disturbances. We were amazed to find corals here are relatively resilient to climate change," Fine said, noting that no coral bleaching and mortality events have been found in the area. "Corals usually bleach at one to two degrees above the summer thermal maxima. Here in the Gulf of Aqaba, they can withstand five and six degrees above that threshold," explained Fine, who is also a professor at the Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. According to Fine, the simulator system works by pumping water from the sea into the incubators, and then scientists change the conditions including temperature, ocean acidification and some other local stresses. After being exposed for extended periods, sometimes months or over a year, the corals are taken to the lab for "thorough experiments" such as physiology, as well as photosynthesis and respiration rate checking. Additionally, a robot is equipped to help with data collection. Moving from one tank to the next carrying on its arms, the machine is installed with cameras and sensors for oxygen, temperature, pH value, and salinity. Terming the Gulf of Aqaba as a "Coral Refuge," Fine said when researchers elevate the temperature during the Red Sea simulator experiment, some corals even perform better. "They are maybe the only corals out there in the world that enjoy rising temperatures." Talking about the reason for the resilience of corals in the Gulf of Aqaba, Fine believed it is a result of natural selection. "Some 7,000 years ago, the corals began to inhabit the southern part of the Red Sea with summer seawater temperatures reaching 33 or 34 degrees. Only those who survived the conditions managed to migrate eventually to the northern part of the Gulf of Aqaba, where temperatures are seven degrees lower than the southern Red Sea. This gives them the advantage, so they were selected for thermal tolerance and can enjoy much cooler temperatures here," he said. Corals are very sensitive and fragile creatures, so scientific research is premised on no damage to the natural ecology. Fine noted that all the corals are cultivated in a nursery underwater at the sea. When scientists prepare corals for the experiments, they will bring them to the tanks of the simulator. "We never take the corals from the reef because we cannot afford to damage these amazing creatures," he stressed. Enditem (Nick Kolyohin also contributed to the story.) People visit the Underwater Observatory Park in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) Maoz Fine, head of Laboratory for Coral Reef Ecology at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, observes tanks of the Red Sea simulator in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) People swim at the Red Sea in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) People visit the Underwater Observatory Park in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) People visit the Underwater Observatory Park in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) A woman visits the Underwater Observatory Park in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) A woman visits the Underwater Observatory Park in the southernmost Israeli city of Eilat, on June 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Zhuolun) JUBA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Monday received 7.12 million U.S. dollars in grants from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to help the country enhance food security. The first grant that covers food and nutrition security resilience is worth 5.84 million dollars, and the second grant of 1.28 million dollars will support training and provide seed financing to help build entrepreneurship capacity of refugees and host communities. "The first grant is meant to help enhance resilience and response to climate shocks in South Sudan, as it will contribute to improving our ability to manage climate risks and disasters. The project will enhance climate services, infrastructure and also provide climate risk finance and insurance," he said during the signing ceremony held in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The funding, under the Africa Disaster Risk Financing Program, will also support refugees and host communities in the country's northern state of Upper Nile to set up small businesses, said Dier Tong Ngor, minister of finance and planning. Meschack Malo, country representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization in South Sudan, said it will enable South Sudan to pilot an insurance scheme for its farmers. South Sudan currently hosts more than 310,000 refugees and over 90,000 people who have recently fled conflict in neighboring Sudan since April 15. Themba Bhebhe, country manager of the AfDB in South Sudan, said the projects will support the government of South Sudan towards achieving its national development goal. "These investments will result in enhanced production of climate services for agriculture, livestock, climate insurance and early warning, and enhanced sustainable protection against climate shocks in South Sudan," Bhebhe said. JERUSALEM, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Israel has sent back to Egypt the body of an Egyptian police believed to have shot dead three Israeli soldiers at the border over the weekend, Israeli authorities said Monday. The man, who opened fire at an Israeli military post and killed two Israeli soldiers in a guard post early Saturday morning, was identified by Egyptian authorities as 22-year-old Mohamed Salah from Cairo, an Israeli police spokesperson said in a statement. The rare incident occurred on the Sinai border between Israel and Egypt near Mount Harif in the Negev Desert. After fatally shooting the two soldiers, the Egyptian was killed in a second exchange of fire in which a third Israeli soldier was killed, according to Israeli military. Later in the day, Egypt's Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki held a phone talk with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant to extend condolences on victims from both sides, during which they also touch upon taking necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, the Egyptian state-run Ahram Online news website reported. In a separate statement, Egyptian armed forces spokesman Gharib Abdel-Hafez Gharib said they were killed in an exchange of fire as the Egyptian personnel chased drug smugglers across the border. Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu on Sunday elaborated on China's new security initiative at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Chinese peacekeepers march at a medal parade ceremony in Hanniyah village, southern Lebanon, July 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Zongya) Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu on Sunday urged the international community to work together to inject more stability and certainty into turbulent times, while talking about China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue here. by Xinhua writers Yi Ling, Cai Shuya and Mao Pengfei SINGAPORE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu on Sunday urged the international community to work together to inject more stability and certainty into turbulent times, while talking about China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue here. Calling for dialogue and cooperation to address the pressing security challenges in the Asia-Pacific, delegates and experts at the meeting spoke highly of the GSI, a new path to security featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum. COMMON NEEDS OF MANKIND The sustained prosperity and stability of the Asia-Pacific depend on a sound security and development environment, which, however, is being challenged by a sluggish economic recovery, a resurging Cold War mentality, and rising regional conflicts and security threats. Fiji's Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Pio Tikoduadua said that geopolitical tensions and rivalries across the globe are spilling into the Pacific region, endangering the security and interests of small island countries like Fiji. The Global Security Initiative calls for common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, Li said in his speech at the meeting, putting forward a four-point proposal on how to pursue security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific -- mutual respect should prevail over bullying and hegemony; fairness and justice should transcend the law of the jungle; eliminating conflicts and confrontation through mutual trust and consultation; and preventing bloc confrontation with openness and inclusiveness. Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said these approaches demonstrate the GSI's equity, inclusiveness and comprehensiveness, which meets the world's security needs amid today's unprecedented challenges. "The GSI primarily focuses on creating a community that is peaceful and stable, seeks to advance peacebuilding, and strengthens the spirit of multilateralism and forward-thinking economic growth," he told Xinhua. Mengdavid said that countries must uphold and support the need for "indivisible peace" in order to encourage sustainable development and improve resilience to both conventional and unconventional security threats. "Without the old 'Cold War' attitude, while ensuring that the interests and concerns of all parties are taken into account, the GSI may be used as a forum for governments to build constructive conversation and deepen collaboration," he said. Li also highlighted the importance of seeking consensus and promoting reconciliation and negotiations to manage the differences of disputing parties and avoid confrontation. His view was shared by many participants including Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who told a plenary session on Saturday that "in face of the universal threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic and crisis in energy, water and food security, it's imperative for us to overcome our geopolitical rivalries, our territorial disputes through dialogue, negotiations and win-win solutions." Ophthalmologist Dong Lili (2nd R), a member of the 32nd Chinese Medical Team to Zanzibar, prepares to perform an operation with her local colleagues at the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Tanzania's Zanzibar, Feb. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui) U.S. PARADOX OF WORDS AND ACTIONS Addressing the opening plenary on Saturday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin preached Washington's vision of a "free, and open, and secure Indo-Pacific" within a world of rules and rights. There is a yawning gap between U.S. high-sounding moralistic posturing and the manifested reality of its invasive foreign policy, said Zhang Chi, associate professor at the National Defense University of China. Zhang pointed out that one of the paradoxes of the U.S. so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy" is that on the one hand, the United States claims that it is capable of playing a leading role in the Asia-Pacific, but on the other hand, the exclusive multilateralism that it promotes, be it AUKUS or Quad, is a small bloc in U.S. geopolitics. Let alone Washington's "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity," which excludes three of the 10 ASEAN member states. "It is clear therefore that the U.S. actions are exacerbating confrontations in the Asia-Pacific and instigating conflicts between countries to at large maintain its global hegemony, which could shatter global peace and harm global development," Zhang said. "When observing the U.S. words and actions, we will not only listen to what it says, but also focus on what it does," said Hoo Chiew-ping, senior lecturer in the Strategic Studies and International Relations Program at the National University of Malaysia. While lobbying the U.S. efforts to strengthen the "guardrails against conflict" and "to bolster peace, security, and stability in the region," Austin in his speech accused China of continuing to "conduct an alarming number of risky intercepts of U.S. and allied aircraft flying lawfully in international airspace" with "aggressive and unprofessional" flying, and vowed to support the U.S. allies and partners to defend themselves "against coercion and bullying." In response, Ong Tee Keat, chairman of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for the Asia-Pacific, a Malaysian think tank, said that China has been made the "bogeyman" threatening regional and global peace for years, which constitutes the main bulk of the U.S. global strategy in defending its waning primacy across the world. "This has been the obsessional response of Washington and its allies to the rise of China on both fronts of economics and security," Ong said. What remains baffling and unconvincing is the U.S.-led West has yet to substantiate its allegations against China and the GSI. This has reduced the provocative labelling to mere name-calling, which contributes nothing to global peace, he said. Saeed Chaudhry, director of the Islamabad Council for International Affairs in Pakistan, praised China for always performing its duties for a goal of regional security, peace and stability with utter responsibility. China has never interfered in other states' and regions' internal affairs but always urged parties and stakeholders to solve issues through dialogue, said Chaudhry, citing China's brokering of a peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia recently as an example. Policemen stand guard near the venue of the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue at Singapore's Shangri-La Hotel on June 2, 2023. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua) ALL COUNTRIES EQUAL IN SECURITY China stays committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously and believes all countries are equal in terms of security interests, experts at the meeting noted. "A just and equitable environment for development meets the shared interests of Asia-Pacific countries. Anyone who attempts to fleece the flock or prey on the weak will surely be opposed by countries in the region," Li said in his speech. Pascal Abb, senior researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), believes that the GSI differs in many ways from the approaches of Western powers to global security issues, which, like the Belt and Road Initiative, could prove equally competitive among developing countries. "It stresses the primacy of national sovereignty over interventionism, UN centrality and multilateralism over smaller 'coalitions of the willing,' neutral over coercive mediation, and development over political inclusion," Abb wrote in a blog in March this year. In a way, the GSI could be viewed as an initiative that could help empower the "Global South" again, Lee Pei May, a political expert at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, told Xinhua. The purpose of the GSI is to create durable and lasting peace through dialogue and negotiation, which calls on all countries to work together to find peaceful solutions in times of crisis. Such an approach departs from the "old ways" of doing things whereby only a few select states could decide on how to solve global or regional security issues, she said. "With such privileges accorded to the few states, the decisions and actions taken were not infrequently against the wishes of the global community," said Lee. The opinions of each and every member of the global community regardless of its national strength are valued, she added. (Xinhua correspondents Wu Changwei in Cambodia, Jiang Chao in Islamabad, Yan Jie in the Philippines, and Liu Chuntao and Li Yan in Singapore also contributed to the story.) A doctor introduces knowledge of eyes to pupils at an elementary school in Donglin Town of Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 5, 2023. An eye care education campaign was launched by a health center and an elementary school in Donglin Town to call for children's attention on protection of eyes. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) A doctor introduces knowledge of eyes to pupils at an elementary school in Donglin Town of Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 5, 2023. An eye care education campaign was launched by a health center and an elementary school in Donglin Town to call for children's attention on protection of eyes. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) A pupil tests eyesight at an elementary school in Donglin Town of Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 5, 2023. An eye care education campaign was launched by a health center and an elementary school in Donglin Town to call for children's attention on protection of eyes. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Pupils do eye exercises at an elementary school in Donglin Town of Huzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 5, 2023. An eye care education campaign was launched by a health center and an elementary school in Donglin Town to call for children's attention on protection of eyes. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) This photo taken on April 3, 2023 shows some wind turbine generators of the 100-MW Zhanatas wind farm in Zhanatas, Kazakhstan. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua) China, the world's second-largest economy, has increased its green areas at home and contributed to global sustainable growth. BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The life of Maksat Abilgaziev, a resident of Zhanatas, a small town in southern Kazakhstan, has changed immensely since a Chinese company built a wind farm there a few years ago. The 33-year-old was once an electrical engineer at a local phosphate mine company. Believing the future of his homeland and Kazakhstan lies in clean energy, especially wind energy, he quit the job in 2020 and became a wind power engineering trainee at the Zhanatas wind farm. "Our Chinese friends have brought equipment, investment, technology and experience to Kazakhstan. They have also cultivated clean energy talents in our country. The wind power projects have created jobs and tax revenues for Zhanatas, bringing the town back to life," said Abilgaziev, who has been promoted to senior maintenance engineer with an income that more than doubled in three years. This is one example of China's efforts to bolster global sustainable development over the years. The world's second-largest economy has increased its green areas at home and contributed to global sustainable growth. PIONEERING GREEN ACTIONS For some time, better air quality was widely expected among residents of smog-shrouded north China in winter. Over the past decade, Chinese President Xi Jinping has led the country in an unswerving fight against pollution, rolling out effective measures, including publishing an action plan on the prevention and control of air pollution and increasing the supply of clean energy. Air quality is crucial to the people's sense of happiness, Xi said in a discussion with national legislators from southwest China's Guizhou Province in 2014. Today the blue skies are back, and city dwellers are breathing noticeably cleaner air. China's PM2.5 density fell 57 percent from 2013 to 2022, and its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP declined 34.4 percent. The country's annual number of days with serious air pollution dropped sharply by 92 percent. "China will prioritize ecological protection, conserve resources and use them efficiently, and pursue green and low-carbon development," Xi said at the opening session of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last year. For years, China has placed a high value on ecological conservation, with a commitment to protecting natural resources. As a result of decades of efforts, tangible achievements have emerged in forestation, wetlands and biodiversity protection, bolstering the country's green credentials. Take afforestation. The country has created the world's most extensive planted forest area, doubling its forest coverage rate from 12 percent in the early 1980s to 24.02 percent in 2022. The country's afforestation area reached 960 million mu (64 million hectares) over the past decade. A 2019 finding published in Nature Sustainability showed that at least 25 percent of the foliage expansion since the early 2000s globally came from China, based on data from NASA satellites. Thick forests have also become a substantial source of revenue for locals. Last year, the output value of China's forestry and grassland industry reached about 1.18 trillion U.S. dollars, while the foreign trade volume of forest products was 191 billion dollars. Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, hailed China as a green development leader. "The Chinese government sees green development and environmental protection as top priorities as these strategies have been integrated into all of the country's socio-economic development plans," he said. This aerial photo taken on May 25, 2023 shows birds resting in the mangrove forest near the sea in Zhanjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei) PROMOTING GREEN INNOVATIONS China should work to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, promote industrial transformation and upgrading, advance coordinated urban-rural and regional development, and foster green and low-carbon economic and social development, Xi said when addressing the closing meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, the national legislature, in March. Over the years, China has taken innovation-driven development as a driving force for economic development, helping its economy switch to green and high-quality growth. The country is now the world's largest producer of clean energy equipment. In 2021, the output value of the energy conservation and environmental protection industry exceeded 1.13 trillion dollars. China's export of three tech-intensive green products, namely solar batteries, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles, registered a 66.9 percent increase in the first quarter of this year, official data showed. Together they contributed 2 percentage points to the overall export growth, up from 1.7 percentage points for 2022. "China's foreign trade growth in Q1 is mainly buoyed by new energy-related exports," said Zhou Maohua, an analyst with the China Everbright Bank. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sales nearly doubled to 6.89 million units in 2022, accounting for over a quarter of the total automobile sales in the world's largest auto market. "The speed of growth here is much faster than in other regions of the world," said Oliver Blume, chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, adding that with its high level of innovation, China is a vital pacesetter for the entire automotive industry. In August last year, China revealed a plan for fulfilling its "dual carbon" goal of peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 through technology. China has been pursuing green development by scientific means, addressing all challenges through science, technological innovation and creativity, said Benjamin Anyagre, general secretary of the Ghana-China Friendship Association, adding that China's commitment to green development would positively impact the world's efforts to combat climate change. This is echoed by Peter Bakker, president and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, who said that Chinese businesses, with their enormous implementation power and creativity in areas like batteries, electric vehicles and solar power, are expected to decarbonize the world significantly. This aerial photo taken on Feb. 18, 2023 shows a photovoltaic (PV) power project in Liangzhou district of Wuwei, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen) GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT "We should pursue the new vision of green development and a way of life and work that is green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable," Xi said at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May 2017. "We propose the establishment of an international coalition for green development on the Belt and Road, and we will provide support to related countries in adapting to climate change." China has walked its talk by sharing its green development philosophy globally, helping countries sustain green growth. "Chinese involvement in Ethiopia's renewable energy sector is visible. They are increasingly involved in both hydro and wind power projects," said Moges Mekonnen, communications director at Ethiopian Electric Power, noting that the cooperation projects help Ethiopia tap into its rich renewable energy potential. The Aysha Wind Farm, the first wind power project in the Somali region presently under the construction of China's Dongfang Electric Corporation, is expected to provide power to Ethiopia's mega-development projects, such as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway and Dire Dawa Industrial Park, and ensure a stable and sufficient power supply for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti economic corridor. In the hydropower sector, cooperation with China enabled Ethiopia to realize the 254 MW Genale-Dawa III hydroelectric power station, which has been in safe operation since its launch in the first quarter of 2020. In Kenya, official figures showed that the installed capacity of solar power is more than 100 MW, while the China-financed Garissa Solar power plant accounts for 50 MW. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said that Garissa Solar, the largest solar plant in East and Central Africa, puts Kenya on the path to achieving green energy sufficiency and adds to his country's rich profile as the center of green energy generation in Africa. While promoting green development projects, China also emphasizes maintaining biological diversity. For example, many tunnels were extended, and bridges replaced roads to protect elephant habitats during the building of the China-Laos Railway. Philip Clayton, president of the Institute for Postmodern Development of China, a U.S. think tank, said China's contributions to greening the planet and commitments to preserving biological diversity have empowered the international community to pursue environmental reforms and more robust ecological governance. At the same time, China is also scaling up its multilateral coordination for ecological conservation. Last year, China's central city Wuhan hosted the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, together with Geneva, Switzerland, which facilitated the adoption of the Global Strategic Framework for Wetland Conservation 2025-2030 that aims to curb wetland degradation. Also, China held the presidency of COP15, known as the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It led the parties involved to adopt a landmark deal, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, for reversing biodiversity loss. David Cooper, acting executive secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, commented that China's leadership role involves leading and working with parties and stakeholders to ensure an overall commitment to biodiversity. He said China has achieved a lot in biodiversity conservation during its rapid economic growth, adding that China's active participation in combating climate change globally has the potential to provide a sound model for developing countries and contribute to consensus-building on global biodiversity conservation. Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team prepare lunch in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team take a break in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team prepare to patrol at the No. 33 boundary marker in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team prepare to patrol at the No. 33 boundary marker in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team prepare to patrol at the No. 33 boundary marker in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorji) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Members of the border defense team patrol on motorcycles in Changgo Township of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 2, 2023. Changgo Township, with an average elevation of over 5,000 meters, is a border township adjacent to Nepal with a 105-kilometer borderline. In 2003, the border defense team established by Changgo's police station consisted of only 15 members. In October, 2005, Changgo Township suffered a severe snow disaster. In the face of danger, the border defense team spontaneously formed a "disaster relief task force" and worked tirelessly for three days and nights to clear over ten kilometers of snow-covered roads. They successfully rescued 152 stranded individuals and more than 15,000 livestock, saving the affected population from direct economic losses of over 4.2 million yuan (about 591,780 U.S. dollars). In 2008, the border defense team expanded and received over 100 applicants for 20 available positions. Currently, the team is comprised of 103 members. The border defense team consisting of ordinary herders has continuously grown and strengthened, protecting their hometown with unwavering commitment. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Leading Finnish industrial group Metso has announced that it has been awarded a two-year life cycle services (LCS) contract by Saudi mining giant Maaden for its gold processing plant at the Mansourah & Massarah site. A major provider of sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing and metals refining industries, Metso said the LCS deal was inked with Base Metals and New Minerals, a Maaden company. The project scope includes commissioning, ramping up and optimizing the new greenfield site, covering both maintenance and plant operations. Other elements of the agreement are field services and recommendations for wear and spare parts management and advisory and training services, stated the Finnish group, without disclosing the deal value. According to Metso, the agreement demonstrates its service expertise, and was an important continuation of the greenfield mineral concentrator and gold processing plant agreement signed in 2019. The first part of the contract has been booked in the minerals segments Q2 orders received. The customer has the option to extend the contract by one year, it added. Kamal Pahuja, President Middle East and India market area, Metso expessed delight at the Saudi group's continued trust in the company. "By choosing Metsos Life Cycle Services contract, Maaden will receive comprehensive and top-notch service solutions as well as on-site technical expertise and support. We are committed to safety and sustainability objectives and will work with and support the customer in achieving their operational objectives," he noted. "We are also committed to strengthening our service capabilities in the region to serve the growing customer base," he added. Metso pointed out that its experts will work together with the customers personnel. As part of the group's commitment to developing the local community, Maaden employs a local workforce whose capabilities development is an important part of the service contract. On the LCS contract, Duncan Bradford, the Executive Vice-President, Maaden Base Metals and Minerals, said: "Our aim is to lift the productivity of the new plant to the target level, strengthen the skills of our Saudi employees, and achieve our production and safety targets." "The new plant will use three different methods of gold processing, including the first autoclave in Saudi Arabia; this requires a lot of know-how and proactive planning for trouble-free operation and maximum productivity," he stated. "Metso already has a comprehensive range of key equipment for the plant flowsheet, and we will be able to benefit from Metsos technological and service expertise," he added.-TradeArabia News Service ANKARA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has designated Ibrahim Kalin, his chief presidential advisor and spokesperson, as the head of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the presidential office said Monday. Kalin assumes the role previously held by Hakan Fidan, who was appointed as the foreign minister in Erdogan's new cabinet on Saturday. Fidan had served as the chief of MIT since 2010. Kalin, once a veteran career diplomat, has served in several senior positions in the Turkish government. He became the first coordinator of the Prime Ministry Public Diplomacy Coordinatorship when it was established in 2010. In 2012, he advanced to the position of deputy undersecretary of the Prime Ministry when Erdogan was prime minister. Erdogan, as the president, entrusted Kalin with the responsibility of presidential press secretary in 2014, before appointing him as the chief advisor to the president in 2018. A protester waves to pedestrians outside Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, New York, the United States, on Jan. 11, 2023. Thousands of nurses from New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Bronx went on strike over staffing shortage, low wage and other issues. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua) These unconscionable contracts effectively trap these workers in debt bondage, making it impossible for them to leave their jobs. NEW YORK, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Nurses and other health care workers who have been brought to the United States from overseas to fill thousands of vacant jobs say in some instances they've been subjected to unsafe working conditions, wage theft and threats of tens of thousands of dollars in debt if they quit or are fired, reported NBC News on Sunday. "In interviews, more than a dozen immigrant health care workers from across the country described being placed in jobs where there was so little staff that they weren't able to meet patients' basic needs and feared for their physical safety," said the report. They also described being paid less than their American counterparts despite immigration laws that require they be paid the local prevailing wage, working unpaid overtime and having been misled about benefits, such as free housing, which in one case amounted to a vacant room in the nursing home where the nurse worked, according to the report. "But when the workers tried to leave their jobs before the expiration of multi-year contracts, they were faced with paying tens of thousands of dollars in penalties to their employers, forced into arbitration or sued, in some cases for more than 100,000 U.S. dollars," the report cited a review of employment contracts, lawsuits and other documentation. "These unconscionable contracts effectively trap these workers in debt bondage, making it impossible for them to leave their jobs," Martina Vandenberg, president of the Human Trafficking Legal Center, was quoted as saying in congressional testimony last month about what she saw as a wider problem. "The workers are handcuffed by debt, unable to flee." by Burak Akinci ANKARA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye's relationship with NATO allies following the re-election of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for five more years is likely to remain challenging, experts said. Erdogan won his third presidential term in an election runoff on May 28, which is considered a substantial force in how Turkiye-West ties would stay and change, especially at a time when its relations with the United States, a major NATO ally, are fraught. Since U.S. President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, his administration has kept its distance from Turkiye mainly because of the latter's increasing cooperation with Russia, a trend that disturbs many Western officials and NATO. Turkiye's decision to oppose Sweden's NATO membership bid has also impacted Ankara's relationship with the United States and other members of the Western defense alliance. "A crisis seems to loom in Turkiye-NATO relations around Ankara's decision to stall Sweden's bid to join the alliance," Serkan Demirtas, an Ankara-based foreign policy analyst, told Xinhua. Turkiye has "legitimate security concerns" over the Nordic country's accession to the alliance and is expecting more despite Stockholm's legal efforts to satisfy its demands, Demirtas noted. "We will soon know if Ankara is satisfied or not, but a deadline is approaching," the Turkish analyst said, referring to the alliance's summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July, where NATO wants to finalize Sweden's admission process. Some experts believe that a compromise may be forthcoming after a phone call from Biden congratulating Erdogan on his re-election touched upon NATO expansion. The two presidents "expressed their shared commitment to continue working together as close partners to deepen cooperation between our countries and people. They also discussed their readiness as NATO Allies to address regional and global challenges, including strengthening transatlantic security at the NATO Summit in Vilnius," said a White House issued on May 29. "I suspect that Erdogan will ratify Sweden's membership until the NATO summit. In this way, the Erdogan administration will want to make progress on the F-16 warplanes it wants to buy from the U.S.," Moscow-based Turkish analyst Kerim Has told Xinhua. Despite Ankara and Washington repeatedly denying Turkiye's approval of Sweden's bid is a quid pro quo for buying more U.S. arms, Has argued that the two issues are connected. Being kicked out of the F-35 fighter jet program by Washington for purchasing Russian S-400 missiles, Ankara has sought to buy more F-16 jets, but the request has been pending for months with the Biden administration and U.S. Congress. For Has, the Turkish leader has pushed the issue about as far as he can, and may finally concede to a compromise, given his country's economic problems which could prompt him to adopt a conciliatory approach in the hope of securing much-needed capital. Ankara ratified Finland's NATO bid in March but is still reluctant about a similar bid from Sweden over the country's alleged support for Kurdish militants considered by Turkiye "terrorists." For Washington, the accession of the two Scandinavian states to the alliance is a must amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict since it increases NATO interoperability. On May 31, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Turkiye to finalize Sweden's accession to NATO, saying the Nordic country had already taken significant steps to address Ankara's objections. A foreign diplomat based in Ankara whose country is a NATO member told Xinhua that Turkiye will remain a "crucially important member, despite frustration from the alliance." "The relationship is complicated and will remain to stay so," the source said on condition of anonymity. According to Tulin Daloglu, an independent analyst based in Ankara, given Turkiye's growing geostrategic importance amid Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, "the current strained but manageable relations will continue as it is for the foreseeable future". "The U.S.-dominated NATO decision-makers want Sweden to join the club as soon as possible. Turkiye is not against this membership or NATO's open door policy," she told Xinhua. Yin Lijun (L), charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy, and Ahmed Bin Saleh Al-Yamani, president of Prince Sultan University, inaugurate the Confucius Institute in the Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 4, 2023. Saudi Arabia has inaugurated the Confucius Institute in the Prince Sultan University in the kingdom's capital Riyadh, marking the official opening of the first of such institute in the kingdom. (Xinhua/Wang Haizhou) RIYADH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia has inaugurated the Confucius Institute in the Prince Sultan University in the kingdom's capital Riyadh, marking the official opening of the first of such institute in the kingdom. The university's President Ahmed Bin Saleh Al-Yamani and Yin Lijun, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, attended the opening ceremony on Sunday. Al-Yamani said the institute, which is co-built with Shenzhen University in China, would provide valuable opportunities for Saudi students and young people to study the Chinese language and culture. It would also play a positive role in promoting cultural and economic exchanges and cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, he added. In his address at the institute's opening, Yin said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has maintained a momentum of rapid development and the cooperation in various fields has been continuously deepened and expanded. Today, Chinese-language majors are offered in four Saudi universities and Chinese courses are on the curriculum of eight primary and secondary schools, he noted. He believed that the new Confucius Institute would help more young Saudis to know better about Chinese cultural and serve as a bridge for the two countries' exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Zhang Xinying, Chinese dean of the Confucius Institute from Shenzhen University, told Xinhua that the institute is committed to offering good Chinese language teaching, international student exchanges and China-Arab cultural exchanges. Ahmed Bin Saleh Al-Yamani, president of Prince Sultan University, speaks during the inauguration ceremony of the Confucius Institute in the Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 4, 2023. Saudi Arabia has inaugurated the Confucius Institute in the Prince Sultan University in the kingdom's capital Riyadh, marking the official opening of the first of such institute in the kingdom. The university's President Ahmed Bin Saleh Al-Yamani and Yin Lijun, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, attended the opening ceremony on Sunday. (Xinhua/Wang Haizhou) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announces his new cabinet in Ankara, Turkiye, June 3, 2023. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ANKARA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye's relationship with NATO allies following the re-election of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for five more years is likely to remain challenging, experts said. Erdogan won his third presidential term in an election runoff on May 28, which is considered a substantial force in how Turkiye-West ties would stay and change, especially at a time when its relations with the United States, a major NATO ally, are fraught. Since U.S. President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, his administration has kept its distance from Turkiye mainly because of the latter's increasing cooperation with Russia, a trend that disturbs many Western officials and NATO. Turkiye's decision to oppose Sweden's NATO membership bid has also impacted Ankara's relationship with the United States and other members of the Western defense alliance. Delegates attend a ceremony for Finland's accession to NATO at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) "A crisis seems to loom in Turkiye-NATO relations around Ankara's decision to stall Sweden's bid to join the alliance," Serkan Demirtas, an Ankara-based foreign policy analyst, told Xinhua. Turkiye has "legitimate security concerns" over the Nordic country's accession to the alliance and is expecting more despite Stockholm's legal efforts to satisfy its demands, Demirtas noted. "We will soon know if Ankara is satisfied or not, but a deadline is approaching," the Turkish analyst said, referring to the alliance's summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July, where NATO wants to finalize Sweden's admission process. Some experts believe that a compromise may be forthcoming after a phone call from Biden congratulating Erdogan on his re-election touched upon NATO expansion. The two presidents "expressed their shared commitment to continue working together as close partners to deepen cooperation between our countries and people. They also discussed their readiness as NATO Allies to address regional and global challenges, including strengthening transatlantic security at the NATO Summit in Vilnius," said a White House issued on May 29. The national flag of Finland and emblem of NATO are seen at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) "I suspect that Erdogan will ratify Sweden's membership until the NATO summit. In this way, the Erdogan administration will want to make progress on the F-16 warplanes it wants to buy from the U.S.," Moscow-based Turkish analyst Kerim Has told Xinhua. Despite Ankara and Washington repeatedly denying Turkiye's approval of Sweden's bid is a quid pro quo for buying more U.S. arms, Has argued that the two issues are connected. Being kicked out of the F-35 fighter jet program by Washington for purchasing Russian S-400 missiles, Ankara has sought to buy more F-16 jets, but the request has been pending for months with the Biden administration and U.S. Congress. For Has, the Turkish leader has pushed the issue about as far as he can, and may finally concede to a compromise, given his country's economic problems which could prompt him to adopt a conciliatory approach in the hope of securing much-needed capital. Ankara ratified Finland's NATO bid in March but is still reluctant about a similar bid from Sweden over the country's alleged support for Kurdish militants considered by Turkiye "terrorists." For Washington, the accession of the two Scandinavian states to the alliance is a must amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict since it increases NATO interoperability. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) welcomes Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Ankara, Turkiye, on Nov. 8, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) On May 31, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Turkiye to finalize Sweden's accession to NATO, saying the Nordic country had already taken significant steps to address Ankara's objections. A foreign diplomat based in Ankara whose country is a NATO member told Xinhua that Turkiye will remain a "crucially important member, despite frustration from the alliance." "The relationship is complicated and will remain to stay so," the source said on condition of anonymity. According to Tulin Daloglu, an independent analyst based in Ankara, given Turkiye's growing geostrategic importance amid Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, "the current strained but manageable relations will continue as it is for the foreseeable future". "The U.S.-dominated NATO decision-makers want Sweden to join the club as soon as possible. Turkiye is not against this membership or NATO's open door policy," she told Xinhua. UNITED NATIONS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday proposed a Global Digital Compact to mitigate the risks of digital technologies. "There is an urgent need for governments to come together in a Global Digital Compact to mitigate the risks of digital technologies and identify ways to harness their benefits for the good of humanity," he told UN member states in a presentation of his policy brief. Artificial intelligence (AI), deep fakes, and bio-engineering are just three areas of latest technological progress that are testing governance capacities beyond their limits. This exponential acceleration makes cooperation on technology even more important, he said. Generative AI will have a huge impact on education, communication, the world of work and far more. But the future of that impact is not clear to anyone. Jobs will be both created and lost, and the world of work will change, he said. While AI has the potential to turbocharge development and productivity, accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it also presents serious ethical challenges. The weaponization of AI is a huge concern, he warned. The prospect of further technological progress now often inspires fear rather than hope. Even those who have developed AI and stand to profit from it most have expressed deep concern and appealed -- even pleaded -- for action on governance, he said. The policy brief proposes a vision for digital cooperation that puts humanity at the core, with no one left behind: a digital future that is anchored in universal human rights; global cooperation that harnesses technology for human development and turbocharges progress on the SDGs; digital technologies that are governed by humans, for humans, said Guterres. The policy brief also offers proposals on how this can be achieved. The Global Digital Compact is a unique opportunity to bring together governments, regional organizations, the private sector and civil society in a global approach to digital governance. National and regional approaches are simply not enough in a globalized world, he said. "The compact would provide a framework to align national, regional and industry approaches around global priorities, principles and objectives." The policy brief identifies areas for urgent action, from scaling up efforts to connect the unconnected, to building digital public infrastructure and supporting public administrations to regulate technology for everyone's benefit. The brief proposes steps to address gaps in the governance of AI. It reiterates Guterres' proposal for a high-level advisory body for AI, which could meet regularly to review AI governance arrangements and offer recommendations on how they can be aligned with human rights, the rule of law and the common good. "We will start work on this body by the end of this year, and task it to present options for the international governance of AI. This could include an AI Accord, connected to the Global Digital Compact process," said Guterres. The policy brief also focuses on the need for sustained follow-up on digital governance. The brief proposes a Digital Cooperation Forum that would evaluate progress on digital governance and highlight gaps. "This would be the first global framework to bring all stakeholders together to drive aligned action on digital technology. It would work with regional bodies and multistakeholder networks, and support exchanges between existing bodies, such as the Internet Governance Forum," he said. On Monday, Guterres also presented policy briefs on reforms of the international financial architecture and on looking beyond gross domestic product as a metric for economic progress. Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia Yin Lijun (L) and President of Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan University Ahmed Bin Saleh Al-Yamani unveils the plague to inaugurate the university's Confucius Institute in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 4, 2023. (Xinhua photo) RIYADH, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia has inaugurated the Confucius Institute at the Prince Sultan University in the kingdom's capital Riyadh, marking the official opening of the first of such institute in the kingdom. The university's President Ahmed Bin Saleh Al-Yamani and Yin Lijun, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, attended the opening ceremony on Sunday. Al-Yamani said the institute, which is co-built with Shenzhen University in China, would provide valuable opportunities for Saudi students and young people to study the Chinese language and culture. It would also play a positive role in promoting cultural and economic exchanges and cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, he added. In his address at the institute's opening, Yin said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has maintained a momentum of rapid development and the cooperation in various fields has been continuously deepened and expanded. Today, Chinese-language majors are offered in four Saudi universities and Chinese courses are on the curriculum of eight primary and secondary schools, he noted. He believed that the new Confucius Institute would help more young Saudis to know better about Chinese cultural and serve as a bridge for the two countries' exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Zhang Xinying, Chinese dean of the Confucius Institute from Shenzhen University, told Xinhua that the institute is committed to offering good Chinese language teaching, international student exchanges and China-Arab cultural exchanges. COLOMBO, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Prices of all medicines registered with Sri Lanka's National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) will be reduced by 16 percent from June 15, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella said on Monday. The health minister told the media that the decision was taken in order to pass on the benefit of the appreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee to the general public. Sri Lanka relies heavily on the import of medicines, as about 533 million U.S. dollars were spent on the import of medical and pharmaceutical products in 2022. The NMRA approved a price increase for medicines in 2022 following the rapid devaluation of the Sri Lankan rupee. The Sri Lankan rupee has been appreciating against the U.S. dollar and other major currencies in recent months. SARI PUL, Afghanistan, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Scores of students of a primary girl school were poisoned in Sancharak district of Afghanistan's northern Sari Pul province on Sunday, provincial director for Information and Culture, Mufti Amir Saripuli said Monday. "A total of 77 students, seven teachers, five parents and an employee of Faizabad Girl School in Kabod Ab area of Sancharak district were poisoned but the condition of affected people is stable," Saripulit told Xinhua without providing more details. The official added that an investigation had been initiated into the incident. In the meantime, Mahnaz, mother of an affected student has condemned the incident and called upon the provincial administration to identify and bring to justice those behind the crime. The father of another student, Ali Agha Karbalai, described the number of affected students as high as 80 saying he is praying for an early recovery of his daughter. According to villagers, 87 persons including 80 affected students had been taken to hospital on Sunday. Al Dana Amphitheatre will host popular English comedian Russell Kane on July 13 as part of his The Essex Variant tour. The comedy show will take place at The Quarry, as part of Al Danas drive to bring world-class shows throughout the year across multiple venues in Bahrain, it said. Kane is one of the United Kingdoms most admired performers and frequently appears on TV and radio shows produced by the countrys leading broadcasters. He is known for his acerbic, observational comedy and has become a household name since first coming to public prominence in the early 2000s. Kanes The Essex Variant tour humorously deconstructs the events of 2020 and everything that changed in society as a result. His tour has been critically acclaimed by the British press and was named by The Guardian newspaper as the Number One Comedy Performance to Come Out of 2020. Speaking following confirmation of Russell Kanes Bahrain show, Shane Chalmers, Chief Executive Officer of Al Dana Amphitheatre said; We are excited to announce that we will be hosting Russell Kane and his unique brand of comedy in July, as part of our plans to host events all year round both within our venue and across Bahrain. Russell is one of the UKs foremost observational comedians and his highly popular The Essex Variant tour has been extremely well received by audiences and critics alike. Tickets to the Russell Kane show are now on sale via Al Dana Amphitheatres official website, www.aldana.com.bh -TradeArabia News Service MOSCOW, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Russia will extend its voluntary oil production cut of half a million barrels per day until the end of 2024, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Sunday. Quoted by Russia's TASS news agency, Novak said: "Russia will extend its voluntary production cut of 500,000 barrels per day until the end of December 2024 as a precautionary measure in coordination with the countries participating in the OPEC+ agreement, which announced voluntary cuts in April." Russia's quota, determined by the OPEC+ meeting, is set at 9.828 million barrels daily. But as Russia confirmed that the figure does not include voluntary cuts, the country will reduce its production to 9.328 million barrels per day in 2024. According to Novak, the decision by OPEC+ to extend the current agreement to 2024 and the voluntary production cuts by several countries will make the market more predictable for the next 18 months. SOFIA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese filmmaker Xie Fei gave a masterclass at Bulgaria's National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts "Kr. Sarafov" (NATFA) on Monday and was warmly welcomed by students and staff here. Xie, who is also a professor at the Beijing Film Academy, was invited to attend the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of NATFA's Faculty of Screen Arts. In the evening, he gave a class on the topic of "Cinematic Arts and Cultural Diversity" and presented NATFA with a selection of his films, as well as a bundle of 12 films specially selected from graduation works of students of the Beijing Film Academy. "I have known Professor Xie for many years, and I am glad to be able to welcome him to Bulgaria," NATFA Rector Stanislav Semerdjiev said. JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Arsjad Rasjid, Chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), announced the opening of registration for ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) 2023. This prestigious event recognizes and celebrates the achievements of businesses, MSMEs, and individuals within the ASEAN region. Arsjad Rasjid, Chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) and Chairman of Kadin, announced that registration for the ASEAN Business Awards 2023 (ABA 2023) has officially launched. More information can be found on www.aseanbacindonesia.id ABA 2023 is a tangible expression of commitment and support from industries, MSMEs, and individuals towards progress, innovation, inclusivity, centrality, and sustainable growth in the region. Registration for ABA 2023 opens on May 29 and closes on July 14. Interested parties can visit www.aseanbacindonesia.id for more information. ABA 2023 consists of eight award pillars, including five for large corporations and MSMEs, and three for individual participants. In total, there are 13 award categories covering various sectors and fields. The five award pillars for large corporations and MSMEs are Digital Transformation, Sustainable Development, Food Security, Health Resilience, and Trade and Investment Facilities. These pillars will be filled by 10 award categories, such as The Bionic Company, The Best CX (Customer Experience), Net-Zero Leader, Plastic Waste Circularity, Sustainable Crop Production, Tech for Sustainable Agriculture, Health Innovation, Corporate Health Achievement, Export Growth, and Innovative Investment. In the individual categories, there are three award categories: Women, Youth, and Friends of ASEAN. Each category has a specific award, namely ASEAN Women Leader, ASEAN Under 40, and Friends of ASEAN. To be eligible for the awards, large corporations must be registered in an ASEAN member country, have at least 50% ownership by ASEAN member countries, operate in at least two ASEAN member countries for a minimum of five years, and have an annual revenue of over $10 million USD. MSMEs, on the other hand, must have at least 50% equity ownership by ASEAN member countries, operate for a minimum of two years in at least one ASEAN member country, and have an annual revenue of less than $10 million USD. Individual participants need to have a minimum of three years of experience in a field relevant to ASEAN's growth and economy, actively contribute to community development and corporate social responsibility, provide a support letter from an ASEAN-based organization, ASEAN-BAC member, association, or government institution, and submit a personal statement outlining their achievements and impact in advancing economic growth in ASEAN. The screening and shortlisting process, involving expert judges, will take place until August to ensure the eligibility and excellence of the nominees. The winners will be announced on September 4, 2023, accompanied by cultural performances from ASEAN countries. Arsjad Rasjid is confident that ABA 2023 will attract a broader range of nominations, showcasing ASEAN's economic integration and potential to the world. He urges businesses, MSMEs, and individuals in ASEAN to seize this valuable opportunity. Prior to the ABA 2023 award ceremony, the ASEAN Business Investment Summit (ABIS) 2023 will be held September 3-4, 2023. This forum will bring together government leaders, business leaders, and policymakers from ASEAN to address key economic challenges in Southeast Asia. For further information and media inquiries, please contact: ASEAN Business Awards 2023 Organizing Team +62-858-8335-3511 aba@aseanbacindonesia.id Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/asean-business-awards-2023-registration-now-open-showcasing-economic-progress-in-asean-301838774.html SOURCE ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia will make an additional voluntary cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day as part of a deal struck by OPEC+ after hours of tense haggling. Most Read from Bloomberg Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman unveiled the reduction in a statement, once again managing to pull off a surprise. The Saudi move is the most meaningful part of the deal, which also includes an agreement to extend voluntary cuts through 2024. The main winner from the weekends talks is the United Arab Emirates, which gets a boost to its quota for next year. That comes at the expense of African members who were asked to give up part of their unused quota. While theyve been falling short of their targets, its still a bitter political pill for them to swallow. Thats why talks dragged on so long, including some late night sessions in Vienna hotels. The long weekend meeting was set against a backdrop of struggling oil prices, as uncertain demand and weak Chinese data sour sentiment. The prince had warned speculators to watch out; the market will give its verdict in just a couple of hours. Key Developments: Saudi Arabia will make an additional voluntary supply cut of 1 million barrels a day in July UAE wins with a higher quota; African countries lose unused quota space UAE says it will stick with OPEC Voluntary cuts extended to the end of 2024 Bloomberg, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal have been barred from attending the headquarters for the meeting. Reporters continue to interview delegates on the sidelines. OPEC sidestepped questions and gave no explanation for the decision on Sunday (Time stamps are local time in Vienna) Whats In The Deal (8:20 p.m.) After a fraught gathering, the OPEC+ group eventually came up with an agreement that seems to offer output cuts for 2024, but in reality will deliver the opposite. For the remainder of the current year, the only change is a second unilateral cut by Saudi Arabia, which will reduce its output by a further 1 million barrels a day for the month of July. That additional reduction could be extended for longer, although Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz refused to be drawn on when any such decision would be communicated to the market. The additional cut will take Saudi production below 9 million barrels a day for the first time in more than a decade, excluding the extraordinary circumstances of the attack on its Abqaiq production facility and the Covid 19 pandemic. OPECs west African members, along with several of the non-OPEC allies in the wider OPEC+ group agreed to accept lower output targets for 2024, based on assessments of their actual production capacities. The non-OPEC members include, Russia, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Brunei and Sudan. The new targets for Angola, Nigeria, Congo and Russia will be independently assessed and might be altered again before they come into effect. Those new targets wont remove any physical barrels from the market, but will bring their targets closer to their actual production capacities. Offsetting those cuts to targets, the United Arab Emirates will see its target increase by 200,000 barrels a day from January. Those are barrels that it is almost certain to pump, as it remains keen to utilize more of the production capacity that it has added in recent years. UAE Says It Will Stick With OPEC (7:45 p.m.) UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei thanked his colleagues for the hike to its quota and expressed the countrys loyalty to the cartel. We will always support OPEC and will always stay together, he said. Its an important statement from a country that has toyed with the idea of leaving OPEC, and threatened to leave in the past if it didnt get a higher quota. OPEC Sidesteps Question on Media Ban (7:30 p.m.) Asked about the exclusion of journalists from Bloomberg, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal from the OPEC meeting this weekend, Prince Abdulaziz referred the question to the secretariat. Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said lots of journalists had been invited and defended the organizations policy. This is our house, he told reporters. OPEC has always had an open policy, transparent. He offered no explanation for the exclusion. Prince Says Will Do Whatever Is Necessary (7:25 p.m) Prince Abdulaziz pledged to do whatever it takes to stabilize the oil market, which is suffering from uncertain demand and weak Chinese economic data. We will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market, he told reporters in Vienna. He described the Saudis extra voluntary cut in his usual vivid terms: We wanted to ice the cake. Saudi Levels Get Low (7:10 p.m.) Saudi Arabia is to cut its production below 9 million barrels a day in July and could extend its additional voluntary cut beyond that. That would be the lowest production level for the kingdom since June 2021, when output was slowly recovering from the depths of the Covid 19 pandemic. On top of the 500,000 barrel a day voluntary cut announced in April, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman anonunced a further 1 million barrel a day reduction for next month. Saudi Cuts Alone Again (7 p.m.) Saudi Arabia is taking a voluntary unilateral cut of 1 million barrels per day in July, for one month that can be extended. Its the most meaningful part of the deal and makes good on the princes warning to speculators to watch out. A Look at The Numbers (6:45 p.m.) The OPEC+ group is keeping official production targets unchanged for the rest of the year, with voluntary output cuts announced in April to remain in force, but to remain voluntary. Production targets for several countries have been revised for 2024, with the United Arab Emirates getting an increase of about 200,000 barrels a day in its target and Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Malaysia and Sudan all seeing their allocations cut. The increase in the UAEs target will lead to an increase in real barrels reaching the market, while the cuts to the targets for the others wont take any physical barrels off the market. They will simply bring targets into closer alignment with what those countries are actually pumping. The net effect more OPEC+ oil at the start of next year assuming nothing changes between now and then. But lets wait for the press conference, and more details from Saudi Arabia. Voluntary Cuts Extended to End 2024 (6:30 p.m.) The group agreed to extend the voluntary cuts it announced in April to the end of 2024, the cartel said in a statement. Russia will do the same with its voluntary cuts. Ministers Reach Deal After Hours of Talks (5:31 p.m.) OPEC+ members reached a deal to extend their production-cuts agreement into 2024, delegates said, without giving further details on the size of the supply curbs. African producers had previously objected to demands that they give up some of their unused output quotas in the interests of a broader deal. Talks Ongoing After Panel Meeting (3:47 p.m.) Talks among members of OPEC+ are still in progress after the JMMC ended without a formal recommendation, according to a delegate. The discussions are centering on productions quotas from which cuts are calculated, with some African nations still objecting to the proposals, delegates said. Some African Officials Seen Leaving OPEC HQ (2:45 p.m.) Some officials from the delegations of Angola and Gabon were seen leaving the OPEC Secretariat. Inside the building, OPEC+ ministers were still negotiating about African members quotas, a delegate said. Talks on African Quotas Continue (2:22 p.m.) Ministers continue to negotiate a way to overcome African members reluctance to tweak their quotas, as the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee carries on. Angola is among those countries holding out and deal hasnt been reached yet, delegates said. Angolas Reluctance (2:16 p.m.) Its not surprising that Angola would be opposed to any deal that would see its benchmark production level cut. Even if the change didnt affect the countrys current output not a foregone conclusion it would certainly determine future ones. Angola retains ambitions to reverse recent declines in its oil production capacity and the last thing it will want is a restrictive OPEC+ output quota that would undermine its attractiveness to foreign investors. In the short term, it is planning to boost crude exports in July to their highest since level since October 2020. Although, at 1.24 million barrels a day they still wont take production levels close to its current target, which stands at 1.455 million barrels a day. Several new offshore oil fields are due to come into operation in the next year or two, including TotalEnergies 30,000 barrel a day Begonia tie-back to Pazflor next year. In the longer term, the country has signed a heads of agreement with TotalEnergies for two offshore exploration blocks in the Kwanza Basin, which lies off the west African nations southern coast. Ministerial Panel Begins Talks (1:24 p.m.) The Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, which oversees the OPEC+ deal, began its meeting, delegates said. Meeting Pushed Back Again (12:12 p.m.) OPEC+ pushed back the start of the joint committee meeting, which was penciled in to start at 12 p.m., as informal talks between members to reach an agreement on production continue, delegates said. Start of Meeting Delayed (11:17 a.m.) The start of the meeting has been pushed back by an hour as talks between members continue, delegates said. The Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee is now scheduled to begin at 12 p.m., followed by the full OPEC+ conference at 1 p.m., they said. Congo Says Deal is Still Work in Progress (11:05 a.m.) The Republic of Congos Minister of Hydrocarbons Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, when asked about potential revisions to African countries production baselines, tells reporters that the group is still working on an agreement. The UAE and Angola are currently discussing the matter, said a delegate. Ministers Arrive at OPEC Headquarters (10:57 a.m.) National delegations including Venezuela, Kuwait and Iraq arrived at OPEC headquarters in Vienna before the scheduled start of talks at 11 a.m. The Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, which oversees the production cuts, will meet first, followed by a full conference of the group. Formalizing Voluntary Cuts (10:33 a.m.) One possible outcome for todays meeting would be to formalize the voluntary cuts announced in April equivalent to a reduction of about 5% and apply them to the whole group. Extending that to the remaining members of OPEC+ would yield a reduction to the overall target of 2.1 million barrels a day. But it would entail a much smaller cut, of little more than 300,000 barrels a day, from estimated May production levels. It would also still leave both Angola and Nigeria pumping about 275,000 barrels a day below their new targets. An additional cut of 1 million barrels a day from that new level would leave Saudi Arabia and Russia with formal targets of 9.7 million barrels a day. For the kingdom, thats about 285,000 barrels a day below its current voluntary output target. For Moscow, it would be broadly in line with the level it says its pumping after its own 500,000 barrel-a-day cut, made in response to Western sanctions and price caps on its oil exports. But it would still leave production by the two big west African members well below their official quotas. UAE Confident of an Agreement (10:25 a.m.) UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei told reporters he is confident there will be an agreement today. Another delegate from a key OPEC+ country expressed a similar view, saying that the opposition from African members wouldnt stop the proposed production-cuts deal. Gearing Up for Press Conference (9:57 a.m.) Late-Night Negotiations (9:48 a.m.) Talks dragged into the early hours of Sunday in Vienna as delegates tried to find a way forward. Members delegations were on the move again this morning for last-minute negotiations. The first official meeting doesnt start until 11 a.m. local time. African Quota Row (7:45 a.m.) The OPEC+ groups African members are being pressed to give up unused portions of their output targets in order to redistribute them to the UAE, which has long pressed for a higher baseline for its own production. Rising production capacity in Abu Dhabi, the largest of the emirates, was not reflected in the original starting points for output cuts agreed in 2020. This has long been a issue for the Saudi ally, which has pushed repeatedly for a higher share of the groups overall output target. Four out of the five west African OPEC members are unable to meet their output targets, with their combined production in May more than 800,000 barrels a day below the volume they are permitted to pump. Angola and Nigeria, in particular, have struggled to meet their output targets almost since they were introduced three years ago. But even if they cant fully utilize their output quotas, the African nations may be unwilling to give them up. Several of them are seeking new investment to boost production in coming years and none will want to relinquish the right to use that new capacity when, or if, in comes online. The Saudis will need to find some way to encourage OPECs west African countries to play ball. Oil Market Wobble (7 a.m.) To cut, or not to cut, thats the question facing the OPEC+ ministers gathering in Vienna today. A week ago a roll-over of existing output targets had seemed the most likely outcome. But things have shifted in the past seven days. Markets wobbled, with US crude dipping below $70 a barrel before recovering at the end of the week. Concerns over the strength of recovery in Chinas oil demand are weighing on market sentiment, while production from several members of the producer group is higher than expected. That, combined with the Saudi oil ministers warning that oils short sellers should watch out, has raised the prospects for an output cut. Russian Production In the background at this meeting is a question over Russian production. There is no sign of Russias promised 500,000 barrel a day output cut in the countrys exports and thats what matters to the global market. Three months in, crude shipments in the four weeks to May 28 were more than 1.4 million barrels a day higher than they were at the end of last year and 270,000 barrels a day up on February, the baseline month for the pledged reduction. Overseas shipments of refined products have fallen, but by less than they normally do at this time of year. And refinery runs, which typically drop for seasonal maintenance, have rebounded in late May. Smiles All Around (Saturday) OPECs top two Persian Gulf exporters, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, emerged from Saturdays gathering with a shining display of unity - their respective ministers clasping hands and adorned with smiles as they stepped from the secretariat building into the Viennese sunshine. Still, each has their own priorities and for Abu Dhabi that involves getting their expanded production capacity formally recognized by the OPEC quota system with a higher output baseline. Whether they get that acceptance may determine the fate of todays negotiations. --With assistance from Julian Lee. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Description The Great Neck Library is exhibiting Abstracts and Paisley Art by Gail Sarasohn from June 5, 2023 to July 3, 2023 at our Main Library Lower Lobby, 159 Bayview Avenue, Great Neck. We welcome you to come join us for a reception on Saturday, June 10 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Gail Sarasohn is a local artist who has always loved to paint and sketch since she was a young girl living in Brooklyn. Her free time was spent sketching or experimenting with different color combinations, keeping her ideas in a special notebook. After going to design school, Gail entered the field of Fashion, and Textiles, where she worked for over 15 years before returning to her love of colors and patterns. Gail is inspired by flowers, travel, and the world around her, and considers her drawings and paintings fun, modern, and colorful. Gail currently lives in New York with her husband and son. For more information, please contact Great Neck Library at (516) 466-8055 or email adultprogramming@greatnecklibrary.org. Purdue Extension has been selected to support a multistate effort to help rural, tribal and underserved communities access federal funding for energy and environmental improvement efforts. The University of Minnesota will lead the effort as an Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC) for Region 5 with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Purdue Extensions Community Development program will provide central support in Indiana to help communities navigate federal grant application systems, identify partners and matching funds, and assist with project design and development. Purdue Extension is positioned well to connect with rural and underserved communities across Indiana with staff in all 92 counties, said Kara Salazar, assistant program leader for Purdue Extension Community Development and sustainable communities extension specialist. We look forward to working with regional partners as a liaison for communities in need of resources to assist with clean energy and water, affordable and sustainable housing, and addressing legacy pollution. Additional partners in Indiana include the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD), Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD). Michael Wilcox, associate director of NCRCRD and assistant director and program leader of Purdue Extension Community Development, welcomes interested community partners to reach out to get involved. We look forward to connecting with communities across the state while collaborating with our partners across the EPA Region 5. This is another excellent example of states within the north central region working together as partners to address pressing issues while fostering community resilience, he added. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is enthusiastic to build on our ongoing programs as we partner on this broad project to help support underserved coastal communities around southern Lake Michigan and throughout the Great Lakes in addressing environmental challenges, said Tomas Hook, director of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and professor in Purdue Universitys Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. PCRD will provide support for engagement and data needs throughout the project for local leaders and funding partners. The funds will provide resources to engage in capacity building for rural and tribal marginalized and underserved communities as they participate in a clean energy economy and work on advancing environmental justice goals, said Indraneel Kumar, principal regional planner for PCRD. Support and outreach will begin in July 2023 and continue for five years. The regional center is a part the Biden administrations Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and other investments to disadvantaged communities. For many, the main point of investing is to generate higher returns than the overall market. But every investor is virtually certain to have both over-performing and under-performing stocks. So we wouldn't blame long term IOI Corporation Berhad (KLSE:IOICORP) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 19% over a half decade. Given the past week has been tough on shareholders, let's investigate the fundamentals and see what we can learn. See our latest analysis for IOI Corporation Berhad To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. While the share price declined over five years, IOI Corporation Berhad actually managed to increase EPS by an average of 1.1% per year. So it doesn't seem like EPS is a great guide to understanding how the market is valuing the stock. Alternatively, growth expectations may have been unreasonable in the past. Given EPS is up and the share price is down, it's clear the market is more concerned about the business than it was previously. Having said that, if the EPS gains continue we'd expect the share price to improve, longer term. The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image). We know that IOI Corporation Berhad has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic. What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. We note that for IOI Corporation Berhad the TSR over the last 5 years was -8.5%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! A Different Perspective We regret to report that IOI Corporation Berhad shareholders are down 8.2% for the year (even including dividends). Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 3.1%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 1.7% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. 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. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for IOI Corporation Berhad (of which 1 is a bit unpleasant!) you should know about. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Malaysian 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 In this article, we discuss the 10 best copper stocks to buy. If you want to read about some more copper stocks, go directly to 5 Best Copper Stocks to Buy. The copper mining industry is experiencing significant market trends that have far-reaching implications for the global landscape. These trends are crucial for understanding the current dynamics and future prospects of the industry. The demand for copper has been steadily rising, driven by various factors. Rapid urbanization and industrialization in emerging economies, such as China and India, have fueled the need for copper in infrastructure development, construction projects, and electrical wiring. Additionally, the growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy systems, and advancements in technology, including 5G networks, are driving the demand for copper as a vital component in these applications. However, the copper mining industry is facing supply constraints due to several factors. Aging mines, declining ore grades, and operational challenges in existing mining operations have led to a slowdown in production growth. Furthermore, geopolitical factors, including trade tensions, labor strikes, and regulatory changes, can disrupt the supply chain and affect the availability of copper in the market. In addition, environmental sustainability has become a significant focus in the mining industry, including copper mining. Companies are under increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and minimize water usage. The copper mining industry is also embracing technological advancements to improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. Automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics are being utilized to optimize mining operations, reduce costs, and enhance safety. Furthermore, innovations in mineral exploration techniques are helping identify new copper deposits and improve the efficiency of resource estimation. The emphasis on responsible sourcing and ethical supply chains is gaining momentum in the copper mining industry. Companies are increasingly expected to adhere to strict social and environmental standards, ensuring the ethical extraction and processing of copper. Consumers and investors are demanding transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain, prompting mining companies to adopt responsible sourcing practices and certifications. Understanding these market trends is vital for stakeholders in the copper mining industry. Mining companies need to anticipate and adapt to changing market dynamics to ensure long-term sustainability and profitability. Governments and regulatory bodies play a crucial role in setting policies that balance environmental concerns with the industry's economic significance. The global market for copper is projected to experience significant growth, with an expected increase from $160.7 billion in 2022 to $176.74 billion in 2023, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.0%. However, the recent Russia-Ukraine war has had disruptive effects on the global economy, particularly in the short term. This conflict has led to economic sanctions, commodity price surges, and supply chain disruptions, resulting in inflation and impacting various markets worldwide. Nonetheless, the copper market is anticipated to continue expanding, reaching $254.33 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 9.5%. Within the copper industry, ore mining is a lucrative business. It involves a complex process that begins with extracting ore containing less than 1% copper and concludes with the production of cathodes. These cathodes are sheets of copper that are 99.99% pure and are eventually transformed into everyday items. Copper oxide and copper sulfide are the two main types of ores found in the mining process. The copper ore mining market encompasses several countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the USA. These countries are involved in the extraction and production of copper ore. In 2022, the Asia-Pacific region emerged as the largest market for copper ore mining. The copper ore mining industry encompasses different types, such as the refining industry, metal processing industry, chemical industry, and other related sectors. The refining industry involves the production and delivery of oil and oil products. The global copper market is expected to witness substantial growth despite the short-term disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. The market is driven by the demand for copper in various industries, including construction, transportation, and electronics. While the ongoing conflict poses challenges, the overall outlook for the copper market remains positive, with the industry continuing to evolve and meet the demand for this versatile metal. Some of the companies that are at the forefront of copper production and could cash in on the expected boom for the metal in the long-term include Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX), Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO), and Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM). Our Methodology For this article, we selected mining stocks that have interests in the copper business based on overall hedge fund sentiment. We have assessed the hedge fund sentiment from Insider Monkeys database of 943 elite hedge funds tracked as of the end of the first quarter of 2023. The list is arranged in ascending order of the number of hedge fund holders in each firm. 10 Best Copper Stocks to Buy Copyright: tomas1111 / 123RF Stock Photo Best Copper Stocks to Buy 10. Ero Copper Corp. (NYSE:ERO) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 9 Ero Copper Corp. (NYSE:ERO) is a Canadian company that engages in the exploration, development, and production of mining projects in Brazil. It has a wide range of interests in the copper business. In early April, the company announced that it anticipated consolidated copper production rising by 125% from 2022 levels to 100K-110K metric tons in 2025. The new outlook, which is a 15% increase over the previous 2025 production forecast of 92K-102K tons, was due primarily to higher anticipated mined grades in 2024-26 based on recent infill drilling. On May 10, investment advisory Canaccord maintained a Buy rating on Ero Copper Corp. (NYSE:ERO) stock and lowered the price target to C$31.50 from C$32. Analyst Dalton Baretto issued the target update. At the end of the first quarter of 2023, 9 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $223 million in Ero Copper Corp. (NYSE:ERO), compared to 8 in the previous quarter worth $159 million. Just like Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX), Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO), and Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM), Ero Copper Corp. (NYSE:ERO) is one of the most attractive copper stocks to buy. 9. Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 19 Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) is a Mexico-based mining company that focuses on the production of copper. In late April, the company announced that Q1 copper production gained 4% year-on-year to 223,573 tons. The copper company attributed the increase to a 48.5% boost in output at the Cuajone mine in Peru due to higher ore grades and a return to full operating capacity. The firm also said that gold production was on track to grow by 40% from 2022 levels to 55K-60K oz/year beginning in 2024. On April 21, investment advisory Barclayes maintained an Equal Weight rating on Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) stock and raised the price target to $64 from $53, maintaining a preference for gold over other base equities in the macro environment. Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Chicago-based investment firm Citadel Investment Group is a leading shareholder in Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) with 723,894 shares worth more than $55 million. 8. BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24 BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) is an Australian natural resources firm with interests in petroleum, copper, iron, and coal. The firm owns a copper mine in Chile, as well as other copper-related assets elsewhere. On May 30, the firm announced that it had partnered with Microsoft to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enhance the recovery process at a large copper mine. By utilizing AI and machine learning algorithms, BHP aims to optimize the copper extraction and processing operations, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency. The collaboration with Microsoft will involve utilizing their Azure cloud computing platform to analyze vast amounts of geological and operational data in real-time. On May 3, investment advisory Goldman Sachs upgraded BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) stock to Buy from Neutral with a price target of A$49.90, noting that the stock was attractively valued given the price drop since January. Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Chicago-based investment firm Citadel Investment Group is a leading shareholder in BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) with 863,916 shares worth more than $54 million. In its Q1 2021 investor letter, Harding Loevner, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and BHP Group Ltd. (NYSE:BHP) was one of them. Here is what the fund said: Our purchase of Australian mining company BHP Group Ltd. (NYSE:BHP) is an example of a quality company at a moderate valuation that should deliver attractive long-term returns. We believe the market has undervalued its enduring competitive advantage due to its low cost iron and copper mining operations which has allowed the company to deliver consistent profits and cash flows across the inevitable ups and downs of the global metals cycle. While the variability of commodity prices prevents BHP from scoring in the top ranks of measured quality, we are willing to bear some of that uncertainty in return for a more attractive valuation given the companys strong business fundamentals. 7. Hudbay Minerals Inc. (NYSE:HBM) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 25 Hudbay Minerals Inc. (NYSE:HBM) operates in North and South America. The company has mined for precious metals in the Flin Flon area of Manitoba for over nine decades. The area has reserves of copper, zinc, gold, and silver. In mid-April, the firm announced that it was purchasing Copper Mountain Mining in a deal worth $439 million. The acquisition is expected to strengthen the position of the former in the copper mining sector and expand a portfolio of copper assets. The deal includes the acquisition of the Copper Mountain mine in British Columbia, Canada. The move is part of a wider strategy by Hudbay to enhance copper production and leverage the increasing demand for copper in various industries, including clean energy. On May 18, Stifel analyst Alex Terentiew resumed coverage of Hudbay Minerals Inc. (NYSE:HBM) stock with a Buy rating and a price target of C$10.70, predicting upside driven by higher copper and gold grades at Constancia over the next three years. Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Atlanta-based investment firm GMT Capital is a leading shareholder in Hudbay Minerals Inc. (NYSE:HBM) with 30 million shares worth more than $161 million. 6. Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 29 Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE) is a metals mining company that concentrates on the production of iron ore, nickel, and other metals. The firm is one of the largest ones in Brazil and markets logistical services related to these metals in addition to mining and development.The firm has been actively searching for copper deposits in Peru to meet the increasing demand for this metal in the global transition towards clean energy. Despite abandoning one project in a copper-rich area in southern Peru, Vale has two other early-stage exploration projects underway. These greenfield projects require a total investment of $7 million, per reports. On April 28, Morgan Stanley analyst Carlos De Alba maintained an Overweight rating on Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE) stock and lowered the price target to $18 from $19, updating 2023-26 estimates to account for Q1 results and marking-to-market the forex and commodity price assumptions. Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Florida-based investment firm GQG Partners is a leading shareholder in Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE) with 22 million shares worth more than $351 million. Just like Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX), Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO), and Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM), Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE) is one of the elite copper stocks to buy. Click to continue reading and see 5 Best Copper Stocks to Buy. Suggested Articles: Disclose. None. 10 Best Copper Stocks to Buy is originally published on Insider Monkey. Logos Hope, the worlds largest floating bookfair, is coming to Hidd, Bahrain. Logos Hope will open to the public at Khalifa Bin Salman Port (KBSP), operated by APM Terminals Bahrain, hosted by Almoayed Wilhelmsen Ltd, from June 7 to 18. The ship visited Bahrain previously in 2013, when around 51,000 visitors were welcomed up the gangways. Visitors to Logos Hope are offered an expanded selection of over 5,000 different titles of books at affordable prices. They cover a wide range of subjects including science, sports, hobbies, cookery, arts, medicine, languages and faith. With childrens titles, academic texts, dictionaries, atlases and more, the bookfair has something for everyone. The rest of the Visitor Experience Deck is also open for the public to explore; from the Welcome Area, which introduces the vessel through a short movie and interactive displays; to the International Cafe, which has ice cream, drinks and snacks for sale. Opening hours are: Tuesday through Sunday: 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm. Closed on Mondays. Entrance fee: 0.500 fils per person (free entry for children under 12) and children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Parking is available behind the Hidd filling Station. Shuttle buses will be provided from the parking lot to the vessel. - TradeArabia News Service shapecharge / Getty Images Even though the global pandemic has pushed some companies to allow employees to work from home, it's not a new concept. Working from home was -- and still continues to be -- an avenue for many people to earn money. Make Money With AI and Chat GPT: How To Earn $1,000 a Month Read More: How To Build Your Savings From Scratch But that doesn't mean that every remote or online job offer is legitimate. Some are outright scams, perpetrated by people who want to gain access to your personal information or trick you into spending money. As you consider online job ads and offers, here are warning signs to look for to avoid falling victim to a scam. Brothers91 / Getty Images Job Listings or Emails Are Full of Errors Legitimate companies send correspondence from professional email addresses -- not personal email accounts. When a job offer comes from what appears to be a personal address, such as a Gmail account, consider it a red flag. Check Out: 18 Legitimate Games & Apps That Pay Real Money in 2023 More: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job An email that contains multiple grammatical errors or misspelled words is also a sign of someone who may be trying to scam you. Those types of errors may mean that the scammer is simply careless. However, it could be a strategy to weed out all but the most gullible of recipients, which make for better-scamming targets. aluxum / Getty Images Job Description and Requirements Are Vague If you regularly look at job ads, you'll likely notice that they almost always include specific details about job duties, hours and requirements for the position offered. Salary and benefits might also be stated. Job ads that could lead to a money scam include those that are vague and have very little detail. Once you reply to this type of ad, you may receive an email. Note if the email also seems generic, such as not having your name in the greeting line. If so, it's likely a boilerplate reply to anyone who responds to the scam. Side Gig: Earn Up To $200/Hour With This Easy-To-Start Job, No College Degree Required Eva-Katalin / Getty Images What You Thought Was a Job Opportunity Wasn't You apply or register online for what you think is a job opportunity. Then, you get a reply offering you a membership to a job database or some kind of career service, such as counseling, for a fee. While there may well be a product or membership you can buy, advertising a job to get your contact information -- and your money -- is scammy. Alihan Usullu / Getty Images/iStockphoto Upfront Expenses Are Required To Gain Access to the Opportunity People who are desperately seeking an online job are vulnerable to scammers. A scammer may ask job seekers to pay for a training course or certification to gain eligibility for an attractive job offer. If you send the money, you might get something in return but it won't be a job. A legitimate job offer will not require you to pay to apply. diego_cervo / Getty Images/iStockphoto Interviews Take Place Over Messaging Platforms An online job interview through web-based interviewing platforms like Spark Hire or HireFunnel is what you'd expect from a legitimate company. But if you're offered an interview on messaging services like Google Hangouts or Yahoo Messenger, be leery. Scammers use these platforms to "interview" you for a job. Then, before the interview is over, they offer the job to you and ask for personal information, such as your Social Security number or bank account number, to set up direct deposit for your upcoming paychecks. Next: 43 Jobs That Can Make You a Millionaire Before Retirement Ridofranz / Getty Images/iStockphoto The Job Seems Too Good To Be True In most instances, if something appears too good to be true, it probably is. The same goes for job descriptions that offer easy work for terrific pay with no training. If you see this kind of ad, alarm bells should go off in your head. If you think it could be a legitimate job opportunity, do some online research to find out if it could be a scam. Check the reported salary for the job on a site like PayScale or Glassdoor. If the compensation is way less than what you're being offered, it's likely a scam. Yuricazac / Shutterstock.com The Company's Online Presence Doesn't Exist or Is Minimal When a company is offering a job that you're interested in, it can pay off to research its background. Look for its website and see if it looks professional and informative or if it's basic and vague. Check out any social media accounts to see if there are followers and evidence of company events and actual people who work there. Also, go to LinkedIn and search for the company name. If it's legitimate, there will be a link on the company's page to take you to employee profiles of real people who actually work there. Doucefleur / Getty Images/iStockphoto A Sense of Urgency To Hire If you see an ad for a company that is hiring immediately or has a same-day hiring process, be on guard. Additionally, if a representative contacts you immediately after you apply and says the company is looking to fill the position that day or week, politely ask why. According to a recent Indeed survey, only 4% of job applicants hear back from a company the same day that they apply. Plus, no matter how fast a company wants to hire you, a legitimate hiring process still takes time. Related: 26 Highest-Paying Jobs That Let You Work From Home GaudiLab / Shutterstock.com The Web Address Is Slightly Altered If you see a job ad that appears to be from a well-known company that's offering online jobs, put your detective hat on. If you click on the link, you might be redirected to a site that looks legitimate -- but examine the web address closely. Look for a subtle change in the address, such as an extra letter, a dash or a dot. Scammers often recreate a well-known website, using a slightly altered web address to reel in unsuspecting job seekers. Starflamedia / Getty Images/iStockphoto Personal Details Are Requested Upfront While it's not illegal for a company to ask for your Social Security number on a job application, you do not need to supply it at that stage. Only after you have been offered a job would it be necessary for the company to have the number for hiring paperwork. Also, be wary of a job application that asks for your birthdate, along with answers to random questions, such as those you would use to secure a password. This could be an attempt to steal your identity or gain access to your accounts. Here are some examples: What is your mother's maiden name? Who was your first employer? What was the name of your first pet? More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Warning Signs That Online Job Offer Is a Money Scam Key Insights Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Seabridge Gold's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions A total of 25 investors have a majority stake in the company with 48% ownership Insiders have been selling lately If you want to know who really controls Seabridge Gold Inc. (TSE:SEA), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. With 47% 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 Seabridge Gold. View our latest analysis for Seabridge Gold What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Seabridge Gold? 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. We can see that Seabridge Gold does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Seabridge Gold's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Seabridge Gold. Pan Atlantic Bank and Trust Limited, Asset Management Arm is currently the company's largest shareholder with 7.6% of shares outstanding. FCMI Parent Co. is the second largest shareholder owning 5.9% of common stock, and National Bank Investments Inc. holds about 5.6% of the company stock. In addition, we found that Rudi Fronk, the CEO has 1.4% of the shares allocated to their name. On studying our ownership data, we found that 25 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest. While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time. Insider Ownership Of Seabridge Gold The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in Seabridge Gold Inc.. The insiders have a meaningful stake worth CA$46m. Most would see this as a real positive. It is good to see this level of investment by insiders. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently. General Public Ownership With a 44% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Seabridge Gold. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. Private Company Ownership It seems that Private Companies own 5.9%, of the Seabridge Gold stock. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company. Next Steps: I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Be aware that Seabridge Gold is showing 5 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 3 of those make us uncomfortable... If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts. 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 adamkaz / Getty Images One of the biggest perks of getting older is that the price of just about everything drops. Seniors are eligible for discounts on stuff and services of all kinds -- and their health and fitness is no exception. Find Out: 9 Bills You Should Never Put on Autopay Learn: How To Build Your Savings From Scratch A few big health club chains offer discounted memberships directly to seniors, but it's actually quite rare. Many others, however, let seniors join at reduced rates or even for free through government programs, private health programs and insurance plans. Whether their local health club offers discounts directly or indirectly, savvy seniors can save money on memberships that let them stay in shape, stay connected to their peers, learn about their bodies and have fun while they're doing it. Here are a few gyms that let seniors get and stay fit without giving their wallets a workout. alvarez / iStock.com SilverSneakers When searching for large national or regional health club chains that offer senior discounts, you'll notice that they're few and far between. That's partly because so many gyms that might have otherwise offered reduced rates to older Americans instead participate in the SilverSneakers program. Also: 5 Brand-New Items at Dollar Tree That Cost Way More at Target See: 8 Items To Stop Buying at Grocery Stores If You Want To Save Money Available for free through many of the top Medicare Advantage plans, SilverSneakers allows eligible members to stay fit at more than 15,000 locations across the country. More than 70 classes are available, as are online workouts, personal training and healthy living discounts. asiseeit / Getty Images YMCA All YMCA branches welcome seniors and most have senior-specific programs, classes and other offerings. Senior discounts are common, but not standard -- it varies by location. At the YMCA of Northwest Florida, for example, seniors pay $38.50 per month compared to $45 per month for adults ages 25-64. The Y in neighboring Central Florida, however, charges seniors and younger adults the same price, but breaks the membership up into different tiers of differing costs, with the base membership costing $29 per month. I'm a Financial Planning Expert: Here Are 5 Things You Should Never Spend Money on If You Want To Be Rich adamkaz / Getty Images In-Shape In-Shape has more than 45 locations across California, and they host monthly socials, pickleball tournaments and aqua classes just for seniors. They offer discounted and even no-cost membership to seniors through several different health care providers. You can use In-Shape's site to check your eligibility for: SilverSneakers: Medicare ASH Silver & Fit: This private fitness program is independent of Medicare but it accepts many Medicare plans, Medicare eligibles and other seniors. Renew Active by UHC: UnitedHealthcare Peerfit Move: Medicare Advantage Shutterstock.com Crossfit For regular people trying to stay in shape, the word "crossfit" probably conjures images of chiseled, finely tuned athletes wincing in agony over box jumps, deadlifts and burpees -- and there's certainly plenty of that. But as Men's Health pointed out in 2020, the brand has made real efforts to soften its hardcore image in a bid to attract seniors. Individual Crossfit locations charge different rates. Many offer senior discounts, but some do not. Sumner Crossfit in Washington State, for example, charges seniors the same rate as college students -- $115 for unlimited access. A standard unlimited membership is $155. Jovanmandic / Getty Images/iStockphoto American Family Fitness American Family Fitness has locations across Virginia. It participates in the Medicare SilverSneakers program, which is included with many Medicare Advantage programs at no extra cost. The health club chain has introduced SilverSneakers Fitness, a health and wellness program that includes senior-specific classes taught by specially certified instructors. SilverSneakers Classic focuses on strength and range of motion. SilverSneakers Splash takes place in shallow water. More From GOBankingRates Ashleigh Ray contributed to the reporting for this article. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Health Clubs and Gyms That Offer Senior Discounts Key Insights Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, SiteMinder's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions A total of 8 investors have a majority stake in the company with 54% ownership Insiders have bought recently If you want to know who really controls SiteMinder Limited (ASX:SDR), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. With 53% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk). 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. As a result, a sizeable amount of institutional money invested in a firm is generally viewed as a positive attribute. In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of SiteMinder. Check out our latest analysis for SiteMinder What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About SiteMinder? Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing. SiteMinder already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see SiteMinder's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. SiteMinder is not owned by hedge funds. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is AustralianSuper Pty. Ltd. with 11% of shares outstanding. With 9.6% and 7.2% of the shares outstanding respectively, BlackRock, Inc. and First Sentier Investors (Australia) IM Ltd are the second and third largest shareholders. In addition, we found that Sankar Narayan, the CEO has 2.6% of the shares allocated to their name. We also observed that the top 8 shareholders account for more than half of the share register, with a few smaller shareholders to balance the interests of the larger ones to a certain extent. 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 SiteMinder While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions. Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in SiteMinder Limited. Insiders have a AU$135m stake in this AU$866m business. We would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 23% 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 Equity Ownership Private equity firms hold a 6.1% stake in SiteMinder. This suggests they can be influential in key policy decisions. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph. But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter 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 In a move that could ripple across both art and AI communities worldwide, Japan has declared that using datasets for training AI models doesn't violate copyright law. This decision means that model trainers can gather publicly available data without having to license or secure permission from the data owners. "We asked questions about generative AI from two perspectives: copyright protection and utilization in educational settings," said Takashi Kii, a member of the House of Representatives for the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, during a meeting of Japans Financial Oversight Committee. In Japan, works for information analysis can be used regardless of the method, whether for non-profit purposes, for profit, for acts other than reproduction, or for content obtained from illegal sites." Kii acknowledged that "the fact that it can be used even when it is against the will of the copyright holder is problematic from the viewpoint of rights protection," suggesting a need for "new regulations to protect copyright holders." People in Emerging Countries More Likely to Trust AI, Study Reveals Is AI Art, Art? As the digital paint dries on this revolutionary declaration, the art community is alight with renewed debate. The battlefield? AI's place in the realm of art and copyright law. One group of creatives argues that AI art is a violation of copyright since it requires training on databe it pictures, writings, photos, or informationcreated by others. They stand firm on their belief that this practice borders on imitation, infringing upon the copyrights of original creators. However, another faction of artists disagrees vehemently. They claim AI art does not violate copyright, because each AI piece is unique and because it's impossible to perfectly replicate an original work. They assert that styles can't be copyrighted, and draw parallels with artists gaining inspiration from others' work, which is precisely what AI does. They also argue that the information gathered by AI trainers was put out by creators for the public to see, enjoy and analyzeand to inspire other artists. AI art, they assert, requires a careful process of prompt engineering, and manual edits that require technical skills and artistic knowledge. Inside the Lucrative New Business of Selling AI Prompts Japan's declaration has set a precedent. The country has effectively given AI artists a blank canvas, encouraging their creative exploration without the shadow of copyright looming over their virtual brushes. The idea, suggests the AI-focused outlet Technomancer, is to open the possibility for Japan to use Western literature for AI training in exchange for opening its vast array of art for Westerners to use. While the debate rages on, there is no global convention to settle the issue. But art, whether AI-generated or human-created, is all about pushing boundaries and exploring new frontiers. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but innovation is the truest form of art. SUZHOU, China and ROCKVILLE, Md., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, today announced that its Clinical Advisory Board member Prof Hagop M. Kantarjian has received the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award for his lifelong contributions to leukemia clinical research and his dedication to improving the lives of patients. Ascentage Pharma Logo (PRNewsfoto/Ascentage Pharma) Prof Kantarjian received the award at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, June 2-6, 2023, in Chicago, IL. The David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award is considered the highest honor that ASCO confers and has been presented annually since 1970 to recognize an oncologist who has made outstanding contributions to cancer research, diagnosis, and/or treatment. Prof Kantarjian is The Chairman of the Department of Leukemia and Samsung Distinguished University Chair in Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. For the past four decades, Prof Kantarjian has led practice-changing national and international clinical trials at MD Anderson for the treatment of all leukemia subtypes. These trials resulted in multiple Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs and delivered new standards of care across leukemias, significantly improving quality of life and survival rates across several leukemia subsets. Over the last two decades, Prof Kantarjian has led national and international studies of innovative next-generation BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors. "Throughout a remarkable career, Dr. Kantarjian has contributed immensely to our mission of ending cancer. He not only advanced new treatments and furthered our knowledge of leukemia, but his leadership has inspired so many in the MD Anderson community," said Prof Peter WT Pisters, President of MD Anderson. "We congratulate Hagop on this exceptional achievement, and we thank him for the countless lives he has saved around the world." Prof Kantarjian's ground-breaking work has culminated in the publication of more than 2,200 peer-reviewed papers and 100 book chapters. In 2012, Prof Kantarjian co-founded the world-renowned Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) to foster research, education, prevention, clinical trials, and the optimization of care for patients with hematologic malignancies and related disorders. Since its founding and under Prof Kantarjian's leadership, SOHO has expanded to include nearly 7,000 members from 110 countries. A nonresident fellow in health care at the Rice Baker Institute (Houston, TX), Prof Kantarjian has written extensively on critical issues in contemporary cancer medicine, including universal equitable health care and the value of the Affordable Care Act, among other vital topics. "Dr. Kantarjian has dedicated his life to saving and enhancing the lives of patients with leukemia, renewing hope to millions of patients with unmet medical needs," said Dajun Yang, MD, PhD, Chairman of Ascentage Pharma "For decades, he has been at the forefront of the oncology community's efforts to end cancer. We are privileged that Dr. Kantarjian has chosen to share his wise counsel with our organization while serving with honor and distinction on the Ascentage Pharma Clinical Advisory Board." About Ascentage Pharma Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK) is a globally focused biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B, and age-related diseases. On October 28, 2019, Ascentage Pharma was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code 6855.HK. Ascentage Pharma focuses on developing therapeutics that inhibit protein-protein interactions to restore apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The company has built a pipeline of 9 clinical drug candidates, including novel, highly potent Bcl-2, and dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitors, as well as candidates aimed at IAP and MDM2-p53 pathways, and next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Ascentage Pharma is also the only company in the world with active clinical programs targeting all three known classes of key apoptosis regulators. The company is conducting more than 40 Phase I/II clinical trials in the US, Australia, Europe, and China. Ascentage Pharma has been designated for multiple Major National R&D Projects, including five Major New Drug Projects, one New Drug Incubator status, four Innovative Drug Programs, and one Major Project for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases. Olverembatinib, the company's core drug candidate developed for the treatment of drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and the company's first approved product, has been granted two Priority Review Designations and two Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). To date, the drug had been included into the China 2022 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). Furthermore, olverembatinib has been granted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and a Fast Track Designation (FTD) by the US FDA, and an Orphan Designation by the EMA of the EU. To date, Ascentage Pharma has obtained a total of 16 ODDs from the US FDA and 1 Orphan Designation from the EMA of the EU for 4 of the company's investigational drug candidates. Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships with numerous renowned biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and research institutes such as UNITY Biotechnology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MSD, and AstraZeneca. The company has built a talented team with global experience in the discovery and development of innovative drugs and is setting up its world-class commercial manufacturing and Sales & Marketing teams. One pivotal aim of Ascentage Pharma is to continuously strengthen its R&D capabilities and accelerate its clinical development programs, in order to fulfil its mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world for the benefit of more patients. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, Ascentage Pharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-society-of-clinical-oncology-confers-highest-honor-upon-prof-hagop-kantarjian-301842000.html SOURCE Ascentage Pharma Are Annuities Insured An annuity is a type of insurance contract that can offer a guaranteed income stream, making them a common investment of retirees. In exchange for a lump sum or a series of payments, an insurance company provides guaranteed returns. While only insurance companies can issue annuities, individuals may purchase them through banks, brokerage firms, and financial advisors. If the insurance company that issued the annuity goes out of business, you do receive certain protections. Need help building a retirement income plan? Speak with the financial advisor today. Are Annuities Protected? The short answer is yes. Annuity regulations and protections are at the state level. Every state has a nonprofit guaranty organization that each insurance company operating in that state must join. In the event that a member company fails, the other companies in the guaranty association help pay the outstanding claims. Coverage limits vary by state, but all 50 state organizations protect at least $250,000 per customer, per company. Annuities in Washington D.C. have $300,000 of protection, while those in Puerto Rico get $100,000 in coverage. The table below breaks down the coverage limits for each state: Annuity Protection By State State Coverage Limit Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming $250,000 Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wisconsin $300,000 Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington $500,000 Its important to note that when an insurance company becomes insolvent, other companies may purchase their contracts and assume the responsibility for annuities that the failing company had previously sold. In that scenario, the guaranty association wouldnt have to cover the losses. A customer with an annuity with the now insolvent company would simply maintain their annuity, but with a new company. Protections Can Vary by Annuity Type Are Annuities Insured Annuities come in all shapes and sizes. Fixed annuities pay out a defined percentage agreed upon in the contract. Conversely, the returns of variable annuities come on the basis of the performance of investments. A customer can also choose whether they receive payouts immediately (known as an immediate annuity) after delivering a lump sum or defer their payments until a later date (called a deferred annuity). As a result, protections may vary depending on the type of annuity a customer owns. Its important to contact your states guaranty association to determine how exposed you may be in this situation. The National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations lists contact information for every individual state organization on its website. While federal protections that bank deposits enjoy do not extend to annuities, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation does protect variable annuities purchased through private brokerage firms. SIPC, a federally-mandated nonprofit organization, will cover up to $250,000 in variable annuities in the event the brokerage firm that sold the contract becomes insolvent. However, the SIPC does not protect fixed annuities or any loss in value that a variable annuity experiences as a result of its underlying investments. Bottom Line Are Annuities Insured Annuities are insurance contracts that some people purchase to ensure that they have an income stream. While annuities dont have federal government insurance, guaranty associations in all 50 states cover at least $250,000 in annuity benefits for customers. This is specifically for if the insurance company that issued the contract goes belly up. Tips for Retirement Planning A financial advisor can help you create a retirement plan for the future. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Do you know how much you need to retire? Use SmartAssets retirement calculator to find out if youre on track. Photo credit: iStock.com/eggeeggjiew, iStock.com/g-stockstudio, iStock.com/flyzone The post Are Annuities Insured? appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. will charge an eye-popping $3,499 for its long-awaited mixed-reality headset, testing whether consumers are ready to spend big bucks on a technology that the company sees as the future of computing. Most Read from Bloomberg The iPhone maker unveiled the new Vision Pro headset at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, the culmination of more than seven years of development. Introduced with Steve Jobs trademark phrase one more thing the product vaults Apple into the first major new category since it began selling smartwatches in 2015. The Vision Pro also could be one of the riskiest launches in the companys history. In a wide-ranging presentation, Apple demonstrated the headsets myriad features and spotlighted content planned for the product, including games and interactive video from Walt Disney Co. The device, which resembles high-tech ski goggles, will have its own operating system, visionOS, and a dedicated App Store. Its slated to arrive early next year in the US, followed by other regions later. The Vision Pro is the latest of what Apple hopes is a groundbreaking new product that can help the tech titan keep sales growing. It will attempt to redefine a still-nascent industry in the same vein as the Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. The difference this time is Apple is launching with a lofty price and jumping into a market that hasnt resonated with consumers. More broadly, it aims to change how people interact with the world. Apple has long been seeking a new platform to take it beyond the iPhone and iPad, and this could be that path. The wearable device mixes virtual and augmented reality, meaning it can fully engross a user in content with high-resolution displays ideal for video watching or overlay apps on top of the wearers field of view, letting messages and notifications pop up without overwhelming the person. Its the first Apple product you look through and not at, Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said during the presentation. Read More: Apple Headset Looks Sleek in Person But Battery Pack Stands Out So far, investors are skeptical. The shares had climbed near record levels on Monday but slipped back down after the Vision Pro was announced. By the close in New York, they were down 0.8% at $179.58. Apples marketing prowess is unmatched, and it has convinced consumers to spend more and more on their smartphones, but this product may be one of its biggest challenges. Rival headsets cost as little as a few hundred dollars. A $3,499 price would put the headset more in the realm of a high-end laptop than a gadget. The company describes the new interface as spatial computing. A feature called EyeSight shows an image of your eyes on the outside of headset when people are nearby. The product also will show those people in your field of vision while youre wearing the device, an attempt to keep users more engaged with the outside world. A so-called digital crown a term taken from the Apple Watch switches the headset between augmented and virtual reality. Apple said it studied thousands of peoples heads to ensure the product would be comfortable and filed more than 5,000 patents. The headset has two main chips. Theres an M2 processor from the Mac that handles main computing tasks and a second chip, the R1, that works with the dedicated sensors that enable the mixed-reality capabilities. Apples launch sets up a showdown with Meta Platforms Inc., which currently owns 81% of the VR headset market, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple expects to sell about 900,000 units of the Vision Pro in its first year, and given its price tag that could give the company a commanding share of the market. Still, those numbers would be a fraction of what its other devices generate. Disney CEO Bob Iger also joined the presentation, saying that the Disney+ streaming service would be available for the device on the day it launches. Disney shares climbed less than 1% to $91. We believe Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that can make our vision a reality, Iger said. Other content providers such as Netflix Inc. and app makers like Zoom Video Communications Inc. also will be able to create their own apps for the device. Out of the box, the headset will run many of the millions of iPhone and iPad apps without additional work from their creators. And Apple announced a software development kit that lets third parties create their own software for the Vision Pro. Apple also cited Unity Software Inc. as a company its working with on the headset, sending Unitys shares up 17% on Monday. From a technology standpoint, the Vision Pro is one of the most advanced consumer gadgets ever. The headset has a dozen cameras, dual 4K microLED displays, and the ability to take 3D photos and videos. It uses an external battery pack with two hours of life, or it can be plugged into a wall for all-day use. The headsets debut served as the finale for a day of software and hardware announcements at WWDC, with Apple introducing new Macs and software for its major devices. But it was clear that Cook hoped to leave consumers with the Vision Pro on their minds and that it would set the stage for something more. Apple is already working on a lower-cost version of the headset, Bloomberg has reported, as well as an even more upscale model. This is just the beginning, he said. (Updates with details on the rollout in third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Key Insights Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, AstraZeneca's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions A total of 16 investors have a majority stake in the company with 50% ownership Recent purchases by insiders Every investor in AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 87% ownership. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company. Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Therefore, a good portion of institutional money invested in the company is usually a huge vote of confidence on its future. In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of AstraZeneca. See our latest analysis for AstraZeneca What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About AstraZeneca? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. We can see that AstraZeneca does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see AstraZeneca's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in AstraZeneca. BlackRock, Inc. is currently the largest shareholder, with 9.3% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 8.3% and 5.4%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. After doing some more digging, we found that the top 16 have the combined ownership of 50% in the company, suggesting that no single shareholder has significant control over the company. 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. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. Insider Ownership Of AstraZeneca The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of AstraZeneca PLC. Being so large, we would not expect insiders to own a large proportion of the stock. Collectively, they own UK155m of stock. It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 12% 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. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand AstraZeneca better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for AstraZeneca you should know about. But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter 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 CBI The Government has signalled it will work with a new business council set up to rival the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) as the scandal-hit lobby group continues to be frozen out. A Treasury source said that the Government was open to engaging with the new council established by the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC). The willingness will be regarded as another blow to the CBI, which has been totally frozen out by ministers in recent months amid a sexual misconduct scandal. It comes as the CBI confronts a crucial vote on its future Tuesday, with the result hanging in the balance. The BCC held a roundtable meeting with the councils founding members Heathrow, Drax, IHG and BP on Monday, as well as a number of prospective members. The BCC launched its new council to represent big businesses on Monday, in a move a source close to the CBI branded opportunistic. The Treasury source said the Government was willing to speak with all business organisations and said it is up to ministers and officials whether they wish to take meetings with any particular group. CBI members will be asked to vote on reforms Tuesday designed to stave off insolvency, limit job cuts and prevent further instances of sexual misconduct. It follows an exodus of members after allegations of historic sexual misconduct at the lobby group. The CBI, which has traditionally been the voice of big business, faces being wound up if it does not win a convincing mandate from its members. However, the ballot risks falling flat with a number of major members, including Scottish Power, PwC and BT, planning to abstain from voting. Reforms proposed by CBI chief Rain Newton-Smith will be put to vote on Tuesday - ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Live News One senior executive said their FTSE 250 company would vote against the CBI after being left underwhelmed by the white label reforms proposed by CBI chief Rain Newton-Smith and the board. They added: There is nothing, frankly, that feels transformational enough to give you confidence to get involved again. Not to mention, the allegations made were serious and investigations are still continuing, so this does not even draw a line under everything. Fundamentally, what you want from a business group is for it to lobby on your behalf but if you are hamstrung in being able to do that because neither the Government or the opposition is prepared to engage with you and an election is only 18 months away then that is a pretty unsustainable position. Many other members were considering their position. A source at one major bank said they were undecided about how they would vote, adding that the lender would be taking a backseat as it does not make sense to go out of our way to be at the forefront of this. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary, said: The CBI has been a useful contra indicator as it has almost invariably been wrong. It opposed Margaret Thatchers economic reforms, backed the ERM and the Euro and opposed Brexit. How will politics cope without this upside down Cassandra? Brian McBride, the CBIs president, said that bosses at the lobby group were not taking the result for granted and urged members to back the restructuring plan. Writing in the Financial Times on Monday, he said: During our extraordinary general meeting, members will decide whether they support our plan for a renewed CBI or not. Succeed and we can make a leaner, more accountable and inclusive organisation, fail and we lose precious time to fight for our members and a stronger economy and society. We dont take the result for granted and we need you to support our plan not just to get the organisation back on its feet but to build on our strengths, overhaul our weaknesses and create a CBI that works better for our staff, our members and firms across all sectors, regions and nations. Ms Newton-Smith, the CBIs new director-general, sent proposals to members last week. Changes include a board shake-up and a new people and culture committee. Oil giant Shell is among the companies likely to support the CBI, as well as Siemens and Microsoft, which launched a last-ditch bid to save the lobby group over the weekend. It is understood that if the vote fails, the groups board will be left with little option but to begin a winding up process. The CBI declined to comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Boskalis, a leading global services provider operating in dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors, has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with leading Dutch shipbuilding company Royal IHC for the construction of trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD) with a 31,000 cu m capacity. This comes following the unique collaboration between Boskalis and Royal IHC in the design and engineering phase of two state-of-the-art TSHD. The key facility will be built at the Royal IHC yard in Krimpen a/d IJssel in The Netherlands and is expected to be delivered to Boskalis in mid-2026. The design and engineering of the new TSHD has been achieved in full co-creation. Royal IHC has been working on the design together with a team from Boskalis. Jan-Pieter Klaver, the CEO of Royal IHC, said: "Working together has given us a unique opportunity to achieve an optimal design for this customised trailing suction hopper dredger. The modern design is characterised by the 31,000 cu m hopper volume, two trailing suction pipes, a large shore pump capacity and diesel-electric propulsion." "The vessel will also be prepared for the use of methanol as a fuel to ensure a future-proof design," he stated. Shortly before Royal IHC's delivery of the cutter suction dredger Krios to Boskalis in 2020, both parties agreed on the design and engineering of the TSHD. Theo Baartmans, Member of the Executive Board of Boskalis, said: "Now that we have this LOI, we are looking forward to this new phase. With the 31,000 cu m TSHD we are taking an important step to make our dredging fleet fit for the future." Royal IHC and Boskalis have an extensive history of collaboration. The most recently delivered vessels were the mega CSDs Krios (2020) and Helios (2017). Previously, Royal IHC has also delivered TSHDs such as Gateway, Crestway, Willem Van Oranje and Prins Der Nederlanden. "This is also an important step for Royal IHC," stated Jan-Pieter Klaver. "For some time now, we have seen an increasing demand in the dredging market. However, we have noticed this particularly in the flow business, which consists of orders for smaller working vessels and equipment," he stated. "With the order for this large custom-built vessel, we are continuing to build a healthy future for Royal IHC. he fact that Boskalis has awarded us this project reinforces our confidence in Royal IHCs added value for our customers, as well as the market potential of our vessels, equipment and services," he added.-TradeArabia News Service By Angus Berwick and Tom Wilson LONDON (Reuters) - On Monday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission took aim at the most powerful man in crypto. The SEC accused Binance founder Changpeng Zhao of operating a "web of deception," charging him and his exchange with 13 offences. These ranged from allegedly manipulating Binance's trading volumes and failing to restrict U.S. customers from its unregulated platform to commingling and diverting billions of dollars in customer funds "as they please." The complaint further threatens Zhao's vast business empire, which for years has dominated the crypto industry. The billionaire tycoon already faces charges from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, filed in March, and his exchange has been under investigation by the Justice Department too. Zhao's towering ambitions are now coming up against the concerted efforts of U.S. regulators to rein in a company that they allege has grown to a colossal size by systematically evading U.S. laws. In response to the SEC's allegations, Binance said: "We intend to defend our platform vigorously," adding that "because Binance is not a U.S. exchange, the SEC's actions are limited in reach." Binance said any allegations that user assets have been at risk "are simply wrong." Ever since he launched Binance in Shanghai back in 2017, Zhao dreamt big. "We want to take over theentire market!" he told staff in a company chat group that year. The 46-year-old CEO did not waver in his belief as he builtup his crypto exchange. This year, Zhao felt a major goal wasalmost within his grasp: a seat at the top table of finance. "The idea that a five-year-old start-up could mature andoperate at the same level as a financial institution that hasbeen around for 200 years was once impossible to fathom," thebillionaire wrote in January in a review of the previous year. "But we are nearly there today." That dream is now looking more distant after the SEC's action. In the review of 2022, Binance hailed its progress incomplying with regulations across the world. The exchange hadstrived through the year to strengthen client checks, it said,developing crypto's "best security and compliance team." But according to the SEC, Zhao and Binance "consciously chose to evade" U.S. laws "in an effort to maximize their own profits." This "put their customers and investors at risk," the SEC alleged, citing a number of practices first reported by Reuters in a series of investigations into the exchange published this year and in 2022. "Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law, SEC Chair Gary Gensler said. The U.S. Justice Department has been investigating Binance for alleged criminal sanctions violations and money laundering, Reuters reported in December, with some prosecutorsbelieving they have sufficient evidence to charge Zhao and othertop executives. Binance said at the time it did not have anyinsight into the inner workings of the DOJ. ZHAO 'ANSWERS TO NO ONE' Zhao was born in China before moving to Canada in 1989 whenhe was 12, two months after China's Tiananmen Square crackdownon pro-democracy protesters, he wrote in a blog last year. The tycoon, known by his staff and online followers by hisinitials CZ, has crisscrossed the globe in his quest forsuccess, working in Tokyo and New York before moving toShanghai, where he embraced crypto and founded Binance in 2017. Its expansion was dramatic. Binance became the world's biggest crypto exchange withinsix months, and now accounts for about 60% of global cryptotrading volumes, according to research firm CCData. The exchange, however, has repeatedly refused to disclose where its trading platform is located. From the company's earliest days, Zhao kept a tight grip on Binance, as a powerful leader committed to secrecy and focused on market domination, a Reuters report last year found. Zhao installed a tight circle of associates, many ofwhom had worked or studied in China, into top jobs. Co-founder Yi He now runs Binance's $7.5 billion venture capital arm, as well as other key departments. Zhao tasked his Chinese-born head of back office, Guangying Chen, with managing the company's finances. This included a series of accounts that Binance opened at now-defunct U.S. lender Silvergate Bank, Reuters reported last month. In one of these accounts, held by a trading firm called Merit Peak which is controlled by Zhao, Binance mixed customer funds with corporate revenues and used the monies to buy the exchange's bespoke dollar-linked crypto token, Reuters found. The SEC alleged this too in its complaint. Chen also operated bank accounts belonging to Binance's purportedly independent affiliate Binance.US, ensuring that Zhao could direct the company's expansion in the American crypto market too, Reuters reported on Monday. While Binance has hired widely from the traditionalfinancial and regulatory worlds in recent years, Zhao's tightcontrol over his company has continued. The company, which calls itself an "ecosystem," has set up at least 70 entities, most controlled by Zhao personally. "Zhao answers to no one but himself," the CFTC said in its March complaint. (Reporting by Angus Berwick and Tom Wilson in London; Editing by Pravin Char and Matthew Lewis) (Bloomberg) -- In mid-May, cryptocurrency exchange Binance got some bad news in a far-flung corner of its sprawling universe. Most Read from Bloomberg Binances payments partner in Australia had abruptly cut it off, meaning local customers couldnt deposit Aussie dollars on the platform via bank transfer. The hit to business was immediate, with Binance halting all Aussie trading pairs about two weeks later, along with bank withdrawals of the local currency. Add one more headache to the swelling list of challenges facing Richard Teng, the civil servant-turned-crypto executive whos seen as a possible heir to Binances embattled chief executive officer, billionaire Changpeng CZ Zhao. Teng has emerged as the frontrunner to take over as CEO should Zhao relinquish that position, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The succession issue has taken on additional urgency as US regulatory scrutiny of Binance mounted in recent months, the people said. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued Binance and Zhao himself in late March for allegedly violating derivatives regulations, and accused it of having sham compliance. On Monday, the US Securities and Exchange Commission filed its own suit against Binance and Zhao, alleging that the firm flouted investor protection rules by operating unregistered exchanges, misrepresenting trading controls and selling unregistered securities, among other violations. Binance didnt respond to requests for comment on succession. Zhao has disputed the characterization of many of the issues alleged by the CFTC. Read more: SEC Sues Binance and CEO Zhao for Breaking US Securities Rules Binance still handles more trading than all other top centralized crypto exchanges combined, yet never has its position seemed so precarious. At least four US federal agencies are investigating or bringing enforcement action against it, and regulators in Canada and Australia are looking into its business. Even Dubai, Zhaos adopted home and seen as a free-wheeling crypto hub, has tightened scrutiny of license applicants including Binance. Two months before Binance Australia said payments-solution provider Cuscal had pulled support for Aussie dollar deposit services, a UK banking partner stopped providing support to the exchange for transactions in British pounds. This is the bleak environment into which Teng, a 52-year-old Singaporean, has been thrust following a meteoritic rise in his less than two years at Binance. In late May, Zhao appointed him as head of all regional markets outside the US, which is run as a separate entity. The apparent bet: Tengs resume, with senior positions at Singapores central bank and Abu Dhabis international free-trade zone, makes him the ideal candidate to help steer Binance through the regulatory hurricane bearing down on it. Tengs appointment checks the boxes for trust, said Campbell Harvey, a finance professor at Duke University. Binance is signaling that they want to work with the regulators. The CFTC and SEC lawsuits are perhaps the most imminent regulatory challenge for Binance, but they are far from the only ones. The US Justice Department is investigating whether its platform was used illegally to let Russians skirt US sanctions and move money, Bloomberg News reported in early May. Binance announced in May that it plans to exit Canada two months after its local affiliate filed paperwork to commit to registration citing new regulations that made the market no longer tenable for it. Its currently locked in a dispute with the Ontario Securities Commission. Read a timeline of Binances history with regulators Teng worked for the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the city-states central bank, for 13 years until 2007, according to his LinkedIn profile. After that, he was at the Singapore stock exchange, working as chief regulatory officer. Then came a six-year stint running Abu Dhabi Global Market. He has a Masters degree in applied finance from the University of Western Australia, his profile shows. He joined Binance in August 2021 as Singapore CEO and, in Zhaos telling, his hiring was swift even by cryptos standards. The two men were introduced by an employee at Singapores central bank, Zhao said at Binances weekly Twitter Spaces on May 31. They said look, this is Richard, hes a cool guy, Zhao said. And so I talked to him. Within two weeks we reached a deal to hire him. Singapore Setback One of Tengs first tasks was to help Binance secure a license in Singapore, at the time one of the most coveted seals of approval in crypto. That actually didnt work out, but Richard had done phenomenal work during that process, Zhao said. The application failed because Binances affiliate didnt meet criteria for protecting against money laundering and terrorist financing, Bloomberg News reported in January 2022. Binance denied that at the time, saying it withdrew the application on strategic and commercial grounds. Read more: Singapores Wary Crypto Embrace Leaves Top Mogul in the Cold The setback didnt appear to hurt Tengs prospects at Binance. In December 2021, he was promoted to head of the Middle East and North Africa, and was given oversight of Europe less than a year later, according to his LinkedIn profile. Just a month before receiving his current title, Asia was added to the regions under Tengs purview. Hes now based in Dubai, where Binance has more than 500 employees. On paper, at least, Teng cuts a very different figure to Zhao. He spent almost two decades in total working for government entities. At Singapores stock exchange, he ran a group that enforces rules in areas including listings, trading and clearing, working closely with the MAS, his LinkedIn profile says. 580 Flight Hours Zhao, meanwhile, had an itinerant lifestyle for years after starting Binance in China in 2017. He appears to have finally settled on Dubai as his home. In the past few years, his company has been the subject of an array of regulatory rebukes and probes from the US to Thailand. At times, Zhao struck a defiant tone in defending Binance, arguing that its difficult to work with regulators who dont grasp the fundamentals of crypto. The contrasts extend to how the two men express themselves publicly. Zhao, until recently a regular on the crypto-conference tour whos said he spent 580 hours in the air in 2022, often takes to Twitter to disparage news reports he dislikes (he has 8.4 million Twitter followers). His tweets regularly include crypto jargon like FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) and SAFU a play on the word safe thats an acronym for Binances emergency reserve to protect customer assets. Teng is more scripted, preferring to stick to corporate messaging about Binances expansion in various regions and regulatory milestones. Tengs rise has seen him join an inner circle of Zhao confidants that includes He Yi, Binances other co-founder with whom Zhao has two children. In a recent interview, He, who oversees Binances $9 billion venture capital arm, pointed to Tengs regulatory background when asked about his advance, but said other qualities played in as well. I think he is a very seasoned, professional manager, she said. Since he joined Binance, his scope has been continually expanding, and we all like and recognize Richard. Tengs recent promotion isnt the only sign that Binance is gearing up for a period of increased regulatory scrutiny one in part ushered in by the rapid demise last year of FTX, the crypto exchange that was seen by many as the most potent challenger to Binances dominance. Zhao himself helped accelerate FTXs demise when he tweeted that Binance was offloading its native crypto token, called FTT. Earlier this year, Binance hired former Gemini Trust Co. Chief Operating Officer Noah Perlman whose resume also includes a six-year stint as global head of financial crimes at Morgan Stanley to run its compliance operations. The companys compliance team has swelled to more than 750 people over the past two years, Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann said in February. --With assistance from Muyao Shen and Leen Al-Rashdan. (Adds SEC lasuit in fifth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. These days it's easy to simply buy an index fund, and your returns should (roughly) match the market. But the truth is, you can make significant gains if you buy good quality businesses at the right price. For example, the Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX) share price is 51% higher than it was five years ago, which is more than the market average. It's also good to see a healthy gain of 32% in the last year. So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress. View our latest analysis for Boston Scientific While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. During five years of share price growth, Boston Scientific achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 48% per year. This EPS growth is higher than the 9% average annual increase in the share price. So it seems the market isn't so enthusiastic about the stock these days. Of course, with a P/E ratio of 88.06, the market remains optimistic. The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image). We know that Boston Scientific has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? This free report showing analyst revenue forecasts should help you figure out if the EPS growth can be sustained. A Different Perspective It's good to see that Boston Scientific has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 32% in the last twelve months. That's better than the annualised return of 9% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Boston Scientific (1 is a bit unpleasant) that you should be aware of. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on 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 (Bloomberg) -- Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. is aiming to raise $15 billion for its fifth flagship real estate fund, less than its previous version, according to people familiar with the matter, as the global property market is roiled by rising borrowing costs. Most Read from Bloomberg Brookfield, one of the worlds largest owners of prime office properties, started raising money earlier this year for the new vehicle just months after closing its fourth fund at $17 billion. A spokesperson for the Toronto-based asset manager declined to comment. The firm is seeing attractive value entry points, Brookfield Asset President Connor Teskey told shareholders last month, adding that investors believe that this could be a tremendous vintage for us, and therefore, there is lots of interest. Only a small percentage of the equity in the firms current flagship real estate funds is invested in office properties. Office landlords around the world are being squeezed by higher interest costs, falling property prices and low occupancy rates as employees continue working from home. Fee-bearing capital in Brookfield Assets real estate business dipped to $98 billion in March from $103 billion at the end of last year. Brookfield focuses on top-quality office real estate, which will produce better returns over the long run, Chief Executive Officer Bruce Flatt told investors last month. We have always focused on owning premier real estate in the best locations, which is why 95% of our office portfolio is either trophy or Class A office space that continues to vastly outperform the broader market, he said in a letter to shareholders of Brookfield Corp., Brookfield Assets parent company. The group also invests in other property asset classes, including hotels, malls, logistics and housing. Read More: Owner Stops Debt Payments on Two Large San Francisco Hotels Brookfield has defaulted on mortgages covering more than a dozen office buildings, mostly in Los Angeles and around Washington, DC. Recently it handed a receiver control of EY Plaza, a 41-floor tower in Los Angeles, where the downtown office vacancy rate has reached 30%. Flatt told investors the problems are isolated to those assets and arent material to the firms sprawling real estate business, which includes New Yorks Manhattan West and Londons Canary Wharf. Brookfield has always prided ourselves on being an extremely responsible borrower, and our reputation in the capital markets sets us apart, he said. Brookfield has more than $825 billion in assets under management, with $270 billion in real estate holdings under management as of March. (Updates with comment from Brookfield president in third paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Watts Water Technologies fair value estimate is US$144 Current share price of US$168 suggests Watts Water Technologies is potentially trading close to its fair value The US$165 analyst price target for WTS is 14% more than our estimate of fair value Does the June share price for Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex. We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. See our latest analysis for Watts Water Technologies Crunching The Numbers We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$246.0m US$262.4m US$264.2m US$291.9m US$304.4m US$315.5m US$325.6m US$334.9m US$343.7m US$352.2m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x5 Analyst x5 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Est @ 4.30% Est @ 3.64% Est @ 3.18% Est @ 2.86% Est @ 2.64% Est @ 2.48% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 8.0% US$228 US$225 US$210 US$215 US$207 US$199 US$190 US$181 US$172 US$163 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$2.0b We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.1%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.0%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = US$352m (1 + 2.1%) (8.0% 2.1%) = US$6.1b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$6.1b ( 1 + 8.0%)10= US$2.8b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$4.8b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$168, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf Important 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. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Watts Water Technologies as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.0%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.991. 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 Watts Water Technologies Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Debt is not viewed as a risk. Weakness Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Machinery market. Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 3 years. Threat Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the American market. Moving On: Whilst important, the DCF calculation ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for 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. For Watts Water Technologies, there are three further aspects you should look at: Risks: To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Watts Water Technologies . Future Earnings: How does WTS's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NYSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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 Property and casualty insurance provider Allstate Corp (NYSE: ALL) has quit selling new homes, condominiums, or commercial insurance policies in California. Allstate became the latest insurance firm to stop offering coverage, citing worsening climate and higher building costs, the New York Times reports. State Farm made a similar decision last week, citing rapidly growing catastrophe exposure. Allstate stopped accepting new policies in the state last year. The cost to insure new home customers in California outweighed the price they would pay for policies due to wildfires, higher costs for repairing homes, and higher reinsurance premiums. Most large insurance companies in Florida have pulled out of the state, with homeowners relying on smaller private companies. Allstate limited the sale of new homeowner insurance policies in California in 1994 after the Northridge earthquake. It returned to the state, but it paused new homeowner insurance policies there again in 2007. Ten years later, it came back to the California market. The combined moves by Allstate and State Farm in California may lead more property owners in the state to lean on the FAIR Plan. The FAIR Plan needs insurance companies operating in California to cover losses proportional to their market share in the state. Price Action: ALL shares traded higher by 0.12% at $110.21 on the last check Monday. Don't miss real-time alerts on your stocks - join Benzinga Pro for free! Try the tool that will help you invest smarter, faster, and better. This article California Insurance Shake-Up: Allstate Ends New Home, Condo and Commercial Policies originally appeared on Benzinga.com . 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. (Bloomberg) -- Chinas bid to reassure investors over its soaring local debt did little to soothe concerns over financial stability risks in the worlds second-largest economy. Most Read from Bloomberg Xinhua News agency published a report Monday quoting an unidentified official from the Ministry of Finance saying government finances are healthy and safe, and authorities had enough resources to tackle risks. Systemic risks would be avoided, the official said. Economists said the statement didnt provide any new detail that would give investors confidence the debt which Goldman Sachs Group Inc. estimates was 156 trillion yuan ($22 trillion) last year when including off balance-sheet borrowing could be brought under control. The ballooning levels of municipal borrowing was listed as the number one financial risk for investors across Asia this year, according to a recent Bloomberg survey. Beijing is trying to send a message that theres no need to panic, said Wei Yao, chief economist for Asia-Pacific and China at Societe Generale SA. But the report will only have limited effect soothing concerns the data is public and speaks for itself. Many local authorities are facing severe fiscal stress after revenue from land sales a major source of government income plummeted amid a downturn in the property market. Some regions like Guizhou in southwest China have been forced to publicly ask the central government for more help. The off balance-sheet borrowing raised by local government financing vehicles, or LGFVs, is of particular concern, with economists warning China could potentially have its first public bond default by an LGFV. An LGFV linked to Kunming city last month narrowly avoided a bond default. Ding Shuang, chief economist for Greater China and North Asia at Standard Chartered Plc., said the language Xinhua used in the report about the ways to address the local debt issue such as Beijings stance that the central government wouldnt bail out an LGFV suggested there was nothing new in its message. Although the chance for LGFVs to default on public bonds is still low, repayment failures are possible on private borrowing, he added. The arguments made in the article appear general and the anonymous official interviewed does not seem to carry a lot of weight, not enough to set investors mind at ease, he said. Government Transfers In the Xinhua report, the Ministry of Finance official said the distribution of local government debt is unbalanced, with some regions exposed to relatively high risks and under rather big principal and interest payment pressure. Local authorities were urged to tackle their debts and hold on to the bottom line that no systemic risk will occur, the official said. Local governments have become more reliant on transfer payments from Beijing to help plug their financial gaps. Transfers from the central government are expected to hit 10 trillion yuan this year, equivalent to 86% of the income local governments are forecast to make from taxes and fees this year, according to Bloomberg calculations based on official data. Thats up from 66% in 2015. Wang Tao, chief China economist at UBS Group AG, said it would be unrealistic to expect the central government to step in and bail out local governments because of concerns over moral hazard a situation where a bailout encourages businesses or local governments to take on more risky debt. China will probably rely on banks to restructure the debt and push local authorities to sell assets other than land, such as state-owned enterprise shares, she said. Defaults would likely be avoided at the expense of banks profit margins. In the long run, there will be a smaller role played by government, especially local governments, in the overall economy as there will be less revenue from land and therefore less financial resources to invest in infrastructure, Wang said. It would be very difficult to increase taxes in a significant way that will offset the land sales, she said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. BEIJING (Reuters) - China's fiscal status overall is sound and safe, but some local governments are facing high debt risks and large pressure of debt repayment, state media Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, citing a finance ministry official. The comments came as investors and economists become more concerned about municipal debt risks following local government financing vehicle (LGFV) debt repayment stresses seen in provinces such as Guizhou and Yunnan. LGFVs are typically investment companies that raise money and build infrastructure projects on behalf of local governments. "At present, local government debt is unevenly distributed, with some local governments seeing relatively high debt risks and large debt repayment pressure," Xinhua said, citing an unnamed finance ministry official. "We have urged relevant local governments to take the responsibility... and hold the bottom-line of preventing systemic risks," the report said, adding that China has left enough room to deal with risks and challenges. According to U.S. economics and policy research firm Rhodium Group, at least 102 Chinese cities faced difficulties in managing their debt-servicing costs last year, reining in China's ability to use fiscal stimulus to spur the economy's post-COVID recovery. The interest burdens of the northwestern city of Lanzhou and the southwestern city of Guilin outpaced their fiscal capacity last year, Rhodium said. "Our fiscal revenue has not recovered to the 2019 level, but the fiscal expenditure increases year by year. [We] must keep tightening our belt," Xinhua said, citing Jin Hannan, head of the finance bureau in Tongshan county, Xianning in China's Hubei province. (Reporting by Ellen Zhang and Ryan Woo, editing by Ed Osmond) (Bloomberg) -- It says something about the popularity of Colombias government that a political scandal which threatens to undermine the president sends the currency to a 10-month high. Most Read from Bloomberg The peso leaped as much as 1.6% Monday, the biggest gain among major emerging-market currencies, pushing it to the highest since August as the leftist president struggles to contain the fallout from the latest events. The currency is now the best performing among developing nations this year. President Gustavo Petro is under fire after his former ambassador to Venezuela and campaign chief threatened to reveal dirt about how the 2022 presidential bid was funded. The foul-mouthed tirade, published by Semana Magazine on Sunday, led Lower House leader David Racero on Monday to say that discussion of reforms would be halted until the ruling coalition is rebuilt. Markets are comfortable with the Petro administration starting to crack, Brendan Mckenna, a currency strategist at Wells Fargo said. If Petros reform agenda is unable to be implemented and Petro is essentially in a lame duck scenario, that combination takes a lot of political risk off the currency. Petro is seeking to overhaul the conservative economic model with three structural reforms to the health and pension systems and the labor market. Time is fast running out though as the legislative period ends in less than three weeks. Read more: Scandals Paralyze Petros Bid to Overhaul Colombia Welfare State The peso is also benefiting from solid fundamentals that have sent it up 13% year to date, surpassing gains in the Mexican currency. The fiscal and current account deficits are falling very fast, and the likelihood of major structural reforms to social security that would put upward pressure on fiscal spending has decreased materially in the past few weeks., said Armando Armenta, a senior economist at AllianceBernstein in New York, who has favored Colombian assets since last October. While the Mexican peso is still top of the risk-adjusted carry trade in Latin America, Colombia is significantly more attractive than Chile and is currently head-to-head with the Brazilian real for the post of second best in the region. The central banks persistently hawkish tone has also reassured investors that the juicy carry will be maintained. --With assistance from Maria Elena Vizcaino. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. With the months-long drama over raising the debt limit now over President Joe Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 into law on Saturday, suspending the nations borrowing limit until 2025 the political world will now return to previously scheduled programming, as a Biden adviser described it to Mike Memoli of NBC News. In large part, that means a pivot to the 2024 election. Yes, already. And yes, the election is still 17 months away. President Biden plans to use the bipartisan debt limit deal to pivot back to his shadow reelection campaign, pointing to the achievement to burnish his image with voters as a consensus-builder whos making strides on his promise to unite the country, Memoli writes. His plan is to pivot from a month that was consumed by the debt standoff in Washington back to talking directly with Americans about his economic agenda, particularly legislation he has signed to fund infrastructure projects and revive domestic manufacturing, as well as outline how he envisions building on those efforts, aides said. Biden has already started that sales effort, citing the latest deal on the budget and debt limit as just one of 350 bipartisan laws he has signed as president. That pivot does not mean that the fiscal fights are over for the year. As part of the deal to raise the debt limit, Biden and House Republicans agreed to create an enforcement mechanism that pressures appropriators to finalize and pass the 12 annual spending bills by the end of the year or see both defense and non-defense funding automatically cut by 1% from 2023 levels. The last time all 12 bills were considered on the House floor separately was in fiscal year 2010 and Congress has not passed all 12 bills on time since fiscal year 1997. So it will be a challenge one that may be made even more difficult by conservatives in the House who are still upset with Speaker Kevin McCarthy over how the debt standoff turned out. Those conservatives can cause real problems for McCarthy over a budget resolution or appropriations bills, John Bresnahan and Andrew Desiderio at Punchbowl News report. Theyre fundraising against their own leaderships failure to cut spending back to FY2022 levels. Theyre angry that McCarthy relied on Democrats to pass the rule for the Fiscal Responsibility Act. And theyll seek to blow something up soon. In addition to the regular appropriations bills, Politicos Daniella Diaz reports that House Republicans are expected to soon introduce a comprehensive bill that would include tax breaks aimed at boosting economic growth. And defense hawks in the Senate set up another likely fight later this year when they demanded a vote on a standalone supplemental military funding as part of the agreement to speed the debt deal to passage. That additional spending would include more aid for Ukraine a point of conflict for some Republicans but will likely include other military funding as well. Democrats may also look to attach non-defense funding to any supplemental spending bill, raising the prospect that Congress could quickly revise both sides of the caps deal it just struck. We might as well also note here that the 2024 election will be crucial not only for determining the direction of American democracy but, as David Dayen points out at The American Prospect, it will have major fiscal stakes: The spending caps, the Trump tax cuts, including the changes to the Child Tax Credit, the boosted subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, and this debt ceiling suspension all expire after the election, in 2025. Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter. Conrad Dubai, a leading luxury hotel in the city, has recently welcomed a dynamic group of talented individuals such as Tarek Jarrouje, Director of Operations, Jaroslac Hoznourek, Director of F&B and Linda Mwaffak, Commercial Director. These new additions bring with them a wealth of experience, fresh perspectives, and a commitment to excellence that will undoubtedly elevate the guest experience to new heights! With over two decades of avid experience across the Middle East & Africa, Tarek rejoins Conrad Dubai after leaving a lasting impression at Conrad Etihad Towers Abu Dhabi. His impeccable people skills and passion for nurturing personal and professional growth make him the perfect fit to enhance efficiency and bring innovative ideas to all hotel operations. With over a decade of international experience in the F&B industry, Jaroslav brings an impressive track record to Conrad Dubai. Having worked in various markets and countries, he will oversee the hotels culinary offerings, develop new concepts, and ensure guests have an unforgettable dining experience. With nearly two decades of experience in the luxury and hospitality industry, Linda is a seasoned professional known for her success in growing revenue and profitability. Having previously worked with Conrad Dubai, she rejoins the team to oversee all commercial aspects of the hotel, positioning it as a leading business and leisure destination. TradeArabia News Service Countdown to mega merger - how Credit Suisse wobbled and UBS rushed to rescue Logos of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse are seen in Zurich ZURICH(Reuters) - UBS Group takeover of Credit Suisse, arranged by the Swiss authorities to stave off a broader banking crisis, is set to become official as early as June 12, the bank said on Monday. The closing of the tie-up marks the final chapter for the 167-year old institution after years of scandals and missteps eroded customer confidence and brought the lender to the brink of collapse. Here are the main events in the run-up to the biggest banking deal since the global financial crisis. FEBRUARY Feb. 28 - Swiss regulators rebuke Credit Suisse for "serious" failings in its handling of a multi-billion business with now defunct financier Greensill, the third such public censure in two years. MARCH March 9 - Credit Suisse postpones publication of its annual report after a last minute call by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which raised questions about its earlier financial statements. March 13 - Credit Suisse shares hit a record low after the entire banking sector sells off in the wake of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. March 14 - Publishing its delayed 2022 annual report, Credit Suisse says it had identified "material weaknesses" in internal controls over financial reporting and not yet stemmed customer outflows. March 15 - The Swiss National Bank pledges to fund Credit Suisse with liquidity "if necessary" - the first such move for a big bank since the global financial crisis. Earlier, Credit Suisse's largest shareholder - Saudi National Bank - said it would not increase its stake in the lender, sending its shares plunging by a fifth. March 16: Credit Suisse says it intends to borrow up to 50 billion Swiss francs ($56.25 billion)from the Swiss National Bank in "decisive action" to boost its liquidity. March 19: An emergency rescue of Credit Suisse, brokered by the Swiss government, central bank and financial regulator, is announced. Under the deal, UBS agrees to buy Credit Suisse for a knockdown price of 3 billion Swiss francs in stock and agreed to assume up to 5 billion francs in losses. Detailing the events later in a regulatory filing UBS said it was rushed into a deal it did not want. March 20 - The rescue triggers a political backlash in Switzerland, with parties on the right and left warning about the huge risks and the size of the combined entity. March 21 - Swiss authorities impose curbs on bonus payments for Credit Suisse employees. March 23: Switzerland's financial market regulator FINMA defends its decision to impose steep losses on Credit Suisse bondholders, calling the decision legally watertight. March 29 - UBS rehires former CEO and turnaround specialist Sergio Ermotti to steer the takeover. APRIL April 3 - Switzerland's federal prosecutor opens an investigation into the merger. Separately, some holders of Credit Suisse AT1 bonds wiped out by the merger instruct lawyers to represent them for possible litigation to recover losses. April 4 - Credit Suisse chairman Axel Lehmann apologises to investors for taking the bank to the brink of bankruptcy at the bank's final shareholder meeting. April 5 - The Swiss government orders Credit Suisse to cancel or cut all outstanding bonus payments for senior management. - Separately, UBS executives seek to assure shareholders the takeover will succeed, despite calling it a "Herculean task." April 6 - UBS CEO Ermotti tells Credit Suisse staff to stay focussed on the business, but warns of "change and hard decisions" ahead. April 11 - The Swiss Bank Employees Association demands a freeze on job cuts at both banks until the end of 2023. Swiss media had earlier reported up to 11,000 jobs could be lost in Switzerland. April 12 - Switzerland's parliament rejects the government's aid for the merger in a largely symbolic vote. April 15 - The Federal Reserve approves UBS's acquisition of the U.S. subsidiaries of Credit Suisse. April 24 - Credit Suisse says 61 billion Swiss francs in assets had left the bank in the first quarter, as it reported what were probably its last ever quarterly results. April 26 - Switzerland's Federal Administrative Court says it has received "several hundred" claims against the country's financial regulator FINMA after it wrote off the value of Credit Suisse's AT1 bonds. - A regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shows that UBS considered in December the effect of it taking over Credit Suisse, but concluded such a move was not desirable. MAY May 9 - UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti unveils his new leadership team for the combined group, based largely on experienced UBS executives and keeping only Credit Suisse CEO - and also former UBS executive - Ulrich Koerner from the stricken bank. May 12 - Ermotti says the situation at Credit Suisse has stabilised, adding he did not think customer outflows were continuing. May 16: UBS flags in a regulatory filing tens of billions of dollars of potential costs - and benefits - from its takeover of Credit Suisse, underscoring the high stakes involved. May 17 - The office of the upper house of the Swiss parliament decides that Credit Suisse's rescue will be investigated by a special commission. May 23 - The Swiss finance ministry issues an order cancelling or reducing outstanding bonuses of Credit Suisse managers, implementing a decision announced in April. May 30 - Switzerland's Social Democratic Party says it has drawn up a proposal to shrink UBS assets after the takeover, saying the new bank posed huge risks for the country because of its size and an implicit state guarantee. JUNE June 2 - UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti warns of painful decisions about job cuts following the takeover of Credit Suisse, which he said should be finalised in a few days, and dismisses concerns the new bank will be too big for Switzerland. ($1 = 0.8889 Swiss francs) (Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Tomasz Janowski) (Bloomberg) -- Cryptocurrencies slumped across the board after the US Securities and Exchange Commission accused Binance Holdings Ltd. of mishandling funds and lying to regulators. Most Read from Bloomberg In the lawsuit, the SEC also alleged that certain tokens - including Solana, Cardano, Polygon, Filecoin, Cosmos, Sandbox, Decentraland, Algorand, Axie Infinity, and COTI - that traded on Binance.com and Binance.US were offered and sold as securities, a move that could have wide implications for other exchanges that offer these tokens. Solana fell as much as 13%, while Cardano dropped 8%, Polygon slipped 6% and Filecoin slumped 10%. Bitcoin fell as much as 6.7% to $25,415, the least since April, as of 4:51 p.m. in New York. Binance Coin, the native token of the ecosystem of the worlds biggest digital asset exchange, slumped as much as 13%. Bitcoin accounts for almost 50% of the value of the $1.2 trillion crypto market, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Binance Coin is the fourth-largest token, with a market value of around $43 billion. Binance handles around 50% of all crypto trading volume. Data from tracker Coinglass shows that nearly $250 million worth of trading positions - mostly from traders who were betting on higher prices, were liquidated during the past 4 hours. The charges are the latest regulatory action against Binance and its co-founder and chief executive, Changpeng Zhao. In March, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission alleged that Binance and Zhao routinely broke American derivatives rules. The Justice Department has been investigating whether Binance was used illegally to let Russians skirt US sanctions and move money, Bloomberg reported in May. This is more a confirmation of what people are already expecting and will just continue the push of putting everything offshore and leaving the US behind, Austin Campbell, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, said in a direct message. In a case filed in US federal court on Monday, the SEC alleged that the firm flouted investor protection rules by operating unregistered exchanges, misrepresenting trading controls and selling unregistered securities, among other violations. Zhao appeared to initially downplay the allegations, sending a Twitter message highlighting the number 4, which he has been using to reference FUD. That is shorthand for fear, uncertainty and doubt a phrase used to describe the waves of anxiety that can flare up in crypto in the wake of last years market rout and a series of corporate blowups. Binance stated in a blog post that the SEC allegations shouldnt be subject to an enforcement action and that it intended to defend our platform vigorously. The SEC going after Binance is no surprise, as they have already gone after a number of other centralized crypto exchanges and it was likely only a matter of time before they took action against the biggest player in the space, said Jeffrey Blockinger, chief counsel at decentralized exchange Vertex Protocol. --With assistance from Yueqi Yang. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- The day before Ilija Batljan stepped down from troubled Swedish landlord SBB, creditors sent a letter to the firms board claiming it had breached the terms of its bonds. Most Read from Bloomberg A group calling itself B2023 Funds, which had taken up holdings in the companys so-called social bonds, said Samhallsbyggnadsbolaget i Norden AB had breached a key financial covenant, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg. That would trigger an event of default on those securities and allow investors to demand repayment of the notes once a 90-day grace period expires on June 29, according to the letter sent by international law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. In the letter dated June 1, Cleary didnt specify whether it was representing multiple funds or just one. Helena Lindahl, SBBs head of investor relations, declined to comment, as did Cleary. Just a day later, Batljan SBBs founder and dominant shareholder stepped down as chief executive officer. The shock move came shortly after Batljan spoke to investors in London about selling individual assets as well as the whole company. Batljan, 55, was the driving force behind SBBs rapid, debt-fueled expansion and became embroiled in the companys turmoil. His credibility was damaged after a series of statements dismissing the companys vulnerabilities. Read More: The Face of Swedens Property Bust Fights for $13 Billion Empire The letter said holders of the bonds are open to discussing options for the company to deal with the default in a manner most value-maximising to all stakeholders. It set a deadline of June 30 for the discussions. SBBs social bonds rose almost 2 cents on the euro, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The news of Batljans exit and reports of investor interest in SBBs assets saw the companys share price soar 55% since Thursday. The alleged breach of financial covenants alludes to a so-called coverage ratio that the holders say the company has failed to maintain since March 31. The holders demanded a full response by June 15, the letter states. Analysts had noted a potential breach in SBBs bonds last month, prompting a statement from the company last week stating that it meets the consolidated coverage ratio as the covenant is calculated. --With assistance from Libby Cherry and Christopher Jungstedt. (Updates with bond and share price in seventh paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Triterras, Inc. Industry expert joins as Triterras continues to scale its Supply Chain Finance & Working Capital Solutions SINGAPORE, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Triterras Inc. (OTC Expert Market: TRIRF), a leading fintech company focused on trade and trade finance, announces the appointment of Marina Narganes as Head of Distribution & Sales Strategy. Ms. Narganes will provide leadership in assisting institutional investors in their endeavor to deploy capital in support of cross-border trade opportunities. Ms. Narganes brings 20 years of sales experience to the C-suite. She has deep industry knowledge covering B2B working capital, trade finance, lending, corporate retirement benefits, investments and advisory services. Prior to joining Triterras, Ms. Narganes was the Director of Origination with Demica, a global fintech offering trade finance solutions to banks and corporates. She was responsible for origination and distribution in North America. Before that, Ms. Narganes worked at LSQ, MassMutual and John Hancock Life Insurance Companies. We are thrilled to have someone with Marinas experience join our leadership team, said Srinivas Koneru, Chairman & CEO at Triterras. Marinas proven success in generating billions in new deal flows and her finesse in helping businesses save, maximize, redeploy and invest hundreds of millions (USD) will reinforce Triterras capabilities to bring cross-border lending to scale. Marina Narganes stated, Im honored to join Triterras and be a part of the technology evolution that will bring innovative financing solutions to the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)the backbone of societies everywhere. Im excited to collaborate with potential funders to improve access in the business environment that will enable trader growth and profitability. Ms. Narganes appointment comes at a critical time, following the expansion of Triterras market-leading Kratos platform. Through its Blockchain-enabled global trade finance solutions, Triterras origination team manages a robust pipeline of high-quality lending opportunities beyond a single geographic market. Additionally, there has been further development of Triterras service and support capabilities to facilitate third party lenders. About Triterras Triterras is a global fintech company co-headquartered in Singapore and Dubai and leading innovator of inclusive finance solutions for the world's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The company launched and operates Kratosone of the worlds largest digital financing platformsto directly connect MSMEs with lenders online and source capital across commodity trading, supply chain, logistics, and ecommerce finance. For more information, please visit triterras.com or email us at contact@triterras.com. Investor Relations Contacts: Triterras Inc. Email: ir@triterras.com Gateway Investor Relations Matt Glover (949) 574-3860 TRIT@gatewayir.com Media Contacts: Gregory Papajohn, Office of Corporate Communications, Triterras, Inc. Mobile: +1 (917) 287-3626 Email: press@triterras.com 'These are disturbing numbers': A 59-year-old Virginia woman with 3 degrees and $258K in student debt asked Dave Ramsey for help here was the guru's brutally honest advice 'These are disturbing numbers': A 59-year-old Virginia woman with 3 degrees and $258K in student debt asked Dave Ramsey for help here was the guru's brutally honest advice If youre a graduate of higher education, you should have an easy time finding employment and making more money. At least thats how its supposed to be. Don't miss Yet millions of Americans continue to be saddled with student debt that can stay with them for decades, weighing down their ascent to a better life. And in the case of a Virginia woman who recently called in to the Dave Ramsey Show, it covers multiple generations. Im currently working two jobs to make ends meet, Larhonda, 59, said on the show. I currently owe $258,000 in student loans. Is there any way I can make that go away? That $258,000 in loans wasnt just from one degree. Larhonda explained that not only did she pay for herself to obtain three degrees, but she also paid for her sons tuition through Parent PLUS Loans. Despite earning three degrees, she says shes had a hard time making ends meet and paying off her debts. She has a multidisciplinary studies degree (criminal justice and religion), a masters degree in accounting and a masters in divinity. Even after gaining those three degrees, Larhonda stated shes working in logistics, making around $60,000 per year. These are disturbing numbers at 59 years old, Ramsey said. The answer to your question is, We have to make more money. And we have not monetized your knowledge base very well. Read more: Shopping without a cash back credit card is just losing money here's how to make sure you dont miss out on serious savings Ramseys advice Ramsey suggested its time Larhonda found a new job. Most people in accounting make $100,000 to $125,000 starting salary, he claimed. However, those figures might be off, with ZipRecruiter showing an accountant would make on average $57,758 in the U.S. as of May 2023. In Virginia, the average climbs slightly to $59,887. However, as Ramsey went on to explain, you can get within reach of those numbers if you become a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). This would bump the average salary to $93,659, according to Indeed. Larhonda said when she studied accounting she was taught to do things the hard way just with a pair of calculators, but when she went in for job interviews she was expected to know how to use accounting software. Its not rocket science, Ramsey replied, noting accounting has been performed on computers for decades. While its easy to blame your areas of study or where you live for your financial troubles, Ramsey said, these arent usually the prime culprits when it comes to getting paid what youre worth. These dont matter as much as your attitude towards it, he said. As for the student loans themselves, theres no way for them to simply go away. And if this woman foot the bill for her sons education, now that hes older, it may be time to ask him to chip in. If thats not a solution thats available, then Ramsey recommended throwing every single dime available toward the debt. He also recommended Larhonda seek out jobs specifically in accounting and supply chain logistics for higher income. If you dont get above this instead of laying under it, this being your career, where the career problems are all happening to you and instead you start happening to the career the math on this is really not going to go well, Ramsey said, Thats called a small shovel and a very large hole. What to read next A record number of Americans are grappling with $1,000 car payments and many can't keep up here's an easy way to save thousands in interest payments Millions of Americans are in massive debt in the face of rising rates. Here's how to get your head above water ASAP This secretary in Illinois built a $7M fortune starting with $180. Here's the one powerful technique that made Grace Groner rich and can change your life too This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - A public-private partnership in El Salvador will pump $1 billion into creating one of the world's largest bitcoin mining farms, the group called Volcano Energy announced on Monday. The project will start with an initial $250 million, backed by "key Bitcoin industry leaders" in collaboration with renewable energy developers, Volcano Energy said in a statement. El Salvador's state "Bitcoin Office" retweeted the news on its Twitter. The presidential office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Volcano Energy said the funds would go toward an estimated 241 MW power generation park using solar and wind energy in the northwestern municipality of Metapan, which will eventually power the bitcoin mining farm. Bitcoin mining uses high-power computers hooked up to a global network, sucking up massive amounts of electricity in the process. The energy-intensive practice has come under fire from environmentalists who are concerned that it would exacerbate forest loss and climate change. The announcement comes two years after Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele declared his intention to make bitcoin legal tender. A Reuters report found adoption among residents has been shaky, while the International Monetary Fund has cautioned against the embrace due to legal risks, fiscal fragility and the speculative market. Bukele and his bitcoin backers have said the currency can bring jobs, financial inclusion and foreign investment to the country, one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. The El Salvador government will have "a preferred participation equivalent to 23% of the revenues" in the project, Volcano Energy said, with private investors holding 27%. The remaining 50% will be reinvested back into infrastructure, the statement said, without clarifying the overall ownership structure. Tether, a startup operating a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar, participated in the initial investment, it confirmed in a separate statement, without specifying the amount contributed. It listed Josue Lopez, who was involved with a $200 million solar energy plant announced last year, as the CEO of Volcano Energy, and Max Keiser, a bitcoin influencer, as its chairman. (Reporting by Nelson Renteria in San Salvador and Kylie Madry in Mexico City; Editing by Aurora Ellis) By Kanishka Singh and Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Chinese government will seek to initiate artificial intelligence regulations in its country, billionaire Elon Musk said on Monday after meeting with officials during his recent trip to China. Musk did not elaborate further and made his remarks in a Twitter Space with Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday. "It's worth noting that on my recent trip to China, I went to senior leadership there. I think we had some very productive discussions on artificial intelligence risks, and the need for some oversight and regulation," said Musk, owner of Twitter and Tesla Inc chief executive. "And my understanding from those conversations is that China will be initiating AI regulation in China." Reuters was not immediately able to reach Chinese officials for comment outside of normal business hours. Musk departed Shanghai on Thursday, wrapping up a two-day trip to China in which he met senior Chinese government officials including the highest-ranking vice premier. Musk met with China's foreign, commerce and industry ministers in Beijing. He also met with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter said. China's cyberspace regulator unveiled draft measures in April for managing generative artificial intelligence services, saying it wants firms to submit security assessments to authorities before they launch their offerings to the public. Several governments are considering how to mitigate the dangers of the emerging technology, which has experienced a boom in investment and consumer popularity in recent months after the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT. In April, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that China supports AI innovation and application and encourages use of safe and reliable software, tools and data resources, but content generated by generative AI had to be in line with the country's core socialist values. Providers will be responsible for the legitimacy of data used to train generative AI products and measures should be taken to prevent discrimination when designing algorithms and training data, it said. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler and Lisa Shumaker) I was an English major in college and now I lead a data analytics team. Here are 3 ways I became a 'numbers person.' The author taught herself to work with data by asking a lot of questions and trying out new methods. Navah Maynard/Insider Overcompensating in one skill to make up for another is how I learned about data analytics. Hands-on data experience is a great way to break down the mental barrier of working with numbers. Asking lots of questions is crucial to developing new skills. I've always been a bit hacky to make up for some skills that never quite clicked with me. I was an English major who somehow got through college barely reading any of my assigned reading. I was a bad reader, but a decent writer. I had trouble absorbing information in the classroom, but I could ace an interview to get internships and learn on the job. I can't whistle, but I can walk and chew gum at the same time. You get the idea. Overcompensating in one skill to make up for another is how I starting learning about data analytics. I realized that when you're fresh out of ideas or don't know where to strategically turn, the data at your fingertips can lead the way and unlock a whole world of insights. My favorite part of this "pivot" is that despite working with numbers all day, I genuinely use my English degree more than I ever thought I would. This background actually helped me compensate for my technical skill limitations. The critical thinking I learned in school and the writing skills I developed gave me a massive leg up on the fact that I was still learning about data and new ways to perform analyses. Here are three tips that helped me become comfortable with data and transformed me into a "numbers person." Become a Google sheets master Google sheets, like Microsoft Excel, is an extremely powerful tool if you learn how to hone it. In my role at Insider, I've created dozens of tools and dashboards that save hundreds of people hours of work every day and I did it in Sheets! Getting hands-on with datasets in Sheets is an accessible way to gain experience in manipulating and calculating data. Even if your workplace uses Excel or a data visualization platform like Looker or Power BI, Sheets is an amazing primer for someone who is not familiar with working with large datasets and it will break down some math anxiety. A resource I can't recommend enough is Ben Collins' Google Sheets course. There is a paid beginner course, but if you're all set on the basics then his Advanced Sheets course is free and is a great way to learn how to use more advanced Google Sheets capabilities and features. I frequently rewatch the lessons and I even use the course as part of my teams' onboarding. Here are some of the most valuable Sheets functions (AKA formulas) and skills to learn: SUM - Calculates the total value from a set of values that are manually input or from a cell range. AVERAGE - Calculates the average of a set of values that are manually input or from a cell range. MEDIAN - Calculates the median of a set of values that are manually input or from a cell range. This is especially helpful when you want to exclude the high and low outliers. SUMIF - Calculates the total value from a cell range only including the values that match the conditional logic that you set. AVERAGEIF - Calculates the average value from a cell range only including the values that match the conditional logic that you set. COUNTIF - Counts the numbers of cells from a cell range only if it meets the criteria that you set. FILTER - Returns only the rows of a cell range that meets the criteria that you set. VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP - Allows you to search for a specific value in a range and returns the value of another column in the same row. IMPORTRANGE - Allows you to import data from one Google Sheet into another Google Sheet. IF statements - Returns your preset "true" or "false" value depending on if the statement meets the set conditions. Conditional formatting - Allows you to format the appearance of your data based on specific criteria about the data. Data validation - A feature that allows to constrain user input and creates a dropdown list of options. My biggest tip for starting your Sheets journey is to assume that most of the manual calculations and filtering you're doing can actually be done for you by the computer you just have to learn the right function. Learn by doing With any technical skill, one of the most efficient ways to learn is by trying! You might feel like you're not ready or don't know enough, but until you put your instincts to the test, you won't know what you don't know. I recommend picking a project and performing a "data analysis" which will illuminate where you have gaps. When performing a data analysis: Decide on a question to answer: Starting with a clear question that you're setting out to answer is the best way to approach an analysis. An open-ended question often leads you down a rabbit hole. Determine how you'll measure the results: Is there a key indicator that will determine the answer? What datapoints will help you answer the question? Collect and clean up your data: Is there a public dataset you can use? Can you survey a group of friends? Can you collect some data online? Once you have your data, how do you want to organize it? Perform calculations on your data to draw conclusions: This is where Sheets can come in handy. Remember the purpose of this exercise is to familiarize yourself with working with data, so you don't need to have the most perfect calculations. Just play with different types of functions and slice your data different ways to see what it reveals. Interpret your data into clear insights and communicate them: What did the data tell you? What's the main takeaway you want to communicate? Is there a visual that helps get this learning across? After you do the above...congrats, you're a data analyst: You've taken a question and used data to help draw a conclusion! You also went pretty deep on seeing how different calculations help you gain insight. You used math and you likely didn't cry! Ask all the 'dumb' questions As a self-learner, it's crucial to ask every question that comes to mind. The good news is we live in the age of the internet and there is a good chance that many others have asked your "dumb"question before. Our experiences are not unique and there are loads of forums online that prove that. Because my mathematical background is limited, I can compensate with my research skills. It's really hard to learn if you're not asking questions. Knowing which questions to ask can often be the hardest part, so switch into the mindset of asking everything that comes into your head. Any roadblock you hit, stop and search for an answer. Importantly, you need to test what you find and understand why it will or won't work for you. This process has really helped me realize that everyone has questions and it doesn't make you any less of an analyst to ask. In fact, asking the right questions is what makes a great analyst! Read the original article on Business Insider Key Insights Nemetschek's estimated fair value is 67.89 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity With 74.80 share price, Nemetschek appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value Our fair value estimate is similar to Nemetschek's analyst price target of 67.53 Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Nemetschek SE (ETR:NEM) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. View our latest analysis for Nemetschek Is Nemetschek Fairly Valued? We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. 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) forecast 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (, Millions) 176.1m 220.0m 268.7m 352.4m 408.7m 454.6m 490.8m 518.4m 539.3m 554.8m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x9 Analyst x8 Analyst x7 Analyst x1 Est @ 15.97% Est @ 11.25% Est @ 7.95% Est @ 5.63% Est @ 4.02% Est @ 2.88% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 6.2% 166 195 224 277 302 317 322 320 314 304 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 2.7b The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 0.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.2%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = 555m (1 + 0.2%) (6.2% 0.2%) = 9.3b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 9.3b ( 1 + 6.2%)10= 5.1b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is 7.8b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of 74.8, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. 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 Nemetschek as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 6.2%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.005. 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 Nemetschek Strength Debt is not viewed as a risk. Weakness Earnings growth over the past year underperformed the Software industry. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Software market. Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the German market. Threat Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Nemetschek, there are three fundamental items you should assess: Financial Health: Does NEM have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does NEM'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 Chinese defense minister elaborates on China's new security initiative Xinhua) 08:15, June 05, 2023 SINGAPORE, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu on Sunday elaborated on China's new security initiative. The sustained prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region hinges on a sound security and development environment, Li said at the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue. Who is disrupting peace in the region? What are the root causes of chaos and instability? And what should we stay vigilant and guard against? These questions must be answered in the interests of the security, stability and future of the Asia-Pacific, he said. The Chinese defense minister put forward a four-point proposal on how to pursue security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. First, mutual respect should prevail over bullying and hegemony. Facts have proven that where there is hegemonism and power politics, there will be instability, chaos and even wars, Li said, adding that "we in China believe that the key for countries to live in harmony is mutual respect and treating each other as equals." "We are strongly opposed to imposing one's own will on others, placing one's own interests above those of others, and pursuing one's own security at the expense of others," he said, citing that some country has willfully interfered in other countries' internal affairs and meddled in the affairs of other regions, and frequently resorted to unilateral sanctions and coercion with force. It has incited "color revolutions" and proxy wars in different regions, created chaos and turbulence and just walked away leaving a mess behind, Li said. "We must never allow such things to happen again in the Asia-Pacific ... China firmly supports ASEAN centrality and its strategic autonomy. We are committed to promoting cooperative, collective and common security in our region on the basis of mutual respect," said the minister. Second, fairness and justice should transcend the law of the jungle. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community. International affairs should be handled by all countries through consultation rather than be dictated by one or a few countries, Li said. "China always advocates and stays committed to improving justice and equity in the world, and firmly upholds the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law and basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter," he added. China practices multilateralism and pursues win-win cooperation, whereas some country takes a selective approach to rules and international laws, Li noted. "It likes forcing its own rules on others and even attempts to constrain others with a convention itself has not acceded to." Its so-called "rules-based international order" never clarifies what the rules are and who made these rules. It practices exceptionalism and double standards, and only serves the interests and follows the rules of a small number of countries, the minister said. "A just and equitable environment for development meets the shared interests of Asia-Pacific countries. Anyone who attempts to fleece the flock or prey on the weak will surely be opposed by countries in the region," he said. Third, eliminating conflicts and confrontation through mutual trust and consultation. It is natural for countries to disagree with each other. But there are two approaches to addressing differences, Li said, underlying that one is exacerbating tension and adding fuel to flames while the other is seeking consensus and promoting reconciliation and negotiations. "China is committed to upholding peace in handling international crises. On issues concerning the Middle East, the Korean Peninsula and Ukraine, China has played a constructive role and made great efforts to cool down the situation and facilitate political reconciliation," the minister noted. But some country is expanding military bases, reinforcing military presence, intensifying arms race and transferring nuclear weapon technologies to a non-nuclear state, he said. "All such practices, which it often resorts to, are designed to make enemy, stoke confrontation, fuel the fire and fish in troubled waters," Li said, adding that regional countries have every wisdom and capability to settle their differences and disputes. "Only enhancing dialogue and communication and promoting solidarity and cooperation will ensure stability in our region," he noted. Fourth, preventing bloc confrontation with openness and inclusiveness. The Cold War mentality is now resurging and greatly increasing security risks of bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific, Li said, citing that some big power continued to promote its so-called "Indo-Pacific Strategy" at the Shangri-La Dialogue. China holds that no strategy should be based on ideological ground and aim to build exclusive military alliances against imagined threats, as this could easily lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, he stressed. "The true design of pushing for NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific is to hold countries in the region hostage and play up conflict and confrontation. Such attempts will only plunge the region into a whirlpool of division, disputes and conflicts," the Chinese minister said. History has proven that bloc politics, division and confrontation have never delivered genuine security, and they can only escalate tension and destabilize the region, Li said. "Today what Asia-Pacific needs are big pies of open and inclusive cooperation, not small cliques that are self-serving and exclusive. We must never forget the catastrophes inflicted by the two world wars and the Cold War. And we must never allow such tragedies to happen again," said the minister. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Kanoo Travel has partnered with Norways G Travel International to launch its new vertical, Kanoo Travel MORE for offshore, marine, resource, and energy travel solutions, as well as to deliver global travel management services. Kanoo Travel MORE is an extension of Kanoo Travels service offerings, introducing clients with superior travel experiences and a wider range of solutions. By joining forces with G Travel International, an established market leader, Kanoo Travel strives to provide unrivalled travel management solutions to its clients. Ali Abdulla Kanoo, Chairman - SBU Trading Divisions, said: We are thrilled to join forces with G International Travel to introduce Kanoo Travel MORE. This collaboration not only boosts our market position, but also highlights our shared goal of providing our valued clients with excellent travel experiences and services. We are positioned to expand our capacity to fulfil the increasing demands of our clients and surpass their expectations by employing G Travel International's worldwide network, technical skills, and vast experience in the Marine & Energy sector. We are invested in strengthening industry standards and transforming the travel management ecosystem. Zaeem Gama, Kanoo Travel Divisional CEO, commented: Kanoo Travel MORE is a significant milestone in our pursuit of innovation and consumer experience. Our strategic partnership with G Travel International adds a distinct and compelling dynamic. We unlock an exceptional potential to serve our customers with unique opportunities for travel suited to their specific needs by employing their strong network and experience in the Marine & Energy market. We are forging an innovative path in the sector by leveraging our skills to push the boundaries of travel management and provide remarkable experiences that exceed expectations. This partnership highlights our dedication to staying ahead of changing industry trends and cements our position as a leader in the field of travel management, he added. Finn Hansen, Owner of G Travel International, said: We are looking forward to supporting Kanoo Travel on this journey. This engagement brings together our global footprint and unique knowledge in the Marine & Energy sector, as well as Kanoo Travel's leading position and customer-centric approach in the local market. As we join forces, we create a powerful presence in regions we operate in, strategically positioned to provide customers globally with outstanding value. Furthermore, our combined effort to innovation empowers us to define new standards Sverre Husby, Director at G Travel International, said: The launch of Kanoo Travel MORE is a product of years of work. This collaboration is an exciting turning point in our path, as we join forces to become even stronger in a critical part of the market. We are excited to announce the launch of Kanoo Travel More - G Travel International to the public. Together, we will bring unrivalled knowledge and resources, establishing new standards and travel solutions. Our common vision and diligence towards excellence will enable us to provide value to our clients on a global scale, while also changing and disrupting the industry. G Travel International has wholly owned subsidiaries in several regions, including the US, the Philippines, the UK and Poland. Additionally, the firm has a partner network in the marine industry, reflecting its dedication to supporting a diversified consumer base. TradeArabia News Service Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Sinaran Advance Group Berhad fair value estimate is RM0.075 Sinaran Advance Group Berhad's RM0.065 share price indicates it is trading at similar levels as its fair value estimate Peers of Sinaran Advance Group Berhad are currently trading on average at a 15% premium How far off is Sinaran Advance Group Berhad (KLSE:SINARAN) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow. Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Sinaran Advance Group Berhad The Model We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last 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 (MYR, Millions) RM8.65m RM7.99m RM7.65m RM7.51m RM7.49m RM7.56m RM7.68m RM7.86m RM8.07m RM8.30m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -12.39% Est @ -7.60% Est @ -4.25% Est @ -1.90% Est @ -0.26% Est @ 0.89% Est @ 1.69% Est @ 2.26% Est @ 2.65% Est @ 2.93% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 13% RM7.6 RM6.2 RM5.3 RM4.6 RM4.0 RM3.6 RM3.2 RM2.9 RM2.7 RM2.4 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM43m The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. 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 (3.6%) 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 13%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = RM8.3m (1 + 3.6%) (13% 3.6%) = RM90m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM90m ( 1 + 13%)10= RM26m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is RM69m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of RM0.07, the company appears about fair value at a 14% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. dcf Important Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own 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 Sinaran Advance Group Berhad 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 13%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.332. 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. Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Sinaran Advance Group Berhad, we've compiled three important factors you should look at: Risks: To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Sinaran Advance Group Berhad . Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! Other Top Analyst Picks: Interested to see what the analysts are thinking? Take a look at our interactive list of analysts' top stock picks to find out what they feel might have an attractive future outlook! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Malaysian 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 By Angus Berwick and Tom Wilson LONDON (Reuters) - A senior Binance executive was the main operator for five bank accounts belonging to the giant cryptocurrency exchanges purportedly independent U.S. affiliate, including an account that held American customers funds, bank records show. U.S. lender Silvergate Bank authorized the executive, Guangying Chen, a close associate of Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, to operate the accounts in 2019 and 2020, according to records from those years. This allowed Chen and her deputies to move funds held in the bank accounts. Employees at the affiliate, Binance.US, had to ask Chens team to process payments, even to cover the firms payroll, company messages show. The new findings offer further detail into how Binance exercised tight control over Binance.US, despite both firms maintaining that they have always operated independently. The previously unreported bank records and messages show that Binances management over the U.S. businesss finances extended across its bank accounts at Silvergate and detail how this secret access was granted. After this story was published, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Binance after a years-long inquiry into the company. The agency accused Zhao of secretly controlling Binance.US as part of a "web of deception" to evade U.S. laws and said that until at least December 2020, Binance.US staff "did not have any ability to control" the company's bank accounts. Binance.US has denied that Binance ever operated its bank accounts. Its head of legal, Krishna Juvvadi, told Reuters in April that employees of Binance.USs operator, BAM Trading, had exclusive control since its founding in 2019. In response to questions for this article, however, a Binance.US spokesperson, Christian Hertenstein, said that since the companys current chief executive, Brian Shroder, took over in late 2021, no one other than Binance.US officials have had control or access to Binance.US accounts. Hertenstein did not explain the discrepancy in the time periods given by him and Juvvadi. Binance and Silvergate, which collapsed in March and is winding down operations, did not respond to requests for comment for this article. Binance said on Monday it would "defend our platform vigorously" from the SEC's allegations. Binances U.S. operations are facing ever-closer attention in Washington. By secretly retaining control over Binance.USs finances, Zhao ensured he could direct the companys expansion in the American crypto market one of the worlds biggest while keeping it apart from his global exchange that was under scrutiny from U.S. regulators. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission in March charged Binance and Zhao with willful evasion of commodities laws by intentionally structuring entities to avoid U.S. regulations designed to protect investors. Zhao called the civil charges an incomplete recitation of facts. The CFTC had no comment for this article. Reuters has previously reported that a deputy of Chens had access to one Binance.US Silvergate account and that the account transferred more than $400 million in 2021 to a trading firm controlled by Zhao. Binance.US has said the trading firm, Merit Peak, was withdrawing its own funds, money that derived from its trading activity on the exchange. Juvvadi said an investigation Binance.US conducted into Reuters previous findings found they were simply not true. Reuters also reported on May 23 that Binance commingled its customers funds with its corporate revenues in Merit Peaks Silvergate account, in breach of U.S. financial rules that require client money to be kept separate. Binance denied mixing customer deposits and company funds, saying that users who sent money to the account were not making deposits but rather buying Binances bespoke dollar-linked crypto token. The SEC, in its complaint on Monday against Zhao and Binance, also accused them of commingling billions of dollars in customer funds in Merit Peak's account. PRIMARY ADMIN USER The Binance.US trading platform was launched by its operating firm, BAM Trading, in mid-2019 under then Chief Executive Catherine Coley. Zhao owned BAM Trading through layers of offshore companies, company documents show. But Binance.US said it operated solely as a US partner of Binance. Reuters reported last year that, in fact, Zhao created Binance.US as a de facto subsidiary to draw U.S. regulators scrutiny away from the global exchange. In December 2019, a Binance.US employee told Coley that Silvergate wanted her to sign a banking resolution, a document that defines a firms banking relationship, to make sure it is ok for Chen to manage Binance.USs bank accounts, according to messages exchanged between Binance.US employees. The resolution document, reviewed by Reuters and authored by a Silvergate relationship manager, requested that Coley authorize Chen to open accounts, transact, and otherwise operate accounts on behalf of BAM Trading. A person familiar with the document said Coley signed it. Coley left Binance.US in 2021. A lawyer representing her, James McDonald, didnt respond to requests for comment. Chen then signed further agreements with Silvergate to act as the Primary Admin User for the five bank accounts: a customer deposit account; an account for corporate clients that later sent funds to Merit Peak; and three other accounts, according to bank records dated between December 2019 and January 2020. The agreements said the authorized person could withdraw funds from the accounts or deposit them, and designate others to do so, too. Coley told colleagues in a message later that year that she and her finance team were not administrators for BAMs accounts and only had view-access. The arrangement left Binance.USs chief lacking ultimate control over the companys own finances. We cannot change anything in the Silvergate banking portal, she wrote. Hertenstein, the Binance.US spokesperson, told Reuters that since at least 2021, the only Primary Admins on active Binance.US accounts have been Binance.US officials. He said some of the accounts identified by Reuters as being operated by Chen were institutional client accounts, without elaborating on their activity. After Chen gained authorization, her deputy, a Binance executive named Susan Li, took charge of managing the accounts transactions, including payments to cover Binance.USs payroll, company messages show. Approved from my end, Li messaged a Binance.US employee after receiving one payroll request. Chen, known as Heina, retained control over the accounts until at least early 2021, the messages show. The Silvergate documents she signed listed her address as in Shanghai. A Binance.US employee messaged colleagues in May 2020 to say Silvergate was still waiting for Heina to sign the final paperwork on a new bank account for the Binance.US exchanges institutional customers. Reuters could not determine if Chen or Li moved funds from the Binance.US customer deposit account. Neither Chen nor Li responded to questions from Reuters. Customer funds have not been misused or co-mingled, said Hertenstein at Binance.US. Coley and her team repeatedly asked Li during 2020 for Binance to grant them control over Binance.USs own bank accounts, at one point expressing concern about how regulators would view the situation, company messages show. I think it makes sense BAM has its own login for the regulatory perspective, a Binance.US finance director wrote to Li in November. Coley also later expressed worries to Li that the transfers to Merit Peak were taking place without her knowledge, according to messages Reuters previously reported. Binance.US did not answer questions about Chen's role, including her control of the accounts or when it may have ended. It is difficult to speak to each and every detail because the companys management team has turned over completely since the time period in question, Hertenstein said. Juvvadi, Binance.USs head of legal, said the fund flows to Merit Peak were all proper. The internal investigation matched all the transfers to Merit Peak with withdrawals the trading firm made from its own digital asset account on the Binance.US platform, he said. All the funds belonged to Merit Peak, he said. Juvvadi declined to elaborate on Merit Peaks trading activity or Zhaos role at the firm. (Reported by Angus Berwick and Tom Wilson; Edited by Janet McBride and Michael Williams) Factbox-Highlights from SEC complaint against crypto exchange Binance FILE PHOTO: Illustration shows a representation of the cryptocurrency and Binance logo By Angus Berwick (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday accused the world's largest crypto exchange, Binance, and its founder Changpeng Zhao, of operating an "elaborate scheme to evade U.S. federal securities laws." The SEC charged Binance and Zhao with 13 offences, including operating an unregistered securities exchange and failing to restrict U.S. customers from its platform. The agency also alleged that Binance and Zhao secretly controlled customers assets, allowing them to commingle and divert customer funds. In a blog post, Binance said: "We intend to defend our platform vigorously," adding that "because Binance is not a U.S. exchange, the SEC's actions are limited in reach." "Any allegations that user assets on the Binance.US platform have ever been at risk are simply wrong," Binance said. Here are some of the highlights from the SEC's complaint: COMMINGLING CUSTOMER FUNDS The SEC's complaint alleged that billions of dollars in Binance customer funds were commingled in a account held by a Zhao-controlled firm called Merit Peak, in breach of U.S. rules that require customer money to be kept separate. Merit Peak's U.S. bank account received over $20 billion that included customer funds both from the Binance platform and the platform of its U.S. affiliate Binance.US. Merit Peak then transferred the "vast majority of those funds" to an unidentified company, "in transfers that appear to relate to the purchase of" Binance's bespoke dollar-linked crypto-token BUSD. "Sending Binance customer funds to Merit Peak placed those funds at risk, including of loss or theft, and was done without notice to customers," the SEC wrote in its complaint. Reuters reported on May 23 that Binance commingled billions of dollars in client funds and corporate revenues in a bank account that Merit Peak held at U.S. lender Silvergate Bank. Binance then used the Merit Peak account to buy BUSD, Reuters reported. Binance denied this at the time. DIVERSION OF FUNDS The SEC alleged that Zhao and Binance diverted customer assets "as they please," including to a Switzerland-based trading firm called Sigma Chain, which is controlled by Zhao. Merit Peak and Sigma Chain were used to transfer tens of billions of dollars involving Binance, Binance.US and other related entities, the SEC said. For example, the SEC said that in 2021 at least $145 million was transferred from Binance.US to a Sigma Chain account. "From this account, Sigma Chain spent $11 million to purchase a yacht," the SEC said. CONTROL OF U.S. BUSINESS Zhao launched Binance in Shanghai in 2017. Since then, the exchange has said it does not have a headquarters and has declined to give the location of its main Binance.com exchange. Binance's holding company is based in the Cayman Islands. Though Zhao publicly said that Binance restricted U.S. customers from trading on the platform, the SEC alleged that the exchange in reality subverted its own controls to allow them to continue doing so. As such, Zhao designed and implemented a plan to "surreptitiously evade U.S. laws." "As Binances Chief Compliance Officer admitted, 'We do not want [Binance].com to be regulated ever,'" the SEC wrote in its complaint. In 2019, Binance announced a partnership with a U.S. company called BAM trading that would launch the Binance.US platform to serve American clients in compliance with U.S. laws. However, the SEC said that Zhao directed Binance.US even though the U.S. entity has long said it operates independently. Zhao instructed Binance.US to onboard Sigma Chain and Merit Peak as market makers on the Binance.US platform, the SEC said. Both firms were operated by Binance employees, including one that had authority over Binance.US's U.S. dollar bank accounts. Before the SEC complaint was made public, Reuters, citing bank records, reported on Monday that Zhao's head of back office was the primary operator for five of Binance.US's bank accounts, including one that held American customer funds. WASH-TRADING The SEC said that from at least September 2019 to June 2022, Sigma Chain "engaged in wash trading that artificially inflated the trading volume of crypto asset securities on the Binance.US platform." Sigma Chain held dozens of user accounts on Binance.US through which it "fraudulently inflated trading." "Sigma Chains and Merit Peaks activity on the Binance.US Platform, and their undisclosed relationship with Zhao and Binance, have involved and continue to present conflicts between Zhaos financial interests and those of Binance.US Platforms customers." (Reporting by Angus Berwick; editing by Michelle Price and Nick Zieminski) FILE - Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita speaks during a watch party for Jennifer-Ruth Green, the Republican candidate for Indiana's 1st Congressional District, in Schererville, Ind., Nov. 8, 2022. The fate of the Indiana attorney generals lawsuit against the social media app TikTok is uncertain after a federal judge lambasted much of the case as political posturing. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The fate of the Indiana attorney generals lawsuit against the social media company TikTok is uncertain after a federal judge lambasted much of the case as political posturing. While U.S. District Judge Holly Brady ruled against TikTok's request to move the case to federal court, that decision leaves the lawsuit brought by Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita in the hands of a county judge who last month ruled against Rokita on two key points. The state attorney general claims the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform misleads users about its level of inappropriate content and about the security of consumer information. A county judge has already said the attorney general is wrong to classify downloading TikTok as a consumer transaction because no money is exchanged, and that Indiana lacks standing in the case because both TikTok and Apple the company where people download the app are based in California. The most recent blow came May 23, when Brady wrote in a decision that more than 90% of the (lawsuit) was devoted to irrelevant posturing." When one wades through the political posturing and finds that legal claim, the inescapable conclusion is that the claim rises and falls on matters particular to state law," Brady, a Fort Wayne, Indiana-based judge nominated by then-President Donald Trump, wrote. "The federal intrigue interjected by Indiana may interest its intended audience -- one beyond the courthouse wall -- but it is irrelevant to the determination of this case. Indiana's lawsuit, which was filed in December, makes arguments similar to those by many state and federal lawmakers and government officials who have said they worry that the Chinese government could harvest U.S. user data from TikTok and use the platform to push pro-Beijing misinformation or messages to the public. TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has said it has never been asked to hand over its data to the Chinese government and has denied Indiana's claims about inappropriate content. The state attorney generals office did not immediately comment Monday on Bradys decision or the lawsuits future. TikToks attorneys and the ByteDance media office didnt immediately reply to requests for comment either. Bradys decision keeps the lawsuit in state courts, where a judge last month denied Rokitas request for a preliminary injunction prohibiting TikTok from stating in online app stores that it has none or infrequent/mild references to drugs, sexual or other inappropriate content for children as young as 12. Judge Craig Bobay of Allen County Superior Court in Fort Wayne also ruled that downloading TikToks free app doesnt amount to a consumer transaction and said the attorney generals office was unlikely to win at trial. The attorney general's office hasn't said whether it will appeal Bobay's decision. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued multiple recalls last week, including more than 142,000 Ford Lincoln MKC vehicles for potential fire risk and more than 29,000 Ford vehicles for incorrect load carrying capacity labels on tires. Tesla is also recalling a small amount of 2022-2023 Model Y vehicles due to steering wheel issues. Car owners can check USA TODAYs automotive recall database or search NHTSAs database for new recalls. The NHTSA website also allows you to search for recalls based on your vehicle identification number, or VIN. Here are the vehicle recalls published by the NHTSA the week of May 29 through June 4: Ford Lincoln recall for potential fire risk Ford is recalling 142,734 of its 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC vehicles because the battery monitor sensor may short-circuit and overheat, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment. Owners should park the Lincoln outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete, NHTSA said. Ford will mail notification letters to customers by June 26, 2026. If you have this vehicle, dealers will add an in-line fuse to the battery monitor sensor power circuit for free. Recalled vehicles: 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC (142,734) Ford recalls Bronco, F-250, Ranger Ford is recalling 29,607 of its 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250 and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles due to the tire and loading information label stating the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. Owners have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label installed for free or Ford will mail them a new label to install over the existing label. Ford will mail notification letters to owners by July 5, 2023. Recalled vehicles: 2022-2023 Ford Bronco 2023 Super Duty Ford F-250 2019-2023 Ford Ranger Tesla Model Y recall due to steering wheel issues Tesla is recalling 137 of its 2022-2023 Model Y vehicles because the steering wheel fastener may be loose, which can cause the steering wheel to disconnect from the steering column. Tesla will replace the fastener for free. Tesla will mail notification letters to customers by July 28, 2023. Recalled vehicles: 2022-2023 Tesla Model Y (137) Jaguar I-PACE recall due to overheating battery Jaguar Land Rover is recalling 6,367 of its 2019-2024 Jaguar I-PACE vehicles due to the high-voltage battery overheating, which increases the risk of a fire. Owners can get the battery energy control module software updated or replaced at a dealer for free. Jaguar Land Rover will mail notification letters to owners by July 21, 2023. Recalled vehicles: 2019-2024 Jaguar I-PACE (6,367) More coverage from the USA TODAY Network Last week: Ford, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan recall more than 275,000 vehicles. Check recalls here. Check recalls here: Ford, Chevrolet, BMW, Mitsubishi recall nearly 1.3 million vehicles Volkswagen is bringing back the bus: EV version of iconic Microbus unveiled in the US Recall: Nearly 500,000 PowerXL juicers recalled after dozens of injuries reported This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Check car recalls: Ford, Jaguar, Tesla among recalled vehicles (Bloomberg) -- Even as ESG investing gains traction globally as one of the hottest strategies, one Indian fund managers bet against the trade has proved to be a big boon. Most Read from Bloomberg The Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund boosted holdings of Asias largest cigarette maker ITC Ltd. and the worlds top miner by production Coal India Ltd. at low valuations three years ago, when some large investors balked at them. Those bets helped the fund deliver a return of 14% so far this year, outperforming 90% of its peers. For some time the whole thinking in the investing world was that everything should be ESG and how can you have fossil or tobacco companies, Rajeev Thakkar, who manages about $4 billion as the chief investment officer for Parag Parikh Financial Advisory Services Ltd., said in an interview last week. Global funds, especially money managers based in Europe, have been trimming their exposures to tobacco, coal and oil companies in recent years to comply with their environmental, social and governance mandates. That drove the valuations of companies in these sectors to ridiculously low levels, and thats when we realize there lies a great opportunity, Thakkar said. READ: Meme Stock ITC Is Top Gainer as Adani Saga Spurs Rush to Quality European funds ownership of ITC shares declined by about 5% over the past five years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Abrdn PLC, Deutsche Bank AG and Principal Financial Group Plc are among funds that narrowed holdings in the firm, which earns more than 40% of its revenue from tobacco. ITCs shares trailed the Sensex for five out of eight years through 2020 but have turned into one of the benchmarks best performers since then, a period during which Thakkar raised his funds holdings in the Kolkata-headquartered firm, which counts British American Tobacco Plc among its key stake holders. The fund has ITC as its second-largest holding and Coal India as the tenth-biggest, according to the latest filing. The coal producers shares have more than doubled since a 2020 low. It also has one-fifth of its investments in US companies, including Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc. Thakkars conviction in ITC and Coal India is also guided by the companies strategy to wean away from their traditional businesses. ITC is looking to expand its presence in consumer space, agriculture and information technology, while Coal India is investing into gasification and renewable energy. They are clearly working toward a transition, and what matters for us is the direction rather than the current position, said Thakkar. Obviously things cannot change overnight and it has to be a process, which we invested and sort of benefited from. --With assistance from Satviki Sanjay. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. More than a cash grab, design studio UVL is rolling out a unique choose-your-adventure styled NFT project this week. Consisting of three key components, the voyage of "Axis Mundi" begins on June 6, with a 72-hour open edition mint where users can acquire so-called Energy elements. An open edition mint refers to an unlimited number of NFTs in a collection. These elements were created by new media artist Jason Ting and sound designer Pelican Sound, and appear as 20-second video loops of light and liquid. The mint price is set at 0.009 ETH, or roughly $16 at todays prices. The sale of Beings, the experience's primary NFTs, is slated for September at an undisclosed price. The Beings NFTs can evolve too, but users will need to burn their Energy NFTs to do so. To move from its first form to the second, for example, users will need to destroy five Energy NFTs. Axis Mundi beings evolve throughout their respective stories. Image: Axis Mundi. The final component is a much larger, collective work that generates art based on the various interactions between different Beings in the virtual world once the experience concludes. The experience will unfold over the next 8 to 12 months, across eight chapters. "Chapters are designed to maintain community interest post-mint, co-founder Alexis Foucault told Decrypt. We have a well-structured, pre-planned experience in which all collectors can participate." At the conclusion of each game chapter, NFT holders will be presented with decisions to make for a few days, with one-click decision mechanisms adapted to the brevity of collector attention spans. "The decisions you make, however, will have a significant impact and will not necessarily be easy," he said. "The principles of gameplay are embedded throughout the experience," Foucault told Decrypt. Collectors are urged to step outside their comfort zone and transition into active participants. Depending on the personality and psychology of the participant, various paths and experiences will begin to intertwine. "User decisions will shape their journey and the NFT they own," he said. Foucault draws a parallel with the interactive storytelling format popularized by Black Mirror's "Bandersnatch," where viewer decisions determine the narrative's course. In a move to amplify the launch, UVL is also curating an immersive audiovisual installation for this weeks Non-Fungible Conference in Lisbon. Axis Mundi breaks away from NFT trends "We aimed to create an emotional project based on NFTs that encapsulates everything we love," Foucault told Decrypt. Influenced by a myriad of artists and mediumsranging from Neri Oxman and Giacometti to Avatar and Pokemonthe duo is constructing an NFT experience that bridges the gap between art, cinema, and gaming. This gamified mechanism also pays homage to the NFT projects launched by artist Pak, as Foucault acknowledges. "We often reference Pak, and it's entirely intentional. Lost Poets, for instance, has a principle of gamification and mystery that has always inspired us. He also cites influence from other collections like OG Crystals, Shibuya Studio, and the GNSS collection of the artist MGXS. The NFTs are crafted through a 3D algorithmic generation process, using AI software Stable Diffusion. The result is an artwork with a sculptural rather than graphical quality. "We sculpted the silhouette as if we were molding a digital sculpture with biological and organic materials," Foucault said. Digital Artist Pak and Julian Assange Launch Ethereum NFT Collection Though there may be money to be made on the projectit is after all an open edition mintit certainly isnt the niches typical NFT drop. And thats the point. "We wanted to create a collection with a completely novel aesthetic, breaking away from trends and presenting a refreshing and intriguing universe, both aesthetically and narratively," he said. (Bloomberg) -- Germany plans to help energy-intensive manufacturers transition to climate-neutral technologies with roughly 50 billion ($53.4 billion) in subsidies. Most Read from Bloomberg The program, which still needs European Union approval, would run over 15 years and be open for companies with at least 10 kilotons of carbon emissions annually. That would include manufacturers in the steel, chemicals, cement, paper and glass sectors. We are targeting the most emitting companies, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Monday at a press conference. From the initiative, the government expects a reduction of 350 million tons by 2045 a third of the industrys goal. Europes largest economy aims to slash carbon emissions two thirds by 2030 and reach net zero by 2045. To achieve those goals, decarbonizing industry is key, but Germany has been struggling to make headway on environmental goals. Habecks plan to promote heat pumps over conventional boilers has been mired in infighting. Read More: Europes Green Transition Under Attack as Political Costs Rise Germanys steel sector alone counts for about 30% of industrial carbon emissions. With the program, the state would cover the cost difference between the production of conventional and green steel. The plan would be similar in other industries. The subsidies are to be awarded based on auction. Companies would present proposals for the amount of aid needed, with the lowest offers receiving funding. Because of the structure, the exact size of the program has yet to be determined. The economy ministry said the amount would be in the mid double-digit billion range. The plan is similar to instruments used by the Netherlands. The European Commission still needs to approve Germanys initiative. Although Habeck said theres a basic agreement in place, Brussels will have to check whether the program is aimed at operational expenditure and ensure it doesnt lead to over-funding when combined with other programs. Read More: Germany Risks Overfunding Green Steel Push, Experts Warn The Economy Ministry had reacted to earlier criticism of the proposal by making it more accessible to medium-sized companies, Habeck said. Details will be published on Tuesday, and the implementation of the auction takes about two months, the ministry said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Hedge funds drop European stocks for US and Japan, analysts say German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt By Nell Mackenzie LONDON (Reuters) - Hedge funds ditched European equities last week for stocks in the United States and Japan, client notes from JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs show, as strong economic data lifted equity markets in both countries. Commodity Trading Advisors, hedge funds that use algorithms to trade market trends, rotated out of European and Hong Kong stocks and have moved into the United States and Japan, a JP Morgan note seen on Monday showed. These funds have taken the largest bullish position in Japanese stocks seen in about two years, while long, or bullish bets, on UK stocks were "trimmed the most in May," the note said. A strong U.S. jobs report and relief that a U.S. debt ceiling crisis had been averted propelled the S&P 500 Index to its highest since last August on Friday, while investors are betting the Bank of Japan would retain its ultra-loose policy, pushing the Nikkei to a 33-year high in its biggest daily gain since Jan. 18 on Monday. Hedge funds' net buying in North American stocks reached the highest level Goldman Sachs had seen in about five months, led by investments in information technology, consumer staples and health care, a Goldman Sachs note to clients said. Net selling in U.S. energy stocks hit 10-week highs and neared the highest levels since 2018, its note added. Hedge funds also bought shares of North American financial companies, health care, industrials and consumer-related sectors, a Morgan Stanley note said. A separate Morgan Stanley note on Monday said markets were now in the midst of several "hotter but shorter", earnings cycles. An earnings recession this year is likely but not yet priced by markets, the note also said. (Reporting by Nell Mackenzie; Editing by Sharon Singleton) What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Although, when we looked at Riverstone Holdings (SGX:AP4), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes. Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It? For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Riverstone Holdings: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.16 = RM303m (RM2.0b - RM114m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2023). Therefore, Riverstone Holdings has an ROCE of 16%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 10% generated by the Medical Equipment industry. Check out our latest analysis for Riverstone Holdings roce Above you can see how the current ROCE for Riverstone Holdings compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Riverstone Holdings here for free. What Can We Tell From Riverstone Holdings' ROCE Trend? On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Riverstone Holdings doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 22%, but since then they've fallen to 16%. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. This could mean that the business is losing its competitive advantage or market share, because while more money is being put into ventures, it's actually producing a lower return - "less bang for their buck" per se. The Bottom Line We're a bit apprehensive about Riverstone Holdings because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. Yet despite these concerning fundamentals, the stock has performed strongly with a 84% return over the last five years, so investors appear very optimistic. Regardless, we don't feel too comfortable with the fundamentals so we'd be steering clear of this stock for now. Riverstone Holdings does have some risks, we noticed 2 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about. For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Emirates will host the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai, UAE on June 2-4, 2024. We look forward to gathering the aviation industry in Dubai for the 80th IATA AGM in 2024. Dubai is a dynamic city and a major aviation hub connecting the world. The UAEs positive approach to aviation has built a strong airline with a strong hub airport. Together, these make an enormously powerful and positive contribution to the society and economy of the UAE. Holding the AGM in Dubai will be a showcase of what can be achieved by aviation with supportive government policies and decisions, said Willie Walsh, IATAs Director General. Emirates is delighted to host the 80th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit. We look forward to welcoming all our aviation industry colleagues to Dubai in 2024, said Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline. The decision to host the 80th IATA AGM was made by the 79th AGM in Istanbul. This will be the first time the UAE and Dubai will host the global gathering of aviation's top leaders. TradeArabia News Service There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. Nonetheless, only a fool would ignore the risk that a loss making company burns through its cash too quickly. So, the natural question for Piedmont Lithium (ASX:PLL) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. For the purpose of this article, we'll define cash burn as the amount of cash the company is spending each year to fund its growth (also called its negative free cash flow). We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway. See our latest analysis for Piedmont Lithium Does Piedmont Lithium Have A Long Cash Runway? A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. As at March 2023, Piedmont Lithium had cash of US$130m and such minimal debt that we can ignore it for the purposes of this analysis. In the last year, its cash burn was US$66m. That means it had a cash runway of about 2.0 years as of March 2023. Notably, however, analysts think that Piedmont Lithium will break even (at a free cash flow level) before then. In that case, it may never reach the end of its cash runway. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years. How Is Piedmont Lithium's Cash Burn Changing Over Time? Because Piedmont Lithium isn't currently generating revenue, we consider it an early-stage business. So while we can't look to sales to understand growth, we can look at how the cash burn is changing to understand how expenditure is trending over time. With the cash burn rate up 5.7% in the last year, it seems that the company is ratcheting up investment in the business over time. However, the company's true cash runway will therefore be shorter than suggested above, if spending continues to increase. While the past is always worth studying, it is the future that matters most of all. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company. How Hard Would It Be For Piedmont Lithium To Raise More Cash For Growth? Since its cash burn is increasing (albeit only slightly), Piedmont Lithium shareholders should still be mindful of the possibility it will require more cash in the future. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash and drive growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations. Piedmont Lithium has a market capitalisation of US$1.1b and burnt through US$66m last year, which is 5.9% of the company's market value. Given that is a rather small percentage, it would probably be really easy for the company to fund another year's growth by issuing some new shares to investors, or even by taking out a loan. How Risky Is Piedmont Lithium's Cash Burn Situation? It may already be apparent to you that we're relatively comfortable with the way Piedmont Lithium is burning through its cash. In particular, we think its cash burn relative to its market cap stands out as evidence that the company is well on top of its spending. Although its increasing cash burn does give us reason for pause, the other metrics we discussed in this article form a positive picture overall. It's clearly very positive to see that analysts are forecasting the company will break even fairly soon. Taking all the factors in this report into account, we're not at all worried about its cash burn, as the business appears well capitalized to spend as needs be. On another note, Piedmont Lithium has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session 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 In the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), professionals often compare the progress of AI systems to raising a toddler. Similar to how toddlers rely on adults for guidance and education to develop and mature, AI creations like the widely known chatbot phenomenon ChatGPT also depend on human intervention to gain knowledge and communication abilities. Dont Miss: Why Jason Calacanis and Other Silicon Valley Elites Are Betting On This Startups Vision For Re-Uniting American Families This has given rise to a new breed of tech professionals known as prompt engineers, who play a crucial role in training AI large language models (LLMs) to provide accurate and useful responses to users. What sets prompt engineers apart is their unique position in the AI job market they dont necessarily need a background in coding or tech expertise to excel in their roles. As Andrej Karpathy, former head of AI at Tesla Inc., puts it, The hottest new programming language is English. Employers in the AI industry are increasingly open to candidates from diverse backgrounds, recognizing the value of different perspectives in shaping the ever-evolving world of AI technology. The competition for dominance in the AI market has intensified in recent months, with major players vying for the top spot. Google launched Bard, its own chatbot competitor, while Microsoft Corp. is revamping Bing to incorporate ChatGPT, a move backed by a $10 billion investment. Tesla has also joined the race with its Tesla Bot, and Chinese search engine giant Baidu Inc. is developing its version called Ernie Bot. In the startups space, a number of AI based companies continue to get in on the action as well. For example, popular AI startup, AtomBeam has raised millions on platforms like StartEngine for its AI-powered data compaction platform. The industrys fierce competition has sparked a surge in demand for prompt engineers. At present, job postings for prompt engineers range from contracted remote work paying $200 per hour to full-time positions offering salaries of up to $335,000. San Francisco-based AI research and safety organization Anthropic, for instance, is advertising a role that requires basic programming skills. However, the company emphasizes that it welcomes applicants who may not meet every qualification, highlighting the importance of diversity and varied perspectives in the field of AI. Companies across industries are scrambling to stay ahead of the changes driven by AI tools, leading to a growing urgency in job postings. According to a ResumeBuilder.com survey, nearly 29% of companies plan to hire prompt engineers in 2023, and about 25% of them anticipate starting salaries exceeding $200,000 per year. Stacie Haller, chief career adviser at ResumeBuilder, explains that hiring prompt engineers can help companies save on labor and resource costs while benefiting from their unique skill set. Peter Pru, CEO of Ecommerce Empire Builders, recognizes the value of diverse backgrounds in shaping AI platforms. His Philadelphia-based company has hired and trained two prompt engineers, both of whom earn six-figure salaries. These prompt engineers collaborate with various teams, from design to research and development, to ensure effective outcomes for clients. They test new prompts to generate unique responses and provide valuable insights to adapt and improve services. As the demand for prompt engineers grows, their training and expertise become increasingly vital. Training involves teaching them about AI language models like ChatGPT, prompt design and optimization and prompt performance analysis. Collaboration with researchers, designers, editors and advertising managers is also crucial for prompt engineers to excel in their roles. To stay updated with top startup news & investments, sign up for Benzingas Startup Investing & Equity Crowdfunding Newsletter The rise of AI-focused jobs in niche markets, such as healthcare, finance, gaming and legal, further solidifies the importance of prompt engineers in the industry. While research indicates that generative AI may impact around 300 million jobs, prompt engineering is evidence that AI continues to create new job opportunities. The field is still in its early stages, with experts predicting a surge in job availability for prompt engineers around 2025. Kieran Scully, a manager at specialist recruiters Morgan McKinley, suggests that while coding skills are not essential, candidates should familiarize themselves with the basics of data science, machine learning and deep thinking. Employers seek traits like persistence, logical thinking, curiosity and cause-effect thinking in candidates, as these abilities prove invaluable in crafting effective prompts and understanding contextual information. Many headlines talk about how AI could take over jobs, and workers worry theyll lose their jobs because of this technology. As the job market gets tougher, having experience with ChatGPT can make employees much more valuable. See more on startup investing from Benzinga. Don't miss real-time alerts on your stocks - join Benzinga Pro for free! Try the tool that will help you invest smarter, faster, and better. This article High-Paying ChatGPT Careers: 30% Of Companies Seek Nontech Professionals For $300,000+ Salaries originally appeared on Benzinga.com . 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) reached a tentative deal on a new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which bargains on behalf of studios including Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Paramount, and Sony. The agreement, reached over the weekend, includes gains in wages and benefits, a 76% increase in foreign streaming residuals (a type of royalty payment), a "groundbreaking agreement" confirming that AI is not a person and therefore cannot perform the duties of DGA members, and the banning of live ammunition on sets after the October 2021 shooting death on the set of "Rust." The tentative deal will be submitted for board approval on Tuesday where further details will be revealed. The Director's Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as the writers' strike enters its sixth week "In these negotiations we made advances on wages, streaming residuals, safety, creative rights and diversity, as well as securing essential protections for our members on new key issues like artificial intelligence ensuring DGA members will not be replaced by technological advances," Jon Avnet, chair of the DGAs Negotiations Committee, said in a statement. The news comes as Hollywood writers, represented by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), enter their sixth week of strikes. The WGA began its strike in early May in protest of higher wages and other demands amid the streaming boom. That set off a production shutdown across the entire industry. Moody's has said that some media companies could see credit ratings suffer as a result of the strike, with studio executives like Paramount Global (PARA) CEO Bob Bakish warning it could impact the company's bottom line the longer it continues. In a statement provided to Yahoo Finance, the WGA said while it congratulates the DGA on reaching an agreement, "the AMPTP will not be able to negotiate a deal for writers with anyone but us," adding the studios' "divide and conquer strategy wont work this time." "As always, we will see you out on the picket lines this week, the union said. Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich wrote in a note to clients on Monday the DGA agreement does not necessitate a WGA deal due to the differences in their demands. "Studios will benefit from a temporary (i.e. a few months) but not prolonged strike as they are prepared for such a pause due to a robust backlog of content while the strike also enables a pare back in content spending," she added. "If more prolonged, we anticipate studios to lean into unscripted shows and internationally produced content." Photo by: NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx 2023 6/1/23 Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and its supporters picket outside of Warner Bros Discovery, Inc. on June 1, 2023 in New York City. 'Doesn't make any sense' Chris Keyser, co-chair of WGAs Negotiating Committee, told Yahoo Finance's Akiko Fujita streaming giants like Netflix (NFLX) have fundamentally changed the way they both employ and pay writers. A bunch of tech companies came in during the streaming era and imposed a kind of efficiency and productivity onto the creative process that doesnt make any sense, Keyser said. They pay us by the week and say, give us your great idea and go home. Doesnt work anymore. In a statement to Yahoo Finance, the AMPTP said: Member companies remain united in their desire to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to writers and the health and longevity of the industry, and to avoid hardship to the thousands of employees who depend upon the industry for their livelihoods. SAG-AFTRA the union which represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, recording artists, and other media professionals around the world is set to enter its negotiations with the AMPTP on Wednesday. It is currently conducting a strike authorization vote and will announce the results on Monday. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the DGA deal does not influence any of its own negotiating tactics. "Our bargaining strategy has never relied upon nor been dependent on the outcome or status of any other unions negotiations, nor do we subscribe to the philosophy that the terms of deals made with other unions bind us," said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, executive director at SAG-AFTRA. "We continue to stand in strong solidarity with the members of the WGA and with their strike, and we congratulate the DGA on their bargaining and look forward to reviewing the detailed terms of their agreement as soon as possible." Alexandra Canal is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @allie_canal, LinkedIn, and email her at alexandra.canal@yahoofinance.com 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 Hong Kong's asset managers should not fear losing their jobs to artificial intelligence (AI), but the finance sector must take care to deploy the technology responsibly while embracing the opportunities it presents, according to the CEO of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). "We are on the cusp of another revolution that will change the way we live, work and play," Julia Leung Fung-yee said at the Hong Kong Investment Funds Association conference on Monday. "As the AI competition heats up, technologists compare generative AI to the discovery of chips." Asset managers may adopt generative AI chatbots as tools, and need not fear being replaced because AI will "free up time and capacity for asset managers to better strategise and perform", Leung said. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "I believe generative AI can be used responsibly to augment, rather than replace, asset managers in strategic decision making." Julie Leung Fung-yee meets the press at the Securities and Futures Commission office in Hong Kong's Quarry Bay district on December 15, 2022 upon her appointment as the SFC's CEO. Photo: May Tse alt=Julie Leung Fung-yee meets the press at the Securities and Futures Commission office in Hong Kong's Quarry Bay district on December 15, 2022 upon her appointment as the SFC's CEO. Photo: May Tse> As the city's regulator, the SFC aims to promote the "responsible deployment" of technology, as long as it enhances market efficacy and transparency, cost savings and investor experience, she added. "At this stage, firms must take [AI] output with a grain of salt, stay alert to AI-related risks and make sure clients are treated fairly," Leung said. Firms must thoroughly test AI applications before deployment, have qualified staff managing AI tools, have senior management oversight in place and make sure a robust governance framework surrounds AI applications, she said. "For any conduct breaches, the SFC would look to hold the licensed firm responsible - not the AI," she added. Since the last of Hong Kong's Covid-19 restrictions were lifted and the mainland border reopened, money-market funds, short-duration bonds, balanced funds and mandates from insurance companies have all seen strong inflows, said Leung, especially for those financial institutions with large retail networks. Yet, the city still has a long road to recovery ahead and must remain "vigilant and resilient", she said. Amy Lo, co-head of wealth management for Asia-Pacific and Hong Kong CEO at UBS, speaks at an event in Hong Kong on April 27, 2023. Photo: Jonathan Wong alt=Amy Lo, co-head of wealth management for Asia-Pacific and Hong Kong CEO at UBS, speaks at an event in Hong Kong on April 27, 2023. Photo: Jonathan Wong> Digitalisation of the industry, which accelerated during the pandemic, has allowed for some banking processes, like opening accounts and due diligence, to happen much more quickly, Amy Lo, chairman of the Private Wealth Management Association's executive committee, said in a separate session at the conference. The industry should "leverage" the opportunities of this digital transformation and transform its wealth-management practices to be more "hybrid", said Lo, who is also CEO of UBS Hong Kong and the company's co-head of wealth management for Asia-Pacific. However, some parts of the process, like client discussions, will always require a "human touch", she added. Echoing these sentiments, Stephen Chan, the acting chairperson of the Hong Kong Association of Banks, said that customers want an enhanced "omnichannel experience" when it comes to banking. Customers freely take advantage of online resources, AI chatbot services and in-person customer service to interact with banks. "It will be a challenge for [the banking sector] to strike a balance," said Chan, adding that the industry must remember to "not just put everything online", as customer service remains very important. Meanwhile, blockchain stands to help revolutionise cross-border transactions by enabling faster and more secure assignments, while AI-driven platforms, which can personalise wealth management by offering tailored advice, stand to improve customer service efficiency by reducing response time and human error, he said. "The integration of technology in the banking industry has proven to be beneficial to all of us," Chan said. Looking forward, the future of banking will be characterised by increased personalisation empowered by AI and big data, Chan said. By the same token, while technology will enable streamlined processes, new job opportunities will be created in areas such as technology development, AI, data analysis and cybersecurity. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. I'm the head of talent acquisition at Vanguard. Here are the 3 things I look for in candidates and my favorite interview question to ask. Tiffany Haley, head of global talent acquisition at Vanguard. Tiffany Haley Tiffany Haley is the head of global talent acquisition at Vanguard. She looks for candidates who are mission oriented, adaptable, and always wanting to learn. Haley's favorite interview question to ask is "What do you want to give to this role?" This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tiffany Haley, head of global talent acquisition at Vanguard from Malvern, Pennsylvania about how to get a job at Vanguard. It's been edited for length and clarity. In my role leading Vanguard's global talent acquisition, I'm always blown away by the number of applications we receive. My team and I keep an "always on" talent mindset, and we receive strong interest from a broad and deep pool of talented candidates for the range of roles we're hiring for at any given time. We're committed to hiring diverse, high-performing, mission-driven talent at all stages of their careers. For example, we actively recruit candidates just starting out in their careers from colleges and universities across the country for our corporate internship program. We also hold what we call EXPLORE Days, which provide an opportunity to experience our unique culture and network with leaders across our businesses to gain an understanding of what sets us apart as a long-term career destination. For those looking to re-enter the workforce, we've built a return-to-work program or "returnship" which enables candidates who may have taken a career break the opportunity to refresh and reactivate their skills. When screening for a role, we look for a range of different abilities and skills that are applicable to the respective opportunity. But these are the three things we try to identify in any candidate for any role at Vanguard: 1. Are you mission-oriented? The first thing we look for is the most important and sets the tone for the rest of the process: Is this person mission-oriented and do their values align with ours? We want to understand who candidates are as people what energizes and motivates them. Having an authentic conversation with a candidate creates a connection that goes deeper than "can this person perform the tasks successfully." When a candidate lights up talking about a topic, you've entered new territory for a conversation that can tell you so much more than bullets on a resume. I recently spoke with a candidate interested in a role in our advice business. Their experience fit the bill for the role's requirements, but what sold me was this person's passion for giving back to their community. A spirit of caring is foundational to Vanguard's success in serving our clients and our communities, and I knew this individual would appreciate seeing their passion come to life in their role and through other community-based initiatives they could become involved with at our firm. 2. Can you pivot? We also ask candidates to describe their ability to adapt. Our industry is ever-changing, and so are the needs and aspirations of our clients. By articulating a time when you had to change course, experiment with a new approach, or identify a creative solution to a problem, you're not only showcasing your skillset. You're also showing me and our team of recruiters that you have the prowess to be adaptable a fundamental capability in this industry and when serving clients. 3. Do you want to learn and keep learning? Lastly, we look for individuals who express a desire to continually learn and expand their skill sets. We don't expect candidates to have all the answers or necessarily be a master at their craft when joining Vanguard. We look for an eagerness to stand behind a noble mission, and a commitment to growing their career by seizing development opportunities. For example, we often interview candidates for our information technology division who might not be fully versed in all of the technologies Vanguard uses to power our business. But when I hear a candidate express their enthusiasm for broadening their skillset by learning a new application or coding language, my ears perk up. When we find this type of engaged talent, we know it's on us to help provide avenues and tools that enable their learning, so they can ultimately continue to add value to our clients. The key is for candidates to be able to successfully demonstrate these things in their application and interview to stand out, showcase their value on a resume, and make a lasting impression. If you don't have the skills, focus on your experiences I recommend candidates focus on sharing impactful experiences that demonstrate their ability to be successful in the role they're applying for. A candidate might not have all the skills required for a particular role, but if they're able to provide stories and examples of how they helped drive a positive outcome, achieve a goal, or cultivate a mission, that can be especially memorable. Our team of recruiters primarily focus on behavioral-based questions so we're able to get a sense of how candidates respond and react to situations they've experienced, how they take action, their working styles, and if they have skills to support the role they're applying for. I'm a big believer that you don't need to have a stacked resume to share something relevant in your interview. You can draw on experiences and demonstrate value from anything a volunteering initiative or nonprofit work, classwork, a previous job, and more. The most important question I want candidates to reflect on is arguably simple but powerful and telling: What motivated you to apply for this role? We want to understand your interests and what you're looking for in your next role. And we're interested in hearing you articulate what drew you to Vanguard, what impact you'd like to make, and how you're hoping to advance your career here. My favorite interview question flips a standard one on its head Instead of asking what candidates want to gain from the role and from working here, I ask them what they want to give. I've seen candidates pause or hesitate slightly since it's a slight deviation from what they were expecting, but it generates robust conversation around how they plan to invest in Vanguard and their career here, and how we invest in their growth along the way. Their answer goes beyond words, too. A candidate's tone, inflection, and body language can convey so much. Even the most introverted and reserved candidates can light up when you give them the chance to story-tell around how they can contribute. I recall one candidate who responded to my question by sharing that the average person spends about 37.5 hours working each week. And, if they were going to give that time one of life's most prized gifts to their employer, they wanted to do so being challenged with new things to learn each day. That really stuck with me! If you're a hiring executive who wants to share interview tips, email Jenna Gyimesi at jgyimesi@insider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- For any trading venue, volume is the coin of the realm. But over at Binance.US, the American exchange that operates under Binance Holdings Ltd.s branding, that currency was being counterfeited, federal regulators alleged Monday. Most Read from Bloomberg From at least September 2019 until June 2022, a Swiss-incorporated trading firm owned by Binance founder Changpeng CZ Zhao called Sigma Chain allegedly engaged in wash trading, making it seem like many more tokens were changing hands on Binance.US than actually were. Thats just one of the new details that surfaced in the Securities and Exchange Commissions 136-page complaint accusing Binance, Zhao and its US-based affiliate BAM Trading Services Inc. of circumventing US rules by fraudulently inflating trading volume on its US platform an exchange that is meant to operate separately from the wider Binance.com. Read the full complaint here. Binance was already facing a similar lawsuit by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed last month, as well as other regulatory and legal investigations worldwide. But the SECs 13-charge rap sheet adds new allegations. The freshest of these that Zhao, Binance and Binance.US either conducted or permitted wash trading are potentially also among the most damning, particularly as the crypto sector grapples with how to combat incoming global standards that would force exchanges to split off brokerage, lending or custody services under new entities. These sort of market manipulation tactics are all tools and mechanisms to create the appearance of a legitimate, market-induced increase in prices, when the reality is just a few grifters working amongst themselves to artificially inflate the prices of these securities, said John Reed Stark, a former SEC enforcement attorney who now runs his own consulting firm, about wash trading. It calls into question all of the data relating to crypto. The SEC also accuses Binance of illegally allowing high-profile US companies to trade on Binance.com and of commingling customer assets between its US and non-US entities, among other charges. Binance.US said the SECs complaint was baseless, while Binance.com said its efforts to reach a settlement with the watchdog were dismissed. The worlds largest crypto exchange, which manages more daily spot volume than all other top centralized exchanges combined, has spent most of the last two years firefighting and pursuing licenses outside of the US as regulators elsewhere cracked down on its services. Between June 2018 and July 2021, the SEC estimated that Binance earned at least $11.6 billion in revenue. Puppet In addition to allegedly soliciting US investors without the correct permissions, Binance was accused of engaging in multiple unregistered offers and sales of cryptoassets and investment schemes. US entities BAM Trading and BAM Management of which Zhao presently owns an 81% stake also allegedly defrauded investors about its ability to observe and counteract manipulative trading on Binance.US. In reality, the SEC said such controls were virtually non-existent. As Zhao confirmed in April 2019 when commenting on a ranking of crypto asset platforms by trading volume: CREDIBILITY is the most important asset for any exchange! If an exchange fakes their volumes, would you trust them with your funds? But BAM Trading and BAM Management failed to implement controls to prevent manipulative trading on the Binance.US Platform that it falsely claimed to investors to have implemented, resulting in the exact fake volumes that Zhao decried in April 2019. At Zhaos insistence, Sigma Chain became a market maker on the Binance.US platform from the time of its launch, the SEC said, racking up dozens of user accounts to trade with. It held great influence over how the platforms volumes fared on a daily basis, allegedly corrupting Binance.USs reported trading volume in a strategic pattern that coincided with at least three critical periods for crypto and equity investors in such projects. On June 23, 2020, for example, in discussing a drop in trading volume from market makers on the Binance.US Platform, BAM CEO A asked the BAM Tradings Sales Director to pull [Sigma Chains] data to hold them accountable too . . . they should be consistent too we can ask for more volume but theyve been up to 50% for us before. On January 6, 2021, the Sales Director messaged BAM CEO A and other BAM Trading employees fyi these are ALL sigma chain, and then listed 20 account numbers. Another BAM Trading employee responded, whoa. Zhao and BAM executives took no steps to alter Sigma Chains impact on the platform despite being aware of its interference, the SEC said. Sigma Chain engaged in wash trading on or around the time the launch of at least 65 new cryptoassets on Binance.US Platform, the watchdog added. Accounts owned by Sigma Chain, which received more than $200 million from other Zhao-owned entities, allegedly used $11 million of that amount to purchase a yacht. Overall, Binances alleged activities date back as far as 2018, the SEC said, with Binance.US employees having felt duped into being a puppet under Zhaos control. As one part of this plan to evade United States regulatory oversight over Zhao, Binance, and the Binance.com Platform, Zhao and Binance created BAM Management and BAM Trading in the United States and claimed publicly that these entities independently controlled the operation of the Binance.US Platform. Behind the scenes, however, Zhao and Binance were intimately involved in directing BAM Tradings U.S. business operations and providing and maintaining the crypto asset services of the Binance.US Platform. BAM Trading employees referred to Zhaos and Binances control of BAM Tradings operations as shackles that often prevented BAM Trading employees from understanding and freely conducting the business of running and operating the Binance.US Platform so much so that, by November 2020, BAM Tradings then-CEO told Binances CFO that her entire team feels like [it had] been duped into being a puppet. Similar to claims already laid out in the CFTCs lawsuit against Binance and Zhao, the SEC alleged that the exchange had regularly made outward representations that US investors were not allowed on Binance.com while simultaneously obscuring the tracks of its largest US customers on that venue. Tai-Chi Employees inside Binance were well aware of the illegal nature of their activities and lack of appropriate registration, the SEC said. A plan devised by an external consultant in 2018 suggested that Binance establish an entity that could become the scapegoat for all forthcoming regulatory enforcement actions that would undoubtedly follow in the US, which ultimately ended in the creation of Binance.US. Zhao and Binance understood that they were operating the Binance.com Platform in violation of numerous U.S. laws, including the federal securities laws, and that these ongoing violations presented existential risks to their business. As Binances CCO bluntly admitted to another Binance compliance officer in December 2018, we are operating as a fking unlicensed securities exchange in the USA bro. That firm, known as the Tai Chi entity, would eventually integrate with the main Binance parent for a nominal fee once it had served its purpose, the consultant allegedly recommended. The SEC said Binance ended up implementing most of this plan. Altcoins Several cryptocurrencies that trade on Binances platforms were identified by the watchdog as unregistered securities. Binances own tokens BUSD issued by Paxos Trust Co. and BNB were named in the complaint as examples of the companys unregistered activity, as well as its interest-earning product BNB Vault and staking service Simple Earn. The list of tokens at hand includes Solanas SOL, a cryptocurrency once favored by former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, whose platform collapsed in November last year. Bankman-Fried is facing his own raft of charges by the SEC, CFTC and others. Listen: Sam Bankman-Fried Tumbled From Crypto Savior to Accused Scammer Other tokens targeted by the SEC included Cardanos ADA, Polygons MATIC, Filecoins FIL and Algorands ALGO. Animoca Brands, a major web3 investor, saw two of its affiliated projects tokens affected in The Sandboxs SAND and Decentralands MANA. The allegations that these tokens were offered and sold as securities could have wide implications for other exchanges that offer them in the US. Even as recently as this month, the SEC said not all cryptoassets currently trading on Binance.US are under the exclusive custody and control of personnel at its US-based parent BAM Trading. Binance is by far the worlds largest exchange, and thus any action against it carries increased importance, said Riyad Carey, a research analyst at crypto data firm Kaiko. While it will take time for this complaint to play out, it is one of the most significant regulatory actions in recent years. --With assistance from David Pan and Yueqi Yang. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Quite a few insiders have dramatically grown their holdings in Pavillon Holdings Ltd. (SGX:596) over the past 12 months. An insider's optimism about the company's prospects is a positive sign. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. View our latest analysis for Pavillon Holdings Pavillon Holdings Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when insider Shang Ran Yang bought S$10.0m worth of shares at a price of S$0.10 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than S$0.017 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. In the last twelve months Pavillon Holdings insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Does Pavillon Holdings Boast High Insider Ownership? Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Pavillon Holdings insiders own 89% of the company, currently worth about S$22m based on the recent share price. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders. So What Do The Pavillon Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate? The fact that there have been no Pavillon Holdings insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Judging from their transactions, and high insider ownership, Pavillon Holdings insiders feel good about the company's future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Pavillon Holdings (including 3 which are significant). If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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 Key Insights Sarine Technologies' significant individual investors ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public A total of 25 investors have a majority stake in the company with 49% ownership Recent sales by insiders To get a sense of who is truly in control of Sarine Technologies Ltd. (SGX:U77), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 51% to be precise, is individual investors. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk). Institutions, on the other hand, account for 21% of the company's stockholders. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Sarine Technologies. See our latest analysis for Sarine Technologies What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Sarine Technologies? 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. We can see that Sarine Technologies does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Sarine Technologies' earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Sarine Technologies. First Israel Mezzanine Investors Ltd. is currently the company's largest shareholder with 11% of shares outstanding. With 9.2% and 8.7% of the shares outstanding respectively, Axxion S.A. and Shareholder Value Management AG are the second and third largest shareholders. Our studies suggest that the top 25 shareholders collectively control less than half of the company's shares, meaning that the company's shares are widely disseminated and there is no dominant shareholder. 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. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track. Insider Ownership Of Sarine Technologies While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. It seems insiders own a significant proportion of Sarine Technologies Ltd.. Insiders own S$24m worth of shares in the S$154m company. It is great to see insiders so invested in the business. It might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying recently. General Public Ownership The general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, collectively holds 51% of Sarine Technologies shares. This size of ownership gives investors from the general public some collective power. They can and probably do influence decisions on executive compensation, dividend policies and proposed business acquisitions. Private Equity Ownership With a stake of 11%, private equity firms could influence the Sarine Technologies board. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public. Next Steps: I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks for example - Sarine Technologies has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about. But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter 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 Titan International, Inc. (NYSE:TWI) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 14% in the last quarter. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last three years have been spectacular. The longer term view reveals that the share price is up 405% in that period. So you might argue that the recent reduction in the share price is unremarkable in light of the longer term performance. The share price action could signify that the business itself is dramatically improved, in that time. So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress. Check out our latest analysis for Titan International To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. Titan International became profitable within the last three years. Given the importance of this milestone, it's not overly surprising that the share price has increased strongly. You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values). We know that Titan International has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? Take a more thorough look at Titan International's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet. A Different Perspective While the broader market gained around 4.2% in the last year, Titan International shareholders lost 46%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 2% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Titan International better, we need to consider many other factors. Take risks, for example - Titan International has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about. We will like Titan International better if we see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. 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 Lalique Group SA (VTX:LLQ) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 15% in the last quarter. But if you look at the last five years the returns have not been good. You would have done a lot better buying an index fund, since the stock has dropped 28% in that half decade. 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. See our latest analysis for Lalique Group To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' 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. During the five years over which the share price declined, Lalique Group's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 0.8% each year. This reduction in EPS is less than the 6% annual reduction in the share price. This implies that the market was previously too optimistic about the stock. The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail). We know that Lalique Group has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? Take a more thorough look at Lalique Group's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet. What About Dividends? As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. In the case of Lalique Group, it has a TSR of -20% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return. A Different Perspective Lalique Group shareholders are down 6.2% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 2.1%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 4% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Lalique Group you should know about. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Swiss 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 Itafos Inc. (CVE:IFOS) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 18% in the last month. But over three years the performance has been really wonderful. The longer term view reveals that the share price is up 413% in that period. So the recent fall doesn't do much to dampen our respect for the business. Only time will tell if there is still too much optimism currently reflected in the share price. Now it's worth having a look at the company's fundamentals too, because that will help us determine if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business. See our latest analysis for Itafos In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. Itafos became profitable within the last three years. Given the importance of this milestone, it's not overly surprising that the share price has increased strongly. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). We know that Itafos has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? Take a more thorough look at Itafos' financial health with this free report on its balance sheet. A Different Perspective We regret to report that Itafos shareholders are down 39% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 2.9%. 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. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 5% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Itafos , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Canadian exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE One of the largest private investment rounds in European biotech to-date Net proceeds will enhance ITMs radiopharmaceutical pipeline, bolster commercial infrastructure, expand leading manufacturing capabilities, and enable strategic initiatives ITM welcomes Temasek, BlackRock, QIA, Nextech, ATHOS and Carbyne as investors Garching / Munich, June 5, 2023 ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, today announced an equity investment round of 255 million led by Temasek with participation from BlackRock Alternatives1, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Nextech2, ATHOS and Carbyne. The round comprised mostly of primary capital alongside a minority transaction of secondary shares. Primary net proceeds to the company will support further development of ITMs broad Targeted Radionuclide Therapies (TRT) oncology pipeline and enhance commercial readiness as the company nears the final stages of phase III clinical development for its lead pipeline candidate, ITM-11 (n.c.a. 177Lu-edotreotide) in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). In addition, the company will expand its market-leading manufacturing capacities and infrastructure for n.c.a. 177Lu, scale GMP-manufacturing for 225Ac, and expand in-house drug product manufacturing capabilities to accelerate the global access to radiopharmaceuticals worldwide. Since its inception, ITM has made substantial progress in delivering on its ambitious corporate and clinical goals: Advancing lead drug candidate ITM-11 into two phase III clinical trials for GEP-NETs and ITM-31 (Lu-177 labeled 6A10 Fab-fragments) into clinical studies for glioblastoma. Full details of ITMs pipeline are described at https://www.itm-radiopharma.com/home/; Expanding production capacity by building a second state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Germany equipped with the full spectrum of capabilities to manufacture multiple radioisotopes and radiotherapies at scale to be opened soon; Opening the U.S. Headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey; and Establishing a subsidiary in Shanghai, China to accelerate introduction of precision oncology products in the region. ITM is a leading radiopharmaceutical company with an advanced proprietary pipeline and has established itself as the major radioisotope supplier globally. This financing supports our objective to serve a broad patient population by ensuring a consistent supply of radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals to meet the growing demand of medical professionals and our partners across the pharmaceutical, healthcare and research sectors globally, commented Udo J. Vetter, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at ITM. Securing one of the largest private biotechnology financing rounds ever in our home market from major, globally active investors with deep biotech experience underscores our presence at the forefront of the radiopharmaceutical space on an international scale, added Steffen Schuster, CEO of ITM. As we near the final stages of clinical development for ITM-11 in GEP-NETs, this substantial investment will help to further grow our supply network and accelerate our efforts to bring new, targeted treatments to patients living with hard-to-treat cancers. ITM also announced that Petrichors 90 million convertible loan was converted into equity per the terms of that initial agreement. About ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE ITM, a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, is dedicated to providing a new generation of radiomolecular precision therapeutics and diagnostics (theranostics) for hard-to-treat tumors. We aim to meet the needs of cancer patients, clinicians and our partners through excellence in development, production and global supply. With improved patient benefit as the driving principle for all we do, ITM advances a broad precision oncology pipeline, including two phase III studies, combining the companys high-quality radioisotopes with a range of targeting molecules. By leveraging our nearly two decades of pioneering radiopharma expertise, central industry position and established global network, ITM strives to provide patients with more effective targeted treatment to improve clinical outcome and quality of life. www.itm-radiopharma.com About Temasek Temasek is an investment company with a net portfolio value of S$403 billion (US$297b, 268b, 227b, RMB1.89t) as at 31 March 2022. Temaseks Purpose So Every Generation Prospers guides it to make a difference for todays and future generations. The Temasek Charter defines its three roles as an Investor, Institution and Steward, and shapes its ethos to do well, do right and do good. Sustainability is at the core of all that Temasek does. Its investment activities are aligned to four structural trends that shape long term portfolio construction: digitisation, sustainable living, future of consumption and longer lifespans. It is committed to catalysing solutions to global challenges and activating capital financial, human, social and natural to bring about a better and more inclusive world for all. Headquartered in Singapore, it has 12 offices in 8 countries around the world. For more information on Temasek, please visit www.temasek.com.sg About BlackRock Alternatives BlackRock Alternatives serves investors seeking outperformance in infrastructure, private equity, credit, real estate, hedge funds and multi-alternatives. We strive to bring our investors the highest quality investments by drawing upon our global footprint, superior execution capabilities and position as a preferred partner. BlackRock manages $320 billion in alternative investments and commitments on behalf of clients worldwide as of March 31, 2023. About BlackRock Private Equity Partners BlackRock Private Equity Partners strategies span the private equity toolkit, offering investors exposure through direct, primary, secondary and co-investment strategies and draw on a common set of institutional advantagesour global scale and sourcing network, investment transaction experience and access to insights amplified with analytics and technologyto deliver top quartile performance through an entire investment cycle. On behalf of, and in partnership with our clients, BlackRock builds diversified portfolios of investments across the spectrum of private equity, including leveraged buyouts, venture capital, growth equity and distressed/opportunistic strategies. BlackRock Private Equity Partners has over 198 dedicated professionals in 5 global offices and manages US $45.8 billion in client commitments as of September 30th, 2022. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate About QIA Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar. QIA was founded in 2005 to invest and manage the state reserve funds. QIA is among the largest and most active sovereign wealth funds globally. QIA invests across a wide range of asset classes and regions as well as in partnership with leading institutions around the world to build a global and diversified investment portfolio with a long-term perspective that can deliver sustainable returns and contribute to the prosperity of the State of Qatar. For more information on QIA, visit its website at www.qia.qa. About Nextech Nextech is a global, cancer therapeutics-focused venture capital firm headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Nextech focusses almost exclusively on oncology therapeutics, and on helping to drive value creation for their portfolio companies. Nextech invests in the most promising drug discovery companies with the potential to create multiple medicines. Nextechs portfolio is focused throughout the US and Europe with investments from company inceptions to crossover rounds. For more information, please visit: www.nextechinvest.com About ATHOS ATHOS is a renowned single-family office committed to furthering cutting-edge technologies and building transformative companies, investing entrepreneurially and value based. About Carbyne Carbyne Equity Partners is a European private equity firm that invests in growing businesses with strong market positions and excellent leadership. Carbynes focus sectors are healthcare, nutrition and agricultural technology. The operational experience of the team combined with access to firsthand industry expertise and an extensive network to support expansions, makes Carbyne a unique partner. For more information on Carbyne, please see www.carbynepartners.de. About Petrichor Petrichor partners with world-class healthcare managers and businesses to provide customized investment structures and support. The Petrichor team has completed over 125 investments representing more than $6 billion in invested capital and has held over 50 board seats. Petrichor maintains a deep in-house understanding of healthcare products and services, including scientific, technical, and commercial expertise. This healthcare expertise, together with a breadth of experience investing across sectors, geographies, and capital structures, provides a unique combination to help build successful companies. For more information on Petrichor, please see www.petrichorcap.com. ITM Contact Corporate Communications Phone: +49 89 329 8986 1500 Email: communications@itm-radiopharma.com ITM Investor Contact Ben Orzelek Phone: +49 89 329 8986 1009 Email: Ben.Orzelek@itm-radiopharma.com 1 BlackRock Alternatives through its Private Equity Partners team 2 Nextech Invest Ltd, on behalf of one or more funds managed by it Attachment JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has no plans to run for office, bank says NEW YORK (Reuters) -JPMorgan Chase & Co CEO Jamie Dimon does not intend to run for office, the company said, after speculation in recent days about his potential political aspirations. As he has said in the past, Jamie has no plans to run for office," the company said in a statement. "He is very happy in his current role. The comment comes after billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman said last week Dimon should run for president in the next U.S. elections. Chase CEO Jamie Dimon leaves meeting with Senate Majority Leader Schumer in Washington When asked by Bloomberg News last week if he would ever consider public office, Dimon said: "I love my country, and maybe one day I'll serve my country in one capacity or another," without specifying a role. Bank CEOs including Dimon are sometimes floated as potential candidates for senior government positions such as U.S. Treasury secretary or other economic policy roles. Henry Paulson, former Goldman Sachs CEO, led the Treasury during the financial crisis. Last month, Dimon, 67, said he leads the largest U.S. bank with the same intensity as when he was younger, but noted with a laugh that he plans to remain another "3-1/2" years. Dimon stressed the bank's plans regarding his tenure were unchanged, although did not give specifics, at a gathering of investors in New York. When asked at various points during his 17-year tenure about succession plans, Dimon had previously given five years as a timeline for stepping down. He expressed confidence in the next generation of management and the board's succession planning. (Reporting by Lananh Nguyen; Additional reporting by Nupur Anand in New York; Editing by Sharon Singleton) Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) is a leader in human resources consulting that employs an acquisition strategy to fuel profitable growth. In fact, to start 2023, the company successfully expanded its business by acquiring Salo, a prominent Minnesota-based recruiting company specializing in interim talent in the fields of finance, accounting and HR. This comes on the back of last year's purchase of Infinity Consulting Systems, or ICS) renowned for its flexible workforce solutions targeting interim professional positions, as well as Patina Solutions Group, known for its executive search services. With a market capitalization of just $2.60 billion and annual revenue rapidly approaching $3 billion at 9% net profit margins, there is an opportunity for long-term capital gains with a high degree of safety. What is Korn Ferry? Besides being the namesake sponsor of the developmental tour for the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry is a global consulting firm that provides services and solutions related to organizational strategy, search and recruitment, talent management, leadership development and rewards and benefits. The Los Angeles-based company was founded in 1969 by Lester Korn and Richard Ferry and, over time, has expanded to offer a range of services to include leadership development, succession planning, talent acquisition, and employee engagement, among others. The company works with clients across many sectors, namely technology, health care, financial services, industrial and consumer. Its services are aimed at helping organizations to attract, develop and retain their talent, a critical aspect for any business even in the time of artificial intelligence uprising. In addition to its consulting services, Korn Ferry produces a significant amount of research and thought leadership in the areas of human resources, organizational effectiveness and leadership. This is how most consulting firms do it, allowing content to produce long-term value adds and attention while also used as a selling framework. The company has gone through several acquisitions to expand its services, including the purchases of leadership development companies Lominger and PDI Ninth House and talent analytics company Global Novations. In 2015, it acquired the Hay Group, a leading management consulting company, significantly expanding its consulting capabilities, especially in strategic human resources and talent management. Extremely durable business segment (for now) Korn Ferry's business model, focused on talent and organizational consulting, has shown extreme durability thanks to a constant need for talent across the organization. I believe this to be true despite the fears that artificial intelligence will render jobs obsolete. Business is still about people and the need to recruit, manage and retain talent, so demand for these services should remain consistent. As businesses continue to evolve, new roles are being created and organizations will adapt to changing industry dynamics, all of which require effective talent management strategies. Trends such as increased remote work, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, digitization and the changing nature of work are creating new challenges and opportunities in talent management. This should keep demand high for Korn Ferry's services. As long as businesses exist, there will be a need for leadership development, succession planning and executive search services. More importantly, Korn Ferry's global footprint contributes to its durability. The company serves multinational clients and draw from a diverse talent pool, insulating it from regional economic downturns. The companys diverse offerings also contribute to its durability which cover the entire employee lifecycle, from hiring to retirement. As long as there are employees, Korn Ferry should continue to grow and prosper. A history of financial strength and performance Taken as a snapshot in time, investors could look at Korn Ferry, see that cash flow from operations is down around 30% this year and think the market capitalization is justified. However, long term, the company has produced exceptional growth across every key aspect of its business. These are the moments value investors look for. In the last 12 months, the company has seen record revenue of $2.85 billion, along with net income of $248 million. Revenue is up 61% from $1.76 billion in 2018 and up 250% from $812 million in 2013. Net income has seen even more improvement with an 88% gain since 2018 and 651% gain since 2013. Korn Ferry has also increased retained earnings from $236 million to nearly $1.3 billion, leading to $1.60 growth in market capitalization for every dollar retained. And, that is even after the 40% drop from its November 2021 highs. Around 31% of KornFerry's fee revenue is generated through Executive Search. Consulting Operations contribute to 24% of the revenue, with a significant focus on industrial consulting. Digital solutions make up 13% of the revenue stream. Professional Search and Interim roles account for 17%, while Recruitment Process Outsourcing represents 15% of the revenue. Each of these segments are likely to continue to grow, even as the world shifts further toward AI. Bottom line Korn Ferry is set to release its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings later this month with the earnings per share expected to be between 97 cents and $1.05. Going back to 2018, the company has only missed expectations three times. While earnings in 2023 and 2024 may be lower, long term the company will remain profitable and continue to grow shareholder value through share buybacks and retained earnings. This will eventually show up in higher market values. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia pledged an additional production cut in July to stabilize the oil market, ceding ground to two of its key allies Russia and the United Arab Emirates which made no commitment to curb further. Most Read from Bloomberg Heres what leading analysts have to say about the kingdoms move to go it alone with a 1 million barrel-a-day reduction: Morgan Stanley The cut may support prices in the short term, but the broad market dynamics for the rest of 2023 and into 2024 remain practically unchanged, analysts including Martijn Rats and Charlotte Firkins wrote in a note. Its the third OPEC cut in nine months and likely to be the last this year, provided there are no major changes in the supply and demand outlook, they added. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The OPEC+ meeting was moderately bullish and offset some bearish downside risk to the banks December forecast of $95 a barrel, said analysts including Daan Struyven and Callum Bruce. The Saudi energy ministers whatever is necessary comment signals a commitment to continue to lean against the shorts and leverage its unusually high pricing power, they said. Vanda Insights The Saudi energy minister is in a difficult situation, having repeated that warning to short sellers, Vandana Hari, the founder of consultancy Vanda Insights in Singapore, said in a Bloomberg television interview. Speculators are going to follow market cues, and if the global economy shows signs of weakness, they will be back in no time, she added. Commonwealth Bank of Australia Saudi Arabia will likely extend Julys production cuts if Brent remains stuck between $70 and $75 a barrel, said Vivek Dhar, director of mining and energy commodities research at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The kingdom could even deepen the curbs if prices drop below $70 a barrel, he added. RBC Capital Markets While some will focus on Saudi Arabia not acting in concert with the rest of OPEC+, the fact that the kingdom is willing to shoulder the curbs alone adds to the credibility of the cut and signals real barrels coming off the market, analysts Helima Croft and Christopher Louney wrote in a note. Saudi Arabia has a track record of delivering on material cuts, they said. ANZ Group Holdings Ltd. The move by Saudi Arabia is likely to come as a surprise, considering the most recent change to quotas had only been in effect for a month, analysts Brian Martin and Daniel Hynes wrote in a note. The oil market now looks like it will be even tighter in the second half of the year. UBS Group AG There has been some anticipation of a production cut, that is why the reaction this morning was a bit more muted, Strategist Giovanni Staunovo said in a Bloomberg television interview. Still, the market will react further when the cut is implemented in one months time, as soon as inventory dynamics show a drop or exports fall from Saudi Arabia. (Updates with comment from UBS.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. Morgan Stanley sees slump in US earnings in 2023, sharp rebound next year Traders work on the floor of the NYSE in New York (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley warns of a 16% drop in profit for S&P 500 companies this year, followed by a sharp rebound in 2024 when analysts say the Federal Reserve's policy will become more accommodative. Strategists led by Michael Wilson said in a note on Monday that they expect earnings to rebound sharply, with a 23% jump next year. The Wall Street bank warned that the EPS of S&P companies could slip to $185 from $195 in 2023 before recovering to $239 next year. "The boom/bust period that began in 2020 is currently in the bust part of the earnings cycle a dynamic that's not yet priced," Wilson said. Morgan Stanley predicted the index to rebound to 4,200 levels in 2024 while keeping its 2023-end target unchanged at 3,900. The index closed at 4,282.37 on Friday. A slew of positive news, with expectations of a Fed pivot, persistent improvement in liquidity, and AI-related tailwinds to mega-cap names such as Nvidia Corp, have buoyed indexes so far, Morgan Stanley said. Such factors have held back a correction in markets, the bank added. (Reporting by Roshan Abraham in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil) MS INTERNATIONAL plc's (LON:MSI) most bullish insider is Top Key Executive Michael Bell, and their holdings value went up by 21% last week Key Insights Insiders appear to have a vested interest in MS INTERNATIONAL's growth, as seen by their sizeable ownership A total of 3 investors have a majority stake in the company with 56% ownership Institutions own 24% of MS INTERNATIONAL Every investor in MS INTERNATIONAL plc (LON:MSI) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. With 54% stake, individual insiders 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). As a result, insiders scored the highest last week as the company hit UK87m market cap following a 21% gain in the stock. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about MS INTERNATIONAL. See our latest analysis for MS INTERNATIONAL What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About MS INTERNATIONAL? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. We can see that MS INTERNATIONAL does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. 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 MS INTERNATIONAL, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too. We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in MS INTERNATIONAL. Because actions speak louder than words, we consider it a good sign when insiders own a significant stake in a company. In MS INTERNATIONAL's case, its Top Key Executive, Michael Bell, is the largest shareholder, holding 32% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 13% and 11% of the stock. After doing some more digging, we found that the top 3 shareholders collectively control more than half of the company's shares, implying that they have considerable power to influence the company's decisions. 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. We're not picking up on any analyst coverage of the stock at the moment, so the company is unlikely to be widely held. Insider Ownership Of MS INTERNATIONAL The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own the majority of MS INTERNATIONAL plc. This means they can collectively make decisions for the company. So they have a UK47m stake in this UK87m business. Most would argue this is a positive, showing strong alignment with shareholders. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership With a 15% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over MS INTERNATIONAL. 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 It seems that Private Companies own 5.2%, of the MS INTERNATIONAL stock. 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. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand MS INTERNATIONAL better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with MS INTERNATIONAL , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Of course this may not be the best stock to buy. Therefore, you may wish to see our free collection of interesting prospects boasting favorable financials. 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 Robert Kennedy Jr - Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Elon Musk is courting another US presidential candidate in the form of Robert F Kennedy Jr, a prominent anti-vaccine activist, just weeks after Ron DeSantis car-crash campaign launch on Twitter. The Tesla chief executive will interview Mr Kennedy, the 69-year-old nephew of US president John F Kennedy, on a Twitter Space live interview later on Monday. It is expected that the two will discuss Mr Kennedys bid to become the Democratic candidate for the 2024 US election, first announced in April. It follows Mr DeSantis declaring his candidacy to run for the Republican nomination on Twitter last month, in a live event that was plagued by glitches and awkward silences. The launch was held with Mr Musk and host David Sacks, who said the hiccups were down to the sheer volume of people tuning in and melting the servers. Mr Musk personally invited Mr Kennedy to appear in a similar event on the social media platforms live video platform last week. In response to Mr Kennedy complaining that his team were being immediately banned from Twitter for 180 days when signing up using their campaign email addresses, Mr Musk wrote: Would you like to do a Spaces discussion with me next week? Interesting when we use our TeamKennedy email address to set up @instagram accounts we get an automatic 180-day ban. Can anyone guess why thats happening? pic.twitter.com/0G8oRnoXTv Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) June 2, 2023 Twitters founder Jack Dorsey has also publicly endorsed Mr Kennedy. He can and will, Mr Dorsey wrote on Twitter alongside a video of Mr Kennedy arguing he can beat Donald Trump if the latter secures the Republican nomination for 2024. In response to a user asking if the tweet was a formal endorsement or a prediction, Mr Dorsey replied: Both. He can and will https://t.co/zrKLc2BKhz jack (@jack) June 4, 2023 Other big tech bosses have reinstated Kennedys banned social media accounts despite the would-be Democrat nominees history of anti-vaccine posts. Earlier this week, Mr Kennedy had a suspension from Instagram lifted. As he is now an active candidate for president of the United States, we have restored access to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.s Instagram account, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone told the Washington Post. Mr Kennedy previously said Joe Bidens chief public health advisor, Anthony Fauci, orchestrated fascism during the pandemic. Recent polls suggested a fifth of Democrats support the challenge by the son of the former US attorney general. While Mr Kennedy has little hope of unseating Joe Biden, up to 20pc of Democrats say they are prepared to vote for someone other than the 80-year-old sitting president. Long-running concerns about Mr Bidens health have centred on the presidents age, becoming public again Mr Kennedy was banned from Instagram in February 2021 for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines, according to a company spokesman at the time. The Democrat environmental lawyer, whose father was assassinated by a pro-Palestine terrorist during his own presidential campaign in 1968, was outspoken against Covid-19 vaccines and the medical establishment during the pandemic years. He described Anthony Fauci, President Bidens chief medical adviser during the pandemic, as adopting a militarized response to a public health crisis and accusing him of catastrophic mismanagement of the US medical response to Covid-19. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Key Insights BRC Asia's estimated fair value is S$2.76 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity BRC Asia's S$1.64 share price signals that it might be 41% undervalued Our fair value estimate is 41% higher than BRC Asia's analyst price target of S$1.95 In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of BRC Asia Limited (SGX:BEC) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. View our latest analysis for BRC Asia What's The Estimated Valuation? We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. 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. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (SGD, Millions) S$159.1m S$65.1m S$101.4m S$80.2m S$68.9m S$62.5m S$58.8m S$56.8m S$55.7m S$55.3m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ -20.93% Est @ -14.06% Est @ -9.26% Est @ -5.89% Est @ -3.54% Est @ -1.89% Est @ -0.73% Present Value (SGD, Millions) Discounted @ 10% S$144 S$53.5 S$75.5 S$54.1 S$42.2 S$34.7 S$29.6 S$25.9 S$23.0 S$20.7 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = S$504m After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. 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 (2.0%) 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 10%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = S$55m (1 + 2.0%) (10% 2.0%) = S$675m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= S$675m ( 1 + 10%)10= S$253m The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is S$757m. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of S$1.6, the company appears quite undervalued at a 41% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. dcf The Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own 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 BRC Asia 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 10%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.406. 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 BRC Asia Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Debt is not viewed as a risk. Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows. Dividend is in the top 25% of dividend payers in the market. Weakness Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Singaporean market. Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Threat Annual revenue is forecast to grow slower than the Singaporean market. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For BRC Asia, we've compiled three essential elements you should consider: Risks: For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for BRC Asia that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does BEC'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 Singaporean stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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 (Reuters) - Panasonic Holdings plans to expand production of electric vehicle batteries at a factory in Nevada jointly operated with Tesla by 10% within three years, a spokesperson for the Japanese company said on Tuesday. The comments followed a Nikkei Asia report on Monday that said unit Panasonic Energy would install a 15th production line at Gigafactory Nevada. Panasonic Energy announced the plan to increase the Nevada factory's production capacity by 10% by March 2026 at a business strategy meeting last week, a Panasonic Group spokesperson said, declining to comment further. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Panasonic said last month it planned to build at least two new factories for the production of Tesla 4680 battery cells in North America by 2030. With that move, it seeks to boost its auto battery capacity to 200 gigawatt hours per year by March 2031, about four times its level at the end of this March. At the time, Panasonic had not disclosed where in North America it would add the production capacity. Tesla recently told Panasonic it would "buy as much as (Panasonic) can make", according to an executive at the Japanese manufacturer, the Nikkei report said. Panasonic is running a pilot 4680 production line at its Wakayama factory in Japan, while Tesla is already producing the 4680 battery cells, which Musk has touted as being key to making cheaper and compelling electric cars. (Reporting by Samrhitha Arunasalam in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Daniel Leussink in Tokyo; Editing by Pooja Desai and Jamie Freed) SANTIAGO, Chile, June 05, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Parque Arauco announced a long-term agreement with the Swedish company H&M to join its malls in Pereira, Bucaramanga, and Barranquilla. During the second semester of 2023, three H&M stores totaling approximately 6,000 m2 will open to the public. The addition of H&M comes in the context of a sustained growth process in sales for Parque Arauco's shopping centers in Colombia. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005608/en/ Parque Caracoli in Bucaramanga, Colombia (Photo: Business Wire) This announcement is part of the several investments the company has planned in Colombia for this year, totaling COP 38,000 million (USD 8.5 Million), including renovations and expansion of the commercial mix in different assets. These investments will be financed with the cash flows generated by the operation and are expected to be disbursed during the current year. "We are very pleased with the results we have achieved. In recent years, we have achieved solid growth in the sales of our tenants in Colombia, and it is gratifying to confirm not only the preference of our visitors but also the trust of important brands like H&M and other tenants who continue to choose Parque Arauco's shopping centers as part of their expansion strategy in the country," says Diego Bermudez, General Manager of Parque Arauco, Colombia Division. Parque Alegra, located in the city of Barranquilla, will inaugurate a 1,900 m2 H&M store, betting on the significant growth and potential of the southern part of the city. In Parque Arboleda, located in the city of Pereira, H&M will have a 1,900 m2 store. Additionally, the mall has expanded approximately 1,000 m2 of commercial space and reconfigured 4,700 m2, where the brands of the Inditex group, Zara, Stradivarius, and Bershka, were remodeled, generating a new experience for customers. In Parque Caracoli, located in the city of Bucaramanga, the H&M store will be 2,200 m2. Furthermore, another 2,000 m2 of commercial space is being converted, and in the last 12 months, 17 new brands have been incorporated. In addition to the investments in the three assets where H&M will be incorporated, Parque Arauco will also continue to strengthen the commercial mix of its main asset in the country, Parque La Colina. Along with the recent opening of Colombia's first full concept Victoria's Secret lingerie store and Michael Kors, Parque La Colina will also expand its dining options. Having been recognized as a gastronomic destination in the capital, the mall will expand SOCIAL, its upscale food hall, with approximately 1,000 additional m2 where four new brands will complement its current offering. Parque Arauco entered the country 15 years ago with the opening of Parque Arboleda in Pereira, followed by Parque Caracoli in Bucaramanga and Parque La Colina in Bogota. Since then, it has continued to bet on growth in Colombia. Today, its shopping centers are leaders in the regions where they are located, and the company currently has six operating shopping centers and three multifamily housing projects under development. About Parque Arauco Currently, Parque Arauco has a total GLA of 1,124,500 m in Chile, Peru, and Colombia. The company inaugurated its first shopping center in Chile in 1982, entered Peru in 2005, and Colombia in 2008. For more details, please visit the company's website: www.parauco.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005608/en/ Contacts Lauren Brown Head of Investor Relations Lbrown@parauco.com (56 2) 2299 0608 Key Insights Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions 50% of the business is held by the top 18 shareholders Insiders have bought recently A look at the shareholders of Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (NYSE:HASI) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 85% 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). Last week's US$196m market cap gain would probably be appreciated by institutional investors, especially after a year of 34% losses. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital. See our latest analysis for Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital? 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. We can see that Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital is not owned by hedge funds. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Wellington Management Group LLP with 8.3% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 8.2% and 6.8% of the stock. Looking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 50% of the ownership is controlled by the top 18 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership. 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. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. Insider Ownership Of Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves. 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. Shareholders would probably be interested to learn that insiders own shares in Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc.. It is a pretty big company, so it is generally a positive to see some potentially meaningful alignment. In this case, they own around US$55m worth of shares (at current prices). It is good to see this level of investment by insiders. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently. General Public Ownership The general public-- including retail investors -- own 13% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Next Steps: I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Case in point: We've spotted 4 warning signs for Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital you should be aware of, and 2 of them are concerning. If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts. 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 Ghana's Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, in a visit organized and hosted by IDCA, met with leaders of Data Center Alley to discuss tech development, the future of digital economies, and more McLEAN, Va., June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerHouse Data Centers (a division of American Real Estate Partners (AREP) ), along with the International Data Center Authority (IDCA) and the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development joined over the weekend for an official state visit from representatives of the Republic of Ghana, including minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful. The Ghanaian government is being assisted by IDCA with an aim to position the country as a leading digital hub in Africa with the help of data center leaders in the Ashburn area. PowerHouse Data Centers Hosts Ghanas Ministry of Communications and Digitalization for ABX-1 powered shell tour. An important stop on the itinerary for Owusu-Ekuful's delegation is a tour of PowerHouse Data Centers' recently constructed ABX-1 facility . When requested by IDCA, PowerHouse welcomed the opportunity to showcase its latest in powered shell development. Powered shells and their phased approach can potentially be a useful strategy for Ghanaian development, as they provide the ability to leverage the efficiencies of data center construction while optimizing future flexibility. "We're always eager to build relationships and provide educational opportunities wherever we can," explains Luke Kipfer, vice president at PowerHouse Data Centers. "We're delighted to be part of this memorable occasion." Also facilitating and assisting in the visit is the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development. "As one of the world's most significant tech hubs, we are always proud to host communities from around the world in Loudoun," says department executive director Buddy Rizer, who attended the PowerHouse tour and following luncheon event hosted by Loudoun County. "We're excited about our new partnership with the country of Ghana, and are happy to host them and have the opportunity to learn from each other." The digital sector in Ghana is poised for impressive progress as it continues its transition toward a tech-based economy. The nation is already a leading light in digital transformation in Africa with its digital sectors displaying impressive growth figures of nearly 20 percent annually, emerging as a leader in African e-government practices, and ranking top three in the continent for overall tech adoption. Last year the World Bank provided $200 million to the government of Ghana intended to expand networks and stimulate further digital innovation. The funding spurred the creation of the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project, led by communications and digitalization minister Owusu-Ekuful. IDCA leads this mission by helping the nation build a complete end-to-end digital transformation roadmap. The project is inclusive of national standardization, national education and national digital hub economic zones, and also raising $4B of funds to help inject in the West African digital economy. The Republic of Ghana, led by its honorable minister, signed the digital transformation agreement with IDCA during this visit. Owusu-Ekuful and her entire cabinet have now traveled to Ashburn to meet with certain Data Center Alley movers and shakers. The purpose of the official visit is complementary to visiting IDCA and agreement signing, suggested by IDCA, with the goal of showcasing digital economy evolution and development models and best practices in the interest of future-proofing Ghana's tech sector for digital economic development. The Ghana delegation's activities in the US are sponsored by the International Data Center Authority (IDCA), a leading association focused on fostering the development of sustainable digital economies around the world. Their visit includes the establishment of an agreement between the Republic of Ghana and the IDCA. "It's been our pleasure to drive this initiative for Ghana and West Africa" says Mehdi Paryavi, IDCA founder and chairman. "We're always privileged to be able to empower others by exchanging digital infrastructure and digital economy knowledge with others around the globe." About PowerHouse Data Centers PowerHouse Data Centers, a division of AREP, is a developer and owner of next-generation data centers and technical real estate solutions for hyperscalers in Northern Virginia. The company owns its land sites, offering unique fast-track approvals and zoning approvals right in the heart of the world's largest data center market. As a disruptor, PowerHouse Data Centers provides flexible 'Powered Shell' next-generation data center models with the quickest speed to market of any Ashburn project while meeting hyperscalers' growing market, data and space demands. PowerHouse Data Centers is committed to building six powered shell data centers representing 2.1 million square feet of data center space in Northern Virginia. For more information, visit www.powerhousedata.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter . About Loudoun County Department of Economic Development The Loudoun County Department of Economic Development exists to help build local businesses. We are dedicated to recruiting new business, growing our existing industries and improving our county's business climate. For more information visit https://biz.loudoun.gov/ About the Ghana Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation exists to ensure the convergence of communication technologies to facilitate the promotion of a viable integrated national development process within a global setting. The goal of the ministry is to facilitate the development of a reliable and cost-effective world-class communications infrastructure and services, driven by appropriate technological innovations and accessible by all citizens to enhance the promotion of economic competitiveness in a knowledge-based environment. For more, visit https://moc.gov.gh/ . About IDCA IDCA was established to streamline, structure, educate and give direction to the information technology, data center and cloud industry. IDCA's mission is to aid nations, governments, private and public institutions as well as ordinary citizens and professionals around the world to benefit from the promise of the global digital transformation and the digital economy to their fullest. IDCA empowers and enables all effective and measurable initiatives and efforts to establish resilient and sustainable digital initiatives worldwide. Building the human capital necessary for prosperous digital economies, instituting digital platforms, securing investment for core projects, devising digital transformation roadmaps, and establishing frameworks, and standards are some of IDCA's key agendas on the world stage. More on IDCA: https://www.idc-a.org/about-idca Powerhouse Data Centers, a joint venture between American Real Estate Partners AREP and Harrison Street to develop and operate world-class data centers. (PRNewsfoto/American Real Estate Partners (AREP)) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/powerhouse-data-centers-assist-in-west-african-digital-transformation-by-hosting-idcas-special-ghana-delegation-301841877.html SOURCE PowerHouse Data Centers Twitter co-founder and current CEO of fintech firm Block Jack Dorsey appears to have officially endorsed Robert Kennedy Jr., a pro-Bitcoin Democrat presidential candidate. He took to Twitter on Sunday to share a video clip of Fox Newss Harris Faulkner interviewing Kennedy titled: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. argues he can beat Trump and DeSantis in 2024. Dorsey added to the clip: He can and will. Dorsey is a long-time Bitcoin supporter, who has expressed his belief in its potential to become a global currency. In 2014, Dorsey said that Bitcoin could become the "native currency of the internet." He has continued to promote Bitcoin and blockchain technology through his various ventures, including Blocks Cash App, a mobile payment service that allows users to buy and sell Bitcoin. Asked by one user whether he was endorsing Kennedy, or "just predicting," Dorsey replied: "Both." He can and will https://t.co/zrKLc2BKhz jack (@jack) June 4, 2023 Other users suggested that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) would never allow Kennedy to become the Democratic candidate, to which Dorsey responded Even more reason and True but they seem to be more irrelevant by the day. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gets pro-Bitcoin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the nephew of the assassinated President John F. Kennedy, and has practiced law for several decades, specializing in environmental law and serving as a prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice. In recent years, he gained attention for his controversial stance on COVID-19 vaccines, specifically expressing concerns about vaccine safety and advocating for more rigorous testing and regulation. Speaking at the recent Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami, Kennedy revealed that he took an interest in Bitcoin after the Canadian government's controversial decision to crack down on truck drivers protesting against lockdowns by freezing their bank accounts. As president, I will make sure that your right to hold and use Bitcoin is inviolable, Kennedy said, describing the leading cryptocurrency as a bulwark against precisely this kind of government and corporate expansion and intrusion. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says COVID Protests Led Him to Bitcoin The Democratic presidential candidate also criticized the government-led campaign against the digital assets industry, calling it a war on crypto, as well as the plans for creating a central bank digital currency (CBDC). CBDCs, according to Kennedy, will allow the government to freeze your assets or limit your spending, as well as to surveil all our private financial affairs. Kennedys stance on CBDCs echoed statements made by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Republican presidential nominee, who went as far as banning CBDCs from the Sunshine State last month. Is Ron DeSantis Right? Only 16% of Americans Support a CBDC in Latest Poll In a CNN poll released last week, the 69-year-old Kennedy received 20% support with current President Joe Biden at 60%. I quit my job as an investment banker and started my fashion brand because I hated waking up and going to work Brandon Snower launched a menswear line after working on Wall Street. Santiago Elliott/BOND Official Two years after Brandon Snower started a job on Wall Street, he quit without knowing what was next. He said no amount of money was worth spending more than 12 hours a day on work he hated. Now he runs a menswear brand, Le Alfre, which has had more than $230,000 in sales since March 2022. This is an as-told-to essay based on an interview with Brandon Snower. Snower is the 26-year-old founder of Le Alfre, a menswear line. He started his fashion brand which has done $230,000 in sales since launching in March 2022, documents show after quitting his job as an investment banker in New York City. Six months into working on Wall Street, I knew it wasn't for me Putting on a pair of nice loafers, taking the train to work in New York, and looking like a banker that's cool. That's what a lot of people, including me, signed up for. When I started my first full-time job, in investment banking, I immersed myself in the industry. I thought, "This is my career; I'm so excited. I'm going to do this for the rest of my life." But even with the cachet, there were parts of the job that I quickly realized I didn't like. For instance, I'd start some days at 6 a.m. to study for tests I needed to pass before I could work with clients like the series 79, 63, and SIE. Then I'd spend the rest of the day, often going until midnight, working with other analysts on projects we were assigned. There's such high expectations when you're dealing with billion-dollar companies, and it's extremely demanding. Six months into my job, I was waking up dreading work every day. It wasn't one moment that made me hate it. It was a progression and buildup of constantly telling myself, "I don't want to do this. I hate waking up and going to work." I decided no amount of money could make me work 12-plus hours a day hating my job. I left banking without a plan, and ended up finding a passion Snower ships Le Alfre internationally. courtesy of Snower Two years after I started at the bank, I quit my job without a backup plan. That was at the start of 2021. The good thing about working in finance or bad, depending on how you look at it is you work so much that you don't really have time to go out and spend money. So I had money saved. I wanted to go into branding and marketing because I was always creative. But when I started interviewing at other companies, many didn't take me seriously as a creative because I had only finance experience. So I couldn't land any jobs. One day, I had an idea for a button-up shirt with a contrast collar. I looked at all kinds of European brands, Japanese brands, and it didn't exist. I couldn't find a brand, in general, that actually resonated with me. I wanted something cool, fun, sophisticated, and classy that spoke to someone my age and that was high quality. That was the light-bulb moment: I've always had somewhat of an aesthetic. I love branding, and I would love to build a company. So I invested some of the money I'd saved to create Le Alfre, which launched to the public in March 2022. Snower (left) and his team shooting a campaign in Portugal. courtesy of Snower For the first six months of building it, I worked from 5 a.m. to midnight almost every day. I barely left my house because I had to learn everything and there was so much to do. For instance, I created the logo and branding, found mills and manufacturers in Europe to produce our products, and launched a website. Working in banking taught me to work really hard even when I didn't like what I was doing. So when I started my company, working really hard on projects I was passionate about was easy. Others see themselves in my story Snower left banking without a plan and used savings to start his company. courtesy of Snower I was influenced by my classmates when it came to picking my career. Finance was what many of my peers were doing, and I saw it as a combination of a highly sought-after industry and a challenging work environment. But after leaving, I realized a lot of people connect with my story, too. People could see themselves in my social media content about leaving banking and creating a brand because so many of them also dream about leaving their professions to start something they're passionate about. Le Alfre has allowed me to create a community of these people. Thousands of followers and customers can feel a sense of belonging with the brand and my story. It's motivating to say, "I'm doing this for them. I'm creating it for them." Read the original article on Business Insider PulteGroup's (NYSE:PHM) stock is up by a considerable 28% over the past three months. Since the market usually pay for a companys long-term fundamentals, we decided to study the companys key performance indicators to see if they could be influencing the market. Specifically, we decided to study PulteGroup's ROE in this article. ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. Put another way, it reveals the company's success at turning shareholder investments into profits. Check out our latest analysis for PulteGroup How Do You Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders' Equity So, based on the above formula, the ROE for PulteGroup is: 29% = US$2.7b US$9.3b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2023). The 'return' is the yearly profit. One way to conceptualize this is that for each $1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made $0.29 in profit. What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth? We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or "retain", we are then able to evaluate a company's future ability to generate profits. Assuming all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features. PulteGroup's Earnings Growth And 29% ROE First thing first, we like that PulteGroup has an impressive ROE. Additionally, the company's ROE is higher compared to the industry average of 20% which is quite remarkable. Under the circumstances, PulteGroup's considerable five year net income growth of 27% was to be expected. We then performed a comparison between PulteGroup's net income growth with the industry, which revealed that the company's growth is similar to the average industry growth of 31% in the same period. Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. One good indicator of expected earnings growth is the P/E ratio which determines the price the market is willing to pay for a stock based on its earnings prospects. So, you may want to check if PulteGroup is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry. Is PulteGroup Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively? PulteGroup's three-year median payout ratio to shareholders is 8.3%, which is quite low. This implies that the company is retaining 92% of its profits. So it seems like the management is reinvesting profits heavily to grow its business and this reflects in its earnings growth number. Additionally, PulteGroup has paid dividends over a period of at least ten years which means that the company is pretty serious about sharing its profits with shareholders. Based on the latest analysts' estimates, we found that the company's future payout ratio over the next three years is expected to hold steady at 7.7%. Regardless, PulteGroup's ROE is speculated to decline to 20% despite there being no anticipated change in its payout ratio. Summary On the whole, we feel that PulteGroup's performance has been quite good. Specifically, we like that the company is reinvesting a huge chunk of its profits at a high rate of return. This of course has caused the company to see substantial growth in its earnings. That being so, according to the latest industry analyst forecasts, the company's earnings are expected to shrink in the future. Are these analysts expectations based on the broad expectations for the industry, or on the company's fundamentals? Click here to be taken to our analyst's forecasts page for the company. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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 (Bloomberg) -- Kazakhstans Eurasian Resources Group is considering producing a feedstock for low-carbon steel production, after sanctions blocked its iron-ore shipments to Russia. Most Read from Bloomberg Luxembourg-registered ERG halted sales to its biggest customer, Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works PJSC, after the US imposed sanctions on the Russian company last year. That prompted ERG 40% owned by the Kazakh state to weigh building a hot briquetted iron plant to supply electric-arc furnaces making low-carbon steel. As iron ore can no longer be shipped to Russia, we are seriously considering the project, Kazakhstans Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin said in interview in Astana. ERGs plan underlines how the war in Ukraine is changing traditional trade flows. The project will also challenge Russias Metalloinvest Holding, the largest producer of HBI, in which billionaire Alisher Usmanov is the biggest shareholder. The company has already been forced to refocus its sales toward Asian markets, including China, as sanctions and trading restrictions prevent exports to Europe. The first $1 billion phase of ERGs HBI plant, with an annual capacity of 2 million tons, could start operating in 2026, Serik Shakhazhanov, general director of the companys Kazakhstan business, said in a separate interview. There is preliminary agreement with state-owned QazaqGas to supply the first phase with gas, while a second phase with same capacity may be ready by 2028, he said. The new HBI plant could target the Chinese market, with ERG securing preliminary agreement for an offtake deal, Shakhazhanov said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Safran is seen outside the company's headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris Safran confirms talks with Raytheon over flight control assets FILE PHOTO: The logo of Safran is seen outside the company's headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris PARIS (Reuters) - French aero engine maker Safran said on Monday it was s in discussions with U.S. aerospace company Raytheon Technologies for the potential acquisition of certain flight control and actuation activities, confirming earlier media reports. "At this stage, it is not possible to evaluate the chances of reaching any agreement, nor is it possible to be specific about terms and conditions. As appropriate, detailed information on a possible transaction would be given in due course," Safran said in a short statement. Safran shares ended down 1.3% at 137,24 euros on the French stock market while Raytheon shares were up 0.4% at around 15:40 GMT. Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Safran was in talks with Raytheon over flight control assets for a deal worth one billion dollars. (Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by GV De Clercq) An adage for the digital age says nothing can ever be deleted from the internet. Yet, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has done its best to scrub the biography page of William Hinman. Hinman was the director of the SEC's corporation finance division from 2017 through 2020. While Hinmans bio page on the SECs website once delved into the former directors professional past, the details it contains are now scant. A synopsis of Hinmans path to the SEC has been replaced with mostly blank space. The SECs alterations may seem minor, but Hinman is best known among digital asset enthusiasts for a speech he gave in 2018. During the now-controversial talk, he opined about how decentralization impacts Ethereum and Bitcoin's regulatory classification. Every Crypto Project Must Reckon With the SEC's Howey Test He said cryptos two most significant coins should not be considered securities because they were sufficiently decentralizedfrom his point of view. And years later, Hinmans speech looms large in the SECs ongoing case against Ripple over the XRP token. The most recent snapshot of Hinmans biography page, dated Feb. 9 and hosted on the Internet Archives Wayback Machine, shows a robust account of Hinmans careerfrom his early days on the editorial board of Cornell Law Review in law school to his time as a partner at Silicon Valley office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Now, it contains a single line, which concisely states Hinman served as the director of the SECs division of corporate finance from May 2017 to December 2020. The SEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Decrypt on why or exactly when the change took place. Meanwhile, the biography pages of others that held the same title as Hinman at one point, such as Renee Jones, appear untouched. Hinmans updated history was called into question by an account that goes by Mr. Huber on Twitter on Monday. The account belongs to a self-described sleuth looking for truth, who also claimed the change was nefarious in nature. The [SEC] has now removed Bill Hinman's biography from its website, he said, adding the agency is getting ready to throw him under the bus. The @SECGov has now removed Bill Hinman's biography from its website. Getting ready to throw him under the bus. pic.twitter.com/O7HCUGWSgt Mr. Huber (@Leerzeit) June 5, 2023 Americas financial watchdog has hounded Ripple in court for years, having accused the company of selling XRP without registering the token as a security in late 2021. The case calls into question under what circumstances a token could be considered a commodity and would thus be regulated primarily by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as opposed to the SEC. Judge Denies Motion to Seal Hinman Documents in Ripple SEC Case Weeks ago, the judge presiding over the SECs case against Ripple denied the commissions motion to keep the documents related to the now-infamous speech from being made public. Ripple and its legal team obtained the documents in October. The discovery process in the SEC v. Ripple battle has revealed that Hinman likely met with organizations close to Ethereum, such as ConsenSys and the Ethereum Foundation, around the time he said the network was sufficiently decentralized, according to court documents. At the same time, Hinmans notion of decentralization is working its way into legislative proposals aimed at the digital assets industry. Messari founder Ryan Selkis said a draft bill on crypto oversight being sponsored by Republican lawmakers could enshrine Hinmans point of view into law. 3/ Second, there is at least an attempt in this bill to operationalize the "Hinman test" or what constitutes "sufficient decentralization" of a crypto project. This would likely mean significant SEC oversight, but could also open the door to something like a Safe Harbor. Ryan Selkis (@twobitidiot) June 2, 2023 There is at least an attempt in this bill to operationalize the Hinman test or what constitutes sufficient decentralization of a crypto project, he said. This would likely mean significant SEC oversight, but could also open the door to something like a Safe Harbor. Selkis mention of a Safe Harbor is likely an allusion to rules proposed by SEC commissioner Hester Pierce in 2021. Floated as Safe Harbor 2.0, the guidelines give projects a three-year window to determine whether the tokens they use are securities while adhering to reporting requirements. FILE - Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao answers a question during a Zoom meeting interview with The Associated Press on Nov. 16, 2021. Binance and its founder Changpeng Zhao are accused of misusing investor funds, operating as an unregistered exchange and violating a slew of U.S. securities laws in a lawsuit filed by the SEC. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit on Monday, June 5, 2023 lists thirteen charges against the firm including commingling and divert customer assets to an entity Zhao owned called Sigma Chain. (AP Photo, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) WASHINGTON (AP) The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance and its founder Changpeng Zhao are accused of misusing investor funds, operating as an unregistered exchange and violating a slew of U.S. securities laws in a lawsuit filed by the SEC. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit on Monday lists thirteen charges against the firm including commingling and divert customer assets to an entity Zhao owned called Sigma Chain. Binance is a Cayman Islands limited liability company founded by Zhao and the charges are familiar to practices uncovered after the collapse of the second largest cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, last year. The lawsuit lays out the extent to which the firms owners knew of the alleged legal violations: "Binances CCO bluntly admitted to another Binance compliance officer in December 2018, we are operating as a fking unlicensed securities exchange in the USA bro. SEC Chair Gary Gensler in a written statement that Zhao and Binance engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law. The public should beware of investing any of their hard-earned assets with or on these unlawful platforms, Gensler said. In a social media post, Binance said that it has been cooperating with the SEC's investigation but said that the agency chose to act unilaterally and litigate. While we take the SECs allegations seriously, they should not be the subject of an SEC enforcement action, let alone on an emergency basis. We intend to defend our platform vigorously, the company said in a Twitter post. Unfortunately, the SECs refusal to productively engage with us is just another example of the Commissions misguided and conscious refusal to provide much-needed clarity and guidance to the digital asset industry. The lawsuit comes roughly eight months after the collapse of FTX, which was also accused of co-mingling customers' funds and investing the proceeds in high-risk investments that customers were unaware they were participating in. U.S. prosecutors and the SEC charged FTX's founder Sam Bankman-Fried with a host of money laundering, fraud and securities fraud charges in December. His criminal trial is likely to be in the fall. The new complaint from the SEC against Binance is a laundry list of charges laying out exactly the same claims that many in the Bitcoin and crypto communities have made against Changpeng Zhao and his companies for many years. These practices of Binance have essentially been open secrets, so no one who operates in the space will be surprised by any of the charges, said Cory Klippsten, CEO of Swan Bitcoin, a bitcoin financial services company. U.S. regulators have gone after Binance before. In March, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed an enforcement action against Binance and Zhao in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois charging them with numerous CTFC violations. The complaint also charges Samuel Lim, Binances former chief compliance officer, with aiding and abetting Binances violations. ____ AP Business Writer Ken Sweet contributed to this report from New York. A demonstrator throws a rock at police during a protest at a neighborhood in Dakar, Senegal, Saturday, June 3, 2023. The clashes first broke out later this week after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was convicted of corrupting youth and sentenced to two years in prison. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) DAKAR, Senegal (AP) Senegal experts called on the government on Monday to instill calm after days of the deadliest violence in years and concerns it could have lasting consequences. Days of clashes between security forces and supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko have killed at least 16 people and injured hundreds of others. Police have arrested 500 people, some of whom used Molotov cocktails and weapons. (Theres) the threat of chaos. The threat of civil war, Alioune Tine, founder of Afrikajom Center, a West African think tank, told The Associated Press in an interview Monday in the capital, Dakar. We have never ever lived this situation in Senegal ... We cannot go fighting among ourselves and we have to stop now, to make peace now, to be united now." The clashes first broke out last Thursday, after Sonko was convicted of corrupting youth but acquitted on charges of raping a woman who worked at a massage parlor and making death threats against her. Sonko, who didnt attend his trial in Dakar, was sentenced to two years in prison. Sonko came third in Senegals 2019 presidential election and is popular with the countrys youth. His supporters maintain his legal troubles are part of a government effort to derail his candidacy in the 2024 presidential election. Under Senegalese law, Sonkos conviction could bar him from running. While Senegal, a country of around 17 million people, has experienced upheaval before, rights groups and analysts say the current clashes are the worst political crisis the nation has seen since 1988, when a general strike and electoral protest shook the power of the then president, Amnesty International researcher Ousmane Diallo said. At the heart of the unrest are fears that President Macky Sall will run for a third term. The constitution limits presidents to two five-year terms. But Sall argues that a constitutional reform adopted in 2016 allows him to reset the clock and seek another term. My massive worry is that we are only on the premises of the violence cycle in Senegal as the (possible) announcement of a third mandate run by Macky Sall could trigger a massive popular uprising and violence Senegal has never seen so far, said Guillaume Soto-Mayor, researcher at the Middle East Institute. Some extremely young people are dying daily, and Senegal and its democratic system are possibly on the brink of collapse, he said. Others Senegalese experts warn that if the violence continues it might not only destabilize the country but could be an opening for jihadi violence, which has already wracked much of the region, including in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso. Some families have lost relatives who weren't involved in the protests, but have suffered the consequences of the unrest. Elhaji Cisse was walking home after praying at the mosque Friday evening when he was shot in the shoulder by a bullet. The 26-year-old was rushed to hospital, but died minutes later. He was about to study abroad in Canada, said his family. Elhaji was not a demonstrator. He was a good patriot. He was interested in everything that was happening in the country ... He went to pray, but when he came back, they threw tear gas. He stepped aside to avoid the grenades. Then the gendarmes were there and they shot, said Djimbala Ba, his brother. The AP cannot independently verify how Cisse was killed, however demonstrators have reported the use of live bullets. On Monday, dozens of emotional friends and relatives gathered to pray around Cisse's body outside a mosque near his house. They later followed his body to the cemetery in a procession of motorbikes, buses and cars. While a cautious calm returned to Dakar on Monday, with traffic resuming and some people going back to work after days of shuttering inside, many are bracing for what lies ahead. Sonkos house is under tight security, and he hasn't been seen or heard from since the verdict and its unclear when or if hell be detained and taken to prison. Sall also hasn't addressed the nation. Violence erupted in March 2021, killing at least 14 people during clashes when authorities arrested Sonko for disturbing public order on the way to his court hearing. Religious leaders, who hold significant influence in the country, were key in bringing both sides to the table to quell the violence, analysts say. Since last week's clashes erupted, some religious leaders have appealed for calm. Over the weekend, Serigne Mountakha Mbacke, caliph of the Mouride brotherhood, Senegals most influential religious order, called on people in the city of Touba, the brotherhood's headquarters, to stop demonstrating and return home. Religious leaders are mediating with the parties behind the scenes and believe that a minimum consensus might be reached, Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Sy, president of the Unitary Framework of Islam of Senegal, a Muslim religious group, told the AP on Monday. However, obstacles, such as Sonko's arrest remain, which could still set our country ablaze, he said. While many Senegalese want the upheaval to end, others say they'll continue protesting until there's justice. The government wants to prevent our leader from being a candidate. We do not accept, said Malang Coly, a Sonko supporter. We will fight even if the government has arrested many of our comrades. We will continue to denounce. If the opportunity arises, we will demonstrate." Further Expansion in the Region is Contemplated in the Agreement PHOENIX, June 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SenesTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNES, "SenesTech" or the "Company"), (www.senestech.com) the rodent fertility control experts and inventors of the only EPA registered contraceptive for male and female rats, announced entry into a Distribution Agreement with Pesterminators Pvt Ltd of Maldives ("Pesterminators") for the deployment of ContraPest into Maldives. As Pesterminators is part of an multinational pest control organization, the potential expansion of the agreement throughout the region is contemplated in the agreement. SenesTech, Inc. has developed and is in the process of commercializing a proprietary technology for managing animal pest populations, primarily rat populations, through fertility control. (PRNewsfoto/SenesTech, Inc.) "Pesterminators is a leading provider of pest management solutions, committed to providing the best possible service while maintaining a safe and sustainable environment. As such, that makes them a perfect partner, and makes ContraPest the perfect addition to their integrated pest management programs," said Joel Fruendt, SenesTech's President and CEO. "Our discussions include more than Maldives, however. With Pesterminators, I fully expect that we have the right partner for expansion into new markets in south Asia," continued Mr. Fruendt. "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with SenesTech and the distribution of ContraPest in the Maldives," stated Mr. Sathes Ramachandran, CEO of Pesterminators Pvt Ltd. "At Pesterminators, we are dedicated to delivering effective pest management solutions while prioritizing the safety and sustainability of our environment. The addition of ContraPest to our integrated pest management programs aligns perfectly with our commitment to innovative and eco-friendly strategies." "This collaboration with SenesTech opens up exciting possibilities beyond the Maldives. With their support and expertise, we are confident in our ability to expand into new markets in South Asia, catering to the growing demand for advanced rodent control solutions," Mr. Ramachandran added. About SenesTech We are the experts in rat fertility control. Our passion is to create a healthy environment by better controlling rat pest populations. We keep an inescapable truth in mind. Two rats and their descendants can be responsible for the birth of up to 15,000 pups after a year. We invented ContraPest, the only U.S. EPA registered contraceptive for male and female rats. ContraPest fits seamlessly into all integrated pest management programs, greatly improving the overall goal of effective rat management. We strive for clean cities, efficient businesses, and happy households with a product that was designed to be effective and sustainable without killing rats. At SenesTech, we are committed to improving the health of the world by humanely managing animal populations through fertility control. For more information visit https://senestech.com/ and https://contrapeststore.com. About Pesterminators Pesterminators Pvt Ltd, a leading pest control organization in the Maldives, is dedicated to providing comprehensive and sustainable pest management solutions. With a focus on customer satisfaction, environmental sustainability, and cutting-edge technologies, Pesterminators has emerged as a trusted name in the industry. Pesterminators understands the unique pest challenges faced in the Maldives. Their team of highly trained professionals possesses extensive knowledge of local pest species, their behaviors, and effective strategies for control and eradication. From rodents to insects and termites, Pesterminators has the expertise to tackle any pest-related issue efficiently and effectively. Pesterminators sets itself apart through its holistic approach to pest management. They embrace integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, prioritizing long-term prevention and eco-friendly solutions. By minimizing the use of harmful pesticides and adopting sustainable practices, Pesterminators preserves the delicate ecological balance of the Maldives.Committed to excellence, Pesterminators believes in building lasting relationships with clients by providing personalized attention and tailored solutions. Thorough inspections, education on pest prevention, and ongoing support ensure a pest-free environment. Pesterminators proud to partner with SenesTech, Inc., a leader in rodent fertility control. This collaboration highlights Pesterminators' commitment to integrating innovative solutions into their services. As a result, Pesterminators now proudly offers ContraPest, the only EPA registered contraceptive for male and female rats, further enhancing their ability to combat rodent populations sustainably. For more information, visit www.pesterminators.com.mv For further information about the partnership and the availability of ContraPest in the Maldives, please contact the Pesterminators media relations department at info@pesterminators.com.mv or through contact numbers +960 334 2930/ +960 972 1122 / +960 971 5511 / +960 971 2211 Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, and we intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbor created thereby. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, our belief that Pesterminators is an excellent partner for us; and our belief that we will be able to expand our work with Pesterminators across south Asia. Forward-looking statements may describe future expectations, plans, results or strategies and are often, but not always, made through the use of words such as "believe," "may," "future," "plan," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "eventually," "project," "estimate," "continuing," "intend" and similar words or phrases. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the impacts and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the successful commercialization of our products, market acceptance of our products, regulatory approval and regulation of our products and other factors and risks identified from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management's assumptions and estimates as of such date. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise. CONTACT: Investors: Robert Blum, Joe Dorame, Joe Diaz, Lytham Partners, LLC, 602-889-9700, senestech@lythampartners.com Company: Tom Chesterman, Chief Financial Officer, SenesTech, Inc., 928-779-4143 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/senestech-announces-distribution-agreement-and-initial-order-for-contrapest-in-maldives-301841994.html SOURCE SenesTech, Inc. Key Insights Serko's estimated fair value is NZ$4.94 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of NZ$3.06 suggests Serko is potentially 38% undervalued Analyst price target for SKO is NZ$3.62 which is 27% below our fair value estimate Does the June share price for Serko Limited (NZSE:SKO) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Models like these may appear beyond the comprehension of a lay person, but they're fairly easy to follow. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Serko The Method We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF (NZ$, Millions) -NZ$37.2m -NZ$16.1m -NZ$2.40m NZ$11.3m NZ$19.0m NZ$28.3m NZ$38.2m NZ$47.9m NZ$56.6m NZ$64.2m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ 69.04% Est @ 49.00% Est @ 34.97% Est @ 25.15% Est @ 18.27% Est @ 13.46% Present Value (NZ$, Millions) Discounted @ 8.2% -NZ$34.4 -NZ$13.8 -NZ$1.9 NZ$8.2 NZ$12.8 NZ$17.7 NZ$22.1 NZ$25.5 NZ$27.9 NZ$29.2 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = NZ$93m 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 (2.2%) 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 8.2%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = NZ$64m (1 + 2.2%) (8.2% 2.2%) = NZ$1.1b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= NZ$1.1b ( 1 + 8.2%)10= NZ$502m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is NZ$596m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of NZ$3.1, the company appears quite good value at a 38% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. dcf Important Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own 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 Serko as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.2%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.002. 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 Serko Strength Currently debt free. Weakness No major weaknesses identified for SKO. Opportunity Forecast to reduce losses next year. Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%. Threat Has less than 3 years of cash runway based on current free cash flow. Moving On: Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. Why is the intrinsic value higher than the current share price? For Serko, we've put together three pertinent elements you should further examine: Risks: For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Serko that you should be aware of. Future Earnings: How does SKO'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 New Zealander 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 Ideally, your overall portfolio should beat the market average. But the main game is to find enough winners to more than offset the losers At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Isetan (Singapore) Limited (SGX:I15), since the last five years saw the share price fall 22%. So let's have a look and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress. See our latest analysis for Isetan (Singapore) There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. Isetan (Singapore) became profitable within the last five years. Most would consider that to be a good thing, so it's counter-intuitive to see the share price declining. Other metrics might give us a better handle on how its value is changing over time. It could be that the revenue decline of 11% per year is viewed as evidence that Isetan (Singapore) is shrinking. This has probably encouraged some shareholders to sell down the stock. The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail). Take a more thorough look at Isetan (Singapore)'s financial health with this free report on its balance sheet. What About The Total Shareholder Return (TSR)? We've already covered Isetan (Singapore)'s share price action, but we should also mention its total shareholder return (TSR). Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. Isetan (Singapore)'s TSR of was a loss of 19% for the 5 years. That wasn't as bad as its share price return, because it has paid dividends. A Different Perspective We regret to report that Isetan (Singapore) shareholders are down 18% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 0.6%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 4% per year over five years. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Isetan (Singapore) that you should be aware of. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Singaporean 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 The main aim of stock picking is to find the market-beating stocks. But even the best stock picker will only win with some selections. So we wouldn't blame long term Servcorp Limited (ASX:SRV) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 27% over a half decade. So let's have a look and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress. See our latest analysis for Servcorp While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. 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. During the unfortunate half decade during which the share price slipped, Servcorp actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) improve by 3.7% per year. So it doesn't seem like EPS is a great guide to understanding how the market is valuing the stock. Alternatively, growth expectations may have been unreasonable in the past. By glancing at these numbers, we'd posit that the the market had expectations of much higher growth, five years ago. Looking to other metrics might better explain the share price change. We note that the dividend has fallen in the last five years, so that may have contributed to the share price decline. On top of that, revenue has declined by 4.0% per year over the half decade; that could be a red flag for some investors. The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think Servcorp will earn in the future (free profit forecasts). What About Dividends? When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. We note that for Servcorp the TSR over the last 5 years was -1.2%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! A Different Perspective While the broader market gained around 2.0% in the last year, Servcorp shareholders lost 5.2% (even including dividends). However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 0.2% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks, for example - Servcorp has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of. There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Australian 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 Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock / Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock Last weeks resolution of the debt ceiling crisis brought relief to millions of seniors who worried how a potential government default might impact their Social Security benefits. That problem was averted on Saturday, when President Joe Biden signed a bill to suspend the debt limit through Jan. 1, 2025. See: Experts Propose Tax Cap as Social Security Solution Which Americans Would Be Most Affected? Find: 3 Ways to Recession Proof Your Retirement With no default imminent, Social Security recipients dont have to stress about their benefits being cut or delayed at least for now. Longer term, however, theres still a chance that lawmakers will target Social Security for cuts. That possibility was raised by U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the key Republican player in debt ceiling negotiations with Biden. The two sides agreed to cut funding for some federal programs, though Social Security wasnt one of them, in exchange for raising the debt limit. But as Salon reported, McCarthy told Fox News that the debt limit bill was only the first step in a broader GOP agenda that includes further cuts. This isnt the end, McCarthy said. This doesnt solve all the problems. Among the problems he cited were all the other federal budget items that the GOP targeted for cuts but that Biden walled off, the American Independent reported. We only got to look at 11% of the budget to find these cuts, McCarthy told Fox News We have to look at the entire budget The majority driver of the budget is mandatory spending. Its Medicare, Social Security, interest on the debt. The Speaker also said he planned to announce a commission that would include lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle. One of their tasks will be to look at further budget cuts. McCarthy didnt provide specifics on how the commission might work, who might sit on it or which cuts they might target. However, the fact that he mentioned Social Security and Medicare as majority drivers of the budget caught the attention of Democrats. The Speaker is once again making it clear that Republicans cannot be trusted to protect these lifesaving programs and thats why voters will relegate them back to the minority next year, Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told the American Independent Foundation. Bipartisan commissions tasked with cutting the budget have been proposed before and it wasnt even that long ago. During the Obama administration, the Simpson-Bowles commission recommended Social Security cuts, Salon reported. As recently as 2021, U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) worked with Democratic senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mark Warner of Virginia and other lawmakers on a similar commission to investigate where federal spending could be slashed. The Romney legislation, known as the TRUST Act, was accused by some critics of being little more than a ploy to cut Medicare and Social Security behind closed doors, according to Salon. Social Security and Medicare together account for nearly one-third of the federal budget, the American Independent reported, citing data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Proposals to cut Social Security usually include either lowering payments to beneficiaries or raising the full retirement age. But cutting benefits will be a tough sell because the vast majority of Americans prefer that Social Security be left alone. Take Our Poll: Are You Planning To Buy or Sell a House This Year? A March poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 79% of respondents oppose reducing the size of Social Security benefits, while two-thirds are against raising monthly premiums for Medicare. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Social Security Isnt Safe Anymore McCarthy Claims Debt Ceiling Raise Isnt the End Spotify cuts 200 more jobs after Harry and Meghan audio deal fails to pay off Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex Spotify will cut 200 jobs from its podcast business in its second round of redundancies this year, as the streaming giant continues to reel from its expensive bets on celebrity presenters such as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The Swedish music company said it will make the cuts, equivalent to around 2pc of its workforce, as part of a reorganisation of its podcast business. It comes less than five months after Spotify laid off around 600 employees and parted ways with Dawn Ostroff, the executive who oversaw its recent move into podcasting. The cuts are the latest sign that Spotify is failing to reap the benefits of its heavy investment in the popular audio format. In January, chief executive Daniek Ek admitted he got a little carried away with the spending binge as the company sank to a 430m loss last year. Spotify has pumped billions of euros into podcasting in recent years, signing up stars including the Sussexes and Joe Rogan. But the Duchesss Archetypes podcast series has struggled to make waves, while the Joe Rogan deal, worth a reported $200m, has been beset with controversies after the host spread Covid vaccine misinformation and used a racial slur. JOE ROGAN - SYFY/NBCUniversal Spotify also spent hundreds of millions of euros buying podcast studios Parcast and Gimlet as it looked to establish a leading position in the sector. But the company will now merge the two studios into a single operation as it scales back its focus on original programming. Instead, Spotify will rely more heavily on deals with third-party producers. Sahar Elhabashi, head of Spotifys podcast division, wrote in a blog post: We are expanding our partnership efforts with leading podcasters from across the globe with a tailored approach optimised for each show and creator. This fundamental pivot from a more uniform proposition will allow us to support the creator community better. However, doing so requires adapting ... As a result, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to make a strategic realignment of our group and reduce our global podcast vertical and other functions by approximately 200 people, or 2pc of Spotifys workforce. The scaling back of Spotifys podcast ambitions comes amid a slowdown in the sector, while an advertising downturn is putting further pressure on its margins. Daniel Ek, the chief executive, has hinted at an increase in subscription prices this year following similar moves by Apple Music and Amazon Music, but has yet to confirm the changes. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), speaks during IATA annual meeting in Istanbul, Turkey June 5, 2023. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya - DILARA SENKAYA/REUTERS The former chief of British Airways has called for new laws to prevent striking French air traffic controllers from causing havoc for British holidaymakers this summer. Willie Walsh, who is now head of airlines lobby group Iata, said the EU should change the rules to allow continued flying over the country while air traffic controllers walk out. He said: If France wants to shut down its country, fine. But it should not have such a significant impact on other countries. French law dictates that domestic flights must be able to continue during industrial action. However, international flights are currently banned from flying over the country while air traffic controllers are out on strike. As a result, even flights not bound for France are disrupted. Walkouts in May cause widespread delays and cancellations to flights leaving Britain. French air traffic controllers are planning to renew their strike action in the coming weeks, threatening the holiday plans of many British holidaymakers. Aviation chiefs have been lobbying Brussels for two decades to change the way air traffic above Europe is managed. They have long wanted to switch to a single European sky, which replaces country-specific air traffic controllers with a Continent-wide regime. It has consistently been blocked by individual EU states, however. Ryanair chief Michael OLeary recently delivered a petition signed by more than one million people to the European Commission to propose new laws that prevent French air traffic controllers from disrupting international flights when they go on strike. Mr Walshs comments, made at Iatas annual conference in Istanbul, came as he branded the European Union anti-aviation. CEO of the low coast aireline Ryanair Michael O Leary speaks during a press conference, in London, on March 2, 2022 announcuing the 14 new routes from the three London airports. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) - TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images Willie Walsh, who was chief executive of British Airways then its parent IAG between 2005 and 2020, criticised the EU for imposing unrealistic targets on the use of green fuel for flights. Brussels is imposing minimum quotas for sustainable aviation fuel made from waste products such used cooking oils on EU airlines and their suppliers At least 2pc of all fuels supplied at airports from 2025 will need to be sustainable, rising 6pc by 2030, 20pc by 2035 and 70pc by 2050 under rules announced earlier this year. However, Mr Walsh said targets were unrealistic without further investment in production. He said: I think it is fair to portray the EU as anti-aviation whereas other parts of the world are very positive and pro-aviation. My criticism of Europe really is in relation to the agenda to decarbonise the industry. We believe that Europe should be incentivising the production of sustainable aviation fuel to enable and to facilitate airlines to transition to net zero. So we need to be driven by the facts here and the facts do not support the measures that are being taken by many in the EU. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Sturm Ruger (NYSE:RGR) has had a rough three months with its share price down 6.8%. But if you pay close attention, you might gather that its strong financials could mean that the stock could potentially see an increase in value in the long-term, given how markets usually reward companies with good financial health. In this article, we decided to focus on Sturm Ruger's ROE. Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors money. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments. See our latest analysis for Sturm Ruger How Do You Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders' Equity So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Sturm Ruger is: 22% = US$72m US$322m (Based on the trailing twelve months to April 2023). The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. One way to conceptualize this is that for each $1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made $0.22 in profit. Why Is ROE Important For Earnings Growth? So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or "retain", we are then able to evaluate a company's future ability to generate profits. Generally speaking, other things being equal, firms with a high return on equity and profit retention, have a higher growth rate than firms that dont share these attributes. Sturm Ruger's Earnings Growth And 22% ROE First thing first, we like that Sturm Ruger has an impressive ROE. Additionally, a comparison with the average industry ROE of 19% also portrays the company's ROE in a good light. Given the circumstances, the significant 24% net income growth seen by Sturm Ruger over the last five years is not surprising. Next, on comparing Sturm Ruger's net income growth with the industry, we found that the company's reported growth is similar to the industry average growth rate of 23% in the same period. Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. The investor should try to establish if the expected growth or decline in earnings, whichever the case may be, is priced in. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. If you're wondering about Sturm Ruger's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry. Is Sturm Ruger Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits? Sturm Ruger has a three-year median payout ratio of 39% (where it is retaining 61% of its income) which is not too low or not too high. By the looks of it, the dividend is well covered and Sturm Ruger is reinvesting its profits efficiently as evidenced by its exceptional growth which we discussed above. Additionally, Sturm Ruger has paid dividends over a period of at least ten years which means that the company is pretty serious about sharing its profits with shareholders. Conclusion In total, we are pretty happy with Sturm Ruger's performance. Specifically, we like that the company is reinvesting a huge chunk of its profits at a high rate of return. This of course has caused the company to see substantial growth in its earnings. If the company continues to grow its earnings the way it has, that could have a positive impact on its share price given how earnings per share influence long-term share prices. Not to forget, share price outcomes are also dependent on the potential risks a company may face. So it is important for investors to be aware of the risks involved in the business. To know the 2 risks we have identified for Sturm Ruger visit our risks dashboard for free. 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 - Novel seed treatment brings next-level sustainability in pest control while promoting healthy plant establishment - Contains best-in-class PLINAZOLIN technology BASEL, Switzerland, June 05, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Syngenta Crop Protections Seedcare business today introduces EQUENTO, a novel seed treatment that provides outstanding control of various soil pests while helping farmers increase the sustainability of their farming operations. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005365/en/ Syngenta Seedcare introduces EQUENTO, offering a novel mode of action to control soil pests (Photo: Business Wire) EQUENTO, based on Syngentas cutting-edge PLINAZOLIN technology, is applied onto seeds, protecting the crop right from the start of its life. Based on a new mode of action (IRAC Group 30), it breaks the critical rise in insect resistance, while offering precise control of a broad variety of soil pests including difficult-to-control pests such as the wireworm and the red legged earth mite. The seed treatment can be applied across multiple crops including cereals and canola. Among the key benefits EQUENTO brings is its ability to increase the sustainability of a farms operations. Safe for both the seed and plant, this seed treatment is highly effective at very low dose rates and is not easily soluble or mobile in soil. This provides precise and effective pest control in the area immediately surrounding a plants roots and ensures healthier roots that contribute to better soil health and biodiversity. This innovative seed treatment also offers farmers greater flexibility in farming decisions ranging from application timings, dose rates to choices of mixtures with other insecticides and fungicides. It is effective even in low soil temperatures, controlling pests that either ingest or come in contact with the plant, and reducing pest populations in the soil. In addition, EQUENTO features exceptional target specificity, which enables farmers to precisely tailor their dose rates to meet particular pest challenges. "EQUENTO's combination of a novel mode of action, broad spectrum pest control, as well as superior seed and crop safety reflects Syngenta's commitment to innovation," said Jonathan Brown, Global Head of Syngenta Seedcare. "It transforms the ability of farmers to manage wireworms and other hard to control pests, establish a healthy young crop crucial for good yields, while protecting soil health, bio-diversity and the planet." Insects and soil pests pose significant challenges to farmers, threatening both yields as well as the quality of the harvests by harming the crop as well as opening pathways for disease. Their ability to constantly evolve, coupled with the impact of climate change that has propelled shifts in the insect pressure and spectrum farmers face, have increased the urgency for innovative solutions that protect the farmers ability to grow productively and sustainably. An estimated 600 species of insects are already deemed resistant to at least one insecticide. Syngenta will mark its global launch of EQUENTO in Australia later this year, under the trademark EQUENTO Extreme. Further registrations are expected to follow in other markets worldwide. About Syngenta Crop Protection Syngenta Crop Protection is a leader in agricultural innovation, bringing breakthrough technologies and solutions that enable farmers to grow productively and sustainably. We offer a leading portfolio of crop protection solutions for plant and soil health, as well as digital solutions that transform the decision-making capabilities of farmers. Our 17,900 employees serve to advance agriculture in more than 90 countries around the world. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, and is part of the Syngenta Group. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta, www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/syngenta Data protection is important to us. You are receiving this publication on the legal basis of Article 6 para 1 lit. f GDPR ("legitimate interest"). However, if you do not wish to receive further information about Syngenta, just send us a brief informal message and we will no longer process your details for this purpose. You can also find further details in our privacy statement. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as expect, would, will, potential, plans, prospects, estimated, aiming, on track and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. 2023 Syngenta. Rosentalstrasse 67, 4058 Basel, Switzerland. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230605005365/en/ Contacts Michelle Ng Head, External Communications michelle.ng@syngenta.com Is your system vulnerable to cyberattacks? Heres how to find out (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves) What should keep you up at night is, What do I not know? There may be things that you know you dont know, and there may be things you dont know that you dont know. During the National Motor Freight Traffic Associations (NMFTA) May webinar, John Sheehy, senior vice president of research and strategy at IOActive, a research-fueled security services firm, offered that thought-provoking reminder. Sheehys presentation, hosted by Antwan Banks, director of cybersecurity of NMFTA, is part of the organizations cybersecurity series leading up to its October Digital Solutions Conference in Houston. The conference will be a meeting of minds to discuss emerging cybersecurity threats and related issues faced by the transportation and logistics industries. Cybercrime attacks on large transportation businesses have made headlines in recent years, and as the industry has become more appealing to attackers, companies of all sizes are vulnerable to system breaches. The range of threat techniques only continues to grow as hackers adapt and evolve ways to gain access to critical company information. For transportation companies, threats dont just apply to internal digital systems, but also to the vehicles and equipment they use to move freight. Additionally, how these systems interface with one another through telematics devices presents risk. With many entry points for hackers, the importance of cybersecurity is paramount. The prevalence of these hackable interfaces that organizations build their business on provides malicious individuals and entities many opportunities to breach an organization and wreak havoc. [It] could be as simple as one of your employees laptops or something more complex such as your overall wide area network. Or from an operational technology perspective, something that might move freight on the warehouse floor that is necessary for shipping and receiving can be disrupted too, Sheehy elaborated. Identifying critical digital security lapses is the first step in defending your business from bad actors, who, in the worst-case scenario, could pose an existential threat to your company. Penetration testing is one of the most impactful ways to figure out what it is you dont know about your companys vulnerabilities, allowing you to mitigate risks before an attacker can exploit them. During the webinar, Sheehy discussed what penetration tests are, as well as the methodologies and the best practices you can implement to gain maximum value from them. What is a penetration test? Simulating an attack on your computer system or network using the same tools, techniques and procedures as the real thing, penetration testing allows an organization to evaluate its security and expose the business impacts of its vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may result from poor or improper system configuration, known and/or unknown hardware or software flaws, or operational weaknesses in processes or technical countermeasures, Banks said. Penetration test methodologies Penetration tests are not one-size-fits-all processes; Sheehy identified three main kinds of test methodologies, which fall on a spectrum from limited to more information provided to testers. The test an organization chooses often depends on budget, deadlines and other business requirements. These three levels of penetration tests can unearth various system weaknesses, according to Sheehy: Black Box Testing: This external-analysis-focused approach provides the least amount of information to testers, closely emulating what real-world attackers would have. An example in the context of a web application would be that the tester is provided only URLs and IPs. Gray Box Testing: Gray box tests, also focused on external analysis, furnish more information to testers from the start. This mimics what attackers would have gathered with more time. Instead of spending resources reverse engineering a protocol or an API set, for example, testers are given this information right away so they can focus on trying to find weaknesses within the application. White Box Testing: This test provides testers with the most information from the beginning, normally source-coded assisted design documentation, allowing them to target certain areas as needed. It also allows them to find the most vulnerabilities per resource unit. Ultimately, this approach is a full analysis, allowing testers to look at as much as possible. How to use test results effectively Your test results should come with a detailed list of confirmed or likely vulnerabilities in the tested environment. Consultants give your organization a risk rating based on how easy or hard it is to fix and how easily an attacker could compromise the system. Sheehy urges companies to move quickly to remediate issues based on effort, risk and impact. He advised: If its a very difficult fix, and its a very low-risk issue, its something that you probably want at the very bottom of your list. If its something thats very easy to fix and its a critical impact. Thats something you want at the top of your list. As all companies are limited to some degree by time, budget and resources, its critical to leverage results strategically, which includes addressing issues that may be present outside the tested environments. Sheehy explained: One of the ways you can get extreme value out of these kinds of tests is that you might see in similar environments you may have identical vulnerabilities or very similar vulnerabilities. In other words, by identifying one issue, you might be able to solve multiple others. For example, you could find there are risks on your external perimeter that also apply to your internal applications, or perhaps you discover there are missing patches or misconfigurations in multiple areas because the same team worked on all of them. Sheehy advises companies to ensure their test results are highly secured. Whether its an external network, internal network or web application, its a map of how to break in to that particular environment. Why some tests fail to provide value Banks provided the following insight on why some companies dont gain value from tests: Tests dont include physical penetration testing. Companies do not allow the exploitation of critical systems. Testing is restricted to nonproduction systems. Hours/length of testing is restricted. Improper scoping fails to include all addresses. There is only external or black box testing, which does not include internal testing and pivoting. Teams patch/fix vulnerabilities only before the test. The organization only allows directed attacks (e.g., no social engineering or phishing to include the leadership). There is a lack of focus on business risk and increased focus on technical issues. There is a lack of follow-up or remediation. There is a lack of collaboration. Final thoughts and how to learn more Whether a transportation provider is a small fleet or enterprise level, all organizations face risk of system breaches, and the financial and security repercussions can be devastating. This is why its vital companies rigorously test the integrity of their systems to identify weaknesses and quickly implement fixes. To learn more about protecting your business through penetration testing, listen to the full NMFTA webinar. Sheehy provides an overview of adjacent and overlapping testing methods, like vulnerability scans, vulnerability assessments, and red and blue team exercises. Finally, he provides an overview of the steps involved in penetration testing engagement, the other kind of common threat techniques and terms related to social engineering attacks, and some of the bad actors that pose a threat to transportation businesses. Click here to find out more about NMFTAs October Digital Solutions Conference on trucking cybersecurity. The post Is your system vulnerable to cyberattacks? Heres how to find out appeared first on FreightWaves. Saudi Arabias surprise June 4 announcement of an oil production cut pushed prices up, a bit. But theres an important counterweight to Saudi Arabias heft in the global energy market: US producers. The rumored death of the American fossil-fuel industry is premature. President Biden talks up green energy, with policies to match. But Biden has also acknowledged the importance of carbon fuel, and softened his rhetoric toward an industry he once likened to an unwelcome dinosaur. US oil and natural gas production, meanwhile, is creeping back toward record levels, while exports are hitting new highs. The Saudi cuts, due to take effect in July, could pull 1 million barrels a day from the global market, or about 1% of total supply. That might not sound like a lot, but with relatively tight markets, small changes on the margins can affect prices. Oil prices ticked up about a dollar on the news, to about $77 a barrel for Brent crude, the global benchmark. Thats a much smaller jump than in April, when a surprise cut of 500,000 barrels by Saudi Arabia and other members of the OPEC+ cartel pushed Brent up by $5 a barrel in one day. The global oil market is in constant flux, especially with Russias war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russian energy products. But during the last year, one important factor helping stabilize global markets has been rising US production. Crude production in the United States peaked at 13 million barrels per day at the end of 2019, right before the Covid pandemic. It then plummeted to less than 10 million barrels per day in 2021, as collapsing demand sent prices plunging and the industry lost billions. When Biden became president in 2021, he called for an aggressive transition to renewable energy and the eventual elimination of fossil fuels. Then oil prices soared and gasoline prices hit $5 per gallon in the middle of 2022. Biden changed his tune. He started pressing American energy firms to generate more oil and gas to bring prices down. Drillers, burned by pandemic-era losses and years of overproduction before that, demurred, saying it was time to prioritize profitability over growth and market share. Plus, it was hard finding workers to man rigs, and inflation raised the costs of components needed to expand. Yet US production is rising anyway, from 11.7 million barrels of oil per day a year ago to 12.7 million barrels in March, the most recent data point published by the US Energy Information Administration. So current production levels are just 2.3% below the record production of 2019. EIA forecasts US production to stay at those levels through 2024. A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk Perhaps more importantly, the United States is exporting more petroleum products than ever. US exports of crude and crude products, such as gasoline and jet fuel, hit the highest levels ever in March. In a June 1 research note, Citi noted that record US petroleum exports are helping cushion world supplies and keep prices in check. Take that, Saudi Arabia. US natural gas production is also at record highs, as are exports, in the form of liquified natural gas or LNG. A boost in US LNG exports to Europe over the winter helped forestall an energy crisis as most gas stopped flowing from Russia, which used to be Europes biggest supplier. World energy flows have shifted dramatically since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Western sanctions on Russian oil and gas have forced it to find customers elsewhere, with new sources backfilling markets Russia vacated. But one thing hasnt changed: the United States remains the worlds top oil and gas producer and a muscular force in world energy markets. [Drop Rick Newman a note, follow him on Twitter, or sign up for his newsletter.] Before Covid, a sort of production war broke out between the OPEC+ oil producers and US energy firms using new hyrdrofracking or fracking technology to reach vast deposits once out of reach. As US production skyrocketed, the Saudi-led OPEC nations produced more, too, with each side aiming to gain or at least keep market share. Consumers were the biggest winners: From 2014 through 2020, energy prices plunged, culminating in a brief, crazy moment in April 2020 when oil prices briefly went negative. Since then, US producers have vowed capital discipline, returning money to shareholders through dividends or stock buybacks instead of investing it in new capacity. And US firms, nursing Covid-era losses, seemed to yield command of the market to OPEC+ nations with nationalized oil companies controlled by their governments that were able to keep investing without alienating shareholders or investors. Yet US oil and gas firms boosted investment in 2022 and again so far in 2023, after a sharp falloff from 2019 through 2021. Thats not because Biden asked them to. Its because they can make good money with oil prices in the range of $70 or higher, and they think prices will stay in that range long enough to justify the investment. Since US energy firms exist in the private sector, Biden cant use them as a tool of government, the way Saudi Arabia and most other OPEC+ nations can. But the US energy industry is nonetheless helping counter the Saudi-led effort to keep supplies tight and prices high. Consumers can only hope both sides dig in for another long fight. Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @rickjnewman Click here for politics news related to business and money Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance (Bloomberg) -- Byjus, Indias most valuable startup, plans to make a quarterly interest payment of about $40 million on a loan that has been at the center of the beleaguered firms financial troubles, according to people familiar with the matter. Most Read from Bloomberg The edtech firm expects to pay on Monday to meet the June 5 deadline, the people said, asking not to be named because the information isnt public. The situation is still fluid and plans could change. Failure to pay on that date means the $1.2 billion loan will default. Byjus didnt respond to requests for comment about the coupon payment. Representatives for Houlihan Lokey Inc., which was hired by creditors to advise them on the loan, declined to comment. The $1.2 billion debt is the largest unrated loan by a startup ever. The once high-flying company led by former teacher Byju Raveendran had been trying to strike a deal with creditors to restructure the loan, after the decline of the pandemic-era boom in online tutoring dealt a blow to its finances. But creditors demanding an accelerated repayment scrapped the long-running negotiations, Bloomberg reported last week. The lender consortium has signed a cooperation agreement that binds them to act together in negotiations, the people added. The loan, which slumped to a record low of 64.5 cents a dollar in September, is now quoted at around 78 cents, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Making the coupon payment on time will give the company enough wriggle room to wait for a large capital infusion that its lawyer said would be used to pay down the loan. The company is current on all debt payments, and any defaults should be considered technical breaches of the loan agreement, according to the firm. The firm has missed deadlines to file financial accounts for the year to March 31 and its offices were searched by Indias agency that investigates violations of the nations foreign exchange policies. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. UBS to retain more than 100 Credit Suisse bankers in Asia -source FILE PHOTO: Logo of Swiss bank UBS is seen in Zurich By Mrinmay Dey and Scott Murdoch (Reuters) -UBS Group AG is looking to retain more than 100 Credit Suisse Group AG investment bankers across Asia as part of a plan to shore up talent in markets where its rival has a stronger presence, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said. Switzerland's biggest bank is in advanced discussions to keep dozens of Credit Suisse's senior dealmakers in countries including South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and India following its planned takeover, the source told Reuters on Monday, requesting anonymity because the matter is confidential. The development was reported earlier by Bloomberg News. Bloomberg said that UBS's retention target of more than 100 bankers did not include China. It has held talks with a few bankers in China, but the final number being kept will depend on discussions with regulators, the report added. UBS and Credit Suisse declined to comment on the report. Credit Suisse also declined to say how many investment bankers it currently employs in Asia. Reuters last month reported that hundreds of Credit Suisse employees are resigning each week in a sign of the uncertainty gripping the lender while it is being taken over by its larger rival. UBS Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti on Friday warned of painful decisions about job cuts following the takeover, which he said he hoped would be formalised in the coming days. (Additional reporting by Yana Gaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Jamie Freed, Kirsten Donovan) Michelmersh Brick Holdings plc (LON:MBH), is not the largest company out there, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the AIM, rising to highs of UK1.00 and falling to the lows of UK0.90. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Michelmersh Brick Holdings' current trading price of UK0.93 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Michelmersh Brick Holdingss outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. Check out our latest analysis for Michelmersh Brick Holdings Is Michelmersh Brick Holdings Still Cheap? Good news, investors! Michelmersh Brick Holdings is still a bargain right now. My valuation model shows that the intrinsic value for the stock is 1.35, which is above what the market is valuing the company at the moment. This indicates a potential opportunity to buy low. Michelmersh Brick Holdingss share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach its true value, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once its there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range. What does the future of Michelmersh Brick Holdings look like? Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. With profit expected to grow by a double-digit 15% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Michelmersh Brick Holdings. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation. What This Means For You Are you a shareholder? Since MBH is currently undervalued, it may be a great time to accumulate more of your holdings in the stock. With a positive outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as financial health to consider, which could explain the current undervaluation. Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on MBH for a while, now might be the time to enter the stock. Its prosperous future outlook isnt fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means its not too late to buy MBH. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the track record of its management team, in order to make a well-informed buy. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. For example - Michelmersh Brick Holdings has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of. If you are no longer interested in Michelmersh Brick Holdings, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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 (Bloomberg) -- Ukraines European neighbors are extending a ban on purchasing some of the countrys grain until mid-September, a move that risks fueling tensions between Kyiv and its allies. Most Read from Bloomberg In late April, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria agreed to replace unilateral import bans on crop shipments from Ukraine with European Union restrictions. Transit shipments to other member states are allowed. Those eastern European nations said flows from Ukraine threatened local farmers after prices slumped. That EU agreement was set to end on Monday, but the restrictions on soft wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seed now have been extended to Sept. 15, according to a document posted on the European Commission website. Other crops such as durum wheat and spelt have been removed from the ban. The scope of the exceptional and temporary preventive measures has been reduced and they will then be phased out, according to the statement. Important logistical bottlenecks still remain, the document said. Infrastructure in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia remains insufficient to handle the surge in traffic. That is impacting local producers in those countries, it said. Grain shipments from Ukraine, a key global supplier, have been disrupted by Russias invasion. Kyiv on Friday called on the EU to end the ban on its crop exports, saying it was helping the Kremlin intensify pressure on the countrys economy. Read More: Ukraine Urges EU to Stop Ban on Crop Exports to Neighbors When the invasion initially blocked the nations Black Sea ports, Ukrainian farmers started sending more cargoes by rail, truck and river through its EU neighbors. While a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey has established a safe maritime corridor for Ukrainian crop exports, shipments frequently have been disrupted. --With assistance from Volodymyr Verbyany and Kevin Whitelaw. (Updates with European Commission confirmation in third and fourth paragraphs.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2023 Bloomberg L.P. NYU Stern MS in Business Analytics NYU Stern MS in Business Analytics alumni meetup in Singapore in June 2022. Courtesy photo When Michelle Skaf was helping her family transition their 20-year-old Lebanese restaurant into an e-commerce baklava shop, she realized the crucial role data would play in everything from optimizing product offerings to targeting marketing campaigns, to enhancing overall business performance. But her background was in finance. She worked most recently as the financial operations director for her familys restaurant group called Rockbird. When she started searching for a business program to expand her skillset, she looked for one that could help her gain insights in customer preferences and market trends from large data sources such as sales transactions, customer feedback, and website analytics. I was eager to broaden my expertise beyond finance and delve into the world of data analytics, which a traditional MBA program couldnt offer to the same extent, Skaf tells Poets&Quants. NYU Stern MS in Business Analytics Academic director and professor Anindya Ghose with alumna Michelle Skaf (MSBA 22) at the 10-year anniversary celebration event for the NYU Stern MS in Business Analytics Program. Courtesy photo CULTIVATING A GLOBAL MINDSET Skaf found such a program at New York Universitys Stern School of Business: A part-time Masters of Science in Business Analytics geared to working professionals from a variety of backgrounds. The programs cohort comprises individuals from various industries and sectors, allowing for a rich exchange of ideas and experiences. The opportunity to travel for some of the modules adds an extra dimension to the program, enabling the cohort to forge lifelong friendships and simultaneously grasp the significance of data science in a global context, says Skaf, MSBA 22, who served as the class representative for her cohort. Through these global experiences, students gain a broader perspective and develop a deeper appreciation for the role of data analytics in todays interconnected world. Sterns MSBA program not only equips students with technical skills but also cultivates a global mindset, preparing them to navigate the complexities of the data-driven business landscape. STERNS MS IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS TURNS 10 On May 18, Stern celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its MSBA with alumni from around the country. It remains a unique program in an ever-crowded field. These days, business analytic programs are ubiquitous at top schools, from Harvard Business Schools fully online certificate program lasting eight weeks, to Duke Fuquas one-year MS degree in quantitative management that can be taken either online or in-person. But, when NYU Stern enrolled its first class MS in Business Analytics class in 2013, it was the first mover among the top business schools to launch such a degree. It launched just as big data technologies were emerging and industries needed experts to analyze the massive datasets. Anindya Ghose The STEM degree takes one year to complete, delivered in a part-time, hybrid format that is organized in six in-person modules. Students spend between a few days to a week on each module, alternating between Sterns New York City campus and rotating global locations such as Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, and London. The program leverages NYUs three degree-granting campuses and global network, and concludes with an applied capstone project. Sterns MSBA is a global, modular program. Students get a panoramic perspective of the industry, learning from rotating international business analytics hubs. They are then able to instantly apply learnings in their current roles, says MSBA academic director Anindya Ghose, the Heinz Riehl Chair Professor of Technology and Marketing at Stern and a Poets&Quants 40-Under-40 Best MBA Professors of 2014. To this day, Sterns business analytics program remains unique. While many MS programs are considered pre-professional (for students with one to two years of work experience), Sterns MSBA requires a minimum of five years professional experience, and averages between 10 and 13 years of experience per class. Students keep their full-time jobs, taking about five weeks off from work over the course of the program. SNAPSHOT OF STERNS MSBA While applications have risen consistently year over year, program enrollments have fallen from 60 for the first class to 48 for the latest. Enrollment peaked for the Class of 2018 with 73 students. The Class of 2023 was 37.5% women, up from 25% for the Class of 2014. The latest class was also 58.33% international, up from 41.67% for the first class. In fact, since the Class of 2020, more than half of students have international backgrounds, coming from a range of countries including Colombia, U.A.E, Taiwan, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, South Korea, and many more. Because the program gives students the skills to be data scientists in any industry, many opportunities are available to graduates. Graduates have moved into big tech companies, marketing analytics, HR analytics, fintech roles and more, says Ghose. The programs alumni network, now 10 years strong, has also grown over the past decade and flourished among this tight-knit group. Students have been able to take advantage of those connections as well to pivot into new roles. Others are prepared to advance within their current organizations after graduating. CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION When first designed, the curriculum focused on predictive modeling, or what will happen next, Ghose says. Focus has shifted over the last decade to causal inference why did this happen and how will it impact the future? to better meet professional demands on the job. The program regularly updates the curriculum to cover the most timely topics such as modern Artificial Intelligence, deep learning, Web 3.0, and econometrics. At its core, Sterns MSBA empowers students to become data scientists who can leverage the potential of data analysis to drive decision making and innovate new opportunities for competitive advantage, Ghose says. Business analytics are not only relevant, but necessary, for success across sectors, so we are now seeing a wider range of industry backgrounds from students, including financial services, consulting, manufacturing, retail, media and IT, to name a few. Courses are taught by Stern faculty whose research leads the global conversation in these fields. Examples include J.P. Eggers, vice dean of MBA and Graduate Programs; Foster Provost, director of Data Analytics and AI and Sterns Fubon Center for Technology, Business and Innovation; Xi Chen, a 2021 P&Q 40-Under-40 Best MBA Professor; and Professor Arun Sundararajan, a 2015 Thinkers50 top management professor, among others. Ghoses own research and consulting, for example, focuses on the welfare impact of the Internet, mobile and AI technologies on industries and markets transformed by its shared infrastructure. He also studies the trade-offs between data privacy and benefits to consumers and the business impact of digital advertising and mobile marketing. He often incorporates these insights into his classroom teaching. In addition, students visit companies in NYC and in the two other global locations to glean a global perspective on the field. Stern also invites a curated selection of industry experts with practical experience in data science application, applied statistics, process optimization, and business intelligence. Ive said this a few times, but its worth repeating again the alumni community for Sterns MS in Business Analytics Program is truly exceptional, Ghose says. Last summer while I was in Singapore, I hosted a meetup for the local alumni. Every single alum who was in the country came. As I watched the graduates from different cohorts engage with one another and swap stories, I was struck by the powerful connections our program fosters around the world. Its truly a worldwide, lifelong community and I am so happy to be a part of it. A CAREER PIVOT Skaf credits her new role as senior financial analyst at NYU Bellevue's School of Medicine to the program. NYU Stern MS in Business Analytics Michelle Skaf, MSBA '22 My Stern MSBA education has equipped me with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively analyze and interpret complex data, enabling me to provide valuable insights and financial analysis that support decision-making processes within the medical field. The rigorous coursework and practical experiences have been instrumental in my ability to excel in this role, she tells P&Q. In her cohort, one of the global modules was taught in London and the other at NYU Abu Dhabi where students engaged with business leaders at on-site company visits. Outside of class, the cohort explored the cities, culture and landmarks including a wildlife safari and a traditional Arabian night event amongst ancient dunes in Abu Dhabi. The combination of academic growth and unforgettable experiences made the Abu Dhabi trip a highlight of my MSBA journey, fostering not only camaraderie among my peers but also a deeper appreciation for the global impact of data analytics, Skaf says. The connections and relationships I formed with my cohort members truly made a lasting impact. Being part of a diverse and highly educated group provided me with a unique opportunity to expand my network and learn from my peers. In fact, by actively participating in alumni events, I was able to leverage these connections and ultimately secure an interview at NYU Langone. DONT MISS: 10 YEARS OF KELLOGGS ZELL FELLOWSHIP: IF EVERYONE IS GOING LEFT, LOOK RIGHT and A B-SCHOOL WITH A SUSTAINABILITY MINDSET: THE P&Q INTERVIEW CORNELL DEANS GAUR & KAROLYI The post A Unique, First-Mover MSBA Program Celebrates 10 Years appeared first on Poets&Quants. Why computer-generated child abuse is the next crime wave waiting to happen AI online Browse through the public image library of Openjourney, an artificial intelligence tool used to create computer-generated art, and you will find an impressive collage of hyper-realistic portraits, vivid science-fiction scenes and atmospheric landscapes. The free software is one of a spate of AI programs to have exploded in use in recent months, allowing users to create computer-generated art in seconds with just a few words of instruction. Lifelike images of Pope Francis in a bright white puffer coat and apparent pictures of Donald Trump being arrested have been created and spread across the web this year. While these viral images were amusing distractions, image-creation AI is also being exploited by those with darker motives. Openjourney already appears to have been used by paedophiles to create illegal child abuse images, according to Henk Van Ess, a Dutch investigator and researcher. Van Ess says that while researching AI software he stumbled across the illegal material on an online forum that included a rolling feed of images created by the software. Im a father of two children, my children could come to this tool, you can type in terrible stuff and theres no restriction, he says. AI leaders spent last week warning that the technology they have helped create risked triggering human extinction and should be treated as a threat on the same level as nuclear war. Rishi Sunak will bring up these existential concerns at a White House trip this week. Today, those warnings remain hypothetical. Child safety campaigners have raised concerns that they will distract from the real harm that the technology risks creating today. When were focusing on those risks, were not looking at the ways in which AI technology can be used to extend and compound the real-world risks that were seeing today, such as sexual abuse, says Andy Burrows, an online safety consultant and the former head of child safety at the NSPCC. We are instead being distracted by the long term effects, and what that means is history is repeating itself, were moving from current technologies where the risks to children have not been properly addressed to new kinds of technology in which those risks are sharply heightened. Burrows says paedophiles are already taking advantage of the rapid rise of generative AI systems, for example by using the software to automate online grooming conversations, or to blackmail children by creating compromising fake voice recordings. However, the biggest concern is that image generation tools will lead to industrialised production of child abuse images, overwhelming attempts to combat it. Paedophiles have often taken advantage of novel technologies, from end-to-end encryption to file sharing and social media, and AI may be no different. AI generated pictures are often nearly indistinguishable from real photos. Computer-generated abuse material is equally illegal to produce or own as genuine images. Last week, Dan Sexton, of the Internet Watch Foundation, the UKs hotline to report child abuse images, warned that mass-scale production could leave investigators drowning in artificially simulated pictures of abuse, and unable to identify real victims. If AI imagery of child sexual abuse does become indistinguishable from real imagery, there is a danger that IWF analysts could waste precious time attempting to identify and help law enforcement protect children that do not exist, to the detriment of real victims, he said. Image generation tools have not been built without safeguards. Major tools such as Stable Diffusion, run by the London-based Stability AI, have banned thousands of keywords associated with producing illegal content and cracked down on pornography. Over the past seven months, Stability AI has taken numerous steps to significantly mitigate the risk of exposure to NSFW [not safe for work] content from our models. These safeguards include the development of NSFW-content detection technology to block unsafe and inappropriate material from our training data, a spokesman for Stability AI. Stability AI strictly prohibits any misuse for illegal or unethical purposes across our platforms, and our policies are clear that this includes [child sex abuse material]. However, rapid improvements in the technology have led to a proliferation of DIY alternatives that do not introduce such controls. Van Ess said Openjourney, created by the developers of the website PromptHero, had few such limitations. Javi Ramirez and Javier Rueda, the websites owners, did not respond to emails and other requests for comment. Many software developers open-source their code, meaning they publish it freely to encourage people to spot bugs or potential improvements. However the fact it can easily be downloaded and edited means tools could be remodelled to focus on creating illegal content. It will be a very short period of time before people really start explicitly trying to build models to do this kind of thing, if they havent already, says Michael Wooldridge of the Alan Turing Institute, Britains premier organisation for data science and artificial intelligence. If it became possible for you to do it from your living room, then I think we would likely see an explosion of this kind of stuff. Researchers have also warned that child abuse material on the web could be included among the billions of images used to train image generation systems. LAION, a German non-profit that makes AI data sets, recently removed a link whose metadata indicated it featured child abuse imagery. The images description was in Portuguese, meaning it was missed by English-language tools for identifying illegal content. LAION said there was no proof the link, which is now offline, contained child abuse material, and that no other cases had been reported to it, but said that it had revised its filtering tools to include other languages. The way these datasets work [is] you indiscriminately scrape the web, sometimes legally, sometimes illegally, says Hany Farid of the UC Berkeley School of Information, who specialises in detecting digitally manipulated images. Nobodys going in and looking at 5bn images. One online safety executive says AI-generated child abuse material will be near-impossible to track online. While social networks have successfully used AI to detect illegal content such as terrorist propaganda, doing the same with child images is difficult. Since storing the child abuse images is illegal, programmes cannot easily be legally used to spot offending material as they do not have data sets to draw on. The widely used alternative - a database of digital signals used to identify child abuse images that have already been reported - is useless on newly created images. The National Crime Agency said it was looking at working with internet companies on the problem. Tech giants might soon face stronger incentives. Baroness Kidron, the crossbench peer who has been pushing for greater protection for children for years, is proposing an amendment to the Governments Online Safety Bill that would ensure it covers AI-generated content, meaning greater punishments for websites that handle it and fail to crackdown on offending material. The pace of AI development, however, means that it is already being used before laws can be written to stop it. Criminals have often exploited technology faster than authorities can respond. Tragically, AI may be no different. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer. Leading Global Provider of Pharmaceutical and Medical Solutions to the Maritime Industry Establishes Distribution Center in Top Hub for International Shipping Integrates Singapore-Based Marine Pharma NEW YORK, June 05, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Universal Marine Medical Supply International ("Unimed" or the "Company"), the leading global provider of pharmaceutical and medical solutions to the maritime industry and a ZCG portfolio company, today announced the successful completion of its merger with industry-leading Singapore-based medical supplier, Marine Pharma, and the establishment of a distribution center in the region. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230604005069/en/ Z Capital Group and Unimed (Graphic: Business Wire) Unimed is already the largest global operator in the maritime services industry. As a result of this merger, Unimed is now poised to serve its clients more effectively and efficiently in the Asian market. This strategic merger enhances the Companys ability to meet the evolving needs of its customers, while solidifying its position as the preferred provider of pharmaceutical and medical solutions for the maritime industry. With additional distribution centers in New York, Miami, Southampton, UK, Athens, Greece and Perth, Australia, Unimed is uniquely positioned to develop strategic partnerships on every continent. The Companys footprint is reinforced by a global network of partners across the western and eastern hemispheres, allowing Unimed to serve approximately 10,000 ships per year and gain access to over 2,000 ports. Unimeds expansion into Singapore not only strengthens its global presence but also brings significant benefits to the Company and business partners. "Through this merger, we are pleased to solidify our presence in such an important international market, as we continue to reinforce Unimeds position as the only truly global company within the highly-niche pharmaceutical and medical solutions sector for the maritime industry," said Alan Kessman, CEO of Unimed. "Singapore is an important business and shipping hub, and our expansion here will allow us to better meet customer needs in the Asian market and underscores our commitment to the commercial segment. As always, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional value and industry-leading essential, high-quality medical services, and we are confident that our presence in Singapore, strengthened by the merger with Marine Pharma, will help us further elevate our customer offerings." Marine Pharma merging into the Company, together with Unimed Singapore as the remaining entity further augments Unimeds capabilities and market reach. This represents a significant milestone in the longstanding relationship between the two companies. Ding Shern, founder of Marine Pharma, will assume the role of Managing Director, leading Unimeds Singapore operations. Unimeds commitment to providing industry-leading essential, high-quality medical services remains fundamental to their mission. The expansion into Singapore, reinforced by the merger with Marine Pharma, underscores the Companys dedication to elevating customer offerings and meeting the evolving demands of the maritime industry. With continued and expanded presence in Singapore and a global network of partners, Unimed is well-positioned to deliver sustainable growth now and well into the future. About Unimed Unimed is the industry leader in medical supply, equipment and oxygen distribution to global maritime industries, specializing in the delivery of integrated healthcare and safety supply chain logistical solutions to clients worldwide. For more information, please visit https://universalmarinemedical.com/. About ZCG ZCG is a leading, privately held merchant bank comprised of private markets asset management, business consulting services, technology development and solutions. For almost 30 years, ZCG Principals have invested tens of billions in capital and have industry leading track records in private equity and credit. ZCG has approximately $6.5B of AUM in asset management and its investors are some of the largest and most sophisticated global institutional investors including pension funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and insurance companies. ZCG has a global team comprised of over 375 professionals. For more information, please visit www.zcg.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230604005069/en/ Contacts Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher Tim Ragones / Kate Thompson / Erik Carlson 212-355-4449 Railroad crossings in Stafford and Spotsylvania counties were targeted for millions in safety improvement funding. Rail crossings on Brent Point Road in Stafford and Summit Crossing Road in Spotsylvania were selected for a portion of $3.2 million in federal money. The funds also will go toward improvements at two crossings in Hanover County. The counties will contribute a 20% funding match for the projects. The improvements at the rail crossings involve adding four-quad gates, which are designed to prevent vehicles from crossing when the gates are down for a train. The money for the safety improvements comes through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act, approved in 2021 in an effort to inject more than $500 billion into U.S. infrastructure over the next decade. U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D7th, who pushed for the project funding last year, announced the grant awards on Monday. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to pay dividends for Virginias economy, Spanberger said in a news release. This project follows through on the bipartisan infrastructure laws promises of stronger physical infrastructure, improved safety, and responsible investments in our local communities. The University of Mary Washingtons College of Business has a new permanent leader in Filiz Tabak, who will start in her new position July 10, the university announced in a press release last week. Tabak is joining UMW from the College of Business and Economics at Towson University, where shes been a faculty member, a graduate program director, a department chair and, most recently, acting associate dean. She is succeeding interim dean Ken Machande. Tabak said she was attracted to UMW after reading the universitys statement of values, which are summed up in the acronym ASPIRE: accountability, scholarship, personal and institutional integrity, inclusive excellence, respect and civility, and engagement. When you, as an academic, are perfectly aligned with the values of a school, thats really priceless, Tabak said in the press release. Tabak is a first-generation college student who earned a bachelors degree in environmental engineering and a masters degree in marine physics and chemistry. After working for Henkel, a large multinational corporation, Tabak went on to earn an MBA from Bogazici University in Turkey and then a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. I am excited about Dr. Tabak joining our leadership team, said UMW provost Tim ODonnell in the press release. She believes in our mission, is enthusiastic about our future, understands the important work that lies ahead and brings a range of knowledge, experience and a competitive drive that will benefit both the College and the larger University. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Dive into hometown history With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy State government leaders spent a good chunk of Thursday the last day of the 108th Legislatures long session touting legislation major and minor that will impact Nebraska for years and decades to come. Changes to public school funding, a slashing of tax rates, funding for major water infrastructure and highway projects, urban renewal and criminal justice reforms were lifted up as examples of the good kind of governance thats possible when senators work together. But the contentious, rancorous and in many cases nasty session where rules were bent, norms were tested and new precedents were established during a debate on bills banning abortion and gender-affirming care for minors has several lawmakers wondering about the future of the Legislature itself. Omaha Sen. Wendy DeBoer, who throughout the 90-day session pleaded with her colleagues to stop exploring new and novel ways to use the institutions rules for an edge over their political opponents, said senators have a lot of work before them to restore the working relationships that make the legislative branch function in Nebraska. Weve healed from a lot of things in the past, there have been a lot of other years where things were bad, but not this bad, DeBoer said. I think there are some things weve done that are unprecedented and that will have long-term effects. Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, who often voiced frustrations with the slow pace on the floor and at one point suggested a wholesale rewrite to the rules, called this years Legislature the most frustrating session Ive ever been involved with. Erdman, who noted that the Legislature was overall successful in what it accomplished, said changes will be made to the Legislatures rules and procedures before the 60-day session convenes in January 2024. Navigating those changes will be tricky, he added: We will change the rules, but well have to discuss how we go forward and make sure were treating everyone equal and fair and that everybody gets an opportunity to say what they need to say. DeBoer said she worried the unusual session would inadvertently become the wrong template for the large class of first-year senators to use moving forward, and Erdman said sessions like this years would turn off individuals considering serving their state in the Legislature. Speaker John Arch, meanwhile, told senators on the final day of the session he hopes this year would be an aberration, not a predictor of the future and pledged to repair and rebuild relationships before next year. My commitment to this institution and to the members of this body will be to work with you over the interim to assess the lessons both good and bad of this session, learn from them, and move forward as we define not only what we do, but how we do it, Arch said. Tough from the start The list of precedent-breaking actions and reactions began early in the 2023 session, with senators alleging the process for assigning senators to committees in the officially nonpartisan Legislature had been tainted by partisan politics to influence policy outcomes. Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, the chair of the Committee on Committees, denied those allegations and said the process had been followed, but the disagreement spilled onto the floor where it became the focus of the sessions first filibuster, which stretched out across two days. A few days later, as senators were hurtling toward the conclusion of bill introduction where more than 800 measures were introduced, the bill that became the focus of months of debate was introduced and met with a motion to immediately end the session. LB574 from Omaha Sen. Kathleen Kauth proposed a ban on all gender-affirming care for individuals under 19 in Nebraska. Moments after it was introduced, Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt brought a motion to kill the bill before it could be assigned to a committee, and Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad sponsored an unsuccessful motion to adjourn the Legislature for the year before it could even kick into high gear. A day after the Health and Human Services Committee advanced LB574 and LB626, which would have prohibited abortion after about six weeks, to the floor for debate, Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh began introducing a series of motions and floor amendments tactics used in filibusters of specific bills on every piece of legislation that came before lawmakers in an attempt to stave off consideration of LB574. Cavanaughs filibuster, which garnered national media attention, was within the bounds of the Legislatures rules, but the second-term senators efforts rankled her colleagues, both registered Republicans as well as a few Democrats, for delaying other bills from getting consideration. When LB574 finally came up for debate, Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, after a handful of senators had taken their time to speak, but with more than 30 senators still in the speaking queue, called the question in an effort to remove one hurdle from the bill being advanced. Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly ruled Slamas move out of order, noting that there had not been full and fair debate with so many other senators waiting to speak. Slama then moved to overrule the chair and a majority of senators voted with her to shut off debate. Two days later, with about two hours of debate remaining for LB574 on general file, opponents of the bill filed a series of priority motions allowing them to jump to the front of the speaking queue, eat up roughly 10 minutes of time, and then withdraw. The strategy effectively kept supporters of the bill from speaking; opponents said the unprecedented move was done to take the conversation back from hurtful comments made during the previous days debate. Ultimately, the bill narrowly advanced. The following day Day 50 Erdman said the tactics used by opponents of LB574 was very disrespectful to the senators who were in the queue and he brought a rules change to allow only three priority motions to be introduced once per day on each round of debate. While the rules change itself did not raise eyebrows, longtime legislative observers said the way it was brought in the middle of a session without first being referred to a committee was akin to taking a sledgehammer to the rules process. A majority of senators approved the rules change, which then prompted Cavanaugh, Hunt and Conrad to introduce more than 740 motions on bills that had already been advanced from committees to the floor, securing time on each bill to keep the filibuster going. In an attempt to evade the filibuster, senators took a new approach to getting their bills moving by combining them into legislative packages in committees. The maneuver is not entirely new committees have historically advanced Christmas tree bills loaded up with a handful of different measures but some of the bills grew to include more than 30 pieces of legislation with wide-ranging subjects. As the Legislature began to adjust to its new normal, more procedural oddities continued to crop up during debates on the most hot-button issues of the session. Near the end of second-round debate on LB574, Hunt withdrew a series of motions in an effort to force Kauth to bring an amendment that removed certain treatments up for a vote. Kauth said she planned to withdraw the amendment, and that the compromise was no longer being extended, but before she could, Arch announced the Legislature would stand at ease for 15 minutes. A motion to recess the Legislature for 30 minutes, which Arch later explained was needed to explain to the first-year lawmaker what her options were, was later adopted a move senators past and present and other long-time legislative observers said they had never seen before. When they returned, Kauth asked senators to vote against her amendment and to advance the bill, which a majority did, sending LB574 to final reading with no amendments attached. With the session winding down, on Day 78, the Legislature took the unusual step of combining an abortion ban after about 12 weeks gestational age introduced after the near-total ban failed to advance from the second round of debate with the ban on transgender health care that was on final reading. The debate on the amendment was scheduled to go for two hours, but ended up lasting longer than six. Opponents to both measures, in an attempt to keep the clock running and prevent the amendment from being attached, raised a series of points of order. While each was being discussed, the time did not count toward the two-hour total. Eventually, time ran out, the amendment was attached, and the bill was advanced. Three days later, it was sent to Gov. Jim Pillen following a raucous day of debate at the Capitol that saw several people arrested. Before the dust settled on the debate over LB574, Cavanaugh said she planned to continue her filibuster next year. What comes next On Thursday, as senators wrapped up their work for the year, Cavanaugh said the final week of the session contained some glimmers of hope for the Legislature she specifically mentioned the override of a gubernatorial veto but added shes unsure what the future will look like. Throughout the hours and hours she spent speaking during weeks of filibusters, Cavanaugh said she tried to be very consistent about the need for the Legislature to follow its rules and established processes. This job can be tedious, this job can be boring it should be boring, she said. This job is all about process and procedure and I think keeping that integrity intact, even if it's working against my interests, is of the utmost importance. While Erdman suggested that opponents of LB574 needed to move on, he said he believes Cavanaugh, Hunt and others will continue their filibuster in 2024: What they started, they will continue. They understand what they are able to do. The Rules Committee chair said hell ask senators to consider rules changes limiting priority motions the tools of the filibuster as well as changes to cloture votes, eliminating the secret ballot vote for committee leadership positions, and the number of bills that can be introduced. Those proposals, if they are advanced to the floor, would likely mean a lengthy fight in the short session. But Erdman, who was critical of Cavanaugh as she took time to grind the Legislature to a crawl, and also critical of Slama during a final round filibuster of a voter ID bill on Thursday, said any changes made to how the filibuster works need to be carefully considered. Its not to restrict free speech, he said, but you have to have the opportunity to let government function the way its supposed to function. DeBoer said she believes allowing senators to develop relationships away from the legislative chamber will help drive a better process, and perhaps move lawmakers away from a "win at all cost" mentality she said gripped the body this year. Sometimes in the spotlight and the pressure of the session, we dont get to have the conversations that we need to have, she said. There are a lot of people who are new this year who might suspect the way we did things this year is the way they are done. I think theres going to have to be some education by folks who are further along in their terms to the people who are new about why things went the way they did this year, DeBoer added. Arch echoed DeBoer and said those conversations are more necessary than ever since term limits have continued to hamper the Legislature. Once relationships have been built, one-third of the 49 senators in the unicameral system are forced out, and a fresh crop of new senators are brought in, requiring new relationships to be built. That can be tough when the discussions turn to divisive issues, Arch said. We debate ideology, but we end up doing that within the context of relationships," he said. "The time to develop those relationships isnt on the mic, its before the bill gets to the floor. Arch said those conversations have already started and will continue in the coming months. But Cavanaugh said she was leery that the strategy would make a difference. "I'm always open to that, but people have to be willing to make an effort and I'm not sure that willingness is there." Photos: The business of governing in Nebraska in 2023 Something is usually better than nothing and thats certainly the case with the debt ceiling compromise. More than a handful of House Republicans are grumbling about the deal between Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden. The complaints touch on a number of issues on which the GOP gave a little, including stricter regulatory reform, larger spending adjustments, a rollback of White House efforts to forgive student loans and more significant budget cuts for the IRS. These are legitimate grievances. But Republicans dont run the Senate and are on the outside looking in when it comes to the White House. Politics is nothing if not an exercise in pragmatism. There is a modicum of progress in the agreement, and that agreement was made possible only because House Republicans stood united, putting pressure on the president and forcing him to abandon his insistence that the debt ceiling be addressed through a clean bill. Had Republicans fractured, they would have ended up with no concessions at all. How is that preferable? Instead, the compromise at least temporarily slows the massive increases in spending that have led us down this dangerous path. Nonmilitary discretionary outlays will remain essentially flat in fiscal 2024. Democrats call this a cut, because spending wont increase as quickly as it would have otherwise. In reality, its an act of responsible governing given the nations fiscal trajectory. For fiscal 2025, discretionary spending will increase no more than 1%. The budget restrictions dont extend as far into the future as many Republicans had sought, but the GOP can fix that by taking their case to the American people and winning elections. In addition, the deal modestly expands work requirements for able-bodied adults on food stamps living without children. Currently, those ages 18 to 49 fall under the demand, which will now include those 50 to 54 years old. The bill exempts the homeless and veterans. The agreement also reduces some of the budget largesse that Democrats showered on the IRS last year, makes a limited effort to improve the federal permitting process and recovers about $30 billion in federal COVID emergency funds that have yet to be spent by the states. An additional provision imposes automatic budget caps if Congress fails to pass all dozen regular spending bills by the end of a given year. They say its foolish to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Its also folly to let the good be the enemy of adequate progress. The compromise leads us forward and avoids the potential calamity of default. House Republicans should remain unified as this legislation moves forward. ONE Dev, the government contracting branch of local business tycoon Kevin ONeils investment company The ONeil Group, acquired a California-based wireless transmitter producer, ONE Dev announced recently. ONE Dev, a cornerstone of The Consortium, a network of defense and tech companies such as Bluestaq that collaborate to collect, analyze and share information within the warfighting domain, acquired Systems Engineering & Management Company (SEMCO) to complement ONE Devs goals and grow SEMCO, ONE Dev President of Business Development Rob Patterson said. They (SEMCO) offer a lot of help to The Consortium, Patterson said. But The Consortium helps them. Started in 1984 by husband and wife Bill and Karen Tincup, SEMCO designs, tests and manufactures telemetry equipment. Telemetry equipment is used to send signals from airborne systems such as missile or spacecrafts to a ground antenna. That data is received, interpreted and converted into units that describe information such as temperature, voltage and positioning. That equipment is primarily sold to Lockheed Martin and other defense companies with the U.S. government being the end user, Patterson said. Sign up for free: Gazette Business Receive a weekly roundup of business news around El Paso County. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. ONE Dev intends to grow SEMCOs sales and triple SEMCOs organic revenue in about a five-year timeline with the help of the companys new Vice President of Business Development Pierre Bastie, who comes with a 14-year background in the telemetry field and government contracting. While ONE Dev announced the merger less than two weeks ago, SEMCO joined the company nearly a year ago, Patterson said. He attributed the lag in the announcements with ONE Devs desire to bring SEMCO up to speed, a process still unfolding as ONE Dev aims to increase SEMCOs 25-person workforce to meet the demand of the companys anticipated growth. The Tincups continue to operate SEMCO with minority positions in the company, Patterson said. SEMCOs workforce is based in California and Florida at the companys manufacturing and testing sites, he added. But as SEMCO grows, ONE Dev aims to create a service dimension to the company beyond the products it sells, which would be based in Colorado Springs in sync with the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation. We are glad to have SEMCO join The Consortium and they are already instrumental and under contract in support of Range of the Future program initiatives, Patterson said in a news release. I believe in private property rights and oppose government overreach. I was raised right. Part of that Reagan-era raisin was the Gippers famous observation that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, Im from the government, and Im here to help. Which brings me to the Environmental Protection Agency and the recent SCOTUS decision on Sackett v. EPA, one that ought to be applauded. The decision that stands to keep every puddle out of the jurisdiction of the EPA was, of course, criticized by those in lockstep with the Biden administration. Gov. Jared Polis accused the justices of the lands highest court of siding with special interests and polluters. In a statement, Polis said, We are committed to protecting Colorados precious water resources to ensure that Coloradans can continue to count on a safe water supply vital for agriculture, recreation, and drinking water. Voters ought not be led astray by the vitriol and narrative cultivated by anti-agriculture types about the Sackett decision. Its a good one and its certainly not a decision that will lead to the destruction of the nations waters. Dont drink that Kool Aid. The decision reversed the use of the reasonable nexus question and reverts to the Rapanos v. United States rule, a 4-1-4 decision and the use of a continuous surface connection test. In that decision, National Cattlemens Beef Association chief legal counsel Mary-Thomas Heart said four justices recommended a continuous surface connection test, one justice recommending the significant nexus test, and four justices saying they didnt particularly care for either test, but calling the significant nexus test the lesser of the two evils. Since the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, the definition of Waters of the US or WOTUS has been a moving target with fresh iterations making the regulatory process unclear even by EPA standards. Its noteworthy to recognize that there were two unanimous not technically unanimous holdings in the lengthy Sackett opinion. Without a continuous surface connection, wetlands like those on the Sackett property are not federally jurisdictional. The second unanimous holding is that the significant nexus test is not the standard that the EPA and the Army Corp of Engineers ought to use when determining if a feature is jurisdictional under the Clean Water Act. One of the clarifications of note for portions of rural Colorado enjoying higher than normal rainfall this year is the much narrower standard of the continuous surface designation. There is standing water in a number of alfalfa and wheat fields around my hometown. Because SCOTUS ushered the reasonable nexus question out the door, landowners can, in the case of a soggy alfalfa field in a wet year, enjoy the clarification that the EPA wont have jurisdiction over the puddle. In ag country, there are plenty of ephemeral water features that only show water after rainfall events and the like. The continuous surface connection and the SCOTUS opinion both offer clarity for features like isolated wetlands, prairie potholes, vernal pools, playa lakes, those features that are not on their own connected to downstream navigable water. Government moves slowly by design, and the moving target and whiplash doled out in defining WOTUS is stilled by this decision. Perhaps most significantly, especially in the 24 states in which the Biden rule is in effect, Heart said the administration will, at a minimum, have to pull that rule back and complete significant revisions. Heart may have been looking in her crystal ball when she predicted the next target would be the regulation of groundwater under the CWA, a fight that will affect small to medium sized livestock feeds. As if on cue, enter the Center for Biological Diversity in cahoots with the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Denvers Sturm College of Law. Colorado agriculture is closely watching the progress of a suit brought against the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Division of Environmental Health and Sustainability and Water Control Division by the Center for Biological Diversity and Food & Water Watch. The environmental petitioners brought this action against the state claiming the CDPHEs permitting process for animal feeding operations is flimsy. The permitting process, just updated in 2022, is far more stringent than other states where the petitioners have gained a foothold trying the same attack as this one. Zach Riley, executive vice president of Colorado Livestock Association praised CDPHE and the attorney generals office for their response and the cooperation between agriculture and CDPHE in protecting water. More on that another week. For now, Im enjoying the ability to exhale in the days following a positive SCOTUS decision. Rachel Gabel is a longtime agriculture writer and the assistant editor of The Fence Post Magazine. Apolo Ohno made a trip to Colorado this week, taking flight with the famous Air Force Thunderbirds ahead of the Air Force Academy graduation. Ohno's Colorado experience didn't end there though, with the eight-time Olympic speed skating medalist also opting to take on one of Colorado's most iconic hikes the Manitou Incline. A video of Ohno making the trek up 2,700-plus steps over the course of slightly less than a mile was published to the Olympic City USA Instagram account. While Ohno is taking a casual approach toward climbing the route in this more recent video video, he's no stranger to tackling it with speed, claiming to have hit a time of 17 minutes and 45 seconds in 2006. If confirmed, Ohno's time would have been potentially record-setting, though it was never made fully official. In years to come, Manitou Incline speed records would be taken much more seriously, with new standards for proof and a standardized approach toward a start and finish line implemented. Today, the official records on the Manitou Incline per a reputable website called Fastest Known Time are 17 minutes and 25 seconds by Remi Bonnet (2022) and 17 minutes and 45 seconds by Joseph Gray (2015). These records include their own controversy with many considering Gray's time to be the most substantiated and most official record for the notorious route. Either way, all of these times in the record-setting range are well ahead of the hour to two hour time it takes many to finish the route. Those seeking to climb the Manitou Incline must make a free reservation here. Note that it's extremely strenuous and not for everyone, climbing more than 2,700 steps and gaining 2,000 vertical feet in less than a mile. STAY INFORMED: Get free Colorado news with our daily newsletter (Click here) Family Law Day is returning to Colorado Springs this week. Mark your calendars for Friday. You will have a chance to learn about several legal topics and even take part in one-on-one meetings with attorneys. Acting on your own behalf in a family law case can be complicated, both intellectually and emotionally, reads a statement by District Court Judge Catherine Mitchell Helton on The Justice Centers website. The more informed a pro se litigant (someone who represents themselves in a legal case) is about the process and the law, the better position he or she will be in to present their case effectively to a judge, or to participate in mediation to resolve issues in the best interest of their children and family. Family Law Day is available to provide information and support to community members who are interested in learning more about family law procedure, law, and available resources. Its important for anyone to be well educated before taking their case in front of a judge without an attorney present. But legal experts say its even more important that anyone who is not able to afford counsel is able to access free resources and education before heading to court. Mitchell Helton says, We are happy to offer this program to those in the community who may be experiencing a difficult time in their lives, offering support to those experiencing a difficult time, and to anyone who is interested in learning more about family law cases in the 4th Judicial District. The event is being put on by the 4th Judicial District Courts and Probation, the Justice Center, Colorado Legal Services and the El Paso County Bar Association. Its taking place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the El Paso County Combined Courts, 270 S. Tejon St. There will be free classes with topics including How to Present your Case, Divorce and Allocation of Parental Responsibilities, Child Support and Maintenance and more. You can also register for a free 15-minute session, Meet-a-Lawyer, with a family law attorney. You can register for the event and find more information at JusticeCenterCOS.org. You can also send an email to FamilyLawDay@gmail.com. If you are not able to make it to this event, you can get free legal advice from volunteer attorneys every week. The Justice Center teams up with the El Paso County Bar Association for the Call-a-Lawyer clinic every Wednesday from 7-8:30 p.m. You can call 719-473-6212, but just know that the phone lines fill up quickly. Call early so that you can speak with a volunteer attorney to get brief legal advice. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will let the full House Foreign Affairs Committee view a key Afghan dissent cable after being repeatedly threatened with contempt of Congress, a top House chairman revealed on Monday. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) announced in May that he would be holding a hearing this month to hold Blinken in contempt for defying a congressional subpoena, but the contempt vote was put on hold last month after the State Department caved slightly and allowed McCaul and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the committee's ranking member, to look at a somewhat redacted version of the July 2021 cable from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, last week. Blinken has now caved further. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) NASA TARGETING MONDAY LAUNCH FOR ISS RESUPPLY MISSION McCaul said Monday that, thanks to the "unprecedented" action by Blinken, the subpoena would be considered satisfied, and contempt would now be off the table because the secretary of state agreed to allow all of the members of the committee to look at the dissent cable. "This is an unprecedented step forward in our committee's investigation into the Afghanistan withdrawal," McCaul said Monday. "For the first time in history, the State Department has agreed to allow Congress to view a dissent channel cable. This cable contains first-hand information from Embassy Kabul employees who were on the ground prior to the collapse as well as Secretary Blinken's response to their concerns. I want to thank Secretary Blinken for negotiating with me in good faith on this." The dissent cable is known to have criticized the State Department's planning for the Afghanistan evacuation and warned that Kabul could collapse soon after the United States moved to withdraw its troops. McCaul made it clear on Memorial Day that, despite the State Department letting him and Meeks view the dissent cable, contempt for Blinken was on the table if the State Department did not allow all committee members the same opportunity. GOP members of the committee, many of them veterans of the war in Afghanistan, told the Washington Examiner last month that the prior concession by Blinken was not nearly good enough, and McCaul agreed in his letter last week. Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, one of the 13 U.S. service members killed at Abbey Gate, told the Washington Examiner last month that Blinken's previous deal to limit the viewing of the cable to two members of Congress was "bullcrap." House Republicans have argued since late 2021 that the Biden administration has been stonewalling McCaul's investigations into the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, which ended with a chaotic evacuation, a Taliban takeover, hundreds of Americans and thousands of Afghan allies left behind, and 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing by the Islamic State. McCaul told Blinken last week the State Department's prior limitation "obstructs" congressional oversight and his desire to pass legislation to prevent "similar catastrophes" in the future, and he set a Friday deadline for the State Department to allow all members to view the dissent cable. "While I paused efforts to enforce the Committee's subpoena pending my review of the documents, I did so with the express stipulations that the subpoena remains in full force and effect, and that acceptance of this accommodation did not waive any of the Committee's rights," McCaul said last week. "Should the Department continue to refuse to provide the entire Committee the same opportunity Ranking Member Meeks and I had to review these documents, I will need to revisit my current position." McCaul said last week that reading the dissent cable "has significantly enhanced my understanding of the deteriorating conditions on the ground in Afghanistan and the direness of the dissenting officials' warnings to the Department's leadership" and that the cable "makes clear the remarkable extent to which the dissenters accurately predicted the situation on the ground and the Department's course of action in Afghanistan, and that the Department's actions taken in response were grossly inadequate." The House chairman added last week that "it is essential that every one of the Committee's Members Democrat and Republican have the same opportunity that Ranking Member Meeks and I did" to review the dissent cable. McCaul previously announced his committee would consider a resolution to hold Blinken in contempt on May 24. The proposed resolution recommended that the House find Blinken "in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with a subpoena duly issued by the Committee on Foreign Affairs." The cable in question, sent to Blinken and the State Department's director of policy planning, Salman Ahmed, reportedly warned about the collapse of the Afghan military and a near-term Taliban takeover, urging the State Department to speed up its evacuation planning, do more to deal with the glut of special immigrant visa applications and help safeguard Afghans who had assisted U.S. forces in the country. "It is vital to me that we preserve the integrity of that process and that channel, that we not take any steps that could have a chilling effect on the willingness of others to come forward in the future," Blinken told McCaul in March. He has used the "chilling effect" argument since 2021. McCaul shot down this "chilling effect" argument in a Memorial Day letter to Blinken, arguing that "if brave and dedicated officials are disincentivized to provide their honest and candid assessments in future communications with Department leadership, it will be because the Administration failed to heed their warnings in July 2021 and not because Congress seeks a full accounting for the American people." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER President Joe Biden dismissed the significance of the dissent cable right after Kabul fell. "We got all kinds of cables, all kinds of advice," Biden said on Aug. 20, 2021. "I made the decision. The buck stops with me." Original Location: Blinken blinks: Secretary of state avoids contempt by meeting Afghan dissent cable demands Washington Examiner Videos EXCLUSIVE Teachers in Virginia's Fairfax County Public Schools were required to undergo professional development training on equity grading that includes a slideshow on responding to people who oppose equity initiatives. The syllabus of the training and a slideshow were obtained by parent activist organization Parents Defending Education and shared with the Washington Examiner and provide details into how the northern Virginia school district has pushed its teachers to implement equity grading standards. ONE QUESTION FOR TRUMP COULD DETERMINE THE RACE FOR THE 2024 GOP NOMINATION The syllabus for the professional development program Grading for Equity says it was designed to "support educators in understanding the 'why' and 'how' of implementing equitable grading practices" and required teachers to read the book Grading for Equity by Joe Feldman. A source within FCPS who was granted anonymity to speak candidly told the Washington Examiner that teachers were required to read Feldman's book and discuss it during monthly faculty meetings. The Washington Examiner reported last year on efforts at Langley High School and other Fairfax County Public Schools to implement equity grading, a practice of grading that involves a multifaceted approach to lower the chances of a student failing. Tenets of equity grading include the elimination of "0" grades through the implementation of a 50% minimum grade on all assignments, the removal of deadlines, and the opportunity to redo assignments. "The course content will provide educators with the understanding and skills to transform current practices to ensure that the academic excellence of all students is reflected in our systems of evaluation," the syllabus says. "It will provide tools to ensure that cultural responsiveness is embedded into grading practices of teachers who want grades to reflect learning and understanding of students as opposed to behavior and access to resources. Teachers taking this course are committing to supporting an open-minded, responsive, and collaborative learning environment." The course syllabus contains several links to resources, including reading assignments, TED talks, and podcasts about the idea of eliminating grading or changing the current grading system. Included in those resources is a slideshow on "Navigating Resistance" to equity programs that included instructions on how to respond to people who are critical of equity initiatives in different scenarios. One of the slides describes a person who "struggle[s] to differentiate between equity and equality" and how this person believes "fair is equal." Navigating Resistance slide on the "Fairness-Seeker" used by Fairfax County Public Schools Credit: Parents Defending Education "Because the 'Fairness-Seeker' idealizes equality, it may be especially challenging for them to believe in systemic racism: a common refrain from white people engaging in this type of resistance is, 'but I grew up poor,'" the slide reads. "A lack of experience with racial inequities makes them naive even if their intentions are good the upside is they can become ardent equity supporters if you can redirect their definition of fairness from equal to equity." The slide says that to respond to this, one must "explicitly teach the difference between equality and equity" because the individual may not be familiar with it. The slide also recommends using other people in the room to "dilute the Fairness-Seeker's voice." For another scenario, the slideshow describes the "Minimizer," who may say things like "I don't see color" or that the world is inherently unfair. The slide says such people "nee[d] expanded perspective" and that "case studies, story telling, testimony, [and] videos can be particularly influential in shifting the Minimizer." The "Minimizer" slide from Navigating Resistance training used by Fairfax County Public Schools Credit: Parents Defending Education Alex Nester, an investigative fellow at Parents Defending Education, told the Washington Examiner that a school district "providing a training manual to address 'resistance,' either from teachers or parents, is particularly concerning." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER "Equitable grading hurts the very kids its proponents say they want to help," Nester said. "Kids who come from low-income families benefit most from fair systems based on merit and achievement. Equitable grading removes this rung in the ladder to success and opportunity for those kids. It sets the bar low and disincentivizes hard work. It also makes it harder for Fairfax students to compete with students from other districts that base grading off of student performance." Fairfax County Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment. Original Location: Fairfax trained teachers to disregard objections to 'equity grading' Washington Examiner Videos Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley warned on Monday that reelecting President Joe Biden in 2024 would actually give Vice President Kamala Harris the presidency instead. Haley, a former ambassador and governor of South Carolina, claimed "every liberal knows" if Biden is reelected, then it would actually be Harris who is in the Oval Office. GAVIN NEWSOM'S 2023-24 BUDGET RECEIVES PUSHBACK FROM LOCAL LAWMAKERS ON KEY ISSUES "Let's be very clear if they think it's going to be President Biden a vote for President Biden: It's actually a vote for President Harris," Haley told Fox & Friends. "We are running against Kamala Harris. Make no bones about it. ... Every liberal knows it. They know that it's Kamala Harris that's going to end up being president of the United States if Joe Biden wins this election," she added. FILE - Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley smiles while taking a question from the audience during a campaign gathering, May 24, 2023, in Bedford, N.H. Charles Krupa/AP The Republican hopeful also renewed her calls for mental competency tests for presidential candidates over the age of 75, claiming it could be unsafe for the country to let someone who was not mentally competent make national security decisions. "I am telling you, we've got to get past having all of these people that are older in D.C. We've done that long enough. We need term limits. We need mental competency tests for people over the age of 75," Haley said. "I don't care if we do it for people over the age of 50, but these are people that need to be at the top of their game. They're making decisions on our national security. They're making decisions on our children's economic future. We can't continue down this path." Republicans have repeatedly questioned whether Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, is up to serving as commander in chief for four more years. A poll in November also revealed that two-thirds of U.S. voters did not think Biden should run again in 2024. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Biden's ability to lead for another four years was most recently questioned after the president tripped during a commencement ceremony for the Air Force Academy in Colorado last week. Biden tripped on what aides later identified as a sandbag while handing out a diploma. The president was quickly helped back up to his feet by Secret Service and Air Force officials. Should Haley's recommendation that those over 75 be tested for mental competency when running for the presidency be implemented, former President Donald Trump, the top contender for the Republican nomination, would also need to take the test. Trump will turn 77 on June 14. Original Location: Nikki Haley says Kamala Harris will 'end up' president if Biden wins in 2024 Washington Examiner Videos (Reuters) - Russian police on Sunday arrested more than 100 people who had taken to the streets to mark the 47th birthday of Alexei Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition leader, a protest monitoring group said. OVD-Info said in a statement that 109 people had been detained in 23 cities as of 10:42 p.m. Moscow time (1942 GMT). Authorities have clamped down heavily on signs of dissent since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and in most cities, only a handful of people were held. Navalny is serving combined sentences of 11-1/2 years for fraud and contempt of court on charges that he said were trumped up to silence him. Footage from Moscow and St Petersburg, Russia's two largest cities, showed police arresting individual demonstrators. One man could be seen briefly holding up a sign before Moscow police ushered him away, bent over, as he groaned in pain. Another man, who held up a sign in English that read "Free Navalny", was also arrested in Moscow. In St Petersburg, a woman accompanied by a child told reporters that "I'm against the war, that's why they detained me with my underage kid". Navalny, who rose to prominence by lampooning President Vladimir Putin's elite and alleging vast corruption, said in April that an "absurd" terrorism case had been opened against him that could see him sentenced to a further 30 years in jail. (Reporting by Reuters, writing by David Ljunggren; editing by Grant McCool) The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to consider if a California attorney has a First Amendment right to trademark the phrase "Trump too small" for use on T-shirts mocking the former president. The Biden administration asked the justices to uphold the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's rejection of attorney Steve Elster's application because federal law doesn't allow trademarks to use a person's name without first receiving consent. GAVIN NEWSOM'S 2023-24 BUDGET RECEIVES PUSHBACK FROM LOCAL LAWMAKERS ON KEY ISSUES The idea for the merchandise came to Elster after the exchange of taunts between then-candidate Donald Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who at the time were rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential bid. Rubio was growing weary of Trump's taunts calling him "Little Marco," so Rubio pointed out the size of Trump's hands during a March 2016 campaign stop. "You know what they say about men with small hands," Rubio told a crowd in Salem, Virginia. "You can't trust 'em." When Elster sought to register the trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2018, he was rejected on the basis that people would associate the word "Trump" with the then-president. Elster said in his application that he wanted to include the phrase on the front of the shirts along with a phrase on the back stating: "Trump's package is too small." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled against the trademark office in a February 2022 ruling, saying the denial violated Elster's free speech rights under the First Amendment. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The Justice Department later asked the Supreme Court to take up the case, saying in court filings that for decades, the trademark office has refused to register trademarks that incorporate the name of a living person absent written consent. The nine justices agreed to take up the case for the fall term, and it will likely be heard by the full court before January. Original Location: Supreme Court: Justices take First Amendment case over 'Trump too small' trademark Washington Examiner Videos By John Revill ZURICH (Reuters) -UBS expects to complete its takeover of Credit Suisse "as early as June 12", which will create a giant Swiss bank with a balance sheet of $1.6 trillion following a government-backed rescue earlier this year. The deal's completion is subject to the registration statement, which covers shares to be delivered, being declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and other remaining closing conditions, UBS said in a statement on Monday. "UBS expects to complete the acquisition of Credit Suisse as early as 12 June 2023. At that time, Credit Suisse Group AG will be merged into UBS Group AG," it said. UBS shares were indicated 1.1% higher in premarket activity in Switzerland, while Credit Suisse shares were up 0.7%. "We consider the completion of the takeover to be an important step in initiating what we see as a protracted integration process and getting things done," said Zuercher Kantonalbank analyst Michael Klien. "Although the risk profile of UBS has changed significantly, we see good opportunities for investors," he added. Switzerland's no. 1 bank agreed on March 19 to pay 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.37 billion)and assume up to 5 billion francs in losses for its smaller Swiss rival after a collapse in customer confidence brought it to the brink of collapse, prompting the Swiss authorities to act to stave off a broader banking crisis. The bank had aimed to finalise the biggest bank deal since the global financial crisis by late May or early June. However, last month it said it remained in talks with Swiss authorities over loss protections and capital requirements, suggesting those needed time to be ironed out. Upon completion, Credit Suisse shares and American Depositary Shares (ADS) will be delisted from the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), UBS added. SIX said in a separate statement Credit Suisse shares would be delisted on June 13 at the earliest. Under the all-share takeover, Credit Suisse shareholders will receive one UBS share for every 22.48 shares they held. The deal will create a group overseeing $5 trillion of assets, giving UBS overnight a leading position in key markets it would otherwise need years to grow in size and reach. The mega-bank will employ 120,000 worldwide, although it has already announced it will be cutting jobs to take advantage of synergies and reduce costs. UBS had been rushing to close the transaction in record time, hoping to provide greater certainty for Credit Suisse clients and employees, and to stave off departures. The deal was backed by 200 billion francs in liquidity support from the Swiss central bank as well as the government's commitment to swallow up to 9 billion francs in losses on top of those borne by UBS. "We have to be also clear ... this is an acquisition not a merger," UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti told a financial conference on Friday, warning of "painful" decisions to come. Switzerland's biggest lender is considering delaying its quarterly results until the end of August as it deals with complexities arising from the takeover, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. The bank declined to comment on the potential delay. A question mark remains over what UBS will do with the Swiss retail bank of Credit Suisse, long seen as the group's "crown jewel." Bringing it into UBS's fold could produce significant savings but concerns have been raised about the size of the combined entity as well as job cuts. The bank was still analysing the situation, Ermotti said on Friday, although the "base scenario" remained a full integration with UBS and he would not be swayed by "nostalgia" when deciding how to proceed. Ermotti, who was brought back to UBS to steer the takeover, was optimistic about the challenges ahead and rejected concerns the new bank was too big for Switzerland. "I am convinced this is going to be a great story not only for our shareholders and employees but also for our clients and for the financial services industry in Switzerland," he said on Friday. ($1 = 0.8889 Swiss francs) (Reporting by John Revill, additional reporting by Noele IllienEditing by Tomasz Janowski) By Max Hunder KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine has enough weapons to begin its counter-offensive against Russia, and the operation will give the country the victory it needs to join NATO, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Reuters on Monday. Membership of the military alliance would "probably" only be possible for Ukraine after the end of active hostilities, Kuleba said in an interview in Kyiv. Ukraine has for months feted a vast upcoming assault to retake the 18% of its territory still occupied by Russia, using tanks, armoured cars and artillery donated by its Western allies. Ukraine's deputy defence minister said on Monday Kyiv was shifting to "offensive operations" on certain fronts but dismissed an earlier claim from Moscow that a major Ukrainian assault had taken place. Kuleba did not say whether the counter-offensive had started when asked. He answered that the most important thing was not when it started, but that it ended in Ukrainian victory. The minister, who has served in his post since March 2020, said NATO membership was the next big target on Ukraine's agenda after some of its allies agreed to train Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 fighter jets coveted and lobbied for by Kyiv. "We (already) unlocked all weapons.... There is nothing big left to fight for." "NATO membership cannot stop this war, but NATO membership will stop further wars. This is why the best way to ensure security in the region is to come to the moment when Ukraine becomes a member of NATO," he said. Moscow said in the early hours of Monday that it had thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive involving six mechanised and two tank battalions in the southern part of Ukraines Donetsk region. Kyiv officials mocked that claim, with Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar saying the claim was intended to distract from Russian defeats near the eastern city of Bakhmut. Kuleba said that while Ukraine now had enough arms to begin its counter-offensive, it would still need continued deliveries from its allies to sustain the effort. "When you go on the counter-offensive, it's one thing to have enough weapons to begin it, but another thing to ensure sustainability of supplies in order to be able to continue as long as is needed." Kuleba said he was "pretty confident" that Kyiv's partners would continue to supply arms until Kyiv reached its goals, but acknowledged they would face difficulties around production capacity. Earlier this year, NATO increased targets for stockpiling ammunition, saying that Kyiv is burning through shells much faster than Western countries can produce them and allied stocks are badly depleted. "It is crucial for partners to ramp up production of weapons, not only for Ukraine but for themselves. This can be done, this is being done, but I think that efforts must be stepped up," Kuleba said. Asked whether he was concerned that Saudi Arabia's recently announced oil production cut would help fellow major oil producer Russia, Kuleba said the decision was influenced by broader factors, but that any move that would help Russia make more money was still "unwelcome". Speaking about recent raids into the Russian border region of Belgorod conducted by anti-Kremlin Russian volunteer militias which say they are backed by Ukraine, Kuleba cast the violence as an internal Russian matter and said it was none of his business. U.S. and Belgian officials earlier said they were investigating the possible use of Western weapons by the militias inside Russian territory, something which would likely be seen as an escalation in the war. Kuleba, however, said his ministry had not received any formal complaints regarding the events in Belgorod. "Usually when you want to express your concern with something, you send a note, and we haven't received anything," he said. (Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Hugh Lawson) RIYADH (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, state media reported, as the kingdom continues to expand its diplomatic outreach beyond traditional Western alliances. Maduro was received at the airport of the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah by Deputy Governor of Mecca region Prince Badr bin Sultan and other officials, Saudi state news agency SPA said. Venezuela's Maduro is the latest U.S. foe to visit Saudi Arabia as the kingdom rebuilds alliances without the blessing of the United States, its long-time ally. Riyadh has restored ties with Iran and Syria over the last months and strengthened its cooperation with China and Russia. SPA did not give a reason for Maduro's visit but the fellow OPEC nation had sought coordination in the past with Saudi Arabia on falling oil prices and U.S. sanctions. Maduro's visit comes a day before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken lands in Saudi Arabia for talks with the Saudi leadership. Since taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden has eased some sanctions on Venezuela - many imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump in a "maximum pressure" campaign - to encourage dialogue. But negotiations have stalled again. The United States says it will ease sanctions on the OPEC nation only in return for concrete steps toward free elections there. (Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) The debt ceiling has been lifted, but that doesn't necessarily mean things are going to get easier for the Biden administration. Both the White House and Republicans are declaring victory over the debt limit; meanwhile, Washington's leaders, and media members, will quickly move on to the next debate. For some House Republicans, that issue is corruption in the Biden family. ONE QUESTION FOR TRUMP COULD DETERMINE THE RACE FOR THE 2024 GOP NOMINATION "The Biden Department of Justice is scrambling to cover up the depth of the Biden family's corruption because of the vast network of Democrat bureaucrats involved in their scheme," Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), ex-chairman of the Republican Study Committee, told the Washington Examiner. "This is a scandal far worse than Watergate, and they must be held accountable." House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading an investigation into payments made to Biden family members. On Friday, FBI Director Christopher Wray agreed to allow top members of the House oversight committee to view a subpoenaed document relating to the committee's investigation into the president and relatives, including his son Hunter. Much of the press has either ignored or dismissed the story so far, but that may be harder to do as it advances and with the debt ceiling no longer commanding so much attention. The Oversight Committee released a memo in mid-May based on bank records showing that the Biden family, including Hunter Biden, took $10 million from foreign nationals in Romania and China while Joe Biden was vice president. Hunter Biden and his associated businesses are believed to have received up to $5 million from Chinese accounts linked to CEFC and Jianming. On Friday, a spokesperson from the committee told the Washington Examiner a document relating to the committee's investigation will be reviewed and that Comer will receive a briefing from the FBI on Monday. Whether that development leads to increased coverage remains to be seen. Rutgers University history, journalism, and media studies professor David Greenberg believes the media will continue downplaying the story, and for good reason. "The very phrase 'Biden family' in this context smacks of partisan talking points," he said. "It's a silly and lame attempt to inflate Hunter's business dealings into something Mafia-like. As you know, it's been investigated before, and while Hunter may have occasionally traded on his father's name, that hardly suggests a 'family' racket." As such, he sees it as a purely partisan expedition unlikely to break into the wider political world. "It's still a story that Republicans are whipping themselves into a frenzy about, but that has gotten little traction outside these fevered quarters," he said. "I'd be surprised if that changes." The latest news comes after Comer threatened to hold Wray and the FBI in contempt of Congress after the director failed to hand over information the Oversight Committee requested related to an "alleged criminal scheme" involving the Biden family during Joe Biden's time as vice president. Comer claims the documents prove that the president and his relatives set up dozens of shell companies meant to conceal money received from foreign nationals. The committee began its investigation into Joe Biden shortly after Republicans won the House in 2022. On the campaign trail, House GOP leaders vowed they would investigate the president's dealings if they secured the majority in the lower chamber. Another factor in whether the media takes a growing interest in the story, according to Republican strategist John Feehery, is Joe Biden's campaign performance. "It all depends on how badly the media wants Biden out," he said. "If it becomes clear that Biden is not up to the job and that there is big likelihood that either [Donald] Trump or [Gov. Ron] DeSantis [R-FL] can beat him, then I think the media will play this scandal up bigger in order to drive him from his reelection campaign." But if Joe Biden can find common ground with Republicans and make progress on issues like the border and crime, Feehery added, the press will find something else to focus on. A reporter pressed National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday about the investigation and its implications, saying, "What do you say to the majority of Americans who believe that the president is himself corrupt?" "The president has spoken to this, and there's nothing to these claims," Kirby responded. The issue did not come up during Friday's White House press briefing. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The president's approval ratings have hovered in the low 40s for nearly two years, and now his team must deal with the fallout from a tumble he took at the Air Force Academy's graduation ceremony. He's also seeing stronger-than-expected support for long-shot Democratic primary challengers Marianne Williamson and environmental lawyer Robert Kennedy Jr. Original Location: With debt ceiling done, Comer investigation could loom large for Biden Washington Examiner Videos Former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown recently wrote a column for the Gazette (Mt. Evans namesake has been unfairly maligned, May 30) which challenges the caricature of territorial Gov. John Evans as just a blood thirsty tyrant responsible for the Sand Creek Massacre. The Evans name was recently removed from Mount Evans, which towers over the Denver metropolitan area, after many years of debate over his role in the Sand Creek Massacre in 1865 a shameful and tragic part of early Colorado history. Sen. Brown details how Evans, who was appointed governor of the Colorado Territory by President Abraham Lincoln from 1862 to 1865, had a remarkable life of achievement that was dedicated to building Colorado before it became a state in 1876. He also makes a very compelling case that Evans did not play a direct role in the massacre. Regardless, the Evans name has been removed from the mountain and his lifetime of accomplishment and contributions to Colorado have been permanently sullied. Indeed, while serving as the governor of the Colorado Territory he appointed John Chivington as Colonel of the Colorado Volunteers, who led the massacre of defenseless women and children at Sand Creek. Whether Evans ordered the attack or not, the massacre occurred on his watch as governor and the consequences fall on him. But this raises an interesting question about another dark period in Colorado history, the incarceration of Japanese Americans at Camp Amache near Granada in southeastern Colorado during World War II. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which forcibly removed more than 100,000 Japanese Americans from their homes, farms and businesses to internment camps across the country including Camp Amache in Colorado. This federal policy was not the result of Congress passing legislation that was sent to the president for his signature. The incarceration of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans was the result of a unilateral action by President Roosevelt. The brutal truth is that Roosevelt personally incarcerated those American citizens when he signed Executive Order 9066. Dripping with irony, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C. is inscribed with these words: We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization. Sign up for free: Gazette Opinion Receive updates from our editorial staff, guest columnists, and letters from Gazette readers. Sent to your inbox 12:00 PM. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. America has come to grips with the glaring inconsistency of Roosevelts words with incarcerating Japanese American citizens. Today, President Roosevelt is rightfully regarded as one of Americas greatest presidents. He was elected president four times before dying in office in 1945. He inspired the nation during the Great Depression followed by World War II. It is not an exaggeration to say he saved the nation from economic ruin and the world from authoritarian domination. But there certainly seems to be a double standard for these two dark periods of history in Colorado in terms of holding high public officials responsible. The name of Gov. John Evans has been removed from one of Colorados most prominent mountains because of the shameful Sand Creek Massacre while his lifetime of achievement is shoved into obscurity. While getting some historical scrutiny and criticism for his executive order that incarcerated more than 100,000 Japanese American citizens, a beautiful monument is erected commemorating the complete story of President Roosevelts life. As our society continues to grapple with the sins of the past, maybe it is time for a little grace for the flawed individuals who were prominent figures of those periods and at least acknowledge their entire life stories and not just their failures. Dick Wadhams is a Republican political consultant and a former Colorado Republican state chairman. It is time we reverted to the era when crime was bad. Society diluted that ethic, but recent signs of a return to old values give hope for better days to come. Confused about right and wrong, modern society has taken to viewing criminals as morally equivalent to the victims of their crimes. Since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a chunk of society has demonized all cops. Police officers who risk their lives to uphold peace are not heroes. They are oppressors who make trouble for virtuous offenders. Nowhere has the modern inversion of justice been more apparent than in retail. In post-pandemic America, executives of major retail chains go public with new policies that forbid employees from confronting or detaining shoplifting suspects. Just last month, news emerged of King Soopers firing five employees for detaining a shoplifting suspect and calling police. Fired employees say the suspect used a box cutter to remove the security tag from a mobile phone he attempted to steal. Its hit my family hard financially, emotionally, said fired employee Julie Olivett, 62, as quoted by Denver Fox 31 news. Ive lost my health insurance. I lost all my benefits for something thats just unfair because I did nothing wrong. Teresa Maldonado had worked at the store for 31 years when she was fired on suspicion of trying to stop the suspect. A company statement said employee safety is the highest order and nothing in our stores is worth sacrificing that core value and their safe return home. Yet, it seems OK to render them jobless, unable to pay bills and feed their children. All over the news we hear about major retail chains that have security tags and egress alarms and policies that tell employees to look the other way. The fashionable policies assure thieves they can take anything from a store even the largest and most expensive jewelry or big-screen TVs without fear of disruption or consequence. One must ask why merchants attach security tags if employees cant approach suspects who set off alarms. Left-wing pressure to embrace thieves comes at a cost. Walgreens executives cited rampant shoplifting as rationale for closing five stores in San Francisco. Following the ensuing blowback, CFO James Kehoe changed his tune and told shareholders that maybe we cried too much last year about shoplifters. His new excuse for the closures was spending too much on in-store security measures. Sign up for free: Gazette Opinion Receive updates from our editorial staff, guest columnists, and letters from Gazette readers. Sent to your inbox 12:00 PM. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Executives of major retail corporations can easily express tolerance for thieves. They can close high-theft stores, which typically harms customers in our countrys lowest-income neighborhoods. In high-income communities the same executives simply pass along the cost of inventory shrinkage products bought by retailers but never sold because of theft to consumers who can afford higher prices. A corporations woke approach to crime mostly burdens customers who pay when they shop and lack the depravity of thieves. Thankfully, we see signs of a return to fighting theft. Just last week Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill that makes car theft a felony regardless of the vehicles value. This may bring justice to low-income households that cannot afford to replace an old car that goes missing. Another development last week should also put criminals on notice. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled against provocateur William Montgomery, who made a hobby of routinely refusing to show receipts to Walmart employees who asked for them as he left stores in metropolitan Denver. After initiating conflict, Montgomery filed five lawsuits claiming Walmart falsely imprisoned him by asking for receipts. Walmart has reason to screen for theft. The companys niche is low prices, and theft raises prices. In the ruling against Montgomery, Judge Matthew D. Grove cited a Colorado law known as Shopkeepers Privilege. It says a merchant or any employee may detain and question a suspect in a reasonable manner for the purpose of ascertaining whether the person is guilty of theft. It is official. Colorado law may not punish employees who protect store merchandise in a reasonable manner. Employers may fire them but do so at a high cost to law-abiding customers who should object to such behavior. The hard-working, law-abiding majority rich and poor alike cannot afford to subsidize crime. Thats reason enough for a quick return to the days when crime was bad and stopping it was good. Lets applaud Gov. Jared Polis for signing a much-needed reform of Colorados lax laws on auto theft. Assuming other key components of the justice system do their jobs, the legislation that won the governors endorsement on Friday should put a dent in our states dubious distinction as No. 1 in the nation for the theft of motor vehicles. Senate Bill 23-097 will fix some of the damage done by lawmakers through soft-on-crime legislation enacted earlier. In 2014, the Legislature adopted a sliding scale that reduced penalties for stealing lower-valued vehicles. In 2021, lawmakers further watered down a range of criminal penalties and made it a misdemeanor to steal any vehicle valued under $2,000. It all amounted to an invitation to steal cars with near-impunity. The new law will eliminate the state criminal codes sliding scale tying the value of a vehicle to the penalty. All vehicle thefts will be upgraded to a felony once again, as they should be. Its a reform that crime-weary Colorado has been waiting for. And it probably was a safe bet all along Polis would sign onto the effort. He had called on the 2023 Legislature in his State of the State speech in January to get tough on auto-theft sentencing. The legislation also enjoyed broad backing, including from law enforcement and Colorados local governments. And yet, oddly enough, SB23-097 even with its bipartisan sponsorship struggled at one point to make it through the legislative session. Although it cruised through the Senate with the upper chambers unanimous support, it stalled and idled for weeks in the House of Representatives without so much as a committee hearing. When the bill finally passed the House only two days before the end of the session probably with a nudge from the governor 16 members of the seemingly bulletproof 46-member Democratic majority voted against it. All of the Houses minority Republicans supported the measure a good thing because so many Democrats defected, it couldnt have passed without at least some Republican votes. Sign up for free: Gazette Opinion Receive updates from our editorial staff, guest columnists, and letters from Gazette readers. Sent to your inbox 12:00 PM. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Why such a close call? A look at the roll call of the final House vote reveals the opponents of this sensible reform included the usual suspects from the ruling partys political fringe. They are the ones who have been peddling the reckless justice reform dogma that has been invoked to slash criminal penalties, release high-risk criminal suspects and decriminalize dangerous drugs all while Colorados crime rate has soared along with the rate of drug overdoses. That there was so much opposition to SB23-097 within the ruling partys own ranks is troubling. But the fact the bill ultimately passed points to new hope for fighting crime in Colorado. It illustrates how mainstream Democrats whose party dominates both chambers of the legislature and all statewide elected offices can partner with Republicans in tackling the criminal element, curbing the overdose epidemic, and supporting public safety. Meanwhile, the legislatures ruling Democrats should feel emboldened to rein in their radical wing on issues of criminal justice. A stand for law and order will have the governors support as well as the publics. No communitys safety should be held hostage to a narrow ideology that leaves law-abiding Coloradans at risk. As the latest Common Sense Institute study on Colorado crime reminded us when it was released on Friday, the states crime rate has been among the fastest rising nationwide in recent years. The good news is we can win the crime fight if we unite. Public safety isnt about party politics. Its about justice for victims and perpetrators and peace of mind for everyone. Welcome to Court Crawl, Colorado Politics' roundup of news from the third branch of government. A recent cover story examined the tenures to date of the four women the Biden administration has appointed to the federal bench in Colorado, plus the state Supreme Court rejected an attempt to use the pandemic to justify a wholesale reexamination of commercial property values. The first four, a.k.a. the "four firsts" The first two years of President Joe Biden's administration were highly productive in addressing the turnover on Colorado's federal courts. The White House filled four vacancies between 2021 and 2022 (and a fifth earlier this year). The appointees came in part from the types of underrepresented professional backgrounds public defenders, civil rights attorneys Biden said he wanted to draw upon. They also represented a collective "first," in that no president had appointed as many women in Colorado before. Here is an excerpt from Colorado Politics' cover story: On the bench, the Biden appointees have begun to affect the administration of justice in small, but noteworthy ways. In December, the three trial judges joined with Senior Judge Christine M. Arguello to issue uniform standards for handling civil cases across all four of their courtrooms. "Overall, having this uniformity makes practice before the judges much more transparent and less onerous," said Ariel DeFazio, a workers' rights attorney who formerly worked alongside Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney in private practice. In one set of guidelines, for example, the judges set an expectation "that the appropriate pronouns of counsel, litigants and witnesses be used, which reflects the judges concern about the dignity of others regardless of their role in the courtroom," DeFazio elaborated. State Supreme Court action Hundreds of commercial property owners were seeking a revaluation of their properties for 2020, the year when COVID-19 health orders forced many businesses to close entirely or limit their capacity, at least until officials had a better plan for curbing transmission. The state Supreme Court, however, ruled the plaintiffs were not entitled to challenge their property tax bill for 2020, thereby avoiding a potentially multimillion-dollar blow to counties statewide. The Supreme Court upheld an Arapahoe County judge's order for food delivery platform DoorDash to provide crash data to a plaintiff who was seriously injured by a DoorDash driver. By 6-1, the Supreme Court ruled that someone can be convicted of a second drunk driving offense, even if the underlying incident was actually the first of two close-in-time drunk driving offenses. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear three cases involving 1.) whether a juror's belief that police are racially biased is a legitimate reason for removing that person from a jury, 2.) the deadline for children injured in car accidents to sue after they turn 18 and 3.) when the Court of Appeals is able to review a "final" trial court order. Remembering former Chief Justice Joe Quinn Joseph R. Quinn, the chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court from 1985 to 1993, died last month at age 90. He was a 1980 appointee to the court and, prior to that, served as a Denver trial judge. Quinn was also one of the early public defenders hired in Colorado. "He was a great writer and took great care with his opinions," recalled Marilyn Averill, a former Quinn clerk. "Several times I left a rough draft of an opinion on his desk before I left the office, usually around 6:00. When I returned the next morning, he would already have completely rewritten the draft." Among his most consequential work, Quinn ruled as a trial judge that Colorado's system of funding school districts through local taxation, resulting in disparities between poor and rich districts, violated the state and federal constitutions. The Supreme Court heard the appeal after Quinn's appointment, and his colleagues sided against him 4-2. Heard on appeal Although there is nothing stopping trial judges from collecting jurors' racial demographics or cautioning them about implicit bias, Colorado law doesn't require them to do so, the state's Court of Appeals ruled. The appellate judges believed that the Supreme Court or the legislature could say otherwise, if they wanted. An Adams County judge was within his rights to dismiss one of the criminal charges against the defendant in a case where the government withheld key evidence until four days before trial, the Court of Appeals decided. The Court of Appeals determined Walmart is not liable for falsely imprisoning a customer who repeatedly and with an eye toward suing refused to show his receipt upon exiting. Two years after the state Supreme Court said trial judges and prosecutors were using a flawed process when awarding restitution to crime victims, the Court of Appeals was unable to agree on whether an El Paso County judge adhered to the high court's vision. An El Paso County prosecutor told jurors that the victim didn't testify because the defendant had successfully deterred him from taking the witness stand. But that wasn't true. The Court of Appeals reversed the defendant's conviction based on the prosecutor's misconduct. The Supreme Court recently deemed sentences that combine prison and probation illegal. But the Court of Appeals now says that if a person already served the prison portion and a judge resentences him to just serve the probation portion, that's perfectly legal. Once again, an Adams County judge used an analogy to an everyday activity when explaining reasonable doubt to jurors, and the illustration was legally problematic. The Court of Appeals ordered a new trial for the defendant. Sign up for free: News Alerts Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most. Sign Up For Free View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. In federal news Although rare, federal judges sometimes send questions of law to the Colorado Supreme Court for interpretation if it will help resolve an issue in a federal case. A magistrate judge asked the Supreme Court to answer one such question last month, involving the ability of workers injured in vehicle accidents to claim both workers' compensation and benefits from their employers' insurance. Even though an incarcerated man repeatedly put prison officials on notice that there were allegedly threats against his life, a federal judge determined they couldn't be held liable for a physical assault on the man because they didn't know there was a "substantial" risk of harm. Because there are questions surrounding Fort Collins' termination of a software contract with a vendor, a federal judge is sending many of the multimillion-dollar claims between the parties to trial. A University of Colorado rheumatologist was two days away from having her contract non-renewed because of her refusal to vaccinate against COVID-19 when she asked a federal judge to keep her in her job. The judge turned down the last-minute plea. Two men incarcerated in Colorado are reportedly unable to access sex offender treatment because the state is using their housing assignment as an improper factor in determining their eligibility. A federal judge agreed such actions could be a constitutional violation, as prison officials are allegedly preventing them from fulfilling their sentence. Westminster officers entered a man's home and, in a series of misunderstandings, wound up using force on him in front of his screaming wife and child. A federal judge said the police can't be held liable for their conduct. A man committed to the state's mental health facility alleged a wide-reaching conspiracy to keep him institutionalized despite his lack of dangerousness or mental illness. A judge tossed out the lawsuit, finding some of his claims were better suited for state court. Colorado Springs and two of its police officers appealed a judge's decision to let jurors determine whether they should be held liable for a man's death by tasing. Although the judge could have deemed the appeal frivolous and retained control of the litigation, she agreed to let the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit have its say before proceeding to trial. U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse have introduced a bill to give Colorado three more judges on its seven-member federal trial court. The men filed a similar bill last Congress, which went nowhere. Vacancies and appointments The governor has appointed Senior Deputy Public Defender Tayler M. Thomas to the seat of retired Pueblo County District Court Judge Larry Schwartz. Denver's mayor has appointed Senior Deputy District Attorney Isaam L. Shamsid-Deen to the Denver County Court, where he will succeed Judge Tanya Wheeler, who left to work at the state attorney general's office. There are three finalists to succeed retiring District Court Judge Robert W. Kiesnowski Jr. in the 17th Judicial District (Adams and Broomfield counties): Jeffrey D. Ruff, Sarah Elizabeth Stout and Magistrate Bradley Varmo. Given the upcoming retirements of District Court Judges Jeffrey K. Holmes and Peter F. Michaelson in the 18th Judicial District (Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties), there are six candidates vying for the seats: County Court Judge LaQunya Baker, Robert Caldwell, County Court Judge Chantel Contiguglia, Magistrate Jacob Edson, Magistrate Donna Stewart and Christine Washburn. Applications are due by June 16 to succeed retiring District Court Judge Cynthia Mares, also in the 18th Judicial District. Those who are interested in becoming a magistrate in Denver have until June 23 to submit their application. Miscellaneous proceedings Lawyers for two Aurora police officers, who are facing homicide charges for the death of Elijah McClain, are asking an Adams County judge to push back the criminal trial scheduled for this summer. The state Supreme Court recently removed a question from the judgeship application that asked candidates if there was anything in their backgrounds that would negatively reflect on their ability to serve. Shortly afterward, a disgraced Arapahoe County judge admitted to giving an untruthful answer to that same question. The Supreme Court said they had no idea about the judge's misconduct when they eliminated the question. Colorado leaders reacted to last month's decision from the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court that made it more difficult for the government to regulate water pollution. On Friday, the Fourth Judicial District (El Paso and Teller counties) will hold a Family Law Day, offering meetings with attorneys and presentations from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 270 S. Tejon Street in Colorado Springs. People can sign up by visiting https://www.justicecentercos.org/fldsignup or can email familylawday@gmail.com for more information. On vacation The Court Crawl will take next Monday off and will return on June 19. Colorado's second-highest court on Thursday ruled that people serving sentences the Supreme Court recently deemed illegal can be resentenced to serve, effectively, the same problematic punishment. In 2019, the state Supreme Court handed down Allman v. People, concluding lawmakers did not give judges the authority to sentence defendants to probation in addition to prison and parole in a single case. Because probation is an alternative to incarceration, prison-plus-probation sentences were illegal. Bradford Wayne Snedeker was one of those serving an illegal sentence after his 2015 conviction in Boulder County for securities fraud. He received four years in prison, plus 20 years of probation. Around the time the Supreme Court decided Allman, Snedeker had already completed his prison sentence and stood accused of violating his probation. Chief Judge Ingrid S. Bakke resentenced Snedeker, imposing 20 years of probation again with four years' credit for his prison term. Although the new sentence was slightly shorter than the original, Snedeker's attorney objected that it was still a prison-plus-probation sentence that violated Allman. It cannot comply with Allman, wrote attorney K.L. Penix in Snedeker's appeal, for a person to be resentenced solely to probation after he has already served prison time, as "the practical effect of the sentence is exactly the same." Sign up for free: News Alerts Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most. Sign Up For Free View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Case: People v. Snedeker Decided: June 1, 2023 Jurisdiction: Boulder County Ruling: 3-0 Judges: Jerry N. Jones (author) Stephanie Dunn Katharine E. Lum Background: Justices consider ramifications of declaring sex offender sentences illegal A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals disagreed. Resentencing someone in Snedeker's shoes could be a net benefit for the defendant or potentially impose a less-desirable punishment, wrote Judge Jerry N. Jones in the June 1 opinion. In Snedeker's case, he received a new sentence entirely that was shorter overall and did not technically have a prison component. "Under these circumstances, the entire original sentence is void," Jones wrote, "and the proper remedy isnt 'lopping off' the probation sentence the proper remedy is resentencing and imposing a legal sentence." The appellate panel also concluded it was not illegal for Snedeker to be serving a probationary sentence in his securities fraud case at the same time he was sentenced to prison for a different criminal matter. Two years ago, a divided Supreme Court recognized an exception to its Allman decision for sex offenses, declaring prison-plus-probation lawful for that category of crimes only. Colorado's seven congressional Democrats all voted in favor of a plan to raise the country's debt ceiling last week, calling the compromise legislation flawed but necessary to avoid default and avert an economic disaster. To hear them tell it, U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, Brittany Pettersen and Yadira Caraveo each had major misgivings about the agreement brokered by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, but held their collective noses to help pass it. When it came time to vote, however, the three Republican members of the state's House delegation each went a different way, with Doug Lamborn voting for the bill, Ken Buck voting against it and Lauren Boebert missing the vote after days of denouncing the deal. Dubbed the Fiscal Responsibility Act by House GOP leaders, the bill passed the House 314-117 late on Wednesday, with slightly more support from Democrats than from the chamber's majority Republicans. A day later, the Democratic-controlled Senate sent the legislation to Biden for his signature on a bipartisan 63-36 vote. The bill passed just days before the June 5 deadline set by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who warned that federal spending would exceed the $31.4 trillion borrowing limit authorized by a previous Congress, which would have forced the federal government to miss debt payments for the first time in the country's history. Giving pundits the opportunity to haul out that trusty Washington bromide that if both extremes are against it, it must be a successful compromise, the package drew opposition from some of the most conservative and most progressive lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Those on the right maintained the deal didn't cut spending enough, while those on the left protested the bill increases burdens on Americans who can least afford it. While Biden and Democratic leaders excoriated Republicans for holding the country's creditworthiness hostage an interpretation bolstered last week when House Republican Matt Gaetz of Florida described the bargaining explicitly in those terms Buck, Boebert and other GOP hardliners insisted that they'd been sent to Washington to rein in the federal government, not sit by while it grows. The weeks-long drama leading up to last week's votes also surfaced fractures in the fragile alliance of Republican lawmakers who elected McCarthy as speaker in January in a historic 15th round of voting, finally winning the gavel after reportedly giving up a raft of concessions to members of the House Freedom Caucus. An outspoken member of the conservative group, Buck was among the first House Republicans to raise the possibility of ousting McCarthy from the speaker's chair, invoking promises the California Republican made to secure support from enough Republicans to gain the leadership post. Buck acknowledged midweek that he asked during a House Freedom Caucus meeting about a potential "motion to vacate" under terms agreed to by McCarthy, just a single House member can call a vote to remove the speaker at any time but told MSNBC that the group's chairman called the move "premature." The next day, hours before the vote, Buck told Fox News reporter Chad Program: I think next we start to have the discussion on the motion to vacate (the chair). I voted no on the Biden-McCarthy debt limit deal because our current financial situation is unsustainable, and this bill only ramps up the timeline to our governments eventual default," said Buck in a statement. During his five terms in Congress, Buck has never voted to raise the country's debt ceiling. "I can't imagine a better deal for Democrats or a worse deal for our nation," he added after listing elements of the bill he considers favorable for the Democrats. "When will Congress take its responsibilities to the American people seriously? Its past time for fiscal change and leadership in Washington. I refuse to be complicit in this bipartisan bankruptcy. After the bill passed the House late on Wednesday, Buck said McCarthy "got rolled" by Biden during an appearance on Newsmax's Greg Kelly Reports, noting that any of the 71 Republicans who voted against the bill could initiate a vote on McCarthy's future. "Those folks are going to be considering the motion to vacate," Buck said. "Not all of them, but a lot of them, and I just think that Kevin, his celebration will be short lived." Added Buck: "This is a bill that had a lot in it for Democrats and very little in it for Republicans, other than you know, avoiding a black eye because of the debt default." Boebert, the House Freedom Caucus's communications chair, would have been one of those "no" votes if she'd made it to the House chamber in time to vote, but she was one of just two Republicans and two Democrats who failed to cast a vote. "Rep. Lauren Boebert narrowly missed the vote, running up the steps right as they gaveled," Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke tweeted shortly after the bill passed the House, setting off a storm of ridicule aimed at the Rifle Republican. Sign up for free: News Alerts Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most. Sign Up For Free View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. In the days leading up to the bill's passage, Boebert was one of its most vocal critics. "Our base didn't volunteer, door knock and fight so hard to get us the majority for this kind of compromise deal with Joe Biden," she said. "Our voters deserve better than this. We work for them. You can count me as a NO on this deal. We can do better." The morning after the House vote, Boebert issued a lengthy statement reiterating her opposition to the legislation but didn't say why she hadn't voted. The House passing this so-called deal was another example of the Swamp shoving a $6-plus trillion blank check for Biden down Americans throats," she said. Boebert noted that she advocated for amendments to the bill a day earlier at a House Rules Committee hearing but was rebuffed when GOP leadership "rammed this thing through with a closed rule, and completely bypassed everything we fought for in January as part of the rules package changes that were implemented (to) allow members a voice." Boebert made clear how she would have voted if she'd been present. "I certainly wasnt afraid to vote against the bill, as I have been advocating against it all week," she said. "I voted against the rule to consider the bill, I advocated against it publicly, and I will continue to call out the Swamp for selling out our conservative principles and mortgaging the American dream. Colorado Democrats rained down criticism in the wake of her blunder. ".@RepBoebert talk is cheap, leadership requires showing up," tweeted Crow, her Democratic colleague, about an hour after the vote in a post attached to an earlier video of Boebert railing against the bill. Democrat Adam Frisch, who lost a bid to unseat Boebert last fall in the closest congressional race in the country and is already seeking the nomination for a rematch, knocked her absence in a statement distributed the next day by his campaign. When critical issues are being decided impacting our districts economy, CO-03 needs a leader and a representative who will actually show up for them and vote in the districts best interest, Frisch said. What exactly was more important to Boebert than showing up and doing her job? The people of our district deserve an answer." Lamborn, the lone Colorado Republican to support the bill, took heat earlier in the week from Colorado Republican Chairman Dave Williams, who lost a primary challenge against Lamborn last summer. In a "call to action" sent to the state GOP's email list, Williams described the bill as "a terrible deal that should be rejected by every Republican in Congress" and heaped praise on Buck and Boebert for coming out against it. His old foe, however, had yet to make his position known, Williams said, urging readers to call Lamborn's congressional office to "encourage him to vote NO and not cave to the Washington establishment or special interest insiders." While Lamborn kept his cards close to his vest until the vote, moments later his office issued a lengthy statement explaining his position. Instead of bemoaning the fact that the deal did not go as far as it could have, which is always the case with major legislation, I voted to cut federal spending and lock in the reforms that the deal did achieve, Lamborn said. While the deal could always have done more, what it achieved is real, lasting, and unprecedented." Because a woman accused of driving drunk planned to argue that any intoxication she experienced was involuntary, the Colorado Supreme Court agreed on Monday that Arapahoe County prosecutors are entitled to see her post-accident medical records. Noelle Dawn Kelley appealed directly to the state's highest court after a trial judge ruled Kelley had "injected her physical condition" into the case by raising involuntary intoxication as a defense to her DUI and vehicular assault charges. Kelley claimed prosecutors would gain confidential doctor-patient information about her, simply for exercising her right to plead not guilty. The Supreme Court saw otherwise. Kelley was not simply denying guilt, but asserting an affirmative defense that would justify the charged crimes. Consequently, Kelley's claims about her physical or mental state meant she relinquished any confidentiality she had in the post-accident documentation. "We acknowledge," wrote Justice Maria E. Berkenkotter on June 5, "that our conclusion leaves Kelley with a difficult choice whether to assert the affirmative defense of involuntary intoxication and disclose her records related to involuntary intoxication or, instead, to protect her physician-patient privilege by forgoing the affirmative defense." Although the Supreme Court handed the prosecution a potential tool for proving Kelley's guilt, it declined to weigh in on a second question Kelley presented: whether jurors could learn Kelley also refused an officer's request that she release her medical records. Officer Lloyd Johnson responded to a two-vehicle crash in Aurora on Sept. 7, 2021. Kelley was the at-fault driver, and Johnson first encountered her receiving treatment in an ambulance. He did not notice anything amiss about her condition. At the hospital, Johnson spoke with Kelley again and noticed the odor of a "fruity-type substance" along with Kelley's slurred speech. The signs were "consistent with what you might expect to see from somebody who was intoxicated," he later testified. Kelley mentioned she wanted a lawyer. Johnson then asked if Kelley would sign a form to release her medical records to Aurora police. She refused. Sign up for free: News Alerts Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most. Sign Up For Free View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. The prosecution charged Kelley with four counts related to driving under the influence. At a hearing, District Court Judge Eric White found Kelley's statements to Johnson were voluntary, but ruled that jurors would not hear about Kelley's refusal to release her records. He believed Johnson's question, after Kelley invoked her constitutional right to counsel, was more than an "administrative" matter and was instead "improperly asked." The district attorney's office requested that White reconsider, and they succeeded. In November, White issued an order siding with the prosecution on two key matters. First, he now agreed Johnson's question about Kelley's medical records was not an "interrogation" that is generally prohibited when a suspect invokes her constitutional right to counsel. Consequently, a jury could hear that Kelley withheld her consent. Second, because Kelley was planning to raise involuntary intoxication meaning an intoxicating substance was introduced into her body, affecting her capabilities, against her knowledge or pursuant to medical treatment she could not shield relevant evidence from the hospital. "Her own medical records following the accident are almost certainly a source of that information," White wrote. Kelley appealed directly to the Supreme Court. She claimed the Legislature never authorized a forfeiture of doctor-patient confidentiality simply when a defendant claims they were involuntarily intoxicated. Further, just as prosecutors may not suggest defendants are guilty for exercising their constitutional rights to silence or to counsel, nor may they imply a defendant's refusal to allow a warrantless search of their medical records means they are guilty. The prosecution responded that any evidence supporting or rebutting the idea that Kelley was involuntarily intoxicated lies in her hospital records, so it was imperative that they be disclosed. As for the brief exchange in which Johnson asked Kelley for her records, there is "no misconduct in merely requesting a suspects consent to a search." The Supreme Court agreed with the prosecution that it was entitled to Kelley's medical records that directly related to her potential involuntary intoxication. However, it did not consider the second issue relating to the propriety of Johnson's further questioning after Kelley said she wanted a lawyer. While precedent "might suggest that this type of evidence is inadmissible," Berkenkotter wrote, White needed to address the defense's precise argument first. An Adams County judge did not make a mistake when he left jurors without a definition of "universal malice" a phrase state law does not define and that no other state apparently uses in its own murder laws, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday. The jury that convicted Cristobal Fernando Garcia of attempted extreme indifference murder needed to find Garcia acted with "an attitude of universal malice," showing extreme indifference to the value of human life. The Supreme Court believed universal malice is not a "technical term" that automatically needs a definition and, in context, jurors would understand what it meant. At the same time, Justice William W. Hood III quietly suggested a definition of the phrase, should trial judges in the future find it necessary. "Instead, if a trial court does provide a definition of 'universal malice,' the better practice would be to define the term to include 'a willingness to take life indiscriminately'," he wrote in the June 5 opinion. In Garcia's underlying case, he fired a gun in the direction of his girlfriend and her sister in public. Neither woman was injured. At trial, Garcia's lawyers asked Chief Judge Don Quick to tell jurors that universal malice was "that depravity of the human heart which determines to take life upon slight or insufficient provocation," without caring who might get hurt. Quick declined to provide the definition. Garcia's jurors never asked the judge to clarify the meaning of universal malice before their guilty verdict. Sign up for free: News Alerts Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most. Sign Up For Free View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. The Court of Appeals agreed that because the jury instructions accurately stated Colorado law, and essentially told jurors that Garcia needed to act with a willingness to do unjustified harm, Quick's choice not to define the phrase was reasonable. On appeal to the Supreme Court, Garcia argued jurors' precise understanding of the elements of a crime is necessary to sustain a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. Had jurors received a definition, they might have found Garcia guilty of a less serious crime than attempted murder. Moreover, no other state's murder laws talk about universal malice. "Common sense dictates that the term 'universal malice' does not have a common understanding among the general population," argued Deputy Public Defender Joseph P. Hough. "Without going to the case law, theres no way I could recite a proper, accurate and full definition of the term 'universal malice,' and its unreasonable to expect lay jurors to be able to do so." The Colorado Attorney General's Office responded that judges should not define universal malice unless jurors indicate they are confused. The Supreme Court recognized the outcome might be different had Garcia's jurors asked about the meaning of universal malice. However, Hood wrote, the court has never required trial judges to give an automatic definition. With the understanding that universal malice means "a willingness to take life indiscriminately," the instructions for Garcia's jury gave enough context to communicate that idea. "Thus, even if there could be confusion about 'universal malice' as a standalone term, the complete statutory phrase lends clarity," Hood wrote. The case is Garcia v. People. Private ownership of river and stream beds in Colorado will continue unchallenged for now, as the state Supreme Court on Monday ruled that a man lacks standing to declare Colorado and, by extension, the public the rightful owner of his preferred fishing spot. For several years, Roger Hill has contested the ability of Mark Warsewa and Linda Joseph to exclude him from a segment of the Arkansas River that Warsewa and Joseph own. Hill, who was chased away while trying to fish from the riverbed, argued he could not be trespassing because Colorado has actually owned the submerged land in question for nearly 150 years. Although a lower court gave Hill the green light to proceed, the Supreme Court declined to wade into the ownership question. For Hill to even get into court, he needed to show an injury to his own legally protected interest. But in this case, wrote Justice Melissa Hart, Colorado was the party whose interest was at stake and the state had no desire to declare itself the riverbed owner. "Proof of the states ownership of the riverbed is a necessary prerequisite to his claimed right to fish in that portion of the Arkansas River," Hart wrote in the June 5 opinion. "There is no way to adjudicate whether Warsewa and Joseph do not own the riverbed without considering who does." The case attracted the attention of multiple outside organizations who worried the decision would upset private property rights statewide and encourage trespassing, or, alternatively, would ensure certain waterways rightfully remain accessible for the public to enjoy in a state famous for its outdoor recreation. In arguing for a change to the status quo, 12 law professors pointed out Colorado is the only western state that has not acknowledged whether any of its waterways were navigable at statehood and, therefore, open to public access. Elsewhere, court cases have affirmed states' duty to hold such waterways "in trust" for the public, which the other branches of government have then implemented. Mark Squillace, a lawyer for Hill, said he was disappointed the Supreme Court cut off an avenue for greater public access to waterways. "These are rights that are enjoyed by the citizens of every other state in the country and it is, frankly, shocking that here in Colorado, a state renowned for its outdoor recreational opportunities, our Supreme Court would deny a member of the public the right to even raise the issue," he said. Warsewa and Joseph's ownership of the riverbed segment in question stemmed from a federal land patent, which the government granted for waterways deemed non-navigable at Colorado's statehood in 1876. Hill, in attempting to fish from the riverbed, allegedly endured threats of arrest and physical intimidation from the landowners. Sign up for free: News Alerts Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most. Sign Up For Free View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. A Fremont County judge originally dismissed his lawsuit to declare the state, and not Warsewa and Joseph, the owner in trust of the riverbed. Last year, a three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals reinstated Hill's lawsuit in part. Because Hill credibly alleged the landowners took action against him for trespassing, he could challenge his exclusion, the panel ruled. But rather than embrace its potential ownership of the Arkansas River segment, Colorado urged the Supreme Court to throw out Hill's lawsuit. "The state has never asserted that it owns any rivers in Colorado because they were navigable at statehood, and Mr. Hill cant assert any interest on the states behalf," former Solicitor General Eric R. Olson told the justices in May. During the appeal, the Supreme Court heard various groups caution a decision in Hill's favor would encourage outdoor recreation enthusiasts to trespass and be threatened with prosecution, thus giving them standing to challenge riverbed ownership. Successful lawsuits could, in turn, take land from private owners and turn it over to the state for public use. Trade groups for anglers, hunters and river outfitters countered that other states have addressed ownership of their own waterways, yet Colorado remains the outlier that has not. The approach "fails to recognize the diversity of passionate river users in Colorado and threatens to deprive those users of access to the courts when their interests are threatened," wrote attorneys for the associations. Ultimately, whether Colorado or Warsewa and Joseph own the contested riverbed is not a question Hill can ask the judiciary to resolve, the Supreme Court decided. Wyatt Sassman, an assistant professor at the University of Denver who advocated for the Supreme Court to let the lawsuit proceed, lamented the lack of a clear answer about who has a right to the Arkansas River riverbed. "This decision should prompt the state to determine the navigable rivers in Colorado and take seriously its responsibilities to Mr. Hill and the public," he said. The case is State of Colorado v. Hill. A federal judge has declined to block the University of Colorado's medical campus from terminating a faculty member after she refused for nearly two years to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. "Dr. Jane Doe 3," a rheumatologist at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, filed a motion on May 30 alleging she was two days away from having the university not renew her contract. Doe was never vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, and is part of a larger lawsuit by CU medical staff and students whose requests for a religious exemption the university denied. Although CU placed Doe on unpaid leave, it notified her last fall that her refusal to vaccinate affected her ability to provide "safe care and treatment to a very vulnerable population of patients and study subjects." On May 31, U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore denied Doe's emergency request to order CU to maintain her contract after June 1. Moore noted Doe has not been receiving pay from CU since October 2021, so it was unclear what "additional harm" Doe would suffer after June 1. "Second, the fact that Plaintiff Jane Doe 3 has been on notice of her termination for a year and has chosen to wait until the eve of termination to seek extraordinary relief," he added, "weighs against the notion that is a matter giving rise to irreparable harm." The underlying lawsuit features 17 unidentified staff and students connected to the Anschutz campus. The plaintiffs each applied for a religious exemption to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, with most of them citing their faith-based opposition to the use of cells derived from aborted fetuses in the development of some COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines as produced and administered do not contain aborted fetal cells. Although the school denied their requests under its original Sept. 1, 2021 policy, it ultimately granted several accommodations after a Sept. 24 revision, allowing the requesters to perform work remotely. Other plaintiffs, however, resigned or were terminated because their roles required in-person care of vulnerable patients. Dr. Jane Doe 3, a Catholic rheumatologist, was placed on unpaid leave, as the university noted she cares for immunocompromised and older patients who are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19. In the early stages of the lawsuit, then-U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen M. Tafoya allowed the plaintiffs to remain anonymous because, she explained, "choosing not to become vaccinated can stigmatize an individual as uncaring for the well-being of others." Moore initially declined to halt enforcement of the Anschutz campus' vaccination policy, determining the university was not obligated to "put patients and others in a healthcare environment at risk to accommodate these plaintiffs." Last September, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on Moore's original ruling against the plaintiffs. The panel of three judges, all appointees of Republican presidents, appeared more sympathetic to those who were asserting their religious objections to the COVID-19 vaccine. Sign up for free: News Alerts Stay in the know on the stories that affect you the most. Sign Up For Free View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. "Burdening an individual constitutional right so you can, in the aggregate, reduce the number of people on campus who have potential for COVID Im not sure the Constitution contemplates that," Chief Judge Jerome A. Holmes said at the time. However, the 10th Circuit panel has not yet issued its decision. Meanwhile, in mid-May, Dr. Jane Doe 3 attempted to amend the lawsuit with a workplace discrimination claim, after she learned the university would not renew her contract. "The non-renewal amounting to the unlawful firing of Dr. Jane Doe 3 will be effective on June 1, 2023," wrote attorney J. Brad Bergford, "unless an injunction issues to prevent defendants from taking this ultimate step of terminating Dr. Jane Doe 3s employment and thereby permanently marring her career in the course of running roughshod over her rights." The university previously told her it would plan for her return to work "once you are fully vaccinated," and explained last September that Doe's unvaccinated status left her unable to perform her basic job functions of caring for "a very vulnerable population." Moore, in declining to intervene in Doe's non-renewal, was unamused that Doe was asking him to act immediately, given that she "has been suspended without pay for well over a year while taking no action (to) advance a claim that she now asserts as a basis for emergency relief." Bergford, Doe's attorney, pointed out the Biden administration recently announced an end to the federal vaccination requirement. "Astonishingly, employers are still firing good, longtime employees, including physicians, for not being vaccinated where the employees were not vaccinated due to legitimate medical inability," Bergford told Colorado Politics, "and due to various religious reasons, which are protected by the First Amendment." He also said the vaccinations provide "no protection against transmission," which is not accurate. Editor's note: Colorado Politics' parent company is a subsidiary of the Anschutz Corp. Two men died in a crash on Highway 126E close to the Lane and Linn county borders, according to authorities. Frederick Albert Dawson, 40, of Eugene, was driving eastbound at around 8:53 p.m. Friday, June 2, an Oregon State Police news release states, when he attempted a left turn into a campground. Riding a black Harley Davidson motorcycle behind the Toyota, Sean Michael Lenninger, 46, of Coquille tried passing the pickup on the left, but Lenninger clipped its front driver side and went off the road, OSP said. Lenninger was declared dead by medical responders at the scene. Dawson was taken to the University District Hospital in Eugene with minor injuries. Highway traffic was affected for around an hour. Stay up to date on mid-Willamette Valley news, wherever you go Easily access the latest Albany and Linn County news in an app that lets you select the topics that matter most to you. An out-of-control burn pile leading to a fire has Sweet Home officials reminding the public all open burning is prohibited as of June 3. Sweet Home Fire District responded to Berlin Road for the blaze at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, June 4, according to a news release. A homeowner reportedly lost control of a burn pile due to windy conditions, and the fire jumped to a nearby shed and overhead trees, the release states, adding that firefighters snuffed the flames quickly using a command brush rig, heavy brush engine and water tender. Fire officials said in the release the public should always call the Linn County Burn Message (541-451-1904, press 1) prior to burning. However, burning season isnt expected to reopen until after fall. Stay up to date on mid-Willamette Valley news, wherever you go Easily access the latest Albany and Linn County news in an app that lets you select the topics that matter most to you. Sweet Home was supported at the scene by the Oregon Department of Forestry and Linn County Sheriffs Office while Lebanon Fire District provided standby coverage. Commentary: "American leadership" in Asia-Pacific is American hegemony in disguise 08:22, June 05, 2023 By Yan Jie, Mao Pengfei and Cai Shuya ( Xinhua Policemen stand guard near the venue of the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue at Singapore's Shangri-La Hotel on June 2, 2023. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua) The United States is virtually stoking division, instigating confrontation and undermining peace in the region. SINGAPORE, June 4 (Xinhua) -- America has found it more difficult than ever to cover up its hidden agenda when peddling the so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy" to Asia-Pacific countries at the just-concluded 20th Shangri-La Dialogue. While making high-sounding claims about "promoting peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia-Pacific through the power of partnership," the United States is virtually stoking division, instigating confrontation and undermining peace in the region. "American leadership" is in fact American hegemony in disguise. Essentially, "American leadership" is dominated by a Cold War mentality and an "America First" doctrine regardless of the interests of its allies, mainly in the form of "coercive diplomacy." In terms of politics and the military, it has never stopped forming blocs by coercing others into taking sides, pushing for a military arms race among Asia-Pacific countries to benefit only itself. Economically, it has repeatedly used the U.S. dollar's global supremacy to export its own crises to emerging markets and developing countries in the region, letting the latter bear the brunt. Moreover, to blunt China's influence in the region, the United States and its allies have been stepping up efforts to exploit the concept of "national security", aiming to weaken China's connections with non-aligned emerging economies. Indeed, we could not agree more with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's saying in his speech during the event that "this region's security and prosperity cannot be taken for granted." Ironically, the security and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific are put under threat by the United States itself. Washington's actions in the region do not match its words. On the one hand, the United States has anchored its "Indo-Pacific strategy" in openness and respect for sovereignty. On the other hand, it rushed to muster Cold-War style groupings such as the AUKUS deal and Quad alliance. Take the Taiwan question, which is at the very heart of China's core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations. On various occasions, U.S. President Joe Biden and many other senior officials of his administration have publicly pledged to stay committed to the one-China policy and not to support "Taiwan independence." But Washington is bent on stirring up tensions across the Taiwan Straits, not least by sending warships and fighter jets, boosting arms sales, ganging up with other countries to intervene in the Taiwan issue, strengthening the so-called "official exchanges" and, most recently, sailing through the Straits. These deliberate provocations are turning the region into a dangerous flashpoint. The U.S. and "Taiwan independence" separatists relying on external forces are indeed the real factors that exacerbate tensions and cause changes in the status quo. Protestors hold a rally against the South Korea-U.S. military exercise in central Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Yiliang) Meanwhile, in the South China Sea, the United States has been sending warships and military aircraft, as well as intensifying its military presence, stoking tensions in the region. Beijing, as always, values the development of China-U.S. military relations, and military exchanges between the two sides have not been interrupted. But if the United States appeals for communication while undermining China's interests, and calls for crisis management while continuing its provocations, any talk for the sake of talk is of little use for bilateral relations. Peace and development have become the most valuable global public goods. The Asia-Pacific has broken through havoc caused by war and financial chaos, and achieved development in recent decades. As such, when the world is facing multiple crises rarely seen in history, people in the region understand well that a path of peaceful development, featuring solidarity and win-win cooperation, fits the interests of all. Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Institute, pointed out that Asia-Pacific countries can promote peace and security in their own way, especially "in resolving conflicts of interest and differences." Unlike the "Indo-Pacific strategy" full of geopolitical calculations, the China-proposed Global Security Initiative calls for a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, where no country can strengthen its own security at the expense of others. Clearly, the Asia-Pacific cannot afford to lose peace and development to geopolitical competition or bloc confrontation. Stuck in a hegemonic mentality, the "Indo-Pacific strategy" featuring confrontation over dialogue, alliances over partnerships, and zero-sum over win-win is doomed to fail. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) By Ruby E. Stephens, PhD Candidate, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Ruby E Stephens, Author provided Plants existed on Earth for hundreds of millions of years before the first flowers bloomed. But when flowering plants did evolve, more than 140 million years ago, they were a huge evolutionary success. What pollinated these first flowering plants, the ancestor of all the flowers we see today? Was it insects carrying pollen between those early flowers, fertilising them in the process? Or perhaps other animals, or even wind or water? The question has been a tricky one to answer. However, in new research published in New Phytologist, we show the first pollinators were most likely insects. Whats more, despite some evolutionary detours, around 86% of all flowering plant species throughout history have also relied on insects for pollination. How to move pollen The timing of the evolution of the first flowering plants is still a matter of debate. However, their success is inarguable. Around 90% of modern plants some 300,000-400,000 species are flowering plants, or what scientists call angiosperms. To reproduce, these plants make pollen in their flowers, which needs to be transferred to another flower to fertilise an ovule and produce a viable seed. Small and highly mobile, insects can be highly effective pollen transporters. Indeed, recent research on fossil insects shows some insects may have been pollinating plants even before the first flowers evolved. https://images.theconversation.com/files/529933/original/file-20230604-2... 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529933/original/file-20230604-2... 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529933/original/file-20230604-2... 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529933/original/file-20230604-2... 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529933/original/file-20230604-2... 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> Ruby E Stephens, Author provided Most of todays flowering plants rely on insects for pollination. The plants flowers have evolved to attract insects via colour, scent and even sexual mimicry, and most reward them with nectar, pollen, oils or other types of food, making the relationship beneficial to both parties. Some flowers, however, rely on other means to transport their pollen, such as vertebrate animals, wind or even water. Which kind of pollination evolved first? Were insects there at the beginning, or were they a later discovery? While early evidence suggests it was probably insects, until now this has never been tested across the full diversity of flowering plants their full evolutionary tree. A family tree To find an answer, we used a family tree of all families of flowering plants, sampling more than 1,160 species and reaching back more than 145 million years. This tree shows us when different plant families evolved. We used it to map backwards from what pollinates a plant in the present to what might have pollinated the ancestor of that plant in the past. https://images.theconversation.com/files/529930/original/file-20230604-8... 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529930/original/file-20230604-8... 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529930/original/file-20230604-8... 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529930/original/file-20230604-8... 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529930/original/file-20230604-8... 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> Ruby E Stephens, Author provided We found insect pollination has been overwhelmingly the most common method over the history of flowering plants, occurring around 86% of the time. And our models suggest the first flowers were most likely pollinated by insects. Birds, bats and wind We also learned about the evolution of other forms of pollination. Pollination by vertebrate animals, such as birds and bats, small mammals and even lizards, has evolved at least 39 times and reverted back to insect pollination at least 26 of those times. https://images.theconversation.com/files/529929/original/file-20230604-1... 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529929/original/file-20230604-1... 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529929/original/file-20230604-1... 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529929/original/file-20230604-1... 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529929/original/file-20230604-1... 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"> Ruby E Stephens, Author provided Wind pollination has evolved even more often: we found 42 instances. These plants rarely go back to insect pollination. We also found wind pollination evolved more often in open habitats, at higher latitudes. Animal pollination is more common in closed-canopy rainforests, near the equator. What kind of insects were the first pollinators? If you think of a pollinating insect, you probably imagine a bee. But while we dont know exactly what insects pollinated the first flowering plants, we can be confident they werent bees. Why not? Because most evidence we have indicates bees didnt evolve until after the first flowers. Read more: Flies like yellow, bees like blue: how flower colours cater to the taste of pollinating insects So what do we know about the pollinators of the first flowering plants? Well, some early flowers have been preserved as fossils and most of these are very small. The first flower pollinators must have been quite small, too, to poke around in these flowers. The most likely culprits are some kind of small fly or beetle, maybe even a midge, or some extinct types of insects that have long disappeared. If only we had a time machine we could go back and see these pollinators in action - but that will require a lot more research! Ruby E. Stephens receives funding from the Australian Government's Research Training Program. Herve Sauquet receives funding from the Australian Research Council and Australian Research Data Commons. Lily Dun received funding from Australian Research Data Commons. Rachael Gallagher receives funding from The Australian Research Council. Will Cornwell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Originally published in The Conversation. Largest producer of cellulose short fiber in the world, the Suzano (SUZB3) became, on Thursday (1), leader of the Brazilian market for tissue papers (segment that includes toilet paper, handkerchiefs and paper towels) by taking over the segments operation in the country from Americana Kimberly-Clark. The acquisition of US$ 175 million (approximately R$ 880 million) includes a factory in Mogi das Cruzes (SP), the Neve and Grand Hotel brands and the license for the limited time use of the Kleenex and Duramax brands. With the purchase, Suzano, which entered the tissue paper segment in 2017, now holds 24.3% of the Brazilian market. Suzanos consumer goods business started as a startup. We started from a Powerpoint in 2017. We had no brand or distribution channel. We will (now) take the lead in the market. Its still a smaller business compared to the others, but what weve built is a highly celebrated feat, says the companys director of consumer goods, Luis Bueno. GROWING WITH GDP Suzanos bet in this sector is to grow as per capita GDP and basic sanitation advance. According to the executive, Brazil has a per capita consumption of this product of 6 kilos per inhabitant/year. In Chile, this number is 14.5 kg, and in the United States, it reaches 26 kg. Another possibility for the companys expansion is the premium market. Bueno claims that this segment has been growing uninterruptedly over the last 15 years, even in periods of recession while the sector in general has advanced 5% in the last five years, according to Euromonitor. We are seeing a migration from single ply papers to double ply papers and, in the last five years, to tri ply papers. We believe that this movement will continue in the coming years. Until then, Suzano had an installed capacity of 150 thousand tons per year divided into five plants in Belem (PA), Maracanau (CE), Imperatriz (MA), Mucuri (BA) and Cachoeiro de Itapemirim (ES). The new factory will increase this capacity to 280 thousand tons, an increase of 87%. The group has also announced that it intends to build a new unit in Aracruz (ES), which will require R$ 600 million in investments and should increase production capacity by over 60 thousand tons per year. The work, however, still depends on the approval of the companys board of directors. For the time being, the Mogi das Cruzes plant should already allow for better logistics in the South and Southeast regions. We will be able to serve our customers in a more agile and faster way. We will always have a plant close to the customer. With this, we will improve the level of service and reduce the cost of freight, says Bueno. Still according to the executive, there should not be an overlapping of brands, and the arrival of Neve to the companys portfolio guarantees complementarity. Suzano already operated with the toilet paper brands Mimmo, for retail, and Max, for cash & carry (a segment aimed mainly at companies). Neve, however, is positioned in a higher price range than the current Suzano brands. We intend to maintain Neves price strategy and, with that, offer our customers in Brazil solutions for all pockets and desires. The information is from the newspaper The State of S. Paulo. A Thompson man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. According to a release from the United States Attorney's Office, 35-year-old Joey Post pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine Feb. 1 and was sentenced last week. The release states that between July 2020 and May 2022 Post and others distributed more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine. An individual working with law enforcement bought drugs from Post on several occasions in Swea City. Post fled the area after being released while awaiting trial and was later arrested in Minnesota. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Kossuth County Sheriffs Office, and Iowa DCI Laboratory. North Iowa History: Police photos Judge Boynton Check forger in court Kitts & Hardy Kitts trial DeWayne Frampton M.A. Pelham portrait IHP Warren Tilton Fred Buchner, portrait IHP Calvin Anderson portrait Lt. Cletus Stangl, IHP H. Jack Lien MCPD portrait Ronald Thielen, MCPD Jim Fountas, MCPD Sgt. Pete Hall, IHP Sgt. Delmar Smith, MCPD Kenneth Kruggel, MCPD Harold Thomas, MCPD Friederich Langen, IHP MCPD badge #45 for Carey Wendell Stream, IHP Chief Stanley McClintock Al Schloemer portrait Dennis Wasicek portrait Sgt. Wendell Stream Denny Gerdom IHP Carl Condon IHP Sally Hamblin dispatcher Auto theft school Ron Carpenter, portrait C.S. Tyler Roger Brown, IHP Iowa-Minnesota troopers at border Iowa-Minnesota troopers at border Ed Christensen at Sheriff's Office Ed Christensen at Sheriff's Office Sheriff Jerry Allen Police Station cornerstone Captain Walt Reindl, MCPD Larry Davis, portrait MCPD Michael Montgomery, portrait MCPD New police station New police station Sheriff Jerry Allen, portrait Garvin Ward, portrait Prince Philip, Wes Greenan Judge Butler portrait Auxiliary policemen WWII Chief Patton Chief Risacher Chief Wolf Jewell, Duane 1971 John Wallace Kleinow, Eugene Leo Alstott Lt. Cletus Stangl, IHP Patton, EJ 1934 Police and fire chief 1949 Police and Fire depts. police car Police dept PB 40 police patrol car Policecars copy Policecars Police roster 1919 Police roster 1920 polslots1.jpg polslots2.jpg Ray Oulman Ray Oulmanold Risacher Roll call briefing at old station Schiffman and squad car Scott, Greg and Dennis Rye SL195 Remington shells.jpg 2 boys at Sheriff's Office SL1017 Old police station when built.jpg Police station 1930s Dr. Houlahan fingerprinted Boy Scouts at station Blizzard and Highway Patrol Police with new boats Buchanan.jpg Sheriff's convention Jack Burnette, Highway Patrolman John Wallace Ed Christianson portrait Pierce with kids John Wallace giving auto instructions Safety meeting G-Man BC Coulter Jack Gordon murderer Abel's wrecked safe Risacher and Wolfe in 1939 Sheriff Tim Phalen Dreher murder suspect Colwell murder Rock Falls bank robbery Allie Allen Murder house Blanchards Jewelry robbery Highway patrolman checking brakes Incendiary pencil demonstration Incendiary pencil Policemen taking tests Soondergaard and Quintard arrested Soondergaard and Quintard arrested Soondergaard and Quintard arrested Soondergaard and Quintard arrested Robbery at Newberry's Klipto safe cracked Ventura bank attempted robbery Robbery at First Methodist Church Police map Glen Wilson Stork at police station Thornton robbery footprint Blackout control center at police station For he's a good fellow Sheriff with two boys Murderer Kaster at Sheriff's Office Murderer Kaster at Sheriff's Office Man caught with furs out of season Frank Brothers arraigned for manslaughter Man with a gun Liquor Vandalized schoolhouse Capture of escaped convicts Brake inspection in front of P.D. Highway Patrolmen with illegal ration books Peace officer conference training Patrol by Junior Chamber of Commerce Attempted jailbreak Highway patrol and Breenan Wolfe and Phalen horse race Wolfe and Phalen horse race Grand Jury Police training on arrest Officials check plans in front of P.D. Officers find ammunition in car Police with guns 1945 Sheriff make big haul of liquor Officer Bruns next to car Highway patrol with booze Mrs. Bauer leaves inquest F.B.I. training session Richard Pierce Portrait Highway patrolmen at accident scene Clear Lake bike accident Electrocution scene Highway patrol with loot Policemen's wives club Wrecked coupe Mott murder scene Police chart Near drowning Highway Patrolmen with Eldora escapees Highway Patrolmen with Eldora escapees Policemans wives club Holmes accident Murder at Blue Ribbon Tavern Murder at Blue Ribbon Tavern Reese IHP Police map Sidewalk DeWilde auto robbery SL33730.jpg Police with Easter Seal Society Police convention Thomas Runyan Thompson, Gerald 1965 Tommy Carroll Untitled-2.jpg Untitled-3 Untitled-4 Verhelst murder case.jpg Wallbaum Walskog1 Walskog2.jpg Zenor police cars The remains of three victims have been recovered from the collapse, Davenport police chief Jeff Bladel said at a Monday news conference. He said the police department does not have any information at this time of more people being missing. Branden Colvin Sr. was found Saturday, Ryan Hitchcock was found Sunday and Daniel Prien was found early Monday morning. Families of all three have been contacted, Bladel said. The medical examiner has met with the families, he said. There will be autopsies done on all three. He did not say whether the three died immediately upon the collapse May 28. Officials said an investigation was ongoing. Inside the doors to the lobby of the Davenport Police Department Monday morning, Desiree Banks, the mother of Branden Colvin, Jr., questioned Bladel after the news conference on whether more people could be under the rubble. Bladel told her in front of a reporter that the remains of Prien and Hitchcock had also been found in the rubble, which brought tears to Banks' eyes. Bladel assured her they knew of no one else who was missing. Officials rescued seven people immediately after the collapse, escorted another dozen out of the building and rescued another person from the rubble with an on-site amputation. Less than 12 hours after the collapse, officials said they had no credible information that anyone was missing under the rubble, and ordered the "immediate demolition" of the building, which was deemed structurally unsound. The response drew community backlash from families and friends of those who were missing and others, who urged the city to continue searching. Monday night, another person, Lisa Brooks, called her daughter and was rescued from a fourth-story window. Rescue and recovery efforts continued Thursday after the city activated a state rescue task force. Friday and Saturday onlookers could see parts of the collapsed building being pulled down, an action which the city said was to get rid of hazards to rescue and recovery crews. Colvin, Sr., 42, was recovered at 11:59 a.m. Saturday, Bladel said. On Sunday, the remains of Ryan Hitchcock, 51, were recovered and identified at 12:25 p.m. And the final person, Daniel Prien, 60, was recovered at 2:30 a.m. Monday morning. Iowa Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue chief Rick Halleran said during the press conference that they had brought some closure to families over the weekend, and that crews may transition to a "new phase in the process." "As we come into today's operations, following the goals and objectives by the command staff of the city and the incident management team, in all hopes, it looks like we'll be wrapping things up shortly," Halleran said. "That being said, they are still working, things are dynamic, and they still can be changing. The hope is that we will be entering a new chapter, a new phase in the process of working through the aftermath of the collapse." Mayor Mike Matson said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was on site and would be touring the wreckage Monday. He cut short the news conference after only a few questions because he was set to update her, Matson said. Gov. Reynolds has been in contact with Davenport city officials since the collapse of the building and will be on the ground today to get an update on the latest information, Reynolds' spokesperson, Kollin Crompton, wrote in an email. Reynolds was seen at the collapse site later Monday morning. The city last held a press conference Friday morning. Over the weekend, family members of Branden Colvin Sr. said they were notified his body was found, the first public disclosure of remains having been found and identified. A vigil for the victims was held Sunday evening, with family members, friends, and others lighting candles, saying prayers, and sharing memories. Some attendees there also planned a march ahead of Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. Davenport city council meeting. Sunday morning the city said crews had continued working on The Davenport apartments, at 324 Main Street, which collapsed around 5 p.m. May 28. Workers on site now include members of Iowa Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue and the Northwest Illinois Incident Management Team. Bladel said an investigation has been initiated through the city fire marshal's office. Also assisting are the Division of Criminal Investigation, the Davenport Police Department's investigation team, and the medical examiner's office, Bladel said, and more subject matter experts may be on site as needed. "This is an active investigation," Bladel said, adding more information would be released when it could be. Matson said the city is looking into a 911 call which was placed May 27, in which the caller said he had heard the building wall was bulging and should be checked out. Asked whether owner Andrew Wold, who bought the building in 2021 for more than $4 million, has been in contact with the city, Matson said: "I have had no contact with him." Asked again whether Wold had been consulting or helping, Matson said "Not that I'm aware of." No other press conference is scheduled for the day. I'll save you the trouble. My family asked me what I was writing about this week and I replied, "Random Thoughts." After several hoots and snorts and asthmatic guffaws, I was reminded that these days all my thoughts are "Random Thoughts." I expect that kind of treatment from my bloodline, yet I am pretty sure you are thinking the same thing. However, random thoughts can be woven together to make a cogent point. I'll let you determine the success or failure of the attempt. The preeminent guru of wisdom for all times, the great Yogi Berra said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." His surface humor belies the dynamics of the art of owning ones decisions. Any one of you whom have studied business theory or economics, or maybe more importantly, psychology, are familiar with the term "Opportunity Costs". If you are not a student of the aforesaid disciplines, it doesn't matter. Just going through life provides a PhD in opportunity costs theory for each of us. With a decision made and action engaged, the opportunities forgone in choosing one fork in the road over others is quantifiable. What we chose not to do has a cost. In a perfect world, the road taken has more value than the road not taken. We all know that is a bunch of hooey. This morning, I chose to have an additional cup of coffee and two extra cookies. The road I passed up was to get to a garage sale ahead of all others so I could add to my burgeoning collection of 902 perfectly good screwdrivers. Although a toss-up, the extra coffee and cookies was a good choice. The opportunity cost of not adding to my Smithsonian level screwdriver collection was acceptable since there will undoubtedly be another garage sale for me to plunder somewhere down the road. Every old guy needs a useful hobby, and you can never have enough screwdrivers. On a national scale, pondering the road not traveled drives me nuts. Over 60 years ago, President John F. Kennedy, marshaled the resources and the enthusiasm of our nation to be the first to land men on the moon. The opportunity costs of choosing a space program over all other possibilities is immeasurable. US space program dollar costs from 1961 through 2021, both on and off the books, exceeds 3.5 trillion 2023 dollars. What did America give up by choosing the space race? What if Kennedy had challenged America to develop hydrogen fusion or any other clean and cheap power? What if the Kennedy moon shot speech called for medical advancements of curing and eliminating diseases that have not been defeated by the limited research we have undertaken to date? What would pursuing a medical miracle have left the Earth looking like today? The corporate world spends 24 hours a day, every single day of every single week, of every single year, assessing algorithmic outcomes derived at the end of an equation that was written by some whiz kid still living in his grandmother's basement. That's how corporations decide which fork in the road to take. Although most times corporate decisions appear no more thoughtful than flipping a coin, you can count on corporations following the money and, where the rubber meets the road, that is the only air they breathe. So even though corporate decisions are skewed by chasing capital, the opportunity costs are also skewed in ways that are detrimental to the communities they serve. Corporate consciousness and corporate conscience are identical twins from different mothers. (apologies to Fogelberg and Weisberg 1978) The first speaks to awareness; awareness about the outside world surrounding their business activities. Awareness that stakeholders abound across the entire population, not just an awareness of shareholders and investors. The second can also be labeled under the broad umbrella of corporate responsibility; knowing right from wrong and acting accordingly; being a good neighbor; being a worthy steward of both the tangible and the intangible benefits of serving the community. This last thought is not so random. MercyOne of North Iowa, part of the Trinity Health behemoth, recently closed Ann McGregor's Hospice House as a cost-saving measure. How many of you have been touched by the compassion and dignity of that place? How many will not be afforded that support in the future? The opportunity costs to the community by the loss of the Hospice House are immeasurable and incalculable and the service irreplaceable. MercyOne's lack of corporate conscience and responsibility to the community they serve, in this instance, is an example of management at its worst. The Story A fossil recently discovered in Marlandia, a chain of islands, proves that a present-day reptile indigenous to Marlandia is descended from an ancient reptile species that lived on the islands millions of years ago. The finding is surprising since the ancestral species was thought to have become extinct when Marlandia was submerged in a global sea-level rise twenty-five million years ago. Based on the new discovery, many scientists have concluded that the sea-level rise in question left at least part of Marlandia unsubmerged. Gist: (support) Thus, many scientists conclude that the islands must not have entirely submerged (conclusion) The Gap if the islands had entirely submerged, the species could not have survived. The Goal The Evaluation A. Reptiles in Marlandia have adapted to many environmental changes since the sea-level rise. Incorrect B. Marlandia separated from a much larger landmass about eighty million years ago. Incorrect C. No fossils that prove the relationship between the present-day species and the ancestral species have been found anywhere other than Marlandia. Incorrect ancestral species other D. The present-day reptiles are able to thrive on very tiny Marlandia islands. Incorrect E. The ancestral reptiles could not have survived long at sea. Correct Additional Notes If you have any doubts regarding any part of this solution, please feel free to ask. To know about our upcoming online classroom batches: Get taught live by 99th percentile instructors, Chiranjeev and Anish.To know about our upcoming online classroom batches: https://gmatintensive.com/ Signature Read More - A fossil was recently discovered. The fossil links the lineage of a current reptile with an ancient reptile that lived in the same area many years ago.- The author is surprised by this finding since the ancient species was presumed to have become extinct when the area was submerged a few million years ago (The surprising part is that if the ancestral species had become extinct, how do we have its living descendants!)- Given this surprising finding, many scientists have concluded that the entire area must not have submerged (and thus the ancestral species may not have become extinct at that time.)The passage talks about certain reptiles in a particular chain of islands.Recent development: A discovered fossil proves that a current species is descended from an ancient one.Previous understanding: People used to believe that the islands had completely submerged in the past, making the ancient species extinct.The coexistence of these two scenarios is surprising.The argument assumes thatWhat if the ancestral reptiles survived at sea? If the ancestral reptiles survived at sea, wed have living descendant of the ancestral reptiles. In such a case, wed have no basis to say that a part of Marlandia remained unsubmerged.What if the ancestral reptiles migrated elsewhere, and then the descendants came back and resettled? In such a case too, we wouldnt be able to arrive at the conclusion of the argument.The argument also assumes that if an ancestral species goes extinct, it cannot have subsequent descendants. What if, there were some interim species that eventually led to the living descendants?Were looking for additional support for the scientists conclusion that the entire area must not have submerged. We can strengthen the argument by supporting any of the assumptions we figured above.. Good for the reptiles! Did some adaptation come about from a complete submerge? Was there a complete submerge? Nothing here gives us a concrete answer for either of these questions.. How the islands came into being has got nothing to do with the argument at hand.. Lets consider the following statement:Fossils of thehave been found at placesthan Marlandia. (This statement is quite different from the one above, but stay with us a bit.)Does this statement WEAKEN the argument?It does. It indicates that the ancestral species perhaps relocated elsewhere and then the species or their descendants came back to Marlandia, thus making us doubt the hypothesis that the species must have survived in Marlandia itself, and thus weakening the conclusion that the islands must not have completely submerged.Ok, lets consider the following variation next:Fossils that prove the relationship between the ancestral species and the present day species have been found at places other than Marlandia.Does this statement WEAKEN the argument?What does finding such fossils that prove the relationship tell us? Do we know what type of fossils prove the relationship? Can only fossils of ancient reptile species prove this relationship? Couldnt fossils of some other species help prove the relationship between the present-day and ancestral species? For example, couldnt there be some indicative gene discovered in a fossil of species Z that helps prove a relationship between species X and Y? We do not know anything about what kind of fossils could prove the relationship. Thus this variation does not weaken the argument.Now, lets consider the option mentioned and discuss whether it STRENGTHENS the argument.The fact that fossils that prove the relationship havent been found does not increase our belief that the ancient species did not migrate (and as a consequence the belief that the sea-level rise left at least part of Marlandia unsubmerged.)In addition, even if archaeologists were looking for such fossils, not finding does not equate to not being present. Fossils are difficult to find. Maybe they are out there, just that they havent been found yet.. Good for them! Happy to hear that the present-day reptiles are able to thrive. The argument is about whether the islands submerged and how the ancestral reptiles survived. This option does not support the argument at all.. Had the islands been completely submerged, this option suggests, the ancestral reptiles could have gone extinct (since the possibility of surviving at sea is taken away). Since, in such a case, we wouldnt find their descendants, an expectation that doesnt match with the reality, it is likely that the islands were not completely submerged. This option does support the conclusion.Remember: To support does not mean to confirm. Option E does not confirm that the islands were not completely submerged. It does increase the probability, though._________________ Toyota North Carolina is in a purposeful methodical ramp-up for its electric-vehicle battery manufacturing plant in the Greensboro-Randolph megasite. Toyota committed to the Liberty site in December 2021 with a pledge of having at least 2,100 employees at full production, ranking it among the largest economic-development recruitment projects in North Carolina history. Production is expected to begin in 2025 at what will be 2 million square feet of space within three buildings. Toyota has pledged a $3.8-billion capital investment in the operations. Two 500,000-square-foot buildings are dedicated to hybrid electric vehicle battery production, while a 1-million-square-foot building will be focused on electric vehicle battery production. The first building has been walled in, and the walls for the second building are being erected, Toyota North Carolina communications manager Emily Wilemon-Holland said Monday. The pad for the third building is currently being prepared for construction. The Liberty plant is an example of Toyota building things locally where they are sold, said Norm Bafunno, senior vice president of Unit Manufacturing and Engineering at Toyota Motor North America. Its not a 100% alignment, but we try to get as close as we can in our (production) footprint in the United States. Were going to have to keep up with the North American consumer, and that begins in North Carolina. Sean Suggs has been hired as president of the North Carolina unit, along with Don Stewart as vice president of manufacturing in charge of plant operations, and April Mason as general manager of plant services. Also being hired currently are supervisors and facility maintenance technicians. Toyota said it plans to start hiring production and maintenance positions in mid-2023. To apply for open positions, go to www.toyota.com/careers. There are plans for in-person applicant assessment and interview locations in Asheboro and Greensboro through NCWorks locations. In October, Toyota North Carolina signed a nearly three-year sublease for a former five-story Labcorp office building at 1701 Pinecroft Road in Greensboro that will serve as its operational hub until its electric vehicle battery production plant debuts. Wilemon-Holland said each floor of the Greensboro temporary facility will have a distinct operational focus. Floor 1 would handle key parts of hiring assessment, including: intake and registration, waiting area and assessment using a computer-based simulation; skilled trades with computer lab with a hands-on skills evaluation; and face-to-face interviews and medical screenings. Floor 2 would provide a dojo training area emphasizing key points of manufacturing, including safety, quality and internal logistics. Floors 35 would contain administrative and support staff offices, and space for teams to collaborate. Background The Toyota subsidiary plans to build lithium-ion batteries at the plant for about 200,000 hybrid and electric vehicles annually. Toyota plans to roll out 30 battery electric vehicle models by 2030. This is only the beginning of what I considered as a long and bright future for the plant and marks another significant milestone for our company, Bafunno said. This plant will serve a central role in Toyotas leadership toward a fully electrified future and will help us meet our goal of carbon neutrality in our vehicles and global operations by 2035. As with the Dell Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. manufacturing plants, Toyota is finding significant internal interest from employees willing to transfer to work at the Liberty plant. The reason I say North Carolina and Liberty is a great location for doing business is that we have a lot of internal interest in people wanting to work in North Carolina higher than any other plant that weve announced or opened in the U.S., Bafunno said. He said some Toyota employees want to return to North Carolina because they are graduates of N.C. State, UNC Chapel Hill or other North Carolina universities. They havent really had a chance within Toyota to do that until now, Bafunno said. Its an indication of the quality of life, the access to the mountains and ocean, and its a beautiful area. Bafunno said some Liberty plant workers could come from as far as 70 miles away, but the bulk of hires will come from within 30 to 40 miles. Its a personal decision of what potential employees determine is right for them in terms of driving to the plant, Bafunno said. Were working very hard to create what we consider to be an employer of choice in that area of North Carolina. Theres going to be great wages, great benefits, job security great elements for a career. RALEIGH: Bosch will add 400 new jobs in Lincoln County for its power tools business, Gov. Roy Cooper announced today. The company says it will invest $130 million to expand its power tools accessory manufacturing site in the City of Lincolnton. It is great news that Bosch has selected to expand its North American manufacturing operations right here in Lincolnton, said Gov. Cooper. Our state's strong rural communities and talented workforce continue to attract businesses and provide opportunities for growth. Bosch is a leading global supplier of technology and services. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. Its Power Tools division sits within the Consumer Goods business sector and in North America the Bosch Power Tools portfolio features power tools, rotary and oscillating tools, measuring tools, and accessories. The Lincolnton expansion will support manufacturing of power tool accessories for products including saws, drills, and routers in a new 325,000-square-foot building for manufacturing, logistics, and warehouse operations. We aim to provide local-for-local solutions to support our businesses and the expansion for Power Tools in Lincolnton is further evidence of our commitment to develop local manufacturing here in the region, said Mike Mansuetti, president of Bosch in North America. When pioneers like Bosch expand in North Carolina, it validates our position as the best place for business, said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. As more companies invest in our state, it confirms the importance of the First in Talent Plan which prioritizes North Carolinians and their preparation for the highly skilled career opportunities made available by such innovative manufacturers. The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the states efforts to support the companys expansion in North Carolina. While salaries for the new positions will vary, the average annual salary for the new positions is $53,204, exceeding Lincoln Countys average wage of $49,332. The projects payroll impact could fuel more than $21.4 million into the community each year. Boschs expansion will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the states Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the states economy by more than $1 billion. Using a formula that takes into account $109 million of the companys investment as well as the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $2,724,750 spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grants reimbursement payments to a given company. Because Bosch chose to expand in Lincoln County, classified by the states economic tier system as Tier 3, the companys JDIG agreement also calls for moving $908,250 into the states Industrial Development Fund Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities across the state finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. We are thrilled to welcome these 400 new jobs to Lincoln County, said N.C. Senator W. Ted Alexander. Bosch has been a fantastic corporate citizen for the last 60 years and a great workforce development partner. We stand ready to support them for this next phase of growth. This multimillion expansion speaks volumes about Boschs confidence in our economy and our people, said N.C. Representative Jason Saine. We appreciate the diligent economic development professionals and our local and state officials that helped this project come to fruition. 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, North Carolina Department of Transportation, North Carolina Community College System, Lincoln Economic Development Association, Lincoln County, City of Lincolnton, and Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation. GREENSBORO Among the 116 signatures and hometowns scrawled on the captured Nazi flag was a Julian Wright of Greensboro. The signing of a flag was a sign of victory and a story, said Joseph Grant, the co-founder of a museum in London dedicated to World War II. It was Grant who found the artifact on a Dutch memorabilia website in 2021 and has been reaching out to surviving members and their families to get the faces behind the signatures and their stories. Like Wright. You find a lot of flags in collecting, said Grant, of the Grant WW2 Museum, but its much rarer to find one that soldiers have signed. The flag was signed sometime between June and November 1944, when Wrights regiment took it after liberating a prisoner of war camp near the conflicts end. When a researcher from a group that returns lost items found in Europe from WWII posted Wrights name on the Greensboro Remembers Facebook page, someone in the group tagged one of the soldiers relatives in the reply: Isnt this your grandfather? **** Wright went to Greensboro Senior High (now Grimsley) and grew up off Fisher Avenue near downtown Greensboro. The men he served with have been called The Greatest Generation for their sense of duty, honor and sacrifice tempered by a humility that was intrinsic to their being. Many of them are now gone, and with them, the story of the captured Nazi flag. Wright, who died in 2009, enlisted in the U.S. Army a few years out of high school after Pearl Harbor, landing on the beaches of Normandy under heavy resistance in the days after D-Day, where he served with the 79th Infantry Division in the European theater. After the war, Wright, who had risen to the rank of sergeant, returned to Greensboro with numerous awards including a Purple Heart and later the Bronze Star for heroic achievement in action. He didnt talk much about the war for decades, but he had led an intelligence and reconnaissance patrol into enemy territory and successfully maneuvered his men through two minefields while obtaining valuable information concerning enemy troops. Back in Greensboro, he met future wife Irene Kincaid on a blind date set up by friends. Irene was born in Lenoir but ended up here after serving her country as well. She died in 2020 at age 98. She had been a Rosie the Riveter at a Detroit defense plant and later a secretary in the Overseas Replacement Depot in Greensboro near the end of the conflict. They would go on to raise a family with Muirs Chapel United Methodist Church serving as the site for their wedding and numerous christenings and celebrations that came with having four children Susan, Bruce, Sandra and Martha 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. They were married for 61 years. He was the best father, grandfather and great-grandfather, said youngest child Martha Williams Hill, the family historian who has her fathers World War II memorabilia. They were the best parents. Hill, an artist and textile designer, remembers her early art shows and putting her work up for sale. I had the hardest time because my parents would buy everything I made, Hill said. **** After leaving the military, Wright settled into a new chapter in his life this time as an award-winning local window decorator, which included two national contests sponsored by Old Spice and four by Hanes. As a teenager, before entering the Army, Wright spent 1941 working at Morrison-Neese, an upscale furniture store on South Greene Street. His job was to help the well-known New York designer Otto Zenke, who had been brought South to help the company. Wright drove Zenkes Packard Clipper to take the designer to homes, hotels and country clubs he was decorating throughout the area and in Virginia, according to accounts. Coming back from the war, he would go on to ply his trade for retail stores in Greensboro during an era when downtown had big department store windows like Meyers, Churchills, Belk and Ellis-Stone/Thalhimers. He worked at several, providing eye-catching and changing creations designed to increase foot traffic. Wright was later promoted to display manager for Ellis-Stone/Thalhimers, but they couldnt keep him. When he gave his notice, they offered to double his salary but he wasnt interested. Wright had designed and manufactured a portable window display called The Wright Rack that became a big hit across the United States and Canada. Over the years, Wright didnt talk a lot about the war. In the last decade of his life he attended the regiments 38th reunion in 1985. One of the stories he later told was how his unit captured a German payroll truck near Neuchateau, and before they had to return the money, lit cigarettes with $20 bills, according to the family. Years later, Wright and his wife along with several of his war buddies returned to France and traced their route during the war. The town mayor of Neuchateu spoke at a reception given for the group and related that he was 8 years old when he and his sister were in the woods and witnessed the capture of the German payroll truck. During the group trip, they were welcomed and thanked in every town they visited. **** Hill, the youngest of the Wright children, remembered other details that have helped with Grants research, such as providing him the name of John Sword, who her father served alongside and who wrote a book about the war called Grumpys Trials. It unlocked so many names, Grant said. The museums collection, now in his familys repurposed garage and looking for a free-standing location, includes among hundreds of items a Bible found on eBay that was signed by servicemen from different parts of the war, from infantrymen to pilots. It seemed odd to Grant until he discovered that they were all in the same prisoner of war camp. One of the prisoners have effectively gotten all his friends to sign his Bible, Grant said. Grant, a history buff, aspiring actor and pizza delivery driver, started collecting items with his dad eight years ago after visiting a World War II museum in Normandy. They research each of the items that then go on display. The story behind the soldiers who signed the Nazi flag has been slow in revealing itself. They effectively saved us from rule from Germany all of these guys, Grant said. They were all about my age, which shocked me. Im amazed at what they went through. The first member of the group he was able to track down had died the year before. The mans family sent a service photo of him with the groups gray Lorraine cross on a blue shield with a gray border on his jacket, which Grant added to the collection. The internet has been some help in tracking down some of the soldiers from Wrights unit. Hes also reached out to the 79th Infantry Division on its Facebook page. Grant isnt sure the soldiers name from the 79th who ended up with the flag, which the Dutch collector got while in the United States, or how it ended up online for sale, but hes fixated by its journey. The best way to describe it is kind of like a yearbook at the end of high school, he said. The war is ending. You are not necessarily going to see your friends anymore. So they all signed like a big yearbook in the flag and one of them takes it home as a memory of all the soldiers he served with. This was all news to Wrights family. Wright never mentioned a flag. He never really talked about what he saw while liberating the POW camp. He never shared much about his experiences overseas, really. Hill said the puzzle pieced together thus far has given their family one more reason to honor their father and those he served with. This story, Hill said of the flag and the victory, made us all cry. Happy Monday. No rush for the heat summer in NC to kick in here. There is no doubt that the initial explanation offered by the City of Winston-Salem for what was essentially a case of premature publication was tin-eared with a hint of pig-headedness. Comparing Pride Month thatd be June to, say, Alzheimers & Brain Awareness wasnt the smoothest move. But thats how it was allowed to play out for nearly a day. The city, as unnamed communications types explained later, abruptly yanked a Pride-themed logo that popped up on social media. As a matter of fairness we cannot promote one cause over the others through our logo, reads the citys statement referring to PTSD Awareness Month and Gun National Violence Awareness Month among others. The difference, of course, is that neither PTSD nor Alzheimers patients arent fighting for their right to exist without the threat of official discrimination codified into law. But to their credit, city officials did something they rarely do: apologized. (Issuing an apology admits fault, and in the case of the government, usually only happens at the business end of a lawsuit and/or as part of a settlement. Its reflexive-defensiveness, a safe and go-to legal maneuver.) Beyond the apology, a (sort-of) explanation that somebody in the communications shop hit send without proper authorization sounds plausible enough. But it also points to another factor in what amounts to a stumble and not a pratfall: governments at all levels and individual departments have quietly embarked on a hiring spree for spokespersons with social media-savvy skills. The idea, in a rapidly evolving new information age, is to try and reach directly taxpayers/voters. So far, for our money, the best among local agencies has been the Forsyth County sheriffs office. Check out recent offerings floated by the sheriffs office highlighting its budget proposals, including an ask for 10 new deputies at a cost of $1.15 million. Currently, this request is not included in the County Managers proposed budget, reads the sheriffs Facebook page. What careful readers dont see in these sorts of direct-to-voter communiques are any mention of a downside or cost-benefit analysis. How would such an increase be paid for? If the sheriff gets more, who gets less? The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools? Parks and recreation? Every department wants more but the budget, absent a tax increase, is finite. Giving more money to the loudest lobbyist might not be the best policy. All of this is to say that, locally as well as nationally, think critically and for yourself. Consider the source of information, and if you dont know it, find out. Coffee and doughnuts GREENSBORO The annual State of the Downtown meeting for stakeholders business owners, residents and taxpayers who care about how their dough gets spent is scheduled Tuesday morning. Its free and open to the public. If youd care to put in your 2-cents about how millions are potentially spent, this is your chance. No pre-registration is required. And the guess here is that coffee and doughnuts will be provided by the Downtown Greensboro organization. As it stands, the meeting will run between 8:30 and 10 a.m. in the Hyatt Place on North Eugene Street. Thats downtown, obviously. Roads first WINSTON-SALEM It was easy to miss a nice weekend to be outdoors, but Habitat for Humanity held a traditional ribbon-cutting photo-opp Saturday to kick off a second-phase of a project to build more affordable homes. The Stone Terrace development off Ogburn Avenue, first purchased by Habitat in 2019, had an initial goal of creating 75 affordable single and multi-family homes in Winston-Salem. In order to expand into a second phase, Habitat found it could use some help with infrastructure. So local officials stepped in with $800,000 from the citys share of American Rescue Plan money sent this way by the federal government for COVID-relief. That money was used to build roads a necessary first step. After a four-year hiatus, the "Spirit of Service" project is returning to Helena on Wednesday, unleashing a small army of volunteers to provide some spring cleanup help to those who find it tough to do the tasks on their own. Emily McVey, executive director of the United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area, said there are eight homes this year that will receive help. Spirit of Service is a spring cleanup day for veterans, senior citizens or people with disabilities that make it difficult to complete the tasks on their own. Volunteer community members do yardwork and minor exterior home repairs in Helena, East Helena and the valley. Businesses sponsor the homes and the tasks are done for free for the homeowner. Rocky Mountain Development Council Inc. handed over the reins of the Spirit of Service project to the United Way this year. Rocky is proud to have worked with SOS for 20 years. We regret that staffing is causing us to give up this project, however, we are excited at where SOS will go next, Kathy Marks, operations director and former SOS coordinator for Rocky Mountain Development Council, said in an email. United Way staff will be carrying out Spirit of Service on a smaller scale in 2023, McVey said, adding it was an easy transition for United Way to pick up program from Rocky Mountain. There will be 62 volunteers in yellow shirts around town on Wednesday, including teams from the Helena Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Youth Build, Tims Lawn Care, Lewis and Clark Democratic Central Committee and American Chemet. McVey added United Way hopes to expand it to even more homes next year. There is always more need than we have help available on Spirit of Service Day, she said in a news release. McVey said each of the homeowners are so appreciative of the work that is done. The smiles we see on their faces is worth every bit of mowing, painting and tree trimming done, she said. Sponsors for 2023 are Home Depot, Helena Chamber of Commerce, TDS, The Body is Wise, Safeway and Tri-County Disposal. McVey said there is one house that could use some more volunteer help. Anyone who wants to volunteer should call United Way at 406-442-4360. With one week remaining before a high-profile climate change trial kicks off in Helena, Attorney General Austin Knudsen is asking the Montana Supreme Court to step in and send the case back to the drawing board. Knudsen, a Republican, filed the writ of supervisory control Monday morning, asking the high court to vacate the two-week trial, scheduled to begin June 12 in Lewis and Clark County District Court. Knudsen argues the lawsuit, filed in 2020 by 16 youth plaintiffs represented by Our Childrens Trust, challenges a state law that has since been rewritten enough to warrant a new case. Two weeks ago, district court Judge Kathy Seeley tossed out one of the plaintiffs claims, which challenged the states energy policy. Because that statute was repealed by the Legislature in 2023, she concluded, there was no legal remedy available to that portion of the lawsuit. But Seeley is allowing the remaining portion of the case to move forward to trial. The lawsuit challenges the Montana Environmental Policy Acts provision barring state agencies from considering the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change and its effects on Montana. The Legislature also tinkered with that law during the session that wrapped up earlier this year. The Republican-dominated body didnt repeal it, but instead rewrote portions of it to more explicitly forbid the state from evaluating greenhouse gas emissions and corresponding impacts to the climate in the state or beyond its borders. Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, signed those changes into law on May 10. Knudsen, who is named alongside the state, governor and several agencies in the lawsuit, has maintained thats enough to get the lawsuit tossed out. There is nothing left to try, and this court should step in to prevent a massive expenditure of wasted time and resources by all concerned, the writ states. In her May 23 order, Seeley wrote that if the plaintiffs succeed at trial, she could potentially find the language barring the state from considering the impacts of climate-disrupting emissions unconstitutional. But Knudsen wrote that the state would still have no authority to regulate those emissions. That authority exists elsewhere, he argues. If the district courts intent is to force Montana to regulate (greenhouse gases), that would require amending the Clean Air Act or one of the other permitting statutes, he wrote. If it goes forward as scheduled next week, the trial will give the plaintiffs a chance to show whether the Montana Constitutions guarantee of the right to a clean and healthful environment requires the state to consider the effects of climate change on its residents. They argue that the state governments support for the extraction and burning of fossil fuels is at odds with that constitutional guarantee. Wild Livelihoods (wildlivelihoods.com) is a coalition of nearly 200 tourism businesses based in the Gardiner Basin and Paradise Valley of Montana. The strength and success of our industry is based on conservation of the wildlands, waters and wildlife within and adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. Addressing the nexus of economic prosperity and environmental stewardship is our genesis. We do our part by connecting consumers with our business members who have shared values around open spaces, clean water and air, and sustainable, biodiverse wildlife populations. The Yellowstone River flows through the heart of our landscape, and for many, it serves as the centerpiece that links a thriving tourism economy with healthy fish and wildlife populations. It is also a geophysical reminder that healthy rivers connect us all together. That is why as a coalition, we believe unequivocally that the Upper Yellowstone River and its tributaries like Bear Creek, Hellroaring Creek and Slough Creek, are deserving of Wild and Scenic River protections as proposed in the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act. Our coalition is made up of lodge owners, outfitters and guides, photographers, film makers, writers, artists, retailers, restaurant proprietors and ranchers. Montanas rivers are our common workspace and the source of inspiration that attracts our clients, generates repeat customers, and waters our cattle. Directly and indirectly, our rivers and creeks provide a living for hundreds of business owners and employees in the region. We are a proud contributor to the states $7.1 billion outdoor recreation industry, which represents 4.3% of the Montanas Gross Domestic Product and ranks No. 1 in the country for how much outdoor recreation contributes to a states economy. Tourism injects $500 million annually into Park County alone. We have come together to protect our heritage, our economy and future generations ability to continue family businesses and trades within the outdoor recreation and tourism industry. One way we support this vision is through permanent protection of the states most iconic streams flowing through public lands. This is why Wild Livelihoods endorses the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act (MHLA). If passed, the MHLA will create new Wild and Scenic River protections for some of southwest and southcentral Montanas most important headwaters streams. Wild and Scenic designations protect the free-flowing nature, water quality and remarkable values that make river sections of the Upper Yellowstone, Boulder, Gallatin and Stillwater Rivers unique. It is our experience that river conservation unites Montanans. No matter your political leaning, Montanans have shown time and time again that clean water and healthy rivers are a shared value. For instance, the East Rosebud Creek Wild and Scenic River Act was passed in August 2018 with the bipartisan support of Rep. Gianforte, Sen. Tester and Sen. Daines, and was signed into law by President Trump. A March 2020 University of Montana survey conducted by a bipartisan research team from New Bridge Strategies (Republican) and FM3 Research (Democrat) shows nearly eight of 10 Montanans (79%) support the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act. Wild Livelihoods seeks to perpetuate what is good and improve what could be better for our community, our landscapes, our wildlife, and our future. We endorse the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act because we see this legislation as an investment in our region and a tool to address one of the many complex approaches to sustaining our economy and environment. We ask our representatives to work together as a unified delegation to support and promptly pass the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act. DECATUR The Decatur School District's two Dennis Lab School campuses will remain closed until further notice, officials announced Monday. The affected staffers were notified by email and robocall Monday afternoon, district spokeswoman Denise Swarthout said. "Another update to share with you we are still awaiting a report from the second structural engineering team that is examining the two Dennis buildings," the message said, adding that Superintendent Rochelle Clark would share an update as soon as the district had reviewed the report. "However, for the time being, both Dennis campus locations remain closed until further notice. We are asking all staff at the two Dennis Lab School campuses to continue working from home or at an alternate location." The district announced May 31 that it was temporarily closing the two buildings "to further assess structural concerns" and told staffers to work elsewhere through Monday. That announcement came a day after classes ended for the school year. Dennis' two campuses are the Mosaic campus, 1499 W. Main St., and the Kaleidoscope campus, 520 W. Wood St. Swarthout said last week that the district had contacted a structural engineer in the spring to look at the buildings, both because the district already knew there were issues and because administrators and staff had voiced concerns, but May 30 was the first opening in that engineer's schedule to examine the buildings. School board President Bill Clevenger said Superintendent Rochelle Clark and district leadership are working on assessing the situation and little further information is available. We just have to wait for the results of testing and that kind of thing, and see what the issues are and what our remedies might be, Clevenger said. There's not a lot of information right now, and we want to make good strategic decisions for the health and welfare of our students and in the long term, for the good of the district. I think that's what we'll be looking at here for the next few weeks. In 2022, the board spent months discussing the need for a new campus for Dennis, one that would serve all students in one building, and pursued a plan to buy Lincoln Park from the Decatur Park District. That plan eventually fell through, and the board changed direction to plan a new building, originally designated for American Dreamer STEM Academy, on the site of the former Oak Grove School, 2160 W. Center St. Those plans have proceeded forward. Discussion of the need to replace Dennis began in late 2021 and continued throughout 2022 until late summer. Teachers and parents spoke at board meetings, listing various problems with the buildings and lack of space in general since seventh and eighth grades were added. One solution that was suggested was the former Woodrow Wilson Junior High, at Sunset and Oakland. The building had deteriorated over time and the board ultimately rejected it for that reason, though residents of the area said it would be cheaper to remodel and reuse the building than to build a new school. Macon County put the building up for auction due to delinquent property taxes and when it didn't sell, the city of Decatur purchased it. In January, the city and Decatur Public Schools came to an intergovernmental agreement that the city would demolish the building and sell it back to the school district for half the cost of the demolition. The school district has not announced what plans, if any, there are for use of the site. DECATUR Police officers, tipped off a gun crime was taking place but lacking the legal means to find out, had a car towed from a Decatur yard Saturday morning. Sgt. Brandon Rolfs with the Decatur Police Department said officers will request a search warrant signed by a judge Monday morning to find out if their suspicions about an illegally-possessed gun being inside the vehicle are correct. Rolfs said the tipster, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, had warned police that four people were passing around a pistol. Patrol officers arrived in the 700 block of East Cantrell Street to investigate and found one of the four people at the scene was a juvenile linked to previous offenses. Since the vehicle was parked on private property and the owner of the vehicle would not consent to a search and everyone involved quickly got out of the vehicle we werent able to get into the vehicle to determine what was in there, Rolfs added. But the person who called this in anonymously gave very detailed statements and we got to the point where we can make a good faith argument to a judge that we believe an illegally-possessed firearm is inside this vehicle. The car remained in police custody Sunday awaiting Mondays warrant application. 2023 mugshots from the Herald & Review Lourash Hirstein Phillip Gehrken Joseph A. Williams Jetrevius O. Jarrett Edwards King-Woods Wilson Derrickson Colby J. Park With some Republican support, Illinois lawmakers approved a measure to expand and indefinitely extend a probation program for first-time offenders charged with illegally possessing a gun. A pilot program the Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed six years ago was limited to defendants under 21 with no prior convictions for violent crimes and was set to end in January. Under the new legislation, the age limit would be dropped, the probationary period would be shortened and the program would continue indefinitely. Its one thing to have someone whos 18 years old being caught with a firearm versus somebody whos 55 or 60 years old, and so it just gives the judge and the prosecutor that discretion to figure out what program works best for them, freshman Democratic state Rep. Kevin Olickal of Skokie, the main House sponsor of the legislation, said in an interview. While the legislation is the latest example of the Democratic supermajoritys progressive stance on criminal justice, it attracted Republican support in part because of fears that the states strict gun laws, including a ban on many high-powered weapons, which is now tied up in court, could ensnare otherwise law-abiding citizens. There was no debate over the bill on the House floor when it was called during the early morning hours of May 27, moments after lawmakers voted to pass a $50.6 billion budget. The bill breezed through the House 98-6, with a number of Republicans voting yes. It was a tougher sell in the Senate two days earlier, passing 37-16 with just three Republicans siding with Democrats. One of those Republicans, state Sen. Andrew Chesney of Freeport, said the prospect some people could be unfairly targeted for, in my view, unconstitutional registration of firearms, a lack of a (firearm owners identification) card, perhaps a misunderstanding or delays in the concealed carry permitting process led him to support the program. For all those reasons for nonviolent offenders, this gives the states attorneys some discretion and also gives the courts discretion for what are otherwise good people that get caught into these unexpected predicaments as it relates to our very unconstitutional gun laws, Chesney said. GOP state Sen. Seth Lewis of Bartlett, who also voted for the bill, said continued changes to the states gun control laws could result in law-abiding gun owners getting charged with gun crimes theyre not aware of. This bill provides our states attorneys the opportunity to demonstrate leniency when the situation calls for it, Lewis said. Under the bill, participants in the program would no longer be required to submit to a drug test, or show theyre seeking employment, enrolling in school or performing community service. Courts could still impose those requirements if necessary. Senate Republican Leader John Curran of Downers Grove, a no vote, said he is against relaxing the programs conditions. When were talking about gainful employment, getting your high school diploma or GED, these things take time and were trying to teach good societal productive habits, Curran, a former Cook County assistant states attorney, said in an interview. Opponents also have raised concerns about the lack of data showing whether the program has been effective since it was implemented. During the Senate floor debate, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, the bills main sponsor in the chamber, cited support from the Illinois State Rifle Association and the Illinois States Attorneys Association. He also pointed to a Loyola University Chicago study showing that just 7% of defendants in Illinois who were released from prison for illegal firearm possession during a four-year period in the 2010s were rearrested within three years for using a gun to commit a violent crime, which under Illinois law is an offense with bodily harm or threats against a victim. Despite that, Republican state Sen. Steve McClure, of Springfield, said there is a lack of data to evaluate the program, which he suggested is too lenient on criminals. Wouldnt it make sense to, like, study the program and have the numbers here to talk about success? Wouldnt that make sense, like, in any other field? said McClure, a former Sangamon County assistant states attorney. Can you imagine going and saying, Well, I have no clue how this programs been working but gun violence is really bad, but lets just get people that are caught with guns a break? Under the legislation, which has to be signed by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker before taking effect, the probationary program would last anywhere from six months to two years, instead of the current 18 months to two years. The gun charges filed against participants who successfully complete the program are then dropped. Participants can only go through the program once. The gun charge they face must not be any more serious than a Class 4 felony, the lowest felony level. According to the Loyola study, during an 11-year-period ending in the late 2010s, 34% of gun offense convictions in Illinois were Class 4 felonies. The majority were for more serious felony charges, and included defendants with at least one prior felony gun conviction. In Cook County, over a seven-year period that ended in the mid-2010s, the study shows people sentenced to probation for a Class 4 firearm possession felony werent any more or less likely to commit a violent crime than people convicted of the same firearm-related felony who served time in prison. Cook County officials couldnt provide statistics showing how often it has used the first-time gun offender program. But States Attorney Kim Foxxs office said it supports the expansion of the program and looks forward to working with all our partners to offer those who find themselves in the criminal justice system for the first time an opportunity to change the trajectory of their lives. Republican DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin said he can think of only one case in the five years since the program took effect where his office has used it. But he said the new legislation could provide a break for otherwise law-abiding gun owners caught violating the states new assault weapon and high-capacity ammunition magazine ban, particularly the section that says owners must register any of the banned guns they already have with the Illinois State Police. This (new legislation) gives us the ability to hold them accountable but not leave them with a permanent criminal record if they complete the program, said Berlin. So, its a question of fairness. Olickal said the legislation would allow each county in Illinois to decide how to use the first-time offender program based on their resources. He rejected the suggestion that policies such as this one make Democratic-run cities or states or progressive prosecutors look weak on crime. For the longest time, even with the implementation of progressive policy and criminal justice reform, we were seeing a decline in violent crime until COVID hit, said Olickal. So theres obviously something else thats going on here that has led to this spike in some crime statistics. Villivalam agreed, saying its not appropriate or correct to reduce the issue of gun violence that weve been facing to this one bill. Photos: Pritzker sworn in for second term What happened along Upper Creek in Burke County changed world history. The first European explorer in these parts is said to have been Spanish conquistador Hernando DeSoto in 1540, but it wasnt until 1566-67 that Spanish explorers returned to stay for about 18 months, long enough to be considered permanent. The archaeological dig is called the Berry Site for owners Pat and James Berry. Over the past 37 years, theyve allowed archaeologists, volunteers and field school participants to excavate on their land, uncovering a key chapter in North Carolina history, one shovelful at a time. I first visited the site in the 1990s during a public field day to observe the dig in progress. It was clear that archaeology is sweaty, back-breaking work, which made me appreciate what they do all the more. A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed another tour. Volunteers enthusiastically showed off artifacts theyd just found: pieces of native pottery dating to the 1500s. Thats when Queen Elizabeth I ruled England. The potsherds had not been touched by human hands in well over 400 years. Thats the thrill of archaeology. Dr. David Moore, emeritus professor of anthropology at Warren Wilson College, has spent the bulk of his career exploring Joara. With colleagues Dr. Robin Beck of the University of Michigan and Dr. Chris Rodning of Tulane University, he has worked tirelessly to uncover remains of a Spanish outpost and a village once inhabited by the Catawba. In 1566-67, a full 40 years before the founding of Jamestown, 120 men led by Juan Pardo traveled north and west from the coastal settlement of Santa Elena (present-day Parris Island, S.C.), using native trails along the Santee, Wateree and Catawba rivers. The men eventually arrived at Joara, a thriving native town north of present-day Morganton. There they established a winter base and built a fortification, Fort San Juan. In the coming months, Pardos men ventured west, establishing five more forts. They had set out to establish an overland route to Mexico, but as the story goes, Pardo had mistaken the Blue Ridge Mountains for the gold-rich Rockies. It was a miscalculation of some 2,000 miles. A year and a half later, the natives turned on the Spanish, burning their structures to the ground and killing all but one of Pardos men. That lone survivor returned to Santa Elena to relay his shocking account. Before long, the Spanish retreated to St. Augustine, leaving the Eastern seaboard up for grabs by the French, Dutch and English. Its not clear why the natives turned on the Spanish. For some time, they had been allowed to live among the Indians who had provided them with food and supplies. And then one day, Fort San Juan was burned to the ground. At the Berry site, excavations have revealed charred outlines of buildings and a wealth of native pottery, arrowheads and other relics of Mississippian culture. Theyve also uncovered Spanish artifacts: glass beads, fragments of olive jars, painted Majolica pottery, a clay smoking pipe, and pieces of chain mail. Because it is on private property, the Berry site is not open to the public. To accommodate visitors, the Exploring Joara Foundation has established a living history village at Catawba Meadows Park off Sanford Drive in Morganton. Excavations have enabled the foundation to accurately reconstruct 16th-century buildings there along the Catawba River Greenway. An exhibit about Joara/Fort San Juan is housed at the History Museum of Burke County near downtown Morganton. Looking ahead, a family-friendly Community Day is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21, at Catawba Meadows Living History Village. For more information, check the website, exploringjoara.org. Aquilla High School's Top Grads Aquilla High School has recognized the top two graduates of its 2023 graduating class. Valedictorian is Abigail Huffhines, who will attend McMurry University in the fall and plans to become a pharmacist. Salutatorian Makayla Bowman will attend the University of Texas at Tyler and pursue a degree in nursing. Both graduates recently signed with their respective colleges to run track at the next level. SALISBURY Rowan-Cabarrus Community College held its 17th annual Student Leadership Awards Banquet recently, presenting awards to 14 outstanding student leaders. The program was held at the colleges North Campus, with students, parents, guests, faculty and staff in attendance. The following students were honored: Elizabeth Avalos received the Outstanding Student Worker Award for her contributions to the achievement of department goals while working as a graphic designer for the Student Recruitment and Retention Department at Rowan-Cabarrus. She made such a positive impact that she was borrowed often by other areas of Student Success Services. Gabrielle Brown was honored with the Eddie H. Myers Leadership Award. Given in honor of Myers, former Rowan-Cabarrus vice president of Student Services, this award recognizes self-discipline, good citizenship, a commitment to lifelong learning, and determination to overcome adversity. Brown maintained a 4.0 GPA while serving as Student Government Association president, a role in which she skillfully advocated for a student population of more than 20,000. Terra Daisey and Carolyn Van Alstyne were the recipients of the TRIO Scholar Award, which honors a student in the TRIO program at North and South Campus who has a 4.0 GPA and demonstrates exemplary engagement in TRIO activities. Taylor Drye was presented with the Golden Leadership Award, having maintained academic excellence while serving as vice president of the Radiography Club, participating in all club meetings and service events as well as attending all Student Government Association meetings. Rodina Eliwa received the Outstanding Community Service Award, which is presented to a student who has done exemplary community service work. In 2022, she performed community service work, maintained a rigorous course load and high grades, served as an Early College student leader, and held down a job. Her community service work included volunteering at local food kitchens, tutoring children whose parents have no access to professional tutoring, packing boxes and care packages for soldiers, and more. Ashley Farthing was recognized as the recipient of the Student Parent Scholar Award, which recognizes a student parent who has overcome unique barriers to succeed academically. She successfully managed pregnancy and childbirth while keeping her grades high and keeping on track to complete her degree. Amber Hall and Noah Mendoza were presented the TRIO Trailblazer Award, which recognizes one TRIO student at each campus who has demonstrated determination and persistence in overcoming challenges and made significant academic improvement. Persephone Houston was honored with the Silver Leadership Award, which goes to a student who maintains high grades and makes a positive impact on the school and community in their first year of service on the Student Government Executive Board. Houston has maintained a 4.0 GPA while staying engaged on campus and advocating for her fellow veterans and their families. Allie Koonts received the Wellness Champion Award for her work as an advocate for mental health and her active involvement in promoting the initiatives of the Student Wellness Center. Kendrick Steele was honored with the TRIO Outstanding Leader Award for exceptional leadership and service to the TRIO Student Advisory Board, where he had perfect attendance as a member, as well as for his engagement in the overall TRIO learning community. LaNyia West was honored with the Engaged Leader Award for demonstrating leadership in various ways across the College. She has served as a leader on the TRIO Advisory Council, as a Career and Academic Advising Work-Study student, and as a Student Wellness advocate. Jon Crockett, an instructor of Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technologies, was the recipient of the Student Champion and Supporter Award, which recognizes faculty, staff, alumni or other supporters of Rowan-Cabarrus. The award is presented to a person who serves as a positive mentor and significantly supports students in pursuit of their personal, professional and academic goals. It is a pleasure to recognize these outstanding student leaders, who are not only leaving their mark on Rowan-Cabarrus but will one day become leaders of their community and perhaps beyond, said Rowan-Cabarrus Vice President of Student Success Natasha Lipscomb. We are intentional about offering students opportunities outside the classroom to experience personal growth through leadership and service. For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, please visit www.rccc.edu or call 704-216-RCCC (7222). COMPANY NEWS: Aveva, a global leader in industrial software, driving digital transformation and sustainability, announced that it has been positioned in the Leaders Category in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Process Manufacturing Execution System 2023 Vendor Assessment (doc # EUR150526323, April 2023). According to the IDC MarketScape, Aveva MES is a model-driven solution that supports the modelling of operational workflows, production processes, and equipment. This configurable business process management approach enables standardization of operational processes across multisite operations and provides a centralized management platform for data analysis with visualization. In explaining the strengths of Aveva MES, the report said, The model-driven and process-based approach have been some of Aveva's core strengths for a long time now. This is a differentiator for the company, aligning with the needs of core industries served by Aveva. Over time, the company also built a comprehensive core domain knowledge in process manufacturing both through the manufacturing execution side and the plant design optimization. These capabilities are essential to drive digital transformation (DX) across the asset and operational life cycle for capital-intensive industries. These features, together with a strong momentum in innovation toward a new cloud architecture, will contribute toward Aveva's long-term success in process manufacturing. IDC Manufacturing Insights associate research director Lorenzo Veronesi said, Companies in continuous process or batch and hybrid manufacturing sectors should consider a manufacturing execution system that provides strong operational agility across multiple facilities and locations has. Aveva vice president of operations management software Keith Chambers said Were proud that Aveva has been recognised as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Process Manufacturing Execution System Software Providers 2023 Vendor Assessment. Manufacturers continue to see every link in their value chains massively disrupted. With this assessment, they can be assured Aveva MES will bridge the business-to-plant collaboration gap and improve the efficiency of their manufacturing networks by proving agility and resilience at a time when it is desperately needed. The IDC MarketScape noted the following among a list of Aveva's distinctive MES capabilities: Model-based approach: Avevas MES includes a built-in full business process management (BPM) functionality. Pre-configured workflow templates provide a reusable option for execution of business logic in standard operator workflows. This enables multi-site standardization and deployment, standardization of global key performance indicators (KPIs), industrial best practices, and continuous improvement. Production optimization analysis: Aveva Insight is a cloud-based tool in which native AI cloud capabilities/models sit and data is analyzed to provide predictive warnings and prescriptive actions. In the future, the company intends to deliver artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) capabilities for Aveva MES as value-added cloud services in Aveva Insight by connecting on-premises Aveva MES and PI System historical data to the cloud. Breadth of adjacent solutions: Aveva provides a broad range of solutions to complement its MES product functionalities including asset performance management and value chain optimization (integrated production planning, scheduling and execution capabilities). Aveva System Platform and the Aveva PI System are also integrated with MES to enable agnostic device and control system connectivity for production event detection and automatic and semi-automatic data collection. Aveva has a significant presence in process manufacturing, food and beverage and consumer packaged goods sectors, with key references cited in the report including Danone, Henkel, Valmet Automotive, Barry Callebaut, and Borg Manufacturing. In February, Aveva launched its Aveva Manufacturing Execution System 2023, which helps standardise and introduce best practice more quickly and at scale, to improve operational and cost efficiency and promote sustainability. The new product also promotes increased supply chain resilience and agility with unified visibility, reporting and KPIs across multi-site operations. A complimentary copy of the report excerpt is available from the Aveva company website at https://engage.Aveva.com/IDC-MarketScape-Worldwide-Process-Manufacturing-Execution-Systems.html. About IDC MarketScape IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilises a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendors position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors. About Aveva Aveva is a global leader in industrial software, sparking ingenuity to drive responsible use of the worlds resources. The companys secure industrial cloud platform and applications enable businesses to harness the power of their information and improve collaboration with customers, suppliers and partners. Over 20,000 enterprises in over 100 countries rely on Aveva to help them deliver lifes essentials: safe and reliable energy, food, medicines, infrastructure and more. By connecting people with trusted information and AI-enriched insights, Aveva enables teams to engineer efficiently and optimise operations, driving growth and sustainability. Named as one of the worlds most innovative companies, Aveva supports customers with open solutions and the expertise of more than 6,400 employees, 5,000 partners and 5,700 certified developers. With operations around the globe, Aveva is headquartered in Cambridge, UK. Learn more at www.aveva.com. The N.C. Senate appears set to take up legislation permitting a three-year pilot program allowing civilian investigators in three Triad cities to handle minor traffic accidents. The latest version of House Bill 140, titled Civilian Traffic Investigations/Pilot, was approved May 3 by a 113-4 vote. HB140 has primary sponsors that include Reps. John Faircloth and Jon Hardister, both R-Guilford, and Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth. The bill covers Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Burlington and Greenville. If signed into law, the pilot would begin July 1. If the Senate State and Local Government committee addresses HB140 at noon Tuesday, it would be the first Senate consideration of civilian traffic investigators legislation. A similar bill in 2021 cleared the House, but was not taken up by a Senate committee. However, the legislature is in the final weeks stage where committee leadership could employ the gut-and-replacement method for inserting new often controversial language into a bill that has already passed the other chamber. The foremost example so far in the 2023 session is Senate Bill 20. The bill went from bipartisan language amending the states infant safe surrender law to the Republican-sponsored and divisive abortion-restriction bill that became law after GOP legislators used their super-majorities in both chambers to override Democratic Gov. Roy Coopers veto. Background The focus of HB140 is allowing municipalities to hire and utilize those investigators to address accidents involving only property damage, including authority to have a vehicle towed or removed from the accident site if it is obstructing a public street or highway. Representatives from the N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police told the Judiciary 2 committee that its membership is in favor of HB140. The civilian traffic investigators bill was included in the City Councils 2023 legislative priorities package, which was approved by council on Nov. 14, Winston-Salem city attorney Angela Carmon said in March. Faircloth said that includes allowing sheriff offices to utilize the investigators as well. Faircloth said that ideally retired law-enforcement officers would be among those recruited to serve as civilian investigators. Civilian investigators would not be allowed to write citations in HB140. The cities would be authorized to create a civic traffic investigator program through July 2026, Hardister said. In February 2026, the cities would be required to report the status of their program to a joint legislative oversight committee. The report would include: the number of crash investigations performed by civilian traffic investigators; the number of traffic incidents that a sworn law enforcement officer responded to after being first handed by a civilian traffic investigator; the cost per city of the pilot program; and data on how many hours were saved by the use of civilian traffic investigators instead of sworn law enforcement personnel. The legislature could then decide whether or not they want to make the program permanent and possibly extend it statewide, Hardister said. Faircloth said that civilian investigators would be able to call in law enforcement either in person or by video conference if a citation is warranted. Main HB140 details According to HB140, a report completed by a civilian traffic investigator shall be treated the same as if it were completed by a law enforcement officer. However, only law enforcement would be able to investigate a crash involving alcohol, personal injury or a fatality. Civilian traffic investigators would be issued credentials, but no badges or weapons, by the city. They would wear a uniform color substantially different in color and style from a local police officer. The civilian traffic investigator would be required to produce those credentials when requested by a member of the public involved in or a witness to a crash. Their vehicle may have emergency equipment and lights installed, but shall not use blue lights in any manner or form. Red and amber lights are permissible. According to state statute 20-166.1, if a motor vehicle accident happens in a city or town, drivers are required to call the local police department. If the accident occurs outside a city or town, drivers must call the N.C. Highway Patrol or the county sheriffs office. The latest version added that the N.C. Justice Academy would develop a uniform statewide training program for civilian traffic investigators. 336-727-7376 @rcraverWSJ The Daily Minute is the Journal Star's morning news briefing where you can get the latest news in about a minute each weekday. Previous Daily Minute videos are archived here. Good morning, Lincoln. Here are this morning's top headlines. Off Leash Its opening comes a week before Lincoln's second dog bar Urban Hound is scheduled to open at 48th and Van Dorn streets. Off Leash is housed in a former auto body shop. Its high ceilings, 8,000-square-feet of indoor and outdoor space provide dogs with plenty of room to play. The outdoor area features a child's pool and AstroTurf to run on. Inside, polished concrete floors and a garage door that is open in the summer allows them to run inside and out. Meanwhile, a number of tables, both inside and out, offer dog owners a place to sit and relax with a drink while their dogs play. Data center project Lincolns Google data center project appears to still be moving forward, even as the company pauses other projects elsewhere. Some work has occurred over the past few months at the site on the northwest corner of the 56th Street interchange on Interstate 80, and some public filings suggest additional work is likely to happen soon. Google has never publicly announced it is the company that has proposed the large data center, but the entity that filed for tax incentives is one of the companys subsidiaries. The data center project, originally proposed in 2019, showed a phased build-out that could include as much as 2 million feet of building space and 960 employees at the site by 2040. Veteran to be honored And, after 51 years, a Lincoln pilot who went missing in action during the Vietnam War will be buried today at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery. Larry Alfred Zich, who was 24 when the helicopter he was co-piloting went missing on April 3, 1972, will be interred with full military honors at 10 a.m. To honor Zich, several groups will be in attendance. A flyover will be conducted by the Nebraska National Guard. Thats it for Monday, June 5. Stay in the know with Lincolns longest-standing news source at JournalStar.com., well see you back here tomorrow. Top Journal Star photos for May 2023 Sometime in the summer of 1825, Fort Atkinson lost its sawmill to one of the most destructive forces of nature: a tornado. Thus began the recorded history of twisters/cyclones/tornadoes in Nebraska. Whatever you call the storms, they have brought death and damage to big cities and tiny hamlets. Omaha in 1913 and 1975. Grand Island in 1980. Those are the granddaddies of them all. Yet, none of them wiped out a town the way Meridian was in 1875. Sweetwater in 1890. Herman in 1899. Ralston and Berlin (now Otoe) in 1913. Primrose in 1965. Hallam in 2004. The communities of Wisner and Pilger in 2014. "There was a roar like a thousand cars on the rails. The house, which was bolted down to the foundation lifted from the walls and settled back," a woman told the Blair Pilot-Tribune about surviving the Herman tornado. "Our party crawled out of a small hole safe, but such a scene of devastation. "The house was windowless, warped and twisted, and the inside all covered with sandy mud. In the backyard was a carriage and a dead horse and the debris of other homes. We were happy to be alive for others were less fortunate." From searching ever-increasing sources of digitalized publications many in the History Nebraska microfilm collection comes the most comprehensive list of tornadoes reported to strike populated areas in the state. More than 350. Partly because they cover the most area, Omaha and Lincoln rank 1 and 2, with 35 and 20 respectively. Lincoln has avoided the most damaging ones. Omaha hasn't. Other large cities are in the top 10 Grand Island (seven), North Platte (six), Beatrice, Hastings and Kearney (five apiece) and Bellevue and Fremont (four apiece). Hebron also has had four tornadoes. The last one to strike that south-central community, in 1953, wiped out the business district and half the homes in Hebron. Some villages absorbed worse fates. A sampling: The Santee Agency on the Missouri River near the present town of Santee saw its mission building and hospital among the buildings leveled on June 1, 1870. Meridian, near Fairbury, was abandoned after its 1875 destruction. A consolidated school name restored its name. Sweetwater, near Kearney, wiped out, its six buildings gone. Unlike Meridian, Sweetwater is still on the state road map and has city signs on Nebraska 2. Herman, north of Blair, lost its downtown and 90% of its homes. Nenzel, then home to 43 people in Cherry County, had all buildings damaged in 1962. Wolbach, north of Grand Island, was 70% damaged in 1964. Primrose, southwest of Albion, was 90% destroyed the next year. Magnet, southeast of Yankton, South Dakota, took a direct hit on May 6, 1975 the same day as the Omaha twister. Then nearly 30 years went by before a tornado smashed Hallam, 20 miles southwest of Lincoln, in May 2014. The most recent town wrecker cut a wide swath through Pilger, east of Norfolk, on June 16, 2014. Three-fourths of the structures in the town of 360 were destroyed from the storm, which stirred up parallel twisters. Two died, a 5-year-old girl fleeing a mobile home and a 74-year-old motorist from Clarkson was killed while he was making business deliveries. The deaths are the state's most recent from tornadoes. The three most deadly twisters were on the same day March 23, 1913. They were part of five tornadoes that spun up that Easter afternoon in eastern Nebraska according to a 1914 report in American Geographical Society compiled by two UNL professors and all crossed the Missouri River into Iowa. Omaha's tornado killed 116 in the city (based on contemporary research). Nineteen people died on the north side of Yutan, in Saunders County. Twelve perished in Berlin (renamed Otoe), in Otoe County. Most of Berlin was destroyed. So was Ralston, where there were seven deaths. Other fatalities were near Mead in Saunders County, DeSoto in Washington County and Rock Bluff and Nehawka in Cass County. The death toll, including an estimated 25 in Iowa, was 192. All struck without warning. The first official tornado warning was issued in 1948 at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. Before 1950, the U.S. Weather Bureau at times strongly discouraged and sometimes prohibited "tornado" to be used in forecasts because of a fear that even a mention could cause panic. As technology, research and reporting improved, so did discerning the damage between tornadoes and straight-line winds. The Fujita scale of measuring tornado strength was introduced in 1971. Before the modern era, which starts with 1950, it was up to local observers or newspapers to determine the nature of the winds. Such as for a storm that struck the western city limits of Omaha on June 3, 1925. Millard V. Robins, the city's Weather Bureau meteorologist for 46 years, initially didn't consider it a tornado because winds at the downtown weather station never exceeded 20 miles an hour. Only after Robins visited the damaged areas the following day did he upgrade his assessment from a "severe squall" to tornado. Interestingly, in 1975, the Omaha office of the National Weather Service did not include 1925 in its list of tornadoes hitting the city. Great care was made in analyzing the pre-1950 storms. There may be a few either way, straight-line winds listed as tornadoes or tornadoes not included, since newspaper reporting was used in large measure. WASHINGTON The pilot of a business jet that flew over Washington and crashed in a remote part of Virginia appeared to be slumped over and unresponsive, three U.S. officials said Monday, recounting observations by fighter pilots who intercepted the wayward flight. The revelations came as federal investigators trudged through rugged terrain to reach the site where the plane slammed into a mountain Sunday, killing four people. The officials who said that the fighter pilots saw the civilian pilot slumped over had been briefed on the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the military operation. The planes owner told news outlets that his daughter and 2-year-old granddaughter were aboard. On Sunday, the New York-bound plane took an erratic flight path inexplicably, turning around over Long Island to fly directly over the nation's capital prompted the military to scramble fighter jets. This caused a sonic boom heard in Washington, Maryland and Virginia. Remote terrain around the crash site posed major challenges to the investigation. It took investigators several hours to hike into the rural area near the community of Montebello, about 60 miles southwest of Charlottesville, said NTSB spokesperson Eric Weiss. They expect to be on the scene for at least three to four days. Speaking at a briefing Monday morning, NTSB investigator Adam Gerhardt said the wreckage is highly fragmented and investigators will examine the most delicate evidence at the site, after which the wreckage will be moved, perhaps by helicopter, to Delaware, where it can be further examined. The plane is not required to have a flight recorder but it is possible that there are other avionics equipment that will have data that they can examine, Gerhardt said. The Virginia State Police issued a statement saying that because of the severity of the crash, human remains will be transported to the state medical examiner's office for autopsy and identification. The Federal Aviation Administration said that the victims included the pilot and three passengers but didn't release their names. There were no survivors. Investigators will look at when the pilot became unresponsive and why the aircraft flew the path that it did, Gerhardt said. They will consider several factors that are routinely examined in such probes including the plane, its engines, weather conditions, pilot qualifications and maintenance records, he said. A preliminary report will be released in 10 days. According to a timetable released late Monday by NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Gabris, the plane took off from Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Tennessee at 1:13 p.m. Sunday, headed for MacArthur Airport in Long Island, N.Y. Air Traffic Control lost communication with the airplane during its ascent. Preliminary information indicates the last ATC communication attempt with the airplane was at about 1:28 p.m., when the plane was at 31,000 feet. The plane climbed to 34,000 feet, where it remained for the rest of the flight until 3:23 p.m. when it began to descend and crashed about nine minutes later. The plane was flying at 34,000 feet, when it flew over MacArthur Airport at 2:33 p.m., the NTSB said. The White House expressed its deepest condolences on Monday to the family of those on board the plane. We need to keep them front and center, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said. Kirby deferred questions about a follow-up report on the security response over Washington airspace to the Pentagon and U.S. Secret Service. But he said, What I saw was just a classic, textbook response. The White House was continuously informed as the military jets tried to contact the pilot of the civilian plane and monitored the small aircrafts path from Washington airspace to rural Virginia, Kirby said. Air Traffic Control audio from the half-hour before the plane crashed captures voices that identify themselves as military pilots trying to communicate with the pilot of the private plane, according to recordings on LiveATC.net. If you hear this transmission, contact us, said one pilot who identifies herself as being with the Air National Guard. Several minutes later, a military pilot says: You have been intercepted. Contact me. The plane flew directly over the nation's capital. According to the Pentagon, six F-16 fighter jets were immediately deployed to intercept the plane. Two aircraft from the 113th Fighter Wing, out of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, were the first to reach the Cessna Citation to begin attempts to contact the pilot. Two F-16 aircraft out of New Jersey and two from South Carolina also responded. Flight tracking sites showed the plane suffered a rapid spiraling descent, dropping at one point at a rate of more than 30,000 feet per minute before crashing in the St. Marys Wilderness. The plane that crashed was registered to Encore Motors of Melbourne Inc., which is based in Florida. John Rumpel, a pilot who runs the company, said his family was returning to their home in East Hampton, on Long Island, after visiting his house in North Carolina. In interviews with the Times and Newsday, Rumpel identified his daughter, Adina Azarian, and 2-year-old granddaughter Aria, as two of the victims. Azarian, 49, was well-known in real estate circles both in New York City and Long Island, described by friends and relatives as a fiercely competitive entrepreneur who started her own brokerage and was raising her daughter as a single parent. Being a mom was everything to her, said Tara Brivic-Looper, a close friend who grew up with Azarian on the Upper East Side. That they were together (at the end) is fitting. Two local Omaha news outlets, The Reader and El Perico, will cease publishing by the end of August, according to John Heaston, co-founder, editor and publisher. The Reader, an alternative news outlet, was started in 1994, and El Perico, aimed at serving Omahas Latino community, in 1999. The Reader and El Perico have been together in one print edition since the pandemic. The final issue is set for Sept. 7. Heaston, 52, said the decision is personal, influenced by his battle with leukemia. He was diagnosed in November 2020. The disease took a turn for the worse in 2021. He had a bone marrow stem cell transplant in April of 2022. All of a sudden, life has a different clock, he said. In a message to readers, he suggested the publications could continue in the right hands. He said hes proud of his coverage through the years, including stories on Omaha Together One Community, the Asarco lead refinery, the administration of former Mayor Hal Daub and the disparate impact of closing voter polling places. El Perico was, he said, the original bilingual news source for the Latino community. Im most proud of our time with the partnership with El Perico and all the things that we learned in that relationship. It really drove home, I think, to us, the importance of community media. Heaston said he remains bullish on the state of the media today. I think theres still a lot more destruction, and I think were a part of that, before what really is next finds its footing, he said. He said people should support their local news outlets and journalists. Ive always thought that the stories we told, we were privileged to get them, to share them, he said. And I think thats true of local media. And, you know, the community needs to treasure and share that as well. Top Journal Star photos for May 2023 A forklift operator was seriously injured Monday in a propane tank explosion at a former industrial building owned by Omaha Public Schools. The man suffered burns and was rushed by ambulance to the Nebraska Medical Center. The explosion happened shortly before noon on Monday at the former U.S. Mills Inc. complex at 4301 N. 30th St. An automated fire detector alerted the fire department at 11:59 a.m. The call was upgraded to an explosion while crews were en route. When they arrived at 12:03 p.m., they found the garage doors blown out and the propane bottle burning. The explosion happened when the forklift operator pierced the propane bottle, said Battalion Chief Joe Caniglia of the Omaha Fire Department. Caniglia said firefighters immediately tended to the man, quickly doused the propane bottle and pulled it out of the building. The injured mans name was being withheld. No other people were injured. Caniglia said the extent of the damage has not yet been determined. Two people died Friday night in a head-on collision about 20 miles south of Columbus on U.S. 81. Viola Peace, 60, was pronounced dead at the scene just east of the village of Shelby, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Jesse Vasquez Espinoza, 42, was flown to a Lincoln hospital, where he died. Investigators determined that Espinoza, a North Dakota resident, fell asleep while driving a 1990 Chevrolet pickup westbound on U.S. 81. The pickup veered across the center line and collided with an eastbound 1999 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Peace, a Polk County resident, at about 10 p.m. Sheriff Dwaine Ladwig said both drivers were trapped inside their vehicles and had to be extricated. Espinoza was wearing his seat belt but Peace was not, he said. These are the highways in Nebraska with the most fatalities. These are the highways in Nebraska with the most fatalities. RACINE Racine beachgoers will see lifeguards for the next three months, and there is new equipment this year to assist them. Lifeguards at North Beach along Lake Michigan began their duties Saturday morning. A protected zone of the beach and lake will be guarded from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day for about the next three months. Zoo Beach, directly north of North Beach, will be guarded on weekends starting June 10. Phil Kiley, City of Racine recreation specialist in charge of the lifeguard program, said there are 16 full-time and five part-time lifeguards currently on staff, and he is accepting applications. Lifeguards are employed by the City of Racine Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. There are many first-year lifeguards but several returning employees. We still have a solid core of experienced lifeguards, Kiley said. Im really confident with the staff we have. Additions to help lifeguards this year include remote control buoys that can quickly reach someone in trouble in water. The lifeguard program also has an additional truck and a utility terrain vehicle this year that make it easier to move equipment and guards. The City of Racine noted in a news release that motor boats, windsurfers and floating devices like inner tubes are not allowed in the protected zone overseen by lifeguards. The release said people should swim only in the protected zone. It also said that motorized vehicles, glass containers and fires are not allowed on the beaches. Alcohol is only allowed in the North Beach Oasis area. A Racine family of four was among the many beachgoers Saturday late morning, when temperatures were in the 70s and the sun was shining. The Harvey family arrived at North Beach around 10:30 a.m. Children Miles Harvey and Luca Harvey played in the sand, dipped their toes in the water and relaxed on beach chairs. Parents Chad Harvey and Dena Harvey appreciated being in the protected zone and said lifeguards provide a sense of security, especially now that their sons are old enough to play in the lake. Several lifeguard training sessions occurred leading up to Saturday, so staff were as prepared as possible. Kiley, a lifeguard from 1993-98 and since 2012, said it usually takes a few days to get back into the swing of things, but then returning lifeguards quickly reacquaint themselves with the rhythms of the job. Early June is a hectic time of year, but Kiley looks forward to it and the next three months. Were ready, he said. This is going to be an exciting year. New buoys installed along Lake Michigan in Racine Buoy 1 Buoy 2 Buoy 3 Buoy 4 1. Yes. The traditional date is July 4. The posts celebration should observe that tradition. 2. Yes. Having the celebration 11 days before July 4 likely will diminish the experience. 3. No. The date is not so important, as long as the post honors the spirit of the holiday. 4. No. It gives soldiers and their families the opportunity to take part in multiple celebrations. 5. Unsure. The tradition surrounding July 4 is important, but other factors are involved. Vote View Results NORTH PLATTE A combined effort of several law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest of a Lexington man following multiple pursuits in western Nebraska Friday. The incident began at approximately 9:15 a.m., according to an NSP press release, when the Nebraska State Patrol was informed that the Logan County Sheriffs Office was in pursuit of a vehicle that had fled an attempted traffic stop north of North Platte on Highway 83. The suspect vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, was southbound on Highway 83 at a high rate of speed and drove in the northbound lane at times. The Logan County deputy discontinued the pursuit at the Lincoln County line. Lincoln County Sheriffs deputies and North Platte Police officers picked up the pursuit north of North Platte but discontinued the pursuit out of concern for public safety as the vehicle entered North Platte at a high rate of speed. At approximately 10 a.m., a trooper observed the vehicle traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 and attempted a stop near mile marker 220. The vehicle accelerated and fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit. The Dawson County Sheriffs Office also joined the pursuit. The suspect vehicle exited I-80 at mile marker 231, turned eastbound on Highway 30 and continued toward Lexington. The pursuit was discontinued as the vehicle entered Lexington. NSP dispatchers were able to confirm the address associated with the vehicle registration. Troopers, Dawson County deputies and Lexington Police officers responded to that address and located the vehicle in the driveway. The registered owner of the vehicle exited the residence and attempted to flee on foot. He was quickly apprehended. The driver, Jesus Torres, 42, of Lexington, was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance and obstructing a peace officer. He was lodged in Dawson County Jail. Additional charges are possible in relation to the incidents in Logan and Lincoln counties. With the lakefront waterways filling up, Sunday offered a chance to bless the waters and pray for a boating season filled with safety and fun. The Kenosha Yacht Clubs 65th annual Blessing of the Fleet was held at the Kenosha lakeshore Downtown, but this year it almost didnt happen. Deborah Strouf, Kenosha Yacht Club commodore, cited the April 3 fire at the club, adding they were fortunate that it was caught before it grew too big. It could have been completely devastating to us, Strouf said. We were told if we waited 10 more minutes, we would have lost the entire building and all of the boats that at the time were stored on the dock. Sundays blessing brought together club members, guests and speakers from the community in support of boating safety. They were joined by the Vietnam Veterans Honor Guard, representatives from U.S. Coast Guard Station Kenosha and state Sen. Robert Wirch, among others. Linda Brunet said she came to the blessing not only for the boats to be blessed, but also for the people and safety on the water. It was really good. It was short, concise, doing just what we wanted it to do blessing the lake, the fleet and the people on it, she said. During the ceremony, past commodore Carol Stanley and Wirch placed a wreath near the flagpole commemorating those who have lost their lives on Lake Michigan, all yacht club members as well as the members who have died. Mike Ludtke, president of the Kenosha Yacht Club Foundation, said they are committed to teaching boaters safety as well as bringing in new members. Cindy Altergott, executive director of the Kenosha YMCA, emphasized the importance of boater safety and raising a bigger awareness to teaching everyone the dangers of being on the water. We dont talk about (what do do if you are drowning) enough, Altergott said. We like to say Flip, Float and Follow. Here in Lake Michigan we have currents. We have a tendency to want to fight against that current, but what you should do is flip on your back and float. Follow the current to where its going to take you until it weakens. Altergott said people dont recognize what drowning actually looks like. She said, despite what may be seen in the movies, drowning is often silent without any thrashing, splashing or calling for help. Altergott said she hopes if people feel unsure whether or not to go in the water, they should not go out, and should also make sure everyone understands the environment and conditions before going on the water. After a salute fired by the Vietnam Veterans unit, Rev. Joyce Rinehart from First United Methodist Church and Deacon Terry Maack from St. Peters Parish blessed the fleet, the waters of Lake Michigan and the people. As we enjoy the waters of Lake Michigan, we pray that you grant us these incredible sunrises and sunsets, mysterious cloud formations and, when we are on the waters at night, more stars than we can count, Rinehart said. As the ceremony concluded, Maack, Rinehart and flower girls were escorted by the U.S. Coast Guard to bless the boats in the marina and throw rose petals. I thought it was beautiful. It was really well done. I appreciate everyone that came, Jim Pappas said. More than 300 area riders participated Saturday in the annual Ridin for a Reason motorcycle event to raise awareness and funds to support the fight against breast cancer in the Chippewa Valley. It was a day that honored those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer while raising money to help pay for the mobile mammogram program run by Marshfield Clinic Health System. The 16th annual event began at Loopys Grill and Saloon in Chippewa Falls and traveled along the countryside of western Wisconsin, with stops at Menomonies Cubbys, Downsvilles Timber Inn, Durands Corral Bar and Riverside Grill and Mondovis Hide-A-While Bar before the bikers headed back to Loopys. The event has raised more than $219,000 over the years to help support Marshfields mobile mammography program, a service that brings state-of-the-art mammography screenings to women in rural communities across the northern half of Wisconsin. About 7,000 women in rural Wisconsin were served by the mobile mammograms in 2023, the clinic reports. Of those, 45 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 from the mobile mammograms. For William Loopy Kleich, the event is personal. He lost his wife, Lori, to breast cancer in 2017. Now he leads the ride every year but not before letting two balloons go from a bike. The balloons honor a wife and friend who ultimately died from cancer. I had a group of friends who came to me looking for a sponsor to do the event. And of course, I jumped on board right away because of the cause, said Kleich. And now we start and end the event at Loopys every year, and I have the honor and privilege of leading that ride every year to honor my wife. Kleich said he and his wife rode motorcycles together and he misses that time, with her by his side. He said his biggest fear is people will forget who his wife was. She was just an incredible lady, he said. Lori was from Cadott, and the pair met when Kleich was manager of The View on Lake Wissota. In 2012, Lori was diagnosed with breast cancer. Kleich said medical professionals only gave her weeks to live, but she survived another five years. He said her cancer was misdiagnosed for about six months because someone read her mammogram wrong, and thats part of the reason he wants to help lead the charge in the fight against breast cancer. The cancer was devastating to the pair, and Kleich still has a hard time talking about the loss of his spouse. In some ways, it brought us a lot closer, he said. I never saw anybody fight so hard in my life. But everything I have is because of her. Marshfield Clinic Health System gift officer Brooke Petska said the main focus of the Ridin for a Reason event is to raise funds for the mobile mammography program, which provides mammograms to women all across the state, specifically in rural areas where they might not have access to a mammography unit nor the transportation necessary to get to a medical provider for the service. Really this unit is there to provide access to women who might not otherwise have access to a mammogram, Petska said. Nearly 25 years ago, Marshfield Clinic recognized women living in rural areas were not getting screened for breast cancer at the same rate as women living closer to urban areas, so it developed the first mammography unit on a mobile platform in Wisconsin to help address this disparity in rural communities. Today, Marshfields mobile mammography service has three mobile mammography units providing service year-round across the state. Breast cancer deaths have been cut nearly in half over the last 20 years. We know early detection is key. The mobile mammography program has had a tremendous impact for rural Wisconsin women, and this has only been possible because of support from groups like Ridin for a Reason, Petska said. Petska said she thinks everyone is touched by breast cancer. We all have family members or friends or co-workers or neighbors that have been directly impacted by breast cancer. And so this event matters and has an impact because it touches everybody, she said. I mean, somebody could walk by you on the street right now that you dont know and you dont know their story, but theres a really good chance that either theyve personally been impacted by it or they have someone in their life thats been impacted by it. Ridin for a Reason event organizer Mike Keil said the event is incredible. Nothing raises awareness for breast cancer like 300 motorcycles, many wearing pink in honor of a wife, sister or mother of another loved one who has fought breast cancer, thundering through the Chippewa Valley, he said. Breast cancer touches nearly everyone in some way, and we get together every year to have a little fun doing something we love and raise money for a cause that we know will ultimately benefit someone we love. Kiel said that Ridin for a Reason has had people come to the ride and saw how easy it was to take advantage of the mobile mammography. They took advantage of it, stuff was found and they were taken care of very, very early with great prognosis. So when you touch lives like that and have fun doing the thing you like to do the best, its a great fit, he said. Kleich said he rides to honor his wife but also to get the word out that these services exist. The mobile unit will go to farmland in Amish country, workplaces, factories and just about anywhere rural. I mean, get the mammograms, go do your Pap smears, all the things that need to get done to check this out because early detection is really the key, and I cant stress that enough, Kleich said. Weve had people that have gone on the ride and because of the ride have gone in and had tests and detected cancer and they ride with us every year now and tell their story. Im just honored that I get to be part of it. And I get to honor my wife every year, he said. PHOTOS: Ridin for a Reason Close Bikers gather Saturday for Ridin for a Reason at Loopys Grill and Saloon in Chippewa Falls. The event raises funds for mobile mammograms in rural Wisconsin. The Ridin for a Reason event on Saturday raised funding for mobile mammograms in rural Wisconsin. The Ridin for a Reason event on Saturday raised funding for mobile mammograms in rural Wisconsin. +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 Five public libraries in Vernon County are partnering with the Driftless Writing Center for the seventh annual Vernon County Reads adult reading program. Beginning June 12, residents are encouraged to stop by their local public library to check out books in the Northern Lakes mystery series by Wisconsin author Jeff Nania. The four-book series will engage readers with a variety of twists and turns as we follow a storyline featuring former law enforcement officer John Cabrelli. Vernon County Reads will conclude with a presentation by Nania on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. at the Coon Valley Legion Hall. Admission to the event is free of charge. Copies of the books will be available for purchase at the book signing immediately following the program. In his Northern Lakes mystery series, Nania draws upon his years serving as a decorated sheriffs deputy and in-depth knowledge of Wisconsins natural resource issues to weave together stories that keeps readers wondering who is on the right side of the law in the small town of Musky Falls. Figure Eight, the first book in the series, was a winner of the Midwest Book Awards. Spider Lake is the second book in the series and was recognized by the Midwest Book Awards, Independent Publisher Book Awards, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Book three, Bough Cutter, was released in 2021, and book four, Musky Run, was published in spring 2023. For more information about this event, contact McIntosh Memorial Library at 608-637-7151 or www.mcintoshmemoriallibrary.org. Information is also available through the Driftless Writing Center at 608-492-1669 or driftlesswritingcenter@gmail.com. Mai Kamolchanok Yingneuk is a 2010 graduate of Westerns graphic design program, and in 2023, shes still a key member of Western Technical Colleges Graphic Design Academic Advisory Committee. Sandwiched between those two facts is a wonderful story about finding your true self and following your dreams, even if its not the easiest path. Mai is from Bangkok, Thailand, one of the largest cities in the world. Bangkok is a highly populated, competitive, bustling, fast-paced and chaotic place; its also brightly beautiful with elegant architecture and sublime religious shrines. Mai first came to the U.S. in 2006 as an exchange student and spent her senior year of high school in Whitehall, Wisconsin a place more strikingly different from home is hard to find. A true clash of cultures followed, and surprisingly, or maybe not, Wisconsin was the one that captured Mais imagination and heart. She loved Whitehall and became an essential part of an extended and loving host family with many close friends. Mai didnt know it yet, but she would end up marrying a charming boy from Whitehall; she is currently in her 12th year of a wonderful marriage. After Whitehalls high school graduation, Mai went home to Thailand to explore her interests and start college. She has always loved art, beauty and creativity. Relatively early in life, the peace and outside-of-time flow she experiences while working creatively proved addictive. From painting, design, photography and website creation, she could see the exciting career possibilities. The academic peer pressure in Thailand is intense and laser-focused on math and science, and neither was appealing to her. According to Mai, college in Thailand is too focused on STEM while holding art and creativity as a hobby. Art and design certainly werent a respected nor viable course of study. Mai saw this as wrong-headed and approached her life accordingly. She couldnt study art the way she wanted to at home; at 18, she packed her bags and came to America again. Her parents are both retired teachers and are serious about academics. They werent thrilled with the idea of Mai leaving home for foreign lands again, but they supported their daughter as she decidedly ventured off. Mai notes that since her college years, Thai attitudes toward art and design are enjoying a major upswing in levels of popularity and importance. So different from La Crosse, Mai was happy to leave the unhealthy climate of competition behind. She did not miss getting up at 5 a.m. and eating breakfast in the car to beat the traffic. She knew she wanted to be back in this uniquely beautiful area. Of course, there is the vast and tedious issue of visas, green cards, voluminous paperwork, sponsorships and host families. We have no idea just how much work there is to do before the academics even begin. She explored school options and chose Western for its graphic design program. Westerns international specialist Max Vang was supportive, organized, necessary and helpful. Mais time at Western was warm and wonderful; she describes it as a caring family. As an international student learning English, she was self-conscious about her speaking, but she never needed to be. She effortlessly formed collaborative friendships as they learned together. To Mais surprise and pleasure, folks noticed and celebrated her creativity here. She took solace in the inspirational instruction. The creative director from a local agency saw Mais work at Westerns Portfolio Review and was impressed. Portfolio Review is a capstone project for graphic designers; the soon-to-be graduating students display and discuss their entire body of work. At the same time, Mai was sadly packing her bags for home when she got a call Would she like to interview for a creative position at Interact? She sure did, and she got the job. Mai thought, Now what do I do? Its tricky with the work visa. She talked to Max, Interact offered to sponsor her, and her parents said, Go for it! She didnt want to leave her future husband. After five years in the U.S. with a green card, you are legally a citizen. Since graduating from Western in 2010, shes worked at Interact, just a few blocks from the Western campus. Interact, headquartered in La Crosse, is a marketing agency specifically for two-year and technical colleges across the nation. She started as a graphic designer, and her role has grown from there shes been the creative director for eight years already. Mai explains that Interacts founder, Pam Cox Otto, is a key contributing factor to her career success. Ottos belief in Mai combined with smart support and guidance enabled her growth, She believed in me before I did, and she changed my life, Mai states. As an exchange student struggling to learn English under pressure, shes accustomed to working twice as hard to communicate and understand, but it has become one of her strengths. She can convey complex messages using as few words as possible; its a honed talent. A picture is worth a thousand words while using exactly zero. Mais goal at Interact is to show the many success stories typical of technical and community colleges. She has lived the ultimate success story and wants to encourage others to do the same. Mai thinks, If we are not learning, we are going backward. Focusing on leadership skills, shes acquired a business management degree from UW-Stout, which she describes as the other side of art in a complementary way. Mai graduated summa cum laude while working full time. Mai is guiding co-workers and leading teams while communicating strategies and project particulars: she discovered she loves teaching, just like her parents. Mai plans to keep growing, learning and getting better at what she does. Communication skills are useful always and everywhere. Connecting with her team is uplifting. Even though theyre working from home permanently, her Interact connections are still a draw like-minded folks creating together as part of something bigger. Mai loves La Crosses outdoor-focused community since she shares the same enthusiasm for using the bluffs, forests, rivers and miles of hiking trails. Canoeing in the Driftless Region is a favorite hobby. She enjoys canoeing even though she cant swim. Shes comfortable relying on the security of a quality life preserver. She looks forward to her yearly recharging trip with her husband on a technology-free Boundary Waters excursion. Physical exertion, solitude and mental peace are natures gift readily available for the taking in the Midwest. Mai visits her family as often as possible. Her younger sister, Pim, lives in Bangkok and runs her own business selling Japanese kitchenware. Her parents are retired and live outside of Bangkok; she misses her two dogs: old lady Kola and Otis the golden retriever. Mai talks about her parents as role models because they encouraged her to explore the world her way. They still say, We trust you to make good choices. Her parents worked very hard as teachers and are thoughtfully intentional with their words. Perennially the educators, they are always pushing books to read. Mai adores that about them and cherishes that love and respect, I trust you will do good with it. Often, thats all it takes. Prince Harrys showdown with the publisher of the Daily Mirror has kicked off without him in court, and the judge was not happy. Harrys lawyer said he wouldn't be available to testify following opening statements on Monday because he took a flight from Los Angeles on Sunday after the birthday of his 2-year-old daughter, Lilibet. The judge noted he'd directed Harry to be there for the first day of his case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror. Its the first of the Duke of Sussex's several lawsuits against the media to go to trial and one of three alleging tabloid publishers unlawfully snooped on him. Mirror Group Newspapers has denied the allegations. California and Texas ranked highest on the United States Postal Services annual list of states with the most dog bites against its employees, the USPS announced. The report calls attention to the aggressive dog behavior mail carriers often face as the USPS kicks off National Dog Bite Awareness Week. In 2022, California had the highest number of dog bites with 675. Texas and New York were not far behind with 404 and 321 bites, respectively, the Postal Service reported. When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a good dog that had not previously behaved in a menacing way, USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo said in a news release. Houston, Los Angeles and Dallas ranked highest among US cities with the most dog attacks against USPS workers last year, according to the USPS. More than 5,300 USPS employees were attacked by dogs during mail deliveries last year, according to the Postal Service. The annual public service awareness campaign, accompanied by the hashtag #dogbiteawareness, runs through next week. When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack, Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager, said in the release. Keeping Postal Service workers safe The USPS trains its mail carriers not to startle dogs, to avoid petting or feeding them and to place something between themselves and the animal like their mail satchel if a dog does attack, the postal said in a news release. Since most people know the general time their mail arrives each day, the USPS advised keeping dogs secure before Postal Service employees stop by. Other advice for dog owners, according to the USPS: Place pets on a leash, keep them in the house or behind a fence and make sure theyre away from the door. The Postal Service also advises parents to not allow children to take mail directly from mail carriers, as the dog may view it as a threat to the childs safety. The top 10 most popular dog breeds in America 1. French bulldogs 2. Labrador retrievers 3. Golden retrievers 4. Golden shepherds 5. Poodles 6. Bulldogs 7. Rottweilers 8. Beagles 9. Dachshunds 10. German shorthaired pointers LONDON (AP) A broken thumb, a back injury, dabbling with drugs and dating girls. No event in the life of a young Prince Harry was too trivial or private for the journalists of Mirror Group Newspapers to resist, and the demand for such scoops led to the use of illegal means to dig up the dirt, his lawyer said Monday in opening statements in his phone hacking lawsuit. Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds and there was no protection from these unlawful information-gathering methods, attorney David Sherborne said. Harry's highly anticipated showdown with the publisher of the Daily Mirror in his battles with the British press was anticlimactic when the star of the show failed to turn up to the chagrin of the judge and defense lawyer. The Duke of Sussex was unavailable to testify that afternoon because hed taken a flight from Los Angeles after the birthday of his 2-year-old daughter, Lilibet, on Sunday, Sherborne said. Im a little surprised, said Justice Timothy Fancourt, noting he had directed Harry to be in court for the first day of his case if time allowed for him to begin testifying. Mirror Groups lawyer, Andrew Green, said he was deeply troubled by Harrys absence, adding he'd need a day and a half to cross-examine the prince. The case against Mirror Group is the first of the princes several lawsuits against the media to go to trial, and one of three alleging tabloid publishers unlawfully snooped on him in their cutthroat competition for scoops on the royal family. When he enters the witness box, Harry, 38, will be the first member of the British royal family in more than a century to testify in court. He is expected to describe his anguish and anger over being hounded by the media throughout his life, and its impact on those around him. He has blamed paparazzi for causing the car crash that killed his mother, Princess Diana, and said harassment and intrusion by the U.K. press, including allegedly racist articles, led him and his wife, Meghan, to flee to the U.S. in 2020 and leave royal life behind. Mirror Group has admitted using a private investigator to target Harry, but only once. Sherborne said phone hacking and forms of unlawful information-gathering were carried out on such a widespread scale that this was implausible. The ends justify the means for the defendant, Sherborne said. Stories about Harry were big sellers for the newspapers, and some 2,500 articles had covered all facets of his life from injuries at school to experimenting with marijuana and cocaine to the ups and downs with girlfriends, Sherborne said. Mirror Group has said it used documents, public statements and sources to legally report on the prince. But Sherborne said the judge could infer that Mirror journalists eavesdropped on voicemails and hired private eyes to report on Harry as they did on others that have been documented. The articles at issue in the trial date back to his 12th birthday, in 1996, when the Mirror reported he felt badly about the divorce of his mother and father, now King Charles III. Harry said in court documents that he suffered huge bouts of depression and paranoia over concerns that friends and associates were betraying him by leaking information to the newspapers. Relationships fell apart as the women in his life and even their family members were dragged into the chaos. He says he later discovered the source wasn't disloyal friends but aggressive journalists and the private investigators they hired to eavesdrop on voicemails and track him to locations as remote as Argentina and an island off Mozambique. Mirror Group Newspapers said it didn't hack Harry's phone and its articles were based on legitimate reporting techniques. The publisher admitted and apologized for hiring a private eye to dig up dirt on one of Harry's nights out at a bar, but the resulting 2004 article headlined Sex on the beach with Harry" is not among the 33 in the trial. Hacking that involved guessing or using default security codes to listen to celebrities cell phone voice messages was widespread at British tabloids in the early years of this century. It became an existential crisis for the industry after the revelation in 2011 that the News of the World had hacked the phone of a slain 13-year-old girl. Owner Rupert Murdoch shut down the paper and several of his executives faced criminal trials. Mirror Group has paid more than 100 million pounds ($125 million) to settle hundreds of unlawful information-gathering claims, and printed an apology to phone hacking victims in 2015. But it denies executives including Piers Morgan, who was editor of the Daily Mirror editor between 1995 and 2004 knew about hacking. Harry's fury at the U.K. press and sometimes at his own royal relatives for what he sees as their collusion with the media runs through his memoir, Spare, and interviews conducted by Oprah Winfrey and others. His claims will face a tough audience in court when he is cross-examined by Mirror Group's attorney. The opening statements marked the second phase of a trial by Harry and three others that alleged privacy violations. In the first part, Sherborne, who represents Harry and the other claimants, including two actors from the soap opera Coronation Street," said the unlawful acts were widespread and habitual at the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, and carried out on an industrial scale. Two judges including Fancourt are in the process of deciding whether Harrys two other phone hacking cases will proceed to trial. Murdochs News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and Associated Newspapers Ltd., which owns the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, have argued the cases should be thrown out because Harry failed to file the lawsuits within a six-year deadline of discovering the alleged wrongdoing. Wildfires in Canada may continue to impact air quality in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin depending on weather patterns. The air quality index hit the unhealthy category the morning of Monday, June 5, in La Crosse, Chippewa Falls and Winona, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. We dont get to that unhealthy (air quality index) very often, said Craig Czarnecki, outreach coordinator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. A high pressure system pushed wildfire smoke from Quebec in Canada westward into Wisconsin and Minnesota, causing Mondays alerts. Before May 2023, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources had not issued an alert for wildfire smoke impact since 2012. Air quality has not reached levels considered unhealthy for all in Winona since 2021. This summer is setting up to be potentially a very active one, said Matt Taraldsen, supervisory meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This is likely to continue through the summer because the wildfires are burning in the areas of Canada still. The Quebec fires are distinct from fires in Alberta, northwest of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Smoke from Alberta wildfires in May created unhealthy air conditions in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Those fires continue to burn, its just that we havent had the weather patterns to push that smoke down, said Taraldsen. Canadas wildfires also arrived before many trees typically green, leaving forests more susceptible to future fires. Smoke also does not dissipate as fast in the local region due to a distinct geography of high bluffs above low rivers. Smoke likes to settle in that and when that happens, the atmosphere has to work harder to push that smoke out. River valleys are always one of the tough ones. Its the same reason why fog will form there and stay there longer, said Taraldsen. Czarnecki said that ground-level ozone, which can harm human health, is typically associated with summer air quality advisories. Motor vehicles drive emissions of the organic compounds that form ozone. Those need heat and sunlight to chemically react in the air to form ozone, said Czarnecki. An air quality alert covering Winona and Houston counties is in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 6. The Wisconsin alert ended at midnight. Fine particles from wood smoke can enter the lungs and cause symptoms including difficulty breathing, irritated eyes and throat, headaches and chest pain. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recommends everyone reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor activities when pollutant concentrations are this high. Current air quality readings are available from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at airquality.wi.gov/home/map and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at www.pca.state.mn.us/air-water-land-climate/current-air-quality-conditions. A local 98-year-old veteran recently shared his life story in an audiobook. Lee Hayles of Elkhorn recently published and narrated his own audiobook, "The Southern Country Boy." The book is available for purchase on www.audible.com and www.amazon.com. Hayles published "The Southern Country Boy" to serve as a memoir for his friends and family members. In the book, Hayles talks about his experiences growing up in the south during the Great Depression, serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, joining the Civilian Conservation Corps, moving to the Midwest and establishing his own printing business. "I narrate everything that's in the book," Hayles said. "I narrate the whole thing all the way through." Sal Dimiceli Sr., Hayles' son-in-law, said Hayles goes into great detail about his experiences in the Navy during World War II. "He goes through this whole thing about everything he did in World War II and what he did on the planes," Dimiceli said. "He talks about how he was educated in the Navy and how he went to Hawaii after the Pearl Harbor bombing." Dimiceli said Hayles talks about his childhood, the different things he experienced in his life and how he became interested in the printing industry. "The rest of the book is his whole history from when he grew up, and he takes you through the decades of different things he experienced, how he grew up on a farm in Mississippi and the different things they did to survive," Dimiceli said. "He goes through his education and how he went from learning the printing business, working for other people and owning a 30,000 square-foot printing plant." "The Southern Country Boy" was published in October 2022. Hayles said it took about four months to publish the book, and his grandson, Sean Dimiceli helped him edit it. "My grandson wanted to get it published, and it took numerous times where they would have to do this or they would have to do that," Hayles said. "I think it was close to four and a half months before it actually got published." Dimiceli said his son spent several weeks removing the pauses from the audiobook as part of the editing process. "They rejected the book for publishing, because it had all these pauses in it. When you go to Audible, it has to be very fluent with no pauses," Dimiceli said. "My son had to go through and remove all the pauses, and it took him weeks and weeks. Now, it's like night and day. The book really flows. It keeps your interest." Hayles said he appreciates the work his grandson put into helping him produce the book. "My grandson worked hard, because he had to take all the pauses out and all that kind of stuff," he said. Hayles said he enjoyed producing the book even though it was a lot of work. He said he enjoyed having the opportunity to work with Audible and Amazon. "It's hard to get everything going. You have to learn how to do it," Hayles said. "They're very patient. It worked very nicely." Dimiceli said he is proud that his father-in-law was able to publish a book at 98 years of age. He said the book has received a positive response from readers. "Everybody was very ecstatic, just shocked. Getting his book published, it was just like 'Wow,' and being accepted by Amazon and Audible it was just like 'Wow,'" Dimiceli said. "He's had inquiries from all over the country from different people and comments about how they enjoyed the book." Hayles will turn 99 years old on July 17. "I hope to make it to 100," Hayles said. Kievs InformNapalm and Wetworks Run Inside Russia June 4, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)Ukraines national news outlet, Ukrinform, put out their line on the drone attacks on Moscow in an extensive feature story, Why Are Armed Forces of Ukraine Not Involved in Attack on Moscow? However, their narrative is not simply that Ukraine is not involved in droning the Kremlin and/or civilian sites in Moscow. Rather, it is constructed to weave in some of their main themes: Russians dont like Putin, are ready to revolt, and are themselves firing drones at Moscows elite. But even that is not good enough, as it adds in that the renegade Russians are getting help from the Chinese, who are providing the drones to attack Moscow! Ukrinform starts out by discounting the physical evidence Moscow has, showing that Ukrainian UF-22 drones were involved, saying that the UJ-22 story is just a suggestion, and it is hard to say for sure whether such drones were involved. Of note, they then resort to the notorious InformNapalm (IN) operation (which they describe as the authoritative intelligence community InformNapalm) as their basis for the Russians hit Moscow with Chinese drones narrative. IN is quoted: According to our data, the morning attack of Chinese drones on Moscow and the Moscow region involved exclusively Russians who are fighting against the Putin regime and are constantly on the territory of Russia. IN then offers their disclaimer: Whether the Russian rebels coordinated their actions with the Ukrainian special services or it was their personal initiative is currently unknown. However, Ukrinforms very turn to IN for their feature story puts front and center the question, who runs dirty operations into Russia? IN has been at the center of the weaponization of so-called information aggression, as an immediate precursor of the infamous 2014 Myrotvorets hit list. Journalists within Ukraine who exposed the lies of those who seized power in Kiev in 2014 were threatened, and some were assassinated. By summer 2022, Kiev had added non-Ukrainians to their blacklists, famously targeting Helga Zepp-LaRouche and others involved with the Schiller Institute conferences. Would they really assassinate people outside of Ukraine? On August 20, 2022, the car bomb that assassinated Darya Dugina near Moscow answered that question. Wetworks involving networks outside of Ukraine, including Russian neo-Nazis and links to Western destabilization operations, are a specialty of the IN world. This is just a quick introduction to INs world. Informnapalm.org was registered by its webmaster, one Volodymyr Kolesnykov (VK), on March 29, 2014. VK relates that, in February 2014as the violent coup in Kiev occurs, and significant sections of Ukraine do not agree with a coup to turn Ukraine into a proxy for war against Russiahe began participation in information operations in the interest of the anti-terrorist operation in Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts, and assistance in counteraction to information aggression by the Russian Federation. Counteraction to information aggression became the hallmark of the Myrotvorets blacklist within months. Working with VK is one Oksana Tinko, who says she has worked at IN since March 2014 and became an IN systems administrator. Her Facebook page displays an Orthodox Jew as a reptile; her Github page goes with a swastika. Evidently, Myrotvorets.center was first registered by her, not long after she joined IN. Curiously, she states on Facebook that she started a second job in Washington, D.C. in August 2014, but that has not been confirmed. In 2015, Ukraines Ministry of Defense put out a powerpoint that refers to IN (along with Marco Supruns StopFake and Information Resistance) as a special project of the Ministry. VK also registered Prometheus.ngo (Prometheus Security Environment Research Center) on March 11, 2016a name employed by the CIA for decades, for their operations with Ukrainian neo-Nazis. (It hearkens back to the 1930s Promethean League against Russia.) The National Endowment for Democracy reported that $100,000 was given to Prometheus in 2016, which would conduct open-source investigations that monitor and spotlight external Russian military actions and post them on its popular and trusted website, https://informnapalm.org. In possibly related clean up developments accompanying the NED funding, the IN logo was removed from the Myrotvorets site by the summer of 2016, and the Molotov cocktail insignia was removed from their logo. Officially, NATOs Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence stated in 2015 that they had no connection with either VK or Tinko. Ukrinforms invocation of IN for their narrative on the drone attacks on civilian targets in Moscow points to networks that have the motive and means for such escalations of wetworks. International experts and rights activists are condemning a second reduction in food aid to more than one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) cut its monthly food rations for the group from $10 for each person to $8 last month. The agency said it was forced to take the action because it did not have enough money to support additional aid. The WFP had already reduced the monthly food aid to Rohingya this year. It went down from $12 to $10 per person in March. 'Many will starve now' The World Food Program said it was experiencing a $56 million shortfall, which led to the latest cut in rations. Dom Scalpelli is the WFP resident representative and country director in Bangladesh. He said in a statement that the United Nations food agency was appealing for "urgent support" to be able to return to the full amount of aid as soon as possible. He said that without the full support, the refugees nutrition, safety and security in the camps will suffer. Abdul Kalam is a Rohingya living at Balukhali camp in Cox's Bazar. He said the latest cut is a "terrible blow" to the refugee community in Bangladesh. "Trying to manage their families many will starve now," he said. Gwyn Lewis is a U.N. resident official in Bangladesh. She said last week, "We are extremely concerned that WFP has been forced to cut aid for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. She added that the food cuts will be especially devastating for Rohingya women and children in the camps. We urgently appeal for international support," Lewis said. Rice, lentils, oil At least 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh from neighboring Myanmar in 2017. They joined about 300,000 others who had fled Myanmar security forces attacks their homes and villages in earlier years. The Bangladeshi government mostly bars the refugees from leaving their refugee camps. As a result, the Rohingya there are completely dependent on WFP food aid. The refugees live in small, temporary shelters made of plastic and wood in very crowded conditions near the coastal city of Cox's Bazar. The refugees say that the $12 in monthly food aid that each person used to get was already very limited, as they were forced to survive on staples such as rice, lentils and oil. Most suffer from malnutrition, they add. "We are not provided with any clothing assistance from any organization, said Kalam, the refugee who lives in Balukhali camp. As a result, he told VOA, he sometimes sold his food aid to buy clothes or meat or fish for his family. After the food aid has been cut by one-third, we are going to face a terrible level of hardship from this month," the 42-year-old said. Abu Jafar is another Rohingya refugee. He noted that aid is going down while food costs go up. "Prices of many food materials have doubled over the past three years, he said. There is no way to escape starvation." 'Not just a matter of hunger' Htway Lwin is a Rohingya community leader and human rights defender who lives in Coxs Bazar. Lwin noted that "the reduction of food assistance for Rohingya refugees is not just a matter of hunger." Lwin told VOA it would lead to increased violence and crime in the camps, including human trafficking of refugees. "Ultimately, we are going to be forced to make unimaginable choices to survive, compromising our dignity and future. This is not the way any human being should be forced to live," Lwin said. John Quinley is director of the human rights organization Fortify Rights. The organization works among the Rohingya. He told VOA that the food aid cuts are extremely harmful, especially for children. "There are already high levels of malnutrition in the refugee camps in Bangladesh," Quinley noted. "Bangladesh is restricting refugees' right to work." Quinley said. Donor governments must commit funds to Rohingya response, including ASEAN and OIC countries." ASEAN refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. OIC is the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Phil Robertson is deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division. He called the situation shocking. He said the international community broke its promise to the refugees. "The Rohingya are increasingly stuck between a rock and a hard place as international donors act to wash off their hands and move on to the next tragedy," he said. Im Caty Weaver. And I'm Ashley Thompson. Mark Pratt reported this story for The Associated Press. Caty Weaver dapted it for VOA Learning English. _____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story resident n. a person who resides, or lives, in a certain area or place manage v. to look after and make decisions about devastating adj. causing great damage or harm staple n. a commodity for which the demand is constant commit v. to promise or assign to some particular course or use response n. an act or instance of replying; an answer stuck between a rock and a hard place phrase in a difficult or uncomfortable position with no attractive way out ____________________________________________________________________ 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. ELWOOD Its time to celebrate the Stars and Stripes as we prepare for our nations 250th birthday! The Bonneville and Omaha chapters, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution are pleased to announce the dedication of an American 250! Marker at the Gosper County Courthouse in Elwood on Saturday, June 10 at 1 p.m. Additionally, a plaque in memory of Dorothy Wilken Abbott, a former Elwood resident and Omaha chapter, NSDAR member will also be recognized. We invite the community of Elwood and surrounding areas to attend the dedication of this America 250! Marker, which will be visible from Highway 283. After the dedication ceremony there will be a reception at the courthouse. Dorothy Wilken Abbott graduated from Elwood High School in 1949 and was a sister of the late Arline Miles and an aunt of Deb Miles Hatfield. As of April 15, the Nebraska Society NSDAR has placed America 250! Markers at Omahas Memorial Park on Nov. 6, 2022 and the Archway in Kearney on March 11, 2023. Other marker dedications were held on April 30, 2023 in Lincoln and in Alliance on May 14, 2023. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolutions goal is to place American 250! Markers in every state of the Union before the 250th birthday of the nation. Please join use for the celebration. An additional note from Nebraska State Regent Marcia K. Shavlik: Nebraska Daughters are preparing for the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of the Independence of the Thirteen Colonies in 1776. The 2026 Semiquincentennial celebration will be even bigger event than our Bicentennial in 1976. Wed love to have you help serve our communities and preserve the memory of those who carried the musket and beat the drum. They witnessed the birth of our nation. Let us never forget them! HASTINGS The community of Hastings saw more rainfall in the first four days of June than all of May, which was historically dry for areas to the east of Dawson County. Exceptional drought conditions expanded in eastern Nebraska. According to the National Weather Service Hastings, May was a case of haves vs. have nots, with the western part of their coverage area seeing near to above normal precipitation, while the eastern areas was well below normal. In fact, a station three miles north of York reported only 0.42 inches of rain, the driest May in 131 years for the station. Other have nots included Sutton, 0.39 inches, Grafton, 0.41 inches and McCool Junction, 0.43 inches. In the have, category, Alma reported 7.06 inches of rain, Orleans, 6.23 inches and Elyria, 6.04 inches. Locally, areas in Dawson and Gosper counties saw anywhere from three to five inches of rainfall, for reference, normal May precipitation ranges from 3.75 to 5 inches. The following are the Tri-Cities totals for May Grand Island: 1.78 inches, 38 percent below normal, 17th driest May, driest since 2014 Hastings: 1.22 inches, 28 percent below normal, 5th driest May, driest since 1994 Kearney: 2.90 inches, 48th driest May, driest since 2016 The upper-level circulation over the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) during the week (May 24-30) was dominated by three features: a trough over the West, a ridge that extended from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes, and a cutoff low over the Southeast. This pattern resulted in targeted areas of precipitation, some of it heavy, while large parts of the CONUS received little to no precipitation, per the U.S. Drought Monitor. The script was flipped in just the first four days of June. For instance, Hastings recorded 1.95 inches from June 1 4, more rain that the community saw in all of May. Most of the area has reported anywhere between 0.25 inches and 1.50 inches. There were exceptions in Adams, Smith and Jewell counties, which have already seen 3-4 inches. The Tri-Cities totals for the first four days of June Grand Island: 0.32 inches, 48 percent of normal Hastings: 1.95 inches, 342 percent of normal Kearney 1.57 inches, 262 percent of normal The overall dryness of May in eastern Nebraska contributed to the ongoing drought. The expansion of exceptional drought, D4, the highest condition, grew from 6.9 percent to 10.8 percent in last weeks Drought Monitor update. Severe drought, D2, conditions continue to persist in Dawson and Gosper counties, has it has for the past several months. Locally heavy rain fell over western parts of the High Plains region while eastern parts had a dry week. Several stations in southwest Nebraska received over 5 inches of rain during this USDM week, with 10 inches reported near McCook. The rain replenished soil moisture, but caused extensive flooding, per the U.S. Drought Monitor. The rain caused a 2-category improvement in drought conditions in southwest Nebraska. Two inches or more of rain fell in localized parts of northeast Colorado, western Kansas, northeast Wyoming, and the western Dakotas, prompting pullback of abnormal dryness or moderate to exceptional drought, according to the Drought Monitor. But continued dry conditions in the eastern portions of the region resulted in expansion of abnormal dryness or moderate drought in the Dakotas, abnormal dryness to extreme drought in eastern Kansas, and severe to exceptional drought in eastern Nebraska, per the Drought Monitor. Based on May 28 USDA data, 69% of the winter wheat crop in Kansas and 51% in Nebraska was in poor to very poor condition, and more than 40% of the topsoil moisture was short or very short in Nebraska (57%), Kansas (50%), and South Dakota (46%). More than two-thirds of the subsoil moisture was short or very short in Nebraska (75%) and Kansas (68%). The U.S. Drought Monitor is a multi-agency effort involving NOAAs National Weather Service and National Centers for Environmental Information, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), state and regional center climatologists and the National Drought Mitigation Center. Information for this statement has been gathered from NWS and FAA observation sites, cooperative and volunteer observations, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other sources. The chairman of the Macau International Airport Company (CAM), Simon Chan, met last month with the chairman of the Shanghai Airport Authority (SAA), Qin Yun, to explore more opportunities of cooperation. CAM aims to further deepen collaboration with SAA by increasing flight frequency on popular routes, and embarking upon the implementation of Shanghai Macau Express Route pilot scheme. The scheme aims to offer diversified travel options to travelers, at the same time, passengers are allowed to utilize the route networks of both airports reaching to destinations worldwide. Related Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has expressed his congratulations in a letter to mark the return of the Central Peoples Government Shenzhou 15 spacecraft to Earth, the government has disclosed in a statement. Highlighting his happiness, the head of the government expressed his warm congratulations on the complete success of this manned flight mission. He also conveyed his respect and well wishes to the entire team on this mission, particularly mentioning the three astronauts, whom he described as heroes. Ho emphasized that the crew of Shenzhou 15 completed the last flight mission in the construction stage of our countrys manned space station, laying a good foundation for our countrys space station to enter the application and development stage, and also marking a new peak for our countrys space industry and manned space project. He recapped that Shenzhou 15 was launched on Nov. 29 last year. It later connected with the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft, completed a shift rotation and started a six-month space mission. Ho noted that, in addition to the successful completion of 4 out-of-vehicle missions, the crew of Shenzhou 15 also carried out multiple-load out-of-vehicle missions, eight instances of human factors engineering technology research, 28 aerospace medical experiments, as well as 38 space science experiments or tests, covering life ecology, material science, fluid mechanics, and so on. Very valuable experimental data were obtained, which once again showed the rapid development of our countrys aerospace technology, Ho wrote. AL Chinas defense minister defended sailing a warship across the path of an American destroyer and Canadian frigate transiting the Taiwan Strait, telling a gathering of some of the worlds top defense officials in Singapore yesterday that such so-called freedom of navigation patrols are a provocation to China. In his first international public address since becoming defense minister in March, Gen. Li Shangfu told the Shangri-La Dialogue that China doesnt have any problems with innocent passage but that we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of navigation (patrols), that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the same forum Saturday that Washington would not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion from China and would continue regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea to emphasize they are international waters, countering Beijings territorial claims. That same day, as a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate were intercepted by a Chinese warship as they transited the strait between the self-governed island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, and mainland China. The Chinese vessel overtook the American ship and then veered across its bow at a distance of about 140 meters in an unsafe manner, according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Additionally, the U.S. has said a Chinese J-16 fighter jet late last month performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver while intercepting a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, flying directly in front of the planes nose. Those and previous incidents have raised concerns of a possible accident occurring that could lead to an escalation between the two nations at a time when tensions are already high. Li suggested the U.S. and its allies had created the danger, and should instead should focus on taking good care of your own territorial airspace and waters. The best way is for the countries, especially the naval vessels and fighter jets of countries, not to do closing actions around other countries territories, he said through an interpreter. Whats the point of going there? In China we always say, Mind your own business. In a wide-ranging speech, Li reiterated many of Beijings well-known positions, including its claim on Taiwan, calling it the core of our core interests. He accused the U.S. and others of meddling in Chinas internal affairs by providing Taiwan with defense support and training, and conducting high-level diplomatic visits. China stays committed to the path of peaceful development, but we will never hesitate to defend our legitimate rights and interests, let alone sacrifice the nations core interests, he said. As the lyrics of a well-known Chinese song go: When friends visit us, we welcome them with fine wine. When jackals or wolves come, we will face them with shotguns. In his speech the previous day, Austin broadly outlined the U.S. vision for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights. In the pursuit of such, Austin said the U.S. was stepping up planning, coordination and training with friends from the East China Sea to the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean with shared goals to deter aggression and to deepen the rules and norms that promote prosperity and prevent conflict. Li scoffed at the notion, saying some country takes a selective approach to rules and international laws. It likes forcing its own rules on others, he said. Its so-called rules-based international order never tells you what the rules are and who made these rules. By contrast, he said, we practice multilateralism and pursue win-win cooperation. Li is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia but predate its invasion of Ukraine that were imposed in 2018 over Lis involvement in Chinas purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow. The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said. Still, he refused Austins invitation to talk on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday. Austin said that was not enough. A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement, Austin said. The U.S. has noted that since 2021 well before Li became defense minister China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements. Li said that China is open to communications between our two countries and also between our two militaries, but without mentioning the sanctions, said exchanges had to be based on mutual respect. That is a very fundamental principle, he said. If we do not even have mutual respect, than our communications will not be productive. He said that he recognized that any severe conflict or confrontation between China and the U.S. will be an unbearable disaster for the world, and that the two countries need to find ways to improve relations, saying they were at a record low. History has proven time and again that both China and the United States will benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation, he said. China seeks to develop a new type of major-country relationship with the United States. As for the U.S. side, it needs to act with sincerity, match its words with deeds, and take concrete actions together with China to stabilize the relations and prevent further deterioration, Li said. DAVID RISING, SINGAPORE, MDT/AP CIA Director William Burns went to Beijing in May to meet with Chinese counterparts, a U.S. official said last week, in what is the highest level visit by a Biden administration official since a suspected Chinese spy balloon was shot down by American forces. Burns visit, first reported by The Financial Times, comes as Washington tries to cool tensions with Beijing over the balloon and other recent conflicts between the worlds two largest economies and geopolitical rivals. U.S. officials have long warned that China rejects their efforts at outreach. That raises the possibility of miscommunication spiraling into conflict, they say. Last month, Director Burns traveled to Beijing where he met with Chinese counterparts and emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication in intelligence channels, said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Burns schedule, which is classified. Burns only met with intelligence officials and not any of Beijings political or foreign policy leadership, according to a second person familiar with the visit who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the trip. President Joe Biden has often sent Burns on sensitive trips to meet U.S. adversaries. Burns went to Moscow in late 2021 to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin about indications that Russia was gearing up to launch a new invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. is still trying to reschedule Secretary of State Antony Blinkens trip to China after it was canceled as the Chinese balloon was flying over American territory. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also spoke briefly on Friday with Li Shangfu, Chinas minister of national defense, at the opening dinner of a security forum in Singapore. China had earlier rejected Austins request for a meeting on the sidelines of the forum. Also on Friday, a top Treasury official, Undersecretary for International Affairs Jay Shambaugh, met with Xie Feng, Chinas ambassador in Washington. According to the Treasury Department, Shambaugh spoke to Xie about the importance of closely communicating on global macroeconomic and financial issues. MDT/AP Held for three decades, the candlelight vigils that aimed to shed light on the events that took place at Tiananmen Square in Beijing in what become known as the June Forth Incident are not to return. So says Au Kam San, one of the leaders of the Democratic Development Union (UMDD), the group that annually organized the event. In a report by All About Macau, Au addressed the state of affairs for the vigil since the early years and particularly over the last few years, noting the recent rulings from the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) in response to the appeal from the group for the hosting of a gathering in 2021, as well as the information provided on the decision to disqualify Au from running in the Legislative Assembly (AL) elections. For the political activist and former lawmaker, it is clear that authorities have made the event illegal and so nobody will dare to challenge the authorities, especially when taking into account the consequences of such disobedience. Still, Au said that he believes that the event, held for thirty years, normally at Senado Square, was never illegal during all those years. Following the decision not to authorize holding the event over the past three years, despite being justified under Covid-19 prevention and control measures, Au and his partner at AL and UMDD, Ng Kuok Cheong, decided late last week to disband the group. At that time, Au explained to Radio Free Asia that the current political atmosphere [related to the passage and entry into force of the new National Security Law] could have an impact on the UMDD members, with the best option being to dissolve the group before this law takes effect. On the topic of the June 4 gatherings, the Times inquired of the Public Security Police Force (PSP) whether any person or group has applied to host any public event on this date this year. In response, the PSP said that the force has not received any request regarding public events for the day. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, police detained eight people, including activists and artists, on the eve of the 34th anniversary. Police said in a statement late Saturday that four people have been arrested for allegedly disrupting order in public spaces or carrying out acts with seditious intent. Four others were taken away for investigation on suspicion of breaching public peace. For decades, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers held an annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park each June 4 to commemorate the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters In Beijing, additional security was seen around Tiananmen Square, which has long been ringed with security checks requiring those entering to show identification, according to a report issued by the Associated Press. Those passing by foot or on bicycle on Changan Avenue running north of the square were also stopped and forced to show identification. Those with journalist visas in their passports were told they needed special permission to approach the area. * Portuguese Passport Waiting list at Portugals Consulate in Macau and Hong Kong for passport issuing drives summer holiday plans * June 4 | No requests for vigil in Macau; arrests in HK * Gaming | Galaxy, MGM set sights on IR in Thailand * Ron Lam asks for stricter control over domestic noises amid escalating complaints against noise pollution, in written inquiry * Near 40 deals closed at infrastructure forum * CIA Director met Chinese officials in Beijing as Washington tries to thaw tensions DOWNLOAD PDF Monday, June 5, 2023 edition no. 4259 In an infrastructure forum and expo held over the weekend, 39 cooperation agreements were signed, double that of last year, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) disclosed in a statement. The 14th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum and Expo was held on Jun. 1 and 2. It saw 220 business negotiations that led to the aforementioned 39 deals, which equated to funds of USD6.7 billion. The IPIM described the result as further promoting new trends in international cooperation and new opportunities for infrastructure development. On the scope of the deals, the IPIM disclosed that they involved Portuguese-speaking countries and regions such as Southeast Asia, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau, covering fields and categories such as transportation, housing construction, electric power engineering, water conservancy construction, new energy, industry-university-research integration development, and talent training. Fang Qiuchen, president of the China International Contractors Association, a co-organizing body of the event, said that this years forum drew more than 3,000 guests from over 60 countries and regions. In terms of number of attendees, this year saw the largest forum ever. The quality and capacity of the exhibition area has been comprehensively improved, he added, with professional exhibitions making their debut. U U Sang, president of the IPIM, pointed out that the event has not only brought about new businesses to Macaus construction, logistics and transportation industries, but also exhibited the multiplier effect achieved by the convention and exhibition platform, bringing business customers, usually with higher spending power, to surrounding industries in town, such as catering, retail and hotels. During the forum and expo, the China-Lusophone Infrastructure Cooperation Green Development Forum was held parallel to the main forum on Jun. 2., hosted by the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) (Forum Macao). Over 120 people from the mainland Chinese and Macau governments, officials and diplomats from Lusophone countries, as well as representatives from financial institutions, advisory entities and related enterprises in China, Lusophone countries and Macau attended the forum. Forum Macao Secretary-General Ji Xianzheng pointed out to the forum that infrastructure had always been a key area of cooperation at the Forum Macao, adding that action programs signed at previous ministerial meetings had all covered infrastructure cooperation. He hoped that through this parallel forum, China and Lusophone countries can mutually share experiences in technology and development, as well as exploring the potential for cooperation. Meanwhile, he hoped that the forum would help both sides achieve more with green cooperation in infrastructure. Maria Gustava, ambassador of Mozambique to China and head of the Lusophone delegation to the infrastructure forum, said that Lusophone countries considered Macau and the Greater Bay Area as critical to the trades with China and other parts of the world. She hoped that the forum would achieve synergies to improve productivity, energy efficiency and modernization, among other goals. She added that Lusophone countries are open to Chinese investments and that they welcome Chinese enterprises to fully explore Lusophone potential. The Council of the Portuguese Communities (CCP) is concerned with the current situation at the Consulate-general of Portugal for Macau and Hong Kong, where people are waiting for over six months to renew their Portuguese Identity Cards (Cartao do Cidadao) and Portuguese Passports. The president of the Regional Council of the Portuguese Communities for Asia and Oceania Rita Santos told TDM that she has scheduled a meeting with the Secretary of State for the Portuguese Communities, Paulo Cafofo to discuss the problem. According to Santos, the problem comes directly from the lack of staff at the Portuguese Consulate-general for Macau and Hong Kong, a long-lasting issue caused by difficulties in recruiting workers, as the salary offered is very low when compared to the cost of living in Macau. According to a previous report from the newspaper Tribuna de Macau, the consulate currently has a waiting list of about 15,000 people waiting to renew identification documents and particularly travel documents, which have a validity period of just five years. Santos said to TDM that currently, the consulate is scheduling appointments to renew passports for 2024, with the upcoming almost seven-month period until the end of the year already being full. In the same report, she noted that Portuguese who are residents of Macau and Hong Kong are also being discriminated against and treated as inferior citizens, as the only way to be able to renew any passport is via the so-called urgent method, which requires people to pay 1,390 patacas for the passport renewal, a price that is almost twice the price for the renewal of the same document in Portugal in an urgent procedure (EUR85 = MOP736) and almost three times the price for a normal procedure renewal (EUR65 = MOP562). The Times also learned that due to this issue, several Portuguese residents in Macau have opted to plan trips to Portugal so they can renew their travel documents, a procedure that can be done easily in five days or less. On the line is also the fact that most travel destinations in Asia, as well as other parts of the world, do not allow passengers to enter the country if their passports have fewer than six months validity remaining. Besides being a leisure and tourism document, in Macau, the passport assumes importance as a work and business tool. It is also necessary to have more than six months of validity to apply for a visa to enter the mainland or visit Hengqin, for instance. The United States and its allies clashed with Russia and China over North Koreas failed launch of a military spy satellite this week in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, which Moscow and Beijing refused to condemn. The confrontation this weekend was the latest over the Norths escalating nuclear, ballistic missile and military programs, which U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood warned are threatening international peace and security. The failed launch not only disrupted maritime and air traffic in the region, but it also caused alarm for its neighbors in Japan and the Republic of Korea, he said. Pyongyang is threatening another launch soon. The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Koreas first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking so far unsuccessfully to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and cut off funding. In the last sanctions resolution adopted by the council in December 2017, members committed to further restricting petroleum exports to North Korea if it conducted a ballistic missile launch capable of reaching intercontinental ranges. China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in May 2022 that would have imposed new sanctions, including on petroleum exports, over a spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches. Since then, they have blocked any council action including press statements. U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the council the last time North Korea conducted a similar satellite launch to Wednesdays failed attempt was on Feb. 7, 2016 and it was condemned by the Security Council. The lack of unity and action in the Security Council does little to slow the negative trajectory on the Korean Peninsula, she said, and North Korea is unconstrained, and other parties are compelled to focus on military deterrence. But North Koreas neighbor and ally China and Russia, which has drawn closer to Pyongyang since the war in Ukraine, blamed the West and especially the United States for the current tensions. Chinas deputy U.N. ambassador Geng Shuang said the situation on the Korean Peninsula is a remnant of the Cold War. He accused the United States of failing to respond to North Koreas attempts at dialogue over the years and instead resorting to sanctions and pressure on Pyongyang, missing an opportunity to resolve the nuclear issue. By incorporating the (Korean) Peninsula into its Indo-Pacific strategy, the U.S. has continued its military activities and significantly increased its military presence both on the peninsula and in its surrounding areas, seriously undermining the strategic security interests of the peninsula and its neighboring countries, Geng said He also pointed to the recent U.S.-South Korea Washington Declaration, including plans to send strategic nuclear submarines to the peninsula. Geng claimed U.S. policies are driven by geopolitical self-interest and told the council that blaming one party will only exacerbate conflicts, provocations and inject new uncertainties into the already tense situation on the peninsula. MDT/AP He urged the council to adopt a resolution circulated by China and Russia in November 2021 that would end a host of sanctions on the North, saying this would be a starting point to promote de-escalation, mutual trust and unity among the 15 members. Russias deputy ambassador Anna Evstigneeva blamed increased pressure on North Korea by the U.S. and its allies for the spiral of tension were witnessing now. And she criticized growing military activity by the U.S., Japan and South Korea, especially recent large-scale U.S.-South Korean military exercises, saying they are destabilizing not only for northeast Asia but for the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. As for diplomacy, Wood, the U.S. envoy, said the United States on many occasions has stated it is prepared to have an unconditional dialogue, but North Korea has rejected our interventions on many occasions. MDT/AP School display cases turn into miniature art galleries thanks to a traveling exhibit of work by Dane County artists. Walking to the display case in the hallway at Randall Elementary School to view the artwork was like a "micro field trip," said art teacher Joshua Ludke. "For me, one of the more important things is for them to see these are people in Madison doing this important work," Ludke said. "Seeing some of those skills from a professional artist in front of you is a way of seeing what those skills we have been practicing in class could become." The idea of the Madison Art Guild Art in Schools Program is to display original artwork by living artists for students, staff and parents. The plan is to provide the display for one month in nine Dane County schools. For this inaugural year, artwork went up in seven schools as the kinks were worked out. The exhibit, "The Art of Encountering Challenges," included 12 works from guild members in 10 different media such as acrylic, watercolor, oil, pastel, fiber, mixed media, metals, glass and photography. The program includes supporting materials such as artists' biographies and statements, lesson plan suggestions and YouTube videos featuring two of the artists in their studios. This year the participating schools included Randall, Emerson, Lapham, Muir, Shorewood Hills and Stephens elementary schools in Madison and Winnequah Elementary School in Monona. Jennifer Goodnough, art teacher at Winnequah, where the display was first set up, said that because the exhibit was in her school at the beginning of the year, it served as a community-building activity. She had classes look over the exhibit, with students choosing if there was a piece that particularly interested them or was their favorite. Then groups of students with similar opinions would write about how they felt about the work and then present their observations. That resulted in other students looking at the art more and asking each other questions abut it. "So we were able to have these class discussions that normally are a little more clunky this time of year," Goodnough said. The Madison Art Guild Art in Schools Program is coordinated by Barbara Koykkar, guild member and a retired art teacher, who came up with the idea. "I wanted to find some way to volunteer and be in the arts in some way," said Koykkar, who taught for 30 years in the Monona Grove School District. School Spotlight Each Monday, the State Journal features a story about learning in Wisconsin. Send story ideas to Sandy Cullen at scullen@madison.com or 608-252-6137. Koykkar said she introduced her students to as many original pieces of art as she could through an arrangement with the former Grace Chosy Gallery and had a display case that she could lock in the art room. She said prints of work don't allow the viewer to see true color and brush strokes. "The kids really enjoyed it. They like to see original work," Koykkar said. She also took her classes on field trips, but she couldn't take all of her classes. Trips also can be difficult to fund and schedule, she said. Koykkar said one of her goals was to not make any more work for the art teachers, so guild members helped her set up and take down the display. She sent letters to a number of elementary and middle school art teachers and principals at schools in Dane County to identify this year's participants and will do that again this summer for the upcoming school year. Ludke said he learned about the program at a meeting of the nonprofit Madison Art Guild, which he joined recently to benefit his teaching and his work as an artist, primarily in woodcarving. Teachers came up with the idea to send questions or student's comments to the artists. Ludke said one of the questions was about the teddy bear smashed inside a frame as students tried to figure out the story behind it. Students wanted to know what inspired the artists, why they chose different styles, how old they are, how the art was made and how long it took to create their work, Ludke said. "I liked the teddy bear because it was so unique. It looked like it was made of sponges," Randall third-grader Lian Tester said. Vivienne Courtois, whose regular third-grade classroom is in the same hallway as the Randall display case, said at first she didn't know whether students had created the art. "At first I was confused, but then I started to like the art in there," she said. Randall third-grader Nou Chang said she likes art made by hand, while classmate Lucy Olson said she liked the abstract art. Goodnough said her second through fifth-graders spent the most time on the exhibit, but she also talked about it briefly with kindergarten and first-grade classes. She said it helped to show the work to younger students on a big screen in the classroom. "I take our second-graders every year to the Chazen (Museum of Art). I am just sorry we can't do that more," Goodnough said. "I am glad the guild comes to us to give us that gallery experience." NEW YORK Racial bias built into a common medical test for lung function is likely leading to fewer Black patients getting care for breathing problems, a new study suggests. As many as 40% more Black male patients in the study might have been diagnosed with breathing problems if current diagnosis-assisting computer software was changed, the study said. Doctors have long discussed the potential problems caused by race-based assumptions that are built into diagnostic software. This study, published Thursday in JAMA Network Open, offers one of the first real-world examples of how the the issue may affect diagnosis and care for lung patients, said Dr. Darshali Vyas, a pulmonary care doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital. The results are "exciting" to see published but it's also "what we'd expect" from setting aside race-based calculations, said Vyas, who was an author of an influential 2020 New England Journal of Medicine article that catalogued examples of how race-based assumptions are used in making doctors' decisions about patient care. For centuries, some doctors and others have held beliefs that there are natural racial differences in health, including one that Black people's lungs were innately worse than those of white people. That assumption ended up in modern guidelines and algorithms for assessing risk and deciding on further care. Test results were adjusted to account for or "correct" for a patient's race or ethnicity. One example beyond lung function is a heart failure risk-scoring system that categorizes Black patients as being at lower risk and less likely to need referral for special cardiac care. Another is an equation used in determining kidney function that creates estimates of higher kidney function in Black patients. The new study focused on a test to determine how much and how quickly a person can inhale and exhale. It's often done using a spirometer a device with a mouthpiece connected to a small machine. After the test, doctors get a report that has been run through computer software and scores the patient's ability breathe. It helps indicate whether a patient has restrictions and needs further testing or care for things like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or lung scarring due to air pollutant exposure. Algorithms that adjust for race raise the threshold for diagnosing a problem in Black patients and may make them less likely to get started on certain medications or to be referred for medical procedures or even lung transplants, Vyas said. The new study looked at more than 2,700 Black men and 5,700 white men tested by University of Pennsylvania Health System doctors between 2010 and 2020. The researchers looked at spirometry and lung volume measurements and assessed how many were deemed to have breathing impairments under the race-based algorithm as compared to under a new algorithm. Researchers concluded there would be nearly 400 additional cases of lung obstruction or impairment in Black men with the new algorithm. ELECTIONS | KEEP OUR REPUBLIC A bipartisan coalition aimed at building trust in elections has formally launched eff orts in Wisconsin, a state where confidence in the electoral process still wavers among some heading toward the swing state's 2024 presidential election. Keep Our Republic, a three-year-old nonpartisan nonprofit organization, announced Monday the launch of its Wisconsin Advisory Council, whose members include former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, former Democratic Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and former state Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, who will serve as the council's Wisconsin director. Confidence in the state and national electoral process has waned among some Republicans since the 2020 presidential election after Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump, who continues to promote baseless claims that the election was rigged. That election denialism culminated with the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building as lawmakers certified the election's results for Biden, despite Trump's protests. "January 6, 2021, changed everything for me as I saw the damage that was done by a politician who could not accept the people's choice for President," said former U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Appleton. "Our republic was at risk. Too many Americans lost faith in our electoral system and how safe it really is." "This is of particular importance in a swing state like Wisconsin," Ribble added. "Keep our Republic is committed to correcting the false narrative of the 2020 election and rebuilding faith in our system." As it has done in Pennsylvania, the organization plans to host local efforts to "build trust, respect and confidence in Wisconsin's election administration and educate Wisconsin residents about the post-Election Day process of canvassing and certification of votes," according to a press release from the group. That includes working with lawmakers and the public to foster election education and combat misinformation. Bernier, the former chair of the Senate elections committee, will lead the organization's efforts in Wisconsin. Bernier was one of Wisconsin's few state Republicans to openly criticize the Republican-ordered review of the 2020 election headed by former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. "We must learn from concerns over past elections and remain focused on the future," Bernier said. "Keep Our Republic will stay true to our mission to discover, highlight and help prevent an array of extraordinary threats to American democracy." At Trump's behest for an investigation, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, hired Gableman in 2021 to lead the probe that has cost the state more than $1 million in taxpayer funds. While Gableman's review failed to find any evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, he used his platform to foster doubt in the electoral process and recommended the Legislature take the legally impossible step of decertifying the results. A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. A report from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election but made several recommendations for improvements. The relationship between Vos and Gableman soured over the course of the review, and Vos ultimately fired Gableman last August after the former state Supreme Court justice endorsed Vos' primary challenger that year. Vos narrowly defeated his opponent Adam Steen, who was also backed by Trump. Wisconsin will once again be at the epicenter of the 2024 presidential election next year. Before votes are cast next November, the state will host the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, just four years after the Democratic National Convention, which was shifted to an almost entirely online affair in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump, who continues to claim the 2020 election was "stolen," is among the growing list of Republicans vying for the party's presidential nomination. "The eyes of the nation will be on Wisconsin once again in 2024," Thompson said. "We may not agree on everything, but we all can do our part to lower the temperature and strengthen our democracy." Since 2010, Friends of Olin-Turville have held concerts in the Olin Park pavilion, bringing in well-known local acts like Cris Plata, Whiskey Farm and Lou and Peter Berryman. But this year the free concert series, usually held in May, will take place in September, said FOOT coordinator Tom DeChant. We just couldnt secure the dates fast enough for the bands. And instead of Tuesday nights, the concerts will be from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursdays: Sept. 7, 14, 21, and 28. FOOT has held a September dance series just as long, and this year it flipped the calendar, and held the dances in May. Weather also played a role in the scheduling, with May being too cold and wet for concerts, DeChant said. Weve had better luck with September. The concerts in 2021 were also in September. There were no concerts in 2020 due to COVID. The 64-acre park is between John Nolen Drive and Monona Bay. There are 3.1 miles of hiking and cross-country sky trails in the adjoining Turville Point Conservation Park. Concerts and dancing are held inside the restored 1884 pavilion. People are working up a sweat anyhow, DeChant said, adding that its better to hold the dancing in colder weather. Not as many people show up to the concerts when its cold out. The concerts attract about 150 people on good-weather days and as few as 25 on bad-weather days, he said. People enjoyed them and they just became part of the neighborhood culture, DeChant said. This years musical acts havent been finalized. Activity in the park FOOT has been able to bring activity in the park at oddball times, DeChant said. The park is always busy on weekends, particularly in the summer. But we wanted to go in on weeknights, you know, the shoulder months, like May and September, just keeping more activity in the park. The group started in 2010, and did its first concert that year, said former Madison police Sgt. Jim Dexheimer, who has funded the concerts from the beginning and said he will this year, too. Its something he doesnt like to publicize. The idea for the series was hatched in 2009 when the Madison Police Department and Madison Parks Division encouraged neighborhood residents to form a group that would put activities in the park to disrupt and discourage casual hookups that were taking place in Turville Point between men in the 2000s. Dexheimer said the pavilion seemed like it was being underutilized, although the Parks Division rents it out for weddings and other activities. The concert series was a way to engage the community. The Parks Division let FOOT use the pavilion for free as long as they didnt charge for the concerts. The first year FOOT only scheduled one concert, Lou and Peter Berryman, who were friends of Dexheimers and charged a reduced rate. Most of the musical acts are paid about $400. Lou and Peter Berryman, now semi-retired, even wrote a song about the Olin Park concert series, that starts: The Olin Park pavilion is where all of us are right now, which makes it more important than anywhere else somehow. Mount Everest is amazing, but you cant get there by car. Milwaukee is exotic, but thats not where we are. Olin Park, not quite dark, wide awake, by the lake. Us and you, deer tick, too, its one night in a million. That first show was so successful, FOOT decided to do it four or five weeks in a row and the Parks Division was agreeable, said Dexheimer, who prefers the concerts in May. The park season really starts in spring and in May the conservancy (Turville Point) is just fantastic, Dexheimer said. Wildflowers and the spring ephemerals are blooming. So, it seemed like good time to bring people into the park. Also, May is before theres too much other outdoor live music going on, he said. Moms account Dexheimer said he came from a poor family with six kids, so he didnt expect to be left any money when his mother died in 2009. But he got several thousand dollars and put it into an account he called Moms account, and he wanted to spend it on something special. That was how he came to support the concert that first year. I wanted it to be anonymous. I didnt want to make a big deal about it, he said. Then the next year, he did it again. He said he figured his mom wouldve appreciated the great community events. Dexheimer, a FOOT member who lives in the former town of Madison, was on the community policing team from 2009 to 2012, and did a lot of policing by bike. Thats how he made a connection with Chris and Sara Fortune, who owned Saris, the local bicycle rack company, and they provided half of the funding for four or five years, he said. Dexheimer said Herman Goldstein, a longtime UW-Madison Law School professor who died in 2020, was the inspiration for everything the MPD, the Parks Division and FOOT did in Turville Point, which included cutting back invasive shrubs and closing off part of the frontage road into the park for cars. Goldsteins vision of policing influenced many other projects in the community that employed alternative policing practices to solve problems, he said. He was one of the biggest authorities on policing in the United States and probably the world. Take a look at 'Immersive Van Gogh' HARLINGEN, Texas Border Patrol medical staff declined to review the file of an 8-year-old girl with a chronic heart condition and rare blood disorder before she appeared to have a seizure and died on her ninth day in custody, an internal investigation found. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has said the child's parents shared the medical history with authorities on May 10, a day after the family was taken into custody. But a nurse practitioner declined to review documents about the girl the day she died, CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility said in its initial statement Thursday on the May 17 death. The nurse practitioner reported denying three or four requests from the girl's mother for an ambulance. Anadith Tanay Reyes Alvarez, whose parents are Honduran, was born in Panama with congenital heart disease. She received surgery three years ago that her mother, Mabel Alvarez Benedicks, characterized as successful during a May 19 interview with The Associated Press. A day before she died, Anadith showed a fever of 104.9 degrees Fahrenheit, the CBP report said. A surveillance video system at the Harlingen, Texas, station was out of service since April 13, a violation of federal law that prevented evidence collection, according to the Office of Professional Responsibility, akin to a police department's office of internal affairs. The system was flagged for repair but wasn't fixed until May 23, six days after the girl died. Still, the report relied on interviews with Border Patrol agents and contracted medical personnel to raise a host of new and troubling questions about what went wrong during the girl's nine days in custody, which far exceeded the agency's own limit of 72 hours. Investigators gave no explanation for decisions that medical staff made and appeared to be at a loss for words. "Despite the girl's condition, her mother's concerns, and the series of treatments required to manage her condition, contracted medical personnel did not transfer her to a hospital for higher-level care," the Office of Professional Responsibility said. Troy Miller, CBP's acting commissioner, said the initial investigation "provides important new information on this tragic death" and he reaffirmed recent measures including a review of all "medically fragile" cases in custody to ensure they are out of custody as soon as possible. "(This death) was a deeply upsetting and unacceptable tragedy. We can and we will do better to ensure this never happens again," Miller said. Anadith entered Brownsville, Texas, with her parents and two older siblings May 9 when daily illegal crossings topped 10,000 as migrants rushed to beat the end of pandemic-related restrictions on seeking asylum. She was diagnosed with the flu May 14 at a temporary holding facility in Donna, Texas, and was moved with her family to Harlingen. Staff had about nine encounters with Anadith and her mother over the next four days at the Harlingen station until her death over concerns including high fever, flu symptoms, nausea and breathing difficulties. She was given medications, a cold pack and a cold shower, according to the Office of Professional Responsibility. A court-appointed monitor expressed concern in January about chronic conditions of medically fragile children not getting through to Border Patrol staff. Dr. Paul H. Wise, a Stanford University pediatrics professor who was in South Texas last week to look into the circumstances around what he said was a "preventable" death, said there should be little hesitation about sending ill children to the hospital, especially those with chronic conditions. Anadith's mother told the AP she informed staff of her child's conditions, which included sickle-cell anemia, and repeatedly asked for medical assistance and an ambulance to take her daughter to a hospital but the requests were denied until her child fell unconscious. Karla Marisol Vargas, an attorney for the Texas Civil Rights Project who is representing the family, said Border Patrol agents rejected her pleas for medicine until the day she died. "They refused to review documents showing the illnesses that her daughter had," Vargas said. The family is living with relatives in New York City while funeral arrangements are made. Unionized workers at TruStage who launched Madisons biggest strike in more than a decade have voted to return to work on Monday, saying they have reached a tentative agreement with the financial services company on job security and remote work flexibility. But unresolved issues surrounding what the union call unfair labor practices remain unresolved, which could trigger another work stoppage over the next month, said Joe Evica, chief steward of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 39. After illegally refusing to bargain with us for more than four months straight, our unfair labor practice strike got TruStage back to the bargaining table, Evica said. In a statement, TruStage said it remains committed to reaching a final agreement with the union that is "fair, market competitive and meets the needs of our employees, customers and company." "From the start, we have bargained in good faith to come to an agreement," said Barclay Pollak, a spokesperson for TruStage. "We are encouraged by the progress we've made over the last few weeks." About 450 of TruStages 1,750 workers at its Madison office launched the strike on May 19 over continued outsourcing at the company and demands for higher pay. Workers at TruStage, formerly known as CUNA Mutual Group, have gone 15 months without a contract. The union has filed nine complaints against the company with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging the company has acted in bad faith, retaliated against union leaders and surveilled striking workers. To resolve the labor dispute, the company is offering double-digit percentage pay increases, the preservation of health benefits, remote-work options and monthly stipends for virtual employees, TruStage has said in a statement to the Wisconsin State Journal. Weve taken a stand against our employers designs to undercut and undermine our (livelihoods) and well-being, and that takes a lot of courage, said Will Roberts, a TruStage employee and union member who helped lead talks with the company. Further negotiations between the company and the union will take place on Tuesday and Friday, the union said. Photos: Hundreds of CUNA Mutual Group workers strike A Madison man wanted in a gun offense was arrested early Sunday morning after driving at an officer during a pursuit, Monona police reported. Shortly after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Monona police were told of a vehicle that fled from Madison police and was driven by a man wanted in an incident involving a handgun and battery in Madison, Chief Brian Chaney said in a statement. Shortly after 1 a.m., a Monona officer spotted the vehicle on the eastbound Beltline near Monona Drive and attempted to stop it, but the driver kept driving for several miles, leading officers onto Interstate 90 and Highway 30 into Madison, Chaney said. As the driver traveled through the Northport Drive corridor, the vehicle came to a sudden stop on a side street, allowing a passenger to get out of the SUB and escape on foot, Chaney said. The driver then went down a dead-end road, turned around and intentionally drove head-on toward a Monona squad at high speed, forcing the Monona officer to maneuver to avoid a collision, Chaney said. The driver then drove into town of Westport and onto another dead-end street where he eventually surrendered to the Monona K9 team and other officers and deputies, Chaney said. No one was injured and the only damage was to a private fence by the passenger fleeing on foot, Chaney said. The driver, Cashius E. Carter, 19, faces tentative charges by Monona police of felony attempted eluding and second-degree recklessly endangering safety, Chaney said. Carter was out on bail for an unrelated criminal offense and no information was available on possible charges being sought by Madison police. Police ask that anyone with information on the identity of Carter's passenger contact them at 608-222-0463. Tipsters may remain anonymous by contacting Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or P3Tips.com. Individuals contacting Crime Stoppers can receive a reward of up to $1,000 for tips that lead to an arrest. A Madison police officer has resigned after being arrested last month in Dodge County on a misdemeanor weapons charge, first-offense drunken driving and other traffic violations. Dennis M. Sbertoli, 35, of Madison, was found alone and intoxicated at about 5:30 a.m. on May 9 in a white Ford Mustang that apparently had been driven about 50 feet off Highway 19 east of Waterloo, according to court records. There was a loaded handgun in the drivers side door, according to the complaint charging him with possession of a firearm while intoxicated. Sbertoli agreed to perform field sobriety tests but declined a breath test, according to the complaint. The loaded handgun was in a holster with the safety off and had a round in the chamber. He also received tickets for failing to notify police of a traffic accident, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.15%, failing to keep his vehicle under control and driving left of the center line. The legal limit for drivers in Wisconsin is 0.08%. Sbertoli said Monday that he resigned from the police department on May 12, but declined further comment. Sbertolis arrest came six months after three Madison officers were arrested or cited with crimes over a two-week span in November: Cary G. House, 43, of Pardeeville, was charged on Nov. 8 in Columbia County with battery, disorderly conduct and strangulation and suffocation, a felony, for allegedly choking his wife in their home. Court records show hes scheduled for a plea hearing in July but also a jury trial in September. Keith M. Brown, 29, of Madison, was charged with disorderly conduct Nov. 21 following his arrest by the Dane County Sheriffs Office on Nov. 9 after he had a physical dispute with his girlfriend at a Downtown Madison bar, according to court records. Hes scheduled for a plea hearing on June 22. And on Nov. 11, 25-year-old Richard W. Carriveau, of Madison, was cited for first-offense operating while intoxicated in Columbia County, and then on Jan. 13 with first-offense driving with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.15%. Hes scheduled for a pretrial conference on both cases in July. Chief Shon Barnes acknowledged in a statement that these situations are unacceptable and all officers are required to obey the law on and off-duty. I acknowledge that more needs to be done and I will be looking into other support initiatives for our department. We are working to maintain a culture that encourages a healthy and resilient lifestyle (on and off-duty) among our staff and officers, he said. We have a growing employee wellness program in which staff and officers are afforded an opportunity to connect with mental health professionals. None of the incidents involving Brown, House and Carriveau occurred while they were on duty, Madison police have said. Spokesperson Stephanie Fryer did not respond when asked on Monday if the same was true for Sbertoli. Police records custodian Julie Laundrie said Sbertoli had been an officer since May 31, 2022. House remains on paid leave, while Brown resigned on Jan. 21 and Carriveau is assigned to restricted duty/desk duty, she said. BOSTON When child welfare workers and police knocked on Sarah Perkins and Joshua Sabeys front door well past midnight one weekend last summer, the parents were shocked to learn the state of Massachusetts had come to take their two young sons. Its the kind of harrowing scene that plays out daily across the country as social workers motivated by a desire to protect children run up against confused and concerned parents. What followed was emotional anguish, a bureaucratic battle, vindication for the parents and a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a legal advocacy group. The couple hope for a favorable ruling that will increase oversight of child removals nationwide. The children were taken in Massachusetts because of a child abuse report stemming from a hospital visit. On July 13, 2022, Perkins whisked their 3-month-old son Cal to an emergency room. He had a 103-degree fever. An X-ray checking for pneumonia found a rib fracture the couple hadn't noticed. After speaking with the boy's grandmother, they learned the injury may have happened weeks earlier as she removed Cal from a car seat. He slipped, and she caught him with one arm. Citing the fracture, hospital officials reported potential abuse to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. It was such a roller coaster this total terror that we're going to lose this child at the hospital and then complete relief after we're allowed to go home with a safety plan, Perkins said. They returned to their Waltham, Massachusetts, home. DCF social workers made a surprise visit and found no evidence of abuse, according to the lawsuit. Days later, around 1 a.m. on July 16, DCF workers and police officers knocked at their door to take both sons away. They didn't have a warrant or a court order, neither of which are required to remove a child in Massachusetts and other states. It was intense. We see that these police officers are armed. We're asking for paperwork and there's none to be had, Perkins said. Eventually we were told that either we hand over the kids or they're going to break down our door and take them by force. Within 24 hours, Sabeys parents were allowed to act as foster parents. Four weeks later DCF let Sabey and Perkins take their children home, and after another three months and eventually about $50,000 in private attorney fees, the government restored full parental custody. A short time later the couple moved to Idaho. The couple's lawsuit alleges constitutional violations including the unreasonable search of their house, the unreasonable seizure of their children and the deprivation of parental rights without due process. Whats really frightening is that it happens a lot. What was unique was our ability to hire an attorney, Sabey said. The couple are plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by the Pacific Legal Foundation, a nonprofit focused on parental rights and other issues. It asks for compensatory and punitive damages. It's also part of a legal strategy to set precedent nationwide confirming the importance of parental rights and clarifying the need to include a neutral judge in child removal decisions unless there is an emergency situation involving a risk of imminent harm to a child, said Glenn Roper, a lawyer for the foundation. The lawsuit names individual social workers, police officers and the City of Waltham, not the DCF. That's in part because state agencies effectively cant be sued in federal court for damages, according to Joshua Thompson, Pacifics director of legal operations. Perkins and Joshua Sabey say they feel responsible to pursue the lawsuit because many other parents can't pay private attorney fees. Joyce McMillan wasn't so fortunate. She relied on a public defender 23 years ago when her two children were removed after a drug test turned up positive for what the New York resident described as an illicit substance. McMillan said she had a job, a home, and was providing for her children. A drug test is not a parenting test, she said. McMillan said she fell into a depression and became homeless before getting her children back more than two years later. Shes currently executive director of the nonprofit JMACforFamilies. The group advocates for dismantling the child welfare system, which it calls the family policing system. Welfare agencies should be required to advise families that they have a right to an attorney and typically dont have to let them speak to their children or enter their home without a court order, McMillan said. If she had deeper pockets at the time, absolutely there would have been a different outcome, she said. A representative from the City of Waltham had no comment on the Massachusetts case. The DCF also declined to comment. DCF policy allows the removal of a child without a court order when needed to avoid a substantial risk of death, serious emotional or physical injury or sexual abuse and when there's inadequate time to seek one, but it must immediately file an affidavit. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, declined to comment on the lawsuit. She said her administration is committed to making sure we do everything we can for the health and well-being of children and families. There are efforts to restrict the authority of child welfare agencies. A bill before Massachusetts lawmakers would require child welfare workers get judicial approval within four hours of removing a child, according to bill sponsor Democratic state Rep. Joan Meschino. It would also make it easier for workers to contact judges outside of regular court hours, including overnight and on weekends. An estimated 3 million children came under the scrutiny of child welfare agencies in the 2021 fiscal year. Nearly 600,000 were victims of mistreatment, according to a report by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families. An estimated 1,820 children died from mistreatment during that same period. The report found that 76% were victims of neglect while 16% were physically abused, and 10% were sexually abused. How spending on public safety and policing has changed over the last 40 years Police funding has remained about half of public safety budgets consistently for 40 years Even with ballooning public safety budgets, many cities allocate more money to the police Some cities have reigned in police spending, while others have tightened overall public safety budgets Montana has made an unprecedented move to become the first U.S. state to ban TikTok. But doubts have been raised over the decision's legal foundation, enforcement mechanisms and underlying motives. While the move draws attention to data security on social media, banning TikTok alone may not provide a comprehensive solution to this problem. For one, the move risks alienating the many young people who have come to rely on the app for meaningful connection, and in some cases their income. It also does little in the way of ensuring better future data privacy and protection for users. Since its meteoric rise in 2020, TikTok has been caught in geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China. These tensions peaked in late 2020 when then-president Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Byte Dance the Chinese media giant and parent company of TikTok to divest from its U.S. operations, or face being banned. In response, TikTok partnered with Oracle on Project Texas: a $1.5 billion initiative to relocate U.S. user data to servers outside China. Allegations that China-based employees at Byte Dance had accessed the TikTok user data led to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew appearing before Congress in March amid yet more calls for it to be banned, and reports of the Biden administration pushing for its sale. Throughout these controversies, TikTok has denied sharing user data with the Chinese government, and said it wouldn't do so even if asked. Nonetheless, governments worldwide have banned TikTok on government devices, citing concerns over data protection. Montana's new law will make downloading TikTok within state lines illegal on Jan. 1. The law imposes fines of up to $10,000 per day for entities offering access to or downloads of the app within the state. Users themselves will not incur penalties. The current legislation places responsibility for blocking access on Apple and Google the operators of app stores on iOS and Android devices. These companies would be held liable for violations. But they lack the capacity to enforce geofencing at the state level, making it difficult for them to prevent Montana residents from downloading TikTok. As a result, it may ultimately fall on TikTok itself to block usage by Montana residents by collecting geolocation data. But this raises the privacy concerns driving the ban in the first place. For now, the ban's enforceability remains to be seen. How will the government of Montana prevent users from using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access TikTok? VPNs encrypt data traffic and allow users to present themselves as being in another location, making it possible for tech-savvy users to bypass bans. Residents also could cross state lines to download the app. Montana may become a testing ground for the "TikTok-free America" that some national lawmakers envision. Apart from TikTok, the ban also targets messaging apps including Chinese-owned WeChat and Russian-founded Telegram highlighting growing apprehensions over data security and privacy. But it's unclear if such a ban is an effective solution for lawmakers' concerns about American users' privacy and data security. Even if the ban in Montana is successful, its national impact will be limited. The state has a population of just over 1 million, whereas the U.S. has more than 100 million monthly TikTok users. As such, the ban in Montana will likely affect a few hundred thousand prospective users at best. While TikTok's popularity in the U.S. continues to soar, nearly half of all U.S.-based users are the digital-native teens and 20-somethings of Generation Z. TikTok is Gen Z's playground. Gen Z users express their political views, entertain themselves and interact with their peers on TikTok. Where other platforms might feel saturated with older generations, TikTok provides an environment where young people can safely lower the barriers to meaningful online participation. And it's not just a quirky app for dance videos. TikTok has become a golden goose for millions of content creators who rely on the app as their stage to showcase their talents, build their brands and connect with fans and customers. Many local small businesses also rely on TikTok to reach potential customers. With the app now under threat, the future livelihoods of these creators and small businesses are in jeopardy, too. A successfully implemented TikTok ban may drive users to Silicon Valley's big tech platforms. But the security of user data with these companies, including Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) and Google, can't be assumed to be more secure than TikTok. They also collect significant amounts of user data that can be shared or sold to third-party entities, including those with connections to China. If data security really is the main concern, policymakers should address the problem comprehensively and systematically across social media platforms. Tackling the root cause is essential. Until that's done, snapping off the branches TikTok or otherwise will do little to keep users' data safe. Savic is a research fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society at the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. He wrote this for The Conversation. Editors note: The Childrens Museum of the Magic Valley Launch a Legacy capital campaign is ongoing to raise funding for a 14,000-square-foot building in downtown Twin Falls. This is the sixth in a weekly series of stories from the museum about its mission to serve the Magic Valley. Information: 208-536-3455; info@cmmv.org Lets dive a little deeper beyond our focus on diversity and contemplate accessibility. Inclusion for all is of the upmost importance to us at the Childrens Miusem of the Magic Valley. Our mission statement says that we strive for engagement of children of all ages and abilities. Dr. Jonathan Myers said, inclusion is the currency of self-worth. What is the connection of inclusion and accessibility? Accessibility is creating spaces and activities that are easily used by everyone, including small children, older adults, wheelchair users, strollers, people needing increased time for movement or processing, and assistance for vision and hearing to ensure that all are included in all we have to offer at the museum. Jaxon Palmer attended one of our STEAM Family Nights, with our Outreach Program Museum On the Go, at his school last fall and shares the fun he had with each activity. He loves to explore and get outdoors, which our mobile exhibits were set up in the school parking lot for the event he attended. Being able to access the Big Blue Blocks and stand up from his wheelchair to the table for our coding exhibit were some of his favorite activities. Statistics from the CDC (2022) and Idaho State Department of Education (2022) show that 28% of adults and 6% of children ages 3 and up have a disability affecting mobility, cognition, independent living, hearing, vision and/or self-care independence in Idaho. We at CMMV recognize the need for accessibility in all areas and will make certain that all our children will have the opportunity to experience learning through play, regardless of disability. How do we plan on doing that? We will address socioeconomic needs with discounted admissions through several program initiatives. Any family will be able to place a hold on a one-time use family pass from local libraries, so finances never need to be a barrier to learning. We will create a space of inclusion for all with universal design above and beyond ADA standards, such as supplying activities for multiple age groups, offering stroller and wheelchair access spaces, clear signage for wayfinding, building a facility and exhibits better than ADA-compliance, wheelchair-accessible and family-friendly restrooms, low-sensory hours and quiet spaces, handicap-accessible parking and even services dogs will be welcome. Next week: STEAM outreach A University of Idaho-led research team will investigate how wildfire smoke affects the physiology of dairy cows and identify strategies to mitigate any ailments the animals suffer due to smoke exposure. The research, which will be funded by a four-year, $771,596 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant, builds upon a prior project involving members of the team, which found milk production dropped significantly following an especially smoky period of the summer of 2020. In addition to analyzing physiological changes among groups of cows exposed to natural smoke, the forthcoming study will compare measures of health between a control group of cows breathing clean air and a group of cows kept in smoke chambers, where theyll be exposed to particulates. The aim of the smoke chamber research is to confirm whether smoke exposure is truly a cause of lost productivity and deteriorating health. Our previous studies have been preliminary. We were just trying to see if there were associations between health effects on particulate matter and production, said Amy Skibiel, an assistant professor of lactation physiology with U of Is Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences and the grants principal investigator. Now we want to see whats happening physiologically in these animals thats contributing to these health effects and production deficit. Pedram Rezamand and Denise Konetchy, also with U of Is Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences; Jeffrey Abbott, with Washington State Universitys (WSU) College of Veterinary Medicine; and Oregon State University dairy management researcher Jenifer Cruickshank are co-principal investigators on the project. Other team members include Alistair Smith, with U of Is Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences; WSU veterinarian Craig McConnel; and J.R. Kok, an HVAC instructor with Lewis-Clark State College. The team will seek to identify genetic markers associated with inflammation, and theyll look for changes in tissue morphology and structure of smoke-exposed cows. They plan to build eight smoke chambers at the dairy on the Moscow campus. Kok will lead development of the system of ducts and dampers to pipe in the smoke. Smith, who is a fire combustion expert, will oversee smoke generation. McConnel, an expert in bovine ultrasonography, will aid in using ultrasounds to evaluate the lungs of experimental cows for lesion development, changes in fluid levels and pneumonia. Producers are becoming more aware that wildfires are a problem. Theyve been observing wildfire smoke seems to have an affect on respiratory health of their animals, on reproduction and on milk production, but there just wasnt any data until we started these projects to substantiate it, Skibiel said. I think theyre really interested in ways they can mitigate the problem on the farm. In their prior research project, they found every increase of 100 micrograms per meter of particulates due to smoke correlated with a 2.5-pound decrease in daily milk production per animal. The researchers will be simulating particulate levels of 150 micrograms per meter, with eight hours of daily exposure, in the smoke chambers. The smoke chamber research will be conducted during the spring, when wildfires dont usually occur, to avoid any natural smoke skewing the results. A second tier of research will evaluate physiological changes affecting the immune system of lactating cows exposed to natural smoke, while a third research tier will assess the effectiveness of air filters designed to filter traffic-related air pollution at protecting the health of cows. Theyll assess heifer calves exposed to natural wildfire smoke, studying the calves after a couple of weeks and after one year to understand long-term effects. Theyll also study bull calves exposed to smoke in a smoke chamber. Based on their prior research, they concluded smoke affects eye discharge, coughing, respiration rates and immune cell populations in calves. Based on the cumulative results, the team hopes to make recommendations regarding the use of air filters, the best housing configurations to protect cows, air ventilation, nutritional intervention, boosting immunity and anti-inflammatory medications. There is not a whole lot going on elsewhere in this line of research. We are leading this effort at a national level, Rezamand said. Funding agencies are realizing the importance of the topic we are presenting and its importance to the dairy industry out West. The project, Wildfire Smoke and the Dairy Industry; Impacts on Animal Performance and Health and Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Involved, was funded with a four-year, $771,596 grant from USDAs National Institute of Food and Agriculture, of which 100% was the federal share, under award No. 2023-67016-39658. Three members of Idahos congressional delegation had a choice: Vote for a measure they did not entirely hate, or face the possibility of an economic train wreck. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, and Rep. Russ Fulcher chose the train wreck. So be it if a federal default would mean delays in Social Security payments, or if Wall Street were reduced to a pile of dust. In their minds, the plan worked out by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy a rare display of bipartisanship in Washington politics wasnt good enough. Thank goodness, the three Idaho Republicans were in the minority. Both houses of Congress passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act, giving us almost a two-year break from talking about debt ceilings. Not everyone in the delegation has his head in the clouds. Rep. Mike Simpson voted for the bill, along with an overwhelming number of his congressional colleagues. He outlined some compelling reasons for his positive action, including an increase in defense spending, a cap on non-defense spending and the scaling back of the controversial $80 billion increase to the IRS. Simpson says it will reduce the deficit by $1.5 trillion over 10 years. Idaho Sens. Crapo, Risch vote against Fiscal Responsibility Act Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch voted Thursday night against the Fiscal Responsibility Act, citing the federal government's unsustainable spending. The bill still passed. The cuts were not as deep as Republicans wanted, but there was at least some progress in changing Washingtons big-spending culture. And it all came about because Republicans hold a slim majority in the House. The GOP should be basking in glory, opposed to trying to hold the nations economy hostage. Simpson is taking that victory lap, and good for him. He offers a nice civics lesson in the process. Quote To get a clue, try skipping payments for a few months on housing, the car and the power bill and see what happens. Raising the debt limit does not create new spending rather, it allows the federal government to pay back loans that were taken out in the past and ensures that the government meets its obligations to bondholders, taxpayers, Social Security recipients and the veterans and service men and women who have served our country faithfully, Simpson said in a statement. Democrats unchecked spending got us to the circumstances were in today, and this bill sets a strategic and responsible path forward to grow the economy and save trillions in taxpayer dollars. OK you cant blame it all on the Democrats. We have a $31 trillion debt and Republicans have helped make that possible. But Simpsons points overall are well taken. Crapo acknowledged the Fiscal Responsibility Act had some good features, as Simpson outlined, but said it didnt go far enough. Because the White House waited months to engage in serious bipartisan conversations with Republicans, Congress was left with little time to adequately address our overall ballooning national debt, keeping spending at swollen post-COVID levels, he said in a statement. The Fiscal Responsibility Act is a missed opportunity for true budget reforms to prevent the type of excessive spending we have seen over the last two years. Budget reform is a tricky proposition. Crapo, the ranking member of the Finance Committee, has come up with two proposals zero-based budgeting (a failed idea from the Carter years) and a balanced-budget amendment (promoted heavily during the Reagan presidency). Lord help us if Crapo is holding out for those two moldies. MOON: There is no victory in debt ceiling deal IDAHO REPUBLICAN PARTY: By deferring the debt crisis to the future, we are prolonging the inevitable and potentially worsening the consequences. But the senior senator represents the majority of thinking in the delegation, which a generous following beyond. This debt ceiling increase puts a Band-aid on a hemorrhage, and we will be in this same situation again and again until we address the federal governments underlying spending problem, Risch said in a statement. Fulcher, a member of the House Freedom Caucus which overwhelmingly opposed the bill said in a statement that he could not justify the debt implications that the legislation poses to Idahoans and fellow Americans. State GOP Chair Dorothy Moon and the Legislatures Freedom Caucus also weighed in with their opposition to the debt-ceiling package. The decision to raise the debt ceiling, Moon wrote in a column for the Times-News, While it may help us avoid immediate disaster, does little to change the trajectory of government growth. As we move past this recent debt ceiling issue, it is essential to focus on the actual problem at hand: Our government routine and significant overspending. Granted, our fiscal policies are a mess and have been for a long time. But we can only speculate about the economic mess that would be in store if the country defaulted on its financial obligations. To get a clue, try skipping payments for a few months on housing, the car and the power bill and see what happens. This is a financial deal of an almost unprecedented type, of enormous size, involving a purchase (sort of but not exactly) by the state (sort of but not exactly) that amounts to a transaction involving more money than the state of Idaho spends on all of its higher education institutions put together (sort of). It might be a good idea. Or not. Its hard to say. The deal involves the University of Idaho and the University of Phoenix, an accredited for-profit private university serving about 85,000 students nationally (several times as many as U of I) mainly through online learning. Its described as a purchase and also as an affiliation, which sounds a little contradictory. Or not. A purchase price of $550 million is noted, although the U of P is said to plan a $200 million infusion to the new non-profit corporation which actually will own and operate the University of Phoenix, and taxpayers are said not to be underwriting the deal. So the University of Idaho is buying the institution, except that, no, a brand new non-profit is. GUEST COMMENTARY: Why affiliation with the University of Phoenix is great for Idaho GUEST COMMENTARY: I am excited about the opportunities available through affiliation with arguably the biggest name in online education, the University of Phoenix, writes University of Idaho President Scott Green. The deal got underway, according to reports, in March, with an approach to the University of Idaho from the U of P owners. Why does it want to sell? An online U of I FAQ says: University of Phoenix has been working diligently to improve its reputation by continuing and amplifying its focus on student success and outcomes since it was purchased by its current owners in 2017. University of Phoenix management believes the goals set several years ago have been accomplished and is ready for the next chapter in the universitys evolution. Let me know if you spot a plausible selling reason in all that. The U of I is expected to get $10 million in supplemental education funding through the deal, which it expects will grow over time. The exact source or rationale for this isnt specified. U of P actually is being bought by a newly-created organization, NewU.Inc, by raising $685 million in bonds. How NewU exactly links to the University of Idaho is unclear. Idaho taxpayers are said not to be on the hook except possibly for $10 million of U of I money (is that the same income money mentioned earlier, or not?) which might be drawn upon, which the U of I says almost certainly wont be needed. Exactly what happens if money does run short also is a little blurry. So again, how will U of P and U of I relate? Might Phoenix be merged or folded into Idaho somehow? Heres the FAQ: Initially, University of Phoenix will operate separately from U of I, in a 501(3) that is affiliated with the University of Idaho. University of Phoenix will remain an independent educational institution operated by its own president and leadership team. There are areas of future collaboration and integration that we will explore and evaluate together. We will take the time to do this right for all involved. Does this mean its largely a financial transaction? The word is that its more than that, but how much more? So why is this happening? The primary reason given: We share a common mission, to illuminate and elevate students to be successful in their careers and lives. Right: Same as every educational institution around the globe. The FAQ also notes the institutions have been doing different things U of Is traditional local teaching and younger students against U of Ps far-flung mainly older distance students, each with expertise in different kinds of delivery. The idea that each could learn from the other has some appeal, but how exactly that would happen remains a little fuzzy. Is there precedent? Yes, to a point, and the U of I named three. Purdue University in 2018 bought the for-profit Kaplan University for one dollar. In 2021, the private not-for-profit Brandman University affiliated (that word again) through a change of control agreement with the University of Massachusetts, becoming University of Massachusetts Global. And in 2020, Ashford University was acquired by the University of Arizona and renamed the University of Arizona Global Campus; it has been the subject of many controversies. All three of these acquiring institutions are considerably larger than the University of Idaho, and the purchased colleges all were considerably smaller. And theres not been a lot of time to observe how these deals have panned out. So what do we make of the Idaho-Phoenix deal? Based on whats out there at this point, Ill admit to not understanding it. More time for careful reflection and review, by a wider audience, wouldnt be a bad idea. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has announced it will temporarily close Roxas Boulevard to vehicular traffic in connection with the countrys 125th Independence Day celebration on June 12. The road closure from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. will be implemented along both lanes of the boulevard from T.M. Kalaw to P. Burgos Street. Meanwhile, Katigbak Parkway, South Rd, and Independence Road will be temporarily closed from 12 midnight to 10 p.m. of the same day to give way to a civic-military parade. Affected trucks going to North Harbor are advised to reroute from South Luzon Expressway straight ahead to Osmena Highway then right turn to Quirino Avenue, straight to Nagtahan Street, going to Lacson Avenue, left turn to Yuseco Street, and straight ahead to Capulong Street then right turn or turn left to R10 road to destination. Moreover, trucks coming from Paranaque Area shall turn right at Quirino Avenue to Nagtahan then Lacson Avenue to destination. Trucks going to the south may use the same route. The MMDA will deploy traffic enforcers to assist in traffic management; and deploy tow and vacuum trucks, and ambulances. Concrete and plastic barriers as well as traffic cones will be placed in key areas. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. It was a celebration of great food and friendship during the recent launch of Yasmin Newmans book, Under Coconut Skies: Feasts and Stories from the Philippines, at SM Aura Premier. Yasmin Newman is an Australian-Filipino food and travel writer, photographer, and cookbook author. The event, organized by the Australian Embassy and the Australia Global Alumni in the Philippines, brought together members of the Filipino-Australian community, alumni, and corporate executives. Members of the Australia-New Zealand Association at the afternoon tea reception at the SM Aura Skypark Lawn for Australian-Filipino food and travel writer Yasmin Newman Notable attendees included Australian Embassy Second Secretary Alex OHara, Vice President of the Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Bradley Norman, and Qantas Airways Philippines General Manager Honeybee Hubabib. The afternoon reception at SM Aura Premiers Skypark featured a cooking demonstration where Yasmin and Filipino-Australian John Michael Hilton, the founder and CEO of Visum Ventures, prepared kinilaw na isda using kalamansi and Australian finger lime. The program was hosted by broadcast personality and Australian alumnus Martin Andanar, with a warm welcome from SMs Millie Dizon. Under Coconut Skies is Yasmins second Filipino cookbook, celebrating the Philippines and its food. Through stunning photographs and engaging storytelling, the book takes readers on a culinary journey, showcasing classic Filipino dishes and their unique culinary traditions, folklore, and personal stories. The book is a celebration of the Philippines and its food, and takes her readers on a journey to discovering classic Filipino dishes through stunning photographs and unique culinary traditions, folklore, and personal stories Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu PSM expressed, One of the things that Filipinos and Australians share is our love for foodwe love bringing people together to enjoy great food and have great conversations. We are delighted to have Filipino-Australian Yasmin Newman here in the Philippines to celebrate Philippine culinary heritage with the best of Australian productsa culinary fusion of the best of both countries. In this vibrant cookbook, Newman invites readers into her kitchen and the homes of friends and locals, sharing traditional dishes, vegetarian options, and modern interpretations of Filipino classics. From sizzling wild mushroom sisig and golden turmeric and cassia bark rice from the Muslim south to pork belly adobo and glistening candied kalamansi cake, Filipino food entices and satisfies all the senses. Guests at the launch were seen enjoying an afternoon tea curated by Yasmin, featuring beloved Filipino dishes from her cookbook prepared using fresh Australian ingredients. Some highlights included Tasmanian salmon with turmeric rice and ube pavlova. Yasmin Newman shows her cookbook, Under Coconut Skies Feasts and Stories from the Philippines to SMs Millie Dizon and Australian Embassy Second Secretary Alex OHara As a proud ambassador of Filipino cuisine and Australian food products, Yasmin also shares her passion for food and her Australian and Filipino influences in a series of cooking videos called A Taste of the Philippines, produced by the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) in partnership with the Australian Government. In 2013, she also wrote and published her debut cookbook, 7000 Islands: A Food Portrait of the Philippines. Under Coconut Skies Feasts and Stories from the Philippines is available on https://www.amazon.com/Under-Coconut-Skies-Stories-Philippines/dp/1925811689 Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Kuwait will import domestic workers from Ethiopia as it implements a contingency plan to ensure an adequate supply of manpower since it has yet to lift its suspension of new entry visas for workers and travelers alike from the Philippines, Gulf News reported. Khaled Al Dakhnan, head of the Union of Domestic Labor Recruitment Offices in Kuwait, announced the group has reached a bilateral agreement with its Ethiopian counterpart to regulate the import of domestic workers from the African nation. This developed as the Philippine government has repatriated some 644 overseas Filipino workers from Kuwait since May, the Department of Migrant Workers said yesterday. Kuwait and the Philippines had agreed to start deporting 50 Filipino workers to Manila daily amid their long-running dispute over worker protections and employer rights. Meanwhile, Al Dakhnan predicted a substantial number of Ethiopian workers will be brought in to meet the demand caused by the halted recruitment from the Philippines, Gulf News reported. He urged haste in finalizing the labor agreement with Ethiopia to prevent any potential crises, particularly with the upcoming school season in September, as he revealed ongoing discussions with other countries, including Kenya and Uganda. Al Dakhnan assured that the value of employment contracts would align with the Ministry of Commerce and Industrys decision and not exceed 500 Kuwait dinars (about P91,000), Gulf News reported. The designated monthly wage is set at KD 90 (about USD 300 or P16,000), which is recognized as the highest among neighboring Gulf countries, the report added. In Manila, DMW Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said the repatriated OFWs include distressed workers with labor cases, those with problems with employers, and some who were overstaying their visas or had decided to stay without work permits. Between May and June, we have 644 repatriated distressed OFWs from Kuwait. We still have two more flights arriving till June 8, he said in an interview with TeleRadyo. The Kuwaiti government has demanded that the Philippines close its shelters housing OFWs who have escaped from their employers. The Philippines, however, has stood firm on maintaining the shelters, saying this is non-negotiable. The DMW earlier imposed a deployment ban in February for newly hired or first-time domestic workers in Kuwait following the murder of Jullebee Ranara. The country last imposed a total deployment ban to Kuwait in 2018 after OFW Joanna Demafelis was slain and discovered inside a freezer at an abandoned apartment there. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. While the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) are barred from investing in the Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC), they may invest in its projects, the governments top economic officials said Monday. In a press briefing, National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon addressed fears that if the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) loses money, the pensions of state and private workers would be put at risk. Its prohibited [for the SSS and GSIS to invest in the MIF] directly and indirectly, De Leon said in a mix of Filipino and English. But De Leon and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno both said the two pension funds may invest in projects, but not in the MIC itself. They added that a risk management unit within the MIC would determine where the money will be invested. MIC can also form joint ventures with conglomerates for big-ticket Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, they said. Diokno, who will head the MIC by virtue of his position as Finance secretary, said they will consider all possible investment projects, regardless of size. They will also work on developmental projects that could have a high return. The MIC can invest in the stock market or short-term bonds, Diokno said in Filipino. Theres an allocation for this. Long term, or short term, maybe high risk but high return. Its the risk management committee that will determine this. Among the sources of funds for the MIF are proceeds from the sale of government assets. Some P2.5 billion worth of government properties are lined up for sale this year. Diokno said the MIC is expected to be fully operational before the end of the year. He said the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Act of 2023 is expected to be signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. before his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July. Once enacted into law, Diokno said: Were expected to prepare the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), and were expected to look for people to man the MIC. That is the direction and I see this to be fully operational before the end of the year, he added. Congress approved the MIF Act of 2023 last week. The sovereign wealth fund will be invested in a wide range of assets, including foreign currencies, fixed-income instruments, domestic and foreign corporate bonds, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and high-impact infrastructure projects, and projects that contribute to the attainment of sustainable development. Diokno said the MIC would have at least P75 billion in paid-up capital this year. Of the total, P50 billion will come from the Land Bank of the Philippines while the remaining P25 billion will be from the Development Bank of the Philippines. Despite concerns that raising additional investments for the fund will be quite challenging this year given the economic environment both here and globally, Diokno said: The Philippines is in a better position now compared to years ago. Globally theres a lot of distress but for us, we got an upgrade [from Fitch]. Its like our star is shining bright so maybe that will help attract more investments, Diokno said. De Leon said that the government would be very aggressive to make sure that there will be resources for the MIF. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Hong Kong, China Hong Kong police on Sunday detained more than 20 people, including key pro-democracy figures trying to commemorate the anniversary of the bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown, as hundreds in Taiwan mourned the dead with a vigil. For years, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers would converge on the citys Victoria Park and its surrounding neighbourhood to commemorate the events of June 4, 1989 taking part in candlelight vigils. But since Beijings imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 to quell dissent, the annual vigil has been banned and its organisers charged under the law. This weekend, scores of police were deployed in the area, stopping people to search their belongings and question them. Some found with a candle regarded as a symbol of the Victoria Park vigil were questioned and detained. More than 700 kilometres (430 miles) away on the self-ruled island of Taiwan, nearly 500 people gathered at Taipeis Liberty Square to chant fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong as night fell. They lit candles in the shape of 8964 numerals forbidden in mainland China because it references the events of June 4, 1989. We need to cherish the freedom and democracy we have in Taiwan, Perry Wu, 31, told AFP. I feel really sad to see the news of people getting arrested today in Hong Kong. Hong Kong police said late Sunday they had detained 23 people between the ages of 20 to 74 who were suspected of breaching the peace. One woman, 53, was arrested for obstructing police officers. Among the most prominent activists AFP saw bundled into police vans Sunday was Chan Po-ying, the leader of the League of Social Democrats, one of the few remaining opposition parties. The veteran activist who was released hours later was holding a small LED candle and two flowers before she was seized by police. Other recognisable figures taken were Alexandra Wong, a well-known activist nicknamed Grandma Wong and Leo Tang, a former leader of the now-disbanded Confederation of Trade Unions. At Victoria Park, a man sitting on a bench holding an unlit candle was surrounded by officers. As he was led to a police van, he said, I was (taken) for just sitting there. On Saturday, Hong Kong police arrested four people for seditious acts and disorderly conduct. Another four were detained on suspicion of breaching the peace. Let the world know Discussion of the Tiananmen crackdown is highly sensitive for Chinas communist leadership and commemoration is forbidden on the mainland. The government sent troops and tanks to Beijings Tiananmen Square in 1989 to break up peaceful protests, brutally crushing a weeks-long wave of demonstrations calling for political change. Hundreds by some estimates, more than 1,000 were killed. For decades, Hong Kong was the only Chinese city with a large-scale commemoration a key index of the liberties and political pluralism afforded by its semi-autonomous status. This year, Victoria Park was transformed for a hometown carnival fair organised by pro-Beijing groups. The pro-Beijing camp want to occupy the venue to exclude the mourners, said Chiu, 68, who placed an unlit candle on the park bench. Erase memories Beijing has gone to exhaustive lengths to erase the 1989 event from public memory in the mainland. All mention of the crackdown is scrubbed from Chinas internet. Over the weekend, sites of more recent protests a bridge in Beijing where a freedom banner was unfurled, and Wulumuqi Street in Shanghai where demonstrations happened in November also saw heightened security. Hong Kong authorities were vigilant in the weeks before June 4, with police seizing a commemorative Pillar of Shame statue for a security trial and removing books on the Tiananmen crackdown from public libraries. But there were still pockets of defiance on Sunday around Hong Kong a shop gave away candles, while a bookstore displayed Tiananmen Square archival material. At the US consulate in the evening, dozens of candles could be seen shimmering in the large complexs windows. Freedom to mourn Sidestepping questions about whether public mourning was allowed, Hong Kongs leader John Lee had repeatedly maintained that the public must act according to the law or be ready to face the consequences. Vigils planned around the world, from Japan to Australia, saw people standing with candles next to images of the brutal crackdown. In London, protesters will stage a re-enactment of the event. Activist Wong Yat-chin, currently in prison for a national security charge, said he mourned the loss of the freedom to mourn for Hong Kong. Its not a crime to remember a day, he said on his Instagram page Sunday. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Yet again, the recent passage through the sensitive Taiwan Strait by navies of the United States and Canada in a joint mission have sent ripples of concern in all directions lapping against the shorelines of neighboring countries. The waterway separates democratic self-ruled Taiwan by only 160 kilometers from China. China claims Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to take it one day, by force if necessary, and has in recent years ramped up military and political pressure on the island. Last week, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong led two other ships through the Taiwan Strait, in a show of force after Beijing conducted aerial and naval exercises around Taiwan in April. The US 7th Fleet announced Saturday its destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the Royal Canadian Navys HMCS Montreal were conducting a routine Taiwan Strait transit on June 3 through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law. According to the US Navy, Chung-Hoon and Montreals bilateral transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific. While US naval ships frequently sail through the strait, the recent bilateral transit is rare the last a joint US-Canada passage through the strait occurred was in September 2022. On Sunday, Chinas defense minister defended sailing a warship across the path of an American destroyer and Canadian frigate transiting the Taiwan Strait, telling a gathering of some of the worlds top defense officials in Singapore that such so-called freedom of navigation patrols are a provocation to China. In his first international public address since becoming defense minister in March, Gen. Li Shangfu told the Shangri-La Dialogue that China doesnt have any problems with innocent passage but that we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of navigation (patrols), that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation. The Chinese vessel overtook the American ship and then veered across its bow at a distance of about 140 meters in an unsafe manner, according to the US Indo-Pacific Command. The US added a Chinese J-16 fighter jet late late last month performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver while intercepting a US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, flying directly in front of the planes nose. Those and previous incidents have raised concerns of a possible accident occurring that could lead to an escalation between the two nations at a time when tensions are already high. The US has noted that since 2021 well before Li became defense minister China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the US Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements. Li said that China is open to communications between our two countries and also between our two militaries, but said, without mentioning the sanctions, exchanges had to be based on mutual respect. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Zooming into China's top historical, cultural institutions Xi visits Xinhua) 08:55, June 05, 2023 Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the Chinese Academy of History before a meeting on cultural inheritance and development in Beijing, capital of China, June 2, 2023. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) -- To the north of China's National Stadium, one can spot a building shaped like a traditional Chinese cauldron, or "ding." As indicated by its distinctive look, the building houses the Chinese Academy of History, one of the country's top institutions of historical research, which was established in January 2019. Further north, the China National Archives of Publications and Culture (CNAPC) is situated at the foot of the Yanshan Mountains. Established in July 2022, the CNAPC is mainly in charge of the collection and preservation of Chinese publications of different eras and relevant data. Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to these two institutions on Thursday and Friday, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to the preservation and inheritance of Chinese culture. At a subsequent meeting on cultural inheritance and development, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized that a profound understanding of the history of Chinese civilization is essential to promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture in a more effective manner. "With unwavering cultural confidence, a profound sense of mission and a spirit of relentless endeavor, we must unite our efforts to create a new culture for our times," he said. Just as Xi emphasized, a clear understanding of history is key to China's cultural development in present times. In this regard, both the institutions Xi visited bear paramount significance. The CNAPC, for instance, is home to more than 25 million documents in various forms, including ancient classics, important publications as well as digital files. The collection comprises invaluable documents that reflect China's historical and cultural development in profound ways. Several original volumes of the "Complete Library in Four Sections," or "Siku Quanshu," a collection of Chinese classical works compiled in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) are available here. Important modern publications such as "The Communist Manifesto" are also part of its collection. Therefore, the institution serves as a "seed bank" of Chinese civilization in many aspects. Collecting historical documents has been a longstanding tradition deeply rooted in the Chinese nation. "In an era of national prosperity and social stability, we have the will and capacity to carry forward Chinese culture, and we should accomplish this great undertaking well," said Xi during his Thursday visit of the CNAPC. The Chinese Academy of History, a subsidiary institution of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, focuses on the research and study of history, and its main duties include organizing and guiding the country's efforts in historical research, and implementing major national academic projects on the study of history. Since its establishment, the academy has undertaken important historical projects, such as launching the compilation of the new general history of China, constructing the Revitalization Library, and conducting research on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization. During his visit to the institution, Xi walked into the Chinese Archaeological Museum in the academy and watched the exhibitions on display. As the country's first national archaeological museum, it boasts precious cultural relics from the Paleolithic period to modern times, highlighting the evolution of Chinese civilization of more than 5,000 years. During the visit, Xi expressed hopes that scholars will continue to enhance their research endeavors and contribute their wisdom and efforts to the advancement of Chinese modernization. On multiple occasions, Xi has stressed the importance of studying history and asked Party members to have a historical perspective. "If one does not learn about China from the continuity of its long history, there is no way to understand ancient China, nor is it possible to understand modern China, let alone China in the future," Xi said at Friday's meeting. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Wu Chaolan) Heres what happened locally on June 5 over the past century, as reported in this newspaper, which went from being called the Henry Bulletin to the Daily Bulletin to the Martinsville Bulletin: 100 years ago: The Ridgeway High school pupils presented the play, Mrs. Tubbs of Shanty Town Thursday night in the school auditorium. The play was full of humor causing and many surprising and amusing reactions. There was a good attendance. Mrs. Tubbs was played by Claudia Austin. Graduating exercises of the Ridgeway High School were held Friday evening in the school auditorium. 75 years ago: The R.W. Mitchell Co. of Winchester, submitted a low bid of $47,314 for the construction of an access highway to the Philpott dam site on Smith River, it was reported in Norfolk yesterday. Stanley, of Stanleytown, said in Washington this morning that he believes the Philpott Dam, which is located in Henry and Franklin counties, will get the extra $500,000 voted by the Senate. 50 years ago: Henry County Commonwealths Attorney Roscoe Reynolds plans to file late today a response to a suit asking circuit court to enjoin the board of supervisors from holding closed sessions unless requirements of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act are met. The suit, brought by the Martinsville Bulletin, alleges that several closed meetings of the supervisors have been held in violation of the information act since the board was seated on Jan. 1, 1972. The suit will be heard Friday in circuit court by Judge John D. Hooker. 25 years ago: Moving the farmers market from Fayette Street to Church Street will give it greater visibility, and therefore more customers, two Martinsville officials said Thursday. David Reeves, community development specialist for the city, presented plans for a $200,000 to $300,000 new farmers market in the sparking lot at the corner of Church and Moss streets to the MURA board Thursday. Today in Martinsville-Henry County history: Sunday, June 4 1923: Kiwanis delegates return from Asheville; 1948, Peter Ford of Rustys Place argues with City; 1973, homing pigeon takes refuge in planter at Patrick Henry Mall; 1998, Betsy Iveys students take on homelessness Today in Martinsville-Henry County history: Thursday, May 25 1923, American Legion for ex-service men; 1948, new school near Irisburg and also Henry Co. Tuberculosis Association; 1973, construction of US 220-58 bypass to begin; 1998, program in Sandy Level. Six Grow MHC graduates were awarded $46,000, and local 3D printing business The 3D Shop won the top prize at $12,000. The nine graduates representing the six businesses completed a four-week series of business classes before pitching their business plans to a panel of judges to compete for funding. The program, which has an 87% success rate, is intended to help small businesses evaluate their entrepreneurial mindset readiness, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brenell Thomas said. This graduating class was awarded $46,000 of the $60,000 that was requested in total from the different business pitches, Thomas said. Duncan Monroe, owner of The 3D Shop, was awarded $12,000. The 3D Shop, a local small batch manufacturing business, opened in March 2021 offering 3D printing services, design work, filament sales and beginner educational services. The award funding will help fund an expansion endeavor allowing for the purchase of equipment that can process any kind of plastic to produce recycled plastic filament that will be used to 3D print items. Josh Blancas, owner of The Ground Floor, and Cam Williams were awarded $10,000 for their business Backspace Coffee, a full-service coffee roaster business currently operating out of the Patrick & Henry Community College Thomas P. Dalton IDEA Center. The money will go towards the purchase of a coffee roaster, and a portion of the businesss profits will be donated to an entrepreneurial fun for other local small businesses. N&T Transportation Service is a non-emergency medical transportation business owned by Latasha Wade and Arnita Wade. The business opened in 2018 and was awarded $7,000 to assist with the purchase of a transport vehicle and a year of office space in the West Piedmont Business Development Center. Ella Mae Wickham, owner of Wigs Unlimited, was awarded $8,000. The current store, open since 2014, is a wig shop, but plans to expand into bra fitting and prosthesis while also helping customers file insurance claims if applicable. The award money will be used for marketing and the purchase of a point-of-sale system. LeGrant Chiropractic Back and Neck Pain Relief Center, owned by Japhet LeGrant, has been in operation since 2019. The business offers alternative treatments to surgical procedures and the use of opioids. LeGrant was awarded $4,000 to go along with his own $30,000 investment that will allow him to see more patients per hour and allow more staff to be hired. Cozy Temptation, owned by LaShonda Brown, was awarded $2,500. The business began in 2021 selling high-quality and trendy lounge wear, sleep wear and lingerie on its online store and at pop-up events. Browns future plans for the business include opening up a physical store. Program partners include: The Campbell Family Foundation, The George Lester II Fund, The Anonymous Fund through the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia, Longwood Small Business Development Center, Patrick & Henry Community College, Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, Appalachian Power, American National Bank, Martinsville City, Henry County, Appalachian Power and American National Bank. We want to wish each of our Grow award recipients much, much, much success in your entrepreneurial journeys and we encourage you to reach out and ask for help along the way, Thomas said. Your success contributes to the revitalization of this community and thats what everybody in this room is all about. Any business interested in participating in the next session of Startup or Grow MHC should contact the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce at 276- 632-6401, email mhccoc@mhcchamber.com or visit martinsville.com for more information. In August, McDowell County will host not one but two festivals featuring some of the best performers in classic country and bluegrass music. Award-winning national music festival promoter Evans Media Source has announced the lineup for the second annual festival called the McDowell County Country Music Roundup. It will be held at Camping World of Marion on Friday, Aug. 11, and Saturday, Aug. 12. During the event, country star Lee Greenwood, best known for his hit God Bless the USA, will take the stage in Marion as part of his farewell tour. T. Graham Brown, Tony Jackson, The Malpass Brothers, Mo Pitney, Leona Williams, Redd Volkaert, Ron Williams and others also will perform, according to a news release. The night of Friday, Aug. 11, Leona Williams, Redd Volkaert and Ron Williams will perform a special tribute to the late country legend Merle Haggard. Volkaert is considered to be one of the greatest Telecaster guitar players and he has picked that instrument for such greats as Haggard, George Jones and Johnny PayCheck, according to online sources. More bands will be added to the lineup, according to a flier for the event. The McDowell County Country Music Roundup will be open from noon to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 11 and 12. Camping World Rally Park is at 1885 U.S. 70 W. in Marion. General admission tickets for Aug. 11 and 12 are $45 per day. Children younger than 12 get in free. Reserved seating per day is $50, while VIP seating is $65, according to the flier. Then, less than one week later, the North Carolina State Bluegrass Festival comes back to Marion. The bluegrass festival will take place Thursday, Aug. 17; Friday, Aug. 18; and Saturday, Aug. 19, at Camping Worlds Rally Park. Rhonda Vincent, Authentic Unlimited and The Malpass Brothers will headline this event. They will be joined by other artists such as Terry Baucombs Dukes of Drive, Po Rambling Boys, Deeper Shade of Blue, Nothin Fancy, Tim Graves & Farm Hands, Williamson Branch, Retro 78, Bandanah Rhythm, Backline and Ages Past. Daily ticket prices are $45 for adults in advance and $50 at the gate. A three-day adult ticket is $100 in advance and $105 at the gate. Advance ticket prices end July 18. For children ages 13-16, the cost is $20 per day or $50 for three days with a parent. Children younger than 12 get in free when accompanied by parents. Sherry Boyd will be the mistress of ceremonies for both festivals. These festivals draw thousands of people to McDowell County and many of them park their campers and RVs in the rally park. These events will have food vendors selling hamburgers, barbecue, ice cream, funnel cakes and boiled peanuts. There will be jewelry and craft vendors, too. All of the artists will sell their own CDs and souvenirs and sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans. The shows go on rain or shine under a covered pavilion and tent, with tickets available at the gate. For more information, visit www.EvansMediaSource.com or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/evansmediasource. Call 386-385-3500 to buy tickets. For information about camping, call Camping World at 877-958-4264. The National Elections Commission (CNE) of Guinea-Bissau called on the population to remain calm, serene and vigilant until the results of Sundays legislative elections are announced, and called for a sense of responsibility from the parties. In a statement read by deputy Executive secretary Idrissa Djalo, the CNE called for tolerance, serenity and sense of responsibility of all actors involved in the electoral process, including parties and coalitions and the media, and to maintain an exemplary civic conduct in this crucial and delicate moment that the country is experiencing. The CNE considered that the elections were held in a climate of great cordiality, cooperation and solidarity and in an orderly and peaceful manner. Idrissa Djalo said that the provisional results of the elections will be released as of Wednesday. About 900,000 Guinean voters were called this Sunday to choose the 102 new members of Parliament and the party that will form the Government from among 20 parties and two coalitions. An oil production cut is on the way. An agreement was reached by the 23 OPEC+ member States, producers of around 40% of the worlds crude oil, meeting in Vienna on Sunday June 4. To boost the price of black gold which has been at half-mast for some time, they decided to cut quotas, but the disagreements have come to light. It took a long time for the agreement to take shape: seven hours of discussions, and in the end, the production quota cuts for this year were maintained. A reduction of two million barrels per day. Opep+ also decided to tighten the tap a little more in 2024. Saudi Arabia, the worlds leading exporter, is going even further, with a voluntary cut of 500,000 barrels a day until December 2024. In any case, the unity that OPEC+ wanted to display has been seriously undermined. African countries such as Angola, Gabon and Nigeria were not in favor of deep cuts in production, and were opposed to setting reference levels lower than the current ones. The United Arab Emirates, which wanted to produce more, said to certain African countries: But you cant produce on the basis decided by Opec+ years ago, so you could lend us a little more of your figure. And some countries said no way. Maybe we cant produce at the level announced for the moment, but we have developments underway and we can keep this room for manoeuvre. We dont want to give it to you. And this is one of the issues that stalled the ministerial meeting of these 23 countries, explains Francis Perrin, a researcher at Iris and a specialist in hydrocarbons. In the end, the African countries had to give in. The capacities of each country will be reassessed. Next meeting of the 23 Opec+ countries at the end of November. The Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, said his second official visit to Angola will be marked by the signing of the new 2023/2027 strategic cooperation program. The visit to Angola, starting this Monday, will serve for Portugal to contribute to the diversification of the Angolan economy and will be marked by the signing of the new strategic cooperation program, the PM said. Antonio Costa defines these two objectives for his second two-day official visit to Angola the first was in September 2018 in a short video he recorded and published Sunday on the government portal. The leader of the executive will be accompanied by the ministers of Finance, Fernando Medina; Foreign Affairs, Joao Gomes Cravinho; Economy, Antonio Costa Silva; Agriculture, Maria do Ceu Antunes; and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Francisco Andre. The signing of the new strategic cooperation program 2023/2027, according to Antonio Costa, represents a concrete mark of the strengthening of cooperation between two friendly countries in a very high moment of Luso-Angolan relations. The new strategic program of cooperation between Portugal and Angola, to run until 2027, will be signed at a ceremony presided over by the Portuguese Prime Minister and the Angolan Head of State, Joao Lourenco. The visit, in Antonio Costas perspective, will also be a moment in which several companies will participate, following the economic forum held a month ago in Porto, with a view to contributing to the diversification of economic activity in Angola. At this point, the Portuguese Prime Minister points out that the diversification of the Angolan economy is an ambition of the Angolan Government, it is an ambition of President Joao Lourenco. We want to meet this ambition, also opening new investment and growth opportunities for Portuguese companies, he added. 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 "My mother has always been my hero," Mario Browne told a crowd of 180 people on Thursday. Standing by his side was that 79-year-old hero, Joyce Browne, who was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's in 2019. The two were among the speakers at the second-annual Pittsburgh Summit on Alzheimer's and Dementia in the African American Community. "I'm most proud of my mother today because I see her fight when dealing with this disease," said Browne, 61. Held at the Highland Park Mount Ararat Community Activity Center and sponsored in part by the Alzheimer's Association and AARP, the event brought together local experts and community members to discuss health disparities in Alzheimer's diagnosis and treatmentand look for ways forward. Most audience members raised their hands when asked if they knew someone with dementia, an umbrella term of which Alzheimer's Disease makes up 60-80% of all cases. Alzheimer's affects 6.7 million Americans. In its 2023 report, the Alzheimer's Association predicted the state number to increase to 320,000 people by 2025. And Allegheny County's population continues to age, coming second in an analysis of residents over the age of 65 for the country's 40 largest counties in 2021. Alzheimer's is a costly disease to manage as well; the Alzheimer's Association expects the U.S. to spend $345 billion on it in 2023. Researchers in Pittsburgh are making real strides toward early detection of Alzheimer's and accessibility of resources and treatment. But none of this matters, said keynote speaker Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, chief clinical diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Allegheny Health Network and an OB-GYN, unless health inequities baked into the system are addressed. A new Pitt study provides an opportunity to chip away at one primary issue: accessibility. Published in Nature Medicine on Monday, the study found a new biomarker, or "tag," for Alzheimer's by looking at the blood samples of 1,016 participants. "When you look at all the biological definitions of Alzheimer's, it says it's a condition of amyloid and tau," said senior study author, Dr. Tharik Pascoal, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Pitt. "This study provides an update," he said, and addresses a "key piece of the puzzle" in understanding how Alzheimer's progresses. The study is a collaboration between scientists at Pitt's Psychiatry department, the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, McGill University in Canada and the biotech company Janssen. It was partially funded by the Alzheimer's Association, National Institute on Aging, and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Scientists have long known that people with Alzheimer's develop a build-up of proteins called amyloid-beta, which coat neurons and slow them down. Another protein called tau gets tangled inside neurons, further adding to Alzheimer's pathology. But in the present study, research might have discovered a main reason why some people with brains full of amyloid plaques never experience profound cognitive impairment, while others do. The answer lies in a kind of brain cell that has been largely underappreciated by scientists for decades: astrocytes. Astrocytes are helper cells in the brain that respond to injury and facilitate communication among neurons, vital for metabolism and clearing waste. But because they don't conduct electricity like neurons do, many scientists had cast them aside in the early days of academic research. The scientists found that the blood samples of some participants revealed an important biomarker: GFAP. This protein is released by astrocytes in response to injury and can be thought of as a signal for how reactive astrocytes are in the brain. Many of the participants' blood showed signals of amyloid and tau, but only some had the GFAP biomarker for astrocyte reactivity. The scientists watched three cohorts of participants over a span of years and discovered that those with GFAP would go on to show signs of Alzheimer's symptoms, while those with only amyloid or tau would not. And these results were consistent across three cohorts, despite them consisting of different participants over different years. "This puts astrocytes at the center as key regulators of disease progression, challenging the notion that amyloid is enough to trigger Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Pascoal in a news release about the study. Not only does this change the way researchers can envision Alzheimer's progression, but it also introduces an important consideration for early detection of the disease. The GFAP biomarker test could be added to blood panels and given during a simple doctor visit, increasing access to early Alzheimer's diagnosis. Dr. Pascoal said all UPMC physicians are expected to have an opportunity to add this blood test to their gamut. "This means it can be useful very fast. I think it's coming very soon," he said. Emily Largent, an assistant professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and specializing in Alzheimer's drug regulation, said replicating these findings will be important to confirm how the scientific community can understand and move forward with the results. "Hopefully, blood-based tests will lower two long-standing barriers to the uptake of Alzheimer's biomarker testing: high cost and high patient burden. Blood-based tests are relatively cheaper and less burdensome to undergo than the alternative imaging tests," she said in an email. Largent was not involved in the research. "Lowering barriers and increasing access to biomarker testing is increasingly important as drugs that can slow the progression of cognitive impairment are made available to patients living with cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer's disease." Larkins-Pettigrew, the keynote speaker at the Thursday summit, heard about the study when it came out on Monday and said that blood tests to detect Alzheimer's could be a noninvasive and cost-effective way to promote early detection. "As long as biomarkers are used with standards that reflect racial disparities, I think it could be phenomenal," she said. There are many risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, some imprinted and others changeable. Genetics and family history play a part in who develops the disease because it can be passed down through our DNA. Other immutable factors, such as age, race and sex play a role as well: Women are more likely to develop the disease, as are Black Americans, who are twice as likely as whites to have Alzheimer's. Larkins-Pettigrew thinks this is due in part to chronic stress from structural problems, such as food insecurity, poverty, lack of education and lack of access to quality health care. Chronic stress impacts heart health and inflammation, and can accelerate aging. "Stress is a big deal, and this is 400 years of stress" in the African American population, she said. "It's continuous micro- and macro-aggressions that wear you down overtime, called weathering. That's what's happening to Black people in this country. "People taking care of you need to understand that stress didn't start yesterday. It started when you took your first breath." One solution, Larkins-Pettigrew said in an interview, is for health care workers to adopt "cultural humility," which may decrease medical discrimination and increase empathy, directing Black people to quality care and potentially early diagnoses. Another is to increase accessibility of resources. One notable local resource for those with Alzheimer's is the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Pitt. Melita Terry, the organization's community engagement coordinator, also spoke at the Thursday event and encouraged people to see if they are eligible for clinical trials. As part of the center's research, which is funded by the NIH at no cost to the patient, those who suspect they have dementia or Alzheimer's can come to the center and receive a complete workup by a team including a physician assistant, neurologist and psychologist. Patients receive a free MRI, and the team can also provide a diagnosis if dementia is present. Terry first met Joyce Browne at the Kingsley Association in East Liberty in 2019, when Browne had already started experiencing some cognitive impairment. The coincidental meeting ultimately led to Browne's diagnosis, when Terry encouraged her to visit the center. Browne, who lives in the East End, now attends the BRiTE (Brain Training and Exercise) Wellness Program, created by occupational therapists at the Pitt School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Members of the program socialize and engage in activities to promote brain health and curb memory loss. Her son is grateful for this, especially as more research comes out about the danger loneliness and social isolation can pose to health. "Before she got married [five years ago], she was living alone and talked about feeling lonely," said Browne. "That bothers me a little. It makes me feel like she was maybe suffering and not telling us." Things are better now, because Browne is surrounded by family and friends. "My mother thrives around people. She loves connection," said Browne. "At BRiTE Wellness, they will play old songs, and people will start remembering. They'll remember things from their 20s and 30s. They'll have memories from when they were a child, and maybe they heard that song on vacation." Browne said she appreciates the camaraderie from the program and the opportunity to get out of the house. As a Black woman, she said she has not experienced mistreatment in the medical system when seeking Alzheimer's care. "I don't feel alone anymore," she said. "I feel honored because I have a wonderful family. I've seen people [with dementia] who don't, and I feel bad for them. My hope is for the same sense of community for others." Heather Hopson, the event's moderator, said her mother was just diagnosed with dementia. "Joyce Browne gives people like me hope. She is proof that people with Alzheimer's disease can live a joyful life." 2023 PG Publishing Co. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain One in five women experience feelings of aversion during breastfeeding, according to a new Australian study, suggesting the phenomenon is more prevalent than previously recognized. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months due to the numerous health benefits it offers both mothers and babies. However, Australian statistics reveal about 30% of women discontinue breastfeeding within the first four months. The study, titled "The Prevalence of Breastfeeding Aversion Response in Australia: A National Cross-Sectional Survey," published in Maternal and Child Nutrition, surveyed more than 5,500 Australian women currently breastfeeding. The study also found that more than 95% of the women surveyed encountered additional breastfeeding challenges such as sore nipples, insufficient or excessive milk supply, and poor latch. Lead author Melissa Morns from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) said a better understanding and awareness of the "Breastfeeding Aversion Response" could help support mothers to continue to breastfeed. She describes the experience as encompassing feelings of irritability, anxiety, or anger during nursing, despite a mother's desire to breastfeed. Some women describe it as "visceral and overwhelming." "Many new parents begin the breastfeeding journey unaware that they may encounter barriers that require breastfeeding knowledge and perseverance to overcome," Morns said. "There can also be guilt, shame or social stigma around discussing feelings of aversion, which can stop mothers from seeking support. Consequently, many women with this breastfeeding challenge suffer alone and in isolation," she said. Morns is completing a Ph.D. on the topic at the UTS School of Public Health, spurred in part by her own personal experience, and the lack of information available. She has also established an online support group. "The experience of breastfeeding aversion is unexpected and difficult for mothers. If support is not available, it can have detrimental effects on maternal identity, mother-child bonds, and intimate family relationships," she said. Morns' research identified potential triggers for breastfeeding aversion, including menstruation, breastfeeding during pregnancy, and breastfeeding two infants concurrently. The experience was also more common with the first child. Some strategies that may help include meditation, positive self-talk, personal distraction, setting boundaries with older nurslings, and seeking professional help if needed. The support of a partner can also play a crucial role. Morns highlighted the need for improved public health strategies and maternal health interventions to support and encourage breastfeeding, particularly for those experiencing complex challenges like aversion. "My hope is that general practitioners, midwives and lactation consultants can gain a deeper understanding of the scale and nature of this phenomenon, so that when they see someone in their clinic who is experiencing it, they can offer timely and tailored support," she said. Most of the women in the study rated their overall breastfeeding experience as positive, despite the challenges. This suggests that with good quality support it's possible to find strategies to overcome difficulties such as aversion and sustain breastfeeding. More information: Melissa A. Morns et al, The prevalence of breastfeeding aversion response in Australia: A national crosssectional survey, Maternal & Child Nutrition (2023). DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13536 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: Glass brain image with a priori tracts of interest. Credit: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101240 A team led by a University of Texas at Dallas neurodevelopment researcher has uncovered some of the most conclusive evidence yet that parents who talk more to their infants improve their babies' brain development. The researchers used MRI and audio recordings to demonstrate that caregiver speech is associated with infant brain development in ways that improve long-term language progress. Dr. Meghan Swanson, assistant professor of psychology in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, is corresponding author of the study, which was published online April 11 and in the June print edition of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. "This paper is a step toward understanding why children who hear more words go on to have better language skills and what process facilitates that mechanism," Swanson said. "Ours is one of two new papers that are the first to show links between caregiver speech and how the brain's white matter develops." White matter in the brain facilitates communication between various gray matter regions, where information processing takes place in the brain. The research included 52 infants from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS), a National Institutes of Health Autism Center of Excellence project involving eight universities in the U.S. and Canada and clinical sites in Seattle, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Home language recordings were collected when children were 9 months old and again six months later, and MRIs were performed at 3 months old and 6 months old, and at ages 1 and 2. "This timing of home recordings was chosen because it straddles the emergence of words," Swanson said. "We wanted to capture both this prelinguistic, babbling time frame, as well as a point after or near the emergence of talking." It's long been known that an infant's home environmentespecially the quality of caregiver speechdirectly influences language acquisition, but the mechanisms behind this are unclear. Swanson's team imaged several areas of the brain's white matter, focusing on developing neurological pathways. "The arcuate fasciculus is the fiber tract that everyone in neurobiology courses learns is essential to producing and understanding language, but that finding is based on adult brains," Swanson said. "In these children, we looked at other potentially meaningful fiber tracts as well, including the uncinate fasciculus, which has been linked to learning and memory." The researchers used the images to measure fractional anisotropy (FA). This metric for the freedom or restriction of water movement in the brain is used as a proxy for the progress of white matter development. "As a fiber track matures, water movement becomes more restricted, and the brain's structure becomes more coherent," Swanson said. "Because babies aren't born with highly specialized brains, one might expect that networks that support a given cognitive skill start out more diffuse and then become more specialized." Swanson's team found that infants who heard more words had lower FA values, indicating that the structure of their white matter was slower to develop. The children went on to have better linguistic performance when they began to talk. The study's results align with other recent research showing that slower maturation of white matter confers a cognitive advantage. "As a brain matures, it becomes less plasticnetworks get set in place. But from a neurobiological standpoint, infancy is unlike any other time. An infant brain seems to rely on a prolonged period of plasticity to learn certain skills," Swanson said. "The results show a clear, striking negative association between FA and child vocalization." Sharnya Govindaraj, co-first author of the paper, a cognition and neuroscience doctoral student and a member of Swanson's Baby Brain Lab, said at first she was surprised by the results. "We initially didn't know how to interpret these negative associations that seemed very counterintuitive. The whole concept of neuroplasticity and absorbing new knowledge had to fall into place," she said. "Which ability we're looking at also matters a great deal, because something like vision matures much earlier than language." As the parent of a toddler in a bilingual household, Swanson was curious about how this relationship functions for infants exposed to more than one language. "Raising a bilingual child, it is remarkable how she is not confused by languages, and she knows who she can use which language with," Swanson said. Swanson said she also has gained a deeper level of appreciation and gratitude for what she, as a researcher, asks parents in her studies to do. "When participants sign up, I'm asking them to commit to a year and a half," she said. "Because of the commitment of all the parents in prior studies, I and others have the knowledge that allows us to communicate with our children in a way that supports their development." Swanson said the take-home message is that parents have the power to help their children develop. "This work highlights parents as change agents in their children's lives, with the potential to have enormous protective effects," Swanson said. "I hope our work empowers parents with the knowledge and skills to support their children as best they can." More information: Katiana A. Estrada et al, Language exposure during infancy is negatively associated with white matter microstructure in the arcuate fasciculus, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101240 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: With the United States facing a high number of drug shortages, a Chinese company may help to boost the supply of one in particular, the chemotherapy agent cisplatin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working with the Chinese drugmaker Qilu Pharmaceutical to import the widely used cancer drug. The Canadian pharmaceutical company Apotex will distribute the medication in 50-milligram vials, CNN reported. Health care providers can begin ordering the drug on Tuesday. "The FDA recognizes the importance of a stable, safe supply of critical drugs used in oncology, especially those used in potentially curative or life-extending situations," said FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf on Twitter late Friday. "Today, we've taken steps for temporary importation of certain foreign-approved versions of cisplatin products from FDA-registered facilities and used regulatory discretion for continued supply of other cisplatin and carboplatin products to help meet patient needs." Califf stressed that in these situations regulators carefully assess product quality and require companies to take certain measures to ensure the products are safe for patients. "The public should rest assured that we will continue all efforts within our authority to help the industry that manufactures and distributes these drugs meet all patient needs for the oncology drugs impacted by shortages," he added. The near-record number of drug shortages has had a big effect on cancer treatments, with about two dozen chemotherapy drugs in active shortage this spring, CNN noted, citing data from the University of Utah Drug Information Service. Lawmakers criticized the FDA for falling behind on inspections of international facilities in a hearing last month, but the agency said much of the shortages were due to economics. Platinum-based drugs, like cisplatin (Platinol), are prescribed for 10% to 20% of all cancer patients, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Cisplatin has a cure rate of over 90% when used to treat testicular cancer, the FDA said. It also treats bladder, cervical, ovarian, lung, gastric, breast, and head and neck cancers. Dr. Amanda Fader, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said Friday that the severe shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin are affecting hundreds of thousands of patients, CNN reported. "Substitutions are sometimes required," she said. "Many of these drugs may carry worse side effect profiles or different dosing schedules that require two to three times longer to administer." Importing foreign medications has helped in the past, Fader noted. "The drugs do need to pass the same rigorous inspections and requirements as conventionally FDA-approved drugs, so that process does take time," Fader said. More information: The American Cancer Society has more on cancer treatment. Copyright 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A method of care involving skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her prematurely born or low birth weight baby appears to impact the child's chances of survival significantly, suggests a study published online in the journal BMJ Global Health. Starting the intervention within 24 hours of birth and carrying it out for at least eight hours a day both appear to make the approach even more effective in reducing mortality and infection, researchers found. The method of care known as "kangaroo mother care" (KMC) involves an infant being carried, usually by the mother, in a sling with skin-to-skin contact and many studies already carried out have shown this is a way of reducing mortality and the risk of infection for the child. The World Health Organization recommends it as the standard of care among low birth weight infants after clinical stabilization. However, less is known about the ideal time at which to begin the intervention. Hence, researchers from India conducted a review of numerous large multi-country and community-based randomized trials on the subject. By looking at existing studies, they set out to compare KMC with conventional care and to compare starting the approach early (within 24 hours of the birth) with later initiation of KMC to see what effect this had on neonatal and infant mortality and severe illness among low birth weight and preterm infants. Their review looked at 31 trials that included 15,559 infants collectively and of these, 27 studies compared KMC with conventional care, while four compared early with late initiation of KMC. Analysis of the results showed that compared with conventional care, KMC appeared to reduce the risk of mortality by 32% during birth hospitalization or by 28 days after birth, while it seemed to reduce the risk of severe infection, such as sepsis, by 15%. It also emerged that the reduction in mortality was noted regardless of gestational age or weight of the child at enrollment, time of initiation, and place of initiation of KMC (hospital or community). It was also noted that the mortality benefits were greater when the daily duration of KMC was at least eight hours per day than with shorter duration KMC. Those studies that had compared early with late-initiated KMC demonstrated a reduction in neonatal mortality of 33% and a probable decreased risk of 15% in clinical sepsis until 28 days following early initiation of KMC. The review had some limitations in that the studies looked at involved an intervention that was obviously known about by participants so that it could be seen as biased, and very low birth weight, extremely preterm neonates, and severely unstable neonates were often excluded from studies. However, the review authors said that the risk of bias in the included studies was generally low, and because their review had included a comprehensive and systematic search of existing studies, the certainty of the evidence for the primary outcomes was moderate to high. They concluded, "Our findings support the practice of KMC for preterm and low birth weight infants as soon as possible after birth and for at least eight hours a day." "Future research should focus on overcoming barriers and facilitators to large-scale implementation of KMC in facility and community settings. Data on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes are also needed." More information: Kangaroo mother care for preterm or low birth weight infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis, BMJ Global Health (2023). DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010728 Journal information: BMJ Global Health 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 A targeted drug combination for patients with a type of ovarian cancer could be nearly twice as effective as the next best treatment, according to interim results from a phase II study. Researchers hope these results, which are being presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, will lead to a new option for patients with advanced low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC), a rare form of the disease that has a poor response rate to current treatments. The findings are published in a supplement to the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The international RAMP-201 (ENGOTov60-National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI)/GOG3052) study, led by researchers from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and sponsored by Verastem Oncology, has tested avutometinib alone and in combination with defactinib in 29 patients with LGSOC. Both drugs are designed to block signals that encourage cancer cells to grow. Approved treatment options available for patients with advanced LGSOC in the U.K. are currently limited to chemotherapy and hormone therapy, with response rates typically ranging from 0%14%. Alongside standard treatment, LGSOC patients in England can access trametinib, a targeted treatment, via the Cancer Drugs Fund, which has a response rate of 26%. Tumors shrink in half of patients According to these results, nearly half (45%) of patients treated with avutometinib in combination with defactinib saw their tumors shrink significantly, suggesting the new combination could be almost twice as effective as the next best treatment. Responses to the drug combination were particularly promising in those with a mutation in a gene called KRAS, with six in 10 (60%) patients experiencing significant tumor shrinkage. However, nearly a third (29%) of patients without the mutation also had an encouraging response, which is also an improvement on standard treatment. Patients previously treated with other types of targeted therapies, including MEK inhibitors, also saw their tumors shrink following treatment with the drug combination. Avutometinib is a dual RAF and MEK inhibitor, a type of targeted drug that blocks certain proteins that help control cancer growth and survival. Studies have shown the drug can become ineffective over time as tumors develop resistance to treatment. However, when combined with defactinibwhich is designed to combat a protein that encourages drug resistanceresearchers believe avutometinib works more efficiently. This is confirmed by these results, which demonstrate that the drug combination is over four times more effective than avutometinib alone. RAMP-201 follows the phase 1 FRAME trial, which tested avutometinib (then known as VS-6766) and defactinib on a slightly smaller cohort of patients with advanced LGSOC and was led by researchers from the ICR and The Royal Marsden. While survival data is not yet available from RAMP-201, results from FRAME indicate that this patient group lives an average of 23 months following treatment with this drug combination before their cancer progresses. LGSOC accounts for about one in 10 cases of ovarian cancer, with around 700 women in the U.K. and 80,000 worldwide diagnosed each year. Compared with other forms of the disease, LGSOC tends to affect younger women. Fantastic news Global lead investigator of the study, Dr. Susana Banerjee, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Research Lead for The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Gynecology Unit and Team Leader in Women's Cancers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said, "These initial results could be fantastic news for women with low grade serous ovarian cancer, indicating a far more effective option than current treatments may be on the horizon. "It's wonderful to see so many patients experience a meaningful response to this innovative drug combination and I'm so grateful to all who joined the trial, making this research possible. Low grade serous ovarian cancer does not respond well to currently approved treatments, so these results could represent a significant breakthrough in treating the disease. "We are hopeful this drug combination will one day become a standard of care for women with low grade serous ovarian cancer." 'I felt relieved, amazed and so happy' After being diagnosed with low grade serous ovarian cancer in 2009, Christine Cull, 71 from Coventry, found out the disease had returned in 2014. She was treated with chemotherapy and hormone therapy at her local hospital, which unfortunately didn't work, along with several surgeries. Christine joined the FRAME trial at The Royal Marsden in August 2020 and has been treated with this drug combination ever since. Her latest scan results showed no evidence of disease. She said, "My lowest point throughout this experience was in 2019 when my local hospital said there was nothing more they could do for meit was horrible. My cancer had completely resisted chemotherapy and hormone therapy, and my team weren't able to operate again. "Fortunately, my doctor referred me to The Royal Marsden who, as specialist cancer center, had the expertise to do another surgery. When the disease started growing again the next year, this trial had opened at the hospital, and I was chuffed to be able to join. I have scans every three months and each time we've seen the cancer getting smaller and smaller. After finding out recently that the cancer is currently not even visible on scans, I felt relieved, amazed and so happy to be able to pass this good news onto family and friends. "The Royal Marsden means so much to me. The hospital gave me and my family hope when I thought my options were exhausted and, because of this trial, I'm able to live my life with my husband, three children and three grandchildren with barely any side effects." More information: Susana N. Banerjee et al, Initial efficacy and safety results from ENGOT-ov60/GOG-3052/RAMP 201: A phase 2 study of avutometinib (VS-6766) defactinib in recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC)., Journal of Clinical Oncology (2023). DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.5515 Journal information: Journal of Clinical Oncology 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: Mean global domain score.Arranged by descending mean global domain score. Black bars represent SD. IPC=infection prevention and control. Credit: The Lancet Infectious Diseases (2023). DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00796-4 Governments around the world must do more to tackle the growing threat of drug-resistant infections, new research suggests. National action plans to tackle the threat from antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to medicines designed to treat them, were developed by more than 100 countries. The plans focus on designing policies to curb AMR and devising tools to implement the policiesbut they do not adequately factor in monitoring and evaluation. The new research, carried out by experts at the universities of Leeds, Edinburgh and Hamburg, is the first large-scale analysis of these plans. They were designed after encouragement from the World Health Organization, which has declared AMR one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity. Lead author Jay Patel, undergraduate dental student in the University of Leeds' School of Dentistry, said, "Our analysis showed that countries were highly focused on designing AMR policies, and thinking about what tools would be required to implement those, but they generally did not consider how they would monitor and evaluate the impact of those efforts." "This suggests that the international response may be inadequate to meet the scale and severity of AMR. This is particularly concerning in low and middle-income countries, where action plan activities often lack sustainable fundingrelying instead on funds from foreign donors and philanthropies." "The available evidence also suggests that simply developing a national action plan may not necessarily mean a country is more prepared to respond to the threat of AMR." "Our study shows that the global response to AMR, and preparedness for the predicted challenges of AMR, require improvement in all locations around the world." The research team says governments across the world must strengthen their responses to AMR. What is antimicrobial resistance? AMR refers to changes in microbes, particularly bacteria, that cause the drugs used to treat infections to become less effective. AMR has emerged as a defining challenge for global public health in the 21st century. In 2019 alone, AMR was a factor in 4.95 million deaths worldwidemore than half of deaths due to bacterial infections. Without action, AMR could render many routine antibiotics ineffective, claiming tens of millions of lives annually. In 2017, the World Health Organization encouraged member states to develop national action plans stipulating how countries would tackle AMR. More than 100 countries have produced action plans, with several being implementedbut there had been no global analysis of the contents of these plans. Published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, this new research is the first to comprehensively assess international AMR efforts and national action plans and generate comparable quantitative results across countries and regions. The 114 action plans, which were created in 2020-21, were evaluated against 54 elements, such as education, stewardship, and accountability, and each awarded a score out of 100. A mean score out of 100 for each country's plan was then taken from these results. The findings The study found that across all plans, there was a greater focus on policy design and implementation tools, but efforts to monitor and evaluate activities are generally poorly-considered. Of all areas evaluated, accountability and feedback mechanisms were the joint-lowest scoring, followed by education. Training and professional education across human health, veterinary, and agricultural sectors were insufficient in many countries, with several lacking a sustainable workforce strategy to deliver antimicrobial stewardship policies. Countries scored well on participation, demonstrating a shared awareness that AMR can only be successfully addressed through engagement with multiple sectors spanning human, animal and environmental health. Infection prevention and control was frequently recognized as a critical objective. Norway's response was the highest scoring with 85, followed by the U.S. with 84 and the UK with 83. The lowest scoring countries were Ukraine and Sierra Leone with 29 points each, and Barbados and Micronesia with 28 points. More information: Jay Patel et al, Measuring the global response to antimicrobial resistance, 202021: a systematic governance analysis of 114 countries, The Lancet Infectious Diseases (2023). DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00796-4 Journal information: Lancet Infectious Diseases 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 After leaving prison, where he'd been incarcerated for nearly three decades, a man in his 60s took up residence in the woods of Kansas City, where he stayed for five years. He eventually found his way to City Union Mission's emergency homeless shelter, where staff learned he'd been panhandling to pay for his eyesight medication. At the shelter, they pegged him as a good fit for the L. Minor Care Center next door, a program that helps connect men with high needs to long-term supportive housing, however long it takes. Once at the center, staff connected the man with a health care provider who covered his medications and delivered them to him. He doesn't have a move-out deadline, and all the services are free. The man, upon learning this, started crying. "This is the first time I feel like anybody's ever cared for me," Amanda Greene, the center's administrator, recalled him saying. In the five years since opening, nearly 700 men have come through the center, with most staying for about 150 days, though some have stayed for years before transitioning into permanent supportive housing, City Union Mission leadership said. Of those, 75% were still in permanent housing a year later. "We're finding that's really the sweet spot that's missing in Kansas City, is this non-clinical, but high-touch, high-investment opportunity for them to just relax and feel at home and for us to start working toward, where is the best place we can place them," said Terry Megli, CEO of City Union Mission, which runs the center. All the men at the center have been chronically homeless, and about 80% were previously institutionalized. About 60% have a traumatic brain injury, and almost everyone has experienced some sort of addiction. Almost every resident suffers from multiple mental health disorders and/or physical disabilities, Megli said, with about half using a wheelchair, cane or walker. Many also suffer from addiction. Some of the men's needs are too high even for emergency or cold-weather shelters, Greene added. This means each guest needs a personalized experience. And that starts with helping the men overcome their stigma about being homeless and learn to recognize their own worth, she said. They focus on building trust, creating a routine, getting on a medical management program and learning to relax, now that they're in a safe space. Once that foundation is built, they look for permanent housing. About 10 men are currently on the center's waiting list, though Greene estimated there are thousands of people in the metro who could benefit from their program. It's why Megli is in the process of creating a similar program for women and families. Kansas City's homeless population has grown in visibility, and likely size in the past few years, as the pandemic forced more people into fraught financial situations. Right now, an estimated 1,800 people are living unhoused in Kansas City, Missouri, alone, according to a recent estimate by the Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness These numbers are part of the reason Megli is hoping to draw more attention to the success of the L. Minor Care Center, which he hopes to expand into a similar program for women and children. With the right resources, staff said, they hope to help hundreds more people. Growing mental health needs At the turn of the century, a former City Union Mission staffer named Loraine Minor recognized a growing need to address mental illness in Kansas City's homeless population. The center, her namesake, finally opened in 2018 on East 10th Street next to their men's shelter. They now have a team of about 20 people, including case managers, administrators and overnight staff who help cater to the individual adaptive living needs of each man. The program has cost just under $4 million in five years through donations. Staff at the men's emergency shelter are trained to help identify individuals with mental health and physical health needs. From there, L. Minor Care Center staff run a vulnerability assessment to determine if they are high risk and could benefit from the program. Once they've joined the center, the men can stay as long as they need to until they find permanent supportive housing, staff say. And if they leave and then later face homelessness again, they're welcomed back to try again. Unlike most emergency shelters, they don't have to leave during the day; and unlike many transitional housing opportunities, there's no move-out deadline. Many of the men have to re-learn how to take care of themselves after years spent living on the street, Greene said. Others need around-the-clock nursing and support. Most of the men, including those with diabetes, are given resources to learn how to take care of their health. The center helps connect each person with a primary care doctor, and clinicians make stops by the center at least once a month. "There's so many resources in Kansas City, it's just connecting all the dots," Greene said. Then there's the journey to independence and confidence. "We really don't want them to come in thinking they're labeled, that something is broken and that they have a mental health issue," Megli said. "We want to be able to draw out who they really are." Green helps lead the charge. She started volunteering at City Union Mission three days after she retired from the Army, fulfilling an inner calling to work with the homeless. Within a few months she was hired to lead their newly-opened L. Minor Care Center. She knows what it's like to be part of an institution. Some of the men were also in the military. Others were in prison, or rehabilitation centers, or homeless shelters. It's why she tries to incorporate a mix of routine and structure with flexibility and freedom. When a new person joins, staff sketch out a plan based on their wants and needs. From there, they can take as much or as little time as they need to reach those goals. It gives staff the ability to help cater to the men's individual, complex needs in ways that most shelters can't. "I love our staff having that commitment and resolve to say, if someone comes back and needs help, this just means we're going to do it better. we won't give up on them, whether it takes 30 days or 3.5 years," Megli said. A place for community When he was in his late 20s, John Tyree Davis said he lost his job and later his housing after overworking himself, unable to find a good balance between work and life. Greene met Davis, who was born and raised on Kansas City's east side, at City Union Mission's emergency shelter and recommended he join the center as one of its youngest residents. "It picked me up, brought me to good spirits," Davis, now 32, said of the center. "Here, it's nothing but pure love." He found relief from worrying where his next meal might come from, or where to lay his head. But more importantly, he said, he found community, balance and hope. "I come from a place where you can be down and out in life, you can be homeless, but you have to find those little things that make you want to push yourself to do better," said Davis, who was filled with inspirational sayings like those seen on classroom walls, like: "Just keep trying. You get knocked down, pick yourself back up and continue on. Dust yourself off and let's go again until we get it right." He constantly reminds himself that his life matters. Now Davis, who recently moved into a home with three other men who also transitioned out of the shelter, uses those skills to help care for others as a caretaker for the elderly. He fears that without the center, he'd be back on the streets or in jail. Kansas City needs more opportunities like the L. Minor Care Center, Davis said. The fact that guests can stay as long as they need to sort out their affairs is huge in helping them to transition out successfully. The ongoing education about life off the streets was invaluable. Irvin Hernandez, 65, agrees. Hernandez, who came to the U.S. from Chapas, Mexico, a few decades ago, joined the center about four years ago. He moved to Kansas City in 2000. He had it all: a job in construction, a house, a car. But he lost it all after suffering a heart attack and stroke. Shortly before he found City Union Mission's emergency men's shelter, Hernandez was sleeping on the streets, where he attempted to kill himself. "City Union Mission saved my life," he said, later adding, "It's like a family here." Hernandez no longer lives at the center, but he likes to come back to visit his friends. A staffer checks in on him at his new home at least once a week to drop off his mediation and make sure everything is going well. Recently, they helped Hernandez get a new wheelchair. The community-building is intentional. It's a way to foster trust and friendship that will hopefully serve the men long after they've left the center. "We find something good in everyone who comes through those doors," said Edwin Jackson, a case manager, who pointed out photos on a bulletin board of previous residents who've since moved out, one of whom Jackson still takes to church each week. Davis is a giver of his time and help, even when someone doesn't want it, Jackson said. Hernandez is an encourager, even when he struggles to encourage himself. "Sometimes we overlook people. We forget that they're no different," Jackson said. "Their path might've been different than yours the only difference is, sometimes society says, 'they're no use to us' and we find use in everybody." A day at the center The men's wake-up call is between 6 and 6:30 each morning. Breakfast is at 7, where the men are often found drinking coffee, watching the news or playing cards in the gathering room next to lockers labeled with their names on paper pineapples. A "Go Army" stamp was taped above a "Go Navy" sticker. Upstairs, the beds are nicely made up by the guests, who tighten and tuck the sheets every morning as part of their routines. A poster on one bedroom door read: "The greatest adventure is yet to come." A quick group meeting follows where the men can connect with their case managers. Then it's laundry day for some and all hands on deck to clean the common rooms. Then they're free to go about their day, either in the center or in the city. On average, between 15 and 24 men fill the rooms of this center, with an average age of 55, but with guests as old as 84 and as young as 18. After lunch, the group reconvenes for community time. This is when Greene teaches about leisure and recreation. In other words, they learn how to have fun and express themselves, whether through art, music or something else. It all goes toward the goal of providing the men comfort, care and life skills. "Gentlemen," Greene begins one afternoon, as the couple dozen men in the room slowly shifted to face her for a recent meeting, the last of the day before dinner. "We're in a fallen world, so we have a negative filter, so we automatically can look for everything that's wrong with ourselves, with each other, what's around us. So it takes a room full of geniuses and gentleman and ladies like all of you to look for what's good," she begins. Greene asked the group to name three positive small happenings that day. She starts: three new men moved into the center. "I got up this morning," said a man who was previously shot in the face. I get to go to the library tomorrow, another said. Another man chimed in and said he lost his backpack with paperwork somewhere. Greene assured him they'd find it, and then that could be his positive experience the following day. 2023 The Kansas City Star. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Inhibition of authentic SARS-CoV-2 infection by human anti-hACE2 mAbs. a,b, Anti-hACE2 mAbs (2G7A1, 05H02, 05B04 and the hybrid antibody 05B04LC/05D06HC) were serially diluted and incubated with Vero E6 and Huh-7.5 target cells (a) or Vero E6 target cells only (b). Thereafter, cells were infected with authentic SARS-CoV-2 (WA1/2020) (a and b) or SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 variants (b). Infected cells were quantified by immunostaining and plotted as a percentage of the number of cells infected in the absence of anti-hACE2 mAbs. Mean and range of three independent titrations is plotted. Credit: Nature Microbiology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01389-9 Research led by Rockefeller University in New York investigated alternate targets for monoclonal antibodies to combat SARS-CoV-2 infections. In the paper "Pan-sarbecovirus prophylaxis with human anti-ACE2 monoclonal antibodies," published in Nature Microbiology, the authors warn that therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) used against SARS-CoV-2 infection have been rendered obsolete by the emergence of mAb-resistant virus variants. Monoclonal antibodies have been used to treat COVID-19 by targeting the viral spike protein to prevent the virus from binding to the ACE2 receptor, blocking its entry into cells. As the spike proteins mutate between variants of the virus, different mAbs have been required, occasionally being developed just as the spike protein of the virus mutates. Looking for a different approach, the researchers developed a set of six human mAbs that bind the human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (hACE2) receptor in patients instead of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on the virus. In experiments with modified mice, these antibodies were selected after showing efficacy by preventing binding by all hACE2 binding viruses tested, including SARS-CoV-2 ancestral, delta and omicron variants. The highly specific targeting of an hACE2 epitope, the precise location that binds to the SARS-CoV-2 spike, allows hACE2 to maintain normal function. The mAbs did not inhibit hACE2 enzymatic activity or induce cell-surface depletion. Crucially, by acting on the target and not the virus, the new treatment method is much less likely to be overcome by genetic mutation-driven resistance in future variants. The authors suggest their approach could treat current SARS-CoV-2 variants and any hACE2-binding viruses that emerge in the future. Before any treatments can occur, further safety testing is required. Unlike the previous methods, which targeted a protein on the virus, this one targets the human host receptors. One potential obstacle to getting approval quickly is that governments are no longer on a fast-tracked pandemic response footing. Like declaring victory over winter in the spring, that footing may only last a few seasons. More information: Fengwen Zhang et al, Pan-sarbecovirus prophylaxis with human anti-ACE2 monoclonal antibodies, Nature Microbiology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01389-9 Journal information: Nature Microbiology 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 When a hemp dispensary in this Florida city started to stock edibles with certain mushroom extracts last year, state regulators quickly ordered it to stop selling the items. The shop had been advertising fruit-flavored gummies and other products containing tiny doses of mood-altering chemicals from the mushroom Amanita muscaria. The red-capped, white-spotted fungusrooted in popular culture through the Super Mario Nintendo game franchise, "The Smurfs," and "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"is legal for consumers to possess and eat in every state except Louisiana, according to a review of state laws. Products with the mushroom's extracts have cropped up at stores and online retailers from Florida to Minnesota and Nebraska to Pennsylvania. Businesses advertise a milder high compared with psilocybin, the Schedule 1 psychedelic that remains illegal at the national level, to people hoping to ease anxiety, depression, or joint pain. But federal officials and fungi experts have urged caution, and Florida regulators have clamped down on sales in at least five counties. Some uses of the mushroom and its chemicals have led to serious side effects, including delirium with sleepiness and coma, according to Courtney Rhodes, an FDA spokesperson. No human clinical trials have evaluated the products' safety and effectiveness, said Heather Hallen-Adams, a faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who researches fungi in food. Chillum, a hemp dispensary in the Ybor City neighborhood, stopped selling the edibles in December after regulators from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services ordered it to do so, calling A. muscaria a dangerous ingredient. The shop returned $30,000 worth of merchandise to Psilo Mart, a Las Vegas-area supplier that says it imports the mushroom from Lithuania. The agriculture department, which regulates shops that sell products like hemp vapes, then lifted its restrictions on the dispensary. Drew Gennuso, president of Psilo Mart, said he hasn't heard of any "major issues" with the edibles. Chillum's owner, Carlos Hermida, said he believes the products are safe. "It's so mild," he said of the fungus's effects. "It's not anything where you're going to smell the color purple." Hermida recently began selling the products again for between $20 and $55but, attempting to avoid another state order, he said Chillum added labels warning they are solely for "educational" or "spiritual" purposes and not human consumption. Federal officials haven't approved the fungus and its chemicals to be sold as food additives or to treat medical conditions. The Tampa case highlights the gaps in oversight of this nascent national market despite concerns from federal officials. "The companies are moving faster than the research," said John Michelotti, who heads the medicinal mushrooms committee of the North American Mycological Association and founded Catskill Fungi, an upstate New York business that sells mushroom extracts. "It's the wild West." The crackdown at Chillum began in October. The Florida agriculture department collected samples of products for lab testing. Returning in December, the agency said a Psilo Mart hemp joint with A. muscaria powder had elevated levels of toxic heavy metals, department records show. Hermida threw out his inventory of the mushroom joints, he said, and regulators ordered him to stop selling the other fungus products. They cited a state law that says food is "adulterated" if it "bears or contains any poisonous or deleterious substance which may render it injurious to health." The gummies with the extracts elicit a feeling of "being high and drunk," Hermida said, while the capsules cause a "tingly body sensation" and throw off depth perception. The mushroom is poisonous, though likely not fatal, and can be detoxified in boiling water. Consuming the raw fungus isn't the same as using low doses of its chemicals, Hermida maintained. The Florida Poison Information Center in Tampa gets one report a week, on average, of a hallucinogenic mushroom poisoning, but many callers don't explain what kind they ate, and doctors don't have a quick way to verify, said Alexandra Funk, its managing director. She said A. muscaria products should be kept away from children. In the Tampa Bay area, medical examiners haven't recorded any recent deaths from the mushroom. Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and local AdventHealth emergency rooms haven't seen poisonings, according to spokespeople. But there appears to be a lack of routine testing for the fungus. The edibles sold at Chillum appealed to Antwan Towner, a 40-year-old Ybor City magician who said he struggles with anxiety. He eats half a gummy when having a bad day, he said, and it produces euphoria that lasts about four hours, then peace of mind for a week. He said he hasn't experienced a negative reaction or hallucinations. "It was never about getting high," he said. "It was just about trying something that may be effective." There's a "lot of anecdotal evidence" that low doses of the mushroom may be useful therapeutically, said Hallen-Adams, who chairs the toxicology committee of the North American Mycological Association. But more data is needed to prove if it helps those with various medical conditions or if it's simply a placebo, she said. Last year, a Canadian company said an independent group of scientists found that its A. muscaria extract was "generally recognized as safe." The Toronto company, Psyched Wellness, conducted preclinical studies on its "Calm" extract, a sleep aid, said CEO Jeffrey Stevens. Other businesses, Stevens said, haven't invested in such research. "We have so many cowboys right now who are just saying, 'Oh, this is a legal psychedelic mushroom, let's just put product into the market.'" Since early February, Florida regulators have cited five businesses in Daytona Beach, Largo, Plant City, Tallahassee, and Tamarac for selling merchandise containing A. muscaria, according to state agriculture department records. Because federal officials haven't approved the mushroom to be used in food, the Florida agency orders businesses to stop selling these products when its inspectors find them, Aaron Keller, a spokesperson for the state agriculture department, wrote in an email. In this emerging market with many unknowns, Hallen-Adams urged consumers to "be careful if this is something you're going to experiment with." Under Chillum's new labeling, consuming the edibles it sells is an "abuse of product," Hermida said. "If you want to study it, or if you want to pray to it, that's fine with me." 2023 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Mental health monitoring tools offer many potential benefits, but they also implicate power issues, which is why people with lived experience of mental illness have told Flinders University researchers they want more input into the design of mental health care monitoring technologies. "This is a sensitive and stigmatized topic," says Associate Professor Niranjan Bidargaddi from the Digital Health Research Lab at Flinders University's College of Medicine and Public Health. In an Australian first, the research shows that many people with lived experience of mental illness have felt traumatized by an experience of power imbalance that may include feeling stigmatized and disempowered. Over a two-year consultation focusing on how to redesign mental health service processes with monitoring technologies, participants of the Flinders University Digital Health Research Lab's Consumer and Carer Advisory Group identified broad problems in areas of agency, access, interactions with health professionals and health systems, medication management and self-monitoring. The research, "In-Depth Co-Design of Mental Health Monitoring Technologies by People with Lived Experience," is published by Future Internet. "Monitoring is an integral part of taking care in mental health," explains Associate Professor Niranjan Bidargaddi. "The rate of relapse in the first five years following initial treatment can be as high as 80%, yet the more that people's mental health deteriorates with each relapse the harder it is to recover. Early treatment and intervention are critical." However, during an in-depth, multi-year consultation co-design study of mental health monitoring technologies, the researchers found that consumers whose life is mostly lived indoors will readily ignore prompts that overwhelmingly focus on the benefits of outdoor exercise, or will fail to understand the crucial support that caregivers offer. One participant in the research admitted: "Yes, I make my own medication adjustments this really enables me to minimize my medication and minimize the side effects." Another of the research participants told them: "The actual range of side effects has never been discussed with me on any drug that I've had." Furthermore, numerous mental health apps have failed due to a lack of co-design consultation. Problem areas include low usability, engagement, knowledge and the need for more training/support. "Our findings underline the importance of co-design in this context, and the consumer's motivation to feel respected and empowered to regain a sense of well-being during their recovery process," says research co-author Bronwin Patrickson, from Flinders University's Digital Health Research Lab. "They want to feel rehumanized and shift the focus towards recovery. The often-undervalued but essential contributions that informal caregivers such as family members can also influence consumer recovery as well." Problems identified by the researchers included smartphone ownership being funded by the NDIS but not the data plans that enable those phones to be used. Priority sites for app design intervention include the strengthening of social and interpersonal support, on the proviso that these personal and social connections are balanced by strong consent procedures and boundary-setting. "Incorporating in-depth knowledge of the lived experience of mental illness and the broader contexts of mental health care through consumer and caregiver co-design is strongly recommended," says Patrickson. The researchers say that while these findings are of interest for the general public, they are especially relevant for health care professionals, digital health designers and policy makers. More information: Bronwin Patrickson et al, In-Depth Co-Design of Mental Health Monitoring Technologies by People with Lived Experience, Future Internet (2023). DOI: 10.3390/fi15060191 SAN FRANCISCO When the citys medical examiner announced in February that four people who had recently died of overdoses had the animal sedative xylazine in their systems, public health workers across the state sprang into action. Drug dealers on the East Coast had in recent years begun mixing xylazine, which can have devastating effects on people, with the opioid fentanyl, causing a surge in emergency room visits in Philadelphia and other cities. But there had not been much evidence of it in California. Now state and local officials are ramping up efforts to combat xylazine, commonly called tranq, by monitoring its spread, distributing test strips, and pushing to schedule it, meaning classify it as a controlled substance. Still, some worry it will be hard to prevent the pernicious drug which has also begun appearing in Los Angeles, Santa Clara, and San Joaquin counties from worsening the states overdose epidemic. Unless significant change happens in scheduling xylazine and really reducing its availability, we could be on the heels of whats happening on the East Coast, said Jeffrey Hom, director of population behavioral health at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Hom, who previously led overdose prevention services in Philadelphia, said San Franciscos public health department is collaborating with the medical examiner, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the citys fire department and homeless and supportive housing agencies, and methadone clinics and hospitals to collect data, share updates, and conduct regular testing for xylazine. Were trying to think through how do we develop a system that can surveil for drugs like xylazine or whatever the next drug will be, Hom said. The California Department of Public Health is monitoring news reports of xylazine and has posted an issue brief about it, but a spokesperson told KFF Health News it does not yet have a standardized and uniform statewide monitoring system. Xylazine is a cost-effective way to extend the strong yet short-lived fentanyl high, said Philippe Bourgois, a UCLA anthropology and social medicine professor and co-author of the book Righteous Dopefiend, the product of a 10-year immersion in San Franciscos heroin and crack street culture. But the trade-offs can be catastrophic. Taken on its own, xylazine is so powerful it can knock a person out for up to 18 hours, said Bourgois. In Philadelphia, people who use tranq are getting concrete burns, which are similar to bedsores but are caused by lying passed out on the sidewalk for long periods, he added. Xylazine also has necrotizing effects that rot the skin and lead to amputations. Most troubling of all, Bourgois said, is that xylazine constricts breathing, increasing the risk of an overdose when its mixed with fentanyl. By itself, it doesnt respond to the overdose reversal drug naloxone, which has been one of the states key tools in trying to reduce overdose deaths. But since xylazine is often mixed with fentanyl and other opioids, health authorities advise using naloxone to respond to suspected overdoses. Xylazine is a disastrous drug, Bourgois said. Public health has to get ahead of this tragedy. About a dozen people who smoke or inject fentanyl and live on the streets of San Francisco told KFF Health News they are at the mercy of what drug dealers sell and have little insight into whats actually in the drugs. They said theyve never used xylazine knowingly and didnt want it in their drugs. Kris Franklin, 41, has been buying fentanyl in San Francisco for five years and acknowledged shes gambling with her life. Shes lost count of the friends and acquaintances who have died from overdoses or street-related illnesses but estimates it at around 40 people. Im scared its going to be in my dope, Franklin said of tranq. You dont know what youre getting. Its not like a prescription from a doctor. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), whose district includes Santa Cruz and Monterey, introduced federal legislation in March to make xylazine a controlled substance. It gives our law enforcement the tools that they can use to crack down and hopefully remove this type of deadly combination of fentanyl and xylazine off the streets, Panetta said of the bill. I think we got a good chance of getting this passed this year. Governors in Pennsylvania and Ohio are using their executive powers to restrict access to xylazine. In California, lawmakers are wrestling with several measures that would increase penalties for fentanyl dealers, but none address xylazine. One potential downside to any crackdown is that it could make it much harder for veterinarians and other customers to obtain the drug for their animals. And the FDA said late last year that it was not known whether tranq was being diverted from the animal supply or manufactured illicitly. Siddarth Puri, associate medical director of prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, noted that the data was sparse but that xylazine was likely more widespread than is known. Puri and his public health colleagues learned only recently, from a Los Angeles Times report, that county law enforcement officials had been spotting xylazine in the fentanyl supply for years. The county Sheriffs Department recently launched a pilot project to track the presence of the drug. There are probably hundreds of other illicit synthetic substances that are being cut into the drugs that we dont know about yet, and we dont know how theyre going to impact people, Puri said. Right now, the spotlight is on xylazine. 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). With the Flagship afterschool program no longer administered by the Western Montana Mental Health Center, other organizations in Missoula have stepped in to help. Flagship is a long-standing nonprofit program provided free to kids in the Missoula area and connects them with arts, cultural activities, physical recreation, mentoring, tutoring and community service outside of school hours to help them succeed in school. It had been administered by the Mental Health Center for many years, but that partnership ended this spring along with other changes at WMMHC. Tyler Christensen, the communications specialist with Missoula County Public Schools, said families of students enrolled in the program were alerted of the change in May. "Toward the beginning of May, they had started notifying their families that they would not be allowed to continue," Christensen explained. "There'd been a shift in funding and they'd been unable to resolve the situation in time to provide summer programs." Christensen said she's not sure of the exact number of kids in the program, but she doesn't think it's more than a few dozen. The Missoulian was unable to reach the longtime director of the Missoula Flagship program, Rosie Buzzas. But MCPS has been able to find other community partners to fill the gap. "As part of MCPS' strategic plan, we have a community schools focus that calls for strong partnerships with our local organizations, and they have really stepped in to fill a lot of those summer programming gaps," Christensen explained. "And we are continuing to work with them to provide after-school programming and child-enrichment opportunities in the next school year." That includes the Missoula Parks and Recreation Department, the Boys & Girls Club of Missoula County, the Missoula Family YMCA and the Camp Fire afterschool program, Christensen said. The kids are from the MCPS' Title 1 schools, which are Franklin Elementary, Russell Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary and Lowell Elementary schools. Title 1 schools qualify for extra federal funding if they have more than 40% of students enrolled in the free-and-reduced lunch program. "The wonderful thing about Flagship is it has provided its programming for free, so again, local organizations really stepped up to help provide more for those schools," Christensen said. "They already do summer camps and afterschool programming and are well-positioned to expand and fill those gaps. It's an unfortunate change for Flagship, but hopefully they can secure some funding to revitalize at some point in the future." Meg Whicher, the recreation program manager at Missoula Parks and Recreation and a member of the MCPS board of trustees, said the city is using funding from a Montana Department of Public Instruction 21st Century Grant along with other grants and contributions from the city. "Were excited to partner with MCPS to expand the community school concept started at Lowell Elementary in 2020," Whicher said. "Community schools provide unique services and support that fit each neighborhoods needs, like before- and after-school programming, learning opportunities for families and health and wellness support. Community partners collaborate to provide a wide range of services and out-of-school time programming for neighborhood families." Starting this fall, Parks and Recreation will be offering daily afterschool programming at Franklin Elementary and satellite programming for C.S. Porter Middle School students, she added. "These programs will promote developmental assets around mentorship, positive youth development and engagement within a child's own neighborhood," Whicher continued. "The great thing about community schools is that they create a powerful coalition of community providers who work together to bridge service gaps in a neighborhood and help provide the holistic support kids need to succeed in school. We look forward to working with MCPS and our other community partners to make a difference in the lives of Missoulas kids. The so-called windshield phenomenon in bug-science circles refers to peoples anecdotal perception that there are fewer insects being splattered on the front of their cars than they used to see since the early 2000s. Theres not a lot of hard science to back up the common observation that the sheer quantity of bugs you have to clean off the windshield after a few hours of driving is fewer today than it was in say, 1990. Scientists have been "tracking alarming declines in some species, like honeybees, monarch butterflies and lightning bugs, for decades, according to Science Magazine, the nonprofit peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. But for all other insects, of which there are millions of species, the long-term research is lacking. To understand whether the phenomenon is real and put some hard data behind the stories, staff members with the nonprofit Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium are collaborating with a network of scientists across North America to conduct year-over-year insect counts and various sites. The collaborators in the nationwide insect abundance study recently had a paper published in the journal Ecology. Theres a lot of assumptions that insect numbers are decreasing, said Glenn Marangelo, a founding board member of the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium. If this study can definitively show that yes, this is happening, then hopefully that will open some eyes. 'Insect populations' translates to things way beyond bugs. Its pollination; its food sources for untold number of animals. Basically every part of the food chain is affected if were losing insect numbers. Marangelo said hes seen firsthand the 'windshield phenomenon.' Ive lived in Montana since 1995 and for boy, 20-plus years, drove the same exact vehicle and saw just huge differences from the early trips across Montana to the trips taken in last 10 years, he explained. Some people have tried to argue that newer cars don't splat as many bugs. Ive talked to other people who said well, that could be due to the changing aerodynamics of cars and different wind flow," Marangelo said. "But in my case its the same vehicle that whole time. Again, its not a scientific study. Every year is different. Some years are going to be big, some smaller. But when you notice that change year in and year out over a period of time, it should send up some red flags. So hopefully this study will add some concrete evidence to that, that this is a real thing and something that we should be paying attention to. Brenna Shea, an interpretive writer and educator at the Insectarium, helped out with some of the physical work required for the study this week. At two sites, one at Rock Creek and one at the MPG Ranch near Florence, she set up a passive insect trap that doesnt attract bugs but is designed to capture the amount of insects that would normally cross a tiny area of open field for 72 hours. So the idea is to kind of collect, just get a sense of overall insect abundance and biomass in a given region, she said. Theres not a ton of historical data on insect numbers nationwide. Over the course of years and decades, she said, the data provided by the traps will give scientists real data they can use about population trends. Missoula is 1 of 96 sample sites arrayed across the continent. The scientists, educators and citizen scientists involved in the project have collected more than a thousand samples over three years. In Missoula, effort has involved the University of Montana, Five Valleys Land Trust and other participants. "We hear a lot in the media about insect declines, but its hard to understand where, when, and why insects are declining when data come from isolated places and times, said Dr. Kara Cromwell of Confluence Ecology in Missoula. Thats why a big collaboration like this is so important. We learn about Missoula, but what we learn here also informs a much broader picture. Between 5%-10% of all insect species in the last 150 years have disappeared, which is between 250,000 and 500,000 species, according to a February 2020 study in the journal Biological Conservation. Birds, mammals, fish and reptiles all depend on insects, as do plants. Insects pollinate an estimated 75% of global crops, according to a 2022 Reuters investigation into the decline of insects. Their work is urgent, according to Jen Marangelo, executive director of the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium (and Glen's spouse). Our involvement in this study stems from our goal to not only raise public awareness about the importance of insects as the foundation of our ecosystems, but also in regard to their importance to our daily lives, she said. Decreasing insect numbers are a concern for every living thing on this planet. The team is seeking funding to continue the study and increase the number of participating sites in order to identify what may be driving population dynamics. The Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium will open its brand new facility near the Missoula County Fairgrounds in the fall of this year. The Facebook page of Kalispells animal shelter was hacked last week, with out-of-country scammers requesting money for dogs that dont exist. On May 30, the first fraudulent post on the Humane Society of Northwest Montanas Facebook page was made, Executive Director Stacie DaBolt said. Since then, multiple posts have popped up soliciting donations and payments in exchange for animals. DaBolt explained the scam lures people to give money under the guise of supporting the shelter's animals and services, but then the money vanishes. DaBolt warned these posts are fake and stressed that people shouldnt click links asking for money. A post made on June 1 claims a dog named Pullo has cancer. It asks people to make donations online to save the dog, but there is no dog named Pullo on the Humane Societys website. There were posts about French bulldogs and Yorkshire puppies for sale that have since been deleted, DaBolt said. The last legitimate post she made was on May 30 about a group of middle school students who raised money to support the shelter. She emphasized the humane society would never request money online for its animals. We would never sell puppies or purebreds, we would never do money exchanges," she said. DaBolt mentioned the hacker attempted to solicit money from humane society employees to get the page back, but that was ignored by staff. Comments on the Human Societys posts have also been disabled by the hacker. Its completely gone, I cant recover it, DaBolt said of her organizations Facebook page. DaBolt suspects that the hacker is based in Nigeria. The Humane Society uses Facebook as its main communication tool to post events and updates on adoptable pets, shelter highlights and fundraising announcements. Not having that resource has thrown a wrench in DaBolts ability to get shelter information to the public. The page has about 15,000 followers. Its devastating, she said. For us, as a nonprofit, it impacts us terribly because that's where we do all of our communication from." She thanked the pages many subscribers who saw the suspicious posts and reported them. The status of the page is in limbo while DaBolt decides whether to wait out recovery efforts or start a new shelter page altogether. She said shes made a case with Facebook, but has heard little back from the social media company in the way of tangible support. Data from the Federal Trade Commission showed a surge in money losses to online fraud in 2022 compared to 2021. In 2022, U.S. consumers lost $2.6 billion to imposter scams. For up-to-date information on the Humane Society of Northwest Montana, visit their website at humanesocietypets.com. Missoula detention officers failed to properly pursue procedures provided by their union contract over alleged underpayment of wages and benefits going back to 2018, according to a decision made by Missoula County District Court Judge Shane Vannatta Monday. The decision in the case, Ashley Adams et al. v. Missoula County, grants Missoula Countys motion to resolve the dispute out of court via third party where detention officers can use the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) they negotiated with the county. Because the Court concludes the plain language of the CBA covers the Detention Officers claims, they are not entitled to sidestep its provisions," Vannatta wrote. "The detention officers must exhaust the contractual remedies under the CBA before filing suit." However, Rob Bell, one of the attorneys for the officers, alleged ongoing pay discrepancies with sheriff deputies can be taken further in court following the opinion. Missoula County settled for $3.45 million last June for three years back pay owed to sheriff deputies after a suit alleged underpayment. In an interview with the Missoulian, Bell said even after a year, sheriff deputies are still being paid less than what is outlined by Montana law, with the county just changing terminology around the wages. The opinion says the position of the detention officers is significantly different than sheriff deputies. Whereas Montana law tethers deputies wages directly to the elected sheriff's pay, detention officers wages are set by the terms of the contract, although they're calculated as a percentage of the sheriffs wages. Their procedure to remedy underpayment claims is provided by the contract as well, the opinion stated. In granting Missoula Countys motion, the court validated the importance of Collective Bargaining Agreements in filing grievances and determining compensation, Missoula County Director of Risk Management and Benefits Erica Grinde said in a statement to the Missoulian. The union contract in question was negotiated and agreed upon by both parties, reflecting our shared values while balancing the needs of the employees with the resources of the county and its taxpayers. In a hearing May 30 on the motion, Bell said the county was trying to push the case aside on a technicality by focusing on the procedures laid out in the collective bargaining agreement. The procedure to resolve disputes outlined in the CBA states employers and employees need to note the grievant within 10 working days about violations within the contract. The suit sought three years back pay for wage discrepancies and to update the wages accordingly. Bell said attorneys for the case are still considering their options. We knew from the start the county was going to fight us tooth and nail, Bell said. "But we are in it for the long haul." In a recent op-ed published in several newspapers, Montana Democrat minority leaders claimed the harm done by a Republican supermajority drunk on power will continue to be felt for a long time. The Democrat leaders should remember that it was Montana voters who gave Republicans a supermajority in the Legislature, and for good reason. Montana Democrats still dont understand that a strong majority of Montanans do not support their woke liberal policies. Montanans also know that talk is cheap. While the Democrat leaders claim their priority was to cut taxes for Montana working families and provide property tax relief, only two Democrats out of 48 actually voted to provide Montana families $2,500 in income tax rebates and over $1,000 in property tax rebates. These rebates will be coming to Montana residents in the fall of 2023 and 2024 thanks to Republican legislators and our Republican governor. Instead of tax relief, Montana Democrats focused on their woke liberal agenda of drag queen story time at your local school or library, pushing puberty blockers and transgender surgery on young kids, and opposing energy projects to advance their Green New Deal dream. While Democrats wailed about commonsense Republican bills to protect our families, children, and way of life from a woke, liberal, out-of-touch agenda, heres a short list of just some of the policies Republican lawmakers were busy passing: Further reducing income tax rates, exempting small business owners from business equipment taxes, requiring large out-of-state corporations to pay their fair share of taxes, requiring transparency on local property tax increases; Providing funding to maintain and repair our state and local roads, funding schools at higher levels, providing incentives to raise starting teacher pay, providing better health insurance options for school employees, providing more educational choices for students; Implementing housing reforms to make it easier to build duplexes and other workforce housing, setting up community investment plans and money for affordable housing, accelerating subdivision review processes to increase housing supply; Ensuring election integrity, protecting life, expanding day care options, protecting data and facial recognition privacy, continuing to protect Second Amendment rights, protecting free speech; providing better access to health care and prescription medications; Applying ethics laws to judges, passing tough-on-crime laws, prohibiting local governments from impeding connections to natural gas and from banning petroleum fuel-powered equipment, improving public access to public lands, and protecting our agricultural land and critical infrastructure from intrusion by foreign adversaries. The above list is only a fraction of the bills that the elected Republican supermajority passed. Democrat legislative leaders want you to think little was done during this recently concluded legislative session to distract from their own failures and out-of-touch ideologies. Yet the bills successfully passed by Republican lawmakers show how much we accomplished even while having to spend time pushing back on the liberal woke agenda Democrats are trying to impose on Montana. Republicans delivered on the policies we promised, and well continue to do so. Editors note: Calendar items must be submitted at least five days before an event. Email all items to news@morganton.com. TODAY American Legion meeting American Legion Post 21, Post 322 and Post 506, as well as the new members of the Sons of the American Legion, will meet Monday, June 5, at 5:30 p.m. at the Mountainview Recreation Center located at 645 1st St., Morganton. We are looking for new members to join as well as young men for the Sons of the American Legion. Contact stosh@burkecountypost21.com for further information. TUESDAY WPCC trustees meeting The Western Piedmont Community College's board of trustees will meet at 3 p.m. in he Helmick Seminar Room, room #315, in Moore Hall. WEDNESDAY AARP meeting AARP Chapter 3262 will host retired FBI Special Agent Andy Nazworth, who will be speaking on the topic, Dont Be a Victim: 20 Ways to Protect Yourself. The group will meet in the lower level of the Collett Street Recreation Center with refreshments at 9:30 a.m. and the program starting at 10 a.m. New members are welcome. Annual dues are $5. THURSDAY Business 4 Breakfast Burke County Chamber of Commerce will host Business 4 Breakfast, Protecting Your Business from Financial Fraud, from 7:30-9 a.m. at First Citizens Bank downstairs conference room, 217 N. Sterling St., Morganton. Visit www.burkecountychamber.org for more information FRIDAY Fundraiser The Burke County Literacy Council will host a fundraiser Literacy on Tap at Hillman Beer, 301 S. Sterling St., Morganton. Live music will be performed by Justin Clyde Williams from 5-7 p.m. Come join us, celebrate summer, and the last day of school while supporting the summer programs at the Burke Literacy Council. Hillman will donate a portion of sales to the Literacy Council. SATURDAY, JUNE 17 Summer Pop-Up Shop The Burke County Chamber of Commerce, 110 E. Meeting St., will host its Summer Pop-Up Shop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit www.burkecountychamber.org for more information. Juneteenth Brunch First United Methodist Church, 200 N. King St., Morganton, will host the third annual Juneteenth brunch at 10 a.m. Rev. Dr. James E. Hunt will be the speaker, along with multicultural performances. Jay Alexander, program/music director for 107.9 The Beat, WGTF.FM out of Kentucky, is the master of ceremony. Other participants include Malik Harris, Dylan ONeil, Kevin Hunt and Cory Lovelace. The Journey Continues. Limited seating is available, and tickets are $20 each. Call 828-433-6797 or 828-430-0304. MONDAY, JUNE 19 Fire department meeting The Lake James Fire and Rescue Department will hold its annual meeting at 6 p.m. at the fire department. Prior to the meeting, elections for vacancies on the board of directors will be held from 4-6 p.m. The results of the election as well as a financial report and any necessary business will be discussed during the meeting. Anyone living in the Lake James Fire District and interested in serving on the board of directors should notify the president of the board no later than June 1. Two board vacancies will be filled at this election. All residents 18 years or older residing in the Lake James Fire District are encouraged to vote in the election of board members between 4-6 p.m. and attend the annual meeting at 6 p.m. Board President Jim Powers can be reached by email at jimpowers5137@gmail.com. ABC Board meeting The Valdese ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Valdese ABC Store at 1018 W. Main St. in Valdese. THURSDAY, JUNE 22 Board of directors meeting Burke County Smart Starts board of directors meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Partnership offices, located at 304 W. Union St. Board meetings are open to the public and are held in handicapped accessible facilities. COVID, flu and other health restrictions will be observed for in-person attendance. For anyone with a hearing impairment who may require the assistance of an interpreter or have other special needs, call the Partnership at 828-439-2326 or us the NC Relay System at 1-800-735-8262. MONDAY, JULY 17 ABC Board meeting The Valdese ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Valdese ABC Store at 1018 W. Main St. in Valdese. MONDAY, AUG. 21 ABC Board meeting The Valdese ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Valdese ABC Store at 1018 W. Main St. in Valdese. MONDAY, SEPT. 18 ABC Board meeting The Valdese ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Valdese ABC Store at 1018 W. Main St. in Valdese. TUESDAY, OCT. 10 ABC Board meeting The Valdese ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Valdese ABC Store at 1018 W. Main St. in Valdese. TUESDAY, NOV. 21 ABC Board meeting The Valdese ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Valdese ABC Store at 1018 W. Main St. in Valdese. MONDAY, DEC. 18 ABC Board meeting The Valdese ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Valdese ABC Store at 1018 W. Main St. in Valdese. The Butte Rescue Mission kicked off its annual Week of Compassion and Fasting Monday with a proclamation by Butte-Silver Bows top official encouraging everyone to give back to the community. Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher said it was also a week to educate people about homelessness and poverty and to gather food and clothing and partner with the Butte Rescue Mission in giving time, talents and treasure. He read the proclamation in the courthouse rotunda, where supporters of the Mission handed out flyers about the week of activities it has planned. Folks could stop by Monday to help paint inside buildings on the Mission campus on East Platinum Street. Outside painting was planned Tuesday, meal prep Wednesday morning and Wednesday afternoon, yard work Thursday and donation sorting Friday. For times and getting involved, go to butterescuemission.org/week-of-compassion/ The Mission will end the week on Saturday with a free barbeque from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The week is comprised of individuals, churches, organizations and businesses that have pledged to give time or money to the Mission. We are also encouraging people in our community to give up their drive-thru meals and coffee for a day and donate the money to the Butte Rescue Mission, the organization says. The cost of one coffee can provide three meals to hungry people. John Scovil was born in 1861 or 1863 at Provo, Utah. His family had embraced the Mormon religious tradition and moved from Connecticut to Utah Territory in 1856, just nine years after the Mormon settlement of Utah began. John grew up in Springville, where his father was a farmer. In 1884 John came to the new town of Anaconda where he was employed as a watchman and timekeeper at Marcus Dalys Old Works. By the early 1890s he had reprised his teen-age job as a teamster, driving for the Anaconda Laundry Company, and in 1894 he started his own laundry business in Anaconda, the Montana Laundry. His success allowed him to move to Butte in 1899, when he purchased one of Buttes first non-Chinese laundries, the Union Laundry at Mercury and Colorado, formerly the Troy Steam Laundry. By 1901 Scovil changed the name again, to the Montana Steam Laundry. Within five years, Scovil and his partner George Casey (namesake of the Casey Block that stands on Granite Street) had acquired most of the non-Chinese laundries in Butte, including the C.O.D., the new Troy, and the Palace, and built a new laundry on East Broadway called the Taylor. By 1911 Scovil was considered to be the largest laundryman in Montana. The C.O.D. and Taylor laundries alone employed 175 people. The C.O.D., in the 400 block of East Park Street, had a 41-room lodging house above it, as well as an extensive barn and garage complex for horses and delivery vans. Scovil constructed his home at 201 North Excelsior, together with the apartment house next door, in 1917, at a total cost of $19,800, equivalent to the buying power of almost $500,000 today. His real estate holdings expanded to include the Lennox Hotel on West Granite, at least four brick buildings, several stables and barns, and at least 12 other buildings in Butte, most of them dwellings. He also owned property in Great Falls, where he was a part owner of the Wardrobe Cleaning and Tailoring Company. Scovil was actively involved in the Butte YMCA, serving as a trustee and helping with the fundraising for the organizations $350,000 building, erected on Park Street in 1917-1919. John Scovils first wife died in Anaconda in 1901. His second wife, Lalia, was probably the first woman in Montana to own and drive her own automobile, which was housed in the fancy garage behind the Excelsior Street homes. She took over the management of the Taylor Laundry Company when John died in 1925. Lalia was also the President of the Butte Chapter of the American White Cross in 1921, organized to provide financial support for Deaconess Hospitals. Mrs. Scovil oversaw 32 captains who within a few weeks brought more than 1,500 new members to the White Cross Society at $1 each. Lalia Scovil died in 1942. WISE RIVER - Hunter Dixon starts with a graphite blank, adds Portuguese cork, guides, wraps and more and crafts 9-foot, 3-inch memory makers. Dixon, a Butte native, builds Montana Rodsmiths fly rods at The Rod Shop in Wise River. The shop opened in late May in a new building a long cast away from the H Bar J Saloon and Cafe. During the summer of 2022, patrons at the H Bar J could perch on barstools, tease the bartender and watch and comment as the building took shape. Rudy Ketchum, co-owner of the bar and The Rod Shop with partner Brandi Bartscher, is Dixons father. Montana Rodsmiths got its start a few years ago in Dewey and both Ketchum and Bartscher built fly rods. But Dixon said supply chain challenges during COVID-19 for the graphite blanks required a recess. That essentially brought us to a standstill for about two years, he said. We decided the summer of 2023 would be a good time to get back into business and get it up and running again. Weve had plenty of demand. Dixon, 27, learned to fly fish on the nearby Big Hole River when he was 5 or 6 years old. A brother, Cooper Ketchum, works now as a fishing guide on the famous river. We were always on the water, Dixon said. My whole life Ive been fly fishing. Always been around it. In the years since graduating high school in Billings, Dixon has worked as a sous chef in Helena and Butte and also as a painter for McGrath Painting in Butte. He said he is grateful to be working now in a role that allows him to live and build community in the Big Hole Valley and be linked to fly fishing. Dixon said The Rod Shop is developing a marketing strategy. The business is close to the intersection of Montana Highway 43 and the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway and will certainly attract motorists passing by. In addition to fly rods, The Rod Shop sells flies, reels, fly line, nets, fly boxes, clothing and other accessories. The store sells two types of four-piece fly rods. The Aurora Lady Flex has a black graphite blank with pink, purple, green or teal wraps. The Grizzly Classic features a chocolate graphite blank with cinnamon wraps. Both are available in 5 or 6 weights at 9 feet and 3 inches. The rods sell for $550 each. Dixon said the new business is aware of concerns about declining trout populations in the Big Hole River and shares those concerns. The Rod Shop is committed, he said, to being good stewards of the resource. Theres still plenty of opportunity out here to catch a lot of fish, he said. Weve been out a few times this year and weve caught some nice looking, healthy fish. Meanwhile, Dixon acknowledged that his long history with the Big Hole River should help when either fly fishing rookies or regular river floggers come through the door seeking advice about flies and other equipment. We want to set people up with all the right stuff that they need to go out there and catch fish, he said. Thats what everybody wants to do. Frances beloved abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel has reached a ripe old age. Its been 1,000 years since the laying of its first stone. The millennial of the UNESCO World Heritage site and key Normandy tourism magnet is being celebrated until November with exhibits, dance shows and concerts. French President Emmanuel Macron is heading there on Monday to deliver a speech and to see a new exhibit tracing the Romanesque abbeys history via 30 objects and pieces, including a restored statue of Saint Michael. Legend has it that the archangel Michael appeared in 708, duly instructing the bishop of nearby Avranches to build him a church on the rocky outcrop. People concerned about the safety of patients often compare health care to aviation. Why, they ask, cant hospitals learn from medical errors the way airlines learn from plane crashes? Thats the rationale behind calls to create a National Patient Safety Board, an independent federal agency that would be loosely modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board, which is credited with increasing the safety of skies, railways, and highways by investigating why accidents occur and recommending steps to avoid future mishaps. But as worker shortages strain the U.S. health care system, heightening concerns about unsafe care, one proposal to create such a board has some patient safety advocates fearing that it wouldnt provide the transparency and accountability they believe is necessary to drive improvement. One major reason: the power of the hospital industry. Two measures are underway to create a safety board: A bill filed in the U.S. House in December by Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-Calif.), which is expected to be refiled this session, calls for the creation of a board to help federal agencies monitor safety events, identify conditions under which problems occur, and suggest preventive measures. However, the board would need permission from health care organizations to probe safety events and could not identify any health care provider or setting in its reports. That differs from the NTSB, which can subpoena both witnesses and evidence, and publish detailed accident reports that list locations and companies. A related measure under review by a presidential advisory council would create such a board by executive order. Its details have not been made public. The push comes as many patients continue to get hurt, according to recent reviews of medical records. The Department of Health and Human Services inspector general found that 13% of hospitalized Medicare patients experienced a preventable harm during a hospital stay in October 2018. A New England Journal of Medicine study of patients hospitalized in Massachusetts in 2018 showed that 7% had a preventable adverse event with 1% suffering a preventable injury that was serious, life-threatening, or fatal. Learning about safety concerns at specific facilities remains difficult. While transportation crashes are public spectacles that make news, creating demand for public accountability, medical errors often remain confidential, sometimes even ordered into silence by court settlements. Meaningful and timely information for consumers can be challenging to find. However, patient advocates said, unsafe providers should not be shielded from reputational consequences. People pay vast amounts of money for health care, said Helen Haskell, president of South Carolina-based Mothers Against Medical Error, an advocacy group she founded because her 15-year-old son died from septic shock following elective surgery in 2000. Providers shouldnt be able to sweep things under the rug. Barragans bill follows a 2014 effort to create a national patient safety board to investigate incidents and make more providers safety records publicly available. It stemmed from the Institute of Medicines landmark 1999 report that called medical error in hospitals a leading cause of death and recommended a nationwide mandatory reporting system for serious adverse events. That campaign never got enough traction to become a congressional bill. Patients and their families would still like to know the rate of harm in every hospital, said Lisa McGiffert, president of the Patient Safety Action Network, a group discontented with some aspects of the current bill. We are so far away from that now, she added. But Karen Wolk Feinstein, president and CEO of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based philanthropy that leads more than 70 groups pushing the latest safety board campaign, said during an online forum in January that public reporting would compromise data integrity by leading hospitals to scrub records to hide bad events. Youre going to have to protect data for a while de-identify it, she said, so that we can do what needs to be done. She said that a patient safety board will not happen without broad support, including from hospitals and medical societies. Those groups have long opposed measures to publicly identify facilities where errors occur. That industry influence is the elephant in the room, said McGiffert. Hospitals, nursing homes, and medical professionals pour hundreds of millions of dollars into federal political campaigns each election cycle and spent $220 million lobbying Congress last year, according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit that tracks money in U.S. politics. Moreover, health care is the dominant employer in at least 47 states, according to Health Affairs, which means that, when legislation is in play, the industry can always drum up local people to talk about how it affects them, McGiffert added. Feinstein agreed that legislators always ask about the position of their local health systems. That is the first question, she said during the January forum. Although patient safety groups represent the interests of millions of people, they dont have the same financial firepower on hand as the health care industry does. McGiffert said her own organizations bank balance is $6,000. Feinstein said her foundation is using its endowment created with proceeds from the sale of a tax-exempt hospital to fund the patient safety board campaign, among other initiatives. The foundation reported assets of nearly $186 million in 2021. The American Hospital Association declined to comment about the patient safety board proposal because it was still reviewing it, said spokesperson Colin Milligan. He provided a statement from the associations senior director of quality and patient safety policy, Akin Demehin, saying hospitals are deeply committed to safety and have urged that publicly reported measures assess hospitals accurately and fairly while giving patients meaningful information. The safety board campaign initially declared the NTSB as its model. However, Feinstein said, it now envisions it as something of a hybrid of the NTSB and the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, a lesser-known government-industry partnership that analyzes a massive amount of data to detect emerging risks. Christopher Hart, a former NTSB chairperson who serves on the board of the Joint Commission, a health care accrediting body, likened the proposed patient safety board to the voluntary reporting of aviation errors and near misses, which are statutorily protected from public disclosure. Protecting such tips about non-public events has enabled a flood of voluntarily provided information that is foundational to improving airline safety, Hart said. But some consumer advocates argue that in health care, secrecy and voluntarism have fallen short. They point to the 2005 Patient Safety Act, which lets health care providers submit data confidentially to research groups called patient safety organizations. As of 2018, about 40% of hospitals reimbursed by Medicare didnt report to such organizations despite liability and public disclosure protections, and most of the organizations didnt submit data to national research databases, according to the HHS inspector general. With safety indicators worsening during the pandemic, supporters of a patient safety board argue the current proposal would be a step forward. It could hasten adoption of surveillance technology, launch a national portal for anyone to report events, and coordinate efforts of states, federal agencies, and accrediting bodies. Barragan will reintroduce the bill in the current term but declined to give a date, said spokesperson Kevin McGuire. From our understanding, the stakeholders we are working with are discussing the concerns raised by advocates, McGuire said. Sue Sheridan, a co-founder of Patients For Patient Safety US, became a patient safety advocate after untreated jaundice left her son brain-damaged and her husband died of cancer that went untreated for months because a pathology result was not properly communicated. She now is a member of a working group for the presidential advisory council and said she expects consumer-friendly tweaks to the proposal, including putting patient representatives on the board itself a step she said she would support. And she backs the overall effort, despite saying the plan needs to be somewhat refined. We will be safer with it than without it, Sheridan said. 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). Throughout this month, the Muscatine Art Center will present three new exhibitions to the public, with each of these exhibits having their own themes and artwork to showcase. The first of these exhibitions, which opened on June 1, is the 47th annual Birds in Art. The exhibition, which was organized by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, is being displayed on both floors of the Stanley Gallery and will be on view through Sept. 10. Although Birds in Art has been presented since 1976, this will be the first time that this bird-inspired exhibit will be in Muscatine. Weve actually been planning to host this exhibition for quite a few years, and weve been following this annual exhibition for quite a while, so were thrilled to finally have it here in Muscatine, Art Center Director Melanie Alexander said. This years show will include works from 118 artists, with mediums such as bronze, acrylics, oils, watercolors, linocut, sandstone and even more being used to capture the different types of birds that have inspired these artists. I think whats nice about the exhibition is that theres something that will jump out for everyone, as theres such a variety of things, Alexander said. Not everybody is going to love every piece, but theres some really fantastic works of art in this exhibition. The second of these exhibits, which also opened last week, is House of Cards, which focuses on the printed works of Philip Laber. The exhibit can be seen on the second floor of the Musser McColm mansion and will be on view until August 6. The House of Cards exhibit is said to be a suite of experimental printmaking that is meant to both examine and metaphorically represent the cultures and politics of America and of the rest of the globe. Alexander touched on how colorful and vibrant the pieces are. Youll see some repeated imagery and symbolism in it and I think the adults especially will appreciate the humor that he uses, she said. During the exhibition's run at the Muscatine Art Center, the museum will give residents and fans of Labers art a chance to meet with him in person at the annual Friends of the Muscatine Art Centers annual ice cream social, which will be held on Sunday, June 25. The final June exhibition, the Iowa Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibition, will open on Thursday, June 8, on the second floor of the Musser McColm mansion, and will close July 30. This is a returning exhibition that both frequent visitors and new visitors to the Muscatine Art Center will enjoy. This watercolor-focused exhibit will feature the work of 30 different Iowa watercolor artists. Additionally, artist Jo Myers-Walker, whose work is included in this years exhibit, will host a toast to the late watercolorist, Carol Steinmetz. We wanted to celebrate Carol and her love of watercolor, so we put together this gathering, Alexander said. Carol passed away a few months ago, and weve been looking for an opportunity to celebrate her. Myers-Walker will also lead a watercolor floral workshop in memory of Carol Steinmetz on Saturday, July 22, starting at 1:30 p.m. This class is open to anyone regardless of skill level. For more details on these and all other upcoming Muscatine Art Center exhibitions and events, residents can visit www.muscatineartcenter.org. Photos: Davenport North presents "Songs for a New World" on May 14-16, 2021 Crowds of protesters and observers have dwindled in the days since the partial collapse of The Davenport, but banners and signs still hang on fencing. Around 25 people were at the scene Sunday, sitting in the shade or trying to peek through the gaps in tarps to watch work being done. Law enforcement, including crime scene units, were on scene as well, as are Iowa Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue and the Northwest Illinois Incident Management Team. Signs around the area ask for the missing to be found and for prosecution of the building's owner. Branden Colvin Sr.'s body was located Saturday, family and city officials have said. His are the first remains acknowledged to have been found at the site of the May 28 collapse. Family members said Colvin Sr.'s body was recovered around midday Saturday. His son, Branden Colvin Jr., graduated from Rock Island High School the same day. A vigil was held at the site, 324 Main Street, Sunday evening. Tenants Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien still are missing a week after part of the apartment building collapsed, displacing former residents, businesses and closing off parts of downtown Davenport. In the days after the collapse, people and pets have been rescued, protests have circled downtown blocks, aid agencies have been activated and city officials have taken the podium to answer questions and address criticisms as the disaster became national news. Demolition company D.W. Zinser began tearing down debris and removing material from the building Friday night. According to a Sunday morning update from the city of Davenport, crews worked overnight and throughout the day in 12-hour shifts. The work is being done to control falling hazards and support recovery efforts of first responders at the scene who have been seen looking through rooms day and night. Main Street between 3rd and 4th Streets is still closed to traffic, as well as Harrison Street on the same block and 4th Street from Brady to Harrison Streets. Residents have not been allowed back into the building since the collapse because of the structure's instability. Tenants were experiencing problems with The Davenport, a six-floor brick building built in 1906 and bought by Wold in 2021, months before its west wall collapsed. City, county records and interviews indicated that residents reported cracks in the walls and floors, water leaks and more. City inspection records mark that work to shore up the west wall and add beams and make other repairs were completed May 12. A structural engineer hired by Wold told of more problems that had appeared with the west wall during a May 24 site visit, warning that patches of the clay brick facade appeared "ready to fall imminently." MidAmerican also raised structural concerns to the city in February, a rebuffed masonry contractor told workers to get off the site in the days before the collapse and a Davenport Downtown Partnership employee called 911 just a day before the collapse to report a bulging wall. The first call about the collapse came in at 4:55 p.m. May 28. Several people were rescued in the hours after the collapse, including Quanishia White-Berry, who had to have her leg amputated at the scene. The city initially announced it believed there were no residents missing or dead, but later announced that five people were unaccounted for. Two have since been found safe, leaving Colvin Sr., Hitchcock and Prien. Wold and property management released a statement Wednesday that their "thoughts and prayers are with our tenants and families during this difficult time." Attempts to reach Wold have been unsuccessful. Businesses in and around the apartment building have also been evacuated, and some surrounding residences were closed to tenants for safety reasons. The city said on Monday that demolition was expected to begin Tuesday but later walked back that timeline. Documentation showed that the city demanded the "immediate demolition of the structure" May 29, "given the unsafe structural condition, extensive water damage at time of collapse and continued shifting of the building because of the significant deterioration of structural support." The announcement of the planned demolition drew large crowds of protesters, who called for more sweeps and body recovery. Despite the city's announcement that "no confirmed viable signs of life were noted" the night of May 28, just over 24 hours later Lisa Brooks called her daughter from the building and was rescued. Sweeps of the building on Tuesday resulted in the rescue of nine pets but no people. No one else has been found alive in the days since. The American Red Cross, the city of Davenport and local, regional and state service organizations announced in the days after the collapse they were reaching out to those impacted by the collapse to offer whatever aid they could, though some tenants told The Quad-City Times it took days for them to be contacted, if they were contacted at all. A shelter was set up by the Red Cross at the former Select Specialty Hospital at 1111 W. Kimberly Road in Davenport. Those impacted by the collapse are encouraged to register with the Red Cross by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also announced a disaster proclamation on Monday for the collapse, which opened up funding programs for those affected. Reynolds has also signed a proclamation waiving Department of Transportation fees for replacement ID cards for residents. Two-dozen agencies gathered Saturday at a Multi-Agency Resource Center to help people with everything from issuing new documentation to finding paths to housing to offering mental and physical health care. Support has also come from the community, with people dropping off food, water, ice and other items to those staying at the scene, and local businesses raising money for those in need. City officials haven't shared plans on how the building will be brought down, but they said they have used drones and mapping technology to assess the structure to aid in plans. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi engaged in bilateral discussions with the President of the Republic of Angola, Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, during the high-level summit on the peace initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) held in Luanda, Angola. The talks centered on issues of mutual interest to the two countries that include boosting trade in Agricultural Sector, Oil, Mining, tourism and the Blue Economy. We also discussed the critical role our two countries play in promoting Peace and Stability in the African continent, Mudavadi said. The PCS was accompanied by PS Aurelia Rono , State Department for Parliamentary Affairs, Andrew Mujivane, Charge DAffaires Kenyan Embassy in Angola and Samuel Karanja, Special Advisor to my Office. Mudavadi had earlier represented President William Ruto at the summit and presented Kenyas position in efforts to restore peace and stability in Congo (DRC) and Sudan. The Summit reaffirmed the relevance of the decisions of the Mini Summit on Peace and Security in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo held on 23rd November 2022 in Luanda, Angola and invited all the parties and the M23 to fully implement its decisions as reiterated by the Mini Summit on Peace and Security in the Eastern Region of the DRC held on 17th February 2023, in Addis Ababa, Federal Republic of Ethiopia and subsequently endorsed by the Africa Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting. The Summit reaffirmed its support for the conclusions of the 11th High Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region held on 6th May 2023 in Bujumbura, Republic of Burundi in particular the revitalization of the Peace and Security Cooperation Framework. The Summit further welcomed the decisions of the 21st Extra-ordinary Summit of the East African Community held on 31st May 2023 in Bujumbura, Republic of Burundi. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta who was also in attendance participated in the summit which is a follow-up on the progress and new developments emerging after the previous summit in Bujumbura, Burundi late in May. Heads of state and government from various African countries present called on warring parties in DRC to engage in a meaningful and honest dialogue to resolve the prevailing conflict. This is the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). Mustafas mother says she was not aware that her rapper son had resorted to construction work to raise money for her cancer treatment. Speaking to YouTube Mungai Eve, Mama Dee as she is popularly known said that she found out from her other son about Musfafas Mjengo work and that she initially thought it was a publicity stunt. Mustafa never told me he was in mjengo. Maybe he felt it would hurt meI found out from his brother and when I asked him about it he confessed to me. I thought it was one of their clout-chasing tactics whenever they want to release a song but it wasntit really hurt his brother who asked him why he never opened up on the severity of the situation, she said. Mama Dee added: He wanted to be a man and bring something to the table as well since his brother was doing the most. It really hurt me and I cried a lot on that day but we knew God had a plan. She recounted her ongoing illness starting in 2021, but it was in 2022 that her health took a turn for the worse. Mama Dee was living in Tanzania at the time and her symptoms began with overall fatigue. Mustafa persistently urged her to seek treatment in Nairobi, but she couldnt shake the feeling of being a burden to her sons, particularly since only one of them had a steady income. The symptoms soon progressed to intense back pain and complications with her kidneys. Suspecting cervical cancer, she decided to undergo screening, only to receive the relieving news that she was in good health. I thought it was ulcersI also had some back problems. I would improve but at times I would self-prescribe the drugs I was given when they ran out. The doctors did more tests and they said I had some kidney complicationsthe pain never went away. I was told I had kidney stones and I was put on medication, she recounted. Following that, a subsequent CT scan revealed the presence of a growth on her back, which had invaded her kidneys. Moreover, her liver had suffered partial damage, along with certain blood vessels. Realizing the gravity of her condition, she decided to travel to Nairobi for treatment. A day after arriving in Nairobi we went to a doctor who looked at my previous tests and the drugs I had been taking. He referred me to Kijabe Hospital where the doctor recommended further specialised tests. We were told to wait for two weeks. I was in a lot of pain and the two weeks seemed like an eternity. My sons went for the results and they were informed that I had stage 2 Lymphoma, she recalled, fighting back tears. Mama Dee would later commence chemotherapy and although the initial days proved to be arduous, she persevered and gradually witnessed an improvement in her condition. She expressed her joy at regaining some strength, and despite enduring ongoing pain, she extended heartfelt gratitude to all the generous Kenyans who contributed to her treatment. My chemo sessions are toughI was weak for around 10 days. We were stuck after a couple of sessions due to finances and we defaulted on payment. We struggled to pay and the sessions had to be stoppedI do not hate the guy who took Mustafas video. He was heaven-sent because thats how I got help and I have resumed my chemo sessions. It was a blessing in disguise, she said. Mama Dee added: Cancer is a very unpredictable disease but I can see improvement courtesy of generous Kenyans. I cannot repay them but theres a God in heaven who will reward all those who contributed in cash and kind. Josephine Achary shared her story with Eve Woman magazine, recounting how her in-laws kicked her out of her matrimonial home, alleging infertility. Briefly introduce yourself. I am Josephine Achary Akongo, from Ahero Kisumu County, Nyando sub-county. You got a child while still in school, what was the experience? I didnt find it easy after realising that I was pregnant. It was funny because some visitors came to our place to bring dowry for my cousin, and as girls, we were invited to entertain them. Thats how I got involved with a guy for just one night, and thats how I conceived. Unfortunately, the guy disappeared afterward. I learned in day school, but I spent most of my time outside the school due to frequent illness. Eventually, my mother discovered what was happening and she was constantly reminding me of how I had wasted her hard-earned money. In school, students disapproved of me and often laughed at me. During that time, getting pregnant was considered taboo. However, despite being in Form Four, I persevered and managed to sit my national exams, though I didnt perform as well as expected. It was far from an easy experience. At what point did you get married? I met my first husband in our estate in Kisumu, and we began courting. However, our courtship didnt last for even a year before we started cohabiting. I went to visit him at his workplace in Eldoret, at Keiyo South Constituency, and I never returned home because he told me we were now living as husband and wife. I informed my family, and he informed his, and we started our life together as a couple. How did your husband and in-laws react when you were unable to have a child? My mother-in-law didnt like me from the very first day. Despite this, everything seemed to be going well after we got married in January 2006, until 2013 when I decided to stay at my in-laws home. My husband had started working in Migori, not far from our home. The struggle of not being able to have a child began immediately after moving in with my mother-in-law in the same compound. I tried to ignore their comments and advice, but they persisted and eventually urged their son to marry another woman and have children of his own. He secretly married another woman, and when I found out and confronted him, he blatantly told me that he wanted children who would inherit his modest wealth. The fight continued as he lived with his second wife at his workplace while I lived alone at home. He neither came home nor sent money. One day, his father called me and demanded that I leave their compound. I stood my ground, reminding him that it was his son who brought me there, and therefore, he should be the one to chase me away. After some arrangements, my husband and his second wife came and told me to leave immediately. I packed my belongings and my daughter and left peacefully. What happened after you left the marriage? Initially, I struggled without a reliable source of income, especially with a daughter to take care of, considering she was in a private school. My daughter excelled in her KCPE exams and received a sponsorship from Equity. Fortunately, she also passed her Form Four exams with a clean A and secured a place at Nairobi University, still under the Equity scholarship. Before joining campus, Equity provided her with an opportunity to work at their banks, which enabled her to earn a good income and support us. Why do your ex-husband and in-laws now want you back after all those ordeals? My ex-husband and his family want us to reconcile because things havent been going well for him since I left. They have started to see the success my daughter and I have achieved despite the challenges we faced. They realise that their initial doubts about my daughters education due to financial constraints were unfounded, as she is now nearing completion of her studies at the university. Interestingly, my ex-husband has been unable to have any children with the second wife he married in 2014. What have you learned from this ordeal? I want people to understand that patience pays off and that one shouldnt destroy their marriage solely because of the inability to conceive. Gods timing is always the best. Additionally, women should strive to work hard and be responsible. Source: EveWoman Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has threatened that Members of Parliament who are opposing the contentious Finance Bill 2023 should not anticipate any allocation of funds for projects such as roads, within their respective constituencies. During a church service held on Sunday at Leshuta in Narok County, the Deputy President made reference to a Harambee function he had attended on Saturday at St Charles Lwanga Secondary School in Kitui County. During the event, Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu voiced his opposition to the Finance Bill, suggesting that it should be rejected. There is a lot of incitement around this whole Finance Bill issue. I was in Kitui yesterday and their MP spoke about cessation and people were clapping. And then soon after he was telling me they need roads, where does he expect the money to build roads to come from? he posed. Gachagua emphasized that the bill is crucial for generating revenue and consequently urged legislators to fully support it if they anticipate receiving development funds. Some of you leaders are lying to Kenyans, but know that if your MP is opposed to the Finance Bill, they should not ask for roads, he said. During the Saturday event, Gachagua emphasized the need for the Finance Bill of 2023 and argued that it was illogical to demand government assistance in constructing schools, repairing roads, and establishing infrastructure while simultaneously opposing tax increases. I am a person who speaks the truth; people must give taxes to finance our capital and recurrent expenditure there was a call to recruit more teachers, who will pay for this? I cant pay for it with my Ksh1 million salary that money will be gotten from the citizens, he said. Gachagua further criticized opposition politicians affiliated with the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition who are opposing the bill. He stated that regardless of their protests or attempts to block the bill by wearing sufurias on their heads, their efforts were futile because they lacked sufficient support in numbers. He stated that there was no need for such actions. By PCS President William Ruto has urged MPs to support the Finance Bill 2023. He said the Bill seeks to address challenges facing ordinary Kenyans. The President further noted that the Bill will stimulate the economy, create jobs and boost earnings. He asked MPs not to bow to pressure from the Opposition to vote against the interests of the people. They are opposing the employment of the youth and Housing Plan that will give Kenyans decent and affordable homes, he said. He made the remarks on Sunday during a thanksgiving service for Cabinet Secretary for Environment Soipan Tuya in Narok. The President said the Government will implement the housing project to expand economic opportunities in the country. The housing project will enhance the growth of manufacturing industries like cement and steel, boost hardware businesses and create jobs, he said. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said the beneficiaries of the Housing Fund will be ordinary people. This project will deliver decent housing units for low-income earners at affordable rates, he said. Present were First Lady Rachel Ruto, Attorney General Justin Muturi, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula, Governors, Cabinet Secretaries, and MPs. Napa Valley Museum Yountville and Tiki Oasis will celebrate summer tiki-style with a Tiki Time event from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 17. The event will be held in the museums Main Gallery exhibition, "Tiki Dreams: From Far-Away Fantasy to Pop-Culture Phenomenon." The event recognizes the variety and influence of tiki decorative styles and fashions from the 1930s to today. Attendees are encouraged to don their aloha wear and enjoy classic tropical drinks provided by tiki restaurant Trader Vics among genuine tiki bar artifacts, including those from some of the original Trader Vics locations. Wines by Picayune Cellars and pupus (light bites) will also be served. A limited-edition tiki mug by Tiki Oasis is available for purchase exclusively at these events. Tickets include admission to the museums three current exhibitions: "Tiki Dreams: From Far-Away Fantasy to Pop-Culture Phenomenon" is an immersive exhibition, curated by Baby Doe and Otto von Stroheim of Tiki Oasis, illustrating how Californias tiki lounges and restaurants, including many in the Bay Area, inspired a global art and design movement. "The Great California Road Trip 1962," a nostalgic look back at travel by car in California, highlights major roadside attractions, diners and restaurants plus iconic hotels and motels. "Napa Valley Museum Mini-Masterpieces" features original works for sale to benefit the museums nonprofit arts education programs. Tickets are $40 for Napa Valley Museum members and $50 for non-members, including museum admission to all galleries, plus tastings and light bites. Aloha wear requested. Must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets available at Eventbrite. Photos: A sneak peek inside a new Napa tiki bar Wilfred's Lounge Napa tiki bar Napa tiki bar Flora Cabral grew up in Hawaii. Napa tiki bar Flora Cabral Napa tiki bar Napa tiki bar Napa tiki bar Napa tiki bar Napa tiki bar Napa tiki bar Napa tiki bar I started working for the Napa Farmers Market in 2018 because I believe deeply in our mission of supporting the livelihood of small, local farmers by connecting them directly to our community to grow connections, relationships, and, of course, sales. I never dreamed that five years later I would be invited, along with people from every continent, to participate in the inaugural General Assembly of the World Farmers Market Coalition in Rome, Italy. In March 2022, I met Richard McCarthy, president of the newly formed World Farmers Market Coalition, while in San Diego for the national Farmers Market Pros conference. Richard was the opening speaker, and I followed him with a presentation on disaster preparedness and response for farmers markets, applying my decade of experience working in emergency preparedness for Napa County Public Health into tools and tips for farmers market operators. Richard and I connected on our shared love of public health and personal experience living through disasters, and he encouraged me to have the Napa Farmers Market join the international coalition, which is open to all levels of organizations from all over the world. Without hesitation, I sent in our letter of support. Fast forward to this winter, I received the astonishing news that an anonymous donor provided funding for over 100 members to travel to and stay in Rome from May 20-23 for the General Assembly. Words cannot begin to describe how moving it was to connect with my worldwide farmers market fellowship. This is the start of something magical. Our collective power is impressive: The World Farmers Market Coalition represents more than 20,000 markets in 40 countries serving 200,000 farming families and 300 million consumers. We share more similarities than differences, and we will grow together as we create a global community of practice to strengthen local, fresh food markets for resilient food systems. As farmers markets aficionados, if you take a trip to Rome, I recommend visiting the Campagna Amica Market at Circo Massimo, as you will not be disappointed. Think the Oxbow Public Market, but in true farmers market fashion. When I travelled to Spain in 2019, I learned that many of the fruit and vegetable the indoor-marketplaces are actually resellers who source their produce from wholesale markets. This is not the case at the Campagna Amica Market, as all the stalls are occupied by local growers and food producers from the Lazio Region. The sense of community and camaraderie was palpable. Seeing this vibrant space in full living color inspired me to think, how might we create something similar in Napa? I look forward to developing the possibility of this vision with you right here in our beautiful, bountiful valley. Shaved Artichokes and Speck with Parmigiano Reggiano Adapted from www.foodwise.org seasonal recipes featuring farmers market ingredients. INGREDIENTS 3 lemons 12 small or 4 medium artichokes Kosher salt Black pepper 2 to 3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil 2 ounces Speck, sliced 1 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano PREPARATION Fill a container with cold water. Squeeze halved lemons into the water, reserving one half, and then drop in the squeezed halves. Snap the outer leaves off the artichokes until you reach the paler inner leaves. Rub the exposed base with the face of a halved lemon. Cut off the top of the leaves at the point where they turn from dark green to pale. Using a paring knife, trim away the outer layer of flesh from the stem and base. Drop the artichoke into the lemon water. If using medium artichokes, prepare in the same manner but cut out the choke before placing into the acidulated water. Pat dry and slice the artichokes lengthwise, using a Japanese mandolin. Slice thinly but thick enough to retain some crunch. Place in a mixing bowl, squeeze a touch of lemon juice over the chokes, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and then add the olive oil. Mix well and taste. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Arrange the speck and artichokes on individual plates or a platter. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmigiano over the top. By many accounts, Lizzo put on one of the most compelling performances at the recent BottleRock Napa Valley festival. She dazzled fans with her mix of R&B and hip-hop, choreographed dance numbers with her crew the Big Grrrls, and her now-ubiquitous positive messaging. Download Napa Valley Register news app today! Your story lives in the Napa Valley. Get in-depth stories from the Napa region and beyond including news, sports, features and politics. It wasnt all good vibes and music though as Lizzo also told fans that she had seen a number of signs posted outside a Silverado Trail home across the road from the Napa Valley Expo that hosts BottleRock that made her feel unwelcome and upset. Lizzo seemed concerned that the signs represented something broader within the Napa community. I saw some signs that were very unfriendly towards people like me, the rapper-songwriter, whose legal name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, told thousands of fans during a song break at her May 27 concert, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. I saw signs talking about how they want to cancel people like me. Silence people like me. Choke people like me. And they right across the street. The owner of the Silverado Trail home in question has displayed numerous signs over the years, ranging from CANCEL CANCEL CULTURE, AMERICA LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT, and CHOKE THE WOKE. Such attacks on progressivism and wokeness were likely what Lizzo, a proud LGBTQ ally and general denouncer of bigotry, was referring to. This is not the only instance that such signs have garnered attention throughout Napa, with a now-notorious house on Browns Valley Road sporting constant far-right messaging, conspiracy theories and antisemitic rhetoric. The Napa Valley Register has previously reported that such provocative signs present a challenge to Napa police and code enforcement officers, as they may be threatening or upsetting to some but cannot be taken down (as long as they comply with city sign size regulations) due to First Amendment protections of free speech. Its one of those things where we have to balance public safety, whether theres an immediate threat, and constitutionally protected rights, Jennifer Gonzales, then a Napa Police captain and now the police chief, said in July 2021 after the city received complaints about the "Choke the Woke" sign. In a brief phone interview two years ago, a man listed by Caller ID as John Paul Raymond whom public records listed as owner and resident of the home where the signs have been posted profanely and defiantly stood by his right to post the anti-progressive signs, including the one denigrating woke progressives. Tough (expletive); if they dont like the wording, grow thicker skin, he said at the time. That guy is just lucky he has a house on a busy street, said Rob Doughty, also known as DJ Rotten Robbie. Doughty is a longtime pillar of Pride celebrations in Napa County, and made clear in a phone interview last week that he believes Napa to be a world-class destination of open-minded people who like culture and diversity. For Doughty, the signs and their message are a largely isolated incident. That isnt to say that homophobia, racism and antisemitism dont exist in the Napa Valley, he said, but that the signs in no way represents the basic Napa people; you can tell by the way Napa voted in the last several elections. It is their placement outside BottleRock or on prominent roadways, more than the extent to which they represent Napans' sentiments, that has caused them to capture the attention of Lizzo and news outlets, according to Doughty. I feel like this is an accepting place, said Eric Oesterle, Doughtys husband. For him, seeing the signs makes him want to reach out and have a conversation to try to discover where the vitriol originates from, and what Napans can do to make everyone feel welcome. Rabbi Niles Goldstein of Napa's Congregation Beth Shalom, feels similarly. I think in general Napa is a very welcoming, inclusive community, said Goldstein, who pointed to the support non-Jewish Napans have shown to Beth Shalom in response to the signs peppered throughout the town, particularly as the congregation marks its 70th anniversary. He added, however, that there are vocal Napans who are divisive and hateful, and whose signs make members of the Jewish community or other historically oppressed groups feel unsafe. Goldstein believes an update of the First Amendment is in order because our radical worship of it is allowing harmful language to be plastered about the town. Additionally, he is innately suspicious of someone who comes to a community as a visitor and then pontificates on our situation, saying that it is hard for BottleRock performers such as Lizzo to fully understand the communities they are speaking on without living in them. Goldstein said he understands how celebrities can use their platforms to try and create a better world and denounce hateful language, but that it would be incorrect to label the whole Napa community as bigoted or unsafe for the woke among us. At BottleRock, Lizzo finished her interlude by saying, We gonna sing this one more time so they can hear it, because maybe they havent heard it in a long time. Then she launched into a defiant rendition of her song Special, directing the songs themes of compassion, self-love, and empathy to her listeners at the Expo and at the owner of the signs. Napa Valley Register city editor Howard Yune contributed to this report. Download Napa Valley Register news app today! Your story lives in the Napa Valley. Get in-depth stories from the Napa region and beyond including news, sports, features and politics. Olivia Rusin-Tindall said she first got into sign language when she was about 11, while visiting with her grandmother and friends in Florida. A number of those ladies were deaf, and they taught Olivia a few American Sign Language words and the alphabet. This Napan, now 17, was hooked. It wasnt a language I've seen before, Rusin-Tindall said. It was something new that I hadn't heard of, and it really just intrigued me. That was really interesting to me. Her affinity for the language went beyond just interest. Rusin-Tindall is reportedly the first student in the history of the Napa Valley Unified School District to receive the Seal of Biliteracy in American Sign Language. The designation can be used as a credential to convey an individuals proficiency in two or more languages. Upon hearing she was the first to earn the honor, I thought it was really cool, Rusin-Tindall said with a smile. She has been studying sign language for three years but at the same time was worried about passing the Seal of Biliteracy exam. I was super nervous, she said. Held via Zoom, the exam included an extended conversation in ASL between Rusin-Tindall and an instructor. To her great relief, she realized, It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. I realized at that point that I have enough knowledge, that this would be fine. Rusin-Tindall said her ASL studies began officially in the ninth grade at Vintage High School, the only high school in the county to offer such classes. Thats not usually a class that's offered, she recalled thinking at the time of the course, which has long been taught by Emily A. Bristow. Miss Bristow was teaching not only the language but the culture and the history behind it, which is a big part of it. And that's always been really interesting for me. I really like this class. Shes a visual learner, the senior explained, so she likes learning a language that uses both visual and physical elements. If one practices enough, the signs become both a mental memory as well as a muscle memory, she pointed out, which I think is really cool. This student is even using ASL outside of the classroom. Earlier this school year, she participated in a project called Deaf for a Day. For 24 hours, students wore earplugs and noise-canceling headphones and used only ASL to communicate. It was definitely a learning experience about how people treat and interact with others, especially those who have a loss of hearing or are deaf, Rusin-Tindall said. She was somewhat surprised to find that the other Vintage students were the most respectful of her project. Teachers were mostly supportive, she said, except for one teacher who seemed frustrated that Rusin-Tindall would not verbally respond to questions. This senior said shed definitely recommend taking ASL at Vintage High. Of course, some students have the misconception that the ASL class is easy. It's not, Rusin-Tindall said. As with learning any language, Its still difficult. But it can be easier if you're interested and it's easy if you're dedicated, she said. Learning ASL and about the deaf community and culture definitely has opened my eyes to a lot of new things, such as what makes a community and how others may be perceived. You can't just make the broad assumption that everything is part of the hearing world," she said. "And so that's why this class is so important. For Rusin-Tindall, the ASL program is also a learning experiment for the entire community of Vintage. It's like we're all collectively learning how to be better (about) inclusivity, which I think is really nice. Come this fall, Olivia will be headed to college at Oregon State University in Corvallis, where she plans to earn a degree in fine art. Shes not sure if she will take ASL classes in college. I think the more important thing is like I don't need to make my entire life about sign language to incorporate sign language in my life, she said. If I end up being an art teacher, I know enough sign language that I could teach art at a deaf school. I have more options now. Obviously, I'm going to keep this in my life, she continued. This is a skill. This is something I enjoy. This is something I'm passionate about. But I'm following my dreams. So right now that's spreading art in the world, and if that includes the deaf community, even better. Bristow, the Vintage sign language instructor, said that this year shes teaching ASL to 161 students at the school, and that number keeps growing. I think ASL has become more popular in recent years due to its exposure, said Bristow. Most recently the movie 'CODA' won best picture at the Oscars. Social media is huge too. The teenagers see sign language on TikTok and Instagram and want to learn more. They are also more likely to see interpreters at events such as BottleRock and on the news, noted the teacher. The students see their classmates signing in other classes such as chemistry or math and find it super cool that they can communicate across the class without anyone knowing what they are saying, she added. Teachers come up to me all the time and tell me how students are signing in their classes. We don't just teach the language but also about deaf culture. Students are always fascinated to learn that there is a rich culture associated with ASL. Also, ASL is not a universal language. People are always surprised by that. ASL is the third most popular language in colleges. Bristow noted that Olivia is part of the schools "COVID" class; all learning went online during her sophomore year. Learning ASL over Zoom is very difficult, said Bristow. It's a 3-D language, so learning through a video was tough. But Olivia worked hard to overcome all those barriers. Rusin-Tindall is also actively involved in drama and art, noted Bristow, who thinks that her student is skilled at ASL because she is willing to make the facial expressions and body language needed to convey meaning. Besides signing, facial expressions are the grammar of ASL, according to Bristow. Facial expressions add the 'tone' to the sentences," she said. "Without that, you are just signing the words. Olivia knows how to add expressions to her face and body to convey meaning. Download Napa Valley Register news app today! Your story lives in the Napa Valley. Get in-depth stories from the Napa region and beyond including news, sports, features and politics. Just as Republicans in Congress are moving to beef up work requirements for people who receive welfare, California lawmakers are moving to do the opposite. Included in a recent state Assembly budget proposal, and in a bill the Assembly passed on Wednesday, is a plan to remake CalWORKs, the state's federally funded cash welfare program that requires recipients to work or search for jobs using a list of approved activities. Under the proposed state changes, recipients would gain greater flexibility to participate in activities such as going to school, domestic violence counseling, addiction treatment or mental health care. The proposal, estimated to cost $100 million, also would lessen financial penalties if recipients violate work rules. That would make it likely that fewer recipients would get jobs and more likely California would miss a key federal work standard, for which it could be fined. The goals of the proposed changes are to address practical barriers to employment that CalWORKs recipients some 340,000 of the poorest families in California experience, and make it easier for more families to qualify for cash assistance. And, to prod California's 58 county social service agencies to carry out the plan, the proposal also would shield counties from potential federal fines. The efforts come at a fraught moment in a decades-old national debate: Should welfare be a flexible source of emergency aid for families in financial crisis, or an engine to push low-wage single parents to join the work force? Congressional Republicans, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, have pushed to institute stricter welfare work requirements in a bill to raise the nation's debt ceiling. Welfare's work targets The deal McCarthy struck with President Biden which the House passed Wednesday and the Senate Thursday night includes changes in federal welfare rules that would make it harder for California to make its work rate meet federal targets. Failing to meet that work metric could cost the state $185 million out of the $3.7 billion a year it gets in federal welfare grants. In previous years the federal government has threatened California with fines but never forced the state to pay them, advocates say. Officials at the California Department of Social Services declined repeated requests for an interview about the state's welfare policies. For years advocates have pushed to extricate CalWORKs from the strict federal welfare-to-work rules of the 1990s. Those rules touched off dramatic declines in families receiving public assistance and defined the nation's cash aid system for a generation. Proponents of work requirements Republicans and Democrats alike during the 1990s said people using social safety net programs should be required, or prodded, to work. They said it would ultimately reduce poverty and dependence on public benefits. A landmark federal law in 1996 began requiring each state to certify that certain percentages of cash aid recipients were working, or participating in a specific list of job search activities, for the state to continue receiving federal welfare grant dollars. Though welfare rolls fell, poverty didn't. Federal reports show declines in welfare enrollment after 1996 did not come with corresponding drops in the number of families poor enough to qualify for welfare. Though caseloads also plunged in the Golden State, today families getting cash aid in California make up nearly a third of the nation's beneficiaries. Clashing ideas Research shows that work requirements led to some increase in employment in the 1990s, but evidence from more recent years is less clear, partly because so many people left the welfare program. A Congressional Budget Office review this year found a "substantial" increase since the 1990s in single mothers who have no income from either work or cash aid. Advocates have long called work requirements counterproductive and racist, based on stereotypes about "welfare queens" who refuse to work. California's cash aid program has been caught between the two ideologies. The state never fully embraced the strict policies of 1996. While many states slashed welfare rolls opting instead to use their federal grants on other programs California continued giving cash assistance. Unlike some other states, California kept cash aid going to children even after their parents' benefits were cut for violating program work rules. California also exempts many families from work rules. For those subject to them, the state in 2012 created a more flexible list of activities beyond the strict federal definitions of work. The state is risking that some recipients won't count toward the federal work metric. It's a path other liberal states have taken, said Heather Hahn, a national expert at the Urban Institute. "States are doing these things that can be seen as workarounds, because working with the (federal rules) feels counter to their goals of helping people achieve economic success," Hahn said. A chance at college More notably, some low-income parents in California receive cash aid while attending college, which counts toward the state's work rules. That has been a lifeline for Summer Pratt. The 42-year-old mother in Grass Valley signed up for CalWORKs upon enrolling at Sierra College. She had two children to support and no income after getting divorced. She is studying early childhood development and business entrepreneurship first steps in her plans to open a home-based day care center. "The money itself has been a tremendous help in allowing me time with my kids and to do schoolwork, and allowing me not to have to go into the work force yet," Pratt said. Advocates and social workers say CalWORKs is far from effective at giving people who must work or search for work a stable, long-term path out of poverty. "We keep people just above drowning," said Nolan Sullivan, director of Yolo County's health and human services agency. "To stabilize families, to allow them to pull themselves up this ladder this doesn't do it." Yolo County has the highest poverty rate in the state. To qualify for CalWORKs, a single parent with one child can't make more than about $1,300 a month. Usually when someone gets into the program, that person is already deep in poverty, given California's high cost of living, Sullivan said, and many come with significant trauma. Advocates say recipients face steep barriers to finding and keeping stable jobs that pay enough to raise children. State figures show 45% of the people required to participate in work activities don't have a high school diploma. Many need child care and transportation. One in five has experienced domestic violence, and nearly a third report mental health challenges, according to the California Budget and Policy Center. At work but poor Cathy Senderling, director of the California Welfare Directors Association, said giving recipients experiencing those challenges a list of required activities can create "adversarial" relationships with social workers. Parents can be on CalWORKs for up to five years. Those who leave and find work often bring home low earnings. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic upended the economy, 18,000 former welfare recipients made income from jobs a year after leaving CalWORKs, according to California's Department of Social Services. In the first three months of 2020, those former recipients earned an average of $5,800 about $23,000 annually. Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, a Fresno Democrat, and advocates are pushing a proposal that loosens many of the state rules in favor of a more individualized approach. Instead of giving recipients a list of allowable welfare-to-work activities to complete, county social workers would come up with a plan that takes into account recipients' individual circumstances and addresses needs for child care, mental health care or other social services. "Today counties are asking recipients to meet certain requirements, and we're saying recipients should be able to come to counties and say, 'These are the things I need as a family first,'" said Christopher Sanchez, a policy advocate at the Western Center on Law and Poverty. Culture shift The state proposal includes paring back sanctions, which are penalties counties impose on recipients who don't follow their welfare rules. Sanctions come in the form of cutting off cash aid for the adult; advocates say it's counterproductive to punish struggling families by further restricting benefits. Arambula's proposal would essentially eliminate sanctions if recipients can't complete their plans because of a lack of child care, or "physical, mental, emotional, or other family circumstances." Like all major changes in social services, how this policy gets implemented would depend on the county welfare agencies responsible for the rollout. Sullivan, in Yolo County, said some caseworkers believe the threat of sanctions is "one of the only tools they have to get people to change their lives." He predicted the proposal would run into a cultural divide among county caseworkers, who are split on how rigid and rule-based welfare should be. "You can't legislate a culture shift," he said. Photos: Scenes from the debt ceiling negotiations We have followed the path of searching for other resources, there are many countries with which we are having discussions regarding the purchase of weapons, we already have results, too, with some, and the negotiations are still ongoing with some of them. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, said this on the air of a Public Television program, talking about the opportunities for Armenia of buying weapons. "That is, Armenia does not look for alternatives if a problem has arisen; Armenia looks for alternative solutions until the Armenia-Russia arms supply issue is resolved," Grigoryan added. Turning to the matter of Armenias relations with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), he noted that this organization used to create certain restrictions on Armenias cooperation with some other partners in security. "Being in the CSTO by and large creates certain problems, but does not limit our cooperation with various countries. Recently, we had discussions with a western country about working in the security sector, and the question of assistance in non-military version to us was being discussed. In the initial period, when we were discussing, they were saying Armenia is a CSTO member. But when the working group visited [Armenia] and we had discussions, their attitude towards Armenia changed in many matters," said the head of the Security Council of Armenia. Grigoryan said that the CSTO did not provide any assistance to Armenia during the three attacks of Azerbaijan, and when Armenia looked for and found alternatives, after that the CSTO started offering its assistance. "We are intensively working with Western partners to strengthen cooperation in the field of security, and will continue to work," added the secretary of the Security Council of Armenia. The armed forces of Azerbaijan on Sunday violated the ceasefire in the central and northeastern direction of the line of contact with Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) by using rifles. The Armenian side has no losses, the Artsakh Defense Army informs Armenian News-NEWS.am. This ceasefire violation was reported to the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh. As of 10am Monday, the situation on the line of contact is relatively stable. Turkey, Egypt FMs discuss bilateral relations Artur Davtyan - World Challenge Cup winner 3 British tourists missing after diving boat fire Azerbaijani authorities plan to resettle Azerbaijanis in occupied Aghdam About 700,000 people need drinking water after Kakhovka HPP explosion Belgorod governor reports multiple attacks over past day Armenia MFA deeply saddened by Kazakhstan forest fires Clashes resume in Sudan after 24-hour truce Shooting outside Houston nightclub Road accident near Mastara village Iran IRGC successfully tests new bomber drone Minsk, Yerevan to sign twinning agreement Artsakh MoD: Defense units did not open fire at Azerbaijani positions Peskov: Now Russia does not have even frail foundation for negotiations with Ukraine Istanbul factory fire cannot be put down since yesterday Syrian Kurds to try thousands of IS fighters Pakistan reports shootout on Afghan border Scholz, Garibashvili discuss Georgia's EU candidate status Montenegro holds snap parliamentary elections Stockholm shooting leaves 15-year-old killed, three wounded NATO unable to reach consensus on Ukraine accession UAV falls in Russia's Kaluga region Canada sanctions former President of Ukraine Fire breaks out near Istanbul stadium before Champions League final Armenia Deputy PM to Mustafayev: No such agreement was reached during last meeting Raisi, Macron have 90 min phone conversation Trudeau announces Russian plane confiscation, transfer to Ukraine Death toll from Kazakhstan fire reaches 14 Trudeau announces $375 mil military aid for Kyiv Bayramov, Hogan discuss normalization of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations US senators demand sanctions against Baku Nine killed in attack on Mogadishu hotel Zelenskyy says counteroffensive is underway Artsakh President continues meeting various public circles Turkish Defense Minister interrupts working trip due to Ankara explosion Russia and Abkhazia to sign agreement on Sukhum international airport restoration Justin Trudeau pays surprise visit to Kyiv Armenian President congratulates Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Portugal Day Homemade bomb explodes in Makhachkala Azerbaijan Deputy PM: Russia to control Azerbaijan, Armenia transport communications Artsakh Defence Army: Azerbaijani Armed Forces violate ceasefire using small arms and mortars Azerbaijan conducts military exercises in occupied territories Kazakhstan Minister of Emergency Situations loses position over large natural fire 5-month-old girl injured in road accident Supplement Slows Aging in Mice and Monkeys Hollande: US elections will determine Ukraine war outcome Council of Paris unanimously adopts resolution on providing assistance to people of Artsakh Ankara factory explosion kills five Armenia Prosecutor General visits the Armenia MoD 2nd Army Corps Casualties reported after explosion in Ankara factory Artsakh Defence Army: Azerbaijan MoD spreads disinformation again Children found in Colombian jungle taken to Bogota Former Dutch parliament members call for international peacekeeping mission in Artsakh Armenia MoD: Azerbaijan fires mortar at Kakhakn positions Scientists discover for the first time a binary system of supermassive black holes orbiting each other Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire on the vehicle of RA Armed Forces. MoD of Armenia Dentists identify new bacterial species involved in tooth decay Future of construction: trends and predictions for next decade Dollar loses ground, euro goes up in Armenia Is it dangerous for a person to stay in space for a long time? A new study has revealed some interesting data Karabakh economy suffers around $342M loss during ongoing Azerbaijani blockade Bayramov, Klaar discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan relations normalization process Sputnik Armenia: No one questions Armenia's sovereignty, Russia deputy PM says Deputy FM announces US attempts to push Russia out of Armenia-Azerbaijan peaceful settlement process Deputy FM says Russia is helping in drafting Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty Armenia PM: Future of artificial intelligence is exciting, but it is important to consider ethical implications Armenia 2023-2030 Employment Strategy discussed Catholicos of All Armenians wishes Pope Francis speedy recovery Azerbaijan defense minister inspects new military facilities in Karabakhs occupied territories Putin announces Russian nuclear weapons deployment in Belarus after July 7-8 15 more medical patients transferred from Karabakh to Armenia Armenia fallen soldiers mother sentenced to 4 years in prison in PM's son abduction case Turkeys Erdogan to visit Azerbaijan on June 13 Premier: Armenia can become unique electrical energy hub in region US on verge of default: What risks there are for Armenia financial market? Pashinyan: Unprecedented economic growth recorded in Armenia economy in 2022 Karabakh president meets with freedom fighters, Afghan War veterans, army reserve officers Meta plans to create a Twitter analogue and implement generative AI on all its platforms Azerbaijan, Iran FMs exchange views on some regional matters Armenia deputy PM believes postponed talks with Azerbaijan in Washington will be held shortly Senators introduce resolution that calls on US to take immediate steps to end humanitarian crisis in Karabakh Putin to meet with Armenias Pashinyan in Russias Sochi American Covenant Venture Capital has joined Orion Summit 2023 Trump indicted for improper use of classified documents Lilit Makunts briefs Luis Almagro on security situation in Armenia, its region They don't know anything about Wi-Fi or Google How do North Koreans use the internet? Armenia parliament speaker: We believe international partners pressure can prevent Azerbaijans further aggression Italys Leonardo company to deliver turboprop military transport planes to Azerbaijan Armenia PM's son abduction case court session being held behind closed doors Yerevan concludes Khachaturian Days (PHOTOS) 60,000 fans attend Benzema unveiling in Saudi Arabia Ombudsperson briefs USAID/Armenia Mission Director on Azerbaijans human rights violations in border settlements Khachaturian International Competition 2nd round kicks off in Yerevan Ajax make official offer regarding Spertsyan transfer VOA: Washington talks postponement could mean that Azerbaijan has no decisions on some key issues, analyst says Google Drive will soon stop working on some versions of Windows Newspaper: What Karabakh president, ex-minister of state discuss? Karabakh MoD: Azerbaijan fired at tractor doing agricultural work Man City reach agreement with Kovacic U20 World Cup: Uruguay are in final Turkey has never set any preconditions for the process of normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. "Both sides have repeatedly stated and emphasized that there are no preconditions, and the goal is the final normalization of relations," Mirzoyan said. According to the Armenian FM, views and comments were offered by various representatives of the authoritiesincluding the highest, and the process of recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide was never part of those discussions. "There is simply no such matter on the agenda," Mirzoyan added. We have not received a mandate from the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to negotiate their future. Accordingly, we have no right to determine their status, we have not presented such a claim, and we are not trying to do such a thing. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. "The only thing that we [i.e. the authorities of Armenia] are trying to do in the process of normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations is as follows: we consider that this normalization cannot be realistic and complete if a dialogue platform, a dialogue mechanism is not created within the framework of this normalization, where the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and official Baku can dialogue, negotiate, discuss all the issues that are important for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and their future. We [i.e. the authorities of Armenia] are not negotiating on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, and we have no such ambition," the Armenian FM said. "No one denies that there are many open questions related to the security and rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. This is evidenced by the blockade, the illegal blocking of the Lachin corridor, [natural] gas supply disruptions [by Azerbaijan], and other issues. They should be discussed and addressed, not by us [i.e. the authorities of Armenia], but by the bodies and authorized institutions elected by the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. We should try to ensure the beginning, the launch, the platform of that dialogue," said Mirzoyan. And to the question of opposition MP Artur Khachatryan as to whether Armenias authorities had received the authorization of Artsakh authorities to reaffirm the sovereignty of Azerbaijan over Artsakh, the Armenian FM said: "Neither the people of Nagorno-Karabakh nor their elected authorities have authorized us to negotiate on their status, and we are not negotiating on that status either. Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan both then and now." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Azerbaijan has announced that it refuses to delimit borders with Armenia based on maps. In its respective statement, the Azerbaijan MFA accuses Armenia of "delay to return of 8 villages to Azerbaijan under various pretexts." It is about the "enclaves." Moreover, Azerbaijan is silent about the existence of Armenian enclaves on the territory of Azerbaijan. That's exactly how the Azerbaijan MFA has "found grounds" to justify not returning the Armenian captives being held in Azerbaijan. "The allegations by [Armenian Security Council secretary] Armen Grigoryan during an interview that Azerbaijan has promised to release 10 of the detained Armenians, in fact, indicates the intention by the Armenian side to cover up cases such as disregard of international humanitarian law and principles of humanism, and Armenia's non-reciprocation of confidence-building measures conducted by Azerbaijan on unconditional immediate return of Armenian detainees, especially more than 10 Armenian soldiers who crossed the border by mistake," the Azerbaijan MFA statement notes. To note, Azerbaijan is not the successor of the Azerbaijan SSR, but of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, with all its territorial claims to Armenia, which is reflected in the declaration on the restoration of independence and in the constitution of Azerbaijan. Thus, the latters MFA is already openly announcing its intentions. The Washington talks with Armenia gave practical positive results; the number of points agreed on the peace document has increased. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, Azerbaijani media report. "But open questions still remain. A complete agreement was not reached on some points, so the process will continue," he added. Bayramov said that the next meeting with Armenia was planned in Washington in the near future. "You know that the start of talks on the peace treaty is the initiative of the Azerbaijani side, the fundamental principles were declared by Azerbaijan, the first draft of the peace treaty was submitted by Azerbaijan. We [i.e. Azerbaijan] consider it inevitable to achieve peace in accordance with international law and principles. A reconciliation treaty and an agreement on the normalization of interstate relations should be prepared and signed [by Azerbaijan and Armenia]. It is impossible to predict how long this process will take," said the Azerbaijani FM. Earlier, Azerbaijani president of Ilham Aliyev had announced the "inevitability" of the aforesaid peace treaty Armenia's recognition of Azerbaijan, with an area of 86,600 square kilometers, and Azerbaijan's recognition of Armenia, with an area of 29,800 square kilometers, are political statements. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia, answering the question of opposition MP Gegham Manukyan. Manukyan inquired whether, while establishing diplomatic relations with any other country and recognizing the latters territorial integrity, Armenia recognized that country in accordance with its surface area. He stated that the Armenian authorities raise the surface area of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan every day, and he tried to get an explanation from Mirzoyan if any official of Azerbaijan clearly said the phrase "the territory of Armenia is 29,800 square kilometers." "There is no mention of the surface area in any country's agreement on mutual recognition, establishment of diplomatic relations. I guess because I haven't read them all. In the case of Armenia, the area of 29,800 square kilometers, and in the case of Azerbaijan, 86,600 square kilometers, are political statements. These are about [the fact] that Armenia does not have a territorial claim from Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan does not have a territorial claim from Armenia with that surface area and those borders that existed for the two socialist republics that were part of the Soviet Union," said Armenian FM. He emphasized that Manukyan correctly observed that Azerbaijani president of Ilham Aliyev has not publicly said that he recognizes the territorial integrity of Armenia, with an area of 29,800 square kilometers. But the Armenian FM assured that after the statement by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, through whose mediation a meeting was held and in which Aliyev was also present, there was no public denial. Mirzoyan expressed hope that the highest authority of Azerbaijan will publicly recognize the territorial integrity of Armenia in the near future. When carrying out flights to the west, it is impossible to fly through Turkish airspace due to the created geopolitical situation, which puts pressure on the airline's operations. Aram Ananyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FlyOne Armenia airline, told this to a press conference Monday. He recalled that the aviation authorities of Turkey have canceled the permit for Armenian airlines to fly to Europe through Turkish airspace. "We try to do everything to keep the prices affordable," Ananyan said. He assured that FlyOne Armenia accepted that challenge with honor and got out of the difficult situation. "Using the aviation tools of our European partners, we managed to do everything to get the passengers to their destination. In addition, we succeed in carrying out flights in all planned directions," Ananyan said. He expressed hope that all problems will be solved in the near future. There is no final agreement on a specific map regarding border delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. "But there is an obligation and commitment to carry out this work in accordance with the [1991] declaration of Alma Ata. On October 6 of last year, an agreement was reached on this in Prague. There is no agreement on which map", added the Armenian FM. He noted that as far as he knows, during last weeks five-party meeting in Moldovan capital Chisinau, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev did not object to the 1975 map. "Its about the map around which there is understanding and willingness to continue the work by the entire international community and the Republic of Armenia. We believe that recognizing each other's territorial integrity with the 1975 map and starting the border delimitation work on that basis is an acceptable solution for Armenia," Mirzoyan said. He noted that in their view, the basis of border delimitation should not be such documents and maps that are beneficial to this or that side, but those that are legally the most invulnerable. Mirzoyan added that according to the results of the meetings known to him, Aliyev has always objected to taking the maps of 1975 as a basis for border delimitation, and only during the last meeting in Chisinau did he say that he was not against it. Between 10:45am and 11am Monday, the armed forces of Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire in the eastern and southwestern directions of the line of contact with Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), by using rifles. The Armenian side has no losses, reports the Artsakh Ministry of Defense (MOD) press service. This ceasefire violation was reported to the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh. As of 1pm, the situation on the line of contact is relatively stable. In the last three years, starting from May 21, 2021, the Azerbaijani armed forces have invaded the territory of Armenia several times; and even when there is no case of a large-scale attack, we again saw near Tegh village that there is a misunderstanding. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. Opposition MP Gegham Manukyan noted that Armenia has recognized the territorial integrity of Georgia, butunlike in the case of Azerbaijanhas not announced a respective surface area number, and the border delimitation process was still ongoing. Responding that Armenia is in friendly relations with Georgia and moving on to the incident recorded near Tegh village of Armenias Syunik Province, FM Mirzoyan added: "Furthermore, in this case, misunderstanding is a fairly neutral word and presupposes the absence of bad intentions. But we have concerns that there is also a deliberate attempt to tear off new territories from Armenia; in one casesmall, in another caselarge, and we are interested in that that boundary line [between Armenia and Azerbaijan] should be specified as clearly as possible and as soon as possible." The CSTO has always stated that everything is ready from their side to send a mission to Armenia, but the Armenian side sets a precondition for recording the fact of aggression. Why was it decided for the first time in three years to apply preconditions not to enemies, but to friendly powers and countries if you have decided to speak with preconditions? Why those preconditions do not apply to Turkey-Armenia relations in a similar way? Opposition MP Kristine Vardanyan asked foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan these questions during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. In response, Mirzoyan said: "We have had the opportunity to present our position very clearly. What you said, we also often hear from our other partners that we are setting a precondition for the adoption of that decision, etc. "There is no precondition; there is something like this in the decision of the draft: in September, the sovereign territory of Armenia was violated, the border was violated [by Azerbaijan]; according to that, there is a need to send a monitoring mission. In our opinion, this should be the minimum reaction of the military alliance [i.e. the CSTO] of which we are a member. "It was not possible for our partners [in the CSTO] to make such a claim until now. By not specifying that the sovereign territory of Armenia was violated during the September aggression, it turns out that the Azerbaijani talk is legitimized. It is better for our allies not to make any statement than to make a statement that legitimizes the talk that if there is no border line, it is difficult to condemn anyone and say who has entered whose territory." There is no mention of enclaves in the draft peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. "There are other claims about territorial integrity, which we are still negotiating on; there is no final wording," Mirzoyan added. The Armenian FM stressed that he is making a political statement, saying that there were Azerbaijani enclaves, but let the experts decide on what basis they existed, whether they had the right to exist in general, or everyone said enclaves out of inertia, but there is no such thing. Also, Mirzoyan recalled Artsvashen village, the Armenian enclave in the territory of the former Azerbaijan SSR, whose legal basis for creation and existence is not contested by anyone. Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue the talks on establishing relations and a peace treaty at the level of foreign ministers. This was announced by the spokesperson of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ani Badalyan, adding that the next round of these discussions is planned to be held in Washington D.C., the capital of the US. Discussions with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, will start on June 12. "Other details will be announced later," added the spokesperson of the Armenian MFA. Baroness Caroline Cox, a member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom (UK), has issued a letter addressed to the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). The letter runs as follows: To the people of the Republic of Artsakh, for whom I have profound affection and deep respect. I write to you today because 120,000 innocent civilians face an existential crisis. Conditions are now present for genocide against the Armenian Christians of Artsakh. Your people have suffered, and continue to suffer, the most serious international crimes. I have personally witnessed the results of massacres, atrocities and forced displacement. Yet the world has chosen to turn a deaf ear to your suffering. Even your closest international allies have either not paid attention to, or ignored, the warning signs of genocide. During this darkest hour, I stand in solidarity with the Armenians of Artsakh. I have great confidence in your ability to overcome this crisis with courage, fortitude, sacrifice and love not only will you survive but you will create beauty from the ashes of destruction. I am told that I have visited the Republic of Artsakh 88 times since 1990. I have been privileged to experience the love of your history and your rich culture of music, dance and art all within the context of the breathtaking beauty of your lands rugged mountains, thick forests, fertile valleys and crystal rivers. I have been blessed to meet a host of wonderful people, many the direct descendants of victims of the Great Genocide in Anatolia, or themselves victims of anti Armenian pogroms in Sumgait and Baku, and ethnic-religious cleansing in Artsakh. I am struck by the unanimity with which they share a simple common goal: it is to live in peace, dignity and security in their own historic land. This longing continues to fill my heart. I always carry with me the memory of a young woman I met in a hospital in Martakert in 1992, after I had visited the village of Maragha, which had just been subjected to a massacre inflicted by Azerbaijan. Whilst in the remains of the village, I saw corpses of civilians decapitated by Azerbaijani militants; vertebrae still on the ground; peoples blood still smeared on walls; homes that had been set alight were still smoldering. The day I met this woman, she was in agony over the deaths of her son and fourteen of her relatives who had been killed in the 1 massacre in Maragha. I wept with her. There are no words for a time like that. But when she stopped weeping, I asked her if she had a message she would like to share with the world. She replied, All I want to say is thank you to those people who have not forgotten us in these terrible days. I do not think thank you are the words that would have come to my mind on the day I had seen so many of my family killed in such horrific circumstances. That is the dignity of the Armenian people. If I could speak to this woman today, I would tell her: We love you and we have not forgotten you, even as the dark cloud of the Armenian Genocide, once again, looms over the mountains of your land. During the previous war, I met an Armenian man who had seen the body of a five-year-old Armenian girl, cut in two, hanging from the branch of a tree. He wept with horror and vowed revenge. Later, when his section of the Karabakh army captured villages, he could not bring himself to harm an Azerbaijani child. When this story was told at a dinner in the Armenian style of making speeches a journalist commended the man for his humanity and dignity. To which he replied: Dignity is a crown of thorns. The people of Artsakh have been wearing your crown of thorns with inspirational courage and dignity. I have never been as concerned about Artsakhs future as I am today. Azerbaijans conquest and ethnic-religious cleansing of two thirds of Artsakh in 2020, with the direct assistance of Turkey and its allied jihadist militias; its detention, torture and killing of Armenian hostages; its subsequent military incursions and occupation of territory belonging to the Republic of Armenia; its current blockade of Artsakh; and its territorial claims on the whole of Armenia all bear witness to this grim reality. Conditions are present for genocide against the Armenian Christians of Artsakh. However, signatories to the Genocide Convention including the United States, France and my own Government in the United Kingdom have refused their legal obligation to prevent the worst from happening, to provide protection to those who need it, and to punish those who are responsible for atrocities. Not one nation appears willing to prevent, provide or protect. I am deeply disturbed by reports that the Republic of Armenia is being pressured by international powers to contemplate sacrificing your homeland of Artsakh to the Republic of Azerbaijan in return for a so-called peace treaty. If reports are to be believed, those involved in the negotiation process say that the treaty will secure the borders of the Republic of Armenia and allow trade to open up with the Turkish world. 2 My dear friends, as you are aware, these promises of peace and prosperity come at a price. If the treaty is signed in its current form, you would be expected to surrender your international right of self-determination. You would be expected to concede control over your lives, liberty and land. To use a recent phrase from the Armenian Supreme Spiritual Council: By recognising the Republic of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, the Armenian authorities will inevitably confront our brothers and sisters in Artsakh with a new genocide and depatriation. If a peace treaty is signed and later broken by Azerbaijan, history has shown that international powers would not be willing to respond. During the Russian brokered ceasefire in November 2020, Azerbaijan promised to stop at their current positions yet its armed forces have since advanced into new positions with impunity. Azerbaijan promised the exchange of prisoners of war, yet dozens of Armenian military and civilian personnel remain in Azerbaijani custody, many of whom have undergone speedy criminal trials. Azerbaijan has not been held to account for breaking the 2020 ceasefire. One can only suspect that an agreement that results from present-day negotiations, in their current form, will not guarantee peace for the Armenians of Artsakh. One of my great fears is the annihilation of all Armenian churches, monuments and other cultural and spiritual treasures, which would fall under Azerbaijans control. Many Armenian sites have already been targeted and badly damaged since 2020, including the world-famous Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi, an archaeological camp near Tigranakert, and a memorial dedicated to the victims of the previous war. We must not forget the systematic erasure of centuries-old Armenian religious sites in Nakhchivan, including the attack on the Armenian Djulfa cemetery, where Azerbaijani soldiers, armed with sledgehammers and cranes, destroyed hundreds of hand-carved cross-stones. Under Azerbaijans control, there are strong grounds for belief that another Nakhichevan would be imposed in Artsakh a priceless part of humanitys common cultural heritage will be destroyed. I keep in mind a lesson from the Bible. In the last days of the kingdom of Judah, the Prophet Jeremiah lamented that his countrymen were saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. In that case, the consequence of the nation accepting a false sense of peace was the loss of its homeland and exile in a foreign country. When I was a young child, my own country was isolated and facing its darkest hour. Great Britain was existentially threatened by an ultra-nationalistic, genocidal dictatorship. Our then Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, promised the nation peace in our time, but there was no peace. His successor, Winston Churchill assumed the post of Prime Minister promising the nation nothing more 3 than blood, toil, sweat and tears. But the indescribable price of blood, toil, sweat and tears resulted in the privilege we now enjoy of living in freedom. It is my hope and prayer that the long-suffering Armenian nation will continue to strive for the opportunity to live in peace and dignity in your own land. This is the blessing that my family and I, along with all Britons, enjoy. For that great privilege I am deeply indebted to those in my nation who, over eighty years ago, chose to endure a great sacrifice, rather than accepting a false promise of peace. Please be assured of my continued daily prayers, and of my continued advocacy on your behalf. Every one of you means much to me and to many others around the world. I pray for Gods blessing on you all and that you will long live in a free Armenia and free Artsakh. The relations between Armenia and the European Union (EU) have actively developed in 2022. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. According to the FM, this is due also to the efforts by the EU to contribute to the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "In particular, after the meeting held in Prague in October 2022, an EU civil [monitoring] mission was sent to Armenia, and an agreement was reached on the delimitation of the [Armenia-Azerbaijan] state border based on the Alma Ata declaration of 1991," Mirzoyan noted. Also, the FM pointed out the intensification of visits by European officials to Armenia, especially in the second half of last year. The MPs of Armenia and Argentina have issued a joint statement. It runs as follows: The Armenian and Argentine legislators, being members of the relevant Friendship Groups, as a result of the meetings held in Yerevan within the framework of the first visit of the Argentine legislators to the Republic of Armenia express wish to boost the works regarding the legislative, especially the parliamentary diplomacy on the basis of the following main provisions: - Honouring human rights, - Strengthening democratic systems, - Peaceful solution of international disputes, - Principle of aggression exclusion, - International peace and security, - Boosting bilateral economic activity, - Strengthening cultural ties, - Rise of the action visibility aimed at solidarity of the Armenian community in Argentina. For that purpose and in the solution of the disputes, once again acting from the positions of dialogue and diplomacy, they underline the importance of restoration of the free movement through the Lachin Corridor for avoiding the deepening of humanitarian crisis, as well as the urgent release of the persons held as prisoners of war after the 2020 tragic military operations. Political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFAs) of Armenia and Latvia took place in Riga on Monday. The Armenian delegation was headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paruyr Hovhannisyan, the Latvian delegationby Andzejs Vilumsons, Undersecretary of State and Political Director. During these consultations, a wide range of Armenian-Latvian bilateral cooperation was discussed, the MFA of Armenia informs Armenian News-NEWS.am. Also, thoughts were exchanged on a number of matters on the Armenia-EU partnership agenda. The importance of the development of Armenian-Latvian cooperation in international organizations was emphasized, too. Also, Hovhannisyan briefed his interlocutor on the latest developments regarding Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and Nagorno-Karabakh. In this context, the importance of the deployment of the EU monitoring mission to Armenia was emphasized, as well as the ongoing illegal blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan and the latters new encroachments on the sovereign territory of Armenia, the steps towards the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and the question of unblocking regional communications. In addition, the Armenian FM stressed the need for the immediate release of the Armenian prisoners of war still in Azerbaijani captivity, and the importance of making efforts to preserve the Armenian cultural heritage in the Azerbaijani-occupied territories. A Yerevan court on Monday commuted the house arrest applied to Gayane Martirosyan, accused in the "abduction" case of Ashot Pashinyan, to arrest againthis time for a period of 1 month and 15 days. On May 20, a Yerevan court had made a decision to arrest Gayane Martirosyan, the mother of soldier Zhora Martirosyan who had died in the 44-day war in 2020. And she was taken into custody for one month. Martirosyan was arrested and charged in the criminal case into attempting to abduct Ashot Pashinyan, the son of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Earlier on Monday, the Criminal Court of Appeal had overruled the defense's appeal against the detention of Martirosyan, and decided to commute the preventive measure against her to house arrest. The development of trade and economic relations of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) with third countries will become an additional incentive for the union. Foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during Mondays debates, at the joint session of the National Assembly committees, on the performance of the 2022 state budget of Armenia. According to him, the EAEU continued negotiations with third countries last year. "Memorandums, trade cooperation agreements, as well as documents aimed at the development of cooperation with international organizations were signed," Mirzoyan noted. In this regard, Armenia considers the development of cooperation in trade and economy important for EAEU, based on the documents previously signed with Iran, India, Egypt, China, Vietnam, Singapore, and Serbia. As for the talks on the signing of the free-trade zone agreement between the EAEU and Iran, Mirzoyan said: "The text of the agreement is practically agreed upon. Only individual clauses are discussed." To note, Armenia is a member in the Eurasian Economic Union. Senior Irish cartel suspect arrested in Spain The UK's National Crime Agency says Liam Byrne has been arrested in relation to serious firearms offences. Photo: Shutterstock A senior member of an Irish transnational crime gang has been arrested in Spain for suspected gun running, Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) announced on Monday. Liam Byrne, 42, from Dublin described by the UK law enforcement agency as "one of the most trusted members of the Kinahan organised crime group" was arrested in Spain on Sunday evening. Based out of Dubai, the Kinahan cartel, led by Irishman Daniel Kinahan among others, has been linked by US and European authorities to a vast criminal enterprise encompassing drug smuggling and money laundering. Byrne was arrested while he ate with family in a restaurant on the Spanish island of Mallorca. He had flown into the Mediterranean holiday destination from the UAE on May 26. Another suspected member of the crime group, Jack Kavanagh, 22, from Tamworth, central England, was also held by Spanish police for firearms offences on May 30 as he transitted through Malaga from Dubai. "This investigation is part of the NCA's ongoing work targeting the Kinahan crime group," Kay Mellor regional head of investigations at the NCA, which investigates serious and organised crime. "Liam Byrne and Jack Kavanagh have been evading justice for a number of years, but have now been arrested in relation to serious firearms offences. "We... will continue to work closely with our international partners to ensure those who think they can stay under the radar have no place to hide," she added. Irish assistant police commissioner Justin Kelly called Byrne's arrest a "particularly significant development in the efforts of international law enforcement to dismantle the operations of the Kinahan organised crime group". The NCA said the arrests in Mallorca followed an "intelligence-led investigation" supported by the Spanish National Police and officers from An Garda Siochana in Ireland. Byrne and Kelly remain in custody as extradition proceedings against them continue. In September last year Spanish police arrested a British-Irish suspect believed to have moved 200 million euros (US$200 million) in illicit cash for the Kinahans. In April 2022 the US Treasury Department placed sanctions on senior Kinahan gang members prompting the UAE to follow suit shortly afterwards. (AFP) SIU to hold inaugural conference for businesses to recruit students as employees by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is offering a special event to help businesses with the multifaceted challenge of recruiting employees. The universitys Career Development Center is hosting the inaugural Virtual SIUC Partnership Conference from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 28. Employers of all types and sizes are welcome to participate as SIU representatives discuss how the university can partner with businesses, how SIU students are the team members companies are seeking and how available tools can give employers the best and simplest recruiting experience. Organizers also encourage SIU faculty and staff to participate for free in order to help students as they work with recruiters. Numerous topics covered The informative presentations will highlight a wide variety of topics including: Building the companys brand among students and the SIU community. Creating future employees. Employment law issues. Career Development Center and services. Sustainability trends. Employer partnerships. Bridging the connections between available jobs, expectations and students. In addition, there will be a panel discussion focusing on forging connections and getting involved with academic colleges. Sign up now Register online at surveymonkey.com/r/CHHYTR7. The cost is $40 through June 13, $50 from June 14-27 and $55 the day of the event. As a bonus, participating businesses have the chance to win free registration to the SIUs Fall Job and Internship Fair, set for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 19. In a letter addressed to India's Prime Minister, President Wickremesinghe expressed his profound sadness upon learning about the devastating incident, President's Media Division (PMD) announced on Saturday. The President emphasised that the people of Sri Lanka stand united in their sympathy and support for India during this difficult time. "President Wickremesinghe extended his condolences to the Government of India and the bereaved families who have suffered an unimaginable loss. He also expressed his wishes for a swift recovery to those who have been injured," PMD said. The President also assured Modi that the thoughts and prayers of Sri Lanka are with the families of the victims, and he hoped that they would find the strength and resilience to overcome their grief, the statement added. --IANS sfl/khz/ ( 169 Words) 2023-06-04-02:12:01 (IANS) This impressive increase occurred despite the fact that May is considered an off-peak month for tourist arrivals, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Priantha Fernando told the media on Saturday. The estimated revenue from tourism in May 2022 was $43.5 million, data showed. For the first five months of 2023, the tourism revenue totaled $827.8 million, marking a substantial increase of 30.4 per cent compared to the same period of last year when it stood at $634.6 million, according to the official data. Data also showed 524,486 foreign visitors arrived in Sri Lanka in the first five months of this year, surpassing 378,521 arrivals recorded a year earlier, Xinhua news agency reported. Tourism, one of Sri Lanka's leading foreign exchange earners, suffered a setback due to the Covid-19 pandemic and economic and political crises in the South Asian country. --IANS int/khz/ ( 186 Words) 2023-06-04-06:12:02 (IANS) The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said on Saturday that the exchange of fire took place during a search operation in the Janikhel area of the district. The personnel of the security forces killed two terrorists during the exchange of intense fire and also confiscated weapons and ammunition from the site. Two soldiers of the Pakistan Army also lost their lives, Xinhua news agency reported. The ISPR added that the country's armed forces are determined to eliminate terrorism. --IANS int/khz/ ( 123 Words) 2023-06-04-06:44:02 (IANS) Government plans to sell a part of its 49 per cent stake in Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), for which it is learnt to have asked its main promoter Vedanta, to take back an ongoing arbitration case. Sources aware of the development said that the Mines Ministry is said to have requested the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) to engage with Vedanta to withdraw the arbitration case, as the government plans to take the initial public offer (IPO) route to sell a part of its 49 per cent stake in BALCO. Mines Ministry is the 49 per cent stakeholder in BALCO and sources informed that DIPAM has held initial discussions with Vedanta to withdraw the arbitration case, which would pave the way for stock exchange listing of the company. In 2009, BALCO had filed an arbitration case against the government over a valuation dispute of the residual stake. Sources further added that it is up to DIPAM to decide how much of the government's 49 per cent stake can be sold. It could be a residual portion or a major part of it too, a source told IANS. Though initial discussions have taken place between DIPAM and Vedanta over withdrawal of the arbitration case, sources said that detailed discussions are likely to take place requesting the promoter to withdraw the case, if the sale of the government's residual stake is to be taken forward. In 2001, government had disinvested 51 per cent shares of BALCO to Sterlite Industries Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited. Major operations of BALCO are in the town of Korba in Chhattisgarh, whereas its mines supplying high grade Bauxite are situated at Kawardha and Mainpat in the same state. --IANS ans/uk/ ( 306 Words) 2023-06-04-16:44:02 (IANS) While government-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has announced relaxation in the documents to be filed by the nominee/legal heirs of train accident victims, no such public announcements have been made by the two private general insurers who have covered the passengers of the two express trains that met with an accident in Odisha. Similarly, no announcements like that of LIC seem to have come from private life insurers and the sectoral regulator. In the tragic train accident, two passenger trains and a goods train collided, resulting in loss of at least 275 lives and leaving approximately 1,000 injured. Those who reserve the train tickets through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd's (IRCTC) ticket booking portal can opt for accident insurance for Rs 10 lakh by paying a paltry premium of 0.35 paise. The policy covers death/disabilities/medical expenses due to a train accident during the travel. The IRCTC has selected SBI General Insurance and Liberty General Insurance to offer the travel insurance cover. While Liberty General Insurance on its website has given a phone number and an email id for reporting a claim, no such information is available on the home page of SBI General Insurance or the IRCTC website. LIC Chairperson Siddhartha Mohanty announced that claimants of LIC Policies and also of Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana can submit list of casualties published by railway authorities, police or any state or Central government authorities will be accepted as proof of death in lieu of registered death certificates. According to Mohanty, a Special Help Desk has been set up at Divisional and Branch level to respond to claim related queries and for providing assistance to claimants. All efforts will be taken to ensure that the claimants are reached out and claims are settled expeditiously to the affected families. The claimants may also call LIC at 02268276827, Mohanty added. People are now asking as to why not IRCTC or the Indian government offers the insurance cover to train passengers free of cost. "The IRCTC or the Indian government can offer the insurance cover to all the train passengers holding a valid ticket instead of charging 35 paise," former Member of Parliament K.C. Palanisamy told IANS. "Anything that is less than fifty paise is rounded off to a lower sum. Likewise, IRCTC can offer the insurance cover free of cost or bundle it with all the tickets booked through it," a senior insurance industry official told IANS preferring anonymity. He said the IRCTC began offering accident insurance cover to passengers booking tickets on its portal some years back. "Initially the premium was Re 0.98 paise and now it has come down to Re 0.35 paise,a he said. "While the risk coverage and the ease of buying the insurance cover are good, the nomination facility is a bit cumbersome. Perhaps IRCTC can have a column when a person opts for the insurance cover," the insurance official added. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in) --IANS vj/vd ( 516 Words) 2023-06-04-19:52:01 (IANS) PRNewswire Chandigarh/Solan (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 5: For the second year in a row, Shoolini University has been ranked among the prestigious Top 200 global universities by the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings for 2023. It has also retained its position as Number 2 among all universities in the country, behind Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and is bracketed with Lovely Professional University in the 101-200 category. The University was ranked in the overall 101-200 band last year too. Shoolini University has also bagged the top position in the country for Climate Change under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mandated by the United Nations along with LPU and Chitkara University. Overall, nine Indian universities have made their way into the Top 400, a testament to their persistent commitment to sustainability and impactful research. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, now in their fifth year, are the world's only rankings that measure the contributions of universities to SDGs and assess their commitment to sustainability across four broad areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching. Over 1700 universities from 115 countries or regions were assessed this year. Progress was measured for each of the individual 17 SDGs, which saw 18 universities from 10 countries and regions achieve No.1 positions. Shoolini University Chancellor and Founder Prof PK Khosla said it was a matter of great pride that the 13-year-old university has retained its place among the Top 200 global universities for the second time despite stiff competition. He attributed the achievement to "the untiring efforts put in by our faculty to establish new benchmarks in teaching and research," adding that the university would strive to reach even greater heights. Complimenting the faculty and researchers at the university, Pro Chancellor Vishal Anand said, "The rankings are a landmark achievement for the 13-year-old university. These have paved the way for the university to attain greater heights in research and SDGs." President, Innovation and Director of Yogananda School of Artificial Intelligence, Ashish Khosla said the rankings aimed to identify and honour institutions striving for positive change and a "top spot in these elite rankings is a matter of national pride". Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla said the rankings reflected Shoolini's work in areas as diverse as Artificial Intelligence, solar energy, water conservation, innovative teaching, including patents by students, and building an energy-positive campus with gender parity. The SDGs were adopted by all 193 member states and are a culmination of decades of work on pushing forward a global commitment to tackling the biggest issues facing our world. It was felt that universities were uniquely placed to help implement the SDGs. Founded in 2009, Shoolini University, an innovative, research-oriented university, has emerged as one of India's leading multi-disciplinary universities and has been figuring among the top rankings by various international and national ranking agencies. While Shoolini University has come a long way in 13 years since its inception as a pioneering research-focused institute of international repute, it is now making a mark by cutting across diverse disciplines like management, pharmaceutical sciences, agriculture, basic and applied sciences, computer sciences, mass communication, engineering, and law. Shoolini has retained 101-200 rank (Overall) as last year out of 1591 institutions globally this year and No. 2 (joint) in India. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham ranked 52. Only 66 Indian institutions could figure globally in the Overall category. Shoolini also secured rank in the 5 SDGs. It was placed 101-200 globally in SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) out of 1218 institutions, and jointly at number 4 in India out of 43 Indian institutions. It has been ranked 41 globally in SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) out of 702 institutions, and stool number 2 in India out of 45 Indian institutions. The university was placed 43 globally in SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) out of 812 institutions, and number 4 in India out of 39 Indian institutions. It also found a place in the 101-200 band globally in SDG 13 (Climate Action)* out of 735 institutions, and number 1 (joint) in India out of 29 Indian institutions. Besides, it was placed 201-300 globally in SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals) out of 1625 institutions, and number 3 in India out of 67 institutions. Shoolini University Set up in 2009, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences is a research-driven private university with full recognition from the UGC. A leading university of India, it is recognised for its focus on innovation, quality placements, and world-class faculty. Nestled in the lower Himalayas, the university has received accreditation from NAAC and it is ranked by the NIRF. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 5: Art of Healing Cancer (AOHC), a trailblazer in precision and integrative oncology, announces its momentous expansion to Mumbai, India's thriving metropolis. The expansion fostered through a strategic partnership with Jay Ambe Hospital in Dahisar (E), Mumbai, is a crucial step in broadening AOHC's reach and fortifying its mission to deliver comprehensive, personalized cancer care. AOHC is pioneering significant advancements in the domain of precision and integrative oncology. Precision oncology involves decoding the intricate genetic, RNA, and DNA expression patterns underlying cancer. Such understanding aids AOHC in tailoring highly specific treatment strategies. Additionally, AOHC uses an integrative approach to enhance these treatment outcomes, leveraging complementary therapies like nutraceuticals and off-label drugs. This cohesive strategy of merging precision and integrative oncology is proving transformative for patient outcomes. Dr Reena Yadav, an experienced onco surgeon with an extensive background in Head & Neck cancers and integrative oncology at Jay Ambe Hospital, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership. "I am excited to join hands with AOHC and contribute to their mission of delivering comprehensive and personalized cancer care. Our combined expertise and commitment will certainly elevate the quality of care for cancer patients in Mumbai," she said. Dr Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Chief Mentor of AOHC, elaborated on the strategic vision and approach that underpins the organization's approach. "Our work at AOHC reflects a seamless blend of precision and integrative oncology, and this expansion to Mumbai is a pivotal development in our journey. By leveraging genetic, RNA, and DNA profiling, we develop targeted therapeutic strategies while integrating complementary therapies to enhance treatment efficacy. This holistic, personalized approach significantly improves patient survival and quality of life. Our partnership with Jay Ambe Hospital and the esteemed Dr. Reena Yadav allows us to bring this progressive approach to more patients, marking a significant milestone in cancer treatment." Arpan Talwar, Co-Founder of AOHC, also expressed his delight. "We're excited to bring our comprehensive approach to cancer care to Mumbai. Our partnership with Jay Ambe Hospital amplifies our capacity to deliver comprehensive care that merges cutting-edge, gene-targeted treatments with supportive therapies, enhancing patient survival and quality of life," Talwar affirmed. As a result of this partnership, cancer patients in Mumbai can now access AOHC's innovative precision and integrative oncology services, marking a significant step forward in the treatment of cancer in the city. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) PNN Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], June 5: Anmol India Ltd. (BSE: 542437, NSE: ANMOL), one of the leading players in Supply chain management industry, Commodity Trading, and Coal Import, has approved issue of bonus shares in the ratio of 4:1, i.e. 4 Equity Shares for every 1 Equity Share held by the shareholders of the Company as on the record date, subject to the approval of shareholders. The board also approved Increase in the Authorized Share Capital of the Company from existing Rs. 11.50 crores to Rs. 57 crores and consequent alteration in the Capital Clause of the Memorandum of Association of the Company, on account of issue of Bonus Shares of the Company, subject to the approval of shareholders. Earlier, Anmol India Ltd. had announced stellar earnings for quarter and year ended 31 March 2023. Standalone Financial Highlights Comparison - Q4FY23 v/s Q4FY22 * Revenue from Operations grew by 18.70% from Rs.311.80 Cr in Q4 FY22 to Rs. 370.13 Cr in Q4 FY23 primarily driven by the addition of new products such as coking coal, met coke, chemicals and iron & steel in the portfolio and increase in volume. * EBITDA increased by 31.83% from Rs. 7.32 Cr in Q4 FY22 to Rs. 9.65 Cr in Q4 FY23 * PAT increased by 40.18 % from Rs. 3.16 Cr in Q4 FY22 to Rs. 4.43 Cr in Q4 FY23. * PAT margins increased from 1.01% in Q4 FY22 to 1.19% in Q4 FY23 by 18 bps. Standalone financial Highlights for FY23 vs FY22: * Revenue from operations recorded a healthy growth of 33.12% from Rs.1059.39 Cr in FY22 to Rs.1410.24 Cr in FY23. * The EBITDA increased by 32.74% from Rs.27.52 Cr in FY22 to Rs.36.53 Cr in FY23 * PAT stood at Rs. 18.66 Cr in FY23 as compared to Rs.15.55 Cr in FY22 witnessing a growth of 20% * EPS increased by 19.90% from Rs. 13.67 in FY22 compared to Rs. 16.39 in FY23. Anmol India is led by Shri Vijay Goyal who has 37 years of experience in the Coal Industry. Recently, Chakshu Goyal, an ISB Alumnus, has also joined as a board of directors and since then launched various digital initiatives to steer the growth of the company. Anmol has earned a reputable position in the Supply chain management industry, Commodity Trading, and Coal Import with a remarkable growth trajectory since its inception. The company has garnered trust and loyalty from clients across 100 diverse locations in India. The company has undergone a significant transformation, embracing an enhanced end-to-end supply chain management approach for commodity trade. This comprehensive strategy encompasses a wide range of services, bolstered by advanced research capabilities and an optimized global sourcing strategy. It has fortified its operations by streamlining critical aspects, including the coordination of sea freights, meticulous cargo handling, robust insurance arrangements, meticulous fund management, efficient inland logistics, and seamless last-mile delivery. These improvements have been implemented as part of its ambitious expansion plan, ensuring a more robust and efficient system than ever before. The company is aiming for strategic diversification, including portfolio and demographic diversification, to augment sales and yield the strategic benefits of geographical diversification, flexibility, adaptability, and enhanced negotiating power. Anmol India Ltd is listed on BSE & NSE. It is committed to delivering long-term value to its shareholders. The company believes in transparent and ethical business practices and is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL New Delhi [India], June 5: Class On, the extraordinary School ERP Software specifically tailored for Indian schools, is making waves in the education industry with its rapid expansion. With a staggering 400+ Partner Schools and an impressive 2 lakh+ Registered students, Class On has firmly established itself as a frontrunner in revolutionizing school management across the nation. What sets Class On apart from its competitors is its unwavering commitment to excellence. With over 80 modules, 3 mobile apps, and an extensive suite of 30+ school services, Class On has rightfully earned its reputation as India's premier School ERP software. It offers an unmatched range of features, comprehensive services, and round-the-clock support, all at an affordable price, making it an unparalleled choice for educational institutions. The meteoric rise of Class On is a testament to its unwavering dedication to providing exceptional services. This fast-growing organization boasts an impressive enrollment of 10,000+ teachers, operates in 15+ states, and offers an array of 30+ school services. It is a one-stop solution for all the needs of Indian schools, setting itself apart as perhaps the world's first company to guarantee its services at such an affordable rate. In fact, Class On goes a step further by offering a money-back guarantee if another company can provide the same features at a lower cost. Here are the top 10 reasons why schools should strongly consider choosing Class On as their preferred School ERP software. Firstly, the company takes pride in constant innovation, ensuring a guaranteed new model every month, a unique offering that sets it apart from the competition. Secondly, the Class On app is available in the top 10 Indian languages, providing ease of use and accessibility to users across the country. Furthermore, Class On boasts unparalleled support, going so far as to offer a refund if any issue remains unresolved for more than 24 hours. Their dedicated 24/7 support system ensures assistance is readily available whenever needed. By opting for Class On, schools can streamline their operations, resulting in significant time, money, and energy savings that can be better allocated to educational purposes. Class On also offers comprehensive resources such as detailed video tutorials and a helpful chatbot, making it effortless for users to navigate and utilize the software effectively. The company's commitment to trust and certification is reflected in its ISO, SSL, and Google certifications, which guarantee the highest standards of quality and security. These achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Digital Edupreneur Award in 2022, Shiksha Ratan Award in 2021, and the Innovation in Education Technology Award in 2019. Embracing the "Go Digital Go Smart" movement, Class On aims to drive digital transformation in Indian schools, empowering them to enhance their efficiency through technology. Understanding the unique challenges faced by Indian schools, Class On has tailored its software to address these issues, offering personalized solutions that cater specifically to their needs. With highly advanced and unique modules and structures, Class On equips schools with cutting-edge tools for effectively managing various aspects of their operations. Choosing Class On means accessing a fully secured cloud system, lifetime free updates, and the convenience of no hardware requirements or technical skills. The company guarantees a reliable support system, supports third-party integration, ensures 100% data security and privacy, and offers a lightning-fast and user-friendly experience. Moreover, Class On proudly holds the distinction of being an ISO, SSL, and Google Certified brand. With its remarkable journey and accolades, including the Best Website Award in 2015 and the Excellent Work Award in 2012, Class On App has emerged as the undisputed leader in School ERP Software in India. Its comprehensive range of features, comprehensive services, and unparalleled support make it the ultimate choice for Indian schools. With a vision for digital transformation and a commitment to continuous innovation, Class On empowers Indian schools to thrive in the modern age of education. The success of Class On can be attributed to its unwavering dedication to providing an exceptional user experience. The software's fully secured cloud system ensures the safety and privacy of sensitive school data. With lifetime free updates, schools can stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in school management technology without any additional costs. Moreover, Class On's user-friendly interface and lightning-fast performance make it a breeze to navigate and utilize. Class On's rapid expansion, exceptional features, and unmatched support have made it the leading School ERP Software in India. Its extensive range of modules, comprehensive services, and dedication to innovation have set a new standard in the industry. With a firm focus on the digital transformation of Indian schools, Class On provides tailored solutions that address the unique challenges faced by educational institutions. By choosing Class On, schools can embrace technology, streamline their operations, and enhance their efficiency in an increasingly digital world. For more information visit: https://classonapp.in/ (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], June 5: Grant Thornton Bharat, a leading professional services firm, announced that it is joining the Oracle NetSuite Solution Provider Program. With NetSuite, the firm can help its clients use a powerful cloud ERP system to gain the visibility and control needed to adapt and thrive. "We are delighted to partner with NetSuite to support businesses in India," said Maneesh Kumar Sharma, Partner, Technology Advisory Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat. "With our consulting experience and expertise in ERP implementations, we look forward to extending NetSuite's suite of applications to our existing customers and potential clients across industries to help run their businesses better." By joining the program, Grant Thornton Bharat can leverage its extensive experience to promote, implement, and tailor NetSuite to its clients across industries. The NetSuite Solution Provider Program provides access to a comprehensive portfolio of enablement and entitlement activities, which helps NetSuite partners to unlock new revenue opportunities. NetSuite partners can leverage every suite aspect, including ERP, HCM, inventory management, CRM, and e-commerce. In addition, Grant Thornton Bharat is also joining the NetSuite SuiteLife initiative. SuiteLife helps accelerate partner onboarding and provides multiple layers of engagement and support as well as access to NetSuite best practices. "We are pleased to welcome Grant Thornton Bharat to our Solution Provider Program and SuiteLife initiative," said KK Pan, Vice President, Oracle NetSuite JAPAC. "We look forward to working with the firm to combine its expertise with our robust suite of technologies to create new revenue opportunities for Grant Thornton Bharat and achieve mutual success for our customers." The NetSuite Solution Provider Program allows NetSuite partners to take advantage of the growing demand for cloud ERP to expand their businesses. As part of this program, partners have access to strategic practice planning, in-person and on-demand training across functional areas, and assets and best practices to support the entire customer acquisition and success lifecycle. In addition, the robust cloud system delivered by NetSuite, which includes ERP, HCM, inventory management, CRM, and ecommerce, enables partners to thrive. As a NetSuite partner, organizations will spend less time solving technology issues and more time solving business issues to help their customers adapt and thrive. A member of Grant Thornton International Ltd, Grant Thornton Bharat is at the forefront of helping reshape the values in the profession. We are helping shape various industry ecosystems through our work across Assurance, Tax, Risk, Transactions, Technology and Consulting, and we are going beyond to shape a more #VibrantBharat. With 7,000+ people and presence in 15 locations, the firm aims to be No. 1 in providing robust advisory and growth solutions to dynamic Indian global companies. TrademarksOracle, Java, MySQL and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company - ushering in the new era of cloud computing. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) ThePRTree New Delhi [India], June 5: On May 18, 2023, FICCI, one of India's leading business associations organized the most awaited 'India Flexible Workspace Summit 2023'. The spectacular summit was held at Mumbai's Trident, Nariman Point with CBRE, a global real estate services company, as the Knowledge Partner and Stylework, a leading coworking space aggregator platform, as the Principal Partner. Other than that, MyBranch was the gold sponsor of the summit and Cowrks, DevX, and Attic Spaces were the silver sponsors. The summit was graced by distinguished guests including Sparsh Khandelwal, Founder, CEO & Managing Director of Stylework Innovation Hub, Ram Chandnani, Managing Director, of Advisory & Transactions Services, CBRE India, Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Chair of FICCI Maharashtra State Council, Saurabh Gupta, Head - Real Estate, India & UAE, YES Bank, Deepak Mukhi, Director of FICCI. The summit revolved around the theme 'Accelerating Transformation of Flexspaces - Trends and Innovations.' It ignited thought-provoking discussions on the latest trends and groundbreaking innovations driving the flexible workspace industry forward. Delving into key areas such as Flex Space Provider, Flex Space Occupier, and Proptech, the summit showcased a dynamic array of topics that left attendees inspired. With the insightful inaugural session and a captivating welcome address by Ujjwala Singhania, Co-Chair of FICCI Maharashtra State Council, the stage was set for an extraordinary event. The opening session shed light on the emerging investment trends and technological innovations in the realm of flex space. As companies increasingly recognize the importance of providing their workforce with enhanced workspace experiences beyond traditional offices, the allure of flexible workspaces grows. This discussion explored the pivotal role of technological advancements in enabling businesses to embrace flexibility while prioritizing the well-being, security, and flexibility of their employees. Key topics covered included workspace technology, adaptable designs, and the integration of smart solutions. Pranav Jyoti, ED & CIO - SIG, Private Office of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al-Qassimi, delivered a captivating keynote address, followed by a panel comprising industry leaders such as Ambar Maheshwari, CEO of Indiabulls AMC; Sparsh Khandelwal, Founder and CEO of Stylework; Vikas Sharma, Enterprise Business Specialist at Google Workspace; Princy Goyal, Chief Executive Officer of Wybrid Technology; and Nilesh Velankar, Head - Cloud Delivery at Tata Consulting Services (TCS). Their valuable insights enriched the session and set the tone for the summit. In the post-pandemic landscape, the flexible workspace industry has emerged as a comprehensive office solution provider for enterprises in India, offering customized workspace solutions as an alternative to long-term leases. This shift is driven by companies aiming to reduce operating costs and simplify the management and maintenance of office spaces. In light of these developments, the second session of the summit, titled "Accelerating Transformation and Adoption of Flexspace - The Way Forward," explored the crucial role of policy support and a conducive business environment in fostering the industry's growth and momentum. The session, moderated by Pulkit Bakshi, Head of Flexible Workspace Solutions at CBRE India, engaged a panel of distinguished experts including Kunal Walia, Founder & CEO of Simpliwork Offices; Harsh Binani, Co-Founder of Smartworks; Girish Singhi, Head of Investments at Godrej Fund Management; Arnav Singh Gusain, Head of Real Estate and Product at WeWork India; Akshay Sethi, Founding Partner of SOY Asset Management; and Radhika Shenoy, Head of Corporate Real Estate & Services at IDFC First Bank. Their collective insights illuminated a potent roadmap for industry growth and a prosperous future. The final session focused on transforming smart cities into vibrant economic centres through the pivotal role of the flex space industry. By establishing flexible workspaces in non-metro smart cities, the aim is to alleviate congestion in major urban areas and foster the development of dynamic economic hubs across India, promoting balanced growth. This discussion centred around the integration of walk-to-work plans within the blueprint of smarter, forward-looking communities. Sanjay Jog, a senior journalist, expertly moderated the session, while Vinita Ved Singal (IAS), Principal Secretary (Labour & Administration) of the Government of Maharashtra, delivered an enlightening keynote address. The esteemed panel featured industry leaders including Kushal Bhargava, Co-Founder of MyBranch Services (Narayan Bhargava Group), Umesh Uttamchandani, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of Devz Accelerator Pvt. Ltd. (DevX); Narendra Bharani, Co-Founder & CEO of Engage; Dr Abhijit Sarkar, Senior VP & Head of Administration, Procurement, Travel & MICE at Sharekhan; and Saurabh Gupta, Head - Real Estate, India & UAE at YES Bank. Their expertise provided invaluable insights on how to effectively incorporate flexible workspaces into the fabric of smart cities, fostering vibrant economies and sustainable growth. Speaking about the session, Sparsh Khandelwal, Founder of Stylework, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We were thrilled to be the Principal partner of FICCI's India Flexible Workspace Summit 2023. The team demonstrated its exceptional caliber by orchestrating a captivating mega-event. Each session offered valuable insights, and the speakers' expertise provided diverse perspectives, allowing us to broaden our understanding. We also had the opportunity to forge meaningful connections, and together, we are determined to drive the much-needed revolution in the flex space market." Extending appreciation for the Summit, Parul Thakur, Business Head & Senior Vice President, of COWRKS India, added, "The summit proved to be an invaluable platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration within India's rapidly growing flexible workspace industry. The carefully curated selection of industry experts and thought leaders provided insightful perspectives on the evolving landscape of the flexible workspace sector, also shedding light on emerging trends, market dynamics, and innovative strategies, enabling us to deepen our understanding of this dynamic industry". FICCI's India Flexible Workspace Summit 2023 proved to be an outstanding networking opportunity, attracting the right delegates and target audiences. The panel discussions, enriched with industry data, provided attendees with invaluable insights into the current market landscape and future prospects. The summit played a significant role in formulating a policy roadmap that will shape the future of flexible workspaces in India. With its success, FICCI is poised to return once again with the India Flexible Workspace Summit, continuing to drive innovation and collaboration in the industry. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by ThePRTree. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) NewsVoir Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 5: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., a leading provider in the energy sector, and Ashok Leyland have initiated a pilot program to test the effectiveness of ED7 (Diesel blended with 7 per cent Ethanol) fuel. This program aims to transform India's bio-fuel economy and achieve a stable energy mix. The ED7 (Diesel blended with 7 per cent Ethanol) fuel blend, developed by BPCL-R&D, consists of 93 per cent diesel and 7 per cent ethanol. The blend has undergone rigorous testing and validation on engine test bench in collaboration with Ashok Leyland. G. Krishnakumar, Chairman & Managing Director, BPCL, said, "In pursuit of India's commitment towards NET ZERO, BPCL is developing sustainable fuel options under the clean fuel development program in association with leading automotive OEM's, Ashok Leyland and Hero MotoCorp is committed towards developing sustainable fuel options. BPCL has commenced supply of E20 in many cities across the nation. Today's flag off of the Pilot ED7(Diesel blended with 7% Ethanol) for buses with Ashok Leyland and flex fuels (E27&E85) for two wheelers along with Hero MotoCorp is a step by BPCL towards our country's aim of reducing import bill & providing sustainability. This world environment day, BPCL takes a lead to move towards cleaner fuels for a better tomorrow." Sukhmal Jain, Director (Marketing), BPCL, said, "BPCL has been a pioneer in Fuel Retailing initiatives, leading the transformation towards a sustainable future. The field pilot of ED7 (Diesel blended with 7% Ethanol) and Flexi Fuel is an ambitious initiative to enhance the economic prosperity of large farming population and its contribution in India's GDP, as well as drive a change to a cleaner and greener future." Ashok Leyland conducted extensive laboratory trials on their engines using the ED7 (Diesel blended with 7% Ethanol) fuel. The ED7 (Diesel blended with 7% Ethanol) fuel blend showcases a remarkable reduction in pollution levels, including Particulate Matter and Nitrogen oxides (NOx). The blend can be seamlessly adopted by diesel vehicles without requiring any significant modifications in engine. After pilot program, a comprehensive report will be submitted to ARAI, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, for developing roadmap for commercial implementation of the fuel. With ethanol readily available in India, the study targets to establish ethanol blend in diesel to the tune of 7%, with an aim to reduce energy bill for the country. Hero MotoCorp, in alignment with its vision of being the future of mobility, has developed a Flex-Fuel Prototype at its Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur. The vehicle, equipped with a 125cc BS6 engine, can run on ethanol-blended petrol mixtures ranging from 20% (E20) to 85% (E85) ethanol blends. The Flex-Fuel Prototype utilizes advanced software to detect the ethanol blend in the fuel and adjust engine control parameters accordingly, ensuring a trouble-free riding experience. The engine's performance and emissions remain uncompromised across the entire blend range. BPCL, Ashok Leyland, and Hero MotoCorp's initiatives mark significant milestones in India's journey towards a greener and more sustainable future, aligning with the Government of India's vision to promote renewable fuel technologies, reduce carbon emissions, and foster economic stability. Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy. Bharat Petroleum's Refineries at Mumbai, Kochi and Bina Refinery have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 21,000 Energy Stations, over 6,200 LPG distributorships, 525 Lubes distributorships, 123 POL storage locations, 53 LPG Bottling Plants, 70 Aviation Service Stations, 4 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines. Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years. With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing a vibrant ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting innumerable initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With 'Energising Lives' as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum's vision is to be the most admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) ATK New Delhi [India], June 5: Meme coins have emerged as a fascinating and rewarding phenomenon in the crypto industry. These digital assets, known for their sudden and significant price increases, have captured the attention of both seasoned crypto investors and those looking for the next big opportunity. This article aims to examine and analyze the similarities and differences between three prominent meme coins: BEN Coin, Shiba Inu, and Dogetti. By delving into their unique features and utility, we will explore why meme coins have gained such popularity and how Dogetti stands out from the crowd. BEN Coin - Philanthropy and Community-driven Approach BEN Coin has made a name for itself with its philanthropic endeavors and community-focused approach. Unlike other meme coins, BEN Coin dedicates a percentage of its transactions to support charitable causes. This unique feature not only creates a sense of purpose among its holders but also contributes to making a positive impact in the world. By aligning meme coin investment with charitable giving, BEN Coin offers investors an opportunity to contribute to various causes while potentially benefiting from the coin's price appreciation. The community aspect of BEN Coin is also noteworthy. It fosters active engagement and collaboration among its members, creating a vibrant network of individuals passionate about making a difference. BEN Coin holders not only have the chance to participate in charitable activities but also enjoy a strong sense of belonging to a community that shares similar values. Shiba Inu - The "Dogecoin Killer" Shiba Inu, often referred to as the "Dogecoin killer," aims to establish itself as a decentralized ecosystem for trading and swapping digital assets. Inspired by the popular Dogecoin, Shiba Inu has gained significant attention for its meme-centric branding and vibrant community. While it shares similarities with Dogecoin, Shiba Inu strives to differentiate itself by offering a decentralized marketplace for the exchange of various tokens. Shiba Inu's ecosystem includes features like decentralized exchanges (DEX), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other decentralized applications (dApps). By providing these tools, Shiba Inu seeks to empower its community members and offer them a comprehensive platform for engaging in a wide range of crypto-related activities. This ecosystem-driven approach has attracted crypto enthusiasts and investors who see the potential of Shiba Inu in the ever-expanding decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape. Dogetti - The Family of Meme Coins While BEN Coin and Shiba Inu have made their mark, Dogetti introduces a fresh and distinctive approach to the meme coin landscape. Inspired by mafia-themed books and films, Dogetti brands itself as a united family rather than a traditional community. By leveraging this unique positioning, Dogetti seeks to create a sense of belonging and togetherness among its holders, or as they prefer to call them, "The Family." This approach aims to provide a stronger sense of community, leading to increased engagement and loyalty among members. Dogetti's main goal is to help every member of The Family increase their overall net worth. This is achieved through a 2% reflection protocol, which rewards holders with additional tokens simply for holding Dogetti coins. This innovative concept aligns with the broader crypto ethos of empowering individuals, as it directly benefits those who support and invest in Dogetti. Furthermore, Dogetti plans to introduce various forms of utility within its ecosystem. These utilities will not only enhance the value proposition of the coin but also provide practical applications for its holders. By focusing on utility, Dogetti aims to differentiate itself from other meme coins that often rely solely on hype and speculation. In conclusion, while BEN Coin and Shiba Inu have made substantial waves in the meme coin space, Dogetti brings a fresh perspective to the table. By positioning itself as a family and prioritizing the well-being and financial growth of its members, Dogetti offers a compelling alternative for investors seeking the next big crypto opportunity. Its emphasis on utility and community engagement sets it apart and makes it a potential contender for those looking to explore the meme coin market further. To learn more about Dogetti and join The Family, visit their website. Embark on this exciting journey with us and be part of something unique and special in the crypto world. Presale: https://dogetti.io/how-to-buy Website: https://dogetti.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/Dogetti Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Dogetti_ (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 5: Noted Entrepreneur and President of the Maharashtra Industry Development Association and SME Chamber of India has asked for creating a dedicated department for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Maharashtra government. Maharashtra is home to over 32 lakh SMEs operating in various sectors, such as manufacturing, services, and allied industries. These SMEs form the backbone of the state's economy with their efforts and account for the lion's share in job creation. Mr Salunkhe has been pressing for a separate department exclusively for SMEs to provide them with the support to facilitate their growth. "The focus of the government seems to be on large enterprises. SMEs play a critical role in economic growth. Setting up a separate SME department would acknowledge the role of SMEs. It would ensure the implementation of dedicated schemes and policies to empower SMEs, address the challenges and grievances they face, improve the ease of doing business, ensure a level playing field, and help them become globally competitive. It will be a proactive step that will unleash the untapped potential of SMEs and further drive the state's economic growth," Mr Salunkhe said, adding that many other states have already set up separate ministries, secretariats and Commissionerate to support SMEs. He has appealed to the Maharashtra chief minister, industries minister, chief secretary and principal secretary of industries to take immediate action to establish a dedicated SME department. While the government of Maharashtra has made notable efforts to encourage entrepreneurs, there remains an evident disparity between the support provided and the challenges they face. Even basic amenities like infrastructure, roads, water supply, and electricity continue to elude many SMEs. Despite the division initiated in the Ministry of Industries and Development Commissionerate of Industries, he believes a separate department is essential to provide focused attention and support for the growth and revival of SMEs. A separate department with a dedicated secretary is vital to bridge this gap and effectively promote their growth. It will also lead to greater coordination with other ministries and departments to facilitate better quality services and infrastructure development and address issues related to skilled manpower shortage, water and power shortage in major industrial belts, etc. Mr Salunkhe has a further request for the appointment of Joint CEOs within the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) to expedite critical matters concerning the SME sector, allocate industrial land, revive dormant units, and attract more investments and foreign direct investment (FDI) to enhance industrial activities for the benefit of local SMEs in terms of supply chain and procurement. He has also proposed the setting up of a cordial committee between police and office bearers of trade and industry bodies to establish harmonious relations between businesses, industries, retail establishments and commercial enterprises across the state. The committee would review and address issues related to law & order and ensure the prevention of harassment companies face. He believes that this will improve confidence in the system and foster an environment conducive to entrepreneurial success. (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], June 5: On the occasion of the 32nd STPI Foundation Day, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) today conducted a seminar on "Growth avenues for Indian IT industry and emerging tech ecosystem", which was graced by Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); Padmaja Ruparel, Co-founder, IAN; Dr. Ganesh Natrajan, Chairman, 5F World & Honeywell India; Dr. Anand Deshpande, Founder, Persistent Systems, and Ajai Chowdhry, Founder, HCL & Chairman, EPIC Foundation. The event witnessed three Exchange of MoUs - STPI Next Initiatives & BRC, SRM Institute of Science and Technology and STPI Next Initiatives & India Angels Network and Center for Entrepreneurship Development and STPINEXT initiatives and Incubation (CEDI) of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Trichy. An agritech report titled "Innovations through Agritech: A study on the adoption and impact of technology on agri and agri-allied sectors". The report aims to provide insights into the current state of Agritech in India, the challenges faced by the sector, and the opportunities for growth and innovation. Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, MeitY, who was the chief guest of the event, extended his greetings to STPI for clocking 32 years and listed out six pillars of IT development. "Today, the world is talking about digital transformation. India is moving from e-governance to digital governance, where each service has to be online. The six major pillars of development that make India an IT superpower are connectivity, low-cost data, affordable devices, people-friendly policies, future-ready talent, and cyber security," said Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, MeitY. Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI, who delivered the welcome address, said, "It's a proud moment for all of us as we have completed 32 years of serving the IT/ITES industry. Over these last three decades, STPI has achieved many milestones. STPI mitigated the 3 basic concerns of the industry including ease of doing business, high-speed internet, and computing devices." Ajai Chowdhry, Founder, HCL & Chairman, EPIC Foundation said, "India and STPI need to move towards high-value addition and products." "The world is changing and we should be looking at where India's next opportunity lies. STPI has created a fantastic support system for the software industry. They have been exceedingly successful in proving that enabler which was essential to get it started and to scale. Now, we have to move towards high value-addition," he added. Esteemed panelists including Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology; Suresh Raman, Vice President and Regional Head Chennai, TCS; Sairee Chahal, Founder & CEO, SHEROES & Mahila Money; Sridhar Muppidi, Co-founder, PurpleTalk India Private Limited; Dr. Shakti Goel, Chief Architect and Data Scientist, Yatra Online Limited and Suryansh Jalan, President, FarEye Technologies deliberated on "IndiaAhead: TechAde of opportunities and STPI's role in promoting emerging technologies ecosystem". (Disclaimer: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi has refuted the reports of him suffering from cancer. The veteran actor recently took to his Twitter to clear the air as he issued a statement in Telugu language. He shared that he was not diagnosed with cancer but with non-cancerous polyps which were detected early and also removed. The actor tweeted a long note as he shared, "A while ago I spoke about the need to raise awareness about cancer while inaugurating a cancer centre. I told you that cancer can be prevented if you undergo regular medical tests. I was alert and took a colonoscopy test. I said that non-cancerous polyps were detected and removed. I only said, 'If I hadn't done the test first, it would have turned out to be cancer'. That's why everyone should take precautions and undergo medical tests/screening', I only said. The actor blamed a few media organisations for irresponsible reporting. He further mentioned, "But some media organisations did not understand this properly and started scrolling and web articles saying 'I got cancer' and 'I survived due to treatment'. This has caused unnecessary confusion. Many well wishers are sending messages about my health. This clarification is for all of them. Also an appeal to such journalists. Don't write nonsense without understanding the subject. Because of this, many people are scared and hurt." On the work front, Chiranjeevi was last seen in 'Waltair Veerayya' and has 'Bholaa Shankar' in the pipeline. The movie will see Keerthy Suresh as his sister while Tamannaah Bhatia will be seen romancing the Telugu megastar. --IANS aa/uk/ ( 275 Words) 2023-06-04-16:16:01 (IANS) On Sunday, the actor took to Instagram and dropped a video from the sets. https://www.instagram.com/p/CtE07yEM-c_/ Sharing the video, she wrote, "And it's a wrap!!!!! #Aarya3. Here's to @amitamadhvani @madhvaniram #kapilsharma #Shradha @disneyplushotstar @officialrmfilms @endemolshineind & the MOST AMAZING CAST & CREW EVER!!! Thank you #aaryafamily. Warmest hug ever Daulat @sikandarkher. I love you guys!!!" In the video, she can be seen doing a dance with director Ram Madhvani and also giving a warm hug to her co-star Sikandar Kher. As soon as the video was uploaded, the actor's fans and industry friends chimed in the comment section. Sikandar wrote, "As they say .. Congo to all of us!" One of the users wrote, "Can't wait to watch season 3." Another commented, "Eagerly waiting." 'Aarya' marked Sushmita Sen's comeback on-screen and her digital debut. Sushmita made a thrilling comeback with 'Aarya' in June 2020. In the series, the actor plays a tough woman, who goes beyond boundaries to protect her family from the world of crime. The first season was even nominated for the 'Best Drama' series at the International Emmy Awards. Directed by Ram Madhvani, the series also stars Namit Das, Manish Chaudhari, Sikandar Kher, and Vinod Rawat among others in pivotal roles. The second season of the show was released in December 2021 and the release date of the third season hasn't been revealed by the makers yet. The series will stream on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar. Apart from this, Sushmita is all set to play the role of transgender activist Gauri Sawant in a new web series titled 'Taali'. (ANI) In a new development in cancer treatment, a Mumbai company has brought the Cryoablation technology from Israel to give a precise, cold-blooded death to most kinds of tumours and/or cancers. Billed as a 'non-surgical, next-gen' technology of IceCure Medical, Israel, its flagship machine "ProSense" has been introduced in India by NovoMed Incorporation Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai. Cryoablation 'ProSense' is currently installed in four hospitals across India and has given 'highly encouraging' results with thousands of cancer patients for the ease of treatment and better pain management. They are: Tata Memorial Centre Hospital and Picture This By Jankharia, (both institutions in Mumbai), the NH-Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (Kolkata) and Kovai Medical Center & Hospital, (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu). Explaining the treatment, NIPL Director Jay Mehta said that Cryoablation is a minimally invasive image guided (ultrasound or CT-Scan) treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and accurately destroy diseased tissue within the tumour zone, quickly and causing bare minimum pain to the patient. "It used liquid nitrogen (LN2) for maximum freezing, safety and efficacy. For Cryoablation, a thin, needle-like probe called a cryoprobe is inserted into the target area. The cryoprobe used the LN2 as a coolant, which rapidly cools the surrounding tissue," said Jay Mehta. NIPL Managing Director Nainesh Mehta said that as the tissue freezes, ice crystals form, causing cellular damage and destruction with the extreme cold temperatures freezing and killing the abnormal cells to treat the patient. "Cryoablation has several advantages over other treatment methods. It requires just a small incision or a needle puncture, results in less trauma to the patient and enables faster recovery compared with open surgery, can be performed under local anaesthesia in most cases, and since it is precise and targeted at the abnormal tissue while preserving the surrounding healthy tissues, it eliminates hospital stay for most patients," elaborated Nainesh Mehta. The Mehtas say that it is used for treating benign or malignant tumours of the breast, kidney, liver, lung, bone, soft tissues, skin, etc., and the specific application of Cryoablation depends on the condition being treated. Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Interventional Radiologist Dr Vimal Someshwar said that not only have the results on patients been very good, Cryoablation is also considered excellent for pain management, and the technology has a tremendous potential for wider deployment. Consultant Radiologist Dr Jankharia in the city said that Cryoablation fills a niche in the overall ablation space and is best for fibromatosis, specific bone and soft tissue tumours, besides liver and lungs. "While Radio Frequency Ablation has been in India for over two decades and Microwave has slowly established itself in the past five years, Cryoablation is a recent entrant but giving very good results," he said. The Mehtas contend that Cryoablation is a "futuristic and revolutionary technology in India" which the people can take maximum advantage of to freeze and kill the cancer. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) --IANS qn/bg ( 502 Words) 2023-06-04-08:32:05 (IANS) The government doctors in Uttar Pradesh have been told to prescribe only generic drugs to patients as per the new guidelines issued by the medical health department. Issued by the department's principal secretary Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma on Saturday, the circular lists a set of instructions that all chief medical superintendents and government hospital directors must adhere to. "The working status of each equipment in hospitals must be updated on the CARE app every Monday. If equipment is non-functional for long, the hospital shall contact the additional director of the electrical wing. The live monitoring of 108 hospitals in the state from the integrated command control centre will begin soon as CCTV circuits are in place," the circular says. "Most medicines are available in stores. Doctors will prescribe only generic medicines, even if they are not in stock at hospitals," Sharma said. Explaining its significance, an expert said generic drugs save patients' money. "Generic drugs cost less in spite of the same good manufacturing practices followed to make them," said Dr Abhishek Shukla, the secretary-general of the Association of International Doctors. Also, doctors will be subjected to a monthly scrutiny on the basis of their specialty, patients counselled in the outpatient wing, major and minor surgeries performed and the likes, and the data will be uploaded on the Health Management Information System portal. --IANS amita/dpb ( 237 Words) 2023-06-04-09:30:08 (IANS) A team led by a University of Texas at Dallas neurodevelopment researcher has discovered some of the most solid evidence yet that parents who communicate with their children boost their babies' brain development. The researchers used MRI and audio recordings to demonstrate that caregiver speech is associated with infant brain development in ways that improve long-term language progress. Dr. Meghan Swanson, assistant professor of psychology in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, is corresponding author of the study, which was published online April 11 and in the June print edition of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. "This paper is a step toward understanding why children who hear more words go on to have better language skills and what process facilitates that mechanism," Swanson said. "Ours is one of two new papers that are the first to show links between caregiver speech and how the brain's white matter develops." White matter in the brain facilitates communication between various gray matter regions, where information processing takes place in the brain. The research included 52 infants from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS), a National Institutes of Health-funded Autism Center of Excellence project involving eight universities in the U.S. and Canada and clinical sites in Seattle, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Home language recordings were collected when children were 9 months old and again six months later, and MRIs were performed at 3 months old and 6 months old, and at ages 1 and 2. "This timing of home recordings was chosen because it straddles the emergence of words," Swanson said. "We wanted to capture both this prelinguistic, babbling time frame, as well as a point after or near the emergence of talking." It's long been known that an infant's home environment -- especially the quality of caregiver speech -- directly influences language acquisition, but the mechanisms behind this are unclear. Swanson's team imaged several areas of the brain's white matter, focusing on developing neurological pathways. "The arcuate fasciculus is the fiber tract that everyone in neurobiology courses learns is essential to producing and understanding language, but that finding is based on adult brains," Swanson said. "In these children, we looked at other potentially meaningful fiber tracts as well, including the uncinate fasciculus, which has been linked to learning and memory." The researchers used the images to measure fractional anisotropy (FA). This metric for the freedom or restriction of water movement in the brain is used as a proxy for the progress of white matter development. "As a fiber track matures, water movement becomes more restricted, and the brain's structure becomes more coherent," Swanson said. "Because babies aren't born with highly specialized brains, one might expect that networks that support a given cognitive skill start out more diffuse and then become more specialized." Swanson's team found that infants who heard more words had lower FA values, indicating that the structure of their white matter was slower to develop. The children went on to have better linguistic performance when they began to talk. The study's results align with other recent research showing that slower maturation of white matter confers a cognitive advantage. "As a brain matures, it becomes less plastic -- networks get set in place. But from a neurobiological standpoint, infancy is unlike any other time. An infant brain seems to rely on a prolonged period of plasticity to learn certain skills," Swanson said. "The results show a clear, striking negative association between FA and child vocalization." Sharnya Govindaraj, co-first author of the paper, a cognition and neuroscience doctoral student and a member of Swanson's Baby Brain Lab, said at first she was surprised by the results. "We initially didn't know how to interpret these negative associations that seemed very counterintuitive. The whole concept of neuroplasticity and absorbing new knowledge had to fall into place," she said. "Which ability we're looking at also matters a great deal, because something like vision matures much earlier than language." As the parent of a toddler in a bilingual household, Swanson was curious about how this relationship functions for infants exposed to more than one language. "Raising a bilingual child, it is remarkable how she is not confused by languages, and she knows who she can use which language with," Swanson said. Swanson said she also has gained a deeper level of appreciation and gratitude for what she, as a researcher, asks parents in her studies to do. "When participants sign up, I'm asking them to commit to a year and a half," she said. "Because of the commitment of all the parents in prior studies, I and others have the knowledge that allows us to communicate with our children in a way that supports their development." Swanson said the take-home message is that parents have the power to help their children develop. "This work highlights parents as change agents in their children's lives, with the potential to have enormous protective effects," Swanson said. "I hope our work empowers parents with the knowledge and skills to support their children as best they can." (ANI) Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya along with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Cabinet Minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited the injured victims of the triple train accident, in Cuttack on Sunday. According to officials, the Union ministers met the injured passengers at the Srirama Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. The ministers also held a meeting with doctors from AIIMS, Bhubaneswar as well as those from SCB Medical College and Hospital, informed officials. Earlier, on Sunday, Railway Minister Vaishnaw, along with fellow Union cabinet colleague Dharmendra Pradhan, arrived at the district hospital to check on the injured. The accident in Balasore district, involving two passenger trains and one goods train, claimed 275 lives and left over 1,000 injured. Upon their visit to the hospital, the Union ministers were spotted consoling the injured and their family members. Vaishnaw informed further that the doctors were dispensing proper treatment to the victims. He added that railway tracks on the up and down lines, which were damaged in the triple train tragedy, have been restored for the resumption of services. "We met patients nursing injuries at Bhadrak hospital. Almost all patients are in contact with their famlies. The doctors and staff are providing proper treatment to the injured. Track restoration work has been completed," Vaishnaw told reporters. Earlier, taking to Twitter, Vaishnaw informed that the down line had been restored for resumption of service. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rang up the Railway minister, asking him to oversee the repair and restoration of the damaged tracks. The accident on Friday evening involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in the Balasore district. The Railway minister on Sunday said the triple train accident in Balasore occurred due to a "change in electronic interlocking". Electronic interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements between trains through an arrangement of tracks. It is basically a safety measure to prevent signals from being changed in improper sequence. The aim of this system is that no train gets the signal to proceed unless the route is proven safe. Speaking to ANI, Vaishnav said, "This is a different issue. This is about Point Machine, electronic interlocking. The accident took place due to a change in electronic interlocking. Who did it and how it happened will become clear once the investigation reaches a logical end." Earlier, on Saturday, Emergency Medical Officer, SCB Medical College Cuttack, Bhubana Nanda Moharana, said everything, including research and treatment for the victims of the tragic Balasore Train derailment, was made free by the state government. Locals, numbering hundreds, had queued up outside Cuttack's SCB Medical College earlier to donate blood for the victims following the horrific train accident. (ANI) As Rajasthan goes to the polls in December this year, there are crucial caste equations which one needs to study and understand for the social engineering in this state is a little complicated and complex. These caste equations have been springing surprises for many parties over the years. The eastern belt forms the crucial region of Rajasthan which is known for its dominance of Meena and Gujjar votes, while the Shekhawati and Marwar belt is known for the crucial Jat votes. The Meenas in 2018 sprung a surprise by rejecting the tallest leader of their community, Kirodilal Meena. Among the Jats, Hanuman Beniwal won by a record margin for he branded himself as a Jat leader. He contested as an Independent in the assembly polls and later formed an alliance with the BJP from Nagaur. Later, he also contested the parliamentary polls and won. Recently, he broke his alliance with the BJP due to the farm laws issue. The BJP recently organised its state executive meeting in Nagaur to woo voters from this belt. However, Beniwal still stands strong among his community and has announced he will give his full support to Sachin Pilot if he forms his own party. The Jats in fact form the biggest caste group in Rajasthan with 9% population, the Marwar and Shekhawati regions are dominated by the Jats in 31 constituencies. Their significance and unity can be gauged from the fact that these constituencies saw voters sending 25 winners from the community. Overall, they got 37 seats in the 200-member state assembly, elections for which were held on December 7, 2018. The Jats are followed by the Rajputs, with 6% of the population, who accounted for 17 seats. Next is the Gujjar community which has a say in around 30 to 35 seats of eastern Rajasthan. They have traditionally been BJP voters but then they voted for the Congress showing loyalty to their community leader Sachin Pilot. The community is influential in at least 30 seats, including Dausa, Karauli, Hindaun and Tonk. Together, the Meenas and Gujjars comprise 13% of the state's population. "The Gujjars have traditionally been BJP supporters, but last time because of Pilot, they voted for the Congress," said a party leader. The Meenas are known to be Congress supporters, but then they had rejected their own community leader Kirodilal Meena, who claims to be the biggest tribal leader in the state. Eighteen Meena legislators were elected in the last polls; nine from the Congress, five from the BJP, and three Independents. The Meenas continued to support the Congress, despite their leader Kirodilal Meena's return to the BJP. According to political analysts, the community supported the Congress "without looking at the candidate, as they were not heard in the BJP government." Together, the Meenas and Gujjars comprise 13% of the state's population. Now all eyes are on the Assembly polls 2023. The first crucial question is where will the Gujjars vote? This is a billion dollar question as the community feels cheated that their leader was not made chief minister when he was the face of the 2018 polls. Now, amid speculation that Pilot will float a new party on June 11, this question becomes all the more crucial. If the community stands with him the Congress will face a loss of these crucial 30 to 35 seats in the forthcoming assembly polls. Next is the Jat community which is yet again crucial in Rajasthan. While the Congress has its PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra who is a prominent Jat leader, the BJP has its ex-president Satish Poonia as a Jat. While the BJP removed Poonia, upsetting the Jat community, the Congress, sources said, might elevate Dotasra as deputy CM to woo the Jat leaders. The BJP later announced Poonia as deputy leader of the opposition to placate the Jats, looking at their strong vote base. The Meenas, the next crucial vote bank, is also being looked upon with speculation to see if they will help their powerful leader Kirodilal Meena of the BJP to win or else in another permutation if the Gujjars and Meenas stay united? All permutations and combinations are being discussed by the parties to ensure victory in the assembly polls. Overall, the state has four major communities -- Rajputs, Jats, Meenas and Gujjars, who voted in a mixed manner in the 2018 assembly elections, which saw the BJP concede defeat, and the Congress return to power after five years. --IANS arc/bg ( 762 Words) 2023-06-04-12:18:04 (IANS) According to sources in the NIA, they had recently lodged an FIR in this connection and have started an investigation. The NIA is working together with Madhya Pradesh Police ATS to probe the matter. "We are trying to ascertain what was their possible future course of action and determine the number of states they have targeted," said an NIA source. Earlier, eight persons connected to this terror module were held from Bhopal by the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS). Later, as per order of the Union Home Ministry, the NIA took over the probe. "Members of Hizb-ul-Tahrir (HuT) are trying to build its cadres in Madhya Pradesh clandestinely by recruiting Muslim- youth into the organisation with an aim to overthrow the constitutionally formed government in India in order to establish Sharia law for which they are also collecting a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives and planning to attack various religious leaders and places," read the FIR accessed by IANS. The MP ATS probe had also revealed that the eight arrested accused had held several secret meetings in multiple states in 2022 during which they radicalised innocent youths. The sources said that this group has been active since 2022. "This module has been inciting the youths of a particular religion to take up arms against the Indian government," the source said. Further investigation into the matter is ongoing. --IANS atk/dpb ( 264 Words) 2023-06-04-13:18:04 (IANS) The Odisha government on Sunday said the death figure in the tragic triple train accident at Bahanaga station in Balasore stood at 275. "Some of the bodies have been counted twice at the accident site and also in hospitals. So, after proper counting, the final death figure stood at 275," said Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena. Out of 275 dead bodies, 78 bodies were identified and handed over to their family members after autopsy, he said, adding that the handing over of another 10 bodies was also under process. Jena said of the remaining 187 bodies, 170 bodies have been brought to Bhubaneswar while another 17 bodies were in transit to the capital city from Balasore. The bodies have been brought to different mortuaries of Bhubaneswar in a dignified way by 85 ambulances. Only two bodies were brought in each ambulance, he informed. Stating that the major challenge before the government was to identify the bodies, the chief secretary said, "We have uploaded the pictures of the dead bodies on websites. If someone can identify the body of their family member, he/she can contact the helpline number 18003450061 /1929 (24A-7)." The pictures of bodies have been uploaded on the websites: https://srcodisha.nic.in/, https://www.bmc.gov.in, and https://www.osdma.org. The list of injured have also been uploaded in these websites. The government has also taken steps to provide death certificates to the family members of deceased persons in a hassle-free manner, he informed. As many as 1,175 patients were admitted to various hospitals, out of which 793 have been discharged. Most of the injured patients are in stable condition. A total of 382 passengers were undergoing treatment in various government and private hospitals. --IANS bbm/dpb ( 298 Words) 2023-06-04-13:48:06 (IANS) Under it, police officials will visit every area and appeal to the people to install at least one CCTV camera outside every home so that the entire area gets covered. Cops will also engage corporators and prominent citizens from every ward. The idea is that CCTV cameras should be installed in all the small passages, alleys, and roads. Prominent business persons, traders, and shopkeepers have also been asked to install CCTV cameras outside their establishments. Senior police officials said officers of the rank of assistant commissioner of police have been directed to ensure that the maximum area of their jurisdiction gets covered by CCTV cameras. ACP, Gomti Nagar, Swati Chaudhary said that CCTVs must be installed by all as they not only serve as a deterrent but help in tracing criminals, along with preparing a database of patterns of crime taking place. "Cops can be deployed based on the crime taking place at a particular place. Those who install cameras will be rewarded by the senior police officer," said Chaudhary. She added that the feed from CCTVs, which will be installed at prominent crossings, places of public gathering and important routes, will be linked with the police stations of the area concerned. A restaurant in Mahanagar recently installed four CCTV cameras and received a letter of appreciation by the joint commissioner of police, law and order. --IANS amita/prw/dpb ( 260 Words) 2023-06-04-15:18:03 (IANS) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda in New Delhi has triggered speculation of the two parties reviving their alliance. The meeting happened late on Saturday. This was Naidu's first meeting with Amit Shah since 2018 when the TDP pulled out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The meeting comes amid the buzz in political circles that the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister is keen to have an alliance with the BJP for Telangana Assembly elections scheduled later this year and the next year's Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Andhra Pradesh. During an-hour-long meeting, the former chief minister is understood to have discussed with both Amit Shah and Nadda the proposal for TDP-BJP alliance in both the Telugu states. Naidu, who is in Delhi to attend the consultative meeting of the leaders on G20, is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Accompanied by TDP MPs K. Ravindra Kumar, Kesineni Nani, Rammohan Naidu and former MP K. Rammohan Rao, Naidu reached Delhi on Saturday evening. Rebel YSRCP MP Raghurama Krishna Raju received the TDP chief at the airport. From there, they drove to the residence of TDP MP Galla Jayadev. Later, around 8.55 p.m., Naidu alone reached Amit Shah's residence. A few minutes later, Nadda also reached there. The meeting among the trio continued till around 10 p.m. None of them spoke to the media after the meeting. The TDP leaders were tight-lipped as to what transpired at the meeting. However, the meeting comes amid the growing demand from BJP's ally actor-politician Pawan Kalyan to finalise the grand alliance against YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh. Jana Sena Party (JSP) leader has been urging the BJP leadership to decide what he calls the 'road map' to oust YSRCP from power. Pawan, who had campaigned for TDP-BJP alliance in 2014, already held a couple of meetings with Naidu in recent months. BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit Somu Veerraju had also said last week that they have conveyed Pawan Kalyan's proposal to the BJP's central leadership and that it will take a final decision. The actor-politician is also gearing up to embark on a statewide tour on his special campaign vehicle. TDP, which had formed the first government in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh after its victory in 2014 elections in alliance with the BJP, snapped ties with the NDA in 2018 in protest over the delay in grant of special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Naidu had later joined hands with the Congress party to contest the Assembly elections in Telangana. However, the alliance had to bite the dust. TDP also faced a drubbing in simultaneous elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha in 2019. The YSRCP swept the polls, winning 151 seats in the 175-member Assembly. TDP could win only 23 Assembly and three out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Ever since the crushing defeat in 2019, Naidu has been trying to build bridges with the BJP. He met Prime Minister Modi on a couple of occasions in recent months. --IANS ms/dpb ( 538 Words) 2023-06-04-15:26:04 (IANS) The accused was identified as Rahul Sethi, a resident of Sagarpur in Delhi. He was also found previously involved in 50 cases of snatching, robbery, auto theft among others. The Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav said that specific inputs were received that a proclaimed offender Rahul would come on a stolen motorcycle at Vikas Nagar. "Acting on the inputs a trap was laid and Rahul was apprehended," said Yadav. On interrogation, Rahul, who was born in Hisar, Haryana, disclosed that he came to Delhi in 2000. "In 2009, he was arrested in a snatching case registered at Chanakyapuri police station. He was regularly committing robbery and snatching and became a history-sheeter of Sagarpur police station," said the special CP. "Rahul has been convicted in many cases, therefore, he is not attending court proceedings. In 2018, after getting released from jail, he kept changing his address. In 2022, he stole a motorcycle from Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, Jahangirpuri, Delhi and started using this motorcycle for committing robbery/snatching," the official added. --IANS ssh/dpb ( 216 Words) 2023-06-04-15:30:06 (IANS) This is the first-ever visit by an Indian External Affairs Minister to Namibia. "Arrived in Windhoek. Thank Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of Namibia, Jenelly Matundu for receiving me so warmly," Jaishankar tweeted after his arrival. "Look forward to a productive visit that takes our time-tested ties forward," he added further. During the visit, the external affairs minister will call on the top leadership of the country and also meet with other ministers of the government. Official sources said that Jaishankar will also co-chair the inaugural session of the joint commission meeting with the Namibian deputy prime minister and foreign minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. He will also interact with the Indian diaspora based in Namibia. The minister in the first leg of his tour, had visited South Africa from June 1 to 3, where he had attended the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting. --IANS ans/pgh ( 174 Words) 2023-06-04-19:04:02 (IANS) Sanjay said on Sunday told his party cadres that there was no need to pay attention to speculative stories in the media. The speculations were triggered after TDP president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda in Delhi. This was Naidu's first meeting with Amit Shah after the TDP pulled out of the BJP-led NDA in 2018. The meeting which took place at Amit Shah's residence in Delhi on Saturday night lasted for nearly an hour. The three leaders are believed to have discussed the proposal for reviving the alliance. They are reported to have discussed the possibilities of a TDP-BJP alliance in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Assembly elections in Telangana are due towards the end of 2023 while elections for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly are likely to be held along with Lok Sabha polls next year. Sanjay, who is also a BJP MP, said there was nothing wrong with Naidu meeting Amit Shah and Nadda. He remarked that BJP leaders do not avoid meeting opposition leaders and people. The BJP leader also stated that "the BJP is not like Chief Minister KCR to mortgage the state's interests". --IANS ms/pgh ( 250 Words) 2023-06-04-19:32:03 (IANS) Following the announcement of guarantees promised during polls in Karnataka, the Congress party is bursting with confidence to win maximum seats in Lok Sabha elections. The Congress party has garnered tremendous goodwill across the state. After suffering a humiliating defeat in the assembly elections, opposition BJP in the state is trying hard to find a momentum in the state. The Congress high command on the other hand is successfully sending positive messages one after the other to the people of the state. The grand old party elders have managed to resolve the differences between the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and State party President and DyCM D.K. Shivakumar. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah are looking united and focused post the formation of the cabinet. The Congress has allotted plum cabinet posts to Dalits, OBCs and minorities and also ensured the proper representation to dominant castes. By electing a Muslim speaker for the first time in the history of the state and alotting two cabinet portfolios, the party had ensured that Muslim vote bank remained intact. By announcing the dates of implementation of guarantee schemes, the masses irrespective of party and affiliations have appreciated the move of Congress party. DyCM D.K. Shivakumar has described the development as historic, and the first time in the country, five guarantees of the scale were implemented in the country in a day. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday declared that all five guarantees would be implemented by this financial year. The scheme of free bus travel will come into effect by June 11. Free power up to 200 units will be given from July. Women heads will get Rs 2,000 from August and Free 10 kilograms of rice for all members of BPL card will be given from July 1. Following the announcement of the date of implementation of five guarantees by the Karnataka Congress government, Shivakumar challenged that now it is the turn of the Union government to keep their promises. Soon, the Central government will face a litmus test in the form of Lok Sabha elections. "To pass the test, they need to keep their promises," he added. Commenting on the criticism by the opposition parties especially BJP on guarantee schemes, Shivakumar urged that instead of criticism, let the Prime Minister bring black money from abroad and deposit Rs 15 lakh to individual bank accounts as promised. Let them (BJP) create 2 crore jobs promised to be created and double the income of farmers, Shivakumar stated. In turn, BJP is yet to elect the leader of the opposition and the state unit is found lacking towards rejuvenating spirits of the party workers. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is finding it difficult to answer repeated questions regarding the selection of opposition leader. Former CM Bommai's attack on Congress party after announcement of guarantee schemes by dubbing the development as a farce had few takers. BJP had swept 25 seats out of 28 in the last parliamentary elections when former CM B.S. Yediyurappa was at the helm and leading the party. Congress won only one seat against the Modi wave following the Balakot incident and retaliatory action by the Central government against Pakistan in 2019. AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge too lost elections against BJP candidate Umesh Jadhav on his home turf. Now, since PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's combined efforts are falling flat in Karnataka assembly elections, the Congress is clearly aiming at winning more than 20 seats. Mallikarjun Kharge has taken the revenge as his appeal of claiming himself as Bhoomi Putra of Karnataka struck a chord with the people and sunk campaigning blitzkrieg by PM Modi and Amit Shah. Sources in the Congress party confirmed that the process of selection of candidates has already started. With Dalit and Muslim vote banks intact, the Congress is confident that it will also give no option for the BJP to get back the Lingayat vote bank. Vokkaliga community is now rallying behind Dy CM Shivakumar. The party is also strategising to hold elections for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to wrestle civic agency of IT city Bengaluru. While Congress is treading cautiously and aggressively against Hindutva, BJP camp is looking dull and wanting, torn with internal strife. --IANS mka/kvd ( 721 Words) 2023-06-04-09:34:02 (IANS)